Thomas Adams
2 His incredulity, in doubting to be saved in the Mountaine; as if the promise and direction of God could have failed. He had no charge to dwell in Sodome, he had a charge to flye to the Mountaine: yet Sodome he affected, the Mountaine he refused, and was faulty in both. It is no small sin even to doubt, when wee have Gods command and warrant to serve us.
3 His feare to tarry in Zoar, which the Lord had given his word to spare for his sake. But he that was so hasty to chuse it, is now againe as hasty to leave it. How variable is man, when he fixeth not his submission to Gods ordinance? This [fugitive] inconstancy is by some thus qualified: that the losse of his wife at the entring of Zoar, put him quite out of heart to stay there. And the sight of the same sins in his lesse Citie, which so raigned in the greater, gave him cause to suspect it could not be long forborne.
Here were three of his infirmities; Inconstancy, Incredulity, Ambition; to shew, that none is so righteous, but in some things offensive. None were more holy under the law than the Priests, August. yet were they bound to Heb. 9.7. offer sacrifice for themselves and their owne sins. None more holy under the Gospell, than the Apostles, 〈◊〉 were they taught to pray, Forgive us our trespasses. Merit-usurpers are the worst servants: for how bountifull soever God be to them, they will never acknowledge their master; all is their due. The most terrible Vsurers; all Gods blessings they thinke but the interest of their owne moneyes. But the least cloud in a Diamond hinders the price; the least infirmity in a Saint keepes him from being perfectly righteous. Yet no man puts away his horse, that hath carried him throughout his journey, for thrice tripping by the way. Nor doe three Parentheses disgrace a good Oration. Three drops of poyson are dangerous in a little cup of water: let them fall into a running spring, their malignitie is soone dispersed to nothing. Wash a spotted robe, and it is cleane again. Yet let us strive against all staines: Abraham going to sacrifice, left his two young serviters and the Asse behind him. Lots feare and dealting were like two timorous and cowardly servants; his covetousnesse like the Asse: leave we all these three behind us in our devotion, that we may be welcome to the Lord.
4 He offers up his Gen. 16.8. owne daughters to the rage of the Sodomites, that he might deliver his guests: chusing rather to be a bad father, than a bad hoste. This fact hath found diverse excuses. 1. It was a lesse sinne, Coire secundum naturam, than [adversus] naturam: Ambr. and of two evills the lesse is to be chosen. Answ. This is true in penall evills, not in criminalls: in corporall things, not in spirituall. There is no necessitie that should compell a man to sinne: he ought rather to die. Rom. 14.22. Blessed is he that condemneth not himselfe in the thing that he alloweth: then he is not blessed that alloweth the thing in act, Cajetan. which he condemnes in Iudgement. 2. Lot did not meane to put off one sinne with another, but useth a seeming submission to qualifie their rage: he knew his daughters espoused to some great men of the Citie, and that they durst not attempt their constupration. Answ. But this had beene to tempt God by a fond presumption, to make such an unruly rabble this offer, in hope it would not be taken. 3. Though a man in himselfe must not doe a lesse evill for avoidance of a greater: Chrys. yet to stop anothers precipice into some monstrous mischiefe, and to mollify his mind by insinuation to a lesse; this they hold tolerable. As if men by custome must sweare, the oath is better by their head, than by God. He that is shut up in a walled fort, Greg. let him escape where the wall is lowest. Answ. This is true, where we are perswaders from evill, not actors of evill our selves. So if Lot had [perswaded] them to the young maides of the towne, and to forbeare the men, it had beene more sufferable. But no man is to sin himselfe, with the hazard of his owne soule, for the prevention of anothers wickednesse. 4. His intent was good to preserve his gods. Answ. Rom. 3.8. We must not doe evill, that good may come thereof.
Chrys. Indeed there is a necessitie which comes à Posteriore. As when a man hath sworne to undoe his neighbour: if he breake his oath, he commits perjurie: if he keepe his oath, he breakes charitie. What now? rather in breaking it offend onely God, than in keeping it offend both God and man. But this perplexitie is not Ex parte [rerum], , it is not necessary to sweare falsely, or breake charitie: but Ex parte hominis, 〈◊〉 cannot revoke what he hath spoken and done. 5. He knew that if his daughters wee forced against their wils, they did not sin; and if they sinned not, he sinned not. Answ. If the maidens should consent, Aug. facient cum Sodomitis, te authore, nequitiam, Lot was the author of their sin: if they should not consent, Patientur a Sodomitis, te authore, volentiam, Lot was the author of their ravishment. There might have beene uncertainty in their consenting, there had beene none in his exposing. His purpose was good, his offer was faulty. If by his allowance the Sodomites had defiled his daughters betrothed to others, it had beene his sin. If through violence they had defiled his guests, it had beene only their sin.
It is for God to prevent sinne with judgement, not for man to prevent a great sin in possibility, with a lesse in present act. Thus it cannot be justified, only a little qualified. 1. In respect of the times, wherein knowledge was not so cleare. 2. By his charitie, he did it to conserve intemerate his guests. 3. By his troubled mind, without any recollection or serious advise. The best minds troubled yield inconsiderate motions; as water violently stirred sends up bubbles. Thus Lot meant well, but God meant better: he preferred the unknowen Angels before his children, and the Lord preserved them all.
But if this were such an error in Lot, though meant in charitie: how horrible is it in those that doe it for iniquitie? One would thinke there were no such monsters in nature, yea monsters against nature. The Lam. 4.3. Sea-monsters are not so cruell, as these land-monsters, to their young. A good father will not sell his childs body a slave to man, shall any sell his childs soule a slave to the devill? O that the Sunne should shine upon that woman, which will be a Bawd to her owne daughter! That the body she brought forth wth paines to this earth, she should sell for gaines unto hell. Let her lose the name of mother and bee held a murtherer: there is no woman ever more deserved to be called the divels Dam. Let al her sex be ashamed of her; and even the sinners that reward her, curse her. Parents admonish your children, disswade them from sin, pray against their sin, do not teach them to sin. What is said of the childs eye despising the parent, let me say of the parents tongue tempting the childe, Prov. 30.17. Let the Ravens of the valley peck it out, and the young Eagles eate it.
5 His drunkennesse. Lot fled from Sodome, yet he could not flye from sin: He that could not be tainted in the Citie, is overtaken in the Cave. It is not the place that amendeth manners. Si desit Spiritus, non adjuvat locus. Greg. Some places are more dangerous, none are secure from tentation. It is a Popish fancie, that a cloisturall life can make a man more holy. If drunkennesse crept into Lots cave, who can excuse their Cels and Cloistures. Lot sinned in the Mountaine, Adam in Paradise, the Angels in Heaven: are Nunneries and Monasteries safer than these?
Some wholly excuse his drunkennesse, Chrys. because hee did not purpose to bee drunke. Eph. 5.18. But the Apostle faulteth all excesse: the excesse is a sin, what ever bee the purpose before, or effect after. Other say for it, Aquin. Theodoret. Aug. that he dranke liberally to allay his sorrowes, and mitigate his heavinesse. Ans. It ill becomes a just man to make use of such a comfort: the remedy was worse than the disease. I deny not, but wine to a man afflicted with so many griefes, hath the allowable use. Prov. 31.6. Give strong drinke to the heavy heart. But he that shall thinke to enable his body, by disabling his soule, and to cure his sicknesse with his sin; runs into the fire to avoid the smoke.
