sheath in other places perhaps drawne foorth and vsed vnseasonably But alas many that be ignorant and weake and yet tender of conscience howsoeuer most of that sort be caried with a spirit of furie and insolencie do stumble exceedingly at these things and surely no great maruel when those that be sworne to present so many things let all alone or else turne the edge of the sword against the Ministers of the word taking as it were a pride and felicitie in disgracing and discrediting of them For to let passe the corruptions of many which are in place and authoritie to punish faults surely this is a thing intollerable for any that are sworne to bring disorders to light to make no more conscience of their oath then if the fearefull name of God were a matter of no regard but to be plaied and dallied withall or made a cloake for mischiefe and malice as if God himselfe did either know nothing of your dealings or had no will or abilitie to punish the same Neither is it any maruell though the Minister of Christ be had in contempt and be counted a contentious and a troublesome fellow when those which should second him with the censurers of the Church are content to let the wicked do what they list without controulment nay are as readie to violate Gods orders as others and assoone as any to misuse Gods Minister for doing of his dutie faithfully And what will be the end of all this but a fearefull iudgement of God vpon the land to end the matter withall As it fell out in the daies of Zedechiah king of Iudah in whose daies both he and the Priests and the people trespassed wonderfully and heathenishly and polluted the house of the Lord euen as in our daies the house of God is polluted and contemned To redresse this geare the Lord sent vnto them his messengers rising early and sending for he had compassion on his people and on his habitation but they did as we do They mocked the messengers of God and despised his words and misused his Prophets vntill the wrath of the Lord arose against his people till there was no remedy For he brought vpon them the King of the Chaldeans who slue their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuarie and spared neither young man nor virgin auncient nor aged God gaue all into his hands See the 2. of Chron. the 36. Chapter and the 16. and 17. verses to shew vs that though God can beare with manie sinnes yet he cannot beare with the contempt of his word and Ministers And thus you see brethren three foule and fearefull monsters brought forth by the malice and nursed by the negligence and couered by the hypocrisie of Church officers and that is contempt of discipline and gouernment Schisme and deuision in the Church contempt of Gods message and messengers and all attended vpon with the consuming wrath and vengeance of God If any man shall think that I haue vrged these things too neare and too particularly applyed this doctrine let them but seriously consider as before God what dammage the Church sustaineth by the corrupt and partiall dealing of Church officers and I hope they will easily confesse that a Pastor whome God hath made a watchman to see that none of Christs sheepe be lost or deuoured by his pastorall authoritie in his owne place may and ought to say as much as I haue done yea euen to the Church officers of this place without offence to any And I maruel considering the great mischiefe that ensueth the negligence and counterfeit dealing of Ecclesiasticall officers and how the fault when Schismatikes are bred is returned vpon the Ministers faithful teachers that others are so sparing or no more earnest against them then they are For if men be ielous ouer their children do with great indignation set thēselues against those that are means whereby they are bereaued of thē yea of their cattell which is lesse And if the Church ought also to be as iealous ouer her children which through the painefull trauels of her Ministers haue bene begotten vnto Christ as men are of theirs then why should not the Fathers and nurses I meane the Ministers of the Churches children for the Lord Iesus open their mouths yea with great zeale and indignation against those by whose meanes the members of the Church may and do miscarrie For why should the Church of Christ be robbed of her children as this very congregation or flocke hath bene of some since my coming hither through your negligence that be in office and sworne to bring grosse and noisome abuses to light the stinke whereof maketh many weake ones to loath their mothers house and we sit still and hold our peace But alas sir will hypocrisie say what would you haue vs to do when we present faultes nothing is reformed as good let all alone as get the ill will of our honest neighbours and do no good money will buy of all c. But this is too open a net to daunce in when all the world shall see that the least part of the hypocrites care is to reforme grosse abuses to do good indeed and with a religious heart zealously to maintaine the glorie of God but rather bend all their studie to serue the time to please men and to crosse the truth Nay rather if mens hearts be vpright with God they are of Iosuahs mind who said Though all Israel will not yet I and my house shall serue the Lord so though no man else will make a conscience of their oath or office yet we will and so do I pray you For if others will be remisse and partiall and corrupted when you haue presented faults and will swallow those Cammels that you bring out of their stables that is their sinne and they shall answere for it But if you faile in your dutie seeing and not seeing straining gnats and swallowing of camels that is your sinne and you shall answere it also for euery one shall beare his owne burden And therefore in the feare of God let vs looke euery one of vs better vnto in then we haue done and repent of that which is past that God in Christ Iesus may be mercifull vnto vs. THE V. SERMON MATH 6.2 As the hypocrites do WE haue hitherto heard how vaineglorie and hypocrisie do defile all our good actions before God and how by taking heede vaineglorie is to be auoyded The reward likewise of sinceritie we haue seene and in part the mature of hypocrisie according to the intent and purpose of our Sauiour Christ who both describeth hypocrites vnto vs in their colours and in so doing doth plainely tell vs that he would haue the doings and qualities of hypocrites to be made known vnto the world To which end it is necessary that the hypocrite be vncased and viewed well in the light that euery one espying his vgly visage and taking good markes of him may beware
your time in so blessed a worke Without all suspition of flattery be it spoken vnto the praise of God and the comfort of your soule in the day of the Lord your readinesse to do good vnto all your Zeale in religion your felicity in composing of controuersies in planting of peace and in quenching of strifes and that to the contentment of all parties doth not a little reioyce the harts of all that are round about you and shall minister no small occasion to their posterity that is to come to commend the same to the euerlasting praise of God and your neuer dying fame It was Pauls reioycing that the care of all the Churches being layd vpon him yet he through Gods power fainted not vnder his burthen And surely you may well say the care both of Church and common-wealth about you lyeth vpon you but yet God doth enable you to vndergo that care Yea from what parts almost do they not repaire vnto you as vnto the common Phisition of the common-wealthes diseases and the stay of the countrey and most blessed instrument of euery mans peace and welfare when any of their matters are otherwise like to languish and fall to the ground When it was first reported that you should be employed in Embassage for her Maiesty into France although it could not be denied but that your employment that way might yea and in all likelihoods would through the blessing of God haue proued very beneficiall to the Church of God in both nations yet it grew very disputable among some whether your presence there or at home in your owne countrey had bene the more necessarie And so fast hath God vnited vnto you the harts affections of the poore commons about you yea and of all sorts that as vnwillingly they would haue parted with you if the choyce had bene in them as the young infant forbeareth the presence of the kind and tender mother I speake not this to the preiudice of any neither is there any such cause for thankes be to God you cannot in this respect say as sometime Eliah sayd of himselfe that the Lord hath left you alone but I speake it to your comfort and encouragement wheresoeuer you shall be employed whether in forren businesse or domesticall affaires For though you cannot want your crosses more then other of Gods deare children who both abroad and at home do by daily experience find that virtutis est inuidia comes and that they are enuied of the malignant no lesse for their vertues then Iacob was hated of Esaw because of the blessing yet cannot that gracious aspect of Gods louing countenance fauourable blessing which haue hitherto continually seconded al your godly indeuours but be tanquā arrha as an vndoubted pledge and testimony vnto you that whither soeuer you shall be lawfully called foorth to do him seruice in seruing your Prince and countrey he will not leaue you to your selfe nor to the malice of the enuious but will on the contrary stand by you and hedge you in with grace and mercy wherewith you shall be defended as with a shield And as he hath promised to honour those that honor him so shall you assuredly find for euer as you haue hitherto done the truth of that promise in due time performed vnto you Therefore go on still like your selfe as a faithfull friend to truth and sincerity and an vnfained enemy to the man of Belial and vaine man whose counterfeit dealings shall vanish as the smoke against the wind and the God of heauen prosper you in your goings And now no whit doubting of your willingnesse to peruse these Treatises nor of your readinesse to construe all things in the best part and to make your best vse of them to the glory of God the good of his Church the comfort of your soule and benefit of your countrey I humbly commend both your selfe and them to the blessing of God From my study this 8. of February Your worships in all good affection W. BVRTON THE I. SERMON MATH 6.1.2.3.4 Take heede that ye giue not your almes before men to be seene of them or else you shall haue no reward of your father which is in heauen Therefore when thou giuest thine almes thou shalt not make a trumpet to be blowne before thee as the hypocrites do in the Sinagogues and in the streetes to be praised of men verily I say vnto you they haue their reward But when thou doest thine almes let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth That thine almes may be in secret and thy father that seeth in secret will reward thee openly THE drift of our Sauiour Christ both in this Chapter and in the Chapter following is all one with that which he had in the former Namely to teach his followers that if they would enter into the kingdome of heauen it is necessarie that their righteousnesse do exceede the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees onely with this difference In the former he confuteth the doctrine of the Scribes and Pharisees and in these two he noteth and condemneth their life and hypocrisie From which obseruation two things are to be noted First that aboue all things the Church must be purged from false doctrine For if the doctrine be not whole and sound it cannot be that the life should be ordered aright for the doctrine of the Church is the rule of mens liues if the rule be crooked then must mens liues be crooked also Secondly if the doctrine be refined and throughly purged yet is it not sufficient to the true study of righteousnesse vnlesse also the life be rightly instituted and purged too and especially from hypocrisie For if the Carpenter haue neuer so straight a rule yet if he weare it alwayes at his backe and do not thereby square out his worke the building wil go but crookedly forward And in like manner if Christian builders haue neuer so good Preachers amongst them and the doctrine that is taught by them neuer so sound yet if they cast the word behind them and hate to be reformed by the same what else are they like vnto but vnto the foolish Carpenter that put his rule at his backe and worketh altogether at aduenture to the spoiling of the whole building and vndoing of himselfe with shame inough of all that behold him Take heede c. The partes of this admonition are two negatiue and affirmatiue In the first part we are admonished what to auoide in giuing of our almes In the second part we are shewed what to do Concerning the thing that is to be auoided note we three things First what it is Secondly how to auoide it Thirdly the reason why it must be auoided For the first the thing that is to be shunned in giuing of almes is vaineglory and that hath two parts First inward desire of the same Next an outward shew of it The first is the roote the second is the leaues and the branches The first is
