the body domineering ouer the whole man 3 The nature of hypocrisie and how it is descried in the outward parts and gestures of the body 4 The cunning of the wicked who can teach sinne and set forward mischiefe and leudnesse euen by signes and gestures 5 Lastly the aptnesse and pronnesse of our nature to learne euill euen by signes gestures and dumbe shewes Of euery one of these a little and first of the strictnesse and seuere precisenesse of the word of God in marking and noting the very motions of the body and euery part thereof The Lord we see plainly noteth the very gestures of the body as well as the words of the mouth and actions of our life yea he teacheth vs not onely how to liue and how to speake but also how to go and to moue our bodies euery part and member is set to schoole and bound to his good behauiour Euen as in the building of the tabernacle and materiall Temple there was nothing left to the discretion of them that built it but a patterne was giuen them by God for euerything euen to the very pinnes and ash-pannes and flesh-hookes c. So in the spirituall building of our bodily tabernacles and temples of the holy Ghost nothing is left to our wils and discretions but euen from the very thoughts of the heart to the outward gestures of the body yea to the very mouing of the eyes the fingers and the feet the Lord hath set downe an order in his holy word and whosoeuer breaketh that order is noted for it by the Lord but who soeuer wilfully neglecteth it and setteth the same at naught is also branded for a man of Belial and vaine person whose heart is full of lewd things and whofe destruction commeth both speedily and suddenly vpon him Caines countenance cannot be cast downe but the Lord will note it and search out the cause thereof Gen. 4.6 to be an enuious eye and a bloudy heart against his brother for his goodnesse to shew that we must looke vnto our very countenance least wrath and enuy be espied therein The harlot is noted well inough for her impudent face and thereby is she also noted for a harlot to teach women and maidens to watch ouer their countenances and outward behauiour that there appeare not too much boldnesse and lightnesse therein because thereby they are discerned either what they are or what they would be The proud women of Israel could not walke as they did with their neckes stretched out nor counterfeit a minsing gate but the Lord doth note them for it and doth he not note the daughters of England for the same things aswell as the daughters of Ierusalem The Pharisees could not disfigure their faces when they fasted but our Sauiour Christ would surely marke it and haue it recorded in his word to their shame and the admonition of all others We are become a laughing stocke saith the Church of God being in captiuity and a nodding of the head vnto the Heathen to shew that the very fleering of the countenance and the nodding of the head in contempt and despite of Gods people must be answered for before the Lord aswell as reprochfull speeches and bloudy actions And amongst other signes of contempt and reproch shewed by the Iewes against our Sauiour Christ at his death this is noted by the Euangelist for one that they wagged their heads at him So the man of Belial cannot worke his feates by signes and gestures but the word of God will take notice of it and tell all the world that He maketh a signe with his eyes he signifieth with feete instructeth with his fingers And according to this rule must we liue by this card must we saile making as the Scripture teacheth vs straite steppes vnto godlinesse So farre are we from teaching men liberty to sinne as the wicked Belials of popery slanderously charge the Preachers of the Gospell that we allow not men so much liberty as to make signes to any euill purpose but to carry euen the outward parts of the body and the motions thereof in such sort as they be neither offensiue nor infectiue but according to sobriety and simplicity For this is one chiefe end why the grace of God hath appeared sayth the Apostle to Titus to teach vs not onely to denie vngodlinesse and worldly lusts but also to liue soberly godly and righteously in this present world Which sobriety mentioned by the Apostle in that place is opposite vnto all lightnesse and scandalous behauiour which appeareth as well in the gestures of the body as in other things Some in their wanton and light behauiour are both offensiue to the godly and infectiue to the weaker Christians these walke not according to sobriety Some againe are as counterfeit both in matters of religion and also in common ciuility embracing affable courting ducking promising and protesting c. when there is no good meaning at all in them these walke not according to simplicity All which counterfeit behauiour the Lord noteth and condemneth aswell as Cain for for the heauinesse of his countenance when it bewraied the enuy and malice of his hart And no maruell for both charity and chastity are the worse for such gestures as are not in sobriety and simplicity Charity is broken as well by a proud or disdainfull looke as by a railing slanderous or reprochfull speech As well by the nodding of the head and fleering of the countenance and winking of the eye or putting out the tongue is charity broken and wrath prouoked as by the violence of the hand As charity is broken so also is chastity assaulted that way euen by leud signes and wanton gestures of the body as wel as by plaine motions and enticements of speech both modesty and impudency loue and lust will all appeare and shew themselues in the gestures and motions of the body though the tongue sit still in silence say nothing according to the saying of Salomō in another place of this booke Wisedome shineth in the face of the prudent Many are ashamed to speake what they thinke but yet by signes and gestures they will shew what they desire If these should hold their peace saith Christ pointing to his disciples which praised him the very stones would cry So if the toung be silent the eyes the fingers and the feete will speake Therfore euery member must be sanctified made a weapon of righteousnesse This seuerity of the word of God is it that troubleth all the world It is counted too great precisenesse to liue so strictly We cannot looke awry now adayes say some but we shall be told of it in the Pulpit Ah sayth another the world is come to a good passe indeed we must now go to the schoole of good manners againe we must learne of the Preacher how to go and how to looke and when to laugh and when to
