Temptations, Part 2

Temptations · Part 2

p. 253The SECOND PART:Part II.

Containing ſome particular Rules, ſerving to helpe us in ſome ſpeciall caſes.

A Great Doctor in our Iſrael doth obſerve, that the cōſcience of man is wounded moſt with the third Commandement in caſes of Perjury; the ſixth, of Murther, the ſeventh, of Adultery; I may adde (beſides ſome others) the tentations of Blaſphemy, againſt the nature of his Eſſence, Being, and prime Attributes of God: theſe do ſhake the conſcience of a man, becauſe there is a maine principall p. 254in the heart and conſcience of man, fully and ſtrongly convincing him of thoſe particulars, viz. That there is a God, that he is truth, that he is an avenger of all perjury, that wee muſt let men alone with their lives and wives; things wherein a man may make reſtitution & ſalve the ſore, they do not uſe to urge ſo much, when once we are brought to reſtore that w^ch by fraud or force wee have taken away; but in matters of bloud and unchaſtity, no reſtitution can poſſibly bee made to man: for who can helpe men to their lives or chaſtity again? and this is the reaſon, that theſe ſinnes make ſuch a foule cry above others; but of thoſe particulars more hereafter. I meane firſt to propoſe ſome Rules which may ſerve all theſe in common: then ſome that are more proper to each tentation in ſeverall.

p. 2551. We muſt not make the matter worſe than it is, which in thoſe tentations, which are accompanied commonly with moſt horror, is dangerous; for as we are not to leſſen the matter, ſo it is neither lawfull nor ſafe to make the things worſe than they be; to pore into the ſore, to breake it up into too many peeces, in this caſe is perillous: indeed when wee are apt to grow ſecure and preſume, we are adviſed to aggravate matters to the moſt; but when we are downe the wind, and ſubject to deſpaires and feares, this is not approved to be either lawfull or ſafe. 1. It is not lawfull to make that a ſin which perhaps is not; or that which is a ſin, to appeare to us greater than it is: things muſt be repreſented unto us in their true colours; and as wee muſt not ſet the ſin higher than it is, ſo not the guilt of it neither, p. 256this were to ſing the ſong of Cain, Gen. 4. 13.Gen 4:13My ſin is greater than I can beare: He did not ſay ſo becauſe it was ſo; but it was ſo, becauſe he ſaid ſo: we muſt ſee that wee doe not make ſinnes where God makes none; leſt wee come to make that not to be a ſin which is a ſin; and ſome men are miſerably tormented, for things which are onelyonly ſins in their conceit, and not in truth. 2. It is unſafe in all, but moſt of all in theſe kind of tentations, becauſe man is a timerous creature, and when in this veine, he is apt to be diſcouraged; feare of diſcouragement makes a man fall, weakens, a mans purpoſe and reſolution of reſiſting; as a boy is many times out in ſaying his leſſon, onelyonly for feare leſt hee be out, who could ſay perfect till hee came to ſay: and a girle being threatned and terrified, breaks the glaſſe only for feare of breaking p. 257it: ſo when we are in feare joyned with diſcouragement Satan hath a great advantage;Frangere dum met… it, &c. Mar. Apoph. 111. and thoſe ſinnes amplified and ſet up, doe mightily faint, and diſcourage the heart and ſpirits of men and who can fight with any heart againſt an enemy, that hee hath little or no hope to conquer. Now when we doe make our ſins worſer than they are, then it doth ſecretly ſteale away our hope; and ſo we make no great haſt to reſiſt, nor have no great heart to fight: we then muſt learne, not to make it leſſe, leſt we be too ſlothful, nor more leſt we be too fearefull; but juſt as the matter is, as neere as we can, that ſo wee may bee fitted and prepared, to fight the good fight of faith, with diligence and watchfulneſſe.

2. Wee muſt not ſuffer the thoughts of theſe horrible tentations to tarry in our mindes;2 Tim. 6. 12. they are Gods and our greateſt p. 258enemies, and we muſt ſhut the doore againſt them; what if we diſlike and diſtaſte them?Greeneham. yet as one notes, this rowling of them up and downe in our heads, doth ſhow that there is an inſenſible likening of them in our hearts; we muſt ſet our hatred againſt them, and thruſt them away preſently, and hold it a dangerous thing to thinke of them. God cannot take it well, if wee miſlike a thing in judgement, and doe not ſet againſt it, with the meanes God hath appointed and ſanctified to that uſe, Satan will coozen us, as though that our very miſliking of them were enough in things foule, and that there were no feare of danger; wheras nature it ſelfe, doth looke ſadly at theſe tentations, and the miſlike we feele, may well come from the influence of the law and light of nature. I have learned that we are never the p. 259further off from a tentation, for our miſliking it onelyonly, but the nearer, except withall in affection, we humble for it; as well as diſtaſte it in our judgments: what if the diſlike be not, becauſe it is a ſin, but becauſe there is ſome feare or ſhame? This is ſelfe-love and pride, and this will worke in the ſin, if we goe no further, and that by Gods juſt judgement: our duty then, is not to ſuffer the thoughts of ſuch wounding and terrifying tentations, to tumble up and downe in our mindes, though we have no minde to them; for either by diſcouraging us or enticing us, they will get further hold: but wee muſt caſt them off, ſet the word againſt them, and turne our thoughts to ſome better ſubject, and chiefly to thinke on thoſe two great Dayes, the day of Death, and the day of Iudgement.

3. Wee muſt of all ſee, that p. 260we ſet not againſt thoſe: of our owne ſtrength we can doe nothing,Ariſt. Eth. l. 7. c. 6. by our owne power againſt any luſt; but leaſt in theſe, becauſe,Cum quiſ que Legem viribus ſuis, &c. Aug. Expoſ. propoſit. ex Epiſt. ad Rom. what through feare & horror in ſom, what through the ſwinge and violent torrent of theſe two paſſions of anger and luſt, a man hath but little uſe of that reaſon he hath; and ſo the more he ſtrives this way the worſe it is,2 Cor. 12. 9.2 Cor 12:9 it doth but encreaſe our deſires to the ſinne;Aug. in. Pſa. 31.Ps 31 our ſtrength is here to pray and expect, and laying all naturall and carnall weapons aſide; let God alone to doe all, and out of grace it is, that hee doth doe for us, what he doth in our trials and conflicts; and therefore Paul had his anſwer, that all was to bee done by the grace and mercy of God; and ſo we finde that the Lord ſaid not to him, my power, but my grace, is ſufficient for thee: wherefore we muſt put al upon the power p. 261and grace of God, turne Satan to God to Chriſt for his anſwer, ſet the grace of God againſt our ſins, when comming to prevent them, when come to pardon them: ſet the power of God againſt the ſtrength of them all; beleeve it, that the grace of God is ſufficient, either to prevent us, or preſerve us. He is in great danger (who in any) but of all in theſe potent tentations, goes by his owne wit, or reaſon, or worth, or ſtrength: Hee is in ſafe caſe, who can ſay, I deſerve nothing, I can doe nothing but hurt my ſelfe, and make worke for ſinne and Satan; I meane to put all upon GOD, who will worke mightily in me, and for me; but the grace of God which is with me;1 Cor 5. 11 Cor 5:1 he is all in all,Gal. 20. hee will doe all or nothing, that he may have all the praiſe of his grace.

The helpes which ſerve in p. 262ſeverall for every particular aſſault might be many; ſome we will propoſe, and firſt for thoſe tentations which are in things of God, then in things of man; for God, we are much aſſaulted to Atheiſme, and Blaſphemy; to Atheiſme, as the greateſt ſin that is, in that it ſmites at the roote of all, for to ſay the truth, all ſin is from Atheiſme: for who would ſin, did he then verily thinke, that there were a God that ſaw all, and would puniſh all; and ſuch a God, God muſt be, or no God: and to Atheiſme, for when we have ſinned, ſinne doth draw towards Atheiſme, exceedingly wipes out all notions of a Deity as much as it can; and when wee are in ſin, wee muſt bee either willing to get out of it by repentance, or elſe wee ſhall bee willing to turne Atheiſts; the beſt of our play then, being to feed our ſelves with a conceit, p. 263that all is but talke to hold men in awe, and that there is indeed neither heaven nor hell, no place of torment; that when wee dye all is gone, no otherwiſe than with a Beaſt: when the conſcience will not get quiet by turning to God by repentance,Animus qui multorum ſcelerum ſibi conſcius eſt, &c. then it will ſeeke to quiet it ſelfe by unbeliefe, bearing it ſelfe in hand,Chryſ. in 1 Cor. 6. Hom 17.1 Cor 6 that there is no ſuch thing as hell to torment men in: conſider withall, that Sathan doth all he can to make men Atheiſts, becauſe, when there is no feare of God before mens eyes, they will ſinne all manner of ſinnes that the divell would have them ſin. So Pſal. 14. The fooliſh hath ſaid in his heart there is no God, what followes? They are corrupt, they have done abominable works; thus then, when once men take to Atheiſme, they grow moſt corrupt and doe abominable workes; there is no hoe in ſinning p. 264then, for what ſhold or can keep the wit and wil of man in, when once wee conceit, that there is no ſuch thing as God: the divell cannot bee a flat Atheiſt, for he beleeves & trembles; and were it nothing but the ſence he hath of the wrath of God, tormenting: why? That is enough to prove, that Satan doth fully & undoubtedly acknowledge a Divine power. He is not an Atheiſt, becauſe he cannot, becauſe he ſhall not, but yet he beares good will to Atheiſme, becauſe that ſin doth much advantage his kingdome Saint Iames doth prove,C. 1. v. 13. that God tempts no man, becauſe himſelfe cannot bee tempted with evill: by nature he doth hate ſin, and therefore he cannot tempt to ſinne: and Satan could not tempt Eve till he had ſin; nor Eve Adam, till ſhee had ſin her ſelfe: all this proves not, but that Sathan may and p. 265doth tempt us to Atheiſme, a ſinne which he himſelfe hates not: for though he cannot ſin the ſin himſelfe, (as the divell cannot do the act of many ſins, as Adultery) yet hee loves the ſinne; it is not for want of will that he is not an Atheiſt; for he would give any thing, he could turne Atheiſt, and finde ſome kind of eaſe, by thinking there were no God at all: and it is a ſin which is incompatible with the eſtate of a damned Angell; but now his deſire being to damne ſoules, and this being the moſt damning ſinne that is: he doth uſe all meanes, to wipe out of the heart of man, all impreſſion of the God-head, and the beſt men that be, have too many thoughts this way; and (as I ſhewed) it is the maſterveine in our Originall luſt; and were it not for the law of nature, our ſinne and Satan would make monſtrous flat Atheiſts p. 266of us all out of hand; but God hath ſo wrought in us,Perk. Of imaginat. cap. 3. an impreſſion of a Deity, being the maine pillar of the law of Nature, that we never can poſſibly, nor all the divels in hell comming in with their forces,Calvin. Inſt. l. 1. c. 3. Sect. 1. Clem. bring our hearts to an utter extinguiſhment of that law,Alex. in Protreptico. and that principle of natures law; and we doe finde, that our deepeſt Atheiſts in the world,Dici frequenter audimns O Deus. Cyprian. de Idol. vanit. Molin. D… cognit. Dei. p. 7. when in extremity, and put to it with ſome ſudden affrightment, to uſe to cry O God aloud, and therefore this corruption and tentation, is with the more eaſe oppoſed and anſwered: a man hath on his ſide the workes of nature, the law of nature, the law and fire of his conſcience, fearing and trembling at the wrath to come, but when all is done, that which muſt and only will hold us againſt the tentation when it is ſtrongly put to by Sathan, is to flye to the p. 267word of God. The Word ſaith, that there is a God, and therefore I will beleeve that there is a GOD: out of tentation, other conſiderations taken from nature and divers acts of Divine providence may ſtop the mouth of our Luſt, which would not have God in all,Pſa. 10. 4.Ps 10:4 that is, in any of our thoughts; but when once wee are ſet upon with ſome fierce tentation, I would wiſh al Chriſtians to do theſe things; the firſt is not to enter into diſpute with his owne reaſon, for the underſtanding of man, is too weak, & too ſhort, to reach the comprehenſion of a Deity: hee that ſhall take in his owne thoughts, and muſe about the nature and infinite Being of God, ſhall but let in Satan the more: the counſell then I am bold to give to the poore Chriſtian, is, in any hand not to ſtudy this point, but to take his minde off, from thinking p. 268& diſputing this argument, leſt he come to ſay in his heart, I cannot conceive what God is, and therefore I doubt me there is no ſuch being. Away then with all reaſoning and ſyllogiſmes about that ſubject. 2. Then cleave to the Word & ſay though my reaſon cannot tell what to make of it, tho luſt in me, ſay there is no God at al, tho Satan ſay it that there is no God, and moſt doe live as though there were no God; yet becauſe it is in the Word, the Scripture ſaith it, and I muſt and will and doe beleeve it; wee muſt ſee both God and Heaven and all in the Word.Tit. 1. 16.Titus 1:16 Doubts I know, that have any ground,2 Pet. 2. 1.2 Pet 2:1 ought to bee ſcanned,2 Tim. 3. 52 Tim 3:5 diſputed, anſwered: but Atheiſme is a deniall of the firſt principle of all Religion;Mala & impia corſuetudo, &c. and therefore the beſt way is to begin and end with the Word,Cie. de Nat. Deor. l. 1. and to know that ſuch a principall, as is the eſſence and exiſtence of a GOD p. 265ought not to bee ſo much as queſtioned. It is a meere ſcruple, and the ſafeſt way is to reject it as ſoone and as often as it doth come; put it off, as a thing neither worth nor fit for conſideration; wee ſhall finde that by often rejecting ſuch ſcruples, the conſcience will be better confirmed and ſetled, than by going about by reaſon and arguments to anſwer them. Hee that ſhall goe about by the force of his owne wit to conquer his Atheiſme, is in great danger to fall into ſome degrees of it; for when he ſees that reaſon cannot doe it, and find out, what this God is, he wil come to queſtion all, and to thinke that there is no ſuch being. He then doth beſt, who doth diſpute leaſt, and in the heate of the tentation, reſts himſelfe wholy on the Word.

2. For tentations of Blaſphemy,Iob. 2. 9.Job 2:9 as Curſe God and dye: the p. 270ſervants of God are more afraid of them than hurt; they are rather bugbeares than ſuch as uſe to produce in them any reall effects: they carry with them ſuch a deale of horror that they ſeldome take; for when once wee confeſſe a true GOD, it will make our haire ſtare to thinke of blaſpheming him, and ſo we fall into pitious moodes of terrour and horror, which keepes us from the ſin it ſelfe: but wee muſt ſet downe what we conceive may doe us helpe this way.

1. We muſt get an aſſurance that God doth love us, and then we ſhall love him, and love alwayes thinks and ſpeakes well; but if wee once take a thought and it grow firme in us, that God doth hate us and wil curſe us, we will hate him againe and be ready to curſe him: and this is incident to us in times of ſome great afflictions; as in p. 271Iobs caſe, when God doth handle us ſore, and worſe than hee commonly doth others: and wee finde ſome circumſtances, that we cannot fetch a preſident for in the world; never was the like before, then wee begin to apprehend ſome hard dealing in it, and we grow to conclude, that ſure God doth hate us, and then we will be even with him and hate him again. It is natural and uſuall for hatred to breed hatred; and when wee abhorre and hate God, we begin to enter into ſome termes of Blaſphemy: we all hate God by nature, but yet there is a further meaſure of hatred wrought in us to God, when we conceive, that out of very malice and ſpleene towards us, he doth uſe us as he never did nor doth uſe any other; and in this caſe our very ſtomacks will riſe, and our bloud will ſwell againſt the LORD GOD Almighty. To p. 272prevent and cure this, wee are to know, that no afflictions bee they ever ſo great, uſuall, and unheard of, are any certaine ſignes at all of Gods anger, much leſſe of his hatred: Iob was the firſt, who was ever uſed as hee was, and his wife ſhewed her ſelfe a weake and a fooliſh woman; thence to gather the hatred of God to her and her huſband. Ionas had a croſſe that the world never ſaw the like before, yet it was no fruit of Gods hatred. Iacob had ſore and heavy afflictions, yet it went ever for truth,Mal. 1. 2.Mal 1:2 (Iacob have I loved) hee loved him, when? When hee afflicted him. Eſau had more outward matters to his minde than ever Iacob ſaw: and many great Lords were of his family, and yet, Eſau have I hated;) hold it then, that God doth love us, and when wee have this perſwaſion in us; all the divels in hell, and all the p. 273luſts in Originall ſin can never make us blaſpheme our GOD, whom we love, and of whom wee have this minde, that hee doth love us: ſay then, he loves me, and I love him, & then, one cannot be brought to ſin the ſin of Blaſphemy. 2. We muſt get the pardō of our ſins, repent we of all our iniquities, and then the Croſſe can never wring frō us words of blaſphemy: when we are in great ſorrowes Satan will tempt very ſtrongly that way, and we feare what we ſhal doe in times and caſes of great extremity: I feare me, ſaith the poore Chriſtian, what I ſhall do in great afflictions; repent wee of our ſins and feare nothing: it is not the greatneſſe of the Croſſe, but it is the guilt of ſin working with the ſting of the Croſſe, which makes men in their tribulation to blaſpheme. Rev. 16. 11. we read, that the fifth Angell powred down his p. 274viol on the ſeat of the Beaſt; and it is written, that they gnawed with their tongues for pain, and blaſphemed the GOD of heaven, becauſe of their paines and their ſores, (now marke) & repented not of their deeds. Here wee ſee that it was not for their paine, ſo much as for that they repented not of their deeds, that they blaſphemed. Have we repented, or have we not? If wee have not, then though our pain be not ſo much we are in danger to blaſpheme: but if we have repented be our paine ever ſo much, wee need not feare, wee ſhall not blaſpheme.

