¶ Remember Lot's wife.  
Two godly and fruitful Sermons very convenient for this our time: lately preached on a Sunday in the Cathedral Church of S. Peter's in Excester: the one, in the forenoon: the other, in the afternoon the same day.  
By john C.  Math. 24. 
He that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved.  
AT LONDON, Printed by Thomas Orwin, and are to be sold by Edward White at the little North-door of S. Paul's, at the sign of the Gun. 1588.   

TO THE RIGHT Worshipful and virtuous Matron, Mistress Mary Woolton, wife to the Right Reverend Father in Christ, john, Lord Bishop of Excester, Grace, faith and felicity in the Lord.  
I Am not ignorant (Right worshipful) that worldly wits do desire to hear rather Eliphas, 
job. 2.  Bildad and Zophar, the Themanite, the Suhite and the Naamathite, to paint forth a bad matter eloquently: than patiented job, to handle a very good cause with plainness and simplicity. To whose curious heads and itching ears, mine harrish harmony devoid of learned method, utterance & grace, may seem altogether unpleasant. Howbeit, I am not, for all that, all unwilling (upon just occasions) now to publish that, which before I never meant to make public, otherwise then by word only. For I persuade myself of the goodness of my cause, and adventure to promise it, both profitable and godly. Besides that, the candle once lightened is not for the Bushel, but for the Table: the talon taken in hand, is not to be hidden, but to be employed. And the light that a Christian man hath in him, must so shine on every part, as thereby the name of God may be glorified, and the godly edified. Neither ought a Christian to be ashamed of Christ and of his word, seem it unto worldlings never so contemptible. Finally, to commit that thing to perpetuity, which is for the benefit of the brethren any way, is as commendable as it is profitable, and oftentimes commanded to be done in the word of God, as an especial help for man's mind, which (being as water that suddenly loseth any impression) without such memorandums, doth very quickly forget things memorable and most necessary. Therefore the Lord doth not only write his commandments in two tables of stone: but also commandeth Moses, and after him the Prophets, and lastly his servant john, to write the things which they had seen, and heard, being (as David saith) profitable for the posterity, and (as Paul confirmeth) for our learning, that we which be the Lords, may thereby be the sooner furnished and prepared to every virtue. These things considered, might sufficiently have persuaded the penning of these two Sermons, touching that notable memorandum, which our Saviour gave to the jews, Remember Lot's wife: yet calling to mind with what a diligent ear and attentiveness yourself listened to the matter uttered (by your own confession) with the good liking and semblable commendations, wherewith ye beautified the same at that time, (besides some desires of others, thereunto, esteeming the argument and matter right requisite for this time) it provoked me to resume my pen with the more dexterity & readiness, to gather up (as it were,) into a store basket the fragments of that spiritual banquet, which were scattered abroad, as justly as I could, to be and remain to and for the use of them that had before tasted of the same: hoping that they which liked it before, will not loathe it now: & nothing doubting by the grace of God, but that it will be to his glory and the benefit of his Church, the only mark which I have aimed unto. In respect whereof we may not stick (if we be the Lords) to hazard all the credit that we have, yea and rather wish with Moses and Paul, to be as Anathema among them of this world, then that we should hold back, or thrust to oblivion any thing that may be to the advancement of the one, or profit of the other. Having therefore preserved by pen, & noted these words in a Book, I both commit and commend them to the Church of Christ, and among the true members of the same, especially to your Worship, by whose often courtesies to me, I am moved to thankfulness, and by whose happy choice of good Mary her lot, I am stirred up to gladness: the token & signification whereof my goodwill uttereth unto you in this my present, which (though so simple in show) is for the matter as precious as pure gold tried in the fire. Therefore I pray you to accept it gladly, to read it at your convenient leisure, and repose the profit thereof in your breast, that thereby ye may both be comforted yourself with Mary: and also may the rather (as otherwise ye are well able) (God be thanked) persuade others, not only women, but also men, to follow Christ in faithful zeal, godliness and virtue, without weariness or fainting. The Lord God grant, that the hearers and readers of this Book, may not only thereby the sooner tend to the right use of memory therein taught them: but also learn to go forth from Sodom, to proceed, and to hold on with just Lot, towards the goal of everlasting life: & on the other side, with wisdom to eschew the horrible sins and faults of Lot's wife, by the consideration of the fearful judgements of God on that unhappy woman. And even thus, I commend both my good Lord and yourself to the Almighty Lord, who bless, preserve and keep you under the wings of his mighty protection.  
From London the 28. day of june. 1588. Your Worships to my power in Christ. john Carpenter.   
O Lord open thou my lips, and my mouth shall show forth thy praise. Open the cares of thy people, that they may hear: and incline all our hearts to believe and follow those things that be taught us in thy holy Word, through jesus Christ thy dear Son our Lord, Amen. Luke. 17. Verse. 32. 
Remember Lot's Wife.  
ALthough the Lord God be so holy, and glorious, 
Ezech. 1.  that no man can behold him, and the very Angels be unable to sustain the brightness of his face: And on the other side, man is so unclean, and ignominious, 
jer. 17.19. Genes. 6.  so stiffnecked, and stubborn hearted, so wicked, and abominable, that he is forced with the Publican to hang down his head in great confusion: with Daniel, 
Dani. 9.4. Psal. 8.4. Hebr. 2.6.  to grant the due desert of open shame: with David, to admire that ever God would vouchsafe either to regard or remember man: and that all men from the highest of them to the lowest, can not but confess with blushing faces, that all men be not only conceived and borne in sin, but also bred and brought up in the same, being mere liars, and lighter than vanity. 
Psal. 116. verse. 11. Dan 9.11 Ezech. 18. verse. 21. Psal. 51.9.  Yet because that to the Lord belongeth mercy and forgiveness, he turneth away his face from man's sins, being ever mindful of mercies. He foretelleth men of his judgements provoked, and giveth them timely warning to eschew the plagues deserved, with a sweet provocation of sins to fruitful repentance, either by comfortable arguments of his bounties to his obedient children, 
Sap. 10.  or by strange and fearful examples of his judgements executed on the rebellious and ungodly sinners. In like manner, our Lord jesus Christ, that true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and friend to mankind, imitating in this (as in all other things) his heavenly Father, who of his love to man, according to the purport and effect of the ancient promise made to Adam, and confirmed to Abraham, David, and other godly Fathers in his mercy, sent him into the world to bring all true believers unto life everlasting, doth not only by perfitting the work of man's salvation, which none could do but himself, show great mercies unto his beloved: but also foreshoweth both to them, and all others, a most miserable destruction imminent and ready to fall, first on the jews, and then, on all others, who after their stubbornness, faithless ingratitude, and Apostasy, do despise the goodness of God: and he leaveth not unwarned in the same all men, to take heed of those future miseries that horrible sinners do purchase to themselves, by producing this notable memorandum of the terrible judgements of God even on the wife of that righteous man Lot, she going about to save her life, lost it, and looking back in her heart to sinful Sodom, from whence, the Lord in mercy had drawn her with charge to proceed without retire, 
God foreshoweth his judgements.  she perished from the right way between Sodom and Zoar, in that great wrath kindled against her.  
We read in Genesis, that when all flesh had corrupted his way on the earth, 
Gen. 6.23  and the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and all the imaginations and thoughts of his heart were only evil, in so much that he repented him of man's creation, and was grieved in his mind: he would yet in mercy, though in the midst of wrath, both foreshow the destruction following, unto his righteous servant Noah whom he favoured, and gave him also commission to divulgate and publish the same to the world, whom, notwithstanding this unreasonable sorrow conceived, he would in mercy spare for the space of an hundred and twenty years. And moreover, for a perpetual instruction to the posterities, the Lord (after that Noah had obtained rest) made his Bow in the Clouds to be a token of the covenant thereon compacted, which also beareth manifest Arguments both of mercy and judgement: to the comfort of the godly, for whose benefit the promise was given: to the confusion of the wicked, for whom destruction waiteth. And there is the blue colour of water, to note for ever, wherewith the world was destroyed: and the red colour of fire, to show wherewith it shall perish, 
2. Peter. 3.  according to the prophesy of S. Peter.  

Genes. 18.  Afterward, when the sins and abominations of the filthy Sodomites had ascended up, and the loathsome cries of these execrable Sinners had pierced the Lords ears, he determined thereon a mighty Plague, which yet he threw not upon them, till time he had both warned them thereof, and delivered from the same his Servants Abraham and Lot.  
In the Book of the judges it is mentioned, that the Israelites oftentimes sinned against the Lord, and incurred the plague of their transgressions: whereof likewise they were forewarned and admonished to beware by Moses, josuah, 
Deut 28. verse. 31. Josh. 24.  and other the Servants of God. And besides that, such destructions and miseries as ensued intolerable ingratitude to their posterities, were told of by the holy Prophets, and the persons on whom the inconveniences fell had yet certain signs and tokens left to be as continual remembrances unto them.  
The Prophet Samuel said to King Saul, whiles he was yet King over Israel, 
1. Sam. 11 verse. 23.  and without fear of disgrace: The Lord hath cast thee off from being King over Israel. And this thing (said he) was also signified by the renting of his garment.  
And so the Prophet Ahia the Silonite, told jeroboam, 
1. Kin. 11. verse. 31.  that the Lord had rend the Kingdom of Israel into 12. parts, and this did he prognosticate, by renting a new mantel into twelve pieces.  
The Prophet jeremy foreshowing a destruction to come, proclaimeth thus in the Lord's name: 
jere. 35.5.  Behold, I have set pots of Wine before the household of the Rekabites, but they would not drink, obeying therein their father's commandment, but as for you, ye have not harkened unto me, as they hearkened unto their father: therefore I will bring upon juda, and upon every inhabiter of jerusalem, all the trouble that I have devised against them. And this was certainly performed in his due time, when as the Israelites for their sins were carried away captive into Babylon, their City being destroyed, their Temple polluted, and all their glory shadowed. 
1. Cor. 10.  S. Paul having declared both the mercy and wrath of God: mercy, in bringing the ancient Israelites out of Egypt: wrath, in overthrowing the rebellious people in the wilderness, and turning (per apostrophen) to the Corinthians, to whom he committeth this example, warneth them thus: Wherefore, let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed that he fall not. And thus did S. Peter, Jude, james and john, admonish them to whom they wrote. Above all, our Saviour Christ, willing to stir up not only the jews, but all men which rest in careless security, 
Christ foreshowed the destruction of the jews.  and begin to bend backward, foreseeing their ruin and miserable thraldom, doth not only languish and power forth tears for the same, thereby moving us (if possible,) to weep for ourselves: but also prophesieth destructions, and many heavy lots to fall on men in the world. And to the end they may the better be admonished (seeing the consideration of other men's hurts may move them to take heed) he bringeth forth the examples of the Ninivites, of tire and Sidon, of those on whom the Tower in Silo fell, and of them whom Pilate slew in the time of their Sacrifices, of them that were drowned in the general Flood, and of the Sodomites. And thereunto he addeth semblable Parables: as of the Rich man, and poor Lazarus: of the unjust Steward, and the wicked Mammon: of the five foolish Virgins: of the disobedient child: the wicked husbandmen: the ingrateful guests, and such like. Here he setteth forth unto them the fearful judgements of God on Lot's Wife, willing them by her example to take heed of destruction, not to look back from the plough, but to hold on for fear of a grievous and horrible destruction. Therefore saith he: Remember Lot's Wife. A sentence very brief, yet a lesson not for idle Scholars: few words, yet not for dull hearers: but as enough for a Sermon, so a meet memorandum for a man, during his life. The Oracles and grave sayings of the wise men of yore, were very pithy, though brief, as was that, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: Know thyself: and that, Memento mori: Remember death.: Many like sentences we have in the divine Scriptures. john the Baptist preached, Repent, Repent. So counseled Peter: 
Acts. 2.  Repent, and be baptised. salomon's conclusion is, 
Eccles. 12.  Fear God, and keep his commandments. So our Saviour Christ in his preachings hath these sentences, Watch and pray: Ask, seek, give, forgive, judge not, condemn not, have faith in God: Remember Lot's Wife, He that goeth to the plough, and looketh backward, is not meet for the kingdom of God. O ye jews, remember this, least unawares ye have your lot with Lot's Wife: Oh remember this, ye that forget God, lest he take you away, and there be none to rescue. An excellent persuasion, to have moved the jews to beware of their future miseries, and a semblable instigation of all men to the due consideration of the time of visitation, and the things that belong to their peace. A lesson both particular for every Christian, and also general for all persons, people, kindreds and tongues whatsoever, to learn them faithful perseverance: and the sentence may well be divided into two parts, namely: 

1. The Action commanded, which is, 
Two parts.  Remember.  
2. The matter or subject, which is, Lot's Wife.    
By the former part, we be drawn to the right use of memory. By the latter part, we be put in mind of two notable examples, the one, of Lot himself, the other, of his Wife, in which two, there is found an excellent Antithesis, both in life and lot. Here is one example most comfortable, another example most fearful, the one of mercy, the other of wrath: one profitable against despair, another necessary against presumption: the consideration of both which must join in a true Christian, to withstand those two fiery darts of Satan. The Lord God grant, that we, beholding Gods mercies towards his chosen, may with faith and thankful hearts, timely and fruitfully embrace the same: and seeing his terrible judgements on the wicked world, now also threatened and ready to fall down upon the people of this age for the like, may hastily fly and eschew them, by serving the Lord in trembling and fear, for he is a consuming fire.  

