PHARISAISME AND CHRISTIANITY Compared and set forth in a Sermon at Pauls Crosse May 1. 1608. By I. H. Vpon MATTH 5.20 Except your righteousnesse exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Phariseis you shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen LONDON Printed by Melchisedech Bradwood for Samuel Macham and are to be sold at his shop in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Bul-head ANNO 1608. TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER in God and my very good Lord THOMAS Lord Bishop of LONDON I. H. wisheth all grace and happinesse RIGHT REVEREND and HONORABLE I Know there is store of Sermons extant The pulpit scarce affordeth more than the Presse I adde to the number and complaine not In all good things abundance is an easie burden If the soule may feed it selfe with varietie both by the eare and by the eie it hath no reason to finde fault with choice But if any weaker stomack as in our bodily Tables shall feare to surfet at the sight of too much it is easie for that man to looke off and to confine his eies to some few who cannot much sooner abate to himselfe than multiplie to another Let not his nice sullennesse preiudice that delight and profit which may arise to others from this number For mee I dare not bee so enuious as not to blesse God for this plentie and seriously to reioice that Gods people may thus liberally feast themselues by both their senses neither know I for whether more The sound of the word spoken pierceth more the letter written endureth longer the eare is taught more suddenly more stirringly the eie with leasure and continuance According to my poore ability I haue desired to doe good both waies not so much fearing censures as caring to edifie This little labour submisselie offers it selfe to your Lordship as iustlie yours being both Preached at your call and as it were in your charge and by one vnder the charge of your fatherly iurisdiction who vnfainedlie desires by all meanes to shew his true heart to Gods Church together with his humble thankefulnesse to your Lordship and professeth still to continue Your Lordships in all humble duty and obseruance IOS HALL MATTH chap. 5. vers 20. Except your righteousnesse exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Phariseis yee shall not enter into the kingdome of Heauen THE curious Doctors of the Iews had reduced all Gods statute-law to sixe hundred and thirteene precepts so many as there are daies in the yeere and members in the body It was an honest which were strange a Christian conceit of one of their Rabbins that Dauid abridges all these to eleuen in his Psal 15. Esay to sixe in his 33.15 Micha◠yet lower to three in his 6.8 Esay yet againe to two in his 56 1. Habacue to one The iust man shal liue by faith So yee see the Law ends in the Gospell and that Father said not a misse The Law is the Gospell foretold and the Gospell is the Law fulfilled These two are the free-hold of a Christian and what but they The Iewes of these times peruerted the Law reiected the Gospell Our Sauior therfore that great Prophet of the World as it was high time cleares the Law deliuers and settles the Gospell well approuing in both these that hee came not to consume but to consummate the Law Wherein as Paul to his Corinths he had a great dore but many aduersaries amongst these were the great masters of Israel so our Sauior termes the Phariseis and their fellowes and yet their riuals the Scribes both so much harder to oppose by how much their authority was greater Truth hath no roome till falshood bee remooued Our Sauior therefore as behoued first shewes the falshood of their Glosses and the hollownesse of their profession and if both their life and Doctrine be naught what free part is there in them And loe both of these so faulty that Except your righteousnesse exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Phariseis yee shall not enter into the kingdome of Heauen What were the men What was their righteousnes What wanted it Follow mee I beseech you in these three and if my discourse shall seeme for a while more thornie and perplexed remedie it with your attention Those things which are out of the ken of sense or memory must bee fetch 't from Story The Sect or order whether of the Phariseis ceassed with the Temple since that no man reads of a Pharisie and now is growne so farre out of knowledge that the moderne Iewes are more ready to learne of vs who they were There is no point wherein it is more difficult to auoid variety yea ostentation of reading without any curious trauersing of opinions I study for simple truth as one that will not lead you out of the rode-way to shew you the turnings Scribes were ancient Esra is called Sopher mahir a prompt Scribe As long before him soeuer since they continued till Christs time but in two rankes some were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some popular others legall Some the peoples others Gods The one Secretaries Recorders Notaries as 2. Chron. 