Thomas Adams
VERSE 2.
WE have in these Heretickes contemplated their accesse to the Church, now consider their successe in the Church. Many shall follow, &c. It hath ever beene the divells aime, that seeing he must of necessitie be wretched, not to be wretched alone. Now the company he desires, is not beasts and irrationall creatures, (save where he may doe their owners a mischiefe) but his ambition flies man-height, his envy strikes at the image of God, because he hath no other way to extend his malice to the Deitie it selfe; to effectuate this, he workes man to betray man; as man makes one fowle catch another, or one beast surprise another; the hawke the partridge, the hound the hare; all to make him sport. So Satan sets Ephraim against Manasseth, Manasseth against Ephraim, and both against Iudah; himselfe against all, Esa. 9.21. And because he thinke the Pagan world sure enough his owne, have at the Christian. There of all places God is glorious, there of all places he will be pernicious. The divell hath a desire to all, but especially he doves a religious soule: he would eate up that with more greedynesse, than Rachel did her Mandrakes. He is a blacke Lion rampant in a bloudy field: CHRIST is King of the whole world; nay soft quoth the divell, I have the aire, Eph. 2.2. He is called the Prince of the power of the aire. He hath loaded Heretickes with seed from hell, and sets them a sowing in the Church: that at the day of harvest his croppe may be greater in the barne of hell, than the Lord CHRISTS is in heaven. In the former verse we had him sowing; his seminaries at worke: in this verse behold with what a prosperous and lucky hand he doth it. καὶ πολλοὶ ἐξακολουθήσουσιν, Many shall follow. Their cursed tares shall spread farre and wide, & mirificè multiplicabuntur. It is little content for them to be reprobates alone; but as falling Lucifer drew numerous Angels with him; so all his adherents and agents are firebrands to burne others with themselves. The Pharisies would travell sea and land to worke Profelytes to their owne inheritance, yea to procure them a double portion to themselves, Matth. 23. Verse 15. The Emissaries of Rome have that charge given them to corrupt others. Like men sicke of the pestilence, they have an itching desire to infect their neighbours. Here therefore behold their successe; Many shall follow their pernicious wayes. If we take the verse asunder, it will thus fall = parts; generally two.
A Attraction; Many shall follow their pernicious wayes. Detraction; By whom the way of truth shall be scandalised.
In the Attraction or congestion of this tumult, consider
The Ringleaders; They, that broach these Heresies. Rabble or tatterdemallion that adhere; Many follow.
In the Detraction, derogation, or injurie done to the Gospell, by these revolters from the truth, let us examine.
The Patient that suffers, The way of truth. Injurie that it suffers; Evill spoken of.
In the patient observe
The Singularitie, ἡ ὁδός, The way, the onely way. Sincerity, Of Truth, uncorrupted truth.
Thus here are many points, one into two, two into foure, foure into eight. Now you will say, as Leah of her sonne Gad, Gen. 30.11. A troupe commeth, or Here comes a company: yet all these branches have but one roote, all these members but one head: they are but wheeles of a clocke taken a little in sunder to view, then to bee put together againe. When a wealthy favourite of the world, that had more livings than vertues, sent his servant before to take up lodging for him; the servant charged the hoste to provide good cheare; for here, saies hee, will come the Lord of such a Mannor, the Land-lord of such a town, the keeper of such a forrest, the Master of such an office, the lay-person of such a parish, a Iustice of peace, a Gentleman, an Vsurer, and my master: the hoste blest himselfe; alas, I have not roome for halfe so many: nay quoth the servant, all these are but one man. So if you distrust that you have not roome in your memories to lodge so many points, yet be comforted, all these are but one Text.
The first generall is the Attraction, and the first particular the Ring leaders; whence occurre two observations.
First, the necessitie of a head to every Schisme and faction: never was breach made in the vineyard of CHRIST, but some principall beast-led the whole herd. There had beene no treason nor insurrection against David, but for Absalom to set it on foote. Gamaliel spake of two such factions. Act. 5.36. [Theudas, to] whom a number of men joyned themselves: and Iudas, that drew much people after him: these Schismes had their heads. If Smith and Rob. had not led the way to Amsterdam, how many silly soules had stayed still with their mother in England! Their blind zeale misled them, and they others: their flight was not so much as their misguidance. Though the parties in sinne have their parts in the punishment, yet to the principall authors be the principall plagues. If their reward in heaven be so great, that save one soule from death; how great shall their torment be in hell that pervert many soules to destruction? Matth. 5.19. Minimus in coelo, maximus in inferno. He shall be least in the kingdome of heaven, but greatest in the kingdome of hell. He that can damne a soule besides his owne, overdoes the divells expectation; he supererogates of Satan, and he shall give him a double fee, a double portion of hell fire for his paines. Salus capitis, caput salutis: so error capitis, caput erroris, Mark. 6.34. Our = pitied the people, because they were as sheepe, sine pastore ullo, without any shepheard: but how would he have wept to see the poore Lambes mis-led a Pastore malo by an exill shepheard! Non vesci omnino, miseranda defectio; sed vesci veneno, [execranda] infectio. It is miserable to want food, yet as good nothing at all as only poyson. CHRIST is the only head of his Church they that fall off from him, must have [caput] novum, a new head, and joyne themselves in corpus novum, to a new body: thus shall both head and taile be cut off together, Esa. 9.14. This observation Ministers two usefull lessons to us.
1 That the way to suppresse a schisme, is to cut off the Head: for it will bee hard for a body to move headlesse. Zach. 13.7. Smite the shepheard, and the sheepe shall be scattered. These be strong colts, swift dromedaries traverssing their owne wayes; wild Asses that snuffe up the wind at their pleasure, and whiske it about in the wildernesse of their owne boundlesse fancie, and transportive furie. I doe not say Percute ferro; like Empirickes that can cure no disease without letting bloud: no, I preferre with Tertullian, suffusion of it, before effusion of it; shame before smart: knowing that not onely Christianitas, sed etiam haeresis mortibus crescit: and some have thought their cause good, onely because it was their happinesse to be in prison about it. But howsoever, Vbi non prosint ubera, non desint verbera: supprime errorem reprimendo errantem. If their wickednesse hath beene formerly illustrated with the commentaries of the churches patience; if sternnesse hath given place to mildnesse, without successe; let now mildnesse be turned into sternnesse. Let the wheele of admiration turne about, and let the Law begin to prick them a little, that have no felt it, but laugh’d at it a long time, and made connivence their warrant for contempt. Lay the medicine close to them, as Christ did to the creeple at Bethesda; visne sanari? wilt thou bee mended, or not? Let such wilfull revolters take heed; Restat [averti], cui converti non contigit; if they will not bee converted, let them feare to be confounded.