The first part. Remember.  
THe Lord God, which is the true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, searcher and knower of man's heart, perceiving the mind of man (as now polluted with many sins) to be either as hard to conceive that which is good, as the Adamant stone is 〈◊〉 be pierced: or as unable to retain in memory that which ought to be ever remember'st as the soft wax is to hold fast the image therein ensealed against the heat of the fire, and therein also not unlike to the air that claspeth again after disclosing; doth oftentimes cry out unto man by his Prophets, by his precepts, by his works, by his blessings and wonderful judgements, Remember, Remember, and useth all the ways and means convenient to persuade and draw man to the right use of his memory, and that so much the more, by how much nature faileth in accomplishing this thing, and a divine action supernatural, (as it were, extreme to man's corrupt nature,) is required: for as the Stone by nature is deorsum tendens, descending to the centre, and the water which is not bound in, fleeteth abroad: so is mortal man's mind, prone always to that which evil is, and never apt to goodness, but by constraint; it soon forgetteth that which ought to be remembered, and busieth itself semblably in that, which should be forgotten: and it is true indeed, that the heart of man is a vile thing and unsearchable. Neither may we think, but that as in other things, so also in this, there is found a great abuse, which we must endeavour to take away, before the use can be effectual, that is, 
The abuse of our memory.  by forgetting and putting out of mind the things that we learned amiss, and which ought not to be retained in mind. This forgetfulness is a preparative to a good remembrance: 
A necessary forgetfulness.  for as clear liquor may not be kept in a vessel, before that the corrupt be powered out, and there must be a cleansing of the field, before it be sown; so before man's mind can be made apt to that which is good, it must be cleansed from that which is evil. Therefore being persuaded to Remember, let us make way thereunto by a good forgetfulness. Seeing wisdom cannot enter into a wicked heart, 
Sap. 1.3.4. Eccles. 11. verse. 10.  and wicked thoughts separate from God, let us take away grief out of our hearts, and cause evil to departed from our flesh, and remember our Creator in the days of youth. This is the wiseman's rule: first, to forget, then, to remember: to remove away evil, then to plant and maintain the good.  
The Lord himself is oftentimes forgetful (as the Scriptures testify) of the sins and offences of penitent sinners, and he putteth all their wickedness out of his holy remembrance, that so he may remember them in goodness, as Nehemiah prayed him to do for himself. 
Nehe. 13. verse. 31.  And herein would our Saviour Christ have us to be like unto our heavenly Father, not to keep the remembrance of injuries done against us by our brethren, but willingly to forget and forgive them, as never minding to revenge them: herein, 
Math. 5. A wicked memory. Themistocles of Athens.  shall we declare ourselves to be the children of our heavenly Father, as most excellently he preacheth on the Mount. From this point do worldly men far differ, when as they can with Themistocles not only retain in mind an injury, but seek (for their profit) an unhonest revenge. But this man was censured to be too sharp of memory, which also himself confessed, whose words Cicero reporteth: Memini quae nolo, oblivisci non possum, quae volo: That which I would not, do I remember, neither can I put out of my mind, that which I would forget. Of such an ungracious memory was juno noted in Vergil, who retaining the displeasure conceived against the Trojan Knight, did never give over vexing and troubling him both by Sea and by land, till time she was revenged, which was noted a matter worthy great reproach in such a parsonage, and therefore he expostulateth:  
Tantae ne animis coelestibus irae? that is,  
Should heavenly hearts harbour such hatreds? And another pointeth at the folly of such, Qui vir siem, etc. He shall surely know my might, what I am, and what I can do, when I have drawn out of his blood. This kind of memory is too much used among men, which they have brought into an Art, unskilful in the mean time of the right Art of Memory in deed. Now love & charity is cold: faith is scarce found upon the earth, the malice of man is great, and mischief being once conceived, he travaileth to bring her forth, neither is he pleased, until he be eased: whose wood affection and fleshly bent, 
ovid. eleg. 1. li. Ah tu ne dubita. etc. Gen. 4.  another decyphereth thus:  
Ah nothing but revenge must ease my deadly woe!  
In this sort cursed Cain remembered his brother Abel, envying the acceptation of his Sacrifice before his own, and thereupon took occasion to kill him. Thus the Sons of jacob challenged a cause of hatred against their brother joseph, and sold him away. Thus Haman in the Book of Hester 
Hest.  calling to mind, what the Prophet Samuel 
1. Sam.  had once done to Agag, and the Amalekites (from whom he descended) conspired against the whole stock of the jews. 
Gen. 27.  Thus Esau remembered that his brother jacob had both supplanted him in his birthright, and prevented him in the blessing, and thereupon resolveth: My father will die shortly, and then I will kill jacob my brother. Thus the Lords of Babylon, and the wise men there, envying the excellency of Daniel 
Dan. 6.  in the spirit of prophesy, and his royal favour with the King, accused him, and caused him to be thrown into the Lion's den. Thus Absalon remembered Ammon, and flew him under colour of friendship. So the Scribes, the Pharisees, and the high Priests, remembering how the Lord had often spoken against their pride, hypocrisy, and manifold abominations, conspired together against him, and never left off, until they had nailed him to the tree. Finally, 
Gen. 3.  the ancient enemy of Mankind, bearing in mind that malediction, which the Lord cast on him for his pernicious practice against man, leaveth not to persecute the Woman and her Child, as S. john witnesseth in his Apocalyps. 
Revel. 12.  It seemeth a marvelous wisdom to the men of this world, to imitate him therein: but they shall find (as S. james teacheth) that this wisdom is not of God: 
jam. 3.15.16.17.  for the wisdom of God is pure, peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without judging, without simulation. As for this wisdom of theirs, the same Apostle calleth it earthly, sensual, and devilish: for where envying and strife is, there is sedition, and all evil works. The craft and drift of the Devil is, to set men by the ears, that they may worship him in such deeds of darkness, 
Rom. 13.  whiles he laugheth at their madness and folly. Sic malus exultat daemon, etc. And seeing again, that by the blood of the Lamb he is overcome, and his head crushed, he retaineth a Dragon's hatred, he trippeth on his heel, he casteth forth water after the woman and her child, he draweth down the third part of the Stars with his tail, he rageth horribly, and stormeth sturdily, because his time expireth shortly: As Leviathan in the Sea without a hook in his nostrils: as Behemoth in wilderness, having no bridle in his jaws, 
1. Peter. 5. job. 1.  and as a Lion rampingly he walketh and stalketh, hippeth and skippeth from one coast to another, seeking to devoul. And for the readier accomplishing of his devices according to his desire, do these his instruments work also: whereby, as the head is full of poison, the heart is replenished with malice, which boiling and raging cannot but break out with such eagrenes, that sooner may the Tiger be tamed, than this mischievous 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 consumer, and destroyer of men, be stopped from prosecuting his wood fury. Howbeit, 
Psalm. 2. The great cruelty of men.  the dweller above laugheth these mad men to shorn. The Scythians are said to be so cruel and barbarous, that they eat and devour their parents & kinsfolks when they be dead, in stead of burying them, among whom, the Essedonians and Massagetes, are chief: yet are they not indeed so barbarous and cruel as these, who eat up and devour their brethren, even whiles they be living. Against such Cormorants crieth the Lord Woe, Wo. These bury not the dead, 
Isa. 5.  but the living: these devour and eat the body of jesus in his members, and it is to be feared, that many which come to the Table of the Lord, with pretence to eat the body of Christ, do only in this sort feed on him, by envying their brethren, and persecuting his members. But what gain they by this? even that which judas gained, who, when he had devoured his master, and they that sat with him, fell headlong into an endless destruction. They may not only say, Oleum & laborem perdidimus, we have laboured in vain, but also may justly account with judas and the ungodly in hell, whose passions and groans the wise man thus describeth: 
Sap. 5.7.  We have wearied ourselves in the way of wickedness and destruction: what did Pride profit us? what gain hath the pomp of riches brought us? It may be answered, so much profit as the fire in Mount Aetna, for it drieth up the marrow within the bones, it macerateth the face, banisheth all good digestion, hurteth the mind, and tormenteth the soul: for the holy spirit of discipline flieth from deceit, 
Sap. 1.5.10.11.  and withdraweth himself from thoughts that are without understanding. The ear of jealousy heareth all things, and the noise of the grudgings shall not be hid, etc. Therefore saith the wise man: 
Eccl. 10.6.  Be not angry for any wrong with thy neighbour, and do nothing by injurious practices: Or thus (as another Translation yieldeth.) Remember not every injury of thy neighbour. 
levit. 19.17.18.  And this is taken from Moses law to the old Israelites, saying: Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart, but thou shalt plainly rebuke him, and suffer him not to sin. Thou shalt not revenge nor wait to do displeasure, or be mindful of wrong against the children of thy people: but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the Lord. This Law the Lord wrote in the hearts of his children from the beginning, and of which he expected observance, when he said to Cain: Cain, where is Abel thy brother? 
Genes. 50. verse. 19  And this rule observed joseph, who after many heavy injuries received of his brethren, did nevertheless forget all, & spoke kindly unto them, saying, Fear not now, for I will nourish you and your children. And King David answered to this law, 
1. Sam. 25. verse. 3.  who notwithstanding that Nabal did answer him churlishly, and Doeg currishly reviled him, 
2. Sam. 19  did yet at that request of Abigael put away his displeasure conceived against Nabal, and pardoned Shimei at his own desire. Stephan the Protomartyr prayed for his persecutors, desiring God not to charge them with that sin. And our Lord the true pattern of patience & piety, prayeth thus for the envious jews that crucify him, Father forgive them, for they know not what they do. Neither hath this virtue shined only in those whom the law of God directed, but also in the very Gentiles in some sort, among which Aristides, notwithstanding he was exiled by the Athenians, both forgave them, and prayed for their good success.  
Hereby the godly persuaded themselves, 
The man that forgetteth the injury of his brother, may the better come to God.  that laying aside all displeasures, and forgetting manifold injuries, though it were to seventy times seven, as Christ teacheth, they might with more safe hearts, and quiet consciences, approach unto the throne of grace, with these and such like petitions: Remember not the sins of our youthful days (O Lord: 
Psalm. 25. ) Forget our iniquities, and blot our transgressions out of thy mind. Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us. The Lord jesus grant us the spirit of piety and patience, to forgive and forget the offences of our brethren against us.  
Moreover, David in his 45. Psalm teacheth the Church, 
Psalm. 45.  and therein every member of the same, what should be forgotten, that her heavenly wooer Christ jesus might be pleased in her: 
Another forgetfulness commanded in Scripture more general. john. 3.  Forget (saith he) thine own people, and thy father's house. Thereunto counseleth S. Paul in his Epistle to the Rom. cap. 12. verse. 1.2. and in his 13. Chapter of the same, verses 12.13.14. This is that new birth, which Nichodemus with all his wisdom is not able to conceive: and so difficult and hard for the fleshly man, which conceiveth not the things that be of God, as nothing is harder. And therefore as the valiant Captain Ulysses being in Africa, and perceiving that his fellows did continually languish with the remembrance of their Country, Wife and Children, which they could not forget, caused them to taste of the Tree Lotos, (whereof, if a stranger eat, it is said he forgetteth his own Country:) so our most excellent Captain Christ produceth unto us his holy Word, the tree of life to be tasted, eaten, and digested, with this commandment: Hearken o Daughter, hearken o Israel: he that hath ears to hear, let him hear: and happy is he that heareth the Word of God and keepeth it: for by eating thereof, man liveth, he forgetteth old Adam, 
To forget old Adam  and the fleshly affections of man, he casteth off the shoe from his feet with Moses, and draweth near to the Lord, he meditateth on the Law of God day and night, and is satisfied with goodness. By this was Paul put apart from the world. This quencheth out the lust of the flesh, the pride of life, and love of the world. This bringeth faith to justify man before God, and virtues to approve him before men. This harboureth men in the bosom of faithful Abraham, whom the ruinous habitation of Adam could not preserve. This draweth men from earthly Hierico, to heavenly jerusalem, and persuadeth japhet to dwell in the tabernacles of Shem. Peter tasting of this, 
Genes. 9  goeth forth at the door, and weepeth for his sin: Ruth 
Ruth. 2.  the Moabitisse is hereby taken from her own country and brought into Israel: and this pearl being so precious, causeth a man to forsake all that he hath, to sell all his wealth, to buy, purchase and obtain it. The Lord grant us grace to be in this point so forgetful, that we neither remember to commit, nor dare be so bold as to attempt sin: that we neither dwell in the loathsome tents of Kedar, nor so much as savour of the fleshly affections of impious and ungodly men.  
Thus have we seen, what things we are chief to forget and shut out of memory. Now let us behold the true substance of memory, 
What to remember  and so in the end descend unto this particular example of Lot's wife.  
If we would, that GOD in goodness should remember us, and that our prayers may enter in before him, 
Nehe. 13. verse. 31. jonae. 2.7.  as Nehemiah and jonas said: then must we not be forgetful of that which he commandeth to be kept in mind. And except the Lord in his mercy be mindful of us, 
Gen. 8.1. Genes. 19 verse. 29. Psal. 115. verse. 12.  as he hath been of old time of his servants Noah, Lot, Abraham, David, jonas, Manasses, and others, to whom in extremity he sent comfort and help, we may be compared to Sodoma and like unto Gomorrha, we cannot stand in the congregation, but be confounded in judgement, we shall want that which may help us, and find whatsoever annoyeth us: and being banished from the benediction of God's children, shall incur the heavy curse of his enemies. And a most fearful thing is it to be forgotten of the Lord. For there is nothing remaining, but cursings in the town and in the field, going out and coming in, in the basket and in the store, in the body and in the land, and in whatsoever is taken in hand: a sick body and a faint heart, maimed members and a doubtful mind: in the morning wishing for the evening: 
Deut. 28.  in the evening desiring the morning: vengeance from heaven: an hell upon earth. Of this portion drinketh the ungodly, to whom there is no peace, saith the Lord, seeing they be adversaries to the Almighty and banished from his presence, 
Isai. 40.  as clean out of his merciful remembrance.  
The faithful children remembering these things with considerate minds, have resorted unto the Lord, praying him in goodness to remember them. Thus prayed Solomon: O Lord God, 
2. Chro. 6. verse. 42.  refuse not the face of thine anointed. Remember the mercies promised to David thy servant. And so prayed that noble Captain Nehemiah: 
Nehe. 1.5.8. cap. 5.19. ca 13.31.  O Lord God of heaven, the great and terrible GOD, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments, etc. I beseech thee remember the word that thou commandest thy servant Moses. Again, Remember me (saith he) in goodness. That patiented man job in his great afflictions cried out unto the Lord: Remember that my life is but a wind. And King Hezekiah turning his face to the wall, 
2. Kin. 20.3.  prayed in this manner: I beseech thee, O Lord, remember now, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. Baruch, in the behalf of the captive Israelites: Remember not (saith he) the wickedness of our fathers, but think upon thy power, and thy name at this time. The Prophet David, being moved with an excellent spirit, 
Psa. 74.20 and 137. Psal. 119. verse. 49.  singeth unto the Lord: Remember thy covenant and promise: Remember Zion: be mindful of thy mercies, etc. Finally, the condemned thief on the Cross with our Saviour, saith unto him: Lord remember me, when thou comest into thy kingdom. These godly desires uttered with a faithful heart have not been put back, nor was the Lord unmindful of his love: but as he remembered Noah and every beast and all the cattle that was with him in the Ark: and as Christ remembered Peter, Mary, Paul, & the thief on the Cross: 
Psal. 115. verse. 12.  So (saith David in the behalf of all the faithful) The Lord hath been mindful of us, and he shall bless us, and he will bless the house of Israel, he will bless the house of Aaron, he will bless them that fear the Lord, both small and great. 
Psal. 105. verse. 8.42.  He hath been always mindful of his covenant and promise that he made to a thousand generations. Therefore let not the ungodly any longer say unto the Lord: Depart from us, 
job. 21.14 Sap. 2.  we desire not the knowledge of thy ways. Who is the Almighty that we should serve him? And what profit should we have, if we should pray unto him? For the candle of the ungodly shall be put out, their destruction hasteneth on them, their hope is as a dry thistle flower blown of the wind: they lead their lives wanton, and suddenly they go down into hell. And as for us, let us put our trust in the Lord, and consider deeply and duly to what end the Almighty hath bestowed on us that excellent treasure of Memory: Let us endeavour rightly to use the same by printing therein enough these five worthy things following. viz.  

