of hell such a louer is Belial and such is his loue In a word true Christians are vnder Christs law they draw his yoke they mortifie the lusts of their flesh they trauell in paine to bring foorth the fruites of Gods spirite but Belial is lawlesse dissolute and carelesse and shamelesse therefore there can be no concord betwixt Christ and Belial The vse of this doctrine is twofold first it bewrayeth the blasphemous slaunder of Poperie that chargeth vs with preaching libertie to sinne because we preach iustification by faith in Christ onely Wheras we are so farre from that slaunder that we affirme cleane contrarie that no Libertine Protestant or dissolute professor of the Gospell hath fellowship with Christ more then the Diuell hath But indeede they know not what faith is except the diuels faith for the diuels do know and beleeue that Christ dyed for sinners and they beleeue all the articles of the Creede and tremble thereat but yet are they Diuels still Looke to their liues which liue vnder the Popes yoke and we shall see that they are the children of Belial for what sinne is there that they are not sold vnto like Achab And what sinne can be named almost that is not bought and sold in the market of the Romish church And the Pope may pardon all as they say for a thousand yeares yea if they will pay well for his pardon for euer And what are their Popes themselues who beare the glorious title of holy Fathers Haue not some of them bene Necromancers sorcerers and coniurers and some of them Sodomits buggerers and most of them common whoremongerers Was not one of thē a harlot did she not trauell of a child in going their Procession And is it not recorded by Platina and other Writers of their owne to their euerlasting shame What should be thought of those sixe thousand skulles of children which were found in another Popes Mote What need they care what they do so they may be forgiuen for giuing of a litle Apostolicall gold They are not ashamed nor afraid when they take a solemne oth to murder Princes yea Christian Princes yea their owne most Christian Soueraignes for they are pardoned aforehand as he was that poisoned King Iohn and the Prince of Orange and that cursed Frier that trecherously stabbed the late French King and therefore they are Belials and not we their religion giueth libertie to sinne and not ours they may do what they list and not they which are iustified by faith in Christ onely The second vse of this doctrine is to teach those that are entred into the bodie of Christs Church and are called by that excellent glorious name of Christians to put on the yoke of Christ and neuer while they liue to put it off againe for though Christ saith Come vnto me and ye shall haue ease yet it is vpon this condition that we labour and feele our selues heauie laden yea though he promiseth to refresh vs yet it is vpon condition that we put his yoke vpon vs and beare his burden Whosoeuer then will haue ease by Christ must not be like the man of Belial without the yoke of Christ but must put on his yoke and carie his burden that is to say he must submit himselfe to the censures of Christ his Church and to the doctrine of the Gospell and to the reproofe of the word and in all things yeeld obedience vnto the truth yea he must labour by all good meanes to mortifie all carnall lustes to ouerrule all his vnruly affections But this is as hard a saying to flesh and bloud as can be yea who can endure it The mother of Zebedeus children thought for the asking she might haue a place in Christes kingdome for her children but Christ told her of two hard things which she dreamed not of and that was drinking of his cup and to be baptized with his baptisme before they could come into heauen so we thinke many of vs to haue heauen for the asking but there belongeth more to the matter then so And as the Papistes thinke to earne heauen with a Kerelyson a Pater noster and a Creede so many Protestants thinke that a sigh and a little lip-labour and eare-seruice will bring them to heauen But when they heare of mortifying their beloued sinnes which bring them in pleasure and profite and of yeelding obedience vnto the Gospell it fareth with them as it did with that young man who went away from Christ with a heauie heart and a sorrowfull countenance He would follow Christ but he would not part from his goods so many will heare Christ preached and looke to be saued by him too but they will not leaue their sinnes If they may be Gospellers and vsurers too and gamesters too and adulterers too and swearers too then so it is otherwise Christ shall go alone for al them These are yet but men of Belial and without the yoke content they are to trauell toward Canaan so they may meete with the commodities of Egypt by the way Manna without the fleshpots of Egypt was lothsome to the Israelites so the Gospell without goodfellowship and carnall delights is irkesome to the man of Belial Lots wife was content to leaue Sodome and go to Zoar as she was bidden but yet she must looke backe though she were forbidden so many are content to leaue Poperie and embrace the Gospell yet not without some looking backe like those which once openly gaue account of their profiting in religion with comfort and commendation but now because their backsliding friends like it not and prophane persons scorne them for it they will shew their faces no more in that conflict The carnall Capernaits would heare Christ till he spake of eating his flesh and drinking his bloud and then because they vnderstood it not they said that saying was a hard saying and taking offence thereat came no more So many now a dayes as carnally minded as they will heare the Preacher till they heare something that doth offend them either for want of good vnderstanding or good affection and then they say that either the preacher found not that in his text or it might haue bene spared or in such a thing he went too farre all which in effect is no lesse then as the Capernaits said this is a hard saying who can abide it And so like bleare-eyed men which are offended at the brightnesse of the Sunne will walke no more by the light thereof except it be once a moneth or vpon a sabbath day for feare of law or for shame of the world And many that do keepe the sabbath day do vse it as the vnnaturall harlot would haue vsed the child for which there was such pleading before Salomon Let it be neither hers nor mine but let it be deuided So they deuide the Sabbath in the forenoone they are at the Temple in the afternoone at home The one halfe shall
