The spirituall vvatch, or Christs generall watch-word A meditation on Mark. 13. 37. By Thomas Gataker B. of D. and pastor of Rotherhith.

The spirituall vvatch, or Christs generall watch-word A meditation on Mark. 13. 37. By Thomas Gataker B. of D. and pastor of Rotherhith.

Table of contents

Title page

TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVL AND RELIGIOVS HIS VERY kinde Cozen, Sr ROBERT COOKE Knight, eldest Sonne and Heire to that worthy Knight Sr WILLIAM COOKE late deceased: Long life and good dayes, with increase of Grace here, and eternall Glory hereafter.

Euripides Helena.

CHRISTS GENERALL WATCH-WORD. MARK. 13. 37. WATCH.

[Page]

CHRISTS GENERALL WATCH-WORD.
MARK. 13. 37. WATCH.

§. 1. THere be Aduentus du [...]: alter in humilitate, alter in sublimitate. Tertull [...]polog. Aduentus Demini duplex. Ber [...]: in aduent, serm. 4. imo triplex, ad homines, in homines, cōtra homines. ib. 3. Primus in humilitate, postremus in maiestate, Greg. Rom. mor. l. 17. c. 19. [...], quo veni [...] iudicandus; manifestus, quo veniet iudicaturus, Aug. de temp. 220. Venit enim saluator, veniet damnator, Idem in Ioan. tract. 4. two commings of ourThe Occasion. Lord and Sauiour Christ mentioned in Scripture: the former of them in mercy, Matth. 18. 11. Ioh. 12. 47. to saue the world; the latter of them in maiestie, Matth. 16 27. Ioh. 5. 22, 27, 28. to iudge the world. Some of those that liued in the time of the former, had De illo ab eo quaesierunt qu [...]m sperabant, non de illo quem iam videbant, Aug. epist. 80. moued question to our Sauiour himselfe concerning the latter; Marc. 13. 4. Matth. 24. 3. When will the comming of the Sonne of man be?

Now our Sauiour, in way of answer vnto this question, layeth downe both the certaintie and the [Page] vncertaintie of his second comming: the certaintie, that it shall be; the vncertaintie when it shall be. That, which is wont to be said of the day of Death, being no lesse true of the day of Doome; Nihil certius; nihil incertius. Bernde Coena Dom. ser. 2. & medit. c. 3. & epist. 105. There is nothing more certaine, and yet nothing more vncertaine: Caetera nostra & bona & mala incerta sunt: sola mors certa est. Aug. verb. Dom. 21▪ Incerta omnia: sola mors certa, [...]uius etiam hora incerta est, Idem in Psal. 38. Nothing more certaine than that it shall be: as sure, we vse to say, as Death; and may well say, as Doome: For Mark. 13. 31. Matth. 24. 35. Heauen and earth (saith our Sauiour) shall passe away, but so shall not my word. And yet Poena certa, hora incerta: mors certa, dies mortis incer [...]ꝰ, Aug. ibid. nothing more vncertaine than when it shall be. For, Mark. 13. 32. Matth. 24▪ 36. Of that day and houre knoweth no man ought, no nor the Angels in heauen, nor the Sonne ( [...]. Greg. Naz. ad Eunom. serm. 4. & ex eo E [...]logius c [...]nt. Agnoitas apud Photiū biblioth. c [...]d. 230. [...]. Ephrem. ad Anatol. quaest. 1. Secundum formam [...], Aug de Trin. lib. 1. cap. 12. In statu humiliationis, Vorst. apolog. disp. 2▪ [...]. 33. Parum [...]nim selidum▪ quod Aug in Psal. 36. & in Genes. contra Manich lib. 1 cap. 32. & 8 [...]. q [...]aest. 60 sed & de Trinit. lib. 1. cap. 12. nescit, i. nesci [...]e facit. Neque sirm [...]m satis quod Greg. R [...]m. lib. 8. epist. 42. & Cyril. thesaur. lib. 9. cap. 4. In humanitate norat; sed ex humanitate non norat. as he was Quod ante passionem nescit, post resurrectionem nouit, Chrysostom. in Act. [...]. 7. Et Origen. in Matth. homil. 3. Vise Iansen. concord. Euang. cap. 123. then) himselfe.

Hereupon he taketh occasion to Mark 1 [...]. 33. Matth. 24. 42. exhort his Disciples whom he then spake to, and Non illis solis dixit, quibus tunc audientibus loquebatur, sed illis etiam qui suerunt post illos ante nos, & ad nosipsos, & qui erant post nos vsque ad nouissimii eius aduentum, August. epist. 80. vs all in and by them, vnto circumspection and warinesse, vnto vigilancie and watchfulnesse: Vt semper paratum sit cor ad expectandum, quod esse venturum scit, & quando venturum scit, nescit. Aug. in Psal. 36. that since such a day must once come, and they know not how soone it may come, wherein they shall all be called to giue vp their accounts, that therefore they liue in a continuall expectation of it, in a perpetuall preparation for it; that whensoeuer it shall come, they may be found ready and fit for it.

Which exhortation hauing vrged▪ and enlarged [Page] by sundry arguments of inforcement and illustration in Mark. 13. 34, 35, 36. Matth. 24. 43, &c. the words before going, he doth Mark. 13. 37. here repeat and conclude, winding vp the summe of all before deliuered in this one word,

WATCH.

A word not consisting of many syllables or letters;The Diuision. but containing much matter, and matter ofPart 1. much vse. Which that it may the better and theThe Sense. more orderly be vnfolded, we will referre all that shall be spoken to these foure heads:

The Sense, the Proofes,

The Manner, and the Meanes: Or,

1. The Meaning of the word, what it is to watch.

2. The Reasons, why we ought so to watch.

3. The manner, how we must watch.

4. The Meanes, whereby we may watch.

The two former belong to Doctrine; the two latter to Vse.

§. 2. For the first of them, to wit, what it is to watch. Watching is, to speake properly, Corporū est somnus, sicut & mors cum speculo suo somno. Anima quiet [...] nunquam succedit. Tertull. de anim [...] c. 32. & 25. Iacet enim dormienti [...] corpus vt mortui, viget autem & viuit animus. Cicer. de diuin. l. 1. Somnus siquidem è corpore est, atque in corpore operatur, Aug. de immortal. anim. c. 14. Corpore aut [...] dormiente a [...]ima insomnis agit. Hippo [...]r. de insomn. Totaque sibi sua est, Iul. Scalig. ad eundem. an affection of the bodie; and is by way of metaphor onely applied vnto the soule. In regard whereof it will not be amisse to consider briefly what it importeth in the one, that we may the better conceiue thereby what it signifieth in the other.

[...], siue [...], vt Phrynichus: Et [...], siue [...]. Sicutdormitione transitur ad somnū, sic exper▪ gesactione transitur ad vigilationē, Aug. in Psal. 3. Watching therefore and waking are two seuerall things: it is one thing to wake, or to be awake, and another thing to watch. For example: we are all here (I presume) at this present waking; but cannot properly be said to be watching, because neither is it now the ordinarie time of rest, neither (it may be) haue we any present inclination thereunto. [Page] But the Disciples of our Sauiour the night before he suffered, are said to haue watched with him, Matth. 26. 40. Could ye not watch an houre with me? because both it was then the ordinarie time of repose, and they very sleepie and drowsie also themselues.

Againe, Psal. 77. 3. the Psalmist complaineth that God held his eyes waking, or [...] watching; (but in an vnproper sense) that he was forced to keepe waking, and so in some sort to watch as it were against his will. A man lieth oft awake when he would faine sleepe, but [...], vt Herodot. loquitur. i. insomnia laboram, vt [...] apud Nonium. cannot, either through disease of bodie or distraction of minde: And a man that is set to watch, may keepe awake, but not minde or regard his charge: and neither of them in such case are said properly to watch. But those that sit by such a sicke man as cannot sleepe, to tend him, are said to watch by him: And the Shepherds are said to haue beene Luk. 2. 8. Pastores, dum super gregem suum vigilant, gregis ipsius p [...]storē in praese [...]io i [...]uenire, videre, t [...]re meren [...]r & autorem. Petrus Chrysol. serm. 24. watching ouer their flocks, when the Angell appeared to them that brought them tidings of Christs birth.

So that bodily watching (to speake properly and precisely) is then, when a man striueth to keepe himselfe corporally waking for the tending or heeding of something, at such time as he is or may be inclining to sleepe.

§. 3. But it is no such bodily watching that is here intended. A man may not watch thus, that keepeth himselfe so awake: and 1 Thess. 5. 10. Si d [...]rmituri sum [...], quomodo vigi [...]amus? Corde vigilamus, [...]tiam c [...]m co [...]pore dormimus, Aug. de verb. Dom. serm. 22. a man may not keepe himselfe so awake, and yet watch. Acts 12. 6. Peter watched thus while he slept in the prison between two souldiers tied fast with two chaines. And so did Psal. 3. 5. & 4. 8. Dauid, when trusting to Gods gratious protection, [Page] he laid himselfe quietly downe to sleepe. Whereas on the other side, Matth. 26 47. Iudas sate vp all the night long (as Iob 24. 14. Vigilat fur, & expectat vt homines dormiant. Aug. in Psal. 125. theeues and murtherers also doe many times) to put his treason in practise, Matth. 26. 40. while his fellow Disciples slept; and yet watched he no more, nay not so much as they did. And 2 Sam. 11. 2, 3, 4. Dauid was broad awake, when he spied Bathsheba from off his terrace; and yet watched he not so well as before he did, when on his pallet he lay fast asleepe: he rose from one sleepe, to fall into another, a worse sleepe. It is not [...]. Pythagoras apud S [...]um, l. 2. c. 1. Est somnus corporis; est & animae: illud ergo cauere debemus, ne ipsa anima nostra dormiat. August. in Psal. 62. a corporall, but a spirituall; not a proper, but a figuratiue, a metaphoricall watching, (and yet a watching that hath reference to that proper, some resemblance of that corporall watching) that our Sauiour here intendeth.

To apply therefore what was before said of watching, to the Soule, and so to our present purpose. Sinne is in the word compared to a sleepe. 1 Thess. 5. 6, 7. Pe [...]catores [...] similes, Anastas. in Hexam. lib. 1. [...]. Cl [...]m. Alex. p [...]dag. lib. 2. cap. 10. Let not vs sleepe, as others sleepe, saith the Apostle: For those that sleepe, sleepe in the night: and, We are not of the night, but of the light and of the day. He speaketh as of a spirituall Rom. 13. 12. night of ignorance, so of a spirituall sleepe of sinne. Repentance is said to be an awaking (as it were) out of this sleepe. 1 Cor. 15. 34. Awake to righteousnesse; and sinne not, saith the same Apostle. And againe, Ephes. 5. 14. Animam [...] exci [...]at. Aug. in Psal. 6 [...]. Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, from the deadly sleepe of sinne, and Christ will illighten thee. And, Quare vitia sua n [...]mo confit [...]tur? quia adhuc in illis [...]st. S [...]mnium narr [...]re vigilantis est: & vitia sua confiteri sanitatis indicium est. Exp [...]rgiscamur ergò vt errores nostros coarguere possimus. [...]. epist. 54. As it is a signe that a man is awaked out of his sleepe, when [Page] he telleth what dreames he saw in his sleepe: so it is a signe, saith the Heathen man, of one truely repentant, when a man maketh sincere confession of his former offence. And lastly, the striuing to keepe our selues from future relapse and from falling backe into this our former deadly slumber againe, is that which by the same metaphor is termed watching, as here, so Matth. 24. 42▪ & 25. 13. & 26. 41. elsewhere.

So that it is as much in effect, as if our Sauiour had said, when he willeth vs to watch; that It is not The Doctrine. sufficient for vs, that we haue beene awaked out of the deadly sleepe of sinne; but we must with all heedfull diligence for the time to come striue to keepe our selues thus waking. Watch we cannot till we be awaked; and Nam vigilare leue est; peruigilar [...] graue. Martial▪ l. 9. ep. 70. when we are once awaked, we must euer watch. And so haue we both the true sense and signification of the word; and the point also therein propounded.

§. 4. Now the Reasons of this point may bePart 2. foure:The Proofe.

The first taken from the drowsinesse of our owne naturall disposition.

The second from the diligence of our Aduersarie the Deuill.

The third from the necessitie of perseuerance.

The fourth and last from the danger of relapse.

For the first of them, to wit, the drowsinesse ofReason 1. our owne naturall disposition. Matth. 26. 43. He came the second time, saith the Euangelist of our Sauiours Disciples, whom he had but lately before awaked, and found them asleepe againe; for their eye were heauy. And as it is with those that be of an heauie constitution, [Page] of a drowsie disposition, that though they be awaked out of sleepe, yet vnlesse they vse some diligence (yea though they so doe) to keepe themselues awake, they are ready euer anon to be napping and nodding, and (if they be not the more carefull) to fall euen fast asleepe againe: So it is naturally with euery one of vs in regard of our soules: We are all generally Languido sumus ingenio, & in somnum ituro, aut in vigiliam somno simillimam: vt Senec. de prouid. c. 5. of a very dull and drowsie disposition, by reason of that lumpish flesh of ours, Rom. 7. 17, 23. that abideth much euen in the best of vs. By meanes whereof it commeth to passe, that we are oft slipping and slumbring, be we neuer so carefull and diligent; yea in danger oft, after we haue beene awaked out of this dreery and deadly sleepe, to fall eftsoone backe againe into the same, if we keepe not a constant watch ouer our selues and our soules. Beside that the Deuill is ready and busie euer to helpe forward, besprinkling of our tempels with his spirituall Opium of euill motions and suggestions, to further the matter, and to cast vs againe (if it be possible) into a Lethargie irrecouerable.

§. 5. A second Reason therefore may be takenReason 2. from the diligence of this our Aduersarie. 1 Pet. 5. 8. [...]. Ioan. [...]. depoenitent. Be sober and watch, saith the Apostle, for your Aduersarie the Deuill goeth about continually like a roaring Lion, seeking whom he may deuoure. Vt iugulent homines, surgunt de nocte latrones: Vt [...]eipsum serues, non experg [...]sceris? Horat. lib. 1. epist. 2. Shall men watch, saith the Heathen man, to slay and destroy others? and wilt not thou watch to saue thy selfe? So say I: Shall Satan be more vigilant in watching to doe vs a shrewd turne or a mischiefe, then we in watching to keepe our selues safe from his malice? [Page] Pernicicsus nimis est repentinus hostis, nam aut inscios praeuenit, aut [...] praeoccupat, aut opprimit dormientes. Chrysol. serm. 27. Vndoubtedly if he watch thus continually to assault vs, vnlesse we watch as constantly on the other side to preuent him, we shall soone come to be surprised and vanquished againe of him. [...]. Chrysost. in Gen. hom. 3. Continuall watch therefore is to be held of vs, because Psal. 56. 6. our enemie continually lies in wait for vs: nor can we euer in regard thereof (be we neuer so watchfull) be ouer-much warie, yea or warie enough.

A thing the rather to be regarded, because it is not here, as in bodily or in worldly watch and ward; where Quid quisque vitet, nunquam homini satis Cautum est, in horas. Hor. carm. 2. 13. some watch for the rest, and the rest sleepe while they wake: as that Epaminondas. Greeke Commander sometime said in a generall solemnitie, that [...]. Plut. ad praefect. indoct. & in Apophthegm. reg. & duc. he kept sober and watched, that others the whilest might drinke and sleepe: And Philip of Macedon vsed to say, that [...]. Ex Carystij histor. Athenae dipnosop. lib. 10. he might safely drinke deepe, as long as Antipater kept sober and watched. But it is not so in this spirituall watch; we cannot here watch by deputie; no man can watch for vs; but euery one must watch for himselfe.

§. 6. But (may some say) are not the Ministers of God in the word called Ezech. 3. 17. & 33. 2. Ierem. 6. 17. Esai. 52. 8. & 61. 6. Watchmen? and are they not said Hebr. 13 17. to watch for our soules?

I answer: True it is indeed; they are called Watchmen: and they are said to watch, yet not so much for, as [...]. ouer your soules. Now it is one thing to watch for one, and another thing to watch ouer one. To watch for one (to speake properly) is Quom [...]do Plut, in Apoph [...]h. refert Philippū à somno diuturniore experr [...]ctū dixisse, [...]. Et Parmenio Graecis indignantibus quod is interdiu obdormiret, [...]. to watch [Page] in his stead that he may not watch: as in a Citie besieged, or in a set Campe some few watch by night in their turnes that the rest the whilest may sleepe: and as Princeps [...] vt quiescant subditi. Iustintan. in authent. Coll. 2. tit. 2. & Coll. 8. tit. 10. Et Bonifac. 8. in prooem. 6. Decret. & Innocent. 4. ibid. l. [...]. tit. 5. c. 1. Omnium somno [...] illius vigilia defendit, omnium otium illius labor, omnium delitias illius industria, omnium vacationem illius occupatio. Sen. ad Polyb. c. 26. the Prince is said to watch, that the subiect may rest at ease: or the Somnosque non defendit excubitor meos. Sen. Thyest. Princes guard to watch, that he may sleepe safely. But to watch ouer one is to watch by him to keepe him awake; as those that watch Deere to tame them by keeping them from sleepe; or as those that tend a sicke Patient in some drowsie disease, or Vt post elle [...]orum sumptum praecipit Hippo [...]r. aphor. 4. 14. after some medicine receiued, or a veine opened, or the like, where sleepe may be preiudiciall and dangerous vnto him. In this latter manner are we said to watch ouer you; and the maine end of our watching is to keepe you waking. Which vnlesse it be therefore by our watching effected, all our watching in regard of you is to no purpose; no more then their watching about the Patient before spoken of, if he sleepe amids them, while they watch about him.

The Pastor then indeed must watch ouer his people: but Ierem. 6. 17. the people must watch also with their Pastor, and must be kept waking by his watching. Yea as Act. 20. 28. 1 Tim. 4. 13, 15, 16 he must watch ouer both himselfe and them; so Matth. 7. 15. & 16. 6. & 24 4. 2 Ioan. 8. must they in person also watch each one ouer himselfe. To which purpose, if we should demand of our Sauiour, as Peter did sometime in the very same case, and vpon the like occasion; Luke 12. 41. Master, speakest thou this vnto vs alone, or vnto all? Doest thou speake this to thine Apostles onely, or to Pastors alone, that are to watch ouer others, or to the people also, to thy Disciples all in generall? our Sauiour [Page] would no doubt answer, yea so expresly he doth answer, Mark. 13. 37. Quod vni dictum est, quisque sibi dictum putet. Ausen. in ludo 7. Sapient. in Solone. What I say vnto you, I say vnto all, Watch. Others may watch ouer vs; but none can watch for vs: each one in person must euer watch for himself.

§. 7. To the aduersarie before mentioned, weEnemie 2. might well adde another, no lesse dangerous than the former, to wit, the world, as Exod. 32. 22. Aaron saith of his people, 1 Ioh. 2. 16. & 5. 19. [...]. Quomodo Plant. Cassin. 2. 5. & Merc. 5. 3. In fermento tota iacet v [...]r. wholly set vpon wickednesse. This though we be Iohn 15. 19. not of it, yet are we Iohn 17. 11. in it, neither can 1 Cor. 5. 10. we goe, or [...]. Plut. de fera vind. get out of it, Quomodo ille apud Plut. de Tranqui [...]. [...]. lyse Deus, simulatque volam, me soluet. - Hor. ep. 17. l. 1. when we will our selues; Ioh. 17. 15. we must stay in it, till it please God Gen 5. 24. to call vs out of it. And so long as we are in it, P [...]. 6. 28. [...]. Aristoph. [...]. In [...]dis per ign [...] Suppositos ci [...]eri doloso. H [...]rat. carm. 2. 1. we tread vpon embers, Iob 22 10. Ier. 18. 22. Eze [...]. 2 6. I [...]ter medi [...]s laqueos in hac vita inceditur. Bern. in Cant. 52. we walke among snares, of P [...]l. 2. 17, 18. euill example, of allurement by Num. 22. 7. 17. profit and Pr [...]u. 7. 18. pleasure, of shame and abashment by 1 Pet. 4. 4. Hebr. 11. 36. derision, scorne and contempt, of terror and affrightment by Iohn 15. 19. & 16. 2. opposition, threats, and discountenance, if we doe not as others doe. We are in as much danger (if not much Hom [...] malus ipso est Diabolo nocentior. Iustum siquidem hominem Diabolus timet, homo malus contemnit. Diabolus homini nisi permissus non nocet, malus homo nocet etiam prohibitus. Autor oper. impers. in Matth. homil. 24. Ludolf. vita Christs, [...]. 52. & Vo [...]ag. de Sanct. 210. more) by euill men as by deuils, by Iohn 6. 70. deuils incarnate, as by [...]. Contrario sensu quam id Graeci efferunt. deuils indeed: they are Iohn 8. 44. 1 Iohn 3. 8. limmes of the deuill, and Homo malus telum Diaboli: sine bomin [...] aduersus hominem nil potest. Autor oper. imperf homil. 24. the instruments that he oftest maketh vse of. Iam. 3. 6, 7, 8. Ezech. 2. 6. Fera qu [...]uis ipse [...] est, Qui (vt Martial, spectac. epigr.) iubet ingenium mitius esse feris. Fera siquidem nisi irritata aut fame coacta non s [...]uit: homo gratis crudelis est. Fera habet crudelitatem, sed rationem non habet: homo & crudelis est & rationalis. Fera malum vnum aliquod habet, homo omnia. Autor operis imperf. homil. 24. We are more in danger of wicked [Page] men for our soules, then they are for their bodies that liue in the wide wildernesse, where wilde beasts are most frequent. They were men like themselues that our Sauiour warned his to beware of, when he said, Matth. 10. 17. Quid ista circumspicis, quae [...]ibi possunt fort [...]sse euenire, sed possunt & non euenire. incendium dico; ruinam, & alia quae nobis incidunt non insidiantur. Illa potius vide, illa deuita, quae nos obseruant, quae captant. Rari sunt casus, etiamsi grauet, naufr [...]gium facere, vehiculo euerti: ab homine homini qu [...] tidianum periculū. Aduersus hoc te expedi, hoc intentis oculis intuere. Nullum enim malum frequentius, nullum blandius. Tempestas minatur antequam surgat, praenunciat fumus incendium, crepant aedificia antequam corruant. Subito est ex homine pernicies, & eo diligentius tegitur, quo pr [...]pius accedit. Sen. ep. 103. Take ye heed of men: for they are they that may doe you most mischiefe. They were [...]. Lycurg. apud Stob. c. 2. H [...]u quam mala atque deprauata prorsus est Natura nostra? - Putas ne tu interesse inter hominem & feram? Nec paululum, nisi in figura corporis. Curuantur aliae, inambulat recta haec fera. Lips. Lupus est homo homini, non homo. Plaut. Asin. 2. 4. Erras si istor [...]m qui occurrunt tibi, vultibus credis. Hominum essigies habent, anim [...]s ferarum. Nisi quod illarum perniciosiore est primis incursus, quos transire non queunt. Nun quam enim illas ad nocendum nisi necessit as in [...]git: aut fame aut timore coguntur ad poenam. Homini perdere hominem libet. Sen. ep. 103. Men-wolues that he forewarned them of, when he told them, that he should send them out Matth. 10. 16. as sheepe among wolues. And had not they need Ephes. 5. 15. [...]. to walke warily, that Psal. 57. 6 & 141. 9. & 142. 3. Vigilandum est semper; multae insidiae sunt bonis. Ex Trag. Cic. pro Plane. haue so many snares in their way? Had they not need to stand continually vpon their guard, that haue their enemies [...]. Thucyd. hist. Vtrin (que) conciduntur in medio siti. on either side, nay Psal. 17. 11. Intus caro, extra Satan, mundus vndi (que) on euery side of them? Haue they not iust cause to Luk. 2. 8. watch night and day, that abide there where Psal. 57 4. Lions, Wolues, and wilde beasts of rauenous disposition are most rife?

§. 8. But there is yet a third enemie, as vigilant and diligent, yea more incessant and more dangerous then either of the former, and that is our owne corrupt nature.

For the other two are without vs, this is within vs, it is an inbred, an home-bred aduersarie. A mans [Page] enemies, saith Mica 7. 6. the Prophet, and Matth. 10. 36. our Sauiour from him, shall be those of his owne house. [...]. Plut. de tranq. Molestissimum maelum intestinum & domesticum. B [...]rn. in Cant. 29. An houshold foe is much more dangerous then a forainer, then one out of the house, though dwelling at the next doore. But this enemie of ours is not in our house, but Mat. 15. 18, 19. Genes 6. 5. Ierem. 17. 9. in our heart, lodged and seated in the very inwardest and secretest closet of our soule.

The other two are professed aduersaries, this a pretended friend. And Aditum nocendi perfido praestat fides. Sen. Oedip. 3. Nullae sunt occul [...]iores insidiae, quàm hae quae latēt in simulati [...]e offi [...]ij, aut in aliquo necessitudinis noīe. Nā eum q [...]i palàm est aduersarius, facilè cauendo vitare possis: hoc verò intestinum ac domesticum malum, non modo existit, verieetiam opprimit, antequam perspicere at (que) explorare possis. Cicer▪ Verrin. 3. a pretended friend is more dangerous then a professed foe. Psal. 55 12, 13. It was not a professed enemie, saith Dauid, that did me this wrong; for then could I well haue borne it: nor was it an open aduersarie, that set himselfe against me; for then could I have shunned him: but it was thou ô man, my companion, my counsellor, my guide, my familiar. And therefore, Mi [...]n 7. 5. Trust not a friend, saith the Prophet, take heed especially of a false friend; put no confidence in a counsellor: keepe the doores of thy mouth from her that 2 Sam▪ 12. 8. In accubitu mos ille vt accumberent [...] in sin [...] vir [...]rū. Lips [...]ad Ta [...]. annal. l. 11. Hine Caesarem à D [...]lobella dictum Spendam interiorē regiae lecticae, r [...]fert [...]. c. 49. Sic Ioan. 13. 23, 25. lieth in thy bosome. But this false-hearted friend of ours lieth not in our bosome, but within our breast.

Againe, the other two cease sometime their opposing of vs, this is incessant, it neuer ceaseth. Though there be a continuall Genes. 3. 15. enmitie, a perpetuall hostilitie, [...], vt Aesch. in Ctesiph. & Demost. pro coren. Siue [...], vt Plut. P [...]ricl. a warre without truce betweene Satan and vs: yet are we not alwayes actually In bello perpetuo, at non in praelio. Quo modo Liu. hist. l. 30▪ [...]on praelis mod [...]se, sed bello victum. in skirmish and combat. We are not alwayes in fight, though we be alwayes in the field. Nor is [Page] the deuill himselfe alwayes about vs or with vs. But [...]. Basil. ep. 1. Q [...]l teccas al [...]o calente▪ S [...]le matamus? Patriae quis exul Se quoque fugit. Hor. carm. 2. 16. Rectè Varro, L [...]ngè fugit, quiquos fugit: At longius, qui se. our corrupt nature is neuer from vs, it is alwayes N [...]n est extrinse [...]um malū nostrū: intra nos est▪ in visceribus nostris sedet. Sen. epist. 50. in the very middest of vs; [...]. Basil. Hoc se quis (que) modo fugit: at, quem scilicet, vt sit, Effugere haud potis est, ingratis haeret & angit. Lucret. l. 3. - te (que) ipsū vitas fugitiuus & erro; Frustrâ: nam comes atra premit, sequ [...]ur (que) fugacem▪ Horat s [...]rm 27. Vitia n [...]s [...], quocunque transierimꝰ, secuturasunt. Sen. epist. 50. Nihil tibi prodest peregrinati [...], quia t [...]cum peregrinaris. Peregrinaris cum affectilus tuis: & [...] ▪ sequentur. Sen. epist. 104. we carry it about with vs continually, whithersoeuer we goe, or wheresoeuer we become. And In hoc genere militie nunquam qu [...]s, nunquam [...] datur. Sen. epist [...]2. it is neuer idle in vs, but incessantly working on vs, continually either hindering vs in well-doing, or prouoking and egging of vs on vnto euill. Galat. 5. 17. The flesh, saith the Apostle, lusteth and striueth against the Spirit, so that ye cannot doe what you would. And, Rom. 7. 22, 23. I finde by wofull experience, that when I would doe good, euill is present with me. For mine inner man delighteth in the Law of God: But I see and feele another law in my limmes rebelling against the law of my minde, and leading me captiue to the law of sinne that is in my limmes.

§. 9. Lastly, without the helpe of this traitor [...]. Sim [...]. epist. 40. Nec noleus quisquam lae [...]ur, sed [...] v [...]lens. Nemo laed [...]tur nisi à se. Tu ipse tibi ni [...]quid fa [...]as, malus qu [...]d faci [...]t? Aug. homil. 29. no other enemie can hurt vs. Deb [...]lis est adue [...]sarius, nisi v [...]ientem non vi [...]cit. Pelag. ad Demetr. Loge Chrysost. or [...]t. 67. [...]om. 6. & orat. 2. hom. 7. The deuill himselfe cannot foyle vs, vnlesse w [...] our selues will. Suadere & sel [...]citare potest, cogere omnino [...]on potest. Aug. hom. 52. Habet af [...]utiam s [...]adendi, non potestatem [...]gendi. Idem in Psal. 91 & in I [...]an. 12. He may perswade and entice, suggest and prouoke, but he cannot enforce or constraine, nor vnlesse our owne heart giue consent, cause vs to sinne. As we vse therfore to say of the Land & State that we liue in, that We need not feare any foraine foe, if we be true among our selues: So may it be said much more▪ [Page] truly of our spirituall estate, Quid à foris conturbare aut contristare poterit, si intꝰ bene estis, & fraterna pace gaudetis? Bern. in Cant. 29. Pau vobis à vobis sit, & omne quod extrinsecus minari videtur, non terret, quia non nocet. Ib. we should not need to feare any outward aduersarie, either world or deuill, if our owne heart were, and would be sure to keepe true to vs. But Diabolus plus cō fidit in adiutorio carnis, quoniam magis nocet hostis domesticus: illa ad subuersionem meam cum illo foedus inijt. Bern. medit. c. 14. Huit accedit, ha [...] vtitur serpens malignus: baculo nostro nos cedit, manꝰ nostras cingulo proprio ligat. Ibid. it is our owne heart within vs that is ready to ioyne with our aduersaries without vs, and to betray vs vnto them. Iohn 14. 30. The prince of this world, saith our Sauiour, hath beene dealing with me; but he found nothing in me; and therefore preuailed not against me. But Diabolus quum aliquid suggerit, tenet consentientē, non cogit inuitum. non enim seducit aut trahit aliquem, nisi quem inuenerit ex aliqua parte iam sibi si [...]ilem. Aug. de diuers. 20. he neuer commeth to assault vs, but he findeth enough and too much in vs; the maine cause why so oft he preuaileth against vs. Hostes intra nos multos habemus, carnis concupiscentias, carnis fructus. Hugo de continent. c. 3. He findeth a many Iudasses within vs, that are ready to ioyne with him, to second him, to assist him, to fight for him, to betray vs into his hands.

Without this intestine traitor then, the deuill himselfe cannot hurt vs: but it alone is able to hurt vs without him. We need no other Tempter to tempt or entice vs to euill: we haue Genes. 3. 6. Portamus omnes impressum nobis cauterium conspirationis antiquae, Eua nostra caro nostra, perquae concupiscentiam Serpenti nos prodit. B [...]n in Cant. 72. an Eue, a Tempter of our owne each one within vs, more powerfull and more effectuall then any is or can be without vs, and one that needeth not any helpe from without. Iam. 1. 14, 15. Rom. 8. 12, 13. Euery man, saith the Apostle, is tempted, when he is inticed and drawne aside by his owne lust. And so lust hauing conceiued bringeth forth sinne, and sinne being consummate bringeth forth death. [...]. Chrysost. [...]rat. 67. tom. 6. Hostem si foris non habes, domi inuemes. Li [...]. hist l. 30. No need is there of other deuill to delude or destroy vs; there is deuill enough in the [Page] hearts of euery one of vs to doe either, there is enough in vs without any deuils helpe to effect either.

§. 10. We haue as much cause then [...]. Epictet. enchirid. c. 72. to watch euen against our selues, as against any aduersarie whatsoeuer. Since that as the Heathen man sometime said, [...]. Plut. de adulat. Euery man is the first and the greatest flatterer of himselfe: and others could neuer come to fasten their flatteries vpon vs, if we did not before flatter our selues: So [...]. Anacharsis apud Stob. eclog. tom. 2. c. 2. euery man is the first and the greatest enemie to himselfe: and other enemies could neuer doe vs any harme, if we did not first conspire with them to hurt our selues. And if they had need to be exceeding vigilant, and extraordinarily circumspect, that haue not onely many open enemies, besetting and assaulting them on euery side without, but many close traitors also, that haue busie heads and working braines, plotting and practising continually their ruine at home; then surely no lesse cause haue we to be extraordinarily watchfull, whose case, as we see, is the very same. If Nusquam securitas, ne (que) in coelo, neque▪ in paradiso, multo minus in mundo. In coelo▪ n▪ cecidit Angelꝰ sub praesentia diuinitatis, Adam in paradiso de loco voluptatis, Iudas in mundo de schola Saluatoris. Bern. de diuers. 30. our first parents had cause to watch in Paradise, when there was no aduersarie but without: Much more haue we cause to watch, and to watch most diligently now, when we haue aduersaries 2 Cor. 7. 5. both without & within. For therein is the difference, as Faber in Iac. 1. Nonnunquam tentatio praeuenit concupiscentiam, vt in Eua: nonnunquam sequitur, vt in Iuda. one saith well, betweene Genes. 3. 1, 6. Adam & Ieh. 12. 6. & 13. 2. Iudas, so betweene our first parents and vs, that Outward temptation preuented inward corruption in them, inward corruption preuenteth outward temptation in vs. So many aduersaries therefore, so vigilant, so diligent, round about vs, on euery side of [Page] vs, before vs, behinde vs, aboue vs, beneath vs, without vs, within vs, Ire vides quadrato agmine exerci [...]ū, vbi hostis ab omni parte suspectus est, [...] p [...]ratū. Hoc aliquāto nobis magis necessarium. Illi enim saepe hostem tim [...]ere fin [...] causa. Nobis nihil pacatū est. Tam superne quam infra metus est. Virumque trepidat latus. Sequa [...]tur pericula & occurrunt. Sex [...]ꝰ apud Sen. ep. 60. must needs enforce on vs an incessant watchfulnesse, if we haue any care of our owne safetie.

