in his heart whatsoeuer shew he maketh outwardly Thirdly that the cause of all outward disorder and scandalous behauiour is in the wicked mans owne heart Now it remaineth that we consider of the three other points which being propounded in the former Sermon for want of time I could not intreat of Whereof the first is this that so long as the heart is vnreformed and continueth stored with leud things it is not possible to be a good man For vntill then as we may perceiue by this anatomie of Belial the affections will be rebellious and lawlesse the speech will be froward and peeuish our religion will be hypocriticall and counterfeit our prayers will be lippe-labour and cold babling our zeale will be either none at all or very bitter rash our faith will be meere historicall our loue will proue onely self-self-loue our anger reuengefull and iniurious our life dissolute and scandalous our repentance desperate and faithlesse and our death dreadfull and comfortlesse Therefore if any would reforme his life he must first reforme his heart from whence as from a spring floweth continually a streame of corruption and vnrighteousnesse vnto death if it be not reformed and altered or of holinesse and righteousnesse vnto life if it be well reformed and kept Therefore Salomon pointing to the right way that leadeth to the reformation of maners saith Keepe thy heart with all diligence and addeth this as a reason for thereout cometh life and thereout cometh death And out of the heart saith our Sauiour Christ proceede euill thoughts adulteries murthers fornications debate strife c. speaking of an euill and vnregenerate heart to shew that a wicked mans heart is like a filthie dunghill which both breedeth and harboureth all kind of venimous vermine and as a snake on a sunnie day commeth foorth of her hole so the wicked when fit time and occasion serue do set foorth and shew the ware and stuffe which was hidden in their heart saying in the meane time as Esau did When the daies of mourning for my father Isaac do come then I will kill my brother Iacob which agreeth with that that Dauid speaketh of his enemie in Psal. 41.6 His heart heapeth vp iniquitie within him and when he commeth foorth he vttereth it Many counterfeit holinesse deuotion sobrietie loue and kindnesse and indeede they do but counterfeit for holy and deuout and sober and louing and kind c they cannot be so long as the heart or inward man is vnreformed In vaine do we sweepe the channels of the streete except we stop the fountaines from whence they flow In vaine do we crop the weedes except we dig vp their rootes from whence they receiue their nourishment In vaine do we plaister the sore except it be searched and cleansed to the bottom So in vaine do we labour to bring forth good actions without except first we labour to beget good affections within How canst thou say that thou louest me when thy heart is not with me said Dalilah to Sampson which she vttered as a common knowne principle in nature to be denyed of none that all loue is but counterfeit and false which cometh not from the heart And therefore whosoeuer will loue indeed must beginne first at his heart and frame that to loue And the like is to be said of other affections and all the actions or effects that proceed froÌ„ them The hart among the members of the bodie is like a great commaunder among his souldiers looke which way he goeth that way go they Well may we preach and long may we heare of the reforming of our liues of mortifying our pride our strange fashions our wantonnesse our couetousnesse our malice c. the tongue will make but a iest at the matter so long as the heart is vnreformed as appeareth by the testimonie that the Lord giueth against Ezechiels Auditours They heare thee saith the Lord as my people vse to heare but with their mouths they make iests at thee and thy Sermons their hearts run after their couetousnesse to shew that there is no outward obedience to be looked for where the heart yeeldeth not to obey for all actions outward wil follow the affections of the heart On the other side winne the heart and all is wonne without which there is no rowing but against the streame A readie heart maketh a readie hand to giue a readie tongue to speake a readie eare to heare and a readie foote to goe And a holy religious heart maketh a holy and religious hearing speaking and liuing Who were they that brought so bountifull gifts to the building of the Lords holy tabernacle among the Iewes as we reade in Exod. 35.21.22 verses It is said in the 29. verse Euery one whose hearts moued them willingly to bring brought some gold some siluer some silke some badgers skinnes some stones c. yea vntill they were forced to stay by proclamation to shew that when the heart is wonne to be willing and to like of the worke the worke shall go well forward and nothing will seeme hard to a willing mind When Dauids heart was enditing or framing of a good matter then was his tongue readie like the pen of a swift writer to declare the same And whosoeuer can say with Dauid O God my heart is prepared shall follow with Dauid and say so is my tongue also I will sing and giue praise to shew that when the heart is not readie to serue God nothing is readie for all tarrie for the heart Therefore it is that the Scripture doth so much call vpon vs to reforme our harts In the three and twentieth of the Proverbs the twelfth verse Salomon saith Apply thy heart to instruction and thine eares to the wordes of knowledge But first the heart and then the eares will follow and in the seuenteenth verse Let not thy heart be enuious against sinners but let it be in the feare of the Lord continually In the nineteenth verse O my sonne heare and be wise and guide thy heart in the way And in the 26. verse My sonne giue me thy heart and let thine eyes delight in my wayes And no maruell for what shall the Mariners do if the Pilote be false at the helme of the ship What shall the souldiers do at the hold if the captaine of the hold be a traitour A false heart is like such a Pilote and such a captaine yea a false heart is like Iudas among the disciples who carried the purse and made the prouision for all the rest laying vp one groate for his maâ—ster and tenne for himselfe A bad Cater being a cunning theefe and a secret traitour So the heart is the storer if that be secretly false and trecherous it will store the bodie with leudnesse and if it chaunce to speake one word for Gods glorie he will addresse and set foorth in most braue sort a thousand for