3. Say the worſt, have wee blaſphemed? Yet we muſt repent of our blaſphemy and hope in God: to deſpaire, is to put our ſelves out of Gods mercy and protection: to deſpaire by reaſon of Blaſphemy, is a worſe ſinne than p. 275Blaſphemy, they are both againſt the goodneſſe of GOD, but yet deſpaire, is againſt his goodneſſe, his mercy, and his truth. I confeſſe it is an horrible crime to blaſpheme againſt God; and ſo much the worſer, becauſe it is a ſin ſomewhat like the impardonable blaſphemy againſt the Holy Ghoſt: neither is it in the wil of every man, to ſay, where the difference lies betwixt them.Deus optimus, maximus; optimus, is before maximus. Vid. Molin. De Cognit. Dei. p. 25. Beſides, other ſinnes are againſt God in his Greatneſſe, Governement, but this of Blaſphemy, doth ſpeake againſt the Goodneſſe of God; and God as he is repreſented to us, ſtands more on his Goodnes than his Greatneſſe; and therefore alſo this ſin of Blaſpeming hath beene ever held amongſt the greateſt of ſins: all which muſt teach us by all meanes to beware of this ſin, and we may the eaſier take heed of it, and ſave our ſelves from it, becauſe p. 276it being againſt our naturall inbred principle of a Deity: Nature it ſelfe is afraid of this ſin, which is a great meanes to ſtay us from the ſin-it ſelfe. Satan, I know, is a great blaſphemer, and he will aſſay hard to it to make us to blaſpheme; but wee muſt ſet the Word & Spirit of God againſt it, and let the Law of nature doe all it can againſt it too. And if at any time we have bin to blame this way, yet we muſt know that there is a pardon to bee had: I was, ſaith Paul a blaſphemer,1 Tim. 1. 13.1 Tim 1:13 and Paul is in heaven; and which is worſe, he compelled men to blaſpheme,Act. 26. 11Acts 26:11 yet on his true repentance, all went well with Paul; and ſo it may and will with us, if we returne as Paul did Chriſt hath it, Mat. 12. 31. That blaſphemy againſt God is a ſin, which may on the ſame termes, that any the leaſt ſinne that is, ſhall and muſt bee forgiven, I meane, on our repentance. p. 277There is a blaſphemy againſt the Holy Ghoſt, which is a ſin unto death, and there is no repentance for this ſin, nor no hope; the cauſe is, becauſe no man can repent unto life, except God give him the grace: and wee have it revealed, that there is a decree paſſed in heaven, that the Lord will never afford this ſinner the grace to repent. Divers other ſinners never have this favour done to them as to repent, but all ſinners of this ſort are paſt all hope for ever. There is a difference, betwixt this blaſphemy againſt the Holy Ghoſt, and this blaſphemy againſt God and Chriſt, not onelyonly in the meaſure, but in the very kinde; I know Satan would faine put it upon us, that we have ſinned againſt the Holy Ghoſt when it is no ſuch matter: on ignorant Chriſtians hee layes this, that when they ſin againſt their p. 278knowledge and conſcience that then it is the ſin againſt the holy Ghoſt, when the Spirit hath bin at them not to ſin, yet they ſin and grieve and vex the Spirit of God: then Satan makes his advantage, oh ſaith he, this is to ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt that it is a ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt, I doe not deny; but that it is the ſinne againſt the Holy Ghoſt, is falſe: I prove it to be falſe, becauſe this ſin is pardoned. Moreover, we ſpeake of Blaſphemy againſt the Holy Ghoſt; now that every ſinne againſt the Holy Ghoſt muſt needs be Blaſphemy againſt the Holy Ghoſt, cannot be proved: and when we goe ſo farre as to blaſpheme God, then we make a cry, now it is too late to thinke of repenting; this is, ſaith he, that unrepentable and unpardonable ſinne againſt the Holy Ghoſt. Our anſwer muſt be, by denying this to bee that p. 279ſin, our reaſon muſt be, becauſe we are ſorry for it, and were it to doe againe, wee would not doe it for a world: but the ſinner againſt the Holy Ghoſt, is no whit ſorry for his ſinne, his heart never akes for his offence, but would have all do it as well as himſelfe, and is deſirous to have hell as full as hee could: and he doth even wiſh withall his heart, that wife, that children, that parents, that brethren, that neighbours, that all might blaſpheme the Holy Ghoſt as well as himſelfe. It is then nothing but a policy of Satan, to play upon the ignorance of men, as touching the nature and effects of this ſinne, and to beare them in hand, that when they have blaſphemed God, they have blaſphemed the Holy Ghoſt: but wee muſt hold a maine difference to lye betwixt this blaſphemy, againſt God the Father, and the Holy p. 280Ghoſt, that as the perſons differ, ſo doth the ſins againſt the ſeverall perſons. As long then as our blaſphemy is againſt the firſt and not againſt the third, we may be ſafe; it is but to repent and all is well: they doe not prize the infinite mercy of God according to the infinite worth of it, who thinke their ſin of blaſphemy againſt God, too great for him to pardon, as though it were poſſible for man to ſinne a ſinne, which Gods mercy being ſimply infinite, had not enough in it to forgive it. This their errour is worſe than the firſt to thinke ſo meanly of the rich and high and boundleſſe mercy of the moſt Eternall and Infinite GOD: we muſt now learne better to prize the mercy of God; and ſay, I cannot once repent of a ſin, bee it ever ſo great and maine, but the mercy of God is ready to forgive it. Could the Blaſphemer p. 281againſt the Holy Ghoſt repent, he muſt have his pardon: conceive wee hope of pardon and then we will returne to the Lord by repentance, and the Lord will take away the guilt and waſh away the ſtaine of this great ſin.

The third tentation is of perjury:Quo in loco a facinore abhorrebit, &c. Ariſt. Here we muſt take great heed that we doe not forſweare our ſelves, chiefly in open Court; where,Rhet. l. 1. c. 14. if any where a man ſhould ſhew himſelfe, a religious,Eſta bonus miles, &c. a true, a juſt, and an honeſt man;Iuven. Sat. 8 a fruit it is, of deep Atheiſme to perjure ones ſelfe, and perjured perſons bee hated of God and man, wherefore the conſcience will deepely and bitterly accuſe for this ſinne of perjury. I could wiſh all men who love their owne quiet, and have a deſire to ſleep in a whole conſcience, that they would take heed that they do not take a falſe oath: come what will, p. 282rather dye a thouſand deaths, it is much againſt the light of nature,1 Tim. 1. 10.1 Tim 1:10 and more againſt the light of Scripture;Lev. 19. 12Lev 19:12 and theſe two will flye in our faces with wild fire, and except God bee mercifull to us, make us weary of God and of our ſelves. And me thinkes (by the way) Women may comfort themſelves, againſt the infirmities and troubles which have ever bin afflicted on their ſex,1 Tim. 2. 14.1 Tim 2:14 ſince they were firſt in the tranſgreſſion; I ſay, that ſex may ſee a mercy that they are not ſo ſubject to this ſinne of formall perjury as men are; they ſerve not in Iuries grand or petty, they are not brought in Courts, to take oathes in Homages and the like; they ſerve not the office of Church-wardens, and ſo are not ſworne and depoſed any thing ſo often as men, & hence they have a great freedome from ſinning this vexing ſinne p. 283over men have, which I would have them thanke God for, and amongſt other matters, take this as a recompence for thoſe many inflictions and revenges, which God at firſt laid on that ſex; ſo that in reſpect of this ſin and ſome other tentations, that they are free from, over men bee: they may when they doe thinke of it, even thanke God that they were made women and not men: let not then Satan bring us into this brake, it is hard getting out of it.Eccl. 9. 2.Eccl 9:2 Feare an oath, and of all ſuch oathes,1 Sam. 14. 26.1 Sam 14:26 wherein wee doe wrong and hurt to men, for though there be ſometimes ſome corruption in it, as taſting of ſelfe-love to our ſelves, yet for certaine, ſins wherein wee wrong men whom we ſee doe ſo much the more torment and racke the conſcience of man; and many men have mightily miſcarried for this offence and ſin of perjury; p. 284wherefore beware; and now to provide for the worſt, we muſt tell the man who hath done this ſin,Ier. 10. 2.Jer 10:2 that there is hope in Iſrael concerning this ſinne alſo. David himſelfe was not ſtill as good as his oath, as in the caſe of Mephiboſheth, 1 Sam. 20. 15, 16.1 Sam 20:151 Sam 20:16hee fell ſhort of that oath of the Lord which hee made to Ionathans houſe and family; and becauſe inſtances work eaſier on weake ſpirits than Rules, I would have ſuch to thinke of Peter, who did forſweare and renounce the perſon of Chriſt, and when? But in his troubles; and where? But in the High Prieſts Hall, and who? Why Peter a chiefe Apoſtle in the love and favour of Chriſt his maſter; and is not Peter in heaven? Teares of repentance will fetch out the deepeſt ſtaine that this ſinne of perjury can poſſibly make, but it is the Rule muſt ſettle us at laſt; and it is, that if wee repent of p. 285any ſin bee it never ſo great in ſubſtance, in circumſtances it is as no ſinne to us.Pſa. 32. 5.Ps 32:5 I ſaid I will acknowledge my ſin; he was but about to doe it, and God forgave the iniquity (the guilt) of his ſin.Ier. 3. 12.Jer 3:12 If we confeſſe our ſins (indefinitely, ſet downe our ſins without exception,) GOD is faithfull and juſt to forgive them; it ſtands upon him in reſpect of his Iuſtneſſe to be as good as his word, to forgive all repentant ſinners all their ſins. S. Iob 33. 27. If one ſay I have ſinned, hee will deliver his ſoule: ſay peccavi, and cry GOD mercy, and we ſhall (ſaith Salomon) have mercy; mercy preſently, in pardoning of our ſins, and mercy, now ſome and then ſome, in healing our iniquities. Never did any man confeſſe his ſin to God,Pro. 28. 13Prov 28:13 but hee went away with his pardon; wicked men may confeſſe to their fellowes, and to good men they may, as p. 286Saul did to David; but it is an harder matter than ſo, for a man to confeſſe to God, except it be for company, or for outward glory: but for a man to take God aſide to confeſſe alone to him, I thinke a wicked man cannot doe that. I finde no inſtance in the Word, that ever any unregenerate man did it. A man had need have hope of pardon to confeſſe to the Iudge: Adam did flye from God, fell to ſhifting, and ſo wee doe all, while wee are as hee then was, out of the ſtate of grace. I meane not the grace of election; no man can have hope of pardon but by faith: and by that I doe hold, that it is a ſigne of a godly man, to confeſſe all alone to God; and then I can never beleeve that a man will confeſſe his ſin honeſtly and ingeniouſly betwixt GOD and his owne ſoule except he hate that ſinne. Now how a wicked man can p. 287come to the hatred of his ſinne, is paſt my skill to underſtand. To come backe I ſay deſpaire not, it is worſe than perjury, it makes GOD a lier, or worſe than a lier, it accuſeth him of a kinde of perjury; for a man to ſay, there is no hope, no pardon to be had, repent we never ſo much; ſith God hath not only ſaid it,Ezek. 18.Ezek 18 but ſworne it, that he will not the death of a repentant ſinner; repent and bee pardoned.

The fourth is breaking of Vowes: a vow broken doth crack the comfort of mans conſcience exceedingly. A vow is defined to bee a religious promiſe made to God, I ſay, that every vow is ſuch a promiſe, but al ſuch promiſes are not vowes, for a vow properly and ſtrictly taken, is, when a promiſe is made to GOD of this or that within our power, with condition of obtaining ſome what at p. 288Gods hands; other promiſes are ſimply made, and abſolutely without any ſuch condition of getting any thing from the hands of God; and thus Baptiſme is ſoundly and learnedly denied to bee formally a vow.Abbots anſ. to Biſhop. c. 1. Sect. 1. p. 995. The Schooles teach us, that two things are of the very Eſſence of a vow.Bonav. l. 4. D. 38. a. 1. q. 1. Reſol. 1. A promiſe. 2. An obligation and binding of a mans ſelfe, and thus we ſee hee that breakes his vow violates two things.Fractio voti eſt quaedam Infidelitatis ſpecies. Aquin. 2. 2. q. 88. 3. c. 1. His duty. 2. His fidelity, hee deales undutifully and unfaithfully with God, and from this it is, that breach of a ſolemne vow doth ſo bite the conſcience, becauſe we doe not onelyonly faile, but (which goes nearer) forfeit our fidelity, A double bond is broken, and a double blow is given to the conſcience, and the minde is made to be full of trouble: and now becauſe there breeds ſuch a ſtirre in the conſcience of a p. 289man, when once hee hath broken his vow, therefore I would wiſh, that men would bee but ſparing in making of vowes, there is uſe and place for vowes and great good they doe, but it is a duty …er for a ſtrong Chriſtian than for every young beginner. It is ſtrange to ſee, how Satan doth puſh on every boy and girle on any occaſion, to runne into a corner and there to make vowes; it ſhowes that the duty is not ſo ſpiritual, for a man to tye himſelfe to do that he ſhould doe, without any ſuch obligation, in that we find our ſelves too too forward to run into vowes, whereas to comfortable duties we are unwilling enough. God loves a willing people, and wee ſhould ſerve him with a free ſpirit,Pſ. 110. 3.Ps 110:3 and vowes,Pſ. 51. 12.Ps 51:12 which are as ſhackles, are not to bee uſed but in ſome caſes of ſome neceſſity; when otherwiſe we cannot hold our p. 290ſelves to ſome particulars in the worſhip of God, or in our daily life:Aquin. 22. q. 88. and his opinion is not ſound (as I thinke) who ſaith, that a worke done with a vow is more laudable and acceptable; than the ſame worke and duty done without a vow. A vow broken doth puniſh the heart of a Godly man extreamly; no man can ſay how much, but they who have felt the ſmart of it: and when raſh vowes are made, Satan was never ſo earneſt to move us to make thē, but he doth as much to make us breake them, and then, thou art a child of God and a breaker of vowes. Aw…v man, never once goe about to thinke, that there is any favour for thee in heaven. My advice is then:

Firſt, that wee bee ſparing in vowing, ſith we breake many, and keepe few.On Gal. Doctor Stanpicius (ſaith Luther) was wont p. 291to ſay, I have vowed to GOD above a thouſand times, that I would become a better man, but I never performed that which I vowed: hereafter I wil make no ſuch vow, for I have now learned by experience, that I am not able to performe it. This is too much, to ſay one will never vow again, who can ſay what need one may have; what good a vow may doe one? I rather follow him who wils us to vow,Greentham on Pſa. 119. v. 106.Ps 119:106 but for a time; as a man who hath beene overtaken with drinke in ſuch and ſuch places, company, or ſo, may doe well to tye himſelfe by a vow, not to come where they are for a MonethMonth or ſo, and then ſee what he can doe, whether he can forbeare without a vow, and if hee can, that is taken beſt at the hands of GOD; but if we finde ſome relique of the humor ſtill, then vow for a MonethMonth more, and ſo at length p. 292by times, the conqueſt will be had; to bind our ſelves by perpetuall vowes is not ſo convenient, becauſe our nature is even made to break thoſe bonds that wee doe binde our ſelves with for continuance,Quod licet ingratum eſt &c. Ovid Amor. lib. 2. and our mouthes will water,Vid. Aquin. 2. 2. q. 35. a. 1 ad 4. Becan. Sum. tom. 2. tract. 2. c. 5. q. 5. Sect. 6. our fleſh will itch the more to breake them: wherefore I have held it an high point of wiſdome, firſt, to vow no oftner than needs muſt, and then to doe it but for a ſhort period of time; & whether wee doe it oftner or ſeldomer, for a longer, or a ſhorter ſpace, to doe all by the grace of God, and never once thinke to make or to keepe our vow ſo made, but by and through the onelyonly and the ſpeciall hand of God: his ſtrength muſt doe it, and therefore a vow made without prayer is never kept.

Secondly, but to provide for the worſt; make the caſe that we have broken our vowes, yet p. 293wee muſt not ſpend our ſpirits too much with helliſh melancholy, ſo we ſhall carry an hell in our conſciences, our tormenting our ſelves with extremities of legall ſorrowes will doe us no good, nor God no pleaſure; we may hurt our ſelves by it, and that is all the good w^ch comes of puniſhing our ſelves over and above. The way is to returne to the Lord with all ſpeed, and to bring us to God, wee muſt know, that it is no ſuch ſinne (as bad as it is) but that we may be Gods ſervants for all that; for hardly was there over a more godly man than Iacob; Gen. 28. 20, 21, 22.Gen 28:20Gen 28:21Gen 28:22and hee wee know vowed a vow, and it was to make that ſtone to be GODS Chappell, and hee being now but a poore man doth promiſe, that in caſe God would give him but bread to eate, and cloathes to put on, that God ſhould bee his God, and have p. 294the tenth of all: but wee finde that God did not onelyonly give him neceſſaries but abundances;Gen. 32. 10Gen 32:10 hee came over with his ſtaffe, but he returned with two armies, and now being made rich, we finde no great remembrance of, nor haſte to performe his vow. One would thinke, if ever man were bound to bee as good as his vow, it was Iacob; yet we find he did nothing in it for a great time, but lingred, as though he had no care of his promiſe made to God: for wee read, Gen. 31. 13. ſome twenty yeeres after the making of that his vow, God was faine by an Angell to pluck him by the eare, to give him an Item in plaine words, ſaying, I am the God of Bethell, where thou annointedſt the pillar, and where thou vowedſt a vow; now ariſe, get thee out from this land, and returne unto the land of thy kindred. One would thinke here were plaine p. 295Engliſh, and round dealing enough, and yet for all this Iacob is ſlow and makes no ſpeed to hie him up to Bethel. View the particulars. 1. I am the God of Bethel. 2. Where thou annointedſt the Pillar. 3. Where thou vowedſt a vow unto me, all are as ſo many inſtances, to put him in minde of his promiſe and vow made to God: that he might now ariſe at laſt, and be as good as his word to God: yet for all this Iacob lies behinde, delayes the performance of his vow, which ſloth and ſin of his,Gen. 33.Gen 33 God did puniſh. Firſt, by Eſaus lying in waite for him.Gen. 34.Gen 34 Secondly, by having his onelyonly daughter deflowred. Thirdly, by the rage and murther committed by his ſonnes; upon which horrible and hypocriticall Maſſacre,Gen. 34. 30Gen 34:30 the good old man cried out, that they had made him ſtinke; and that now the next would be, that the Nations would unite and deſtroy p. 296him and his houſe. Now the Lord tooke him, when his heart was downe with thoſe heavy tydings and grievous feares; and juſt in the nick, God ſaid unto him; Ariſe, goe up to Bethel and dwell there, Gen. 25. 1.Gen 25:1and make there an Altar unto God, that appeared unto thee, when thou fled'ſt from the face of Eſau thy brother: and then both long and late, yet at leaſt being drawne to it, Iacob doth performe his vow. It is true, he did it though it were long firſt, yet wee ſee, the Lord was faine to fire him out of his negligence, and to force him to remember himſelfe. His putting off ſo often, his long delaying was as great a ſinne, as our very breaking of our vow, neither had he ever done it, had he bin let alone; and yet Iacob was all this while a deare ſervant of God, and he was pardoned his delaying, his vow, and he is in heaven: let us not thinke but our caſe is good, albeit we have p. 297made and broken many a vow. Repentance will come & heale all againe. The ſumme is, that we make no more vowes than needs muſt, ſith Satan is apt to thruſt us on our vows, knowing that our nature is ſick to breake out when it is ſo bound; and when we have failed, then hee roares and cries, there is nothing left but hell and deſperation for a covenant-breaker with God; and therefore wee muſt be choice this way, never to vow, but when we are truly called unto it, and when we are called to it, to vow, and feare nothing, ſith wee vow not on our owne ſtrength, but only on the power and grace of God: Non ſitis p… gri ad vovendum: &c. Aug. in Pſa. 75.Ps 75were we to performe the vow by any force, any wit of our owne, men ſhould rather vow, never to vow, than to vow at all: but ſith we go, by the help, preſence, and aſſiſtance of God, when wee have a calling to it, p. 298vow and ſpare not, and if wee doe fall ſo farre as to breake our vowes,Pſ. 76. 11.Ps 76:11 yet let us hold our own, we are not the firſt, others have done it, and are in heaven; it is a pardonable ſinne, repentance will take up the matter betwixt God and us, & make us as good and perhaps better friends than ever. The beſt friendſhip is often after a falling out, and wee muſt know, that many times repentance pleaſeth God better, than never to have done the ſin, becauſe it humbles a man more,Luk. 15. 7.Luke 15:7 and drives a man more out of himſelfe;Ma. 18. 12. and there is as much ſaith in it, for a man to beleeve that God on his meere repenting will forgive him, as there is in holding out againſt the tentation, and not breaking the vow at all: neither is it beſides the booke, to ſay, that there is as much grace in it for a man when hee is downe to repent and returne, as there is in not p. 299falling at all; for by our fall the powers of the ſoule are weakened, the force of grace is decaied, and the ſtrength of our ſinfull matter is confirmed; and the conſcience of a man after a fall is as a diſtempered lock, the more wee tamper with it, the worſe; all this ſhowes, that it is a ſigne of much love, & great favour of God to repent of a great and foule fault; it is the vomit of the ſoule, and of all phyſick none ſo difficult and hard as it is to vomit, and therfore we muſt comfort our ſelves and ſay, I confeſſe I did God great wrong in breaking my promiſe, and did highly provoke him; but I now ſee, that hee meaneth all good to my ſoule, in that he hath given mee the heart and grace to repent of my ſin, and this is a fruit of an upright heart to take diſpleaſure at ſin. There is I know an uprightneſſe, and that is of obedience p. 300when we ſin but a few ſins in compariſon: ſo Ezekiah comforted himſelfe,Iſa. 38. 3.Isa 38:3 in that he walked uprightly before the Lord.

