Sermons in One Volume, Sermon 29
Satans Compaſsing the Earth.
IOB. 1. 7. 8.
7 Then the Lord ſayd vntounto Satan, Whence commest thou? And Satan anſwered the Lord ſaying, From compaſſing the earth too and fro, and from walking in it.
8 And the Lord ſaid vntounto Satan, Haſt thou not conſidered my ſeruant Iob, how none is like him in earth? an vpright man, one that feareth God ande ſchueth euill.
I HaueHave ſpoken of the queſtion already, now of the anſwer: Compaſſing here doth ſignifie tēpting, & the earth doth ſignifie al the people of the earth: as if he ſhould ſay, I come from tempting all men. It is ſome vantage vntounto vsus to heare that the Spaniards are cōming …fore they com, & what number they hauehave, and how they are appointed, that we may leuie our forces accordingly. But beloued, there is a greater aduerſary thē the Spaniard, which brings in the Spaniards, your aduerſary the Diuell. It is good for vsus to heare when hee comes, that we may be in a readines agaynſt him, as we prepare againſt them. Therefore this Scripture, and this time accorde well. In Reuelation. 12. 10. the diuel is called an accuſer, and now I am an accuſer of the accuſer: he accuſeth vsus to God, and God accuſeth him to vsus, that when he comes like an Angel, yet we may ſay to him like Chriſt, Auoyd Satan. Firſt giuegive me leaue to ſay vntounto you as Chriſt ſayd vntounto his diſciples, Take heed how you heare, for that which I am to ſpeake vntounto you of the diuel, the diuel would not hauehave you heare: and therfore as he is here called a Compaſſer, ſo he will compaſſe your eyes with ſhewes, & your eares with ſounds, & your ſences with ſleep, and your thoughts with fancies, & all to hinder you from hearing while the articles are againſt him, and after I hauehave ſpoken, he will compaſſe you againe with buſineſſe, & cares, and pleaſures, and quarrels, to make you forget that which you hauehave heard, as hee hath made you forget that which ye hauehave heard before, or els to contēne, as thogh you might doe well without it: as hee hath compaſſed them which doe walke in the ſtreetes while the voice of God ſoundeth in the Churches as they paſſe by: therfore before eueryevery Sermon, yee had neede to remember Chriſts leſſon, Take heede how you heare.
Nowe to the matter. Satan from whence commeſt thou? I come frō compaſſing the earth. Here the Diuel is called in like a Iaylor, which keepes ſome in perpetuall priſon, and ſome are bayled, and ſome returne to priſon again, and ſome are executed. They which ſinne fearfully, ſtay as it were about the priſon, but are not bound: they which ſinne wittingly, are vnderunder locke, they which ſinne greedily, are vnderunder lock and bolts, they which dye in their ſinne, are like them which are condemned: this is the bondage which we hauehave brought our ſelues vntounto for a fayre apple. When the tempter ouercame vsus, we were remoued out of Paradiſe, where we were ſeated: when we hauehave ouercome the tempter, we ſhal be tranſlated into heauen, where he was ſeated: heauen doore was wide, and the way was broad before the rebellion: but when we knockt at the cannell doore, then the good doore was ſhut: heauen is large, but the way to heauen muſt be narrow, therefore God hath ſet our enemies in the gate to fight with vsus before we enter, that this faying might be verified, The kingdome of heauen is caught by violence: ſo ſoone as we riſe in the morning we goe forth to fight with two mightie giants, the World and the Diuell, and whom doe we take with vsus but a traytor? this brittle fleſh which is readie to yeeld vsus vp to the enemie at eueryevery aſſault, onelyonly he which ſuffereth Satan to compaſſe vsus, dooth ſtay him from deſtroying vsus. When God asked Cain, where is thy brother? Cain lyed and ſayd, I cannot tell. When God asked Sarah why ſhe laughed? Sarah lyed and ſayd, I laughed not: but when God asked the diuell from whence he came, he anſwered truely, I come from compaſſing the earth, & yet he which ſpeaketh truth himſelf, taught them to lye, as he is called the father of liers, becauſe he teacheth all others to lye. How then? Was Caine worſe then the diuell, becauſe he lyed and the other told trueth? By this you may ſee that carnall men doe not knowe ſo much of God as the very diuell knoweth, for he knewe that GOD could tell where he had been, but Caine doubted whether God could tell what hee had done, and