honoured and rewarded of God then all the world beside Oh happie man and woman that professing Christianitie or faith in Christ or repentance for sinne or patience in affliction or contempt of the world or zeale to Gods glorie or deuotion in Gods worship or liberalitie to the Saints or mercie to the miserable can in all these haue the company of sinceritie and vprightnesse of heart then may they say thus nay our suretie the Lord Iesus wil pleade for vs in this manner Father despise not these little ones they are my friends and though their faith and repentance be weake and imperfect and other graces of thy Spirit be but small and feeble and for want of nourshing and good looking vnto be not so well growne nor so well ordered as they should haue bene yet forasmuch as they come before thee and haue called vpon my name in sinceritie and truth which thou louest without counterfeiting dissembling and hypocrisie which thou abhorrest thou wilt not despise them Their fruit though they be but little in quantitie like a graine of musterd seed yet it is right fruite of the Spirit true faith though little faith true loue though litle and small loue not like the fruites of hypocrites which are like the apples of Sodome faire in shew and ashes in substance What hath soundly comforted all the Saines of God here on earth but the testimonie of an vpright heart And is not sound comfort a good reward What hath encouraged and emboldned them to come before God in prayer but the testimoniall of a sincere heart and holy affection And is not boldnesse in Gods presence a good reward What hath made the prayers of the faithfull auaileable with God for other but the sinceritie and vpright affection of them that haue craued their prayers and are not these sweet odours that is the prayers of the Saints a good reward What made Iacob to be honoured with the new name of Israel that is preuailing with God for a blessing but that his wrestling was not in shew but in good earnest in sinceritie and truth of heart with a constant purpose of perseuering till he had gotten that which he stroue for And is not preuailing with God a good reward All the daies of the afflicted are euill saith Salomon that is troublesome grieuous and bitter to flesh and bloud but a good conscience is a continuall feast that is he that hath an vpright heart and sincere affection before God feeleth no want Now such a feast as it is continuall so is it prouided by God himselfe serued in with the Spirit of God where the Angels do waite and reioyce and the worst dishes are the assurance of Gods loue forgiuenesse of sinnes peace of conscience and ioy of the holy Ghost There all the communication is secret and heauenly between Christ and the soule the Musitians are the faithfull and their musicke is praising of God and their harmonie is the communion of Saints and all are of one heart and mind and is not such a feast a good reward Nay more then this if this be not inough whosoeuer will earnestly hegge this gift of God by prayer and louingly embrace and keepe her as his deare spouse shall haue with her a large dowrie a great reward in heauen in heauen saith Christ. For such gifts come not without crauing and of our selues we cannot haue it for if a good wife be the gift of God much more is a good heart which God in creating doth giue in giuing doth create therfore Dauid saith Create in me ô Lord a cleane heart to shew that we can no more make the hart sincere then we can create a hart But whē such a hart is created by God he giueth thee a singular gift a great portion belongeth vnto it Part of it shall be payd thee in this life but the greatest part in the life to come In this life thou shalt be loued of Christs friends and moned of good men when thou art wronged the more thou dost seek to honor God the more he will honor thee as he told Samuel The more thou fliest the vainglorie of the world for sinceritie sake the more wil true glorie follow thee according to the Prouerb Honos fugientem sequitur sequentem fugit It followeth those that flye from her like friends which enforce gifts and other curtesies vpon modest persons which refuse them but flyeth them that follow her as men do impudent beggers But besides al this when death comes thy deare friend sincerity shall more comfort thee then all the Phisitions in the world And after death thy name shall liue and walke vp downe in the world to warne some to comfort some to admonish some and to shame some and to condemne many But yet here is not all for then shalt thou first receiue commendation of God whom thou hast serued and secondly enter into full and euerlasting possession of thy maisters ioy which is no lesse then a weightie crowne of glorie immortall then a kingdome and inheritance of eternall blessednesse with the Saints and Angels and God himselfe