THE NVRSES BOSOME.

THESE words are very few, but very weightie: a short precept, yet con­taines much matter: like a little Boxe full of sweet and precious Oyntment, which being opened and powred out, Mat. 26.7. Ioh. 12.3. as that of Maries, vpon the head of Christ, the sauour and perfume thereof fils the whole house. The Diamond though but a sparke, yet it is of great lustre and vertue; the Violet a little Flowre, yet it farre surpasseth the Lilly in smell; the Bee, saith the sonne of Syrach, a small creature, Ecclus. 11.3. yet is her fruit surpas­sing exellent in sweetnesse: So this Text, though but short, and the words of it gleaned out, as a few choise Eares from the whole Sheafe; yet is here Epitomized and wrapped vp, the whole dutie of the Magistrate vn­to his people, teaching him all tender affection, in re­lieuing their distresses, in redressing their wrongs: I say not to carry them vpō his Wing, as the Eagle doth her Yong, but in his Bosome, as the Nurse her Infant, Exod. 19.4. and in a word, to bend his best indeuours for the purchase of their peace and welfare.

As Gouernment is GOds ordinance not mans; So wee know that himselfe first established that Superioritie in the Creation: that euen amongst the lights of heauen, as some are lesser and subordinate, so other some of speciall eminencie and magnitude, as the Sunne and the Moone. Luminaria magna, Gen. 1.16. Great lights: and of these two, the Sunne, Luminare maius, a greater light: and as the greater for light, so the greater for honour, for it was made in Do­minium Diei, for the gouernment of the Day; which, in the execution of that ordinance which God laid vpon it, standeth not immoueable as the North-pole, or as a Diamond fixed in a socket of Gold, but is in continuall motion and labour, fetching his course and conpasse a­bout alwaies in businesse and imployment. I his Prince of the lights of heauen, giues this light vnto the Princes and Magistrates of the earth, who are Luminaria magna, great Lights, that they must not be as Starres fixed in their se­uerall Orbes, but they must be in motion, alway looking about them, standing in the gates, watching vpon the Towers, euermore studying and deuising for their peoples welfare.

This we finde also in the rest of the Creatures, which the Lord God created, which as they are the more honoura­ble, so the more operatiue & working. I may reduce them all into foure Degrees, and begin at the lowest, whence the rest fetch their beginning. First the foure Elements, Fire, Ayre, Water, Earth: These haue but onely a being without Life, Sence or Reason. Yet of these wee know, some are more noble then other, some more pure, some more in operation and working; as the Fire more then the Ayre, the Ayre more then the Water, the Water more then the Earth. Of the second sort are things which ouer and beside their being, haue life, as Trees, Plants, Hearbs and Flowers; and these are distinguished into their rankes, as the Cedar in Lebanon farre more noble then the Pop­ler in the Forrest, and the Rose plant of Iericho, of better esteeme then the Woodbine of the Plaine. Proceede to a third sort, and these besides beeing, and life, haue also [Page 5]sence and motion, able to moue from place to place, as Beasts, Birds, and Fishes; and these are more or lesse in re­gard: for what is the Mouse to the Elephant, or the Dog to the Lyon, or the Flye to the Eagle, or the Kite to the Ostrich? Lastly, besides all these before mētioned, are they, who hauing sence, life, and motion, haue also Reason: and in this degree are, 1. Angels, the Legates and Messen­gers of Heauen; and amongst these, there should seeme to be degrees of Soueraignty, Iude vers. 7. else why should Michael bee an Archangell, and Gabriel none? yea and some more im­ployed then others too, Luk. 1 26. else why should Gabriel be Gods Embassadour to the Virgin Mary, more then Raphael or any other? 2. Men: and these are the wonders of Nature if they wrong it not; for besides that goodly shape which they beare, there are two singular priuiledges they are endued with beyond all earthly creatures, ratio, & oratio, Reason and Speech, And though I will not speake accor­ding to the Philosophers Fancie, Plato. that some are of baser metall then others, the Prince of a more golden tempera­ture then the Vassal: Yet we know there is Potestas super­eminentior, an higher power, Romans the 13.1. Rom. 13.1. And as Saul was higher then the people, 1. Sam. 10.23. from the shoulders vp­ward, Hesiod. in Theog. vt suprà. so Princes and Magistrates are appointed to bee a­boue others, and to ouerlooke them. Ex Ioue sunt Reges, said the Heathen Poet; There is no Power but of God, said the diuine Apostle: Ʋnde spiritus, inde potestas, Tertul. Cedunt Iouis om­nia reguo. Metam lib. 10. saith an ancient Father; he that first gaue them life and being, gaue vnto them also this prerogatiue of gouerning. Hee it is that establisheth Thrones, Scepters, Orders and Degrees of men, some to gouerne, others to be gouerned.

Indeed I grant that Adam in the estate of his innocency, Gen. 1.26. should haue had no Lordship ouer reasonable creatures of the like Image and shape with himselfe: For mans soue­raigntie and Lordship was ouer creatures vnreasonable, Beasts, Birds and Fishes: this seruitude and slaucrie there­fore whereby a man becomes subiect vnto man, came first from sinne. Canaan was borne a sonne, as well as Sem or Iaphet: Yet cursed be Canaan, Gen. 9.25. a seruant of seruants shall [Page 6]he be. August. And this, Culpâ meruit non naturâ, saith S. Augu­stine, it fell to him by nature, not by transgression. Man af­ter his fall became a Thorne, he could beare no Grapes; he became a Thistle, hee could beare no Figges. Neither the Adder, or Viper, breedeth but after their owne kinde: that rebellious corruption that was in Adam, corrupted vs all, and made vs rebellious. The Leuen of Iniquitie that was in him, Ex impiis egredi­tur impietas. Pro. 1. Sam. 24.14. sowred the whole lumpe of mankinde: For into how great disorders and confusions, did not his posteritie runne? What sword could restraine, or what authoritie bridle their rage? Therefore God in singular wisedome, vsed a meanes to represse their violences; else reasonable men had beene farre worse then vnreasonable beasts, for neuer were the natures of other creatures more cruell, fell, sauage one to another, then the nature of man vnto man: had not God put an hooke into his nostrils, and a bridle into his lips, who though hee bare himselfe vp with insolencie and eagernesse of spirit, yet hee might be curb'd and bri­dled by them of his owne kinde, that whereas he had sha­ken off the yoke of obedience vnto God, was therefore inforced obedience vnto man, and of him to stand in awe. And thus through sinne came one man to haue power o­uer another, that some might know how to rule, and others to obey.

Hence comes it to passe, that in regard of the stub­bornnesse and insolencie of mans nature the disorder and vnrulinesse of his affections, so many wiles, crafts, subtil­ties and escapes, through corruption ingendered and fe­stered in him, that nothing is of greater difficultie then to gouerne and rule man. It requires much art, skill, courage, and an high measure of wisedome, to keepe him in awe; Qui inter omnes animantes, Gregor. Nazian.maxime est & moribus varius & voluntate diuersus, saith a Father, who amongst all the creatures of the world beside, is most stubbornly obliged and wedded to his will, and most exorbitant in the man­ners of his life. And surely, though we need not maruell at his prouidence in greater matters, when the least things that are, are not gouerned without his prouidence; yet [Page 7]herein it doth wonderfully appeare, that there should be such a feare put into the hearts of a multitude, to submit and subiect themselues to the yoke of one man, euen so many thousands to his power and command. Yet wee see it by Art: For the horse of noblest courage is made to obey with a slender bit: and a Ship though neuer so great, and driuen with fierce windes, Iam. 3.9. yet is guided and turned a­bout with a small rudder. Againe, we see it in Nature too. The fight of the eye, a very small thing: and the heart of man, but an handfull: yet is the one the light, and the o­ther the life of the whole body. This amongst other, is a speciall argument of the prouidence of God, Psal 68.7. Secundum vulg. Transl. who causeth men to be of one minde, euen so many thousands, and bind­eth them together in dutie and allegeance, that one rule all, and all are ruled by that one.

Hence also ariseth that Ciuill order amongst the socie­ties of men, which notwithstanding the sinnes of men, God hath beene very carefull to preserue and keepe; and therefore hath his Deputies and Lieutenants vpon the earth, and vnder them subordinate rulers and gouernours, who haue the administration of Iustice and Iudgement. That as in the Frame and composure of the great World, he hath set the Fire aboue the Ayre, the Ayre aboue the Water, the Water aboue the Earth: and as in the structure and building of the little World, hee hath set the Knees a­boue the Feete, the Armes aboue the Knees, the Eyes a­boue the Armes; so in bodies politique hee hath set and placed one calling ouer another. Againe, as the Cele­stiall Bodies haue a double motion, one common with the whole body of the heauens, the other proper and particu­lar, according to the nature of euery seuerall Starre; and in our bodies a double motion also: one whereof depends vpon the whole body, and therefore is vniuersall: the o­ther particular, according to the inbred nature and dispo­sition of euery seuerall member: So ouer and beside that vniuersall command, that the Supreme Magistrate vpon earth hath; whereby the whole body of a Kingdome mo­ueth, and subiecteth it selfe, there is a subordinate and a [Page 8]deriued power, whereby, as through an inferiour motion: all parts and members of the body, euen vnto the Foote are ordered and gouerned; as of seuerall Counties in that Kingdome, of seuerall Cities in those Counties, of seuerall Families in those Cities, and of euery seuerall person in those Families. Hence appeares not onely the necessitie of Lawes, but also their varietie, and those to be ordered, al­tered, and renewed as new corruptions shall arise, or the times require.

