euill custom may be broken off The folly of those that thinke custome will excuse them and grace theÌ„ Another difference betweene the wicked and the godly Zeale in the godly seemeth to be frowardnesse The smoth words of the wicked are dangerous The minister of Christ shall be counted froward and malicious if he reproue sin Reprehension wholesom thogh not toothsome 2. Tim. 4.3 True loue appeareth in plaine dealing The more the minister loueth truly the lesse he shall be loued Ier. 20. Eze. 33. Act. 17.18 Act. 26.25 Act. 2.13 Psal. 1.1 Ro. 6.1 Act. 9. Of blind gestures He coÌ„uterfeiteth in religion He counterfeiteth in ciuill affaires Pro. 7.14 Euery meÌ„ber of the body is bound to his good behauiour Gen. 4.6 Pro. 7.13 Esa. 3.16 Mat. 6.16 Psal. 44.13.14 Mat 27.39 Against the slander of Papists Tit. 2.11.12 Our behauiour must be in Sobriety Simplicity How charity is broken by signes Chastity is assaulted by signes Pro. 17.24 Luk. 19.40 This precisenesse doth much trouble Libertines Luk. 19.27 Psal. 2.3 Psal. 12.4 This precisenesse is called in Scripture circumspect walking Why we must walke circumspectly The second point Sins walke Ro. 6.12.13 The tyranny of sinne described Mat. 8.9 How sinne entreth Of the subtilty of sin We are to pray against the trecherous motions to sinne The third point How hypocrites are deceiued Sin is like poyson And like leauen Luk. 12. 1. Kin. 14.6 Iudg. 12. Slubboleth Halting iudgling in Gods matters will easily be espied if meÌ„ be awake Act. 24.27 Pro. 7.10 c. 2. Sam. 16. The hypocrisie of popery how it is discouered Num. 23. It is a fault in Christians not to marke how God doth note out the wicked Pro. 10.10 All these notes must be taken together The fourth point The wicked are cunning and painefull to their owne confusion Esa. 36.21 37.1 Ioh. 8.6 We may reproue sinne by our gestures How vainâ— men shew their dislike of the truth Especially at Sermons The force of outward signes and gestures The fift point The pronenesse of men to euill and vntowardnesse to learne the truth is a great cause of Anti-christs aduancement Those that are apt to learne lies shall be giuen ouer of God to beleeue lyes Mens inclination to popery maketh Papists and popery to grow The cause of Belials distemperature What is meant in the Scripture by the hart The first point If the hart be naught al is naught Psal. 41.1 A description of a naturall man The second point 1. Sam. 16.7 Ier. 17.10 The skill of Papists The villanies of Papists Their ceremonies Prayers InquisitioÌ„s 2. Sort. Politicke Protestants Psal. 10. Amnons disease Absaloms practise Machiauels name opened How carnall pollicy doth make much of religion Religions complaint Deuouring gulfes Politicke practises against the Ministers of Christ. Politicke and cruell practises against the common wealth Of the fox and the lion Vsurers kindnes in lending of money Pro. 23.6.7 Pro. 26.24.25 Mat. 2. Mat. 22. A necessary admonitioÌ„ The third point Iosh. 7. Of good cometh no thing but good Christ is called a rocke of offence but is no cause of offence Ioh. 1. How Christ is an occasion of falling Cal. de scandalis Some are like the Spider Psal. 55.12 Iam. 1.13.14 15. 2. points to be obscrued in the words of Iames. Into a leud heart the word cannot enter In an euill heart the word cannot abide Similiâ— A leud hart maketh a leud report of a Sermon Mat 15.18.19 A man of a leud hart doth most shame and annoy himselfe 4 4 The heart must be reformed before one can be a good man Pro. 4.23 Mat. 15.19 Gen. 27. Psal 41.6 Similitude Iudg. 16.15 The heart like a great coÌ„mander Ezec. 33.31 Exod 35.21 22.29 Psal. 45.1 Psal. 108.2 Pro. 23. Vers. 12. 17. 19. 26. Too many such now adaies The principall care of most meÌ„ when the sabbath day commeth The hart is still of the old fashion We blame others wheÌ„ our selues are in fault How a good heart is to be grounded and bounded What religion will do if it be lodged in the heart Luk. 19. Ioh. 5. Light excuses serue them that haue no list to serue God 5 5 Of the nature and power of the word of God God needeth no informatioÌ„s What maner of God we serue Psal. 119.9 Ier 20.9 1. Cor. 14. A double vse of the former doctrine 1. King 19.14.18 Psal. 19.12 1. Ioh. 3.20 How a man may be acquainted with his owne hart Pro. 5.23 Note that Ier. 43.3 2. King 6.8 Heb. 4.12 The sixt point Psal. 119.9 Psal. 103.3 Ier. 17.14 Act. 8.22 Act. 15.9 Our preseruatiue Mar 13.33 Luke 22. The soules armour Ephes. 6.12.13 c. A helmet A brest-plate A girdle A sword A shield Shooes Prayer continuall and feruent 1 1 For her selfe 2 2 For others 4. things to be prayed for 1 1 The heart renued and cleansed 3. things to be learned by the words of Dauid in Psal. 51.10 1. 2. 3. 2 2 Sanctification Psal. 119.34 A sauing knowledge 2. Sa. 11.15 3 3 Perseuerance or constancy Psa. 86.11 Gen. 34. 4 4 A quiâ—kning spirit or cheerfulnesse The first enemy neglect of the meanes Outward Psal. 119.9 Heb. 4.12 Inward Act. 16. Gen. 1.2 Ioh. 1.3 How daungerous a thing it is to giue ouer the hearing of the word A desperate kind of reasoning God hath fore ordained the meanes as well as the end Mal. 3.14 Iob. 21.15 Of recusaÌ„ts that refuse to heare the word there be two sorts 1. Schismatikes 2. Afflicted conscieÌ„ces Cant. 3.1.2.3.4 1. Enemie vnbeleefe Mat. 13.58 Mar. 9.23 1. Tim. 1.13 3. Enemie custome of sinne Io. 2.4 Heb. 3.12 The Apostles counsell A double reason of the former counsell A cursed guest a wretched hoast Brotherly loue how it worketh Obiection Ier. 17.9 Pro. 20.9 Psal. 119 5. verse 10. Psal. 51.10 Answere Act. 23.1 Gen. 6. Imaginations come of thoghts Of Belials meÌ„tal images why they are so called Esa. 46. Dan. 3. Of Belials maisters workhouse warehouse and ware The greatnesse of Sathan Reue. 12. 2. Sam. 15.7 1. Kim 21.9 Pro. 7.14 Ezec. 33.31 1. Sa. 25.10 2. Sam. 10.3 Mat. 11.18 Act. 28.4.6 Ioh. 12.5 Ioh. 3. Tit. 2.5 Obiection Answer Act. 15.9 2 2 Of the quaÌ„titie of Belials euill imaginatioÌ„s Pro. 4.16 Rom. 6.1 The wisedome of a Christian. Gen. 20.11 Gen 31.2 Gen. 38.15 2. Kin. 9.20 1. Sam. 5.16 What imaginatioÌ„s the godly haue of theÌ„selues Nehe. 13.22 1. Cor. 4.4 What the wicked do being blinded bewitched and benuÌ„med Pro. 5. Hobby horses Iudg. 5.30 Luke 12.19 Psal. 55. An exhortation vpoÌ„ the premises ContentioÌ„ like a dog and a lion Stirred vp by Belial The tree of wickednes The wicked loue to be soothed flattered Esa. 57.20 2. Tim. 3.13 Pro. 26.21 Pro. 13.10 Phil 2.3 Pro. 28.25 1. Sam. 23.27 Ioh. 7.43 Ioh. 8.1 Act. 23.6.7 The Pope raiseth contention betweene Princes and why Pope Hildebrand Why Papists set strife betweene the Ministers Church gouernors Sathans drift in raising contention betweene Teachers Pastor and people Neighbour and neighbour Man and wife The secoÌ„d point How Pro. 26.20 Of talebearers Pro. 25.23 Two theeues 1. The reporter 2. The receiuer Of beleeuing tales 2. Sam 16.3.4 Mat. 10. Mat. 5. 1. Sam. 31.20 Ruth 2.11 2 2 Taking all things in ill part Ioh. 8.22 Ioh. 9.34 3 3 Intermedling in other mens matters 1. Tim. 5.13 Pro. 21.9 19. 2 Sam. 6.7 Pro. 21.27 Iob. 21.21 22. Luk. 12.14 2. Sam. 15.2.3.4 The practise of petty foggers and hungry Lawyers Mat. 5. We may meedle to make peace but not strife A necessary question Answer Luk. 19.40 Hest. 4.19 Act. 19.14 1. Sam. 25. The greatnesse of this sinne is shewed 1 1 By the testimony of God against it Pro. 6.16.17.18 The second consideration sheweth the greatnesse of this sin of raising contention The daughters of contention Pro. 20.12 A strange yet a common monster Contention destroyeth vnity Phil. 2.2 What true vnity is 2. Kin. 9.22 1. Ki. 18.18 Eph. 4.3 The excellency of Christiâ—n vnity Col. 3.14 Psal. 133. Psal. 1.1 Pro. 22.10 The make-bates annoy themselues Pro. 26.27 Ier. 7.19 Pro. 24.21 Gal. 5.22 4 4 The difference betweene the coÌ„tentions of the wicked and of the godly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Tim. 2.24 Ier. 15. Luk. 13.24 Gen. 6.3 Psal. 95.10 Apo. 12.7 1. Cor. 9.24 What it is to trouble Simile When men are in greatest danger Achab and Elijah contend Who troubled Israel How Elijah behaued himselfe before the king How to answer Papists and Atheists when they call the professors of the Gospell troublesome fellowes Iosh. 7. Gen. 34. Gal. 1.6 Peter Mart. loc com How the magistrate is to be obeyed Act. 4.19 Nehe 13.17 Who are now adaies accounted troublesome 2. Cor. 6.8 Tit. 1.9 1. Cor. 11.19 Gal. 5.20 Gen. 1.9 The truth cannot come forth without striuing Ioh. 16.21 Apo. 12.2 Gen. 29.32 Ier. 9.3 Two spurs Apo. 3.15 A preseruatiue A restoratiue The manner of contending is to be respected Act. 24. The armes of a Christian The wisedome of the serpeÌ„t 4. Things noted in the doue 1 1 Meeknes 2 2 Harmelesnesse 3 3 Ielousie 4 4 Mourning Esa. 38. 1. King 3. Speciall rules to contend by 1 1 In Gods matters Pro. 6.4 Iam. 1.19 Psal. 131.1 Act. 15.7.12 c. 1. Cor. 14.29 2 2 What to do in our owne causes c. 1. King 3. Pro. 23.6 Pro. 18.23 An Embleme of two pots Pro. 26.24.25 Pro. 22.24.25 Pro. 26.9 Sinne like a Bee Heb. 11.25 Luk. 16.25 Pro. 5.3 Psal. 73.5 c. Iob. 21.8.9 â— Esa. 57. Pro. 14.13 Rom. 6. Why the wicked shal be destroyed Psalm 1. Psal. 119. Mal. 4.1 No respect of persons with God 1. Cor. 11. Eccle. 7.31 Pro. 10.7 Pro. 19.9 1. Pet. 3. Psal. 55.23 Luke 12.19 Iob. 20. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Sodainly Mat. 24. Mar. 13. Obiection Answere Fallacia accidentis Phi. 3.18.19 Esa. 28.15 1. Ki. 1â— 24 1. Pet. 4.17 Eccles. 9.1.2 Iâ—h 1◠〈◊〉 2. Men caÌ„not repent wheÌ„ they list Psalm 7. Iob. 20.12 Eccles. 11.3 A Popish errour That is hell fire Esa. 30.33 Plessy de verita Christ. relig 1. Obiect Answere A notable speech of Alexander What be the goods of good men 2. Obiect Eccles. 7.17 Esa. 57.1 Answere The world like a stage play 3. Obiect Answere 4. Obiect Answere The vses of the former doctrine Psal. 37.1.2 Mat. 11.23 Ioh. 9.3 Psal. 41.1.4 Num. 16.26 Luke 13.3.5
of him auoide his conditions and escape his punishment And this worke as you know good brethren I called the vncasing of the hypocrite wherein I shewed you first what is hypocrisie namely a counterfeiting of religion or any religious dutie or a doing of that which we do onely to be seene of men and yet seeme to be such as would approue our waies in the sight of God professing the loue and feare of God when there is no such matter in vs. For which cause they are most fitly compared to players who make a shew of doing that which they do not indeede and represent those persons which they are not Next how many kinds of hypocrites there be some being publike some priuate some religious some ciuill Lastly we tooke a particular view of some speciall hypocrisies described by our Sauiour Christ in the 23. of Mathew from the 14. verse to the 23. whereof the last was of them that seeme to make a conscience of trifles and none of waightie matters which Christ calleth straining of gnats and swallowing of camels all which for breuities sake I do omit because there are many mo yet behind to be vncased whose acts and monuments are truely recorded whose visages and pictures are plainely deciphered and whose bowels and inward parts are deepely searched and whose iuglings and dissemblings are all fully discouered by Christ the searcher of hearts in the forenamed 23. chapter of Mathew and diuerse other places beside Wherein our Sauiour Christ we see is not sparing but plentifull not mild but seuere not short but long not negligent but painefull and neuer hath done with them but euer anone meeteth with them remembreth them and neuer lets them passe vntill he hath marked them with his blacke cole of deepe dislike and deadly detestation and still warning his disciples to beware of hypocrits and their leuin of hypocrisie whereof but a little sowreth and spoileth the whole lumpe Now seeing our Sauiour Christ bendeth all his force as it were against hypocrisie and the doings of hypocrites I see no reason that any should be offended that I do so too For hypocrisie in religion is like Iudas amongst the disciples a faire spoken theefe but a cunning and daungerous traitor readie still to betray both Christ and all Christianitie into the hands of their enemies onely she saith as Esau said The dayes of mourning for my father will come shortly and then I will kill my brother Iacob that is I onely want and waite a time to do my feates in Besides those actes which our Sauiour Christ hath alreadie noted in the Scribes and Pharises to the 25. verse of the 23. of Mathew we find in the verses following diuerse other parts of their hypocrisie seuerely taxed and liuely described by him whereof some be in actu some in potentia that is some be present and some are to come By the former he sheweth what is alwaies the present behauiour of hypocrites euen when they are at the best by the latter he prophecieth what they will be when time shal serue and that he sheweth in the 34. verse where he saith that they which now for the present do garnish the sepulchers of the righteous shall one day both kill and crucifie scourge and persecute both Prophets and wise men in their sinagogues and from citie to citie But for the present thus it is with them First they make cleane the outside of the cup and platter but within they are full of briberie and excesse these he further likeneth to whited tombes which appeare beautifull outward but are within full of dead mens bones and of all filthinesse applying his similie vnto hypocrites thus So are ye also for outwardly ye appeare righteous vnto men but within ye are full of hypocrisie and iniquitie Christs meaning is that all hypocrites care is to approue themselues in the sight of men by setting faire shewes vpon euery thing but before God they are most wicked abominable like the harlot who to please straungers is very diligent and carefull and towards others is very courteous and sober and kind but towards her owne husband is most sauage impudent and shamelesse In the next place Christ sheweth what friends and welwillers hypocrites are vnto the Prophets that is to the Preachers of Gods word but you must note that is to them that were dead and that they are great friends to them appeareth two waies First by the cost that they are at in decking their Tombes Secondly by blaming of their forefathers by whom the Prophets were persecuted and iniuried while they were aliue And thus would they get a good opinion amongst men by reuerencing the memorie of the Prophets and holy men of God For while they did thus counterfeit a loue vnto their persons they seemed to yeeld to their doctrine and who would not take them now for most faithfull followers of their doctrine and most zealous seruants and worshippers of God It was a thing very plausible to decke the Tombes of the Prophets and to erect monuments for them For by this meanes saith Caluin quasi ex tenebris eruebatur religio vt in suo honore staret religion was as it were plucked out of darkenesse and set vp in her due honour But indeede they meant nothing lesse then to restore the doctrine of the Prophets which by their death might seeme to be put out And yet being both straungers vnto the propheticall doctrine and also most deadly enemies vnto the same they wold bestow goodly Tombs vpon thē being dead as though that they and the Prophets had stood both for one and the same cause And this saith Caluin is vsuall with hypocrites to honour the holy seruants of God pure teachers of the word after their death whom they could not endure being aliue And for this M. Caluin doth yeeld a very singular good reason This cometh not only from the corrupt custom of the vulgar people saith he sed quia duris seueris correptionibus molesti ampliùs non sunt mortui cineres non agrè in illis colendis euanidā religionis vmbram ostentant qui loquentiū vocibus ad insaniam aguntur But because their dead dust and ashes are no longer troublesome vnto thē with hard and sharpe reproofes therfore it doth not grieue them to make shew of a vanishing shadow of religion in reuerencing thē being dead who were driuen to madnes rage with their liuely voices The world because it durst not wholly despise God or at least rise vp openly against him as it were in armes hath inuented this deuice to worship the shadow of God for God himself in like maner doth reuerence the shadow of the preachers Prophets for the doctrine it selfe What need we go any further for an exāple of this play then to the Popish church who are not content with that lawfull and due reuerence that is giuen to the Apostles blessed Martyrs of Christ but will bestow
