speake on this mâ—nner I have giventh m my word and Gospel it hath been preached among them plentiâ—ully and powerfully I have sent my ministers whom I made fishers of men with their nets and baits to catch them but by no meanes will they be taken in their nets or bite at their baits or be caught by their hookes Neither will they be drawn to Heaven by the holy examples of my saints and servants For notwithstanding all meanes they have beene no whit better but rather the worse more stubborne more rebeâ—lious more malicious wherefore now I will lay a stumbling block before them I will suffer some noted professor of religion to fall into some grosse scandalous sinne and that scandall of his will prove such a stumbling block trap or gin for so the word scandall impâ—ies in the Originall that they shall greedily and eagerly run upon it and be snared and held fast for ever getting out againe For which see sundry Book cases as 1 Kings 22. 20. 21. 22. Matth. 18. 7. 2. Pet. 2. 12. Isay 8. 14. 15. Nay who knowes but such a professor at whose life thou stumblest may be tempted by Satan and suffered by God to fall rather for the ruine of thy soule and others of thy condition then his owne As when the wrath of the Lord was kindled against Israel he moved David to number the people 2 Sam. 24. 1. And Satan provoked him thereunto 1. Chron. 21. 1. more to take vengeance of the people of whom seventie thonsand died by the plague then of the King himselfe God may suffer one whom hee deatly loves to fall into some foule sinne for his greater benefit to make him more humble and wary afterward It was Peters case whereas thou art hardned by his fall and made to protest against thine owne conversion Bur admit this be not altogether thy case yet it is a manifest signe that thou art for the present an hypocrite and one of Gods enemies As who but Gods enemies stumbled at Davids fal because thou hast made the enemies of God to blaspheme saith the Prophet Nathan 2 Sam. 12. 14. And indeed all that are friends to God and religion will be sorry and grieve when such offences are given Again hadst thou any grace in thine heart and wert not blinded by Satan thou wouldest pick good out of their evil practises these offences would make thee the more strive and pray for grace that thou mayest be able to stand though others fall What saith David They have destroyed thy Law therefore love I thy Commandements above Gold yea above most fine Gold therefore I esteeme all thy precepts most just and hate every false way Psal 119. 126. 127. 128. Other mens apostacy could not make him forsake his God and abandon his religion Nor will any but hypocrites be discouraged and beaten off by others falling Sect. 35. 4. Fourthly these envyous Cains will judge men hypocrites for some disaster or affliction that befals them Job 13. and 20. 5. Resembling those sottish Barbarians Act. 28. 3. 4. Who seeing the Viper on Pauls hand said no doubt but this man is a murtherer whom though hee have escaped the sea yet vengeance suffereth him not to live Where note by the way their constancy and soliddity before this accident fell out Paul was a God now he is cursed of God When sensuall men passe their vardits upon the godly they are alwaies in extreames It is incident to Nature to be superstitious and superstition for the most part judges of the Goodnesse of the action by the Goodnesse of the successe the cause by the effect whereas contrarily they should judge of the goodnesse of the successe by the goodnesse of the action or the intention of that good tho effect by the cause Againe if they but heare of one that is troubled in mind for his sinnes as commonly all are at their first conversion O then they are greater sinners then other men they have done or committed some strange thing and God hath found them out Not being wise enough to consider that God usually workes joy out of feare light out of darkenesse and brings us to the kingdome of Heaven by the gates of Hell For as when the wicked cry peace peace Heaven Heaven hell and perdition are at hand So when these in their distresse of mind crâ— Hell Hell damnation damnation Heaven and salvation are at hand And I wish our confident ones would take notice that they who never doubted of their salvation their salvation is much to be doubted of And that Satan hath none so sure as those whom he never yet asaulted For as while Iacob continued under Labanâ— tyrannie and would be made his drudge all was well but when once he begins to flie he makes after him with all his might So the Divell when any one parts from him to Christ then he is as a Beare robbed of his whelps and never does he more torment those whom he does possesse then when he knoweth that he must depart But let such dunces as doubt whether all outward and inward afflictions happen not alike to all aswell to the just as to the wicked to the good and pure as to the poluted to him that sweareth as to him that feareth an oath to cleere their sight read Luke 13. 1. to 6. Eccles 9. 1. 2. Sect. 36. 5. Fiftly sometimes for want of other exceptions they will censure us for some bodily blemish or naturall defect which rather reflects upon the Creator then the Creature Wherein they imitate those ill taught Children 2 Kings 2. 