Now for their Execution, without which the common­wealth is breathlesse: on whom lies the Burthen and care but vpon the Magistrate? VVhat vse is there of that Boat, which hath neither Oares nor Sayles? or of that booke which lies by a man and is neuer read on? or what plea­sure of musique affords that Instrument, which is neuer touched? So what vse or benefit is there of Lawes, when they lie as dead as their first makers, or as if they were cast into a perpetuall sleepe, as Iupiter serued Endymion? As the counterfeit therefore is discerned from the pure gold by the touch: so is the good Magistrate knowne by this, when he shewes; 1. Courage. First Courage; Secondly, Knowledge: Thirdly, Diligence, in the execution of Lawes. For the first he should be a couragious and stout Nehemiah: Nehem. 6.11.Should such a man as I flie? Lawes that lie dead he must put life into them, 2. Kin. 4.32. as Elisha did into the Shunamites sonne, and set them vpon their feete. It was the commendation of Iero­boam, 1. King. 11.29. 1. King. 15.23. that he was strong and couragious: This man Iero­boam was a man of strength and courage. And surely, hee that is set ouer others, as Ieroboam was set ouer Salomons workes, hee had not neede be gowtie in his feete, as Asa was, but he must haue abilitie of bodie to manage his af­faires without check. He must not sit still, or be as a dumb Image, or Statue; no, he is lex loquens, a speaking Law. And though he be a God on the earth, Psal. 82.6. yet he must not be like the gods of the Heathen, who haue eyes and see not, eares and heare not, mouthes and yet could not speake. Such are but Idol. Magistrates, Psal 115.6.7. Gen. 31.30. like Labans gods; for so indeed he called them, and yet were very blocks; or like Bell in the [Page 9]Storie, Brasse without, but clay within: Historia Bell, verse 3. and if they deserue any worship, it is because they spend so much vpon their Tables: so many Measures of fine Flower, so many Sheepe, and so many pots of Wine euery day. A shame it is, they should sit in their places for fashion sake, as Tradesmen weare swords, or like a George on horseback terrible one­ly in view, and that is all. No they must deale roundly and vse that seueritie against offenders which is meete; that because Euils are many and rife, and the wicked haue an insatiable appetite to doe wickedly, like the winde euer in motion, like the Sea euer working, therefore to breake off the armes of wickednesse betimes, to doe it manfully and couragiously. Hee that spares the Wolfe, hazards the whole Flocke; and all goe to ruine, where there is not a re­solute, and yet a conscionable seueritle. For I would not haue a Magistrate like Aristides, who for his ouer much Iustice, (whether iustly or no) was banished out of Athens, or like Cassius a Praetor in Rome, Valer. Maximus. whose Iudgement seate was said to be Scopulus reorum, where there was as little fauour for an offender to bee had, as the Ship hath that dasheth, or rusheth vpon a Rocke: these turne Iustice into cruelty, and equity into reuenge, and are fitter to gouerne, where Minos and Radamanthus beare office, then to bee set ouer the people of God. Woe be vnto such. Amos 4.1. For they shall bee taken away with Thornes, and their posterity with Fishhookes. There seuerity therfore must be moderate and Christian, and to their Courage they must ioyne Knowledge too: First to know their owne strength, that is, the autho­ritie and power that is cōmitted vnto them, from whence it is giuen, and for what end. Secondly, to iudge aright, how euils and misdemeanors grow, from what causes, and how to proceede in them, and so shall they be the better able to remoue them. As I remember Heraclitus when he was sicke, he examined his Phisitions, concerning the cause of his sicknesse; and for that they were ignorant, and could not resolue him, he sent them away, and would haue none of their Physick; For (saith he) if ye be not able to shew me the cause of my disease, much lesse are yee able to take the [Page 10]cause away. And surely many disorders get head, through the vnskilfulnes of Magistrates in their places: for though they meane well, and are desirous in a godly care to re­forme abuses, yet such is the nature of euill, like the Diuell himselfe, that it will grow too subtill and cunning for the Magistrate. 1. Kings 14. Hierome. Euill will disguise it selfe like Ieroboams wife, ye shal not know it to be euill: Ignorantia Iudicis, plerun (que) est calamitas innocentis, saith a Father, & so it is very true. For Ioseph was punished with imprisonment by Putiphar: Gen. 39.20. 2. Sam. 16.4. and Mephiboseths lands were all giuen away by Dauid: and yet both proued meere innocents: and so many times, the innocent smart for it, when there is no cause; and the nocent & guilty scape free & vntouched. Sinister informa­tions and want of due iudgement in the Magistrate, is not onely a cause of much disorder amongst wicked men, but euen of much iniustice against good men. Adde hereunto Diligence, 3. Diligence. which is the [...], the onely sub­stantial thing, euen al in all, as one spake of perfection, The onely thing in euery thing. D^r. Pl. For he must not be like Polyphe­mus, who had but one eye, and a bad one too; but hee had need haue an hundred eyes, as the Poet faignes of Argus, I meane much vigilancy in his gouernmēt. Centum luminibus cinctii caput Argus babebat. Ouid. Metam. Homer. He must be ocu­latus, [...], à fronte & à tergo, he must looke before him, behind him, he must be euery way vigilant; & in this respect is that Apothegme iust and true, that one good Ma­gistrate is worth twenty good Lawes. And if a man did right­ly iudge aforehand, what diligence and paines-taking, this Office requires, I thinke he would scarse haue the ho­nour, to beare the Burthen. He must stand Sentinell, and haue his eye euery where, that as the heart sendeth forth spirit and vigour into all parts and members of the body, and yet is not present in euery part or member: So though not his Person, yet the presence of his Power should bee e­uery where, in all parts of his common-weale and go­uernment. And as it was said of the gods of the Pagans, other gods were limited and tyed to their seueral places, as Iupiter to Elis, Diana to Ephesus, Apollo to Delos: But Esculapius, whose skil and knowledge in Physick was ad­mirable, [Page 11]hee had his Temples and Altars euery where, in Corinth, in Thebes, in Athens, in Lacedaemon, in Ar­cadia, &c. So I say, though priuate men, neither can nor ought to range beyond their proper and particular stations: yet the Magistrate, the great Physition of the weale publique, must be euery where, in all places, as the beames of the Sunne, striking into euery house; in euery part or disordered place, ought his power to bee, for re­reformation and amendment. And as nothing paineth the Physition more, then the difficultie and hardnesse of the cure; so nothing should be a greater griefe vnto his heart, then when disorders shall grow aboue his strength to re­forme, and euils and abuses ouer-master him. Hence no doubt is that of the Sonne of Syrach, Ecclus. 7.7.Seeke not to bee made a Iudge or a Magistrate, lest thou beest not able to take away iniquitie.

By all which it is manifest, what a Burthen and weight lyeth vpon the shoulders of the Magistrate: and therefore it is no faire play, in your Elections to this purpose, so of­ten to lay this Burthen vpon one man. For I am out of doubt, that principle of Plato is vndoubtedly true: Plato. Euery good Magistrate taketh his office vpon him vnwillingly. Mo­ses, a man rarely qualified, yet he groued vnder the Bur­then and weight of it. Who am I? Exod. 3.11. Exod. 3.11. Exod. 18. and Iethro tels him, the thing was too heauy for him, Exod. 18. and in the fourth of Exod. 13. he shifts it off to another, Exod. 4.13. send by the hand of him, whom thou shouldest send: euery way disabling himselfe; sometime by casting doubts, that they would not beleeue, nor hearken vnto him, Exod. 4.1. Exod. 4.1. sometime by excusing himselfe, that hee had no plausible tongue, Exod. 4.10. and yet a notable bold Magistrate, Exod. 4.10. and full of courage in the cause of God against King Pha­raoh and a notable minister of Iustice vnto all his people. Steuen gaue this Testimonie of him, Act. 7.22. that he was learned in all the learning of the Aegyptians, and was mighty in deedes and in words. He slew an Egyptian, Exod. 2.11. and presently after he reproued an Hebrew; and though he was assured by an ho­ly instinct, that God had designed him for Magistracie [Page 12]and gouerment, and yet loth, loth ye see he was, to take this charge and Burthen vpon him.

To winde vp this point, (lest my selfe also should be a Burthen.) Esay 9.6. it was said of Christ, that the gouernment of the Church lay vpon his shoulders: Sure I am, the Burthen of the common weale lyeth vpon the shoulders of the Magi­strate: and the carriage thereof not easily borne. A matter not of ease, though of honour, and they finde it most, who are best gouernours.

And the consideration of this, Ʋse 1 challengeth from the hearts and hands of You the people; loue, dutie, reuerence, obedience, and all good seruices of respect vnto your Ma­gistrate; whom God hath set ouer you, and vpon whom God hath laid so great a weight and burthen for your goood: Mar. 12.17. Rom. 13.1.7 therefore to giue Casar his due, and euery soule to submit it self to this Ordinance of God, whether supreme or subordinate; which whosoeuer resisteth, shall receiue to themselues damnation. Venerandos esse Principes an­tiqua lex. Euripid. This condemnes sawcie and male­pert fellowes, who will contest with the Magistrate, and braue him to his face, whose impudent demeanour be­wrayes that if Law were not, they would pluck the sword out of His hand, Rom. vbi supra. who beareth not the sword for nought.

Secondly, 2 because Gouernment is so Burthensome of it selfe, therefore euery man in his particular place and cal­ling, is to ease the Magistrate what he can: I meane so to conforme and demeane himselfe, that he may be a com­fort to the Magistrate, not a Burthen. Which he shall doe, if religiously and conscionably he walketh in that calling wherein God hath placed him. And if it bee true which Hippocrates saith, [...] Sect. 2. Aphor. 51. Any thing passng the bounds of moderati­on is an enemy to Nature; surely any thing that passeth the bounds of Religion & Pietie, is an enemie to the peace of Christian gouernment. He is not worthy to breath vnder the benefit of Lawes, who of himselfe is no better then Law makes him.

Thirdly, 3 is Gouernment so Burdensome? Then it is the duty of the people for the Magistrate, and Magistrates for themselues, to commend their cause vnto God by Prayer, [Page 13]that he would stand by them, and assist them with his grace, to fit and enable them for the discharge of their du­tie, that like Iosuah they may be filled, Iosuah 6.24. and like Gedeon clo­thed with the Spirit: to desire with Salomon, Iudg. 6.34. 1. King 3.9.vnderstanding hearts: that according to the commendation of Dauid, they may behaue themselues wisely in all their waies. This is a speciall dutie. 1. Tim. 2.1.2. I exhort (saith the Apostle) that prayers and supplications be made for al men, especially for Kings, and those that be put in authoritie vnder them, that we may leade a quiet and a peaceable life, in all godlinesse and honestie.

Lastly, because Gouernment is so Burthensome of it selfe, 4 therfore should Magistrates be careful, not to loade them­selues with vnnecessarie Burthens and businesses, which come to passe, either first when matters are raised and ra­ked out of the dust, vpon former grudges and spleenes, that being inuested into their places, they say as Caesar did; when he got the sword into his hand: [...]. Now I am where I would be. Now I am in place where I may reuenge my selfe, where I may pay them home. I say all former grud­gings, hart-burnings, displeasures, are vtterly to be cros­sed and raced out of your bookes, and not to take aduan­tage of your publique places, to auenge your selues vpon priuate wrongs. This will intangle you much, much in­comber you, perhaps proue heauier to you then you are a­ware: that as Shebna built his Sepulcher in one countrey, Esay 12.18. but was buried in another: and as Leander, to win his de­sire, aduentured to crosse the Hellespont, but was crossed by the Hellespont: so we may come short of that successe which we looke for. Secondly, you loade and ouercharge your selues vnnecessarily, when you are too much addicted to matters of the world, and to your own priuate respect, as many doe, putting their hands almost into euery Trade for gaine and lucre. Thus as Abacuk speakes, Habac. 2.6. they loade themselues with thick clay, and sticke fast in the mire of their owne worldlinesse. Concupisti? haesists, saith Bernard, Bern. Art thou couetous? then thou stickest fast, as the bird in­tangled in the Lime, the more shee stirres the surer she is, the longer she striues the worse she fares. It was a good [Page 14]prouiso therefore, Exod. 18.21. that Iethro gaue to Moses, that He that should be designed for gouernment should be a man ha­ting couetousnesse.Psal. 119.36.Dauid prayes directly against it. Incline mine heart O Lord vnto thy Testimonies, and not vnto coue­tousnesse. Ne praeeminentem virum thesauri possideant sui, & pecuniis seruiat qui praeest caeteris. Ambr. l. 2. Offic. cap. 14. 1. Tim. 6.9. It il becomes him who is set aloft as a Lord ouer others, to be a drudge and a slaue vnto himselfe, wrapped vp in his immoderate and earthly cares, which in the end will proue but snares vnto him, nay so many harlots and lasciuious Courtizans, as will wooe him, and seek to win from him that loue and tender regard, which hee as a true husband vnto the commonweale, ought to beare vnto it. He had neede be as strong as Issachar, Gen. 49.14. who should couch downe twixt two burdens.

