A COUNTERPLEA TO AN APOSTATES Pardon. A SERMON PREACHED AT Paul's Cross upon Shrove-sunday, February 15. 1617. BY ROBERT SIBTHORPE, Preacher of the Word of God at Waterstratforde in Buckingamshire. JOHN 6.67. Will ye also go away. Si ante mortem non Resipiscant, haudquaquam saluatum iri arbitror. Just: Martyr: de veritate Christ: Relig: LONDON, Printed by Bar: Alsop, for Richard Fleming, and are to be sold at his shop at the great South-door of Paul's, on the right hand going up the Steps. 1618. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFUL SIR ARTHUR THROCKMORTON of Paulerspury Knight, one of his majesties justices of the Peace and Coram in the County of Northampton; his religious, learned and uncorrupted Patron. Right Worshipful Sir, WHereas the common excuse for the Press is over-pressing importunity, lest the Author should seem inexorable; although I might set that face on it, sine fuco; yet I will rather acknowledge ingenuously, that the especial apology for my presumption is opportunity, lest I might seem ungrateful. Wherefore as all Rivers revert unto the Sea from whence they come: Eccles. 1.7. So I return this small spring of the Spirit into the immense Ocean of your bounty whence I acknowledge it. Which favour although I had not received; yet (to profess the truth without flattery: Amongst all those who have vouchsafed the Sun shine of their favours upon me, I know none so blessed in his own integrity, his Lady's virtues, and his Offsprings innocency, from those sins which are here censured, as that he might equally protect it without impeachment from those muddy aspersions which Sinne-shadowing Hypocrites may contend to cast upon it. Most humbly therefore beseeching your Worship to sweeten this Current with your good acceptance, and to vouchsafe a Conduct pipe for it unto others: with my prayers for increase of your happiness, continuance of the virtues of yours, and imitation of them in others, I rest. From your Worship's Gift at Waterstratford, near Buckingham. Feb. 17. Your Worships ever devoted, Robert Sibthorpe. A COUNTERPLEA to an Apostates Pardon. jerem. 5.7. How shall I pardon thee for this? Thy Children have forsaken me, and sworn by those that are no gods. And when I fed them to the full, they then committed Adultery, and assembled themselves by Troops in the Harlot's houses. MEN, Fathers, and Brethren, Right Honourable, Right Worshipful, and Beloved: It is the position of the Apostle, that a Eph. 6.12. spiritual wickedness is in high places; To which we may add the exposition of experience; That b Quis maior est populus cui miscemur hinc periculi plus est. Seneca: Ep. 7. Corporal corruption is not sequestered from great Assemblies: Wherefore being called to this high place, in this great Assembly, where is accustomed to be a concourse, not only from c Act. 13.44. all the parts of the City, but almost of d Act. 2.5. every Nation under heaven: I called to mind this expostulation of the Almighty; e 2. Cor. 10.4.5. Powerful to beat down the strong holds, and every thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God; whilst it proposeth the difficulty of an Apostates Pardon; How shall I pardon thee for this? thy children have forsaken me, and sworn by those that are no Gods, etc. Profitable for the f 1. Cor 9.27. taming of the flesh, and bringing it in subjection: whilst it exposeth the filthy ingratitude, and ungrateful filthiness of those which are pampered with plenty of provision: And when I fed them to the full, by troops they haunt Harlots houses: A preservation of every soul against sin: How shall I pardon thee for this? A caveat for Superiors, lest they licence others looseness. Thy children have forsaken me? A salve against swearing, and Antidote for Idolatry: And sworn by those that are no Gods: A gage for Gluttony, and diet against drunkenness: When I fed them to the full: A preparative against Impudence, and a purge against uncleanness. By Troops they haunt Harlots houses: How shall I pardon thee for this? Thy children have forsaken me, etc. Wherein omitting (as not appliable to the present) the Time wherein our Prophet preached, Paraphrasis. which g Hierom. l 1. c. 1. in jerem: S. Hierom upon infallible grounds affirmed to be Imminente Captivitate; as also overslipping either general Analysis or argument of the prophesy; wherein the Prophet declares with tears and lamentation the destruction of Jerusalem, and the captivity of the people for their Idolatry, covetousness, subtlety, cruelty, excess, rebellion, and contempt of God's word (as the Genevists observe) because that as I could wish, that there were h Numb. 23 21. Ecclus. 22.12. no such iniquity in jacob, nor such perverseness in our Israel: So I will continually pray, that the i Dan. 4.19. effect may be to them that hate us, & the application thereof to our enemies: Pretermitting (I say therefore) the premises, I will confine my considerations, not only within compass of this second Sermon of jeremy, as Tremelius styles the 3.4.5. & 6. Chapters of this prophesy, but even restrain them, Ad hanc tertiam partem, as the aforesaid Interpreter entitleth this Chapter. It being Confirmatio tum Peccati quod Propheta judaeis exprobrat, tum supplicij denunciati, Both a convincing of their prevaritation, and a confirming of their punishment: By reason that not only all estates were attainted, but also every particular person in a Praemunire. 1. For Estates: First, the poor were not only perjured, ver. 2. Sed ne verecundiam quidem suorum habuere vitiorum, as (Saint Hieron,) They had made their faces harder than a Rock with d Instar Petrae Indurentes frontes impudentiae nolue unt ad meliora converti. Hieron. i Loc. impudence, and refused to return. Secondly, The Rich, januam totius Licentiae, sihi totique populo aperirent, (as Trentelius) that for their children might forsake God, whilst by how much the greater their authority was for suppressing; so imuch the more grievous, their insolency was in sinning, (as Saint Hieron) so that they all had altogether broken the yoke, and burst the bonds a sunder, ver. 5. 2 And as for persons, so universal was the infection, as that upon the strictest inquisition, the Prophet could not find out one that executed judgement, and sought truth, ver. 1. He could find some indeed, Qui simularent cultum Dei (as Saint Hieron sayeth) who would carry a counterfeit form of hypocritical holiness, Though they they say the Lord liveth, yet ●urely they swear falsely and say, the Lord liveth: But if they were tried by the touchstone Veritatis & Fidei, Of belief in their hearts, by the truth of their Acts they showed all was but falsely; Whereupon the Prophet in the person of the Almighty, infers this seventh verse, as an b Trem: in loc. exornation of the confirmation of their impiety & punishment; and as a Catalogue of the sins of the City; Dum dicit se ignorare Deus, qua poscit eius occasione misereri, saith a Father, whilst he breaks out into this Emphatical Expostulation: How shall I pardon thee for this, & c? Wherein I will observe these two parts in general. 1 First an Expostulation; How shall I pardon thee for this? 2 Secondly, a Reason of the Expostulation: Thy children have forsaken me, and etc. Which second branch subdevides itself into these two particulars. 1 First, the Persons, Thy Children. 2 Secondly, the sins, Have forsaken me, etc. Which sins are of a twofold Nature. 1 Capital which is Apostasy, Have forsaken me. 2 Criminal which accompany, And sworn, etc. Which are likewise fourfold. 1 Swearing, Have sworn. And sworn by, etc. 2 Secondly, Idolatry, By those that are no Gods. And sworn by, etc. 3 Thirdly, Ingratitude, When I fed them to the full. And when I fed them, etc. 4 Fourthly, adultery, by troops they assembled themselves, etc. And when I fed them, etc. Which last particular affords two special Aggravations. 1 First their Impudence By troops, they assembled themselves by Troops, etc. 2 Secondly, their pertinacity, They assembled, etc. they assembled themselves by Troops, etc. In most of which, although some have been so long rebellious that they are grown impudent, Ezech. 2.3.4. because they and their fathers have been accustomed to transgress until this day, as the c jer. 1, 16. Prophet assures me; yet by God's assistance, and your patience I will utter my judgement against them, touching all these wickednesses. Wherein, First, of the Expostulation; Part. 1. How shall I pardon thee for this, etc. Ar: Mont, & Tremel translate it Vbi? 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where shall I find a cause? Pagnin, and our Translators render it Quomodo? How shall, & c? Saint Hierom terms it, Super quo? In whom shall I find occasion. And all these Readins, as they may be borne without any repugnancy or the Texts racked extension: So will every one of them not unaptly afford us matter of instruction. 1 And first (Vbi?) Where shall I find a cause to pardon thee? As if he should say, Show me but one place, one street, one house, in which the perfect fear of the Lord is, and I will pardon thee. Whereby is shadowed the willingness of God, God's willingness to mercy. to show mercy, rather than to execute judgement upon the sons of men; which is intimated even in the very Law, the severest part of his Word, the Messenger of the curse, Gal. 3.10. And Instrument of death, Rom. 7.5.10. Whilst in the promulging of it, Exod. 20.5.6. For visiting sinners unto the third and fourth Generation, he shows mercy on them that love him, unto thousands: For as the Psalmist asseveres, Psal. 116.5. Gracious is the Lord and righteous, yea, our God is merciful; upon which words, Saint Amb: Orat: de obitu Theodos: Bis Miscricordiam posuit semel justitiam; Signifying that he was twice so prone to pardon as to punishing: Yea Exod: 34.6.7. Himself divulging his own description, proclaims six attributes of mercy for two of justice; which is Emblematically represented to us in a twofold passage of sacred Scripture; The one, Luke 15.20. d expend quomodo non sit lenta neque tarda divine miser●●or dia, adsubuentendum compunc 'tis cord Stella in Luc. 15. Non tantum procederet obu● am vententi, se●etiam accurreret: jansen In the Father of the Prodigal, who runs to meet his returning son, as if he longed to be at him, to show his love and compassion: The other, Gen. 3.8. At the eiecting Adam out of Eden where God walked, only a slow pace, as the Original, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports, as if he were loath to be too soon and swift in indignation; when he was to show mercy: Cucurrit, he ran, as rejoicing in it; but when to execute judgement, Ambulavit, he walked, as grieved and pensive for it; Deus enim tristatur, non de sua iniuria, sed de nostra perditione, saith Saint Chrysostome; Not for his loss, but for our losing, not for his want, but for our woe; not for need of our subjection, but for our needless subversion: Whereupon here he makes this inquisition, (Vbi) Where shall I find a cause to pardon thee? 2 Yea, that which is yet more; If thou canst not show me a place; yet find me out one person, in whom I may find integrity, and I will take that occasion to pardon all the City: (Super quo?) In whom shall I do it? Run ye too and fro, through the streets of Jerusalem, and see, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if you can find one man, if there be any that executeth judgement, and seeketh truth, and I will pardon it, v. 1. Whereout as we may conceive Grandis amor justitiae, as Saint Hierom: How great the love of God is to innocency; God's love of Innocency. when not only according to Abraham's Petition for fifty, forty, thirty, twenty, or ten just persons, he will spare Sodom, but even after his own Essential inclination; for one righteous man he will pardon Jerusalem. 