The Christian Governor in the Commonwealth and Private Families, Exposition 2 · Part 1
13. So not long after, when the yonger Sonne, &c.Vers. 13.
IN this Chapter, or part of Scripture, being a Chapter which bringeth much true and sound comfort to touched and mourning sinners, are set downe three parables. The first, of the lost Sheepe, vers. 4.5. the second, of the lost Groat, vers. 8.9.10. and the third, of the prodigall and lost Sonne, vers. 11.12.13. &c. to the end of the Chapter. The occasion is to be seen in the first, and second verses, which was the comming of many Publicans and sinners to Christ, and for it, the murmuring of the Scribes and Pharisies against Christ.
In this parable of the Prodigall and lost sonne, two things are spoken of principally, as the Father and his two sonnes in the literall sence: and God the father, and his children, of different inclination and wayes, in the mysticall. For, by the elder, or bragging sonne, are meant the Scribes and Pharisies, and by the yonger, and prodigall, Publicans and sinners. The first sort seemed to liue in the bosome of God, the second professed to liue in the botom of the wrath of God. The one kinde were (seemingly) righteous, the other (apparantly) prophane. The one in the Church, and vnderunder the Law, the other not in the Church, nor vnderunder a law, but out of it, and without law, in their farre country of sinne.
And so by the lost Sonne, wee may vnderstand such sinners as are not called out of the broad way of their sinnes to the path of life, and yet are (secretly) marked to saluation, and shall be (mercifully) called to repentance in the Lords good time, as the lost sonne here. Of him my purpose is to speake now, and but of some of the Parable concerning him; as of his sinne, and entry-dore to Repentance. His sinne is, that that which was before, hee receaued his portion; or, after he had receaued it. His sinne before he receaued his portion, was his greedinesse to hauehave it, and impudencie in calling for it: His sinne after he receaued it, was his leauing of his Father, and Fathers house: and, after hee had depriued him of the comfort of a Sonne, and (vniustly) of that portion that belonged not to such a Sonne, a wasting of his goods with a riotous life. And this is spoken of in this 13. verse. where we hauehave that, that was the occasion of his sinne, and the sin it selfe. The occasion was his gathering together of his goods, and that substance which his Father had giuen him. And heere our Sauiour, by the Euangelist, sheweth how dangerous a thing fulnesse is, euen to Gods owne children, by abuse. For, it is said, when hee had gathered all together, &c. the meaning is, when hee was left to himselfe, and to his owne caruing, in these outward things, hauing Mony in his purse, and the raines of himselfe in his owne hand, he would endure his Fathers house and seruice no longer, but hasted out of it, as out of some close Prison, desiring the open Aire of Liberty, and to depart farre enough from his Fathers discipline and feare, that nothing might stop his way to the dissolute life hee entended to passe with sinners, out of Gods Church, in a strange land. So long as hee was at his fathers finding, stinted by him, it doth not appeare that hee poured out himselfe to any such riot: but after his portion came to his owne hands, hee went into a farre Countrie with it, and wasted it with riotous liuing.
The point here taught, is: Men had more need to watch sinne in a full estate,Doctr. then in a poore life. In the 69. Psalme, verse 22. the Prophet speaking of the full table of those desperate sinners that had dealt wickedly with God, and ill with him: wisheth (and that with a Prophets spirit) that their table might bee a snare vntounto them, that is… that they might be snared to destruction in it: and their prosperitie, their ruine: that is that that wall of a prosperous and wealthy estate, to which they so leaned, in their contempt of God, and rage against his people, might fall vponupon them, and in that great fall, send them from a peaceable life to perdition.
