Contemplative Pictures with Wholesome Precepts Part 1, Picture 8
The Picture of Badneſſe.
THis is ſinne, the cretures deformitie, the turning of the will from God, and the minde from good. It is the ſeed of Satan, the fruit of tentation, and mans deſtruction. The Diuel is the Father, concupiſcence the Mother. The Serpent ſubtilly ſuggeſted it, our firſt parents fooliſhly did entertaine it. Satan yet is euer in begetting it, worldly obiects prouoke it, the ſenſes let it in vntounto the ſoule. Conſent is conception, the heart is the wombe of conceiuing. It quickneth by fleſhly reaſons, it trauelleth in deſire to bee doing. It bringeth foorth by opportunity, the Midwife; expelling firſt Gods feare, laying aſide his precepts, contemning his preſence. Holy piety hath heere no place, conſcience is not called to this buſineſſe, remembrance of Gods mercies is quite out of minde, thoughts of his wrath hidden in the earth: Gods word muſt be no warrant, goodneſſe is forgotten. Theſe bring not ſinne to birth, theſe hinder ſin for comming forth. Doubting of Gods word makes preparatiō, luſt laies it in bed, infidelity brings it to perfection. It is wrapt in vanitie, it is laid in the cradle of ſecurity. The Diuel cloſeth the eies with ignorance, and filleth the eares with Sophiſtrie: the head is couered with preſumption of mercy, ouer the heart is laid hardneſſe, the iudgement is ouerſpread with blindneſſe. It is nurſed by the world, ſuckled vponupon the breaſts of pleaſure and profit. It growes great by cuſtome, and ſpreads by community. Bad examples doe countenance it, plauſible tearms confirme it. It is cloathed with the hope of pardon, tied with the girdle of common fauors, imagined to bee of Gods ſpecial grace Shamleſneſſe attends it, perſwaſion of time enough to repent, giues it reſt, and conceit of finding fauour in the end, rocks it aſleepe. Sinnes ſleepe is conſcience deadneſſe, the iudgements blindneſſe, the wils peruerſeneſſe, affections diſorderlineſſe, and a reſolued careleſneſſe. Tho ſinne hauehave ſuch a ſleepe, yet ſometime vponupon a fearefull terror, it will ſuddenly awake: and waking, the pleaſant ditty of Satans ſong gets it ſoone aſleepe againe. It hath foure parts: the Tenor, carke and care thou for the world: the Meane, thou maieſt repent when thou wilt: the Treble, reioice thy ſelfe in thy youth: the Baſe, thinke death is not yet at hand. Heereby it ſnorts in a carnal ſafety, ſpreads in bredth, waxeth big, and hie by hardneſſe of heart. It is very foule at the firſt, worſe by continuance, but loathſome at the laſt. It baſtard-like, brings ſhame to the begetters, diſgrace to the abettours, confuſion to the followers. Where it getteth ſtrēgth, there hardlie it is caſt out: where it is not timely maſtred, there it wil hauehave the vpper hand. It is lordly, and couets to rule: it is raging, and tyrannous, if it raigne. Hee that ſubdues it, eaſily kils it; and hee that ſtriues not to ſtifle ſinne, workes his owne woe, and neglects his owne ſafetie. Sin where it is not killed, will kill; if it die, we liue; i… it liue, we die moſt certainely. It was at the firſt, perſonall; it is now original, and naturall: From Gods merciemercy in the elect onelyonly veniall; in it ſelfe and in all other, deadlie and mortall. Good is propounded in the ſuggeſtion, pleaſure is conceiued in the conſent, and ſo wickedneſſe is approued, by the heart deceiued, till the time come of torment. Seduced ſoules bewitched with the works of the fleſh, know not the euill of ſinne: but behold and ſee, how it defaceth Gods image, makes man a monſter; of Gods child, the diuels creature. It diſlodgeth goodneſſe, it keepes out godlines; inwardlie it delights the hart with filthineſſe, and outwardlie ſets the hand to act vnrighteouſnes. God and man by it are at ods, who werebefore at one: the Earth in creation bleſſed, by tranſgreſſiō is accurſed. It takes from vsus what good we hauehave, & brings the euils vppon vsus, which naturallie we hate. It caſt the Angels out of Heauen, Adam out of Paradiſe; by it Reuben loſt his birthright, Iudas his Apoſtleſhip, by it commeth death to men terribile, and their perſons to God execrable. It maketh the Law condemne vsus, and conſcience to accuſe vsus. By it godlie exerciſes grow loathſome, godly companie becomes irkeſome. No bleſſing ſhould bee wanting, if ſinne put not in a barre: euer contentment, without diſcomfort: euer internall peace, without externall diſgrace. It is