therefore he made a lye. Thus, thus the Diuell teacheth his ſchollers to doe worſe ſometimes then hee will doe himſelfe, euen as he would bring them (if it were poſsible) into a worſe plight thē he is himſelf. The diuels faith cannot ſaue vsus, no more then it can ſaue him, the diuels knowledge cannot conuert vsus, no more then it dooth conuert him, and yet hee would not hauehave men beleeue, that which hee bleeueth himſelfe, nor hauehave vsus vnderſtand ſo much as he vnderſtandeth himſelfe: for if Caine had vndderſtood ſo much as he, that God knewe whether he lyed or no, he would hauehave anſwered God truely, as Satan did: but the diuell knew that there was no diſſembling with God, who knowes what he asks before he asks, therefore he told troth to God, though he lye to man: for to lye vntounto him which knoweth, is as if one ſhould lye to himſelfe, but Cain was not ſo wel learned, he thought peraduenture yet God might vnderſtand his murther, as a theefe ſuſpecteth in his heart that the Iudge may know his theft: but he doubted whether God did knowe it, and therefore he denied it like one which is guiltie, but thinkes that if he confeſſe, he ſhall be hanged, and therefore though euidence and witneſſe accuſe them, yet you ſee many will not accuſe themſelues.
From compaſſing the earth, He which was called Satan before, which ſignifieth an aduerſarie, is heere ſayd to compaſſe the earth: which is to ſay, being put together, an aduerſarie compaſſeth the earth: and therefore let the earth beware like a Citie which is beſieged with the aduerſarie.
The diuell hath mo names then any Prince hath titles, ſome God hath giuen to him, and ſome he hath giuen to himſelfe: but this is to be noted in the diuels names, that he neuer called himſelf a lier, nor a tēpter, nor an accuſer, nor a ſlāderer, nor a deceiuer, nor a deuourer, nor a murderer, nor a maſter, nor an aduerſarie, nor a viper, nor a lion, nor a dragon, nor a woolfe, nor a cockatrice, nor a ſerpent. But when Chriſt asked him his name, hee calleth himſelfe Legion, which imports a multitude, as if he ſhould brag of his number, & here he calles himſelfe in effect the compaſſer of the earth, as if he ſhuld brag of his power. And in the 4. Chapter of Luke & 6. verſe, he calleth himſelf the poſſeſſer of the earth, as if he ſhuld brag of his poſſeſſions, and in the ſame he calleth himſelfe the quier of the earth, as if he ſhould brag of his liberalitie. Thus he which is euill it ſelfe, doth ſhun the name, becauſe he would not be hated: and therefore no maruel if men call euil good, & would be coūted honeſt, though they be neuer ſo lewd, for ſo will the diuell: but as God neuer called the diuell but by thoſe names which the diuell hated, ſo he neuer calleth ſinners by thoſe names which they call themſelues. For if you obſerue the Scripture, there is no name of the diuel, but in ſome place of Scripture or other the wicked are called by the ſame name: he is called a lier, & they are called liers: he is called a tempter, & they are called tēpters: he is called a murderer, & they are called murderers: he is called a ſlanderer, & they are called ſlanderers: he is called a viper, and they are called vipers: he is called a lion, & they are called lions: he is called a woolfe, and they are called wolues: he is called a ſerpent, and they are called ſerpents. Thus God would they that ſhall be damned ſhould hauehave the name of him which is dāned, to put them in mind. Now none of the diuels names are in the book of life: & therfore liers, & tempters, & ſlanderers, & murderers, & defamers are not: therefore theſe are the diuels names. This I note to ſhewe you how deadly God doth hate ſin, that neither the diuell nor his followers could euer get a good name of him: for al his compaſſing, he could neuer cō paſſe this, to ſhuffle any praiſe of himſelfe into this booke of life: for he doth not cōpaſſe heauen, but earth, though he wold cōpaſſe both: the diuel himſelfe doth tel vsus here, that he cō paſſeth, & he telleth vsus not why he cōpaſſeth; but his name Satan that wēt before, which he ſpake not of, doth tell vsus why he compaſſeth. Becauſe it ſignifies an aduerſarie, it giueth vsus to vnderſtand that hee compaſſeth the earth like an aduerſarie. God doth cōpaſſe the earth like a wall to defend it: the diuell compaſſeth the earth like an enemy to beſiege it. For enemie is his name, he is enuie euen to the name.