And this he prayeth for, with a knowledge, by the spirit of prophesie that was in him, of their reprobate estate, and that they were the enemies whom the Lord would destroy. But, what furthered their sinne, and hastened their end more or sooner, then vnsanctified fulnesse, and that hill which they supposed to be so strong in their vnmoueable prosperitie? Saul, being of a low degree and spirit in his Fathers house, liued commendably and well, 1 Sam. 9.2.21. But, hauing a kingdome, and being King, he left the Lord, and did much wickednesse. Sathan would hauehave set vp Christ in prosperitie, as vponupon an hill, thinking that if any estate could, a full estate would make him fall from God, and fall downe to him. But Satan could finde nothing in Christ, Iohn 14.30. that is, nothing for his purpose in any temptation, though hee found corruption enough in others, euen the best, after they were tempted in such manner: for, when Dauid had rest and ease, by such rest and ease, he fastened the point of this naile in him, and droue it to the head in his adulterie, and bloody sinne, 2 Sam. 11.4. Peter, feeling the fire of a warme estate, denied his Master by feare, Iohn 18.18.25.27.
And (therefore) as the milde and gentle beames of the Sunne hauehave more force vponupon a wayfaring man, then the strongest gale of winde that bloweth in the skie: for, the Sunne, by his warme beames, maketh him to cast off his Cloake, and to put off his Coate, as a burthen too heauie to be borne, where the vvinde, with his loude and colde blasts maketh him both faster to holde, and more closely to wrap about him, both Cloake and Coate: so the vvarme Sunne of prosperitie can make vsus more naked to God by sinne, then the colde winde of times, blustering with troubles. Therefore hath a Christian more neede in prosperitie to watch sinne, then in dayes of aduersitie and trouble: which may further be proued by these reasons following.
The reasons.
First, Satan hath more cords to binde vsus, in those temptations which are on our right hand, fet from profits, pleasures, and honour, then in those which are on our left, drawne from aduersitie, want, and basenesse. Which made him to reserue his temptation, taken from prosperitie, to the last place, in which he reposed all, as in his best weapon, or vveapon of proofe.
Secondly, prosperitie is a slipperie path: a man may soone fall in such a vvay: but aduersitie is a more rugged and sure way, not so apt to faile vsus.
Thirdly, in a full life, we hauehave more meanes of sinning, then in a bare estate. For what will not wealth doe to the help of riot, that pouertie cannot? A poore man cannot offend by drunkennesse, by whoredome, by oppression, by fulnesse of bread, by garish apparell, as a rich man may.
Vses.
Vse 1.Therefore no cause to be secure when vvee hauehave fairest weather vvith the vvorld in these outward things. For, then (commonly) the foulest is vvithin. In Luke Chap 12. ver. 19. He that ouernight had his vvarme Sunne, in much goods laid vp for many yeeres: that is, vvhichwhich hee supposed should continue long, and were (presently) gone; was in the colde shaddow before the next morning, or rather in the armes and shadow of colde and sencelesse death. O foole, this night they will fetch away thy soule from thee, vers. 20. Belshazzar was (presently) driuen from his Banquets of Wine to a banquet of Feare, where hee saw in his deepest rests the fingers that wrote and wrought his greatest vn-rest and trouble. For, they pointed to his present vnhappy change, from a glorious Monarchie to an inglorious Sacrifice, by the sword of Darius of the Medes, Dan. 5.4.5.6. And the Text sayth, that the same night was Belshazzar the King of the Caldeans slaine, verse. 30. Also, when did the enuious Man sowe his tares, but vvhile hee slept that had sowed good seede in his field, Matth. 13.24.25. So vvhen wee promise to our selues, or the flattering vvorld doth offer to vsus the sleeps of a quiet and easie life, then doth Satan sow in our mindes the tares and impediments of true Peace and Righteousnesse.
The yong man, vvho reioyced in his youth, must, for that abuse of his youth, come vntounto iudgement, Eccles. 11 9. And if so; then, vvhat securitie or sound peace is to be found in the best worldly estate so threatned vvith iudgement, and tormented vvith feare? What better to hauehave our fill of Quailes, and they to come out againe at our nosthrils? Numbers 11.20. When vvee are filled with the Quailes of vvhat wee vvould hauehave, vvee may thinke our selues vvell: but how vvell? and how long well, vvhen, at that very instant, and vvhile that sweet meat is betweene our teeth, the vvrath of God, by such lusting against God, is ready to fall vponupon vsus? when Satan is pleased, and the strong man hath possession, all things are in peace, Luke 11.21. but what peace (more cruell then any warre) is that which hath peace with Satan, and warre with God?
