promises and threats and to say within your selues this good or euill shall surely be performed vnto me accordingly And so mighty is the Word of God that if it be thus hidden in the heart it shall surely purge the heart make it good if it be ingraffed in the soule it is able to saue the soule if it bee couered with earth it wil bring forth a crop neither is any branch so barren and vnfruitfull but by thus applying the Word to it selfe in priuate meditation it shall by little and little be made fruitfull But many men doe want the power of the Word because they content themselues barely to reade or heare the Word or if they marke it a little for the present they esteeme-that sufficient neuer taking care to goe alone and lay it fast vnto their owne hearts Take knowledge I pray you brethren of the true cause why the Word of God doth not profit the most of your soules you come hither to heare it perhaps also you gine some reasonable heede to it and can remember what was spoken and can talke of it a little if occasion serue but the world with its businesses or delights doth so bewiteh and beguile you that you can find neither heart nor time neither wil nor leasure to call againe to mind the things that you haue heard and to aske your selues Doe I this dutie am I guilty of this sinne doth not this reproofe pertaine to me haue I any part in this promise and accordingly to striue with your owne hearts to be either humbled or comforted and so to resolue on amendment and reformation according to the Word This is the cause that we haue so too too many fruitlesse hearers Hence it is that so much is taught so little practised How long will you continue to neglect this most sauing and most profitable exercise of binding the Word on the tables of your hearts and of incorporating it into your soules and being Gods instruments to ingraue it in your owne minds by meditating on it and by busying your cogitations vpon it afterwards as a thing that much concerneth you How often haue you been told that much hearing without meditation wil breede nothing but a swimming knowledge that it will not beget holinesse that it will not renew the soule but that hearing seconded with meditation will quicken and will sanctifie I pray you take notice of this fault amend it Redeeme time as to come and hearken to the voyce of God speaking to thee so likewise to get alone afterwards and apply it to thy selfe in thy serious meditations Certainely if we did thus declare our high esteeme of Gods Word and make it appeare that our soules did account of it as of a thing most pretious and healthfull to our soules the Lord of heauen would not faile to giue his blessing and to make it mighty to the working of a godly conuersation in vs it should bring forth the fruit of good liuing But lastly Lastly pray to God to make vs frui full by his Spirit you must also ioyne with your meditating which he that meditateth cannot but doe he that meditates not can hardly doe in any earnestnesse constant prayer vnto God for his holy Spirit to write his Law in your inward parts to engraue it in the fleshly tables of your hearts and to moue and incline your wills to obedience that so you may become the Epistle of God ministred by men For fruitfulnesse is a supernaturall effect it comes not from any power inherent in mans soule or arising from his owne wil but it is an effect of the spirit of life and grace which is sent from Christ the Vine as it were sap into the seuerall branches that doe sucke and draw it from him in his ordinances and by name by faithfull and earnest and continuall requesting it at his hands You must therefore make conscience to call vpon God for the good worke of his spirit to helpe you to liue holily to make you assured of his loue feruent in loue to him zealous of his glory and constant in walking in his lawes And in particular you must daily beg of him to strengthen you for the performance of such and such duties and leauing of such and such sinnes as from time to time the Word of God which you heare doth call vpou you to leaue or to performe God will be entreated for all good things and hee hath bound himselfe not to deny the requests of all that call on him Matth. 7.8 Euery one that seeketh findeth O comfortable and large promise answering all obiections and able to stay vp the soule against all discouragements Neuer any man was so wicked sinful but if he would come to the Lord earnestly beseech him for his name sake to change his heart and life and continue constant in following this suite the Lord did surely hearken vnto him and make him godly You cannot be good of your selues but you may if you will not winke see your owne badnesse and your owne impotency You may if you will not harden your owne hearts and make your selues carelesse of your owne soules cry and call to God to make you good and importune him with perpetuall supplications to bow and incline your hearts to keep his precepts to open your eyes to see and your hearts to entertayne his holy Law that you may conuert and he may heale you This I say you may doe if you do not make your selues wilfull and obstinate by contemning the exhortations of Gods Word and euen stopping your eares against it and by wilfull turning your hearts after other matters I haue shewed you now how the barren may become fertile how the dry may be filled with sap and how the liues of them may be made godly and Christian which are yet farre from godlinesse and Christianitie See your barrennesse and to attentiue hearing ioyne diligent meditating on the Word you heare and constant prayer vnto GOD for the strength of his Spirit to make his Word effectuall and to giue you grace to obey it then shall you surely be made branches bringing forth fruit for then do you abide in Christ and his word abideth in you and that our Sauiour himselfe doth after wards prescribe as an infallible way to bring forth much fruit CHAP. XIX Containing the fourth vse BVt now it is time that we turn our selues vnto the fruitfull branches The sruitfull must be comforted therein to diuide vnto them that comfort which GOD hath allotted vnto them which this text affordeth and they stand in need of For all those therfore that do bring forth fruit in Christ in such sort as hath bin shewd we haue much good to speake and ioyfull tidings to deliuer Wee are to assure and secure them against all the feares of their owne hearts against all the cauils of Satan and false censures of the wicked world that they be not hypocrites but true-hearted and