that thou dash not thy foote against a stone therefore watch and feare not Christ himselfe both God and man thy Mediator doth plead for thee doth pray for thee doth pay for thee therefore watch and feare not Christs Ministers without are readie to awaken thee with their siluer trumpets of knowledge and wholesome doctrine if thou chaunce to fall asleepe therefore watch and feare not Gods spirit within thee as Lord deputie for Christ Iesus is ready to do all his offices for thy sanctification and consolation here and for thy saluation and glorification hereafter therefore watch and feare not As Lord priuie seale he is readie to set vpon thee the stampes of regeneration and marks of mortification as dying to sinne liuing to vertue with increase of faith and charitie and patience and temperance c. These are his markes by which thou shalt know that thou art sealed vp to the day of redemption As Lord comforter of Gods elect he shall speake peace vnto thy soule when thou art cast downe vnder thy sinnes and say Sonne be of good comfort thy sinnes are forgiuen thee If thou receiue any wounds in thy inward man whereby thy zeale and faith and repentance c. may grow into a consumption yet watch stil and feare not for he with his quickening vertue and soueraigne oyle of heauenly assurance shall restore vnto thee againe the ioy of thy saluation creating in thee still a cleane heart and renewing a right spirit within thee and therefore keepe thy watch and feare not And if thou dye he shall chaunge thy death into life and thy mortalitie into immortalitie yea if the boisterous windes of persecution and trouble chaunce to arise and driue thee either into prison or to the stake or to the gallowes or to banishment or to the vncomfortable coasts of contempt reproch or any other crosse whatsoeuer he can quench the fire or stoppe the lions mouthes or open the prison doores or raise thee vp new friends or take away thy hunger or giue thee strength to beare all if he will or else make all these as meanes to driue thee sooner into heauen then thou wouldest be and therefore take heede watch and feare not But now thou must take heede that those things which are spoken for thy consolation and encouragement do not make thee carelesse and remisse but be admonished in standing vpon thy watch to take heede of two things First that thou post not off thy watching vnto other men Secondly that thou driue it not off vnto another time If thou post off this dutie to other men thou deceiuest thy selfe for thou hast no more priuiledge then other men haue thou art in no lesse danger then other men are thou art subiect to the same passions the same corruptions the same lawes the same iudgements that other men are subiect vnto and therefore if other men must take heede and watch ouer their affections thou must if some must all must and therefore lest any man should thinke he were more priuiledged then all men Christ saith That which I say vnto one I say vnto all watch It is a subtiltie of Sathan to make men beleeue that they are exempted but others are not that ministers had neede watch ouer their affections and looke to their waies but not other men as in Poperie they say that Friers and Monkes and Nunnes must be more holy and more deuout then other men And therefore we say as the disciples said when they heard Christ say one should betray him Is it I Is this to me Doth this doctrine concerne me Whom doth he meane As though Christ had said here but one of you must take heede and watch And when we see or heare of any other man that is come to reape the shame of his vaine-glorious and ambitious attempts or of others their lasciuious or couetous attempts what is our saying Alas it is pittie this was for want of heede taking but yet we take no more heede then they for we think it concernes vs not But this is our great folly Other men that haue fallen before vs are like ships that are sunke before our eyes and cry out vnto vs looke you to your selues and come not after vs for if you do you shall all likewise perish Let other men be our warnings and not our deputies in these cases For do man shall go to hell by his deputie but euery man that hath bene carelesse in his watch without repentance shall in his owne person die the death Secondly thou that art to beginne if thou wilt keepe thy watch wel post it not off vntill another time for that is another of the diuels sleights but remember what Christ saith in the Text When thou doest thine alms take heede He doth not say when thou hast done it for then it commeth too late because that action is past with a theeuish affection alreadie Take heede after the euill is committed is like shut the doore when the horse is stolen If thou wilt take the theefe with the manner thou must watch him euen at the very same instant when thou art doing of thy good deeds for then he commeth and doth his feate and afterward he lurketh in a corner of thy heart where thou canst not so well find him and there he both watcheth his time for the like bootie another time and in the meane time he doth as it were laugh thee to scorne for that thou wert so foolish as to let him rob both God of his honour and thee of his fauour while he tickled thee and flattered thee with faire words As Nehemiah that couragious magistrate dealt with the Sabbath-breakers so must we deale with our vaineglorius thoughts He watched them when the Sabbath day came and then he found them hauing found them he shewed them the law when that whould not serue he threatned them when threatening would not serue he apprehended them and punished them and then they came no more vpon the Sabbath day So let vs watch our thoughts and affections when we are about to do or are in the doing of our good workes and then we shall find those theeuish and peeuish thoughts that go about to rob God of his honour hauing found them lay the law of God before them if that will not serue threaten them with the iudgements of God if that will not serue then lay hands not vpon thy selfe but vpon them and take a more straight examination of thy heart where they are euen before the Lord chiefe Iustice of heauen and earth then imprison them by restraining them of their libertie and refraining of thy selfe from such obiects and sights and places and company as would animate them against thee Hauing thus restrained them feede them with fasting as it were with the bread of affliction and with weeping mingled among as it were the water of affliction and then with the spirit of feruent prayer correct them zealously and continually and spare them not accuse
brought me with my great credit her great shame to high preferment and now am I free from all troubles and liue like a king in heauen as sometime I was a ruler in Aegypt Aske Dauid and he will tell thee that when he could say vnto God With my whole heart I haue sought thee then could he most boldly call vpon God and say Let me not wander from thy commandements Aske Saint Paule and he will tell thee that he would not presume to craue for the prayers of the Church but when he could also certifie them that he had a good conscience in all things and desired to liue honestly Againe Paule speaking of himselfe and his fellow labourers saith thus We are not as many which make marchandize of the word of God but as of sinceritie but as of God in the sight of God we speake in Christ. We walke not in craftinesse neither handle we the word of God deceitfully but in declaration of the truth we approoue our selues to euerie mans conscience in the sight of God And what hast thou gotten Paule for thy labour In how many dangers hast thou bene both by sea and by land By thy owne confession thou hast bene whipped and beaten with roddes cast into prison stoned and laied for dead hunted from one place to another and at the last lost thy head hadst not thou beene better to haue pleased thy honest neighbours by preaching Christ after their fashion No no sayth Paule neuer tell me of these matters I was crucified to the world and the world to me that is I cared no more for the world then the world did for me the power of God did appeare in my weaknesses when I was in prison I was at liberty when I went from the whip to the dungeon I sung Psalmes yea all this was an honour vnto me that I was not worthie of From all my daungers the Lord deliuered me And where I lost my life there I found it againe euen euerlasting life In a word I haue fought a good fight and haue finished my course I haue kept the faith For henceforth is layed vp for me the crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall giue me at that day and not to me onely but to all them that loue his appearing Aske King Hezechiah what was most comfortable to him in his sicknesse when he looked for nothing but death Oh sayth he I payed and sayd I beseech thee ô Lord remember how that I haue walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart that is a sound and vpright heart without dissembling and haue done that which is good in thy sight to shew that when all faile yet sincerity and truth of heart shall comfort vs like a good keeper and kind nurse at the houre of death Now then what remaineth for this point but that we gather vp the summe of all that hath bene sayd of it and make the conclusion and that is this Seeing that sinceritie shall be rewarded by our heauenly father both in this life with sound comfort in time of trouble with courage and boldnesse in time of prayer with the prayers of the Saints in time of neede with a continuall feast in the time of affliction with heauenly consolation in the time of death and in the world to come with the kingdome of heauen let euery man confesse that the reward of sincerity is a great reward And seeing as it is so great for quantitie and so good for qualitie that all the world cannot affoord so much as a shadow thereof nor tell how to commend it let euery one of vs be more moued therey to embrace sinceritie and to seeke praise at Gods hand rather then all the vaine praises of the world And seeing as sinceritie is of all vertues the chiefest and that which graceth all our vertues before God and man let vs aboue all looke in all our affaires that nothing be done without it Lastly seeing as both Enoch and Ioseph and Dauid and Hezechiah and Paule besides many else haue giuen such testimonie thereof let no man doubt to beleeue nor feare to follow it for out of all doubt those that are approued in Gods sight shall be well rewarded of their heauenly father And so much for the reward of sinceritie THE IIII. SERMON MATH 6.2 As hypocrites do in the Synagogues and streetes to be seene of men WE haue heard heretofore the excellent nature and heauenly reward of sinceritie now brethren that we may be as much out of loue with hypocrisie as we are in loue I hope with sinceritie let vs see the nature and reward of hypocrisie because contraries being layed together do the better appeare And first of the nature of of hypocrisie vpon these wordes as the hypocrites do c. Of the second branch when we come to the next words Verily I say vnto you they haue their reward At this time onely