5 The Apostle, 1. Tim 4. 1. prophecieth of certain spirits of error, which should superstitiously1 forbid the use of Christian liberty: but 2. Tim. 3. he speaketh of another sort, who among many other properties should be lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God. The2 former are said to be in the last times, but these in the last days, one degree further than the other, And such be we and our times, long rid from that superstitious generation: but3 ready now (as it is said, Deut. 29. 19.) to add drunkenness to thirst, which cometh to pass for want of circumspectness in delivering the doctrine of liberty. And so we fall to make Paul, Galat. 5. and Peter a cloak of our licentious life. We turn the grace of God into wantonness, (as Jude speaketh.) This then being as it were the common disease of these last and perilous days: the ministers of the Gospel must stand up as in a gap, and every one is to be watchful over himself, that he sink not away in these pleasures, which seem to cheer & bring good to the heart; but such a good as maketh the graces of God in some to come to nothing, and withdraweth many away from Paradise, a place of pleasure, to hell a place of torments. You know who it was, that seeing so many young Gentlemen4 follow Epicurus at his first setting up, said the cause was, it was young mens philosophy that was professed in that school. For this cause Satan laboureth especially to poison5 this age, because he knoweth if this be barren of good, that which followeth is like to be thereafter. Satan and his ministers have for every age, estate, and condition, a sundry6 bait; laying for Youth the bait of pleasure, for Age the bait of covetousness, &c. Every man is eaten up with one zeal or other: there is a zeal of old age, middle age, & of youth. Every man may try his zeal by the ninth of Esa. ver. 7. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform 7this. It was the zeal of God, that he gave his Son for us, his most dearly beloved Son: it is then one argument of our zeal to any thing, when we will forgo a precious thing, for the thing we profess to love indeed. Esau was zealous for his meat, when he would lose his blessing for it: and such is our zeal of pleasure, that we will forgo learning, time, the favour of the godly, health of body, yea, sometimes our own souls for it.8
5 The Apostle, 1. Tim 4. 1. prophecieth of certaine spirits of error, which should superstitiously1 forbid the vse of Christian libertie: but 2. Tim. 3. he speaketh of another sort, who among many other properties should be louers of pleasures more then louers of God. The2 former are said to be in the last times, but these in the last daies, one degree further thē the other, And such be wee and our times, long rid from that superstitious generation: but3 readie now (as it is saide, Deut. 29. 19.) to adde drunkennesse to thirst, which commeth to passe for want of circumspectnes in deliuering the doctrine of libertie. And so wee fall to make Paul, Galat. 5. and Peter a cloake of our licentious life. Wee turne the grace of God into wantonnesse, (as Iude speaketh.) This then being as it were the common disease of these last and perillous dayes: the ministers of the Gospell must stand vp as in a gap, and euery one is to be watchfull ouer himselfe, that he sinke not away in these pleasures, which seeme to cheere & bring good to the heart; but such a good as maketh the graces of God in some to come to nothing, and withdraweth many away from Paradise, a place of pleasure, to hell a place of torments. You know who it was, that seeing so many young Gentlemen4 follow Epicurus at his first setting vp, saide the cause was, it was young mens philosophie that was professed in that schoole. For this cause Sathan laboureth especially to poyson5 this age, because he knoweth if this be barren of good, that which followeth is like to be thereafter. Satan and his ministers haue for euery age, estate, and condition, a sundrie6 baite; laying for Youth the baite of pleasure, for Age the bayte of couetonsnes, &c. Euery man is eatē vp with one zeale or other: there is a zeale of old age, middle age, & of youth. Euery man may trie his zeale by the ninth of Esa. ver. 7. The zeale of the Lord of hosts will performe 7
- 1Last times.
- 2Last days.Last dayes.
- 3Eschátais hemérais. Christian liberty, turned into unchristian licentiousness.Eschátais hemérais. Christian liberty, turned into vnchristian licentiousnes.
- 4Ecclesiast. 11.
- 5Bonum juvenile.Bonum iuuenile.
- 6Youth.
- 7Zeal tried.Zeale tried.
- 8Pleasures.
