4. Wicked men prove commonly so much the worse, as they might have been better: and divert the means of their conversion to their confusion. The more rain of the Gospel they receive, the more abundantly they thrust forth the thorns of iniquities. The roots of these briars are surely earthed in their hearts, and do boil out at the warm dews of the Word. It fares with them, as with a man of a surfeited stomach: the more good meat he eats, the more he increaseth his corruption. The former crudities undigested, undigested, ⟨p. 116⟩having the greater force, turn the good nutriment into themselves. There is such an antipathy betwixt the good word of God, and the heart of a reprobate; that the more it wrestles to bring him to heaven, the more he wrestles against it, that he might be damned. Tully mentions a Country, wherein a great drought and heat maketh abundance of mire and dirt; but store of rain causeth dust. It is here experimentally true: the plentiful rain of Gods blessed word is answered with the dusty and sandy barrenness of mens evil lives. So the Sun, shining upon unclean dung-hills, is said to cause a greater stench: yet no wise man blames the beams of the Sun, but the filthiness of those putrefied heaps, for such offence. The Sun of righteousness hath sent down the glorious rays of his Gospel among us• the wicked hereupon steam out the more noisome and stenchful fruits. Upon whom shall the accusation light; Gods comfortable heat of mercy, or our putrid and rank iniquities? Sometimes the Suns heat working upon a muddy and baneful object, breeds horrid serpents. No wonder then, if this rain of the Gospel engender in reprobate minds, weeds, and prickles. The Cicones have a river, that doth harden the bowels,1 and make the entrails stony: a strange operation in them that drink it. But if the water of life do harden the hearts of Pharaohs, and exasperate the mischiefs of a malicious Elimas, let the imputation of fault light where it is deserved. ⟨p. 117⟩It was a strange protestation, that God had against Israel. I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me. 2I have brought them up in my house, and taught them my precepts, and yet (as if my instructions and favours had made them worse) they have rebelled against me. Thus when the Sun is hottest, the springs are coldest:
4. Wicked men proue commonly so much the worse, as they might haue been better: and diuert the means of their conuersion to their confusion. The more raine of the Gospell they receiue, the more abundantly they thrust forth the thornes of iniquities. The rootes of these bryars are surely earthed in their hearts, and do boyle out at the warme deaws of the Word. It fares with them, as with a man of a surfeted stomach: the more good meate he eates, the more hee increaseth his corruption. The former crudities vndigested, vnegested, ⟨p. 116⟩hauing the greater force, turne the good nutriment into themselues. There is such an antipathie betwixt the good word of God, and the heart of a reprobate; that the more it wrastles to bring him to heauen, the more he wrastles against it, that hee might be damned. Tully mentions a Countrey, wherein a great drought and heat maketh abundance of mire and dirt; but store of raine causeth dust. It is here experimentally true: the plentifull raine of Gods blessed word is answered with the dusty and sandy barrennesse of mens euill liues. So the Sunne, shining vpon vncleane dung-hils, is said to cause a greater stench: yet no wise man blames the beames of the Sunne, but the filthinesse of those putrified heapes, for such offence. The Sunne of righteousnesse hath sent downe the glorious rayes of his Gospell among vs• the wicked hereupon steame out the more noysome and stenchfull fruites. Vpon whom shal the accusation light; Gods comfortable heate of mercie, or our putrid and ranke iniquities? Sometimes the Sunnes heat working vpon a muddy and baneful obiect, breeds horrid serpents. No wonder then, if this raine of the Gospel ingender in reprobate minds, weeds, and prickles. The Cicones haue a riuer, that doth harden the bowels,1 and make the entrals stony: a strange operation in them that drink it. But if the water of life do harden the hearts of Pharaohs, and exasperate the mischiefes of a malicious Elimas, let the imputation of fault light where it is deserued. ⟨p. 117⟩It was a strange protestatiō, that God had against Israel. I haue nourished and brought vp children, and they haue rebelled against me. 2I haue brought them vp in my house, and taught them my precepts, and yet (as if my instructions and fauours had made them worse) they haue rebelled against me. Thus when the Sunne is hottest, the springs are coldest:
- 1Ovid.Ouid.
- 2Esa. 1. 2.
