2 Peter 2:3 (part 1 of 2)

THe Apostle in this verse makes a continuation of their sinnes, and a declaration of their plagues. They extend the threed of their mischiefe very long, till hell fire burne it off: and then they shall find that they have spun a faire threed. They broach Heresies, corrupt multitudes, sell soules, as Merchants doe their wares; coozen mens consciences, colour foule natures with faire words, blaspheme the Gospell, deny IESUS CHRIST; oh how constant and long-winded are they in their wickednesse! But there is a judgement, an unsleeping judgement; a damnation that wakes while they slumber, and shall at last take them napping. The roote of their noxious intentions is covetousnesse; that make them Merchants, they trafficke in the bargaine of soules; to buy them, not for CHRIST, but from Christ. Being once cunning merchants, they get smooth tongues, milking language: and like practitioners in that legall theeverie; embrace men in their armes, and laugh in their faces, while they picke their purses.

Their heart, tongue, and hand are employed in this project; all have their distinct offices, and they accomplish their duties. The heart dictates to the tongue, the tongue prepares the way for the hand. Their hearts covet, their tongues flatter, their hands trafficke. They covet your goods, they flatter your sinnes, they sell your soules. The roote is covetousnesse, the branches fained words, the fruite merchandise of men: and there followes the axe of Iudgement to hew them downe, and the fire of damnation to burne them.

In this description of false teachers consider generally:

Their Prodition; Through covetousnesse, &c. Perdition; Their judgement, &c.

In their prodition or trecherie against the Church, observe that the metaphor of merchandizing is used; wherein examine foure concurrences.

The Traders, False prophets. Wares; You. Ground of Trafficke, Covetousnesse. Meanes of utterance, Fained words.

In theiir perdition or ruine, consider:

The Severity of it: Iudgement and damnation. Vicinitie of it; Lingers not, slumbers not.

First, let me spend a little time upon the generall similitude (Merchandizing) here used by the Holy Ghost. The calling of a Merchant is of great antiquity, and necessary use: the state of the world cannot well stand without it. Non omnis fert omnia tellus: our northerne parts have no wine for the Sacrament; Meshek King of Moah was a Lord of sheepe, Hiram had store of timber, Ophir was famous for gold, Chittim for Ivorie, Basan for Okes, Lebanon for Cedars: therefore there must be a path from Aegypt to Ashur. Merchants are the feete of the world, whereby remote and distant countreyes meet together. Yet it is a dangerous profession, not only for wracke of life and goods, but also for wracke of conscience: which is not alwayes made in their ships abroad, but too commonly in their shops at home. There be the quicksands of nimble fraud, and the rockes of perjurie. Gaine is a busy temptation, and they can neither use measures nor ballances, but the divel is at one end to doe some office. The quest of wealth is dangerous: Per bella quaerere, flagitium: per maria, periculum: per falsitatem, opprobrium: per agriculturam, verò licitum: to seede it by warre is injurie, by falshood ignominie, by sea danger, by husbandry honest and safe. Mic. b. 10. Cassian. I will not say with Chrysostome; Tu qui Christianus es, fuge forum; ut nec facias nec patiaris fraudem: Come not neere the market, for feare of deceiving, or being deceiued.

It is a lawfull calling, if it be lawfully used. No man is bound to stay at home: he may visite forraine countreyes, if either authority or necessitie send him forth. A calling is a good warrant, and it cannot want danger to goe unsent. But two things are to be waighed; who must goe, and whither. Who; not a feeble and ungrounded Christian. Religion hath in it all statures, all strengths; children and men. Let a child or a foole be turned loose into the Apothecaries shop, that gallipot which lookes fairest, shall soonest have their fingers, though there be poyson in it. He that is unsettled, endangers his owne infection, he had need be a resolute Caleb, that goes to view the land of the Canaanites. Whither; not a place of enforced blindnesse, and compulsion to idolatrie: but where holy profession is free. Is there no trade allowed with Heretickes? Yes, but not with heresies. We may converse with men not with idolatries: civilly, not in religion: deale with them in the businesse of commerce, not communicate with them in their superstitious services. How hatefull is a Bimmonite, pretending an upright heart in a prostrate body! Trade with their persons, not with their vices: trafficke is allowed, not amitie; not friendship, but peace.

All company with unbeleevers or misbeleevers is not condemned. We find a Lot in Sodome, Israel with the Egyptians, Abraham and Isaac with their Abimelechs; roses among thornes, and pearles in mudde; and Iesus Christ among Publicans and sinners. So neither we be infected, nor the name of the LORD wronged; to converse with them, that we may convert them, is a holy course. But still we must be among them as strangers: to passe through an infected place is one thing, to dwell in it another. The earth is the LORDS, and men are his: wheresoever GOD shall find the merchant, let him bee sure to find GOD in every place.

Howsoever, it is a profession not without great danger of iniquity, it is a hard thing to keepe sin out of trading. A Merchant shall hardly keepe himselfe from doing wrong? and the very name of it doth in the common dialect Malè audire, sound unhappily: when to be a deceiver is said in a phrase to play the Merchant. Nor is the suspition of it without all probable ground; for the world hath had trades-men in a continuall jelousie. I doe not derive merchants from so wicked a patrone as Mercurie; Expertos furandi homines, hac imbuit arte Mercurius; saies the verse. But certainely our Saviour would have found another name for buyers and sellers in the Temple, than Theeves; if to buy and sell had beene of so cleare and innocent a consequence. But our customers (say they) are either acquaintance or strangers. If acquaintance, they come in love, and our affections keepes us from deceiving them. It strangers, we lose our trade in losing our credite, if we deceive them. But alas, what doe men talke of acquaintance and love, where coveteousnesse admits of no friend but gaine? And for strangers, they are soone forgotten; you thinke never to meete againe, till you meete in heaven, or meete in hell, desire of profite in over-prizing, pride of wit in over-reaching; these are the principles of brokerie, that foule the fairest merchandise.

Such a conceite in a Pasquil I have read, where bringing in the states of the world, he appropriates cussenage to the merchant. He placeth together Charles the fift and the Pope reconciled. To them comes kneeling a Husbandman, saying, I feed you two. To them a Merchant; I coozen you three. To them a Lawyer; I rob you foure. To them a Physitian, I kill you five. To them a Divine; I absolute you sixe. But of all sorts of merchants, two especially would be whipt out of the State; Merchants of time and Temple. Such as fell time, which is Gods fee-simple: and such as sell Tythes, which is Christ inheritance. For us, let us only be mercants of Christ: the kingdome of heaven belongs to such a Merchant, as will sell all he hath to purchase it. Of all purchases, let us buy Iesus. Ambr. Vilem se vult aestimari Christus, ut ab omnibus ematur. Be thou never so poore, Christ will sell himselfe unto thy soule.

1 The Trades-men or Merchants are False Teachers. 1 Pet. 1.19. Christ came into the world to buy soules, and he paied a deare price for them: not silver and gold, and such corruptible things: but the deare bloud of his immaculate heart. All his Ministers levell their courses at the same end, to buy soules for Christ. The price they pay for them, is their labour, vigilancie, prayers. They breake their sleepes, spend their spirits, consume their bodies; suffer infamie, povertie, miserie; and yet thinke all nothing so they may purchase one soule. No Vsurer was so gripple and pinching for moneys, as Paul was for soules. He had a banke in every place; in Macedonia, Antioch, Ephesus. 1 Cor. 16.8. I will tarry at Ephesus untill Pentecost. Why? Because a a great dore and effectuall is opened unto me: there is a market of soules. I must to Ierusalem: Why? to purchase soules. Phil 1.8. After these, he takes God to witnesse, he did greatly long in the bowels of Iesus Christ. We have a Depositum with God, God a Depositum with us. Our Depositum with him is our owne soule. 2 Tim. 1.12.4, 8. I know he will keepe that I have committed to him. There is laid up for me a crowne of righteousnesse. His Depositum with us is the soules intrusted to our charge. If the depositary doe not returne what he may, he is the sonne of death. Act. 20.28. Take heed to the flocke whereof the HOLY GHOST hath made you overseers, to feed the Church of God which he hath bought with his owne bloud. The whole verse is a purchase, you shall see the good Ministers part in it. The seller is God, the buyer CHRIST, the thing sold and bought, the Church; the price payed, Blood; the great Steward of this purchase is the Holy Ghost: the overseers, and lookers to it, are Ministers and Pastors. Some are two lasie, not Tendentes sed tondentes: others too busy, contra-tendentes: good Pastors are superintendentes, and good hearers attendentes.

God doth not impose on us a purchasing price, that is for Christ: nor a converting power, that is for the holy Ghost: no more than one man can make another; creation is for himselfe. Paul sayes not Plus profui omnibus, I have profited more than all: 1 Cor. 15. but Plus laboravi omnibus, I have laboured more than they all. God judgeth us not by the soules wee have converted, but by the paines we have taken. Hee will not call us to account for his owne worke, which is to convert soules. A great Patron who is now gone some whether, was wont to say when a Minister petitioned for a living. Can he make the drunkard sober, the covetous man liberall, the malitious charitable, then he shall have it freely; els not. But if God should give us no reward, unlesse we converted you, woe were to us. We would have cured Babel, but shee would not be cured. We can so farre testifie; we would have saved you, but you will not. Aske your soules; Who hath beleeved our saying? Still we preach, and still you continue the same. Nature is bountifull though men slight it. Flowers grow though no body gather them, rivers runne, springs fill welles though none drink of them, we doe good, though we be neglected. Indeed our preaching something shortens the hornes of sinne: though wee cannot disswade men from swearing, yet wee get them to forbeare it at the Church, in holy services.