Three things I note: wherefore the diuell may be ſayd to compaſſe the earth. Firſt, becauſe he tempteth all men. Secondly, becauſe he tempteth to all ſinnes. Thirdly, becauſe he tempteth by all meanes: So whoſoeuer ſinneth, wherein ſoeuer he offendeth, whereby ſoeuer he is allured, the ſinne, and the ſinner, and the baite, are compaſſed, and contriued by this Archpolitique, which calles himſelf a Cōpaſſer. Many hauehave their names for naught, becauſe they doe nothing for thē, like Labans images which were called Gods, though they were but blocks: but the diuell deſerues his names, he is not called a tempter, and a lyar, and a ſlaunderer, and an accuſer, and a deceiuer, and a murtherer, & a compaſſer in vaine, like S. George, which is alwaies on horſeback, and neuer rides: but he would doe more thē by his office he is bound to. Other are called officers, becauſe they hauehave an office: but he is called an enemy, becauſe he ſheweth his enuy. Other are called Iuſticers, becauſe they ſhould doe iuſtice: but he is called a tempter, becauſe he practiſeth temptations. Other are called Paſtors, becauſe they ſhould feede: but he is called a deuourer, becauſe he doth deuour: & we cal him a Compaſſer, becauſe that he doth compaſſe. Euer ſince he fel frō heauen he hath liued like Caine, which cannot reſt in a place, but is a rūnagate ouer the earth, from doore to doore, from man to man, begging for ſinnes as the ſtarued ſoule begs for bread. He ſhould hauehave dwelt in heauen, and not bin compaſſing the earth, hee ſhould hauehave ſung with the Angels & not been quarelling with men, but he hath changed his calling, and is become a compaſſer, that is, to lay fetters vpō men, as GOD hath fettered him, leaſt they ſhould aſcend to the place from whence he is fallen. Therefore in this the Lyer ſpake truth, whē he ſaid, I come from compaſſing the earth: as if hee ſhould ſay to God, I come from the ſlaughter of thy ſeruants, not to aske forgiuenes for all the ſoules which he hath ſlaine alreadie, but to get a commiſſion that GOD would make him Knight Marſhall ouer the world, to ſlay and kill as many as hee hated: like the bramble, which ſet it ſelfe on fire firſt, and then fiered all the wood.
Peter deſcribing the diuels walke, ſaith, that he goeth about: The diuel ſaith, that he goeth a compaſſing. Peter puts in, ſeeking whom hee may deuoure: the diuell leaues out deuour, and ſayth no more, but that he compaſſeth. This circular walke is peculiar to the diuell, and therfore may be called the diuels circuite. All other creatures go forward but the diuell goeth about, which may well bee applied to the craftie diuell, becauſe to goe about, is commonly takē to vndermine: when he meaneth he will deſtroy you, then we ſay, he will compaſſe you: ſo when the diuell compaſſeth, then beware leſt he deuour. For the diuell goeth about men, as the Fowler goeth about the lark to ſnare her; as the theefe goeth about the houſe, to robbe it; as the yuie goeth about the oake, to kil it. The diuels walk is a ſiege, which goeth about but to find an iſſue to goe in: for he goeth about but vntil he can get in to be a poſſeſſor. He is cōtent to be a compaſſer. The firſt name the diuell hath in Scripture, is a Serpent, he is a Serpent, & ſo are his waies like a Serpent, which windeth himſelf like a circle.
