2 Peter 2:10 (part 1 of 3)

SO monstrous are the outrages of the world, and so incorrigible the boistrous precipice of sin; that Reason (which is of a middle nature betwixt grace and corruption) begins to doubt, whether there be a God and Iudge of all the earth. The godly suffer injuries, and are not delivered from their oppressors. The wicked are impune and prosper in the midst of al their flagitious crimes. Where is then the Iudge, to punish the one, to deliver the other? He sits in heaven, sees and disposeth all that is done upon earth: beholds the sufferings of his pious children, knowes when it is fit time to release them. The wickednesse of the unjust cries to him for vengeance, he knowes when to answer it. He forbeares to strike these, for the ripening of their disobedience: to ease the other, for the exercise of their patience. Some hot spirits would call fire from heaven, sudden destruction on their persecutors: not so saith God: there is a day prefixed; and what is it to you if I will have them tarry till then? They cannot wind themselves out of my hand; I have them bound fast enough: be you quiet and let your expectation depend on this Iudgement.

Now from this Thesis he comes to the Hypothesis, accomodates the generall doctrine to his owne purpose. If God will take vengeance on all the wicked, let not these pernicious seducers, beasts in the shapes of men, thinke to escape. They follow the Flesh, not Reason, much lesse the Spirit; but like bruites, are governed by their sensuall appetite. They walke after: the flesh is not like some stranger, whom they meet rarely: or some friend, whom they see but now and then: or a neighbour, whom they border upon, and often converse with: or a domestick companion, with whom they eate, drinke, play, sleepe. But it is their Captaine, their Leader, their Commander, whose colours they march under; file, or ranke, or troupe, according to his direction: their primum mobile, by whom they move; a if they had no particular motion of their owne: so benighted and pusled with blindnesse, that they know no other way than the flesh guides. It is the weight that sets all their wheeles a going; the horses that draw their chariot, the very life of their corruption, and corruption of their life, without which they doe nothing. In the lust of uncleannesse: if you desire to know what course this flesh prescribes them, it is lust: renouncing all studie of honesty, they must give themselves to Lust. But there may be a sanctified lust, I desire to doe thy will, O God: or a naturall lust; as hunger is an appetite to meat. Therefore this lust hath the specification; lust of uncleannesse; a sordid, belluine, irrationall, stinking turpitude. After this the reprobate walkes; his whole selfe, all the parts of him: his eyes walke after to looke upon it: his eares walke after to hearken to it: his mouth walkes after to talke of it: his feet walke after to pursue it: his hands stay not behinde to act it: his heart is formost of all to desire it. Finally, whatsoever may crosse their lusts, they set themselves to contemne; Despise government. Not that Almighty word which rules Heaven and Earth, but all the beames of Gods Omnipotent royalty, in his deputed magistracie: vilipending all lawes, canons, sanctions; dishonouring all Princes, Iudges, soveraigne powers. Neither Moses nor Aaron, Caesar nor Paul, Minister of the word, nor Minister of the sword, finde reverence in their hearts, or obedience in their lives. As if they resolved to disgrace that, wherein GOD hath imprinted the most immediate characters of his owne Supreme Majestie.

But chiefly.] There be degrees and differences of sins and sinners; for God here sets a Prasertim, Chiefly, especially, principally, upon some. Whatsoever becomes of others, they shall be sure of a large share in vengeance. There is a notorious marke set upon them, a boaring thorow the eare, like perpetuall slaves; or a burning in their hands, like once convicted malefactors; a branding with some indeleble marke of shame. There is great reason for this Chiefely, in respect of the sinners quality: they walke after the flesh, that is there owne carnall desires and sensuall delights, in the strength of corruption, yet perhaps without eruption. They balke such facts as may expose them to the censures of men: so keepe themselves, that the nationall lawes cannot fetch them in Coram nobis. How doth the covetous man scrape and oppresse, yet dares looke the Iudge in the face: because though he be in the extremity of the Law, yet not beyond it. The Vsurer guards his interest with statute-lace, he will not take a peny above that stint or allowance: so he scapes, and is rather made a Grand Iuror, than a guilty prisoner. The adulterer walkes under the canopie of night, throwes the silken robe of greatnesse over his lust; and then the Iudge dares not see it: or lockes it up with the doores of secrecie, and then the Iudge cannot see it: or buyes it off with money, and then the Iudge will not see it: or when none of these will serve, he hides his head where the lawes hand cannot finde him. Now upon him God sets his mark, this Chiefely: thou scapest fairely, yet remember thou art reserved to Iudgement. The more remisse man hath beene against thee, the more impartially will God proceed with thee. He is content thou shouldest passe all apprehensions till the last, till his own Pursuivant, death comes for thee. A King takes some capitall offenders from the common course of Iustice, and reserves them to his owne censure.

But how is this so fitly applyed to the next clause, Despisers of Government? This should rather seeme to bring them into present condemnation; that by suffering temporall punishment, they might repent and scape the eternall. Magistrates are often more curious and sensible of their owne injuries, than of the Lords: though this be an abuse of authority, to weare the sword of Iustice in their owne sheaths; and to draw it not so readily against publike offences, as in their private causes. How then come these to be reserved? Either they are too great for the hand of authority, or too contemptible for the eye of authority. Too great, as the Popish clergie are exempt from the temporall Sword: or a strong faction of mal-contents; a beast that knowes the owne strength. Or too base for notice; such are the droves of beggars, profest cyphers, nothing-does that swarme about this Citie, and have their cantons all over the countrey. Spight of all lawes, statutes, and contradictions, they will begge rather than worke; and curse that authority to the pit of hell, that shall correct their vicious life. These the connivence of man lets alone, and the patience of GOD also forbeares: but their damnation sleepeth not.

Great difference then doth God make of offenders: eye for eye; not the whole body for an eye, not two eyes for one. Theft finds an easier mulct than murder, than murder treason. All sin is culpable enough; but there is a Chiefely belonging to some: as to him that miscalls his brother, Matth. 5.22. Hebr. 13.4. Whoremongers God will Iudge; they are often reprieved to his owne tribunall. Revel. 22.15. Without shall be dogs, &c. Many other sinners shall be excluded, but chiefely these. 1 Tim. 1.9. If hell were too little, some lesse offenders should be thrust out; these must have roome. There is a Maxime on the head of a deboisht Christian: howsoever men live or die out of the pale of the Church, a wicked Christian shall be sure of plagues. M•tth 26.24. Woe to him that betrayes the Sonne of man: Iewes, Elders, Priests, souldiers, Pilate, all guilty; but chiefely Woe to Iudas; he had Ioh. 19 11 the greater sinne. The Midianites fare not so ill as the wicked Israelites, Iudg 8.16. The sword quickly dispatcheth them; these die with lingring and horror, the flesh torne from their backes with thornes and bryars; beaten and scratch’d to death. How severe was this revenge, how sad a spectacle to a tender heart! to see their bare bones looking in some places thorow the bloudy ragges of their skin and flesh; every rent worse than the former, death multiplied by torment?

Such a Chiefely, or high place in hell is reserved for some sinners: the rest are beaten, but they that know Gods will and doe it not, especially; with many stripes. All corrupt and rotten trees are good for nothing but the fire; but chiefely the vine, if it be dead and fruitlesse. At that dreadfull day how many shall unwish themselves Christians; or wish that the Gospell and they had never beene acquainted. If infidels live ungodly, they doe but their kind: their punishment shall be, though just yet lesse. But if men after a religious nurture, and knowledge of the truth, shall shame their education; this God takes more hainously, and revenges more sharply. The more bonds of dutie, the more plagues of neglect.

That walke after the flesh, &c.] Here is a double mis-behaviour; one in regard of themselves, another in respect of their betters. While they neglect service to their governors, they justly become slaves to themselves. It is fit they should be left to their owne desperate guidance, that scorne to be awed by Gods ordinance. In the former of these vices, consider two things. 1. What is their leader, The flesh, &c. 2. How they follow this leader; Walke after it. In particular, here is the daughter, the mother, and the grand-mother: the daughter is uncleannesse, the mother Lust, the Beldam or Gand-mother the flesh. Vncleannesse is from Last, last from the flesh; uncleannesse, lust, flesh and all from the Devill. In a tree there is the sappe, roote, branches, fruite: Satan is the roote, flesh the sap, lust the branches, Vncleannesse the fruite. All of them bad counsellers, intolerable commanders.

Flesh.] By flesh, to decline the various acceptions, wee here understand the whole corruption of our unmortified nature. It is not only a privative incapacitie of [goodnesse], but a positive inclination to all evill. The godly are not wholly freed from it, but not wholly governed by it. It is in the wicked, as the Turke is at home, ruling all: in the regenerate, as the Turke and Christian, they can never agree. The flesh, like Esau, is the first borne: but Iacob, grace gets the blessing from it. These are mixed in the beleever, as fire and water are in compounded bodies; light and darkenesse in the aire at twilight; or water cold and hot in one vessell. We cannot say, that the water is in one part hot, in another cold, but the whole quantitie is partly hot and partly cold; ••l 5 17 that is luke-warme. e The flesh lusteth against the spirit, &c. The flesh carries him one way, the spirit another: as the inferior orbes have a violent motion ab extra, and a naturall motion contrary of their owne. But still light shall overcome darkenesse, heat over-master the cold; and the dead flesh be weakened and finally annihilated by the quickning grace of Christ.