2. Another of repentance,Reſpicere nihilo facilius eſt, &c. Ariſt. Polit. l. 4. c. 1. when we catch many ſore fals, ſin many great & heynous ſins, but yet we pick up al againe, by mourning and repentance; & ſo David did, and his heart was all out as upright as ever Hezekiahs was, he was a man after Gods owne heart, and carries as large-teſtimonies of his uprightneſſe and ſincerity,1 Kin. 11. 4. 15. 3.1 Kgs 11:41 Kgs 11:151 Kgs 11:3 as the Old teſtament hath any. Now this uprightneſſe of repentance is as ſincere and ſhowes as true an heart to God, as the other of obedience; reſt wee then our comfort on this point, that ſay, we have not kept our ſelves to our covenant and our vow: yet ſaving that it muſt and wil coſt us ſorrow upon ſorrow, our repenting of our breach of promiſe, p. 301is as pleaſing to God, and ought to bee as comfortable to us as our Not ſinning would have been; and ſith God thinks never the worſe of us for our breaking our vow, we muſt not be more juſt, or more holy than God, we muſt not thinke ever the worſe of our ſelves.

The laſt is unbeleefe and a kind of Atheiſme, as touching Chriſt Ieſus. Atheiſme I call it (with the Apoſtle,) ſith he that is without Chriſt is without God:Eph. 2. 12.Eph 2:12 and when a man is a ſpirituall man, hee ſhall finde, that his unbeleefe this way will mightily puniſh his cōſcience, for loſe our hold here and all is loſt, it being not faith in God but Chriſt which doth ſave us; and this is an high and an hard point of Divinity, here a man is put upon a totall deniall of himſelfe, ſenſe, reaſon and all (but meere pure faith) is againſt it. A man hath a law of nature, p. 302and principles anſwerable, which teach him ſomewhat concerning the Being of God;So Rom. 2 15. Paul ſaith, not that the Goſpell, but that the worke… of the Law is written in our heart.Rom 2:15 a man hath in him (as hee is a man) ſomewhat which will give a kind of ſight of GOD; but for Chriſt, his Nature, his Birth, his Offices, his Death, his Reſurrection, natures law hath not a letter in it to teach us any thing concerning theſe matters:1 Tim. 3. 16.1 Tim 3:16 they are Myſteries, heavenly Riddles, nothing can ſpell them and find them out but faith alone; they are ours onelyonly by revelation; as good goe about to fore-ſee future contingents,Mat. 11. 25.Matt 11:25 as to finde out any thing as touching Chriſt Ieſus, except by the Word and Spirit only. Things in the morall law, finde ſome ſeeds in the light and law of nature; but ask nature at the beſt as touching Chriſt, and the anſwer is, that the Goſpell is fooliſhneſſe.1 Cor. 1. 20. 23.1 Cor 1:201 Cor 1:23 God to be made man, by dying, to p. 303conquer death, to riſe, and not rot in the grave, and for manhood, to put it ſelfe for the maine of heaven & happineſſe, on one who … as the worſt of the three, was crucified betwixt two theeves, theſe are things impoſſible and incredible to fleſh and bloud to beleeve.Mat. 16. 17.Matt 16:17 Now here is a field yeelding a world of perplexities to the diſputer, and therefore our only courſe muſt be, to become fooles in our ſelves,1 Cor. 1. 20.1 Cor 1:20 that we may be wiſe in Chriſt, to rely only on the Word of God, to find out our Chriſt in the word,1 Cor. 3. 18.1 Cor 3:18 to circumciſe the eyes of reaſon; it is faith muſt doe it, I ſhall loſe my ſelfe except I put my ſelfe upon, It is written. Say, though I cannot finde a reaſon of things beleeved, as touching Chriſt Ieſus, yet I doe finde a reaſon of my beleeving them, and that is, becauſe I finde it ſo in the Word: I muſt live and p. 304dye by the booke, the Bible muſt carry it. How do I know that there is any ſuch thing as ſin, but becauſe it is written; I muſt then paſſe my ſoule upon it. Firſt, that there is Chriſt. Secondly, that Ieſus is the Chriſt. Thirdly, what this Chriſt is, and what he did and doth for the ſalvation of the Church. Fourthly, that hee is, my Chriſt, my Ieſus, my Saviour: I ſay, I muſt dye upon it, becauſe theſe things are in and out of the Word; many ſcruples break in, but dare any man ſet it under his hand, that Ieſus is not the Chriſt, that any elſe is the Saviour? No. Are wee not ready when wee are at the worſt (if we be called) to ſubſcribe with our hands to this propoſition, that Ieſus borne of the Virgin Mary, was and is the Meſſias, the Saviour of his people. Why then, downe with all oppoſitions and dubitations, p. 305daſh them al out of countenance with this; I doe beleeve in Ieſus Chriſt, becauſe it is in the Word, the eye and hand of faith muſt doe it, dye with this in our mouthes (hee is hee) becauſe the word ſaith ſo: and I do beleeve it the rather, becauſe Satan and luſt cannot abide to heare of it. Hold we our ſelves then to the letter and tenor of the Goſpell, and the tentation will blow away: faith workes ſtrongeſt at laſt, where reaſon is moſt againſt it, and we finde dying men doubt leaſt of all about the Articles of Chriſt, and the principles of faith; it being a received axiome in the Church of Chriſt, that ſaith workes beſt and cleareſt, when it workes alone, and it workes alone in things wherein reaſon ſaith no, but the word of God ſaith yea. Thus much concerning the particulars in the firſt Table; now followes to bee p. 306treated of ſome chiefe of the ſecond table. The thing we muſt begin with is, that the pangs of conſcience which ariſe out of ſinnes in the ſecond Table, were generally greater and ſtronger than of the firſt; and it is, becauſe that there is leſſe of the light and law of nature in us, of the worſhip of God, than of the duties of our neighbour; we have here a double ſting, the ſpirituall conſcience cries, and the naturall conſcience cries; and when two come together to cry, that cry muſt needs bee great: it is the better to maintaine order and diſcipline amongſt men; that there is more of natures law in the things of men, than of God, and a greater light to diſcerne thoſe than theſe. The world muſt ſtand and hold in ſome quiet, til the period of it expire, which could not be, were it not for this bond and law of nature p. 307and thus wee have it, that in weaker Chriſtians eſpecially, greateſt troubles of mind come, from matters of the ſecond table. And if you aske what the matters of the ſecond table be, which doe moſt vex the conſcience of a man, and doe prove the worſt tentations; wee anſwer that men are uſually moſt diſquieted w^ch murther againſt the ſixth, uncleanneſſe, againſt the ſeventh, and theft, againſt the eighth Commandement. Diſobedience to Parents and Authority, as it is firſt in the ſecond table, ſo caeteris paribus, it is the greateſt ſin and hath the ſharpeſt puniſhment;Pro. 30. 17▪Prov 30:17 the Ravens of the Valleys ſhall pick out their eyes, which is never ſet downe for a puniſhment of murther it ſelfe; wee read not that hee that is cholerick with his brother muſt dye;Mat. 15. 4▪ foreign.Matt 15:4 but hee that, but ſpeaketh evill of father or mother, is a man of death by p. 308the word of God: but yet theſe caſes doe not uſe to ſtagger the conſcience moſt, in moſt, bebecauſe it is not ſo flat againſt the light of Nature, neither are they held ſuch heynous faults amongſt men, and wee uſe to judge too much of the greatneſſe and ſouleneſſe of ſins by cuſtome & the eſtimate of men, we do account thoſe the worſt ſins, not ever which the Word ſaith are the greateſt ſins; but ſuch as amongſt men in the time and place where we live, goe for the mighty ſinnes, and trouble of conſcience doth ariſe from our opinion and apprehenſion wee have of things, which by the way muſt teach us, not altogether to be led by the wrack of our conſcience; for conſcience is blind in al unregenerate men, and in the beſt, it is in part defiled and corrupt and imperfect, and therefore it is miſtaken and cannot bee our p. 309rule,Rom. 9. 1.Rom 9:1 and it is our ſin, to ſet our conſcience in the roome of the Word of God, when conſcience ſpeakes in the Holy Ghoſt and according to the word, then it muſt be heard, elſe conſcience doth ſometimes complaine moſt of ſome things that, are no ſins at all, as we ſee in the Phariſie, who was troubled in minde, if hee ſhould chance to eate with unwaſhen hands,Mat. 15. 2.Matt 15:2 and through miſpriſion and error,Mar. 7. 2.Mark 7:2 they thought they did GOD good ſervice,Ioh. 16. 2.John 16:2 to kill Chriſt and his Apoſtles, and therefore we muſt not ſet up conſcience too high; put it not in Gods place but when it ſpeakes for God and from God, and hath light enough to ſee what is what, then when it ſpeakes out of the word, the conſcience muſt bee heard; God is greater than our heart,1 Ioh. 3. 20▪1 John 3:20 and therefore wee muſt hold to him and to his Word, which onelyonly is his Interpreter p. 311in this world: it concludes not then ſimply, to ſay, my conſcience tels me it is a ſin, my conſcience tels me I am not in Gods favour; but to returne, we muſt know that thoſe ſins doe trouble moſt, which doe moſt diſturbe the ſociety of men, for it is the naturall conſcience that gives the heavieſt blow; there is moſt light and ſight in the natural conſcience of man, in thoſe matters which concerne humane ſocieties of men; and ſo becauſe bloud, luſt and theft do undermine the ſtate of mankinde, and caſt all into confuſion: hence it is that theſe ſins make ſuch a cry as they doe, and that not ſimply, becauſe they are the greateſt that bee; nor for that they are moſt againſt the nature or will of God, but becauſe they doe moſt hurt to men, and are moſt againſt the order and governement of mankinde; before I deſcend to thoſe p. 312particulars, I would have men to aske the queſtion, whether their trouble bee, becauſe the tentation is bad, or baſe; or bad and baſe both.

1. If we be troubled only becauſe the ſin is baſe, and brings with it, or after it, the ſhame of the world, than it is from ſinne and pride that we are ſo vexed, and that is made a matter of conſcience, which is wholly or chiefly a matter of ſelf-reſpects; or if it be within our ſelves and ſecret, and yet out of a conceit of our ſelves, wee are much afflicted that we ſhould be haunted to doe, or drawne to act ſuch and ſuch vile and baſe corruptions or ſome diſhonourable paſſions, then this is from ſpirituall pride, and all this is no true trouble of conſcience at all; we may know whether it be thus or not, if that other ſins as groſſe and great in Gods ſight, which have in them or p. 312after them no ſhame, nature ſhames not at them, the world doth not cry ſhame of them, but (rather as many ſinnes of profit and delight) are in credit in the world, and doe bring reſpect amongſt men; now if wee finde, that ſuch ſins do paſſe without any ſuch trouble: the conſcience ſaith as much as nothing, though wee be convinced that they are ſins; if thus, then the caſe is cleare, that it is a trouble which wee make, and not which ſinne or God doth make. It is ſhame as ſhame, not ſinne as ſin, that doth cauſe all this cry; it is not for the ſin, but for the effect of ſin that we thus complaine.

2▪ If bad and not baſe, whether to the face of the world or to the naturall principles which are in us, then the troubles that wee feele in the conſcience are ſpirituall and ſincere, they are for ſinne as ſinne, becauſe it is p. 313naught, or rather, becauſe it is for bidden by God; for many things have no morall naughtineſſe in them, yet are ſins, becauſe they are forbidden by God; and if theſe things trouble the minde, ſuch wounds come the right way and God will cure them: as becauſe wee heare not the Word, receive not the Sacrament, which in the dictates of nature were no ſinnes, had not Gods written law bin: In a word, when we finde that the blow our conſcience doth give us, is becauſe the fact is a fault, a thing forbidden by God: here the matter doth run right, and it is very conſcience which moves in that caſe.

3. When bad and baſe, both the terror is great, and it proves an occaſion of great humiliation and caſting a man downe; wee are ſo proud and high in our owne conceits, that baſe tentations which produce inward p. 314ſhame to the minde of a man, and if they come abroad, outward ſhame and ſcorne amongſt men, doe mightily abaſe a man, and are an excellent cure for ſpirituall pride. Here wee ſhall finde a mixt paſſion working feares in the heart, and complaints in the conſcience of a man; for as the ſin is bad, ſo it doth trouble becauſe it threatens the wrath of God, and is accompanied many times with a fore-feeling of the wrath to come. As it is baſe ſo it doth draw over the heart and conſcience of a man an inward bluſhing and ſhame; and I may ſay it, that true internall ſhame, making the conſcience red againe with bluſhing, teſtifies repentance more and rather than ſorrow. A wicked man may grieve, but for this ſpirituall intrinſicall ſhame, it is not in wicked men: we muſt note that an outward ſhame is in the unregenerate, p. 315when they have ſinned ſome ſins which the world doth point at; this is a ſhame before man, and there is ſome inward ſhame alſo, which wicked men do feele in themſelves too, and that is in and for ſuch ſins as are againſt the law of nature; and ſuch conviction as generall illumination and common graces doe cauſe: here the heart will bluſh, but in ſuch ſins as are not knowne to be ſins, but by the conviction of the ſpirit; here to ſhame,Spirituall ſins are not ſo baſe, as carnall ſins: to have an heart as red as fire, with a bluſhing before GOD, this is a good thing and proper to the godly,1. Becauſe they are not ſo common to us with Beaſts. and it is moſt, when the ſins are baſe: thinke not that there is any ſin which is not baſe in it ſelfe,2. Becauſe they do not ſo take away the naturall uſe of reaſon. but to us (and in compariſon) we uſe to name ſome ſpeciall ſins, baſe ſins; this is that ſhame Paul meanes,Aquin. 2. 2. q. 144. a. 2. ad. 4. m & q 142. a. 4. 0. what fruit have you in thoſe things wherof ye are now aſhamed? Ro. 6. 21▪ p. 316Yee are now, which ſhowes that when, and whilſt they were in the ſtate of nature they were not aſhamed of them: Well then, a wicked man may grieve for ſin, becauſe of the puniſhment feared or felt, or both, becauſe there is wrath hanging over his head by an haire, becauſe ſins lyes at the doore;Gen. 4. 7.Gen 4:7 and here are ſelfe-reſpects out of love and care to our skin, becauſe we would not be puniſhed here, or hereafter: but this ſhame is not becauſe ſin is puniſhable,Ariſt. Rhet. 2. c. 6. Aqui. 2. 2. q. 144. a. 2. but by reaſon that it is filthy, it ariſeth from the turpitude of ſin, and this is hearty to make a ſtand at ſin, becauſe it is filthy and ugly. To be aſhamed of ſome effects of ſin, as Adam in his fall, I meane at his nakedneſſe,Gen. 3. 7.Gen 3:7 is in wicked men: but to have this inward ſhame in the cōſcience, becauſe of the innate filthineſſe and turpitude of ſin; this is not in the p. 317wicked, nor in their trouble of minde, and was not in Iudas, when I ſay, there is not onelyonly griefe for ſin as bad, as puniſhable; as bad, reſpecting God, as puniſhable reſpecting our ſelvs, but alſo a ſhame in the mind of a man that he cannot looke up for bluſhing,Luk. 18. 13Luke 18:13 then it is as it ſhould be;Pſ. 40. 12.Ps 40:12 and the pang of conſcience which comes from this ſorrow and ſhame, is many times very great, and this is a troubleſom eſtate while it doth laſt, but it is not danger ou….

To apply the three ſins, I mentioned, viz. Theft, Vncleanneſſe, Murther, doe ſmite home, partly becauſe they be bad, and partly becauſe they be baſe.