another mans mouth hauing layed of purppse a heape of preiudicate conceipts and vnchristian surmises before them as so many stumbling blockes and erected a number of proud and disdainfull opinions and euill constructions of euery thing as rampiers or bulwarks against the truth because they meane not yet to forgo their sins nor to part with their painted visor I cannot tell what to say vnto them but euen leaue them to the Lord their hypocrisie I will not censure it is like the darkenesse of Aegypt that might be felt I am sorry to heare that any should haue the word of God in respect of persons contrarie to the rule of Saint Iames pretending to regard it if one man speake and professing a contempt of the same because another man hath spoken it whom they hate as Achab did hate Micaiah for no other cause but because he prophesied not good but euill vnto him that is he did not flatter him in his sinne as others did and therefore he hated him these men shew with what good deuotion they come to the preaching of the word of God If they might chaunge their Minister they thinke that they should chaunge affections but they are deceiued for as the Poet could say and that truly so say I Coelum non animum mutant qui transmare currunt they change the aire and not their nature which go beyond the sea as appeareth by those that haue separated themselues from our Church assemblies in England Schismatikes they were here and so they are there In like manner hypocrites which haue the word in respect of persons Non mentem sed ministrum mutant they may well change their Minister but their mind they change not their sinnes they leaue not it is no part of their meaning what shewes soeuer they make except God of his great mercy worke a wonderfull alteration It seemeth that such persons are of that opinion that Diues was of in hell who thought that his brethren which were aliue would repent if Lazarus might haue bene sent vnto them from heauen he was well acquainted with their humour for belike when they were all liuing together on earth neuer a one of them cared for their ordinary teachers but saith the holy Ghost they haue Moses and the Prophets amongst them if they wil not heare them let them pretēd what they list neither would they repent though one should come from the dead vnto them Many will tell vs that another man hath sayd as much and more then such and such whom the people mislike and it is well taken Such a one may say any thing say they and no offence will be taken against him we maruell that they should take it so ill from one more then another to these we answer 1 How well soeuer they take it from one or from another nothing is reformed they will giue all the hearing but see if any reformation follow from one more then another 2 The cause why they do not so breake out against one man for the same doctrine aswell as against another is because his time is not yet come as Christ sayd in Luke 22.53 When I was daily in the Temple with you you layed no hands on me but this is your houre and the very power of darkenesse Euery man hath a time appointed him of God a time to be promoted and a time to be persecuted a time to be regarded and a time to be reiected a time to be made much of and a time to be set at naught and when the date of the one is expired then the other taketh place Now to conclude if any man thinke that I haue dealt too seuerely against hypocrites or that I might haue caried a lighter hand toward them then I haue done seeing as there is no man but is stained with some hypocrisie much or little in the sight of God at the least or that in the applicatiō of any point of doctrine in the vncasing of the hypocrite I haue too particularly and directly aimed at some and namely at the partialities and wilfull winking at grosse abuses by Churchwardens and other Ecclesiasticall officers with them contrary to their oath and a good conscience whereby God is dishonoured and his worship is contemned his Sabbaths are polluted his Church vnreformed and whereby the wicked are strengthened and the godly despised whereby his blessings are restrained and his iudgements hastened vpon vs then this is my answer That in both as I take it I haue had my warrant from the word of God which is a sufficient stay vnto my conscience howsoeuer amongst the vnregenerate and wicked hypocrites it is a matter of least waight and therefore with them of all authorities least regarded And for the first haue I dealt more seuerely against hypocrites then the Scripture and namely our Sauiour Christ or haue I handled it worse then it deserueth Hath the hypocrite any wrong to haue no more but the truth sayd and proued against him Or what is his seruice so well pleasing to God or the Church of God so much beholding vnto him for his shewes and shadowes or rather his trecheries and cousinages that he of all other may not be vncased I speake not now of secret hypocrisie whereof euen the regenerate faithfull are guilty in their best actions before God and for which all of vs must desire mercy at Gods hand in the bloud of Christ but of that hypocrisie which raigneth in the wicked and of such hypocrites as are professed hypocrites professed I meane in their owne hearts whose desire is nothing else but to be seene of men and nothing lesse then to approue themselues and their doings in the sight of God Euery one is stained with some lust which is adulterie before God with some malice which is murther before God and with some enuie which is theft before God and with some couetousnesse which is idolatrie before God and yet euery one is not to be called an adulterer nor a murtherer nor a theefe nor an idolater because those grosse sinnes are not the studie nor the profession of the regenerate but they studying professing and indeuouring to serue the Lord in sinceritie truth and vprightnesse of heart and to deale with men in all good conscience are called sincere and iust men as Iob was and being in Christ Iesus through his righteousnesse imputed vnto them they are iust before God Hypocrisie properly is a sinne against the third Commaundement for none more then the hypocrite doth take the name of God in vaine who still for the most part maketh religion a cloke for all maner of iniquitie which cloke of theirs when it is once espied or taken from them they cry out and rage as men vtterly forlorne and vndone For take away their clokes their signes and their shewes and then are they naked and ashamed both before God and man and as sinceritie graceth the godly before God so hypocrisie graceth the wicked before men which is
and as we are appointed by order of law and ciuill pollicie yet still in compassion As for counterfeits idlepacks they must be wisely looked vnto and seuerely punished when they are found out as Iosua did who punished the Gibeonites when they counterfeited themselues to be farre trauellers when they were his next neighbours Some become miserable through gaming tipling carrowsing through idlenesse and bad companie keeping to these belong a threefold almes instruction correction and yet some contribution too as is allowed vnto malefactours in prison vntill by order of law and sword of iustice a riddance may be made of them if otherwise they will not be reformed for by the rule of the word he that will not labour must not eate Now let vs praise God THE ANATOMIE OF BELIAL SET FORTH IN TEN SERMONS vpon the 12.13.14 and 15. verses of the 6. Chapter of the Prouerbes of Salomon The summe whereof is set foorth in the next Page Imprinted at London by Richard Field for Thomas Man 1602. A Table shewing the generall contents of the Sermons following The Anatomy of Belial hath two parts 1. The description of a wicked man and he is described here two wayes 1. By his names that are here giuen him viz. 1. A man of Belial that is a lawlesse man 2. A man of vanitie that is vnprofitable 2. By his actions and they be two fold 1. Outward and they be two fold 1. His speeches and they be described by two adiuncts 1. Of their quality which is euill for they be froward 2. Of quantitie which is great for they are cōtinually froward 2. His gestures al which be significāt and tending to mischiefe and they be of his Eyes Fingers Feete 2. Inward of the hart and they are set forth 1. Generally Lewd things are in his hart 2. Particularly by noting two vile odious properties springing frō a lewd hart 1. That he is giuen to imagine and surmise whose imaginations are 1. Euil 2. Continually euill 2. That he raiseth vp contentions 2. His destruction and that is amplified by noting 1. The maner of the comming which is fearful in regard of 1. The speedinesse 2. The suddennesse 2. The continuance of it which is long yea euerlasting without ende for he shall neuer recouer THE I. SERMON PRO. 6.12.13.14.15 The vnthrifty man or the man of Belijal and the wicked man or the man of vanity walketh with a froward mouth 13. He maketh a signe with his eyes he signifieth with his feete he instructeth with his fingers 14. Lewd things are in his heart he imagineth euill continually and raiseth vp contentions 15. Therefore his destruction shall come speedily he shall be destroyed suddenly without recouery THis text may well be called the Anatomy of Belial because it searcheth and openeth euery veine of him and euery sinew of him to the very heart and to that which is in the heart as Anatomies do and sheweth the causes of euery spirituall disease and the effects of euery cause and what it is that bringeth the wicked man to his wofull end as Anatomies doe And that so liuely that if any man desire to see a liuely picture and a true Anatomy of Belial indeede let him with patience marke and behold the hand of Gods Spirit while Belial is a ripping vp and he will say as the people sayd of another action of our Sauiour Christ we neuer saw such a thing Mark 2.12 But all is done and must be done to this end that we may know our selues And this indeed is therefore made the Anatomies speech or poesie Nosce teipsum know thy selfe as if he should say why dost thou stand still gaping and gazing vpon my naked bones or prying into my bowels entrails or iudging of my heart c. good leaue hast thou so to do but learne by me then what thou art and what thou shalt be thy selfe This Anatomie is altogether spiritual and hath in it two parts First the description of a wiked man secondly his iudgemēt He is described two waies first by his name secondly by his actions His name setteth out his nature and it is double first he is called in the Ebrew tongue A man of Beliall that is a lawlesse person Secondly he is called in the same tongue A man of vanitie that is a man altogether vnprofitable As he is described by his names so also is he knowne by his actions and they be of two sorts outward and inward his outward actions are also two fold his speeches and his gestures His speeches are set forth by two adiuncts or circumstances first of their quality then of their quantitie for their qualitie they be very euill for they be altogether froward for their quantitie they exceede for he walketh with a froward mouth that is he is continually froward His gestures are also obserued the gestures of his eyes of his fingers and of his feete and all of them are very significant and tending to set forward sinne The inward actions of his heart are layed forth two wayes First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or in generall tearmes saying Lewd things are in his heart Secondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or in particular obseruations by noting two vile properties arising from a lewd hart First that he imagineth euill continually Secondly he raiseth vp contentions After his description commeth his iudgement and that is to be destroyed and this destruction is amplified further by shewing the fearefull manner of the coming thereof for it shall come speedily without delay and suddenly without any warning before he looketh for it Secondly the euerlasting continuance of it for it shall be without recouery In the Scripture we reade of a Leuite that cut his wife in peeces when others has wickedly abused her to the death and sent her quarters vnto the twelue tribes of Israel with this motion and message Consider the matter consult and giue sentence But here the Lord hath cut Belial in peeces who was the cause of his owne death and hath hanged vp his quarters as it were in his word which he hath sent into all parts of the world that his people might consider the matter consult and confirme the sentence of the Lord and also take example by him least we come into the same case But before we come to the particular examination of Belials markes it shall not be amisse to enquire of three very necessary points The first is to what end this description is made Secondly whether we may by the same description take vpon vs to iudge who is a man of Belial And thirdly what may be learned from the coherence of this text with the rest of the Chapter For the first point Machiuels and Atheistes thinke that all the Bible and all preaching and all religion is but matter of pollicy to keepe men in awe and so consequently that this that is sayd of Belial is so too For that diuell that told Adam that
