Exposition of Ezekiel 14-19, Commentary on Ezechiel · Chapter 16 · Verse 49

Exposition of Ezekiel 14-19 · Commentary on Ezechiel · Chapter 16 · Verse 49

p. 272VERS. 49.

Behold this was the iniquity of thy ſiſter Sodome: Pride, fulneſſe of bread, and abundance of idleneſſe was in her and in her daughters, neither did ſhee ſtrengthen the hand of the poore and needy.

IN this 49. verſ. he tels us the ſinnes of Sodome, and the firſt was,

Pride.

Heb. foreign Pride, foreign it is ſupergreſſio regulae rationis, or lifting up of the mind againſt a precept, or an inordinate deſire of excell…ncy in any thing. Auguſtine ſaith it is perverſae celſitudinis appetitus; it is a tumour and ſwelling of the mind, and lyeth principally in contemning and ſlighting of God himſelfe, his word, promiſes, threats, ordinances, worſhip, works: in ſelfe-eſteeme and admiration, in a ſwelling for gifts and graces, ſuccesfulnes of endeavours; for birth, breeding, wealth, honour, place, relation, and in deſpiſing of others.

It is either inward in the heart, Hab. 2.4. Prov. 16.5. Or outward, and that

1. In the ſpeech, Dan. 4.30. Is not this great Babylon that I have built for the houſe of the Kingdome? So Chap. 3.15. Who is that God ſhall deliver you out of my hands. Here was a tongue that ſpake proud things, Pſal. 12.3. 1 Sam. 2.3.

2. In the lookes, Prov. 6.17. A proud looke. Pſal. 131 1. My heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty.

3. In the habit of the body, ſo Herods pride appeared, Acts 12.21. So the rich mans, Luke 16.19.

4. In the geſture and carriage of the body, Iſa. 3.16. The daughters of Sion were haughty, and walke with ſtretched forth neckes, wanton eyes, mincing and tinkling with their feet.

5. In actions, Iſa. 3.5. The child ſhall behave himſelf proudly againſt the ancient. Nehem. 9.16.29. They and our fathers p. 273dealt proudly, hearkned not to thy commandements. So in feaſting and furniture, and in tenacity of opinions.

The evill and ſinfulneſſe of this ſinne will appeare in ſeverall particulars.

1. It blinds and hardens the mind and heart of man. Dan. 5.20. Nebuchadnezzars minde was hardned in pride: and reaſon ſo blinded, that he became bruitiſh.

2. Pride ſets a man in oppoſition to God: other ſins are averſions from God, this ſinne is comming againſt God; in other ſinnes they flye from God; in this ſinne they flye upon God. Jam. 4.6. God reſiſteth the proud. Men doe not reſiſt till they are ſet upon: when thieves ſet upon Travailers, if able they make reſiſtance: when the Devil ſets upon a Chriſtian with his temptations, then he reſiſ… ſo here, proud men ſet upon God, his Truths, his Church, and then he reſiſts them. foreign, Pſ. 73.9. They ſet their mouth againſt the heavens.

3. It's the root of other ſins; Abſoloms pride carryed him on to rebellion and other vile practiſes: it was Athaliahs pride which put her upon ſlaying the ſeed royall, that ſo ſhe might reigne, 2 King. 11. Prov. 13.10. Only by pride commeth contention. All the contention in families, in ſuits of law, in trading, in the pulpits, in the warres, have ſprung from pride. Ezek. 7.10. Pride hath budded. It's the nurſe of covetouſneſs: it was Hamans pride put him upon ſeeking and plotting the death of all the Jewes in Babylon.

4. It's that makes us like the Devill, it is morbus ſatanicus, and worſe then the French, or any other diſeaſe. 1 Tim. 3.6. Not a novice, leſt being lifted up with pride, he fall into the condemnation of the Devill. God therefore ſets Satan upon his ſometimes to prevent this evill. 2 Cor. 12.7. God had rather ſee him buffeted by Satan, then ſwell with pride.

5. It's that ſinne which makes God abhor man. Pro. 16.5. Everyone that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord: A proud looke is one of the things God hates, Prov. 6.16, 17. His hatred is great againſt proud men. Pſal. 119.21. Proud men are curſed: God delights in nothing more then his glory, and hee hates nothing more then pride, which p. 274would rob him of his glory. Domitian would be cal'd dominus deus.

6. It's a grand enemie to the ſpirituall good and ſalvation of man: the Goſpel ſaith, He that thinkes he knowes any thing, knowes nothing as he ought to know: a proud man thinkes hee knowes ſomething, if not all things; the Goſpel ſaith, a man muſt become a foole, that he may be wiſe, deny himſelfe, and goe to Chriſt for wiſdome, righteouſneſſe, redemption, grace, ſalvation: but a proud heart will not, he will be his owne α and ω the efficient and end of his owne actions. Yee will not come to me that you may have life, Joh. 5.40. therefore it's twice upon record, Iam. 4.6. 1 Pet. 5.5. God reſiſteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble: full ſtomacks loath the honey-comb. Matth. 11. Chriſt thanketh his Father that he had hidde the things of the Goſpel from the wiſe and prudent, from the proud men of the world.

7. It brings ſad calamities and ſore judgments upon men and places: pride hath blaſted many a mans parts. Prov. 15.25. The Lord will deſtroy the houſe of the proud. Haman, Ahitophel were proud perſons, and God deſtroyed them and their houſes. Herod was preſently ſmitten, and eaten of wormes, Acts 12. Iſa. 2.12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17. The day of the Lord of hoſts ſhall be upon every one that is proud, and he ſhall be brought low. Ʋpon all the cedars of Lebanon, all the oakes of Baſhan, high mountaines and hills. Ʋpon every high tower and fenced wall. Ʋpon all the ſhips of Tarſhiſh, and all pleaſant pictures: and the loftineſſe of man ſhall be bowed downe, and the haughtineſſe of men ſhall be made low.

The Jewes would not have Chriſt to reigne over them and they were quickly after ſcattered and deſtroyed, and Jeruſalem laid waſt: ſo Moab, Ammon, Aſſyria and Nineveh are threatned for their pride, Zeph. 2. Tyre, Ezek. 28. And here pride was the prima fax, the firſt firebrand that ſet Sodome on fire.

Pride muſt downe, as Chriſt ſaid of the buildings of the Temple; not a ſtone ſhall be left upon a ſtone. 2 Sam. 22.28. Gods eyes are upon the haughty that he may bring them downe: hee watches his opportunities to doe it.

p. 275He commands us not to be proud, Prov. 3.7. Be not wiſe in thine owne eyes.

Godly men have prayed againſt it. Pſ. 36.11. Let not the foote of pride come againſt me. Pſal. 19.12, 13. Cleanſe me from ſecret faults, and keepe backe thy ſervant from preſumptuous ſinnes.

Paul beate downe his body leſt hee ſhould be a reprobate, let us beate downe our ſpirits, leſt &c.

We have ſpoken of the firſt ſinne, viz. Pride, now we are come to the ſecond.

Fulneſſe of bread.

Heb. foreign which Montanus renders ſaturitas panis. Sep. foreign, pride in fulneſſe of bread: but the reading is diſtinct in the Originall; pride one ſinne, and fulneſſe of bread another. Aecol. abundantia panis.

Bread.

Is ſometimes uſed in holy language for all things needful for the ſupport and comfort of this life, as Lu. 11.3. Give us this day our daily bread; ſometimes only for what is edible and potable, and tends to the nouriſhment of man. 2 Sam. 9.7. ſaith David to Mephiboſheth, thou ſhalt eate bread at my table continually. In this ſenſe we are to take it here, for whatſoever men eate or drink, ſo Vatab. copia ciborum.

Fulneſſe.

Sodome was ſeated in a moſt fertile place, in the Plain of Jordane which was well watered every where, even as the Garden of the Lord, like the land of Aegypt, Gen. 13.10. It was like Paradiſe and Aegypt for fruitfulneſſe; one was watered with Euphrates, the other with Nylus, and this plain with Jordan, ſo that it abounded with graſſe, corn, cattle, fruit, and other pleaſant things. It was ſo fertile, that Luther thinks it was the place where Paradiſe was, thats diſputable: but we are ſure it was the place Lot choſe for its fruitfulneſſe when he left his brother Abraham: and it yeelded ſuch abundance, that the Sodomites had great plenty. You may demand whether a plentifull eſtate in corne, cattle, p. 276oyle, wine, fowle, fiſh, fruit, &c. be ſinfull, becauſe fulneſſe of bread, which imports theſe things, is reckoned up among Sodoms iniquities. The anſwer is, that plentifulneſſe of ſuch things is not evill, but a great bleſſing, and men thereby have occaſion to doe much good. The ſinne lyeth not in having of much meate and drinke, but in their exceſſive eating and drinking; they were intemperate, feeding and drinking ſo fully, that inſtead of ſatisfying, they ſurfeited nature: and here by fulneſſe of bread is meant both gluttony and drunkenneſſe; of both which, ſomething is to be ſpoken.