Let there be no pretext found for drunkennesse; it made a just Lot prostitute his body to beastly uncleannesse. Sodome could not deceive him, but Wine did. Vritur aebrius flammis mulierum, quem sobrium sulphurea flamma non attigerat. Origen. The fire of wine within him, did more than fire and brimstone without him. Nor in him alone hath it prevailed: Who would thinke to finde Noah, that father of the new world, lying drunken in his Tent? Or that a little Wine should doe more than a whole deluge of water? That he who was not perverted by the bad examples of the old world, should now begin a new example of sin to the new world? Lord, what is man, if he be but himselfe? What living man, had more noble proofes of Gods Mercy, and Iustice: mercy on himselfe, justice on others? The Lord once said to him in the midst of innumerable apostates; Thee onely have I found righteous. Hee that was purged when the world was uncleane, proves now uncleane when the world is purged. The Preacher of the former world, and Prince of the latter, is the first that renewes the sins which he had reproved, and for which he saw it condemned.
There is no sin hath so strange an effect, it is worse than sin. Other sins procure shame, but seeke to hide it, this displayes it. Lot is thus made a foole to his daughters, Noah to his son: it is a common quality in this excesse to disclose secrets. Adam had no sooner sinned, but he saw and abhorred his owne nakednesse, seeking concealement even in bushes. Lot and Noah discover their nakednesse, and have not so much rule of themselves as to be ashamed. Drunkennesse doth not only make vices, but make them manifest. So would God have it, that our shame might be double by it. Both a shame for those imperfections we discover, and of that imperfection which moved us to discover them. One houres drunkennesse filthily discovered, what six hundred yeeres sobriety had modestly concealed. He that gives himselfe to wine, is not his owne man. How abhorrible is that vice, which shall rob a man of himselfe, and lay a beast in his roome? He that resists that one sin, escapes many: as he that kils the pregnant damme, is sure to destroy all the brood.
Drunkennesse commands all: the senses command the members, the affections command the senses, the heart commands the affections, the head commands the heart, and wine commands the head. As Themistocles boy said; I rule my mother, my mother rules my father, and my father rules the whole Senate. Wine is aspiring, and wil get up to the crowne, and then humbles the crowne to the feete. If it once take the sconce, as Ioab said of Rabba, all the rest will follow.
6 His Incest. Rather than Satan will leave Lot untempted out of Sodome, his own daughters shall prove Sodomites. They that should have been his comforters to succour him, became baites to betray him. So little are they moved with that grievous Iudgement, the turning of Sodome to ashes, of their mother to a Pillar, both in their eye: that they dare think of lying with their own father. Yea, and one of them afterward, impudently calls that son Moab; My fathers son by me.
Some have excused their fact, that they did it to preserve seed: not out of intemperancie, but love of their Name and posterity: not for lust, but [procreation]. Answer The end was commendable; but the meanes, by incest with their father, culpable: better for them never to have beene mother, than to be so by their father. Yet their intent shall judge many: they affected commotion for fruit, diverse make that their last, and least end: lust of delectation is stronger with them, than desire of propagation. It seemes, they sinned directly against their owne consciences; because they did first intoxicate their father, to put him from his rectified memorie. They thought he would not consent to them, unlesse he first did forget himselfe: that while Lot was sober he would not be unchast. Drunkennesse is the key that opens the doore to all bestiall affections and actions. Wine knowes no difference, or of persons or sinnes. Their fact was more hainous than their fathers: his only drunkennesse, theirs to make him so, and then to commit incest with him. Aug. Culpandus Lot, non quantum ille Incestus, sed [quantum] illa ebrietas merebatur.
For his Incest, he knew it not: Gen. 19.33. he perceived not when they lay downe, nor when they rose up. It is no incredible thing Nescientem cotre: not that it was done by nocturnall pollution, without the act of generation; as Tostatus out of Thomas. Now those sins condemne us, which we doe knowingly: Et facinus facimus, [quando] mala facta sciamus. Cajetan. The use of his reason was hindred by drinke: for if he had remembred himselfe upon his awaking, he would never have done it the second time. Some say, the progressive facultie may bee exercised in sleep, as some walke in their sleepe and transport things from place to place. Certainely, the Devill was not absent in such a a fowle businesse, Calv. working fancies in his head. But in a word, Non tam illa turpitudo à vino quàm propter ebrietatem stupor inflictus à Domino: his unchastitie was the punishment of his ebrietie.
Thus came his uncleannesse from his drunkennesse, but what is to be said for his drunkennesse? Once, and a second time he admitted it Noah was drunke but once: one act cannot make a good heart unrighteous, as a trade of sinne cannot stand with regeneration. So dangerous is it to give way to Satans temptations: where he is once entertained, the next time hee is confident. Hee that hath takes one sore fall, is the worse for it long after. I know it is true in some; Te d•c••• lapsus, magis ut vestigia firmes, once to have stumbled, is alwaies to bee admonished: but this is above nature, a happinesse onely beholding to Divine grace.
These are the exceptions against Lots Iustice, who (for all these) hath a testimonie from the mouth of the Holy Ghost, that he was a Iust man. Now whom God calls Iust, let no man call unrighteous. Such is the difference, not of sinnes, but of men. He that sees Lot and Iudah pardoned for Incest, while Zimri suffers for fornication; must confesse, that God doth not so weigh the faults as the persons. It is a foolish proverbe of mans partiall indulgence; that one man may better steale a horse, than another looke on. But the Lord is Iustice, and hates all sin whatsoever, in all persons whatsoever: yet will he pardon their great sin, that are members of his good Son: and severely punish the least fault in them for whom he suffered not. He regards not so much, quid, as quis: remission goes not by the measure of the sin, but by the qualitie of the sinner, yea, rather the mercie of the forgiver. Not the man that hath done no sin, but whom the Lord wil not charge with sin hee is Psal. 32.1. Blessed. From all that hath been said, I will draw certaine usefull conclusions.
1 Even a just Lot is suffered to fall: he that was a gracious Saint on earth, and is now a glorious Saint in heaven; had his aspersions. When God upholdes us, no temptation can move us: if he let goe his manutenencie, none is too weake for us. Which of Gods deare children have not once done that thing, whereof they have afterward beene ashamed? This the LORD suffers for diverse reasons. 1. To humble us if: such excellent men have trode awry, how should we take heed to our wayes? Shall such Gyants stumble, and we lame creeples be secure? 2. To keepe us from despaire: the Scripture tels us of their infirmities, that in their pardon we may reade Gods mercies. Let their falling humble us, and their rising againe comfort us. If we had not such patternes, how could we but despaire at the sight of our sins? But he will hope well of his wound, that hath so good experience of his Physician. 3. To magnifie his owne infinite goodnesse, that can to good turne our evill: he lets us fall, knowing how to make as good use of our sin, as of our obedience.
Lot might be ashamed of his Incestuous seed, and wish to have come from Sodome alone. Yet was this unnaturall bed blessed with increase. Diverse good women have failed of this fruit by the lawfull rights of marriage as Sara, Rebecca, Rachel, Elizabet; all hardly conceived. Some with one unlawfull copulation have become pregnant: as Thamar by Iudah, Bethshabe by David, Lots daughters by their owne father. Not that God favours forbidden conjunctions: but in his Iustice to bring such secret sin to open shame; in the elect for their conversion, in the [reprobate] for their further confusion.
Moab is derived from this Incest, one that might call his father, Grandfather; and his mother, Sister. One father begot both the mother and her child, and one man is both the brother and sonne of the same woman. Yet from this line came one of our Saviours worthy Ancestors: of Moab came Ruth, married to Boaz, the father of Iesse, the father of David, the progenitor of IESUS CHRIST according to the flesh. Gods election is not tied to our meanes: we may beget children, we can neither traduce blessings nor curses to them. Holy parents from a chast bed have sometimes bred a monstrous and impious generation. And the Lord sometimes raiseth a holy seed from the drunken bed of fornication. Whatsoever we doe, God will be chuser; and serve himselfe, not according to our act, but his owne purpose. Weightie eares of corne have sometimes growen out of the compasse of the tilled field: and sweet flowers beene found out of the inclosed Garden, even in the wild forrest. Thus will GOD keepe his owne libertie of election, by his grace, not our workes; and let us know, that we are not borne, but made good.
