all that they desire or delight in Giue me the substance of religion saith sinceritie and me the ceremonie saith hypocrisie giue me the bodie of Christianitie saith sincerity and me the shadow saith hypocrisie let me haue praise of God saith sinceritie and me the praise of men saith hypocrisie let not me lack the thing without which I cannot serue the Lord saith sinceritie and me to serue the time and my owne turne saith hypocrisie giue me a good conscience before God saith sinceritie tush conscience was hanged long ago giue me goods and worldly riches saith hypocrisie giue me vertue and honestie saith sinceritie and let me borrow their clokes to play my part in and that shall serue my turne saith hypocrisie giue me peace with God saith sinceritie and me with my honest neighbours saith hypocrisie as for God I shall do well inough with him Handle the matter castè that is purely saith sinceritie cautè that is warily saith hypocrisie Take heede for God seeth thee saith sinceritie nay take heede that the world see thee not and then good inough saith hypocrisie It is against the word of God saith sinceritie therefore leaue it tush so long as he can haue no vantage against me by law I care not saith hypocrisie Qui vadit planè vadit sanè that is he that goeth plainely to worke goeth safely to worke saith sinceritie Qui nescit dissimulare nescit viuere that is he that cannot tell how to dissemble cannot tell how to liue saith hypocrisie You see then the difference between the nature of sinceritie and the nature of hypocrisie The one you see is like a rich King in a beggars cote amongst men Because as Christ our head said of himselfe when he liued poorely and contemptibly vpon earth My kingdome is not of this world and I haue meate to eate that you know not of so must Christs members say we are poore and despised in this life because our riches are not of this world and we haue friends that the world know not of The other is like a King in a play who for the time maketh a braue shew domineering ouer such counterfeits as himselfe is hauing vpon him cloth of gold and with the same perhaps are couered a number of scurfe and scabbes lice and vermine and when the Play is done the poore beggarly fellow must be faine to returne home his borrowed coat againe to the right owner and pay well for the hire thereof Now you haue heard the difference consider the matter consult and giue sentence whether this honest man the hypocrite hath so plaied his part before God or mā that he deserueth stil to go on without noting and neuer to be vncased or no. And so much shall suffise for the vncasing of the hypocrite and descrying of his nature Now it remaineth that you see his reward by that time I hope you wil not greatly desire to be an actor in his Play but of that in the next Sermon Now as for those that thinke I haue too particularly applyed this doctrine let them know that if Eliah did well in telling of Achab that it was he that troubled Israel and if Iohn Baptist did well in telling King Herod that he might not haue his brothers wife and the Ministers of the Gospell haue the same authoritie that they had then do we not amisse to make speciall application of our doctrine as they did Againe if the Apostle said well when he said Those that sinne openly rebuke openly that others may feare 1. Tim. 2. then do not they well which find fault with vs for following the Apostles rule For whom haue I admonished or reproued but publike persons by office and publike abuses and scandals by them committed and giuen to the great dishonour of God and hurt of this Church Lastly if a Preacher may speak to the Prince when he preacheth before the Prince and to the Iudges of Assizes and to the Iurours and to the Lawyers particularly and to the Bishops and to Iustices all being publike persons and charge them in Gods name to looke to their office and amend that which is amisse and that safely without daunger yea boldly with good warrant then do not I see but that any Pastour by his pastorall authoritie may in his owne congregation speake particularly to a Churchwarden or a Sideman and tell them what they ought to do yea more and charge them to do their office faithfully too yea and more then that if they haue bene admonished priuately and friendly and yet will not be admonished but take vpon them still to dispense with their oath and suffer Gods Church as much as lyeth in them to go to wracke then to reproue them both openly and roundly that themselues may repent if they belong to God or others may feare as the Apostle saith And vntill the Maior of a towne and the Churchwardens and other officers of a parish can shew me by Scripture or common reason that they be of greater state then Kings Queenes and Princes be of or then Noblemen Iudges and Bishops be of or that they be more priuiledged and exempted from the reproofe and censure of the word especially when their offences are publike and desperate then others be whom I haue named before and take to be farre aboue them surely I must and shall by Gods grace both hold my former opinion and as occasion shall serue declare the same by practise that is by making of speciall application of the doctrine to the generall and publike offenders and offences of this congregation Let him that hath an eare to heare heare what I say and let him that hath an heart sanctified consider well of it and let him that hath grace from God make a good vse of that that hath bene said As for the rest I say as Ioshua said let them chuse what they will do whether they will make a conscience of their dutie or dispense with their oath as they haue done I for my part will surely by Gods grace do that which belongeth to a true Pastor of Iesus Christ. And as Saint Iohn said he that is filthie let him be more filthie and he that is froward let him be more froward and he that will be obstinate let him be more obstinate and he that will be an hypocrite let him be more hypocriticall that their sinnes may be full ripe against the day of Gods vengeance But so many as feare the Lord in truth of heart and are truly humbled to endure the sifting and triall of the word of God and are desirous vnfainedly to yeeld obedience to the holy will of God let vs go on forward in our good courses without feare or fainting and God our heauenly Father in whom is our trust will surely keepe vs from finall falling away and in his rich mercie will pardon all our sinnes in the merite of Christ his bloudy passion blessed be his name for euer Amen Now let vs praise God THE VII
in deede only to watch and catch at a word and a halfe taking only what will serue their turne like the diuell himselfe to intangle thereby the preacher if they like him not You shal haue many of these come orderly and marke attentiuely as if they would latch euery word with their mouthes but as it was with the Prophet Ezechiels auditors so is it with them their harts runne another way and they meane not to follow any thing that is giuen in charge and therefore when they are gone with their mouthes they make iestes of the Sermon And to the Minister of Christ commonly their answer is you do well sir to tell vs our dutie and to tell euery man his owne well fare your heart you do well sir you do well to discharge your conscience and if we do not as you bid vs that is our fault we must answer for it and though we do as our honest neighbourt do yet we hope God is a good God will hold vs excused he is not so hard as many would make men beleeue The last sort of open hypocrites that are not yet vncased are common cauillers deprauers of the truth and of those that teach the same Some carpe and cauil at that which they vnderstand but like not as the Lawyer in Luke 14. Maister in so saying thou puttest vs to rebuke also when Christ touched Lawyers and as the couetous Iewes which mocked Christ when he preached against couetousnesse Luke 17. Some cauil at that which they vnderstand not as the Iewes which called Paules preaching babling and new doctrine when he preached the resurrection Oh but will some say he reuengeth his owne priuate quarrels and grudges in the pulpit yea he speaketh of