THE words as I haue read them are a generall instruction , absolute in it selfe , springing or growing of a particular precept in the former verse , and againe diuiding it selfe into seuerall heads in the verses following . Let me consider it a part by it selfe for intire : then if I dare I will tell you how it growes . In this place a preface to moue your attention I shall neede to vse none ; for my text it selfe is but a preface , and a proposition ; the preface doth prepare the heart with faith and reuerence to receiue the sentence ; be not deceiued God is not mocked , and you shall finde this that followeth to bee most true ; that whatsoeuer a man soweth that shall he also reape . A saying whereupon the Holy Ghost hath reposed more than ordinarie . It is but a plaine sentence ; yea see , it presents it selfe in the country method of sowing and reaping , but it is a sentence of that note as is not marked with a common ecce , but set in the forehead with a double sentence , be not deceiued . The preface then , and the proposition , make the two parts of my text : the preface importeth thus much , that not to imbrace the truth of this saying is a dangerous error , dangerous in two respects .

First , because it doth not deceiue others but our selues , yea our owne soules .

Secondly , it is a fallacie so much affected , so wilfull an errour , as is reported to bee the deluding of God himselfe , who will not be mocked . Then followeth the sentence , and it followes vpon this preface . First , as an vndoubted truth , that as a man soweth so he shall reape ; and secondly , as a generall truth without exception , that whatsoeuer a man soweth that shall hee also reape . Of which and of the branches in the ordering of my text , I will speake by Gods holy assistance , & your honorable & christian patience , so farre as the time will consent , or the poore strength of my spirit shall be able to subsist . In those many seuerall places in the Epistles , where this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is vsed for the error of the minde , it is no where taken for any common errour , but for that which is a damnable , and fundamentall error seducing the soule vnto eternall perdition ; and so I would desire you to take it in this place , that you may take it to heart . Neither doth the Apostle speake these words vnto those that are without , but vnto Christians , such as had bin catechised , as it is in the former verse , and brought vp in the bosome of the true Church , as you all are this day . How were they deceiued so grosely and dangerously ? Euen by those false teachers , that tooke to themselues a libertie & boldnes to prescribe vnto their brethren a secret forme of religion , that so long as they kept within compas of the generall faith , so long as they did beleeue and profes the true faith of Christ , though they had certaine reseruations by the way which were not alowable ; yet that they might be saued notwithstanding . Dealing and dallying with God Almighty , as Naaman the Assyrian did , God be 2. King . 5. 18. mercifull vnto thy seruant in this point , in this darling sinne , in that reserued affection , herein God bee mercifull vnto thy seruant . The fallacie it selfe I finde in those other places which shall serue for a sit commentarie and doth fall directly vpon this text . The first , in the 6. chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians vers. 9. Be not deceiued neither fornicators , nor Idolaters , nor adulterers , nor wantons , nor abusers of themselues with mankind , nor theeues , nor drunkards , nor raylers , nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdome of God ; the parallel with the 5. to the Ephes: the 5 , 6 , verses , This you know , that neither whoremonger nor vncleane person nor couetous person which is an Idolater hath any inheritance in the kingdome of Christ and of God . Let no man deceiue you with vaine words , for for such things commeth the wrath of God vpon the children of disobedience . It seemes there were some in the Church of Corinth , that were of Herods religion , who thought that so long as he heard Iohn Baptist in many things gladly , hee might commit incest with his brothers wife , and there were some in the Church of Ephesus , who were seduced by vaine teachers , that sowed pillowes vnder their elbowes , and drew the curtaines to lull them asleepe , and perswaded men out of the Stoikes Paradox , that all sinnes were equall , alike mortall , and all alike veniall , putting little difference betweene sinnes . Confounding infirmities with sinnes of presumption , and saith the Apostle , for such things commeth the wrath of God vpon the children of disobedience , and to the Corinthians he saith , Such as these , som of you were before you were in Christ , but now yee are washed , but now yee are sanctified , but now yee are iustified in the name of the Lord , for such as these cannot be actually true and naturall members of Christ ; they may crowde in amongst vs , but they are not of vs : they may carry the name , and weare the liuery , but they haue not the soules of true Christians ; who while they are in the flesh , all are sinners , but yet not so grosse sinners as these ; subiect they are to manifold infirmities , but not to presumptuous sinnes , sinne will dwell in them ; it will liue in them , and sometime it will tyrannize ouer them , as in the first to the Rom. 7. 