2 Notwithstanding these infirmities, still Lot is a Iust man: some particular acts may be too light in the ballance, without extinguishing his title before the Lord. A man is sanctified in foure respects. 1. In the not imputation of his sins: and that which is not imputed, is as it were not committed. 2. In inchoation of holinesse, begun in this life, perfected hereafter. 3. In acceptation; Num. 23.21. God seeth none iniquity in Iacob, hee seeth no transgression in Israel: there is sinne in us, but God will not see it. 4. In comparison; so they shine like starres in a darke night. Lots offences were some blemish to his sanctification in earth, they could not nullefie his Iustification in heaven: blemish his vertue they may, not frustrate his grace. For if still as the elect sin, they should lose their grace, and cease to be righteous; Gods election were as mutable; as our condition. The franticke in his mad fits doth not exercise reason, yet he hath it: he loseth the use, not the habite, ratione Principii. In a swoune the soule doth not excercise her functions: a man neither heares, nor sees, nor feeles; yet she is still in the body. A suspended Priest cannot be put from his right in the Church, for Ministerium indelebilis [character]: he hath his ministerie, though forbidden to excercise it. The out-Law is still a subject, albeit debarred of some priviledges. The sonne angers his father, he doth not strait disinherite him. Though the vessell reele, yet feare not, [Caesarem] vehis, thou carriest Caesar; said that Emperor to the quaking Mariner: we are weake of our selves, but Christ is in us.
Lot fell sixe times in many dayes, the Iust man fals seven times in one day; yet he is still Iust in his Saviours righteousnesse. This concludes our comfort: he that bad Peter forgive his repenting brother seven times, will forgive our repentant soules seven thousand times: he scornes that any Peter, Saint, or Angell, should outgoe him in shewing mercie. In our selves we are sinners; in CHRIST righteous. When the Philosopher in his owne meane clothes could not bee admitted into the Court on a solemne day, he went and borrowed rich and gorgeous apparell, he was then let in with ease and respect. Being in the Presence, he was continually kissing his robe: the King noting it, wondred, and asked the cause: he answers, [Honoro] honorantem, I honour that which honoured me. Nam quod virtus non [potuit], vestitus obtinuit. My vertue could procure me no entrance, my garment did. We are too base, ragged, beggarly of our selves, to be let into that glorious Court of heaven; by faith put we on the Princes embroidered garment, CHRISTS righteousnesse; then shall we be admitted. Let us admire and honour that which honours us: Quod virtus nostra non potuit, vestitus ejus obtinet: what all our righteousnesse could never doe, that his robe doth for us.
Now 1 Pet. 4.18. if the righteous shall scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and sinner appeare? Righteous, that’s happy: but scarcely saved, that’s hard: yet shall be saved, that’s happy againe. Let no beleever feare, for he is righteous: let none presume, for he shall scarcely be saved: yet, let none despaire, for he shall be saved. For all thy sin, yet thou (being faithfull in Christ) art righteous: for all thy righteousnesse, thou shalt scarcely bee saved: for all that difficultie, yet thou shalt bee saved. Thus like those on the seas, Psal. 107.26. they mount up to heaven, and downe to the deepe, and up againe: or like the Heave-offering, that was heaved up, and downe, and up againe: or as CHRIST, the Anti-type of it, was heaved up to the Crosse, downe to the grave, and up againe unto glory. So we are Iustified by Christ, this lifts us up to grace: we commit many sinnes, this humbles us with shame: yet we love righteousnesse, and endevour to perfection, this shall advance us to everlasting Glory.
3 Iust Lot was delivered, neither for his Iustice, nor without it. Not for his owne righteousnesse, but for Gods mercie. I will deliver him, because I have a favour unto him. Nor doth the Apostle meane, that Lot was delivered for his owne sake: nor the Prophet, that he was delivered for Abrahams sake; when he saith, Gen. 19.26. The Lord remembred Abraham, and sent out Lot. He should have beene saved, though he had not beene a kin to Abraham. Yet is this repeated to testifie Gods love to Abraham, and his gracious answere to the prayers of the Sons of Abraham; which shall prevaile with him. But indeed, God remembred Abraham, not so much because hee prayed, but because himselfe had promised: the deliverance depended not upon any merite in Vncle or Nephew, but on the divine goodnesse.
The Pontificians say, there be two things in a good worke: the Meritorious part, to get heaven: the satisfactory part, to escape hell. It cannot doe the latter, Propter Inutilitatem, for the unprofitablenesse of it; being no more than we are bound to doe. It cannot doe the former, Propter Invaliditatem, for the insufficiencie of it, being not so much as we are bound to doe. If God judge by the Law morall, no worke is good: for if by the Law evangelicall, joyned with the remission of sinnes, many workes are good. Some have affirmed that all our workes arcâ evill; as if truth and lying, covetousnesse and liberalitie, hatred and charitie, were all one. God never taught that doctrine. Indeed our best actions have their [blemishes] and imperfections. The Egyptian midwives saved the Hebrew children by a lie: yet it is said, Exod. 1.20. God prospered them, and made them houses. He rewarded not their lie, but their pietie: he so regarded their mercie, that he regarded not their infirmitie. Prosperitie belongs to their goodnesse, pardon to their dissimulation. The Lord forgave the obliquitie, and blessed the honestie of the work. There be three circumstances in every worke, which Saint Bernard would have us looke unto. An liceat, an expediat, an deceat: the lawfulnesse, expedience, decency: the maine is the licet. But man is so lame, that though he keeps the right way, yet he halts. Without our righteousnesse we cannot be saved, yet for our righteousnesse we are not saved, but for his that came to save us.
4 The Iust Saints are to bee followed, but in their Iustice and sanctitie. Too many encourage themselves on their fals: Lot was incestuous and drunken, yet hee is called Iust; why for such sins am I held unrighteous? Am I better than he ? better? No, would thou wert halfe so good. 1. He sinned and condemned himselfe, thou sinnest and defendest thy selfe. Thou likest that in him, which he misliked in himselfe. 2. They sinned and repented, thou shewest thy sinne, but no signe of repentance. Quos secutus es errantes, sequere paenitentes. Their weakenesse seene in our hands, but their teares are not seene in our eyes. 3. Evill was never made to be imitated, but goodnesse. Lots faith and obedience is not such a sinners object, but his Incest and drunkennesse: as if Iacobs modest looke, liberall hand, truth-speaking tongue, devout knee, and humble heart, were not worth noting; but only his lamenesse and halting. He markes none of their graces, but their scarres. 4. Their fals serve to raise us up when we are downe, not to cast us downe when we are up: for our consolation afterward, not for our presumption before. To thinke of their errors, should humble us with feare, not hearten us with encouragement to evill. It is said of the wicked, They feare, where no feare is here it may be said, where feare is they feare not. These examples are [Paenitentibus] in solatium, not praesumentibus in refugium. To say, why should not I find mercy with David, this is the voice of faith: to say, why should not I venture to sin with David, this is the voice of folly. 5. Thy sin is greater by this bold imitation: a lie ventured on by the example of a Saints frailtie, is of a more malicious nature in thee, than it was in him. Any transgression thus derived, is the argument of a more ungracious soule, than that it seekes to imitate. What he hopes shall excuse him, doth more properly condemne him; because he had that warning before him. 6. Thy repentance is doubtfuller.