Gluttony may ſeeme to bee no ſinne upon a double ground.

1. From Matth. 15.11. Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth the man: ſaith Chriſt, that goeth into the belly, and is caſt out into the draught, verſ. 17. That is a ſinne doth defile, but nothing eaten doth ſo. It's true, that the meate eaten in its owne nature doth not defile; the meats forbidden to the Jewes, if any did eate of them at any time, the defilement lay not ſimply in the meate, but in the breach of the command, viz. eating forbidden meat; for if any meate did defile, ratione ſui of its owne ſubſtance and nature, it were never lawfull to eate that meate; but ſo doth no meate, it's therefore not the meate, but the inordinate deſire of meate which makes the ſinne, and cauſeth the defilement.

2. In whatſoever is ſinfull, the firſt motion thereunto is ſo; the firſt motion to anger, to idolatry, to uncleanneſſe is ſo: but now the principle or firſt motion to eating is hunger, and its moſt certain that is not ſinful; for then the more hungry any ſhould be, the greater ſinner he is.

For clearing this doubt you muſt know there is a double deſire of meate: one naturall, ſimply tending to the nouriſhment of the creature, and ſubſervient to the vegetative power of the ſoule: and this riſes not from any apprehenſion of this or that in the meate, but a naturae indigentia, only from want in nature: and this is truly cal'd hunger, and ſo farre from being ſinful, that the greater it is, the more it excuſeth liberall eating.

p. 2772. There is another deſire of meat which is ſenſitive, and tendeth to the pleaſing of the ſenſuall part in man, and fals under the power of reaſon; which the other did not, being meerly naturall: and here the firſt motion or deſire of meate beyond what ſound reaſon approves, is inordinate in the ſenſitive appetite, and ſo ſinfull.

Gluttony, the nature of it lyes in an inordinate deſire of eating, and men are ſaid to gluttonize ſeverall wayes.

1. When they deſire delicacies, not being content with thoſe meates providence hath given in. Numb. 11.4. The children of Iſrael being diſcontented with their Manna, fel a luſting, and ſaid, who ſhall give us fleſh to eate? Manna, heavenly and Angelicall food was loath'd by them, and now they muſt have ſome dainties to ſatisfie their luſts.

2. When they are too ſolicitous about the cooking and dreſſing of their meates, 1 Sam. 2.15. The Prieſts ſervant came & ſaid to the man that ſacrificed, Give fleſh to roaſt for the Prieſt, for he will not have ſodden fleſh of thee, but raw. Why would he have raw fleſh? that he might prepare and cooke it more curiouſly.

3. When men eate unſeaſonablie, and prevent the due time. Eccleſ. 10.16, 17. ther's a woe threatned when Princes eate in the morning, and the land is bleſſed when they eate in due ſeaſon; the morning is the time for them to doe juſtice. Jer. 21.12. Execute judgement in the morning. And now for them to eate, drink, feaſt, jovalize, when neither nature requires it, nor the time is ſeaſonable for it, this argues an in ordinate deſire of the creature. Iſa. 5.11. Woe to them riſe up early in the morning to follow ſtrong drinke. That's not a time to have the heart and thoughts taken up about pots and diſhes: So when men are ſet upon eating, before there be an halfe or full concoction of what they tooke in before.

4. When men are greedy of meate, not obſerving ſuch a decorum as becomes men; dogges, hawks, ſwine are greedy and haſty of their meat, & ravenous in eating. The Schoolmen ſay this was Eſau's ſinne, who ſlighting his birth-right, ſold it for pottage, and nimis avide ſumpſit cibum, greedily devoured them.

p. 2785. When men eate too much, exceeding in the quantity, and this is moſt properly gluttony: and this was Sodomes ſinne, fulneſſe of bread and drink, now too much is eaten and drunken.

1. When the health or ſtrength of the party eating and drinking is impair'd thereby; ſome overcharge nature with ſurfetting and drunkenneſſe, Luke 21.34. and ſo bring ſickneſſe and weakneſſe upon themſelves. Hence Eccleſ. 10.17. Bleſſed is the land when Princes eate for ſtrength, and not for drunkenneſſe.

2. When made heavy and dull, ſo that the operations of body and mind are hindered thereby, and men unfitted for the duties of their callings in publique or private. Prov. 23.21. ſpeaking of the drunkard and glutton, hee preſently mentions drowſineſſe; becauſe too much eating and drinking makes drowſie and unfits for all action.

3. When men ſit much at meate and drink, and through cuſtome or ſtrength can beare away much, though no prejudice come to their health, though they be not retarded and dul'd in the operations of body or mind; yet if men are given to eating and drinking, this fals within the compaſſe of ſin, and under the notion of gluttony and drunkenneſſe. When a man is given to covetouſneſſe, as Jer. 6.13. he is a covetous man; when one is given to pleaſures, as Iſa. 47.8. he is a man of pleaſure: ſo when one is given to eate and drink, he is a man of eating, a man of drinking, a man given to the appetite. Prov. 23.2. A man that lives to eate, and doth not eate to live,

I ſhall next come to ſhew you the evil of intemperate eating and drinking.

1. As it reſpects God.

2. Others.

3. Themſelves.

1. In reſpect of God, and ſo

1. It makes men forget God and his lawes, Hoſ. 13.6. According to their paſtures ſo were they filled; they were filled, and their heart was exalted, therefore have they forgotten me. Prov. 31.4, 5. Drinking wine and ſtrong drinke will make men forget the law of God and man.

p. 2792. It is ſetting up another God which is a notorious ſin, Phil. 3.19. Whoſe God is their belly. The Babylonians had Bel for their God, a god of braſſe: but theſe men make their bellies their god, a god of fleſh; their thoughts, care, endeavours are more to pleaſe their bellies, their idoll god, then the true God; they do all things ventris cauſa. Their end is delight in edibles, and potables. They are ventricolae, belli-gods, which love good liquor and good cheare. They ſerve their bellies, Rom. 16.18. The Rabbies ſay, he is a glutton or belly-god that eates a pound of fleſh, and drinks a quart of wine: we have many ſuch. And do not thoſe drink healths upon their knees, ſacrifice it to thoſe they drink unto, and make gods of them?

3. They abuſe the good creatures of God, which they ſhould uſe for the honour and glory of his Name, them they abuſe to the maintenance, pleaſing and pampring of their luſts, which are bitter enemies to God and his truths, and ought to be mortified. 1 Cor. 10.31. Whether ye eate or drink or what ever yee doe, doe all to the glory of God. Wh…t glory hath the Lord, when men make their bellies barrels and pantries; ſo victuall the Camp, that they are unfit for motion, and muſt ſleep.

4. It's ſacrilegious, robbing God of his worſhip: you know we muſt honour God with all our hearts, mights, ſtrength; for he is an infinite excellency, worthy of all: but when a man hath cram'd himſelfe with meates, is much liquor'd, how unfit is he to doe any acts of worſhip; his head is heavy, his ſpirits dull, and God may have his carkaſſe, but as for heart or ſpirit he hath none for him. Hoſ. 4.11. Wine and new wine take away the heart. Exceſſe in meate and drinke cauſeth defects in the worſhip of God; he may have bodily worſhip, lip-labour, ſleepy performances; but as for ſpirituall worſhip, that is not to be had, though the Lord be a ſpirit moſt holy, great and glorious, and ought to be worſhipped in ſpirit and truth.

2. As it reſpects others.

1. Thoſe are given to their bellies, they mind not the condition of the Church or State, at leaſt not ſo much as p. 280they ſhould doe; ſo they may have fulneſſe of bread, they care not how it goes with others. Amos 6.4.6. They eate the lambs out of the flocke, and the Calves out of the middeſt of the ſtall: They drinke wine in bowles, and annoint themſelves with the chiefe oyntments, but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joſeph. By Joſeph is meant the ten Tribes, which were greatly inf…ſted and afflicted by the Aſſyrians: but theſe men laid it not to heart, did not condole and ſympathize with them; they powred not out prayers or teares for them; they minded their owne bellies, not their miſeries: ſo Iſa. 22.12, 13. When Gods hand was upon them, and he cal'd to weeeping & mourning, what did their gluttenous men? Slay oxen, kill ſheepe, eate fleſh, drinke wine, Chap. 5. 12. They regard not the worke of the LORD, neither conſider the operation of his hands.