weepe loe how affliction griefe sighs teares be the ingredients of this medicine that will kill hypocrisie Saint Paul after God had met him going to Damascus tooke this medicine carefully and in the space of three dayes it healed him cleane almost and made him of a proud hypocriticall persecuting Pharise to become a most true-hearted and sincere Apostle and Preacher of the Gospell For comming to Damascus he neither ate nor dranke for three dayes but gaue himselfe to mourne for his hollownesse bloodinesse vnbeliefe and other sinnes and so was healed of all at once O happy medicine O speedy and blessed cure O blessed griefe O the most gainfully spent three dayes that euer were spent to worke such an alteration in such a soule Wilt not thou take the same course that did good to one so farre gone with guile O now settle thy selfe to mourne for thy guile that thou maist be healed and maist be comforted But some man may perhaps say that it is not so easie a matter to soften an hard heart I answere It is not indeed but it is a possible matter and that it may bee effected through Gods blessing with carefull indeuours from which Gods blessing will neuer bee kept backe 3. Meanes of mollisying a guilesull heart I will therefore shew you two or three meanes to mollifie euen a guilefull heart and to make it if not weepe yet mourne earnestly and let euery man know for his comfort that mourning may be accepted before God though teares be away The Lord will not reiect dry sorrow if he see it hearty and true and such as a man is euen out of conceit with himselfe because he cannot make it greater and wetter too Vnderstand then that there are three things that will helpe euen the man that hath been hitherto but an Hypocrite to lament and mourne for his hypocrisie The first is 1. To consider seriously of the danger in which he stands to lay open before his mind in some settled and serious meditation the infinitenesse of that euill which shall surely come vpon him for his hypocrisie vnlesse by lamenting it he doe preuent the same Put thy selfe in minde of the certainty of thy being damned if thou continue an Hypocrite and of the intolerablenesse of the punishment of damnation Say O how ineuitable but by repentance whereof sorrow is a necessary companion and how extreme is the perill wherein I stand If I cast not out this guile out of mine heart it will certainly keepe me out of heauen if I keepe it still in my soule it will surely cast me downe to hell I must I must of necessity because of the truth of God that hath said it and his iustice that hates this sinne be damned euerlastingly and for euer fry in those vnquenchable flames which none can suffer without being swallowed vp of their torment vnlesse I be changed and of an Hypocrite as I haue bin become sound at heart This cannot bee without bewailing mine vnsoundnesse and ah then shall I not bewaile it Tell thy selfe againe and againe and many times in what excessiue danger thy soule standeth of being for euer tormented with the intolerable sense of Gods anger a thousand times more scalding then the worst fire that can be made of any artificiall matter vnlesse by lamenting thou preuaile against thy sinne and this will helpe thee to lament thy sinne Muster vp all the threats and menaces of Gods Word against hypocrisie and against Hypocrites and laying them close to thine owne soule say Vpon me shall all these bee fulfilled if by mourning I free not my selfe from them Faith in Gods threats wil make the heart ake and prick and much pressing them vpon a mans soule and considering the author and firmenesse of them will cause them to be beleeued and so thou hast one way of melting thy selfe To this adde a second 2. To consider seriously of Gods gracious readinesse to accept and pardon him also and the effect shall follow without doubt and that is consider of the certainty of Gods accepting euen thee also graciously in Christ Iesus vpon thy so mourning and confessing The Lord of heauen is so good say thou vnto thy selfe that euen an Hypocrite and my selfe the worst of Hypocrites may be and shal be accepted into fauour for all his grosse dissembling and frequent abusing of Gods goodnesse and resisting of his Spirit Hope of pardon will turne the hardest hardnesse into softnesse I say hope of pardon well and firmely grounded vpon the promise of the Word for false and presumptuous hope that beareth it selfe bold in the false application of the promise looking for the benefit promised without respecting the condition whereupon pardon is promised doth rather adde to the hardnesse of the heart and make it more stony Speake thus therefore vnto thine owne soule and say Well for all I haue been but an Hypocrite hitherto yet I may be pardoned and I may bee saued if I lament for mine hypocrisie and therefore I will bewaile it and striue for that breaking of the heart with griefe which will cause the Lord to bind it vp with mercy and with comfort Lastly 3. To stirre vp anger and dislike against himselfe for his hardnesse fall downe before the Lord and if thou dost not feele the