2 Seeing there are such corrupters of our truth, and disturbers of our peace, let us be sure to hold the Truth in peace: leaving all heads, and cleaving to our only one Head IESUS CHRIST. Col. 2.19. Let us hold the head, from which all the body by joynts and bands having nourishment ministred, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God. Cursed is he that seekes to seperate us from this head. The Lord is our God and our Guide; him we follow, but all false wayes we utterly abhorre, Phil. [4.9]. That which you have learned and received, doe; and the God of peace shall be with you. If we adhere to the truth peaceably, the God of truth and peace shall be with us. Even that God of peace, whom such incendiaries would turne out of our land Psal. 120.6. My soule hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace. Doth he hate peace? then peace shall hate him. I am for peace, but when I speake, they are = warre. Well then, God shall be even with him, and be for war, when he speakes for peace. Deus pacis nobiscum; O the sweete habite of peace to appeare in! O the gracious forme of peace, for our God to present himselfe to us! Let him alwayes appeare to me in that shape, alwayes present himselfe to me in that forme. Not in burning fire, nor tempestuous wind, nor trembling earth-quakes but in the soft aire and still breath of peace; the God of peace be with us. The more busy the divell is to scatter dissentions, the more unitedly let us hold together. As when the enemy assaults a towne, and the men are defending it; the children meane time may not be allowed to keepe what coile and misrule they will in the house; but are rather to live so much the more orderly. The tyrannie of the one must not encourage the libertie of the other; nor are these to be excused because the other are encreased. The common adversarie assaults our substance, if we wrangle one with another about circumstance; it argues a confederacie, and brings on us a suspition of combination; as if wee expected advantage by the thriving of the contrary faction; rather than fidelitie to our Mother, and vowed adherence to her husband CHRIST.
The second observation is the great force of example: these ringleaders soone get abundance of followers. 1 Tim. 4.1. They shall give heed to the spirits of error. Men should be led by precepts, and over-led by precedents. The eare hath put off her businesse to the eye, to be dispatched: and (as Cesar drowned Bibulus his consulship) that fetcheth in all the informations to the heart, deriving from others action the warrant of practise. As Iacobs ewes did bring forth Lambes, according to the colour of the objected roddes: so the people produce workes according to the patterns before them. Saint Iames saith, Estote factores verbi Divini, Be yee doers of Gods word, not of mans worke. It is preposterous for the feet to follow the toyish imaginations of the fancie, and not the voice of reason. The Papist would follow CHRIST in the Gospell; but for this same, First let me bury my father, kisse my = aske my Grandame whether I shall doe so or not; my forefathers followed other wayes. Wee all say that wee serve the Lord, but as the Psalmist speakes Other Lords rule us, Rom. 8. Verse 14. They that are led by the Spirit of God, are the Sonnes of God. By the Spirit of God, not by the spirit of man: our naturall spirit is a giddy guide, yea our sanctified spirit is in sufficient: a spirit must guide and this should bee Gods Spirit. The very heathen had their imaginary gods for guides; as Iupiter or Mercurie, them they invocated, them they imitated. There is no such authoritie given to sinne, as by example. Imperio maximus, [exemplo major]: he that is most eminent, hath most followers. Augustus a learned Prince filled Rome with schollers, Tiberius with the dissemblers, Constantine with Christians, Iulian with Atheists. Indeed the people will sometimes lead themselves, and run without their rulers, as without rule. As in the dayes of Iehoshaphat, though Idolatry were defaced much, yet the high places were not taken away. How was this? The king knew it not, the Prophets condemned it, the Priests were against it; the fault was in the people; they would not cleave to the God of their Fathers. But if Ieroboam set up calves in Dan and Bethel, the people like beasts in heards goes a lowing after them. The force of imitation makes many follow Rome: and because she once sent to this land some light, they will not forsake her though she lie now in darkenesse. We were beholden to Rome for our former conversion, we will not be beholden to her for her present religion: wee will not follow her a step further, when she leaves Iesus Christ. There is a double beneficiall use to be made of this doctrine.
First, let this teach men of place to looke unto their exemplary lives: lest, as they have made themselves examples of transgression, God make them examples of destruction. Qui errantes destruunt instruunt morientes: they that tempt to sinne by their life, shall deterre from sinne by their death. The life of Iulian made many infidels, the death of Iulian made many Christians. The pride of the wicked doth pervert many, their falls shall convert many. God will teach men to feare him, even by their ruine that taught them not to feare him. Magistratus indicat virum, saith Aristotle: a privat man like an empty vessell may have many flawes unseene: but in full vessells the chinkes and fissures are descryed by the leakage of the wine, Infirmities in Lay-men seeme Nugae, small faults; in Teachers and Governors [Blasphemiae], blasphemies. Quanto nobilior, tanto notabilior: the more honourable, the more remarkeable. Actuall precedence, or silent connivence in them, heartens and beardens the inferiors. The high Priests money tempted an Apostle: if the Pope command, commend, or reward treason; the conspirator takes it to be religion; Therefore in men of high place, love should bind more than Law: Minimum [licere] decet, cui plurimum licet: he should doe least, that may doe most mischiefe. Such are superiores cateris, but there is superior supremis, Eccl. 5.8. He that is higher = the highest regardeth it, and there be higher than they. With God there is no respect of persons: the poorest may say to the richest, as the malefactor to his fellow on the Crosse; Thou art in the same condemnation. God charged Moses, Numb. 25.4. Take the heads of the people, and to hang them up. They were Princes some of them and these often thinke that no Law can hold them, that they may live as they list but God spares not Princes. Yea Potentes potenter punienter: mighty sinners shall be mightily punished. As they that carry not their light reservedly to themselves, but communicate it to others, in turning them to righteousnesse, shall shine as the stars the brightest part of their orbes, Dan. 12.3. Men from high places are either lifted up to a great measure of glory in heaven, Wisd. 6.5. or cast downe to a low degree of torment in hell. Against the unjust Officer of Gods Kingdome, He will horribly and suddenly appeare: an hard judgement shall they have that beare rule. The mighty shall be mightily tormented, and for the potent abideth the sorer triall. Tophet is prepared for the evill King, Esa. 30.33. Wicked subjects shall have roome enough, but the wicked Prince shall have the chiefe place. Luke 16.28. Some reading the rich man so earnestly requesting Abraham to send one from the dead, to bring his brethren to repentance; would thinke he had some charity in hell. But this was not out of love, but out of feare: he would have his brethren reclaimed, lest him selfe should be more tormented. Because his example, as being their elder brother, had encreased their wickednesse on earth; and should withall encrease his damnation in hell. A reprobate soule already swallowed into that Lake, finds his torment every day augmented, as the brood and generation of sins is multiplied by the seed of his cursed example. Take heed, the fire of hell will be hot enough for a mans owne iniquities; he needs not the iniquities of others, like fewell and bellowes, to blow and encrease the flame. Lord make them good whom thou hast made great: and reach them to honour thee, as thou hast honoured them. Psal. 45.4. They that travell in meeknesse, righteousnesse, and truth; let them ride on prosperously with their honour; thorow the Cities and Courts of the earth, to the Citie that is above, the Court of the great King in heaven, the inheritance of all those that love the LORD IESUS.