24.11 Sopher hamelec the Kings Scribe The other Doctours of the Law of God The Law of the Lord is with vs in vaine made hee it the pen of the Scribe is in vaine As the Phariseis were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Law-masters so these are the same which Luc. 11.45 are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 interpreters of the Law Tho to some not meane Critickes it seems these should be a third sort which consider not that our Sauiour on purpose addressing his speech to the Phariseis fell by the way vpon the Scribes and being admonished by one of them as of an ouer-sight now auerres right downe of the Scribes what before he had but indifferently glanced at What they were is plaine by Ezraes pulpit and Moses his chaire These and Phariseis differed not much they agreed in some good but in more euill But the profession of Phariseis because it is more obscure you shall giue mee leaue to fetch somewhat further There were saith old Egesippus as Eusebius cites him diuers opinions in the Circumcision which all crossed the tribe of Iuda Essens Galileans Emerobaptists Masbutheans Samaritans Phariseis Sadduces It were easie to helpe him with more Sebuaeans Cannaeans Sampsaeans and if need were yet more Where are those wauerers that stagger in their trust to the Church because of different opinions receiuing that rotten argument of profane Celsus against the Christians Sayes the Papists One saith I am Caluins another I am Luthers We disclaime we defie these titles these diuisions we are one in truth would God we were yet more one It is the lace and fringe of Christs garment that is questioned amongst vs the cloth is sound But what Was the Iewish Church before Christ Gods true Church or not
you read it without an aspiration it signifies for follie rather what could that apish and stigmaticall Friar haue done either more or worse â— This was their deuotion The holinesse of their carriage was such that they auoided euery thing that might carrie any doubt of pollution they would not therefore conuerse with any different religion and this law went currant amongst them He that eats a Samaritans bread be as hee that eats swines-flesh An Hebrew midwife might not help a Gentile not books not wax not incense might bee sold to them Yea no familiaritie might bee suffered with their owne vulgar For whereas there were three rankes among the Iewes the wise those were the Phariseis their Disciples and the populus terrae as they called them this was one of the six reproches to a nouice of the Phariseis To eat with the vulgar sort and lest when they had beene abroad they should haue been toucht by any contrarie to the warning of their phylacteries they scoure themselues at their return and eat not vnlesse they haue washt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is accurately as the Syriac oft as Erasmus or with the grip't fist as Beza following Hierome And not with euery water marke the nicenesse but with that onely which they had drawen vp with their owne labour and to make vp the measure of their pretended sanctimonie they vowed continencie not perpetuall as our Romanists vrge but for eight or ten yeers Thus they did vnbidden how strictly did they perform what was enioined no men so exact in their tithes I pay tithes of all saith the boasting Pharise Of all as a great Doctour noteth it was more than hee needed God would haue a Sabbath kept they ouer-keep it They would not on that day stop a running vessell not lay an apple to the fire not quench a burning not knocke on a Table to still a child what should I note more not rub or scratch in publike God commands them to weare Totaphoth phylacteries they doe which our Sauiour reprooues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 enlarge them and these must bee written with right lines in a whole parchment of the hide of a cleane beast God commands to celebrate and rost the Passeouer they will haue it done in an excesse of care not with an iron but a woodden spit and curiouslie choose the woode of Pomegranate God commanded to auoid Idolatrie they taught their Disciples if an image were in the way to fetch about some other if they must needs go that way to runne and if a thorne should light in their foot neer the place not to kneele but sit downe to pull it out lest they should seeme to giue it reuerence I weary you with these Iewish niceties Consider then how deuout how liberal how continent how true-dealing how zealous how scrupulous how austere these men were and see if it be not a woonder that our Sauior thus