§. 11. A third Reason may be taken from the necessitie of perseuerance. Matth. 10. 22. & 24. 13. Nonqui inceperit, sed qui perseuerau [...]rit, sal [...]us erit. Incip [...]re multorū est; perseuerare paucorum. Bern. de grad. obed. Multi enim magna aggrediuntur, sed in via defi [...]tunt: in desertum multi exeunt, sed ad terram promissionis pauci perueniunt. Aug. ad fratr▪ in er [...]m. ser 8. Who so endureth to the end (saith our Sauiour, he alone) shall be saued. The Christian course is compared to a race. Hebr. 12. 1. Let vs runne with patience (saith the Apostle) the race set before vs. And 1 Cor. 9. 24. in a race (saith the same Apostle) all runne; but all winne not. If we aske who winne, he telleth vs else-where, that 2 Tim. 2. 5. they onely winne the wager or get the garland, that runne [...]. Non certat legitimè, nis [...] qui certat ad finem vsque. Aug. ibid. according to the lawes of the game, to the rules of the race. Now in worldly races the law of the game is, that none but he gaineth the prize, that getteth first to the gole: But in the spirituall race the law is otherwise. For Non qui primus venerit, sel quien nque peruen [...]rit. Chrys. in Matth. there not who so commeth first, but who so holdeth out to the last, Matth. 19. 30. & 20. 16. & 22. 14. be he in order of place or time first or last, is sure to winne and to doe well. Apoc. 2. 10. Be faithfull to death, and thou shalt haue the crowne of life, saith our Sauiour to each Christian souldier and soule.

I [...]cassum bo [...]ū agitur, si ante t [...]rminum v [...]tae descratur: quiae & frustra velotiter currit, qui priusquam ad [...]etas veni [...]t, deficit. Greg. mor. l. 2. c. 40. Non inchoantibus siquidem praemiū [...], sed perseuerantibus. Ifidor. de sum. b [...]n. lib. 2. cap. 7. As in a race then it is to no purpose for a man to set out with the first, and to run eagerly a while, if after some time he sit downe, and stay at the mid-way: yea if he giue ouer when he is within but a foot or two of the gole, it is all one as if he had neuer set foot into the field: So here for a man [Page] Gal. 5. 7. & 3 3. to runne well for a spurt, and then to giue ouer, yea to breake off that good course that he was entred into but a day or twaine before decease▪ it is enough to annull all his former proceedings, and to make him to be in no better estate then if he had neuer set foote into the good wayes of God. For Perseuerantia sola virtu [...]ū coronaiur. Bern. de temp. 114. Aeternitatis imaginem perseuerantia prae se fert. Sola est cui aeternitas red [...]ur. Idem de consider. l. 5. It is perseuerance alone in well-doing, that carieth away the crowne. Cedunt primae postremis. Tacit. annal. l. 13. The latter part of a mans life ouer-swayeth the former: and Vita posterior priori praeiudi [...]at. Hieron. in Ezech. 18. the former yeeldeth it to the latter. Ezech. 18. 24. Vides obliuione pr [...] sunda s [...]peliri virtutes, quas perseuerantia non insigniuit. Bern. de grad. obed. Neque enim incepisse, vel facere, sed perficere virtutis est. Ex Hiero [...]. Gloss. ad Matth. 10. 22. Atqui non est magnum bonum inchoare quod bonū est, sed consummare, hoc solum perfectum est. August. ad fratres in eremo, serm. 8. if the righteous man (saith the Prophet, or rather God himselfe by the Prophet) shall turne from his righteous course of life that before he liued in, none of his former good deeds shall be remembred or reckoned; but in the euill that then he doth, he shall die.

Yea to keepe to the comparison that we haue in our text: If a Seruant or Souldier appointed to watch for his Masters comming, or against the enemies approach, shall continue watching till within an houre or some shorter time of the arriuall of the one or the assault of the other, but shall then chance to fall fast asleepe; he shall be no lesse in danger either to be shent of the one or to be slaine by the other, then if he had slept all out, and watched no time at all. And the like may be said of our spirituall Watch; which if we shall for any time intermit, or after any time giue ouer, we may chance in the interim to be surprized either by the iustice of God, or by the malice of Satan, and so Non enim ex praeteritis, sed ex praesentibus iudicamur. Cauendù ergò semper (que) [...]mendū, ne [...] gloriam & solidā firmitatē vnius horae procellá subuertat. Hieron. in Ezech. c. 26. be in danger of perishing euerlastingly by either, notwithstanding all our former watch. To which purpose saith our Sauiour in the words next before [Page] my text; that it is in this case Mark. 13. 34, 35, 36. Luk▪ 12. 36, 37, 38. As when a man going from home for a time, leaueth his seruants to keepe house, and setteth each one his taske, and willeth the Porter to watch: and he warneth vs all therefore to Luk. 21 36. watch incessantly, (because Mat. 24. 42, 43. wee know not what time our Lord and Master may come) lest if he come suddenly, he t [...]ke vs asleepe.

§. 12. A fourth Reason may be taken from theReason 4. danger of relapse: Ioan. 5 24. Goe thy way (saith our Sauiour to the Criple he had cured) and sinne no more; lest a worse matter befall thee. As we stand continually in no small danger of relapse, partly through the drowsinesse of our owne disposition, and partly through the diligence of our Aduersary the Deuill, (as before we haue shewed:) so is there I [...]gens periculū ad deterior [...] rede [...]di. Sen. epist. 72. no small danger in relapse, and in relinquishing this our spirituall watch: which if euer therefore wee giue ouer and fall from, it shall not be barely all one to vs, as if we had euer lien still asleepe, but it shall be farre worse with vs, then if wee had neuer beene awaked.

For as it is in the diseases of the body; so it is likewise in the sicknesse of the soule. As Grauius agr [...]tat ij, qui cùm l [...]uari morbo videntur, in cum de integro in [...]iderunt. Cic. fam. ep. 30. lib. 12. in bodily sicknesse the relapse vsually is worse and more dangerous, more incurable and irrecouerable then the disease it selfe was at first: so it falleth out commonly, yea so it is eue [...] ▪ ordinarily in this spirituall Lethargie, that the relapse proueth more desperat then the disease was in it selfe. 2 Pet. 2. 20, 21, 22. For if men (saith the Apostle) hauing escaped these worldly defilements [...]. by the acknowledgement of Christ (or the profession of Christianity) come after to be entangled and againe [Page] ouercome of them; Matth. 12. 45. the latter estate of such is worse then the first. For it had beene better for them neuer to haue [...]. quod plus est qu [...] [...]. taken notice of the good way of God, then after notice taken of it, to turne againe away from it. Since that such, as the Prouerbe truely speaketh, are Prou. 26. 11. like the Dog that resumeth his owne vomit; [...]. Iambus est, & poeticum quid spirat. and like Swine that after washing returne againe to their wallowing in the mire. As if he had said in words applied to the present comparison, It had beene better for men to haue lien fast asleepe still, snorting securely in their sanne, then hauing beene by the word and Spirit of God, raised and roused out of it, to fall afterward backe againe into some deadly fit of it.

§. 13. They seldome awake againe, that fall the second time so fast asleepe. Partly, for that through their owne inbred corruption (the euill humour that feedeth this drowsie disease) waxing commonly in such cases more fierce and furious then afore (like a mastiue that breaketh loose, when hee hath beene tied vp sometime; or like Torrens ab [...] sauior iba [...]. Ouidmetam. l 4. the streame of a riuer that hath recouered scope againe, where it had found some restraint formerly, either pent in with arches, or bounded with bankes) this spirituall Lethargie in the returne of it groweth stronger vpon them, and so harder to be subdued and expelled then at first; like a maladie that hath got masterie of, and now contemneth those remedies that curbed and abated the force of it for a while.

As also partly through Satans malitious policie, who endeuoureth all he can by plunging of such as haue broken or beene breaking away from him (if hee can fasten againe vpon them) as deepe as [Page] may be in all manner of impietie and impuritie, thereby to make them surer then euer to himselfe: Stella ad illud [...]uc. 11. 24, 25, 26. like the Iaylor, that hauing laid hold on his prisoner againe, that had either attempted or made escape from him, laieth load on him with irons as many as he may beare, to make him sure from starting a [...]ide any more.

Yea and partly through the iust iudgement of God, who vpon such Apostataes (as, though he haue beene so gracious and mercifull vnto them as to awake them out of this deadly slumber sometime, yet he findeth them not thankfull to him for it, nor stedfast and faithfull with him, nor carefull to keepe their watch so as they should, but willing to sleepe againe, Esai. 56. 10. [...] delighting in slumber, and repenting that euer they were awaked) is wont Esa. 29. 10. [...] p [...]rfudit spiritu s [...]poris alti. Iun. [...] dormitare, [...] dormire, [...] s [...]ore al [...]o [...]. Liu [...]l. to poure out the spirit not of slumber, but of deepe and dead sleepe; so that it may be said of them, as of Saul and his troupes, 1 Sam. 26. 12. s [...]por altus I [...]ouae, [...] ▪ maximus & diuinitus immissus. Iun. post Aug. ad Simpli [...]. l. 2. q. 1. A deepe sleepe of God was vpon them, that they did not awake: as he is said euen Esai. 6. 9, 10. Rom▪ 11. 8. to close vp the eyes, and to make the very hearts of such (not their heads only) heauy, that they may not returne or repent, that is, be awaked any more againe out of their dead sleepe, and so healed of this their spirituall Lethargie.

And no maruell then if they seldome awake or recouer, whom God, and the Deuill, and their owne corrupt heart, God in iustice, the Deuill in malice, and their owne corrupt heart out of its owne drowsie disposition, shall all conspire as it were together to with-hold from waking, and from returning to their wonted watch.

[Page]§. 14. So that whether wee regard the drowsinesse of our owne naturall disposition; or the diligence of our Aduersary euer watching against vs; or the necessity of perseuerance, and holding out to the end; or the dreadfull danger of relapse, if wee fall from our former forwardnesse, and either intermit or giue ouer our watch, and our standing vpon our Guard: wee cannot but see the truth of the point formerly propounded, to wit, that it is not sufficient for vs that wee haue beene awaked out of this spirituall sleepe of sinne, but there is further need of perpetuall care to bee had for the keeping of vs from falling backe into that deadly slumber againe.

§. 15. Now what may be the Vse of all this, butThe Use. to exhort and excite vs to the diligent practise and performance of a duty so necessarie, that so neerely concerneth vs, and that is so oft and so earnestly exacted of vs and pressed vpon vs, both by Matth. 24. 42. & 25. 13. & 26. 41. Mark. 13. 33, 35, 37. Luke 12. 40. & 21. 36. our Sauiour Christ himselfe, and Ephes. 6. 18. Coloss. 4. 2. 1 Thess. 5. 6. 1 Petr. 4. 7. & 5. 8. his Apostles, as here, so else-where.

Which that wee may doe the more readily and with the better successe, it shall not be amisse in the next place to consider of, both the Manner, how it is to be performed; as also the Meanes, whereby it may be effected.

For the former, to wit, the Manner how thisPart 3. The manner. spirituall watch is to be held, wee will pitch vpon foure points, wherein the same doth principally consist:

The 1. is a due Examination of our seuerall actions;

[Page]The 2. a diligent obseruation of our speciall corruptions;

The 3. a carefull auoidance of the occasions of euill;

The 4. a constant resistance of temptations vnto euill;

And of these in order.

§. 16. The first point then of this ChristianPoint 1. watch is the due [...]. Scitū Bia [...]is referente Demetrio Phalar. apud S [...]ob. c. 3. Examination of our seuerall actions, before we vndertake them, lest wee bee otherwise vnawares ouertaken with sin in them, especially where they may be doubtfull and questionable. Prou. 4. 26. Ponder, saith Salomon, the paths of thy feet, that thy waies may all be ordered aright. And againe, Prou. 14. 15. A prudent man (will not runne on head, but) will consider his steps. Those that goe in Psal. 35. 6. waies darke and slippery, and in that regard dangerous, are wont to tread gingerly and step warily, feele with hand and foot their way before them, whether it be cleare and firme, and will not lift vp the one foot, till they finde sure footing for the other. And so should it bee with vs that are here trauelling through the darke and dangerous way of this worlds wildernesse, like Genes. 14. 10. the vale of Siddim, slimy and slippry, and full of limepits, of such pitfalls and springes as Satan diggeth and setteth for vs, and of such stumbling-blockes as hee laieth before vs, thereby to maime and to mischiefe vs: [...]. Pythag. aur. car [...]. apud Stob. p. 2. c. 3. [...]. Epicharm. ibid. c. 1. Looke ere yee leape. Alioqui saliens antequam videat, cas [...]rus est antequam debeat. [...]. de b [...]n. deser. Palpebrae praecedūt gressus, [...]um operationem consilia rect [...] prae [...]eniunt. Qui enim negligit considerand [...] [...] q [...]od faci [...], gressus tendit, sed [...] claudi [...], pergend [...]iter con [...]cit, sed prae [...]idend▪ sib [...]metipsi non antecedit; atq [...] idcir [...] citius [...], quo [...]iam vbi pedem operis ponere debeat, per consilij palpebram non attendit. Greg. Rom. de Pastore par. 3. c. 2. § 16. we haue great reason to looke about [Page] vs, and to haue an eie to our footing, that wee step not vnwarily and vnaduisedly vpon that that may proue and procure either our woe or our bane, either our ruine or our ruthe.

§. 17. This is that that the Apostle seemeth to haue an eye vnto, where hee exhorteth some to walke 1 Cor. 5. [...]. [...]. in sincerity; (as also 2 Cor. 1. 12. he professeth of himselfe that he so did:) and praieth for others, Phil. 1. 9, 10. that they may discerne those thi [...]gs that differ, to the end they may be [...]. sincere. The word vsed by the Apostle in both places signifieth properly [...]. E [...]ymolog. something tried by the light of the Sunne. And it is a Metaphore (as some suppose) taken from the custome of the Eagle, whose manner is (if wee may beleeue Aristot. histor. animal. l. 9. c. 34. Et Plin. hist. natur. l. 10. c. 3. & l. 29. c. 6. Nisi quod ille [...], hic Haliaee [...]o tribuit. those that write the naturall story) to bring her young out of the nest before they bee full flegde, and to hold them forth against the full sight of the sunne; the light whereof those of them that can with open eye endure, shee retaineth and bringeth vp as her owne; the rest that cannot brooke it but winke a [...]it, she reiecteth and casteth off as a bastardly broode. In like manner should we doe with those manifold motions that arise in our mindes, and that are hatched as it were in our hearts, ere wee proceede to put them in practise; Assu [...]scat animꝰ solicita [...] custodia discernere cogitationes suas, & ad primū animi motum vel probare, vel reprobare quod cogi [...]at, vt bo [...] a [...]at, mal [...] stati [...] extinguat. Pelag. ad Demetriad. we should bring them forth first to the bright sunne-shine of Gods word; let them looke vpon that, and it vpon them: if they can endure it, wee may on in them with courage and comfort; if not, wee must stay both our hand and our heart too from further following or fostering of them.

[Page]§. 18. Others thinke it rather taken from the vsuall practise of Chapmen in the view and choise of their wares. A wise and wary Chapman that hath to doe with a deceitfull Merchant, Draper, or other, one that keepeth his wares in obscure places where the defects of them cannot so easily be discerned, or hath false lights that may helpe to giue a counterfeit glosse to them, he will take no ware of him vpon his word, but hee will first diligently view it, tosse it and turne it to and fro ouer and ouer, try how it is in the middest as well as at both ends, bring it forth into the light, hold vp his cloth against the sunne, see if he can espie any defect or default in it; hee knoweth well hee may easily else bee ouer-reached. The like should bee our practise, because our case is alike. Wee haue to deale daily with diuers craftie Merchants; Qui cauet ne decipiatur, vix cauet, quum etiam cauet: Etiam quum cauisse ratus est, saepe is cautor captꝰ est. Plaut Capt. 2. 2. by whom wee are sure to bee oft cozened, bee wee neuer so carefull, and can neuer therefore take heede enough how we deale with the [...]. There is first the Deuill, for his slienesse and subtiltie tearmed Genes. 3. 1. 2 Cor. 11. 3. a Serpent, for his experience and antiquity stiled an Apoc. 12. 9. old Serpent: one that, Sicut Mercator de falso pan [...]o non [...]stendit empteri medium neque finem, sed caput tant [...]: sic Diabolus qui est mercator peccati, [...]stendit fatuo peccatori solum caput pa [...]ni, i. delectationem culpae, nō medium, i. remorsum conscientia, vel finem, i. poenam gehennae. Bon [...]uent. di [...]ta salut. c. 2. like a deceitfull Draper (saith one,) to draw men on vnto sinne, sheweth them the present pleasure or profit of sinne as the one end of the cloth, but concealeth and keepeth out of sight the middle and the other end of it in the internall remorse here, and the eternall punishment hereafter. Then there is the world, which our selues are wont to say is wholly set vpon deceit, and the Spirit of God saith 1 Iohn 5. 19. [...]. is wholly set vpon sin: of whom we may well say as one sometime [Page] of an Historian, [...]. Plutarch. de Herodoto. Both the words and the shewes of it are all full of fraud. Yea there is lastly our owne Heart as fraudulent and deceitfull as any of them. For, Ierem. 17. 9. The heart of man, saith Ieremie, is wicked and deceitfull aboue all things: who can know it? So deceitfull, that oft-times Galat. 6. 3. it deceiueth a mans owne selfe, and so consequently Iam. 1. 26. Read Dike of Selfe-deceit. it selfe. Hauing to deale then with such craftie ones, we had need to be exceeding warie, that they take nothing vp from them, that they shall offer to obtrude on vs, either by outward perswasion, or inward suggestion, or otherwise, especially where there shall be some good ground and iust cause of suspition, vntill we haue turned it euery way, and tryed it by the light of Gods Law, Galat. 6. 4. [...]. examined both ends, weighed well euery circumstance, and searched euery corner of it; that we may haue Rom. 14. 5. [...]. Benè siquidem praecipiunt, qui vetant quicquam agere quod dubites aequum sit an iniquum. Cic. Offic. l. 1. Tutius (que) istud cautissimi cuiusque praeceptum, Qu [...]d dubites, ne feceris. Plin. ep 18. l 1. good assurance, as the Apostle willeth, of the lawfulnesse and the warrantablenesse of it, before we venture vpon the admission of it to consent, or to practise.

§. 19. This was Dauids course: Psalm. 119. 24. Thy testimonies (saith he) are my comfort and my counsell. Dauid was a very wise Prince himselfe, 2 Sam. 14. 20. prudent like an Angell of God, as the woman sometime told him. And he had besides a learned Councell about him; Achitophel among the rest, 2 Sam. 16. 23. One whose words went in those dayes for Oracles. But yet had Dauid a Counsellor beyond and aboue all these, to wit, the voice of God himselfe in his word: This had a negatiue voice in all Dauids consultations; so that though the matter propounded seemed good in his owne [Page] eyes, yea and had the approbation of his learned Councell withall, yet if this his head Counsellor went not with it, it was not for Dauid to deale with. And this Counsellor so long as Dauid hearkned vnto (for sometime to his owne woe he ouer-shot himselfe by neglecting it; but for the most part he did so) so long he did well, and thriued and found comfort, and had prosperous successe in whatsoeuer he went about. And the like must we doe, if we desire to fare as he did; make Gods word our Counsellour, if we would haue it our comforter: doe as worldly-wise and warie men are wont to doe; they will doe nothing without counsell; If they dwell neere to a Lawyer, whom they may freely repaire and haue accesse to vpon euery occasion, and of whom they may haue counsell, and cost them nothing, as oft as they will, they will be sure to doe nothing of moment, where the least matter of doubt or suspition of danger may be, without his aduice. And such a Counsellor haue we Deut. 30. 12, 13, 14. Rom. 10. 8. euer at hand with vs, ready on all occasions to aduise vs, neuer weary of conferring with vs, Esai. 30. 1. & 31. 1. Prou. 1. 25. Non est verendum, ne dedignetur condescendere nobis, qui potius si v [...]l ex iguum quid absque illo [...], indignatur. Bern. in Cant. serm. 17. angry with vs for nothing but either for not asking or not following his aduice; whom therefore if we shall neglect to consult with, and take counsell of vpon euery iust occasion, the common warinesse of worldly men, yea our owne warinesse in worldly things will one day worthily condemne vs.

§. 20. Yet is this that that most men can be hardly drawne to condescend vnto, to take aduice of Gods word, that is so willing to aduise [Page] them. There is none but would haue comfort from it: and there is none almost willing to take counsell of it. We like all well to haue a Comforter of it; but we haue no lust to make a Counsellor of it. But as Dauid, and Gods Spirit by Dauid ioyneth these two together: so Matth. 19. 6. we must not disioyne or seuer them the one from the other; or if we doe, we shall but delude our selues with vaine hopes. For he that taketh not counsell of Gods word, shall neuer receiue comfort from Gods word. He that maketh it not a Counsellor, shall neuer finde it a Comforter.

The neglect of this hath beene the cause that many, wise otherwise and religious, haue oft shamefully ouer-shot themselues, because (with Iosh. 9. 16. Ioshua and the Israelites in their agreements with the Gibeonites) they haue not beene carefull to consult with the voice of God in his word. In which kinde commeth iustly to be censured the vnaduised cariage of those that practise first and aduise afterward: runne on head into ambiguous actions, and then after fall to examining whether they haue done well, and as they ought in them, or no. Of which course well saith the Wiseman; Prou. 20. 25. Serò a [...]que stultè (prius quod factum opo [...]tuit) postquam com [...]dit rem, rati [...] nem putat. Plaut. Trinum. 2 4. It is a snare for a man to deuoure a thing consecrated, and then afterward to inquire of the vow. A man is ensnared and entangled now by his owne act; so that he is not so free, [...]malè verum examinat omnis Corruptus iudex. Horat. ser. 2. lib. 2. nor fit now to iudge aright of it, because his practise hath forestalled, and (as it may fall out) corrupted and peruerted his iudgement: ready therefore as Quisque sua in lite est iudex corruptus. one partiall in his owne cause, or as a Iudge that hath taken somewhat [Page] of the one side, to passe no sincere, nor indifferent sentence.

§. 17. As also their preposterous course commeth here not vnworthily to be taxed, that first resolue, & then consult; determine first what they will doe, and then aske aduice what they should doe. Thus did the Iewish Captaines sometime with Ieremie. Ierem. 42. 2, [...]7. They come to him very demurely, and make deepe protestations, calling God solemnly to witnesse of the truth of their intention, of their willing minde and full purpose to put in execution and practise whatsoeuer God by the Prophet should aduise them vnto, were it good or bad. But (as Ierem. 42. 20. Ieremie after truly told them) they dissembled but with him. For they were resolued before what course they would take; and came onely to make triall whether the Prophet would concurre therein with them or no. Which when they found that he did not, they flie off fairely from him; yea they sticke not to giue him the lie, and to tell him to his teeth, Ierem. 43. 2, 3. that the answer he brought them was no diuine Oracle, but an vntruth of his owne coyning at the instigation of Baruc. And in like manner doe many now adayes repaire to Gods Ministers for their opinion in cases of conscience concerning the lawfulnesse of some act that they are resolued on already; that if they deliuer their opinions with them, they may then be able to say, they had the iudgment of good Diuines for it, before they did it, or attempted ought in it, to stop the mouthes of those with that may afterward question it: but whether they concurre or [Page] no, resolued to goe on, and so oft doe directly contrary to the iudgement and aduice of those whom they made shew to consult with. I say not, but that a man consulting with a Diuine, if he receiue not good satisfaction from him, is free still notwithstanding his sentence. But [...]. Ariani Epictet. l. 2. c. 7. Et c. 21. [...]. for a man to resort to Malac. 2. 7. Gods Ministers and Messengers for aduice, when he is resolued before what he will doe, how soeuer they shall aduise, or how soeuer he may be conuinced by Gods word of the contrary, is no other but a meere mockerie both of them, and of him; yea and, as it falleth out oft, a meanes of deluding himselfe too, and betraying his owne soule to sin: the rather while Ezech. 14▪ 9, 10, 11. God in his iust iudgement many times fitteth such hypocriticall Consulters with such corrupt Counsellors, as speake not what they deeme agreeable to Gods holy will and word, but what they suppose the partie resorting to them is willing to heare.

§. 18. A second point wherein this spirituallPoint 2. Watch consisteth, is, the diligent Obseruation of our owne speciall corruptions. 1 Pet. 2. 11. I beseech you, brethren, saith the Apostle, as Pilgrims and Strangers, abstaine from fleshly lusts, that fight against the soule Sinne is the maine enemie and the 1 Cor. 15. 56. bane of mans soule. And Omnia vitia contra naturam pugnant. Senec. ep. 112. Et cùm constet omnes ab omnibus impugnari, diuerse tamen modo & ordine singuli laboramus. Serapion. apud C [...]ssian. collat. 5. c. 13. all sinnes in generall fight against euery mans soule; but some sinnes more specially against some then against others. And as in the world, where two neighbour kingdomes are at open warre either with other, there is an hostilitie in generall betweene all the Subiects of either, euen between those that neuer bore armes against, [Page] nor euer saw either other; but this hostilitie is more specially executed and exercised betweene those that either border either vpon other, or are vp in armes in the field together either against other: So here, there is a generall hostilitie betweene each Soule and all Sinne, but that exercised in more speciall manner betweene each particular soule and some peculiar sinnes; and these commonly of two sorts, the sinnes of a mans calling or particular vocation, and the sinnes of a mans nature, or of his naturall constitution.

§. 19. First, the sinnes of a mans Calling; vnder which head also may be comprehended the sinnes either of the places that men abide in, or of the times that they liue in.

When I say the sinnes of a mans Calling, it is not so to be vnderstood, as if the workes or duties of any lawfull Calling were euill or sinfull in themselues: but that a man by occasion of his place and vocation, or his course of life and conuersation, may haue more, and more frequent occasions of some sinnes then of others, greater and stronger inducements and inticements to some sinnes then to others, which he is therefore more specially to keepe watch against. Thus the Courtiers sinne is with 2 King. 5. 1 [...]. Naaman to make a God of his Prince, in being content to please the one by displeasing the other: The Captaines sinne with 1 King. 2. 5. Ioab, to be a man of bloud, ready to vse, or abuse his weapon rather, to priuate reuenge: Luk. 3. 14. Populatore [...] terrae, quam à populationibꝰ vindicar [...] debebant. C [...]t. degest. Alex. lib. 3. The Souldiers sinne to pill and spoyle, and make a prey of those whom hee ought to protect: [Page] Patron [...] praeu [...] ricatur & decipi [...]. Cyprian. lib. 2▪ [...]p. 2. The Lawyers sinne to betray, or to delay his Clients cause, to draw the more fees from him: Esai. 1. 23. Mica 7. 3. The Iudges sinne to peruert iudgement, or to refuse to doe iustice, for feare, fauour, or reward: Ezech. 13. 16, 22. The Ministers sinne to sooth vp men in their sinne, or Ier. 1. 17. & 20. 9. to forbeare to reproue sinne for feare of mans face: The Handy-craftmans sinne to Ezech. 13. 11. doe his worke deceitfully and vnfaithfully, there especially where he thinketh that he cannot be discouered: The Tradesmans sinne Amos 8. 5, 6. Sirac. 27. 1, 2. to vse lying and fraud in the vttering of his wares: Mica 2. 1, 2. The sinne of great men to be oppressors of the poore: and the sinne of the meaner and poorer fort Esai. 8. 21. to be discontent with their estate, [...] miscrorū, vt maleuolentes sint, atque inuideant bon [...]s▪ Plaut. capt. 3. 4. to enuie those that exceed them, and to be instruments of euill offices for their owne aduantage to others. And so vpon each course of life and Calling are there some speciall sinnes attending, which those therefore that follow it are the more subiect vnto, and more in danger to be surprised by, then by many, or ordinarily by any other.

Againe, when it is said that the sinnes are to be obserued of the times and places that men liue in; it is not so to be conceiued, as if all sinnes were not in some sort to be found in all places, or Hominum sunt ista non temporum: nulla aetas vacabit à culpa. Se [...] ep. 97. as if all sinnes had not beene more or lesse in all ages; but that - ardet vitio gentisque suoque. Ouid. de Tereo Metam▪ l. 6. Omnes gent [...] peculiaria [...] mala: Gothorum gens perfida est, Alanorum impudica, Franci mendaces, Saxones crude [...]es. Saluian. de prouid. l. 7. Geni Saxonum fera est, Francorum infidelis, Gepidarū inhumana, H [...]nnorum impudica: omnium vita vitiosa. Ibid. 4. Sunt tam [...]uitatum, quàm singulorum hominū mores: gentesque alia iracundae, aliae audaces, quaedam timida; in vinum, in Ven [...]rem pronicres aliae sunt. Liv. hist. l. 45. some sinnes in some places are rifer then others, some sinnes in some ages more in request then some other: as some diseases raigne more in some places then in others, some infirmities are [Page] more frequent at some times then at others: which those therefore that liue in such times or such places, must more specially watch against, as being more in danger to be infected and tainted therewith.

§. 20. The second sort of speciall corruptions are the sinnes of a mans nature, or of his naturall constitution, such as he is naturally more addicted and inclined vnto then vnto other. For as it is with the bodie, so is it also with the soule. As in euery mans bodie there is a generall mixture of all the foure humours, Bloud, Fleame, and the two Cholers, in some degree more or lesse, but there is some one of them predominant, in regard whereof a man is said to be of a Sanguine, a Flegmatike, a Melancholike, or a Cholerike Constitution: or as in grounds vntoiled and vntilled there grow euill weeds of all sorts, but there is some one commonly that ouer-toppeth the residue, and groweth rifer and rancker vsually then the rest: So in the soule of man (since the fall of our first Parents [...]. Empedoclis vocabulum apud Aristot. de gener. animal. l. 4. c. 3. a generall seed-plot of euill) there are spirituall weeds of all sorts, a mixture of all vice, the seed and spawne of all sinne, Ephes. 2. 12. [...]. Et cupidi omnes, & maligni omnes, & timidi omnes, & ambitiosi; adijce & impij omnes. Sen. de benes. l. 5. c. 17. Atheisme it selfe not excepted: but there is Nullū mihi m [...]rbi genus ign [...]ū est: vni tamen morbo quasi assignatꝰ sum. Se [...]. epist. 55. some one pestilent Humour or other lightly more predominant then the rest, some one maine and master vice, that giueth a denomination, in regard whereof men are said to be, some ambitious, some couetous, some superstitious, some lasciuious, and the like: not as if such persons had no other vice, but that that they are so named by: for it is most true that the Heathen man saith, [Page] Qui [...] [...] ▪ vitiū, [...]abet oīa. Sē. de ben [...]f. l. 5. c. 15. Malus quis (que) nullo vitio vaca [...]. Ibid. l. 4. c. 27. He that hath any one vice, hath all other with it; but Stulius oī [...]iti. 1 habet [...] sed non in omnia natura pronus est. Senec. de ben [...]f lib. 4. cap. 27. Omnia in omnibus vitia sunt; sed non omnia in singulis extant. Ibid. c. 26. Omnia omnibus insunt; s [...]d in quibusdam singula eminent. Ibid. c 27. because that beareth the sway, though the other be all there too in a lower, and a lesse eminent degree. This is that which Dauid seemeth to haue aimed at when he saith; Psal. 18. 23. I was vpright also with him, and kept my selfe from mine owne sinne, Eas [...]ie in Ps. 51. Euery Dauid (saith one well) hath his Bathsheba, and euery Bathsheba her Dauid. Dauid had no doubt his sinne, Dilecta delicta. his beloued, his deare, his darling sinne, that which naturally he delighted in and was addicted vnto. And so hath euery man ordinarily some one corruption or other, that is the delight of his heart and the ioy of his eyes, that he is naturally most wedded vnto, most caried away with.

Now Alia in alijs vitia principatum obtinent, tyrannidem exercent: ideoque oportet vnuniquemque nostru [...] secundum qualitatē belli quo principaliter infestatur, p [...]gnam ar [...]ipere: v [...]que vitia in nobis principatum tenent, ita imp [...]gnationis modus exigitur▪ &c. B [...]r. de ord. vitae. Et Cass. collat. 6. c 27. this maine sinne, this master sinne is it that we must principally bend our Watch against; as 1 King. 22. 31. 2 Chron [...]. 30. Sic & Agesilaus de Ep [...], teste Plut. in apopth. the King of Aram bade his souldiers fight neither against more nor lesse, but against the King of Israel. For as 1 King. 22. 36. when he was once slaine, the whole Hoast was soone vanquished: so if this master sinne be once mastered in vs, other petie and inferiour ones will the more easily be subdued.