2 Cor. 6.20.7.23. Thus we desire to buy you for Christ, these seeke to sell you from Christ. The Gospell speakes still of Christs buying; ye are bought with a price. To sell that hee bought, is to crosse the proceedings of Christ. Venditor hominis occidendus; it was Gods law. Deut. 29.7. If any steale an Israelite, and sell or make merchandise of him, that theefe shall die: though he sold but his body: what shall become of them that sell his soule and that not to man, but to Satan? God complaines by the Prophet verdunt populum meum; as the brethren sold Ioseph to the Ishmaelites: little did those = know what a treasure they had bought. As Iudas sold Christ to the Iewes for; o pieces; poorely did he value the peni-worth. Thus they sell men to sinne, little esteeming the price that a soule cost. The prodigall selling out his inheritance by parcels; now a part and then a part: a friend told him that he never knew the price of it; his progenitors paid deerely for it. His lands being gone, hee sold his goods; being asked what he would doe at the last; answered; I will sell my selfe. When they have sold you, they will sell themselves after you: as Iudas having betrayed his master, betrayed himselfe. They shall pay dearely, for that they sold basely. Mat. 17.25. When hee had not to pay, his Lord commanded him to be sold, his wife and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. His principall Iewels must be sold for satisfaction. Haply the wicked would part with his wife and children without pitty, if he might so scape himselfe: nay, himselfe also must be sold, that the Iustice of God may be satisfied.

2 The wares, you; your estates, your liberties, your lives, your soules. They set up a marke of holy things, and with their impostures fiill their purses. As Simon Magus so wrought upon the mad Samaritans, that by selling them to the Divell he stuffed his coffers with the treasures of bloud. And marke his scholler so bewitch’d the noble women, that they sold their husbands to buy their sorrowes; as [Irenaeus] writes. Of this branne are the Romish merchants, whom we may see in this Text as pointed out by the Apostles finger. Their maine doctrins are points of merchandise: wherein the Devill is beholding to them; for they are content to enrich him with soules, to enrich themselves with moneys. They enlarge his dominion in hell, to extend their owne possession on earth. What is their auricular confession but a tricke of merchandise? A man must confesse all his sinnes, or, have none of them pardoned: well, hee hath disgorged all the crudities of his stomach, what then? Then must he make satisfaction according to their prescription. You are content to buy out a pardon: yes, what must I pay for it? you shall give such a summe of money to such a Church; so much land to such a Colledge: such a pension to that Fryerie. Here is a cunning trafficke, a market made to purpose: thus they encrease their revenues through all Europe. Their distinction betweene the fact and punishment, is a merchants doctrine: the fact may be remitted, the punishment retained, what then? O here creepes in Purgatory, a milder fire than that of hell, to eate out the penaltie hereafter; what profit’s this? Yes the Pope is Lord of Purgatory, he keepes the keyes, which he will never turne without a round fee. Indulgent hee is to them that will pay, either for merits of others, or masses of their owne. This painted fire in his parlor, maintaines the materiall fire in his kitchen. Thus are the people sold, for who would not emptie his purse to escape that burning? Yea, if he be rich, and have any charitie, he will pay the fees for all his friends, and release them out of prison. Still the Priests laugh, how for maintaining a jest, they get money in good earnest.

Their forbidding of marriage to many degrees of men, is a pretty trade of merchandise. When they on purpose forbid them, that they may dispense with them. So still the more prohibitions, the more dispensations; and the more dispensations, the more accumulations of treasure. The truth is; Policie hath quite eaten up their religion; and to make themselves great, they care not for making themselves or any other man, good. Roma dat omnibus omnia dantibus. The foundation of the Popedome was layed in pride, the building set up with rapacitie, and now it is kept in reparation with tyrannie. The Pope is Pontifex Maximus; si non doctrinâ, tamen pecuniâ maximus. Paul saies, I have coveted no mans silver or gold: but with them, no Peny, no Paternoster: they covet your gold more than your selves. Paul saies, Act. 20.33. we seeke not yours, but you: they seeke not you, but yours. They sell mens estates to beggarie, their freedome to slaverie, their lives to trecherie, their soules to danger of perdition.

They sell you.] An evill Pastor may sell his flocke three wayes; by flatterie, by heresie, by silence.

1 By flatterie; he that encourageth a man in his errors, sells him for his owne gaine. Magnus laudator, magnus adulator. These are they that sew pillowes, where they should quilt thornes: that proclaime peace in stead of warre; that skin ulcers with lenitives; and say omniabenè, when God sees and saies, All is starke nought. There is a faithfull zeale required in ministers, but it hath many hindrances. Such are affection; when Parents (not unlike Zaledicus) put out one of their owne eyes, that they may not see their childrens faults. Corruption, when they are guilty of the same sins. The people argue thus; such a Preacher taxeth many sinnes bitterly, but you never heard him find fault with usurie; therefore certainely it is lawfull. Feare of great men; who like mules kicke when they should sucke. Bashfulnesse; which is in a woman a great vertue, in a Preacher a great vice. Now this boldnesse must not be without meeknesse. Gal. 6.1. If a man be fallen, restore him with the spirit of meekenesse. The originall implies; put him gently into joynt againe. Some are over-bold; that send much talke out of their mouthes, before discretion come into their heads. Nihil ignorantiâ verbosius. Eccl. 5.3. A fooles voice is knowne by multitude of words. Impudent speakers are like the gaping oisters; when you open them: either they stinke, or there is nothing in them. Qui dicit se nescire quod scit, ingratus est: qui dicit se scire quod nescit, temerarius est. He that professeth ignorance, and hath knowledge, is culpable of ingratitude: he that professeth knowledge, and is ignorant, is guiltie of a proud rashnesse. There is a difference betweene a dumbe dogge, and a barking curre.

Many have too cowardly spirits, a Iohn Baptist were now a great miracle. To doe well, and heare ill, is the fate of greatnesse: but to doe ill, and heare well, is the fault of greatnesse. Envie followes upon Iustice; therefore often doing well is made to heare ill. But flatterie waits upon unrighteousnesse; therefore doing ill is made to heare well. Tell my people their sinnes: there is no greater contradiction to that charge, then to conceale men from themselves; or in a false glasse to shew them their owne faces. Hee that forbeares to tell the people their sinnes, doth not forbeare to sell their soules. I could say something to them that controll the mild freedome of Ministers. Am. 7.13. Prophesie no more at Bethell. And indeed greatnesse carries too strict a hand over some; that they are faine to runne at their stirrops, and come in at the least rebuke. They are mussled for barking, and dare not quest; but like silent setters, heare, and see, and keepe counsell. This is miserable, when the Preacher must stoope at the Pulpit doore, to take measure of the peoples feete.

2 By Heresie; broching schismes and factions, and erroneous opinions: as it were feeding the people with bones, or rather with poisons, in stead of wholsome meate. The Apostle speakes of such, not with malice and contempt, but with sorrow and teares: Phil. 3.18. I tell you of them weeping. They so fill their hearers heads with crotchets and scruples, that they runne about like frantickes, and cry downe all plaine-song with their divisions. Hee that dissolves your union, and breakes your peace, doth what he can to sell your soules.

3 By silence. The advocate that ought to plead, betrayes the cause by his voluntary silence. The watchman that doth not ring the alarme bell at the approach of danger, betraies the Citie to the enemie. If the Minister hold his peace, when he sees Satan in the market barganing for soules; he doth as it were make merchandise of them, and take money for them. I grant that as Demosthenes had a great see for his silence in a cause, so many have gotten preferments by rarity or rather nullity of Sermons. I envie not their purchase, nor desire a partnership in their merchandise. The Lord keepe mee from selling that by holding my peace, which hee bought by dying on the Crosse. I will sell any riches to buy a soule, I will never sel a soule to buy riches.

1 They sell you.] Perhaps they bought you first, may they not then sell you? If they bought you deare, would you have them sell you cheape? vendere [jure] potest, emerat ille prius. One might buy a benefice haply of some unsanctified Patron, (for no hallowed man will sell hallowed things) and will that merchant live by the losse? But to buy is Simonie, to sell is Sacriledge. Christians are the Lords proprieties, sanctified and set a part from the world, for himselfe. Hee that sells them, is guiltie in some proportion of Iudas his merchandise, when hee sold CHRIST himselfe. Mat. 26.13. Hee went to the chiefe Priests, and said, what will you give me &c. First, against the custome of the market, he did not tarry in his shop or stall, til customers came to cheapen and buy: but he went to them, like a pedlar that had no standing; he sought chapmen, exposing his wares; quite contrary to the reason of modestie, which observes that proffered ware stinkes. Thus doe these merchants, keepe no markets nor ware-houses in publicke, but runne up and downe to get trading for soules. 1 Pet. 5.8. Quaerunt emptores: as their master, that Seekes whom he may devoure. Many a cursed Patron and patterne of Atheisme, holds a Benefice vacant in his hands, till hee hath sounded many chapmen with a Who gives more? And then if Balaams Asse can but dung him silver enough, hee will sell him all the soules of the Parish, yea, they are worse than Iudas: he came to the Priests with a quantum dabitis, hee set no price on his commoditie, but left it to the buyer: not, thus much you shall give for him, or not have him; but give what what you thinke good, make your owne match. But these Patrons set a precise rate on their livings. Thus much you, shall give: it is worth a hundred pound a yeare, and I will have three yeares purchase for it; and yet say that I use you kindely: for such and such have taken sixe , seven, nine yeares purchase for their meere donations. Yea they are craftier merchants than Iudas: for it is probable that hee had neither ready money, nor good assurance: but these will be sure of their moneys before hand, or, els a good pawne. And let the best Preacher in the Land come at such a season; Si nihil attuleris, God be with you, Homer.

