euen so a man that hath long been taken for a good Christan is very backward to see and confesse that all his Christianitie was in formes and that he is not the man hee was taken for but an errand dissembler For why the heart of man is loath either to perceiue himselfe so wretched as he cannot but confesse himselfe to be in case he be but an hypocrite or else to take the paines which hee must needs take to make his estate better for doubtlesse it cannot but proue a painefull piece of worke to weede out a vice so deepely settled and so farre ouer-spreading But brethren vntill hypocrisie be plainely discerned it can neuer be reformed neyther this nor any other vice will cuer be conquered if it be not espied He shall for euer remaine an hypocrite that being so will not confesse himselfe so to be For when a man is ignorant of his vnhappinesse he will neuer set himselfe with all diligence to redresse it and certainely sinne will neuer be ouercome without striuing against it This and this alone is the true cause of our earnest plainnesse in this matter Wee would shew you your disease that you might in time seeke remedy and not perish by it Wee would lay open your sores that you might procure a playster and not be destroyed for want of healing And therefore returning againe to the matter we were about we doe now certifie euery person amongst you in whom that vniuersall care of knowing and accomplishing the whole will of God in each point of it and that out of the loue he beareth to him and for the honour and glory of his holy name that he I say in whom this care is not to be found though hee haue liued neuer so honestly to the world though he come to the Church neuer so duly though hee haue bin constant in frequenting Sermons though he haue beene very kinde to the Ministers of Gods Word though hee haue prayed many times with great feeling though he haue fits of great sorrow for diuers sinnes though he repeate Sermons and pray in his family though he haue obtained great credit amongst godly men and goe in the name of a most worthy Christian yet for all this and more than this if more may be without the fore-named generall endeauour is but a flat hypocrite a ranke dissembler a cousener of the world a beguiler of himselfe a whited sepulcher a picture of a Christian and not a Christian indeede This is thy case whatsoeuer thou hast heretofore deemed this and none other is thy condition if thou beest destitute of that fruitfulnesse which hath been plainely described vnto thee Open thine eyes now and see thy wretchednesse now suffer thy soule to bee wrought vpon and begin to seele thy misery that thou mayest be capable of helpe CHAP. XVIII Containing the third vse THirdly We must labour to be fruitfull let all men be now exhorted to get this fruitfulnesse by which they may approoue themselues to bee the true members of IESVS CHRIST Men do many times delight to norish in their Orchyards trees that beare no fruit onely for the comfort of their shade in hot seasons It is not so with God he likes not any tree that can doe nothing else but yeeld a shaddow if you will finde fauour in his sight you must be trees of righteousnesse you must be trees that yeeld some good fruit and be not wholly barren Learne I beseech you not to satisfie your selues with shewes with formalities with bare leaues but shew your faith by the fruites and let the grapes and figgs that may bee gathered of you testifie for you before God and your owne consciences that you be trees of Gods owne planting Content not your selues with a forme of religion applaude not your selues in your hearing and receiuing in your talking and seeming and your outward good dealing but O let your liues your whole liues and the tenour of all your whole conuersation be vniformerly constantly and in all things conformeable to the doctrine and example of our Lord Iesus Christ walke as he hath walked and hath commanded you to walke Let me vrge vpon you the words of Iohn Baptist to the Pharisies men that went for as deuoute holy and religious persons in their times till Christ the heart-searcher came to deale with them as any of you likely can be taken now begin not saith he to say with your selues we haue Abraham to our father but bring forth fruites worthy amendment of life Satisfie not your selues in hauing Abraham for your father I meane in the externall formalities of religion but looke to the course of your liues and see that it be such as may beseeme repentance Why will you loose your labour why will you die O house of Israel why will you rest your selues in that that will not profit Labour now to leade a godly conuersation in Christ Iesus let the common streame and current of your actions fauour of the holinesse of that Word of God which you say you beleeue and of the vertues of that Lord Iesus Christ in whom you say you place your confidence Assure your selues you shall neuer attaine the benefits of Christs death and resurrection vnlesse you shew forth the power of both in your liues that is to say vnlesse the serious consideration of the loue and goodnesse of God shewed in these two and of the hatefulnesse and filthinesse of sinne manifested in the former of them doe leaue so deepe an impression in your soules that here-hence you grow both resolute and able in some degree to cast away all the former lusts of your ignorance and now to turne your feete into the pathes of righteousnesse to fight against all the corrupt lusts of your hearts to labour to forbeare all wicked actions to endeauor to plant in your soules all vertues and to be abundant in religious mercifull iust temperate and all other godly actions that you may shew forth the vertues of him that hath translated you from darkenesse to light and be holy in all good conuersation euen as hee is holy Vrge and presse your selues therefore to this fruitfulnesse and make the constant carriage of your whole man inward and outward euen depose for you that yon are truly ingraffed into the true vine This fruitfulnesse shall arise for you in the day of tentation as it did for Iob and inable you to stand for your vprightnesse against all accusations of men and diuels and against all feares and doubtings of your owne hearts When a man is cast into the fornace ot aduersitie then will the leaues be blowne off as in the winter they be from trees then if the grapes of a good conuersation doe not lye by him to witnesse that he was a true branch in Christs body nothing will remaine for him but horror and amazement and a fearefull expectation of vengeance to befall him for all his shewes Be you therefore prepared for the day of triall which
and all the good effects thereof Wherefore againe and againe bee intreated to make it the principall scope of your liues to waxe more and more godly and righteous in life CHAP. XIX Containing a comfort to them that haue growne and doe grow in goodnesse IN the last place Vse 3 let all those that do perceiue themselues to be growing in fruitfulnesse Comfort to them that doe grow receiue much comfort heerein O well are they growth is a most sure signe of life a rotten branch growes not a rotten arme growes not Whosoeuer therefore perceiueth that his care of liuing godlily in Christ Iesus increaseth that he is more and more desirous to obey God and that his workes are better at last then at first blessed be he of the Lord let him receiue this happy comfort from the mouth of God and conclude himselfe infallibly to bee a liuing branch a sound-hearted Christian Indeed the people of God to whom this consolation doth most duly appertaine are not euer forward for the most part to imbrace the same yea they are ready to depriue themselues of it by diuersity of obiections and by name thus you shall haue them speaking against themselues Alas is there not a growth of Hypocrites as well as of the true-hearted Doth not the blade spring vp as well in the stony and in the thorny ground as in the good ground And how can I assure my selfe but that this growth of mine is such as may befall a dissembler I answere It must not be denyed that the man of a guilefull spirit the close Hypocrite hath his fulnesse his period his state to which he may come and to which till he haue reached he seemeth both to himselfe and others to grow But the difference is manifest and expresse The difference betwixt the growth of Hypocrites and the true-hearted The Hypocrites growing in the shewes of goodnesse causeth him also to grow in conceit of himselfe he thinkes better of himselfe and much applaudeth his owne proceedings but the godly man groweth in a meane conceit of himselfe and as he waxeth better and better so doth more more condemne himselfe that he is not better then he is He sees things to be better with him then they were but alas he sees them also to be so farre short of what they should be that hee is euen grieued with himselfe to thinke of his wants and defects The true godly man growes in humility as in other graces but the Hypocrite growes in conceitednesse and high esteeme of himselfe When a man prayes but is much moued with dislike of himselfe because hee prayes no better meditates but blames himselfe because his meditations are so shattered and distracted is merciful but is angry against himselfe because he is not more mercifull this mans growth is a sound perfect and sincere growth but when hee performeth these duties so that hee is good in his owne eyes because of the performance of them this is but a shooting vp of a blade that after will wither and come to nothing The fruitful branch in his fruitfulnesse sees so many wants that hee is humbled thereby the vnfruitfull branch is so satisfied with his shewes of fruitfulnesse that he still magnifieth himselfe and despiseth others being increased in pride by the increase of those things that seeme good in him It is a most manifest thing in all true godly men that when all men else doe perceiue them to grow and commend them for it they doe most complaine and condemne themselues for want of growth for they are so stil carryed onward to that the is before thē as they forget that that is behind but the dissembler so looketh behinde him and forgetteth what is before that he stands admiring himselfe for that which he hath already done and thinkes hee is better then this man and that man and compareth and preferreth himselfe before others Againe the godly man doth commend others that are better then himselfe and beholds their goodnesse with great liking and approbation being discontented with himselfe that hee is out-stripped by them but the Hypocrite is moued with enuy and indignation against those that goe beyond him and will haue some quarrell to picke against their as hee counteth it ouer-forwardlinesse The godly man saith still he is an vnprofitable seruant the Hypocrite brags of his seruice and glories in himselfe that hee is increased in wealth Now then consider if thy growth in goodnesse be accompanyed with a growth in humility and in an abasing of thy selfe and thinking better of others then of thy selfe or if it be ioyned with conceit of