accounts Fourthly and lastly it is acknowledged that a beggar may dreame he is a King or a Traytor that he shall be crowned when he is to be beheaded yea and for the time be as much pleased there with we have severall presidents for it The Church of Laodicea could flatter her selfe with an opinion that shee was rich increased with goods had need of nothing when yet she was wretched and miserable and poore blind and naked Rev. 3. 17. The young man in the Gospel could brag that he had kept all the commandemaâ—â—â— from his youth And that cackling Pharisee Lukâ— the 18. 11. 12. could tell God to his face that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not like other men in which the clock of his 〈◊〉 went truer then the diall of his heart for he was like none that should be saved he meant he was not given to this or that sinne no he was not like that penitent Publican for he did this and that duty for which God was beholding to him when yet God even abhorred him the most of any Sect. 16. And just so it fares with these men they are no dissemblers yea they hate the hipocrisie of professors they doe not justify themselves and despise others like the Puritans they are not factious scismaticall singular sencorious c. they are not rebellious nor contentious like the Brownists and Anabaptists they pay every man his owne and doe no man wrong they love an honest man with their hearts c. And as touching their faith in Christ they never doubted in all their lives nor were they ever troubled in mind as many scrupulous fooles are and yet poore soules they are wretched and miserable and poore and blind and naked of all spirituall indowments For besides that God preferreth the penitent Publican that trusted in his mercy before the proud Pharisee that trusted in his owne merits Luke 18. what saith St. Austin most excellently There is no true vertue where there is no true Religion and that conscience which is not directed by the word even when it does best does ill because it does it not in faith obedience and love Nor will God accept of any action unlesse it flowes from a pious and good heart sanctified by the Holy Ghost Yea civill honesty severed from true piety humilitie saving knowledge sincere love to God true obedience to his word justifying faith a zeale of Gods glory and a desire to edifie and win others God will neither accept nor reward but account of their morall vertues but as shining or glistering sinnes because they spring from ignorance infidelity selfe love and other carnall respects Yea thy best services as praying and fasting and receiving and giving of Almes c. unlesse they be done in faith obedience to the word and that God may have glory thereby are no better in Gods account then if thou hadst slaine a man or cut of a dogs neck or offered swines blood or blessed an Idol as himselfe affirmes Isay 66. 3. And many examples prove namely Caines sacrificing 1 John 3. 12. the Jewes fasting Jsay 58. those reprobates preaching in Christs name and casting out of Divells Mat. 7. whose outward workes were the same which the godly performed As for instance Paul a Pharisee was according to the righteousnesse of the Law unreprovable yet if Paul had not gone from Gamaliels feet to Christs he had never been saved Two things are required in a good worke the meritorious part to get Heaven and the satisfactory part to escape Hell Wherfore trust not to thine own righteousnesse for as yet thou art in thy blood Ezek 16. 6. And hast to answer not only for thine originall guilt for we are all by nature as liable to Adams forfetute as the heire is liable to his fathers debt but for every thought word and action of thine from thine infancy for untill thy sinnes even drive thee to dispaire of all other helpes Christ can profit thee nothing as himselfe affirmes Mat. 9. 12. 13. Luk. 1. 53. Gal. 5. 1. to 7. And the sole perfection of a Christian is the imputation of Christs righteousnesse and the not imputation of his owne unrighteousnesse Rom. 10. 4. For as Christ was a sinner only by imputation of our sinnes so we are just only by the imputation of his righteousnesse Our good workes cannot justifie us or deserve any thing at all at Gods hands it is only in Christ that they are accepted and only for Christ that they are rewarded Yea the opinion of our owne righteousnesse is so far from saving us that it keeps us from being saved as is evident by Marke 2. 17. and Luke 1. 53. Sect. 17. Whence it is that the more unrebukable any naturall man is the greater is the difficulty of his conversion For doth not experience shew that as nothing is more easily broken then that which is most hard so notorious offendors are nothing so hard to be convinced and converted as the civilly honest The civill â—usticiary is like the young man in the Gospel that supposed he had honestly kept all the commandements who when he was bidden to follow Christ turned his backe upon him But the loose Libertine resembles Matthew the Publican a notorious sinner who was no sooner called but he left all and followed Christ Indeed there is small hope of either in the case they are in because they see not their need of Christ neither can they have the least share at all in him untill with St. Paul they see themselves the greatest of sinners find themselves in a lost condition and utterly dispaire of all other helpes as they may see Marke 2. 