the mother the second is the daughter The first is the poyson the other is the signe thereof or the breaking out The first is the fountaine the second is the streame The first is the coale the second is the flame The first is the cause the second is the effect of the same The first is the theefe the second is his accessary The first robbeth God of his honour the second doth publish it Therefore both the first and the second be damnable neither the first nor the second are sinnes veniall as the Papists say but both the first and the second the mother and the daughter without faith and repentance are sinnes eternally mortall And therefore our Sauiour Christ saith here Take heede of them as if they were some dangerous enemies to the soule The first thing therefore to be taken heed of is all inward desire of vaineglory or worldly praise and that is forbidden in the first verse where our Sauiour saith Giue not to be seene of men that is with an intent purpose or desire that men should see thee and commend thee for it Publicke giuing is not forbidden for Christ saith Let your lights shine before men that they may see c. But vaineglorious giuing in publicke is forbidden and therefore he doth not simply say Do not your almes before men but addeth to be seene of them condemning that end which is first in heart though last in act So in Math. 5.16 he saith not Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie you but that they seeing your good workes may glorifie God your heauenly father who worketh both the will and the deed So then we see that it is not simply euill to do good workes in the view of men nay rather it is good so to do to glorifie God and encourage others God is much glorified when his children walke like their father being mercifull as their heauenly father is mercifull though not in that degree of mercie yet in mercy of the like nature heauenly bountifull free and harmelesse By the death of Christ he was knowne to be the naturall sonne of God and by the good life of Christians aswell as by their death it may be knowne that they are the adopted sonnes of God For when Christ died there was a strange alteration of nature the earth did shake the powers of heauen lost their power the graues opened the dead arose there was darknesse vpon the face of the earth as if day had bene turne into night which when men saw they confessed yea the very enemies of Christ himselfe confessed to the glorie of the diuine power saying doubtlesse this was the sonne of God So when Christians dye to the world and liue vnto God when they by the power of Gods spirit do crucifie sinne and quicken righteousnesse there is also a great alteration in nature their nature is refined by grace their night is turned into day and their day into night their present shame is their glorie and their former glory is their shame their dead affections are raised vp the deuowring graues of their hard harts being opened and now they speake and do and studie otherwise then they did and not like other men In a word as Christs death was not like other mens death so Christians liues are not like other mens liues Christs funerals were solemnized by the Sunne and the Moone by the powers of heauen by the graues and the dead by the earth and the stones and all the insensible creatures whereof in their kind some blushed some trembled some fainted and all mourned for the death of their Lord and feared seeing such things happen to their Soueraigne an vtter dissolution of themselues and all nature These things were not looked for in the world nor regarded at worldly mens funerals yea such as beseeme not the Princes of the nations so Christians liues and deaths too are solemnized and graced with the ornaments of the spirit and the ioy of heauenly Angels with the fruites of righteousnesse the applause of the godly things not regarded of the wicked nor beseeming the helhounds of this world But doubtlesse when men see these lights they must needes glorifie God and say God hath done great things for them and when the wicked themselues see such an alteration in them as they may stand a farre off and wonder at but neuer attaine vnto they must be enforced spite of their hearts to giue God the glorie as Achan did saying this is the truth and so it was and as the Iewes did doubtlesse these were good men the sonnes and daughters of God A man may by their behauiour know of whose bringing vp they were by their habite and spirituall attire a man may discerne them to be the Citizens of the heauenly Ierusalem Blessed be God in so much as they must go a little farther with the wicked in the book of Wisedome and say we are fooles and they are wise howsoeuer we counted their life madnesse before we are they that played the madmen and haue wearied our selues in the wayes of vnrighteousnesse And with Balam Oh that we might dye the death of the righteous and that our last end might be like vnto theirs And thus we see how for the glorifying of God in this life it is necessary for Christians to exercise workes of mercy as giuing of almes and other good workes appointed of God in his word euen before men As it is necessary for the glory of God so also is it as necessary for the encouragement of the godly And first of the painefull Pastor and Minister of the word and then of other Christians To the godly Minister it is no small comfort and encouragement when he shall see the Lords people vnder his charge fruitfull in good workes aswell as in good words For then shall he see the fruite of his labours when after his labour he seeth them fruitfull in all maner of good workes and on the other side when they receiue the word in vaine he may feare that he hath laboured in vaine in vaine I say as touching their conuersion though not simply in vaine otherwise for the word of God is neuer preached in vaine whether men beleeue it or no heare it or no being euer either a sauour of life to life or of death vnto death and comming as the raine which neuer returneth in vaine but either watereth the earth or drowneth it and maketh the ground to bring forth either corne or cockle sweet flowers or stinking weedes whereof the one shall be preserued and the other rooted vp and cast out vpon the dunghill The husbandman is encouraged to follow his husbandry when his vines are fruitfull and his haruests plentiful growing timely ripening kindly yeelding abundantly and no lesse is Gods husbandman the minister of the word encouraged by the timely growing kindly ripening and plentifull yeelding of his charge the Lords husbandrie after he hath taken
when themselues are most vaine This humour waiteth vpon vs all and maketh all that we do fruitlesse before God and therefore in all our actions ought carefully to be prayed against as we are taught by our Sauiour himselfe saying hallowed be thy name Lord and with Dauid Not vnto vs ô Lord not vnto vs but to thy name let the praise be giuen for to vs belongeth nothing but shame of faces This humor of vaineglorie doth steale craftily vpon vs and doth subtilly beguile vs therefore take heede of it saith Christ. It lurketh in the heart as dregges in their vessell if great heede be not taken it will rise vp and marre the wine It is like a faire spoken theefe at the doore who if thou take not heed of him will get in and spoile thee before thou be aware It is like a heard of Players who with their varietie of bewitching vanities do cause men willingly to be robbed of them It is like a moth that if thou take not heede of it will breede in thy soules garment and spoile it It is like leauen a litle whereof will sower the whole lumpe of dough It is like Ioab and Iudas who kill when they kisse and stab when they embrace In a word it is a disease that maketh many to die euen laughing and sometime depriueth them of their wits Therefore take heede of it saith Christ it is a very daungerous euill take heede you giue not before men to be seene of men Therefore when thou giuest thine almes thou shalt not make a trumpet to be blowne before thee c. As before our Sauiour Christ forbiddeth all inward affectation of worldly praise so here he condemneth all outward shew of vaineglorie and all ostentation of a vaineglorious mind in giuing of almes According to which rule the