we consider the cause hereof it is no wonderfull or strange thing but naturall and common if wee could but reflect our eyes vpon our selues to see the things within vs as we doe the things without vs but it is giuen to very few to discerne the times and seasons by application of the true light to the same which maketh euery thing manifest as it is The cause heereof was the bewitching hypocrisie of the hart for howsoeuer they pretended religion deuotion and zeale and therein matched the Romish Iesuites yet was not the same truly rooted in their harts but pride ambition vaine-glory couetousnesse and enuy were deepely rooted and firmely setled therein which sinnes being coloured with fayre pretences of religion blinded not onely the eies of the world but euen their owne eyes that their religious titles prayers fastings almes and other outward works were but cloaked and coloured pride vaineglory couetousnes oppression and this true body namely their outward profession had not a true soule in it but an euill spirit or Deuill vsing this body deceitfully and craftily for his owne aduantage For this is the nature of the hypocriticall heart to transforme euen the best and holiest exercises of religion into the nature of it selfe that is to serue it selfe of them These holy Deuils of the Iewish Church retayning the bare names and liuelesse titles of their Iewish priuiledges as to be called the Israell of God the children of Abraham c. As also the outward ceremonies of the Law together with their owne ambitious traditions and gainfull dispensations but being of worldly hearts and spirits were so farre from the true knowledge and spirituall meaning of the Law of the types and ceremonies thereof as also of the Prophets as that they could not abide to heare the same sounding to their eares as strange and new doctrine for bare titles and the outward barke serued their turnes hauing no farther sauour of religion nor loue of the truth in them Therefore when Christ preached the Law and the Prophets spiritually which they professed and wherein they boasted carnally It was a hard preaching who could heare it Iohn 6. The Papist doth marueile at the stupidity and vtterly condemne the obstinacy of the Pharisees and Iewes for their contempt of the Gospell and shamefull intreatment of the sonne of God and for their hypocrisie pride couetousnesse enuy c. And the Friars and Iesuites in their Sermons worke vpon the passions of men to prouoke and inflame their hearts to an hatred of them for hating the Gospell and putting our blessed Sauiour to death Surely it is a wonderful thing to consider the darknesse of their hard hearts that they haue no sight at all in themselues of these things for which they vtterly condemne the Iewes being no lesse enemies of Christ then the Iewes The Pharisees holding and maintayning the true principles of the law and Prophets did in their Interpretations Expositions and speciall Applications swarue so far from the true meaning thereof through the darkenesse of their earthly hearts as they became vtter enemies of the truth therein contained for Christ was the truth the end and fulfilling thereof whom they pointed at and whom the Pharisees heard and saw speaking and fulfilling the same in their eyes and eares yet will they not be his Disciples but Moses Disciples Iohn 9. making Moses and Christ contrary whereas indeede they themselues were contrary to themselues for if they had knowne and professed Moses and the Prophets spiritually and truly then had they knowne Christ and beene his followers but being carnall professours they are vtter enemies of the truth which they professed Let common Protestants note this well Euen so in the very same manner the Romish Synagogue with the whole Antichristian rout houlding the true principles of the Gospell the olde and new Testament and the abridgements of the same to wit the Creede the Commandements and Lords prayer doe in their Interpretations Expositions Glosses and particular Applications of the word so farre and wide run astray from the true meaning thereof as they are vtter enemies of the truth persecuting the true professours of the same vnder the names of heretickes as the Iewes persecuted Christ vnder the name of a seducer and deceiuer The Pharisees built their false sect doctrines and deuotions vpon the true ground or principles of the Law and Prophets so doe the Romanists build their Antichristian Synagogue their false doctrines workes and deuotions vpon Christ the Prophets Euangelists and Apostles But heere is the cunning of the Deuill who as he sees God in his great wisdome to bring good good out of euill yea to turne all his Satanicall policies and deuises vpon his owne head and to worke himselfe glory out of his plot of dishonour and subuersion euen so on the contrary he bringeth euill out of good turning the truth of God into a lye yea vpon Gods truth and ordinance builds hee his owne kingdome but this bay and stubble built vpon the true foundation shall be burnt by the fire of Gods spirit 1 Cor. 3. 