2. So also hereout the profaner sort may see, God's favour for the faithful sake. as in a mirror represented unto them, the undeserved favours which are showered upon them, & the deserved punishments which are prevented & averted from them not for their own sakes, but often times for those few devout soul's sakes which fear God & dwell amongst them; All Laban's flocks blessed for one Holy jacobs' sake, Gen. 30.27. The whole house of Putiphar blessed for one righteous joseph's sake, Gen. 39.5. Yea even the Prison prospered for his Piety, ver. 23. As also Sodoms' punishment prolonged for one just Lot, Gen. 19.22. Israel's plague appeased for one devout Phinehas, Psal. 106.30. And their destruction diverted for one faithful Moses, v. 23. Together with the earnestness of this Inquisition, may sufficiently satisfy on all parts touching the solidity of this assertion. Whereout as we may take up Saint Bernard's admiration, Quam dives es in Misericordia, et magnificus in justitia, et munificus in gratia, Domine, Deus noster! Oh how rich art thou in mercy, how magnificent in justice, and how munificent in grace, O Lord our God There is none that is like unto thee; Munerator copiosissimè, Remunerator aequissimè, Liberator piissimè: O most bountiful bestower of celestial inclinations, O most righteous rewarder of human actions, O most divine deliverer from Diabolic all destruction: Gratis respicis, humilis instè iudicas innocentes, Misericorditer etiam saluas peccatores, Who respectest the humble for thine own mercy, not his merit, who justly judgest the innocent, in thy favour not thy fury; and mercifully savest the sinner, for thy sufferings, not his satisfaction, by his faith, not his fidelity: Oh what shall I return unto thee for so ineffable favours bestowed upon me, I will take the cup of salvation and give thanks unto thee my God. Psal. 116, 11.12. Who when there was none righteous upon earth, Psal. 14.4. c justitia de Coelo prospe●●● tan ●uā Dei dicentis parcamus ●urch●m●●●, etc. Aug super Psal 84. Hath sent one down from Heaven, and so hath found a means how to pardon me for this. 2 And as here hence we must take out that Sibillaean Saw: Diseite justitiam moniti, et non temnere Divos. 3 So must we take heed that our hearts never turn, so that we hate God's people, nor deal untruly with his servants. Psal. 105.25. Who may truly say to licentious Libertines, f Tertul●●● Seapulam, c. 4. Marcus Aurelius in G●rma●●ca expedi●●●● Christian●●um militum orationibus ad Deum fa●lis ●●bres in 〈…〉 petravit, etc. as the Christians to that Ethnic Consul in Tertullian, Quoties ieiuniis et geniculationibus nostris etiam siccitates sunt depulsae? How often have our prayers like g jac. 5.18. Eliahs' h 1. Reg 3.36 , opened the doors of Heaven, to draw down the former and later rain, to i Math. 5.45. procure the sun to shine on the evil as well as good? to be a means of all good things to you that hated goodness? And therefore k Psal. 105.15 Touch not his anointed, nor do his Prophets no harm: For he that toucheth them, toucheth the Apple of his own eye, Ez. 2 8. And right dear in the sight of the Lord shall be the blood of such Saints. And how shall he pardon thee for it? 4 And lastly, since this Vera Misericordia (as Saint Chrysostome calls it) is only effected: justitia per came non contemnatur, That justice by it is not neglected; Therefore let us take heed that we abuse not God's mercy, to scoff at his judgements, 2. Pet. 3.4. Nor presume on his patience, to persever in impiety; when it should invite us to repentance, Rom. 2.3. But as we find, That the Lord hath no pleasure in the death of him that dies, Ezec. Chap. 33. V 11. But rather would that none should perish, but that alshould come to repentance, 2. Pet. 3 9 So let us reciprocally contend to bring forth l Mat. 3, 7.8 fruits answerable to amendment, Act. 26.20. That so we may be meet for mercy. For m Ps. 85.10. behold only mercy and truth shall meet together; only Righteousness and Peace shall kiss each other: And therefore as he seeks, God's justice joined with his mercy. so let us show how he may pardon us for this? In which Interrogation, Sum justus et sum misericors esse ostenditur (as Zigedine) Merciful, because he would pardon exorbitant sins; Just, because he will be satisfied. (How?) at the hands of Sinners. 3 Quomodo? How shall I pardon thee for this? As if he should say to those which persevere in impenitent presumptions offending. Behold, I will make yourselves judges, and see if you can devise a means how I shall pardon you for it. The judge of all the Earth must needs do right, Gen. 18.25. That he may be justified when he speaks, and clear when he is judged, Ps. 51.4. (i) Cum homines de illo judicant, Hieron. Savanorol: when men would pass their opinions on his proceed as partial they may find no fault at all: n Deut. 32.4 A God of truth without iniquity, just and right, and of o Habak. 1, 13 pure eyes that cannot endure the sight of evil: As p Exod. 34.7. merciful in forgiving iniquities and sins; so just in not clearing the guilty; whereas, if he should pardon, when man presumptuously perseveres in sin: what a preposterous course were that of justice? Who might not condemn him, and say, That he was even like one of them, Psal. 50.21. (i) Scelerum patronus et approbator, A Patron and approver of sin. (as Mollerus) Si enim Deus impunitos demitteret Males, similis iniustorum inveniretur (as Haymo upon the same place) How therefore is it possible for me to pardon thee? If thou be'st not an Atheist, but believest that God is, Then must thou acknowledge by necessary consequence, that He is a rewarder, Heb. 11.6. Both of the righteous and of the wicked, Ps. 11.5. Rendering to the one glory, honour and immortal life, Rom. 2.7. And to the other, Indignation, wrath, tribulation and anguish. Ver. 8.9. And therefore if a sinner will not convert and change himself by repentance, It is as possible to change and alter God's Nature and Essence, as to q Psal. 7.12.13. escape the Instrument of death prepared for him. It is as possible (Absit Blasphemia verbo) for God to be unjust, as the obstinate unjust person to be pardoned, whilst he continues unrepentant. How shall I pardon thee for this? Which me thinks might strike such terror and astonishment into the most obdurate Creatures (who had not like the a Psal. 14.2. Pool said in their hearts, there is no God, and thereby given over themselves unto corrupt imaginations; That like b Dan. 5.6. Belshazar, their countenance should be changed, and their thoughts troubled so, that their joints should be loosed, and their knees smite one against another: Seeing that we which are the lightest and slightest part of the earth, even c Gen. 3.19. dust and ashes, may sooner turn heaven and earth at our pleasures; yea altar d Psal. 93.1. him that made and orders all; then we can give a counter-blast unto one e Math. 5.18. jot or title of his Word, which like the f Dan. 6.15. Law of the Medes and Persians may not be altered; or put a jeofayle to his justice, whose judgement is like the great deep, and his truth firm as the mountains. I would know of the cunningest excuser of Satan's slights; how, when g Cor. 5.10 all shall appear before the judgement seat of Christ to receive according to the things that they have done in the flesh; When h 1 Cor. 4.5 all things that have been long hid in darkness shall be brought to light, and the thoughts of every man's heart shall be made manifest, when i Rom. 2.15.16. Every man's conscience shall bear witness, and their thoughts accuse them according to this Gospel: And when as Math. 26.59.60. To put Christ to death, they sought many witnesses but found none k Many bare false witness against him, but their witness agreed not together. Mar. 14.56.59 agreeing, until at the length the high Priest out of malice sought to sentence him out of his own mouth, Ver. 65. So on the contrary to save man's soul, all courses shall be excogitated, and none found consonant to justice: And at the length God in his mercy shall refer it to the sinners own self, to devise a way for his delivery, With how shall I pardon thee for this? I would know, I say, with what face he can affront him, or what answer he can afford him, if he have not by l 1. Cor. 11.31 judging himself for unjustice, m Illam ergo diem fratres charissimi tota ●●entione cogitate, vitam corrigite, mores mutate, mala tentamina resistendo v●●cite, Perpetrata autem fletibus punite etc. Greg. mag, hom. 1. in evang. prevented by repentance the face of that most just judges severe sentence: Certè turpis aut nulla in Die juaicii erit excusatio (saith Saint Chrysostome) Surely, either confounded with shame the sinner shall stand speechless, Mat. 22.12. Or ex ore tuo te iudicabo serve nequam, Luc. 19 22. His Apology shall be but the further pleading his impiety, and his excuse aggravate his accusation. But peradventure some who thinks it not yet full time to take his leave of the sweet delights of sin, & is of sufficient capacity to cousin his own soul, Ob. Repentance deferred. may secretly seem to have spied this starting hole; although I sin a long season, yet I will repent at the last, and then I am not prejudiced for my pardon: For n Ezech. 18. at what time soever a sinner doth repent him of his sins from the bottom of his heart, I will put all his wickedness out of my remembrance, saith the Lord. To whom, let this solution satisfy, Besides that in that place, Ezec. 18.20.21. which is the place pretended (Or I know no other) It is required, that repentance be from the bottom of the heart, Et serararò seria (as Saint o Multos solet ser●●ma poeninitentia decipere. Aug. ●er, 36. Aug:) That which is late is seldom lively, but only pretended, and not intended; Like Pharaohs during the present plague, Exod. 9.27. Or Antiochus in his extremity, 2. Math, 9.7. Besides this (I say) which is seldom seen p Luc. 23.43 and but once instaned in sacred scripture: Once, to the end that none despair, and yet but once that none prefume: In the forenamed Text of Ezechiel there is adjoined Doing: If he keep my statutes and do that which is lawful and right; which must necessarily infer a Conclusion against deferring Repentance, until the time of man's dissolution: for what doing, what work, what device, what knowledge, what wisdom is there in the grave? whether thou goest, Eccles. 9.20. Reasons And therefore this must infallably imply a speedy repentance, which may be further enforced, 1. Not only from the q Si quis positus in extrema necessitate suae agritudin●s volverit accipere Poenitentiam & accipit cisi fateor vobis non illi neganius quod petit, sed nec praesumimus quod bene hine exit. Aug: de Mir●sacr: Scrip. inconvenience of choosing out the end of sickness for the beginning of repentance When as Saint Aug: lbi rapitur intensio mentis, ubi vis doloris: The minds Meditation is distracted to the place where the body is disturbed: 2. Not only from the r Quem morbus urget, & poena terret, ad veram vix veniet, satisfactionem. Maxim cum silij quos illicit dilexit sint praesentes uxor & Mundus ad se vocet: Aug: ser. 36. inability of a crazed Creature, to undergo so great a burden, and numberless number of sighs, furrows, troubles, tears, watchings, fastings, prayers, perils, conflicts, conferences, and consultations, as the strongest body in the perfectest state (unless God enable it) is not sufficient for. 3 But also from the impossibility of man's repenting at his own pleasure. s In culpam incidisse naturae est, Dolere virtutis: Amb: l. 1 de David. Repentance being a grace of God, and not a gift of Nature: For there is no man that hath power over the Spirit, to receive the Spirit, neither hath he power in the day of death, Eccl. 8.8. There may be indeed a kind of sorrow or heaviness in man, 2. Cor. 7.10. which is, but (like a Melancholy passion forerunning a misfortune) the Prelude to eternal unhappiness; But to have a godly sorrow; Repentance not to be repent of (as in the same place the Apostle distinguisheth) It must be granted of God, Act. 11.28. By the Prince and Saviour of Israel, Act. 5.31. But as a Father hath religiously observed, Qui promisit paenitenti veniam, non promisit delinquenti paenitentiam; He that promised pardon unto the repentant, never promised repentance to the wilful delinquent, neither hath he given protection, Peccandi in crastinum, unto the persevering sinner: And therefore take heed, lest by deferring, as if thou despisest God's goodness and patience, which should lead thee to Repentance, Rom. 2.4. Thou at the length reap unto thyself a hard and reprobate heart which cannot repent, Ver. 5. Which is neither unjust with God, as Rom. 1.24. The Apostle lays down the Axiom: Nor unaccustomed to miserable men, as Exod, 10.20. Presumptuous Pharaoh, Heb. 12.17. Profane Esau. joh. 12.40. Apostatical Israel, are set forth for fearful examples: Presume not therefore on God's mercy to bind one sin upon another, for in one thou shalt not go unpunished, Eccles. 