as being both profitable and necessary forts profitable First because by them we may make sure our calling and our election as Peter teacheth they being so many testimonies vnto vs thereof True indeed it is that we were elected without respect of workes and we are called by grace not according to workes we are justified by faith without workes and by grace we are saued through faith and not by workes But if a man would know whether he be elected called justified and shall be saued as we are bound to giue diligence that we may haue a firme knowledge of these things we are not to pry into the secret counsell of God but we are to examine our selues by our fruits for both we and others are to be discerned by our fruits As our Sauiour saith by their fruits you shall know them do men gather grapes of thornes or â—igges of thistels a bad tree cannot bring forth good fruit By the fruits therefore of righteousnes we may euidently discerne our selues to be sanctified And none are sanctified but such as first are justified and whosoeuer are justified are effectually called and none are effectually called but such as are elected and none are elected but such as shall be saued To this purpose Iames sheweth that the faith whereby we are justified must be demonstrated by good workes And Iohn affirmeth that by the the loue of our brethren which is all one in effect with righteousnesse we know that we are translated from death vnto life Againe good workes are profitable because they haue the promises both of this life and of that which is to come They are also necessary not as the causes of our justification and saluation as though we were either justified by them or saued for them but as necessary fruits of faith and testimonies of our justification according whereunto the sentence of saluation shall be pronounced for although vnto the act of justification good workes do not concurre as any causes thereof yet in the subject that is the partie justified they concurre as fruits of our faith and consequents of our justification For as breathing is such a fruit or consequent of life as where that is we judge the body to liue where that is not we judge it to be dead so is the exercise of righteousnesse and performance of good workes such a consequent of faith as that where good workes are the faith is liuely where they are not at all the faith is dead They are necessary also in respect of saluation not as the causes thereof but partly as the way for we are his vvorkmanship created vnto good workes which he hath prepared for vs to walke in them and therefore they are fitly sayd to be Vni regum non causa regnandi The way to the kingdome not the cause of reigning and partly as the euidence according vnto which the Lord proceedeth in judgement to the sentence of saluation Come you blessed of my father sayth Christ the judge inherit you the kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the world For I was an hungrie and you gaue me meat I thirsted and you gaue me drinke c. It is most certaine that Christ our Sauiour by his obedience hath merited and purchased eternall life for all those that beleeue in him according to the maine promise of the Gospell that whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall be saued By that righteousnes and obedience of Christ apprehended by faith not by or for any righteousnes inherent in vs or obedience performed by vs are we made sonnes heires of God entituled vnto the kingdome of heauen acquitted from our sinnes and accepted vnto eternall life Notwithstanding seeing all that be in the Church professe themselues to beleeue whereof many deceiue either themselues with an opinion or others with a profession of faith therefore the Lord proceedeth vnto judgement according to the fruits either of faith or infidelity taking for granted that in those who are members of the true visible Church where good workes are there is faith and where are no good workes there is no faith And therefore it behoueth vs as we desire either to haue assurance of our saluation whiles we liue here or to heare the comfortable sentence of saluation pronounced to vs in the day of judgement so to be carefull to demonstrat our faith by good workes And hereby it appeareth against the malicious slaunder of the Papists that although we deny good workes to be meritorious of euerlasting life yet we do not teach men to cast off all care and well doing Now for the auoiding of errour Whereas the workes of righteousnesse are made a proper note of the sons and heires of God we are first to restraine this part of the Lords answer to that subject whereof Dauids question is propounded namely to those who liue in the true visible Church and professe the name and religion of God Of these because there be many hypocrites and vnsound professors among them Dauid desireth to be informed who are the true professors The Lord answereth He that worketh righteousnesse and so by his good workes doth demonstrat his faith There are many workes materially good to be found not onely among heretickes and idolatours as the Papists but also among Turkes and Pagans But we speake not of those that are without for they are not within the compasse either of Dauids question or Gods answer And secondly we are to know that all works in respect of the matter or the thing done seeme to be good workes are not straightwayes the workes of righteousnesse neither doth he which performeth them alwayes worke righteousnesse For it is not a good and a true worke of righteousnesse indeed vnlesse it proceed from the right fountaine vnlesse it be done in a right maner and to a right end As touching the fountaine it is a good rule of Gregory That the streames of righteousnes towards our brother must be deriued from the fountaine of pietie towards God For we loue not our brother aright vnlesse we loue him in and for the Lord and we cannot loue him in and for the Lord vnlesse we loue the Lord much more and we loue the Lord because we are by faith persuaded that he loueth vs first his loue being shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost and we cannot beleeue in God and Christ our Sauiour vnlesse we know God aright and vnderstand the mysterie of our saluation by Christ. If therefore we be ignorant persons we haue no faith if we be vnfaithfull persons we haue no true loue or feare of God nor any other sanctifying grace If we haue no true loue of God we haue no true loue of our brother For euen as the loue of God seuered from the loue of our neighbour is hypocrisie so is the loue of our neighbor seuered from the loue of God counterfeit The good workes therefore that are done either by an ignorant
euen the secrets of mens hearts are naked and open Hell and destruction are before the Lord how much more the hearts of the sonnes of men But as I said vprightnesse also is required in the life of him that prayeth To which purpose we haue a notable testimony of Dauid Psal. 66. If I regard wickednesse in mine hart sayth he the Lord will not heare me For the Lord heareth not hypocrites and such as turne away their eare from hearing that is obeying his law their prayer is abhominable Let vs now come to the ministerie of the word to the preaching and hearing whereof righteousnesse is necessarily required To the preaching of the word that we may be able to say with the Apostle that we are not as many which make merchandise of the word of God but as of sincerity but as of God in the sight of God we speake in Christ. And againe so we speake not as they that please men but God which trieth our hearts For if we should seeke to please men we were not the seruants of Christ. Now he doth behaue himselfe vprightly in the ministerie of the word who as the Apostle admonisheth Timothie doth studie and indeuour to shew himselfe approued vnto God a workeman that needeth not to be ashamed diuiding the word of truth aright Who hath the testimony of his owne conscience that he setting aside all sinister respects doth sincerely and from his hart seeke the glory of God in the saluation of the people and not himselfe or his owne either profit or praise Of which Integritie they come very short who seeking not to profit their hearers but to please them endeuour