2 Thus are the poore soules that CHRIST died for, sold into the hands of ignorance or impietie: for neither learned nor honest men will be the buyer of sacred things. But when Iudas is the patron, Simon Magus must be the priest. Yea Iudas is overdone by these Merchants: he sold CHRIST but once, and thought that once too much: these sell him often, over and over againe. As one of them thanked God, that he had turned over three Incumbents in one benefice for his time; but he was a Popish one, as it is said. Now the chapman that buyes this, purposeth to sell it again and to make a commoditie of the sheepes wooll, whatsoever become of themselves. Like the Wolfe, who suckes the ewe, while she is a little one, and devoures her when he is growne a great one. Nutritus per me, sed tandem saeviet in me. But let this be spoken to the horror of their consciences, that make merchandise of the Churches endowments. Such a patron shall find it hard enough to answer for his owne soule: but to have the bloud of so many soules required at his hands, it is a question when hee comes to hell, whether Iudas himselfe will change torments with him. It is horrible and would make any heart shudder and tremble to thinke, that poore people bought and sold on earth, should lie blended in torments with their Patrons and Priests; cursing the one for selling, the other for buying their soules.

They sell you.] You are private persons perhaps, and this Text concernes not you. Yes, strongly in another sense. Beloved, we sell not you, but you sell us: the Pastor doth not make merchandise of the flocke, but the flocke of the Pastor. Our hand is against every man, and every mans hand is against us: our hand is against your sins, and your hand is against our livings. There is no fraud or cussenage that lesse troubleth your consciences, than that wherby you robbe the Church: yea this Sacriledge is held an action of Iustice. While you had leaden Priests, you payed golden tythes and were than perswaded, that blasphemie and drunkennesse were tolerable sins in respect of sacriledge. But now those that in your owne consciences teach you the true way to blessednesse, you will be sure to make exemplary subjects of povertie and miserablenesse. You were then glad to licke up the dust that fell from their feete (no whit beautifull:) we are glad to picke up the crumes that fall from your superfluous tables. It is the pride of this sacrilegious citie, that the Minister be alwayes the poorest man in the parish.

I doe not thinke it a curse upon us, (as it was upon Eli’s house: to beg a Priests office for necessitie sake; 1 Sam. 2.26. that they might eate a piece of bread) for we have learned to want: and it is a small matter to fast a day, that we may feast the whole yeare, in heaven for ever. But it is a curse upon your selves, of your owne begetting: that you may perish in your incorrigible sins; while the poore Minister must not dare to reprove his rich benefactor: if he doe, he is sure the next quarter to lose his benevolence. Luthers observation is too true; so soone as the Gospel revived, money grew dead. Ministers shall not be both wealthy and faithfull: rich and not true, or true and not rich; both together were a miracle.

It is Satans policie, that they who maintaine the truth; should not have to maintaine themselves. I know that some Divines, transported with God knowes what, have refused the positive and unquestionable rites of the Church, to feed upon arbitrary contributions wherein they are more foolish than those Fryers, that have made themselves voluntary beggars. I know that they would retract it now, and shut the doore when the steed is stollen. Repenting too late that they have betrayed the LORDS Inheritance into the hands of impious tyrants: who laugh at the poore Minister, when hee comes to begge a straw of his owne sheafe. this fanaticall opinion is not quite dead, wee have had such transportive furies amongst us; who would perswade all Preachers to live upon benevolences; in confidence of their owne merits, and popular approbation: for so they hope the biggest share would fall to themselves. But if we appeale, as Bishop Grostead did from Pope Adrian private, to Pope Adrian publicke: or as another, from his passion as Clement, to his Holinesse as Peter: so from them then out of their wittes, to them now come againe to themselves: wee shall finde it concluded, that it is better for Christ to keepe his inheritance in his owne hands, than to stand at their curtesies: who had rather there were no Gospel nor Preacher in the world, than that their Heire should want a Parsonage.

That the Altar should have maintenance for her servants; none but those who would give sinne a pasport to offend, can deny. Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all his goods. Gal. 6.6. To goe close home to that place or, to bring that place close home to your consciences; would appeare harsh to these times. If any man does not communicate, God is not mocked: you see how it falls and I feare it falls heavy on many amongst us. Make him, not them: you heare many, one is your Pastor; make Him partaker. Some will give little to their = Minister, but somewhat to another of their owne humour. He can tickle their heads with crotchets, bring into suspition the integrity of Church Goverment, discredit their poore Pastor. I will tell you one marke of a Foxe though a Puritan, yet a Puritan-foxe: such a one as disgraceth your owne minister, that he might get you to heed him, and feed him. If he were a Paul, he would never suffer the to doe Peter any wrong. If he were a good Teacher, he would never teach thee to injure thy owne Minister. Let him communicate. Pastors have tythes, that they may have a fellow-feeling of the peoples losse, and fellow-comfort in their encrease. That the Priest so well as the merchant might pray to God in a storme, and praise him in a calme: both alike depending on Gods providence. I know they should doe so howsoever, but we are men not Angels: the wisdome of God thought it fit by a portion to encourage us.

I know that nothing is more enviously grudged, than the livings of our Clergy. The Gentry hath gotten neere upon three parts of the spirituall maintenance, and left the Church but one quarter: and yet they could eat her with salt for having so much. The Levites under the Law, besides their Tythes, Offerings, First-fruits, Sacrifices, Vowes; had 48. walled Cities, with large Sub-urbes for their Cattell, large glebes to plant and sowe in; when as their whole Land was not so bigge as England. Now men thinke it arbitrary; at their choise whether they will give the Minister any thing or not. You shall have a civill libertine give a Commissary more for a licence to eate flesh in lent; than to his Pastor for feeding his soule all the yeare. But thou sayest, I give him so much as the Law allowes: but the Law must needs leave something to the libertie of thy conscience, to be answered in a higher Court. Wilt thou performe no more duties to God or man, than humane Law can extort from thee? If we should preach to you no more Sabbath dayes in a yeare, than the Law doth exact at your hands; you would thinke we dealt injuriously with you. Who feedeth a flocke, 1 Cor. 9.7. and receives none of the milke? You partake Preachers goods, and shall not they partake your goods? You must not only give an eare, but an earering: not onely put on their wedding Garment, but also give them garments to put on. You have read how villanously the Ammonites entreated Davids messengers cutting off their garments, &c. Wee are Messengers of the Sonne of David, but O Sonne of David send us not to such Ammonites, 2 Sam. 10.4. as will do us no more good, than stripping us of all we have. Nehemiah complained, that in his time, the Levites for want of maintenance, were faine to leave the Temple, and follow the plough. Luther sayes, this was the cause why the Clergie invented such points of superstition, as were advantageous to them: Prayer for the dead, Indulgences, &c. This was not for the peoples soules, but for the Priests bodies: not for Piety, but for the belly. As Ahasuerus said of Haman; Est•. 7.8. will he force the Queene before my face? So may Christ say of these Sacrilegers; Will they force my Church before my face? If the buyers and sellers in the Temple deserved whipping; certainly the buiers and sellers of the Temple deserve hanging. Who knowes whether they therefore scape correction here, that they may have the greater damnation hereafter!

Men would have fire kept in the Sanctuary, but allow no fewell: they would have the lampe burne without oyle. To take away the provant from the Armie, is to betray it to the enemie. In darknesse they did straine it, now they restraine it. The world thinkes we can live like Iohn Baptist, by miracle; who was in his dyet, habite, carriage, indeed a miracle. Liceat dicere miraculum fuit, Psal. 4.6. quamvis miraculum [fecit]. Offer to God, saith the Psalmist: in stead of this Offerre, this common course is auferre. He that will be a voluntary minister, must be content to be a necessary begger. So the mendicant Fryer told the woman of her three sonnes fortunes: that one should be a theefe, another a homicide, the third a beggar. Which for a second almes he would teach her how to prevent, or, at least so to qualefie their fates, that they might retaine their trades without danger. He that shall be a theefe, make him a lawyer: so he may steale by Law. He that shall be a homicide, make him a Physitian so he may be rewarded for killing. He that shall be a beggar, make him a Priest, a = so he may beg by authoritie. God hath made their profession honourable, the world hath made their condition contemptible. Yet they bring saving truth in their mouthes, which the Lawyers cannot say. A Divine can say, this is true Divinitie; a Physician can say, this is proper physicke: what Lawyer can say, this is true Law, and I will warrant it? yet we reward the latter, and disgrace the former. If state be questioned, we goe to the Lawyer for counsell; thank and fee him. Being sicke we send for the physitian, credite, thanke, and pay him. We send for the priest, but neither reward, nor so much as thanke him, for we hold it his dutie. How rarely hath the minister the tenth of the others fee! yet we falsely say, that we preferre our soules, before our estates, or our bodyes.

Thus you sell us; and what is the event; with the price which Sacriledge takes for the Churches of Christ, is purchased a field of bloud. A field of bloud indeed, to bury their owne soules that thus merchandise, and many thousand innocents that are the chaffer of their cursed bargaines. The end of all these merchants alwayes hath bene, and alwayes shall be fearfull. For Magus the father of them; he presuming in a publicke theater at Rome to flie up into heaven, caught such a fall that he brake his legs, say some. That hee who attempted to flie, was not able to walke: •t qui pennas assumpserat, plantas amiserat. Nay, this bold adventure broke his necke, Ambr. Epiphan. say others. Felix the Devils darling dyed vomiting of bloud. In a word, none that ever rob’d Churches, and merchandise, holy things, to fill their owne purses, or, fulfill their owne humours; but they were overtaken with some horrible judgement. As the Eagle that tooke a piece of flesh from the Altar, but a hot cole withall that set her nest on fire. And if the rest doe so perish, no good Christian will lament. If they bee made like Oreb and Zeb, that say, Come let us take to our selves the houses of God in possession, we shall not mourne: yea rather, our mouth shall be filled with laughter, and our tongue with joy. Psal. 126.2. GOD of his infinite mercie forgive Englands ingratitude in this kind: and grant that the burning Lampes in our Temples may bee supplied with sufficient oyle, that the light of Israel goe not out.