7.8. Vis ergo liberari? Paenitentiam age, dum sanus es, saith Saint Augustine, Wilt thou be assured of deliverance, then repent whilst thou art in health and prosperity, and hearten not thyself by thy former sins, nor say not I have sinned; & what harm hath come unto me, and therefore I will still do so; for although the Lord be long suffering, yet in no wise he will let thee go: Eccles. 5.4. For though a Sinner do evil a hundred times, & his days be prolonged, yet it shall not be well with him at the last, but he shall be cut off as a shadow, Eccles. 12.13. For if he dealt so with Pharaoh, as potent as thee in power: If so with Esau, as importunate as thee in prayer. If so with Israel, as inward as thee in affection. How shall he pardon thee for this? And thus much shall suffice to have been spoken touching the first part which is the Expostulation; now we descend unto the second, which is the reason; Thy children have forsaken me, and sworn by those that are no Gods, etc. And therein, Part. 2. First of the persons (Thy Children) which is Metaphorically used for the people of judath, Pro subditis et Discipulis (as Saint Hieron) For the subjects unto the Prince, who is a Nurcing Fathers, etc. Isai. 49.23. Pater Patriae, the Father of his Country; And for the Disciples of the Priests, who are b 1 Cor. 4.15. Gal. 4.19. Paerentes spirituales in Christo, The spiritual fathers of their Flocks in Christ; To both whom, both those are Children. Whereout as the care of Superiors shall hereafter be collected; Obedience of inferiors. so the obedience and honour which Inferiors own unto them, shall first be observed, because Nescit regnare, qui non didicit obedire, He knows not how to Rule, who hath not first learned to obey: And a c Malach. 1. son honoureth his Father, and a servant fears his Lord, if they be then your Fatherss, where is their honour? If they be your Lords, where is their fear? For even such children must be obedient unto these their Parents in the lord For that is right, Eph. 6. Whether it be unto the King, as to the superiors, or unto Governors, as unto those who are sent of him, 1. Peter, 2.13.14. 1. Whether they be in the Church, Eorum reprehensiones sicut ignis urens cavendae sunt, d Ep. ad Trallian. saith Ignatius, You must fear their menaces as a consuming fire, Et revereamini eos tanquam Christum jesum, cuius loci custodes; ut et Episcopus, patris vniuer sorum Typus et forma est. 2 Or whether they be in the Commonweal, you must needs be subject, not only for fear of wrath, but even for conscience sake, Rom. 13, 5. For otherwise you purchase to yourselves damnation, Ver. 2. How then will those disobedient Refractory children, in the divers Diocese of those reverend Fathers, the Bishops of this Church of England, plead their exemption from conformable obedience; when if a Vbi supra. Ignatius may be credited; Talis polluta est conscientia, et omni infideli deterior, Their pretended pure tender conscience is impurely polluted, and their faith worse than infidelity: For, saith the same Father, speaking of Timothy, Lyncus, Anacletus, and Cletus, the Bishops that ministered unto, and succeeded Saint Peter, and Saint Paul; and so in them, of all that lawfully should obtain that calling, b Loc. citat. Qui his inobediens fuerit, Atheus & impius omnino fuerit, et Christum improbans, ac eius ordinationem imminuens; He that shall be disobedient unto these spiritual Fathers, he will not stick to spot himself with any impiety; yea Atheism itself, upon occasion, whilst he dares to derogate from his dignity, whom Christ hath substituted to supply his own seat in this earthly Consistory. And never trembles at those fearful thunderbolts of Excommunication, which without Repentance must needs dart his soul into that place where they lie imprisoned, with which this Father ranks him. And how shall he pardon them for this, when owing children's obedience they have forsaken him. Where will then those rebellious Children a 2. Tim. 3, 6. Diceres ex profe●●o Paulu●● in● vivam Monachisini effigrem pingere. etc. Calu. in loc. Et Paulo ante, Tanta spurcities in Clero Papals, quae vel suo foetore totum mundum inficit etc. secretly crept into too many houses, and leading Captive simple women laden with sins, and led away with divers lusts; I mean the Romanists, his majesties born Subjects, but his Adversaries sworn servants; Where then will they appear? Or what protection can they plead to procure their pardon? when they have not only like the sons of Belial, cast of the yoke of obedience with a Nolumus hunc regnare, Luc. 29.14. We will not have this man reign over us; But even clothed themselves in the robes of rebellion with a Venite et occidamus, Luc. 20.14. Come and let us kill him: And as of one draft of the cup of that b Apoc. 17.4.5 whore of Babylon, had such Circaean operation as to transform them all to more than Catelinarian Conspirators. Cum patent Portae, when their flight is free enough, (as c Ocat. 2. cent cattle. Tully said of the Confederates with that Italian Traitor) So that they might all enjoy the presence of their hallowing holy Father, if they thought him worth the following to the seaven-hilde City d Apoc. 17.9 Septem urbs alta tugis tibi qua prasidet orb, 1. Captain tolinus, 2. Palatinus, 3. ●uentinus 4 Exquilinus. 5. Celius, 6. Vamnalis, 7. Quirmalis. , and but abide there Relegati, that so this land might be in safety; yet they not herewith satisfied, but desiring to e Duplici nomine punientur Impostores a Deo; Et quod ipsi vero non obediant, vel ab ca desciverint, et quod alios quoque suo involuant errore. Marlarot: in verba. deceive as they are deceived, 2. Tim. 3.13. f Math. 12: 43.44.45. Like that unclean Spirit in the Gospel, Return with seven worse than themselves; Or at the least, seven times worse than they were: and so, yea oftentimes even in those sacred assemblies, g Cic. Orat. 2. cont. Catel. Notant & designant oculis ad caedem unumquemque nostrum; Nay let me join unumquemque vestrum: They marking out not only the Ministers for Martyrs, but also the Magistrates to be massacred: not like sons, but like slaughtermen; or if they be sons, they are like a 2. Reg. 19.37. Adramelech and Scharezer, which murder their Father at his sacrifice; whereas, if their offence were only, Vetitum contingere limen: To set foot on the forbidden shore, if that blessed Martyr Saint Cyprian were first consulted withal, he would surely resolve them, that even that was Rebellion; Cypr. Rogatiano, Ep. 7. Qui in eam Patriam unde extorris factus est regreditur, deprehensus, non iam quasi Christianus, sed quasi nocens perit, He that returns without licence, into the confines of that Kingdom, from whence the laws have banished him, if he be apprehended and adjudged to execution, he dies not as in case of Religion, but for the cause of Rebellion; Not as a Martyr, but as a malefactor, not as a Christian, but as a commonweals disturber. And how shall he pardon them for this? when owing children's obedience, they have thus forsaken him? But now as the obedience of Inferiors hath been thus here-hence collected, The care of superiors. Relative, without any wresting: So the duty of Superiors is herein propounded, Positive, without any perverting, which is, That what care Parents ought to have of their children, to bring them up in the fear and nurture of the Lord without provocation to wrath, Eph. 6.4. Ne immodica saevitia exasperent: Calu. in Loc. Lest by too much cruelty they harden their hearts against them. The same, or as great care ought Ministers and Magistrates to have of the bodies and souls of the people, and subjects subordinate under them: For as Ezech. 3.17.22. Son of man, I have made thee a watchman over the house of Israel, etc. As you may read there at large; and if they miscarry through thy default, their blood shall be required at thy hands; For thou canst not answer, as Gen. 4.9. Cain thought to have excused himself; Am I my Brother's Keeper? For behold, like as Reuben, Gen. 43.9 became surety for his younger brother Bentamin, so that his father should require him at his hands: So is every elder Brother, who hath the a Luc. 12.13 14, dividing of the inheritance in the Common weal, or the distributing of the b Ibid. v. 42. portion in the Church (that is, Magistrates or Ministers) made sureties for the younger c Gen, 35.18. Benonies, or sons of sorrow, that is, the common people, who are indeed d Ver. cod. Benjamins, the sons of the right hand of strength unto their Sovereign: And at their hands will God require them: For if it be just (as most just it is) to visit the iniquity of the Fathers e That doth the like. Ezech. 28. upon the Children, Exod. 20.5. The transgression of the Prince upon the people, 2. Sam. 24.10. to 18. Although the child could neither reform the Parent, nor f 2 Sam 3.4. the people reclaim the Prince: How much more just shall it be to require the blood of the child at the hand of the Parent, and the blood of the people, at the hands of their Precedents if they perish through their default. And therefore let the Minister stand upon his watch, and the Magistrate upon his guard, 1. That the one may know what to answer when he is reproved, Habak. 2.1. Never coming from his watchtower in the day time, nor from his ward in the night, until he see the Chariot and Horsemen, which shall beat down Babylon, and break all the graven images of her Gods unto the ground, Isai, 21.8.9. 2. And the other may be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as Aristotle describes him, A Keeper of the Law by the sword, Which is commanded according to the word: Wherein a Orat: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Isocrates counsel is not to be contemned, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: At my hand take this to heart, that no unjust person of a corrupt conscience be used as an instrument in thine office: b Quid predest bonas & utiles adesse Leges, nisi commodus adsit carum taterpres. For what shall it profit the Law to be perfect, and thy intention upright, if the execution be abused by inferiors. And therefore as the Magistrates themselves c 2. Chron. 19 take heed what they do, knowing that they deal not for man but for the Lord, with whom there is no iniquity: So let the fear of the Lord be upon those which minister about them, that they respect not persons; nor take no gifts: For otherwise even Christ himself may be betrayed for a Quid dabitis, Mat. 26.15. A League may be concluded with tire and Sydon, by making friends to Blastus, Act. 12.20. The Temple and Treasury be turned over to Apollonius Heliodorus, or jason, for envy, or an office. 