20. but it shall not raigne in their mortal bodies , they wil not yeeld the Scepter vnto it , and become voluntary subiects thereunto . Rom. 6. 12. bad weeds wil grow in them , but they will not plow and sow iniquity , as in the 22. of the Prouerbes verse 8. The world will catch holde of them to make them ( with the Prophets wife ) to desire one vessell more , when all is full , as in 2. King . 4. 6. but euery couetous desire to haue more , doth not exclude a man from heauen , but that couetousnesse which is idolatry , which preferres a mans gaine before his God , which dares make ship-wracke of conscience , rather then part with his golde . Such haue no inheritance in the kingdome of Christ nor of God , they that wil be rich fall into temptations in 1. Tim 6. 9. not they that would be rich if it pleased God by good meanes ; but they that will be rich , by hooke or by crooke ; by Hophnies 1. Sam. 2 ▪ 13. Abac. 1. 16. flesh-hooke , or the net , Habacuck speaketh of , they shall fall into noysome lusts that drowne men in perdition . The Apostle Iames hath yet an other maner of speech in the first of his Epistle the 13. verse , Let no man say when he is tempted that he is tempted of God , as if these seedes of temptation were of Gods sowing , and not of our owne growing , & so we might happily escape this bitter haruest ; erre not my deere brethren , saith S. Iames , for this is a dangerous errour ; it is that imputation , which old Adam by way of insinuation laide vpon God , as if God had made him a wife for to tempt him ; and it doth sticke fast in the hearts of many of his sonnes vntill this day ; that in euery sinne that a man committeth , there is some fatall necessity from aboue , that driues him thereunto , but if there had been no other booke written but that which euery one carries about him , in his owne bosome , it would conuince him of this errour . For my conscience tells mee that I haue omitted many duties which I might haue done , and haue committed many sinnes which I might haue left vndone , doth my conscience erre in this accusation or not ? if it erre , how can it iustly be mine accuser at the last day the 2. Rom. the 15 if it erre not , then erre not my deare brethren saith Saint Iames ; bee not deceiued , saith my text , for there is no place for excuse or extenuation , but as a man soweth so shall he also reape , be not deceiued ; for if thou be , thou canst not deceiue God ; he is not mocked ; is it not a mocke and an indignitie both for to account the blood of Christ an vnholy thing ? as if it had beene shed to Heb. 10. 29. wash swine withall that delight to wallow in the mire , or dogges that returne backe againe vnto their vomit ? Such sinnes of recidiuation as those wherof the Apostle speaketh Heb. 10. 26. before , what is the reason , that the holy Ghost hath not recorded in the booke of God any one example , of any that receiued pardon & was restored , for any grosse sinne by him committed that euer fell afterward into a relaps and was saued ? what is the reason of this ? Surely because it is to bee feared that the repentance of such a one was but a mock-repentance ; the burned childe dreades the fire , and so will a true penitent shun that grosse sinne whereof hee hath had a true remorse . If this clause of my text shal seem obscure vnto any , how God is mocked ; this Citie will yeeld vs too large a commentary , for to make the same plaine vnto you A man with an ill purpose hath gotten & doth keep an other mans goods in his possession ( no rare-example ) ; his conscience tells him , this is a great sinne ; for if others should deale so by him he would be iustly & greatly offended ; now for this sinne amongst the rest , he doth aske and hope for pardon at Gods hand , as if he did repent , but it is but a mock-repentance , for saith S Austin a thiefe takes my purse , he saith hee repenteth and doth aske pardone , but hee keepes my purse , and holdes it still , doth hee not mocke mee ? I may put vp this flout because I cannot remedie it , but God is not mocked , hee will haue iustice satisfied . So I vnderstand my text . A Merchant liueth riotously not like the prodigall Sonne , vpon his owne Luk. 15. 13. Luk. 16. 6. portion , but as the vniust Steward , vpon other mens ; in the end either for necessitie , or in policie which is worse , hee becomes Bankerout , no rare example ; he agrees with his Creditours for the halfe , for the third , yea for lesse ; he doth not obserue the Prophets rule , first sell , and pay , then 2. King 4. 