thinke and talke of these wonderfull workes of his and to implant in our owne soules a cleerer knowledge and a deeper reuerence of him by meanes of them For he knowes that nothing is more beneficiall to our soules then if we doe thus vsefully behold the lifting vp of his high hand wherefore wee must not suffer our naturall dulnesse to preuaile against vs and to turne away our thoughts from obseruing such obseruable things which yet in this particular case wee are most apt to doe For I know not how it comes to passe in men that whereas those of them that are not extremely carnall and earthly-minded can consider the workes of his goodnesse and mercy with some admiration wondring to finde so great kindnesse shewed to creatures that can so little either deserue or requite the same yet it is farre otherwise in the workes of his Iustice here a kind of vniustifiable pity of the persons misery stops our eyes from beholding the beauty of Gods righteousnesse and men are nothing apt to praise him for the strict proceeding of his iudgements against malefactors Doubtlesse this is a corruption in vs worthy to be blamed We seldome praise God for shewing himselfe iust against Hypocrites Indeed if in the practice of their malice against the Church and the true members of it they fall downe wounded as often it falles out here our interest maketh vs to be somewhat glad and wee can finde in our hearts to thanke God for that which procured our owne ease and safety but if it fall otherwise that the Lord execute his vengeance against those whom himselfe sees worthy to be hated wee not hauing any part in the quarrell we doe not make such executions a part of the matter of our thankesgiuing as if wee regarded Gods workes nothing at all further then some benefit redounds therefrom vnto our selues or as if wee thought them worth nothing further then they serue our owne turnes But now let vs learne that it is a necessary duty for vs to praise the Lord for shewing himselfe seuere as well as gentle for exercising his rigor as well as his grace and for making knowne his hatred of sinne as well as his loue of the righteous Praise thou him for that as hee doth fauourably accept the meanest endeuours of the true-hearted so he will by no meanes be deceiued by the glorious ostentation of hypocrites praise him for that as he will not let a man that in truth of charity doth giue a cup of cold water to lose his reward so he will not respect him that out of other respects destitute of charity shall giue all his goods to the poore Praise him that as hee doth accept and requite the poore widowes mite that came from soundnesse of deuotion so did hee nothing heed nor affect the rich and pompous bounty of the wealthier persons that serued their Idoll of vaine-glory in seeming to make their offerings vnto him Praise him for that as he highly prizeth the neglected and despised seruices of those that are sound in his precepts so hee doth count those things no better then abomination that seeme glorious in the eyes of men when they are done for sinister ends We doe obserue in Princes as well their prudence and iustice in finding out and taking and executing the crafty offenders that liue vnder their charge as in shewing bounty and liberality and courtesie towards their better subiects If a King haue declared himselfe to be so wholly deuoted to right and equity that if his neerest fauorites doe things worthy of death or bonds hee will not spare them and that no gifts nor bribes can purchase fauour for those that are bold to build their faultinesse vpon such hopes of impunity how doe the present liuers honour him how doe they applaud his vprightnesse and giue him all the titles of honour that they can inuent yea how doe those that write such histories inlarge their words and discourses in his commendation and aduance him to the skies for the most hearty louer and constant follower of equity that might bee Why should not the King of Kings enioy the praises of the iust and seuere executions that hee hath done and daily doth vpon the hollow-hearted Though men call themselues after his name though they make long prayers though they professe great loue and feare of him and make a shew of much deuotion though they preach him in the streets and worke miracles in his name and make as if they were the best affected to him and his honour that can be yet when hee comes to them and sees them destitute of a true godly conuersation not soundly reformed in heart not vniuersally obedient in life not vpright hearted he makes no more adoe but cuts them off by the sword of iustice and sweepes them away with the besome of destruction Why doe wee not extoll the name of the Lord in these workes of his hand why doe we not open our mouthes to shew forth his praise and say with the Psalmist Righteous art thou O Lord and vpright are thy iudgements and thou hast troden downe all them that erre from thy statutes for their deceit is falshood and thou puttest away all the wicked of the earth like drosse and my flesh trembleth for feare of thee and I am afraid of thy iudgements for thou dost iudge the world with equity and the people with righteousnesse If a Iudge doe behaue himselfe discreetly for the searching out of a matter and doe cleerly lay open a cunning pack of closely contriued villany all that heare him applaud him and praise his prudence and great vnderstanding as they did Salomons in the difficult case of the two harlots about the dead and liuing childe Now when the Lord doth order matters with so great discretion as to bring to light the wickednesse of the hypocrite which he with such exceeding cunningnesse of skill and shifting and turning doth striue to hold vnder darknesse and to keepe from the knowledge of men and Angels yea often of himselfe and of God too if he could go beyond the Lord should not the seeing and hearing of these most righteous iudgements of the Lord cause vs to breake forth into his praises and to honour and feare him as a Iudge before whom it is to no purpose to double and to wind Yea if a man incompassed with deceitfull and hollow meaning sycophants who seeke by all smoothnesse of behauiour to make him thinke well of them and account them among the number of his friends shall yet with so happy an insight discerne their falshood as that he doe not at all suffer himselfe to rest vpon them or to be beguiled in them doe not wee commend such a man for his wisdome and care and wonder at his prudence and circumspection The Hypocrite is one of Gods flatterers hee would faine win fauour with God by seeming and shewes and worke himselfe into Gods fauour by a smooth behauiour of his outside but it
damnation For the thing in regard of which he doth hate sinne and would faine bee rid of it is neither onely nor chiefly this that it is like enough to bring his soule to hell but this also yea this chiefly that it is offensiue to God and displeaseth his louing Father and makes him vnable to hold such familiar and friendly society with God as else he might haue So that the misapplying of this consolation to nourish security presumption and boldnesse in sinning is a sore signe of a man that is farre enough off from any truth wherefore we desire that none of you should so abuse the sweet comforts of Gods Word But make the right and true vse of this comfort and lay it like a good plaister discreetly and seasonably to thy wounded soule and when thy doubting heart by Satans crafty prompting shall tell that thou art none of Gods because of such and such faults that thou hast committed and dost often fall into and that to this end that thereby he may cause thee to giue ouer all hope and cast off all care of praying to God and humbling thy soule in confession and suing for pardon in Christ and so to frame thee either to vtter desperation or vtter loosenesse one of which things must necessarily-follow vpon the beleeuing of that conclusion When I say Satan is busie thus to turne thy sinnes to the ouerthrow of thy faith and to the turning thee quite out of the way of godlinesse and peace now answere by the seasonable remembring and due applying of the present poynt No no. O mine vnbeleeuing heart I am full of sinnes but I confesse them and am troubled with them I fall often but I euer rise and euer resolue to rise to goe to the Lord and acknowledge and striue to bewaile them and to craue and beg his helpe against them more and more earnestly Wherfore I am sure that those sinnes cannot disproue my being a true Christian and a child of God and therefore I will both call vpon him and stay vpon him and resoluing still to striue to bee more free from sinne will rest vpon Christ for what I cannot but acknowledge to bee wanting in my selfe To see our sinnes so as to grow vile in our owne eyes and more and more contemptible in our owne account and more and more to labour to haue our soules contrite and broken for them this is a good sight of them and we must be perswaded to it but to see them so as to giue ouer hoping in Gods mercy for their pardon and labouring against them in his strength because our often foyles and failings do make vs conclude it is in vaine this is no way allowable As good scald as burnt the Prouer be saith As good not see our sinnes at all as make so bad an vse of the sight of them But now O all ye that are fruitfull branches keepe fast your title and interest into that name and let not your many superfluities so long as you finde them in pruning and cutting off make you deeme your selues vncapable of that honour CHAP. XI Containing the third poynt of doctrine that God will prune the fruitfull branches that is helpe true Christians against their corruptions ANd that you may the better inioy and not abuse this comfort proceed we now to the third of those foure poynts which wee propounded to speake of viz. Gods goodnesse in purging his seruants This pruning must needs import some act of God which is the same to the soule of a Christian man that cutting off the superfluities of the Vine-branches is to them and this can be nothing else but the helping of them against their corruptions For looke what superfluity of leaues twigs or the like is to a branch the same are corruptions of all sorts to the Christian man and therefore pruning is the taking away remouing strengthening them against these corruptions Know then for a surety that as a good and husbandly Gardener wil take away from the Vine all out-shooting and ouer growing things that might make it yeeld him lesse increase of Grapes Doct. 3 so the Lord will lessen weaken redresse the disorders of all sorts that are in his seruants The Lord will more and more weaken the corruptions of his people euen their ignorance their blindnesse their pride their passion their self-selfe-love their worldly-mindednesse and the like The Lord is very carefull and ready to helpe his seruants against the sinnes of their hearts and liues and against all the euill of their corrupted nature The most High is a partner with a Christian in his combate against his lusts yea the chiefe workman in this businesse of reforming what is amisse in him He will bestow dressing on his sheepe whiting on his linnen weeding on his garden and on his field Those sinnes that are in the people of God not raigning with their good liking but vsurping without their allowance haue Gods holy eyes bent vpon them indeed to obserue and take notice of them not to hate the person in whom they be for he lookes vpon the person through Christ and as Paul saith It is no longer they but sinne in them but to helpe and assist the person against them euen as a good and louing father obserues the spots of his childs face to make him wash them off and his scabs or itch to prouide him a medicine or as a kind Chirurgion lookes on a sore to search and dresse and heale it not to kill the man for it As he that meeteth with an Apple rotten at core though it look soundly on the outside casts it away from him to the dunghill so the Lord meeting with those in whom sinne hath dominion cuts them off and reiects them vtterly but as a man meeting with an Apple a little specked heere or there pickes out that is naught and pares and eates it so the Lord finding men in whom sinne is dwelling in some degree but is not predominant pickes out that sinne and preserues them for the vse of his glory The Apostle saith that God will tread Satan vnder our feet shortly and it is out of question that Satan can neuer be troden vnder foot if sinne be not yea sinne saith the same Apostle shall not haue dominion ouer your mortall bodies Can wee desire a more expresse promise The same thing we may note in the words of the Prophet I will take away the heart of stone out of your bodies and giue you an heart of flesh And againe I will deliuer you from all your vncleannesses We see the Lords intention plaine enough hee will helpe his seruants not alone against one or two but against all their filthinesses So doth the Prophet Isaiah foretell saying The Lord shall wash away the filth of the daughter of Sion and purge the blood of Ierusalem from the middest thereof with the spirit of iudgement and the spirit of burning All these places put the truth of the poynt out of doubt and
