Seven Treatises, Treatise 2 · Chapter 6
CHAP. 6. Of the diuers kinds of euill to be renounced, and namely of inward againſt God and men.
BVt to proceed: as we hauehave ſeene, in what manner ſinne is to be renounced; ſo let vsus now conſider the diuers kindes of euill, which are to be renounced, before we lay foorth the good fruits and duties which proceed from the ſame. And theſe kindes of euill are of two ſorts,Diuers kinds of euill to be renounced. either inward or outward.
And to ſpeake diſtinctly of them (that I may proceede) we are taught, that in the godly life,Firſt inward luſts. in whomſoeuer it be found, the luſts and concupiſcences which reigne throughout the world, and make them whom they rule, to be as bruite beaſts: theſe corrupt luſts (I ſay) with all other ſuch defilements of our actions, are in the godly life renounced, according to the light which we hauehave to diſcerne thē; yea the faithful deſire to abſtaine from thē, as men who hauehave receiued another manner of ſpirit then the men of the world, and therfore can take vp their delight in better things: and who know the hurt which theſe vnruly euils bring with them, whatſoeuer ſhew of pleaſure they offer. And although all hauehave conflicts with them,Not all in like meaſure. and doe not hold them vnderunder in a like meaſure; yet of the weakeſt of Gods children they are hated, and ſtriued againſt, when they are once ſeene and perceiued. But by theſe inward euils, I meane not the natiue infection of the heart, for of this I hauehave ſpoken before,The effects of our naturall corruption here be meant. Iam. 1.14. but the fruits hereof, namely, the wandring, noiſome, & blind thoughts, fleſhly deſires, and worldly luſts, which ariſe from the hart ſo infected, which are contrarie to the commaundements of God, and tending directly to the deſtruction of them, who bring them foorth: So that as the hands, feete and eyes be the members of the bodie,A ſimile. and doe whatſoeuer the bodie hath need of;Col. 3.5. euen ſo theſe are the members, and as the armes, feete and eyes of the heart, and execute and performe whatſoeuer it deſireth. And although they are ſo many that no man can number them (euen as the fountaine of the heart is ſo deepe that no man can gage it) yet becauſe they are much vnknowne, I will giuegive ſome helpe in the vnderſtanding of them, and ſo much the rather, becauſe they being vnknowne, many neuer miſlike their liues, neither are aſhamed nor wearie of them, though they bee ſtained ſhamefully with them, and ſo become moſt abominable. And firſt the roote of all the reſt is vnbeleefe,Heb. 3.12. when a man not giuing ſound credit to the word of God, and the holie Scriptures, dareth be bold to harbour the ſame whatſoeuer is forbidden in them.
Three ſorts of luſtes.From hence growe out, euen in thoſe which profeſſe; three armes, or boughes, of the which eueryevery one ſhooteth forth as branches, innumerable worldly luſts:A view of ſome corruptions. firſt, impious againſt God: ſecond, iniurious to men: and the third ſort, moſt properlie concerning themſelues.
1. Againſt God and his honour and worſhip in the firſt Table.As touching the maieſtie of God, as mens hearts are full of blindenes, and couered with darkenes; ſo it goeth againſt them to be taught the true knowledge of the true God:Iob. 13. it is death to them to be drawne out of their ignorance: they cannot abide to heare of his iudgement day: they would there were none: they rebell againſt the ſpirituall and true ſeruing of God,Acts 24.25. and that which they yeeld him, is a will worſhip, euen that which phantaſie,Iob. 21.14, 15. Matth. 15.9. cuſtome, or fleſhlie wiſdome teacheth them.