where all teares shall be wiped from thy eyes and thou shalt reioyce for euermore Where thou shalt enioy for euer and euer such things as no eye hath seene no eare hath heard nor heart to man can conceiue and nothing shall euer obscure or eclipse the same nor crosse nor diminish the same And what is all this or whatsoeuer else can be sayd of it but scarce a shadow of sincerities reward Alas a drop taken out of the sea and a moate out of the mountaines like the hem of Christs garment which did comfort the woman that touched it but she found more comfort in him then in the hem So the description of sincerity is delightsome the picture is pleasing but whosoeuer hath sincerity it selfe shall find at his left hand the fulnesse of ioy and at his right hand pleasure for euermore Whosoeuer after this Sermon shall find so much fauour with God as to meete with sinceritie and vprightnesse of heart in all his actions and such an affection that preferreth Gods glorie before his owne and seeketh praise of God and not of man shall say as the Queene of the South sayd when she came to King Salomon That which I heard of thee I did hardly beleeue it but now I perceiue that the report which went of thee is nothing answerable to that which thou art indeed And though no man deserueth such a reward at Gods hand no nor any reward at all but shame and confusion which is our due desert yet both for his promise sake as also for his honour sake he will so reward his children If mortall men will keepe their promise one towards another as all that haue but common ciuility and honestie will them much more will Almightie God who is all truth and righteousnesse it selfe and can no more breake his promise then he can denie himselfe
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
their soules health in English Well let vs take heede that we continue not stil so vntoward to serue God to learne his most glorious will least God giue vs ouer againe in his iust iudgemēt to walke in ignorance to beleeue lies Popery groweth apace in many places Papists are very bold doubtlesse they see it is to be feared too much inclinatiō aptnes both in som teachers much of the people to receiue their Popish trash again that is the matter Popish pictures shew thēselues in euery shop street almost many think there is great deuotiō stirred vp by the sight of thē yea they hope of a mery world towards And doubtlesse the Papists cannot brew so fast but as they hope others will be as ready to drinke Well the Lord in mercy looke vpon vs our Christian gouernors that we may be more more forward apt to the embracing setting forth of his holy truth Gospell to our liues end Amen Now let vs pray THE V. SERMON PROV 6.14 Leud things are in his heart WE haue heard before how vaine and lawlesse the man of Belial is how froward and peeuish how counterfeit cunning in his outward behauiour now we are come to the cause of all and to the digging vp of that which is the fountaine of all his distemperature and disorder and that doth the holy Ghost here shew vs when he saith Leud things are in his heart as if he should say it is no maruell though his behauiour be so bad and barbarous so vile and full of leud actions when his heart which is the fountaine of all his actions is full of leude things Then first here let vs consider what is meant by the hart And next what profitable doctrines may be gathered from this sentence and the coherence thereof with the rest of the wicked mans description By hart in this place he meaneth not the fleshly and materiall heart which is the good creature of God but the corrupted and depraued qualities of the heart For the heart is put sometime for the whole inward man as in 1. Pet. 3.4 Let the hid man of the heart be meeke and quiet sometime for the thoughts and affections for the will and vnderstanding as in 1. King 3.9 Giue me an vnderstanding heart the prayer of Salomon That is giue vnderstanding vnto my hart mind or soule for hee had a hart before So that in the heart is vnderstanding but in the wicked it is leud vnderstanding because he vnderstandeth leude and vile things best And in Gen. 6.5 it is said The imaginations of the thoughts of mans heart were euill continually to shew that thoughts and imaginations lodge in the heart but in the man of Belial they are leude and wicked In the 23. of the Prou. 26. the Lord saith My sonne giue me thy heart that is the affections of thy heart as thy desire thy loue thy ioy thy feare thy trust thy zeale thy delight thy sorrow as if he shold say if thou desirest any thing desire me if thou louest any thing loue me if thou ioyest in any thing ioy in me if thou fearest any thing feare me if thou trustest any trust me if thou be zealous for any thing be zealous for me if thou sorrowest for any thing be sorrowfull that thou canst not do thy dutie to me as thou oughtest and these things I leaue not to thy choise but see thou do them indeed Now all these affections are in the wicked man of Belial but they are leud and not for the Lord. In the fourth of the Hebrewes 12. the word of God is called a deuider of the thoughts and intents of the heart so that in the heart lye thoughts and intents that is purposes conclusions and determinations but in the wicked they are all leud and naught So that the meaning of these words Leud things are in his heart is that the man of Belial vnderstandeth leud things he thinketh and studieth leud things he purposeth and intendeth leud things he desireth and affecteth leud things yea he deuiseth and contriueth nothing else but leud things This anatomizing and discouering of Belials hart in this sort with the rest of his behauiour in other parts of