Secondly, seing we are all apt to be followers, let us seeke out the best patternes. It is the custome of the wicked to pretermit all good precedents, and to single out such as they would have, not such as they should have. As the Dorre that passeth by all the sweet flowers of the medow, humming in scorne, and ends his flight in a dung-hill. Or, as the Aegyptians, that behold the Sun, the Moon, the Stars, all the glories of nature, without admiration, yea without common regard: until they spie a Crocodyle, an ugly serpent, and then downe on their knees to worship it. It is an unhappy thing to converse with the wicked: to be a brother to the Dragons, and a companion to the Ostriches, Iob 30.29. To remain in Meshek, and to dwell in the tents of Kedar, Psal. 220.5. He that is a parasite to a great mans lust, is not a servant to the great Gods Law. Gal. 1.10. If I should please men, I were not the servant of Christ. Noah abhors the fashions of the old world, Lot of Sodom, Iob of Vz: yea, they have opposed themselves: one Reuben was opposite to the rest of his fraternity, one paire of Spies to the rest of their faint-hearted company, one Lot to the rest of the City, one Luther to the rest of his countrey, one Noah to the whole world. Suppose the example bates of multitude, and is supplied with magnitude; will it be a good answer to the Tribunall; Ego & Rex meus, the Prince and I? True, I did so, but there were better men in the company, I durst not displease? But whether is better, to follow mans humour, or Gods honour? At the day when Scepters and sepulchers shall be all one; what protection is there in thy lord against the Lord of Hostes?
Let us then looke out better precedents to follow, Phil. 3.17. Be yee followers of me, and looke on them which walke so, as ye have us for an ensample. We must not imitate every one, but such as Paul: nor Paul in every thing, but wherein hee followes Christ, 1 Cor. 11.1. That great Apostle encouraged our imitation, but gave a limitation: Doe not you follow after me, unlesse you see the tract of Christ before me. Imitemur bonos, sed in bonis: Let us follow good men, but only in what they are good. As Rhetoritians make a double imitation of Oratours; one absolutely and alwayes necessary; as Demosthenes among the Grecians, and Tully among the Latines: others but at some times, and in some things; as Poets and Historians. So in our Christian imitation, there is one example necessary; Christ, who is called the Way; Via in exemplo, veritas in promisso, vita in praemio: others but in some actions, & at some occasions: their lives being lines so far to be followed, as they swarve not from the originall copy, Christ. We are not bound to be good mens apes; let us follow David, where he followed Gods heart, not where he followed his own heart: if he turn toward lust and bloud, let us leave him there. Let us follow Peters Confession, not his abnegation: Iudas Maccabeus hearty devotion and hearty valour; not in bestowing mony to make a sacrifice for the dead, 2 Mac. 12.43. All our following hath the Quatenus; if our precedents goe out of the way, let us shake hands and bid them fare-well. Two of us are going toward Ierusalem; but saith one, I must needs call in at Rome, or goe a little about by Samaria; nay then I leave you; here our wayes part.
Thus let us cull out the best patternes: be our delight to the Saints on the earth, and such as excell in vertue, Psal. 16.3. Now every Saint excels in some vertue: one excels in knowledge, another excels him in faithfulnesse, a third excels him in zeale, a fourth excels him in humilitie, another excels him in that Christian vertue, yea, Christs vertue; Forgiving of wrongs: and yet a poore man may out-goe them all in an admirable patience, 1 Cor. 12.29. Now as when Paul had propounded many rare graces; he concludes; Desire you earnestly the best gifts. Take the best of every man , and so make up an excellent man: learne of him zeale, of him knowledge, of him patience. A proud Dame will propose to her selfe the fashion of such a woman for her apparel, of another for her attendance, of another for her diet, of another for her carriage, of another for her place and precedencie; of none for humility: Now as she that takes the worst of every woman, will make her selfe an extreme bad woman. So she that gathers obedience from Sara, wisdome from Rebecca, chast love from Rachel, faith from Mary, hospitality from Martha, humility from Anna, charity from Dorcas; shee shall make her selfe a most excellent woman; Delicias humani generis, the joy of men, the delight of Angels, and the beauteous Spouse of Iesus Christ. All these were the properties of that good wise Salomon speakes of; and in what woman soever you find them, you may say with him; Many daughters have done vertuously, but thou [surmountest] them all. These be good patternes to follow, as we pray for our Soveraigne, that not onely he may be like some former Prince, but have the vertues of them all: the courage of Ioshua, the heart of David, the head of Salomon, the zeale of Iosiah, the integrity of Hezekiah, &c. So al those eminences which we find in the ancient Saints, we desire to be concentred in our own heart. He that would plant a garden, borrows here a choice flower, there an herbe, there a plant; till at length his own surpasseth all the rest. But alas; whereis this imitation of goodnesse to be found among us? we are led by whom we are fed, without respect to him that feeds both them and us. Some spoile many of Gods creatures to confer all on their own creature, which is some = curre that they have drest up in high fortunes. Now, Quid non summa nequitia poterit in summa fortuna? What cannot extreme malice doe in a supreme place? Thus Absalom charged his servants concerning his brother Amnon, 2 Sam. 13.28. Kill him, feare not, have not I commanded you? Yet such Portenta temporis, prodigious Comers are followed in all their delirements and aberrations. Men wil lie by patterne, sweare by patterne, drinke by patterne, whore by patterne: What is this but to go to hell by patterne? There is another way to heaven, and divers have gone it before us: who now being mounted above the clouds, and trampling under their victorious feet al the vanities of this world; seeme to waft us up with their hands, and call us with their voices to follow them; saying, We have the sweet rest of peace, the rich apparell of glory, the society of Angels, the blessed vision of God; Follow us, O follow us on earth, that you may come to us in heaven: that we with you, and you with us, and all together with Angels, may sing glory and honour to our God for ever.
We have considered the King-leaders; now wee come to the matter of their mischiefes: which are for Pluralitie, Wayes; and for Pestilence, Pernicious or damnable wayes.