not to approoue themselues to God but to carnall men neither seeke the glory of God but their owne praise nor the saluation of the people but their own profit and preferment in the world But as in the minister that preacheth so also in the people that heareth the word of God Vprightnesse is required To which purpose before they come to the house of God they ought to looke to their feet that is their affections and to put off the shoes of their feet that is their corrupt affections and with sincere affections they are to desire the sincere milke of the word that they may grow thereby The purpose and desire of him who commeth to the hearing of Gods word must be to performe therein an holy and vpright worship vnto God and with all good conscience and sinceritie to vse the ministerie of the word as the power of God to our saluation c. But they that come to heare the word either for fashion sake because we haue such a custome as carnall professors vse to doe or because the lawes of men require it as those which among vs are popishly affected or because they would seeme to some that they are religious or at the least not irreligious as dissemblers doe or because they would see and be seene as many proud and vaine persons do or because they would take a nap as some secure and sâ—outhfull persons doe or because they would carpe and snatch at the preachers words as malitious persons doe or because they would heare and judge of the gifts of the preacher and so giue their censure of his sermon as diuerse glorious professours vse to doe or if they come with the same affection to a sermon as they goe to a stage-play that is to be delighted as those which haue itching eares vse to doe or if they come into the assembly as Cato was wont to come to the stage namely that in shew of his dislike he might goeout againe as some conceited and humorous persons vse to doe or to passe the time because they haue nothing else to doe as some that liue inordinatly either wholly neglecting their calling or hauing no honest calling to walke in all which are practised by hypocrits of diuerse sorts assuredly they are farre from that integritie which is required in those that come to heare Gods word When we are come to the ministerie of the word our dutie is to take heed how we heare as our Sauiour Christ admonisheth For our bodily presence wil not suffice vnlesse we behaue our selues vprightly in the hearing of the word Our first dutie therefore is when we are come into the assembly to set our selues in Gods presence that we may say with vpright Cornelius we are here present before God to heare all things that the minister hath in commission to deliuer vnto vs from God and when the minister speaketh we are to look higher than to him remembring that hee is an embassadour of God in Christs stead by whom the Lord speaketh vnto vs and therefore as hee which speaketh must speake as the Oracles of God so he which heareth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word preached must heare it not as the word of man but as it is indeed the word of God Our next dutie is to heare the word with an vpright desire to profit by it and an vnfained purpose to practise it In regard of the former we are diligently to attend to the word and as it were to hang on the preachers mouth as being loath to let any thing sâ—ip from vs but carefully to lay it vp in our hearts for our future vse and in a word so to heare as wee desire to be heard For want of this vprightnesse they offend who being present in body are absent in mind their eares going on pilgrimage their minds going a whoring after the vanities of this life and their heart as Ezekiel speaketh going after their couetousnesse but especially they offend who when they should listen to the word of God doe giue themselues ouer to sleepe In regard of the latter our dutie is to heare the word of God with an honest and good heart and therein to retaine it or as Salomon saith to keepe it in the mids of our heart that there it taking root may bring forth fruit with patience As for them who with Ezechiels auditours come to heare the word without any true purpose to performe it as they shew themselues to be hypocrits in deceiuing others so they play the sophisters in beguiling themselues The like may bee said of receiuing the Sacraments For what would it auaile vs if with Simon Magus wee bee baptized and beleeue with a generall faith For vnlesse our hearts be vpright within vs before God we may remaine as he did in the gall of bitternesse and bond of iniquitie Or what would it profit vs if after the example of Iudas Iscariot we be admitted to the Lords table and could so cunningly carry our selues as euery one of the Apostles should be more ready to suspect the mselues than vs for if our heart be not vpright within vs but that we giue the outward face and shew to God and set our hearts
the world following after pleasures riches honours if we conforme our selues to this present world and the examples therof if wee take thought for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof then are we souldiors indeed but in the diuels campe we fight but vnder Sathans banner against God against the spirit against our owne soules So farre are we either from sojourning in Gods Tabernacle for the preâ—â—nt or from hope of resting in the mountaine of his holinesse for the time to come Secondly whereas the holy ghost calleth the Church of Christ vpon earth a Tabernacle we may learne that neither the Church it selfe nor the members of it haue any firme or fixed seat of habitation on the earth for Tabernacles and Tents are made to that end that they may be remoued froÌ„ place to place Yea the Tabernacle of God was a moueable temple eftsoones changing his seat And as those Israelits were types vnto vs so was that Tabernacle a type of the militant Church For euen as that Tabernacle after it was once made wandered vp and downe in the desert and after sojourned for a while now here now there sometimes in Shilo sometimes among the Philistims somtimes in Keriathjarim c. and neuer found any setled place vntil it was transported into the mountaine of God so the Church of God wandreth many times as a pilgrim in the desert of this world forced oft times to change her seat tossed too and fro persecuted molested banished and neuer findeth any assured place of constant rest vntill it bee translated into the celestiall mountaine of Gods holinesse Thirdly whereas the Church is called the Tabernacle of God as elsewhere in the Scriptures the house and temple of God wherein God dwelleth and manifesteth his presence we may learn that the Lord dwelleth as it were in his Church and after a singular maner is present therein For to this end the Lord commaunded the Tabernacle to be made that he might dwell among them and againe whereas he promiseth by Moses To set his Tabernacle among them and walke among them The Apostle expoundeth his setting his Tabernacle to bee his dwelling among them You are saith he the temple of the liuing God As God hath said I will dwell among them and I wil walke there And to the same purpose elsewhere hee is said to be and to walke in the middest of his people to dwell in Sion and to walke in the middest of the seuen golden candlesticks that is of the seuen churches Now the consideration of Gods presence in his Church ought to make vs warie and circumspect that wee may so behaue our selues as in the presence of God who searcheth the hearts and reines of men For the Lord is not onely present to reward those which worship him in spirit and truth but also to punish and afflict those which feare not to sinne in his presence Wherefore the holy ghost as he chargeth the Israelits not to feare their enemies because God did walke with them and was among them a consuming fire to destroy their enemies so hee commaundeth them to abstaine from sinne because God was among them a consuming fire could not abide any filthinesse especially spirituall vncleannesse among them This therefore must teach vs to set God alwayes before our eyes and to behaue our selues as in his presence knowing that wee are more than shamelesse sinners if wee feare not to sinne in the sight and presence of God But although the Lord bee present euery where in his Church after a speciall manner yet more especially he is present in the assemblies of the Church and congregations of his people gathered together in the name of Christ as Christ himselfe hath promised Matt. 18. 