in deede only to watch and catch at a word and a halfe taking only what will serue their turne like the diuell himselfe to intangle thereby the preacher if they like him not You shal haue many of these come orderly and marke attentiuely as if they would latch euery word with their mouthes but as it was with the Prophet Ezechiels auditors so is it with them their harts runne another way and they meane not to follow any thing that is giuen in charge and therefore when they are gone with their mouthes they make iestes of the Sermon And to the Minister of Christ commonly their answer is you do well sir to tell vs our dutie and to tell euery man his owne well fare your heart you do well sir you do well to discharge your conscience and if we do not as you bid vs that is our fault we must answer for it and though we do as our honest neighbourt do yet we hope God is a good God will hold vs excused he is not so hard as many would make men beleeue The last sort of open hypocrites that are not yet vncased are common cauillers deprauers of the truth and of those that teach the same Some carpe and cauil at that which they vnderstand but like not as the Lawyer in Luke 14. Maister in so saying thou puttest vs to rebuke also when Christ touched Lawyers and as the couetous Iewes which mocked Christ when he preached against couetousnesse Luke 17. Some cauil at that which they vnderstand not as the Iewes which called Paules preaching babling and new doctrine when he preached the resurrection Oh but will some say he reuengeth his owne priuate quarrels and grudges in the pulpit yea he speaketh of malice and therefore we cannot regard that which he preacheth Doth he so verily the greater is his sinne if he doth so But if those be Gods quarels which thou callest his quarrels and if that be spoken in the euidence of the Spirite with plaine demonstration of the truth which thou sayest is in malice against thee then is it euident that thou hast played the grosse hypocrite so vncharitably to accuse so rashly to iudge and so wrongfully to condemne the Minister of the truth and pretendest thou carest not what and all to put by the blow of Gods sword that so thy sinne might not be launced and yet in the meane time be a professour of religion And what art thou oh man sayth the Scripture that thou iudgest another mans seruant whose heart is knowne to his God and not to thee and to God he either standeth or falleth and not to thee Alas this is an old obiection and slaunder of great antiquity common to all the true Preachers of the word and it hath euer bene the common practise of all hypocrites which meant to liue and dye in their sinnes when they knew not what to say for themselues and fearing that the truth would choke them if they should swallow it to cast it vp againe saying that it was spoken of malice and reuenge So played king Achab who had sold himselfe to worke wickednesse he could not deny but that Micaiah was a true Prophet a plaine dealing man but yet he could not away with him and why so forsooth because he doth not prophecie good but euill vnto me that is he speakes that that likes me not so many cry now adaies he hath not the good-wil of his hearers and why because he doth not seek to please them he is too tart he hath a bitter spirite he doth not heale but wound they do not complaine that he hath a flattering spirite or a lying spirite or a soothing spirite or a fearefull spirite or a pleasing spirite for all this hypocrites can away withall well inough because such a spirite is toothsome but that he hath a quicke and sharpe spirite and his reproofes are sensible and bitter this is wholesome but not toothsome and therefore not to be brooked of hypocrites But now let vs consider my brethren whether this will go for currant payment in the day of the Lord or no Why hast thou cast my word behind thy backe will the Lord say Our aunswer will be because we did not loue him that deliuered it But why did you hate him Because he did not please vs. Not please you why did he preach errours and lyes No we could not find any fault with his doctrine that is sound but yet we cannot away with him he was too plaine and round with vs. Too plaine why that was for your good if planè and sanè if both plaine and sound Oh but Lord we like not his life he was couetous and hard and proud and had no loue in him he was not sociable no good companion not one of his neighbours do loue him Well shall the Lord say thine own conscience thou hypocrite shal giue euidence against thee and conuict thee of false witnesse bearing against many of my seruants in these respects if I now do acquite them what are they the worse for thy bad constructions and hard words And if thy conscience do now proue to thy face that all these allegations were but counterfeit deuises to couer thy sinne withall what art thou the better though all thy neighbours take thy part for thou knowest and I know it much more that many of my seruants haue sought peace at thy hands and then hast thou prepared thy selfe to warre they haue vsed all good meanes to procure thy loue and good liking in the truth and thou hast then construed euery thing in the worst part against them that thou couldest imagine to their faces thou hast spoken faire words and behind their backes thou hast vsed all lying slanderous speeches wherby thou hast made them odious in the world when they would haue taken al paines to do thy soule good thou hast complotted by al waies and meanes to discourage them and to greeue and quench my spirite in them So doe hypocrites which loue not the pure light of truth and so hast thou done And admit that all this were true which thou pretendest yet so long as they came in my name vnto thee with my message reuealed in my word which thou couldest not disproue but carpe at yet oughtest thou to haue heard them to beleeue them and to feare at my word comming out of their mouthes in charity to haue iudged the best of their affections or praied for thē knowing that I which am the searcher of the hart would surely call them to reckning for their affections if they were not vpright in my sight but now in that thou hast deuised mischiefe of thine owne head and put it before thee as a stumbling blocke of purpose to fall vpon and to cause others to fall with thee seeing as thou hast through my seruants sides euen pierced my name my glory and not stayed there but pearked vp Lucifer-like into my seate to
