Thomas Adams
But if we trust not our eares; in all this ample theater of Gods Iudgements, did we never see any fetched away from a prosperous estate by strange accidents? were not they precedents for us? Cannot all make us afraid of overlaying Gods patience. Did the blasphemer never heare how Rabshaceh sped? Did they that blush not to be called the roaring crew, (therein sentencing themselves) never reade what became of the Sons of Beliall? Did the secure worldlings never heare of the generall deluge? Nor murmurers of those fiery Serpents? Nor uncleane persons with their catamites, of the condemnation of the Sodomites? Shall not al this make us to breake forth into those acclamations, Psal. 118.23. this was the Lords doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes.
Indeed these may work with the wicked to admiration, not to repentance. The very Iewes beholding the wonders of Christ, could say, wee never saw it on this fashion: and, The like was never done in Israel. Herod desired to see Christ for a miracle, as Faelix to talke with Paul for a bribe. But God doth not worke miracles for miracles, but for us. The gratious Lord hath so done his marvellous workes, that they ought to bee had in remembrance. Psal. 118.17. I will live, to what end? to declare the workes of the Lord: hitting the right end and use. The workes of his Providence are miranda: of his Iustice, miranda & metuenda: of his mercie, miranda, & diligenda. 1 Sam. 12.18. The thunder should waken our secure hearts, the raine soften our stony bowels, the lightning mind us of the comming of Christ to Iudgement.
These things hath God left as memorials to the world, to be read and preached. We have the bookes, let us not be strangers to their contents. Our forefathers could once have said; Psal. 74.9. Wee see not our signes, there is not one Prophet among us, nor any that divineth: or if any did divine, they divined lies. Though this sacred Booke was not hid in a corner, as when 2 King. 22.8. Iosias began to raigne: nor cut with a penknife. and throwne into the fire, as in the dayes Ier. 36.23. of Iehoiakin. Yet the comfortable use was interdicted, the knowne language concealed, and men bound with a curse not to read it. It now lies open in our Churches, in our windowes; God grant we shut it not to our owne hearts. Preaching applies it, and this helpe we have also: may we never know the want of it: yea we shall not, unles we voluntarily put it from us, as a matter not worthy the keeping, and (with the Iewes) judge our selves unworthy of the kingdome of heaven. Diverse fearefull calamities are threatned to the Iewes, such as shall turne their feasts into mourning &c. But if their eyes do not yet dazle, nor their eares tingle; behind is a woe, that is beyond all woes; Am. 8.11. the famine of the word of God. Famine of bread is a sore plague, when a 1 King. 17.12 wofull mother for herselfe and sonne, is dressing their last provision. The extremity harder, when 2 King. 6.28. mothers by turnes eate up their owne children. But this is nothing to a dearth of holy knowledge. It is better not to be, than not to know: better unborne, than untaught. Sen.
2 God without all exception to the honour of his Iustice, might enrole all the wicked at once in universall confusion: but so it pleaseth his goodnesse to single out some, and propose them as bleeding witnesses to the world: that their vengeance might bring many to repentance. Perit unus, ne pereat universus. Such an execution of his Iustice doth more magnify his mercy; when he punisheth some, that he may spare many. As when many souldiers have faulted in a mutiny, the Generall executes martiall law upon some, to strike a terror into the whole army. So doth the Lord; Nobis fit misericordia, illis non fit in juria. We have deserved, what they have suffered, they have suffered, that we might be delivered. If we make not use of this mercie, we deserve the greater penalty.
3 There is no sin which man can now commit, but God hath declared his wrath against it, in his punishments for it: we can doe nothing without a precedent. Is any sacrilegious? there be precedents to forewarne him; Gehesi, Iudas, and they that kept a market in the Temple. But these men feare nec lepram Gehesi, nec suspendium Iudae, nec ejectionem è Templo per Christum. Will the Iesuite be a traitor? there is precedent. Absalom rebels, what was the end? His huge army defeated by a few, the wood devouring that day more than the sword: twenty thousand lost. A senselesse oake performes the part of a good subject, and apprehends the traitor: his beast left him to the gal-house, who was turned beast in renouncing his allegiance. The earth refused to receive him, heaven was shut against him, none of his troupes left to guard him; who had so unnaturally wronged the maker of all in his annointed vicegerent. The King gave charge for his reprievall, but the King of heaven had otherwise determined of him. And he that had ambitiously provided a stately [monument] for his corps, a Pyramis or Pillar in the Kings dale; was tumbled with infamie into a ditch, like carrion under a heape of stones.
Can any be covetous without precedent? did he never read of Nabals base penuriousnesse, and accursed end? Hath not the adulterer, Zimri for his example? can he thinke of his suddaine end, and not tremble to embrace his harlot? And for the factious, that are subject to their owne lusts, but will be subject to no lawes; observe they not the conspiracie of Corah against Moses; whom the earth buried alive, and stayed for neither executioner to dispatch them, nor sexton to make a grave for them? Can a man exact upon his brother by a biting interest, without a Iewish example? Or throw his unable debter into prison without a precedent? The Vsurer is a legall theefe, the unmercifull creditor a legall murtherer: they doe nothing but by Law, and by Law they may goe to the Devill together. The fraudulent trafficker cannot abuse his simple customer, but there is precedent for him, in Ananias; Did you sell the land for so much? cost your commoditie so much? Yes, what followed? the lie he told before men, he was suddenly sent to answere before the God of truth. Doe tyrants now persecute the Church, without example? So Iulian sent his subjects to heaven in earnest himselfe went to hell merrily and in jest. Homicides have the example of Ioab, whose gray haires went not to the grave in peace. There is no profane libertine but had the example of Esau before him: who lost the blessing of heaven, for the pleasures of earth. They cannot tell a lie but by precedent: not sweare an oath, not breake a Sabboth, nor worship an Image, but by example. All these sinnes, and what other we can Imagine, have beene committed in former ages, and plagued by former judgements. Non tulit nos sine exemplo, ut inveniat sine def•cto, vel tollat sine patrocinio. These iniquities if we admit, they retaine not in so meane a qualitie, as before. Fratricide is now worse than in Cain, because it hath Cains ensample. Apostacie now worse than in Luk. 17.32. Lots Wife, because her example hath forewarned us. Adulterate painting worse now than in Iesabel, because we understand her fearefull end. Vncleanesse now worse than in Sodome, because the Lord hath made them ensamples to those that after should live ungodly.
4 Gods Iudgements are so many reall Sermons against the sins of men. He doth not only preach vocally by the ministery of his servants, but also actually by the execution of his Iudgements. Psal. 62.11. Once hath God spoken, twice have I heard it: once in his word written, a second time in his worke done; his actions being so many declarations of his will. So Elihu in Iob. Iob 33.29. These things will God worke twice or thrice with a man, to bring his soule backe from the pit. Once hee spake it, another time performed it, a third time redoubled it. There is no people can plead ignorance, or exuse themselves by wanting meanes of Instruction: for the whole earth is filled with the Iudgements of God. When the fire devoures a mans estate, or the sea wrackes the Merchants hopes, or suddaine death takes away our neighbours life, God preacheth visibly to us. Though we pronounce nothing by a peremptory rashnesse, for feare of CHRISTS objurgation: Luk. 13.4. Doe you thinke they were greater sinners? For the cause is not revealed to us, as the Prophet spake of the troubled Shunamite; 2 King. 4.27. Her soule is vexed, and the Lord hath hid it from me. Yet let us take them to heart; we cannot discerne them, they all concerne us.