23. who having learnt it from their parents twitted Elisha with his bald head forgettiug how God had crowned that head with vertue and honour Or Peninnah who continually upbraided Hannah with her barrennesse especially when she went up to the house of the Lord that so she might both vex her spirit and hinder her devotion A small fault you will grant God having made her barren for his own glory and her greater good 1 Sam. 1. 6. 7. 6. Sixtly They will judge the godly Puritanes meaning Hypocrites for things indifferent I call them indifferent because they call them so As if they use a different posture to them doe sit at the Lords table or a different gesture as in case they will not bow to the Altar or be uncovered at the name of Jesus or a different Vesture put not on a white Surplice or differ from their customes omit to crosse the forehead in baptisme to observe an Holy day especially Christmas day as strictly or more solemnly then the Sabbath or Lords day though God hath said Six dayes shalt thou labour and doe all thy wâ—rke But thâ— seventh day iâ— the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt doe no worke Exod. 20. 9. to 12. And many the like Ceremonies and Superstitious customes Which not to observe is a great quarrell Though our Saviours words are In vaine doe they worship me teaching for doctrines
condemne all for the faults of a few 70. yea censure them for the greatest censurers 36. Eighteen reasons of their censuring the godly 124. as doing it out of ignorance 111. or out of policy 112. or ouâ— of some naturall aptitude 112. or out of busenesse 113. or out of guiltinesse 114. or out of pride 115. or out of prejudice 115. or out of Misprision 116. or out of envy 116. or out of selfe-love 117. or that they may bee upon even ground with the Godly 117. or out of partiality 118 or out of a contrariety of disposition 118 or because Satan will have them do so 119. or bâ—cause they cannot do us more mischiefe 120. or to incite others to do the like 121. or because the world looseth a limb or member 123. and Satan a subject or prisoner by every one that repenteth 123. though properly they have no cause nor reason 111. The Censurer alwaies worse then the censured 114. They measure others by themselves 114. they censure our moats not their owne beames 29. They put their own faults in the hinder part of the wallet 118. ours in the fore part 118 selfe examination would make them more charitable 118. They that know least Censure most 112. They Censure things indifferent passe by haynous crimes 112. They expect wee should cease to be men so soone as we become religious 52. Did wee cease to bee Godly their censures would â—ease 119. They would Censure Christ himself 128. Neither can God please them 128. What they are to do that have censured the Godly 127. Christianâ— bound to beleeve aright and live well 20 to shine out as lights and profit others 20. to grow in grace 20. An evill Christian the worst of all men 136. Every man the spouse of Christ or the Adultresse of the Divel 40. Church never without Hypocrites 71. Civil men pay men their dues but not God 158. good negative Christians 156. but reprobate to every good worke 156. searse one in fourty prayes in his Family 156. Feares an oath or makes conscience of a lye 157. They are all for Circumstance nothing for substance 82. They passe for good Christians with men of the world 157 yea with the reverend Prelates 157. none so unlikely to be saved 32. in a worse condition then the openly prophane 159. the more unrebukable the harder to be convinced 32. Conditions as various as faces 1. They will condemne all for one 70. How absutâ— it is 71. 73. 74. How Confident the prophane how diffident the religious 12. Variousnesse of disposition the cause of Contention 1. Contrariety a Cause of Misprision 118. The Trydentine Councel 126. Conscience if good is tender 94. and makes Conscience of every sinne 92. As Conscience must lead us so truth must lead our consciences 98. Nothing so raiseth their spleen as a good Conscience 95. How basely they think of a tender conscience 99. Wicked men have dumb consciences 34. No lesse difference in consciences then stomacks 97. D. Everâ— sin deserves Damnation but onely continuance in sin damns 66. A plausible Deceit of naturall men 16. How the Divel be-fooles wicked men 72. The Godly differ not in fundamentals 5. Differences arise that the obstinate may bee hardned 6. E. Various Effects of the same sermon 2. They envy us because we doe better 116. or farre better 116. or are better esteemed 116. The envious emulate what they cannot imitate 116. Only to refraine evil is to be evil 20. Of two evils choose neither 98. To be evil spoken of by evil men an honour 175. No argument of an evil man 7. The force of example 121. In what cases example must lead us 98. ` Naturall men alwaies in extreams 77. F. What use to make of the Saints falls 67. the godly bettered the wicked hardned by others falls 76. The wicked take encouragement from the falls of Gods people 61. the Godly are made more carefull thereby 62. when thou seest another fall reflect upon thy selfe 96. All the Saints have had their failings 63. the best want their grains of allowance 54 God esteemes Faith above all performances 65. Carnall men flatter themselves that they are good happy c. 29. and in farre better condition then the godly 30. Formall Christians will seeme to