the way of God truly there is the baite then comes the hooke Is it lawfull to pay tribute to Caesar or no Now Christ knowing their subtiltie gaue them no thankes for their commendation but called them tempting hypocrites saying Why tempt ye me ye hypocrites And will the wicked deale better with the members then they did with the head These men are the seruants of the liuing God saith the cunning maid to Paul and Silas or rather the diuell by whom she wrought and they bring vnto vs the way of saluation This was not for the good of Paul and Silas but to haue them apprehended the more speedily and handled the more seuerely It was a cunning sleight of Sathan and therfore Paule and Silas rebuked her for her labour being grieued to be commended by such a one and commaunded the spirite in the name of Christ to come out of her In a word the cōmendatiōs of the wicked are but traps their tables but snares as the prophet Dauid calleth thē And for all this seeing that it cannot be denied but that loue and commendation amongst men is a good blessing in which sense it is sayd that both Christ and Iohn Baptist and others were in fauour both with God and man and godlinesse hath the promises both of this life and of the life to come that is the blessings of God both temporall and eternall belong vnto godlinesse it must also be granted that euen the godly themselues which are so much hated and scorned in the world by the wicked of the world haue had haue and shall haue their part in that blessing of renowne fame and commendation yea a good name shall follow them to their graue and liue after them too in the world to the high glorie and praise of God who doth so honour his seruants which haue honoured him and to the comfort of their friends the encouragement of the weake and to the shame of the wicked They shall haue praise indeede but as the brother whom Paule commended to the Corinthians had whose praise sayth he is in the Gospell that is in embracing the Gospell or else in setting foorth of the Gospell as Luke did whereby his loue and zeale and godlinesse towards Christ were manifested to his great praise and commendation for vertue and piety is worthy of praise as vice deserueth the contrary therefore Peter sayth to seruants This is praise worthy if a man for consciēce toward God endure grief suffering wrōgfully And the Apostle Paul saith Whatsoeuer things are of good report if there be any vertue or any praise that is if there be any thing indeed praise worthy thinke on these things And God forbid seeing as God hath giuen such a blessing to his seruants and their vertues amongst the godly but that we should giue vnto vertuous men and fearing God their due praise and commendation When poore Mary shewed her loue to the person of Christ in annointing his body with sweete and precious ointment and her humility in wiping his feete with the haire of her head Christ told her that wheresoeuer his Gospell should be preached that deede of hers also should be published for a memoriall of her to shew that the vertuous acts of the Saints are not to be curied in obliuion but to be had in a thankfull remembrance vnto God The Lord in his word hath crowned his seruants with fame and renowne which neuer sought it but fled from it both according to his promise and also his gracious and wonted manner of dealing Those that honour me shall be honored of me saith the Lord. 1. Sam 2. there is his promise his manner is to giue his seruants more then they seeke for or desire as when Salomon desired not riches but wisedome to gouerne Gods people well God gaue him both riches and wisedome too so when the godly desire that only Gods name may be hallowed and cry with Dauid Not vnto vs not vnto vs ô Lord but to thy name giue the praise then doth the Lord giue them that thing which they desire and that also which they craued not and that is commendation from his owne mouth and a part in his owne ioy Wel done good and faithful seruant there is their commendation Enter into thy masters ioy there is their ful reward And thus is Moses become famous for being Gods Embassadour to King Pharao and his Captaine generall ouer the Lords army from Aegypt to the land of promise Thus Ioseph is famous for his chastity and faithfull seruice and the midwiues of Aegypt are renowned for sauing the childrens liues against the Kings commandement How famous is Deborah for iudging of Israel and Iael for nailing of Sisera Captaine of King Iabins host vnto the ground How famous is Dauid for conquering of Goliah and for his zealous courage in fetching home of the Arke Now is Eliah famous for reprouing King Achab and the widow of Sarepta for nourishing the Prophet Salomon is famous for building of the Temple the three children for contemning the Kings displeasure and Daniel is famous for his being cast into the Lions den Now Iohn Baptist is renowned for telling the King of his fault and loosing of his head for the same Peter for his sound confession Paul for his heauenly conuersion be both famous and renowned by the holy Ghost whose praises are in the word spread throughout the whole world So are all the holy Martyrs which suffered for the testimony of the truth and all Christian benefactours with the streames of whose loue and liberality many Churches Christians Vniuersities and schooles of good learning and nurseries of good arts and sciences haue bene watered and refreshed most famous and renowned in the Church of God And all these hauing shunned as much as they might all worldly praise and glorie in the world haue found most high praise and renowne with God and all the godly in the word of God and their praise is not of men but of God As for wicked hypocrites it is not so with them but as the godly are crowned with perpetuall fame and renowne so the wicked are and shall be crowned with euerlasting shame and reproch Cain is infamous and his name doth stinke for murthering his brother Abel Putiphars wife is infamous and her name doth stinke for her lewd tempting and false accusing of Ioseph Pharaoh is infamous and his name doth stinke for his cruel handling of the Israelites Doeg the Edomite is infamous and his name doth stinke for accusing and killing the Lords holy Priests Micol is infamous and her name doth stinke for scoffing at the zeale of Dauid her Lord and husband Iezabel for her whoredomes and murthering of Naboth for his vineyard is infamous and her name doth stinke Hanun is infamous for misusing of Dauids messengers and Ammon doth stinke before all the Israel of God vnto this day Sanballat and Tobiah for hindering the