their soules health in English Well let vs take heede that we continue not stil so vntoward to serue God to learne his most glorious will least God giue vs ouer againe in his iust iudgemēt to walke in ignorance to beleeue lies Popery groweth apace in many places Papists are very bold doubtlesse they see it is to be feared too much inclinatiō aptnes both in som teachers much of the people to receiue their Popish trash again that is the matter Popish pictures shew thēselues in euery shop street almost many think there is great deuotiō stirred vp by the sight of thē yea they hope of a mery world towards And doubtlesse the Papists cannot brew so fast but as they hope others will be as ready to drinke Well the Lord in mercy looke vpon vs our Christian gouernors that we may be more more forward apt to the embracing setting forth of his holy truth Gospell to our liues end Amen Now let vs pray THE V. SERMON PROV 6.14 Leud things are in his heart WE haue heard before how vaine and lawlesse the man of Belial is how froward and peeuish how counterfeit cunning in his outward behauiour now we are come to the cause of all and to the digging vp of that which is the fountaine of all his distemperature and disorder and that doth the holy Ghost here shew vs when he saith Leud things are in his heart as if he should say it is no maruell though his behauiour be so bad and barbarous so vile and full of leud actions when his heart which is the fountaine of all his actions is full of leude things Then first here let vs consider what is meant by the hart And next what profitable doctrines may be gathered from this sentence and the coherence thereof with the rest of the wicked mans description By hart in this place he meaneth not the fleshly and materiall heart which is the good creature of God but the corrupted and depraued qualities of the heart For the heart is put sometime for the whole inward man as in 1. Pet. 3.4 Let the hid man of the heart be meeke and quiet sometime for the thoughts and affections for the will and vnderstanding as in 1. King 3.9 Giue me an vnderstanding heart the prayer of Salomon That is giue vnderstanding vnto my hart mind or soule for hee had a hart before So that in the heart is vnderstanding but in the wicked it is leud vnderstanding because he vnderstandeth leude and vile things best And in Gen. 6.5 it is said The imaginations of the thoughts of mans heart were euill continually to shew that thoughts and imaginations lodge in the heart but in the man of Belial they are leude and wicked In the 23. of the Prou. 26. the Lord saith My sonne giue me thy heart that is the affections of thy heart as thy desire thy loue thy ioy thy feare thy trust thy zeale thy delight thy sorrow as if he shold say if thou desirest any thing desire me if thou louest any thing loue me if thou ioyest in any thing ioy in me if thou fearest any thing feare me if thou trustest any trust me if thou be zealous for any thing be zealous for me if thou sorrowest for any thing be sorrowfull that thou canst not do thy dutie to me as thou oughtest and these things I leaue not to thy choise but see thou do them indeed Now all these affections are in the wicked man of Belial but they are leud and not for the Lord. In the fourth of the Hebrewes 12. the word of God is called a deuider of the thoughts and intents of the heart so that in the heart lye thoughts and intents that is purposes conclusions and determinations but in the wicked they are all leud and naught So that the meaning of these words Leud things are in his heart is that the man of Belial vnderstandeth leud things he thinketh and studieth leud things he purposeth and intendeth leud things he desireth and affecteth leud things yea he deuiseth and contriueth nothing else but leud things This anatomizing and discouering of Belials hart in this sort with the rest of his behauiour in other parts of his bodie teacheth vs many excellent pointes of doctrine for our instruction 1. That the man of Belial is no better within then without 2. That whatsoeuer a man is without yet God doth iudge of him by that which is in his heart 3. That the cause of all outward disorder is in the heart 4. That a man cannot be a good man vntill the hart be reformed 5. That the word of God is of that nature that it discouereth the hidden things in the heart 6. That the same word of God which sheweth vs the corruptions of our hearts doth also shew vs to reforme the heart Of the first That a wicked and prophane man such as Salomon here speaketh of is no better within then he is without but rather worse is euident both by this and diuers other places of holy Scripture Here he saith that as he is froward in his speeches and dissolute in his outward behauiour so his heart is leud and wicked So that if the hart be naught all is naught If there be any goodnes in his heart it must be either in his vnderstanding or his will or his affections but the subiect of all these is leudnes therfore within there is no better then without but rather worse In the 6. of Gen. verse 5. it is said That mans wickednesse is great and his heart is also euill continually The Psalmist saith The foole meaning a wicked man hath said in his heart there is no God his waies are corrupt and become abhominable there is not one that doth good no not one The Apostle Paul searcheth euery part of the naturall man within and without and findeth all alike Roman 3. from verse 11. to 19. Let him be asked the question and heare his answer And first of his vnderstanding What vnderstanding hath the vnregenerate or naturall man None There is none that vnderstandeth saith he meaning the things of God How are their affections bent What do they not desire to know God No saith the Apostle There is none that seeketh God What is there none better then another No saith the Apostle They haue all gon out of the way they are made altogether vnprofitable there is none that doth good no not one But let vs make a better search it may be there is some goodnesse in some secret corner or in some of their members What say you of their throat Their throat saith the Apostle is an open sepulcher from whence proceedeth nothing but stinke and rottennesse to infect the aire How are their toungs vsed To deceipt saith the Apostle What is vnder their lippes The poison of Aspes And what in their mouths Abundance of cursing and bitternesse They are swift
when themselues are most vaine This humour waiteth vpon vs all and maketh all that we do fruitlesse before God and therefore in all our actions ought carefully to be prayed against as we are taught by our Sauiour himselfe saying hallowed be thy name Lord and with Dauid Not vnto vs ô Lord not vnto vs but to thy name let the praise be giuen for to vs belongeth nothing but shame of faces This humor of vaineglorie doth steale craftily vpon vs and doth subtilly beguile vs therefore take heede of it saith Christ. It lurketh in the heart as dregges in their vessell if great heede be not taken it will rise vp and marre the wine It is like a faire spoken theefe at the doore who if thou take not heed of him will get in and spoile thee before thou be aware It is like a heard of Players who with their varietie of bewitching vanities do cause men willingly to be robbed of them It is like a moth that if thou take not heede of it will breede in thy soules garment and spoile it It is like leauen a litle whereof will sower the whole lumpe of dough It is like Ioab and Iudas who kill when they kisse and stab when they embrace In a word it is a disease that maketh many to die euen laughing and sometime depriueth them of their wits Therefore take heede of it saith Christ it is a very daungerous euill take heede you giue not before men to be seene of men Therefore when thou giuest thine almes thou shalt not make a trumpet to be blowne before thee c. As before our Sauiour Christ forbiddeth all inward affectation of worldly praise so here he condemneth all outward shew of vaineglorie and all ostentation of a vaineglorious mind in giuing of almes According to which rule the Apostle saith Abstaine from all appearance of euill Now this was in the Scribes and Pharisees very grosse hypocrisie and palpable For first they must haue their almes giuing proclaimed by sound of trumpet Secondly not in any priuate place but in the sinagogues the most publike and notorious places that were For their proclamation of the matter by sound of trumpet they might pretend some excuse and that reasonable in shew too as thereby to call the poore together for hypocrites are neuer without their pretences and excuses Saul he reserueth of the Amalekites beasts contrarie to Gods commaundement to offer sacrifice forsooth Adam hideth himselfe and pretendeth the cause to be his nakednesse Iudas grudgeth at the cost that was bestowed vpon his Lord and maister Christ and to saue his credite pretendeth care for the poore Absalon intendeth treason but pretendeth a vow made at Hebron But pretences are no better then couers made of fig-leaues which the Sunne will soone drie and the wind will quickly blow away Whatsoeuer those hypocrite◠might seeme to pretend for their trumpet it would not serue their turne neither before God who knoweth the thoughts and intents of the heart long before they be conceiued nor yet before men who by the light of common reason are able in some measure to descrie hypocrisie in that and the like action And doubtlesse it could not be otherwise then an euident note of vaineglorie in them for what needed they make any proclamation for the matter had they not their Elders had they not also their Deacons and ouerseers for the poore that knew well who had neede of almes might they not enquire of them or could they not trust them with their contribution or if they must needes make it knowne to all the world when they would deale their dole had they no other way to publish it by but by sound of trumpet A bell might haue bene tolled if they had any or if they had none a bill might haue bene set vp or a messenger might haue bene sent to the houses of the poore yet none of these waies would serue the turne but a trumpet must be blowne before them whereby they might be honoured and admired after a mere stately and princely manner Whereby likewise they did sufficiently bewray their ambitious humor and therein did they not a little forget themselues for they knew by the lawe of Moses which they had amongst them and was read daily in their sinagogues that trumpets were not appointed to any such end or vse as they put them vnto For in the tenth of Numbers from the second verse to the ninth it is euident that trumpets were appointed onely for the assembling of the congregation and for the remouing of the campe the manner of vsing them is more at large there set foorth to which place I referre them that are desirous to know the same more fully Againe in other places of the Scripture we shall see that they were vsed at the coronation of Princes in managing of warre and solemnizing of Princely affaires or businesse of State and not otherwise as when Salomon was proclaimed King at Gihon they blew the trumpet and cried God saue King Salomon So likewise when Athaliah was deposed and Ioash made King in her steade it is said that the King stoode by a pillar in the house of God as the manner was and all the Princes and trumpetters by the King And the Apostle commending the vse of knowne tongues in the congregation and condemning the contrarie vseth a similitude of the trumpet in warre saying that if the trumpet giue an vncertaine sound who shall prepare himselfe to battell By which both they might know and we also may vnderstand that the trumpet is an instrument of state and therefore not to be made common to euery one nor for euery thing There be certaine ornaments and dignities peculiarly belonging to certaine persons and in no wise to be made common vnto all as Coronets chaires of State cloth of State garters of Honour Trumpetters Pages Chariots c. Neither is it fit for euery obscure Gentleman neither is it seemely for euery or any base artificer or man of trade and occupation to ride in Coches to haue Pages runne by their horse side nor to solemnize the mariages of themselues or their sons and daughters with sound of trumpet as if they were some Princes or persons of State and high calling It is too intollerable pride and too manifest a note of Pharisaicall ambition whereby they which do so make themselues odious and ridiculous before God and all wise men When the malicious Iewes saw Christ in life and doctrine to excell other men they blasphemously said in derogation of both Is not this the carpenters sonne But we when we see such princely ornaments and solemnities taken vp amongst countrie clownes or other inferiour persons of base estate and meane calling may well say in defacing of such insolent fooles Is not this the Carpenter and is not that the bramble that hath so exalted himselfe aboue the trees of the forest What would these persons do and how would
most impiously vpon them that worship that is due to God and professe that they cannot honour them inough when in the meane time by their raging against the faithfull which follow their steppes and doctrine they do plainely shew howe they would vse the Apostles and Martyrs if they were now aliue againe and did performe that dutie which they did when they were on earth For why else do they with such rage burne and flame out against vs but because we desire to haue that doctrine to be receiued and to flourish which the Apostles and Martyrs haue sealed with their bloud Let them then a dorne the images of the Saints with their frankensence candels flowers and all kind of pompe as long as they list saith Caluin if Peter were now aliue they would surely pull him in peeces if Paule were amongst them they would certainely stone him if Christ himselfe were aliue and amongst thē they wold rost him to death with a softfire And do not diuerse Protestants play the same part who will seeme to make much of some Preachers and giue them good entertainment as Herod did Iohn Baptist and yet persecute with might and maine their owne Pastors for teaching the same doctrine which they do Or for the couering and cloking of their speciall and beloued sinnes will seeme to the world to be religious by hearing the preaching and entertaining of the persons of Preachers at their houses thinking themselues then safe as Micah did when he had a Leuite in his house when in their harts they do vtterly loth and detest the sinceritie of that truth and the strictnesse of those courses as puritanisme and too much precisenesse which they vrge And what is the religion of all such but a play to be seene of men In the 33. verse of the former 23. Chapter Christ being about to conclude his Sermon doth more plainly vncase these hypocrites and layeth them wide open to all the world telling what they are what they must looke for and what his seruants must look for at their hands What they are he sheweth when he saith O Serpents and generation of vipers to shew that they were not only enemies to the doctrine of the Prophets but most pestilent enemies to the whole church of God and like vipers will not sticke to eate out the very bowels of the Church their mother to maintaine their owne state and pride What they must trust vnto if they truly repent not he sheweth when he saith how should ye escape the damnation of hell As if it were a thing almost impossible for professed hypocrites to repent and be saued So