them arraigne them endite them and condemne them and feare them not but still pray for prayer is flagellum diaboli as Augustine calleth it the whippe of the Diuell which he more feareth then all the coniurations of Poperie then all holy water and crossings yea more then the dog doth the whip and as when the dogge heareth the bell at the whips end he runneth out of the house so when Sathan perceiueth a Christian addresse himselfe to prayer though it be neuer so weakely and with great striuing yet he then feareth the rebuke of God and giueth place Oh then let vs pray good brethren euen then then when we are about to giue almes or to heare a Sermon or to preach the word or to reproue sinne boldly or to handle doctrine soundly or to deale roundly with the consciences of men and in all other spirituall exercises and not only in them but also in our ciuill affaires in buying and selling if thou meanest to deale truly and vse plaine and simple dealing and to be at a word Oh then pray also in inuiting thy friends and neighbours to thy house when thou entertainest the preachers of Gods word at thy table when thou art troubled in making prouision and to haue all things cleane and handsome oh then pray when thou callest foorth thy children to shew their wit their aptnesse and towardnes to learne their profiting in learning and such like oh then pray too when thou cariest thy friend to shew him thy house and thy roomes and thy riches and the workes of thine owne hands and thy fine gardens and walkes and thy fruitfull Orchards and thy fatte cattell and thy great dealings and thy daily expenses c. Oh in all these go not without thy whippe of prayer to driue away Sathan and all his theeuish suggestions and vaineglorious cogitations for euen then when thou thinkest to do all for the best thou shalt be circumuented and deceiued of thy reward before thou be aware if thou then euen then I say do not take heede Then shalt thou heare the whispering feel the tickling of a number of spirituall and inuisible theeues in thy hart Oh saith one to him that studeith for a Sermon when he readeth a trim discourse or fine simile that pleaseth himselfe Oh this will do well to grace thy Sermon withall oh men will commend thy wit and thy inuention for this and thy boldnesse for that and thy iudgement in that c. Oh here is a tickling theefe in the heart driue him out by prayer take heed of him yeeld not vnto him but pray then and say Lord none of all these come of my selfe thou art the giuer of them they are thy mercies to me ô Lord I am not able nor worthie my selfe to carrie such treasures of thy Spirite to thy people Lord be mercifull vnto me and sanctifie my heart that I may seeke thy glorie and not my owne Oh hallowed be thy name Lord hallowed be thy name not vnto vs ô Lord not vnto vs but to thy name let the praise be giuen Lord humble my swelling heart with the feeling of my sinne and my speciall corruptions Oh Lord driue out these proud thoughâ—s these vaine imaginations these wicked and sacrilegious affections which go about thus to rob thee of thy honour both in me the speaker and in others the hearers let them not commend thy gifts in me or in any man but alwayes to thy praise and glorie And thus must we be exercised continually while we liue In like sort when thou art about to shew thy reading and discoursing veine at the table pray for then a theefe within thee will be ready to tell thee that all the company will and do admire thee for thy gift that way Yea or if thou sit still and be silent and neuer speakest but when thou art required and then very modestly too yet then watch and take heede for euen then commeth a spirituall theefe perswadeth thee to thinke with thy selfe surely men will commend me aswell for my silence and modestie as such a one for his learning wit but where is the Kings Atturney all this while to pleade for Gods right I meane the spirite of sanctification to perswade thy soule to giue the glorie to God who gaue thee those gifts and that grace with God and man where is he Oh therefore then when thou doest these things euen then I say take heede watch and pray Hallowed be thy name Lord rebuke Sathan quench these his fierie dartes humble my proud heart make it to affect thee and thy glorie aboue all things and in all things In like sort in doing the parts of a ciuill man entertaining of preachers or thy honest friends and neighbours in shewing them thy faire houses thy well contriued roomes thy wealth thy gaines thy great expences thy great reuenewes thy toward children c. doest thou not feele a theefe within thee tickling and dallying with thy false heart and telling thee that thou shalt be highly commended for these things and thy fame shall be spread farre and neare and thou shalt be spoken of for it and reuerenced and admired c. doest thou not feele such a theefe within thee speaking such things And what is all in effect but to perswade thee to rob him who hath enriched thee to disgrace him who hath graced thee and to wound him who hath healed thee whereas thou oughtest then to say I will shew these things and tell what goodnesse I haue receiued of my mercifull God and heauenly father that men may commend his goodnesse therein and spread the fame of his name farre and neare and may reuerence and admire his wisedome and power and mercifull workes towards mortall man and may both feare and loue his Maiestie for the same And to this end let vs watch pray that God in al things and for all things may haue his due praise and glorie In like manner when thou giuest thine almes or buildest anie hospitall or giuest any thing to the poore of such and such a parish c. if thou doest not take great heed and examine thy heart and stand with prayer at the doore then will Sathan be busie and a spirituall theefe will stand vp in thy hart and say Oh now this being knowne how will the poore commend me how will the world commend me I shall now get a name that I am a good man to the poore I hope to come into the Chronicles for my good deeds one day c. Oh then scourge these corrupt and diuelish affections chase them away by prayer let them not dwel in thy heart giue theÌ„ no entertainement desire to giue all the glorie to God and desire others to do the same for thee for that he hath made thee both able and willing to giue and hath made thee his steward and deputie to giue euery one his portion that his fatherly goodnesse hath appointed them The like is to be done of
except God did giue them repentance and work a strange alteration God deliuer me out of their handes and giue them better minds if it be his will It were a strange alteration to see some that now bring Bibles to the Church and turne to places after the Preacher one day to be instruments to burne so many Bibles as they can come by It were strange to see such as are now most attentiue in hearing the preacher and most kind in giuing him entertainment one day to throw a faggot at his head or to be a witnesse against his doctrine or to helpe to burne him Well such times haue bene and such times may come again for our sinnes and then shall the approued be knowne as the Apostle speaketh and hypocrites with their light and chaffie profession shall then be discouered blowne away with the wind Many now would answer as Hazael did to the Prophet if any should say to them as the Prophet said to him I weepe saith the Prophet to remember what thou shalt do to the children of Israel when thou art king of Aram how thou shalt burne their cities and put their young men to the sword and dash their infants in peeces and rent their women with child What said Hazael is thy seruant a dogge that I should do this great thing So would many answere now no doubt Are we dogges that we should so vse God seruants c No doubt of it in King Edwards daies he that should haue warned some persons of such things that were hearers of those reuerend Martyrs and Bishops Hooper Latimer Ridley Cranmer other faithfull Ministers D. Taylor Bradford and others they would haue bene at defiance with thē yet for al that they when time serued stood foorth to accuse these godly Fathers to persecute them to death that a man wold litle haue thought of be actors in such ttagedies Wel God blesse vs all my brethren keep vs in his holy feare and make vs vpright harted constant in the profession of religiō for I do feare greatly else that if euer time should serue which God for his mercies sake forbid if it be his will too too many would play Hazaels part though they make a faire shew now and stand at open defiance for such matters Well let no man bragge of his own strength that he will do this and he will not do that for manie good men euen sincere Christians may promise and vowe a standing for the truth with Peter and because they rely vppon their owne strength may fall with Peter but I trust God will giue them mercie and repentance to rise againe with Peter but as for hypocrites and time-seruers whose hearts are best knowne vnto God out of question they will then shew themselues in their colours Let them now pretend with Iudas neuer so much care for the poore or loue to Christ they will one day proue theeues to the poore and traytors to Christ as Iudas did and if they once fall with Iudas let them take heed that they hang not themselues with Iudas for betraying and persecuting innocent bloud For it is not the approbation of the Elders that will iustifie Iudas nor his officious kisse that will couer him nor the law of the land that will warrant him nor the siluer bribe that will enrich him nor the praise of men that wil comfort him nor his forced restitution that wil restore him nor his constrained confession that will conuert him nor his faithlesse repentance that will saue him when his money his friends his owne tongue and heart hand conscience as a thousand witnesses and God himselfe shall be against him God grant that all counterfeits and hypocrites and dissemblers in religion may in time take heede by his example There be many both honest and godly religious Christans whose desire is with all their harts to please God by doing those things which his word requireth of them And these for the loue that they beare vnto the truth and their hatred that they carry against wickednesse are by an odious name called Puritanes and if they fall at any time through occasion as oftētimes they do through some infirmity against their wils then are they condemned as hypocrites but most vniustly For though all our actions smell of hypocrisie as maister Bradford well perceiued when he desired the Lord to forgiue him all his hypocrisies