Many complaine of the flesh, as of the Ephialtes in a slumber; they would remove the burden, and cannot: hence they begin to doubt of their salvation. But then Paul could not be sure of his salvation; for he cryes out for deliverance Rom. 7 24. From the body of this death. And we need no better proofe that a man is not dead, than because hee feeles his deadnesse. If wee be sensible of the flesh, detest her motions, repent of her over-bearings and prevailements; weepe and fight, as a troubled aire doth at once both raine and thunder; call upon Christ for victory, with the weapons of resistance in our hands; we shall then sing to his glory that triumph; Blessed be God, that gives the victory through Iesus Christ.

But the flesh in these men here, is a Dominus fac totum; which not only makes lawes to a reprobate, but makes him keepe them: a Queene regent, a shee-devill, a profest strumpet; and under her conduct and Standard marcheth the whole feminine army; Avaritia, invidia, superbia, &c. The divell doates on the flesh, and her resisting is a resigning: for if Satan should not feed her with temptations, she would tempt him for them, and snatch her owne bane. Sometime, she is troubled with a wrangling neighbour, Conscience; which if she cannot pacifie, she will reare up; as Chirurgions doe incurable Fistula’s. She heares of Christs passion, and is glad of it; not as her remedy, but her security: she takes his death as a lisence to sin, and his Crosse for Letters-patent to doe mischeife. She heares the Word, as a man writes on the waters; no character, no print of his finger is left behinde. She will not understand, but Prov. 5.23. dies without instruction: onely hell torments can open her eyes. So the rich man Luk. 16.23. Lift up his eyes in hell: they were never opened before. Iudg. 8.16. As Gideon taught the men of Succoth, with briers and thornes: he made them to know, taught them with a vengeance. She is ever ready to run into extreames: like the Iewes, in adversity unfaithfull, in prosperity unthankefull. Or as Labans Sheepe were in the extreames; either all black, or all white: Iacobs were in the meane party colour’d. The wicked are alwayes in extremities, of either defect, or excesse; of irreligion, or superstition. In a word, as the world is Satans bawd, so the flesh is his harlot; upon whom he begets all his children, the workes of disobedience.

For us that have both our fathers bloud and our mothers bloud in us: grace from the former, as we have flesh from the other; and one of these will be master: let us as it is fit, give the Soveraignety to our father: let his grace rule us, albeit the flesh entice us. Be thou a faithfull Porter in Gods house; diligent to keep out his enemies, and to let in his friends. Beware of denying entrance to the least motion of grace: for mans heart is like a spring-lock; pull too the doore after you, and the lock will shut of it selfe: but being shut it cannot be opened without a key. The heart with the least pull locks out grace easily: but cannot open to re-admit it without his helpe that hath the key of the house of David, that opens and no man shuts, that shuts and no man opens. 1 Cor. 15.50 Know you not that flesh and bloud shall not inherit the Kingdome af Heaven? We say in wrongs, flesh and bloud cannot endure this: we say in temptations flesh and bloud cannot hold out. What flesh doe we meane? That which God hath damned? Which he will never admit to the Kingdome of heaven? A faire plea! When that must be our Apologie, which is our impiety. No, let grace be our direction, for it is grace that must be our salvation.

Lust.] This is the daughter of the flesh, and mother of uncleannesse: the branches that grow from that cursed roote, and bringing forth more cursed fruit. The sparkes that flie up from that burning fornace, the bubbles of that noisome and banefull fountaine. For method of discourse, I shall examine five questions concerning Lust.

1 What lust is. It must be considered as the Originall fountaine of all sins; and so it is an impotency of heart, whereby it is inordinately carried with the desire of evill. Originall sin is called Lust, because it principally shewes it selfe in lusts: as an obstruction of the liver is perceived in the burning and drinesse of the palmes. Or it is taken for a branch and fruit of the former corruption: flesh is the Tyrant raigning, lusts are his lawes, rules, precepts Rom. 6.12. Obeying them is the vassalage, a tenure in villany. It is either fomitis innati, the in-borne occasion of sin: or Actus [interioris]; whereof be three degrees. 1. Propassio, the first motion. 2. [Delectatio], it likes us. 3. Consensus, we yeeld to it. The first is impossible be to avoided, the second difficult, the last by grace easie. The appetite desires noxious meate, yet we choose whether we will taste it: it pleases our palate, yet is it in our choice to swallow it downe: we swallow it and it makes us sick yet then let us refraine it. Lust then is either Facultas concupiscendi, or Actus ipse: the one like a drowsinesse of nature, the other like the passion of slumber: that pravitas nativa, this pravitas activa: that the nourishment of sinne, this the accomplishment of sinne.

There is a three-fold concupiscence; Naturall, Sensitive, Voluntary. 1. Naturall, which is in stirpes and plants, whereby they covet and draw unto them their food and nourishment; this is properly called ὄρεξις, desire. 2. Sensitive, such is in bruite beasts. 3. Voluntary, this is in man onely, (though the other be not excluded,) and is called ἐπιθυμία. In this voluntary lust we must consider δύναμιν the faculty it selfe: and ἐνεργίαν, the exercise of that faculty. Further, these must be considered Physicè, naturally; such is an appetite to meate: or Metaphysicè, supernaturally, such is a regenerate desire: so there is an Psa. 119.127 Holy covetousnesse, Gal. 5.17. A spirituall lust; 1 Cor. 12.31 An anger without sin. Thus we may covet, desire, affect, and sinne not. Or morally, in relation to the commandement; which consists in concupiscendo illicita; in lusting after unlawfull things. Such are aliena, not our owne; anothers house, or wife, or any propriety of his: or licita modo non licito; as exceeding in measure: so sinners covet wine to riot; or money to hoard, not to use: or strength to revenge: or beauty to tempt: or apparell for pride. To lust for a lawfull thing may be an unlawfull lust; as to desire it supra modum debitum, or citra finem licitum. Therefore De Doctrin. Christia. lib. 3. cap. 10. S. Augustine cals concupiscence, a motion of the mind to enjoy riches, health, another, yea, himselfe; or any thing else, non propter Deum, not for God.

2 What is the seate of this lust: Rom. 7.18. I know that in my flesh dwelleth no good thing. Where Ambrose by flesh understands the body. His reason why sin hath the habitation in the flesh, rather than in the soule, is because the flesh is derived ex Traduce, by progagation, so is not the soule. For if that were propagated as the flesh, sin should rather habitare in anima quàm in corpore: the soule being the agent offending more than can the body, which is but the instrument. Ans. This proves that the first pollution is of the flesh, not that the soule can be free: for by infusion must follow infection; as good liquor is spoiled by a musty vessell. But sinne disperseth it selfe into the whole nature of man, body and soule. So there is νοῦς σαρκὸς, Col. 2.18. A minde of flesh: nor is the naturall minde apt to any good. 2 Tim. 3.8. [Corrupt] mindes: therefore the Apostle requires a •ph. 4.23. Renovation of the minde. Nor by the outward man must we understand the body, and by the inner man the soule: but the regenerate part is called the t inner man, 2 Cor. 4.16. the unregenerate part the outward. Grace is the inward man, because. 1. Intus potissimum regnat; the power of it is chiefly discerned in the minde. Martyr. 2. Non patet oculis humanis; so called the 1 Pet 3.4. Pareus. Hid man of the heart. 3. Non externa quaerit: [Evill] lusts are ever wandring abroad; without a man, exercised about vanities: this keepes home, and seekes not riches, but peace of conscience. Cajetanus. Calvin. 4. Per excellentiam; as the minde is more excellent [than] the body, so the spirit more noble than the flesh Lyranus would have the inner man to be reason, the outer sensuality; that beast of man which alwayes rebels against reason. So Gorrhan: In carne, that is, in homine sensuali: so Tolet, Pererius, and the present Romists. But it is plaine by the Apostles demonstration, that the flesh is Totus homo ut natus, and the Spirit; Totus homo ut renatus; there being in the regenerate something that is spirituall, and something that is carnall. The seate of sin is in the rationall part, the will bringing it forth: the body doth but execute the edict of reason and will: therfore the part rationall hath something carnall. Shoolemen like the Philosophers, Arist. Eth. lib. 1. c. 13. make two parts of the minde; λογικὴν, the reasonable part: and ἄλογον, void of discourse, the seate of affections and passions. If Paul should make no other difference betweene flesh and spirit; his Apostolicall theologie were no greater comfort than their blinde philosophy.

Bez. 3 Whether lust be a sin; wee must know that not onely the act of lust, but ipsa concupiscibilitas, concupiscence it selfe is corrupt and forbidden; unda cupiditas. The difference betweene us and the Pontificians in this point, lies thus. They say, there is concupiscentia formata, the second motion, which is with consent of will; this is sin, and we say so too. There is concupiscentia informis, without deliberate consent: this they say is no sin, we affirme it. They say, it is not sin, but the cause of sinne; as the Sunne is said to be hot, because it causeth heat: but wee call it truly sinne it selfe. Let us first weigh some of their arguments against it; then ours for it.

Object. That which is naturall, cannot be evill: but concupiscence is naturall, for it was in man before his fall. Ans. As it is naturall, it is not forbidden: if the matter desired be lawfull, the manner regular, the end honest; Gods glory, ours or others good. So a man may desire that is proper to him, the wife of his bosome or that is appropriate to him, as an office, 1 Tim. 3.1.

Object. Nothing involuntary is sin, but the first lust is against the will, therefore no sin. Answ. The rule of good or evill is not mans will, but Gods Law. That which is in us necessary, was in Adam voluntary, and by him in us. Now it cannot be avoided, then it might: his willing transgression transmitted to us a necessitie of sinning. Originall sin is in Infants, it is not voluntary: yet they die, which could not be in Iustice, had they not sinned. So though that of Aristotle may bee true; Nemo volens malus, nec invitus faelix: no man is bad with his will, nor happy against his will: yet habite can make that necessary, which was at first voluntary.