hypocrites we see by Christs example are to be handled though they be the great maisters of Israel their vizards are to be plucked off and they are to be laid open to the view of the world and to be haled by force as it were before the tribunall seate of Gods iudgement What Gods seruants must looke for at hypocrites hands when time shall serue howsoeuer they seeme now to heare them and to entertaine them our Sauiour Christ sheweth when he saith he will send Prophets and wise men and Scribes among them that is men endued with all manner of learning and qualified with aboundance of Gods graces but they shal scourge them and persecute them from citie to citie yea euen in Ierusalem the Lords Prophets shall be killed and the messengers of the most high shall be stoned to death In times past their rage was such against the holy Prophets that neither the holinesse of the Temple nor reuerence of the Altar whereupon the sacrifices were offered could stay them from shedding of innocent bloud As for example the bloud of Zacharias the sonne of Barachias meaning indeede him that was the son of Iehoiada the priest whom Christ calleth Barachias that is the blessed of the Lord of Barach and ias which is the blessed of the Lord as M. Caluin noteth because he had spent his whole life in the worship and seruice of God And this is vsuall in Scripture to giue vnto men besides their proper names other names of speciall signification either for their consolation or for their humiliation So Iacob was called Israel that is preuailing with God and Salomon Iedidah that is beloued of the Lord and Iames and Iohn Boanerges that is sonnes of thunder and Iehoiada Barachias that is the blessed of the Lord. So terroris gratia to terrifie him Bashur that misused Ieremy was called Magor Misabib that is feare on euery side And Naoim in the bitternesse of her soule would be called Marah that is bitternesse But now to the matter of Zacharias the sonne of Iehoiada Barachias the blessed of the Lord. Of whose martyrdome and the cause thereof we may reade sufficiently in the second of Chronicles the 24. chapter from the 17. verse vnto the 23. So likewise in time to come they which now boasted of the Prophets Tombes amongst them and of learned Preachers in their sinagogues should through the iust vengeance of God be giuen vp to such a reprobate mind that they should shew all kind of raging crueltie against the same Prophets whom they so much seemed to reuerence God graunt this prophesie may neuer take place amongst vs if it be his will but surely it is much to be feared that if time should turne and religion alter which our sinnes haue iustly deserued it will proue too true For hypocrites will play the hypocrites and shew them selues in their colours when all is done euen as the Blackmoore will be blacke if all the water in the sea were spent in washing him For they that are so forward now in colour of their office and pretence of lawe to abuse Gods Ministers as many be what would they do if they had Prince and Prelates and lawe and all to backe them They that now in the publike and authorized profession of the Gospell and vnder the gouernment of so gracious and Christian a Prince as we haue who esteemeth of the true Ministers of Christ in the Church as of the soule in the bodie the Lord long preserue her amongst vs are not ashamed to contriue wicked plots and diuellish deuises to call their Ministers names into question by suggesting vnto great persons most impudent lyes and shamefull slaunders and that vnder pretence of their office and vpon the credite of their oath They that now so abound in malice against their Minister for speaking but the truth that when they can find no matter against him at home can send an hundred miles for matters obiected and answered ended and finished ten yeares ago and to reuiue matters whith haue bene dead and buried so long time like those that in Queene Maries time digged vp Bucers bones out of the graue to endite them and burne them what cruell persecutors would these become if time did serue What would not these men do against the poore seruants of Christ if Queene Maries time shold come againe
as he did though not in that degree and measure of iniquitie We are professours of the Gospell say some and we like our Preachers doctrine well but our honest neighbours please vs better and our beloued vanities best of all We liue by them and we are sory that we cannot do for him as we would for we haue passed our word against him so was Herod sory too for that he had passed his promise And to keepe credite with those that haue pleased and pleasured vs we must not call backe our words so sayd Herod too but vncase the hypocrite a little and view him well First if thou wilt be counted a true Christian and a sincere professor of the truth why doest thou lodge any one sinne with delight in thy heart tell me that If thou saiest there is no such matter then tell me why doest thou frequent the companie and take such excessiue pleasure in the bewitching vanities of such persons as will snare thee and deceiue thee Then why art thou so rash as to promise thou knowest not what Then when thou seest that thou art in danger of committing wickednesse who can compell thee to keepe such a wicked promise Oh I must keepe my credite with men Oh but hypocrite first keepe credite with God and remember thy former promise that thou madest and vowedst to him in thy Baptisme if all this will not serue then rush on like an hypocrite vncased to thy owne destruction Many in the world are content they say to heare the Preacher so long as he preacheth Christ crucified or else not and surely no reason But open this case and see if a counterfeit may not be vnder it For many are content to sinne freely and set all vpon Christs score saying he shall pay for all If any man meaneth so when he biddeth the preacher preach Christ crucified then there is an hypocrite vncased Many are content to heare that Christ liued in pouertie to enrich them that he was abased to aduance them that he was punished to acquite them that he was mocked to grace them that he was naked to clothe them that he was hungrie to fill them that he was cursed to blesse them that he died to saue them but to heare that they must be poore for his sake and be abased for his sake and to be mocked for his sake and to be crucified for his sake and crucifie their sinnes which crucified him they cannot abide this is not to preach Christ crucified Christ crucified must dispense with some sinnes of theirs or else they haue done with him nay if Christ come now to crucifie their beloued sinne and their sweete sinne and their profitable sinne let Christ take heed that he be not crucified againe by them What is Christ crucified for vs and must we haue our sinnes crucified too nay we will none of that we are content to take a place in his kingdom at his right hand and his left hand but to baptized with his baptisme and to drinke of his cup we will not endure We will do any thing he will haue vs to do sauing that which goeth about to restraine vs of our libertie we will follow him heare him eate and drinke with him giue him leaue to pay all and to dye for vs and commend him for his kindnesse but to be so kind to him as for his loue to part with one sinne that we are in loue withall to leaue following the fashions of the world or to part with a locke of haire is a hard saying who can abide it To forgiue our enemies to lend freely to releeue the poore cheerfully to keepe the Sabbath wholy and entirely to leaue our pleasures at his call to heare his doctrine more then ordinarie is a hard saying who can abide it To leaue our false weights and false lights and false oathes and false friendship and to deale simply and plainely without fraud and deceit is a hard saying who can abide it To leaue our engrossing our forestalling our cogging and dissembling our back-biting and slandering our rash iudging and condemning of our brethren is a hard saying who can abide it To forsake the filthy fellowship of profane persons to cast off the company of scoffers and deriders of religion to embrace the truth sincerely and to make much of those that feare God be they neuer so poore or simple is a hard saying who can abide it To be checked for our swearing and blaspheming of Gods name to be called vppon for Catechizing our houshold and to vse thanksgiuing at the table and singing of Psalmes for our spirituall recreation and to conferre soberly and friendly of the Sermon is plaine Puritanisme as they call it who can abide it No no Sir we can no skill of this geare preach Christ crucified and we will heare you otherwise not we cannot away with this doctrine Well but let the hypocrites know that if Christ crucified be preached rightly and applied truly to the conscience he will make all the veines in the hypocrites heart to ake he will suffer him to haue but small rest in his bed and little list to his meate and lesse pleasure in the world and least of all in the word of God for that in the end is the iudgement of God vpon hypocrites to loath the word because it goeth about to make sinne loathsome vnto them Christ crucified hath wrought a double worke he hath both destroyed the Diuell and also the worke of the Diuell And so is Christ to be preached both crucified and crucifying crucified for our sinnes and also by his vertue and Spirite crucifying sinne in vs or else we cannot be saued Now let vs pray THE VI. SERMON MATH 6.2 As the hypocrites do THE next sort of hypocrites to be vncased are secret vnderminers of the truth in shew defenders but in deed destroyers of the Church such are called in Cant. 2.15 foxes which destroy the Vine that is the Church who by their grating at the roote of the Vine do cause the same to bring forth but small grapes that is the Church cannot thriue in religion and good workes because of them these are called foxes for their craftinesse and their cruelty Such a one was Herod who craftily sent for the wise men to enquire where Christ was borne pretending a mind to worship him when his purpose was to kill him Such are all close Church-papists and time-seruers who to please men do as the most do but in the meane time by all crafty deuises do vndermine the Church the Preachers and cause them to be troubled for toyes trifles in comparison to stop the course of the Gospell in the meane time pretend a care of the obseruation of lawes which thēselues break as freely as any other and regard as much as the horse or mule whose mouthes must be holden in with bit and bridle Such also are those that come to the Sermon in shew very deuoutly and to be edified but
the poore the lame the maymed and the blind and thou shalt be blessed because they cannot recompence thee for thou shalt be recompenced at the resurrection of the iust that is if thou regardest a good reward indeed then rather call the poore then the rich What recompence this is that shall be giuen in behalfe of the poore Christ also sheweth in Mat. 25.34 where he sheweth that it shall be said to them on the right hand Come ye blessed of my Father inherite the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world for I was a hungred and ye gaue me meat c. for in asmuch as ye haue done it to one of the least of these my brethren ye haue done it vnto me that is I take it as done vnto my selfe which you haue done vnto these poore ones that beleeue in me and for whom I haue died What manner of reward is this We may well wonder at this reward as Mary did at the Angels salutation for the Angell did not salute her as her neighbours vsed to salute her and God doth not reward his children in whom for his beloued Sons sake he taketh delight as men reward their friends Amongst men ye shall haue a dinner for a dinner and one good turne for another but here is a kingdom giuen for giuing a peece of bread or cloth or drinke or cōfortable speeches which they haue not giuē neither as owners therof but as stewards put in trust from God And what kingdome No lesse then the kingdome of heauen And how not as a lease or a farme or a coppie hold for yeares but as an inheritance of their Father for euer And this shall be giuen them in possession with al the grace and glorie that can be not in the presence of some few persons of this place or that countrey but before all the inhabitants of the whole world at the sight and hearing wherof the wicked and vngodly hypocrites who sold their good deedes for worldly praise and filthie lucre as prophane Esau did his birthright for a messe of pottage shall euen gnash with their teeth for griefe and consume away like the smoke against the wind through extremitie of feare griefe and shame being withall at the same instant ouerwhelmed with the most dreadfull and intollerable sentence of Gods euerlasting curse which in like manner is set downe alreadie Depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the diuell and his Angels from which the Lord for his rich mercies sake in Christ Iesus deliuer vs all Now my brethrē by this time I hope you be perswaded that there is nothing lost by that which a man doth vnto God in secret or vnto any of Gods Church for the loue of God For God that is loue it selfe and infinite in loue cannot but infinitely reward the loue of his children which any way they haue shewed vnto his Maiestie especially seeing as he crowneth not our gifts to him but his owne gifts in vs which we receiued first of him And what can we desire more Would we be seene when we do well behold who seeth vs euen God our heauenly Father who is all in all who cannot deceiue any nor be deceiued by any Wouldest thou be rewarded for that thou doest and would we not loose our labour for a toy or a trifle as many do then behold our heauenly Father is readie able and willing to reward vs with a kingdom of eternal happinesse onely let vs be content with his reward and tarrie his gracious leisure Would we be openly rewarded and graced by some great person before many and before our enemies that they might be ashamed and before our friends that they might with vs reioyce and triumph ouer them then behold we haue our hearts desire our heauenly Father will not onely most bountifully reward vs but also in the open presence view and hearing of all the whole world will blesse vs where all Kings and Emperours and Tyrants shall appeare and stand naked and many of them shall shake and tremble for extreame feare and horrour of their owne conscience and Gods vengeance Blessed be the most glorious name of our heauenly Father for euer Amen As we haue heard what is to be shunned and what is chiefly to be respected in giuing of almes so now it will not be amisse to speake something though but briefly of almes it selfe and therein to see first what this word almes doth signifie Secondly to what end or for what cause God did ordaine that almes should be giuen and taken or why he would haue any occasion thereof in the world Thirdly how men may be moued or induced to giue almes And lastly to whom almes must be giuen For the first the word almes is deriued of the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth mercie Therefore as that is called grace which is giuen of grace so that is called mercie which is giuen of mercie Almes then is some benefite that is bestowed freely vpon the poore and needie onely of a mercifull and pitifull affection and fellow feeling of his griefe and want So the Samaritane is said to haue shewed compassion and mercie vpon the wounded man when he powred oyle into his woundes and holpe him vp to his beast and laid out money for him at the Inne and gaue his word for him this was a right almes giuer which gaue of pitie and was moued by mercie which is nothing else but a griefe and sicknes of the mind for anothers miserie and makes a man readie to releeue the same And of almes some is true and some is false that is true almes which comes from them that giue of mercie and compassion or feeling of anothers miserie who is sicke and troubled in his mind vntill his brothers miserie be releeued That is a false almes which comes from hypocrites who giue not of any mercie or compassion but of some other straunge affections seeking either to winne fame or to auoid shame or because they are compelled by law to giue something For otherwise if they should see their poore brother in neuer so great need alone and no bodie by them to see them when they giue or if there were not others to giue before them and to wonder at them for their hardnesse of heart or some law to compell them they would go by him and come by him too often inough and let him die too for want before they would part with any thing to saue him That our almes may be true almes or mercies gift indeed it is not so materiall how honest or dishonest how good or how bad he be to whō we giue nor whether it be much or little that we giue but with what mind we giue Discriminat in hac causa non dati sed dantium diuersitas saith a learned Writer It is not the diuersitie of gifts but the diuersitie of giuers that make the difference in this cause
