Clavis mystica a key opening divers difficult and mysterious texts of Holy Scripture; handled in seventy sermons, preached at solemn and most celebrious assemblies, upon speciall occasions, in England and France. By Daniel Featley, D.D.

THE CHECKE OF CONSCIENCE. THE XL. SERMON.

ROM. 6.21.

What fruit had yet then in those things, whereof yee are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.

Right Honourable, right Worshipfull, &c.

NO speech of wisdome can be so discrectly uttered, but it may by ignorance be depraved: no action of vertue can be so exactly performed, but it may through ma∣lice be mis-construed. It is not more proper to God to bring light out of darknesse, peace out of trouble, joy out of sorrow, and out of sinne (the greatest of all evils) to extract much good, by governing and disposing it to the declaration of his mercy and justice; than it is natu∣rall to the Divell and his impes, out of the light of truth to endeavour to draw darknesse of errour, and out of the best speeches and actions to straine and force out somewhat, to maintaine and nourish their corrupt humours and bosome sinnes. And what marvell, sith even in Paradise, amidst the sweetest flowers and wholsomest herbes and plants, a Serpent could live, and find there something to feed upon? Paradise was the seat of mans hap∣pinesse, the garden of pleasure, the soyle of the tree of life, seated in the cleerest ayre, watered and environed with sweetest rivers, enamelled with pleasantest flowers, set by God himselfe with the choicest plants, and yet was it not free from the serpent, which turned the juices of those soveraign and medicinall simples into poyson. Aristotle writeth of the Cantharides, that they are killed with the sent of thea 1.1 sweetest and most fragrant oynt∣ments:

and it is morally verified in those gracelesse hearers, to whom the Word, which is theb 1.2 sweet smelling savour of God to life, becommeth a sa∣vour of death. Such hearers the blessed Apostle Saint Paul sharply censu∣reth in this chapter,* 1.3 who when hee preached to them salvation by the free grace of Christ, hence concluded free liberty of sinne: when to the comfort of all that are heavie laden with the burden of sinne, he set abroach that hea∣venly doctrine, where sinne abounded, there grace superabounded; they sub∣sumed, Let us therefore continue in sinne, that grace may more abound: whereas indeed they should have inferred the cleane contrary conclusion, thus: Grace hath abounded much more to us; therefore wee of all men should not continue in sinne, because God offereth us so good meanes to escape out of it. The dew of heaven hath fallen plentifully upon us; there∣fore wee ought to be most fruitfull in good workes, not only because God hath better enabled us to doe them, but also in a duty of thankfulnesse wee are to offer him our best service, who hath enriched us with the treasures of his grace. Therefore to beat them, and in them all carnall Gospellers from the former hold, St. Paul in this chapter planteth ordnance of many most forcible arguments, drawne from three principall heads.

• * 1.41. Christ and his benefits.
• 2. Themselves and their former condition.
• 3. The comparison between a sinfull and a holy course of life, and their contrary effects.

1 From Christ and his benefits after this manner: The effect of grace is to mortifie sinne, how then can they who have received a greater measure of grace by the merit of Christs death and buriall, continue in sinne? How can they that are dead to sinne live therein? Whereas they urged grace for liberty of sinne, the Apostle from grace enforceth sanctity of life: whereas they alledged their redemption for their exemption from all service, Saint Paul strongly concludes from so great a benefit, a greater tye and obligati∣on to serve the Lord their Redeemer: whereas they built a fort of sin with the wood of Christs crosse, he maketh an engine of the same wood to over∣throw it: by grace we are united to Christ, and planted in him; therefore we must live the life of the root, & bring forth the fruit of thec 1.5 spirit: If we have been planted together in the likenesse of his death, wee shall be also in the likenesse of his resurrection, knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sinne might be destroyed, that henceforth wee should not serve sinne, &c.

2 From themselves and their former condition, thus: When yee were free from righteousnesse, yee were servants unto sinne; now therefore being freed from sinne, yee ought to be servants unto righteousnesse: As yeed 1.6 yeelded your members servants of uncleannesse and iniquity unto iniquity, so now yeeld your members servants of righteousnesse unto holinesse, &c.