Their wayes:] there is a Plurality, diversitie, number of them. Sinne is called the Way of the ungodly, Psal. 1. Because of their familiaritie with it, who are continually travelling that cursed thorow-fare. Matth. 7.13. The way is broad that leadeth to destruction: There is roome enough for all Satans journey-men to pass in triumph, without justling for the wall, or without a flourishing Fenser to scowre them a conveyance. The extortioner and the lavisher, the common whore and the connivent officer, the theefe and the corrupt Lawyer, the griping Citizen and the Vsurer; they have all roome. Oh it is a dancing, a capring way: they goe to hell as merrily as beggars to a Faire; but then the house of correction marres all. Wayes: Truth is but one, Errours are infinite: Truth hath but one face, Errour is a Proteus. Goodnesse is an uniforme simple, Sinne a multiforme compound. Cant. 2.2. As a Lily among thornes, so is my love among the daughters. There is one health, many diseases; one way to doe well, infinite to offend. The soule is more subject to aberrations, than the bodie to surfets. There are innumerable diseases to the bodie, when as two hundred are incident to the eye: yet are there more sins to endanger the soule. Iam. 3.6. The tongue is a world of wickednesse: Si pars, quid totum? The tongue is but a little part of man; if that be a world of sin, what is the whole? even a world of worlds. S. Paul hath twice gone about to number these wayes; yet breakes off his catalogue in both places with a silent supplement, Gal. 5.21. Adultery, uncleannesse, idolatry, &c. and such like. Here is prety store, yet lest he should never have done, he supplies all with an Et caetera, an Hujusmodi, Such like. 1 Tim. 1.10. Lawlesse disobedience, &c. and if there be any other thing of the same nature. There is an whole Hospitall, or Saint Pauls Spittle of incurable wretches: yet as if there were more behind, he concludes with a Si quid tale; whatsoever is like to these. God knowes all their wayes; they are as cleare before him, as if they were written with the brightest Sunne-beames upon a wall of glasse, Lactant. Will men flatter themselves, that God sees not all their wayes? Yes, there is not one hid from his sight: he can reade the most crooked lines that ever man wrote, and picke out the meaning of every word, yea, and make the offenders conscience reade them with horrour. We cannot reckon up Gods good deeds to us in order, but he can reckon up our evill deeds against him, in order, not we his. Psal. 40.5. Thou hast made thy wonderfull workes so many, that none can count them in order to thee. But he ours. Ps. 50.21. I wil reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes. His wayes are far above out of our sight, but he searcheth the wayes of the wicked, and knoweth all their paths. Si quid tale, saith Paul: no bill of Ignoto’s, all come within the catalogue; if not, there is a Si quid tale to bring it in. Paul in that scroll, Gal. 5. hath neither Blasphemie, nor Perjury, nor Sacriledge: but whatsoever is left out, there is an His similia, Such like, to fetch it in. Because a man is not in extreme rage of madnesse, is he therefore no foole with God? Because hee cannot satiate his lascivious purposes, is hee therefore no adulterer with God? Shall none be shut out of the Kingdome, but those who are there precisely mentioned? Yes, Revel. 22, 15. Without shall be dogges, that is, blasphemers, scorners, lyers; which are silenced in that roll; saving that they are made belonging to the ulcerous fold by a Si quid tale. Hast thou none of those sinnes? Habes alia non fortasse minora: thou hast other, perhaps not lighter. Peccare est à disciplina aberrare, August. Discipline is one; now there is so many wayes of sinne, as deviations from doctrine. Although every particular be not reckoned, yet there is a Writ of Si quis alius, to bring the sinner in compasse.
The Devill makes much of this variety of wayes; that whom he cannot draw to hell one way, he may doe it another. There are some spirits sinfull enough, that will not yet be wrought to fetch treason from Rome: they hate Rome above Hell, and will lye with any Whore in Europe before the Whore of Babylon. Well then, Satan hath another way for him; hee will fetch him a little sneesing-powder from Amsterdam, fire him with a Puritan zeale; and then though he dares not with the Iesuite discharge pistols, yet he will shoot squibs, and curse those that love his mother. Some trouble their heads about no religion at all, rather than venture the danger of being a party; the Devill hath another way for him; Sir still, ply your businesse, take your ease; though you be not so hot as the rest, you shall be saved assoone as the best, I warrant you. Others are not so sluggishly minded, well then he hath another way for them; that damned path of luxuriousnesse: what say you Sampson to a Dalila? Yes, I will venture my life for her. What say you to a knot of boote-companions, a pack of sound cards, that will leave their wits rather than the wine behind them? Excellent well, Drawer give us an ocean. Are you for yet another way? What say you to a tricke that will prostrate him you hate under your feet? Yes, I will hazard all my blessing in heaven, to bring a curse upon him in earth; I will undoe my selfe to beggar him. Is not this to the graine of your affection? What say you to be a Monarchs favourite, to ride in triumph thorow the populous streets, and heare the acclamation; This is the man whom the King will honour: Vassals kissing the dust your feet trode upon; but then you must be proud, and forget God; there another way for you. Doe not all these satisfie you? Will you be rich, and = gold? O there’s a way indeed; will I? will I not? Aske me if I will live. He that speakes to us of money and wealth, Nostras avido sovet igne medullas; Cheares our blouds with a tickling heat.
The Devill would be undone, but for these various wayes. All will not be adulterers, not all Idolaters, nor all usurers. But though it be true that by nature all sins are potentially in us, yet minus servit majori, there is a predominance: and all temptations delight to runne with the current of Concupiscence. It is easie for a beggar to be no usurer; alas there are many other wayes to he damned. Satan like the Fisher baits his hooke according to the appetite of the fish. And as Christ tooke men in their owne element, making Piscatores animalium, piscatores animarum, (non mutata piscatio sed intentio) changing in his Apostles not the condition, but the intention of fishing thus he appear’d to Mary in the garden, like a Gardiner. So doth Satan to pervert; Fit fera, fit volucris, fit toto corpore serpens; Becomes all things to seduce all men Some Danat will not be wonne to play the whore, unlesse her lover appeare in a showre of gold: he hath that way for her. Another will not bow in the house of Rimmon, crouch at a Masse, but for his masters favour; he hath that way for him. A third will not rend the Church with Schisme, but to get himselfe a name: he hath a way for him too; he shall not be inglorious, though he be infamous. A Iesuite will not strike at the annointed bloud, unlesse the Pope will canonize him for a Saint: there’s a way for him. One will have this way, another that way; so they goe to hell any way; Satan cares not. One trembles at the maine ocean, that ventures to be drowned in a shallow puddle: no matter how, sayes Satan, so he be drowned.