be giuen to God and after the homeliest fashion too without any holy reuerence or due preparation the other halfe to the world or the flesh or the diuell or al and that with all deuotion and earnestnesse of affection These may well be likened to the idoll of Achab to whom Baals Priests cryed O Baal heare vs. But what said Elias Crie lowder for it may be that your God sleepeth or pursueth his enemies or else he talketh with some bodie or is in his iourney So if the Minister of Christ would haue Belial to heare him he must crye lowder O Belial heare vs for it may be that the men of Belial are a sleepe and must be awaked or pursuing their enemies or setting their rackes or casting ouer their vsurie bookes or selling their wares or viewing their grounds as Nebuchadnezzar did his pallace or running after their bowles or playing at cardes or pursuing of their vanities And that see others of the inferiour sort and they become as deafe too as their betters If a man cry neuer so lowd to these Belials it will not boote for they are as deafe as Baal and if there be no lawe to compell them to sanctifie the sabbath in better sort we do but loose our labour Herod would heare Iohn Baptist so Iohn would let him alone with his brothers wife so would many also now be hearers of the word and reuerence as much the Preacher as euer Herod did Iohn so they may haue a dispensation for some speciall sinne of theirs which doth yeeld them some filthy gaine or beastly pleasure But Herod was a man of Belial for all his deuout hearing of Iohn and so are these kind of hearers too for he cast off the yoke of mortification and so do they Well if we will be Christians indeede as well as in name we must put on the yoke of obedience to Christs lawes What he saith we must beleeue what he commaundeth we must obey what he promiseth we must desire what he threatneth we must feare what he suffereth we must partake what we vnderstand not we must reuerence what we like not we must at the least affect it what we brooke not we must yet hunger after and what cup he hath drunke to vs in we must desire to pledge him in the same with all our heart and count ourselues not worthie of such an honour when we haue obtained of God so great a fauour We must then deny our selues willingly and for his sake take vp the crosse chearefully for this is Christs lawe we must heare his voice and follow him for this is Christs lawe we must often remember him by worthie receiuing his holy supper for this is Christs lawe we must do to the poore what we would do to him for this is Christs lawe we must loue one another as he hath loued vs for this is Christs law we must suffer reproches and rebukes for his sake for this is Christs lawe we must learne to forgiue our enemies as he hath forgiuen vs for this is Christs law In a word we must mortifie all our euill lusts and affections and make our members weapons of righteousnesse for this also is the law of Christ. For this cause the word is called a candle to light vs in darkenesse a sharpe sword to cut and deuide vs a hard hammer to driue and breake vs and a burning fire to purge consume vs by ruling our liues wherby both yong in yeres and yong in knowledge are to redresse their wayes Psal. 119.9 And the obedience of a Christian is nothing else but a following of that light a suffering of that sword to hew and cut him of that hammer to breake and batter him of that fire to purge and consume him of that fanne to winnow and cleanse him and of that plough to breake and till him and all this with patience gladnesse and thankfulnesse A dutie this is very painefull for flesh and bloud to performe and therefore is called in the scriptures a cutting off the hand a pulling out of the eie Mat. 5.29.30 A cutting of the throat Pro. 23.2 a weaning of the soule Psal. 131.2 and a crucifying of the flesh with the affections and lusts therof Gal. 5.24 To shew that is is as hard a matter by nature to forgo our sinnes as our eyes or our hands or our liues Yet because grace doth go beyond nature and goodnesse is stronger then euill and the spirit doth ouercome the flesh and faith beginneth where reason endeth therefore Christs yoke is called easie and his burden light Mat. 11.26 For he hath borne it for vs and doth beare it in vs and beareth vs too and therfore it is light to him that would beare it as Salomon saith All the words of God are plaine to him that will vnderstand and straight to them that would find knowledge Prou. 8.9 Nay more as the birds fethers are a benefit vnto her and not a burden because they carrie her vp from the snare of the fowler so the seruice of Christ it no burthen vnto vs but a benefite because it freeth vs from the bondage of the Diuell Therefore let vs go on my good brethren without fainting Let xs resolue to put on the yoke of Christ to be obedient vnto the Gospell to cast off our lazinesse in the seruice of God and to cast away our sins of profite and pleasure though we go through honour and dishonour as we must like the yoked oxe that haleth his burthen after him through thicke and thinne Many defie the Pope and thinke then that they are good Christians and yet are lawlesse in their affections The Turke the Iew the Saracene and the infidell can say so much but except your righteousnesse exceede the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees ye cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen saith Christ so except our righteousnesse exceede the righteousnesse of the Turkes and Saracens we cannot be saued Therefore as we defie Poperie so we must be carefull to imitate Christ and to glorifie him by the subduing of our carnall lustes and desires The commendation that Saint Paul gaue vnto the Thessalonians was for that they turned from their idols vnto the liuing God 1. Thes. 1.9 But what commendation shall we deserue if we forsake Poperie and serue other sinnes if we leaue the Papistes and ioyne with Atheists Machiauels and Libertines The yoking of a Christian Dauid calleth a waining of the soule to shew that we long after libertie as the child doth after the breast that is to cry for it when we cannot get it Now in waining of the soule we must do as nurses do in waining of children they first annoint their breastes with some sower things to bring the child out of loue withall then they prouide some other wholesome foode for the child so we must haue before our eyes the discommodities of the world and the miseries of vanitie
liue and moue and haue our being and a maruellous mercie of the most high that we are not consumed in our sinnes And let vs take heed that euen now while this matter doth sound in our eares we harbour not leud things in our hearts but pray God to giue repentance and grace to expulse them and faith in the bloud of Iesus Christ to cleanse our harts O let vs take heede I say for we are in his powerfull hands who can either smite vs as we sit before his holy presence or else harden our hearts in his iust vengeance vnto a greater iudgement As Dagon fell downe at the presence of Gods Arke so God giue grace that all leud thoughts imaginations al wicked purposes and determinations all leud vnderstanding and misconstruings if there be any may fall downe out of our harts at the presence and hearing of his word And so much for the second point which is this that howsoeuer a man may carrie himselfe in outward shew to the great admiration of the world yet God doth looke further and iudge him according to the leud things that are in his heart Now let vs come to the third point and therin consider that the cause of all that euill and disorder which appeareth in the outward parts of the bodie is in the heart For when the Lord hath ripped vp the outward parts of Belial as his mouth his eyes his fingers and his feete then he saith presently Leud things are in his heart as if he should say No maruell though his outward man be so ill occupied for there is one within that setteth him a worke and that is a leude heart which is the cause of his froward mouth c. A leude heart or a heart not regenerated is like Achan among the tribes of Israel who secretly played the theefe and brought all out of quiet for whose sake all were plagued And as Achans leude act was the cause of Israels trouble so his owne leud heart was the cause of his leud act and of his owne trouble When Israel was plagued in king Achabs daies Achab blamed Eliah for it little dreaming that himselfe was the cause thereof Achabs humour liueth still in most men though Achab be dead for euery one looketh one vpon another and saith that such and such are the causes of the troubles and stirres that are amongst them when it may be if they searched well they should find the cause most part of it if not all to be the leudnesse and coruption of their owne hearts Some set vpon the Preachers as Achab set vpon Eliah and crie out that they are troublesome and preaching hath marred all but are they not deceiued as Achab was For ask them Is it not the truth that we teach and that they are so much disquieted withall they cannot they will not deny it Oh but say some they liue not according to their doctrine Well admit that to be true as it is in many which yet is an accusation more generall then true and is more maliciously then truly or Christianly obiected yet are not they found lyers which say that preaching of the Gospell is the cause of euill For first they confesse that we preach well and that our doctrine is of God and is sound and good Then of that which is good properly can come nothing but good For qualis causa talis effectus such as the cause is such is the effect saith reason If there follow any euill effect of a good cause it is per accidens through some euill accident that came betweene or vpon as when wheat was sowed tares came vp the wheate was not the cause of the tares but an ill accident happened vpon the sowing of the wheate and that was this while the keepers slept the enuious man came and sowed tares Indeed Christ is called a rocke of offence as though he were the cause of offences which yet is not so for he is the doore of eternall life And the doctrine of the Gospell is continually matched with many offences yet it is the way to saluation For where Christ commeth and the Gospell is preached we meete with many lets which either lead vs awry out of the right way or else do stoppe vs lying in our way or giue occasion of falling and yet of all these nothing can be imputed to Christ or to the Gospell Not to Christ for first it is his office to leade vs by the hand the right way to heauen Secondly he is the light of the world by which we are guided thither Thirdly he is the path by which we come thither Fourthly he is the doore by which we enter in thither and therefore none of these lets or stumbling blockes can be imputed to Christ nor to the Gospell for it is the nature of the Gospell by taking away all lets to set vs open an easie accesse vnto the kingdome of heauen and therefore it is called glad tidings Nothing therefore is more disagreable to the nature of Christ and his Gospell then offence and disorder But this offence happeneth through the leudnes of mens hearts for as soone as Christ appeareth by and by men are wrapped in with offences or rather of themselues runne headlong into them Thus is he the stone to stumble at not because he giueth occasion of stumbling but because occasion is wilfully taken And so the Gospell which is the doctrine of vnitie and peace as Maister Caluin both learnedly and largely doth shew in his Treatise of offences is the occasion of great troubles and garboiles in the world because the wicked take occasion thereby to set all things in a broile Therefore if any euill follow the doctrine of the Gospell it ariseth from some other cause which is this Leud things are in his hart who receiueth euill by the truth And such men turne euen the best things to a bad end so soone as they touch his leud heart like the spider who being full of poison turneth euery thing into poison that she sucketh If therfore men wold leaue raking abroad in the doctrine of the Gospell and the liues of Preachers and other professours and search at home in themselues they shall find the cause of most of that hatred and contention and wilfull mistaking and rash iudging and bitter censuring and wicked liuing that is in our Christian Churches to be in some an ignorant and prophane heart in some an idolatrous and superstitious hart in some a proud and ambitious heart in some a couetous and worldly heart in some a drunken and a voluptuous heart in some a dissembling and Machiuilean heart in some a scoffing and scorning heart in some a cruell and Herodian heart in some a trecherous and Iudas-like heart Now when all these chaunce to ioyne together against the truth as Herod and Pontius Pilate did against Christ then know that the Deuill whose name is Legion is vp in armes against
