Sermon Preached Several Times, Sermon 3 (1 of 2)

Sermon Preached Several Times · Sermon 3 (1 of 2)

p. 61CHRISTS GENERALL Watch-Word.

MARK. 13.37.

WATCH.

§. 1.The Occaſion. THere beaaAdventus duo: alter in humilitate, alter in ſublimitate. Tertull. Apolog. Adventus Domini duplex. Bern. in advent. ſerm. 4. imò triplex, ad homines, in homines, contra homines, ib. 3. Primus in humilitate, postremus in majestate, Gregor. Rom. mor. l. 17. c. 19. Occultus, quo venit judicandus; manifeſtus, quo veniet judicaturus, August. de temp. 220. Venit enim ſalvator, veniet damnater, Idem in Ioan. tract. 4. two commings of our Lord and Saviour Chriſt mentioned in Scripture: the former of them in mercy,bbMatth. 18.11. Iohn 12.47.Matt 18:11John 12:47 to ſave the world; the latter of them in majeſtie,ccMatth. 16.27. Iohn 5.22, 27, 28.Matt 16:27John 5:22John 5:27John 5:28 to judge the world.

Some of thoſe that lived in the time of the former, hadddDe illo ab eo quaeſierunt quem ſperabant, non de illo quem jam videbant, Aug. epiſt. 80. moved queſtion to our Saviour himſelfe concerning the latter;eeMarc. 13.4. Mat. 24.3.Mark 13:4Matt 24:3 When will the comming of the Sonne of man be?

Now our Saviour, in way of anſwer unto this queſtion, layeth downe both the certaintie and the uncertaintie of his ſecond comming: the certaintie, that it ſhall be; the uncertaintie when it ſhall be. That, which is wont to be ſaid of the day of Death, being no leſſe true of the day of Doome;ffNihil certius; nihil incertius. Bern. de Coena Dom. ſer. 2. & medit. c. 3. & epist. 105. There is nothing more certaine, and yet nothing more uncertaine: ggCaetera noſtra & bona & mala incerta ſunt: ſola mors certa eſt. Aug verb. Dom. 21. incerta omnia: ſola mors certa, cujus etiam hora incerta eſt, Idem in Pſal. 38.Ps 38Nothing more certaine than that it ſhall be: as ſure, wee uſe to ſay, as Death; and may well ſay, as Doome: ForhhMark. 13.31. Mat. 24.35.Mark 13:31Matt 24:35 Heaven and earth (ſaith our Saviour) ſhall paſſe away, but ſo ſhall not my word. And yetiiPoena certa, hora incerta: mors certa, dies mortis incertus, Aug. ibid. nothing more uncertaine than when it ſhall be. For,kkMark. 13.32. Mat. 24.36.Mark 13:32Matt 24:36 Of that day and houre knoweth no man ought, no nor the Angels in heaven, nor the Sonne (llforeign. Greg. Naz. ad Eunom. ſerm. 4. & ex eo Eulogius cont. Agnoitas apud Photium biblioth. cod. 230. foreign. Ephrem. ad Anatol. quaest. 1. Secundum ſormam ſervi, Aug. de Trin. l. 1. c. 12. In ſtatu humiliationis, Vorſt. apolog. disp. 2. §. 33. Parum enim ſolidum, quod Aug. in Pſal. 36. & in Gen. contra Manich. l. 1. c. 32. & 83. quaeſt. 60. ſed & de Trinit. l. 1. c. 12. neſcit, i. neſcire facit. Ne que firmum ſatis quod Greg. Rom. l 8. epiſt. 42. & Cyril. theſaur. l 9 c. 4. In humanitate norat; ſed ex humanitate non norat.Ps 36 as hee wasmmQuod ante paſſionem neſcit, poſt reſurrectionem novit, Chryſoſt. in Act. 1.7. Et Origen. in Mat. homil. 3. Viſe Ianſen. concord. Evang. cap. 123.Acts 1:7 then) himſelfe.

p. 62Hereupon he taketh occaſion tonnMarke 13.33. Matth. 24.42.Mark 13:33Matt 24:42 exhort his Diſciples whom hee then ſpake to, andooNon illis ſolis dixit, quibus tunc audientibus loquebatur, ſed illis etiam qui fuerunt poſt illos ante nos, & ad noſipſos, & qui erunt post nos uſque ad noviſſimum ejus adventum, Auguſt. epist. 80. us all in and by them, unto circumſpection and warineſſe, unto vigilancie and watchfulneſſe:ppVt ſemper paratū ſit cor ad expectādū, quod eſſe venturum ſcit, & quando venturum ſcit, neſcit. Aug in Pſal. 36.Ps 36 that ſince ſuch a day muſt once come, and they know not how ſoone it may come, wherein they ſhall all be called to give up their accounts, that therefore they live in a continuall expectation of it, in a perpetuall preparation for it; that whenſoever it ſhall come, they may be found ready and fit for it.

Which exhortation having urged and enlarged by ſundry arguments of inforcement and illuſtration inqqMar. 13.34, 35, 36. Matth. 24.43. &c.Mark 13:34Mark 13:35Mark 13:36Matt 24:43 the words before going, he dothrrMar. 13.37.Mark 13:37 here repeat and conclude, winding up the ſumme of all before delivered in this one word, WATCH.

The Diviſion.A word not conſiſting of many ſyllables or letters; but containing Part 1 much matter, and matter of much uſe. Which that it may the better and the more orderly be unfolded, wee will referre all that ſhall be ſpoken to theſe foure heads:

The Senſe, the Proofes,

The Manner, and the Meanes: Or,

The Senſe.1. The Meaning of the word, whas it is to watch.

2. The Reaſons, why wee ought ſo to watch.

3. The manner, how wee muſt watch.

4. The Meanes, whereby wee may watch.

The two former belong to Doctrine; the two latter to Uſe.

§. 2. For the firſt of them, to wit, what it is to watch. Watching is, to ſpeake properly,ſſCorporum eſt ſomnus, ſicut & mors cum ſpeculo ſuo ſomno. Anima quieti nunquam ſuccedit. Tertull. de anima, c. 32. & 25. Iacet enim dormientis corpus ut mortui, viget autem & vivit animus. Cicer. de divin. lib. 1. Somnus ſiquidem è corpore eſt, atque in corpore operator, Aug. de immortal. anim. cap. 14. Corpore autem dormiente anima inſomnis agit. Hippocr. de inſomn. Tota que ſibi ſua eſt, Iul. Scalig. ad eundem. an affection of the bodie; and is by way of metaphor onelyonly applied unto the ſoule. In regard whereof it will not be amiſſe to conſider briefly what it importeth in the one, that wee may the better conceive thereby what it ſignifieth in the other.

ttforeign, ſive foreign, ut Phrynichus: Et foreign, ſive foreign. Sicut dormitione tranſitur ad ſomnum, ſic exporgefactione tranſitur ad vigilationem, Aug. in Pſalm. 3.Ps 3Watching therefore and waking are two ſeverall things: it is one thing to wake, or to be awake, and another thing to watch. For example: wee are all here (I preſume) at this preſent waking; but cannot properly be ſaid to be watching, becauſe neither is it now the ordinarie time of reſt, neither (it may be) have wee any preſent inclination thereunto. But the Diſciples of our Saviour the night before hee ſuffered, are ſaid to have watched with him,uuMatth. 26.40.Matt 26:40 Could ye not watch an houre with me? becauſe both it was then the ordinarie time of repoſe, and they very ſleepie and drowſie alſo themſelves. Againe,xxPſalm. 77.3.Ps 77:3 the Pſalmiſt complaineth that God held his eyes waking, oryyforeign watching; (but in an unproper ſenſe) that he was forced to keepe waking, and ſo in ſome ſort to watch as it were againſt his will. A man lieth oft awake when hee would faine ſleepe, butzzforeign, ut Herodot. loquitur, i. inſomnia laborans, ut Caeciliu apud Nonium. cannot, either through diſeaſe of bodie or diſtraction of minde: And a man that is ſet to watch, may keepe awake, but not minde or regard his charge: and neither of them in ſuch caſe are ſaid properly to watch. But thoſe that ſit by ſuch a ſick man as cannot ſleepe, to tend him, are ſaid to watch by him: And the Shepherds are ſaid to have beeneaaLuk. 2.8. Pastores, dum ſuper gregem ſuum vigilant, gregis ipſius paſtorem in praeſepio invenire, videre, tenere merentur & autorem. Petrus Chryſol. ſerm. 24.Luke 2:8 watching p. 63over their flocks, when the Angell appeared to them that brought them tidings of Chriſts birth. So that bodily watching (to ſpeake properly and preciſely) is then, when a man ſtriveth to keepe himſelfe corporally waking for the tending or heeding of ſomething, at ſuch time as he is or may be inclining to ſleepe.

§. 3. But it is no ſuch bodily watching that is here intended. A man may not watch thus, that keepeth himſelfe ſo awake: andbb1 Theſſ. 5.10. Si dormituri ſumus, quomodo vigilamus? Corde vigilam…, etiam cùm corpore dormimus, Auguſt. de verb. Dom. ſerm. 22.1 Thess 5:10 a man may not keepe himſelfe ſo awake, and yet watch. ccActs 12.6.Acts 12:6Peter watched thus while he ſlept in the priſon betweene two ſouldiers tied faſt with two chaines. And ſo didddPſal 3.5. & 4.8.Ps 3:5Ps 4:8 David, when truſting to Gods gratious protection, hee laid himſelfe quietly downe to ſleepe. Whereas on the other ſide,eeMatth. 26.47.Matt 26:47 Iudas ſate up all the night long (asffIob 24.14. Vigilat fur, & expectat ut homines dormiant. Aug. in Pſal. 125.Job 24:14Ps 125 theeves and murtherers alſo doe many times) to put his treaſon in practice,ggMatth. 26.40.Matt 26:40 while his fellow Diſciples ſlept; and yet watched hee no more, nay not ſo much as they did. Andhh2 Sam. 11.2, 3, 4.2 Sam 11:22 Sam 11:32 Sam 11:4 David was broad awake, when hee ſpied Bathſheba from off his terrace; and yet watched he not ſo well as before he did, when on his pallet hee lay faſt aſleepe: he roſe from one ſleepe, to fall into another, a worſe ſleepe. It is notiiforeign. Pythagoras apud Stobaeum, l. 2. c. 1. Eſt ſomnus corporis; eſt & animae: illud ergo cavere debemus, ne ipſa anima nostra dormiat, August. in Pſal. 62.Ps 62 a corporall, but a ſpirituall; not a proper, but a figurative, a metaphoricall watching, (and yet a watching that hath reference to that proper, ſome reſemblance of that corporall watching) that our Saviour here intendeth.

To apply therefore what was before ſaid of watching, to the Soule, and ſo to our preſent purpoſe. Sinne is in the word compared to a ſleepe. kk1 Theſſ. 5.6, 7. Peccatores dormientibus ſimiles, Anaſtaſ. in Hexam. lib. 1. foreign. Clem. Alex. paedag. lib. 2. cap. 10.1 Thess 5:61 Thess 5:7Let not us ſleepe, as others ſleepe, ſaith the Apoſtle: For thoſe that ſleepe, ſleepe in the night: and, Wee are not of the night, but of the light and of the day. Hee ſpeaketh as of a ſpirituallllRom. 13.12.Rom 13:12 night of ignorance, ſo of a ſpirituall ſleepe of ſinne. Repentance is ſaid to be an awaking (as it were) out of this ſleepe.mm1 Cor. 15.34.1 Cor 15:34 Awake to righteouſneſſe; and ſinne not, ſaith the ſame Apoſtle. And againe,nnEpheſ. 5.14. Animam dormientem excitat. Aug. in Pſal. 62.Eph 5:14Ps 62 Awake thou that ſleepeſt, and ariſe from the dead, from the deadly ſleepe of ſinne, and Chriſt will inlighten thee. AndooQuare vitia ſua nemo confitetur? quia adhuc in illis eſt. Somnium narrare vigilantù eſt: & vitia ſua confiteri ſanitatis indicium eſt. Expergiſcamur ergò ut errores nostros coarguere poſſimus. Senec. epiſt. 54. As it is a ſigne that a man is awaked out of his ſleepe, when he telleth what dreames hee ſaw in his ſleepe: ſo it is a ſigne, ſaith the Heathen man, of one truly repentant, when a man maketh ſincere confeſsion of his former offence. And laſtly, the ſtriving to keepe our ſelves from future relapſe, and from falling backe into this our former deadly ſlumber againe, is that which by the ſame metaphor is termed watching, as here, ſoppMatth. 24.42. & 25.13. & 26.41.Matt 24:42Matt 25:13Matt 26:41 elſewhere.

So that it is as much in effect, as if our Saviour had ſaid,The Doctrine. when hee willeth us to watch; that It is not ſufficient for us, that wee have beene awaked out of the deadly ſleepe of ſinne; but wee muſt with all heedfull diligence for the time to come ſtrive to keepe our ſelves thus waking. Watch we cannot till wee be awaked; andqqNam vigilare leve eſt; pervigilare grave, Martial. l. 9. ep. 70. when wee are once awaked, wee muſt ever watch. And ſo have wee both the true ſenſe and ſignification of the word; and the point alſo therein propounded.

§. 4. Now the Reaſons of this point may be foure: Part 2

The firſt taken from the drowſineſſe of our owne naturall diſpoſition.The Proofe.

The ſecond from the diligence of our Adverſarie the Devill.

The third from the neceſſitie of perſeverance.

p. 64The fourth and laſt from the danger of relapſe.

Reaſon 1 For the firſt of them, to wit, the drowſineſſe of our owne naturall diſpoſition.rrMatth. 26.43.Matt 26:43 Hee came the ſecond time, ſaith the Evangeliſt of our Saviours Diſciples, whom hee had but lately before awaked, and found them aſleepe againe; for their eyes were heavy. And as it is with thoſe that be of an heavy conſtitution, of a drowſie diſpoſition, that though they be awaked out of ſleepe, yet unleſſe they uſe ſome diligence (yea though they ſo doe) to keepe themſelves awake, they are ready ever anon to be napping and nodding, and (if they be not the more carefull) to fall even faſt aſleepe againe: So it is naturally with every one of us in regard of our ſoules: Wee are all generallyſſLanguido ſumus ingenio, & in ſomnum ituro, aut in vigiliam ſomno ſimillimam: ut Senec. de provid. c. 5. of a very dull and drowſie diſpoſition, by reaſon of that lumpiſh fleſh of ours,ttRom. 7.17, 23.Rom 7:17Rom 7:23 that abideth much even in the beſt of us. By meanes whereof it commeth to paſſe, that wee are oft ſleeping and ſlumbring, be wee never ſo carefull and diligent; yea in danger oft, after wee have beene awaked out of this dreery and deadly ſleepe, to fall eftſoone backe againe into the ſame, if wee keepe not a conſtant watch over our ſelves and our ſoules. Beſide that the Devill is ready and buſie ever to helpe forward, beſprinkling of our tempels with his ſpirituall Opium of evill motions and ſuggeſtions, to further the matter, and to caſt us againe (if it be poſſible) into a Lethargie irrecoverable.

Reaſon 2 §. 5. A ſecond Reaſon therefore may be taken from the diligence of this our Adverſarie.uu1 Pet. 5.8. foreign. Ioan. Ieiun. de poenitent.1 Pet 5:8 Be ſober and watch, ſaith the Apoſtle, for your Adverſarie the Devill goeth about continually like a roaring Lion, ſeeking whom hee may devoure. xxVt jugulent homines, ſurgunt de nocte latrones: Vt teipſum ſerves, non expergiſceris? Horat l. 1. epiſt. 2.Shall men watch, ſaith the Heathen man, to ſlay and deſtroy others? and wilt not thou watch to ſave thy ſelfe? So ſay I: Shall Satan be more vigilant in watching to doe us a ſhrewd turne or a miſchiefe, than wee in watching to keepe our ſelves ſafe from his malice?yyPernicioſus nimis eſt repentinus hoſtis, nam aut inſcios praevenit, aut incautos praeoccupat, aut opprimit dormientes, Chryſol. ſerm. 27. Undoubtedly if he watch thus continually to aſſault us, unleſſe wee watch as conſtantly on the other ſide to prevent him, wee ſhall ſoone come to be ſurpriſed and vanquiſhed againe of him.zzforeign. Chryſ. in Gen. hom. 3. Continuall watch therefore is to be held of us, becauſe**Pſal. 56.1, 2, 5.Ps 56:1Ps 56:2Ps 56:5 our enemie continually lies in wait for us: nor can wee ever in regard thereof (be wee never ſo watchfull) be over-much warie, yea or warie enough. A thing the rather to be regarded, becauſe it is not here, as in bodily or in worldly watch and ward; whereaaQuid quiſque vitet, nunquam homini ſatis Cautum eſt, in horas. Hor. carm. 2. 13. ſome watch for the reſt, and the reſt ſleepe while they wake: as thatbbEpaminondas. Greeke, Commander ſometime ſaid in a generall ſolemnitie, thatccforeign. Plut. ad praefect. indoct. & in Apophthegm. reg. & duc. he kept ſober and watched, that others the whileſt might drinke and ſleepe: And Philip of Macedon uſed to ſay, thatddforeign. Ex Carystii histor. Athenae dipnoſop. lib. 10. hee might ſafely drinke deepe, as long as Antipater kept ſober and watched. But it is not ſo in this ſpirituall watch; wee cannot here watch by deputie; no man can watch for us; but every one muſt watch for himſelfe.

§. 6. But (may ſome ſay) are not the Miniſters of God in the word calledeeEzech. 3.17. & 33.2. Ierem. 6.17. Eſai. 52.8. & 62.6.Ezek 3:17Ezek 33:2Jer 6:17Isa 52:8Isa 62:6 Watchmen? and are they not ſaidffHebr. 13.17.Heb 13:17 to watch for our ſoules?

I anſwer: True it is indeed; they are called Watchmen: and they are ſaid to watch, yet not ſo much for, asggforeign. over your ſoules. Now it is p. 65one thing to watch for one, and another thing to watch over one. To watch for one (to ſpeake properly) ishhQuomodo Plut. in Apophth. refert Philippum à ſomno diuturniore experrectum dixiſſè, foreign. Et Parmenio Graecu indignantibus quod is interdiu obdormiret, foreign. to watch in his ſtead that hee may not watch: as in a Citie beſieged, or in a ſet Campe ſome few watch by night in their turnes that the reſt the whileſt may ſleepe: and asiiPrinceps vigilat ut quieſcant ſubditi. Iuſtinian. in authent Coll. 2. tit. 2 & Coll 8. tit. 10. Et Bonifac. 8. in prooem. 6. Decret. & Innocent. 4 ibid. l. 2. tit. 5. c. 1. Omnium ſomnos illius vigilia defendit, omnium otium illius labor, omnium delitia… illius industria, omnium vacationem illius occupatio. Sen. ad Polyb. c. 26. the Prince is ſaid to watch, that the ſubject may reſt at eaſe: or the**Somnoſque non defendit excubitor meos. Sen. Thyeſt. Princes guard to watch, that he may ſleepe ſafely. But to watch over one is to watch by him to keepe him awake; as thoſe that watch Deere to tame them by keeping them from ſleepe; or as thoſe that tend a ſicke Patient in ſome drowſie diſeaſe, orkkVt poſt elleborum ſumptum praecipit Hippocr. aphor. 4. 14. after ſome medicine received, or a veine opened, or the like, where ſleepe may be prejudiciall and dangerous unto him. In this latter manner are wee ſaid to watch over you, and the maine end of our watching is to keepe you waking. Which unleſſe it be therefore by our watching effected, all our watching in regard of you is to no purpoſe; no more than their watching about the Patient before ſpoken of, if hee ſleepe amids them, while they watch about him. The Paſtor then indeed muſt watch over his people: butllIerem. 6.17.Jer 6:17 the people muſt watch allſo with their Paſtor, and muſt be kept waking by his watching. Yea asmmAct. 20.28. 1. Tim. 4.13.15, 16.Acts 20:281 Tim 4:131 Tim 4:151 Tim 4:16 he muſt watch over both himſelfe and them; ſonnMatth. 7.15. & 16.6. & 24.4. 2 Ioan. 8.Matt 7:15Matt 16:6Matt 24:42 John 1:8 muſt they in perſon alſo watch each one over himſelfe. To which purpoſe, if wee ſhould demand of our Saviour, as Peter did ſometime in the very ſame caſe, and upon the like occaſion;ooLuke 12.41.Luke 12:41 Maſter, ſpeakeſt thou this unto us alone, or unto all? Doeſt thou ſpeake this to thine Apoſtles onelyonly, or to Paſtors alone, that are to watch over others, or to the people alſo, to thy Diſciples all in generall? our Saviour would no doubt anſwer, yea ſo expreſly hee doth anſwer,ppMark. 13.37. Quod uni dictum eſt, quiſque ſibi dictum putet. Auſon in Iude 7. Sapient. in S…lone.Mark 13:37Jude 1:7 What I ſay unto you, I ſay unto all, Watch. Others may watch over us; but none can watch for us: each one in perſon muſt ever watch for himſelfe.

