Meditations, Meditation 73 – Meditation 77
73
Consisting of 8. parts.
Part. 1.
The Church of God, and the Church of Satan, according to the first law of enmitie enacted in Paradise, and followed with the continuall practise of succeeding times, hauehave endlesse warres and combats. The weapons of the whole Church are stedfast and the same, as the Word, Faith, Prayer, Patience, Christian wisedome, and the like. But the weapons of Satan are diuers, as of a cunning enginer, that still inuenteth new instruments, according to present occasions. Among diuers other changes, hee changeth his persecutions, a principall part of his battering ordinance. When God lets him loose, then hee sheweth the whole malice of his nature, hee appeares in the very shape of a Lyon, and teareth, frieth, burneth men, made vp in the likenesse of torches. But when God muzles and binds him, that hee cannot bite, nor teare with his teeth, and his clawes, then he putting off the Lyon, vseth the craft and tongue of the Serpent; euen malicious cunning, to fret into the Church of God, and vndermine it by little and little. Accordingly at this time of outward peace, he sets his malignant souldiers among vsus newly on work, especially in three things, which though they are become somewhat fashionable, yet be they very mischieuous to the Church of God. A first is to put cōtempt on the Ministery, which are Gods Colony on earth to keepe his subiects in obedience, and to beate off the enemies; the Salt that keepes men sauourie and vntainted of Satan; the shepheards which keep the sheep from the wolfe: Surely if these may be contemned, discouraged, or taken away, how must not the Church of God become a prey? How neere is Satan then to a full principalitie on earth? Yet these are diuersly afflicted, debased and troden downe. I passe by their owne mutual harmes, which as griefe wishes might neuer hauehave bin, that they might neuer hauehave bin spoken of; so now it desires to couer with silence. But the lay seruants of Satan despight them diuers waies. And first they let flie at the very calling it selfe, by turning the Ministerie into an ignominy and reproch. If a man be a Minister, he hath deserued at the next quarrell pickt at him, to be cald pild Priest. And when this is done, it is to be thought hee hath beene cald worse then rescall, euen as Paul saith, the very scumme of the earth. But where liue we the whilest▪ and among what people? It is thought among Christians. But are they Christians that thus tread downe those messengers of Christ, which outwardly by Baptisme make them such Christians, as they are, and inwardly by the word, make better Christians then they are yet? Are they Christians that being begotten by spirituall fathers, will raile on their fathers that begat them? surely it shewes they were neuer truly begotten. A Christian honoureth Christ, by whom hee beareth ye name of Christiā. He honoreth him so, that whosoeuer bringeth Christ to him, and him to Christ, hee honoureth them also. Christ himselfe was a Preacher, and the founder of the Ministerie: if thou then despisest the Ministerie, thou despisest the very function of Christ, and the institution of Christ; yea, thou despisest Christ himselfe, and then without question thou despisest thy owne saluation. Take heed therfore thou run not against this sacred Priesthood of the Gospell, for it is rocky; and whosoeuer runneth against it, breaketh himselfe in pieces. It is rockie, for Christ the rocke is the foundation of it; and what is built on it, is rocky, as Peter from Petra. But some will say, They despise not the Ministers for their office, but their liues; and consequently not the good but the bad. Surely as this on the one side, preferres a petition to the reuerend Fathers, to admit, or continue none of scandalous life, so otherwise it giues vsus this answere; that these are ye more mannerly kind of men that so say; for there is a number, which if they see but a man in black, in their brauery come off presently, There goes a Priest; whereof the meaning is, There goes a man of contempt, per excellentiam. But if thou which excusest, despisest onelyonly the men, why castest thou a reflex of thy malice on the calling, by reuiling him with the name of a Priest, as with a reproch? VVhat is the chaffe to the wheate? Is he euill? He can neuer defile that excellent calling, though hee may scandall it; the euill is from himself, not from his Ministerie: yea, the Ministerie is good, though tied to an ill person; therefore is not the Ministerie of a good man any way within reproach for the faults of a bad one. Let his person beare his faults, and not the Ministery which is not the cause of them; Let him beare it him selfe, and not other righteous men with him, which hate his conditions honestly, as much as thou dost him maliciously.
