Four Sermons, Sermon 1
FOVRE SERMONS.
The two firſt, OF GODLY FEARE: On Hebrewes 4. Verſe 1.
By Robert Cleauer.
The two last. Of Chriſtian LoueLove and Life. On Canticles 2. Verſe 10.
By Richard Webb.
2 Chronicles 15.2. The Lord is with you while you be with him.
LONDON: Printed by THO. SNODHAM, for ROGER IACKSON, and are to be ſould at his ſhop neere to Fleetſtreet Conduit 1613.
THE FIRST SERMON: OF GODLY FEARE.
HEBREVVES 4. VERSE 1.
Let vsus feare therefore, leaſt at any time, by forſaking the promiſe of entring into his reſt, any of you ſhould ſeeme to be depriued.
THeſe wordes doe depend vponupon the former Chapter; where the writer of this Epiſtle propoſeth vntounto the HEBREVVES the example of their forefathers, ſhewing how they rebelled in the wilderneſſe, and hardned their hearts, and refuſed to yeeld obedience vntounto the word of the Lord, for which cauſe he ſwore that they ſhould not enter into his reſt, viz. into the land of Canaan; and therein vvas as good as his word; for they all periſhed in the wilderneſſe. The like hee declareth to hauehave fallen out in the time of Dauid, to wit, that they refuſed to hearken vntounto Gods voyce, and therefore were excluded from the heauenly reſt, albeit they inhabited the land of CANAAN, which was a Type thereof. Herevpon the Apoſtle enforceth an exhortation by way of application, wherein we may obſerue:
1 Firſt, the duties which they ought to looke vntounto, which are theſe two:
1 Firſt, to the intent they may not be like the rebellious Iſraelites, they muſt get an holy feare into their hearts.
2 Secondly, they muſt lay holde of the promiſe, and not forſake or reiect the ſame.
2 Secondly, the reaſons to moue them therevnto, which are alſo two:
1 The firſt whereof is taken from the miſerable ſucceſſe of them that were formerly diſobedient, to wit, that their carkaſſes fell in the wilderneſſe, Chapter 3.17. Let vsus feare [therefore,] that is, conſidering what ſinnes they committed, and what fearefull iudgements they incurred, let vsus looke better to our ſelues.
2 The ſecond is drawen from the danger that would enſue vntounto themſelues, if they did not follow his exhortation; they might ſeeme to be depriued of that reſt which God promiſed vntounto his people.
Let vsus, &c.] Here we may note whom he doth admoniſh, in this word [vsus] which importeth thus much: let vsus Hebrewes; let me that am the writer of this Epiſtle; let all that are in CHRIST IESVS, euen eueryevery one of vsus, feare, &c. Now, in that hee ioynes himſelfe with thoſe, to whom hee giues this caueat, the Doctrine is, that
Hee that doth faithfully inſtruct others, Doct. 1 will alſo inſtruct himſelfe with his owne precepts.Faithfull Teachers will teach themſelues. Rom. 1.23.
The neglect of this, is greatly condemned by the Apoſtle Paule, who ſpeaketh vntounto the Iewes in this manner; Thou that teachest another, teacheſt thou not thy ſelfe? and thou that preacheſt a man ſhould not ſteale, doſt thou ſteale? &c. In which place he ſheweth that it is a fearefull and inexcuſeable ſinne for a man to take vponupon him to be an informer of others, and in the meane time to be vtterly vntaught himſelfe, in reſpect of any working and ſauing inſtruction; neither was this holy Apoſtle more ready to cenſure the omiſſion of this duty in others, than he was carefull to practiſe it himſelfe: for 2 Cor. 7.1. hee ſaith; Let vsus clenſe our ſelues from all filthineſſe of the fleſh and ſpirit, and grow vp vntounto full holineſſe, in the feare of God: where wee ſee that hee maketh himſelfe one of the number. So alſo, Rom. 7. when hee dilates at large of the corruption that is inherent in mans nature, he ſtill layes load vponupon himſelfe, and ſpeakes as if no body were in ſuch caſe as he was. What I would (ſaith he) that doe I not, Rom. 7.15.but what I hate, that doe I: and Ver. 18. I know that in me, that is, in my fleſh, there dwelleth no good thing: and Ver. 24. O wretched man that I am, who ſhall deliuer me from the body of this death? And as in the matter of humiliation, ſo likewiſe in the matter of conſolation hee ſpeaketh in his owne perſon, ſeeking to apply the comfort to himſelfe, as well as to offer it vntounto others; I thanke God through Ieſus Chriſt our Lord, v. 25. q.d. He it is that muſt deliuer me, and all his elect from the bondage of ſinne, and that by Ieſus Chriſt, for which I render humble and heartie praiſes vntounto his Diuine Maieſtie. And againe, Phil. 1.21. he ſaith; Chriſt is to me both in life and in death aduantage. So that in matters of exhortation and of inſtruction, of humiliation and of conſolation, hee includeth himſelfe within the number of thoſe with whom hee hath to deale. And it ſtands with reaſon that Miniſters and Gouernors, and all ſuch as are to admoniſh others, ſhould take this courſe.