griefe in his heart and no doubt also in his face mainely crying out of himselfe and saying Matth. 27.4 I haue sinned in betraying innocent bloud Yea you know that Ahab did put on sack-cloth and went softly and fasted for his sinne and that so as God did note it in him and forbeare him for it somwhat which hee would not haue done if hee had not seene him inwardly sorrowfull for it and if hee had not euen secretly confessed it vnto him 1. Kings 21.27 So farre may a dissembler goe for the best of these was but a dissembler in being humbled But yet he doth much differ from the humiliation of the true godly man in these things The hypocrites confession and sorrow reacheth alone to some grosser sinnes not to the lesser corruptions as that of the true hearted doth Psal 51.5 Psal 19.12 Rom. 7.13.14 First the hypocrite is sorry for some one or two grosse externall faults that are more than ordinarily notorious and foule as is to be seene in Iudas and Ahab and Saul murder shedding innocent blood and seeking to slay the innocent These crimes you see touched these dissemblers but you neuer heard an hypocrite crying out as Dauid In sinne was I conceiued and againe Lord who can know his errours purge me from secret faults nor with the Apostle vexed with the law of his members drawing him captiue to sinne and crossing the law of the spirit within him The corruptions of the heart the secret and vnknowne and esteemed little disorders of heart and life especially the fountaine of all mischiefes the filthy stinking guzzle of Originall sinne the hypocrite laments not bewaileth not confesseth not with sorrow and anguish of heart to God or man but alone if hee fall into some grosse notable crime hee is much troubled and grieued for it and sometimes very sorrowfull in confessing it But the Christian man can find out more hidden corruptions and acknowledge and bewaile them and feele the burden of lesse grieuous crimes yea of things by the most esteemed no sinnes and for them can shame and blame and condemne himselfe before God So the one washeth his heart as I said before the other his hands only The hypocrites sorrow and confession comes but by fits the true Christians is ordinary and vsuall at the best Againe the confession of the hypocrite and his sorrow comes but by fits and starts sometimes now and then once or twice and vse it not Seldome haue you Pharaoh and Saul saying We haue sinned they are not often in this tune It is a rare and vnusuall thing to see Ahab going softly to heare him sighing for his sinne For indeed it ariseth not from any such ground in them as may make it lasting or perpetuall namely a true hatred of sinne or loue of God but alone from a fearefull expectation of punishment or a wearines of crosses and afflictions But now the true Christian is very constant in his confessing and at least striuing to lament sinne It is his vsuall and constant course to blame himselfe before God for his daily and particular transgressions and hee is not well almost any day vnlesse he doe take some time to accuse and iudge himselfe before his Maker For indeede he walketh with God and seeketh to approue his heart vnto him and therefore cannot but be frequent in laying open his heart vnto him and powring out his soule before him His heart will often so smite him as to driue him into Gods presence and make him say O Lord I haue sinned greatly and done exceeding foolishly but Lord doe away the sinnes of thy seruant Yea he neuer almost committeth any sinne which he knowes to be a sinne but hee will confesse it taking daily notice of his daily slips that he may the better confesse them So the sorrow and confession of hypocrites is in a quaume when the good moode comes vpon them as a drie hole that is full of water vpon a great shower but the confessing and mourning of the true Christian is daily constant perpetuall in a settled and vsuall course as the running of water in a fluent streame that hath issue from some liuing Fountaine or Well-head Againe The hypocrits confession and griefe is by force put vpon them the true Christians by themselues willingly laboured for the sorrow and confession of hypocrites is likely put vpon them by a kind of violence they be euen forced to it by some accident so pressing them for the time that they can neither will nor chuse as the common saying hath This is euident in the fore-named examples What made Ahab walke in sack-cloth with a soft pace but because he was threatned the ruine of all his household and the vtter subuersion of all his posteritie a tidings that could scarce chuse but make the heart of any Grand-father to ake and melt within him When did Pharaoh say The Lord is righteous I and my people are sinners but when the plague lay so heauie vpon him and stucke so close vnto him that he knew not which way in the world to turne himselfe And what made Saul breake forth with teares and say I haue sinned but that Dauid had then euen gone beyond all his expectations quite and cleane and had vtterly ouercome him with kindnesse by requiting his euill with good So Iudas confessed not his treason till the very sparkes of hell fier were all on a light flame within his soule I meane till the hideousnesse of a bitter and exasperated conscience did euen furiously pursue him and driue him to this too-late and bootelesse remedy So the confession of hypocrites is wrested and extorted from them euen as that of a traytor by the torture of the racke and his griefe for his finne is a compelled griefe as that of a slaue vnder the whip but the true godly man and faithfull seruant of Christ doth voluntarily and of his owne accord bring himselfe before the Lord in humble and sorrowfull confessions though no such violence be offered vnto him euen out of a kindly worke of grace mouing and inclining him still to desire to bee at one with God The child of God doth euen long to be sorrowfull for his sinnes and when no crosse affliction or tentation lies vpon him nor no other meanes of working him to griefe is vsed then hee takes paines to rend his owne heart and out of a good will to God and in a kind of comfortable and sweete sence of reconciliation with him doth acknowledge his wickednesse In very truth Gods child sometimes hauing almost kild himselfe with a presumptuous sinne is put to roaring and crying through the weight of Gods hand lying heauy vpon him day and night as Dauid saith of himselfe Psal 32.3 afore he can come to confesse his sinne against himselfe But this is a rare case with a Christian hart that it should need compulsion to bring it downe in confession before God 1. Chron. 21.8 vsually he
doth as Dà uid after the numbring of the people through the smiting of his owne heart betake himselfe vnto the Lord say O Lord I haue done excēeding foolishly Matth. 26.75 and as Peter after his deniall of his Master before any crosse before any force offered out of his owne tendernesse of conscience goe forth by and by and weepe bitterly Neither yet is Gods child so vnsensible of a crosse but that his afflictions doe make him looke vnto his sinnes and bestow those teares in lamenting them which the power of nature hath stirred vp And it is an happy effect of his chastisements that they increase his godly sorrow and so help to take away his sinnes but yet he doth not only mourne then he doth labour euen in prosperity to mourne for sinne and to make vse of Gods kindnesse in bestowing benefits to become a meanes of humbling him and making him grieue and in a word godly sorrow is a content vnto him and nothing doth him more good than that hee can kindly bewaile his sinnes and mourne ouer Iesus Christ A stinging crosse a bitter tentation an earnest exhortation and the power of a good Sermon may draw an hypocrite to teares but a godly man without any of these things will set himselfe to mourne and lament and most willingly out of the loue hee beares to God whom his sinnes haue offended wil euen turne his ioy into sorrow and his laughter into teares Thus you see the difference of hypocriticall humiliation from that that is vpright Reformation is another part of repentance and here we will shew how much the hypocrite may reach vnto An hypocrite may amend his life very much by the meanes of the Word preached and wherein he is defectiue An hypocrite may reforme diuers things that are amisse in him and that at the preaching of the Word and by meanes of the exhortations which hee heareth in a Sermon but herein he faileth that in some one or other thing he must be held excused Hee brooks not the generalitie of that little large word all you kill him when you presse vpon him that vniuersall exhortation Ezech. 