Because God hath prized us so highly we should not disesteem or sleight our selves but carefully passe the time of our dwelling here in fear 1 Pet. 1.17 18 19. 10. Q. Why to our neighbour A. Because God hath so dearly loved us 1 Joh. 4.10 Sect. 4. Of our receiving our Remedy 1. Q. HOw doe we receive the remedy which Christ hath wrought for us A. Onely by Faith Ioh. 1.12 Ioh. 3.16 Rom. 10.4 2. Q. But doth not faith work by love Gal. 5.6 A. Yes outwardly to the world and inwardly to our self in point of its own probation but not upwardly to God in point of our justification there Works are shut out Rom. 3.28 Eph. 2.9 3. Q. But though our Works have no hand in receiving our Justification yet do they not help to make us acceptable to God A. No more then the wiping with a filthy ragge would cleanse our faces Is 64.6 4. Q. But is there no worth or virtue in our Faith for which it receiveth our justification A. No for we are said to be justified or saved by Faith Rom. 3.28 and through Faith Eph. 2.8 but never for Faith for the price is onely Christs satisfaction Act. 4.12 Is 53.5 And to say we are justified by Faith is but a Figurative speech for Faith doth justifie us no otherwise then our hand doth feed us and that is but as a receiving and an applying instrument 5. Q. And doe you by your particular faith receive your own justification to your self A. Yes or else my faith were no better then the Devils I am 2.19 6 Q. But is it not enough at least for the ignorant to beleeve as the Church believeth in implicite Faith A. No for the just shall live by his faith Heb. 2.4 And in the Creed we are taught and required every one to professe and confess the particulars of our faith 7. Q. And have you any assurance in your particular Faith A. Yes though in much weaknesse Mark 9.24 and reluctation of the flesh Gal. 5.17 For Faith is the ground of things hoped for Heb. 11.1 8. Q. How can you have particular assurance having no particular warrant or promise to you by name A. Because the Covenant of Grace was made indefinitely to all beleevers every beleever may and must take and apply the same unto himself in particular as Iob 19.25 Iob. 20.28 Gal. 2.20 9. Q. What followeth or may be gathered out of this doctrine of our justification by Faith onely A. Humiliation and Confirmation 10. Q. How or why Humiliation A. Because in our justification we are meer and bare receivers and have nothing to boast of 1 Cor. 4.7 Luke 17.10 11. Q. How or why Confirmation A. Because we build not on the sand of our own merits but on the foundation of Gods knowledge 2 Tim. 2.19 Gal. 4.9 and on the rock of Christs perfection 1 Pet. 2.6 7 8. Sect. 5. Of the proof of our Faith 1. Q. WHat need is there of proving our faith A. None in respect of God for he knoweth what is in man Ioh. 2.25 and worketh whatsoever is good in man Iam. 1.17 but in respect of the Church and of our selves 2. Q. What is the proof of our faith outwardly to the Church A. It s good fruits Gal. 5.6 2 Cor. 5.17 Iam. 2 18. 3. Q. How necessary is that good fruit Obedience to true faith A. As necessary as the soul is to the life of the body I am 2.26 4. Q. What reason can you shew for this A. Because love is of the nature of fire 5. Q. And what do you infer from that A. That the fire of Gods love wheresoever it is received by faith will inflame Ps 39.3 and purifie Act. 15.9 6. Q. What inward proof is there to our self and our own conscience A. The testimony of Gods Spirit Ioh. 4.13 Rom. 8.16 7. Q. How is that wrought known or found A. Descendendo by showring down comforts Ps 72.6 and ascendendo by exhaling Graces Gal. 5.22 for so Iacobs dream Gen. 28.12 is fulfilled in Christ Ioh. 1.51 8. Q. What followeth for instruction of our practise out of this doctrine of the necessity of good works A. That we must take heed of denying God our selves Tit. 1.16 and of setting others awork to blaspheme him Rom. 2.23 24. 2 Sam. 12.14 Sect. 6. Of the helps of our Faith 1. Q. WHat speciall help have you of or to your faith A. The Sacraments for therein Christ is offered to us both by word and action 2 Q. How long have Sacraments been in use A. From the beginning 3. Q. What Sacraments had Adam A. The tree of Life pawning life to his obedience and the tree of knowledge of good and evil pawning death to his disobedience Gen. 2.9 4. Q. Had these any relation to Christ and the covenant of Grace A. No for there was yet no need because no sin 5. Q. When began the Sacraments of Grace A. Circumcision began by Abraham Gen. 17.9 and the Passeover by Moses Ex. 12.3 6. Q. Why are these ended and taken away A. Partly because Christ was the end of the Law Rom. 10.4 and the body of those shaddows Col. 2.17 and partly because God fitteth his Church according to its age and quality with spirituall as the Nurse doth her child and the Physician his patient with corporall food and Physick 7. Q. How many Sacraments hath Christ ordained in his Church A. Two onely as generally necessary to salvation that is to say Baptism and the Supper of the Lord. 8. Q What say you then to those 5 which the Church of Rome will have also to be Sacraments Confirmation Pennance Extreme Unction Orders Matrimony A. That they be not Sacraments First because Christ did neither partake nor ordain them Secondly because they be not all alike common to all for Orders can belong but to one profession Thirdly because they crosse and oppose one another as Orders and Matrimony which cannot agree together as they suppose 9. Q. What meanest thou by this word Sacrament A. I mean an outward visible sign of an inward and spiritual Grace given unto us ordained by Christ himself as a means whereby we receive the same and as a pledge to assure us thereof 10. Q. What do you shew or touch in this answer A. The nature of a Sacrament that it is an outward sign of an inward grace The Author that it is from Christ The Effect that it doth conveigh and assure the Grace which it signifieth 11. Q. Doth then the outward sign alwaies give and confirm the grace which it signifieth A. Not properly of it self and by the very action but instrumentally where it pleaseth God to make it effectuall for Simon Magus was in the gall of bitternesse after Baptism Act. 8.13.23 Whether Judas did communicate is controverted and Iudas after the Lords Supper if he received it was a lost child of perdition Joh. 17.12 12. Q. Why then doth your common Catechism say that in Baptism you