malice and therefore we cannot regard that which he preacheth Doth he so verily the greater is his sinne if he doth so But if those be Gods quarels which thou callest his quarrels and if that be spoken in the euidence of the Spirite with plaine demonstration of the truth which thou sayest is in malice against thee then is it euident that thou hast played the grosse hypocrite so vncharitably to accuse so rashly to iudge and so wrongfully to condemne the Minister of the truth and pretendest thou carest not what and all to put by the blow of Gods sword that so thy sinne might not be launced and yet in the meane time be a professour of religion And what art thou oh man sayth the Scripture that thou iudgest another mans seruant whose heart is knowne to his God and not to thee and to God he either standeth or falleth and not to thee Alas this is an old obiection and slaunder of great antiquity common to all the true Preachers of the word and it hath euer bene the common practise of all hypocrites which meant to liue and dye in their sinnes when they knew not what to say for themselues and fearing that the truth would choke them if they should swallow it to cast it vp againe saying that it was spoken of malice and reuenge So played king Achab who had sold himselfe to worke wickednesse he could not deny but that Micaiah was a true Prophet a plaine dealing man but yet he could not away with him and why so forsooth because he doth not prophecie good but euill vnto me that is he speakes that that likes me not so many cry now adaies he hath not the good-wil of his hearers and why because he doth not seek to please them he is too tart he hath a bitter spirite he doth not heale but wound they do not complaine that he hath a flattering spirite or a lying spirite or a soothing spirite or a fearefull spirite or a pleasing spirite for all this hypocrites can away withall well inough because such a spirite is toothsome but that he hath a quicke and sharpe spirite and his reproofes are sensible and bitter this is wholesome but not toothsome and therefore not to be brooked of hypocrites But now let vs consider my brethren whether this will go for currant payment in the day of the Lord or no Why hast thou cast my word behind thy backe will the Lord say Our aunswer will be because we did not loue him that deliuered it But why did you hate him Because he did not please vs. Not please you why did he preach errours and lyes No we could not find any fault with his doctrine that is sound but yet we cannot away with him he was too plaine and round with vs. Too plaine why that was for your good if planè and sanè if both plaine and sound Oh but Lord we like not his life he was couetous and hard and proud and had no loue in him he was not sociable no good companion not one of his neighbours do loue him Well shall the Lord say thine own conscience thou hypocrite shal giue euidence against thee and conuict thee of false witnesse bearing against many of my seruants in these respects if I now do acquite them what are they the worse for thy bad constructions and hard words And if thy conscience do now proue to thy face that all these allegations were but counterfeit deuises to couer thy sinne withall what art thou the better though all thy neighbours take thy part for thou knowest and I know it much more that many of my seruants haue sought peace at thy hands and then hast thou prepared thy selfe to warre they haue vsed all good meanes to procure thy loue and good liking in the truth and thou hast then construed euery thing in the worst part against them that thou couldest imagine to their faces thou hast spoken faire words and behind their backes thou hast vsed all lying slanderous speeches wherby thou hast made them odious in the world when they would haue taken al paines to do thy soule good thou hast complotted by al waies and meanes to discourage them and to greeue and quench my spirite in them So doe hypocrites which loue not the pure light of truth and so hast thou done And admit that all this were true which thou pretendest yet so long as they came in my name vnto thee with my message reuealed in my word which thou couldest not disproue but carpe at yet oughtest thou to haue heard them to beleeue them and to feare at my word comming out of their mouthes in charity to haue iudged the best of their affections or praied for thē knowing that I which am the searcher of the hart would surely call them to reckning for their affections if they were not vpright in my sight but now in that thou hast deuised mischiefe of thine owne head and put it before thee as a stumbling blocke of purpose to fall vpon and to cause others to fall with thee seeing as thou hast through my seruants sides euen pierced my name my glory and not stayed there but pearked vp Lucifer-like into my seate to
conceits and vncharitable surmises as there be heads to heare But it is no matter my brethren thinke and speake of me at your pleasure so long as I haue the truth on my side I care the lesse words are but wind and truth will preuaile in the end and iudge them that now condemne it Saint Paule telleth me that I must passe through good report and bad report and I thanke God so I haue doue meetly well and to the Galathians he saith thus Am I Paul become your enemy because I tel you the truth to shew that whosoeuer will speake the truth shall be counted an enemy But what sayth the same Apostle If I seeke to please men I cannot please God and therfore I am at a point God gaue me an vpright heart in his sight and then as for the fauour and disfauour of the world his will be done But now to the matter in hand Do not your almes that is your good deedes to be seene of men as hypocrites do Our Sauiours purpose is to illustrate his precept by an example of counterfeits and players who do all their feats of purpose to be seene of men to which end they haue a stage erected that mē may see them making proclamation that whosoeuer come to such a place at such an houre shal see such a mans players that is such a mans hypocrites make a play that is play the hypocrites by counterfeiting and shewing diuerse mens actions and diuerse mens persons which they are not neither act they indeede Therefore seeing that the nature and practise of players doth most fitly serue to set foorth the nature practise of such as do but counterfeit and dissemble in the profession and practise of religion when they would be thought to be in good earnest and seeing that for their counterfeiting plaiers were the first that were termed amongst prophane writers hypocrites therefore I say the Scripture hath borrowed that name of them translated it to all that play the dissemblers counterfeits in Gods businesse or otherwise Of this iudgement is master Caluin whose words are these in his Euangelicall Harmony vpon this place Nam quum hypocritae profanis scriptoribus dictifuerint histriones qui in scena ludis fictas personas agebant Scriptura hoc nomen ad homines duplices corde simulatos transtulit that is seeing as players which in Enterludes and on stages did faine and counterfeit the persons of other men were termed hypocrites by prophane writers the Scripture hath translated that name vnto dissemblers and men of a double heart And most fitly are they both called hypocrites because they both counterfeit alike and make a shew before men of that which they are not before God yea so like are they one to another as things cast both in a mould or as those men are that for their likenesse in fauour and condition or for their neerenesse in affinity or office do call one another brothers Amongst Players one counterfeiteth the King and yet is no King but a base fellow in comparison another counterfeiteth a merchant and yet is no merchant but a beggarly companion others come to fight and yet do not fight but dally one with another others scold and brawle and seeme to be at mortal enmitie one against another like some kind of Lawyers at the barre for their Clients but when they are gone they are as good friends as euer they were and laugh at them whom they haue made fooles But indeed certaine persons amongst