sensible motions of sorrow yet stirre vp anger and dislike against thy selfe for thy too much hardnesse now and too much folly in former time that tookest paines to delude thy selfe and to delude him that was too wise to be deluded say with the Psalmist Ah why haue I been so very a foole yea a beast before the Lord as to please my selfe in a bare shew of goodnesse and in a meere outside of piety how could I bee so farre hood-winked all this while doth not the Word of God plainly enough shew this folly haue not I receiued many warnings in many examples What got Saul by dissembling What did it profit Iudas to deale with guile and what auailed it Ananias and Saphira to dawbe and counterfeit Ah wretched creature I why haue I followed the paterne of such vnhappy persons where was my reason all this while and what was become of vnderstanding Ah Lord I am ashamed of my folly of mine vnthankfulnesse of my presumption of mine abusing thy sweet and gracious proffers of mercy And thus continuing for one houre in a day together to blame and shame and condemne thy selfe and to quarrell with thy selfe for thy guile at length thou shalt finde thy selfe with labouring cast into a kindly sweat as it were of holy griefe for this thine hypocrisie which will so open the pores of thy soule that this ill humour will euacuate and be much reformed Now hauing seene and striuen to lament thy guile proceed to stir vp hearty desires 3. The third meanes to ouercome hypocrisie earnestly to desire and pray for the Spirit of truth and make feruent prayers vnto God for his spirit of truth
of vprightnesse We cannot ouercome the smallest corruptions of our hart in our owne strength but it must be a diuine power which must inable vs to preuaile against sinfull dispositions Now this strength the Lord of heauen the strong God the author of all strength is ready and willing to bestow vpon all that humbly sue vnto him for it for he giueth to all liberally and hitteth no man in the teeth Beg then for the spirit of power and of a right mind and beg heartily and confidently because thou beggest of him that is able to giue and much more willing then thou art to receiue He that hath made others of weake to become strong and of false to become true can and will performe the same grace to thee according to his promise For hee commandeth all to aske and shuts vp his mercies from none that truly and heartily beseech the same at his hands Perhaps the diuell may seeke to turne thee from this exercise of prayer by casting in a cauill against thee to this purpose that the prayers of Hypocrites cannot be accepted and thou hauing been hitherto but an Hypocrite how should thy prayers preuaile in heauen For the settling of thy soule against this doubt know that the prayer of an Hypocrite that doth not see and lament his hypocrisie cannot indeed bee bidden welcome in heauen but all that are heauy laden with sinne haue a command to come vnto Christ Iesus and a promise that they shall be refreshed wherefore now thou hauing begun to see and detest and bee burthened and grieued with thy guile good warrant hast thou to aske helpe and good assurance that thine asking shall not be in vaine Therefore I say againe lift vp thine heart and voyce and cry mightily to God for the powerfull worke of his Spirit to make thee sincere before him O Lord say thou which art onely able to forme the soule of man anew within create thou in me a new heart and forme a right spirit within me make me sound in thy precepts and let not iniquity haue dominion ouer me Make me Lord a true Israelite in whose spirit there is no guile Make mee truly good good for thy sake and because thou wouldest haue me good that I may please thee and not onely or chiefly that I may serue mine owne turne yea or saue mine owne soule yea generally and vniuersally good good in all things with such a goodnes as thou accountest perfect in thy Son Christs perfection because he in whom it is doth striue labour after perfection Follow this suit most closely and earnestly and giue not ouer till thou findest it granted if thou canst not go on in variety of words yet repeat ouer the same petition often and often and be not weary for so they be hearty feruent the Lord of heauen will neuer be weary of such repetitions Our Sauiour hath spokē a Parable to the intent that we shuld pray alwayes and not waxe faint Thou knowest I presume what the parable is A poore Widdow by importunity forced an vnrighteous Iudge to do her iustice against her aduersary How much more shall the righteous God auenge the cause of his seruants that cry day and night vnto him And if his compassion be such towards them that he will auenge them of their externall enemies which onely seeke to make their liues tedious by persecutions shall hee not much rather assist them against their inward corruptions which tend to bring their soules to destruction wherefore resolue thy selfe to be importunate and to take no nay nor euer to giue ouer till thou hast sped in thy suit wherin nothing can hinder thee from speeding but thine owne too soone giuing ouer the suit through wearinesse Men are troubled with earnestnesse and importunity and amongst them many times a stout begger hath a stoutnay because they condemne it as a matter of impudency to be a stout begger but to God nothing is more pleasing then this stirring vp our selues to take hold vpon his name and this giuing him no rest day nor night till hee heare our prayers and with him onely faint suitors that will take a repulse easily and bee soone put backe doe goe away empty of the thing they sued for Know then that thy saluation dependeth vpon this matter and therefore as in a case of the greatest importance in the world make thy desires feruent and resolue neuer to cease asking till thou shalt receiue