3 Through coveteousnesse.] This is the ground or motiue of their trafficke. It is = of every schisme, what was said of Lucilla’s faction, with a little inversion. Anger bred it, pride foster’d it, and coveteousnesse confirmed it. Here indeed, pride challengeth the uppermost seate: it is a high and audacious conceite, which scornes to goe in the common path, that begets it. Anger and impatience of contradiction nurseth it: and what it cannot maintaine by reason, a feminine testynesse shall out wrangle. Coveteousnesse binds it up with the in dissoluble knottes; while the sweetnesse of private gaine (not unlike our Monopolists neglects all publike good. But as it is the humilitie of the best judgements, to apply their studies to the confirmation of received truths: and the meekenesse of blest understandings, to disaffect singularitys: and the charity of Christian teachers, rather to be loosers of their owne, than extorters of others, or, to presse and oppresse the unripe grapes unwilling to yield their juyce. So false hearted schismatickes, to doe themselves profite, undoe they care not whom. Let their bodies famish, and their soules perish, so their owne state may flourish: building up their Iericho in the bloud of all their spirituall children.

This sinne of coveteousnesse is iniquity in all men, blasphemie in a Clergie man. As our doctrines are, Thus saith the Lord: so our lives should be, (if not like God, for who can match the sanctifie residing in that pure essence?) yet like men of God. The titles we beare, the office we sustaine, the person we present, the nearenesse of our calling to that absolute Integrity; are remembrancers unto us that we be not covetous. We are men of God, and Oh thou man of God flee these things: the Apostle insists there upon coveteousnesse. God is a God of knowledge, and of inconceiveable holinesse: therefore the Vrim and Thummim, the light of knowledge and conscience must be upon the brests of his Aarons. The Minister is to the people, as the body is to the shadow: if the body stoope to the earth, the shadow will not be upright toward heaven. Our master is in heaven, not on earth: our doctrine is from heaven, not from earth: our directing Spirit is of heaven, not of earth and shall our conversation crosse all these, and be of earth, not in heaven?

There is no fault in a Minister like coveteousnesse; because there is no sin raigning in the world like worldlinesse. We may spend our spirits, and preach our hearts out, to disswade mens affections from this world, if we embrace it our selves, they will never beleeve us. When a Preacher, as if he had lost all his former time spent in learning, and were now to recover it by a preposterous imitation of the [hungriest] mucke-eaters: gives over himselfe to that as most precious, which he bids other men give over as most superfluous. Men now hearing his Sermons will thinke his doctrine possible to be taught: but seeing his life, they will thinke it impossible to be kept. What scholler is not ready to imitate his Masters exercise? There is nothing farther from heaven, nothing more unlike our maker, than worldlinesse. It is observable that those creatures which are nearest the earth, are most busy in hoarding: those more remote are lesse carefull. What an abundant provision makes the Ante, which is a creature housed in the earth! The birds of the aire that flie next heaven, Matth. 6.26. neither sow nor reape nor carry into the barne. How unnaturall is it, that they who by their vocation are next heaven, should yet by their conversation be furthest off. How confidently doth the Apostle draw on their affections, upon his knowne unguiltinesse of this sin? 2 Cor. 7.2. Receive us, we have wronged no man, we have defrauded no man, &c. Receive us in understanding, obedience, charity: Why? though we rebuke sin, yet we have wronged no man in his reputation. Though we preach mysteries, have corrupted no man in his conscience. Though we receive our owne dues, wee have defrauded no man in his state and condition. False teachers are otherwise minded; Tit. 1.11. subverting whole houses, for filthy lucres sake. As Physitians given sicke men potions, that themselves may live: so all their conceptions are others consumptions. Their mouthes shall be stopped, saith the Apostle; if not with the hand of humane authoritie, yet with the fire of hell. They are such as the Psalmist describes. Their tongues walke against heaven, therefore the people turne in unto them, and thereout sucke they no small advantage. 2 Tim. 2.4. But he that warreth, intangleth not himselfe with the affaires of this life. Clericus in oppido, piscis in arido: what should a Priest doe in the worlds market, or a merchant in the Lords pulpit.

This vice of coveteousnesse is an epidemicall disease, the grand Cair of = the metropolis of wickednesse, an universall plague that hath infected all cond•••• of people. Therefore albeit the point here doe centrally concerne the Church, and such as have negotiation in ecclesiasticall businesse; yet circumstantially it fetcheth in all. Luk. 12.15. One moved CHRIST to perswade his brother to a division of the Inheritance with him: and He said unto them. After he had given him his errand, he directed his speech to the whole auditory, which is said to be an innumerable multitude of people, treading one upon another. So Luk. 13.22. One said unto him, Hee said unto them; applying and amplifying his doctrine to them all. Mark. 13.37. What I say unto you, I say unto all. Some sinnes are peculiar to some vocations, as to the Magistracie or ministerie alone: other to some conditions as to the rich or poore alone: but this pestilence is incident to all. Ier. 6.13. From the least to the greatest, every one is given to covetousnesse. But because most men are like bashfull guests, that will fast for want of a carver; that office falls to me here: to cut every one a morsell of this dish; which haply may be against his stomach, but let him well digest it, and his soule will blesse mee for it.

Now according to the rule of discreet and well disposed charitie, let me begin at home, which is the heart of my Text. In the reproving of this sinne among others, God hath used to begin at his owne Sanctuarie. Let not us, that bid men looke upward, cast our owne eyes downeward. They will think that we abuse them, when we call them from the world, as Elisha did the Syrian Armie; 2 King. 6.19. This is not the way, nor is this the Citie: like Foxes disswading other beasts from that bootie, which we meane to make our owne. God and Mamon are two contrary Cures, we cannot serve them both. Some have dispensations for cures distant many miles: but no Court of faculties can dispense with this: for they are so remote one from the other, that heaven and hell scarce exceed them. Thou man of God flee this. We find Psal. 17.14. Men of the world, and Luk. 12.30. Nations of this world; they seeke after these things: but this (Man of God) opposeth those: Paul saies not as at other times, O Timotheus; but O man of God: it becomes not the men of God, to be men of the world.

Let me also reflect this point upon the Impropriators of Ecclesiasticall rites, before I leave the Church. Whether they be Popish, that steale away our portions, to give them to the Romish Emissaries: who sucke their blouds, as they sucke our blouds; and laugh at them, as they laugh at us. They fat the rich epicures of Rome, = grudge Lazarus their very crummes. Their conscience serves them, that Gods Ministers should want maintenance, rather than their horse-heeles shall want litter. Or whether they be Puritans, or any thing, or rather nothing, (to speake most favourably of them) men without God. How unpossible is it that they should not perish with that covetousnesse, which hath beene the perishing of many soules? They will have the Tenth of their neighbours estates, let their salvation goe whither it will. They will sooner lose their lives than their livings; as an Impropriator once rebelliously and traiterously spoke, when mention was made of the Kings willingnesse in their restitution.

That which the bad servant spake to his good master wickedly; Matth. 25.24. Thou reapest where thou didst not sow: may be charged upon them justly; doe they not reape where they never sow? It is we that sow spirituall things, and they that reape our temporall things. They thrust their sickle into our harvest: making that prophane, which God hath sanctified to his Ministers. Putting an Egyptian tricke upon the world; to take away our straw of meanes, and exact our number of bricke, in preaching and hospitalitie. We are put to labour in our ministerie, to the care of getting bread for our familie: while they look on us with scorne, laugh at us with contempt, and dominere over us with pride. Men dissolutely proud, inordinately avarous, unserviceably idle, are entred on the meanes of honest labourers. What if the Churchmen in those former times were corrupt in opinion: must their maintenance be given to those that are ten thousand times more corrupt in conversation? This were as Cominaus writes of the French King; who having a Gallant in his army that cowardly ran away; he tooke all his offices from him, and gave them to one that ran ten mile further than he. Meane time, that curse which every eye sees upon the predecessors before them, will continue upon themselves and their posteritie after them; so long as the spoilers of IESUS CHRIST bee found with them.

For the common defrauders of our poore remaining dues; as they swarme like locusts over all the Land; so their principall borough is this principall Citie. For men that most plainely and impudently defraude their Pastors, of all places in England commend me to London. Honest, honest pharisies, you are too good to live heare; for you pay just tythes! You would bee such an example of equitie, that some would quickly trounce you, and teach you to be such a president. Non ignota cano: some would, and dare not, publickely render their legall dues according to to bond of their conscience, for feare the Citie should punish them. They have found out busie Lawyers, to question the tenure of tythes, by what right they are due: and some are cunninger in this point, than in the fundamentall point of salvation. But who examines by what right Impropriators hold the Churches maintenance! Let that case bee disputed in the Court of Conscience: and if God = on their side, we have done, much good do’t them. Let God say what he will, Thou shalt pay me the Tenth; they have a tricke to withhold it: but the Devill [hath a] tricke beyond them. And howsoever they have wit to foole their innocent mother; they shall never beguile their Almighty Father; who hath Rev. 2.18. eyes like a flame of fire. The booke whereby mans Law judgeth the Church, and the booke whereby Gods Law judgeth them; have infinite difference. All this obstinate opposing the truth, is for covetousnesse and ambition. Paul proves Melchisedec the better man, Hebr. 7.4. because Abraham payed him tythes. Therefore by Saint Pauls argument. Lawyers are farre better men than Ministers; because men are faine to pay them the tythes, due to the Ministers. Simon Magus is now justified: Sacriledge hath found a Christian patronage. And men of God looke to your selves, the [Ammonites had] tooke away halfe your apparrell before, now they have a warrant to turne you out naked. Mend them O Lord, or end them: let them be converted, or Psal. 129 6. confounded that hate Sion. Let them be as the grasse upon the house tops, which withereth before it groweth up: whereof the mower filleth not his hand, nor hee that bindeth sheaves his bosome, neither doe they which goe by say. The blessing of the Lord be upon you.

