THE excess of impiety which hath broken down the Banks of common Civility & Modesty, did at first lead ⟨image 3⟩my thoughts to these subjects ensuing. The Spirits of men are leavened with Atheism, and their lives stained with debauchery. *I know not what to call them, but Baptized Heathens. Not long since there was a complaint that the Springs grew low: Sure I am the floods of sin are risen, even to a Deluge. There is a Generation among us, of whom I may say as Oecumenius, they militate against Religion;* they are so prodigiously profane, that they esteem the Bible a ⟨image 3⟩Fable, and *would jeer all Holiness out of the world. The Prince of the Air, now worketh in the children of disobedience, Ephes. 2.2. in our Saviours time, many mens Bodies were possessed with the Devil, but now their souls are possessed. One is possessed with a blasphemous Devil, another with a spiteful Devil, another with a drunken Devil. This is one great sign of the approach of the last day, iniquity shall abound, Mat. 24.12. Mens lusts grow fierce and insatiable, and like Imps lye sucking them. But O how direful and tremendous will the effects of ⟨image 4⟩sin be. My Text saith*, they were brought low for their iniquity: Sin is such a Trade, that whosoever follows, is sure to break. What got Achan by his wedge of Gold? It was a wedge to cleave asunder his soul from God. What got Judas by his Treason? He purchased an Halter. What got King Ahaz by worshipping the Gods of Damascus? they were the Ruin of him and of all Israel, 2 Chron. 28.23. Sin is first Comical, and then Tragical. I may fitly apply those words of Solomon to sin, Prov. 7.26. She hath cast ⟨image 4⟩down many wounded: O what an Harvest of souls is the Devil like to have! Isaiah 5.14. Hell hath enlarged it self. It is fain to make room for its guests. 'Tis matter of grief to think, that the Dragon should have so many followers, and the Lamb so few. Cyprian brings in the Devil insulting over Christ, thus; As for my followers, I never dyed for them as Christ hath done for his, I never promised them so great a Reward as Christ hath done to his, yet I have greater numbers than he, and my followers venture more for me, ⟨image 5⟩than his do for him. Some sin out of ignorance, yet even the blind can find the way to Hell. But most sin out of choice, they know the Dish forbidden, but they lust after it, though in the day they eat thereof, they shall surely die.
THE excess of impiety which hath broken down the Banks of common Civility & Modesty, did at first lead ⟨image 3⟩my thoughts to these subjects ensuing. The Spirits of men are leavened with Atheism, and their lives stained with debauchery. *I know not what to call them, but Baptitized Heathens. Not long since there was a complaint that the Springs grew low: Sure I am the floods of sin are risen, even to a Deluge. There is a Generation among us, of whom I may say as Oecumenius, they militate against Religion;* they are so prodigiously prophane, that they esteem the Bible a ⟨image 3⟩Fable, and *would jeer all Holiness out of the world. The Prince of the Air, now worketh in the children of disobedience, Ephes. 2.2. in our Saviours time, many mens Bodies were possessed with the Devil, but now their souls are possessed. One is possessed with a blasphemous Devil, another with a spightful Devil, another with a drunken Devil. This is one great sign of the approach of the last day, iniquity shall abound, Mat. 24.12. Mens lusts grow fierce and insatiable, and like Imps lye sucking them. But O how direful and tremendous will the effects of ⟨image 4⟩sin be. My Text saith*, they were brought low for their iniquity: Sin is such a Trade, that whosoever follows, is sure to break. What got Achan by his wedge of Gold? It was a wedge to cleave asunder his soul from God. What got Judas by his Treason? He purchased an Halter. What got King Ahaz by worshipping the Gods of Damascus? they were the Ruine of him and of all Israel, 2 Chron. 28.23. Sin is first Comical, and then Tragical. I may fitly apply those words of Solomon to sin, Prov. 7.26. She hath cast ⟨image 4⟩
- *Homo ad Dei [Greek or Hebrew] conditus, brutis deterior evasit; lustra sectatur, in sordibus stercoreque volutatur; quam turpiter inversa in microcosmo nostro lex illa & politia, quâ corpus animae parêre jubetur. Mornaeus.Homo ad Dei 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 conditus, brutis deterior evasit; lustra sectatur, in sordibus stercoreque volutatur; quam turpiter inversa in microcosmo nostro lex illa & politia, quâ corpus animae parêre jubetur. Mornaeus.
- *[Greek or Hebrew]. Aecum.〈non-Latin alphabet〉. Aecum.
- *Non percussit Ismael fratrem gladio, sed scom mate. Calvin.
- *Peccatum transit actu, manet reatu.