7. liue thou and thine on the rest , but first he reserues a rich portion for him & his , then he paies of the rest , so the world is blinded , his Creditours are deluded , but God is not mocked ; there will come a day when all reckoings shall be cast ouer againe , when iustice must bee satisfied to the full ; then , shall this debter be cast into prison , that is , into a prison out of which he shall not come , till hee haue paid the vttermost farthing , and yet shall not haue a farthing for to pay it . Therefore beloued in our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ this wee doe say and affirme and I beseech you for to carry it home with you , for one sound point of doctrine , that the bloud of Christ was not shed vpon the Crosse for to pay mens debts ciuilly vnderstood : not because it wanted vertue , for there is more vertue in the seede of the woman , then there can be poyson in the head of the Serpent ; but it is , because that debt was paid vnto God , and not vnto men ; It was because thou couldest not performe the least part of that price that was tendered vpon the crosse ; but this debt to thy Creditour thou maiest ; It was because by a counterfet repentance thou hadst made thy selfe vncapeable of pardon ; and it was because thou didst offer an indignitie vnto thy blessed Sauiour , in setting such a reckoning vpon his score . Let mee conclude then in one word , these debts Christ doth not pay , for the reasons alleaged , thou canst and wilt not discharge thy contracted debts ; iustice one day must be satisfied vnto the full ; therefore look thou to it , and looke to it before thou die , for after death comes iudgement . So I vnderstand my text , let mee speake vnto you beloued as the Apostle speaketh in this place , not vnto those that are without , whom God shall iudge ; but vnto those that are in the Church , vnto you that call vpon the name of the Lord , who call Christ Lord as Professours of the true Christian religion ; who as zealous Professours of the same , can double it , and crie Lord , Lord ; if any of you desire to put off almighty God with a sleight and a slie repentance for your great sins committed against his diuine Maiestie , or seeke to defraude his brother of his owne right and therein doth persist , such a one , doth but deceiue his owne soule , God is not mocked for as a man soweth so shall he also reape : Now this that hath beene said it doth onely make way vnto that which followeth , it is but a preface , be not deceiued , God is not mocked , &c. Then wherin should wee not be deceiued ? what is that truth that we should take so seriously to heart ? whatsoeuer a man soweth that shal he also reape , a firme trueth without doubt , that as a man soweth so he shall reape ; either the same in kinde , or the like in proportion ; and it is a generall truth without exception , that whatsoeuer a man soweth either in kinde , or proportion hee shall be sure to reape the same .

To beginne with the first , and first in kinde : the very inference of this sentence vpon the preface doth argue a very pregnant instance , that whosoeuer doth goe about to delude or mock God , as hath before bin said , hee shall finde , that in the end God will mock him ; he that sits in heauen shall laugh him to scorne , and the Lord shal haue him in derision the 2. Psalme the 4. verse : he shall reape the same at Gods hand .

Againe , Salomon going about to perswade the young man to sow his seede betime in the morning , the 11. of the Preacher the 6. verse , the seedes of vertue in the morning of his youth ; the young gallant is not disposed ; he is no fit auditour of that doctrine ; he hopes for to liue many yeeres ; and in them all to reioyce , as it is at the 8. verse . And therefore if wee come to vrge his conscience so soone , hee thinkes of vs , as the Diuell sayd to Christ , that we are come to torment him before his time ; But Salomon telles him , that though he liue many yeeres , yet they are but vanity , and they come to the end of darknesse ; he cannot preuaile with his many yeeres , marke what followeth at the 9. verse , saith GOD by Salomon , Reioyce oh youngman in thy youth , let thy heart cheere thee in thy yoong dayes , so God sayth , but hee doth but mocke him , for if God laugh , it is time for the young man to weep , for there followeth a most fearefull Catastraphe : for know and bee thou sure , that for all these things GOD shall bring thee to iudgement . But most excellently and fit for this purpose , is that that wisdom herselfe deliuereth , or rather GOD , who is wisdome it selfe , in the first of the Prouerbes at the 20. verse , shee calleth without , she vttereth her voyce in the streets , shee stretcheth out her hands in the high street among the presse of the people , and vttereth her words in the city , the 21. verse , as if he had sayd in your Churches , at the Crosse , or in these places , and The Spittle . what be her words ? because I haue called , and you refused , because I haue stretched out mine hand and none would regard , yea , despised my counsels & would none of my corrections , at the 24. verse , Therefore I will laugh at your destruction ; when feare commeth like sudden desolation , and your misery and destruction like a whirle-winde , when affliction and anguish shall come vpon you , then shall they call , but I will not answer , they shall seeke me earely , but they shall not find me . Marke these that mocke God , how God mockes them againe ; For they reape the same in kinde , they