brought me with my great credit her great shame to high preferment and now am I free from all troubles and liue like a king in heauen as sometime I was a ruler in Aegypt Aske Dauid and he will tell thee that when he could say vnto God With my whole heart I haue sought thee then could he most boldly call vpon God and say Let me not wander from thy commandements Aske Saint Paule and he will tell thee that he would not presume to craue for the prayers of the Church but when he could also certifie them that he had a good conscience in all things and desired to liue honestly Againe Paule speaking of himselfe and his fellow labourers saith thus We are not as many which make marchandize of the word of God but as of sinceritie but as of God in the sight of God we speake in Christ. We walke not in craftinesse neither handle we the word of God deceitfully but in declaration of the truth we approoue our selues to euerie mans conscience in the sight of God And what hast thou gotten Paule for thy labour In how many dangers hast thou bene both by sea and by land By thy owne confession thou hast bene whipped and beaten with roddes cast into prison stoned and laied for dead hunted from one place to another and at the last lost thy head hadst not thou beene better to haue pleased thy honest neighbours by preaching Christ after their fashion No no sayth Paule neuer tell me of these matters I was crucified to the world and the world to me that is I cared no more for the world then the world did for me the power of God did appeare in my weaknesses when I was in prison I was at liberty when I went from the whip to the dungeon I sung Psalmes yea all this was an honour vnto me that I was not worthie of From all my daungers the Lord deliuered me And where I lost my life there I found it againe euen euerlasting life In a word I haue fought a good fight and haue finished my course I haue kept the faith For henceforth is layed vp for me the crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall giue me at that day and not to me onely but to all them that loue his appearing Aske King Hezechiah what was most comfortable to him in his sicknesse when he looked for nothing but death Oh sayth he I payed and sayd I beseech thee ô Lord remember how that I haue walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart that is a sound and vpright heart without dissembling and haue done that which is good in thy sight to shew that when all faile yet sincerity and truth of heart shall comfort vs like a good keeper and kind nurse at the houre of death Now then what remaineth for this point but that we gather vp the summe of all that hath bene sayd of it and make the conclusion and that is this Seeing that sinceritie shall be rewarded by our heauenly father both in this life with sound comfort in time of trouble with courage and boldnesse in time of prayer with the prayers of the Saints in time of neede with a continuall feast in the time of affliction with heauenly consolation in the time of death and in the world to come with the kingdome of heauen let euery man confesse that the reward of sincerity is a great reward And seeing as it is so great for quantitie and so good for qualitie that all the world cannot affoord so much as a shadow thereof nor tell how to commend it let euery one of vs be more moued therey to embrace sinceritie and to seeke praise at Gods hand rather then all the vaine praises of the world And seeing as sinceritie is of all vertues the chiefest and that which graceth all our vertues before God and man let vs aboue all looke in all our affaires that nothing be done without it Lastly seeing as both Enoch and Ioseph and Dauid and Hezechiah and Paule besides many else haue giuen such testimonie thereof let no man doubt to beleeue nor feare to follow it for out of all doubt those that are approued in Gods sight shall be well rewarded of their heauenly father And so much for the reward of sinceritie THE IIII. SERMON MATH 6.2 As hypocrites do in the Synagogues and streetes to be seene of men WE haue heard heretofore the excellent nature and heauenly reward of sinceritie now brethren that we may be as much out of loue with hypocrisie as we are in loue I hope with sinceritie let vs see the nature and reward of hypocrisie because contraries being layed together do the better appeare And first of the nature of of hypocrisie vpon these wordes as the hypocrites do c. Of the second branch when we come to the next words Verily I say vnto you they haue their reward At this time onely of these wordes as hypocrites do wherein our Sauior Christ doth giue vs to vnderstand two things First that whosoeuer professeth a shew of that which he is not is an hypocrite secondly that the doings of hypocrites are to be made knowne that euery one seeing the hypocrite laid out in his colours with his reward that belongeth to him may take heede that he play not the hypocrite or if he hath played that part to be ashamed thereof and repent and follow the Lord euer after in sinceritie and truth of heart Now seeing as our Sauiour Christ would haue hypocrites knowne by their doings I will endeuour my selfe at this time by Gods helpe to vncase the hypocrite who hath plaid his part so long so impudently and so vncontrolledly carying away all the credit of the world euen to the vndermining of the house of God endangering the whole estate of Christian Religion And call this Sermon if you list the vncasing of the hypocrite for I will if God will do my best endeuour to vncase him Wherein perhaps I shall not behaue my selfe so handsomly and finely to please all parties as some could do but yet I hope both soundly and plainly I shall go to worke You know brethren that plaine dealing is my profession though it be counted a iewell for beggers flattery and curiositie and hypocrisie I leaue to them that will dye rich men and therefore I speed accordingly and I must needes confesse that I am wellinough serued to be so well belaboured as I am with the strife of tongues Well if I could handle this matter more learnedly then I can yet I would of purpose deceiue all such itching eares as come rather to haue their humours fed then their liues reformed A peece of worke both thanklesse and dangerous yea a most vnpleasant argument haue I taken in hand especially as the case standeth now when most men come to catch and to cauill and quot homines tot sententiae euery mans head swarming with as many odde