Let us be the better for all this, lest we become the worse. It had beene easier for us never to have heard of Sodomes ruine, than not to mend our lives by the ensample. Gods hand would have beene lighter upon impenitent soules, if such precedents of his Iustice had never beene set before them. Lege Historiam, ne fias [Historia]. Let us raise our selves out of their fall, and make their subversion the matter and meanes of our conversion. Exempla observemus, ne exempla simus. Let us be warned by examples, lest we be made examples. If we will not learne by others, others shall learne by us. There is no learning so cheape, as that which comes at anothers cost. If their poison by good allaying, be made our physicke: if the sword of [vengeance] that devoured them, amend us with the very sight and shaking of it: we shall escape Gods fury, and become the blessed examples of his mercy.
Now there are three impediments which frustrate the good use of this doctrine, Contempt, neglect, and mis-interpretation.
1 Contempt, which is a proud and presumptuous humour in men; whom the most palpable judgements, and evident executions, shall never deterre from their damnable projects. Psal. 10.5. The Iudgements of God are high above his fight: tell him how others have perished, he answers; Tut, I shall never be moved. Cypr. But this is the greatest Iudgement of all; Non intelligere delicta, ne sequatur panitentia: not to [understand] their errors, lest they should be brought to repentance.
2 Neglect and a forgetfull slighting of such terrible things. It is to them but a pang, or a transient stitch, a nine dayes wonder, or newes that is quickly out of date. Pharaoh was no sooner quitted of the plague but presently his heart was hardned. While God thundred, he trembled: but then as if the Lord had spent all his powder and shot, he is the same man he was. Hos. 6.4. Like Ephraims goodnesse, a morning dew. While the weather is cloudy, they are melancholy: but when the Sun of prosperity rises, and the storme of affliction cleares up, their moisture is dryed. Such a dew you shall have stand upon the stones of the Church against raine, but the stones are never the softer for it. 1 King. 21.27. Ahab hearing the denunciation of wrath, was humbled: the hand of judgement did but crush his heart like a piece of clay, till the moisture was pressed out, leaving it then but more hardned earth. All Israel was affrighted at the fearefull end of Corah; yet even the very morrow after they fell upon Moses and Aaron, murmuring; Numb. 16.47. Ye have killed the people of God. Such small impression doth the miserie of others leave in us; as if we had, a protection from all arrest, a supersedeas against all suites. And what plagues soever we see inflicted on others, we think they have deserved them, never reflecting upon our owne merits and mutable conditions. We come short of the circumspection that is in birds and beasts: for they can avoid the places where they see their fellowes have miscarried, and are sensible by that token to remove.
3 Mis-interpretation, by soothing our selves in our owne courses, and turning the streame of Gods Iudgements another way. Some sport with these examples: and being set forth as Crocodiles in terrorem, they make them their play-fellowes, and the subjects for the exercise of their wits. As to respect the conversion of Lots wife, no better than one of Ovids Metamorphoses; Niobe into a Stone: as if there was no difference betwixt Gods actions, and Poets fictions. So they ascribe Noahs floud to some extraordinary aspect of the Moone, or concurse of watry planets: and thinke not that God opened the windowes of heaven, and fountaines of earth. The drowning of Pharaohs Hoste, to the inconsiderate venturing over upon high Tyde. It shall be imputed to any thing rather than the true cause; Gods anger: these ensamples working no more upon them, than meere casualties. But woe to those that shall not so understand them, as God meant them.
Here I have just cause to declare against three sorts of mistakers: with whose errors I will deale, as the venerable Iudges doe with seditious Attourneys, call them to the Bench, pitch them over the Barre, put out their names from the Roll and let them goe.
1 The Impeachers of Gods providence, among whom there are sixe errors, 1. Of the Stoickes, who call providence by the name of fate or destiny: which runs thorow a ranke of causes, so bringing in an absolute and inevitable necessitie, that pinions the armes of God and man. Theodoret beates the nose of this error flat to the [devisers] face. 2. Of such as tie Gods providence only to celestiall things, exempting all sublunary and corrupt matters. Ierome saies, Averroes. this error was crept into the hearts of the Iewes; as he collects from Ezek. 9.9. The Lord hath forsaken the earth, and [seeth] us not. Therefore the LORD answers, mine eye shall not spare them; to shew that his power is also upon the earth. 3. Nicenus, with others, held that Gods providence extends it selfe to corruptible things only in a generall manner: ad rerum [genera] vel species, non ad singularia, non ad individua. But our Saviour comprehends under it not only the haires of men, but even the feathers of birds. 4. Aquin. speaks of the error of Rabbi Moses the Iew; that among corruptible things, man only [appertaineth] to the divine providence. This Ieremie confutes. Deus universae carnis; Ier. 32.17. I am the God of all flesh; both of men and beasts. 5. Of the Platonists, that distinguish three kinds of providence First, of the supreme God, that stretcheth primarily to spirituall things, in a second degree to all the world. The second, of separated substances, that move the heavens Circulariter; Intelligences. The last, of certaine Damones, powers, which they place in the middle betwixt God and man. Such are those that worship Devills for a Ne noceant. 6. Of Atheists, that deny all providence, and admit only fortune. Lactantius hath confuted it by many arguments; but Davids conviction is the best disgrace to it, who sets a Cockes-combe on the head of it; The foole hath said in his heart, There is no God. In his heart he hath Said it, but in his heart he never beleeved it. Looke upon all creatures; they make one glorious army, marshalled into their severall rankes, and marching to the will of their great generall. Why doe stones, plants, and insensible things, tend to the end for which they were created, when as yet they have no knowledge of it, but that they are directed by God? Young ones are no sooner borne, but they turne their mouthes to the brest of their mothers: yet man, against nature, reason, religion, doth not turne his mouth of confession, to acknowledge that God who made him. Wee see birds to come of egges, and living things engendred of dead seed: why should we as well beleeve the resurrection of our bodies, and the last account of all our actions?
2 As mis-construing perverters of Gods Iudgements. That the Iewes after a curse of fifteene hundred yeares, and a vagabond dispersion like Cain, should not bethink themselves of their murder of the Lambe of God, is the stupefying spirit of error. One of them is driven to confesse that as this plague so far exceeds all their former, captivity so the sin that caused it must exceed al their former sins. As much may justly be said of our Italianated fugitives; who seeing the terrible Iudgements of God upon them, will not yet know the Lord. The powder plot is passed over with An unfortunate attempt; and the Instruments no further blamed than for their rash and ill lucke: as if they confessed that it wanted nothing but successe to make it lawfull: worse than the sorcerers of Aegypt; they could cry out; This is the finger of God.
They call for a Iudge of controversies betwixt us, yet will not see that God himselfe is the Iudge: declaring his sentence and derision by helping the side which he favoureth. All his judgements upon the conspirators, cannot learne them how much he detesteth such practises. Still they will not gather the unwarrantablenesse of their designes, though they have beene forced in indignation to blunder out, that the Iudge of all the world is become a Lutheran. Still they are mad to be made the wretched engines of his ambition, that sells the soules of men to buy himselfe reputation. Cannot the Catholicknesse of their doctrine, and the infallibilitie of their director, make their plots successefull, and still are they blind? Such palpable demonstrations of Gods wrath so directly against their proceedings; might at least make them suspect that something is amisse, and examine where the fault resteth. To have their Infallibilitie so deceived, might cause them to recollect themselves, if they were not drunke with the wine of Sodome. Though they smart with the vialls of fury, yet they will not leave their sorcerie, Revel 9.20. according to the prophecie of them. They will rather Revel 16.9. knaw their tongues for paine, than acknowledge Gods judgements for sin. If we were such damnable heretickes as they would make us, how comes it to passe that the Lord so takes our part? That they so often tempting us by flatterie, and attemtping us by fury, have not yet prevailed against us? That neither the Popes Bulls nor curses have wrought the intended effects? Certainely if the LORD did not favour our cause; hee would never so protect our State. Yet all these ensamples worke not upon their consciences, nor will they confesse their pernicious courses. Though many hundred of their trecherous Emissaries have miscarried, yet still more follow on, as if no Precedent had bid them take heed. But Antichrist deales with them, as Amnon did with Thamar: first ravisheth them, and then turnes them out of doores. But because they would not take example by whom they should, they shall be made examples to whom they would not: even a reproch to all posterity, and a stinke to the succeeding generations.