thy selfe and magnifying thy selfe aboue others and enuy against them that seeme to obscure thy praises and if it be with thee in the former manner thou growest indeed and must inioy comfort if in the latter manner thou growest alone in shew and hast no right nor interest into this comfort But further the good man will say against himselfe Alas I doe not grow I doe not bring forth more fruit I demand then Vpon what ground is it that thou chargest thy selfe with not growing Is it because thou findest thy selfe not all out so able to continue praying and mourning as in some times heretofore I answere that the true Christian is likely most affectionate at the first by reason of the strange alteration that he findes in himselfe But say Is not thine heart more abased now in the sence of thy faults Art thou not more sharpe against thy selfe more fauourable to others Is not thine heart now more carryed with a respect of God lesse with a respect of thy selfe Doest thou not become more hardly conceite of thy selfe then formerly Surely when a mans mind is more and more alienated from himselfe then hee growes most though hee seeme to himselfe least to grow and though he thinke himselfe lesse able to performe many good duties then formerly he was Wherefore now let all Gods seruants stay vp their hearts with diuine consolations and gather to themselues a ioyfull assurance of their being vpright by their increase in fruitfulnesse When a rich man casts ouer his accounts and findeth his stocke to be greater then it was and his reuenewes to be inlarged O how his heart leapeth within him and what good it doth him to perceiue that he is increased in wealth Why should not the godly man whose wealth is inward and spirituall perceiuing the stocke of vertue to be augmented and his two Talents to haue gained other two behold this with much praise to God and with a great deale of content and peace in himselfe Wee are bound in conscience to see and acknowledge the goodnesse of God this way and to prepare our selues for a further increase by taking delight in the gaines which we haue already made to our selues in the trade of godlinesse I deny not but that a godly man must still consider how farre he is remoued from the goale of perfection and comparing himselfe with the Law complaine much of himselfe for being vnprofitable But there is no contradiction betwixt these two A man may well consider of his wants to behumbled in them and yet withall take notice of his increase to be ioyed in that both must be done and the one of these will exceedingly helpe to the doing of the other If wee doe not ioyne these two together we shall finde much inconuenience by separating them Hee that still thinketh how much he is able to doe in the worke of obedience and doth not seasonably mind himselfe of his many defects shall bee in danger of swelling and puffing vp But hee that alwayes lookes to his wants and imperfections and doth not sometimes raise vp his heart in the meditation of the worke of grace within him which hath edifyed and built him vp in godlinesse and made the little he had at first far more then it was shall become heereby deiected vncheerfull and vnthankfull Wherefore feed humility with the one of these cogitations and thankfulnesse with the other It is yeelded that thou art as Paul saith nothing yea lesse then nothing in comparison of what thou shouldest but againe thou art something in comparison of what thou wast and what thou shouldest haue been but for the worke of Gods grace in thee Acknowledge therefore to the glory of the Vine and the Husbandman and to the consolation of thine owne heart Lord what by thy Word what by afflictions what by one or other meanes that thou hast vsed and blessed and by the gracious assistance of thy Spirit in and with all I doe truly perceiue my selfe to bee in some measure confirmed and strengthened in grace my faith is stronger my patience more stedfast mine heart more set vpon heauenly things my care of shunning all sinne and the occasions thereof my desire of seruing thee in all obedience more constant and earnest then it hath been Blessed bee thy name thou art indeed a good Husbandman and by thy good husbandry hast made mee that else should haue beene a dry and barren branch to bee somewhat fruitfull and to increase in fruitfulnesse Vertue is then improued to the best when it is put to the vse of making our soules to giue more glory to God and to take more comfort in him FINIS
power of being healed and knit againe by the meanes of some playster or medicine skilfully applyed but cut a sticke of wood or breake it in peeces and no playsters will make vp the wound or knit the broken peeces together againe So is it with corrupted mankinde and this is all that the truth of Gods Word will giue vs leaue to ascribe to man as a reason of his being truely ingraffed into Christ he is capable of such a worke of Gods Spirit But the Principall and onely actiue cause 2. From God is Gods power and goodnesse that cause beyond which it is a madnesse to enquire for any other cause The Lord doth please to bestow effectuall grace vpon those whom he will receiue to mercie whereby they haue not alone their mindes inlightned to some perceiuing of the truth of Gods word but also their wills by the mighty operation of the holy Ghost subdued to the obedience of the same So by the infusing of a new life into them they are inabled to become such as hee doth wish them to be and as themselues desire to be accounted Were it not for this grace all in the Church would be hypocrites as well as any but it pleaseth the Lord to bestow that grace vpon one whom he hath inabled to desire it that hee may gratiously bestow it which to another hee giueth not but leaueth him to his owne carelesnesse of it that missing it by his owne default his blood may bee vpon his owne head So the perdition of hypocrites is of themselues because they willingly refuse the goodnesse of God which hee doth offer them the soundnesse and happinesse of the Saints of God is of his free grace that breakes the yoake of sinne which held them vnder and makes them willing of vnwilling and able of vnable to turne themselues vnto him For to imagine as some will needes doe that the Lord doth deale no more bountifully with one than with another of the members of the Church but that the cause why one becomes an hypocrite the other preuaileth to vprightnesse is meerely and wholly in themselues is a fancie I thinke so contrary to all both Scripture and experience of Gods Saints that hardly can any be deceiued with it but hee that neuer felt what it was to be vpright and whence it came And thus haue we laid before you the truth of this point CHAP. III. Shewing the description and sorts of hypocrites NOw it is very requisite that wee make a plaine and sound explication of it to the intent that euery man may discerne of himselfe and of his owne estate whether himselfe be an hypocrite yea or no. Wee will therefore doe our best to lay the matter open clearely that it may bee euidently discouered to them that will take the paines of inquiring about the point who is guilefull who without guile and for this purpose it is necessary to stand vpon these foure heads First to shew what an hypocrite is secondly to shew the diuers sorts or rather degrees of hypocrites thirdly to set downe some generall notes of difference betwixt the true-hearted and the hypocrite Lastly to declare more particularly the agreement disagreement of them both in foure principall and maine graces whereof the one hath alone the shadow the other the substance that is first in knowledge secondly in faith thirdly in repentance fourthly in good life or in obedience First then for the describing of an hypocrite What an hypocrite is viz we must make vse of a necessary rule of Logicke which bids vs to define the concrete by the abstract as they terme it as no man can possibly declare what a white thing is but by conceiuing and expressing what is whitenesse nor what a prowd man is but by vnderstanding what pride is nor what an hypocrite is but by knowing what is hypocrisie And againe we must vnderstand that vertues and vices do not denominate their subiects vnlesse they be in them in so high a degree as to preuaile and be predominant ouer their contraries as nothing is called white but that in which whitenesse so preuaileth that it partaketh more of white than of any other colour and if a thing doe so pertake of whitenesse we call it white though it faile much of the whitest whitenesse that may be So is hee called a proud man in whom pride preuaileth an infidell whom infidelitie ruleth a reuengeful man in whom reuenge doth beare sway and a couetous man in whom couetousnesse raigneth And so must wee likewise conclude in the present matter that hee is an hypocrite in whom hypocrisie preuaileth and beareth rule To the making of an hypocrite therefore three things must concurre A prosessor of Christian religion in whom hypocrisie ruleth first a fit subiect viz. such an one as doth at least in appearance professe himselfe to be a Christian and to beleeue in Christ As nothing can bee called an vnfruitfull branch if it bee not a branch so neither can any man bee termed an hypocrite vnlesse at least externally he bee in Christ in this meaning as wee now take the word hypocrite in opposition to a sound member of Christ Secondly there must be in that subiect an adiunct that vice of hypocrisie and thirdly this vice must bee in that subiect in such degree as to beare to rule and to bee as they terme it predominant Wherefore for our further information in this matter which is most exceeding needfull to be very distinctly knowne and conceiued of wee must search into the nature of that crooked What hypocrisie is viz. selfe-couering and selfe-cousening vice of hypocrisie about which wee neede not goe farre but alone turne our thoughts to the Apostles description of it 2. Tim. 3.5 viz. that it is a forme of godlinesse without the power thereof It a false fained goodnes a goodnesse alone painted and put on and counterfeited In plaine words thus you may describe it A corruption of the will A corruption of the will inclining it selfe to doe some good leaue some euill for ones owne sake whereby it inclineth it selfe to seeme good by doing some good and leauing some euill for ones owne sake For euery man is naturally desirous to haue other men esteeme him good and to esteeme of himselfe also as of one that is good and because neither will his neighbours conceiue so of him neither can hee so conceiue of himselfe without some ground for such conceit he is therefore willing to doe something that may worke in others and in himselfe such an opinion of him and to auoyde some other things that might procure the contrary opinion Yea euery man naturally is willing to be happy and willing to think that he shall be happy yet because this thought cannot be maintained without some colour of reason hee is also willing to doe some things that he may thinke will further his happynes and auoyde some other things that will hinder it Now when a man