giveth her no other Mat. 1.18 Luk. 1.27 12. Q. Doe we then owe her no more honour then so A. Yes we are bound to honour her in praising God for her in reverent estimation and memory of her and imitation of her Virtues and Graces but without any trusting in her or worshipping of her 13. Q. VVhat learn you for practise out of this aforesaid of the third article A. That seeing God hath so honoured my nature as to unite it himself I must take heed of dishonouring it in my self or in others Secondly that I must doe good for evill because to redeem man that would be God God became Man Sect. 13. Of the fourth Article 1. Q. WHat is the fourth Article A. Suffered under Ponce Pilate was crucified dead and buried And some doe adde to this as part of Christs Humiliation He descended into Hell Others do refer it as part of his Exaltation to the fifth Article 2. Q. How could Christ suffer being God A. He was also man and suffered in his humane nature and so are those places to be understood Act. 20.28 Act. 3.15 1 Cor. 2.8 3. Q. VVho was Pontius Pilate A. The Roman Emperours Deputy Governour Luk. 3.1 4. Q. VVhat doe you gather from that A. That the Scepter being then departed from Judah Christ was the promised Messiah Gen. 49.10 5. Q. VVhat manner of suffering was Christs A. Besides many other he was Crucified 6. Q. VVhat was that A. He was nayled in his hands and feet to a wooden Crosse 7. Q. VVhy did he die this kind of death A. Partly to fulfill the foregone Signs and Figures of him viz. the Heave-offering Exod. 29.28 and the Brasen serpent Joh. 3.14 and partly to undergoe the curse of the Law for us Gal. 3 13. 8. Q. VVas Christs buriall part of his suffering A. Not properly but being part of his Humiliation it is an appurtenance of his suffering 9. Q. VVhat needed his buriall seeing death could not hold him long A. Besides the charitable respect both of dead and living alwaies had of all in use of burying it helped to prove and confirm the truth both of his death and resurrection 10. Q. VVhat is Christs death and buriall to us seeing we dye nevertheless A. It hath taken away the proper nature of death that is cursednesse Hos 13.14 2 Tim. 1.10 and hath turned it into a blessing and the grave into a bed oâ— rest Rev. 14.13 11. How is this interpreted He descended into hell A. Some take it for the locall descension of Christ soul and some for the hellish paines he suffered in thâ— Garden and upon the Crosse 12. Q. VVhat is out of question and of all sides confessed in and concerning this A. That Christ did suffer nothing after his death for at his death he said It is finished Joh. 19.30 and he fulfilled whatsoever was necessary to redeem us 1 Joh. 2.2 Heb. 1.3 11. Q. What doe you gather for practise out of all aforesaid of the fourth Article A. 1. That I must be ready to suffer for Christ whatsoever extremity and under whatsoever authority seeing he so suffered for us Rom. 8.17 Secondly that I must not fear death nor the grave seeing Christ hath taken away the curse and shame thereof Ps 4.8 Thirdly that I must imitate Christs death spiritually Rom. 6.4 1 Cor. 15.31 Sect. 14. Of the fifth Article or next following 1. Q. WHat is the fifth Article or the next following A. The third day he rose again from the dead 2. Q. How could Christ properly be said to rise being dead A. Because it was by his own power being God as well as man 3. Q. What proof is there of his bodies rising A. Besides his many appearances the Jews did prove it by their own lye Mat 28.13 4. Q. What especiall proofs did he himself shew A. His palpablenesse his wounds and his eating Luk. 24.39 c. 5. Q. Was his body then still a natural body A. Yes in respect of substance though spiritual in â—espect of accidents and qualities 1 Cor. 15.44 6. Q. And were his wounds still to be reserved A. Some think so that they shall be for convictioâ— of the wicked at the last day Rev. 1.7 Others think they were but for present purpose to confirm the Disciples as no doubt his eating only was 7. Q. Why did not Christ rise till the third day A. To confirm the truth of his death Mat. 18.16 and to fulfill the Figure foreshewed in Jonah Mat. 12.40 8. Q. What use is now made of Christs rising day A. It is ordained to be our Sabbath as appears both by the use of it Act. 20.7 1 Cor. 16.1 2. and by the name of it Rev. 1.10 For it is plain that Christ rose the first day of the Jews week Mat. 28.1 2. 9. Q. What benefit have we by Christs Resurrection A. We have the first Resurrection taught us and the second warranted us 10. Q. What mean you by the first Resurrection A. The rising of the soul from sin Rev. 20.6 Col. 3.1 11. Q. How is this taught us A. We are baptised into Christ therefore into the similitude of his death and resurrection Rom. 6.3 4. 