conceits and vncharitable surmises as there be heads to heare But it is no matter my brethren thinke and speake of me at your pleasure so long as I haue the truth on my side I care the lesse words are but wind and truth will preuaile in the end and iudge them that now condemne it Saint Paule telleth me that I must passe through good report and bad report and I thanke God so I haue doue meetly well and to the Galathians he saith thus Am I Paul become your enemy because I tel you the truth to shew that whosoeuer will speake the truth shall be counted an enemy But what sayth the same Apostle If I seeke to please men I cannot please God and therfore I am at a point God gaue me an vpright heart in his sight and then as for the fauour and disfauour of the world his will be done But now to the matter in hand Do not your almes that is your good deedes to be seene of men as hypocrites do Our Sauiours purpose is to illustrate his precept by an example of counterfeits and players who do all their feats of purpose to be seene of men to which end they haue a stage erected that mē may see them making proclamation that whosoeuer come to such a place at such an houre shal see such a mans players that is such a mans hypocrites make a play that is play the hypocrites by counterfeiting and shewing diuerse mens actions and diuerse mens persons which they are not neither act they indeede Therefore seeing that the nature and practise of players doth most fitly serue to set foorth the nature practise of such as do but counterfeit and dissemble in the profession and practise of religion when they would be thought to be in good earnest and seeing that for their counterfeiting plaiers were the first that were termed amongst prophane writers hypocrites therefore I say the Scripture hath borrowed that name of them translated it to all that play the dissemblers counterfeits in Gods businesse or otherwise Of this iudgement is master Caluin whose words are these in his Euangelicall Harmony vpon this place Nam quum hypocritae profanis scriptoribus dictifuerint histriones qui in scena ludis fictas personas agebant Scriptura hoc nomen ad homines duplices corde simulatos transtulit that is seeing as players which in Enterludes and on stages did faine and counterfeit the persons of other men were termed hypocrites by prophane writers the Scripture hath translated that name vnto dissemblers and men of a double heart And most fitly are they both called hypocrites because they both counterfeit alike and make a shew before men of that which they are not before God yea so like are they one to another as things cast both in a mould or as those men are that for their likenesse in fauour and condition or for their neerenesse in affinity or office do call one another brothers Amongst Players one counterfeiteth the King and yet is no King but a base fellow in comparison another counterfeiteth a merchant and yet is no merchant but a beggarly companion others come to fight and yet do not fight but dally one with another others scold and brawle and seeme to be at mortal enmitie one against another like some kind of Lawyers at the barre for their Clients but when they are gone they are as good friends as euer they were and laugh at them whom they haue made fooles But indeed certaine persons amongst Players are to be excepted which are not counterfeited for some play the fooles part and are fooles indeed some play the varlets part and are varlets indeede some play the rogues part and are rogues indeede some play the cousiners part and are cousiners indeed some play the parts of lewd men and lewde women and are lewde indeede so that these I thinke haue wrong done them to be tearmed hypocrites because they do not counterfeit the parts they play but are the same indeed that they make shew of except it be in regard of the persons which they represent that they be called hypocrites for those persons they are not indeede though the qualitie of those persons they haue indeed In like manner is it with men of a double heart in religion or otherwise Some seeme to pray when they do not pray but babble with their lips wordes which their minds thinke not of and their hearts consent not vnto and keepe a stir for thrise a weeke seruice not caring for the Sabbath day and come perhaps of contention too rather then of any deuotion These are in shew deuout but in truth deuout hypocrites Some pretend friendship while with the lion they offer to lick poore men whole with a dinner at Christmas or the loane of a little money or the sale of some rotten commoditie while with their teeth that is by cruell practises ill neighbours to a smooth tongue they meane to pray vppon them these are in shew friends but in truth friendly hypocrites Some make a shew of zeale to the glorie of God when their zeale is nothing but bitter malice and malicious bitternesse a thing that too many in the ministerie are guiltie of and wherewith many zealous and faithfull Preachers are vniustly charged by hypocrites But our comfort is that God doth acquite vs when the wicked do condemne vs but they that are maliciously zealous are zealous hypocrites Some in their humble and courteous behauiour seeme altogether to be compounded of humilitie with kind speeches and friendly offers as yours to commaund I owe you any seruice that I can meaning indeed euer to owe it and neuer to pay any I haue the courtesie of the towne for you and I maruell when you will come to our house and I wote not what when indeed they meane no such matter these are humble and kind hypocrites Some seeme very carefull for the poore like Iudas when they would oppresse the Church and either disburden themselues or else enrich themselues with the spoiles of the Church these are charitable benefacting hypocrites Some make a shew of a troubled conscience and seeme desirous of resolution in their pretended doubts when they purpose onely to entrappe the Preacher these are afflicted hypocrites Some seeme to harken to the Preacher very attentiuely and deuoutly when in their hearts they turne most of that they heare into a iest because they like it not these are attentiue hypocrits Some make as though they desired nothing more then the obseruation of the Princes lawes when in the meane time they freely violate all lawes themselues these are lawlesse hypocrites Some crie God forbid but that euery man should haue his due and in the meane time practise all the deuises that may be to defeat euery man these are conscionable or rather vnconscionable hypocrites Some pretend the discharge of their office when they meane thereby to play their parts against some whom they owe a grudge vnto now
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