Apostle saith Abstaine from all appearance of euill Now this was in the Scribes and Pharisees very grosse hypocrisie and palpable For first they must haue their almes giuing proclaimed by sound of trumpet Secondly not in any priuate place but in the sinagogues the most publike and notorious places that were For their proclamation of the matter by sound of trumpet they might pretend some excuse and that reasonable in shew too as thereby to call the poore together for hypocrites are neuer without their pretences and excuses Saul he reserueth of the Amalekites beasts contrarie to Gods commaundement to offer sacrifice forsooth Adam hideth himselfe and pretendeth the cause to be his nakednesse Iudas grudgeth at the cost that was bestowed vpon his Lord and maister Christ and to saue his credite pretendeth care for the poore Absalon intendeth treason but pretendeth a vow made at Hebron But pretences are no better then couers made of fig-leaues which the Sunne will soone drie and the wind will quickly blow away Whatsoeuer those hypocrite◠might seeme to pretend for their trumpet it would not serue their turne neither before God who knoweth the thoughts and intents of the heart long before they be conceiued nor yet before men who by the light of common reason are able in some measure to descrie hypocrisie in that and the like action And doubtlesse it could not be otherwise then an euident note of vaineglorie in them for what needed they make any proclamation for the matter had they not their Elders had they not also their Deacons and ouerseers for the poore that knew well who had neede of almes might they not enquire of them or could they not trust them with their contribution or if they must needes make it knowne to all the world when they would deale their dole had they no other way to publish it by but by sound of trumpet A bell might haue bene tolled if they had any or if they had none a bill might haue bene set vp or a messenger might haue bene sent to the houses of the poore yet none of these waies would serue the turne but a trumpet must be blowne before them whereby they might be honoured and admired after a mere stately and princely manner Whereby likewise they did sufficiently bewray their ambitious humor and therein did they not a little forget themselues for they knew by the lawe of Moses which they had amongst them and was read daily in their sinagogues that trumpets were not appointed to any such end or vse as they put them vnto For in the tenth of Numbers from the second verse to the ninth it is euident that trumpets were appointed onely for the assembling of the congregation and for the remouing of the campe the manner of vsing them is more at large there set foorth to which place I referre them that are desirous to know the same more fully Againe in other places of the Scripture we shall see that they were vsed at the coronation of Princes in managing of warre and solemnizing of Princely affaires or businesse of State and not otherwise as when Salomon was proclaimed King at Gihon they blew the trumpet and cried God saue King Salomon So likewise when Athaliah was deposed and Ioash made King in her steade it is said that the King stoode by a pillar in the house of God as the manner was and all the Princes and trumpetters by the King And the Apostle commending the vse of knowne tongues in the congregation and condemning the contrarie vseth a similitude of the trumpet in warre saying that if the trumpet giue an vncertaine sound who shall prepare himselfe to battell By which both they might know and we also may vnderstand that the trumpet is an instrument of state and therefore not to be made common to euery one nor for euery thing There be certaine ornaments and dignities peculiarly belonging to certaine persons and in no wise to be made common vnto all as Coronets chaires of State cloth of State garters of Honour Trumpetters Pages Chariots c. Neither is it fit for euery obscure Gentleman neither is it seemely for euery or any base artificer or man of trade and occupation to ride in Coches to haue Pages runne by their horse side nor to solemnize the mariages of themselues or their sons and daughters with sound of trumpet as if they were some Princes or persons of State and high calling It is too intollerable pride and too manifest a note of Pharisaicall ambition whereby they which do so make themselues odious and ridiculous before God and all wise men When the malicious Iewes saw Christ in life and doctrine to excell other men they blasphemously said in derogation of both Is not this the carpenters sonne But we when we see such princely ornaments and solemnities taken vp amongst countrie clownes or other inferiour persons of base estate and meane calling may well say in defacing of such insolent fooles Is not this the Carpenter and is not that the bramble that hath so exalted himselfe aboue the trees of the forest What would these persons do and how would
these you may call officious hypocrites Some seeme more forward then others in the outward profession of the Gospell that vnder the colour thereof they may the more freely giue them selues to their pleasures and euery new-fangled fashion that is daily inuented these you may call if you will hypocrites of the fashion Some are as the companie they come vnto and as Pedlers with their packes haue accesse to mens gates to get money so these with their tales of euery man get accesse to most mens tables where they buy and sell at their pleasures they care not whome and all for a meales meate these you may call if you will pedling hypocrites or Protestents for the pot and the spit There be diuerse others which if time would tarrie I wold decipher vnto you as the daintie eared hypocrite called Noli me tangere who will professe Christ crucified but cannot abide to haue Christ crucifie his sinnes and the brazen-faced hypocrite who in secret will say any thing and in publike will deny the same againe But here are enough and too many to act a play that shall please the world the flesh and the Diuell Now what is the religion of all these I pray you or to speake the truth of most men now adaies but hypocrisie that is to say a very play which euery one studieth to act as artificially as he can vpon the tickle Stage of this vaine world to winne thereby credite and commoditie amongst men being before God nothing lesse then that which they seem to be vnto men Now all these hypocrites or players may be deuided into two sorts or companies First such as make a counterfeit profession of religion Secondly such as make a counterfeit practise of that which they professe And both these companies of hypocrites are either publike or priuate Publike are those which play their parts in the Church or in the Commonwealth and they are also of two sorts such as abuse their office and authoritie which are publike or such as abuse the publike assemblies and exercises of religion seeming there to be that which they are not Priuate hypocrites are such as play the counterfets in housholds or otherwise In housholds and families there is much hypocrisie that is many a play plaied by diuerse actors both comically nnd tragically that is in sport and in earnest The actors in these plaies be sometime the husband sometime the wife sometime the maister sometime the seruants sometime the parents sometime the children and sometime all together as hereafter