As GOD is ſayd to make an hedge about men, ſo here the diuel is ſaid to make an hedg about men: but this is an hedge of temptations, and that is an hedge againſt temptatiōs. As Dauid ſaith, the Angels compaſſe vsus, ſo might hee ſay, the diuels compaſſe vsus, Sathan compaſſeth, and man is compaſſed. Sathan is like the circumference, and man is, as it were, the Centre: that is, temptations goe round about him, and he dwelleth in the middeſt of them. Thus much of Compaſſing: now what he doth compaſſe.
I come from Compaſſing the earth. This is the diuels pilgrimage, from one ende of the earth to the other, & then to the other againe, and then backe againe, like a wandring Marchant, which ſeeketh his trafficke where hee can ſpeed cheapeſt. I hauehave heard of ſome trauellers which hauehave gone about the earth, but I neuer heard of any that had ſeene all parts of the earth but this olde Pilgrime Satan, which hath been in heauen, and in paradiſe, and in the earth, and in the ſea, and in hell, and yet hath not done his walke, but like the Sunne which courſeth about the earth eueryevery day: ſo there is no day but Satan ſeeth eueryevery man vponupon earth: as a compaſſe hath no end, ſo hee makes no ende of compaſſing. Becauſe he is ſuch a compaſſer of the world, therefore Paul calleth him The God of this word, not a peece of the world, as Englād, or Ireland, or France, or Germanie, or Spayne, but of the world, that is, of all the countries, and cities, and townes, and villages, and houſes. The Pope talkes of his kingdome, how many Prouinces are vnderunder his dominiō, but the diuels circuit is greater then the Popes: one would thinke that he could neuer tend halfe his flocke, becauſe he is Vicar of ſo great a Monarchie, and yet he is neuer non-reſident. You may ſee his ſteppes eueryevery where ſo brim and freſh, as though they were printed in aſhes. If God make you ſee your country naked, your Temples deſolate, your Cities ruined, your houſes ſpoyled, you will ſay the Spanyards hauehave been heere: ſo when you ſee your mindes corrupted, your hearts hardened, your willes peruerted, your charitie cooled, your Iudges bribers, your Rulers perſecutors, your Lawyers brablers, your Marchants vſurers, your Landlords extortioners, your Patrones ſymoniſts, your Paſtors loyterers, you may ſay the diuell hath been here. Seeing then theſe weedes growe in eueryevery ground, you may beare the diuel witneſſe, that he doth compaſſe all the earth. If a man louelove his friend, he will ſay, I will goe an hundred miles to doe him good: but if the diuel hate a man, he wil goe a thouſand miles to doe him hurt▪ The diuel doth not goe his progreſſe like a King, only for delight, but all the way as he goeth, Peter ſaith, He ſeeketh whom he may deuoure. The diuel goeth a viſiting, he will teach the ſicke how they ſhall recouer their health, hee will whiſper the poore how they ſhall come by riches, he will tell the captiues how they ſhall redeeme their libertie: but to deuoure is the ende of his viſitation. Therefore Peter called him a Lyon, and ſaid, that he went about: and told vsus that he ſought as he went: at laſt he ſaith, to deuour, & there he ends, ſhewing that deuouring is his ende. Now you ſhall heare whom hee compaſſeth, and to what he compaſſeth, and how he compaſſeth. When it is ſaid, that the diuell compaſſeth the earth, it is meant, that he compaſſeth the men of the earth: out of which I gather, firſt of all creatures he compaſſeth men: ſecondly, that he compaſſeth all men, and by conſequence, that he compaſſeth good men. The diuell is like an Archer, and man is his marke, and temptations are his arrowes. As Peter is called a fiſher of mē, ſo the diuell may be called a hunter of men: for of all creatures his enuie is onelyonly to men, becauſe man was made to ſerue GOD, and inherite the ioyes which hee hath loſt: therefore he is called no ſlear, but a manſlear. When there are no men vponupon earth, then the diuell will compaſſe the earth no more.