He that tempted them to sin tempts also thee; that is Satan: but he that gave them repentance, is not bound to give it thee, that is God. Thou makest thy fall certaine, thy rising againe is uncertaine. Such a man hath bin dangerously sick, and escaped; his Physitian was skilfull and diligent, his medicine proper and [effectuall]. Wilt thou make thy selfe sick, on purpose to try the skill of the one, and vertue of the other? 7. For them, there was a cure behinde, the sacrifice of the Lambe not then slain: but now if men wilfully frustrate the price of that redemption Christ died no more: his next comming shall not be in the humility of a [sufferer], but in the glory of his Father; not to redeeme, but judge the world. 8. All Scripture is for instruction, all is not for imitation. Lucerna pedibus meis; a light [to my] feet, shewing me the blocks whereat they stumbled, that I might keepe my ••e upright. Commissum atque conscriptum est. It is so done and written: Aug. for our imitation? No, that were an argument of two much violence, to draw on sin with the cart-ropes of examples: to take some stones from the Temple, that with them wee might beate downe the rest: and to spoile our selves by the ruines of Gods Saints.
This is fit to be urged against those that flesh themselves by the sins of Gods children. Will any infer, what matter is it what manner of men wee are, when Paul a 1 Tim. 1.13. Blasphemer, a persecuter, an oppressor, was received to mercy? When Saul comming a Wolfe against the Lambes, is made Paul a Shepheard for the Lambes. This is true in him, but he did it ignorantly; thou having his example doest it maliciously. and God will not be mercifull to them that offend him of set purpose. He that deliberately resolves to sin, doth what he can to make himselfe uncapable of forgivenesse. Indeed it is true, that nemo bonus, nisi qui aliquando malus; there is none good, but hee was once bad: Peter by experience of his owne frailty, might learne with his keyes to open heaven unto others. But though God forget our sinnes in his patience, let not us forget them in our penitence. God pardoned in Lot what was bad, and accepted what was good: let us follow his vertues, that we be never condemned for his sinnes.
5 If we will be delivered let us be just: but doth God deliver none but the righteous? Yes, sometimes also the wicked, and that for diverse reasons. 1. That they might be brought to repentance; for that is the scope and purpose of the Rom. 2.4. goodnesse and patience of God. But man is so given to pride, that if he speed well he thinkes he deserves well: and so instead of humble thankefulnesse swels with proud arrogance. 2. For some proginie to come from them: for good Hezekiah to be borne, his wicked father Ahaz is forborne. Why doth Amon draw out two yeeres breath in Idolatry, but that good Iosiah was to be fitted for a king? Psa. 73.17. When I came into the Sanctuary of God, then understood I the ends of these men. There we finde, that many sacrilegious, extortioners, idolaters, are delivered, because God hath some good fruit to come from their cursed loines. 3. To fill up the measure of their sins: they have alrady done so much, that they are suffered to do more: so sin is punished with sin, as drunkennesse with thirst. 4. To magnifie the Lords patience, in giving them time and meanes of penitence: that as they make his labour without successe, they might be left without excuse. Thus was Cham delivered from that universall deluge, yet after he comes to deride his own father: twice had Noah given him life, yet he abuseth both his father and preserver. Even Gods Arke may nourish Monsters: on the seats of the Temple may sit contemners of their spirituall fathers, as often filthy Toades lye under the consecrated stones. Was this Gods favour to preserve him to judgement? He had better have perished in the waters, than live unto his fathers curse. It is not imply our deliverance, but our thankefulnesse for it, and obedience after it, that gives sufficient argument to our consciences, we are in the favour of God.
6 Never did man serve God for nothing: if Lot bee just, he shall now find the benefit of it, he is delivered. It is the speech of Atheisme and Apostacie: It is in vaine to serve God, and what profit is it that we have kept his Commandements M•l. 3.14. Most false, from God, Discedet nullus sine munere, munere dignus: he highly scornes to owe a man any thing. Cyrus in the conquest of Lacedemonia, encouraged his Souldiers: that the foot-man should have a horse-mans place; the horse-man a charriot; the Lievetenant should be made a Captaine; the Captaine a Colonel and he that was President over a Citie, should be made a Vice-roy over a whole Countrey. Whereas Christ, say they, for his Souldiers, speakes of nothing but taking a crosse, and bearing a yoke: of persecution abroad, and affliction at home. Here is not Labor muneratus honore, but honor mutilatus labore: it was better with us before, we had more prosperity with lesse piety. They are miserably deceived, there is no honour like to his service, the feare of God rewards it selfe. Esa. 49.4. 〈◊〉 have laboured in vaine, & spent my strength for nought; the earth is barren: but my worke is with the Lord, and my reward with my God; heaven is fruitfull, there shall be a blessed harvest of recompence.
Mal. 3.16. Then spake they that feared the Lord, and a booke of remembrance was written, &c. They met together to serve God: for this purpose was their comming, and about this businesse was their communing. What followed? A book of remembrance was written for them: not one good worke of theirs, but is there registred: the great Master of the Rols records them, and rewards them; here in a heaven of peace, there in the peace of heaven. And they shall be mine, saith the Lord: Ver. 17. When I shall say to the wicked, Depart from me; then I will acknowledge them for mine. When I make up my Iewels, setting all the trash and refuse on fire; I will gather up them into mine owne treasury, as a man locks up his precious jewels in his Cabinet. And I will spare them, as a man spareth (not every sonne, but) his sonne that serveth him.
This was the convinced divels acknowledgement; Iob. 1.9. Doth Iob feare God for nought? And Sauls insinuation to the Benjamites, disheartening their adherence to David. 1 Sam. 22.7. Will the son of Ishai give you fields and vineyards? Will hee make you [Captaines] over hundreds and Captaines over thousands? Reward is the encouragement of service. This was the ground and colour of the angry sonnes exception. These many yeeres have I served thee, without breaking thy commandement; Luk. 15.29. yet thou [never] gavest me so much as a kid, to make merry with my friends. An unjust [expostulation] of a son to a father, and such a father as had given him the inheritance. 1 Cor. 15.5. Ye know that your labour is not in vaine in the Lord. Labour. Idlenesse shall doe you no good, but labour. Your labour, the paines of another shall not profit you, but your owne labour. Is not in vaine; not like the Black-mores washing, a labour in vaine: but if it misse your end, it reacheth Gods: wee see not the successe, yet it prospers. In the Lord, it may be in vaine in the world, and men never requite it; but in the Lord it shall finde recompence. Our labours end with our lives, but our rewards end not with our labours. This we know: Divinity consists of certaine grounds and infallible principles, a sure foundation, a knowledge. The Physitian be his medicine never so proper, knowes not whether he shall recover his Patient. Plead the Lawyer never so learnedly, he knowes not whether he shall regaine his clients right. The Souldier may fight valiantly, yet is not sure of the victory. But Divinity is a knowledge, making us know, that our pious endeavours shall be rewarded.
7 The Lord first makes us just, and then saves us: as he first sanctified Lot, and then delivered him. So that our Iustice is not Iustice in proper and district [termes], but mercie. 1 Cor 6 1•. Ab luti estis, you are washed. What, have you washed your selves? No, yee are washed, yee are justified, yee are sanctified in the Name of the Lord Iesus, and by the Spirit of God. So 1 Co• 1 30. Christ is made to us wisedome, and righteousnesse, and sanctification, and redemption. Wisedome in the instruction of our soules, righteousnesse in the forgivenesse of our sinnes, sanctification in the holinesse of our lives, and redemption in the deliverance from all our enemies. We are none of these in our selves; that he who rejoyceth, might rejoyce in the Lord. Trust not your armes of flesh, nor your hearts of ashes, nor your purest spirits while they are housed in corrupted walls. If you have stood a time, trust not your legges, you may slide: if you have slip’d and recovered, trust not your recovery, you may fall againe. Trust not your strength, it is infirmity: trust not your [wisedome], it is folly: trust not your holinesse, it is blended with iniquity. Prophets have fallen, Patriarchs have fallen, Apostles have fallen, Starres have fallen, Angels have fallen. But trust the mercy of God, which is of infinite perfection: and the merits of Christ, which are of perfect satisfaction. Esa. 43.25. It is I, even I, that [putteth] away thine iniquity for my own sake. It is not Abraham nor Moses; nor the Virgin Mary, nor the Virgin Martyr, not Peter at Rome, nor Paul at Ierusalem, that can doe this cure: heare the Physitian; It is I, saith the Lord. Not with the preparation of our owne nature, nor with the cooperation of our owne justice, nor [dispositi-] ion and liberty of our owne will: heare him once againe; It is I, even I, and for mine owne sake, and sons sake, that forgiveth your sins.