Object. The Law commands no impossible thing, Aug. de. Temp. Ser. 61. nor doth God condemne for that which no good man avoid. Ans. The Law was possible to created nature, that is now impossible to corrupted nature: that we want power to fulfill it, is because we had power and would not keepe it. Nemo quantum possumus melius novit, quàm qui ipsum posse donavit.

It is objected from, Iam. 1.16. that either concupiscence is not sin, but the cause of sin: or if it be sin, yet is not mortall sin; for sinne till it be perfect, brings not forth death. Answ. This is no true conclusion; concupiscence brings forth sin, Ergo it is no sin; but Ergo it is not that sinne which it brings forth. A man begets a man, therefore is he not a man? No, but therefore he is not that man which he begets: Yea, he is a man even because he begets a man. And to say, sin perfected brings forth death, therefore sinne not perfect brings not forth death; is as if we should thus reason; the father begets a mortall man, therefore the Grandfather doth not. Because actuall lust produceth death as the nearest cause, this hinders not originall lust as a remote cause to be mortall.

Our Reasons.

Argum. 1. Whatsoever is forbidden by the Law, is sin; but the Law forbids the first motions of lust. If you aske, what commandement forbids it, I answere; Lust with consent is forbidden in the ninth, Lust without consent in the [tenth]. Without this distinction I see not how we can make ten commandements: the seventh forbids lust in the voluntary desire, as our Saviour expounds it. Matth. 5.28. Therefore if the tenth should not restraine the involuntary and first rising lust, it were superfluous, as being all one with the seventh. It is not untrue, that originall sin is condemned in the whole Law, but more directly in the first and last commandments: because these two more properly concerne the heart of man: the former respects it as concerning God, the other as concerning man. Rom. 7.7. Saint Paul confesseth that his lust tempted him against his will; and by that lust he meanes the first motion: for the second, which are with consent of will, he knew well enough before to be sins: yea, the very heathen knew this by the light of nature. To covet then is forbidden; if we doe covet, we breake the Law therefore sin. The other lawes condemne pravos affectus quibus delectamur: the last, Calvin. ipsos appetitus quibus titillamur. To say with Pererius, that the former only prohibite Actus [exteriores], and the last consensus interiores; is false by Christs owne exposition: who citing the Law, Thou shalt not kill, affirmes it to be broken by rash anger: and that, Thou shalt not commit adultery; by lusting after a woman.

Argument. 2. Rom. 7.20. If I doe that I would not, it is no more I, that doe it, but sinne that dwelleth in me. He is unwilling, yet he calls this lust, sinne. Pererius answers, it is called sinne, because it is Effectus peccati, or Affectus peccati: as the writing is called the hand, because it is written by the hand: or as Frigus is called Pigrum, slothfull, because it makes men slothfull. Solut. But that which makes a man bad cannot be good it selfe. Quicquid efficit tale, ipsum magis est tale. Concupiscence is not only causa peccati, and paena peccati, sed ipsum peccatum; as Saint Augustine hath it. The Iesuite replies, Augustine meanes not peccatum morale, nor peccatum mortale; but vitium corruptae Naturae: as blindnesse, deafenesse, lamenesse, are called Peccata sive errata Naturae: as being against the integrity and perfectnesse of our naturall constitution: so the rebelling of concupiscence is against the integrity and perfection of the soule; an error in nature. Answ. There are naturall faults in the soule; as ignorance, forgetfulnesse, dulnesse of understanding; in the body, infirmities, weakenesse, sicknesse: which are the effects of sin, not sins themselves. But all these are effects and passions, whereas concupiscence is active and working. In a word, it resists the motions of Gods spirit, now all disobedience is sin. In civill matters no man is accessary to a sin withour consent of will, but it is otherwise in the court of conscience.

4 What varietie of lusts there be. Eph. 2.3. 1 Ioh. 2.16. Saint Paul enlargeth lust to all motions, inclinations, passions, and perturbations, of heart, mind, will and affections. Originall concupiscence is the seed of all sins in man: looke how many sins there be in the world; so many lusts in the heart of man: the number of lusts is no lesse than the number of sins. Of actuall lust, there be two degrees: sudden, or voluntary and deliberate. Sudden is the motion not agreed to voluntary is with consent. The eye is sometime cast upon an object on the sudden, without any intention or consultation of the mind: sometime it is sent on the hearts errand by the minds direction. As the eye may be shut in a twinckling without thought or purpose: and it may be shut with deliberation, to sleepe, or prevent harme. The heart is a fornace, that sometime sends forth sudden, sometime leasurely flames. The first is the nature of sin, the next is the nurture of sin: consent doth nurse the child of death, practise brings it up: actual lusting is the oile that feeds the lampe of concupiscence. The mother brings forth the daughter, and the daughter nourisheth the mother: Hagar produceth Ishmael, Ishmael sustaines Hagar: blessed is that Abraham, whose house is well rid of them both.

5 How hainous this sin is; even no lesse than damnable in it selfe. Lusts are often more punished by the great Iudge, than diverse actuall sins. The continued lust of uncleannesse, is worse than a discontinued art of uncleannesse. He that alwaies desires pollution deserves greater punishment, than he that is overtaken with it against his will. One killes a man against his will, another desires to kill him and is hindred: this last is the murderer before God. It is this lust that Paul calls the burning: it is one thing Calefieri, a good man may be hot: but Vrere, to burne, is another thing; when lust finds indulgence, and is scarce restrained with shame. Matth. 5.28. The act of adulterie is not more haynous among men, than the unlawfull desire and consented lust of the heart is to God. Without practise, the very purpose stands culpable before him. Silly people thinke the commandment is not broken, if the outward grosse sin be abstained: but God fetcheth in malice, anger, envie, within the compasse of murder. Some ignorants use the commandments for prayers: poore soules, they little thinke they are Gods thunderbolts, to throw them into hell for their sins. Thus Vsurie, the desire of gaine by the undoing of others: hoording of corne in dearth, which is to make a private profit of Gods publike Iudgement: bad example, with a delight to corrupt others; which are like those erring lights, that instead of guiding ships to the haven, lead them upon rockes and shelves: all these are degrees of murder. So a wanton eye, an obscene discourse, a vaine attire, a light behaviour; all these are degrees of adultery: lust is like a secret malignity in the bones, hardly got out: wounds and ulcers are sooner cured because of their appearance. Adultery may be restrained by corporall impotency; still lust is hid within; it must be a potent medicine that fetcheth it out. Vses.

1 It justly humbles us: if the first motion, without consent be sin: if the second with consent be greater sin; Lord, who can say, my heart is cleane? Not many can cleare themselves so with 1 Sam. 12.3. Samuel, from the act of injustice: fewer with Act. 2•.33. Paul, I have coveted no mans gold, &c. but, I was never tempted to this; no man could ever say this but one, even that man who is the Sonne of God. If we had no more, this last were enough to hide our faces, and stop our mouthes before the Lord. Too few take notice of this naturall uncleannesse: though it be borne in them, and borne about them; yet they neither see the filth, nor feele the weight. Moores, that never saw men of more temperate climates, thinke there is no other complexion but their owne. Eccl. 18.30. Aug. de mixt. & Concup. cap. 23 &. 29. He doth much good that goes not after his lusts: sed non perfectum bonum facit, but he is not perfect, that doth not what is written, Thou shalt not lust. Now shall we not be cast downe for that, which without repentance will cast us downe to hell? Paul did not more truly Gal. 6.17. Beare about him the markes of the second Adam, than we doe all the markes of the first Adam. Let us know, that eternall fire is the wages of this lust; consent makes it hotter, practise enflames it. This lust is in us all, and this lust is sufficient to condemne us all.

But then, alas what shall we doe? How should we scape? This necessitates our ruine. Therefore as the law compelled him that had Exod. 21.33. Opened a pit, and left it uncovered, to make good his neighbours beast that miscarried in it. So having opened a pit, lest any soule should perish in it, let me cover it againe with comfort. The condemning quality of this sin is taken away by Baptisme; Reatus tollitur. Asts 2.38. All sinnes, now children have no sin but originall lust. Aug. cont Iul. lib. •. cap. 8. Reatus, qui fuerat generatione contractus, est regeneratione transactus. In Christ it is pardoned, and shall not cast his members to hell. Yet is it by nature so dyed in graine, that nothing but his bloud can purge it. And even in the purged, it still remaines, tanquam in homine secum confligente. It shall not raigne over us here, not confound us hereafter, yet will dwell in us till our dissolutions. It was the Pelagians slander, that we hold Baptisme, non auferre, sed radere peccata; onely to shave our sin, because the root of concupiscence remaines. But we say, it frees us from the damnation and domination, not from the inhabitation of sin.