the Spirit of truth and vprightnesse And know that God doth not deny to heare thy prayers at first because he is not able or willing to grant them or because hee counts it a matter too troublesome for him but alone to indeare the benefit obtained to make thee see the worth of it and become the more thankfull Pray therefore and pray feruently and pray continually O Lord create a right spirit in me and make me sound in thy precepts And to prayers 4. To meditate often on the excellent nature of God ioyne in the fourth place holy meditations of the nature of God for hee that knowes God thorowly and is to any purpose acquainted with the excellency of his nature in himselfe and sees the beauty of his grace in the face of Christ cannot but be so farre in loue with him as euen to be good for his sake and to make him the beginning and ending of all his desires and indeuours It is alone ignorance of God that makes vs set our selues in Gods roome and aime at our owne benefit in stead of his glory But he that will take paines to cleere vp his owne eyes and to behold the glory of God as he hath reuealed it in his Word and in his Gospell shall be so affected with the splendor thereof as that now he will account nothing worth any thing but that surpassing glorious Maiesty that infinitely excels all things and so hypocrisie must needs vanish The knowledge of God will make a man to perceiue how little it shall auaile him to disguize himselfe The knowledge of God will make him to see how worthy the Lord is of all the seruice of all creatures The knowledge of God will make his heart to become in loue with God and no man will dissemble with him whom he loueth wherefore labour to get and to grow in this knowledge by a frequent pondering and musing vpon the nature of God and beholding in his Temple the beauty of his Maiesty as Dauid speaketh Tell thy selfe often of his infinitenesse and eternity and that all things are from him and by him and for him and hee alone is from and of himselfe Say vnto thy soule hee is the owner of all things and the ruler of all things All the good properties of all creatures be but drops of his sea and sparkes of his flame and there is infinitely more of all good things in him alone then in all them and whatsoeuer is in them it is more his then theirs and their
degrees of sinne euen the very beginnings and the first risings thereof in heart as our Sauiours more narrow interpreting of the Law declaring the scantling of a godly mans endeauours aboue the Pharisies doth manifestly conuince Hee looketh to the motions and desires of his heart and suffers not the lesser euils to goe vnobserued and vnlamented So the difference is manifest in the first part of a good life freedome from sinne Now in the second-part care of wel-doing wee will tracke the dissembler The hypocrite often excels in ciuill righteousnes and bounty c. and take him halting First he doth oftentimes excell in ciuill righteousnesse and abound in workes of bountie and mercy Who more liberall in great doles than the Pharises yea haue not many Heathen men and an hypocrite may surely attaine as much good as an infidell been famous for diuers morall vertues and by name most exact obseruation of iustice in their dealings yet here the defiance is not hard to find out if a man could looke into the heart of him that is hollow at heart The hypocrite in his deeds of mercy c. aithem at applause the true Christian reiecteth such fancies First in regard of the end of doing good this way the hypocrit doth serue himselfe in vaineglory seeking the credit and applause of men and to be commended in the world and therefore for the most part he is carelesse of doing such good deeds if there bee no witnesse present nor no likelihood of their being knowne abroad Mat. 23.5 This our Sauiour noteth and taxeth in the Pharisies who did all things to be seene of men and euen cherished in themselues those fond and foolish conceites and desires of being so commended so respected so well thought of and so full of glory for their good deeds but the true Christian is earnest to withdraw his heart from listning vnto the worlds plaudit he laboureth to approue himselfe vnto God and for the thoughts of worldly esteem hee is ready to fall out with himselfe for making account of such foame of mens mouthes He can say of himselfe in other things as well as Paul of himselfe in one thing that hee seeketh not to bee commended he doth not goe a wooing for credit So they shoote both with one arrow but aime at a farre different marke and this difference is plaine enough to be discerned Againe The hypocrite will deale well with a friend and one that is not a foe but the true Christian with his presently professed foes the hypocrite will shew kindnesse and mercy and charitie to his friends or such as haue neuer done him any great matter of wrong or if they haue made him amends and repayred the breaches of amitie by some proportionable submission or benefit But for his enemy that hateth him that persisteth to wrong him that for the present seeketh to doe him hurt he cannot finde in his heart to do him good and scarce to practise righteousnesse not at all kindnesse and mercy to such an one yea with the Pharisie such is his modell and square of liuing that hee will loue his quiet neighbour but hate his troublesome enemy as Christ doth taxe them for peruerting the meaning of the Law The true-hearted Christian standeth farre otherwise affected he remembreth Matth. 