in the day of judgement shall say Lord Lord haue not we prophecied in thy name and cast our diuels in thy name and done many great workes in thy name to whom the Lord shall answere I neuer knew you depart from mee you workers of iniquitie Call to mind the fiue foolish virgins who hauing lampes but no oyle were excluded If therefore we would not depart ashamed from our Sauiour Christ at his comming wishing the mountaines to fall vpon vs and to couer vs from his sight but would stand before the sonne of man with comfort let vs endeuour to approoue our selues in the meane time to Christ our judge walking before him in vprightnesse of heart and so demeaning our selues as those who thinke that of their most secret thoughts words and deeds there must an account be giuen to God who searcheth the heart and trieth the reines that he may giue euery man according to his waies and according to the fruit of his workes Fourthly and lastly let vs follow the aduise of Salomon Prou. 4. Aboue all obseruation to keepe our heart For the heart as it is the fountaine of life so of liuing well or ill from whence all our speeches and actions as it were streames doe flow and proceed Those things which come out of the mouth sayth our Sauiour Christ come from the heart For out of the heart come euill thoughts murders adulteries fornications thefâ—s false testimonies slaunders And againe The good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth â—oorth good things and the euill man out of the euill treasure of his heart bringeth forth euill things for out of the aboundance of the heart the mouth speaketh and also the hand worketh If therefore we desire that our actions and speeches may bee good and pure wee must first haue our hearts purified by a true faith that so our loue and obedience may flow from a pure heart and good conscience and faith vnfained For it cannot be that the streames of our actions should be good and sincere if the fountaine of our heart be corrupt Wherefore in reforming our liues our first and chiefe care must be for the purging of our hearts as our Sauior Christ admonisheth Mat. 23. Cleanse first saith he the inside of the cup and platter that the outside of them may be cleane also And Iames Purge your heart you double minded saith he and not your hands onely For what will it auaile vs to drie vp the streames whiles the fountaine springeth or to lop off the boughs whiles the body and root doe remaine vntouched Surely if with Amaziah we shall doe those things which be right but not with an vpright heart we shall fall away as he did If with Simon Magus we professe our selues to beleeue and joyne our selues to the Saints of God notwithstanding we may be as he was in the gall of bitternesse and bond of iniquitie if our heart be not vpright within vs. This neglect of the heart is the cause of all hypocrisie making men double minded bearing as wee say two faces vnder a hood Wherby it commeth to passe that the most glorious professours sometimes become like to Summer fruit which many times being faire and mellow on the outside is rotten at the core Now that we may the rather be stirred vp to a diligent obseruation of our heart we are briefely to consider these two things First that the heart of man is deceitfull and wicked aboue all things and therefore cannot sufficiently be watched And secondly that such as is the qualitie of the heart such is the qualitie of the man in the estimation of God Hetherto we haue spoken of integritie as it is referred vnto God it followeth now that wee should intreat thereof as it hath reference vnto men For as wee must walke before God in truth and sinceritie without hypocrisie so must we haue our conuersation among men in simplicitie and singlenesse of heart without dissembling or guile For euen in our conuersation among men wee are to haue God alwayes before our eyes that as in his presence and sight wee may in singlenesse of heart performe such duties as we owe vnto men For howsoeuer simplicitie is accounted folly in the world and worldly wisedome consisting of dissimulation and deceit be euery where extolled yet if we would be esteemed citisens of heauen and pilgrims on earth it behooueth vs to bee fooles in the world that we may become truly wise as the Apostle exhorteth 1. Cor. 3. Let no man deceiue himselfe If any man among you seeme to be wise in this world let him be a foole that he may be wise for the wisdome of this world is foolishnesse with God Not that I would haue simple men to be fooles but that wise men ought to be simple For true wisdome is tempered with the simplicitie of doues And that wisedome which is from aboue is pure and without hypocrisie Whereas on the other side the wisedome of the world consisting of dissimulation and deceit is by the censure of S. Iames earthly carnall and diuellisâ— It is true indeed that in the world simplicitie is deemed folly and simple men are accounted as idiots and innocent men esteemed fools For such a generall wickednesse hath possessed the minds of most men that now adayes no man is called innocent but such as want wit to doe euill And contrariwise that mixed prudence is commended in the world which is â—oyned with hâ—pocrisie and deceit Which notwithstanding it were easie for any man to attain vnto who makes no conscience of dissembling lying facing sweaâ—ing forswearing But in the Scriptures simplicitie is both commended and commaunded as a note of the citisen of heauen without which there is no entrance for a man into the kingdome of God Christ commaundeth his followers to be wise indeed as serpents but withall to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is simple or sincere without any mixture of guile as doues are without gall And likewise Paule would haue vs wise vnto that which is good but simple vnto euill In regard hereof the primitiue Church Act. 2. is highly commended that they conuersed together in singlenesse of heart and herein especially the Apostle glorieth 2. Cor. 1. That in simplicitie and godly purenesse and not in flesâ—ly wisedome he had had his conuersation in the world And no maruell for it is the note of a true Israelite to be without guile and such the holy ghost pronounceth blessed Christ our Sauiour in respect of this simplicitie is called a lambe and those that will be his followers must not be foxes or wolues but as they are called in the Scriptures sheepe following the steps of our Sauiour Christ who did no sinne neither was there guile found in his mouth And hereunto let vs adde the testimonie of the holy ghost in this place affirming That those which shall