and confessed a little before his death that all his prayers and all his best seruing of God were but hypocrisie meaning in comparison of that sinceritie that is required of euerie Christian yet notwithstanding are none to be tearmed hypocrites which fall by occasion through infirmitie and are onely stained with the dust of it and infected with the contagion thereof as men that draw in one and the same aire with hypocrites but onely such are to be counted for hypocrites which make a shew of that which they are not nor meane to be but with their tongues can hold men cunningly with a faire tale of religion and godlinesse while their hearts are resolued to practise all kind of mischiefe and iniquitie of such I speake and not of simple harted and well meaning Christians who haue no doubt their faults as well as other men though they make not an art of sinning as hypocrites do This secret hypocrisie of Gods children doth not a litle trouble many of them neither can many be perswaded but that all that they do is done in hypocrisie as maister Bradford writing to one of his friends in most of his letters condemneth himselfe for a painted hypocrite and being thus troubled in their tender consciences they are still afraide of that woe that our Sauiour Christ pronounceth against hypocrites But for the comforting of such tender consciences whose feare is euer that they shall not deale vprightly and sincerely inough in Gods sight we are to distinguish of hypocrisie for some hypocrisie respecteth men onely seeking only praise of men and not of God and some hypocrie there is that respecteth God also yea most of all and that stealeth in this fort vpon vs. A Christian that feareth God goeth in priuate by himselfe to call vpon God by prayer Now in his priuate prayer somtime his mind is drawne away into a nūber of by-thoughts and wandering imaginations insomuch as he oftentimes thinkes least of God when he calleth vpon him neither is throughly moued with an inward desire of obtaining those things that he prayeth for nor with a hartie loathing of those sins that he prayeth against then commeth Sathan and suggesteth thus Surely thou art an hypocrite for thou hast not prayed with all thy heart nor with all thy soule nor with all thy might Againe sometime the Christian soule prayeth earnestly with great feeling and groning of spirite and hath his mind wholy intent and bent vpon God that he is euen rauished as it were in prayer thinking of nothing but heauenly things when
Balaams Asse who indeede could do that which other beasts could not do and that was to speake and reproue his maister with a mans voyce and yet was still a beast or like Vriah who caried letters in his owne bosome to his owne destruction Or like vnto the diuels who sayd in the fourth of Luke that they knew Christ but it was to their torment Therefore whosoeuer would keepe his heart well and haue it purged and preserued from the leud things of Belial let him pray that the truth may not swimme aloft in his braine as it doth in many wicked men but that it may sinke downe into his heart and worke righteousnesse and true obedience to Gods will Thirdly because our harts are very false to God and like run awayes new fangled mal-contented and desirous of liberty therefore in the next place it will not be amisse to pray with Dauid O Lord knit my heart vnto thee that I may feare thy name And then indeede are we in safety and security for in his seruice is freedome and protection But if we wander out of his seruice and Iust after carnall libertie then are we in danger and it will fall out with vs as it did with Dinah the daughter of Iacob who was not rauished vntill she wandred abroad among the Sichemites from her fathers house Fourthly because we are dull and lazie in the seruice of God we must also desire the Lord to quicken vs with his grace that is to rouse vs vp by calling vnto vs by his Ministers or by pinching vs with some fatherly and mercifull corrections when we fall asleepe and are hard to be awaked and so to make vs liuely when we are heauy and fainting away vnder our burthen and still to set an edge vppon our zeale How needfull this prayer is it may sufficiently appeare vnto any one that will but consider that Dauid prayeth in one Psalme the 119. no lesse then seauen or eight times for this grace And these are the things which I finde at this time most necessarie to be prayed for of euery one that would haue his heart well purged and reformed not excluding other things which others presently or hereafter vppon further meditation and experience may finde requisite to bee prayed for Now as we must pray for these graces and fauours of God before specified so also must we beware of foure most daungerous enemies and pray earnestly against them that through Gods gracious helpe and power we may be deliuered from them The first is neglect and abuse of the meanes whereby the heart is to be regenerated sanctified established and quickened These meanes are of two sorts the outward and inward the outward meanes are the word and Sacraments The word of God saith Dauid will redresse the young mans waies if he take heede thereunto And the word of God saith the Apostle is mighty and liuely in operation as hath bene shewed before Heb. 4.12 the Sacraments are also very effectuall signes and seales of Gods fauour towards vs in Christ and be called of Augustine visible words because they do in a manner visibly demonstrate vnto our sight that which we heard with our eares and the more we are assured of Gods loue the more are our hearts inflamed againe with the loue of his Maiesty The inward meanes is the Spirite of God working faith conuersion and obedience in our hearts by the outward So was the heart of Lydia opened and conuerted at the Preaching of Paule not Paule but the Lord opened her hart that she beleeued Paules preaching And as at the first the Lord by his word and Spirite created the world so the Lord by his word and Spirit still createth the hearts of men new againe Therfore let vs frequēt the preaching vse reading of the word of God let vs delight to conferre and meditate vpon the word in all reuerence sobriety vse the meanes and the vse will in time beget a blessing Let vs neuer my good brethren giue ouer hearing of the word as many haue done for Sathan neuer hath men at such aduantage to worke vpon them what he will as when men haue giuen ouer hearing the word preached And seeing as the Spirite is the meane whereby our saith and conuersion are wrought through the preaching of the word let vs nourish that by all good meanes taking great heed that we neither quench it nor greeue it 1. Thes. 5. by taking away the exercises of hearing and prayer and meditation and conference whereby it is nourished nor by dispensing with any sin in our harts where the Spirit must raigne If we want these meanes thē are we to pray for them Pray to the Lord of the haruest saith our Sauiour Christ that he would send foorth labourers into his haruest And for the spirit we must pray as Dauid doth O Lord take not thy holy spirit away from me and open my eyes that I may see the wonderfull things of thy law Wo be to them that despise prophecying thinke these meanes to be more then need as they that profanely and desperatly reason thus without reason If I be elected I shall be saued do what I list if not I shall be damned do what I can These be the speeches of the mē of Belial whose harts are pestered with leud things neither can they wisely consider that as God hath foreordained mē to a certaine end so also hath he fore ordained the meanes wherby they shal come to that end Of such contemners and beastly hogs and dogs as Christ calleth them we may reade more in Mal. 3.14 and in Iob. 21.15 The effect of both which places is one that such wicked persons thinke there is no profit in seruing the Almighty and therfore they say vnto God Depart from vs we desire not the knowledge of his wayes and spending their dayes in all iolity and carnall prosperitie like oxen set vp a fatting neuer vsed to the yoke at last they go downe suddenly to hell Let them also beware and look to themselues who giue ouer hearing of Sermons of which there be two sorts schismatikes and afflicted consciences schismatikes are they that cut themselues off from our assemblies whose propertie is to iustifie themselues and to condemne others and therein they haue no small felicity of these some be Papists some Brownists some Anabaptists c. To the first sort we may say as the Apostle doth in Gal. 1.6.7 I maruell that you are so soone turned away vnto another Gospell from him that hath called you which is not another Gospell But some among you intend to trouble the Church of God And if we be not Apostles and Ministers of Christ vnto them yet doubtlesse we are vnto others who are the seale of our ministerie vnto God in Christ. To the second sort we say as the Church saith in Canticles 3.1.2.3.4 Thou wouldest find Christ and canst not
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