2. They wrong the poorer ſort: Gluttons and Drunkards are like Caterpillers, Locuſts, Canker, Palmer-worms, which devoure that ſhould maintain others. Did not men exceed ſo much in eating & drinking, there would be more plenty, more cheapeneſſe, more reliefe for the poore; who had they what is ſuperfluouſly and ſinfully ſpent in eating and drinking, I believe we ſhould ſee no beggars in our ſtreets, nor heare any cry at our doores. Pro. 30.14. There is a generation, whoſe teeth are as ſwords, and their jaw-teeth as knives to devoure the poore from off the earth, and the needy from among men. Such are the teeth and jaw-teeth of Gluttons; they make bread, malt, and grapes deare.

3. They wrong the chaſtity of others. Who make more attempts, or commit fowler acts then they that feede and drink moſt liberally? Fulneſſe of bread breeds fulneſſe of luſts. 2 Pet. 2.13, 14. They rioted, feaſted, and had eyes full of adultery, which could not ceaſe from ſinning: High dyet is the marke of high luſts, and they the parents of heynous actions. Jer. 5.7.8. When I had fed them to the full. God gave them abundance, and thereupon they pamper'd the fleſh, and then committed adultery and aſſembled themſelves by troopes in the harlots houſes: they were as fed horſes in the morning, every one neighed after his neighbours wife. Stallions and horſes fed p. 281high, are mad after the Mares: and ſo were theſe Jews, they neighed and luſted after the women inſatiably. When perſons burne in their luſts towards others, they are ſaid foreign to be furious and mad like horſes. Intemperancy begets incontenency; after ryoting and drunkenneſſe, followes chambering and wantonneſſe. Rom. 13.13. When Lot was fil'd with wine, then was he fit for inceſt, and gate his owne daughters with child, Gen. 19.31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36. And the Sodomites, of whom our Text ſpeakes, were guilty of horrible uncleanneſſe, as appears in that Chap. v. 5. Where are the men that came into thee this night? bring them out unto us that we may know them.

Venter mero aeſtuans cito deſpumat in libidinem, Hyeron:

Not Aetna or Veſuvius burn with greater heat then young men fil'd with wine and dainties.

4. They give ill example, and draw others to their owne practiſe, to intemperate eating and drinking, which is a great evill. 1 Pet. 4.4. They thinke it ſtrange that you runne not with them to the ſame exceſſe of riot. There is a great propenſity in men to follow others in eating and drinking exceſſively; they not only goe, but run to it, a little encouragement that way doth much. Prov. 28.7. He that is a companion of riotous men ſhames his father; therefore Solomon counſelleth his ſon, Chap. 23.20. thus; be not amongſt wine-bibbers, amongſt riotous eaters of fleſh: hee knew that their example, company, and cheare, were ſtrong attractives: Hab 2.15. Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drinke; the Heb. is, woe to him that drinketh to his neighbour. foreign vae propinanti ſocio ſuo; it's not unlawfull to drinke to another, but when it's done with an ill intent to draw him to exceſs: and therefore it follows, that putteſt thy bottle unto him, and makeſt him drunke alſo. The word for bottle is foreign which Montanus renders, venenum tuum, thy poyſon. It's ſpoken of Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians, who drew in neighbour Princes and others to eating and drinking, and ſo poyſon'd them with gluttony and drunkenneſſe, and ſport…d p. 282themſelves with their ſin and nakeneſſe; men are poyſon'd in ill company.

5. This ſin, fulneſſe of bread, brings down heavy judgments upon places. Eccleſ. 10.16. Woe to thee O land, when thy King is a child, and thy Princes eate in the morning: the ſurfetting of great ones brings woes and great judgements to Kingdomes. Iſa. 5.11, 12. there their intemperance is ſet downe, feaſting, drinking, and merri-making: and verſ. 13. Behold the judgements, therefore my people are gone into captivity becauſe they have no knowledge. Their gluttony ad drunkenneſſe made them ſenſuall: and their honourable men are famiſhed, and their multitude dryed up with thirſt. So Belſhazar, hee feaſts and revells with a thouſand of his Lords, and that night was he ſlaine, and the Kingdome was taken by Darius and the Medes, Dan. 5.

3. As it reſpects themſelves.

1. The ſoule

2. The body.

3. The whole man.

4. Their eſtate.

5. Their name.

1. The ſoule, and evils which intemperancy cauſeth, are,

1. It clouds the underſtanding; ſuch fumes and vapours poſſeſſe the braine from immoderate eating and drinking, as that ipſa ratio impeditur, and men are altogether inept to diſcourſe or judge of things. Pro. 27.7. The full ſoule loatheth the honey-combe: it judgeth amiſſe of it. Fulneſſe of bread infatuates the underſtanding, blinds the mind, and dams up the ſpirits with mudde. Iſa. 28.7. The Prieſts and Prophets were given to their appetites: and what then? they erre in viſion, and ſtumble in judgement.

2. Diſorders the affections; for when through overmuch eating and drinking the government of reaſon is laid aſide, or aſleepe; the affections take their opportunity, and grow diſorderly, then wanton luſts, thoughts, deſires and pleaſures travaile up and downe the region of the ſoule, and peep out p. 283at the windows of the houſe, 2 Pet. 2.13, 14.

3. It hinders the activity of gifts and graces in the ſoule; when a man is loaded with any burthen, hee cannot move nimbly: ſo when one is loaded with meate and drinke, his ſoule cannot act lively, there is ſo much earth and mudde about it, that the operations of it are greatly impeded. Gal. 5.21. the word there for Revellings, is foreign commeſſationes, eating together, and notes ſuch eating as is a fruit of the fleſh, an eating ſo much as the fleſh craves, or can well beare, ſuch eating as ſtrengthens the fleſh, the corrupt part in man, which oppoſes and hinders the ſpirit and activity of it; how poorly doth grace act in thoſe are full, and have pamper'd their bellies. Paul knew this, and therefore was very abſtemious, temperate, and much in faſting, 2 Cor. 6.5.

2. The body: Exceſſe cauſeth ſickneſſe, and is deſtructive of health; the moſt diſeaſes men have, doe come from the abundance of humours which are in their bodies: and whence come theſe but from intemperancy in eating and drinking? Take men that are moderate, and ſparing in dyet, and they are ſeldome troubled with any diſeaſes. Sobriety is the beſt nurſe to health, and a greater enemie it findes not, then intemperancey, 1 Cor. 11.21.30. The Corinthithians were faulty in their feaſtings and drinking: and what ſaith Paul? For this cauſe many are ſicke and weake. Hoſ. 7.5. The Princes made the King ſicke with bottles of wine. It weakens the body: Concoction being hindered by nimietie, crude humours are gendered, and nouriſhment of the ſpirits by pure blood is letted.

3. The whole man.

1. By intemperancy a man is brought into bondage unto the creatures, he is a ſlave to his appetite, and what ever pleaſes that: and this is a great evill, for man that hath dominion given him by God over all ſublunaries, to become a ſervant to any of them: Paul was more heroick, 1 Cor. 6.12, 13. All things are lawfull for mee, but I will not be brought under the power of any. Meates for the belly, and the belly for meates: Let the belly crave what meates it will, let meates be never ſo pleaſant or deſireable, yet I will not be brought p. 284under the power of either of them: but few are ſo noble ſpirited as Paul. The moſt men are apprentices to their o…ne appetites: the rich man, Luke 16.19. fared ſumptuouſly every day; no coſt muſt be ſpared to pleaſe his pallate.

2. Hereby a man is put beneath a bruite creature; for thoſe creatures eate and drink only to ſatisfie nature: and wh…n they have taken ſo much, you cannot perſwade, or force them to take more; they obſerve the law of nature, and follow the inſtinct thereof: but many men doe eate and drinke not onelyonly to ſatisfie nature, but to the ſurfetting thereof, and without any perſwaſion or force overcharge nature with variety of meates and drinkes. Yea ſometimes they are ſo exceſſive herein, that they become void of ſenſe. Prov. 23.35. when the drunkard was beaten, he felt it not: ſo void are intemperate perſons oft times of common ſence, as that they neither foreſee future danger, to prevent it, nor feele preſent ſmart to profit by it; horſe and aſſe may teach men.

3. It haſtens death; many might have liv'd longer; had they been more ſober, more ſparing at their Tables. Many diſeaſes breed in the womb of intemperancy, and one or other of them ſhortens a mans dayes. Many dye by the ſword, but more by ſurfets. In licitis perimus omnes, becauſe it's lawfull to eate and drinke: and what we eate and drink is pleaſing, therefore we exceed the due bounds, and ſo encreaſe humours, quench our naturall heate, and precipitate death. The Corinthians exceſſe ſent them to their long ſleep: this ſin abbreviates or takes away life: Fowlers make a ſhrop, hide the net by it, or under it birds come to feed, & through feeding loſe their lives.