Vse 2.Secondly, heere vvee see that goods are not good, but by their good vse. They cannot make vsus better, this power belongeth to the Lord, Psal. 62.10. prouder they may make vsus, and more to trust to our selues, and lesse in God: or, they can doe vsus no good vvithout grace, and the desire of them cannot but purchase vsus great harme: for, 1 Timoth. 6.10. the roote of all euill is in such couetousnesse.
Many say, Who will shew vsus any good? that is, vvorldly good, Psalme. 4.6. but there is no good in that: and this is true good, to hauehave Gods countenance, vvhichwhich is more then all riches; and God with vsus, which is better then all worlds. For, it is the blessing of GOD that maketh rich, Prouerb. 10.22. that is, riches make not a rich man, but Gods grace with riches; and hee shall rise to wealth, not that riseth earely, Psal. 127.2. but to whom God giueth riches, and the power to vse them, Eccles. 5.18. To bee rich heere, is to hauehave a good and comfortable estate heere. Not to hauehave much goods, but to hauehave much good of that vvhichwhich wee hauehave, bee it much or little. The wicked may be rich, but not in such manner; rich, hauing the plague, but not the blessed contentment of riches, which is the gift of GOD, Eccl…s. 2.26. This young man had riches, but was he rich? We shall (after) heare how poore hee was vvhen hee would faine hauehave filled his belly with the huskes that the Swine did eate, because no man gaue vntounto him, verse 16. And so rich are they, vvho hauing vvealth vvithout grace, are so commonly, as it vvere, driuen from their full tables, vvith this young man, and lost Sonne, to great hunger, and the diet of huskes. So much for the occasion of this lost Sonnes sinne: the sinne it selfe followeth.
[He tooke his iourney into a farre Countrie.] Heere the Euangelist, or rather our Sauiour, by him, speaketh of this young mans sinne in two things. First, telling vsus vvhither he vvent; and (secondly) vvhat hee did in all that time of his stray-life. Hee went into a farre Countrie: that is, as farre as hee could go from his Fathers presence and feare. For, the nature of such sinners is, to remoue as farre as they can, in their persons and conuersation from God: that is, from Gods word, and the assemblie of Gods people, being professed vagabonds and Cains from his Temple and Seruice.
Doctr.This is the meaning of the vvords. The Doctrine and thing taught, is: It is the nature of sinne, and propertie of sinners, to turne from God and to turne the backe to his house, and presence there. The vvicked in Iob, meaning to liue in pleasures, and to grow in wealth; that is, in wealth gathered with a deceitfull hand, Iob 21.7. say vntounto God, Depart from vsus: for wee desire not the knowledge of thy wayes, verse 14. So in the Psalme, those vvicked, vvho were so proud that they sought not God, Psal. 10.4. and couetous that they contemned him: in whose mouth was cursing and deceit, and vnderunder whose tongue lay mischiefe and vanitie, ver. 7. set the iudgements of God high aboue their sight, verse 5. that is, set the God of iudgement as farre off as they could in his high acts, that his power might not daunt them, nor his presence be a curbe vntounto them. Ionah (Gods owne Prophet) when hee refused to goe to Nineueh, to preach to that great Citie, as the Lord had commanded him, fled from his presence vnderunder saile, Ionah 1.3. and the Angels that sinned, left their habitation; that is, originall condition, which was to minister before the glory of God, 2 Pet. 2.4. Iude 6. knowing that to liue in sinne, and to liue in Gods presence, who is of pure eyes, and cannot behold, but with detestation, any sinne, Habac. 1.13. is intolerable madnesse.