lawlesse behauiour This shall be a great comfort to the godly to remember how they haue striuen against their headstrong affections and being foiled and cast downe somtime haue risen againe by Gods renewing grace and walked afterward more circumspectly when the wicked shall find nothing but horrour and horrible desperation because they haue made a continual practise art as it were of swimming giuing themselues ouer wholy like slaues vnto sinne as vnto a cruell tyrant whose crueltie neuer appeareth vntill the day of reckning cometh to pay men their wages The fruit of this tree is faire in shew but in tast most bitter for what else is it but feare shame and death eternall Rom. 6. And indeede the custome of any sinne is very dangerous the continuall driuing at the wedges at length driue them home to the head and so the great oke is spoiled and broken in peeces by continuall dropping of raine the hard flint is worne hollow by continuall blowing the fire is made to flame out by continuall going great iournies are gone and a great way is to be gone backe againe by continuall leaking the shippe is sunke at the length by continuall wooing the suter speedeth at length by continuall walking in the Sunne the face is Sun-burnt at the length by continuall digging Castles are vndermined great pits are made and high mountaines are cast vp Yea what should I say more nothing but vse and custome doth make men perfect and expert in any thing they go about Custome and vse hath made euen those fashions which at the first seemed very vgly and abhominable to become in account very good and commendable And if a man doth accustome himselfe to any thing which is hard and against the mind at the first at last by long vse and custome he shall find a certaine easinesse yea a felicity and dexterity in it how much more shall we find the like in any sinne which we do accustome our selues vnto the pleasures and allurements whereof be so fitting vnto our natures and dispositions yea doubtlesse he that hath accustomed himselfe vnto any sinne whether it be of swearing or whoredome or drunkennesse or hastinesse or whatsoeuer else he shall in time find it as easie a matter to be perswaded to cut his throate or to cut off his right hand or to pull out his eyes or to be nailed vnto a post or to haue his bowels pulled out of his belly as to be perswaded to leaue that sinne whereunto he hath accustomed himselfe as soone shall he cease to desire drinke when he is in extremity of thirst as to cease from that sinne and sinfull path wherein he hath vsed to walke Can a blacke Moore change his skin or a Leapord his spots saith Ieremy No more can this people do well which haue accustomed themselues all dayes of their life to do euill The former is a thing impossible in nature and so is the latter too and therefore let no man accustome himselfe to do euill nor to walke in any lewd path but returne betimes or else at last the way will seeme so long and the iourney so tedious that must be gone backe againe that he will rather sit downe or go on still desperatly then go backe againe yea custome is another nature and taketh away the very sence and feeling of sinne But if any man hath walked in any dangerous custome and would be rid of such a haunting spirite and dangerous customer let him resolue with himself to endure much striuing and fighting and much paine and many blowes and buffetings of Sathan and therefore must be very earnest with God by continuall prayer for the creating of a new heart and renewing of a right spirite within him But most wretched are those fooles and monstrous is the folly of them who instead of fearing the custome of sinne and praying vnto God for grace against it do take it as a sufficient plea and defence for themselues being admonished to leaue their sin to say Sir it is my custome you must beare with me yea accompt it a grace vnto them to do as the custome hath beene of their forefathers though it be neuer so wicked Againe further we are to note that euen in outward shew there is great difference between the wicked and the godly least we condemne the iust and the innocent causelesse The godly seem sometime to speak frowardly when it is indeede earnestly and zealously for Gods glorie The wicked for the most part are crosse when they speak most faire and vtter words most smooth which formally they can do at their pleasure per artem adulandi by the art of flattering then are they most dangerous like Ioab who in saluting and embracing slue his brother Abner and like Iudas the traitour who with a kind kisse in shew betraied his Maister Christ. The godly are most moued for the glorie of God the wicked are most moued for their owne glorie like Naman who was in a chafe because the Prophet came not out vnto him And as touching the Minister of the word who many times hath iust occasion to thunder out the iudgements of God against obstinate sinners he seemeth vnto men of peruerse and froward conditions who list not to see others otherwise then they are themselues nor to muse but as they vse to such I say the Minister of Gods word seemeth to speake of malice and bitternesse and by way of reuenge for some old grudge as they say and to deale frowardly with his people when in zeale and earnestnesse he crieth aloud to awake men out of their dead sleepe and cutteth and launceth them to cut out their festered corruption but surely they are deceiued Reprehension indeed hath a sting as the saying is which is not very toothsome but it is very wholesome and it is not doctrine but wholesome doctrine saith Paule to Timothy which men cannot endure The father seemeth to be out of patience with his child when he seuerely rebuketh and correcteth him but then is he most tender ouer him and carefull for his good So the fathers of our soules seeme to be our enemies when they sharply rebuke vs for our sinnes but then they loue vs most and are most desirous or at least should be that we might be saued Am I Paule become your enemie because I tell you the truth saith the Apostle to the Galathians to shew that if we tell men the truth without flattery we shall be counted their enemies The more I loue saith the same Apostle to the same people the lesse am I loued to shew that true spirituall loue will procure vs hatred And what other account will the world make of vs if we deale plainly with them for their soules health but as of babling fooles and mad men Ieremy was counted a contentious person Ezechiâ—ls Sermons we reckned of but as of a fidlers song What will this babler say sayd some of
repentance may be soueraigne and not deadly there must be faith ioyned therewith whereby we applying the promises of God to our hearts may be assured that our sinnes are both fully punished and freely pardoned in Christ Iesus For by faith our harts are purified sayth Saint Peter For our preseruatiue against the corruption and contagion of a leud heart in time to come there are also two things required The first is heedfull watchfulnesse The second is continuall prayer and calling vpon God That this is true it is very euident by the words of our Sauiour Christ in the Gospell Take heede watch and pray sayth he least ye fall into temptation To shew that if we be carelesse and negligent in prayer we shall soone fall into the hands of the tempter And in another place Take heede least at any time your hearts be surfeted and ouercome with the cares of this world To shew that our hearts must be kept and looked vnto like little children which else would euery houre eate and drinke that which should hurt them or fall into the fire or water or incurre one mischiefe or another And this is that which Saint Paul meaneth when he requireth vs to walke circumspectly and is all one with that of Salomon in the fourth of the Prouerbes Keepe thy heart with all diligence as if there were no hold in the world so much assaulted nor any mans daughter or goods so much layed for as the heart of man is and therefore that must be kept with all diligence and watched most narrowly This diligent keeping and heedfull watching of our hearts must be after the manner of souldiers with our armour and weapons about vs. And what those are the Apostle teacheth vs in Ephes. 6.12 c. and he calleth it the armour of God because all the world could not tell how to make an armour for the soule but God who created it and knoweth what enemies and assaults it is subiect vnto A helmet she must haue but that must be of hope which causeth her with patience to expect the performance of Gods promised saluation and this beareth off all the blowes of Sathan Then a brest-plate she must haue but that must be of righteousnesse to shew that the louers of vnrighteousnesse and wrong are easily thrust through and spoyled yea as Paule saith they pierce themselues through with many noysome lusts and temptations Then she must haue a girdle to keepe all her armour close about her and that must be of truth and sincerity or soundnesse of heart and a good conscience which is opposite to hypocrisie Then a sword she must haue in the one hand and a shield in the other to defend her selfe withall and to offend her enemies But this sword must be the word of God not the Popes Legenda aurea which hath wel-neare as many lyes as lines in it nor any of his dirtie Decrees And her shield must be a liuely iustifying faith which must still apply Christ and his merits and oppose him against all that euer Sathan cannot obiect against her Then she must be shod with shooes but they must be affections prepared and alwayes in a readinesse to heare and beleeue the Gospell whereby she shall speedily and easily trauell and come to all the rest And to all these she must ioyne continuall and feruent prayer both for her selfe that she may betime put on and skilfully vse this armour as also for others and namely first for her Captaines and Leaders the Ministers of the word and next for all the Saints and members of the Church that be her fellow souldiers And thus we see a Christian man in armes appointed to keepe diligent watch ouer his heart being thus appointed with armour of Gods making and of the Spirits putting on he is diligently to examine euery thought before it enter and euery word and gesture before it passe from him hauing the feare of God in stead of a gard alwayes to keepe the doore and passage Now further that we may watch and pray to good purpose we must know and remember First what we are to pray for Secondly what we must pray against The things that we must pray for are principally foure First that God would create in vs a cleane heart and renue a right spirite within vs Psal. 51.10 That is in stead of an ignorant heart to giue vs a heart endued with knowledge in stead of a dull heart an vnderstanding hart as Salomon prayed 1. King 3.9 in stead of an adulterous heart a chast heart in stead of a subtill and crafty heart a simple and discrete heart in stead of a proud and high minded heart an humble and lowly heart in stead of a foolish heart a wise heart in stead of a malicious hart a charitable hart in stead of a hard hart a soft tender hart in stead of a vaine and profane heart a holy and religious heart in stead of a stubburne and rebellious heart an obedient and tractable heart and in stead of a counterfeit and dissembling heart an vpright and a sound heart And a heart thus altered and renued by God Dauid calleth a heart new created to shew first that we can no more of our selues reforme our owne hearts whatsoeuer Papists prate then we can create a heart Secondly that vntill our hearts be renued by the grace of Gods Spirite they are as if they were not at all And thirdly that as all the workes of creation belong to God onely so doth also the reforming and altering of the inward man and euery affection and power belonging to the same The second thing that we must pray for is that it would please his diuine Maiesty to ioyne sanctification and illumination together in our minds that is not onely to enlighten our hearts with the vnderstanding of his will but also to worke in vs the loue of righteousnesse and obedience to his will yea that he would to that ende giue vs an vnderstanding heart or a heart enlightened that we may keepe his law with our whole hearts So Dauid prayeth in Psalme 119.34 Giue me vnderstanding and I will keepe thy law yea I will keepe it with my whole heart And that is the way indeed to come vnto a sound and a sauing knowledge of God as our Sauiour Christ sheweth in the seuenth of Iohn verse 17. If any man will do his will he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God of no. Not the idle hearer or vaine disputer or the carping cauiller c but the doer yea he that is resolued to followe Gods counsels shall know Gods counsels and none else And vntill we haue an actiue vnderstanding in the law of God not the forme of doctrine onely or a formall knowledge of the same but the power of it as the Apostle teacheth vntill then I say we be like