1 The Lord God, and his actions both of mercy and judgement.  
2 Our brethren, and that duty we own them.  
3 Our own selves, what we are, and whereunto subjecteth.  
4 The final and general judgement, for which we must wait and prepare ourselves.  
5 Lastly, this memorable example of Lot's wife: and this last do I refer to the second part of my general dunsion, as the only matter or subject for the action commanded in my present text.   

A good memory is here required.  Now, if a man could remember with Cyrus' King of Persia, who was able (as Solinus reported) to call every one of his Soldiers by his proper name, when as his host was exceeding great: Or if a man had the mindfulness of that maid which can hardly forget her attire, as jeremy said: yet could we not reach herein to a sufficient perfection. But as for ourselves, I fear me, we be so far of, that we may rather be justly compared to one Messala corvinus, who albeit he was sometime a grave Senator in Rome, and much commended by eloquent Cicero for many virtues, did yet, a two years before his death become so forgetful, that he remembered not his own name. Which kind of forgetfulness hath come unto divers other also, either by infirmity of nature, or by extreme sickness, or by dotage, or by excessive cares. And would to God, that our natural infirmities, our sinful agonies, our damnable dotings in blind affections, and our worldly carefulness had not maimed us with this malady: then might we have escaped that reproach of the Israelites: The Ox knoweth his owner, 
isaiah. 1. vers. 3.  and the Ass the crib of his master: but my people have not known me: they have forgotten me. Although we cannot deny, but that we have our earthen vessels with Agathocles, thereby to remember our original: and with Peter have heard the Cock crowing thrice in our ears, to put us in mind of things memorable: yet it is true, that we have forgotten oftentimes that we should mind, having our cogitations blinded with Satan's enchantments, that sometimes we will not hear to obey the Word of God, be it preached never so wisely. This point of folly noteth S. james in the man, 
jam. 1.23.  that beholding his bodily face in a glass, but going his way, forgetteth immediately what manner of one he was. Héeere is great forgetfulness, from the which the Lord keep us. Let us use the talon lent us, knowing that as well for that one, as for the ten, an account is required, and a reckoning must be made: and that good servant shall be commended with a double reward, when the unprofitable wretch shall have his talon taken from him, and himself double punished. 
Remember God and his Works. Eccles. 12. verse. 1.  Let us remember the Lord and his marvelous works.  
The wise Solomon commandeth us to remember God, and therewith to observe the time convenient, saying, Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth, whiles the evil days come not, nor the years approach, wherein thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them. To this duty did Moses often incite and stir up the forgetful Israelites, who nevertheless, after innumerable benefits received of the Lord, remembered him not, 
judg. 8.34  but forgot the Almighty that begat them, & God that formed them, 
Deut. 32. verse. 18.19.20, etc.  which caused him in anger to correct them, to whet up his glittering sword for them, and his hand to take hold of justice against them, to execute vengeance on them, and to reward them that hate him. This David having considered, exhorteth thus: Seek the Lord and his strength: 
Psal. 105. ●  Seek his face continually. Remember the marvelous works he hath done, his wonders, and the judgements of his mouth. And thus let us remember the goodness of the Lord first generally on all men: next on his Church and holy congregation, and then on every particular member thereof: and considering the same, let us ascribe all praise, honour, thanks and majesty to him for ever.  
He hath not only created man, 
The mercy of God  but in mercy preserved him, and provided lovingly for him. He maketh the Sun to shine as well on the unjust, as on the just, and giveth rain to them both, moving all men to remember them, and without this duty, they be touched with intolerable ingratitude. But as for his Spouse the Church, David singeth of his loving mercies and goodness unto them in this manner. 
Psal. 115.  He blesseth them abundantly that fear the Lord both small and great: he increaseth his graces towards them, even towards them and their children: for they be the chosen generation, the royal Priesthood, the holy jerusalem, and blessed of the Lord, that made heaven and earth. And therefore this especial little flock hath the Lord wonderfully defended and kept unto himself holy, safe, and undefiled before him. Although the holy Church is as a bush in fire burning, yet is it not consumed: though as a Ship tossed, yet not overturned: though as a woman travailing, yet never dead; and though as a Vine pruned, yet never starved. And as for this particular branch of the Church wherein we live, the very land savouring of the sweetness of God's mercy, we are forced to confess, that the Lord hath not dealt with every Nation as he hath dealt with us, and do find by full experience, that the Nation is blessed which hath the Lord for their God. Lastly, if every particular man shall duly consider with himself, and remember how many excellent blessings he hath received of the Lord to the beawtifying of his body and soul, oh God, how shall he be forced to praise and bless him in the same with endless comfort? Above all, when there was neither sufficiency of wood for  offerings in Libanus, 
The goodness of God in Christ.  nor cattle enough upon the Mountains of Israel for Sacrifices: when there was none able to tread the winepress, nor any able man to bind the strong man: when there was none able to break down the wall of separation between God and man: nor to rent asunder the vail of the Temple: when there was not so much as one sufficient for zeal, to stand up in the gap that was open, 
Ezech. 33.  to turn away the Lords displeasure from man: then caused he his own arm to help his Church, and every member of the same: he sent his own Son jesus into the world, who to the comfort of his children, saith, Lo, 
Psal. 16.  here am I, to do thy will, o Father, as in the beginning of the book it is written of me. And this is the same which even unto me (may every Christian man say) is become Righteousness against Sin, wisdom against folly, holiness against corruption, and freedom against bondage: my righteousness by his resurrection; my wisdom by his word; my holiness by his spirit; my redemption by his death. Oh that men would therefore praise the Lord for his goodness, and remember the wonderful works wrought by him for the children of men! Oh that they would take up the cup of Salvation with David, and call upon the name of the Lord, for all his benefits towards them. 
Psal. 116. Isai. 46. Exod. 20.  Oh that they would remember to sanctify his Saboth. Remember the law of Moses his servant, and their sins in breaking that Law, and thereof be ashamed: and remember, that jesus Christ of the seed of David is raised again from the death. 
2. Tim. 2. verse. 8.  Such and so great and marvelous is the Lord in his mercies unto his children, after the purport of his promises made to Abraham and David his servants. 
Remember God's judgements on his enemies.  But as for his enemies, which anger him with stubborn rebellion, which fight under the banner of Satan against him and his children, they be subdued to his judgements which on them he hath declared, by raining down storms and tempests, plagues and destructions, according to the effect of that communication & threatening, which Moses in Deutr. 28. doth denounce against them full of bitterness and woe, which also with the causes thereof, the Lord reiterateth in the 31. of the same, saying: 
Deut. 31.16.17.  This people will rise up and go a whoring after strange Gods of the land whether they go, and will forsake me, and break the appointment which I made with them: and then my wrath shall wax hot against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and will hide my face from them, and they shall be consumed, and much adversity & tribulation shall come upon them: so that they will say, Are not these troubles come upon me, because God is not with me? How these judgements have been executed on the Israelites, it is mentioned in the books of the judges, Kings, and Chronicles of Israel, as in many other books of the holy Scripture: and how the remainder of these things meeteth with the future Apostates, S. john describeth in the overthrow of Babylon, with the great Whoare. 
Revel. 18.  Oh therefore that men (considering this) would stand in awe and sin not: Kiss the Son before he be angry, and learn of David truly to protest in this sort: 
Psal. 116. Psal. 77. vers. 8. etc. & 119.52 55.  I have set the Lord ever before my face: I remembered the years of the right hand of the Lord: I remembered the works of the Lord certainly. I remembered (O Lord) thy wonders of old, and I did meditate in all thy works, and did devise of thine Acts. I remembered thy judgements of old, even the examples whereby thou declarest thyself to be judge of the world, and I have been comforted. And I have remembered thy Name o Lord in the night, (in the night when other sleep) and have kept thy law. David did observe this, David teacheth the same to us, and this must we also do. Remember God and his works.  