18. Cast away from you all your transgressions O no! this he cannot doe some one or two faults are as it were darlings vnto him his soule is in loue with them and he must be dispenced with he cannot leaue them In any thing else hee will bee ruled by God but in such a thing hee must needs craue pardon though it be a sinne hee hopes it is not so great but that hee may bee borne withall therein for alacke hee cannot liue vnlesse he doe it or so forth The hypocrite hath euermore some hand or foote that he will not cut off some eye that he will not pull out and fling from him some dearely beloued sinne some most pretious euill some most sweete or gainefull offence that he cannot tell which way in the world to forgoe and therefore loues not to heare of amending it would not be reprooued for it would not be called vpon to forsake it would not think of it but would turne away his thoughts from it and would faine haue his conscience also forbeare to vrge him in that matter The hypocrite still liketh some one sin so that hee would not heare of it the true Christian would mend all and desires to heare most of those hee can least reforme Psal 119.6 He keepes some one or other wickednesse vnder his tongue as a most daintie morsell which he cannot find in his heart to spit out But now the true godly man desireth and purposeth in all things to please God hee hath respect as Dauid speaketh to all Gods commandements without picking or chusing he takes the whole Law as it lieth before him and frameth his will to bow and bend which way soeuer God will haue it whatsoeuer thing he knowes to bee a dutie that hee resolueth to doe without any further excepting or cauilling and whatsoeuer he knoweth to be a sinne that he determineth to cast from him what euer it be what euer may follow thereupon He knowes that God is a Soueraigne commander and that his will must be followed in one thing as well as another Iames 2.10 and that hee which keepeth the whole Law besides failing yet wittingly in one point is guiltie of all Wherefore hee doth not dare to giue himselfe a licence of departing from the knowne way of Gods Law in any thing Indeed a good man findeth some sinnes harder to him to leaue than others and some duties harder than others to performe but yet his purpose determination resolution is to be found obedient to God in those things also and hee doth most earnestly striue against his owne corruptions there where hee finds them most apt to be opposite to Gods Word and takes most paines to make himselfe straight there where hee finds himselfe most crooked whereas the hypocrite tolerates some euill in himselfe and takes libertie so to transgresse making some shift or other to daube vp his conscience and to secure himself from the checks thereof Thus Iudas would neuer leaue purloyning and licking his fingers as the prouer be hath it after once the bag was committed to his custodie The true heart allowes no one knowne sinne whatsoeuer the hypocrite euermore allowes at least some one sinne that hee either knowes or suspects to be sinne Satan hath alwaies some peculiar or exempt place in his heart and life where hee may reigne without controle and whether the iurisdiction of Gods Word may not be suffered to extend And yet sometimes also the hypocrite will seeme to make a proffer of pulling his necke out of Satans yoke The hypocrite for a little will make an offer to amend his best beloued sinne by promising to leaue and beginning for a spirt to make as if he would leaue his most beloued sinne but quickly returne to follow it with greedines the Christian neuer returnes againe to an allowed practice of it So Simon Magus for a little while began to desist from following his sorceries and Pharaoh said once or twice that he would let the people goe and twice Saul promised Dauid faire that he would surcease to trouble him any further But this mood holdeth not long he quickly returneth to his old wallow and laps vp like an vncleane curre his filthy vomit which hee had formerly disgorged I do not meane that he is ouertaken only to do the same fault againe once or twice or oftner for that may befall the true Christian also but he proceedes to allow himselfe in doing of it to goe on in it and follow it with greedinesse excusing it or hardning himselfe in it at least comming to this passe that hee cannot leaue it that it is not possible and therefore it is in vaine for him to striue about an impossible matter and so hee returneth to make a trade of his sin for all his good promises and offers of
busie in labouring to obey and a man that liues with him may euen perceiue in him and he in himselfe a strift this way For in truth as there is a great difference betwixt lusting to be rich and labouring for wealth so betwixt a bare lusting to be good and endeauouring after goodnesse The sluggard would bee content to take wealth if he could find it vnder his foote or if with little adoe hee could entreat it to fall into his lap yea sometimes when hee wants money or cloathes or foode and is pinched with neede hee hath a kind of angry eagernesse after it and hee would as leife as his life haue so good a liuing as his neighbour hath but hee cannot shake off sleepe in a cold morning hee can endure no sweates hee can endure no sweate he loues not to rise betimes and set to worke he cannot trauell he cannot take paines Not so the good husband for he thinkes of his businesse whither he may goe what he may doe what times he must obserue for the getting of a shilling and accordingly takes those times dispatcheth those businesses and goes to such places and neyther heate nor cold nor wet nor dry nor night nor darkenesse shall hinder him but he will goe forward with those things which are requisite for his thriuing Euen so the foolish man sometimes could find in his heart to leaue such a sinne and to doe such good duties O it were very well if he had such vertues and were rid of such vices and what a good turne had hee if he could doe as such and such and in a twinge of his conscience or in a fit when he is told of heauen hee could bee content to leape out of his skin to get heauen and to get out of hell but after his fit is ouer he cannot away with this confessing of his sinnes in secret with this rending of his soule with this earnest contending with God and with this crossing of his owne nature and fighting against the lusts of his flesh euen with this labouring for the righteousnesse of God aboue all things But the Christian stands otherwise affected he museth of the way and meanes of getting grace he thinketh seriously what is to be done for the beating downe of such a vice and building vp of such a vertue hee beateth vpon his owne heart all such reasons as hee can bring to fix his will in a resolution of doing good leauing euill hee taketh paines with calling hard vpon God takes paines in checking and controling in prouoking and stirring vp himselfe in labouring to lament and bewayle to hate and detest his sinne and to worke in himselfe earnest sorrow and sound griefe for sinne and thinkes not much euen to weary and toyle himselfe in these spirituall labours Hee plowes his heart hee sowes in the Word be seekes for showres of grace hee weedes his heart hee breakes the clods of his heart Thus he sets himselfe to taske and is a right husbandman in his owne soule Further the thing about which his desires and endeauours are conuersant About the will of God is the will of God reuealed in his Word not the will of men not the secret and hidden will of GOD nor a supposed imaginary will of God but that selfe-same will of God which is deliuered vnto him in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles for so saith Dauid His delight is in the Law of God Psal 1.2 Psal 119.105 And againe Thy word is a Lanthorne to my feet and a light to my paths He lookes to that which is reuealed and desires to be wise according to that which is written and not aboue it his desires and labours are limited by the manifestation of Gods will In things tendred to the thoughts of his mind hee demaundeth how it is written Reuealed in Scriptures and how doe I reade so farre and no further stooping and yeelding as he findeth diuine authority with Propheticall and Apostolicall testimony to call for yeeldance I haue walked in thy truth Psal 26.3 saith Dauid He knowes that what the Lord hath commended to his Church by those principall Pastours of his Church the Prophets and Apostles that is Gods truth and therefore he subdues his reason and affections vnto it But if any man will bring any thing to him and presse it as necessary to saluation which hath not the stampe of diuine inspiration he knowes not how to submit his conscience to such basenesse as to yeeld it selfe to any other than the royall soueraignty of the Lord of Lords and King of Kings like a right good subiect and withall noble and ingenuous that as he cannot be induced to with-draw his necke from his Princes yoke so can he by no meanes indure the burden of an vsurpers Scepter and therefore he had rather die with the honorable liberty of a subiect of the Lord than liue a slaue inthralled to the tyranny of an vsurping creature Now this will of God he striueth both to know Both to know and doe the same and also to doe Not to know alone nor to doe alone but to know and doe both euen to doe out of know ledge is the marke that his indeuours aime at An hypocrite separates these two things hee would know but regardeth not to practise he admits GODS Word into his head willingly and with applause in most things but into his heart and into his life hee doth not admit it Neyther doth he therefore study to vnderstand that he may bee ruled by the light hee hath gotten but alone that he may make himselfe a teacher of others or a carper at others and a well applauded discourser before others He hath lame feete though hee haue a seeing eye and neuer cares to goe where hee sees his duety leadeth him Thus the forward dissembler and quite contrarily the ordinary formall man he seemeth to be all for doing and doing little caring to know or vnderstand as if a man should talke of dispatching his worke in the darke without a candle doubtlesse this worke would be but bunglingly performed but the Christian desireth to rectifie his life by knowledge to guide his feete by his eye and his eye by the lanthorne of the Word that so hee may neither haue a fruitlesse knowledge nor a blinde practise but may attaine the blessing that our Sauiour pronounceth saying Now you know these things Iohn 13.17 happy are ye if you do them And this is the matter of a good life a setled will and endeauour to know and doe the will of God set downe in Scriptures Let vs acquaint you with the moouing cause thereof The motiue of fruitfulnesse is loue to God Iohn 14.15 which must bee the loue of God in Christ according as our Sauiour himselfe assureth vs saying If yee loue me keepe my commandements In like maner the Apostle telling vs that faith must worke by loue 2. Cor. 5.14 15 and saying of himselfe that the
praysing God when in some measure thou canst doe it and when thou failest grieuing and afflicting thy selfe condemning and blaming thy carelesnesse and weakenesse and arming thy selfe still and still against all such hindrances as thou meetest withall findest thou thy selfe carried forward this way with the wings of that loue of God which is inkindled in thy brest towards him the God of thy saluation and that with an earnest intention to please him and shew thy selfe regardfull of his greatnesse It bootes not at all to lye and faine and dissemble but true and plaine dealing is necessary when thou hast to deale with him that searcheth the heart and demaunds of thee these things not because himselfe is ignorant of them but because he would not haue thee remaine ignorant to thy owne destruction Wherefore consider aduisedly and answere truly Can thine heart say in Gods hearing that these things are found in thee or that they are not found Doubtlesse brethren it is as possible for vs to tell and that certainely and infallibly whether we follow the trade of godlinesse as any other manuall trade or occupation Hee that tills the ground he that tendeth cattell hee that is a Smith or a Carpenter or the like I say euery one of these can tell that he followes such a Calling one can say Mine hand is often at the Plow and I am still about the husbanding of my ground I am thinking of sowing of reaping of soiling and such like another can say I am still attending my cattell I follow my sheepe I fodder them I dresse them another I am conuersant in building houses and my thoughts and my hands are taken vp in framing and preparing timber or stone for that purpose Doubtlesse it is as plaine whether a man follow godlines as whether he follow any of these vocations A man may if hee will know whether he be taken vp with thoughts and desires of pleasing God of auoiding