Firſt, becauſe their need requireth it: Reaſons. 1 for hauehave not they (as well as others) corruption in them, that needs to be repreſſed? hauehave not they many failings that ought to be reformed? hauehave not they much diffidence and diſtruſt in them, againſt which they muſt be ſtrengthned? If it fare thus with them, as none can deny, meet it is that they ſhould take their part with others, when they eyther reproue, or exhort, or comfort, or the like: and indeed, the Lord allots them a portion, together with the reſt of his ſeruants, euen as good houſeholders doe allow their Baker, and Bruer, and Cooke, and other officers, that makes prouiſion for the whole family, their ſtint of vittailes as farre foorth as any other, for whom they prepare the foode.
Secondly, this is a great incouragement and ſingular motiue vntounto them that are inſtructed, or exhorted, &c. to cauſe them to make vſe of that which is ſpoken, when they ſee men to take vp the like burdens themſelues, as they lay vponupon their ſhoulders, and that they doe not deale hypocritically, as the Phariſes did, who impoſed heauy burdens vponupon others, when as they themſelues would not ſo much as touch them with one of their fingers. This, I ſay, makes mens words to be regarded and followed, when they require no more of others then they labour to doe themſelues; when they miniſter no medicines vntounto others, but they will firſt take them themſelues: and on the contrary part this cauſeth men to be eſteemed Phyſitians of no worth, when they will take vponupon them to cure others of thoſe faults, which they neuer ſeeke any redreſſe or reformation of in themſelues. He that will make boaſt that he hath a ſoueraigne remedie againſt the Stone, or the Gowre, or any the like maladie, and yet in the meane time be miſerably tormented with the ſame himſelfe, ſhall cauſe both himſelfe, and his skill, to be little ſet by.
Thirdly, it is dangerous and burdenous for mens ſoules not to ioyne themſelues with thoſe whom they doe inſtruct: for the things which they deliuer are eyther true or falſe: If falſe, how dare they propoſe them vntounto others for feare of infecting and poyſoning? If they be true, how can they but receiue them, and make vſe of them in their owne ſoules, vnleſſe they will hauehave their owne ſpeeches to be brought in as witneſſes againſt themſelues, and their owne admonitions to be as ſo many conuictions of themſelues to be altogether vnteachable and vntractable?
Fourthly and laſtly, they doe not onelyonly hurt their owne ſoules, but hereby they much diſhonour God, and diſaduantage his ſeruants. For let them perſwade men to be mercifull, to be liberall, to doe good vntounto all, and hurt vntounto none, &c. The anſwere of many wilbe this: you Miniſters, or you Parſons of the Goſpell, can giuegive good words, but where are your deedes? Such and ſuch we hauehave heard to deliuer as ſound exhortations as you doe, and yet (God knowes) they come ſhort enough in their practize. You can tell vsus that wee muſt be mercifull, &c. but ſurely there are none more rauenous then you Preachers: for there are many of you that will neuer be ſatisfied, but would heape together a whole world of liuings if you could get them. Thus is the name of God blaſphemed through ſuch mens looſeneſſe; and therefore doth the Lord forbid them to take his word into their mouthes, that caſt it behinde their backes, Pſal. 50.and hate to be reformed thereby. Holy ſpeeches are vtterly vnbeſeeming vnholy perſons, neither will the Lord hold them guiltleſſe, that doe in ſuch ſort take his glorious Name in vaine.