3 From the comparison between the state of sin and grace, thus: When you were in the state of sinne, you had no profit at all of your workes, and you were confounded with shame for them, and by them were brought to the very brink of death;* 1.7 but now being in the state of grace, you reap fruit

here in holinesse, the fruit of peace and joy, and hereafter you shall reap the fruit of everlasting life and glory.

Thus you see the scope of the Apostle, the occasion and coherence of the words, which carry this sense:

Tell mee,* 1.8 yee unsettled and unstable Christians, who have been delivered from the thraldome of sinne and Sa∣tan, and have given your names unto Christ, and your members as ser∣vants unto righteousnesse; why goe yee about to enthrall your selves a∣new to your ghostly enemies, or make your selves vassals to your fleshly lusts? Observe yee not the heavie judgements of God lighting daily upon presumptuous sinners? See yee not before your eyes continuall spectacles of Gods justice? and marke yee not in them the fearfull ends of those courses, which now yee begin to take againe, after yee had long left them? Beleeve yee not the words of God,e 1.9 Tribulation and anguish upon every soule that sinneth? for hee willf 1.10 wound the hairy scalpe of every one that goeth on in his wickednesse. Or if you turne away your eyes from beholding the vialls of wrath daily powred upon sinners, and stop your eares, that yee may not heare the dreadfull threats which God thunde∣reth out in his Law against such backsliders and relapsers as yee are: yet can yee stifle your owne hearts griefe? can yee forget the wofull plight into which your former courses brought you, when free from righte∣ousnesse, yee let loose the reines to all licentiousnesse, that yee might worke wickednesse even with greedinesse? yee glutted your selves with earthly vanities, and tooke a surfeit of sinfull pleasures. What gaine did yee not then greedily gape after? what preferment did yee not ambiti∣ously seek? into what mire of impurity did not yee plunge your selves? No sinfull pleasure but yee tooke your fill of, no dish of Satan which yee left untouched; yet speake the truth between God and your owne con∣science, what true delight or solid contentment tooke yee in those things? I know yee are ashamed to speake of it, and I will not wound modest eares to relate it; and ought yee not much more to be ashamed to returne with the dogge to his former vomit, and with the sow to her wallowing in the mire? Your soules have been cleansed by the bloud of your Redeemer from all spots of impurity, will yee againe pollute and soile them? It is folly eagerly to pursue that which will bring you no profit at all; and greater to follow afresh those things whereof ye were not only ashamed in the enjoying them, but also are now confounded at the very mention of them: yet this is not the worst, shame is but the beginning of your woe: For the end is death, yea death without end. Will yee then forsake the waies of Gods Commandements, leading to endlesse felicity, and weary your selves in the by-pathes of wickednesse, in the pursuit of worldly vanities, without hope of gaine, with certaine losse of your good name, nay, of your life? will yee sell heaven for the mucke of the earth? set yee so much by the transitory pleasures of sinne, mixed with much anguish and bitternesse, attended on with shame, that for them yee will be content to be deprived of celestiall joyes, the society of Archangels and Angels, and the fruition of God himselfe for ever? nay, to be cast in∣to the darke and hideous dungeon of hell, to frie in eternall flames, to be companions of ghastly fiends and damned ghosts, howling and shreeking

without ceasing, complaining without hope, lamenting without end, li∣ving, yet without life, dying, yet without death, because living in the torments of everlasting death?

* 1.11Having taken a generall survey of the whole, let us come to a more par∣ticular handling of the parts, which are three forcible arguments, to deterre all men from all vicious and sinfull courses.

• 1. The first ab inutili, What fruit had yee?
• 2. The second ab infami, Whereof yee are now ashamed.
• 3. The third à pernicioso or mortifero, The end of these things is death.