of these wordes as hypocrites do wherein our Sauior Christ doth giue vs to vnderstand two things First that whosoeuer professeth a shew of that which he is not is an hypocrite secondly that the doings of hypocrites are to be made knowne that euery one seeing the hypocrite laid out in his colours with his reward that belongeth to him may take heede that he play not the hypocrite or if he hath played that part to be ashamed thereof and repent and follow the Lord euer after in sinceritie and truth of heart Now seeing as our Sauiour Christ would haue hypocrites knowne by their doings I will endeuour my selfe at this time by Gods helpe to vncase the hypocrite who hath plaid his part so long so impudently and so vncontrolledly carying away all the credit of the world euen to the vndermining of the house of God endangering the whole estate of Christian Religion And call this Sermon if you list the vncasing of the hypocrite for I will if God will do my best endeuour to vncase him Wherein perhaps I shall not behaue my selfe so handsomly and finely to please all parties as some could do but yet I hope both soundly and plainly I shall go to worke You know brethren that plaine dealing is my profession though it be counted a iewell for beggers flattery and curiositie and hypocrisie I leaue to them that will dye rich men and therefore I speed accordingly and I must needes confesse that I am wellinough serued to be so well belaboured as I am with the strife of tongues Well if I could handle this matter more learnedly then I can yet I would of purpose deceiue all such itching eares as come rather to haue their humours fed then their liues reformed A peece of worke both thanklesse and dangerous yea a most vnpleasant argument haue I taken in hand especially as the case standeth now when most men come to catch and to cauill and quot homines tot sententiae euery mans head swarming with as many odde
swallow them downe whole And because we are now entred into the bowels of hypocrisie giue me leaue a little to cleare my selfe of one thing more wherein as in diuerse others I haue bene not a little mistaken and that is this It is rumoured abrode that I would haue perswaded the Church-officers of this place to dispense with their oath in not presenting those things which concerne my selfe in my ministerie which is all one as if I shold perswade them to be periured by a witting and willing abusing of the most sacred name of God whome they haue called to witnesse against their owne soules if they do not present all things that they are sworn vnto It is vntrue and a wickednesse that I trust God in his mercie wil preserue me from while I liue but this indeed I said that in their oath as in all other oathes that are ministred iudicially two things are chiefly respected if they be not expressed the one is the glorie of God the other is the good of the Church which I told them they were in the execution of their office and in al other presentments to haue a special regard of aduising them to looke most to those things that do make most for the aduancing of the glorie of God and the reformation of the Church of God as namely the prophaning of the Lords day by vnnecessarie working thereupon by carying of wares vp and downe and open gaming vpon the Lords day together with blasphemers drunkards and vsurers and negligent commers to the church al which be foule blots and spots in a Christian congregation and therin shold God be greatly glorified and not to let these alone and stand altogether prying into the Minister for matters of ceremonie and circumstance as if they were in office for no other end but to trouble Gods Minister and to strengthen the hands of the wicked But forasmuch as God is glorified also in presenting of euery thing that commeth within compasse of their oath I would haue them answer truly vnto euerie article And so I say still vnto you that be in office deale so as God may be glorified and Gods church may be edified Leaue this partialitie in doing your office haue the feare of God before your eyes and feare more to offend his Maiestie by abusing his holy name then to offend your honest neighbours by winking at their sinnes I tell you these things plainely and in loue to your soules whatsoeuer men iudge of me I protest before God if protestations will serue your courses that you take be not good God is dishonoured by you and the Church of God vnreformed It is seldome that you go abroad to visite mens houses I meane those that are frozen in their dregges and when you doe go it is so vnseasonably that it were better that you went not at all You should go at the beginning of common Prayer and compell men as much as in you lyeth to come to the general confession and prayers of the Church and reading of the Scripture as well as to the Sermon but you tarry till the Sermon beginneth and then draw out many with you that would be gladder to heare the Sermon perhaps then your selues are and so you hinder both your selues and them too And by this meanes you offend double by bringing in an open contempt both of the Sermon and the common prayers of the Church For what say many we are a comming all in good time the Sermon is not begunne yet and so you let them alone as who say if they come to the Sermon then all is well Againe by this meanes behold another inconuenience while men are left to thēselues to go come at their own pleasure the poore are for the most part defrauded of their allowance because men comming not in due time the collectors cannot haue it of them vnles they would go as vnseasonablie about in the Sermon time as you do Againe when you do go to whom do you go or whose houses do you visite Alas none but a few poore base Alehouses and the meaner sort you dare not go to the richer sort to the better sort no you are afraid to displease them you say it is not the custome but they may and their wiues may and their seruants may come at their pleasure and do what they list and that see the poorer sort and they thinke they should be suffered as well as the rich Againe when you haue visited some few places or persons what do you Do you present anie of them Neuer Do you take twelue pence apeece of them according to the Statute Seldome And there againe the poore are defrauded by your partialitie And to saie the truth I do not see with what faces you can present the poore and meaner sort except you also present the rich for feare least either periurie or partialitie should flie in your faces And what are your pretences Forsooth for the poorer sort alas they are poore we haue giuen them warning c. as though they haue not had warning enough or should from yeare to yeare still be warned and neuer be spurred forward by the discipline of the Church And for the richer sort why sir we see them not we know them not that do offend do you know any Can you tell vs of any And what a stirre wold here be if we should be so forward What would you haue vs noted aboue all men in the towne and I know not what A way with these figge leaues for shame and looke to your oath sincerely My brethren leaue this halting and dissembling and malicious dealing and partiall dealing in Gods businesse For all that deale so do as hypocrites do and you know that hypocrisie is detestable in the sight of God It is no maruell good brethren that there be so many Schismaticks that haue deuided them selues from our congregations crying out against vs that we haue no Church amongst vs for want of discipline and gouernement although therein they be foully deceiued For they thinke that because in many places of the land discipline is either not vsed at all as where euerie man is let to do what he list or else abused as where onely good men are troubled for trifles or some few of the most inferiour sort which haue no money to pay are called in question that therefore we haue no discipline at all but they are deceiued greatly For euen as a rich man hath gold and siluer in his house though he let it lye and rust or else mispend it and as there is a sword in the sheath though it be not drawne foorth and power also in the owner thereof to draw it foorth though he exercise not that power at all or not aright euen so in this Church of England is a sword of discipline that is Church gouernement and power in the Ministers and officers of the Church to exercise the same although in some places it is let rust in the
in deede only to watch and catch at a word and a halfe taking only what will serue their turne like the diuell himselfe to intangle thereby the preacher if they like him not You shal haue many of these come orderly and marke attentiuely as if they would latch euery word with their mouthes but as it was with the Prophet Ezechiels auditors so is it with them their harts runne another way and they meane not to follow any thing that is giuen in charge and therefore when they are gone with their mouthes they make iestes of the Sermon And to the Minister of Christ commonly their answer is you do well sir to tell vs our dutie and to tell euery man his owne well fare your heart you do well sir you do well to discharge your conscience and if we do not as you bid vs that is our fault we must answer for it and though we do as our honest neighbourt do yet we hope God is a good God will hold vs excused he is not so hard as many would make men beleeue The last sort of open hypocrites that are not yet vncased are common cauillers deprauers of the truth and of those that teach the same Some carpe and cauil at that which they vnderstand but like not as the Lawyer in Luke 14. Maister in so saying thou puttest vs to rebuke also when Christ touched Lawyers and as the couetous Iewes which mocked Christ when he preached against couetousnesse Luke 17. Some cauil at that which they vnderstand not as the Iewes which called Paules preaching babling and new doctrine when he preached the resurrection Oh but will some say he reuengeth his owne priuate quarrels and grudges in the pulpit yea he speaketh of malice and therefore we cannot regard that which he preacheth Doth he so verily the greater is his sinne if he doth so But if those be Gods quarels which thou callest his quarrels and if that be spoken in the euidence of the Spirite with plaine demonstration of the truth which thou sayest is in malice against thee then is it euident that thou hast played the grosse hypocrite so vncharitably to accuse so rashly to iudge and so wrongfully to condemne the Minister of the truth and pretendest thou carest not what and all to put by the blow of Gods sword that so thy sinne might not be launced and yet in the meane time be a professour of religion And what art thou oh man sayth the Scripture that thou iudgest another mans seruant whose heart is knowne to his God and not to thee and to God he either standeth or falleth and not to thee Alas this is an old obiection and slaunder of great antiquity common to all the true Preachers of the word and it hath euer bene the common practise of all hypocrites which meant to liue and dye in their sinnes when they knew not what to say for themselues and fearing that the truth would choke them if they should swallow it to cast it vp againe saying that it was spoken of malice and reuenge So played king Achab who had sold himselfe to worke wickednesse he could not deny but that Micaiah was a true Prophet a plaine dealing man but yet he could not away with him and why so forsooth because he doth not prophecie good but euill vnto me that is he speakes that that likes me not so many cry now adaies he hath not the good-wil of his hearers and why because he doth not seek to please them he is too tart he hath a bitter spirite he doth not heale but wound they do not complaine that he hath a flattering spirite or a lying spirite or a soothing spirite or a fearefull spirite or a pleasing spirite for all this hypocrites can away withall well inough because such a spirite is toothsome but that he hath a quicke and sharpe spirite and his reproofes are sensible and bitter this is wholesome but not toothsome and therefore not to be brooked of hypocrites But now let vs consider my brethren whether this will go for currant