And whereas he requireth that confidence ſhould be put in him, for continuall defence, deliuerance, and ſuccour in ſoule and bodie,Distrust. they are carried with diſtruſt, as with a whirlewind, and therefore their hope is faint, or none at all, before they ſee their deſire accompliſhed. In their great dangers,Jn aduerſitie. when meanes to come out, doe faile them, they are ouercome with feare, and almoſt beſide themſelues. In loſſes impatient, and full of murmuring,Jmpatient. receiuing them as from a cruell iudge, and ſorrowing for them deadly. And as ſome hauehave their hearts thus boiling in their trials, and afflictions: ſo others hauehave their hearts ſwelling againſt God in obſtinacie and contempt for his afflicting them, and are looſe, careles, and deſperate, whatſoeuer pincheth them:Obstinate. yet in a ſcoffing ſpirit they ſay within themſelues, let him doe his beſt, yet will we not turne vntounto him, nor ſeeke vntounto him: (oh horrible blaſphemie, fearefull to be once named!) that I ſay nothing of them, who aſcribe all to blinde fortune, (in curſing of the which, they curſe God;) or as the Atheiſts doe, to nature. Are not theſe loathſome gueſtes to lodge in the hearts of Chriſtians?Loathſome gueſts. I doe not goe about to ſet downe the poiſoned corruptions, and luſts of Heathens, Turkes, and Atheiſts, as they are properly called, that is, ſuch as deny God vtterly, for ſo ſhould I neuer hauehave done; but to lay forth ſome part of the corruptions which dwell, and abide in the hearts of ſuch as goe for Chriſtians: that many of them who can beare out matters boldly here among men, may ſee what villanie and treacherie they commit againſt God. This is a little of a great deale of the diſhonour which they offer to God. And as this declareth what rebellion is in men vnderunder the croſſe:Jnward corruptions in proſperitie. No thankefulneſſe. ſo how they behaue themſelues towards him in the daies of their proſperitie, experience teacheth, and I could ſhew at large, if the time would ſuffer me to declare it. As for thankefulnes, there is little or none in them: I appeale to their owne conſciences, what doe their hearts yeeld to God the whole day thorough, for his manifold mercies; and if ſome doe, yet is it done onelyonly in words for a faſhion onelyonly, and from the very teeth outward: and yet many are aſhamed euen at their table to doe that. They reioyce in the merry world, whileſt they hauehave eaſe, and plenty; they looke for no other, but wiſh it alwaies ſo:Carnall reioycing. yet what grace doe they deſire the more, although they hauehave their fill, but are rather more headſtrong, and inordinate? And if they aske ought of God, it is to beſtowe it on their lusts, being made drunken with their pleaſures:Iames 4.4. Drunke with pleaſures. ſo that they are louers of them, more then louers of God, and become inſenſible thereby, and paſt all feeling. If ſome be not thus hardened, yet ſhall they be found to hauehave ſmall deſire to furniſh their hearts with the beſt gifts, when yet they ſee, that he which hath giuen the one, is as readie to giuegive the other alſo. And as for the true worſhipping of God, how farre are the moſt from taking pleaſure therein; when yet one day beſtowed in it is better then a thouſand in any delights beſide? For ſuperſtition and blind deuotion carrie many to falſe worſhips: affirming boldly, that they cannot reſt in that manner which God preſcribes in his word,Ioh. 4. Ioh. 5. that is, to doe it in ſpirit and truth: though God ſendeth vsus to the Scriptures to know his will and minde; but the will-worſhip which they deuiſe to themſelues, and which they take vp by tradition, as to repreſent God by an image, and Chriſt by a Crucifixe, that onelyonly pleaſeth them: and their deuotion is frozen and cold, except it be helped by ſuch counterfeit deluſions. And many of them which imbrace the truth, and retaine the right manner of worſhipping God according to his word, yet are content to be deceiued, while they denie that which onelyonly maketh the other well pleaſing to God, and ſauourie to themſelues, that is, to doe it with their heart and ioyfully,Matth. 15. without which God telleth them plainly that in vaine they worſhip him. And as in their worſhipping of him, by the vſe of religious exerciſes, their harts take no delight; euen ſo in his ſeruice, throughout the courſe of their priuate conuerſation, how vaine, prophane, and diſſolute are their hearts, what pleaſure is it to them to pleaſe him, though it ſhould be their meate, drinke and paſtime, and how lightly are his iudgements paſſed ouer, how fearefull ſoeuer they be? ſo farre is it off, that they can expell their hypocriſie and other ſinnes.
Moreouer, they hauehave no deſire in peace to bee taught the true vſe of it: namely, to hauehave peace with God, and as much as in them lieth to be at peace with all men, Deut. 28.46.Rom. 12.18. no, not in their owne houſes, which yet to be without, is a little hell to them.Abuſe of peace. And as for the Lords Sabboth, and other many good meanes appointed on the ſame to ſeaſon and change their hearts, they ſenſiblie loath them, or finde no ſauour in them: neither is it any part of their thought, to ſeeke any comfort in them (although they be the chiefe flower of a true Chriſtians garland:) or if ſome of them doe, it is in ſuperſtitious deuotion, wiſhing that religion vp againe, whereby God is diſhonoured highlie: but as their fathers before them did, euen ſo doe they paſſe through the world,Pſal. 8.5.6. as ſhadowes, their mindes looking no higher: ſo that though they were made to honour, yet they not vnderstanding it, are like the beaſts that periſh.