2 It teacheth us to withstand the beginnings of sin, to kill that pestilent brood in the cradle, to destroy them in their infancy, as we doe a nest of young Waspes. Iam. 1.25 For lust, when it hath conceived, bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished bringeth forth death. Lust tempteth, there’s the mother: being moved by the divell, there’s the father: it conceiveth, thus the child is begotten betweene them; concupiscence being the divels strumpet, by whose pregnancy he fils his kingdome of darkenesse: she is mater mortuorum, the mother of the dead; as grace (like Eve) is mater viventium, the mother of the living. Delight is the midwife. It bringeth forth sinne, there the child is borne: it must now have a Nurse to bring it up, that is custome: and the full stature it growes unto, is death. It tempteth by entising the minde to evill, conceiveth by the consent of will and resolution to doe evill, bringeth forth by execution and practise; nurseth it to growth by custome and continuance: lastly, this stripling engendreth another childe, Benoni, the sorrow of the mother, and that is death. If we cannot prevent the conception, yet let us destroy it in the birth, make it abortive, by purposing never to act it: if it passe the knees, and draw the aire of intention, yet let us stop it ere it come to action; let us not doe the determined evill. If it over-sway us to like and act it, yet let it never come to an habite, let us devow a custome. But how much more easie were it to stop it in the first cause, as seasonable physick doth meet with an infection at the first taking, before it run into the veines, and corrupt the bloud. The seed of Ishmael had never afflicted the seed of Israel, had Ishmael bin killed when he was banished. As the first rising of Elias’s cloud, Ahab had time to get home dry: that once ascended, all the speed of his Chariot cannot out-run the shower. Cut off the gangren’d joynt, and save the body. The way to minish the increase of ravenous and noxious fishes, is to destroy the spawne with the mother: to be rid of harmefull birds, is to spoile their nests. When a fire-ball is throwne into a ship at a sea-fight, they presently cast it out ere it breake or fasten. Meete thine enemy at his comming out of his bed, before he arme himselfe: take lust ere it come to a rebound. At the first motion, stop the mouth of it: let it never make a reply: stand not to argue, lest thou be overcome.

3 Let us avoid them as perilous and mortall enemies. 1. Dangerous for their nature; continuall tempters. Conscience doth sometimes sleepe from reproving, these never rest from enticing. 2. Dangerous for their number; Si [contemnas] quia minima, Aug. timeas quia plurima. Many temptations come in by the Cinque Ports, the senses; mo by Satans injection, that presents to the affections things absent from the senses. Most (by lust it selfe; that as no created thing is quicker than thought) tumbles over a thousand desires in an houre: many strings to sins bow, that if some breake, the rest may hold: many traines of powder, some likely to take fire. 3. Dangerous for their effect, bringing forth the most monstrous offences; mille actus vetitos, & mille piacula. ••v 9 2. Open but the pit, out swarme these pestilent Locusts. Who would have thought that Davids wanton look should have begot murther? He that hath given way to his lust, must confesse such fearefull precipices. Murther we detest; yet how many hands hath the lust of revenge embrued in bloud; how many neckes hath it brought to an ignominious halter? Incontinence hath the name from uncontained lust: many a disease of body, reproch of name, consumption of state, losse of life and soule, are beholding to it. 4. Dangerous for their continuance: an ill seasoning, that is never got out but by breaking of the pitcher: a marke that all carry to their graves, some to their torments. While the soule doth animate a body mortall, it will tempt both body and soule. Cut off the sprig of a tree, it growes still; a bough, an arme, still it growes: lop off the top, yea, saw it in the midst; yet it will grow againe: stock it up by the roote; then (and not till then) it will grow no more. Next unto God and Christ, we may thanke death it selfe, for the abolition of lust. We have three birth-dayes: the first of nature; this gives lust the breeding: the second of grace; this sets lust a bleeding; it doth mortifie it, not nullifie it; moribundum, non mortuum reddit: the last of glory, then are we rid of it for ever. Thus all the Saints in heaven are thrice borne; to sin, to grace, to glory. Lust in the first is a King; in the second a slave; in the third nothing. The second nativity crosseth the first, the last perfects the second. To be freed from concupiscence is a maine motive of that zealous prayer; Come Lord Iesus, come quickly.

Let us (in the meane time) beware the captivity of our affections. Rom. 6.12. Let not sin raigne in our mortall bodies: where it is a soveraigne, it will force obedience. It will inesse, let it not praeesse. There is difference betweene lusts, and actuall sins. 1. Interventio temporis: lust is sudden, action requires time, Luk. 12.20. He hath the present lust of covetousnesse, he must tarry a time to enlarge and fill his barnes. 2. Interjectio loci: lust often desires, that cannot be present, therefore adultery must stay for opportunity. 3. Interceptio organorum: Num. 22 29. Balaam had a desire to kill his harmelesse beast, but he had no weapon: the hand is not so quick as the thought. 4. Interpositio impedimentorum: Absalom lusts for his fathers Crown there be many hindrances, he cannot reach it. If to atchieve were as easie as to desire, one mans lust were able to ruine all the world. 5. Intercessio argumentorum: the soule hath some discourse betweene the lust and the act. Video melior a proboque, is in the soule of a Medea, a Sorceresse. 6. Intermissio cogitationum: sometime, the second naile drives out the first. So the LORD sets our lusts together by the eares, as the Egyptians against the Aegyptians; that while two poisons wrastle we may live. The falling out of theeves helpes the true man to his goods. The lust after beautie is driven out by a desire of revenge, that againe by a golden thirst and if grace comes, this drives them out all; as the feathers of an Eagle, that will not endure blending with other feathers, but rather consumes them. All these Inters should be the interruption of sinne, and for the compunction of heart: that though concupiscence have conceived, she may not be delivered. Iustly should we say to lust; as the Hebrew did to Moses; Exod. 2.14. Who made thee a Prince over us? whence hast thou this authority? Wilt thou kill me, as thou killest the worldling? No, thou shalt not, I have a deliverer, Rom. 7.25.

5 Seeing the flesh will be in man, so long as man is in the flesh; let us strive to fill our hearts with better desires. Lust workes in the memorie, by remembring vanities, injuries, bad examples: in stead of these, let us remember our sins, our ends, our Audite. In the affections; if it worke by pride, stop it out by humility: if by malice, with charitie: if by uncleannesse, with chastitie: if by covetousnesse, with liberalitie: if by revenge, with mercie as darkenesse will give place to the Sun. In the minde, if idle thoughts finde roome, it is because God is not there. Col. 3.16. Let the word of God dwell in you plenteously: emptinesse of that food will cause the repletion of windy lusts. In the body, if it worke by drunkennesse, rather turne Rechabite, never drinke wine. If by surfet and high feeding, fall to Daniels pulse, shorten the commons of sin: as it is better to beat downe the house, than to be fired in it. If by Idlenesse, skrew up thy endevours to a greater taske. Exod. 5.8, 9. They be idle, therefore regard vaine words: thus a Pharaoh could conclude. Let lust never call, but we have other businesse. The best remedie is prayer: when concupiscence tempts us to folly, let us make the matter knowen to our husband, CHRIST. When lust covets transient riches, call home the meditation of those permanent joyes; and say Our father which art in heaven. When lust would study how to get honour; then say Hallowed be thy Name. When ambition would have such a preferment; then say, Thy kingdome come. When it would carve thy owne portion; then, Thy will be done. When it covets moneys and riches; then, Give us this day our daily bread. When it would revenge thy wrath on others, then say, Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespasse against us. Howsoever it tempts us, let us pray, Leade us not into temptation. And that we may never yield unto it, Deliver us from evill. Let not lust raigne in us, For thine is the kingdome: we cannot avoide it our selves, for thine is the power: and for our deliverance, Thine be the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

Of uncleannesse.] Of sores and ulcers and such noisome pollutions, sordid and odious to God and good men; such is the subject of my present discourse: that this may well be called a Spittle-Sermon. But as the Physitian is seldome sent for, unlesse men be sicke; nor is so much consulted about dyet as physicke; The whole need him not, but the diseased. So if there were no sin, you should need no Preacher: yet wise men require antidotes and preservatives; and would rather pay the Physician to keepe them well, than to make them well; health being not so easily restored, as conserved. Therefore let them that be infected with this leprosie, learne now the meanes of their recoverie: let them that be not infected, observe the meanes to continue their puritie. Whether they be or be not, this discourse, like the Bath, shall doe them no harme: an honest heart will not returne unbettered. For method, first, I will describe the disease of Vncleannesse, then the cause, last, the cure.

The disease lies not like the Meagrim in the head, nor like a Pleurisie in the bloud, nor like a Gowte in the joynts and extreme places, nor like an ach in the bones: but it is Epidemicall, like an ill habite of body, and possesseth in a reprobate not only Totum hominem, but Totum hominis: as Iob was not here and there ulcerous, but all his body one coagulated ulcer; Es•. 1.6. There is no whole part about him. First, there is a contemplative uncleannesse, when the mind pleaseth it selfe with vicious thoughts: thus there may be a world of wickednesse in a man, though the acts of pollution be refrained. The devill, who is Ioh. 8.44. The father of lusts, raignes in the soule by these: yea such a heart that infernall Prince takes up for his bedchamber. Secondly, there is a preparative uncleannesse, which is an effeminatenesse of carriage; or affectation of inviting the eyes of lust: all their postures being so many characters, to spell the meaning of their lascivious hearts. It were well, if such an one were forced to cry, as the Leper in Israel, I am uncleane. 3. There is a procurative uncleannesse; that takes up the devils office, and helpes forward the damnation of men. Such was Ionadab to Amnon; whose unkindely flame might else have wasted it selfe out in time; but that such a wicked counsellor blew the coales. This was no worse a man than the Kings brothers son: now this noble Pander will project a course for Amnons satisfaction. The procurer is as uncleane, if not worse than the committer: the fire would languish, vanish, perish, if there were no such feweller. 4. There is a sensitive uncleannesse; when the eare sucks in obscene stories, the eye delights in immodest mixtures, and the tongue skrewes it into all discourses. This is, as if the doore were not wide enough, to set open all the windowes, and breake downe the wals, to let in the aire of uncleannesse. Actuall uncleannesse followes, whereof there be many degrees.