promises and threats and to say within your selues this good or euill shall surely be performed vnto me accordingly And so mighty is the Word of God that if it be thus hidden in the heart it shall surely purge the heart make it good if it be ingraffed in the soule it is able to saue the soule if it bee couered with earth it wil bring forth a crop neither is any branch so barren and vnfruitfull but by thus applying the Word to it selfe in priuate meditation it shall by little and little be made fruitfull But many men doe want the power of the Word because they content themselues barely to reade or heare the Word or if they marke it a little for the present they esteeme-that sufficient neuer taking care to goe alone and lay it fast vnto their owne hearts Take knowledge I pray you brethren of the true cause why the Word of God doth not profit the most of your soules you come hither to heare it perhaps also you gine some reasonable heede to it and can remember what was spoken and can talke of it a little if occasion serue but the world with its businesses or delights doth so bewiteh and beguile you that you can find neither heart nor time neither wil nor leasure to call againe to mind the things that you haue heard and to aske your selues Doe I this dutie am I guilty of this sinne doth not this reproofe pertaine to me haue I any part in this promise and accordingly to striue with your owne hearts to be either humbled or comforted and so to resolue on amendment and reformation according to the Word This is the cause that we haue so too too many fruitlesse hearers Hence it is that so much is taught so little practised How long will you continue to neglect this most sauing and most profitable exercise of binding the Word on the tables of your hearts and of incorporating it into your soules and being Gods instruments to ingraue it in your owne minds by meditating on it and by busying your cogitations vpon it afterwards as a thing that much concerneth you How often haue you been told that much hearing without meditation wil breede nothing but a swimming knowledge that it will not beget holinesse that it will not renew the soule but that hearing seconded with meditation will quicken and will sanctifie I pray you take notice of this fault amend it Redeeme time as to come and hearken to the voyce of God speaking to thee so likewise to get alone afterwards and apply it to thy selfe in thy serious meditations Certainely if we did thus declare our high esteeme of Gods Word and make it appeare that our soules did account of it as of a thing most pretious and healthfull to our soules the Lord of heauen would not faile to giue his blessing and to make it mighty to the working of a godly conuersation in vs it should bring forth the fruit of good liuing But lastly Lastly pray to God to make vs frui full by his Spirit you must also ioyne with your meditating which he that meditateth cannot but doe he that meditates not can hardly doe in any earnestnesse constant prayer vnto God for his holy Spirit to write his Law in your inward parts to engraue it in the fleshly tables of your hearts and to moue and incline your wills to obedience that so you may become the Epistle of God ministred by men For fruitfulnesse is a supernaturall effect it comes not from any power inherent in mans soule or arising from his owne wil but it is an effect of the spirit of life and grace which is sent from Christ the Vine as it were sap into the seuerall branches that doe sucke and draw it from him in his ordinances and by name by faithfull and earnest and continuall requesting it at his hands You must therefore make conscience to call vpon God for the good worke of his spirit to helpe you to liue holily to make you assured of his loue feruent in loue to him zealous of his glory and constant in walking in his lawes And in particular you must daily beg of him to strengthen you for the performance of such and such duties and leauing of such and such sinnes as from time to time the Word of God which you heare doth call vpou you to leaue or to performe God will be entreated for all good things and hee hath bound himselfe not to deny the requests of all that call on him Matth. 7.8 Euery one that seeketh findeth O comfortable and large promise answering all obiections and able to stay vp the soule against all discouragements Neuer any man was so wicked sinful but if he would come to the Lord earnestly beseech him for his name sake to change his heart and life and continue constant in following this suite the Lord did surely hearken vnto him and make him godly You cannot be good of your selues but you may if you will not winke see your owne badnesse and your owne impotency You may if you will not harden your owne hearts and make your selues carelesse of your owne soules cry and call to God to make you good and importune him with perpetuall supplications to bow and incline your hearts to keep his precepts to open your eyes to see and your hearts to entertayne his holy Law that you may conuert and he may heale you This I say you may doe if you do not make your selues wilfull and obstinate by contemning the exhortations of Gods Word and euen stopping your eares against it and by wilfull turning your hearts after other matters I haue shewed you now how the barren may become fertile how the dry may be filled with sap and how the liues of them may be made godly and Christian which are yet farre from godlinesse and Christianitie See your barrennesse and to attentiue hearing ioyne diligent meditating on the Word you heare and constant prayer vnto GOD for the strength of his Spirit to make his Word effectuall and to giue you grace to obey it then shall you surely be made branches bringing forth fruit for then do you abide in Christ and his word abideth in you and that our Sauiour himselfe doth after wards prescribe as an infallible way to bring forth much fruit CHAP. XIX Containing the fourth vse BVt now it is time that we turn our selues vnto the fruitfull branches The sruitfull must be comforted therein to diuide vnto them that comfort which GOD hath allotted vnto them which this text affordeth and they stand in need of For all those therfore that do bring forth fruit in Christ in such sort as hath bin shewd we haue much good to speake and ioyfull tidings to deliuer Wee are to assure and secure them against all the feares of their owne hearts against all the cauils of Satan and false censures of the wicked world that they be not hypocrites but true-hearted and
of his owne though not so much as he would is chearefull and forward in following his calling It doth likewise euen dampe the courage of a good Christian in following the trade of godlinesse when hee is still causelesly accusing himselfe to haue no truth no sinceritie no vprightnesse but to know that hee hath truth indeed and yet is farre short of perfection this encourageth him to goe forward in striuing after perfection The consolation that pietie affordeth is a principall furtherer of our good proceedings in it and therefore thou must take comfort in the truth of thy beginnings that thou mayest goe forward with a liuelier pace and greater diligence Consider heere how that our Sauiour doth not name the bringing forth of as much and as faire fruit as others for the note of a good and pleasing branch but simply the bringing forth of fruit and therefore if thou beest in any degree fruitfull though neyther so much as thou wouldest or shouldest or seest others to bee yet there is iust cause of receiuing comfort Indeed the littlenesse of our fruit should humble vs but not discourage vs. It should stand before our eyes to keepe vs from pride not from peace to stop vs from conceitednesse not to hinder our comfort in God Satan that desireth to make all things harmefull vnto vs labours also to turne the reliques of sinne which remaine in vs to the ouer-much disquieting and terrifying of our consciences and to the shaking of our faith and interrupting the consolations we might enioy in God but let vs not yeeld to the subtiltie and malice of Satan in this behalfe When thou seest thy selfe failing in the measure of fruit obserue this fayling well but turne it not the worst way Let it make thee charge thy selfe with too much negligence not with vtter hollownesse conclude from it that thou art but weake and feeble not that thou art but an hypocrite and dlssembler And now let all Gods people chiefly those that are full of doubts and feares depart away confirmed and established in comfort let their spirits be at peace within them and let them feede of the fat and sweete portion which the Lord hath allowed them The ioy of the Lord will bee their strength these comforts will ripen their fruites as the Sunne-beames doe the fruites of the earth and they shall with most east and assurance grow better and better when they find the comfort and benefit of being truly good already So then conclude thou thus for thy selfe euery fruitfull branch is a true Christian I am fruitfull though not of so large faire ripe clusters as others yet of Grapes my life is truly holy and good though not approching so neare to perfection as it should and therefore I will not doubt to esteeme my selfe a true Christian and to giue the Lord the glory praise and take to my selfe the comfort and peace of my sinceritie And so we haue spoken of the obiect of Gods Husbandrie the parts of which we will hereafter entreat of at some conuenient time if God afford vs life and opportunity Deo Solà gloria FINIS GODS HVSBANDRY THE SECOND PART TENDING CHIEFLY TO THE REFORMING OF AN HYPOcrite and making him true hearted AS IT WAS DELIVERED IN CERtaine Sermons and is now published By WILLIAM WHATELY Preacher of the Word of God in Banbury in Oxfordshire 1. Cor. 4.5 The Lord will bring to light the hidden things of darknesse and make manifest the counsels of the hearts AT LONDON Imprinted by Felix Kyngston for Thomas Man dwelling in Pater-noster-row at the signe of the Talbot 1622. TO THE COVRTEOVS READER I Make bold good Reader to present vnto thy view this second part of Gods Husbandry containing a few Sermons which I preached vpon the words of Christ in the fifteenth of Saint Iohns Gospell My maine intention herein was to helpe the people of God against that miserable sinne of Hypocrisie which in the former Treatise I sought to discouer Doubtlesse all our paines and all our preaching is little enough and too little to make men see and reforme so perillous and withall so subtill a vice This is a disease of so darke a working as will hardly be discerned vntill it be past cure And though a man bee not so totally possessed and ouercome by it as that he deserue to bee called an Hypocrite yet are the remainders of it which abide in the most sanctified hearts as the Canaanites amongst the sonnes of Abraham exceeding troublesome and exceeding noysome calling for all diligence and labour to expell them It is the daughter of ignorance and selfe-loue the mother of pride and selfe-conceitednesse the sister of vaine-glory and