15. and the plant which he hath not planted shall wither away and be rooted out Math. 15. 13. Now seeing that they haue built a false Church vpon a true foundation soothing vp themselues in their outward priuiledges and liuelesse titles making their owne lawes doctrines traditions and innumerable deale of beggarly baggagement the rule of conscience and holy life put the case that Iesus Christ the onely truth were to come or that it should please his glorious Maiesty to come from heauen into the Church of Rome which professeth it selfe to be the onely and holy flocke of Christ in such manner as he came among the Iewes instructing and teaching the people euery where in truth sincerity and without partiality prouing his doctrine by the written word which themselues acknowledge and professe as hee did the Gospell among the Iewes by Moses and the Prophets and confirming the Doctrine with miracles as also conuincing and reprouing them for their Idolatry superstition false doctrine vaine ceremonies traditions godly lies wicked dispensations ambition pride tyranny cruelty excessiue couetousnesse extortion bribery and all the heathenish abhominations of that holy denne of theeues If I say that Christ were at Rome amongst them at this instant in such appearance life conuersation and doctrine as he was among the Iewes I demand what manner of intertainment should be giuen him And whether his word and doctrine should be receiued as the word of God or as the word of man whether it should be receiued as the trueth of God or reiected as heresie Euen as the King of Niniueth with the Princes Rulers Nobles and Commons beleeued the word of God spoken by Ionah layd his robe from him couered him with sackcloath and sate in ashes and proclaimed that neither man beast bullocke nor sheepe should feede or drinke water that man and beast should put on sackcloth and cry mightily vnto God and turne
vnwillingly or after any sort the latter signifieth to entertaine or receiue willingly to welcome Therefore of this word commeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the right hand That which we doe vnwillingly is done as it were with the left hand sinisterly and vntowardly but that which we do willingly it is done as it were with the right hand dexterouslie aptly and handsomely to receiue the word here therefore signifies to welcome to embrace with willingnes and liking and to apply it to themselues This is then the third degree of Faith to welcome entertaine embrace the word with readinesse willingnesse loue delight and to apply the same particularly to our owne hearts and consciences This is also of meere grace without which grace none can be saued Many heare the word with the outward eare many do also vnderstand it and beleeue it to be true but few receiue the same into the heart to giue it intertainment and rooting there In Acts 8. 21. Simon Magus beleeued the Gospell historically yet Peter saith there that his heart was not vpright in the sight of God In Acts 5. 3. Ananias beleeued the Gospell and seemed to bring forth fruits thereof as did the other Christians but it was not rightly receiued into the heart for hypocrisie which is is the worke of Satan and sauing faith which is the worke of the spirit cannot dwell together in one heart Iudas vnderstood and beleeued the word and was a Preacher thereof but it was neuer intertayned and rooted in his heart but thorny couetousnesse was rooted therein which in the end choaked the word So 2 Tim. 4. 10. Demas was a follower of Paul but the loue of the world was neuer rooted out of his heart therefore in time it choaked the word c. Iulian the Apostata giue intertainment to the word but pride was neuer rooted out of his heart therefore it choaked the word in him 1 Tim. 5. 11. Paul speakes of young widowes that hauing entertained and professed the word doe afterward waxe wanton against Christ and break their first faith because concupiscence and fleshly lust was neuer rooted out of their hearts therefore it choaked the word in them When as the word is receiued into the heart together with these and such like lusts which our Sauiour Christ calleth thornes Math. 13. 24. the thornes being naturall to the heart and therefore hauing strong rooting must needs in time ouergrow and choake the word euen as weedes being naturall to the earth doe ouergrow and pine away the corne that it cannot fructifie And this is the condemnation of the multitude I meane of the common hypocriticall Protestants which giue entertainment to the word but expell not their beloued company or guest their head personall sinne with the branches and fruits thereof either must Christ and that sinne dwell together or else must Christ be expelled that it may rule But cast out the bond-woman with her children for shee and her sonnes cannot be heyre with the free if Isaack be heyre then must Ishmael be cast out and if the birth-right belong to Iacob Esau cannot haue it Crucifie the olde man with his children the lusts of ignorance and the workes of darkenesse for if the sonne of God by his word and spirit hath taken possession of your hearts