1 Fornication; I meane not titular; as Hostesse and Harlot are convertible termes: nor metaphoricall; as the Hos. •.4. children of whoredomes: nor spirituall; as Idolatry is called fornication: but corporall; which is commmonly taken for the incontinency of single persons. The naturall cure of this uncleannesse is marriage thus Shechem bewrayes a good disposition even in filthinesse, he would not let Dinah fare the worse for his sin. But as he had with dishonest rage abused her, so he strives with honest love to entertaine her. Her deflowring shall be no prejudice to her: as the sin was done by him; so he would have the whole shame redound to him; and so he will hide her dishonour with the name of a husband. To this purpose he communes, craves, offers, indeed would buy her; even purchase leave to make her satisfaction. He sues to his father, to hers, to her brethren, to her selfe; and begs with submission what he might have gotten with violence. The father consents, sollicites, is ready to buy his sons peace with his owne paine. No dowry shall hinder, but Shechem shall recompence Dinah. How far worse are they, that abuse without any purpose of amends? But mariage in this case is some satisfaction, no restitution: a good salve is not so good as no sore. This may make the next act lawfull, not justifie the former. How ever the scene concludes, the first entrance was naught. Though a late satisfaction be better than none, yet a timely prevention is best of all.

2 Adultery; when one or both are maried: this is the breach of many faiths; and so much the more pernicious, as it is a wilfull shipwrack abroad, when it hath a harbour and safe remedy provided at home.

3 Whoredome; which is a mad and transportive desire to abuse many. Sometimes it is lust, joyned with anger; doing it in spight; a desperate revenge, by polluting anothers bed to cast away his owne soule. So the foolish childe, when one snatcheth his apple, throwes his bread after him. Sometime it is joyned with covetousnesse; he wasts his body to fill his purse; as a foole burnes his band to make tinder. Alwayes is it joyned with folly: not so much respecting a faire woman as she is faire, but as she is a woman: foule water will quench that fire as well as faire.

4 Vnnaturall uncleannesse; as men with men, men with beasts, women with divels, as it is reported of some Witches. But these things are so horrenda facts, ut etiam pudenda dictu.

5 Vncleannesse with our owne kindred, which is incest. To patronize this, •e•t. 25 5. Gen. 38.8. Matth. 22.24. some alledge precept, practise, and custome. But that Law to the Iewes, was partly politicall, for distinction of families: and partly Typicall, preserving the right of primogeniture, prefiguring the spirituall birth-right in the Messias, which should be endlesse. Levit. 18.16 The morall law was otherwise: therefore we answer, that albeit God had particular exceptions from his generall lawes: as the Cherubins over the Arke was an instance against the second commandement: the Israelites robbing the Aegyptians, against the Eight: and Phinehas killing Zimri, against the Sixt: yet it is plaine that the Lord condemnes all incest.

6 With more wives than one, which is Poly-gamie. I know this fact of Iacob is diversly excused. As first, it was prohibited by no Law. Aug. Answ. It was not prohibited by a Law written, it was by the Law engraven: God made but one woman for one man; and he was a wicked Lamech that first begun bigamie. 2. But custome excuseth; as at first a side garment was a shame to the Romans, but at last it grew to a fashion. Answ. That was a thing indifferent, the decencie whereof time might vary: but there is no custome against the first Institution. 3. In the multiplicity of wives he propounded to himselfe the multitude of children. Answ, If ever such an Indulgence had beene fit for any, then Noah should have beene dispensed with, to propogate the world: but God gave him no such indulgence. 4. This was done in a mysterie. Answ. Indeed, Aug. Ruper. Greg. all reduce it into severall allegories: yet cannot this Iustifie the fact; no more than CHRISTS second comming like a theefe, can warrant a theefe sudden breaking into a house. This therfore must be granted, Iacobs infirmity: to marry two wives, was his transgression: but to marry two sisters, no lesse than Incest. Albeit God disposed this to encrease the holy seed, yet the fact is against his ordinance: and our positive Law makes it death, as by the Law Institutive it is deadly. Gen. 2.24. Every man shall cleave to his owne wife. Vxori, non meretrici: suae, non alienae: Vxori, non uxoribus: to his wife, not wives.

7 Vncleannesse with a mans spouse; I meane betweene the betrothment and consummation. Iudg. 29 1. The Levites spouse, till he married her, was but his Concubine; and their conjunction was fornication. It is not enough to say, they were married before God: the hand of the Church must be there, or this is culpable uncleannesse. Marriage is no amends: otherwise than wilfully to breake a whole glasse, it is afterward to soalder it: yea it is rather to breake an arme or leg, to set it againe: or to condemne a man first, and then to sue out his pardon. The common opinions, This is but a true covenant ante-dated; the taking possession of a mans own, without due course of Law: the mowing of his corne before harvest: the plucking his owne grapes ere they be ripe. But this is triviall: contract is but Ius ad rem, marriage gives Ius in re. Contract binds to marriage, not allowes to touch before marriage. Contract is but like Articles agreed upon, marriage puts a seale to the covenant. Such a fruite of their bodies, is but a monument of their sinne: and without hearty repentance, a good proceeding seldome followes so bad a beginning.

8 Vncleannesse with a mans owne wife. This is when the use of the marririage-bed is either intempestive or intemperate: in a season prohibited, or in a measure not moderated, or in a manner not ordained, or to an end not warranted: as when it hath altogether respect to pleasure, not to generation; or to beget an heire for their lands, rather than a Saint for heaven; or their owne Image, rather than the Image of God. If uncleannesse can creepe into marriage, where will it be kept out? How soule is the disease, when the very remedie is often infected? Not but that Conjugium purum, but impuri conjuges: marriage doth not staine, nor so much as dye, in the Romish sense: it is honourable and cleane, yet the married may be uncleane.

9 Vncleannesse with a mans selfe; as the heathen Rom. 1.24. dishonoured their owne bodies ἐν ἑαυτοῖς. There bee three turpitudes against nature; with another kinde, or with the same kinde of the same sexe, or with no other person but with themselves. Thus Saint Augustine distinguisheth betweene Flagitium and Facinus: the latter is in hurting another, the former in committing against a mans selfe. Other sins are 1 Cor. 6.18. without the body, fornication against the body, this uncleannesse in the body. This was the sin of Gen. 38 9. Onan; abusing himselfe against the order of nature and Institution of God. This was a grievous sin; against God, whose ordinance he disobeyed: against his wife, whom he unjustly defrauded: against himselfe, whose issue he should not have prevented: against mankind, whose number he should have encreased: against his brother, to whom issue should be raised. Some Hebrewes thinke, that he did it to preserve the favour and beautie of Thamar, which bearing of children would have empaired. How ever, sensuall was his pleasure and the sin in any man is very grievous.

10 Ravishment: the former is a rape upon a mans selfe, this upon another. Gen. 34.2. Such was Shechems sin, as some understand it: but some rather thinke, that Dinah being so light to wander and gaze, was not over-difficult to yield. Commonly, such lust ends in loathing, as Amnons; beating her out of doores, whom he was sick to bring in. And therefore Shechems seemeth to be no rape, because he still loved her: and having wrought her shame in his fathers house, he would not send her home with disgrace to her fathers Tent: but rather seekes to marry her whom he had defiled. His offence did not make her odious; but so constantly he affects her, that hee is willing to draw bloud of himselfe, rather than forgoe her. Amnons rape was farre worse: Thamar is sent for as his Physician, but he makes her his physicke. She dressed him meat, but that was not the dish hee longed for: he loves the Cooke, not the cates. She presents the dyet, he throwes downe that, and falls a board with her. His sicknesse is now forgotten, the Devill hath made him lusty and strong on the sudden. The innocent Virgin intreats for her selfe, perswades in vaine: shewes the sin, Non licet: the shame, Non decet: the danger, deadly: thou shalt be a foole in Israel; I, no wife, yet no virgin. Prevailing not by reason, shee seeks to coole his present heat with future; hope of an impossible thing; Aske me of my father. But in vaine! he growes mad with resistance, and resolves to be a ravisher. If the Devill were not more strong in such than nature, they would never seeke pleasure in violence. This rape defiles Amnon, not Thamar: the wrong was hers, the uncleannesse his. She that is ravished, is more a Maide, than she whose owne loose thoughts have made her uncleane. Two lay together, only one committed Adultery, as Augustine of Lucrece. She was but the Patient; and it was not her fault to suffer, what was not her will to doe. Her virginitie was not Perdita, but Prodita; not lost, but torne from her by compulsory meanes: she still reserved it in her soule, though it had forsaken her body. The Inhabitant is not to be blamed, for theeves breaking into the house. She can doe no more than bewaile what she cannot keepe: lamenting the shame of anothers sinne; living like a widdow, who was neither maide, wife, harlot, nor widdow; but a ravished woman. Thus you have the specification of some Vncleannesses, (which O that none knew but by a generall apprehension and heare say; and not as Adam knew evill, by sense and experience) now to

The causes; which are many. Physicians say, that to know the cause is halfe the cure. By cause, here I understand not only that fundamentall cause, which is inordinate affection, the boyling fountaine of lust but: also such occasions, as breed and nurse uncleannesse. These are

1. A roving eye, that looks up and down for the objects of lust. Gen. 6.2. The sons of God saw the daughters of men: by that looking came lusting, thence preposterous mariages, thence universal confusion. Gen. 3.7. Ambr. His masters wife cast her eyes upon Ioseph: her eie led her heart, her heart, led her tongue, her tongue led her hand. Such be the harlots three weapons: the first engine is her eye, the very motion whereof discourseth a silent filthinesse. 2. Her tongue offers to take hold, where her eye cannot. 3. Her hand offers to catch him, whom her tongue cannot winne. Gen 38.14. Thamar sate in an open place, where she might be seene: Hebr. in the doore of eyes. This was Achans confession; Iosh. 7.21. I saw, I coveted, I tooke. The eye betraies the heart, the heart the hand: sin gets in by the senses, yea by the least piece of a sense; as bad aire at a cracke in the window. By them it ceizeth on the inmost fort, and there it commands them like a tyrant, to whom it was beholding for entrance. This is the order of our crimes: Achans song shall many chatter to a dolefull tune; I saw, I coveted, and tooke. The thiefe; I saw the booty, coveted, and tooke it: the drunkard, I saw the colour of the wine: the Idolater, I saw the goodly picture: the adulterer, I saw the beauty, coveted, and tooke it, and tooke my death with it.