5.43 that God did loue him when hee was an enemy and therefore also for his sake hee will neuer leaue pressing himselfe till he haue brought his heart to loue his enemy and to do good to them that doe euill to him and not alone to deale squarely but louingly kindly mercifully and if need be bountifully with his bitterest and most causelesse aduersaries If his enemy hunger he feedeth his enemy if his enemy thirst he giues drinke to his enemy if his enemy be falne he lifts him vp if wronged he defends him and so doing good there where nature and reason is most auerse from doing good he shewes himselfe perfect as his heauenly Father is perfect as our Sauiour Christ exhorteth Thus the extent of a sincere mans goodnesse doth distinguish it from the hypocrites and in one word in such cases and to such persons as he doth not nor cannot expect reward from men yet the true Christian will execute mercy and iudgement The hypocrite euer faileth where humaue motiues faile And so for workes of mercy and iustice wee haue shewed what ods betwixt the sincere and guilefull there are also exercises of piety and religion wherein the hypocrite is often very forward Let it not seeme out of place that I here speake what I forgat before The hypocrite maketh no bones of the smaller degrees of euill the true Christian striueth against the smallest degrees Math. 5. For of the close and grosse hypocrites there are two kinds that must be distinguished each from other because their differences are remarkable There are cold hypocrites that are carried forward in the vessell of the time and loue not to ouerrunne the common pace in matters of religion as your ordinary ciuill man who yet is a very hypocrite euen in that which he doth attaine vnto others be more forward and feruent and carrie then selues with a shew of more life in matters of religion such was Paul before his calling such were the Pharisies in their times such were Ananias and Saphira Now these latter sort of hypocrites doe not alone as the former abound in workes of mercy and iustice An hypocrite may be very forward in duties of religion but also in duties of religion and pietie they loue preaching and praying and take delight in the company of men renowned for pietie they haue a very greene blade of being forward in Gods seruice to the keeping of prayer in their families and accustoming to repeate Sermons and other like commendable acts of deuotion The thorny and stony ground you know did yeeld some more than common shewes of goodnesse And the wicked Simon conuersed with Philip yea the sinfull Iewes were as abundant in sacrifices and fat beasts as their godly forefathers Paul was zealous of the Law and there were many very forward Preachers in Pauls time also whom a man would haue thought feruent for the spreading abroad of the Gospell yet they did it not sincerely And did not the Pharisie keepe his weekely fasts and other like obseruations yea and did not Iehu also professe speaking as hee thought in his heart that hee was zealous for the Lord Mark therefore the difference which stands in two things First in the end The hypocrite in all duties of religion serues himselfe either in vaineglory or superstitiō or licentiousnesse the true Christian aimeth at God in his seruices Galat. 4.17 then in the matter of their workes of piety they stand farre asunder one from the other For the hypocrite he doth alwayes serue himselfe either in vaineglory or in superstition or in both So the false teachers in Galatia were zealous ouer the Galathians but it was with an
be vpright BVt now some I doubt not in this tryall The true Christian must inioy the comfort of his truth will bee found to haue no guile that is no predominant hypocrisie in their spirits There be in the Churches true-hearted Christians good ground sheep and good corne and those amongst you that in trying doe finde your selues such and by this infallible proofe can cleare it to your selues because you haue often heeretofore found out discouered and bewayled those effects of hypocrisie which haue beene deliuered doe you I pray you enioy the comfort of your vprightnesse and let God that wrought it haue the glory Notwithstanding his fearefulnesse The good Christian is almost as fearefull to settle himselfe in a good opinion of himselfe as the false vnwilling to be driuen from it But there is no reason wherefore the innocent should be condemned A man may bee wrongfull and iniurious to God and to himselfe in being ouer fearefull to confesse the good worke of God in himselfe Christ hath liuing members in his body if thou beest one of them acknowledge it and be glad of it that thou mayest with all due care proceede in the wayes of godlinesse now that thou knowest thou hast set in to some purpose If Satan cannot keepe a man from truth yet hee will endeauour to hinder him from taking the comfort of it And Satans tentations but let not his lies beguile thee any longer Say vnto him I find mine owne faults more burdensome to me than others I find my selfe carefull of mine inward man as well as of mine outward I find my selfe humbled euen by my freedome from grosse sinnes and if at any time any fruit of hypocrisie doe shew it selfe as alacke too too often it doth I make haste to bring it before God and there I condemne it there I humble my selfe for it wherefore I am sure I am true-hearted O Lord I blesse thy name that hast made me true and I pray thee make mee more and more true Surely beloued it will be a great hinderance to your thankefulnesse if you doe not labour against those cauils by which Satan would faine couer your comforts from your eies He will tell thee of thy censoriousnesse of thy falling againe and againe and againe into such a fault perhaps grosse of thy deadnesse in priuate exercises of religion and of thy many vaine-glorious fancies and of thy much selfe-conceitednesse and many other things and he will labour to make thee thinke that it is not possible that heart should haue any truth in which so many fruits of hypocrisie may be found Thou must answer him that thou confessest thy selfe to be very full of these effects