* 1.12What fruit. This word fruit is fruitfull in significations; it is taken:

• 1 Properly, for the last issue of trees, and so it is opposed to leaves or blossomes: for nature adorneth trees with three sorts of hangings as it were; the first leaves, the second blossomes, the third fruits: in this sense the word is taken in the first of Genesis, and in the parable of the figge-tree cursed by our Saviour, because hee found no fruit thereon.
• 2 Improperly, either for inward habits, which are the fruits either of the spirit, whereof the Apostle speaketh, Theg 1.13 fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentlenesse, goodnesse, faith, meeknesse, temperance; or of the flesh, reckoned up by the sameh 1.14 Apostle; or for outward workes, which are the fruits of the former habits: whereof we reade, Beingi 1.15 filled with the fruits of righteousnesse: and in the Epi∣stle of S.k 1.16 James, Full of mercy and good fruits: Or for the reward of these works, either inward, as peace, joy, and contentment; whereof those words of S.l 1.17 James are to be meant, The fruit of righteousnes is sowne in peace of them that make peace: and those of S. Paul, Nom 1.18 af∣fliction for the time is joyous, but grievous; but in the end it bringeth the quiet fruit of righteousnesse to those that are exercised thereby: Or last∣ly for outward blessings, wherewith God even in this life recom∣penseth those who are fruitfull in good workes, as the Prophet Esay and David assure them: Surely it shall ben 1.19 well with the just: for they shall eate the fruits of their workes: Utique est fructus justo; Verily there is fruit for the righteous, verily there is a God that judgeth the earth.

* 1.20Had. It is written of the Lynx, that he never looketh backe; but Ho∣mer contrarily describeth a wise man,

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

looking both forward and backward, forward to things to come, and backward to things past: for by remembring what is past, and fore-casting things future, he ordereth things present: and in speciall what advantage a Christian maketh of the memory of his former sinnes, and the sad farewell they have left in the conscience, I shall speake more largely hereafter: for the present, in this cursory interpretation of the words it shall suffice to ob∣serve

from the pretertense habuistis, had ye? not habetis, have ye? that sin, like the trees of Sodome, if it beare any fruit at all, yet that it abideth not, but assoone as it is touched falls to ashes. Musonius the Philosopher out of his owne experience teacheth us, and that truely, that if we doe any good thing with paine, the paine is soone over, but the pleasure remaineth; but on the contrarie, if we doe any evill thing with pleasure, the pleasure is soone o∣ver, but the paine remaineth.

In those things whereof yee are now ashamed.* 1.21 As after the wound is hea∣led there remaines a scar in the flesh; so after sinne is healed in the conscience, there remaines as it were a scarre of infamie in our good name, and of shame also in the inward man. The act of sinne is transcunt, yet shame the ef∣fect, or rather proper passion of it, is permanent: sinne is more ancient than shame, but shame out liveth sinne. It is as impossible that fire should be without scorching heat, or a blow without paine, or a feaver without shaking, as sinne, especially heinous and grievous, without a trembling in the minde, and shame and confusion in the soule. For, aso 1.22 Macrobius well observeth, when the soule hath defiled her selfe with the turpitude of sinne, pudore suffunditur, & sanguinem obtendit pro velamento, she is ashamed of her selfe, and sends forth bloud into the outward parts, and spreadeth ••t like a vaile before her; just as the Sepia or Cuttle fish, when she is afraid to be taken,p 1.23 sends from her bloud like inke, whereby she so obscureth the water that the angler cannot see her. If it be objected, that some men as they are past grace, so past shame also, and some foreheads of that metall that will receive no tincture of modestie, such as Zeno was inq 1.24 Nicephorus his sto∣ry, who held it a disparagement to himselfe to commit wickednesse in secret, and cover his filthinesse with the darke shadow of the night; for that it be∣came not soveraigne majestie to feare any thing: he thought he could not shew himselfe a Prince, unlesse without feare or shame he committed outrages in the face of the sunne. Such were those Jewes whom the Prophet Jeremie brands in the forehead with the marke of a Strumpet that cannot blush;r 1.25 Were they ashamed when they committed abominations? nay,s 1.26 they were not a∣shamed, neither could they blush. I answer,

1 By distinguishing of shame, which is sometimes taken for the inward affection and irksome passion of a sinner, that hath cast any foule staine up∣on his conscience; sometimes for the outward expression, by dejection in the countenance, faultring in the speech, a cloud in the eye, and flushing in the forehead and cheekes. No sinner is without shame in the first sense, though many by custome in sinne grow senselesse thereof, and consequent∣ly shamelesse in the latter sense; and in the end they come to that height of impudencie, that they blush for it if they blush, and are ashamed of their shamefacednesse, & pudet non esse impudentem. But this hardinesse doth them no good at all; for they doe but stop the mouth of the wound that it bleed not outwardly, it bleedeth inwardly the faster, and much more dangerously.