Secondly, he aſſaulteth all men, like Iſmael, which was againſt al. It is ſaid of Saul and Dauid, Saul hath ſlaine his thouſand, and Dauid his tenne thouſand: but if you put in Satan, you may ſet vp the number, and ſay, Satan hath ſlaine his hundred thouſand. As there is a legion of men, ſo there is a legion of diuels: that as they ſaid Peters angell, ſo they may ſay Peters diuell: for Chriſt would not hauehave called Peter Satan, if Satan had not backed him: as death killeth all, ſo the diuell tempteth all: when hee hath Eue, hee hunteth for Adam: when he hath Adam, he hunteth for Caine: as the father was tempted, ſo muſt the ſonnes: as the mother was tempted, ſo muſt her daughters. EueryEvery man but Chriſt may ſay, I hauehave been ouercome, but Chriſt himſelfe cannot ſay, I hauehave not been tempted. In the Spaniſh Inquiſition the Proteſtants are examined, but the Papiſts ſlip by: but in the diuels Inquiſitiō Papiſt, and Proteſtant, and Atheiſt, and Puritane, & all are examined. He is not a captaine of forties, nor of fifties, nor of ſixties, nor of hundreds, but hee is Generall ouer all which fight not vnderunder Chriſts banner: he poſſeſſed the two Gergeſites, which were men, he poſſeſſed Mary, which was a woman: he poſſeſſed the mās ſon, which was a child. Nimrod is called a mightie Hunter which killed beaſts, but this is a mighty hunter which killed Nimrod himſelf, God keep vsus out of his chaſe. Thirdly, he warreth againſt the righteous, euē becauſe they are righteous: as God makes the barren fruitfull, & the fruitfull to beare more fruite, ſo the diuell would hauehave them ſerue him, which ſerue him not, and they which ſerue him to ſerue him more: & therfore as the Grāt encoū tred with Dauid, ſo the diuel encoūtred with Dauid, and with Dauids Lord: he which gaue him leaue here to tempt Iob, was after tēpted himſelfe, although the net brake, and the bird eſcaped: yet as he tempted Chriſt thriſe together, and as he deſired to ſift Peter more then other, ſo they that follow Chriſt, and are like Peter, are ſifted more then other. For this viper is like the viper which ſeaſed vponupon Paul. Among many which ſtood by the fire, the viper choſe out Paul, and lighted vponupon him before all the reſt: ſo if one bee holier then another, this viper will battaile with him, and there is great reaſon why the godly are tempted more then the wicked; becauſe the wicked are his ſeruants, and doe tempt others.
As he tempteth all men, ſo he tempteth to all ſinnes: for hell and the diuell, are alike: therefore as hel is neuer filled with ſinners, ſo the diuell is neuer filled with ſinnes: and therfore when he had made Peter deny his maſter once, he made him deny him twiſe, and when he had made him denie him twiſe, hee made him deny him thriſe. For this cauſe our ſinnes are counted amongſt thoſe things which are infinite, becauſe the diuell and our fleſh meet together eueryevery day to ingender newe ſinnes. All the diuels riches is in baytes, hee hath a packe full of othes for eueryevery one which will ſweare, a pack full of lyes for eueryevery one which will deceiue, a pack full of excuſes for eueryevery one which will diſſemble. As he dooth goe through the ſtreetes, into eueryevery ſhoppe he caſts a ſhort meaſure, or a falſe balance: as hee paſſeth by the Tauernes hee ſets diſſention betwixt friends: as he paſſeth by euerie Inne, hee caſts a payre of Cardes, and a payre of Dice, and a payre of Tables: as hee paſſeth by the Courtes, and findes the Lawyers at the barre, hee caſts among them falſe euidences, forged writings, and counterfeite ſeales.
Thus in eueryevery place where he comes (like a foggie miſt) he leaues an euill ſauour behinde him. The murmuring of Moſes, the diſſimulation of Abraham, the idolatrie of Aaron, the inceſt of Lot, the dronkennes of Noah, the adulterie of Dauid, the flight of Ionah, the deniall of Peter, name Satan, & thou haſt named the very ſpawne of all ſinnes, which with his taile plucked downe the ſtarres from heauen. How many hate their enemies, & friends too, and yet imbrace this enemie, becauſe he kiſſeth when he betrayeth, as though he would not betray. Auarice ſaith, I will make thee amiable: tyrannie ſaith, I will make thee dreadfull: ſloth ſaith, I will make thee beautifull: vanitie ſaith, I will make thee merrie: prodigalitie ſayth, I will make thee beloued: So the poore ſinner ſtands diſtract how he may follow all ſins at once, ſeeking grapes of thiſtles, and roſes of thornes.