out-strip reall 131. they have only a Form of religion 82 we should preferre the meanest beleever before the best accomplished Formalist 6. G. Guilty persons will accuse the most innocent 130. they prerend we are guilty that they may be thought innocent 115. they speake evil of the godly they think otherwise 96. of which sundry instances 96. They call evil good and good evil 125. what ever good we do they will strangely censure us 100. of which many examples 100. The Gospel but few firm friends 155. Every gracious heart scrupulous 94. Sometimes Grace is asleepe in the waryest breast 64. The growth of grace like the growth of a tree 54. H. How wicked men are hardned by others fals 70. The Worlds hatred a good signe of a Godly man 5. Our much hearing troubles carnall men 165. Untill the Heart bee changed God esteemes not what we doe 30. Our best vertues but shining sins 3â— Naturall men have inlightned Heads dark Hearts ' 28. The tongue discovers the Heart 44. All Protestants at large Hypocrites 137. of which many instances 84. 85. Prophane men notorious Hypocrites 141 They will go to Hell and ask what is that to us 101. Polititians horrible Hypocrites 144 their policie painted out 72. they can bee in each company a severall 147. of any religion 147. the more foule their intent the fairer pretence 148. How to beware of them 148. over faire shewes an argument of unsoundnesse 149. they pretend pietie aime at profit 145. will execute any cruelty 146. under pretence of worshiping Christ they will betray him 146. Prelaticall and scandalous Ministers notorious Hypocrites 138. And Papists the like 160. and likewise the Prelates 161. Ignorant persons notorious Hypocrites 150. What sort of Hypocrites do most harme 143. That there are many hypocrites 131. some whereof only professe religion with their mouthes 131 Others hear much and practice little 132 to whom they may be compared 131. 132. a third sort that make religion a staâ—king Horse to vilany 133. and to whom they may be compared 133. The Hypocrite an Atheist 139. Hee performes holy duties without reverence oâ— feeling 156. Hypocrisy the worst of vices 69. The Hypocrite makes the way of truth evill spoken of 134 causeth others to blaspheme God 134 betweene hypocrites and prophane men the righteous suffer 134. The hypocrite hurts others but most himselfe 135. his reward 142 they shall have the lowest place in Hell 69. 135 He loads Christ with many sins Christ loads him with many woes and curses 135. We never read of an hypocrites repentance 136. Civil men looking upon the prophane admire their owne holinesse 16. The more holy a man is the more sensible of his
preferment hee desired which was the Prelats plea when any Zealous Minister spake against Pluralities superstitious Ceremonies and other vices and abuses in the Clergie Yea though they lost their livings it was but to augment their maintainance by lying in a Prison Thirdly and lastly you cannot admonish them of their swearing drinking sabbath breaking c. without being called Puritane which in their language is an hypocrite or disembler yea worse as being of a larger extent as I shall after shew I grant most that use the Name know not what it signifies yea ask what themselves mean by it they are not able to tell you And no marvell they should take admonition the chief office of friendship so ill for poore soules they think we take too much upon us as Korah and his company twitted Moses Numb 16. 3. Neither know they how strictly God commands and requires it Levit. 19. 17. Heb. 3. 13. 2 Tim. 2. 25. Thes 3. 13. Ezek. 3. 18 to 22. 2 Pet. 2. 7. 8. Whence as the chief Priests answered Judas What is that to us so these prophane persons will blaspheme God tear Christ in peeces and more then betray even shed his innocent blood digging into his side with oaths and say when told of it what is that to us They might as well say what is Christ to us what is heaven to us or what is salvation to us For to us the one cannot be without the other we shall never inherit part of his glory in Heaven if wee doe not take his glories part upon Earth And with God it is much about one whether we be a doer of evill or no hinderer For if we must not see our Neighbours Ox nor his sheep go astray or fal into a pit but we must reduce him and help him out of it Deut. 22. 1 We are much more bound to keep our neighobur himself from droping into the bottomlesse pit of hell And what know we but we may win our Brother and so save his soul Mat. 18. 15. like Eugenia who being the naturall daughter of Philippus became spiritually the mother of her owne Father and begat him a new to the grace of Christ he being an Infidel before as Eusebius notes And no man but stands in need e of admonition for graces like good hearbs will not grow of themselves where as vices like weeds need no sowing Or in case wee prevaile nothing yet wee are discharged 1 Cor. 5. 2. and hee who requires it at our hands will returne the same into our owne bosomes Jsa 49. 4. 5. Pro. 11. 18. and 25. 