more at large we shall see As in housholds so elsewhere is much priuate hypocrisie raigning as in shoppes amongst buyers and sellers and elsewhere betweene partie and partie making contracts and bargaines with great protestations of loue and kindnesse and all to deceiue Some thinke none may be tearmed hypocrites but such as haue bene forward and zealous professors of the Gospell in shew but they are deceiued Indeed whosoeuer is a professor of Christianitie and denyeth the power thereof is an hypocrite But of professors there are two sortes some are very forward and some are not so forward some are zealous and make a great shew some are not so zealous nor so much in shew yet all professors of Christs Gospell Whosoeuer hath giuen his name to Christ in baptisme and is a partaker of the Lords table is a professor of the name of Christ but if in their liues they serue Sathan they are but hypocrites But it will be replied that such as neuer made any shew of religion canot be counted hypocrites because hypocrisie is a counterfetting or dissembling in religion It is true indeed but what count you religion or what is it to make a shew of religion Is it onely to be a diligent hearer of Sermons or a daily frequenter of the temple or to talk much of the Scripture or to reason well in matters of Diuinitie or to vse praier and singing of Psalmes and catechizing in the familie or to keepe company with godly persons or to speake against vnlawfull swearing and prophaning the Sabbath or to defie idolatrie and superstition c. Surely he that doth all these maketh a good shew of religion and if he doth them not to God as well as to men he is a grosse hypocrite But what then Is this all religion Indeed many thinke so and deceiue themselues But whosoeuer maketh a shew of any religious duties maketh a shew of religion And we know that all the duties required in both the tables of the Commaundements are religious duties being performed by way of obedience to God as they ought to be And if they be not so performed they are then done but to the halfes that is to men but not to God Now that religion consisteth aswell in the duties of the second table which concerne our neighbor as in the duties of the first which concerne Gods worship it is euident by the testimonie of S. Iames. Pure religion and vndefiled before God euen the father is to visite the fatherlesse and widowes in their aduersitie and to keepe himselfe vnspotted of the world that is to helpe those that haue no meanes to helpe themselues He doth not exclude the duties of the first table which concerne the immediate worship of God but sheweth that all that without the other is vaine as he saith plainely in the verse before If any man among you seemeth religious and refraineth not his toung meaning from backbiting lying slaundering and maliciousnesse and filthie talking against which he inueigheth in the 21. verse this mans religion is vaine Now many ciuill honest men being baptized and admitted to the Lords table and coming at times appointed to the holy exercises of Gods worship may in some good measure keepe the duties of the second table and yet not be very forward obseruers of the first table paying man his due and being slacke inongh to giue God his due Now these I say if they keepe the second table that is pay euery man his owne honour their superiors and liue chastly and orderly and seeke to preserue life and keepe hospitality for the poore and helpe their neighbour to his right and beare true witnesse they do also make a good shew of religion but if they do these things but to be seene and commended of men they are but hypocrites that is counterfeits before God Againe if they stand more precisely vpon one thing that God hath commaunded then vpon another it is a signe that their hearts are not vpright with God for if they were vpright they would aswell regard his commaundement for one thing as for another or else they are hypocrites and dissemblers to pretend obedience to Gods commaundements when they meane nothing lesse But it will be obiected againe that the duties of the second table may be performed in some sort euen by a meere ciuill or naturall man that knoweth not God as amongst the heathen be many such nor make any shew of religion
bookes and restrained of their libertie they are weary of that Maister and desire to go to another or else no more to schoole so hypocrites when they are required to take a setled course for their profiting in religion and are restrained of their liberty in sinne in vanity in riot in pride and are pressed with the doctrine of mortification and truth of heart they are weary of such a teacher and must go to another or else come no more at schoole so that it appeareth that they haue no more gouernement of themselues nor strength of the Spirite nor stayednesse of affections then little children haue As it is both schismaticall and so danderous and childish and so ridiculous so it is also vnprofitable For they that leaue the ordinary and standing Ministery of their owne Pastour and none certaine gather here a peece and there a peece but neuer lay any sound foundation nor make any orderly building as they do that tye themselues to one man who keepeth an orderly proceeding laying all the principles of religion one after another and one by another and euerie one in order till all be finished I deny not but that vpon some special occasions a man may be somtime drawne away from his ordinarie teacher as trauelling from home or being requested by our faithfull friends of another congregation to answer for their children as they call it at their Baptizing or to accompanie some of our friends or our Magistrates departed out of this world vnto their graue and such like if Christ be preached there that we may follow him otherwise I see no great necessitie to enforce a man to leaue his ordinarie teacher to go to a bare reader for a ciuill dutie performing but rather to remember what our Sauiour Christ answered to one that sayd he would follow Christ but first he would go and burie his father Let the dead burie the dead saith he follow thou me To shew that those that haue no list to follow Christs doctrine are no better then dead men as touching the life of the spirite in the soule and they may serue for such a purpose well inough it is pitty to interrupt those that are better disposed and deuoutly addicted to the heauenly doctrine of the Gospell And further I hold it a thing very expedient and fit that there be sometimes also an entercourse of Ministers labours that is that other Ministers be sometimes admitted yea procured also to exercise their gifts in their brothers charges both for the confirmation of doctrine as also for the quickening of the auditorie for consent of teachers is a great confirmation of the truth in regard of our weakenesse and vnbeleefe otherwise the truth is strong inough of it selfe and will preuaile against all the world And as variety of meates sometime doth make a man haue a better appetite to his ordinarie diet euen so is it not amisse that sometime our ordinarie auditours should haue change of teachers that so they tasting that varietie of Gods gifts and graces which is in diuerse men they may haue a better spirituall appetite vnto the ministerie and doctrine of their ordinarie pastours and teachers But to runne hither and thither and commonly to leaue our ordinary teachers