As he tempteth to all ſinnes, ſo he tempteth by all meanes: for the name of a compaſſer doth import a cunning tempter. There is craft in compaſſing: the Hunter maketh a raile about the Deere, as though he would gard thē, when he meaneth to take ſome of them: the Fowler goeth about the bird as if he did not ſee her, when he comes to ſnare her. If men hauehave ſo many ſleights to compaſſe their matters, how can the compaſſer himſelfe hold his fingers? if the Serpents ſeed be ſo ſubtil, what doe you thinke of the old ſerpent, who hath been learning his trade euer ſince the creation? If mens trades may be called crafts, the diuels trade may be called craft? Herod is called a fox, but this fox taught him his ſubtiltie: this is he that prepared flatterers for Rehoboam, which prepared lyers for Ahab, which prepared concubines for Salomō, which prepared Sorcerers for Pharao, which prepared witches for Saul, which prepared wine for Benhadab, which prepared gold for Achan, which prepared a ſhip for Ionas, which prepared a rope for Haman, he goeth not about for nothing. But this is the firſt tricke of his compaſsing, he marks how eueryevery man is inclined, what he loues, what he hateth, what he feares, & what he wants: & when he hath the meaſure of his foot, then he fits him. Aske what you will, heere is he which offered the whole world. What? ſhall Ionah ſtay for want of a ſhip? nay here is a ſhip, go & flie from the Lord: ſhall Eſau ſtay for want of broth? nay here is a meſſe of broth, go and ſell thy birthright: ſhal Iudas ſtay for want of thirty pence? nay here are thirtie pence, goe and betray thy maſter: ſhall Pilate ſtay for want of an halter? nay here is an halter, goe and hang thy ſelfe.
The Tyrant ſhall not want a flatterer, the page missing and Apoſtles, as they followed Chriſt, leſt following that which they repented, wee ſustaine or ſuffer that which they eſcaped. This is a leſſon for all but Chriſt, Let him which thinketh he ſtande, take heed leſt he fall. When Paul had diſtilled the capital ſinnes of the Iſraelites, this is the quinteſcence, that is, all the profit which he could wring out of them, Let them that thinke they ſtand, take heed leſt they fall. Who would hauehave ſayd that Ieruſalem would hauehave become an harlot? that the choſen people ſhould become the curſedſt vponupon the earth? yet ſo it is, ſaith Paul, thus & thus they hauehave done, and thus hath God forſaken them, that all the world may take heede how they ſtirre vp the lion of Iudah, which deuoueth the wicked like bread. Who would hauehave thought when Lot was grieued with the ſins of Sodome that he would hauehave committed a worſe ſinne himſelfe, firſt to drinke til he was drunken, then to lie with his own daughters? yet he did ſo. Who would hauehave thought that Noah when he builded the Arke, becauſe he beleeued in God, and gaue example to all the world how they ſhould ſaue themſelues, whē the flood was paſt, would hauehave giuen the firſt example of ſinne to his owne ſonnes? Whe would hauehave thought that when he was perſecuted for his godlines in the deſart, hee would hauehave ſlain the husband for the luſt of the wife, when the bleſſings of God did call him to thankfulnes? Who would hauehave thought that Salomon when he prayed in the temple, and was tearmed by God the wiſeſt man in the world, would hauehave taken mo concubines vntounto him than any heathen in the world? How are the mightie ouerthrowen ſaith Dauid? 2. Sam. 1. Like Peter which ſaid he would neuer forſake Chriſt: and forſook him firſt. The ſtrong men are fallen. Euen Salomon himſelfe, and Dauid, and Noah, and Lot, and Sampſon, & Peter, the light of the world, fell like the ſtarres of heauen: theſe tall ſouldiers, ſtrong oaks, faire pillers lie in the duſt, whoſe toppes glittered in the aire, that they which thinke they ſtand may take heed leſt they fall. Can I looke vponupon theſe ruines without compaſſion, or remember them without feare, vnles Ibe a reprobate, & my heart of flint? Who am I that I ſhould ſtand like a ſhrubbe, when theſe Caedars are blowen down to the groūd, & ſhewed themſelues but men? the beſt man is but a man, the worſt are worſe then beaſts, no man is vntainted but Chriſt, they which had greater gifts thē we, they which had deeper rootes then we, they which had ſtronger hearts then we, they which had more props then wee, are fallen like a birde which is wearie of her flight, and turned back like the wind in the twinckling of an eie. 2. Kin. 8. 