To conclude with application. God hath given us a gracious deliverance, which we may paralell with Lot’s. We have beene saved from the Fire; such a conflagration, as knowes no comparison, but Sodome or hell. With a match it should have beene done, without all Match, if it had beene done. Some differences there are: that fire was in a just severitie, this, in an unjust trecherie. Sodomes for came downe from heaven, this gunpowder fire was fetch’d up from hell. That was inflicted by the Ministers of God, Angels: this was devised by the Ministers of Satan, Traitors. That was prepared for the nocent, this for the innocent. That was fire and brimstone, this fire and gunpowder; of a more suddaine and dispatching violence; not reserving pause for a Lord have mercy on us. We were Titio ereptus, Am. 4.11. a brand pluck’d out of the burning. The Lord did not only deliver us from the burning, but he also kept the fire from kindling. He sent Lot out of Sodome, to save him; he prevented Sodome in England, to save us: he did not remove us from it, but he removed it from us.
He that sent that fire downeward, kept this fire from mounting upward. He delivered Lot by visible Angels, and Angels were not wanting though invisibly, when he delivered us. He remembred Abraham, and sent out Lot: when he freed as from the fire, he remembred the Sonne of Abraham according to temporall birth and his owne Son by eternall generation, Iesus Christ. He did reveale to Abraham this purposed destruction of Sodome: he did not conceale from our gracious Soveraigne the notice of this intended destruction of his kingdome. Lot was sent out by breake of day, and we delivered by foure a clocke in the morning: that very morning: there wanted but a little worke of the morning, and then sufficient to the day, to the yeare, to all ages of the world, had the malice of that morning beene; more accursed, than ever was read in the kalendar of any time. The [Incendiary] a Faux, a fire-brand indeed, kept his vigils, but the Lord prevented his Iubile. There was Titio infernalis, a hell-brand ready with his match, to make Communem rogum, a generall bone-fire, both of mortall men and immortall Trophees and Charters: to make a whole burnt-offering of us all, and to passe us through the fire to that Moloch of Rome. Temples, sepulchers, monuments of age and honour, should have beene tossed into the aire, then into the water, after they had beene first spoiled by fire. Our river had beene turned into a river of bloud, and her carriages, in stead of commodities, into dead corpses and discerpted limbes; her chrystall streames died into rubies. Thus they meant us like Sodome but God delivered us like Lot. The danger was imminent and furious, their rage violent and monstrous, our deliverance strange and glorious; let our commemoration and thankes bee solemne and generous, heroicall and perpetuall for ever. Amen.
Vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked.] The next point is his place, which was sinfull, flagitious, stigmaticall Sodome. It was worse than a Gaole to his just soule: and report lies, if our common Gaoles be not like to Sodome, the very dennes of mischiefe, the Schooles of wickednesse. Thus Gods ordinance for reformation, is made a meanes of further transgression: and the place built for discipline, breeds and feeds villanie. A malefactor learnes more pestilent untowardnesse when he comes there, than ever he knew before. O that the Magistrate would looke to this; that drunkennesse and blasphemie might not usurpe the place of mortification and humilitie!
Chrys. But why would Lot stay in such a wicked Citie? Not as a neighbour affected with their customes, but as a Physitian to cure their diseases. But he that looked for a Paradise, found a hell: and the cup of his prosperitie was spiced with the bitter fruites of a cursed societie. It was indeed Terra bona, but Gens mala; as it was once said of Ireland; nothing bad there but the people. Matth 3.22 Christ would not suffer his weake Disciple to goe bury his Father; lest hee should be perverted by some carnall friends at the funerall. I am life, tarry and live with me: let the dead alone, lest thou dye with them. How often doth God part his children from the wicked, by making them smart with the wicked! Aug. As Augustine speakes of the religious taken among the rest by the Gothes: Iure amaram vitam sentiunt, quia peccantibus amari esse noluerunt. Psa. 120.5. Woe is me that I must remaine in Mesheck, and dwell in the tents of Kedar.
To live among the good is a great happinesse, a little Image of heaven, a module and abridgement of the communion of Saints. Where one doth love another and all love God: one is at peace with another, and all at peace with their owne conscience: one doth honour another, and all honour their Maker. When the inhabitants of a Parish shine in the day, like a Firmament of bright Stars in the night; not one malevolent aspect among them. Like a Quire of tunable voices, every one keeping time and his owne part, and in a sweet harmony, all singing the prayses of the Lord. But O where shall we finde such a neighbour-hood? how much ground shall we leave behind us, ere we arrive at this society? The Prophet once cried, O ye heavens drop downe righteousnesse; as if the earth had quite lost it, being taken up above the cloudes. We may now cry and complaine for want of this neighbour-hood; O ye heavens drop down kindnesse and charity into our times, O love that art Alumna coeli, sis medicina soli; come downe and helpe us.
Imagine with the fable, a Citie consisting of selected men, all peaceable, tractable, charitable, humble; the Magistrate clemently ruling, the people meekely obeying. The enemy knowes it invincible, while thus governed: therefore craftily resolves to shuffle in among them a paire of false brothers; a lyer, and a theefe. But because in their owne formes they would soone be discovered and abhorred; he puts them in two disguises; the lyer like a Lawyer, the theefe like a Vsurer. Their wealth procures them roome and respect, they fall to worke. The lyer with his forged weapons, whispers to the Magistrate how the people stomack him: to the people, how the Magistrate tyrannizeth over them: to private persons, what hard language is given them, what wrong is done them, what right is kept from them, and that the law is ordained to render every man his owne. First, there is heart-burning, then brawling, then contesting at law: and now instead of peace and humility, there is pride and enmity. The Vsurer, he so robs them by a legall theft, that they become at once sensible of want and injury; covetousnesse gets into the heart, oppression fils the hand. Now far-well charity, every man for himselfe, none for God, and God for none. Consider your selves, and wish this were but a Parable: punish the divels instruments; hang up theevery, cut out the tongue of lying, and so be shut of them: this were a faire riddance of them both, as the proverbe hath it, without a Session. There was a Mathematician in Constantinople, that in anger thus vexed his neighbour. Agath. Hee did set in his Cellar great Caldrons of boyling water, with heate multiplying the motions of the vapours; and then turning them all into narrow pipes, gave them vent under his neighbours floore: which made such an earthquake, that it shooke all his house. Then with fire-glasses and barrels he so thundered and lightned, that he forced him to forsake his dwelling. The vapours of secret slanders, the earthquakes of open contentions, the thunders of blasphemy, the flashes of burning malice, doe so afflict us: that we cry, Our soule is among Lions; sons of men whose teeth are speares, arrowes and sharpe swords.