payment in the day of the Lord or no Why hast thou cast my word behind thy backe will the Lord say Our aunswer will be because we did not loue him that deliuered it But why did you hate him Because he did not please vs. Not please you why did he preach errours and lyes No we could not find any fault with his doctrine that is sound but yet we cannot away with him he was too plaine and round with vs. Too plaine why that was for your good if planè and sanè if both plaine and sound Oh but Lord we like not his life he was couetous and hard and proud and had no loue in him he was not sociable no good companion not one of his neighbours do loue him Well shall the Lord say thine own conscience thou hypocrite shal giue euidence against thee and conuict thee of false witnesse bearing against many of my seruants in these respects if I now do acquite them what are they the worse for thy bad constructions and hard words And if thy conscience do now proue to thy face that all these allegations were but counterfeit deuises to couer thy sinne withall what art thou the better though all thy neighbours take thy part for thou knowest and I know it much more that many of my seruants haue sought peace at thy hands and then hast thou prepared thy selfe to warre they haue vsed all good meanes to procure thy loue and good liking in the truth and thou hast then construed euery thing in the worst part against them that thou couldest imagine to their faces thou hast spoken faire words and behind their backes thou hast vsed all lying slanderous speeches wherby thou hast made them odious in the world when they would haue taken al paines to do thy soule good thou hast complotted by al waies and meanes to discourage them and to greeue and quench my spirite in them So doe hypocrites which loue not the pure light of truth and so hast thou done And admit that all this were true which thou pretendest yet so long as they came in my name vnto thee with my message reuealed in my word which thou couldest not disproue but carpe at yet oughtest thou to haue heard them to beleeue them and to feare at my word comming out of their mouthes in charity to haue iudged the best of their affections or praied for thē knowing that I which am the searcher of the hart would surely call them to reckning for their affections if they were not vpright in my sight but now in that thou hast deuised mischiefe of thine owne head and put it before thee as a stumbling blocke of purpose to fall vpon and to cause others to fall with thee seeing as thou hast through my seruants sides euen pierced my name my glory and not stayed there but pearked vp Lucifer-like into my seate to
all that they desire or delight in Giue me the substance of religion saith sinceritie and me the ceremonie saith hypocrisie giue me the bodie of Christianitie saith sincerity and me the shadow saith hypocrisie let me haue praise of God saith sinceritie and me the praise of men saith hypocrisie let not me lack the thing without which I cannot serue the Lord saith sinceritie and me to serue the time and my owne turne saith hypocrisie giue me a good conscience before God saith sinceritie tush conscience was hanged long ago giue me goods and worldly riches saith hypocrisie giue me vertue and honestie saith sinceritie and let me borrow their clokes to play my part in and that shall serue my turne saith hypocrisie giue me peace with God saith sinceritie and me with my honest neighbours saith hypocrisie as for God I shall do well inough with him Handle the matter castè that is purely saith sinceritie cautè that is warily saith hypocrisie Take heede for God seeth thee saith sinceritie nay take heede that the world see thee not and then good inough saith hypocrisie It is against the word of God saith sinceritie therefore leaue it tush so long as he can haue no vantage against me by law I care not saith hypocrisie Qui vadit planè vadit sanè that is he that goeth plainely to worke goeth safely to worke saith sinceritie Qui nescit dissimulare nescit viuere that is he that cannot tell how to dissemble cannot tell how to liue saith hypocrisie You see then the difference between the nature of sinceritie and the nature of hypocrisie The one you see is like a rich King in a beggars cote amongst men Because as Christ our head said of himselfe when he liued poorely and contemptibly vpon earth My kingdome is not of this world and I haue meate to eate that you know not of so must Christs members say we are poore and despised in this life because our riches are not of this world and we haue friends that the world know not of The other is like a King in a play who for the time maketh a braue shew domineering ouer such counterfeits as himselfe is hauing vpon him cloth of gold and with the same perhaps are couered a number of scurfe and scabbes lice and vermine and when the Play is done the poore beggarly fellow must be faine to returne home his borrowed coat againe to the right owner and pay well for the hire thereof Now you haue heard the difference consider the matter consult and giue sentence whether this honest man the hypocrite hath so plaied his part before God or mā that he deserueth stil to go on without noting and neuer to be vncased or no. And so much shall suffise for the vncasing of the hypocrite and descrying of his nature Now it remaineth that you see his reward by that time I hope you wil not greatly desire to be an actor in his Play but of that in the next Sermon Now as for those that thinke I haue too particularly applyed this doctrine let them know that if Eliah did well in telling of Achab that it was he that troubled Israel and if Iohn Baptist did well in telling King Herod that he might not haue his brothers wife and the Ministers of the Gospell haue the same authoritie that they had then do we not amisse to make speciall application of our doctrine as they did Againe if the Apostle said well when he said Those that sinne openly rebuke openly that others may feare 1. Tim. 2. then do not they well which find fault with vs for following the Apostles rule For whom haue I admonished or reproued but publike persons by office and publike abuses and scandals by them committed and giuen to the great dishonour of God and hurt of this Church Lastly if a Preacher may speak to the Prince when he preacheth before the Prince and to the Iudges of Assizes and to the Iurours and to the Lawyers particularly and to the Bishops and to Iustices all being publike persons and charge them in Gods name to looke to their office and amend that which is amisse and that safely without daunger yea boldly with good warrant then do not I see but that any Pastour by his pastorall authoritie may in his owne congregation speake particularly to a Churchwarden or a Sideman and tell them what they ought to do yea more and charge them to do their office faithfully too yea and more then that if they haue bene admonished priuately and friendly and yet will not be admonished but take vpon them still to dispense with their oath and suffer Gods Church as much as lyeth in them to go to wracke then to reproue them both openly and roundly that themselues may repent if they belong to God or others may feare as the Apostle saith And vntill the Maior of a towne and the Churchwardens and other officers of a parish can shew me by Scripture or common reason that they be of greater state then Kings Queenes and Princes be of or then Noblemen Iudges and Bishops be of or that they be more priuiledged and exempted from the reproofe and censure of the word especially when their offences are publike and desperate then others be whom I haue named before and take to be farre aboue them surely I must and shall by Gods grace both hold my former opinion and as occasion shall serue declare the same by practise that is by making of speciall application of the doctrine to the generall and publike offenders and offences of this congregation Let him that hath an eare to heare heare what I say and let him that hath an heart sanctified consider well of it and let him that hath grace from God make a good vse of that that hath bene said As for the rest I say as Ioshua said let them chuse what they will do whether they will make a conscience of their dutie or dispense with their oath as they haue done I for my part will surely by Gods grace do that which belongeth to a true Pastor of Iesus Christ. And as Saint Iohn said he that is filthie let him be more filthie and he that is froward let him be more froward and he that will be obstinate let him be more obstinate and he that will be an hypocrite let him be more hypocriticall that their sinnes may be full ripe against the day of Gods vengeance But so many as feare the Lord in truth of heart and are truly humbled to endure the sifting and triall of the word of God and are desirous vnfainedly to yeeld obedience to the holy will of God let vs go on forward in our good courses without feare or fainting and God our heauenly Father in whom is our trust will surely keepe vs from finall falling away and in his rich mercie will pardon all our sinnes in the merite of Christ his bloudy passion blessed be his name for euer Amen Now let vs praise God THE VII
c. So on the other side as making many rich and yet as it were poore giuing nothing To shew what manner of men Christians must be But how can that be will some say that a man should giue almes or do any other good deed and not make himselfe priuy to the matter and count it nothing which he doth Surely very well or else truly do many dissemble and speake against their owne consciences for come vnto them and thanke them for such and such kindnesse bestowed c. they will say Alas sir for nothing I know no such matter it is not so much worth c. as if he should say If I did any such thing it is with me as if I did it not at al I am to begin it againe I keepe no reckning of it my heart was not set vpon it when it went from me I weigh it not c. Againe euery true Christian is in part regenerate and in part vnregenerate the one part is called in Scripture by the name of flesh and the other by the name of spirite the flesh rebelleth against the spirite that is the part regenerate against the part vnregenerate Now this part that is regenerate by the spirite of sanctification and grace may well be called also the right hand of the soule and the other part which is still fleshly carnall and sensuall and not sauouring the things of God may well be called the soules left hand for the vntowardnesse therof to any goodnesse in which sense it may truly be said whē thou doest any good deed let the spirite that is the part regenerate as the right hand of thy soule do it but let not the other part which is so vntoward and not regenerate and fitted for it haue any thing to do in the matter more then if it knew nothing at all of it We must do as men that trauell in company together and are so earnest in talke that they forget the length of their iourney and to such ten miles seeme but as one mile but if a man go alone and thinketh of nothing but his iourney then his left foote shall know what paines his right foote taketh and will keepe account of all his sleps as it were and thinke his iourney long and his paines exceeding great So we in trauelling towards heauen which we must do so long as we liue by walking in such good workes as God hath appointed for vs Ephes. 