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

But where not be our Births! Leah in her old age groweth barren, and ceaseth to bring forth children to her husband CHRIST. Our Saviour delighteth himself with his Rachel, the Church triumphant in heaven, now almost complete. Leah the Church militant ceaseth to bear, and will so continue; except she give her sons mandrakes for her husbands company, Gen. 30. for sake her worldly pleasures wherewith she is surfeited. I confess, these are breeding days: and as we say, that the means of begetting hath more increased mankind, than the end: so there be spiritual births enough, but they are bastards: our sons are our sins. As one writes of the Popish Clergy; who refuse a lawful wife, to abuse an unlawful harlot: Deus in ira abstulit filios Diabolus in nequitiâ dedit nepotes. God in his just anger took away their children, the devil in his wickedness hath given them bastards. So also are we barren souls to produce Natos, lawful children, good works: plentiful to produce Nothos, unlawful fruits, wicked sins. Legitimate works are few, illegitimate many. The Romans had their Nothîa. Legacies and inheritances ⟨p. 170⟩given to their bastards: so we dedicate and bequeath all our desires, and delights, and means, to our iniquities.^x Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Lust when it hath conceived, [there is the Conception of sin] bringeth forth sin, [there is the Birth of it.] Sin when it is finished, [there is the Growth of it] bringeth forth death, [there is the End of it.] It hath a father, a mother, a mid-wife, a nurse. The Devil by suggesting, begets sin as the father: Lust, by imagining, conceives sin as the mother: Consent, by agreeing, brings it forth as the mid-wife: Custom, by indulgence, brings it up as the nurse. Here is now no barrenness! The Devil was never more busy to beget sin: Concupiscence never more pregnant to conceive it: Consent never more ready to act it: Custom never more strong to continue it. Such a brood you have, Psalm: 7.14. There is longing, conception, birth. Such another, Job 15.35. They conceive mischief, bring forth vanity, and their belly prepareth deceit. Here is a quick dispatch; they are no sooner delivered, but their belly prepares deceit; to it again incontinently. These are monstrous births;