20. Where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the middest of them Therefore in the old Testament those who were excluded from the assembly of the Church thought themselues banished from the face presence of God The consideration whereof as it must affect vs with an earnest desire and serious care of frequenting the Tabernacles of God to visit his face and to behold his presence so it must teach vs to behaue our selues in the assembly of Gods saints as in the presence of God Dauid when he was exiled or otherwise excluded from the assemblies of the Church he desired nothing more than that hee might haue libertie to come vnto the Tabernacle of God and to appear in the presence of God See Psal. 27. 4. One thing haue I desired of the Lord that I will require euen that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the daies of my life to behold the beautie of the Lord and to visit his temple And Psal. 42. As the Hart brayeth for the riuers of waters so panteth my soule after thee O God My soule thirsteth for God euen for the liuing God when shall I come and appeare before the presence of God c. Likewise Ps. 84. O Lord of hosts how amiable are thy Tabernacles my soule longeth yea fainteth that I might come to the Courts of the Lord my heart and my flesh crie out after the liuing God c. And when he had liberty to come to the Tabernacle he rejoyced in nothing more Psal. 122. Ireioyced when they said vnto me we will go into the house of the Lord. And again Psal. 84. he judgeth them blessed that dwell in the house of the Lord and preferreth one day spent in the Courts of the Lord before a thousand elswhere But as I said the presence of God must also moue vs to behaue our selues reuerently and religiousâ—y that before we come vnto the house of the Lord we look vnto our feet that is examine with what affections wee come and not onely so but also to put off the shoes of our feet that is our corrupt affections that we may bee readie to heare rather than to offer the sacrifice of fooles for the place of the assembly being sanctified by Gods presence is holy ground And that when we are entred into the assembly we may after the example of Cornelius behaue our selues as in the presence of God Those which come before an earthly prince either to speake vnto him or to heare him speake how carefull are they to behaue themselues in all comely reuerence how much more ought wee in all reuerence and feare appeare before the glorious majestie of the great God the King of kings and Lord of lords especially considering that the Lord doth not behold vs as man doth but looketh especially vnto the heart Our abode in the Church militant is signified in the word soiourne Hebr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Graec. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who shall soiourne Sojourning saith Basil is a temporarie abode signifying not a setled life but transitorie
charitie where none contendeth in fight but resteth in euerlasting peace Now heauen is called the mountaine of God for these causes First because it was figured by the mountaine of God euen as Christ is called our Passeouer Secondly because of the height thereof whereby it is eleuated farre aboue the earth For albeit in respect of vs who are now placed within the compasse of heauen and behold Comavam coeli superficiem as it were the inward roofe thereof it cannot so fitly be called a mountaine notwithstanding as it is the throne of God who sitteth on the globe of heauen as it were his throne and as it is the seat of the blessed spirits whose conuersation is in the highest heauen as it were in the top of an hill it is not vnfitly called the mountaine of God Vnto this mountaine if we should ascend but in thought as Scipio once did in his dreame and from thence should behold the earth we should easily contemne this inferiour world with the desires thereof For the whole globe of the earth together with the water which seemeth none so great vnto vs if we could see it from the highest heauens would appeare vnto vs like a mote in the sunne But if withall we felt the vnspeakable joyes of heauen and from thence should cast downe our eies vnto this valley of teares there to behold the vanities of vanities and nothing but vanitie in vexation of spirit as Salomon saith it cannot be expressed with how feruent a desire we should be inflamed to haue our habitation in heauen Peter when as hee was present in the transfiguration of Christ in the mount Thabor and had a tast of the heauenly glory he was straightway rauished therewith and desired greatly to remaine there Lord saith he it is good being here let vs make three Tabernacles c. Thirdly heauen is called a Mountaine because it is a safe place free from all hazard or possibilitie of danger where the blessed spirits dwell on high safe from all danger and feare of euill But heauen is not onely called the mountain of God but also the holy Mountaine or which is all one the Mountaine of his holinesse because it is sanctified by the presence of God For which cause Sion also and the mount Moriah are called the holy mountaine of God For where the Lord doth manifest his presence that is a holy place namely because of Gods presence sanctifying it But in the highest heauen the Lord doth principally manifest his presence and reueale his glory Wherefore if mount Thabor after the transfiguration of Christ there wrought and the presence and glory of God there manifested was for that cause called the holy mountaine how much more doth the highest heauen where Christ sitteth at the right hand of his father in majesty and glory deserue to be called the holy mountaine of God The Scriptures ascribe such holinesse to â—his mountaine of God as nothing may enter therein which is not holy Which must teach vs beloued to follow after holinesse without which we shall neuer see God Verely verely I say vnto you saith Christ our Sauiour except a man be borne of water and of the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdome of God Our abode in the mountaine of God is expressed in the word dwelling whereby two things are signified Perpetuitie Rest. Perpetuitie for there the children of God remaine not as pilgrims for a time but as citisens and heires for euer Whereupon the kingdome of heauen is also called an heauenly inheritance wherin are euerlasting habitations and an inheritance immortall and vndefiled that fadeth not away reserued in heauen for vs. I wil not stand to proue this point being the last article of our Creed coÌ„firmed by manifold testimonies of scripture which often mentioneth eternall life eternall saluation eternall kingdome let vs rather labor by all good meanes to make sure our calling and election to this eternall kingdome that the meditation therof may teach vs first to contemne in respect thereof the momentarie vanities of this present world accounting it more than madnesse if for the temporarie fruition of sinne wee shall depriue our selues of Gods presence where there is fulnesse of ioy and at whose right hand there are pleasures for euermore if for light and temporarie trifles we loose a superexcellent eternall weight of glorie in heauen Secondly with patience and comfort to run the race of afflictions set before vs looking vnto Iesus the author and finisher of our faith who for the ioy that was set before him endured the crosse and despised the shame and is set at the right hand of the throne of God For the and light afflictions of this life are not worthy the eternall weight of glorie that shall be reuealed which notwithstanding they procure vnto vs whiles we looke not on the things which are seene but on the things which are not seene For the things which are seene are temporall but the things which are not seene are eternall Againe the word dwelling importeth rest For there the children of God doe not wander as pilgrims neither are subject to any molestations but doe wholly rest from their labours And for that cause