A commentary or, exposition upon the divine second epistle general, writtenA commentary or, exposition vpon the diuine second epistle generall, written

Can any be covetous without precedent? did he never read of Nabals base pe••riousnesse, and accursed end? Hath not the adulterer, Zimri for his example? •an he think of his sudden end, and not tremble to embrace his harlot? And for ⟨p. 616⟩the factious, that are subject to their own lusts, but will be subject to no laws; observe they not the conspiracy of Corah against Moses; whom the earth buried alive, and stayed for neither executioner to dispatch them, nor sexton to make a grave for them? Can a man exact upon his brother by a biting interest, without a Jewish example? Or throw his unable debtor into prison without a precedent? The Us••• is a legal thief, the unmerciful creditor a legal murderer: they do nothing but by Law, and by Law they may go to the Devil together. The fraudulent trafficker cannot abuse his simple customer, but there is precedent for him, in Ananias; Did you sell the land for so much? cost your commodity so much? Yes, what followed? the lie he told before men, he was suddenly sent to answer before the God of truth. Do tyrants now persecute the Church, without example? So Julian sent his subjects to heaven in earnest himself went to hell merrily and in jest. Homicides have the example of Joab, whose grey hairs went not to the grave in peace. There is no profane libertine but had the example of Esau before him: who lost the blessing of heaven, for the pleasures of earth. They cannot tell a lie but by precedent: not swear an oath, not break a Sabbath, nor worship an Image, but by example. All these sins, and what other we can Imagine, have been committed in former ages, and plagued by former judgements. Non tulit nos sine exemplo, ut inveniat sine def• cto, vel tollat sine patrocinio. These iniquities if we admit, they retain not in so mean a quality, as before. Fratricide is now worse than in Cain, because it h••• Cains ensample. Apostasy now worse than in^d Lots Wife, because her example hath forewarned us. Adulterate painting worse now than in Jezebel, because we understand her fearful end. Uncleanness now worse than in Sodom, because the Lord hath made them ensamples to those that after should live ungodly.