or passing on in hope of transâ—ation to a better estate This word therefore the holy-ghost doth vse to signifie that a citizen of heauen is a pilgrim on earth and that his life here is a pilgrimage And so Peter calleth the time of our life the time of our pilgrimage And Iacob professeth that the daies of his pilgrimage meaning his life were few and euill And likewise Dauid I am a stranger saith he before thee and a pilgrim as all my forefathers were In a word it was the profession of all the faithfull That they were strangers and pilgrims vpon the earth Here therefore wee are taught so many as desire to be citisens of heauen to behaue our selues as pilgrims on the earth Who being exiles in a forraine land desire to come vnto our owne country He that hath a good patrimonie in his owne countrey great wealth kind and able kinred and friends and is forced for a time to sojourne in a strange land where he is ill intreated disturbed molested assailed by his enemies on euery side hee will affect nothing in that strange countrey neither will he set his heart vpon any thing there but his mind is vpon his countrey desiring nothing more than to returne thither But our countrey is in heauen where we haue an euerlasting inheritance an incorruptible and inestimable treasure where is God our heauenly father Christ our eldest brother and the rest of our brothers and sisters the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Martyrs and all the quire of heauenly Saints and celestiall spirits and wee are pilgrims for a time here vpon earth where we are hated ill intreated assaulted with the temptations of Satan the world and the flesh subject to many inward infirmities and outward troubles And therefore it behooueth vs not to set our hearts on worldly things or to place our paradise vpon the earth For if our hearts be on the earth how is our treasure in heauen if the earth be our countrey how are we citizens of heauen Wherefore if we bee pilgrims in the world let vs not bee addicted to worldly desires let vs not mind earthly things but being wained from worldly cogitations let vs mind those things which be aboue Let vs vse the world as though we vsed it not and let vs be so affected towards earthly things as pilgrims and wayfaring men are toward such delights or commodities as they see in their journey or at their inne Which if they vse as meanes to further them in their journey yet they set not their hearts vpon them And yet assuredly our abode in this life in respect of our continuance in the mountaine of Gods holinesse is not so much as the time of our lodging or bait in an Inne Therefore howsoeuer such as be but earth-wormes doe crawle as it were vpon the earth and mind earthly things Yet must we remember that we are citisens of heauen and pilgrims on the earth Are wee pilgrims liuing as it were exiled from our celestiall countrey and heauenly father What ought wee then more feruently to desire than to be in our country and that this earthly Tabernacle of our body being dissolued wee might dwell in that habitation made without hands eternall in the heauens Are we such pilgrims as indeed desire to be in our countrey Let that then bee our chiefest care and indeuour to trauell into our countrey Let vs first seeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and carefully vse the meanes of our saluation And let vs thinke that if wee bee pilgrims wee must also be wayfaring men Are we wayfaring men in this life then will wee vse hac vita vt via This life as a way and the things of this life as they may bee helpes vnto vs in this way Let vs make choise of the high and as it were the Kings way which leadeth vnto heauen the way of true faith and vnfained repentance Let vs insist and persist therein though it bee a narrow and an afflicted way Let vs walke before God in the duties of our lawfull callings and in those good workes which God hath prepared for vs. This is the way let vs walke therin Let vs not returne to our sinnes let vs not deâ—â—â—ne from the way of Gods commaundements either to the right hand or to the left let vs not stand at a stay nor looke backward with Lots wife and much lesse goe backward but with Paule let vs doe one thing forgetting that which is behind and striuing to that which is before let vs make on towards the marke vnto the price of the high calling of God in Iesus Christ knowing that whosoeuer perseuereth to the end he shall bee saued And this was the former part of the question concerning a true member of the Church militant which the holy ghost hath expressed in these wordes Who shall soiourne in thy Tabernacle calling the Church militant the Tabernacle of God and teaching that hee which is an heire of the kingdome of heauen is a pilgrim on earth Now followeth the later part of the question which is concerning the member that shall bee of the Church triumphant and inheritour of the kingdome of heauen in these words Who shall dwell in the mountaine of thy holinesse The kingdome of heauen by a metonymy of the signe he calleth the mountaine of God For the mountaine of God was a type of the kingdome of heauen And this mountaine was either the land of Canaan which was a type of the coelestiall Canaan as it is said Exod. 15. Thou shalt plant them O Lord in the mountaine of thine inheritance in the place which thou hast made for thine habitation or else the mount Sion which elsewhere is called the mountaine of Gods holinesse and was a type of the heauenly Ierusalem or lastly the Mount Moriah where the Temple was placed which is somewhere called the mountaine of the congregation standing on the North part of Sion and is therefore called the holy mountaine because it was the place of the holy assemblies which the Lord sanctified for his habitation and for his worship and this alâ—â— was a type of the temple of God that is to say of heauen Whereas therefore heauen is called the mountaine of God it is a metonymy such as wee find elsewhere in the Psalmes I cried vnto the Lord and he heard me out of the mountaine of his holinesse that is heauen And thus the most interpret this place as namely among the Greekes Basil saith this mountaine doth signifie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The supercelestiall religion which is euery way conspicuous and bright which some call Coelum Empyrium wherof the Apostle speaketh Heb. 12. Among the Latines P. Lombard in thy holy mountaine that is saith he In euerlasting blisse where is the vision of peace signified in the name Ierusalem and the supereminence or height of
charitie where none contendeth in fight but resteth in euerlasting peace Now heauen is called the mountaine of God for these causes First because it was figured by the mountaine of God euen as Christ is called our Passeouer Secondly because of the height thereof whereby it is eleuated farre aboue the earth For albeit in respect of vs who are now placed within the compasse of heauen and behold Comavam coeli superficiem as it were the inward roofe thereof it cannot so fitly be called a mountaine notwithstanding as it is the throne of God who sitteth on the globe of heauen as it were his throne and as it is the seat of the blessed spirits whose conuersation is in the highest heauen as it were in the top of an hill it is not vnfitly called the mountaine of God Vnto this mountaine if we should ascend but in thought as Scipio once did in his dreame and from thence should behold the earth we should easily contemne this inferiour world with the desires thereof For the whole globe of the earth together with the water which seemeth none so great vnto vs if we could see it from the highest heauens would appeare vnto vs like a mote in the sunne But if withall we felt the vnspeakable joyes of heauen and from thence should cast downe our eies vnto this valley of teares there to behold the vanities of vanities and nothing but vanitie in vexation of spirit as Salomon saith it cannot be expressed with how feruent a desire we should be inflamed to haue our habitation in heauen Peter when as hee was present in the transfiguration of Christ in the mount Thabor and had a tast of the heauenly glory he was straightway rauished therewith and desired greatly to remaine there Lord saith he it is good being here let vs make three Tabernacles