of hell such a louer is Belial and such is his loue In a word true Christians are vnder Christs law they draw his yoke they mortifie the lusts of their flesh they trauell in paine to bring foorth the fruites of Gods spirite but Belial is lawlesse dissolute and carelesse and shamelesse therefore there can be no concord betwixt Christ and Belial The vse of this doctrine is twofold first it bewrayeth the blasphemous slaunder of Poperie that chargeth vs with preaching libertie to sinne because we preach iustification by faith in Christ onely Wheras we are so farre from that slaunder that we affirme cleane contrarie that no Libertine Protestant or dissolute professor of the Gospell hath fellowship with Christ more then the Diuell hath But indeede they know not what faith is except the diuels faith for the diuels do know and beleeue that Christ dyed for sinners and they beleeue all the articles of the Creede and tremble thereat but yet are they Diuels still Looke to their liues which liue vnder the Popes yoke and we shall see that they are the children of Belial for what sinne is there that they are not sold vnto like Achab And what sinne can be named almost that is not bought and sold in the market of the Romish church And the Pope may pardon all as they say for a thousand yeares yea if they will pay well for his pardon for euer And what are their Popes themselues who beare the glorious title of holy Fathers Haue not some of them bene Necromancers sorcerers and coniurers and some of them Sodomits buggerers and most of them common whoremongerers Was not one of thē a harlot did she not trauell of a child in going their Procession And is it not recorded by Platina and other Writers of their owne to their euerlasting shame What should be thought of those sixe thousand skulles of children which were found in another Popes Mote What need they care what they do so they may be forgiuen for giuing of a litle Apostolicall gold They are not ashamed nor afraid when they take a solemne oth to murder Princes yea Christian Princes yea their owne most Christian Soueraignes for they are pardoned aforehand as he was that poisoned King Iohn and the Prince of Orange and that cursed Frier that trecherously stabbed the late French King and therefore they are Belials and not we their religion giueth libertie to sinne and not ours they may do what they list and not they which are iustified by faith in Christ onely The second vse of this doctrine is to teach those that are entred into the bodie of Christs Church and are called by that excellent glorious name of Christians to put on the yoke of Christ and neuer while they liue to put it off againe for though Christ saith Come vnto me and ye shall haue ease yet it is vpon this condition that we labour and feele our selues heauie laden yea though he promiseth to refresh vs yet it is vpon condition that we put his yoke vpon vs and beare his burden Whosoeuer then will haue ease by Christ must not be like the man of Belial without the yoke of Christ but must put on his yoke and carie his burden that is to say he must submit himselfe to the censures of Christ his Church and to the doctrine of the Gospell and to the reproofe of the word and in all things yeeld obedience vnto the truth yea he must labour by all good meanes to mortifie all carnall lustes to ouerrule all his vnruly affections But this is as hard a saying to flesh and bloud as can be yea who can endure it The mother of Zebedeus children thought for the asking she might haue a place in Christes kingdome for her children but Christ told her of two hard things which she dreamed not of and that was drinking of his cup and to be baptized with his baptisme before they could come into heauen so we thinke many of vs to haue heauen for the asking but there belongeth more to the matter then so And as the Papistes thinke to earne heauen with a Kerelyson a Pater noster and a Creede so many Protestants thinke that a sigh and a little lip-labour and eare-seruice will bring them to heauen But when they heare of mortifying their beloued sinnes which bring them in pleasure and profite and of yeelding obedience vnto the Gospell it fareth with them as it did with that young man who went away from Christ with a heauie heart and a sorrowfull countenance He would follow Christ but he would not part from his goods so many will heare Christ preached and looke to be saued by him too but they will not leaue their sinnes If they may be Gospellers and vsurers too and gamesters too and adulterers too and swearers too then so it is otherwise Christ shall go alone for al them These are yet but men of Belial and without the yoke content they are to trauell toward Canaan so they may meete with the commodities of Egypt by the way Manna without the fleshpots of Egypt was lothsome to the Israelites so the Gospell without goodfellowship and carnall delights is irkesome to the man of Belial Lots wife was content to leaue Sodome and go to Zoar as she was bidden but yet she must looke backe though she were forbidden so many are content to leaue Poperie and embrace the Gospell yet not without some looking backe like those which once openly gaue account of their profiting in religion with comfort and commendation but now because their backsliding friends like it not and prophane persons scorne them for it they will shew their faces no more in that conflict The carnall Capernaits would heare Christ till he spake of eating his flesh and drinking his bloud and then because they vnderstood it not they said that saying was a hard saying and taking offence thereat came no more So many now a dayes as carnally minded as they will heare the Preacher till they heare something that doth offend them either for want of good vnderstanding or good affection and then they say that either the preacher found not that in his text or it might haue bene spared or in such a thing he went too farre all which in effect is no lesse then as the Capernaits said this is a hard saying who can abide it And so like bleare-eyed men which are offended at the brightnesse of the Sunne will walke no more by the light thereof except it be once a moneth or vpon a sabbath day for feare of law or for shame of the world And many that do keepe the sabbath day do vse it as the vnnaturall harlot would haue vsed the child for which there was such pleading before Salomon Let it be neither hers nor mine but let it be deuided So they deuide the Sabbath in the forenoone they are at the Temple in the afternoone at home The one halfe shall