2. Mach. 3. and 4. Chapters: yea, all the people may be suffered to forsake God; by him who makes his gold his God, or by such a d Heb. 12, 15.16. profane person, as hath like e Gen 24.30 to 34. Esau sold his own Birthright for a mess of pottage: For he will sell God's inheritance for the Lentils that made it: And then how shall he pardon thee for this? When thy children, etc. Thy Children, Tui non mei: Hieron: Thine not mine: So long as they were obedient throughout the passage of sacred Writ; God styles himself the Father of Israel, And them my children, as Deut. 32.6. Is not he thy Father that hath bought thee? And jer. 31.9 I am a Father to Israel, and Ephraim is my first borne, but when multiplying and maintaining sin, they became backsliders, than he calls them, not My, but Thy Children: And as Rom. 9.25. Through faith he called them his people, which were not his people, and her beloved which was not beloved: Hos. 1.6.9. So through fall he figures her Lo-Ruhamah, and them Lo-Ammi, to whom he had been a God, and they his people. Whereout we may see the immediate, The effect of sin. inseparable effect of sin, which is a forsaking, and being forsaken of God: For as Gen. 31. to 6. In that first offence was a forsaking of God's commandment, and relying upon the Serpent; So every sin since, is a forsaking. God, and following Satan: Whereupon 1. joh. 3.7 8. As if they who taught, or thought otherwise, were deceived: The Apostle confirmeth it by this Caution; Little Children let no man deceive you, he that committeth sin is of the Devil, for the Devil sinneth a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Non in nutio, sed ab nutio, n●s quia formatus suerit a Deo malus sed quia ab usius peccati exordio. (Quod ab ●o capit originem: Nam ante illius lapsum non erat peccatum) preua●icatus est Dei legem prolapsusque, a nativa bonitate sua, & decidit in pravitatem, a qua nunquam destitit; sed in●● continue perstat, semper mala malis accumulans: Cyril. in Io. l. 5. c. 6. ubi tractat hac verba. from the beginninning: Of the Devil, Non creatione, sed corruption, not by Creation, but by Corruption; Non Positiuè, sed Privatiuè, as the Schoolmen distinguish it; not by Forming, but by forsaking, as our Prophet phraseth it: And how just is it then for the Almighty to pronounce against such Apostatates, b 2. Esd. 1.25 Derelinquentes mederelinquam, They that forsake me, I will forsake them. 1 He doth not say, that have not known me; Although Ignorance itself be not excusable, Psal. 95.10. Especially, Si modo sit vincibilis. Pet: Lomb: l. 2. sen: d. 22. If man might have got out of it by any industry which was omitted by him; yea, In ijies qui non potuerunt paena peccati, As a 〈…〉 Saint Augustinr, In those who could not overcome it, if itself be not a sin, yet is it surely the punishment of sinning. 2 Neither doth he say, That have not believed in me, although such as hear and believe not, have no cloak for their sin, john 15.22. Neque ut ab omni Damnatione liberarentur, neque ut aliquanto levius damnarentur, As Saint Augustine, super Ioh: Tract. 89. Neither urterly to free themselves from damnation, nor to purchase therein some degree of mitigation. 3 But he saith, That have forsaken me, signifying, that it is the most grievous sin which can seize upon the soul of man, Apostasy. that when God hath vouchsafed him the gracious calling of his sacred Spirit: b Luk. 9.62. He than takes his hand from the Plough, & looking back, makes himself unfit for the Kingdom of Heaven: For, as Saint c De●ern. M●●. Augustine saith, That Tribus gradibus ad Peccatum pervenitur, suggestione Delectatione, Consensione, We come to sins secret Chamber by three stairs, Suggestion, Delight and Consent: and as d L. 1. de Sum. 60. c. 17. Apud Lomb. Isidore distinguisheth sins into a Tripartite order: Of Ignorance, Infirmity and Industry, Making those of Infirmity greater than those of Ignorance, and those of Industry, greater than those of Infirmity; So may I not unaptly alter them in matters of Religion, e unde Paulus insi nem earn defeitunem quae Antidusts ad●●eatū pracedet. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 2. 〈◊〉 2.3. ac●dent in into sins of Ignorance, Infidelity and Apostasy: wherein how much Infidelity exceedeth Ignorance, so much Apostasy surpasseth Infidelity: for it had been better never to have known the way of righteousness, then after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them, like the Dog to his vomit, and the Sow to her Mire, 2. Pet. 2.21.22. It being almost impossible for them who were once enlightened, and had tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the holy Ghost, and had tasted of the good Word of God, and the powers of the world to come, That they falling away a Vide Deering on the Heb. etc. I●. Denison Sermen at Paul's Cross. (i) 1. Wittingly, 2. Willingly, 3. Maliciously, and 4. Totally, that they should be renewed again by repentance, Heb. 6.4.5.6. And without that there is no Pardon, Luc. 13.3. Oh therefore take heed Brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; But exhort one another daily whilst it is called to day, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of Sin, Heb. 3.12.13. And so at the length you hear this reason, as a Counterplea against your pardon, Thy Children have for saken me, etc. And thus much of the first part, and first particle of the second part, of the Reason which is the persons, and their Apostasy. Now to the second, which is the ensuing sins: And sworn by those that be no Gods, etc. First of Swearing; And sworn, Wherein, that we might at once meet with the impiety of the Papist, the profaneness of the Atheist, and the error of the Anabaptist; We will briefly run through those Swears. 1 First, What an Oath is? 2 Secondly, Whether it be lawful to swear at all, or not? 3 Thirdly, When it is lawful? 4 Fourthly, How we must swear? 5 What is to be avoided in Swearing? 6 Sixthly, What is the punishment of offenders by Swearing? For the First, An Oath. Perkins our English Schoolmaster, Cas: Cons: Lib. 2. c. 17. s. 1, hath left us this definition; An Oath is a religious and necessary confirmation of things doubtful, by calling on God to be a witness of the truth, and a Revenger of falsehood. 1. A Confirmation, according to that of the Apostle, Heb. 6.16. An oath for Confirmation, is amongst men the end of strife, 2 And that a religious, not a profane Confirmation, answerable to that of the Prophet, Isai, 19.18. Thou shalt swear by the Lord of Hosts (i) as part of thy Religion, that thou swear by none other. 3, And that only necessary, and not needless, Math. 5.34.4. And that always truly and not treacherously: For God will come near to such in judgement, and be a swift witness against them, Mal. 3.5. Whereupon, sithence an oath is a Confirmation and end of strife, the reverentest league betwixt man and man, as appears in Isaac and Abimelech, Gen. 26.28.29. Let there be an Oath betwixt us, and let us make a Covenant with thee, that thou wilt do us no hurt: Yea the most sacred bond betwixt God and man, Heb. 6.13. When God made promise to Abraham, because he had no greater assurance than an Oath to give him; Nor no greater than himself to swear by, He swore by himself. 1. As this doth admonish us, how inviolably it should be observed. 2. So doth it inform us how Charily it should be taken. As concerning the awful observing of it, Religious antiquity never made question, Reverence of an Oath, by 1 Beleeners. but it surpassed the power of all Obligations; Whereupon Gen. 24 2. to 10. Abraham being to oblige his servant most surely to perform the greatest trust that ever was committed to him, even for the earthly weal or woe of his a Gen. 22.2, 2 Infidels. only son, he prefers an Oath before all promises, threats, or pledges, yea even amongst b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Homer. Odies. E. superstitious Idolaters, it was held so sacred, that Ahab trusted the Oath of any Nation, above his own diligentest Inquisition, in his personal inquiry after Eliah, 1. Reg. 18.10. Yea both amongst Believers and Infidels it was esteemed so absolute, as that upon an Oath, c Gc. 31.44. to 54 jacob trusts Laban, and Laban jacob; Although not only they differed in the manner of service, but even for the Matter served different Gods: The one the Idols, the other, the God of his Fathers: And how religiously then should this sacred Ceremony be observed amongst Christians, that they might never disappoint their Neighbours of that they swore unto them, although it were to their own hindrance, Psal. 15.5. And how much more immutably should it bind them to the performance of so lawfully confirmed promises, beyond all human Articles, or covenants: Since we do not swear by him that is no God, but by him, d Exod. 20.7 Who will not suffer those to go unpunished, who take his Name in vain. Which since it is so: How wary should we be in entering into such a bond, correspondent to the Counsel of the Preacher, Eccles. 5.2. Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any Oath or Vow before God: Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy soul to sin, Neither say thou before the Angel, that it was thine error: Wherefore should. God be angry at thy rash voice, and destroy the work of thine hands, Ver. 6. Which that we might avoid, it is not impertinent to consider. In the second place, whether it be lawful to swear at all or not; The Lawfulness of an oath. When Mat, 5.34. and jae. 5.12. Our Saviour and his Disciples direct us not to swear at all? To which the Genevists Gloss may serve for sufficient answer; That by those words, all superfluous Others are utterly debarred; whether the name of God be therein mentioned, or otherwise; But by this he takes not from the Magistrate his Authority; who may require an oath, for the maintenance of justice, judgement, and truth: For these words are to be understood, like unto those, Mark. 10.23.24. How hardly shall a rich man enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, that is, which trusteth in Riches: So swear not at all (that is) in your ordinary communication; Ne scilicet iurando ad facilitatem iurandi veniatur, et de facilitate ad consuctudinem, de consuetudine in Periurium decidatur (as Saint Augustine) Lest swearing grow to facility, facility to custom, custom to habit, habit to perjury; Non penitus jurare probibuit: sed occasionem perturij (quod perfectius est) evitare docuit,) saith Gregory) He did not forbid all lawful Oaths in a Christian Communality, but that which is more laudable, he taught how to avoid Perjury: Whereby the a Hares●● videtu● anc●●ata, ex Tradition●●●: Clement Strummed 7. Vbi dis●utat serfe●tum non 〈◊〉 bereu●●ar, &, 〈◊〉 non pole 〈…〉 Gen. ●●u, nec coram San lis. etc. anabaptistical error is confuted, who imagine it unlawful to swear judicially, which one absurdity being granted, all sin might be protected, and no way for discovery: All Truth concealed, and no means for inquiry, which Exod. 22.10.11. The Lord appointed should be done by an Oath. But omitting this because I fear there are more which abuse it too ordinarily, then there are, which will not use it at all. I descend to the third question, which is, When an Oath is lawful? Which even the catechistical Principles will resolve to be at any of these three times; 1. When the glory of God is sought: 2. Or the good of our Brethren, 3. Or before a Magistrate, 1 In Truth, 2. in judgement, and in 3. Righteousness, jer. 4.2. For these are those Comites juramenti, as a 2 da. 2 dae part. 1. Qu. 89. Aquinas calls them as indivisible from a true lawful oath, as a voice from speech, a sound from a voice, or air from a sound; Which that they might be perpetually present in our Oaths, We must be circumspect, The Cautions for Oath. that we only swear, 1. First, in rebus veris, Appertaining to true things: Secondly, 2. Certis, Undoubted in our own knowledge. Thirdly. 