Theſe may ſerue for a taſte of the corruptions and worldly luſts, which men not worſe accounted of, doe ſwarme with, directly tending to the diſhonour of God: from which with the reſt that follow, when wee ſhall ſee how God deliuereth his beloued, we ſhall hauehave cauſe to louelove the godly life more heartily, which is by Gods grace freed from ſuch intemperancie: freed, I ſay, ſo that it ruleth them not, neither reigneth in them, although ſometimes in ſome thing it preuaile againſt them, till they repent of it: which grace none of the other doe finde, nor obtaine, when they be at the beſt.
VVicked luſts towards man. The 2. table, fift Commandement. Contempt of betters.But to goe forward: to acquaint men with ſome of the vnbridled and worldly luſts, which carrie them after the hurt of their neighbour: what vnreuerence, contempt, and obſtinacie appeareth to be in the hearts of many againſt their betters, diminiſhing that authoritie, credit, and eſtimation, which God hath giuen them, ſo that place, yeeres, and gifts are had in meane account of them? Where is that ancient reuerence which younger men in the Miniſterie hauehave giuen to thoſe who hauehave gone before them in labours, gifts, and good example? they imagining themſelues able to doe farre better then their elders, and therfore ambitiouſly aſpiring to that which they ought not: and lifting vp themſelues aboue them, when yet they ſhould hauehave learned to honour and ſubmit themſelues to thoſe of low degree? Rom. 12. Vnthankefulnes to men.What vnthankfulnes in the people, to them which labour for their peace and welfare in their outward eſtate, and are inſtruments to conuey the glorious Goſpell of Ieſus Chriſt vntounto them? I meane Chriſtian Princes, and gouernours? How many eſteeme of them, who labour to make them happie and to liue for euer? what wiſhing is there that there were none ſuch, which is all one as to make ſure worke to goe to hell? How doe many hunger for their death (yea though they be their naturall parents) by whom they might be inriched and preferred, although to make their follie and madnes the better appeare to themſelues and others, the Lord taketh them oftentimes away before them? What ſtoutnes, ſaucines, and boldnes in youth towards their ancients and rulers,Saucines in youth. till it breake out from within and ſhew it ſelfe in geſture and words? which bringeth forth ſuch rudenes and barbarouſnes, as were too bad among Heathens. But I will containe my ſelfe.
Further, whereas the ſoule of our neighbour ſhould be moſt pretious to vsus, how doe many reioyce to ſee them fall into any ſin,Reioyce in euil. deuiſe to make them offend, as to be drunke, to leaue off hearing Sermons, and fret or diſdaine at them who liue Chriſtianly; rather then to reuerence the graces of God in them? And whereas wee ſhould louelove others as our ſelues, that is, indeed, 1. Ioh. 3.18.and vnfainedly, not in word and ſhew onelyonly; yet how truly is it verified through the world, that through the ſtrength of their luſts, one man is a woolfe, yea a diuell to another? What anger, which cannot bee appeaſed? what deadly hatred one againſt another? what earneſt and bitter ſeeking of reuenge;VVrath. and yet they goe not once to their heart to take ſhame for them? How eaſily and readily doe men take the leaſt occaſion from others of hard conceiuing of them, and yet how vnmeete doe they thinke it, that others ſhould take the leaſt diſpleaſure by the greateſt occaſions which they offer them? What little care is there that none be hurt by them, but a churliſh ſenſeleſnes, of it, if it be ſo, rather then pitie and compaſſion in ſteede of it? As concerning cutting off broiles betwixt men, who is warie to auoide occaſions thereof, ſometime by readines to loſe ſome part of their right, as Abraham did to Lot, Gen. 13.8. & 9and comming to lawfull and equall conditions of peace, which were but their dutie? Nay rather,No bearing. men bethink them of all meanes to prouoke others further then they hauehave done. And as for bearing of them, if they paſſe bounds toward any, what meekenes or mildnes is there in vsus to forbeare them, and to be patient and long ſuffering towards them? and when it may well bee done,Prou. 12.15. to paſſe ouer their offence and burie it? where is any pacifying of wrath in mens ſelues, and a free forgiuing of them,Epheſ. 4.32. but rather a ſeeking of reuenge for the ſmalleſt wrong? This is farre from the Apoſtles rule:Rom. 12.15. No fellow feeling. Weepe with them which weepe: reioyce with them which reioyce, and be alike affected towards all men. In theſe kinds of fleſhly luſts, the commonnes which I ſee of them, and the bold iuſtifying of the ſame, hath made me ſomewhat the longer.