these you may call officious hypocrites Some seeme more forward then others in the outward profession of the Gospell that vnder the colour thereof they may the more freely giue them selues to their pleasures and euery new-fangled fashion that is daily inuented these you may call if you will hypocrites of the fashion Some are as the companie they come vnto and as Pedlers with their packes haue accesse to mens gates to get money so these with their tales of euery man get accesse to most mens tables where they buy and sell at their pleasures they care not whome and all for a meales meate these you may call if you will pedling hypocrites or Protestents for the pot and the spit There be diuerse others which if time would tarrie I wold decipher vnto you as the daintie eared hypocrite called Noli me tangere who will professe Christ crucified but cannot abide to haue Christ crucifie his sinnes and the brazen-faced hypocrite who in secret will say any thing and in publike will deny the same againe But here are enough and too many to act a play that shall please the world the flesh and the Diuell Now what is the religion of all these I pray you or to speake the truth of most men now adaies but hypocrisie that is to say a very play which euery one studieth to act as artificially as he can vpon the tickle Stage of this vaine world to winne thereby credite and commoditie amongst men being before God nothing lesse then that which they seem to be vnto men Now all these hypocrites or players may be deuided into two sorts or companies First such as make a counterfeit profession of religion Secondly such as make a counterfeit practise of that which they professe And both these companies of hypocrites are either publike or priuate Publike are those which play their parts in the Church or in the Commonwealth and they are also of two sorts such as abuse their office and authoritie which are publike or such as abuse the publike assemblies and exercises of religion seeming there to be that which they are not Priuate hypocrites are such as play the counterfets in housholds or otherwise In housholds and families there is much hypocrisie that is many a play plaied by diuerse actors both comically nnd tragically that is in sport and in earnest The actors in these plaies be sometime the husband sometime the wife sometime the maister sometime the seruants sometime the parents sometime the children and sometime all together as hereafter more at large we shall see As in housholds so elsewhere is much priuate hypocrisie raigning as in shoppes amongst buyers and sellers and elsewhere betweene partie and partie making contracts and bargaines with great protestations of loue and kindnesse and all to deceiue Some thinke none may be tearmed hypocrites but such as haue bene forward and zealous professors of the Gospell in shew but they are deceiued Indeed whosoeuer is a professor of Christianitie and denyeth the power thereof is an hypocrite But of professors there are two sortes some are very forward and some are not so forward some are zealous and make a great shew some are not so zealous nor so much in shew yet all professors of Christs Gospell Whosoeuer hath giuen his name to Christ in baptisme and is a partaker of the Lords table is a professor of the name of Christ but if in their liues they serue Sathan they are but hypocrites But it will be replied that such as neuer made any shew of religion canot be counted hypocrites because hypocrisie is a counterfetting or dissembling in religion It is true indeed but what count you religion or what is it to make a shew of religion Is it onely to be a diligent hearer of Sermons or a daily frequenter of the temple or to talk much of the Scripture or to reason well in matters of Diuinitie or to vse praier and singing of Psalmes and catechizing in the familie or to keepe company with godly persons or to speake against vnlawfull swearing and prophaning the Sabbath or to defie idolatrie and superstition c. Surely he that doth all these maketh a good shew of religion and if he doth them not to God as well as to men he is a grosse hypocrite But what then Is this all religion Indeed many thinke so and deceiue themselues But whosoeuer maketh a shew of any religious duties maketh a shew of religion And we know that all the duties required in both the tables of the Commaundements are religious duties being performed by way of obedience to God as they ought to be And if they be not so performed they are then done but to the halfes that is to men but not to God Now that religion consisteth aswell in the duties of the second table which concerne our neighbor as in the duties of the first which concerne Gods worship it is euident by the testimonie of S. Iames. Pure religion and vndefiled before God euen the father is to visite the fatherlesse and widowes in their aduersitie and to keepe himselfe vnspotted of the world that is to helpe those that haue no meanes to helpe themselues He doth not exclude the duties of the first table which concerne the immediate worship of God but sheweth that all that without the other is vaine as he saith plainely in the verse before If any man among you seemeth religious and refraineth not his toung meaning from backbiting lying slaundering and maliciousnesse and filthie talking against which he inueigheth in the 21. verse this mans religion is vaine Now many ciuill honest men being baptized and admitted to the Lords table and coming at times appointed to the holy exercises of Gods worship may in some good measure keepe the duties of the second table and yet not be very forward obseruers of the first table paying man his due and being slacke inongh to giue God his due Now these I say if they keepe the second table that is pay euery man his owne honour their superiors and liue chastly and orderly and seeke to preserue life and keepe hospitality for the poore and helpe their neighbour to his right and beare true witnesse they do also make a good shew of religion but if they do these things but to be seene and commended of men they are but hypocrites that is counterfeits before God Againe if they stand more precisely vpon one thing that God hath commaunded then vpon another it is a signe that their hearts are not vpright with God for if they were vpright they would aswell regard his commaundement for one thing as for another or else they are hypocrites and dissemblers to pretend obedience to Gods commaundements when they meane nothing lesse But it will be obiected againe that the duties of the second table may be performed in some sort euen by a meere ciuill or naturall man that knoweth not God as amongst the heathen be many such nor make any shew of religion