IVDAHS PENANCE.

IN these words the Holy Ghost makes re­port vnto vs of a finne committed, now for­saken and giuen ouer. And that our Dis­course concerning this point may bee the more profitable, these three points are very remarkeable.

• 1. A consideration of the Persons, who committed this sinne: both noted in the Text, the one in the first word saue one, the other in the last saue two; he and her: Iudah and Thamar.
• 2. A consideration of the nature and qualitie of the sinne; not Fornication which is euill, nor Adulterie which is worse, but Incest which is most abominable.
• 3. A consideration of Iudahs Remorse, and that is the [...], anima, the bloud, life and soule of the Text, that his conscience being, I say, not checked, but e­uen cuicted of the sinne: he forbare her, with whom he had committed this euill, Malum hoc maximum, this great wickednesse, as Ioseph spake vnto his wan­ton Mistris; and to speake in the naturall, proper, and plaine language of the Text,
  Gen. 39 7.
  Lay with her no more.

First for the Persons, who committed this sinne: First, [Page 30] Iudah an honourable Patriarch, 1. Persons. Gen. 29. vlt. the sonne of Iacob by Leah: Secondly, Thamar: this, some haue thought to bee the Daughter of Sem, who was the High-Priest Melehs­sedeck, and hence was it, say they, that Iudah adiudgeth her to be burnt, because it was a Law, that if the Daugh­ter of a Priest did play the Harlot, shee should bee burnt. But this wil appeare to be but a vaine surmise, for though Melchisedeck liued 600. yeeres, yet hee liued not to the dayes of Iacob by ten yeeres: and Iacob being at this time an 100. yeeres of age, it is not like, that Thamar being of Sem, or Melchisedeck should be now child bearing. O­thers are of opinion, which is the more probable, that she was a Cananitish woman, and forsooke the Idolatry of her owne countrey, to worship the true God.

Now concerning this payre, thus met in this action, di­uers points are to be considered. 1. Iudah. First, that Iudah had gi­uen two of his sonues in marriage to this Thamar, Er and Onan: the first of them beeing wicked in the sight of the Lord, (and yet his wickednesse not expressed) therefore the Lord slew him; and by him shee had no issue. Second­ly, he gaue his second sonne Onan vnto her, that he might raise vp seede vnto his brother; which order was for the continuance and preseruation of the stocke and Familie; and so the child begotten of the second brother should haue the name and inheritance of the first; which wee know was afterward confirmed by Moses: Deut. 25.1.Hic mos fuit, crimen non fuit, August. to vse the words of Saint Augustine; this was then the manner, it was not holden for any fault. Now this second brother doing wickedly in the fight of the Lord, and his wickednesse mentioned, verse 9. there­fore the Lord slew him also, neither by him had shee any issue.

Iudah hauing thus lost two of his sonnes he dissembles with Thamar concerning the third, and here was the ground of all the future mischiefe: he wils her to remaine a Widdow till his third sonne Shelah were growne vp, and yet had no purpose to giue Shelah vnto her: Hinc illae La­chrymae. For hee thought thus, ne forte moriatur etiam ipse; lest he die also [Page 31]as well as his other brethren, (for he supposed her to bee the only cause of the death of his other two sonnes.) Now this seemes to aggrauate Iudahs sinne, who perswades her to remaine a Widdow in hope of Shelah, and yet had no purpose to giue Shelah vnto her. So you see, all is not right with Iudah here at the very first.

Come we neerer to the matter it selfe. 2 There is a saying fathered vpon Father Augustine: Malum est mulierem videre, peius alloqui, pessimum tangere. It is ill enough to looke vpon a woman, worse to talke with her, Iob 31.1. 1. Cor. 7.2. but worst of all to doe the worst of all. See here I pray, how Iudah treads euery step, and how wonderfully he was infatuate, besot­ted, blinded in this action. For first hee saw her, verse, 15. and iudging her by the manner of her sitting to bee an Harlot, he went and talked with her about the bargaine: to which, there went more then a word. For ere hee could strike it vp, there was first the promise of a Kid. Secondly, Et vendit quod vtrum (que) tuuat quod vterque pe­iebat. Ouid. lib. 1. Eleg. 10. the Pledge which she demanded for her better assurance, his Signet, his Cloak, his Staffe; & notwithstanding al this conference & cōmunication too & fro, betwixt them, yet he discernes her not. All which, being duly considered, we may see how wholly he was giuen ouer vnto lust; and how great a measure of stupidity he was striken into, turned in­to a very stone after hee saw her, Ouid. Metam. as they were who beheld Medusa. When all his sences, the stars of this lesser world, were ouercast with such a cloud, Prou. 6.32. that his vnderstanding could not say vnto him, as the Ship-master said vnto Ionah, Ionah 1.6.What meanest thou O sleeper? That neither his eye nor his eare, which he caried about with him as two secret Spies, could view or discerne this Iericho. It seemes his lusts had bored out his eies, as the Philistimes did Sampsons: Iudges 16.21. or that for the time he had a spice of the Falling sicknesse; Plinio shewes the nature of it, Plinius Nat. hist. that the eye being wide open sees no­thing. The eare haply spake to the eye, as Abimelech to the folke that were with him; as thou seest me doe, Iudges 9.49. 2. King. 25.1. Rom. 1.28.doe thou the like. Ile be deafe, be thou blinde: and thus, as Zede­kiah, blinde, and bound, was carried perforce to Babell: So Iudah to a worke of confusion, euen to doe the thing which [Page 32]was not seemely. How greatly (thinke you) was this man dulled & ouerborne by his affections? Which as it may be approued by many examples of the like nature, to set out mans nature in the like, so we cannot haue a better presi­dent then from himselfe in another case. He tooke a wife, when he was very yong; and notwithstanding to haue affi­nitie with the Cananites, was condemned of God as ab­bominable, yet he marries into their stocke, and which is more, without consent of parents (which yet in his owne children he required.) And as Caesar abridged the manner of his victories ouer Egypt, in three words, Venit, vidit, vicit; He came, he saw, he ouercame; So in three words, Iudah huddles vp his bargaine with this Cananitish wo­man: Verse 2 Vidit, accepit, cognouit: He saw her, he tooke her, he went in vnto her. Which shewes how rash and retchlesse we are without our right guide, yea and euen how shame­lesse in our actions, when God turnes vs ouer to our lusts, and to the sinfull affections of our owne hearts. Neither was this vnpunished in Iudah, thus matching himselfe into this accursed stocke: for God blessed him not; he grew so infortunate in his posteritie, that he might haue wished with Augustus Caesar, Suetonius O Vtinam coelebs vixissem orbus (que) perissem. he had had neither wife nor child. For euen the fruits of this Marriage, Er and Onan were accursed of God. And thus will it euer come to passe, where God is neglected, and our carnall affections beares the sway.

Thirdly, 3 to come more neere to the matter it selfe. The fact thus committed with Thamar, he labours to conceale it as much as he can. For when he had sent the Kid, to re­deeme the Pledge, and the Messenger could not finde her, he satisfies himselfe without further inquirie, Accipiat sibi, Let her take it, saith he, without more adoe, ne forte simus contemptui, lest if al come to light we be ashamed. Thus he feares man more then the God of Heauen that made man; and the shame of men he stands in more awe of, then the dreadfull presence and Maiestie of God. The credit and re­putation of his name, he preserues, prefers, Omnia si perdat, if hee lose all, yea euen God himselfe, who is all in all; [Page 33]yet will he not incurre shame and reproch at the hands of men; as if God did shut vp his eyes in boxes, and were in a deepe slumber, as if his all-seeing eye were not present, yea, euen with them who would auoide his presence; as if he tooke no account of mans iniquitie, or that the holy One of Israel would not be reuenged.

Fourthly, to lay open the wound yet more. 4 You heard before how he was ouer-borne with lust, with inconti­nencie; you shall now see him as farre ouer-gone with crueltie. I note it the rather, because they are vices which seldome doe abandon one another, especially if it be true, which some hold for a Maxime: Euery voluptuous Prince is cruell; and the more, if necessitie constraine him: as here this great man, Iudah adiudgeth Thamar for this fact to be burnt; not for any such reason I rendred before, but here­by he thought to be rid of Thamar, and so his sonne She­lah might be at liberty to marry elsewhere. For no doubt had not this beene his purpose, he would not haue beene so forward, so resolute. He would rather haue expostula­ted with her concerning the Fact; For was there no order­ly proceeding to be had? Doth hee settle his Iudgement vpon the first impression to haue her dispatched? Had she been married to two of his sonnes, Er and Onan; and is his fauor no better, nay are his words so bitter, the words of death? Surely yea: here is but a word and a blowe. As peremptorie was he, as euer was Dauid; 2. Sam. 11.5.The man that hath done this shall surely dye; and little thought it concerned him so neere. Educite eam, Bring her forth, Verse 24. he spake impe­ratiuely, and this was generosum, and spoken like a King; but vt comburatur, that she may bee burnt, and her com­plaint not entred, her cause not heard, this was scelerosum, and spoken like a Tyrant. Nay, here is one thing more, that fils vp the measure of his iniquitie, and makes him wicked aboue measure; for hee would haue had her dis­patched being great with child. Here was nihil virtutis, besides the first sillable, nihil humanitatis besides the Name, Pietatis omni [...]o nihil. Nay rather Excede pietas, Be gone pietie, be gone. Though he had not regarded her, be­cause [Page 34]she had offended, yet (me thinkes) he should haue respected the poore infant, who offended not: could it speake to any other, then to the bowels that bare it? Or plead at any Barre either for it selfe, or the Mother; be­ing as yet imprisoned in the Wombe, and not so soone enlarged, as it should haue beene enwrapped with the slames of Death? 2. King. 8. The teares in the eyes of Elisha I can scarce remember without teares; when so earnestly hee eyed Hazael, knowing that amongst other villanies com­mitted by him, hee should rend in pieces women great with child: I pray, what answere made Hazael againe, Is thy seruant a Dogge that he should doe this thing? So brutish, so inhumane? Deut. 24.16. How did God prouide against this Rigour, when he made a Law, that the Child should not suffer for the Father, nor the Father for the Child? When Iudge­ment of death passeth vpon a woman with child, the exe­cution is deferred till she be deliuered. This was practised amongst the Athenians and it was the Law of the ancient Romans: Aelianus lib. 5. Suetonius in vita Claudij Eras. in Paedagog. Yet Suetonius (who wrote the liues of the twelue Caesars) and indeede he wrote (as Erasmus wittily, eàdem libertate quà ipsi vixerunt, euen as freely as they liued,) re­ports of Claudius, that he spared not to put to death wo­men great with child. Generall Histo­rie of Spaine. Pag. 420. Such was that horrible outrage of the Sicilians vpon the French, mentioned in the generall Historie of Spaine, who slew them with such cruelty that where they knew any women of their owne Nation be­gotten with child of the French, they ripped open their wombes, and slew both women and children, because they would be sure to leaue none of their French seede in the Countrey: answerable to this was the clemencie of Q. Acts and Monu­ments. Pag. 129. Maries Bishops, who burning a woman great with child, her wombe burst, and the Babe sprang forth, which labouring to auoid the flame; they tooke and cast into the fire againe. I will say no more; but surely this was an hard doome for Thamar, Hexapla. in Gen. pag. 302. and so much the more vniust, because this punishment was not arbitrarie in Iudah, for hee had no such authoritie; an honourable man hee was indeede, but no Magistrate there, to com­mand [Page 35]the execution of any such Iustice.