Now I come to that kinde of theſe fleſhly luſts,Vncleane luſts. which are moſt properly ſo called: And they are, when men let looſe their hearts to filthie vncleane thoughts and deſires, with purpoſes of defiling their bodies, which ſhould be kept holie to the day of mariage, and after to the end of their life. What varietie of vncleane wiſhes and deſires doe occupie them? how are they inflamed through eueryevery obiect, of ſuch perſons as pleaſe their eye, and ſo are caught and deceiued with that which is pretious in them? And leaſt that ſhould not be enough againſt thē, they reſt not in this, which is moſt ſhamefull;Feed their luſts but they delight to blow vp theſe burning luſts further, euen to occupie their thoughts in all talke of vncleane matters, to feede their eyes wantonly, that they may ſhew themſelues to be thoſe, whom the Scripture deſcribeth, namely, to hauehave eyes full of adulterie: and to ſuch places their delight is to goe, where they may hauehave that carnall humour ſatisfied, or incenſed by all prouocations, that thus the pretious treaſure of the minde which is fit to hauehave receiued moſt diuine matters, and to hauehave made it more like vntounto the Angels, is made a ſtinking brothel-houſe,Zach. 12.8. and a nurſerie of filthines: What beating of their braines is there about deceiuing and intrapping innocent Virgins, and modeſt Matrones to bring them to their lure? for common ſtrumpets, and ſuch harlots as hauehave been defiled alreadie, may be come by with leſſe ſtudie. I ſpeake not of the practiſe of the worſt ſort of the people of our land, but of them which are ciuill, liue outwardly in ſome honeſt courſe: yea and many of them maried perſons themſelues, and for want of better, beare office to ſee good order in townes, of which ſort there are many thouſands, who are poſſeſſed of theſe deceiueable luſts, neighing after their neighbours wiues, as the Prophet ſpeaketh, and ſo ſtopping the courſe of a Chriſtian life, from the which ſome of them otherwiſe had not been farre off. But this for a taſte.
I will proceed vntounto that kind of luſt which is the greedie deſire of money and gaine,Couetouſnes. if they may come by it, whoſoeuer ſmarteth by the loſſe of it. What a ſea of euils is there in this kind? how many waies, and that all the yeere through, are mens heads occupied about this, how they may by ſome new deceit, winde ſomewhat from others? what vnſatiable deſire is there of other mens goods? and how doe men reſolue that they will be rich, though the Apoſtle to Timothie doth ſhew them the danger of that purpoſe?1. Tim. 6.9. What repining is there in all ſorts to ſee others get that which they themſelues can not come by? How doth the mightie deuiſe to pill and make bare the meaner ſort, the Landlord the poore tenaunt, till he hath fleeced him of all, and left the bare carkaſſe? whereas the predeceſſours of them both liued together before them in louelove and good will, the one well contented, the other well refreſhed vnderunder him and ſufficiently maintained? which is one maine cauſe of ſo great beggerie. How doe many, without regard of other, follow this point of wiſedome, that they may hauehave ſome commodities wholy in their owne hands, that ſo they may raiſe an vniuerſall dearth for the ſatisfying of their priuate appetite? In common dealings, nothing (to ſpeake of) is ſweete to men,Prou. 9.17. but ſtolne waters, as it is in the Prouerbs, when men can ſee how to get more then their owne: the borrower (though he hath found friendſhip) yet ſeeketh & bethinketh how to defraud the lender, if by any meanes he might pay it backe no more: ſo doth the lender deuiſe new kinds of vſury and oppreſſion againſt the borrower, whereby ſo many thouſands are vndone:1. Theſſ. 4.4. Pſal. 15.6. when the Lord commaundeth ſtreightly that there be no oppreſsion nor vſurie at all: So of the ſeller, and the buyer; the louelove of equitie and indifferencie is thruſt to the walles amongſt men, if it ſtand not with their gaine.