contention It is of all sinnes one of the most hideous because it damneth those that seeme to themselues little lesse then free from all other sinnes When the whole army of vices is fled before the face of vertue and seemes to haue yeelded a full victory then doth this vice as it were by stratagems and deuices vndermine victorious vertue and rob it of the victory which it seemed to haue gotten It is the refuge and hiding place of all other faults neither can wee further preuaile against any corruption then we preuaile against this neither can any corruption further foyle vs then this doth lend it aide and succour This vice maketh those things abominable in Gods sight which to menward seeme praiseable and causeth that heauen doth detest what earth applauds It comes to Church with men and poysons preaching praying hearing reading receiuing the Communion and all the parts of Gods seruice It is bold to creepe into the clozet also with some men and doth many times corrupt their most retired deuotions It maketh that the Lord accounts himselfe but mocked when men account themselues to haue well worshipped him It turnes mercy iustice chastity into vices after a sort and causeth that they be in true iudgement but faire and guilded sins It marreth in one word all good things and changeth the not committing of sinne into a sinne and the performing of the most commendable duties into very loathsome euill A deuout Hypocrite is little better then a profane Epicure and a painted Sepulohre is little different from a very dunghill Happy shall that man be that is carefull to spy out the working of this crooked and deceitfull vice in himselfe and that with earnestnesse diligence warinesse and constancy doth striue to chase it out of his owne heart When the Ziphites wretched claw-backes as they were came to waken Sauls sleeping malice by offering him their seruice to deliuer vp Dauid the Story tels vs that he sent them backe with this instruction Goe and prepare yet and know and see his place and where his haunt is and who hath seene him there for it is told me that he dealeth very subtilly See therefore and take knowledge of all his lurking places where hee hideth himselfe and come yee againe to me with the certainty and I will
deserued punishment which his grieuous wickednesse doth challenge at the hands of his righteousnesse If it be obiected that God might conuert the hypocrite if he would The answere is By his omnipotent power he might and so he migt the diuels too and the very prince of the diuels Beelzebub himselfe But wee must vnderstand that the Lord hath set downe a certaine way and order of conuerting men vnto him agreeable to the rules of his owne vnsearchable wisedome euen such a way as is in it selfe most plaine sure and infallible if the negligence and obstinacy of men doe not hinder and such a way as is most conuenient to procure the greatest honour that may be vnto him in their saluation and that is that man himselfe should become a working instrument with God to his owne conuersion and saluation Which seeing the hypocrite will not doe the Lord will neuer bee so ouer-gracious vnto him as to bring him to heauen by another way but will euen magnify himselfe in destroying him because he neglected to take the right course that was shewed him to doe himselfe good So you see reasons enow on Gods part why such branches should be separated from the Vine Consider we of themselues and see if there be not more then cause of handling them with such seuerity First they thrust away saluation from themselues Reason 2 as it is sayd of the Iewes in another case From themselues whom 1. They thrust away saluation from them Because they will not entertaine and yeeld vnto the good motions of Gods Word and Spirit that doe vrge and presse them to turne vnto the Lord and therefore what can be expected in reason but that they should procure vnto themselues euen sharpe and swift damnation For is it not most equall that he which will not receiue saluation when it is proffered vnto him by God should vtterly perish as that he should be starued and dye for hunger which will not receiue foode when it is put into his hands These men resist and oppugne the Spirit of God and will not accept of life vpon such termes as it may stand with Gods Iustice to bestow it vpon them If he would saue them and giue them leaue to goe on in their beloued sinnes too O how glad they would be of such a carnall way of comming to heauen But if he wil not giue eternall life but vnto those that are carefull throughly to reforme their hearts and liues they know not how to be at all that paynes Surely the matter standing thus betwixt the Lord and their soules it could not stand with his righteousnesse to preserue them from ruine The dissembling Christian dealeth by God as the Disciples of Christ did deale by him in the sixth of Iohn When he told them of eating his flesh and drinking his blood they sayd This was an hard saying who could heare it and so went backe and walked no more with him So the hypocrite hearing of remission of sinnes of life of saluation thinkes they bee things very desireable and out of a will to haue a part in them he will goe a great way with God but when he heares of a generall renouncing of all sinne and of washing and clensing his heart and that without this care there is no saluation he will not beleeue that the way to heauen is so narrow he shrinkes backe at these exhortations and thinkes the Lord is an hard Master and will goe with him no further So then seeing the fruitlesse branch doth carelesly or obstinately let passe the opportunity of sauing himselfe when it is often offered vnto him what can be more righteous with God then that hee should bring vpon himselfe eternall destruction Againe the hypocrite abuseth the richest of all Gods benefits his Word his Sacraments his Gospell the blood of his Son his tender of mercy and the rest of those supernaturall things that he hath to doe with He turneth the grace of God into wantonnesse and like a very Swine doth tread vnder foot the most precious pearle of Gods goodnesse in Christ and must not an heauy vengeance therefore needs oppresse him Meate drinke apparell wit strength health these be worthy gifts of God and exceeding sinfull is the abuse of them accounted in the sight of God as reason there is that it should and very heauy haue the punishments been that haue lighted vpon the abusers of such mercies But these are cōmon fauours euery dayes benefits the outcasts of the world haue them as wel as those of Gods houshold Only the Word of God his holy Ordinances the knowledge of himselfe of his Son and of his Kingdome and the offers of mercy to saue them from hell these are peculiar fauours highly-esteemed kindnesses specially bestowed vpon those of his owne family with whom hee pleaseth to bee in Couenant Now the hypocrite abuseth these he peruerteth these he flatters himselfe in his sins for all these and when God himselfe doth euen as it were come a wooing vnto him in all these ordinances and beseech him to be reconciled to receiue himselfe for an husband his Kingdome for a dowry and Heauen for a ioynture hee will none of the bargaine vnlesse he may haue the liberty of inioying his sinnes besides O how great an indignity is heere offered vnto God how shamefull a repulse doth the Lord receiue and how vndeserued a refusall wherefore by how much the mercies of God that the dissembler abuseth in cōtinuing obstinate against them are greater by so much must God in iustice needes increase the sharpnes and strength of his blowes against his soule 3. Doe much harme in the Church Againe the hypocrite doth procure a number of mischiefes in the vine where he growes which must needs occasion and hasten his cutting off These discredit Religion and cause it to bee ill spoken of these being of Gods family in shew doe bring an ill name vpon it as once the spies did vpon the land of Canaan They doe grieue the hearts of the vpright and strengthen the hands of other sinners and fill their mouthes with insultation Their barrennesse and want of good fruit doth administer matter vnto those that are ready to cauill of casting reproches vpon the roote on which they grow and vpon all the branches that grow by them Neuer did any professed enemy doe so much hurt to true Religion and so much hinder the proceeding of true piety as the hypocrite hath done Hee is one of the chiefe stumbling blocks in the world and if a woe be denounced against him by whom offences come then the heauiest of all woes must light vpon him from whose default the greatest of all scandals doe come Doe you not conceiue what triumphing there was against Christ when his owne Disciple had sold him for money The dry branch is a great impediment to the fruitfulnesse of the neighbour branches and the vnfruitfull Fig-tree doth euen keepe the ground idle Hee keepeth many from goodnesse that
might haue come vnto it but for his ill example hee discourageth those that would haue been more abundant in goodnesse but for his ill example Hee makes those that are willing to sinne bold also to be more outragious in sinning by his ill example In a word the Church of God did neuer receiue so great mischiefes as from the false members of it It is then but need for the Lord to take a sharpe and speedy course against them Lastly 4. Make themselues vncapable of honouring God any other way you may conclude all the other euill they doe with putting your selues in mind of the euill that they doe vnto themselues by making themselues vnfit to bring glory vnto God any other way but in their punishment as we said before They say of a Swine that he neuer doth good till he come to the knife so may we say of the Hypocrite that he doth not bring any honour to God till hee be faine to honour him perforce in suffering the strokes of his infinite Iustice In his praying in his receiuing the Sacraments in his laborious following his calling in his workes of mercy hee dishonoureth God in all the actions of his life he doth wholly dishonour him would for euer if he might be suffred continue to dishonor him doing all these things hollowly guilefully seruing and seeking himself in them and preferring himself the creature before the Lord his Creator Doth not he then compel the Lord to take such a course with him that hee may no longer dishonour him but may procure vnto him though against any proper intention of his the glory of being an hater of sinne and a punisher of all vnrighteousnesse yea of being a searcher of hearts and a discouerer of the secrets of all mens soules An vnfruitfull branch is good for nothing but to be burnt wherefore the Gardener doth best to make him a fire of it Reason 3 And one more reason we may fetch of the wofull end of Hypocrites Because all Gods people doe pray for their ruine yea themselues also euen from all the rest of Gods Saints who with one mouth doe continually sue vnto the Lord for their cutting off they being principall hinderances of the hallowing of Gods Name proceeding of his Kingdome of grace doing of his holy will