Five things which move us to remember God.  There be (among other) five things which may move us, or persuade us the rather to this duty. The first whereof is, the due consideration of the frame of the World, which a certain Philosopher said was his only Library, for in beholding the same, he saw the magnificence of God's power, knew him therein, and kept him in memory. 
Rom. 1.  The very Gentiles were occasioned hereby both to know and remember God, though they worshipped him not as they should, 
Psal. 19  as Paul reasoneth, Rom. 1. And as the Heavens declare the glory of God, and the Firmament his handy work, so the excellent harmony of all the creatures consenting thereunto, moveth the mind of man to keep the register thereof. The second thing is the person of man, called by the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a little World, wherein is the view (as it were) of all these things. The ancient Philosopher Trismegistus draweth men to the knowledge and mindfulness of God, 
In lib. de poten. & Sap. dei Dialog. 5.  by the consideration of man's body. Age fili, saith he, circumspice humani corporis opificium, cuius admonitione perdisce, quis tam pulchrae imaginis conditor, etc. Go to (my Son) look about the workmanship of man's body, by the admonition whereof learn perfectly, who is he which hath made so beautiful an image. And perusing every part and member of the body, he concludeth thus: Behold how many works of divine Art are in this one matter demonstrated, every of which is most sightly and handsomely proportioned, and so, that every of them yet differeth from other in his proper office. But who hath framed these things? what father? what mother? Is it not that only invisible God, which of his own will hath done them all? And another Philosopher saith, that a man having in his body so many joints & members, as there be days in the whole year, is thereby put in mind of God's goodness, and moved to remember him continually. herewith, if we consider the hidden treasures of the Soul, and so include the whole man, we shall be even devoured with zeal, and forced to sing joyfully with David: O Lord, 
Psal. 134.14.  I will fear thee: for I am fearfully and wonderfully made, marvelous are thy works, and that my soul knoweth right well.  
Thirdly, the word of God written and preached unto us, 
The word of God.  teacheth us plainly, not only what God is, what his will is: what he hath done, but also in what sort he is to be served, and how to be remembered. Without this Remembrancer, he saw all our memory to be forgetfulness, all our knowledge, ignorance: all our wisdom foolishness: all our policy's peevishness, all our sight blindness: had not the Lord given us his word written not only in the heart, but even in Tables of stone, brass, iron, etc. to remain a Schoolmaster unto us for ever: how had the creation of the world, the making of man, the building of the woman, the placing of them in pleasure, and cause of their pain been remembered? How could the promise of the Lords mercy in Christ, the drowning of the world, the burning of Sodom, the preserving of Lot, and the punishment of Lot's wife, been brought to our knowledge? Yea Moses himself would soon have forgotten what was written in the tables of stone which he broke, had not the Lord written it again with his own finger. Neither had the precepts and laws of the Lord been remembered in the posterity, 
Deut. 11.  had not the Lord commanded the children of Israel to write them in the posts of their doors, 
Deut. 17.  etc. and the Kings to copy them out for their instruction. And this charge was given to Isaias the Prophet. 
Isai. 30.  Now go and write it before them in a Table, and note it in a Book, that it may be for the last day, for ever and ever. And of this benefit David speaking, saith: This shall be written for the posterity. And had not the Lord given unto them his Word to be a light to their feet and paths, a staff to stay them, a rule to direct them, they could not but run a whoring in ignorance with the heathens, worshipping not only birds, fourfooted beasts, and corporal images, the Gods of Ekron, Baalpeor, Dagon, Asteroth, Moloch, and such, but even the Devil himself, contrary to that commandment of God to them: 
Deut. 6.  Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Again, had not the Lord commanded in his Word, the paschal Lamb to be eaten every year, had not the Serpent been lifted up in the wilderness, had not Manna been reserved, had not circumcision been given to Abraham, 
Psal. 78.  the law and statutes to Israel, they would soon have forgotten altogether, and turned the service of God into Idolatry. Finally, we at this time would soon forget that excellent benefit offered us in Christ jesus, had he not willed his Gospel to be preached, and instituted his Sacraments with this commandment: Do this in remembrance of me. I know your memories be weak as the water, and ye by nature forgetful, therefore yet do this one thing for my sake, thereby to remember me, and declare my death till I come. Let us therefore consider this, and thereby remember God and his works.  
Fourthly, when God saw how oftentimes he was shut out of men's minds, especially when they were full and in prosperity, he used often to correct and punish them with many and sundry adversities, to stir them up to consider of his goodness and power, 
Affliction bringeth men to God.  to remember him in their beds, and to run unto him in their afflictions, to call upon him in trouble, and glorify him in his mercies. He well knew, that as the frozen with cold best thinketh of fire, the hungry of meat, the naked of clothes, the prisoner of liberty, the condemned of pardon: so men be earnest to seek after God, 
Hos. 5.  and to remember him, esteeming more of his mercy in time of wrath, then of his judgements in time of grace. As for examples, King Manasses in the prison remembreth God, whom in his prosperity he had forgotten. jonas in the Whale's belly remembreth that obedience to the Lord, which before was shut out of memory. 
Psal. 51. Exod. 2. jer. 31.  David in his misery crieth peccani: Israel in Egypt cry unto the Lord, and Ephraim in captivity complaineth heartily.  
Thus the Lord purgeth the gold from the dross in the fire: thus winnoweth he the corn from the chaff in the wind: thus scoureth he the rust from the iron on the fretting stone: thus driveth he the rebellious through fire and water, until they acknowledge with Nabuchadnezar, 
Dan. 4.25 37.  that the most high hath power over the kingdoms of men. The polluted vessel is with water washed, the raw flesh is seasoned with salt, the dropping vine must be pruned with a knife: the weak stomachs must have bitter wormwood: the slow Ass a whip, the heavy Ox the goad, the idle scholar correction, and the fleshly Christian sour affliction. This driveth home the lost son to his father, and the wanton daughter to her mother. And herein will the Lord begin at his own house, and execute this judgement on the trees that be green, whatsoever become of the dry trees. And therefore, when we feel the touch of God's judgements either in mind, body or wealth, let us know the cause, and consider to what end the same is inflicted, and seek remedy thereof at the hand of God with Ephraim, David, Peter & Magdalen. And so remember God, etc.  
Fiftly and lastly, when the Children of God after their repentance, 
Wonderful deliverance.  trial and sufficient experience of the Lords justice and mercy, he wonderfully delivered to their great comfort, they have a great occasion given them to remember God and to glorify him. 
judg.  As in the time of Gedeon, when all hope was past, they had a marvelous deliverance from Madian. As in the time of Samson, 
judg.  when all hope was quailed, they had a great victory and deliverance from the Philistines. As in the days of Saul, when Israel was oppressed by the Philistines again. 
1. Sam. 17.  Goliath was overthrown, and Israel delivered. As also in the time of the Kings of Israel and juda, God gave great victories to small hosts against mighty Nations. A great instigation of them to think on the Lord & his wonderful works. And because we have received great things, and obtained wonderful deliverances of of the mercy of our God, let us not forget the same, but sing unto him heartily with songs of deliverance.  
The second thing that we are willed to remember is, our brethren. 
Remember our brethren.  First those among them, that have the oversight of us, and which speak unto us the word of God, as the Apostle chargeth, 
Heb. 13.7  whose end of conversation considering, we must follow their faith. And these be they which ruling well, are accounted worthy of double honour. Neither must we neglect to bestow on them our temporal things, which deliver unto us the Spiritual treasure. And this is a part of that honour which we be commanded to yield to our parents. Exod. 20. But how hardly the judgement of man censureth these labouring persons, with what grudgings they yield to them of their wealth, and with what gainsaying the Ministry is furthered and relieved, all men may see. This is not to remember, 
I●. 5.  but forget them. woe unto him that defraudeth the labourer of his just hire whereof he is most worthy. The remembrance of these is often mentioned in the Law: 
Le●●●.  and so is that mindfulness of our poor brother, 
Deut. 16.  to whose need we must not be grieved to confer. 
Pro. 31. Tob.  This Bersabe also remembered in her wise lesson to her young Lemuel, 
Rom. 12.  Prou. 31. And Tobiah to his son. S. Paul chargeth the Romans and others, to give cheerfully to the poor: 
2 Cor. 9.7.  to do good, and forget not to distribute: to remember the prisoners and the poor Saints, 
Heb. 13. Gal. 2.9. 1. Cor. 16.1. Ro. 15.26. Act. 10.  and for such he himself caused divers collections to be made, and thereto laboured with his hands. He commended them much of Macedonia and Achaia for the same thing. The noble Nehemiah, mindful of his poor brethren, did neither crave that wages he should have exacted, nor suffered any man else to oppress them. But alas, there is a common cry of the poor in every place, whose faces be grinded with the extortions of the wealthy, and this pity have they found: Am I (sayeth Cain) the keeper of my brother? is his oversight or protection committed to me? am I bound to relieve him? These persons be not of the mind of Christ, which saith: Weep not Widow, but of the mind that Dives that rich man was, who could rather permit poor Lazarus to cry and die at his gate without compassion. But hear that terrible sentence against such unpitiful people. Math. 25. When I was hungry ye fed me not, when I was thirsty ye gave me no drink: therefore depart from me ye cursed.  
Unto this duty belongeth that, not to forget to deliver the oppressed from the hand of his oppressor. And that also, to be grateful & thankful to our brethren that have both laboured for us, and comforted us with their charities, whether they be poor or rich.  
This thing not only the very Heathens have taught, by painting forth their three 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Graces: but also the very brute beasts & birds, as the Elephant, the Stork, yea the earth insensible, which yieldeth to her tiler a double reward. But alas, among us that be Christians, we oftentimes find this verified, No man remembreth the poor man, 
Eccles. 5.14.15.  that by his wisdom delivereth the City from the great King: Pharaohs Butler hath quite forgotten joseph, though he earnestly requested him to remember him to the King: 
Gen. 40. verse. 14.  yea the unthankful Sichemites have not only quite forgotten the goodness of Gedeon towards them, 
judg. 9.18  but are likewise consent together with Abimelech, to rise up against him and his house. Thus joas remembered the goodness of jehoida the Priest, which had been his only stay and preservation, in rising up against Zacharias his son and killing him. 
2. Chr. 24.20.21.22.  It is great unkindness not to requite a benefit received: so it is to forget, or not to acknowledge it: but oh most horrible is that unkindness, which recounteth good things with evil things: from this kind of oblivion the Lord deliver us: and a true mindfulness of our brethren we beseech him to give us: and hereunto may we be the better induced by the remembrance of our own selves. This is the third thing which we are willed here to remember. 
Remember ourselves.  To know ourselves, is a profitable persuasion to the knowledge of God, & imitating of Christ in our duties.  
Hear might we be put in mind of our estate and condition in this land, which to remember, is most profitable, that being admonished by others examples, we may (after Paul's caveat) take heed we fall not, although we think we stand. 
1. Cor. 10.  And let it be remembered, that as the five talents gained five other, so is it expected, that our great abundance of God's blessings, should yield semblable thankfulness, the want whereof bringeth dread and fearfulness: by the consideration of the unprofitable servant, the disobedient son, the barren fig tree, and unfruitful Vine: and I pray God, that in this our time of peace, we do remember not only of whom we receive it, but also what belongeth to the same: I aim only to that, which I should with many more words express But more particularly let every man look into his own estate and condition, as derived from the common condition of all men, as fold and subdued to sin, and thereby to infirmities, miseries, and death. To this point the Apostle bringeth all men, when he saith, All men have sinned, and hereof took that general calamity his original, Thou art dust (saith God to Adam after his transgression) and into dust thou shalt return again. This is particular to every man, and this is general to all men. Hereof is man called mortal, flesh, grass, vani●●e, a vapour, a liar, a corrupt feed, the child of inconstancy, and dust. Let men remember this, what man is, that they may not wax proud, 
A man doth seldom remember himself.  being but dust and ashes. But alas, this is so hard a thing for them, as nothing is harder, to persuade themselves what they be, what their life is. And therefore, whiles they note the condition of their tenors, whether they hold their land in fee simple, fee tail, term of life or years, and account when their leases may expire, they never remember the condition of their own lives, how good or evil they be, they note not how they draw to end, and think not of death, which lingereth not.  
This was that notable and wise saying, which Simonides, 
Simonides  who (as Cicero reporteth first found out the art of Memory) uttered before Pausanias the Lacedaemonian King at his banquet, being willed by the King to speak something excellent and of importance: Remember, thou art a man, saith he. The King hearing it, took it scornfully at the first: But afterward being shut up in prison and in misery, where also he died with famine, he called to mind that word of Simonides with great sorrow, saying: The words were in deed of great importance, but I through mad pride esteemed them nothing. The like in a manner read we of rich Croesus, who in prosperity forgot himself, and what Solon had taught him, till time that Cyrus brought him to recognise his estate and misery with imminent execution of death. But Philippe of Macedonia did more wisely provide for his memory, when a boy cried to him every day: Philippe, Remember thou art but a man. And this is common to every one: he is a man: then mortal: then subject to miseries: then of short life and continuance. This is the effect of jobs description of man: He hath but a short time to live, 
job Man is a Pilgrim.  yet replete with many miseries: he cometh up as a flower from the earth: he flourisheth a little while upon the earth: he is cut down and withereth in the earth. Which also Isaiah in his 40. Chapter: 
Isa. 40. ●. ja. 1.11. 1. P. 1. 1●.  S. james in his first Chapter, and Saint Peter in the first Chapter of his former Epistle do effectually apply. Man cometh from a sinful womb, liveth in a wretched place, & goeth to a ghastfull gulf. Remember this. Old father jacob was most mindful of this, which he also taught to King Pharaoh, before whom joseph his son presented him. How old art thou? (said Pharaoh to him) he answered: the whole time of my pilgrimage is an hundred and thirty years, few and evil have the days of my life been. He is a pilgrim. A similitude near one in effect with that of job likening man to a flower, and with that of the Lord calling man dust. For as the flower is oppressed with many annoys in heat and cold and of short time: and as the dust is now moist on the ground, then dry, flying in the wind, without certainty or constanines: So is the pilgrim, a stranger from home, looking to his place of rest, and ever travaileth till he come thither, oppressed each while with many great dangers and miseries. 
Hebr. 11.10.13.  The fathers (saith the Apostle) all died & confessed themselves to be strangers and pilgrims on the earth; and that they sought for a City having a foundation, whose builder & maker is God. Some say, that this pilgrimage of man, is set forth by the example of Hagar, the handmaid of Sara: 
Gen. 16.4  who flying from Abraham's house wandered in the wilderness, and was counseled by the Angel to return again to her Mistress. But David truly confesseth: 
1. Pet. 2.11.  I am a stranger and pilgrim with thee, as all my fathers were. And so may we say every one of us. Therefore let us abstain from fleshly lusts: therefore let us walk and not tarry. Let us not choose the lusts of sin that hinder us: proceed we towards jerusalem that holy City, and ever recognise our condition and duty of life. Here again we be warned to look back to our former time, what we have been: that we have been vile sinners, offenders against God, transgressors of his law, strangers from the commonweal of Israel, and slaves in Egypt under the tyranny of our spiritual Pharaoh. We are also admonished to look before us, both on things present, and also to come. If we be the children of God brought into his merne●ous light by jesus Christ, from bondage into freedom, from sin into righteousness, from the power of the devil to the grace of God: let us be glad and rejoice in the Lord with continual thankfulness. If yet any be in ignorance, in blindness, in sin, in stubbornness of heart, and thereby contemn the Gospel: let him fear, tremble, quake, stand in awe of God's judgements: but yet not forget a timely and fruitful Repentance. Never to be merry nor sing, nor leave of to pray, ask and crave pardon, until a merciful deliverance: as that bird, which being ensnared never leaveth crying until he die or be delivered. And having future things before our eyes, as marks whereto men shoot: forget not, but remember daily and hourly (O thou mortal man) that Mors non tardabit, 
Death cometh on without tarrying.  Death hasteneth on thee, respecting not any ornament or treasure either of body or mind. For be thou never so fair and well favoured, yet with fair Absalon must thou die (though happily not in that sort) and in the kingdom of death there is no difference between Nireus and Thersites, 
Nireus. Thersites.  of whom the Poets feign, the one to be the fairest, the other to be the most deformed of all them that came to Priamus, palace, or Troy: and that they striving in hell after death, who should be preferred, verdict was given (Menippus being the judge) that there was no difference between them. Hereunto also cometh, as well Dives, as poor Lazarus: aswell wise Solomon, as foolish Nabal. But thou braggest of thy parent's Nobility, and then art of gentle blood, etc. What of that? Can these things deliver thee? No truly. But hearken what I hear one say: Te, quide nobili generositate tuorum parentum tumescis superbia, interrogo, etc. I demand of thee (saith he) which art puffed up in pride by means of thy noble Parentage, whether those thy parents be either dead or living? If they be living, know this, it will not be long ere they will die: for death cometh on them with speed. If they be dead, then hearken what S. Augustine saith: 
Aug. de. ver. Inocen. ca vlt.  Respice eorum sepulchra, & aliorum pauperum, & vide quis dominus, quis pauper, discern si poteris vinctum à Rege, fortem à debili, pulchrum à deformi, etc. Behold their Sepulchres, and the graves also of poor men, and see, who is the Lord, who is the poor man: discern if thou be able, between the King and the prisoner, the strong man and the feeble, the beautiful and the ugly. Look upon their sepulchres, and I suppose, thou mayst not find any great difference there, between the rich man and the beggar, except peradventure in this, that in the rich man's grave thou mayst find a greater savour of corruption, than in the poor man's pit, for that he was fed more delicately in his life, than the poor man. 
De. van. seculi.  The same Augustine saith again in a certain Sermon: Considera etc. Mark well the groans of them that have lately been your companions, what they have been, what they now be, and how vainly their wealth served to their profit. Lo, there is nothing of them remaining to be seen: but ashes, which if they could now speak unto you, would utter these words: O ye vain men! to what end do ye so overlade your lives with vices & sins? Look upon our bones, and thereby be ashamed of your insatiable covetousness. Quod vos estis, nos fuimus, & quodnas fumus, vos eritis: What you be now, have we been, and what now we be, shall you be hereafter. O ye fools, remember, that in one night, 
Luke 12.  that great fool mentioned in the Gospel had his soul rapt from him, uncertain of his heir. O man, remember, what betided that glorious Rich man which was clothed in purple: 
Luke. 16.  death taketh hold upon, and is thrown down into torments, notwithstanding the solemnity of his funerals. 
Hug 〈◊〉 de ●●ma.  Dic mihi (saith another) ubi sunt amatores seculi, qui tam magni fuerunt? Dic, quid eis profuit inanis gloria, brevis latitia, mundi potentia? Tell me, where be now the friends of this world become, which have been of such estimation? Show me, what their vain glory, their short gladness, their worldly pomp, their fleshly pleasures, their false riches profited them? What is become of their laughter? of their sport? of their boasting? Here see we the corpse given to the worms, and peradventure their souls appointed to perpetual torments in another place.  
Baruch also, to draw men to the consideration of the power of God upon the proud Potentates of the earth, and to the mindfulness of man's condition, saith: 
Baruch. 3.16.17.19.  Where are the Princes of the heathen and such as ruled the beasts upon earth? They that had their pastime with the fowls of the heaven, that hoardward up silver and gold, wherein men did trust, and made no end of their gathering? They be come to nought, and gone down to hell, and other men be come up in their steads.  
And to show, that not only man, which is compared to the grass, but also that all his wisdom and glory (which is compared to the flower of the grass by Saint james) shall decay: 
1. Cor. 1.20.  hearken what S. Paul expostulateth thereon. Where is the wise? where is the Scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made the wisdom of this world foolishness? Hereunto hasteneth man, and hereunto cometh his glory in the end: which to remember is very profitable for all men, as Syracides saith, and as Moses wished to his people. 
Deut. 32.  For men having once numbered their days, they be moved to set their mind on wisdom, as David saith: and having considered the manifold days of darkness, they will remember God the sooner in their youth, 
Eccles. 11.2.  as Solomon counseleth: they will cast away the deeds of darkness, and put on the armour of light, as Paul exhorteth, that whiles the Sun is not dark, nor the light, nor the Moon, nor the Stars, nor the Clouds return again after the rain: 
Eccles. 12.2.5.6.  before man go to the house of his age, and the mourners go about the street, and the dust return to the earth as it was. Thus must we remember ourselves. God grant we forget not ourselves. When man forgetteth himself and his condition, there is none evil which he will fear to commit. God make us mindful of this.  