22. And yet we are blamed for so doing and thought contentious They may as well tell me if it had been said to Adam before he eat the forbidden fruit to Iudas before hee betrayed his Master to Jezabel before she plotted Naboths death c. Take heed what you do that this had beene aâ— ill office and that in following such councell they should have had cause to repent themselves But Oh the many and foolish misprisions of carnall minds As how are they mistaken in their opinion of peace like Ahab who thought Eliah a turbulent troubler of all Israel because he did as God commanded him and would not flatter them in their sinnes to their utter destruction for true peace is to have peace with God War with their and ouâ— lusts Rom. 5. 1. and 7. 22. 23. Where as they would have us to be at peace and in league with their sins at war with God and our consciences Yea it no way deserves the name of peace except we be at enmity with the serpent and all his works of darknesse Peace must be followed with holines Hebrew 12. 14. Wherefore Zachariah joyneth Faith Peace and truth together Zach. 8. 16. And St. Paul peace and righteousnesse peace and edification peace and joy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. 19. c. Yea St. Pauls usuall stile in all his Epistles is Grace and peace as if onely where grace is there peace is as where the fire is there heat is Sect. 48. Againe how extreamly will they condemne that preaching which awakens mens consciences works upon their affections and saves their soules And applaud such Corinthian preachers as tickle the ear only and please the sence As let some Boanerges thunder out the judgements of God against sinners and threaten their destruction if they amend not their lives as Jonah when in three daies he converted that great City Nineve Or discover their most secret thoughts as Christ did to the Woman of Samaria Iohn 4. Or drive an application home to their consciences touching some one sinne of theirs as Iohn Baptist dealt with Herod Or as Peter with the Iewes when he converted 3000. at one sermon Acts 2. 41. and 5000. at another Acts 4. 4. Then not only the wit-foundred Drunkard cauterised blasphemer but the civil honest man will strangely censure him and most bitterly enveigh against him for preaching nothing but Law and damnation saying he is factious and Scismaticall a Busie body a fire flinger one that railed upon the Parish spake Daggers points and aimed at somebody Neither are such sermons to be heard for they only drive men to dispair Yea it s much if they do not conspire together to do him a mischiefe as more then fourty Iews did against Paul Acts 23. 12. 13. I deny not but a Minister may be bitter without discretion if he have not due regard to circumstances namely the manner how and the persons to whom he preacheth For to kill a flie on the forehead with a beetle and in stead of sweeping the house to pull it quite downe would become none but a mad man Hearbs cold or hot beyond a certaine degree are mortall Wherefore Both good and well must in our actions meet Wicked is not mnch worse then indiscreet Zeale without discretion is as an offering without an eye which was by God forbidden Levit. 22. 22. Discretion without zeale is as a sacrifice without fat which was likewise forbidden Levit. 7. 25. Zeale without knowledge is a sire without a Chimny Knowledge without obedience is an eye without a foot religion without conscience is a body with out a heart Conscience without zeal is a heart without spirits In fine the fire of the spirit the mother of all true zeale hath light in it as well as heat Wherefore a good Pastor will avoid both extreames not deliver Law without Gospel nor Gospel without Law but a sweet composition of severity and mercy wherein Law and Gospel shall meet as Moses and Christ met upon the Mount Neither know I whether mercy belongs more to the humble and broken hearted to refresh and comfort them or justice to the presumptious to humble and terrifie them Seeing some like Peter are called with a calme voice others like Paul with a thunder-clap And cold sides have no lesse need to be spurred up then â—ot mouths to be held in with bits â—s Plato
For basenesse what it cannot attaine to it will vilicate and deprave As no wonder if a Carter censure a Scholler or a Clowne a Courtier so none can thinke it strange that brutish sensuallists should censure the saints for sullen shallow censorious proud dissembling c. That they should mistake the way to Heaven for the most melancholly walke when all that are borne of God and taught by his spirit know them the most merrie wise charitable humble and plaine dealing people Indeed time and experience will alter their judgments be they never so brutish and base as it universally fared with the old world Gen. 6. and 7. chapters Who for 120. yeares together harboured many base thoughts of Noah thinking him halfe mad to bestow so much labour and cost in building so vast a Vessell as the Arke was but in processe of time when they stood upon the topâ— of the mountaines expecting within a minute to be drowned in those waters they beheld him secure to their greater vexation and acknowledge themselves starke mad for not timely beleeving him Sect. 55. 