Players are to be excepted which are not counterfeited for some play the fooles part and are fooles indeed some play the varlets part and are varlets indeede some play the rogues part and are rogues indeede some play the cousiners part and are cousiners indeed some play the parts of lewd men and lewde women and are lewde indeede so that these I thinke haue wrong done them to be tearmed hypocrites because they do not counterfeit the parts they play but are the same indeed that they make shew of except it be in regard of the persons which they represent that they be called hypocrites for those persons they are not indeede though the qualitie of those persons they haue indeed In like manner is it with men of a double heart in religion or otherwise Some seeme to pray when they do not pray but babble with their lips wordes which their minds thinke not of and their hearts consent not vnto and keepe a stir for thrise a weeke seruice not caring for the Sabbath day and come perhaps of contention too rather then of any deuotion These are in shew deuout but in truth deuout hypocrites Some pretend friendship while with the lion they offer to lick poore men whole with a dinner at Christmas or the loane of a little money or the sale of some rotten commoditie while with their teeth that is by cruell practises ill neighbours to a smooth tongue they meane to pray vppon them these are in shew friends but in truth friendly hypocrites Some make a shew of zeale to the glorie of God when their zeale is nothing but bitter malice and malicious bitternesse a thing that too many in the ministerie are guiltie of and wherewith many zealous and faithfull Preachers are vniustly charged by hypocrites But our comfort is that God doth acquite vs when the wicked do condemne vs but they that are maliciously zealous are zealous hypocrites Some in their humble and courteous behauiour seeme altogether to be compounded of humilitie with kind speeches and friendly offers as yours to commaund I owe you any seruice that I can meaning indeed euer to owe it and neuer to pay any I haue the courtesie of the towne for you and I maruell when you will come to our house and I wote not what when indeed they meane no such matter these are humble and kind hypocrites Some seeme very carefull for the poore like Iudas when they would oppresse the Church and either disburden themselues or else enrich themselues with the spoiles of the Church these are charitable benefacting hypocrites Some make a shew of a troubled conscience and seeme desirous of resolution in their pretended doubts when they purpose onely to entrappe the Preacher these are afflicted hypocrites Some seeme to harken to the Preacher very attentiuely and deuoutly when in their hearts they turne most of that they heare into a iest because they like it not these are attentiue hypocrits Some make as though they desired nothing more then the obseruation of the Princes lawes when in the meane time they freely violate all lawes themselues these are lawlesse hypocrites Some crie God forbid but that euery man should haue his due and in the meane time practise all the deuises that may be to defeat euery man these are conscionable or rather vnconscionable hypocrites Some pretend the discharge of their office when they meane thereby to play their parts against some whom they owe a grudge vnto now
at all or else where is the common distinction of ciuility and religion Of ciuill actions and religious actions The answer is easie and to stand long vpon such a point were but to trifle away the time We speake now of Christians in name and profession at the least and not of the heathen and euery one that professeth himselfe a Christian professeth also the workes of Christianitie in shew at the least which are as hath bene shewed the workes of the second table aswell as of the first which selfe same works may be done both ciuilly and religiously too and so one and the same man in one and the same action may shew himselfe both a ciuill honest man and a religious honest man As for example the law of the Prince commaundeth me to pay my debts to helpe my neighbour to releeue the poore c. As a subiect owing obedience to my prince I do these things and therein I do the part of a ciuill man because I obey vnto ciuill authoritie But if in doing of the same things I haue an eye vnto God who commaundeth the same things and do them in his feare and of loue vnto his Maiestie then do I the same things both religiously ciuilly too As for the heathen or heathenish professors of the Gospell if they do obey ciuill authoritie for feare or for vaineglorie or for any other end then the loue of their neighbour which also must flow out of the loue of God as being the end of the law they also play the hypocrites because they seeme to loue their neighbour when they onely loue themselues And to make all this more full and plaine which hath bene said let vs heare what our Sauiour Christ saith to the matter who is the best expositor of his owne mind In the 23. of Matthew he pronounceth wo eight or nine times against the Scribes and Pharisees for diuerse kinds of hypocrisie or diuerse seuerall counterfeit parts which they played all which were not in matters of religion most were but not all First in the thirteenth verse he saith Wo vnto you Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites because yee shut vp the kingdome of heauen before men for ye your selues goe not in neither suffer ye them that would enter to come in There is one kind of hypocrisie his meaning is that they had one deuice or other still to keepe men from the hearing of Christs preaching which was the verie kingdome of Gods grace and the meane to bring them to the kingdom of glorie and for that matter they had diuerse pretences but because the thing they aymed at was to keepe men from hearing of the Gospell preached therefore Christ calleth them hypocrites When I consider well of that place of Scripture it maketh me remember such Church officers as neuer go foorth to cause men to come to Church but when the Sermon is readie to beginne which they neither care perhaps to heare themselues nor would by their goodwils that others should heare Now because the preaching of the word is the kingdome of Gods grace and the meanes to bring men to the kingdome of glorie let them take heede of Christs wo because they shut vp the kingdome of heauen before men for they themselues go not in neither suffer they them to enter that wold come in and all vnder pretence of executing their office in causing men to come to Church Oh cunning diuell that vnder pretence of bringing men to church can keepe men from that which should let them into the kingdome of heauen that is from hearing the word preached In the 14. verse our Sauiour Christ pronounceth wo vnto the same persons for another kind of hypocrisie and that is this Vnder colour of long prayer they deuoured widows houses for which they were to receiue the greater damnation Here is religious hypocrisie condemned that is vnder shew of any religious dutie to practise mischiefe Some abuse long prayer some short prayer some read prayer some weekely prayer to couer their malice and to make the world beleeue they are deuout persons Let such as do so take heede for Christs sentence is already gone foorth against such they shall receiue the greater damnation In the 15. verse he sayth they playd the hypocrites another way and that was in taking great paines to make men of their painted profession and then to nusle them vp in al kind of grosse hypocrisie and wickednesse to which end they would compasse sea and land and vse all kinds of forcible perswasions pretending their soules health c. Of this sort are all Iesuits and Seminary Priestes which in like manner go from place to place to withdraw men from their right faith to God and true allegiance to their Prince and to reconcile them vnto the Church of Rome In the 16. verse he noteth another grosse hypocrisie and that is to make a conscience of swearing by one thing and no conscience of swearing by another as to sweare by the Temple was with them no sinne but to sweare by the