Therefore let vsus in our exhortations before wee ſpeake, Ʋſe 1 ſeriouſly be-thinke our ſelues what wee are to ſpeake, and as farre as poſſibly wee can, labour to digeſt it before hand. Let vsus be ſo teachers of others, that we be alſo learners our ſelues. If we hauehave matters of ill newes and of terrour to deliuer, let vsus not vtter them as if they did not concerne vsus, nor throw the threatnings of God abroad as durtes, whereof wee our ſelues are nothing at all afraid: but let vsus ſtriue to be inwardly moued and affected therewith, euen as the Prophet Habakkuk was with thoſe things vvhichwhich were reuealed vntounto him. When I heard (ſaith he) my belly trembled, my lips ſhooke at thy voice: rottenneſſe entred into my bones, and I trembled in my ſelfe, that I might rest in the day of trouble. Hab. 3.16.We ſhould be ſo farre from denouncing the iudgements of God in malice and diſtemper againſt the parties, that we ſhould endeauour throughly to affect our owne hearts with feare and griefe, before we vtter them vntounto others. And the like may be ſaid for inſtructions, or conſolations, which we are about to Miniſter vntounto any, we muſt in the firſt place make our owne vſe thereof.
Secondly, this is for the condemnation of thoſe that are appointed to be teachers of others, and yet none more vntaught than they: who are ſet as ſhepheards ouer Chriſt his ſheepe, and yet are themſelues as ſheepe without a ſhepheard, becauſe they are not ſhepheards vntounto themſelues, as all good Miniſters ought to be. Thence it commeth to paſſe, that albeit they giuegive others many good leſſons concerning merciemercy, and humilitie, and patience, and the like, yet none are more cruell, none more proud, none more reuengefull then they.
And ſo in families, many gouernors are to be rebuked, who are very hot and violent in dealing againſt the faults of their ſeruants, and children, without any conſideration of that like in themſelues: whereas eueryevery reproofe which they giuegive vntounto their inferiours, ſhould put them in minde of thoſe offences which either they hauehave committed, to be humbled for them, or which they may committe, to take greater heede of them, and to pray more earneſtly againſt them. And as for rebukes, ſo for chaſtiſements, they ſhould neuer correct either childe, or ſeruant, but they ſhould lay ſharper ſtroakes vponupon their owne hearts for their tranſgreſſions againſt the Lord, than they doe vponupon their bodies for their offences againſt them. Thus if they could doe, they might reape profit by eueryevery fault which is committed, and by eueryevery reproofe and correction which they giuegive for the ſame.
Let vsus therefore feare.] This is the firſt duty vvhichwhich they were to performe for the preuenting of thoſe euils which befell the ſtiffe-necked and rebellious Iſraelites, and for the keeping of themſelues in a better courſe than they tooke, whence this doctrine may be collected, that,
Whoſoeuer will conſtantly cleaue vntounto the LORD in a good way, Doct. 2 Godly feare very needfull.muſt awe his heart with an holy feare.
Therefore is it that wee are commaunded to ſerue the Lord in feare, Pſal. 2.11.and to reioyce before him with trembling. Whence we ſee that all the ſeruices of God, euen our reioycings and thankſgiuings, muſt be mingled with an holy feare. The like exhortation is giuen in another Pſalme, Pſal. 4.4.Tremble, and ſinne not; thereby implying that except men doe ſo, they cannot chuſe but ſinne.