c. Thirdly heauen is called a Mountaine because it is a safe place free from all hazard or possibilitie of danger where the blessed spirits dwell on high safe from all danger and feare of euill But heauen is not onely called the mountain of God but also the holy Mountaine or which is all one the Mountaine of his holinesse because it is sanctified by the presence of God For which cause Sion also and the mount Moriah are called the holy mountaine of God For where the Lord doth manifest his presence that is a holy place namely because of Gods presence sanctifying it But in the highest heauen the Lord doth principally manifest his presence and reueale his glory Wherefore if mount Thabor after the transfiguration of Christ there wrought and the presence and glory of God there manifested was for that cause called the holy mountaine how much more doth the highest heauen where Christ sitteth at the right hand of his father in majesty and glory deserue to be called the holy mountaine of God The Scriptures ascribe such holinesse to â—his mountaine of God as nothing may enter therein which is not holy Which must teach vs beloued to follow after holinesse without which we shall neuer see God Verely verely I say vnto you saith Christ our Sauiour except a man be borne of water and of the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdome of God Our abode in the mountaine of God is expressed in the word dwelling whereby two things are signified Perpetuitie Rest. Perpetuitie for there the children of God remaine not as pilgrims for a time but as citisens and heires for euer Whereupon the kingdome of heauen is also called an heauenly inheritance wherin are euerlasting habitations and an inheritance immortall and vndefiled that fadeth not away reserued in heauen for vs. I wil not stand to proue this point being the last article of our Creed coÌ„firmed by manifold testimonies of scripture which often mentioneth eternall life eternall saluation eternall kingdome let vs rather labor by all good meanes to make sure our calling and election to this eternall kingdome that the meditation therof may teach vs first to contemne in respect thereof the momentarie vanities of this present world accounting it more than madnesse if for the temporarie fruition of sinne wee shall depriue our selues of Gods presence where there is fulnesse of ioy and at whose right hand there are pleasures for euermore if for light and temporarie trifles we loose a superexcellent eternall weight of glorie in heauen Secondly with patience and comfort to run the race of afflictions set before vs looking vnto Iesus the author and finisher of our faith who for the ioy that was set before him endured the crosse and despised the shame and is set at the right hand of the throne of God For the and light afflictions of this life are not worthy the eternall weight of glorie that shall be reuealed which notwithstanding they procure vnto vs whiles we looke not on the things which are seene but on the things which are not seene For the things which are seene are temporall but the things which are not seene are eternall Againe the word dwelling importeth rest For there the children of God doe not wander as pilgrims neither are subject to any molestations but doe wholly rest from their labours And for that cause the kingdome of heauen is called the rest of God and as it were an eternall Sabboth In respect whereof the land of Canaan was a type of our heauenly countrey For as to the Israelits after they had for many yeares wandered as pilgrims through the desert the land of Canaan was the mountaine of their perpetuall habitation and rest euen so to vs after wee haue finished our pilgrimage through the desert of this world there remaineth an heauenly Canaan that Sabbatisme or rest of God which the Apostle testifieth is left to the people of God But as against those Israelites which after they were brought out of Aegypt and were in the way towards the land of promise by their infidelitie and contumacie prouoked God the Lord sware in his anger that they should neuer enter into his rest so shall it happen to so many of vs as professing our selues to bee redeemed out of the bondage of the spirituall Pharao shall notwithstanding neither truly beleeue in Christ nor repent of our sinnes but prouoke the Lord by our infidelitie and disobedience Wherefore as the holy ghost sayth To day if you shall heare his voice harden not your hearts as in the prouocation and as in the day of temptation in the wildernesse where your fathers tempted me c. to whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest Let vs studie therefore to enter into that rest least any of vs fall after the same ensample of disobedience And let vs take heed least at any time there be in vs an euill heart of infidelitie to depart from the liuing God For the
thing for whereas it is sayd of Eâ—och Gen. 5. that he walked before God that is that hee liued vprightly it is by the Apostle thus expounded That he was sayd to haue pleased God And the Hebrew word which signifieth to be right or vpright doth signifie also to please that we may know that he which is right before God doth please him As it is sayd in the Prouerbes They which are peruerse in heart are an abhomination vnto the Lord but such as are vpright in their way are his delight Now this must needs be an excellent virtue that goeth vnder the name of perfection which the Lord esteemeth as the inward beautie of his spouse which is not onely pleasing vnto God but as it were the pleasing of him But let vs come to the profit by which consideration most are led as it is sayd Psal. 4. There be many that say who will shew vs any good that is profit The profit of vprightnesse may be shewed first in generall that God is good and gracious to theÌ„ that are vpright As the Psalmist after many conflicts at length resolueth Psa. 73. 1. But yet God is good to Israell to those that are pure in heart And this goodnesse he manifesteth by doing good to them and causing all things to worke together for their good according to the prayer of Dauid Psal. 125. Do good O Lord to those that are good and vpright in heart but those that turne aside by their crooked wayes them shall the Lord send away with the workers of iniquity Neither is the goodnesse of God sparing towards them For he is a Sunne that is an author and giuer of all comfortable blessings and a shield that is a protector of them from all euill He giueth grace and glory and no good thing doth he with-hold from those that walke vprightly More specially the benefits wherewith the Lord doth crowne the vpright are either temporall or spirituall For as salomon saith Prou. 2. The Lord hath laid vp for the vpright substance that is whatsoeuer is truly good and verse 21. The righteous shall inhabit the land and the vpright men shall remaine in it And as the Lord bestoweth good things vpon the vpright so he preserueththem from euill and is therefore sayd to be â— shield to them that walke vprightly or as Dauid saith My shield is in God who giueth saluation or preserueth the vpright in heart according to the saying of the Prophet Hanani The eyes of the Lord saith he behold all the earth to shew himselfe strong with them that haue a perfect that is an vpright heart towards him The spirituall blessings which God bestoweth on the vpright are as the Psalmist speaketh Grace Glory Grace in this life Glory in the life to come The graces which God bestoweth on the vpright are many for sanctifying graces are so linked together as it were in a golden chaine that where some be in truth as they are in the vpright all are in some measure Among many others these spirituall blessings accompany vprightnesse Comfort in affliction and Ioy in the holy Ghost and which before I spake of Confidence or spirituall securitie in worshipping the Lord without feare which is the blessednesse promised to the faithfull in all nations in Abrahams seed according to the exposition of Zacharias Luk. 1. and also Constancy and Perseuerance As touching the former before not touched Forasmuch as the vpright building not vpon the sand but vpon the rocke haue layd a good foundation against the day of triall therefore when as they are afflicted they faint not neither are ouermuch discouraged but with Dauid in his greatest distresse do comfort themselues in the Lord their God 1. Sam. 30. 