Also, they, who in Amos, approched to the seat of violence, put farre away from them the euill day, Amos 6.3. the meaning is; they sayd to God, be farre off, when they sayd to the seate of violence, come neere. And, vvhen they sell iudgement, who are set vp to giuegive true iudgement in matters: God must walke in the Circle of Heauen: that is, God must not see them while they purchase such an Aceldama to them and theirs.
Thus it is plaine that they turne from God who meane to doe eu…ll, and from his Shoole and Discipline: and the reasons are:
First, Out of Gods sight (for they thinke they can be where hee shall not see them) they presume of greater libertie, then when he is neare: as a wicked Sonne meaning grosely to offend, will not doe it in his Fathers house & sight, but (if hee can) further of, and rather before a stranger then him.
Secondly, the further from God, and the further remoued from Gods people, the more they shall hauehave to beare them company in their sinne, and greater and stronger meanes to embolden them to wickednesse: there they shall hauehave none to disswade them; and, in companie, none, that will not runne with them into all that excesse of riot, that they follow so eagerly, and louelove so well.
Thirdly, they that euill doe, hate the light, Iohn 3.20. God is light, 1 Iohn 1.5. and (therefore) euill doers, hating to do well, hate God, or to be where God is that is light, and cannot abide any darkenesse of sinne, or vngodlinesse whatsoeuer.
But, can a man goe from God? No,Quest. not out of his reach and knowledge,Answ. Psal. 139.7.8.9.10. yet hee may goe away from Gods awe, by his rebellious will: or, hee may goe from his house, where his presence, that is, familiar presence, is.
I would they could thinke of this, who (so ordinarily) on his Sabbaths goe from his seruice to the seruice of their bellies, and from his dinner to their carnall dinners: for, such breake from his presence, and little regard his prouidence.
Vses.
We see (then) what to iudge of those,Vse 1. who (though they cannot goe from God, that is, from his reach and knowledge,) yet louelove to goe as farre as they can from his house, where his presence is. Such are in sinne, and in the right kinde, Sinners.
Consider (therefore) when thou goest from Gods house that thou goest from God: and that, departing from his word, thou goest, as it were, into a farre Countrie from him. And, what is it to goe from God, but to runne into euill? and what to turne from GOD, but to turne vntounto vanitie? Cain, when God had cast him out of Adams familie, sayd: Thou hast cast mee from thy face this day, Gen. 4.14. His meaning was, that in that familie (which was the Church then) Gods face was seene in his worship: and therefore hee tooke it for a great part of his punishment, that hee was so cast out, or rather, had so cast himselfe out by his sinne. And, shall Cains mouth condemne you, who (so ordinarily) by your inordinate wayes, depart from God, and, in contempt, from his house? rather, consider your wayes, your straying wayes, and turne your feet vntounto Gods testimies, Psal. 119.59.
To turne to God, is to turne from vnrighteousnesse; and to returne to his house & presence, from Recusancie, and other prophane absences, is to begin to be vertuous. Wouldest thou (then) be thought and accounted one that is desirous to leaue sinne? set God in place, and his great power before thee: or, though thou hast long put off, wouldst thou, at last, enter the way of grace? O then, enter into his Courts, and come before his face, in the assembly of such as praise him, and call vponupon his name. Let them turne from God, who meane, not onelyonly to turne from him, but against him by raging oathes: nor onelyonly, to turne from the graces of his house, but from all grace and goodnesse: but let vsus draw neere with reuerence, who purpose farre to remoue from such euill doers, and doings; and seeke his face, who hauehave no meaning, and would bee thought to hauehave none, to prouoke him to his face.
Also,Vse 2. this teacheth, where God is remoued; or where there is any remouing from God, there can bee nothing but sinne, or a minde to sinne. Men, at their meales, turne out God: CHRIST cannot bee knowne at their breaking of Bread, Luke 24.30.31. Let such take heed that they doe not eate and drinke their owne damnation, or last. At their recreations, God must not be in place: or, how dare they bee so drunken in them, as they are, playing, or no better then playing, from weekes end to weekes end? while they are at their sports, they will not hauehave to doe vvith God: or, would they dare to speake and worke such vncleannesse, and God so neare? Such reioycing is not good: 1 Cor. 5.6. and, where God cannot bee at thy play, Deuils are thy play-fellowes. So much for this young mans first kinde of sinne: Now followeth what he did in the time of his stray-life.