euery one that praieth in publike assemblies and heareth the word diligently and turne ouer their Bibles and sing reuerently the holy Psalmes and praises of God confer of that which they heard and call their families to account for that which they haue heard at the Sermon c. all most holy actions but take heed now when thou doest all these or any of these that the messenger of Sathan come not like a cunning companion and poison all these Take heed I say euen then when thou art about these seruices for euen as cut-purses and pilfering rogues watch their times till they see men busie in buying and selling or come in a preasse so do these vagrant affections watch our harts when we are about holy businesse and in deuout conference with our God to rob God of his honour and to poison that which we offer him and if it be poisoned he will none of it A strange thing and a hidden mysterie this is that a man should then rob the Lord of his honour when he is honoring and seruing him that we should take from him that which we giue vnto him Verily so we do if we take not heed and nothing is more common then that euil Thou art deuout in thy prayer in hearing in sighing in singing in eleuating eyes and hands to heauen it is well done but then take heede of the theefe with the poison that thou seest not and that is that affection that maketh thee to cast thy eye aside perhaps to looke whether such a man seeth thee or no and that affection that tickleth thy heart and saith now I am a good man I shall be counted a zealous professor for this I shall be well esteemed for this I shall by this meanes get familiaritie and so commoditie with him her and a thousand such odde conceits that come wharting and crossing of thy heart in the best things that thou canst do All which if thou take not heede of them euen then at that instant and pray against them they will get within thee and plucke off the garment of puritie and holinesse which in Christ Iesus should commend thy action vnto God And thus thou seest how God is robbed when he is serued and therefore euen then without any further delay or dallying take heed and watch ouer thy heart and pray against these vile and vaine affections desiring God to reforme and correct them that so thou maiest giue him his due clad in such holy and pure affections as are desirous that all the glorie should be giuen vnto him from whom and for whom all things are and shall be And in so doing thou maiest safely shew what God hath done for thee Take for example in the old Testament Iacob and in the new Testament the Virgin Mary and Zacharie the father of Iohn Baptist. Iacob he sheweth his brother how God had blessed him since his comming ouer Iordan with onely a poore staffe in his hand and now had giuen him troupes or bands of children and seruants and blessed him with flockes of sheepe beeues and camels but in all these things his desire was that God might he glorified and therefore he said I am not worthy of the least of these mercies that is all that I haue set forth the great and vndeserued fauour of God vnto me So farre was he from seeking thereby to be counted a great man as the maner of the world is So when Elizabeth reioyced with her cosin for the great fauour and goodnesse of the most high in chusing her to be the mother of the Lord Iesus and sayd Blessed art thou amongst women she was not proud thereof but presently gaue the glorie vnto God and sayd My soule doth magnifie the Lord and my spirite reioyceth in God my Sauiour I shall be magnified indeede but he that is mightie hath magnified me and holy is his name and so made that whole song to set forth the glorious praises of God in that singular worke which he had done to her In like sort when Zachary knew that Iohn was borne to be the forerunner of Christ he presently gaue the glorie to God saying Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his people c. And thou ô child shalt be called the Prophet of the most high for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare the way before him to giue knowledge of saluation vnto his people for the forgiuenesse of their sinnes But then commeth forth the holy affection wherein God is delighted and saith Through the tender mercy of our God c. And this shall we do if we take heed and still watch ouer our hearts in euerie action by secret prayer vnto God that his name may be hallowed This wise course being taken we shall be able by the grace of God in a short time to discerne a false harted affection from a true and a holy affection a double heart from a single and sincere heart for in euery man that is regenerate there is a double motion the one of the flesh the other of the Spirite the one of God the other of Sathan and in euerie action if he watch narrowly he shall find and feele a striuing betweene them Now here is wisedome to discerne how much is of God and how much of Sathan that we may cherish the one and crush the other in the head before he grow to any strength There will be two fires kindled and both burning together in one heart the one must be quenched and not maintained the other must not be quēched but be maintained for so saith the Scripture quench and quench not quench the firie darts of the diuell but quench not the Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed vp to the day of redemption Now then seeing the glory of God is set vp for one marke to aime at and the good of the Church of God for another let vs learne by our leuelling and aiming at them or besides them to iudge of our affections and cogitations If thy cogitations be studying and deuising how to auoide vaineglorie and how to get glorie to God by casting about to make others to praise God in thy graces and to loue and feare him for the same then is that cogitation kindled by Gods Spirite quench it not but cherish it If thy affections be longing and desiring to bring the same to passe which thy minde by Gods Spirite hath deuised then is that a holy affection of God quench it not but maintaine it reioyce in God for it But if one the contrarie thy mind be deuising what to do and what to say and how to bring things to passe to please men and not God and to win credit and estimation amongst men Gods glory being cast behind thy backe know that those thoughts and affections are fierie darts of Sathans kindling quench them and cherish them not take heede of them in time In taking this
honoured and rewarded of God then all the world beside Oh happie man and woman that professing Christianitie or faith in Christ or repentance for sinne or patience in affliction or contempt of the world or zeale to Gods glorie or deuotion in Gods worship or liberalitie to the Saints or mercie to the miserable can in all these haue the company of sinceritie and vprightnesse of heart then may they say thus nay our suretie the Lord Iesus wil pleade for vs in this manner Father despise not these little ones they are my friends and though their faith and repentance be weake and imperfect and other graces of thy Spirit be but small and feeble and for want of nourshing and good looking vnto be not so well growne nor so well ordered as they should haue bene yet forasmuch as they come before thee and haue called vpon my name in sinceritie and truth which thou louest without counterfeiting dissembling and hypocrisie which thou abhorrest thou wilt not despise them Their fruit though they be but little in quantitie like a graine of musterd seed yet it is right fruite of the Spirit true faith though little faith true loue though litle and small loue not like the fruites of hypocrites which are like the apples of Sodome faire in shew and ashes in substance What hath soundly comforted all the Saines of God here on earth but the testimonie of an vpright heart And is not sound comfort a good reward What hath encouraged and emboldned them to come before God in prayer but the testimoniall of a sincere heart and holy affection And is not boldnesse in Gods presence a good reward What hath made the prayers of the faithfull auaileable with God for other but the sinceritie and vpright affection of them that haue craued their prayers and are not these sweet odours that is the prayers of the Saints a good reward What made Iacob to be honoured with the new name of Israel that is preuailing with God for a blessing but that his wrestling was not in shew but in good earnest in sinceritie and truth of heart with a constant purpose of perseuering till he had gotten that which he stroue for And is not preuailing with God a good reward All the daies of the afflicted are euill saith Salomon that is troublesome grieuous and bitter to flesh and bloud but a good conscience is a continuall feast that is he that hath an vpright heart and sincere affection before God feeleth no want Now such a feast as it is continuall so is it prouided by God himselfe serued in with the Spirit of God where the Angels do waite and reioyce and the worst dishes are the assurance of Gods loue forgiuenesse of sinnes peace of conscience and ioy of the holy Ghost There all the communication is secret and heauenly between Christ and the soule the Musitians are the faithfull and their musicke is praising of God and their harmonie is the communion of Saints and all are of one heart and mind and is not such a feast a good reward Nay more then this if this be not inough whosoeuer will earnestly hegge this gift of God by prayer and louingly embrace and keepe her as his deare spouse shall haue with her a large dowrie a great reward in heauen in heauen saith Christ. For such gifts come not without crauing and of our selues we cannot haue it for if a good wife be the gift of God much more is a good heart which God in creating doth giue in giuing doth create therfore Dauid saith Create in me ô Lord a cleane heart to shew