3 All profane persons that misapply these ensamples: what plagues soever come to others, they conceit of themselves no such desert: Quod perit, pereat: and no further mind it. In stead of a serious application, to make a jest upon others misery, this is common. We should Rom. 12.15. Weepe with them that weepe: woe to such as laugh at their brothers teares. Whereas, Ille hodiè, ego cras, was Saint Bernards use: and we are, have been, or may be, as miserable as they; was Saint Augustines. The seaman that sees another ship split on a rocke, will avoid it. Passengers feare to travell that way, where they heare of continuall robberies. Yet cannot these iudiciall precedents humble them; as if they had their salvation by Patent. Yea, they are but temporally sensible of their owne plagues: nor doth the thought outlast the smart. As that Father speakes of the afflicted Pagans; Perdiderunt utilitatem calamitatis: [miseri] fiunt, & pessimi permanent: worse in body, and no better in soule. Either they thinke they need no affliction, or so sure that they are above affliction. As if God, Aug. like some skill-lesse Chirurgion, when he comes to let bloud, could not find a veine; ••t were not wise enough to chuse that veine which is fittest to bleed. Esa. 1.5.
They are lethargically secure, no ruine but their owne can stirre them. But that which could not Instruere, must Destruere: if they be not deterred by others they must be destroyed themselves. Thunder proceeds from a vapour lifted up from the earth, and compassed with a cold cloud: in the agitation or struggling it takes fire, and then breakes out where the cloud is thinnest: and being out, sometimes it strikes the clothes, not the body: sometimes the body, not the clothes. So doth preaching; it is the vapour or breath of the Spirit, surrounded with the cold and waterish humours of our sins: it struggles with them, and in the strife catcheth fire; and so vents it selfe to the terror of the world. Somtimes by menaces and examples, it strikes our garments, not our selves: sometimes it goes farther, and strikes also our owne hearts. Oh then let us feare Gods Iudgements upon others, that we may never feele them our selves.
To conclude with application, albeit indeed the whole discourse is but a doctrine of Application: for wherefore is an example propounded, but to be applied? Hypocrites are sicke, and will not be knowne to stand in need of physicke; they can have no remedy. Profane ones are sicke, and will accept of no physicke; they will have no remedy. It is hard to say, which case is worst: now God have mercy on them both! Can we thinke, God will not deale with us, as he hath dealt with others before us? Iesabel suborned false witnesses, and had her necke burst for it: is there no Iudgement for such offenders? Achan for Sacriledge is stoned, our Church robbers hope to scape. Miriam was proud, and became leprous: our plaisterd popinjayes feare not. Israelites distrusting in the Lord, die by a plague: how many want faith, and yet looke not to want mercy? Esau seemes to say unto all profane wretches; Take warning by me: Ahab to al superstitious Idolaters, Saul to all malicious persecutors, Absalom to all unnaturall sonnes, Gehesi to all false servants, Numb. 14.37. Nabal to all covetous churls, Shimei to all blasphemous railers Take warning by us. And the Sodomites here are made to speake in the language of sorrow, to all secure wantons, Take warning by us.
Such measure is to be expected from Gods hands, if such wickednesse be found in ours. If men like it well, to have their buildings on fire about their eares, to see their infants dashed against the stones, or scorched with flames, to feele a bloody enemy triumphing in their streets, to have their names a derision, their Cities a desolation, their carcases exposed to fowles, and perhaps their soules to furies and torments: they may then run on their impious courses without any repentance or deprecation. It is Gods mercy, that we were not made the first fruits of his wrath, and examples to all the world: but how great is our unthankfulnesse, if having thus escaped, we are not bettered? Or if we scape all this, yet the Lord will strike when he sees his time, perhaps when we are in worse case to beare it. He can make our [death-beds] smart for this; he may reserve all horror and amasement to that desperate houre, and then lay on us the burden of all our sins. There is one thing, if we heare it, and heart it, enough to fright us all: Tolerabilius erit Sodomae: Mat. 11.24. It shall bee easier for them of Sodome in the day of Iudgement, than for thee: and yet the Sodomites are now in hell. If we receive not the blessed Gospell with faith and feare, Sodome and Gomorrah never sinned as we sin; and Sodome and Gomorrah were never plagued as we shall be.
But as it is a happy alarme that brings in the straggling souldier to his Colours: and a good chance for the wandring sheepe, by seeing the wolfe prey on a goate, to be gathered home to the fold. So let the destruction of Sodome, be the instruction of England; let their curse become our blessing. It is a good compassion of nature, that shall bring us to the compunction of grace. So instead of fire and brimstone from heaven, or in hell; the Angels shall lift us up from the vale of mortality, and the brightnesse of glory receive us in the Paradise of joy; through the mercy of GOD that hath promised it, and the merits of CHRIST that hath purchased it for us.
To those that after should live ungodly. What Saint Paule sayes; Lex non est [posita] justo, 1 Tim. 1.9. The law is not made for the righteous man: so nor here is the Example set for the holy. But the law is for the lawlesse, and the example of the ungodly is for the ungodly. Ex malis moribus oriuntur bonae leges. He that freely obeyes the truth, finds no adversary of the law: 2 Cor. 3.17. it serves to chastise the bad and backward, not to restraine the good and forward. The horse that reineth well, needs no bitte: nor he that runneth freely, Chrys. a spurre. Gal. 5.23. Against the righteous there is no law. There is no Condemning law, for they are in Christ: there is no Compelling law, for the Spirit is in them; and they doe as willingly obey God, as if there was no law. Were there no hell, and God would not punish transgression with eternall death; yet would they avoid all sin because it displeaseth CHRIST Yea further, if CHRIST would not give them eternall life, yet would they love him, and desire the advancement of his kingdome. So these examples are not for the righteous, but for the ungodly.
1 Let us consider what this ungodlinesse is in the proper nature of it: for it seemes to consist both in the privative or negative, excluding somewhat, and coming short of what is required: and in the Positive, committing somewhat that is prohibited. Vngodlinesse is a sin, which many defie in their mouthes, and embrace in their hearts: so much greater than the seven Popish deadly sins, as it is indeed the ground of them all. More dangerous; because being rooted in the heart, it is not so visible to the eye, nor discernible to his reason that owes it. More hainous, because it is more spirituall, immediatly directed against God himselfe; being a breach of the first commandement of the first Table, robbing him of his due honour. It consists, either in the true worship of a false god, or in a false worship of the true God, or in the true worship of the true God with a false heart. Whereas Godlinesse is a true service of the true God, in a true religion, with a true heart.