as he did though not in that degree and measure of iniquitie We are professours of the Gospell say some and we like our Preachers doctrine well but our honest neighbours please vs better and our beloued vanities best of all We liue by them and we are sory that we cannot do for him as we would for we haue passed our word against him so was Herod sory too for that he had passed his promise And to keepe credite with those that haue pleased and pleasured vs we must not call backe our words so sayd Herod too but vncase the hypocrite a little and view him well First if thou wilt be counted a true Christian and a sincere professor of the truth why doest thou lodge any one sinne with delight in thy heart tell me that If thou saiest there is no such matter then tell me why doest thou frequent the companie and take such excessiue pleasure in the bewitching vanities of such persons as will snare thee and deceiue thee Then why art thou so rash as to promise thou knowest not what Then when thou seest that thou art in danger of committing wickednesse who can compell thee to keepe such a wicked promise Oh I must keepe my credite with men Oh but hypocrite first keepe credite with God and remember thy former promise that thou madest and vowedst to him in thy Baptisme if all this will not serue then rush on like an hypocrite vncased to thy owne destruction Many in the world are content they say to heare the Preacher so long as he preacheth Christ crucified or else not and surely no reason But open this case and see if a counterfeit may not be vnder it For many are content to sinne freely and set all vpon Christs score saying he shall pay for all If any man meaneth so when he biddeth the preacher preach Christ crucified then there is an hypocrite vncased Many are content to heare that Christ liued in pouertie to enrich them that he was abased to aduance them that he was punished to acquite them that he was mocked to grace them that he was naked to clothe them that he was hungrie to fill them that he was cursed to blesse them that he died to saue them but to heare that they must be poore for his sake and be abased for his sake and to be mocked for his sake and to be crucified for his sake and crucifie their sinnes which crucified him they cannot abide this is not to preach Christ crucified Christ crucified must dispense with some sinnes of theirs or else they haue done with him nay if Christ come now to crucifie their beloued sinne and their sweete sinne and their profitable sinne let Christ take heed that he be not crucified againe by them What is Christ crucified for vs and must we haue our sinnes crucified too nay we will none of that we are content to take a place in his kingdom at his right hand and his left hand but to baptized with his baptisme and to drinke of his cup we will not endure We will do any thing he will haue vs to do sauing that which goeth about to restraine vs of our libertie we will follow him heare him eate and drinke with him giue him leaue to pay all and to dye for vs and commend him for his kindnesse but to be so kind to him as for his loue to part with one sinne that we are in loue withall to leaue following the fashions of the world or to part with a locke of haire is a hard saying who can abide it To forgiue our enemies to lend freely to releeue the poore cheerfully to keepe the Sabbath wholy and entirely to leaue our pleasures at his call to heare his doctrine more then ordinarie is a hard saying who can abide it To leaue our false weights and false lights and false oathes and false friendship and to deale simply and plainely without fraud and deceit is a hard saying who can abide it To leaue our engrossing our forestalling our cogging and dissembling our back-biting and slandering our rash iudging and condemning of our brethren is a hard saying who can abide it To forsake the filthy fellowship of profane persons to cast off the company of scoffers and deriders of religion to embrace the truth sincerely and to make much of those that feare God be they neuer so poore or simple is a hard saying who can abide it To be checked for our swearing and blaspheming of Gods name to be called vppon for Catechizing our houshold and to vse thanksgiuing at the table and singing of Psalmes for our spirituall recreation and to conferre soberly and friendly of the Sermon is plaine Puritanisme as they call it who can abide it No no Sir we can no skill of this geare preach Christ crucified and we will heare you otherwise not we cannot away with this doctrine Well but let the hypocrites know that if Christ crucified be preached rightly and applied truly to the conscience he will make all the veines in the hypocrites heart to ake he will suffer him to haue but small rest in his bed and little list to his meate and lesse pleasure in the world and least of all in the word of God for that in the end is the iudgement of God vpon hypocrites to loath the word because it goeth about to make sinne loathsome vnto them Christ crucified hath wrought a double worke he hath both destroyed the Diuell and also the worke of the Diuell And so is Christ to be preached both crucified and crucifying crucified for our sinnes and also by his vertue and Spirite crucifying sinne in vs or else we cannot be saued Now let vs pray THE VI. SERMON MATH 6.2 As the hypocrites do THE next sort of hypocrites to be vncased are secret vnderminers of the truth in shew defenders but in deed destroyers of the Church such are called in Cant. 2.15 foxes which destroy the Vine that is the Church who by their grating at the roote of the Vine do cause the same to bring forth but small grapes that is the Church cannot thriue in religion and good workes because of them these are called foxes for their craftinesse and their cruelty Such a one was Herod who craftily sent for the wise men to enquire where Christ was borne pretending a mind to worship him when his purpose was to kill him Such are all close Church-papists and time-seruers who to please men do as the most do but in the meane time by all crafty deuises do vndermine the Church the Preachers and cause them to be troubled for toyes trifles in comparison to stop the course of the Gospell in the meane time pretend a care of the obseruation of lawes which thēselues break as freely as any other and regard as much as the horse or mule whose mouthes must be holden in with bit and bridle Such also are those that come to the Sermon in shew very deuoutly and to be edified but