2 S•m 11.2. David rose from off his bed, and from the roofe of his Palace hee saw a woman. From an after-noones slumber he riseth to his evenings walke: the eyes which unseasonable sleepe had shut up, an enticing object opens. Her Bath was no open place, but lust is quick-sighted: shee could espie no body, but David had espied her. Gen. 34.1. Dinah the daughter of Leah went to see the daughters of the land. The daughter of Leah; her mothers owne daughter, right bred; as the harsh note of the Hebrewes speakes: because Gen. 30.16. Leah went out to meet Iacob upon such a bargaine: as if Dinah had gone on purpose to be abused. But the Mothers daughter, because both had a fault in their eyes: the mothers, a defect of nature, the daughters, a defect of nurture: hers an infirmity, this a curiosity. Her eyes were guilty of this temptation: She would needs see and be seene; and while she lookes about vainly, she is looked upon lustfully. Tu otiosè spectas, otiosè non spectaris: Bern. tu spectas curiosè, spectaris curiosiùs. I know there may be a cleere and honest aspection, as 1 King. 10.7. the Queene of Sheba came to see Salomon. Luk. 7.44 See this woman, saith Christ to Simon. But it is better to be blinde, than looke with lustfull eyes. This sinne is little regarded: many come to the Church with Christian eares, but Pagan eyes: and Satan comes faster in at the eyes, than God at the eares: that which should save the soule, is lost by the wandring sense. There can be no safety to the Chariot, where these unbridled horses are let loose. P•••. 113 37. Turne away mine eyes from beholding vanity: we must see it transiently, not behold it wishly. He can never keepe his covenant with God, that Iob 31 • makes not a covenant with his eyes. But my inward man is safe, why may not my outward man be free? This is an idle presumption: hee is more than a man, whose heart is not led by his eyes; hee is lesse than a good man, whose eyes be not restrained by his heart. So, the eare is the trap-doore of the soule; the flies of hell are ever humming about it. It is temptation enough to the theefe, that he heares of a booty. If dishonesty come so neare as the eare, let wonder stop it out, and save vertue the labour.

2. Bad company; Gen 39 1•. Ioseph shunned the society of his Mistresse. We know our owne hearts, we know not the hearts of others. To be the provocation of sinne is unholinesse, not to avoid the provocation of sinne is unhappinesse. God and his Angels will protect thee in thy waies: in thy waies, not in thy wandrings. If we once rove out of the lists of our calling, there is nothing but danger. Had Dinah kept at home, her Virginity had beene safe: had Shechem forc’d her in orbe muliebri, the house; she had sustained losse without sinne. It had not then bin her evill, but his: her gadding gave the occasion, even this made her not innocent. It is no sufficient warrant to draw us into suspected places, and spirituall dangers; only to see. No wise man will goe into the infected Pest-house, only to see the fits of the visited. Who would poison his body, to please his taste? Quales amplectimur, tales credimur: With the lascivious we hardly learne to be chaste. Immodest behaviour makes way for lust; this gives life unto wicked hopes. A cold deniall invites a second charge: she deserves some blame, that hath onely beene tried, though she consent not. A faire carriage keepes temptation out at the staves end: lightnesse of presence lets it in to the grapple, and gives encouragement to lewd desires. Though we fight and conquer, yet it was our fault that we were put to fight. A man is not only to keepe his conscience cleare, but his name; and to keepe this is harder. For our conscience is in our owne custodie, our credit lies in the hands of other: this stands on likely-hoods, and their construction of our deeds. It is no easie thing to disprove a slander: like an unruly spirit once raised, hard to conjure downe. Our reputation is more fraile than our selves, still liable to suspition: it must be our good behaviour, and avoiding bad societie, that can keepe our name from scandall.

3 Idlenesse, or no company, and nothing to doe: such a heart is the Devills day-bed, whereupon he takes his nooning. The Philosopher called love Otiosum negotium; a disease to be cured by labour. Matth. 25.26. Thou wicked and slothfull servant: if slothfull, certainely wicked: if Tit. 1.12. slow bellies, presently evill beasts. While Israel is working in Aegypt; pursuing or pursued in Canaan, they have no leasure to be wanton. Let them lie still in the plaines of Midian, the dancing lasses of Moab will soone seduce them to folly. Who ever saw David so tempted and foiled in the times of his busie warre, as when hee was idle at ease? In troubles hee could rise up in the morning to his early devotions, prevent the morning watch, breake his nights rest with the cares of the day: the service of God, and businesse of state, tooke him up: thus long was he innocent and holy. But when Satan finds him wallowing in the bed of idlenesse, he now thinkes him fit for a temptation. Gentlemen that live of their lands, and those of a worse condition, that have given over all trades, to live of their moneys; thinke themselves the only fortunate men: they need not toile, nor weary their limbes with labour: instead of the Pen or the Pike, the Pot and the Pipe is all their excercise. But there are none more unhappy; for lust can be no stranger to an idle bosome: the industrious man hath no leasure to sinne. Doth any man complaine the contiguitie of his labour? he finds fault with his owne felicitie: the toile of action is recompenced by the benefit: if he were not doing good, he would be doing ill: if we did worke lesse, we should suffer more: while we worke not our selves, Satan workes upon us.

The sitting bird is the fowlers marke: the Devill is like some lazy companion, that while he finds us busie gives backe and sees it no time to meddle with us. But if like the idle hus-wife, when her gossip comes in, we throw away our work and hold chat with him; nothing can please him better. Gratifie him but thus far, to talke with him; and he thinkes us sure. Exercise is wholesome for the body, better for thy soule. The earth stands still, therefore becomes natures common-Sewer; the receptacle of corruption, all dregs: the heavens, that are ever in motion, are alwaies pure. The troublesomest worke to a good man, is to have no worke: which when he hath supplied by prayer and meditation, and yet finds roome for more guests; he studies businesse; & qui non invenit, facit. They that surrender themselves to sloth, finde matter of disease breeding in their bodies and soules. The active spirit is soonest dulled with no labour; as the water that hath beene heated, soonest freezeth. P•o. 31.19. The danger of womens corruption is their leasure: idlenesse breeds fancies, which continuance of domesticall businesse would keepe out.

4 Lust after beautie; this is the generall snare, and occasion of uncleannesse. Gen 39 6 Ioseph was a goodly person, faire, and well-favoured: lovely to all, but not looked on alike withall eyes: his fellowes praise him, his master trusts him, his mistresse dotes on him: all love him, she over-loves him. That is true of the Poet, that vertue never hath a better grace, than when it shineth, from a beauteous face: yet was this danger, it gave him meanes to sin; which when he refused, it was the occasion of his trouble. But he was faire without, and fairer within; Pulchrior in luce cordis, Aug. quàm in facie corporis. Even the Sonnes of God were caught with beautie. Balaam could not harme Israel with his curses, he doth with his courses and counsels: his curse had hurt none but himselfe, his counsell cost the bloud of twentie foure thousand. Send out your fairest women among them: this policie was fetched from the bottome of hell. There is no sin more plausible than wantonnesse, wantonnesse is no way sooner provoked than by the sight of beautie: this shall draw them to lust, their lust to folly, their folly to Idolatrie; so God shall curse them for thee, unasked. This project of that damn’d Magician was too prosperous: the daughters of Moab doe more in the Tents of Israel, than the Amorites and Amalekites could doe in the plaines of Moab. The women made them captives, whom the men felt conquerors. Had they sent their subtlest politicians, and strongest souldiers, to perswade or compell them to Idolatrie; they had beene returned with scorne. But the eloquent and victorious beautie of the women effected this. It had beene happy for them, if Balaam had used any charmes but these.

I know that a man may lawfully desire beautie in his own spouse, as Iacob loved Rachel: not for provocation of lust, but procreation of children, and more loving societie. Some actions doe not so well rid off a hand, without some delight; as eating of meates, learning of arts; and such is matrimoniall societie. As meate pleaseth us better in a cleane dish, wine in a Chrystall glasse: so vertue in a comely person. But if the beautie be let into our thoughts, and the vertue shut out, there is no speedyer way to ruine. As it is Gods use to fetch glory to himselfe out of the worst actions of Satan: so it is Satans ambition to advantage himselfe by the fairest workes of God. If the Lord suffer him, he will ruine us with the most rare pieces of creation: No one meanes hath so enriched hell, as beautifull faces. Prov. 23.28. The beautifull harlot encreaseth the transgressors among men. Three of Davids children were undone by it at once: it was the occasion of Amnons Incest, of Thamars ravishment, of Absaloms bloudy pride and murder. Beautie, if not well disciplin’d proves a traitor rather than a friend. It is a blessing to be faire; but such a blessing, that if the soule be not as cleare as the skin, leads to a curse. It is no rare thing to finde the foulest soule dwell fairest. If the inward conditions be bad, O what strange mischiefe can beautie bring about! How many Salomons and Sampsons hath it befooled and blinded? The weaker sexe is the stronger in temptation: it was the dowry that our Grandmother Eve bequeathed to her daughters; that they should be our helpers to sin. Indeed it is not a womans fault to be faire: the candle does not amisse in burning, the foolish flie offends, that scorcheth her wings in the flame. The chrystall streame is not to be blamed, because some distracted man drownes himselfe in it. Yet to be but a temptation, and (though the unwilling) occasion of anothers ruine, is an unhappyinesse, albeit not a sin. The Lord so mortifie all inordinate lusts in us, that we may be admitted to that citie, into which no uncleane thing shall ever enter.