brandeth them Except your righteousnesse exceed the righteousnes of the Scribes and Phariseis ye shall not enter into the kingdome of Heauen That is If your doctrine bee not more righteous you shall not be entred of the Church if your holinesse be not more perfect you shal not enter into heauen behold Gods kingdome below and aboue is shut vpon them The poore Iews were so besotted with the admiration of these two that they would haue thought if but two men must goe to heauen the one should be a Scribe the other a Pharise What strange news was this from hm that kept the keies of Dauid that neither of them should come there It was not the person of these men not their learning not wit not eloquence not honour they admired so much but their righteousnesse and lo nothing but their righteousnesse is censured Heerein they seemed to exceed all men heerein al that would be saued must exceed them Doe but thinke how the amazed multitude stared vpon our Sauiour when they heard this Paradox Exceed the Phariseis in righteousnesse It were much for an Angell from Heauen What shal the poor sons of the earth doe if these woorthies be turned away with a repulse yea perhaps your selues al that heare me this day receiue this not without astonishment and feare whiles your consciences secretly comparing your holines with theirs find it to come as much short of theirs as theirs of perfection And would to God you could feare more bee more amazed with this comparison for to set you forward must we exceed them or else not bee saued if wee let them exceed vs what hope what possibility is there of our Saluation Ere wee therefore shew how farre wee must goe before them looke backe with me I beseech you a little and see how farre wee are behind them They taught diligently and kept Moses his chaire warme How many are there of vs whom the great master of the Vineyard may finde loytering in this publike market-place and shake vs by the shoulder with a Quid statis otiosi VVhy stand you heere idle They compast sea and land Satans walke to make a proselyte vve sit still and freeze in our zeale and lose proselytes vvith our dul and vvilfull neglect They spent one quarter of the day in praier How many are there of vs that would not think this an vnreasonable seruice of God we are so farre from this extreme deuotion of the old Euchitae that we are rather worthy of a censure with those Spanish Priests for our negligence how many of you citizens can get leaue of Mammon to bestow one houre of the day in a set course vpon God How many of you Lawyers are first clients to God ere you admit others clients to you how many of you haue your thoughts fixed in Heauen ere they bee in Westminster Alas what dulnesse is this what iniustice all thy houres are his and thou wilt not lend him one of his owne for thine owne good They read they recited the Law some twice a day neuer went without some parts of it about them But to what effect There is not one of our people saith Iosephus but answers to any question of the Law as readily as his own name how shall their diligence vpbraid yea condemne vs 〈◊〉 Alas how doe our Bibles gather dust for want of vse while our Chronicle or our Statute-booke yea perhaps our idle and sâ—â—rrilous play-bookes are worne with turning Oh how happy were our fore-fathers whose memory is blessed for euer if they could with much cost and more danger get but one of Pauls Epistles in their bosomes how did they hugge it in their armes hide it in their chest yea in their heart How did they eat walke sleepe with that sweet companion in spight of all persecutioÌ„ neuer thought themselues wel but when they conuersed with it in secret Lo now these shops are all open we buie them not these books are open wee read them not and wee will bee
there bee any of you whose awaked conscience strikes him for these sins and places him below these Iews in this vnrighteousnesse if you wish or care to bee saued thinke it hie time as you would euer hope for entrance into Gods kingdome to strike your selues on the thigh and with amazement and indignation to say What haue I done to abandon your wicked courses to resolue to vow to striue vnto a Christian and conscionable reformation Paul a Pharise was according to the righteousnesse of the Law vnreprooueable yet if Paul had not gone from Gamaliels feet to Christs he had neuer been saued vnreprooueable and yet reiected Alas my brethren what shall become of our gluttony drunkennesse pride oppression bribing cosenages adulteries blasphemies and our selues for them God and men reprooue vs for these what shall become of vs If the ciuillie righteous shall not bee saued where shall the notorious sinner appeare A Christian below a Iew For shame where are we where is our emulation Heauen is our gole we all run loe