§. 7. To the adverſarie before mentioned, wee might well adde Enemie 2 another, no leſſe dangerous than the former, to wit, the world, asaaExod. 32.22.Exod 32:22 Aaron ſaith of his people,bb1 Ioh. 2.16. & 5.19. foreign. Quomodo Plaut. Caſſin. 2.5. & Merc. 5.3. In fermento tota jacet uxor.1 John 2:161 John 5:19 wholly ſet upon wickedneſſe. This though we beccIoh. 15.19.John 15:19 not of it, yet are weddIoh. 17.11.John 17:11 in it, neither canee1 Cor. 5.10.1 Cor 5:10 we goe, orffforeign. Plat. de ſera vind. get out of it, ggQuomodo ille apud Plut. de Tranquill. foreign. Ipſe Deus, ſimulatque volam, me ſolvet. Hor. ep. 17. l. 1.when wee will our ſelves;hhIoh. 17.15.John 17:15 wee muſt ſtay in it, till it pleaſe GodiiGen. 5.24.Gen 5:24 to call us out of it. And ſo long as wee are in it,kkPro. 6.28. foreign. Arist. Lyſist. Incedis per ignes Suppoſitos c…neridoloſo. Horat. carm. 21.Prov 6:28 wee tread upon embers, llIob. 22.10. Ier. 18.22. Ezech. 2.6. Inter medios laqueos in hac vita inceditur. Bern in Cant. 52.Job 22:10Jer 18:22Ezek 2:6wee walke among ſnares, ofmmPhil. 2.17.18.Phil 2:17Phil 2:18 evill example, of allurement bynnNum. 227.17. profit andooProv. 7.18.Prov 7:18 pleaſure, of ſhame and abaſhment bypp1 Pet. 4.4. Hebr. 11.36.1 Pet 4:4Heb 11:36 deriſion, ſcorne and contempt, of terror and affrightment byqqIoh. 15.19. & 16.2.John 15:19John 16:2 oppoſition, threats, and diſcountenance, if wee doe not as others doe. Wee are in as much danger (if not muchrrHomo malus ipſo eſt Diabolo nocentior. Iuſtum ſiquidem hominem Diabolus timet, homo malus contemnit. Diabolus homini niſi permiſſus non nocet, malus homo nocet etiam prohibitus. Aut. oper. imp. in Mat. hom 24. Ludolf. vita Chr…ſti, 1. 52. & Vor. de Sanct. 2. 10. more) by evill men as by devils, byſſIoh. 6.70.John 6:70 devils incarnate, as byttforeign. Contrario ſenſa quamid Graecieff. rūt. devils indeed: they areuuIohn 8.44. 1 Ioh. 3.8.John 8:441 John 3:8 limmes of the devill, andxxHomo malus telum Diaboli: ſine homine adverſus hominem nil poteſt. Autor. oper imperf. hom. 24. the inſtruments that he ofteſt maketh uſe of.yyIam. 3.6, 7, 8. Ezec. 2.6. Fera quavis ipſe ferocior eſt, Qui (ut Martial. ſpectac. epigr.) jubet ingenium mitius eſſe feris. Fera ſiquidem niſi irritata out ſame coacta non ſaevit: homo gratis crudelis eſt. Fera habet crudelitatem, ſed rationem non habet: homo & crudelis eſt & rationalis Fera malum unum aliquod habet, homo omnia. Autor operis imperf. hom. 24Jas 3:6Jas 3:7Jas 3:8Ezek 2:6 Wee are more in danger p. 66of wicked men for our ſoules, than they are for their bodies that live in the wide wilderneſſe, where wilde beaſts are moſt frequent. They were men like themſelves that our Saviour warned his to beware of, when hee ſaid,zzMatth. 10.17. Quid ista circumspicis, quae tibi poſſunt fortaſſe evenire, ſed poſſunt & non evenire: incendium dico, ruinam, & alia quae nobis incidunt non inſidiantur. Illa potius vide, illa devita, quae nos obſervant, quae captant. Rari ſunt caſus. etiamſi graves naufragium facere, vehiculo everli: ab homine homini quotidianum periculum. Adverſus hoc te expedi, hoc intentis oculis intuere. Nullum enim malum frequentius, nullum blandius. Tempestas minatur antequam ſurgat, praenunciat fumu… incendium, crepant aedificia antequam corruant. Subito eſt ex homine pernicies, & eo diligentius tegitur quo propius accedit. Sen. ep. 103.Matt 10:17 Take ye heed of men: for they are they that may doe you moſt miſchiefe. They werebbforeign. Lycurg. apud Stob. c. 2. Heu quam mala atque dep…avata prorſus eſt Natura nostra?— Putas ne tu intereſſe inter hominem & ſeram? Nec paululum, niſi in figura corporis. Curvantur aliae, inambulat recta haec fera. Lypſ. Lupus eſt homo homini, non homo. Plaut. Aſin. 2. 4. Erras ſi istorum qui occurrunt tibi, vultibus credis Hominum effigies habent, animos ſerarum. Niſi quod illarum pernicioſior eſt primis incurſus, quos tranſire non q…eunt. Nunquam enim illas ad nocendum niſi neceſſitas inigit: aut ſame aut timore coguntur ad poenam. Homini perdere hominem libet. Sen. ep. 103 Men-wolves that hee forewarned them of, when he told them, that hee ſhould ſend them outaaMatth. 10.16.Matt 10:16 as ſheepe among wolves. And had not they needccEpheſ. 5.15. foreign.Eph 5:15 to walke warily, thatddPſal. 57.6. & 141.9. & 142.3. Vigilandum eſt ſemper; multae inſidiae ſunt bonis. Ex Trag Cic. pro Planc.Ps 57:6Ps 141:9Ps 142:3 have ſo many ſnares in their way? Had they not need to ſtand continually upon their guard, that have their enemieseeforeign. Thacyd. hist. Ʋtrinque conciduntur in medio ſiti. on either ſide, nayffPſal. 17.11. Intus caro extra Satan, mundus undique.Ps 17:11 on every ſide of them? Have they not juſt cauſe toggLuk. 2.8.Luke 2:8 watch night and day, that abide there wherehhPſal. 57.4.Ps 57:4 Lions, Wolves, and wilde beaſts of ravenous diſpoſition are moſt rife?

§. 8. But there is yet a third enemie, as vigilant and diligent, yea more inceſſant and more dangerous than either of the former, and that is our owne corrupt nature. For the other two are without us, this is within us, it is an inbred, an home-bred adverſarie. A mans enemies, ſaithiiMica. 7.6. the Prophet, andkkMatth. 10.36.Matt 10:36 our Saviour from him, ſhall be thoſe of his owne houſe. llforeign. Plut. de tranq. Molestiſſimum malum intestinum & domeſticum. Bern. in Cant. 29.An houſhold foe is much more dangerous than a forainer, than one out of the houſe, though dwelling at the next doore. But this enemie of ours is not in our houſe, butmmMatth. 15.18, 19. Gen. 6 5. Ierem. 17.9.Matt 15:18Matt 15:19Gen 6:5Jer 17:9 in our heart, lodged and ſeated in the very inwardeſt and ſecreteſt cloſet of our ſoule. The other two are profeſſed adverſaries, this a pretended friend. AndnnAditum nocendi perfido praeſtat fides. Sen. O…dip. 3. Nullae ſunt occultiores inſidiae, quàm hae… quae latent in ſimulatione officii, aut in aliquo neceſſitudinis nomine. Nam eum qui palàm eſt adverſarius, facilè cavendo vitare poſſis: hoc verò inteſtinum ac domeſticum malum, non modo exiſtit, verum etiam opprimit, antequam per spicere atque explorare poſſis, Cicer. Ve…rin. 3. a pretended friend is more dangerous than a profeſſed foe.ooPſal. 55.12, …3.Ps 55:12Ps 55:3 It was not a profeſſed enemie, ſaith David, that did mee this wrong; for then could I well have borne it: nor was it an open adverſarie, that ſet himſelfe against me; for then could I have ſhunned him: but it was thou, ô man, my companion, my counſellor, my guide, my familiar. And therefore,ppMica. 7.5. Truſt not a friend, ſaith the Prophet, take heed eſpecially of a falſe friend; put no confidence in a counſellor: keepe the doores of thy mouth from her that qq2 Sam. 12.8. In accubitu mos ille ut accumberent uxores in ſinu virorum Lypſ ad Tac. annal. l. 11. Hinc Caeſaremà Dolobella dictum Spondam interiorem regiae lecticae, refert Sueton. c. 49. Sic. Ioan. 13.23, 25.2 Sam 12:8John 13:23John 13:25lieth in thy boſome. But this falſe-hearted friend of ours lieth not in our boſome, but within our breaſt. Againe, the other two ceaſe ſometime their oppoſing of us, this is inceſſant, it never ceaſeth. Though there be a continuallrrGeneſ. 3 15.Gen 3:15 enmitie, a perpetuall hoſtilitie,ſſforeign, ut Aeſch. in Cteſiph. & Demoſt. pro coron. Sive foreign, ut Plut. Periel. a warre without truce betweene Satan and us: yet are wee not alwayes actuallyttIn bello perpetuo, at non in praelio. Quo modo Liv. hiſt. l. 30. Non praelio modò ſe, ſed bello victum. in skirmiſh and combat. Wee are not alwayes in fight, though wee be alwayes in the field. Nor is the devill himſelfe alwayes about us or with us. Butuuforeign. Baſil. ep. 1. Quid terras alio calentes Sole mutamus? Patriae quis exul Se quoque fugit. Hor. carm 2. 16. Rectè Varro, Longe fugit, quiſuos fugit: At longius, qui ſe. our corrupt nature is never from us, it is alwayesxxNon eſt extrinſecum malum noſtrum: intra nos eſt, in viſceribus noſtris ſedet. Sen. epiſt. 50. in p. 67the very middeſt of us;yyforeign. Baſil. Hoc ſe quiſque mode fugit: at, quem ſcilicet, ut ſit, Effugere haud potes est, ingratis haret & angit. Lucret. l. 3. —teque ipſum vitas fugitivus & erro; Fruſtrâ: nam comes alra premit, ſequiturque fugacem. Horat. ſerm 27. Vitia nos noſtra, quotun que tranſierimus, ſecutura ſunt. Sen. ep. 50 Nihil tibi prodest peregrinatio, quia tecum peregrinaris. Peregrinaris cum affectibus tuis: & mala te tua ſequuntur. Sen. epist. 104. wee carry it about with us continually, whitherſoever wee goe, or whereſoever wee become. And**In hoc genere militia nunquam quies, nunquam ocium datur. Sen. epiſt. 52. it is never idle in us, but inceſſantly working on us, continually either hindering us in well-doing, or provoking and egging of us on unto evill.zzGalat. 5.17.Gal 5:17 The fleſh, ſaith the Apoſtle, luſteth and ſtriveth against the Spirit, ſo that ye cannot doe what you would. And,aaRom. 7.22, 23.Rom 7:22Rom 7:23 I finde by wofull experience, that when I would doe good, evill is preſent with mee. For mine inner man delighteth in the Law of God: But I ſee and feele another law in my limmes rebelling againſt the law of my minde, and leading mee captive to the law of ſinne that is in my limmes.

§. 9. Laſtly, without the helpe of this traitorbbforeign. Simot. epiſt. 40. Nec nolens quiſquam laeditur, ſed nec volens. Nemo laeditur niſi à ſe. Tu ipſo tibi ni aliquid facias, malus quid faciat? Aug. homil. 29. no other enemie can hurt us.ccDebilis eſt adverſarius, niſi volentem non vincit. Pelag. ad Demetr. Lege Chryſoſt. orat. 67. tom. 6. & orat. 2. tom. 7. The devill himſelfe cannot foyle us, unleſſe wee our ſelves will. ddSuadere & ſolicitare poteſt, cogere omninò non poteſt. Aug. hom. 12. Habet aſtutiam ſuadendi, non poteſtatem cogendi. Idem in Pſal 91. & in Ioan. 12.Ps 91John 12Hee may perſwade and entice, ſuggeſt and provoke, but hee cannot enforce or conſtraine, nor unleſſe our owne heart give conſent, cauſe us to ſinne. As wee uſe therefore to ſay of the Land and State that wee live in, that Wee need not feare any foraine foe, if wee be true among our ſelves: So may it be ſaid much more truly of our ſpirituall eſtate,eeQuid à foris conturbare aut contriſtare poterit, ſi intus bene eſtis, & fraterna pace gaudetis? Bern in Cant. 29. Pax vobis à vobis ſit, & omne quod extrinſecus minari videtur, non terret, quia non nocet. Ib. wee ſhould not need to feare any outward adverſarie, either world or devill, if our owne heart were, and would be ſure to keepe true to us. ButffDiabolus plus confidit in adjutorio carnis, quoniam magis nocet hoſtis domeſticus: illa ad ſubverſionem meam cum illo foedus iniit. Bern. medit. c. 14. Huic accedit, hac utitur ſerpens malignus: baculo noſtro nos cedit, manus nostras cingulo proprio ligat. Ibid. it is our owne heart within us that is ready to joyne with our adverſaries without us, and to betray us unto them.ggIoh. 14.30.John 14:30 The prince of this world, ſaith our Saviour, hath beene dealing with mee; but hee found nothing in mee; and therefore prevailed not againſt mee. ButhhDiabolus quum aliquid ſuggerit, tenet conſentientem, non cogit invitum. non enim ſeducit aut trahit aliquem, niſi quem inven…rit ex ali…ua parte jam ſibi ſimilent. Aug. de diverſ. 20. hee never commeth to aſſault us, but hee findeth enough and too much in us; the maine cauſe why ſo oft he prevaileth againſt us.iiHoſtes intra nos multos habemus, carnis concupiſcentias, carnis fructus Hugo d… continent. c. 3. Hee findeth a many Iudaſſes within us, that are ready to joyne with him, to ſecond him, to aſſiſt him, to fight for him, to betray us into his hands. Without this inteſtine traitor then, the devill himſelfe cannot hurt us: but it alone is able to hurt us without him. Wee need no other Tempter to tempt or entice us to evill: wee havekkGen. 3.6. Portaemus omnes impreſſum nobis cauterium conspirationis antiquae, Eva noſtra caro noſtra, per que concupiſcentiam Serpenti nos prodit. Bern. in Cant. 72.Gen 3:6 an Eve, a Tempter of our owne each one within us, more powerfull and more effectuall than any is or can be without us, and one that needeth not any helpe from without.llIam. 1.14, 15. Rom. 8.12, 13.Jas 1:14Jas 1:15Rom 8:12Rom 8:13 Every man, ſaith the Apoſtle, is tempted, when hee is inticed and drawne aſide by his owne luſt. And ſo lust having conceived bringeth forth ſinne, and ſinne being conſummate bringeth forth death. mmforeign. Chryſoſt. orat. 67 tom. 6. Hoſtem ſi foris non habes, domi invenies. Liv. hiſt. l. 30.No need is there of other devill to delude or deſtroy us; there is devill enough in the hearts of every one of us to doe either, there is enough in us without any devils helpe to effect either.

§. 10. Wee have as much cauſe thennnforeign. Epictet. enchirid. c. 72. to watch even against our ſelves, as againſt any adverſary whatſoever. Since that as the Heathen man ſometime ſaid,ooforeign. Plut. de adulat. Every man is the firſt and the greateſt flatterer p. 68of himſelfe: and others could never come to faſten their flatteries upon us, if wee did not before flatter our ſelves: Soppforeign. Anacharſis apud Stob. eclog. tom. 2. c. 2. every man is the firſt and the greateſt enemie to himſelfe: and other enemies could never doe us any harme, if wee did not firſt conſpire with them to hurt our ſelves. And if they had need to bee exceeding vigilant, and extraordinarily circumſpect, that have not onelyonly many open enemies, beſetting and aſſaulting them on every ſide without, but many cloſe traitors alſo, that have buſie heads and working braines, plotting and practiſing continually their ruine at home; then ſurely no leſſe cauſe have wee to be extraordinarily watchfull, whoſe caſe, as wee ſee, is the very ſame. IfqqNuſquam ſecuritas, neque in coelo, neque in paradiſo, multo minus in mundo. In coelo. n. cecidit Angelus ſub praeſentia divinitatis, Adam in paradiſo de loco voluptatis, Iudas in mundo d…ſcholae Salvatoris. Bern. de diverſ. 30. our firſt parents had cauſe to watch in Paradiſe, when there was no adverſarie but without: Much more have wee cauſe to watch, and to watch moſt diligently now, when wee have adverſariesrr2 Cor. 7.5.2 Cor 7:5 both without and within. For therein is the difference, asſſFaber in Iac. 1. Nonnunquam tentatio praevenit concupiſcentiam, ut in Eva: nonnunquam ſequitur, ut in Iuda.Jas 1 one ſaith well, betweenettGeneſ. 3.1, 6.Gen 3:1Gen 3:6 Adam anduuIoh. 12.6. & 13.2.John 12:6John 13:2 Iudas, ſo betweene our firſt parents and us, that Outward temptation prevented inward corruption in them, inward corruption preventeth outward temptation in us. So many adverſaries therefore, ſo vigilant, ſo diligent, round about us, on every ſide of us, before us, behinde us, above us, beneath us, without us, within us,**Ire vides quadrato agmino exercitum, ubi hoſtis ab omni parte ſuſpectus est, pugna paratum. Hoc aliquanto nobis magis neceſſarium. Illi enim ſaepe hoſtem timuere ſine cauſa. Nobis nihil pacatum est. Tamſuperne quam infra metus est. Vtrumque trepidat latus. Sequuntur pericula & occurrunt. Sextius apud Sen. ep. 60. muſt needs enforce on us an inceſſant watchfulneſſe, if wee have any care of our owne ſafetie.