gold of the Temple that was a great sinne And to sweare by the Altar was nothing but to sweare by the offering vpon the Altar that was a great sinne Such hypocrites are they that make it no matter of offence to sweare at euerie word by the holy and dreadfull name of God so they sweare not by that precious bloud which he shed or the wounds which he receiued or some part of his most sacred person And to sweare by the creatures of God as by the light by the fire by their siluer by the bread or other things which God made as also by their faith and troth is no sinne so long as they sweare not by God himselfe But marke what our Sauiour Christ saith vnto all such In the 17. verse he saith thus Ye foolish and blind to shew that there are foolish and blind hypocrites which euer through ignorance and folly commit hypocrisie Whether is greater saith he the gold or the temple that sanctifieth the gold the offering or the Altar that sanctifieth the offering whosoeuer therefore sweareth by the Altar sweareth by it and by all things thereon And whosoeuer sweareth by the temple sweareth by it and by him that dwelleth therein And he that sweareth by heauen sweareth by the throne of God and by him that sitteth thereon And euen so by Christs reason he that sweareth by the light or any other creature sweareth by it and by him that made the same and ruleth the same and he that sweareth by his faith or troth sweareth by it and by God from whom is faith and troth be deriued and on whom they be grounded But to proceed In the 23. verse the Lords Iesus taxeth thē for another kind of hypocrisie that is this They tithe mint and annise and cummin and leaue the weightie matters of the law as iudgement mercy and fidelity This he calleth straining of a gnat and swallowing of a
done as if we had done nothing but euill or else in doing of good we offend God and hazard his heauenly reward which in Christ is layed vp for vs. The contrary to this is it as I take it which the Prophet Habakuk condemneth in the wicked when he sayth They sacrifice vnto their net and burne incense vnto their yarne because by them their portion is fat their meate plenteous Meaning that they imputed all their wealth vnto their owne industry only and to the meanes whereby they compassed the same And surely it is neither good nor safe but very vngodly and dangerous in doing of good workes to make our selues priuie thereunto if we could chuse or once to keepe account with our selues of the good that we do I deny not but that a Christian soule truly humbled in the feeling of his owne vnworthinesse and inability may with some comfort call to remembrance what duties he hath performed the day or weeke that is past through the grace and fauour of God who hath wrought both in him and by him so that withall he be as I say truly humbled and prepared thereunto calling to mind withall to that end what graces he wanteth what sinnes he hath committed what dangers he hath incurred and with what weaknesse and imperfection the good hath bene performed which is a rare thing But surely otherwise it is very dangerous to keepe account vnto our selues of any good deed that we do For by reason of our naturall corruption which cleaueth too fast to euery one and hangeth on if not presseth downe the very regenerate themselues we are so prone and apt to the study affectation of vainglory which is indeed plaine robbing God of his glory that it is a very hard matter to do good and not to be proud of it It fareth with vs as it doth with wanton women who when they vnderstand how faire they are casting away all modesty waxe proud like the Peacocke that alwayes strouteth it when his taile is spred Take for example the Pharisee spoken of in the 18. of Luke whose prayer was proud boasting of his owne righteousnesse First he keepeth a note to himselfe of what grosse sinnes he was free that other men were ouertaken withall then he scoreth vp his good deedes and namely his integrity and vprightnesse in tithing and then his due and constant course of weekely fasting And hauing thus made his left hand priuy to that which his right hand did that is recounting with a wrong affection to himselfe what he had well done he spreadeth his taile and falleth to crowing ouer his poore brother in this sort I thanke God I am not as other men are extortioners vniust adulterers or as this Publican I fast twise in the weeke I giue tithe of all that I possesse as if the proud Peacocke should haue sayd behold my feathers are not of that colour that other birds are of but his feete were which he then remembred not In like manner do many keepe a score of their good deedes and register in their note-bookes what they bestow weekely or monethly or yearly vpon the poore c. I warrant you say some it costs me euery weeke so much and so much ordinarily besides that I spend extraordinarily It were good for them and others the like to regard the admonition of Christ here Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth Do good and make no bodie priuy vnto it if thou canst no not thy owne soule take no notice of any good thou doest thy selfe least thou be proud of it It was the wisedome of God in creating of the woman not to create her vntill he had first cast Adam into a sleepe and while Adam slept he tooke a rib out of his side whereof he made woman least if he had bene awake when this was done he might haue thought that he had had a stroke in it if it had bene no more but suffering or consenting to haue one of his ribs taken from him which yet had bene great folly in him so to haue done So should it be the wisedome of Christians in doing of good deeds to cast their carnall affections in a sleepe least they seeing and knowing what is done should imagine that they had a stroke therein and so should begin to filch and steale some glory to themselues which belonged not vnto them The horse doth employ his strēgth to carry draw but yet he knoweth not so much if he did peraduenture he would not be so subiect vnto man as he is The sheepe doth yeeld vs her fleece to cloth vs and her flesh to feede vs and her lambe for increase but yet she knoweth not so much if she did perhaps she would if she could vpbraid vs by her benefits and not be so beneficial vnto vs as she is The birds with their variety of notes do delight our eare but God saw it not good that they should know so much for if they should perhaps they would be as mute as nonresidents scorning to affoord their musicke vnto such fantasticall and vaine maisters as they now do serue The flowers with their varietie of orient and beautifull colours and fragant and pleasant smels do delight our eyes and refresh our spirits but God saw it not good that they should know so much for if they did perhaps they would disdaine to be abused so much and so little regarded to the praise of their maker as they are In like maner if we could do good workes to the glorie of our God and profit of our brethren and not let our left hand know thereof that is not consult with our carnall and crooked affections about them we should not be so loth to go about them nor so lazie in doing them not so lustie when we haue done them as we are If the Peacocke were hatched blind or could shut his eyes when he spreadeth his taile surely his pride would abate for it is not the hauing of such colours but the knowing them and viewing of them that breedeth conceitednes and causeth his nature to swell So if Christians when they take any blessing from Gods hand or enioy the graces of Gods Spirite or bring foorth the fruites of the same Spirite had not their minds and affections so much bent vpon them and set to vew the beauty of them but could set them to looke narrowly downward vpon their blacke feete that is vppon their sinne and sinfull affections it would be a meanes greatly to humble them Therefore the Apostle sayth Let them that weepe be as though they wept not and them that marry be as though they maried not So sayth the Scripture too Let him that giueth almes be as though he gaue not And in another place he saith of himself his brethrē thus We are as men sorrowing but yet reioycing and as men reioycing yet sorrowing as poore and yet making many rich as dying yet liuing