the mother the second is the daughter The first is the poyson the other is the signe thereof or the breaking out The first is the fountaine the second is the streame The first is the coale the second is the flame The first is the cause the second is the effect of the same The first is the theefe the second is his accessary The first robbeth God of his honour the second doth publish it Therefore both the first and the second be damnable neither the first nor the second are sinnes veniall as the Papists say but both the first and the second the mother and the daughter without faith and repentance are sinnes eternally mortall And therefore our Sauiour Christ saith here Take heede of them as if they were some dangerous enemies to the soule The first thing therefore to be taken heed of is all inward desire of vaineglory or worldly praise and that is forbidden in the first verse where our Sauiour saith Giue not to be seene of men that is with an intent purpose or desire that men should see thee and commend thee for it Publicke giuing is not forbidden for Christ saith Let your lights shine before men that they may see c. But vaineglorious giuing in publicke is forbidden and therefore he doth not simply say Do not your almes before men but addeth to be seene of them condemning that end which is first in heart though last in act So in Math. 5.16 he saith not Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie you but that they seeing your good workes may glorifie God your heauenly father who worketh both the will and the deed So then we see that it is not simply euill to do good workes in the view of men nay rather it is good so to do to glorifie God and encourage others God is much glorified when his children walke like their father being mercifull as their heauenly father is mercifull though not in that degree of mercie yet in mercy of the like nature heauenly bountifull free and harmelesse By the death of Christ he was knowne to be the naturall sonne of God and by the good life of Christians aswell as by their death it may be knowne that they are the adopted sonnes of God For when Christ died there was a strange alteration of nature the earth did shake the powers of heauen lost their power the graues opened the dead arose there was darknesse vpon the face of the earth as if day had bene turne into night which when men saw they confessed yea the very enemies of Christ himselfe confessed to the glorie of the diuine power saying doubtlesse this was the sonne of God So when Christians dye to the world and liue vnto God when they by the power of Gods spirit do crucifie sinne and quicken righteousnesse there is also a great alteration in nature their nature is refined by grace their night is turned into day and their day into night their present shame is their glorie and their former glory is their shame their dead affections are raised vp the deuowring graues of their hard harts being opened and now they speake and do and studie otherwise then they did and not like other men In a word as Christs death was not like other mens death so Christians liues are not like other mens liues Christs funerals were solemnized by the Sunne and the Moone by the powers of heauen by the graues and the dead by the earth and the stones and all the insensible creatures whereof in their kind some blushed some trembled some fainted and all mourned for the death of their Lord and feared seeing such things happen to their Soueraigne an vtter dissolution of themselues and all nature These things were not looked for in the world nor regarded at worldly mens funerals yea such as beseeme not the Princes of the nations so Christians liues and deaths too are solemnized and graced with the ornaments of the spirit and the ioy of heauenly Angels with the fruites of righteousnesse the applause of the godly things not regarded of the wicked nor beseeming the helhounds of this world But doubtlesse when men see these lights they must needes glorifie God and say God hath done great things for them and when the wicked themselues see such an alteration in them as they may stand a farre off and wonder at but neuer attaine vnto they must be enforced spite of their hearts to giue God the glorie as Achan did saying this is the truth and so it was and as the Iewes did doubtlesse these were good men the sonnes and daughters of God A man may by their behauiour know of whose bringing vp they were by their habite and spirituall attire a man may discerne them to be the Citizens of the heauenly Ierusalem Blessed be God in so much as they must go a little farther with the wicked in the book of Wisedome and say we are fooles and they are wise howsoeuer we counted their life madnesse before we are they that played the madmen and haue wearied our selues in the wayes of vnrighteousnesse And with Balam Oh that we might dye the death of the righteous and that our last end might be like vnto