3. Licitis, Lawful to be performed: Fourthly, 4. Possibilibus, possible to be accomplished; Fiftly, 5. Necessariis, Necessary touching, which we should be so informed: And Sixthly, 6. Granibus, weighty & worthy to be so confirmed. Non vacat exiguis rebus adesse iovi, GOD may not be called to witness upon every idle occasion, lest he turn a Revenger of man's presumption; Which, would it were equally pondered of the ruder Multitude, and riotous Magnificoes: 1. Who as the one sort is accustomed Os suum in caelum ponere, Psal. 73.8.9. To stretch forth their mouth against Heaven, Whilst their swearing tongues thunder through the world: So that all men tremble at their talking against the most high, except it be those who are corrupted with their wicked blasphemy. 2. So the other suppose it lawful to swear, so long as they perform it, which indeed oft times they will do, were it a Mark. 6.24. With Herod, to cut off john Baptists head, Or with b Act. 23.12 the jews to murder Paul: I would, I say the observation of Saint Ambrose might inform the one, c Amb. office c. 1 that Est contra officium, nonnunquam promissum solvere sacramentum: It is oftentimes a double breach of Christian duty to perform that Oath, which a man vows rashly: It being a sin to make it, and a greater not to break it: And the example of Nicanor might reform the other, Whose blasphemous tongue the same day it offended was cut out of his head, and cast to the Fowls of the air, 2. Macha. 15.33. That so they might fear to accustom their mouths to swearing, or to use themselves to the naming of the holy one; For as a servant that is continually beaten, shall not be without a blue mark: So he that sweareth, and nameth God continually, shall not be faultless. A man that useth much swearing, shall be filled with iniquity, and the plague shall never departed from his house, if he offend, his sin shall be upon him, and if he acknowledge not his sin, he commits a double offence, and if he swear in vain, he shall not be innocent; but his house shall be full of Calamities: There is a Word that is clothed about with death: God grant that it be not found in the Heritage of jacob, for all such things shall be far from the godly, and they shall not wallow in their sins. Use not thy mouth then to untemperate swearing, for therein is that word of sin, Eccles. 23.9. to 13. And what canst thou say, Why God should pardon thee for this? Since therein worse than Nicanor, thou blasphemest him: for he knew not GOD, but Thou hast forsaken him, and sworn by those that he no Gods, or else by him as if he were no God. Since therefore, although an Oath be lawful. yet it is liable to so many Cautions, as that only, 1. Piety, 2. Charity, or 3. Necessity, must exact it. Herein is context and woven. The fourth Question: The manner of taking an Oath. How we must take an oath when we do swear? And that must be plainly without inverting others words or understanding; Or equivocating in our own intentions. 1. First, Plainly; If they be witnesses betwixt Plea and Plea, for Life or goods, according to his iutension of whose words or doings they give Testimony; and not according to their own perverse exposition of them: Like those false witnesses against our Saviour, who applied that speech which he uttered touching his Body, joh. 2.19. as au occasion to accuse him for an enemy to the temple, Math. 26.61. 2 Secondly, Plainly; If they be parties upon whom the a job. 17.18.19 Lot is fallen, to give glory to God, that they b joh. 1.20. confess plainly, and deny not, according to the common understanding of him which administereth the Oath unto them; For as Isiod: de sum: bo: l. 1. Quacunque arte verborum quis iuret, Deus tamen qui Conscientiae testis, est ita boc accipit, sicut ille cui iuratur intelligit: With what soever art of words a man endeavour to delude in swearing God who is the witness of the heart doth so accept it, as he who is the Minister in giving the oath doth understand it; and therefore must every one speak the truth from his heart, yea though it be to his hindrance. How then will our jesuited a Artius being demanded to subscribe, & also urged to an oath for Confirmation of his subscription, did both, Swearing that he believed, as he had written, when indeed he had written his own op●● on in a Paper, which he carried under his arm, when he laid his hand upon the book, and so some now eqiruocate, but whether Papist or Puritan, for such will equivocate also Let them take heed and fear Atrius his end, Socrat, Scholast. Hist. l. 1. c. 25. Pexity. Arrian Equivocators' excuse themselves, for their evasions and reservations, with Lingua iuravi mentem iniuratam gero, If we appeal but to the Fathers, on whose shoulders they boast, that their Religion leaneth: Surely, they must send us another Index Expurgatorius, or a new supply of Censuraes', upon their spurious passages, or another Elench of their errors, or else how will they be pardoned for this? when not only they forsake him, and swear by those that are no Gods, but also they blaspheme his Name, foreswearing by him that is the true God. Out of that which hath already been delivered, it is not uneasy to conjecture, what contraries are to be avoided. Of which 1 The first is swearing falsely, Leu. 19.12. Thou shalt not swear by my name falsely; For behold a flying Book is gone forth upon the Earth, and it shall enter into the House of him that swears falsely by my Name, as well as of him that steals, and it shall remain in the midst of his House, and shall consume it With the timber thereof, and with the stones thereof, sayeth the Lord, Zech. 5.1. to 5. And that worthily; for whilst man by Foreswearing calls God to testify an untruth, What doth he else but say in his heart, Tush, thou God carest not for it, Psal. 11.11. But thou wilt willingly justify mischief and wrong, ver. 14. And what greater blasphemy can there be against the Deity, Or what more to be avoided? Which that we may take heed of, 2. We must secondarily shun swearing familiarly; For as chrysost Usual swearing super Math. 5. Nemo est qui frequenter iuret, qni aliquando non periuret, Look how in many words there will be folly: So in many oaths will follow perjury: And therefore attend to the Injunction of the Almighty, Swearing by Creatures. touching this particular So often as thou hearest, or utterest his name, thou shalt fear this glorious and fearful name, the Lord thy God, Deut. 28.18. So that as Phil. 3.10. At the Name of jesus every knee shall bow, Semblaby, at the name of jehovah every heart shall tremble, and not dare to use it familiarly: For such fall to abuse it falsely. And then how shall he pardon them for this? Nor are they to suppose that they can shift the guilt of this sin, by swearing fond, as by creatures, or superstitiously as by Idols. Let a 2dae. 2dae. part. 1. Q. 89. Loc. Citat. Aquinas and the other Schoolmen herein follow their fantasies, I am not for them, Neither Quoad b Simplex Contestatio innitur divinae veritati sicut & sides, etc. Exceratione vero indueitur Creatura, etc. Ibid. Contestationem, Nor Quoad Execrationem, Neither In quantum divina veritas manifestatur in Creaturis; Nor, In quantum Divinum judicium exercetur in Creatura. As they distinguish: For c Perk. Golden Chain, c. 22 As Pledges & Cognisances of God's glory, etc. 1, Cor. 15.31 1. Sam. 20, 3. As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, etc. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Homer Odies. howsoever in asseverations the creatures may be used, yet in oaths, They as well as Idols are absolutely to be eschewed; for as the Almighty with great circumspection interdicts the Israraelites that they should not make mention of the names of other Gods, Neither let them be heard out of their mouth, Exod. 23.13. So our Saviour expressly prohibeteth the swearing by any Creature, Mat. 5.35.36. a V●le D. Hylar. de 〈◊〉. 12 paulo a principio super his verbis. Lest thereby they should seem To worship and Jerue the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for evermore, Rom. 1, 25. For what doth man else whilst he swears by them, but attribute Omniscience and Omnipotency to them, which are peculiar only to God. And therefore as Deut. 6.13. & 10.20. Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and serve him, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear only by his Name, & not by those that are no Gods: For otherwise in stead of taking his name in vain, by swearing by the true God, thou committest Idolatry, by swearing by those that are no Gods. How then can the Papists, who maintain & practise the swearing by Creatures, as the Blessed Lady, Angels, and Saints departed; Yea (that which is more) by those which either are, or were no Creatures, before their own superstition made them Idols; How can they, I say, excuse themselves from being guilty of this sin? Or what is it possible they should pleads for their pardons, Who have thus forsaken him, and sworn by those that are no Gods. But if the Case be so hard to procure a pardon; then me thinks I hear some scoffer say, We would know the punishment. Which is the last Circumstance considerable in this sin, The punishment, etc. as in all others, For so in sin, still punishment makes the period. To whom I return this Resolution, Besides, that the Wages of every sin is death, Rom. 6.23. Both Animae & Corporis, Temporal and Eternal, and so consequently may be concluded of this, There are many great and grievous punishments, both private and public, which especially attend upon this sin of 1. Swearing 2. Forswearing, and 3. Idolatrous swearing Fond by those that are no Gods. For as the Psalmist saith expressly, The mouths of those that swear by false Gods shall be stopped, and confounded shall they be that worship them that are no Gods; So utterly will he have their names taken out of our mouths, as that there may be no more remembrance of them, Hos. 2.16.17.