sinne of subdoing his corruptions of planting and watring grace of doing his dutie which he hath learned out of Gods word or whether hee bee a stranger to these things and whether he do them constantly or by starts whether he be heedfull in all things or spare himselfe in some thing and whether he study to please God in these things or looke wholly or chiefly to himselfe these things are not performed so secretly and vndiscernably but that hee which performeth them may easily find and feele that hee doth performe them Wherefore be not ignorant of thy selfe for want of in quiring into thy selfe and for want of a due consideration of thy life doe not mistake thy life whether it be a fruitful life in Christ Iesus or else idle and vnprofitable And if any man find not this generall endeauour to please God it is not the giuing of now and then an almes or a piece of money to the poore it is not the reading of now then a Chapter or comming to heare a Sermon or doing here and there some good and commendable worke that can intitle him to the name of a fruitfull branch And if any man doe find in himselfe this vniuersall stable endeauor to glorifie and please God in the knowing and doing of his whole will it is not the failing and comming short of his desires it is not the being ignorant or mistaking of many things it is not the slipping into many sinnes and faults though sometimes too too grosse and palpable that can dispossesse him of this name and make him to be accounted no fruitfull branch It is very needfull and withall possible and easie for thee to know what thou art therefore be entreated to consider of it seriously and vnfainedly and not to mistake through heedlesnesse or wilfulnesse CHAP. XVII Containing the second vse AND in the next place The vnfruitful must see their vnfruitfulnesle and their danger by reason of it for those that are found in this triall vnfruitfull let them not hide it from themselues let them not deceiue themselues but let them see and consesse it and withall see and feele their vnhappinesse in regard of it for in Gods name wee must deale plainely with them and assure them that whatsoeuer hitherto either they haue thought of themselues or others haue thought of them they be no better than very plaine hypocrites For all their hanging vpon the Vine for all their flourishing greenenesse of profession for all their faire and pleasant leaues of comming to Church delighting to heare Sermons louing some good men commending Preachers speaking against profanenesse and common abuses dealing truly with men and such like for all these I say and an hundred more things which they trust vpon if an hundreth more there be of the like kind they be but dissemblers guilefull persons goates in sheepes skins painted tombes rotten-hearted persons and very ranke hypocrites Brethren I pray you conceiue not that wee delight in disgracing men in terrifying their consciences in discouraging their hearts in making their states and themselues appeare euill if they were not so Alacke what good shall we get by your discomfort or disgrace what benefit will your misery bring vnto vs Nay verily wee haue no pleasure yea we haue much griefe in pronouncing against men that they be hypocrites But wee must needes speake the truth that God hath put into our mouthes and that with all plainenesse and with all earnestnes and with all authoritie yea so much the plainer and more earnest must we bee in this matter by how much we do better vnderstand both the needfulnes of discouering to the hypocrit his hypocrisie and withall the difficulty of making him perceiue it though it be discouered For you know in how many places the Scripture tells vs of such as in seeing see not which must needes bee verified in this matter as well as in any other An hypocrite is exceeding loath to count himselfe an hypocrite an harlot will scarce call her selfe a harlot a theefe will scarce giue to himselfe the name of theefe how much lesse will those that sinne in dissembling take to themselues their owne names Out of the naturall loue of our selues which doth inordinately possesse vs and out of some common notion that euery man hath of the vilenesse of many sinnes it comes to passe that most sinners are vnwilling to intitle themselues by their sinnes But of all others the dissembler the principall piece and businesse of whose occupation it is to hide that which is euill out of sight will be most backward to thrattle his hypocrisie as it were by laying his hand vpon the throate of it and drawing himselfe to a round confession in plaine termes saying In very deed I am but an hypocrite A man that hath been thought by himselfe and others to be worth many thousands is very vnwilling to acknowledge himselfe a bankerout and it sounds as terrible as death in his eares to say I haue cast vp my reckonings find my selfe not worth a groat
euen so a man that hath long been taken for a good Christan is very backward to see and confesse that all his Christianitie was in formes and that he is not the man hee was taken for but an errand dissembler For why the heart of man is loath either to perceiue himselfe so wretched as he cannot but confesse himselfe to be in case he be but an hypocrite or else to take the paines which hee must needs take to make his estate better for doubtlesse it cannot but proue a painefull piece of worke to weede out a vice so deepely settled and so farre ouer-spreading But brethren vntill hypocrisie be plainely discerned it can neuer be reformed neyther this nor any other vice will cuer be conquered if it be not espied He shall for euer remaine an hypocrite that being so will not confesse himselfe so to be For when a man is ignorant of his vnhappinesse he will neuer set himselfe with all diligence to redresse it and certainely sinne will neuer be ouercome without striuing against it This and this alone is the true cause of our earnest plainnesse in this matter Wee would shew you your disease that you might in time seeke remedy and not perish by it Wee would lay open your sores that you might procure a playster and not be destroyed for want of healing And therefore returning againe to the matter we were about we doe now certifie euery person amongst you in whom that vniuersall care of knowing and accomplishing the whole will of God in each point of it and that out of the loue he beareth to him and for the honour and glory of his holy name that he I say in whom this care is not to be found though hee haue liued neuer so honestly to the world though he come to the Church neuer so duly though hee haue bin constant in frequenting Sermons though he haue beene very kinde to the Ministers of Gods Word though hee haue prayed many times with great feeling though he haue fits of great sorrow for diuers sinnes though he repeate Sermons and pray in his family though he haue obtained great credit amongst godly men and goe in the name of a most worthy Christian yet for all this and more than this if more may be without the fore-named generall endeauour is but a flat hypocrite a ranke dissembler a cousener of the world a beguiler of himselfe a whited sepulcher a picture of a Christian and not a Christian indeede This is thy case whatsoeuer thou hast heretofore deemed this and none other is thy condition if thou beest destitute of that fruitfulnesse which hath been plainely described vnto thee Open thine eyes now and see thy wretchednesse now suffer thy soule to bee wrought vpon and begin to seele thy misery that thou mayest be capable of helpe CHAP. XVIII Containing the third vse THirdly We must labour to be fruitfull let all men be now exhorted to get this fruitfulnesse by which they may approoue themselues to bee the true members of IESVS CHRIST Men do many times delight to norish in their Orchyards trees that beare no fruit onely for the comfort of their shade in hot seasons It is not so with God he likes not any tree that can doe nothing else but yeeld a shaddow if you will finde fauour in his sight you must be trees of righteousnesse you must be trees that yeeld some good fruit and be not wholly barren Learne I beseech you not to satisfie your selues with shewes with formalities with bare leaues but shew your faith by the fruites and let the grapes and figgs that may bee gathered of you testifie for you before God and your owne consciences that you be trees of Gods owne planting Content not your selues with a forme of religion applaude not your selues in your hearing and receiuing in your talking and seeming and your outward good dealing but O let your liues your whole liues and the tenour of all your whole conuersation be vniformerly constantly and in all things conformeable to the doctrine and example of our Lord Iesus Christ walke as he hath walked and hath commanded you to walke Let me vrge vpon you the words of Iohn Baptist to the Pharisies men that went for as deuoute holy and religious persons in their times till Christ the heart-searcher came to deale with them as any of you likely can be taken now begin not saith he to say with your selues we haue Abraham to our father but bring forth fruites worthy amendment of life Satisfie not your selues in hauing Abraham for your father I meane in the externall formalities of religion but looke to the course of your liues and see that it be such as may beseeme repentance Why will you loose your labour why will you die O house of Israel why will you rest your selues in that that will not profit Labour now to leade a godly conuersation in Christ Iesus let the common streame and current of your actions fauour of the holinesse of that Word of God which you say you beleeue and of the vertues of that Lord Iesus Christ in whom you say you place your confidence Assure your selues you shall neuer attaine the benefits of Christs death and resurrection vnlesse you shew forth the power of both in your liues that is to say vnlesse the serious consideration of the loue and goodnesse of God shewed in these two and of the hatefulnesse and filthinesse of sinne manifested in the former of them doe leaue so deepe an impression in your soules that here-hence you grow both resolute and able in some degree to cast away all the former lusts of your ignorance and now to turne your feete into the pathes of righteousnesse to fight against all the corrupt lusts of your hearts to labour to forbeare all wicked actions to endeauor to plant in your soules all vertues and to be abundant in religious mercifull iust temperate and all other godly actions that you may shew forth the vertues of him that hath translated you from darkenesse to light and be holy in all good conuersation euen as hee is holy Vrge and presse your selues therefore to this fruitfulnesse and make the constant carriage of your whole man inward and outward euen depose for you that yon are truly ingraffed into the true vine This fruitfulnesse shall arise for you in the day of tentation as it did for Iob and inable you to stand for your vprightnesse against all accusations of men and diuels and against all feares and doubtings of your owne hearts When a man is cast into the fornace ot aduersitie then will the leaues be blowne off as in the winter they be from trees then if the grapes of a good conuersation doe not lye by him to witnesse that he was a true branch in Christs body nothing will remaine for him but horror and amazement and a fearefull expectation of vengeance to befall him for all his shewes Be you therefore prepared for the day of triall which