Iudah is now at the highest. Concerning Thamar, 2. Thamar. if we pull off her vaile, we may easily see, that though it couered her face, yet it could not couer her sinne. For though Iu­dah knew her not to be Thamar; yet Thamar knew him well inough to be Iudah: and it is more then manifest, that she willingly committed this Incest. And say she did it not in any desire of inordinate lust, as it is like she did not, but rather successionis gratia, desiring onely to haue issue: Et ex ea familia quam delegerat, and of that Family and I ribe too that shee had chosen. Nay goe further; say that shee desired issue by Iudah, in hope of the Messias, which could not be, for she was a Cananitish woman: and the Mysterie that the Messiah should come of Iudah, Gen. 49.10. was not as yet re­uealed: I say though her intention was neuer so good, yet doth it not make the action good. For it is not enough for a man to propound a good end, but the meanes wher­by he is to accomplish it must be also good. The procrea­tion of children, a thing lawfull to be desired, and the bles­sing of God goeth along in the vigour and strength of it, and God hath set downe a lawful order for the same, and that the generation of mankinde should runne in a right course; therefore it is wicked and abominable, by vnlaw­full meanes to seeke to compasse it: Rom. 8.3. We know the Apo­stles rule, Rom. 8.3. therefore that which of it selfe is law­full and good, it turnes to sin in vs, when it is compassed by vnlawfull meanes.

Againe, I doubt not but Thamar sinned euen against her conscience: For she knew shee did not well to put off her widdowes garment, and to disguise her selfe to de­ceiue him. For she couered her face. Some say she colou­red and painted her face; 2. Kings 9.33. which though it bee a tricke of Harlots, and thereby many a Iezabell make themselues meate for Dogges; yet in Thamar there was no such mat­ter, she onely couered her face with a vayle: yet is not that rendred for a reason, why Iudah thought her to bee an Harlot, but why, he knew her not; which if he had, vn­doubtedly he would neuer haue committed that euil with [Page 36]her. And this I think is the worst can be said of her: what­soeuer the opinions of men are, Vir & mulier ae­qualiter peccant per luxuriam. Raim. Lullius. cap. 77. it appeares by many cir­cumstances, that Iudah was the greater offender: he ai­ming principally at lust, she at issue. Nay ex ore suo, they are the words of his owne mouth, Iustior me est: shee is more righteous then I: as if he should say, she hath cause to condemne mee, and not I her: and will you know the reason? Verse 26 I gaue not vnto her Shelah my sonne. And so much for the Persons.

Now concerning the Nature and Qualitie of the sinne, 2. The nature of the sinne. Incest. It is the vnlawfull accompanying of man and wo­man within the Degrees forbidden. Against which, God set down a large Law, Leu. 18.15. Leu. 18. and in the 15. verse is iust Iudahs case: Thou shalt not discouer the shame of thy Daugh­ter in Law, Obiect. for she is thy sonnes wife. If it be obiected that this Law was not extant in Iudahs time, and therefore could be no Rule for him; Answ. I answere, that euen by the light of nature, Law of Nature. Iudah had that written on the Table of his hart, which God afterward wrote in Tables of stone; whereby he knew he had not done well, and which might be some cause of his remorse, as afterward is declared. Againe, the practice of the godly, in the times wherin he liued, and the faithful traditions of the Fathers might discouer it to be a fault. The hauing of many wiues was a sinne. For God, for one Adam made but one Eue: Gen. 2 18. Gen. 7.1. and God commanded there should go into the Ark no more womē then men, no more men thē women: Noah & his wife, his sons & their wiues. The first that was known to haue two wiues was Lamech a wicked man, Gen. 4.19. descended of that good Bird Cain. And euen in the Patriarches, this Polygamy hath beene diuersly excused, as a matter of some necessitie. And though cu­stome for many Wiues, August. lib. 22. contra Faustum. cap. 47. yea and for Concubines too, might be pretended, yet to accompany, as Iudah here doth, with any so neerely allied, either in Consanguinitie, or Affini­tie, Gen. 29.30. Leah. Rahel. Ephes. 5.3. there was no such custome; euen his Father Iacob sin­ned, by going in to two Sisters. Concerning this sinne, I will not speake any more, it is not to be named but with hatred and detestation. Wee ought to pray vnto God that [Page 37]he would keepe vs from these sinnes; our Families, our Cities, our Nation. For though God through his singu­lar prouidence can turne euill into good, and out of euill can produce good, as here of Iudahs incest with Thamar, vvho begat Phares, and Phares, Esrom, and Esrom, Aram; and so ye know the period of that line, Christ: Yet where these sins are committed, there can nothing be expected, but the dreadfull vengeance of God to bee powred out. And though we finde in Scripture, as one well obserueth, Musculus super Gen. cap. 19. that many vertuous women, accompanying with their husbands were barren, or at most, hardly conceiued; as Sara, Rebecca, Rahel, Anna: Contrariwise diuers others, saith he, vno illegitimo concubitu conceperunt, as Bethsheba with Dauid, and here Thamar with Iudah; and not onely vno, but primo, as Lots daughters being virgins, with their owne father: I say, though this comes to passe, yet doth it not argue, that God (vvho in this case blesseth nature, as it is his worke, and not the vnlawfull action of the vvor­kers,) fauoureth these vnlawfull commixtures any vvhit the more, but it shewes rather, that he will reueale, disco­uer, and bring such secret wickednesse to light, vvhich to the vvicked and vnrepentant, vvorkes confusion: to them, in whom the remainders of grace are not wholly extin­guished, and vvhom God hath a purpose to reclaime, it vvorkes their conuersion, and amendment of their naugh­tie life; as in Dauid was most apparent, and here in Iudah remaineth to be proued.

The whole Scripture (saith the Apostle) is giuen by inspi­ration, and is profitable to teach and to instruct; 2. Tim. 3.16. and ther­fore not to bee lockt vp in Coffers, as the bookes of the Sybils in Rome; or as the sentences of Pythagoras, vvhich no man might reade; or as the Iewes in the time of Iosiah, kept the Booke of Deuteronomie, closely in corners, where no man might finde it; but Whatsoeuer is written, is writ­ten for our learning. Surely the holy Ghost, from vvhom euery little sentence and parcell of it breatheth, vvas not diligent vvithout cause, so fully to expresse this Incest, so fowly committed. Amongst many other rea­sons, [Page 38]out of question these three vvere the principall.

First, 1 to lay open mans frailtie, and the infirmitie of his Nature; yea, euen of those Grand-fathers, the Beaupeeres of the world. Often wee finde in Scripture, men of emi­nent place, of great imployment, of speciall fauour vvith God, yet haue fallen very dangerously; as here Iudah into Incest with his daughter in Law; Gen. 19.36. Gen. 9.21. Gen. 20.12. 2. Sam. 11.4. Mat. 26.24. 1. Cor. 10.12. Lot into the same sinne with his owne daughters; Noah, vvho saw two vvorlds, into Drunkennesse; Abraham into Lying; Dauid into Murther and Adulterie; Peter denie Christ and forsweare him. The Apostles rule must here take place; Let him that thinketh he stand, Ambrose.take heede lest he fall: Labi humanum, prolabi Diabolicū. We do freely confesse and acknowledge the infirmities of holy men, to the shame of this flesh and bloud that we beare about vs, and to the glorie of God. The Scripture hath not concealed them, and we ought to make a good vse of them; as an ancient Father saith, Patri­archae nos instruunt, non solū docentes, sed etiam errantes: we may learn many good instructions, as vvel from their sins, as from their graces; as vvell from their faults, as from their vertues. Therefore if these holy men of God, these Worthies of the world fell so dangerously, it should bee our dayly prayer vnto God, that hee vvould hold vs vp, against all the temptations of the Diuell, allurements of the vvorld, and prouocations of our Flesh vvhatsoeuer.

A second reason vvhy the Incest of these two is related, 2 is this: yee know the manner of the Iew vvas much to boast of his pedigree and descent; Inuenall. Nil nisi Cecropides, I tell you he vvill be noble or nothing. In the 8. of Iohn, they told Christ to his face, that they were not the children of fornication: Iohn 8.41. Now this serues to abate their pride and insolencie, here may they see what manner of beginning they had; here is the Rocke whence they vvere hewen, their generation is knowne to the vvorld. Let them look back to their great Ancestor, the Prince of their Tribe, and they shall finde sufficient matter of humiliation.

Thirdly, 3 the report of Iudahs Incest was yet for a fur­ther cause more then all the rest. Wee know that Christ [Page 39]came of the Tribe of Iudah; and in that golden Genealo­gie in the Gospell. Mat. 1.3. Iudah is numbred amongst others in the series and Ranke as Christs Ancestor, vvho begat Phares and Zara, of Thamar. Now the holy Ghost, in reckoning vp the progenie and descent of Christ, glanceth at the notorious sinnes of Iudah, as he doth the like of Da­uid; and therefore doth not onely say, hee begat Salomon, Verse 6 but addeth, of her who was the wife of Ʋriah: where Dauid is detected for his Murder and Adulterie. So Rahab the Harlot is also mentioned in that line, as an Ancestor of Christ, vvho was married to Salmon a Prince of the Tribe of Iudah.

Truth seekes no corners, and the holy Ghost vvho is the author of truth, vvill not conceale these grosse blemi­shes and staines, euen in those, who according to the flesh were the ancestors of Christ. What should this meane? To haue our line drawne from incestuous and adulterous com­mixtures, we hold it no small infamie and disparagement. It is noted for a dishonour vnto Claudius Caesar, Suetonius, that his Father Drusus was begotten in Adulterie. Iudg. 11.1. Iphtah the Gi­liadite was a valiant man, Iudg. 11.1. but hee vvas the sonne of an Harlot, there is his blemish. Iudah honorably descended, the Praise of the Lord, according to the inter­pretation of his Name; he saued the life of his brother in­nocent Ioseph by his counsell, Gen 31.27. moued no doubt euen by Gods Spirit so to doe: yet (by your leaue) he gaue aduice to sell him to the Ismaelites; hee went from his brethren, ioynes himselfe with the Cananites, marries into their stocke, defrauds Thamar of her husband, commits Incest with her, and cruelly adiudgeth her to be burnt. Heere is heaping of sin vpon sinne, as they which built Babell laid one bricke vpon another; and must he be the Tribe, euen the very Prince of it, whence the Holy and blessed Redee­mer of mankinde should descend?