§. 21. But this is it that flesh and bloud will not abide almost to heare ought of. It is in stripping vs of sinne, as in flaying of a beast, the skin commeth away with ease, till you come to the head. Men are well enough content, at least outwardly; to conforme themselues to good courses, till it come to the master corruption, to the head sinne; to the Hab. 1. 16. fat sinne that their profit commeth in by, [Page] or their Io [...] [...]0. 1 [...]. sweet sinne that they doe naturally take pleasure and delight in: but there it sticketh fast, and goeth not on, (if at all) without much adoe, but with great difficultie.

The worldly minded for other matters will be as conformable as you will desire: But for his State-sinne, or his Trade-sinne, with 2 King. 5. 18. Naaman, he must haue a protection, that must not be stirred, it may not be touched: he will doe any thing else that you will haue him; but therein must God be mercifull vnto him: It is a thing incident to his trade and course of life; he cannot doe otherwise; it is his liuing; and it is no other then euery one doth: and if he should not doe so as well as others, there were no liuing for him in the world. A wretched speech of a distrustfull heart, refusing to trust him with the bodie, whom they would seeme to trust with the soule. Fides faemem non formidat. Hieron. ad Heliodor. ex Tertull. de idololat. Matth. 6. 30, 31. Faith (saith one well) feareth no famine. Yea a fearefull signe of an vngratious heart, louing and regarding 1 Tim. 6. 5. gaine more then godlinesse, and preferring temporall liuing before life euerlasting. Matth 5 26, 27. & 18. 8, 9. It is better, saith our Sauiour, to goe halt and blinde to heauen, then to goe with health and sight to hell. So it is farre better for a man, with Luk. 16. 20, 21, 22. Lazarus, to beg and starue in the streets, and so to be conueighed hence to heauen; then, with Luk. 16. 22, 23. the richman at whose doore he lay, to liue in good fashion, or gather a great estate together here, and then be Luk. 12. 20. snatched away hence to hell.

§. 22. Yea, but it is not our fault; it is the fault of the times; or, it is the fault of the Land, or the Citie, that we doe as we doe. To omit, that [Page] Qu [...]dam locis [...] temporibus ascribimus: at illa quocunqu [...] transierimus, sec [...]tura sunt. Intelligas tua vitia esse, quae puta [...] rerum. Sen. epist. 50. we ascribe oft those things to the times and places we liue in, that indeed proceed principally from our selues and our owne corrupt hearts: like the Philosophers foole Fatua s [...]bito videre destit; & nescit esse se c [...]cam: ait domum esse tenebrosam. Ibid. that complained the roome was so darke she could not see, when shee had sodainely by some disease lost her sight. The rifer any euill is in those places or ages we liue in, the more carefull should we be to shun and auoid such a sinne. Ephes. 5. 25, 16. Take heed, saith the Apostle, that you walke circumspectly, not as fooles, but as wise men; because the dayes are euill. Are the times then we liue in, or the places we abide in, more then ordinarily euill in this or that kinde? That giueth vs no libertie; but should make vs walke the more warily; as men that liue in bad aires, or in time of generall contagion, are more carefull to fence and arme themselues by taking of preseruatiues, eating in the morning ere they goe abroad, carying some things about them to smell to, &c. against danger of infection: that we may be like Pisces in sal [...] [...] ti & alti, salem tamen non referunt. Lips. constat. lib. 2. cap. 16. the fish, that though it liue and swim in the salt sea, yet it tasteth not of the salt: that it may be said of vs as it was of Noa, Genes. 6. 9. But Noah was a iust man in his generation: not, Non iuxta consummatā iustitiam, sed iuxta iustitiam generationis su [...]. Hier. quaest. in Gen. Sicut Senec. ad Mart. consol. cap. 1. Illo saeculo magna pietas erat, [...]ih il impiè facere. a iust man as iust men went in those dayes, (Non est bonitas possimis esse mel [...]orem. Senec ep. 79. that were but a poore praise of so worthy a Patriarke) but Solus iustus, cum generatio omnis erraret. Ambr. de arca Noe, refaren [...]e Aug. ad 2. Epist. Pelag. l. 4. c. 11. Noah was a iust man in that generation wherein the whole world was ouer-growne with wickednesse; he continued iust then when there were none almost iust but himselfe and his familie, and Gen. 9. 22, 25. not all of them neither.

Let vs remember in this case that as it is an height of impietie and vngodlinesse for a man [Page] Esai. 26. 10. & 65. 20. esse m [...]dum inter [...], [...] prauitatis. to be bad in a good age, and to continue vnreformed in a time of generall reformation; so it is a speciall commendation, and a note of true godlinesse, for a man Esse bonum inter malos, culmen pietats. Nunc licet & fas est; sed [...] sub Principe dur [...], T [...] poribus (que) malis ausus es esse bonus. Martial. epigr. 6. lib. 12. to be good in a bad age, and to continue vncorrupted in times of generall corruption: yea that it is the office of good Christians (that are in their kinde and degree Matth. 5. 14. the light of the world, while they are in the world, as Ioa [...]. 9. 5. & 12. 35, 46. Christ also was when he was in it) Philip. 2. 15. to shine as lights in the middest of a naughtie and peruerse nation, striuing to shew more sinceritie and more zeale and forwardnesse in the best things, the more dissolute the times grow, and the more corrupt those are they liue among; like the lampe that shineth brightest where the aire about it is most darke, or the roome that it is in; and like the fire that burneth hottest and scaldeth most, when the weather is most cold, in the sharpest of winter.

§. 23. Againe, in the like manner it is with men for their natiue corruptions. For to passe from the worldly to the fleshly minded: Come we to the lasciuious and incontinent person; we shall finde him affected as Herod was, Mark. 6. 20. ready to heare Iohn Baptist gladly, and vpon his motion to doe many good matters: but if you begin once to deale with him about his Herodias, Mark 6. 17, 18. he can no longer endure you. Some such haue not sticked openly and plainly to professe, that they cannot, nor will not leaue their lust and their lecherie, no not for the sauing of their soules.

So deale we with the drunkard; we may chance to finde him tractable enough otherwise: but if [Page] you come once to his drinke, to pull the cup from his mouth, or plucke it out of his hand; you may as soone Clauum Herculi extorquere. Macrob. Saturn. l. 5. malū Miloni. Plin. l. 7. c. 20. wring ought out of the fist of some Giant, [...]. Eurip. Cyclop. it is so fast glewed to either: he will make you answer with the vine in Iothams parable; Non possum relinquere vinū meū. Iud 9. 13. I cannot leaue my wine; nor giue ouer my good fellowship: Malle se [...]itam sibi quàm vinū eripi. Aug. de temp. serm. 131. take away my good liquor, and you take away my life.

So for the angry man, that is of an hastie and a furious disposition: reproue him for his furious and outragious behauiour, his cursing, and banning, and blaspheming of Gods name. What will his answer be, but this? I confesse, it is a fault indeed to doe thus: but you know my nature. I am of a cholericke constitution: and seare fewell is soone fixed. 1 King. 8. 46. Eccles. 7. 20. 1 Iohn 1. 8, 10. Sua cuique sun [...] vitia. Quintil. instit. orat. l. 11. c. 3. Nemo nostrum non peccat: homines sumus, non Dij. Petron. satyr. N [...]mo sine vi [...]ijs est. Senec. l. 2. contro. 5. Nam vitijs n [...]mo sine nascitur. Horat. serm. l. 1 - nec licuit fine cr [...]mine vitam D [...]gere. Virg. Aen. l. 4. Vnicuique dedit vitium natura creato. Propert. l. 2. Et nullum sine venia pl [...]cuit ingenium. Sen. ep. 114. Euery man hath his fault: that is my naturall infirmitie: and it must be borne with. I cannot mend it, and my life lay vpon it. Yea men account it an allsufficient Apologie, and an vnanswerable plea for their grossest corruptions, if they can say but, It is my▪ nature.

Socrates (as Alex. Aphrodis. li. [...]. Et Cicer. li. de fa [...]o. Qui & Stilponem Megaricum natura [...] & malier [...]sum fuisse; sed vitiosam naturam ab [...] sit domit [...], vt nemo v [...]quam vinolen [...]um eum, hemo in eo libidinis vestigium viderit. they report of him) when there came one Zopyrus to Athens that professed by mens physnomie to tell how they were affected, and hauing guessed shrewdly at the matter with many other, was at length brought to him, and after a diligent view of his visage censured him for a man blockish, proud, ambitious, vicious of life, and tainted with many foule matters, whereupon the standers by fell a laughing at him as now out [Page] of his Art; bade them stay their laughter, for the man, he said, spake not amisse: true it was, that he was naturally indeed so affected as Zopyrus had said, but by the helpe of Philosophie he had altred and ouercome nature. Can a naturall man then by naturall helps so restraine and curbe his owne naturall corruptions, that they shall not come to breake forth on him, or to be discouered in him? And cannot Christian men, hauing spirituall and supernaturall helps, doe as much, yea or much more? A foule shame it is for vs, and no small staine to our profession, if by Gods grace assisting vs we cannot doe that, which by humane learning alone Heathen men haue effected before vs: Not to adde, what our Sauiour saith, that, Matth. 5. 20, 46, 47. vnlesse we goe beyond such, we shall neuer be saued.

§. 24. Is it a corruption of thy nature? or is it a sinne incident to thy calling, or to thy course of life and condition? Then it is that sinne that God specially calleth thee to keepe watch and ward against. For what neede or vse is there of watching there, where there is no feare or danger of assault? Were it not a wise watching, for men to keepe watch and ward against such enemies as are many hundred miles off them, and neglect those the meane while that are neerer at hand with them, ready euery houre almost to be setting vpon them? If there were (as oft there hath beene) hostilitie betweene France and vs; were it a wise part, or would it deserue the name of watching, to set some about the Cinque-ports to keepe out Turkish men of warre, but to let French-bottomes [Page] passe freely in and out to land forces at their pleasure? Sua quisque vitia fugiat: nam aliena non nocebunt. Guigo Carth. medit. c. 2. They are thine owne corruptions, not other mens, that wage warre against thy soule: those it standeth thee therefore in hand to keepe watch and ward against; because those they are that thou standest most in danger of; and Variae sunt in hominibus morum conspersiones; quas a [...]tendens Diabolꝰ, ex ea parte tentationem applicat, qua hominem pro conspersionis ratione ad peccatum inclinantē conspe [...]erit. Bern. de [...]rd. vitae. those they are that the Deuill is readiest to assault thee withall: such as are the sinnes either of thy birth and constitution, or of thy breed and education, or of thy course of life and conuersation, or of thy state and condition, or of the times thou liuest in, or of the places thou abidest in; which becausePoint 3. they be neerest or deerest vnto thee, thou maist soonest therefore be drawne away by them, and canst hardliest in that regard be withdrawne away from them.

§. 25. A third point or head of this spirituall Watch, is the carefull auoidance of all occasions of euill. Prou. 22. 3. & 27. 12. A prudent man, saith Salomon, foreseeth the plague, and hideth himselfe: but the foolish goe on still, and are plagued. And it is indeed a point of true spirituall wisdome to foresee sinne afarre off in the occasions of euill, and Vitare peccatum est vitare occasiones peccatorum. Melanc. in loc. com. 22. by eschewing the one to preuent the other. Sirac. 21. 2. Flie from sinne (saith Sirachs sonne) as from a Serpent. Quousque vicin [...] serpente tua malè securadormitat industria? Bern. epist. 125. Circa serpentis antrum positus non eris diu illaesus. Isidor. solil [...]q. l. 2. He were euill aduised that would sleepe neere the hole where he knew that a Serpent harboured; or that seeing a Serpent making toward him, would vse no meanes to keepe it from him, till it got within reach of him; alledging for himselfe that Noxia serpentū est admisto sanguine pestis: Morsu virus habent, & fatum in dente minantur. Lucan. b [...]ll. Pharsal. l. 9.▪ he were safe enough, so long as the Serpent fastneth not vpon him. Praeoccupanaꝰ est aditus cunctis insidijs, ne hostilitas prior obrepens [...]ccurrat improuidis. Autor de singular. Cleric. Nor were they better then starke [Page] fooles, that should sit still and suffer the enemie, whom they were informed to be vp in armes and comming for them, to enter their territorie, approach their Citie, sit downe before it, and raise rampires against it; pretending the meane while, that all is well enough with them (what should they need to feare or care?) so long as their walls are not scaled, nor the Citie it selfe surprized: The latter is like enough soone to follow, if way be giuen to the former. In like manner here Qui peccati occasiones non fugit, necipsum à se peccatum sem [...]uet. S [...]ella in Luc. 11. it is but a sorrie watching that we hold against sinne, vnlesse we keepe watch withall against the occasions of euill. If we wax remisse in our watching against the one, we shall soone be surprized and subdued by the other.

It was the wile that Genes. 3. 1. - 7. that wilie one vsed against our first parents, and by it preuailed with them. He would haue the woman at first but goe and see the forbidden fruit; Ocul [...]s tendo, non manum; non est interdictum ne videam, sed ne comedam. Ber [...], de bumil. grad. 4. though they were not to eat of it, yet they might lawfully enough looke on it; it was the taste, not the view of it that God had forbidden them. But Quid tuū malū, ô mulier, tam intentè intueru? quid illô tam crebrò vagantia [...]mina iacis? quid spectare libet, quod manduca [...]e non licet. Bern. ibid. What meanest thou, O woman, (saith one of the Ancients) to eye thine owne bane so wishfully? Why shouldest thou haue such a minde to gaze on that which thou maist not meddle with? And indeed it fell out full vnhappily with her; as with the fish, [...]. - Oppian. depiscat. l. 3. that is nibbling so long vpon the bait, till at length it be suddenly vnawares caught with the hook. ForEtsi culpa non est, culpae tamen occasio est: & indicium est commissae, & causa est c [...]mmittendae. Ibid. from gazing vpon it she proceeded to gaping after it; and from sight and view to touch and taste, to Hausit virus peritura, & perituros paritura. Bernard. ibid. the taking in of that that proued the bane both of her and hers.

[Page]And it is the course whereby Satan yet to this day preuaileth with a many; such especially as seeme to make any conscience of their courses; by drawing them into bad company, combining and linking them in league with lewd ones, egging them on to vnnecessary contentions and Law-suits, enticing them to some kinde of lawfull, but dangerous delights, and such like wiles at the first sight not appearing to be such, hee leadeth them into such sinnes as themselues at first intended not, nor once dreamed (it may be) that they should euer be drawne vnto.

§. 26. To this purpose as the Apostle Paul saith of the Ministers of the word, that they must not 2 Tim. 2. 4. [...]. intangle themselues with worldly affaires: thereby implying that the Minister of God by giuing way to multiplicitie of worldly businesses, though he intend not in so doing to neglect or grow slacke in the worke of his owne function, yet may come to be so pusseld and snarld in them, that he shall not be able to get well out againe when he is once in. and so may be, beside his purpose, with-drawne from that which he should 1 Tim. 4. 13. principally attend. So the Apostle Peter of many Christians, that 2 Pet. 2. 20. hauing escaped the defilements of this world (that is, such sinnes as worldly men are wont to be ordinarily defiled with) by being [...]. Saepe familiaritas implicauit. Saepe occasio peccandi voluntatem fecit. Isid. soliloq. l. 2. intangled, (to wit, in the like occasions of sinne, and such 2 Tim. 2. 26. snares as Satan had in the same set for them) they come at length to be ouercome and vanquisht againe; to wit, by being drawne againe to the practise of such [Page] foule enormities as in themselues they had formerly reformed.

In regard whereof it is that our Sauiour doth admonish his Disciples to Matth. 26. 41. Watch and pray, that they enter not into temptation. For that Non facilè esuri [...] pofita reti [...]ebere mensa: Et multum saliens incitat vndae sitim. Ouid▪ remed. l. 2. if they doe enter, an hundred to one it is, (such is mans naturall weaknesse and pronenesse to euill) that they come not out without some foile. And Et oratione operatio, & operatione fulciatur oratio. Hieron. ad Thren. 3. 41. & Greg. Rō. moral. l. 18. c. 3. & Isidor. de sum. bon. l. [...]. c. 7. agreeable to our prayer should our practise be; or else it is but a mock-praier, and a mockery of him whom we pray to. As we are taught to pray that we may not enter into temptation; so must wee take [...]eed how we offer our selues vnto temptation. Else Tanta solicitudine petere audebis, quod in te posit [...]m recusabis? Tertull. exhort. ad castit. what is it but a meere mocking of God, to aske that of God, which wee wilfully deny to our selues, when we might haue it? Or [...]; Manuel Palaecl. ad fil. how can we hope that God should heare vs when we heare not our selues, when we refuse to put an Amen to our owne prayer? Wee must 1 Thess. 5. 22. Quicquid male coloratū fuerit Bern. de consid. l. 3. shun, saith the Apostle, and be shie of the very shew and shadow of sinne: be afraid, not, with [...]lammam puellus digito ab [...]xusto pauet, & ca [...]et etiam. the burnt childe, of the fire, and the flame only; but of the very smoake it selfe of sinne: remembring that Semper, in s [...]ito, flamma fumo proxima est: Fumo cō [...]uri vt nil possit, flāma potest. Plaut. Curcul. 1. [...]. though the smoake can doe no great hurt it selfe, yet the fire that may burne vs shrewdly, is not farre from it.

§. 27. Where commeth to be met with the idle plea of those, who when they are admonished or aduised to forbeare some courses, some companies, that may in this kinde proue preiudiciall and dangerous vnto them, are wont to say; Why? Is it not lawfull to doe this or that? or, Is it simply vnlawfull to be in such and such company? Yea but, saith [Page] the Apostle to such; 1 Cor. 6. 12. & 10. 23. Sicut non omne quod libet, licet: sic non omne quod licet, sta [...]im etiam expedit. Bern. ep. 25. All things (that is, all things in their owne nature indifferent) are lawfull: but all (such) things are not expedient. Things in themselues lawfull, in the vse of them proue oft inexpedient; and then become they in that regard, and so farre forth vnlawfull to vs. The vse of a thing and the abuse of it are many times so close twined and twisted together, that a man cannot lay hold on the one but he shall be taken with the other; he cannot pull the one to him, but the other will come with it and accompany it in spight of his heart, though he doe not desire the company of it, or to haue any dealing at all with it.

Yea sure it is (as one well saith) that [...]. Clem. Alex. paedag. l. 2. c. 1. Hee that will needs doe all that euer he may doe, will be soone drawne to doe somewhat also that he ought not to doe. And better it were for a man to forbeare many things that he might doe; (there is no hurt in such forbearance; 1 Sam. 25. 31. it will neuer begriefe or offence of heart to him, as shee said to Dauid in another case, that hee hath so done) then by venturing so farre betweene winde and water, in what he may doe, to be but once ouertaken in what he should not doe; which may proue a corasiue to him as long as he liueth.

And certainly as F [...]cte ambulare, vbi à d [...]xtra spatiosa est terra, nec angustias pateris, à laeualocus est praeceps; vbi eligas incedere? super finem terrae in praecipitij labro, an longè inde? puto quia longè inde. Aug. de verb. Ap. 28. it were but a fond course for a man that is trauelling by the way, when hee hath a faire broad path to walke in, to presse so neere Verendū est dormienti in ripa, ne cadat. Autor. de singul [...]. the brinke or banke of a brooke that runneth along by it, and that, Vbi non in prae [...]upto tantum stabis, sed us lubrico. Sen [...]c. epist. 84. where the ground is slippery, and when the wind is high and bloweth stiffe, that Proximus peri [...]lo di [...] tutus non eris I [...]dor. soliloq. l. 2. - [...]emo se tutò diu Periculis offerre tam crebris potest. Sē. Herc. fur. 2. ten to one he is in ouer shoes, if not [Page] ouer head and eares, ere he goe far, yea that at euery step almost he is in danger to slip in: So here it is a very vnwise and improuident cariage, for a man, when hee hath the Psal. 119. 96. broad rhoad of Gods law, giuing him scope enough to walke at large without danger in the vse of Gods good creatures and in the ordering of his courses, yet to presse needlesly so neere vpon the borders and confines of sinne, that as Dauid saith to Ionathan, 1 Sam. 20. 3. as sure as God liueth, there is but a step betweene death and me; so there is but a step betweene sinne and them; or as he of men at sea, [...]. Anacharsis apud Laert.- [...]. Arat. Phaenon. 27. [...]. [...]. Theō. schol. I nunc, & ventis animā committe dolato Confisus ligno, digitis à morte remot (que) Quatuor, aut septem, si sit latissima taeda. Iuven. sat. 14. Aud [...]x nimium, qui [...]reta primus Rate tam fragili perfidrupit, Terrasque suas post terga videns, Animam leuibus credidit Euris; Dubioque secans aequora cursu, potuit t [...]nui fidere ligno, Inter vitae mortisque vias Nimium gracili limite ducto. Senec. in Med. act. 2. Nam prope [...]am letum, quàm prope cernit aquam. O [...]id. de Pont. lib. 2. but a three inch plancke betweene them and death; so but an inch or two betweene them and that that may be their bane and the very break-necke of their soule: and that step or inch further may the Deuill soone push them, or the very swinge and sway of their owne corruption may of it selfe easily cary them.

For Prou. 15. 24. [...]. Hesiod. - facilis descensus A [...]erni. Sed reuocare gradum, superasque ascendere ad aur as, Hit labor, hoc opus est. - Virg. Ae [...]. it is in going to God-ward, as in climbing an hill; a man shall be enforced to stay and breath himselfe oft ere hee would; Omne in praecipiti vitium stetit. - Iure [...]. sat. 1. Facilis in procliuia vitiorum decursus est. Senec. de ira lib. 2. cap. 1. Per procliue currentium non vbi visum est gradus [...]stitur, sed incitato corporis pondere se rapit, & longius quàm voluit effertur. Idem epis [...]. 40. Non gradu, sed praecipiti cursu à virtute desciscitur, ad vitia transcurritur. Vbi semel d [...]rratum est, in praeceps peruenitur, adc [...] matur [...] à rectis in praua, à prauis in praecipitia peruenitur. Pater [...]. hist. lib. 2. it is in walking to sin-ward as in running downe an hill; a man shall not be able to take vp his fierce and disordered affections, [Page] and to stay himselfe where hee would: Mens cùm ad meliora enititur, quasi contra ictum flaminis conatur: cùm verò ab intentione ascendendi resoluitur, sine labore ad ima relabitur. Quia enim in ascensu labor est, in descensu otium, nisi mentis contentio serueat, vnda mundi non vincitur, per quam animus semper ad ima reuocatur. Greg. moral. lib. 11. c. 28. A man is carried with the strong streame of his owne affections in the one, hee must striue and struggle against the maine current, yea the swift and stiffe torrent of his owne corruptions in the other: so that Non vides quam diuersus sit ascendentium habitꝰ & descendentium: qui per pronum eunt, resupinant corpora, qui in arduum incumbunt. nam- se descendas, pondus suum in priorē partem dare; si ascendas, retrò abducere, cum vitio consentire est. In voluptates descenditur; in res asperas & duras subeundum est. bîc impellamꝰ corpora, illic refraen [...]mus. Sē, ep. 123. vnlesse he striue and straine hard, if hee grow but remisse hee will soone be going amaine backward; and when he is once going on toward sinne, or neuer so little gone in sinne, it is not easie for him to stop and stay, when he will.

And how carefull had we need then to bee of keeping aloofe off from that, how fearefull of making toward it, or pressing neere vpon it, which if we doe but approach vnto, we shall hardly keepe out of, if we once chance to step into, wee shall hardly but goe on in; and if we step but once into, may be, if we goe on in, will be our end.

Oh let vs consider then how dangerous it is euen to approach neere to this whirlpit, where we may so soone be wheeled in ere we are aware: let vs take heed how we be Esai. 11. 8. playing about the hole of the Aspe, or neere the den of the Cockatrice: let vs remember that it is in the vse euen of things indifferent that Satan most vsually setteth his snares for Gods seruants: and that hee preuaileth against those that be not grossely prophane and vngodly more often by the immoderate and inordinate vse of things in themselues lawfull, then by drawing them to such things as are simply euill and vnlawfull in themselues. And withall, that it is as [Page] Nam vitare plagas in amoris ne laciaris Non ita difficile est, quàm capiū retibus ipsis Exire, & validos Veneris perrumpere nodos. Lucret. de rerum nat. l. 4. easier, so safer, for the fowle to passe by the snare while she is yet out, then it is to wind her selfe out againe, when she is once in: She is safe enough for being caught, if she keepe aloofe of it; she ventureth catching, though she be not caught, if she come ouer-neere it. Prou. 5. 8. & 4. 15. Id agere debe [...]us, vt vitiorum irritamenta quàm longissimè profugiamus. Sen. epist. 51. Pronimus enim à t [...]ctis aeg [...]è defenditur ignis: Vtile finitimis abstinuisse locis. Ouid. remed. l. 2. Keepe alòofe of her (to wit, the Harlot) saith Salomon lessoning his son, come not so much as once neere the doore where such a one dwelleth. He is in danger that so doth, whether he goe in to her or no. And Exponens se periculo mortalis peccati peccat mortaliter. Gerson. de vita spirit. lect. 4. cor. 8. he sinneth dangerously that wilfully exposeth himselfe to the danger of any sinne.

§. 28. Now in this kinde is more speciall regard to be had, as before of our speciall corruptions, so here of such speciall temptations as wee haue formerly found our selues either to haue fallen, or to haue beene in danger of falling by, Sit verae compunctionis indic [...]ū, opportunitatis fuga, occasionis subtracti [...]: quia non satis piget eccidisse hominem, qui adh [...]c disponit manere in lubrico. Bern. de temp. ser. 56. that we may the more warily for the time to come shun such things, as though not euill in themselues, yet we finde to haue beene formerly occasions of euill vnto vs. Psalm. 119. 37. Qui deponere vult desideria r [...]rū omnium, quarum cupiditate [...], & oculos & aures ab his quae reliquit [...]ertat: alioqui ci [...] rebellat affectus. Se [...]. [...]p. 70. Turne mine eies away, saith Dauid, ô Lord, euen from beholding of vanity: not mine heart onely from affecting it, but mine eies also from beholding it. It is not likely indeed (though some haue so thought) that Dauid penned that Psalme after his foule ouer-sight with Bathsheba: it may seeme rather by the maine matter of it to haue beene made during the time of his exilement vnder Saul, before he came to the crowne. [Page] But [...]. Amphis Com. Nemo libenter recolit, qui laesit, locum. Phaedr [...] fabul. 18. [...]. Dio Chrysoft. orat. 74. Remember where we last fell or stumbled, to take better heed: se doe passengers when they come by a place where they had a fall, remember it and are more warie. Easlie on Psal. 119. - sic disco cauere cadendo. Goodwi [...] Pneumato sarcom. Vise & Lactant. institut. 16. c. 24. well might Dauid, or any other in Dauids case, calling to minde after the like offence, what had beene the occasion of his fall, how by letting his eyes run at randome, and not watching ouer them as he ought, he had come to be caught in Satans snares; well, I say, might such a one pray earnestly vnto God, as Dauid there doth, that his eies as well as his heart might bee kept within compasse, left by the one Satan might come againe to surprise and to seise vpon the other.

Yea not only ought such a one so to pray with Dauid, but to ioyne practise also with his prayer, by Iob 31. 1. making (as Iob sometime did) a couenant with his eies, Inutile est [...]brò videre, per quae aliquando captus sis. Hieronymus ad Ioui [...]ian. lib. 2. that they should no more be fixed and set vpon such obiects as had beene formerly occasions to him of folly and of fall: and so others in the like case to forbeare such company, cast off such acquaintance, shun such priuate familiarities, and breake off such needlesse businesses, as haue beene the meanes formerly to ensnare them vnto sinne. Remembering what the Prophet saith, describing the man that shall both dwell in safety here, and behold the glory of God to his eternall comfort hereafter, that Esai. 33. 14, 15, 16, 17. he is such a one as walketh righteously, and speaketh vprightly, and refuseth gaine by oppression; that shaketh his hands from taking of gifts, (he will not only not consent to doe a man wrong, but will Deuter [...]nem. 16. 19. Munus ex [...]cat oculo [...] sapientum, ( [...]. Pynd. Pyth. ode [...].) & peruertit verba iustorum. not so much as receiue a gift [Page] Ne iniquos accepto munere, si non iuverit, ingratus censeatur, si fouerit, iniustus habeatur. Autor de ocul. moral. c. 6. mirat. 3. whereby hee may bee engaged or enclined so to doe;) and stoppeth his eares from hearing of bloud; (he will not only haue no hand in the shedding of it, but he cannot endure to heare any communing of it;) and lastly, that shutteth his eies from seeing of euill: he not escheweth only the practise of it, but he euen [...]. Clem. Alex. paedag. lib. 3. cap. 5. [...]. Achil. Stat. lib. 1. Vitijs nobis in animum per oculs [...] est via. Quintil. declam. Illud Ier. 9. 21. de morte per fenestras ingrediente, & Thren. 3. 51. de oculo animam depraedante; vti legit Vulgata: ad Satanam per oculorum fenesiras animam depraedantem accommodant Clem. Alex. paedag. lib. 2. cap. 8. Greg. Nazianz. ad Eunom. lib. 1. serm. in Theoph de S. Cyprian. & de Greg. Nyss. Hieron. ad Iovin. lib. 2. Ambros. [...] [...]ug. s [...]c. cap. 2. August. homil. 35. & de honest. mul. cap. 4. Chrysolog [...] homil 39. Greg. Rom moral. lib. 21. cap. 2. & in Psal. poenitent. 4. B [...]n. de humil. grad. & de conuers. cap. 6. & 9. & in Cant. 35. & medit. cap. 14. & de temp. 68. & 80. shunneth the very sight of it, so farre forth as it may be a meanes to inueigle his heart; or the sight of ought that may betray his heart thereunto.

§. 29. The fourth and last point wherein this spirituall Watch consisteth is the constant resistance of temptations vnto euill. Matth. 18. 7. It cannot bee, saith ou [...] Sauiour, but that offences will come: So it cannot [...]e auoided, walke we neuer so warily, but that occasions of euill too too many will be offered. Heerein therefore standeth a further part of this our Watch, as in a carefull auoidance (so much as in vs lieth) of the occasions of sinne that they be not offered: so in a constant resistance of temptations and encitements to euill when they shall be offered, yea when they shall be vrged and enforced vpon vs; that which the Apostles Iames and Peter call Iames 4. 7. 1 Pet. 5. 9. [...]. the withstanding of the Deuill and his instruments; and the Apostle Paul Ephes. 6. 13. [...]. withstanding and standing, or standing firme and fast by standing out, in the euill day, that is, in the time of temptation.

[Page] Ester 6. 1. On that night, saith the story of Assuerus, the Kings sleepe went from him. It is no watching to speake properly, neither is it thank-worthy, for a man to lie awake, because hee cannot sleepe: but when long continuance of waking, and the vsuall houre of rest, and the drowsinesse of his owne braine, and the heauinesse of his eies, and the example of others fast asleepe by him, shall all concurre and conspire as it were to cast him into a slumber, for a man Oculos vigilia fatigatos cadentesque in opere detinere. Senec. epist. 8. then to striue to keepe waking is true watching, and is thank-worthy indeed. So here for a man to keepe himselfe sober, when hee cannot come by wine or strong drinke, or when he wanteth his good-Fellowes to drinke with (for this it is one of those sociable sinnes; there is no life in it without company) it is Necessitas nō habet [...]audem. not thank-worthy, the will is as good, or as bad rather, still as euer. But for a man to bee carefull not to breake the bounds of sobriety, when he shall be in place where wine is plenty, and no restraint of it, and where company will be egging him on, and vrging him with instance to take more then is meet, that is true temperance and praise-worthy indeed. In like manner Nunquam [...]egaui rem alienam: quia fortasse ne [...]o tibi commendauit, vel si quis commendauit, sub testibus commendauit. Dic mihi, Reddidisti, quod à solo solus accepisti? si sic reddidisti, si mortuo qui commendauerat, nescienti filio reddidisti; tunc te la [...]dabo quia post aurū non isti. Aug. de verb. Ap. 19. for a man to keepe a true man, as we say, because he was neuer put in trust, or to deale faithfully, where a due and strict account is taken of his actions; it is no commendation the one, and it is but a very slender commendation (if any at all) the other. But for a man that hath trust reposed in him, and none to looke after him, or to call him to account (as Gen. 39. 6. Ioseph, as 2 King. 12. 15. the work-men about the Temple sometime) to deale then truly [Page] and faithfully, especially when want and penury shall be perswading him to the contrary, Sir [...] 31. 13. qui transgredi potuit, & non transgressus est; & cùm posset mal [...] facere, non fecit. Bonus ille est, qui & quando potest mala facere, non facit. Aug. in Psal. 93. that is indeed a matter of high commendation; that is watching ouer a mans hands and fingers indeed. Thus also for a man to liue chastly and keepe continent, Nulla laus est, non facere, quod facere non potes Ex Lactant. instit. l. 6. [...] [...]3. M [...]. Dum. de [...]or. Nulla laus est ibi esse integrū, vbi nemo est, qui aut possit aut conetur c [...]umpere. Ci [...]. in Verr. orat. 1. when he wanteth his lewd company, or for a woman to liue honestly whom no man looketh after, or Siqua metu demp [...]o casta est, e [...] denique casta est: Qu [...] qui [...] non potuit, non facit, illa facit. O [...]id. [...]r. l. 3. eleg. 4. because she is otherwise looked after, and a narrow watch is set ouer her, deserueth not the name of watchfulnesse in either, yea the heart may be neuer a whit the lesse faultie with either. But for 2 Sam. 13. 12, 13, 14. Tamar to deny Ammons incestuous suit, and to stand out against him, till by meere force shee bee constrained Corpora sanctarū m [...]ierum non vis mac [...]at, sed voluntas. Hieron. quaest. in Gen. Inui [...]a virgo vexari potest, violari non potest. Aug. ep. 180 & 122. & de Ciuit. Dei, lib. 1. cap. 18. & de mend. l. 1. c. 7, 19, 20. & l. 2. c. 19. Vise & Chrysan Psal. 95. to endure rather the dishonest act of another, then to doe any of her owne; for Gen [...]s. 39. 6-13. Ioseph sued and sought to by his Mistresse Vna hac in reblanditur & supplicat, quae in reliquis imperabat. Pelag. ad Dem [...]triad. nec poluit extorquere, quod voluit imper [...]re. Ambros. de Ioseph. [...]ap. 5. that had some kinde of command ouer him, yea vrged and solicited day after day to condescend to her adulterous desires, Magnus vir, qui venditus, seruile tamen nesciuit ingenium; adamatus non [...], rogatus non acqui [...]t, comprehensus a [...]fugit. Ambros. ibid. Vel vt Aug▪ de temp. 83. M. v▪ q [...]i v. seruire tune nesci [...]it, inge [...]uam a. non r. &c. to refuse to yeeld to her allurements, (her inforcements I might well say) and Maluit liber criminis mori, qu [...]m potentie [...]iminosae consortium eligere. Ibid. to choose rather to hazard losse of present liberty (such as then he had) by not sinning, then to gaine further enlargement and aduancement (there might well bee hope of future preferment) by consenting to sinne; it was a part and practise of due watchfulnesse indeed.