Now the reaſons why thoſe that will ſtand in vprightneſſe, Reaſons. muſt be affected with a religious feare, are theſe:
Firſt, becauſe that is an excellent meanes to preſerue them from falling; for it ſheweth them the perill of ſinne, and breedeth in them a deteſtation thereof; it cauſeth them to diſcerne an hooke in Satans baytes, when he ſeemeth to proffer vntounto them a good morſell: it maketh them to ſee that there is a net ſpread for them, when carnall delights are preſented vntounto them: and therefore is it that Gods ſeruants doe ſtand in awe of thoſe puniſhments that are appointed for the workers of iniquitie, Iob 31.euen when they are tempted vntounto any euill, though neuer ſo ſecret; and by that meanes are preſerued from dangerous falles, when ſuch as are deſtitute of this feare of God, doe runne headlong into grieuous ſinnes, and ſo plunge themſelues ouer head and eares in vnaduoideable, and yet intollerable woes and miſeries.
Secondly, as the feare of the Lord is a ſoueraigne preſeruatiue to keep: men from falling; ſo is it an excellent helpe to reſtore them when once they hauehave fallen. For that will cauſe them ſeriouſly to conſider what arrerages they hauehave runne into, and what a dangerous caſe they are in, and ſo to beſtirre themſelues with all ſpeede and with all diligence to get out of the ſame; euen as one that perceiues he hath taken Ratſ-bane, or any deadly poyſon, will haſten to the Phyſition, and vſe all meanes that may be to free himſelfe from that danger wherein he ſtandeth.
Thirdly, as this ſanctified feare will reſtraine and recouer vsus from euill practiſes, ſo will it driue vsus forward vntounto holy duties, and make vsus breake through all inconueniences, and troubles, and oppoſitions, that would otherwiſe hinder vsus from the ſame. This holy feare will ouercome all fleſhly feares, and cauſe vsus to perſiſt in good wayes, Ier. 32.40.according to that of the Prophet Ieremy, who bringeth in the LORD, ſpeaking thus; I will put my feare in their hearts, and they ſhall not depart from me. No outward dangers can withdraw them from obedience; neither can any manner of difficulties hinder them from proceeding in good courſes: Gods voice is more forcible to make them goe on, than all the threatnings of men can be to ſtay them: and therefore thoſe that doe more dread mens words than the Lords, deale as abſurdly, as if they ſhould be more terrrified at the barking of a Curre that ſtands in the way againſt them, than of the voyce of a Lyon that purſueth them at the heeles to teare them in pieces, if they haſten not forward: or as if they ſhould be more afrayd of a childe that threatneth to ſtrike them, if they paſſe by him, than of a man of Warre that followeth cloſe after them to ſmite them with a ſword, if they goe not ſpeedily on their way. The holy men of God hauehave beene otherwiſe affected; 1 King. 22.Micaih was more fearefull of offending the Lord, than of diſpleaſing Ahab. When Moſes ſaw that God was angry with him for his carnall reaſoning againſt the Lords ſending of him vntounto Pharaoh, Exod. 4.14.18.he left off diſputing, and choſe rather to aduenture vponupon any perill, than vponupon Gods diſpleaſure. When Ieremy was threatned by the Lord, Ierem. 1.that if he would not deliuer his meſſage, hee ſhould be deſtroyed, the Prophet had done, and durſt make no more obiections in his owne behalfe: ſo effectuall is this bleſſed and holy feare, whereſouer it is throughly rooted and ſetled in the heart.
Which maketh firſt for the reproofe of thoſe that liue in preſumption, Ʋſe 1 and thinke it the beſt way to hauehave the promiſes performed vntounto them, to be bolde and confident that they ſhall be performed, though in the meane time they walke on in the practiſe of notorious euils, and ſo hauehave no ground at all whereon to build this their falſe and fond imagination and perſwaſion. Wee hauehave a ſtrong faith in God (ſay they) and doe beleeue that he will be mercifull vntounto vsus, and therefore nothing ſhall feare vsus; no, not the threatnings of the word that are denounced againſt vsus: as who ſhould ſay, they are but words of courſe that ſhall neuer take effect: but what is this leſſe than to giuegive God the lye? for he ſayth that adulterers and vncleane perſons, and lyars, and raylers, ſhall not enter into the kingdome of Heauen: but they ſay, albeit we liue in theſe ſinnes, yet wee ſhall goe to Heauen notwithſtanding; what horrible preſumption is this? and how miſerable muſt they needs be all, whoſe hope depends on this, that it may be the Lord is miſtaken, and that his doings will at length be found contradictory to his words?