6. And being assured that the Lord will cause all things euen their afflictions to worke to their good they resolue with Iob to put their trust in him though he kill them But the vpright haue not onely comfort but ioy also in the holy Ghost For God doth giue to him that is good in his sight that is to the vpright wisedome and knowledge and ioy For the vpright haue a good conscience and a good conscience is a continuall feast For this is our reioycing saith the Apostle the testimony of our conscience that we haue had our conuersation in simplicitie and godly purenesse And this was Ezechias his stay when he had receiued the sentence of death and which he vsed as an argument vnto the Lord to obtaine the lengthning of his life and preuailed Lord saith he I beseech thee remember how I haue walked before thee in truth and with an vpright heart and haue done that which is good in thy sight For howsoeuer the vpright are sometimes vnder the crosse yet there is light sowne for the righteous and ioy for the vpright in heart which in due time will sprout forth yea in the mids of their affliction they do reioyce knowing that tribulation bringeth forth patience and patience experience and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed And seeing the vpright do with Dauid set the Lord alwayes before their eyes for he is at their right hand therefore they must say with him I shall not be remoued wherefore my heart is glad and my tongue reioyceth my flesh also doth rest in hope With these and such like blessings the Lord doth reward the vpright in this life for after this life eternall saluation abideth them He that walketh vprightly saith Salomon shall be saued but he that is peruerse or walketh peruersly in two waies as double minded men do he shal fall in one or as some read at once And to omit other testimonies the holy Ghost testifieth in this place That he which walketh vprightly shal dwell in the holy mountaine of God Finally to conclude all blessings vnder one blessednesse it selfe is promised to the vpright Blessed are those which are vpright in their way Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God And this blessednesse doth not onely belong to themselues but it redoundeth also to their posteritie Blessed is the iust man that walketh in his vprightnesse and blessed are his children after him And againe The generation of the vpright shall be blessed But it may be you expect examples which one calleth the hostages of our speech whereby that may appeare in particuler experience which the Lord hath confirmed in generall promise Let Noah therefore be an example whom the Lord because of his vprightnesse preserued in the vniuersall deluge And likewise vpright Abraham to whom the Lord was a shield and an exceeding great reward Dauid professeth that for as much as he was vpright before God the Lord therefore rewarded him according to his righteousnesse and the purenesse of his hands in his sight And the same is confessed by Salolon his sonne Thou
man that there is lesse hope of an hypocrite than of an open sinner first because he sinneth against the light of his conscience secondly because by his outward shewes he bleareth the eyes of men wherby he escapeth those admonitions and reproofes whereby the open sinner many times is reclaimed And lastly because in his pride and selfe-loue hee posteth ouer all publick reprehensions and exhortations to the open sinners because he is assured that in the opinion of others they belong not vnto him And this is that which our Sauiour Christ sayth to the hypocriticall Scribes and Pharisies That Publicans and harlots should goe into the kingdome of God befâ—re them Seeing therefore vprightnesse is a grace so excellent that it goeth vnder the name of perfection and is esteemed as the beautie of Christs spouse wherewith hee is especially delighted so profitable that to them which walke vprightly the Lord denieth nothing that is good but giueth them Grace in this life and Glory in the life to come and not onely maketh them blessed but their posteritie also after them so necessarie as that without it our best graces are counterfeits and our best worship of God hypocrisie and our selues hypocrits who shall neuer see God but shall haue our portion with hypocrits where is weeping and gnashing of teeth how doth it behooue vs to labour for this grace which is so excellent in it selfe so pleasing vnto God so profitable and necessarie vnto vs and contrariwise to auoid the contrary sinne of hypocrisie which is so odious vnto God so foolish in it selfe and so pernicious vnto vs And to this purpose that wee may come to the fifth and last thing let vs obserue these few rules first let vs according to the example of Dauid learne to set God alwayes before our eyes and our selues in the sight and presence of God And to this end let vs meditate euermore both of his omnipresence remembring that he is alwayes present with vs in all places neither can we possibly auoid his presence as the Psalmist teacheth as also of his omniscience remembring That the eyes of the Lord are in euery place beholding the euil and the good and not only looking vnto the outward actions and speeches but also beholding the inward affections of the heart and cogitations of the mind euen before wee conceiue them that so we may learn to walke with our God approouing our selues vnto him and so behauing our selues as those which haue their conuersation in the sight and presence of God Who knoweth not how decently and reuerently we carry our selues whiles wee are in the sight and presence of our superiours especially of our prince Therefore Senec a admonisheth his friend Lucilius that he would set before him Cato or Laelius or some other graue and reuerend man that he might liue as in his sight for as he sayth Magna pars peccatorum tollitur si peccaturis testis assistat a great part of our sinnes is taken away if when wee are about to sinne there bee a witnesse by vs. How much more would the presence of almightie God strike a reuerence into vs if we had the eyes of Moses the eyes of faith whereby he saw him that is inuisible and is alwayes present with vs especially if wee considered that the Lord seeth not as man seeth for man looketh vnto the outward appearance but the Lord beholdeth the heart and that not onely the bodies of men but the soules also are manifest before him Hell and destruction are before the Lord how much more the hearts of the sonnes of men By this argument Dauid exhorteth Salomon his sonne to vprightnesse 1. Chron. 