and the sanctification also of his children against all which hindrances the people of God are inioyned by our Sauiour to make their prayers Indeed the Saints of God doe not know nor mention in their prayers the particular dissemblers that are in the Church but the Lord that knowes them each in speciall must needs be prouoked against each by the incessant prayers of his Saints that are made against all Yea the Hypocrites themselues when they doe pray after their fashion and according to their manner though not intending any such matter nor heeding the scope and purport of their owne prayers doe yet pray euen against themselues after a sort deuoting themselues and crying vnto God to haue his fury and vengeance dispatched against them So haue you the poynt made strong shall we also make it vsefull Wee will doe so and intreat you to attend whilest we shew you the vses that are to be made of Gods seuerity against counterfeits CHAP. III. Containing the first vse of the poynt viz. the magnifying of Gods Iustice Vse 1 FIrst then let the God of heauen haue his due honour The ruine of Hypocrites must cause vs to praise the Wisedome and Iustice of God in the due punishment of these most secret malefactors as the keeper of the Vine is praised for his good husbandry in the seasonable cutting of the dry and withered boughes of the Vine For how should the Lord more cleerly reueale to the sonnes of men his most exact wisedome and strict righteousnesse then in finding out and casting off these wicked offenders for all their cunning disguisement and subtill dissimulation Hereby hee makes it apparant that hee is so perfect in vnderstanding and in righteousnesse as there is no way of finding fauour with him but by being good and truly good and by walking in his wayes and being sound in the same It will not serue the turne to be close and retired it cannot auaile to be of smooth and fine carriage all colouring all cloking is idle and bootlesse It is not possible to escape his eye and hand but by casting away our sinnes in good earnest and a true and hearty obedience Let the Hypocrite offer thousands of Rammes and riuers of oyle let him not spare the fruit of his body euen his owne sonnes and daughters and put himselfe to neuer so much cost and charges all is one God will not be bribed by these gifts to tolerate his wickednesse Let him speake the Lord neuer so faire in words and make neuer so many long prayers let him carry himselfe neuer so deuoutly and religiously and weare Gods cloth as it were and call him Master and Master and tread in his Courts and frequent his House stil he loseth his labour God will not beare with him nor spare him for all this so long as hee hath respect to iniquity in his heart he shall neuer be accepted Men are oftentimes partiall to them of their owne family and will not deale so rigorously with those that vse them kindly though they sin but the Lord is vtterly voyd of all partiality euen to those that shrowd themselues vnder his elbow as it were and seeme to bee as good seruants to him as may be and giue him the sweetest words that they can inuent Oh how pure and searching are the eyes of our God how cleerly doth hee shew vnto vs in the ouerthrow of Hypocrites the truth of that that the Psalmist singeth His eyes behold his eye-lids try the sonnes of men but againe Euill shall not dwell with him the foolish shall not stand in his sight and he hateth all the workers of iniquity Looke we therefore vpon the ruine of Saul Achitophel Ioash Amaziah Iudas Ananias Saphira and the rest of those whom the Scriptures doe tell vs of consider wee also of the examples of our owne time wherein our eyes may haue seene the experience of the Lords sharpnesse against such as haue trod in the euill steps of these forenamed not learning to auoyd the waies of mischiefe wherein they haue seene others to be ouerwhelmed before them and in all such accidents let vs contemplate the righteousnesse seuerity wisedome and prouidence of God admiring his iust gouernment of his Church that will not bee slacke according to his threatning long since to make desolate the congregation of Hypocrites and learne wee here-hence to establish a louing and awfull admiration of so great iustice mixed with so great wisedome It is a great fault to rob God of the glory of his glorious workes and not to take notice of his excellent attributes discouered vnto vs in the rare effects thereof The Lord desireth to haue vs
thinke and talke of these wonderfull workes of his and to implant in our owne soules a cleerer knowledge and a deeper reuerence of him by meanes of them For he knowes that nothing is more beneficiall to our soules then if we doe thus vsefully behold the lifting vp of his high hand wherefore wee must not suffer our naturall dulnesse to preuaile against vs and to turne away our thoughts from obseruing such obseruable things which yet in this particular case wee are most apt to doe For I know not how it comes to passe in men that whereas those of them that are not extremely carnall and earthly-minded can consider the workes of his goodnesse and mercy with some admiration wondring to finde so great kindnesse shewed to creatures that can so little either deserue or requite the same yet it is farre otherwise in the workes of his Iustice here a kind of vniustifiable pity of the persons misery stops our eyes from beholding the beauty of Gods righteousnesse and men are nothing apt to praise him for the strict proceeding of his iudgements against malefactors Doubtlesse this is a corruption in vs worthy to be blamed We seldome praise God for shewing himselfe iust against Hypocrites Indeed if in the practice of their malice against the Church and the true members of it they fall downe wounded as often it falles out here our interest maketh vs to be somewhat glad and wee can finde in our hearts to thanke God for that which procured our owne ease and safety but if it fall otherwise that the Lord execute his vengeance against those whom himselfe sees worthy to be hated wee not hauing any part in the quarrell we doe not make such executions a part of the matter of our thankesgiuing as if wee regarded Gods workes nothing at all further then some benefit redounds therefrom vnto our selues or as if wee thought them worth nothing further then they serue our owne turnes But now let vs learne that it is a necessary duty for vs to praise the Lord for shewing himselfe seuere as well as gentle for exercising his rigor as well as his grace and for making knowne his hatred of sinne as well as his loue of the righteous Praise thou him for that as hee doth fauourably accept the meanest endeuours of the true-hearted so he will by no meanes be deceiued by the glorious ostentation of hypocrites praise him for that as he will not let a man that in truth of charity doth giue a cup of cold water to lose his reward so he will not respect him that out of other respects destitute of charity shall giue all his goods to the poore Praise him that as hee doth accept and requite the poore widowes mite that came from soundnesse of deuotion so did hee nothing heed nor affect the rich and pompous bounty of the wealthier persons that serued their Idoll of vaine-glory in seeming to make their offerings vnto him Praise him for that as he highly prizeth the neglected and despised seruices of those that are sound in his precepts so hee doth count those things no better then abomination that seeme glorious in the eyes of men when they are done for sinister ends We doe obserue in Princes as well their prudence and iustice in finding out and taking and executing the crafty offenders that liue vnder their charge as in shewing bounty and liberality and courtesie towards their better subiects If a King haue declared himselfe to be so wholly deuoted to right and equity that if his neerest fauorites doe things worthy of death or bonds hee will not spare them and that no gifts nor bribes can purchase fauour for those that are bold to build their faultinesse vpon such hopes of impunity how doe the present liuers honour him how doe they applaud his vprightnesse and giue him all the titles of honour that they can inuent yea how doe those that write such histories inlarge their words and discourses in his commendation and aduance him to the skies for the most hearty louer and constant follower of equity that might bee Why should not the King of Kings enioy the praises of the iust and seuere executions that hee hath done and daily doth vpon the hollow-hearted Though men call themselues after his name though they make long prayers though they professe great loue and feare of him and make a shew of much deuotion though they preach him in the streets and worke miracles in his name and make as if they were the best affected to him and his honour that can be yet when hee comes to them and sees them destitute of a true godly conuersation not soundly reformed in heart not vniuersally obedient in life not vpright hearted he makes no more adoe but cuts them off by the sword of iustice and sweepes them away with the besome of destruction Why doe wee not extoll the name of the Lord in these workes of his hand why doe we not open our mouthes to shew forth his praise and say with the Psalmist Righteous art thou O Lord and vpright are thy iudgements and thou hast troden downe all them that erre from thy statutes for their deceit is falshood and thou puttest away all the wicked of the earth like drosse and my flesh trembleth for feare of thee and I am afraid of thy iudgements for thou dost iudge the world with equity and the people with righteousnesse If a Iudge doe behaue himselfe discreetly for the searching out of a matter and doe cleerly lay open a cunning pack of closely contriued villany all that heare him applaud him and praise his prudence and great vnderstanding as they did Salomons in the difficult case of the two harlots about the dead and liuing childe Now when the Lord doth order matters with so great discretion as to bring to light the wickednesse of the hypocrite which he with such exceeding cunningnesse of skill and shifting and turning doth striue to hold vnder darknesse and to keepe from the knowledge of men and Angels yea often of himselfe and of God too if he could go beyond the Lord should not the seeing and hearing of these most righteous iudgements of the Lord cause vs to breake forth into his praises and to honour and feare him as a Iudge before whom it is to no purpose to double and to wind Yea if a man incompassed with deceitfull and hollow meaning sycophants who seeke by all smoothnesse of behauiour to make him thinke well of them and account them among the number of his friends shall yet with so happy an insight discerne their falshood as that he doe not at all suffer himselfe to rest vpon them or to be beguiled in them doe not wee commend such a man for his wisdome and care and wonder at his prudence and circumspection The Hypocrite is one of Gods flatterers hee would faine win fauour with God by seeming and shewes and worke himselfe into Gods fauour by a smooth behauiour of his outside but it