§. 11. A third Reaſon may be taken from the neceſſitie of perſeverance.qqMatth. 10 22. & 24.13. Non qui inceperit, ſed qui perſeveraverit, ſalvus crit. Incipere multorum est; perſeverare paucorum. Bern. de grad. obed. Multi enim magna aggrediuntur, ſed in via deficiunt: in deſertum multi exeunt, ſed ad terram promiſſionis pauci perveniunt. Aug. ad fratr. increm. ſer 8.Matt 10:22Matt 24:13 Who ſo endureth to the end (ſaith our Saviour, he alone) ſhall be ſaved. The Chriſtian courſe is compared to a race. rrHebr. 12.1.Heb 12:1Let us runne with patience (ſaith the Apoſtle) the race ſet before us. Andſſ1 Cor. 9.24.1 Cor 9:24 in a race (ſaith the ſame Apoſtle) all runne; but all winne not. If wee aske who winne, hee telleth us elſe-where, thattt2 Tim. 2.5.2 Tim 2:5 they onelyonly winne the wager or get the garland, that runneuuforeign. Non certat legitimè, niſi qui certat ad finem uſque. Aug. ibid. according to the lawes of the game, to the rules of the race. Now in worldly races the law of the game is, that none but hee gaineth the prize, that getteth firſt to the gole: But in the ſpirituall race the law is otherwiſe. ForxxNon qui primus venerit, ſed quicunque pervenerit. Chryſan Matth. there not who ſo commeth first, but who ſo holdeth out to the laſt, yyMatth. 19.30. & 20.16. & 22.14.Matt 19:30Matt 20:16Matt 22:14be hee in order of place or time firſt or laſt, is ſure to winne and to doe well.zzApoc. 2.10.Rev 2:10 Be faithfull to death, and thou ſhalt have the crowne of life, ſaith our Saviour to each Chriſtian ſouldier and ſoule.aaIncaſſum bonum agitur, fi ante terminum vitae deſeratur: quia & fruſtra velociter currit, qui priuſquam ad metas veniat, deficit. Greg. mor. l 2. c. 40. Non inchoantibus ſiquidem praemium promittitur, ſed perſeverantibus. Iſidor. de ſum. bon. lib. 2. cap. 7. As in a race then it is to no purpoſe for a man to ſet out with the firſt, and to runne eagerly a while, if after ſome time hee ſit downe, and ſtay at the mid-way: yea if hee give over when he is within but a foot or two of the gole, it is all one as if hee had never ſet foot into the field: So here for a manbbGal. 5.7. & 3 3.Gal 5:7Gal 3:3 to run well for a ſpurt, and then to give over, yea to breake off that good courſe that hee was entred into but a day or twaine before deceaſe, it is enough to annull all his former proceedings, and to make him to be in no better eſtate than if hee had never ſet foot into the good wayes of God. ForccPerſeverantia ſola virtutum coronatur. Bern. de temp. 114. Aeternitatis imaginem perſeverantia praeſe fert. Sola est cui aeternitas redditur. Idem de conſider. l. 5. it is perſeverance alone in well-doing, that carieth away the crowne. ddCedunt prima poſtremis. Tacit. annal. l. 13.The latter part of a mans life over-ſwayeth the former: p. 69andeeVita poſterior priori praejudicat. Hieron. ad Furiam. the former yeeldeth it to the latter. ffEzech. 18.24. Vides oblivione profunda ſepeliri virtutes, quas perſeverantia non inſignivit. Bern. de grad obed. Neque enim incepiſſe, vel facere, ſed perficere virtutis est. Ex Hier. Gloſſ. ad Mat. 10.22. Atqui non eſt magnum bonū inchoare quod bonum est, ſed conſummare, hoc ſolum perfectum est. Aug. ad fratres in eremo, ſerm. 8.Ezek 18:24Matt 10:22If the righteous man (ſaith the Prophet, or rather God himſelfe by the Prophet) ſhall turne from his righteous courſe of life that before hee lived in, none of his former good deeds ſhall be remembred or reckoned; but in the evill that then hee doth, hee ſhall die. Yea to keepe to the compariſon that wee have in our text: If a Servant or Souldier appointed to watch for his Maſters comming, or againſt the enemies approach, ſhall continue watching till within an houre or ſome ſhorter time of the arrivall of the one or the aſſault of the other, but ſhall then chance to fall faſt aſleepe; hee ſhall be no leſſe in danger either to be ſhent of the one or to be ſlaine by the other, than if he had ſlept all out, and watched no time at all. And the like may be ſaid of our ſpirituall Watch; which if wee ſhall for any time intermit, or after any time give over, we may chance in the interim, to be ſurprized either by the juſtice of God, or by the malice of Satan, and ſoggNon enim ex praeteritis, ſed ex praeſentibus judicamur. Gavendum ergò ſemperque timendum, ne veterem gloriam & ſolidam firmitatem unius horae procella ſubvertat. Hieron in Ezech. c. 26.Ezek 26 be in danger of periſhing everlaſtingly by either, notwithſtanding all our former watch. To which purpoſe ſaith our Saviour in the words next before my text; that it is in this caſehhMark. 13.34, 35, 36. Luk 12.36, 37, 38.Mark 13:34Mark 13:35Mark 13:36Luke 12:36Luke 12:37Luke 12:38 As when a man going from home for a time, leaveth his ſervants to keepe houſe, and ſetteth each one his taske, and willeth the Porter to watch: and hee warneth us all therefore toiiLuk. 21.36.Luke 21:36 watch inceſſantly, (becauſekkMat. 24.42, 43.Matt 24:42Matt 24:43 wee know not what time our Lord and Maſter may come) leſt if hee come ſuddenly, hee take us aſleepe.

§. 12. Reaſon 4 A fourth Reaſon may be taken from the danger of relapſe:llIoan. 5.14.John 5:14 Goe thy way (ſaith our Saviour to the Cripple hee had cured) and ſinne no more, leſt a worſe matter befall thee. As wee ſtand continually in no ſmall danger of relapſe, partly through the drowſineſſe of our owne diſpoſition, and partly through the diligence of our Adverſary the Devill, (as before wee have ſhewed:) ſo is theremmIngens periculum ad deteriora redeundi. Sen. epiſt. 72. no ſmall danger in relapſe, and in relinquiſhing this our ſpirituall watch: which if ever therefore wee give over and fall from, it ſhall not bee barely all one to us, as if wee had ever lien ſtill aſleepe, but it ſhall be farre worſe with us, than if wee had never beene awaked. For as it is in the diſeaſes of the body; ſo it is likewiſe in the ſickneſſe of the ſoule. As**Gravius aegrotant …, qui cùm levari morbo videntur, in eum de integro inciderunt. Cic. fam ep. 30. lib. 12. in bodily ſickneſſe the relapſe uſually is worſe and more dangerous, more incurable and irrecoverable than the diſeaſe it ſelfe was at firſt: ſo it falleth out commonly, yea ſo it is ever ordinarily in this ſpirituall Lethargie, that the relapſe proveth more deſperat than the diſeaſe was in it ſelfe.nn2 Pet. 2.20, 21, 22.2 Pet 2:202 Pet 2:212 Pet 2:22 For if men (ſaith the Apoſtle) having eſcaped theſe worldly defilements ooforeign.by the acknowledgement of Chriſt (or the profeſſion of Chriſtianity) come after to be entangled and againe overcome of them; ppMatth. 12.45.Matt 12:45the latter eſtate of ſuch is worſe than the firſt. For it had beene better for them never to have qqforeign, quod plus est quam foreign.taken notice of the good way of God, than after notice taken of it, to turne againe away from it. Since that ſuch, as the Proverb truly ſpeaketh, are rrProv. 26.11.Prov 26:11like the Dog that reſumeth his owne vomit; ſſforeign. Iambus est, & poeticum quid ſpirat.and like Swine that after waſhing returne againe to their wallowing in the mire. As if hee had ſaid in words applied to the preſent compariſon, It had beene better for men to have lien faſt aſleepe ſtill, ſnorting ſecurely in their ſinne, than having beene by the word and Spirit of God, raiſed and rouſed out of it, to fall afterward backe againe into ſome deadly fit of it.

§. 13. They ſeldome awake againe, that fall the ſecond time ſo p. 70faſt aſleepe. Partly, for that through their owne inbred corruption (the evill humour that feedeth this drowſie diſeaſe) waxing commonly in ſuch caſes more fierce and furious than afore (like a maſtive that breaketh looſe, when hee hath beene tied up ſome time; or likettTorrens ab obice ſaevior ibat. Ovid. metam. l. 4. the ſtreame of a river that hath recovered ſcope againe, where it had found ſome reſtraint formerly, either pent in with arches, or bounded with bankes) this ſpirituall Lethargie in the returne of it groweth ſtronger upon them, and ſo harder to be ſubdued and expelled than at firſt; like a maladie that hath got maſterie of, and now contemneth thoſe remedies that curbed and abated the force of it for a while. As alſo partly through Satans malitious policie, who endevoureth all hee can by plunging of ſuch as have broken or beene breaking away from him (if he can faſten againe upon them) as deepe as may be in all manner of impietie and impuritie, thereby to make them ſurer than ever to himſelfe:uuStella ad illud Luc. 11.24, 25, 26.Luke 11:24Luke 11:25Luke 11:26 like the Jaylor, that having laid hold on his priſoner againe, that had either attempted or made eſcape from him, laieth load on him with irons as many as hee may beare, to make him ſure from ſtarting aſide any more. Yea and partly through the juſt judgement of God, who upon ſuch Apoſtataes (as, though he have beene ſo gracious and mercifull unto them as to awake them out of this deadly ſlumber ſometime, yet he findeth them not thankfull to him for it, nor ſtedfaſt and faithfull with him, nor carefull to keepe their watch ſo as they ſhould, but willing to ſleepe againe,xxEſai. 56.10. foreignIsa 56:10 delighting in ſlumber, and repenting that ever they were awaked) is wontyyEſai. 29.10. foreign perfudit ſpiritu ſoporis alti, Iun. foreign dormitare, foreign dormire, foreign ſopore alto teneri. Livel.Isa 29:10 to poure out the ſpirit not of ſlumber, but of deepe and dead ſleepe; ſo that it may be ſaid of them, as of Saul and his troupes,zz1 Sam. 26 12. Sopor altus Iehovae. i. maximus & divinitus immiſſus tun. poſt Aug. ad Simplic. l. 2. q. 1.1 Sam 26:12 A deepe ſleepe of God was upon them, that they did not awake: as hee is ſaid evenaaEſai. 6.9, 10. Rom. 11.8.Isa 6:9Isa 6:10Rom 11:8 to cloſe up the eyes, and to make the very hearts of ſuch (not their heads only) heavy, that they may not returne or repent, that is, be awaked any more againe out of their dead ſleepe, and ſo healed of this their ſpirituall Lethargie. And no marvell then if they ſeldome awake or recover, whom God, and the Devill, and their owne corrupt heart, God in juſtice, the Devill in malice, and their owne corrupt heart out of its owne drowſie diſpoſition, ſhall all conſpire as it were together to with-hold from waking, and from returning to their wonted watch.

§ 14. So that whether wee regard the drowſineſſe of our owne naturall diſpoſition; or the diligence of our Adverſary ever watching againſt us; or the neceſſity of perſeverance, and holding out to the end; or the dreadfull danger of relapſe, if wee fall from our former forwardneſſe, and either intermit or give over our watch, and our ſtanding upon our Guard: wee cannot but ſee the truth of the point formerly propounded, to wit, that it is not ſufficient for us that wee have beene awaked out of this ſpirituall ſleepe of ſinne, but there is further need of perpetuall care to bee had for the keeping of us from falling backe into that deadly ſlumber againe.

The Vſe.§. 15. Now what may be the Uſe of all this, but to exhort and excite us to the diligent practice and performance of a duty ſo neceſſarie, that ſo neerely concerneth us, and that is ſo oft and ſo earneſtly exacted of us and preſſed upon us, both bybbMatth. 24.42. & 25.13. & 26.41. Mark. 13.33, 35, 37. Luke 12.40. & 21.36.Matt 24:42Matt 25:13Matt 26:41Mark 13:33Mark 13:35Mark 13:37Luke 12:40Luke 21:36 our Saviour p. 71Chriſt himſelfe, andccEpheſ. 6.18. Coloſſ. 4.2. 1 Theſſ. 5.6. 1 Pet. 4.7. & 5.8.Eph 6:18Col 4:21 Thess 5:61 Pet 4:71 Pet 5:8 his Apoſtles, as here, ſo elſe-where.

Which that wee may doe the more readily and with the better ſucceſſe, it ſhall not be amiſſe in the next place to conſider of, both the Manner, how it is to be performed; as alſo the Meanes, whereby it may be effected.

For the former, to wit, the Manner how this ſpirituall watch is Part 3 to be held, wee will pitch upon foure points,The manner. wherein the ſame doth principally conſiſt:

The 1. is a due Examination of our ſeverall actions;

The 2. a diligent obſervation of our ſpeciall corruptions;

The 3. a carefull avoidance of the occaſions of evill;

The 4. a conſtant reſiſtance of temptations unto evill;

And of theſe in order.

§. 16. Point 1 The firſt point then of this Chriſtian watch is the due ddforeign. Scitum Bianti… referente Demetrio Phaelar. apud Stob. c. 3.Examination of our ſeverall actions, before wee undertake them, leſt we be otherwiſe unawares overtaken with ſin in them, eſpecially where they may be doubtfull and queſtionable.eeProv. 4.26.Prov 4:26 Ponder, ſaith Salomon, the paths of thy feet, that thy wayes may all be ordered aright. And againe,ffProv. 14.15.Prov 14:15 A prudent man (will not runne on head, but) will conſider his ſteps. Thoſe that goe inggPſal. 35.6.Ps 35:6 wayes darke and ſlippery, and in that regard dangerous, are wont to tread gingerly and ſtep warily, feele with hand and foot their way before them, whether it be cleare and firme, and will not lift up the one foot, till they finde ſure footing for the other. And ſo ſhould it bee with us that are here travelling through the darke and dangerous way of this worlds wilderneſſe, likehhGeneſ. 14.10.Gen 14:10 the vale of Siddim ſlimy and ſlippry, and full of limepits, of ſuch pitfalls and ſpringes as Satan diggeth and ſetteth for us, and of ſuch ſtumbling-blocks as he laieth before us, therby to maime and to miſchiefe us:iiforeign. Pythag. aur. carm. apud Stob. p. 2. c. 3. foreign. Epicharm. ibid. c. 1. Looke ere yee leape. Alioqui ſaliens antequam videat, caſurus est antequam debeat. Bern. de bon. deſer. Palpebrae praecedunt greſſus, cum operationem conſilia rectè praeveniunt. Qui enim negligit conſiderando praevidere quod facit, greſſus tendit, ſed oculos claudit, pergendo iter conficit, ſed praevidendo ſibimetipſi non antecedit; atque idcircò citius corruit, quoniam ubi pedem operis ponere debeat, per conſili… palpebram non attendit. Greg. Rom. de Paſtore par. 3. c. 1. § 16. wee have great reaſon to looke about us, and to have an eye to our footing, that wee ſtep not unwarily and unadviſedly upon that that may prove and procure either our woe or our bane, either our ruine or our ruthe.

§. 17. This is that that the Apoſtle ſeemeth to have an eye unto, where hee exhorteth ſome to walkekk1 Cor. 5.8. foreign.1 Cor 5:8 in ſincerity; (as alſoll2 Cor. 1.12.2 Cor 1:12 hee profeſſeth of himſelfe that hee ſo did:) and prayeth for others,mmPhil. 1.9, 10.Phil 1:9Phil 1:10 that they may diſcerne thoſe things that differ, to the end they may bee nnforeign.ſincere. The word uſed by the Apoſtle in both places ſignifieth properlyooforeign. Etymolog. ſometime tried by the light of the Sunne. And it is a Metaphore (as ſome ſuppoſe) taken from the cuſtome of the Eagle, whoſe manner is (if wee may beleeveppAriſtot. hiſtor. animal. l. 9. c. 34. Et Plin. hiſt. natur. l. 10. c. 3. & l. 29. c. 6. Niſi quod ill… foreign, hic Haliaeeto tribuit. thoſe that write the naturall ſtory) to bring her young out of the neſt before they be full fledge, and to hold them forth againſt the full ſight of the ſunne; the light whereof thoſe of them that can with open eye endure, ſhee retaineth and bringeth up as her owne; the reſt that cannot brooke it, but winke at it, ſhee rejecteth and caſteth off as a baſtardly brood. In like manner ſhould wee doe with thoſe manifold motions that ariſe in our mindes, and p. 72that are hatched as it were in our hearts, ere wee proceed to put them in practice;qqAſſueſcat animus ſolicita pervigilique cuſtodia diſcernere cogitationes ſuas, & ad primum animi motum vel probare vel reprobare quod cogitat, ut bonas àlat, malas ſtatim extinguat. Pelag. ad Demetriad. wee ſhould bring them forth firſt to the bright ſunneſhine of Gods word; let them looke upon that, and it upon them: if they can endure it, wee may on in them with courage and comfort; if not, wee muſt ſtay both our hand and our heart too from further following or foſtering of them.

§. 18. Others thinke it rather taken from the uſuall practice of Chapmen in the view and choice of their wares. A wiſe and wary Chapman that hath to doe with a deceitfull Merchant, Draper, or other, one that keepeth his wares in obſcure places where the defects of them cannot ſo eaſily be diſcerned, or hath falſe lights that may helpe to give a counterfeit gloſſe to them, hee will take no ware of him upon his word, but hee will firſt diligently view it, toſſe it and turne it to and fro over and over, try how it is in the middeſt as well as at both ends, bring it forth into the light, hold up his cloth againſt the ſunne, ſee if hee can eſpie any defect or default in it; hee knoweth well he may eaſily elſe be over-reached. The like ſhould be our practice, becauſe our caſe is alike. We have to deale dayly with divers craftie Merchants,rrQui cavet ne decipiatur, vix cavet, quum etiam cavet: Etiam quum caviſſe ratus est, ſaepe is cautor captus est. Plaut. Capt. 2. 2. by whom we are ſure to be oft cozened, be wee never ſo carefull, and can never therefore take heed enough how wee deale with them. There is firſt the Devill, for his ſlineſſe and ſubtiltie tearmedſſGeneſ. 3.1. 2 Cor. 11.3.Gen 3:12 Cor 11:3 a Serpent, for his experience and antiquity ſtiled an ttApoc. 12.9.Rev 12:9old Serpent: one that,uuSicut Mercator de falſo panno non oſtendit emptori medium neque finem, ſed caput tantum: ſic Diabolus qui est mercator peccati, oſtendit fatuo peccatori ſolum caput panni, i. delectationem culpae, non medium, i, remorſum conſcientiae, vel finem, i. poenam gehennae. Bonavent. diaeta ſalut. c. 2. like a deceitfull Draper (ſaith one,) to draw men on unto ſinne, ſheweth them the preſent pleaſure or profit of ſinne as the one end of the cloth, but concealeth and keepeth out of ſight the middle and the other end of it in the internall remorſe here, and the eternall puniſhment hereafter. Then there is the world, which our ſelves are wont to ſay is wholly ſet upon deceit, and the Spirit of God ſaithxx1 Ioh. 5.19. foreign.1 John 5:19 is wholly ſet upon ſinne: of whom wee may well ſay as one ſometime of an Hiſtorian,yyforeign. Plutarch. de Herodote. Both the words and the ſhewes of it are all full of fraud. Yea there is laſtly our owne Heart as fraudulent and deceitfull as any of them. For,zzIerem. 17.9.Jer 17:9 The heart of man, ſaith Ieremie, is wicked and deceitfull above all things: who can know it? So deceitfull, that oft-timesaaGalat. 6.3.Gal 6:3 it deceiveth a mans owne ſelfe, and ſo conſequentlybbIam. 1.26. Read Dike of Self-deceit.Jas 1:26 it ſelfe. Having to deale then with ſuch crafty ones, wee had need to be exceeding warie, that they take nothing up from them, that they ſhall offer to obtrude on us, either by outward perſwaſion, or inward ſuggeſtion, or otherwiſe, eſpecially where there ſhall be ſome good ground and juſt cauſe of ſuſpition, untill wee have turned it every way, and tryed it by the light of Gods Law,ccGalat. 6.4. foreign.Gal 6:4 examined both ends, weighed well every circumſtance, and ſearched every corner of it; that wee may haveddRom. 14.5. foreign. Benè ſiquidem praecipiunt, qui vetant quicquam agere quod dubites aequam ſit an iniquum. Cic. Offic. l. 1. Tutiuſque illud cautiſſimi cujuſque praeceptum, Quod dubites, nefecerū. Plin. ep. 18. l. 1.Rom 14:5 good aſſurance, as the Apoſtle willeth, of the lawfulneſſe and the warrantableneſſe of it, before wee venture upon the admiſſion of it to conſent, or to practiſe.