28. And thou my sonne Salomon saith he Know thou the God of thy father serue him with an vpright heart with a willing mind for the Lord searcheth all hearts and vnderstandeth all the imaginations of thoughts Secondly to the meditation of his omnipresence and omniscience let vs adde the consideration of his omnisufficiencie remembring as the Prophet Hanani said to Asa That the eyes of the Lord behold all the earth to shew himselfe strong with them that are of an vpright heart towards him and that as Salomon saith He is a shield to them that walke vprightly and not that onely but as Dauid sayth He is the Sunne that is author of all comfortable blessings and a shield that is a preseruer and protectour from euill the Lord will giue grace and glory and no good thing will he withhold from them that walke vprightly And this is the argument which the Lord vseth to moue Abraham to integritie Gen. 17. I am God all-sufficient walke before me and be vpright For assuredly if we did effectually call to mind Gods all-sufficiencie we would neuer be so foolish as to play the hypocrits approouing our selues to men rather than to God seeing he is all-sufficient to crowne vs with blessings to shield vs from euill Whereas men can neither doe vs good vnlesse God bee pleased to vse them as his instruments whereby hee will conuey his blessings vnto vs neither can they do vs harm vnlesse God doe vse them as his rods whereby to correct vs. Thirdly to the former let vs joyne a serious meditation of the last judgement namely that God all-sufficient who is euery where present and is acquainted with al our secrets shall one day iudge the secrets of men and will bring euery worke vnto iudgement with euery secret thing whether it bee good or euill Let vs therefore set God before our eyes sitting in judgement remembring that we must all appeare before the iudgement seat of Christ that â—uery man may receiue according to those things which he hath done in the body whether good or euil whether open or secret whether alone or with others whether in light or darkenesse by day or by night For darkenesse hideth not from God but the night shineth as the day the darkenesse and light are both alike Let vs not therfore content our selues with an externall profession of religion and outward shew of vertue when as our hearts be not vpright within vs but are possessed with hypocrisie and abound with secret sinnes For an externall profession seuered from vprightnesse of heart shall no whit auaile thee at the day of judgement for God shall judge the secrets of men but it shall be very prejudiciall vnto thee increasing thine horrour and confusion For how shalt thou be confounded thinkest thou who hast made a profession of religion when the bookes being opened and thy secret sinnes laid open before all the world thou shalt be conuicted of hypocrisie condemned of many foule sinnes vnrepented of which thou hadst laboured to conceale from the world And with what horrour shalt thou be striken supposest thou when thy portion shall be assigned thee with the hypocrits where is weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth Remember that many
as Christ himselfe saith Mat. 6 If you do not forgiue men their trespasses neither will your heauenly father forgiue you your trespasses Now if this be the propertie of Gods children not to requite euill for euill we may easily conceiue in what number those Caualliers and fool-hardie fellowes are to be reckoned all whose courage and manhood consisteth in offering and reuenging injuries who also vpon euerie occasion are readie to quarrell and fight But let these men know First that all priuat reuenge is vnlawfull and that if euerie priuat man might be his owne caruer the magistrat should carrie the sword in vaine Secondly that all fighting vnlesse it be in lawfull battell is murther in the sight of God Thirdly that he which taketh the sword viz. not deliuered vnto him by warrant from God as it is to the magistrat to the souldier in lawfull battell to the priuat man in case of present necessitie shall perish with the sword Fourthly that it is a most fearfull thing either to kill or to be killed as oft it happeneth in priuat fight for he that killeth is a murtherer who so polluteth the land with bloud as that it cannot be purged but by his owne bloud Not to speake of that which euerie man knoweth that manslayers haue none inheritance in heauen but shall be excluded out of the heauenly Ierusalem and shall haue their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death in the meane time who is able to vtter what horror of conscience vsually accompanieth those who are guiltie of murther Neither is their case better who are slaine in fighting a priuat quarrell For if as the tree falleth so it lieth how fearfull may we thinke their estate to be after death who in thirsting after another mans bloud do shed their owne bloud and in a desire to murther another are murthered themselues Wherfore whē we are stirred vp to fighting or reuenge let vs remember the Apostles aduice Ephes. 4 Not to giue place to the diuell for vndoubtedly they are inspired with a fatanicall spirit who breath out reuenge Wherefore Dauid when Abishai stirred him vp to reuenge Shemai answered What haue I to do with you ye sonnes of Zeruiah that this day you should be vnto me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in stead of Satan But to returne to my purpose This is a common thing to all them that are not citisens of heauen that so oft as either they can or dare they are readie to requite euill for euill and verie manie proceed further who not only do euill to them that haue deserued ill but manie times also either through hatred or hope of gaine doe ill to those who are innocent neither haue deserued euill at their hands Yea manie there are who render euill for good and seeke to harme them of whom they haue receiued good Seeing then all other men who be not the sonnes and heires of God are so accustomed to euill doing it cannot be hoped that they should vse to practise the affirmatiue in doing good For may we thinke that those who vse to do euill not onely to them that deserue ill but also to the innocent and those that deserue well that they will be readie to do good offices to them that deserue not and to requite euill with good Or is it credible that those who are carelesse of their owne saluation should be carefull for others to winne them to Christ Nay the greatest number are affected as Cain was who being demaunded by the Lord concerning his brother asked if he were his brothers keeper Yes verily we are all appointed keepers of God to obserue one another To stirre vy one another to loue and to good workes for loue seeketh not her owne things but is also carefull for others And those which be the children of God are also members of one and the same bodie among whom is the communion of Saints But others are so farre from promoting the saluation of their brethren that by all meanes they seeke to hinder the same whiles either by prouocation counsell or example they bring them into sinne which is the cut-throat of the soule so become murtherers not of mens bodies but which is more grieuous of mens soules Wherefore seeing this Innocencie agreeth to all the sons and heires of God and onely to them it is of good right reckoned among their proper notes not onely in this place but elsewhere also in the scriptures as Ps. 24 Where