promises and threats and to say within your selues this good or euill shall surely be performed vnto me accordingly And so mighty is the Word of God that if it be thus hidden in the heart it shall surely purge the heart make it good if it be ingraffed in the soule it is able to saue the soule if it bee couered with earth it wil bring forth a crop neither is any branch so barren and vnfruitfull but by thus applying the Word to it selfe in priuate meditation it shall by little and little be made fruitfull But many men doe want the power of the Word because they content themselues barely to reade or heare the Word or if they marke it a little for the present they esteeme-that sufficient neuer taking care to goe alone and lay it fast vnto their owne hearts Take knowledge I pray you brethren of the true cause why the Word of God doth not profit the most of your soules you come hither to heare it perhaps also you gine some reasonable heede to it and can remember what was spoken and can talke of it a little if occasion serue but the world with its businesses or delights doth so bewiteh and beguile you that you can find neither heart nor time neither wil nor leasure to call againe to mind the things that you haue heard and to aske your selues Doe I this dutie am I guilty of this sinne doth not this reproofe pertaine to me haue I any part in this promise and accordingly to striue with your owne hearts to be either humbled or comforted and so to resolue on amendment and reformation according to the Word This is the cause that we haue so too too many fruitlesse hearers Hence it is that so much is taught so little practised How long will you continue to neglect this most sauing and most profitable exercise of binding the Word on the tables of your hearts and of incorporating it into your soules and being Gods instruments to ingraue it in your owne minds by meditating on it and by busying your cogitations vpon it afterwards as a thing that much concerneth you How often haue you been told that much hearing without meditation wil breede nothing but a swimming knowledge that it will not beget holinesse that it will not renew the soule but that hearing seconded with meditation will quicken and will sanctifie I pray you take notice of this fault amend it Redeeme time as to come and hearken to the voyce of God speaking to thee so likewise to get alone afterwards and apply it to thy selfe in thy serious meditations Certainely if we did thus declare our high esteeme of Gods Word and make it appeare that our soules did account of it as of a thing most pretious and healthfull to our soules the Lord of heauen would not faile to giue his blessing and to make it mighty to the working of a godly conuersation in vs it should bring forth the fruit of good liuing But lastly Lastly pray to God to make vs frui full by his Spirit you must also ioyne with your meditating which he that meditateth cannot but doe he that meditates not can hardly doe in any earnestnesse constant prayer vnto God for his holy Spirit to write his Law in your inward parts to engraue it in the fleshly tables of your hearts and to moue and incline your wills to obedience that so you may become the Epistle of God ministred by men For fruitfulnesse is a supernaturall effect it comes not from any power inherent in mans soule or arising from his owne wil but it is an effect of the spirit of life and grace which is sent from Christ the Vine as it were sap into the seuerall branches that doe sucke and draw it from him in his ordinances and by name by faithfull and earnest and continuall requesting it at his hands You must therefore make conscience to call vpon God for the good worke of his spirit to helpe you to liue holily to make you assured of his loue feruent in loue to him zealous of his glory and constant in walking in his lawes And in particular you must daily beg of him to strengthen you for the performance of such and such duties and leauing of such and such sinnes as from time to time the Word of God which you heare doth call vpou you to leaue or to performe God will be entreated for all good things and hee hath bound himselfe not to deny the requests of all that call on him Matth. 7.8 Euery one that seeketh findeth O comfortable and large promise answering all obiections and able to stay vp the soule against all discouragements Neuer any man was so wicked sinful but if he would come to the Lord earnestly beseech him for his name sake to change his heart and life and continue constant in following this suite the Lord did surely hearken vnto him and make him godly You cannot be good of your selues but you may if you will not winke see your owne badnesse and your owne impotency You may if you will not harden your owne hearts and make your selues carelesse of your owne soules cry and call to God to make you good and importune him with perpetuall supplications to bow and incline your hearts to keep his precepts to open your eyes to see and your hearts to entertayne his holy Law that you may conuert and he may heale you This I say you may doe if you do not make your selues wilfull and obstinate by contemning the exhortations of Gods Word and euen stopping your eares against it and by wilfull turning your hearts after other matters I haue shewed you now how the barren may become fertile how the dry may be filled with sap and how the liues of them may be made godly and Christian which are yet farre from godlinesse and Christianitie See your barrennesse and to attentiue hearing ioyne diligent meditating on the Word you heare and constant prayer vnto GOD for the strength of his Spirit to make his Word effectuall and to giue you grace to obey it then shall you surely be made branches bringing forth fruit for then do you abide in Christ and his word abideth in you and that our Sauiour himselfe doth after wards prescribe as an infallible way to bring forth much fruit CHAP. XIX Containing the fourth vse BVt now it is time that we turn our selues vnto the fruitfull branches The sruitfull must be comforted therein to diuide vnto them that comfort which GOD hath allotted vnto them which this text affordeth and they stand in need of For all those therfore that do bring forth fruit in Christ in such sort as hath bin shewd we haue much good to speake and ioyfull tidings to deliuer Wee are to assure and secure them against all the feares of their owne hearts against all the cauils of Satan and false censures of the wicked world that they be not hypocrites but true-hearted and
of his owne though not so much as he would is chearefull and forward in following his calling It doth likewise euen dampe the courage of a good Christian in following the trade of godlinesse when hee is still causelesly accusing himselfe to haue no truth no sinceritie no vprightnesse but to know that hee hath truth indeed and yet is farre short of perfection this encourageth him to goe forward in striuing after perfection The consolation that pietie affordeth is a principall furtherer of our good proceedings in it and therefore thou must take comfort in the truth of thy beginnings that thou mayest goe forward with a liuelier pace and greater diligence Consider heere how that our Sauiour doth not name the bringing forth of as much and as faire fruit as others for the note of a good and pleasing branch but simply the bringing forth of fruit and therefore if thou beest in any degree fruitfull though neyther so much as thou wouldest or shouldest or seest others to bee yet there is iust cause of receiuing comfort Indeed the littlenesse of our fruit should humble vs but not discourage vs. It should stand before our eyes to keepe vs from pride not from peace to stop vs from conceitednesse not to hinder our comfort in God Satan that desireth to make all things harmefull vnto vs labours also to turne the reliques of sinne which remaine in vs to the ouer-much disquieting and terrifying of our consciences and to the shaking of our faith and interrupting the consolations we might enioy in God but let vs not yeeld to the subtiltie and malice of Satan in this behalfe When thou seest thy selfe failing in the measure of fruit obserue this fayling well but turne it not the worst way Let it make thee charge thy selfe with too much negligence not with vtter hollownesse conclude from it that thou art but weake and feeble not that thou art but an hypocrite and dlssembler And now let all Gods people chiefly those that are full of doubts and feares depart away confirmed and established in comfort let their spirits be at peace within them and let them feede of the fat and sweete portion which the Lord hath allowed them The ioy of the Lord will bee their strength these comforts will ripen their fruites as the Sunne-beames doe the fruites of the earth and they shall with most east and assurance grow better and better when they find the comfort and benefit of being truly good already So then conclude thou thus for thy selfe euery fruitfull branch is a true Christian I am fruitfull though not of so large faire ripe clusters as others yet of Grapes my life is truly holy and good though not approching so neare to perfection as it should and therefore I will not doubt to esteeme my selfe a true Christian and to giue the Lord the glory praise and take to my selfe the comfort and peace of my sinceritie And so we haue spoken of the obiect of Gods Husbandrie the parts of which we will hereafter entreat of at some conuenient time if God afford vs life and opportunity Deo Solà gloria FINIS GODS HVSBANDRY THE SECOND PART TENDING CHIEFLY TO THE REFORMING OF AN HYPOcrite and making him true hearted AS IT WAS DELIVERED IN CERtaine Sermons and is now published By WILLIAM WHATELY Preacher of the Word of God in Banbury in Oxfordshire 1. Cor. 4.5 The Lord will bring to light the hidden things of darknesse and make manifest the counsels of the hearts AT LONDON Imprinted by Felix Kyngston for Thomas Man dwelling in Pater-noster-row at the signe of the Talbot 1622. TO THE COVRTEOVS READER I Make bold good Reader to present vnto thy view this second part of Gods Husbandry containing a few Sermons which I preached vpon the words of Christ in the fifteenth of Saint Iohns Gospell My maine intention herein was to helpe the people of God against that miserable sinne of Hypocrisie which in the former Treatise I sought to discouer Doubtlesse all our paines and all our preaching is little enough and too little to make men see and reforme so perillous and withall so subtill a vice This is a disease of so darke a working as will hardly be discerned vntill it be past cure And though a man bee not so totally possessed and ouercome by it as that he deserue to bee called an Hypocrite yet are the remainders of it which abide in the most sanctified hearts as the Canaanites amongst the sonnes of Abraham exceeding troublesome and exceeding noysome calling for all diligence and labour to expell them It is the daughter of ignorance and self-selfe-loue the mother of pride and selfe-conceitednesse the sister of vaine-glory and contention It is of all sinnes one of the most hideous because it damneth those that seeme to themselues little lesse then free from all other sinnes When the whole army of vices is fled before the face of vertue and seemes to haue yeelded a full victory then doth this vice as it were by stratagems and deuices vndermine victorious vertue and rob it of the victory which it seemed to haue gotten It is the refuge and hiding place of all other faults neither can wee further preuaile against any corruption then we preuaile against this neither can any corruption further foyle vs then this doth lend it aide and succour This vice maketh those things abominable in Gods sight which to menward seeme praiseable and causeth that heauen doth detest what earth applauds It comes to Church with men and poysons preaching praying hearing reading receiuing the Communion and all the parts of Gods seruice It is bold to creepe into the clozet also with some men and doth many times corrupt their most retired deuotions It maketh that the Lord accounts himselfe but mocked when men account themselues to haue well worshipped him It turnes mercy iustice chastity into vices after a sort and causeth that they be in true iudgement but faire and guilded sins It marreth in one word all good things and changeth the not committing of sinne into a sinne and the performing of the most commendable duties into very loathsome euill A deuout Hypocrite is little better then a profane Epicure and a painted Sepulohre is little different from a very dunghill Happy shall that man be that is carefull to spy out the working of this crooked and deceitfull vice in himselfe and that with earnestnesse diligence warinesse and constancy doth striue to chase it out of his owne heart When the Ziphites wretched claw-backes as they were came to waken Sauls sleeping malice by offering him their seruice to deliuer vp Dauid the Story tels vs that he sent them backe with this instruction Goe and prepare yet and know and see his place and where his haunt is and who hath seene him there for it is told me that he dealeth very subtilly See therefore and take knowledge of all his lurking places where hee hideth himselfe and come yee againe to me with the certainty and I will