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
in going whereabout is it It may be they plie it so fast to saue some bodie that is in daunger or to visite the poore and needie No saith the Apostle Their feete are swift to shed bloud But yet it may be their trade and manner of liuing is good and profitable to the Commonwealth No saith the Apostle Destruction and calamitie are in their waies But yet it may be their life is harmlesse and peaceable amongst their honest neighbors No saith he the way of peace they haue not knowne But yet for all this they may feare God in their hearts may they not No saith he The feare of God is not before their eyes Why then we perceiue that a meere naturall man wholly vnregenerate such as Salomon calleth The man of Belial is all one mā both within and without in his life lawlesse and in his heart leude and wicked The vse of this first point is to be made against those wicked mē that being altogether sold vnto sinne and hating reformation will reason in this sort Whatsoeuer my sayings and my doings be or howsoeuer my gestures and outward behauiour be or whatsoeuer my religion be yea though I come not at Church to heare the Sermons nor take any pleasure in the Scriptures c. yet I would you should know it I loue God and I regard Gods word yea I haue as good a hart to God as the best of you But he is deceiued for if a leud heart be a good heart then so it is but a good heart sendeth foorth good things being first renewed by the spirite and grace of God but if thou be a wicked lawlesse Belial and a vaine man that walkest in froward customes c. then know for a certaine that thy heart is full of leude things from whence proceed all thy outward disorders And how can that hart be a good hart to God-ward that is stored with leud things And so much for the first point The second conclusion that ariseth from this place is this that God iudgeth of a man according to that which is in his heart whatsoeuer he be in shewe yea though a false heart may be and is commonly shrowded vnder a ciuill behauiour yet it is seene of God and iudged by him too God seeth not as man seeth saith Samuel man looketh on the outward appearance but God looketh vnto the truth of the heart The hart of man is deceiptfull aboue all things saith Ieremie yet I the Lord search the heart and trie the reines to giue to euery one according to his wayes to shew that the wayes of man are in his heart and none can knowe them throughly but the Lord whose proper office is to search the heart and that he will surely do A needfull point this is for two sorts of people especially to think well vpon The first are Papistes of all sorts Church Papistes and all They are skilfull in their Popish eleuations idolatrous crossings down low duckings demure countenances holy habites and obseruations of times but they keepe their consciences to themselues and the Lord looketh vpon the leudnes and villanies that are lurking in their harts till a fit time serue for the bringing of them foorth as murthering of Princes vndermining of kingdomes and states subuerting the Gospel enriching the kingdome of Antichrist vnder colour of wilfull pouertie besides their whoredomes and other abhominations which make them now so to storme and rage because they are discouered vnto the world But let them looke vnto it God will iudge them for the leude things that are in their hearts Many ceremonies they make like Balaam with his seuen altars c. but both his and their hearts go one way and God seeth it well inough Many prayers and great deuotion they pretend but after the Pharisees fashion who when they seemed to pray most deuoutly then they deuoured most greedily and cruelly poore widowes houses Their Inquisitions are full of such prancks euen amongst their holy fathers but I will not nowe stand raking in those puddles Leude things are in their hearts and God seeth them well inough and will iudge them not so much by that which soundeth in their mouths although he will also iudge them for that but especially by that which is in their hearts This is also to be thought vpon of our politicke Protestants who say they defie Poperie but yet are not many of them very sound at the heart They are too well read and practised in Machiauell to be good Christians they will not sticke to promise to protest to say and vnsay to do any thing for profite and gaine These ciuill honest men can outwardly behaue themselues in print with kind kissings and curteous embracings with courting and saluting but in their heart God seeth much crueltie and couetousnesse deceipt prophanenesse and trecherie like a legion of Diuels in a common Inne for all that come from hell so they bring no godlinesse but gold with them They creep and crouch saith the Psalmist to make the poore fall by heapes into their nets their courtesie and kindnesse is framed rather by art then by heart yet all this artificiall dissembling is seene to God and in time to the world Wo be vnto them if they repent not for Leude things are in their hearts as in the heart of Belial Many are sicke of Amnons disease who seemed to long for cakes of his sister Thamars making but he could not be well till he had his pleasure of his sister And as Absolom inuited his brother Amnon to a great feast of purpose to murther him which he most leudly effected so can many as pollitikely inuite those to their feasts whom they meane to snare and catch at their tables of al which it may be said as it is said here of Belial Whatsoeuer is in their lippes yet Leud things are in their hearts and accordingly will God iudge of them and iudge them too for leud and wicked persons Many of our gilded Polititians and varnished Protestants at large are no whit behind their tutour Machiauel nor his brother the Pope in shrowding a leud heart vnder ciuill pollicie and politicke ciuility to no small endamaging of the Church of Christ but perhappes they thinke that God doth not note it and will not iudge them for it A man may descant vpon Machiauels name as Abigail did vpon Nabals Nabal is his name saith she and folly is with him So Macheuil is his name he matcheth all in euill and an euil match also hath he made for he hath matched a Princesse and a pesant together Christian religion and carnall pollicie together or diuellish pollicie rather who agree like the bondwoman and the freewoman that were in Abrahams house the one hating scoffing and persecuting the other so that there could be no peace in the house vntill they were parted asunder yea vntill the bondwoman and her sonne were cast out of the
in his heart whatsoeuer shew he maketh outwardly Thirdly that the cause of all outward disorder and scandalous behauiour is in the wicked mans owne heart Now it remaineth that we consider of the three other points which being propounded in the former Sermon for want of time I could not intreat of Whereof the first is this that so long as the heart is vnreformed and continueth stored with leud things it is not possible to be a good man For vntill then as we may perceiue by this anatomie of Belial the affections will be rebellious and lawlesse the speech will be froward and peeuish our religion will be hypocriticall and counterfeit our prayers will be lippe-labour and cold babling our zeale will be either none at all or very bitter rash our faith will be meere historicall our loue will proue onely self-loue our anger reuengefull and iniurious our life dissolute and scandalous our repentance desperate and faithlesse and our death dreadfull and comfortlesse Therefore if any would reforme his life he must first reforme his heart from whence as from a spring floweth continually a streame of corruption and vnrighteousnesse vnto death if it be not reformed and altered or of holinesse and righteousnesse vnto life if it be well reformed and kept Therefore Salomon pointing to the right way that leadeth to the reformation of maners saith Keepe thy heart with all diligence and addeth this as a reason for thereout cometh life and thereout cometh death And out of the heart saith our Sauiour