To conclude, he studies many wayes to make you wretched, doe you study one way to make your selves blessed. The Devill is the father of lies, he would have shewed Christ the way down from the pinacle, but it was a false way, by a precipice if thou standest in a quandary, and he should point thee a way; that is, if thine owne lust, his town-clearke, say this way; be thou sure to take the other, for he meanes to murder thee. If thou be in the path of obedience, and he say unto thee, as Elisha to the Syrian armie, 2 King. 6.19. This is not the way, but follow me, and I will bring you whither you desire: answer him with an Abi in malum, Depart thou lying spirit, this is the way of righteousnesse which the Holy Ghost prescribeth. Now seeing that of many wayes, one speciall way is hard to hit, Lord guide us the right way, open our eyes to see it, incline our hearts to walke it, and bring our soules to the end of it, through = that is the way of truth, and the truth of way, and life of both, IESUS CHRIST.
Their pernicious wayes.] Wee have done with the number, let us come to the nature of their wayes; which are Pernicious or Damnable. The word is diversly read: by some ἀσωτίαις, by some ἀσελγείαις, in the later copies ἀπωλείαις: for Luxuries Lasciviousnesses, or Destructions. If understood in the former acceptions, we have this observation.
That the end of heresie is to make men proud and insolent, or riotous and excessive; contrary to the doctrine of mortification which the Gospell preacheth. For that which promiseth that the flesh shall not kill us, chargeth us also to kill the flesh. The one is promised, Rom. 8.1. the other imposed, Col. 3.5. Ahab was assured by the Prophet that Benhadad should not slay him, but withall he was commanded to slay Benhadad; that proud enemie of God and his Church: but because he did not, Thy life shall goe for his life, and thy people for his people, saith the Lord, 1 King. 20.42. But now the doctrine which encourageth and flesheth the flesh, which admireth and admitteth the world; doth also make much for the Devill. His first policie was to catch the soule through the treason of her guard, the Senses. For Nisi prius deciperetur sensus, non sequeretur assensus; Vnlesse the sense had first submitted, the consent of the soule would never have followed. And still he insinuates to the soule, as the men of Tyre to Herod, by Blastus the Chamberlaine, Act. 12.20. The flesh is a perfumed fawning Blastus, that does all with the great one. Here is then the difference betweene true doctrine and false; the former only intends to make σῶμα τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἀσώματον, to unbody the body of death: and the scope of the other, is to turne the grace of GOD into licentiousnesse, and to inlarge the jurisdiction of sinne.
The Gospell intends our newnesse of life, and peracts this through foure degrees; in allusion, yea, in conformitie to the death and resurrection of Christ. First, his body was wounded and beaten, with thornes and buffets: answerable in us there must be contrition: Trajectum vulnere corpus; When the Publican did but knock his brest, he gave this wound to his flesh. Strike it soundly with remorse of heart, set it a bleeding. 2. Christs body was pursued with incessant afflictions, so follow thy fin with continuall blowes, till thou make it so weake that it cannot creep, 1 Cor. 9.27. I beat downe my body, and bring it in subjection. Though sin wil not say, as the Prophet to his neighbour; Percute me; Smite me, I pray thee: yet God bids us smite it: and if we deny to doe it, his wrath will smite us, as the Lion slew that refuser, 1 King. 20.36. Therefore let us deale with it, as the other man did with the Prophet, ver. 37. Smite it soundly, and smite it daily: a little sorrow is not sufficient. Gemitus, quasi geminatus: Let us water our bed every night with our teares, Psal. 6.6. Doe not only blow upon it with intermissive blasts, for then like fire it will resurge and flame the more. Sinne is like a stinking candle newly put out, it is soone lighted againe. It may receive a wound, but like a dog it will easily licke it selfe whole: a little forbearance multiplies it like Hydra’s heads. Therefore, Nullam labem aspergat dies, quam nocturnae lacryma non [diluant]; Whatsoever aspersion the sin of the day hath brought upon us, let the teares of the night wash away. 3. They crucifie Christ: so when sinne is thus wounded and weakned, let us have it to the Crosse, and naile it fast, Rom. 6.6. Let our old man be crucified with him, that the body of sin may be destroyed, that hence-forth we may not serve sin. It is fit we should crucifie that enemy, which crucified our best friend, Christ. Yea, that we should kill that, Quod si non pereat, perdat; Which, if we destroy not, will destroy us. It is written of Ahaz, 2 Chron. 28.23. that he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus which plagued him: Let us never seeke to please sinne, which seekes to confound us. He is a foole that loves his sinne better than his soule. No, Moriatur iniquitas, ne moriatur iniquus; let the sinne die, that the sinner may live. Neither dally this execution: save this malefactour from the galhouse, and hee will be the first that shall hang thee: be sure it is dead. 4. Lastly, as CHRIST was taken downe from the Crosse, and laid in his grave: so is it dead? O bury it. The Gospell will not bate one degree of this proceeding, even to buriall, Rom. 6.4. Wee are buried with him, &c. Mortification may beginne at some few principalls, as an arme is striken dead with a palsey: but Buriall covers all: therefore rest not untill all bee laid in the grave. Yea, as CHRIST was buried in a grave of Rocke, lest the softer matter of the earth should seeme easily possible: in one entire rock, lest the clifts and fissures should breed cavill: Yea, to the mouth of the rocke was a stone rolled, that stone sealed, and that seale watched. So make sure worke with thy sinfull flesh: bury it in a rocke: if thou finde none ready, in CHRISTS grave: there are no seames for Satan to steale it out, and bring it in judgement against thee. Roll a stone to the mouth of the Sepulcher, that is, detestation of sinne: hate it, as Amnon hated Tamar, more than ever thou lovedst it. Seale the stone, bind it with a vow of = I have sworn, and will performe it, Psa. 119.106. Set a guard about it, watch it: Cum omni custodia; With all diligence keepe thy heart from it. There are three watchmen; Fasting, Circumspection, and Prayer: Fasting is a plot to cheat iniquity, for she is no pingler, but loves pampering. By fasting keepe the body, by circumspection the soule, by prayer both. This is the doctrine of the Gospell, to kill the lusts of bloud and flesh: that the soule may live without the tyrannie of sinne in this world, and without the company of sinne in the world to come.