2 A sinner may be considered either before or after his regeneration; before his regeneration he committeth many sinnes, whereof he is not then ashamed, either because he accounteth them no sins, or not such sinnes as may any wayes trench upon his reputation. For though the dim light of

corrupt nature discovereth some workes of darkenesse, yet not all, nor any in the right hiew. As a man that is in the water feeleth not the weight of it; so the sinner whilest he is in the state of corruption feeleth not the weight of sinne. For he accounteth great sinnes small, and small none at all: but when he is out of that state, then he feeleth the smallest sinne unrepented of as heavie as a talent of lead, able to drowne his soule in eternall perdition; as it followeth:

* 1.27For the end of these things is death. That is the end of all these things. By end here the Apostle meaneth not the finall cause moving the sinner, but the finall effect of sinne: for the sinner propoundeth to himselfe a divers end; either gaine, which the covetous man shooteth at; or glorie, which the ambitious; or pleasure, which the voluptuous: but they misse their marke, and in stead of gaine, which the covetous man pro∣mised himselfe in his sinfull course of life, in his returne by weeping crosse he findeth irrecoverable losses; (for what fruit had yee?) in stead of glorie and honour, which the ambitious aimeth at, shame and infamie; (whereof yee are now ashamed:) in stead of a pleasant temporall life, which the voluptuous shot at, a painefull and eternall death. For the end of these things

* 1.28Is death. That is death temporall which is the sinners earnest as it were, and death eternall, which is his full hire and wages; death corporall, which is the separation of the soule from the body, is hastened by sinne; death spirituall, which is the separation of the soule from God, is sinne; and death eternall, in Scripture termed the second death, which is the tormen∣ting of body and soule for ever in the lake of fire and brimstone, is the full reward of sinne; and this death is here principally meant, as may be ga∣thered from the words ensuing my text; but the gift of God is eternall life: for that death which is opposed to eternall life can be no other than e∣ternall death.

* 1.29The meaning of the text being thus cleared, the speciall points of obser∣vation are easily discerned; the first is, That the smart of the wound of con∣science for sinnes past is a speciall meanes, through grace, to keepe us from sinne to come. Upon this the Apostle worketh in the words of my text, What fruit had yee in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? The burnt child doth not more dread the fire, nor the scholar severely corrected be∣ware the fault for which he smarted, nor the Pilot keep off from the rock at which he formerly dashed his bark, and hazzarded his life and goods, nor the intemperate gallant, tormented with an extreme fit of a burning feaver, for∣beare the pouring in of wine and strong drinkes, which were the oyle that kindled and maintained the flame within his bowels, than he that hath felt the sting of sinne in his conscience, and beene formerly confounded with the shame thereof, dreadeth and flieth, and seeketh by all meanes to shunne those sinnes which have left so sad a remembrance behind them. As some parts of our bodies are more sensible than others, (the sinewie parts more than the fleshly) yet all that have life in them have some sense of paine: so some consciences are more tender, that feele the least pricke of sin; some harder, and more stupid and benummed, like theu 1.30 Numidian Beares, which scarce feele stripes or wounds: yet all that have any life of grace in them,

or use of reason, have some touch of conscience at some times, which mar∣reth all their mirth, and overcasteth their faire weather with clouds of griefe, powring downe showres of teares. I know the wicked seeke to dis∣semble it, like the man in Plutarch, who having a foxe under his cloake, ne∣ver quatched, though the beast bit through his sides and devoured his bowels. The* 1.31 foole, saith Solomon, maketh a mocke of sinne, but the heart knoweth the bitternesse of his soule: for even in laughing the heart is sorrow∣full, and the end of that mirth is mourning. I speake not of a melancholy dumpe, but of an habituall and constant pensivenesse, arising from the sting of sinne left in the soule. No tongue can sufficiently expresse it, onely the heart that feeleth it can conceive the nature of this griefe, and smart of this paine which the lash of conscience imprinteth:

x 1.32Occulto quatiente animum tortore flagello.