A ſecond vſe of this point may be to teach vsus to get this holy feare of God into our hearts, and for this end to meditate on the glorious Maieſtie of the Lord, and on his wonderfull iudgements executed vponupon preſumptuous offenders, &c. whereby this affection may be begunne, and continued, and increaſed in vsus. On the firſt Commandement.Whereof elſe-where more largely.
Let vsus feare therefore; why? becauſe others prouoking the Lord were ſo grieuouſly plagued by him, let vsus be made more wary through their example. Whence we may learne this doctrine, that the falles of others before vsus, ſhould make vsus to looke better to our owne ſtanding.
Other mens ſinnes and plagues muſt be ſo many admonitions and forewarnings vntounto vsus, to take heed of the like. Doct. 3 Other mens euils muſt make vsus warie.This the Apoſtle preſſeth in the Epiſtle to the Corinthians, where, hauing ſpoken of diuers particular offences of the Iſraelites, and of the ſeuerall puniſhments that were inflicted vponupon them for the ſame, he maketh this concluſion, Now all theſe things came vntounto them for exſamples, 1 Cor. 10.11.12.and were written to admoniſh vsus, vponupon whom the ends of the world are come: wherefore let him that thinketh he ſtandeth, take heede leaſt he fall.
Whence we ſee it euident, that when the Lord puniſhed the ſtubborne and rebellious Iſraelites in the deſert, hee did ayme at the good of all his Elect that ſhould liue in ſucceeding ages, and cauſed that Story to be written that all that ſhould reade it might make their vſe of it, and become more wary by their example; that they be not murmurers, idolaters, fornicaters, tempters of God, &c. as they were, leaſt being found guilty of the ſame ſinnes, they pertake with them in the like puniſhments. In this very ſort alſo dealeth the Wiſeman in the Prouerbs; for, hauing ſhewed how dangerous and pernicious the entiſements and practiſes of the whoriſh woman are, hee thereupon inferreth, Pro. 7.25.26.27.Let not thy heart decline to her: wander thou not in her pathes, for ſhe hath cauſed many to fall downe wounded: and leaſt any ſhould too farre preſume vponupon his owne ſtrength, and ſo imagine that he ſhall eſcape better than others hauehave done; hee addeth. The ſtrong men are all ſlaine by her. Her houſe is the way vntounto the graue, which goeth downe to the chambers of death. q. d. It is euen like an houſe that is exceeding contagious, where few or none did euer eſcape if once they aduentured to come within the doores; and therefore as in that caſe eueryevery man will be carefull to auoyd the place, and will not ſo much as paſſe by the doores, or come vnderunder the windowes, much leſſe thruſt himſelfe in thither, where all that hauehave ventured to come in before, hauehave periſhed: ſo the holy Ghoſt aduiſeth vsus with all diligence and due circumſpection to ſhun the occaſions of adulterie, and not to come neere the houſe of the adultereſſe, but to auoyd it, as the very portall vntounto death, euen to eternall death, both of body and ſoule: and as Salomon gaue this in precept vntounto others, ſo hee obſerued it in practiſe himſelfe; Pro. 24.30.31.for ſeeing the field of the ſlothfull, and the Vineyard of the man deſtitute of vnderſtanding, to be all growne ouer with thornes and nettles, &c. he marked it well, and receiued inſtruction. The ſight hereof made him more wiſe: for he conſidered that pouertie did vſually come vponupon ſuch, Verſ. 3 2.as a Poſte, and neceſſitie like an armed man, that is, ſpeedily and vnreſiſtibly, and therefore hee tooke the greater care to ſhake off idleneſſe and ſluggiſhneſſe, vponupon which ſo great miſery doth attend, and will certainly enſue.
Now, Reaſons. let vsus conſider why wee ought to take warning by other mens harmes.