Christ proceede euill thoughts adulteries murthers fornications debate strife c. speaking of an euill and vnregenerate heart to shew that a wicked mans heart is like a filthie dunghill which both breedeth and harboureth all kind of venimous vermine and as a snake on a sunnie day commeth foorth of her hole so the wicked when fit time and occasion serue do set foorth and shew the ware and stuffe which was hidden in their heart saying in the meane time as Esau did When the daies of mourning for my father Isaac do come then I will kill my brother Iacob which agreeth with that that Dauid speaketh of his enemie in Psal. 41.6 His heart heapeth vp iniquitie within him and when he commeth foorth he vttereth it Many counterfeit holinesse deuotion sobrietie loue and kindnesse and indeede they do but counterfeit for holy and deuout and sober and louing and kind c they cannot be so long as the heart or inward man is vnreformed In vaine do we sweepe the channels of the streete except we stop the fountaines from whence they flow In vaine do we crop the weedes except we dig vp their rootes from whence they receiue their nourishment In vaine do we plaister the sore except it be searched and cleansed to the bottom So in vaine do we labour to bring forth good actions without except first we labour to beget good affections within How canst thou say that thou louest me when thy heart is not with me said Dalilah to Sampson which she vttered as a common knowne principle in nature to be denyed of none that all loue is but counterfeit and false which cometh not from the heart And therefore whosoeuer will loue indeed must beginne first at his heart and frame that to loue And the like is to be said of other affections and all the actions or effects that proceed froÌ„ them The hart among the members of the bodie is like a great commaunder among his souldiers looke which way he goeth that way go they Well may we preach and long may we heare of the reforming of our liues of mortifying our pride our strange fashions our wantonnesse our couetousnesse our malice c. the tongue will make but a iest at the matter so long as the heart is vnreformed as appeareth by the testimonie that the Lord giueth against Ezechiels Auditours They heare thee saith the Lord as my people vse to heare but with their mouths they make iests at thee and thy Sermons their hearts run after their couetousnesse to shew that there is no outward obedience to be looked for where the heart yeeldeth not to obey for all actions outward wil follow the affections of the heart On the other side winne the heart and all is wonne without which there is no rowing but against the streame A readie heart maketh a readie hand to giue a readie tongue to speake a readie eare to heare and a readie foote to goe And a holy religious heart maketh a holy and religious hearing speaking and liuing Who were they that brought so bountifull gifts to the building of the Lords holy tabernacle among the Iewes as we reade in Exod. 35.21.22 verses It is said in the 29. verse Euery one whose hearts moued them willingly to bring brought some gold some siluer some silke some badgers skinnes some stones c. yea vntill they were forced to stay by proclamation to shew that when the heart is wonne to be willing and to like of the worke the worke shall go well forward and nothing will seeme hard to a willing mind When Dauids heart was enditing or framing of a good matter then was his tongue readie like the pen of a swift writer to declare the same And whosoeuer can say with Dauid O God my heart is prepared shall follow with Dauid and say so is my tongue also I will sing and giue praise to shew that when the heart is not readie to serue God nothing is readie for all tarrie for the heart Therefore it is that the Scripture doth so much call vpon vs to reforme our harts In the three and twentieth of the Proverbs the twelfth verse Salomon saith Apply thy heart to instruction and thine eares to the wordes of knowledge But first the heart and then the eares will follow and in the seuenteenth verse Let not thy heart be enuious against sinners but let it be in the feare of the Lord continually In the nineteenth verse O my sonne heare and be wise and guide thy heart in the way And in the 26. verse My sonne giue me thy heart and let thine eyes delight in my wayes And no maruell for what shall the Mariners do if the Pilote be false at the helme of the ship What shall the souldiers do at the hold if the captaine of the hold be a traitour A false heart is like such a Pilote and such a captaine yea a false heart is like Iudas among the disciples who carried the purse and made the prouision for all the rest laying vp one groate for his maâ—ster and tenne for himselfe A bad Cater being a cunning theefe and a secret traitour So the heart is the storer if that be secretly false and trecherous it will store the bodie with leudnesse and if it chaunce to speake one word for Gods glorie he will addresse and set foorth in most braue sort a thousand for
his own Here is much ado when the Lords day cometh to reforme and decke the bodie the apparell must not haue a spot or wrinckle the house fine and euery thing neate and trimme but no care to reforme the heart and therefore the word of the Lord is vnto vs as a tale that is told which we like not in at one eare and out at the other or as water to the Blackemoore great washing but we neuer the whiter When we go to a feast and when we meete our friends we haue much care to set our gestures our words and our lookes after the ciuillest manner but the heart is still after the old fashion badde inough leude things are in that reforme that and all the rest will be well Thou wouldest serue God but thou thinkest that thou art not fine enough nay rather thinke that thou hast a proude heart and seekest thy owne selfe Thou wouldest giue to the poore but for feare of wanting for thy selfe nay rather feare that thy heart is not enlarged with the bowels of mercie and liberalitie Thou wouldest goe to thy neighbour that hath offended thee and is offended at thee but for feare that he should thinke thou art glad to seeke vnto him and so shouldst be more contemned of him but rather thinke that thy heart is not humble and peaceable Thou haddest not committed such nor such sinnes but for such and such persons thou sayest who enticed thee thereunto Nay rather say that thy heart was not well bounded with the feare and loue of God but lay open like a common field whose hedge is plucked vp to the ground for all vnchast vnpure and vile thoughts to breake in Iosephs heart was surely grounded in the knowledge of Gods will in the obeying of his word and strongly bounded with the feare of God and therfore do his mistresse what she could she could not by any meanes breake into the hold of his chastitie though she did strongly assault it Let religion be in thy heart and that will make thee serue God with the congregation of his people in such as thou hast yea through heate and cold no weather will keep thee from the publique seruice of God It will make thee with Zacheus to climbe a tree to see Christ and with the creeple in the fifth of Iohn desire some bodie to carrie thee into the poole of the heauenly waters and liuely fountaines of Gods word when the Angell Gods Minister doth stirre them So farre thou wilt be from saying the weather is too cold or too hote I am not well I am troubled with a murre and I know not what as the manner of many daintie ones is to do when they haue no loue of God or his truth in their hearts So also let loue and humilitie and mercie and zeale be in thy heart and they will cause thee to giue to forgiue and to seek peace and to speake of the Lords statutes euen before Kings and wilt not be ashamed except it be that for want of those graces thou couldest not performe those duties any sooner And so much for that point in discoursing whereof we see plainely that vntill the heart be reformed a man cannot be a good man nor an honest man and how they take a wrong course that beginne to reforme their outward partes and not their hearts first i the next place we are to consider of