of dissimulation and that therefore also thou acknowledgest the roote from which they grow to be too too strong and bigge within thee But thou mayest say withall I haue been taught and I know it is true that not the man in whom hypocrisie is but he in whom it ruleth must be called an hypocrite and for thy selfe though it abide in thee yet thou knowest it raigneth not because thou fightest against it and against the euill brood of it with sighes and groanes with confession and griefe with requests and prayers and with daily renewed supplications Say vnto thy selfe I know and God knoweth that my censoriousnesse my dulnesse in priuate duties mine often carelesnes of mine heart and loosenesse of the inward man my vaine-gloriousnesse my slipping againe and againe into the same sinne and other fruites of dissembling within me that these and all these are too rife but withall that they are felt that they are marked that they are confessed that they are lamented and that they doe daily driue mee to my knees and make me come vnto God with humble intreaty for mercy through his onely Sonne and therefore I am sure that hypocrisie raigneth not but that truth preuaileth and therefore I am a true Christian and so I will take my selfe to be and will with all my soule praise him that hath made mee such continuing still to striue to grow in sincerity and truth that when these graces are become stronger they may become also more comfortable vnto me O all yee whose feeble spirits are shaken with feare and to whom nothing is more troublesome than this thought that sure you be but hypocrites and yet you doe bitterly lament the effects of hypocrisie in your selues and desire nothing in all the world so much as to be found vpright with your God I pray you confirme your soules in peace and accept the consolation that the Lord doth offer you Take your portion of comfort be knowne to your selues to be what you are vnderstand and see how great things God hath done for you in creating a right spirit in you Doe no longer ioyne with Satan in belying your selues as you haue a ready too much often done to the great hinderance of your soules Weak Christians apt to accuse themselues too much Your custome hath been whensoeuer your corruptions haue been any thing strongly wrought vpon when any bad motion hath been violent especially if your passions in any kinde haue broken foorth to some actuall euill then to fall vpon your selues with grieuous accusations and to take part with the diuell in slaundring your selues then you haue cryed out and exclaymed against your selues and sayd Sure I am but an hypocrite and a dissembler that haue yet still within me such euill thoughts am still disquieted with such passions and still drawne to such wicked deedes But I say vnto you this is no true inference as the hypocrite in a fit confesseth his sinne and is sorry for it but yet returneth againe to follow it so the true hearted in a fit doth commit sinne but againe returneth to abhorre it and to renew his couenant with God of amending it As the hollow heart is good in a passion so the true hearted may be bad in a passion but looke to the course of thy life to the setled purpose of thy soule to the established desires of thy mind and so long as there is a constant striuing against all sinne by spirituall weapons so long thou art good before God and for Gods sake and must take thy selfe to be vpright The true Christian shall neuer gaine any thing by calling himselfe an hypocrite But this gets them nothing to see his hypocrisie to lament it to shame himselfe before God for it this shall much aduantage his soule but to deny the worke of Gods grace in him and to ranke himselfe amongst dissemblers from whom he alwaies differs as much as a man that is sicke of any sicknesse from him that is dead of that sicknesse this doth no good to him but interrupts his prayers hinders his humiliation estrangeth him from God and turneth godly sorrow for his sinne into desperate sorrow for the punishment of sinne Remember therefore that there be true Christians in the Church who yet are not free
might haue come vnto it but for his ill example hee discourageth those that would haue been more abundant in goodnesse but for his ill example Hee makes those that are willing to sinne bold also to be more outragious in sinning by his ill example In a word the Church of God did neuer receiue so great mischiefes as from the false members of it It is then but need for the Lord to take a sharpe and speedy course against them Lastly 4. Make themselues vncapable of honouring God any other way you may conclude all the other euill they doe with putting your selues in mind of the euill that they doe vnto themselues by making themselues vnfit to bring glory vnto God any other way but in their punishment as we said before They say of a Swine that he neuer doth good till he come to the knife so may we say of the Hypocrite that he doth not bring any honour to God till hee be faine to honour him perforce in suffering the strokes of his infinite Iustice In his praying in his receiuing the Sacraments in his laborious following his calling in his workes of mercy hee dishonoureth God in all the actions of his life he doth wholly dishonour him would for euer if he might be suffred continue to dishonor him doing all these things hollowly guilefully seruing and seeking himself in them and preferring himself the creature before the Lord his Creator Doth not he then compel the Lord to take such a course with him that hee may no longer dishonour him but may procure vnto him though against any proper intention of his the glory of being an hater of sinne and a punisher of all vnrighteousnesse yea of being a searcher of hearts and a discouerer of the secrets of all mens soules An vnfruitfull branch is