onely either of a fanstasticall desire to heare new things or of a loathing the plaine simple maner of deliuery of the truth or of stomach in contempt and way of disgracing and discouraging those that God hath set ouer vs because they haue more sharply reproued their sinnes or more neerely applied the doctrine to their consciences then others do a blessed fauor of God indeed if men had grace so to take it this is it that I say is both carnal schismatical childish and altogether vnfruitfull and further it is flatly repugnant to the commandement of Christ deliuered by his Apostle in the 1. to the Thessalonians the 5. Chapter and 12. verse where he beseecheth the Thessalonians to know them that labour among them and are ouer them in the Lord and admonish them and that they haue them in singular loue for their workes sake And lastly is the practise of such as neuer professed the Gospell of Christ in sinceritie and vprightnesse of heart with an humble spirite and a holy desire to haue both their iudgement informed and their liues reformed by the word of truth But on the contrarie in palpable and damnable hypocrisie with shewes shadowes and flourishes to be seene and well esteemed of men as hypocrites do Besides these publike and open hypocrisies there be also many other lurking in priuate corners which deserue to be vncased as in housholds where betweene man and wife many times much loue is counterfeited onely before men and in heart much bitter malice and hatred maintained against each other which betweene themselues breake out in open and bitter extremities and behind each others back into foule adulteries and cursed vndoing of the whole family such an hypocrite is the harlot that Salomon vncaseth in the 7. of the Prouerbes Who when her husband is from home calleth in her louers and companions to lewdnesse and coloureth her villany by prating and telling him of her peace offerings and vowes that she hath performed that day that is by talking of religion I say nothing of those that in shops and markets selling wares will pretend great loue saying If it were not to you I would not sell it so another should not haue it so c. when for the most part all this is but meere cunning and counterfeiting I also let passe those that spying a bargaine that they hope to reape a great benefit by will earnestly protest and pretend vnto the partie with whom they meane to deale great care that they haue of his good and his ease rather then of their owne benefit too many such there be in the world Well God will pull off their visour one day and lay them open to the world What should I say of those that being to followe and further mens suites with great persons or otherwise at law haue still one tricke or other to delay the time withall pretending great care to do their friendes businesse and to followe their clients causes in the best manner that may be and for their best aduantage when all their doing is but a cunning kind of fishing for more money like Felix who often sent for Paule before him hoping that some bribe would haue bene giuen him to haue enlarged Paule And a thousand more such partes are played in the world which men in continuall practise and conuersing one with another in Church and common-wealth abroad and at home shall haue occasion to meete withall But for the vncasing of the hypocrite at this time this shall suffice Those that feare God vnfainedly and detest this vgly beast the hypocrite will make of that which hath bene sayd as for those that say they could make good vse of it if it had come out of
yea the hypocrites portion is so fearefull that the wicked seruant that liueth most carelesly not regarding his maisters displeasure nor once thinketh of his comming but is found misusing of his fellowes at his maisters comming is threatned in the Gospell to be cut off and to haue his portion with hypocrites where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth to shew that of all sinnes there is none more odious in Gods sight then the hypocrite is neither shall any be more seuerely punished then he shall be And thus good brethren you see the reward of hypocrisie in this life and in the life to come a miserable and a wofull reward miserable here when it is at the best but most wofull hereafter when it is at the worst Now let vs see what good vse we may make of all that hath bene sayd And first seeing the great vanity and misery of the hypocrites reward in this life and his wofull portion in the life to come who can wonder sufficiently at the world yea at himselfe that is so bewitched and besotted with the loue of worldly praise as a foole enamored of a cruell harlot that notwithstanding all this yet euery man almost maketh it his summum bonum and chiefe study how to obtaine vnto it Surely most men do know this to be true euen by experience the schoolemaister of fooles but how few do rightly consider of it It may be that now and then some being wearied with their hunting after it and troubled with vexation of spirite may fetch a sigh at the matter and cry as many do fie vpon the world and who would trust the world and faire words make fooles faine and I wil not trust mens faire speeches againe in hast c. But yet for all that as soone as the pang is a little past all is forgotten and a woing of this common painted harlot they go againe How many in the world especially followers of Princes Courts and attendants vpon great persons do go beyond themselues some in gorgeous building some in sumptuous apparell some in delicate fare some in great gifts some in holding company at play all which they wold not haue done but to be praised of men If I should not do as others do I should be counted a coward saith one If I should not keep a feast as others haue done before me saith another I shold be coūted a miser or a beggar though they begger themselues for it indeed If I should not haue it something like on my table and weare somewhat and giue somewhat more then ordinary how should I be accounted of If I should not flatter a little and please a little sayth another I should not be liked If I should not be very eloquent and garnish my Sermon with Doctors Fathers Poets Philosophers aswell as with the Scriptures though there be no neede of them and speake all languages aswell vnknowne as knowne I should be counted no scholer nor to haue any learning But if I do excel others in my building in my feasting in my apparell in my almes giuing in my preaching and shew of learning in my courting my aduenturing yea in swearing and whoring and drunkennesse and riot and reuelling say some shamelesse and gracelesse persons why then I shall be had in admiration and euerie body will commend me I shall leaue a name behind me c. These things being thus resolued vpon then commeth foorth the men of the world their fellowes in folly and deale their reward Whose house is that saith one as if he had somthing to giue towards the building or repairing of it Such a man built it saith another now the reward I assure you saith the inquisitor it is a very faire house and well contriued Yea saith the third all the smoke comes out at one chimney or else is conueyed vnder the ground c. and there is his reward besides occasion ministred of an houres or two discoursing and descanting vpon his whole life In like manner are those rewarded that iet in all kind of brauery with pedlers shops about them as many