[Hee wasted his goods with riotous liuing.] Our Sauiour hauing shewed, in this lost Sonne, what is common to Adams young men in their Fathers house, pricked with the prouender of fulnesse: as that their Fathers house cannot holde them, and that they cannot endure with their tender soles to tread vponupon his hard pauement, so strawed with Nettles and prickes of sharpe, but wholesome seueritie: here, hee sheweth what this Gallant did out of his Fathers house, in a strange and farre Countrie, where hee had more scope and libertie for his prodigall wayes. Hee wasted all, sayth the Text. The meaning is, when his lusts were his lords, so as they might commaund him in any thing, and preuaile with him for any purpose; all was too little to put into their mouth, and hee must onelyonly grinde to them, Iob 31.10. The point is,Doctr. when man departeth from the seruice of God, doing seruice to his lusts, there will bee no spare made of Gods blessings.
Lust is a great spender; it is one of those three things, or worse rather then all those three things that will not be satisfied; and the fourth that sayth not, It is enough, Prouerb. 30.15. By it, Adam lost Paradise and himselfe. Gen. 3.11.23. the lusting Israelites lost Canaan, by meanes of it, Numb. 11.5.6. and 14.23.30. and Solomon lost his wisedome, and had (almost) lost GOD by his lusts, 1 King. 11.4. Absalom did not onelyonly loose all grace, but good nature and shame, when hee went into his Fathers Concubines, in the sight of all Israell, 2 Sam. 16.22. Also, the Gentiles that followed their lusts, how vvere they left of God and common honestie? Rom. 1.24.26.27. Likewise, Christians, so farre as they were followers of their lusts… how vntowardly, how negligently did they follow God? the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, how did they commaund and carie them from the seruice of God, to the base seruice of sinne, 1 Iohn 2.16. From whence are warres, saith Saint Iames, but from the lusts that fight in your members? Iam. 4.1. Gal. 5.17. as if he had said, this, that you are so vnquiet in your selues, and passionate against others, hath no other cause, but your owne distempered affections, quarrelling alwayes about somewhat that you would hauehave, or doe, toward your profit, or pleasure, or vvorldly credit: and these disorder all the wheeles within you, making them to runne by their poyse and weight, vvithout any stop of contentment. What prophaneth Gods Sabbath… so much, as the lust of couetousnesse, or lust of vvantonnesse? For, eyther for our owne markets we neglect and loose Gods markets: or, wee vnserue God to serue our bellies, dancing to the pipe, when vve should dance before the Arke,
The lust of vvhoredome, how doth it vvaste the substance, and destroy the soule? Pro. 6.26.32. & 29.3. or, like a fire, that deuoureth all to destruction, Iob 31.12. vvaste both body & soule? Pro. 5.9.10. & 6.33. He that feedeth among the Lillies, abhorreth such vncleane Goates.
The lust of drunkennesse, vvhat vvounds procureth it, vvhat stripes, and scratches, and desperate stabbes? Prou. 23.29.30.
The lust of daunces, and lustfull after them, how doe they martyr their bodies, and fill the soule vvith vvickednesse? They who cannot serue God with patience, one houre on the Sabbath, can serue the Deuill with delight halfe the day, & some part of the night of the Sabbath, which they take vp such lusts. Meane while, whose Martyrs bee such? Gods? or the Deuils? vvhose day keepe they? Gods? or the Deuils day? and, to whom do they dedicate their Sabbaths? to God? or to the Deuill? making them dayes, not of holinesse, but of their lusts? Thus it appeareth, that the wicked, in their life of lusts, make no spare of Gods blessings, and may further appeare by these reasons. The reasons.