the piercing nature and searching power or powerfull searching of the word of God which dealeth with the heart searcheth the heart maketh lawes for the heart findeth out the leudnesse of the heart and reproueth the thoughts of the heart searching and discouering euen the most secret corners and closets of the heart to see how those lawes are kept or broken for as the Lord doth see the heart himselfe and cannot otherwise do because he maketh it and ruleth it so by his word he searcheth and gageth the same Not to be better enformed himselfe of any thing that is there for he from euerlasting at one instant had and for euer hath all the thoughts intents imaginations and purposes of all hearts in the world open before him knowing them all before they be conceiued with the meanes and maner of their entrance and all the effectes of them being conceiued but it is to shew vs his poore creatures and vnworthy children that we serue such a God and Father as doth know vs truly euen to the very heart and the most secret thoughts thereof and further that we also might hereby learne to know our selues and reforme our owne hearts which without the light of the word we could neuer do And therefore Dauid asking the question how a yong man may reforme his wayes meaning how he shall bridle his affections and order his wordes and his deedes he maketh no other aunswere but this Euen by taking heede thereunto according to thy word And to this end he hath giuen giftes vnto men Ephes. 4. euen his spirite of wisedome and of vnderstanding and of counsell and of courage Esa. 11.3 Nowe therefore whosoeuer being endued with that searching and powerfull spirite in any measure handleth and deuideth the word aright cannot choose but rifle the very thoughts of the hart Yea the faithfull Minister of God shall search the hearts of his hearers whether he will or no and sometimes shall be in their bosomes when he hath no such purpose Some say to themselues as Ieremy did when he was had in contempt and hatred for speaking against the speciall sinnes of his time They will not make any more mention of God nor speake any more in his name but the word of the Lord is in their heart as a burning fire shut vp in their bones and they are wearie with forbearing yea they cannot stay but must vtter it And then they speake so to the consciences of men that if a stranger or an vnlearned man come in in the meane time he feeleth his heart discouered and is rebuked of all men as he thinketh for he thinketh that his secret thoughts are then knowne to all men and he confesseth plainely that God is amongest them as the Apostle sheweth 1. Cor. 14.24 which is a very sure argument that this word which we preach is the word of God for what lawes or writings can deale so with the heart and consciences of men but onely the lawes and Scriptures of the most high who onely searcheth the heart Of this point we may make a double vse first it may teach vs for a certaine truth that there is no thought in the heart but that God is priuie to it for when he shall giue man a spirite to search and knowledge to iudge the hearts of men which aboue all thinges are so deceiptfull that they cannot be knowne as the Prophet Ieremy telleth vs meaning that no man by his owne skill can throughly sound the depth of any mans heart nor
perfectly know his owne how much more doth God himselfe search and know them most perfectly and exactly who is all wisedome it selfe Elijah was a sharpe sighted Prophet as any was in all Israel yet he could see no more then himselfe left which stood zealously for the glorie of God and hated Baal but the Lord saw 7000. in Israel which neuer bowed their knees to Baal more then Elijah saw So the Ministers of the word of God may see and shew vs a little corruption but God will find 7000. times more then they can find Dauid was priuie to his owne heart as much as any man and yet he could not see all the sinnes that lurked there and therfore he prayeth against his secret faultes And if our hearts condemne vs sayth Saint Iohn God is greater then our hearts and knoweth all things Therfore when by the light of the word of God shining in our hearts we see more corruption in our selues then we did before let vs thanke God and repent of it for to that end doth the Lord hold forth that candle to discouer vnto vs our hidden corruption and to draw vs to repentance and not to stay there neither but pray against more that we know not of by reason of our ignorance negligence and not to thinke ourselues well when we haue repented that which we know Secondly seeing as this knowledge is conueyed vnto vs of Gods mercie and fauour by the right deuiding of the word of God let vs learne so to take it and embrace it as a mercie and fauour of God who doth thus seeke vs out when we loose ourselues And whosoeuer would be throughly well acquainted with his owne heart let him be a diligent searcher of it by the continuall reading of the Scriptures hearing of Sermons and dayly meditation in that which he readeth and heareth for want wherof the wicked blind Atheists and Epicures and other profane persons which care not for the word of God know no more the deceipt of sinne nor the corruption of their hearts then the bruite beast doth but glorie and reioyce in that which is their vtter shame and how can they repent them of that which they glorie in and that is the leud things of their hearts which for want of the heauenly light they cannot discerne And this is that which Salomon meaneth when he saith the wicked shall die for want of instruction and go astray through his great folly And as for their owne naturall light it is in comparison but meere darknesse and a false light that like a Drapers shop light doth deceiue men with false colours And further let no man be offended with the minister of God who doth but hold forth the glasse which doth shew vnto them the spottes and deformities of their soules Nay rather let vs accompt him the best teacher that commeth nearest our consciences and that a good Sermon that rippetth and tumbleth vp all our hearts And if we go from a Sermon which doth not trouble vs and like a purgation worke strongly in discouering and disturbing our hearts and the sinnes that lurke there then let vs thinke that either we haue dead hard harts or else that the speaker wanted either will skill or courage or that his weapons had no edge and his phisicke no strength But many in steed of making this vse of it do presently thinke that some body hath told the Preacher some tales of them as the proude men of Ierusalem sayd that Ieremy spake as Baruch the son of Neriah had prouoked him against them and do maruel how he came to the knowledge of their thoughts and of their wordes which in secret they haue vttered as the King of Aram maruelled who disclosed his secrets to the King of Israel Now Elisha hauing the spirite of prophesie was able to do it and did it so likewise the Ministers of Christ hauing the light of the word with the direction and power of the Spirit of God can in some measure also disclose vnto vs when we heare them the secrets of our hearts and that we should be out of all doubt for this matter the Apostle telleth vs plainely that this is the powerfull working of the word of God Which sayth he is liuely and mightie in operation and sharper then any two edged sword and entreth through euen to the deuiding asunder of the soule and the spirite and of the ioyntes and of the marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart Then as for God himselfe in the next verse he sayth That all things are naked and open vnto his eyes And so much for this first point namely the power of the word of GOD which telleth vs what is in Belials heart Now it will be time to see what remedie may be had against those leud things that breede in the heart whereby we may approue our selues in the sight of God such as need not feare that sudden and irrecouerable vengeance which is to fall vppon the man of Belial And surely whither shall we go for a remedy but vnto him that hath told vs the state of our harts and that is to God himself who doth not only by his word tell vs