13. Who would hauehave mocked him, that ſhould hauehave ſaid ſometime as Eliſha ſayd to Hazael, what wickedneſſe hee ſhould doe in time to come, that he ſhould ſlay and trample men, women and children, Hazael bluſht to heare thus of him, and ſaid, Am I a dog that I ſhould doe this? as if he would neuer doe it while he were a man, but count him a dogge when he comes to that: ſo they which are chaunged like Hazael, bluſh to heare thus of him, and would hauehave ſcorned ſometime at him which ſhould once hauehave ſayd, when they were zealous and ſtudious preachers, and perſecuted for their preaching, that the time would come when they ſhould be loyterers, time-ſeruers, louers of the world, and greedie woolues, deuourers of their flockes, and perſecutors, they would hauehave ſayd, Am I a dog? Am I a beaſt? Am I a reprobate, that I ſhould doe this? they would neuer beleeue this till it came to paſſe, and being fallen, they ſay they ſinned like Hazael, which bluſht before he ſinned, and was impudent after. Therfore let no man ſay what he will be, before he hauehave examined what hee is, but runne his courſe with a trembling feare, alwaies looking downe to the rubs which lye before him, and the worthies which are ſlaine alreadie, and remember when any ſpectacle of frailtie is in thine eie, this is my warning, for no mā hath more priuiledge thē another. This is the profite wee ſhould make of other mens faults, like a pearle which is taken out of the ſerpent: when we ſee our brothers nakednes, it ſhould moue vsus to compaſſion of him, and a feare of our ſelues, for when we reioyce at others fall, like Cham, as the leproſie went from Naamā to Gehezie, ſo God turneth his wrath from them, and it lighteth vppon vsus, Prou. 24. 18. and ſuch as hauehave deſpiſed others without remorſe, hauehave fallen in the like, or more ſhamefully themſelues, and neuer roſe againe. What ſhall wee doe then when wee heare of other mens faults? not talke as wee doe, but beware by them, and thinke, Am I better then he? Am I ſtronger then Sampſon? Am I wiſer then Salomon? Am I chaſter then Dauid? Am I ſoberer then Noah? Am I firmer then Peter, if God ſhould leaue me to my ſelf? if he ſhould withdrawe his hand which holds me? Into how many gulfes hauehave I beene falling, when God hath preſerued me of occaſion, or delayed the temptation, or wonderfully kept me from it, I know not how, for hee deliuereth me from euil as he deliuered Dauid frō the blood of Nabal, by Abigail, which came vnlooked for: So he hath preuented many wonderfully, when they were aſſaulted ſo hardly, that they had thought to hauehave yeelded to the enemie. Sometime I may ſay there wanted a tempter, ſometime I may ſay there wanted time, ſometime I may ſay there wanted place, ſometime the temper was preſent, and there wanted neither time nor place, but God held me backe that I ſhould not cōſent: ſo neere we hauehave glided by ſinne, like a ſhippe which rides vponupon a rocke, and ſlips away, or a bird which ſcapes from the Fowler when the net is vponupon her. There is no ſalt but may loſe his ſaltnes, no wine but may loſe his ſtrenght, no flower but may loſe his ſent, no light but may be eclipſed, no beautie but may bee ſtayned, no fruit but may be blaſted, nor ſoule but may be corrupted▪ we ſtand all in a ſlipperie place, where it is eaſie to ſlide, and hard to get vp, like little children which ouerthrow themſelues with their clothes, now vp, now downe at a ſtrawe, ſo ſoone we fall from God, & ſlide from his word, and forget our reſolutions, as though wee had neuer reſolued. Man goeth forth in the morning, weake, naked, and vnarmed, to fight with powers, and principalities, the diuell, the world, and all their adherents, and whome doth hee take with him but this fleſh, a traytor, ready to yeeld him vp at eueryevery aſſault vntounto the enemie. Thus man is ſet vponupon the ſide of a hill, alwaies declining, and ſlipping: the fleſh muffleth him to make him ſtumble, the world catcheth at him to make him fall, the diuell vndermineth him to make him ſinke, and crieth ſtil, Caſt thy ſelf downe, and when he falleth, he goeth apace, as Peter, who denied thriſe together; and when hee is fallen is like a ſtumbling ſtone in the way for other, that they may fall too. Therefore, Let him that thinketh he ſtandeth, take heede leſt he fall.