4. It makes men very ſecure & fearleſſe. Iſa. 56.12. Come we will fill our ſelves with ſtrong drinke, and to morrow ſhall be as this day, and much more abundant. A ſhip loaden much, ſinkes deep into the water, if over-loaden, drowns: ſo man that's loaden with the creatures, ſinkes deep into the ſea of ſecurity; if he be overladen, he drowns himſelfe. Luke 21.34, 35. If mens hearts be overcharg'd, that day will come unawares as a ſnare ſuddenly.

p. 2855. Intemperancy is ſuch a ſin as endangers your eternall eſtate, yea & excludes you from comming into heaven; the rich glutton you know was caſt into hell, that was his portion, Luk. 16. Gal. 5.21. Thoſe that doe ſuch things ſhall not inherit the Kingdome of God: what things? that eate and drink intemperately: drunkenneſſe and revelling are fruits of the fleſh, and ſuffer not men to enter into the Kingdome of Heaven.

4. Their eſtates; It brings a Conſumption upon them. Prov. 23.21. The drunkard and the glutton ſhall come to poverty, and drowſineſſe ſhall cloath a man with ragges. Many who have gluttoniz'd in their youth, have wanted bread in their old age, and in ſtead of feaſting, have faſted more then once or twice in a weeke. The Prodigalls exceſſe among the Harlots brought him to want among the ſwine. Prov. 21.17. He that loveth wine and oyle ſhall not be rich.

Diogenes ſeeing the houſe of an intemperate perſon ſet to ſale, ſaid, I knew the houſe was ſo overcharg'd with meate and wine that it would quickly vomit out the Cormorant.

He ſeeing another brought to beggery, and eating Olives for his ſupper, ſaid, If you had ſo din'd, you ſhould not have needed to have ſo ſupp'd.

5. Their names and profeſſions ſuffer by it; Intemperancy brings an ill report upon men. Noah's intemperancy was a great diſgrace to him. Prov. 28.7. He that is a companion of riotous men ſhameth his father. If being only a companion of them be ſo ill, what is it then to be a riotous perſon, intemperate in meats and drinkes, that doth much more ſhame the ſonne and the father too, ſuch an one will men ſay is a belly-god, a toſ-pot. Iſa. 28.8. All tables are full of vomit and filthineſſe, ſo that there is no place cleane. What a diſgrace was this to the Prieſts and Prophets in thoſe dayes, and to their profeſſion. Rom. 13.13. Let us walke honeſtly as in the day, not in rioting and drunkenneſſe: Let us not be intemperate; intemperancy is a night-work, and hath no honeſty in it: if it be therefore a work of darkneſſe and diſhoneſty, as the Apoſtle makes it, it muſt needs diſgrace a man. Tyberius Nero was call'd B…berius Mero. Fabius who had p. 286ſpent his patrimony, a great eſtate, was cal'd Gurges; among us ſuch men are called Heluones.

Let us take heed of this ſin: why ſhould we pamper our bodies which muſt ſee corruption, and be wormes meate. The Apoſtles rule is, make no proviſion for the fleſh, to fulfill the luſts thereof. He doth not forbid to eate or provide meate, but to make proviſion for the fleſh, their inordinates deſires to ſatisfie them. Luke 6.25. Woe unto you that are full, for you ſhall hunger.

Chriſt bids us deny our ſelves: and If we wil not do it in a little meate and drinke, how ſhall we forſake all, Wives, Children, Friends, Lands, Life? It was a notable ſaying of Seneca, Major ſum, & ad majora genitus, quam ut corporis mei mancipium fiam: I am greater, and borne to greater things, then to be ſervant or ſlave to my body. He was a Heathen, wee are Chriſtians: let us ſay, we are greater, and born to greater things, better born, and better taught, then to be ſlaves to our appetites.

Let us ſay, as it is, Tit. 2.11, 12. The grace of God that brings ſalvation, hath appeared to all: Teaching us, that denying ungodlineſſe and worldly luſts, we ſhould live ſoberly, righteouſly, & godly in this preſent world.

And abundance of idleneſſe was in her, and in her daughters.

Having ſpoken of two of the ſinnes of Sodome, we come now to the third, which is abundance of idleneſſe.

Idleneſſe.

Heb. foreign which is from foreign ſignifying to reſt, to live in peace, quietly, idely. When people are in peace, they grow ſecure and idle. Sept. is, foreign affluens laſciviens vino.

Abundance.

Heb. foreign from foreign to be quiet, to reſt, to live at eaſe, and notes tranquility: ſo that both words ſignifie the ſame thing, and may be rendered tranquilitas tranquilitatis, reſt of reſt. Calv. ſecuritas otij vel pax quieta. Piſc. & Jun. tranquilitas p. 287quieta, quiet reſt; or according to the Heb. quietneſſe of reſt, the ſenſe whereof is well expreſt by our tranſlation: abundance of idleneſſe, or deepe idleneſſe.

I ſhall ſhew you two things touching idleneſſe.

1. When a man is ſaid to be idle.

2. The evill of idleneſſe.

For the firſt, a man is ſaid to be idle 3. wayes.

1. When he doth nothing, is unimploy'd, Math. 20.3. Chriſt ſaw ſome ſtanding idle in the Market. The word for idle is, foreign quaſi foreign or foreign a man without worke: ſo in verſ. 6. Why ſtand yee here all the day idle. Many are idle all the day of their life, nothing is done by them: of this ſort are many Gentlemen and others, that have no calling nor employment for the good of the publique: ſuch was Solomons ſluggard, that would not plough by reaſon of the cold, Pro. 20.4. but had rather ſleep and ſlumber in his bed, then dig in his Vineyard. Chap. 24.33. Yet a little ſleep, a little ſlumber, a little folding of the hands to ſleepe.

2. When they doe not what they ſhould doe; ſome of the Learned ſay, he is otio ſus qui opus dei non operatur: Rainer: Alexand: Angl: When men doe not the worke of God, opus dei is opus diei. There is worke of Gods appointment for the day, which you ought to take notice of, and doe. 2 Theſ. 3.11. There are ſome among you which worke not at all, but are buſie-bodies. foreign, doing no work yet working about every where: when perſons are buſie, and doe much of that doth not belong to them to doe, it's doing of nothing; therefore Paul in the firſt Epiſt. Chap. 4.11. exhorts them to doe their owne buſineſſe.

3. When they do not ſo much as they ought to doe, but are lazie in doing little. Rom. 12.11. Not ſloathfull in buſineſſe. Eccl. 9.10. Whatſoever thy hand findeth to doe, doe it with all thy might. When men put not forth themſelves to do what they ought to doe in conſcience, and according to right reaſon, they are juſtly ſaid to be idle, Prov. 18.9.

2. The evill of this ſin you may diſcerne in ſundry particulars,

1. Its againſt the end of mans creation: God made man p. 288for labour when he was in the ſtate of Innocency, he was to dreſſe and keep the garden, Gen. 2.15. be muſt not be idle there, taking his plea…ure in a Paradiſe, but worke he muſt, though not for a living: ſo after the fall, Gen. 3.19. In the ſweate of his face he was to eate his bread; he was now to worke for bread, and to work hard, not only ad ruborem, but ad ſi dorem, if he will have food, he muſt ſweat for it.

It's the end of mans creation and birth to be doing. Job 5.7. Man is borne unto trouble, labour, ſaith the margent; and Montanus, as the ſparks flie upward.

2. It is a …n againſt the light of nature, which puts every thing upon motion; the heavens, with the glorious lights thereof move, and are conſtant in their motions. Pſal. 19.5. The ſinne rejoyceth as a ſtrong man to run a race: The winde and aire fly up and downe, the waters runne, the earth brings forth, plants and trees grow up; the fiſhes in the ſea, fowls in the ayre, beaſts in the field, have their motions and operations, which is a loud dictate to man that he ſhould not be idle. Prov. 6.6. Goe to the ant thou ſluggard, conſider her ways and be wiſe. The Ant is a very little creature, but exceeding laborious; nature hath put an inſtinct into her to be active and working all the ſummer; ſhe is early and late at it, and will not loſe an houre, unleſſe the weather hinder: ſo the Bee is little in bulk, but great in employment, and wonderfull buſie, and Solomon might have added, goe to the Bee, and conſider her wayes; ſhe flyes farre, examines the fields, hedges, trees, orchards, gardens, loades her ſelfe with honey and waxe, and then preſently makes returne. Theſe creatures, with many others, confute the ſluggard daily, preach down idleneſſe, and call for action. Yea, the ſluggards owne ſoul is alwayes in motion and action, and thereby tels him hee ſhould not be idle.