spent in all fulnesse of obedience and in perfect freedome from sinne crowne them in the end with eternall glory for such vnspotted holinesse of life might carry a shew of claiming life for the dignity thereof but the guiltinesse of manifold weaknesses doth stop the mouth of euery man before the Lord and forceth all that haue any wit in their heads and feeling in their hearts to acknowledge that they are freely saued by his grace and that of his owne will not by the workes which they had done Secondly the Lords will is 2. That we may be conformable to Christ in afflictions and goe to heauen the same rough way that he did to make vs conformable to Christ our Head and to goe to heauen the same way that he went before vs namely through manifold afflictions that so out of the sence and feeling of the burthen of sinne and out of our long and troublesome wrestling with it we might be become more heartily and abundantly thankfull vnto him for our deliuerance Therefore the Apostle tels vs that we must suffer with Christ before we can raigne with him and himselfe tels vs that whosoeuer will be his Disciple must take vp his crosse and follow him for he will haue triall of the loue fortitude and patience of his souldiers and see whether for his sake they will endure the conflict afore he set the Crowne vpon their heads Now if he should not leaue vs in a state subiect to some sinne we could not be subiect to any affliction for where there is no fault imputed to be punished nor none inherent to be purged there it should bee vnrighteous with the Lord to lay any punishment for iustice will not suffer that the creature bee made subiect to correction where hee is not subiect to blame Hence the Lord of heauen that would haue vs pledge our Sauiour in the bitter cup of sorrowes on earth before we feast with him with the new wine of consolation in his Kingdome hath left the reliques of our flesh in vs to exercise vs that though sinne haue not dominion ouer vs yet it hath a dwelling and working in vs as the remnants of the Cananites kept vnder tribute If any shall obiect within himselfe How can it be that creatures so full of sinne should possibly be vnited vnto Christ how can it agree with his holinesse to take men and women defiled with corruption and make them so neere vnto himselfe as flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone for so we are made vnto him in this life The answere is ready that the fruitfull branches at the time of their ingraffing into Christ are made partakers of the blessing spoken of by Dauid in the Psalme viz. Their transgression is remitted their sinne is couered and the Lord imputeth not iniquity vnto them Through the imputation of Christs perfect righteousnesse vnto them and acceptation thereof for them all their sinnes are made as if they were not and therefore cannot possibly hinder them from being in their measure vnited vnto Christ and reconciled vnto God For all the sinnes of the penitent beleeuers that euer they haue committed or shall commit are in respect of God fully and wholly forgiuen and quite done away God pronouncing them perfectly iust in his sight and not imputing to them any iniquity at all whence it must needs follow as from the next and immediate ground thereof that they shall neuer fall away from grace for God can neuer pronounce him vniust whom hee hath once pronounced iust nor neuer impute iniquity to him againe to whom once hee imputed none iniquity because this were a manifest change and alteration whereof there is no shadow at all in God And so you haue this poynt sufficiently cleered We will shew you also what good vse you are to make of it CHAP. VII Containing the first vse of the poynt for the refutation of two errours viz. the merit of workes and the conceit of perfection in this life NOw this truth in the first place Vse 1 is strong enough to ouerthrow two grand errours at once A confutation of two errours 1. of the merit of workes dreamed of by Romanists The first is of the Papists of the merit of works No obedience can possibly merit in any kind of meriting but that which is compleat absolute and perfect For the life promised by the Law cannot bee chalenged by vertue of the Law vnlesse the condition whereupon the Law doth promise it bee wholly and in euery part and particle fulfilled seeing if one man make a couenant with another of giuing him such a reward vpon condition that he doe goe to such a place and dispatch for example foure seuerall businesses the man with whom this bargaine is made cannot by vertue of the bargaine chalenge from the bargaine-maker the reward specified if he goe to the place and dispatch but halfe the businesses or all or any of them but by the halues for a conditionall promise in reason and equity bindeth not the promise-maker but vpon the perfect fulfilling of the worke for which the promise was made Now the Law the couenant by which we must chalenge life if wee will stand vpon any kind of merit saith Doe this and liue and that we may know its meaning to bee do it fully perfectly exactly without any failing it explicates it selfe saying Cursed bee the man that confirmeth not all the words of this Law to doe them Wherefore by vertue of the Law vpon the worth and desert of the workes thereof no man can lay claime to life vnlesse hee can say I haue done this I haue confirmed the whole Law to doe it Now whosoeuer hath sinnes and corruptions and disorders in him whosoeuer offendeth in many things whosoeuer doth the euill he would not cannot say that he establisheth the whole Law by doing it and our poynt hath made it plaine that the best of all Gods Saints the Apostles Paul Iames Iohn Peter not excepted and I hope none will be bold to thinke himselfe better then these pillars must bee faine to confesse that they transgresse in many things and must not dare to say that they haue no sinne in this life wherefore it followes ineuitably plainly cleerly incontrollably to any reasonable mans vnderstanding that they can in no sort lay claime to heauen by any manner of worth or deseruing of their workes And in very deed the Papists themselues are faine to yeeld vs this cause in somwhat a close manner and with a faire couer of words that they may not seeme to yeeld it For they tell vs that these workes of the Saints are dipt in the blood of Christ and so being cleansed of all staine and blemish what hinders but that they may merit This is in a shew of difference to come vnto vs and grant the poynt controuerted For now who sees not that if there bee any worth in these workes it doth not abide in themselues nor grow from themselues
corruptions But death at once with a most happy paricide as I may terme it kils both it selfe our last foe and sinne its mother our first foe and sorrow its sister our daily foe That one pang which puls away the soule from the body doth also pull away sinne both from the soule and the body O most desireable pang and worthy to be thirsted after more then any earthly thing Iob when his body was full of botches could say with much vehemency of passion Why dyed I not from the wombe why gaue I not vp the ghost when I came out of the belly then should I haue lyen still and beene quiet I should haue slept then had I been at rest Hee could in elegancy of speech commend death and say There the wicked cease from troubling and there the weary be at rest there the prisoners rest together and heare not the voyce of the oppressour yea hee saith that a miserable man would long for it and dig for it more then for hid treasures and would reioyce exceedingly and be glad if he could find it This impatiency of life is no way worthy commendation it sauours too much of selfe loue to be good and allowable But if out of an holy impatiency of sinne wee could as feelingly take vp speeches of a like nature O how truly might it witnesse with vs that we did hate sinne that we were enemies to the lusts of our hearts that our corruptions were to vs as imprisonment sicknesse paine captiuity and so that wee were sure of our part in Christs goodnesse who comes to preach liberty vnto the captiues Verily our soules are as full of hotches many of them as Iobs body and it will hardly bee better with many of vs so long as we abide in these earthly tabernacles were we as full of spirituall life as hee of naturall and our soules as truly indued with holinesse as his body with sense we should complaine of this burthen with much bitternesse and say O that I could tell where to seeke death O that I might finde the graue and come to those quiet regions where worldlinesse and pride and wrath shall no more torment mee and where my will shall be no more carryed away with any fleshly perturbation I confesse that this is the least part of the good that death bringeth vnto the Saints that it doth vtterly dismisse them from the seruitude of the flesh but were we so thorowly spirituall as we should be this would seeme of so great worth with vs as wee would preferre it before all that the world counts delightfull The Bridegroome would rather go to his graue then to his bride-chamber the traueller would rather lye downe in his bed of earth then in a bed of downe and euery man would bee of Salomons minde and count the day of death better then the day of birth I confesse that wee must so farre resigne our willes to Gods will as with all contentednesse of minde to weare out the dayes of our apprentiship and pilgrimage For so long as God hath any seruice for vs to doe any where though the place and company be full of troublesomnesse yet should wee force our willes to doe him seruice with our owne disquietment but yet a vertuous desire of being separated from this vnhappy condition of life wherein wee shall neuer fully be separated from the sinne that cleaueth so fast would be very commendable and very profitable The gavvdes of this vvorld vvould not so easily beguile vs the cumbers of this vvorld vvould not so frettingly gawle vs if wee did dis-sweeten the one