2. Part.
Another notable signe of the contempt of the Ministery is, that gentlemē scorne to bestow their sons in that calling. If a man hauehave a means, he is too good for God, and he is counted mad or base if he will turne Minister. But know, thou puffe of flesh and bloud whosoeuer thou art, that the seruice of God is the end of man, and there is no man good inough to deserue imployment in his seruice much lesse to surmount it. Thy meanes are giuen thee for helpes, and aduancements in his seruice, not for discouragements; and he that made both them and thee, lookes for glory to himself of both and that with al thy might, not ease and idlenesse only to thy selfe. If thou hauehave gifts for such a seruice, and imployest them not therein, thou that wouldest not serue his mercy, shalt serue his iustice, and the tree that would not beare fruit in his field, shall beare the fire in the place of torment. Why cumbreth it the ground? Hew it downe and cast it into the lake that burneth for euer. It is a due, and necessarie course for parents concerning their sonnes, and sonnes when they come to iudgement concerning themselues, to waigh and consider wherein and in what way such sonnes are most fit and able to serue and glorifie their Maker. In that way let thē be placed, for it is a way of safetie, protection & blessednesse. Any way besides that, is a way of dragons, it is the broadway, and leadeth to destruction. If this were obserued, God should hauehave the due vse of his own creatures. Many Alehouses, play-houses, yea many Gibbets would be emptie that now are filled; mechanicall soules should not so oft become Ministers, and excellent & able soules wold not so oft turne Lawyers, merchants, yea earth wormes, and Priests of Mammō. Yet blessed be God, yt hath not giuē al times & places ouer to this high Treason & Infidelity; for euē nobles who now too much behold this profession a far of, hauehave ennobled thēselues by seruing a greater King thē any they here serue; yea crouch and creepe to serue Gentlemen of great possessions, whereof yet France is not without example, hauehave honoured God with their substance, & imployed it in the Ambassage of the most High. And no maruaile, for if we plainly knew & saw, what a glorious King our god is; what a pretious thing a soule is, what the truth, not the name of Christiā were, we should account it a high dignitie, to be imployed by God in his busines; a great gaine to turne one soule to righteousnes; & a right ready, & natural duty of a true Christiā to resigne himselfe ouer wholly to Christ to be bestowed by him in any function, since he is his, by couenāt, redēptiō & marke, & not his own any longer. Be it therefore a law for euer to the vpright of heart, that a good Minister is an honourable man, being an Ambassadour of Christ, a successor of Christ, a factor for the King of heauen, to returne soules the most pretious Iewels into his kingdome of glory; and howsoeuer, they are here couered with cōtemt, they shall breake out in the daies of glory shining like the Sunne, as hauing turned many soules to righteousnesse. But that honour may continue safe to the Ministerie, God perswade them to bestow that labour in the word and doctrine, which deserueth double honour; to liue as those that adorne the Gospell of Christ; and themselues to bee humble, rather receiuing honour, then snatching at it. For honour is best deserued, when it is least intended; to seeke our owne glory is no glory; and to honour our selues, is no true honour.