First, it gives him not his honour: secondly, it gives it to another: thirdly, if it doe give him due honour, yet not after a due manner. Psal. 14 1. The foole sayes in his heart , There is no God: not but that his conscience is convinced of the contrary: but on the least temptation his heart is willing to acknowledge none. Said, ot beleeved: examine him according to his Creed, and never foole beleeved in his heart, there is no God. If he must confesse his being, yet he renounceth all subjection. Iob. 21.14. They say to the Almighty, Depart from us &c. This is too outragious to be the speech of the tongue, it is the rebellion of the heart; not vocall, but actuall. Luk. 19.29. They will not have him raigne over them. They scorne to beg a blessing of him, Psal. 14 4. They call not upon the Lord. They that will crouch and attend the Court for a Lordship on earth, will not so much as be petitioners for the Kingdome of heaven. Zeph. 1.12. They say the Lord will doe neither good, nor evill: they sleepe, and dreame that the Lord sleepes too. Or they not onely deny this tribute to their Creator, but give it to some creature; as David tooke the land from honest Mephibosheth, and gave it to Ziba a varlet. Or else they resolve to honour him, with that he hath declared to offend him: as Paul in persecuting, and the Iewes in executing CHRIST; thought they did God service. Lastly, even in their best workes, that may carry some shew of devotion, they have a false heart: halting betwixt God and Baal; a mixed service. So Demas, though he forsooke Paul, yet turned not to his Idols againe.
But he that will admit the service of God no way but his owne, shall find the mercie of God no way at all. There may be a denyall of God in reall fact, even when there is a confession of God in verball faith. A disease which this age labours of: in great ones it is a Noli me tangere; Physicians and Divines call it incurable. Yea our vulgars are not exempted, and the Pulpit can prove nothing so appositely and directly by Scripture, but if it displease the people, it shall never come in their Creed. Let religion and the Gospell goe whistle, if they speake not as this people would have them. When Gods word and this ungodlinesse meetes, you shall heare a ratling and hissing, as in the encounter of fire and water. Paul casts fire at Ephesus, Demetrius roares: in comes the Towne-clarke with the magnificence of Diana: alas, that was a painted fire, no noise nor tumult at it. If we stroake your splene, and tell you that you are predestinated to goe to heaven in a Coach, or that a wherry shall gently waft you to Canaan; this is a painted fire that never troubles you. But when we speake of denying your covetous lusts, abjuring your sacriledge, bleeding for malicious lies and slanders; here is presently an hissing, a mutinous mad rebellion.
The word in us labours to destroy ungodlinesse in you, and ungodlinesse in you labours to destroy the word in us. But consider what the Prophet told Amasiah; Qua non acquievisti consilio meo; 2 Chron. 25 16 Because thou hast not obeyed my counsell, I know that God hath determined to destroy thee. The Sonnes of Eli would not hearken, 1 Sam. 2 25. because the Lord meant to slay them: their hearts must be hardned, that they may be destroyed. Alas, the scholer is but the patterne of his master, and our knowledge but a beame of Gods knowledge: while ungodly men refuse us, (Truth hath said it) they reject God himselfe. They got Zechariah to be made away 2 Chron. 24 21. by the Kings command: he said no more at his death, but videat Dominus, The Lord looke upon it; what followed? While ungodly men are whetting a knife to cut our throtes, God is whetting a word to cut their throtes. One singular proofe of ungodlinesse, is a contesting against the preachers of Iesus Christ.
2 This example is set downe for the ungodly; but it is rare to find any that will confesse themselves ungodly: now men that have no sense of being ill, will never care for any medicines to make them well. And though the fruites of it were never more visible and notorious, yet the roote lies buried in the ground, and boasts of a concealement. We have some to whom the very Church is a shadow of death, and they have earnest businesse, which they love above God and their owne soules. Examine your fields, streetes, waters, in the times of devotion; is not this ungodlinesse? And for them that make as though they would be saved, doe they not sue for their inheritance in heaven, Formâ pauperis; refusing to give the least scrap of their superfluitie for eternall life? Yea, doe not they even pull downe that kingdome, which they seeme to crave? Is not this ungodlinesse? If they heare, is it not with contempt, splene, censure, and (if they durst) with controlment? How few, when the Sermon is done, thinke either the worse of themselves for the present, or become the better afterward? How many Psal. 94.8. brutish men find we, that continually mistake the soule for the body? Luk. 12.19. Soule, eate, drinke, &c. his meaning was, body eate. He thought his soule was delighted with sensualls, whereas it is the lay-part, the very least of man, that is thus pleased.
Lust is with the affections, as Iesabel with her chamberlaines; she paints and pleases: grace comes like Iehu, who is on my side? O that she were hurled downe. If wealth encrease, there is a dish added to the table, a set to the ruffe, a tie to the shooes: but not a dramme to devotion, not a mite to the Church, not a scrap to the poore, not a grace to the soule. Not to speake of the profest enemy to all goodnesse, the engines of hell, and deputies of the Devill, whose soules are nothing els but moving anatomies: such as are yet to chuse their faith, and thinke religion an humour or fancy following the complection. Like a condemned wretch, that Explet ventrem, damnatus effundere sanguinem; jests away his soule. (Pardon all holy impatience: unruly patients make sharpe physitians.) Men that thinke all we preach to be but fables: yet on their death-beds, if their lethargiz’d conscience be suffered to wake ere it goe to hell; they would give all the world to be sure what we say were not true: are not these ungodly?
To omit those hypocrites, that are shufled among professors, as Saul was among the Prophets: for there is no cure of an unknowne griefe. To omit those swearers and adulterers, who are out of the reach of civill Iustice, but God puts them in his owne kalendar: Hebr. 13.4. Iudging the one, and; Exod. 20.7. not holding guiltlesse the other. And those Toes of the land that rot with Idlenesse; lasy beggars: as it hath beene observed; Sr Thomas Mores Vtop. Great men make theeves, and then hang them up: make them, by suffering sloth to slide into villany. And all those capitall oppressors, that like Faelix, when they can get no money, will bind Paul, if it be but to curry favour with the Iewes. They grew rich by the undoings of men, yet under the shadow of power and authority, Mic. 7.3. They wrappe it up. Wrappe it up, as mud in Chrystall, or a fowle thing in a faire clout. Which was detested by a very Tiberius, chiding his polling officer; Tonderi volo pecus, non deglubi. This is ranke impiety: but to come closer home, and happy is the bosome which is not conscious of these evils.
Have we any more than a meere forme of godlinesse, reserving the pride and choise allowance to our owne lusts? As our trecherous Romists, that give their liege their complements, but to a forraine Prince their hearts. Doe not men spend ten houres about Mammon, before one minute about devotion? doe they not thinke of their last account, as the last thing to be thought of? Is not covetousnesse chiefe commander of the Fort, and nothing done without her permission? Where did the bad servant bury his tallent, but in the Earth? earthy affections, covetousnesse buries all. This is that which eates out the heart of grace, by eating grace out of the heart. Is not this ungodlines got into the midst of that execrable Rom. 1.29. rable? The Devil may seeme to take example by covetous worldlings, to chide his spirits, and upbraid their sloth: mortall men in so few yeares can heape up so many thousands, and get abundance into their hands: and you that should in quicknesse outstart them, lie sleeping like drones by the hearth of hell, and seeke not to people our kingdome.