1. To begin with Theft, wee muſt beware that wee doe not filch the worth of a penny frō any man, that which in our common notation is called theft, is more baſe than the great ſin of Rapine, and Robery, becauſe p. 318that in rapine there is ſom manhood and fortitude ſhowed,Aquin. 2. 2. q. 144. …. 2. ad ult. ſuch as it is: but in theft is nothing but a baſe minde; and becauſe the law is ſo ſtrict and flat againſt theeving; the name of a theefe is odious, and it doth pay our hearts home, and there is very much trouble of minde,Furem odio habet & Sycophantam quiſ que Ariſt. Rhet. 1. c. 4. becauſe men doe uſe to ſpit at this ſin, and the reaſon is, rather becauſe it is a wrong to man, than for that it is a ſinne againſt God: and ſure wee muſt ſee that wee doe keepe cleane fingers, that by no kinde of unjuſt alienation, wee either take or keepe any thing from any body which in right is his; wee all love to be truly and juſtly dealt with, and therefore nature it ſelfe, if it may bee heard ſpeake, will cry fye and ſhame upon a falſe finger. Becauſe then it maks a breach into the meum & tuum of m…n, which we ſee rather, than for that it doth make p. 319a breach in the law of GOD which wee ſee not; this ſinne doth clogge the conſciences of men what ever the ful cauſe be, we finde that it doth peſter the minde of man; and the conſcience, held and hampered with a clogge, is like a diſtempered lock which no key will open: we muſt therefore, to keep our conſcience as free as may bee, beware that wee doe not touch that which is anothers: but if wee have, doe, or ſhall, what then? We muſt free our mindes againe by confeſſion to God, and reſtitution to men. Here wee ſee that a great cauſe why theſe ſame ſins of theft do urge the conſcience ſo much, is, becauſe of the wrong done to men (whom we ſee) in that as ſoone as ever we have made reſtitution, the minde begins to ſettle, and the heart to quiet it ſelfe preſently. I know if wee have meanes ſo to doe, we muſt give p. 320as a work of charity, to expreſſe our thankefulneſſe to God, a largeſſe to the poore too, as Zachous did:Luk. 15. 8.Luke 15:8 but the maine thing which quiets the conſcience, is to reſtore, which is a worke of Iuſtice, the other of Charity: this worke of making reſtitution to the party wronged, or to the poore in caſe of defect, that the party cannot be knowne or had, will ſtill the Allarum which the cry of unjuſtice ariſeth in the conſcience of men. And by the way we may note, that the very cauſe why the other ſinnes of murther and uncleannes are more dangerous to the peace of our conſciences, is, becauſe that in them there is no poſſible place left for reſtitution (for who can reſtore to another their life or chaſtity?) But here, in theevery there is, and therefore there lies a faire way to huſh all in this ſinne which doth not in thoſe. The ſumme p. 321is, take nothing from no man; it ſaves a great deale of horror, if wee have, then let him that ſtole, repent of the ſin, reſtore the dammage,Eph. 4. 18.Eph 4:18 and ſteale no more.

2 The next ſhall be murther, a ſinne that makes a foule and helliſh noiſe in the conſcience, in that it deprives a man of his life, his beſt peece: I meane not to ſpeak of murthering our enemies, or plaine killing any, as David did, to avoid ſhame or ſo. Tentations to this ſinne, are amongſt the people of God, David for one, did it for once, and it did ſo caſt him behinde hand, that he came not to himſelfe about a yeere after, and then too, by the particular ſtrok of Nathans miniſtry; hee himſelfe was a Prophet and a rare Saint of God,Luk. 15. 17Luke 15:17 yet he loſt himſelfe for a great time; and Nathan being ſent from God, was faine to goe about the buſh, and p. 322at laſt to cloſe with him; and to take him as it were by the throat, and ſay, thou art the man; David had his fits of minde in all this ſpace betwixt,2 Sa. 12. 7.2 Sam 12:7 hee roared, hee cried, by reaſon of the quietneſſe of his heart;Pſ. 32, 4, 5.Ps 32:4Ps 32:5 his marrow was dried within him, he was like a chip or hearth, and therefore this ſin by all meanes muſt be avoided, and the occaſions and cauſes of it: it ſprings from anger and hatred,The cure in repentance▪ Quis homicida deſperetſi in ſpem redditus eſt, &c. Aug. tract. 28. in Ioan. Evan. and theſe iraſcible paſſions muſt be mortified, and to mortifie them we muſt deny our ſelves in our reaſon, elſe wee ſhall ſay, when wee are provoked and abuſed, that we have reaſon to bee angry;1 Ioh. 3. 15.1 John 3:15 and to beate downe hatred we muſt beware of envy.Mat. 5. 21, 22.Matt 5:21Matt 5:22 Cain killed Abel for nothing but envy; and the Scribes and Phariſies did what they did to Chriſt for very envy.1 Ioh. 3. 12.1 John 3:12 Downe with theſe burning and provoking affections,Mat. 27. 18Matt 27:18 and we are ſafe p. 323from the ſin: but the tentations to murther, which follow many of the people of God are to murther ones ſelfe, or ones neareſt friends, as parents, wife, children; the cauſe of this is diverſe in ſelfe-murther, that which makes way for this helliſh motion is diſcontent, ariſing for ſome ſin, or from ſome heavy croſſe; and when we are in this caſe, then becauſe wee have not faith to beleeve that it will ever be better; and are ſo full of pride, that becauſe wee cannot be as we would be, we begin to thinke it is beſt not to be at all: wee muſt then labour for faith, to beleeve that one day it will mend; if a ſin, God will forgive it, if a croſſe, God will remove it, and to be content to be any thing, tis no matter what, as long as we be out of hell, and then this tentation will away: and of all, ſee that wee diſpaire not; for he that is once out of p. 324hope, wil deſire to ſee the worſt as ſoon as may be, & ſo leape into their own death. Hold out, be patient, waite, ſtand ſtill, and fee the ſalvation of God; Ex. 14. 13Exod 14:13Satan will tempt the Lord Ieſus to breake his neck;Mat. 4. 6.Matt 4:6 and are we better than our maſter? And when Moſes, Eliah, Ionas, and others of the beſt ſort of Saints, were in a fit of diſcontent, and grew weary of their lives, wiſhing for death I doubt not but Sathan gave a puſh at them, to diſpatch and eaſe themſelves of the preſent, by cutting off their own dayes. Far be it from us then, to thinke that wee are none of the Lords, becauſe wee are tempted or followed with ſuch hideous tentations; or that ſure we ſhall at laſt doe it, ſith we are tempted to it long and often: No, no, thouſands of Saints have gone thorow this tentation; and have happily cloſed their eyes in peace: our lives are p. 325not our owne, the Lord gave them and it lies not in us, to take away our owne lives from our ſelves; our lives I ſay, are not our owne, and wee neither ought nor can without GODS permiſſion take our lives away. Man in his life being ſo neere himſelfe as his life is, and the conſequent being of ſuch danger, wee muſt truſt and hope that the Lord will hold our ſelves in life: I meane not to give any way to any in this ſin; for though I ſee that many have beene weary of their lives; yet in all the Word wee read not of any godly man or woman that ever did it: few ſcape the tentation that live out their time; they are to follow Chriſt in that as in other tentations of Satan; but in all the word, we read not of any of the generation of the juſt that ever did it: that God who kept them, will, if wee looke up to p. 326him doe as much for us. A marvellous matter it is, ſerving much to humble us, that men who dares not thinke of taking away the life of another, ſhould be ſo peſtered with impulſions to ſtop their owne breath; but to ſettle the point, we will remove falſe meanes of eaſe, and ſet downe the true way to peace in this malady.

1. A falſe meanes is for a man to yeeld to much to feares, ſo as to thinke to avoid the tentation, by declining, and not by reſiſting; as ſome dare not carry a knife about them, or when their knife is out, caſt it from them, this is to yeeld too much to Satan: neither doth it helpe the matter, but rather keepe the tentation in. I will not ſay what may bee fit, when a man is ſubdued and held downe by Satan, herein weakens may diſpence; but while a man is in the conflict, this is not the way: indeed p. 327if a man have his knife about idle occaſions, perhaps it may doe well to put it up, to put it out of ſight, and ſo out of mind; but if a man have it in his hand, about his meales, or any other good uſe, then to put the knife up ere one hath done, out of theſe feares, is to faint and come in too much to the devill; and though one doe finde ſome ſeeming eaſe for the inſtant; yet it is but like drinking cold Beere in the ſhakeing of an Ague, the diſeaſe will grow the worſe after. Right ſo, Satan will hold on his tentations with the greater violence: the way to drive away our tentation, is to keepe our knives about us; and when out about ſome good and uſefull imployment, by no meanes to put them up for feare; but to fight it out againſt Satan, by ſetting the Word and Chriſt againſt him; and do this a while, and wee ſhall have peace: ſo p. 328others dare not come, or not abide in ſuch or ſuch a place, bebauſe there they uſe to be tempted to ſelfe-murther, but this is not the way: have we buſineſſe there, or have we not? If none, What make we there? Chiefly in the night or darke; if wee have, then go thither, ſtay there out our time; the tentation wil more fright us than hurt us, and it will ere long ſettle us,Pſ. 119. 62Ps 119:62 that we ſhall have as much quiet there as in any roome elſe: ſome in their beds, in t…e dead time of the night are aſſaulted, they riſe, and think that the way; if they riſe to fit themſelves the better to pray, I ſay nothing to that, I rather commend it; but if we riſe and avoid the bed & chamber for very feare, I like it not: it never helpes, the more wee riſe, the more we may, we ſhall never have done, rather wee ſhall grow worſe, and the tentation will grow upon us: what p. 329then? Lye ſtill, looke to God, to his Word; in any hand yeeld not to the divell; to flye the roome, the bed, to call for candle, it is to flye from the divell; wee muſt abide by it, fight it out by faith, and Satan will flye from us. God would have us ſtand, and it is beſt to beate the divell in the ſelfe ſame place where Sathan thinkes to foile us:Eph. 6. 13, 14.Eph 6:13Eph 6:14 I am at prayer by my ſelfe, or meditating in a ſecret place, within or without doores; I am filled w^th a feareful thought that ſure Satan is behind mee; what now? Doe not flye the place, goe on, make an end, Satan cannot hurt: ſay, we quake every joint of us, yet hold on, quake and pray, quake and meditate, and we ſhall make Satan quake and flye: neither is it good to bee looking behinde one, for it is a ſervice and kind of obeying the divell; a man ſhall never have done; but ſtand p. 330our ground, out-looke the divell, ſay I am about a lawfull worke in my right place, I will not turne my feet or face aſide for all the divels in hell. Satan is the Lords enemy, and God cannot take it well, that wee ſhould doe any thing for feare of him. Againe, I never goe over ſuch or ſuch a bridge, but I am tempted to caſt my ſelfe in, and therefore I go round about; or if I goe over the bridge, I run over, to bee on the other ſide quickly for very feare: alas the day, what a miſerable life this is, we muſt not thus yeeld, but goe over, and not about; and goe over, as we uſe to go on the plaine ground, and as others uſe to go over the ſame bridge; doe thus with a conſtant heart, and after a time or two, we ſhall bee free from ſuch horrors and feares, elſe we ſhall hang in this miſery perhaps while we live, as not to dare to go over ſuch a p. 331bridge, but wee muſt runne. O Cowards! Theſe be you think but toies; beleeve it, there is more in it than you are aware of; it helpes againſt the divell, it frees the heart of a man from a world of vexing and diſquieting feares: ſo for our neareſt and deareſt friends, Satan doth ſometimes puſh at the people of God, to lay violent hands on their wives, their children, and that in the night; now the way to helpe all, is not to doe as ſome doe, to riſe, to avoide the bed, the chamber, this is a kind of baſe fearing and yeelding to the divell; lye ſtill, ſtirre not a foote, Satan is ſooneſt vanquiſhed, and our hearts beſt eaſed by reſiſting: ſo for children, when wee are aſſaulted with ſuch hideous tentations, many thinke to mend the matter by putting the children out of the roome, out of the houſe, out of ſight; this is but to ſhift, their p. 332their place is to be in the houſe and roome where we are; it is our duty to have them much in our ſight; it doth but skin over the matter for a time to put them away: the beſt way is to ſtand to it, and beat off Satan in thoſe tentations, our children ſtanding by. Now here wee muſt beware that wee doe not entertaine a tempting conceit, as though we did not love our wives, we did not care for our children, and were with out naturall affection, becauſe we are haunted with ſuch monſtrous motions: This proves indeed that Satans tentations are unnatural, and would produce much unnaturall effects; this proves that Satan cannot abide, that families (the ground-worke of all communion amongſt men in Townes, and States,) ſhould accord and be in any peace, this proves, that if Satan might have his way, he would have us all p. 333to be as he is, but ſo many pititious murtherers. Firſt, of our beſt friends, and then of our ſelves: it proves not that wee love not our friends, becauſe of theſe motions; for a man may bee often aſſaulted to doe himſelfe harme, and yet for all that he doth love himſelfe, and tender his owne good too for all that: and therefore a man may well bee a tender husband to a wife, and parent to a childe, for all theſe Satanicall ſuggeſtions: for let any other touch the leaſt haire of our heads, and offer the leaſt hurt, to the worſt and leaſt member we have, we doe ſtartle at it; and ſhould any other perſon or thing come with any violence towards our children, we will ſtep betwixt them and the blow, and even venter our owne lives to bee a meanes to ſave theirs: and wee finde that ſuch as are vexed with ſuch ſudden motions towards their p. 334children, are yet ſo tender over them, that they will ſcarce ſuffer the winde to blow upon them; and ſick with them, whē they are ſick, reckon of no pain, no care for them, when in any danger, which ſhowes naturall affection to abound. A man is not to judge of the affections by the feeling motion of them, nor by the ſtirring of them in his bowels; nor at all by what he feeles himſelfe to bee in the tentation, but by the effects: if there bee ſuch fruits which nothing produceth but love and affection, it is paſt all queſtion that there is no ſuch totall want and generall defect that way. We cannot abide to heare God evill ſpoken of, which ſhowes that our heart is towards him, albeit for the preſent wee feele not our hearts and affections to move towards him, our affections are uſually moſt deepe, when they run on p. 335without any noiſe; wherefore what ever Satan puts upon us, we muſt hold our owne; that for all him and his tentations, and thoſe impulſions of Originall ſin, we doe love our ſelves and love our ſecond ſelves full dearely, and would be full loth to ſuffer any wrong to bee done to them.

2 The true and right meanes of helpe in theſe bloudy tentations are, Firſt, to labour to bee contented with our ſelves, the peace wee have, the comfort wee have, the health wee have, the meanes we have, and conſidering what we doe deſerve; to bleſſe God that it is no worſe with us. A cheerefull heart is not ſubject to ſuch malicious motions of the divell; he uſeth to worke on man whom hee takes to bee diſcontented. We are alone thinking on heaven by ſome Well-ſide, he ſeeing us alone, taking us to bee p. 336there, in ſome diſcontented moode, thruſts at us with a tentation to caſt our ſelves into the water: here runne not away, walke on ſtill, proceed in good meditations, thruſt away theſe thoughts that are put in by the divell; and know that our Originall ſin is the receiver worſe than the theefe. 2. Humble for that wee carry about with us, ſuch a corrupt heart, as will on ſuch occaſions take thought of diſcontent; it is our proud fleſh that will not ſit downe under ſome heavey croſſe; and becauſe we have not al we would have, and cannot bee that wee would be, we care not to be at all: we muſt have as others have, elſe wee fall a powting preſently; we muſt learne to be thankfull for any life; downe with the proud humour, bee not high minded, theſe thunders and lightnings of tentations are to fright us, and by ſuch feare to p. 337bring us to walke humbly before the Lord. 3. See what ſin wee live in, if in any, that is a true cauſe of deepe diſcontent: repent of that; doe the contrary duty; ſin is the proper cauſe, not to the croſſe which makes us weary of our lives; Satan ſets our eyes onelyonly on the croſſe, for he knowes, it is out of our reach to remove that; but indeed it is ſome ſinne that doth pinch us, and put a ſting into the affliction, and we have it in our hands by repentance to remove the ſin, and the croſſe will remove it ſelfe: Goe to God to finde out the ſinne for us, and away with that, if there bee any, and (as when the tooth is once drawne) we ſhall finde eaſe and peace preſently; if we bee not weary of ſinne, it is but fit, wee ſhould be made to be weary of our ſelves: if no ſin▪ then know, it is to humble us, and to fit us for ſome great peece of ſervice p. 338that the Lord meanes to imploy us in. Waite and joyne with the tentation, to rend the heart, to bring the minde low, and then it will be gone. 4. See whether we do not abuſe God and our ſelves in our wives and children; perhaps, we dote upon them, make ſo many Gods of them; and if ſo, then it is reaſon that they ſhold by this tentation be made bitter unto us; that wee may have wives and children,1 Cor. 7. 291 Cor 7:29 as though wee had none at all; or if otherwiſe we ſinne againſt God in them o… for them, let this goe for the cauſe, why Satan is ſet on, and let on us, with ſuch killing ſuggeſtions, that we may be corrected in the very thing wherein wee have offended. 5. That which muſt hit it on the head and doe the deed it ſelfe, is to get it off by prayer, by a faſt, if need bee, and by the Word. There are ſome which will not p. 339off but by prayer, and faſting; but there are none ſo terrible, ſo ſtrong, but prayer and faſting will give us eaſe and comfort againſt them: but the matter muſt bee ſanctified to us by the Word; wee muſt bring Scripture, not reaſon▪ To tell Satan or our ſelves of the ſhame, of the danger to us, to ours, will not doe the deed: that which will worke the worke, is to ſet the word of commandement, of promiſe, of the threatning againſt the powers of Sathan, I ſhall ſin if I doe, I ſhall offend God: It is written, thou ſhalt not kill; if not an enemy, then not a friend, if not a friend, then much leſſe my ſelfe. Love to mine enemy, is the reaſon, why I muſt not murther him; love doth begin at home, and it runs warmeſt in mine owne veines, in mine owne boſome, & therefore I will not lay hands on my ſelfe, I ſhall dye the death if I p. 340doe. The word and prayer will fright him away; ſin and Satan care for nothing, feare nothing but the word: they are the Ordinances and the power of God, and by his might, do extinguiſh all the fiery darts of the divell. 6. Never thinke of making any mends or ſatisfaction, by deſtroying ones ſelfe for any ſin:Rom. 1. 16Rom 1:16 perhaps Iudas thought by killing himſelfe to make ſome amends for his horrible murther committed againſt the perſon and life of Chriſt Ieſus: Satan never doth a man more hurt, than when hee comes preaching, and ſets upon us with holy ends; that becauſe we have done this or that grand offence and abuſe to God; that therefore they are to pacifie him or to ſatisfie him, by ſacrifiſing of our ſelves. This corrupt Divinity growes in our fleſh, as we ſee by thoſe, who fetch their penniworth as they thinke out p. 341of themſelves, by whipping themſelves:1 King. 18 28.1 Kgs 18:28 a mad part it is for a man to thinke that by committing murther, the greateſt of all murthers upon himſelfe, to make any an ends for their ſinfull life; and yet ſo fooliſh doth the divell make ſom men. Beware of this deceit, fire is not put out with fire; no ſatisfaction can poſſibly bee made but by the bloud of the Lambe, that holy Lambe Chriſt Ieſus: and I would have men beware how they plead for ſuch as draw their owne bloud, becauſe thereby they doe make way for Satan, to puſh hard on the conſciences of weake Chriſtians, by bearing them in hand, that they may eaſe themſelves of ſome preſent horrors by killing themſelves, and yet be ſaved in heaven for all that: ſuch caſes perhaps may poſſibly be; but for man to pleade for ſuch, to exempt them out of the rule, p. 342may make foule worke for Satan, to play upon the weakneſſe of many poore Chriſtians ſouls I know no medicine (next to the Word and prayer) of better uſe to hold ſuch mens hands from their own lives, than feare of being damned in hell: an indirect plea it is, for any to ſpeak for ſuch, and full of danger;Givitas eum qui ſe ipſum necaverit mulctat. &c. ſome think thereby to eaſe perplexed conſciences, but it is the ready way to perplex the hearts,Ariſt. Eth. l. 5. c. 11. and engulſie the ſoules of feeble Chriſtians; they doe not know, what hurt they doe to men, under this tentation to vent ſuch unſavory Doctrine; that a man do well for the main, for all this, that this may bee a way to heaven. As I love not, ſo I meane not to judge; the way of charity,Inter pontem & fontem miſerecordia Domini. is to leave Gods ſecrets to himſelfe; but I urge this, that men would hold their tongues and pens as much as may be, leaſt in thinking to doe p. 343good, they doe hurt; and by going thus about the buſh, hoping thereby to eaſe the hearts of men, doe mightily plague and diſquiet them: for what will Satan ſay, diſpatch man, thou maiſt be ſaved for all this; ſuch a learned man hath ſo written, hath ſo ſaid. And laſtly, wee muſt all worke it out with feare and trembling, and know that wee have no ſafety, no not from our ſelves; but under the ſhadow of the Lord, wee are alwayes to ſtand as in his hands, and keepe our continuall acquaintance with, and dependance on God; know that without him, we are poore weake creatures, that we cannot beare our ſelves; that the greateſt earthly bleſſing under heaven, (life it ſelfe) is quickly made a mans greateſt burthen: that no man can ſtand before a wounded conſcience, before an Angell we may ſtand, but wee p. 344cannot ſtand before him when he is angry; that man hath no ſpirit, no courage in him, if God leave him to himſelfe: keepe in with God and pray him to defend us from our ſelves.