— And a jer. 23.10. Hos. 4.1, 23. Swearing is ranked in the prime place of those sins, for which the Lord enters such a controversy with the Land, That the whole shall mourn for it, and every particular inhabitant that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the very beasts of the Fields, and the Fowls of heaven, yea the fishes of the sea. And I pray God it be now no occasion, that the creatures grown so under, yea suffer so for our sins. And as for forswearing, Not only the particular punishment of Zidkiiah, may show how hateful it is, and how rigorously revenged; who was himself taken Captive, and saw his sons slain before his face; and lastly, had his eyes put out, and being bound in Fetters of Brass, was (though a King) carried prisoner to Babylon, 2. Reg. 25.6.7. because he forswore himself, and broke that oath (in his own person) which Nebuchadnezar had caused him to swear by GOD, 2. Chr. 36.23. But the punishment of Perjury, even upon the posterity of those who durst to violate their Forefathers vows, may more than manifest to any who will understand the severe indignation of him, whose name is blasphemed by it. Three years fearful famine overrunnes all Israel, 2. Sam. 21.1. until seven sons of Saul are hanged up against the Sun, Ver. 6. for breaking but one Oath, and that none of his own, a Josh. 9 13.19.20. but made three hundred years before by joshua to the Gibeonites, b Ver. 14, 22 2●. yea and that procured by fraud too; So Religious should the reverence of an Oath be, (even to deceivers) And so great is the Divine revenge upon the violaters, even in posterity. Nor is it only of this obliging efficacy, if it be taken by such parties, as are both servants of the true God; but even betwixt Believers and Insidels, Christians and Mahometans, jews or Pagans: As besides that the afore cited approving practices of Isaac, and Ahimelech, jacob and Laban, do sufficiently prove it, appears most evidently in the success of c B●nsinus apud B●●●le, Theatre of God's judgements. Vladislaus K. of Hungary, who breaking that league with Amurath the Turk, of which there were Articles engrossed in both Languages, and a solemn Oath taken for confirmation on both parties, & by means of that perfidious truce-breaking, the Hungarians at first having the upper hand; No sooner Amurath (although almost overcome) pulled out of his bosom the Articles of the violated Truce, and lifting up his eyes to Heaven, uttered these speeches; O jesus Christ, these are the Leagues that thy Christians have made and confirmed by swearing by thy Name, and yet have broken them again; If thou be'st a God as they say thou art, Revenge this injury which is offered both thee and me, & punish those Truce-breaking Varlets. No sooner, I say, had Amurath uttered those words, but the Christians Battle and courage began to rebate; Vladislaus himself was slain by the janissaries, his whole Army discomfited, and all his people put to the sword, saving a few that fled; So powerfully should an oath bind; or so apparently will the Lord punish Perjury, although it were to the profanest persons. The Pope then must send for another julian to his Legate ( a D. Beard, ubi supra. for it was he that broke the foresaid League, and he had need be julian the Apostata too) to maintain the Position; That Haereticis fides non est servanda, oaths are not to be kept with Heretics: for that absurd Blasphemy being granted, what perjury may not be patronized? yea what b Ita ut Reges l●dint Paclis, & iuramentis sicut Puers astragalis ludere solent, ut olim 〈◊〉 on suit in Apothegmate & ut nue Pontificia conciliabula Anathemat is, etc. Chemmi: Exam: Conc. Trid. part. 2 Can. 9 p. 25. Alterations in Religion, upon a State's advantage, might not be abetted? or what condemning the Orthodox for Heretics in a Conclave of Cardinals, to the violating a Lay-League for hostile policy, or infringing an Ecclesiastical safe Conduct for Andraduis advantage, in a Tridentine Assembly may not be maintained? yea what Private spirited Perjurer could ever be convinceel, if he would (as we have indifferent experience that they will) but hold others to be Heretics? Upon this ground Galeaceus may have as many wives as Gallus Gallinaceus, if he can but accuse his former of superstition: That I may omit, because it hath been often insisted upon; how a Subject may dispense with his allegiance to his Sovereign, if he descent from him in Religion; But O good God, what safety for Princes? what security for States? What peace for the public? what Piety for the Private? could ever be expected provided, or preserved? If the infectious air of these a Apoc. 16.13 14. unclean Spirits, which thus come out of the mouth of the Dragon, the Beast and the false Prophet, against Religion, Kings and States should be suffered to set the World at battle, against the great day of GOD Almighty? How should he pardon thee for this? If thy children should so forsake him, and not only swear, but also forswear by these that are no Gods? But as they thus forsake him and his precepts: So we forsake them and their Positions; and prosecute against those other and their practices. Who when he fed them to the full, they by troops haunted Harlots Houses? First, Ingratitude & Plenty. When I fed them to the full: Whereout appears their great ingratitude; Nor is it their case alone, but incident almost to all the sons of Adam, to be then most faulty, when God is most favourable; So b Psal. 49.20. foolish is man that Prosperity slays him ' c Psal. 119.67. whom misery makes remember God (as the Psalmist long since observed) When jesurun was fat he kicked with the heel, and when he was grown thick, and covered with flesh, than he forsook God that made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his Salvation, Deut. 32.14. And take heed, d Luc. 16.19 O ye that are clothed in purple and fine Linen, and far deliciously every day, a Psal. 144.12.13. whose sons grow up as the young plants, Luxuriae Currus quaderga voluitur r●●●um, Inglwie vent, is libidme cottus, vestium mollute oly soporisque resolutione Trahitur equis duobus prosperitate vitae, & re●um abundantta: Bern●m Cant: and your daughters as the polished Corners of the Temple, whose Garners be full and plenteous with all manner of store, and whose sheep bring forth thousands and ten thousands, or whose b 1. Reg. 10.11.15.27. Ships bring home spices, Almuggin trees, and gold of Ophir in such plenty, that you have Cedars like the Sicaviore, and silver like the stones. Take heed (I say) that you c Psal. 106.13 19 forget not God, or lightly esteem his counsel, so that Lust should come upon you, That neither you, nor those about you, take not d Ezech. 16.17 18.19. your fair jewels of gold and of silver, your broidered garments, flower, Oil, and Incense, your meat and honey wherewith he said you, to commit whoredom, spiritual or corporal by them, lest God give you into your enemtes' hand, to throw down your eminent places, and break down your high places, and strip you of your clothes, and spoil you of your fair jewels, and leave you naked and bare, Ezech. 16.39. For how should he pardon thee for this? if thou forsake him, and swear by those that are no Gods. And when he hath fed thee to the full, thou than committest adultery, and by troops hauntest Harlots Houses. Which is the ugly Issue of that deformed Imp Ingratitude, monstrously brought forth against the course of Nature of so fair a mother, as Plenty. When I fed thee to the full, thou then committedst adultery, and by Troops bauntest Harlots Houses: Which that I might not palliate, Adultery and uncleanness. I will not only restrain it to that Capital Colonel of the crime, which Mars-like marcheth, Ad alterius Thorum, to wit Adultery; but as the sin is large, so will I extend the understanding, even so far as the bitter root of Concupiseence. Mat. 5.28. From whence it hath the beginning: for as the gross sin is so to be shunned, as that it ought not once to be named amongst Christians, Eph. 5.3. So are the most specious a Quis eius multiplices species enumerare valeat Hac Pentapolin cum adaac nte Regione subvertit, Syenem cum populo interemit: Filios judae pe●cussit, judaeum & Madia●item pugione transsodit, Tribum Beniamin delevit; filios H●lt prostravit, Vriant occidit, Ammon intersecit, Reuben maledixit, Sampsonem seducit, Salamontem pervertit, etc. Hug. Species so pernicious, That it is a shame even to speak those things which are done of them in private, Eph. 5.12. They being amongst those extremes, Quae carent nominibus, which want Names bad enough to their Nature, as Aristotle speaks of some vices, or almost allied to those nefarious offences, against which Lycurgus aveares the making of no Laws; lest man should thereby learn that which before he looked not after: And therefore to avoid infecting some fairer Plants, whilst we should anatomize so many filthy haunts, as should uncover all the skirts of this sin. We will only a far off, as through a Perspective or Optic Instrument, survey these three Deformities in this den of Cacus, 1 First, the general unlawfulness of it. 2 Secondly, certain particulars to be eschewed of those, who would not fall by it. 3 Thirdly, the punishments of Offenders in it. The unlawfulness of it is offered to our view, insomuch as in that short Law of the Decalogue; Ten words (as some style them) or commandments of God; One of them is, b Exod, 20.14.15. Thou shalt not commit Adultery, yea, and that before the Prohibition of Theft, signifying that it is more heinous before God, & hateful to man, then stealing: for men do not despise a Thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when it is hungry: but if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold, or he shall give all the substance of his house: But who so committeth Adultery with a Woman, lacketh understanding: He that doth it destroyeth his own soul, A Wound and dishonour shall he get, and his Reproach shall not be wiped away: For jealousy is the rage of a man, therefore he will not spare in the day of Vengeance: He will not regard any ransom, neither will he be content though thou givest many gifts. Prou. 6.30. to 35. But because this was spoken in the time of the Law, when Adultery was Death, Leviticus 20.10. Lest some licentious Libertine nourced amongst the Nicolaitanes, or proceeding from the a 1 an l. 1. c. 1. etc. 9 Achamoth of the Gnostickes, pretending himself to be Naturaliter spiritualis, And yet will give Carnalia Carnalibus, as Ireneus observes of them, should dream of a dispensation for this sin under the Gospel, because Christ seems to abrogate the severity of the sentence, john 8.2. to 10. There was an especial care b Act. 15.29. at the first Council of the Apostles, to enjoin Abstinence from Fornication, That as c Deut. 23.17 no Whore might be found amongst the Daughters of Israel, so d 2 Cor. 6.9.10. Heb. 12.16. no Whoremonger amongst the sons of Emanuel, Whereupon Gal. 5.19 20 21. The Apostle placeth Adultery, Fornication, Uncleanness, and Lasciviousness; before Idolatry, Witchcraft, Hatred, Variance, Emulation, Wrath, strife, and Sedition: e Vel ideo praemittit alijs operibus caernis. quia ad hac caro magis prochuis est Marlorat. as if it were more dangerous than any of the other, and that not unworthily. a Hae ommasrequentu esequenter ad Luxurian. Lyra. It indeed oftentimes producing all the other: If thou wilt see Adultery beget Idolatry, thou needest but cast an eye on b Reg. 11.1. to 9 Solomon; If Witchcraft, reflect on c 2. Reg. 9.22. jezabel: If thou wilt behold Lust in Travel with Hatred and Revenge; d Gen. 39.20. Putiphars' Wife is at full time of Delivery; And if thou darest endure to see Murder hatched out of it, because e Mark. 6.17 to 29. Herod's is not high enough, bring on a stranger (although a Prophet) f 2 Sam. 13.1. to 30. Amon and Absalon shall bring it to light, even amongst Brethren: Wherefore, except a man will open the sluice for all sins to flow with a full current, and prostitute himself to the vassalage of every vice without resistance, he may palpably perceive the unsufferablenesse of this sin, which as that Dragon, Apoc. 12.4. Draws down the third part of the Stars of Heaven with his Tail: Or as Sampsons' Foxes, judges 15.4.5. Coupled by Firebrands in their tails, burned the Philtstines Corn upon the Earth: So this Tayletying sin extinguisheth the greater part of the Virtues and Faculties of the Soul, which should shine like the Stars for light and direction in man's Heavenly half: And schorcheth, drieth up and consumeth the Radical moisture, strength and vigour of the Body, which should flourish like the corn for maintenance and sustentation in man's earthly half. Wherefore since that although the Holy Ghost aggravates this sin above all other, as being a Non solum maculat animain sed faedat personam: Omne namque pectatum quo. leunque secerit home extra corpus suum est qui autem formicatur in corpus suum peceat; Semper allam praecedit ardour & Petulantia semper comitatur, Foetor & immund tiae. H●●g. within the Body, whereas others are without; 1. Cor. 6.15. Yet b Act. 7 51. Stiffnecked man, who always resists the sacred Spirit, endeavours to extenuate it, as being most Natural to the body and inherent; which indeed is too true as all Divines determine, that b Act. 7 51. Manet foams et Concupiscentia, even in Renatis, which except it be soon extinguished, will set the best Fabric c Dimittitur Concupiscentia Carnis in Baptismo, Non ut non sit sed ut non imputetur. Aug. l. 1. c. 25. ex Nustis on fire. Therefore I have deemed it not unworthy the time and labour, to sound the Syrces and shelves which are to be declined, of those whose Souls would not be sunk in this devouring d 1 Cor 7.9 2 Cor 12.7. Scylla. Of which, The first is Idleness and Sloth: For then and not till then sins e D●●llo aestu Charibdis luxuriae salutem vorat, Ibiore Virgineo ad pudicitiae perpetrands naufragia, Scylla seu renidens libido blanditur: Hieron. ad Heliod. David with Bathsheba, when he sent out joab to his wont Warfare, and himself walks at ease in his Palace; Which the Poet spied by the eye of Nature. Quaeritur Aegisthus quare sit factus Adulter? In promptu causa est desidiosus erat. Unchaste folly is for the most part begot of an idle brain, and hatched in a lazy body, as our f D. Boys super evang. d. 15. p. Tr. English Postiller observes (as he doth all things very ingenuously; Whereas, Otia si tollas periere Cupidinis arcus, Contemptaequ, jacent, et sine luce faces. e 2 Sam. 11.1 to 6. For Cupid shoores in a slug, and hits few but the slothful: This therefore should be no small care in all parts of the Kingdom, and in this renowned City, deserves no small commendations, That he which will not work, may not eat, 2. Thess. 