his bodie teacheth vs many excellent pointes of doctrine for our instruction 1. That the man of Belial is no better within then without 2. That whatsoeuer a man is without yet God doth iudge of him by that which is in his heart 3. That the cause of all outward disorder is in the heart 4. That a man cannot be a good man vntill the hart be reformed 5. That the word of God is of that nature that it discouereth the hidden things in the heart 6. That the same word of God which sheweth vs the corruptions of our hearts doth also shew vs to reforme the heart Of the first That a wicked and prophane man such as Salomon here speaketh of is no better within then he is without but rather worse is euident both by this and diuers other places of holy Scripture Here he saith that as he is froward in his speeches and dissolute in his outward behauiour so his heart is leud and wicked So that if the hart be naught all is naught If there be any goodnes in his heart it must be either in his vnderstanding or his will or his affections but the subiect of all these is leudnes therfore within there is no better then without but rather worse In the 6. of Gen. verse 5. it is said That mans wickednesse is great and his heart is also euill continually The Psalmist saith The foole meaning a wicked man hath said in his heart there is no God his waies are corrupt and become abhominable there is not one that doth good no not one The Apostle Paul searcheth euery part of the naturall man within and without and findeth all alike Roman 3. from verse 11. to 19. Let him be asked the question and heare his answer And first of his vnderstanding What vnderstanding hath the vnregenerate or naturall man None There is none that vnderstandeth saith he meaning the things of God How are their affections bent What do they not desire to know God No saith the Apostle There is none that seeketh God What is there none better then another No saith the Apostle They haue all gon out of the way they are made altogether vnprofitable there is none that doth good no not one But let vs make a better search it may be there is some goodnesse in some secret corner or in some of their members What say you of their throat Their throat saith the Apostle is an open sepulcher from whence proceedeth nothing but stinke and rottennesse to infect the aire How are their toungs vsed To deceipt saith the Apostle What is vnder their lippes The poison of Aspes And what in their mouths Abundance of cursing and bitternesse They are swift
repentance may be soueraigne and not deadly there must be faith ioyned therewith whereby we applying the promises of God to our hearts may be assured that our sinnes are both fully punished and freely pardoned in Christ Iesus For by faith our harts are purified sayth Saint Peter For our preseruatiue against the corruption and contagion of a leud heart in time to come there are also two things required The first is heedfull watchfulnesse The second is continuall prayer and calling vpon God That this is true it is very euident by the words of our Sauiour Christ in the Gospell Take heede watch and pray sayth he least ye fall into temptation To shew that if we be carelesse and negligent in prayer we shall soone fall into the hands of the tempter And in another place Take heede least at any time your hearts be surfeted and ouercome with the cares of this world To shew that our hearts must be kept and looked vnto like little children which else would euery houre eate and drinke that which should hurt them or fall into the fire or water or incurre one mischiefe or another And this is that which Saint Paul meaneth when he requireth vs to walke circumspectly and is all one with that of Salomon in the fourth of the Prouerbes Keepe thy heart with all diligence as if there were no hold in the world so much assaulted nor any mans daughter or goods so much layed for as the heart of man is and therefore that must be kept with all diligence and watched most narrowly This diligent keeping and heedfull watching of our hearts must be after the manner of souldiers with our armour and weapons about vs. And what those are the Apostle teacheth vs in Ephes. 6.12 c. and he calleth it the armour of God because all the world could not tell how to make an armour for the soule but God who created it and knoweth what enemies and assaults it is subiect vnto A helmet she must haue but that must be of hope which causeth her with patience to expect the performance of Gods promised saluation and this beareth off all the blowes of Sathan Then a brest-plate she must haue but that must be of righteousnesse to shew that the louers of vnrighteousnesse and wrong are easily thrust through and spoyled yea as Paule saith they pierce themselues through with many noysome lusts and temptations Then she must haue a girdle to keepe all her armour close about her and that must be of truth and sincerity or soundnesse of heart and a good conscience which is opposite to hypocrisie Then a sword she must haue in the one hand and a shield in the other to defend her selfe withall and to offend her enemies But this sword must be the word of God not the Popes Legenda aurea which hath wel-neare as many lyes as lines in it nor any of his dirtie Decrees And her shield must be a liuely iustifying faith which must still apply Christ and his merits and oppose him against all that euer Sathan cannot obiect against her Then she must be shod with shooes but they must be affections prepared and alwayes in a readinesse to heare and beleeue the Gospell whereby she shall speedily and easily trauell and come to all the rest And to all these she must ioyne continuall and feruent prayer