5. Fiftly Guiltinesse is another maine reason for commonly suspition proceeds from a selfe defect and a bad construction from a bad mind Deceitfull ever will mistrustfull be But no mistrust is found in honesty I confesse I reade of one singular example 1 Sam. 1. where Hanna being about a good worke praying earnestly and powring out her soule unto the Lord Ely a good man judged her to be drunken when she had neither drunk wine nor strong drinke vers 15. but the like is seldome seen Whereas naturall men mostly measure others by their owne bushel and so forme their opinions and censures of us according to the mold of wicked nesse that is in their own hearts and doing all their owne good in hypocrisie they cannot thinke us better then themselves And yet it is a rule which seldome failes That as Cham was worse then Noah whom he derided and Jshmael worse then Isaack whom he mocked and Saul worse then David whom he persecuted and Iezabel worse then Naboth whom she defamed and murthered and Herod worse then John Baptist whom he beheaded So they which are wont to censure others have greater faults themselves and cause to be censured of others which faults they cannot tell how to cover but by disgracing of others And the censured in Scripture are alwayes more precious in Gods sight then the censurer as in the Pharisee and Publican Luke 18. and in those Barbarians and Paul Acts. 28 3 4. Sect. 56. 6. Pride is no small cause for a proud man is wont to admire his owne actions but to abate the value and derogate from the esteem of others Every whit as basely to villifie other mens doings as he over highly prizeth his owne I saith the proud Pharisee am not as this Publican Luke 18. 11. Neither was he if you marke it For the Publican condemning himselfe was justified and saved he justifying himselfe was everlastingly condemned Againe they know their glory and credit with the world is greatly eclipsed by such as excell in vertue Their vicious lives are plainly reprooved and their persons most grieviously shamed by the holy conversation of good men And this makes them smut the face that is fairer blemish honest mens fame by their censuring and aspertions that they may mittigate their owne shame with others discredit like Potiphars wife they pretend we are guilty that themselves may be taken for innocent Sect. 57. 7. Seventhly Another cause is prejudice for this like a painted paire of Spectacles casteth a false coler upon the best actions As we see in Ahab and Jezabel touching Eliah and Micaiah But of this I have spoken largely in the former treatise Sect. 58. 8. Eightly the next cause is Misprision They suppose we are not as we seeme ergo we are Puritans Hypocrites c. A reason of great forâ—e with states men and Polititians Herod thinkes Christ comes to dethrone him therefore to make sure worke he murthers all the males in Bethlem Cambyses dreames overnight that his brother should be King of Persia therefore he puts him to death the next morning Saul supposes David a traytor therfore know yee not that the sonne of Iesse hath conspired against me But it were as good an argument to reason thus All the Apostles were imposters and the Gospel it selfe a fable for so thought the Scribes and Pharisees A man shall doe God good service in persecuting of his faithfull servants for so thought the Prelates as themselves have confest upon their examination Or lastly there is no God for so the foole hath said in his heart Psal 14. 1. and 53. 1. Sect. 59. 9. Ninthly They envie the godly either first because they doe better as Cain did Abel or secondly because they fare better as Esau did Iacob or thirdly because they are better esteemed as Saul did David And this is another cause for ill will never speaks well and envie is sick if her neighbour be well The ones successe is the others vexation the envious emulate what they cannot imitate Whence arises all their censuring and misconstruing their persons actions and intentions For whom they cannot reach by Jmitation they will indeavour to doe by detraction and because they cannot seduce us they will if they can traduce us if we will not partake with them in their sinnes wee shall in their shamâ— if Ioseph will not be lewd with his mistris he shall be thought as guilty and suffâ—â—â—s much as if he were Sect. 60. 10. Tenthly sometimes they censure us out of selfe-love either that they may gaine or at least not loose of their honours pleasures profits Sauls flatterers will sooth him up in his evill surmises a-against David saying the son of Iesse hath conspired against thee that they may have Fields and Vinyards given them bee made Captains over thousands and Captains over hundreds And this tempted Balaam against his conscience even to curse where he should blesse He saw how his cursing and cursed counsell might please Balack and blesse himselfe with a gainefull and gallant promotion And the like in Demetrius for as Paul substracts from Demetrius his profit so Demetrius detracts from Pauls credit Which was many a mans case within these few years for some have clymed up to preferment by enveying against the Puritans and others been ruined and disgraced by preaching against the Prelates Sect. 61. 11. Eleventhly By depraving all good men themselves though Swearers Drunkards Whormongers shall be judged indifferent honest men for were all the world ugly deformity would bee no monster Yea a base person may come to preferment if none be thought better then himselfe He that hath but one Eye may bee King amongst the blind Whereupon to have themselves thought as good as any other they will not have any thought good that dwells neer them Sect. 62. 12. Twelfthly Their passions and affections make them so exceeding partiall that they will more deeply