But still what doth Lot in Sodome, a Saint among sinners? fishes may be fresh in salt waters; live in the sea, and not pertake the brinish qualitie: it is not so with man. Rather, Aliquid mali propter vicinum malum; some evill for neighbour-hoods [sake]. Pure streames passing by a corrupt foile, contract some of the putrefaction: and springs running thorow the veines of the earth, savour of the minerall, which they last saluted. Inficitur terrae sordibus unda fluens. Commisti sunt inter [Gentes]: c They were mingled among the heathen. What followed? They learned their workes. No wonder: can a man be cleane among Lepers? or sleepe with dogges, and not swarme with fleas? We certifie our selves of mens behaviour, as the Lacedemonians inquired the carriage of their children: Of what sort are their companions: as they, Of what condition are their play-fellowes? The mischiefes of Sodome and Babylon should forewarne our departure: as the swallowes would not come neere Thebes, because the wals had beene so often besieged. The smitten Deere is presently forsaken of all his fellowes. A great Tree never fals alone, but also spoiles the under-wood, wch otherwise would have thrived well enough. The reason why the Raven returned not unto the Arke, is given by some, because she met with dead carcases. The worlds carrion keepes many from their faithfull adherence to the Church. Any thing taken from the proper place loseth the vertue: a coale of fire kept in the chimney, lives: separate it from the harth, leave it alone in the aire, it presently dyes. What Philosophy said of good, experience justifies of evill: Malum est sui diffusivum, evill is diffusive and spreading of it selfe; indeed more catching than goodnesse. Hag. 2.12. Aske the Priest if a man carry holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and touch other things with that skirt, shall they be holy? No, saith the Priest. If one that is uncleane by a dead body, touch any thing, shall it not bee uncleane? Yes, it shall be uncleane, saith the Priest. Sooner are the good corrupted by the bad, than the bad are bettered by the good. Why are we taught continually to pray, Deliver us from evill: but that it hath a dangerous power to make us evill? Yea, LORD, free us from Sodome, separate us from sinne, alienate us from the wicked, Deliver us from evill, for thine is the kingdome, the power, and the glory, for ever, Amen.
Vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked.] The matter of his vexing was their sin; the evill of the place came from the persons, who were fully, fowly, filthily, palpably wicked. Not by way of infirmity, or in any meane degree, but wicked, in the extent of sin. Not seldome, or by fits, but alwayes; their conversation was wicked. Not secretly and in corners, but notoriously in the publike view; their visible life was wholly wicked. And for specification, if any sin were predominant above the rest, it was Filthinesse, Sodomes filthinesse, a bestrality, yea worse. For Pejus est bestialiter vivere, quàm bestiam esse: it is not so bad to be a beast, as to live like a beast; a sin abhorred by nature it selfe. Therefore to put some method into this further discourse of their wickednesse, three circumstances appeare in the description. 1. The impudence of it, being notorious and open; Lots eye-sore. 2. The continuance of it, during their whole life: not an act or two, but their conversation. 3. The turpitude of it, being so obscene and nasty a fifthy conversation. Thus we have the fore-head, the heele, and the composition of the whole body.
1 The impudence; it was manifest wickednesse, their faces did not blush at it. The shew of their countenance doth witnesse against them, Esa. 3.9. they declare their sin as Sodome, they hide it not. It is true, that nocturnall pollutions shall have publike plagues: but they that dare sin God in the face, shall beare a heavier weight of his vengeance. The harlot doth bad enough, that wipes her lips, (as if the print of her sin could be seene there) and it was not she: though she commit it, she will conceale it. But Absalom worse; that spreads his incestuous pallet on the roofe, and cals the Sunne a blushing witnesse to his filthinesse. Psal. 73.6. Pride compasseth them about as a chaine: they weare their wickednesse in pompe, as if they meant it should grace them. Phil. 3.19. They glory in their shame: such as boast their quantities of drinke, and varieties of uncleannesse; (it is all one) how far into their hearts they have admitted the devill
Such are called Rev. •2.15. Dogs: not onely because they are as fawning as dogs, flattering their feeders: or as ravenous as dogs, insatiately devouring, canine [appetitu]: or as malicious as dogs, barking out scandals at their lives that shine with goodnesse: but as uncleane as dogs, and as shamelesse as dogges; noisome with impudence, and impudent with noisomenesse; their place is without, Psal. 10.3. The wicked boasteth his hearts desire: he doth not cover it, nor excuse it, but boast it: nor shift it to another, but makes it appeare his owne hearts desire. Mala admittunt, admissa jactant, jactata defendunt. Isidor. de sum bon. cap. 20. Majoris est culpae manifestè quàm occultè peccare: ille dupliciter reus, quia & agit & docet. The Popish rule is safer, Cautè si non castè: but these, vitia tam minimè abscindunt, ut non abscondant. They prostitute their soules as the Romans did the bankrupts houses, with, Who gives most? If their hand hath beene the Organ of unrighteousnesse, their mouth shall be the [Trumpet to] proclaime it.
There is more modesty in them that seeke concealement: if there be any bush in Paradise, any tempter to bee named by Adam; a woman of thy giving, Eve; whereas it was a woman of his owne seeking, concupiscence: Gehezi hath a lying cover, Saul a pretending colour; here is something to be alledged for mittigation. But to sin without shame, yea, to out-sin all shame, to publish the tenour of villany in print; this is Sodomes state. Vncleannesse was not confined to the Chamber, nor the every to the night, nor corruption blanch’d and skin’d over with [hypocrisie]: but borne aloft, justified by protection, and crowned with garlands of honour and approbation. This sin abandons secresie, scornes reproofe: [admonition] to it were but like goads to them that are mad already, or a powring of oile downe the chimney.
It is said of b Thamar; that Iudah tooke her for an harlot by her dressing. Gen. 38.15. She takes upon her the habite of an harlot, because she meanes to be one: her attire declares her purpose. If she had not wished to seeme a whore, she would have avoided such a place and vaile. The externall monuments of immodesty bewray a carnall heart: they that meane well, will never wish to seeme ill. Nature (not too far perverted) is not more forward to commit sin, than willing to hide it: and we commonly affect to shew better than we are. Not few harlots put on the semblance of chastity, and bittterly raile on them that appeare naught. Moorish passages are dangerous for travellers, but the pits which the eye sees, the foot avoides. Let us never trust those that doe not wish to appeare good.
To conclude then, Sodome sought no cover, and she was not covered; fire and brimstone had free accesse to her; and her confusion no lesse than her [corruption], was palpable to the world. Opennesse of sin saves Iustice a labour of inquisition: there need no hew and cry after that theefe which presents himselfe. Are there no such publike sinners amongst us? None that openly dis-hallow the Sabbaths; none that justifie sacriledge; a sin now as manifest as Sodomes: none that have so sworne away all grace, that they make it their grace to sweare. Rom. 16.17 Marke them that cause devisions and tumults among you, marke them with the black coale of infamy: let them be to you, as Lepers among the Iewes, or as men ful of plague-sores among you; whom neither the feare of God nor man can worke to peace, unquietnesse must be their portion for ever; the shame of the Gospell, malicious, wrangling Christians. Concerning these open sins, let me say to the Magistrate, as David to Salomon of 1 Kin. 2.8.9. Shemei; we may not, you must punish.
