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

The next is the midwife, Consent: well might the child be conceived by suggestion, but without consent it could never be borne. The devil suggests into Absaloms heart pride, his lust conceives a crown, Consent of will is his midwife, and delivers him of treason. The devil suggests into Demas, gain; his lust conceives heaps of money, ease, the pleasure of the world: Consent of will is his midwife, and delivers him of apostasy. Satan comes to a young beginner, one newly set up for himself, and suggests the sweetness of being rich: lust conceives all ways of gain and propounds being one day an Alderman: Consent of will plays the midwife, and brings forth fraud and lying. If thou wouldest prevent the birth of sin, deny lust her midwife, Consent. ^uMy son, if sinners entice thee, Consent thou not. Could artisans and women master great difficulties & tu non poteris? saith Augustine to himself. It is no easy achievement: It was as great a miracle that Joseph in the arms of his mistress should not burn with lust; as it was for those three Saints to walk in the fiery furnace without scorching, Luther. If lust will yield, and sin must be bred, yet be sure to lock up the midwife; that it may be an abortive brood, stifled in the womb, still-borne. He was a great Prince, that on the difficulty of his Queens delivery; when the midwife put him to the choice, whether the mother or the son should be saved, seeing one of them must on necessity be lost: the king answered, save the fruit, though the tree fall; preserve the son, albeit you lose the mother. But in this case do the contrary; save the mother and let the child perish: kill sin, and preserve nature alive. Thou art tempted, consent not; allow no midwife, and the child shall never be borne. We have all lust about us; a very^x body of death: the father is ready, the mother is willing; keep away the midwife; that though sin be done upon us, we may have this comfort, we consented not.

The next is the midwife, Consent: well might the child be conceived by suggestion, but without consent it could never be borne. The devill suggests into Absaloms heart pride, his lust conceives a crowne, Consent of will is his midwife, and delivers him of treason. The devill suggests into Demas, gaine; his lust conceives heapes of mony, ease, the pleasure of the world: Consent of will is his midwife, and delivers him of apostacie. Satan comes to a young beginner, one newly set up for himselfe, and suggests the sweetnesse of being rich: lust conceives all wayes of gaine and propounds being one day an Alderman: Consent of will playes the midwife, and brings forth fraud and lying. If thou wouldest prevent the birth of sinne, deny lust her midwife, Consent.