both for her selfe that she may betime put on and skilfully vse this armour as also for others and namely first for her Captaines and Leaders the Ministers of the word and next for all the Saints and members of the Church that be her fellow souldiers And thus we see a Christian man in armes appointed to keepe diligent watch ouer his heart being thus appointed with armour of Gods making and of the Spirits putting on he is diligently to examine euery thought before it enter and euery word and gesture before it passe from him hauing the feare of God in stead of a gard alwayes to keepe the doore and passage Now further that we may watch and pray to good purpose we must know and remember First what we are to pray for Secondly what we must pray against The things that we must pray for are principally foure First that God would create in vs a cleane heart and renue a right spirite within vs Psal. 51.10 That is in stead of an ignorant heart to giue vs a heart endued with knowledge in stead of a dull heart an vnderstanding hart as Salomon prayed 1. King 3.9 in stead of an adulterous heart a chast heart in stead of a subtill and crafty heart a simple and discrete heart in stead of a proud and high minded heart an humble and lowly heart in stead of a foolish heart a wise heart in stead of a malicious hart a charitable hart in stead of a hard hart a soft tender hart in stead of a vaine and profane heart a holy and religious heart in stead of a stubburne and rebellious heart an obedient and tractable heart and in stead of a counterfeit and dissembling heart an vpright and a sound heart And a heart thus altered and renued by God Dauid calleth a heart new created to shew first that we can no more of our selues reforme our owne hearts whatsoeuer Papists prate then we can create a heart Secondly that vntill our hearts be renued by the grace of Gods Spirite they are as if they were not at all And thirdly that as all the workes of creation belong to God onely so doth also the reforming and altering of the inward man and euery affection and power belonging to the same The second thing that we must pray for is that it would please his diuine Maiesty to ioyne sanctification and illumination together in our minds that is not onely to enlighten our hearts with the vnderstanding of his will but also to worke in vs the loue of righteousnesse and obedience to his will yea that he would to that ende giue vs an vnderstanding heart or a heart enlightened that we may keepe his law with our whole hearts So Dauid prayeth in Psalme 119.34 Giue me vnderstanding and I will keepe thy law yea I will keepe it with my whole heart And that is the way indeed to come vnto a sound and a sauing knowledge of God as our Sauiour Christ sheweth in the seuenth of Iohn verse 17. If any man will do his will he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God of no. Not the idle hearer or vaine disputer or the carping cauiller c but the doer yea he that is resolued to followe Gods counsels shall know Gods counsels and none else And vntill we haue an actiue vnderstanding in the law of God not the forme of doctrine onely or a formall knowledge of the same but the power of it as the Apostle teacheth vntill then I say we be like
euery one that praieth in publike assemblies and heareth the word diligently and turne ouer their Bibles and sing reuerently the holy Psalmes and praises of God confer of that which they heard and call their families to account for that which they haue heard at the Sermon c. all most holy actions but take heed now when thou doest all these or any of these that the messenger of Sathan come not like a cunning companion and poison all these Take heed I say euen then when thou art about these seruices for euen as cut-purses and pilfering rogues watch their times till they see men busie in buying and selling or come in a preasse so do these vagrant affections watch our harts when we are about holy businesse and in deuout conference with our God to rob God of his honour and to poison that which we offer him and if it be poisoned he will none of it A strange thing and a hidden mysterie this is that a man should then rob the Lord of his honour when he is honoring and seruing him that we should take from him that which we giue vnto him Verily so we do if we take not heed and nothing is more common then that euil Thou art deuout in thy prayer in hearing in sighing in singing in eleuating eyes and hands to heauen it is well done but then take heede of the theefe with the poison that thou seest not and that is that affection that maketh thee to cast thy eye aside perhaps to looke whether such a man seeth thee or no and that affection that tickleth thy heart and saith now I am a good man I shall be counted a zealous professor for this I shall be well esteemed for this I shall by this meanes get familiaritie and so commoditie with him her and a thousand such odde conceits that come wharting and crossing of thy heart in the best things that thou canst do All which if thou take not heede of them euen then at that instant and pray against them they will get within thee and plucke off the garment of puritie and holinesse which in Christ Iesus should commend thy action vnto God And thus thou seest how God is robbed when he is serued and therefore euen then without any further delay or dallying take heed and watch ouer thy heart and pray against these vile and vaine affections desiring God to reforme and correct them that so thou maiest giue him his due clad in such holy and pure affections as are desirous that all the glorie should be giuen vnto him from whom and for whom all things are and shall be And in so doing