So Jezebel felt a greater and sorer judgment than Ahab. To sin, saith one, hath not so much perdition in it as to cause others to sin. Friends, you have sins enough of your own to make you for ever miser- able ; why should you, by giving bad examples to others, make your- selves far more miserable ? The lowest, the darkest, the hottest place in hell, will be for them that have drawn others thither by their ex- ample, Mat. xxiii. 15. Dives knew that if his brethren were damned, he should be double damned, because he had largely contributed to the bringing of them to hell by his wicked example ; and therefore he de- sires that they might be kept out of hell, not out of any love or good will to them, but because their coming thither would have made his hell more hot, his torments more insufferable, Luke xvi. 28. But,
2. Secondly, I answer, If you sin with others, you shall suffer with others ; if you will partake of other men's sins, you shall also partake
1 Query — Frisia, i.e. the Frisii of North-western Germany ?— G.
2 Ethiopians lame themselves if their king be lame, saith Diodorus. iElian reports that there was a whore that did boast that she could easily get scholars away from So- crates, but Socrates could get away no scholars from her.
3 Sin is bad in the eye, worse in the tongue, worser in the heart, but worst of all in the life ; and that because it then endangers other men's souls, as well as a man's own.
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of other men's plagues, Rev. xviii. 4. They that have been, like Simeon and Levi, brethren in iniquity, they shall be brethren in misery ; they that have sinned together impenitently shall be sent to hell jointly, they shall perish together eternally. If you will needs be companions with others in their sins, you shall be sure to be companions with them in their sorrows.1 The old world sin together and are drowned to- gether, Gen. vi. ; the Sodomites, burning in lusts together, were burnt with fire and brimstone together, Gen. xix. Korah, Dathan, and Abi- ram, they sin together, they murmur and provoke the Lord together, and the earth opens her mouth and swallows them up together, Num. xvi. 26-34. Pharaoh and his hosts pursue Israel together, and they are drowned in the sea together, Exod. xiv. Zimri and Cosbi commit folly, uncleanness together, and Phinehas stabs them both together, Num. xxv. The Hebrew doctors have a very pretty parable to this purpose : — A man planted an orchard, and, going from home, was careful to leave such watchmen as might both keep it from strangers and not deceive him themselves ; therefore he appointed one blind, but strong of his limbs, and the other seeing, but a cripple. These two, in their master's absence, conspired together, and the blind took the lame on his shoul- ders, and so gathered the fruit ; their master returning and finding out their subtilty, punished them both together.
So will justice deal with you at last, who sin with others ; therefore take heed, young men, of doing as others do. But,
3. Thirdly, I answer, You must not live by examples, but by precepts.2 You are not to look so much at what others do, as at what God requires you to do : Exod. xxiii. 2, ' Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil, neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment ;' Rom. xii. 2, 'Fashion not yourselves like unto this world ;' that is, do not fashion and conform yourselves to the corrupt customs and courses of wretched worldlings, who have made gold their god, and gain their glory. The running cross to a divine command cost the young- prophet his life, though he did it under pretence of revelation from God, as you may see in that sad story, ] Kings xiii., &c, Non parentum, aut majorum autkoritas, sed Dei docentis imperium, the command of God must outweigh all authority and example of men [Jerome]. »
And we must be as careful in the keeping of a light commandment as an heavy commandment. Saith a Rabbi, Divine commands must be obeyed against all contrary reasonings, wranglings, and examples. Austin brings in some excusing their compliance with the sinful cus- toms and examples of those times in drinking healths thus : Great personages urged it, and it was at the king's banquet, where they judged of loyalty by luxury, and put us upon this election, drink or die. The not drinking of a health had been our death. He gives this answer, that God who sees that for love to him and his commands thou wouldst not conform to their drunken customs, will give thee favour in their eyes, who thus threatened thee to drink.3
Ah ! young men, you that doat so much upon examples now, will find
1 Non minus ardebit, qui cum multis ar debit. — Augustine, He burns no less that burns with company.
2 Obedientia non discutit Dei mandata, sed facit. — Prosper.
8 Tbe complaint is ancient in Seneca, that commonly men live, not ad ralionem but ad similitudinem. — Seneca, de vita beata, c. i.
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that a stinging terrifying question, when put home by God or conscience, Who hath required those things at your hands ? Isa. i. 12. But,
4. Fourthly, I answer, Company and allurements to sin will be found no sufficient excuse for sin.
If Eve lay her fault on the serpent, and Adam lay his on Eve, Gen.iii., God will take it off, and lay the curse on both. Saul's provocation by his people, and by Samuel's long stay to offer sacrifice, would not bear him out ; but for his disobedience he must lose both his crown and life, 1 Sam. xv. 14, 15, 26, 27. The young man in the Proverbs, though tempted and solicited by the harlot, yet hath a dart struck through his heart, Prov. vii. 14, 15, 21. Though Jonah did plead God's gracious inclinations to shew mercy, and his fear of being disproved ; yea, and though lie might have pleaded his fear of cruel and savage usage from the Ninevites, whose hearts were desperately set upon wickedness, and his despair of ever doing good upon a people so blinded and hardened, and that they were Gentiles and he a Jew ; and why should he then be sent with so strange, so terrible a message to such a people, nothing being more hateful and distasteful to a Jewish palate ? But all these pleas and excuses will not bear off the blow. Jonah must into the sea for all this ; yea, he must to ' the bottom of hell,' as himself phrases it. It is in vain for the bird to complain, that it saw the corn but not the pitfall ; or for the fish to plead, it saw the bait but not the hook. So it will be in vain for sinners at last, when they are taken in an infernal pitfall, to plead company and allurements by which they have been enticed to undo their soul for ever.1