he should not dye though he did transgresse the commaundement of God doth also tell these fellowes that whatsoeuer the Scriptures say or Preachers babble as they say yet they shall not dye the death But what could Eue say at the last The Serpent deceiued me So will these cry one day Sathan hath deceiued vs. Well leaue them to the Lord and let vs know for certaine truth that whatsoeuer is written before hand in the Scripture is written for our learning as the Apostle saith and therefore this Scripture also is written for our learning as well as any other God hath not taken such paines as I may say in making and setting forth Belials picture in this liuely sort as you see to that end that we should do nothing but stand and gaze at his picture but that we should note him well and learne to know him when we see him and to auoide him when we know him For Belial is like a runagate who hath done that which he is ashamed of hauing stolne the cloke of vertue and honestie is runne away with the same vpon his backe seeking how to hide himselfe in the world And for feare of being taken he hath gotten himself into seruice with great mē of the world like Elimas with the Deputy And hath so won their fauors that he walketh with them in the fields strowteth it with them in the streetes he feasteth with them at their tables he buyeth and selleth for them in their shops he tradeth for them beyond the seas he courteth with the most gallant in the court He hath found a place in the Vniuersities amongst scholers in Cities amongst merchants in Churches amongst Preachers in iudgement hals amongst Lawyers in Consistories amongst Doctours and proctors at Theaters amongst players in housholds amongst seruants and children in Gentlemens houses amongst seruingmen and their maisters He hath learned to insinuate himselfe into the company of all states and degrees and hath found the fauour to be shrowded amongst Captaines and souldiers amongst Lords and Ladies amongst Knights and Esquires amongst yeomen and artificers amongst prentises and iourny-men and where not And if need be he can haue a licence to go beyond the seas amongst Italians Barbarians and to come from all places of the world and be welcome at his good leasure and pleasure and all this can Belial do and more then this too for he hath a great number of foule deformed vices and monstrous vgly abuses which are all begotten of his owne body both male and female which he can easily preferre into seruice And so well are they brought vp by the double diligence of his brother Machiauell that many become sutors vnto them and glad is he that can match his son or his daughter with one of them when vertue and godlinesse may go through the world and can harldy get a seruice except in the iayle or in some beggers cottage much lesse can they get a good mariage and if they do hit vpon a good mariage it will not be long before they shall be diuorced againe But Belial with his cubs because they are euery where are thought to be no where but the Lord from whom they are run away he knoweth them well inough And here he hath made out a warrant you see to attach them wheresoeuer they can be found and to summon them to answer for themselues before Gods iudgement seate which warrant is committed to all Magistrates Ministers and other of his faithfull people and subiects And because many say they cannot know Belial and they must take heede how they detect any by that name therefore the Lord hath well prouided here for his people and in this his attachment hath put downe such markes and notes of his talke of his name of his gestures c. that vnlesse men will be wilfully blind they cannot chuse but know him although he goeth neuer so disguisedly and denieth his name neuer so stoutly And indeed let Belial be arrested at Gods sute for dishonouring him or at Christs sute for crucifying him or at the Churches sute for persecuting her or at the Gospels sute for slandering of it or at Religions sute for contemning of it as all these actions and many more will come against him one day he will straight way deny his name and say You mistake me sir I am not the man that you looke for c. Then those men which want either will or skill or courage or all nor greatly regarding the words of their warrant take his word for the matter and so let him go for an honest man but those that are wise in God can easily discerne Belial from an honest man as King Salomon could well descry the harlot from the true mother of the child because the wisedome of God was with him And the godly wise haue learned to say to Belial as the damsell sayd once vnto Peter Surely thou art one of them for thy voice bewraieth thee So thou art one of the men of Belial for thy filthy speeches bewray thee thy outragious oathes bewray thee thy proud and profane gestures bewray thee thy lewd and contentious behauiour bewray thee therefore it is but a folly to denie thy name for as the Asse is knowne by his braying and the length of his eares to be an Asse though he iet it in a Lions skin so thou art knowne by thy conditions to be a man of Belial although thou goest in the habite of an honest religious or religious honest man When our Sauiour Christ said that one should betray him who was then in presence with him there was looking one vpon another and euery man was iealous ouer himself saying Is it I Is it I But what saith our Sauiour Christ He that dippeth his finger with me in the dish that is the man that shall betray me He named no body but that was inough for thus might any one conclude vppon Christs words He that dippeth his hand now with Christ in the dish is the traytour but Iudas dippeth his hand now with Christ in the dish therefore Iudas is the traitor In like maner when God saith there be wicked men of Belial and vaine men lawlesse persons and vnprofitable that must be destroyed speedily sodenly and without recouery now euery man will put it off from him selfe and say that he is not that man of Belial c. But what saith the Lord he nameth none but noteth them thus The man of Belial and the vaine man walketh with a froward mouth he maketh a signe with his eyes c. that is he that walketh with a froward mouth he that is lawlesse in his affections he that is vnprofitable in his conuersation he that imagineth euill at all times and raiseth vp contentions he is that man of Belial that must be destroyed if he repent not then may we conclude thus But such a one walketh with a froward mouth