theirs And thus we see how for the glorifying of God in this life it is necessary for Christians to exercise workes of mercy as giuing of almes and other good workes appointed of God in his word euen before men As it is necessary for the glory of God so also is it as necessary for the encouragement of the godly And first of the painefull Pastor and Minister of the word and then of other Christians To the godly Minister it is no small comfort and encouragement when he shall see the Lords people vnder his charge fruitfull in good workes aswell as in good words For then shall he see the fruite of his labours when after his labour he seeth them fruitfull in all maner of good workes and on the other side when they receiue the word in vaine he may feare that he hath laboured in vaine in vaine I say as touching their conuersion though not simply in vaine otherwise for the word of God is neuer preached in vaine whether men beleeue it or no heare it or no being euer either a sauour of life to life or of death vnto death and comming as the raine which neuer returneth in vaine but either watereth the earth or drowneth it and maketh the ground to bring forth either corne or cockle sweet flowers or stinking weedes whereof the one shall be preserued and the other rooted vp and cast out vpon the dunghill The husbandman is encouraged to follow his husbandry when his vines are fruitfull and his haruests plentiful growing timely ripening kindly yeelding abundantly and no lesse is Gods husbandman the minister of the word encouraged by the timely growing kindly ripening and plentifull yeelding of his charge the Lords husbandrie after he hath taken
honoured and rewarded of God then all the world beside Oh happie man and woman that professing Christianitie or faith in Christ or repentance for sinne or patience in affliction or contempt of the world or zeale to Gods glorie or deuotion in Gods worship or liberalitie to the Saints or mercie to the miserable can in all these haue the company of sinceritie and vprightnesse of heart then may they say thus nay our suretie the Lord Iesus wil pleade for vs in this manner Father despise not these little ones they are my friends and though their faith and repentance be weake and imperfect and other graces of thy Spirit be but small and feeble and for want of nourshing and good looking vnto be not so well growne nor so well ordered as they should haue bene yet forasmuch as they come before thee and haue called vpon my name in sinceritie and truth which thou louest without counterfeiting dissembling and hypocrisie which thou abhorrest thou wilt not despise them Their fruit though they be but little in quantitie like a graine of musterd seed yet it is right fruite of the Spirit true faith though little faith true loue though litle and small loue not like the fruites of hypocrites which are like the apples of Sodome faire in shew and ashes in substance What hath soundly comforted all the Saines of God here on earth but the testimonie of an vpright heart And is not sound comfort a good reward What hath encouraged and emboldned them to come before God in prayer but the testimoniall of a sincere heart and holy affection And is not boldnesse in Gods presence a good reward What hath made the prayers of the faithfull auaileable with God for other but the sinceritie and vpright affection of them that haue craued their prayers and are not these sweet odours that is the prayers of the Saints a good reward What made Iacob to be honoured with the new name of Israel that is preuailing with God for a blessing but that his wrestling was not in shew but in good earnest in sinceritie and truth of heart with a constant purpose of perseuering till he had gotten that which he stroue for And is not preuailing with God a good reward All the daies of the afflicted are euill saith Salomon that is troublesome grieuous and bitter to flesh and bloud but a good conscience is a continuall feast that is he that hath an vpright heart and sincere affection before God feeleth no want Now such a feast as it is continuall so is it prouided by God himselfe serued in with the Spirit of God where the Angels do waite and reioyce and the worst dishes are the assurance of Gods loue forgiuenesse of sinnes peace of conscience and ioy of the holy Ghost There all the communication is secret and heauenly between Christ and the soule the Musitians are the faithfull and their musicke is praising of God and their harmonie is the communion of Saints and all are of one heart and mind and is not such a feast a good reward Nay more then this if this be not inough whosoeuer will earnestly hegge this gift of God by prayer and louingly embrace and keepe her as his deare spouse shall haue with her a large dowrie a great reward in heauen in heauen saith Christ. For such gifts come not without crauing and of our selues we cannot haue it for if a good wife be the gift of God much more is a good heart which God in creating doth giue in giuing doth create therfore Dauid saith Create in me ô Lord a cleane heart to shew that we can no more make the hart sincere then we can create a hart But whē such a hart is created by God he giueth thee a singular gift a great portion belongeth vnto it Part of it shall be payd thee in this life but the greatest part in the life to come In this life thou shalt be loued of Christs friends and moned of good men when thou art wronged the more thou dost seek to honor God the more he will honor thee as he told Samuel The more thou fliest the vainglorie of the world for sinceritie sake the more wil true glorie follow thee according to the Prouerb Honos fugientem sequitur sequentem fugit It followeth those that flye from her like friends