women do Who is that sayth one Such a one saith another I promise you saith the third and that is the reward he is very braue she is very fine saith another Is it a man or a woman sayth another I cannot tell sayth one by his long haire he should be a woman by her bare head it should be a man sayth another Yea saith another but God knoweth who payeth for all this In like sort come from a feast and see the reward of the world We had great cheare sayth one Yea he may well inough sayth another for he commeth easily inough by it And then commeth a third But I doubt me he must pinch a good while for this geare And thus you see the worlds reward are not men well rewarded now that looke for no more then the praise of men Let those Ministers also consider well of this point that euen against their owne consciences as they are driuen sometime openly to confesse do bumbast their Sermons with all kind of humanity besides the word of God not because they thinke it then necessary but as some haue freely confessed in the most famous and publike places of the land because the eares of the people are troubled with such a kind of itch that they must needes do it or else their doctrine would be loathed for the plainesse and simplicity thereof I speake not against the vse of humane authorities when case shall require euen in the Pulpit for I know there is a very good vse of them manie waies both for confutation of errour and also for confirmation of doctrine by way of consent but against the vanitie and weakenesse of those that would not vse it but onely to please men their vanity and weakenesse I say is to be pitied and so is also theirs too that study hard and preach often and deliuer sound doctrine and abound with nothing but the Scriptures if therein they respect nothing but the praise of men For marke I pray you a Minister studieth hard taketh great paines he watcheth when others sleepe c. and at length commeth like a woman to trauell and bring forth the birth of his mind which by meditation and study other good meanes he hath conceiued c. when he is deliuered of his burthen the world vieweth it rewardeth him for the same but how first perhaps they are away whom he did especially looke for and desire to please there is one griefe then others perhaps fall asleepe or tarry not to the ende then there is another crosse but for those that are most attentiue perhaps some will inuite him to dinner of conscience or of custome well that he could haue had at home then there is inquiry what was he that preached to day do you know him No saith one I know him sayth another How like you the Sermon He made a good Sermon sayth
God but to his owne destruction Now thē when we haue by the grace of God found out the cause of our euill to be an euill heart in our selues we may truly say of our harts as Dauid did of Doeg and prophetically of Iudas Psalm 55.12 Surely mine enemy did not defame me but it was thou my familiar friend which was bred and borne with me euen thou my heart with whom I haue bene so familiar that hast wrought me the greatest part of my woe Of the same iudgement is the Apostle Iames Let no man say when he is tempted I am tempted of God for God cannot be tempted with euill neither tempteth he any man But euery man is tempted when he is drawne away by his owne concupiscence and is enticed Then when lust hath conceiued it bringeth forth sinne and sinne when it is finished bringeth forth death Erre not my deare brethren Where the Apostle plainely sheweth vs two things first that such is our impudencie shamelesse ignorance and presumptuous blind boldnesse by nature that rather then we will acknowledge our selues to be in fault and to be the cause of our owne euill we will not sticke to lay the fault vpon God and make him the cause of euill As our first parents did the woman blamed the serpent and the man blamed not simply the woman nor himselfe at all but the woman forsooth which God had giuen him Secondly that whosoeuer thinketh that God is the cause of his euill and not that his owne corrupt hart is wholly the cause thereof the force whereof is so great both to entice and draw vnto euill to conceiue and to bring foorth euill doth erre and is deceiued Hereof it commeth also that the word of God cannot enter into many it cannot fasten vpon their hearts because their hearts are full of leud things Like the Inne where Christ was borne there was no roome for him in the Inne and therefore he was faine to lye in the stable And in many though it enter yet it tarieth not but departeth away presently saying as Christ said when the Iewes sought after his life Arise let vs go hence as being vnwilling to lodge in so filthie a place and amongst his enemies And hence it is likewise that the Preachers words come out from many when they repeat a Sermon as Thamar did from Amnon when he had defiled her with her garments all rent and torne If pure wine be put into a filthy and vncleane vessell in powring it foorth againe it will appeare what stuffe was in the vessell for they come out together so if wholesome doctrine be deliuered to a leud heart in the rehearsing thereof it will appeare with what manner of vnderstanding and affection he heard it Such caskes do many bring with them to put our Sermons in that either runne out like Siues or else are defiled with ignorance or malice or preiudicate conceipts that it wold loth a man to heare it come from them For though it came to them in a princely robe yet it commeth from them like a beggers cloke yea though it came to them with a louely countenance yet it commeth from them like a filthie carrion dragged and haled in the miry streetes amongst dogges that a man would thinke the Preacher had bene out of his wits to deliuer such matter or in such manner as they vtter it or else which is the right that they wanted both wit and vnderstanding or grace or conscience or honestie or all that heard the Sermon to report it in such a leud manner But the best is the shame turneth to themselues and no bodie is so much defiled with such hearts as the owners thereof So saith our Sauiour Christ Those things which proceede out of the mouth come from the heart and they defile the man for out of the heart come euill thoughts murders adulteries fornications false testimonies slanders these are the things which defile the man meaning him that is troubled with them as if he did but vomite vpon his owne clothes that speaketh from a filthie heart And verily they are but fooles that do so for what wise man will carrie one with him still that shameth him wheresoeuer he goeth A leud vnreformed hart is such an vnmanerly companion that doth nothing else but discredite our persons deface our religion grieue our friends harden our foes aduance the Diuell prouoke the Lord marre all the good things that come neare it and alwaies annoy shame and vexe the owner Lot had much ado with the Sodomites but none did more dishonour him then his owne daughters Noah was vexed with the old world but none did him so much shame as his owne sonne Dauid had many enemies but none put him in such feare and danger as his owne Absalom Sampson had much ado with the Philistines but his owne heifter his wife ploughed vp his riddle to the aduantage of his enemies Our Sauiour Christ had many enemies yet none like Iudas who was alwaies in his companie So euery man yea euery true Christian shall haue many enemies