would not heare him , when hee preached vnto them in their health , therefore God will not heare them when they shall pray to him in their sickenesse : they heard God preaching by his word out of the pulpet , but they would not obey , therefore God shall heare them cry from their death-beds , but hee will not answer them , they shall seek him early , but shall not finde him , and as they sowed so shall they reape ; the same in kinde , if not the like in proportion , as you may reade the quality of the sinne in the nature of Gods punishments , be it temporall or bee it eternall , if temporall , looke vpon the roote , was not Adams temporal punishment well fitted to his fal ? He did eat in wantonnes , hee shall now eat in sorrow , in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the dayes of thy life : The shame of his soule it was the sin of his soule , it was expressed in the nakednesse of his body . His aspiring minde in affecting to bee aboue a man , was pulled downe so low , that he was beholding to the poore beasts for a couering , and we his sonnes , if our coats be of wooll , the sheepe wore them first ; if of silke , the poore silke-worme may pull downe our pride . The hardnesse of Adams fore-head , in excusing and defending his sinne so obstinately before God , face to face , was well dissolued into the sweat of his browes ; his brow also remaining the seate of shame . That extraordinary delight the woman tooke in the forbidden fruit , multiplied her sorrowes . Oh it was pleasing vnto the eye , in the 3. of Genesis the 6 : therefore the eye is the catarract and floud-gate of sorrow ; sorrow shall remaine in her eyes more than ordinarie . She had a longing desire to that fruit , oh the fruit in the middest of the garden worth all the rest ; and what else is the reason that so many quames and vnnaturall longings are yet in that sexe . Shee so abused her liberty in ouer-ruling her husband , to whom before shee was sweetly subordinat without renitencie ; therefore now , will shee , nill shee , shee must be subiect , and hee must rule ouer her . Looke vpon the tree that springeth out of this root . A deluge of sinne ouerflowed the old world , which brought a deluge of water to wash the same , and that which the water cannot wash the fire shall purge . Behold the builders of Babels Tower conspired against heauen ; therefore were they scattred vpon the earth By that conspiracie they had thought to haue gotten them a name ; therefore God makes them so ridiculous , that one man knowes not an others language , and all this in the very tongue , which is the very instrument and trumpet of fame . And that burning lust of the Sodomites was fitly punished with fire from heauen ; that vnnaturall lust , with vnnaturall fire and brimstone from heauen ; that now it remaineth a monument of that their filthy abomination vntill this day .

I could hold you too long in the proportion of Gods iudgements vnto the sinnes of Countries and Nations . As of the Egyptians , the Edomites , the Cananites , the Iewes themselues for killing the Lord of life , whose bloud according vnto their owne imprecation is remayning vpon their children vnto this day . But that which is personall is more sensible to euery one of vs , and commeth home to my text , that as a man soweth , so shall he also reap , either the same in person , or he shall reape the same in kinde ; an eye for eye , a tooth for a tooth , a toe for a toe ; 70 Kings ( saith Adonibezek ) with their thumbs and toes cut off , haue eaten meat vnder my table , iust as I delt with them so hath God delt with me , the 1 of Iudges the 7. If not the same in kinde , yet in exact proportion , as Abels bloud cryed for vengance against his vnnaturall brother . Nature was offended , nature will be reuenged ; as in the 4. of Genesis at the 2. verse , Thou shalt till the ground and hence-forth shee shall not yeeld thee her naturall strength . Because Cain would not afford an abiding place for Abel vpon the earth , therefore the earth would not afford an abiding place for Cain , a vagabond and a runnagate shalt thou be vpon the earth . That wicked Cham the spot of nature who against naturall reuerence dishonoured his father Noah , was accursed in his owne sonne , whose graceles posteritie , the Cananites , ( for Cham was the father of Canaan Gen: 9. 18 ) giuen ouer to all vnnaturall vice became natures vomit in the 18 of Leuiticus , the land spued them out , v. 28 For a remembrance of that vnfaithful soule that would beleeue no more of Gods iudgments than shee saw with her eyes , there stands a pillar of salt depriued of all sense for abusing her sense in looking backe , for an euerlasting monument ; & for an example of Gods iudgment , to salt and season all posterities to take heede of back ▪ sliding into sinne . She might pretend that shee looked backe to encourage her two daughters that followed her , but because her heart followed her eye backe againe into Sodome , therefore was this punishment vpon her , as a dreadfull document to answer all turne-backs vnto sinne , that they shall not haue Gods grace to step one foote forward to the seruice of God . Nay the seruants of God who haue obtained pardon vpon their true repentance , God doth notwithstanding proportion his temporal punishments vnto their sinnes , to teach vs that none of vs shall euer be any gainers by sinning . Was not Dauids adultery wel rewarded in Absolons folly with his Fathers Concubines ? And for his murder of Vriah , the sword was not to depart from his house all the daies of his life . And because his sonne Salomon diuided Gods kingdome and religion , betweene God and Idols , therfore God diuided his kingdome between Rehoboam and Ieroboam . And because his sonne Rehoboam would neede be a yokemaker to oppresse Israel , so as his little finger should be bigger , than his fathers loynes ; therefore God brought it about that his loynes were no bigger than his fathers finger , by cutting off , of ten Tribes at one blow . So I haue giuen you a taste , and but a taste of this truth , in the roote , in the tree , and in the branches : in nations , & in persons that be reprobrate , & in the true seruants of God ; but these are but temporall iudgments , God tempers all his iudgments ; they be like our quarter Sessions ; here and there some are adiudged in this world for examples sake , and as Dauid saith in the 58. Psalme , the last verse , that men may say , doubtlesse there is a God that iudgeth in the earth . For as S. Austin hath well obserued , if all sinners should bee punished in this world , wee should feare no farther iudgement ; and if none at all , wee should doubt of Gods prouidence , in the first booke de Ciuitate Dei the 8. Therefore there shall come a day when this my text shall be fulfilled in plenitudine , in weight , number , and measure , in a most exact proportion ; when the deniall of a crum of bread vnto poore Lazarus , shall bee requited with a deniall of a drop of water in hell fire ; When the vialls of Gods vengance shall bee powred out in full measure vpon damned spirits . When infinite torments shall bee inflicted vpon sinners for their sins ; which as the haires of their heads are innumerable and infinite , so shall the punishment bee vpon obstinate sinners against that diuine maiestie which is infinite ; And vpon impenitent sinners for frustrating and making voide that price of their redemption , which is infinite . And vpon those vngratefull wretches , who haue made so little reckoning of the graces and blessings of God towards mankinde , which are infinite . And as infinite torments shall be inflicted proportionable vnto their infinite sins committed against God ; so likewise the omission of our manifold duties , shall there be punished with an vtter depriuation of all comfort : there shall be vtter darknes , and no mitigation of torments , no not for a moment ; Where the tormentors are spirits and cannot be weary ; where the worme shall euer gnaw , and neuer dye : where the fire shall bee vnquenchable neuer going out ; where the breath of the Lord like a stream of brimston doth kindle it , Esay 30. 33. there shall bee no hope of deliuerance ( and yet were it not for hope the heart would burst ) no , there shall be no hope , yet the heart must hold a roote of immortalitie , continually feeding both soule and body vnto eternall death . What remedy then but patience ? Nay , no patience neither ; who can dwell with euerlasting burning , where shall bee weeping and gnashing of teeth , and not lose his patience ? seing that gnashing of teeth is an effect of an impatient furie . But alas , replies the vnfaithfull sinner , what proportion is here ? Shall I be punished with eternall torments , for my momentanie sins ? euerlasting burning for a few yeares sinning ? what proportion ? Verily a most exact proportion ; for hee that doth delight in sinne , doth desire that those delights of his , might continue if it were possible for euer ; now saith St Bernard the very desire of sinning is sinne it selfe , before God ; therefore an infinite desire shall be eternally punished . Besides , that of S. Gregorie ( I take it ) is well grounded , he that dyeth without repentance , iustice doth presuppose that if that man could haue liued for euer , hee would haue sinned for euer ; if thou then wilt offend thy God in aeternitudine , that is , so long as thou liuest , then God will iustly punish thee in aeterno , that is , so long as God himselfe liueth , for euer and euer . For those , that will sinne against God , so long as they haue any being in this world , without repentance ; they shal be punished by God , so long as they shall haue any being in the world to come , without mercy . The contrary doth illustrate and proue both ; whosoeuer continueth to the end he shall be saued , saith the text : By what proportion ? Because God in mercy doth presuppose , that that man if he had liued for euer would haue continued for euer in well doing . Therefore as God in his iust mercy doth crowne our perseuerance with immortalitie ; so likewise in his most iust iudgment shall he punish finally all impenitencie with eternall vengeance , iust as a man soweth so shall hee also reape in most exact proportion . And let this serue for the truth of this proposition .