3. It puts Gods family out of order: The world is Gods family, and he hath appointed men unto, and fitted them for ſome employment, as a wiſe Artiſt makes no wheel in a Clock or Watch, but to move & h…lp on the general worke: and if one wheele ſtand, it's out of order, and hinders all the reſt: ſo here, when men are idle, they ſtand ſtill, are out p. 289of order, and hinder the motion of others. Idle perſons are diſorderly perſons, 1 Theſ. 5.14. Warne them that are unruly. foreign men out of ranke, ſuch are idle ones; when others march, they ſtand ſtill; when others are up, they are down. 2 Theſ. 3.11. Wee heare that there are ſome among you which walke diſorderly, working not at all. By walking is meant living, and their diſorderly living was not working.

4. It ſets a man among the dead; an idle man is both unſavory, and unactive as a dead man is, and therefore may well be counted a gueſt of the grave. 1 Tim. 5.6. The widow that liveth in pleaſure, idlely, diſorderly, neglecting, or out of a calling, is dead while ſhe lives. Eccleſ. 9.4. A living dog is better then a dead lyon. The dead Lyon ſaith Pariſ. is the great man in wealth and honour, but idle and looſe: The liv…ng dogge is the poore man, but diligent and active: now the pooreſt and meaneſt man in the world, that followes a calling, and is laborious in it, is better then the greateſt, richeſt, and moſt eminent man in the world who lives out of a calling, and doth nothing; one is a living, and the other a d ad man: and what the oddes is between life and death, ſuch is the difference between idleneſſe and action, ſloath and labour.

5. Idleneſſe expoſes a man to variety of temptations, layes him open to Satan: a man unemployed, is like a City without walls and gates, whither any Enemy may ea…ly have entrance. Ezek. 38.11. I will goe up to the land of unwalled Villages, I will goe to them that are at reſt, that dwell ſafely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither barres nor gates. What God ſaith here, that Satan ſaith of idle perſons, they are unwalled Vilages, they have neither bars nor gates, no defenſive or offenſive weapons, and therefore the Devill doth boldly invade, and eaſily conquer them with his temptations. Paul knew this, and therefore counſel'd the Epheſians to make proviſion againſt Satan, Chap. 6.11. Put on the whole armour of God, that yee may be able to ſtand againſt all the wiles of the Devill. An idle man either hath no armour; or if he have, will not take the paines to put it on. It will require more then ordinary paines to put on the p. 290whole armour of God, to be arm'd Cap a pea, and then to ſtand arm'd, and withſtand all the onſets of Principalities and powers; this the ſluggard will not doe, he muſt needs therefore become a prey to Satan. A man out of employment, and idle, is like a veſſell which is empty, any one that comes to it may put in what he will: ſo Satan poures into idle perſons which are empty veſſels, what liquor he pleaſes. Seneca ſpake truth, when he ſaid, res perfecte occupata alterius rei non eſt capax: when men are throughly employed, they are incapable of the Devils temptations; you ſee it daily, that thoſe are out of Gods work, are moſt exerciſed with the Devils.

6. Idleneſſe is the mother, foſtreſs and nurſe of our moſt dangerous enemies, viz. luſts: ſtanding waters corrupt ſooneſt, and more mudde, filth, and vermine are to be found in them then in the running waters. To the ſinke in the ſhip is the confluence of all filth: Idleneſſe is the ſink in the ſhip, and comprehends all noyſome luſts in it: ſilver, gold, iron, out of uſe, canker and ruſt. Eccleſ. 13.26. Idleneſſe bringeth much evill, and breeds many evills. Idle, lazy, ſluggſh perſons have the fouleſt bodies, and breed moſt diſeaſes: and ſuch have the fouleſt ſouls, and abound with moſt noyſome luſts. Among the Sodomites was abundance of idleneſs, and abundance of luſts, which fight and warre againſt the ſoule, and what madneſſe is it for a man to harbour, feed his enemies that ſeek his life? Idleneſſe like dung upon the earth, fattens the ſoile, makes all rank, eſpecially the weeds, ſo that the fleſh and luſts thereof, even in godly people, they grow headſtrong, violent and furious againſt the ſpirit: and in others, they break out into drunkenneſſe, theft, and uncleanneſſe. Nihil agendo homines diſcunt male agere. If ever occaſion ſhould put as much power into their hands, as idleneſſe hath put villany into their hearts and heads, they will be ready to fire your houſes, raviſh your daughters, and cut your throats.

7. It's againſt common equity and juſtice to live upon others, who get their living by the ſweat of their brows, and to eate their bread from them. Drones that eate up the honey p. 291of the laborious Bee, we condemn; they beate them out, and ſting to death, a juſt puniſhment for ſo unjuſt an act.

Thieves that rob particular perſons ſuffer death, becauſe they doe acts of injuſtice againſt common equity: and what are idle ones but Thieves, robbing the publique of it's maintenance? This made Paul to command the Theſſalonians to worke and eate their owne bread, 2 Theſ. 3.12.

8. It deprives a man of that priviledg which a beaſt hath; you know a beaſt may eate, work or work not: but it's not ſo with man, except he work he may not eate. 2 Theſ. 3.10. This we commanded you, that if any would not worke, nei-ſhould he eate. If ſickneſſe or weakeneſſe hinder not, let man be great or ſmall, rich or poore, what he will, the rule is, if he will not work, he muſt not eate, neither the State nor the Church muſt maintaine ſuch an one.

The Jewes ſay, qui non laboraverit in proſabbato, ne edat in ſabbato: the Sabbath was a day of reſt, and if any had not ſo labour'd on the day before as to get wherewithall to maintain him on that day, he muſt faſt.

Matth. 10.10. Chriſt tells you, the work-man is worthy of his meate, others not: you ſinne therefore when you relieve ſuch beggars, or perſons as are able to work, but will not, they are neither worthy of meat, nor ſhould you let them eate. And what if they ſhould periſh for want of meate?They are felones de ſeipſes. their deſtruction is of themſelves. The eaſe of the ſimple ſlayeth them, Prov. 1.32. He that will not have a part in daily labour, ſhould not have a part of daily bread.The Hollanders put idle perſons that will not work into a little place where is a pump, the water comming in, and if he will not pump, hee muſt drowne.

9. Poverty and beggery are the iſſues of idleneſſe. Prov. 6.11. Solomon tells the ſludggard, that his poverty ſhall come as one that travaileth, and his want as an armed man: Hee lyeth ſtill, but poverty is up, and marching towards him; he is without defence, but that comes arm'd: the meaning is, poverty will come upon an idle and ſloathfull perſon ſuddenly and irreſiſtably. Prov. 23.21. Drowſineſſe ſhall cloath a man with ragges. By drowſineſs underſtand ſloath and when men goe about things as if they were halfe aſleepe, lazily, p. 292they ſhall certainly come to a poor condition, which is intimated by ragges; the coat that ſloath gives is rags. Pro. 18.9. A man ſloathfull in his worke, is brother to him that is a great waſter. The Heb. is, a man remiſſe in his worke, foreign is brother to a great waſter, a much waſter, lebaal maſchith; a man that ſpends profuſely muſt needs come to beggery, he haſtens ſwiftly to it: ſo doth a ſluggard, who is remiſſe in his worke, and ſo an idle perſon. Other things may bring ſome to beggery; ſickneſſe, ſureti-ſhip, fire, robbery, plundering wars: but put them altogether, they beget not ſo many beggars, ſo much poverty, as idleneſſe doth. This fils Towns and Cities with ſwarms of them.

10. Idleneſſe is ſuch a ſin as exemps a man from the protection of the Angels: A man that hath no calling to walke in, that lives unemploy'd, he is a vagabond upon the face of the earth. Pſal. 91.11. He ſhall give his Angels charge over thee to keepe thee in all thy wayes: what wayes? thoſe which are according to his will, which his providence leads unto; not in wayes of ſinne. A man that's idle, is in the Devils way, not in Gods way, hee hath appointed Callings for men. 1 Cor. 7.20. Let every man abide in the ſame calling wherein he was called. Verſ. 24. Let every man wherein he is called therein abide with God. Some referre the words called in both verſes, to the ſpiritual call, viz. to grace and communion with Chriſt; be that ſo, yet there is an outward condition of life, a calling that God would have men to be in, and abide in, becauſe it's an abiding with God, God approves it, bleſſes them in it; if they honour him in a calling according to the rules hee hath given in his word, and vouchſafes them a guard of Angels to defend them therein: but idle perſons that have no calling, go out from God and the guard of his Angels: and it's queſtionable whether thoſe that may work and will not, have any true feare of God, or faith in them; did they feare God, they would walk in a calling, and the Angels of God would be about them, Pſal. 34.7. and faith is a working grace, witneſſe Heb. 11. 1 Tim. 5.8

11. Idle perſons are burthenſome creatures; the Fig-tree p. 293that bear no fruit was a burthen to the ground where it ſtood. Luke 13.7. why cumbreth it the ground? It was a burthen to the garden, to the Gardiner, to the other trees, to the Lord and Maſter of all. Matth. 26. Why ſtand yee here all the day idle? You do no good to your ſelves, none to your neighbours, none to the publique, none to poſterity, nor bring any glory to God.