that we can no more make the hart sincere then we can create a hart But whē such a hart is created by God he giueth thee a singular gift a great portion belongeth vnto it Part of it shall be payd thee in this life but the greatest part in the life to come In this life thou shalt be loued of Christs friends and moned of good men when thou art wronged the more thou dost seek to honor God the more he will honor thee as he told Samuel The more thou fliest the vainglorie of the world for sinceritie sake the more wil true glorie follow thee according to the Prouerb Honos fugientem sequitur sequentem fugit It followeth those that flye from her like friends which enforce gifts and other curtesies vpon modest persons which refuse them but flyeth them that follow her as men do impudent beggers But besides al this when death comes thy deare friend sincerity shall more comfort thee then all the Phisitions in the world And after death thy name shall liue and walke vp downe in the world to warne some to comfort some to admonish some and to shame some and to condemne many But yet here is not all for then shalt thou first receiue commendation of God whom thou hast serued and secondly enter into full and euerlasting possession of thy maisters ioy which is no lesse then a weightie crowne of glorie immortall then a kingdome and inheritance of eternall blessednesse with the Saints and Angels and God himselfe where all teares shall be wiped from thy eyes and thou shalt reioyce for euermore Where thou shalt enioy for euer and euer such things as no eye hath seene no eare hath heard nor heart to man can conceiue and nothing shall euer obscure or eclipse the same nor crosse nor diminish the same And what is all this or whatsoeuer else can be sayd of it but scarce a shadow of sincerities reward Alas a drop taken out of the sea and a moate out of the mountaines like the hem of Christs garment which did comfort the woman that touched it but she found more comfort in him then in the hem So the description of sincerity is delightsome the picture is pleasing but whosoeuer hath sincerity it selfe shall find at his left hand the fulnesse of ioy and at his right hand pleasure for euermore Whosoeuer after this Sermon shall find so much fauour with God as to meete with sinceritie and vprightnesse of heart in all his actions and such an affection that preferreth Gods glorie before his owne and seeketh praise of God and not of man shall say as the Queene of the South sayd when she came to King Salomon That which I heard of thee I did hardly beleeue it but now I perceiue that the report which went of thee is nothing answerable to that which thou art indeed And though no man deserueth such a reward at Gods hand no nor any reward at all but shame and confusion which is our due desert yet both for his promise sake as also for his honour sake he will so reward his children If mortall men will keepe their promise one towards another as all that haue but common ciuility and honestie will them much more will Almightie God who is all truth and righteousnesse it selfe and can no more breake his promise then he can denie himselfe
bookes and restrained of their libertie they are weary of that Maister and desire to go to another or else no more to schoole so hypocrites when they are required to take a setled course for their profiting in religion and are restrained of their liberty in sinne in vanity in riot in pride and are pressed with the doctrine of mortification and truth of heart they are weary of such a teacher and must go to another or else come no more at schoole so that it appeareth that they haue no more gouernement of themselues nor strength of the Spirite nor stayednesse of affections then little children haue As it is both schismaticall and so danderous and childish and so ridiculous so it is also vnprofitable For they that leaue the ordinary and standing Ministery of their owne Pastour and none certaine gather here a peece and there a peece but neuer lay any sound foundation nor make any orderly building as they do that tye themselues to one man who keepeth an orderly proceeding laying all the principles of religion one after another and one by another and euerie one in order till all be finished I deny not but that vpon some special occasions a man may be somtime drawne away from his ordinarie teacher as trauelling from home or being requested by our faithfull friends of another congregation to answer for their children as they call it at their Baptizing or to accompanie some of our friends or our Magistrates departed out of this world vnto their graue and such like if Christ be preached there that we may follow him otherwise I see no great necessitie to enforce a man to leaue his ordinarie teacher to go to a bare reader for a ciuill dutie performing but rather to remember what our Sauiour Christ answered to one that sayd he would follow Christ but first he would go and burie his father Let the dead burie the dead saith he follow thou me To shew that those that haue no list to follow Christs doctrine are no better then dead men as touching the life of the spirite in the soule and they may serue for such a purpose well inough it is pitty to interrupt those that are better disposed and deuoutly addicted to the heauenly doctrine of the Gospell And further I hold it a thing very expedient and fit that there be sometimes also an entercourse of Ministers labours that is that other Ministers be sometimes admitted yea procured also to exercise their gifts in their brothers charges both for the confirmation of doctrine as also for the quickening of the auditorie for consent of teachers is a great confirmation of the truth in regard of our weakenesse and vnbeleefe otherwise the truth is strong inough of it selfe and will preuaile against all the world And as variety of meates sometime doth make a man haue a better appetite to his ordinarie diet euen so is it not amisse that sometime our ordinarie auditours should haue change of teachers that so they tasting that varietie of Gods gifts and graces which is in diuerse men they may haue a better spirituall appetite vnto the ministerie and doctrine of their ordinarie pastours and teachers But to runne hither and thither and commonly to leaue our ordinary teachers onely either of a fanstasticall desire to heare new things or of a loathing the plaine simple maner of deliuery of the truth or of stomach in contempt and way of disgracing and discouraging those that God hath set ouer vs because they haue more sharply reproued their sinnes or more neerely applied the doctrine to their consciences then others do a blessed fauor of God indeed if men had grace so to take it this is it that I say is both carnal schismatical childish and altogether vnfruitfull and further it is flatly repugnant to the commandement of Christ deliuered by his Apostle in the 1. to the Thessalonians the 5. Chapter and 12. verse where he beseecheth the Thessalonians to know them that labour among them and are ouer them in the Lord and admonish them and that they haue them in singular loue for their workes sake And lastly is the practise of such as neuer professed the Gospell of Christ in sinceritie and vprightnesse of heart with an humble spirite and a holy desire to haue both their iudgement informed and their liues reformed by the word of truth But on the contrarie in palpable and damnable hypocrisie with shewes shadowes and flourishes to be seene and well esteemed of men as hypocrites do Besides these publike and open hypocrisies there be also many other lurking in priuate corners which deserue to be vncased as in housholds where betweene man and wife many times much loue is counterfeited onely before men and in heart much bitter malice and hatred maintained against each other which betweene themselues breake out in open and bitter extremities and behind each others back into foule adulteries and cursed vndoing of the whole family such an hypocrite is the harlot that Salomon vncaseth in the 7. of the Prouerbes Who when her husband is from home calleth in her louers and companions to lewdnesse and coloureth her villany by prating and telling him of her peace offerings and vowes that she hath performed that day that is by talking of religion I say nothing of those that in shops and markets selling wares will pretend great loue saying If it were not to you I would not sell it so another should not haue it so c. when for the most part all this is but meere cunning and counterfeiting I also let passe those that spying a bargaine that they hope to reape a great benefit by will earnestly protest and pretend vnto the partie with whom they meane to deale great care that they haue of his good and his ease rather then of their owne benefit too many such there be in the world Well God will pull off their visour one day and lay them open to the world What should I say of those that being to followe and further mens suites with great persons or otherwise at law haue still one tricke or other to delay the time withall pretending great care to do their friendes businesse and to followe their clients causes in the best manner that may be and for their best aduantage when all their doing is but a cunning kind of fishing for more money like Felix who often sent for Paule before him hoping that some bribe would haue bene giuen him to haue enlarged Paule And a thousand more such partes are played in the world which men in continuall practise and conuersing one with another in Church and common-wealth abroad and at home shall haue occasion to meete withall But for the vncasing of the hypocrite at this time this shall suffice Those that feare God vnfainedly and detest this vgly beast the hypocrite will make of that which hath bene sayd as for those that say they could make good vse of it if it had come out of