The first, may bee taken from the contrarietie that is betweene such lusting ones, and Gods faithfull ones. For, as the true Christian giues all to God, so the carnal man giues all to his lusts, Pro. 13.4. Ezech. 23.5.6.11.12. &c. Prou. 7.18. & 31.3.4. Rom. 13.14.
Secondly, they that are lusts seruants, will doe any thing at lusts bidding: and, what did this lost Sonne with-hold from his lusts which he serued? They that are taken with the net of the whorish woman, will they not, for her sake, bring all to a morsell of bread? Prou. 6.26. This yong man, in a like matter, brought all to nothing. Shall I need to goe into a farre Countrie for examples? doth not our owne Land so full of whoredomes, so poore by vvhoredome, and other lusts, on which so many hauehave consumed all, their soules and all, giuegive too plentifull vvitnesse to this truth?
Thirdly, all things are vile to that a man doth most affect: for, if wee louelove God best, what will vvee not doe for him? Phil. 3.8. and, if we louelove the world best, vvhat vvill vve not take from God to giuegive to it? Parents louelove their owne children best; and therefore they lay vp for them, and not for strangers. So they that most affect, and best esteeme of vile and stinking lusts, vvill sacrifice eueryevery precious thing to them.
Vses.
If (then) wee would bee good husbands of grace,Vse 1. we must not be vnderunder the power of our lusts: for, they fight against the soule, 1 Pet. 2.11. that is, the saluation of it, and graces in it. We put bits into our Horses mouths, saith Saint Iames, Iam. 3.3. much more should we put the bit of Reason into the vnbrideled chaps of lust, lest when vvee should turne it from vanitie, it turne vsus from GOD. That vvee may so doe, wee must (first) mortifie the deeds of the flesh by the spirit, Rom. 8.13. Now, to mortifie flesh, is so to keepe downe the soule in that part vvhichwhich is fleshly, that it shall command vsus in nothing: or, to mortifie it; is to doe nothing for it, in nothing to gratifie it, and to take all life from it. Not to restraine it a little, or, a little to hold it in aGen. 20.6. Hest. 5.10, as some doe, but, after the manner of Gods children, to kill it, or so to master it, that (if it will liue in vsus) it shall liue as an vnderling, & faintly, and droupingly, as one drawing to the graue. And to mortifie the flesh by the spirit; is to set it downe with arguments, not from our carnall lusts, but from the Word and Spirit: for, some thinke to drowne their lusts in outward things, in which they rather swimme then are drowned: and this maketh them to say, that if they might be thus rich, and thus well reported of, and thus seated, they vvould desire no more.
But the sickenesse of desire being vvithin, how can things vvithout vsus bee the cure of it? Is the dropsie cured vvith a parcell of Land, with a portion of Money, or vvith a braue suite of apparell? No verily: for such things are no approued Phisicke, eyther for dropsie, or other disease. And he, who, hauing the dropsie or other sickenesse, should say, he should be well if he had these things, should speake but simply.
Lust is a dropsie of the minde; and will things helpe it, that belong onelyonly to the bodie, and can (properly) satisfie the minde in nothing? therefore, by thy spirit the deeds of the flesh must be mortified; that is, by following the spirit, & not by lusting after carnall things. Secondly, if vve vvill keepe downe lust, vvee must vvatch ouer it with the word, that is mightie in operation, and sharper th…n any two edged sword, Hebr. 4.12. If vve be young men, we must cure the dangerous disease of youth by the word, Psal. 119.9. if we be men, vve must become men of God by it, absolute to eueryevery good worke, 2. Tim. 3.16. and, if wee be olde men, it must be the staffe of our age, and crowne of our grey haires.
A third good meane to subdue lust, is to consider that wee are out of our Country, & strangers here in a Pilgrimes life, 1 Pet. 2.11. Some vvill not wrestle vvith their flesh, in this conflict vnderunder lust and sinne, lest it should abridge their merry dayes: but what merry life should a stranger looke for in his far Countrie here? and vvhat long life, vvhere hee is not certaine of one poore houre? and if our life be so vncertaine, and must needes bee so vncomfortable, vvhat needs such feare of abridging that mirth vvhichwhich wee must not looke for; and of not seeing those many merry dayes that vvee doe but dreame of? vvee say, if wee take this sad course of mortifying our concupiscences and lusts, we must not looke to liue one merry day more. But let not this care trouble you, saith Saint Peter, for yee are Pilgrimes and strangers; and what know ye if yee shall see one short houre more? for, Pilgrim… are at night in their Inne, and gone in the morning.