[Page]§. 30. Where commeth to bee met with that vaine and idle Apologie that many are wont to make in defence or excuse at least of their inordinate behauiour, that they were prouoked and vrged to doe that they did. Are you not ashamed to be ouerseene with drinke in such sort as to make your selfe a scorne and a laughing stocke to euery one that beheld you, and to become no better then a beast? Oh; saith he, I was vrged to it: I was in company with Chapmen or Customers; (they are those that a man liues by) and I could not doe otherwise then I did. Yea but no man could or can (Infirmus est hostis, nisi volentem non vincit. Pelag. ad Demetriad. Suadere & solicitar [...] potest, cogere omninò non potest. Aug. homil. 12. habet astutiam suadendi, non potestatem cogendi. Idem in Ps. 91. & in Ioan. tract. 12. nor the Deuill himselfe) compell thee to sinne, vnlesse thou wilt thy selfe. And there were no need for thee, or for any man to watch against such sins as these are, if there were no such occasions of falling into them, or if no such temptations to incite or entice thereunto.

Againe, saith another reproued for his outragious behauiour in cursing and banning, swearing and swaggering, and blaspheming, as before; I did nothing but what I was vrged and prouoked vnto: It would haue angred an Angell; it would haue made a Saint sweare, to be vsed as I was, to endure what I did. Alas! and Apoc. 13. 10. & 14. 12. Luk. 21. 16, 17, 19. Virtutes quaedam vt stellae, quae interdiu latent, n [...]cta lucent. Bern. in Cant. ser. 27. Apparet virtus▪ argu [...]urque malis. Ouid. trist. lib 4. el [...]g. 3. Imperia dura t [...]lle: quid virtus erit? Sen. H [...]. fur. act. 2 sc. 2. what vse were there of patience, were there no prouokement to impatience? or what praise is it there to be patient, where there is no occasion (for iust cause none can be) of impatience? Rom. 12. 21. Ne vinc [...]tor à malo. Cur r [...]pis in te id, quod in alio tibi displicet? iram scil. irasceris ergò quia ille irascitur: imò iam tibi irasc [...]re, quia irasceris. Guigo. medit. c. 1. Pas [...] sus [...]s malum? ign [...]sce; ne duo mali sitis. August. in Psal. 54. & in 1. Ioan. tract. 8. [...] igitur [...] sse [...]mo pii [...] & i [...]us p [...]nter eorū malitiam [...], quos fieri bonos q [...]aerit, vt [...] potius crescat bonorum, [...]n vt p [...]ri maliti [...] se queque numero [...]ddat ma [...]rum. Idem epist. 5. Ridiculum est enim [...]dio n [...]ntis p [...]dere innocen [...]m. Sen [...]. r [...]ferente Io [...]n. de Tamb [...]. in [...]onsol. Theol. vel potius M [...]in. Dumi [...]ns. lib. de morib. Nullius tam vehemens nequiti [...]st, vt mot [...] meo dignasit. Symmach. l. 9. [...]p. 105. Shall another mans wickednesse make [Page] thee wicked like him? Wilt thou imitate him in that, wherein thou condemnest him? and be like him in that which thou mislikest in him? Yea shall mans wronging thee make thee wrong God? his abusing thee make thee abuse Gods blessed name? his flying in thy face make thee flie in Gods face? What watching call wee this, for a man to keepe no longer awake, then till his eies begin to grow heauy, and then of his owne accord to settle himselfe vnto sleepe? Or what watching is it to keepe watch and ward, to fence and fortifie, where no assault is made, and to set no watch nor make resistance when we are indeed assaulted? to watch, till we see the enemie whom wee should watch against, approach; and so soone as we descrie him, as Iohn 10. 12. the hireling, when he spieth the Wolfe comming, to leaue instantly and giue ouer our watch? No: it is in regard of continuall danger that wee are in, either by inward defect or by outward default, that this Watch is required: And therefore there must watch be most diligent, where is most likelihood of danger, or where hottest assault is made: Yea continuall watch must bee held and ioyned with resistance, not till assault only be made, but so oft as assault shall bee made, and so long as it shall continue: Which because it will so doe euer euen till we die, this our Watch must continue also euen vnto death.

§. 31. Hitherto then we haue considered of thePart 4. manner of this Watch, and wherein the same doth principally consist: Let vs now further consider of some Meanes of helpe and furtherance, whereby [Page] we may be the better enabled to goe thorow therewith.

The first may bee the practise of Sobrietie andHelpe 1. Temperance, Luk. 21. 34, 36. Take heed, saith our Sauiour, lest at any time your hearts come to bee oppressed or surcharged with surfetting and drunkennesse, and with the cares of this life: and so that day come vpon you and surprize you vnawares: But watch and pray continually. And surely as it is with the body; so is it also with the soule. Temperate diet is a great helpe to bodily watching: and on the other side [...]. Isid. Polus. ep. 130. lib. 1. Saturitas vigilare nescit. Quippe cibum sequitur somnus. - & mult [...] sopor ille grauissimus extat, Quem saturi capiunt. Lucret. l 4. when men haue ouer-liberally eaten and drunke, they are wont to be heauy and drowsie, ready to slumber as they sit, fit for nothing but for sleepe. And no lesse enemie to this spirituall Watch is such riot and excesse. Ephes. 5. 17, 18. Be not filled with wine, (saith the Apostle) wherein is excesse; but be filled with the Spirit: as if when the one went in, the other went out; and there were no roome left for the one, when men are filled so with the other. Wee are wont to say that When the wine goeth in, the wit goeth out: but the Apostle saith, that when wine is thus taken in, the Spirit of God is expelled, (wherwith we should watch) & the Spirit of Satan is entertained, (against which we should watch) and the Temple of the one is made a stie and a stable for the other. For such excesse is a meane euen [...]. Basil. homil. 14. [...]. Synes. de insomn. -nam corpus onustum Hesteruis vitijs animum quoque praegrauat vnâ, Atque affligit humi diuinae particulam aurae. Horat. serm. 2. 2. to drowne the minde, and by casting reason & vnderstanding into a dead & deadly sleepe, to make men vnableto watch against the motions of sinne, Omnibus & virtutibus ianuam claudit, & delictis aperit. Val. Ma [...]. lib. 6. cap. 5. ex. 10. to shut the doore of the heart against all vertue, & to [Page] set it wide open to all vice. By meanes hereof came Genes. 9. 21, 22. Ad vn [...]us horae ebrietatem nudat femora, quae per 600. annos sobrietate cō te [...]erat. Hieron. ad Ocean. Noah to discouer his owne shame in the sight of his sonnes, to his disgrace and reproach. Yea by meanes hereof came Gen. 19. 32-37. per temulentiā nesciens libidi [...]i miscet incestum: & quem Sod [...]ma non vicit, vina vicerunt. Hieron. ibid. Vise Cle [...]. Alex. paedag l 2. c 9. Lot in beastly manner to abuse himselfe by filthy incest with those that came out of his owne loynes, and so became he the father of an accursed bastardly broode. And no maruaile if Sin and Sathan finde free entrance at will, when that is shut out, or laid vp that should watch against either.

§. 32. On the other side [...]. Basil. Caes. homil. 1. Sobrietie is a speciall helpe vnto vigilancie: which the Apostles therefore are wont vsually to ioyne the one with the other. 1 Thess. 5. 6. Let not vs sleepe, as others doe, saith the Apostle Paul; but let vs watch, and be sober. And, 1 Pet. 4. 7. & 5. 8. [...]. Plut. praecept. polit. vigilantes & sobrij. C [...]c. pro Calio. Be sober and watch, saith the Apostle Peter. Which sobrietie also must be vnderstood to consist, not in the temperate taking of meat and drinke only, but in a moderate vsage of all other temporal blessings, such especially as we are wont to take pleasure and delight in. For there is (as the Prophet saith in another sense, Thou that art drunke, but not with wine; and, Esai. 29. 9. They are drunke, but not with wine; and they stagger, but not with strong drinke,) there is, I say (as I haue shewed Of Lots, chap. 9. §. 3. elsewhere) g Esai. 51. 21. [...]. Consule Deus. in Prouerb. [...] 31 32. a drunkennesse without either wine or strong drinke; yea and a surfetting too without flesh or foode. A man may surfet of, and bee drunke with prosperity, with pleasure, with game, with disport, with other the like delights; and may well be said so to doe, when he is so transported with them, so distempered by them, that hee [Page] breaketh forth into such disordered and outragious behauiour; as, of immoderate reioycing, and excessiue laughter, of howting and showting, and of gesture vnseemely, or of fretting and chafing, of cursing and banning, of swearing and blaspheming, or the like, as will not stand with sobriety, and such as they could not but condemne in themselues, were they not for the time in a manner drunke and beside themselues; yea sometime, not such only as all sober minded men would abhor, but - dicisque facisqu [...] quod ipse Non sani esse hominis non sanus iuret Orestes. Pers. sat. 3. such as euen a mad man himselfe, if he be not starke mad, will esteeme to be mad cariage.

§. 33. Whereas some therefore vse to say, when they are rebuked and reproued, as for their abuse of Gods good creatures, so for their drunken and disordered behauiour at game, or otherwise; Is it not lawfull to eat and drinke? and, Is it not lawfull to vse game? and, Is it not lawfull for neighbours to be merry together? Yes vndoubtedly: Christianity enioyneth not, nor exacteth of vs any Stoicall austerity. God hath giuen and granted vs, as Psal. 104. 14, 15. bread to strengthen our bodies, so wine to cheere our hearts withall: he hath liberally afforded vs the free vse of his good creatures, not for necessity alone, but for lawfull delight too. Non enim sequitur, vt cuimens sapit, ei palatum non sapiat. Cic. de fi [...]ib. lib. 1. Neither doth it follow, that Gods children take no delight at all in such outward delights, because they haue other more principall ones that they take farre greater delight in. It is promised as a blessing euen vnto Gods people, that Zach. 8. 5. there should be boies and girles playing together in the streets of Ierusalem: and that Zach. 3. 10. they should haue liberty to inuite and entertaine [Page] either other, each man his friend or his neighbour vnder his vine or his figtree, in his orchard or in his arbour. But can we not vse Gods creatures, vnlesse we abuse them, and make that the bane and poison of our soules, that was giuen vs to bee the food and stay of our bodies? Or Nobis ridere & gaudere non sufficit, nisi cum peccato atque insania gaud [...]amus; nisi risus noster impuritatibu [...], nisi flagitijs misceatur? Nunquid latari & ridere non possumus, nisi risum nostrum atque l [...]titiam scelus esse faciamus? Saluian. de prouident. l. 6. can we not be merry vnlesse we make the deuill our play-fellow? Can we not bee merry, vnlesse wee be mad? Erras, homo, non sunt haec ludicra sed crimina▪ qui iocari voluerit cum Diabolo, non poterit gaudere cum Christo. Chrysol. serm. 155. Is there no mirth at all but in swearing and swaggering, and in blaspheming of Gods blessed name? Rideamus, laetemur quantumlibet iugiter, dummodò innocenter. Quae vecordia est & amentia, vt non put [...]mus [...]isum & gaudium tanti esse, nisi Dei in se habeat iniuriam? Saluian. Ibid. An forte infructuosum putamus gaudium simplex, nec delectat ridere sine crimi [...]e? Ibid. Is our mirth (thinke we) nothing worth, if it be not mixt with profanenesse; if it be not seasoned, or tainted rather, with impietie & vngodlinesse, or with impurity and vncleannesse? Such eating and drinking is accursed eating and drinking: such Luk. 6. 25. O miseri, quorum gaudi [...] crimen habent! Maxim. eleg. 1. mirth is accursed mirth, euill-beseeming any Christian, and such as will at length Pro. 14. 13. end in mourning and woe, yea in eternall mourning and euerlasting woe, if it be not speedily preuented. As the Apostle saith, in regard of others, so is it no lesse true in regard of a mans selfe; Rom. 14. 20. It is euill for a man to eat with offence; and with the disabling of himselfe vnto good duties: And it is euill for a man to vse game or any other lawfull delight in that manner, as it shall bee an occasion, either of stumbling to others, or of sinne and euill to himselfe. And, Rom. 14. 21. It is not good therefore for a man to eat flesh, nor drinke wine, nor vse game, nor doe ought else, whereby either himselfe, or any other [Page] shall be occasioned to sinne. For what we owe vnto others, Rom. 8. 12, 13. we owe much more to our selues; being enioyned Rom. 13. 8, 9. Leuit. 19. 18. Matth. 22. 39. Galat. 5. 14. to loue others indeed, but as our selues. And therefore ought wee to haue a care as well to Tit. 2. 12. liue soberly in regard of our selues, as to Rom. 14. 15. walke charitably in regard of our brethren.

§. 34. The rather are wee to bee heedfull and carefull in this kinde, because (that which made Iob 1. 4, 5. Iob so fearefull and suspitious of his children, lest they should ouer-shoot themselues when they were feasting together) Per voluptatem facilius vitia s [...]rrepunt. Senec. epist. 7. we are more prone to be carried away vnto euill in our pleasures and delights, in mirth and game, in sport and pastime, then amids our sadder and more serious affaires. With these commonly is Satan tempering his poison to infect our soules with vnto death; vnder these is he vsually hiding his hookes to catch vs withall to our destruction: as those that seeke by poyson to make a man away are wont not to minister it alone, but to mixe it with such meat as the party ordinarily feedeth on, and taketh most delight in, or to giue it him in his ordinary drinke; and Et quae piscis edax auido malè deuoret ore, Abdii supr [...]mis aera recuru [...] cibis. Ouid. remed. l. 1. Et sera & piscis spe aliquae obl [...]ctante decipitur. [...]iscata sunt haec, insidiae sunt. [...]. epist. 8. as the Fisher-man baiteth his hooke for each fish with such bait as the fish vsually feedeth on and most greedily gapeth after. Besides that wee are in danger by such meanes to bee soonest surprised of him; as 2 Sam. 13. 28, 29. Ammon was sometime by Absaloms Followers, and 1 King. 16. 9, 10. Elah by Zimry his owne traiterous Seruant, and Iudg. 18. 7, 10, 27. the Citizens of Laish by the children of Dan, for that we are in such cases commonly most secure, and least mistrustfull; and [Page] Tunc maximè oppugnaris, si oppugnari te nescis. Hier. ad Heliodor. the more in danger therefore, the lesse wee misdoubt it, or dreame of it.

§. 35. A second helpe vnto Vigilancie is the society of Saints, the company of those that be godlyHelpe 2. and religious. Eccles. 4. 9, 10. Two, saith the Wiseman, are better then one. For if the one of them fall, the other is at hand to helpe him vp againe. But woe bee to him that is alone. Hic si solus f [...] isset, quo adiutore superasset? Hieron. ad Rustic. Est op [...] auxilio: turba futura tibi est. Ouid. remed. l. 2. For if he fall, he hath none to helpe to raise him againe. A drowsie person, if hee be alone, is ready presently to fall asleepe. But if hee be in company, Magna pars peccatorum tollitur, si peccaturis testis assi [...]iat. Senec. ep. 11. Quid beatius, quid securius, quàm eius [...]odi custodes simul ritae & testes habere? quibus me totum refundam quasi alteri mihi: qui de [...]iare non sinant, fraenent prae [...]ipitem, do [...]itantem excitenc; quorum reuerentia & libertas extollentem [...]eprimat, excedentem corrigat; constantia & fortitudo nutantem firmet, erigat diffidentem, fides & sanctitas ad honesta & sancta prouocet. Bern. de consider. lib. 4. the very presence of others, besides their mutuall conference and discourse, is a good meanes to keepe him awake; and if he begin but to nod, some one or other of the company is ready to iog him on the elbow, and either to keepe him awake, or to awake him soone againe, if on a sodaine he be sleeping. As it is dangerous therefore for a man to be left alone, when hee is heauy, and sleepe may (as after a veine opened or some potion taken) proue preiudiciall vnto him: So Nemo est ex imprudentibus qui relinqui sibi debeat. Senec. epist. 10. Nemo borum est, cui non satius sit cum qu [...]libet esse quam secum. Ibid. 25. it is dangerous for vs in regard of our drowsie disposition to be solitary; Omnia nobis m [...]la solitudo persu [...]det. Senec. epist. 25. Solitudo est, quae virum etiam fortem fortissimè praecipitat in reatum. Petr. Bles. epist. 9. [...] l [...]ca sola nocent: l [...]ca sola ca [...]to. Quo fugis? in populo t [...]tior esse po [...]. [...]id. remed. l. [...]. we may the sooner be surprised with sinfull suggestions, the more easily be drawne to yeeld to Satanicall temptations, and the longer may it be (if euer it be) ere we recouer our selues againe after them: Whereas if we be in company with those that bee wise and wakefull, it may be a meane to keepe vs waking oft, when [Page] we would otherwise be slumbring, and to recouer vs the more speedily when we are sodainely fal [...]e into slumber vnawares.

To this purpose the Apostle exhorteth Christian men Hebr. 10. [...]4. to obserue either other: that is, Philip. 2. 4. to haue an eye one to another, and not each one to himselfe only; to keepe watch one ouer another, and not each one ouer himselfe onely, like cursed Caine that asketh of God, Genes. 4. 9. whether hee were his brothers keeper. And to what end would he haue them thus to watch ouer their brethren? [...]. to whet them vp, or whet them on, saith the Apostle: (that which we all stand in need of:) to prouoke & egge them on vnto godlinesse and well-doing, to keepe them watching with themselues. And how is that done? Surely, Prou. 27. 17. As iron, saith Salomon, whetteth iron; so the very face of a man whetteth his friend. Nulla res magis honesta induit, dubios & in prauu [...] inclinantes reuocat ad rectū, quàm bonorum virorum conuersatio. paulatim enim descendit in pectora, & vim praeceptorum obtinet, frequenter audiri, [...]spici. occursu [...] ipse sapientum iuuat. est & aliquid quod ex magno (bono) viro vel tacente proficias. Sen. epist. 93. The very presence of a religious person, and much morey [...] fungar vice cotis, acutum Reddere quae ferrum valet, exors ipsa secandi. Horat. in arte poe [...]. All [...]sit ad Isocratis dictum, [...] ▪ Plut. vita Isocr. his good speech, and his godly carriage, his holy aduice, his discreet admonition, his seasonable reproofe may be a meane to encourage and cheere vs vp when wee doe well, to restraine and stay vs vp, when we are slumbring and sinking downe, to recouer and raise vs vp againe when we are downe vnawares. In which kind, a as the whet-stone, though dull and blunt it selfe, yet is able to sharpen iron tooles: so euen those that be but dull and drowsie of themselues, but yet diligent, and desirous to keepe waking both themselues and others, may helpe to sharpen and quicken euen those that bee otherwise more wakefull (it may bee) then themselues. For as Fieri posse non ambig [...], vt aliquid imp [...]rito & in▪ locto cuipiam scire cō: ingat, quod doctus aliquis & p [...]ritus ignorat. Aug. de orig. animae l. 4. c. 1. there is none so learned, but [Page] he may learne something from the very meanest, euen from those that bee farre inferiour in gifts to himselfe: Act. 28. 26. Apollos though a learned Teacher and well read in the word, yet may bee taught something by a silly Tent-maker and a weake woman, that he was ignorant of before: and R. Dauid in radic. Mercer. in Pagn. thes. & Selden in praef it. to Titles of Honor. the Iewish Rabbines acknowledge that they came to vnderstand a place of the Prophet Esai. 14. 23. [...] euerram eam. Iun. Esay by hearing an Arabian woman mention [...] abroome, or a beesome in her language to her maide: so there is none so watchfull of himselfe, but hee may haue need of others to watch ouer him, and may receiue benefit in that kinde, euen from a drowsie soule, one that is lesse wakefull then himselfe. In a word, drowsie persons, if they desire to keepe waking, can better doe it in company together one with another, (it is not likely they should all sodainely fall fast asleepe at once) then they can being seuerally apart either from other.

§. 36. Well therefore and wisely addeth the Apostle in that place; Hebr. 10. 25. Not forsaking the fellowship; as the manner is of many. And againe; Hebr. 10. 39. But we are not of them that with-draw themselues to their owne ruine. Lugentē timentemque custodire solemus, ne solitudine mal [...] vtatur. It is not safe for a melancholy man to be much solitary: and it is a matter of no small danger for a Christian man to affect a solitarinesse, or a sullen kinde of priuacy and retirednesse, and by occasion thereof to sequester himselfe from the company and society of others, though it be vpon some good and godly pretence. Thus as in the Church of Rome, at this day many affect a Monkish course of life, vnder colour of withdrawing [Page] themselues from the world: So among the Auncients we finde that some worthy men otherwise had sometime some cogitations and proiects looking and bending somewhat that way, yea that sometime they made some triall of conclusions in that kinde.

But what doth one principall man among them confesse, writing to another of them out of the wildernesse, whither he had withdrawne himselfe, how he found himselfe th [...]e affected? [...]. &c. Basil. ep. 1. ad Greg. Naz. Legatur & Senec. epist. 104. What I doe here night and day (saith he) I am euen ashamed to relate. For the City businesse I haue shunned as an occasion of many euils: but my selfe yet I cannot shun. But it fareth with me, as with men at sea that are seasicke because they cannot brooke the sea: when they are in a greater ship, they thinke they should bee better, if they were in a lesse barke; it is the rolling of the great ship they thinke that maketh them so euill: and so out of the ship they get them into the boat or the barke. But in the ship or in the barke they are bad still, as euill as euer, [...]. so long as the bitter choller abideth with them that pestereth their stomacke. In like manner it is with vs. [...]. Carying about with vs our inbred and inmate passions, wee are euery where encombred with the like perturbations: and so [...]. gaine no great matter by this▪our solitarinesse, and sequestring of our selues.

And another of latter and more superstitious times, though a great admirer and practiser of Monasticall life himselfe, aduising a woman that had a great minde to the Wildernesse; Non est sapere, vt opulentiam, ita vrbis frequentiam fugere? an non m [...]a mihi pudicitia tutier erit in eremo, vbi in pace cum paucis aut sola conuersans soli placeam, cui me probaui, Bern. epist. 115. Is it not wisdome, saith he, peraduenture you will say, to eschew as [Page] the wealth, so the throng of the City? will not my chastitie be there safer, where conuersing with few or none, I may please him alone whom I desire principally to approue my selfe vnto? Nequaquā: nam volenti perperam agere & desertum abundantiam habet, & nemus vmbram, & filentium solitudo. Malum quippe quod nemo videt, nemo arguit. Vbi autem non time tur reprebensor, secu [...]iꝰ accedit tentator, licentius perpetratur iniquitas. In cenuentu ver [...] malum si facere vis, non licet. Mox enim á pluribus comperitur, arguitur, emendatur. Ber [...] ▪ ibid. No, by no meanes, say I: One that will doe euill, shall finde matter enough in the Wildernesse to worke vpon, and beside shady shelter in the thicket, and silence in solitude. For the euill that none sees, none findes fault withall. And where there is none to finde fault, the Tempter is the bolder to assault, and the fault is committed the more freely. Whereas being in company you cannot doe euill though you would: for you are presently e [...]ed, chid, rebuked and reclaimed by the rest. Denique aut de fatuia virginibus vna es, aut de prudentibus. Si de fatuis, congregatio tibi necessaria est; si de prudentibus, tu congregation [...]. Ib. To conclude, either you are a wise Virgin or a foolish one: if a wise one, the company hath need of you; if an vnwise one, you of it. And else-where dealing with some other in like manner affected; Forte vult eligere solitudinem, non satis attendens propriam infirmitatē, & periculosam Diaboli luctam: Quid enim periculosius quám solum luctari contra antiqui hostis versutias, à qu [...] videatur & quem videre nō possit? Acies potius multorum pariter pugnantium quaerenda, vbi tot sint auxiliarij, quot so [...]ij, &c. Bern. de temp. 26. Perchance, saith he, you will make choise of solitarinesse, not well weighing either your owne weaknesse, or Satans assaults. For what can bee more ieopardous then to wrestle alone with such a slie aduersary as seeth vs when we see not him? We had more need to seeke out some troupe to ioyne our selues with, where we may haue as many Fellow-helpers as fellowes. For it is the congregation that is Cant. 6. 3. terrible, as an armie well ranged. But Eccles. 4. 10. woe be to him that is alone: for if he fall, he hath none at hand to helpe him vp. Quoties bene perficientibus inuidens daemonium meridianum obtentu quasi maiaris puritatis eremum petere persuasit? Et cognonerunt miseri tandem, quam verus sit sermo quem frus [...]ra legerant, Vae soli &c. Bern. in Ca [...]t. 33. That which a many finde too true by wofull experience, when Ex Psal. 91. 6. vers. vulgat. the noone-day Deuill [Page] hath inticed them out into the Wildernesse vnder pretence of greater holinesse, and strictnesse of life.

And vndoubtedly, as there is none but are more prone to slumber when they are alone, then when they are in company with others that are awake; so there is no man, if he well consider himselfe, but he shall finde that hee is more prone to bee assailed with euill suggestions and motions, when he is alone by himselfe, then when hee is in company with others that be religiously affected. In regard whereof it is not without good cause that the same Author saith, Magis timeo malum, quod facio in abscondito, quàm quod in aperto. Idē medit. c. 14. I more feare the euill that I may doe alone, then what I cannot doe but in company. Those therefore that shunnnig the society of others, sequester themselues, and Viuat necesse est alteri, qui vult sibi▪ Sen. epist. 48. will needs liue wholly to themselues, doe but in so doing depriue themselues of a maine helpe vnto watchfulnesse, and expose themselues vnwisely, (though it may bee vnwittingly) vnto the wiles and snares of their suttle Aduersary, who is then with them vnseene, when there is no body else by them; and is then readiest to assault them, when there is none by to assist them.

§. 37. But as Crates cùm vidisset adolescentem secreto ambulantē, interrogauit quid illic solus faceret. Mecum, inquit, loquor. Cui Crates, Caue, inquit, rogo, & diligenter attende, ne cum homine malo loquaris. Senec. epist. 10. Atqui Laert. de Cleanthe, [...]. Alterutrum lubens ex altero correxerim. hee said sometime to one that was talking, as he said, with himselfe, He had neede be well aduised, that he talked not with a bad Companion: so here, a man that not without good cause desireth company, [...]. Clem. Alex. paedag. l. 3. c. 11. had neede yet be wary what company he lighteth on and associateth himselfe vnto. For Sumuntur enim à conuersantibus mores. Nec tam val [...] tudini profuit vtilis regio & salubriꝰ c [...]lū, quàm animis parum firmis in turba meliorum versari. Sen. de ira l. 3. c. 8. Tam bonorum enim quàm malorū long a conuersatio amorem inducit. Idem de tranq. c. 1. as the benefit is great that commeth [Page] by good company, so is the danger and harme no lesse that accreweth by bad. Associatiō is of much force both the one way & the other. [...]. Arriani Epictet. lib. 3. c. 16. Non est carbo ita ignitus, quin aqua a [...]fusa extinguatur; sicut contra vix est carbo ita madidus, quin [...] aceru [...] accendatur. Vincent, de vita spirit. c. 17. Our society with others, and theirs with vs, cannot but preuaile much either to make vs like them, or to make them like vs. Prou. 13. 20. [...]. Men. [...]. Ex Sophocl. & Eurip. Plato in Theag. & Polit. l. 8. Gell. noct. Attic. l. 13. c. 17. [...]. Theog [...]. Ea Philosophiae vis est, vt nō solum studentes, sed etiam cō [...]ersantes [...]. Qui in solē venit, licet non in hoc venerit colorabitur. Qui in vnguentaria taberna [...], od [...]rē secū lo [...] fe [...]nt. Et qui apud Philosophos fuerunt, traxerūt aliquid necesse est, quod prodesset & negligentibꝰ. Sen. ep. 108. Vt qui per solem ambulant, aut [...]lorem mutant, aut vrentem sen [...]unt cal [...]rem: sic du [...] consuetudine bono [...]um vtimur, aut dotes quasdam amando in nos [...], aut desiderium aliquod admirando concipimus. Put [...]. cent. 1. epist. 14. He that walketh but with the wise, saith Salomon, shal wax wiser thereby: and he that keepeth company with fooles, shall be the worse for it. The very company of either is wont ordinarily to worke euen with some efficacie on those that much or oft conuerse though for other ends with either. A third helpe therefore vnto Watchfulnesse may be the shunning of the societie and fellowship of wicked and prophane persons. Psal. 6. 8. Away from mee, saith Dauid, all ye workers of iniquitie. And, Psal. 101. 4. A wicked person I will not know: I will haue no acquaintance with any such. Yea to this purpose, as he inuiteth good company to him, Psal. 119. 63. I am a companion of all those that feare thee, and keepe thy precepts. Such as feared God, were they high or low, were they rich or poore, they were for his company, he was content and desirous to bee acquainted with them. So on the other side hee biddeth all prophane ones away from him, Psal. 119. 115. Velut mus [...] molestas a c [...]rdis oculis abigit. August. in Psal. 118. conc. 24. Away from mee, yee wicked ones: I will keepe the commandements of my [Page] God. As if he could not keepe Gods commandements, at least not so well as he would, so long as the wicked were in company with him.

And in this regard as else-where he professeth of himselfe, that Psal. 26. 4, 5. he would neither sit among, nor goe abroad, nor keepe any company with such: so Psal. 1. 1. he pronounceth him a happy man, that neither walketh with, nor standeth amids, nor sitteth among, that in no sort or manner conuerseth with those, that are wicked, sinfull, and scoffers at goodnesse and godlinesse. Not that a man should by and by in a Inde▪ eni [...] Pharisaei dicti à [...] s [...]parare: vt rectè Drus. & Scalig. elench. Trihaeres. Serar. Pharisaicall humor condemne or contemne euery one that commeth short of himselfe either in knowledge or in practise of sanctification, or should sequester himselfe from euery one that is not so forward in, or zealous of the better things, as were to be wished and desired; like those proud Hypocrites in Esay, Esai. 65. 5. that say, Stand aloofe of me; come not neere mee: for I am holier then thou. Rom. 14. 1. Weake ones are to be receiued, not to be reiected: Heb. 12. 13. to be healed and strengthened, not to be turned out. But for those that be openly prophane with Heb. 12. 16. Esau; scoffers and deriders of religion with Genes. 21. 9, 10. Ismael; by their loose and lewd course of life proclaiming and publishing not an vtter want onely of goodnesse and godlinesse in them, but a peruersenesse of heart and an auersenesse thereunto; 2 Tim. 3. 5. such, saith the Apostle, should men shun: Vise Chrysost. in Ioan. homil. 57. & Greg. in Ezech. homil. 9. lest they corrupt vs, when we cannot correct them. For D [...]m spectant laesos oculi, laeduntur & ipsi: Multaque corporibus transitione nocent. Ouid. remed. l. 2. the very sight of bleare eyes may hurt those that haue whole, but tender, eyes: when [...]. Li [...]iens sanum afficit; at san [...] lippientem haud sanat. Aphrodiss. problem. 1. 35. the sight of the whole will not helpe the bleare-eyed. Sooner may [Page] euill be fastned vpon good ones, weake ones especially, then good things conueyed vnto and wrought into those that be obstinately euill.