for his paines for his zeale for his skill for his cost c. and behind his backe derideth all he protesteth that he shall alwaies haue a friend of him and he shall alwaies be welcome vnto him and he will helpe him to preferment and I know not what when in his heart he meaneth no such matter and thus hypocrisie is rewarded with hypocrisie one shadow with another As the praise of men is vncertaine and deceitfull so also is it for the breuitie of it a vaine thing for as a flash of lightning for the time dazeleth the eye and suddenly vanisheth away so do the praises of vaine men for a time tickle the eares and delight the senses of vaine hypocrites and straight way they come to an end And if liking last and all the effects thereof that is kindnesse friendship heartie welcome hope of preferment or preferment it selfe what is all this but a thing of no continuance neither can a man leaue it to his heires after him As it is of no continuance so is there no profite in it I meane for the most part men are rather loosers then gainers that serue onely for the praise of men especially when their humour is once espeid The hypocrite that neuer aymeth at the glorie of God or the good of others but onely his owne vaine credite and estimation shall haue faire words enough but little else except it be sorrow of heart and vexation of spirite for the losse of his time and labour and studie and goods and all for the wind of mens mouthes Nay if he do winne perhappes as many flatterers and Parasites do sometime which obserue great persons humours for some small counterfeit seruice or odde trifle or pleasant ieast or wittie conceipt some great benefite some gainefull office or great preferment or high reuerence in the world yet hath he made but a bad bargaine of it if he hath no further purpose in all this but to magnifie himselfe giuing no honour to God but all to himselfe he hath his reward saith Christ and what profite is in this to win the whole world and to loose his owne soule As the praise of men is vnprofitable and a thing which who so laboureth to get shall get nothing by it so is it also for the daunger thereof a vaine reward of vertue For many times a vaine glorious man being praised to his face or hearing that his courses are well liked and commended of men is thereby emboldened to go so farre without all modestie or discretion that he shameth himselfe yea many times fondly presuming vpon them that haue soothed them vp and made much of them venture most foolishly and desperately in pursuing of lewd attempts to their own vndoing The wicked giueth heed to false lips saith Salomon a lier hearkeneth to a naughtie tongue that is to be ruled by them and is not that daungerous Now whose lippes are more full of falshood then the lippes of the flatterer who still perswadeth fooles that their copper is good gold and their blacke is pure white and that their foolishnesse is high wisedome and that their crooked waies are the straightest waies c. And who doth hearken more to such lippes then the vaineglorious hypocrite who doth all to be praised of men and cannot endure by any meanes to heare any fault found with anything that he doth Againe if he be a foole that praiseth the hypocrite or a foolish man that hath no iudgement or vnderstanding nor abilitie to discerne of colours then hath he gotten a blind man to leade him into the ditch If many wise men and of great place do praise the hypocrite then is the foole lifted vp aloft but to shew his nakednesse that others may enuie him for his aduauncement and despise him for his follie and contemne him for his vnworthinesse King Achab was glad when his going to warre against Ramoth Gilead was liked of and confirmed by the approbation of foure hundred Prophets the wind of their mouth was pleasant but most daungerous for it blew him with a maine gale like a shippe without a Pilote vpon the rockes of his owne destruction When Herod for his vaine Oration receiued the commendation of his flattering Courtiers and seruaunts who cried the voyce of God and not of a man he felt a sweete and a pleasing wind that blew him vp beyond himselfe that like one in a traunce or dreame rather forgot himselfe to be a mortall man and so quietly tooke to himselfe that honour that was due vnto God But it was the most daungerous wind that euer blew vpon him for it both ripened his sinne and hastened the vengeance of God immediatly vpon him Many such daungerous windes and blastes are Princes and Noblemen and other persons of great calling subiect vnto the more neede haue they to looke vnto themselues and we to pray vnto God most earnestly for their standing Seeing therefore that the praise of men is so vncertaine so deceiptfull of so short a continuance so vnprofitable and so daungerous we may safely conclude that of all rewardes it is most vaine and that hypocrites in making of that the end of their actions are most vaine men or madde fooles for they haue their reward As it is a vaine thing to serue for the praise of men that is to say for vanitie it selfe so is it a thing most miserable and slauish For first though it be a most vaine shadow and fruitlesse vanitie of all vanities that man hunteth after yet cannot he haue it without great paines taking Secondly before he can weare it and enioy it freely he must be censured of all Thirdly how often and commonly is he after all his paines and cost that he hath bene at deceiued of his expectation For the paines that the hypocrite taketh to please men he may truely say as Iacob said though not with so good a conscience I was in the day consumed with heate and with frost in the night and my sleepe departed from my eyes Yea the feares cares and doubtes that he is turmoiled and tossed in are vnspeakeable one while he is vexed to know certainely the humour and disposition of him whose praise he seeketh then he careth how to fit his humour with what wordes with what gestures with what by-matters what tales and discourses with what presents then what companie to haue and how to consort himselfe with them And then what is the fittest time to find him both at leysure and in a good moode Then it is a world to see how the hypocrite acteth his part and what paines he taketh first in marking the countenances and gestures speeches commendations and welcomes and faire promises that are shewed him Then in recounting of them and descanting vpon them first to himselfe and then to others thinking and bragging how he was reputed and taken with such and such and that he was so bold and so bold with him
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
will not sticke to say that though he doth accustome his mouth to swearing and filthie talking and all maner of vile ribaldrie yet he hath as honest a heart as the best of them all and meaneth no hurt Of the same mind also are they that find eares to heare and memorie to beare away all such filthie communications yea they can remember such things better then words of grace but they are deceiued saith the Apostle for euill words do corrupt good manners And as they do corrupt good manners so do they ingender euill and wicked manners for corruptio vnius est generatio alterius the corruption of one thing is the generation of another as in nature we see the corruption of the egge is the breeding either of a bird or else of rottennesse and stink and the turning of the wine is the making of that which was sweete wine to become sharpe vineger and the corrpuption of the graine in the earth is the generation either of a new blade of corne or else of a weed euen so the corruption of good manners is the generation of euill conditions the corruption of chastitie is the begetting of incontinencie the death of humilitie is the life of pride the corruption of faith is the generation of infidelity the corruption of sobrietie is the procreation of drunkennesse and the decay of pietie is the setting vp of prophanenesse And is all this no hurt Is there no hurt in euill words which be as infectious and daungerous to good manners as any plague sore is to the bodie As they be hurtfull to others so are they no lesse euill to ourselues and signes also of much euill in our hearts For as a rotten sore argueth a rotten disease and an vnsound bodie so a corrupt and froward mouth argueth a corrupt and froward heart and as a stinking breath doth bewray an vnsound stomach so a filthie mouth doth argue a filthie mind which is within like a swines stie or rather a diuels stie and therefore in verse 27. of the 4. to the Ephesians when the holy Apostle doth disswade Christians from sinfull anger and from dwelling in wrath he saith giue not place to the diuell as if the diuell did lodge in a wrathfull heart Which cannot be but to the grieuing of the spirit of God who is thereby as much as lieth in vs dispossessed of his hold inheritance For wold it not grieue any man to be either annoyed in his owne house or put out of his inheritance which he hath dearely purchased and paied for And will it not much more grieue and offend Gods spirit to be dispossessed of his owne inheritance which God hath purchased with his owne bloud Act. 20.28 and to haue the diuell set vp in his place like an vsurper And therefore in the 30. verse of the former fourth to the Ephesians he addeth And grieue not the holy spirit of God vsing that as a reason why we should not suffer corrupt communications to proceed out of our mouthes For though there be in all men naturall corruption and infirmitie which is bred and borne with them yet by the grace of God it is so suppressed and corrected in the regenerate that it hath no full sway nor domineering power in them And therefore he saith not let no corruption be at all in your minds but he saith Let no corrupt communication proceede out of your mouths For it is said in Gen. 6.5 that the imaginations of mans heart are euill continually But if lewd speeches haue libertie to proceede out of our mouthes that is at pleasure to go and come like a maister of a familie that is a signe that Sathan hath wonne the hold and keepeth possession of the heart And on the contrarie when good words are frequent and vsual in the mouth it is a signe that Gods spirit doth beare rule though now and then by reason of our naturall corruption that still remaineth in vs some crooked thoughts wil breake in to our minds and some froward speeches will breake foorth at our mouthes by force or by stealth while we be not so watchfull as we should be The Apostle S. Iames also agreeth with the former as touching the vse of the toung in his third chapter verses 3. and 4. where by two similitudes he sheweth that the tongue hath a double vse both in regard of our selues as also in regard of others And namely first our maker and then our neighbour For with our tongues we must blesse God that is praise God and with our tongues we must also blesse our neighbour that is pray for him wish him well and speak well of him c. How this little member must be gouerned he sheweth by two similitudes First of a bit in a horse mouth which the rider vseth for his owne safetie which also must be moderated for if it bee let loose too much the horse will stumble or go which way he lift or cast his rider if it be pulled in too much the horse will either stand still or else go backe or rise vp to the daunger of the rider So the tongue if it be too silent