the Scribes and Phariseis are before thee what safety cā it be to come short of those that come short of heauen Except your righteousnes c. You haue seene these Scribes and Phariseis their righteousnesse and our vnrighteousnesse See now with like patience their vnrighteousnesse that was and our righteousnesse that must bee wherein they failed and wee must exceed They failed then in their Traditions and Practise May I say they failed when they exceeded Their Traditions exceeded in number and prosecution faultie in matter To run well but out of the way according to the Greeke prouerbe is not better than to stand still Fire is an excellent thing but if it be in the top of the chimney it doth mischiefe rather It is good to be zealous in spight of all scoffes but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In a good thing If they had beene as hot for God as they were for themselues it had beene happie but now in vaine they worship mee saith our Sauiour teaching for doctrines the Traditions of men Hence was that axiome receiued currantly amongst their Iewish followers There is more in the words of the wise than in the wordes of the law More that is more matter more authority and from this principally arises and continues that mortall quarrell betwixt them and their Karraim and Minim vnto this day A great Iesuite at lest that thinks himselfe so writes thus in great earnest The Phariseis saith he may not vnfitly bee compared to our Catholikes Some mē speak truth ignorantly some vnwillinglie Caiphas neuer spake truer when hee meant it not one egge is not liker to another than the Tridentine fathers to these Phariseis in this point besides that of free-will merit full performance of the Law which they absolutely receiued from them For marke VVith the same reuerence deuotion do we receiue and respect Traditions that we do the bookes of the Old and New Testament say those fathers in their fourth session Heare both of these speake and see neither if thou canst discerne whether is the Pharise refuse me in a greater truth Not that we did euer say with that Arrian in Hilary VVe debar all words that are not written or would thinke fit with those phanatical Anabaptists of Munster that all bookes should be burnt besides the Bible some Traditions must haue place in euery Church but their place they may not take wall of Scripture Substance may not in our valuation giue way to circumstance God forbid If any man expect that my speech on this opportunitie should descend to the discourse of our contradicted ceremonies let him know that I had rather mourne for this breach than meddle with it God knowes how willingly I would spend my selfe into perswasions if those would auaile any thing but I well see that teares are fitter for this theme than words The name of our Mother is sacred and her peace pretious As it was a true speech cited from that father by Bellarmine The warre of Heretikes is the peace of the Church so would God our experience did not inuert it vpon vs The warre of the Church is the peace of Heretikes Our discord is their musicke our ruine their glory Oh what a fight is this Brethren striue while the enemie stands still and laughs and triumphs If wee desired the griefe of our common mother the languishing of the Gospell the extirpation of religion the losse of posterity the aduantage of our aduersaries which way could these bee better effected than by our dissensions That Spanish Prophet in our age for so I finde him stiled when King Philip asked him how he might become master of the Low-Countries answered If he could diuide them from themselues According to that old Machiauellian principle of our Iesuites Diuide and Rule And indeed it is concord only as the Posie or Mot of the vnited States runnes which hath vpheld them in a rich and flourishing estate against so great and potent enemies Our Aduersaries already bragge of their victories and what good heart can but bleed to see what they haue gained since wee dissented to foresee what they will gaine They are our mutuall spoiles that haue made them proud and rich If you euer therfore look to see the good daies of the Gospell the vnhorsing and confusion of that strumpet of Rome for Gods sake for the Churches sake for our owne soules sake let vs all compose our selues to peace and loue Oh pray for the peace of Ierusalem that peace may be within her walles and prosperitie within her palaces For the matter of their Traditions our Sauiour hath taxed them in many particulars about washings oaths offerings retribution whereof he hath said enough whē he hath termed their doctrine the Leauen of the Phariseis that is sowre and swelling S. Hierome reduces them to two heads They were Turpia anilia some so shamefull that they might not be spoken others idle dotish