And who can wonder that those men disregard their Ministers, that have cast away all respect of their owne soules? Or what marvell that St Anthonies vision, which is said to be two years before the Arrian heresy arose; should now be palpable Beasts about the Altar, kicking it with their heels, dashing it with their hornes, and trampling on it with their fowle hooves; till like Iob, it be made poore to a proverbe. Covetousnesse makes ungodlinesse flourish. Yet is not this all: for where is the subjection of heart to the will of God? Who suffers that supreme law to rule his actions and affections? who trembles at that thing which may offend his maker? Men little thinke of their conscience, when they are going about to please their concupiscence: they study their ends, not their End. And how hardly will they preferre Gods glory before their own soules, that will not prefer it to a piece of artificiall clay? Is not this ungodlinesse? Innumerable be the fruites of an ungodly heart, whereof the fewer we see in our selves, the more they be, and the more to be lamented. If we be not evill, why doe we pray, Deliver us from evill? Wretched are they that stat•• themselves, and blessed are they that can prove themselves, to be out of the ranke of the ungodly. The omniscient eye can find ungodlines enough in the best. To us then is this Ensample applyable: let it make us confesse that we are as they were, and repent that we may never be as they are. Lord, take away our ungodlinesse, and thou shall find none.
3 Lastly, consider the state of ungodlinesse. To be ungodly implies two things; wickednesse and wretchednesse. He is mortall, yet covetous: poore, yet proud: foolish, yet head-strong. He takes great paines to build an house on another mans ground: he seekes for sweet water in the midst of the salt sea. He studies more to be advanced, than to be worthy of that advancement. He hath lost himselfe, and desperately cares not what he does, to find his will. Nor his goods, nor his honours, nor his friends goe with him, but his sinnes: so he departs to torments boundlesse, endlesse.
The Scripture sayes of him, that he is 1 Cor. 15.17. in sinne: it is one thing to have sin in us , another thing for us to be in sin. Sin is in us all; Saint Paul confesseth it of himselfe; Rom. 7.20. sinne dwelleth in me. But all are not in sin, drowned, captivated, dungeon’d. We say, such a man is in drinke: drink may be in him, and yet he sober: but for him to be in drinke, argues him drunken. The ungodly doth hunt after sin: the eye and the eare being a couple of beagles to put up the game, and the whole man turn’d into a beast to follow the course. Only here is the difference: there the hart or hare that is chased dies, and the hound lives: here the sin survives, and the hunter perishes. He is slaved to sin; whatsoever lust dictates, he subscribes to: there is no base officer in his familie of wickednesse, but let him come with the most unnaturall suite, he writes Fiat. Prov. 5.22. He is holden with the cords of his sins: God helpe the man thus manacled: this is a case, wherein a King may be pitied by a galley-slave. Here is no flying, no changing his master: sua mutare potest, non se: he may change his place, estate, repose; lodging, repast; he cannot change himselfe. Whethersoever he goes, he takes himselfe along with him.
He hath latam & expansam conscientiam, a broad conscience; which is like a [Barne] doore, it can take in a whole load of corne: he can swallow a camell. All ravenous fishes have large and wide mouthes: the divell will never mince this mans meate, he is able to swallow it whole. (Whereas the good conscience is like the little doore to the Sanctum sanctorum, that lets in none but the high Priest, IESUS CHRIST.) He confirmes his heart in evill a by voluntary custome; till he can with more ease digest the heardest offence, than the stomach of an Ostrich can digest yron he is pleased with the successe, vexed with the prevention of any sinfull purpose. If his plot be crossed, and his hand cannot act that wickednesse by day which his head hath devised by night; he is taken with a fit of melancholy, sicke of the sullens; as was Ahab and Haman. He thinkes it a death that he cannot be suffered to die, it is a hell to him, that the gates of hell are shut against him.
If he be punished, he can grieve at the smart, not at the cause: in sicknesse he can cry . My head, my head, or my belly, my belly: but my sin, or my soule, is none of his complaint. To waile some small effects, and never to thinke of the cause; is to be curious in healing the clifts of skin at the roote of our nailes, never minding the corruption that is in our heads or hearts. His whole businesse is sinne, he hath nothing else to doe in the world. He may tast of the waters of life by chance, as a dogge laps at Nilus; but his voyage is bound for mischiefe. And like a fireworke on a line, he runnes on while his matter lasts, then goes out with stinke and a cracke.
Though I cannot say to all men, be not sinners: yet let me say, be not ungodly Though you admit sinne, doe not intend sin: doe not seeke it, though it finds you. Would men know what is in their hearts, and distinguish betwixt rebellions and infirmities? Pyrates forrage on the seas, rob Merchants, refuge themselves at Dunkirke or Argiers. They complaine to the Spaniard or Turke for redresse: No, say they, they are none of ours, we give them no such allowance, we owne them not. Well, if yet secretly they receive them to land, helpe them with fresh water, meate, tackling, provision; and thus under hand releeve them; sure these doe allow them. Men professe pietie, yet admit, of lusts in themselves, injuries to others: whose acts be these? none of ours, alas! against our wills, we cannot but sinne, yet we consent not to it. Nay, but if concupiscence be in the meane time fostered, purveyed for by the eye, battend by riot, armed with approbation, justified by dissembling; this is not weakenesse, but rank ungodlinesse. It is a habite; every act doth not make a habite, diverse have fallen into incontinence, soone repented, and avoided the sin; this cannot be called ungodlinesse. Transient escapes doe not denominate an ungodly man, because the sins committed are now loathed. But avarice, injustice, malice, &c. These are ungodlinesse: because here is a continuance of will, and a will of continuance. Now as the Orator said, when he had declaimed against drunkennesse, it was but to keepe men sober: so this discourse of ungodlinesse is intended to turne mens hearts to pietie. But this may be planted by Paul, and watered by Apellos, no encrease can be but by the Spirit of Iesus Christ.
This was their ungodlinesse. God often spareth the wicked for the righteous sake: such as are either allied in bloud, as Cham was in the Arke: or by cohabitation and proximitie, as Paul had all the soules in the ship given him. Sapiens est stulti redemptio: as a Physician is an antidote against sickenesse, and a valiant man a muniment against enemies. When Augustus had conquered Anthonie, and taken Alexandria, and the Citizens expected nothing but present massacre: the Emperor proclaimed a generall pardon, for Arrius sake, a philosopher of that Citie, and his familiar friend. Thus doth God forbeare men for men, one for another, but all for IESUS. But where all apostates, all perish. Noah could deliver but eight out of a world, and Abraham beginning at fifty, went no lower than ten, lest hee should have beene too bold with God. He doth stay at ten, not as though God for a lesse number will not spare a citie: for as sometimes for more than fifty he will not suspend his Iudgements; as Samaria and Israel found, when seven thousand good men were among them: so for fewer than ten he will sometimes shew mercie, as he promised to spare Ierusalem for one. Ier. 5.1. Find but one man that seeketh the truth, and I will spare it. But here all were ungodly, onely one familie shunned their filthy conversation, and so escaped their fiery conflagration.
TO take a short catalogue of their ungodlinesse, principally their sinnes were fix: foure whereof bee mentioned, Ezek. 16. Verse 49. a fift by Saint Iude. Ver. 7. following strange flesh: the last, Gen. 19. Verse 9. contempt of all holy admonition.
1 Pride will ever be formost: it seekes the highest place in preferment, it shall have the uppermost place in torment. Psal. 115.1. Not unto us O Lord, not unto us, but to thy owne Name give the praise: this pride contradicts; To us, to us, and to none but us . We may say of Humility, as of that good woman; Prov. 31.29. Many daughters have done vertuously, but thou excellest them all: but of pride, other sinnes doe vilely enough, but that surmounts them all. God resisteth the proud, for the proud resist God: a piece of rotten dust, so soone as it is made, recoileth against the maker, opposeth that Majestie which the Angels adore, the Thrones worship, the Devills feare, and the heavens obey. But hee gets nothing by it, for if GOD resist him who shall defend him? If against the proud, he sent his Law with such thunder, how will himselfe come?