which enforce gifts and other curtesies vpon modest persons which refuse them but flyeth them that follow her as men do impudent beggers But besides al this when death comes thy deare friend sincerity shall more comfort thee then all the Phisitions in the world And after death thy name shall liue and walke vp downe in the world to warne some to comfort some to admonish some and to shame some and to condemne many But yet here is not all for then shalt thou first receiue commendation of God whom thou hast serued and secondly enter into full and euerlasting possession of thy maisters ioy which is no lesse then a weightie crowne of glorie immortall then a kingdome and inheritance of eternall blessednesse with the Saints and Angels and God himselfe where all teares shall be wiped from thy eyes and thou shalt reioyce for euermore Where thou shalt enioy for euer and euer such things as no eye hath seene no eare hath heard nor heart to man can conceiue and nothing shall euer obscure or eclipse the same nor crosse nor diminish the same And what is all this or whatsoeuer else can be sayd of it but scarce a shadow of sincerities reward Alas a drop taken out of the sea and a moate out of the mountaines like the hem of Christs garment which did comfort the woman that touched it but she found more comfort in him then in the hem So the description of sincerity is delightsome the picture is pleasing but whosoeuer hath sincerity it selfe shall find at his left hand the fulnesse of ioy and at his right hand pleasure for euermore Whosoeuer after this Sermon shall find so much fauour with God as to meete with sinceritie and vprightnesse of heart in all his actions and such an affection that preferreth Gods glorie before his owne and seeketh praise of God and not of man shall say as the Queene of the South sayd when she came to King Salomon That which I heard of thee I did hardly beleeue it but now I perceiue that the report which went of thee is nothing answerable to that which thou art indeed And though no man deserueth such a reward at Gods hand no nor any reward at all but shame and confusion which is our due desert yet both for his promise sake as also for his honour sake he will so reward his children If mortall men will keepe their promise one towards another as all that haue but common ciuility and honestie will them much more will Almightie God who is all truth and righteousnesse it selfe and can no more breake his promise then he can denie himselfe
brought me with my great credit her great shame to high preferment and now am I free from all troubles and liue like a king in heauen as sometime I was a ruler in Aegypt Aske Dauid and he will tell thee that when he could say vnto God With my whole heart I haue sought thee then could he most boldly call vpon God and say Let me not wander from thy commandements Aske Saint Paule and he will tell thee that he would not presume to craue for the prayers of the Church but when he could also certifie them that he had a good conscience in all things and desired to liue honestly Againe Paule speaking of himselfe and his fellow labourers saith thus We are not as many which make marchandize of the word of God but as of sinceritie but as of God in the sight of God we speake in Christ. We walke not in craftinesse neither handle we the word of God deceitfully but in declaration of the truth we approoue our selues to euerie mans conscience in the sight of God And what hast thou gotten Paule for thy labour In how many dangers hast thou bene both by sea and by land By thy owne confession thou hast bene whipped and beaten with roddes cast into prison stoned and laied for dead hunted from one place to another and at the last lost thy head hadst not thou beene better to haue pleased thy honest neighbours by preaching Christ after their fashion No no sayth Paule neuer tell me of these matters I was crucified to the world and the world to me that is I cared no more for the world then the world did for me the power of God did appeare in my weaknesses when I was in prison I was at liberty when I went from the whip to the dungeon I sung Psalmes yea all this was an honour vnto me that I was not worthie of From all my daungers the Lord deliuered me And where I lost my life there I found it againe euen euerlasting life In a word I haue fought a good fight and haue finished my course I haue kept the faith For henceforth is layed vp for me the crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall giue me at that day and not to me onely but to all them that loue his appearing Aske King Hezechiah what was most comfortable to him in his sicknesse when he looked for nothing but death Oh sayth he I payed and sayd I beseech thee ô Lord remember how that I haue walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart that is a sound and vpright heart without dissembling and haue done that which is good in thy sight to shew that when all faile yet sincerity and truth of heart shall comfort vs like a good keeper and kind nurse at the houre of death Now then what remaineth for this point but that we gather vp the summe of all that hath bene sayd of it and make the conclusion and that is this Seeing that sinceritie shall be rewarded by our heauenly father both in this life with sound comfort in time of trouble with courage and boldnesse in time of prayer with the prayers of the Saints in time of neede with a continuall feast in the time of affliction with heauenly consolation in the time of death and in the world to come with the kingdome of heauen let euery man confesse that the reward of sincerity is a great reward And seeing as it is so great for quantitie and so good for qualitie that all the world cannot affoord so