what we are but also what we ought to be and by what meanes we may be as we should be That which Dauid appointed to redresse the young mans wayes is the onely meane both for young and olde to reforme themselues by and that is the word of God That which discerneth and sheweth vs the diseases of our harts is that which also prescribeth a remedy against the same but the word of God hath shewed vs that leud things are in the heart therefore the word of God also will shew vs how to reforme the heart and is like a skilfull Phisition who both sheweth the disease and the remedy Now the meanes which are prescribed in the word are of two sorts either Restoratiue in regard of the time past or Preseruatiue in regard of the time to come and both of God which the holy Prophet Dauid acknowledgeth when he sayth My soule prayse thou the Lord which forgiueth thee all thy sins and healeth all thine infirmities And the same doth Ieremy also confesse when he saith Heale me ô Lord and I shall be whole saue me and I shall be saued for thou art my praise For the time past forgiuenesse is to be had for the time to come deliuerance from euill To obtaine forgiuenesse of our leudnesse and wickednesse past two things are requisite Repentance and prayer So much doth the words of Peter to Simon Magus import Repent thee of this thy wickednesse saith he pray God that if it be possible the thought of thy hart may be forgiuē thee So our Sauiour Christ also taught vs in that prayer which we therfore call the Lords prayer Forgiue vs our trespasses and deliuer vs from euill That our
against the land but as for me I recall them vnto the God of my fathers stand for the lawes of God giuen in mount Sinai Therefore I am not he that troubleth the land the controuersie is raised by thy selfe for thou contendest with God and his word which I stand for In like sort may we also answer all Papists and Atheists when they call vs troublesome fellowes We stand for the true worship of Iesus Christ and the glory of God we receiue the holy Scriptures as containing all things necessary to saluation so do not they we vse the Sacraments not in part but in whole so do not they not with any Popish eleuations or superstitious adoration or kneeling to the Sacrament as they do we will not worship idols or the creature for the Creator as they do therefore not we but they are contentious disturbers of the Church of God Happy is that Church and common wealth which is gouerned by the word of God then vnhappy are those that follow the inuentions of men reiect the commaundements of God It was a strong argument that Elijah vsed wherewith he brake the kings hart and made him to yeeld And in other places of the Scripture also is this word troubling vsed in that same sence as in Iosh. 7.25 Achan troubled Israel because he did contrary to Gods commandement take vnto himselfe by stealth also things excommunicate and accursed Simeon and Leui also are sayd to trouble Iacob their father because trecherously they slue the Sechemires Gen. 34 29. I maruell saith S. Paul that you are so soone turned away vnto another Gospell which indeede is not another Gospell but some among you trouble you and intend to peruert the Gospell of Christ. All which places do shew that they are the troublers of Gods Church which violate Gods commandements which adulterate his worship which deale falsly with his couenant which hinder the course of the Gospell and labour to draw away men from the loue of the truth Thus then we see that all are not to be condemned which haue contended for that in euery contention there are two parts each contrary to other and if the cause of the one be good the other must needes be bad They that defend Gods right or the Churches right or their owne right are not to be called contentious persons but defendants And they that complaine of wrong offered to God or to his Church or to the common wealth or to themselues are not contentious persons but plaintiues as they are termed in law But because the Magistrate as Peter Martyr saith is Lex animata a liuing law and representeth the person of God therefore he is to be receiued obeyed without contending or resisting so long as he commaundeth and ruleth by the word of God or by honest and ciuill decrees not repugnant to the word of God and in things indifferent also he is to be obeyed although to some they may seeme grieuous euen as seruants must obey seeke to please not only their curteous and gentle maisters but also those that are froward and hard to please But if he shall command any thing against the word of God he is not to be obeyed for the Apostle sayth It is better to obey God then man And as we ought not in such cases to obey him so neither ought we to rebell against him but meekely to submit our felues vnto such penalties and punishments as he by his lawes shall inflict vppon vs. Or if he shall giue bad example in his owne person or suffer euill to go vnpunished we may hauing a lawfull calling thereunto and ought to reproue him for it or rather to admonish him as a father as Paule teacheth Neither can we be iustly condemned for contentious Belials if in such cases we do lawfully contend against him Nay more as impiety must not be obeyed so it must be reproued with all zeale and earnestnesse of afaffection so much as lyeth in vs by the examples of Christ Iohn Baptist the rest of the Prophets and Apostles who cannot without great impietie be counted raisers of contention but sowers of peace and vnitie by contending for the truth Moses and Aron troubled Pharaoh when they told him of his wicked detaining the Israelites Iosiah Hezekiah and Asa good Kings troubled the idolaters when they suppressed their groues their images and their hill Altars Daniel and his fellowes troubled Nebuchadnezzar when they told him that they would not fall downe before his image that he had caused to be set vp to be worshipped So Michaiah troubled Achab when he told him that he should not returne in peace if he went to warre against Ramoth Gilead So Iohn Baptist troubled Herod when he told him that it was not lawfull for him to keepe his brothers wife and all these were in their time counted troublesome seditious and contentious persons And so are they in our time also counted who reproue the abuses and disorders of Princes Courts the negligence of Bishops and the corruptions of their Ecclesiasticall Courts the couetousnesse of corrupt Patrones and Nonresidents the ignorance of idoll shepheards the lazinesse idlenesse of others that haue knowledge the cruelty of Lādlords the biting of vsurers the vanity of gentlemen the bribery of officers the profanation of the Sabbath and such like but what then He that hath not yet learned that all mē as they are affected will giue their verdict hath learned nothing and he that hath not learned with the forenamed constant souldiers of Iesus Christ to go through honour and dishonour through good report and bad report for the truths sake 2. Cor. 6.8 hath learned but a little The Minister of Christ must not onely teach sound doctrine saith S. Paul Tit. 1.9 but also maintaine the same against gainesayers to shew that one cause why the Lord will suffer his truth to be gainesaid is to trie how his seruants will defend it And there must be heresies saith the same Apostle that the approued may be knowne The heresie we know is of Sathan and a worke of the flesh Gal. 5.20 but the good that commeth thereof is of God who doth still bring good out of euill as he did light out of darknes Ge. 1.9 The flint the steele are violently stricken the one against the other yet without this violence there will no fire come they both weare one another yet the benefite of light doth recompence the losse of them both There was a striuing betweene Iacob and Esau in their mothers belly which could not choose but be painfull to their mother yet without this striuing they could not be born and the birth of the one being the Lords beloued was sufficient cause of ioy to his mother though the other had perished in the birth The Church militant also is our spirituall mother in whose body while we liue there is and will be a strife