good for nothing but to be burnt wherefore the Gardener doth best to make him a fire of it Reason 3 And one more reason we may fetch of the wofull end of Hypocrites Because all Gods people doe pray for their ruine yea themselues also euen from all the rest of Gods Saints who with one mouth doe continually sue vnto the Lord for their cutting off they being principall hinderances of the hallowing of Gods Name proceeding of his Kingdome of grace doing of his holy will and the sanctification also of his children against all which hindrances the people of God are inioyned by our Sauiour to make their prayers Indeed the Saints of God doe not know nor mention in their prayers the particular dissemblers that are in the Church but the Lord that knowes them each in speciall must needs be prouoked against each by the incessant prayers of his Saints that are made against all Yea the Hypocrites themselues when they doe pray after their fashion and according to their manner though not intending any such matter nor heeding the scope and purport of their owne prayers doe yet pray euen against themselues after a sort deuoting themselues and crying vnto God to haue his fury and vengeance dispatched against them So haue you the poynt made strong shall we also make it vsefull Wee will doe so and intreat you to attend whilest we shew you the vses that are to be made of Gods seuerity against counterfeits CHAP. III. Containing the first vse of the poynt viz. the magnifying of Gods Iustice Vse 1 FIrst then let the God of heauen haue his due honour The ruine of Hypocrites must cause vs to praise the Wisedome and Iustice of God in the due punishment of these most secret malefactors as the keeper of the Vine is praised for his good husbandry in the seasonable cutting of the dry and withered boughes of the Vine For how should the Lord more cleerly reueale to the sonnes of men his most exact wisedome and strict righteousnesse then in finding out and casting off these wicked offenders for all their cunning disguisement and subtill dissimulation Hereby hee makes it apparant that hee is so perfect in vnderstanding and in righteousnesse as there is no way of finding fauour with him but by being good and truly good and by walking in his wayes and being sound in the same It will not serue the turne to be close and retired it cannot auaile to be of smooth and fine carriage all colouring all cloking is idle and bootlesse It is not possible to escape his eye and hand but by casting away our sinnes in good earnest and a true and hearty obedience Let the Hypocrite offer thousands of Rammes and riuers of oyle let him not spare the fruit of his body euen his owne sonnes and daughters and put himselfe to neuer so much cost and charges all is one God will not be bribed by these gifts to tolerate his wickednesse Let him speake the Lord neuer so faire in words and make neuer so many long prayers let him carry himselfe neuer so deuoutly and religiously and weare Gods cloth as it were and call him Master and Master and tread in his Courts and frequent his House stil he loseth his labour God will not beare with him nor spare him for all this so long as hee hath respect to iniquity in his heart he shall neuer be accepted Men are oftentimes partiall to them of their owne family and will not deale so rigorously with those that vse them kindly though they sin but the Lord is vtterly voyd of all partiality euen to those that shrowd themselues vnder his elbow as it were and seeme to bee as good seruants to him as may be and giue him the sweetest words that they can inuent Oh how pure and searching are the eyes of our God how cleerly doth hee shew vnto vs in the ouerthrow of Hypocrites the truth of that that the Psalmist singeth His eyes behold his eye-lids try the sonnes of men but againe Euill shall not dwell with him the foolish shall not stand in his sight and he hateth all the workers of iniquity Looke we therefore vpon the ruine of Saul Achitophel Ioash Amaziah Iudas Ananias Saphira and the rest of those whom the Scriptures doe tell vs of consider wee also of the examples of our owne time wherein our eyes may haue seene the experience of the Lords sharpnesse against such as haue trod in the euill steps of these forenamed not learning to auoyd the waies of mischiefe wherein they haue seene others to be ouerwhelmed before them and in all such accidents let vs contemplate the righteousnesse seuerity wisedome and prouidence of God admiring his iust gouernment of his Church that will not bee slacke according to his threatning long since to make desolate the congregation of Hypocrites and learne wee here-hence to establish a louing and awfull admiration of so great iustice mixed with so great wisedome It is a great fault to rob God of the glory of his glorious workes and not to take notice of his excellent attributes discouered vnto vs in the rare effects thereof The Lord desireth to haue vs
to imagine vnlesse one doe take experience of his owne practice how much the renewing of this holy anger against a mans selfe for sinnes past will strengthen him against the same and abate the power of those corruptions of his heart which brake foorth into such rebellion Wherefore doe thus often many times many score times in a day put thy selfe in mind as occasion shall offer it selfe of thy former sinnes with a rising of thy soule against thy selfe and with an holy kind of sharpnesse and tartnesse being euen out of loue and conceit with thy selfe saying Ah vile creature how could I finde in mine heart to do such things would any man haue thought it possible for any creature from whom all piety and reason both were not banished to runne out into such words such deeds and what is wanting to the length and largenesse of these cogitations throughout the day in regard