God but to his owne destruction Now thē when we haue by the grace of God found out the cause of our euill to be an euill heart in our selues we may truly say of our harts as Dauid did of Doeg and prophetically of Iudas Psalm 55.12 Surely mine enemy did not defame me but it was thou my familiar friend which was bred and borne with me euen thou my heart with whom I haue bene so familiar that hast wrought me the greatest part of my woe Of the same iudgement is the Apostle Iames Let no man say when he is tempted I am tempted of God for God cannot be tempted with euill neither tempteth he any man But euery man is tempted when he is drawne away by his owne concupiscence and is enticed Then when lust hath conceiued it bringeth forth sinne and sinne when it is finished bringeth forth death Erre not my deare brethren Where the Apostle plainely sheweth vs two things first that such is our impudencie shamelesse ignorance and presumptuous blind boldnesse by nature that rather then we will acknowledge our selues to be in fault and to be the cause of our owne euill we will not sticke to lay the fault vpon God and make him the cause of euill As our first parents did the woman blamed the serpent and the man blamed not simply the woman nor himselfe at all but the woman forsooth which God had giuen him Secondly that whosoeuer thinketh that God is the cause of his euill and not that his owne corrupt hart is wholly the cause thereof the force whereof is so great both to entice and draw vnto euill to conceiue and to bring foorth euill doth erre and is deceiued Hereof it commeth also that the word of God cannot enter into many it cannot fasten vpon their hearts because their hearts are full of leud things Like the Inne where Christ was borne there was no roome for him in the Inne and therefore he was faine to lye in the stable And in many though it enter yet it tarieth not but departeth away presently saying as Christ said when the Iewes sought after his life Arise let vs go hence as being vnwilling to lodge in so filthie a place and amongst his enemies And hence it is likewise that the Preachers words come out from many when they repeat a Sermon as Thamar did from Amnon when he had defiled her with her garments all rent and torne If pure wine be put into a filthy and vncleane vessell in powring it foorth againe it will appeare what stuffe was in the vessell for they come out together so if wholesome doctrine be deliuered to a leud heart in the rehearsing thereof it will appeare with what manner of vnderstanding and affection he heard it Such caskes do many bring with them to put our Sermons in that either runne out like Siues or else are defiled with ignorance or malice or preiudicate conceipts that it wold loth a man to heare it come from them For though it came to them in a princely robe yet it commeth from them like a beggers cloke yea though it came to them with a louely countenance yet it commeth from them like a filthie carrion dragged and haled in the miry streetes amongst dogges that a man would thinke the Preacher had bene out of his wits to deliuer such matter or in such manner as they vtter it or else which is the right that they wanted both wit and vnderstanding or grace or conscience or honestie or all that heard the Sermon to report it in such a leud manner But the best is the shame turneth to themselues and no bodie is so much defiled with such hearts as the owners thereof So saith our Sauiour Christ Those things which proceede out of the mouth come from the heart and they defile the man for out of the heart come euill thoughts murders adulteries fornications false testimonies slanders these are the things which defile the man meaning him that is troubled with them as if he did but vomite vpon his owne clothes that speaketh from a filthie heart And verily they are but fooles that do so for what wise man will carrie one with him still that shameth him wheresoeuer he goeth A leud vnreformed hart is such an vnmanerly companion that doth nothing else but discredite our persons deface our religion grieue our friends harden our foes aduance the Diuell prouoke the Lord marre all the good things that come neare it and alwaies annoy shame and vexe the owner Lot had much ado with the Sodomites but none did more dishonour him then his owne daughters Noah was vexed with the old world but none did him so much shame as his owne sonne Dauid had many enemies but none put him in such feare and danger as his owne Absalom Sampson had much ado with the Philistines but his owne heifter his wife ploughed vp his riddle to the aduantage of his enemies Our Sauiour Christ had many enemies yet none like Iudas who was alwaies in his companie So euery man yea euery true Christian shall haue many enemies crosses troubles and dangers but his owne heart is his greatest enemie which doth flatter him most and deceiue him soonest which for want of godlinesse cannot be content with that it hath which for want of contentation cannot be in quiet for want of quietnesse cannot haue any ioy of any thing that it enioyeth which for want of heauenly wisedome cannot deuide his times aright nor tell how to deale with all sorts of people which for want of patience cannot beare an iniurie or put vp a wrong for want of mercifull affections cannot tell how to forgiue offences for want of charitie cannot tel how to construe things well for want of the feare of God cannot haue a good vnderstanding for want of a good vnderstanding peruerteth the straight waies of the Lord which for want of humilitie cannot see the meaning of Gods wayes which for want of a lowly affection cannot tell how to seeke peace for want of Gods grace cannot acknowledge his fault and for want of remorse of conscience cannot repent him of his leudnesse Such a heart is the heart of the wicked Belial which being fraught with leud things disordereth distempereth and shameth all the life of that man that hath it and is ruled by it And so much for the third point in handling whereof we haue seene that all the cause of outward disorder and trouble is within a mans owne hart of the other three points in the next Sermon Now let vs pray THE VI. SERMON PRO. 6.14 Leud things are in his heart OVt of these words ioyned with the rest of Belials description we haue hitherto learned three excellent and worthy points of doctrine First that Belial is no better within then without Secondly that the heart and whatsoeuer is in the heart of man is knowne to God who will also iudge a man according to that which is
was not wel towards him and not without iust cause for he saw that his vnkle Labans countenance was not towards him as in times past and againe he marked how Labans sons murmured against him Iudah imagined Thamar his daughter to be a whoore though he knew not then who she was and not without iust cause for she sate by the waies side with her face couered after the maner of whores in those daies in that country The watch-men of the tower in Israel imagined rightly that it was Iehu who came towardes that place because his marching was furious like the marching of Iehu who belike was knowne to be a hote man All which examples do teach vs that when there is iust cause of suspition and likely tokens of danger and euill we should not be secure simple but wise to see danger and prouident to auoide it for that is the part of a wise man saith the Wise man to see the plague a farre off and to flie from it as Eliah saw by a cloud that arose raine comming a farre off and caused the King to prouide for it before it came And someime the godly haue imagined in good pollicie of a thing otherwise then they haue known the thing to be as Ioseph did when he made his brethren beleeue that he tooke them for spies when he knew them to be no spies And somtime by the outward likelihoods as they coniecture of a thing and are deceiued as Isaac by feeling of Iacob in rough skins imagined it had bene Esau and Samuel by the countenance and stature of Eliah imagined that he was the man that should be the Lords annointed but he was deceiued So Elijah seeing none to stand for the glory of the God of Israel but himselfe imagined that he in that case was left alone but he was deceiued In the imaginations also which commonly men haue of themselues there is great difference betweene the wicked and the godly for the godly being in some measure through the grace of God priuy to their owne corruptions and infirmities do still imagine and that truly that they come short of doing their dutie to God suspecting and fearing their owne ignorance and negligence as that godly zealous and couragious reformer of religion Nehemiah did who when he had most exactly and stoutly reformed the Saboth day he desired God to be mercifull vnto him euen in that point And though S. Paul that worthy Apostle of Christ knew nothing but wel by himselfe in his ministerie yet did he imagine and that rightly that something might be amisse and therefore said Though I know nothing by my selfe yet am I not thereby iustified And sometime the godly do imagine that they are forsaken of God when they are not forsaken which fearefull coniectures and desperat imaginations do arise somtime by the slie suggestions of Sathan through want of faith to resist him sometime of melancholy impressions in the godly and those are to be helped by phisick and good company keeping and sometime from the affliction and wound of conscience groning vnder the hand of God especialy after some relapse into some old sinne againe Which kind of imaginations are to be altered into more comfortable and wholesomer perswasions by spirituall phisicke that is by the wise handling and discreete applying of the promised mercies of God in the Gospell tempering therewithall the threatnings of the law either more or lesse according as the spirituall phisition shal see the partie more or lesse humbled or not at all if he be too much humbled and cast downe alreadie But the wicked being blinded with selfe-loue and bewitched with the vanities of this world and benummed with the long custome of sin go on still drinking in sinne as the horse drinketh in water and imagineth that he is well when he is gotten into the fooles paradise and goeth after his filthy pleasures as a bird to the snare and like an oxe to the slaughter Pro. 5. Nebuchadnezzar the King of pride strouting himselfe in his pallace imagined that he was admired of all the world but was deluded as it were by his owne shadow and derided of God and man In like maner vaine men and women ietting vp and downe in the world like hobby horses in all brauerie with their traines after them and pedlers packes about them with a companie of circumstances in strange and wild fashions imagine that they are honored and admired of all men whereas indeede they are wondred at of the wise and almost of all men for their vanitie and excesse Againe where there is no feare they imagine feare to be and where there is both feare and shame and deadly danger too they promise vnto themselues al peace and security suspecting nothing like the mother of Sisera the Ladies of King Iabins Court who imagined and could imagine no otherwise that the cause of Sisera his long staying was for no other end but to deuide the spoile when indeede he was spoiled himselfe and that by a woman too So the rich man in the Gospell hauing gotten much wealth about him imagined that he should liue many yeares at ease but he was deceiued for euen that very night following was his soule fetched away Wherein is verified the prophecie of the Psalmist The wicked whatsoeuer they imagine vnto themselues shall not liue out halfe their dayes namely that themselues dreame of Therefore to shut vp this point as before we haue bene taught by the names of Belial which signifie lawlesnesse and prophanenesse to looke to our selues that we be not lawlesse and prophane by the mouth of Belial to looke to our speeches that we walke not with a froward mouth by the gestures of Belial to looke to our outward behauiour that it be in sobrietie and simplicitie and by the heart of Belial to watch ouer our owne hearts that leud things haue no residence in them so now by the imaginations or mentall images of Belial framed in the shop of his braine of the leud stuffe in the store-house of his heart let vs be admonished to looke carefully vnto our imaginations that they be not euill false vncharitable vaine wrong crooked Let vs take heed that we make not our hearts which should be the temples of God Sathans ware-houses or store-houses nor our heads his shops and worke-houses let vs learne to iudge the best and alwayes charitably of other mens persons and actions where it is possible to affoord a good construction And where there is iust cause of feare and suspition there let vs learne to be wise and not too simple and carelesse Let vs take heed that we be not deceiued with the enchantments and bewitching vanities of the world nor yet blinded with the false loue of our selues In a word seeing as the imaginations of Belial are for their qualitie euill and for their quantitie vncessantly euill and seeing that continuance or dwelling in