and dwell therein as owner and heyre then cannot the bond-womans sonne be heyre whether it be pride or couetousnesse or enuy or fleshly lust which spring out of originall corruption The word of God and naturall lust cannot both dwell together they cannot both be heyres they cannot both be maisters but being contrary one to the other the one of them will haue the dominion and vpper hand sinne and Satan lay claime to all by right of antient inheritance from many descents but the word is the sword of the spirit driuing them out of the heart and cutting them downe As Ioshuahs sword slue all the ancient inhabitants of Canaan and placed the Israelites therein euen so must wee cast out and subdue these Canaanitish lusts and affections the word must be as a sword or sacrificing knife in vs to cut downe these ancient in-bred inhabitants worldly lusts yea as the Land of Canaan spued forth her Inhabitants so must we cleare our hearts of this menstruous filth that they may be Temples for the holy Ghost euen as Salomons Temple beautified and adorned with holinesse righteousnes faith goodnes meekenesse loue truth continence temperance and all vertue 4. Degree of Faith is their intertayning and embracing of the word in such sort as is peculiar and proper to the word which is propounded first negatiuely not as the word of Men and then affirmatiuely but as the word of God Heerein appeareth euidently the difference betweene hypocrites and true beleeuers Infidels heare the word of God altogether as the word of man Hypocrites receiue the word of God as the word of man that is they allow it to be the word of God so farre forth as it is agreeable to their liking and wherein it differeth from them they contemne and put it off from them as but the word of man this is therefore the meere and especiall and sauing grace of God to receiue the word as from God and not from Man The Pharisees heard the pure word of the Gospell from the mouth of the Sonne of God himselfe but because he was in the shape and forme of man therefore they receiued it but as the word of man Iohn 8. 13 Thou bearest record of thy selfe c. Mark 6. 2. Our Sauiour Christs Countrymen friends kinsfolks hearing his wisedome and seeing his workes were astonied but beleeued not in him What was the cause Vers 3. Is not this the Carpenter Maryes Sonne brother of Iames Ioses c. They looked with fleshly eyes on his outward appearance only and esteemed his word but according to his outward appearance therefore it became vnprofitable to them Such like Pharisees are the heads of the Romish Church the teachers and maintainers of hypocrisie which auouch that the written word hath no authority with vs but by their approbation and what is their approbation First they wrest it to such a sence as may serue for the erecting and maintaining of their owne authority and their Antichristian synagogue and then hauing adulterated it and made it their owne word they giue allowance to it Heereupon euery Impe of that Church will not heare the word as the word of God but as of the Church that is of the Pope and his Cardinals and in this they rest satisfied and resolued thinking it heresie to receiue the word meerely as the word of God Of this sort are all prophane Esaues and Epicurish Politicians which count themselues Protestants but are not they acknowledge and receiue the olde and new Testament as the word of God but as for Doctrines Instructions Vses and especially Applications thereof they receiue as but the word of men and chiefly when the
world which you doe call wise sensible men are ledde by their sense and worldly craft to the Deuills Larder-house And as the Apostle sayes when they thinke themselues to be wise they become very fooles I haue spoken thus boldly vnto you because I take you to be my friend for I am sure that I am yours if you any way doubt of it try mee in any thing wherein I can pleasure you onely let mee intreat you to consider well of this point that you and I haue thus reasoned of I haue a good hope that howsoeuer you haue beene misledde a long time all the Angells in Heauen shall reioyce in your conuersion And I doe like you a great deale the better because you haue not left mee and gone away from mee in a chase especiallie being that I haue dealt so plainely with you as I haue done Mataeolog I can tell you if you had spoken so to some of our towne they would sit on your skirts while they liued Eulalus Like enough for it is the property of flesh and bloud to be reuengefull but the Apostle teacheth vs another lesson Auenge not your selues I will repay saith the Lord My skirts are as well able to beare a Feather as it is to sit on them I trust that so long as I giue them no other occasion then I haue done they shall haue no fast sitting for the Lord will not leaue them that feare him in their enemies hands The Lord grant that I may see some fruits of this conference in you at our next meeting By this short Dialogue it appeareth how the word of GOD is most commonly and generally heard and receiued yea euen of all that are not sanctified For they doe