's no longer nor further then as he will impart with him is wisedome with him is power greatnesse and riches and Maiesty and dominion are his Hee is infinitely iust and righteous hating sinne with ten thousand times more vehement hatred then wee can thinke hee doth and punisheth it with ten thousand times more seuerity then wee can thinke he will He is thorowly and thorowly acquainted with all that is in man needeth not to receiue information from any other His eyes in euery place behold the euill and the good and he is most fearefull and terrible to the sinner and euen farre more burning then any consuming fire Put thy selfe therefore in mind frequently of his all-searching eye all-hearing eare almighty hand and euery-where-present presence Say with Dauid Lord whither shall I goe out of thy presence And thou compassest my path and my lying downe and art acquainted with all my wayes He that will thus set his mind on worke often to muze of Gods excellencies shall finde the candle of the knowledge of God to bee lighted vp within his soule And as a theefe endureth not the light and therefore if a candle be tinded he flies so this slie theefe of hypocrisie will bee gone if we set vp and renew this burning lampe of knowledge within vs. Wherefore gather together such worthy texts of Scripture as tend to set foorth God vnto vs and bestow much time in pondering of them and telling thine heart how true they bee and most inconceiueably great and good hee is that hath in them discouered but his backe parts vnto thee and thou shalt soone finde that the beames of this Sunne will dispell the fogs of guile within thee 5. And last to be constant in examining himselfe by the Law and discussing ones owne deeds Last of all thou must be constant in examining thy selfe by the Law of God and in discussing thine owne life calling thy selfe to account often at least euery day for the thoughts words and deeds of the day renewing the sorrowfull confessions of thy soule for what thou findest to bee amisse and thine hearty purposes of amendment Hypocrisie cannot preuaile but where a man doth suffer himselfe to passe on carelesly heedlesly thorow the world not regarding much how matters goe with his soule nor caring to set himselfe in Gods presence and consider how he hath behaued himselfe towards God He that lets his reckonings runne on a long time without setting them in order or considering how they stand is many times a very banquerupt and knowes it not but hee that doth often make his accounts euen doth likely keep before-hand We must daily cast vp our accounts with God we must daily reckon with him and our selues for our debts and arrerages But especially a man must haue a speciall eye vnto that most beloued sinne of his which he takes most delight in is most prone vnto and is lothest to see and leaue and most watchfully marke and obserue each stirring and turning and mouing of it within his soule be it what it will bee worldlinesse passion reuenge vaine-glory lust voluptuousnesse carking or the like Likely hypocrisie that is it selfe a close corruption and loues not to bee seene hath some lieutenant as it were some master-sin that keepes its place openly and holds vp its dominion See this oppose this subdue this and the raigne of guile is ouerthrowne This ferreting out of all sinne by the Law and chiefly of the master-sinne this frequent appearing before God to try our daily conuersation in his presence will cause that a man shall not bee vnder the dominion of guile He shal discouer so much hypocrisie and so much hurt comming to him by hypocrisie and so much good by the purging out of hypocrisie that by confessing and opposing it hee shall gaine certaine freedome from the tyranny and vsurpation thereof Lo brethren so many of you as haue hitherto beene seruants to guile I haue reuealed vnto you the meanes of recouering your liberty Doe these things and though you haue been to this time arrant hypocrites you shall be changed and become vpright Onely doe these things now for the present from this time forward without deferring or delaying without putting off the Lord vntill another time for the plaister will come too late when the sore is past cure After a man is dead make him a cawdle saith the Prouerbe This is madnesse indeed when God hath so long borne with thy dissimulation as that now hee resolues to beare with thee no longer nor euer to pardon thee and therefore turnes thy conscience loose vpon thee to pursue thee as he did on Iudas then shalt thou bee vnable to doe these things and then shalt thou finde it past time a day to thinke of reforming thy guile when God is now in cutting thee off for it for the night will come when no man can work as Christ telleth Wherfore now at the pure reproofes of Gods Word and at the gentle and louing motions of his Spirit addresse thy selfe to this though painfull yet happy and needfull labour of reforming thy guile and I protest vnto thee in the name of the Lord that thou shalt preuaile See thine hypocrisie grieue for it before God considering the certaine and insufferable danger of it and the assurance of escaping it by this meanes and euen falling out with thy selfe because thou canst not grieue more for it and withall pray earnestly vnto the Lord for his Spirit meditate much of his excellencies and presence and vse to marke and examine thy life daily chiefly in respect of thy most deare sinne which thou findest thy selfe lothest to see and leaue and then heare thou the Word of the Lord vnto thee Thy sinne shall be pardoned thy guile shall be remoued and thou shalt from this time forward become a liuing and a fruitfull branch O how happy shall this change be how comfortable this alteration and how shalt thou blesse the time the day the meanes the cause that so changed thee And now I pray you brethren giue mee leaue yet a little further to presse this exhortation vpon your consciences Answere each of you within himselfe and say What is thy resolution and what intendest thou to doe Wilt thou passe ouer this exhortation as carelesly as thou hast already done many others and goe as fruitlesly from this Sermon as from others heretofore neuer regarding to amend the sin which the Word of God discouereth vnto thee to bee so mischieuous wilt thou I say euen neglect and set light by this admonition and euen forget it so soone as thy backe is turned on the Church and neuer take care of following it or wilt thou heed it obserue it follow it and now begin to make thy selfe a true Christian by purging out the formerly preuailing guile of thy soule Come to a resolution before thou goest hence what thou wilt doe whether obey the Word of God or disobey it practise it or let it slide
errours but many more then they can possibly come to the vnderstanding of Rom. 7.21 in this life Paul also tels vs that when he would doe good euill was present with him And who can boast of freedome from this cumbersome presence of euill if the Apostle himselfe could not Some would elude the euidence of this text but to no purpose for the matter wee are in hand to proue because if this place should faile vs yet the other places alleaged and to be alleaged doe by their plainnesse refuse to bee eluded but this text they would elude by saying that the Apostle doth not here speake of himselfe as he was after his regeneration but as he was before regeneration so describing a meere naturall man brought as farre as the Law without grace could bring him But this fancy the Apostle himselfe doth plainly enough cut off saying in the conclusion of his discourse So then I my selfe in my minde doe serue the Law of God but in my flesh the law of sinne This I my selfe ioyned with the present tense can denote none other but Paul himselfe as hee then was when he wrote these words and according to the condition in which hee then remained And doth he not to his complaint O miserable man subioyne his triumph of Thanks be vnto God through Iesus Christ Can the meere naturall man come to such a sight of his miserable seruitude to sinne as withall to giue thankes vnto God in Christ for his deliuerance It is manifest then that the Apostle affirmeth thus much of himselfe as he then was after his beleeuing in Christ and many yeeres spent in his Apostleship And if it were thus with Paul at that time shall any man in all the world expect to finde it otherwise Saint Iohn also writeth most plainly saying If we say we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs. The poynt then is fully proued needing indeed none other confirmation then the continuall experience of all Gods Saints agreeable to the Word of God But for your better satisfaction in the matter wee will shew you both the cause why it is so and the reason why it standeth better with the wisedome of God to appoynt it so to be rather then otherwise For without all doubt the Lord could giue vs perfection of sanctification in this life if so it seemed good vnto his wisedome And the cause of it is The cause of our not being perfect here is our not being fully vnited to Christ our not being fully and perfectly vnited vnto Christ Iesus our Head from whom all graces are deriued as water from the fountaine If we were conioyned to Christ in the highest degree of vnion wee should also be voyd of sinne For as in our vniting vnto the first Adam wee did so wholly receiue his corrupt image that there remained no good thing in vs so in our vniting to the second Adam we should so wholly be filled with his holy Image as to haue none euill abiding in vs. But whilest we remaine in this world wee haue not a full possession of him wee are not so neerly vnited vnto him Wee are like a maid contracted espoused made sure to a man which hath an infallible right into him and hath receiued diuers tokens euen rich tokens of loue to assure her of the marriage in due time but is not yet married vnto him nor is put into the possession of his person and estate wholly and fully as at the consummatiō of matrimony And this also ariseth hence that hee is a glorious incorruptible immortall and spirituall Man we are mortall corruptible meane and naturall men and so weak feeble and imperfect a thing as a mortall vnnaturall man though it may in some degree be ioyned vnto so glorious a nature and person as that of Christs namely in respect of a certaine right and interest into him and of the receiuing of some first-fruits and benefits from him yet cannot be admitted into a full and whole perfect coniunction with him namely so far as to see him as it is seene and know him as it is known and to be all in all with him Now so exceeding deeply doth the staine of sinne cleaue vnto vs which we haue receiued from our first parent Adam that an vnion of lesse closenesse then this euen of wholly possessing Christ and being wholly possessed by Christ will not serue the turne wholly and altogether to expell the corruptions of our hearts You see now whence it comes that in this life we remaine obnoxious to diuers imperfections Next Reasons why God will not giue vs a