2.10 must count all things but losse and dung for the excellent knowledge sake of Christ Iesus our Lord to win him and to be found in him not hauing our owne righteousnesse but the righteousnesse which is of God by faith in Christ forgetting that which is past and endeuouring our selues vnto that which is before and follow hard toward the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus And no maruell though the Apostle made so light account of his owne workes or righteousnesse for he knew they were too light to endure the triall of Gods iustice too vncleane to appeare in his most pure presence Our good deedes are like a faire garment with a filthy lining or as the Prophet Esay speaketh like a menstruous cloth The beauty and goodnesse of them is from God the deformity and vncleannesse is of our selues Shal the one part lift vs vp to any proud conceipt of our selues No it is of God giue him all the glory and let the other humble vs. All the gifts and graces of God do beare some part of his image and stampe though giuen to diuerse persons and in diuerse measure and maner like the Princes coine which hath the Princes image and stampe vpō it to put the subiects in mind of their loyaltie and dutie which they owe to their Prince that as Christ said when we see Caesars image and superscription we should remember to giue vnto Caesar that that is Caesars so when we see any thing with Gods image vpon it we may also giue to God that that is Gods The Princes coine commeth out of the Mint faire and bright but when it cometh into our hands it taketh soile and looseth beautie So the good graces of God come to vs with a most heauenly beautie but we cannot returne them so againe for with vs they take soile and loose their beautie As euery peece of coine hath on the one side the Princes image and title certaine so haue all the graces of God Gods image and Christes title to admonish vs of that holy dutie and absolute praise which we must returne vnto him for the same Look vpon thy faith and thou shalt see this superscription vpon it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is the worke of God to beleeue in him whom he hath sent Looke vpon thy patience and thou shalt find this grauen vpon it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to you it is giuen for Christs sake not onely to beleeue in him but also to suffer for his sake Looke vpon thy loue thy knowledge and iudgement and euery one beareth the same stampe that thy faith doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the worke of God and therefore saith Saint Paul this I pray that your loue may abound yet more and more in al knowledge iudgement to shew that they come from God and not from our selues Art thou filled with the fruites of righteousnes thou shalt find this Poesie sent with them They are by Iesus Christ vnto the glorie and praise of God Art thou conuerted vnto God looke vpon the worke of thy conuersion and thou shalt find this withall The worke of God and therfore saith Ioel Turne vs ô Lord and we shall be turned Hast thou a new heart looke vpon it and thou shalt find Gods stampe vpon it and that is this Created of God And ouer all one generall Poesie for all and that is this What hast thou that thou hast not receiued 1. Cor. 4.7 If there be any thing besides this that commeth from God that is of Sathan or else of our selues We commonly looke on the one side of the garment but not on the other Now if we thinke vpon our defectes and staines nay filthie and rebellious pollutions we would neuer take notice to ourselues of any good we do but say whē we haue done neuer so wel as Nehemiah did when he had most zealously reformed the Lords sabbath and set euery thing in very good order Remember me ô God in this and pardon me in thy great mercie and as Christ commaundeth vs When ye haue done all that ye can do saith he say that you are vnprofitable seruants and haue done but that which was commaunded you Further it is to be obserued that Christ saith the right hand must do the worke and the left hand must not know of it He appointeth the right hand to the worke because that is readiest and quickest and handsomest in working The left
he should not dye though he did transgresse the commaundement of God doth also tell these fellowes that whatsoeuer the Scriptures say or Preachers babble as they say yet they shall not dye the death But what could Eue say at the last The Serpent deceiued me So will these cry one day Sathan hath deceiued vs. Well leaue them to the Lord and let vs know for certaine truth that whatsoeuer is written before hand in the Scripture is written for our learning as the Apostle saith and therefore this Scripture also is written for our learning as well as any other God hath not taken such paines as I may say in making and setting forth Belials picture in this liuely sort as you see to that end that we should do nothing but stand and gaze at his picture but that we should note him well and learne to know him when we see him and to auoide him when we know him For Belial is like a runagate who hath done that which he is ashamed of hauing stolne the cloke of vertue and honestie is runne away with the same vpon his backe seeking how to hide himselfe in the world And for feare of being taken he hath gotten himself into seruice with great mē of the world like Elimas with the Deputy And hath so won their fauors that he walketh with them in the fields strowteth it with them in the streetes he feasteth with them at their tables he buyeth and selleth for them in their shops he tradeth for them beyond the seas he courteth with the most gallant in the court He hath found a place in the Vniuersities amongst scholers in Cities amongst merchants in Churches amongst Preachers in iudgement hals amongst Lawyers in Consistories amongst Doctours and proctors at Theaters amongst players in housholds amongst seruants and children in Gentlemens houses amongst seruingmen and their maisters He hath learned to insinuate himselfe into the company of all states and degrees and hath found the fauour to be shrowded amongst Captaines and souldiers amongst Lords and Ladies amongst Knights and Esquires amongst yeomen and artificers amongst prentises and iourny-men and where not And if need be he can haue a licence to go beyond the seas amongst Italians Barbarians and to come from all places of the world and be welcome at his good leasure and pleasure and all this can Belial do and more then this too for he hath a great number of foule deformed vices and monstrous vgly abuses which are all begotten of his owne body both male and female which he can easily preferre into seruice And so well are they brought vp by the double diligence of his brother Machiauell that many become sutors vnto them and glad is he that can match his son or his daughter with one of them when vertue and godlinesse may go through the world and can harldy get a seruice except in the iayle or in some beggers cottage much lesse can they get a good mariage and if they do hit vpon a good mariage it will not be long before they shall be diuorced againe But Belial with his cubs because they are euery where are thought to be no where but the Lord from whom they are run away he knoweth them well inough And here he hath made out a warrant you see to attach them wheresoeuer they can be found and to summon them to answer for themselues before Gods iudgement seate which warrant is committed to all Magistrates Ministers and other of his faithfull people and subiects And because many say they cannot know Belial and they must take heede how they detect any by that name therefore the Lord hath well prouided here for his people and in this his attachment hath put downe such markes and notes of his talke of his name of his gestures c. that vnlesse men will be wilfully blind they cannot chuse but know him although he goeth neuer so disguisedly and denieth his name neuer so stoutly And indeed let Belial be arrested at Gods sute for dishonouring him or at Christs sute for crucifying him or at the Churches sute for persecuting her or at the Gospels sute for slandering of it or at Religions sute for contemning of it as all these actions and many more will come against him one day he will straight way deny his name and say You mistake me sir I am not the man that you looke for c. Then those men which want either will or skill or courage or all nor greatly regarding the words of their warrant take his word for the matter and so let him go for an honest man but those that are wise in God can easily discerne Belial from an honest man as King Salomon could well descry the harlot from the true mother of the child because the wisedome of God was with him And the godly wise haue learned to say to Belial as the damsell sayd once vnto Peter Surely thou art one of them for thy voice bewraieth thee So thou art one of the men of Belial for thy filthy speeches bewray thee thy outragious oathes bewray thee thy proud and profane gestures bewray thee thy lewd and contentious behauiour bewray thee therefore it is but a folly to denie thy name for as the Asse is knowne by his braying and the length of his eares to be an Asse though he iet it in a Lions skin so thou art knowne by thy conditions to be a man of Belial although thou goest in the habite of an honest religious or religious honest man When our Sauiour Christ said that one should betray him who was then in presence with him there was looking one vpon another and euery man was iealous ouer himself saying Is it I Is it I But what saith our Sauiour Christ He that dippeth his finger with me in the dish that is the man that shall betray me He named no body but that was inough for thus might any one conclude vppon Christs words He that dippeth his hand now with Christ in the dish is the traytour but Iudas dippeth his hand now with Christ in the dish therefore Iudas is the traitor In like maner when God saith there be wicked men of Belial and vaine men lawlesse persons and vnprofitable that must be destroyed speedily sodenly and without recouery now euery man will put it off from him selfe and say that he is not that man of Belial c. But what saith the Lord he nameth none but noteth them thus The man of Belial and the vaine man walketh with a froward mouth he maketh a signe with his eyes c. that is he that walketh with a froward mouth he that is lawlesse in his affections he that is vnprofitable in his conuersation he that imagineth euill at all times and raiseth vp contentions he is that man of Belial that must be destroyed if he repent not then may we conclude thus But such a one walketh with a froward mouth
c. and hath all the markes of Belial and therefore he is a man of Belial And thus we se to what end this description of Belial is set forth namely to that end that we might know him when we meet him and auoide him when we know him And now let vs go to another point and see whether it be lawful for Christians to iudge of another by this description or no. It is no small mercy of God so exactly to anatomize or describe the wicked man for by this meanes one shall not be taken for another and Christians knowing for certaine a wicked man by his picture may more easily auoide him more safely reproue him and more freely giue Vertue her robes and her ornaments againe when Belial that runagate is stript out of all and turned out naked as he deserueth But intollerable is the vnthankfulnesse of many and by this doctrine to be reproued that so abuse the mercy of God as to outface the truth euen now in the day light of the Gospell and glorious truth of the Lord. So shamelesse and impudent are the fauourites of Belial that they will not sticke to say How know you that he is a wicked man or a wicked woman Oh you may not iudge you may not iudge when we do but iudge the tree by the fruites and pronounce that which God hath set downe Now he that taketh the notes which God hath giuen him doth not iudge but onely pronounceth the iudgement of God Whatsoeuer the wicked do yet when they daunce in this net You must not iudge c. they thinke themselues safe like the foolish bird called the Ostrich which putteth her head into a bush and then thinketh that no body seeth her though all her body be out of the bush If a wicked man be reproued for couetousnesse what is his defence but this How know you that I am couetous you may not iudge when all his life fauoureth of nothing else but greedy couetousnesse all his talke is of worldly matters for heauenly things he can find no leisure no time to heare the word and yet how know you that he is couetous He getteth al mens trades into his hands to the spoile and decay of many that would liue by him he will be a mercer a grocer a draper a cutler an armourer a girdler a malster a brewer a corne-bodger a gamester and what not and so ouerdroopeth all occupations about him and vnder him that none can thriue but he and yet how know you that he is