list and go whither they list running through the countrey and spoiling the haruest of the Lords Ministers like Sampsons foxes with firebrands at their tailes The like pollicie doth Sathan still vse in filling the Church with needlesse stirres and vnkind contentions by Schismatickes which robbe the Church of Christ of her children that the true preaching of the Gospell may by this meanes be hindered and stopped And to what end else of late hath there bene such contention euen about some fundamentall points of our faith and the doctrine of the Church but while men are busie in vnderpropping the frame and to saue the whole house from falling Sathan with his leauie of Atheists Papistes and Machiuilean polititians may runne away with the spoile and not be espied And what other drift hath the Diuell in sowing of discord betweene the Pastour and people but to hinder the worke of the word still buzzing this into the minds of the people that the Preacher is not learned or else speaketh of malice c. The like purpose he hath as we see by daily experience in raising of contention betweene neighbour and neighbour to breake the bands of loue and to breede straungenesse and contempt of one against another lest that by often meeting in brotherly and kind sort they might mutually stirre vp and confirme one another in the graces of the holy Ghost and in the pathes of pietie and religion The like pollicie hath Sathan also in raising of contention betweene man and wife to interrupt their godly prayers and good courses of Christian exercises whereby Gods blessing and fauour may be hindred and kept from them and he in the meanetime may set in his foote and worke all kind of mischiefe wrath and vncleannesse amongst them Let vs consider well of this that loue to feede as it were vpon stoutnesse and peeuish affections only for maistry sake let vs learn rather to seek after peace ensue it for contention wil come fast inough like weeds amongst the corne or as dogs that come out as a man rideth before they be called And so much briefly for the first point namely the chiefe causes why the man of Belial delighteth in raising vp of contentions Now let vs come to the second point and see by what meanes he doth raise contentions The meanes are diuerse but chiefly three First tale-bearing and tale-belleuing Secondly misconstruing and taking things in the worst sence Thirdly busie medling in other mens matters Of tale-bearers the wise wan speaketh thus As without wood the fire goeth out so without a talebearer strife ceasseth Pro. 26.20 to shew that strife is maintained by tales as the fire is by wood the more wood the more fire so the more tales the more strife And he that carrieth tales carrieth wood like a scullion or kitchin boy to make a bigger fire They may be compared to rogish pedlers or pedling rogues which go about with light trifling wares vnder pretence whereof many play the theeues and do much harme otherwise But if no bodie would looke vpon their wares they would haue small list to open them so if no bodie would hearken vnto talebearers but would reproue them either by word or by countenance surely they would not take such a felicitie in that trade of life as they do For as the North wind driueth away raine saith the Wise man so doth an angry countenance the slaundering toung But these kind of vermine haue more patronage and better countenance then honest men for commonly they tell their tales as Libellers vtter their mind being ashamed of their names lest they should be disproued and reproued And their tales commonly go abroad like fatherlesse children or rather like bastards without fathers knowne or maisterlesse rogues who hang on euery bush a rag that they come at I will tell you a thing of such a one saith this base scullion of the diuels kitchin but I will tell it you in secret you must keepe it to your selfe or else I shall be shent and get ill will I will saith the other I pray let me heare it and so the innocent party is bought sold haled pulled rent torne condemned and hanged between two malicious theeues and he not aware of it The one robbeth his neighbor of his good name which is better then gold and siluer and the other is the receiuer Odiosum genus a hatefull broode they are and deserue hanging ten times more then he that robbeth a man vpon the high way for he may make restitution of that which he stole but a mans good name cannot be restored againe No saith Machiauel slaunder thy enemy speak all euill of him that can be deuised yet cunningly that it may be beleeued if otherwise thou canst not be reuēged of him for howsoeuer he may and doth cleare himselfe of the slander yet a scarre wil remaine do what he can A diuellish practise fitter indeed for Machiauel his followers then for any that beareth the face and name of a Christian. This was Absaloms practise to steale away the hearts of his fathers subiects partly by misreporting of his fathers gouernment partly by extolling of himselfe a most traiterous theeuish practise In like maner do all aspiring minded talebearers grace themselues by disgracing of others to rob men of their friends which is worse then to rob a man of his goods and such if they repent not must make iust accompt to hang in hell for it though they hang not here As it is a wicked practise to carrye tales in such obscure sort as hath bene shewed so it is as bad to beleeue tales and to giue credite to tale-bearers without any further proofe and examination of the matter It hath bene the vndoing of many an innocent and honest man Ziba cometh to king Dauid with a smooth tale against his maister Miphibosheth Dauid receiued it but did not examine it and giuing rash credite vnto it made no more ado but presently without hearing Miphibosheths defence gaue all Miphibosheths lands vnto Ziba a slanderous flattering clawbacke And though Dauid were as an Angell of God in wisedome and discerning as the woman of Tekoah told him yet he was too hastie and credulous in that matter Whereby we may learne that euen the bes◠men are subiect to this foule fault and are guiltie of false witnesse bearing against their neighbour contrarie to the ninth Commaundement which is done not onely by reporting but also by beleeuing of false things against our neighbour And surely men must take heed of this foule vice which is of so cursed consequence as we see daily We had need I say take heede how we beleeue reports raised against Christian professors of the Gospell especially against the zealous Preachers of the word because Christ hath told vs they shall be hated of all men for his names sake and that men shall speake
nothing of that matter their owne callings are neglected they leape in and out of them at their pleasure their families and themselues without all discipline and gouernement Alas what aunswer will they make when Christ shall stay them and say vnto them What is that to you follow you me When Christ was in a heauenly Sermon against distrustfull care for the world and fainting feare of persecution there was amongst his auditours a very saucy and vnmannerly worldling whose heart was so much vppon his halfe penny as they say that he could not stay vntill the Sermon was done but interrupting our Sauiour Christ spake vnto him to deuide the inheritance betweene him and his brother but marke Christs aunswer Man saith he who made me a Iudge and a deuider of lands amongst you Shewing that it was no part of his calling and seeing that it did not belong vnto him he would not meddle with all teaching vs thereby also what we are to do in the like cases The second kind of busie headed fellowes whose intermedling in other mens matters Sathan vseth as his bellowes to blow the coales of contention are in the common-wealth Of such we haue a very liuely yet fearfull example in Absalom in 2. Samuel 15.2.3 who being a subiect would meddle in the Kings affaires and take vpon him to gouerne to heare and examine mens causes before he was called but it turned in the end to his owne shame and vtter ouerthrow but marke his vile practise He riseth vp early and standeth hard by the entring in of the gate as though he were a man that preferred the common-wealth before his owne businesse and were loth that suters should attend too long then he calleth men vnto him as they went in at the gates if they had any matter or controuersie before the King and came to the king for iudgement and then he questioneth with him in this sort Of what tribe or citie art thou then he enquireth what his suite and matter is whē he heareth it were it good or bad he telleth him that his matter is good and righteous but there is no man deputed of the king to heare thee Oh that I were made Iudge in the land that euery man which hath any matter or controuersie might come to me that I might do him iustice And when any man came neare him to do him obeisance he put forth his hand and tooke him kissed him And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the King for iudgement so Absalom stale the hearts of the men of Israel Which after grew to an open treason and rebellion against the king his father yet against his owne life through the iust iudgement of God against him In like sort at this day it is amongst vs do we not see many crafty Lawyers petty foggers and others of no calling wanting worke that can cunningly creepe into mens matters and counsell them in shew like friends of meere pitty to their cause and of meere goodwill gratis for nothing and can teach them which way to be reuenged of him that hath done them wrong and how to maintaine sute one against another when otherwise but for such vipers the parties were most likely to haue growne vnto a peace Blessed are the peace-makers saith our Sauiour Christ then cursed are strife makers And yet I deny not but that if men be lawfully called they may meddle in other mens matters as Counsellours may and Iudges the one to counsell and pleade the other to determine yea God forbid else otherwise many that are not able to followe their owne cause should haue great wrong And others also may meddle being by parties requested or by authority appointed as arbitrators to take vp or make a stay of matters and so to ende strife and make peace As euery neighbour will runne with water and buckets to quench a fire when a house burneth so euery Christian ought to do his best endeuour to make peace and to end strife when men are at oddes but he that shall be a meanes to begin strife or to enlarge the breach is like him that setteth a mans house on fire and afterward in stead of water bringeth more fire to the burning downe of that and the whole city such a one is an odious man amongst all men and counted not worthy to liue Many of tender conscience are much troubled about this point namely what to do if they see another man do euill as to sweare vainely to blaspheme Gods name or to haue any offensiue image in his house or to vse any vnlawfull recreation or to spend away the time of holy exercises as the Preaching of the word c. in profane exercises and many other things the like whether they ought to go vnto them and reproue them for their euill or no if they should not they thinke that they are accessarie to their euill and if they should much contention and hatred yea mischiefe would as commonly we see it doth follow vppon them because men vnregenerate can by no meanes abide to be reproued of their faults nor hardly the regenerate themselues except themselues haue receiued a singular measure of wisedome and patience and withall that they be wisely and louingly intreated too Surely in this case men must learne to be wise in the Lord and take heed that nothing be done in a preposterous zeale rashly and without good warrant and discretion least they do more harme then good when they thinke the contrary In this case I suppose that many circumstances are diligently to be considered but especially we are to looke before that we haue a lawfull calling or warrant from God by his word or some iust occasion which may serue in stead of a calling We will be ashamed and afraid too to go into our neighbours house and to search euery roome of his house without his leaue and consent and to examine how he came by this and where he had that and to find fault with his diet and his houshold stuffe and to mislike him because euery thing is not as we would haue it for such boldnesse were a great argument of folly want of modesty and all good nurture yea it would argue a wonderfull impudencie insolencie and shamelesse pride neither would such a one be regarded but rather thrust out of the doores by the head and shoulders and examined like a suspitious person by what commission or authoritie he doth so busie himselfe in his neighbours affaires which belong nothing vnto him But if a man be sent for by the housholder to vew his building or his stuffe or any thing that is in the house and required to giue his opinion of it and to correct that which he shall find amisse then with honesty credit and comfort he may speake freely If I come to a place as a straunger guest-wise if he shall require me to pray with him in his family and to
Oh that we saw sinne in that shape comming toward vs that we see him in when he goeth from vs then would we as much loth it as before we loued it for all sinne is in the end both lothsome and wearisome Therefore the vngodly being in hell do crie out of their folly and say how haue we wearied our selues in the waies of wickednesse And to the same agreeth the Prophet Esay There is no peace to the wicked saith God but they are as the raging sea that alwayes casteth vp mire and dirt to shew vs that if we would find rest we must not enter into the waies of wicked men for there is no rest in their wayes And the wise man saith That to the wicked there is sorrow euen in laughter to shew that the mirth of wicked men is but from the teeth outward The Apostle Paul to shew the fruit of sinne asketh this question What fruit saith he haue you of those things whereof ye are now ashamed To shew that the best fruite that sinne bringeth forth is shame and confusion as Adam was not ashamed vntill he had transgressed so is it still with all Adams posteritie And here in my text it is sayd that the wicked shall be destroyed As a thing that is altogether vnprofitable much hurtfull amongst men is destroyed that is is either rooted vp or burned with fire or cast into the riuer or throwne out into the high way for men and beasts to tread vpon or caried out into the fields for the foules of the ayre to deuoure or buried in dunghils and ditches so shall the wicked be destroyed and come to naught and the remembrance of them shall perish from the earth And good reason for to what purpose should the vnfruitfull tree stand to do nothing but comber the ground To what vse serueth vnsauoury salt but for the dunghil When the brasen serpent maketh men to fall from God what must be done withall but breake it in peeces Now who more vnfruitfull then the wicked therefore when their appointed time is come they must no longer trouble and comber the Lords orchard nor hinder the common wealth of Gods Israel What more vnsauourie then vngodlines or who more vnprofitable then the vngodly Therfore where should their place be but vpon the dunghill Who cause others to fall from God but wicked serpents or serpentine wicked men with brazen faces and yron neckes as the prophet speaketh therefore God must needes breake them in peeces like a potters vessels and make them like Nebustan yea he shall bruise them with a rod of yron by which we may see what account God maketh of the wicked which are lawles obstinate and how litle cause there is why the godly should either esteeme of them or stand in awe of them Therefore they are compared to things of most light account in the word of God They shall be as chaffe saith Dauid yea as the lightest or vnprofitablest chaffe which the wind driueth away from the face of the earth The Lord shal tread them vnder his feet sayth he in another place They shall be as stubble sayth Malachi the fire of the wrath of the Lord of hostes shal consume them All which places do shew that as much reckning is to be made of chaffe of dirt of drosse and of stubble as of a wicked man that is lawlesse in his own affections Whatsoeuer their estate and degree be all is one to the Lord be they poore or rich there is no respect of persons with God if men be rich or worshipfull or noble or beautifull or strong or wittie or learned if they be wicked and prophane like Belial they are but rich chaffe worshipful drosse noble dirt strong stubble beautifull dung like Iezabel who after she had painted her face was throwne out of the windowes for dogs meate and what the dogs left was dung for the earth Shall Iezabel escape or be fauoured because she is a Queene and faire without No she shall be more cruelly destroyed and deuoured of dogs because she was of cruell and dogged conditions towards the seruants of Gods Shall Achab escape the bitternes of death because he is a King Nay but as his sword hath made many womē childles in Israel so shal his mother be made childles he shall be hewne in peeces like an oxe in the shambles If Herod will so farre forget himselfe as to take vnto him the glory that is due to God euen Herod shal be