An idle and fruitleſſe perſon is good for nothing, Ezek. 15. The vine tree that bare no fruit was not fit to make a pin of, nor for any uſe but only for the fire.

12. It's a waſting of pretious time, an hiding of our Talent, and ſo a great provocation of divine Majeſty. An idle man trifles away time, which when men are in ſtreights, they value, and would give thouſands for a few dayes or houres, as it's like the Sodomites would when their City was on fire: but ſuch perſons make no account of time, how pretious ſoever it be, but paſſe it away in doing nothing, which is a dreadfull evill. Time that is given us to get grace, to work out our ſalvation in, to glorifie God, and doe good in, even that doth the idle perſon ſquander away, though eternity be in the bowels of it, not minding the Apoſtolicall rule. Epheſ. 5.15, 16. See that yee walke circumſpectly, not as fooles but as wiſe, redeeming the time. He ſits ſtil and wil not walk, he is a foole, and the greateſt of fooles that wil not redeem time for the good of his ſoule, but loyter it away, and loſe it daily. Though God have given him a Talent, yet he wil not uſe it. Matth, 25.25, 26. The man had one Talent would not uſe it, but hid it in the earth, and what followed hereupon; he provoked God greatly, who ſaid, thou wicked and ſloathfull ſervant (wickedneſſe and ſloath goe together) thou oughteſt to have improved my talent or money wel; ſeeing it's not done, take it from, and caſt the unprofitable ſervant into utter darkneſſe, verſ. 27.30.

Having now heard the evil of idleneſſe, let us gird up the loynes of our minds, ſtir up our ſelves, and be more diligent in our Callings. Sloath brings judgements; the men of Laiſh were quiet, ſecure, and had no buſineſſe with any man, and the Danites came upon them, ſmote them with the edge p. 294of the ſword, and burnt the City with fire, Judg. 18.7.27. Though all idle people meet not with ſuch judgements; yet there is a woe pronounced to them that are at eaſe in Sion, Amos 6.1. Some woe or other wil be the portion of thoſe that live idely: we have a multitude of ſuch amongſt us, and it were well ſome courſe were taken by thoſe in authority to ſet idle perſons on work.

The Athenians did ſue idle perſons at law, idleneſſe among them did beare an action, and it was cal'd actio foreign and they made enquiry after each man and woman, qua arie ſe alerent, what trade or courſe of life they had to live upon. Rivet. in Gen. 3.

When Joſephs brethren came into Aegypt, and were before Pharaoh, the firſt queſtion he asked them, was, what is your occupation? Gen. 47.3. This was a good queſtion of a King when ſtrangers were to come & dwell in his Land, to know whether they had any calling, could get their livings, and not be burthenſome to his Kingdome and ſubjects. The Maſſilians forbade any to come into their City, who had no trade or art to live by: And there was a law among the Perſians, that every ſubject at the yeares end ſhould come to the Magiſtrate and give account of his yeares work; it were happy we had ſome ſuch lawes amongſt us.

They were great enemies to idleneſſe, and ſo was Alexander, who diſcovering two idle perſons in his Dominions, made one to flye out of them, and the other to drive him.

In Marcus Aurelius dayes, the Romans followed their Callings ſo earneſtly, that having occaſion to ſend a Letter two or three dayes journey from the Towne, he could not find one idle body in all the City of Rome to carry it; when will it be ſo with this City? Idleneſſe abounds in the ſtreets, and I feare within doors too: but however it be with others, let us hate this ſin, be diligent in thoſe places and callings God hath ſet us; for the hand of the diligent makes rich, Prov. 10.4. Shall beare rule, Chap. 12.24. And will cauſe to ſtand before Princes, Chap. 22.29.

p. 295Neither did ſhee ſtrengthen the hands of the poor and needy.

This is the fourth ſin of Sodome and her daughters, unmercifulneſſe, inhumanity.

Did ſhee ſtrengthen.

Heb. is, foreign non firmavit, or tenuit, ſhe hath not taken them by the hand, and held them up, but let them ſinke. Jer. 31.32. In the day that I tooke them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Aegypt. Being there, they were in a low, poore, needy, ſinking condition, and God reached out his hand from heaven, tooke hold of them, and upheld them; he gave them conſilium & auxilium, counſel and help, it's the ſame word there which you have here; theſe Sodomites did not reach out a hand to ſupport & ſtrengthen their poore & needy. Sept. is, foreign, they did not ſuccour and help them: Vulg. they reached not out a hand to them. Va…a. non firmavit manus, ſhee did not make firme and ſtrong the hands of the needy; ſhe did not give them counſell and aide that they might not deſpaire.

The poore.

Heb. foreign from foreign to afflict, humble; becauſe poor men are afflicted and humbled under the burthen of their poverty; the Heb. word foreign ſignifies both affliction and poverty, Exod. 3.7. I …ve ſeene the affliction of my people which are in Aegypt. 1 Chron. 22.14. Behold, in my poverty I have prepared for the houſe of the Lord: it's the ſame word in both places, and poore men find their poverty an affliction; the Sept. is, foreign, a foreign which ſignifies to be ſtricken with feare, to be terrified, dejected. Poverty cauſeth much feare, care, ſadneſs, dejection of ſpirit, and hath many temptations accompanying it. Montanus reads the word for poore, egeni, of the needy, or wanting, which ſeemes to be the true ſenſe of foreign in the Goſpel; for as the word is uſed there, it notes not abſolutely a beggar, but one needy. 2 Cor. 8.9. it's ſaid of p. 296Chriſt, foreign he became poore, hee had not an houſe to hide his head in, yet he did not goe up and downe and beg lodging, bread, and other things, and Mar. 12.42. There came foreign, a poore widow, yet ſhe had two mites to throw into the treaſury. Rom. 15.26. Thoſe of Macedonia and Achaiah made a contribution for the poore Saints at Jeruſalem; foreign, the Church did not ſuffer the poore Saints in it to goe from houſe to houſe a begging, this had been a great reproach to the Church and way of the Goſpel: That hath made men to think foreign, notes ſuch poore as goe from door to door, hath been, that they might diſtinguiſh it from foreign w^ch is a poor man alſo 2 Cor. 9.9. He hath given to the poore, foreign. There is a difference between theſe words, and ſo the poore meant by them; but not that difference which by ſome learned is made. Ariſtophanes in pluto, ſaith, foreign he is a beggar, or poore man who hath nothing, and foreign is foreign, who lives ſparingly, following his worke, that ſpends all, he gets and hath much adoe to live: ſo Paſor makes foreign to be a man who by his labour gets his living, from foreign to labour, and he is right in this, but out in foreign whom he ſaith to be one; qui oſtiatim petit, who begs an almes at mens doors; its true, Lazarus was ſuch, Luke 16.20. But uſually in the Goſpel it notes ſuch poore as have ſomething, though not enough to live upon, be they aged, ſick, weake, lame, or compaſſed about with any other infirmities.

Needie.

Heb. is foreign it comes from foreign to will, deſire, & notes a man not ſimply poor and needy, but very poor, ſo poor ſaith Pagnine, quod omnibus carens, omnia concupiſcat; that wanting all things, he deſires all things; rich in deſires, but having nothing elſe, a man of deſires. Amos 2.6. They ſold the poore for a paire of ſhooes: The word for poore is the ſame we have here: and certainly they were very poore that were worth no more then a paire of ſhooes, and likely old ones too. Montanus interprets the word in our Prophet, mendicus, p. 297a beggar, which notes the extreame poverty that ſome were in, yet had no help from the rich and full Sodomites. Aecol: hath it humilis, of one ſo needy, that he is humbled to purpoſe, and lyes on the earth, deſiring reliefe. Servius upon Virg: ſaith, pejorem eſſe egeſtatem paupertate, that need is worſe then poverty. The vulgar accords with our Engliſh, and hath it egeno, they reached not out a hand to the poore and needy, which ſorts beſt with the Originall words.

The ſumme and ſcope of the words is this; that the Sodomites were unmercifull, and hard-hearted: they were not affected with the neceſſities of the poore: neither their wants, prayers, tears, nor their ſad countenance, mournfull complaints, nor ſtretched-out hands prevail'd at all with them.

Men are backward too, if not averſe from giving. 1 Tim. 6.17, 18. Charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high-minded, nor truſt in uncertaine riches: That they doe good, that they be rich in good workes, ready to diſtribute.