§. 20. This was Davids courſe:eePſal. 119.24.Ps 119:24 Thy teſtimonies (ſaith he) are my comfort and my counſell. David was a very wiſe Prince himſelfe,ff2 Sam. 14.20.2 Sam 14:20 prudent like an Angell of God, as the woman ſometime told him. And hee had beſides a learned Counſell about him; Achitophel among the reſt, p. 73gg2 Sam. 16.23.2 Sam 16:23One whoſe words went in thoſe dayes for Oracles. But yet had David a Counſellor beyond and above all theſe, to wit, the voice of God himſelfe in his word: This had a negative voice in all Davids conſultations; ſo that though the matter propounded ſeemed good in his owne eyes, yea and had the approbation of his learned Councell withall, yet if this his head Counſellor went not with it, it was not for David to deal with. And this Counſellor ſo long as David hearkned unto (for ſometime to his owne woe he over-ſhot himſelfe by neglecting it; but for the moſt part he did ſo) ſo long hee did well, and thrived and found comfort, and had proſperous ſucceſſe in whatſoever hee went about. And the like muſt wee doe, if wee deſire to fare as he did; make Gods word our Counſellour, if wee would have it our comforter: doe as worldly-wiſe and warie men are wont to doe; they will doe nothing without counſell; If they dwell neere to a Lawyer, whom they may freely repaire and have acceſſe to upon every occaſion, and of whom they may have counſell, and coſt them nothing, as oft as they will, they will be ſure to doe nothing of moment, where the leaſt matter of doubt or ſuſpition of danger may be, without his advice. And ſuch a Counſellor have weehhDeut. 30.12, 13, 14. Rom. 10.8.Deut 30:12Deut 30:13Deut 30:14Rom 10:8 ever at hand with us, ready on all occaſions to adviſe us, never weary of conferring with us,iiEſai. 30.1. & 31.1. Prov 1.25. Non est verendum, ne dedignetur condiſcendere nobis, qui potius ſi vel exiguum quid abſque illo conamur, indignatur. Bern. in Cant. ſerm. 17.Isa 30:1Isa 31:1Prov 1:25 angry with us for nothing but either for not asking or not following his advice; whom therefore if wee ſhall neglect to conſult with, and take counſell of upon every juſt occaſion, the common warineſſe of worldly men, yea our owne warineſſe in worldly things will one day worthily condemne us.

§. 21. Yet is this that that moſt men can be hardly drawne to condeſcend unto, to take advice of Gods word, that is ſo willing to adviſe them. There is none but would have comfort from it: and there is none almoſt willing to take counſell of it. We like all well to have a Comforter of it; but wee have no luſt to make a Counſellor of it. But as David, and Gods Spirit by David joyneth theſe two together: ſokkMatth. 19.6.Matt 19:6 wee muſt not disjoyne or ſever them the one from the other; or if wee doe, wee ſhall but delude our ſelves with vaine hopes. For he that taketh not counſell of Gods word, ſhall never receive comfort from Gods word. Hee that maketh it not a Counſellor, ſhall never finde it a Comforter. The neglect of this hath beene the cauſe that many, wiſe otherwiſe and religious, have oft ſhamefully over-ſhot themſelves, becauſe (withllIoſh. 9.14.Josh 9:14 Ioſhua and the Iſraelites in their agreements with the Gibeonites) they have not beene carefull to conſult with the voyce of God in his word. In which kinde commeth juſtly to be cenſured the unadviſed carriage of thoſe that practiſe firſt and adviſe afterward: runne on head into ambiguous actions, and then after fall to examining whether they have done well, and as they ought in them, or no. Of which courſe well ſaith the Wiſeman;mmProv 20.25. Serò atqueſtultè (prius quod factum oportuit) postquam comedit rem, rationem putat. Plaut. Trinum. 2.4.Prov 20:25 It is a ſnare for a man to devoure a thing conſecrated, and then afterward to inquire of the vow. A man is enſnared and entangled now by his owne act; ſo that hee is not ſo free,nn—malè verum examinat omnis Corruptus judex.—Hor. ſer. 2. l. 2. nor fit now to judge aright of it, becauſe his practice hath fore-ſtalled, and (as it may fall out) corrupted and perverted his judgement: ready therefore asooQuiſque ſua in lite est judex corruptus. one partiall in his owne cauſe, or as a Judge that hath taken p. 74ſomewhat of the one ſide, to paſſe no ſincere, nor indifferent ſentence.

§. 22. As alſo their prepoſterous courſe commeth here not unworthily to be taxed, that firſt reſolve, and then conſult; determine firſt what they will doe, and then aske advice what they ſhould doe. Thus did the Jewiſh Captaines ſometime with Ieremie. ppIerem. 42.2,—7.Jer 42:2They come to him very demurely, and make deepe proteſtations, calling God ſolemnly to witneſſe of the truth of their intention, of their willing minde and full purpoſe to put in execution and practiſe whatſoever God by the Prophet ſhould adviſe them unto, were it good or bad. But (asqqIerem. 42.20.Jer 42:20 Ieremie after truly told them) they diſſembled but with him. For they were reſolved before what courſe they would take; and came onelyonly to make triall whether the Prophet would concurre therein with them or no. Which when they found that he did not, they flie off fairely from him; yea they ſticke not to give him the lie, and to tell him to his teeth,rrIerem. 43.2, 3.Jer 43:2Jer 43:3 that the anſwer hee brought them was no divine Oracle, but an untruth of his owne coyning at the inſtigation of Baruc. And in like manner doe many now adayes repaire to Gods Miniſters for their opinion in caſes of conſcience concerning the lawfulneſſe of ſome act that they are reſolved on already; that if they deliver their opinions with them, they may then be able to ſay, they had the judgement of good Divines for it, before they did it, or attempted ought in it, to ſtop the mouthes of thoſe with that may afterward queſtion it: but whether they concurre or no, reſolved to goe on, and ſo oft doe directly contrary to the judgement and advice of thoſe whom they made ſhew to conſult with. I ſay not, but that a man conſulting with a Divine, if hee receive not good ſatisfaction from him, is free ſtill notwithſtanding his ſentence. Butſſforeign Ariani Epictet. l. 2. c. 7. Et c. 21. foreign. for a man to reſort tottMalac. 2.7.Mal 2:7 Gods Miniſters and Meſſengers for advice, when he is reſolved before what hee will doe, howſoever they ſhall adviſe, or howſoever hee may be convinced by Gods word of the contrary, is no other but a meere mockerie both of them, and of him; yea, and as it falleth out oft, a meanes of deluding himſelfe too, and betraying his owne ſoule to ſin: the rather whileuuEzech. 14.9, 10, 11.Ezek 14:9Ezek 14:10Ezek 14:11 God in his juſt judgement many times fitteth ſuch hypocriticall Conſulters with ſuch corrupt Counſellors, as ſpeake not what they deeme agreeable to Gods holy will and word, but what they ſuppoſe the party reſorting to them is willing to heare.

Point 2 §. 23. A ſecond point wherein this ſpirituall Watch conſiſteth, is, the diligent Obſervation of our owne ſpeciall corruptions.xx1 Pet. 2.11.1 Pet 2:11 I beſeech you, brethren, ſaith the Apoſtle, as Pilgrims and Strangers abſtaine from fleſhly luſts, that fight againſt the ſoule. Sinne is the maine enemie and theyy1 Cor. 15.56.1 Cor 15:56 band of mans ſoule. AndzzOmnia vitia contra naturam pugnant. Senec. epiſt. 112. Et cùm conſtet omnes ab omnibus impugnari, diverſo tamen modo & ordine ſinguli laboramus. Serapion. apud Caſſian. collat. 5. c. 13. all ſinnes in generall fight againſt every mans ſoule; but ſome ſinnes more ſpecially againſt ſome than againſt others. And as in the world, where two neighbour kingdomes are at open warre either with other, there is an hoſtilitie in generall betweene all the Subjects of either, even betweene thoſe that never bore armes againſt, nor ever ſaw either other; but this hoſtilitie is more ſpecially executed and exerciſed betweene thoſe that either border either upon other, or are up in armes in the field p. 75together either againſt other: So here, there is a generall hoſtilitie betweene each Soule and all Sinne, but that exerciſed in more ſpeciall manner betweene each particular ſoule and ſome peculiar ſinnes; and theſe commonly of two ſorts, the ſinnes of a mans calling or particular vocation, and the ſinnes of a mans nature, or of his naturall conſtitution.

§. 24. Firſt, the ſinnes of a mans Calling; under which head alſo may be comprehended the ſinnes either of the places that men abide in, or of the times that they live in.

When I ſay the ſinnes of a mans Calling, it is not ſo to be underſtood, as if the workes or duties of any lawfull Calling were evill or ſinfull in themſelves: but that a man by occaſion of his place and vocation, or his courſe of life and converſation, may have more, and more frequent occaſions of ſome ſinnes than of others, greater and ſtronger inducements and inticements to ſome ſinnes than to others, which hee is therefore more ſpecially to keepe watch againſt. Thus the Courtiers ſinne is withaa2 King. 5.18.2 Kgs 5:18 Naaman to make a God of his Prince, in being content to pleaſe the one by diſpleaſing the other: The Captaines ſinne withbb1 King. 2.5.1 Kgs 2:5 Ioab, to bee a man of bloud, ready to uſe, or abuſe his weapon rather, to private revenge:ccLuk. 3.14. Populatores terrae, quam à populationibus vindicare debebant. Curt. de geſt. Alex. lib. 3.Luke 3:14 The Souldiers ſinne to pill and ſpoyle, and make a prey of thoſe whom hee ought to protect:ddPatronus praevaricatur & decipit. Cyprian. lib. 2. ep. 2. The Lawyers ſinne to betray, or to delay his Clients cauſe, to draw the more fees from him:eeEſai. 1.23. Mica 7.3.Isa 1:23 The Judges ſinne to pervert judgement, or to tefuſe to doe juſtice, for feare, favour, or reward:ffEzech. 13.16, 22.Ezek 13:16Ezek 13:22 The Miniſters ſinne to ſooth up men in their ſinne, orggIer. 1.17. & 20.9.Jer 1:17Jer 20:9 to forbeare to reprove ſinne for feare of mans face: The Handy-craftmans ſinne tohhEzech. 13.11.Ezek 13:11 doe his worke deceitfully and unfaithfully, there eſpecially where he thinketh that he cannot be diſcovered: The Tradeſmans ſinneiiAmos 8.5, 6. Sirac. 27.1, 2.Amos 8:5Amos 8:6 to uſe lying and fraud in the uttering of his wares:kkMica 2.1, 2. The ſinne of great men to be oppreſſours of the poore: and the ſinne of the meaner and poorer ſortllEſai. 8.21.Isa 8:21 to be diſcontent with their eſtate,mmEſt miſerorum, ut malevolentes ſint, at que invideant bonis. Plaut. cap. 3.4. to envie thoſe that exceed them, and to be inſtruments of evill offices for their owne advantage to others. And ſo upon each courſe of life and Calling are there ſome ſpeciall ſinnes attending, which thoſe therefore that follow it are the more ſubject unto, and more in danger to be ſurpriſed by, than by many, or ordirily by any other.

Againe, when it is ſaid that the ſinnes are to be obſerved of the times and places that men live in; it is not ſo to be conceived, as if all ſinnes were not in ſome ſort to be found in all places, ornnHominum ſunt iſta non temporum: nulla aetas vacabit à culpa. Sen. ep. 97. as if all ſins had not beene more or leſſe in all ages; but thatoo—ardet vitio gentiſ que ſuoque. Ovid. de Tereo Metam. l. 6. Omnes gentes peculiaria habent mala: Gothorum gens perfida est, Alanorum impudica, Francimendaces, Saxones crudeles. Salvian. de provid. l 7. Gens Saxonum fera est, Francorum infidelis, Gepidarum inhumana, Hunnorum impudica: omnium vita vitioſa. Ibid. 4. Sunt tam civitatum, quàm ſingulorum hominum mores: genteſque aliae iracundae, aliae audaces, quaedam timidae; in vinum, in Venerem proniores aliae ſunt. Liv. hiſt. l. 45. ſome ſinnes in ſome places are rifer than others, ſome ſinnes in ſome ages more in requeſt than ſome other: as ſome diſeaſes raigne more in ſome places than in others, ſome infirmities are more frequent at ſome times than at others: which thoſe therefore that live in ſuch times or ſuch places, muſt more ſpecially watch againſt, as being more in danger to be infected and tainted therewith.

p. 76§. 25. The ſecond ſort of ſpeciall corruptions are the ſinnes of a mans nature, or of his naturall conſtitution, ſuch as hee is naturally more addicted and inclined unto than unto other. For as it is with the bodie, ſo is it alſo with the ſoule. As in every mans body there is a generall mixture of all the foure humours, Bloud, Fleame, and the two Cholers, in ſome degree more or leſſe, but there is ſome one of them predominant, in regard whereof a man is ſaid to be of a Sanguine, a Flegmatike, a Melancholike, or a Cholerike Conſtitution: or as in grounds untoiled and untilled there grow evill weeds of all ſorts, but there is ſome one commonly that over-toppeth the reſidue, and groweth rifer and rancker uſually than the reſt: So in the ſoule of man (ſince the fall of our firſt Parentsppforeign. Empedoclis vocabulum apud Aristot. de gener. animal. l. 4. c. 3. a generall ſeed-plot of evill) there are ſpirituall weeds of all ſorts, a mixture of all vice, the ſeed and ſpawne of all ſin,qqEpheſ. 2.12. foreign. Et cupidiomnes, & maligni omnes, & timidi omnes, & ambitioſi; adjice & impii omnes. Sea. de benef. l. 5. c. 17.Eph 2:12 Atheiſme it ſelfe not excepted: but there isrrNullum mihi morbi genus ignotum eſt: uni tamen morb… quaſi aſſignatus ſum. Sen. epiſt. 55. ſome one peſtilent Humour or other lightly more predominant than the reſt, ſome one maine and maſter vice, that giveth a denomination, in regard whereof men are ſaid to be, ſome ambitious, ſome covetous, ſome ſuperſtitious, ſome laſcivious, and the like: not as if ſuch perſons had no other vice, but that that they are ſo named by: for it is moſt true that the Heathen man ſaith,ſſQui habet unum vitium, habet omnia. Sen. de benef l. 5. c 15. Malus quiſque nullo vitio vacat. Ibid. l. 4. c. 27. He that hath any one vice, hath all other with it; but,ttStultus omnia vitia habet; ſed non in omnia natura pronus est. Senec. de benef lib. 4. cap. 27. Omnia in omnibus vitia ſunt; ſed non omnia in ſingulis extant. Ibid. c. 26. Omnia omnibus inſunt; ſed in quibuſdam ſingula eminent. Ibid. c. 27. becauſe that beareth the ſway, though the other be all there too in a lower, and a leſſe eminent degree. This is that which David ſeemeth to have aimed at when hee ſaith;uuPſal. 18.23.Ps 18:23 I was upright alſo with him, and kept my ſelfe from mine owne ſin. xxEaſtie in Pſ. 51.Ps 51Every David (ſaith one well) hath his Bathſheba, and every Bathſheba her David. David had no doubt his ſinne,yyDilecta d…licta. his beloved, his deare, his darling ſinne, that which naturally hee delighted in and was addicted unto. And ſo hath every man ordinarily ſome one corruption or other, that is the delight of his heart and the joy of his eyes, that hee is naturally moſt wedded unto, moſt caried away with. NowzzAlia in alus vitia principatum obtinent, tyrannidem exercent: ideoque oportet unumq…em que noſtrum ſecundum qualitatem belli quo principaliter infeſtatur, pugnam arripere: utque vitia in nobis principatum tenent, ita impugnationis modus exig tur, &c. Ber. de ord. vitae. Et Caſſ. …ollat. 6 c. 27. this maine ſinne, this maſter ſinne is it that wee muſt principally bend our Watch againſt; asaa1 King 22.31. 2 Chron. 18 30. Sic & Ageſilius de Epaminonda, teſte Plut. in apopth.1 Kgs 22:312 Chr 18:30 the King of Aram bade his ſouldiers fight neither againſt more nor leſſe, but againſt the King of Iſrael. For asbb1 King 22.36.1 Kgs 22:36 when hee was once ſlaine, the whole Hoaſt was ſoone vanquiſhed: ſo if this maſter ſinne be once maſtered in us, other petie and inferiour ones will the more eaſily be ſubdued.

§. 26. But this is it that fleſh and bloud will not abide almoſt to heare ought of. It is in ſtripping us of ſinne, as in flaying of a beaſt, the skinne commeth away with eaſe, till you come to the head. Men are well enough content, at leaſt outwardly, to conforme themſelves to good courſes, till it come to the maſter corruption, to the head ſinne; to the ccHab. 1.16.Hab 1:16fat ſinne that their profit commeth in by, or their ddIob. 20.12.Job 20:12ſweet ſinne that they doe naturally take pleaſure and delight in: but there it ſticketh faſt, and goeth not on, (if at all) without much adoe, but with great difficultie. The worldly minded for other matters will be as conformable as you will deſire: But for his State-ſinne, or his Trade-ſinne, withee2 King. 5.18.2 Kgs 5:18 Naaman, hee muſt have a protection, that muſt not be ſtirred, it may not be touched: he will doe any thing elſe that you will have him; but therein muſt God be mercifull p. 77unto him: It is a thing incident to his trade and courſe of life; hee cannot doe otherwiſe; it is his living; and it is no other than every one doth: and if hee ſhould not doe ſo as well as others, there were no living for him in the world. A wretched ſpeech of a diſtruſtfull heart, refuſing to truſt him with the body, whom they would ſeeme to truſt with the ſoule.ffFides famem non formidat. Hieron. ad Heliodor. ex Tertull. de idololat. Matth. 6.30, 31.Matt 6:30Matt 6:31 Faith (ſaith one well) feareth no famine. Yea a fearefull ſigne of an ungratious heart, loving and regardinggg1 Tim. 6.5.1 Tim 6:5 gaine more than godlineſſe, and preferring temporall living before life everlaſting.hhMatth. 5.26, 27. & 18.8.9.Matt 5:26Matt 5:27Matt 18:8Matt 18:9 It is better, ſaith our Saviour, to goe halt and blinde to heaven, than to goe with health and ſight to hell. So it is farre better for a man, withiiLuk. 16.20, 21, 22.Luke 16:20Luke 16:21Luke 16:22 Lazarus, to beg and ſtarve in the ſtreets, and ſo to be conveighed hence to heaven; than, withkkLuk. 16.22, 23.Luke 16:22Luke 16:23 the rich-man at whoſe doore hee lay, to live in good faſhion, or gather a great eſtate together here, and then bellLuk. 12.20.Luke 12:20 ſnatched away hence to hell.