vnto God his right as well as vnto men and therefore he was a religious ciuill honest man Some seeme to be religious without ciuilitie as the harlot whom Salomon describeth in the 7. of the Prou. who prateth of her peace offerings and paying her vowes while notwithstanding in her hushands absence like a dishonest filth freely violateth her mariage vowe made vnto him by prostituting her bodie vnto others and as Iezabel religiously proclaimeth a fast while most vnciuilly and with barbarous crueltie she depriueth innocent Naboth both of his life and liuing and as those do that deuide the spoiles of the Church among them deuouring as Salomon saith the sanctified things then enquire after the vowes that is make shew of religion But they that haue neither ciuilitie nor religion in them are like Esau who hated his brother Iacob because God blessed him and like Hanun the Ammonite who misused Dauids messengers which were sent of good will to see him and like Doeg the Edomite who laid handes vpon the Priestes of the Lord and slue them when euery bodie else refused to touch them And such commonly are the men of Belial and the men of vanitie Good honest men they are counted among such as themselues are but he is a good man indeed and greatly to be lamented when he is gone that vpholdeth Gods true religion and with Cornelius feareth God with all his houshold and giueth much almes to the poore and with Iob sheweth himselfe a iust man and one that worshippeth God aright becomming also as Iob did an eye to the blind a foote to the lame and a father to the fatherlesse Such doth God choose for good men and such must we choose to conuerse withall not such as spend their time in ridiculous sports and vain pastimes which vanish away like the wind and smoke without any profit to those that haue delighted in them For Dauid saith in the 26. Psalme I haue walked ô Lord in thy truth and presently addeth I haue not haunted with vaine persons neither keepe I companie with the dissemblers I haue hated the assembly of the euill and not companied with the wicked to shew that whosoeuer consorteth himselfe with vaine and euill companie cannot walke in the waies of the Lord and therefore let them that desire to walke in the waies of Gods truth take heede that they haunt not with vaine persons but hate the assemblies of the wicked as Dauid did And further here is to be obserued a difference betweene Adam and Ish both do signifie man but the first noteth the matter of which man was made that is red earth or as Tremelius hath translated it the dust of the earth which is the worst of all the earth and good for nothing Earth is good for something and clay is good for something and sand is good for something and marle is good for something and dung is good for something but dust is good for nothing except it be to put out ones eyes and of that was man made which is good for nothing The confideration whereof may greatly humble vs when we beginne to thinke well of our selues to waxe proud of Gods gifts and to despise our brethren But the man of Belial is so called to shew that such a one is the vilest mā that liueth yea viler then the earth and according to his name so is his nature for of a word that signifies the vilest earth is his name deriued accordingly all his studies cares and communications are earthly and prophane All which the Apostle noteth in one word when he saith they mind earthly things Phil. 3.19 A God they haue but it is their belly a glorie they haue but it is their shame enemies they are but it is to the crosse of Christ and an end they haue but it is damnation saith the Apostle Ish also is a man but it noteth a man of strength and signifieth strength of the Latines it is translated vir à virtute that is a man of manhood or strong of strength or vertuous of vertue because if manhood strength and vertue be not found in man where should they be looked for And Adam is translated homo de humo that is taken out of the ground because of all that God made nothing was made of the earth but man And in our English toung we say of one that is valiant vertuous and actiue that is a man indeed And the Philosopher could say by the light of nature non vestis sed virtus facit hominem Not vestures but vertues make a man which is quite mistaken in these daies and that saying wholly inuerted for most men hold and by their practise do vphold that non virtus sed vestis not vertue but brauery makes a man But why is Belial called Ish which is a word of strength vertue and perfection What vertue excellencie or perfection is in earthly vaine Belial Surely no goodnesse is in him and yet is he Ish he is vir a man indeede but a man whose strength is wholly applyed to vanitie He doth excell but it is in contriuing of mischiefe he is quicke witted but it is in disgracing of truth and her friends They are wise saith Ieremie but it is to do euill They are expert saith Esay but it is to drinke wine and strong drinke They can take no rest saith Salomon but it is onely till they haue made some to fall Such were they that watched all night to take Christ they were Ishim men indeed They ranne to fetch him vineger with gall to drinke which wold not go nor creep for a drop of cold water to haue done him good Such are all those lawlesse and dissolute persons that can beate their braines and breake their sleepe and go late to bed and rise early in the morning and trauell hard all day yea day and night by sea and by land farre and neare refusing no paines neither sparing for any cost nor fearing any colours but most audaciously put forth themselues to speake to practise what mischiefe they can against godlinesse and vertue against honest men and good causes and standing as stoutly in defence of vanity and wickednesse These haue a kind of felicitie and dexteritie in gracing of the bad and in disgracing of the good and do very often strongly preuaile in wicked enterprises And this must teach vs first not to be dismaied when iniquitie doth preuaile for the very names that are giuen to wicked men do shew no lesse but they shall preuaile for a time which is to verifie the Prophesie of our Sauiour Christ who foretold that before the end of the world wickednesse should preuaile and iniquitie get the vpper hand Secondly it doth admonish the children of God who are haters of wickednesse to be Ishim that is strong and wise and valiant for God and good causes as Ish-auen the vaine man is for the Diuell and wicked enterprises And this