Dives would not give the crumms and ſcraps of his Table to poore Lazarus, Luke 16. So the young man, Matth. 19.21, 22.

I ſhall ſhew you what an evill, unmercifulneſſe is,

1. It's an argument and evidence of covetouſneſſe; when Chriſt, Luke 16.9. bids them make to themſelves friends of the mammon of unrighteouſneſſe (which he ſo cals, becauſe men uſually ſin in the getting, keeping, or uſing of them) and ſaid, they could not ſerve God and Mammon, verſ. 13. The Phariſees who were covetous, derided him; they thought Chriſt ſpake like an ignorant man; they could ſerve God, keepe their wealth, and not caſt it away upon poore people, This ſhewed their covetouſneſſe: and what an evil that is, let Paul tell you. 1 Tim. 6.10. The love of money is the root of all evill; inward and outward evils doe ſpring from it. A covetous man is an idolater, Eph. 5.5. he hath no inheritance in the Kingdome of heaven, 1 Cor. 6.10. he is abhor'd of God, Pſal. 10.3. Chryſoſt. ſaith, he had rather dwel with a thouſand poſſeſt, then with one covetous p. 298man; for they hurt their garments and themſelves, but a covetous man hurts his neighbours. Chryſ. Math. 10. as cited by Stella on Luke 16.

2. It's argument of unbeliefe: men think if they give to the poor, and ſtrengthen the hands of the needy; that themſelves ſhall want and come to poverty. Prov. 28.27. Hee that giveth unto the poore ſhall never lacke. Here is the voyce of God, who is truth it ſelfe, and hath power enough to make good what he hath ſaid, for the earth and fulneſſe of it is his, Pſal. 24.1. And yet mans heart diſtruſts God, and thinks of other wayes to provide for it ſelfe: I will keepe what I have; if this be gone I know not what I ſhall have; it's a hard world, and one bird in the hand is worth two in the buſh. Thus unbeliefe diſcovers it ſelfe, and had rather truſt in uncertaine riches, then in the al-ſufficient and omnipotent God: ſaith God, give to the poore and thou ſhalt not lacke: ſaith the hard-hearted man, give to the poore, and thou ſhalt lacke. Thus doth he croſſe the will of God, and put the lie upon him. Eccleſ. 11.1. Caſt thy bread upon the waters, for thou ſhalt find it after many dayes: No ſaith the unmercifull man, I will never caſt my bread upon them, for I ſhall never ſee it againe. And ſo makes God a lyar, and declares himſelfe an unbeliever.

3. It's argument there is no love of God in that man; it's a ſadde charge to tell any man he doth not love God. John is peremptory in it, 1 John 3.17. Who ſo hath this worlds good, and ſeeth his brother have need, and ſhutteth up his bowels of compaſſion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? he may think he loves God, and others may think and ſay ſo, but there is not any dram of Gods love in that man, how dwels it in him? this Interrogation imports a ful negation; for if a man lov'd God, hee would love man who is the image of God. Chriſts command is, that we love one another as he hath loved us, John 15.12. He teſtified his love, by giving his blood, his fleſh, his life: and we will not give a little bread, an old garment, a little ſilver, it's a cleare demonſtration there is no love of God in us.

The primitive Chriſtians were diſtinguiſhed from others p. 289by their love, and that made them ſell all, bring it and lay it down at the Apoſtles feet for the reliefe of the poor Chriſtians, Acts 4.34, 35.

4. It's a ſin hath much cruelty and unnaturalneſſe in it. Iſa. 58.7. Deale thy bread to the hungry, cover the naked, and hide not thy ſelfe from thine owne fleſh; the poore are our owne fleſh. Mal. 2.10. Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? Prov. 22.2. The rich and the poore meet together, the Lord is the maker of them all. Hence hee hath commanded that we ſhould love our neighbours as our ſelves, Matth. 22.39. Now if we hide away our eyes from them, if wee will not conſider their neceſſities, wants, and relieve them, we are cruel and unnaturall: if a man be naked or hungry, a man wil ſeek to cloath and feed himſelfe, he wil not hate his owne fleſh. Epheſ. 5.29. No man ever yet hated his owne fleſh, but nouriſheth and cheriſheth it. When men therefore refuſe to ſtrengthen the hands of the poore and needy, they deſpiſe, they hate their own fleſh, they are unnaturall: and to prevent this, God hath laid a command to be mercifull, where the ſtrongeſt reaſon and plea might be againſt it. Prov. 25.21. If thine enemie be hungry, give him bread to eate: and if hee be thirſty, give him water to drinke.

5. It brings a curſe, yea many curſes upon men and their eſtates. Prov. 28.27. He that hideth his eyes from the poore ſhall have many a curſe. The poore wil curſe them, but who bids them curſe? when Shimei curſed David wrongfully, ſaith he, the Lord bid him doe it. So, when poor do curſe hard-hearted men that wil not pity them, there is ſomething of God …n it; this Scripture muſt be fulfil'd, though it be their ſin, yet it's a juſt judgement of God upon a mercileſſe man: and not only doth man, but even God himſelfe curſeth them. Pſalm 41.1. Bleſſed is he that conſidereth the poore: If a man doe it not, ſhall he have a bleſſing? Matth. 25.41, 42. Depart yee curſed, for I was hungry, &c. The curſe of God was upon them before, according to what you find in Prov. 3.33. The curſe of the Lord is in the houſe of the wicked. Sometimes they have not a heart to eate, and take the comfort of their eſtates p. 290themſelves: ſometimes they are perplexed with fears, cares, ſorrowes about their eſtates; ſometimes they are waſted at law, ſometimes by fire, plundering; ſometimes in a ſecret way, that none can give any rational accompt of, but know the curſe of God was there.

6. It makes men altogether unlike God; he is the father of mercies, and God of all comfort, 2 Cor. 1.3. He makes his ſunne to riſe on the evill and on the good, and ſendeth raine on the juſt and unjuſt, Matth. 5.45. He giveth food to all fleſh, Pſal. 136.25. He heares the deſires of the humble and poore, Pſal. 10.17. He is kind to the unthankefull and to the evill, be yee therefore mercifull as your father is merciful, Luke 6.36. But now a man that is neer, pinching, miſerable, and regards not the condition of the poor, to comfort their hearts, and ſtrengthen their hands, he is unlike, & contrary to God, who is love, bowels, pitty, compaſſion, mercy, and very mindful of the poor. He made a law, Deut. 15.7, 8. If there be a poore man in thy land, thou ſhalt not harden thy heart, nor ſhut thy hand from thy poore brother, but thou ſhalt open thy hand wide unto him. So Lev. 25.35.

Lu. 14.13. When thou makeſt a feaſt, call the poore, the maimed, the lame, the blind, and thou ſhalt be bleſſed.

Lu. 4.18. God annointed Chriſt to preach the Goſpel to the poore: and hath not God choſen the poore to be rich in faith? Jam. 2.5.

Judas was a hard-hearted wretch that cared not for the poor, Joh. 12.6.

7. It puts in a caveat and barre in the Court of heaven againſt their prayers, they muſt have no entertainement there. Prov. 21.13. Who ſo ſtoppeth his eares at the cry of the poore, he alſo ſhall cry himſelfe, but ſhall not be heard. This man before he dyes ſhall come to ſome great ſtreight or other, ſo as to cry either to man or God, and when he cryes, he ſhall not be heard; he would not hear the poor crying, nor God who ſent thoſe poor, and cryed to him in thoſe poor; therefore when he cryes unto man for help, God will ſtop their eares, turne their hearts from him; yea, ſtop his owne eare, p. 291and turne away his owne heart. Luke 6.38. With the ſame meaſure that yee meet withall, ſhall it be meaſured to you againe: you ſtop your eares, God will ſtop his eare: you ſhut up your bowels. God will ſhut up his: you with-hold your pence, God will with-hold his talents; the rich man cryed for a drop of water being in torment, but neither Abraham nor God would hearken to his requeſt; he that would not give one crum, muſt not receive one drop. Matth. 5.7. The mercifull ſhall obtaine mercy.

8. It's a ſhrewd badge of a reprobate condition; a mercileſſe mans name will hardly be found in the booke of life. Coloſſ. 3.11. Put on as elect of God, bowels of merciemercy, kindneſſe. Thoſe are elect of God have had mercy, and being cal'd, they find and feele that mercy, and cannot but put on bowels of mercy, which declares their election: before, as Paul ſaith, Tit. 3.3. Men live in malice and envy, hatefull and hating one another; but when God hath once cal'd them, and manifeſted their Election, then they put on bowels of mercy, and they are as natural to them now, as their luſts were before, as bowels are to a parent, they pity others, as God pityed them: but where there be no bowels of mercy, but chu…liſhneſſe, hardneſſe, unmercifulneſſe, there is the black badge of reprobation rather then of election.