either altogether heare it as the word of man or at least when it is particularly applied for their conuersion and reformation then begin they euer to seeke out arguments for the Sophister the Father of lyes is at hand for their hard hearts for their lustfull liuing for the saluing of an euill and corrupt conscience drawne from the person of the Minister yea and to seeke out another shepheard some that Satan hath pickt in at the window whom they may obiect against him who if hee be a good Scholler politicke and crafty for his owne aduantage and of Gentleman-like fashion then is hee and such like to be preferred before their owne Minister and such like without all compare And indeede to say the truth there is no more comparison betweene them then betweene Paul and the learned preachers that so flourisht at Corinth A foole will seeke out excuses for his foolishnes Wherefore seeing that this is the fourth and highest degree of Faith whereby a man euen steps vp into heauen the Apostle and all faithfull Shepheards haue great cause of reioycing as the Angells in Heauen also haue and of thanksgiuing without ceasing when any man heareth the word not as theirs but as Gods seeing that they alone and none but they doe heare know and follow Christ their chiefe shepheard This then is the condemnation of the world that they heare indeede but with vnbeleeuing hearts doubting and wauering minds and in a dreaming and slumbering manner being like to Salomons sluggard Prouerbs 6. 10. Yet a little sleepe a little slumber a little foulding of the hands to sleepe the weather is colde there is a Beare or a Lyon in the way It is yet early enough there is no time yet ouerpast many labour and trauell hauing no rest night nor day yet doe they liue and die in pouerty many lye and sleepe yet wealth commeth on them vnlooked for That which will be will be It is but euen happen good haue good one good fortune or other will befall mee I shall doe as well as I can and as others haue done before mee And thus doth slothfulnesse get the vpper hand and hold possession still till at the length pouerty come sodenly and necessity like an armed man This is the common practise of dead hearted and worldly minded men they are continually called vpon iogged and rouzed yet they heare and heare not like dreamers and are possest with the spirit of slumber Their hearts are fixed and affections set on the earth and earthly things euen as the tree is fixed and rooted in the earth They loue to lye and liue securely in sinne being drunken with the profits pleasures delights pompe and pride of this world hauing no affection nor fancy to God and godly things being adulterers adulteresses and fornicators of this world altogether vnlike and contrary to the spouse of Christ in the Canticles Hence it is that they imagine and reason in themselues like the sluggard yet a little more pleasure in sinne a little more solace and delight in fleshly lusts a little longer space of liuing after the pleasant conceits and imaginations of mine owne heart there is yet no time ouer-past I shall repent and amend in my latter dayes God is mercifull and will not so strictly deale with vs as these precise Preachers doe beare vs in hand that would haue vs to be ruled and ordered by their phantasticall imaginations they would haue they know not what and for ought we see they are as ill as others This precise kinde of preaching is come vp but of late yeares and I thinke there were as good Christians before as euer there haue beene since These and a thousand such like follies doe they imagine and vtter tending all to the blinding and hardning of themselues in their sinfull and rebellious courses That which a man hath a speciall loue liking and inclination to of himselfe hee may soone be perswaded vnto by another for any reason though neuer so weake and seely feedeth him and confirmeth him whereas the strongest disswasions that may be shall preuaile little or nothing or but for the time present Againe on the contrary if a man out of his owne heart and iudgement haue no liking nor inclination though hee be neuer so earnestly set vpon and by most sound and strong reasons be disswaded by another yet can hee be little moued or stirred but euer returneth backe againe to his former dislikes like the heauy stone that being rouled by great strength vpward doth of it selfe retire backe againe so soone as we hold off our hands Thus it is with obstinate sinners whose hearts are heauy and stony the strongest reasons that may be though neuer so plaine and euident yea the very bare word of the text being the immediate word of God can preuaile little or nothing with them they are so strongly possest with contrary imaginations lusts and desires but on the contrary any weake silly and foolish reason any ignorant speech groundlesse opinion feedeth them and confirmeth them in their sinfull courses Any thing will perswade the sluggard to be idle so any thing will mooue the sinner to spirituall idlenesse And thus will those drunken and sleepy sinners doe till death summon them to iudgement