The laſt, is the luſt of uncleanneſſe, which doe preſſe upon the conſcience as much, if not more than any, becauſe they are very ſenſuall and of a beaſtiall and brutiſh nature; deprives a man not onelyonly of religion, but of the free uſe of reaſon, are many of them committed with and upon another,Cupidi…as ſi ſolum dixerit, &c. and ſo a ſecond perſon is brought within the guilt,Ariſt. Eth. l. 7. c. 6. as alſo by reaſon of the concomitant fleſhly delight, for they are acted with very great willingneſſe: and when many of them are done, though nature it ſelfe ſay, No to them, they are done with very much wilfullneſſe: and now, where much will is, there is p. 345much guilt, where much guilt is, there is much horror: and then againe, becauſe theſe luſts do pervert, the order and courſe of man-kinde irregulating the right ſucceſſion of families; and in the point of adultery, and that kinde of baſtardy, it doth put in a ſtrange bird to inherit the neſt, and weare away the feathers,So Ioh. 8. 4.John 8:4 which is unſpeakeable theft,Taken in adultery in the very act. and to be confeſſed of the adulterneſſe;The word tranſlated act is foreign. leſt to her foule adultery ſhe adde horrible theft that the child of a ſtranger carry not away the goods or lands of the family.Id eſt, in the theft, perhaps to intimate the great theft which is in adultery. Theſe and many other concurrant or conſequent abſurde…ies doe make this ſinne cry aloud; and it hath a ſpeciall meaſure and order of uncleanneſſe above any ſinne elſe. All ſins are uncleane, and Satan is an uncleane ſpirit, but there is ſomething in it, why the Apoſtle is ſo diſtinct,Mat. 12. 43Matt 12:43 as to call this ſin above all other the luſt p. 346of uncleanneſſe. Great care and diligence is to be uſed to hold theſe luſts off.2 Pet. 2. 102 Pet 2:10 They are in the Originall appointed to preſerve the ſpecies of mankinde: and as hunger is a potent deſire, it being ordained to preſerve the perſon of man in the individuall; ſo much more theſe motions are violent and mighty, being made to make good the ſucceſſion and propagation of the whole kinde of man: mighty they are when they runne in the right channell; but if wee ſuffer them to take a wrong bias, and to fall into unlawfull courſes, where Sathan drives them on, how then doe they beare downe all? And caſt a man into ſuch a ſubjection, and (as I may call it) voluntary compulſion,2 Pet. 2. 142 Pet 2:14 that the Apoſtle ſaith, ſuch cannot ceaſe to ſin. Againe, I muſt borrow leave to put in this, that wee are the rather to take heed of theſe pollutions p. 347becauſe when we are in once, by reaſon of the great ſenſe of guilt they carry with them, in that they flie in the face of both ſpirituall and naturall conſcience at once: they bring men to great terrors and inward horrors making men beleeve that there is no hope of ſuch, and from thence, men run upon the rocks of ſelfe-murthering tentations; and more, I think, have made themſelves away out of inward feares ariſing from ſome uncleane prankes, than for any one thing elſe: and the cauſe hereof, is becauſe that theſe luſts bring great ſhame amongſt men if once out; but the maine is, becauſe they carry with them great inward …e, not only ſpirituall betwixt … and ones ſelfe, but naturall, … twixt a man and himſelfe: and as wee ſee in thoſe actions of this nature where they are without ſin, yet there is a kind p. 348of naturall ſhame. And now becauſe there is ſuch ſhame of all ſorts,Vt merere, alvum leva. re, liberis operam dare. vid. Cic. Offic. l. 1. men are wondrous loth to let any man know what the matter is that troubles them. And in tentation of ſelfe-killing, if a man keepe the core to himſelfe, he is in great danger; but if a man doe once out with it, after he hath beene with God, and it will not doe; I ſay, if then one doe out with all, to a wiſe and a truſty friend, that he is in the tentation of murthering himſelfe, and the cauſe to be ſome foule uncleane pollution; why then one would wonder, upon what a ſudden the heart will feele eaſe, and the cure is as good as done. But now becauſe there is ſuch ſhame, and we are loth to out with it, that we have beene uncleane; and the burning fire will hardly quench except one breake up the Boile, and vent the corruption, by opening all p. 349our mind to ſome godly friend, upon theſe conſiderations, I propoſe it as an excellent peece of counſell to all, to beware of the luſts of uncleanneſſe; the ſin is great, the conſequence greater.

Moreover, this is a great matter in it too; that we doe grow into troubles of minde for ſin, according as we do apprehend them in the greatneſſe of them; and we doe conceive much of the greatneſſe of ſin, according as the opinion and judgement of the world goes. Theſe are not in our apprehenſion; ever the greateſt ſinnes, which the world ſaith are: but which are moſt out of requeſt with the world. Now this luſt of uncleanneſſe is a great eye-ſore amongſt men; it is ſo rated at by many men, as though God had made but onelyonly the ſeventh Commandement; whereas covetouſneſſe and pride far greater ſinnes in themſelves (take p. 350them preciſely,) are not ſo eſteemed amongſt men, no nor amongſt common Chriſtians. A man may goe for a great profeſſor, and yet be extreame covetous, as we ſee in Iudas: but if he be a man given to uncleanneſſe, it is a ſin ſo out of all credit, that a man knowne to be infected with it, cannot amongſt men in their opinion goe for a profeſſor, as ſome tearme themſelves; and now becauſe the world doth hoote at this ſin, wee are apt to …ind exceedingly in our conſciences; when we are overtaken in this uncleane paſſion; and to grow towards a bloudy concluſion, as though the ſinne had in it that greatneſſe, that there were now no hope of us. And this may well go for another uſefull conſideration, to move us by all meanes to keepe from the luſt of uncleanneſſe.Pro. 5. 11. 7. 26. 31. 3Prov 5:11Prov 5:7Prov 5:26Prov 5:31Prov 5:3 And laſtly, the ſinne many times weakens the p. 351body, and pines away that, darkens ones ſemes, ſhortens ones life, and then comes in a huge cry, that wee have rotted away our life: are guilty of haſtning our own death, and much adoe there is to quiet the ſtorme which comes in this way: Wherfore for this cauſe alſo abſtain from fleſhly luſts. 1 Pet. 2. 11.1 Pet 2:11We ſee then that it leaves the greater brand on the conſcience,Pro. 9. 7.Prov 9:7 becauſe of the diſhonour and blot of this ſin, as well as by reaſon of the diſhoneſty of it, as alſo for that there is a degree of uncleannes in this ſin, over there is in any elſe; which fouleneſſe, the heart of man doth riſe againſt: and this cannot but touch us with ſome degrees of terrour alſo; and that this ſinne doth carry ſome ſpeciall ſtaine of diſhonour with it,Pro. 6. 33.Prov 6:33 read it in Solamon. A wound & diſhonour ſhall he get, and his reproch ſhall not be wiped away. And in Paul: Who p. 352cals chaſtity a mans honour? 1 Theſ. 4. 3.1 Thess 4:3VponUpon theſe grounds and conſiderations it was that Saint Peter ſaith,1 Pet. 2. 111 Pet 2:11 That fleſhly luſts doe warre againſt the ſoule. Theſe are the devils Captaines, and doe (meaning to kill us) ſmite at the head, war againſt the ſoule: other luſts doe war againſt the ſoule too; but there is ſome ſpeciall matter in it, that theſe fleſhly luſts are ſaid to warre againſt the ſoule: ſhall I ſay, that it is, becauſe that the other luſts doe warre as much againſt the graces of the ſoule: yet there is not any that doe war more, no, nor in ſome reſpects ſo much againſt the peace of the ſoule; and therefore in Peters words we are to be beſeeched (of all luſts) to abſtaine from fleſhly luſts.

Wee will now enter into a particular diſcovery of ſuch ſpeciall branches as may make the matter the plainer. Luſt of p. 353uncleanneſſe are committed either: Firſt, with ones ſelfe: Secondly, with others. Firſt, we will begin with that committed with ones ſelfe,Aeſchines Temar. chum a concione arcendum, &c. which are greater in themſelves, abtract them from all other circumſtances than with any other;Vid. Navar. Manual. c. n. 6. as ſelfe-murther is worſe than the murther of another; ſo in and of it ſelfe, this ſin is worſe than of another. For the rule is, that the ſin that doth breake the order of love, is the worſt, love being the keeping of the Commandement:So Paul, 1 Cor. 6. 18.1 Cor 6:18 I muſt not defile my neighbour,Aggravates Fornication for that it is againſt our owne body. becauſe I am to love my neighbours chaſtity; but I am to love my ſelfe and mine owne chaſtity,Vid. Eraſm. before the chaſtity of any elſe:Paraph. in 1 Cor. 6. 18.1 Cor 6:18 and this is a foule ſinne much againſt nature, and therefore the worſe, for the more unnaturall the ſin is, the greater the guilt is ſtill in that reſpect: and whereas it is thought that there is not that p. 354wrong in it, as is in taking away the chaſtity of another: I urge, that there is moſt wrong when a man doth wrong himſelfe: and as the theefe doth in the candle, ſo theſe ſelfe defilements doe rot and weaken the body, by the curſe of God exceedingly.Vid. Gen. 38 ver. 9.Gen 38:9 And (as in all ſuch inordinate practiſes) there is a ſecret kinde of murther; what, if not in the intention of the doer, yet in the condition of the thing done: God is much diſpleaſed with theſe kinde of ſins, they are execrable in his ſight, pay the conſcience home when they are ſet before us in their true and right colours; make people unfit for mariage without the great mercy of God ever after. I could wiſh people to marry on ever ſo poore termes,Quiſquis affectus illos frenare non poteſt, &c. rather than to fall into ſuch illicite, darke and abominable practiſes,Lact. l. 6. c. 23. which doe grieve the very principals of p. 355nature; ſay, let the worſt come that can, for outward things, it is better to beg than burne in hell; I will truſt in God, I will follow him; he that feeds the Ravens he will provide; I will rather bring trouble on the outward man, than on the ſoule: it is wiſdome to look to the ſoule what ever becomes of the body: whatſoever comes, it cannot bee worſe than ſinne; nay, whatſoever it be, it cannot bee bad with us ſo long as we obey. For howſoever there may bee ſome difference of Eſtates in the generall, yet ſure it is, that is the beſt for us in the particular, which God cals us unto, there lyes our peace, our joy, our comfort. 2. With others, and here comes many kindes; we will begin with the worſt firſt, and that is,Lev. 18. 23 20. 15.Lev 18:23 Beaſtiality, forbidden in the Word, and therefore our corrupt nature and originall ſin is capable of it, and when once p. 356in too too prone unto it. The worſt things, when the law of nature is ſuppreſſed yeeld ſtrongeſt delight ſuch as it is; this muſt be looked unto, it turnes man into a very beaſt,foreign. makes a man a member of a bruite creature; a ſinne that man would ſoone fall into, if the Lord ſhold let ſin and Satan alone with us;Phocil. what one man doth, that another may poſſibly doe, wee being all of the ſame maſſe and cloth, and that ſince the law was given, men have run upon this horrible abomination. Stories, and experience, and law, have ſhewed and doe ſhow; wherefore by all meanes this ſoule corruption muſt be avoided:Praeceperunt nobis ſapientes noſtri, &c. over familiar uſage of any bruite creature is to bee abhorred. And the Iewiſh Doctors doe charge their novices,Maiemon. More nevoch. par. 3. cap. 49. by no meanes to feed their eyes with ſtaring on the generation of beaſts for feare of the worſt. p. 357It is a pit, out of which thoſe few that do fall into it do hardly recover: it is like a winter plague, ſome doe recover, but in compariſon of thoſe that periſh, a poore few.

2. The next is Sodomy. Iud. v. 7. A going after ſtrange fleſh; not onelyonly ſtrange in the law of God, as in fornication it is, but ſtrange in nature: a ſin to which our law of nature hath no great minde unto at firſt; but if our corrupt luſt,Lev. 18. 22Lev 18:22 our originall ſin bee let out,So Iudg. 19. 22. They would rather do wickedneſſe on the man, than commit folly with the old mans daughter, a Virgin foreign. Phocil.Judg 19:22 wee ſee how it carries too many after this abomination. God would never have forbidden it in the law, but that our nature is ſubject to it: we ſee how it did over-run Sodome and Gomorrah; when it once takes, how doth the ſinfull fleſh of man runne after it? Lots daughters were young, freſh, and maides too; and yet they would not ſerve, they muſt have the men. And Ro. 1. they p. 358forſooke the naturall uſe of the women; therefore it is ſpoken of ſuch as had wives, elſe how could it bee ſaid that they forſooke the naturall uſe of the women: and it is ſaid, that ſuch doe burne or ſcald, and not only men with men, working that which is unſeemely, but women alſo: when given up to this unnaturall paſſe, doe as Paul ſaid, change the naturall uſe into that which is againſt nature; that is, ſo againſt nature, that poſterity, which is natures end, is utterly loſt by it: and ſuch as are acquainted with Stories and Poets, know that this ſin hath beene too much in many Nations.Ariſt. in pol lib. 2. c. 9. & Euſeb. De prepar. Evan. l. 6. And many particular perſons have doted wonderfully after this prepoſterous luſt,Athaen. l. 13 and have taken more bruitiſh and helliſh delight in it, than in thoſe paſſions which are according to nature. This then muſt be avoided p. 359by all meanes, and all occaſions of it warily eſchewed; he ſinne is great, it is a corrupting and a rotting of the very rudiments of nature; & in all things, looke what corrupts, the foundation and principall of things muſt needs be worſt. The puniſhment was great in that utter overthrow of Sodome. In the Deluge, water from heaven drownds:Erat juſta quaedam retributio his qui naturae ſubverterant leges, &c. here, as in their ſinne, they had over-turned the law of nature: ſo, in their puniſhment, there was an inverſion of the courſe of nature;Chryſ. Ser. de Adam. Sadomitis. See the phraſe Luk. 17. 29. It rained, fire and brimſtone, (not water.)Luke 17:29 for not water, but fire came from heaven and burned them, whoſe luſts were thus ſet on fire of hell. It is uſed as a type of hell, it is a crying ſin. The cry of Sodome and Gomorrah is great, Gen. 18. 20.Grandis peccatorum clamor eſt, &c There is no ſin but hath a voice; but this amongſt many and above moſt other ſins hath a lowd and a crying voice,Salvian. de Guber. Dei l. 1. it is heard to heaven, it p. 360hath a lowd mouth to accuſe, which cry, is nothing elſe but the guilt of conſcience; and the juſtice of God, the conſcience being full of matter, and ready to accuſe,Miſerecordia mea ſuadet ut parcam, &c. and God to heare. As a man through importunity, is drawn to execute juſtice againſt his minde,Salvian. Ib. ſo this ſin doth ſo put God to it, that hee muſt needs proceed, except we come with hearty repentance; hee cannot reſ, nor be juſt, till hee have ſorely and ſharpely puniſhed it.