The world is apt to admire pride, her words are held oracles, her workes miracles, her garments true ornaments. This so flesheth and flusheth her, that she thinkes no more of God, except it be with Saul, Honour mee before this people. As Nebuchadnezzar built much for his owne honour, nothing for the honour of God. Therefore the Lord will grace humilitie, and give her the glory. When the ambitious promoter of himselfe shall be fetched downe, God will say to her, Luk. 14.10. Friend sit up higher. Pride is like smoake; Est quod videas, non est quod teneas. But humilitie is a substantiall grace, so that pride it selfe is proud of her mantell: as Absalom so ranke with pride, yet put on a shew of humblenesse, in complement. And this is the glory of humility, that proud men are glad of her liverie. But pride must learne better manners or if she scape the Sodomites fire on earth, she must feele the Sodomites fire in hell.
2 Fulnesse of bread.] But is this a sinne? Is not bread the staffe of life, and the fulnesse of it a blessing? Yes, but that good mother brought forth two bad daughters; Pride in habite, and excesse in diet. It is not the fulnesse of bread, but our fulnesse of belly, that is the sin. Charge the 1 Tim. 6.17. rich that they be not high minded; no sooner rich, but presently high minded. Esa. 28.1. The fat valleys of such as are overcome with wine: they that dwell in fat valleys, will fume with wines. Psal. 69.22. Let their table be made a snare: the most riotous table is the most dangerous snare. Zeph. 3.12. I will leave in the midst of thee an humble and poore people, and they shall trust in the Name of the Lord! They that have nothing to trust unto in the world, will sooner be brought to trust only in the LORD. Hamans abundance made him proud, and his pride advanced him fifty cubites higher than the earth, to a stately gibbet. If our gold become our fetters, wee had better have lived beggars. The Israelites fared daintily on their Quailes, fed with meate of Princes, and bread of Angells: but their sawce was two sharpe, when that they put into their mouthes, GOD fetch’d backe at their nostrils.
It is better to want necessaries and iniquities, than to have with the fulnesse of bread, the fulnesse of pride and ryot. Prov. 30 9. Lest I be full and deny thee. If full, deny thee, presently followes. It was the Lords caveat to Israel; Take heed, lest Deut. 8.14. When thou hast eaten and art filled, thou forget the Lord. Psal. 22.29. All they that be fat on earth, shall eate and worship: thus it should be. Deut. 32.15. They waxe fat, and spurne with their heeles: Hos. 13.6. They were filled, their heart was exalted, therefore have they forgotten me: thus it is. We all desire plentie; but as when one wished the son to be like the Father, Cato replied, is this a blessing or a curse? would our plentie doe us good, or harme? The wicked have their desire, Yea, Psal. 73.7, 9. more than their hearts can wish: what’s the issue? They set their mouthes against heaven. CHRIST did not teach us to begge variety of dishes, nor abundance of wines, but Bread; and that but for the day, Daily bread It is emptinesse that values Gods providence, not fulnesse. When the LORD deales with us, as Fredericke Duke of Saxonie with his servants: who in hawking had rode over much corne, and carelesly spoiled it: gave charge that their messes of meate should not bee abridged, but not one bit of bread should bee allowed to their supper.
Plenitude breeds many diseases, I am not Physician good enough to number them: not only pride, that worme of riches; which naturally begets another worme that never dyeth, the worme of conscience. But surfet and drunkennesse, the sinnes of this Citie. Call your wines by what names you will; French, or Greeke, or Spanish; it is Vinum Londinensium, the Londoners wine. Where there is such immoderate feasting, the world must needs beleeve that it is not maintained without sin and deceit: and for such meate you had need of strong wine to helpe digestion. Here it is, and here it is unmeasurably taken, abused, urged; as if our brothers fall were not the Devills victorie. Some have thought that martyrdome and Christs passion was called by the name of a Cup, from the loathsome filling and violencing the appetite with drinke. The youngest daughter of this fulnesse, is wantonnesse. Ier. 5.8. They rose up like fed horses, neighing with lust. But of that anon: this is the dependance of Pride and Riot: one would thinke that they had no acquaintance, but they are very neere. He that exalts himselfe above his creation by pride, falls below his creation by drunkennesse. It is the voice of pride, all is mine: then riot answers, I may doe what I list with mine owne. Both are contraries to sobrietie, one of the mind, the other of the body. They are often coupled and united: Hab. 2.5. The proud man and he that transgresseth by wine. Pride turned Nebuchadnezzar into a beast, so doth drunkennesse: their union in sin shall find no separation in punishment.
3 Idlenesse;] this is another effect of fulnesse: they that flow with abundance, never mind any diligence. Luk. 17.28. As it was in the dayes of Lot; they did eate and drinke, they bought and sold, they planted and built. These were all Otia, rather than Negotiia, as they used them: even that labour was Idlenesse. To Marry, is honest and honourable; yet was the old world taxed for this. Not because only, as some answere they married not with any conjugall love, but with a voluptuous lust: for this is a remedie, not an iniquitie that God so severely punisheth. They minded their lusts, they minded not Gods Lawes, here was the sinne. So in the dayes of Lot, as if Lot was only in the day light, all the rest in night and darkenesse, They ate and dranke, this is natures necessitie: and is not reprehended in quantum naturae subsidium, sed [in] quantum nequitiae fomentum: not the conveniencie, but the superfluitie is faulted. They bought and sold, this was a lawfull negotiation: therefore not the mutuall commercement, but the unjust defraudment, is taxed. They built and planted; both in themselves allowable. CHRIST blames not their felling of trees, nor building of houses, but the basenesse of their desires; who sought eternitie upon earth, and had no heart to the God of heaven. In eating and drinking was their Saturitie: in building and planting, their securitie: in buying and selling, their covetousnesse. These were all superfluous to that one necessary thing, and therefore Idlenesse. They feared not the Lord, but lay drownd in their own sensualitie; this was their invincible stupiditie. Thus rotten were they in their lees of sin, that unlesse they had animas pro sale, they had beene all stinking carcases.
Here wee see, it is not enough to forbeare evill, but it is damnable not to doe well. CHRIST pretermits the enumeration of their horrible delinquishments, and speakes of their acts lawfull in appearance; censuring them. If they were condemned for feeding, what is the wages of surfeting? If they for necessary trading, what shall be for fraudulent deceiving? If they for building their owne houses, what shall become of them that pull downe Gods house? If such a judgement fell upon marriage, what is the curse of adulterie? Matth. 25. CHRIST mentions not the sinnes of commission, as if they were damnable enough by concession; but the omitted duties: Yee did not feed mee, &c. Not that the other shall passe 〈◊〉 judged, but to shew that there is damnation enough wrap’d up in these to destroy the world.
Thus easily doth fulnesse degenerate into idlenesse: and where is no need of gaines, there no vouchsafing of paines. To many a man will God say; I made thee an husbandman, who made thee a Gentleman? Gen 2.18. I will make man a helper meete for him: this intends that neither should be idle. The man is compared to the Sun, the wife to the Moone; that borrowes light of him, yet hath some of her owne. [Mulier] fulget radiis mariti. But when the Sun shall shine only by the Moone light, this is preposterous. He is a Sodomite that will eate none but anothers bread, and weare no coate of his owne weaving. Prov. 20.4. The slothfull will not plow because of winter: therefore shall he begge in summer, and no man shall give him. He shall begge, that’s bad: and no man shall give him, that’s worse. But yet a man may be busie enough, and bring labour on himselfe with a vengeance: when he shall labour in that he hath no thankes for, and be idle in that should doe him good: thus a man may goe to hell for his paines. Sodome thus laboured in sin, and now labours in torment. Let us so worke on our Eve, that we may rest on our Sabbath; worke up our salvation on earth, and reape our salvation in heaven.