Remember the latter judgement  Fourthly, because the hour of death is uncertain, and yet death which is most certain bringeth man to the judgement, and this, as was the other, is a forcible Argument to stir us up, to examine ourselves, to clear ourselves, to prepare ourselves with Lamps burning in our hands, and loins girded with staves to the journey, with watchful hearts ever listening when the Tromp shall sound to the battle: let us in any wise imprint this memorandum in the tables of our minds: Our God shall come, and will not be silent. 
Psal. 50. Mat. 25.  Christ will come in the glory of his Father, and all the holy Angels with him, sitting upon the throne of his glory. Before him shall be ●rought all Nations to be judged, and be shall divide them one from another, as the Shepherd divideth the Sheep from the Goats. And we shall all stand before the tribunal seat of Christ, and give accounts of all that we have done.  
Thus Enoch, 
jud. vers. 14.15.  the feaventh from Adam (as Jude saith) prophesied. Behold, the Lord cometh with thousands of his Saints, to give judgement against all men, and to rebuke all the ungodly among them of all their wicked deeds, which they have ungodly committed, and of all their cruel speakings which wicked sinners have spoken against him. This thing did that holy man think upon with due expectation, which said, that whatsoever he did, he heard this dreadful doom ringing in his ears, Surgite mortui, venire ad judicium, Arise ye dead, come to judgement. Oh remember this ye that forget God, lest he take you away, and there be none to deliver you. For in deed, when all stand before the tribunal seat of Christ, there shall be no excuse allowed of the wicked, to pacify the terrible displeasure of the judge, when the accusations shall be produced against them. Then neither Goliath with his strength, nor Croesus with his riches, nor Haman with the King's favour, nor Absalon with his beauty, nor Achitophel with his craftiness, nor any worldly man with his vanities, shall be able to prevail.  

5. Lot's wife.  The last thing which I said we should remember at this time, is Lot's Wife, which I refer to the latter part of my general division, whereof I mind to speak (and God will) in the after noon. The Lord God of his mercy grant us grace to consider of his goodness and mercies towards the children of men: to put displeasure out of our hearts, to forget our own people, and our father's house, and to worship the Lord by a thankful and reverent remembrance of him, of our brethren, of ourselves, and the judgement prepared, that so with the true use of memory, we may the better walk in our duties, and tend to the end of our delivery, which is to serve God in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life, before him, as Zachary singeth, Luc. 2. 
Luk. 2.  and that which upon our preservation is required, as David concludeth, saying: He brought them forth from Egypt, with joy and gladness, that they might keep his statutes, and observe his laws, Psal. 105.45. Which, God grant we may also keep and observe, to his glory, and our comfort in jesus Christ our Lord, to whom with the holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, world without end. Amen.  
The end of the first Sermon.   

The second Sermon. Lot's Wife.  
IN the former part, we have been incited to the true use of memory, by the consideration of the Action commanded, Remember. Now are we likewise furthered in the same, by the consideration of the subject or matter here mentioned, namely, Lot's Wife. Neither can it be impertinent to our purpose, if also we call to mind, as well Lot, as his Wife, in whom, an excellent example of God's mercy appeareth, as of his fearful judgements on her: for as when light and darkness, sweet and sour, fire and water, and things contrary are compared together, either of them is the better discerned from other. So by the consideration of Lot, and then, by conferring him with his wife, and by noting the contrary dispositions and lots of them both, we shall in much better sort from either of them learn that, which the holy Spirit, by reserving their examples for our memories, will suggerate unto us.  
From Lot, 
Lot.  is there learned the lot of a godly man in this life, with a comfort unto the godly through the mercy of God on him.  
From Lot's Wife, 
Lot's wife.  is learned the lot of the wicked in this world, with a terror unto all backsliders and wicked Apostates, by the terrible judgements of God on the wicked Sodomites, and Lot's Wife. Therefore first beholding Lot. himself, therein consider these circumstances.  

1 Who this Lot was.  
2 By what means he came to Sodom.  
3 How he behaved himself in Sodom among the ungodly.  
4 What entertainment he found among them.  
5 How that God loved him, and delivered him not only from the sins, but also from the punishment of the Sodomites.   
We find in Gen. 11.27. that Lot was the Son of Haran, 
What Lot was.  which was brother unto Abraham, who was contented (as one believing the Lord) to accompany his Uncle Abraham, when he forsook his own Country, and his father's house, out from Vr of the Caldees, and went sojourning as a Stranger into the land of Canaan, at the commandment of the Lord God. And hereby is he noted to be of the faithful: as also more effectually by that, when being among the wicked, he nevertheless feared the Lord in all things. The Wiseman, Sapi. 10.6. 
Sap. 10.6. 2. Pet. 2.  calleth Lot, The Righteous man. And S. Peter in his 2. Chapter of his second Epistle calleth him Just Lot. Righteous in deed and just both before God and man: Before God, by the forgiveness of sin, through mercy and apprehension of righteousness by faith. Before men, as well by his godly conversation and virtues, as also in respect of the wicked Sodomites, before whom, he was far preferred. Thus was he a righteous man. And hereof it was, that he lived so unspotted among the wicked, vexing his righteous soul, that he saw the two Angels coming into Sodom, and rose up to meet them, 
Gen. 18.  that he bowed himself with his face to the ground, and invited them gladly to his house, that he entertained them reverently, and defended them against the rage of the sodomites: that he believed the words of the Angels, and most obediently followed them, departing from Sodom without desire to retire: that he contemned the sins and society of the Sodomites, and forsaking all the trust of the world, depended only on the mercy of God, whom he knew to be able and willing to provide a better habitation for him. But it is a thing worth the noting, how Lot came into Sodom, 
2. How he came to Sodom.  which was upon two occasions, the one, by his unhappy departure from his Uncle Abraham: the other, by the foolish lust of his eye in his unhappy choice. For as we read in Gen: 13.6. 
Gen. 13.6.  when these two godly persons Abraham and Lot were greatly increased, and their flocks could not pasture together in one country, without contention between their servants: it was the counsel of Abraham, that to eschew that inconvenience between them, being as brethren, they should sunder themselves and their flocks one from another, and therein he did not stick to give the choice unto Lot, saying unto him: Is not the whole land before thee? Depart I pray thee from me: If thou wilt take the left hand, then will I go to the right: Or if thou go to the right hand, than I will take the left. So when Lot beheld the Country, he perceived that all the plain of jordane was watered every where: for it was (before the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrhe) as the Garden of Eden. And so Lot chose unto him all the plain of jordan, yea, he pitched his Tent even to Sodom. But hinc ille lachrymae, woe unto thee silly Lot, 
Lot's unhappy choice.  for whiles thou goest about to please thine eye, thou woundest thine heart, thou lustest for the plain, but the bushes enclose thee: thou delightest in the waters of jordan, but thou art in danger of the fire of Sodom: thou thoughtest thou hadst gotten thee into heaven, 
Aug. de ci. Dei. 21.  but thou art come to the gate of hell. Sodom is fair and fruitful, but thou must not taste of their fruits, 
Egesippus.  for their Apples fall to dust and scinders if thou touch them, their herbs be hurtful, and death is in their pot. To be plain, there is bona terra, mala gens, a good Country, but a wicked people: for it is truly said, Gen. 13.13. that the men of Sodom were wicked, 
cause of separation.  and exceeding sinners against the Lord. This separation between Abraham and Lot, came of contention and strife, a cause of division even among brethren: this contention and strife grew, of the abundance of worldly wealth, a cause of much discord even between the children of one parentage, whereof there be too many examples, besides common experience. This choice of Sodom, came of the lust of the eye, which ensnareth many men by the hook of voluptuousness, and draweth them to horrible inconveniences, as innumerable testimonies, with semblable examples, and our daily experience do also witness at the full. Beware of contention about these vain earthly things, beware of a desire to be made rich, beware of lust of the eye, and pleasure of the flesh, which is in the world (as john saith) and is an enemy to the Lord. And if this good man could not rule himself therein, neither eschew some pain thereof ensuring: Let us not presume to promise ourselves safety and ease in these pricking thorns.  
Now may we see in what sort Lot 
3 How Lot lived there  lived in Sodom among the ungodly. It is a very difficult thing for a man to escape the infection of the plague, whereas the very air is corrupted. It is not easy to touch pitch, and not be therewith defiled, and to stand in the furnace of fire with the three children, and not have as much as a hear burned, is altogether of God's power, and not of man's wit. Lot is in Sodom, as in a place of infection, as in the pit of pitch and furnace of uncleanness, and yet is he there righteous among them. Yet as a Lily among the thorns, as a child among the Scorpions, and as a woman groaning in travail, he endureth it. As a preacher of righteousness, he ceaseth not; as a Pelican in the wilderness he rejoiceth not: but preacheth, prayeth, 
A cause of Lot's sorrow.  lamenteth, and vexeth his righteous soul: as moved thereunto by their great sins, to behold, how wickedness was extolled, and virtues trodden down: how right was exiled, and wrong dealing in price: how sins did abound; and righteousness, faith and truth was scarce found: and he saw the Angel (whereof john speaketh) Revel. 10. to put his right foot on the Sea, 
Aret. in Apo. 10. vers. 1.2.  but his left on the earth, when the wicked seemed more to flourish in worldly sway and estimation than the godly, which had none honour at all. The Prophet jeremy 
jeremy. 9 Lam. 1.  living among the like kind of people, was forced to vex his mind with their ungodliness, and the consideration of their pain ensuing: (as it can not be but a grief unto a godly man to see the people so obstinate, indurate and wicked to their own destruction:) and thus he breaketh out: Oh that my head were full of water & mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people! Again: Oh that I had in the wilderness a wayfaring man's cottage, that I might leave my people, and go from them: for they be all adulterers and an assembly of rebels. Hereof was our Saviour Christ moved to weep over jerusalem. I would to God the godly men now had not the like occasion given them to vex their godly minds: but it is truly said, and too truly verified: Love waxeth cold, and the Son of man ready to come upon us: faith starteth aside and is scarcely found but as a pilgrim on the earth. Tongues are bend as bows to shoot forth lies, but for the truth they have broken strings: they proceed from evil to that which is worse, and care not for the knowledge of God: neither brother, nor friend, nor neighbour may be trusted. This is a cause of confusion and plague, the Lord of his mercy deliver us. 
4 His entertainment in Sodom  See now (I pray you) what good Lot gained by his being in Sodom: his desire of pleasures procured him pain: his hope of friendship, nothing but afflictions. First, being among the Sodomites, 
Lot had many afflictions and dangers among the Sodomites.  he was taken prisoner with his wife and all his substance, together with the Kings of Sodom and Gomorrha, by Amraphel King of Shinar, Arioch King of Eleasar, Chedarlaomer King of Elam, and Tidal King of the Nations, in great danger of his life. Well, the ungodly may be sometimes favoured by the means of the godly men among them: but this is sure, that the godly can have no good by joining hands with the ungodly, or being among them. The tars may be suffered for a time, because of the corn: but in the mean while, the corn is annoyed by the growing up of the tars with it. Therefore pharao's Court is no place for Moses to wait in, nor Putiphars house for joseph to serve in, nor baltazar's feast for Daniel to banquet in, nor Nabucadnezars' glory for Sidrach to worship in, nor the open land for Dina to gad in, nor the high priests palace for Peter to come in, nor Sodom a City for just Lot to inhabit in. It is commanded: Come out from Babylon my people, lest ye be polluted with their sins, and so take part of their plagues.  
And although we learn (as afterward it shall be declared) that the banishing hence of the righteous, hasteneth destruction on the rest; 
The ungodly can not abide the righteous among them.  yet cannot the ungodly have quiet minds until they have extirpated and rooted out all the godly from among them. The same we see in this example of Lot, who could not enjoy the benefit of any Supersedeas among the Citizens of Sodom. He did not only vex his righteous soul there with beholding their sins, but also he was violently oppressed with their cruelty. They rushed in upon him saying: Thou art come hither, 
Gen. 19  but as a stranger among us, and wilt thou be our judge? Thou art no town borne child, nor citizen of ours, nor of this country, thou art not of our society and company, nor of our conditions: we did never bear thee such good will to make thee a judge over us, or to be tried by thy determination: no, but we will deal worse with thee, then with these men, whom thou harbourest.  
Oh good Lot! couldst thou so long time abide there, where thou couldst never be welcome? What gainest thou among such ungodly persons? Thou mayst say: Only this, a trial of my patience and piety: An experience of the great might and mercy of the Lord. Such is Lot's entertainment in Sodom. God grant that his children may be betimes warned to take heed of such enterteyners: and that we ourselves be not contented to yield hatred unto them, that deserve to be welcome among us.  
Another affliction had this good man, 
Lot's own wife was an affliction to him.  which peradventure did touch him nearer, namely by this, that his own wife which lay in his bosom, and should of all other be a comfort unto him, became a grief and corrosive to his heart.  
It was no small grief to David, that his own son, sought after his life: And our Saviour protesteth with no little sorrow of soul, that the same which eat bread with him, lifted up his heel against him. And it may be, this godly man would not have stayed so long in Sodom, had not his wife been a vehement cause thereof.  