The Cure followes; and this methodus medendi is two-fold: the one a preservative, the other sanative. To see the sinne in the proper and naturall odiousnesse, is a preventing antidote. For them that be infected, there are other medicines. The horriblenesse of it is seene in it selfe, and in th’effects.

For it selfe, the light of nature discerned and condemned it. It is objected, that Solon, a Law-giver, one of the wisest among the Grecians, used to buy harlots for the young men: and among the Carthaginians it was a custome for the Virgins before their marriage, to prostitute themselves publikely in the Temple of Venus, that they might bring the greater portions to their husbands. Answ. This was not by naturall light, Rom. 1. but the unnaturall darknesse of those given over to a reprobate sense, as the punishment of former wickednesse. Ob. But the Prophet Hosea was thus commanded; Hos. 1.2. Take thee a wife of whoredomes. Answ. Nothing can be concluded for it out of a typicall act: neither did he make a harlot, but take a harlot, to reduce her to chastity. Object. But Act. 15.20. fornication is reckoned among indifferent things. Answ. Their esteeming it so, did not make it so; their owne conscience thought otherwise. Gen 20.9. Abimelech calls it a great sinne; this, that Heathen could see, but not so clearely as Gen. 39.9. Ioseph: Dishonour to the husband, wrong to the children, breach of covenant, but above all, disobedience to God, is in it. Psal. 51.4. Against thee have I sinned; was his confession, that had sinned against Bethshebah, Vriah, and the whole Church; but especially Gen 34.7. against the Lord. It is most odious among Christians; 2 Sam. 13.12. this folly ought not to be done in Israel: it is bad enough in all places, here intolerable. Eph. 5.4. not to be named among Saints. Let the act be so abhorred, that it may quite lose the name: especially, let no Saint have such a name. It makes the name stinke both living and dead. Living, 1 Cor. 5.11. If a brother be a fornicatour, with such a one eate not. Dead, Prov. 6.33. verse 30. his reproach shall not be wiped away. It is more hainous than theft; Men doe not despise a theefe, if he steale to satisfie his hungry soule but he that committeth adultery destroieth his owne soule. Goods may be restored, honestie never: the breaches may be repaired, the pristine state not recovered.

For the effects: It breeds diseases in the body, that the quality of the sinne may be seene in the nature of the plague; as we know a rotten nut by the worme hole in the shell. It makes a more loathsome soule; so odious that till it be cleansed, neither will God dwell with it, nor shall it dwell with God. It blasteth the estate, Iob. 31.12. Prov. 6.26. roots out all the encrease, and brings a man to a piece of bread. The Parents uncleannesse makes the children beggars. It curseth the house, Hos. 4.13, 14. His owne sinne abroad, is able to make his house a Stewes at home. What followed upon Davids adultery, but present paiment? The deflowring of his daughter Thamar, the murder of his sonne Amnon, the treason, incest, and ruine of his Absolom. How justly is he scourged by the sinnes of his children, whom his owne act taught to offend? Vnlawfull lust still propagates it selfe by example: when the father of a family brings sinne home to his house, it is not easily swept out. It endangers Incest; when the legitimate sonne may come to marry the bastard issue of the same father.

It is not only Poena peccati; that a man being hatefull to God for other sinnes, is made hatefull to men for this: Vt quod latuit in corde impuro, pateat in opere [ignominioso]: other sinnes ought him a shame, this shall pay it him. Therefore, he that is good before God, shall be delivered from the strange woman, not the sinner. But also, Causa peccati, it brings no more wickednesse. So the Apostle joines them; Rom. 1.29. Fornication, wickednesse: if πορνεία be first, πονηρία followes. Give lust roome in the eye, she will possesse body and soule. The Midian faces first appeared to Israel; they like them, that brought them to like their presence, that to take pleasure in their feasts; from their boords to their beds, from their beds to their Idols: and now God is separated, and they are joyned to Baal-peor. Corporall fornication is the way to spirituall: if superstitious love make Idols of flesh, how soone do they give us up to Idols of wood and stone?

It hath not onely undone persons and houses, but ruined whole Cities and Kingdomes. Numb. 25. What a breach did this double fornication make in Israel? God doth not smother his wrath, but himselfe strikes with the plague, and bids Moses strike with the sword. Dinah is ravished, the whole Citie is destroied for it. While every man lies sore of his owne wound, Simeon and Levi rush in with weapons and kill them. What was the shrieking of women and children in all the streets of that Citie? While the fathers and husbands take mortall physicke for their Princes sicknesse. For a particular Amnon to answere his lust in bloud, is not so ponderous: Many a whore-lover meets with such a catastrophe. But for a whole Tribe to be cut off for uncleannesse, as was Iudg. 21.6. Benjamin: for a whole kingdome to smart; as Gen. 20.9. Abimelech said to Abraham, Thou hast brought a great sinne on me, and on my kingdome; that the whole kingdome of Israel should smart for the kings filthinesse; these be dire effects. The name of King became odious to Rome, for the rape of Lucrece: famous Troy was rased for one Helena.

It is commonly mixed and plagued with blindnesse. So had lust besotted Gen. 38.15. Iudah, that he could not discerne the voice of Thamar which he heard every day, nor foresee what shame might follow those pledges: this passion for the time even bereaves a man of himselfe. Thus impudently blinde was Gen. 39.12. Iosephs Mistresse: it had beene too bad to yield, but for a woman to solicite, yea to importune, yea to ••nce the modestie of her servant; grosse and desperate! As sin ever ends in shame when it is committed, so it makes us past shame in the committing. Thus [Amnon] thrusts his defiled sister out of doores: where was his reason? Secrecie had some hope, but to expose her, what was it but to anger a royall father, incense a brother, incurre the Law, provoke her friends, fill the world with outcries? Though he looked not so high as heaven in doing the sin, yet he might looke so low as earth to prevent the shame. No, lust knowes the reason, and they that lose their honestie, shall lose their wit. This is just with God, to punish a deboisht heart with a besotted understanding. Vncleannesse loves a darke mind, as well as a darke house. How foolish were those Israelites; in joyning themselves to Baal peor? All Idols are abominable, this was also beastly: the devill appeared in a sordid and nasty forme; yet uncleannesse workes them to it. Cupid is blind, and whither may not he be transported that wanteth his eyes.

Not seldome it goes off in hatred of the object: ordinate conjunction encreaseth love, this begets detestation; and that both where it is crossed, and where it is satiated. For the former Gen. 39.19. Potiphers wife is an example; if she cannot have [Iosephs] body to enjoy, she wills it to ruine: when she failes of his love, she seekes his life. Lust is a pleasant madnesse when it is yielded, a desperate madnesse when it is opposed. Love is not more witty than malice: the arguments of his innocencie shall chalenge him of sin: hee left his coat because he would not doe that, for which he is condemned because he left it. No hate burnes so furiously, as that which ariseth from the quenched coales of love. Vel te ardenter amat, vel te capitaliter odit. For the other, 2 Sam. 13.15. look on Amnon; how did he hate abused Thamar more than ever he loved her? He should indeed have hated himselfe for this bruitish violence, not his innocent sister: but his former love was not more unreasonable and mis-placed, than his later hatred. Fraud drew her into the house, force entertained her within, and hatred drove her out. So did one houre change the extremity of his love into extremity of hate; that he is now sicke of her, as before he was sicke for her: and she that kept the keyes of his heart, is now lock’d out of his doores.

It is a sin not easily repented of: Hos. 4.12. Whoredome and new wine take away the heart. Saint Paul comforts the Corinthians, that they are 1 Cor. 6.11. Washed from their sins: they will not off without washing, and there can be no washing without water, and a drop or two will not serve to baptise the conscience. But, say some, this sin ordinarily of it selfe brings to repentance? Indeed, losse of spirits, and terrors of the fact, may breed some kinde of remorse: and the expectation did not promise, nor the fruition performe more delight, than the remembrance brings irkesomenesse. The face of uncleannesse lookes lovely, but the farewell is deadly. If we could foresee the end, before we tast the beginning, we would never let it come so far, as to repentance; our former detestation would save our after-sorrow a labour. But lust often ends in discontent, seldome in true repentance. The whores Prov. 9.18. guests are in hell, and that is no way to heaven.