to the like question Who shal ascend into the mountaine of the Lord c. the like answer is shaped He that hath Innocent hands and a pure heart c. And as the Psalmist in this place affirmeth that he which doth none euill to his neighbour shall neuer be remoued but shall rest in the holy mountaine of God so the Prophet Esay pronounceth that man blessed who keepeth his hand from doing any euill It remaineth therefore that euerie one should apply this note to himselfe for howsoeuer all men almost will affirme that they neuer did harme to their neighbor yet it is to be feared lest this Innocencie can be found but in a few especially of those who would seeme more wise and politicke than others for such is the generall wickednesse of these times that none but fooles are counted Innocent And therefore those which would be citisens of heauen they must be content to be esteemed fooles in the world that they may be wise to God Now followeth the sixt note in these words And receiueth not an euill report against his neighbour The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth an opprobrious speech or as the Septuaginta translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a reuiling and slanderous speech a sinister or euill report tending to the infamy of our neighbour The verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 admitteth diuerse significations The first and principall is to take vp and so a slaunder may be taken vp either in the mind to thinke or deuise it or in the tongue to vtter it or in the eare to harken or to giue eare to it all which Gods children are to auoid For as touching the first howsoeuer many men thinke their wicked thoughts to be free yet notwithstanding the Scriptures teach vs that they are repugnant to charitie for as the Apostle saith Charitie thinketh none euell that they are sinnes for the wicked thought of a foole is sinne that they are not onely forbidden for so the Prophet Zacharie saith Let none of you imagine euill in your heart against his neighbour but also punished for the holy Ghost doth note that the Lord destroyed the world by the vniuersall deluge Because the thoughts of mens hearts were continually euill that they are an abhomination to the Lord and consequently that we are to bewaile them and craue pardon for them and also to repent vs of them Let the
either of the poore as though it were committed against them alone or of the detaining of a pledge as though vsurie were to be matched therewith for it is matched with murther idolatrie incest and other such abhominations neither that it is in this place so subjected to oppression as a species thereof but generally and simply it is condemned as a grieuous abhomination whereby the vsurer prouoketh the vengeance of God not onely against himselfe but also against the societie wherein he doth liue And thus we see all vsurie or lending for gaine by diuerse testimonies of Scripture to be plainely and manifestly condemned Of which doctrine the couetous worldlings are apt to make this vse If it be so that we may not by the word of God lend vpon vsurie then surely we will not lend at all Answer it is a greater sinne not to lend at all to a man who is in great need than to lend vnto him vpon vsurie Euen as it were a greater offence altogether to denie food to him that is almost famished than to sell it vnto him at an vnreasonable rate And therefore manie commonweales do tollerate such vsurie as is not immoderat for the good both of the borrower and also of the lender Of the borrower because his necessitie manie times is such that it is farre better for him to borrow vpon vsurie than not to borrow at all Of the lender because to lend vpon moderat vsurie to them that must needs borrow is a lesse sinne than not to lend at all But as the afore cited places condemne the negatiue and forbid lending for gain so there are diuerse manifest testimonies of Scripture injoyning the affirmatiue and commaunding vs to lend freely And therefore as we are to abstaine from vsurie because God forbiddeth it so must we practise free loane because God commaundeth it These places because they are so manie euidences against vsurie I will the rather recite And first that in Deut. 15 where the Lord hauing prouided by law that in the seuenth yeare no debt should be demaunded and foreseeing that hereby the couetous would take occasion when the seuenth yeare should draw neere to refuse to lend to them that were in need therefore vers 7. and 8. the Lord straitly chargeth them not only at other times to lend freely to their needie brother but euen then also when the seuenth yeare was at hand His words are these If any one of thy brethren with thee be poore and needie within any of thy gates in thy land which the Lord thy God giueth thee thou shalt not harden thine heart nor shut thine hand from thy poore brother but thou shalt liberally open thine hand vnto him and thou shalt in lending lend that is freely lend him sufficient for his need which he hath Beware that there be not a wicked thought in thine heart to say the seuenth yeare the yeare of freedome wherein debts were not to be required is at hand nor that thine eie be euill towards thy needie brother so that thou wilt not giue vnto him and so he crie vnto the Lord against thee and it be sinne vnto thee Thou shalt freely giue vnto him and let not thine heart be euill when thou giuest vnto him for because of this the Lord thy God shall blesse thee in all thy workes and in all that thou puttest thine hand to In which words the Lord not onely commandeth them straightly to lend freely to their brethren being in need not onely at other times but euen immediatly before the yeare of remission wherein no debts were to be demaunded but also vseth two effectuall reasons to persuade them to the voluntary and cheerefull performance of this dutie The former because if they should refuse to lend to their brother in his need it should be a sinne vnto them and good reason for we are not absolut Lords of that which we haue but onely the Lords stewards who must one day giue an account of our stewardship and therefore we are bound in conscience so to imploy those goods which hee hath committed to our trust as he appointeth And therfore seeing the Lord commaundeth those which be of ability as his stewards to lend to them that are in need it is a sinne vnto them if they shall refuse to lend freely vnto them The second reason to persuade men cheerfully to lend to them which are in need is the gracious promise of God For because of this the Lord thy God shall blesse thee in all thy workes c. Now if this promise with some others in the word of God doe not preuaile with vs in this behalfe we shall bewray notable infidelitie If a poore man bring vnto thee a rich man to be his suretie thou wilt not feare to lend vnto him but when the Lord becommeth a poore mans suretie nay promiseth himselfe to be thy paymaister and to make thee full recompence thou wilt not take his word no not his written word Prou. 19. 17 He that dealeth graciously with the poore whether it bee by free giuing or free lending lendeth vnto the Lord and the Lord will recompence him that which he hath giuen But lest any should alledge though falsly that this is a judiciall law and therfore bindeth not them I will therfore produce two testimonies out of the Gospell of our Sauiour Christ. The former Mat. 5. 