a worldling In the like sort if the wicked Belial be reproued for pride he will straight be at defiance with you and for his defence this shall be his plea How know you that he is proud you may not iudge c. when all their whole life bewrayeth nothing else euery day a new fashion all the day little inough for their curling and crisping and frisling and pluming and setting c. Their gate must be counterfeit their speech is counterfeit their beauty is counterfeit their haire is counterfeit and yet how know you that teyh be proud In like manner will the lasciuious and incontinent person pleade for himselfe you may not iudge when all his life doth stinke of his filthinesse when he hunteth harlots houses yea though the streetes swarme with his bastards though he doth daily vomit out filthy shamelesse and ribaldry speeches yet he may be an honest man will some say Oh it is hard to iudge These are such as claime patronage one of another claw me I will claw thee They will stand out with it at the barre with God himselfe as in Math. 3.8 Your words haue bene stout against me sayth the Lord But they aunswere What haue we sayd But they that make no conscience of iustifying wicked men will make no conscience to iustifie wickednesse it selfe in time as Salomon made no bones of idolatrie when once he liked idolatrous women It is sayd indeede Iudge not that ye be not iudged Math. 7.1 But that place is to be vnderstood against rash iudgement not iudgement simply for other places do allow of iudging but no place alloweth rash hastie and peremptorie iudging The Apostle Saint Paule handling the doctrine of the Lords supper sayth vnto his auditours the Corinths Iudge ye what I say to shew that Christians must be able to iudge of doctrine And speaking of the preparation of Christians before they come to the Lords table he saith Iudge your selues to shew that Christians must be able to iudge of their owne estate In another place he prayeth that the Church of Christ may abound in all knowledge and iudgement and giueth a reason that they may be able to discerne things that differ In another place the Lord himself saith Iudge righteous iudgemēt All which places besides infinite more to the like effect do shew that our Sauior Christ for bad not all kind of iudgement they may as well conclude that there must be no Iudges nor iudgement seats no courts nor verdicts no Assises nor sessions because Christ hath sayd Iudge not and so we should make a good peece of worke quickly But harken now what common reason sayth to the matter Shall not the Goldsmith iudge of mettals because Christ hath sayd Iudge not Shall not the Phisition iudge of a sicke body because Christ hath sayd Iudge not Shall not a iury of twelue men iudge of a fellon because Christ hath sayd iudge not Shall not the Iudge giue iudgement vpon a malefactour because Christ hath sayd Iudge not Shall not the eare iudge of sounds and the eye of colours and the nose of smels and the pallate of meates because Christ hath sayd Iudge not Yes you will say all Very well And shall not a Christian also by the powers of his inward man discerne betweene a good man and a wicked man because Christ hath sayd Iudge not Or doth all power of iudging and ability of discerning belong onely to the outward man and none to the inward man or shall the inward man be able to iudge of euery thing sauing of mens actions and behauiour That is very absurd The naturall man perceiueth not the things of God sayth the Apostle because they are spirituall and must be spiritually discerned but the spirituall man iudgeth all things and is iudged of none that is of no carnall man is he rightly iudged for the carnall man can no more iudge of the spirituall man and his actions then a blind man can iudge of colours Therefore though Christ hath sayd Iudge not yet will no man loose his authority in place of iudgement nor the priuiledge of his sight nor of his hearing nor of his tasting nor the vse of naturall reason Nay more though Christ hath sayd Iudge not yet these fellowes will not sticke to be most swift iudges of others themselues for do they see another man zealous in religion deuout in prayer a diligent hearer of
his own Here is much ado when the Lords day cometh to reforme and decke the bodie the apparell must not haue a spot or wrinckle the house fine and euery thing neate and trimme but no care to reforme the heart and therefore the word of the Lord is vnto vs as a tale that is told which we like not in at one eare and out at the other or as water to the Blackemoore great washing but we neuer the whiter When we go to a feast and when we meete our friends we haue much care to set our gestures our words and our lookes after the ciuillest manner but the heart is still after the old fashion badde inough leude things are in that reforme that and all the rest will be well Thou wouldest serue God but thou thinkest that thou art not fine enough nay rather thinke that thou hast a proude heart and seekest thy owne selfe Thou wouldest giue to the poore but for feare of wanting for thy selfe nay rather feare that thy heart is not enlarged with the bowels of mercie and liberalitie Thou wouldest goe to thy neighbour that hath offended thee and is offended at thee but for feare that he should thinke thou art glad to seeke vnto him and so shouldst be more contemned of him but rather thinke that thy heart is not humble and peaceable Thou haddest not committed such nor such sinnes but for such and such persons thou sayest who enticed thee thereunto Nay rather say that thy heart was not well bounded with the feare and loue of God but lay open like a common field whose hedge is plucked vp to the ground for all vnchast vnpure and vile thoughts to breake in Iosephs heart was surely grounded in the knowledge of Gods will in the obeying of his word and strongly bounded with the feare of God and therfore do his mistresse what she could she could not by any meanes breake into the hold of his chastitie though she did strongly assault it Let religion be in thy heart and that will make thee serue God with the congregation of his people in such as thou hast yea through heate and cold no weather will keep thee from the publique seruice of God It will make thee with Zacheus to climbe a tree to see Christ and with the creeple in the fifth of Iohn desire some bodie to carrie thee into the poole of the heauenly waters and liuely fountaines of Gods word when the Angell Gods Minister doth stirre them So farre thou wilt be from saying the weather is too cold or too hote I am not well I am troubled with a murre and I know not what as the manner of many daintie ones is to do when they haue no loue of God or his truth in their hearts So also let loue and humilitie and mercie and zeale be in thy heart and they will cause thee to giue to forgiue and to seek peace and to speake of the Lords statutes euen before Kings and wilt not be ashamed except it be that for want of those graces thou couldest not performe those duties any sooner And so much for that point in discoursing whereof we see plainely that vntill the heart be reformed a man cannot be a good man nor an honest man and how they take a wrong course that beginne to reforme their outward partes and not their hearts first i the next place we are to consider of the piercing nature and searching power or powerfull searching of the word of God which dealeth with the heart searcheth the heart maketh lawes for the heart findeth out the leudnesse of the heart and reproueth the thoughts of the heart searching and discouering euen the most secret corners and closets of the heart to see how those lawes are kept or broken for as the Lord doth see the heart himselfe and cannot otherwise do because he maketh it and ruleth it so by his word he searcheth and gageth the same Not to be better enformed himselfe of any thing that is there for he from euerlasting at one instant had and for euer hath all the thoughts intents imaginations and purposes of all hearts in the world open before him knowing them all before they be conceiued with the meanes and maner of their entrance and all the effectes of them being conceiued but it is to shew vs his poore creatures and vnworthy children that we serue such a God and Father as doth know vs truly euen to the very heart and the most secret thoughts thereof and further that we also might hereby learne to know our selues and reforme our owne hearts which without the light of the word we could neuer do And therefore Dauid asking the question how a yong man may reforme his wayes meaning how he shall bridle his affections and order his wordes and his deedes he maketh no other aunswere but this Euen by taking heede thereunto according to thy word And to this end he hath giuen giftes vnto men Ephes. 4. euen his spirite of wisedome and of vnderstanding and of counsell and of courage Esa. 11.3 Nowe therefore whosoeuer being endued with that searching and powerfull spirite in any measure handleth and deuideth the word aright cannot choose but rifle the very thoughts of the hart Yea the faithfull Minister of God shall search the hearts of his hearers whether he will or no and sometimes shall be in their bosomes when he hath no such purpose Some say to themselues as Ieremy did when he was had in contempt and hatred for speaking against the speciall sinnes of his time They will not make any more mention of God nor speake any more in his name but the word of the Lord is in their heart as a burning fire shut vp in their bones and they are wearie with forbearing yea they cannot stay but must vtter it And then they speake so to the consciences of men that if a stranger or an vnlearned man come in in the meane time he feeleth his heart discouered and is rebuked of all men as he thinketh for he thinketh that his secret thoughts are then knowne to all men and he confesseth plainely that God is amongest them as the Apostle sheweth 1. Cor. 14.24 which is a very sure argument that this word which we preach is the word of God for what lawes or writings can deale so with the heart and consciences of men but onely the lawes and Scriptures of the most high who onely searcheth the heart Of this point we may make a double vse first it may teach vs for a certaine truth that there is no thought in the heart but that God is priuie to it for when he shall giue man a spirite to search and knowledge to iudge the hearts of men which aboue all thinges are so deceiptfull that they cannot be knowne as the Prophet Ieremy telleth vs meaning that no man by his owne skill can throughly sound the depth of any mans heart nor