both so numerous that they cannot be reckned Take a taste for all and to omit their reall traditions heare some of their interpretatiue The Law was that no Leper might come into the Temple their Tradition was that if he were let downe thorow the roofe this were no irregularity The Law was a man might not carry a burden on the Sabbath their Traditional glosse if he carried ought on one shoulder it was a burden if on both none If shooes alone no burden if with nails not tolerable Their stint of a Sabbaths iourney was a thousand cubites their glosse was That this is to bee vnderstood without the wals but if a man should walke all day thorow a city as bigge as Nineuie he offends not The Church of Rome shall vie strange glossems and ceremonious obseruations with them whether for number or for ridiculousnesse The day would faile mee if I should either epitomize the volume of their holy rites
or gather vp those which it hath omitted The new elected Pope in his solemne Lateran procession must take copper money out of his Chamberlaines lap and scatter it among the people and say Gold and siluer haue I none Seuen yeares penance is inioined to a deadly sin because Miriam was separated seuen daies for her Leprosie and God saies to Ezekiel I haue giuen thee a day for a yeere Christ said to Peter Lanch foorth into the deepe therefore hee meant that Peters successour should catch the great fish of Constantines donation But I fauour your eares That one I may not omit how S. Hierome whom they fondly terme their Cardinall compares some Popish fashions of his time with the Pharisaicall who when hee had spoken of their purple fringes in the foure corners of their Tallin and the thornes which these Rabbins tie in their skirts for penance and admonition of their duty Hoc apud nos saith hee superstitiosae mulierculae in paruulis Euangelijs in crucis ligno istiusmodi rebus factitant that is Thus superstitious old wiues doe amongst vs with little Gospels of Iohn with the wood of the Crosse and the like Thus that father directly taxeth this Romish vse who if he were now aliue and should heare their Church groning vnder the number of Ceremonies more then the Iewish would besides holy Austens complaint redouble that censure of our Sauiour Wo to you Scribes Phariseis hypocrites for ye binde heauy burthens and greeuous to bee borne and lay them on mens shoulders I forbeare to speake of the erroneous opinions of these Iewish masters concerning that Pythagorean transanimatioÌ„ or passage of the soule from one body to another a point which the Iewes had learned from them Mat. 16.14 concerning the not-rising vp of the wicked Astronomicall destiny free-will merit of works perfection of obedience in euery of which it were easie to lose my selfe and my speech I haste to their maine vnrighteousnesse which was not so much the planting of these stocks which God neuer set as the graffing of all holinesse and Gods seruice vpon them a fashionable obseruation of the outward letter with neglect of the true substance of the Law a vaine-glorious ostentation of piety and perfection and more care to be thought thaÌ„ to be good a greater desire to be great thaÌ„ good cruelty and oppression coloured with deuotion My speech now towards the closure shal draw it selfe vp within these two lists of their Hypocrisie their VVorldlines Hypocrisie in Fashionablenesse and Ostentation Worldlinesse in Couetousnesse Ambition Onely stirre vp your selues a while and suffer not your Christian attention to faile in this last act Some of their Rabbins say well that God requires two things concerning his Law Custody and Worke. Custody in the heart worke in the execution These vnsound and ouerly Phariseis did neither It was enough if they kept the Law in their hands so they had a formall shew of godlinesse it was enough if the outside of the platter were cleane they cared for no more God had charged them to bind the Law to their hand and before their eies Deut. 6. wherein as Ierome and Theophylact well interpret it he meant the meditation and practise of his Law they like vnto the foolish patient which when the physitian bids him take that prescript eats vp the paper if they could get but a list of parchment vpon their left arme next their heart and another scroll to tie vpon their fore-head and foure corners of fringe or if these bee denied â—â—â—ved threed in their hand thought they might say with Saul Blessed be thou of the Lord I haue done the commandement of the Lord. That Opus operatum of the Papists for I still parallele them is not more false Latin than false Diuinity it is not the out-side of thy obedience that God cares for it neuer so holy neuer so glorious it is enough that men are cosened with these flourishes the heart and the reines are those that God