3. Part.
Another new engine of Satan is the impouerishing of the Ministery. The diuell knowes that the Minister hath a bodie, which must bee maintained by bodily sustenance, and where this sustenance is not, there cannot the Minister continue. Heretofore when diuinitie was inspired, not studied: an Apostle though his spirituall worke were worthie of his wages, might bestow his worke without any wages, and get wages by the work of his hands; But now the study of diuinitie challengeth the whole time of a man, so that a Diuine can hardly mingle any other calling with it, without iniury vntounto it. Therefore hauing that only function, by that & for that he must be sufficiently sustained; so is there absolutely no hope of a cōtinual Ministery, where there is not a continued maintenance. Then how many waies hauehave these last times holpen the diuell to breake off and discontinue the Ministerie? It is too wel known that the bellies of ye friers 1. began to rob both the back & the belly of the Ministery. And that when these theeues were arraigned & conuicted, the goods were not restored to the former owners thogh known; so hereby many miles together hauehave bin turned into a spiritual wildernes, spoiled of the ordinary means of sauing soules; lamentable and euen a hart-breaking consideration it is, to them that hauehave any fellow-feeling of the misery of those, who lie in the bondage of Satan, when they see many Churches, like lampes without lights, the oyle of maintenance being taken frō thē. How cā a mā there preach, where there is scarse bread to maintaine the strength of the voice? nor clothes to keep off the cold that would choke yt voice? nor means to buy a very few bookes, to put matter and soule into the voices. And on the other side, how can the Eunuch vnderstand, except there be some to expound? How can they beleeue without preaching? alas, the liues of such places too much testifie, that a naturall man is like a dog, and will hardly bite at a whole loafe; Yea that a man is so tastelesse of spiritual things, that except he be taught to open his mouth, except his stomach be stirred vp by continuall prouocations, he hath no appetite to the foode of life; That a sinner is so heauily asleepe in his sinnes, that vnlesse he be pulled and startled, and his sinne taken vp before him, and the particular odiousnesse and vglinesse thereof liuely presented to his dull and vnwilling eies, hee had rather die in his sleepe, then awake vntounto life eternall.
Part 4.
But this disease being shewed, what remedie is there for it? Surely the Lord of the haruest being first intreated in heauen, there seeme two remedies on earth; one is Law, another, Conscience. But how shall there be any hope in Law, since it is Law that hath done the hurt? Surely as a Law begotten in the times of ignorance▪ hath hurt the Church, so a Law borne in the times of knowledge may heale it. Let vsus shew our faith by our works, and shame the workes which hauehave beene done without faith by exceeding them; if wee hauehave the light of the Gospell, let vsus make statutes of light, and not continue the lawes of darkenesse. If wee feele any comfort of light in our selues, let vsus with our blessed Sauiour pittie them that sit in darknesse, and in the shaddow of death. I separate law frō conscience; for though conscience bee the truest fountaine of lawes, yet politicke consideration is very often the cause of them. Now it is not the worst policie, but indeed the best, to lay a sure foundation of religion in the hearts of the people. For from true religion, groweth the strongest branch of obedience: true religion hath wherewithall to confute treason, though masked in a vizard of religion. It will allow the Pope few subiects in another mans Realme: It will keepe them for the right owner. In summe, the end of kingdomes, being the Church, and the end of the Church, the glorie of God by faith and holinesse; how doth that kingdom pierce it selfe through with many darts, that suffereth this faith and holinesse, the life and soule thereof, to bee slaine by wickednesse and vnbeliefe? Surely there is a fulnesse of sinnes, which is the greatest rebellion in the world, for it ouerthrowes kingdomes, and lets out Vineyards to new husbandmen. This do Ieroboam and Ahab now declare and bewaile; Ieroboam cursing the basenesse of his new deuised Priesthood, and Ahab defying the Statutes of men, it being a policie to destruction, to bee politicke against God. But if it be demanded whence such maintenance shold be raised? Surely for worldly and temporall ends, the raising of huge summes by Parliament, are well impoposed, and contentedly receiued; & is there no way to raise one summe for the God of heauen? When Moses prouided for the Tabernacle, there was offering euen to abundance. When Dauid prouided for the Temple, there were many thousand Talents offered willingly, and with a perfect heart. VVhy should not we much more willingly contribute toward the building, not of Temples made of hands, but of the liuing Temple and Church of the euerliuing God? If a towne bee destroyed with fire, all men take pitty on the ruine thereof, and from that pittie issureth