of the interruptions of other affaires that labour to supply by their oftennesse and by their earnest working within thee closing still with a turning away of thy liking from them and a wishing that thou hadst neuer so offended God Secondly 2. Renew often in thy selfe a resolution of no more committing thy most pleasing sinnes let a good man hold alwayes fast within himselfe a resolution of not committing such and such sinnes as he is most apt to commit and in regard of his condition calling place bodily temper or the like is most in danger to commit and let him often reuiue in himselfe also thoughts and motions to that end saying within himselfe Wel through Gods gracious assistance what euer come of mee I will no more transgresse the Law of God and displease him in such and such offences Should the creature wrong the Creator and the child doe iniury to the father Nothing is more vnreasonable then that I should for any thing sinne against my strength and my Redeemer of my selfe I cannot cease to sinne but God will worke in mee both the will and the deed and doubtlesse by his help I will not sinne in such kind measure manner any more I will no more bee so bitterly wrathfull nor vse such vndecent gestures and speeches in my passion I will no more bee so foolishly wanton nor vse such euill and defiling speeches and behauiours I will neuer be so impatient and discontented againe The Apostle Peter prescribeth this remedy against sin and vseth the phrase of being arm'd with it because a Christian soule so long as it remaineth peremptory in this resolution is like a souldier clad in strong harnesse who though he bee smitten at and receiueth a blow yet through the faithfulnesse of his armour is defended from the piercing of the weapon and from the wound If Satan or the flesh suggest a motion or present an occasion of doing such euils as a man hath often said within himselfe Well by Gods grace nothing shall euer make me doe it the will hauing bent it selfe fully against such things in generall flings away from this particular motion and reiecteth it with disdaine Wherefore Saint Peter as I was in saying commendeth this matter vnto vs in these words For as much as Christ hath suffered for vs in the flesh arme your selues with the same minde that he who hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sinne that hee no longer should liue the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men but to the will of God You see how a Christian should goe fenced well I will no longer follow sin nor doe after the corrupt lusts of men but the holy will of God And you see also by what argument pressed vpon himselfe a Christian should fortifie this settled determination in himselfe namely because Christ hath suffered for vs. And this determination must not alone bee prosecuted more plentifully and earnestly in our settled and solemne meditations but perpetually also renewed and confirmed euen as wee goe about our other affaires for a mans hand may be working in his calling and his heart drawing it selfe to the maine worke of his calling of Christianity by lifting vp it selfe with such thoughts as occasion may offer it selfe Surely that sinne that slew Christ Iesus our Lord is too vile a thing in it selfe too hatefull to God too hurtfull to the committer for a Christian man to liue in or once to practise and therefore what-euer may befall I will not commit such and such and such a sinne naming that that the present occasion shall giue him most cause to name or that his heart hath most reason to be most carefull of shunning And this a good man should doe not once twice or thrice in a weeke but euer and anon twenty and twice twenty times in a day in halfe a day For though we liue in the world yet our maine businesse is to trauell towards heauen and therefore the soule must take all occasions of furnishing it selfe with thoughts that tend to further it in that iourney Thirdly 3. Obserue and resolutely and speedily resist euill or idle motions a Christian ought euer to keepe a most wakefull eye ouer the motions that stirre in his minde that so soone as euer any sinfull or friuolous fancies begin to steale or breake in vpon him he may make speedy and resolute resistance by raising vp some holy affection of loathing the fault griefe for it anger against it or else reuerence of Gods holy presence feare of his fierce anger trembling at his iust threats or else by sending vp some present and short request vnto God for the assistance of his Spirit saying Lord helpe me with thy grace should I euer doe so vile or fruitlesse things nay should I suffer the cogitations of them to dwell in my soule God forbid Lord strengthen me by thy Spirit that I may not dishonour and offend thee by such words such actions Thus the Spirit by lusting against the flesh shall mortifie the deeds of the flesh Yea and if it so fall out that these shorter eiaculations or briefe petitions of the soule will not serue the turne but that the motions grow more thicke or vehement and the heart begins almost to consent vnto them and so we find our selues on the losing hand for when once the will hath giuen ground by either thinking Why should I not doe it or by making but a faint refusall a mans soule is foyled and if occasion bee not for the present committing of it yet the next time occasion doth come vnlesse he haue gotten more strength and armed his will more strongly he will soone bee drawne to commit it I say when wee thus perceiue corruption strong and grace weake we must take so much care of our soules as if it bee possible to lay all other things aside and in the solemnest manner fall on praying to God for strength against that corruption but if other occasions stand so auerse that we cannot haue time or place to make a solemne prayer yet we