as he did though not in that degree and measure of iniquitie We are professours of the Gospell say some and we like our Preachers doctrine well but our honest neighbours please vs better and our beloued vanities best of all We liue by them and we are sory that we cannot do for him as we would for we haue passed our word against him so was Herod sory too for that he had passed his promise And to keepe credite with those that haue pleased and pleasured vs we must not call backe our words so sayd Herod too but vncase the hypocrite a little and view him well First if thou wilt be counted a true Christian and a sincere professor of the truth why doest thou lodge any one sinne with delight in thy heart tell me that If thou saiest there is no such matter then tell me why doest thou frequent the companie and take such excessiue pleasure in the bewitching vanities of such persons as will snare thee and deceiue thee Then why art thou so rash as to promise thou knowest not what Then when thou seest that thou art in danger of committing wickednesse who can compell thee to keepe such a wicked promise Oh I must keepe my credite with men Oh but hypocrite first keepe credite with God and remember thy former promise that thou madest and vowedst to him in thy Baptisme if all this will not serue then rush on like an hypocrite vncased to thy owne destruction Many in the world are content they say to heare the Preacher so long as he preacheth Christ crucified or else not and surely no reason But open this case and see if a counterfeit may not be vnder it For many are content to sinne freely and set all vpon Christs score saying he shall pay for all If any man meaneth so when he biddeth the preacher preach Christ crucified then there is an hypocrite vncased Many are content to heare that Christ liued in pouertie to enrich them that he was abased to aduance them that he was punished to acquite them that he was mocked to grace them that he was naked to clothe them that he was hungrie to fill them that he was cursed to blesse them that he died to saue them but to heare that they must be poore for his sake and be abased for his sake and to be mocked for his sake and to be crucified for his sake and crucifie their sinnes which crucified him they cannot abide this is not to preach Christ crucified Christ crucified must dispense with some sinnes of theirs or else they haue done with him nay if Christ come now to crucifie their beloued sinne and their sweete sinne and their profitable sinne let Christ take heed that he be not crucified againe by them What is Christ crucified for vs and must we haue our sinnes crucified too nay we will none of that we are content to take a place in his kingdom at his right hand and his left hand but to baptized with his baptisme and to drinke of his cup we will not endure We will do any thing he will haue vs to do sauing that which goeth about to restraine vs of our libertie we will follow him heare him eate and drinke with him giue him leaue to pay all and to dye for vs and commend him for his kindnesse but to be so kind to him as for his loue to part with one sinne that we are in loue withall to leaue following the fashions of the world or to part with a locke of haire is a hard saying who can abide it To forgiue our enemies to lend freely to releeue the poore cheerfully to keepe the Sabbath wholy and entirely to leaue our pleasures at his call to heare his doctrine more then ordinarie is a hard saying who can abide it To leaue our false weights and false lights and false oathes and false friendship and to deale simply and plainely without fraud and deceit is a hard saying who can abide it To leaue our engrossing our forestalling our cogging and dissembling our back-biting and slandering our rash iudging and condemning of our brethren is a hard saying who can abide it To forsake the filthy fellowship of profane persons to cast off the company of scoffers and deriders of religion to embrace the truth sincerely and to make much of those that feare God be they neuer so poore or simple is a hard saying who can abide it To be checked for our swearing and blaspheming of Gods name to be called vppon for Catechizing our houshold and to vse thanksgiuing at the table and singing of Psalmes for our spirituall recreation and to conferre soberly and friendly of the Sermon is plaine Puritanisme as they call it who can abide it No no Sir we can no skill of this geare preach Christ crucified and we will heare you otherwise not we cannot away with this doctrine Well but let the hypocrites know that if Christ crucified be preached rightly and applied truly to the conscience he will make all the veines in the hypocrites heart to ake he will suffer him to haue but small rest in his bed and little list to his meate and lesse pleasure in the world and least of all in the word of God for that in the end is the iudgement of God vpon hypocrites to loath the word because it goeth about to make sinne loathsome vnto them Christ crucified hath wrought a double worke he hath both destroyed the Diuell and also the worke of the Diuell And so is Christ to be preached both crucified and crucifying crucified for our sinnes and also by his vertue and Spirite crucifying sinne in vs or else we cannot be saued Now let vs pray THE VI. SERMON MATH 6.2 As the hypocrites do THE next sort of hypocrites to be vncased are secret vnderminers of the truth in shew defenders but in deed destroyers of the Church such are called in Cant. 2.15 foxes which destroy the Vine that is the Church who by their grating at the roote of the Vine do cause the same to bring forth but small grapes that is the Church cannot thriue in religion and good workes because of them these are called foxes for their craftinesse and their cruelty Such a one was Herod who craftily sent for the wise men to enquire where Christ was borne pretending a mind to worship him when his purpose was to kill him Such are all close Church-papists and time-seruers who to please men do as the most do but in the meane time by all crafty deuises do vndermine the Church the Preachers and cause them to be troubled for toyes trifles in comparison to stop the course of the Gospell in the meane time pretend a care of the obseruation of lawes which thēselues break as freely as any other and regard as much as the horse or mule whose mouthes must be holden in with bit and bridle Such also are those that come to the Sermon in shew very deuoutly and to be edified but