Unequal yokes.  Here then let us learn to take heed under what yokes ye submit yourselves, and with what wives ye join. 
Ios. 24.  It was said of the women of the Nations: they will be unto you, snares, pricks in your eyes, and whips on your sides: they will allure you, seduce you, draw you to Idolatry. Did not Solomon the King of Israel sin in these things? 
Nehe. 13.24.  Did not the daughters of men defile the children of God? 
Gen. 6.  Was not jezabel a pricker forward of Ahab to every mischief? Did not Saul provide Michol to be a snare unto David? and did she not mock at him openly? Did not jobs wife grieve him in the bitterness of his heart? Was not Esau blamed for taking wives of the Hittites, a grief of mind to old Isaak and Rebeccha? Therefore jacob was straightly charged by his parents to eschew such women. Abraham swore his servant, that he should not take a wife for Isaak of these nations: and a law was ratified by Moses to that end. 
1. Cor. 7.  This is Paul's charge: Bear not the yoke with Infidels. Let us take heed then of unequal matches. The man which is unwilling to be drowned, doth not cast himself desperately into the Sea: and it is against nature for a person to seek comfort of that which by nature yieldeth corrosives and griefs. Lot's wife being by nature evil, could not do any good to her husband in all her life. A great affliction.  
This thing also is general, that the godly, wheresoever they come, shall be as welcome unto the worldlings, as water to the fire, as Lot was to Sodom. Christ telleth this plainly: Ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake. And john his holy Apostle saith: Marvel not my brethren, though the world hate you. Doth not Cain envy Abel? Is not the old world against Noah? Ishmael against Isaak? Esau against jacob? Doth not Saul envy David for his victory? Do not the Lords of Babylon hate Daniel for his piety? Do not all the Nations conspire together against Israel? Yea more yet: though Ephraim devoureth Manasses, and Manasses devour Ephraim, yet do not they both join hand in hand to devour juda the Lord's inheritance? As Pilate against Herod, and Herod against Pilate, but both of them against Christ? what concord between fire and water? what peace between Christ and Belial, may be found? But yet, why doth the world thus hate the children of God, whom they have rather cause to love? The children of God be brethren at amity in themselves, whose society Satan seeketh to divide, that his own arm may be the stronger, and that one house may fall upon another. They be the redeemed from the earth, & from the power of darkness, whom he seeketh again to draw unto him: they follow the Lamb wheresoever he goeth, to the great grief of Satan: they be not of the world, but chosen out of the world, therefore they be hated, but have the worldlings any just cause of hatred given them? no truly, for as Christ was hated without a cause of them that should have rather loved him, so are his children. Yet they allege causes also for themselves, whose imaginations, the Wise man describeth in his 2. Chapt. of the book of Wisdom: 
Sap. 2.  where he telleth, that the ungodly being not fully persuaded of a better life after this, and therefore minding to take their fill of pleasure here in despite of God's threatenings, & in contempt of his promises, without any controlment or contradiction of the righteous, which can not but speak against them, they thus resolve and conclude against the righteous, Let us oppress the poor man that is so righteous. Will ye oppress, nay rather, deal justly. Will ye hurt the poor? nay rather help him. Will ye do violence to the righteous man? nay rather do him good. But ye will not be restrained: ye will oppress him, and why? he is not for our profit: he is contrary to our doings: he checketh us for offending: he accounteth us transgressors of discipline: he boasteth himself of the knowledge of God: he saith he is God's son: he is made to reprove our thoughts: it grieveth us to see him: his life is not like other men's: his ways are of another sort: he accounteth us as bastards: he abhorreth our ways: he commendeth only the latter end of the righteous, therefore we will examine him with rebukes and torments, we will condemn him to a shameful death. Alas ye miserable caitiffs, be these your profound arguments? Indeed these beseem him that saith in the pride of his heart, Sic volo, siu jubeo, stat pro ratione voluntas: I will have it so, so I command it to be done, my will is an argument forcible enough. This is the manner of dealing of the worldlings against the righteous: So is Lot entertained. Now seeing the case thus standeth, 
The godly are to join together in love.  oh how ready should the godly be to join together, and live in concord together? a thing both godly and profitable, as David singeth, Ecce quam bonum, etc. for the house is not desolate, nor the kingdom confounded, where love and concord dwelleth and reigneth. It is good for birds of one flight to fly together, chickens of one hen to couch together, sheep of one fold to flock together, strings of one instrument to sound in harmony together, members of one body to join together, and Christians of one calling to love together, as sons of one father, brethren of one Christ, and Saints of one God. This is expressly commanded by Christ: this is the badge or recognisance whereby we be known, and hereby we be assured of our translation from death to life, as S. john saith. And the Apostles speaking hereof, lay oftentimes our Saviour for a pattern before us, who commanded his Disciples to love together, as he had loved them: that was (as one noteth) Veraciter sine simulatione: prudenter sine corruption: temperanter sub Dei dilectione: generaliter sine exceptione. That is, without simulation truly: without corruption wisely: under the love of God temperately: without exception generally. Hear is not taught the love of Cain to Abel, of Saul to David, of judas to Christ: but here is the love of David to jonathas, of Ruth to Naomi, of Paul to Barnabas, of Christ to john. Again, here is taught to love not the errors, but the virtues of our brethren, to hate the sin with love of the person: to love not for wealth, nor favour, nor strength: but for that he is thy brother a Christian. Yet so as this love must not exceed the love of our God, whom above all things we must love: that in regard of that, we must even forsake all other things which may hinder us from the same. For whosoever loveth either father or mother, wife or children, yea, or his own life, more than me (saith Christ) is not worthy of me: herein then is temperance learned. Let us love heartily, but yet in the fear of God: and under his love, yet so reverently, as we may honour God in our love. Lastly, we are taught by this rule, to love generally, I say not all men alike: for although God in mercy maketh his sun to shine aswell on the evil, as on the good: and so they feel as it were the beams of God's love, whereof they be most unworthy: yet hath he ever had an especial love to his own children. The household of faith must be preferred before the worldlings, as jacob before Esau, Isaac before Ishmael, Abel before Cain, David before Saul, Solomon before Absalon, john before judas, but I speak here only of the brethren. This rule is enjoined to the flock under one shepherd, to love and embrace, of what nation, kindred, tongue or sex soever they be. Thus let us love without exception, so shall we yield and obey as good children to our heavenly father: so shall we show ourselves his scholars: so shall we assure election to ourselves: so shall we be strong in ourselves: so shall we withstand our enemies on every side, and shine as lights in the midst of a crooked generation, and thus have we seen the entertainment of Lot in Sodom.  
Now are we to consider, how that this good man, 
5 The delivery of Lot.  notwithstanding the hatred of his Citizens, obtained the love and mercy of the Lord, through whom, not only himself was wonderfully delivered from destruction, but also his adversaries for a time fared the better for his presence. 
P. Mart. in Gen. 19  It may be that now the prayer of Abraham had his effect in this, that God destroyeth not Lot with Sodom. For it is said, that God remembering Abraham (and therein his prayer) took Lot out of the midst of the overthrow. Hereof it was, that God was merciful unto him, and therefore sent his Angel to deliver him: yea and when he delayed, the Angel did even perforce constrain him to fly. But so much the rather, in that Lot was also a righteous man: whereof David argueth (no doubt) among the semblable examples, I never saw the righteous forsaken. And why Gen. 18. 
Gen. 18.  should not the judge of all the world do according unto right? and who is righteous? even Lot, in that by his faith he obtained mercy: and therefore he is saved (though by nature sinful) yet by the mercy of the Lord made righteous. But from what other example might David gather this assurance? was not Noah saved from perishing by water, with his family, when all the world was overwhelmed? was not Abraham and Sara preserved in a strange land & was not Isaac wonderfully preserved by the Angel, when his father held up the knife to have killed him & was not jacob 〈…〉 Lords providence, here is his fault & fall: such is man's wisdom, and thereunto it tendeth: a note of disgrace in so godly a man. But God is yet merciful unto Lot, yea and spareth for a time Sodom through him. And here observe, that whereas the Lord stayed the wrath of his rod from his enemies, till time that Lot was gone out of Sodom, least happily the righteous had perished among the wicked, which God forbidden, as Abraham prayed. So do we see that commandment of the tars here verified, Let them yet alone, lest whiles ye weed out them, ye pluck up also the corn. The Angels said plainly to Lot, when they willed him to hasten unto Zoar, We can do nothing until thou be come thither. And this is a general thing, that when God determineth to extirpate and root out Nations, 
When good men be taken hence, plagues may be feared to follow.  Kingdoms, and people, he first taketh away the godly from among them, and leaving only a confused heap of ungodly persons, a free passage is given to the execution of his judgements. When we see therefore that good men do slide from us, let us fear of a judgement ensuing, & with repentant hearts turn unto the Lord, and crave mercy in time convenient. The Prophet Ezechiel telleth, that when the Lord could find no zealous man among them Ezech. 22.31. he powered out his wrath, and consumed them. Isaiah 
Isa 57.1.  saith, that the righteous men do die, and be taken away from the evil that cometh after them. And David witnesseth, 
Psal. 12.  that the godly men be gone, and the wrath of God recompenseth the remainder. Examples hereof we have many. Among which we remember, that when Noah 
Noah.  was gone from the world, and was enclosed in the Ark, the water forthwith fell down upon the world, and drowned it. When King Hezekiah 
Hezekiah.  was laid to his Fathers in peace, the plague fell down upon juda, which the Lord had by promise restrained all the time of his life. The like in effect is mentioned of josias, 
josias.  Christ & his Apostles being departed from jerusalem, and not one left there, but counterfeit jews, 
Christ and the Apostles.  and notorious evil sinners, all the plagues that tended to the utter destruction of that City, immediately followed, 
Matth. 22.  Thy house is left desolate, for ye shall not see me henceforth, etc. So here, Lot 
Lot.  the righteous man, being gone out of Sodom, the Lord reigned upon them fire and brimstone from heaven, 
Aug. de ciu. dei. 21 Solinus. Egesippus.  and consumed them all, and their Country, as many ancient Testimonies, especially the holy Scripture report.  
The consideration hereof might move even the ungodly, to wish for and desire the peace of jerusalem, & gladly to entertain and retain the society of righteous Lots among them. And when they perceive them departing, to dread great judgements imminent, 
1. Sam. 3.  as the daughter of old Eli did, who hearing that the Ark of God was taken away from Israel, cried out in great fear: Now is the glory gone from Israel, for the Ark of God is taken away! And thus much for the person of Lot.  
Now are we come to the view of Lot's wife. 
Lot's wife.  Wherein we are to consider: First, what she was. Secondly, what sins are chief noted in her. Thirdly, what was her plague or punishment.  
This woman by all likelihood was of the Canaanites, but far unlike the woman of Canaan that cried after Christ for her daughter. And it may easily be gathered that Lot married this woman either in or about Sodom, whereas he pitched his tent: partly for that we do not find in the history that she came thither with him, as Sarai did with Abraham: partly for that she had such an earnest desire to stay, and dwell there among them. And it is true, 
Canaanites be mixed with the Israelites.  that notwithstanding the commandment of God to the contrary, some Canaanites are not only dwelling, but also joining unto them of Israel: which cannot do them any good, but evil as long as they live. As long as the godly man soweth corn in this world, will the envious man cast in his tars among. While the net is in the Sea, the bad fishes will be taken together with the good: whiles the Mustard seed groweth up to a tree, the birds of all sorts will rowst under the same. The beasts of all kind will be found in the Ark, and Cham will couch between Shem and japhet, 
Gen. 10.  and grow to a mighty nation to divide their Tabernacles asunder: that now the Lords flock, in respect of all the rest, is called little. As if the Lord had chosen of all birds one Dove, of all beasts one Sheep, of all trees one Cedar in Libanus: of all pits, one River jordan: of all hills, one Zion: of all people, one Israel: of all Cities, one jerusalem: & out of all Sodom, Lot: but not Lot's wife. As all the world to Noah: all Baal's Priests to Elias, all the rebellious Israelites to joshua. 
Ios. 24  All jerusalem to Christ and his Apostles. So is Sodom to Lot, yea and with them his own wife. This is not Sarah to Abraham, nor Rebeccah to Isaak, nor Hester to Ashuerus, nor Susanna to joachim, nor Elizabeth to Zacharias, nor Mary to joseph: but here is so heavy a yoke, as good Lot could not well bear, and such a burden as he was not able to bring forth from Sodom to Zoar. Here is a cursed Xantippe to a learned and patiented Socrates: here is a murmuring Annah to an holy Tobiah, yea more yet than that: here is a disdainful and mocking michol to a zealous David, and a cursed woman to a blessed job. But we may note in her some particular sins, and eschew them the better by the consideration of her evil success for the same.  
First we note in her infidelity. 
1 Infidelity  For she believed not the words of the Angels which said: We be come hither to destroy this place. And herein she joined hands with all her kin in that city, who esteemed the report of Lot, touching the words of the Angels, as fables vainly invented: or she thought that God would have spared so beautiful a thing, notwithstanding the Angel's words. So Thomas was incredulous, and would not believe the words of them which said, they had seen Christ after his death, But yet blessed are they, which have not seen, and yet have believed. Sarah, 
Heb. 11.  that woman is commended for her faith by the Apostle. The wife of Manoah also is commended in that she believed the Angel's words to her. 
judg. 13.  Anna also the mother of Samuel, Rahab, Ruth, Mary, Martha, Elizabeth, Damaris, and other like women are for their faith praised: but Lot's wife is defamed by her unbelief.  
This is the subtlety of Satan: 
Satan's craft to take away a man's faith.  first to pull out faith from man's heart, which being once gone, he knoweth that man is neither able to resist him, nor to quench his fiery darts. He doth therein as the Raven, which first picketh out the sheeps eye, and afterward devoureth his body: And faith is in a man, the eye of the soul. Satan knoweth, that faith is the pillar whereon our building standeth. Therefore he shaketh it to cast down our building. He knoweth that faith is as a Tower which giveth us two advantages against him: namely, to defend ourselves thereby from him, and to cast out from thence the strokes of thundering Ordinances to annoy him. Therefore he first aimeth to our faith.  