the kingdome of heauen is called the rest of God and as it were an eternall Sabboth In respect whereof the land of Canaan was a type of our heauenly countrey For as to the Israelits after they had for many yeares wandered as pilgrims through the desert the land of Canaan was the mountaine of their perpetuall habitation and rest euen so to vs after wee haue finished our pilgrimage through the desert of this world there remaineth an heauenly Canaan that Sabbatisme or rest of God which the Apostle testifieth is left to the people of God But as against those Israelites which after they were brought out of Aegypt and were in the way towards the land of promise by their infidelitie and contumacie prouoked God the Lord sware in his anger that they should neuer enter into his rest so shall it happen to so many of vs as professing our selues to bee redeemed out of the bondage of the spirituall Pharao shall notwithstanding neither truly beleeue in Christ nor repent of our sinnes but prouoke the Lord by our infidelitie and disobedience Wherefore as the holy ghost sayth To day if you shall heare his voice harden not your hearts as in the prouocation and as in the day of temptation in the wildernesse where your fathers tempted me c. to whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest Let vs studie therefore to enter into that rest least any of vs fall after the same ensample of disobedience And let vs take heed least at any time there be in vs an euill heart of infidelitie to depart from the liuing God For the
of Enoch Noah Abraham Isaacke and others that they walked before God it signifieth that they walked that is liued vprightly as in the presence and sight of God admitting him to be the witnesse and iudge of all their actions and dealings thus were Zachary and Elizabeth sayd to be righteous before God that is vpright persons And in this sence vpright actions are said in the Scriptures to be done before the Lord. In the song of Zacharie we are said to be redeemed from the hand of our spirituall enemies to this end that we sâ—ould worship the Lord in holinesse and righteousnesse before him that is not as in the sight of men who see but the outward shewes but as in the sight and presence of God who seeth and respecteth the heart Thus are we with the Apostle to speake as before God in Christ thus are we to preach as before God thus are we to heare as before God with Cornelius 2. Againe to be vpright is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to walke with a rightfoot neither couertly treading awry with Peter Gal. 2. nor openly halting with the Israelits 1. King 18. 3. It is also as I said to be void of hypocrisie and doubling not to haue an heart and an heart or to bee double minded but to be single hearted Thus those things which be vpright are said to bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnfained and to be performed not with an heart an heart or with a heart diuided or parted but with an entire or whole heart After this manner the holy ghost speaking of the Zebulonits 1. Chron. 12. 33. that they came to Dauid nor with an heart and an heart doth afterwards expound himselfe when speaking of all the Tribes hee saith they came to Dauid with an vpright heart On the other side hypocrits and dissemblers they speake as the Psalmist saith with an heart and an heart and are therfore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 double minded men 4. Lastly this vertue of Vprightnesse is commended vnto vs vnder other names viz. synceritie and truth Sinceritie being opposed to mixture and truth to falsehood both which hypocrisie is Sincere is that which is without mixture as clarified honey is sine cera without wax or as bread without leauen For which cause the vertue of sinceritie is commended vnto vs vnder the type of the vnleauened bread with which the feast of the Passeouer was to be celebrated As contrariwise hypocrisie is signified by leauen and is called the leauen of the Pharisies There were other types also of the law wherin the mixture of hypocrisie doubling was condemned and contrariwise sinceritie commaunded vnto vs. As for example when the Lord forbad the Israelits to plant their vineyards with diuerse sorts or to sow their fields with diuerse kinds of seed or to plow with an oxe and asse together or to weare garments of linsey wolsey But it is also called Truth as 1. Cor. 5. 8. for this is the truth which the Lord requireth in the inward parts Psal. 51. 6. and wherein he is to bee worshipped and called vpon He is therefore said to walke vprightly who behauing himselfe as in the sight and presence of God walketh with a right foot without hypocrisie or dissimulation in sincertie and truth 2. Now that vprightnesse is a proper note to the citisens of heauen it may easily appeare by the reciprocall conuersion which is betwixt them For if all the citisens of heauen be vpright and all that be vpright are citisens of heauen then is it manifest that vprightnesse agreeth to all that be the sonnes and heires of God and to them alone First then that all which be heires of the kingdome of heauen are vpright it is euident For those that are not vpright haue none inheritance in heauen As Peter telleth Simon Maguâ— that he had no part in the Communion of Saints because his heart was not right in the sight of God For hypocrits as all be that are not vpright for not to be vpright is to be an hypocrite and not to be an hypocrite is to be vpright neither shall they sojourne to the end in Gods Tabernacle neither shal they rest in the mountaine of Gods holinesse but contrary to the priuiledge of the vpright in the last verse they shall beremooued both by defection whereby they seperat themselues from God in this life and by exclusion whereby they shall bee seperated from God in the life to come As touching the former as constancie and perseuerance is an vnseparable companion of vprightnesse so hypocrisie is accompanied with inconstancie and is commonly punished with defection The double minded man is inconstant in all his waies And the Apostle Iohn doth teach vs that those which be in the Church but are not of it that is to say hypocrits are permitted by the just judgement of God to fall away that their hypocrisie may be detected And to the same purpose Bildad the Shuhite Can arush saith he grow without mire or can the grasse grow without water Though it should be greene and not plucked vp yet shall it wither before any other hearbe So are the paths of all that forget God and the expectation of the hypocrite doth perish And as touching the life to come Iob sheweth that the hypocrite hath no hope when God doth take away his soule For all their reward they receiue in this life as our Sauiour Christ saith Verily Isay vnto you they haue their reward They are therefore in no expectation of reward for the hypocrite shall not come into the presence of God but are or may be in certain expectation of punishment For our Sauiour Christ when he would signifie that the wicked seruant shall certainely be condemned he saith That hee shall haue his portion with the hypocrites where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Those therefore that be heires of the kingdome of heauen they be not hypocrites and dissemblers but such as are vpright Which must teach vs as wee desire to perseuere in the faith to the end and to attaine to the end of our faith which is the saluation of our souls so to humble ourselues to walke with our God in sinceritie and vprightnesse of heart Now that all those also which be vpright are citisens of heauen it may euidently be prooued out of the Scriptures For as the Psalmist saith the Lord will giue grace and glory grace in this life and glory in the life to come and no good thing will â—ee withhold from them that walke vprightly Grace he giueth them with perseuerance for the vpright man buildeth vpon the rocke and therefore no temptations shall vtterly ouercome him He is not onely in the Church but also of it and therefore certainely shall remaine in the communion of the Church and whosoeuer continueth to the end he shall