much as a shadow thereof nor tell how to commend it let euery one of vs be more moued therey to embrace sinceritie and to seeke praise at Gods hand rather then all the vaine praises of the world And seeing as sinceritie is of all vertues the chiefest and that which graceth all our vertues before God and man let vs aboue all looke in all our affaires that nothing be done without it Lastly seeing as both Enoch and Ioseph and Dauid and Hezechiah and Paule besides many else haue giuen such testimonie thereof let no man doubt to beleeue nor feare to follow it for out of all doubt those that are approued in Gods sight shall be well rewarded of their heauenly father And so much for the reward of sinceritie THE IIII. SERMON MATH 6.2 As hypocrites do in the Synagogues and streetes to be seene of men WE haue heard heretofore the excellent nature and heauenly reward of sinceritie now brethren that we may be as much out of loue with hypocrisie as we are in loue I hope with sinceritie let vs see the nature and reward of hypocrisie because contraries being layed together do the better appeare And first of the nature of of hypocrisie vpon these wordes as the hypocrites do c. Of the second branch when we come to the next words Verily I say vnto you they haue their reward At this time onely of these wordes as hypocrites do wherein our Sauior Christ doth giue vs to vnderstand two things First that whosoeuer professeth a shew of that which he is not is an hypocrite secondly that the doings of hypocrites are to be made knowne that euery one seeing the hypocrite laid out in his colours with his reward that belongeth to him may take heede that he play not the hypocrite or if he hath played that part to be ashamed thereof and repent and follow the Lord euer after in sinceritie and truth of heart Now seeing as our Sauiour Christ would haue hypocrites knowne by their doings I will endeuour my selfe at this time by Gods helpe to vncase the hypocrite who hath plaid his part so long so impudently and so vncontrolledly carying away all the credit of the world euen to the vndermining of the house of God endangering the whole estate of Christian Religion And call this Sermon if you list the vncasing of the hypocrite for I will if God will do my best endeuour to vncase him Wherein perhaps I shall not behaue my selfe so handsomly and finely to please all parties as some could do but yet I hope both soundly and plainly I shall go to worke You know brethren that plaine dealing is my profession though it be counted a iewell for beggers flattery and curiositie and hypocrisie I leaue to them that will dye rich men and therefore I speed accordingly and I must needes confesse that I am wellinough serued to be so well belaboured as I am with the strife of tongues Well if I could handle this matter more learnedly then I can yet I would of purpose deceiue all such itching eares as come rather to haue their humours fed then their liues reformed A peece of worke both thanklesse and dangerous yea a most vnpleasant argument haue I taken in hand especially as the case standeth now when most men come to catch and to cauill and quot homines tot sententiae euery mans head swarming with as many odde
of him auoide his conditions and escape his punishment And this worke as you know good brethren I called the vncasing of the hypocrite wherein I shewed you first what is hypocrisie namely a counterfeiting of religion or any religious dutie or a doing of that which we do onely to be seene of men and yet seeme to be such as would approue our waies in the sight of God professing the loue and feare of God when there is no such matter in vs. For which cause they are most fitly compared to players who make a shew of doing that which they do not indeede and represent those persons which they are not Next how many kinds of hypocrites there be some being publike some priuate some religious some ciuill Lastly we tooke a particular view of some speciall hypocrisies described by our Sauiour Christ in the 23. of Mathew from the 14. verse to the 23. whereof the last was of them that seeme to make a conscience of trifles and none of waightie matters which Christ calleth straining of gnats and swallowing of camels all which for breuities sake I do omit because there are many mo yet behind to be vncased whose acts and monuments are truely recorded whose visages and pictures are plainely deciphered and whose bowels and inward parts are deepely searched and whose iuglings and dissemblings are all fully discouered by Christ the searcher of hearts in the forenamed 23. chapter of Mathew and diuerse other places beside Wherein our Sauiour Christ we see is not sparing but plentifull not mild but seuere not short but long not negligent but painefull and neuer hath done with them but euer anone meeteth with them remembreth them and neuer lets them passe vntill he hath marked them with his blacke cole of deepe dislike and deadly detestation and still warning his disciples to beware of hypocrits and their leuin of hypocrisie whereof but a little sowreth and spoileth the whole lumpe Now seeing our Sauiour Christ bendeth all his force as it were against hypocrisie and the doings of hypocrites I see no reason that any should be offended that I do so too For hypocrisie in religion is like Iudas amongst the disciples a faire spoken theefe but a cunning and daungerous traitor readie still to betray both Christ and all Christianitie into the hands of their enemies onely she saith as Esau said The dayes of mourning for my father will come shortly and then I will kill my brother Iacob that is I onely want and waite a time to do my feates in Besides those actes which our Sauiour Christ hath alreadie noted in the