Lastly, it pulls downe Gods fearefull Hebr. 13.4. Iudgements, though it scape the censure of man. Amnon had so quite forgotten his sin, that he durst goe to that house a feasting, where 2 Sam. 13.28. Thamar was mourning: not suspecting him other than a friend whom he had deserved to make an enemie. Now when his heart was merry, he fell downe dead. Wicked Absalom meant this murder to his soule, as well as to his body; but God was just in both. He that in two yeares forbearance would find to leasure to repent must now perish without leasure to cry for mercie. Iudg. 19.25. How fearefull a Iudgement came to that Levites concubine, to be abused to death? She lead wronged the bed of a Levite before by her willing wantonnesse: yet her father harboured her, her husband forgave her, the world had forgot it, her selfe never smarted for it. Thus farre she goes smoothly away with her sin; and neither father, nor husband, nor neighbour, nor Magistrate, nor her owne conscience, upbraid her with it. Now it is forgotten of all hands, God calls her to account for it. Yea, so just and even is that Almighty Iudge in his retributions; that the matter of her sin shall be the manner of her punishment: he will plague her with her owne delight. Vncleannesse was her fault, uncleannesse shall be her fate and ruine. Before shee had exposed her selfe with willing pleasure, now she is exposed by force: adultery was her sin, adultery is her death. Men may forget their owne filthinesse, God remembers it; and will pay them when they least expect it. Sin is a faithfull debtor, it never borrowes without payment: if it owe us a punishment, it will not breake with us. And if it faile of present Iudgements, yet this is sure, it Prov. 6.32. destroyeth the soule. 1 Pet. 2.11. Lusts fight against the soule, but uncleannesse kills it. These be the terrible effects, which if tremblingly applied, like corrosives will eate out the dead flesh, and become so many proper ingredients to the medicine of our cure. Or like ashes that are made by a fire of wood, which being powred on, will smother the fire in the wood, and put it out.

The other remedies are; first, to abridge the flesh of provocatives; 1 Cor. 9.27. beating downe the body, and keeping it in subjection. Take away the fewell, if the fire bee too hot. High feeding and lasciviousnesse are inseparable: that is the Lynbecke which destills all into lust.

To remember a mans beginning and end. The Lord did not make us for pollution; and the thought of death will be a death to lust. Meditate of thy mortalitie, whensoever thou art tempted to this iniquity.

Feare God, which will make every joint tremble at the very suggestion. Some forbeare a sin, because it is deare, some because it is laborious, others, because it is dangerous, few because it is impious. But the death of lust is religion: Moralitie resists but in cold bloud; heate nature, and all her in-borne principalls are forgotten. Regard of name and credit may feare the shame, yet love the sin. But he that feares God, and is watch’d by his owne conscience, can never finde a place darke enough to offend in. The Law lookes to our words and deeds, and requires that they be good: Religion also fetcheth in the thoughts, and makes them holy. We cannot without danger trust a morall heart with a faire body: we may safely trust a faire body with a sanctified minde. This was Iosephs argument; the pleasure of sinne cannot stand with the feare of God. Hee might conceit, that this kindnesse might endeare him as strongly to his mistresse, as his service had to his master: to bee so great a Ladies minion, how many hundreds of our younger brothers would have embraced it. But holy feare had taken up all the roome, before carnall love came. He knew that all the honours of Aegypt could not buy off the guilt of one sinne: that such an advancement would have cast him downe from the royall favour of GOD. The good heart chuseth rather to lie in the dust, than to rise by wickednesse. This were to get up on the scaffold of death, that a man might looke higher.

Abhorre Idlenesse; the standing poole will gather filth of it selfe, and hee full of toades and vermine. Attend the word preached; Psal. 119 9. Wherewithall else should a young man cleanse his way? That Physicke is only able to purge it. Prov. 2.16. This shall deliver thee from the strange woman. If wisedome enter not, lust will: they that find not delight in the Spirit, will seeke it at the flesh. 1 Ioh 2.14. By the word of GOD abiding in you, yee shall overcome the wicked one. How have all weapons of reasons and morall resolution doubled in this encounter? It is the Sword of the Spirit that gets the victorie.

Prayer: if Paul be buffeted, this is his refuge, and it brings remedie; he prayed thrice. Declare thy grievances, this shall bring downe heavenly graces. Shall we be like infants, that cry when a pinne prickes them, but cannot tell where? Say, God knowes our wants; what then? the sullen child sayes, my father knowes that I want bread, I will not aske him though I starve. God hath promised to heare (but only) those that call upon him. He so orders things, that he seldome gives till he be asked: it is a poore paines, but to aske and have. Psal. 2.8. Aske of me, and I will give thee. [Dabo] tibi, but first, Postula a me. The woman that would be rid of her importunate Tempter, is plaine with him, I will tell my husband.

Flee, the temptation: at other times, Fight Timothy: now 1 Tim. 6.1. Fly Timothy. When such an enemie pursues, it is high time to fly. Rather will Ioseph lose his livery, than blemish his Mistresses honour, his Masters in her, his owne in both, Gods in all. He cannot be excused, that lives where he may in likely-hood be faulty. To be safe from evill workes, is to avoid the occasions.

If we cannot fly, yet let us deny. David sollicites, had Bathsheba denyed, that great sin had not beene committed. Had she beene mindfull of her covenant with God, and her matrimoniall fidelitie; the inordinate desire had beene checked, and in time choked. But ambition was the Bawd to lust; and the conceit to be the Kings Mistresses, to command him that commanded Israel; prostitutes her soule before her body: her facilitie furthers the sinne. The first motioner of evill is most faultie: but as in quarrells, the second blow makes the fray, and the Law takes speciall notice of that: so in sins, the second blow, that is, the consent of will, is by the Law of God most culpable. Lust is a sin of two: if but one party be wise, both escape: he that is sure of either, may be secure of both. Women are the weaker in nature, yet stronger in desires: and though many hold it an impudence to wooe, yet they hold not the innocence to deny. The woman at first tempted man, and therefore lookes ever since that man should tempt her. She was an agent in his first ruine, in all the rest, she would be a patient. The heat of mans constitution disposeth him to be the first profferer: now his chastitie lies in the hands of women. If she have the grace to refuse, what he had the fault to offer, they are both delivered. Lust would be the most common sin of the world, if like other sins it could be done alone. Indeed it is best never to be put to a denyall: but by a faire carriage to put temptation out of hope. Wisedome forbeares some lawfull things, because they may be occasions of things unlawfull.

Modestie; which is the only visible vertue, the chastitie of the lookes: a transparent glasse, thorow which we see a cleane and uncorrupted heart. This sets the face in a right posture; farre from pride, and not nearer to wantonnesse. The beauties of both minde and body meet in the center of modestie. An affected and coyish demurenesse is incident to them that be bad: but true modestie is seldome found but in innocence. Modestie is the out-worke of the Citadell, that keepes the enemie even from the walls. For a great example of this vertue, we cannot looke too much upon Ioseph. Forraine stories make honourable mention of many famous for chastitie. Of Amabaeus, who had a beautious wife, yet abstained from her, perhaps he loved his Harpe better. Of Xenocrates, and of Spurina, a faire young man, who disfigured his face of purpose that he might not be desired of women. Of Hippon a Greekish woman, Valer. Max. that drowned her selfe to save her chastitie. None came neare Ioseph; who neither abstained from his owne wife, that were a folly rather than a chastitie: neither disfigured nor destroyed Gods workmanship; which were to pull downe our house, because the eye of a passenger covers it. But in the heat of youthfull bloud, when his Lady sollicites, promises reward, threatens ruine, conveniencie of place, opportunity of time, all the helpes of hell concurring; then to resist? O here was fire falling upon wet tinder, that soone went out. The Fathers commend him for those foure great vertues in this one act. For Temperance, that he would not be enticed by his Mistresse. For Iustice, that hee would not wrong his Master. For Fortitude, that hee overcame many assaults. For Prudence, chusing rather to leave his vesture than his vertue.

Marriage; It is better to marry than to burne. Burning is the disease, for which mariage is the proper medicine. This is that ordinate fewell, whereon such fire should feed. S. Ieromes sophistrie on that place is absurd: Conjagium dicitur bonum, quia levius malum: for lust can never be good, being a transgression: and mariage cannot in it selfe be bad, as it is Gods institution. Not that every tickling should draw us to marrying; but a Burning, an aestuant flame: for it is one thing vri, another sentire calorem. Some Pontificians have cast bitter aspersions upon mariage; taxing that for uncleannesse, which is ordained an antidote against uncleannesse. But that is a blasphemous doctrine, and must needs imply, that God himselfe was mistaken, and that upon a more serious deliberation of the blessed Trinity. Gen. 2.18. Iehovah Elohim: there was a greater consultation about making the woman, than about making the whole world. But it is objected, that 1 Tim. 1.11. in marying they breake their faith. Answ. They doe not breake the faith, because they marry: but because they wexe wanton against Christ, and so marry. They are first incontinent, suffer themselves to be abused: and then to cover their offence, and to keepe them from publike shame, they marry. To accept of mariage only as a cloke to hide their former naughtinesse; this is the sinne condemned. Howsoever they thinke; mariage is an ordained remedy: strange lusts will give place to true conjugall love. Let the husband love his wife, the wife love her husband; (and they have reason, for they tooke each other for that purpose) these unnaturall fires will out.

These be the rules of prevention, to escape uncleannesse: but if any be defiled, they must take another Receit; true contrition of heart, the flouds that come from a broken rocke; washing themselves in the laver of Repentance, that they may be cleane. David in a zeale of Iustice against the rich oppressour, takes an oath to cut him off: God is more favourable to David, than to take him at his word. David sayes, The man shall dye: Nathan sayes, Thou art the man, but thou shalt not dye. Beside uncleannesse, hee had shed innocent bloud: and the strict Law requires life for life. But O, the wondrous power of Repentance! as if it could dispence with the rigour of Iustice: Thou shalt not dye. In David we heare the voice of the Law, awarding death unto sinne; in Nathan, the voice of the Gospel, awarding life unto the repentance for sinne. Whatsoever the sore bet this is the remedy. The soule that hath sinned, shall dye; saith the Law. The Gospell comes in with an exception; The soule that hath sinned, And not repented, shall dye: never any soule applied this remedy, and dyed. Psal. 32.1. Blessed is the man, not that hath not sinned; where is he to be found? But; whose sinne shall not bee imputed, because he hath repented. It is only unfained repentance, that can cleanse our soules from these knowne evils.