§. 38. And surely as some bodily diseases are said to be catching and contagious; a man may soone catch them by being in company of or drinking with those that haue them: So [...]. Chrysost in Ioan. homil. 57. Res est contagiosa societas mala. - [...] lit ha [...] contagio [...], Et d [...]it in plures: si [...]ut grex totus in agris Vnius scabie cadit, & p [...]rrigine porci; Vu [...]que conspecta liuorem ducit ab vu [...]. Iuvenal. sa [...]yr. 2. - contagia vites: H [...]c etiam pecori s [...]pe noce [...] solent. Ouid. re [...]d lib 2. it is with most diseases of the soule; this spirituall Lethargy is a contagious, a catching disease, we take it easily one from another. Non tantum corpori, sed etiam moribus salubrem locū eligere debemus. Senec. epist. 51. Sicut enim aer malus assiduo flatu tractus inficit corpus, ita peruersa locutio assi [...]uè audita infirmantium inficit animum. Greg. Rom. in Ezech lib. 1. homil. 9. Valetudinem firmissimā l [...]dit aer grauis, aura pestilen [...]: & mentem optimam conuersatio cum malis. V [...]de Ben Syra, V [...] malo, & e [...] qui ei adhaerent. Drus. lib. 2. cent. 1. prouerb. 45. [...]. Corrup [...]re probos mores commercia praua. Ex Menandro in 1 Corinth. 14. 33. [...]. Euill company is infectious, as euill aires are. There is Vt quaedam in contactu corporis vitia transiliunt: ita animu [...] mala sua proximis tradit. Ebriosus conuictor in amorem vini traxit: impudicorum coetus fortem quoque & siliceum vir [...]a [...]: auaritia in vicinos virus suum transtulit. Sen. de ira l. 3. c. 8. a kinde of contagiousnesse in loose and lewd companions, as well as in those that are possessed of some pestilent disease. And we haue great reason therefore, if our soules health be deere to vs, [...]. Plut de laud. sui. Serpunt enim vitia; & in proximum quemque transiliunt. Itaque vt in pestilentia cauendum est, ne corrup [...]is iam corporibus & m [...]rbo flagrantibus assideamus, quia pericula trahemus, afflatuque ipso laborabimus: ita in amicorum legendis i [...]genijs dabi [...] operam, vt quam minime inquinatos ass [...]. S [...]n. de tranq. c. 7. to bee carefull of shunning, so much as may be such places, and such persons, or to bee very wary in conuersing with them, where it cannot bee auoided. The bodily plague is not so soone taken by sitting by the sicke mans bed-side; but a spirituall plague, worse farre then it, more deadly, more desperate, may much [Page] sooner be gotten by sitting with prophane, and debauched persons. [...]. Arriani Epictet. l. 3. c. 16. [...]. Plut. de adulat. N [...]mo non aliquod nobis vitium aut commendat, aut imprimit, aut nescientibus allinit. Sen. epist. 7. Conuictor delicatus paulatim eneruat; vicina diues cupiditatem irritat: malignus com [...]s quamuis candido & simplici rubiginem suam affricat. Ibid. A man shall hardly come with faire apparell amongst colliers, and carters, and chimney-sweepers, but he shall carry some of their soile and their soote away from them; but his white apparrell will bee soyled and sullied at least by them. And wee shall hardly be in company long or oft with vngodly ones, but wee shall beare away some tincture of their vngodlinesse with vs. Esai 6. 5. Woe is me, saith the Prophet Esay, I am vndone; for I am a man of polluted lips, and I dwell amids people of polluted lips: as if a man could not lightly liue among such, but he should in part be such as they were.

One slothfull person infecteth another: As [...]. Plato Meninō. Torpedo pisci [...] contactu suo torpidum facit. Eras. chil. 3. cent. 4. adag. 25. [...]ise Aristot. hist. animal. l. 3. c. 5. & l. 9 c. 37. Plin. hist. n [...]t. l. 9. c. 42. & l. 31. c. 1. & Oppi [...]. halient. l. 2. & 3. & Claudian c [...]m eodem commissum à Iul. S [...]al. poet. l. 5. c. 16. the Cramp-fish benummeth those that touch or come neere it. One wicked one fasteneth his wickednesse vpon another. The very sight of others sleeping may make a man sleepy that were wakefull otherwise: [...]. Plato Charmid. [...]. A istot. problem. 7. 1, 2, 6. & Aphrodis. 1. 34. as the very sight of those that yawne is wont to set others also on yawning. Yea such is the deuillish disposition of mans wicked & wretched heart, that as some infected and infectious persons haue a strong desire to be infecting of others; and those that haue already moyled themselues, take a delight in, and make a sport of moyling others, that come in with faire clothes among them, thereby to make them like themselues; so [Page] Naturale est vnumquemque velle siue in vitijs siue in virtutibus associare sibi consortes. B [...]rn paru. serm 17. Et peccantibus voluptatem facit simul peccantium cō sortium. Aug. confess. lib. 2. cap. 8. Noui ego seculum hoc moribus quibus siet: Malus bonum malum esse v [...]lt, vt sit sui similis. Plaut. Trinum 2. 2. wicked and prophane persons vsually desire nothing more, delight more in nothing, then in transfusing of their wickednesse and prophanenesse vnto others. Besides that Nemo non in vitia pronue est. Lactant. inst. l. 3. c. 17. Ad deteriores faciles sum [...], quia nec d [...]x potest, nec comes d [...]esse. Et res etiam ipsa sine duce, sine comite procedit. Non pronum est tantum ad vitia, sed praecep [...]. Sen. ep. 97. we are prone enough of our selues to take infection without helpe. Our corruption within vs is as tinder or gun-pouder rather, ready to be on a light flame, if but the least sparke light on it, or it come but any thing neere the fire: like Iudg. 15. 14. flax that of it selfe catcheth and draweth the flame to it, and is all on a flash, so soone as it but feeleth the fire.

§. 39. As good company therefore ought diligently to be sought and kept; so euill company ought as warily to be shunned and auoided. Not that we may not at all haue commerce with such: for 1 Cor. 5. 10. Solitudin [...]m quaera [...], qui vult cum i [...]ocentibus vine [...]e. Martin. D [...]m. de morib. he that would so doe, must goe out of the world: nor yet that we should deny Christian offices to such: Tit. 3. 3. such we were also sometime our selues: and it were inhumane cruelty to shut vp persons infected together, and so suffer them to starue. But as we are wont to deale with those that are so diseased, though we be carefull to releeue them, and to make prouision of things necessary for them, as well physicke as foode, to restore health, if it may be, as well as to preserue life; yet wee are wary of comming ouer-neere them, or conuersing so with them, as whereby to take any infection from them: So here, howsoeuer by occasion of our calling and course of life, we may be called and constrained to haue dealings sometime with such as are openly vngodly and professedly prophane; and so farre forth as we haue opportunity and iust occasion so [Page] to doe, we performe offices about them, spirituall ones especially, as standeth with our duty, and may be for their good: Yet Iohn 17. 15. 1 Iohn 5. 18. we take heede how wee enter into any league of familiarity and inwardnesse with such, whereby we may through ordinary companying with them take spirituall infection from them, when we intend it not, ere we be aware.

Prou. 22. 24. Make no league, saith Salomon, with a wrathfull man: nor keepe company with one that is of a furious and outragious behauiour, Lest thou learne his waies; and thy conuersing with him proue a snare vnto thy soule. For Vt cùm in sole ambulem, etiamsi aliam ob causam ambulem, fieri natura tamen vt colorer; sic cùm istos libros studiosè legerim, sentio orationem meam illorum cantu quasi colorari. Cic. de orat. l. 2. Noxiae sunt conuersationes cum malis: inficiunt sobriam mentem & decolorant. Ambr. epist. 4. Frequenter accidit, vt quis contra propositum suum intemperantem audiens, cùm velit ipse continentiae disciplinam tenere, fuco insipientiae coloretur. Ibid. Visendus idem de bono mort. c. 9. as those that walke in the Sunne, though for other end and purpose, become tanned with it and sunne-burnt, whether they regard it or no: so those that come oft in company with prophane and euill disposed persons, though for no euill end, intending nothing lesse then to become like vnto them, yet draw they a tincture oft from them, learne to [...]. Plut. de adul. lispe and to [...]. Pindari Schol. Nem. 7. & Plut. de liber. educ. Claudo vel vni si [...] manferis, Disces & ipse claudicare protinus. Eras. Chil. 1. cent. 10. adag. 73. limpe after them, come in time somwhat to resemble them both in speech and in practise, and Minuta quaedam, vt ait Phaedon, animalia cùm mordent, non sentiuntur, adeo tenuis illis & valens in periculum vis est: tumor indicat morsum, & in ipso tumore nullum vulous apparet. Idem tibi in malorum conuersatione eueniet, non deprehendes quemadmodum aut quando tibi obsit, obfuisse deprehendes. Sen. paucis immutatis ep. 93. to haue a strange change wrought on them, in regard of what they haue beene, though they perceiue not how nor when they change. Exod. 32. 1, 4. Israels posterity had learned Aegyptian superstitions by their long [Page] abode in Egypt: and Psal. 105. 36. Heathenish impieties from those heathen people among whom they were mingled in the land of Canaan. Yea Ioseph himselfe by liuing in Pharaoes Court had learned to sweare at euery word almost by the life of Pharao, ( Gen. 42. 15, 16. By the life of Pharao ye are but Spies; and, By the life of Pharao ye goe not hence) as the other prophane his Fellow-courtiers vsually did. Such [...] doc [...]les imitandi [...] Turpibus & prauis omnes sumus. Iurenal. sat. 14. apt Schollers are we all generally, to learne ought that is euill: and so easie a matter it is euen Ante ignem consistens, e [...]si ferreus sis, aliquando dissolueris. Isid. soliloq. l. 1. for the best and the strongest to take taint by such societies; and if not to become wholly prophane like them, yet by oft sight of sinne to haue it wax more familiar with them, nothing so distastful vnto them as in times past it was; and so to haue the edge of their former zeale and feruor against it abated, and the intention of their watchfulnesse consequently in some degree slackned. And it is one degree vnto euill to be lesse eager against euill; yea Qui aequo animo malis immiscetur, malus est. Martin. Dum. de morib. it is no small degree of euill, when a man can well away with euill in others.Helpe 4.

§. 40. A fourth Helpe to further vs in this spirituall Watch is to labour to keepe the feare of God fresh in our soules. Prou. 14. 16. A wise man, saith the Wiseman, feareth and departeth from euill: And Prou. 16. 6. By the feare of God men depart from euill. Metꝰ cùm venit, rarum habet somnꝰ locum. P. Syrus. There is no affection Omnem formido somnolentiam excutit. Et rapit somn [...]s pauor. Sen. Her [...]. more watchfull then feare. Luk. 22. 45. Griefe and sorrow make men many times heauy and drowsie: but Vigilabis, si timebis. Aug. de verb. Ap. 28. Cauebis, si pauebis. Rō. 11. 21. feare and care are wont to make them vigilant and watchfull. Genes. 37. 7, 13. Iacob after he heard newes of his brother Esaus comming against him, could not for his life take any rest all that night [Page] long. Yea Iudg. 16. 19, 20. Sampson himselfe when he lay with his head in Dalilaes lap, no sooner was admonished that the Philistines were vpon him, but he start vp instantly and began to looke about him, he had little list to continue his wanton daliance with her, or his sleeping vpon her knee. Tutissimum illis iter, quod suspectissimum est. Senec. epist. 59. In feare of inuasion men are wont to keepe due watch and ward: Victor timere quid potest? quod non timet. Sen. Agam. 4. 1. Nemo enim celerius opprimitur, quam qui nihil timet. Vell. hist. l. 2. Animus vereri qui scit, scit tutò ingredi. P. Syrus. where no such danger is misdoubted, like Iudg. 18. 7. the men of Laish, there are they more carelesse and secure. In like manner is it here? The feare of God if it be kept fresh in our hearts, it will keepe vs spiritually waking, it will make vs carefull to shun, and fearefull to doe ought, that may offend him whom we feare. Iob 1. 2. Iob was a iust man, saith the holy Ghost, fearing God and eschewing euill. And, Hebr. 11. 7. By faith Noe forewarned of things to come long after, moued with feare prepared the Arke for the safety of him and his. What made him so carefull, when the whole world was so carelesse, but his faith and his feare? Fides facit formidinem: formido facit solicitudinem: solicitudo facit perseuerantiam. Tertull▪ contra Marcion. Faith bred feare, and feare bred care. In regard whereof, the Spirit of God by Salomon iustly pronounceth that man Prou. 28. 13. Nō citò perit ruina, qui ruinam praetimet. P. Syrus. a blessed man that feareth continually. For who so so doth, will euer stand vpon his guard, will neuer slumber in securitie. And Sola isthic securitas est nunquam esse securum, sed sumper pauidum & trementem. Rob. Grosthed. epist. 65. it is our only security, our onely safety for vs, neuer to be secure.

On the other side, when the feare of God beginneth to decay and wax faint in vs, then are wee wont to grow lesse watchfull and carefull of shunning sinne, and Frequentissimum initium calamitatis securitas. Vell. hist. l. 2. to lie more open to all Satans temptations thereunto. That subtill serpent could not preuaile with our first Parents to induce them [Page] to disobedience and breach of Gods charge, till he had wrought this feare of God out of their hearts, by perswading them that there was no such danger in the matter, Gen. 3. 4. Non moriemini. they should not die, though they did it. And therefore it is not without cause that Dauid admonisheth his malitious Aduersaries in that manner; Psal. 4. 4. Stand in awe, and sinne not: as implying, that this was the reason why they tooke such vngodly courses against the godly, because they stood not in awe of God. And vndoubtedly the maine cause of so much loosenesse in the liues and courses of most men, is for want of this awe, because Ierem. 2. 19. the Feare of God is not in them.

§. 41. Psal. 36. 1. The wickednesse of the wicked man, saith the Psalmist, enformeth mee in the very middest of mine heart, that there is no feare of God before his eies. Come we to any wicked man, that liueth neuer so loosely, and tell him that there is no feare of God in his heart; he will bee ready to cry out of presumptuous and vncharitable censurers, that take Gods office vpon them to see into mens soules, and to tell what is in mens hearts. But the Spirit of God it selfe telleth such, that Ex fructibus siquidem arbor dignoscitur: ex ramulis de radice iudicatur. Matth. 7. 20. & 12. 33. their owne liues euidently discouer to any vnderstanding eye what is within them; their prophane and secure courses proclaime a want of this awe in them. For were there any the least measure of that feare of God in them, that they would bee thought to haue, yea were it but the seruile feare onely, that Iam. 2. 19. the Deuils themselues baue; they would not, nay they could not continue and goe on so carelesly, so securely in their dissolute courses as they doe; [Page] Timor torporem excussit & nollentibus. Nec tutum patitur esse securu [...] pauor. this very feare it selfe alone would rouze them vp and raise them out of their spirituall slumber; it would euen enforce them to looke about them in spight of theirteeth; at least not suffer them so securely to lye snorting in sinne.

To this purpose Rom. 3. 12. 19. the Apostle Paul hauing ripped vp and dissected the naturall man from top to toe, and made as it were an Anatomie of him, finding Psal. 5. 9. his tongue tipped with fraud, Psal. 140. 3. his lips tainted with venome, Psal. 10. 7. his mouth full of gall, Psal. 5. 9. his throat a gaping graue; Psal. 55. 21. & 57. 4. & 59. 7. & 64. 3. his tongue as a rapier to run men through with, and his throat as a sepulcher to bury them in; Esai. 59. 7. his feet swift to shed bloud; and Prou. 1. 16. all his wayes full of mischiefe: at length hee concludeth all with this as the cause of all this euill both in heart and life, Rom. 3. 18. There is no feare of God before their eies. Which place one of the Auncients alluding vnto saith, that Timor Domi [...]t ianitor animi. Bern. alicubi. & 10. Ranlin quadrag. ser. 8. The feare of God is as a Porter set at the doore of our Soule. If the Porter that is setto watch at the doore to keepe suspitious persons out, grow sleepie and slumber, they will be stealing in that should not, now one and then another: but if he fall fast asleepe, or be knocked on the head and slaine outright, then who will may come in hand ouer head. In like manner here: When the feare of God beginneth to grow faint in the soule, not to be so fresh as formerly it hath beene, then euill motions finde some entrance and beginne to steale in vpon vs. But Vbitimor diuinꝰ consopitur, indifferenter iam libitis pro licitis vtitur, iam ab illicitis cogitandis, perpetrandis, investigandis, non animus, manus, vel pedes ampliu [...] prohibentur: sed quicquid in cor, in buccam, ad manum venerit, machinatur, garri [...] & operatur, maleuolus, vanil [...]quus, & facinorosus. Bern. de grad. humil. c. 12. In ownem libidinē ebu [...]ire, solennes voluptates frequentare circi furentis, cauea saeuientis, scenae lasciuientis, summus vitae fructus Deum non timentibus. Tertull. ad Ma [...]. l. 1. c. 20. if the feare of God be vtterly extinct and put out in [Page] vs, then lie we wide open, exposed indifferently to all sorts of sinnes: There is no sin so hainous▪ so hideous, that men are priuiledged or exempt from, where this feare is once abandoned and abolished. Genes. 20. 11. I thought, saith Abraham, there is no feare of God in this place: and therefore they will kill me to haue my wife away from me. Murther and Adulterie, are E [...]od. 20. 13, 14. Deut. 5. 17, 18. Matth. 19. 18. Mark. 10. 19. Rom. 13. 9. the two formost sinnes in the second Table, and such as the very light of nature doth of all other most, and most euidently condemne; and yet is there no bones made of them in Abrahams account, where this feare of God is wanting, and much lesse then of any other that seeme lesser and lighter then they.

§. 42. So that if the question bee, how it commeth to passe that such sinnes and the like are so rife in these times, we need goe no further to seeke the cause of it; it is because Iob 6. 14. Men haue cast off the feare of God, that should and would otherwise better keepe them within compasse. And herein is wicked and wretched man become worse then the bruit beasts. For whereas Duo animi à Deo dati custodes domestici, Pudor & Timor. There be two homebred Tutors as it were that God hath set ouer each of vs, Shame and Feare, the shame of sinne, and the feare of wrath: Qui pudorem amisit, bestiae par est; qui timorem excussit, bestia p [...]ior est. He that hath cast off shame, is no better then a beast; he that hath shaken off feare is worse then a beast. For Oneramus asinū, & non curat, quia asinus est▪ At si in ign [...]m impellere, si in foueam praecipitare velis, cauet quantū potest, quia vitā amat, & mortem [...]imet. Be [...]n. de diuers. 12. we lay load vpon an Asse, and he is well content with it, because he is an Asse, Hinc Heraclidae Sophistae [...] dixit [...] Ptolomeus Sophista. a beast made and borne to beare burdens: But if you offer to thrust him downe some steepe hill, or to driue him into the fire, he holdeth backe, and shunneth it all he can, because he loueth life, and feareth death. Whereas [Page] wretched man, more blockish and senselesse then the very Asse, more Ier. 10. 8. [...]. Simocat. ep. 7. [...]. Chrysost. serm. de ascens▪ Bestijs bestialior. Bern. Caut. 35. iumentis insensibilior. Idem de diuers. 12. brutish then the bruit beast, then the brutishest of beasts, hath no feare or dread of that that may bee his eternall bane, that may bring euerlasting death and destruction vpon him.

Yea wicked man, Ioan. 6. 70. a Deuill incarnate, commeth short herein in some sort of the Deuill himselfe. For Iam. 2. 19. Mirū est quod homines inferni supplicia nō considerant, vel st considerent, non formidant; cùm tamen daemones credant & contremiscaent. Autor oc [...]l. moral. cap. 13. contempl. 3. the Deuils, saith Iames, beleeue and tremble: they beleeue Gods word, and they tremble at his wrath. Whereas wicked man, in that regard worse then they, neither beleeueth the one, nor feareth the other; Esai. 5. 19. & 28. 15. Ierem. 5. 12, 13. & 23. 33. maketh but a scoffe and a iest of either. And no maruell then, if there bee no watching against sinne, where there is no feare or expectation of any euill or danger by sinne, no dread or awe of Gods wrath against it.

§. 43. A fift Helpe to further vs in our spirituallHelpe 5. Watch, and a meane to keepe this feare of God fresh in our soules, is to bee throughly perswaded, and oft seriously to consider, of Gods continuall presence about vs and with vs, wheresoeuer wee are, and whatsoeuer we are about. Psalm. 16. 8. [...]quaecun (que) capesses, Testes factorū stare arbitrabere diuos. Silius bell. Pun. l. 15. In omnibus quae agis, Deū praesentem cogites. Caue itaque ne vel signo vel facto offendas, qui vbique praesens cernit quicquid facis. B [...]rn. medit. [...]. 6. I haue set the Lord alwaies before mine eies, saith Dauid: For he is at my right hand: therefore shall I not fall. And it would bee indeede a soueraigne preseruatiue to keepe vs from falling into this spirituall slumber, and a singular meanes to make vs watchfull of our waies, if we could at all times remember and did seriously consider, that Prou. 16. 8. There is an eye of God in euery place viewing both good and bad: yea that [Page] that God who is Deus totus est sensus, totus vis [...], totus audit [...]. Plin. hist. nat. l. 1. c. 7. Totus auris, totus oculu [...]. Iren. l. 1. c. 6. all eie, and [...]. He [...]od. oper. [...]. whose eie seeth all, [...]. Eurip. apud Clem. Alex. [...] quod tamen Philemoni tribuit Iustin. [...]. Qui & ibid. [...]. that seeth all himselfe vnseene of any, is present in all places; 1 King. 8. 27. not penned vp in heauen, but Ierem. 23. 25. filling heauen and earth; as Intra omnia, nec inclusus: Extra [...]a, nec exclusus. Hild [...]bort. without all things, and yet not excluded from any, so within all things, and yet not included in any; being like Sphaera, cuiu [...] centrū vbique, circumferentia nusquam. Empedocles apud Trithem. ad Caesar. quest. 1. contra, & aptius quàm Trismegistus apud Sealig. de subtil. exere. 363. a spheare, as the Heathen man sometime said, whose Center is euery where, and its Circumference no where. So that as Dauid said sometime of himselfe, Psal. 139. 7. 13. There is no flying for any man from the face of God; no shunning of the Spirit or presence of God: if wee climbe vp into heauen, wee are sure there to finde him: and if wee creepe downe into hell, we shall not misse of him there neither; (full glad would those damned wretches be, if they could) if we could take the wings of the morning, and flie as farre as the world is wide, yet there should we be sure to finde the hand of God ready to catch hold of vs. Or if we imagine that the darkenesse and the nightly shade may couer and conceale vs from his sight, he is able to turne Am [...] 5. 8. as the day into darke night, so the dark-night into day. Yea Psal. 39. 11, 12. darknesse is no darknesse with him; but the night is as cleare as the day; light and darknesse, day and night are with him both alike.

It is the argument that Salomon vseth with the incontinent person to withdraw him from his loose and licentious courses; Prou. 5. 20, 21. Why shouldest thou delight, saith he, in a strange woman, or embrace a strangers bosome? Since the waies of a man are before the eyes of the Lord; and he pondereth all his paths. Yea not his waies alone, but Heb. 4. 12. the secret motions of his minde, and the inward intentions of his heart, they [Page] are all [...]. naked and broken vp, as the inwards of a beast that is cut vp and quartered, to him that wee haue to deale with. For Psal. 139. 13, 2. thou hast possessed my very reines, saith Dauid, and thou vnderstandest all my thoughts: yea, Psal. 139. 2. thou vnderstandest them afarre off, or long before: E longinquo, i. longi antequam animo insederīt meo. Iun. Intra hominū mentes non solum tractata, sed etiam voluenda cognoscit. Ambr. offic. l. 1. c. 14. he seeth them ere they are, they are conceiued of him, ere they be conceiued in vs, he knoweth as well what we will either thinke or doe, as what wee haue already thought or done. And Prou. 15. 11. Sic certè viuendum est, tanquam in conspectu viuamus: sic cogitandū tanquam aliquis in pectus intimum inspicere possit. Quid enim prodest ab homine aliquid esse secretum? Nihil Deo clusum est. Interest animi [...] nostris, & cogitationibus medijs interuenit. Sen. ep. 83. Hell and destruction, saith Salomon, are before the Lord: and how much more then the hearts of the sonnes of men? And it is the argument that Elihu vseth to disswade and deterre men from wicked practises; Iob 34. 21, 22. Gods eies are vpon the waies of man; and he eieth euery step hee taketh: And there is no darknesse, nor deadly shade, that can shadow wicked workers from his sight.

§. 44. This was that that kept Dauid in compasse: Psal. 119. 168. I haue kept, saith he, thy precepts and thy testimonies: for all my waies are in thy sight. As Psal. 18. 22. & 119. 6. all Gods lawes in his sight: so all his waies in Gods sight▪ Gods lawes in his sight by dutifull regard; his waies in Gods sight through his all-seeing prouidence, whereby [...]. Greg. Naz. epitaph. Athanas. & Potter funer. ser. like a well-drawne picture, that eieth each one in the roome, hee eieth in that manner each one in the world, and all the waies of each one, Sic curat vniuersos quasi singulos, sic singulos quasi solos. Ang. confess. l. 3. c. 11. Sed & sic spectat, &c. Hinc Greg. mor. lib. 25. cap. 19. Sic intendit singulis, a [...]si vacet à cunctis, & sic simul intendit omnibus, ac si vacet à singulis. as if his eie were vpon none but him alone.

This was it that made Ioseph so vigilant and watchfull, that hee would not yeeld vnto sinne, though he were solicited and vrged therunto, when [Page] there was both opportunity and secrecy withall, none by to see them or to bewray them, and so to incense his Master against him: Genes. 39. 9. How can I, saith he, doe this great wickednesse, and sinne against God? It was the feare of God arising from the consideration of his presence there, that kept Ioseph at that time from that sinne. As if hee had said; Though there be no creature by to see what we doe, yet Est profectò Deꝰ, qu [...] qu [...] nos geri [...]ꝰ, audit (que) & videt. Plaut. Capt. 2. 2. [...]. - Hesiod. oper. there is a God that ouer-looketh vs. And, as he saith, [...]. Isocr. ad Demonic. Quid autem prodest non habere conscium, habenti conscientiam? Ex Seneca Lactant instit. l. 6. c. 24. What availeth it to haue none priuie to our euill acts, when we haue our owne consciences priuy thereunto? so what auaileth it to haue no creature priuy to them, when Qui [...] fur [...]deret furari, si sciret à Iu [...]ce se videri? Autor oculi moral. c. 5. propr. 2. we haue him priuy to them who must one day be our Iudge, and who as he abhorreth them, and [...]ab. 1. 13. cannot brooke or abide them, so Exod. 34. 7. hath threatned to punish and take vengeance vpon vs for them.

Cassian. in collat. We read of two religious men that tooke two contrary courses with two lewd women, whom they were desirous to reclaime from their lewd manner of life. The one came to the one as desirous of her company, so it might be with all secrecie: and when shee had led him from roome to roome, and he made still many doubts, as very shie and fearefull, lest at this window, that key-hole, this creuice, or that crany, some or other might chance to peepe in and espy them together, at length shee brought him to the inwardest roome in the house, where she said she was full sure that none vpon her life could possibly come to pry in or see ought: but Illum time cui cura est vt videat te, & timendo casiꝰ sis: aut si peccare vis, quaere vbi te nō videat, & fac quod vis. Aug. de verb. Dom. 46. Parietibꝰ oculi hominū submouentur; numen diuinum nec visceribus submouetur, quo minus totum hominem perspiciat & norit. Lactant. instit. l. 6. c. 24. then he told her that all the bolts and bars that were could not keepe God out, all the walles [Page] and d [...]ores that were could not hinder his eye-sight: and what should they gaine by shunning mans eyes, when they lay open still to Gods eye?

The other of them came to another of like condition in like manner, as desiring her company, but Si honest [...] sun [...]. quae facis, omnes sciant: si [...], quid refert▪ neminē scire, cùm tu scias? O [...]e miserum, [...] cō temnis hunc testem. Sen [...]c. epist▪ 43. Populo teste fieri credam, quicquid me conscio facium. Idē de beat. c. 20. so as she would goe out at doores and company with him openly in the street: Which when Nullu [...] for [...] [...] auderes in oculis homin [...], [...] magis confundi▪ deberet aliquid turp [...] committere ante Domini conspectū? Ocul▪ moral. c. [...]5. she seemed to reiect as a mad mans request; hee thereupon told her, that Better and safer it were to commit that or any other sinne in the eies of a multitude of mortall men, then in the sight of God alone the immortall Iudge of mankinde; in the eies of the whole world, then in the sight of Genes. 18. 25. Magna tib [...] custodia necessaria est, magna tibi necessitas indicta probitatis, qui ante [...]cuios iudicis viuis cuncta cernentis. Bern. medit. c. 6. & Boet. consol. l. 5. the Iudge of the whole world, Act. 17. 30. 2 Cor. 5. 10. before whom one day we must all be iudged. How warrantable the course was, I stand not to discusse: and▪ what effect it had with them, I remember not now: But sure I am that it would be very effectuall vnto vs to keepe vs vigilant and watchfull, and so to preserue vs from many ouer-sights, which for want hereof wee are oft ouertaken withall, if wee could euer seriously consider of this presence of God with vs.

§. 45. This would keepe vs within the bounds of Sobriety and Temperance in the vse of Gods good creatures, in our recreations and disports; if we remembred, that wee eat and drinke in Gods presence; that we feast and make merry together, yea that wee play and sport vs in Gods presence: that as well, when we are playing, as when we are praying, we are euer still in Gods eye. Children, though they take more liberty to bee wanton and waggish, when they are out of their Parents eie, [Page] yet are they more carefull commonly to carry themselues more decently euen in their sports, when they play in their presence. And so would we doe, were wee assured that wee were in Gods presence, and that God ouer-looked vs euen at our game.

Sic fac [...], tanquam spectet Epicurus. Epicurus ipso. Prodest fin [...] dubio custodem sibi imposuisse, & habere quem respici [...], quam interesse cogitationibus tui [...] iudic [...]. Sic viu [...] tanquam sub alicui [...] vi [...]i, ac se [...]per [...]; oculis. Sic [...], [...] feteri [...], tanquā spectet Cato, aut Scipi [...], aut L [...]lius aliquis. Sen. ep. 25. Aliquis. eligendus est, & semper ant [...] ocul [...] habendus, vt sic tanquam illo spectante vi [...]ius, & [...] tanquam illo vidente faciamus. Id [...] [...]pist. 11. Et Bernard. ad fratr. de [...]te Dei; Elige tibi aliquem, cuius vitae exemplar sic cordituo inh [...]serit, reuerentia insederit, vt quoties recordatus futris, ad reuerentiam cogitati assurges, vitam, ordines, mores compo [...]as. Hic pr [...] sens tibi sit quandocunque v [...]lueris, occu [...]rat s [...]pe & cùm nolueris. Omnia facta, cogitata tua cùm ab eo videri cogita [...]is, a [...]si videat, [...]diat, [...]endare cogetis, &c. The Heathen man aduiseth a friend of his to propound to himselfe and set before him some graue man or other, and so to carry himselfe in all his courses as he thought he should doe, i [...] such an one were then eying him: that when he were moued to doe ought that were indecent, hee might thinke with himselfe, Would I doe this, or doe thus if such an one were in presence? And sure it is that mans [...] many times, such an ones especially as we reuerence and stand in some awe of, is a speciall meane to keepe men in compasse. For doe we not see it by common experience, that Sic Philippus rex cùm [...] ludenti Antipatr [...] ven [...]re [...], [...], alutum quo ludebat, in lectum reiecit. Athen. dip [...]osop. l. 10. when men are swearing and swaggering, or otherwise disordered, if one chance to come in whom they haue some reuerend conceit of, or one that they know cannot abide such behauiour, they are by and by husht and quiet, and breake off their disorders, and behaue themselues more orderly so long as he is in presence. Yea if such an one bee by vnseene behind the backe of some one of them, when he shall rap out an oath, or breake a bawdy iest on some other of the company, will not the rest bee [Page] ready to say to him, Doe not you see who is behind you? as ready it may bee, otherwise to vie oaths with him, and to requite his vnsauory iest with the like. Can mans presence then so farre preuaile with vs? And would not Gods much more, if we were assured of it; or had we the eie of our soule open to see the one, as we haue the bodily eie to see the other? Or are we not ashamed of our selues, that mans presence should preuaile with vs more then the presence of God should? Quouis loco, quouis angulo reuerentiam habe Angelo qui te custodit, [...] illo praesente facere audeas, quod me praesente non auderes. Bern. Hic est magni consilij Angelus, cui patensest omnis angulus. Et quidam ait; Cùm quid turpe facis, quod me spectante ruberes; Cur spectante Deo nō magis inde rubes? Ocul. moral. cap. 15. propr 2. that what wee would blush and be ashamed to doe in any mans, yea - siquid Turpe paras, nec iu pueri contempseris annos, Sed peccaturo obstiterit tibi filius infans. Iuven. sat. 14. per admonitionem dictum. in any childes eie, that had but wit enough to conceiue what we did, that wee blush not, nor are abashed to commit in Gods sight.

§. 46. Againe this would keepe vs Nullum putaueris locum sine teste. Martin. Dum. de mor. Memineris Deum habere te testem. Ex Cicer. Lactant. instit. lib. 6. cap. 24. from taking liberty to our selues of sinning in regard of secrecy and priuacy, were we neuer so solitary, neuer so priuate. It is true that wicked wretches take occasion by such opportunities to offend the more freely. Iob 24. 15. The eye of the Adulterer, saith Iob, waiteth for the twilight; and then he disguiseth himselfe, and saith, No eye shall see him. Yea of God himselfe they thinke, Iob 22. 13, 14. He walketh aloft on the heauenly tarase, and there is many a thicke cloud betweene him and vs: How can he see or discerne what we doe in the darke? But Psal. 94. 8, 9, 10. Oculum in se non intendit suum, qui fecit tuum? Aug. de verb. Dom. 10. Vnderstand, ye vnwise ones, as the Psalmist speaketh; and ye brutish ones, will yee neuer be wise? He that formed the eie, shall not hee himselfe see? hee that planted the eare, shall not hee himselfe heare? yea he that made the heart, knoweth not he what is in the heart? Or he that framed thy soule, cannot he see as much and as well as thy [Page] soule? But [...]. Epictit. Arian. l. 1. c. 14. when thou art in the darke, doth not thy soule see what thou doest? And [...]; Clem. Alex paedag. l. 2. c. 10. doth not God then 1 Iohn 3. 20. that is farre aboue thy soule, Ierem. 17 9, 10. that knoweth thy soule better then thy soule knoweth it selfe, that Psal. 19. 12. Iob 9. 3, 21. knoweth more by thee then thou knowest by thy selfe, doth hee not much more know, and much more easily and clearely discerne what thou doest in the darke? Oh how watchfull and wary would we be in all our waies, were our hearts but once throughly possessed with this vndoubted perswasion of Gods perpetuall presence with vs, of his all-seeing eie euer and euery where ouer-looking on vs? What temptation could preuaile against vs, were this consideration at hand with vs? If wee could follow that good rule though by an Heathen man giuen, Sic viue cum hominibus, tanquam Deus videat: sic loquere cum Deo, tanquam homines audiant. Sen. epist. 10. So conuerse with men, as if God ouer-looked thee; so commune with God, as if men ouer-heard thee: If we could haue that continually before the eyes of our soule that a reuerend and religious man had before his eyes euer in his study; Nali p [...]ccare: nā Deus videt, Angeli astant▪ Diabolus accusabit: Conscientia testabitur: I [...]fernum cr [...]ciabit. Sinne not; (bee thou neuer so secret) for God seeth thee: the good Angels stand by thee: the Deuill is ready to accuse thee; thine owne conscience to giue in euidence against thee; and hell fire to torment thee: it would not be so great a mastery to keepe vs waking and watchfull, as for want hereof vsually it is.