Now the aime and scope of false doctrine, is to hearten this Iezabel that bewitcheth us: that whosoever is led by it, may share the testimonie, the infamie, the penaltie with Ahab, 1 King. 21.25. He hath sold himselfe to worke wickednesse in the sight of God, whom Iezabel his wise provoked. The doctrine of Rome may here justly be indicted for Asoticall, the nurse of voluptuousnesse. O you wrong it; nothing is more corrective, restrictive, austere: Doth it not command fasting? No: what not Rome? No, not Rome: it commands abstaining from some kinde of food, but not fasting. A merchant is following his businesse all day, at night comes home; hee must have no flesh: but he hath his cullices, his jellies, his junkets, ten times more provoking than moderate flesh. The poore labourer, if at night he eats a peece of Bacon, O he is an heretike, but the other an excellent Catholike. But does it not forbid marriage, and commend vowes of chastity and celibate? Yes, that it may allow Stewes, and have large fees out of harlots hires. But there is a curse against them, Mich. 1.7. They gather it of the hire of an harlot, and they shall returne to the wages of an harlot. Why doe they not boast their Pauline order, founded by Ghastalia, a Countesse of Mantus: where mortification was so throughly taught, that a certaine old woman Iulia, indeed little better than a Bawd; would lay a young man and a maid in one bed together, with a Crucifix betweene them, to keepe them from scratching one another; that thus they might learne to mortifie the flesh? Doe they not commend [ἀσωτίαν], Prodigalitie; when they tempt a young landed man to part with all he hath, to undoe his parents that depend upon him; that hee may take their order, and they divide his Inheritance? Doe they not approve ἀσελγείαν, lasciviousnesse; when they forbid marriage to a chaste wife, and tolerate turpitude with an unchast curtesan? Whether then we take it for the first or second, the third will fit all, as our translation reades it; Damnable wayes. In that Tertio they all meet: whether it be a Luxurious way, or a Lascivious way, it is still a Damnable way.
If it be taken for Riot and voluptuousnesse, that is a pestilent doctrine which shall teach a man to cast away Gods blessings like troublesome rubbish, 1 Tim. 5.8. If any man provide not for his owne, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an Infidel. It is Pernicious to both the estates, present, and future. First, for this world, it hastens beggary: it is the rioters phrase, when he calls for supplies to his lusts; It is but begging an yeare the sooner. Diogenes requested of a prodigall a talent: he as asked him what he meant, to desire so much of him, and so little of others: he answered, Quoniam tu habes, illi habebunt; Because thou hast, and they will have: I shall beg of thee but once, of them often: give me now a talent, I may live to give thee a groat. Secondly, for the world to come, when the account must be given, the matter will be worse. If the servant that but hid his talent, was cast into utter darknesse, for not improving it: what answer shall he make that hath riotously wasted it, Luke 16.1. There shall be more fire, because there was lesse faithfulnesse.
If it be taken for Wantonnesse, then that is a Damnable doctrine, that shall teach a man to goe to heaven by uncleannesse. Such a pestilence is derived from the Papal faction, that Fornication is but a veniall sinne, 1 Cor. 6.15. Paul saith, Shall I take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid. That [sacriledge], to make the member of Christ a limbe of the Devill by the congression lust, is with them veniall. Paul saith, God forbid it; but Rome allowes it, and in some sort commends it. But he that so taught it, shall never so find it, 1 Tim. 5.11. They wax wanton against Christ: What’s their reward? It followes; Having damnation because they have broken their first faith. Such a damnable opinion was hatched by the Familists, that a man might lie with his neighbours wife dormiente marito, while her husband slept: as if the sleepe of the innocent excused or acquitted the guilt of the waking. But let them all pretend what they will, as the woman that presumed so much of her husbands love, that if he should finde her in the bed of incontinence, he would not harme her: but it proved farre otherwise, to her shame and ruine. So there is another judgement must passe; and let them not thinke they are so sure of Gods favour, that he will not finde fault though they be lascivious: for Whoremongers and adulterers the Lord will judge, Hebr. 13.4.
To conclude, observe the horrors of false doctrine, and the inexitricable confusion it wrappes the followers in ταῖς ἀπωλείαις, Pernicious: ad verbum, Destructions, or Damnations. The wicked never rest till they meete with finall ruine. Pharaoh, though by one plague he had lost the fruites of the earth, by another the fruite of his cattell, by a third the light of his eyes, by a fourth the fruite of his loynes, even all the first borne of Aegypt: yet as if all this could not content him, he would not give over till he met with utter destruction; till he was drowned and damned. Yea, they follow it as if a man should wooe and court unhappinesse: one would thinke it were enough to say to Destruction, as Ahab to Elias; Hast thou found me O thou mine enemie? But so to pursue it, as not to give it over till they overtake it, is a desperate madnesse. Like flies that stil hover about the candle, and the burning of a wing serves not their turne; they must sacrifice their lives in the flame. So busy are the wicked about hell fire, playing on this side, and one that; dancing through it as boyes through a bonefire; yea as in the sacrifices of children to Moloch, and that with pipes and melodie in the valley of Hinnon. Never ceasing till God make an utter destruction, affliction not rising up the second time, Nah. 1.9. It is a fearefull protestation of the Prophet against them. Psal. 109.18. As he clothed himselfe with cursing like a garment, so shall it come into his bowels like water, and like oile into his bones. As he loved it, so he shall have it, and be alway girded with it. For us that love Salvation, let us never rest till we are assured of it; not suffering our eyes to sleepe, nor our eye lids to take any slumber, till we be possessed of Iesus Christ.
Many shall follow their pernicious wayes.] Thus for the Ringleaders, now view the rabble: and therein their multitude and their Aptitude, their number, Many: their forwardnesse, tractablenesse, easynesse to be tempted; Shall follow.
1 Their multitude, Many: wickednesse walkes with numbers, and is never scanted of folowers. Matth. 24.5. Many shall come in my Name, and deceive many. Paul saies, they shall draw a world after them. Goodnesse hath a few adherents, because the gate is narrow that leadeth to life; the wicked in a proud disdaine blanch heaven gate, as too straite for their greatnesse. All that the master graciously invited, disdainefully refused. Luk. 14.18. All with one mind make excuse: well, his cheare shall not be lost. Goodnesse may complaine with Paul; At my answering, no man assisted me, but all forsooke me: yet still prayes for them, that it may not be layd to their charge. Christendome is the least part of the world, 2 Tim. 4.16. they that professe Christ truely the least part of christendome; and of this little part there be many that may bee called Heretickes, not so much in their lippes, as in their lives, not in their doctrines, but in their doings: they colour for CHRIST, but confederate underhand with the world. Therefore Many are called, but few are chosen. It is said. Revel. 20.12. that the bookes shall be opened, and another booke which is the booke of life. There is but one booke of life, wherein the elect are registred: but the bookes of the reprobates are many, for one booke will not hold them. But if I for beare the common customes, I shall be held singular and irregular, a by-word of the people, and as a tabret before them, Iob [17.6]. And what, must thou preferre fame before conscience? Remember the Philosopher when the people applauded him, Quid mali feci, he asked what evill he had done? Socrates ever suspected that, which past with the general most commendation Augustine reckons up 288 severall opinions de summo bono. Civit. lib. 19. cap. 1. but amongst all these we never found any so mad, as to place his happinesse upon common fame. Indeed so long as great men be good men, and the most the best, wee may follow both: but because this is rare, let us not doe as the most, but doe as we must. It is better to have good company in heaven, than great company in hell. It was a satyricall, an atheisticall answer of a Iester, when a great Lord asked him whether he would goe to heaven or to hell: he said, To hell; for there I shall be sure to meet your Lordship, and the most part of my acquaintance. But hee little loves CHRIST, that will not love him without company: and his zeale is cold to heaven, whom the example of numbers can turne another way. No, let us say as much as Peter said, and doe more than Peter did: Though all men should forsake thee, yet I will not leave thee, O Saviour. Neither magnitude of Princes, nor multitude of people, shall prevaile with me: I am thy sheepe, I will follow my shepheard. Lead mee on with the bands of love, and hold mee with the hand of mercie; knit me to thy selfe, now with saving grace, and hereafter with everlasting glory.