12. Q. What mean you by the second Resurrection A. The rising again of our bodies from the Grave 13. Q. How is this warranted to us A. Because Christ being our Head and we his Members we are sure to partake of all his benefits and therefore to follow him in the resurrection 1 Cor. 15.12 14. Q. What learn you for practise out of this aforesaid of the fift article A. To feed spiritually and not carnally in the Sacrament because Christs body being still substantial cannot be in many places at once therefore not really in the Sacrament Secondly to use the Sabbath to the honour of the Son of righteousness Mal. 4.2 Thirdly to dye unto sin that I may rise unto righteousnesse Sect. 15. Of the sixth Article or next following 1. Q. WHat is the sixth article or the next following A. He ascended into heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty 2. Q. What mean you by this He ascended into Heaven A. That in his humane nature soul and body he left the earth and went up into that third heaven or Paradise 2 Cor. 12.2 3. Q. How then is that fulfilled Lo I am with you alway unto the end of the world Mat. 28.20 A. He is alwaies present to his by his power providence protection and continuall work of his Spirit 4. Q. When did Christ ascend A. Forty dayes after his resurrection Act. 1.3 5. Q. Why no sooner A. Partly for more proof of his resurrection partly to provide for the setling of his Church in things pertaining to the order and government thereof Act. 1.3 6. Q. How did he ascend A. No doubt in glory and triumph 7. Q. How may that appear A. Partly as it is probable in the attendance of the raised bodies Mat. 27.52 but especially
home to him Againe as in regard of their objects so likewise of their subject or matter they were each one to be divided in himself Their matter how I doe not meane materia prima as I may call it their first matter the ground and foundation of their work for in that every one must be semper idem no changling For there is one Faith one Baptism Ephes 4.5 Other foundation can no man lay then that which is layd which is Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 3.11 Jesus Christ yesterday and to day and the same for ever Heb. 13.8 But I meane their matters of discourse and treatise their severall buildings upon this foundation In that diversity is required according to differences of times and places companies and occasions Namely to comfort and to threaten to speake learnedly and plainly properly and fitly as their audience shall require The Apostle bids Timothy Reprove rebuke exhort 2 Tim. 4.2 These be divers workes And he prescribeth milk for babes and strong meat for the strong Hebr. 5.13 These bee divers meates And hee knowes how both to abound and to be abased Phil. 4.12 these be divers measures And to be made all things to all men that by all means he may save some 1 Cor. 9.22 these be divers manners Ye see then we are not still to be tyed to one strain but to divide our tongues and to use our liberty in the spirit of discretion to all purposes And the learned may not despise our plainnesse for the ignorants sake nor the ignorant begrudge our learning for the learneds sake but bear one anothers burthen for Christs sake And not marvaile if sometimes ye hear the Law as well as the Gospell for the Holy Ghost came in cloven tongues intending thus to cleave and divide the Apostles tongues to severall purposes So much of their division But no doubt the most proper and direct purpose of those cloven tongues was to signifie the gift of divers tongues now to be bestowed upon the Apostles that they should bee endued with divers tongues enabled to speak divers languages which presently appeared to bee fulfilled And this as before I noted for my last point implyeth Union Namely the gathering of all Nations unto Christ that there might bee one field and one husbandman one flock and one shepheard For to that end the Gospel must be preached through the whole world And for the speeding thereof the Apostles are instantly furnished if not with all yet with the most languages What then look how the Nations were at first divided by the same they were now to be gathered Gen. 11. By division of tongues they were scattered and made divers people By division of tongues they are to bee gathered and made one people and to speake one language the language of Canaan the profession of the Gospell What then Note that God worketh by contraries and hee worketh upon contraries 1. Hee worketh by contraries that he may unite hee divideth that hee may gather hee scattereth that hee may exalt he bringeth low as in Joseph that hee may bring low hee exalteth as in Haman He giveth prosperity to some to befool them Thou fool this night will they take away thy soul from thee Luk. 12.20 And he taketh away riches from some to make them wise It is good for mee that I have been in trouble that I may learn thy statutes Psal 119.71 Yea he chooseth the foolish things of this world to confound the wise 1 Cor. 1. Yea he maketh the means of salvation to be to some the means of condemnation even the savour of death unto death 2 Cor. 2.16 And onely to serve to make them to know that there hath been a Prophet amongst them Ezek. 2.5 Beware then that yee measure not Gods works by outward appearance For no man knoweth either love or hatred of all that is before him Eccles 9.1 Presume not in prosperity despaire not in adversitie but pray for the right use and end of both that whether it be rod or staffe it may comfort thee And bee not content with outward things no not with outward hearing but take heed how ye hear lest ye make your condemnation the greater For God worketh by contraryes even gathering by division Lastly God worketh upon contraries to turn evill into contrary evill And again to turn evill into good 1. He turneth evill into contrary evill sinne into