Surely yea: for in him, that is, Christ, there was treasu­red vp all riches of grace, Col. 2 9. and he indeede not to bee made noble by his stock or parentage, neither did the grosse in­firmities of his progenitors any whit disparage him; for [Page 40]he clensed and purified all in his holy and vnspotted Con­ception. He could haue made choise of another race, but herein, herein appeared his wonderfull humilitie, abasing himselfe in that, wherein men for the most part are wont to be proud of, I meane bloud and parentage. The whole course of his life, Augustine. witnessed his humilitie, Fecit te, fecit multa propter te; nay propter te fecit seipsum: He made thee, he made many things for thee; nay for thee he made him­selfe; Phil. 2.7. VVhat? Of no reputation, saith Paul, Phil. 2.7. hee tooke vpon him the shape of a seruant, and humbled him­selfe vnto the death, euen vnto the death of the crosse. He humbled himselfe not onely in his death, but in his life; not onely in his life, but in his birth; not onely in his birth, but euen before his birth; in his race, in his descent, Ʋt qui pro peccatoribus moriturus erat,Muscul. in Mat.per peccatores patres auceret generationem; saith Musculus, vpon the first of Mathew, That he who was to die for sinners, deriued his race from sinfull men. Non liberaretur humanum genus, nisi Christus dignaretur esse humanus, August. saith S. Augustine, he must become man, to deliuer mankinde: and hee must pay the price of sinne, Gregor in Moralibus. who knew no sinne. Nisi ipse indebitam mortem susciperet, nunquam nos â debita morte liberaret, saith Gregorie in his Morals: Vnlesse hee had suffered a death not due, he could neuer haue freed vs from the death that was due; not due to him, but to vs most due. Neither was it necessarie that his puritie and sanctitie should de­pend vpon his Ancestors, for he was holinesse it selfe, and all their impurities were clensed away in his puritie; their sinnes of Crimson, Esay 1.18. he made as white as Snow; and their sinnes of Scarlet, as white as VVooll. So much for the second point.

VVe had done with Thamar before. 3. Iudahs re­morse. Ouid. Metamorph. She conceiues by Iudah, Concepta (que) crimina portat; as the Poet spake of Myrrha, and at the appointed time, her wombe was eased of the Burthen. Heb. 121.Iudah for his part had a burden too, a burden of sinne that pressed him downe, and lay heauy at his heart; and now hee goeth about to lighten himselfe of it. You haue heard heretofore an hard discourse against Iu­dah; [Page 41]his sinne discouered and laid open. Yet when I spake hardest of him, I might haue said vnto you in the lan­guage of the Shunamite vnto her husband, 2. Kings 4.32. or of Domiti­ans Crow, vpon the Top of the Capitoll, [...], Suetonius. All shall be well. For you shall now heare better of Iudah then you haue heard. Blessed, O blessed is that man, who though he hath spent himselfe in peruerse waies, displea­sing vnto God, can yet with Iudah remember himselfe, lay his hand vpon his heart, bee pricked in conscience with remorse for his sinne; and say, Lord I haue offended thee in this or that sinne, and as neere as I can (Lord) I will of­fend thee no more: I will be no more incontinent; no more vnchaste; I will be no more couetous, contentious, no more proud; I will be no more false in my weights and measures; I will be no more riotous, drunke, prophane. I say againe, blessed is the man that hath this remorse, to renounce his pleasures, to abandon his vices, as Iudah here abandoned Thamar, and as the Text saith, lay with her no more. The foole, saith Salomon, makes but a sport of sinne. Prou. 14. Yet fares it with him as with the silly Flye, who pleaseth it selfe with the light and burneth it selfe with the flame: and I pray what folly is this, that a man should purchase a small delight, with an endlesse paine; a short pleasure, Breuis voluptas poena perpetua. Hierom. with a perpetuall punishment? Or that Natures corruption should strike as great a hand with vs, as the Diuell doth with Citizens, when he gets them to leaue their honest Trades, and turne Vsurers? So, whereas the Apostle saith, God, hath not called vs to vncleannesse, 1. Thes. 4.7 verse 8. but vnto holi­nesse: we despising this, reiect the calling of the Saints, holinesse; and trade with that soule spirit in all vncleannesse. But Iudah here in time bethinkes and recals himselfe. Though he was auersus and had done naught, yet vvould he not be peruersus, and be worse then naughts though his bones had been defiled, yet would he not haue them filled with the sinnes of his youth; no: Iob 20.11. Heb. 12 1. he entends now to cast away that which presseth downe, his sinne which cleaued to him so fast, to runne a new race, and to set vp his rest with God. It is said of Sertorius, Plut. in vit. Sert. that because in his life time he [Page 42]had beene assailed with many misfortunes, therefore hee resolued to liue at the fortunate Hands: Iudah, I tell you, had rubbed out some in his children, in himselfe, and hee thought this was not the way to runne on still; therefore he wil diuert his course, Acts 27.8. and ariue at the Cape, De bona espe­rance, as Paul at the faire Hauens; so hee at the mercies of the most highest. Now will he look vp vnto God, and say with the same spirit that Dauid; did Now verily I trust yet (for all this) to see thy goodnesse, Psal. 27.15.O Lord, in the land of the liuing.

But I forget my selfe. Why doe I stay so long in the porch, let me goe vp to the Altar. Iudah here tenders his Heart vnto you to be sacrificed. For as Dauid saith; A contrite heart is a sacrifice vp to God. Psal. 51.17. We wil turn it vp and downe, view it a little, and if wee can, search the very se­crets of it. Hee resolues, no more to fall into this sinne, his heart is touched, and touched with Remorse. Let vs exa­mine what might bee the causes of this his remorse; and then iudge of the likeliest, as we see cause.

First of all, 1 he might be touched in conscience with re­morse, for that hee had wronged Thamar by dissembling with her. A man were better bee an open foe, then a dissembling friend, to weare a white garment lined with purple, as Alexander spake of Antipater. A man should not be foris Cato, intus Nero, carry heauen in his Face, hell in his heart: But the tongue and the heart they should be Relatiues. In men they are so, saith one; but they are not so in women. Iudah cannot bee free of this fault, hee had promised to Thamar, his third sonne Shelah, and it seemes shee was impatient of the wrong. For it is rendred for a reason, why she attempted this this thing; because Shelah was now growne vp, and was not giuen vnto her: he did but onely, Verba dare, courtiers fashion, good words she had inough, and honourable vsage, but hee had no purpose in his heart to doe her right. Now we know nothing gals a man more, then when he reapes the fruit of his owne dis­simulation, and feeles the smart of it in his conscience; and if you thinke this was no cause of his remorse, we will goe further.

The consideration of her with whom he had committed this euill; his daughter in Law: 2 Did he thinke it had not beene sinne inough, to haue defiled himselfe with some o­ther woman? But with her, who had beene the wife of two of his sons; Er his first sonne, Onan his second? And with her to commit incest; was it not odious, was it not abominable? Those Roman lads shall be infamous to the latest generations of the earth, for their wickednesse in this kinde. Fandi, nefandi: Quis ferre posset principem per cuncta caua corpo­ris libidinem reci­pientem cum ne billuem quidem talem quisquam ferat Romae. Lamprid. ad Const sup. De Heliog. What say you to Heliog abalus that vessell of filthinesse, as his successor Alexander Seuerus called him. Nero, that monster of nature, who knew his owne mother. Tiberius, who erected an Office in Rome (neuer heard of before) called à Voluptatibus. Caligula, Commodus, and the rest. All these, the very Antesignani of this vice, some with their Sisters; some with their Neeces; some with their Daughters. And against one Emperour, I thinke I might set fiue Popes: those vn-Holy Fathers, Fa­thers indeede. One wrote of Innocent the 8.

Which I English thus.

But for their notorious and incestuous vitiousnesse in this kinde, Monstra & por­tenta. Plat. Platina cals them Prodigious monsters against kinde. What should I say, silence is best in that which is so much abhorring to nature. And if you thinke this no cause of his remorse, we will goe yet further.

The consideration of the issue and birth it selfe, 3 that it was incestuous. Phares and Zara, borne, I say not the chil­dren of Fornication, but euen of Incest. How might it make him blush and hang downe his head, when he could not looke vpon the fruit of his body, but he must behold the sinne of his soule. He could not haue seene a spot in his face, more plaine in a glasse, then this soule spot of incest in the faces of these little ones, borne vnto him. Well, Bor [...]as in hunc locum. that they are thus, Non culpa est filiorum, sed sola parentum. It [Page 44]was no fault of the childrens, but the sinfull act of their parents. Wisd. 4.6. And if it be true, that wisedome speaketh, That the children borne of the wicked bed, they shall be wit­nesses against the wickednesse of their parents; for by rea­son of their sinne, Ecclus 41.10. they are in reproch. Ecclus. 41: surely this might touch the conscience of Iudah with some re­morse. For what wrong doe they to holy Marriage when they seeke to compasse the fruit of it, quite out of that or­der which God hath set downe? Gen. 2.18. For it is Gods ordinance, and thereinto he secretly infuseth his grace, wherof he de­priues Adulterine and spurious off-spring. As appeares especially in that they are forbidden entrance into the congregation of the Lord, Deut. 23.2. euen to the tenth generation; as if God should say, They shall neuer enter. Reasons may be these. First in regard of the ignominie and reproch of their birth, as that which comes forth with shame, and proceeds otherwise then that due course which God hath set downe. Secondly, because these through want of Gods blessing, seldome proue good: though I confesse the rule holds not alwaies; Heroum filij noxa Pro. for Gods mercie hath a prerogatiue, and God will haue it appeare, that goodnesse is his gift, and that it comes not by propagation, or ex traduce from our parents; but for the most part, such off-spring, is vici­ate and corrupt. We know the prouerbe; Malus coruus, malum onum; like bird, like egge. A third cause of this in­hibition was to extoll holy Marriage, and to aduance the houses and Families of them that liued chaste, to encou­rage them to keepe their vessels pure, that their posteritie might not be reiected, or depriued of this blessing. For if the Adulterous broode should haue had equall priui­ledge of honour, and entrance into the congregation, with the righteous seede, holy wedlocke should haue growne into a contempt: but because God will stand by his owne ordinance, therefore he will reiect such adulterine com­mixtures with fastidiousnesse and disdaine. Now the con­sideration of this, namely, the disaduantaging of his issue wronging the fruite of her wombe, and bringing vpon it that incestuous defilement and pollution, this might be a [Page 45]cause of some remorse. For though God forgaue the of­fence, yet the blot of it, all the teares that euer hee could shed, were neuer able to wash away. And if this were no cause, we will goe yet further.