The thing I urge then, ſith the ſin and the guilt is ſo great,O fuge te tenerae pue…orum credere turbae: Nam cauſam juſti, ſemper amo ris habent. and will make ſuch a noiſe in the conſcience, is, by all meanes to keepe from the ſin and from all ſpice of it, to ſhun all occaſions of it; to take heed of that which Quintilian puts off in a Schoole-Maſter;Tibull: foreign. which is, Nimium eſt quod intelligitur: and he is ſo ſtrict this way, that he will not have bigger and leſſer p. 361youths ſit much together. We may ſee what wrought Sodome to this ſin;Quae qua…ti ſint criminis, &c. Salvian de Guber. Dei. l. 6. Idleneſſe, pride, fulneſſe of bread, theſe muſt be heedfully avoided: and ſuch ſins as wee read, Rom. 1. were in the juſtice of God puniſhed with and by this paſſion of diſhonour: we muſt be thankfull to God, for the light we have, and in ſome meaſure, walke according to the truth wee ſee. They made God like a fourefooted beaſt; and GOD gave them up to a ſin, which did abaſe them into a worſe condition than of beaſts; and for ſuch as are unmaried and have not the gift, and by the uſe of al the meanes cannot get it; ſuch muſt know, that it is better to marry than to burne: and if they will rather burne than marry, they are in a foule way to fall into this ſcalding ſin;1 Cor. 7. 9.1 Cor 7:9 which ſin if they commit, brings with it a world of miſery; and after p. 362when ſuch ſhall happen to marry,Luk. 17. 27.Luke 17:27 by the juſt hand of God they are ſuffered,In the daies of Noah, ſaith the Text, They did eate, they drank. &c. But ver. 28. we read, That in the daies of Lot they did eate, they dranke, &c. for a puniſhment of the former wickedneſſe, to forſake (as Paul ſaith) the naturall uſe, and run into that which is unnaturall: and theſe are moſt monſtrous luſts; when all is done, by way of preparation & diſpoſition of our hearts and thoughts, againſt theſe corruptions;It is not …aid (they maried) in Lots dayes. that which will ſave us from the ſtaine of theſe filthy puddles, muſt be the pure and holy Word of God. Set the Word againſt the ſin, and the ſin is laid; ſet the Word againſt Satan in this his tentation, and …atan cannot abide by it; Satan … no more abide the light of … Word, than an Owle can … …ining of the Sun: ſay I … doe it, I may not, I …, it is forbidden in ſuch … place, and againe, in ſuch a place: It is called, not onelyonly a ſinne, but which ſhewes an p. 363height of ſinning abomination; both of them have committed abomination,Lev. 20. 13Lev 20:13 ſaith the text.Lev. 18. 22Lev 18:22 The puniſhment of it by Gods own Law, was death, no leſſe than death, preſent death; they ſhall ſurely bee put to death,Lev. 20. 13Lev 20:13 their bloud ſhall bee upon them: and the law was flat and peremptory, that no Sodomite muſt bee amongſt the ſons of Iſrael: and in that never the like reformation,Deu. 23. 17Deut 23:17 Ioſiah brake downe the houſes of the Sodomites which were by the houſe of the Lord,1 Kin. 20. 12.1 Kgs 20:12 2 Kings 23. 7. Aſa the father, and Iehoſaphat the ſonne,2 Kin. 22. ….2 Kgs 22 had ſwept away thoſe unclean neſts in their dayes: but we ſee they grew on againe, till Ioſiah came and made a ful purgation. Theſe and ſuch other places, ſhow that this ſin is ſtrong …den, and ſeverely …, to which adde the wrath … God on ſuch in hell, 1 Cor. …. Theſe are the beſt medicines p. 364that bee; which being rightly uſed and applied, doe ever doe the cure. Next, to provide againſt the worſt; ſay a man be a ſinner in this great wickedneſſe, yet he muſt not run away from his father, that will marre all. There be I know degrees in this ſinne, but ſay it bee at the worſt, yet there is mercy with God, repentance will make it up againe:Eph. 4. 19.Eph 4:19 it is good to make all haſt to returne, ſith laſciviouſneſſe is a ſin which uſeth to ſeare up the conſcience, till the time of reckoning for al comes; and God doth ſometimes after a while ſhut up his gates of mercy:Ser. Ne deſperamus ſi in bene operando tardi ſumus. Et Hom. 1. m. and then as Chryſoſtome notes often, though Noah, Iob, Moſes, Samuel, and Daniel, ſhold intercede,1 Theſſ. 1.1 Thess 1 it would bee to no purpoſe.Ier. 15. 1.Jer 15:1 They were men of God,Ezek. 14. 14Ezek 14:14 who in their times did by their prayers do great things and compaſſe marvellous matters for particular perſons, for p. 365Families, for Countries; and yet when the glaſſe is out, and the decree determined is paſt; when the time is over wherein God may be found, their prayers for others come in too late; it is good then to bee at it with the ſooneſt: I meane not that ever it is too late to repent, or that if we repent, we can miſſe of mercy.Zach. 13. 1Zech 13:1 No, no, the fountaine ſtands open, alwayes open in the houſe of David, for ſin and for uncleanneſſe; and this unclean perſon (as Paul cals him) if he repent, he ſhall finde mercy: God forbid we ſhould have ſuch a thought, as though this ſin could ſtaine ſo deepe, that the bloud of Chriſt could not fetch it out: our meaning is, that whilſt the conſcience is awake, and we have a faire offer made us, by the Word and Spirit, knocking at our hearts; it is good wiſdome to take Gods offer; delaies be dangerous, for p. 366if we will not know the day of our viſitation, God may: and what if in juſtice he ſhall refuſe to give us to repent; then let our friends move for us, God will not heare, were they as good at praying as ever Iob, Daniel, Noah, and Samuel were. Let ſuch then who are in this offence, come in by all meanes, in all haſt to the Lord; and when the Angell moves the water, ſtep into this Bath, this Fountaine: know that GOD would never move our hearts to repent and returne, had hee not a meaning to pardon, and to accept: as looke into the 1 Cor. 6. and there we read, that ſome who were thus ſinfull were yet ſanctified,foreign. were waſhed, and are now with Chriſt: and if they, then why not ſome now? It is not to the purpoſe, that they were ſo before their callings, ſith Divines do agree; that there is no one ſinne that a p. 367man may commit before his calling; but ſhould God leave that man to himſelfe, to his luſt, to Satan, he might, and would, and ſhould, commit the ſame ſin after: neither lies there any reaſon, why on our repentance, a ſin done before is pardoned; and the ſame ſin if wee repent after, muſt ſtand unpardonable: or that a man may repent, of a ſin done before ones converſion, and not repent of the ſame ſin after: adde but this, that the ſin committed before, is in it ſelfe greater, than the ſame ſin committed after; for before it is done with a full ſwing, ſaving that perhaps, the law of nature and in-bred modeſty, doth at the firſt make ſome recoile; but after calling, there being ſome ſeeds at leaſt of grace in the wil, there is ſome inward oppoſition made; it is not done without ſome ſaying,Rom. 7. 23Rom 7:23 nay, in the law of their minde, and ſo p. 368the ſin is the leſſer. Now if repentance could doe it at firſt, when the ſin was greater; can wee queſtion, whether repentance doth fetch it off, when the ſin is leſſer? Indeed, if no repentance, no healing, no not of the leaſt knowne ſin; but if we repent, all our Divinity lies upon it, that ſuch ſhall bee pardoned; and that God hath not peremptorily bound himſelfe, to deny repentance unto life to any ſinner, except the blaſphemer againſt the Holy Ghoſt; is point agreed on, in our Schooles and Pulpits. Indeed, if ſuch as are in this foule fault doe finde, that it workes a ſtupifying, that it ſeares, takes away, the inward power of diſcerning things, that are not convenient, deadens our taſt; if ſuch finde that their inward touch-ſtone hath now loſt its vertue, the danger is a great deale the greater; becauſe ſuch having p. 369little or no feeling of their eſtate are not as yet in the way to repentance: but if ſuch finde it a fiery dart, burning like any poyſon, working a world of troubles in the minde, and a fearefull conſternation in the conſcience; then there is the more hope, that true humiliation and mercy is not far off: ſuch have a faculty in them, which will worke out of their feares a deſire to be eaſed; and if once upon ſight of the promiſes, they conceive hope of mercy, they are in a faire way to repent of their wickedneſſe: and that God who hath made tender of his mercy to worſe than Sodomites,Iſa. 1. 10.Isa 1:10 will receive thoſe to favour upon true ſorrow for what is paſt, and ſtedfaſt reſolution to doe ſo no more, for the time to come.

And here I will leave this uncomfortable argument, wiſhing all who meane not (ſay they do p. 370ſcape hell) to carry the ſmoke of this ſinne to their graves, to flye from it. Now becauſe I ſaid, that when in committing a ſinne the conſcience is againſt it, the ſin is the leſſe; I will not conceale, what a late Divine ſaith; that the ſin is the greater when it is done, when the conſcience doth ſay no: for ſaith he, if this were any ſigne of a mans having grace, that in acting his ſin, he feeles a moving within, againſt thoſe ſinnes he doth doe: it would follow, that great ſinners, aye, all ſinners might perſwade themſelves, that their eſtate were good, becauſe there is a con-flicting againſt vices, out of the principles of natures light; which are in the breſts more or leſſe of all men living; that in an unregenerate man, ſins againſt the naturall conſcience are the worſe even in that reſpect, becauſe he doth them againſt his p. 371conſcience is moſt true: We muſt then ſay, that when the ſin is done againſt the voice of the conſcience, ſometimes it makes the ſinne the leſſe, ſometimes the worſe: If we, take part with the ſinne againſt the conſcience, are angry that our conſcience would not let us take that fill of Delight, and content in committing the ſinne, and are not willing that conſcience ſhould ſay any thing unto us when we have done, here the ſin is much the worſe, becauſe it was done againſt conſcience:Iſay 30. 21Isa 30:21 but now if we take part with the voice within, and are heartily ſorry that the temptation and our paſſion meeting together, doe beare downe the power of our conſcience, and doe what wee can, to take part with the reluctation,Vnderſtand all this of a conſcience ſanctified. while it, is a doing; and when it is done, nothing in the world troubles us ſo much, as that wee did not give way to the act of conſcience, and keepe from the ſinne; and doe joyne with our conſcience againſt our luſt, and are putting more ſtrength into the power of grace and conſcience againſt another time. In this caſe when wee take part with the conſcience againſt the ſinne, it makes the ſinne the leſſer, which the ungodly never doe; but doe joyne with p. 372the ſinne againſt the conſcience, and for inward combates, there are ſome in the unregenerate where no grace is; betwixt originall ſinne and other habituall luſts and the Law of Nature, but not with ſuch ſinnes, as nothing ſaith are ſinnes, but the Word and Spirit of GOD.So Paul ſtiles them, 2 Cor. 7. 1.2 Cor 7:1 In unnaturall Luſts, wee grant there is ſome ſtrife in ſome, yea, in moſt unregenerate men; but in other more ſpirituall ſinnes, there neither is, nor can bee that civill warre within, becauſe there is not a power of grace to make the reſiſtance: how-ever, the wicked doe take part with Luſt, even againſt the Law and rules of Nature; which circumſtance doth aggravate thei… ſinnes: but of the difference betwixt the combate, which is onelyonly in the good, and that combate, which is alſo in the bad,Dow…. there is enough and enough ſaid by Divines to Satisfie any man:VVarf. p. 4. l. 2. c. 8. Sect. 3. and in this point, all care muſt bee uſed to keepe off unnaturall paſſions: the ſting of conſcience is great, the cure is hard, and ſo much the more difficul… becauſe, what p. 373for the danger, and what for the ſhame of them, men cannot be eaſily brought to make their minde knowne to any man; which gives the greateſt advantage to Satan to worke his will upon us: but if any be overtaken, in any hand let him ſend up to God; and in caſe GOD put him off, out with it to ſome ſpirituall man, who muſt and will, and as God ſhall be pleaſed to bleſſe his labours, ſhall reſtore him with the Spirit of meekeneſſe.Gal. 6. 1.Gal 6:1

Next wee are to looke over thoſe which are naturall; called naturall, becauſe that nature hath an end in them: for though the wrong way in unlawfull luſt, yet they tend to the propagation and continuation of mankinde: and firſt for ſuch as are ſingle, then for ſuch as are married.

1. Such are ſingle; if God give them by the uſe of his p. 374meanes the gift, let them keepe themſelves ſo, if they be wiſe: if not, then marry, and ſo marry, that they attaine a principall end of marriage. Paul gives wiſe councell to Parents, that they ſuffer not their Virgins to paſſe the flower of their youth;1 Cor. 7. 361 Cor 7:36 his meaning is, when they have need of, and a minde unto that eſtate: elſe hee tels us what is beſt, and here many of our Gentry are too blame, who keepe not their younger ſonnes ſo much from marriage, but they doe poſt and thruſt their daughters on this eſtate, albeit they have no minde or need, which is a miſery; as to bee made to eat when one is not an hungred: avoid all extreames, and when God and Nature call, goe on in any hand, and that in time, and not ſtay till the Luſts of youth, which mariage is to cure, be paſt: have the houſe firſt all on a light fire, and then goe about p. 375to quench it; whereas mariage is ordained to prevent & kill the luſts of youth: and know that if wee bee about to provide for our children; then in hope that ere long it will be had, children will containe and hold in the better,In 1 Theſ. c. 4. Hom. 5. & in Gen. 35.1 Thess 4Gen 35 (as Chryſoſtome obſerves;) but in caſe that they ſee that we make no haſt,Hom. 59. take no care, they will marry themſelves, or elſe eaſe themſelves by ſome ſuch ungodly courſes. The counſell then is, to make all good haſt to enter them into this eſtate in fit time;foreign. and in the Interim, to maintaine their naturall modeſty, and ſpirituall chaſtity all wee can: ſpeake not an immodeſt word,foreign. Phocil Turpe habitum erat, &c. Alex. looke not an immodeſt looke, uſe not any light action in their preſence. A Roman was degraded for that he did but kiſſe his own wife before his children; & the ancient Chriſtian was very curious and dainty this way:Geneal. l. 4. c. 20. p. 376their order was, that men and maides ſate ſo at Church, that one did not,Philo. De vit. contemt. Aug. de Civ. Dei. l. 2. c. 28. Chryſ. nor could not, ſee one another; the women-kind had their vailes: And in the Eaſt Churches,Hom 74. in Mat. Neceph. in vit. Chryſ. Durant. de rit. I am ſure Virgins and Maids, were not uſed to come at mariages; we cannot doe too much this way;Eccl. l. 1. c. 18. Regius Orat. Chriſt l. 1. c. 3.Sir 50:1 and many take ſuch liberty before, that after mariage they do rue it all dayes of their lives.Chryſ. in Coloſſ. 4.Col 4 Many ſtay to provide a rich match,Hom. 12. till it be too late; for all the while the ſtreame is dammed up with untempered morter, it doth and will rage the more, and a vent one way or other, it will and muſt have: and hence wee ſee, that ſuch as are kept from that eſtate by a kinde of force, are the worſt that way that bee this day in the world; as your Ieſuits, Fryers, & Nuns. It is our corrupt humor, to bee ſtrongeſt in our paſſions, where wee are denied; and a wound p. 377bound up & not healed, ranckles worſe than if it were open: which made the Apoſtle to call that Doctrine (which forbids mairage and gave not the gift) the Doctrine of devils; ſith it puts a man upon a neceſſity of ſinning a ſin, and ſo foule a ſin as uncleanneſſe, and for want of a naturall ſtreame to run over, into unnaturall practiſes,Viduis, 1 Cor. 7. 8.1 Cor 7:8 which doe carry a man and woman much beyond the line,Sic vocat muli…res nuptas, &c. Parae, in 1 Cor. 7, 8, 9.1 Cor 7:81 Cor 7:9 and put him far and far from God. And this makes way for ſome complaint againſt widdowes ſtates, which in ſome chiefly of the younger ſort,1 Tim. 5. 14.1 Tim 5:14 muſt needs prove a practiſe of devils in the Apoſtles ſenſe, becauſe it doth thruſt ſome women into a neceſſity of ſinning. The Apoſtle doth counſel the younger widdowes to marry, to beare children; elſe ſaith he, they will not, onelyonly they may, but they will marry and wax wanton againſt Chriſt. p. 376duplicate page p. 377duplicate page

p. 378All that is ſaid is, that theſe widdowes may mend it & marry if they will; but it is hard for women to turne themſelves out of houſe and all, rather than ſin: and if they have nothing, who will have them as things goe now. Indeed amongſt the Iewes, where they gave money for their wives, this exception would bee of ſome force; but now amongſt us, where mony makes the match, they may ſit and fry long enough, ere any will make ſuite unto them to marry them, when they muſt on their mariage bee outed of all. What ever they thinke they may bee able to doe while the husband is alive; yet when the man is dead, the widdow is in danger to ſing another ſong: we care not much for that wee may and muſt have, but when it is denied us, and wee are tied from it; then as in the Goſpell, they told it abroad the rather, p. 376becauſe Chriſt bid them tell no body; ſo the paſſions of women will rage the more, becauſe now they muſt not marry; and a young widdow will bee leſſe able to containe and bee chaſt then when ſhee was a Virgin. They urge that it is covenient, they ſo remaine, to bring up their children; but a curſe is like to follow that condition, wherein is a needs-muſt ſin, and all to breed up children: that eſtate of life is fitteſt for a woman to live in to breed up children, wherein ſhe is moſt free to ſerve God, and is moſt of all preſerved from ſin. And we ſee widdowes that have children and ſtand free, will tell you that they marry, to have one to helpe them to bring up their children and the ſons will ſtand in more awe of their father-inlaw than of a woman their mother; and we doe ſee, that men doe uſe to take as great care for their p. 380wives former children, as tho they were their owne: and when two have a joint care, it is better than if one only; and a womans care and power is never the leſſe when ſhe hath one in commiſſion with her to help her. A little matter in the taker wold help al to turn a widdows eſtate into a life; and it were nothing in the ſetter to ſuffer ſuch as they ſee have or are like to have need to marry. Pleaſe God and pleaſe all; I know now and then, a booty comes in to ſuffer ſuch to marry; but of all inconveniencies, ſinne is the worſt, there lies the miſchiefe. Many do ſin for want of the medicine, and he doth beſt, who frees his manner moſt from ſin; neither will they live ever the longer, becauſe they doe marry: the times of men and women are defined by the Lord, longer they cannot live, ſooner they ſhall not dye: I will not deny, p. 381but want this way, may and doth in ſome bodies breed diſeaſes, as both Phyſitians and Philoſophers teaco: but I hope no man hath this in his head, to bar widdowes from their neceſſary liberty to marry when they will in the Lord, a purpoſe to kill them up with diſcontent, or to caſt them into any diſeaſes. I would I could perſwade men to conſider the matter, and make their caſe their owne; and then ſay, whether ſetting aſide all opinion of merit and ſupererogation, the caſe of a Nun bee not eaſier, who is cloiſtered up from having to be amongſt men, than of a widdow in a widdowes eſtate: whoſe life is to be up and down in the world, and have much ſociety where men are; and yet muſt not bee maried, except ſome one will come and have her with nothing. Examples of any that have ſo done are ſo p. 382rare, that in my experience I never knew any.

2. Next when we are to enter our ſelves and ours into mariage, we muſt ſee to the chiefe and the principall end, which is (as the ſtate of man is ſince the fall) to keep a man chaſt: he that maks mariage to be the meanes in his intention to make him rich, maries in the fleſh, and not in the Lord, hee cannot with any face invite the Lord to the wedding; Mammon, not the Lord,1 Tim. 5. 11.1 Tim 5:11 doth lead the Bride to Church; the Apoſtle ſaith, it is not good for a man to touch a woman, but yet ſaith he, to avoid fornication: he ſaith not, to pay debts, to get money, to make one rich; let every man have his owne wife:v. 2. but to avoid fornication, Matrimony then was ordained, to make men and keepe men chaſt, and not to make men rich. And we doe finde, that many of thoſe p. 383who marry to bee rich,Si qui impediti ſunt ex nuptiis. &c. Chryſ. in Hebr. Hom. 7. which is their end, and have rich widdowes too; after mariage, doe attaine neither their owne end, nor Gods: marry, and after are neither rich nor chaſt; and then they fall upon mariage, with many heavy complaints and cries, and that if there bee any hell above ground, it is in mariage. We muſt then be before hand, and marry ſo ſeaſonably for time, and ſo wiſely & proportionably for age and other convenient circumſtances, that it may preſerve our chaſtity. It is too late to bring water when the houſe is burnt: as ſoone as the ſparkes ariſe and it begin to grow toward burning, and we ſee the ſmoke up, goe to Phyſick; there muſt be no time of luſting, what ever there bee of woing: many complaine of too much trouble in that eſtate, becauſe they bring ſin with them thither: there bee too many p. 384who are afraid to marry, but not to ſin, and at laſt, when it is heard, late marry they doe, and rue it all daies of their lives: did we conceive, what the horror of uncleanneſſe is like to be, and that there is in the ſinne of fornication, a ſtaine above other ſins, that it makes ones body the member of an harlot; it doth defile the ſoule,1 Cor. 6. 151 Cor 6:15 as in their manner all ſins do: it doth defile the body in making it an actor in the ſin, as many other ſins doth: it doth abuſe the body, in making it the member of an harlot, which no other ſin but the ſin of uncleanneſſe doth and this will preſſe hard on the conſcience, when time ſhall ſerve, that in ſinning this ſin, the body is thus made the member of a ſtrumpet.