thou maiest safely shew what God hath done for thee Take for example in the old Testament Iacob and in the new Testament the Virgin Mary and Zacharie the father of Iohn Baptist. Iacob he sheweth his brother how God had blessed him since his comming ouer Iordan with onely a poore staffe in his hand and now had giuen him troupes or bands of children and seruants and blessed him with flockes of sheepe beeues and camels but in all these things his desire was that God might he glorified and therefore he said I am not worthy of the least of these mercies that is all that I haue set forth the great and vndeserued fauour of God vnto me So farre was he from seeking thereby to be counted a great man as the maner of the world is So when Elizabeth reioyced with her cosin for the great fauour and goodnesse of the most high in chusing her to be the mother of the Lord Iesus and sayd Blessed art thou amongst women she was not proud thereof but presently gaue the glorie vnto God and sayd My soule doth magnifie the Lord and my spirite reioyceth in God my Sauiour I shall be magnified indeede but he that is mightie hath magnified me and holy is his name and so made that whole song to set forth the glorious praises of God in that singular worke which he had done to her In like sort when Zachary knew that Iohn was borne to be the forerunner of Christ he presently gaue the glorie to God saying Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his people c. And thou ô child shalt be called the Prophet of the most high for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare the way before him to giue knowledge of saluation vnto his people for the forgiuenesse of their sinnes But then commeth forth the holy affection wherein God is delighted and saith Through the tender mercy of our God c. And this shall we do if we take heed and still watch ouer our hearts in euerie action by secret prayer vnto God that his name may be hallowed This wise course being taken we shall be able by the grace of God in a short time to discerne a false harted affection from a true and a holy affection a double heart from a single and sincere heart for in euery man that is regenerate there is a double motion the one of the flesh the other of the Spirite the one of God the other of Sathan and in euerie action if he watch narrowly he shall find and feele a striuing betweene them Now here is wisedome to discerne how much is of God and how much of Sathan that we may cherish the one and crush the other in the head before he grow to any strength There will be two fires kindled and both burning together in one heart the one must be quenched and not maintained the other must not be quēched but be maintained for so saith the Scripture quench and quench not quench the firie darts of the diuell but quench not the Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed vp to the day of redemption Now then seeing the glory of God is set vp for one marke to aime at and the good of the Church of God for another let vs learne by our leuelling and aiming at them or besides them to iudge of our affections and cogitations If thy cogitations be studying and deuising how to auoide vaineglorie and how to get glorie to God by casting about to make others to praise God in thy graces and to loue and feare him for the same then is that cogitation kindled by Gods Spirite quench it not but cherish it If thy affections be longing and desiring to bring the same to passe which thy minde by Gods Spirite hath deuised then is that a holy affection of God quench it not but maintaine it reioyce in God for it But if one the contrarie thy mind be deuising what to do and what to say and how to bring things to passe to please men and not God and to win credit and estimation amongst men Gods glory being cast behind thy backe know that those thoughts and affections are fierie darts of Sathans kindling quench them and cherish them not take heede of them in time In taking this
the way of God truly there is the baite then comes the hooke Is it lawfull to pay tribute to Caesar or no Now Christ knowing their subtiltie gaue them no thankes for their commendation but called them tempting hypocrites saying Why tempt ye me ye hypocrites And will the wicked deale better with the members then they did with the head These men are the seruants of the liuing God saith the cunning maid to Paul and Silas or rather the diuell by whom she wrought and they bring vnto vs the way of saluation This was not for the good of Paul and Silas but to haue them apprehended the more speedily and handled the more seuerely It was a cunning sleight of Sathan and therfore Paule and Silas rebuked her for her labour being grieued to be commended by such a one and commaunded the spirite in the name of Christ to come out of her In a word the cōmendatiōs of the wicked are but traps their tables but snares as the prophet Dauid calleth thē And for all this seeing that it cannot be denied but that loue and commendation amongst men is a good blessing in which sense it is sayd that both Christ and Iohn Baptist and others were in fauour both with God and man and godlinesse hath the promises both of this life and of the life to come that is the blessings of God both temporall and eternall belong vnto godlinesse it must also be granted that euen the godly themselues which are so much hated and scorned in the world by the wicked of the world haue had haue and shall haue their part in that blessing of renowne fame and commendation yea a good name shall follow them to their graue and liue after them too in the world to the high glorie and praise of God who doth so honour his seruants which haue honoured