wickedneſſe, that workes our wretchedneſſe. Shame is ſinnes raiment, diſhonour the cognizance, reproach the praiſe, an ill name the recompence. In itſelfe it is vanity, the gaine but miſery. It is a ſtrife with the truth, an hereſie againſt veritie, Idolatrie againſt ſincerity. It is a conflict with God, and a reſiſting of goodneſſe: nothing worſe then heerein to hauehave the victory. Mans oppoſing of the word, is a taking part with Satan, againſt the Lord: and mans ioy in ſinning, is to be glad of the diuels triumphing. All men hauehave ſinne, but hee that committeth ſinne, is a ſlaue to ſinne. It rules in ſome, in other it is ruled: Hee that makes the leaſt of it, ſhall, as with wiſards, hauehave leaſt to doe with it. It is as an impudent gueſt; tho it come ſeldome, yet is euer troubleſom; ſmal kindneſſe doth work great boldneſſe; much curteſie, intollerable ſaucineſſe. It is euer to the godly vexation of ſpirit; if but once in act, yet greatly grieuous; if it be liked, and often welcome, and neuer forbidden, there grace and goodneſſe will grow into a conſumption, and the partie runne headlong into perdition. It is of diuers colours, and keepes not one ſhape; it is of diuers natures, and not of one ſort In one it is pride & lordly, in an other humility in ſhew, but indeed hypocriſie. In the cholerike it is irefull, in ſome other nature luſtfull. It is ſomtime adulterie, and maks a man filthy; it is ſometime drūkenneſſe, and makes a man beaſtly. It hath the commandements, ten witneſſes to name it; it hath alſo the ſame law to declare againſt it. One precept tearmes it Idolatrie, an other ſaith it is adultery: this maketh it ſuperſtition, that trecherie and rebellion; as the Law looks vponupon ſinne, ſo the commandements doe name it, and thereupon withall diſclaime it. It turnes a man into it ſelfe, and makes a man to ſhew it, againſt himſelfe. One ſinne is linked in with another, and eueryevery one forceth out the proper fruit, of it owne nature. By couetouſneſſe man growes niggardly, an oppreſſour, vnmercifull: by pride, arrogant, hauty and hatefull: by gormandizing, gluttonous; by faithleſneſſe, treacherous: by ignorance, ſuperſtitious; by carnall ſeruice, Idolatrous: by contempt of other, and abuſe of wit, againſt the word, hereticall; and by immoderat paſſion, and ſtrong affection, Schiſmaticall. It is in eueryevery one more or leſſe; the childe hath it, but knowes it not: the yong man is caried with it, but cares not; the grown man forced with it, but reſiſts not: and old age with it Crammocklike crooked, but feeles it not. Yet is nothing more in vſe to be knowne; more hindering mans good, to be auoided; more ſubtill, to be looked vntounto; more inward, to be felt; more perilous, to bee preuented; more forcibly aſſaulting vsus, to be ſtrongly of all reſiſted. By it Satan gets of the heart poſſeſſion; by it is hindered the ſpirits illumination. Our vnderſtanding by ſinne is darkned, our thoughts from God eſtranged; the heart in goodneſſe is fainted, the faculty of the will weakened, and the quietneſſe of conſcience interrupted. Faith fals to doubting, hope lets goe her hold, and louelove turnes her liking into loathing. Yea, if repentance, vponupon eueryevery ſin, cut not the cord of vanitie, and grace grow vp in the roome with ſincerity, this death in ſinne, will bring death for ſinne, which will turne ſaluation offered, but careleſly reiected, into confuſion deſerued, but now not greatly feared.
Precepts.
LOueLove not (Reader) the works of darkneſſe, leſt thy eies cannot behold the light. To ſaue thee from ſinne, learne the commandements, know thy natural inclination, and ſtriue for amendment. Heare how God threats, and ſtand in awe; obſerue his iudgements to diſcerne of his wrath. Other mens puniſhments for thy perſonall faults, make thē admoniſhments that thou no more doe fall. Oppoſe Gods precepts, to temptations of pleaſure, the reward of that heauenly life, to this temporvrie, and earthly loſſe. For ſake not God, for any worldly good. Sinne not heere, as a ſeruant to Satan: neglect not true holineſſe, which is with God commendable, and ſhall be recompenced with endleſſe happines. Remember thou muſt die, and therefore liue to die: Conſider the day of account to make a good reckoning. As thou art heere, ſo looke to ſtand there: if heere ſinnefull, there ſhamefull; if heere regardleſſe of the commandement, there certainly expect ſeuere puniſhment; from which the Lord deliuer thee.
Amen.