Scribes and Pharises to the 25. verse of the 23. of Mathew we find in the verses following diuerse other parts of their hypocrisie seuerely taxed and liuely described by him whereof some be in actu some in potentia that is some be present and some are to come By the former he sheweth what is alwaies the present behauiour of hypocrites euen when they are at the best by the latter he prophecieth what they will be when time shal serue and that he sheweth in the 34. verse where he saith that they which now for the present do garnish the sepulchers of the righteous shall one day both kill and crucifie scourge and persecute both Prophets and wise men in their sinagogues and from citie to citie But for the present thus it is with them First they make cleane the outside of the cup and platter but within they are full of briberie and excesse these he further likeneth to whited tombes which appeare beautifull outward but are within full of dead mens bones and of all filthinesse applying his similie vnto hypocrites thus So are ye also for outwardly ye appeare righteous vnto men but within ye are full of hypocrisie and iniquitie Christs meaning is that all hypocrites care is to approue themselues in the sight of men by setting faire shewes vpon euery thing but before God they are most wicked abominable like the harlot who to please straungers is very diligent and carefull and towards others is very courteous and sober and kind but towards her owne husband is most sauage impudent and shamelesse In the next place Christ sheweth what friends and welwillers hypocrites are vnto the Prophets that is to the Preachers of Gods word but you must note that is to them that were dead and that they are great friends to them appeareth two waies First by the cost that they are at in decking their Tombes Secondly by blaming of their forefathers by whom the Prophets were persecuted and iniuried while they were aliue And thus would they get a good opinion amongst men by reuerencing the memorie of the Prophets and holy men of God For while they did thus counterfeit a loue vnto their persons they seemed to yeeld to their doctrine and who would not take them now for most faithfull followers of their doctrine and most zealous seruants and worshippers of God It was a thing very plausible to decke the Tombes of the Prophets and to erect monuments for them For by this meanes saith Caluin quasi ex tenebris eruebatur religio vt in suo honore staret religion was as it were plucked out of darkenesse and set vp in her due honour But indeede they meant nothing lesse then to restore the doctrine of the Prophets which by their death might seeme to be put out And yet being both straungers vnto the propheticall doctrine and also most deadly enemies vnto the same they wold bestow goodly Tombs vpon thē being dead as though that they and the Prophets had stood both for one and the same cause And this saith Caluin is vsuall with hypocrites to honour the holy seruants of God pure teachers of the word after their death whom they could not endure being aliue And for this M. Caluin doth yeeld a very singular good reason This cometh not only from the corrupt custom of the vulgar people saith he sed quia duris seueris correptionibus molesti ampliùs non sunt mortui cineres non agrè in illis colendis euanidā religionis vmbram ostentant qui loquentiū vocibus ad insaniam aguntur But because their dead dust and ashes are no longer troublesome vnto thē with hard and sharpe reproofes therfore it doth not grieue them to make shew of a vanishing shadow of religion in reuerencing thē being dead who were driuen to madnes rage with their liuely voices The world because it durst not wholly despise God or at least rise vp openly against him as it were in armes hath inuented this deuice to worship the shadow of God for God himself in like maner doth reuerence the shadow of the preachers Prophets for the doctrine it selfe What need we go any further for an exāple of this play then to the Popish church who are not content with that lawfull and due reuerence that is giuen to the Apostles blessed Martyrs of Christ but will bestow
one a proper man saith another he touched all degrees and spared none sayth another he had but a soft voyce saith another no vtterance it is pitty with a little practise he would do well he was too long sayth another he hath no learning sayth another What Vniuersitie was he of where dwels his friends what liuing hath he hath he no more benefices then one He sayd well sayth another if he can follow it himselfe when he hath done c. And afterward perhaps if he stay long amongst them or chance to haue charge ouer them they that before praised him to the skies will be the first that shall picke quarrels against him for one thing or another and all to remoue him Is it not then a labour well bestowed to set our selues onely to get praise of men can there be a greater misery were we not in a good case thinke you if we had hope of no better reward then this no maruell though But blessed be God our hope is and our comfort is that we dealing faithfully and vprightly in Gods businesse shall be rewarded of God himselfe in Christ his sonne with another manner of reward then all the world can giue vs or take from vs either In a farre more miserable case me thinke is the hypocrite then many a mans horse or beast is The horse is rid hard and trauelled sore all day and at night is turned into a sorry stable with a galled backe and spurred sides but yet with his maisters reward and that is a good baite and a good word Let him be well dressed and well meated sayth the owner he hath gone well to day it is as good a horse as euer man put legge ouer And if he chance to be stolen or lost or to