be saued Againe doth the holy ghost call any blessed that are not heires of the kingdome of heauen But the vpright are by the testimonie of the holy ghost happie and blessed Blessed are those that are vpright in their way Blessed are those in whose heart there is no guile that is hypocrisie And to this purpose belongeth that testimony of Salomon as Tremellius readeth the just man that walketh in his vprightnesse is blessed blessed are his children after him And yet the holy ghost is more plain in testifying this truth Prou. 28. 18. He that walketh vprightly shall be saued Psal. 140. 13. The vpright shall dwell in thy presence But most plaine Mat. 5. 8. Blessed are the pure in heart for so hee calleth the vpright for they shall see God they shall haue the vision of God and enjoy his glorious presence in the fruition whereof consisteth our eternall happinesse And therefore most fitly not onely in this place but elsewhere also in the Scriptures is Vprightnesse made the note and cognisance of the sonnes and heires of God For this cause Israel is called Ieschurun to signifie that whosoeuer is a true Israelite is vpright Iacob himselfe is commended for this vertue And of those that are pure in heart it is said Psal. 24 This is Iacob So Psal. 73 when the Prophet had said that God is good to Israel in the next words he expoundeth whom he meant by Israel namely the pure in heart So also our Sauiour Christ speaking of Nathaniel Behold saith he a true Israelite in whom there is no guile For as the Apostle saith he is not a Iew which is one outward but he is a Iew which is one within that is to say the vpright 3. Seeing then as we haue heard all that are vpright are citisens of heauen and contrariwise all that be citisens of heauen be vpright it behooueth vs diligently to trie and examine our selues whether this note doth belong vnto vs or not For vnlesse we be vpright wee shall not rest in Gods holy mountaine but must looke to haue our portion with hypocrits where is weeping and gnashing of teeth To this purpose I will set down certaine signes and tokens whereby the vpright and the hypocrits may be discerned 1. And first the studie and endeuour of the vpright is to approue himselfe to God to walke before him to discharge a good conscience the testimonie wherof he greatly esteemeth and preferreth it to the judgements of men concerning himselfe On the other side the hypocrites care is to approue himselfe to men neglecting the testimony of his owne conscience and therefore those good things which he doth he doth to be seene of men and the euill which he omitteth he leaueth vndone least he should be seene of men for if men be not acquainted with his doings he neither careth to doe good nor feareth to doe euill 2. It is the propertie of vpright men to yeeld simple and absolute obedience to the word of God denying themselues their owne affections and reason but to obey humane precepts so farre forth as they are not repugnant to the law of God But it is the fashion of hypocrits to obey the commaundements of God so further than themselues thinke good as appeareth in the example of Saul and more strictly to obserue the traditions of men than the commaundements of God 3. A third signe of an vprightman is so to contemn the world and to be wained from worldly desires as that hee preferreth the keeping of a good conscience before the obtaining of any worldly desires knowing that it will not profit a man to gaine the whole world and to loose his owne soule For he that is not addicted to the world it is a good sign that he professeth religion not for worldly and by-respects But the hypocrits guise is to seeme religious and to be a wordling to professe religion and to mind earthly things to diuide himselfe betwixt God and Mammon to giue to God the outward shew to the world his heart not first and principally to seeke the kingdome of God his righteousnesse but to professe religion in a secondarie respect so farre forth as it jumpeth with the fruition of his worldly desires and consequently to preferre the gaine of the world before the keeping of a good conscience and to be ready to sinne that he may obtaine any worldly desire 4. The propertie of an vpright man is to hate sinne as well in himselfe as in others and to bee exercised in judging himselfe But the manner of hypocrits is to hate sinne in others but not in themselues to be busie in prying into other mens behauiour and to neglect their owne to be quick-sighted to discerne and very censorious to judge the offences of their brethren but haue neither eyes to see nor consciences to condemne their owne sinnes and as our Sauiour Christ saith of such hypocrits to see a mote in their brothers eye and not to discerne a beame in their owne 5. The vpright man repenteth of all sinne hauing an vnfained purpose and resolution to abstaine from all sinne and not to retain any one howsoeuer besides and contrary to his purpose hee may faile in some particulars But the hypocrite howsoeuer he may be brought to abstaine from diuerse sinnes whereunto he is not so much addicted yet he will be sure to cherish and retain some sinne or sinnes that are more deare vnto him from which he will by no meanes be reclaimed Example in Herod who reuerenced Iohn Baptist and when he heard him did many things which Iohn aduised him vnto and heard him gladly but doe Iohn what he could he would not forgoe Herodias his brothers wife 6. It is the propertie of the vpright to loue and reuerence the good and godly for their godlinesse sake and to contemne and despise the wicked though mightie in the world because of their wickednesse as it followeth Vers. 4 For the world doth loue her own and hateth those which belong to Christ. But hereby we know that we are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren But it is the manner of hypocrits to stomacke the godly to enuie thē which are better than they and not to brooke them that be had in better estimation than themselues And thus were the Pharisies affected to Christ. 7. It is the propertie of the vpright to preferre the greater weightier duties before the lesse the substance before circumstances the workes either of pietie or mercie before ceremonies But it hath alwayes beene the hypocrits guise to neglect the greater duties and to affect the obseruation of the lesse to preferre circumstances before the substance and ceremonies before the workes either of pietie or charitie to place the height of their religion either in obseruing or vrging ceremonies or contrariwise in refusing them and inueighing
vpon the world halting betwixt God and Mammon and esteeming gaine to be godlinesse we may be theeues yea diuels as he was And not to insist any longer in the seuerall parts of Gods worship this may be said of all externall worship in generall that so oft as it is seuered from the inward spirituall worship of God it is hypocritical and detestable in the sight of God To which purpose the Lord professeth by his Prophet That he which killeth a bullocke is as if he slew a man he that sacrificeth a sheep as if he cut off a dogs necke he that offereth an oblation as if he offered swines bloud he that remembreth incense as if he blessed an idole Wee must therefore beware least we rest in the performance of outward seruice or coÌ„tent our selues with opere operato the deed done which is the rotten pillar of popish superstition For it is not sufficient to doe that which is right vnlesse we do it with an vpright heart If with Amaziah wee doe that which is right but not with an vpright heart we may fall away as he did Wherefore that exhortation which the Apostle maketh to mens seruants much more belongeth to vs who are the seruants of God namely That we shold performe our duties towards him from our heart not in eye-seruices as men-pleasers but with simplicitie of heart fearing God and from our hearts obeying the holy will and commaundements of God Out of all which it appeareth euidently that without vprightnesse of heart neither the graces of the spirit which wee may seeme to haue are of any worth or our worship of any account with God But howsoeuer the most excellent graces without it be glorious sinnes and the most glorious worship counterfeit yet on the other side where vprightnesse is the graces which we haue though as small as a graine of mustard seed and our worship though performed in much weakenesse is acceptable vnto God The second argument is taken from the authoritie of God himselfe auowing the necessitie of vprightnesse And hereunto appertaineth first the testimonie both of the holy ghost in this place affirming That those who are to dwell in Gods holy mountaine are such as walke vprightly as also of our Sauiour Christ Matth. 