2 The continuance: as their sins were extant, so constant; Psa. 10.5. Their wayes were alwayes grievous. Their wayes, not some few steps; grievous, not meanely [offensive]; and that without intermission, alwayes. It is not so much sin, as the trade of sin that is damnable. They sin while they eate, sin while they walke, talke, even in sleepe they sin: their sportive, transportive mirth is full of obscenesse: their beds, boards, chambers, and (if they dissemble any devotion) the very Churches are witnesses of their impiety: such fluid soules, that no costive medicine can stay the flux of their sins: but the very remanent snuffe of originall goodnesse must languish out in a stinking dissolutenesse. Time, cummunis medicus, the remedy of other evils, encreaseth this. Other creatures grow up to their height, and then decay and dye: onely it is said of the Crocodile, that she growes to her last day. So doth this mans sin; Plus senio confectus, plus malo infectus: corpore debilior, facinore fortior. It is said of the Moone; Crescit, senescit, evanescit, & reparat sua [cornua] Phoebe: she waxeth, and waneth, and vanisheth, and then appeares againe with repaired hornes: but here is no change, except from evill to worse. They so habituate sins, Vt diu assueta, tandem putantur nulla: as the Fryers dwindle their orders, from Minim’s to Nullan’s. Or as some owe debts so long, that they forget them to be debts. They thinke the Preacher does them over-hasty wrong to call them from their inveterate lusts: as when a creditor demanded his money long due; the debter jested with his companion: See, I have ought him the money these ten yeares, and he is as earnest with me as if I had borrowed it but yesterday. Like men that have so often told a lie, that at last themselves thinke they speake true.
Lot may preach to them, but unlesse Lot could convert them, there is no reparation of their life. Resolute sinners love dissolute Teachers; such as cannot, or dare not speake the truth. That cannot, for insufficiencie: their place hath set them to charge, but they have neither powder, nor shot. That dare not, for flatterie: we may say of their Sermons, as it is reported of some harpes: Oculos pascunt, [aures] onerant: it is better to see, than heare them: their fingering may please the eye, their melodie is nothing worth. Yet as Saint Keywins harpe is kept for a great relique: so flattering teachers are venerable monuments with these.
Bern. They sin because they will sin: Quare peccas? quia nescis quid facias? d•s•: quia cogeris ut facias? absit: sed quia placet ut sic facias. The cause is neither ignorance, nor compulsion, but wilfulnesse. Though we must offend, yet for shame let there be some interruption and breaking off in our sins: let not men run head-long to hell, and never so much as looke backe. It is for the Devill only to doe nothing else but sin: a sinner from the beginning, a sinner to the end. Who gives a peny to that merchant that rejoyceth in his shipwracke? or will conferre an estate upon him that resolves to be a beggar? Saint Augustine confesseth a state of himselfe unconverted, bad enough; when he said, Petieram castitatem, sed nollem obtinere: but these will not so much as Petere, desire to be good.
While they are in Dalila’s lappe, they thinke themselves as safe as if they were in Abrahams bosome. As beggars get their living by shewing their sores: let a Chirurgion offer to heale them, they refuse it, because they live by them. We offer to cure mens maladies, their riot, rapine, uncleanesse, lying, blasphemie: No, they thank us, and say, they live by them. This is that Babel which will not be cured. Yea, they are worse than those beggars; for they desire not ulcers, yet when they have them, they make use of them: but these by an unnaturall lust contract them, and make ulcers in their conscience. Perhaps the issue there hath continued so long, that if they offer to stop it, they die: the Devill hath hamper’d some so fast, that they dare not but sin, for feare they should anger him, for a [Ne noceat]: and their consciences would so pinch and torture them, that they dare not admit a conference. As they that have curst and shrewish wives at home, love to stray abroad: so men molested with a scolding conscience, as the whore, drunkard, homicide; are faine continually to play, drinke, riot; to goe to bed with their heads full of wine, and no sooner wake, but to it againe. So that their conscience and knocke at the doore a thousand times, and they are never within, or at leasure to be spoke withall. Yet must they at last be met and found, as Ahab was by Eliah, even by this enemie: stay they never so long, and stray they never so farre, they must home at last. Sickenesse will waken them, conscience must speake with them, as a Master with his truant Scholer after a long absence; and then there are no men under heaven who more need that prayer, LORD have mercy upon them!
The uncleannesse: their sin was not only palpable, and durable, but detestable: they were exposed to turpitude, their bodies prostituted to fleshly pollutions. By [filthy] understand all carnall defilements, the kinds whereof Saint Paul specifies to the Romans under their proper names, because they were familiarly knowne to them. But to the Galathians, he wraps them up in generall termes, because there they were more obscure: As our Apostle doth not name Sodomes filthinesse to the Christian Iewes, lest by specifying it he should in a manner teach it. The degree of Pope Syricius involved marriage among the pollutions of the flesh: and such was the over-sight of Saint Gregory upon, 1 Cor. 7.2. Concessit minimo ut majus declinetur: a false glosse of a sincere Text, striving to prove by the Apostles words, that matrimonie is by permission, not by commandement: and therefore Sine vitio non esse, quod ignoscitur, & non praecipitur; that cannot be with. But sinne, which is pardoned, and not imposed. But if it were a sin to marry, God himselfe should be the Author of sin, for he was the author of marriage. Neither doth God pardon it as a thing forbidden, but permit it as a thing lawfull, though the Apostle doth not there impose it as a thing necessary. And it is a forced interpretation, to taxe that of iniquity, which God hath ordained for a remedie. For hee doth not forbid, but rectifie our desire; Let every man have his owne wife: Suam, non alienam: Vxorem, non concubinam: vxorem, non uxores: a Wife, not a concubine: his owne wife, not another mans: his Wife, not wives. Lamechs incongruitie, (Heare O yee wives of Lamech) was like false latine: for wives admit of no [pluralitie], when they be construed with one husband. Mal. 2.15. God had abundance of Spirit, yet unus unam uni, he ordained but one woman for one man.
But let us abhorre that doctrine, that shall at once cast out the aspersion of sin upon marriage, and yet seeke to vindicate uncleannesse from sin by a toleration of stewes. It was Gods expresse prohibition; Deut. 23.17. There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel. Many flatter themselves, that this is but a tricke of youth: belike they are content to lose the kingdome of heaven with a tricke: an unhappy tricke, that costs a man his soule.
It is truly said, that a whore is the high way to the Devill: he that lookes on her with lust, begins his voyage: he that stayes to talke with her, is halfe his way: he that enjoyes her, is at his journeys end. She is Mendax, out-lying a newes-monger: fallax, her kisses be sweet poyson: Vorax, her eye is on your face, while her heart is on your cash: Tenax, a deepe ditch: what is wrack’d there, is lost for ever: Curiosa, dressing her selfe all day, to provoke appetite at night: Impudica, others sinnes shew like land-schip, a farre off; hers like huge statutes: damnosa, damnable both to her selfe and others. She keepes her selfe a stranger to repentance, till they two meete at an hospitall. She lives like Cain, a reprobate vagabond without any constant habitation. Her body is the common sewer, her soule a snuffe which onely Surgery keepes alive, and at last it goes out in everlasting stench.
For others; it is her miserie and mischiefe not to be damned alone, she brings many to her owne fire, and so does the Devill speciall service. She is a witch that hath wrought upon Saints, as Gen. 38.15. Thamar (though otherwise a good woman) did once upon Iudah. He esteemes her by her habite, and the very sight of an harlot hath fiered him with lust: the Devill knowes that a fit object is halfe a victorie. At the first sight he is enflamed, and (which is strange) caught with her love before he saw her face. Not examining whether she was faire or foule, sicke or sound, friend or enemie, it was enough that she was a woman. The presence of the Adullamite does not restraine him: so had lust besotted him, that he could endure a witnesse. She was cunning, and would not trust him without a pawne: a pledge he leaves her, his staffe and signet. O that the filthy affection should thus transport a sonne of Iacob! But in him let us see the easiest fruites of it, feare and shame. Feare he came to pay the hire of his lust, and shee was gone: now hee feares, lest his owne signet should seale his reproach, and to be beaten with his own staffe. Shame, purposing, if these evidences were produced, not to owne them, and wishing that no other might know them. When the fact appeares, and the author cannot lie hid, with that shame, yea horror must he looke upon Thamars two sons, the monuments of his filthinesse? It must needs cut off his soule to heare them call him Sire and Grand-sire and Thamar both mother and sister. Shame is the surest and easiest wages of this sinne, there is more belongs to it.