§. 47. A sixt helpe to this spirituall watchfulnesse is the [...]. Zaleucu [...] in legū prooemio apud S [...]ob. c. 42. frequent consideration of our end, and of that last day either of death or doome, [Page] wherein we must euery one appeare before God to giue vp our accounts to him. 1 Pet. 4. 7. The end of all things, saith the Apostle Peter, is at hand: bee sober therefore, and watch vnto praier. And our Sauiour oft; Matth. 24. 42. & 25. 13. Mark 13. 33, 35. Luke 21. 35, 36. Watch therefore; for you know not in what houre your Master will come. And it is the last Argument that the Wiseman vseth (hoping, if by any, by it to preuaile) to the vnruly youngster, that will needes haue his owne swinge; Eccles. 11. 9. But know that for all these things God will call thee to account. As those therefore that are to giue an account of their actions, as Inde [...] dicti. Et [...] apud quos rationem quisque reddebat. Visantur Iul. Pollux & Harpoor. Sic & Dan 6. 2. at Athens most of their Magistrates did at the yeeres end when they went out of office, are wont to bee more wary and chary how they carry themselues in their affaires, then those that are not liable to account, nor looke euer to come to reckoning, especially if it bee vncertaine how soone they may bee called vpon to giue vp their accounts: Semper ita viuamus, vt rationem reddendā nobis arbitremur: putemusque nos momentis omnibus, non in aliquo orbis terrae theatro ab hominibus, sed desuper spectari ab eo, qui & iudex & testis idem futu, us est, &c. Ex Citer. Verrin. 4. Lactant. instit. l. 6 c. 24. So ought it to bee with vs, since wee may well remember, yea so it cannot but bee with vs, if we shall duly consider, that 2 Cor. 5. 10. wee must all of vs one day appeare at Christs Tribunall, and there Rom. 14. 12. euery one giue account vnto God for himselfe. And if we shall withall take notice, what a strict account it shall bee, wherein we must answer not for euery wicked worke only, but Matth. 12. 36. for euery idle word also, and as well Rom. 2. 15, 16. 1 Cor. 4. 5. for the very Thoughts of our hearts, as for the actions of our liues; and that this wee know not how soone it may be, (God hath prefixed vs no set time for it; [...]. Chrysost. tom. 6. orat. 67. Vltimum diem latere voluit, vt omnes obseruarentur. August. homil. 13. Dies vltimus salubrit [...]r ignoratur, vt semper proximus esse credatur. Gregor. mor. l. 12. & Bern. de mod. viu. ser. 69. hee would haue the last [Page] day hid from vs, because he would haue vs euery day watch for it:) it must needes make vs keepe a most strait watch, and that constantly and continually too, not ouer our feet and our hands onely, but ouer our hearts and our minds also, as Prou. 4. 23, 25, 26, 27. the Wiseman doth well admonish vs.

§. 48. Yea but that day, may some say, is not so neere yet, 2 Thess. 2. 1, 2. the Apostle Paul himselfe saith so. There are some fore-running signes of it as yet vnfulfilled, as Rom. 11. 25, 26, 31. the conuersion of the Iewes, and Apoc. 18. 2, 9, 10, 17, 18. the subuersion of Antichrist: And till these haue beene, it shall not be.

To this I answer, with some of the auncients; that [...]. Ioan. Damasc. orth [...]d. fid. l. 2. c. 1. there is a twofold doomes-day: a generall Doomes-day, at the end of the world: and a particular Doomes-day, at the end of each mans life. Euery mans Deaths-day is each mans Doomes-day. For Heb. 9. 26. It is reserued for all men, that once they must die, and then commeth iudgement. And Eccles. 12. 7. when the body returneth to dust, Genes. 3. 19. whence it was taken, the Spirit goeth to God, to giue account to him Genes. 2. 7. that at first gaue it. And that which is wont to bee said, (though, it may be, Visatur Piscat. in n [...]tis. at first spoken in another sense) Eccles. 11. 3. As the tree falleth, so it lieth: Qu [...]tlem te inuen [...]t [...] cùm vocat, talem pariter & iudicat. Cyprian. de mortal. Qualis quisque hinc exierit suo nouissimo die, talis inuenietur in nouissimo saeculi die. Aug. de verb. D [...]m. 21. & epist. 80. Et Greg. dialog. l. 4. c. 37. & apud Gratia [...]. dist. 25. as Death leaueth thee, so shall the last iudgement finde thee, and so shalt thou abide then for all eternity. Matt. 24. 48, 49, 50, 51. Luke 12. 45, 46. If the euill seruant therefore shall say in his heart, My Master will not come yet: and shall take occasion thereby either to sleepe with the slouthfull, or to bee drunke with the riotous, which hee ought not to doe, to giue ouer his vigilancie, and liue more remissely or more loosely; that Seruants Master will [Page] come when he is not aware, and by death [...]. cut him in two, seuer body and soule asunder, and giue him his portion with Hypocrites, in that place of torment, where is nothing but weeping and wailing for paine and griefe, and gnashing of teeth for indignation and vexation of Spirit.

§. 49. And Etsi concluso superessent tempor [...] seclo, Vt posset longos mundus habere dies: Nos tamen occasum nostrū obseruare deceret, Et finem vitae quemque videre suae. Nam mihi quid prodest, quod longo flumina cursu Semper inexhaustis prona ferū tur aquis? Multa quod annosae vicerunt saecula syluae? Quodque suis durant flor [...]a rura locis? Ista manent: nostri sed non mansere parentes. Exigui vitam temporis hospes ago. Prosper ad voeorem. what shall it auaile a man that the world standeth still, if hee die, and so the whole world bee as good as gone with him? if the riuer runne still that hee dwelt by, the house stand still that hee dwelt in, when himselfe is taken away from either? Though the last day of the world bee neuer so farre off, yet may the last day of thy life bee neere at hand. Longè est quidē dies iudieij; sed vniuscuiusque hominis di [...]s vltimus longè esse non potest; quia breuis est vita, & vitae breuitas incerta. Aug. de verb. Dom. 16. & de 10. chord. 2. & homil. 28. Though the worlds Doomes-day come not yet, thine may come long before it: though it bee neuer so long before that come, it cannot bee long ere thine will come. And if it bee vncertaine when the generall day of Doome will bee, it is no lesse vncertaine, yea in some sort more vncertaine when thy particular day of doome will be.

There are both affirmatiue and negatiue signes of the one; there may be affirmatiue, but there are no negatiue signes of the other. Of the generall day of Doome there are some affirmatiue signes; such as argue the neere approaching of it, Matth. 24. 32, 33. Luk. 21. 30, 31. as the tendernes of the bough and the sprouting out of the figtree doth the Summers approach. And there are some negatiue signes; such as 2 Thess. 2. 3. till they come that day shall not bee, as Rom. 11. 25, 26, 31. the gathering in of the Iewes againe; [Page] and Apoc. 17. 16, 17. the destruction of the Beast and the woman that sitteth on her.

But of each mans particular Doomes-day, to wit, of his dying day, there may be signes affirmatiue, as decay of nature, old age, and some vncureable diseases; Vise Culsum de re medica l. 2. c. 6. by which it may bee knowne that the day of death is not far off. But negatiue signes of it there are none, of which we may say, till such or such things be, a man shall not die: a man cannot say, I am not weake, nor sicke, nor old yet; and therefore I know I shall not die yet. For our Amos 8. 9. Sunne may set at noone, as the Prophet speaketh in an other sense: our life may be Psal. 55. 23. & 102. 24. cut off in the middest of our yeeres: we may be Iob 15. 33. & 21. 23. snatcht away sodainely in the prime of our strength. 2 Sam. 12. 18. Mors tam iuveni ante oculos deb [...]t esse quàm seni: nō enim citamur ex censu. Senec. ep. 12. Fata enim seriem non seruant. Ibid. 63. Quis est adolescens, cui exploratum sit se ad vesperam esse victurum? Cic. de sen. Senibus mors in ianuis, adolescentibus in insidijs est. Bern. de conuers. c. 14. Et sub eodem pueritia fato est. Fuscꝰ apud Sen. suasor. 2. The young goeth many times as soone as the old; and 2 Sam. 11. 25. the strong oft before the weake. Yea as for one apple that hangeth on the tree til it be rotten or full ripe, there are twenty or more blowne down or beaten downe, or nipped with the frost or blasted before they be ripe: So for one man that Esai. 65. 20. Pauci veniunt ad senectutē. Cic. de sē. fulfilleth his naturall course, there are an hundred intercepted and haue their liues shortned, by surfet, by sicknesse, by the sword, by pensiuenesse, by some one casualtie or other.

§. 50. Could wee then but seriously consider thus much with our selues, that wee know Iob 14. 1, 2. Psal. 90. 3-10. our life cannot be long, though we should liue the full length of it: Psal. 39. 5. Our life it is but an hand-bredth; and our whole age it is as nothing in regard of God: it is but [...]. Plut. [...]. Punctum est quod viuimus; & adhuc puncto minus. Sen. epist. 60. a point to sempiternitie, Matth. 26. 46. the time after decease [Page] that hath a beginning, but no ending; it is iust [...]. Plut. de sera num. vindict. nothing to eternity, Psal. 102. 12, 24. & 90. 2. 1 Tim. 6. 16. Aetas in nobis: aerum in Angelis: aeternitas in Deo; quae Deus ipse est. Scal. de subtil. exerc. 359. §. 7. Gods age, that hath neither beginning nor ending: And againe, that wee know not how soone death may come; Erras si in nauigatione tantùm existimas minimis esse quo a morte vita diducitur. In omni loco aequè [...]enue interuallum est. Non vbique se mors tam prope ostendit; vbique tam prope est. Sen. ep. 49. it is neuer farre off indeede; Ecce hic vltimus dies: vt non sit, prope ab vltimo est. Ibid. 15. The day present if it be not it, yet it is not farre off it: but it is neerer by much many times then we are aware of; it is very neere at hand oft ere it appeare so to be; [...]. Basil. Sel. Indenuntiatae sorte rapimur. Fuscꝰ apud Sen. suasor 2. it commeth frequently without warning, and striketh a man starke-dead ere he be discerned to be dying: And lastly that when it commeth, wee must instantly come to our reckoning without further respit or delay: for Eccles. 8. 8. Nulli iusso cessare licet; Nulli scriptis proferre diem. Senec. Herc. fur. no man, saith Salomon, hath power ouer his owne Spirit, to retaine it in the day of death: there is no taking or gaining of further time then; Heb. 9. 26. [...]. Basil. Sel. homil. 26. nor shifting off of the account that we are then called vnto, and shall be enforced, will we nill wee, then to giue vp: It could not choose but keepe vs continually waking and watching for it, as Incertis est quo te loco mors expectet; itaque tu illā omni loco expecta. Senec. ep. 26. Mors vbique te expectat, & tu igitur, si sapis, eam vbique expectabis. Aug. de spir. & anim, c. 51. Ocul. moral. c. 7. & Bern. medit. cap. 3. death waiteth and watcheth euery where for vs; it would make vs the meane while walke wisely and warily, as those that desire to giue vp a good account whensoeuer they shall be called to it, which they are sure they shall, but vncertaine how soone they shall be.

Deut. 32. 29. O, saith Moses, that men were wise: they would then vnderstand this, they would thinke vpon their end. As on the other side it is noted as a point of [Page] folly in Gods people, and an occasion of their fall, that Lament. 1. 9. they minded not, nor remembred their end. Yea Quicquid facies, vespice ad mortem. Sen. ep. 114. Nulla res magis pr [...]derit, quàm cogitatio mortalitatis. Idem de ira l. 3. c. 42. did men seriously thinke on this, it would make them wise. Psal. 90. 12. Were they so wise as to number their dayes aright, they would apply their harts to further wisedome. Had they Matth. 2 [...]. 60. Iohn 19. 41. with Ioseph of Arimathea their tombe hewed out in their garden, where 1 King. 4. 25. Zach. 3. 10. the vse was in those parts to solace themselues, and to make merry with their friends, that in the middest of their mirth, they might haue their end in their eie: or were they affected as that auncient Father was, that said, Siue comedam, fiue bibam, fiue aliud aliquid faciam, semper vox illa terribilis auribus meis insonare videtur, Surgite mortui, venite ad iudicium. Hieron. in Matth. citante Pepin. de confess. Whether he ate or dranke, or whatsoeuer he did, he thought he heard in his eare that dreadfull sound of the last trumpet, Arise ye dead, and come to iudgement: it would keepe them waking amids their mirth, much better then the loudest musicke; it would make them, as the Apostle willeth them, 1 Cor. 10. 31. Whether they bee eating or drinking, or whatsoeuer else they be about, to doe all so to Gods glory, as those that once must bee, and presently may be, called to render an account of that they then doe.

§. 51. To this purpose it is a good rule, vnderstood aright, that is commonly giuen, that Sic quotidie viuamus, quasi die illa iudicandi simꝰ. Hieron. in Matth. 24. Omnem crede diem tibi diluxisse supremum. Horat. epist. 4. l. 1. Dies omnis pro vltimo habeatur. Martin. de morib. Et Senec. epist. 12. Sic ordinandus est dies omnis, tanquam cogat agmen, & consummet atque expleat vitam. Et de bren. vit. c. 7. Qui omnes dies tanquā vltimum ordinat, nec optat crastinū, nec time [...]. A man should so liue euery day, as if that day were his dying day: for that Prou. 27. 1. Iam 4. 13, 14 [...]; Ana [...]r. Nesc [...] quid serus vesper vehat. - Varro satyr. & Liu. hist. l. 45. Quis scit an adijciant hodiernae tempora summae Crastina dij superi? Hor. c [...]rm. l. 4. ode 7. - aetas quid crastina voluat Scire nefas homini. - Stat. Theb. l. 3. Nihil de hodierna die promittitur: nihil de h [...]: hora. Sen. ad Marciam. c. 10. so it may proue, for ought he knoweth.

It is true indeede that an Heathen man saith, [Page] Malè viuit, quisquis nescit benè mori. Sen▪ de tranquill. c. 11. He liueth but euill, that knoweth not how to die well. And it is as true that, as one of the Auncients saith, Sic vi [...]e, vt quotidiò merearis accipere. Qui non meretur quotidiò accipere, non meretur post ann [...] accipere. Ambros. de sacram. l. 5. c. 4. He liueth not as a Christian man should, that is not fit euery day to come to Gods boord; so [...]. Musoniꝰ apud Stob. c. 1. hee liueth otherwise then hee ought, that is not euery day prepared for death, that is not ready to goe to God euery day, if God should call for him that day; as who knoweth but that hee may? For Gen. 19. 23, 24, 25. how many haue risen well in the morning, that neuer went to bed againe? Nonne multi sani dormierunt, & obdormierūt? Aug. homil. 28. Et mors somno continuata est. Senec. ep. 66. how many haue gone well to bed, tha neuer saw day-light againe? And Cuiuis potest accidere, quod cuiquā potest. P. Syrus apud Sen. ad Marc. c. 9. & de tranq. c. 11. looke what hath befalne one man, may befall any man: Hodie fieri potest, quicquid vnquam potest. Senec. ep. 63. that may well fall out this day, that may fall out any day, and 2 Sam▪ 14. 14. that must needes come to passe one day.

But yet that rule of liuing euery day as if that day were a mans dying day, must bee conceiued for the manner of our behauiour and cariage, not for the matter and substance of it.

To make this more plaine. For the maine matter and substance of a mans imployment, that is, the workes, duties and offices to be performed of him, it is not true. For did a man know that this day should be his last day, or had hee some strong presumption that it were so to be; it were not lawfull for him to follow, either his lawfull disports & delights, or the ordinary works of his speciall calling; but rather leauing either of them, hee ought wholly to apply himselfe to the setting of his house in order, as Esai. 38. 1. Esay willed Ezechias, and the making of all straight and euen betweene God and his owne soule, to praier and supplication, and such [Page] holy meditations, as the present occasion should require.

But for the manner of a mans cariage in those duties that he is daily called vnto, or is conuersant about, it is true; a man ought continually so to behaue himselfe in them, in being Hoc citra diem mortis praesta: moriantur ante te vitia. Senec. epist. 27. Vno die ante mortē poenitentiam agito. Sapiens quidā Hebraeus. i. omni die. Quomodo enim de die in diem differendo peccas, cùm extremum diem [...] nescias? Aug. epist. 145. as carefull to eschew all euill whatsoeuer, or to repent him without delay of whatsoeuer euill he hath beene ouertaken withall; and Id ago vt mihi instar totius vitae sit dies. Nec tanquam vltimam rapio, sed sic illum aspicio, tanquam esse vel vltimus possie. Hoc animo tibi hāc epistolā scribo, tanquam cùm maximè scribentem mors euocatura sit. Paratus exire sum. Sen. epist. 61. to doe whatsoeuer worke he doth as sincerely and as circumspectly, as he would doe, if he were to doe such duties vpon his deathbed or vpon his dying day, or as hee would doe them, if instantly vpon it hee were to answer, not before man, but before God, for the doing of them.

§. 56. And surely a speciall meane it would be to keepe vs in compasse, if wee could but thinke with our selues, when we are about to behaue our selues in ought otherwise then we ought, and then our conscience telleth vs that we should, Would I doe this, or doe thus, if this were to be my last worke; were I to die vpon the doing of it, or were I presently to giue vp an account, and to make mine answer before God for it? And Dic tibi dormituro; Potes non expergisci. Dic experrecto; Potes non dormire amplius. Dic ex [...]unti; Potes non reuerti. Dic reuertenti; Potes non exire. Senec. ep. 49. who knoweth but that that worke, whatsoeuer it be, may bee thy last worke? Who can tell but that thou maist bee taken away in the very act of it, as Num. 25. 8. 2 Sam. 6. 7. some haue beene in the very act of iniquitie? Oh how sincerely, how circumspectly would wee in all things behaue our selues, did such thoughts possesse our soules?

§. 57. A seuenth helpe to this watchfulnesse isHelpe 7. [Page] To [...]i incumbamus huic operi, tam sancto▪ tam necessario, scrutemur vias & studia nostra: & in eo se quisque iudicet profecisse, non cùm iam non inuenerit quod reprehendat, sed cùm quod inuenerit reprehendet, &c. Bern. in Cant. 58. to be oft sifting and examining our selues, viewing and surueying our hearts and our liues, taking account of our selues how we watch and how we walke, how the case standeth betweene vs and God, how wee goe backward or forward in the good waies of God, and how wee thriue or pare in the gifts and graces of his spirit. 1 Cor. 11. 31. If wee would iudge our selues, saith the Apostle, we should not bee iudged. As Bonum iudicium quod diuinum praeuenit, quod diuino subducit. Volo praesentari vulturi irae iudica [...]us, non iudicandus. Bern. in Cant. 55. there is no surer way to preuent the iudgement of God, then by our iudging of our selues: so there is no better course to prepare vs for the iudgement of God, then by fore-iudging of our selues. 1 Cor. 11. 28. Let a man therefore, saith the same Apostle, examine himselfe, and so repaire to Gods boord. As examination of our selues is a meane to fit vs for Gods table, so is it a meane also to further vs in our account, which wee are to giue vp vnto God. Wee should liue euery day, as wee would, if we were to goe that day to Gods boord; and we should so addresse our selues when we are to repaire to Gods boord, as we would if we were then to goe vnto God: and the diligent discussing of our selues and our courses is a good meane to further vs in, to fit vs for either.

§. 58. Psal. 4. 4. Stand in awe, saith the Psalmist, and sin not: examine your owne hearts on your beds, and bee still. And of himselfe else-where, Psal. 119. 59. I considered my waies, and turned my feet againe to thy testimonies. And, Zephan. 2. 1, 2▪ [...] Excutite v [...]s, i [...]erum (que) excutite. Iun. sift or search your selues, saith one Prophet, and search againe and againe, (for so the words would there be read) before the sentence be executed, and yee be carried away as chaffe; before the fierce [Page] wrath of God come vpon you▪ and the day of Gods indignation ouertake you. And, Lament. 3. 40. Let vs search and fift our waies, and our courses, saith another, and returne vnto the Lord. And, 2 Cor. 13. 5. Proue your selues, saith the Apostle, whether you be in the faith or no: that ye may know whether Christ be in you or no; whether you be sound and sincere, or but [...]. counterfeit Christians. And againe, Galat. 6. 4, 5. Let each man trie his owne worke; that he may haue whereof to reioyce in himselfe and not in others: (Vt testimonium perbibeat conscientia propria, non lingua aliena. Aug. in 1 Ioan. 6. in that which hee knoweth by himselfe, not in that which others conceiue of him:) For euery man must beare his owne burthen: And it is 2 Cor. 1. 12. the testimony of his owne heart concerning his estate, not the opinion or report that others haue giuen him or had of him, that must one day before God either Rom. 2. 15. excuse or accuse him, either 1 Iohn 3. 20, 21. acquite or condemne him.

No better meanes therefore by the testimony of Gods Spirit to keepe vs in awe, to preuent Gods wrath, to restraine vs from sinne, to bring vs backe into Gods way when wee haue gone out of it, to stay vs from going out of it againe when we are once in it, to vphold vs in the state of grace, to afford vs sound comfort of our present estate, to preserue vs from the danger of selfe-deceit and of inward decay in good things; then Coram Deo indicatur, qui corde Dominū conspi [...]it, & actus eius sub eius praesentia solicita inquisitione discernit, quē tanto quis securius expectat, quanto quotidiè vitam suspectiꝰ [...]minat. Qui. [...]. ad extremum eius iudicium venit, nō iam coram ill [...], sed ab ill [...] indicatur. Greg. m [...]r. l. 25. c. 6. the oft view and surueigh of our owne workes and our waies, and the diligent discussing of our daily courses and carriage.

§. 59. We see how A [...]arus totus in rationibus. carefull worldly men are in this kinde; I meane, of keeping duly, and oft casting vp their accounts. And not without cause: [Page] they finde much benefit by it: they come thereby to vnderstand aright their owne strength and ability, which they might bee else mistaken in: and if in any matter of expence they haue gone beyond their compasse, or haue slipped vnawares into some course more chargeable then gainefull, they can soone come by this meane both Quod apud lu [...]uriosum, sed diligentem euenit, ratio mihi constat impensae. Non possum dicere, me nihil perdere, sed quid perdam, & quare, & quemadmodum dicam. Sen. ep. 1. to discouer and to correct it betimes, ere it grow to a greater euill. And on the other side for want of due care in this kinde, men fall oft farre behinde hand before they bee aware of it; so that they are quite sunke many times ere they perceiue themselues sinking, they are gone past recouery ere they discerne that they are going. And were we Luke 16. 8. as carefull for the state of our soules, as the children of this world are for their worldly estates; we would be as carefull (much [...]. Greg. Naz. apud Anton. Meliss. l. 1. c. 64. Satius est vitae suae rationes, quam frumenti publici noss [...]. Sen. de bre [...]. vit▪ c. 38. better cause we haue so to be) of keeping and oft casting vp our accounts concerning the one, as they are theirs concerning the other: That which as it would much further our growth in grace, and by way of preuention preserue vs from decay and relapse; so for want whereof many that haue made faire shewes haue fallen backward, and haue become spiritual banckrupts ere they haue perceiued that they were breaking.

§. 60. As Tradesmen therefore and those that haue much dealings in the world, are wont to haue their day-booke, to keepe particular account of each daies both receit and expence: So an exceeding great helpe would it be vnto vs in good courses, if we could bring our selues in a constant [Page] course to Quotidiè cum vita paria faciamus. Sen. epist. 101. take euery day at Euen an account of our selues, how we haue spent that day, and what account we are able to giue of it vnto God. It is wisdome in worldly men so to doe, euen where they are not liable to account; because their worldly well-being dependeth much thereupon. But it were much more wisdome Rationē cum Domino crebrò putet. De Villi [...]o Cato de re r [...]stic. c. 5. for that man so to doe, that were to giue vp a strict reckoning of all his affaires & of his cariage in each of them, and that at an houres warning: [...]hee should by meanes hereof haue his accounts ready by him vpon any occasion, hauing kept them thus diligently from day to day. It is a point then of double wisdome in vs Animus quotidiè ad rationem reddend [...]m v [...]candus est. Senec. de ira l. 3. c. 36. to be diligent in the daily practise and performance of this duty; both for that our spirituall welfare dependeth much thereupon; as also for that wee are liable to the most strict account that may bee, to bee giuen vp, not at an houres, but at lesse then an houres warning, if it shall be so called for; which this course duly obserued would be a speciall meane to fit vs for.

§. 61. This euen Heathen men haue done. They haue taught it their Schollers: they haue vsed it themselues. For so [...]; Pythag. carm▪ aur. & Plut. de curiosit. Pythagoras enioyned his disciples each of them to rehearse euery euening this verse to himselfe;

What good, or ill haue I done (this day)? or what not done, that I should doe? And Pythagoreorum more, quid quoque die dixerim, audierim, eg [...]rim; commemoro vesperi▪ Cato apud Ci [...]. de senect. accordingly was it their vsuall manner at Euen euer to runne ouer what they had said, or heard, or done the day past. And Seneca, as F [...]ciebat hoc quotidiè Sex [...]ꝰ, vt cō summato die cùm se ad nocturnam quietem recepisset, interrogaret animū suum; Quod hodie malum tuum sanasti? cui vitio obstitisti? qua parte melior e [...]? Senec. de ira l. 3. c. 36. hee telleth vs of one Sextius a Stoicke, whose daily practise this was, to call himselfe [Page] at Euen, to a reckoning, what euill hee had healed in himselfe that day, what vice he had withstood or subdued in himselfe, wherein he was oughts better, being that he had liued a day longer: So Vtor hac potestate, & quotidiè apud me causam dico. Cùm sublatum è conspectu lumen est, & conticuit vxor moris mei iam consci [...], totum diem iam mecum scrutor, facta ac dicta mea remetior. Sen. ibid. Et alibi ad L [...]cil. Scrutor me prius; deinde hunc mundum. he professeth of himselfe, that it was his vsuall guise, euery night after he was laid in bed and the light out, when all was quiet about him, to cite himselfe as it were to appeare before himselfe, to render an account of his courses, and so priuately with himselfe to recount and record his whole daies worke, all his words and his deeds, passing such censure vpon each of them as the condition or quality of either did require. And Vir bonus & sapiens, - Non prius in dulcem declinat lumina somnum, Omnia quàm longi reputauerit acta diei; Quo praetergressus? quid gestū in tempore? quid non? Curisti facto decus absuit, aut ratio illi? Quid mihi praeteritum? [...]ur haec sententia sedit, Quam melius mutasse fuit? Quid volui quod n [...]lle b [...]num suit? v [...]ile h [...]nesto Cur malu [...] antetul [...]? sic dicta & facta p [...]r omnia Ingrediens, ortoque à [...] cuncta reuoluens, Offensus prauis, da [...] palmam & praemia rectis. Auson. idyll. 16. a Latine Poet describing a wise and a good man, maketh this his daily practise, Not to suffer his eyes to sleepe, till he haue runne ouer all his actions of the whole liuelong day past, and taken notice what was well done, and wherein hee had faulted and failed, to approue himselfe in the one, to reproue himselfe for the other.

§. 62. Thus haue Heathen men done: And as hee sometime said, Tanti vitrum, quanti margaritum? Post Tertull. ad Martyr. Hieron. ad Demetr. & ad Saluinam & alibi. Shall they set so much by their glassie bugle, and not wee much more by our pretious pearle? Shall they be so carefull to vse these means for the furthering of themselues in matter of meere morality: and shall not Christian men much more doe the like for the helping of themselues forward in the practise of true piety? A shame it were for vs that they should take more paines and vse greater diligence about the nutshell, then wee should for the kernell; that they should bee enamored more on the shadow, then we are with the [Page] substance; they rauisht more with a dead picture then we with the person whose picture it is, and whose surpassing beauty and excellency the picture commeth farre short of; that meere ciuility and humanity should preuaile more with them then true Christianity and diuinity doth or can doe with vs.

As we are to thinke therefore daily of that generall account; so Si semper hoc, cùm opus est, facis; semper facis▪ Bern. in Cant. serm. 58. Nobis enim putationis semper est tempus, quiae semper est opus. Ibid. let vs call each one himselfe daily to a particular reckoning. Quid pulchrius [...]ac consuetudine e [...]cutiendi totum diem? moderatior erit, qui sciat sibi quotidi [...] ad i [...]dicem esse veniendū. Qualis ille somn [...] post recognitionem sui sequitur? quam tranquillus, altus, liber, cùm aut laudatus est animus, aut admonitus? &c. Senec. de ira l. 3. c. 36. We shall walke euery day the more warily being to passe such a censure; wee shall sleepe and rest more freely, more quietly, more soundly, more sweetly, hauing past such a censure: wee shall bee sure, when wee haue ransacked our selues in this manner ouer night, to haue no knowne sinne vnrepented of lodge with vs till the next day. Yea hee that hath thus acquit himselfe ere he lay him down to sleep, shall bee sure to watch euen while hee sleepeth; and though hee were taken away sodainely in his sleepe, should be found spiritually awake. In a word, as the often rubbing of our eies is a good meane to keepe vs corporally waking: so the frequent ransacking of our hearts and liues will proue a soueraigne helpe to keepe vs spiritually watching.

§. 63. An eighth helpe to further vs in this spirituallHelpe 8. Watch is to be iealous of our selues and of our owne infirmitie and weaknesse, that we may soone be ensnared and easily surprised, foiled at least, if we be not exceeding wary, before wee be aware. As the feare of God will make vs carefull [Page] to shun all sinne, and whatsoeuer is euill in it selfe: so this iealousie of our selues, and feare of our owne infirmitie, will make vs carefull to eschew all occasions of sinne, and whatsoeuer by meanes of our weaknesse may become matter of euill vnto vs. For as those that know themselues to be of a weake stomacke, ready to take checke at such meats as many other ordinarily are wont to digest well enough, are very chary of their diet, and carefull to eschew and forbeare not such meats only as are simply vnwholesome, but euen such also as they suspect or suppose to be hard of digestion, and will not in that regard so well accord with their weaknesse: So Panaetius adolescentulo quaerenti, An Sapiens amaturus esset; De Sapiente, inquit, videbimus: mibi & [...] qui adhuc à sapiente longè absumus, non est committendum, vt incidamus in rē commotam, impotentē, alteri [...]mancipatam; vilem sui. Itaque conscij nobis imbecillitatis nostra quiescamus. Quod ille de amore, hoc ego de omnibus: nec vino infirmum animum committamꝰ, nec for [...], &c. quantum possumus, nos à lubric [...] recedamus▪ in sicco quoque parum fortiter stamus. Sen. epist. 116. the man that is suspitious of himselfe, and iealous of his owne corruption, will be carefull to walke warily, and diligently to auoid not those things alone that hee seeth and knoweth to be simply euill, and in that regard preiudiciall to all in generall, but euen those things also that, though indifferent, and in themselues otherwise not vnwarrantable, such as may be done by some sometime without hurt or offence, yet that in regard of the strength of his corruption, his naturall disposition, the weaknesse of grace in him, and his pronenesse to slip and bee ouertaken in them, may in that regard proue dangerous and preiudiciall to him in particular, howsoeuer Sapienti non soli itè custodire se tut [...]m est: gradum vbi volet, sistet. Nobis, quia non est regredi facile, optimum est omninò nō progredi. Sen ibid. others wiser or stronger, or not so affected as he findeth and feeleth himselfe, might without danger deale with them.

This religious iealousie had Iob of his children, [Page] when they were feasting together, knowing how prone youth are to ouer-shoote themselues in mirth and disport: Iob 1. 5. Peraduenture, saith he, my sonnes may haue sinned, and (blessed, that is, as the Hebrewes vse the word [...]. So 1 King. 2. 13. Vise sis Drus. observ. l. 16. c. 7. by a kinde of fairenesse and finenesse of speech) blasphemed God in their hearts. And the like godly It is a fooles best wisdome to be iealous of his owne follie. iealousie of our selues it is good for each of vs to haue, as to say with our selues, when we are moued or solicited to some ieopardous course, though wee cannot condemne it as simply euill; Peraduenture I may sinne, and bee ouertaken [...] I be aware; I may faile in it or fall by it, though other stronger then I may deale in it without danger. Yea the like iealousie had Iob of himselfe: he was no lesse suspitious of himselfe, then he was of his sonnes. Iob 9. 28. Verebar omnia opera mea. I was afraid, saith he, of all my workes; knowing, that if I did wickedly, thou wouldest not acquite me. And this suspitiousnesse of himselfe no doubt was it that caused him to Iob 31. 1. make a Couenant with his eies, not to seize on such obiects, as might proue occasion vnto him of any spirituall euill.