42 Giue to him that asketh and from him that would borrow of thee turne not away What then will you say is euerie one bound to lend to euerie one that asketh I answer respect is to be had of thine abilitie and of his necessitie and also if it be not a case of vrgent and present necessitie of his honestie If his necessitie vrge him to borrow and thine estate enable thee to lend thou art bound to lend vnto him especially if his honestie deserue to be respected The other testimonie is Luke 6. 35. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lend looking for nothing thence which words though they be diuersly read and expounded yet in euerie sence they commaund the dutie of free lending The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 admitteth diuerse significations as first to bring into despaire according to which sence thus much is insinuated that those which refuse to lend vnto men in their need cause them to despaire But this sence is not incident vnto this place vnlesse we read as indeed the Syriacke interpreter doth insteed of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lend causing no man to despaire For they that go on borrowing they go on sorrowing and when others will not lend when they must needs borrow they are out of heart and do as it were sinke vnder the burden of their want When as therfore thy brother commeth to borrow of thee for the supply of his want turne not thy face from him neither harden thy hart towards him nor shut thine hand from him but when his hand doth shake stay him and hold him
but that they may with good conscience desire in their necessitie to borrow freely onely men must beware how they fall into this necessitie As for them which borrow for gain you may consider their dealing in the time either of the borrowing or of the payment In the time of borrowing he doth not therefore sinne against charitie if he will not out of his vncertaine traffique promise certaine gaine to the lender who will beare no hazard with him Indeed if the lender will be content to beare part of the losse the borrower ought to yeeld him part of the gaine At the time of payment he is bound to be thankfull to the creditor if he haue gained and willingly to afford him some part of that gaine wherewith it hath pleased God by the creditors meanes to blesse him especially if the creditor could not well forbeare his money As touching the latter point that vsurie offends not against publike charitie they indeuour to proue by these two reasons Because it is both profitable and necessarie to common weales It is profitable For if the creditor haue no skill in any trade or traffique and the borrower hauing skill wanteth a stocke not onely both they shall be gainers but the commonwealth also shall receiue good by the imployment of the one mans stocke and of the others skill whereas contrariwise the common wealth should sustaine losse if neither the creditors money be occupied nor the borrowers skill imployed I answer there are other lawfull meanes whereby mens money may better be imployed for the good of the common weale than by vsurie For when the borrowers do gaine by that which they haue taken vp on vsurie the common wealth commonly payeth the vsurie as hath bene shewed But why wilt not thou imploy thy mony thy selfe in some honest contract Is it because thou wilt take no paines nor beare any aduenture but wilt be sure to prouide for great and certaine gaine with ease Then art thou an vnprofitable member in the commonwealth liuing of the sweat of other mens browes c. Or hast thou any lawfull reason either because of thy calling age or condition that thou canst not indeed imploy thy money thy selfe then mayest thou buy either lands or rents after that maner which before hath bene shewed or else thou maiest deale by partnership But you must remember there is no partnership without partaking in the losse as well as in the gaine That vsurie is necessarie they prooue Because as the world now goeth and as mens maners now are no common weale can stand without it Answer If that be true then vsurie is proued to bee a necessarie euill and this necessitie argueth not the lawfulnesse of vsurie but the wretched estate of the world which as Iohn saith lieth in euil For to say absolutly that cōmonweales cannot stand without vsurie were derogatorie to the wisedome of God who would not suffer vsurie in that cōmonweale which he ordained as hath before bin shewed But whence ariseth this necessitie the necessity of borrowing so of lending ariseth frō mens wants and hardly can humane societies stand without that contract but the necessitie of vsurie ariseth of mens couetousnes and hardnesse of their hearts For although there may be a necessitie of borrowing vpon vsurie when men that must needs borrow cannot borrow freely yet there is no other necessitie why men should lend vpon vsurie but that which their owne couetousnesse when they haue once said they will be rich hath imposed vpon them for vnlesse thy neighbour haue need to borrow there is no necessitie of lending at all imposed vpon thee But if thy neighbour haue great need to borrow and thou be well able to forbeare the Lord hath laid a necessitie of dutie vpon thee to lend freely which without sinne thou canst not auoid Or if there be a necessitie that thou shouldest imploy thy stocke to gaine there be other lawfull contracts to that purpose so that thou shalt not need vnlesse it be for idlenesse and distrust to deale by vsurie Now if a pretended necessitie arising from the hardnesse of mens hearts and setled resolution to go on in the practise of vsurie contrarie to the commaundement of God be of sufficient force to justifie vsurie then by the same argument may any other sinne be justified Object 4. It belongeth to magistrats to determine of ciuile contracts and therefore vsurie is so farre forth lawfull as they by their lawes allow it Answer The rule of our conscience is not the law of man but the law of God and it is a principle That the law of the inferiour cannot dispence with the law of the superiour If therefore the Law of God condemne all vsurie no law of man can make any vsurie lawfull Againe we are to distinguish betwixt allowing and permitting no good lawes allow vsurie as good though some permit it as a thing euill for auoiding of greater euils Magistrats are faine sometimes to permit and tollerat that which they are not able altogether to amend Moses for the hardnesse of mens hearts permitted the husbands to put away their wiues so that they did giue them a bill of diuorcement wherein their wiues innocencie should be cleered not that he allowed thereof but that he would prouide for the wiues safetie deliuering them from the furie or tyrannie of their husbands But notwithstanding this permission whosoeuer put away his wife hauing not broken the bond of wedlocke by committing adulterie by the sentence of our Sauiour Christ himselfe committed adulterie So the magistrats by reason of the couetousnesse and hardnesse of mens hearts are forced to tollerat vsurie so it be kept within such bonds as they prescribe not that they allow thereof but that they might prouide for the good of those who haue need to borrow both that they might borrow and also that borrowing they should not bee too much oppressed But notwithstanding this legal tolleration he that lendeth for gain is an vsurer a theefe before God And therefore as the judiciall permission of Moses in the case of diuorcements so the ciuile permission of magistrats in the case of vsurie doth not serue to cleere a man from the guilt of sinne before God but onely to exempt the partie from ciuile punishment And yet it cannot be truly said that our lawes do so much as permit any vsurie excepting in the case of orphanes Wherefore this argument may also be retorted vpon our patrons of vsurie for seeing as they say magistrats haue authoritie by their lawes to determine of ciuile contracts and seeing our lawes determine of all vsurie as of a sinne allowing none at all as good but punishing it as euill and not so much as permitting any except in the case of orphanes hereof it is to be inferred that no vsurie among vs can be practised with a good conscience Object 5. If letting be lawfull then vsurie also is lawfull for vsurie is letting of money but letting is lawfull