will not come yet saith the wicked to himselfe I may liue and repent when I am old or when I lie a dying Indeed so the wicked mockers and deriders of Gods iudgements vse to speak as S. Peter sheweth Where is the promise of his comming all things continue still at one stay but the Lord is not slacke saith the Apostle as men count slacknesse when the sinne is full ripe then wil the Lord cut it downe yea and such wretched speeches and vngodly conceipts of the Lords long suffering do ripen the sinne of the wicked blasphemer and hasten the comming of the Lords hand vpon them as a blow to a sicke man doth increase his paine and also hasten his death Indeede the wicked do promise vnto themselues a long time but God sayth they shall not liue out halfe their dayes Psal. 55.23 That is not halfe the time that they haue appointed or that they dreame of for when they shall say to themselues Soule be at rest thou hast goods inough for many yeares the Lord shall deny it and say Thou foole this night shall thy soule be fetched away from thee c. Luke 12.19.20 And in the booke of Iob it is said by Zophar one of Iobs friends that the reioycing of the wicked is short and the ioy of hypocrites is but a moment though his excellencie mount vp to the heauen and his head reach vnto the clondes yet shall he perish for euer like his dung and they which haue seene him shall say Where is he He shall flie away as a dreame and they shall not find him and shall passe away as a vision of the night so that the eye that had seene him shal do so no more and his place shall see him no more A destruction shall come speedily so also shall it come suddenly when the wicked looke not for it The fall of the house vpon the Philistins was sodem to them when they looked not for it The fall of fire vpon the Sodomites was sodaine to them when they looked not for it Death came sodeinly vpon Ananias and his wife euen when they lied to the holy Ghost and looked not for it Did Zimri and Cozbi look to haue bene pierced through with Phineas his speare when they played the open naughtie-packes together Or did Corah Dathan and Abiram looke for the opening of the earth vnder them when they were swallowed vp for their rebellion against Moses Aaron Or did Ieroboam looke for a leporous hand when he put it forth against the Prophet of God Or did Sisera looke for death when Iael tooke him napping and knocked a naile into his head All these are gone before vs and crie vnto vs that we must be alwayes in a readines because the Lord wil strike down his trees no man can tel when and they that are not readie for the Lord wheÌ„ his axe cometh shal be cut down and cast into the fire This is Christs caueat Be ye ready for ye know not when the houre is how we shal be made ready he sheweth when he saith Take heâ—d watch pray lest that day come vpoÌ„ you vnawares to teach vs that if we be careles look not for Gods visitatioÌ„ it wil take vs vnprouided This circumstance of sodainnesse or iudgement vnexpected doth make the destruction of the wicked the more fearefull Do not men start and feare when of a sodaine they meete with their friends as oftentimes we do in the darke or at short turnings and sometimes haue them ouertake vs and speake sodainely vnto vs doth it not amaze vs insomuch as many will say You made me start my hart doth yet shake in my bodie my haire began to stand right vp on my head much more are men amazed when their enemies sodainly set vpon them but most of all when some officer commeth sodainly vpon them from the Magistrate if their cause be not the better But oh what vnspeakeable feare and horrible amazednesse of thoughts and senses wil there be vnto the wicked when the Lords hand shall on a sodaine be layd vpon them they not once dreaming of any such matter as it fell out with Balthashar King of Babylon when in the middest of his cups and meriments he saw a hand writing vpon the wall against him But may we conclude of euery one that is sodainly taken away that he died a wicked man in the number of such as this text speaketh of Surely no such kind of reasoning is not good the argument followeth not God wil destroy suddenly the wicked men of Belial that is before they look for any such thing ergo whosoeuer dieth suddeÌ„ly is a maÌ„ of Belial it followeth not for many times God taketh away his children on a sodain in the accouÌ„t of the world but not before they be ready for him therfore though they be sodainly affrighted yea and smitten down yet they recouer againe by Christ in them for it is not possible for any to perish that is in Christ or hath Christ the Sauior in him but of the wicked it is said they shall neuer recouer themselues againe The conuersation of the godly being in heauen as S. Paul sheweth they do stil waite and looke for the comming of the Lord Iesus from thence therfore the comming of Christ is not sodaine vnto them but to the wicked and reprobates which will take no warning but still put off the euil day saying as it is in Esai Though a plague come it shal not come at vs all is sodaine to them and not so sadaine as fearefull Lots wife was suddenly taken yet who shall conclude that she is damned seeing as God exempted her from those that should perish but rather let vs think that she was made a piller of salt to season vs withall Enoch was translated Elias was taken vp by a whirlewind into heauen and yet here was no sodaine comming vnto them The Prophet was deuoured of a Lion by the way as he returned because he had made a stay contrarie to Gods commaundement and yet is he called the man of God and might be saued There were eighteene persons at one time sodainly slaine with the fall of a tower in Silo yet Chrisâ— saith they were not greater sinners then they which escaped One reason of Gods sodaine comming vpon his children to their feare and astonishments is to shew the wicked what they for certain may look for for If iudgement beginneth at the house of God saith Peter where shall the sinners vngodly stand 1. Pet. 4.17 And if they do thus vnto the green tree saith Christ what shal be done to the dry tree But Salomon hath well decided this controuersie in his book of the Preacher By no outward thing saith he can a man know loue or hatred speaking of the loue and hatred of God for all things come alike to all and the
same condition is to the iust and to the wicked 12. Neither doth man know his time but as the fishes which are taken in an euill net and as the birdes so are the children of men snared in the euill time when it falleth vpon them suddenly Yet this difference remaineth between the wicked and the godly whensoeuer wheresoeuer or howsoeuer they be suddenly taken to the godly death is a vantage to the wicked it is a losse for then the one changeth his hellish earth for heauen and the other then changeth his earthly heauen for hel and therefore of the godly sort it is said commonly that they sleepe when they die as Christ sayd of Lazarus he is not dead but sleepeth but of the other it is said that they perish and are destroyed The one shall recouer the other shall neuer recouer Without recouerie desperate is that disease that will neuer be recouered fearefull indeed is that estate which is alwaies feareful The wicked man dreameth of long life and repentance at the last gaspe but what promise hath he of repentance at that time if he despise the long suffering of God al his life long and neglect or abuse the meanes of repentance or what charter hath he of his life one houre longer then he doth now liue God may and will no doubt haue mercy vpon whom he will but yet that he will haue mercie vpon thee that goest on stil in thy wickednesse without any feare of wandring or any desire of returning is more then thou knowest He that doth so is threatned with the contrarie for custome of sin saith S. Paul breedeth impenitencie and impenitencie maintaineth custome in sin and both do heape vp wrath against the day of wrath and the reuelation of the iust iudgement of God Why did not Cain and Iudas and Elymas and Ananias and Saul and Esau diuers others repent that they might haue bene saued If it had bene in their power when they had listed as miserable Papistes dreame doubtlesse they would haue repented for they were as vnwilling no doubt to be damned in hell as any other but wicked Balaam knew and confessed that the end and death of the righteous is so blessed that it is to be wished of all men No no for the most part it falleth out otherwise then men looke for in stead of repenting and confessing their sinnes they lie rauing and cursing and blaspheming and talking leudly of their wickednes lying like blockes and dying like beasts that so Gods prouerbe here may be verified vpon them he is destroyed suddenly without recouerie And howsoeuer it be that God is good to Israel and mercifull to those that call vpon his name in truth of heart and faith in Christ which feare his name and keepe his couenant which are displeased with themselues and breake off their wickednes by righteousnesse as it is in Daniel yet is he most wise and seuere against the obstinate and lawles against their faces he hath set his bow and prepared his instruments of warre vpon their heads will he raine fire and brimstone and stormes and tempests and snares this shall be their portion to drinke yea and as Iob saith When wickednesse is sweete in his mouth and lie hidden vnder his tongue when he sauoured it and will not forsake it but keepe it close in his mouth then his meate in his bowels shall be turned the gall of Aspes shall be in the middest of him he hath deuoured substance and he shall vomit it out for God shall draw it out of his belly He shall sucke the gall of aspes the vipers tongue shall slay him he shall not see the riuers nor the flouds and streames of hony and butter he shall restore the labour and shall deuoure no more for he hath vndone many he hath forsaken the poore and destroyed houses that he builded not Surely he shall feele no quietnesse in his bodie there shall be none of his meate left therefore shall none hope for his goods In abundance he shall be filled with paine and the hands of all the wicked shall be against him when he is about to fill his belly God shall raine vpon him his meat in his fierce wrath He shal flie from the iron weapons and the bow ef steele shall strike him through The arrow shall be drawne out of his body it shall shine of his gall and so shall feare come vpon him All darknenesse shall be in all his secret places the fire that is not kindled shal deuoure him that which remaineth in his tabernacle shal be destroyed The heauen shall declare his wickednes and the earth shal rise vp against him the increase also of his house shal go away it shal flee away in the day of the Lords wrath Lo this is the portion of the wicked man from God and the heritage of God for his words If then this be the portion of the wicked man from God what reason haue the wicked to hope for saluation and not to feare destruction how can he imagine that he should recouer when the hand of the Lords wrath shall thus cast him downe if not in this life then not at all For from hell there is no redemption meaning for those that are there And as the tree falleth saith the Preacher so shall it lie therefore both falsly and wickedly do the Papists talke of helping and releeuing mens soules by their Dirges and Masses and Mattens and I wot not what else after their departure out of this life Falsly I say because they crosse the course of the Scripture in broching such an errour and wickedly because by such kind of vaine and false hope they do strengthen the hands of the wicked that they care not for repenting in this life neither do they regard the iudgements of the Lord when they are threatned because they hope to be releeued and released for their money when they are dead Therfore is that fire which shal deuoure the wicked called vnquenchable which it were not if dirges and other popish dirt or any thing else in the world could quench it Some kind of fire is quenched with water some with vineger and some with milk but nothing wil quench Topheth which is prepared of old saith the Prophet euen for the King the Lord hath made it large and wide the burning thereof is fire and much wood the breath of the Lord like a riuer of brimstone doth kindle it And if his wrath be once kindled yea but a little happy are they that kissed the Sonne of God before he was angrie and blessed are all they that put their trust in him for as by faith in his bloud they quench the firie darts of Sathan here so by the same faith shall they and do they quench those firie flames of hell which shall burne torment the wicked and vnbeleeuers for euermore Therefore if any here are or haue bene such as haue bene described by