5. denying that we shall euer enter into the kingdome of heauen vnlesse our righteousnesse exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisies The righteousnesse which the Pharisies obserued themselues and taught others to obserue was altogether outward whereby they abstained from outward and more grosse offences neglecting inward and sâ—cret corruptions Secondly the commaundement of God enjoyning vprightnesse For this is the especiall dutie which we are to performe towards God viz. that wee bumble our selues to walke with our God For when the Lord was to establish his couenant with Abraham and his seed this condition he requireth to be performed on their part to walke before him and to be vpright This is that which Dauid commendeth to Salomon as his last will and testament Know thou the God of thy father and serue him with an vpright heart and a willing mind which Iosua in his last speech commendeth to the people of Israel that they should worship the Lord in spirit and truth As Moses also before had charged them Deut. 18. Thou shalt be vpright therefore before the Lord thy God For seeing the Lord is a spirit he will therefore be worshipped in spirit and in truth And as himselfe is a spirit so is his law spirituall restraining not onely the hand and tongue but also the heart Now the commaundement of God imposeth a necessitie not absolute indeed but with this condition If we will auoid his curse Thirdly the same is prooued by the oath of God which he sware vnto our father Abraham that he would giue vs who are the sonnes of Abraham and heires of promise that being deliuered out of the hands of our enemies we should worship him without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse before him For as the commaundement of God imposeth the necessitie of dutie so the oath of the Lord imposeth a necessitie of certainetie or as the schoolemen speake of infallibilitie And therefore if we doe not walke vprightly worshipping the Lord as before him it is as certaine as the oath of the Lord is true that we can haue no assurance that wee are redeemed by Christ out of the world to raigne with him in his holy mountaine The third and last argument enforcing the necessitie of vprightnesse may be this For either wee must be vpright or hypocrits There is no third for not to bee vpright is to be an hypocrite and not to be an hypocrite is to be vpright But we may in no case be hypocrites For hypocrisie is a sinne most odious vnto God most foolish in it selfe most pernicious to them that are infected therewith It is most odious vnto God for as the vpright are the Lords delight so the hypocrit is an abhomination vnto him For that which is highly esteemed among men is abhomination in the sight of God And not without cause For all hypocrisie and doubling is a double if not a triple sinne for counterfeit pietie is double impietie both because it is impietie and because it is counterfeit And as hypocrisie is a counterfeiting it containeth also two sinnes opposed to simplicitie and truth both which are comprised in integritie viz. falshood opposed vnto truth as it is mendacium facti and deceit or guile opposed vnto simplicitie as duplicitie or doubling The hypocrite in respect of his falsehood and disguising in the Greeke tongue is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a stage-player who although perhaps he be little better than a rogue representeth sometimes the person of a prince or monarch Those therefore are hypocrits who lead their life as it were vpon a stage cloaking sinne vnder the shew of vertue hauing some â—orme or vizard of pietie but denying the power of it Qui in superficie boni sunt sed in alto mali as Augustine speaketh who seeme to honour God with their lips but remooue their heart farre from him who desiring to seeme good but not to be so and not to seeme euill but to be so make cleane the outside of the cup and of the platter but within they are full of briberie and excesse and are therefore compared by our Sauiour Christ to painted sepulchres which appeare beautifull outward but are within full of dead mens bones and all filthinesse And as the fruit which groweth neere to Mare mortuum when it is ripe maketh a faire shew but within is full of cinders or ashes as some write so these men outwardly appeare righteous vnto men but within they are full of hypocrisie and iniquitie But as in the disguising of hypocrits there is falshood so in their doubling there is guile wherby they indeuouring to deceiue
in the day of judgement shall say Lord Lord haue not we prophecied in thy name and cast our diuels in thy name and done many great workes in thy name to whom the Lord shall answere I neuer knew you depart from mee you workers of iniquitie Call to mind the fiue foolish virgins who hauing lampes but no oyle were excluded If therefore we would not depart ashamed from our Sauiour Christ at his comming wishing the mountaines to fall vpon vs and to couer vs from his sight but would stand before the sonne of man with comfort let vs endeuour to approoue our selues in the meane time to Christ our judge walking before him in vprightnesse of heart and so demeaning our selues as those who thinke that of their most secret thoughts words and deeds there must an account be giuen to God who searcheth the heart and trieth the reines that he may giue euery man according to his waies and according to the fruit of his workes Fourthly and lastly let vs follow the aduise of Salomon Prou. 4. Aboue all obseruation to keepe our heart For the heart as it is the fountaine of life so of liuing well or ill from whence all our speeches and actions as it were streames doe flow and proceed Those things which come out of the mouth sayth our Sauiour Christ come from the heart For out of the heart come euill thoughts murders adulteries fornications thefâ—s false testimonies slaunders And againe The good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth â—oorth good things and the euill man out of the euill treasure of his heart bringeth forth euill things for out of the aboundance of the heart the mouth speaketh and also the hand worketh If therefore we desire that our actions and speeches may bee good and pure wee must first haue our hearts purified by a true faith that so our loue and obedience may flow from a pure heart and good conscience and faith vnfained For it cannot be that the streames of our actions should be good and sincere if the fountaine of our heart be corrupt Wherefore in reforming our liues our first and chiefe care must be for the purging of our hearts as our Sauior Christ admonisheth Mat. 23. Cleanse first saith he the inside of the cup and platter that the outside of them may be cleane also And Iames Purge your heart you double minded saith he and not your hands onely For what will it auaile vs to drie vp the streames whiles the fountaine springeth or to lop off the boughs whiles the body and root doe remaine vntouched Surely if with Amaziah we shall doe those things which be right but not with an vpright heart we shall fall away as he did If with Simon Magus we professe our selues to beleeue and joyne our selues to the Saints of God notwithstanding we may be as he was in the gall of bitternesse and bond of iniquitie if our heart be not vpright within vs. This neglect of the heart is the cause of all hypocrisie making men double minded bearing as wee say two faces vnder a hood Wherby it commeth to passe that the most glorious professours sometimes become like to Summer fruit which many times being faire and mellow on the outside is rotten at the core Now that we may the rather be stirred vp to a diligent obseruation of our heart we are briefely to consider these two things First that the heart of man is deceitfull and wicked aboue all things and therefore cannot sufficiently be watched And secondly that such as is