Yet some sense wee may have of it by the similitudes whereby it is ex∣pressed. It is called ay 1.33 pricking of the heart: and lest that wee should ima∣gine it to bee as it were a pricke with a small pinne, or needle, it is called a wound in the heart, (Myz 1.34 heart was wounded within me.) O what paine must a wound in the heart needs be, where the least prick is death? Yet farther, that wee might not thinke this wound might bee drawne together, it is cal∣led the cutting asunder of the heart, (* 1.35 Rent your hearts and not your gar∣ments: yet farther, that wee might not thinke any part of the heart to re∣maine entire, it is called thea 1.36 breaking of it into small pieces, andb 1.37 melting these also; and can there bee any sorrow like unto this sorrow, which pricketh the heart, nay woundeth it being pricked, nay rents it being woun∣ded, nay breaketh it being rent, nay melteth it being broken? This prick∣ing, wounding, renting, breaking, melting the heart, is nothing else but re∣morse of conscience for some hainous and grievous sinnes, whereby Gods image in us is defaced, our credit stayned, our profession scandalized, and Gods anger provoked against us. This remorse is found both in the godly, and in the wicked: but in the one it is cured; or at least eased with seasona∣ble comfort; in the other this continuall biting of conscience is without any ease, or hope of cure: and therefore it driveth them to blaspheme God, and curse themselves, & sometimes to lay violent hands upon their own bodies, and apply a remedy worse than the disease. In the godly and penitent it breedeth a loathing and detestation of sinne, and a speedy recourse to the Physitian of their soules, with sighes and groanes that cannot be expressed. For as Lactantius writeth, that the ashes of a burnt viper are a present re∣medy against the sting of the viper, so the remaines of sin in the conscience, viz. remorse and shame, are a present remedy against sinne; as wee may see in David:c 1.38 I know mine owne iniquity, and my sinne is ever before mee:d 1.39 Mine iniquities are gone over my head, they are a burden too heavie for me to beare; my wounds stink and are putrefied through my foolishnesse: and in Solomon, who upon experience of the unfruitfulnesse of sinne indited that ex∣cellent Sermon delivered in the booke of the Preacher; the premisses wherein are,e 1.40 Vanity of vanities, all is vanity and vexation of spirit: and the conclusion,f 1.41 Feare God, and keepe his commandements, for this is the whole

man: and in the Jewes, who when Saint Peter set before their eyes their crucifying the Lord of life, their saving a murtherer and murthering their Saviour, wereg 1.42 pricked in heart, and said, Men and brethren, what shall wee doe? And in theh 1.43 Corinthians, in whom remorse of conscience like the dart of Jason wrought a strange cure, whereat the Apostle much rejoiced: Though I made you sorry, saith hee, with a letter, I repent not. Nay I rejoice, not that yee were sorry, but that yee were sorry to repentance: for godly sorrow causeth repentance to salvation not to bee repented of. For behold this thing that yee have beene godly sorry, what great care it hath wrought in you, yea what clearing of your selves, yea what indignation, yea what feare, yea what zeale; in all things ye have shewed your selves to be pure in this matter. For this cause Saint Paul in his Epistles often rubbeth up their memory to whom hee writeth, with the consideration of their former unregenerate estate: as the Corinthians;i 1.44 Know yee not that the unrighteous shall not inherite the King∣dome of heaven? Be not deceived: Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adul∣terers, nor wantons, nor theeves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor extortio∣ners shall inherite the Kingdome of God: and such were some of you; but ye are washed, but ye are cleansed, but yee are sanctified, but yee are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus. And the Ephesians;k 1.45 Ye were sometimes darknesse, but now yee are light in the Lord:l 1.46 This therefore I testifie unto you, that yee walke not from henceforth as other Gentiles walk in the vanity of their mind, having their understanding darkened, and being deprived of the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindnesse of their heart: which being past feeling have given themselves to wantonnesse, to worke all wickednesse with greedinesse. The Angel bid Tobias to unbowell the fish, and take out the gall, as being usefull in medicine and a speciall meanes to recover his eye-sight: The story is Apocryphall, but the application of it is Canonicall, and agreeable to the doctrine of the inspired Scriptures. If wee unbowell wordly pleasures and carnall delights, and take out the gall of them, that is, seriously thinke upon the bitternesse which they leave behind them, it will prove a soveraigne remedy against our spirituall blindnesse. A reason of this observation wee neede not fetch farre; wise men by others fall prevent their owne, but even fooles learne a lesson from their woefull experience:m 1.47 Piscator ictus sapit, the fisherman who hastily thrust his hand into his net to take out a fish, and was stung by a Scorpion, was ever after wiser. Remorse of conscience, if no Balme of Gilead bee seasonably appli∣ed to it to asswage the paine, is farre worse than the sting of a Scorpion; which made Cain roare, My punishment is greater than I am able to beare: which forced Judas to hang, and Nero to stab himselfe, Julian the Aposta∣ta to teare his bowels and throw them into the ayre, saying, Vicisti Gali∣laee. The greatest bodily torments that can be devised have beene borne chearfully by many Martyrs; but a troubled spirit, saith the wise man, who can indure?* 1.48