punishment A wicked union was turned into a cursed division the greatest conspiracie into the greatest confusion Namely the builders of Babel by division of tongues were scattered upon the face of the whole earth That Simeon and Levi all brethren in evill may knovv what the portion of evill union is namely division and separation I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel Genesis 49.7 Yea that all rebellious practisers against God may know that there is neither wisdome nor understanding nor counsell against the Lord Prov. 21.30 But the last is the best of all to wit that hee draweth good out of evill and turneth cursing into blessing What evill was there ever so great wherein Gods goodnesse hath not appeared The very sinne of Adam what abundance of goodnesse hath it drawn from God The malice of Joseph's brethren what a deale of good did God worke by it to him and them and to their families The crueltie of the Jews to Christ did not God turne it to the accomplishment of mans salvation That cursed confusion of Tongues at the building of Babel is it not now recompenced with a blessed division of Tongues whereby to make a spirituall building of living stones an holy temple unto the Lord our God What then Let us not contend with GOD for his suffering or for his punishing of evill in us but let us glorifie him for that he hath made every thing beautifull in its time Eccles 3.15 Yea that his mercie rejoiceth over his justice He will not alway be chiding neither keepeth hebis anger for ever Yea that as all natnrall motions are strongest at last so likewise his goodnesse increaseth with continuance like the Moon till it come to the full Old curses are turned into new blessings Behold all things are become new The Old Testament endeth with cursing Malach. 4.6 but the New with blessing Revelat. 22.21 God hath fully revealed himselfe in grace and shall shortly in glory In that therefore let us settle with glory to him and joy to ourselves even in that Amen of the Gospell which giveth grace and promiseth glory Even so Amen come Lord JESUS Finis Serm. sive tract 6. Trino-uni gloria Per me Gulielmum Gaium A SERMON against HYPOCRISIE Text. Luk. 12.1 Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees which is hypocrisie OF Truth and Righteousnesse God is the onely Author but deceit and falshood spring from the corrupted heart of man Onely loe this have I found saith Solomō Eccl. 7 that God made man righteous but they have sought out many inventions God made man
from you Jam. 4.7 And with God to get a blessing from him I will not let thee go except thou blesse me Gen. 32.26 Precisenesse is a common reproach to vilifie men but let us answer it with Davids resolution I will be more vile then so 2 Sam. 6.22 even for Saint Peters conclusions sake What manner of persons ought yee to be in holy conversation and godlinesse 2 Pet. 3.11 And so much of the former general part of the text the warning it selfe Beware ye or take heed to your selves Now for the latter part that is the thing forewarned or spoken of against The leaven of the Pharisees which is Hypocrisie This is here doubly set forth 1. Figuratively by a similitude The leaven of the Pharisees then literally by its owne proper name which is Hypocrisie The later is fit first to be considered First what it is and then what it is like First what it is Hypocrisie Saint Augustine doth thus describe it de temp ser 59. Hypocrita Graeco sermone simulator interpretator qui cum intus malus sit bonum se palam ostendit An Hypocrite is nothing else but a dissembler who would seem to be what hee is not If I should go about to describe unto you this evill to the full and to set out all the parts of it I should not onely exceed my hour but go beyond my self and undertake what I could not perform It is so copious and various that it hath more colours then the rainbow what pensill can paint it more shapes then Proteus what knot can hold it I may compare it for fruitfullnesse not to Danaus who had fifty Daughters a breeding brood but to that many headed monster which could supply the losse of every head with sudden issue of many in the room of it But that I may containe my selfe within my times limit and mine own measure let me bring all the particulars of it into 2. summes Simulation and Dissimulation faming of good and hiding of evill These be two in name but one in practise like Janus they have two faces but one body To us they are distinguished but in themselves never divided For on the one side good can not be pretended falsely shewed but it argueth defect of what should be and that is dissimulation And on the other side evill can not be covered but by pretence and shew of good and that is simulation Every false shew of good is a hiding of evill and every hiding of evill is a false shew of good So yee see what necessary relation and dependance there is between them Mutuo se ponunt auferunt the one cannot be without the other Though therefore many have taken worthy and profitable paines in handling them severally yet let my present paines for your profit be to speak of them jointly And as it is said of those whom God hath united Let no man put them asunder so let me say of these which Satan hath united for this time let them go together Briefly then the summe of all here is that Christ here forbiddeth his Disciples all falshood and therein sheweth that sincerity is the practise of a Christian yea the perfection of a Christian For he strikes not at a branch but at the root of sinne hee speakes not here against against any single or severall evill but against that which is Lernamalorum the sum of all evill that which truly turneth good