§. 64. Matth. 26. 41. Watch and pray, saith our Sauiour, that ye enter not into temptation: the Spirit indeed is ready; but the flesh is weake. As if he had said more at large; Considering your owne infirmity and feeblenesse, ye haue great neede to take heed and earnestly to desire, that yee may not so much as touch vpon any temptation: For such is the pronenesse of your corrupt nature to giue way to them, that if you doe but enter into any temptation, though the Spirit purpose otherwise, [Page] yet the flesh faltring with you, it is an hundred to one that you come not out as you went in, but you receiue some foile or other.

Doe we not see how carefull they are that haue gunpowder in their houses, to looke that no fire or candle come neere where it is? And in like manner Aduersa est confidentia, quae periculis vitam suam pro certo commendat. Et lubrica spes, quae inter fomenta pe [...]cati saluari se sperat, Autor de singular. cleric. did wee consider that our corrupt heart is like tinder or gunpowder, apt in temptation to bee soone fired and inflamed, it would make vs the more carefull to keepe aloofe of, and fearefull to come nigh ought that might be a meane to tempt or to intice vs vnto euill. And on the other side, as those that set such materialls to drie before the fire, as are apt soone and sodainely to take fire, by the suddaine lighting but of a little sparke in them, though they be neuer so heedy, though they stand still by them and haue their eye euer on them, may chance to haue all on a light fire, ere they can helpe or preuent it: So falleth it out heere not seldome, that Vt ignis, vbi foenum vel culmum arripuerit, sine mora simulac materiā attigerit, flammam lucidam accendit: ita ignis concupiscentia simul [...]t per oculorum intuitum formam elegantem at [...]igerit, animum statim exurit. Chrysost. de Oziaserm. 3. while we venture too neere, and presume as Iohn 18. 25, 26. Peter sometime did to stand bathing himselfe against the fire in the High-priests Hall; wee are suddainly caught, as he was, ere we thinke on it, we haue by some sudden iniection our affections so fired, that the very frame of our heart is all on a flame, ere we are aware of it, or are able now well either to preuent it, or easily to suppresse it.

§. 65. Againe, this iealousie of our owne weaknesse will make vs the more carefull, as to shun all occasions, whereby we may bee endangered; so, because it is not in our power euer to auoid them, [Page] to vse diligently all good meanes, whereby wee may be supported and strengthened against them. To which purpose our Sauiour ioyneth watching and praier together, as Matth. 26. 41. there, so Luke 21. 36. elsewhere: as also Ephes. 6. 18. 1 Pet. 4. 7. his Apostles oft couple them the one with the other. Multos impedit à firmitate praesumptio firmitatis. Nemo à Deo fit fir [...], nisi qui se à seipso sentit infirmum. Infirmatus est in se, vt firmus secret in te. Non firmaretur, si non infirmaretur, vt abs te in te perficeretur. Aug. de verb. Dom. 13. No man, saith one of the Auncients, is enabled by God, that is not enfeebled first in himselfe. And no maruell; For so long as wee finde our selues (as wee suppose) strong enough to stand alone on our owne legs of our selues, wee thinke scorne to vse crutches, or to be supported by others: so long as wee thinke our selues wise enough and able to wade well enough thorow with our affaires, Consilij satis est in me mihi. - Arachne apud Ouid. met. l. 6. wee regard not to take aduice or to seeke helpe and aid from others: So here, so long as we misdoubt not our owne weaknesse, as we are ouer-forward to presume vpon our owne strength, so we are ouer-backward and carelesse of vsing those meanes whereby we might attaine true strength indeed. And on the other side, the more conscious men are to themselues of their owne wants, the more diligent are they wont to be in resorting to those by whom their wants may bee supplied: and the more suspitious wee are of our owne infirmity and weaknesse, the more carefull will we be daily and hourely to repaire vnto him, who alone is able to confirme and strengthen vs, yea who is able so 2 Tim. 4. 17. to enable vs notwithstanding our weaknesse, that 2 Cor. 12 9, 10. his power and might shall appeare in vs amids our feeblenesse, and 2 Cor. 4. 7. our very infirmity shall make much for his glory. And [Page] surely, In hac parte expedit plus benè timere, quàm malè fidere. Et vtilius est, infirmum se homo cognoscat, vt fortis existat, quàm fortis videri velit, & infirmus emergat. Autor de singular. cleric. Sed & Tertull. de cultu foem. Vtilius si speremus nos posse delinquere. Sperando enim timebimus, timendo cauebimus, cauendo salui erimus. Qui securus agit, non est sollicitus, non possidet tutam & firmam securitatem: at qui sollicitus est, is rerè poterit esse securus. In this kinde, as one well saith, it is more behouefull for a man to be somewhat too fearefull and heedy, then to be a little too confident and foole-hardy: to take notice of his owne weaknesse, that hee may become strong, then while hee thinketh himselfe strong in his owne conceit, to proue weake. In regard whereof also the Wiseman, as we said formerly, not vnworthily pronounceth him Prou. 28. 14. happy, that continually standeth in feare: as Rom. 11. 21. 1 Cor. 10. 12. afraid, though he may seeme to stand fast and firme, lest through infirmitie he should chance to fall.

§. 66. The want hereof hath beene the fault, and hath proued the fall of not a few. For, to passe by that fearefull downefall of our first Parents hereby occasioned: What but this was the maine ground of Peters miscariage? but Praesumpsit nescio quid, quod in illo nondum erat. Aug. in Psal. 55. Posse se putauit quod non potuit. Bern. de temp. serm. 88. this presumption, I meane, of his owne might, and neglect of those meanes whereby hee might haue beene enabled to stand, while Iohn 13. 36, 37. hee trusted to his owne strength? A threefold offence some haue obserued in his behauiour in that businesse; that [...]. Se Christo opposuit; se caeteris praeposuit; sibi totum imposuit. Chrysost. in Matth. homil. 82. he opposed himselfe to our Sauiour forewarning him of his fall, he preferred himselfe indiscreetly before the rest of his Fellow-disciples, and he tooke the matter wholly vpon himselfe, as that which hee knew himselfe able well enough to goe through with. Matth. 26. 33, 34, 35. Thou wilt deny me, Peter, saith our Sauiour, Nay, but I will not; saith Peter. Though all should deny thee, yet will not I deny thee: I will neuer deny thee, though I die for it. And no doubt of it but that [Page] Volebat planè pro Domino animā ponere, volebat: neque enim Deum id pollicendo fallebat: sed quas vires haberet voluntas ipsa nesciebat. August. de orig. animae l. 4. c. 7. Peter then both meant as hee spake, and spake what hee thought; hee misdoubted not himselfe, nor his owne inability, but hee would and should doe as then hee said. But Non se norat aegretus: sed agretum norat medicus. Verior (que) inuenta est medici praedictio, quàm agroti praesumptio. Aug. in Psal. 138. the Physitian felt Peters pulse, and discerned that in his Patient, which the Patient did not, nor could then see in himselfe.

And surely, as it befell Peter, so falleth it out with many other. They are like sicke men, - iussus requiescere, postquam Tertia compositas vidit nox currere venas &c. Pers. sat. 3. Qui acuta febre diu laborauit, si morbus per bidnum triduumue intermiserit, dicit statim, Iam licet ad satietatē edere, &c. Stella ad Luc. 11. Quod aegris euenit, quos longa imbecillitas vsque to affecit, vt nunquā fine offensa proferantur; hoc accidit nobis▪ quorum animi ex longo morbo reficiuntur. Senec. epist. 7. that when they haue had a good day or two after some fits of a feuer, thinke they are now perfectly well recouered againe, and so presuming contrary to the Physitians aduice to venture abroad into the aire, or to cast off their sicke kerchiefe, or to misdiet themselues, either they catch cold or take surfet, and so fall backe by relapse into their former disease, handling them then more fiercely by far, and endangering them much more then before. And so is it here with a many: they thinke themselues strong enough to encounter with Satan, especially if they haue stood out and come off well (as they thinke) in a temptation or twaine, and so Qui praesumit, minus veretur, minus praecauet, plus periclitatur. Tertull. de cultu foem. Timor salutis fundamentum est: praesumptio impedimentum timoris. Ibid. grow carelesse either of eschewing the occasions of euill, or of vsing meanes whereby they may be enabled to withstand them when they are offered: Which when they so doe, it is iust oft with God to leaue them to their owne strength, as the nurse doth the childe that will not endure to bee lead, and so to suffer them to fall, as soone then they will, sometime to their eternall ruine, that [Page] they may deseruedly perish through their owne folly and foole-hardinesse; sometime to their present paine, but their future amendment, that hauing had experience of their owne feeblenesse and inability to stand of themselues, they may in time to come be more wary, more distrustfull of their owne strength, and more carefull to resort from time to time vnto him, from whom onely true strength is to be had.

And for this end no doubt hath the Holy Ghost left vpon record the foule slips and fals of many of Gods worthy Saints and Seruants, not that any should thereby bee incouraged or emboldned vnto sin; but Vt cautela minorum sit ruinae maiorū. Greg. mor. lib. 33. c. 15. Scriptae sunt ruinae priorum ad cautelam posteriorum. Stultus quippe est, qui praecedentem cadere videt & ipse non cauet. Rad. Ardent post Trinit. 9. Cautum itaque debet reddere, non sequacem, error alienus. Cassiod. l. 7. ep. 2. Cum magnos cecidisse attendūt, parui timeant. Augustin. in Psalm. 50. Nimium praceps est, qui tranfire contendit, vbi alium conspexerit cecidisse: & vehementer infraenis est, cui non incutitur timor alio pereunte. Amator verò est salutis suae, qui euitat alienae mortis incursum: & ipse est prouidus, qui sollicitus fit cladibꝰ caeterorum. Autor de fingul. cleric. Vita itaque f [...]ueam in quam alium vides cecidisse: aliena pericula in te pertimesce: alterius perditio tua sit cautio. Isidor. soliloq. l. 1. that the ruine of such great ones might make weaker ones more wary; that where we haue seene them slip for want of watchfulnesse, there might we be more watchfull: that when we see others foiled farre stronger then our selues, it might make vs the more to distrust our owne strength: Which the more we distrust, the lesse shall we presume on it, and the more carefull shall wee be to vse all good meanes, whereby true strength may be atchieued of vs and increased in vs.

§. 67. A ninth Helpe to further vs in this spirituall Watch is a sincere hatred of euill, that we labour not onely to condemne sinne in iudgement, but euen to hate and detest it in heart. Prou. 8. 13. The feare of God, saith Salomon, is to hate euill: not to forbeare it onely, but, as the Apostle speaketh, Rom. 12. 9. [...]. to abhorre it. The seruile feare may make a man breake off the [Page] practise of sinne outwardly in his life, (wicked men, had they but it, durst not goe on in their wicked courses as they doe) but the filiall feare will doe more then that, it will make a man hate and detest it also inwardly in his heart: For this feare it is a louing feare, Timor Dei cum amore coniunctus. Caluin▪ instit. l. 1. a feare ioyned with loue, yea proceeding from the loue of him whom we feare. And Psal. 97. 10. ye that loue the Lord, saith the Psalmist, hate that that is euill. Amas Deum? debes odisse quod odit. Aug. in Psal. 96. Doest thou loue God, saith Augustine; thou must hate then what hee hateth: Yea if thou louest him indeed, thou canst not but hate what he hateth.

Neither indeed can we Rom. 12. 9. closely cleaue to that that is good, till wee haue brought our hearts to detest and abhorre that that is euill. Which thing if it were once throughly wrought in vs, there should not neede much Rhetoricke to perswade vs to watch both against sinne and against all occasions of it: Wee would of our selues bee carefull enough to shun and auoid that, which our hearts abhorred, and could not brooke or abide. For as the meat that a man loatheth, he cannot endure so much as the sent or sauour of it, nay nor, it may be, the sight of it: so would it be with vs in regard of sinne, had we the like inward dislike and loathing of sinne in our soules. And Stomachum fecit illi luxuria: citò tamen cum illa redibit in gratiam. Tunc de illo feremu [...] sententiam, cùm fidem nobis fecerit, inuisam iam sibi esse luxuriam. Nunc illis malè cō uenit. Sen. ep. 112. one maine cause of relapse into sinne, and of want of due watchfulnesse against it, in those that for some time haue surceased the practise of it, is because they neuer hated it in heart, though they could not but in iudgement condemne it, being euidently conuinced in conscience of the euilnesse of it: Psal. 66. 18. their heart looked still [Page] after it (though their hand for feare or other respect were for a while with-drawne and with-held from it) ready therefore when such respects as before staied and restrained it were at any time remoued, to giue friendly entertainment vnto it againe.

§. 68. Would wee therefore keepe a constant Watch against sinne? Oh let vs labour then to haue wrought in vs a true hatred of sinne; of such sinnes especially, as we haue beene most addicted vnto, or haue most delighted in before. The more formerly wee haue loued them, the more now let vs loath them: the more we haue for the time past delighted in them, the more for the time to come let vs euen detest and abhorre them. [...]. Plut. de virt. m [...]r. As the meat that we haue sometime sursetted of, wee not only know now to bee euill for vs, but euen our stomacke riseth and goeth against it: so those sinnes that we haue formerly glutted our soules with, let vs not onely condemne now as the bane of our soules, but endeuour euen so to be affected towards them, that our very hearts may rise against them vpon the memory and remembrance of them. Let it be with vs in regard of them, as it was with Ammon in his affection to Tamar. 2 Sam. 13. 15. Hee loued her earnestly at first, though with an incestuous loue, or lust rather: But after that he had abused her and defiled himselfe with her, [...]. Clemens Alex. paedag. l. 2. c. 10. his loue was in a strange manner so turned into hatred, that the loue wherewith before he loued her, was not so great, but the hatred wherewith he then hated her, was farre greater. So for those sinnes that [Page] wee haue formerly defiled our soules with, wee should labour to haue our loue in like manner turned into hatred; and Si quaeris odio misera quem statuas modum; Imitare amorem. - Senec. Med. act. 3. striue to bring our hearts to it, to abhorre them now as much, yea (if it were possible, as there is good ground for it and iust cause of it) much more, then euer wee loued them, or delighted in them before.

This could wee doe with Ammon; wee would doe further as he did. 2 Sam. 13. 16, 17. He thrust Tamar instantly out at doores, when his affection was thus altered; hee could no longer endure so much as the sight of her: and not that onely, but he caused the doore to be bolted fast after her, that shee might not haue any free or further accesse in vnto him againe. So were our hearts and affections estranged from such sinnes, as they had beene linked and fastened vnto before, wee would not only bee carefull without further delay to dispossesse our soules of them, but wee would bee constantly watchfull to keepe the doore of our heart surely bolted against them, that they might neuer be able to gaine entrance againe with vs.

§. 69. The tenth and last helpe, that wee willHelpe 10. propound for the present, to further vs in this spirituall Watch, is the diligent and constant practise and performance of good duties and offices.

Which helpe diuideth it selfe into two branches; the one opposing to Idlenesse, and the other to worldlinesse.

The former is the constant following of theBranch 1. workes of our particular callings. Ephes. 4. 28. Let him that [Page] stole, saith the Apostle, steale no more; but let him labour rather and worke with his hands some good thing or other, that hee may haue to giue to him that needeth. Let him that stole steale no more: that is well; but that is not enough. Let him steale no more, but labour rather: because else though hee leaue stealing a while, Prou. 23. 21. & 24. 30. ad finem. Otio nihil deterius; quod nec noua acquirit, & parata consumit. Pelag. ad Demetr. if he liue idle, he will come to suffer want soone, (for Prou. 18. 9. Slouth wasteth as well as excesse and riot:) and so bee falling anon to his former trade againe: Not to adde, that [...]. Phocylid. [...]. Quidam apud Socratem hist. lib. 4. cap. 23. hee that liueth so, euen in that he so liueth, liuing like a drone on the labours of others, is little better then a Theefe.

Prou. 19. 15. Slouth, saith Salomon, causeth sleepe. And sure as we see it to be with drowsie persons, that if they sit still and doe nothing, they will soone fall asleepe: so is it here; Paulisper vigilantia amittitur, dum à benè operandi studio cessatur. Greg. Pastor. p. 3. c. 1. §. 16. if wee giue our selues ouer to idlenesse, we shall soone come to be ouertaken againe with this deadly sleepe of sinne. Ezech. 16. 49. Fulnesse and idlenesse are noted to haue beene two maine causes of those filthy sinnes of Sodome. It is a common by-word with vs, that Of idlenesse commeth no goodnesse: And Nihil agendo malè agere homines discunt. Ca [...]onis oraculum, quo nihil verius. Colum. de re r [...]st. l. 11. c. 1. [...]. Chrysost. tom. 6. serm. 90. Et Sirac. 32. 28. [...]. Chrysost. in Genes. homil. 14. & de prouid. l. 1. & in Matth. homil. 35. & in 1 Cor. homil. 23. By doing nothing, saith the Heathen man, men learne to doe euill things. Ab otiosis ad noxia, à leuioribus ad grauiora facilis est lapsus. Greg. de pastor. p. 3. c. 1. §. 15. & dialog. l. 3. c. 15. It is easie slipping out of an idle life into an euill and a wicked life: yea an idle life, it is of it selfe euill. For man was made for action, not for idlenesse. And howsoeuer, saith one well, we count him [Page] Bonum est non fecisse malum. a good man that doth no euill, he is indeed rather Malum est non fecisse bonum Chrysost. ser. de virt. & vit. an euill man that doth no good.

[...]. Eustath. ad Homir. Il. [...]. Et lethi consanguineus sopor. - Virgil. Aen. 6. [...]. Basil. Caes. hom. 1. Et Senec. Her. fur. act. 4. sc. 2. Frater durae languide mortis, Pauidum leti genus humanum Cogis longā discere mortem. Et Gorgias senex in somnum prolapsus, [...]. Aelian. hist. var. lib. 2. cap. 35. Sleepe and death are said to bee brethren or Cosen-germanes: or the one at least to be Speculum mortis somnus. Tertull. de anima c. 24. Per imaginem mortis fidem initiaris resurrectionis. Ibid. c. 25. Quid est mors? somnus consuet [...] longior. Chrysoft. ad pop. homil. 5. Inde Chrysolog. serm. 59. Vt resurrecturum t [...] iugi & verna [...]ulo instruaris exemplo, quoties dormis & vigilas, toties moreris & resurgis. [...]. Menand. an image and a resemblance of the other. And as 1 Cor. 15. 6, 51. [...]. Basil. Sel. homil. 31. Inde [...] dicta. those therefore that are deceased are said to bee fallen asleepe: so Hinc Alexidis griphus de somno, [...]. Athen. l. 10. [...]. Eustath. Iliad. [...]. Itaque Plato apud Laert. [...]. Ex legum l. 3. Nihili est, qui piger est. Plaut. R [...]d. act. 4. sc. 2. they that lie asleepe may well be said to be in some kinde or degree of decease.

Now what difference is there [...] esse. Aristot. Ethic. Ni [...]m. l. 1. c. 13. betweene him that lieth fast asleepe, and him that is idle though awake? saue that the one is restrained from action by the course of nature, whereas the other voluntarily restraineth himselfe: and that is no sinne therefore in the one, that is no small sinne in the other. Slouthfulnesse therefore not onely causing sleepe, but being it selfe of it selfe Vigilia somno simillima. Sonec. de prouid. c. 5. a kinde of spirituall sleepe, it is consequently also Somno delectari est quasi mortem moliri. Martin. Dum. de morib. Vita enim▪ profecto vigilia est. Plin. prafat. hist. natur. Et revera plus vigilare, plu [...] viuere est. Nam quid tam mortis simile quàm dormientis aspectus? Quid tam vita plenum quam forma vigilantis? Chrysolog. serm. 24. a kinde euen of spirituall death: And the idle and slouthfull may bee well said to bee not onely spiritually asleepe, euen when they are awake, but to bee spiritually [Page] 1 Timoth. 5. 6. Otium fine literis mors est, & viui hominis sepultura. Senec. epist. 83. Itaque de Vacia idem, latente non viuente, quem tamen solum viuere Asinius aiebat, tā quam de sepulto, Hîc filus est Vacia. Epist. 55. Qui enim latitant & torpent, sic in domo sunt, tanquam in conditiuo. Horum licet in limine ipso nomen marmori inscribas: mortem suam antecesserunt. Idem epist. 60. dead also, euen while they liue: their very waking, while they so wake, being no better then sleepe, and their very life, while they so liue, no better then death: yea worse then naturall sleepe, (because against nature) for a man to sleepe waking; worse then corporall death, for a man to be as dead ere he die, Iusta sibi faciunt. Senec. epist. 122. se esserunt. Idem epist. 12. - se quisque, & viuit, & effert. Manil. l. 4. de coecis. to be his owne Bearer, to winde himselfe quicke, and to [...]. Plato. Impij etst videantur viuere, miseriores tamen sunt omnibus mortuis, carn [...]m suam vt tumulum circumferen [...]es, cui infoelicem infod [...] runt animam suam. Ambr. de Ca [...]n & Abel lib. 2. cap. 9. bury himselfe yet breathing.

§. 70. Idlenesse therefore, it is both euill of it selfe; and it exposeth men to further euils. Matth. 12. 44. Satan where he findeth [...]. the house vacant, that he had before quit, hee doth easily make a reentry againe. He doth as Vise Ambr. hexamer. l. 5. c. 8. the Crab, that desirous to prey on the Oister, but finding the fish enclosed and her selfe excluded with two such shels as all her power is not able to pierce, watcheth the time when she lieth bathing her selfe in the sunne and gaping to take in some pleasant refreshing, while the windes are calme, and the waters still; then shee slily and suddenly casteth in some sandy grit that keepeth her two shels from closing againe, and by that meanes commeth she to get in her cleyes, one after another, and so to prey vpon the fish. In like manner doth Satan, where he desireth to seize vpon the soule, but seeth some likelihood of resistance; he watcheth mens idle times, and when he findeth the heart vacant & the minde free from present imployment, then is heé busie to iniect first idle and sandy thoughts, by which he maketh way for worse matters, and after wicked and noisome motions, by which he commeth many times [Page] to take full seisen of the soule, and to worke its vtter ruine. In regard whereof it is no vnnecessary counsell that one of the Auncients giueth, that Semper aliquid operis facito, vt Diabolus te semper occupatum inveniat. Hieron. ad Rustic▪ Res age, tutus eris. Ouid. remed. - nam si non Intendes animum studijs & rebus honestis, Inuidia vel amore vigil torqueberis. - Horat. lib. 1. epist. 7. [...]. Hipponact. apud Stob. We be alwaies about some good businesse or other, that the Tempter whensoeuer hee come, finde vs not vnoccupied.

§. 71. Yea for this cause is it that God hath ordained that euery man should haue some certaine course of life wherein to bee ordinarily imployed. 1 Cor. 7. 20, 24. Let euery man, saith the Apostle, in that calling wherein he was called, therein [...]. with God (or, in Gods name, as we vse to say) abide. There is a twofold calling by the Apostle there mentioned; Vocatio in qua. ad qu [...]. The calling wherein a man was called, and the calling whereunto a man was called, when he was conuerted and became a Christian at first: there is the generall calling of a Christian, that whereunto hee was called; & there is the particular calling or special course of life wherein a man liued, before (as it may fall out) he was called thereunto. A man must not imagine therefore, when hee is called to bee a christian, that he must presently cast off all worldly imployments, giue ouer the workes of his former vocation, & apply himselfe wholly (as some Mesaliani, fi [...]e Euchetae, de quibus Epiphan. haer. 80. & Aug. de haeres. c. 57. & Theodoret. hist. l. 4. c. 11. & Fab. haer. l. 4. c. 25. Heretikes sometime supposed, misled by Luke 18. 1. 1 Thess. 5. 17. some places of Scripture misexpounded) to praier and contemplation, and meere matter of deuotion: but he must retaine the one calling still as well as the other, follow the one still as well as the other, make conscience as wel of executing the duties of the one as of frequenting the exercises of the other: & not thinke that vnder colour of following of Sermons & frequenting [Page] of godly exercises, he may lawfully neglect those necessary duties that by virtue of his speciall calling he standeth in conscience bound vnto.

In a word, each Christian man that is able, must, as the Apostle willeth, 2 Thess. 3. 12. earne, and eat his owne bread, 1 Thess. 4. 11. worke with his owne hands, and follow his owne affaires, that is, such businesse as to his particular place and speciall calling appertaineth: else he is 2 Thess. 3. 14. [...]. branded by the same Apostle for 2 Thess. 3. 6, 11. an inordinate walker, that is, a disorderly liuer; 1 Tim. 5. 8. a Denier of the faith, not in word, but Tit. 1. 16. in deed; and one little better, if not 1 Tim. 5 8. worse then some Heathen and Infidels, that haue euen by natures dim light [...]. Pittacus referente Demetrio Phalar. apud St [...]b. c. 3. condemned idlenesse in any.

§. 72. But here is great Caution to be vsed, andBranch 2. due regard to be had, Dum vitant stulti vitia, in contraria currunt. Et, Incidit in Scyllam, cupiens vitare Cha [...]ybdin. Horat. lest while we shun a rocke, we fall into a whirle-poole: lest while we seeke to eschew idlenesse on the one hand, wee be swallowed vp with worldlinesse on the other: lest while wee labour to keepe our left eye waking by the diligent following of our worldly affaires, wee suffer our right eye to close and fall fast asleepe by neglect of religious exercises either publike or priuate.

Zachar. 4. 1. The Angell that talked with me, came againe, saith the Prophet, and awaked me as one that is raised out of his sleepe. It fared with the Prophet when hee was attending on Gods Angell, as with a drowsie person, who though he be awaked & set to worke, yet he is ready to sleepe at it, and to be euer and anon slumbring, if he be not now and then iogged and stirred vp: And in like manner it is with our [Page] drowsie spirits, and will be continually, Excitandꝰ èsomno & rellicandus est animus. Senec. epist. 20. Excitandus est semper animus stimalis spiritualibus. Oratio, lectio, &c. incitamenta eius sunt. Pelag. ad Demetriad. if they be not frequently rowsed and raised vp by the constant vse of religious exercises. In regard whereof Paul willeth Timothy, 2 Tim. 1. 6. [...]. Honestarum rerum semina animi nostri gerunt: quae admonitione excitantur, non aliter quàm scintilla flatu leui adiutaignem suum explicat. Sen. ep. 95. to quicken by stirring vp the grace of God that is in him, [...]. Homer. Odyss. [...]. Eustath. ibid. as men doe embers that lie raked vp in the ashes.

§. 73. Now this is done by meanes either publike or priuate. First by frequenting the publike ministery of the word at due times. 1 Thess. 5. 19, 20. Quench not the spirit, saith the Apostle: despise not Prophesie: as if the neglect, or contempt (and it is the contempt of it that is the maine ground of neglect) of the one were a principall meane of extinguishing and quite quenching the other. And vndoubtedly so is it. For either fire or light is put out, not by pouring on of water onely or some contrary matter; but besides that, either by withdrawing from it and denying that vnto it that should feede it; (for Pro. 26. 20. Deficientibus lignis deficit ignis. if the fewell faile, the fire will of it selfe out:) or by neglecting to blow it, and to stirre it vp by times; as wee oft see it fall out that it goeth out of it selfe also, where yet there is wood and coale enough to haue longer continued, had some such industry beene vsed. And euen so is spirituall grace oft impaired and decaieth, not by the practise of sinne and wickednesse only, as by water poured on it; but by neglect of the word, the meanes that should foster and feed it, and that by raising and rowsing vp our dull and dead spirits should Psalm. 119. 28, 37, 50, 93. put spirituall life and alacritie, as it were, vnto vs. And no maruell then, if, as Salomon saith, Prou. 29. 18. Where vision faileth, there the people perish: if the [Page] grace of God goe out, where these meanes are neglected; if they fall fast againe into this deepe and deadly sleepe, though they were sometime awaked out of it, that are not carefull to keepe within the sound of Gods Esai. 58. 1. Trumpet, and to frequent the house of God where it may be heard, that, as at first Iohn 5. 25. it did awake them, so should keepe them still awake.

§. 74. Neither are those free therefore from danger of discontinuing this their watchfulnesse, that out of a vaine presumption of their owne spirituall parts, can content themselues with their owne priuate deuotions; supposing that they may as well, & as effectually sanctifie a Sabbath by reading and meditating and praying apart by themselues, as by being present at, and adioyning themselues to the publike assemblies of Gods Saints. It is a spice of intolerable pride and presumption for any to be so conceited of themselues. Dauid was of a farre other minde, and therefore led by another spirit, then they are that so imagine. He was 1 Sam. 13. 14. a man after Gods owne heart; and a man of excellent parts. The word of God not onely Col [...]ss. 3. 16. dwelt plentifully in him; but Iohn 7▪ 38. flowed abundantly from him: he was able not to Psal. 16. 7. admonish himselfe alone, but Psal. 32. 8. & 51. 13. to instruct, direct, and edifie others: hee could not onely sing Psalmes, but 2 Sam▪ 2 [...]. 1. The sweet Songster of Israel. pen hymnes, both of praise and of praier: many holy and heauenly meditations had he in the time of his exilement, as may appeare by Psal. 7 & 22. & 34. & 52. & 54. & 56. & 57. & 1 [...]9. &c. those diuine ditties during it composed of him. And yet could not he content himselfe with these his priuate deuotions. But, as [Page] Psal. 42. 4. & 122. 1. it was the very ioy of his heart, when hee was at home, to repaire to the Temple, to the publike assemblies there held: so nothing made his banishment, and his abode in forraine parts, more bitter vnto him, then this, that by meanes thereof hee was restrained of repairing vnto them, and of ioyning with Gods people in such holy duties as were there daily performed. Read diuers of the Psalmes framed by him during that time; and consider well, Psal. 27. 4. & 42. & 63. & 84. how bitterly hee bewaileth his restraint in this kinde; how instantly hee sueth to God for freedome of resort; how hee blesseth those that had liberty of repaire or place of abode there, euen the very birds themselues that had accesse but to build thereabout: and you will soone see a strange difference betweene that worthy man of God and these, that so highly ouer-prize their owne priuate deuotions, as thus to vnder-value the publike assemblies of Gods Saints, and the ministery of his word.

§. 75. And yet neither also is this sufficient indeed, that we frequent the publike meanes: priuate helpes must be added and adioyned thereunto, of meditation, of conference, of supplication, of examination, of confession, and the like: that though much or most of the weeke be taken vp with our worldly affaires; yet wee reserue some time amids them constantly euery day for some spirituall imployment. For as it is with our clockes and our watches, that vnlesse they bee wound vp at certaine times, they will slacken their motion, yea by meanes of the heauy weights and [Page] plummets of lead that hang on them, they will at length come downe to the ground, and so stand stone still: So is it with our soules; wee haue our earthy affections and our worldly thoughts, as heauy weights, hanging so at the heeles of them, that vnlesse they be at some certaine times wound vp, as it were, by the vse of some holy exercises, they will grow slacke and sluggish in their mounting vp to heauen-ward, yea at length, it may be, come to an vtter cessation of all endeuour in that kinde.

For this cause Dauid, as Psal. 1. 1, 2. he maketh this one property of a Blessed man, that hee maketh Gods law his daily, yea and his nightly meditation: So he professeth of himselfe, that it was Psal. 119. 97. one of his daily exercises to meditate on Gods word; and Psal. 16. 7. & 63. 5, 6. & 119. 62. it was his nightly imploiment to be singing of Gods praises. He had certaine set times euery day for meditation and inuocation, Psal. 55. 7. at morning, at noone-tide, and at euen: And besides those ordinary set times, he tooke occasion oft extraordinarily, as opportunity was offered, euen Psal. 119. 164. seuen times a day, that is, many times, to be lauding of the Lord, either for his iudgements, or for his mercies.

And the like should we doe euery one of vs, if we desire to keepe this spirituall watch fresh in our soules, and Rebus non me trado, sed commodo. Quocunque cō stiti loco, aliquid in animo salutare verso. Cùm me amicis dedi, non tamen mihi abduco: nec cum illis moror, quibus me causa ex efficio nata ciuili congregauit, sed cum optimo quoque sum; ad illos animum m [...]m mitto. Senec. epist. 62. E [...] ad Lucil. ibid. 15. Quicquid facies, citò redi à corpore ad animum: illum diebus ac nectibus exerce. would not haue them wholly dulled with or drowned in the world: wee should set some time apart euery day from our worldly affaires, to be spent in reading, in meditation, in conference (with God, at least) in prayer and inuocation of his name, in search of our soules, [Page] in acknowledgement of our sinnes, &c. And so intermingle the one with the other, that by ouereager attending the one we doe not wholly neglect the other.

It is that that would fit vs for the publike ministerie, and make it the more effectuall with vs: As on the other side Logatur Chrysost▪ de Lazaro & Diuite, homil. 3. it is well obserued, that the want of such priuate imployments maketh the publike ministerie altogether vnprofitable with many; 2 Tim. 3. 7. who heare much, and are at many Sermons, but gaine little by any, because they are not carefull heereby, either to prepare their hearts before-hand, to receiue the seede of the word as into ground fitted for it, or to water and cherish what they haue taken in on the Sabbath, by a constant course of religious offices in the weeke following.

