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

First, by taking away the fuel: uncleanness is the daughter of surfeit. Saturitati, tanquam matri, omnes ascribuntur libidines; That Harlot breeds bastards, and lays them at the Rioters door; the soul stands charged to answer what the body does. When the mouth is made a tunnel, the throat a wine-pipe, and the belly a barrel, wantonness bien venù, Rom. 13.13. After gluttony and drunkenness, follows chambering and wantonness. Gregory observes, that Coquorum princeps, the chief of the Cooks, which was Nebucaradan, first overthrew the walls of Jerusalem, and first put fire to the Temple. By the chief of the Cooks, he understands Gluttony; by the walls, our senses; by the Temple, our heart: Riot gives the first overthrow to all these.

First, by taking away the fewell: uncleannesse is the daughter of surfet. Saturitati, tanquam matri, omnes ascribuntur libidines; That Harlot breeds bastards, and layes them at the Rioters doore; the soule stands charged to answer what the bodie does. When the mouth is made a tunnell, the throat a wine-pipe, and the belly a barrell, wantonnesse bien venù, Rom. 13.13. After gluttony and drunkennesse, followes chambering and wantonnesse. Gregory observes, that Coquorum princeps, the chiefe of the Cookes, which was Nebucaradan, first overthrew the walls of Ierusalem, and first put fire to the Temple. By the chiefe of the Cookes, he understands Gluttony; by the wals, our senses; by the Temple, our heart: Riot gives the first overthrow to all these.

Secondly, the pot is cooled by pouring cold water into it: only abundance of sorrowful tears can put out this unruly fire. The Amalekites had spoiled Ziklag, ¹and taken their wives and their children prisoners: which when David and his people found, they wept till they could weep no more. David asked counsel of the LORD, and upon his direction followed them, and smote them from the twilight till the evening of the next morrow. So there escaped none, save four hundred young men that fled upon Camels. Conceive Lusts to be these Amalekites, they spoil our Ziklag, sack our City, captivate our wives and children, our Senses and affections: now let us cast cold water into this pot, weep till we can weep no more; lament we day and night. Then let us pursue these brutish Amalekites, so shall we overcome our untamed lusts, and smite them from the twilight of our youth, to the evening of our old-age. Some young men may escape, some vain words and unclean thoughts may remain in us: but for the old Amalekites, gross and foul faults, we shall conquer them. So recover we our wives and daughters, our affections so dear to us: and they that were the prisoners and drudges to Lust, shall now do good service to GOD.