And this they will doe, who are otherwiſe not voide of religion: by all which it may be ſeene how mens minds are occupied, and with what good ſtuffe their heads are filled.
But to draw to an end in the laying forth of theſe worldly luſts, tending to the hurt of our neighbour in his goods; and to goe to another kinde:Lust against our neighbours name. whereas men ſhould ſeeke to preſerue the good name and credit of others, as their owne, they are carried to nothing more prepoſterouſly, thorough their vnruly luſts. For how rare are thoſe men, which take well, and interpret in the better part things done, or words ſpoken doubtfullie, but rather ſuſpect as ſoone as they heare them, that all was done of malice, and therefore conceiue hardly againſt them by and by: ſo ſtrong are their rebellious luſts, that they cannot be held in: what deepe conceits therefore doe ariſe,Surmiſes. 1. Sam. 22.8. and raſh ſurmiſes of them, (as they did in Saul againſt Dauid and Ionathan his ſonne) and all thorough miſtaking of that which was rightlie done, and honeſtlie meant and ſpoken? how doe their hearts burne hereupon (thinke we) to ſpeake and doe, not ambiguouſlie and doubtfullie againſt them, but reſolutelie whatſoeuer commeth into their head, as Shemei did againſt Dauid? 2. Sam. 15.7.So that they thirſt to defame them by word or writing: yea, and if many yeeres before there were any offence committed by them, of which they are priuie, although they concealed it till then, and made light of it: yet now,Exod. 2.14. Libels. (if it hangeth them) are ſet on fire in their mad moode to diſcloſe it: as the wicked Hebrue did abuſe Moſes. What inuentings of libels,Pſalm. 50.22. and deuiſing of new ſlaunders; yea, againſt our owne brother and mothers ſonne: and with ſuch ſhameleſſe boldneſſe, and impudencie, that Iezabel was not able to goe beyond them in that facultie. And by theſe, it may be geſſed not doubtfullie what ſwarmes of outragious luſts doe lurke ſecretly in their boſomes, who yet ſee little, or nothing amiſſe in themſelues, and oftentimes ſet as good a ſhew vponupon their doings in the ſight of others, as the beſt: nay, I ſay more, who ſhall with a Iudas his kiſſe imbrace them, whom behinde their backe they thus abuſe. And none of theſe foule and ſhamefull faults would breake out openly by mouth and life, if they were not nouriſhed ſecretly in the heart before.
But that I may ſhut vp all that I hauehave to ſay of theſe ſorts of worldly luſts, leaſt many ſhould obiect,Though not alwaies, yet theſe be common. that although they graunt that ſometime they be led with theſe frenſies, yet they be not alwaies ſo bad: I ſay that is ſmallie to their commendation and reioycing: for as they are now too oft and common, ſo ſhould they be commoner, if other things did not breake them off. But can they denie this, that whereas their deſires ſhould tend to good, and leade them to God, that yet they are the moſt of their time taken vp in wiſhing ſomewhat of their neighbours to their hurt? Whereby, beſides their deceiuing of their owne hearts, and ſpending their pretious time in dreames about things which come not to paſſe; ſo they plainely ſhew what they would hauehave: wherein, although ſome containe themſelues at one time without conſenting to that which they hauehave fooliſhly wiſhed: yet hauehave they no more gouernement ouer their hearts, but to offend after the ſame ſort at another time: and what a deceiueable, vnprofitable, & weariſome life is this, (to ſay nothing of the perill which commeth to their ſoules hereby) thus to become ſeruants to their own luſts, who are created of God to ſo ſingular ends?
Thus I hauehave in ſome ſort laid forth the luſts of the heart againſt God and men thoroughout the commaundements, the which ſwarming in wicked men,Theſe luſts be cauſes of all woe. as I hauehave ſhewed, and ruling and carrying them, are the cauſes of all diſſolutenes, licentiouſnes, and diſorder in their liues, and of many ſore puniſhments thereby. By that which I hauehave ſaid of this matter, it may appeare, what a ſingular merciemercy of God it is vntounto his children, that their hearts are not nurſeries of ſuch draffe, but that they abhorre it rather: For though this grace of renouncing ſuch filthines be little regarded of the common ſort, but counted preciſenes, yet ſhall it be an ornament in theſe before God, and a moſt precious comfort vntounto themſelues.