For the Patrons of Church-donations, too many of them have so locked up our livings in this hutch of covetousnesse, that they cannot bee unskrewed without golden key. They looke to the gifts of the hand, not to the gifts of the heart. One would thinke that Iudas his halter should make them afraid of Iudas his question; what will yee give mee: what will you give me? Satan gave him a rope. Take heed, lest while you aske the same question, God do not suffer you to receive the same answer. That sinne made Iudas a theefe, and it makes you no better: and what can a theefe looke for but a halter? We finde other merchants selling pearles, and purple, and scarlets silkes and but these sell also Rev. 18.13. the soules of men. Cursed merchants that trafficke in the bloud of soules. These bring into Gods Sanctuary, instead of Levites to devide the word Gibeonites not worthy to divide wood. But seeing they are content to venture themselves upon Gods vengeance, I leave them to their Iudge.

This sinne is not here confined: Covetousnesse in diverse others, thought it do not make merchandise of mens soules, yet of their estates. Briberie in officers which is a Burning sinne. Iob. 15.34. It is one of those three, that are called mighty sinnes Am. 5.12 They sell a man and his heritage; they are very theeves, Esa. 1.23. Why Theeves? because they Love gifts, and take bribes for the widow and fatherlesse They are theeves, not for taking purses in the high way, but bribes in their chambers. Hos. 4.18. Their language is Give: and the theeves is but, Deliver. Now what is the difference betwixt, Give and Deliver; yet often (Give) walkes in chaines of gold, while (Deliver) lies in chaines of iron. Evill men in the places of judicature make merchandise of the poore: while they spinne one cause throughout three generations. Like Surgions that keepe the wound raw, to draw out of it the more money. That often the recoverie of a mans right by Law, is as deare as if he had bought it by purchase. 2 Sam. 15.3. Corrupt lawyers are also merchants in this trade of covetousnesse, and selling of men. p Absaloms tong is in their heads; that sayes to all Clients; Thy cause is good: so he stole away their hearts, and these steale their estates. The buyer saies of a good commoditie with lesse sin, It is naught: than these speake of a naughty cause, It is good. Let them meditate the objection of Ioash; Iudg. 6.31. Will yee plead for Baal? But they doe it out of a good mind, to fift out the truth: yes, as Iudas did, (according to the heresie of the Cainites, as Saint Augustine relates it) that betrayed Christ out of a good and honest mind, fore-seeing the infinite good that his death should bring to the world.

All oppressors are free of this company of Merchants; they also sell men. Luk. 12.20. Thou foole: God layes the imputation of follie upon him that hoorded but his owne abundance. Whereupon Augustine inferres: if he be a foole that layes up his owne goods, vos invenite illi nomen qui tollie aliena; find out a name for him that extorts other mens. What name? Eccl. 3.18. It is found; they are beasts. What only Kine? Am. 4.1. No, they are not so kind beasts: but Lions and Wolves, that live ex rapto, beasts of prey. Beasts they are and should bee served like beasts; = destinie to be turned to grasse. There is but a company of Merchants, a company of Mercers, &c. but these Merchants are not in themselves a company, because indeed they be of every company. There be personall sins, and conditionall sins, and locall sins, and nationall sins: but this covetousnesse is an universall sinne.

We are troubled about many things, but neglect that one thing most necessary. Ociamur in quibus laborandum, laboramus in quibus ociandum. Other creatures are content with a little; Non ita mortales, quos urget habendi, Tantus amor; domibus domus, arvis additur arvum, monticulus monti, maribus mare, Iungere mundo conantur mundum, sua dicere cuncta volentes. This sin is like a talent of lead tyed to a mans heeles, that utterly disable him to climbe up the ladder of blessednesse. Our Saviour hath described eight staires; the covetous cannot get up one step.

First, Blessed are the poore in spirit: the covetous may have a poore spirit, Math. 5. cannot be poore in spirit. To be poore in purse is his feare, to be poore in spirit is none of his desire. Per mare pauperium fugiens, per saxa, per ignes. Through the sea of deepe policie, the rockes of stony bowels, through the fire of lust, the fire of hell, he seekes riches. Nothing humbles him to the sense of his sins, but the losse of his goods: and this so despaires him, that he will be at the charges of his owne halter. Blessed are they that mourne: alas, the trolling in of riches makes his heart too merry for that blessing. If Peter will weepe he must goe out of the Priest hall. It must be some premunire or confiscation, or such a losse that brings him to repentance. Blessed are the meeke. But Avidus lucri, impatiens damni. If hee lose his money, he will trouble his owne heart, his owne house, the whole Citie, and out-sweare a ruffian. If his servant but breake a glasse, it shall be deduced out of his wages. He had rather be damned, than damnified. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse. But his appetite stands not that way: let him glut himselfe on the filthy garbage of ill gotten goods, he cares not for Manna. To lap in the foule puddles of Vsurie, he refuseth the streames of mercie that make glad the Citie of God. Blessed are the mercifull: but that stands not with his profession. For the peny which comes out of his purse, it is like a drop of bloud from his heart. His reward must be accordingly, to have Iam. 2.13. judgement without mercie Blessed are the pure in heart. what puritie can you looke for in a stable? There is no mischiefe so tetricall, but if it be covered with gold, they will swallow it. Psal. 24 3. Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? who shall stand in his holy place? Hee that hath cleane hands, and a pure heart. Innocens manibus ascendet, but mundus corde stabit. The covetous keepes his hands too guilty to ascend, his heart to foule to stand there. Blessed are the peacemakers: hee loves peace so long as it waites upon profit: if otherwise, he hates it; and in stead of a making it, will make it nothing: he hath a Lawyer for the purpose. All his dues to pay, he out-wrangles: if a debter fall into his hands, the divell will as soone pardon a forfeit. The last step is, Blessed are they that are persecuted, for righteousnesse sake; this he will never endure. If it should come to that choice, that he must leave either Martha or Mary, Righteousnesse or riches; he loves God well but his money better. What, part with a certaintie for an uncertaintie? If hee can keepe both, well and good: if not, what ever betides, he will keepe his money. It would sound terrible, to invert our Saviours termes upon him. Cursed his the covetous, for he is not poore in spirit, but proud in spirit; therefore his is the kingdome of hell. Cursed, for he never mournes for his sinnes, therefore shall not bee comforted. Cursed, for not meeke, but froward in heart: therefore he shall not inherite the earth he so desires. Cursed, for he longs not after righteousnesse, but after riches, therefore shall never be satisfied. Cursed; for being unmercifull, he never shall have mercie. Cursed, for he not makes peace, but breakes peace; therefore shall be called the Child of the Devill. for purenesse of heart, and patience of hurt for Christs sake: he is a professed enemie to them both: therefore must inherite the Curse.

4 The meanes of their utterance; fained words. Heresie was never found disioyned from hypocrisie. As it is said of the lyer and the theefe; shew me a lyer, and I will shew you a theefe: so shew mee a Schismaticke, and I will shew you an Hypocrite. Pacis verba ferunt, et caedibus omnia miscent. Their speaches are so ambiguous and equivocall, Itieron. that they seeme to hold both ours, and our adversaries Tenents. Vt •li••• haereticus, aliter catholicus audiat. With heretickes they are heretickes, with catholikes they are catholickes. The cup of poison had need bee annointed with honey, to allay the bitternesse. What they cannot performe by the evidence of truth, they seeke to attaine by the eloquence of art. 1 Cor. 2.4. Saint Paul affirmes his preaching to bee, not with entising words of mans wisedome, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power. They on the contrary, come not with the demonstration of the Spirit, but with the impostures of oratory. Thus are all those Italionated Emissaries qualified, whom the grand Cacus of the westerne world sends abroad; being first throughly instructed in the cunning liegerdumaine of their Divinitie. The fittest denomination and fundamentall principle, is 1 Tim. 6.5. that Gaine is godlinesse. For their doctrine emptieth it selfe from point to point into the Churches treasure. They most uniustly exchange their lead for gold, which the French lawyers account no better than robberie. Hereupon their Paternoster and Avemarie have bene worthily called, the two neapolitane theeves. Luk. 20.47. They devoure widowes houses, and for a shew make long prayers. They are theeves in that Spirituall kind of sacriledge, that doe πλάσεσι λόγοις, with fained words coozen mens soules. Neither doth this art of dissimulation limit and content it selfe with the bare narration of untruths, and suggestion of errors in the credulous adherents: but it extends to perjurie; and that we call aequivocation.

Thus they doe not onely speake vainely, but sweare falsely; which is proper perjurie. Morally the end doth determine natures: and that which doth precisely crosse the good end, must needs bee most directly opposite to the vertuous nature. The scope and purpose of an oath is for confirmation, therefore none so directly crosseth it as false swearing. Whether it testifies, falsely of things past or present, as in an oath assertory. Or, undertake things De jure vel de facto, possible without performance, as in an oath promissory. Which principles of perjurie being their dogmaticall positions, wee have good cause to mistrust them, For by the benefit of this politicke invention, they can say what they will, sweare what they will, against knowledge, against conscience; provided that they reserve in mind the contrary. Thinke of this you that have an itch of travelling beyond the Alpes upon you. Quid Romae faciam? mentiri nescio. With what securitie can you converse with them, that pervert the formall intent of wordes. As if speach had bene ordained for concealement, and not for discoverie of our minds. What fruit or safety is in their societie, that poison the remedy of contention; and cancel al seales of confirmation. But they that have broken their faith God, will keepe no faith with us. When they had lost the sincere truth of the Gospell, they determined on this doctrine of the Devill Nulla fides cum haereticis servanda. They can faine wordes, and coine distinctions, but all is their old trade of merchandise, Rev. 18.