if his necessitie doe not driue him he should not seeke to such an one neither hardly nor at all But seeing God hath enabled him to lend and the magistrat doth tollerat him to this end that he may supply the wants of men which are in necessitie why may not I vpon whom the Lord hath laid a necessitie of borrowing seeke to borrow of him who ought to lend to me so long as I induce him not to sinne nor persuade him to any thing which is not good But you will say if the partie be a common vsurer you know beforehand that either he will lend vpon vsurie or not at all and therefore seeing vpon your motion he will take occasion to sinne you ought rather to forbeare it than that by your motion you should giue him occasion of sinning which for no temporall commoditie you ought to doe I answere that it is vnknowne to me how the Lord who would haue the wealthie men tried by the signification of their want who are in need will moue his heart and therefore so long as I mooue him onely to that good which he ought to doe if he will thereby take occasion to offend it is an offence taken and not giuen And for as much as this passiue offence is not of ignorance or infirmitie but of a resolued malice and of a setled resolution in euill such as was the scandale of the Pharisies Mat. 15. 14. it is to be neglected neither am I being in a case of vrgent necessitie to forbeare asking to borrow for feare of this passiue scandale But the latter point is more difficult viz. whether after deniall made by him who was intreated to lend a man in case of vrgent and extreame necessitie may offer that condition to him which if he shall accept he shall offend by vsurie As for example if vpon his deniall he should reply Refuse not I pray you to lend vnto me for my necessitie is such as that rather than I would not borrow I would yeeld to very hard conditions require what allowance you thinke good or impose what condition you please if it be not too vnreasonable I will yeeld to it Such an offer I haue shewed before by like instances not to be vnlawfull to which I will adde some others Suppose a man in extremitie of hunger to come to another who hath victuals intreating him to let him haue some food for his readie money the other though he perceiueth his need refuseth wherupon he replieth Refuse not I pray you to sell me food for such is my necessitie that rather than I would not buy victuals at this time I would yeeld to what price you shall require demaund what you will though it be the double price c. Or suppose the same man in the like want of necessaries either for himselfe or such as belong vnto him but wanting readie money commeth to one who hath such commodities to sell who refusing to sell without readie money the other desireth him to let him haue them though he pay the dearer for them The partie thus selling the dearer committeth vsurie And suppose againe that the partie who is intreated to lend pretendeth as vsurers many times doe that they haue no money to pleasure the borrower with whereupon the borrower intreateth him to helpe him with some commoditie whereof he may make money the lender intending perhaps to buy the same himselfe vnder hand lets him haue a commoditie which he sayth is worth an hundred pounds and causeth the borrower to enter into a bond for the payment of so much when as notwithstanding the borrower when he selleth the commoditie cannot perhaps procure fourescore pounds for it These examples with those before mentioned may prooue that a man in present distresse may make such an offer which being extorted from him by his owne necessitie and by the hardnesse of their hearts with whom he hath to deale is by his owne necessitie compelling him to make choise of the lesse euill and by the hardnesse of their hearts whom he dissuadeth from the greater sinne to be excused which otherwise were not warrantable 3. But it may be objected againe He without whom the vsurer cannot actually accomplish his sinne is partner of his sinne Without the borrower vpon vsurie the vsurer cannot actually commit the sinne of vsurie therefore the borrower is partner of the vsurers sinne The proposition being generally vnderstood as it must or else the whole argumentation is a paralogisme is vntrue for although it be true in those sinnes which are committed betwixt a couple by the voluntarie and mutuall consent of both parties yet where the one partie yeeldeth not voluntarie consent but is a patient and the object rather of the others wrong than an agent with him it is vtterly false The sinne of rape can no more be committed without the innocent partie that is rauished than the sinne of whoredome without the companie of an harlot and yet no man will say that she which is rauished is partner of his sinne that committeth the rape The robber by the high way cannot commit robberie vnlesse the way faring man doe trauell that way so likewise one man cannot oppresse vnlesse there be another to be oppressed nor impose vsurie vnlesse there be another on whom it is to be imposed and yet he that is oppressed is not partner of the oppressours sinne nor the borrower who vpon necessitie borroweth vpon vsurie of the vsurers sinne Indeed he that willingly and without necessitie maketh that contract of vsurie he is not oppressed neither may it be denied but that he is partner of the vsurers sinne But he that vpon necessitie and against his will yeeldeth to the payment of vsurie he is oppressed neither can it truly be said that he is partner of the vsurers sinne for whosoeuer is oppressed is wrongfully oppressed and against his will and whosoeuer is wrongfully oppressed and against his will he is no partner of the oppressours sinne When as therefore it is said If there were no borrowers vpon vsurie there would be no vsurers to prooue that all borrowers are partakers in the sinne of vsurie it might as well be said That if there were no trauellers by the high way there would be no robbers by the high way if there were none to suffer wrong there would bee none to offer wrong if there were none to be oppressed there would be no oppressours to prooue that the robbed the wronged the oppressed are guiltie of the robberie wrong and oppression that is done vnto them For I haue prooued before that the borrower vpon necessitie yeelding to vsurie is wronged and oppressed 4. Againe if it be objected That we may not doe ill that good may come thereof neither may we vse vnlawfull meanes though to good ends neither ought any worldly necessitie force vs to sinne all this I freely confesse and withall professe that if all borrowing vpon vsurie were an euill thing meaning the euill of sinne