17. Luke 1. 53. And indeed this conceited righteousnesse or this opinion of being in case good enough is the cheife and only cause of all unrighteousnesse and many a man had proved good if he had not so thought himselfe But no soule can be so dangerously sick as that which is least sensible of its being sicke Neither is there a poorer wretch upon the face of the earth then such a Iâ—â—odiâ—ean that brags he is rich and wants nothing â—evel 3. 17. only he is pusâ— up and knowes nothing 1 Tim. 6. 4. Yea this puts him out of all possibilitie of being bettered for what we presume to have attained we seek not after A man must know himselfe sicke before he will seeke to the Physiâ—ian Yea the sight of our filthinesse is the very first step toward cleaâ—nesse Untill Paul was humbled to the very ground even trembling and astonied he never asked Jesus of Nazâ—reth what shall I doe Acts 9 4 5 6. Nor is a man fit to heare the soft voice of evangelical mercy till he is wrote upon by the gusts and flashes of the Law Nor are they in the least degree qualified for that For admit they heare the Law whencâ— comes the knowledge of sinne Rom 7 7. read and expounded never so cleerly they cannot understand the spiritualty of it Because they have a
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
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
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
and caused the Lord to cast him off 1 Sam. 15. 23. 4. Above all he shall pleasure the godly party of the Kingdome for as a man rootes up the weeds in his garden that the good hearbs may grow the better Luke 13. 7. So the death of the Wolves is the safety of the sheepe and other tame beasts Their corruptions are our generations their desolations our consolations their impairings our repairings Iudgements upon them are creations recreations to us as the execution of Haman was the consolation of Israel Saul was afraid of Goliah strutting in his harnis but when he saw him dead at the feet of David his joy was now greater then before his feare It is the ruine of Enmity that is the resurrection of peace and unlesse severity be shewed to our adversaries security cannot dwell in our streets And therefore it is wisedome in governours to take sinne at the first bound and so to revenge it that their punishments may be preventions Neither can there be mercy in injustice So that a Delinquent at the galowes is none of the worst sights in a countrey I know it is a truth which cannot be beaten into their braines but there cannot be a more pleasing sacrifice to God then the blood of malefactors shed by the hands of authority as appeares in that case of Phineas in killing Zimry and Cozby Numb 25. 7. to 14. For the shedding of their blood was the acceptablest sacrifice that ever he offered For both all Israel is freed from the plague and all his posterity have the Priest hood intailed to them so long as the Iewes are a people And by that Exod. 32. where for making the Golden Calfe all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together and at the command of Moses went through the host and slew every man his son and brother and every man his neighbour untill they had slaine three thousand men which was a most acceptable service to God for the blood of these Idolatrous Jsraelites cleered that tribe from the blood of the innocent Sichamites Foolish men would be ready to say this was a cruell act but wise Christians that aske counsell of God know that the mild justice is no lesse perillous to the Common Wealth then the most cruell And that governours make themselves guilty of those sinnes they punish not Whence Moses he that was so good and loving that he would rather perish himselfe then Jsrael should not only pronounceth this sentence of death on so many thousands but rejoyceth thereat and blesseth the Executioners And what but his charity and mercy as well as his justice made him thus cruell for all Israel might have cursed him if some had not smarted by him But he was a good Physitian of the Common wealth and saw that Israel could not live unlesse it bled in the common veine he therefore le ts out this corrupt blood to save the whole body And what thinke we is the reason our land hath laine bleeding and languishing so long as it hath Notwithstanding our much fasting and humiliation this we may build upon when we yeeld to God touching his commandementâ— â—e will yeeld to uâ— touching our petitions Sect. 51. And so much of the kinds and severall cases how and wherin naturall men censure the religious I could give you many other instances but the sum of all is let the religious doe that which is good for substance and also well in respect of circumstances they are but exquisite in hiding their defects and shewing the best of themselves What they doe is only in hypocrisie and to be seen of men If they cannot wrest good into evill by misconstruing it they will remit the same unto dissimulation I come now to the reasons and causes why they thus censure them Question Have they any reason for their so doing Answer Not properly for as the Prophet very often complaines they are mine enemies without a cause And they hate me without a cause c. Psal 35. 