§. 27. Yea, but it is not our fault; it is the fault of the times; or, it is the fault of the Land, or the Citie, that wee doe as wee doe. To omit, thatmmQuaedam locis & temporibus aſcribimus: at illa quocunque tranſierimus, ſecutura ſunt. Intelligas tua vitia eſſe, quae putas rerum. Sen. epiſt. 50. wee aſcribe oft thoſe things to the times and places wee live in, that indeed proceed principally from our ſelves and our owne corrupt hearts: like the Philoſophers foolennFatua ſubito videre deſiit; & neſcit eſſe ſe coecam: ait domum eſſe tenebroſam. Ibid. that complained the roome was ſo darke ſhe could not ſee, when ſhee had ſodainly by ſome diſeaſe loſt her ſight. The rifer any evill is in thoſe places or ages wee live in, the more carefull ſhould wee be to ſhun and avoid ſuch a ſinne.ooEpheſ. 5.15, 16.Eph 5:15Eph 5:16 Take heed, ſaith the Apoſtle, that you walke circumſpectly, not as fooles, but as wiſe men; becauſe the dayes are evill. Are the times then wee live in, or the places wee abide in, more than ordinarily evill in this or that kinde? That giveth us no libertie, but ſhould make us walke the more warily; as men that live in bad aires, or in time of generall contagion, are more carefull to fence and arme themſelves by taking of preſervatives, eating in the morning ere they goe abroad, carying ſome things about them to ſmell to, &c. againſt danger of infection: that wee may be likeppPiſces in ſalo nati & alti, ſalem tamen non reſerunt. Lipſ. conſtat. lib. 2. cap. 16. the fiſh, that though it live and ſwim in the ſalt ſea, yet it taſteth not of the ſalt: that it may be ſaid of us as it was of Noah, qqGeneſ 6.9.Gen 6:9But Noah was a juſt man in his generation: not,rrNon juxta conſummatam juſtitiam, ſed juxta juſtitiam generationis ſuae. Hier. quaeſt. in Gen. Sicut Senec. ad Mart. conſol. cap. 1. Illo ſaeculo magna pietas erat, nihil impiè facere. a just man as juſt men went in thoſe dayes, (ſſNon eſt bonitas peſſimis eſſe meliorem. Senec. ep. 79. that were but a poore praiſe of ſo worthy a Patriarke) butttSolus juſtus, cùm generatio omnis erraret. Ambr. de arca Noe, referente Aug. ad 2. Epiſt. Pelag l. 4. c. 11. Noah was a juſt man in that generation wherein the whole world was over-growne with wickedneſſe; hee continued juſt then when there were none almoſt juſt but himſelfe and his familie, anduuGen. 9.22, 25.Gen 9:22Gen 9:25 not all of them neither. Let us remember in this caſe that as it is an height of impietie and ungodlineſſe for a manxxEſai. 26.10. & 65.20. eſſe malum inter bonos, culmen pravitatis.Isa 26:10Isa 65:20 to be bad in a good age, and to continue unreformed in a time of generall reformation; ſo it is a ſpeciall commendation, and a note of true godlineſſe, for a manyyEſſe bonum inter malos, culmen pietatis. Nunc licet & fas est; ſed tu ſub Principe duro, Temporibuſque malis auſus es eſſe bonus. Martial. epigr. 6. lib. 12. to be good in a bad age, and to continue uncorrupted in times of generall corruption: yea that it is the office of good Chriſtians (that are in their kinde and degreezzMatth. 5.14.Matt 5:14 the light of the world, while they are in the world, as,aaIoan. 9.5. & 12.35, 46.John 9:5John 12:35John 12:46 Chriſt alſo was when hee was in it)bbPhilip. 2.15.Phil 2:15 to ſhine as lights in the middest of a naughtie and perverſe nation, ſtriving to ſhew more ſinceritie and more zeale and forwardneſſe in the beſt things, the more diſſolute the times grow, and the p. 78more corrupt thoſe are they live among; like the lampe that ſhineth brighteſt where the aire about it is moſt darke, or the roome that it is in; and like the fire that burneth hotteſt and ſcaldeth moſt, when the weather is moſt cold, in the ſharpeſt of winter.

§. 28. Againe, in the like manner it is with men for their native corruptions. For to paſſe from the worldly to the fleſhly minded: Come wee to the laſcivious and incontinent perſon: wee ſhall finde him affected as Herod was,ccMark. 6.20.Mark 6:20 ready to heare Iohn Baptist gladly, and upon his motion to doe many good matters: but if you begin once to deale with him about his Herodias, ddMark. 6.17, 18.Mark 6:17Mark 6:18he can no longer endure you. Some ſuch have not ſticked openly and plainly to profeſſe, that they cannot, nor will not leave their luſt and their lecherie, no not for the ſaving of their ſoules. So deale wee with the drunkard: we may chance to finde him tractable enough otherwiſe: but if you come once to his drinke, to pull the cup from his mouth, or pluck it out of his hand; you may as ſooneeeClavum Herculi extorquere. Macrob. Saturn. l. 5. malum Mileni. Plin. l. 7. c. 10. wring ought out of the fiſt of ſome Giant,ffforeign. Eurip. Cyclop. it is ſo faſt glewed to either: he will make you anſwer with the vine in Iothams parable;ggNon poſſum relinquere vinum meum. Iud. 9.13.Judg 9:13 I cannot leave my wine; nor give over my good fellowſhip: hhMalle ſe vitam ſibi quàm vinum eripi Aug. de temp. ſerm. 131.take away my good liquor, and you take away my life. So for the angry man, that is of an haſtie and a furious diſpoſition: reprove him for his furious and outragious behaviour, his curſing, and banning, and blaſpheming of Gods name. What will his anſwer be, but this? I confeſſe, it is a fault indeed to doe thus: but you know my nature. I am of a cholericke conſtitution: and ſeare fewell is ſoone fired. ii1 King. 8.46. Eccleſ. 7.20. 1 Ioh. 1.8, 10. Sua cuique ſunt vitia. Quintil. inſtit. orat. l. 11. c. 3. Nemo noſtrum non peccat: homines ſumus, non Dii. Petron. ſatyr. Nemo ſine vitiis est. Senec l. 2. contro. 5. Nam vitiis nemo ſine naſcitur. Horat. ſerm. l. 1. —nec licuit ſine crimine vitam Degere. Virg. Aen. l. 4. Vnicuique dedit vitium natura creato Propert. l. 2. Et nullum ſine venia placuit ingenium. Sen. ep. 114.1 Kgs 8:46Eccl 7:201 John 1:81 John 1:10Every man hath his fault: that is my naturall infirmitie: and it muſt be borne with. I cannot mend it, and my life lay upon it. Yea men account it an all-ſufficient Apologie, and an unanſwerable plea for their groſſeſt corruptions if they can ſay but, It is my nature. Socrates (askkAlex. Aphrodiſ. li. foreign. Et Cicer. li. de fato. Qui & Stilponem Megaricum natura ebrioſum & mulieroſum fuiſſe; ſed vitioſam naturam ab eo ſic domitam, ut nemo unquam vinolentum cum, nemo in eo libidinis veſtigium viderit. they report of him) when there came one Zopyrus to Athens that profeſſed by mens phyſnomie to tell how they were affected, & having gueſſed ſhrewdly at the matter with many other, was at length brought to him, and after a diligent view of his viſage cenſured him for a man blockiſh, proud, ambitious, vicious of life, and tainted with many foule matters, whereupon the ſtanders by fell a laughing at him as now out of his Art; bade them ſtay their laughter, for the man, hee ſaid, ſpake not amiſſe: true it was, that hee was naturally indeed ſo affected as Zopyrus had ſaid, but by the helpe of Philoſophie he had altred and overcome nature. Can a naturall man then by naturall helps ſo reſtraine and curbe his owne naturall corruptions, that they ſhall not come to breake forth on him, or to be diſcovered in him? And cannot Chriſtian men, having ſpirituall and ſupernaturall helps, doe as much, yea or much more? A foule ſhame it is for us, and no ſmall ſtaine to our profeſſion, if by Gods grace aſſiſting us wee cannot doe that, which by humane learning alone Heathen men have effected before us: Not to adde, what our Saviour ſaith, that,llMatth. 5.20, 46, 47.Matt 5:20Matt 5:46Matt 5:47 unleſſe wee goe beyond ſuch, wee ſhall never be ſaved.

§. 29. Is it a corruption of thy nature? or is it a ſinne incident to thy calling, or to thy courſe of life and condition? Then it is that ſin that God ſpecially calleth thee to keepe watch and ward againſt. For what need or uſe is there of watching there, where there is no p. 79feare or danger of aſſault? Were it not a wiſe watching, for men to keepe watch and ward againſt ſuch enemies as are many hundred miles off them, and neglect thoſe the meane while that are neerer at hand with them, ready every houre almoſt to be ſetting upon them? If there were (as oft there hath beene) hoſtilitie betweene France and us, were it a wiſe part, or would it deſerve the name of watching, to ſet ſome about the Cinque-ports to keepe out Turkiſh men of warre, but to let French bottomes paſſe freely in and out to land forces at their pleaſure?mmSua quiſque vitia fugiat: nam aliena non no…ebunt. Guigo Carth. medit. c. 2. They are thine owne corruptions, not other mens, that wage warre againſt thy ſoule: thoſe it ſtandeth thee therefore in hand to keepe watch and ward againſt; becauſe thoſe they are that thou ſtandeſt moſt in danger of; andnnVariae ſunt in hominibus mo um consperſiones; quas attendens Diabolus, ex ea parte tentationem applicat, qua hominem pro conſperſionis ratione ad peccatum inclinantem conspexerit. Bern. de ord. vitae. thoſe they are that the Devill is readieſt to aſſault thee withall: ſuch as are the ſins either of thy birth and conſtitution, or of thy breed and education, or of thy courſe of life and converſation, or of thy ſtate and condition, or of the times thou liveſt in, or of the places thou abideſt in; which becauſe they bee neereſt or deereſt unto thee, thou maiſt ſooneſt therefore be drawne away by them, and canſt hardlieſt in that regard be withdrawne away from them.

§. 30. Point 3 A third point or head of this ſpirituall Watch, is the carefull avoidance of all occaſions of evill.ooProv. 22.3. & 27.12.Prov 22:3Prov 27:12 A prudent man, ſaith Salomon, foreſeeth the plague, and hideth himſelfe: but the fooliſh goe on ſtill, and are plagued. And it is indeed a point of true ſpirituall wiſdome to foreſee ſinne a farre off in the occaſions of evill, andppVitare peccatum est vitare occaſiones peccatorum. Melanc. in loc. com. 22. by eſchewing the one to prevent the other.qqSirac. 21.2. Flie from ſinne (ſaith Sirachs ſonne) as from a Serpent. rrQuouſque vicino ſerpente tua male ſecurae dormitat induſtria? Bern. epiſt. 125. Circa ſerpentis antrum poſitus non eris diu illaſus. Iſidor. ſolitoq. l. 2.Hee were evill adviſed that would ſleepe neere the hole where he knew that a Serpent harboured; or that ſeeing a Serpent making toward him, would uſe no meanes to keepe it from him, till it got within reach of him; alledging for himſelfe thatſſNoxia ſerpentum est admiſto ſangu…ne peſtis: Morſu v rus habent, & fatum in dente minantur. Lucan. bell. Pharſal. l. 9. hee were ſafe enough, ſo long as the Serpent faſtneth not upon him.ttPraeoccupandus est aditus cunctis inſid…is, ne hoſt…l…tas prior obrepens, occurrat improvidis. Autor de ſingular. Cleric. Nor were they better than ſtarke fooles, that ſhould ſit ſtill and ſuffer the enemie, whom they were informed to be up in armes and comming for them, to enter their territorie, approach their Citie, ſit downe before it, and raiſe rampires againſt it; pretending the meane while, that all is well enough with them (what ſhould they need to fear or care?) ſo long as their walls are not ſcaled, nor the Citie it ſelfe ſurprized: The latter is like enough ſoone to follow, if way be given to the former: In like manner hereuuQui peccati occaſiones non fugit, nec ipſum à ſe peccatum ſemovet. Stella in Luc. 11.Luke 11 it is but a ſorry watching that we hold againſt ſin, unleſſe we keepe watch withall againſt the occaſions of evill. If we wax remiſſe in our watching againſt the one, we ſhall ſoone be ſurprized and ſubdued by the other. It was the wile thatxxGen…ſ 3.1.—7. that wilie one uſed againſt our firſt parents, and by it prevailed with them. He would have the woman at firſt but goe and ſee the forbidden fruit;yyOculos tendo, non manum: non est interdictum ne videam, ſed ne comedam. Bern. de humil. grad. 4. though they were not to eat of it, yet they might lawfully enough looke on it; it was the taſte, not the view of it that God had forbidden them. ButzzQuid tuum malum, ô mulier tam intentè intueris? quid illo tam crebrò vagantia lumina jacis? quid ſpectare libet, quod manducare non licet. Bern. ibid. What meaneſt thou, O woman, (ſaith one of the Ancients) to eye thine owne bane ſo wiſhfully? Why ſhouldeſt thou have ſuch a minde to gaze on that which thou maiſt not meddle with? And indeed it p. 80fell out full unhappily with her; as with the fiſh,aa—foreign. —Oppian. de piſcat. l. 3. that is nibbling ſo long upon the bait, till at length it be ſuddenly unawares caught with the hooke. ForbbEtſi culpa non est, culpae tamen occaſio est: & indicium est commiſſae, & cauſa est committende. Ibid. from gazing upon it ſhe proceeded to gaping after it; and from ſight and view to touch and taſte, toccHauſit virus peritura, & perituros paritura. Bernard. ibid. the taking in of that that proved the bane both of her and hers.

And it is the courſe whereby Satan yet to this day prevaileth with a many; ſuch eſpecially as ſeeme to make any conſcience of their courſes; by drawing them into bad company, combining and linking them in league with lewd ones, egging them on to unneceſſary contentions and Law-ſuits, enticing them to ſome kinde of lawfull, but dangerous delights, and ſuch like wiles at the firſt ſight not appearing to be ſuch, hee leadeth them into ſuch ſinnes as themſelves at firſt intended not, nor once dreamed (it may be) that they ſhould ever be drawne unto.

§. 31. To this purpoſe as the Apoſtle Paul ſaith of the Miniſters of the word, that they muſt not dd2 Tim. 2.4. foreign.2 Tim 2:4intangle themſelves with worldly affaires: thereby implying that the Miniſter of God by giving way to multiplicitie of worldly buſineſſes, though he intend not in ſo doing to neglect or grow ſlacke in the worke of his owne function, yet may come to be ſo puſſeld and ſnarld in them, that he ſhall not be able to get well out againe when he is once in, and ſo may be, beſide his purpoſe, with-drawne from that which he ſhouldee1 Tim. 4.13.1 Tim 4:13 principally attend. So the Apoſtle Peter of many Chriſtians, thatff2 Pet. 2.20.2 Pet 2:20 having eſcaped the defilements of this world, (that is, ſuch ſinnes as worldly men are wont to be ordinarily defiled with) by being ggforeign. Saepe familiaritas implicavit. Saepe occaſio peccandi voluntatem fecit. Iſid. ſoliloq. l. 2.intangled, (to wit, in the like occaſions of ſinne, and ſuchhh2 Tim. 2.26.2 Tim 2:26 ſnares as Satan had in the ſame ſet for them) they come at length to be overcome and vanquiſht againe; to wit, by being drawne againe to the practice of ſuch foule enormities as in themſelves they had formerly reformed. In regard whereof it is that our Saviour doth admoniſh his Diſciples toiiMatth. 26.41.Matt 26:41 Watch and pray, that they enter not into temptation. For thatkkNon facilè eſuriens poſita retinebere menſa: Et multum ſaliens incitat unda ſitim. Ovid. remed. l. 2. if they doe enter, an hundred to one it is, (ſuch is mans naturall weakneſſe and proneneſſe to evill) that they come not out without ſome foile. AndllEt oratione operatio, & operatione fulciatur oratio. Hier. ad Thren. 3.41. & Greg. Rom. moral. l. 18. c. 3. & Iſidor. deſum. bon. l. 3. c. 7. agreeable to our prayer ſhould our practice be, or elſe it is but a mock-prayer, and a mockery of him whom wee pray to. As wee are taught to pray that wee may not enter into temptation; ſo muſt we take heed how wee offer our ſelves unto temptation. ElſemmTanta ſolicitudine petere audebis, quod in te poſitum recuſabis? Tertull. exhort. ad caſtit. what is it but a meere mocking of God, to aske that of God, which wee wilfully deny to our ſelves, when wee might have it? Ornnforeign; Manuel Palaeol. ad fil. how can wee hope that God ſhould heare us when wee heare not our ſelves, when wee refuſe to put an Amen to our owne prayer? Wee muſtoo1 Theſſ. 5.22. Quicquid malè coloratum fuerit. Bern. de conſid. l. 3.1 Thess 5:22 ſhun, ſaith the Apoſtle, and be ſhie of the very ſhew and ſhadow of ſin: be afraid, not, withppFlammam puellus digito ab exuſto pavet, & cavet etiam. the burnt childe, of the fire, and the flame only; but of the very ſmoake it ſelfe of ſinne: remembring thatqqSemper, tu ſcito, flamma fumo proxima est: Fumo comburi ut nil poſſit, flamma potest. Plaut. Curcul. 1.1. though the ſmoake can doe no great hurt it ſelfe, yet the fire that may burne us ſhrewdly, is not farre from it.