with making our selues to taste the bitternesse of our sinne and dis-imbitter the other with feeling the far greater bitternesse of that which is as farre more harmefull then it as lead is heauier then corke Then should wee proue our selues to bee men and women of a discerning spirit that can know of things what is good what is bad and of bad things what is more what is lesse bad Then should we shew our selues to approch neere that height of grace which the blessed Apostle had who in relating of bonds imprisonment hunger thirst nakednesse whipping stocking shipwrack and daily dying neuer bursts forth into lamentations but rather recounts with ioy that which was so painfull to suffer and seemeth to bee glad of life for nothing else but that by suffering more of those troubles hee might doe more seruice to the Church and honour to Christ but when he hath occasion to declare his sinfulnesse the body of death the law of his members the rebellion of his flesh then onely is heard bewailing and crying out O miserable man that I am who shall deliuer me from this body Let therefore the feeling of sinne make our desires so earnest after full freedome from it that we may for this cause euen breathe after death when there are none other aduersities to distaste the comforts of this life vnto vs that by it wee shall be set at liberty from the diuels tentations the worlds affrightments allurements but specially from the corrupt lusts which we both doe and whilest we lodge in this dungeon shall carry about with vs. And let each of vs say often to himselfe O that I were parted from husband and wife from children from friends from lands and goods and from this world and all that in this world is counted worth hauing so that I might also bee parted from my corruptions and neuer more hereafter stand in need of pruning Fasting and prayer will purge the Word and Sacraments will cleanse and all Gods ordinances and all our Christian indeuours will helpe to lop off these disordered passions that are within vs. But this is alone a cleansing in part a paring off some euill and leauing much behind onely the last blow of death will make a full riddance of all that is euill in vs and after that blow giuen there shall nothing remaine behinde that may call for any more purging This is the soueraigne medicine that will consummate the cure of our diseased soules which till then shall neuer bee deliuered from all diseases though wee bee in Christ as the Vine and haue God the Father for our Husbandman O then Lord send thou this last enemy which may doe mee more good then all the former friends I meet with can doe euen worke a dissolution of my soule from my body and of my sinne from them both Let it come Lord let it come speedily doe thou hasten it in due season and take away all sinne by taking away this life of nature to make way for a farre more excellent life of glory Desire of death is then only warrantable when a desire of Gods full presence and of sinnes perfect absence be the causes mouing that desire CHAP. IX Containing the third vse of the poynt viz. an exhortation and direction how to keepe downe our corruptions whilest wee liue Vse 3 BVt as wee should moderately wish for death We
of God shall haue the vpper hand and our faith shall bee our victory We are many times little lesse then out of heart because the proceedings doe seeme very slow and well-neere indiscernable But bee not discouraged O ye Christian soules promise your selues victory in this spirituall conflict for the Lord doth fight on your side and you shall conquer In truth we want much of that mortification which we might attaine if out of this confidence we would put forth our selues to the vtmost The diuel labours to make vs beleeue that it wil be to no purpose to resist our lusts wee haue so often resolued to leaue such a fault and cannot yet leaue it we haue thus often resolued against anger lust pride worldlinesse and the like and yet behold the passions and motions of them are stirring and also breake forth againe sure therefore it will neuer be better and it is in vaine to continue striuing about that which cannot bee effected These be the heartlesse and vnbeleeuing conclusions wherewith the diuell and the flesh would dismay vs. But now know thou that these conclusions are false I tell thee the quite contrary in the name of the Lord It shall not be in vaine to striue against sinne the husbandman will prune the branches and shall not hee bee able to bring his workes to passe according to his promise Tell me from thine owne feeling doe not these sins vexe thee more and more and art thou not more and more angry and discontented against thy selfe for them and more and more out of loue with thy selfe because of them if so as sure thou canst not deny but it is so then all is safe this is to be in pruning now the sinne is dying onely doe thou make vse of Gods words to Ioshua fighting against the Canaanites Faint not nor bee discouraged but take to thy selfe a valiant spirit to continue praying against meditating on the Word of God and the death of Christ opposing the first motions of it and vsing all other good wayes that God hath directed thee vnto for the subduing of it and I say vnto thee thou shalt prosper goe vp and fight against these Philistims and the Lord will deliuer them into thine hands Our want of being sufficiently purged doth come from want of sufficient indeuours to purge our selues and this want springeth from a want of faithful assurance of Gods assistance and good successe in our indeuours But now I beseech you all that bee members of Christ set in earnestly and with a good courage and you shall vanquish them you shall more and more preuaile against them till at last you haue quite ouercome them in the ouercomming of the last enemy which is death If wee did labour against sin alone in our owne strength we should finde indeed that vaine is the helpe of man and the labour of flesh and blood in this behalfe but the God of heauen he is the husbandman and hee pruneth The Lord is present with thy prayers to make them effectuall for the killing of thy lusts The Lord is present in his Word to make it a two-edged sword to cut off all carnall affections and to wound the body of death more and more The Lord is present with thine holy meditations to make them effectuall to weaken any of thy sinfull passions Faint not therefore but stir vp thy selfe to worke with God in those holy exercises know that thy successe shall be as often it hath been with Gods people in the naturall battell farre beyond thine expectation And of the matter of Gods Husbandry so farre We must now looke into the end and effect of it for God will neuer misse of his ends though hee often misse of those ends whereto his actions in their owne nature are fitted and which speaking after the manner of men to our capacity he tells vs that he intended This is that they may bring forth more fruit CHAP. XVI Containing the fourth poynt of doctrine that the people of God must increase in fruitfulnesse SO are we come to the last poynt wee intended to speake of Doct. 4 The true Christian must waxe better and better viz. that the true branches of the Vine must labour to increase in fruitfulnesse Euery true Christian man must proceed and goe forward in the fruits of the Spirit growing better and better and more and more abundant in the worke of the Lord. As we looke that a tree the longer it growes in our Orchard the more and more increase it should yeeld vs in like manner should wee behaue our selues towards God The Apostle Peter wisheth vs to long for the sincere milke of the Word that we may grow thereby A Christian is like a young child that sucketh on the brest of his mother who doth to this end receiue that kindly nourishment that he may increase in stature and strength of body Paul aduertizeth the Thessalonians saying I beseech you brethren as you haue receiued of vs how you ought to walke and to please God 1. Thes 4.1 and 10. that yee abound more and more And afterwards concerning brotherly loue We beseech you that you increase more and more And Dauid saith Psalm 92.14 that the trees which are planted in the courts of Gods House doe bring forth fruit in their age and are fat and flourishing But the poynt is without deniall and the reasons of it are more then euident Reason 1 First they are short of perfection They are not yet perfect so long as they liue in this world and therefore must striue forward to perfection Paul himselfe tels the Philippians that he pressed hard towards the marke because he not yet reached it and wisheth as many as are perfect to be so minded In a race a man must neuer cease running till hee touch the goale wee shall neuer touch the goale of perfection till wee haue deliuered vp our soules into the hands of God by death for heere we know but in part and therefore can doe nothing in whole hence it followes that till death we must be still going onward When a man hath attained his full stature he must grow then indeed hee needeth onely nutrition but till then augmentation is requisite for these two motions are very different as you know and his limmes must become greater and stronger yea and will doe so vnlesse diseases hinder Now we be but striplings or rather infants in goodnesse In truth wee are but in the wombe of the Church all the while we walke in this world our death-day will be our birth day and then we shall at once be made full and compleat wherefore till then there must be a continuall addition of grace to that wee haue already receiued Indeed some Christians in comparison of others are called strong men as euen of infants in the wombe some are perfecter then other but simply there is none a full growne man brought to the measure of the fulnesse of the stature of Christ
from manifold weakenesses and grieuous corruptions and hauing by proofe and triall discerned thine owne estate hold fast that assurance which thine examination hath yeelded and call not thy selfe an hypocrite though hypocrisie shew it selfe in thee so long as thou remainest constant in obseruing and oppugning it CHAP. XIII Wherein are handled the vses of this point in regard of others AND these bee the vses of this point which euery man must make for himselfe now two things more follow in regard of other men with whome wee liue For seeing Christs body hath in it some sound members some rotten I meane his visible body therefore must wee bee warie in not trusting all that carry an appearance of goodnesse and farre from condemning all as hypocrites because some proue so First then let the plaine words of Christ in this text aduertise vs to put away simple and foolish credulitie in taking all for that they seeme and putting our selues into the hands of a man so soone as euer any good things appeare in him Wee must not be lightly credulous Let vs rather vse all good discretion and bee reserued from men vntill by long experience wee haue gotten very good assurance of their sinceritie Our Sauiour hath made himselfe a patterne to vs of this prudent warinesse as well as of all other graces for many beleeued in him Iohn 3. vlt. as Iohn tels vs with whom hee trusted not himselfe because he knew what was in man Wee cannot tell particularly as he could what is in the hearts of all those whose countenance is framed to goodnesse but yet this we know in generall that much hollownesse is in all and that many are altogether hollow and guilefull wherefore till long continuance in goodnesse till the euident demonstration of truth and the cleare shining of vertue in the much and often denying