3. When entred into the eſtate, we muſt be convinced of the greatneſſe and foulneſſe of the ſin of adultery; it gives a p. 385deadly blow to the … it ſelfe; it is cried out of exceedingly in the Word, it cuts a-ſunder the ſinews of families; we muſt judge of it by the Word, not by the world. Once (I am ſure) amongſt the Papiſts it was placed among the leſſer ſinnes,Cap. Et… Clerici extra de judiciis, &c. and becauſe too many every where ſtand guiltie of this ſin;Iac. Cujacius reprehendit in recit. poſthumus ad. c. 4. … clerici. the world hath not a right …dgement of this ſinne; it doth corrupt the mind of a man, and takes away the uſe of the power and faculty of diſcerning: it brought Salomon the Wiſe,Neh. 13. 2.Neh 13:2 to run into all idolatry againſt common ſenſe. And Sampſon the ſtrong, (made Iudge of Iſrael, by a miracle from the Lord,Iudg. 16.Judg 16 and therefore no foole,) though he knew that the harlot would betray him; yet when he had once taſted of it, hee did ſo loſe his right wits, that for his heart he could not forbeare: we muſt not then thinke of this ſinne as the world doth, but as the LORD p. 386doth; wee ſee, cuſtoms takes away … and judging exactly of any ſin in the very Church it ſelfe, and that a non after Chriſt, we find that by reaſon of uſe the Chriſtian Gentiles held fornication to be ſcarce a ſin, as we may ſee in that Synode in the Acts; and the ſecond Chapter of the Revelations, Aliquid eſt dandum adoleſcentibus.a tricke of youth it was counted, and is amongſt too many, but for a tricke of youth, ye for ſuch tricks, God the juſt will damne men in hell, unleſſe they repent. In 1 Cor. 6. 9, 10. we reade, that fornicators (as diſtinct from adulterers,) and adulterers, ſhal not inherit the kingdom of God: and againe, fornicators & adulterers, though men doe not as they ſhould,Object. yet God wil judge. Yea, but ſay a man lye in the leaſt knowne ſinne that is, he muſt not inherit the kingdome of heaven: and therefore this is no argument to prove theſe ſins to be great, becauſe they keepe out of heaven. p. 387But theſe ſins are named above others,Sol. to ſhew that a man cannot be fornicator or adulterer and be in Chriſt. A common practicer of thoſe ſinnes one cannot be, but he muſt and ſhall allow them, they are of that nature that they will lord it where they be: but other leſſer infirmities a man may practice them commonly, and yet not allow them, and ſo notwithſtanding bee in Chriſt Ieſus.One act doth not ever denominate. Theſe then be ſins, whoſe ordinary uſe cannot ſtand with grace, nor is compatible with ones being in Chriſt, and by that meanes they are ſaid to barre out of heaven (over leſſer and ſmaller thoughts) and thus the argument is good and firme, hence to prove them to be great ſins; what then love cannot doe, let fear doe, for God doth puni… theſe ſins with a chiefly: ſee this in Peter, 2 Pet. 2. 9, 10.2 Pet 2:92 Pet 2:10The Lord knoweth how to preſerve the unjuſt to the day of judgement to bee puniſhed but p. 388chiefly them that walke after the fleſh in the luſts of uncleanneſſe.

Being convinced of the hainouſneſſe of this crime; the next is, that the mariage-bed muſt with all care be preſerved in all purity; the tentation is ſtrong to fornication, ſtronger to adultery; for the worſer a ſin is, the ſtronger is the impulſion of Originall luſt unto it: and Satan is more eager to make men adulterers after, than fornicators before: but here is the difference, that (as I ſhewed before) except a man hath the gift; hee that will not take Gods medicine and marry, let him doe what he can, uſe any, uſe all other meanes, yet he hath no promiſe it ſhal do: but when married, uſe the meanes, and we have a promiſe, and an aſſurance that we ſhall be kept undefiled, let ſin and Satan doe their worſt. The chiefe and neceſſary meanes to maintaine conjugall chaſtitie, is for ſuch to-love one another; p. 399it is not the having, but the loving of a yoake-fellow which doth keepe us cleane and chaſt.

2. To keepe in with God in other matters: for that man, with whom the Lord is angrie, for ſome other former matter, ſhall fall into the hands of a filthy woman.Eccl. 7. 26.Eccl 7:26 We muſt not then by lying and living in any other crime,Pro. 22. 14.Prov 22:14 give God cauſe to give us over unto this ſinfull ſinne.

3. Such muſt be chaſt betwixt themſelves; beware of exceſſe and defect; Divines t…ll of exceſſe, but if there be too much, there may be too little, elſe what meanes that phraſe of S. Paul, 1 Cor. 7. 9.1 Cor 7:9leſt Satan tempt you for your incontinencie: there muſt bee quenching, nor provoking of luſt; raging luſt is a great enemie to love, and it is raging, and is loth to be contented with one; and if not with one, then indeed and upon the matter with none. Dalliances are forbidden: Firſt, p. 390words and talke full of obſcenity betwixt them two is not lawfull, they muſt not by words corrupt one anothers chaſtitie: worſe than to taint the chaſtitie of a ſtanger for that here is, or ought to be moſt love. What if no body be by, yet God is by, and chaſtity the honour and honeſty of the eſtate is by. Secondly, the eyes muſt be pure and chaſte; elſe the next will be, that the eyes of ſuch will be full of adultery,2 Pet. 2. 14.2 Pet 2:14 it croſſeth the end of matrimony, which is not to fire, but to extinguiſh luſt. I have read, that it is againſt the Law of Nature, for one, without neceſſary cauſe to ſee his owne nakedneſſe; but what ever credit we give to the judgement of men, we have it in the Word, that Adam and Eve, when there was no living creature by; the very inſtinct of nature did teach them to make coverings to hide their nakedneſſe, from the ſight one of another: p. 391this I am ſure, that the Lord doth uſe to correct ſuch intemperate couſes and practiſes, with ſtrong and vexing tentations, after ſtrange fleſh, this is the ordinary effect of this abuſe; and they who ſhall avoid ſuch irregular prankes, ſhall finde a ſweet enjoyment one of another, and true affections ſtirred up with more naturall delight and heavenly content. Iſaac. I know, ſported with his wife, but it was, no body being by; and what if it were ſuch, that the King who over-ſaw all, knew thereby that ſhee was his wife, yet it was; in all modeſty, for no d…lliance nor ſporting, is allowed to a man with another woman: this ſporting did diſcover to an heathen, that hee was her huſband, although he gave it out that he was her brother. But it was not of that nature we now treat of, that the Patriarches and Matriarches carried it with all poſſible p. 392modeſty in thoſe dayes; we may ſee it cleare by the ſtory of Iacob and Leah. Gen. 29. 25Gen 29:25Beleeve it, modeſty is the beſt preſerver of nuptiall chaſtity;Modeſtie keepes the key of Chaſtitie. mariage is no ſtale nor cover to any uncleane and baſe practiſes;Quod unum habebant in malis bonum, perdunt peccandi Verecundiam. Senec. de vit. Beata, cap. 12. Peribit ille cui periit pudor. Plau. in Bacch. Erubuit ſalv…res, Terent. Moderator cupiditatis eſt pudor. Cic. de Fin. l. 2. love doth no unſightly nor unſeemely thing.

4. The bed muſt be ſanctified, and kept undefiled by the**1 Tim. 4. 51 Tim 4:5 Word and Prayer. The Word is as Divines ſhow us, up and downe, a mighty healer of this corruption, and it ſtands like a ſtrong Tower, againſt all theſe baſe and uncleane luſts. To the Word, there muſt be Prayer adjoyned, elſe wee rely too much on the Phyſick, and it is not like to doe; and if Phyſicke workes not right, it makes one worſe; and ſo here, as we finde none ſo uncleane as ſome married people; God muſt then be ſent for; to bleſſe the phyſick to the ſoule: other things we know, as eating and drinking muſt be ſanctified p. 393by prayer, prayer is then rather and more to bee uſed here, becauſe the paſſion is ſo ſtrong and reaſon ſo weake: where reaſon is in a manner put beſides its preſent uſe, there I hope prayer hath greateſt place; eating is to take away the naturall paſſion of hunger, and drinke, of thirſt; yet we are to pray over our meales; but here the ordinance is to cure ſin, to worke on the ſoule, to heale a ſtrong corruption, which cannot uſually bee done without the influence of heaven; and thence it followes, that wee have cauſe to pray more in this caſe, than in eating and drinking: praying, I ſay, there ought to bee, ſay by way of ſuppoſition, that prayer at meat ſhould take away ones minde to ones meate, why then wee would counſell one to pray for a bleſſing before-hand: ſo here, to pray will bring in the bleſſing of God, which is all in p. 394all in ſpirituall medicines, as this is, being, as I ſaid, to cure the ſin of the ſoule; prayer will keepe men that they ſhall not ſurfet, and ſo come to a loathing nor fall into a defect, here muſt be a ſatisfying,Pro. 5. 19.Prov 5:19 as Salomon ſayes, and drinking away our thirſt at our owne Ceſterne,Ver. 15. leſt wee hanker after a ſtrange fountaine: prayer will make a man keepe himſelfe,Heb. 13. 4.Heb 13:4 from all baſe and abſurd and abuſive dalliances; it will make and keepe the bed undefiled, and encreaſe love and mutuall affection. Love hath a ſure foundation, when it is built not on beauty or wealth, but upon prayer and grace. Satan cannot abide to ſee men and women in this eſtate, to live in quiet and love; and this makes him to uſe all the art and power hee hath to trouble the waters, to blow up the affections after a wrong object; for then when ſuch luſts are in, love goes out: p. 395he knowes, that the droppings of love will keepe us from ſuch immoderate deſires, which makes him to goe all the wayes he can to worke, to fill the head full of ſurmiſes and jealouſies, the heart full of extravagant luſts, and all to marre the harmony, which ought to be betwixt couples: the houſe, the towne, is out of quie…, when ſuch are out of love; all which cals upon ſuch as are married to be as watchfull and carefull, to keepe all right, to remember that it is the convenant of the Lord, that it is not made by man but by the Lord; all covenants elſe that are lawfull are a far off,Pro. 2. 17.Prov 2:17 the covenant of the Lord and done in his ſight: but here the Lord is a party and God hath a ſpeciall hand in this bargaine; and he ſees, as within book, quite …hor…w, and is acquainted with all our thoughts a far off▪ wherefore wee muſt in thought, in p. 396word and in deed, keepe cloſe to the party, the Lord hath bound us unto, and wherein we have entred into bond to the Lord for our faithfulneſſe: ſuch then muſt be a covering to one anothers eyes,Gen. 22. 26Gen 22:26 elſe the heart will not ſtand cleane, and the meanes before preſcribed, and other both naturall and morall directions, which wee finde up and downe in Writers, muſt be uſed with all care and conſcience, and much diligence, and all little enough: our nature is catching this way, and once in, it is not ſo eaſie to come off, but rather to runne in this caſe further and further off, or elſe grow into diſcontents, pangs of conſcience, terrours of heart, inward gripings; out of which if wee come the right way, it muſt bee with much bitterneſſe, after we have waded firſt … a kinde of purgatory: if we never claw off thoſe gripings the, right p. 397way then ſuch run into a ſeared conſcience, or which is worſe, breake priſon and thruſt themſelves out of this world the quite contrary way. I meane now to grow towards a concluſion, and the reſt ſhall be taken up in ſome directions.

1. To prevent theſe Luſts. 2. To helpe againſt the two effects of theſe luſts, viz. 1. Horrour of the tentation. 2. The deadly blowes of ſenſeleſſeneſſe which they give.

Firſt,2 Tim. 2. 222 Tim 2:22 for ſuch as are young: theſe are called the luſts of youth; they are moſt ſtrong in youth, and come on worſt there: becauſe that their affections are ſtrong, their judgements weake, and youth do conceit that they may take ſome liberty this way, and no man muſt aske them why they doe ſo. They muſt be exhorted to flye the luſts of youth, Timothy was young in age, but old in p. 398conditions; a very true penitentiary, a drinker of water, a very weak crazie body, a great pains-taker, a man fuller of grace than ordinary, being an extraordinarie Officer in the Church; and yet Paul cals upon him being young … what, onelyonly to avoid? No; what, to runne? No, but fly from the luſts of youth, make all poſt-haſte away from them. If Timothy, ſuch a chaſt and chaſtened peece as he was, had need of ſuch a warning-peece, then all youth have great need, not to come neere the doore of her houſe, Pro. 5. 8.Prov 5:8as Salomon doth adviſe his young Saint.

Secondly, ſuch as are old muſt not crie holy-day, and thinke that no danger lyes this way: alas the day, age will kill no ſinne, it is Chriſt and grace onelyonly that can cure any … there were a ſinne …; whereof in all, … if this bee found, that age doth p. 399kill it in ſome: ſuch then as are in yeares, muſt not caſt away their weapon, but walke in feare and care this way, yea, though they bee good people. I know the body is then frigid; and there is not that ſtirring with that ſtrength: but if Satan come and blow the coales, there will riſe a great flame, a mighty burning: an old houſe will fire quickly, and ſo will old people, if they let Satan alone. Iob was not young, and married hee was too, when he ſaid,Iob 31. ….Job 31 he made a covenant with his eyes, taking bonds of his ſenſes that he would not bee catched with a maid; and maides are more inductive this way, than ſuch as are married. Iob, not ſuch a man in the whole world againe,Iob 1. 8.Job 1:8 a chaſt man, a married man, one that had children, and now ſome what in yeares, and yet you ſee his …are and circumſpection this way. p. 400No man muſt then thinke to walke at large, becauſe hee hath the remedy, and is now growing towards his laſt declenſion. Saint Hierome ſaith, that his face was pale with faſting, that his body was cold, his fleſh halfe dead already; yet he complaines, that in his witheted carcaſe the flames of luſt did boile, and that his minde was inflamed, and even all in a ſcalding f…e with fleſhly deſires, and old hee was alſo; and therefore we ſee in the beſt men that be, age of it ſelfe is no priviledge; none muſt dare to heare himſelfe bold on his age: Satan can helpe an old man and woman to a wanton eye, to a young tooth; ſin is not ſo much in the act as in the affection, it … in the root: and GOD will suffer ſuch … one to fall into burning paſſions, that by his … experience he may learne to know, that ſinne is properly p. 401and immediately in the ſoule, and the ſoule growes not old; that grace,Ariſt. de A…im. l. 1. c. 5. Turpe eſt cum aetate ſenueris, & defluxeris, libidinem tamen minime conſenuiſſe. not age, muſt be the death of ſin: now an old man to fall into the paſſions and luſts of youth is monſtrous, and proves almoſt uncurable. To ſee an old man covetous, is no ſuch ſtrange ſight, but to ſee him laſcivious is a great eye-ſore;Na…. orat. 40. p. 648. as to ſee an old man to be affected with the Gowte and Stone,Edit. …aris. the diſeaſes of age is not ſo much,Turpe ſen… lis amor. but to ſee an old body to bee taken with the diſeaſes of youth,Petrarch. is a ſtrange ſight,Epiſt. l. 5. and proves moſt dangerous;Epiſt. 9. as to have the ſmall-pox, the wormes, and other diſeaſes of children; ſo in his ſoule, to finde an old body wantonly given, to be carried away with affections of uncleanneſſe, which are properly and commonly the luſts of youth, is dangerous: I wiſh then old people to keepe off, and not to thruſt themſelves upon the fire, relying too much p. 402on their age: yea, ſay that a man hath paſſed over his youth, with ſome freedome this way, and it may be, hath not felt himſelfe much given after this veine, yet he were beſt ſee that he hang not looſe when he comes to yeares, for wee have the confeſſion of a moſt ſtrict and godly man, Gregory Nazianzen by name,In Carmin. De rebus ſuis & de Calamit ani… ſuae. who having in his freſh and younger time, carried a good hand over theſe luſts, when old and even done, he cries out that hee was haunted and peſtered moſt miſerably with them. And David a better man than he, yet it was in the afternoone of his age,2 Sam. 11.2 Sam 11 that hee fell into adultery. And when Salomon was old, ſaith the Text,1 Kin. 11. 3, 41 Kgs 11:31 Kgs 11:4 hee doted on an our-landiſh woman:Neh. 13. 26.Neh 13:26 how comes …his? Like enough, becauſe men being young feare themſelves, when old, they thinke the worſt is paſt, truſt too much to the advantage of the body, lye not in p. 403their armour, have not their weapons ready, and then Satan is too hard for them. 2. When old, then men are ſubject to much ſpirituall pride, and that perhaps, becauſe they ſtood ſo free from this ſinne, as though they had beene ſomewhat in themſelves; and now to cure that ſpirituall ſickneſſe, this baſe tentation is ſuffered to moleſt them. 3. If they had beene thus ſet upon, when hot and young and full of ſap, with ſuch ſtrong motions this way, like enough they ſhould and would have ſunke and yeelded: and GOD will have ſuch know by their owne feeling, what theſe luſts meane; wherefore that they may not receive that hurt by the temptation and impulſion, they have their hands full of them when old and cold, who did ſcape them, when greene and young. However, I wiſh both young and old, by all meanes to p. 404beware of this Snake.

Thirdly, whether they be, or bee not given to this ſinne, yet care muſt be uſed, to be as much as we can out of the way, when the tentation doth come; ſuch as are much given to this ſinne have cauſe to looke round about them, becauſe Satan hath ſuch a potent friend in their boſome, hee holds a ſide and a faction in the hearts of ſuch. This ſinne is a ſinne which is much drawne out by the temper of the bodie, it holds more of the body than any; as we ſee it ſhewes not it ſelfe, till the body comes to ſuch an age: it may rather than any be called a bodily ſinne; if then wee finde that by the conſtitution and graine of the body, as alſo by ſiniſter education, or otherwiſe the minde and heart runne much or more than ordinary this way: ſuch muſt be at it day and night, to keepe the occaſion away all they can; to keep p. 405themſelves away, not to bee within (as it were) when Satan comes, to call in for all the helpe they can, to put the matter into Gods hands, to weaken the corruption, to breake the blow of the tentation, or elſe mightily to ſtrengthen us; as knowing that ſuch walke in the midſt of dangers, and by care and feare and other meanes, it is brought to paſſe, that ſuch as have moſt inclination to uncleanneſſe, prove the chaſteſt of all. That is not properly chaſtity, when a man hath no minde at all, but frigidity.