totall freedome from sinne heere let vs consider why the Lord of heauen will haue it to be so rather thē otherwise In truth it should be an intolerable presumption and sawcinesse in vs to demand a reason of Gods actions if himselfe did not vouchsafe to stoope so low as to render vs a reason thereof himselfe But in this matter the Scripture saith plainly that God hath shut all vnder sinne that hee might haue mercy vpon all Doubtlesse this is principally to be vnderstood of giuing ouer man to bee sinfull in his first corruption shewing the reason why God did permit and appoynt it so to be but withall it may very fitly serue to informe vs in the present matter shewing why the Lord doth please to leaue euen his owne seruants after their ingraffing into Christ vnto the sinfulnesse of their nature so farre that they shall not be wholly free from it namely 1. That it may most manifestly appeare we are saued of grace that it might most manifestly appeare that they be saued of grace and not of merit and that he may fully and vnquestionably inioy the praise of hauing giuen it them of free will and bounty not paid it them as a thing earned by the worthinesse of their workes although in another respect the Lord pleaseth to call it a wages viz. not in regard that it is giuen for the dignity of the workes but because of the certainty of such an ouer-abundant requitall For as an honest man will surely pay his labourer his hire according to the Law so the Lord will surely giue eternall life vnto his seruants that by continuance in well doing doe labour for the same Now seeing the Lord did principally aime at his owne glory in giuing saluation vnto men it is most agreeable to reason that he should in such sort bring them vnto saluation as may most manifest the riches of his mercy the glory whereof he doth most affect and seeke in that worke and it is a more cleere demonstration of mercy to giue them saluation through the iustification which is by faith in Christ notwithstanding that themselues remaine very weake feeble imperfect sinfull and vnable to performe exact obedience to his Law then if he should at the first moment of their regeneration free them wholly from all weaknesse and after a life
spent in all fulnesse of obedience and in perfect freedome from sinne crowne them in the end with eternall glory for such vnspotted holinesse of life might carry a shew of claiming life for the dignity thereof but the guiltinesse of manifold weaknesses doth stop the mouth of euery man before the Lord and forceth all that haue any wit in their heads and feeling in their hearts to acknowledge that they are freely saued by his grace and that of his owne will not by the workes which they had done Secondly the Lords will is 2. That we may be conformable to Christ in afflictions and goe to heauen the same rough way that he did to make vs conformable to Christ our Head and to goe to heauen the same way that he went before vs namely through manifold afflictions that so out of the sence and feeling of the burthen of sinne and out of our long and troublesome wrestling with it we might be become more heartily and abundantly thankfull vnto him for our deliuerance Therefore the Apostle tels vs that we must suffer with Christ before we can raigne with him and himselfe tels vs that whosoeuer will be his Disciple must take vp his crosse and follow him for he will haue triall of the loue fortitude and patience of his souldiers and see whether for his sake they will endure the conflict afore he set the Crowne vpon their heads Now if he should not leaue vs in a state subiect to some sinne we could not be subiect to any affliction for where there is no fault imputed to be punished nor none inherent to be purged there it should bee vnrighteous with the Lord to lay any punishment for iustice will not suffer that the creature bee made subiect to correction where hee is not subiect to blame Hence the Lord of heauen that would haue vs pledge our Sauiour in the bitter cup of sorrowes on earth before we feast with him with the new wine of consolation in his Kingdome hath left the reliques of our flesh in vs to exercise vs that though sinne haue not dominion ouer vs yet it hath a dwelling and working in vs as the remnants of the Cananites kept vnder tribute If any shall obiect within himselfe How can it be that creatures so full of sinne should possibly be vnited vnto Christ how can it agree with his holinesse to take men and women defiled with corruption and make them so neere vnto himselfe as flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone for so we are made vnto him in this life The answere is ready that the fruitfull branches at the time of their ingraffing into Christ are made partakers of the blessing spoken of by Dauid in the Psalme viz. Their transgression is remitted their sinne is couered and the Lord imputeth not iniquity vnto them Through the imputation of Christs perfect righteousnesse vnto them and acceptation thereof for them all their sinnes are made as if they were not and therefore cannot possibly hinder them from being in their measure vnited vnto Christ and reconciled vnto God For all the sinnes of the penitent beleeuers that euer they haue committed or shall commit are in respect of God fully and wholly forgiuen and quite done away God pronouncing them perfectly iust in his sight and not imputing to them any iniquity at all whence it must needs follow as from the next and immediate ground thereof that they shall neuer fall away from grace for God can neuer pronounce him vniust whom hee hath once pronounced iust nor neuer impute iniquity to him againe to whom once hee imputed none iniquity because this were a manifest change and alteration whereof there is no shadow at all in God And so you haue this poynt sufficiently cleered We will shew you also what good vse you are to make of it CHAP. VII Containing the first vse of the poynt for the refutation of two errours viz. the merit of workes and the conceit of perfection in this life NOw this truth in the first place Vse 1 is strong enough to ouerthrow two grand errours at once A confutation of two errours 1. of the merit of workes dreamed of by Romanists The first is of the Papists of the merit of works No obedience can possibly merit in any kind of meriting but that which is compleat absolute and perfect For the life promised by the Law cannot bee chalenged by vertue of the Law vnlesse the condition whereupon the Law doth promise it bee wholly and in euery part and particle fulfilled seeing if one man make a couenant with another of giuing him such a reward vpon condition that he doe goe to such a place and dispatch for example foure seuerall businesses the man with whom this bargaine is made cannot by vertue of the bargaine chalenge from the bargaine-maker the reward specified if he goe to the place and dispatch but halfe the businesses or all or any of them but by the halues for a conditionall promise in reason and equity bindeth not the promise-maker but vpon the perfect fulfilling of the worke for which the promise was made Now the Law the couenant by which we must chalenge life if wee will stand vpon any kind of merit saith Doe this and liue and that we may know its meaning to bee do it fully perfectly exactly without any failing it explicates it selfe saying Cursed bee the man that confirmeth not all the words of this Law to doe them Wherefore by vertue of the Law vpon the worth and desert of the workes thereof no man can lay claime to life vnlesse hee can say I haue done this I haue confirmed the whole Law to doe it Now whosoeuer hath sinnes and corruptions and disorders in him whosoeuer offendeth in many things whosoeuer doth the euill he would not cannot say that he establisheth the whole Law by doing it and our poynt hath made it plaine that the best of all Gods Saints the Apostles Paul Iames Iohn Peter not excepted and I hope none will be bold to thinke himselfe better then these pillars must bee faine to confesse that they transgresse in many things and must not dare to say that they haue no sinne in this life wherefore it followes ineuitably plainly cleerly incontrollably to any reasonable mans vnderstanding that they can in no sort lay claime to heauen by any manner of worth or deseruing of their workes And in very deed the Papists themselues are faine to yeeld vs this cause in somwhat a close manner and with a faire couer of words that they may not seeme to yeeld it For they tell vs that these workes of the Saints are dipt in the blood of Christ and so being cleansed of all staine and blemish what hinders but that they may merit This is in a shew of difference to come vnto vs and grant the poynt controuerted For now who sees not that if there bee any worth in these workes it doth not abide in themselues nor grow from themselues
must labour to keepe downe our corruptions by which wee shall escape many sinnes that death might be the death of sinne so likewise all the while wee doe liue knowing that wee cannot be free from sinne perfectly wee must increase our care of keeping downe our sinnes and striuing after that perfect freedome which death will bring with it For though we shall still remaine so feeble as to sinne in many things for all our labor to the contrary yet our labour against corruption shall not be in vaine because by vertue of it we shall make sinne much weaker then else it would be and saue our selues from many sinnes which else wee should fall into A besieged City keepes its gates fast locked and the walls well manned and neuer giues ouer watching and warding so long as the enemies army doth ingirt it so though it receiue some damage and lose many men yet the enemies army cannot breake in vpon them and take the City and kill all the inhabitants or make them captiues Our corruptions incompasse our soules round if we cease to bee watchfull and to be ready in armes they will preuaile against our soules and bring vs to destruction or very neere vnto it but by resisting with all diligence wee shall be safe from this vtmost mischiefe Some diseases will stay with mens bodies for terme of life but by keeping good diet and other good meanes a man may saue himselfe from much torment and escape many a sore fit which cannot but follow from his carelesnesse So our spirituall maladies will breake forth lesser and seldomer and put vs to lesse misery by farre if wee keepe a good dyet and vse other good waies of helping our soules against them Hee that goes in a foule way shall meet with some spots of dirt though he be neuer so wary in chusing his wayes yet he shall not be all mire and dirt as he that is heedlesse and goes thorow thicke and thinne without making difference Some staines also our soules will gather in our passage thorow this dirty world but nothing so many and great if we picke our way as otherwise Grosse foule presumptuous infamous sinnes may be shunned all finnes may be lessened and caused to breake out seldomer and in lower degrees if considering our aptnesse to them wee bestirre our selues to keepe them vnder Be we