of themselues haue verified and approued the soundnes of mens hearts But hold our selues in such tearmes that men may not hurt vs if they would wee must hold our selues in such termes with them that they may not haue power to hurt vs through our ouer-speedy opennesse towards them euen though they should afterwards grow so naught as to desire our hurt I meane not that any man should bee bold to conclude against his brother sure hee but dissembleth and I will not trust him Nay we should feare to conceiue so almost of any man for euen a true Christian may giue shrewd signes sometimes of hollownesse but my meaning is that we should thinke and hope the best and be well perswaded of euery man whose outside giueth vs cause of a good opinion but yet so as still to remember that wee are not able to search the heart and that guile and hollownesse may goe very farre and therefore not to aduenture too farre vpon them in hope that they be such as will neuer deceiue vs. Thou knowest not that such a man is a dissembler therefore thinke well of him Thou knowest that there is a possibility he may be a dissembler therfore come not within his danger giue him no such aduantage through laying open thy selfe vnto him that if hee should proue guilefull thou mightest be hurt by him Credulitie is the fault of honest hearts because they bee single themselues they looke to find all like themselues but Christs words should giue vs warning to try before we trust If any man say that this retirednesse will cut off the practice and exercise of all Christian communion betwixt the members of Christs body I answere Which will nothing hinder the communion of Saints hee saith amisse that so speaketh a man may doe many and almost any office of Christian charitie to those with whom he liueth and yet hold himselfe in such euen termes with them that though they should prooue false brethren yet he shal not receiue any hurt by them There be many acts of godly societie which may be practised without any perill especially in the peaceable times of the Church and these nothing hinders but that wee may indifferently exercise towards all but if at any time some stormes arise we must beware before whom and towards whom we carry our selues so that they may hurt vs if they list Take heed whom thou trustest with thy goods whom with thy name whom with thy safetie and to whom thou so farre ingagest thy selfe that hee may if hee will deceiue thee betray thee molest thee There be some so true hearted that the world shall sooner remoue out of its place then that they will prooue false There be others that will quickly change their hue and be foes in stead of their shewes of brotherly loue Pray to God to giue thee vnderstanding to walke wisely towards them that are within as well as towards them that are without And if any man desire to receiue information of the surest notes of truth Notes by which we may best discerne of another mans integrity that are discernable to others in others let him marke these two things well The more humble any man is the lesse forward to put forth himselfe and to shew himselfe and the more he can deny himselfe and shew himselfe louing and pittifull towards those that yet seeme farre from goodnesse the more soundnesse and truth doe lodge in his bosome but hee that is apt to set out himselfe and cannot brooke another that goeth not so farre as himselfe that man doe thou suspect and from him be thou reserued Humilitie and meekenesse in ones carriage and a patient waiting for them that are not yet escaped out of Satans toyles are mee thinketh the surest and clearest meanes of discouering the truth of another man For hypocrisie in spight of it selfe will shew it selfe proud and censorious and bitter but truth euen when it intendeth no such matter will shew it selfe humble and lowly and gentle-minded considering it selfe how bad once it was and how much heereafter it may be ouertaken To conclude then some be false brethren Trust thē least that are most desirous to bee trusted and angry if they be not trusted wherefore trust not all too farre that carry themselues for a time as if a man might trust them and trust them least that seeme most desirous to be trusted Againe doe not condemne all of falsehood because a number discouer their guilt daily When many of those that seemed leaders of the Army of Christians fall off from their good beginnings and cast away the very shewes of goodnesse turning openly profane or worldly and perhaps also bitter against those that seeme to be such as themselues once seemed Dislike not piety for their sakes that proue dissemblers Let no man take offence at these stumbling blockes let no man hence entertaine a thought of dislike against Pietie and Religion nor an hard conceit of those that yet continue in good courses Such terrible examples should make vs feare our selues and flie to heauen for diuine sustentation they should
not make vs reiect the loue of godlinesse and account all rotten branches because some are so Hath not Christ told vs before-hand that so it will be that when we finde it so to be we may not be offended as he tells his Disciples in another case The foolish worldling stumbleth exceedingly at the slips faults and imperfections of Gods true-hearted children and because hee sees faults in them that beare before them a forwardnesse in religion he condemnes them all for grosse dissemblers and cannot away with these smooth-faced hypocrites But if at any time some prooue ranke hypocrites he takes that as a warrant for his tongue to out-lash against all saying that surely the best of them is no better But how could they be so foolish but that they delight in folly and are glad to make themselues obstinate in euill and to confirme their inbred hatred of pietie by turning all occurrents to that purpose were it not I say for this malitious blindnesse of theirs how could they be so foolish as not to haue learned of our Sauiours most plaine words that in him there will be fruitlesse branches that must bee cut off and cast out as well as fruitfull that will continue and encrease in fruitfulnesse Would any but a very blocke or a blind man stumble at a blocke that is plainely shewed vnto him and warning hath often beene giuen him that it will surely bee cast in his way would any but a man voyd of all vnderstanding abhorre all the Apostles because Iudas turned traytor I pray you therefore so many of you as shall liue to see such miserable examples that you draw good and not euill conclusions from the falls reuolts and back-slidings of other men and of hypocrites Say thou I am sure Christ hath good sheepe as well as goates and though such and such haue manifested their guilefulnesse by forsaking the former pathes of righteousnesse wherein they appeared to walke yet I will not be hardly conceited of any body else for their sakes In this case the prouerbe ought to be hearkened vnto that tels vs Euery Horse must carry his owne burden In truth hee that stands so slenderly affected either to goodnes and piety it selfe or to the seruants and followers of so noble a misstresse as piety is that because of the wickednesse and out-strayings and finall reuolts of some of those that seemed once to attend vpon her and to be admitted into her traine therefore he cares not for pietie it selfe nor will euer thinke well of any of those that weare here cloath hereafter he I say that stands so slenderly affected to Wisdome and her retinue shall be sure neuer to want occasion of imboldening himselfe in sinne and of being more and more estranged from that the entertaining of which is the onely way to make him happie Yea verily hee whom the back-sliding of seeming Christians doth driue to so much madnesse as that he can turne so lamentable a spectacle to no better a purpose then to triumph and exult ouer all and barke against al and vpbrade all with such euill examples discouereth himselfe plainely not to hate the sinne of the back-slider which hee lately fell into but the very shewes of goodnesse wherein once he walked and from which he is faine In a word he that scornes pietie and religion and those that follow after it because diuers turne taile and prooue notably wicked at end shewes himselfe plainely to be voyd of all religion all piety When the true seruants of God doe see and heare such tidings it grieueth their soules it maketh them mourne in secret and pray in secret and fall a fresh to examine and trie themselues lest they also should be in like manner ouertaken But he that fleereth and iesteth and exulteth and scorneth and casts the dung of one in the face of others and would faine blemish all religiousnesse by the staines and faults of those that once seemed religious hath nothing in him but malice and bitternesse and the very spirit of the diuell Beware therefore of making thy selfe appeare starke naught by so stumbling at the breaking out of some other mans long hidden naughtinesse CHAP. XIIII Shewing that fruitfulnesse is the true distictniue note of those that professe to be Christians AND so much bee spoken of the distribution of branches into two kinds Wee proceede now to consider the difference of the branches for in that they bee branches they both concurre but herein they differ manifestly that the one is the other is not fruitfull Obserue then from these words of our Sauiour another point that fruitfulnesse is the true note of difference betwixt the true Christian and the hypocrite As a man differs from a beast by reason a beast from a plant by sence a plant from a stone by life or vegetation so a good Christian from an hypocrite by fruitfulnesse This is the most plaine sure sensible infallible and as they call it the very specifical marke of distinction betwixt the sound professor and the false that the one beareth fruit the other doth not beare fruit in the Vine Where the holy ordinances of God haue such power as to work obedience in the whole couersation this is fruitefulnesse and here is truth where they doe not bring forth this effect this is fruitlesnesse and here is guile In a word all true Christians are fruitfull and none but they all dissemblers are fruitlesse and none but they This point is abundantly confirmed in the parable of the sower in which of foure grounds one alone was good and that fruitfull as for the bad grounds the first did not beare so much as a blade Mat. 13.1 c. the other two did indeed put out a little greenenes but it was like the corne vpon the house top which withereth or euer it be ripe and of which the mower filleth not his lap onely the good ground did requite the labour of the husbandman with a liberall haruest of some thirtie some sixtie some hundred fold So in the words of the Apostle Heb. 6.7.8 the ground that bringeth forth fruite meete for the dresser is blessed but that that bringeth forth briars and thornes is neere vnto cursing whose end is burning Mat. 7.24 And in more plaine termes our Sauiour saith that hee which heareth his words and doth them this is fruitfulnesse doth build vpon a rocke this is an effect of truth but he that heareth and doth them not that is to bee vnfruitfull doth build vpon the sand that is is but an hypocrite and shall haue his building tumbling downe The truth of this point will further appeare if we consider the causes and effects of fruitfulnesse The causes of it are the sactifying Spirit of God dwelling in the soule and the Word of God receiued into an honest heart No man bringeth forth fruit but he vpon whom the holy Ghost hath come downe to beget him againe and to make him a new creature in Christ Iesus for