dye his maister maketh great enquirie and searcheth for to find him againe or great moane besides high commendations of his beast because he cannot be had againe In like maner fareth it with the hypocrite in part whom euery man rideth and derideth at his pleasure as the spurre makes the horse to go so vaine glorie and praise makes the hypocrite to go and therefore it was well sayd in the Prouerbe Gloria calcar habet praise is a spurre as if the vaineglorious foole were a iade that would not go without spurring When the hypocrite hath ended his iourney he is turned home againe with a gald conscience well may he haue a good word as It was well done c. but scarse many times the worth of an asses baite And if he be missing perhaps there is not so much enquiring after him as after the strayed horse except peraduenture as Laban sought after Iacob to call him to account for the manner of his departure And if he dye some moane may perhaps be made for him and a good word from a false heart may chance be cast after him but it may be more moane will be made for a good seruiceable beast and the one shall be as soone forgotten as the other But when death comes it were happy for hypocrites if then they were horses or asses or vile toades for then should their miserie ende with their liues but they cannot haue that priuiledge and therefore they are farre more miserable then the bruite beast which perisheth Consider well of it my good brethren and let vs not be any longer bewitchâ—d with this tickling humour and most vaine vaine as I may call it of carping and caring and studying and seeking how to please men against God or to please men not God but let vs labour by all good meanes and call instantly vpon God by humble prayer that we may be so gouerned by his holy Spirit and grace that all our desire and study may be to do chose things and that in such manner as may get praise and commendation at his hand and we may be approued in his sight Lastly let his doctrine serue to worke patience in all those that hauing deserued commendation and loue and good liking of those amongst whom they haue laboured cannot get the fame or hauing once gotten it through their faithfull and plaine dealing or the inconstancie and frowardnesse of men lost the same Euery man hath his time as Salomon saith there is a time to reioyce and a time to be sorry so there is a time to be praised and a time to be dispraised a time to be lifted vp and a time to be cast downe againe least we should looke for our heauen vpon earth And let it not greeue any man to be dispraised nor greatly puffe vp any to be commended but rather be we grieued that we cannot studie to please God better then we do and be we glad that we haue the testimonie of a good conscience before God that we haue deserued better of men then we find at their hands and shall find farre better of Gods hands then euer we desired or deserued And seeing as the praise and commendation of men is so vaine and miserable a reward both for the vncertaintie of it for the deceitfulnesse of it for the breuitie of it for the vnprofitablenesse of it and for the danger of it let vs neither straine with a good conscience nor keeping a good conscience according to Gods word greatly regard it when we haue lost it For so do miserable hypocrites who as Christ sayth here in our text haue their reward If any body hath now put vppon him the Diuels armour of proofe I meane vnbeleefe as commonly all hypocrites do that this doctrine may not enter into his hart let them but consider and weigh well who hath sayd it and how he affirmeth it that hypocrites haue their reward He that hath said it is the Lord Iesus himselfe who being the wisedome of the father knoweth what he sayth and being truth it selfe cannot erre let no man now suspend his iudgement for the matter or stay his repentance vntill he heare it confirmed by some Doctours or Fathers or Councels for he hath spoken it that cannot deceiue any nor be deceiued by any yea vpon whose word and authoritie all the Doctours and Councels in the world haue builded and must build whatsoeuer they teach or else they build beside the foundation As Christ hath sayd it against whom I say there is no gainesaying so hath he affirmed it in most earnest and confident maner Verily I say vnto you they haue their reward that is in good earnest I speake it and for a most vndoubted truth I affirme it And all little inough for such is the cunning of Sathan to beguile mens soules that he will still feede them with some hope that it is not so hard as the Preacher saith it is Thou shalt dye the death saith God to Adâ—m if thou eatest of that tree No sayth Sathan ye shall not dye that is God doth not meane to deale so hardly with you as he sayth he is mercifull and that was but to make you afraid So playeth the hypocrite
and as we are appointed by order of law and ciuill pollicie yet still in compassion As for counterfeits idlepacks they must be wisely looked vnto and seuerely punished when they are found out as Iosua did who punished the Gibeonites when they counterfeited themselues to be farre trauellers when they were his next neighbours Some become miserable through gaming tipling carrowsing through idlenesse and bad companie keeping to these belong a threefold almes instruction correction and yet some contribution too as is allowed vnto malefactours in prison vntill by order of law and sword of iustice a riddance may be made of them if otherwise they will not be reformed for by the rule of the word he that will not labour must not eate Now let vs praise God THE ANATOMIE OF BELIAL SET FORTH IN TEN SERMONS vpon the 12.13.14 and 15. verses of the 6. Chapter of the Prouerbes of Salomon The summe whereof is