sit as a peremptory Iudge ouer the hearts affections of my seruants when thou hadst no list to yeeld to the truth to confesse thy faults amend thy life how canst thou deny but that thou art guilty of most saucy and insolent hypocrisie Moreouer when thou likedst not the plaine simple vtterance of my truth the confirmation thereof by the sacred testimony of my seruants the Prophets Apostles it hath pleased thee ô hipocrite to count my seruāts no scholers but vnlearned ignorant fooles as though my booke contained nothing in it but ridiculous matter for thee to make thy selfe merry withall So hath it alwayes bin with all hypocrites since the world stood my wisedom hath bin counted foolishnesse mans folly high wisedome but thou shalt know that they were truly learned which had learned Christ aright they were fooles who in the swelling words of mans wisedome haue sought onely to feede thy eares and not thy conscience Furthermore I forget not thy hypocriticall shew of maintaining false loue and vnitie and peace with the wicked vnder pretence that the Preachers whom I haue sent vnto thee haue bin condemned by thee and thy consort for troublesom contentious persons when they haue disquieted thy sin But let not my seruants be discouraged in my businesse for all this saith the Lord For so did they vse my Prophets before them Ieremy was counted but a babler a contentious person Ezechiels Sermons were but as the songs of a minstrell matter to iest at Paul was accused of sedition by Dianaes siluer-smithes My own son who was wisedom it self frō euerlasting with me he was counted an enemy to Caesar the wicked hypocrites turned away whatsoeuer he spake with a ieast And let no man thinke himself better then these or too good to pledge thē in that cup of contempt and bitter reproch that they haue begun to them in Oh but me thinks now the hypocrite being thus vncased beginneth to pleade hard for himselfe saying that though he come not at those troublesome fellowes vnlearned yet he heareth others and maketh much of thē too so that he is wrōgfully charged if men say that he cares not for the word of God that he is not religious that he cānot abide to haue his sins reproued c. Surely this at a blush is good fruit but in truth no better thē an apple of Sodom faire in shew but being touched it turneth into ashes For nothing is either more easie or vsuall amōgst hypocrites thē to do so that is to say First in way of reuenge to disgrace one whō they like not by gracing another to discountenāce one by countenācing some other And yet in the mean time pretēd another matter that is to be better edified I wot not what that they may seeme notwithstāding both religious iudiciall they will highly cōmend the one deeply cast downe the other but why or vpō what good groūds they cannot well tell There be in diuerse places of the world especially in great cities other popular places running auditories or as one calleth thē Circumcellions wheelers about hither thither hearing now one thē another then a third euery one indeed neuer a one lōg like one that hath a giddy braine who being whirled into euery place is truly said to be of no place These humorous hearers of al mē cōmonly cannot away long with their own Pastors teaching though he teach the truth neuer so soundly nor so profitably Except it be between man and wife I do not know so neare a coniunction of any thing as is by the ordinance of God betweene the Pastor the flocke Now as nothing ought to separate man wife but fornication or adultery so nothing ought to make the flocke leaue their Pastor but false doctrine heresie if he be a teacher And surely there is no sincere harted Christiā but maketh a conscience of this duty that is they dare not leaue the Ministery of their owne ordinary Pastours by whom they haue sound any profit or spirituall comfort they dare not so much as yeeld to any such changes for feare they should not onely be troubled with the spirituall itch of the eare a disease where it once rooteth altogether incureable but also discourage and make sad the Spirite of God in their faithfull teachers whereby they may in time be giuen vp of God to flatterers and seducing teachers fit for their humorous veine vaine humor And surely whosoeuer doth duly consider the offence that groweth therby the hurt that foloweth also therupō both to the whole body of the Church in general to their own soules in special they dare not but in the feare of God make great cōscience of it Christ pointing to childrē said That whosoeuer should offend one of these litle ones it were better that a milstone were hanged about his necke and he cast into the bottome of the sea How much more may that be spoken to those that take a felicity in scandaling offending in disgracing discouraging by their fantastical rouing abrode the greater ones that is the Pastors and builders of the Church I speake not this as though we were the worse for your giddie gadding and stragling but to let you vnderstand that you are the worse that giue such bad examples and that you must answer your contempts vnto our Lord and Maister Christ Iesus This humorous course of giddy braines and itching eares is both schismaticall childish and vnprofitable Schismaticall because they go about to make a rent in the Church of God and to deuide Christ among them This disease raigned in Paules time and it raigneth in our time I hold of Paul saith one I am of Apollos saith another and Cephas shall go for my money sayth a third But neuer a one of those hold of Christ soundly and substantially But what is this but to deuide Christ as the Apostle saith is Christ deuided as if he should say you all would be counted Christs and to hold of Christ if you do so why then do you not regard all his Ministers alike and heare all alike Paule as well as Apollos and Apollos as well as Cephas and Cephas as well as either of the other for euerie one of them preacheth Christ though euery one after his seuerall gift and measure of knowledge and vtterance and eloquence c. Though one be milder then another and one sharper then another yea though one mans gift please your humour better then anothers yet euery one hath Christ for you But now as if one had Christ and another not ye will heare one and not another and so you deuide Christ which is but one this is not well are you not carnall nay are you not Schismatikes As it is a carnall and schismaticall practise so is it also childish for so do children that go to schoole being once held in to their
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