Firſt, there is the ſame corruption in vsus, as there is in them; the vnfaithful and diſobedient Iſraelites that were conſumed in the Wilderneſſe; the men of the old world that periſhed by the floud; nay, the moſt vile Sodomites that were burnt to aſhes with Fire and Brimſtone from Heauen, had no worſe a nature than wee hauehave: for all the ſonnes of Adam hauehave drawne an equall portion of originall corruption from the loynes of their firſt Father. If then we be all of vsus naturally alike inclinable vntounto euill, why ſhould not wee ſeare by others falles, leaſt wee be ouertaken in the ſame ſort? L…t that had carried himſelfe holily and chaſtely in Sodome, was a man very vnlikely (as wee would hauehave thought) to fall into inceſt, and to commit filthineſſe with his owne Daughters: yet ſuch vvas the vileneſſe of his nature, that by his Daughters meanes hee was drawen firſt vntounto drunkenneſſe, and then vntounto that other fowle and notorious euill before mentioned. And if ſuch a man as hee vvere ſo ſhamefully foyled, who can ſecure himſelfe from falling?
Secondly, Sathan is the ſame now, that heretofore hee hath beene: yea, and much more malicious becauſe he hath ſince then had a number of foyles, & his time is ſtill ſhorter, in which regard hee is more imbittered and enraged, and therefore more violent in tempting vntounto all manner of iniquitie: and hauehave not we then cauſe to tremble, when we conſider the falles of thoſe that hauehave gone before vsus?
Thirdly, the Lords threatnings denounced againſt ſinne, are the ſame ſtill, and the ſtrictneſſe of his iuſtice in executing them is no whit diminiſhed: but as hee is conſtant in his goodneſſe towards ſuch as obey him, ſo is hee in his righteouſneſſe toward ſuch as diſobey him; and if there be any difference betwixt theſe our times, and the dayes of old, it ſtandeth herein, that thoſe that are offenders now, are likely to ſpeede worſe than thoſe of former times, becauſe they hauehave had their examples, vvhichwhich ſhould hauehave made them more fearefull of prouoking the LORD, and yet hauehave not taken benefit thereby, but ruſhed vponupon thoſe greiuous ſinnes, for which others hauehave beene much condemned, and ſeuerely puniſhed.
Let this therefore be an inſtruction vntounto vsus, Ʋſe. 2 that we ſeriouſly conſider what breaches of the commaundements the Lord hath purſued with ſoreſt plagues heretofore, and ſo become watchfull ouer our owne hearts and wayes, that we be not found guiltie of the ſame: Nehem. 13, 17, 18.thus did Nehemiah when he ſaw the Sabbath prophaned by the Iewes, Then (ſaith he) I reproued the Rulers of Iudah, and ſaid vntounto them, what euill thing is this that ye doe, and breake the Sabbath day? Did not your fathers thus, and our God brought all this plague vponupon vsus, and vponupon our Citie? Yet yee increaſe the wrath vponupon Iſrael in breaking the Sabbath. In the ſame manner ſhould we reaſon: hath not the Lord ſmitten ſundry particular perſons in their eſtate for the prophaning of his holy reſt, beſides other ſtroakes that hauehave lighted vponupon their bodies and ſoules? Nay hath he not brought vponupon our whole Nation ſundry iudgements euen for this haynous ſinne among many other? Why then ſhould wee perſiſt in prouoking him ſtill, and ſo pull downe vponupon our heads one plague after another? So for the abuſing of the Lords ſupper, the Apoſtle ſaith, that many among the Corinthians were ſmitten with weakeneſſe, 1 Cor. 11.and ſickneſſe, and with death it ſelfe: what vſe ſhould wee make thereof? Surely this: Did not they then eſcape Gods afflicting hand, that came vnpreparedly, and vnworthily, without examining and iudgeing of themſelues, vntounto the holy Sacrament: then how can we expect to goe vnpuniſhed, if we pollute and defile that holy ordinance of God as they did?