So earneſtly muſt we call vponupon our ſoules, that we be not wearie of well doing: for happier are the children that neuer began, then Iudas, whoſe ende was worſe then his beginning. Wiſedome and Righteouſneſſe are angrie with him that leaueth his goodneſſe to become worſe: if thy ſpouſe had committed fornication thou mighteſt hauehave diuorſed her, but he which leaueth his righteouſnes to liue in wickednes, forſakes his ſpouſe to commit fornication, and is diuorſed from Chriſt himſelfe. If thou wert like the Vine, or the Oliue, or the Figge tree, they would not leaue their grapes, or their fatneſſe, or their ſweetneſſe, to get a kingdome; but the Bramble did: If thou be like the Bramble, what wilt thou doe when the fire comes? As this is a memorandum to all, ſo eſpecially let him that ruleth, and him that teacheth, take heede leſt he fal: for if the Pillers ſhrinke the Temple ſhakes, as when a great Tree is hewen downe, which is a ſhadowe to the beaſts, and a neſt to the birdes, many leaues, and bowes, and twiggs fall with it: ſo many ſtande, and fall with them, whoſe lampes giuegive light to others: Euen as Ieroboams ſinne made Iſrael to ſinne: therefore Paul hath giuen you a watchword, which eueryevery one ſhould write vponupon his table, vponupon his bed & vponupon his nayles, leſt he forget in one houre: for he which ſtandes now, may fall before night. Sinne is not long in comming, nor quickly gone, vnles God ſtop vsus, as he mette Balaam in his way, & ſtay vsus; as he ſtaied the womans ſonne, when he was a bearing to his graue: we runne ouer Reaſon, and tread vponupon Conſcience, and fling by Counſel, and goe by the Word, and poaſt to Death, as though we ran for a kingdome, like a Larke, that falles to the ground ſooner then ſhe mounted vp: at firſt ſhe retires, as it were by ſteps, but when ſhe commeth neerer the ground, ſhe falles downe with a iumpe: ſo wee decline at firſt and wauer lower and lower, till we be almoſt at the worſt, and then we runne headlong, as though wee were ſent poaſt to hell, from hot to luke-warme, from luke-warme to key cold, from key cold to ſtarke dead: ſo the languiſhing ſoule bleedes to death, and ſeeth not his life goe till he be at the very laſt gaſpe. Woe bee vntounto him that is guilty of this murther: if the bloud of Abel cried for vengeance againſt his brother Caine which ſlew his bodie, ſhall not GOD bee reuenged for the death of the Soule? where is thy brother (ſaith God?) Nay where is thy ſoule? haſt thou ſlaine it, which was my ſpouſe, my temple, mine owne Image? If the ſeruāt which hid his Talent was caſt into darkneſſe, what ſhall be done vntounto thee which haſt loſt thy Talent? For he which falles from his righteouſneſſe, dooth not hide his Talent, but more, he doth loſe it.
Thus if you neuer knewe what good to make of euill, this you may learne in the ſinners Schoole: let them which thinke they ſtand, take heed leſt they fall, and let them which are downe, care to riſe, and the Lord ſo direct our ſteppes, that wee may riſe againe.
FINIS.