him and to the comfort of their friends the encouragement of the weake and to the shame of the wicked They shall haue praise indeede but as the brother whom Paule commended to the Corinthians had whose praise sayth he is in the Gospell that is in embracing the Gospell or else in setting foorth of the Gospell as Luke did whereby his loue and zeale and godlinesse towards Christ were manifested to his great praise and commendation for vertue and piety is worthy of praise as vice deserueth the contrary therefore Peter sayth to seruants This is praise worthy if a man for consciēce toward God endure grief suffering wrōgfully And the Apostle Paul saith Whatsoeuer things are of good report if there be any vertue or any praise that is if there be any thing indeed praise worthy thinke on these things And God forbid seeing as God hath giuen such a blessing to his seruants and their vertues amongst the godly but that we should giue vnto vertuous men and fearing God their due praise and commendation When poore Mary shewed her loue to the person of Christ in annointing his body with sweete and precious ointment and her humility in wiping his feete with the haire of her head Christ told her that wheresoeuer his Gospell should be preached that deede of hers also should be published for a memoriall of her to shew that the vertuous acts of the Saints are not to be curied in obliuion but to be had in a thankfull remembrance vnto God The Lord in his word hath crowned his seruants with fame and renowne which neuer sought it but fled from it both according to his promise and also his gracious and wonted manner of dealing Those that honour me shall be honored of me saith the Lord. 1. Sam 2. there is his promise his manner is to giue his seruants more then they seeke for or desire as when Salomon desired not riches but wisedome to gouerne Gods people well God gaue him both riches and wisedome too so when the godly desire that only Gods name may be hallowed and cry with Dauid Not vnto vs not vnto vs ô Lord but to thy name giue the praise then doth the Lord giue them that thing which they desire and that also which they craued not and that is commendation from his owne mouth and a part in his owne ioy Wel done good and faithful seruant there is their commendation Enter into thy masters ioy there is their ful reward And thus is Moses become famous for being Gods Embassadour to King Pharao and his Captaine generall ouer the Lords army from Aegypt to the land of promise Thus Ioseph is famous for his chastity and faithfull seruice and the midwiues of Aegypt are renowned for sauing the childrens liues against the Kings commandement How famous is Deborah for iudging of Israel and Iael for nailing of Sisera Captaine of King Iabins host vnto the ground How famous is Dauid for conquering of Goliah and for his zealous courage in fetching home of the Arke Now is Eliah famous for reprouing King Achab and the widow of Sarepta for nourishing the Prophet Salomon is famous for building of the Temple the three children for contemning the Kings displeasure and Daniel is famous for his being cast into the Lions den Now Iohn Baptist is renowned for telling the King of his fault and loosing of his head for the same Peter for his sound confession Paul for his heauenly conuersion be both famous and renowned by the holy Ghost whose praises are in the word spread throughout the whole world So are all the holy Martyrs which suffered for the testimony of the truth and all Christian benefactours with the streames of whose loue and liberality many Churches Christians Vniuersities and schooles of good learning and nurseries of good arts and sciences haue bene watered and refreshed most famous and renowned in the Church of God And all these hauing shunned as much as they might all worldly praise and glorie in the world haue found most high praise and renowne with God and all the godly in the word of God and their praise is not of men but of God As for wicked hypocrites it is not so with them but as the godly are crowned with perpetuall fame and renowne so the wicked are and shall be crowned with euerlasting shame and reproch Cain is infamous and his name doth stinke for murthering his brother Abel Putiphars wife is infamous and her name doth stinke for her lewd tempting and false accusing of Ioseph Pharaoh is infamous and his name doth stinke for his cruel handling of the Israelites Doeg the Edomite is infamous and his name doth stinke for accusing and killing the Lords holy Priests Micol is infamous and her name doth stinke for scoffing at the zeale of Dauid her Lord and husband Iezabel for her whoredomes and murthering of Naboth for his vineyard is infamous and her name doth stinke Hanun is infamous for misusing of Dauids messengers and Ammon doth stinke before all the Israel of God vnto this day Sanballat and Tobiah for hindering the