dores And this rude companion Carnal pollicie who neuer had any other bringing vp or schooling then in the flesh which is altogether for it selfe is fallen grieuously at debate with Pietie and with his cruell long nailes hath almost scratched out Religions eyes and yet saith he loueth Religion wel yea and protesteth that he maketh much of her too and of all her friends And verily I do beleeue him but I beleeue withall that it is as Iudas made much of Christ who being pursebeater stole what he could frō his maister and at the last sold him right out for what he could get So this same Heliogabalus carnall pollicie I mean by purloyning and stealing from Religion and her friends the Church all that he can get doth make much of Religion and of the Church And surely not without iust cause doth true religion complaine in many places of the land that her seruants the Ministers are so shauē and curtalled in their maintenance by pollicie as Dauids embassadours were by Hanun king of Ammon that they are almost ashamed to shew their heades and so weak brought that they cannot follow her with that courage and chearefulnesse which should be in them And in most places generally the course is this to let passe those gulfes that swallow vp whole liuings of Colledges and Churches and allow their shepheard or some other smokie Sir Iohn like vnto him some twentie nobles a yeare and a cast doubler to serue the Cure in most places I say where liuings are laid to the Church the course is this If a preaching Minister be called to a place a pastorall charge I meane where great ones dwell who must pay their tithes as well as other men and they perceiue that he be but a nouice in the world then pollicie is called to counsell who doth giue him entertainement by art but not from the heart for leud things are in his heart Now sir maister Pollicie will for a time be a diligent hearer of his Sermons and with his presence and countenance draw on others to like of him inuite him to his table commend him for his giftes in courteous and familiar maner to conferre with him yet with some straunge countenances sometime among lest perhaps he grow too bold with him in reprouing his faults and demaunding of his owne due Now all this while the world imagineth that here is such a friend that he were better lose half his liuing then loose him And the poore simple man thinketh that he which pretendeth such friendship vnto him which so earnestly intreateth him so highly commendeth him so stoutly defendeth him so louingly embraceth him so zealously followeth him and so diligently heareth him will not deny him any part of his due but will let him haue all yea with the more rather then with the lesse But he is deceiued for the miserable worldling is all this while but practising by pollicie to get into his hands the spoiles of the Lords inheritance And in his heart perhaps he thinketh thus with himselfe Surely I shall so fill him with my morsels and make him so beholding vnto me for one thing or another that except he will incurre the note of an ingratefull person he shall not choose but let me haue his churchright as good cheape as Esau sold his birthright for a messe of pottage or halfe for nought if not then actum est de amicitia farewell friendship I will meete with him some other way and make him wearie of his place Verily whosoeuer practise thus haue leud things in their harts But it may be they thinke that God doth not note them neither will he iudge them for it But they are deceiued for surely he that telleth vs here that leude things are in Belials heart doth also tell vs that euen therefore his destruction shall come speedily and suddenly vpon him without recouerie And let them thinke well of this point also who in the commonwealth vnder colour of dealing well with poore men carrie a leude heart and a cruell hand against them As Achab was sicke for Naboths vineyard which lay hard by his so many rich men are sicke for poore mens liuings and commodities because they lye somewhat commodiously for them if a faire offer of some base exchange will serue so it is if not then practise his ouerthrow or by ouerburdening him with taxes and paiments or by some other deuice to wearie him and so to make him giue ouer but first speake him faire and giue him a dinner Herein they play the Lion that came to the sicke foxe and offered to lick him whole with his tongue when in his heart he purposed to teare him in peeces with his teeth which the foxe perceiuing he made him answer that his tongue indeed had a soueraigne vertue in it but it had a companie of ill neighbours meaning his teeth and vntill they be remoued quoth he I thinke your Lordship will haue but a few patients And like to the Lions Phisick is the kindnesse of vsurers in lending their money but their deuises be indeed innumerable and therefore I will not meddle with them at this time In these and such like cases it were good for poore men to remember to follow the counsell of the holy Ghost in Prou. 23.6.7 Eate not the bread of him that hath an euill eye saith he neither desire his daintie morsels For as though he thought as he saith he will say vnto thee eate eate when his heart is not with thee Thou shalt vomite vp all thy morsels and shalt loose all thy sweet words that is thou shalt be vpbraided by them and thou shalt neuer digest them well they shall do thee no more good then meat which thou art enforced to cast vp againe which doth not nourish but pine and paine the bodie And the like caueat he giueth vs in Pro. 26.24.25 He that hateth will counterfeit with his lippes but in his heart he layeth vp deceipt though he speake fauorably beleeue him not for there are seuen that is many abhominations in his heart Others there be who to spie out the libertie of their Christian brethren come with Herod that foxe pretending a desire to worship with them when they mean nothing lesse Leud things are in their hart and God seeth them Others like the Herodians Is it lawful to pay tribute to Caesar or no So what say you to bishops what think you of the booke of Cōmonprayer Others are like Saul who encouraged Dauid to the wars in hope there to haue made him away Most men come to heare as Gods people vse to do lending very attentiue eares and sober countenances to the preaching of the word but God seeth many leud things in their hart and much bad stuffe and filthinesse which man cannot perceiue of a long time all which they must giue account for For it is a most vile thing to dissemble with his Maiestie by whom we