7. and 69. 4 though they pretended many causes So in this case they have no just cause nor reason to censure us as they doe for no evill deed can have a good reason Yet they censure us not without many by reasons and selfe ends As 1. First their ignorance is a maine cause of it naturall men in heavenly things resemble shell-fish that have no smell or the Camelion that hath no tast at least they see no more then the barke or outside of spirituall performances 2 Sam. 6. 16. And the flesh Satans ready instrument will be ever suggesting to them strange surmises touching what the religious either say or doe As is evident by what is recorded of Michael 2 Sam. 6. 16. Of Nicodemus John 3. 4. Of Fâ—stus Acts 26. 24. And lastly of Paul before his conversion 1 Tim. 1. 13. Who was no sooner inlightned with the saving knowledge of the truth but he preacht that faith which before hee condemned and persecuted And for testimonies to confirme it these are pregnant John 15. 21. and 16 2. 3. Mat. 16. 23. and 22. 29. Luke 19. 42. 1 Cor. 2. 8. Psal 2. 2. Though experience may save that labour for how severely will these ignorant persons censure not only things indifferent but the most approved good duties While they will patiently passe by the most hainous crimes An infallible signe of a man not borne anew And still the more sottish the more censorious For where is least braine there is most tongue and lowdest And as ignorance gives disparagement a lowder tongue then knowledge does so alwayes they that know least will censure most and most deeply It is from the weakest judgements that the heaviest judgement comes Sect. 52. 2. Secondly Sometimes on the other side they will censure them in policie that while the standers by are taken up with jeering at our supposed simplicitie they may not mind their past and intended reall villanie Therein imitating a Thiefe who being pursued in a croud will be forwardest in crying stop thiefe that so he may neither be attached nor suspected The case of Athaliah 2 Kings 11 14. Sect. 53. 3. Thirdly another reason may be this Who so hath any thing fixed â—ither in their persons or conditions which causeth contempt As they are commonly very bold so they have a kind of spur in them and are most industriously stirred up to watch observe and censure the weakenesses of others that so they may have somewhat againe to repay See the case of Shemi touching David 2 Sam. 16. 7. of the High Priests Scribes and Phariseeâ— touching our Saviour Luke 5. 21. Mat. 9. 3. 34. 12. 1. 2. and 16. 17. and 21. 2. 14. 15. 16. 24. 45. 46. and 22. 15. 16. 17. and 27. 41. 42. And lastly of Iudas touching Mary John 12. 4. 5. Sect. 54. 4. Fourthly In such as are not regenerate nor were ever disciplin'd in the School of Christ The ignoblenes of their dispositions and breeding may be a sufficient ground
Yes their owne consciences beare me witnesse only I wish his Majestie and so many as side with the Prelates would as truly imitate that French King as they did that Dragon Sect. 68. 2. Secondly if any that heare me have been thus rashly censorious in making ill constructions of all that the religious doe and find that these or some of them have been the genuine reasons of their so doing Let them with Ephraim Jer. 31 19 strike themselves upon the thigh Or with that Publican Luk. 18. 13. smite their breâ—st And with amasement and indignation say what have I done I have deeply censured and condemned the generation of the just I have often raised an ill report of them as those false hearted spies did of the Land of Canaan Numb 13. 32. 33. And that scandall passing through many mouths hath multiplyed like a snow ball which at best hath left such a scarr of suspition upon their names and credits that even death it selfe will not be able to cure Whereas the Scripture sayes Cursed be he that smiteh his neighbour secretly Deut. 27. 24. And him that prively slandereth his Neighbour will J destroy Psal 101. 5. And as I have thus depraved some having more malice then matter against them so I have corrupted others and forestalled their judgements with prejudice which may prove the bane of many a soule Woe is me what shall I doe least God teare me in pieces and there be none to deliver I have been long enough instrumentall to Satan I will now and hereafter by Gods grace serve my Saviour who is a master without compare O that my God would give me a heart and answerable abilitie to be as faithfull a friend to Religion as I have been a bitter enemie Let this I say be thy confession this thy resolution otherwise know for a surety that while thou scoffest at his children God laughs at thee Pro. 1. 