The like may be ſaid of other ſinnes, as namely of thoſe wherewith the old world is charged, Luk. 17.26.27.viz. That they eat, and dranke, and maried, and gaue in mariage, vntounto the day that Noe entred into the Arke, and the floud came, and destroyed them all. That is, they liued in a profound worldlineſſe, being altogether careleſſe of heauenly matters, and ſetting their mindes vponupon nothing, but the things of this life: they did traffique onelyonly for their bodies, not at all for their ſoules. And was this ſo great a fault (will ſome ſay) for men to follow after their commodities and delights! Yes that they ſhould wholy giuegive ouer themſelues vntounto the purſuite of theſe was ſo offenſiue vntounto the Lord, that hee ſwept them all away by an vniuerſall deluge: they had ſo defiled the whole world, that it could not be throughly clenſed, till they were all waſhed away that were the offenders: And if wee follow them in thoſe carnall courſes, wee may iuſtly feare that the Lord will cut vsus off, as hee did them, though not in the like manner: if we be men of the world and for the world, making it our whole life and the very end of our being here, to eate, and drinke, and buy, and ſell, and plant, and build: in a word, if we be wholy addicted to our profit, and pleaſure and credit: and in particular for the matter of mariage, if wee looke wholy, or for the moſt part to perſonage, and portion, when wee are to make choiſe of yoake-fellowes for our ſelues and our children, not regarding vvhether they be Papiſts, or Atheiſts, or any manner of way prophane, ſo that they can ſatisfie our fleſhly affections for outward things; if (I ſay) we be thus diſpoſed, either wee ſhalbe cut off by an vntimely death, as the old world, and the Sodomites were, or if our dayes be prolonged, it ſhalbe to the increaſe of our woe and miſery, either in the time of our life, or after our death, or both. And whereas, concerning that former matter of carnall matches, ſome may imagine, that albeit they mary recuſant Papiſts, or others that are as bad, they can ſo order matters, that they will receiue no hurt by them, but bring them to Church, and ſo doe good vntounto them, let them not preſume too much vponupon their vaine conceits: Salomon was as wiſe as they: yet was not he able to conuert his Idolatrous wiues, but was himſelfe peruerted by them, and ſo hauehave many moe beſide him.
Wee can be thus prouident for our bodily ſafety, that when wee ſee one to be ſwallowed vp in ſome griefe, or to periſh in a quick-ſand, or the like, wee will retire, and not aduenture vponupon the perill: and ſurely the examples of Gods word, (though of things that hauehave beene acted many yeeres ſince) ſhould be more forcible to cauſe vsus to ſhunne ſpirituall dangers, than fearefull ſpectacles that are preſent before our eyes ſhould be to make vsus carefull of eſchewing corporall euils.
Therefore, in the ſecond place, Ʋſe 2 here is a iuſt reproofe of thoſe that are ſo farre from being afraid at the conſideration of the ſaults of their Anceſtors, that they are thereby much emboldned vntounto wicked practiſes: of which number are all Papiſts, and ſundry els that are popiſhly minded: Oh (ſay they) this is an ancient religion, an ancient cuſtome, &c. And what of that? Therefore let all Churches be defiled, and all particular perſons corrupted therewith: and ſo for the breaking of the Sabbath, it hath beene an vſuall thing time out of minde, (ſay they) and therefore why ſhould you finde fault with it? This is a bad argument: and if it might ſtand for a rule that the antiquity of a thing doth euer proue the lawfulneſſe thereof, what groſſe euill could be condemned as vnlawfull?
The Iſraelites hardning of their hearts in the wilderneſſe: the crying ſinnes of the Sodomites: the haynous offences of the old world; and the woefull diſobedience of our firſt Parents in Paradiſe, hauehave antiquitie for the maintenance of them, if that would ſerue the turne: but alas, that is ſo farre from making any fault alowable, that it cauſeth the committers thereof to be more in excuſeable, in as much as they hauehave not beene admoniſhed by the falls of ſuch as hauehave gone before them. Therefore let vsus neuer beare our ſelues in hand that we may warrantably take this or that courſe of life, becauſe others hauehave done ſo before vsus, vnleſſe wee can euidently proue out of the ſcriptures that they hauehave done well in ſo doing. Otherwiſe let vsus rather feare (as in this text wee are exhorted) than preſume to walke in their ſteps. To God the Father, to Ieſus Chriſt his Sonne, and to the holy Ghoſt, be all honour and glory aſcribed both now and for euermore.
Amen.