Here the description of hypocrites; they are all words; smooth unctuous, and fained wordes. Christians in the skin, divells at the coare. Like the Armenian Dragons, that have cold and squail’d bodies; yet cast fire out of their mouthes. Such was that Diogenes Sinopensis; in opinion a Stoicke, in conversation a Epicure, a foole in both. That Apostate Iulian so wrote of himselfe; that he had an busy tongue but a lasy hand. Their rhetoricke is prety and their logicke witty, but their practicke is naughty. They gape like sea-fishes, so wide as if they would devoure the whole Ocean: rip them up, and search their intralls, and you find no water in their bellies. Crueltie that is, aperta malitia is hurtfull: but hypocrisie, operta malitia is most pernicious. A Player and an hyppocrite are all one with the Greekes: hypocrites are the divells company of players. As men sometimes play in the shapes of divells, so divells play in the shapes of men. As CHRIST to deceive the divell tooke man upon him: so diverse to deceive man take the divell upon them. Satans best trading is by metamorphoses and transformations. He once changed himselfe from an Angell of light to a divell: so now he would change himselfe from a divell to an Angell of light. What is true of every evill; Quantò interius, tantò deterius; holds strongest in hypocrisie. Pagans allow us peace, heretickes peace, hypocrities no peace. The Churches persecution by Tyrants was bitter, by heretickes more bitter, by hypocrites most bitter. There is scarce a house in the world, but it is haunted with this kind of spirits; familiars; visible and carnall divells; familiar hypocrites. Feare, and the pit, and the snare are upon thee, O Inhabitant of the earth. Esa. 24.17. Either the feare of Tyrannie, or, the deepe Pit of policie, or the Snare of hypocrisie, continually assault us. But as CHRIST said to his Apostles; He that receiveth you, receiveth me: so he that deceiveth you, deceiveth me. Ananias lyed unto Peter, Peter tells him that he had lyed to the Holy Ghost. It is well observed that many mens religion is like the adverbe Quasi: which denotes a picture not a nature, an appearance rather than an existence; likenesse than a true being. As it were. So the locusts are described, Rev. 9.7. As it were horses prepared to the battell, and on their heads as it were the faces of men, &c. They were not horses, but as it were horses: had not Crownes, but as it were Crownes: not faces, but as it were faces of men: not haire, but as it were haire of Women: not teeth, but as it were teeth of Lions: not brest-plates, but as it were brest-plates of iron. Their whole description runs upon Quasi, as it were: they had not tailes, but as it were tayles of Scorpions: but in those tailes were stings, not as it were stings, but stings indeed: the farewell of hypocrites is deadly. All their balmes are Quasi, as it were balmes; but their stings are pernicious indeed. They draw neare to God with their lips, not with their hearts: so Gods blessings may shine upon their outward estates, but it shall never come neare their hearts. An hypocrite is like the Sicilian Aetna, flaming at the mouth, when it hath snow at the foote: their mouthes talke hotly, but their feete walke coldly. With the Iewes they cry thrice over for failing, Templum Domini; without once regarding Dominum Templi. One writes of the Onyx, that about the center it is of an earthen colour; on the circumference, azure, or skie-colour. Hypocrites have a heavenly garbe in the out-side, but an earthly heart in the center. They think themselves so holy, that they cannot chuse but be saved: but Sicut ad justos pertinet confessio peccatorum, ita ad superbos defensio meritorum, Royard. Confusion of sins becomes the just, and defense of merites the proud. Good men give God Fructum laborum, the fruite of their labours: hypocrites thinke it enough to give Fructum labiorum, the fruit of their lips. Foure dayes in a weeke he will spend in hearing, not one houre in a moneth in doing good. The Latines doe not so much call him Fallens as Falsus; more by the passive, than the active: he but thinkes to deceive, he is sure to be deceived. Yet me thinkes he should not so flatter himselfe, as to thinke that he can be too cunning for the divell.

As Rebels make their proclamations in the name of the King: and Pyrates intending to rob Merchants, hang out the flags of other Nations; both to scandall them, and to conceale themselves. So doth hypocrites weare Christian colours, that they maybe the Devils coozeners. I would they were no worse than the nightingale; vox et praeterea nihil; nothing but voice; but they have a sweet voice, and a pestilent hand. Rome broacheth all her poison under the name of Christ: but pull of her borowed liverie, and she is a Church apostotaticall, not Apostolicall: not militant, malignant: not for God and for Gideon, but for Antichrist and for Babilon. Their Praelati, Pilati: Speculatores, spiculatores. Bern. The hypocrite loades Christ with many sinnes, therefore Christ loades him with many woes and curses. It is not enough Dicere facienda, Matth. 23. but facere dicenda: Saul was not a Saint, because hee did once prophecie: nor is every one a beleever that talkes of faith. An apparant wickednesse of life cannot be excused by pure language among wise men: that deceives the ignorant, and upon such a ground the simple man thought Pontius Pilate a Saint, because his name was put in the creed. Hypocrites refuse our Ministerie, our congregations, our societie; they scorne to be with us: but herein they doe us a kindnesse, for we are blest in being out of their companie.

Hypocrites thinke that they doe all their villanie now unseene: but the Iudge beholds, and the day of retribution shall lay them open. Zeph. 3.5. The just Lord doth bring his judgements to light every morning: but the unjust knoweth no shame. The unrighteous will not yet be sensible of shame, though the Lord bring his Iudgements to light every morning. Still he encourageth his sin with this supposall, Luk. 12 45. My master is gone into a farre countrey. Eccl. 8.11. Because sentence against an evill worke is not executed speedily; the heart of men is fully set in them to doe evill. Tush, the Lord sees it not, neither doth the highest regard it. Because thou art one of those scape-goates, in whose temporary reprievement the Iudge of all flesh doth but represent the necessitie of his last assisses: shall not thy skin of hypocrisie be pulled over thine eares, and thy feigned words be made an evidence against thy wicked deeds? When an architect proffered Livius Drusus an heathen, to build him an house free from the sight of all men he desired him rather; if he had any skill, to build it so that all men might see whatsoever he did. So cleane should be our hands, and so honest our hearts; as if our bodies were transparant, and men might see through us. Howsoever, God sees here, and men shall see hereafter the shame of the wicked. 2 Tim. 3.9. Their follie shall be manifest unto all men. Now they lie, dissemble, sweare, forsweare, in a desperate madnesse: as if a malefactor should swagger at the foote of the galhouse, because there are some few rounds of a ladder betweene his necke and execution. Yet a little, and behold the Iudge in the clouds, the only visible person in the Trinitie; over a place, though not the same, yet as conspicuous as the valley of Iehoshaphat: the bookes all open, and the secrets of all hearts manifest. When that Sun of Iustice shall appeare, hypocrisie (that cold gloworme of the night) shall lose her vainglorious shining. These faining and fawning counterfeits, whose tongues are the tongues of mournebankes, their hands the hands of painters, and their lives the lives of players; which neither did what they said, nor said what they did; nor were in any point the same they seemed; they all must now appeare in their likenesse. The rotten inside shall be turned outwards, and painted sepulchers of stones shall spew out more painted sepulchers of men. Blessed soules then, in whose mouth there is found no deceit: happy Israelites, Revel. 14.5. Ioh. 1.47. in whom there is no guile. Such let us all be, that we may be redeemed from the earth, and like pure virgins be received into the bosome of CHRIST. Whenas as that spurious generation of Loyolists, that coozen all lawes and magistrates with their bastardly doctrine of equivocation; shall be rejected from the Lambe because guile and fained words are found in their mouthes. Our God is the God of Truth, CHRIST is the word of Truth, the Holy Ghost is the Spirit of truth; let us all bee children of truth; casting out dissimulation from our habites, guile from our mouthes, hypocrisie from our hearts; that we may live on Mount Sion with the Lambe of God, our glorious Iesus for ever.

Whose Iudgement now of a long time lingreth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. This is their perdition; wherein consider the severity or extremity of it; it is Iudgement, and damnation: the vicinitie or propinquitie and nearenesse of it; it lingers not, slumbers not. First for the extremitie, set downe in two termes; Iudgement and damnation. Which howsoever some referre to one and the same thing, their eternall confusion: yet because Iudgement properly and in order goes before condemnation; as the malefactor is arraigned and judged before he be executed: so I am willing to distinguish these two; Iudgement into their punishment temporall, and Damnation into their punishment eternall.

The summe is this, there are certaine plagues ordained for lyars, and the teachers of wickednesse. Be not deceived with their glorious shewes, sumptuous magnificence, mountains of honours, piles of riches, victorious triumphs (as they vaunt) over the truth: for this world will not last ever with them. If you see faithfull Ministers discountenanced, impoverished, persecuted: and these Impostors advanced, supported, honoured: yet totter not in your faith: their casting downe, and your = up is neare: neither shall they living escape Iudgement, nor dead damnation. God suffers them to riot upon his forbearance, and to grow luxurious on his mercies: but there is a rod of Iudgement made, and a caldron of damnation set a boyling for them. The Lord shall consume them with the breath of his mouth, 2 Thes. 2.8. and destroy them with the brightnesse of his comming. First therefore, lest any beleevers should stumble at their temporall prosperity, whereby they bluster and dominere in the world; they shall see their Iudgement. And then that they may avoid them, oberve the confusion that is ready to swallow them. Numb. 16.26. Depart from the tents of these wicked men, lest yee be consumed in all their sinnes. Be not involved in their sinnes, lest ye be dissolved with their plagues. This whole discourse I will resolve into certaine extractions, observations and inferences.