Iudah was a Prince and an honorable man: 4 and it is not vnlike but his birth & his minde were of equall great­nesse. No doubt, his reputation and good name was pre­cious vnto him: Qua semel amissa postea nullus eris. Ouidius. Now his birth, his worth, his reputation, to be blemished with so foule a staine, so great a sinne as Incest: a man of so high place, to fall into so base an action, to giue so ill an example, so foule a scandall; this might touch him neere, for such a one shall finde dishonour, saith Salomon, Prou. 6.33. and his reproch shal neuer be done away. Nothing more forcible and perswasiue with the vulgar, then the examples of great men. The liues of such stand like looking glasses before the peoples eyes; Validiora sunt exempla quam verba: Bern. Their examples are of greater perswasion, then the perswasion of their words. A great man of a good life, Et carbo & lā ­pas est: saith a Father; hee is a Cole burning, and a Lampe shining, & sibi ardet, & aliis lucet, Gregor. super Ezech. Hom. 1. hee warmes his owne conscience, he heates himselfe well, and he shewes a good light vnto others also. Lib. de pastore. De consideratio: ad Eugenium. Saint Augustine makes him a mur­derer, who liues aloft, and liues ill. Qui in conspectu populi male viuit, quantum in illo est, occidit: and Bernard: Sedes prima, & vita ima: The first and forwardest in esteeme and place, the basest and beastliest in behauiour and life, Mon­struosares: he cries out of it. This Incest in Iudah a foule blemish in so great a man: his ill example might doe great hurt. It was bad inough that Ieroboam sinned; but is farre worse, that hee made Israel to sinne. Tantum est peccare Authoribus illis. Great mens sinnes, are great maimes to the common-wealth; and many base sellow will countenance himselfe with Vices, as well as with their coates of Armes, which as they presume to beare without right, so hauing such Authors, (who seeme to sell sinne vpon warrantise,) are the bolder to of­fend without checke. It is not so great an euill, that they are euill in regard of themselues; but that they draw euill [Page 46]men vnto greater euill, by their euill example. The Pro­phet obiected it to Dauid, 2. Sam. 12. that by this foule sinne he com­mitted, he had caused the enemies of God to blaspheme: And if you thinke the consideration of this did not touch him with remorse, we will goe yet further.

To see himselfe so grossely ouerseene and ouer-reached euen by a woman. 5 Iudg. 9.54. Abimelech, Iudg. 9. had rather his Page should thrust him thorow, then it should bee said, A wo­man slew him. Richard Plantag. D. of Yorke. Henr. 6. That most heroick spirit of Yorke, chose rather with an handfull of men, to issue out against the Queenes great Armie; then it should bee said, A woman cooped him vp in his Castle. It goeth against the heart of greatnesse, to be ouer-reached or kept vnder, either by inferiour or equall. Honour is haughtie, and dignitie im­patient of the least indignitie; yet they who striue most to keepe their mindes from basenesse, cannot alwaies keep their fortunes from declining.

Amongst all Iacobs sonnes, none sinned more grieuou­sly then Ruben and Iudah: Gen 35.22. both in Incest. The one defiling his fathers Concubine, the other his sonnes Wife: Yet when all the rest conspired to kill their innocent brother; Ruben saued him by his mercie, Gen. 37.21.27. and Iudah by his wisedome. That Iudah was very politique and wise, appeares in his speech to the rest of his Brothers, Hexapla. in Gen. concerning Ioseph; What will it auaile vs (saith hee) to kill our brother, though wee keepe his bloud secret. I will tell you what we will doe, sell him to the Ismaelites. Now by this, as one well obserues, Iudah went about very politiquely to auoide three incon­ueniences. First, the guilt of bloudshed, that was a maine thing hee would not bee touched with; the spilling of bloud. Secondly, whereas Iacob was wonderfully affected towards him, because he was the sonne of his old age, his reach was, by selling of him to these Merchants, to worke an impossibilitie that his Father might neuer see him. Thirdly, by his course, he thought to preuent the honour that Ioseph dreamt of; namely, that the Sun, the Moone, and the 11. Stars, did reuerence vnto him; which his Father in­terpreted of himself, his Mother, & the rest of his Brothers.

Yet this man, as deepe and as politique as he was, how grossely is he here ouer-reached euen by a seely woman; as a man may say catched in a fooles trap. Imposturam fecit & passus est. Here was the deceiuer himselfe deceiued. Thamar had shorne his Fleece, and so for a time, Iudg. 16.19. Iudah had lost his wit, as Sampson lost his strength: For whiles hee thought politiquely to auoide one mischiefe, in regard of his sonne, he fell into a greater in respect of himselfe. And here is the fruit of all humane policie, besides the sting it leaues behinde, and the poore conscience set vpon the Rack, they are many times circumuented in the plots and proiects, caught in their owne snares, and ouerthrowne in their owne deuises. Our age haue not wanted experience of such politicians, who hauing soared aloft in the high­est pitch of fauour with their Prince, and haue beene as starres fixed in that glorious or be of the state. They nee­ded not haue begged for honour, as Saul did of Samuel; Honour mee before this people. 1. Sam. 15.30. Gen. 32.9. They might haue said with Esau; I haue enough my brother. Their height haue beene like the height of Cedars: yet because they were not vp­right in heart, but dissembled in their conscience with God and man; as Ahab in his repentance; 1. Kings 21.27. some of them subtilly turning their outside to one Religion, their inside to another: Others seeking to cōpasse their lusts through prodigious and disasterous courses; they haue beene cat­ched in their owne snares, God discouering their wise­dome to be foolishnesse, and all their deuices vanishing a­way, as the fome vpon the waters. And as the Gibeonites got nothing by their craft, but perpetuall slauerie; so they dishonour and reproch; Dead flies, Iudges 9. causing the sweet oint­ment of their honourable reputation, to putrifie, and euen stinke vpon the earth, as sometime the bowels of Antio­chus did. But thus will it euer come to passe, that when greatnesse is not supported with goodnesse, Mole ruit suà; it ouerthrowes it selfe with the owne weight. So iustly may it be said of all such polliticians, as Paul spake of the Gentiles to another purpose. Cum se prositeantur esse sapientes flulti facti sunt: Rom. 1.22. VVhen they professe them­selues [Page 48]most wise, they proue themselues most fooles.

I will not precisely say, that either this, or any the for­mer were causes of Iudahs remorse; but now wee will come to the greatest and the last: The consideration of the sinne it selfe as it was an offence against God. He knew he had not done well. The horrour of the fact condemned him: Gen. 3.7. the sinne presented it selfe before him, as the sinne of Adam; the eyes of his iudgement and vnderstanding were opened, which at the first were dimmed, and dammed vp, that now he saw the foule errour he had committed, and no doubt his sinne lay at his doore; Gen. 4.7. his conscience pursues him, attaches him, condemnes him. Great is the power of conscience. He sees, he sees the greatnesse of his sinne, he knowes God is displeased, and therefore is touched with remorse for it. I say againe, Great is the power of con­science. Eadem est index, eadem tortor, eadem Carcer. Ip­sa iudicat, ipsa accusat, ipsa damnat. It is both witnesse, iudge, prison, iaylor. It iudgeth, accuseth, and damneth perpetually. Wee neede no worse enemie then a guiltie conscience; It is like an ill conditioned wife, it makes a man euer range abroad, he neuer loues to be at home; he desires not the company of it: we thinke it our enemie, as Ahab both thought and spake of Elias. 1. Kings 21.20. The rubs and checkes of conscience are full of restlesse terrours, as if it were vexed with furies. And surely little rest had Iudah, after sinne had set vp her rest. For when sinne comes into the heart, Aut Caesar, aut nullus. Apoc. 18.7. she will be Caesar or no body; I tell you shee will reigne alone, and say with Babylon, Sedeoregina; I sit as Queene.

But Iudah heere did by his sinne, as Christ did by the euill spirit; Mat. 8.32.he casteth it out; his lustfull affections he sent packing, as Christ did the Diuels into the Heard of swine; and said vnto them [...], Bee gone; his little pleasure with Thamar turnes him to much displeasure, Nocet empta dolo­re voluptas. Horat. and brings him out of fauour with God, and all good men. There­fore here is his resolution, he breakes off his wickednesse, and comes at her no more.

Here is the first maine part of Repentance to abandon [Page 49]sinne, as the first step of the ladder to heauen. And I doubt not but Iudah ascended the next and the rest. For what can be more? Being truely touched for this offence, hee resolues no more to touch Thamar. Repentance being no­thing else but a transmutation and change of the minde: [...]. a turning from sinne, and a returning to God. Neither is it qualitas or habitus, but opus a worke; and not euery work neither, but a worke of grace. In which, Terminus à qu [...]t Terminus ad quem. there is some­thing we must renounce, and vtterly go from: Something we must recouer, embrace, and haue recourse vnto. As Lot went from Sodome to Zoar: Gen. 19.18. so must we goe from the dotage of sinne, to the knowledge of grace. We must kill and crucifie the old man, with the lusts and concupiscen­ces therof, and we must quicken & raise vp the new. If we haue giuen ouer our members to vncleannes as Iudah had here done, we must (addresse our selues to the contrarie, Ephes. 4.24. and) make them the seruants of righteousnesse in holi­nesse; as the Apostle speaketh. These are the passages to the gate of life. Abandon thy sinne, and winne heauen: renounce thy pleasures, Luke 16.25. [...]. Psal. 16.12. and thou shalt haue pleasures for euermore. No kingdome of glory, if thou beest not first in the kingdome of grace: no kingdome of grace, if thou hast not first abandoned the kingdome of sinne. First, in this, we are nats, borne; in the other, renati, borne againe; but in the third, beati, blessed for euer. Happy is that man, whose second birth hath altered and changed the first, for he shall finde peace and ioy at the last.

There must be a change of life in euery man, else must wee pay dearely for it at our change of death. I pray, what preserued Nineueh from destruction? Fasting and sackcloth: No, no, saith a Father, it was the Renouation and change of their liues. It is not ciborum abstinentia, Chrysost. Hom. 3. ad populum Antioch. ab­stinence from meates, that God so much lookes after; but peccatorum fuga, auoidance from sinne. What profi­teth it to take downe the bodie by fasting, saith Ierome, & animus intumescit superbia, and the minde swolne and puffed vp with pride? or to be nice forsooth, Ierome ad Caelantium. and curious in drinking a cup of wine, and yet ira & odio incbriari, [Page 50]make themselues drunke with malice and contentions: or to whip, chastice, keepe downe their bodies by discipline, and yet stand in the defence of publique Stewes, and wal­low in the profusion of insatiable lusts. It is the renoua­tion and change of the minde, that is all in all: which ari­seth, not so much from the wrath of God for the sinne; as from the hatred and detestation of it, because it is sinne.

So much for the third point.

I must now draw toward an end. Application in generall. VVhat remaines but that with your patience, I set an edge vpon all that which I haue spoken with vse and application?