into evill and falsely maketh good of evill So that in avoiding hereof a man may seem to have attained his perfection For it is indeed onely Christs perfection to be free both from sinne and guile who did no sin neither was there guile found in his mouth 1 Pet. 2.22 But it is a Christians perfection to be free onely from guile Behold an Israelite indeed in whom there is no guile Joh. 1.47 And therfore it is that David is said to be a man after Gods own heart and that Noah Job Lot Zacharie and Elisabeth are said to be perfect just righteous or the like not because they were no sinners but because they were no dissemblers For what doth God require Loe saith David thou requirest truth in the inward parts Ps 51.6 This is Gods portion My Son give me thy heart Pro. 23.26 For if there be truth within there may be failing and falling but not falsifying without O then how strongly should we strive hereunto and how fearfull should wee be to fall into the contrary For seeing on the one side by obtaining we reach the height of our perfection it must needs follow that by failing on the other side we fall into the depth of imperfection For as sincerity is to God most acceptable so hypocrisie is to him most abhominable Witnesse the earnest passion which Christ expresseth in inveighing against this evill more then any other as in many places so especially Mat. 23. denouncing eight woes immediately one after another upon it and not so content concludeth yet more bitterly Yee serpeats yee generation of vipers how should yee escape the damnation of Hell Serpents and Vipers why are there no other creatures that may resemble the hypocrite but these Yes many The swan is alwaies washing her feet yet never makes them white And though she be white in feather yet her flesh is black to the eye bitter to the tast and heavy to the stomack so the hypocrite is alwais waving in the water of fair profession and yet his laies are never the cleaner ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth And though his appearances be white yet are his performances black to the eye if yee look upon them bitter to the tongue if yee speak of them and cloying to the conscience if ye follow them The fox is a subtile creature and so running to hide himselfe that he will not be found without labour and when he is found he yeilds nothing but a stinking savour except it be his case which indeed is better then his body neither is there any use to be made of him but onely to take his stink which is accounted medicinable for the shaking grief And such is the hypocrite cunning to hide hard to be discovered And if you find him he yeelds you nothing but noysomnesse except his case his covering his profession that 's all he is worth Neither is there any use to be made of him but onely to take his stink that is to hate and abhor him For that is medicinable to stay the shaking of faith hope and love Of love 1. Joh. 3.18 Let us not love in word nor in tongue but in deed and verity truth maketh love strong Of hope Iob 8.13 The hypocrites hope shall perish therefore the sincere mans hope shall stand truth makes hope strong Of faith Eph. 6.14 First gird your loines with verity and then take the shield of Faith Truth makes faith tstrong The Crocodile faineth weeping when he intendeth murthering So the hypocrit maketh long prayers to
devour widowes houses Mat. 23. Ishmael entertained those with tears whom by and by he put to the sword Ier. 41.6 The Basilisk kills if he first espy not if hee be first seen so the hypocrit doth mischief whiles he is undiscryed but not if he be first discovered The Camelion that changeth his colour The Silk-worm that changeth his shapes Many other creatures might fitly resemble and rightly expresse the hypocrite But Christ insisteth upon none but only the Serpent and the Viper Astutia eorum non est bono sed in malo Chrys oper imperf in Mat. 23. sed in malo the the wittiest in evill doth best set forth the wickedest in evill The Viper the most monstrous of all creatures both in their ingendring which is at the mouth in which act the female suffocateth or strangleth the male And in their procreating for the young ones eat their way thorough their damms belly and so come to life by the death both of their begetter and breeder Their teeth are hidden in their gumms and yet the least touch of their biting is present death as may appear by that Act. 28.6 when the Barbarians saw the Viper on Paul's hand they looked for his sudden falling down dead which because they could not see they said he was a God Behold then what emblems our Saviour useth to set forth the hypocrit even the most hatefull things to set forth the hatefullnesse of the evill Wherefore let it be as hatefull to us as it was to him or at least so hateful that he may not hate us for not hating it The Israelites were forbidden to wear Linsey-Woollsey garments made of linnen and woollen there is no doubt a mystery in it The linnen is of the earth which may signifie uncleannesse the woollen is of the sheep which is an emblem of innocencie Greg. Mor. 8. Per lanam simplicitas per linum subtilitas designatur the wooll figureth simplicity the linnen subtlety And again the wooll is a covering and hiding to the linnen that it can hardly be seen All is for our instruction that our conversation should be one and the same in substance and in appearance No covering of sinfullnesse with holinesse No dsfiguring the face that we may appear holy For disfiguring the face is worse then painting the face for this is but the mocking of nature and that but in seeking to mend it but the other is the mocking of grace and that in seeking to marre it Chrys in Mat. Ho. 