Sin Stigmatized, Part 1 · Section 61
§ 61.
BUt ſee the difference betweene Gods people, and thoſe ſonnes of Belial. The difference betweene their practif… and the godlies.Hee which truly feares God, wil in ſuch times of calamity (Vriah-like) refraine from many lawfull and allowed recreations, well knowing, that actions of an indifferent nature are not alwayes ſeaſonable; not ever warrantable; and indeed, neither the time, nor place of mourning is for mirth; wch made our Saviour Chriſt ſoone turne the Minſtrels out of doores, when the Rulers daughter was dead, Mat. 9.23. Yea, it is the Lords complaint againſt Ieruſalem, when he threatned her deſtruction by Nebuchadnezzar, I called to weeping, and mourning, and to baldneſſe, and girding with ſackcloth; but behold joy and gladneſſe, ſlaying Oxen, and killing Sheepe, eating fleſh, and drinking wine, Iſaiah 22.12, 13. for which he was ſo offended, that he tells them, this their iniquity ſhould not be purged till death, verſ. 14.
And doth not our Saviour ſeeme to blame the old World, for that they did, as freely as at other times, eate, and drink, marry and give in marriage, while the Ark was in building, even unto the day that the flood came, and tooke them all away, Mat. 24.38. every of which actions, at another time, had beene approved.
Alaſſe! lawfull actions depraved by bad circumſtances, become damnable ſinnes; and things benificiall in their uſe, are dangerous in their abuſe or miſcariage. Is this a time, (ſaith the Prophet to his ſervant) to receive money, and garments, and vineyards, 2 King. 5.26? ſo the truly humbled ſoule will ſay, is this a time to drink and revell in? can God be pleaſed that in this time of viſitation, while the Plague or famine lies ſore upon our neighbours, wee ſhould give our ſelves to ſport and joviſance? No, and certainely they have deſperate ſoules, that can rejoyce and bee merry when the God of heaven and earth ſhewes himſelfe ſo angry. For as nothing magnified the religious zeale of Ʋriah more than this, that he abandoned even alowed comforts, till he ſaw the Arke and Iſrael victorious: ſo nothing did aggravate David's ſin ſo much, as that hee could finde time to looſe the raynes to wanton deſires and actions, even while the Arke and Iſrael were in diſtreſſe. And yet David's caſe was no more like theſe mens, then Zimrie's caſe was like David's; for they drinke, and roare, and ſweare, and whore, as it were in a preſumptious bravery, to intimate, that they regard not Gods wrath, nor weigh his heavie diſpleaſure. Now though the harlot doth bad enough, which wipes her lips, that the print of her ſinne may not be ſeene, and though ſhee commit it, ſhe will conceale it: yet an Abſolom doth far worſe, that ſpreads his inceſtuous Pallet on the roofe, and calls the Sunne, a bluſhing witneſſe, to his filthineſſe. Yea, let any man judge, whether they are not frontleſſe Zimries, that dare bring whores to their Tents in the face of all Iſrael, while God is offended, Moſes and all Iſrael grieved, the Princes hanged, the people plagued, that dares brave God and all the people in that ſinne, which they ſee ſo grievouſly puniſhed before their eyes; this at any time were abominable, but now moſt execrable. Yea, what other is this, then to imitate the Thracians, who, when it lightens and thunders, ſhoot Arrowes againſt heaven, thinking by that meanes, to draw God to ſome reaſon.
And yet no marvaile that there ſhould be ſuch; when Lots daughters were ſo little moved with that grievous judgement, the turning of Sodome into aſhes, of their Mother into a pillar of Salt, both in their eye, that they durſt think of lying wth their own Father, yea, and one of them afterward impudently calls that ſonne Moab, my Fathers ſon by me: no marvaile, when Pharaoh's heart was more hard after every of the 9. plagues: no marvaile, when the high Prieſts and Souldiers, together with the ſpectators, were obdurated at our Saviours ſufferings, notwithſtanding the whole frame of nature ſuffered with him; thoſe proofes of his Deitie, were enough, to have fetcht all the world upon their knees; and to have made all mankind a convert; and yet behold, ſome, mock and revile him; ſome, give him Uinegar, and Gall in his thirſt; others, after hee was dead, pierce his bleſſed ſide with a ſpeare other, ſeeing him riſen, report that his Diſciples came by night and ſtole him out of the Sepulchre, &c. But al hearts are not alike, no meanes can worke upon the wilfully obdured, even that which would make Pagans relent (as they which never prayed in their lives, will pray at ſea in a tempeſt) may leave ſome Chriſtians worſe then impenitent. Lime is kindled with water; and the hotter the Sun ſhines upon fire, the more it's heate abateth.
But what will be the iſſue, I even tremble to thinke of it; for God hath many ſtrings to his Bow, and many Arrowes in his Quiver; when one way takes not, hee tries forthwith another: and this we may be ſure of, that hee will never leave ſmiting, till we ſmite that which ſmiteth at his honour; and let them praiſe at night the fairenes of the day; that Ship is moſt ſure that commeth ſafe to the Haven, ſaith Anacharſis; yea, ſinnes of an inferiour ranke, ſhall meet with temporall judgements; but theſe that dare ſin God in the face, ſhall beare a heavier weight of his vengeance, they ſhall not ſcape with burning in the hand, not have the favour to ſuffer here either Plague, Famine Sword or the like; but ſhall be fatted for an eternall ſlaughter in hell, an everlaſting burning in the bottomles pit. While ſin hides it ſelfe in corners, there is ſome hope; if there bee ſhame, there is poſſibility of grace; but when it dares once looke upon the Sunne, ſend chalenges to authority, defie heaven and earth, the vlcer is deſperate, the member farre more fit to be cut off, then launced. And ſo much of the perpetuity of this ſinne in drunkards.