When I first chose this Text, I entended not to vse it as the Popes porphirie Stoole; or out of any singularitie, affecting more to speake of this, then of any other: nei­ther is it onely this particular of Iudah that I may stand vpon, but I may runne through a Zodiack, an Alphabet of sinnes. Homo trium lite­rarum. Plut. Ephes. 4.28. And first I may say of the Theefe in the words of Paul: Let him that stole, steale no more: to the Vsurer let him oppresse no more: to the swearer let him blas­pheme no more: to the Drunkard, let him quaffe no more: and so of the rest. Apoc. 3.18. Here is eye-salue for euery one. Euery mans sinne, euen ea sola voluptas, is his Thamar; by which he must doe as Iudah here doth, deale with it no more. And yet it may bee I speake of this sinne; because in these daies, Non est flagitium mihi crede adoles­centulum scortari. Ter. Adelph. I see it so little lookt after for punishment, as if it were but a light sinne, or not a sinne; as Mitio spake in Terence. I know what I speake. The common Lawyers haue a phrase; The eye of the Law. I am sure it is but a win­king eye, it will see, and not see; for euen Temporall Ma­gistrates are much too blame for their lenitie and conni­nencie in this kinde. The vnhappy Cynicke said once, that Great theeues hang vp little theeues; but this I am sure, the Law of Bastardie, and some others, are but as Spiders webbs, as one spake, the little flies are caught, and hang by the heeles, but great ones burst through. Therefore Diogenes when he saw a boy play the idle packe, hee went and beate the master; Talia doces, siccine instruis? So when we see these sinnes of Adulterie, Fornication, In­cest, [Page 51]flye about as fierie Serpents, and our lusts breake forth as gusts in a Tempest. Nemo periculosius peccat quam qui peccata defendit. When they are impudent audacious, seeking defences for themselues, and out-fa­cing vs with an whoorish forehead: wee must lay the fault vpon the Magistrate, and say with the Prophet; Psal. 58.1. It it true? Doe ye iudge the thing that is right, O yee sonnes of men? Doe yee punish sinne as yee ought, and execute Law with an vpright heart? How then comes it to passe, that these sinnes are bolstred out, and that men are not afraid to commit such wickednesse? But from the tem­porall power, let me come to the Spirituall. O tempora; Cic.O mores: I am sorie so renowned and famous a Church as this of England, should haue no sharper censure for A­dulterie then a white sheete. I will not be so bold as some reuerend Diuines, to make it a degree of Adulterie, to appoint a light or a sheete punishment for it. Perk. Armilla aurea mandat. 7. But I hold it much what like the Friers chastisement; and yet the smart of it is so sore, that, forsooth, there may be a miti­gation, by a Commutation of penance. Commutations. Somewhat giuen in the nature of an Almes to redeeme the sinne; and gi­uen, it may be iustly be feared in im-pios vsus as in former times (I pray God it be not so now:) For in stead of re­parations of Bridges, mending Sea-breakes, manuring High-wayes, maintenance of poore Schollers; the mo­ney went no man knowes whether. Thus making gold to haue the vertue that Charitie hath, Where money comes in fight, Iustice is put to flight. Iudge Dodridge in his charge. In Anglia qui ex­tra matrimonium mulieribuscommis­centur, deprehensi sacerdotis imperio, die festo in processu cleri, &c. Lib 1. de dictis & Fact. Alphonsi. couering a multitude of sinnes. Ʋbipugnat pecunia, ibi expugnatur iustitia. Mo­ney many times puts iustice out of countenance, when the one comes in place, smal grace hath the other. What; shall I say Dolendum? Immo vero tollendum hoc: For it is too intolerable in this sinfull and vitious age. Aeneas Sil­uius many yeeres since, gaue this Church a scratch on the face, in his time for this corruption, declaring the man­ner of Penance then in vse: saith hee, Si quem poenae pudet, is auro noxam redimit: hee that would not endure the shame, might buy it off with his money. And if this sheete punishment bee but to fill the purses of corrupt men, it were better there were ordained no punishment at all; [Page 52]but deale by Adulterie, as the Athenians by Periurie who though they made many seuere Lawes against other of­fences, yet made they none against that. Some say, it was because they thought no man so wicked as to forsweare himselfe; but the reason is rendred to be: for that solum Deum existimabant, Merlin in Iob.tanti sceleris, tantae (que) nequitiae vlto­rem esse: They thought God onely fittest and no man else, to be the reuenger of so great impiety. And surely though the lenitie and mercie of the Magistrate bee so great, that whatsoeuer punishment of right be due vnto it, yet it pas­seth away from it disguised: and though corruption in some bad men beare sway against the due execution of Law, yet that heauenly and vncorrupt Iudge, who neuer yet commuted or dispenced with any sinne: who, of such great wickednesse is both iudex and vindex, Gen. 39.7. the searcher of it out, and the punisher of it; as a seuerior magister, he will send an vnquenchable fire into their bones, to burne vp their lusts as the flame deuoures stubble. And though hap­ly they auoid temporall plagues in this life, yet God re­serues them vnder iudgement, for the life to come, and their damnation sleepeth not. Gen. 19.4. The Sodomites who bur­ned with vnnaturall lust, God destroyed with vnnaturall fire; and according to the seuerall species and kindes of this sin, God hath seuerall plagues and punishments, varia vitia, August.varia etiam & supplicia. Men drowne themselues in their pleasures, Facilis descensus Auerni. Virg. as Leander in the Hellespont, and they shall be drowned indeede in a floud of fire and brimstone. It is an easie way to Hell: and these go the easiest of any. For in they ere are they be aware: Prudentius. as Prudently the Poet sang.

And so it is true, and so will be found; when ignobly and basely they defile their bodies, & satiate themselues in the sea of their brinish lusts, they plunge themselues headlong into these black, hellish, and infernall deepes.

Well, Application in Particular. let the vse of this concerne, First, Great men; Se­condly, All men. Of the first sort if there bee any amongst vs, 1 vpon whose heads I may iustly heape the coales of this [Page 53]present discourse, be their state and condition what it wil, let them here take a faire President from Iudah; let them repent and be grieued, turne from their iniquitie, and be sorie for it. Yea let them lay before them the iudgements of God, as iron scourges to driue them from this sinne. I will not here shew how it hath beene punished: I am sure heere is an example of one that repented. Iudah lay in this sinne but three moneths, Dauid an whole yeere, but being wounded in cōscience with remorse, how doth he beseeke God, and humbly entreat, to wash him from his wickednesse, Psal. 51.2. and clense him from his sinne? Those two sins of his, Mur­der and Adultery, had they not beene repented of, O they would haue beene vnto his soule, as the two Serpents at the breast of Cleopatra; Plutarch. they would haue stung him to death. How was his body heat with lusts, as a Bakers ouen with flames? yet did hee quench and extinguish all with the teares of his vnfained repentance. Iudah being here touched in conscience with like remorse, hee renounceth this sinne, and giues it quite ouer. Alas, how doe we couer our sinne, as Thamar her face, wiping our mouthes after our wickednes with the Strumpet in the Prouerbs, bathing our selues in our vices, ar Poppea in the milke of Asses; Plinie. Suetonius in vita Neronis. and fishing after our sensuall pleasures with Neroes nets, euen with nets of gold and purple, buying the basest sinnes at the highest price: omitting no inuention, contention, art, studie, cost, to compasse the vncleane desires of our owne hearts? He that created the eye, shall not he see? Psal. 94.10.And he that teacheth man knowledge, to leaue this, shall not hee punish? God hath ordained that his Church should bee increased by an holy and pure seede, borne of lawfull matrimonie: Mal. 2.15. yet Lord; how impudent are the Adulteries of this effemi­nate, this wanton and womanish age? Like Absoloms, vp­on the tops of their houses, open & knowne to the world, to the high displeasure of Almightie God, abuse of holy Marriage, as if it were but a painted chaine, and to the shame and scandall of the whole Nation. Plutarch tels vs of a plague, that began at Ethiopia, from thence filled A­thens, killed Pericles, vexed Thueydides, and spread farre. I [Page 54]cannot tell what to say of plagues; but this I will be bold to speake, that as our sinnes spread, so the iudgements of God will spread likewise: If wee lengthen out our sinnes like Cartropes, his iudgements shall be like Cables; if we multiply our iniquities as the mole-hils of the earth, plagues and iudgements shall bee as the mountaines of God, of incomparable weight to fall vpon vs, and to crush vs in pieces. O consider this, yee that forget God in the breach of holy Marriage, the blessing of Paradise, the gate of life, the entrance into liuing, the seed-plot of heauen: I say not the bands to knit, but the bounds to li­mit, restraine, confine mans posteritie in a right and a due course. Shall noblenesse, mightinesse, Greatnesse protect and beare thee out? Say thou beest the greatest Gentle­man in the countrey, or in the Court, as Ioseph in his mast­ers house; Gen. 39.9. None is greater in the house then I: And that through excellencie of wit, or eminencie of place, thou canst husband the fauours of Princes, for thy greatest ad­uantage; shall this protect thee in euill, shall it challenge any immunitie, or priuiledge to sinne? Nay, the greater the wickeder, as one spake of a Dice player, Quanto periti­or, tanto nequior; the cunninger, the lewder: and as the wormewood stalke, the bigger it groweth, the bitterer it is; so the greater men are in place, the more distastefull and fowle are their voluptuous actions.

Looke vpon this great man Iudah, though he had com­mitted a sinne, yet he dwelt not vpon it, he kept not Tha­mar imparkt, nor did hee hurry her vp and downe the countrey in his Coach, he gaue her none annuitie, granted her no lease in Fee-farme: He went to her but once, and his conscience smarted for it: haply hee knew that by how much the greater his person was, the greater was the sinne; and the greater sinne, the greater vengeance.

Secondly, 2 all men must bee touched in conscience with the consideration of these particulars. 1 First, that the exam­ples and practises of great men must bee no warrant to be are them our in sinne. The soule that sinneth (saith God) shall die the death: and euery one must answere for his own [Page 55]selfe, for his owne sinne; neither will it be any plea for vs, the following of great men in their euill.

Secondly, if we must needs imitate them, 2 as the Apostle saith, I will shew you a more excellent way. 1. Cor. 12.31. Obserue their vertues, and imitate them in their good examples: these, let vs approue, and approuing, let vs practise. In Iulius Cae­sars time, euery one praised the hooke nose, because he had one; and in the daies of Commodus the long nose bare it a­way: most men would bee Mathematicians vnder the reigne of Ptolomey: braue souldiers were in account vnder Xerxes, and Musitions vnder Nero; because these Princes were accomplished in these seuerall delights. When did vertue, and good Arts more flourish, then vnder Traian the Emperour; in whose time they say no poore man did euer begge, no learned man did euer want? Meane men are stirred vp for the most part to follow and to apply them­selues to that which most pleaseth their Princes: if it bee but to weare a garment, or tell a tale after them, or their fashion. Now if we applaud or imitate them in matters of indifferencie, how much better were it, in matters of piety and vertue? nay, how much worse is it, if in vice and sinne? Imitate not Peter in his periurie; but in his repentance and teares: nor Dauid in his Adulterie; nor Iudah in his In­cest; but imitate them in their sorrow and contrition: la­bour to be striken with the like remorse: quench thy lusts, abandon thy sinne, renounce thy pleasure, as Ioseph with­stood his lasciuious Mistris, and God will receiue thee in­to fauour againe.

Thirdly, 3 Iudah ye see had fallen into a grieuous and de­testable sinne, yet he hath true remorse of conscience, and God in his mercy doth not cast him off: Rom. 11.29. The gifts and cal­ling of God are without repentance: and whatsoeuer he hath decreed concerning any mans saluation shall stand; for his Election changeth not. The seale is surely fixt, 2. Tim. 2.19. The Lord knoweth who are his; and those which are once his, are his for euer: though they fall, yet shall they rise againe: and Dauid notwithstanding his Adulterie, shall be conti­nued in his kingdome; and Peter notwithstanding his per­iurie, [Page 56]shall bee confirmed in his Apostleship: and Iudah notwithstanding his Incest, shall bee established in his Pa­triarchal dignitie, and remaine the famous and renowned ancestor of Christ. Yet hence obserue two caueats. First, not to be secure or presumptuous, but rather worke out our saluation with feare and trembling. Secondly, when we haue seriously repented of any sinne, we must with Iu­daeh neuer fall into the same againe.