crosses troubles and dangers but his owne heart is his greatest enemie which doth flatter him most and deceiue him soonest which for want of godlinesse cannot be content with that it hath which for want of contentation cannot be in quiet for want of quietnesse cannot haue any ioy of any thing that it enioyeth which for want of heauenly wisedome cannot deuide his times aright nor tell how to deale with all sorts of people which for want of patience cannot beare an iniurie or put vp a wrong for want of mercifull affections cannot tell how to forgiue offences for want of charitie cannot tel how to construe things well for want of the feare of God cannot haue a good vnderstanding for want of a good vnderstanding peruerteth the straight waies of the Lord which for want of humilitie cannot see the meaning of Gods wayes which for want of a lowly affection cannot tell how to seeke peace for want of Gods grace cannot acknowledge his fault and for want of remorse of conscience cannot repent him of his leudnesse Such a heart is the heart of the wicked Belial which being fraught with leud things disordereth distempereth and shameth all the life of that man that hath it and is ruled by it And so much for the third point in handling whereof we haue seene that all the cause of outward disorder and trouble is within a mans owne hart of the other three points in the next Sermon Now let vs pray THE VI. SERMON PRO. 6.14 Leud things are in his heart OVt of these words ioyned with the rest of Belials description we haue hitherto learned three excellent and worthy points of doctrine First that Belial is no better within then without Secondly that the heart and whatsoeuer is in the heart of man is knowne to God who will also iudge a man according to that which is
nothing of that matter their owne callings are neglected they leape in and out of them at their pleasure their families and themselues without all discipline and gouernement Alas what aunswer will they make when Christ shall stay them and say vnto them What is that to you follow you me When Christ was in a heauenly Sermon against distrustfull care for the world and fainting feare of persecution there was amongst his auditours a very saucy and vnmannerly worldling whose heart was so much vppon his halfe penny as they say that he could not stay vntill the Sermon was done but interrupting our Sauiour Christ spake vnto him to deuide the inheritance betweene him and his brother but marke Christs aunswer Man saith he who made me a Iudge and a deuider of lands amongst you Shewing that it was no part of his calling and seeing that it did not belong vnto him he would not meddle with all teaching vs thereby also what we are to do in the like cases The second kind of busie headed fellowes whose intermedling in other mens matters Sathan vseth as his bellowes to blow the coales of contention are in the common-wealth Of such we haue a very liuely yet fearfull example in Absalom in 2. Samuel 15.2.3 who being a subiect would meddle in the Kings affaires and take vpon him to gouerne to heare and examine mens causes before he was called but it turned in the end to his owne shame and vtter ouerthrow but marke his vile practise He riseth vp early and standeth hard by the entring in of the gate as though he were a man that preferred the common-wealth before his owne businesse and were loth that suters should attend too long then he calleth men vnto him as they went in at the gates if they had any matter or controuersie before the King and came to the king for iudgement and then he questioneth with him in this sort Of what tribe or citie art thou then he enquireth what his suite and matter is whē he heareth it were it good or bad he telleth him that his matter is good and righteous but there is no man deputed of the king to heare thee Oh that I were made Iudge in the land that euery man which hath any matter or controuersie might come to me that I might do him iustice And when any man came neare him to do him obeisance he put forth his hand and tooke him kissed him And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the King for iudgement so Absalom stale the hearts of the men of Israel Which after grew to an open treason and rebellion against the king his father yet against his owne life through the iust iudgement of God against him In like sort at this day it is amongst vs do we not see many crafty Lawyers petty foggers and others of no calling wanting worke that can cunningly creepe into mens matters and counsell them in shew like friends of meere pitty to their cause and of meere goodwill gratis for nothing and can teach them which way to be reuenged of him that hath done them wrong and how to maintaine sute one against another when otherwise but for such vipers the parties were most likely to haue growne vnto a peace Blessed are the peace-makers saith our Sauiour Christ then cursed are strife makers And yet I deny not but that if men be lawfully called they may meddle in other mens matters as Counsellours may and Iudges the one to counsell and pleade the other to determine yea God forbid else otherwise many that are not able to followe their owne cause should haue great wrong And others also may meddle being by parties requested or by authority appointed as arbitrators to take vp or make a stay of matters and so to ende strife and make peace As euery neighbour will runne with water and buckets to quench a fire when a house burneth so euery Christian ought to do his best endeuour to make peace and to end strife when men are at oddes but he that shall be a meanes to begin strife or to enlarge the breach is like him that setteth a mans house on fire and afterward in stead of water bringeth more fire to the burning downe of that and the whole city such a one is an odious man amongst all men and counted not worthy to liue Many of tender conscience are much troubled about this point namely what to do if they see another man do euill as to sweare vainely to blaspheme Gods name or to haue any offensiue image in his house or to vse any vnlawfull recreation or to spend away the time of holy exercises as the Preaching of the word c. in profane exercises and many other things the like whether they ought to go vnto them and reproue them for their euill or no if they should not they thinke that they are accessarie to their euill and if they should much contention and hatred yea mischiefe would as commonly we see it doth follow vppon them because men vnregenerate can by no meanes abide to be reproued of their faults nor hardly the regenerate themselues except themselues haue receiued a singular measure of wisedome and patience and withall that they be wisely and louingly intreated too Surely in this case men must learne to be wise in the Lord and take heed that nothing be done in a preposterous zeale rashly and without good warrant and discretion least they do more harme then good when they thinke the contrary In this case I suppose that many circumstances are diligently to be considered but especially we are to looke before that we haue a lawfull calling or warrant from God by his word or some iust occasion which may serue in stead of a calling We will be ashamed and afraid too to go into our neighbours house and to search euery roome of his house without his leaue and consent and to examine how he came by this and where he had that and to find fault with his diet and his houshold stuffe and to mislike him because euery thing is not as we would haue it for such boldnesse were a great argument of folly want of modesty and all good nurture yea it would argue a wonderfull impudencie insolencie and shamelesse pride neither would such a one be regarded but rather thrust out of the doores by the head and shoulders and examined like a suspitious person by what commission or authoritie he doth so busie himselfe in his neighbours affaires which belong nothing vnto him But if a man be sent for by the housholder to vew his building or his stuffe or any thing that is in the house and required to giue his opinion of it and to correct that which he shall find amisse then with honesty credit and comfort he may speake freely If I come to a place as a straunger guest-wise if he shall require me to pray with him in his family and to