too fearefull and too much restrained the owner shall make no way in his heauenly iourney he shall not be able to keep companie with others it will make his affections rise vp with desperate cogitations to his own hurt neither shall God haue his due praise of that member which he ought to haue neither shall man reape that benefite thereof which we owe vnto him as it falleth out when men are so tong-tyed that they will not preach nor reproue sinne when they are called thereunto and when others will not affoord their neighbour their testimonie or witnesse in time of neede to do him good And againe if it be let go too loose and suffered to be too bold then it will fling out and runne riot as the saying is to the shame of the speaker and griefe of the hearers Secondly he likeneth it to the rudder of a shippe which is to rule the ship and to direct her course whose benefite if it be well stirred redoundeth to many to the Pilote himselfe who doth guide it to the owners to the mariners and to the whole ship with all that is in it and so on the other side is the daunger as great and manifold if it be not well ordered and stirred So the tongue is so to be vsed as that thereby the bodie may be well ordered the affections may be bridled others may be preserued and all may be edified by counselling some by instructing some by admonishing others by comforting others and by praying for all and interpreting all things in the best part Which graces whosoeuer hath attained vnto hath attained to an excellent thing Iam. 3.2 Yea a man of wisedome saith Salomon spareth his speech and he that vnderstandeth is of an excellent spirit Prou. 17.27 So that by the testimonie
be merry These and such like speeches are rife in the world but it is onely amongst the men of Belial and Ishim auen lawlesse and dissolute persons vaine and foolish people such as haue cast off Gods yoke from them and like them that sayd of Christ. We will not haue this man to raigne ouer vs come let vs breake their bands asunder and cast their cords from vs our tongues are our owne we may speake what we list who shall controule vs and so are our eyes too and our fingers too and our feete too we will looke and go and gesture it as we list and what hath any man to do with our gestures These are right men of Belial indeed whom the Lord that sitteth in the heauens doth laugh to scorne and shall haue in great derision when destruction shall come suddenly vppon them in his wrath yea he shall vexe them in his sore displeasure and breake them in peeces like a potters vessell if they be not wise vnto repentance in time euen before his wrath be kindled yea but a little This precisenesse that the profane Belials of the world haue in so much contempt is nothing else but that circumspect walking which is commended and commanded vnto vs by the Apostle from the Lord in Ephs. 6. Walke circumspectly saith he like wise men as if our life were a iourney to be walked vpon a narrow bridge ouer a deepe water ouer which there is no safe passage if a man go leaping and skipping and gazing about him as those that wander and roue at scope in the wide fields but we must looke to our feete and to euerie step that we set or else we are quickly gone and being downe very hardly recouered againe without Gods great mercy and grace So much for the first point Now the second thing that we haue to obserue is the tyranny of sinne hauing once gotten possession in the hart If lewd things lodge in the heart surely they will take vp all the outward parts of the body to serue at their pleasure and from one member to another will leudnesse fetch his continual walke Therefore saith the blessed Apostle Let not sinne raigne in your mortall bodies to obey the lustes thereof neither giue you your members as weapons of vnrighteousnesse and vncleannesse To shew what a tyrant sinne is who when he hath gotten hold in the heart of a wicked man will domineere ouer his whole bodie and euery member shall serue as a weapon to fight withall in the defence of sinne and to the offence of vertue When a tyrant raigneth no man that is vnder him is his owne man no man can say what is his owne so where sinne raigneth the most cruell subtill and vnsatiable tyrant that euer was is or can be euery member of the body and euery cogitation and affection of the soule is held in most miserable bondage and slauery nothing is free to serue the Lord but all are at Sathans becke and ready to obey his suggestions This tyrant wil not be closed vp in the heart but will looke out at the eyes as at a window will walke abroad nay rather be caried abroad like a Pope vpon mens shoulders the hand must feele and reach him that which he liketh and giue what he will bestow and where he will bestow it and strike whom he liketh not The eye must seeke out such pleasures as he delighteth in and the tongue must call for them Yea of such bewitching power is this tyrant sinne that he poysoneth like the Crocodile with his very sight and countenance he hath greater power ouer his seruants the members of the body nay his seruants the members haue greater power ouer others then the Centerion in the Gospell had ouer his souldiers I say to one come and he commeth to another go and he goeth saith the Centurion but this tyrant doth but looke vppon men and they feare him he doth not fawne vpon men and they affect him he doth but make a signe with his eyes and signifie with his going and instruct by holding vp of his finger and it is inough to make men go and come at his pleasure And all his fawning flattering terrifying of mē is for nothing else in the world but to get in to a man and to raigne ouer a man which he can easily do He can by little and little yea with a little intreating where Gods grace is not to make resistance enter in at the eye or at the eare or by touching the body and tickling the senses and so from thence into the heart and there he sitteth like a commander and a cruell tyrant euen ouer al those members and affections by which he was first let in and which first gaue him any entertainement Adonijah begged onely Abishag the Shunamite to wife when Dauid had done with her a small request in shew but he had a further reach his mind was to the kingdome which wise Salomon perceiued well inough So Sathan will request but a little dalliance with the fingers and will but borrow they feete to carry him to such a place such a place to heare or see a play or the like vanity and thy countenance to braue or beard such such or thy eye to looke out at as theeues that will craue a standing in a mans shop to see some straunge sight when they meane to rob and steale a small request in shew But sinne is deceitfull and Sathan is an old subtill serpent trust him not he hath a mind to a kingdome and that is to rule like a hellish tyrant in thee to get all the members of thy body and all the affections of thy soule from out of Gods seruice into his slauery and subiection and this can none espie but those that haue heauenly wisdome as Salomon had And therefore as Adonijah made his subtill request against his owne life when wise Salomon had espied his treachery so let all wise harted Christians who by the light of this doctrine haue receiued any inckling of the subtill pollicy of sinne and Sathan in entring and of their tyranny being entred into the heart desire of God by continuall and earnest prayer that through the gracious assistance of his blessed Spirit his feare keeping the passage all these fawning treacherous motions solicited in the vnsanctified gestures and behauiour of the body may be made against their owne life that is that they may be so crushed and checked at the first that neither eye nor eare nor hand nor foote nor tongue nor looke may euer haue any list or ioy to serue sinne or Sathan or the man of Belial any more And so much briefly for the tyranny of sinne which hath all the parts of the body at commandement Now come we to the third point and let vs see how the sinne of hypocrisie in particular doth breake foorth and appeare in the very
in going whereabout is it It may be they plie it so fast to saue some bodie that is in daunger or to visite the poore and needie No saith the Apostle Their feete are swift to shed bloud But yet it may be their trade and manner of liuing is good and profitable to the Commonwealth No saith the Apostle Destruction and calamitie are in their waies But yet it may be their life is harmlesse and peaceable amongst their honest neighbors No saith he the way of peace they haue not knowne But yet for all this they may feare God in their hearts may they not No saith he The feare of God is not before their eyes Why then we perceiue that a meere naturall man wholly vnregenerate such as Salomon calleth The man of Belial is all one mā both within and without in his life lawlesse and in his heart leude and wicked The vse of this first point is to be made against those wicked mē that being altogether sold vnto sinne and hating reformation will reason in this sort Whatsoeuer my sayings and my doings be or howsoeuer my gestures and outward behauiour be or whatsoeuer my religion be yea though I come not at Church to heare the Sermons nor take any pleasure in the Scriptures c. yet I would you should know it I loue God and I regard Gods word yea I haue as good a hart to God as the best of you But he is deceiued for if a leud heart be a good heart then so it is but a good heart sendeth foorth good things being first renewed by the spirite and grace of God but if thou be a wicked lawlesse Belial and a vaine man that walkest in froward customes c. then know for a certaine that thy heart is full of leude things from whence proceed all thy outward disorders And how can that hart be a good hart to God-ward that is stored with leud things And so much for the first point The second conclusion that ariseth from this place is this that God iudgeth of a man according to that which is in his heart whatsoeuer he be in shewe yea though a false heart may be and is commonly shrowded vnder a ciuill behauiour yet it is seene of God and iudged by him too God seeth not as man seeth saith Samuel man looketh on the outward appearance but God looketh vnto the truth of the heart The hart of man is deceiptfull aboue all things saith Ieremie yet I the Lord search the heart and trie the reines to giue to euery one according to his wayes to shew that the wayes of man are in his heart and none can knowe them throughly but the Lord whose proper office is to search the heart and that he will surely do A needfull point this is for two sorts of people especially to