This observation is not more pregnant in the proofe, than poignant in the use, both for tryall and instruction. For if the experience of the unfruit∣fulnesse and shamefulnesse of sinne bee a speciall curbe of sinne in the rege∣nerate; they surely who are not perswaded hereof, who taste no bitternesse in the forbidden fruit, who can thinke of their former sinnes not only with∣out

griefe and remorse, but also with some delight and contentment, were never thoroughly converted. For there can be no vivification without pre∣cedent mortification; no mortification where the old man is yet alive. There is a strugling in the soule in the travell of our new birth between the flesh and the spirit, as there was in the wombe of Rebecca at the time of her la∣bour between Jacob and Esau. Every one, that is renewed in the spirit of his mind,n 1.49 delighteth in the Law of God, as touching the inward man; and therefore cannot approve the law of the members rebelling against the law of the mind. He that truly returneth to God, and placeth his chiefe happi∣nesse in his union with him, cannot but be offended grievously at the re∣membrance of those things that made a separation between him and his God. The weeds that have taken deep root, cannot bee plucked up with∣out stirring the earth. Such are the weeds of sinne rooted in our heart; they cannot be plucked up without tearing and breaking it through contrition. That heart which hath never bin so broken up, was never thorowly weeded. Wherefore (beloved Christians) if ye desire to know whether ye are in the way of life, whether ye are effectually called, whether ye are in the state of grace, whether ye have any part in the promises of salvation; loe here is a touch-stone to try your spirituall estate. When ye recall your for∣mer profanenesse, and uncleannesse, and worldlinesse, and maliciousnesse to mind, is the remembrance of these sinnes grievous unto you? is the bur∣then of them intolerable? are ye pricked in heart with the sting of consci∣ence? doe your eyes melt into penitent teares? then are you quickned by the Spirit of grace, then have you sense and life in you, then have your eyes been annointed with the eye-salve of the spirit, then stand ye recti in curiâ. But on the contrary, Are ye tickled with the remembrance of your former follies? can ye thinke of them without remorse? can ye speake of them without shame? can ye glory in them, and your heart not smite you? then in vaine doe ye flatter your selves with the name of Professours, ye falsly arrogate to your selves the title of Sonnes of God, ye know not what regeneration or the new creature meaneth, the sunne of righteousnesse ne∣ver shone upon you, but ye are still frozen in the dregges of your sinnes. Wherefore examine your owne hearts and consciences, take a view of your whole life past, runne over in your mindes the vanity of your childhood, the lusts of your youth, the audacious attempts of your riper yeeres, and the covetousnesse, frowardnesse, worldlinesse, and distrustfulnesse of your old age: call your selves to an account for your unlawfull gaming and sporting, your immoderate drinking, your Lords day breaking, your la∣scivious dancing, your chambering and wantonnesse; and if the remem∣brance of these your former sinnes be loathsome unto you, if the sent of them in the nostrils of your soule be like a stinking fume exhaled from the finke of originall corruption, then have your senses been purged, then have you smelt the savour of life. But on the contrary, if the cogitation of these things be delightfull unto you, if the traversing these thoughts in your mind blow the coales of your former lusts, if the Sodome of your unrege∣nerate estate seem to you as a Paradise of pleasure, then certainly yee were never redeemed from the corruption of the world, yee never felt the pangs and throes of a new birth, your understanding was never enlightened, nor