other of earth the brasse pot offereth great kindnesse to the earthen pot and saith come swimme close by me let vs go arme in arme so shall we the better stand against the streame the earthen pot wisely answered Not so for if we two chaunce to hit one against another as very like we shall if we be so neare then my part is like to be the worse for I shall be broken when thou art whole therefore either like vnto like or else keepe asunder Secondly take heede of such as vse to speake faire and carrie hatred in their hearts For saith Salomon he that hateth counterfeiteth with his lippes but in his heart he layeth vp deceipt though he speake fauourably beleeue him not for there are seuen abhominations in his heart that is many abhominations Thirdly auoid as much as thou canst furious angry men Make no friendship with the angry man saith Salomon neither go thou with the furious man that is haue as little to do with him as thou canst lest thou learne his wayes and receiue destruction to thy soule Lastly if thou be wise and regardest thy owne credite and quiet contend not with fooles and scorners that is with wilfull persons who will conceiue no reason For if a wise man contend with a foolish man saith Salomon whether he be angry or laugh there is no rest Many other rules besides these may the wise hearted Christian prescribe both vnto himselfe and also to others which by diligent reading or conference or experience will daily appeare good vnto him all which as he doth gather them he may if he please adde vnto these And so much shall for this time suffice to shew the difference betweene the wicked and the godly in their manner of contending Happie are ye if ye contend alwaies and as the Apostle saith be earnest in good matters for that is good and contend in a good maner for then shall ye ouercome with credit and comfort and not be ouercome with griefe and shame Now let vs pray THE X. SERMON PROV 6.15 Therefore shall his destruction come speedily he shall be destroyed suddenly without recouerie THe description of the man of Belial is past now followeth his iudgement and that is destruction speedie sudden and irrecouerable And now he standeth like a theefe at the barre who when he hath heard his enditement and is found guiltie must then heare the sentence of the Iudge according to his desert As the malefactor goeth from the barre to the gibbet so the wicked goeth from his wickednesse to destruction This is now the taile of sinne which cometh last but not without a deadly sting Sin is like the Bee that hath both hony which is pleasant and a sting which is more dangerous then the hony is profitable and whosoeuer will be so foolish and venturous as to nourish this Bee in his bosome for loue of the honie shall surely be wounded with the sting more then the other shall heale againe And therefore the pleasures of sinne are called pleasures for a season Heb. 11.25 not pleasures for euer because in the end they leaue a sting of conscience behind them which turne all the former pleasure into lothsomnesse and paine as it did to the rich and delicate glutton in the Gosdell Luk. 16.25 and as it was once said to him being in hell so shall it one day be said to all the wicked Remember ô ye wicked vngodly ye lawlesse vain persons that you in your life time receiued your pleasures the godly because they were contrary vnto you receiued paines therfore now are they comforted you tormēted Thus we see how iudgement and vengeance cometh in to the wicked like a deepe reckening after the feast to such fooles as haue called in for more then they are either able or willing to pay This reckening cometh last but it troubleth their thoughts more then all that went before did comfort them Such a reckening Salomon speaketh of in Prou. 5.3 c. The lippes of a harlot saith he drop as a hony combe and her mouth is more soft then oile but the end of her is bitter as wormewood and sharpe as a two edged sword her feet go downe to death and her steppes take hold of hell Keepe thy way therfore farre from her and come not neare the dore of her house lest thou giue thy honour vnto others and they yeares vnto the cruell left the stranger be filled with thy strength and thy labours be in the house of a stranger and thou mourne at thy end when thou hast consumed thy flesh and thy body c. Such a reckening doth Dauid bring in for the wicked in Psalm 73. They are not in trouble as other men neither are they plagued with other men Therefore pride is as a chaine vnto them and crueltie couereth them as a garment Their eyes stand out with fatnesse they haue more then heart can wish they are licentious and speake wickedly of their oppression they talke presumptuously They set their mouth against heauen and their tongue walketh through the earth and they say how doth God know it or is there knowledge in the most high Lo these are the wicked yet prosper they alwaies and increase in riches Here is their feast past now cometh in the reckening vers 18. Surely thou hast set them in slippery places and castest them downe into desolation How suddenly are they destroyed perished and horribly consumed As a dreame when one awaketh ô Lord when thou raisest vs vp thou shalt make their image despised In the like sort doth Iob bring them in The wicked grow in wealth saith Iob their seed is established in their sight with them and their generation before their eyes their houses are peaceable without feare and the rod of God is not vpon them Their bullocke gendreth and faileth not their cow calueth and casteth not her calfe They send foorth their children like sheepe and their sons daunce they take their tabret and harpe and reioyce in the sound of the organes they spend their daies in wealth There is one banquet past now cometh in the reckening and that is this Suddenly they go downe to the graue Then to it againe they go which are left behind and They say vnto God depart from vs for we desire not the knowledge of thy waies Who is the Almightie that we should serue him and what profit should we haue if we should pray vnto him Now followeth their iudgement Often shall the candle of the wicked be put out and God shall deuide their liues in his wrath they shall be as stubble before the wind and as chaffe that the storme carieth away God will lay vp the sorrow of the father for his children when he rewardeth him he shall know it his eyes shall see his destruction and he shall drinke of the wrath of the Almightie Oh that the wicked the diuels guests did or could consider this