powred vpon him shall come with this note also and signe of extreame wrath My soule doth hate and abhorre him all which is spoken after the maner of men for our better vnderstanding for otherwise and indeed in God there be no such passions nor motions nor perturbations of mind as there be in men but these speeches and the like do shew what God in his euerlasting counsell and iustice hath from eternall decreed and what according to the sayd decree of his his Maiesty will execute against the wicked The second thing that sheweth the greatnesse of this sinne is as I said before the consideration of those blessings and benefits whereof contention is the bane destruction Yea if we consider the excellency of those benefits which by contention and her daughters are taken away we shall see great cause why the Lord doth hate and abhorre him that raiseth vp contentions amongst neighbours I say by her her daughters for she is the mother of 4. daughters whereof euery one doth her part in this tragicall and vntimely destruction of those benefits which by them we are depriued of The daughters of wicked Contention are Warre Sedition Schisme and Brawling and euery one of these bring foorth children like themselues and whatsoeuer is their meate bloud is the drinke that they thirst after Contention is the mother of war when she commeth among strangers goeth betweene nation nation beweene Prince Prince Of sedition when she trauelleth at home in her owne coūtry Of schismes rents in the body of Christ when she falleth in the Church about matters of religion whether they be of substance or of circumstance And of brawles and vnquietnesse when she is entertained in families betweene man wife neighborhoods between one neighbor another Whersoeuer they come they are the death of 2. most noble excellēt vertues namely of order of vnity Order is a disposing of all things in their right place for the Lord who is a God of order and not of confusion hath set amongst men many differences and degrees of rulers and subiects of parents and children of maisters and seruants of husbands and wiues of old and yong according to the testimony of the Wiseman in Pro. 20.12 The Lord hath made euen both these the eare for to heare and the eye for to see And mens actions are not well ordered vnlesse they be well tempered according to the worthinesse and condition of these degrees And that cannot be vnlesse it be done according to the prescript rule of the law of God which is the head and fountaine of all good order for he that is the God of order made a law of order Now by cōtention her impes Gods order is peruerted subiects rule Princes obey parēts yeeld to their childrens affectiōs wiues domineere ouer their husbāds seruants beare sway against their maisters and yong men despise their elders God hath distinguished diuerse members in one body one from another set one aboue another placed them all in wonderfull maner The head as a tower the eies in the same as watchmē the eie-lids as windowes for light the mouth as a doore to let in prouision the toung as a porter to cal for that which is needfull to examine that which is doubtful the eares as spies to harken to listen the hands as seruitours souldiers the feet as messengers and porters to carry and recarry the teeth as grinders of natures prouision the pallate as taster the stomach as a cook-roome wherin all things are prepared againe for the benefit of nature the whole body so to be preserued for the benefit of the soule who sitteth within as a Queene commāder with a Princely companie of heauenly attendants called animales virtutes the powers of the soule as reason vnderstanding and memory will affections and all together seruing God who made them doth preserue them who redeemeth repaireth them to the end he may for euer glorifie himselfe in their euerlasting glorification by Christ in his heauenly kingdome All which being beheld in that order that God hath set thē in do shew the high wisdom of God but being either wanting or abounding or displaced they make a man not a man but a monster As when one is borne without head or eyes or eares or hands or feete or is borne with two heads many eyes c. more then nature requireth or hath his eares where his eies should be his feet where his hands should be c. In like sort God in his lawes hath set downe a rule measure for euerie thing which being kept doth make a seemly sight but being brokē doth breed a confused and monstrous being whether it be in Church or cōmon wealth whether in citie or countrie in publicke or in priuate Now contention displaceth all setting as it were the feet vpward turning the head downward placing the mouth where the eares should be and the hands where the feet should be the eares where the eies should be that is he is a speaker whē he should be a hearer he is silent whē he should speake he is an actour when he should be a beholder a talker when he should be a doer So that cōtention bringeth forth no Christans but monsters See you one whether man or woman cōtending to talke whē they ought to be silent and to heare others there is a monster for then is their mouth where their eares should be See you a Minister silent when he should preach there is a monster in the Church for his eares are where his toung should be See you a Magistrate ruled by his officers who should but see out of him he hold a monster in the common-wealth for then are the eies become head and all this is a monstrous peruerting of Gods order and is then commonly to be seene when wicked contentions haue bene raised vp against the truth As contentious Belial is the bane of good order so also is he the destruction of godly vnity loue and concord For whereas Gods order is peruerted ouerturned whether in nature or in grace the minds of Christians cannot chuse but be distracted estranged one frō another which is as deformed a spectacle as to see the members of a mans bodie displaced or torne in peeces When S. Luke would set out the fellowship of the Christians in the time of the primitiue Church he saith They had all one mind and one hart To shew that where diuerse but especially contrary minds are there can be no society except it be such society as is amongst maried persons when the one is a Papist and the other a Protestant they are tyed together indeed but it is like Sampsons foxes taile to taile euerie one looking a contrarie way striuing with firebrands at their tailes to be parted one from another and therefore they striue to be asunder