of hell such a louer is Belial and such is his loue In a word true Christians are vnder Christs law they draw his yoke they mortifie the lusts of their flesh they trauell in paine to bring foorth the fruites of Gods spirite but Belial is lawlesse dissolute and carelesse and shamelesse therefore there can be no concord betwixt Christ and Belial The vse of this doctrine is twofold first it bewrayeth the blasphemous slaunder of Poperie that chargeth vs with preaching libertie to sinne because we preach iustification by faith in Christ onely Wheras we are so farre from that slaunder that we affirme cleane contrarie that no Libertine Protestant or dissolute professor of the Gospell hath fellowship with Christ more then the Diuell hath But indeede they know not what faith is except the diuels faith for the diuels do know and beleeue that Christ dyed for sinners and they beleeue all the articles of the Creede and tremble thereat but yet are they Diuels still Looke to their liues which liue vnder the Popes yoke and we shall see that they are the children of Belial for what sinne is there that they are not sold vnto like Achab And what sinne can be named almost that is not bought and sold in the market of the Romish church And the Pope may pardon all as they say for a thousand yeares yea if they will pay well for his pardon for euer And what are their Popes themselues who beare the glorious title of holy Fathers Haue not some of them bene Necromancers sorcerers and coniurers and some of them Sodomits buggerers and most of them common whoremongerers Was not one of thē a harlot did she not trauell of a child in going their Procession And is it not recorded by Platina and other Writers of their owne to their euerlasting shame What should be thought of those sixe thousand skulles of children which were found in another Popes Mote What need they care what they do so they may be forgiuen for giuing of a litle Apostolicall gold They are not ashamed nor afraid when they take a solemne oth to murder Princes yea Christian Princes yea their owne most Christian Soueraignes for they are pardoned aforehand as he was that poisoned King Iohn and the Prince of Orange and that cursed Frier that trecherously stabbed the late French King and therefore they are Belials and not we their religion giueth libertie to sinne and not ours they may do what they list and not they which are iustified by faith in Christ onely The second vse of this doctrine is to teach those that are entred into the bodie of Christs Church and are called by that excellent glorious name of Christians to put on the yoke of Christ and neuer while they liue to put it off againe for though Christ saith Come vnto me and ye shall haue ease yet it is vpon this condition that we labour and feele our selues heauie laden yea though he promiseth to refresh vs yet it is vpon condition that we put his yoke vpon vs and beare his burden Whosoeuer then will haue ease by Christ must not be like the man of Belial without the yoke of Christ but must put on his yoke and carie his burden that is to say he must submit himselfe to the censures of Christ his Church and to the doctrine of the Gospell and to the reproofe of the word and in all things yeeld obedience vnto the truth yea he must labour by all good meanes to mortifie all carnall lustes to ouerrule all his vnruly affections But this is as hard a saying to flesh and bloud as can be yea who can endure it The mother of Zebedeus children thought for the asking she might haue a place in Christes kingdome for her children but Christ told her of two hard things which she dreamed not of and that was drinking of his cup and to be baptized with his baptisme before they could come into heauen so we thinke many of vs to haue heauen for the asking but there belongeth more to the matter then so And as the Papistes thinke to earne heauen with a Kerelyson a Pater noster and a Creede so many Protestants thinke that a sigh and a little lip-labour and eare-seruice will bring them to heauen But when they heare of mortifying their beloued sinnes which bring them in pleasure and profite and of yeelding obedience vnto the Gospell it fareth with them as it did with that young man who went away from Christ with a heauie heart and a sorrowfull countenance He would follow Christ but he would not part from his goods so many will heare Christ preached and looke to be saued by him too but they will not leaue their sinnes If they may be Gospellers and vsurers too and gamesters too and adulterers too and swearers too then so it is otherwise Christ shall go alone for al them These are yet but men of Belial and without the yoke content they are to trauell toward Canaan so they may meete with the commodities of Egypt by the way Manna without the fleshpots of Egypt was lothsome to the Israelites so the Gospell without goodfellowship and carnall delights is irkesome to the man of Belial Lots wife was content to leaue Sodome and go to Zoar as she was bidden but yet she must looke backe though she were forbidden so many are content to leaue Poperie and embrace the Gospell yet not without some looking backe like those which once openly gaue account of their profiting in religion with comfort and commendation but now because their backsliding friends like it not and prophane persons scorne them for it they will shew their faces no more in that conflict The carnall Capernaits would heare Christ till he spake of eating his flesh and drinking his bloud and then because they vnderstood it not they said that saying was a hard saying and taking offence thereat came no more So many now a dayes as carnally minded as they will heare the Preacher till they heare something that doth offend them either for want of good vnderstanding or good affection and then they say that either the preacher found not that in his text or it might haue bene spared or in such a thing he went too farre all which in effect is no lesse then as the Capernaits said this is a hard saying who can abide it And so like bleare-eyed men which are offended at the brightnesse of the Sunne will walke no more by the light thereof except it be once a moneth or vpon a sabbath day for feare of law or for shame of the world And many that do keepe the sabbath day do vse it as the vnnaturall harlot would haue vsed the child for which there was such pleading before Salomon Let it be neither hers nor mine but let it be deuided So they deuide the Sabbath in the forenoone they are at the Temple in the afternoone at home The one halfe shall
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