45. Si bonum est esse bonum ut quid non vis esse quod vis apparere Si vero malum est esse malum ut quid vis esse quod non vis apparere Nam quod turpe est apparere turpius est esse quod autem formosum est apparere formosius est esse ergo aut esto quod appares aut appare quodes If it be good to be good why wilt thou not be what thou wilt appear to be But if it be evill to be evill why wilt thou be that thou wilt not appear to be For that which is foul in seeming is fouler in being And that which is fair in seeming is fairer in being Therfore either be thou what thou appearest or appear that thou art So doth Saint Chrysostome upbraid the hypocrits of his time But we have another evill in our time as much if not more to be cryed out upon which is another extream not in too much but in too little hiding Hyporcisis non est quae latere prae abundantia non valet prae impudentia non quaerit That is not hypocrisie which cannot be hid hy reason of abundance and will not be hid by reason of impudence saith Bernard Super Cant ser 33. Absolon put down his brother Amnons lust in punishing it but he more put it down in practising it For Amnon betrayed his sister secretly in his owne Chamber 2. Sam 13.6 but Absolon went in unto Fathers concubines openly in the sight of all Israel 2. Sam 16.22 Such is the outrage and madness of many that what they condemn in others hiding it the same they boast in themselves shewing it So that as Stella saith in Lu. 12.1 Opus est ut ad hypocrisin invitemus we have need now adaies to invite men to hypocrisie and to perswade them to hide their sinnes For the hypocrit though he doth allwaies hurt himself yet sometimes he doth good to others by shew of good giving good occasions and provocations But by open impudent and boasted evil no good but much hurt is ever done Yea he that is come to that degree to boast himself in sin he hath no other degree nor farther step to tread forwards but into hell And so much of this sinne in generall as it is here litterally set forth in its proper name Hypocrisie Now for the figurative description of it The leaven of the Pharisees Leaven is diversly taken and used in the Scriptures sometimes on the bad part sometimes on the good Mat. 16.6 It is put for false doctrine Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees The Disciples after Christs reproof of their mistaking him do at last understand him by leaven to mean the Doctrine of the Pharisees ver 12. But Mat. 13.33 It is put for true doctrine the doctrine of the Gospell The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till all was leavened And here in my text it is put for Hypocrisie which concernes rather the evill of practise then of Doctrine And so 1 Cor. 5.8 The leaven of maliciousness and wickednesse Now there is one reason may stand for all Namely that as leaven though it be but a little diffuseth and imparteth it self into a great quantity and ceaseth not its secret working untill it hath filled all the heap about it with its own nature so a little falshood whether in life or in doctrine and likewise a little sincerity growes and steales as it were by degrees into a great quantity and ceaseth not to work whiles it hath any thing to work upon A little leavea leaveneth the whole lump 1 Cor. 5.6 that for evill A woman hideth leaven in three measures of meal till all be leavened Mat. 13.33 that 's for good From whence we may learn not to despise small beginnings whether in good or evill Not in good for the greatest fires begin of small sparkes Behold how great a matter a litle fire kindleth Jam. 3.5 When therefore the hammer of the word striking thy stone heart shall fetch some sparkes out of it neglect them not but cherish them that they may grow unto a melting heat that thou maist be mollified unto a refining heat that thou maist be purified unto an exhaling heat that thou maist be elevated unto a sacrificing heat that thou maist be accepted Noe nor let the means be neglected though perhaps it be but mean and small No matter with what cattell the field be plowed
whether with the Oxe or the Asse the clean or unclean beast so that the ground and the seed be good God taught Balaam by an Asse before he taught him by an Angell Num. 22. And the sowing upon or beside all waters that is in all lowly grounds is blessed whether the feet of the Oxe or of the Asse be driven Is 32.20 And as not in good so neither in evill should small beginnings be neglected or passe unregarded For the serpents body is so shaped that it will all easily slip after his head Give him but his inch and he will quickly have his whole ell Ahab first looked then liked then lusted then sickned for Naboths Vineyard David not checking his first view proceeded to affecting effecting accumulating lust with murther Saint Peter first following a far off and shrinking grew to denying cursing forswearing The vastest grants Giants are at the first small embryoes the foulest sinns even the Children of Babylon begin in weak imaginations Blessed therefore shall he be that taketh all those children Ps 137. even in their first conception and dasheth them against the stones But some in stead of dashing them do defend them For they will not have lust to be sinne untill it be ripe and ready to fall But Christ saith Out of the heart proceed evill thoughts murthers adulteries Mat. 15.19 And Gen. 6.5 The imaginations of the thoughts of the heart are said to be evill And what is evill to or with God but sinne All his workes are good and hee makes all but sinne therefore that which is evill with him must needs be sinne Sinne is sinne as well in the first conceit as in the last consent The Cocatrice is venemous in