the qualitie of the heart such is the qualitie of the man in the estimation of God Hetherto we haue spoken of integritie as it is referred vnto God it followeth now that wee should intreat thereof as it hath reference vnto men For as wee must walke before God in truth and sinceritie without hypocrisie so must we haue our conuersation among men in simplicitie and singlenesse of heart without dissembling or guile For euen in our conuersation among men wee are to haue God alwayes before our eyes that as in his presence and sight wee may in singlenesse of heart performe such duties as we owe vnto men For howsoeuer simplicitie is accounted folly in the world and worldly wisedome consisting of dissimulation and deceit be euery where extolled yet if we would be esteemed citisens of heauen and pilgrims on earth it behooueth vs to bee fooles in the world that we may become truly wise as the Apostle exhorteth 1. Cor. 3. Let no man deceiue himselfe If any man among you seeme to be wise in this world let him be a foole that he may be wise for the wisdome of this world is foolishnesse with God Not that I would haue simple men to be fooles but that wise men ought to be simple For true wisdome is tempered with the simplicitie of doues And that wisedome which is from aboue is pure and without hypocrisie Whereas on the other side the wisedome of the world consisting of dissimulation and deceit is by the censure of S. Iames earthly carnall and diuellisâ— It is true indeed that in the world simplicitie is deemed folly and simple men are accounted as idiots and innocent men esteemed fools For such a generall wickednesse hath possessed the minds of most men that now adayes no man is called innocent but such as want wit to doe euill And contrariwise that mixed prudence is commended in the world which is â—oyned with hâ—pocrisie and deceit Which notwithstanding it were easie for any man to attain vnto who makes no conscience of dissembling lying facing sweaâ—ing forswearing But in the Scriptures simplicitie is both commended and commaunded as a note of the citisen of heauen without which there is no entrance for a man into the kingdome of God Christ commaundeth his followers to be wise indeed as serpents but withall to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is simple or sincere without any mixture of guile as doues are without gall And likewise Paule would haue vs wise vnto that which is good but simple vnto euill In regard hereof the primitiue Church Act. 2. is highly commended that they conuersed together in singlenesse of heart and herein especially the Apostle glorieth 2. Cor. 1. That in simplicitie and godly purenesse and not in flesâ—ly wisedome he had had his conuersation in the world And no maruell for it is the note of a true Israelite to be without guile and such the holy ghost pronounceth blessed Christ our Sauiour in respect of this simplicitie is called a lambe and those that will be his followers must not be foxes or wolues but as they are called in the Scriptures sheepe following the steps of our Sauiour Christ who did no sinne neither was there guile found in his mouth And hereunto let vs adde the testimonie of the holy ghost in this place affirming That those which shall
person or by a more ciuill honest man who is void of faith of religion of the loue and feare of God although materially they be good yet are they euill as they proceed from him For whiles the tree is euill the fruit cannot be good whiles the person is not accepted as just in Christ as none but the faithfull are his actions cannot be acceptable for without faith it is impossible to please God And this is that which the Apostle saith that the end and consummation of the commandement is loue out of a pure heart a good conscience and faith vnsained In respect of the manner our good workes must be performed vprightly not in hypocrisie and dissimulation otherwise it is vnfained and counterfeit For though we doe that which is right yet if we doe it not with an vpright heart we doe it not rightly neither can we be sayd to worke righteousnesse In respect of the end we are to perfome good workes that by the discharge of our duty God may be glorified But if our end be to be seene of men if to win praise and glorie to our selues if to merit of God and as it were to bridle him by our good deed all our workes though neuer so glorious in the eyes of the world yet are they splendida peccata that is to say glorious sinnes To this purpose we are to remember that we are to worship God not onely in holinesse but in righteousnesse also and we worship him in righteousnesse when as in a sincere obedience to God we seeke by performing the duties of righteousnesse to our brother to glorifie God From this note therefore of Gods children we distinguish the seeming good workes first of infidels without the Church or of more naturall men within because there can be no true righteousnesse or loue of men without faith pietie and loue of God Secondly of hypocrâ—tes and dissemblers who do no good but for sinister and by-respects and therefore their righteousnesse being hypocrisie is double injustice Lastly of all Pharisaicall and Popish justiciaries who by their good workes thinke such is their Satanicall pride to make God beholding vnto them and to merit heauen to themselues most sacrilegiously injuriously vnto Christ our Sauiour placing the matter of their justification and the merit of their saluation in themselues In a word that is no true righteousnesse which is seuered from holinesse neither is that a worke of righteousnesse which is not a righteous worke rightly done as that is not which is done in hypocrisie or to an ill end He therefore vndoubtedly is the sonne and heire of God who professing the true faith laboureth to demonstrat his faith by good works his faith working by loue and his loue proceeding from faith vnfained who in vpright obedience towards God seeketh by the exercise of righteousnesse and discharge of his dutie towards his neighbour to glorifie God The third note of the child God is Truth which the holy ghost expresseth in these words and speaketh the truth in his heart Which words sayth Augustine are not thus to be vnderstood as though keeping the truth in the heart we should vtter vntruth with our mouth But the holy ghost vseth this phrase of speech because a man may with his mouth vtter the truth which will nothing auaile him if he hold not the same in his heart Wherefore although this phrase of speaking the truth in his heart seeme somewhat harsh notwithstanding if it be rightly vnderstood it doth more fully expresse the disposition of a man which is addicted to the truth than if it had been said from the heart Thus therefore I read who speaketh the truth which is in his hâ—rt that is who vttereth with his tongue the truth which he hath conceiued in his mind For that we may be vcraces that is speakers of the truth there is a double conformitie or agreement required which is here expressed the one of the speech with the mind namely that we should speak as we thinke the other of the mind with the thing it selfe namely that wee should conceiue in our mind according to the truth of the matter For as the rule and measure of truth in words is the agreement of them with our thoughts so the rule and measure of truth in our thoughts is the agreement thereof with the things themselues It is true indeed that in some sciences either agreement alone sufficeth vnto the truth as in morall philosophy he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a speaker of the truth who speaketh as he thinketh although perhaps he thinketh otherwise than the thing it selfe is And in Logicke he is said to speake the truth who speaketh as the thing is although perhaps he thinketh otherwise But in diuinitie both as I said is required Neither can we be said if either be wanting to be veraces that is such as speake the truth which is in our heart for he which deliuereth an vntruth supposing it to bee true howsoeuer hee bee free from the vanitie of lying yet he cannot be said to bee a speaker of the truth for in his mouth he vttereth an vntruth though in his heart he be well affected to the truth Contrariwise he that speaketh the truth