lookes after what cares a good market-man how good the fleece be when the liuer is rotten God doth not regard fashion so much as stuffe Thou deceiuest thy selfe if thou think those shewes that blear'd the eies of the world can deceiue him God shal smite thee thou whited wall God shall smite thee Doest thou thinke hee sees not how smoothly thou hast daubed on thine whorish complexion Hee sees thee a farre off and hates thee while thy parasites applaud thy beauty I speake not of this carrion-flesh which thou wantonlie infectest with the false colours of thy pride which God shall once wash off with riuers of brimstone I speake of thy painted soule and thy counterfet obedience Giue me leaue yea let mee take it to complaine that wee are fallen into a cold and hollow age wherein the religion of manie is but fashion and their pietie gilded superstition Men care onely to seeme Christians If they can get Gods liuery on their backes and his name in their mouthes they out-face all reproofes How many are there which if they can keepe their Church giue an almes bow their knee say their praiers pay their tithes and once a yeere receiue the Sacrament it matters not how corrupt hearts how filthie tongues how false hands they beare can say in their hearts with Esau I haue enough my Brother As if God cared for this thy vaine formalitie as if hee hated thee not so much more than a Pagan by how much thou wouldest seeme more good Bee not deceiued If long deuotions sad lookes hard penances bountifull almes would haue carried it without the solid substance of godlinesse these Scribes and Phariseis had neuer beene shut out of Heauen Consider this therefore deare Brethren none but your owne eies can looke into your hearts we see your faces the world sees your liues your selues see your soules if your liues be not holie your hearts sound tho your faces were like Angels you shall haue your portion with Diuels Tell not me thou hearest praiest talkest beleeuest how liuest thou what doest thou Shew mee thy faith by thy workes saith Iames. It was an excellent answer that good Moses gaue to Lucius in the Church-story The faith that is seene is better than the faith that is heard and that of Luther not inferiour that faith doth pinguescere operibus grow fat and well liking with good workes it is a leane starued carkase of faith thou pretendest without these If profession be all the Scribes and Phariseis are before thee ransacke thy heart and finde sound affection to God firme resolutions to goodnesse true hatred of sin ransacke thy life and finde the truth of workes the life of obedience Then alone thy righteousnesse exceeds the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Phariseis and thou shalt enter into Heauen Their ostentation followes wherein it is strange to consider how those that cared not to be good should desire yet to seeme good so did
these Phariseis They would not fast without a smeared face not giue an alms without a trumpet not pray without witnesses Scribes Phariseis hypocrites they did act a religious part but play deuotion They were nothing beside the stage all for sight nothing for substance Would God this vice of hypocrisy had either died with them or had only hereditarily descended to their successours Satan will not let vs be thus happie I see no mans heart but I dare boldly say the world is full of hypocrisie By their fruits you shall know them saith our Sauiour By their fruits not by the blossomes of good purposes nor the leaues of good profession but by the fruits of their actions Not to speake how our mint and â—ummin hath incroched vpon iudgement and iustice Search your selues ye Citizens Now you draw neere to God with your lips with your eares where is your heart Heere your deuour attention seemes to crie The Lord is God how many are there of you that haue any God at home how many that haue a false God God at Church Mammon in your shops I speake not of all God forbid This famous City hath in the darkest in the wantonest times affoorded and so doth many that haue done God honour honesty to the Gospell but how many are there of you that vnder smooth faces haue foule consciences faire words false measures forsworne valuations adulterate wares griping vsuries haue fild many of your coffers and festered your soules you know this yet like Salomons curtizan you wipe your mouths and it was not you Your alms are written in Church-windowes your defraudings in the sand all is good saue that which appeares not how many are there euery where that shame religion by professing it whose beastly life makes Gods truth suspected for as howsoeuer the Samaritan not the Iew releeued the distressed traueller yet the Iews religion was true not the Samaritans so in others truth of causes must not bee iudged by acts of