think well vpon The first are Papistes of all sorts Church Papistes and all They are skilfull in their Popish eleuations idolatrous crossings down low duckings demure countenances holy habites and obseruations of times but they keepe their consciences to themselues and the Lord looketh vpon the leudnes and villanies that are lurking in their harts till a fit time serue for the bringing of them foorth as murthering of Princes vndermining of kingdomes and states subuerting the Gospel enriching the kingdome of Antichrist vnder colour of wilfull pouertie besides their whoredomes and other abhominations which make them now so to storme and rage because they are discouered vnto the world But let them looke vnto it God will iudge them for the leude things that are in their hearts Many ceremonies they make like Balaam with his seuen altars c. but both his and their hearts go one way and God seeth it well inough Many prayers and great deuotion they pretend but after the Pharisees fashion who when they seemed to pray most deuoutly then they deuoured most greedily and cruelly poore widowes houses Their Inquisitions are full of such prancks euen amongst their holy fathers but I will not nowe stand raking in those puddles Leude things are in their hearts and God seeth them well inough and will iudge them not so much by that which soundeth in their mouths although he will also iudge them for that but especially by that which is in their hearts This is also to be thought vpon of our politicke Protestants who say they defie Poperie but yet are not many of them very sound at the heart They are too well read and practised in Machiauell to be good Christians they will not sticke to promise to protest to say and vnsay to do any thing for profite and gaine These ciuill honest men can outwardly behaue themselues in print with kind kissings and curteous embracings with courting and saluting but in their heart God seeth much crueltie and couetousnesse deceipt prophanenesse and trecherie like a legion of Diuels in a common Inne for all that come from hell so they bring no godlinesse but gold with them They creep and crouch saith the Psalmist to make the poore fall by heapes into their nets their courtesie and kindnesse is framed rather by art then by heart yet all this artificiall dissembling is seene to God and in time to the world Wo be vnto them if they repent not for Leude things are in their hearts as in the heart of Belial Many are sicke of Amnons disease who seemed to long for cakes of his sister Thamars making but he could not be well till he had his pleasure of his sister And as Absolom inuited his brother Amnon to a great feast of purpose to murther him which he most leudly effected so can many as pollitikely inuite those to their feasts whom they meane to snare and catch at their tables of al which it may be said as it is said here of Belial Whatsoeuer is in their lippes yet Leud things are in their hearts and accordingly will God iudge of them and iudge them too for leud and wicked persons Many of our gilded Polititians and varnished Protestants at large are no whit behind their tutour Machiauel nor his brother the Pope in shrowding a leud heart vnder ciuill pollicie and politicke ciuility to no small endamaging of the Church of Christ but perhappes they thinke that God doth not note it and will not iudge them for it A man may descant vpon Machiauels name as Abigail did vpon Nabals Nabal is his name saith she and folly is with him So Macheuil is his name he matcheth all in euill and an euil match also hath he made for he hath matched a Princesse and a pesant together Christian religion and carnall pollicie together or diuellish pollicie rather who agree like the bondwoman and the freewoman that were in Abrahams house the one hating scoffing and persecuting the other so that there could be no peace in the house vntill they were parted asunder yea vntill the bondwoman and her sonne were cast out of the
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
no scholler if he please their humor he is the onely man and no man may come neare him If he vse to repeat his doctrine then he is tedious and wanteth matter if his deliuerie be mild then he is afraid to displease if it be bold and seuere then he is peremptorie and proud If a man vrge the law then he driueth men to desperation if mortification he driueth men into melancholy dumpes and frayeth them out of their wits If we vrge iustification before God by faith in Christ onely then they imagine that we denie good workes If we preach good workes then we are Popish if we teach that men must not pray to Saints nor for the dead then they imagine we deny prayer if we say that the salutation of the Angell to Mary is no prayer then we deny part of the new Testament if we say the Creede is no prayer then we deny the Creede if we preach against common vaine and needlesse swearing then they imagine vs to be Anabaptistes and deny both the vse of an oath and magistracie if we speak against gaming dancing other prophanations of the Lords day then they imagine that we allow Christians no manner of recreation If we preach against any sin that they vse then we preach of malice and against them if we teach doctrine which they conceiue not then there is no edifying in our sermons if they like it not then they imagine that no body else doth regard it if they come to heare vs then we are beholding to them for their presence if they wil not heare vs yet they imagine that we must speake though it be to the wals If they let their children or seruants be catechized by the Minister then they imagine that they do their Minister a great part of friendship in gracing of him if they say ouer their stint of prayers then God is beholding to them and heauen they must haue of merit If they heare sermons then they imagine all is well as though God were pleased with eare-seruice onely and alwayes they imagine grossely of spirituall things like Nicodemus who when Christ spake of being borne againe imagined that he must go againe into his mothers belly And as these Belials are themselues such do they imagine all others to be for as to him that hath an ague all things seeme vnsauourie so to him that hath an euill heart of his owne all mens doings seeme to be euill to verifie the saying of the Apostle in Titus 2.5 To the pure all things are pure but to the vncleane and impure nothing is pure but euen their minds and consciences are defiled and that is the cause why all things seeme euill vnto them because their minds and consciences are defiled But who are pure wil some say are not all men sinners and doth not sinne defile euery mans minde It is true that all men naturally are defiled with euill imaginations Gen. 6.5 but by faith which is through the grace of God in Christ the hearts of the elect are regenerated and purified because it apprehendeth the bloud and spirit of Christ to cleanse vs from sinne past and to preserue vs afterward from the dominion at the least of sinne to come like physicke restoratiue and preseruatiue For where a iustifying faith is there is a fanctifying grace And where faith is Mistresse there is charity handmaid which is of that excellent nature and disposition through the education and instruction of Gods Spirit who begate her that she iudgeth the best of euery thing that may be well interpreted 1. Cor. 13. And so much for the qualitie of Belials imaginations which is euill for so saith my Text and experience confirmeth no lesse but that he imagineth euill Now let vs consider of the other adiunct of Belials imaginations and that is adiunctum quantitatis an adiunct or circumstance of quantitie the euill of his imaginations is of an exceeding great quantitie for he doth not onely imagine euill and make the worst or euery thing but he imagineth euill continually Continually saith the holy Ghost to shew that the man of Belial is alwayes at worke This word noteth in the wicked man two things First diligence Secondly perseuerance in euill Great is the diligence of wicked men in sinne for they lose no time They cannot sleepe saith Salomon except they haue done some euill No Sleepe departeth from their eyes vntill they haue caused some to fall Like gamesters who cannot find the way to bed vntill either they haue lost all their money or caused others to lose all They continue day and night they are as diligent in the seruice of the diuell as the diuell himselfe is is hunting after mens soules for he goeth about continually like a roaring Lyon seeking whom he may deuoure and so do his men of Belial seeke whome to deface and deuoure This note of continuance cometh in like a barre in the armes of the wicked to put a difference betweene them and the godly For though the godly or regenerate do sometime fall into euill surmises and bad imaginations through naturall weakenesse and corruption of heart yet they continue not in it Shall we continue still in sinnes saith the Apostle that grace may abound God forbid No they dare not continue in a sinne they are euer checking and controlling their wayes and confessing their sinnes and condemning themselues and forsaking their euill imaginations And if they fall againe into the same sinne as oftentimes they do it is with a greater detestation and lothing of the same sinne and with a greater and more earnest striuing against it afterward And yet the godly are not so simple and foolishly credulous as to beleeue euery faire tale or to be in league with euery flattering face or to shake hands presently with euery new acquaintance nor to trust euery promise and protestation without any maner of trial nor to make the best of that which is of it selfe naught and apparantly euill nor to be free from all suspition where there is iust cause to suspect and in so doing they are not to be condemned but rather to be commended for as charitie is not suspitious without cause so is it not foolish and blockish when there is cause And seeing as our Sauior Christ himself hath ioyned the innocency of the Doue and the prudency of the Serpent together simplicitie and discretion as a most fit match and well beseeming a Christian soule let no man separate them asunder but be simple wise too And hereof we haue diuers examples in the Scriptures Abraham imagined that in Gerar his wife might be abused and he slaine for his wifes sake and not without iust cause for he saw that the feare of God was not in that place to shew that when good men haue to deale with those that feare not God they may very iustly imagine that they shall not be well dealt withall Iacob suspected that al