1 Their judgement.] The menaces of God are not alwayes followed with an infallible event: being sometimes on purpose signified, that they may be by penitence prevented. Consider this fearefull curse for a part of Gods counsaile, then followeth an absolute ratification of it. Esa. 46.10. My counsell shall stand, and I will doe all my pleasure. Who hath resisted his will? None can or shall doe it by their power: if they doe attempt it, be it at their perill. For hoc ipso quod contra Dei [voluntatem] fecerunt, de ipsis facta est voluntas Dei, Aug. Even in that they have done against his will, his will is done upon them. None but the King of Kings hath right to the stile imperiall, (I will, or I will not) without all limitation. Because his will and power be matches onely: and when his decree hath gone before, an answerable successe doth ever attend it. Therefore for the correction of those Merchants, who would trafficke without God, and resolve on voyages without his pasport: the Apostle chargeth all humane language to observe that necessary Parenthesis; Iam 4.15. If the Lord will. William Rufus proudly threatned, from the rockes of Wales to make a bridge over into Ireland. But a Prince there understanding that he asked no leave of God; answered, that he never feared that bridge whose foundation was not God: the Name of whom the King had omitted, in a presumptuous confidence of his owne strength.

If it be the Lords determinate decree, this Iudgement shall come upon them. But because God often threatens, before he once strikes; allow it not so absolute, but that may admit an intervention of repentance. When God threatens to pull downe, Ier. 18.8. = up, and destroy a nation; if that nation shall repent of the evill they have done, God will repent of the evill he thought to doe. But whosoever shall continue in this blasphemous course of disobedience, their Iudgement shall hasten, and their damnation not linger. The consumption decreed shall overflow with righteousnesse. Esa. 10.22. To close up the passage or hinder the course of divine Iustice, will be more impossible than for a man to stop the flowing of the sea with his armes, or to beate backe the lightning into the clouds with his breath. The name of God shall be famous in every sinners infamie. The wicked may as soone steale the booke of vengeance out of Gods hand, as steale themselves from the plagues written in his booke: Their judgement shall come. They can no more flie the power of their Iudge above them, than they could stand still if there were an earthquake under them. There is no appeale from this tribunall: no writ of error lies against this Iudge, though hee be both Iudge and party; because he can neither be over-borne, nor overseene. It is the LORD of hostes that can muster up plagues out of the dusts of the earth: that Strong man, that will breake forth in a Martiall manner against his enemies.

2 For whose sake doth God execute iudgement and confusion upon these false Teachers; and cut off the Instruments of sedition and error? For his owne glory, and the Churches good, that they may no longer cozen mens soules with their Impostures. God hath two sorts of workes; some of position, some of privation. His positive workes are those of Creation, making heaven and earth; of Supportation, bearing up all things with the word of his power; of Redemption and reconciliation, God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe: 2 Cor. 5.19. of Restitution and reparation, the time of the restitution of all things. Thus hee giveth, maintaineth, or bettereth the being of things. Act. 3.21. Which we now clearely reade in the booke of nature, more clearly in the booke of grace, most clearely shall read in the booke of glory. His privative workes are of judgement; corruptive, destructive works; acts of desolation; destroying the annoyances of his Saints. Both these he appropriateth to himselfe, Deut. 32.39. I kill, and I make alive: I wound, and I heale. Now in these desolating actions of his Iustice, the onely end is not to marre, destroy, and deprive of being: but to further the growth of the Church; as a man rootes up the weeds of his garden, that the good herbes may grow the better. Luk. 13.7. Cut it downe, why cumbreth it the ground? why does it take up the roome where a good plant might prosper, and bring forth acceptable fruite? So that their corruptions are our generations; their desolations our consolations; their impairings our repairings: judgments upon them are creations, recreations to us. As God destroyed the Canaanites, to make roome for the Israelites. Psal. 75.7. Psal. 46.9. God is the Iudge: he putteth downe one, and setteh up another. He breaketh the bow, &c. Cutteth the speare in sunder, hee burneth the Chariot in the fire. Those instruments of spoile and murder; the bow that kills a farre, the speare at hand, those winged Chariots, with hookes and sythes to mow downe all their opposites: these doth the Lord disappoint and desolate. Those menaces against his children, and insolencies against his owne Maiestie, his Iustice doth retaile into their owne bosomes. That 88 for a yeare, and 5th of November for a day, put us in minde of such an intended destruction, and such an intervenient desolation; as that day and yeare shall bee for ever both famous and infamous for. It is the ruine of enmitie, that is the resurrection of peace: unlesse severitie be shewed to our adversaries, securitie cannot dwell in our streets. Our Redemption was a worke of this nature: sinne by the Devill, Rom. 5. and death by sinne, not onely entered, but triumphed over the world as a tyrant: like Alexander; Pervenimus ad solis ortum et occasum. Now because no man hath lived and not sinned, or having sinned should have lived, or could have escaped the second death, by reason of his universall usurpation of sinne: thefore there came a worke of destruction betweene, that disappointed the worke of death. Ioh. 3.8. For this cause the Sonne of God was manifested, that hee might destroy the workes of the Devill. He rased, spoiled, unharnessed those principalities and powers; Col. 2.15. confounding our enemies, that we might be saved. So still doth he deale with all the instruments of Satan; their Iudgement and Damnation is hastened, that deliverance may be to all that trust in him.

3 Though the Lord will judge these wicked persons, yet this forbids not Magistrates to execute their iustice upon them. They that are called after Gods owne name, seated on his owne throne, armed every way with his owne authoritie, let them also bring forth Iudgement, in imitation of their father. It is a cruell pity that is shewed to incorrigible offenders: like water powred upon lime, that in stead of quenching, doth enflame the furious heate of sinne. Esa. 26.10. Let favour be shewed to the wicked, yet hee will not learne righteousnesse. I know that the life of man is precious, yet is the life of the whole Church more precious. And though in lesse important things, Iudges may proceed on by faire and not fast degrees: yet in such capitall causes as indanger the whole, the expedition should be more quick and peremptory. Psal. 101.8. I will early, or in the morning, destroy all the wicked of the land. It was Davids morning work, let none put it off to th’evening of their declination; as the setting sun makes the larger shadowes. This killing preservation of notorious and insufferable offenders, is a discouragement to them that in the most desperate times dare keepe a good conscience. If Popish Incendiaries may be tolerated to make merchandise of mens soules, and never be iudged for this; what remaines, but that we appeale to a greater Court, and open our grievances to a higher Iudge! no Iudge dormant; whose sentence is no dead letter, but a determinate Oracle without admission of either appeale or reprieve. Esth. 4.14. If they hold their peace, enlargement and deliverance shall arise to us from another place: but they and their fathers house shall be destroied. Eccl. 12.14. God shall bring every worke into judgement; every worke, not one shall escape: with every secret = not the worke onely, but even the thought, and that bee it never so deeply laid up in the heart: to cut off all opinion of secrecie; so well as of impunitie. Sinners shall heare and feare; and wofull experience shall wring from them this acknowledgment; that when God enters into iudgement, no sinfull flesh shall be justified. Iudgment, that rough hand-maide of heaven, remaines still a virgin: neither power can force her, not wealth winne her, nor any thing in the world corrupt her. Psal. 58.10. The righteous shall rejoyce when he seeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feete in the bloud of the wicked. So that a man shall say, verily there is a reward for the righteous: verily, he is a God that judgeth in the earth.

4 Their judgement.] Their owne: as proper to them as the Inheritance they have bought with their moneys. Ion. 2.8. They forsake their owne mercie: the mercie that might have beene their owne, to imbrace vengeance which they have made their owne. So is it said of dead Iudas; Act. 1.25. He went into his owne place: as the stone naturally inclines to the center, the proper place and home: so the wicked are never at home, and in their proper place, till they be in hell. Psal. 125.3. The rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous. It is Their rod, made for them; if God scourge his children a little with it, he doth but borow it from the immediate and naturall use for which it was ordained: Their rod, Their judgement. So it is called Psal. 11.6. Their cup; This is the portion and potion of their cup. If the godly be made to tast a little of the top, it is but a draught lent from their cup: But the dregges thereof the wicked shall wring out, and drinke off, Psal. 75.8. Phil. 3.19. Their end is damnation, such an end can come to none but themselves. Theirs, it is as surely their owne, as if they already had it. Ioh. 3.18. He that beleeveth not, is condemned already: as we say of a sentenced malefactor, Mortuus in [lege]; he is dead in Law.

Whence inferre, that sinne doth naturally draw on punishment: and is like the thunder that breakes the cloud, and makes way, for the lightning of Gods vengeance. Wheresoever presumption goes before, destruction followes after. Mat. 18.25. When the evill servant had not to pay, his Lord commanded him to be sold, his wife and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. The wife may be taken for concupiscence, the children for fruites of it. Or thus, Vxor stulti est stultitia; the wife of the covetous is avarice, the wife of the haughtie is Pride, &c. These things are very deare to them, but they must be sold. 1 Cor. 10.8. The children of Israel committed fornication, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. There is punishment of sin, 1. In the full measure, They fell; nothing bated of utter ruine. 2. In the full number. 23. thousand; a few examples would not serve the turne. 3. In the due time, In one day, no long forbearane. For the measure, it was not sicknesse, not flying before enemies, not scourging, but death; They fell: either by plague, or some other immediate Iudgement: some of them were hanged up against the Sunne. For number the Apostle speakes of three and twenty thousand: but (Numb. 25.9.) there is mention of one thousand more. Paul did not exceed the number; nor doth the Scripture tie it selfe alwayes so precisely. It is most probable, that the Princes with their servants that were hanged up, made up the other thousand. For time, it is in one day; no space of preperation, they presently fell. Thus if adulterie walke in our streetes, the plague will beare it company. GOD is angry with all sinne, but his wrath is most hot against universall sinne: thousands fall, a whole army of men. When God rides his circuite, hee will strike fearfully; with death, with generall death. Vniversall sinne will bring universall destruction: and it is his great mercie, if he doe not alwayes punish so generally. Error omnium, [poena] paucorum: all offend, some only are punished; because so it pleaseth him. There is no policie against Gods judgements: Cesar Borgias is made by Machiavell, a Precedent of Policie to Princes; yet he was caught at his owne tricke. The escaping for a while, is no argument of exemption: Gods temporall plagues are but short excursions before the maine battell.