your will reformed. Hee that can take delight to play at the hole of the Cockatrice, or behold the shining colour of the Snake, was never stung by them; but the truly regenerate Christian, who hath bin grievously stung by the fiery Serpent the Divell, and by fixing his eyes upon the brazen Serpent Christ Jesus, hath bin cured, dares not come nigh the Serpents hole, much lesse gaze upon his azure head and forked tongue.

2. If the experience of the unfruitfulnesse and shamefulnesse of sinne be a speciall meanes to restraine Gods children from it, certainly the recoun∣ting of their former wayes, and the survey of the whole course of their life, cannot but be a profitable exercise for them. It was the practice of Solomon, who beheld all the workes of his hands, and the delights of his life, and passeth this censure upon them,o 1.50 Vanity of vanities, all is but vanity and vexation of spirit. It was the practice of David,p 1.51 I know mine owne iniquity, and my sinne is ever before mee. It was the practice of Saint Austine, who a little before his death caused theq 1.52 Penitentiall Psalmes to be written about his bed, which hee looking upon, out of a bitter remembrance of his sinnes, continually wept, giving not over, long before he gave up the ghost. Mee thinkes, I heare you say, we have buri∣ed those sinnes in oblivion long agoe, and we hope God hath done so: put not these stinking weeds to our noses, but gather us a posie of the sweet flowers of Paradise, the promises of God in Christ Jesus, in which there is a savour of life, and we will smell unto it. I had rather do so, but the other are more proper, and fitter for many of you; for those whose senses are overcome with over-sweet oyntments, can by no better meanes reco∣ver their smell, than by strong and unpleasant savours: and therefore in the country of Arabia, where almost all trees are savoury, and frankincense and myrrhe are common fire wood,r 1.53 Styrax (as Pliny writeth) is sold at a deare rate, though it bee a wood of an unpleasant smell; because ex∣perience proveth it to bee a present meanes to recover their smell, who before had lost it. Beloved brethren, we all that have lived in the plea∣sures of sinne, have our senses stuffed and debilitated, if not overcome; and the best remedy against this malady will be the smelling to Styrax, the unsavoury and unpleasing smell of our former corruptions. Let the cove∣tous man recall to mind his care in getting, his anxiety in keeping, his sor∣row in losing that which nature hath put under his feet: how to increase his heapes he hath not onely taken from others, but robbed his owne belly and backe. Let the Glutton thinke of the loathsomnesse of his sinne, which subjecteth him to divers diseases, and maketh him a burthen to himselfe: the Drunkard his drowning of his reason, distempering of his body, and exposing himselfe to the laughter and scorne of all men: the Adulterer the corruption of his owne body, the transgressing the covenant of God, the wronging and provoking his neighbour, the staine of his owne reputation, the rottennesse of his bones, and besides all this, the heavie wrath of God for his sinnes, and feare of hell fire due to him for them. I know no man willingly remembreth that whereof he is ashamed; and therefore no exer∣cise of Christianity more tedious and irksome than this, because it with∣draweth the mind from pleasant and delightfull objects, to behold her own deformity: yet none more necessary, none more profitable. And though it