§. 32. Where commeth to be met with the idle plea of thoſe, who when they are admoniſhed or adviſed to forbeare ſome courſes, p. 81ſome companies, that may in this kinde prove prejudiciall and dangerous unto them, are wont to ſay; Why? Is it not lawfull to doe this or that? or, Is it ſimply unlawfull to be in ſuch and ſuch company? Yea but, ſaith the Apoſtle to ſuch;rr1 Cor. 6.12. & 10.23. Sicut non omne quod libet, licet: ſic non omne quod licet, ſtatim etiam expedit. Bern ep. 25.1 Cor 6:121 Cor 10:23 All things (that is, all things in their owne nature indifferent) are lawfull: but all (ſuch) things are not expedient. Things in themſelves lawfull, in the uſe of them prove oft inexpedient, and then become they in that regard, and ſo farre forth unlawfull to us. The uſe of a thing and the abuſe of it are many times ſo cloſe twined and twiſted together, that a man cannot lay hold on the one but hee ſhall be taken with the other; he cannot pull the one to him, but the other will come with it and accompany it in ſpight of his heart, though hee doe not deſire the company of it, or to have any dealing at all with it. Yea ſure it is (as one well ſaith) thatſſforeign. Clem. Alex. paedag. l. 2. c. 1. Hee that will needs doe all that ever hee may doe, will be ſoone drawne to doe ſomewhat alſo that hee ought not to doe. And better it were for a man to forbeare many things that hee might doe; (there is no hurt in ſuch forbearance;tt1 Sam. 25.31.1 Sam 25:31 it will never be griefe or offence of heart to him, as ſhe ſaid to David in another caſe, that he hath ſo done) than by venturing ſo far betweene winde and water, in what he may doe, to be but once overtaken in what he ſhould not doe; which may prove a coraſive to him as long as he liveth. And certainly asuuFac te ambulare, ubi à dextra ſpatioſa est terra, nec auguſtias pateris, à laeva locus est praeceps; ubi eligas incedere? ſuper finem terrae in praecipitii labro, an longè inde? puto quia longè inde. Aug. de verb. Ap. 28. it were but a fond courſe for a man that is travelling by the way, when hee hath a faire broad path to walke in, to preſſe ſo neerexxVerendum est dormienti in ripa, ne cadat. Autor. de ſingul. cleric. the brinke or banke of a brooke that runneth along by it, and that,yyVbi non in praerupto tantum ſtabis, ſed in lubrico. Senec. epiſt. 84. where the ground is ſlippery, and when the wind is high and bloweth ſtiffe, thatzzProximus periculo diu tutus non eris. Iſidor. ſoliloq. lib. 2. —nemo ſe tutò diu Periculis offerre tam crebris poteſt. Senec. Herc. fur. 2. ten to one he is in over ſhooes, if not over head and eares, ere he goe farre, yea that at every ſtep almoſt he is in danger to ſlip in: So here it is a very unwiſe and improvident cariage, for a man, when hee hath theaaPſal. 119.96.Ps 119:96 broad rhoad of Gods law, giving him ſcope enough to walke at large without danger in the uſe of Gods good creatures and in the ordering of his courſes, yet to preſſe needleſly ſo neere upon the borders and confines of ſinne, that as David ſaith to Ionathan, bb1 Sam. 20.3.1 Sam 20:3as ſure as God liveth, there is but a ſtep betweene death and mee; ſo there is but a ſtep betweene ſinne and them; or as hee of men at ſea,ccforeign. Anacharſis apud Laert. —foreign. Arat. Phaenon. 27. i. foreign. Theon. ſchol. I nunc, & ventis animam committe dolato Confiſus ligno, digitis à morte remotus Quatuor, aut ſeptem, ſi ſit latiſſima taeda. Iuven ſat. 14. Audax nimium, qui freta primus Rate tam fragiliperfida rupit, Terraſque ſuas poſt terga videns, Animam levibus credidit Euris; Dubioque ſecans aequara curſu, potuit tenui ſidere ligno, Inter vitae mortiſque vias Nimium gracili limite ducto. Senec in Med. act. 2. Nam propetam letum, quàm prope cernit aquam. Ovid. de Pont. lib. 2. but a three inch plancke betweene them and death; ſo but an inch or two betweene them and that that may be their bane and the very break-necke of their ſoule: and that ſtep or inch further may the Devill ſoone puſh them, or the very ſwinge and ſway of their own corruption may of it ſelfe eaſily cary them. ForddProv. 15.24. foreign. Heſiod. —facilis deſcenſus Averni. Sed revocare gradum, ſuperaſque aſcendere ad auras. Hic labor, hoc opus eſt.—Virg. Aen.Prov 15:24 it is in going to God-ward, as in climbing an hill; a man ſhall be inforced to ſtay and breath himſelfe oft ere he would;eeOmne in praecipiti vitium ſtetit. —Iuven. ſat. 1. Facilis in proclivia vitiorum decurſus eſt. Senec. de ira lib. 2. cap. 1. Per proclive currentium non ubi viſum eſt gradus ſiſtitur, ſed incitato corporis …ondere ſe rapit, & longius quàm voluit effertur. Idem epiſt. 40. Non gradu, ſed praecipiti curſu à virtute diſciſcitur, ad vitia tranſcurritur. Vbi ſemel deerratum eſt, in praeceps pervenitur, adeò maturè à rectis in prava, à pravis in praecipitia pervenitur. Patert. hiſt. lib. 2. it is in walking to ſin-ward as in running downe an hill; a p. 82man ſhall not be able to take up his fierce and diſordered affections, and to ſtay himſelfe where he would:ffMens cùm ad meliora enititur, quaſi contra ictum flaminis conatur: cùm verò ab intentione aſcendendi reſolvitur, ſine labore ad imarelabitur. Quia enim in aſcenſu labor eſt, in deſcenſu otium, niſi mentis contentio ferveat, unda mundi non vincitur, per quam animus ſemper ad ima revocatur. Greg. moral. lib. 11. c 28. A man is carried with the ſtrong ſtreame of his owne affections in the one, hee muſt ſtrive and ſtruggle againſt the maine current, yea the ſwift and ſtiffe torrent of his owne corruptions in the other: ſo thatggNon vides quam diverſus ſit aſcendentium habitus & deſcendentium: qui per pronum eunt, reſupinant corpora, qui in arduum incumbunt. nam ſi deſcendas, pondus ſuum in priorem partem dare; ſi aſcendat, retrò abducere, cum vitio conſentire est In voluptates deſcenditur, in res aſperas & duras ſubeundum est hic impellamus corpora, illic refraenemus. Sen. ep. 123. unleſſe he ſtrive and ſtraine hard, if hee grow but remiſſe, hee will ſoone be going amaine backward; and when he is once going on toward ſinne, or never ſo little gone in ſinne, it is not eaſie for him to ſtop and ſtay, when hee will. And how carefull had wee need then to be of keeping aloofe off from that, how fearefull of making toward it, or preſſing neere upon it, which if wee doe but approach unto, wee ſhall hardly keepe out of, if wee once chance to ſtep into, wee ſhall hardly but goe on in,; and if wee ſtep but once into, may be, if wee goe on in, will be our end. Oh let us conſider then how dangerous it is even to approach neere to this whirlpit, where wee may ſo ſoone be wheeled in ere wee are aware: let us take heed how wee behhEſa. 11.8.Isa 11:8 playing about the hole of the Aſpe, or neere the den of the Cockatrice: let us remember that it is in the uſe even of things indifferent that Satan moſt uſually ſetteth his ſnares for Gods ſervants: and that hee prevaileth againſt thoſe that be not groſſely prophane and ungodly more often by the immoderate and inordinate uſe of things in themſelves lawfull, than by drawing them to ſuch things as are ſimply evill and unlawfull in themſelves. And withall, that it is asiiNam vitare plagas in amoris ne laciaris. Non ita difficile est, quàm captum retibus ipſis Exire, & validos Veneris perrumpere nodos. Lucret. de rerum nat. l. 4. eaſier, ſo ſafer, for the fowle to paſſe by the ſnare while ſhe is yet out, than it is to winde her ſelfe out againe, when ſhee is once in: She is ſafe enough for being caught, if ſhe keepe aloofe of it; ſhe ventureth catching, though ſhee be not caught, if ſhee come over-neere it.kkProv. 5.8. & 4.15. Id agere debemus, ut vitiorum. irritamenta …uàm longiſſimè profugiamus. Sen. epiſt. 51. Proximus enim à tectis aegrè defenditur ignis: Vtile finitimis abſtinuiſſe locis. Ov remed l. 2.Prov 5:8Prov 4:15 Keepe aloofe of her (to wit, the Harlot) ſaith Salomon leſſoning his ſonne, come not ſo much as once, neere the doore where ſuch a one dwelleth. Hee is in danger that ſo doth, whether he go in to her or no. AndllExponens ſe periculo mortalis peccati peccat mortaliter. Gerſon. de vita ſpirit. ſect. 4. cor 8. he ſinneth dangerouſly that wilfully expoſeth himſelfe to the danger of any ſinne.

§. 33. Now in this kinde is more ſpeciall regard to be had, as before of our ſpeciall corruptions, ſo here of ſuch ſpeciall temptations as wee have formerly found our ſelves either to have fallen, or to have beene in danger of falling by,mmSit verae compunctionis indicium opportunitatis faga, occaſionis ſubtractio: quia non ſatis piget cedidiſſe homin…m, qui adhuc diſponit manere in lubrico Bern de temp ſer. 56. that wee may the more warily for the time to come ſhun ſuch things, as though not evill in themſelves, yet wee finde to have beene formerly occaſions of evill unto us.nnPſal. 119.37. Qui d…ponere v…lt deſideria rerum omnium, quarum cupiditate flagravit, & oculos & aures ab his quae reliquit avert…t: alioqui citò rebellat affectus. Sen. ep. 70.Ps 119:37 Turne mine eyes away, ſaith David, ô Lord, even from beholding of vanity: not mine heart onelyonly from affecting it, but mine eyes alſo from beholding it. It is not likely indeed (though ſome have ſo thought) that David penned that Pſalme after his foule over-ſight with Bathſheba: it may ſeeme rather by the maine matter of it to have beene made during the time of his exilement under Saul, before hee came to the crowne. Butooforeign. Plutar. foreign. Amphis Com. Nemo libenter recolit, qui laeſit, locum. Phaedr. fabul. 18 foreign Dio Chryſ. orat. 74. Remember where we laſt fell or ſtumbled, to take better heed: ſo do paſſengers when they come by a place where they had a fall, remember it and are more warie. Eaſtie on Pſal. 119. —ſic diſco cavere cadendo. Goodwin Pneumato ſarcom. Viſe & Lactant. inſtitut. 16. c. 24.Ps 119 well might David, or any other in Davids p. 83caſe, calling to minde after the like offence, what had beene the occaſion of his fall, how by letting his eyes run at randome, and not watching over them as he ought, hee had come to be caught in Satans ſnares; well, I ſay, might ſuch a one pray earneſtly unto God, as David there doth, that his eyes as well as his heart might bee kept within compaſſe, leſt by the one Satan might come againe to ſurpriſe and to ſeiſe upon the other. Yea not only ought ſuch a one ſo to pray with David, but to joyne practice alſo with his prayer, byppIob 31.1.Job 31:1 making (as Iob ſometime did) a covenant with his eyes,qqInutile est crebrò videre, per quae aliquando captus ſis. Hieronymus ad Iovinian. l. 2. that they ſhould no more be fixed and ſet upon ſuch objects as had beene formerly occaſions to him of folly and of fall: and ſo others in the like caſe to forbeare ſuch company, caſt off ſuch acquaintance, ſhun ſuch private familiarities, and breake off ſuch needleſſe buſineſſes, as have beene the meanes formerly to enſnare them unto ſinne. Remembring what the Prophet ſaith, deſcribing the man that ſhall both dwell in ſafety here, and behold the glory of God to his eternall comfort hereafter, thatrrEſa. 33.14, 15, 16, 17.Isa 33:14Isa 33:15Isa 33:16Isa 33:17 he is ſuch a one, as walketh righteouſly, and ſpeaketh uprightly, and refuſeth gaine by oppreſsion; that ſhaketh his hands from taking of gifts, (he will not only not conſent to doe a man wrong, but willſſDeuter. 16.19. Manus excoecat oculos ſapientum, (foreign. Pynd. Pyth. ode 3.) & pervertit verba juſtorum.Deut 16:19 not ſo much as receive a giftttNe iniquos accepto munere, ſi non juverit, ingratus cenſeatur, ſi foverit, injuſtus habeatur. Autor de ocul. moral. c. 6. mirat. 3. whereby hee may be engaged or enclined ſo to doe;) and ſtoppeth his eares from hearing of bloud; (hee will not onelyonly have no hand in the ſhedding of it, but hee cannot endure to heare any communing of it;) and laſtly, that ſhutteth his eyes from ſeeing of evill: he not eſcheweth only the practice of it, but hee evenuuforeign. Clem. Alex. paedag. lib. 3. cap. 5. foreign. Achil. Stat. lib. 1. Vitiis nobis in animum per oculos est via. Quintil. declam. Illud Ier. 9.21. de morte per feneſtras ingrediente, & Thren. 3 51. de oculo animam depraedante; uti legit Vulgata: ad Satanam per oculorum feneſtras animam depraedantem accommodant. Clem. Alex. paedag. lib. 2. c 8. Greg. Nazianz. ad Eunom. l. 1. ſerm. in Theoph. de S. Cyprian. & de Greg. N…ſſ Hieron. ad Iovin. lib. 2. Ambroſ. de ſug ſaec. cap. 2. Auguſt. homil. 35. & de honeſt. mul. cap. 4. Chryſologus homil. 39. Greg. Rom. moral lib. 21. cap. 2. & in Pſal. poenitent 4. Bern. de humil. grad. & de converſ. cap. 6. & 9. & in Cant. 35. & medit. cap. 14. & de temp. 68. & 80.Jer 9:21 ſhunneth the very ſight of it, ſo farre forth as it may be a meanes to inveigle his heart; or the ſight of ought that may betray his heart thereunto.

§. 34. The fourth and laſt point wherein this ſpirituall Watch conſiſteth is the conſtant reſiſtance of temptations unto evill.xxMatth. 18.7.Matt 18:7 It cannot be, ſaith our Saviour, but that offences will come: So it cannot be avoided, walke wee never ſo warily, but that occaſions of evill too too many will be offered. Herein therefore ſtandeth a further part of this our Watch, as in a carefull avoidance (ſo much as in us lieth) of the occaſions of ſinne that they be not offered: ſo in a conſtant reſiſtance of temptations and encitements to evill when they ſhall be offered, yea when they ſhall be urged and enforced upon us; that which the Apoſtles Iames and Peter callyyIames 4.7. 1 Pet. 5.9. foreign.Jas 4:71 Pet 5:9 the withſtanding of the Devill and his inſtruments; and the Apoſtle Paul zzEpheſ. 6.13. foreign.Eph 6:13withſtanding and ſtanding, or ſtanding firme and faſt by ſtanding out, in the evill day, that is, in the time of temptation.

aaEſter 6.1.On that night, ſaith the ſtory of Aſſuerus, the Kings ſleepe went from him. It is no watching to ſpeake properly, neither is it thankworthy, for a man to lie awake, becauſe hee cannot ſleepe: but when long continuance of waking, and the uſuall houre of reſt, and and the drowſineſſe of his owne braine, and the heavineſſe of his eyes, and the example of others faſt aſleepe by him, ſhall all concurre and conſpire as it were to caſt him into a ſlumber, for a man p. 84bbOculos vigilia fatigatos cadenteſque in opere detinere, Senec. epiſt. 8.then to ſtrive to keepe waking is true watching, and is thank-worthy indeed. So here for a man to keepe himſelfe ſober, when hee cannot come by wine or ſtrong drinke, or when hee wanteth his good-Fellowes to drinke with (for this is one of thoſe ſociable ſinnes: there is no life in it without company) it isccNeceſſitas non habet laudem. not thankeworthy, the will is as good, or as bad rather, ſtill as ever. But for a man to bee carefull not to breake the bounds of ſobriety, when he ſhall bee in place where wine is plenty, and no reſtraint of it, and where company will be egging him on, and urging him with inſtance to take more than is meet, that is true temperance and praiſe-worthy indeed. In like mannerddNunquam negavi rem alienam: quia ſortaſſe nemo tibi commendavit, vel ſi quis commendavit, ſub teſtibus commendavit. Dic mihi, Reddidiſti, quod à ſolo ſolus accepiſti? ſi ſic reddidiſti, ſi mortuo qui commendaverat, neſcienti filio reddidiſti; tunc te laudabo qu…a post aurum non iſti Aug. de verb. Ap. 19. for a man to keepe a true man, as wee ſay, becauſe hee was never put in truſt, or to deale faithfully, where a due and ſtrict account is taken of his actions; it is no commendation the one, and it is but a very ſlender commendation (if any at all) the other. But for a man that hath truſt repoſed in him, and none to looke after him, or to call him to account (aseeGen. 39.6.Gen 39:6 Ioſeph, asff2 King. 12.15.2 Kgs 12:15 the workmen about the Temple ſometime) to deale then truly and faithfully, eſpecially when want and penury ſhall be perſwading him to the contrary,ggSirac. 31.13. qui tranſgredi petait, & non tranſgreſſus est; & cùm poſſet malum facere, non fecit; Bonus ille est, qui & quando potest mala facere, non facit. Aug. in Pſal 93.Ps 93 that is indeed a matter of high commendation; that is watching over a mans hands and fingers indeed. Thus alſo for a man to live chaſtely and keepe continent,hhNulla laus est non facere, quod facere non potes Ex Lactant. inſtit l. 6. c 23. Martin. Dum. de mor. Nulla laus est ibi eſse integrum, ubi nemo est, qui aut poſſit aut co…etur corrumpere. Cic. in Verr. orat. 1. when he wanteth his lewd company, or for a woman to live honeſtly whom no man looketh after, oriiSiqua metu dempto caſta est, ea denique caſta est: Que quia non potuit, non facit, illa facit. Ovid. amor. lib. 3. cleg 4. becauſe ſhee is otherwiſe looked after, and a narrow watch is ſet over her, deſerveth not the name of watchfulneſſe in either, yea the heart may be never a whit the leſſe faultie with either. But forkk2 Sam. 13.12, 13, 14.2 Sam 13:122 Sam 13:132 Sam 13:14 Tamar to deny Ammons inceſtuous ſuit, and to ſtand out againſt him, till by meere force ſhe be conſtrainedllCorpora ſanctarum mulierum non vis maculat, ſed voluntas. Hieron. quaeſt. in Gen. Invita virgo vexari poceſt, violari non poteſt. Aug. ep. 180. & 122. & de Civit. Dei, lib. 1. cap. 18. & demend. l 1 c. 7, 19, 20. & l. 2. c. 19. Viſe & Chryſ. in Pſal. 95.Ps 95 to endure rather the diſhoneſt act of another, than to doe any of her owne; formmGeneſ. 39. …, —13.Gen 39 Ioſeph ſued and ſought to by his MiſtreſſennVna hac in re blanditur & ſupplicat, quae in reliquis imperabat. Pelag. ad Demetriad. nec potuit extorquere, quod voluit imperare. Ambroſ. de Ioſeph. cap. 5. that had ſome kinde of command over him, yea urged and ſolicited day after day to condeſcend to her adulterous deſires,ooMagnus vir, qui venditus, ſervile tamen neſcivit ingenium; adamatus non redamavit, rogatus non acquievit, comprehenſ… aufugit. Ambroſ. ibid. Vel ut Aug. de temp. 83. M. v. qui v. ſervire tunc neſcivit, ingenuam a non r. &c. to refuſe to yeeld to her allurements, (her inforcements I might well ſay) andppMaluit liber criminis mori, quàm potentiae criminoſa conſortium eligere. Ibid. to chooſe rather to hazard loſſe of preſent liberty (ſuch as then he had) by not ſinning, than to gaine further enlargement and advancement (there might well be hope of future preferment) by conſenting to ſinne; it was a part and practice of due watchfulneſſe indeed.