4 Contempt of the poore.] This is an execrable sin, a thing that hastens before the time. If he be condemned that saies no more, but God helpe thee: how sore is his Iudgement that saies in heart, I despise thee? That omission is culpable, that goes no further than Be warmed: but that damnable, that saies, be starved. It were fault enough to passe by them, like the Levite, without succour: but horrible, not to passe by them without disdaine. Cast thy bread on the waters, that is, on the watery eyes, which doe weepe for want: but if we cast not our morsells, let us forbeare to cast our scornes. How basely soever we esteeme them, they are the members of Christ, and such as he honours, and sets neare him: taking notice of every benefit, and recording every wrong, that is done them. It will be no light or slight offence; to contemne the brother of the Son of God.
Some thinke that the Sodomites would admit no strangers to come among them, as they speake now of China; and that this made them so furious against the Angels. There be foure termes among men. 1. Mine is thine, and thine is thy own. 2. Mine is mine, and thine is thine. 3. Mine is thine, and thine is mine. 4. Thine is mine, and mine is my owne. The first is of Saints, the second of Moralists, the third of Populars, and the last is the voice of Devills: of this ranke were the Sodomites. For this speciall cause they hated Lot, for his hospitalitie. When they came in troupes to breake into his house, he pleads the lawes of hospitalitie: For this cause came they under my roofe. And when he sees their head strong purpose of villanie, he chuseth rather to be an ill father to his owne children, than an ill host to strangers. Therefore is heaven called Abrahams bosome, because of his hospitalitie: and thither the Saints goe; it is fit that hospitable men should goe to their Father.
Let us make the poore our friends by our almes, not our enemies by our scornes. We had better have the eares of God full of their prayers, than heapes of money in our owne coffers with their curses. Worldly men thinke themselves wise in getting wealth, and the Scriptures folly: therefore throughout the Scriptures God calls them fooles for their labour. Thou foole. There is a tale of an Abbot that gave his foole a painted staffe, willing him to bestow it on the veriest foole he could meete. This Abbot fell mortally sicke, the foole was a visitant among the rest: and hearing him say, I must leave all and be gone, asked him whether he would goe. The Abbot answers, into another countrey: but I hope, replies the foole, you will carry all your gold and Iewells and treasure with you: No, I must leave all. But sure you have sent great store of preparation, as rich hangings, coverings, beds, plate and furniture before you: No, I muust leave all behind. All? I hope at least you have sent enough to furnish your owne roome, provision enough for your selfe; No, not the least pillow. Hold, saith he, take your Staffe againe; you are the veriest foole that ever I met. It is easily applyed: they that of so much under their custodie on earth will make no provision for themselves in heaven, by giving to the poore; are well taxed of the extremest follie. Let us relieve them by our good deeds, that they may relieve us by their good prayers; so shall wee find mercie in the day of IESUS CHRIST.
5 Following strange flesh.] This was not only fornication or adulterie; a mans wife is his owne flesh, and she that is not so, is a stranger. But even an offence against nature, for the Sodomites were not content with the common way of sinning, but were mad with a prodigious and preposterous lust. Gen. 19.5. Bring forth the men that we may know them. Shall we say, herein the very Sodomites spoke modestly, though their intention were villanous? I doe not thinke they meant any manerly concealement, but it is the dialect of the Scripture; which by an honest name sets downe a most dishonest thing. It hides the sinne of Sodome, as the painter hid the scarre in Agamemnons face. Certainely their impudence was monstrous, Esa. 3.9. declaring their sinne; Bring them forth. Wherein they would make Lot, a father; not only a witnesse to the constupration and ravishment of the Angels, but even the very bawd or Pandar; Doe thou bring them out.
Questionlesse, those heavenly guests were of an excellent forme, and most sweet favour, surpassing the sonnes of men: and the sight of this enflamed their more than beastly lust. Such a naturall desire hath wicked man, to marre what God made, to corrupt his most admirable workemanship: and where he hath imprinted the most faire characters of his glory, there they have most ambition to fasten: like cankers, that had rather be about one rose, than a thousand weeds. Beauty, meant for a mirror wherein to admire God, they turne into a snare to confound themselves. And so sucke poyson from the flower, that would yeeld them honey. Happy man, whom the temptation of beauty, cannot make to forget his duty!
This was the extremity of Sodomes sinnes, for whose sake it shall be called Sodomy to the worlds end. Whether the first excogitation of it begun, or the received practise was infamous, among them; it is still the sinne of Sodome. So abominable, that fire from heaven was the reward of it. As against nature was the transgression, so against nature is the destruction. It is naturall for fire to ascend upward, but here contrary to the course of nature it is forced to come downeward. Christ himselfe is said to raine that deluge from Iehovah his Father: why he? why not, as in other punishments, Aug. The Lord, without any further distinction? Quia [Naturam] quam assumpturus erat, corruperant. Because they had corrupted that nature, which the Son of God was to take. Videns Dominus hoc peccatum in carne, paené [defijt incarnari]. The Lord seeing this sin in the flesh, had almost forborne to take flesh; or at least so long deferred it before he came. Some have written, that al the sinners in that kind, dyed the very same night that Christ was incarnate. This sin was infamous among the Gentiles; Rom. 1.27. They burned in lust one toward another, and man with man wrought filthines. For this horrid uncleannesse in masculine venery, Socrates is branded among the Philosophers, Aug. and Nero among the Roman Emperors. As by lawfull marriage, Two are made one, so by this turpitude, one is divided into two. But let this sin sinke into hell with the Sodomites, and never more be remembred on the face of the earth. I now expell it out of my discourse, the Lord banish it out of all our hearts for ever. Yea, not onely that, but all manner of uncleannesse; lest we be given over, like the Gentiles, to our owne lusts, by a just retaliation. Who, as they had dishonoured God, were suffered to dishonour themselves. And as they had turned Beasts into gods, so they turned themselves into beasts.
But this following of strange flesh hath a greater latitude and further extent, and fetcheth in all carnall pollutions. A sinne that is a Iob. 31.12. Burning, wheresoever it hath a being. The Apostle in one chapter hath sixe invincible arguments to diswade us from it.
1 1 Cor. 6.13. The body is for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. If the body be for the Lord, it is not for uncleannesse. If the Lord be for the body to glorify it, then he is for the body to rule and sanctify it. The husband is one with the wife, and the wife with the husband, while both are chast: but if the bed be defiled, that concorporation dissolves.
2 Ver. 14. He that raised up the Lord, shall raise us up by his power. If we desire our body to be raised with incorruption when we are dead, let us keepe it without pollution while we live. Let us sow a gratious body, that wee may reape a glorious body. How deformed and ugly will the fairest creatures looke, when their bodies shall be raised with the markes of uncleannesse upon them? Optimi corruptio pessima: if prostitution, maugre all the art of plaistering, can turne beauty into deformity, and make despisable on earth, how loathsome will it appeare in the day of vengeance?