euill imaginations and vncharitable surmises is here put downe for an infallible marke of the man of Belial and of a vaine man who is to be destroyed if he repent not both speedily suddenly and without recouerie let vs all that tender the glorie of God the quiet of our brethren and the peace of our own soules look to our hearts and minds to our thoughts and imaginations and learne by the word of God striuing by continuall prayer to amend correct controll and examine all our surmises our opinions and our conceiued imaginations or sinister conceipts which commonly we frame of our selues and of others of our maker and of our neighbor happy is he not that is free from euill imaginations for then none could be happie but he that hauing found out his euill imaginations doth forsake them And wo be to him not that hath had a false imagining head or may perhaps be ouertaken with an vncharitable surmise by occasion for thē wo be to all but wo be to him that heareth what I say and knoweth himselfe to be guiltie and yet wil continue in his euil imaginations for such a one hath Gods markes vpon him as we say of him that hath the plague euen the markes of a man of Belial which is the plague of the soule to vtter destruction for he imagineth euill continually Now let vs pray THE VIII SERMON PROV 6.14 He raiseth vp contentions THe meaning of these words is this that where there was no contention the man of Belial soweth contention and where contention was either dead or dying out he by rubbing and chafing of it as it were fetcheth and reuiueth it againe Contention is like a brawling dogge or roring lion which being raised vp will shew his furious disposition and put men both in feare and danger Now Belial is one that raiseth vp this dogge and awaketh this lion to his owne danger and trouble of others The summe is this that Belial is a common makebate a sower of discord an enemie to Christian peace and one that cannot fish as the Prouerbe is but in troubled waters Whereby we may learne that an imagining head is good for nothing else but to breake vp the ground that the Diuell meaneth to sow with the seede of debate and strife And now the wicked mans tree beareth fruite such as it is euen bitter contention which is nourished by leud thoughts in the hart and watered by the cursed suggestions of Sathan it buddeth in the euill imaginations of his head it blossometh in the counterfeit and prophane gestures of his body it knitteth in the frowardnesse of his mouth it ripeneth in the practise of his life when he raiseth vp contentions it falleth and rotteth when destruction commeth speedily and suddenly vpon him without recouerie Lo then the fruites of a wicked heart and surmizing head And one thing followeth another in order or rather out of order for leud stuffe in the heart maketh euill imaginations in the braine and euill imaginations serue to raise vp contentions amongst men And the reason is this euill imaginations or mentall images are false resemblances or surmizes that Belial hath framed of himselfe or of others and when they come to light no bodie liketh of them all men hate them all men reproue them Belial maintaines them and then Contention the brawling curre is raised vp of himselfe he imagineth that he is wise when he is but a foole especially in respect of true heauenly wisedome that he is bountifull when he is most niggardly that he is able to do much when he can do nothing and then boasteth of himselfe what he is and what he can do as if he should say Lo this is my picture It is nothing like you saith another It is saith he and so dogged Contention is raised vp Of God and his truth he imagineth carnally superstitiously grossely and blasphemously and commendeth it saying so is the Almightie such is his nature as if he should say Lo this is Gods image this is his picture That see others that be Gods friends and religious friends indeed and they deny it and detest it and then contention is raised vp Of State-matters and common-wealth matters he imagineth crosly and after his owne pleasure Also of the Preachers methode and doctrine he imagineth this and that and frameth out a patterne of teaching himselfe thus he should haue said c. and this he defendeth to the raising vp of contention Of euery mans actions he imagineth euill descanting at his pleasure of this mans dealing and that manslife of this mans words and of that mans lookes and setteth out euery mans image as he listeth himselfe which when men behold and see how ilfauouredly and deformedly they are set forth they reproue the forger or counterfeiter For who can abide to haue a wrong picture made of himselfe If it be vnlike vs in eyes or nose or countenance or any part else we scorne it and deface it Much more are men moued when they are pictured like beastes or see a man set foorth with a beasts head that is a monster who can abide it Such a mate is Belial who imagineth euill and forgeth pictures as it were of euery mans doings and sayings as he listeth himself some after a beastly maner some after a monstrous manner and all after a counterfeit and vnchristian manner Againe on the other side as the wicked man delighteth to set foorth euery man after his owne deuice so can he by no meanes endure to see himselfe set foorth in his owne colours and as he is indeed but loueth to be flattered and soothed vp in all his vgly deformities For when the Minister of God hauing the spirit of God for his instructer and the word of God for his warrant shall paint out the man of Belial in his right colours though the picture and the person do agree yet the wicked are too curious or too incredulous or too peeuish to beleeue it but will find fault and say I am not so bad as he would make me Swearing and whoring and sabbath breaking and vsurie and briberie and vanitie and exaction and ingrossing and gaming c. are not so ill as we make them hence arise contention for the truth will not be outfaced Thus we see the reason of the order that is vsed here in placing these words and how one thing followeth another Now for the better vnderstanding of the truth of this matter wherewith the man of Belial is charged and for the clearing of such doubts as may arise about it there are foure things diligently to be considered of 1. The causes which moue him to raise contention 2. The meanes whereby he doth raise contention 3. How great and odious a sinne it is to raise contention 4. What difference there is betweene the contentions of the wicked and the contentions of the godly The causes of Belials contentious disposition are principally two First the anger and wrath of God