Fourthly, 4 learne from hence, yee adulterers and adulte­resses, Iam. 4.4. as the Apostle speakes, who choose to be at enmitie with God, that yee might be at amitie with the world: and are ready enough to fall into sinne as Iudah was, but neuer to haue his remorse in conscience to leaue it: who haue eyes full of Adulterie, 2. Pet. 2.14. and cannot cease to sinne, hearts full of vncleannesse, Ier. 4.14. and will not be washed; how long thinke you, shall God forbeare, without punishment? how long shal your faces be couered, your sinnes vnexamined? Doe ye scoffe at God, 1. Kings 13. as Elias did at Baal? Doe ye thinke he sleepes and must bee awaked? Consider first the great­nesse of this sinne; which appeares firstin that it is made the punishment of another sinne, Rom. 1.23. Grauitas supplicij grauitatem deno­tat peccati. Aug. that is, of Idolatry. Se­condly of all other sins it makes a man most inexcusable, because God hath ordained a remedy against it. Consider secondly, how wonderfull God hath beene in his iudge­ments against this sinne, How fearfull was the ouerthrow of Sodome and Gomorrha, Gen. 19.24. Gehennam misit è coelo. when God rained downe vp­on them hell from heauen, fire and brimstone, being the materials of their subuersion? Zimrs together with Cosbi his Midianitish woman, how suddenly and fearfully were they slaine, Numb. 25.8. whiles they were about this sinfull act? How did God make Dauids heart to smart, nay, euen the heart of his whole kingdome? What a strange and extraordina­rie birth had Thamar, euen prodigious, monstrous, and with the wonderfull hazard and perill of her life? God no doubt intending hereby to haue Iudah & her admonished of the greatnesse of the sinne, and that for the same they might be truely humbled. Gen. 3.10. What a grieuous punishment laid God vpon Adam, but for once eating of an Apple, [Page 57]which a man would thinke to be no great sin? Vpon Lots wife, but for once looking backe vpon Sodome, Gen. 19.26. which might bee thought but a small offence? Yet the one, God cast him out of Paradice, attainted his whole bloud, which could neuer bee re­stored but by the bloud of Christ: the other suddenly turned in, to a pillar of salt: Vbi respexit, tbi remansit; where her fault was, August. there was her fall, where she offended there was she punished where her offence was committed, there God made her a monu­ment of his vengeance before shee went further. If God will deale thus roundly with vs, and take vs in our trappes, for sinnes but once committed, and in some respect of a lighter nature, Lord what shall we thinke will hee doe, for our whoredomes and adulteries? so often threatned against by God, so much de­tested and accursed of God, as that which brings a man to a morsell of bread, like a fire deuoures him to destruction, rootes out all his increase, destroyes the soule, shortens the life, brings a perpetuall infamy and blot vpon our name, and these not once committed, as Iudahs here was and no more, but often, more and more; nourished with rewards, countenanced with fauours, born out with greatnes: Are they ashamed, saith the Prophet? No, Ier. 6.15.they are not ashamed: but stil go on with an appetite as insatiable as hell it selfe. I demand with Ieremie, Ier. 5.31.What will they then doe in the end thereof? Againe, looke here but with halfe an eye, and see what an infinite measuer of vengeance as a full cloud, hangs ouer the church of Rome, as a full cloud blacke and fearefull; where occasions of Adultery are daily maintained, as the vow of single life in men and women: The toleration of priuate Con­cubines, and publique Stewes: The permission of marriages within the degrees forbidden, both by the Law of Nature, and the word of God. Nay the Pallace of the Pope himselfe; Luitpr. lib. 6. cap. 6. Sancto­rum quondam hospitium, nunc prostibulum meritricum, sometimes the arbour and harbour of Saints, now farre otherwise.

Lastly, how acceptable and pleasing vnto God is an holy and chaste life: not that forced chastitie of the Papists; 5 For vbi neces­sitas imponitur castitati, autoritas datur libideni, saith Augustine: August. de Virg. but when it pleaseth God to conser that gift to a single life, or in wedlocke, when the holy and pure vse therof is obserued. How highly hath it beene accounted of euen amongst the Heathen? [Page 58] Valerius Maximus reports of a delicate and beautifull yong man, Spurina. Hippon. in marese abtecit, vt morte pudi­citiam tue­retur Val. Max. lib. 6. cap 58 [...]. Fulgos. l. 6. cap 1. that all becut and mangled his face, because he would not be desired of women. One of the fairest dames in Greece threw her selfe into the Sea, to saue her chastitie. Fiftie virgins of the Spartanes killed themselues, because they would not bee de­flowred of the Missenians. Lucretia of Rome, forced by Tar­quinius, for very sorrow slew her selfe: Hippolytus shall euer be famous in the Tragedie, for withstanding the vnlawfull lust of Phaedra his step-mother; who being falsely accused by her, and therevpon pursued by his owne Father, the Chariot brake wherein he fled, and his delicate body amongst the sharp-poin­ted flints was rent in pieces. What should I speake of Bellero­phon, Pelius, and others? Ioseph in Holy writ is renowned for this, and admired as a glorious starre in that beautifull Spheare of the Patriarches: Pulchrior in luce cordis, quàm in facie corpo­ris, August. fairer in the light of his soule, then in the face of his bodie, saith a Father. Gen. 39.6. He was a faire person, and well fauoured, saith Mo­ses; and therefore his chastitie was the more conspicuous, e­minent, Gratior est pulchro ve­niens è cor­pore virtus. amiable: as a Ring better becomes a faire hand, then a foule fist; or as the Diamond hath a greater grace fixed in Gold then in Iron. When we affect this beautie of the soule, (a beame of diuine goodnesse shed into it) whereby our sensuall appetites are subdued to reason, wee may be said to be more then men: for to liue chastely is to liue the life of Angels; the difference is but only in faelicitate, Bernard in Epist.non in virtute; we walke in the one here, the other we shall enioy hereafter. It is ornamentum totius orna­menti, it is the Beautie of Beauties, Gen. 29.30.the greatest ornament of all, and it shall endure, when all corporall beautie shall be eaten vp of wormes. Bonam na­uem habes, sed malum gubernato­rem. Isoc-Psal. 119.37.Let vs affect this vertue of chastitie, as Iacob affec­ted Rahel: The text saith, Iacob loued Rahel, and it well appea­red he loued her indeede. If thou hast neuer so beautifull a bo­die, yet if thy soule be foule and vnchaste, I may say thou hast a beautifull ship, but a bad Pylot. Auerte oculos tuos, turne away thine eyes lest they behold vanitie. Impudicus oculus im­pudici cor­dis est nun­tius. Aug. Iob. 31.1. An vnchaste eye is the mes­senger of an vnchaste heart: A subtill Spie, wanton and lasciui­ous. Iob was faine to make a couenant with it, and it was to the perill of his soule if he brake it. Let me speake once for all, and speake in the words of the Apostle: This is the will of God, euen [Page 59]your holinesse, and that you abstaine from Fornication. 1. Thes. 4.3 Col. 3.5. Mortifie therefore your earthly members, Fornication, vncleannesse, in­ordinate affections, euill concupiscence. This is no age licenti­ously to wantonnize. This is the day of grace, and ought not to be made the night of sinne. Walke honestly therefore, Rom. 13.13. as in the day, not in chambering and wantonnesse. But put yee on the Lord Iesus Christ, and make no prouision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts of it. S. Augustine reading this very place, was conuerted by it. Let vs thinke vpon this; and vpon the day of our common ap­pearance. For as death leaues vs, Qualem te inueniet Deus talem te iudicet. Aug. Iob. 20.12 Apoc. 21.27. Apoc. 22.17. so the day of iudgement shall finde vs. If we die sinfull and vncleane, Christ at his comming shall so finde vs, when all the sinnes of our youth, which haue been sweet in our mouth, will be as bitter to our soule as Aloes to our taste, and will be as eager & fierce vpon vs, as the wolues in the euening. Wee know no vncleane thing shall enter into the new Ierusalem: Heauen is no Inne to entertaine all commers. Without shall be dogs, inchanters, whoremongers. Labour then for true remorse, and for vnfained repentance: Wash thy heart from wickednesse. Make thy body the Temple of the holy Ghost, and let thy soule bee the Holy of holiest, Ier. 4.11. 1. Cor. 6.19. Heb. 9.12. 2. Cor. 6.38. Ier. 31.1. 2 Cor. 7.1. Psal. 67.7. where Christ may enter in once for all. If we touch no vncleane thing, wee shall be the sonnes and daughters of God. Wherefore (saith the Apostle) hauing such pro­mises, let vs clense our selues from all filthinesse of our flesh, and fi­nish our sanctification in the feare of God. So God, euen our owne God, shall giue vs his blessing; God shall blesse vs, and our race and posteritie after vs and make it an holy seede. Hee will giue vs a long life in this life, and eternitie of daies, in the life to come. Hee will marry vs vnto him for euer, in righteousnesse, Hos. 2.19.in iudgement, in mercie and compassion. Cant. 1.1. Hee will kisse vs with the kisses of his owne mouth, and giue vnto vs eternall pledges and testimonies of his loue. Cant. 5.12. Wee shall heare the voice of our welbeloued; saying, Open vnto me my Sister, my Loue, my Doue, mine vndefiled. He will set vs by his owne side; Nay, hee will set vs as a seale vpon his heart. Cant. 8.8. VVee shall be the pleasure of his eye, the very ioy of his soule, he will cause his blessed Angels to keepe vs company, and to solace themselues with vs. Neuer, ne­uer was the eye of any man, more pleased in the sweetnesse and beauty of a face, then God is delighted in the soule of that man, which truely repenteth.

Now holy Brethren; Conclusi­on. Right Worshipfull, and you Honora­ble Iudges: Iudah in the end of your circuite this Lent time, hath done his Penance before you; His shame is past, his of­fence pardoned, his resolution for amendment apparent to ac­company with Thamar no more. What remaines, but that you cleere him in your priuate iudgements, and account him as an honorable Patriarch, a famous & renowned Ancestor of Christ? When Iacob his father lay vpon his death-bed, hee prophesied thus of him: Gen. 49.10. Gal. 4.4. The scepter shall not depart from Iudah till Shiloh come. Shilo came at the fulnesse of time; when the Scepter de­parted, that is, the ciuill policie and gouernment of the Iewes was dissolued, and transferred to the Romans: The line and stock of Iudah so exactly recorded, so highly accounted, now dis-regarded and confounded amongst the rest: and Shilo shall come againe, Apoc. 1.7. Mat. 25.31 when he shall come with clouds, and euery eye shall see him, and they that pierced him through shall behold him. when this Iudah shall stand before him as pure, as if he had neuer been defiled, and this offence of His, this great offence shall be blot­ted out, when hee shall be honoured with euerlasting honour, and be clothed with a garment of righteousnesse downe to his feete, when both He, and we shall stand at the right hand of Christ, Mat. 25.33 and all our iniquities shall be done away, when we shall goe vp with him into heauen, and behold the glorie of his bles­sed Saints and Angels, and wee our selues ouer-ioyed in glo­rie: 1. Thes. 5.23. Euen so Lord Iesus, (fit vs for thine owne selfe, and then) come quickly. I conclude with the prayer of the Apostle: Now the very God of Peace sanctifie you throughout, and and I pray God, that all our hearts and soules may be kept pure and blamelesse, vntill the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ. Amen.