26. And that it will be bitternesse in the end For what evill is done to them Christ takes as done to him Acts 9 4. And who so thinkes holinesse a crime or religion a disgrace is so farr from being of his spirit that was a man after Gods owne heart that there cannot be a greater argument of a foule soule held by satan in a snare and taken captive of him at his will Neither let satan nor thy seduced and deceitâ—ull heart deceive thee in thinking thou hast any share in Christ or the least sparke of grace for though a man may through his hypocrisie condemn that evill in another which he alowes in himselfe yet he cannot condemn the good which himselfe is indued withall For good cannot but reioyce and delight in her like Sect. 69. 3. Thirdly for a word of advice to the godly If all naturall men are so apt to censure the religious cause or no cause And that they have so many reasons to induce them to it Let us for our Makers and for our blessed Redeemers sake take heed what we doe least we shame our profession and make the way of truth evill spoken off 2 Pet. 2. 2. Not that I expect their mouths should be stopt for faults they would find in Christ himselfe did he live amongst them neither can God please them as you may see by their continuall murmuring at the severall passages of his providence Being like the Jsraelites who were never content for when they had water they murmur for bread when they had bread they complaine for flesh as if they had boarded with God and he were to provide them dyet and they good men honestly paid for what they tooke Only let them have no just occasion to censure and speake evill of us for though all true christians passe under their sharpe censures and bitter reproaches yet I cannot yeeld him a true servant of Christ that deserves it Wherefore if we belong to Gods familie let us shew what house we come off not only by our Livery but by our living The sonnes of God must bee pure blamelesse and without rebuke Phil. 2. 15. And in the primative times a Christian was known from another man only by the holynesse and uprightnesse of his life and conversation as Tertullian reports And great reason there is for it for first malice is very quick sighted to spie faults secondly the Saints like a Beacon upon an hill have all eyes upon them Thirdly vertue or vice in them shall be sure to be margend with a pointing finger Fourthly in purest things the smallest spot is sooner seen then greater staines in baser stuffe every little mote is seen in a cleere glasse which will not be diâ—cerned in an earthen pitcher A small spot or wart or freckle in the face is a greater blemish sooner seen and more noted then an ugly skar or botch in any other part of the body Fiftly the smallest spot in a religious man face shall excuse all the sores and ulcers in their bodies Sixtly in case they see our lives contrary to our profession they will even protest against our religion saying if we did speake as we think we would doe as as we speake if our religion were true and good such as professe it would live thereafter Seventhly in case thy practice is not sutable to thy profession woe unto thee for outward profession where there is want of inward truth and reall practice doth but helpe to draw on and aggravate judgement The Scribes and Pharisees had not heard of so many woes but for their glorious pretences Yea had the Fig tree in the Gospel been utterly bare and leave-lesse it had in all probabillitie escaped the curse Heare this yee vaine Hypocrites that care only to be thought good your faire out-side shall be sure to helpe you to a curse And it were better for you with Philosophers to have honesty without religion then with wicked Christians to have religion without honesty 4 Fourthly If any weake Christian desires to make a further improvement of what hath been spoken let him read those 16. reasons of Affliction and 16. reasons of Patience heretofore published upon the like occasion And so much of your second Misprision touching censoriousnesse does any thing else stagger you Sect. 70. Quest The next and the maine thing J stumble at is they are deeply charged of dissimulation viz. that they either say and doe not professe and practice not Or which is worse doe under pretence of religion cozen the world Answer It is as you have already heard an old and cunning trick of the truths adversaries to commit villanie and then charge it upon the most innocent Athaliah you know having slaine all the Kings seed accuseth Iehojada of treason And Tertullus mistaking the antidote for the Poyson accuses Paul for a pestilent fellow when Paul had more reason to accuse him So now the Gospels enemies grieviously accuse the true professors thereof for playing the hypocrites But heare all as well for the defendant as the Plaintiffe and you will confesse
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