Heb. 11. Ephe. 6. 1. Pet. 1. Rom. 9 1. Cor. 10. Rom. 11.  The Apostle showing the commodities of faith by the examples of Abraham, Isaak, jacob, Sarah, and other Saints, doth thereto oppose the infidelity of such as have thereby purchased just pains for recompense. Adam by his unbelief, with Eva, were cast out of Paradise: the jews wanting faith could not come into the land of promise, but perished in the wilderness: he that believed not the Prophet, was trodden on in the gate of the City: Zacharie was dumb because he did not believe the word of the Angel: the Apostles were checked for their unbelief, and Lot's wife is plagued. The world is reproved for sin by the holy Ghost, 
Io. 16.  because they believe not: as if under this one sin all other sins were comprehended, and well worthy: for without faith it is impossible to please God, seeing whatsoever is done, is sin. The jews, by their unbelief, were not only unworthy that Christ should work any miracle among them in his own country ● but also they alienated the favour of God from them and their children. This is if grievous sin.  
Let us take heed of unbelief and eschew the pain thereof, by a perfect faith in Christ. Let us believe the voice of the Angel: let us hearken unto our great Archangel Christ and his word preached by his Ministers, that we may believe: for faith cometh by hearing, and faith hath more commodities, than I am able to express at this time. When Satan desired to sift us as wheat, Christ prayed that our faith might not fail. The Lord therefore help our unbelief, and increase our faith in us evermore, that thereby we may hasten from Sodom with righteous Lot, and not stay, or turn thither again, to perish with his unrighteous wife.  
Secondly, in her is noted the sin of disobedience. 
2 Disobedience.  Lot obeyed the voice of the Angels, and departed from Sodom, without retire or looking back: but she disobeyed that voice in looking back. And no marvel, for she believed not. For obedience is not expected from infidelity, no more than the standing of an house without a foundation, or sweet fruit to grow on the tree that hath a bitter root. She would not come forth to Zoar to save her self there. She looked back to Sodom. Though obedience be better than Sacrifice, as Samuel said to Saul, & to hearken is better than the blood of Goats, and disobedience is as the sin of witchcraft: yet she obeyeth not, she hearkeneth not, but rebelleth. Although it was commanded by the Lord, enjoined by the Angel: 
Gen. 19 Deut. 28.  and obedience hath a promise of the best thing in the land, and disobedience a commination of plagues which surely be performed, and that not the hearers of the law be justified but the doers: yet is she disobedient. Would to God, the most part in these days did not follow her therein. Take heed of the judgements thereunto belonging. Saul for disobedience is rejected, and his kingdom taken from him. The man of God was slain of a Lion, 
1. Sam. 15 1. Kin. 13.  because he did eat bread in the old Prophet's house, contrary to God's express commandment. The good King josiah, in that he obeyed not the Lord, speaking out of the mouth of Neco King of Egypt, yet a wicked King, was stricken that he died. The fathers in the wilderness perished through disobedience, yea and many that did things with a good intent, yet disobediently, were surely reproved and punished. Vssah touched the Ark as it was falling, with intent to stay it up: it appertained not to him, therefore is he stricken. Nadab and Abihu the sons of Aaron took strange fire in their Censors, thinking they did well, but being contrary to the commandment, they have therefore a grievous punishment. In these, yea even in these persons was this sin punished. But what of that? Shall we then think to escape unpunished for the like, yea and greater breaches of Gods holy commandment? 
Heb. 10.20 29. Deut. 19.15.  If he that despiseth Moses law dieth without mercy under two or three witnesses; of how much greater punishment suppose ye shall he be worthy of, which hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the Covenant, wherein he was sanctified, an unholy thing: and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? 
1. Pet. 4.17.  The time is come that judgement beginneth at the household of God: and if it begin there, what shall be the end of them that believe not the Gospel? I begin (saith the Lord) to plague the City whereon my name is called, 
jer. 25.29.  and think you, I will suffer you to escape? No, ye shall not go quite. Take heed then of this sin of Lot's wife. We do read of other women, which have gotten both favour and commendation by obedience to GOD and their own husbands; but Lot's wife looseth all good report, yea her life and health too, through disobedience.  
The third fault we note in her, is Pride: 
3 Pride.  this thing did the devil join to infidelity & disobedience of Eva; who would willingly be as God. So this woman aspiring above degree, thereby contemneth the simple estate of her own husband, and the word of the Lord. Oh how much better had Christian humility beseemed her! It is the best ornament of a faithful person. Abraham was beautified therewith, when coming before the Lord, he accounted himself vile dust and ashes, unworthy to speak unto his Majesty. This David also had, when he danced bare before the Ark, though michol his own wife disdained him thereat. This virtue did Christ himself embrace, who oftentimes fell on his face to the earth, when he prayed, yea and yielded himself to the great contempt of the Cross. Humility lifteth that up into heaven, which pride assayeth to cast down in hell. The humble and low degree of Mary the Lord's handmaid is esteemed, and she accounted blessed: the poor Publican is 〈◊〉, David obtaineth mercy: but the proud Phariste Antiochus, Senacherib, Herod, and other proud persons have been cast down. Lot's wife in her pride disdained the vocation of her husband, she contemned the Country whereinto he was going from Sodom, she thought scorn to make such a change, and to endure in steed of pleasure affliction: for delicate fare, hunger and cold: for ease, travail: for fine apparel, Camel's hair: for seeled houses, Caves of earth: for ivory beds, the hard stones, or grass in the fields: in steed of company, solitariness: for mirth, mourning: and sorrows for solace. She disliked now after so many wealthy pleasures in Sodom, to become as a Pelican in Wilderness, as a dove alone mourning, as the sparrow on the house top sorrowing. She could not abide that, for there is nothing more contrary to the cross of Christ, than Pride. Except ye humble yourselves and become as children, ye cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven, saith Christ.  
Pride bringeth men with speed to Babel, yieldeth confusion, shame and fall. I would to God there were not found too many possessed with this devil among us, who, albeit they be called Christians, whose meekness they should follow, do yet in the pride of their hearts disdain simple jesus and his word, and that were it not for the love of worldly estimation and wealth, would even openly contemn the profession of humble jesus. The Lord stop the great inconvenience of this sin, to the casting down of proud Lucifer and his members, that the glory of jesus Christ might be the better embraced even in humility.  
Another fault we note in this ungracious woman: that is, wanton and worldly pleasure, 
4 Worldly pleasure.  which was of force to withstand her proceeding. Sodom was a pleasant Country, as the garden of Eden, so well watered, and the Apples and fruits therein most beautiful to the eye. 
Video meliora proboque, etc.  And hereon Appetite took occasion to contend with reason, and in her prevailed, that with Medea she could now dispute, and thus resolve: yet will I follow my pleasures, be they never so noisome, and eat these apples be they never so venomous, though I see that which is wholesomer and cannot but commend it. These snares doth Satan cast before the hungry fowls to take them, & merrily singeth when he deceiveth. The sirens sing sweetly, the Lamaei shine beautifully, the Serpent suggesteth subtlety, and the devil promiseth all the glory of the world to them that worship him.  
But they reason for themselves and will coin excuses, although he that had married a wife had none excuse at all: Shall I abandon worldly pleasures? I am yet but a young man. Shall I not have a wanton eye? I am but a girl. Shall I lose the assurance of my delights here, and trust to an uncertainty? Take heed, O young man: 
Eccle. 11.  and know that an account shall be called of thy youthful years: and a pain will ensue these pleasures. The Apples of Sodom be fair to behold; but touch them, and they fall to cinders: and the stinging Hydra lieth under the golden swarth. Remember, that Hevah lost the true pleasures of Paradise, by following her pleasant appetite. Esau for a mess of pottage, and his worldly pleasure, did lose both the birthright and blessing: the man that had wedded himself to his delights, could not enjoy the benefit of the marriage feast: and Lot's wife for the wanton pleasures of Sodom, lost the safety of Zoar, and turning from heaven, was devoured of hell. Remember what our Lord said: Whosoever loveth either father or mother, wife or children, or any thing in the world more than me, is not worthy of me. And remember what father Abraham said to the proud rich man in hell: Son, (saith he) remember that thou in thy life time hadst thy pleasure, but contrariwise Lazarus received pains: but now he is comforted and thou art punished. Arguing a matter of justice to give torments and pains after death to them that have given themselves to pastime and pleasure in this life: which also S. james 
jam. 5.  in a manner confirmeth in his 5. Chapter. Remember that Moses having hereof right consideration, did not only put off his shoes from his feet, the clogs that might have hindered him from coming to the Lord and from doing his duty: 
Exod 3.  but also he chose affliction with the people of God in the wilderness, 
Heb. 11.  before the pleasures of sin in Egypt for a season. The Lord in his mercy persuade us with japhet to depart from the society and pleasures of Cham, and 〈◊〉 dwell in the tabernacles of blessed Shem, that we may not serve the devil among the many of this world in these vain and fleshly pleasures, which confounded Sodom, and with them Lot's wife.  
Further, we note in this woman a distrust of God's providence mixed with worldly carefulness; 
5 Distrust of God's providence & worldly carefulness.  inconveniences which always follow infidelity. O woman, thou distrusting one thing, takest care for many things. Dost thou think, that the great omnipotent God is not thereby rich and liberal, mighty and most willing to provide for his children? Can not he have given thee enough without Sodom? And wilt thou distrust him and care for thyself without him? Wilt thou look back to the things left behind thee in Sodom? The Hebrew text hath it thus, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is, his wife looked back behind her. Which the Greek translation yieldeth, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. that is: She looked back, or had respect to the things behind her, or on that which she had left in Sodom. She thought that God would not have so well provided for her, elsewhere, as she was provided for in Sodom: therefore she had a careful desire of the things left behind her, and a mind to provide for herself. Thus the Israelites in the Wilderness, distrusting God, wished for the flesh and fare of Egypt again. Oh that she had remembered the goodness of God to Abraham and her own husband Lot. She never saw the righteous forsaken, nor his seed to beg. Behold, he feedeth the young Ravens that cry unto him: and will he not feed his own children? Do bodily father's offer unto their children not stones but bread, and not Scorpions but fishes: and shall not our heavenly father give good things to such as ask them of him? Shall the birds feed their Chickens, and the beasts their young, and will not he feed his children? O woman, what meanest thou? Would to God this malady had not also infected us; then would we not by such indirect means as we use, endeavour to provide for our back and our belly: then would we not so murmur against God, as we do with minds never content. But some do decipher themselves hereby to be not true sons, but bastards. For if we assure ourselves to be his children, and be our father, than also do we assure ourselves of his provision for us, that he ●eepeth us, as the apple of his eye, and not suffer one hair of our head to perish, much less our life. He fed Eliah by the ministery of Ravens: he sent meat to Daniel in the Lion's den: he fed an hundred Prophets by the hand of Obadiah in Caves: he gave water to Samson from the jaw bone of an Ass, and honey from the dead carcase of a Lion: the widows had their oil and flower increased in the famine. He gave Manna from heaven, water from the Rock, and quails from the air unto the Israelites. In Samaria there is plenty of flower on a sudden: and our Saviour Christ feedeth sometime 4000 sometime 500 persons with fine loaves and two fishes, and yet more is taken up in fragments, than was laid down in the whole. Why then should we murmur? Why should we excessively care for the morrow and vex our minds? Let us rather apply our vocations according to the rule of his word with the ordinary and lawful means, and affix our minds on him and trust in his mercy, knowing that man liveth not by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. The Israelites cried for flesh, they have it and die thereof for their murmuring distrust. And so Lot's wife distrusting God, she murmureth in mind, she bendeth back, as though her own care had been better than God's grace for her safety: but she hath a reward. Remember her distrust and worldly carefulness.  

6 Foolish pity.  Another fault we find in this faithless woman (as cords of vanity do ever link together to pull men from God,) and that is foolish pity, which is also too common among us. She was moved for her friends and old acquaintance, whose company and conditions she loved, which she should rather have hated: and she thought it a pitiful thing, that sinners should be punished. 
Psa. 101.3  I hate them (saith David to the Lord) that hate thee; and am grieved with them that rise up against thee: 
Psal. 15.4.  being persuaded that he only should dwell in the Lord's tabernacle, and rest upon his holy hill, in whose eyes a vile person is contemned. Therefore he saith again: 
Psal. 26.5.  I have hated the company of the evil, a froward heart shall departed from me, 
Psa. 101.7  I will know none evil person: for thus saith the Lord, There shall no deceitful person dwell in my house. Let Magistrates take heed of foolish pity. Remember how King Saul for pitying Agag the Amalakite, was reproved and plagued: that Achab, for letting go of Benhadad King of Syria, was reprehended & endangered. On the other side: Remember what jehu did to jezabel and the wicked house of Achab, without compassion, and that he was promised by the Lord for doing this thing, his sons should surely sit on the throne after him to the third and fourth generation. Remember also, what a good report zealous Phinehas obtained, when with his sword he flew Zimri and Cozbi, and ceased the plague, which was accounted unto him for righteousness throughout all generations. And it is for every man to be zealous in the Lord's cause with Christ (who was devoured with the zeal of his father's house) not to give aim to sin, nor suffer the honour of the Lord God of Israel to be profaned: but to desire with heart the conversion of sinners, to withstand their open abominations, to reprove sin, and by lawful means to seek the execution of justice against sin: every master in his house, every father in his family, and every true Christian in his place, is to take heed that he withstand sin in his servants, in his children, in his brethren, though with reprehension, with due correction, and the lawful execution of the end of justice, as the case or cause shall require without foolish pity. But how negligently this is observed, the very streets of the City do testify, when as servants, children, and those that should know how to measure their words with discretion, be nothing fearful to sweat and blaspheme the holy name of God in their common conferences: neither do they shame to commit sin openly as Sodom did, and there is found no just Lot to reprove them: but there be found too many masters, fathers, and others, that with Lot's wife will rather give aim unto their ungodliness, and be unwilling in heart that any correction, reprehension or punishment at all should be given them, Remember Lot's wife.  
Another fault is found in this unhappy woman, sloth and negligence 
7 Sloth, and negligence.  in her journey forth. There is none excuse can be admitted against the Lord's commandment, neither the stammering tongue of Moses that could not speak, nor the tenderness of jeremy being but a child, nor the simplicity of David the least among his brethren, nor the poverty of Gedeon so mean, nor the bashfulness of jonas so fearful, nor the former life of Saul a persecutor, may justly offer excuses of delays in their lawful vocation. But seem the thing never so hard, strange, obscure, uneasy or impossible, 
Note this.  if the Lord once bid us to proceed, we may not be slack nor negligent, nor refuse to obey. And this is taught us by many examples: Peter in prison is commanded to rise up quickly, and so he did. 
Acts. 12.  Zacheus being called from the fig tree by our Saviour, he cometh down quickly. The children of Israel did eat the Passover hastily as they were commanded, and Paul doth the work of the Lord without negligence, as the Spirit moveth him. We must strike whiles the iron is hot, and seek the Lord whiles he may be found, for the tide carrieth for no man. We must knock in time, 
Isa. 55. Eccles. 3.1.  and enter in before the gate be shut: for there is a time of mercy, and a time of wrath: of mercy, whiles Abraham prayeth, and Lot is yet in Sodom: of wrath, when Abraham ceaseth to pray, and Lot is departed. Do not then say, when ye are called by the word of the Lord to come to him: I am but young, and too young to serve God yet: I will serve him when I am old: say not, I will first go and bury my father, I will go & bid them farewell at home: neither make delays or excuses by buying Oxen, fining farms, marrying wives: but to day, if ye will hear the Lords voice, harden not your hearts: The Lord promiseth not to stay for you till to morrow, though he promise that at what time soever ye repent, he will forgive you. Therefore delay not, he only winneth the goal that runneth swiftly, he obtaineth the victory that striveth valiantly, he entereth into the gate, that waiteth carefully, and he is heard worthily, that craveth timely. Run then, make haste, the day is at hand, the time is uncertain, the enemy is strong, Sodom is sinful, the Angels be come to destroy the ungodly, the cale is taken, the Lord is not entreated, the number of the godly is small, there is none to stop the Lords wrath, not one to stand up in the gap for the City that can be heard, and the fire will not be quenched, therefore it is more than time to fly hence. hereat Lot with his two daughters do run hence with his speed, but his wife hath many heavy clogs, she is slothful, negligent, full of delays, and is overtaken with destruction.  
Lastly, this ungodly Woman being by the devil, the world, and the flesh, 
8 Apostasy.  so mightily hindered from the good course, now thereby in the end maketh shipwreck of all together: for she doth apostate and turn back from the Lord to Sodom. There be two kinds of returns, 
2. kinds of return.  the one good & commendable, the other wicked and abominable. It is a good thing to turn unto the Lord, and to change ourselves, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, by true Repentance, to amend & become new creatures in Christ. This is that new birth which Christ showeth to Nicodemus, john. 3. and this bringeth mercy and forgiveness in Christ, righteousness, holiness, and eternal glory. But it is a dangerous thing to turn back again, being comparable to the dog that resumeth his vomit again, and to the sow being washed, to her wallowing again in the mire. She went from Sodom, and seemed to proceed well for a time with her husband: but she should also have quite forgotten her own people, and her father's house: she being in the field, should not have turned back to that she left in the City. Here be two in one bed, the one received, the other forsaken. An hypocrite 
An hypocrite.  giveth a show of that which is not: so did Lot's wife: but now it is apparent what she is, when with Demas she leaveth Paul, and turneth back to Sodom ward. Nothing feigned is of continuance, nor an hypocrite can long conceal the malice of his mind, Quis enim relaverit ignem? Cain gave a fair show for a time, he sacrificed as Abel did, though not with Abel's heart. King Saul showed many resemblances of virtue, but whereunto that grew, it appeared plainly in his disobedience. 
2. King.  King joas in the lifetime of jehoida the Priest, by whom he was instructed, proceeded with commendation: but jehoida being taken away, he plainly deciphereth himself, by murdering the Prophet, and committing wickedness against God. Absalon stolen away the hearts of the people: Oh that I were King (saith he) then would I do justice? but his hypocrisy in the end appeared most publicly. jezabel had her Prophets, and when Naboth should be put to death, she pretended holiness by proclaiming a fast▪ etc. but her wickedness is bewrayed and punished. So Herod pretended a desire to go and worship Christ, when he determined to murder him: and judas was for the poor in open show, because he bore the bag, and would deceive the poor. Thus the very Devil himself being most execrable wicked, will yet transform himself into an Angel of light, till he hath brought forth the lump of his lewdness, to the dishonour of God, and hurt of men: 
Et gandet se nesciri, & sua facta lateri:  
Et nocuisse tamen, sed non nocuisse videri.  And so secretly doth he wrap up his devices, that when he hurteth most, he will pretend greatest honesty. And thus Lot's wife bewrayeth her secret folly in the end, by her bending back. She now fully declareth what she is, by forsaking her vocation and backsliding.  
Learn here by the way, that the work of the Lord must not only be taken in hand, but also continued: 
The work of the Lord must be continued  in token thereof, joseph hath his long coat, and the very tails of the beasts were sacrificed with their bodies, and he that is unworthy, and continueth not in his calling accordingly, hath this censure laid on him by the holy Ghost, Episcopatum cius accipiat alter, 
Acts. 2. Psal. 109.  Let him be taken away, and another put in his place.  
It had been good for thee, thou Wife of Lot, to have called to mind thine Aunt Sarah, Abraham's Wife, who being faithful, denied not, but most willingly consented to follow her husband at the commandment of God, from Vr of the Caldees, with a long journey and great danger, into an unknown and strange land, to her great commendation, and how that God had every way provided mercifully for her, but she forgot all, being blinded with impiety: I pray God we be not forgetful with Lot's wife.  