3.10. But be exterminated as a Citizen of Sodom, Who will he slothful in their Vocation, Ezechiel, 16.49. Or else be committed to that gymnosophistical Discipline, Where he shall render not an Annual, but a Diurnal Account of his doings: For as amongst all the gifts of the Spirit, and all the Callings in the Church, There are none for Idleness, but all for Working and Edifying, Rom. 12.6. to 16. 1. Corinthians 12. Ephesians, 4.11.12. So amongst all the Estates, Degrees, and Offices in the Commonweal, though there be many Overseers, there must be no Looker's on: for otherwise Idleness will engender Adultery: So That when they are fed to the full, by Troops they will haunt Harlot's Houses. The second Syrte to be shunned, is filthy communication, foolish talking, and jesting, that is not convenient, Foolish talking Ephes. 5.3, 4, For evil Words corrupt good manners, 2. Cor. 15.33. Let therefore no corrupt Communication proceed out of your Mouth, but that which is good, to the use of Edifying, that it may minister Grace to the Hearers, Ephes. 4.29. A Lesson needful to be learned in these our days, when not only the elder sort amongst the a Psal. 2.1. raging multitude use their Tongues b Psal. 12.4. as if there were no Lord over them: or rather, as if c Tob, 3.8. Asmodeus, the Spirit of uncleanness were Regent in them, but even teach their Children so soon as they can Charter, lewd, lascivious, and ribald rhymes: As if the a Psal. 8.2. mouths of Infants, Babes, and sucklings which were ordained for the praise of God, should now only serve for Cupid's Criers, Belzebubs Beadles, and Helles heralds; Whereupon it is no wonder, being so educated at the first, and b Quo semel est imbuta recens servabit odorem Testae diu. Horat. Wanton be haviour. seasoned with sin, if when they are grown up and said to the full, they by Troops haunt Harlots Houses. The third Rock to be retired from, If thou wilt not suffer Shippewracke by this sin, Is wanton Looks, and light Behaviour: That the Daughters of Zion may not walk with stretched forth necks and wanton Eyes, mincing as they go, and making a tinckeling with their feet, Isai, 3.16. For if the Prince of the Apostles had been made judge of such, I doubt he would have applied this place unto them, c Si vir, vel mulier se ornaverit, ut vultus hominum in se provocaeverit, etsi nullum inde sequatur damnum induium tamen patietur aternum, quia venenum attu lit, si fuisset qui biberet: Hieron: Auro & Margaritis adornata, & Monilibus ornamenta Mentis & Corporis pe●ds lecunt: Cyprian: de Habit: Virg. They have eyes full of Adultery, and cannot cease from sin, 2. Peter, 2.14. And unless joseph be a Steward in such a house; Putipher may well fear the losing that one thing, which he hath only reserved; which if you will have preserved; those provocations, (that I may not say Proclamations) of Impurity, must be prevented. A fourth thing to be forborn, is the frequenting lewd places, Lewd Company or associating with lascivious persons: For a Pro. 6.27.28.29. Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes be not burnt? Can one go upon hot Coals, and his feet not be burnt? So he that goeth into his neighbour's wife, Whosoever toucheth her shall not be Innocent. b Prou. 5.8.9 Remove thy way therefore far from her, and come not nigh the doors of her house, lest thou give thine honour unto others, and thy strength to the Cruel: For, Cum Peruerso perverteris, With the Perverse thou shalt be perverted (as c Hieron. the Father reads it) Psalm, 18.26. And therefore if thou wilt escape the Hook, then swallow not the bait; for otherwise thou shalt not rest, until thou hast done evil, Prou. 4.16. The fift and last dangerous arriving, Drunkenness is at the Deeps of Drunkenness, and unsounded Shore of Surfeiting; Another of the supreme Implicit sins, depending upon Plenty; When he fed them to the full? A vice so vile, so base, so beastlike, as that it d Fbrietas tudicium Rutonis obfuseat, contentiones & bella pro●urat, robur & Naturalem virtutem everuat, Infirmitatem generas, mortem naturalem adducit, Hugo, de Sancto Victor. transsorms the soul, deforms the body, bereaves the Brain; betrays the strength, desiles the affection, and metamorphoseth the whole man, making the understanding ignorant, the strong staggering, the trusty trothless, the virtuous vicious, and the preciseft person, a Pander to the profanest sin: Drunkenness as Saint Augustine observes) being the e Flagitirrum omnium matter, Radix Criminum, Culparum materia, Origo vitiorum, Turbatio Capitis, subversio sensus, Tempestas Lingua, Procellae Corporis, Naufragium Castitams, etc. Augustin. ad Sacr: Virg. mother of misdemeanours; the matter that ministers all mischief, the root of wretchedness, the vent of vice, the Subuerter of the Senses, the Confounder of the Capacity, raising astorme in the Tongue, Billows in the Body, and Shippewracke in the soul, the loss of Time, the corrupter of Conversation, the discredit of Carriage, the Infamy of Honesty, the Sink that swallows Chastity, the Infirmity whose Physician is Ignominy, and the madness whose Medicine is Misery: Whereupon Solomon is so careful to prevent the danger before it seize, lest afterwards it be neither removed with ease, nor abide alone with all man's industry; a Pro. 23.31.32.33. That he will not have a man look upon the Wine when it is Red, when it giveth his colour in the Cup, or when it sparkleth aright, least at the last it bite him like a Serpent, and sting hius like an Adder, cause his eyes to behold strange Womeu, and his Heart to utter perverse things. When b No ad unius borae ebrietatent nudavit semoralia sua, quae ad Sexcentos annos contexerat. Hieron. Ep. 1. ad Occan. lay Noah uncovered, but when he was drunk, Gen. 9.21. When committed Lot incest but in his Wine, Gen. 19.32. to 38. And when thought David's Arch-policy, the fittest time to vail his Adultery, but at a device of drinking, 2, Sam. 11.13. Sine Cerere et Libero friget Venus: For she dwells only at the juie-bush, But Ebrietas quid non defignat; It infecteth the Soul worse than Sodom: c Pro. 23.29 Assumit inter pocula angusta certamina, & malis existentibus causis aspen ram excitat rixam. Aug. ubi supr. To omit the woes, sorrows, babblings, contentions, and wounds without cause which attend it, as also d 1. Esdr. 3 22. Refertur Alexandri Macedo tae exemplum qu Clituim charissimum sibi as sidelissnnum inter epulas transfodit, & intellecto facinore mori voluit. Sense. Ep. 34. ad Lucil. How men in their Cups forget their love to friends, and rashly draw their sword: And how, a Sam. 13.28 when men's hearts are merry with wine, they are easily smitten to death: So that a b judith. 12.20 & 13. to 9 silly woman may slay the strongest man of Arms, if Holofernes himself be made the Instance. To omit, I say, these and a thousand other Inconveniences, which are Appendices to this vice, And only to insist upon the Affinity of it with that sin which in the present is proposed for the effect of it. Is not Drunkenness the mother Nurse and Cater to Adultery? Or at least Lasciviousness the daughter of Luxury? Is not c Pro. 20.1. wine a mocker, and strong drink raging? Let Ahashuerosh, who could forbear Vashti all the time of his feasting, but must have her brought forth when his heart was merry with Wine, Esther, 1.10, 11. And here these Israelites be the Instance, who when they were fed to the full, By troops they haunt Harlots Houses. And therefore as he that will not be defiled, must not touch Puch, Eccles. 13.1. So he that will not be inflamed to uncleanness must not only take heed of being drunken with wine, wherein is excess, Ephesians 5.18. But even avoid keeping company with wine-bibbers, or riotous eaters of flesh, Proverb. 23.20.21. For as Poverty is their Pedisseque, so d Esus carnium & potus vini, ventrisque satu ritas Seminarium libulinis est, Arist. Ethie. 7. Chambering and wantonness will be their associate, Rom. 13.13. Lasciviousness. Lusts, riotings, and banquet are joined by the Apostle, 1 Peter, 4.3. And will be seldom severed by Apostates; Do we not see by ordinary experience, the lascivions steal to maintain drunkenness, when drunkenness was delighted in, only for the desire of uncleanness? So a Luxuriae ad praesins voluptatem deliniens, futuram non simt cogita epaupertatem Aug. doctr. Christ: reiking in this riotousness, that they never wreak that woe which shall be unto them which rise up early to follow strong drink, & continue until they be inflamed, Isal, 5.11. Whereby it comes to pass, that Hell opens her mouth wide, and they in multitudes descend into it, whilst they so lie weltering in their wickedness, that they never consider the curse which shall fall upon him, who gives his neighbour strong drink, and puts his bottle to him; and makes him drink also, that he may look on his nakedness, Habak. 