destroyed of lice If Nebuchadnezzar wil take no warning of his pride but heare the judgements of God against him as a dreame surely Nebuchadnezzar that great and proud King shall be turned forth amongst the beasts But we be Christians and baptized will some say All is one for that neither circumcision auaileth any thing nor vncircumcision but a new creature But at Easter we will be holy and receiue the Sacrament and then we hope that God will not destroy vs. Yes the sooner for that if thou be a wicked man For this cause saith Paul are many afflicted and many are dead because they haue receiued the Lords supper vnworthily Will you steale and rob and lie and whore and deceiue and swearefalsly saith the Lord by Ieremey and then come into my house where my name is called vpon If the Lord doth detest the companie of wicked men in his house much more then at his table But wil God destroy the work of his hands wil he destroy man whom he made after his owne image Yea verily because man through his wickednesse hath defaced that glorious image of righteousnesse and true holinesse he shall be defaced and destroyed himself God made man righteous saith Salomon but man hath found out many inuentions Thus we see that there is a time of wickednesse and a time of vengeance and when the measure of the wicked is filled vp then shal they be emptied and filled with wrath because they are vessels of wrath Then shall be fulfilled the saying of the wise man in the tenth of Prou. verse 7. The memoriall of the iust shall be blessed but the name of the wicked shall rot to shew that the wicked who like Hanun the Ammonite stunke in the nosthrils of Gods Israel while they liued shall be in name when they are dead like rotten carrion which lieth stinking in a ditch and euery one shall loath and abhorre the sent of him The light of the righteous saith Salomon in another place reioyceth but the candle of the wicked shall be put out that is when they haue wasted themselues out they shall leaue nothing behind them but a filthie name to offend the cares of such as feare God and to shame their posteritie and to annoy all men like a stinking snuffe of a candle burnt out in the socket which is so noisome that euery one shall crie fie vpon it tread it out But this reckening
vnto God his right as well as vnto men and therefore he was a religious ciuill honest man Some seeme to be religious without ciuilitie as the harlot whom Salomon describeth in the 7. of the Prou. who prateth of her peace offerings and paying her vowes while notwithstanding in her hushands absence like a dishonest filth freely violateth her mariage vowe made vnto him by prostituting her bodie vnto others and as Iezabel religiously proclaimeth a fast while most vnciuilly and with barbarous crueltie she depriueth innocent Naboth both of his life and liuing and as those do that deuide the spoiles of the Church among them deuouring as Salomon saith the sanctified things then enquire after the vowes that is make shew of religion But they that haue neither ciuilitie nor religion in them are like Esau who hated his brother Iacob because God blessed him and like Hanun the Ammonite who misused Dauids messengers which were sent of good will to see him and like Doeg the Edomite who laid handes vpon the Priestes of the Lord and slue them when euery bodie else refused to touch them And such commonly are the men of Belial and the men of vanitie Good honest men they are counted among such as themselues are but he is a good man indeed and greatly to be lamented when he is gone that vpholdeth Gods true religion and with Cornelius feareth God with all his houshold and giueth much almes to the poore and with Iob sheweth himselfe a iust man and one that worshippeth God aright becomming also as Iob did an eye to the blind a foote to the lame and a father to the fatherlesse Such doth God choose for good men and such must we choose to conuerse withall not such as spend their time in ridiculous sports and vain pastimes which vanish away like the wind and smoke without any profit to those that haue delighted in them For Dauid saith in the 26. Psalme I haue walked ô Lord in thy truth and presently addeth I haue not haunted with vaine persons neither keepe I companie with the dissemblers I haue hated the assembly of the euill and not companied with the wicked to shew that whosoeuer consorteth himselfe with vaine and euill companie cannot walke in the waies of the Lord and therefore let them that desire to walke in the waies of Gods truth take heede that they haunt not with vaine persons but hate the assemblies of the wicked as Dauid did And further here is to be obserued a difference betweene Adam and Ish both do signifie man but the first noteth the matter of which man was made that is red earth or as Tremelius hath translated it the dust of the earth which is the worst of all the earth and good for nothing Earth is good for something and clay is good for something and sand is good for something and marle is good for something and dung is good for something but dust is good for nothing except it be to put out ones eyes and of that was man made which is good for nothing The confideration whereof may greatly humble vs when we beginne to thinke well of our selues to waxe proud of Gods gifts and to despise our brethren But the man of Belial is so called to shew that such a one is the vilest mā that liueth yea viler then the earth and according to his name so is his nature for of a word that signifies the vilest earth is his name deriued accordingly all his studies cares and communications are earthly and prophane All which the Apostle noteth in one word when he saith they mind earthly things Phil. 3.19 A God they haue but it is their belly a glorie they haue but it is their shame enemies they are but it is to the crosse of Christ and an end they haue but it is damnation saith the Apostle Ish also is a man but it noteth a man of strength and signifieth strength of the Latines it is translated vir à virtute that is a man of manhood or strong of strength or vertuous of vertue because if manhood strength and vertue be not found in man where should they be looked for And Adam is translated homo de humo that is taken out of the ground because of all that God made nothing was made of the earth but man And in our English toung we say of one that is valiant vertuous and actiue that is a man indeed And the Philosopher could say by the light of nature non vestis sed virtus facit hominem Not vestures but vertues make a man which is quite mistaken in these daies and that saying wholly inuerted for most men hold and by their practise do vphold that non virtus sed vestis not vertue but brauery makes a man But why is Belial called Ish which is a word of strength vertue and perfection What vertue excellencie or perfection is in earthly vaine Belial Surely no goodnesse is in him and yet is he Ish he is vir a man indeede but a man whose strength is wholly applyed to vanitie He doth excell but it is in contriuing of mischiefe he is quicke witted but it is in disgracing of truth and her friends They are wise saith Ieremie but it is to do euill They are expert saith Esay but it is to drinke wine and strong drinke They can take no rest saith Salomon but it is onely till they haue made some to fall Such were they that watched all night to take Christ they were Ishim men indeed They ranne to fetch him vineger with gall to drinke which wold not go nor creep for a drop of cold water to haue done him good Such are all those lawlesse and dissolute persons that can beate their braines and breake their sleepe and go late to bed and rise early in the morning and trauell hard all day yea day and night by sea and by land farre and neare refusing no paines neither sparing for any cost nor fearing any colours but most audaciously put forth themselues to speake to practise what mischiefe they can against godlinesse and vertue against honest men and good causes and standing as stoutly in defence of vanity and wickednesse These haue a kind of felicitie and dexteritie in gracing of the bad and in disgracing of the good and do very often strongly preuaile in wicked enterprises And this must teach vs first not to be dismaied when iniquitie doth preuaile for the very names that are giuen to wicked men do shew no lesse but they shall preuaile for a time which is to verifie the Prophesie of our Sauiour Christ who foretold that before the end of the world wickednesse should preuaile and iniquitie get the vpper hand Secondly it doth admonish the children of God who are haters of wickednesse to be Ishim that is strong and wise and valiant for God and good causes as Ish-auen the vaine man is for the Diuell and wicked enterprises And this
is not mine but Gods counsel by the Apostle with whose words for this time I will end My brethren watch ye stand fast in the faith quit you like men and be strong THE III. SERMON PRO. 6.12 Walketh with a froward mouth c. WE haue heard of the names of Belial and how they do set foorth his nature Now it remaineth that we consider of his actions whereby he is also described aswell as by his names And first of those which set foorth his outward behauiour where the first member to be ripped vp is his mouth which for the qualitie is very euill for it is froward and for the quantitie is exceeding great for it is full of frowardnes as that which is accustomed to speak froward things He walketh with a froward mouth or as Tremelius translateth it ore peruerso with a wry mouth or a mouth drawne out of fashion The mouth is put here Metonymicè for that which proceedeth out of the mouth that is froward speeches and crooked constructions c. Walking is put Metaphorically for a custome and continuance in the said frowardnesse And albeit I deny not but that sometime the man of Belial may stumble vpon a good word or yeeld a good reason or vtter a wise sentence or speake to one friendly or salute courteously or discourse learnedly or determine iudicially c. all which Belial can do when he is not prouoked to anger or when he is soothed or is in his good moode as they say yet for all this he is noted for one that walketh with a froward mouth because commonly and for the most part his words are peeuish and peruerse and ordinarily like Nabal he is who was so wicked that a man could not tell how to speake vnto him And therfore because of his vsual maner of frowardnes he is said to walk not with a wise mouth nor with a courteous mouth c. but with a froward mouth for denominatio fit â maiori partè the denomination of any thing say Logitians is taken from the greatest part as the Blackmore is called blacke though his teeth be white because all his bodie is blacke That a froward mouth is a note of a wicked man shall easily appeare if we consider two things First the right vse of his tongue or the end for which it was giuen Secondly the true difference betweene the wicked and the godly in the vse and abuse of the tongue Of the first he may be instructed in diuerse places of the Scripture but especially three One is in the old Testament the other two are in the new that in the old Testament is the 45. Psalme where in the beginning of the Psalme the Psalmist calleth his toung the pen of a readie writer But what is it that he will write that is what will he declare or set foorth He sheweth in the first verse in generall tearmes first that it shall be of a good matter to shew that the tongue was made to set foorth none but good matters but what matters doth he meane He saith that he will intreat or discourse of the King meaning Salomon his Maiestie his beautie his riches his power his wisedome his vertues his ornaments his honorable mariage with the Queen of Egypt and vnder all these he meaneth to shadow out the vnspeakeable Maiestie of Christ and the excellent dignities and prerogatiues of Christ his church For otherwise he might seeme onely to set his mind to commend men and to flatter Princes which is a thing condemned by Iob when he saith Shall not my maker confound me if I giue titles vnto men But frō this place of the Psalme we may learne that our toungs are giuen vs chiefly to set foorth the glorie of God and those things that may tend to the extolling of Christ and his kingdome and to the alluring of others vnto the loue of Christ. But why doth he compare the tongue vnto a pen Surely for three causes First because as the pen sheweth what the mind thought so the tongue should expresse the zeale of the heart Secondly as the penne doth his message without blushing so the tongue must speake nothing that a man may be ashamed of but should boldly iustifie the same And thirdly to shew that there must be that consent between the tongue the heart that is betweene the pen and the mind of the writer As the toung is compared to a pen so also to the pen of a swift writer and that for three causes First to shew that as swift writing is a signe of one that is well practised in writing so the toung should not be slow but swift and well practised in the praises of God Secondly to shew that it must dispatch much in a short time and not a little in a long time as the hand of a swift writer doth Thirdly to shew that the tongue must euer be renewed and corrected as the pen of a swift writer that writeth much must be stil renewed and corrected And so much for this place of the Psalme The vse of the toung may further be learned out of two other places in the new Testament whereof the first is of S. Paul and the other is of S. Iames that of Paul is in the 4. of his Epistle to the Ephesians 29.30.31 verses Let no corrupt communication saith he proceed out of your mouths but that which is good to the vse of edifying that it may minister grace vnto the hearers and grieue not the holy Spirit of God by which ye are sealed vnto the day of redemption Let all bitternesse and anger and wrath crying and euill speaking be put away from you with all maliciousnesse be ye courteous one to another To shew that our toungs are giuen vs as well for the building vp of others in goodnesse as the helping of our selues and therefore must be accustomed to words of grace and not vnto corrupt speeches For as the benefite of the one is great both to our selues and to others so is the hurt also as great of the other both to others and also to our selues To others corrupt speeches are very hurtfull for if only good speeches and words of grace serue for the vse of edifying others in grace and goodnesse as they do witnesse the Apostle in the forenamed place then corrupt speeches can serue to no other vse but to destroy and pull downe men from goodnesse and to infect them with euill Be not deceiued saith the Apostle in another place 1. Cor. 15. euill words corrupt good manners to shew that some thinke otherwise but they are deceiued There be two sorts of people that are deceiued with a wrong opinion as touching euill words First he that speaketh them next they that heare them and neither of both suspecting any hurt to grow thereby but vnto both the Apostle saith be not deceiued The wicked and prophane person