the way of God truly there is the baite then comes the hooke Is it lawfull to pay tribute to Caesar or no Now Christ knowing their subtiltie gaue them no thankes for their commendation but called them tempting hypocrites saying Why tempt ye me ye hypocrites And will the wicked deale better with the members then they did with the head These men are the seruants of the liuing God saith the cunning maid to Paul and Silas or rather the diuell by whom she wrought and they bring vnto vs the way of saluation This was not for the good of Paul and Silas but to haue them apprehended the more speedily and handled the more seuerely It was a cunning sleight of Sathan and therfore Paule and Silas rebuked her for her labour being grieued to be commended by such a one and commaunded the spirite in the name of Christ to come out of her In a word the cōmendatiōs of the wicked are but traps their tables but snares as the prophet Dauid calleth thē And for all this seeing that it cannot be denied but that loue and commendation amongst men is a good blessing in which sense it is sayd that both Christ and Iohn Baptist and others were in fauour both with God and man and godlinesse hath the promises both of this life and of the life to come that is the blessings of God both temporall and eternall belong vnto godlinesse it must also be granted that euen the godly themselues which are so much hated and scorned in the world by the wicked of the world haue had haue and shall haue their part in that blessing of renowne fame and commendation yea a good name shall follow them to their graue and liue after them too in the world to the high glorie and praise of God who doth so honour his seruants which haue honoured him and to the comfort of their friends the encouragement of the weake and to the shame of the wicked They shall haue praise indeede but as the brother whom Paule commended to the Corinthians had whose praise sayth he is in the Gospell that is in embracing the Gospell or else in setting foorth of the Gospell as Luke did whereby his loue and zeale and godlinesse towards Christ were manifested to his great praise and commendation for vertue and piety is worthy of praise as vice deserueth the contrary therefore Peter sayth to seruants This is praise worthy if a man for consciēce toward God endure grief suffering wrōgfully And the Apostle Paul saith Whatsoeuer things are of good report if there be any vertue or any praise that is if there be any thing indeed praise worthy thinke on these things And God forbid seeing as God hath giuen such a blessing to his seruants and their vertues amongst the godly but that we should giue vnto vertuous men and fearing God their due praise and commendation When poore Mary shewed her loue to the person of Christ in annointing his body with sweete and precious ointment and her humility in wiping his feete with the haire of her head Christ told her that wheresoeuer his Gospell should be preached that deede of hers also should be published for a memoriall of her to shew that the vertuous acts of the Saints are not to be curied in obliuion but to be had in a thankfull remembrance vnto God The Lord in his word hath crowned his seruants with fame and renowne which neuer sought it but fled from it both according to his promise and also his gracious and wonted manner of dealing Those that honour me shall be honored of me saith the Lord. 1. Sam 2. there is his promise his manner is to giue his seruants more then they seeke for or desire as when Salomon desired not riches but wisedome to gouerne Gods people well God gaue him both riches and wisedome too so when the godly desire that only Gods name may be hallowed and cry with Dauid Not vnto vs not vnto vs ô Lord but to thy name giue the praise then doth the Lord giue them that thing which they desire and that also which they craued not and that is commendation from his owne mouth and a part in his owne ioy Wel done good and faithful seruant there is their commendation Enter into thy masters ioy there is their ful reward And thus is Moses become famous for being Gods Embassadour to King Pharao and his Captaine generall ouer the Lords army from Aegypt to the land of promise Thus Ioseph is famous for his chastity and faithfull seruice and the midwiues of Aegypt are renowned for sauing the childrens liues against the Kings commandement How famous is Deborah for iudging of Israel and Iael for nailing of Sisera Captaine of King Iabins host vnto the ground How famous is Dauid for conquering of Goliah and for his zealous courage in fetching home of the Arke Now is Eliah famous for reprouing King Achab and the widow of Sarepta for nourishing the Prophet Salomon is famous for building of the Temple the three children for contemning the Kings displeasure and Daniel is famous for his being cast into the Lions den Now Iohn Baptist is renowned for telling the King of his fault and loosing of his head for the same Peter for his sound confession Paul for his heauenly conuersion be both famous and renowned by the holy Ghost whose praises are in the word spread throughout the whole world So are all the holy Martyrs which suffered for the testimony of the truth and all Christian benefactours with the streames of whose loue and liberality many Churches Christians Vniuersities and schooles of good learning and nurseries of good arts and sciences haue bene watered and refreshed most famous and renowned in the Church of God And all these hauing shunned as much as they might all worldly praise and glorie in the world haue found most high praise and renowne with God and all the godly in the word of God and their praise is not of men but of God As for wicked hypocrites it is not so with them but as the godly are crowned with perpetuall fame and renowne so the wicked are and shall be crowned with euerlasting shame and reproch Cain is infamous and his name doth stinke for murthering his brother Abel Putiphars wife is infamous and her name doth stinke for her lewd tempting and false accusing of Ioseph Pharaoh is infamous and his name doth stinke for his cruel handling of the Israelites Doeg the Edomite is infamous and his name doth stinke for accusing and killing the Lords holy Priests Micol is infamous and her name doth stinke for scoffing at the zeale of Dauid her Lord and husband Iezabel for her whoredomes and murthering of Naboth for his vineyard is infamous and her name doth stinke Hanun is infamous for misusing of Dauids messengers and Ammon doth stinke before all the Israel of God vnto this day Sanballat and Tobiah for hindering the
building of the Lords Temple and holy Citie Haman for seeking the death of the Lords people Herod for murthering the young children Ananiah and Saphira for dissembling with Peter and lying to the holy Ghost Simon Magus for his offer of mony for the gifts of the holy Ghost Elimas for withstanding of Paul Tertullus for his accusing of Paule Iudas for betraying of his Lord and maister The Gadarens for preferring their swine before Christs doctrine All these and euery one of them are become infamous and do stinke before God and man and their reproch and shame shall neuer be blotted out For the word sayth The memoriall of the iust shall be blessed but the name of the wicked shall rot And in the 13. of the Prouerbes 9 verse The light of the righteous reioyceth but the candle of the wicked shall be put out To shew that the name of the wicked is no better then rotten carrion at the stinke whereof euery one that passeth by shall stop his nose and the discoursing of their liues shal be as noysome in hearing as the stinking snuffe of a candle burning low in the socket that euery man shall say put it out fie vpon it away withall And this is the righteous iudgement of God vpon the wicked which regarded not to glorifie God but themselues therefore to giue them vp to such vile affections and lewd actions as can breede nothing in the end but a rotten and stinking name But wicked hypocrites will take a good order for that they can haue such as themselues to perfume their doings while they liue with braue commendations to whom they say as Saul sayd to Samuel Honour me before this people And when they dye there are inough that will for a small reward be hired to commend them in a Sermon to the skies and then we can haue Pamphlets printed and Epitaphes engrauen vpon our tombes which will keepe our names from rotting Besides all this we will giue some gownes and money to the poore which we can no longer keepe and may well spare and all this put together will cast a most sweete smell Surely for the godly that liued well and died in the Lord it will for their life is like a waxe candle made and compounded of sweete matter which men are content it should burne out because when it is our it will cast a most fragrant and sweete smell but the life of the wicked is like a candle made of filthy stuffe which men will not suffer to burne out because it is no sooner out but it stinketh all the house ouer Although you commend it neuer so much yet men will not beleeue you that it was like that of waxe nay if you praise it wil they not laugh you to scorne and think you mad or drunken or senslesse Euen so is it with him that praiseth a wicked man either liuing or dead what doth such a preacher but play the foolish Herald and go about to perswade men that a stinking snuffe is as good as a sweete waxe candle or that filthie puddle water is as wholesome and as sweete as rose water Many such there are in the world who while they so preach the auditors that haue indgement and knew the life of such a man as well as he if not better sit and smile to themselues and wonder that any man either for money or monies-worth should be hired to become so voide of sense And whereunto shall we compare such Sermons and Epitaphs better then vnto flowers and herbes that are strawed and pricked vpon dead corpses buried only in a winding sheet Those flowers may well be laid vpon the dead corpes for a shew or to keepe men from smelling ill aires and may go with him to the graue but to keepe it from rotting and putrifying from corruption wormes and stinke they cannot So such high commendations bestowed vppon vnworthy persons as Papists Atheists drunkards whoremongers and such as liued most prophanely and irreligiously and so died for ought that any man can tell without repentance or any life of Gods Spirit in them are sweete herbes and faire flowers bestowed vpō them for ornament sake to please their friends but to preserue their name from rotting stinking they cannot by any meanes for God is iust who hath sayd Those that dishonor me I will dishonour as for that stinking and rotten cōmendations that they haue bestowed vpon thē by such as theēselues who also hunt after the like things it is all For they haue their reward are they not then in a miserable case But yet this is not all for when the hypocrites reward is come to an end which soone it doth like a thing of naught that is soone ripe and soone rotten and when the date of his good deedes or rather glorious sinnes is expired then must he come to a new reckning for all his hypocrisies and trecherous robberies committed against the glory of God while he hath abused the name of God and taken vnto himselfe all that praise which was due vnto God onely like those kind of fellowes which come to men in the Princes name to take vp their goods as it were to the Princes vse and then appropriate them wholly to themselues And for that they haue both robbed God of his glory and made his most glorious name and sacred religion their cloake and couering while they haue most profanely played their parts therewith to the great dishonour of his Maiesty and the spoile of the Church and oppression of their brethren And seeing as in their best deedes they haue made more account of mens praise then of commendation at Gods hand their iudgement is from euerlasting decreed and already is sentence gone foorth against them which can neuer be reuoked and that is to haue their part and portion with the diuell and his Angels in hell torments for euer where they shall not onely be depriued of Gods gracious presence which is true felicity and fulnesse of ioy for euer but also ly languishing not for a yere or two nor yet for a 100. nor a 1000. nor 10000. nor a 100000. nor a milliō of thousands of yeares for thē there were some hope that their paine would one day end though it were long before and intollerable in the meane time but for euer euer perhaps with many of those also whose vaine praises they haue in their life time so much hunted after where the one shall curse each other and their rewards yea the persence of each other and remembrance of their mutuall folly and vanity of the one in giuing of the other in seeking and taking the glory from God euen the remembrance I say of this their former vanity folly misery madnesse and impiety shall like an euer gnawing and tormenting Serpent sting wound and torment their consciences for euermore Yea if there be any paines or torments in hell greater then other they shall surely fall to the hypocrites lot