2 Their Tractablenesse; Shall follow. There is a pliable disposition in all men naturally to evill, in these a desperate and unstayable precipitation.
They need not be compelled with scourges, nor tormented to it: their owne willingnesse saves the labour of painfull coaction. It is onely a Iob that the divell delights to vexe with anguish: he knowes, an Absalom will runne laughing to hell. Luk. 22.31. Satan hath desired to winnow you. To winnow you, there are some all chaffe, he will not meddle with them. Hos. 4.17. Ephraim is joyned to Idols, let him alone. Let him alone, saies Satan; he is as safe as I would wish him. No generall wounds his owne souldiers, that march under his colours; but his enemies. Luk. 11.18. If Satan bee divided against himselfe, how shall his kingdome stand? Hee never makes reprobates feele his hate, till they feele his heate; even his fire in the burning lake.
They need not bee drawen with cords, haled with authoritie and command. Indeed if Doeg heare a Saul bid him murther the Priests, he will run upon them, and quickly dispatch them. 1 Sam. 22.18. If Nebuchadnezzar charge the people to adore his new erected Idol, they quickly fall downe; Assoone as the musicke gave warning, Dan. 3.7. Iohn shall not want a deaths-man, if Herode send for his head. The centurions servants never ran faster on his errands, than these to doe mischiefe. Such headlong followers of false teachers are the Papists, who have learned caecam obedientiam, to be so tractable as to follow their leaders blind-fold. They practise an in discreet surrendring up of themselves to the command of their superior. Like those uncleane beasts, Deut. 14. they swallow and never chew the cudde. It is an inconsiderate, undiscoursive applyment of themselves to anothers will, without waighing the goodnesse or fitnesse of the action. An Abbot commands one to cast his crying child into the river, and drowne it: he doth it, and saith my Author; God did reveale that he accomplished Abrahams worke, Cassian. Another was desirous to be instructed in the point of predestination: his Superior turn’d him to a place in Augustine, and bad him read There: when he came to the end of the page, not of the sense or sentence, he durst not turne over the leafe, because his superior bad him real There. This following they so commend, that if a man were dignified to talke with Angells, if his superior called him, he must come away. When one of them was in discourse with our Lady, a Fryer called him, and he very unmannerly quitted her, Climach. They sticke not to affirme, that it is a greater pride to doe a good worke against a superiors command, than to doe a bad one with it: because that is vice under pretence of vertue. This it is better to sinne against God, than against our spirituall Father: because he can reconcile us to God, but no body can reconcile 〈…〉 him. Here is a ducible disposition indeed, a generation that will follow upon the least hint. If Peter should have asked them that question. Act. 4.19. Whether it is better to obey God or man, judge yee: they would have answered; Man, so he be a Superior. Yet saith Eli, 1 Sam. 2.25. If one man sinne against another, the Iudge shall judge it: but if a man sinne against the Lord, who shall plead for him? Yea these men will follow, were they never called. They would be glad to heare it from the mouth of their Ioab; Run; and like Cushi, they would bow themselves for it. 2 Sam. 18.21. Yea, like Gehasi, they runne though they were never sent.
They need not be led on with flatteries, as Absalom stole the hearts of Israel. When a courtier, to worke Sejanus out of favour with Tiberius, had luxuriously flattered and guilded him with his owne vertues: and the Emperor found that the intention of all his designe was to overthrow Sejanus: he replied, alas you might have spared all this paines and oratory, for I meant before to ruine Sejanus. So to perswade a covetous man to become an Vsurer, and to flatter him with the safe and easy gaine; it is but labour lost: he meant to doe it, though he were never counselled to it.
They need not be hired with rewards: yet this same Dabo tibi goes farre; it tempted Balaam to curse, where he should blesse: Iudas to betray, where he should adore. Saul thought that this only would stay the Benjamites from revolting to David, 1 Sam. 22.7. Will the sonne of Ishai give you fields and vineyards? will he make you captaines over thousands, or captaines over hundreds? This engine Satan planted against the walls of eternity, Matth. 4.9. All these will I give thee. As God said to Abraham; All the land that thou seest will I give unto thee, Gen. 13.15. But these men, though they had no reward, yet insant sine munere currunt. Though the tempter sayes not as Balak to their cussen, false prophet, Numb. 22.37. Am I not able indeed to promote thee to honour? Yea though he confesse plainely, I have neither silver nor gold, lands nor vineyards to give you: yet they resolutely proceed in the satisfaction of their owne malice; We will eate our owne bread, and weare our owne garments: Esa. 4.1. only doe thou owne us, and let us be thy retainers. Though upon our owne cost, we will follow: so greedy is the wicked man of his owne ruine, that himselfe will beare the charges of it.
From this point of their Tractablenesse, ducible and easy diposition to be led onto evill, we may raise five observable deductions.
1 The greedinesse of the ungodly to sinne, that they scarce tarry for temptation. Eph. 4.19. They are past feeling, (sicke without sense) and have given themselves (without hire, or pay, or compulsion, but by a deed of gift) (not only to thinke, but) to worke (not a light kind of immodestie, but) uncleanesse (not some little, but) all uncleanesse (not with indifferent appetite, or some forward disposition, capable of disswasion, but) with unsatiable and desperate greedinesse. The Apostle sets downe here two especiall markes of their selfe violence. 1. They have given themselves: not ravished as Thamar, but they have prostituted their owne soules, like that impudent strumpet, that sits at the doore, and calls in passengers, Prov. 9.14. So Ahab sold himselfe to worke wickednesse; he had no hire. I remember Davids lamentation over slaine Abner, 2 Sam. 3.33. How dyed Abner? how? His hands were not bound, nor his feete tyed with fetters of brasse; yet he fell downe at the feete of the conqueror: yesterday a man, to day a corps. No body compelled these, no body forced them; but their owne will was their owne overthrow, their owne following their owne undoing, and the battell is fought betweene them and themselves. 2. With greedinesse: they follow as the yron adamant, by a naturall and hidden propensitie: or, as a Lacquay followes his Lord, and hath no course of his owne, but which way his master pleaseth. To be sure of not being behind, they will be before: or, as a dogge followes his master through foule or faire, thicke or thinne, whether North or South; which way soever he doubles his point; howling and questing if he be at a losse. Or, more properly according to the phrase here; as Scholers following their Master, novices their Superiors; subjected to their doctrine and discipline, without questioning what they learne, or, why they suffer. Marching like Iehu the sonne of Nimshi, driving as if they were mad, 2 King. 9.20. Hastning as a bird to the snare, or a foole to the stockes: as if they had fire at their heeles, like Sampsons foxes; whereas indeed the fire is before their faces: they runne not from it, but unto it.