§. 76. Nor let any man alledge heere in way of excuse for himselfe, that for the workes of his calling, they are so many, so manifold, hee cannot possibly finde any spare time to spend thus in religious imployments. For (to omit what might be said further in way of answer hereunto) did they esteeme so highly of holy things as the worth of them well deserueth, they would finde time for them as well as they doe ordinarily for matters of farre lesse weight then it. Yea (that which is a foule shame to consider) those that will pretend such straites of time to shift off such imployments, can finde many of them time enough (if not more then enough) to follow their vaine and idle disports. And canst thou [Page] finde euery day almost spare time enough at large for the one? and canst thou no day almost finde the least spare time at all for the other? Vndoubtedly that day maist thou well esteeme but euill imployed, whereof thou spendest more part in thy vaine delights, then in the aduancement of thy spirituall good.

To conclude, if wee will watch aright and as wee ought; as the workes of our speciall callings must not be neglected, so our spirituall good, and those meanes either publike or priuate that tend directly to the nourishing and improuing of it, are to bee principally regarded: And therefore so are we to ply and follow the one, that yet euen amids them we take time for, and Sicut laborantibus manibus nec ocu [...]ꝰ proptereà clauditur, nec auris abstinet ab auditu: sic, imò & multo melius laborante corpore, mens quoque ipsa sua intenta sit operi, vt non prorsus vacet. Bern. de diuers. 40. exclude not wholly all minding and meditation of the other; yea so warily in their due season to attend either, that neither wee bee surprised with slouth and idlenesse on the one side, nor yet with worldlinesse on the other.

And thus haue we seene both what it is to watch, why we are so to watch; the manner how we must watch; and the meanes whereby we may be enabled so to watch in some measure.

§. 77. Now here, ere we end, would a QuestionQuestion▪ be answered. For may some say; But is it possible for any man liuing by this manner of watching to keepe euer waking; by thus watching against sinne, to keepe himselfe wholly free from sinne?

To passe by here that conceit of some Schoolemen,Answer. that a man cannot keepe himselfe free from all sinne in generall; but that he may from any one [Page] sinne whatsoeuer in particular; that hee may, though not from all, yet from this or that sinne. Which they expresse by a similitude Exemplum ponitur de existente in vase perforato, qui licet possit quod libet singulorum foraminum obstruere, non tamen omnia: dum enim vnum obstruit, aliud patens relinquitur. Scotus in 2. dist. 28. q. 1. of a man enclosed in a barrell full of holes let downe vnder water, that may with his finger or some other helpe stop any one hole and keepe the water out at it, which yet hee cannot auoide but that it will come in the whilest at the rest, any of which yet also he may stop if he will. But to passe by this, which I take to bee not all out so sound; for answer hereunto some distinction must be made.

Sinnes therefore are of two sorts, either voluntary,Sinnes. or inuoluntary; either with the will, or without it.

Some sinnes are inuoluntary, or without theSort 1. will, such as be absolutely either beside or against it; as are all sinnes, In quibus est voluntas facti, sed non voluntas peccati. Aug. retract. l. 1. c. 15. of pure ignorance, and of meere infirmitie.

Sinnes of pure or bare Ignorance I call those in which ignorance is simple or single, not affected, and Et comes & causapeccati. Nauarr. enchirid. cap. 23. §. 46. not a Companion onely but a Cause. It is not with men in them, as it is with those that affect Ignorance, and please themselues in it; and Vt liberius peccent, libenter ignorant. Bern, de bon. deser. that without checke of conscience they may more freely offend, are content so to continue: but they desire to bee informed aright, and vse the best meanes they can so to informe themselues; but yet are mistaken, and so doe that out of ignorance, Si scissent, non secissent. Tertull. apolog. which for a world they would neuer haue done, had they knowne it to be euill.

[Page]Sinnes of meere Infirmity or frailty I call those, Rom. 7. 21, 23. Gal. 5. 17. velimus nolimus, habemus illas: titillant, blā diuntur, stimulant, infestant. Aug. de verb. Dom. 45. Vt non sint, vultis, sed non potestis. Ibid. & de verb. Ap. 4. Non potes, & velles posse, Ouid. rem. l. 1. that a man knoweth to be euill, and yet is not able by any meanes to auoide, though he doe what he can, euen as much as hee would or could if his life lay vpon it. Thus in hearing the word, a man, it may be, cannot listen so attentiuely for any long time together, but that many bythoughts will come buzzing and fluttring about him, as Gen. 15. 11. Stella in Luc. 11. Hildebert, epist. 7. Et Berengos. de luce visib. & invis. the fowles did about Abraham when he was offering of his sacrifice, and will oft, Distinguendum inter cogitationes illas, quibus voluntas fauet, quas cum dilectione amplectitur, & illas quae repugnanti atque invito animo suggeruntur, quibus mens cum horrore quodam renititur, vt resistat, quibus vt contristatur admissis, ita gaudet repulsis. Pelag. ad Demetriad. Aliud est enim nolentem tangi, aliud consentientem animū perimi, Greg. mor. lib. 21. cap. 7. pressing in vpon him in spight of his heart, disturbe him and hinder him in that holy exercise: yea sometime the more a man striueth and bendeth himselfe to banish and beat them away, the more hee commeth to be pestred and encombred by them, and his attention to bee tainted and infected withall. Thus in prayer oft Psal. 43. 3, 4, 5. a man cannot shake off that deadnesse or dulnesse and drowsinesse of spirit, that possesseth his soule, and depriueth him of that alacrity and feruency that ought then to be in him. Thus a man railed vpon and reuiled, though hee can keepe his tongue from breaking out into euill language, and can stay his hand from striking in way of reuenge; yet hee cannot for his heart bloud, it may be, doe hee what hee can, Nam ne (que) chorda sonum reddit quem vult manus & mens, Poscentique grauem, persaepe remittit acutum. Hor. art. poet. keepe downe his heart from rising, and R [...]m. 7. 23. rebelling against the law of his minde, or from swelling and boiling with some wrathfull passion and inordinate motion within him. Thus Psal. 42. 5, 6, 11. Mark. 9. 24. in distresse or danger euen a godly man many times [Page] cannot rest and rely vpon God with that firmenesse and confidence of faith, and with that quietnesse and tranquillity of minde, that hee ought, and not onely desireth with all his heart, but with all his might and best ability endeuoureth to doe.

§. 78. Now sinnes of this kinde cannot bee auoided, be a man neuer so carefull, neuer so wary and watchfull: (a man cannot watch there, where hee suspecteth no euill; nor can his watching auaile him beyond his ability:) which 2 Chron. 30. 18, 19. Nehem. 1. 11. Rom. 7. 17, 20. God therefore in mercy vouchsafeth his children a daily pardon of course for, and is content graciously to passe by and put vp in them; though Luke 12. 48. Rom. 7. 15, 16, 21, 23. 1 Iohn 3. 4▪ in rigor of iustice he might deseruedly call them to a strict account for them. And yet by the constant vse of this religious watch hauing our iudgements better cleered, and our hearts confirmed and strengthened, we may come in time to be lesse subiect to the former sort of them, and lesse exposed also to the latter.

Other sinnes besides those are all more or lesseSort 2. voluntary, and are committed in part at least with the will of the committer: such are sins Matth. 13. 25. of negligence and ouersight, escaping vs through carelesnesse; Matth. 26. 31, 74, 75. of mixt infirmitie, proceeding from temptations of much terror; of Deut. 17. 12. presumption, Psal. 19. 13. Num. 15. 30, 31. pride, and 2 Cor. 12. 21. 1 Tim. 5. 6. wantonnesse, occasioned by delightfull obiects, and the like. Yea such are the most, if not all, outward grosse sinnes ioyned with knowledge, which euen a naturall man therefore might forbeare if he would; and which it were an vniust [Page] [Page] [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] thing for humane lawes to forbid and to punish offendors for, were it not in mans naturall power to forbeare.

And these voluntary sinnes are those that wee are principally to keepe watch against: which if we shall diligently and constantly apply our selues vnto, there will a twofold benefit redound thereby vnto vs.

§. 79. First, [...]; Ioan. Ieiun. de poenit. Nem [...] vnquam vigilans [...] est. [...]. Aristot. de epilepticis quibusdam, de somn. c. [...]. wee shall auoid many, euen aBenefit 1. multitude of sinnes, which for want of this watchfulnesse we may be, and are ordinarily ouertaken withall. [...]. p [...]l. l. 5. c. 11. Nor should the enemie so oft as he doth preuaile against vs, and foile vs, if he found vs standing on our guard and keeping duly this watch. To exemplifie this by an instance or two:

Compare we first Dauid and Ioseph together, tempted both in the same kinde, though not with the like fiercenesse of assault: but the one foiled, where the temptation was weaker; the other vnvanquished, where the temptation was stronger. Dauid a man See 2 Sam. 5 4, 5. well in yeeres, and 2 Sam. 2. 2. a maried man too, hauing the remedie already by Gods ordinance prouided to releeue mans infirmitie in case of incontinency; yea enioying it 2 Sam. 3. 2, 3, 4. & 5. 13. not sparingly, but somewhat Deut. 17. 17. more freely then was fit, hauing not one wife alone, but 2 Sam. 12. 2, 8. a many, beside 2 Sam. 5. 13. & 15. 16. Concubines not a few; This Dauid thus furnished, 2 Sam. 11, 2▪ 3, 4. by chance espieth, not some single woman, but another mans wife, washing her selfe: he is not sought vnto by her, but he is to make suit vnto her, vncertaine of successe; and to vse messengers to her, that must therefore to [Page] his shame and reproach, and his dishonourable engagement to them, be priuy to his dishonest desires and his adulterous designes.

On the other side Genes. 39. 7▪ 13. Cōcupiscitur à Domi [...]a adolescens, nec ad concupiscentia [...] prouocatur: rogatur, & fugit Vna hac in re & blanditur & supplicat, quae in caeteris imperabat. Cast [...]m animum nec ae [...]as adolescentiae p [...]rmouet, nec diligentis autoritas. Non aspect [...] solùm, sed ipso poe [...]è complex [...] prouocatus à foemina, foeminam non concupi [...]it. Pelag. ad Demetriad. Ioseph, a young man, Legatur Chrysost. de prouid. Deil. 2. in the heat of his youth, in the prime and flower of his yeares; Ioseph a single man, not enioying yet the benefit of [...]. Iuuentutis portus matrimonium. Plut. apud Drus. lib. 1. quaest. 18. [...]. Chrysost. de Ozi [...] 3. mariage, that might helpe to support him in temptations of this kinde; being not to sue to any other, but sued earnestly to by another, by a Superiour, by his Mistresse, by such an one as had no small command of him otherwise; opportunity offered for the doing of the act desired with all priuacy and secrecie; no feare of danger to hinder, where none were neere to take notice of it; great hope of future benefit, to entice and encourage, by liberty, or further aduancement likely enough by her meanes to bee procured.

Now [...]; Chrysost. de Iob & Adam t [...]m. 5. serm. 90. in this great inequality of motiues and inducements on either side, what is the reason, why Ioseph standeth, when Dauid falleth; that hee holdeth out worthily, who is the more strongly assailed, when the other is so fouly and fearefully foiled, who is farre more weakely assaulted, or rather, is not so much assaulted, as is ready to exalt the honest of another: but that the one stood vpon his watch, when the other did not?

[Page]It was Non vidisse crimen est; sed cauendum ne orig [...] criminis sit: incideri [...] oculus; sed non intendat affectu [...]. Ambros. de poeni [...] ▪ l. 1. c. 14. no sinne for Dauid by chance to espie a naked woman, his neighbours wife, washing her selfe; neither was it a thing in his power (how should hee forecast it?) to auoid: but the obiect being thus casually offered vnto him, Dauid, that ought (as hee praied sometime) to haue Psal. 119. 37. turned his eyes away from it, Innocens intuitu [...] aspectis fit noceu [...]. Greg. mor. l. 21. c. [...]. wilfully fixed them so long there, where they had occasionally seised, that his heart came to be tainted with filthy concupiscence, and his affections all inflamed with lustfull desires; and so grew hee restlesse within himselfe, till he had brought that about, that Psal. 32. 3, 4. & 38. 3. depriued him of true rest indeed.

On the other side Ioseph after motion had once in that kinde beene made to him by his Mistresse, was Gen. 39. 9, 10▪ both carefull to shun all occasions of that sinfull act whereunto hee was tempted; (hee would not indure to be so much as in company alone with her:) and againe Gen. 39. 11, 12. as constant in withstanding the temptation when it was offered, and Excusatur, quod ingressu [...] est; praedicatur quod [...]lapsus est. Ambros. [...] Ioseph. c. 5. the occasion could not bee shunned: for though shee pressed him to it day after day, he would not hearken vnto her: yea he chose rather to hazard losse of liberty and life then to yeeld vnto her impious and adulterous desire. In a word, the one watched, and so did not the other; and therefore the one was not vanquished so, as was the other. And by watching with the one may others escape, and might that other haue escaped that, which for want of this watch hee was vanquished in.

§. 80. Againe, as Machetes the Macedonian [Page] appealed sometime from Philip, to Philip, [...] Pl [...]t. ap [...]ph. reg. & duc. from Philip sleeping, to Philip waking: so compare wee now Ioseph and Ioseph together, Ioseph watching with the same Ioseph somewhat neglecting this watch. Ioseph himselfe that stood thus stedfast in a stronger temptation, yet slipped after swearing Gen. 42. 15, 16. by Pharaoes life in a feebler But the euill was not so euident, so open-faced in the one as in the other: and therefore Aduersus mai [...]ra vigilantibus quedam [...] min [...] tiora surrepunt. Aug. in Psal. 118. Dura prae [...]auentur magna, non timentur minuta. Idem in Psal. 39. & Ruffin. ibid. being not so carefully watched against or regarded, by being oft heard grew familiar, and gained admittance with him, who might otherwise in all likelihood haue kept himselfe free from it, with much lesse difficulty and danger then he did from the former.

This watch therefore duly and diligently kept, would keepe vs from many sins that we are daily ouer-taken with. And [...]. Chrysost. de compunct. 2. [...]. Idem tō. 6. serm. 67. the greatest part of outward sinfull acts, that the godly fall into, may be iustly ascribed to the want of it as the maine cause of the most of them, Non pecca [...]is, [...]i vigil. [...]. Aug. de verb. Ap. 28. which by this course therefore were it constantly obserued of them, might be preuented and auoided.

§. 81. Againe, euen in those slips and faults eitherBenefit 2. of mixt infirmitie and ouer-sight, yea or of presumption it selfe too, (for to sinne in contempt of God Num. 15. 30. Hebr. 10. 29. with an high hand, I doubt much, whether Gods children euer doe,) that euen godly men themselues are oft-times ouertaken withall, yet there is great difference betweene the watchfull and the watchlesse Christian; betweene the party that ordinarily keepeth this watch, though not so carefully and constantly all out as [Page] he ought, and such as keepe no such watch at all: and that in three things, Ante peccandū ▪ inter peccandū, post peccatum. before sinne, in sinne, and after sinne.

First, before sinne: For the one, Galat. 5. 17. velle [...] enim omninò nec concupiscere. Aug. de verb. Ap. 4. & de ver [...]. D [...]m. 43. his maine desireDifference 1. and purpose, his generall resolution and endeuour is not to sinne at all, howsoeuer Matth. 26. 41. of infirmitie, or Galat. 6. 1. through ouer-sight, or Ephes. 6. 12. through violence of temptation, or Rom. 7. 23. Iam. 1. 15, 16. strength of corruption, he slip and slide into, or be pusht vpon, or enticed vnto and ensnared in sinne oft ere hee bee aware: whereas the other standeth indifferently affected to sinne or to forbeare sinne, as occasion shall be ministred and offered of either; or rather inclining, as his corrupt heart naturally carieth him, to the ready imbracing of any euill that opportunity is offered of, and that standeth with his owne naturall desire. So that the one is like vnto a Watchman that being appointed to watch, so soone as hee commeth to the place where hee should watch, Pro. 27. 33. Conserit man [...] vt dormiat. [...]. L [...]cian. de mercenar. laieth himselfe downe to sleepe, or sitteth rechlesly, not regarding whether hee sleepe or keepe awake. Whereas the other is like one that being set to watch, Non vaco somno, sed succumbo. Senec. epist. 8. striueth to keepe himselfe waking, and desireth so to doe, but yet through the drowsinesse of his disposition and long continuance without rest, chanceth sometime to slumber, though he purposed it not. Or the one is like a man that goeth to Church to trie if he can catch a nap there, and so soone therefore as he is in his seat setteth him to sleepe, which the sooner he falleth into, the sooner hath hee his desire: The other is like Act. 20. 9. Eutichus, that came not, in all [Page] likelihood, to Pauls Sermon with a purpose to sleepe at it: (if he had purposed it, he would neuer haue made choice of the place hee did to sit in, where he should no sooner slumber but he should be in danger of downefall and of as much as his life was worth:) but yet through Pauls long preaching, and his owne long waking, hee was a [...] length ouercome with sleepe, though hee little thought or meant, it may bee, when hee came in, that hee so should. Like the former is that man that keepeth not watch at all, like the latter hee that keepeth ordinarily some watch ouer his soule. The one Sic Homer. Iliad. [...]. Et Iliad. [...], &c. Vbi Eust [...]h. [...] Et rursus, [...]. sleepe findeth; whereas the other seeketh sleepe.

§. 82. Againe, in the very act of sinne there isDifference 2. no small d [...]ference betweene these twaine. For the one Caue ne aliquandò totus dormias. Bern. de ord. vitae. Animus quo peius se habet, minus sen. [...]it. Nam qui leuiter dormit, & species secundum quietem capit, aliquando dormire se dormi [...]ns cogitat: Grau [...] autem somnus etiam insomnia extinguit, animumque altiꝰ mergit, quam vt vti intellectu vllo sinat. Sen. ep. 54. D [...]lcis & alta quies, placidaeque [...]imillima morti. Virg. Ae [...]. l. 6. sleepeth wholly, as he saith: he sleepeth a deepe and a dead sleepe: hee is caried with full swinge of heart and will vnto sinne. Nulla quies somnis: ne [...], non cessura quieti, Cura s [...]poratur: sed in illa pace sop [...]ris Pacis eget studij labor insopitus, & ips [...] Cura vigil somno libros operamque ministrat. Ex Architreni [...]. Aut [...]r oculi moral. c. 11. [...]ond. 5. Et Putean. Attic. epist. 1. Ipsa quies quae curarum sepultura esse solet, securitatem denegabat, dum periculi imago per somni nebulam aucta ligatum animum non sinebat constantia sua v [...]i. The other sleepeth but vnquietly, like the Watchman that against his will in part falling asleepe, hath but an vnquiet sleepe of it, and euen watcheth in some sort in his sleepe, he is dreaming of the danger that he is or may be in, and of the enemies approach, whom he is set to watch against. It is that which wee may obserue in the Churches sleepe in the Canticles; Cant. 5. 2. I sleepe, saith she, but mine heart is [Page] awake. We vse to say of children, that their heart is asleepe euen when their eies are awake: contrariwise it is said of the children of God, that their eies oft are asleepe when their heart is awake: so that though they be outwardly borne-downe and caried away with the stiffe winde, or the strong streame of some violent and vntoward temptation, yet their heart inwardly is not wholly surprised with it, they sinne not with a full and an absolute consent of will in it; there is some secret mislike still of themselues in that they doe, and some inward strife and reluctation (though not at all times alike sensible) more or lesse against it, euen in the very act vsually of committing it. In a word, Eustath. ad illud Homeri Il. [...]. the one willingly falleth fast asleepe; the other vnwillingly in some sort, slumbreth rather then sleepeth.

§. 83. Lastly, after sinne committed; the oneDifference 3. as he wilfully laid himselfe downe to sleepe, and fell presently fast asleepe, so 1 Iohn 5. 18. [...]. hee lieth sleeping and snoring, securely snorting in sinne, without touch or remorse vsually, till by some extraordinary accident of outward affliction, danger, distresse, or the like, as by his Generalls alarum or the enemies assault, hee be waked againe and roused vp out of his sleepe. Whereas the other, as he fell asleepe beside his purpose, and was neuer indeed thorowly or soundly asleepe, but in a slumber rather then any deepe or dead sleepe; so he is easily awaked, as those are that are but slightly asleepe, yea Dormienti [...] qu [...] que insomnia tam turbulenta sunt q [...]ā dies. Sen. ep. 56. E [...] somni quiete inquieta, vt Aug. de Ciuit. Dei, l. 22. c. 22. vel pauore ipso expergiscuntur, vt Plin. hist. nat. l. 10. c. 75. his own very vnquietnesse, if nothing else, ere long awaketh him againe, like [Page] one in a fearefull dreame, whose very feare many times is a meanes to awake him, and to free him from his feare. Dauids heart smote him, saith the holy Ghost, as1 Sam. 24. 6. after his cutting of the skirt of King Sauls coat; so presently 2 Sam. 24. 10. Conclusion. vpon his attempt of taking the number of his people: and immediatly thereupon, as one start out of his sleepe, hee beginneth to rub vp his eies and to looke about him; and in most hum [...]le and submisse manner betaketh he himselfe vnto God, confessing his fault, crauing forgiuenesse of it, and neuer resting till by renuing of his repentance he had recouered himselfe, and returned againe to his former watch. The one sleepeth soundly till he be raised out of his sleepe againe; the other awaketh againe eft-soones euen of himselfe. And thus much briefly of the benefit that wee may reape by this watch, and how farre forth wee may be helpe of it keepe our selues free from sinne

§. 84. Now to draw to an end, and [...] Quod matres facere solent, cùm poma, bellaria, vel tale quidpiam in puerilem sinum immiserint, nequid excidat, contractam vndique tuniculam singulo subijciunt: Idem & nos faciamus, orationem in lo [...]gum protr [...]ctam contra [...]amus, & in memoriae cust [...] [...] [...]. Chrys [...]st▪ de Oz [...]a ser. 3. in fine. to trusse or tucke vp as it were in few words, after our Sauiours owne example here, the summe of all that hitherto hath beene handled: Considering the drowsinesse of our owne naturall disposition, and how easily in that regard wee may againe fall asleepe; and the diligence of our Aduersary watching continually against vs, by whom wee may soone be surprised if at any time we doe sleepe; as also the necessity of perseuerance, that if we hold not out in our watch to the end, it is all in vaine and to no end; and the danger of relapse, if wee [Page] fall backe into this spirituall Lethargie, likely to be in worse case and more irrecouerable then wee were at the first: Let it not suffice vs, that we haue beene awaked out of our sinfull and secure courses, but let vs bee carefull by all good meanes to keepe our selues so waking and watching; by due examination of our seuerall actions ere we enter vpon them; diligent obseruation of our speciall corruptions that we may contend and striue against them; carefull auoidance of the occasions of euill, that they be not offered; and constant resistance of temptations vnto euill, when we are therewith assaulted: And that we may the better so watch and hold out in this our watch; let vs labour to keepe an holy moderation and sobriety in the vse of all Gods good creatures; hold fellowship with the godly that may haue an eye to vs; shun the society of wicked ones that may taint and infect vs; striue to preserue the feare of God fresh in our soules; endeuour to perswade our hearts of Gods presence euer with vs; thinke oft on our end, and our account to come after it; be oft casting vp reckonings betweene God and our soules; haue a iealousie of our owne infirmitie and procliuity vnto euill; labour to haue a sincere hatred of sinne wrought in our hearts; and lastly be diligent in the duties of our particular vocations, and constant in frequenting of religious exercises as well publike as priuate. Thus watching we shall preuent and escape many euills, that for want of this watchfulnesse, to our woe afterward, we might otherwise be ouertaken withall; we shall [Page] haue Psal. 19. 12. Matth. 6. 12. a pardon of course daily signed vs vpon generall suit, Peccata quotidi [...]ae [...]. Tertull. de pudi [...]. for those that either through ignorance or meere frailty escape vs: wee shall neuer sleepe wholly, nor rest obstinately in sinne, howsoeuer wee may chance sometime to be ouertaken therewith, but shall recouer our selues eft soone againe by renewed repentance: & we shall be continuallyLuke 12. 35, 36, 40. prepared for Christs second comming, so that,1 Thess. [...]. 10. whether we sleepe or wake,R [...]m. 14. 8. liue or die, his we shall be both in life and in death, and with Matth. 25. 10. the wise Virgins, whensoeuer he commeth, being found spiritually waking, shall be ready to enter in with him into the Bride-chamber of immortality, 1 Thess. 4. 17. there to abide with him in eternall felicitie.

FINIS.

[Page]

§

§

[Page]

[Page]

THE SPIRITVALL WATCH, OR CHRISTS GENERALL WATCH-WORD. A MEDITATION ON ‘MARK. 13. 37. What I say vnto You, I say vnto All, WATCH.’By THOMAS GATAKER B. of D. and Pastor of Rotherhith.

The second Edition; Amended and Enlarged.

LONDON, Printed by Iohn Haviland for William Bladen, and are to be sold at the signe of the Bible, at the great North doore of Pauls. 1622.

TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVL AND RELIGIOVS HIS VERY kinde Cozen, Sr ROBERT COOKE Knight, eldest Sonne and Heire to that worthy Knight Sr WILLIAM COOKE late deceased: Long life and good dayes, with increase of Grace here, and eternall Glory hereafter.

[Page]

[Page]

HOPEFVLL SIR,

This weake worke was intended your worthy Father now deceased, vnto whom so many bonds of alliance, of dependance, of ancient acquaintance, and of continued beneficence so straitly tied, so deeply engaged me; and whom therefore next after mine Honourable Patron, and that Worshipfull Societie, wherein I spent so much time, and whereof I [Page] remaine yet an vnworthy and vnprofitable member' I could not in this kinde ouer-slip without some iust note of ingratitude. But since it hath pleased God vnexpectedly (to our great losse and griefe, though, no doubt, his [...]. farre greater gaine) to remoue him hence, and to receiue him thither where he now resteth, as withoutPhilip. 1. 23. need, so beyond reach of these Offices, I know none that may better lay claime to it then your selfe, who are to rise vp in his roome, and to stand in his stead, as First-borne in that Familie, whereof he lately was Head. I shall not neede to adde, w [...] inducements and incouragements▪ I might further receiue to addresse these my poore endeuours that way, from those pregnant prints as well of pietie as other good parts euidently discouering themselues in your owne person, obserued by others as well as my selfe, and the rather obserued, because so rare ordinarily in others of your yeares, and of your rancke. The consideration whereof, as [...]. - Menand. it ministred much comfort to your worthy Father before his decease, esteeming it no small Honour vnto him that God had graced him with a Sonne of such parts and hopes in the iudgement and by the testimonie of so many as well iudicious obseruers as vnpartiall reporters: so it helpeth not a little to mitigate the great griefe of all his and your friends, not without great cause conceiued for the losse (if they may be tearmed lost, that God findeth to their eternall weale and welfare) of one whom they so highly euer prized, and now so deseruedly desire; and ministreth good ground of hope, that you will further in due time, (as he said sometime of Constantines Sonnes) [...]. Euseb. in vita Constant. wholly put on your worthy Parents, so [...]. Ibid. exactly resembling them in their [Page] vertuous parts, and treading so precisely in their religious steps, that both they may seeme to suruiue in you, and you be knowne thereby to haue come of them. And this the rather it standeth you vpon to contend and striue vnto, considering (as I doubt not but you doe) that as it is a double [...]. Eurip. Herad. Et idem Helen. [...]. grace for a good man to be well descended, while both his parentage is a grace to him, and he likewise a grace to it: So it is [...]; &c. Plut. de aud: poet. Ita [...]e tandem maiores famā tradide [...]unt tibi tui, vt virtute eorū anteparta per flagitiū perderes? Pla [...]t. trinum. T [...]errimis ignauiae aut nequitiae sordibus imbuta, portenta nobilia. Val. Max. lib. 3. c. 5. Qui acceptam à maio [...]ibus lucem in tenebras conue [...]tant. Ibid▪ c. 4. a foule disgrace and a double staine for one so descended to degenerate from the good courses or come short of the good parts of thoseDos est magna parentum virtus. Hor. carm. lib. 3. ode 24. [...]. Eurip. Hippoly. he came of, and so to proue either a blot or a blemish to them that might otherwise haue beene a grace and an honour to him, but shall now helpe rather to condemne him then to acquite or excuse him. It was the speech of one for a naturall man notably qualified, though but meanely bred, to a dissolute person well borne, vpbraiding him with his birth, Ego primus illustraui d [...]mū meam; tu dedecorasti tu [...]m▪ Cicero post Iphicratem. I am a grace to my stocke, thou a blot to thy linage: as another not vnlike him in the like case, [...], Socrates. My stocke is some staine to me, but thou art a staine to thy stocke. And indeed as it were Malo pater tibi sit Thersites, dummodò tu sis Aeacidae similis; - Quam te Thersitae simil [...]m producat Achilles. Iuvenal. satyr. 8. better for a man to come of a Thersites so he proue like Achilles, then to come of an Achilles if he proue like Thersites: So it had beene lesse euill for Manasses to haue descended immediatly from an Achaz or an Achab, then descending (as he did) immediatly from an Ezechias to proue in conditions and course of life a second Achaz or an other Achab. This consideration may well be a strong engagement to godlinesse, where but either parent onely hath beene religious. For if 1 Cor. 7. 14. either partie beleeuing, [Page] though the other be an infidell, be of force sufficient to bring the Children bred betweene them within compasse of Gods Couenant: surely the godlinesse of either, though the other were prophane, must needs be no small tiall to oblige their issue the more straitly to that course, which they stood bound to haue taken, though their parents had beene both of them vtterly irreligious. But in this kinde hath God to you beene more abundantly gratious, in blessing and honouring you on both sides with two such worthie Parents, whose memorie as it is and will euer be deseruedly honoured with all those that here knew them; so it is iustly expected that it be reviued in you especially, and the residue of their issue, as [...]. Euripid. Meleagr. [...]; Sophocl. Antigon. in a liuely monument, and one better than of marble or brasse, not of their earthly and worldly, but of their spirituall and worthiest parts. Yea, as k Dauids Courtiers sometime wished, that his sonne Salomon might in state and honour not succeed onely, but exceed Dauid his father: so the like may well in some regards be expected at your hands, in well-doing and piety not to parallel onely, but to surpasse him you sprang from. For, to omit that God hath furnished you with some abilities of learning that he had not, that he hath called you sooner and entred you earlier, you haue the more day before you: Your worthy Father hath broken the ice to you, he hath laid you to your hand a good foundation of religious courses in that Familie that you are to be Head vnto hereafter; he hath setled neere you and obliged vnto you M• T. Baily sometime Fellow of Maudlins in Oxford. a man of singular parts, who as he was sometime your Tutor and Gouernour, so will not cease now to be a Counsellor and Coadiutor vnto you, by whose aduice and assistance you may haue plentifull meanes of furtherance in that godly course that by Gods [Page] gratious goodnesse you haue already made entrance into. Sir, you see what a taske is exacted of you, what a necessitie of well-doing and of proceeding in good courses is euery way imposed vpon you. Let all laid together preuaile with you to make you as the more carefull to affect and embrace all good meanes of helpe and furtherance therein; so the more forward and diligent from time to time instantly and incessantly to craue further grace at his hands, by whose strength we all stand; who as he hath begun this his gratious worke in you, so is alone able to finish it (and I doubt not but he will so doe) to his owne glory in you, and your eternall glory with him. And to this purpose may this loose discourse afford you any the least helpe, I shall esteeme it a sufficient recompence of my labour in the publishing of it, what euer the issue be otherwise: If any other beside shall reape benefit thereby, I desire but that God may haue the praise of it, and my selfe onely their prayers. Howsoeuer it proue, it shall remaine a testimonie of the sincere loue and respect that he beareth and oweth to you and the house you come of, who both is and shall by Gods grace alwayes continue

Your Worships hearty well-wisher and affectionate Kinsman, Thomas Gataker.

Euripides Helena.

[Page]

[...]

Imple tuorum vota, dum refers pij

Mores parentis: nam (que) honoris culmen hoc

Summum, parente siquis editus pio

Pietate patrem & ipse prosequitur pium.

Information about this book

Title statement

The spirituall vvatch, or Christs generall watch-word A meditation on Mark. 13. 37. By Thomas Gataker B. of D. and pastor of Rotherhith.

Gataker, Thomas, 1574-1654.

Edition statement

1622

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2004-03 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A01550

ID [STC]

STC 11677

ID [STC]

ESTC S102924

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

99838684

ID [PROQUEST]

99838684

ID [VID]

3071

Availability

This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal. The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.

Series

Early English books online.

Notes

(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A01550)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 3071)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 1138:08)

Source

— The spirituall vvatch, or Christs generall watch-word A meditation on Mark. 13. 37. By Thomas Gataker B. of D. and pastor of Rotherhith., Gataker, Thomas, 1574-1654.. The second edition;.

Extent

[8], 130 p.

Printed by Edward Griffin for William Bladen, and are to be sold at the signe of the Bible, at the great north dore of Paules,. London :: 1619.. (Reproduction of the original in the University of Chicago. Library.)

Creation

Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford.

Editorial practices

EEBO-TCP is a partnership between the Universities of Michigan and Oxford and the publisher ProQuest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by ProQuest via their Early English Books Online (EEBO) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). The general aim of EEBO-TCP is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic English-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in EEBO.

EEBO-TCP aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the Text Encoding Initiative (http://www.tei-c.org).

The EEBO-TCP project was divided into two phases. The 25,363 texts created during Phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 January 2015. Anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source.

Users should be aware of the process of creating the TCP texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data.

Text selection was based on the New Cambridge Bibliography of English Literature (NCBEL). If an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in NCBEL, then their works are eligible for inclusion. Selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. In general, first editions of a works in English were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably Latin and Welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so.

Image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. Quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in Oxford and Michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet QA standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. After proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. Any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. Understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of TCP data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. Users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a TCP editor.

The texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the TEI in Libraries guidelines.

Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements).

Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site.