Luk. 1.29 Gen. 25.33 Heb. 12.16 Of almes Musc. Mar. 12.42 Pro. 22.2 Mal. 2.15 Mar. 14.6.7 Gen. 29.20 To whom we must giue Luk. 6.30 Gal. 6.10 Gen. 45.22 23. Ios. 9. Why this text is called the Anatomy of Belial The parts of this Anatmomy Iudg. 19. vâ—lt 3. Points To what end this Anatomy tendeth Not for pollicy Rom. 15.4 Nor to gaze at But to know him auoide him Belial in like a runagate Act. 13. What entertainmeÌ„t and friendship Belial hath in all places Vertue and godlinesse can neuer get good seruice nor good mariage Gods warrant for the attaching of Belial What actions come against Belial and at whose sute 1 King 3. vlt. How Belial is descried by the godly wise A strong argument 2 Point A point of ingratitude and an abuse of Gods mercie to out-face the truth To take the notes that God hath giuen is not to iudge but to pronounce the iudgement of God Christs wordes Iudge not how they are abused by the wicked The impudency of the couetous man Of the proud maÌ„ Of the incontinent person The wicked are patrons one to another Howe Christs words in Mat. 7.1 are to be vnderstood 1. Cor. 10. 1 Cor. 11. Phil. 1.9 Deut. 1. Cor. 2.14 They that cry out you must not iudge are most rash themselues in iudging of others The iudgemeÌ„t which wicked meÌ„ giue of the godly and of others is peruerse peposterous Esa. 5.20 Pro. 17.15 Pro. 24.24 Mat. 7. Rom. 1. We may iudge who is for the present a wicked man but not who is a reprobate A similitude of a Iury. Cases rare and extraordinary Iohn 6. The third point of the coherence of this text with the rest of the Chapter Doct. Gods fanne doth find out all Luk. 11.45 Some look to be dispensed with for their sins Partiality is to be found in the world but not in the word No man can escape the power and censure of the word Luk. 12.3 The vse of this point I. King 18. The minister doth but hold forth the glasse that sheweth vs our spots Ier. 43.3 Ioh. 4. Great sins and small sinnes are knit together The lawes of the Popish church are like the Spiders web Many professours are zealous against smaller offences in others and dispeÌ„ce with foule abuses in themselues Our force is to be bent against the least sinnes aswell as the greatest Of the names of Belial The meaning of this phrase the man of Belial among the Hebrewes A dissolute and loose man Deut. 13.13 Iudg. 19.22 1. Sam 2.12 2. Sa. 16.7 2. Cor. 6.15 Exo. 32.9 Psal. 2.2.3 Luke 19.27 Psal. 12.4 His names set forth his nature 1. Sam. 25. Belial hath as many names as the diuell 1 1 Accusers Apoc. 12.10 2 2 Enemies Iob. 1.7 3 3 CoÌ„passers Mat. 23.15 Luke 22.31 4 4 Sifters Gen. 3.13 5 5 Deceiuers 2. Tim. 3.13 6 6 Serpents Psal. 58 4. 7 7 Foxes Cant. 2.15 Psal. 91.3 8 8 Hunters 1. Sa. 24.12 9 9 Dragons Psal. 44.19 1. Pet. 5.8 10 10 Lions Psal. 54.4 11 11 Louers of darknesse Iohn 3.19 Eph. 4.18 Ioh. 8.44 12 12 Lyers Psal. 52.3 Mar. 5.9 13 13 Legion A marke of the Popes Church Phil. 3.19 There is no concord betweene Christ and Belial The contrarietie betweene Belial and Christ. Gen. 27. A description of Belials loue Pro. 5. A double vse of the former doctrine 1. It bewraieth a Popish slaunder Papists are men of Belial Of the wicked liues of their Popes Popish doctrine fit to make men of Belial The 2. vse to teach Christians mortification and obedience Mat. 11.29 Mat. 20.20 Many think to haue heauen for the asking without any more adoe Mat. 19.22 1. King 3. Of such as keepe the sabbath to the halfes They are like 1. The harlot that wold haue the child deuided 1. King 18. 2. The idol Baal that could not heare What it is to put on the yoke of Christ. It is a great honour to pledge Christ in his sufferings Christs lawes Psal. 119.9 Mat. 5.29 Pro. 23.2 As hard to forgo our sinnes as our liues Mat. 11.26 How Christs yoke is made easie Pro. 8.9 Christs burden is a benefite and no burden It is not inough to defie Poperie Mat. 5. 1. Thes. 1.9 Many forsake Papists and ioyne with Atheists Why mortification is called a waining of the soule How to waine the soule Psal. 73.24 Pro. 1.27.28 29.30 The fearefull estate of Libertines Verse 31. Ro. 1.28 Luk. 19.27 Psal. 115. The practise of Gods children Psal. 40. The comfort of Gods children at the houre of death Of the 2. name of the man of Belial What is prophanenesse Profane vanitie and wickednes is called now adaies finenesse of wit One may be a bad man that doth hurt no bodie Honestie is double ciuill and religious Religious honest meÌ„ giue God his due Act. 28. Prou. 23. Who is a good man indeed What maner of persons we must chuse to coÌ„uerse withall Vain company will draw men from God The difference between Adam Ish. Vaine Belial is viler then theÌ„ earth The strength of the wicked is wholy emploied in euill 1. Cor. 16.13 Of Belials actions 1 1 Of his speeches 1. Sam. 25. A man is that which he is for the most part Psal. 45.1 The toung was giuen to set forth none but good matters Iob. And chiefly the glorie of God The toung compared to a penne for three causes And to the pen of a swift writer for three causes 1. 2. 3. Ephes. 4.29 c. The toung is giuen to build vp others in goodnesse The hurt that commeth by corrupt speeches 1. Cor. 15 The vaine perswasion of prophane persons The corruption of good manners is the generation of euil maÌ„ners in others Euill words are hurtfull alâ—o to our selues and signes of much euill in the hart A wrathfull heart is the diuels lodg Act. 20.28 Naturall corruption doth not domineere in the regenerate What it is for corrupt communication to proceede out of the mouth Iam. 3.3.4 Two similitudes 1 1 Of a bit in a horse mouth 2 2 Of a rudder in a shippe Pro. 17.27 The application of the former doctrine A description of Belials toung Psal. 73.8 Eze. 33.31 Rom. 1.29 A peruerse mouth a note of one that feareth not God Mat. 12. Psal. 37.30 He that cannot speake well cannot do well Two sorts reproued by the former doctrine Psal. 12.3.4 2. Sort. Peruerse disputers Pro. 26.18.19 Sober disputations tending to edification are coÌ„mendable Walketh CoÌ„tinuaÌ„ce in frowardnes is a difference betweene the godly and-the wicked Ia. 3.2 Psal. 51. Psal. 39. The wicked delight in speaking of the frailties of the godly to iustifie themselues The comfort of the godly after their fals Rom. 6. The custome of sinne is dangerous Similitudes Custome and vse maketh vncomely fashions seeme comely How hard a thing it is to leaue that which one hath bene accustomed vnto Ier. 13. In nature impossible Custome taketh away the feeling of sinne How an