the egge as well as in the bird Take heed therefore of hatching it the egge is laid low thou maist crush it with thy foot but the bird will mount up over thy head and above the reach of thy reformation The spiders first thred is a very slender one yet being drawn it holds the frame of all her work And our first motions are commonly weak and slender but being once firmly fastned they quickly grow to a whole web of mischief let it be therefore their and not ours which is objected Is 59.5 They hatch Cockatrice egges and weave the web of spiders But besides the swelling and spreading leaven hath also another propertie and that is sowring which indeed is most proper in this place where it is stronger to in the evill sense For of all evills none is stronger to sour good and to make it turn the stomack of almighty God If I may so speak then this one of Hypocrisie For to shew how he loatheth it it pleaseth God to threaten the punishment of it in such kind of loathsome phrase even that he will spue the hypocrit out of his mouth Rev. 3.16 For the hypocrit is fitly compared to a brazen vessell For brasse is apt to sowr the liquor which it holdeth And such is the hypocrite the Poets sincerum befits him best it is a word most proper to living vessells Sincerum est nisi vas quodcunque infundis acescit If the vessell be not sincere whatsoever you power into it it sowreth Whatsoever yes whatsoever For though I have prophecie and all knowledge and all faith to move Mountaines and all bounty to give all my goods to the poor and all patience to give my body to be burned And though I speak with the tongues of men and of Angells and have not love good affection truth in the inward parts I am but as sounding brasse that is but a sowring Vessell 1 Cor 13. But that I be not tedious let me leave the Genus of this metaphor in Leaven fall upon the Species or particular of it as it is here expressed namely in the Pharisees The leaven of the Pharisees It will not be much materiall to make question or discourse of the order calling condition or profession of these Pharisees It may suffice that Saint Augustine tells us they were Nobiliores doctiroes the nobler and the learneder sort of the Jewes which is confirmed Ioh. 5. where Nicodemus the Pharisee is called both ruler of the Jewes ver 1. and also A master or teacher of Israel ver 10. The most doe fetch their title from division or separation And that not onely Habitu they were severall and divided from others in their habits but Observantiis too they were singular in their performances which Saint Paul's speech implyeth Act. 26.5 where he calleth this profession the chiefest sect of their religion In a word the Jewes were Populorum separatissimi a the choicest of all people and the Pharisees were Iudaeorum separatissimi the choicest of all the Jewes Note therfore here the vanity of worldly state and dignity Not many mighty not many noble are called Note the insufficiencie of learning and knowledge Where is the wise where is the disputer of this world Note the debility of free will and naturall strength It is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth Note the deficiencie of all strictest outward observance He is not a Iew which is one outward But especially to the purpose note that the strongest wine makes the sharpest vinegar the sweetest things in smell and in tast are most loathsome and noisom in their putrifaction The tongue if it be good is the best member but if it be naught it is the worst Strength in a lion is most outragious Wisdome in a serpent is most mischievous knowledge in an hypocrit is most pernicious The Pharisees those precisest separatists were most abhominable hipocrites They were noble and so was their hypocrisie too even Nobilitata by by Christ himself fet forth to be most notorious And that especially in these 4. particulars To wit that their justice or righteousnesse was 1. verbalis 2. formalis 3. partialis 4. vanè gloriosa It was verball formall partiall and vainglorious Either they did but talke or if do it was but outwardly or if inwardly it was with foolish partiality and preposterous difference And in all it was with much pride and vain glory First their righteousnesse was Verball in word onely they were good speakers they could talke well but bad doers they did live ill Whatsoever they bid you observe that observe and doe but do not yee after their works for they say and do not Mat. 23.3 A very dangerous evill both waies both inwardly and outwardly both to themselves and to others Inwardly to themselves For he that speaketh well beareth witnesse against himself for doing ill that out of his own mouth shall the evill servant be judged without farther witnesse They give evidence against themselves and make up their own condemnation before God as the messenger of Saul's and of Ishbosheths death did before David 2 Sam. 1.16 4.10 Outwardly also to others it is dangerous for it makes men afraid of goodnesse For by speaking that which thou dost not do saith Saint Chrysostome