§. 35. Where commeth to bee met with that vaine and idle Apologie that many are wont to make in defence or excuſe at leaſt of their inordinate behaviour, that they were provoked and vrged to doe that they did: Are you not aſhamed to bee overſeene with drinke in ſuch ſort as to make your ſelfe a ſcorne and a laughing ſtocke to every one that beheld you, and to become no better than a beaſt? Oh; ſaith hee, I was urged to it: I was in company with Chapmen Cuſtomers; (they are thoſe that a man lives by) and I could not doe otherwiſe than I did. Yea but no man could or can (qqInfirmus est hoſtis, niſi volentem non vincit. Pelag. ad Demetriad. Suadere & ſolicitare poteſt, cogere omninò non poteſt. Aug. homil. 12. habet aſtutiam ſuadendi, non poteſtatem cogendi. Idem in Pſal 91. & in Ioan. tract. 12.Ps 91 nor the Devill himſelfe) compell thee to ſinne, p. 85unleſſe thou wilt thy ſelfe. And there were no need for thee, or for any man to watch againſt ſuch ſins as theſe are, if there were no ſuch occaſions of falling into them, or if no ſuch temptations to incite or entice thereunto. Againe, ſaith another reproved for his outragious behaviour in curſing and banning, ſwearing and ſwaggering, and blaſpheming, as before; I did nothing but what I was urged and provoked unto: It would have angred an Angell; it would have made a Saint ſweare, to be uſed as I was, to endure what I did. Alas! andrrApoc. 13.10. & 14.12. Luk. 21.16, 17, 19. Virtutes quadam ut ſtellae, quae interdiu latent, noctu lucent. Bern. in Cant. ſer. 27. Apparet virtus, arguitur que malis. Ovid. triſt. lib. 4. eleg. 3. Imperia dura tolle: quid virtus erit? Sen. Herc. fur act. 2. ſc. 2.Rev 13:10Rev 14:12Luke 21:16Luke 21:17Luke 21:19 what uſe were there of patience, were there no provokement to impatience? or what praiſe is it there to be patient, where there is no occaſion (for juſt cauſe none can be) of impatience?ſſRom. 12.21. Ne vincitor à malo. Cur rapis in te id, quod in alio tibi displicet? iram ſcil. iraſceris ergò quia ille iraſcitur: imò jam tibi iraſcere, quia iraſceris. Guigo. medit. c. 1. Paſſus es malum? ignoſce; ne duo mali ſitis. Auguſt. in Pſal. 54. & in 1. Ioan. tract. 8. Paratus igitur debet eſſe homo pius & juſtus patienter eorum malitiam ſuſtinere, quot fieri bonos quaerit, ut numerus potius creſcat bonorum, non ut pari malitia ſe quoque numero addat malorum. Idem epiſt. 5. Ridiculum eſt enim odio nocentis perdere innocentiam. Senec. referente Ioan. de Tambac. in conſol. Theol. vel potius Martin. Dumienſ. lib. de morib. Nullius tam vehement nequitia eſt, ut motu meo digna ſit. Symmach. l. 9. ep. 105.Rom 12:21Ps 54 Shall another mans wickedneſſe make thee wicked like him? Wilt thou imitate him in that, wherein thou condemneſt him? and be like him in that which thou miſlikeſt in him? Yea ſhall mans wronging thee make thee wrong God? his abuſing thee make thee abuſe Gods bleſſed name? his flying in thy face make thee flie in Gods face? What watching call wee this, for a man to keepe no longer awake, than till his eyes begin to grow heavy, and then of his owne accord to ſettle himſelfe unto ſleepe? Or what watching is it to keepe watch and ward, to fence and fortifie, where no aſſault is made, and to ſet no watch nor make reſiſtance when wee are indeed aſſaulted? to watch, till wee ſee the enemie whom wee ſhould watch againſt, approach; and ſo ſoone as wee deſcrie him, asttIohn 10.12.John 10:12 the hireling, when hee ſpieth the Wolfe comming, to leave inſtantly and give over our watch? No: it is in regard of continuall danger that wee are in, either by inward defect or by outward default, that this Watch is required: And therefore there muſt watch be moſt diligent, where is moſt likelihood of danger, or where hotteſt aſſault is made: Yea continuall watch muſt bee held and joyned with reſiſtance, not till aſſault only be made, but ſo oft as aſſault ſhall bee made, and ſo long as it ſhall continue: Which becauſe it will ſo doe ever even till wee die, this our Watch muſt continue alſo even unto death.

§. 36. Hitherto then wee have conſidered of the manner of this Part 4 Watch, and wherein the ſame doth principally conſiſt; Let us now further conſider of ſome Meanes of helpe and furtherance, whereby wee may bee the better enabled to goe thorow therewith.

Helpe 1 The firſt may be the practice of Sobrietie and Temperance,uuLuk. 21.34, 36.Luke 21:34Luke 21:36 Take heed, ſaith our Saviour, leſt at any time your hearts come to be oppreſſed or ſurcharged with ſurfetting and drunkenneſſe, and with the cares of this life: and ſo that day come upon you and ſurprize you unawares: But watch and pray continually. And ſurely as it is with the body; ſo is it alſo with the ſoule. Temperate diet is a great helpe to bodily watching: and on the other ſidexxforeign. Iſid. Peluſ. ep. 130. lib. 1. Saturitas vigilare neſcit. Quippe cibum. ſequitur ſomnus. —& multo ſopor ille graviſſimus extat, Quem ſaturi capiunt. Lucret. lib. 4. when men have over-liberally eaten and drunke, they are wont to be heavy and drowſie, ready to ſlumber as they ſit, ſit for nothing but for ſleepe. And no leſſe enemie to this ſpirituall Watch is ſuch riot and exceſſe.yyEpheſ. 5.17.18.Eph 5:17Eph 5:18 Be not filled with wine, (ſaith the Apoſtle) wherein is exceſſe; but be filled with the Spirit: as p. 86if when the one went in, the other went out; and there were no roome left for the one, when men are filled ſo with the other. Wee are wont to ſay that When the wine goeth in, the wit goeth out: but the Apoſtle ſaith, that when wine is thus taken in, the Spirit of God is expelled, (wherewith wee ſhould watch) and the Spirit of Satan is entertained, (againſt which wee ſhould watch) and the Temple of the one is made a ſtie and a ſtable for the other. For ſuch exceſſe is a meane evenzzforeign. Baſil. homil. 14. foreign. Syneſ. de inſomn.—nam corpus onuſtum Heſternis vitiis animum quoque praegravatunâ, Atque affligit humi divinae particulam aurae. Horat ſerm. 2.2. to drowne the minde, and by caſting reaſon and underſtanding into a dead and deadly ſleepe, to make men unable to watch againſt the motions of ſinne,aaOmnibus & virtutibus januam claudit, & delictis aperit. Val. Max. l. 6. c. 5 ex. 10. to ſhut the doore of the heart againſt all vertue, and to ſet it wide open to all vice. By meanes hereof camebbGeneſ. 9.21, 22. Ad unius ho…e ebrietatem nudat femora, quae per 600. annos ſobrietate contexerat. Hieron. ad Ocean.Gen 9:21Gen 9:22 Noah to diſcover his owne ſhame in the ſight of his ſonnes, to his diſgrace and reproach. Yea by meanes hereof cameccGen. 19.32,—37. per temulentiam neſciens libidini miſcet inceſtum: & quem Sodoma non vicit, vina virerunt. Hieron. ibid. Viſe Clem. Alex. paedag. l. 2. cap. 9.Gen 19:32 Lot in beaſtly manner to abuſe himſelfe by filthy inceſt with thoſe that came out of his owne loynes, and ſo became he the father of an accurſed baſtardly brood. And no marvell if Sin and Satan finde free entrance at will, when that is ſhut out, or laid up that ſhould watch againſt either.

§. 37. On the other ſideddforeign. Baſil C…ſ. homil 1. Sobrietie is a ſpeciall helpe unto vigilancie: which the Apoſtles therefore are wont uſually to joyne the one with the other.ee1 Theſſ. 5.6.1 Thess 5:6 Let not us ſleepe, as others doe, ſaith the Apoſtle Paul; but let us watch, and be ſober. And,ff1 Pet. 4.7. & 5.8. foreign. Flut. praecept. polit. vigilantes & ſobri…. cic. pro Caelio.1 Pet 4:71 Pet 5:8 Be ſober and watch, ſaith the Apoſtle Peter. Which ſobrietie alſo muſt be underſtood to conſiſt, not in the temperate taking of meat and drinke only, but in a moderate uſage of all other temporall bleſſings, ſuch eſpecially as wee are wont to take pleaſure and delight in. For there is (as the Prophet ſaith in another ſenſe, Thou that art drunke, but not with wine; and,hhEſa. 29.9.Isa 29:9 They are drunke, but not with wine; and they ſtagger, but not with ſtrong drinke,) there is, I ſay (as I have ſhewediiOf Lots, chap 9. § 3. elſewhere)kkforeign. Conſule Druſ. in Proverb. 2.3.132. a drunkenneſſe without either wine or ſtrong drinke; yea and a ſurfetting too without fleſh or food. A man may ſurfet of, and bee drunke with proſperity, with pleaſure, with game, with diſport, with other the like delights; and may well be ſaid ſo to doe, when he is ſo tranſported with them, ſo diſtempered by them, that hee breaketh forth into ſuch diſordered and outragious behaviour; as, of immoderate rejoycing, and exceſſive laughter, of howting and ſhowting, and of geſture unſeemely, or of fretting and chafing, of curſing and banning, of ſwearing and blaſpheming, or the like, as will not ſtand with ſobriety,ggEſai. 51.21.Isa 51:21 and ſuch as they could not but condemne in themſelves, were they not for the time in a manner drunke and beſide themſelves; yea ſometime, not ſuch only as all ſober minded men would abhor, butll—diciſque faciſque quod ipſe Non ſani eſſe hom nis non ſanus juret Oreſte…. …erſ. ſat. 3. ſuch as even a mad man himſelfe, if he be not ſtarke mad, will eſteeme to be mad cariage.

§. 38. Whereas ſome therefore uſe to ſay, when they are rebuked and reproved, as for their abuſe of Gods good creatures, ſo for their drunken and diſordered behaviour at game, or otherwiſe; Is it not lawfull to eat and drinke? and, Is it not lawfull to uſe game? and, Is it not lawfull for neighbours to be merry together? Yes undoubtedly: Chriſtianity enjoyneth not, nor exacteth of us any Stoicall auſterity. God hath given and granted us, asmmPſal 104.14, 15.Ps 104:14Ps 104:15 bread to ſtrengthen our bodies, p. 87ſo wine to cheare our hearts withall: hee hath liberally afforded us the free uſe of his good creatures, not for neceſſity alone, but for lawfull delight too.nnNon enim ſequitur. ut cui mens ſapit, ei palatum non ſapiat. Cic. de finib lib. 1. Neither doth it follow, that Gods children take no delight at all in ſuch outward delights, becauſe they have other more principall ones that they take farre greater delight in. It is promiſed as a bleſſing even unto Gods people, thatooZach. 8.5.Zech 8:5 there ſhould bee boyes and girles playing together in the ſtreets of Ieruſalem: and thatppZach. 3.10.Zech 3:10 they ſhould have liberty to invite and entertaine either other, each man his friend or his neighbour under his vine or figtree, in his orchard or in his arbour. But can we not uſe Gods creatures, unleſſe we abuſe them, and make that the bane and poiſon of our ſoules, that was given us to be the food and ſtay of our bodies? OrqqNobis ridere & gaudere non ſufficit, niſi cum peccaſo atque inſania gaudeamus; niſi riſus n ſter impuritatibus, niſi flagitiis miſceatur? Nun uid laetari & ridere non poſſumus, niſi riſum noſirum atque laetitiam ſcelus eſſe faciamus? Salvian. de provident. l. 6. can we not be merry unleſſe we make the devill our play-fellow? Can wee not bee merry, unleſſe wee bee mad?rrErras, homo, non ſunt haec ludicra ſed crimina. qui jocari voluerit cum Diabolo, non poterit gaudere cum Chriſto. Chryſol. ſerm. 155. Is there no mirth at all but in ſwearing and ſwaggering, and in blaſpheming of Gods bleſſed Name?ſſRideamus, laetemur quantum libet jugiter, dummodò innocenter. Quae vecordia est & amentia, ut non putemus riſum & gaudium tanti eſse, niſi Dei inſe habeat injuriam? Salvian. Ibid. An forte infructuoſum putamús gaudium ſimplex, nec delectat ridere ſine crimine? Ibid. Is our mirth (thinke we) nothing worth, if it be not mixt with profanenes; if it be not ſeaſoned, or tainted rather, with impiety and ungodlines, or with impurity and uncleannes? Such eating and drinking is accurſed eating and drinking: ſuchttLuk. 6.25. O miſeri, quorum gaudia crimen. habent. Maxim. eleg. 1.Luke 6:25 mirth is accurſed mirth, evill-beſeeming any Chriſtian, and ſuch as will at lengthuuProv. 14.13.Prov 14:13 end in mourning and woe, yea in eternall mourning and everlaſting woe, if it be not ſpeedily prevented. As the Apoſtle ſaith, in regard of others, ſo is it no leſſe true in regard of a mans ſelfe;xxRom. 14 20.Rom 14:20 It is evill for a man to eat with offence; and with the diſa…ling of himſelfe unto good duties: And it is evill for a man to uſe game or any other lawfull delight in that manner, as it ſhall be an occaſion, either of ſtumbling to others, or of ſin and evill to himſelfe. And,yyRom 14.21.Rom 14:21 It is not good therefore for a man to eat fleſh, nor drinke wine, nor uſe game, nor doe ought elſe, whereby either himſelfe, or any other ſhall be occaſioned to ſinne. For what we owe unto others,zzRom. 8.12, 13.Rom 8:12Rom 8:13 we owe much more to our ſelves; being enjoynedaaRom. 13.8.9. Levit. 19.18. Matth. 22.39. Galat. 5.14.Rom 13:8Rom 13:9Lev 19:18Matt 22:39Gal 5:14 to love others indeed, but as our ſelves. And therefore ought wee to have a care as well tobbTit. 2.12.Titus 2:12 live ſoberly in regard of our ſelves, as toccRom. 14.15.Rom 14:15 walke charitably in regard of our brethren.

§ 39. The rather are we to be heedfull and carefull in this kinde, becauſe (that which madeddIob 1.4, 5.Job 1:4Job 1:5 Iob ſo fearefull and ſuſpitious of his children, leſt they ſhould over-ſhoot themſelves when they were feaſting together)eePer voluptatem facilius vitia ſurrepunt. Senec. epiſt. 7. we are more prone to be carried away unto evill in our pleaſures and delights, in mirth and game, in ſport and paſtime, than amids our ſadder and more ſerious affaires. With theſe commonly is Satan tempering his poiſon to infect our ſoules with unto death; under theſe is he uſually hiding his hookes to catch us withall to our deſtruction: as thoſe that ſeeke by poyſon to make a man away are wont not to miniſter it alone, but to mix it with ſuch meat as the party ordinarily feedeth on, and taketh moſt delight in, or to give it him in his ordinary drinke; andffEt quae piſcis eda… avido malè devoret ore, Abdit ſupremis aera recurva cibis. Ovid. remed. lib. 1. Et ſera & piſcis ſpe aliqua oblectante decipitur. Viſcata ſunt haec, inſidiae ſunt. Senec. epiſt. 8. as the Fiſher-man baiteth his hooke for each fiſh with ſuch bait as the fiſh uſually feedeth on, and moſt greedily gapeth after. Beſides that wee are in danger by ſuch meanes to bee ſooneſt ſurpriſed of him; asgg2 Sam. 13.28, 29.2 Sam 13:282 Sam 13:29 Ammon was ſometime p. 88by Abſaloms Followers, andhh1 King. 16.9, 10.1 Kgs 16:91 Kgs 16:10 Elah by Zimry his owne traiterous Servant, andiiIudg. 18.7, 10, 27.Judg 18:7Judg 18:10Judg 18:27 the Citizens of Laiſh by the children of D…n, for that we are in ſuch caſes commonly moſt ſecure, and leaſt miſtruſtfull; andkkTunc maximè oppugnari…, ſi oppugnari teneſcit. Hier. ad Heliodor. the more in danger therefore, the leſſe we miſdoubt it, or dreame of it.

Helpe 2 §. 40. A ſecond helpe unto Vigilancie is the ſociety of Saints, the company of thoſe that be godly and religious.llEccleſ. 4.9, 10.Eccl 4:9Eccl 4:10 Two, ſaith the Wiſeman, are better than one. For if the one of them fall, the other is at hand to helpe him up againe. But woe be to him that is alone. mmHic ſi ſolus fuiſſet, quo adjutore ſuperaſſet? Hieron. ad Ruſtic. Est opus auxilio: turba futura tibi est. Ovid. remed. l. 2.For if hee fall, he hath none to helpe to raiſe him againe. A drowſie perſon, if he be alone, is ready preſently to fall aſleepe. But if hee bee in company,nnMagna pars peccatorum tollitur, ſi peccaturis teſtis aſſiſtat. Senec. ep 11. Quid heatius, quid ſecurius, quàm ejuſmodi cuſtodes ſi nul vitae & teſtes habere? quibus me totum refundam quaſi alteri mihi: qui deviare non finant, fraenent praecipitem, dormitantem excitent; quorum reverentia & libertas extollentem reprimat, excedentem corrigat; conſtantia & fortitudo nutantem firmet, erigat diffidentem, fides & ſanctitas ad honeſta & ſancta provocet. Bern. de conſider. lib. 4. the very preſence of others, beſides their mutuall conference and diſcourſe, is a good meanes to keepe him awake; and if he begin but to nod, ſome one or other of the company is ready to jog him on the elbow, and either to keepe him awake, or to awake him ſoone againe, if on a ſodaine he be ſleeping. As it is dangerous therefore for a man to bee left alone, when hee is heavy, and ſleepe may (as after a veine opened or ſome potion taken) prove prejudiciall unto him: SoooNemo eſt ex imprudentibus qui relinqui ſibi debeat. Senec epiſt. 10. Nemo horum est, cui non ſatiue ſit cum quolibet eſſe quam ſecum. Ibid. 25. it is dangerous for us in regard of our drowſie diſpoſition to bee ſolitary;ppOmnia nobus mala ſolitudo perſuadet. Senec. epiſt. 25. Solitudo est, quae virum etiam fortem fortiſſimè praecip…tat in reatum. Petr. Bleſ. epiſt. 9. —loca ſola nocent: loca ſola caveto. Quo fugis? in populo tutior eſſe potes. Ovid. remed. l. 2. wee may the ſooner be ſurpriſed with ſinfull ſuggeſtions, the more eaſily be drawne to yeeld to Satanicall temptations, and the longer may it bee (if ever it be) ere wee recover our ſelves againe after them: Whereas if we be in company with thoſe that be wiſe and wakefull, it may be a meane to keepe us waking oft, when we would otherwiſe be ſlumbring, and to recover us the more ſpeedily when we are ſodainly falne into ſlumber unawares. To this purpoſe the Apoſtle exhorteth Chriſtian menqqHebr. 10.24.Heb 10:24 to obſerve either other: that is,rrPhilip. 2.4.Phil 2:4 to have an eye one to another, and not each one to himſelfe onelyonly; to keepe watch one over another, and not each one over himſelfe onelyonly, like curſed Caine that asketh of God,ſſGeneſ. 4.9.Gen 4:9 whether hee were his brothers keeper. And to what end would hee have them thus to watch over their brethren?ttforeign. to whet them up, or whet them on, ſaith the Apoſtle: (that which we all ſtand in need of:) to provoke and egge them on unto godlineſſe and well-doing, to keepe them watching with themſelves. And how is that done? Surely,uuProv. 27.17.Prov 27:17 As iron, ſaith Salomon, whetteth iron; ſo the very face of a man whetteth his friend. xxNulla res magis honeſta induit, dubios & in pravum inclinantes revocat ad rectum, quàm bonorum vir…rum converſatio: paulatim enim deſcendit in pectora, & vim praeceptorum obtinet, frequenter audirt, aſpici, occurſus ipſe ſapientum juvat. est & aliquid quod ex magno (bono) viro vel tacente proficias. Senec. epiſt. 93.The very preſence of a religious perſon, and much more his good ſpeech, & his godly carriage, his holy advice, his diſcreet admonition, his ſeaſonable reproofe may be a meane to encourage & cheere us up when we do well, to reſtraine and ſtay us up, when we are ſlumbring & ſinking down, to recover and raiſe us up againe when we are down unawares. In which kind,yy— fungar vice cotis, acutum Reddere quae ferrum valet, exors ipſa ſecandi. Horat. in arte poet. Alluſit ad Iſocratis dict…m. foreign. Plut. vita Iſocr. as the whet-ſtone, though dull and blunt it ſelfe, yet is able to ſharpen iron tooles: ſo even thoſe that be but dull and drowſie of themſelves, but yet diligent, and deſirous to keep waking both themſelves and others, may helpe to ſharpen and qui…ken even thoſe that be otherwiſe more wakefull (it may bee) than themſelves. p. 89For aszzFieri poſſe non ambigo, ut aliquid imperito & indocto cuipiam ſcire contingat, quod doctus aliquis & peritus ignorat Aug. de orig. animae l 4. c. 1. there is none ſo learned, but hee may learne ſomething from the very meaneſt, even from thoſe that be farre inferiour in gifts to himſelfe:aaAct 28 26.Acts 28:26 Apollos though a learned Teacher and well read in the word, yet may be taught ſomething by a ſilly Tent-maker and a weake woman, that he was ignorant of before: andbbR. David in rūdic. Mercer. in Pagn th ſ. & Selden in praefat. to Titles of Honour. the Jewiſh Rabbines acknowledge that they came to underſtand a place of the ProphetccEſa. 14.23. foreign …verram eam. Iun.Isa 14:23 Eſay by hearing an Arabian woman mentionddforeign a broome, or a beeſome in her language to her maid: ſo there is none ſo watchfull of himſelfe, but he may have need of others to watch over him, and may receive benefit in that kinde, even from a drowſie ſoule, one that is leſſe wakefull than himſelfe. In a word, drowſie perſons, if they deſire to keepe waking, can better doe it in company together one with another, (it is not likely they ſhould all ſodainely fall faſt aſleepe at once) than they can being ſeverally apart either from other.