Finally, the best meane to mortifie our flesh, that is, the corruption which is in vsus, and to master our lusts, is to be girt alwayes with our armour of opposition to such enemies and traitours in our owne bodies, Ephes. 6.11.12.13. &c. vvhere wee must consider, that our lusts fight against vsus, and that therefore wee be alwayes prouided, vponupon good and sufficient furniture from the spirit, and word of God, to fight with them. They will neuer be friends till they may command vsus: therefore should wee make sure, neuer to hauehave peace with them, that wee may not be commaunded, but rule in our owne house.
A man will weaken his enemie all that hee can; vvee hauehave no worse enemie then our owne corrupt flesh: and, if we forget not this, to b…ing it downe, wee shall be in a good way of subduing this olde man in vsus, with his concupiscences and lusts.
Secondly,Vse 2. wee here learne, that to yeeld to our lusts, is to make neither good nor sauing bargaine: for, vvhat shall wee get by drawing the heart from God, and by giuing it to the world and flesh, making them Gods? They that so doe, lust and hauehave nothing, Iam. 4 2. Now to desire, and not to obtaine, is simple getting: no, such kill their bodies, and damne their soules. For, when men (… eagerly) desire earthly things, as, Commoditie, Pleasures, and Honour, which is deceitfull, they care not how they punish their bodies: the couetous, vvhat he takes from them: the voluptuous, into vvhat diseases hee casts them: and the ambitious after the shadow of honour, to vvhat dangers and kindes of death hee brings them: and for their soules, they blinde-folde their …indes, and make their hearts fa… and sencelesse, so that they can neither discerne spiritual thing: nor be moued with them, vvhether they be threatnings, promises… iudgements, or mercies. And vvhat i… this, but to kill the bodie and to damne the soule? and, vvhat is gotten… vvhen these are gone? Our dutie in this case, is, to keepe our desires vvithin the bounds of Gods vvill in his vvord. For, if wee aske any thing according vntounto it, he heareth vsus, 1 Iohn 5.14. Rahel, vvhen shee would hauehave had children for her lust, the lust of enuie in her, had none, Gen. 30.1. But, vvhen shee asked them to Gods pleasure, and prayed for them by Gods word, shee had first Ioseph, Gen. 30.22. and then Beniamin, Gen. 35.17.18.
Isaac prayed for a Sonne twenty yeere, Genes. 25.20.26. after twenty yeeres attendance, and vvhen God saw a fit time for him to giuegive, and for Isaac to receaue a Sonne, hee gaue him two sonnes, Genesis 25.24. Thus God puts off his best children: it is that they should put all vntounto him, and be content to take his vvord for their vvelfare. For, hee will will not faile them, nor forsake them, Hebr. 13.5. If (then) vvee vvill be gainers at Gods hands, vvee must submit to him for all our vvelfare; vvhere, if vve follow our lusts for it, vvee shall be as hee that earneth wages, and putteth them into a broken bagge. Aggi. 1.6.
The way to catch a shaddow, is not to follow it, but to flie from it, so vvill it follow vsus: and so the way to hauehave the world, is to denie it: and the way to bee rich, is to be content to bee poore: and the way to hauehave health, is to put all to God for health or sickenesse. So saith a good vvriter. They (then) vvho desire the world more then heauen, and temporall more then eternall riches, and bodily health, rather then the soules health; take the next vvay both to loose the vvorld, and to forsait Heauen; to bee poore in vvealth and poore in grace, and to hauehave a sickely body, and lepro… soule. So much for the lost Sonnes sinne: the punishment of it followeth.