3 Ver. 15. Shall I take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid. Suppose a king sitting in his Chaire of Estate, his temples crowned with a golden Diadem, his body adorned with royall robes and jewels: how ill favouredly would a torne shooe, or a leprous toe appeare? It is our glory, to be parts of him that is the King of glory: let us not dishonour him by defiling our selves. He is mad that forsakes a Saint to admit a Devill into his armes; that for the odious connection with a harlot, leaves the delicious embraces of Iesus Christ.
4 Ver. 18. Every sinne that a man doth, is without the body: but he that commits fornication sins against his owne body, Other sinnes are extra corpus, this is contra corpus. In these of all members the hand is principall, and blasphemy the tongue: but this above the rest, secundum plus & minus, leaves a sordid inquination upon the whole body. If then not for the love of God, whose the body is by creation: nor for desire of perfect beauty at the resurrection: nor for hatred of the highest sacriledge, robbing Christ of his members by a carnall impropriation; yet for love of thy selfe, and respect to thine owne body, flee fornication.
5 Ver. 19. Know you not that your body is the temple of the holy Ghost? It is a great profanenesse to abuse the materiall Temple, made with mens hands: much worse to violate the Spiritual Temple, made by the hand of God. s I have heard of som depopulators, that of the Quire of Saints have made a kennell for their dogs; that was nefarious enough. Yet so farre as God loves this corporeall Temple better than that, this adulterous profanation exceeds the former. To turne the Holy Ghost out of his chamber, and to make it the Devils stie and stewes; most fearfull! O thinke in [articulo] tentationis, it is the Temple of God I now profane, defile, abuse: what fire cannot this meditation quench?
6 Ver. 20. Ye are bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your body and spirit, for they are Gods. By this token keepe thy body intemerate, saith Christ; I shed my bloud to redeeme it. What I have beene at such cost to clense; doe not thou carelesly defile. No gold or jewels could ransome our bodies, but the bloud of Christ: let us value them according to the price, and we shall not doe amisse. Doe not for a moments delight, make frustrate an eternall purchase. Most enormities of life proceed from an error in the understanding; We may doe what we list with our owne. We may speake what we list; why? Psal. 12.4. our tongues are our owne. We may spend what we list why? our riches are our owne. 1 Sam. 25.11 Shall I take My bread and My meate, [with] churlish Nabal? He is deceived, for even of life it selfe man is not Dominus, [sed] custos, saith Law and Case-divinity. Gen. 14.19. The Lord is the possessour of heaven and earth, man but the Farmer. Our bodies are our owne, therefore doe with them what we please? It is false, they are none of ours: but in a true propriety, The Lords. We have but a right of favour from the true Proprietary, and that liable to an account. He lends them us for our use, but his owne service. Therfore answer all temptation to lust; This body is not mine owne, but His that made it, and bought it: Gen. 39.9. I dare not alienate it from the owner, and remove the markes he hath set unto it. My body is Thine, Lord keepe it, and save it for ever.
6 The last Gen. 19.9. sinne of Sodome was contempt of heavenly admonition. Lot charged them from God, and they like a rusty or ill-wrought piece, recoiled in his face; Who made thee a Iudge? wee will deale worse with thee, than with them. They had all stony hearts, and Lot could doe small good in preaching to a heape of stones. O that this sinne of Sodome did not cleave too fast unto this land and time. They had but one Lot for foure Cities, we have for one Citie foure hundred Lots. What nation under heaven hath so many learned Teachers? Our Church lookes like the Firmament in the glory, when a cleare night shewes it bespangled with starres of all lustres and diversity of lights. And if in some places they appeare thinner, and shine lesse; as the starres are thinne to them that live under the Southerne Pole, and there bee little sparkles in the Galaxie, scarce discernible: it is onely for want of competency, there is no provision to feed them. But to this Citie the Bees come in swarmes, Crura thymo pleno, to empty their best honey in this glorious Hive. This honey you sucke, and at last send them downe againe poore miserable drones. The number of Preachers about the Citie, exceeds some whole Country in Christendome. For aught I know, in the benefits of nature, and commodities of life, it may be equall to others: in this it excells the rest. If Rome have the gayer Roods, and Spaine the richer Images; yet certainly we have the happyer Pulpits.
Thus great is our blessing, but how small is our estimation of it! Formally men come to Church, to heare a man talke, but it is no matter to them what he sayes. We may preach our selves hoarse and dead, and yet doe no good: the reason is, mens hearts are heardned in contempt. When Christ preached, Luk. 4.20. The eyes of all were fastned on him; our eyes are turned another way. 2 Tim. 4.3. The time will come, when they will not suffer wholesome doctrine: the event hath sealed this Prophecie. To carpe at the phrase, method, voice, or gesture; this is nothing: such exceptions be like a flourish before a fight. The worlds quarrell is against the substance of Preaching: if we threaten, we are cruell: if we promise, we flatter: if mild, we dreame: if bold, we raile: if we prove by arguments, it is called sophistry: our affability is held lightnesse: our austerity, madnesse: nothing can please them, that resolve they will not be pleased. For our personall disgraces, we armed our selves for them when we tooke the Profession. We knew that we should be stared on as prodigies, hissed at as ridiculous, shunned as infectious: endure all the reproches, that the Divels scavengers can rake out of the kennells of hell, to throw on our faces. The worst language that hath beene dip’d in the fire, or tip’d at the forge of hell, is as good as God morrow, if they meete a Minister.
But here it is, though the contempt light upon us, it is meant at the Gospell; and CHRIST is wounded thorow our sides. To speake truth, here is the very head and heart of the controversie: the Word will not let men alone in their sins, therefore they must be revenged on some body: from hence proceed the sacriledge robbing, Aug. and the aspersions wronging the Ministers of Iesus Christ. Palato [non sano] paena est panis, qui sano est suavis. Am. 5.10. They hate him that rebukes in the gate. Ama•• •••tem, oderunt redarguentem. Alas! what can worke upon a hard heart? Take a bare new come out of the fire, and the Smith can worke it though it be iron: let him strike on his anvile never so long, there is no impression made, but rather a rebound of the stroke.
Eccl. 12.11. The words of the wise are like goads, but men have Leviathans skinnes: They esteeme iron as straw, and brasse as rotten bavins. They are nailes, but driven upon marble or iron, and so turne againe. This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men love darkenesse better. They excuse themselves from the sins of Sodome, Pride &c. but there is a sin within them, which makes them as farre off from salvation. While you that see the light which Sodome never had, despise it more than Sodome ever did; Mat. 11.24. It shall be more easie for Sodome in the day of Iudgement than for you. Let not men flatter themselves from being obnoxious to those execrable enormities: while they doe not humbly and obediently honour the Gospell, their estate is worse: and Sodome shall be saved sooner than these men.
Let Rome tremble, that hath too truely deserved this name. Rev. 11.18. Spiritual Sodome. Roma amor est: qualis? praeposterus. Vnde? Roma mares. It were no slander, to taxe Italie of Sodome. By their allowance? God forbid. Yet Ieronizeged Mutius set out bookes of purpose, to defend this filthinesse; and (it seemes) they were allowed by the Bulls of Pope Iulius the third. Casa the Archbishop of Benventum joyned himselfe as a copes-mate to second him. They bestowed praises on that sinne, whereof Sodome it selfe would have beene ashamed. But this must be no imputation to their doctrine, for that teacheth otherwise. And for our selves, though in this we touch not upon Sodomes filthinesse, let us beware lest by other sinnes we bring our selves to Sodomes wretchednesse. Let us hearken to the Gospell and love it, love it and beleeve it, beleeve it and obey it, obey it and so honour it, honour it and so be everlastingly saved by it. Amen.