5 Their Iudgement: but is it so certaine theirs, that no repentance can prevent it, yes, serious repentance may avert the vengeance, if their gracious God gives the repentance. For the Apostle makes a Propheticall prediction of such Heretickes, as should invade Christs flocke after his time: and threatens them with the malediction of God, if they attempt such impostures. By which if they receive warning, and lay it to heart, they may avoide the sinne, and so escape the denounced Iudgement. And this hath ever bene the mercie of our God, that he will speake before he strike: and preach the lecture of premonition, before hee pronounce the sentence of perdition. And this is a course that shall make men either preveniently thankfull, or inexcusably desperate.

Whither it be better to foreknow, or not to foreknow, the evills that will come. It is a question among Philosophers, whether it be better Praescire vel nescire mala futura; to know or not to know future evils: and this dispute is crept into the Schooles Erasmus opposing the Astrologians, held all prognostications and predicttions unprofitable: for if they foretold joyfull newes, they decrease our future pleasure: if evill tydings, they increase our present paine: the feare of danger being often more bitter than the danger it selfe: Apud Gellium. lib. 14. Pejor bello timor ipse belli. Thus [Phavorinus] reasons; either adverse or prosperous fortunes are foretold. If they say prosperous, and those faile thee; Miser fies frustra expectando, thou art made miserable by thy vaine expecting: if adverse, and those thou scapest, yet Miser fies frustra timendo, thou art made miserable by thy vaine fearing. Howsoever, thus wretched is a man made by a false prediction. Suppose they foretell a truth: let it be calamitie; I•• inde ex animo miser fies, antequam a fato fias: thy owne mind shall afflict thee, before fate touch thee. Let felicitie be promised and come, yet here are two incommodities. First our mind will be tyred with expectation: and our joy be abated before the object reach us. Again, hoping for a prosperous estate to come, we grow idle for the present. Men of an indifferent fortun having, (after the expiration of some yeares) a great Inheritance assured them; prodigally spend that which is, for that which shall be; yea, they spend that which shall be before it is.

But they run this argument beyond a gallop; let them take truth along with them. Whatsoever Erasmus and Favorinus have written more subtly than soundly, in this argument; it is a conclusion acknowledged by all sober men, that it is better to know a calamitie before we feele it, than to feele calamitie before we know it. Indeed, any unhappinesse that ariseth from prescience, is only incident to a weake mind. Where there is not a well fortified reason, there expectation makes an evill greater, and a good lesse. But in a resolved mind, it digests an evill before it comes, and makes a future good long before present.

First, they say; evill foretold rackes a man with as much torment of feare, as when it is present, it doth with torment of paine. Nay, but it rather pre-armes the well temperd mind, vel vincere vel ferre, & ferendo vincere: either to conquer or to suffer, and in suffering to conquer. He that hath already borne the burden, and overcome the extremest brunt, takes up the crosse with joy: he Iam. 1.2. Counts it his joy to fall = tryall, and out of trouble extracts peace. 2 King. 6.15 When the Prophets servant saw the hoste of chariots compassing the citie, he cryed out; Alas, Master, how shall we doe? Elisha answered, Feare not, there be more with us: he knew it before. When Satan thinkes to scare thee with sorrowes, and saies as Dalila, The Philistims bee upon the Sampson, there is an armie against thee; answer, I feare not, my soule knew that before, and I have by prayer made my provision against them. The burden seemes light, that hath beene borne before.

But then they say, suppose the threatned evill comes not, then in vaine thou hast disquieted thy selfe with a needlesse feare. Nay, but I have bettered my soule by a cautionate repentance. Niniveh was menaced, Yet fortie dayes and it shall be destroyed. They quaked, and repented in sackcloth and ashes, turning from their wickednesse; Niniveh stood still. Did they lose any thing by their sorrow, fasting, humiliation? No, their conversion saved them from subversion: had they not sorrowed, they had beene destroyed indeed. No man is the worse for his repentant griefe: if the evill doe come, it is a labour well spent: if the evell doe not come, it is a labour well lost. If the body be not the worse, yet the soule is the better.

But would it not have doubled Sauls sorrow, if he had knowne that hee was to fall into the mountaines of Gilboah, and that his enemie should succeed him? Could Biron the French martiall have beene so merry at the banket, had he knowne his instant arrest for treason? would Iulius Caesar have gone to the Senate, knowing his ruine there? These bee poore exceptions against the forwarning of future evills: for, as knowing them contingent, they would have sought to prevent: so knowing them certaine, they would have sought to repent. But saith Boskier, this made CHRIST himselfe Agelastum, kept him from laughter; the prescience of his dire future passion: he wept for other causes, but for this especially: he often spake of it, because it ran in his mind: and in the garden, he swet bloud to thinke of it. Grant this in part to be true: he told it to his Apostles, not for his owne feare, but to shew how much he loved them, that would suffer this for them: to strengthen their faith in him, and love to him; neither wept he so much for his owne sorrowes, as for our sins. We were more unkind and cruell to him than the thornes and nailes. That which drew bloud from his side, drew teares from his eyes: we were so guiltie, that he could not be merry. Therefore he foretold his Disciples, Ioh. 6.10. that they should be sorrowfull, weepe and lament. As a learned Physitian lookes not only to the disease of his patient that afflicts him for the present, but often administers physicke to prevent a future maladie. Therefore he called together his Disciples, as Iacob did his sons; and told them what evills they should suffer for his names sake.

This then be the summe; Iudgements forewarned comes more easily on the prepared heart. Minus Iacula feriunt quae praevidentur, Greg. The wise mariner in a calme makes all his tacklings sure and strong against a storme. The fen-man mends his bankes in summer, lest his ground be drowned in winter. Howsoever these predictions may afflict the body, they benefite the soule, Therefore if the physitian perceive evident reasons of approching death in his patient, he is bound not to flatter him with hope of life: Ne dum quaerat quod suum est, perdat quod Christi est: lest seeking his owne gaine, hee lose CHRISTS purchase. But the conceit will exasperate his disease, and the dejection of mind hinders the recoverie of body. Yield it, yet is this no reason of concealement, unlesse the body were more worth than the soule, a life mortall than a life immortall, the company of sinners on earth, than the communion of Saints in heaven. I have seene some such physicians, (for not seldome the physitian and Divine meete in the sick chamber) that when we have beene at prayers to the God of life, have neither bowed their knee, nor uncovered their head: as if the name of God were but a mockerie, and they could cure a man without him. But let not my body fall into his hands, that hath no care of his owne soule: he that loves not God, will never love me. Alas, how should that potion worke health where the chiefe ingredient, the grace of God is left out? Or, how should the blessing of God be found, when the God of blessing is not regarded?

Indeed no man is worthy to know the time of his owne dissolution: God hath ignota vestigia, Psal. 77.19. secret steps. Thy foot-steps are not knowne. Though wee dare not pray: Lord, let me know the number of my dayes, that I may be certified how long I have to live: yet still we pray, Deliver us from evill; especially from that evill; From suddaine death good Lord deliver us. Some naturallists have affirmed that sudden dissolution is the best: and seemed to desire, (if at least they did desire in heart) so to die. Vbi non est spes futuri, nec dolor praeteriti, sola manet cura praesentis. They looked not backward to their sinnes past, nor forward further than death: of that they saw a necessity, therefore wished a facilitie. Now the least sense is of the shortest paine though it be violent, it is not permanent. There is no protraction of sorrows, nor extention of paines in suddaine dispatching: death doth not like a tyrant keepe them long a dying, Esa. 38.12. racking out life to farther dayes, and cutting off with pining sicknesse; but quickly begins and makes an end. But let it rot in the dust with them, let that suddennesse be suddenly forgotten.

There is a generation of men amongst us, Christians, yea the most ardent and furious Christians, that blame our Liturgie for that prayer; From sudden death Lord deliver us. These men are so sure of heaven, that let God take them where he will and when hee will, they are for him. Presumptuous men! doe they sinne, and would they in that sinne be taken away? There is a time when the dearest Saints of God had rather live then die. Psal. 30.9. What profit is there in my blood, when I goe down to the pit? he was sicke, but at that time had no heart to die. Elisha, when hee knew in Spirit, that the King had sent a messenger to kill him, bade them 2 King. 6.32 shut the = and hold him fast. Sicke Hezekiah wept and prayed to live. Ionah cryes from the dismall prison not to die yet, but to bee forborne to a longer day. These Saints would not die then: they found some sinnes yet burdening their consciences, to scower off which they wished the conveniencie of farther time. Iob. 10 20. Let mee alone, that I may take comfort a little, before I goe whence I shall not returne. It was a violent and swift departure which David and Iob deprecated: but alas, what doe you compare David and Iob to these men; meere dwarfes to these gyants? They have cast up their accounts as well as Paul, and are every moment prepared; their reckoning is ever ready in their pockets: they know themselves chosen, the spirit told them so, and then the elect cannot perish. Rom. 8.38. It is true indeed, that not death amongst the rest, death of what kind soever, lingring or suddaine, can separate true beleevers from Christ: yet pardon me, if I be charitably jelous of such presumers of sanctification. Do they never lie to their neighbour, never lust after forbidden flesh, never rankle anothers credit with malitious report, never pamper the grome with feeding, never covet peny of another mans, are they never puffed up with a selfe-opinion? Suppose God strike thy proud heart in this act of sinne, when thou hast not so much leasure or sense as to say, Lord have mercie on me; goes not thy soule then to the Iudgement seat without a prepared answere? We leave thy censure and sentence to him that knowes thy heart: but though charitie hopes a mercie inter pontem et fontem; inter actum culpae, et ictum paenae: yet be not angry with me for praying; God keepe my soule from such a venture. There proceed from heaven lightnings, from earth dampes, from the body palsies and apoplexies, from men those murderous engines, pistols and poinards: these make sudden riddance, and allow not the leasure and liberties of repentance.