He that hath thus fallen, must goe to the price of many a teare, it must cast him deepe sighes, and the heavy grones of a broken heart. It is not a light and transient sorrow that can doe it: the gates of heaven are shut, and every breath of a Miserere will not open them. Their state is dangerous, and there is but one way to helpe them: to repent what they have done and never more to doe what they have repented. If we have admitted such a prostitution of our bodies, let us obtaine by faithfull penitence such a restitution of our honours. So shall the gates of blisse be opened againe to us: for God esteemes not men as they have beene, but as they are.
Vexed.] The last point is Lots case: he did burne in zeale, as Sodome did in lust: there was fire in them both; his, a holy fire from the Altar of God, theirs, an unnaturall fire blowne into their veines by the bellowes of hell.
Vexed.] this was no ordinary disturbance, nor common displeasure: but oppressed, excruciated, tormented; his senses, his very soule exceedingly afflicted. He was not an idle looker on, as if he minded not what they did: nor in a timerous observation of the Proverbe: of little medling comes great rest: but knowing it to be the cause of God, his heart was perplexed about it. He durst as freely expostulate, as they durst act; and tooke as full liberty of reproving, as they took licenciousnesse of offending. He was not vexed with them, but with their deeds: we are to hate none for their creation, but perverting the end of their creation let us love Gods Image, not the filthy defacement of it. Pax cum viris, bellum [cum] vitiis, peace with the person, not with the conditions.
Vexed.] that which is here passive, is in the next verse active; he vexed his righteous soule. He vexed his owne soule: who bad him stay there to be vexed? He vexed himselfe, when he might have quitted himselfe. Yet because he was vexed, he is delivered. He was but a guest to Sodome, an Host to the Angels: he liked well of their situation, not of their conversation, and found more bitternesse in the one, than sweetnesse in the other. Yet because he avoided their sins, he escaped their judgements. And surely they were both miraculous: for his declining their sins, was no lesse a wonder than his deliverance from their flames. As the latter was Gods gracious prevention, so the former was his prevenient grace: and he was not more bound to blesse God for saving his body from the fire, than for saving his soule from their sin.
The nature and quality of this vexation I referre to the next verse. Conclude we with observing and admiring a wonder: a man environed with fire, and not burning; floating on the sea, and not drowning; dealing with dunghils, and not defiled; contemned and honoured, made rich by being impoverished. If I should propound a riddle; what is the highest and the lowest: the fairest and the fowlest: the strongest and the weakest: the richest and the poorest: the happiest and unhappiest: the safest and most in danger of any thing in the world? I durst not promise with Sampson, new sutes of apparell to all that can expound it. It is a true Lot, a good Christian.
He is the lowest of the world, De profundis clamavi? Psal. 130.1. Out of the deepes have I called: so low a hedge that every son of fortune treads him downe. Yet the highest, for his Phil. 3.20. conversation is in heaven: let his feet stand upon earth, his head is in heaven.
He is the lowest in appearance to the world; for so disguised with weeping, watching, fasting, that he seemes like a bottle dryed in the smoke: so loden with reproches, Esa. 53.2. that he lookes black as if he had lyen among the pots. u There is no forme, no beauty nor comlinesse desirable in him. Yet the fairest; black but comely; fairer than all the sons of nature; the delight of Angels, the love of God. Cant. 4.7. Thou art all faire my love and there is no blemish in thee. Acts. 6.15. Thus the face of Stephen appeared like an Angell: the Sunne, the Heavens, the Firmament of refulgent Starres are not comparable.
He is the weakest, a Lambe among Wolves, afflicted on this side, oppressed on that: a reed that bowes at every gust. Elias under a Iuniper-tree, weary of his life: Iob on the racke, broken with sores and sorrowes. Yet the strongest, being armed with faith, hope, and love, three invincible forces: faith being able to remove mountaines, to overcome the world: hope an immoveable anchor, able to stay the vessell in the greatest stormes: love strong as death, undertaking death in the terriblest forme, that it may come to Christ. Thus Elias durst face a king, and tell him, Thou troublest Israel. Herodian writes of Plantiamus, the Emperor [Severus] his favourite, that he had such a terror in his countenance, men durst not look him in the face. Therefore when he went abroad, he had his Ante-ambulones, [Gentlemen-ushers] before him, to give warning, that men might cast their eyes to the earth at his comming. It is said of St Benedict, that he had such a power of terror in his eye, that casting but a look upon Totilas, that warlike King of the gothes furious and audacious man; he made him tremble. Such a Majestie hath resulted from the face of diverse martyrs, that the tormentors were more afraid of them, than they of their tormentors. They are built upon such a foundation, that all the ordinance of hell can never batter them.
He is the poorest, not only in regard of superfluities, but even of necessaries. Moses must not thinke scorne to keepe sheepe, nor David to beg bread of Nabal, or Elias to be fed with ravens, nor Lazarus to be glad of crummes, nor the Apostles for pure hunger to plucke the eares of corne, nor Peter to confesse, Silver, and gold have I none, not a peny in his purse; nor CHRIST himselfe to be so neere driven, as to looke for figs from a tree in the way, and misse his purpose. Yet still the richest, without meate, not without Christ: sine domo, non sine Domino: [whatsoever] he wanteth, he wants not content. And it is no paradoxe, that a man may be rich with little, and poore with much. Content is the poore mans riches, and desire is the rich mans povertie. Discessâ avaritiâ, cessat indigentia: there is no want, where is no wantonnesse.
Hee is the unhappiest, for his hands are tied from revenge, his eyes muffled that he must not looke upon vanitie, his lips sealed that he may not returne rebuke for rebuke. He lives in the worldlings paradise, as the Poets fained of Tantalus; up to the chinne in pleasures, and is not suffered to taste them. Touch not, taste not, handle not; what a miserable life is this? Yet, is he the unhappiest; the peace of conscience, being his everlasting Christmas: a joy he hath, which no man can take from him. The Affrican King in Charles the greats Court, offering to be [baptised], observed diverse poore men sitting on the ground, and served in meane manner, demanded what they were: it was answered him, that they were the servants of CHRIST. Whereupon he replied, If the King keepe his servants so rich, and CHRISTS servants so poore, I will be no servant of CHRISTS. They that thus looke on the out-side of Christians, find small glory to please the eye of sensuall reason: it is the Inner man that is faire and rich and blessed, adorned with more Iewels than the eye of the world ever saw, or the treasure of the world it selfe is worth.
He is in continuall danger, his soule being the but for all Satans darts, his body the anvile for the worlds afflictions, he runs thorow many deaths, and is killed all the day long. Thus was Christ himselfe served; Nec recessit à servo, quod prassit in Domino. When the Iewes offered Iesus gall and vinegar; he tasted it but would not drinke; he left the rest for his Church, and they must pledge him. Yet still he is safe, under the shadow of Gods wings; and when the whole world floats on the waters, Noah shall sit dry in his Cabin. Let Sodome be all on a flame, not a haire of Lots head shall be sindged. All the assaults of flesh and bloud against them, is but as if glasse should encounter Adamant. The great King takes them into his protection, and woe unto all those that attempt their ruine.
This is the Christians estate: now every man would be partaker of the height, not the basenesse, of the beautie, not deformitie, of the strength, not infirmity, of the riches, not povertie, of the happinesse, not infelicitie, of the safetie, not the danger that waits upon religion. But the comforts of Iesus be not for them that disclaime his sorrowes. Ioseph had faire possessions in the land of Aegypt, but he bequeathed none of these to his children, because they were to have Canaan. So God allowes his children but little here, because he meanes to give them he• hereafter. Lord, whatsoever requisites be wanting, or troubles abounding, all our journey: let our latter end be peace.