2 Sinne is strong when it meetes with a weake resister. How easy is it for error to dominere over ignorance! 2 Tim. 3.6. They lead captive simple women, led away with diverse lusts. Silly women are easily led captive by subtle men. The divell is called a strong man, yet the faith of the weakest christian is able to beate him backe Eph. 4.27. Give no place to the divell: for there is no place for him but where it is = him. When Satan had CHRIST on the Pinnacle of the Temple, one would thinke that a child for strength might have turned him off: No, his commission extended not so farre: he met now with a strong defendant, and he is as weake as water. It is mans infirmity that sets off the glory of his strength. Iob 41.25. He is a king over all the children of pride. Satan is a tyrant, but over whom? none but the children of pride. He is called the Prince of the world, but indeed only of worldlings, yet let not this so disgrace his strength, that you become secure. Though the divell stands at Gods curtesie, let us not be fearelesse or carelesse of such an enemie. Sinne is strong, it could fetch Angels out of heaven, arrest Gods courtiers before his owne face. A whole world could not withstand the furie of it, when it came marching against them with a floud. It was strong enough to lay all the sons and daughters of Adam in the dust. The divell is strong as a Lion, yea stronger than a thousand Lions; that counteth darts as straw, and laughes at their shaking of the speare, Iob 41.20. death is strong, a stalking Gyant, that like Goliath dares all the world to match him with an equall combatant. Hell is strong, it can hold Alexanders, Cesars, Tamberlanes, the sonnes of Anak, sure enough for ever breaking forth. But now whence have all these their strength? Aliunde petunt, they fetch it from the life of sin, which only soules them all with their vigor: take away that, and they are as weak as a bulrush. What power hath death but by sinne? it is the sting of it: all a serpents power is in his venomous sting. Yea death had never beene, had not sinne engendred it. Iam. 1.15. Sinne bringeth forth death. It is beholding to sinne for the very being; for it is none of those positive things that God made. The divell had beene damned alone, but for sinne; and all the world had mocked his malice. But intra te, quod contra te: he fetcheth the poyson from within thee, whereby he fighteth against thee. He finds that weapon in our owne lusts, wherwith he runs through our soules. Marke the Philistines policie. 1 Sam. 13.19. to leave the Hebrewes not a Smith in all Israel; lest they should make them speares or swords. Let this be our stratagem, to disappoint the divell of his weapons: O that he had no Smith amongst us: howsoever let not us be his Smiths, to hammer, work and fashion his temptations in the forges of our owne brests. And for hell, though without sinne it have the strength of retention, yet loseth the strength of attraction: it may be powerfull to keepe those it hath, but not to draw in those it hath not. That great Gulfe may hold the prisoners from comming forth, but the gates of hell are too weake to scramble in a beleeving soule.
But alas, when sinne invades a weake naturall man, it boasteth the power in present conquest. Mans strength is wounded by an originall blow: and as when sicknesse hath gotten the better of him, and cast him downe, still as the patient growes weaker, the disease growes stronger; and the more that tyrant usurpes, the lesse able is the sufferer to resist. At first Sampson was hard enough for all the Princes of the Philistines, at last they set a boy to lead him. Abimelech was a stout Prince, yet had his deaths wound by a woman. Totylas that mighty conqueror, who vanquished Rome, which vanquished the world, was slaine by Narses an Eunuch, a Semi-vir. It is recorded of Solyman a late Turke, that having a great German brought prisoner unto him: in spite and derision of the German nation, he caused his dwarfe, a very pigmey to take him in hand after he was bound; to hacke him and hew him, to runne at tilt at him with many courses, and at last to kill him. Let little David maze Goliah with his sting, and he will cut off his head. Thus may the Lion and Leopard be tamed, and a little child lead them, Esa. 11.6. The Scythians had a pestilent enemie that infested their countrey: they levied a troupe, and with a great conflict tooke him: when they had him, they were yet troubled to hold him: they then so scanted his dyet and sleep that sixe men could master him: at last by degrees they brought him so low, that they set a dogge to lead him. Thus Satan first sets on man first with troupes of spirits; and if he be unruly, they starve him by detaining the food of the soule, the word of God: at last when he is brought low, they set a dogge to lead him, his owne lust. This Naaman feared and escaped; Hazael scorned, yet admitted: Am I a dogge that I should doe this? 2 King. 8.13. He became that dogge, or, at least was lead by that dogge. Thus prone are we to sinne, and therefore let us pray him that is the Strongest to fortifie us. If we be left to our selves, sin not sooner calls than we follow: all our helpe, all our hope is in the preventing grace of God.
3 Observe the power of evill men over their associates; whether in perverting the higher faculties of the soule, reason and understanding and conscience: or, in corrupting the lower, will and affections. There is some respondence betweene a physicall and this ethicall or morall corruption. It is wrought:
Either by privation, withering the good qualities in us: like an evill North wind, they blow upon the buds of our grace, and nippe them. Whether the ill companion bee a white-skin’d hypocrite, or, a blacke-hided Ruffian: the one like = water, the other like fowle: but any water, faire or fowle: may quench the fire of Gods Altar in thee? He doth worke a tabe and consumption into his fellowes vertues: and wasteth them from an ounce to a dramme; from a dramme to a scruple, to a graine, to nothing. He that hath money will beware of theeves: if thou have any grace, venture it not among these rifllers. Art thou enclined to pray? he tempts [thee] to play. Wouldest thou goe to a Sermon? by his perswasion the Theater stands in the way. Wouldest thou relieve the poore? no saies hee, this will helpe to beare charges at the Taverne. Luk. 10.30. A certaine man went downe from Ierusalem to Iericho, and fell among theeves, that robbed him, &c. He that will goe from Ierusalem to Iericho, shall fall among theeves, that will rob him of his good conditions. The divell hath such agents, that practise the art of debauching men. As Amilcar swore his young sonne Hanibal in vindictam Romanorum, to the revenge of the Romanes: and as Rome now sweares her proselytes in vindictam Anglorum, to the revenge of the Protestants: so the divell sweares all his Instruments in vindictam [Christianorum] to the revenge of Christians. So that a man may say with Christ in the crowd, Quis me tetigit? Who touched mee, for I feele vertue gone out of mee.