reliefe. When whole Townes and Parishes are besieged with hell fire, how do we not pitty & succour such spirituall desolations? Then let that place which made the law of substraction, redeeme it by making a law of retribution, and by some diuine subsidie granted to the King of heauen, regaine part, or all of the ancient inheritance of the Church, or procure some new sustentation in the stead thereof. But if mens hearts shall herein be generally hardened against God, against the soules of their brethren, yea, against their owne saluation, and denie this iust and necessarie helpe: Let those that are merciful, and therfore shal obtain mercy, expresse this excellent vertue of him that dwelleth in them; let them binde vp the woūds which the Leuits passed by, let them imitate him, who beheld euen them in their blood & pollution, and said vntounto them, Liue. Let cōscience remedy what law doth not, the worke of God being done without, by the working of God alone in mens harts within. Accordingly should it bee a sweet smelling Sacrifice, acceptablie ascending before the presence of God; if those who are both spirituallie and temporally rich, should out of their spirituall treasurie, send foorth that most pretious charitie, which might conuert some of their temporall and transitorie treasure to this soule-sauing end. Herunto God through mee doth beseech them, as inwardly no doubt he motions the same vntounto them by his spirit. Obedience to God and his spirit is the most excellent offring, and a soule turned to God, is the ioy of heauen; but proportionably quenching the spirit by disobedience, is a heauie sinne; and too quiet suffering of the death of soules, where means would giuegive hope of life, is the gall of bitternesse, and the stone of the heart. Our Auncestors did set vp both Churches, and Churchliuings, a great and a large work was performed by them; we are but to keep in reparatiō, that they hauehave built. Indeed this ouer boystrous tempest hath ouerthrowne a great piece of this building, yet but a piece, not by many degrees so great, as that work which they raised. If they hauehave done all, it is a shame wee should not doe something; wee should rather bee glad (though not of the cause, yet of this effect) that there is matter left for our charitie to expresse it selfe in this kind; and to let blind deuotion know, that, if our ancestors had not founded such spiritual maintenance, it might and should yet hauehave bin done by vsus. There are many godly & deuout persons, who hauehave in these daies of light, made and increase dwellings & portions for the bodies of the poore and needy. Excellent indeed is this worke, it is a blessed thing to giuegive, and blessed are they that feede the hungrie, and clothe the naked. But yet of all Almes houses, the spiritual Almes-house is the best, and Paul that willeth you to desire the best gifts, would hauehave you vse your gifts to the best aduantage. Wherefore I shew you a more excellent way. As the soule is infinitely better then the bodie, and life eternall, then life present, so the food of the soule is farre better then that of the body, and the sauing of the spirituall life better then the preseruation of the temporall life. If thou giuest to the body, thou dost well, but thou giuest to that which shall die: but if thou giuegive to the soule, thou dost better, for thou giuest to that, which by thy gift may liue for euer in happines, and make the body liue for euer in the same blisse with it. If thou giuegive naturall bread, thou dost well; but thou giuest that which perisheth with the vsing: but thou most resemblest Christ thy head, and giuest the best Almes, when thou giuest the bread of heauen. What a comfortable and ioyfull thing to thy soule and heart will it be to see a whole Congregation fed on Gods holy day with thy Almes? to see many soules receiuing saluation as it were from thy hand, to heare many blesse & glorifie God for his gifts to thee, & thine to them? yea to blesse thee therefore in the name of the Lord? Surely such ioy is infinitely better, sounder, and fuller of waight, then the ioy of mony, corne, and oyle; but the ioy that God shall giuegive thee in the great marriage day, in the day of the gladnes of thy heart, in that day will againe infinitely exceed this. Thē shal Christ say vntounto thee, come thou blessed of my Father; for when I was hungry, naked and cold in the very soule of my little ones, thou diddest buy Manna, long white robes & fire of the Altar, to feede, cloth & warme me; thou gauest the best gifts, and which most nearely and inwardly cherish me, therefore shalt thou hauehave the best reward; come and sit nearest vntounto me. But if some backeward & withdrawing hearts in whome God hath no delight, put this grace and glory from themselues, by a perswasion, that this businesse concernes them not, but that eueryevery horse should beare his owne burthen, and each congregation maintaine a Preacher for themselues: Let them know, that naturall men not vsed to instruction, for want of it, hauehave no desire to it: Things not known are vnsought, much lesse will a naturall man part from things knowne for things vnknowne. It