to meddle or to haue any thing to do with the seditious Pr. 24.21 And S. Paule wisheth that they which trouble the Church of God were euen cut off And so much of the greatnesse of this sin of raising of contention wherby both order and vnity are taken away Now let vs see whether it be simply vnlawfull to contend or no if it be not then let vs see the difference betweene the contentions of the wicked and the contentions of the godly and what rules are best to be followed in our contendings and controuersies that they may tend to Gods glory the maintaining of Gods order his Churches good A needful question surely this is for whē the wicked would make Christ his seruāts very odious vnto the world they would accuse them of sedition contentiō And Paul is accused by Tertullus to be not only a mouer of sedition among the Iewes but euen therefore calleth him also a pestilent fellow yea the plague it selfe as the Greeke word signifieth Act 24.5 In like maner are the faithfull Ministers of Christ still vsed the world continually charging vs though vniustly to be busie bodies troublesome fellows enemies to Caesar sowers of discord c. And by no meanes wold they haue vs to deale against sin but to preach plausible doctrine foolishly childishly abusing the saying of S. Paul to Timothy The man of God must not striue but be meeke and gentle c. But we are to know that to cōtend is not simply euill for the Prophet Ieremy saith that he was borne to contend with the whole world and because he was so accounted it grieued him for he cried out in this sort Wo be vnto me my mother that I was borne a contentious man c. The kingdome of heauen saith Christ is not gotten but by striuing yea and by violent striuing too and we are commanded to striue to enter in at the straight gate Luke 13.24 God is said himselfe to contend with man whō he made Gen. 6.3 My spirit shall not alwayes striue with flesh And of the Israelites he saith Forty yeares haue I contended with this generation And S. Iohn saith that Michael meaning Christ had battell with the dragon And the Apostle Paul saith So run that ye may obtaine So that if we contend against the sins of the world as Ieremy did against the diuell as our Captaine Christ Iesus did to outrun one another in goodnesse as the Corinthians did and as we all should do then our contending is commendable but so doth not the man of Belial for he is threatned to be destroyed because like a make-bate he raiseth vp contentions as hath bene fully declared before to shew that his contending is naught intollerable Cain Abel did both sacrifice yet not both accepted because they did not sacrifice both with a like affectiō So the godly the wicked do both contend yet not both in like maner The difference standeth in matter maner which being wel considered will put an end to this controuersie and shew who be troublers of Israel this will clearly appeare in the example of Achab Elijah the one a king the other a Prophet 2. Ki. 18.18 Achab saith that Elijah troubled Israel this was when they wanted raine in Israel and when Elijah stood against the Priests of Baal Elijah againe telleth the king that he and his fathers house are they that troubled Israel But what is it to trouble Israel let vs see surely it is a borrowed speech for to trouble is nothing else but to mingle and confound together good and bad vile precious corrupt pure As we see in a vessell where liquor is of diuerse parts and qualities some thicke some thin the liquid refined standeth aboue most cleare the dregs grosse substāce go downe to the bottom there lye pressed downe shake the vessell and the dregs rise vp all is said to be troubled that it is hard in that mixture to see which is the one which is the other Euen so is it in the Church of God common-wealth of Israel when superstition and impiety are aduanced which like muddy dirty dregs should be kept downe on the contrary pure religion and piety which like sweet wholesome wine should be kept aloft and preserued from mixture is put downe mingled with superstition humane traditions that be contrary to the word then all things are sayd to be troubled and out of order Now when things fall out thus there is great difference betweene the affection iudgement of the wicked and of the godly The wicked thinke things to be then at best stay when they with their superstitions impieties may preuaile but the godly hauing iudgement are of a contrary mind knowing for certaine by the wisdom of Gods word that men are then in greatest danger whē the wicked thinke that they are in greatest peace safety And then do they that feare God hold things to be well ordered in peaceable state where iustice holinesse are preferred iniquity profanesse cast out as they deserue And to these ends both contend Achab chargeth Elijah to be a troubler disturber of the Church common wealth standeth stoutly to proue both for as touching religion nothing was more acceptable vnto that corrupt king who had sold himselfe to worke wickednes then the aduancement of idolatry with might maine to maintaine the same Elijah on the other side endeuored nothing so much as to draw the people from idolatry to set vp the true pure worship of the true God therfore Achab said that Elijah troubled Israel And as for the ciuill state that was also troubled because the king wold enioy his kingdom with the commodities of this life ruffle it out in all wealth abūdance which was much abated for wāt of raine in the 3. yeares of famine therfore the kingdom of Israel was troubled both as touching religion also ciuil gouernment this is the substance of Achabs quarrell against Elijah But now marke how the Prophet behaueth and acquiteth himselfe against the king He admitteth nothing vnworthy a Prophet messenger of God he dealt cōstantly defended his ministery couragiously He did not cast downe himselfe at the kings feet he did not craue pardon for that which he had done he did not promise to amēd if in any thing he had displeased the king Not for that he was proud arrogant but because he perceiued the kings accusation directly to impeach the credit of Gods word as if the trouble that he complained of grew from that nothing else Therefore thou troublest Israel saith the Apostle not I but thou and thy fathers house for thou hast taken away the true worship of God drawest the people to Baal a filthy idoll by which meanes thou prouokest the Lord