§. 41. Well therefore and wiſely addeth the Apoſtle in that place,eeHeb 10.25.Heb 10:25 Not forſaking the fellowſhip; as the manner is of many. And againe;ffHeb. 10.39.Heb 10:39 But we are not of them that with-draw themſelves to their owne ruine. ggLugentem timentemque cuſtodire ſolemus, ne ſolitudine male utatur.It is not ſafe for a melancholy man to be much ſolitary: and it is a matter of no ſmall danger for a Chriſtian man to affect a ſolitarineſſe, or a ſullen kinde of privacy and retiredneſſe, and by occaſion thereof to ſequeſter himſelfe from the company & ſociety of others, though it be upon ſome good and godly pretence. Thus as in the Church of Rome, at this day many affect a Monkiſh courſe of life, under colour of withdrawing themſelves from the world: So among the Ancients we finde that ſome worthy men otherwiſe had ſometime ſome cogitations and projects looking and bending ſomwhat that way, yea that ſometime they made ſome triall of concluſions in that kind. But what doth one principall man among them confeſſe, writting to another of them out of the wilderneſſe, whither he had withdrawne himſelfe, how he found himſelfe there affected?hhforeign. &c. Baſil. ep. 1. ad Greg. Naz. Legatur & Senec. ep. 104. What I doe here night and day (ſaith he) I am even aſhamed to relate. For the City buſineſſe I have ſhunned as an occaſion of many evils: but my ſelfe yet I cannot ſhunne. But it fareth with me, as with men at ſea that are ſeaſicke becauſe they cannot brooke the ſea: when they are in a greater ſhip, they thinke they ſhould bee better, if they were in a leſſe barke; it is the rolling of the great ſhip they thinke that maketh them ſo evill: and ſo out of the ſhip they get them into the boat or the barke. But in the ſhip or in the barke they are bad ſtill, as evill as ever, iiforeign.ſo long as the bitter choller abideth with them that pestereth their ſtomacke. In like manner it is with us. kkforeign.Carying about with us our inbred and inmate paſsions, wee are every where encombred with the like perturbations; and ſo llforeign.gaine no great matter by this our ſolitarineſſe, and ſequeſtring of our ſelves. And another of latter and more ſuperſtitious times, though a great admirer and practiſer of Monaſticall life himſelfe, adviſing a woman that had a great minde to the Wilderneſſe;mmNon est ſapere, ut opulentiam, ita urbis frequentiam fugere? an non mea mihi pudicitia tutior erit in eremo, ubi in pace cum pa…cis aut ſola oonverſans ſoli placeam, cui me probavi. Bern. epiſt. 115. Is it not Wiſedome, ſaith he, peradventure you will ſay, to eſchew as the wealth, ſo the throng of the City? will not my chaſtity be there ſafer, where converſing with few or none, I may pleaſe him alone whom I deſire principally p. 90to approve my ſelfe unto? nnNequaquam: nam volenti perperam agere & deſertum abundantiam habet, & nemus umbram, & ſilentium ſolitudo. Malum quippe quod nemo videt, nemo arguit. Vbi autem non timetur reprehenſor, ſecurius accedit tentator, licentius perpetratur iniquitas. In conventu verò malum ſi ſacere vis, non licet. Mox enim à pluribus comperitur, arguitur, emendatur. Bern. ibid.No by no meanes, ſay I: One that will doe evill, ſhall finde matter enough in the Wilderneſſe to worke upon, and beſide ſhady ſhelter in the thicket, and ſilence in ſolitude. For the evill that none ſees, none findes fault withall. And where there is none to finde fault, the Tempter is the bolder to aſſault, and the fault is committed the more freely. Whereas being in company you cannot doe evill though you would: for you are preſently eyed, chid, rebuked and reclaimed by the rest. ooDen que aut de fatuis virginibus una es, aut de prudentibus. Si de fatuis, congregatio tibi neceſſaria est; ſi de prudentibus, tu congregationi. ib.To conclude, either you are a wiſe Virgin or a fooliſh one: if a wiſe one, the company hath need of you; if an unwiſe one, you of it. And elſe-where dealing with ſome other in like manner affected;ppForte vult eligere ſolitudinem, non ſatis attendens propriam infirmitatem, & periculoſam Diaboli luctam: Quid enim periculoſius quàm ſolum luctari contra antiqui hostis verſutias, à quo videatur & quem videre non poſſit? A…ies potius multorum pariter pugnantium quaerenda, ubi tot ſint auxiliarii, quot ſocii, &c. Bern. de temp. 26 Perchance, ſaith hee, you will make choiſe of ſolitarineſſe, not well weighing either your owne weakneſſe, or Satans aſſaults. For what can be more ieopardous than to wreſtle alone with ſuch a ſlie adverſary as ſeeth us when we ſee not him? Wee had more need to ſeeke out ſome troupe to joyne our ſelves with, where wee may have as many Fellow-helpers as fellowes. For it is the congregation that is qqCant. 6.3Song 6:3terrible, as an armie well ranged. But rrEccleſ 4.10.Eccl 4:10woe be to him that is alone: for if hee fall, hee hath none at hand to helpe him up. ſſQuoties bene perficientibus invidens daemonium meridianum obtentu quaſi ma oris puritatis eremum petere perſuaſit? Et cognoverunt miſeri tandem, quam verus ſit ſermo quem fruſtra legerant, Vae ſoli &c. Bern. in Cant. 33.That which a many finde too true by wofull experience, when ttEx Pſal. 91.6. verſ. vulgat.Ps 91:6the noone-day devill hath inticed them out into the Wilderneſſe under pretence of greater holineſſe, and ſtrictneſſe of life. And undoubtedly, as there is none but are more prone to ſlumber when they are alone, than when they are in company with others that are awake; ſo there is no man, if hee well conſider himſelfe, but hee ſhall finde that he is more prone to be aſſailed with evill ſuggeſtions and motions, when hee is alone by himſelfe, than when hee is in company with others that bee religiouſly affected. In regard whereof it is not without good cauſe that the ſame Author ſaith,uuMagis timco malum, quod facio in abſcondito, quàm quod in aperto. Idem medit. c. 14. I more feare the evill that I may doe alone, than what I cannot doe but in company. Thoſe therefore that ſhunning the ſociety of others, ſequeſter themſelves, andxxVivat neceſſe est alteri, qui vult ſibi. Sen. epiſt. 48. will needs live wholly to themſelves, doe but in ſo doing deprive themſelves of a maine helpe unto watchfulneſſe, and expoſe themſelves unwiſely, (though it may be unwittingly) unto the wiles and ſnares of their ſuttle Adverſary, who is then with them unſeene, when there is no body elſe by them; and is then readieſt to aſſault them, when there is none by to aſſiſt them.

§. 42. But asyyCrates cùm vidiſſet adoleſcentem ſecreto ambulantem, interrogavit quid illic ſolus faceret. Mecum, inquit, loquor. Cui Crates, Cave, inquit, rogo, & diligenter attende ne cum homine malo loquaris. Senec. epiſt. 10. Atqui Laert. de Cleanthe, foreign. Alterutrum lubens ex altero correxerim. he ſaid ſometime to one that was talking, as he ſaid, with himſelfe, He had need be well adviſed, that he talked not with a bad Companion: ſo here, a man that not without good cauſe deſireth company,zzforeign. Clem. Alex. paedag. lib. 3. c. 11. had need yet bee wary what company hee lighteth on and aſſociateth himſelfe unto. ForaaSumuntur enim à converſantibus mores. Nec tam valetudini profuit utilis regio & ſalubrius coelum, quàm animis parum firmis in turba meliorum verſari. Sen. de irá l. 3. c. 8. Tam honorum enim quàm malorum longa converſatio amorem inducit. Idem de tranq. c. 1. as the benefit is great that commeth by good company, ſo is the danger and harme no leſſe that accreweth by bad. Aſſociation is of much force both the one way and the other.bbforeign. Arriani Epictet. lib. 3. c. 16. Non est carbo ita ignitus, quin aqua adfuſa extinguatur; ſicut contra vix est carbo ita madidus, quin prunarum acervo accendatur. Vincent. de vita ſpirit. c. 17. Our ſociety with others, and theirs with us, cannot p. 91but prevaile much either to make us like them, or to make them like us.**Prov. 13.20. foreign. Ex Sophocl. & Eurip. Plato in Theag. & Polit. l. 8 Gell. noct. Attic. l. 13. c. 17. foreign. Theogn. Ea Philoſophiae vis est, ut non ſolum ſtudentes, ſed etiam converſantes juvet. Qui in ſolem venit, licet non in hoc venerit colorabitur. Qui in unguentaria taberna reſederint, odorem ſecum lociferunt. Et qui apud Philoſophos fuerunt, traxe…unt, aliquid neceſſe est, quod prodeſſet & negligentibus. Senec. ep. 108. Vt qui per ſolem ambulant, aut colorem mutant, aut urentem ſentiunt calorem: ſic dum conſuetudine bonorum utimur, aut dotes quaſdam amando in nos derivamus, aut deſiderium aliquod admirando concipimus. Putaeam. cent. 1. epiſt. 14.Prov 13:20 He that walketh but with the wiſe, ſaith Salomon, ſhall wax wiſer thereby: and he that keepeth company with fooles, ſhall be the worſe for it. The very company of either is wont ordinarily to worke even with ſome efficacy on thoſe that much or oft converſe though for other ends with either. A third helpe therefore unto Watchfulneſſe may be the ſhunning of the ſociety and fellowſhip of wicked and prophane perſons.ccPſal 6.8.Ps 6:8 Away from mee, ſaith David, all ye workers of iniquity. And,ddPſal. 101.4.Ps 101:4 A wicked perſon I will not know: I will have no acquaintance with any ſuch. Yea to this purpoſe, as he inviteth good company to him,eePſal. 119.63.Ps 119:63 I am a companion of all thoſe that feare thee, and keepe thy precepts. Such as feared God, were they high or low, were they rich or poore, they were for his company, he was content and deſirous to be acquainted with them. So on the other ſide he biddeth all prophane ones away from him,ffPſal. 119.115. Velut muſcas moleſtas à cordis oculis abigit. August in Pſal. 118. conc. 24.Ps 119:115Ps 118 Away from me, yee wicked ones: I will keepe the commandements of my God. As if he could not keepe Gods commandements, at leaſt not ſo well as he would, ſo long as the wicked were in company with him. And in this regard as elſe-where he profeſſeth of himſelfe, thatggPſal. 26.4, 5.Ps 26:4Ps 26:5 he would neither ſit among, nor goe abroad, nor keepe any company with ſuch: ſohhPſal. 1.1.Ps 1:1 he pronounceth him a happy man, that neither walketh with, nor ſtandeth amids, nor ſitteth among, that in no ſort or manner converſeth with thoſe, that are wicked, ſinfull, and ſcoffers at goodneſſe and godlineſſe. Not that a man ſhould by and by in aiiInde enim Phariſaei dicti à foreign ſeparare: ut rectè Druſ. & Scalig. elench. Trihaereſ. Serar. Phariſaicall humor condemne or contemne every one that commeth ſhort of himſelfe either in knowledge or in practice of ſanctification, or ſhould ſequeſter himſelfe from every one that is not ſo forward in, or zealous of the better things, as were to be wiſhed and deſired; like thoſe proud Hypocrites in Eſay, kkEſa 65.5.Isa 65:5that ſay, ſtand aloofe of mee; come not neere mee: for I am holier than thou. llRom. 14.1.Rom 14:1Weake ones are to be received, not to bee rejected:mmHeb. 12 13.Heb 12:13 to bee healed and ſtrengthened, not to be turned out. But for thoſe that be openly prophane withnnHeb. 12.16.Heb 12:16 Eſau; ſcoffers and deriders of religion withooGeneſ. 21.9, 10.Gen 21:9Gen 21:10 Iſmael; by their looſe and lewd courſe of life proclaiming and publiſhing not an utter want onelyonly of goodneſſe and godlineſſe in them, but a perverſeneſſe of heart, and an averſeneſſe thereunto;pp2 Tim. 3 5.2 Tim 3:5 ſuch, ſaith the Apoſtle, ſhould men ſhun: qqViſe Chryſoſt. in Ioan homil. 57. & Greg in Ezech. hom 9.leſt they corrupt us, when we cannot correct them. ForrrDum ſpectant laeſos oculi laeduntur & ipſi: Multaque corporibus tranſitione nocent. Ovid remed. l. 2. the very ſight of bleare eyes may hurt thoſe that have whole, but tender, eyes: whenſſforeign. Lippiens ſanum afficit; at ſanus lippientem haua ſanat. Aphrodiſſ problem. 1.35. the ſight of the whole will not helpe the bleare-eyed. Sooner may evill be faſtned upon good ones, weake ones eſpecially, than good things conveyed unto and wrought into thoſe that be obſtinately evill.

§. 43. And ſurely as ſome bodily diſeaſes are ſaid to be catching and contagious; a man may ſoone catch them by being in company of or drinking with thoſe that have them: Sottforeign, &c. foreign. Chryſoſt in Ioan homil. 57. Res eſt contagioſa ſocietas mala. —dedit hanc co…tagio labem, Et dabit in plures: ſicut grex totus in agris Vnius ſcabie cadit, & porrigine po…ci; Vvaque conspecta livorem ducit ab uva. Iuvenal. ſatyr. 2. —contagia vites: Haec etiam pecori ſaepe nocere ſolent. Ovid. remed. lib. 2. it is with moſt diſeaſes of the ſoule; this ſpirituall Lethargy is a contagious, a catching p. 92diſeaſe, we take it eaſily one from another.uuNon tantum corpori, ſed etiam moribus ſalubrem locum eligere debemus. Senec. epiſt. 51. Sicut enim aer malus aſſiduo flatu tractus inficit corpus, ita perverſa locutio aſſiduè audita infirmantium inficit animum. Greg. Rom. in Ezech. lib. 1. homil. 9. Valetudinem firmiſſimam ladit aer gravis, aura peſtilens: & mentem optimam converſatio cum malis. Vnde Ben Syra, Vae malo, & eis qui ei adhaerent. D…uſ. lib 2. cent. 1. proverb 45. foreign. Corrupêre probos mores commercia prava. Ex Menandro in 1 Corinth. 14.33. foreign.1 Cor 14:33 Evill company is infectious, as evill aires are. There isxxVt quaedam in contactu corporis vitia tranſiliunt: ita animus mala ſua proximis tradit. Ebrioſus convictor in amorem vini traxit: impudicorum coetus fortem quoque & ſiliceum virva emollit: avaritia in vicinos virus ſuum tranſtulit. Sen. de ira l. 3. c. 8. a kinde of contagiouſneſſe in looſe and lewd companions, as well as in thoſe that are poſſeſſed of ſome peſtilent diſeaſe. And we have great reaſon therefore, if our ſoules health be deare to us,yyforeign. Plut. de laud. ſui. Serpunt enim vitia; & in proximum quemque tranſiliunt. Itaque ut in peſtilentia cavendum est, ne corruptis jam corporibus & morbo flagrantibus aſſideamus, quia pericula trabemus, afflatuque ipſo laborabimus: ita in amicorum legendit ingenus dabimus operam, ut quam minime inquinatos aſsumamus. Sen. de tranq. c. 7. to be carefull of ſhunning, ſo much as may be, ſuch places, and ſuch perſons, or to be very wary in converſing with them, where it cannot be avoided. The bodily plague is not ſo ſoone taken by ſitting by the ſicke mans bed-ſide; but a ſpirituall plague, worſe far than it, more deadly, more deſperate, may much ſooner be gotten by ſitting with prophane, and debauched perſons.zzforeign. Arriani Epictet. l. 3. c. 16. foreign. Plut. de adulat. Nemo non aliquod nobis vitium aut commendat, aut imprimit, aut neſcientibus allinit. Sen. epiſt. 7. Convictor delicatus paulatim enervat; vicinus dives cupiditatem irritat: malignus comes quamvis candido & ſimplici rubiginem ſuam affricat. Ibid. A man ſhall hardly come with faire apparell amongſt colliers, and carters, and chimney-ſweepers, but he ſhall carry ſome of their ſoile and their foot away from them; but his white apparell will be ſoyled and ſullied at leaſt by them. And we ſhal hardly be in company long or oft with ungodly ones, but we ſhall bear away ſome tincture of their ungodlineſſe with us.**Eſa. 6.5.Isa 6:5 Woe is me, ſaith the Prophet Eſay, I am undone; for I am a man of polluted lips, and I dwell amids people of polluted lips: as if a man could not lightly live among ſuch, but he ſhould in part be ſuch as they were. One ſlothfull perſon infecteth another: Asaaforeign. Plato Menon. Torpedo piſcis contactu ſuo torpidum facit. Eraſ. chil. 3. cent. 4 adag 2…. Viſc Ariſtot. hiſt. animal. lib. 3. c. 5. & l. 9. c. 37. Plin. hiſt. nat. l. 9. cap. 42. & lib. 31. cap. 1. & Oppian. halient. l. 2. & 3 & Claudian cum codem commiſſum à Iul. Scal. poet. l. 5. c. 16. the crampfiſh benummeth thoſe that touch or come neere it. One wicked one faſteneth his wickedneſſe upon another. The very ſight of others ſleeping may make a man ſleepy that were wakefull otherwiſe:bbforeign. Plato Charmid. foreign. Ariſtot. problem. 7. 1, 2, 6. & Aphrodiſ. 1. 34. as the very ſight of thoſe that yawne is wont to ſet others alſo on yawning. Yea ſuch is the devilliſh diſpoſition of mans wicked and wretched heart, that as ſome infected and infectious perſons have a ſtrong deſire to be infecting of others; and thoſe that have already moyled themſelves, take a delight in, and make a ſport of moyling others, that come in with faire clothes among them, thereby to make them like themſelves; ſoccNaturale est unumquemque velle ſive in vitiis ſive in virtutibus aſſociare ſibi conſortes. Bern. parv. ſerm. 17. Et peccantibus voluptatem facit ſimul peccantium conſortium. Aug. confeſſ. lib. 2. cap. 8. Novi ego ſeculum hoc moribus quibus ſiet: Malus bonum malum eſſe vult, ut ſit ſui ſimilis. Plaut. Trinum 2. 2. wicked and prophane perſons uſually deſire nothing more, delight more in nothing, than in transfuſing of their wickedneſſe and prophaneneſſe unto others. Beſides thatddNemo non in vitia pronus eſt. Lactant. inſt. l. 3. c. 17. Ad deteriores faciles ſumus, quia nec dux poteſt, nec comes deeſſe. Et res etiam ipſa ſine duce, ſine comite procedit. Non pronum eſt tantum ad vitia, ſed praecept. Sen. ep. 97. wee are prone enough of our ſelves to take infection without helpe. Our corruption within us is as tinder or gun-pouder rather, ready to bee on a light flame, if but the leaſt ſparke light on it, or it come but any thing neere the fire: likeeeIudg. 15.14.Judg 15:14 flax that of it ſelfe catcheth and draweth the flame to it, and is all on a flaſh, ſo ſoone as it but feeleth the fire.