If but a little by reaſon of his temper, he may thanke his body: but when a man feeles raging luſts, and yet by reſiſting, by chaſtiſing his body, by praying, faſting, by following God in the uſe of his remedies, by begging chaſtity from heaven, gets power and ſtrength that is the chaſt man. There is no luſt ſo hotte and violent, but p. 406Gods medicines being rightly applied will coole and heale. And now, for ſuch as are not very violent that way, by reaſon of education, being ever kept under the wing, or of complexion, or becauſe as yet by the providence of God have not beene much tempted; ſuch are apt to fall, becauſe they doe not ſuſpect themſelves, care not to goe armed becauſe they dreame of little or no danger: now here Satan hath great advantage, for bee the inclination this way with the leaſt; yet if wee beare our ſelves bold, and Satan bee let to have his way, he will make a mountaine of a mole-hill, and bring men to a miſerable paſſe with ſcalding affections, let him (the Devill) have leave to blow the fire, and then (in reſpect of this ſin) the moſt naturally chaſt men in the world, ſhall have cauſe enough to crie out, O wretched man p. 407that I am. Such then as … no great matter this way, muſt yet be wiſe, and keepe watch and ward, not thruſt themſelves upon the Devils dangers, leaſt they ſmart for it.

4 Both old and young, ſingle, and married, more or leſſe addicted to theſe paſſions. All I ſay, all are to ſee that they take theſe caveats.

1 Religious people muſt take heed one of another. Many when they meet thinke no hurt when they come nigh one another, but are the worſe one for another ere they part: it is no hard matter for Sathan to turne religious affections into carnall: we ſee in the Elements that are Symbolicall and agree in one quality the tranſmutation is eaſie, as of water into aire, becauſe both agree in moiſture, ſo here becauſe ſome men and ſome women beare a deere affection and love one to another; p. 408there lyes danger, leſt Satan cauſe it to degenerate into fleſhly luſt. This caveat is in Paul, Rebuke the younger women as Siſters, with all purity, 1 Tim. 5. 2. So that a mortified Timothy had need ſee to it, that when hee is to rebuke young godly women, he doe it, not with ſome onelyonly, but with all purity and chaſtity, for feare of the worſt. 2. Care muſt be had of ſuch as are our kindred in the fleſh; the ſin is inceſt, and being great: our Originall ſin, when once the vaile of modeſtie is downe, and the wall that nature makes broken, then, I ſay, our corrupt fleſh growes even mad after this ſin, as in Amnon with Thamar. The change is eaſie, from naturall love to carnall. Againe, ſuch as are neere in bloud, thinke they may make bold one with another, and many times feare nothing till they are caught, ere they once dreame of it; and p. 409then the world takes no notice to ſee men and women who are of alliance (any thing neere) to toy and ſport one with another, to bee together and alone too, which proves but a cloake for moſt abhominable inceſt: I could therefore deſire ſuch to ſee to themſelvs, and beware of the leaſt motions and occaſions of this foule vice. The like for affinity, I propoſe it to men, not to come to neere the daughters of their wives by a former husband, nor the ſiſters of their wives, nor women to be too bold with the ſons of their husbands by a former wife, nor with the brothers of their husbands, leaſt too much of the affection hee beares to his wife fals on his wives ſiſter. Satan can turne hands here ere wee thinke of it, and make carnall luſt out of that love, which we beare to our wives kindred. Ad but this, that the daughter or p. 410ſiſter of the wife carries many times the proportion of the wife, and out of that, the divell can ſuck much poyſon; to draw the man to dote on the ſiſter or daughter of his wife; as on his wives picture, till it goe ſo far that all is too little for the ſiſter, nothing but bitterneſſe left for the wife; and what tentations of uxoricide and the like, Satan can deſtill out of theſe baſe and monſtrous births, I leave it to others to judge.

3. Great heed is to be taken of ſuch as are under our power, as of man-ſervants and maid-ſervants, and the rather if they be comely, they are in our way every day, come neere our perſons, and Satan uſeth to tempt on both ſides the hedge if hee can. See this in Ioſephs Miſtris, hee was a ſervant in the houſe, gave her no occaſion, onelyonly ſhe let her eyes fix on his perſon,Gen. 39. 6.Gen 39:6 he being a very proper young man p. 411and a little and a little, ſhe was overtaken and went ſo far, that no bonds of modeſty could hold her in; and when Ioſeph had got off from her, the Text ſaith,Gen. 39. 10wGen 39:10 he came no more where ſhee was. The occaſion muſt be put a way in al theſe tentations what ever we doe. Many think they muſt get the conqueſt, and yet keepe the occaſions by them ſtill: No, Ioſephs miſtris was to put away Ioſeph; had he beene a better man, a better ſervant than he was: Satan coozens us out of all cry in this, when he beares us in hand that it is no conqueſt except we do beat away the tentation, and yet keep the occaſion by us:To venture on the occaſion ſhewes there is in the heart an implicite conſent to the ſin, tho for the preſent we ſeem to feele the contrary. for he knowes that ordinarily, we neither can nor ſhall get the victory, except we do put away the occaſions from us, when it is ſuch a thing, or ſuch a perſon, as may lawfully be removed: God will not remove the tentation, except we p. 412doe remove the occaſion; to pray that it may away, and yet keepe (Ioſeph) with us, is all one, as though we ſhould hold our finger in the fire, and pray to God it ſhould not burne. It is not enough to ſay, that the fault is not in Ioſeph, hee doth not entice; for if Satan and corruption entice the miſtris to Ioſeph by the eye, Ioſeph muſt bee put out of ſight, and Ioſeph if poſſibly and lawfully hee may, muſt remove himſelfe too, elſe in ordinary courſe the cure will not be done; and when we have another, and the fire take there too, that perſon muſt bee done away alſo, and ſo on till at laſt the conflict will ceaſe, and the victory will come: it is not enough when once caught, to turne the eye away: but the object of the eye muſt bee out of ſight, that it may be out of mind and then when another comes, be before hand, prevent the cunning p. 413of Sathan by keeping the eye off. Iob as honeſt and as chaſt a man as lived, yet he did make a covenant with his eyes, that hee would not thinke on a maid; by the courſe of the letter he ſhold have ſaid, that hee made a covenant with his eyes, that hee ſhould not looke on a maid; but in ſtead of ſaying looke, hee ſaith thinke, becauſe …ooking uſually brings thinking,Iob 31. 1.Job 31:1 and thinking, worſe. A maid hath an inclination in it in one ſenſe, and a cut loafe a covered cup carries ſtrong poyſon in it in another ſenſe; whether maid or maried, hee doth beſt who binds his eyes from ſuch looking, that he be not overtaken, and when the fire is once in, he doth next beſt, who puts the object out of ſight and out of mind. Some cry out on their eyes, and doth even wiſh their eyes out, and in this ſenſe they may as well wiſh their hands off, their feet off, their eares off, p. 414and member after member til al were off, this is but to complain of God who made us theſe mē bers and ſenſes: this is not the way, it doth not pleaſe God, and were it as we wiſh, it would not pleaſe us; for were we blinde, all would bee one as long as the fire is unquenched within, and our paſſions are ſuffered to bee up. Wee know what Chriſt ſaith,Ioh. 17. 15.John 17:15 I pray not that thou ſhouldſt take them out of this world, but that thou wouldſt ſanctifie them through thy truth: ſo we are not to wiſh our eyes out, but our ſin out; and to pray him to ſanctifie our hearts and eyes by his truth; and then away out of doores with that which wee (being led by our luſt) have made the object and occaſion, and it will mend and grow better. It is true, that if the object be removed, the tentation for the time may ceaſe, and no victory; as keepe a Sow from p. 415mire in a Meddow, and the Sow wallowes not, take away the Load-ſtone, and the Iron moves not: here is no reall change, the intention of the minde is not changed, nor the affection of the heart neither. Such have a minde and a deſire to the old luſt ſtill; but if a man can remove the occaſion of his owne proper motion, not another take it away, but hee himſelfe put it away; not be kept from it, but keepe ones ſelfe of ones owne will from it; this is from grace and here is a victory.

Vſe theſe and the like means and hold on for a competent time in uſing of them, and wee ſhal conquer, the tentation muſt and will away: Diſ-may not, though the conqueſt come not preſently: what? Give over becauſe the phyſick doth not heale at once taking? Be out of heart becauſe all is not done in a day? It is not ſo eaſie to untie p. 416a knot in a ſilken thread; the conſcience is of a fine ſpinning, and knots knit there, and ſuch as have bin long a knitting too, will not bee undone on a ſudden: have patience, give it time and now ſome and then ſome, Gods medicines will heale; and when wee finde the cure done, and wee get ſome ſtrength of grace, by all meanes remember to be thankefull, leſt the tentation come againe, and bring ſeven worſe than its ſelfe. But what if the eaſe I finde, be onelyonly, becauſe ſin and Satan in skill doe ceaſe to tempt: if ſo, then our danger remaines, we keepe our weapon about us, wee may know, if it be onelyonly a ceaſing to tempt, and the luſt is onelyonly for a time aſleepe. Firſt, if it bee done without uſing GODS meanes in Gods feare. Secondly, if we finde that the luſt is only left not hated, but if the ſinne be hated, then it is more than p. 417a bare ceaſing from the ſinne: for Satan forbearing; and ſinne ſleeping cannot bring us to an hatred of the ſinne: I ſpeake not onelyonly of a diſapproving of the ſin, for ſo a civill man may doe; and becauſe it did moleſt us, we may thence be brought to a diſlike of it; but if wee finde that we can hate it, this proves that there is grace in us, a divine nature which is contrary to that luſt: and that chaſtity is now in the place of the tentation, and this cannot come onelyonly from Satans ceaſing and forbearing. To ceaſe is but a negative thing, but chaſtitie is a poſitive qualitie; which meere negative ceaſing and giving over to ſolicite and tempt, can never worke in us. Thus when our chaſt affections are had out of the fire, and we have attained this power by ſpirituall meanes uſed, and waiting upon God for the ſucceſſe. Diſpute nor, ſay, I have gotten p. 418the victory, and the God of heaven hath eaſed mee of the vexation, given mee a chaſt minde to my content and my comfort: with body and ſoule both, wee muſt exceedingly rejoyce in this vertue.1 Theſ. 4. 4.1 Thess 4:4 It is a grace which doth not onelyonly ſanctifie, but grace and beautifie us: all the paint in the world cannot caſt ſuch a ſhining verniſh on the very body of a man, as chaſtitie doth.

Thus much to ſhew the readie way, how to prevent the tentation of luſt and uncleanneſſe. The laſt of all, is in a word to helpe us out, in caſe wee doe goe too far, we muſt take heed of both the extreames. 1. That we doe not run upon the Rocks of Deſpaire; there is nothing got by diſcouragement, during the time of huge and mightie terrors: it may bee wee ſhall have no minde nor heart to tamper with thoſe luſts againe, p. 419but yet for other ſinnes, every way worſe, worſe to God, and worſe to us; we lye all open to them, when we are in great dejection, as Diſcontent, Diſtruſt, a ſecret riſing againſt God, Vnthankefulneſſe, A finding fault with all that God either ſaith or doth, No care of the Word, to reckon no other of the Scripture, than of our very Neckverſe, and a world of miſchiefes more, which are the greateſt ſinnes: indeed in theſe occaſions wee are very apt to fall off from Gods merciemercy, to frie in helliſh ſorrow: no ſins doe ſo fire the conſcience of a man, as theſe luſts of uncleanneſſe doe; they ſtare in our faces, looke upon our conſciences, as it were, with the eyes of ſo many devils: and in this reſpect wee muſt take great heed that wee be not quite out of heart; when a man is paſt hope, hee is in his own ſenſe paſt grace; and when p. 420a man is made a terrour to himſelfe,Biblida quid refer…? Ovid. de Arte. great danger is at hand; and therefore when frights doe come, and ſuch doe finde themſelves too to apt to joyne with the motion to deſpaire; looke upon Gods love, beare up in an apprehenſion and application of his merciemercy. Looke upon inſtances in the Word, of better men than wee are, who in the ſame or the like have ſeene a good end of all, and are now with the Lord. 2. The other extreame is to grow ſenſeleſſe, to be paſt feeling; wee are apt in theſe caſes to feele too much or too little; for if our terrours overcome us, wee deſpaire, if wee overcome them by faith, wee take comfort, if wee put them off by the fleſh; we grow ſecure, and it is common out of great feares to runne into great want of feeling, and ſo we finde it in the Apoſtle,Eph. 4. 13.Eph 4:13 that laſciviouſneſſe breeds in us a ſenſeleſneſſe, p. 421it feares up the conſcience, and ſuch come to be paſt feeling. To open this, there is a partiall want of feeling, when wee commit ſinnes and aile nothing in ſome particulars. Thus wee finde that otherwiſe good people, breake out into exceſſes in buying and ſelling, doe they care not what in matters of profit and feele nothing; the conſcience ſees all, ſaith nothing, or as good as nothing: one would wonder how men can ſell day, (I ſpeake not againſt giving day, but ſelling of it,) let out their money to uſe, hoard up corne, directly againſt the Word of God in the very letter,Pro. 11. 36Prov 11:36 make up ſome peeces of workes on the Lords day, are told of it in the miniſtry, and yet nothing come of it; why? Becauſe cuſtome in them and in others hath taken away their feeling: covetouſneſſe hath made them in moſt matters of p. 422commodity to bee paſt feeling, yet this is but partiall; we meane not to ſay that thoſe allow thoſe ſins, for the point is, that though the Word be plaine, yet cuſtome doth ſo dazle their eyes, that they cannot in the particulars ſee the right: ſo David and Salomon did multiply wives againſt that Text, Deut. 17. 17. The like did the Patriarches for Polygamie. And the beleeving Gentiles ſaw not ſingle fornication to be more than a thing indifferent, Act. 15. 20. 21, 25. Rev. 2. 15. 20. Yet this fornication is forbidden in the Word. So great is the force of cuſtome: But ſhould theſe men meddle halfe ſo much in forbidden luſts of uncleanneſſe: oh what pangs riſe in their conſcience, they feele it with a witneſſe: But now the paſſions of laſciviouſneſſe, when once men have broken thorow the terrours of it, which uſually come firſt; then p. 423they bring a man to a total ſenſeleſneſſe to be paſt feeling, not only in theſe and the like affections, but in all univerſally to make conſcience of nothing, to commit any ſinnes that comes to hand with all greedineſſe, devoure any thing, like ſome ſtomackes, and be never troubled with it: it is ſo ſenſuall a ſinne and gives ſuch a blow to the naturall conſcience too, that like a ſound knocke on the head, it takes away all ſenſe and feeling; let Satan propoſe what he will, nothing comes amiſſe; for this ſinne of uncleanneſſe fights againſt both light of nature and grace, and if the naturall conſcience ſpeake and wee will not heare, and the ſpirituall conſcience crie, and we will not hearken; the conſcience will grow ſpeechleſſe, and ſpeake no more: and hence it is that ſuch as come to a cuſtome in ſome covetous practiſes▪ are paſt feeling in p. 424ſome things for ſome time, but ſuch as come to a cuſtome in the luſt of uncleanneſſe are ſoone made to be paſt feeling ſimply and totally, ſcruple at nothing whatſoever.

Sith then the danger is as great as a ſeared conſcience comes to, ſuch as have broken the peace with God, muſt returne and make all haſte to**2 Cor. 12. 21.2 Cor 12:21 repentance; the crie is ſo great and the ſight of it is ſo odious, and the ſenſe of it is ſo grievous at firſt, and ſo palpable, that we may with the more eaſe come to repent. It is a ſinne that doth convince it ſelfe to bee a ſinne, (till a man hath loſt his judgement and his ſpirituall taſte,) while it is a doing, the judgement cries ſhame, and there is little to doe, becauſe our worke lyes in a manner onelyonly with our affection, whereas many paſſions of anger, and pride, and covetouſneſſe are ſuch, that the offender p. 425is long ere hee can bee brought to ſee the thing to be a ſin, the fact to be a fault. But in pollutions of uncleanneſſe they are ſo direct againſt the principles of reaſon, and ſo flat againſt al ſhew of Religion, that they carry their conviction in their mouthes, which makes the heart the more ready to entertaine the work of repentance unto life. Iudah repented, David repented, Lot repented, and ſo did Thamar, and ſo did others, and they were taken into ſpeciall favour and honour, as we ſee them upon record in the firſt of Matthew. Thoſe ſinnes which much humble, doe much honour; none humble more than ſuch baſe luſts: David died in honour, Mary Magdalen is in great honourin the Church of God; Chriſt to comfort and honour her,Mat. 28. 9.Matt 28:9 appeared firſt and foremoſt to her, what ever heales the ſoule heales the name. p. 426repentance doth both. The truth of our repentance wil beſt appeare; if wee goe away as Iudah did and doe ſo no more,Gen. 38. 26Gen 38:26 come not neere the garment ſpotted with the fleſh;Iud. v. 13Judg 5:13 affections of another nature are more apt to bring a relapſe than theſe paſſions, they leave ſuch a ſting and ſent behind them, goe away (but with a ſmart,) have ſuch a taſt, and are ſuch a baſe ſight that few relapſe; ſuch as are by Gods mercy cured of theſe diſeaſes, are commonly ever after very chaſt, Become as children in all purity and chaſtity: when wee fetch out a great ſtaine, the cloth is after whiter than ordinary, and ſo after this ſtaining ſin is waſhed away: ſuch muſt be very holy, paſſing chaſt; beware of the leaſt ſparke of ſin: this is the meaning of that of Iohn the Baptiſt,Mat. 3. 8.Matt 3:8 Bring forth fruits meet or worthy of repentance: how p. 427worthy of repentance? It is that when a man hath beene at it in the worke of repentance; his workes and deeds muſt afterwards be better than ordinary; hee muſt looke like a true penitent,Opus Imperf. in c. 3. Mat. Hom. 3. that as a Phyſitian can judge by the colour of the face that his patient is recovered, ſo muſt our workes ſhine and carry ſuch a luſtre and colour with them, that one of skill may read it as written in our faces, that there is amendment of life, that now all is well and ſound within.

And ſay by intemperate courſes, one have bin the occaſion of haſtning our owne end before the time. I grant that there is juſt cauſe (as Salomon ſpeakes) to mourne at the laſt,Pro. 11. 5.Prov 11:5 when the fleſh and the body are conſumed, and we are accidentally guilty of haſtening our owne death, before the time of Natures Period, but never p. 428before the time of Gods councell: mourne here & ſpare not, but yet not as men without hope, repentance will mend this alſo. Firſt, hardly one man in a thouſand, but one way or other, more or leſſe, cuts off ſome of his dayes. Had it not bin for one thing or other, hee might have lived a day, a yeere longer; as I thinke is plaine enough in David, who was bedrid at or about the age his father begat him; either nature would have laſted, or might have laſted longer in almoſt all, were it not for ſome defect, exceſſe, or default in our ſelves: and therefore this accuſation lies againſt almoſt all. Secondly, this is beſides a mans intention to give his yeeres to the cruell.Pro. 5. 9.Prov 5:9 The Libidinous intention is to ſatisfie this ſin in the luſts thereof; in that there is withall a waſte of the radicall moyſture, and thereby a cutting p. 429off of his dayes; this is by accident only, and a conſequent of the thing done, not a thing meant by the door. Thirdly, ſith repentance heales the pollution intended by the offender, it is againſt Religion & reaſon both, to queſtion whether it will heale the cōſequent conſumption not intended. Amen.