begins in sorrow, yet it ends in joy: for even this is an exceeding delight to the soule, to find a change in her selfe, and an alteration in her affections: it is pleasant unto her that shee now distasteth the forbidden fruit, and shee rejoyceth that shee can be heartily sorry for her sinnes. And God (ass 1.54 Cy∣prian saith sweetly) wipeth away these teares from the soule, Ut magis plo∣ret, & gaudeat fletibus, that shee may weep the more, and take pleasure in her weeping. For after we have pricked our hearts with the sting of con∣science for our grievous sinnes, after they bleed with compunction, after we have powred out our soules with sighes and groanes into the bosome of our Redeemer, his heart will melt within him, and his repentings will roll together; hee will bind up our wounds, and shew his wounds to his Father: then shall we see the frownes of an angry Judge, turned into the smiles of a loving Father, the crimson colour of our sins into the whitenesse of wooll, our mourning weed into a wedding garment, our sighes and sobs into exultation of spirit, and the fearfull cloud, which before over∣cast our minds, into a cleare skie, into peace of conscience, and joy in the Holy Ghost, the true taste and beginning of the joyes of heaven. To which the Lord bring us for his Son Jesus Christ his sake. Cui, &c.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Arist. de mi∣rabil. aus cult.
• b 1.2

  2. Cor. 2.16.
• * 1.3

  Occas.
• * 1.4

  Analys.
• c 1.5

  Ver. 5. Ver. 6.
• d 1.6

  Ver. 18, 19.
• * 1.7

  Coharent.
• * 1.8

  Exposit. Gen.
• e 1.9

  Rom. 2 9.
• f 1.10

  Psal. 68.21.
• * 1.11

  Divis. & ex∣plicat. verb.
• * 1.12

  1. Fruit.
• g 1.13

  Gal. 5.22.
• h 1.14

  Ver. 19, 20.
• i 1.15

  Phil. 1.11.
• k 1.16

  Jam. 3.15.
• l 1.17

  Ver. 18.
• m 1.18

  Heb. 12.11.
• n 1.19

  Esay 3.10. Psal. 58.11.
• * 1.20

  2. Had.
• * 1.21

  3. Those things.
• o 1.22

  In Saturnal.
• p 1.23

  Plin. nat hist. l. 9. c. 29. Sepiae ubi sen∣sere se appre∣hendi, offuso atramento quod illis pro sanguine est, absconduntur.
• q 1.24

  L. 16. Si clam scelera perpe∣trasser, obscu∣rum & minus gloriosum pu∣tabat; sin pub∣licitùs & aper∣tè in conspectu omnium abs{que} pudore flegiti∣osus esset, id d••mùm Prin∣cipe & Impe∣ratore dignum putabat.
• r 1.25

  Jer 8.12.
• s 1.26

  Jer. 3.3. Thou hadst a whores forehead, thou refusedst to be ashamed.
• * 1.27

  For the end
• * 1.28

  Is death.
• * 1.29

  Obser.
• u 1.30

  Solin. c. 29. Matres Urso∣rum diebus primis 14. in ••omnum ita concidunt, ut ne vulneribus pridem excita∣ti queant.
• * 1.31

  Pro. 14.13.
• x 1.32

  Juven. sat. 13. Mens habet attonitos, & surdo verbere caedit.
• y 1.33

  Act. 2.37.
• z 1.34

  Psal. 109.22
• * 1.35

  Joel 2.13.
• a 1.36

  Psal. 51.17.
• b 1.37

  Psal. 22.14.
• c 1.38

  Psal. 51.3.
• d 1.39

  Psal. 38.4, 5.
• e 1.40

  Eccl. 1.2.
• f 1.41

  Eccl. 12.13.
• g 1.42

  Act. 2.37.
• h 1.43

  2 Cor. 7.8, 9.
• i 1.44

  1 Cor. 6.9.
• k 1.45

  Eph. 5.8.
• l 1.46

  Eph. 4.17, 18, 19.
• m 1.47

  Eras. Chil.
• * 1.48

  Pro. 11.14.
• n 1.49

  Rom. 7.22, 23.
• o 1.50

  Eccles. 1.2.
• p 1.51

  Psal. 51.3.
• q 1.52

  Possid. in vit. August.
• r 1.53

  Plin. nat. hist. l. 12. c. 17. E Syriâ revehunt Stycacem acri odore ejus in focis abigente suorum fasti∣dium.
• s 1.54

  Cypr. de card. op.