set foorth in the next Page Imprinted at London by Richard Field for Thomas Man 1602. A Table shewing the generall contents of the Sermons following The Anatomy of Belial hath two parts 1. The description of a wicked man and he is described here two wayes 1. By his names that are here giuen him viz. 1. A man of Belial that is a lawlesse man 2. A man of vanitie that is vnprofitable 2. By his actions and they be two fold 1. Outward and they be two fold 1. His speeches and they be described by two adiuncts 1. Of their quality which is euill for they be froward 2. Of quantitie which is great for they are cōtinually froward 2. His gestures al which be significāt and tending to mischiefe and they be of his Eyes Fingers Feete 2. Inward of the hart and they are set forth 1. Generally Lewd things are in his hart 2. Particularly by noting two vile odious properties springing frō a lewd hart 1. That he is giuen to imagine and surmise whose imaginations are 1. Euil 2. Continually euill 2. That he raiseth vp contentions 2. His destruction and that is amplified by noting 1. The maner of the comming which is fearful in regard of 1. The speedinesse 2. The suddennesse 2. The continuance of it which is long yea euerlasting without ende for he shall neuer recouer THE I. SERMON PRO. 6.12.13.14.15 The vnthrifty man or the man of Belijal and the wicked man or the man of vanity walketh with a froward mouth 13. He maketh a signe with his eyes he signifieth with his feete he instructeth with his fingers 14. Lewd things are in his heart he imagineth euill continually and raiseth vp contentions 15. Therefore his destruction shall come speedily he shall be destroyed suddenly without recouery THis text may well be called the Anatomy of Belial because it searcheth and openeth euery veine of him and euery sinew of him to the very heart and to that which is in the heart as Anatomies do and sheweth the causes of euery spirituall disease and the effects of euery cause and what it is that bringeth the wicked man to his wofull end as Anatomies doe And that so liuely that if any man desire to see a liuely picture and a true Anatomy of Belial indeede let him with patience marke and behold the hand of Gods Spirit while Belial is a ripping vp and he will say as the people sayd of another action of our Sauiour Christ we neuer saw such a thing Mark 2.12 But all is done and must be done to this end that we may know our selues And this indeed is therefore made the Anatomies speech or poesie Nosce teipsum know thy selfe as if he should say why dost thou stand still gaping and gazing vpon my naked bones or prying into my bowels entrails or iudging of my heart c. good leaue hast thou so to do but learne by me then what thou art and what thou shalt be thy selfe This Anatomie is altogether spiritual and hath in it two parts First the description of a wiked man secondly his iudgemēt He is described two waies first by his name secondly by his actions His name setteth out his nature and it is double first he is called in the Ebrew tongue A man of Beliall that is a lawlesse person Secondly he is called in the same tongue A man of vanitie that is a man altogether vnprofitable As he is described by his names so also is he knowne by his actions and they be of two sorts outward and inward his outward actions are also two fold his speeches and his gestures His speeches are set forth by two adiuncts or circumstances first of their quality then of their quantitie for their qualitie they be very euill for they be altogether froward for their quantitie they exceede for he walketh with a froward mouth that is he is continually froward His gestures are also obserued the gestures of his eyes of his fingers and of his feete and all of them are very significant and tending to set forward sinne The inward actions of his heart are layed forth two wayes First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or in generall tearmes saying Lewd things are in his heart Secondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or in particular obseruations by noting two vile properties arising from a lewd hart First that he imagineth euill continually Secondly he raiseth vp contentions After his description commeth his iudgement and that is to be destroyed and this destruction is amplified further by shewing the fearefull manner of the coming thereof for it shall come speedily without delay and suddenly without any warning before he looketh for it Secondly the euerlasting continuance of it for it shall be without recouery In the Scripture we reade of a Leuite that cut his wife in peeces when others has wickedly abused her to the death and sent her quarters vnto the twelue tribes of Israel with this motion and message Consider the matter consult and giue sentence But here the Lord hath cut Belial in peeces who was the cause of his owne death and hath hanged vp his quarters as it were in his word which he hath sent into all parts of the world that his people might consider the matter consult and confirme the sentence of the Lord and also take example by him least we come into the same case But before we come to the particular examination of Belials markes it shall not be amisse to enquire of three very necessary points The first is to what end this description is made Secondly whether we may by the same description take vpon vs to iudge who is a man of Belial And thirdly what may be learned from the coherence of this text with the rest of the Chapter For the first point Machiuels and Atheistes thinke that all the Bible and all preaching and all religion is but matter of pollicy to keepe men in awe and so consequently that this that is sayd of Belial is so too For that diuell that told Adam that