which he thinketh to be false he is a lyar though he speake the truth because he hath truth in his mouth but not in his heart Such a one therefore because hee speaketh with an heart and an heart may not vnworthily be said to lie For mentâ—ri est contra mentemire to lie is to speake otherwise than a man thinketh Wherefore that a man may bee said to speake the truth which is in heart there is a double agreement required the one of the tongue with the mind the other of the mind with the things themselues And to this double conformitie in speaking the truth there is opposed a double falshood namely when a man speaketh either that which is false or falsely He speaketh that which is false who speaketh otherwise than the thing is whether he thinkes it to be so or otherwise He speaketh falsely who speaketh otherwise than hee thinketh He which speaketh a falshood supposing it to be true is not so much to be blamed for lying as for vnaduifednesse and rashnesse For we ought to be sure of those things which we affirme But he which either speaketh that which hee knoweth to bee false or speaketh that which is true falsely that is animo fallendi with a purpose to deceiue as the diuell sometimes doth he is a lyar neither can you easily determine whether is in the greater fault for as the one hath lesse truth in his mouth so the other hath more deceit in his heart Now that the loue of the truth and likewise the detestation of falshood is to be reckoned among the notes of Gods children it is testified not onely in this place but also elsewhere in the Scriptures Zeph. 3. The remnant of Israell that is
as Christ himselfe saith Mat. 6 If you do not forgiue men their trespasses neither will your heauenly father forgiue you your trespasses Now if this be the propertie of Gods children not to requite euill for euill we may easily conceiue in what number those Caualliers and fool-hardie fellowes are to be reckoned all whose courage and manhood consisteth in offering and reuenging injuries who also vpon euerie occasion are readie to quarrell and fight But let these men know First that all priuat reuenge is vnlawfull and that if euerie priuat man might be his owne caruer the magistrat should carrie the sword in vaine Secondly that all fighting vnlesse it be in lawfull battell is murther in the sight of God Thirdly that he which taketh the sword viz. not deliuered vnto him by warrant from God as it is to the magistrat to the souldier in lawfull battell to the priuat man in case of present necessitie shall perish with the sword Fourthly that it is a most fearfull thing either to kill or to be killed as oft it happeneth in priuat fight for he that killeth is a murtherer who so polluteth the land with bloud as that it cannot be purged but by his owne bloud Not to speake of that which euerie man knoweth that manslayers haue none inheritance in heauen but shall be excluded out of the heauenly Ierusalem and shall haue their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death in the meane time who is able to vtter what horror of conscience vsually accompanieth those who are guiltie of murther Neither is their case better who are slaine in fighting a priuat quarrell For if as the tree falleth so it lieth how fearfull may we thinke their estate to be after death who in thirsting after another mans bloud do shed their owne bloud and in a desire to murther another are murthered themselues Wherfore whē we are stirred vp to fighting or reuenge let vs remember the Apostles aduice Ephes. 4 Not to giue place to the diuell for vndoubtedly they are inspired with a fatanicall spirit who breath out reuenge Wherefore Dauid when Abishai stirred him vp to reuenge Shemai answered What haue I to do with you ye sonnes of Zeruiah that this day you should be vnto me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in stead of Satan But to returne to my purpose This is a common thing to all them that are not citisens of heauen that so oft as either they can or dare they are readie to requite euill for euill and verie manie proceed further who not only do euill to them that haue deserued ill but manie times also either through hatred or hope of gaine doe ill to those who are innocent neither haue deserued euill at their hands Yea manie there are who render euill for good and seeke to harme them of whom they haue receiued good Seeing then all other men who be not the sonnes and heires of God are so accustomed to euill doing it cannot be hoped that they should vse to practise the affirmatiue in doing good For may we thinke that those who vse to do euill not onely to them that deserue ill but also to the innocent and those that deserue well that they will be readie to do good offices to them that deserue not and to requite euill with good Or is it credible that those who are carelesse of their owne saluation should be carefull for others to winne them to Christ Nay the greatest number are affected as Cain was who being demaunded by the Lord concerning his brother asked if he were his brothers keeper Yes verily we are all appointed keepers of God to obserue one another To stirre vy one another to loue and to good workes for loue seeketh not her owne things but is also carefull for others And those which be the children of God are also members of one and the same bodie among whom is the communion of Saints But others are so farre from promoting the saluation of their brethren that by all meanes they seeke to hinder the same whiles either by prouocation counsell or example they bring them into sinne which is the cut-throat of the soule so become murtherers not of mens bodies but which is more grieuous of mens soules Wherefore seeing this Innocencie agreeth to all the sons and heires of God and onely to them it is of good right reckoned among their proper notes not onely in this place but elsewhere also in the scriptures as Ps. 24 Where to the like question Who shal ascend into the mountaine of the Lord c. the like answer is shaped He that hath Innocent hands and a pure heart c. And as the Psalmist in this place affirmeth that he which doth none euill to his neighbour shall neuer be remoued but shall rest in the holy mountaine of God so the Prophet Esay pronounceth that man blessed who keepeth his hand from doing any euill It remaineth therefore that euerie one should apply this note to himselfe for howsoeuer all men almost will affirme that they neuer did harme to their neighbor yet it is to be feared lest this Innocencie can be found but in a few especially of those who would seeme more wise and politicke than others for such is the generall wickednesse of these times that none but fooles are counted Innocent And therefore those which would be citisens of heauen they must be content to be esteemed fooles in the world that they may be wise to God Now followeth the sixt note in these words And receiueth not an euill report against his neighbour The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth an opprobrious speech or as the Septuaginta translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a reuiling and slanderous speech a sinister or euill report tending to the infamy of our neighbour The verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 admitteth diuerse significations The first and principall is to take vp and so a slaunder may be taken vp either in the mind to thinke or deuise it or in the tongue to vtter it or in the eare to harken or to giue eare to it all which Gods children are to auoid For as touching the first howsoeuer many men thinke their wicked thoughts to be free yet notwithstanding the Scriptures teach vs that they are repugnant to charitie for as the Apostle saith Charitie thinketh none euell that they are sinnes for the wicked thought of a foole is sinne that they are not onely forbidden for so the Prophet Zacharie saith Let none of you imagine euill in your heart against his neighbour but also punished for the holy Ghost doth note that the Lord destroyed the world by the vniuersall deluge Because the thoughts of mens hearts were continually euill that they are an abhomination to the Lord and consequently that we are to bewaile them and craue pardon for them and also to repent vs of them Let the