persons yet as hee said It must needes bee good that Nero persecutes so who is not ready to say It cannot bee good that such a mis-creant professes Woe to thee Hypocrite thou canst not touch not name goodnesse but thou defilest it God will plague thee for acting so hie a part See what thou art and hate thy selfe or if not that yet see how God hates thee hee that made the heart saies thou art no better than an handsome tombe the house of death Behold heere a green turfe or smooth marble or ingrauen brasse and a commending Epitaph all sightly but what is within an vnsauorie rotten carcase Tho thou wert wrapt in gold and perfumed with neuer so loud praiers holy semblances honest protestations yet thou art but noisome carrion to God Of all earthly things God cannot abide thee and if thou wouldest see how much lower yet his detestation reacheth know that when hee would describe the torments of hell hee cals them as their worst title but the portion of Hypocrites Wherfore clense your hands yee sinners and purge your hearts yee double-minded For vnlesse your righteousnesse exceed the hypocriticall righteousnes of the Scribes and Phariseis ye shall not enter into the kingdome of Heauen My speech must end in their Couetousnesse and Ambition A paire of hainous vices I ioine them together for they are not only brethren but twins yet so as the elder heere also serues the yonger It is ambition that blowes the fire of Couetousnesse Oppression gets wealth that wealth may procure honour Why doe men labour to be rich but that they may be great Their Couetousnesse was such that their throte an open sepulchre swallowed vp whole houses of Widowes Whence their goods are called by our Sauiour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if they were already in their bowels and which was worst of all while their lips seemed to pray they were but chewing of that morsell Their Ambition such that they womanishly brawled and shouldred for the best seat the highest piew A title a wall a chaire a cap a knee these were goodly cares for them that professed grauitie humilitie mortification Let me boldly say Ierusalem neuer yeelded so verie Phariseis as Rome These old disciples of Sammai and Hillel were not Phariseis in comparison of our Iesuits From iudgement you see I am descended to practise wherein it no lesse easily made good that these are more kindely Phariseis than the ancient A poore Widowes Cottage fild the panch of an old Pharise How many faire Patrimonies of deuout yong Gentlemen Druryed by them pardon the word it is their own the thing I know and can witnesse haue gone down the throte of these Loyolists let their owne Quodlibet Catechisme report What speak I of secular inheritances these eies haue seene no meane houses of deuotion and charity swallowed vp by them As for their ambitious insinuations not only all their own religious enuiously crie downe but the whole world sees and rings of What oare of State can stir without their rowing What kingdome either stands or fals without their intermedling What noble family complains not of their proling and stealth And all this with a face of sad piety and sterne mortification Yea what other is their great Master but the king of Phariseis who vnder a pretence of simple piety challenges without shame to haue deuoured the whole Christian world the naturall inheritances of secular Princes by the foisted name of Peters Patrimonie and now in most infamous and shamelesse ambition calles great Emperours to his stirrup yea to his foot-stoole But what wander wee so farre from home Vae nobis miseris saith S. Hierome ad quos Pharisaeorum vitia tranfierunt VVo to vs wretched men to whom the Phariseis vices are deriued The great Doctor of the Gentiles long ago said All seeke their owne and not the things of God and is the world mended with age would God wee did not find it a sure rule that as it is in this little world the older it growes the more diseased the more couetous we are all too much the true sons of our great Grandmother and haue each of vs an Eues sweet tooth in our heads we would be more than we are and euery man would be either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 either the man or some-body If a number of your consciences were rip 't o ye that would be Christian Gentlemen Lawyers Citizens what doe wee thinke would be found in your maws Heere the deuoured patrimonie of poore Orphans there the CoÌ„mons of whole Townships heere the impropriate goods of the Church there piles of vsurie heere bribes and vnlawfull fees there the raw and indigested gobbets of simonie yea would God I might not say but I must say it with feare with sorrow euen of our sacred and diuine profession that which our Sauior of his twelue Yee are cleane but not all The multitude of our