There have been many good women.  We have heard of many good women sithence then, that do teach us continuance, and an obedient willingness in our duties. What is said of Rebekah? she left her father's house, and accompanied Abraham's servant unto Izhak her husband with great chastity: also Leah and Rahel the wives of jaakob came with him from their father's house willingly: Naomi goeth with her husband Elimelech into Moab, when food wanted in Israel. Moreover, Rahab of jerico, Zipporah the wife of Moses, Anna the wife of Tobias, and Sarra his sons wife, Marry the mother of Christ, and many other good women, have most worthily declared their faith by christian constancy: thus ought we to do: and so should Lots wife have done: for these women before mentioned, were righteous in their lives, and be in memory with the Saints: but this unhappy woman by bending back from her husband, and so from God, is noted to be unrighteous and infamous among the reprobate for ever.  
Oh that we were free from such women! and all men from their infections: but it is to be feared, that too many in these our days, even now whiles the Gospel is yet preached, and the Son of righteousness giveth us light, do refuse to follow their husbands, and them that are willing to further them, I will not say into the mountains, but even into the Church where the word of God is preached. If Lot's wife was punished then for that, alas what judgements remain for these? This I say, ta●●● heed of backsliding. Remember the judgements of God on such hypocrites and Apostates. Remember Lot's wife.  

3. The punishment of Lot's wife.  
This wretched body escapeth not without her reward and punishment, and so much the sorer is she plagued, for that once she began to follow, but afterward looked back and forsook him. It had been much better for her never to have come forth from Sodom, then being come forth again to return. Of this turning about speaketh the Apostle to the Hebrews, Chap. 6.4. and Chap. 10.26. saying: It is impossible for such to be renewed by repentance: for there remaineth no more Sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of the judgement▪ and violent fire which shall devour the adversaries: This is a terror to them that consider both the sin and the judgement: but a bitter hell and torment to them that feel the same. Let the Magistrate, the Minister, the people, the city, the country, and our whole land by the due consideration hereof be humbled in fear, and pray heartily to the Lord to deliver them from this outrageous evil.  
Lot's wife is plagued: but doth not her husband herein help her? 
The husband helpeth not the wife in this plague.  Note here. The pre-eminence of the good man cannot serve the evil woman herein. Then take heed, wax not bold on other men's virtues: trust not to others oil. Absalon was David's son, and Esau first borne unto Izhak: but what of that? They be both rejected: have faith in God: have faith in yourselves: the just man liveth by his own faith, and not by another's faith. Though Daniel, Noah, and job had been there, yet could not this ungodly woman escape, no, albeit Abraham prayed for the Sodomites, and among them for her: yet she perisheth, because she remained evil.  
Lot perisheth not among the wicked: but Lot's wife being wicked. And although his two daughters for his comfort in his great sorrow are with him brought forth from Sodom, yet may not they boast of their merits: but rather stand in awe an● sin no more. Neither can it profit any man, that his father, mother, wife, brother or sister are godly and accepted with the Lord, 
Ezek. 18.  except that himself do imitate and resemble them truly in godliness. Therefore Lot's wife being wicked, escapeth not with the just man, but perisheth.  
But what plague overtook this ungodly woman? 
The manner of her plague.  A plague of body, and torment of soul. But leaving her soul to the secret judgements of God among the sinful Sodomites, with whom she perished: we find it mentioned in the Scripture, Gen. 8. That she was turned into a pillar of Salt, standing as a monument to the posterities. Inasmuch as she was a changeling, she was changed: she turned about and she is turned. A sudden change and strange Metamorphosis, not feigned by the Poets, but wrought in deed by the power of God, testified by his holy Spirit, wrote in a book by Moses his servant, and remembered by our Lord Christ for our instruction.  
The Poets feign transformations of shapes, some into birds: some into beasts, some into trees, some into stones: but a more true Metamorphosis we have testified in the prophesy of Daniel, of Nabucadnezzar, the Monarch of the earth, who became as a beast of a brutish and savage mind. Yet here a more marvelous transformation: A righteous man's wife is turned into a pillar of Salt. Her mind was not only monstrous in her life: but her body also, a note of inconstancy and iniquity in her death.  
I know that some of the Hebrews have given this Interpretation: 
Pet. Mar. in Gen.  Et fuit cumulus, vel statua salis. And there was an heap or pillar of Salt: not of Lot's wife, but of the earth, which she saw behind h●● when she looked back to Sodom. She did see, say they, the earth or the land, and it was an heap of Salt, by reason of the burning: but this Interpretation is overthrown by these reasons. First, the daughters of Lot would not have urged seed of their father, 
Sap. 10.7.  had their mother been then living. secondly, the Wise man saith of her: for the remembrance of the unfaithful Soul, there standeth a pillar of Salt. Thirdly, josephus witnesseth, that he saw such a pillar of Salt. Fourthly, S. Augustine is of the opinion, that such a thing was done in deed: that is, in Salem versam esse uxorem Loath. Lot's wife was changed into a pillar of Salt. Lastly, Christ himself noteth in her a strange punishment, when talking of the jews Apostasy and latter destruction, he saith: Remember Lot's wife. So we gather, that this is to be understood of the woman herself: and therefore as we receive it, doth Munster translate, Et facta est statue Salis: She was made a Salt stone, or pillar.  
She is turned into a pillar or stone: 
A stone.  to note, the hardness of her heart, which the true prophesy of the Angels and the words of her husband could not mollify. A stone, to note her coldness in the true Religion, wherein zeal is required, and heat of God's grace. A stone, to note the nature of such, as like stones, will rather resist the drops of rain, than receive moisture, as the obstinate and stubborn hearts accustom to do. A stone, to note her barren breast and unfruitful faith. A stone, not of the corner, but cast aside and set alone, though not in jerico, yet not in jerusalem, but between them both: not in Egypt, nor yet in Canaan, but in the wilderness, where many have perished for want of faithful continuance. She halteth between both: And therefore is she loathed of the Lord and abandoned of good men. She standeth as a pillar, not for any goodness in herself, but to note her ungodliness, foolishness, and plague. She is famed, but yet with diffame, as Horostratus, who to get him a name set the temple of Diana on fire. She was respited a while for her husband's sake: but now is she plagued for her own sins. Sodom nothing helpeth her, for it cannot help itself. Her glory is turned into shame by her return, which she gained before, by her coming forth. She desperately falleth headlong into misfortunes, and might (if God would) have incurred the plagues of Kain for his murder: of Saul, for his disobedience: of Nabal, for his foolishness: of jezebel, for her sorceries: of Athaliah, for her treacheries: of Antiochus, for his blasphemies: but yet she hath another kind of plague: for she is turned into a pillar of Salt.  
Salt signifieth, sometimes discretion, 
Why she is turned into Salt. Col. 4.  the word of God, Doctrine. And Salt is good if it want not savour. And the Apostle would that our Doctrine be so seasoned. Pliny 
Plin. lib. 31. cap. 2.  useth a Metaphor taken from the use of Salt. In all meats it is used in steed of a Sauce to eschew greediness and surfeit. Neither can a man well live without Salt. So necessary an element is it. Such are the ornaments of man's life. And it is commanded in the law, that every Sacrifice shall be seasoned with Salt: to note, that no Sacrifice can please God, 
levit. 2.  but that which is done with discretion. And therefore it is charged, Ne auferes Sal faederis dei tui de Sacrificio tuo: Thou shalt always use Salt in every gift, which thou shalt offer unto me, by reason of the Covenant which I have made with thee. And for the doctrine of truth, the Apostles be called Sal terrae, The Salt of the earth: for as Salt is bitter to the taste, and fretteth away the corruptions of the flesh, so is the truth unto sinful man. Howbeit, this miserable woman is by that nothing the better, inasmuch as that which is now in her, serveth wholly to the use of other, and not of herself. She is like in this to the heart of a poisoned man, which as some say, will not burn, but wax hard in the fire, as a stone, and will become a sovereign medicine for others against poison. She standeth therefore a pillar of Salt for a document unto others, which by her example flying the like punishment, are the happier.  
Besides that, she is salt in another sense, for salt doth not only note discretion, wisdom, doctrine, and such, but also it signifieth barraines: for every place of the earth where salt is found (saith Pliny 
Plin. li. 31. cap. 7. ) is barren, and apt to no fruit. Therefore Abimelech (as we read in the ninth Chapter of the book of the judges 
judg. 9 ) sowed salt in Sichem. And so speaketh Zephenaiah: 
Zeph. 〈◊〉  As I live, saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, surely Moab shall be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon, as Gomorah, even the breeding of Nettles and Salt pits, and a perpetual desolation. And such a place doth Isaiah 
Isai. 34.13  describe in his 34. Chapter, speaking of the destruction of the Synagogue (a worthy figure whereof appeareth in this woman) he that readeth it, let him understand it. And thus have we seen the punishment and plague of Lot's unfaithful, and so unequal yoke-fellow: Oh remember this ye that forget God: O kiss the Son, 
Psal. 50. Psal. 2.  lest he be angry, and so ye perish from the right way, if his wrath be kindled against you even but a little: Oh put away displeasure out of your hearts, 
Eccl. 12.1.  and remove evil from your bodies in season, for childhood and youth, is but vanity. Let us consider to what end we have our minds and memories given us: let us with thankfulness remember God and his mercies towards us: let us think of our sins, and amend our lives with faithfulness: let us know the time of our visitation with watchfulness: let us beware of those horrible sins noted in Lot's wife, and eschew the danger of her punishment with godly carefulness. Let the Magistrate continue his calling without weariness: the Minister go too and hold on the Plough without loathsomeness, the people proceed in their calling without sluggishness, the City to fight in faith without faintness, the Country to be religious without maliciousness, and the whole land to serve the Lord without fearfulness. Let this persuade japheth, to dwell in the Tabernacles of Shem: let this move joseph to eschew the polluted bed of Potiphar: every chaste Susanna to deny the desire of the ungodly Elders: every Shiphrah, and Puah (as they did in Egypt) to fear the Lord, and not men. Let this stir up Mordecai, to provide for the safety of his people: Queen Hesther, to pray for herself and her people, and every faithful Abraham, to forsake old Adam, and the affections of man. Let us all with that kingly Prophet David, desire to be rather doorekeepers in God's house, then to dwell in the Tabernacles of the ungodly. Let us with Moses rather choose affliction with the people of God in the Wilderness, than the pleasures of Sin in Egypt. Let us desire rather Jerusalem, than jerico, and Canaan, before Babylon. Let us fly from Sodom and Gomorah with just Lot, and not return again with Lot's wife. 
Psal. 1.  Let us proceed from virtue to virtue, and be fruitful in the same: Let us set God ever before our faces, as our Saviour Christ teacheth us: and let us with S. Paul fight a good fight: keep on the good course: continue to the end constantly without fainting: expecting faithfully that eternal Crown of glory, which all such as by the blood of Christ the immaculate Lamb have been Victors, shall be crowned with in his everlasting Kingdom. This grace and blessedness the Almighty grant unto us, for jesus Christ his sake: to whom, with the holy Ghost, three persons, and one most mighty and eternal God, be ascribed all honour, might, majesty, and dominion, now, and for evermore.    
Amen. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.