thought but a little before the beginning of this festival of the Nativity that we should have kept it in so sad colours as wee have done But God hath much fulfilled on us that threatning Am. 8.10 I will turn your feasts into mourning and your songs into lamentation I have there-fore now produced this text of mortification to conclude and close our festivall as suitable to our occasion that I may bring you to that Jam. 4.9 Be afflicted and mourn and weep let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy into heaviness Yet not in reference to her that is gone but to our selves according to that of our Saviour which we may apply as spoken by her weep not for me but weep for your selves And I also think it my duty though her funerall be already past to give her this funerall farewell yet not to ingage to her praises as in such services the manner is For that is simply needlesse and especially in this place where she was so well known so much honored I will give her no more praise then that which St. John gives to that Lady to whom he writes his second Epistle whom he calls the elect Lady So might our late honorable Lady also have been called for her life and death did plentifully confirm it And truly if that title were set upon her tombe it would be no scant or slight epitaph for the height of all honour is in being the elect of God But I may not insist in her praises yet though I may not praise her I may praise God for her And therein I pray you to joine with me Praise God both for giving her and for taking her For giving her to be a mother both natural spiritual A mother natural for she was given to two Honorable husbands in their turns for fulfilling of that blessing Ps 128.3 Thy wife shall be as the fruitful vine c. so that she hath seen two honorable houses set up and well filled by two sonnes of her own body and a third house of honor planted with two hopefull plants of her daughters body and hath left a possibility of a 4th house to be set up in Gods good time by her third and youngest son And I may say also that she was given to be a spirituall mother as well as a natural mother even a mother in Israel though not in that sense as some dames even madames in this our age make themselves by taking on them the ministeriall work of preaching yet in some degrees beyond that of winning of souls by conversation recommended to women by Saint Peter 1 Pet. 3.1 For not onely to her family but upon all occasions to all commers and visiters who were not a few she had alwaies in a readinesse words edifying and ministring grace unto the hearers being able by the light of Orthodox truth to dazle and quench false lights now too common as oft as she met with them And she might be called a spirituall mother in that she was a fosterer and cherisher of the spirituall fathers and ministers as many as had any relation to her or occasion to be known of her they were not a few yea shee did not onely foster and cherish them with her purse but also incourage by her presence in visiting the publike congregation at least once every sabbath day By which constancie of her it seems her heavenly master whom she served took occasion to take her off from her work to bring her to her wages For not forbearing on a cold foggy day shee was stricken with cold or some ill aire or both so strongly that she soon apprehended it to be her last summoner And accordingly it proved for in a few daies it brought her to her end And as for giving her so also for taking her God is to be praised For taking her in a good time not in that sense as is said of many he died in good time when all the world were willing to be rid of him but she died in that good time when all that knew her would have been glad to have enjoyed her In a good time even in a time of gohd old age she having lived to her 72 year In a good time when she knew her masters calling and was in a right readinesse to open come unto him not taken suddenly nor with any violent distempering disease In a good time even in a time of peace It was a blessing to Josiah that he should not live to see the evill of wrath and judgement upon his nation but should be gathered to his grave in peace before trouble began 2 Chron. 34.27 28. but this our good Lady hath had a greater blessing even to outlive troubles and to be preserved through times of wrath and to die in peace and to leave all hers in prosperous peace and safety But how shall we praise God for her truly not in word alone but in work and life also Awake up my glory saith David Ps 157.8 he sets his tongue a work but with condition that his whole selfe shall not be idle For so it followeth there I my self will awake right early True praising God is not a bare word matter but a life matter a whole selfe matter And truly we cannot better praise God for this our deceased Lady then in applying and conforming our whole self to her our whole life to hers our eyes to her eyes our mouth to her mouth our hands to her hands as the Prophet Elisha did his to the Shunamites son 1 Kin. 4.34 I mean in point of imitation Not for any intent to revive her as that prophets intent was to that dead son but to the intent of quickning our soules as the lot was of that dead man who was cast into the sepulcher of Elisha 2 Kin. 13.21 that so living the life of the righteous which it seems Balaam forgot for he made no mention of it Num. 23.10 We may also die the death of the righteous and our last end may be like hers And so much of the first genenerall part or branch of this text namely the basenesse or vilenesse of man In that out of the consideration of the Heavens the moon and the starres this question is raised What is man The second SERMON upon the same text Ps 8.4 concluded in the same place and presence Jan. 15. 1653. THE first chiefe part or point of this text being before spoken of I come now to the second which is mans unworthinesse which I gather here to be implyed in that the question what is man is made and moved in and with reference and comparison to Gods mindfulness What is man that thou art mindfull of him This point of mans unworthinsse to Godward may be discovered by a twofold consideration namely of his indisposition to good and his disposition or or proneness to evil each of which are such and so great that it may be said The best man cannot do one