9. It's a degree of murther; ſome men hate and curſe the poore, and the Scripture bluſheth not to call them murtherers. 1 John 3.15. Who ſo hateth his brother is a murtherer. Job 24.14. The murtherer riſing with the light, killeth the poor and needy. He deviſes wayes how to oppreſſe, ſuck, and ſqueeze them, and this is killing of them, and he is a murtherer for it as wel as the other: ſo, when a man ſees his brother or neighbour poore, ſinking, and like to be ruin'd, and wil not relieve him, being able to doe it, he fals into a degree of murther. The heathen, Publius Mimus could ſee this, who ſaid, qui ſuccurrere perituro poteſt, cum non ſuccurrit, occidit: he that hath power to ſuccour a man being ready to periſh, and ſuccours him not, he kils him. Suppoſe a man in the water or fire, you paſſe by, and lend him not your p. 302hand, which if you had done, his life had been ſav'd, are not you now guilty of his death? When the Prieſt and Levite paſſed by the man that going from Jeruſalem to Jericho fel among Thieves, and relieved him not, it was their ſin; and had he dyed in that condtion, they had been acceſſaries to his death. If the poor be our fleſh, then our goods are theirs as wel as ours: and if we let them periſh, we murther them and our ſelves too.

10. The end of that man wil be very ſad who hath beene mercileſſe to others, he muſt have the end of a fruitleſſe, or dead tree, he muſt be hewn downe and caſt into the fire. Jam. 2.13. He ſhall have judgement without mercy, that hath ſhewed no mercy: all judgement, meere ſeverity, pure wrath ſhal be his portion. Matth. 25.41, 42, &c. it's the chiefe, if not the only ſin which Chriſt mentions at the day of judgement. I was hungry, and ye gave me no meate, I was thirſty, and ye gave me no drinke: You ſhewed me in my poore members no mercy; therefore depart from me yee curſed into everlaſting fire prepared for the Devill and his Angels.

Seeing then uncharitableneſs is ſo great an evil, let us put on bowels of mercy, and ſtrengthen the hands of the poore and needy. It's a hard time, things are dear, trading little, poore abound, and therefore now its ſeaſonable for the rich to open the bowels of their compaſſion, and to ſuccour thoſe that are in want. Job was a father to the poore, Chap. 29.16. he did not eat his morſels alone, the fatherleſſe eat thereof, Chap. 31.17. The bellies and loynes of the poor bleſſed him, being fil'd and warm'd with the fleſh and fleece of his ſheep, v. 20 Dorcas, Acts 9 39. It were wel if Jobs and Dorcas ſpirit & compaſſions were in al rich men, that ſo the hungry might be fed, the naked cloath'd, and neceſſities of the poore ſupplyed: ſpare ſomething out of your ſuperfluities for them. Can you adorn your houſes with pictures and hangings? your tables with Carpets, your ſhelves with Pewter and Braſſe, your Cloſets and Cupboards with Plate, and have you nothing for the poor who are the temples of God? Can you feed your dogs, parrets, monkeyes, pamper your p. 303horſes, and not mind poore Chriſtians which lye at your doors? If it be ſo, how will the Lord take it at your hands? Remember Dives, he had been better to have given all to Lazurus, then to have met with ſuch an end for his unmercifulneſſe. The Lord Chriſt hath told you it's a bleſſed thing to give, Acts 20.35. You would count it a bleſſed thing to ſhew kindneſſe to Chriſt; the pappes that gave Chriſt ſucke were counted bleſſed, Luke 11.27. When you give to the poore, you give to Chriſt: Matth. 25.40. In aſmuch as you have done it unto one of the leaſt of theſe my brethren, you have done it unto me. The are Chriſts brethren thou doſt it unto, and he accounts it done to himſelfe, yea the leaſt or meaneſt it's done unto.

Again, is it not a bleſſed thing to have the Lord of heaven and earth to be indebted to one. Prov. 19.17. Hee that hath pitty on the poor, lendeth unto the Lord, and that which he hath given will he pay him againe.

1. God is the poor mans ſurety.

2. He takes the debt upon himſelfe.

3. Gives thee his word for ſecurity; his faithfulneſſe and his honour are engag'd for performance: had you the Cities bond, the Parliaments ſecurity, the publique faith for repaiment of what you expend upon the poore, it were nothing to this: O give, give unto the poor, and make God as much as you can indebted to you, hee is a good paymaſter. Luke 6.38. Give and it ſhall be given unto you, good meaſure, preſſed downe, ſhaken together, and running over. If you will not make God your debter by giving, he will be your Judge for not giving.

We live in dangerous times, and riches are uncertaine things; the way to make them ſafe, is to beſtow them upon the poor. Eccleſ. 11.1. Caſt thy bread upon the waters, for thou ſhalt find it after many dayes: If you keep it, you loſe; if you caſt it away, you ſhall find it again.

One had this Epitaph upon his tomb: Habeo quod dedi perdidi quod ſervavi:

If you would keep wine or meal you put them into empty p. 294veſſels. Iſa. 58.10, 11. If thou draw out thy ſoule to the hungry, and ſatisfie the afflicted ſoule, then ſhall thy light riſe in obſcurity, and thy darkneſſe be as the noone-day, and the Lord ſhall guide thee continually, and ſatisfie thy ſoule in drought, and make fat thy bones, and thou ſhalt be like a watered garden, and like a ſpring of water whoſe waters faile not.

Queſt. Seeing wee are to ſtrengthen the hands of the poore and needy, whether are we to give to all in ſuch caſe?

Anſw. It's the judgment of ſome, that no beggars ſhould be reliev'd that goe from doore to doore, they think it an unwarrantable practiſe for people to doe ſo, and to be reliev'd upon ſo doing, its the nurſery of many vagabonds, and vile perſons; ſuch live in no calling, are under no government, are the ſhame of the Magiſtrate, a diſorder in a Common-wealth, and reproach of the lawes are made for reliefe of the poore in their ſeverall reſpective places. Certainly thoſe that begge up and downe, being able to work, and will not, you ought not to relieve, you ſin in doing of it; the Apoſtles rule is, if any will not worke he muſt not eat, 2 Theſ. 3.10. And further, when Begging is made a trade, I ſee not how it's juſtifiable before God, or can be countenanced by man; there are few but can do ſomething towards their living; and if they cannot, they ought to be relieved otherwiſe then by begging.

Yet to conclude it unlawfull to give to any that begge, I dare not: Chriſt healed two blind beggars, Luke 18.35.42. John 9.7, 8. and did not reprove them for their begging.

Beſides, he hath given out a rule, Luke 6.30. Give to every man that asketh of thee, which would be void and uſeleſſe if I might give to no beggars.

1. Then, if you be able, you ought to give to all that are truly poor and needy, juſtly neceſſitated to aske, even thoſe that are able to worke, and willingly would work; but through the ill diſpoſition of the times cannot get any, or not ſufficient to maintain them.

2. If men be not able to relieve all that ſhall aske, then p. 295caution and Chriſtian wiſdome are to be uſed: you are to obſerve the rule of nature which leads you to give.

1. To your kindred according to the degrees thereof.

2. To your affinity.

3. Your friends.

4. Cohabitators of the ſame Village, Pariſh, Citie, County, Kingdome.

5. To ſtrangers whom providence ſhall offer unto you.

But more ſpecially,

1. You are to conſider whether they be godly poore or not: and if godly, there to place your charity. Gal. 6.10. As we have opportunity, &c.

2. Their neceſſity, and ſo

1. It may be extream, they may be in danger of life, ready to ſtarve, as Lazarus did at Dives doore; or in danger of ſinning, as Captives to turne Turks, and poor amongſt us of turning to Popery, to ſteal; now ſuch are to have help before others.

2. It may be great, attended with ſome grivevous inconvenience, as loſſe of liberty, ſinking of a family, ſcandall to religion; now theſe are to have a hand reach'd out to them, when others may not.

3. There is a common neceſſity, when poor want, live not ſo comfortably as they would: and theſe as we have ability and occaſion we may, the other we muſt relieve.

3. Their impotency; they may be ſicke, infirme, lame, blind, aged, ſo that they are not able to doe ought for a livelihood.

4. You are to conſider their ſerviceableneſſe formerly; the more uſeful any have been in Church or State, the more good they have done to either or both, the rather ſhould they in caſe of want feel your charity then others, as many now that have ventured their lives in the wars.

5. The cauſe of their poverty and want; if men have been brought to it by ſickneſs, by ſpecial acts of providence, fire, loſſes at Sea, plundering, robbery, unfaithfulneſſe of men and their dealings; theſe are to be pittyed, ſupported p. 306before others that have brought themſelves to beggery by ill courſes.