2.15.16. How he shall be filled with shame in stead of glory, and himself drink also till his foreskin be uncovered, how the cup of the Lords right hand shall be turned unto him, and shameful showing shall be his honour. But b Psal. 50.22 oh would they would consider this, that thus forget God, lest he take them away in a Time, when there is none to deliver them. Would I say, they would consider with Saint Augustine: that Quicunque ad bibendum pronus fuerit, velin Conuivio suo alios suos adiuravit, pro se & pro ipsis in Die judicij reus erit. Whosoever is prove himself, or provoketh others to drinking, shall answer both for his own, and their offence, at the day of judgement, which might teach them to take heed unto themselves, that their hearts may not at any time be overcharged with surfeiting & drunkenness, & so that fearful day of the Lord (or their death, come upon them unawares, Lu. 21.34.35. for as a snare shall it come upon all such inhabiters of the earth; yea with all the snares & punishments which are due unto Adultery, that issues from this sin of drunkenness, Which is the next object of our observation. What punishments are due to offenders in it? The punishments. Wherein to omit the particular personal pains of the Body, which God inflicteth according to his own pleasure, answerable oftentimes to the quality of the Constitution, or a Wisd. 11.15.16. correspondent to the form of the offence, when Occultam culpam sequitur aperta percussio, because these are not always apparently incident to all Offenders. And those of which Antiquity durst aveare that. Quatuor his poenis punietur quisquis Adulter, Aut erit hic pauper, aut hic subita morietur, Aut aliquod subito franget de corpore membrum, Aut cadet in famam qua debet carcere trudi. That every Adulterer shall be overtaken with one of these four extremities, 1. Either he shall be poor and beg his bread, yea and seek it out of desolate places; 2. Or else he shall die suddenly, and be unexpectedly cut off in the day that he thinks not of it: 3. Or else he shall have his bones shattered, and broken a sunder in his security, even as a man breaks and heweth wood upon the earth: so that he shall live so miserably, as he shall seek death, and not find it; That body being the greatest grief and burden unto him, which before he pampered to follow the delights and lusts of the flesh, 4. Or else he shall fall into such reproach and infamy, that he shall be deservedly cast into prison for his Impiety To omit (I say) these, We will infer as inevitable, That as the Lepreians carried those which were de prehended for the Fact, three days bound throughthe City, and afterwards despised them during their life time: So the Apostle appointed amongst Christians, that if there were any fornicator amongst them he should be bound with the chains of Excommunication, and published through the Synagogues, That they should have no commerce nor company with him, 1. Cor. 5, 11. And as in the old World, a Non habentes cum eis societatem vel communionem: Aq: in Ep. they which defiled themselves with strange flesh, were reserved unto the vengeance of eternal fire, Jude, 7. So in this latter age, all Adulterers and unclean persons are liable to the Lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death, Apoc. 21.8. Where, Pro brevi voluptate perpetua poena; For a moment of pleasure they shall suffer many millions of pain, (as Saint Bede saith) yea, and that which is, if any thing can be, yet more fearful; not only themselves, but even their posterity, which are the issue of such unlawful seed, yea, and the goods which are gotten by such unlawful means shall all be consumed, and utterly rooted out, one month shall devour them, their strange Children, and all their portions. Hosea, 5.7. For the multiplying brood of the ungodly shall not thrine, nor take deep rooting from Bastard shppes, nor lay any fast foundation; for though they flourish in branches for a time, yet standing not fast, they shall be shaken with the Wind, and through the force of the wind they shall be rooted out: The unperfect branches shall be broken off, their fruit unprofitable, not ripe to eat, yea meet for nothing: For children begotten of unlawful beds are witnesses of wickedness against their Parents in their Trial, Wisd. 4.3.4.5.6. For howsoever to some this seem so sweet a sin, as that they will not leave it till they die, Eccles. 23.17. yet as you may read (and it is well worth the reading to this purpose) in the same Chapter to the 27. verse. The Whoremonger shall be taken in a time when he suspecteth not, and punished in the streets, And the wife that leaves her husband, and bringeth in hire by another, shall be brought out into the Congregation, that Inquisition may be made of her Children, who shall take no root, And she shall leave her memory to be cursed, and her reproach shall not be blotted out. Who would not therefore fear this fatal fault, and affrighted, take up Saint Hieromes exclamation against this sin, O lgnis infernalis, Luxuria, Cuius materia Gula, Cuius flamma superbia, Cuius Scintillae prava colloquia, cuius fumus infamia, cuius cinis immunditia, cuius finis Gehenna: O thou infernal fire of Lust, whose fuel is full feeding, whose flame is proud flourishing, whose sparkles are ribald speaking, whose fume is Infamy, whose ashes uncleanness, Whose Urn is hell, and whose extinguishing eternal burnings, whose kindling occasionates such a Counter-Plea to man's Pardon, that the Almighty thus exaggerates his offences: How shall I pardon thee for this? Thy children have forsaken me, and sworn by those that are no Gods, and when I fed them to the full, by troops they haunt Harlots Houses. And so I descend to the first aggravation, which is Their Impudence; By troops; Impudence. Custom having confirmed them so shameless in sinning, as that they not only proclaim their impiety in the ears of their Abettors; and a They were as fed horses, etc. ver. 8. beastlike communicate their contamination with their Associates, but even publish their impurity to the eyes of the offended observers, declaring their sins as Sodeme, and hide it not, Isay, 3.9. But like Zimri and Cosby in the very door of their Tents, when Israel wept before the Taberuacle, Numb: 25.6. Or like Absalon, that pitched his tents upon the very roof of the Palace, to demonstrate in the eyes of Israel his corrupting of his Father's Father's Concubines, 2. Sam. 16.22. So they not only in the Evening, or at Twilight, or in the black and dark of the night, when they may flatter themfelues that none do see them: Like Solomon's Fool with his Female, Prou. 7.9. to 1. But even then (that I may not say now) when the Congregations are assembled to sorrow for this sin, do not only b Ezech. 33. stand single by the Walls of the streets, and in the doors of their Houses, but even by troops haunt Harlots Houses. Adeo, qui cum periit semel redire nescit, periit pudor: So far hath shame (which being lost can seldom be regained) forsaken them, & so fast flock they by troops unto those Houses, Where shameless is the Sewer. Whose unparralelde Impudence not once to be unapparelled for the ugly apparition, lest it should enforce me to break the bounds of modesty, in ripping up those deunes of darkness, I will only Mathematically describe unto you a threefold situation, of such sinks of sin, that so you may the speedilier address an Inquisition for the suppressing of them, (if any there be) as many there were in judah and jerusalem. 1. The first, josh, 2.1.15. Upon the town wall, where they had their secret passage through Windows. 2. The second, judg. 16.4. In a Valley by a Brook side, where they might have intercourse without observing. 3. The third, 1. Reg. 3.16, A couple of Victuallers in the City, where under pretente of Repast, they might repose more freely, And so by troops assemble themselves in Harlots Houses. Assembled Here, Pertinacity. Is the last circumstance which aggravates this sin, which is Pertinacity: For as woe shall be unto those which have lost a Greg. Mag: mort in job. lib. 1 super his verbis: Sic faciebat job assi ●ue. Perseverantian; Their Perseverance is good, Eccles. 2.14. So no less we shall be unto those, who will not leave Pertinaciam, their Pertinacity in evil. Whereas, Look how without Perseverance, no Virtue is available upon revolting: So without pertinacity, no sin is unpardonable, upon Repenting: And therefore if any have fallen b The kings Bible reads, overtaken in a fault, etc. upon occasion (as the Apostle calls, it) Gal. 6.1. That is to say, Through c Heming in loc. Luther in Gal Infirmity into any of these sins: Let him take heed how he haunt them, that is to say, continue obstinately. a Gen. 9.21. Noah, b Gen 19.33. to 36. Loth, c Gen. 38.15.16. judath, d 2. Sam. 11.4 15, & 11.13. David, e Math. 26.70. to 75. Peter; They all fell; but they haunted them not, And peradventure as Isidore affirms; utile sit arrogantibus deseri à Deo, quatenus suae infirmitatis, conscii ad humilitatem redeant, ut humiles post lapsum existant, God may see it sometimes profitable for the proud to be forsaken of him for a season, to the end that experimentally understanding their own inability, they may after their fall humble themselves with the greater fervency. But let them take heed, That they draw not iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with Cartroapes. Isai. 5.18. That they haunt not that by which they have harmed: For then Woe shall be unto them. Whereas otherwise if they forsake their sin, convert and cry for merey f Let no Novatian or Puritan say, as it was objected against S. Augustine, That we give a gap to sin, when we offer a haven of safety to every repentant sinner, for to those that deny it, we reply with Constantine, to Acestus. Erege tibi scalum Acest, & adcoelum solus afcende: Erect a stair Atesius, for thyself, and climb to Heaven alone without a slip, So Meridith Hanmir translates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb. Hist. Eccles. l. 6. c. 42. vide Epiphan. Tom. 1. Hares. 59 Socrat lib. 4 c. 7. 2. Aug. H●m: 27. Ecclesia nunquam claudet gremium redeunti: And Christ came not to call the Righteous but sinners to Repentance, Math, 9.13. Yea; he will admit Repenting Publicans and Harlots into the kingdom of heaven before self-Iustifying Scribes and Pharisees, Math. 21.31. Where else had Tamar stood in the g Math. 1.3. Line of Christ for all her h Gen. 38.25. Tokens: What i Josh. 2.18.21. red list could have rescued Rahab k Josh. 6.17.20. when the Walls of jerico fell down flat, to give the enemy's entrance? What l Luc. 7.38. Rivers of tears might have wasted Mary Magdalen from m joh. 8 4. to 12. the cape of condemation, so near unto the haven of Heaven, As be to the first that beheld a joh. 20, 15.16 our SAVIOUR'S Resurrection: Yea what b 1. Reg. 5.10.11. Abanah, Pharphar or jordan could have purified all the Fornicators, Idolaters, Adulterers, effeminate Persons, Abusers of themselves with mankind, thieves, Covetous Persons, Drunkards, Raylors and Extortioners, which without Repentance were not capable of the Kingdom of Heaven; yea, (and to be bold in the Apostles words to converted Christians) Even some of you, which sometime were such, but that after Repentance you are now washed, and sanctified, and justified, in the Name of the LORD JESUS CHRIST, and by the Spirit of our GOD, 1. Cor. 6.9.10.11. Oh therefore whosoever you be that have c Wisd 5.7. wearied yourselves in the way of these wickednesses and destruction, and have not hitherto known the way of the Lord: Cast away from you all your transgressions whereby ye have transgressed, and make you a new heart, and a new spirit, ●or why will ye die O house of Israel, sith I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, (sayeth the Lord, Wherefore turn yourselves and live ye, Ezech. 18.31 Return, Return, d Sun●rites quip captivae interpretatue, etc. Que infidelitatis iugo a Daemembus, captivatur, etc. Greg. Mag. in Cant: O Shunamite, Return, return, that he may look upon thee, Cant. 6.13. Even with that eye of Compassion, by which, when none other pities thee, yet he may say unto thee, Live, Ezech. 16.5.6. And whilst thou leavest thy old haunts, e Levit. 19.30 & frequentest his house, forsakest thy swearing, and f Psal. 42.4. revorencest his Sanctuary, turnest thy Troops that haunted Harlot's Houses g Psal: 42. ubi sum into multitudes that keep his Holy day; thy sloth into his service, thy wantonness to warmness, thy disobedience to dutifulness, thy a joel. 27.19. Idolatry to devotion, thy profane speeches to praises, thy Perjury to Prayers, thy b Luc. 21 34. Mark. 13.33 drunkenness to watch for the day of Doom: and thy c Greg Mag. homan Aug. sins to sacrifices, He will find a means, How to pardon thee for this? Which God grant of his mercies for his sons Merits, through the powerful Operation of the Holy Ghost; which only prepares man to Repentance: To which Trinity in Unity, and Unity in Trinity, be ascribed d Apoc. 4.11. & 5.12.13 all glory, power, praise, might, and Majesty by the converts in this Church upon Earth, as there is e Luk. 15.10. rejoicing at their Conversion, by the Angels in that Church in Heaven, from this time forth for evermore, Amen. FINIS.