wise therefore for our soules as we would be for our bodies and states and seeing we cannot be without corruptions let vs hold them in subiection as much as is possible for who can tell to what height they may grow and what mischiefe they may doe vs if our diligence this way be wanting But me thinkes it should not be necessary to vse more words in perswading a Christian man to striue against his corruptions they be so contrary to the life of grace that is in him and so opposite to that new nature which the Lord hath infused into him in the time of his regeneration that he can no more chuse to oppose them in some measure then a man can chuse whether he will striue against that that offers to stop his breath A man out of an instinct of nature to preserue himselfe stands so disposed that he findes himselfe moued without deliberation euen out of an vndenyable principle that alwayes beareth sway in his minde and will to thrust away from him things that offer to cut the body or slay it or rob it of life The eye will winke and shut its lids when a man thinkes not of it if any thing offer to come neere that might be offensiue vnto it It is none otherwise in the life of grace he that hath it findes in himselfe euen as it were a maine principle that beareth rule in his whole soule when he thinkes not of it in particular that hee cannot but be an enemy vnto sinne hee cannot but beare a grudge against it and wish and labour the rooting of it out of his heart and holding it hard in from breaking foorth in his actions Alone there be diuers Saints of God that want skill to doe that which grace doth put in them a perpetuall inclination to doe Wherefore I will be bold not to make so large a discourse of this matter as the thing requireth but to giue you some three or foure special directions which in following you shall finde your selues much helped against these remnants of sinne which moue within you The first rule is as followeth Let a man frequently stirre vp in himselfe thoughts of dislike griese sorrow loathing Directions to helpe against all sinne 1. Stirre vp in our selues often thoughts of sorrow dislike of our selues for sinnes past detestation and dis-esteeming himselfe for the sins he hath committed in any kind and specially for such grosser sinnes as he hath falne into and such as he findes himselfe most apt and likely to fall into againe For hee that can make himselfe vile in his owne eyes for euils past and can bring his heart to a due abhorring of himselfe for wickednesses already perpetrated and euen looke backe vpon them with loathing and abomination is most likely to be kept from running into them againe For this is euen a punishing and chastising of himselfe and a taking of a most iust vengeance of himselfe for them and wee know that the force of punishment is to bridle and restraine offenders and keepe them from offending any more afterwards In so doing hee doth as one would say whip and scourge his owne heart and exercise seuerity against himselfe which cannot but cause him to stand alienated from the same faults afterwards as he that is whipped or scourged by another is thereby made more carefull not to make bold in that kind againe So the Prophet hauing offended through impatient repining against the prosperity of the sinner prouoketh himselfe to an abhorring and abasing of himselfe for it saying So foolish was I and vnwise and euen as a beast before thee And so Paul doth make himselfe contemptible in his owne eyes for his persecution of the Saints saying I am not worthy to be called an Apostle because I persecuted the Saints of God And Iob saith I am vile I haue spoken once and againe but I will adde no more and after againe I abhor my selfe And these thoughts and motions a Christian man must not alone pursue with more largenesse and earnestnesse in his folemne and set meditations as he shall finde opportunity but must euer and anon as he goeth about his ordinary affaires and is conuersant in worldly businesses and occasioned by company to call to remembrance any fault of his bee saying within himselfe Ah vile sinfull wretch and hate-worthy creature that I am haue not I sinned against God and mine owne soule in such passionatenesse such wantonnesse such vniustice and the like O that I could euen detest my selfe for this who but a very beast or foole would haue been so often and so grossely ouertaken It is not possible
their owne sinfull lusts that by smarting for them they may bee more humbled vnder them and made more carefull to see and resist them afterwards Thus Peters fall before the high Priests seruants was a meanes to make him a better that is to say a more humble and selfe-contemning man for his whole life after and in a sence a man may well tearme it an happy fault for him And so the Prophet Dauids hainous and presumptuous sinne did excellently prune him by helping to abate that conceit of himselfe which the great prosperity of a rich and flourishing kingdome had wrought in him So wee may say of many a Christian man that hee would neuer haue been good if some of his actions had not been starke naught and had not the Lord giuen him ouer to the committing of such and such grosse sinnes hee would neuer to any purpose haue been conuinced of sinne and so neuer haue been cleansed of it Wee thinke not our selues subiect to all manner of euils we make no great matter of the lower degrees of sinne and so grow slithy and fashionable and dead in our confessions because we thinke wee haue nothing worth speaking of to reckon for before the Lord. Hence the Lord is prouoked to giue vs vp vnto our selues that by some notable foyle or soyles we may be made to know what is in vs and so be inforced to set about the cleansing of our selues with much more care and earnestnesse then otherwise we would haue done So haue you heard the Lords meanes of purging Know also the manner of doing it The manner of weakening sin 1. By small degrees and that is to bee conceiued of thus First he doth it by degrees secondly by making a mans selfe a voluntary worker of it The Lord doth at once in one act within himselfe iustifie perfectly each beleeuer fully acquitting him of all sinne whatsoeuer through the imputation of Christs perfect righteousnes vnto him though this bee manifested vnto his soule by degrees as he doth particularly seeke the sight of it vpon occasion of his particular sinnes but sanctification is not wrought in an instant yea it is effected by little and little some now some then as a sore is healed by laying on of one plaister to day which draweth out some corruption and makes the wound or vlcer lesse filthy and another to morrow another next day wherby it groweth lesse and lesse filthy and lesse deep and lesse wide For indeed such an extreme change from the vtter foulenesse of corrupted nature to perfect holinesse cannot possibly bee wrought in an instant vnlesse the Lord himselfe should please euen immediately and more then miraculously to worke it which it seemeth not good vnto him to doe Hence it is that hauing ordained to purge vs by meanes and namely those that you heard of before hee performeth it in such manner as sorteth to the nature of the meanes alone this is to bee noted that still the change of Gods seruants from sinne to holinesse is made more apparant by making the corruptions more felt as they be more healed contrary to that which falleth out in bodily sores For if a mans hand bee wounded the neerer it is to healing the lesse paine he feeles with it and the lesse troublesome it is to him but if the soule bee wounded with any corruption for example with pride or worldlinesse or the like the more it is cleansed from him and the lesser degrees of it remaine in him the more troublesome and offensiue will those remnants proue vnto his soule so that the little pride and worldlinesse that remaineth behind vnhealed will vex him more then the greater quantity of those vices did when they were lesse healed Euermore sinnes prooue most tedious and cumbersome when a man hath attained a greater perfection of strength against them For the soule the more holy it is the more it hateth vnholinesse and the more sensible it must needs be of the thing that it more hateth A man in his vtter vnregeneracy is dead in sinne so that he doth not feele it at all to bee burthensome vnto him but when grace comes in small degrees it begins to be felt and the more mighty grace growes the more it is felt till at last in that measure of perfection that is in this life attainable the smallest imperfections are more discontentfull and breed more anguish then at first the greatest did Hell and death and the punishment of sinne is more bitter to Gods seruants in their weaker estate but sinnes and disorders and corruptions are most bitter as they grow most confirmed in spirituall strength But as this helpe against sinne doth come by small degrees 2. Gently by making them willing instruments of it so likewise it commeth vnto them by a sweet and gentle manner of working God drawing and alluring their wills and mouing them to become willing instruments of purging themselues according to the words of the Prophet Wash you make you cleane and againe Wash thine heart O Ierusalem and againe Make you a new heart and so faith Saint Iohn Hee that hath this hope purgeth himselfe The Lord doth not make a Christian man good as it were in despight of his heart and whether he will or no but doth worke in him a desire of goodnesse and inclineth his will to wish and pursue it and stirreth vp in him a detestation of sinne and turneth away his will from it and so is he a fellow-worker with God to his owne cleansing when the Lord hath once breathed the breath of a new life in him By his owne crying striuing labouring praying resoluing resisting opposing hee gets the victory against his sinnes and becomes more then a conquerour The Lord will not beate downe the sinnes of his people as sometimes he did the Canaanites with hailestones without any helpe of their owne that they should without fighting come after alone to the spoyle but they must fight against their fleshly lusts and must worke with God as it is said that Ionathan did and so God doth subdue their enemies vnder them by working in them a resolution care and indeuour to vanquish them and stirring them vp to meditate pray cry and vse the spirituall weapons of this holy warfare And thus doth the Lord purge the branches in this Vine Now hauing sufficiently proued and cleered the poynt we must make some vse of it CHAP. XIII The first vse of the poynt to shew their misery that are not pruned FIrst Vse 1 this poynt doth euidently difcouer the wretchednesse of those men that finde no pruning The misery of those whose sins doe not abate but rather increase no growth of mortification at all none abatement of their corruptions no diminishing of their carnall lusts and disordered affections but after much hearing of the Word of God and a long formality of Religion they remaine still as wrathfull and impatient as lustfull and vncleane as worldly and vniust as voluptuous as