is the propertie of teaching to make men desire to be taught: expect not then this desire from them, which hauehave not the meanes to attaine it; the sweetnesse of the word must be first sounded in their eares, before they will louelove the sound thereof: it must teach them the worth of it selfe, before they will part from any of their worth for it. He must be partly or wholly a spirituall man, that hungers for spirituall foode vntounto the losse of his temporall substance: and how shall many such be expected where the word, by which the spirit entereth, hath not bin fitly opened vntounto them? Therefore if thou wilt hauehave them doe for themselues, do thou something first, though but a little for them whereby they may heare the word: And then it is likely the word heard will make way for it selfe, and perswade for increase of maintenance; for it perswades the truly sanctified to a farre greater degree, euen to fell all, to giuegive life & all, for the Treasure of happinesse Christ Iesus; whome lying more closely in the Cabinet of the word, preaching deliuers vntounto vsus opened and displaied in full glorie and Lustre. Yea it may bee by the word so communicated by thee, there wil be some prouoked, to doe that for others which thou hast done for them; and so a generation of goodnesse may bee continued of which thou hast beene the father; and a chaine of good works may be lengthned, of which the first linke framed by thee, is both the beginning and cause. Hereunto may be added this other reason of forrein helpe; That such places beare already as great a burden without the benefite of preaching as others do that hauehave it. Wherfore that Saint Pauls rule of equity may bee obserued, which will not hauehave some eased, to hauehave others doubly grieued; and that rule of Charity, Beare yee one anothers burden: it is fit that the burthen of such places should be deuided among many, so to take away the griefe of surcharging by an equalitie, and to ease the weight of the burthen by deuiding it with others.
5. Part.
As these great blowes of Satan hauehave afflicted the Ministery in these latter times, so doe daily buffets, & lesser pinchings of the seruants of Satan, follow and persecute continually the same Ministerie. His plot and his hatred still are one, though the limitation of his power, by Gods ouerruling, suffer him not at all times to bring forth like effects: He is, God be praised, tied vp somewhat from appropriating of spirituall liuings, yet what he cannot get in a rent, hee striues to obtaine in a fine. The Patron that cannot hauehave the yearely profit, must hauehave a grosse summe in consideration of it, and a scholler hauing spent much of his portion, spirits, and time in studie to make himselfe worthie of a place in the Church, yet after must he studie for sureties, or readie mony to throw into the mouth of Cerberus, euen of these porters of hell, that they stoppe not his way into the deserued Benefice. And this also is a vertue, if they will bestow it, in this kinde of bestowing on a man able and sufficient; for if such a one bee not very neere as finable, as a meere dumbe and vnlearned fellow: sufficiency shall bee bought out, & profitable ignorance shall be preferred before edifying knowledge. The great God Mammon must chuse the Priest that fitteth him best, & the greatest & truest God whose Priest is thoght thē to be choosing, hath least to do in yt choise. But ô thou Marchant of hel & Factor for Satā, know yt cursed is thy mony with thee, thy mony is the price of Soules euen of spirituall blood, the life of spirits. Thou hast for that summe giuen ouer so many soules to Satan, thou hast giuen their throats to the Butcher, and thou hast done worse then slaine them; for thou killest them with death eternall. Christ hath said, what shall a man giuegive for his soule, yea to giuegive a whole world and to lose his soule is a bad bargaine: but what a beggerly and bloudy bargaine hast thou made which for litle pieces and shrids of the world hast sold many soules? But to what end is it to speake to a man of clay, that hath no sense nor feeling of heauen? To what end is it to speake to a mule that hath no vnderstanding? Such men are more dead, then the Altar which heard the word of the Lord. They are stonie at the very heart, and nothing but mony makes any sound by striking such a heart. Otherwise euen to common reason it wold grosly appeare, that a lanterne without a candle can giuegive no light, that a man without sight cannot bee a guide to the blinde; & that men led by such guides, must needes fall with their guides into the pit of eternall destruction. But if it happen that a man of some sufficiencie hath like the Centurion by a great summe obtained the freedome of this Benefice: then is the Patron readie to go into the Temple with the Pharisie, to giuegive thankes that hee is not like other men: There is a fit man in the place, and hee hath taken no mony for the Benefice but for the Aduowson, which a man may honestly doe. But know thou Circumuenter of thy owne soule: That if it were lawfull to sell an Aduowson, thou shouldest sell it at the price of an Aduowson. To finde out this, consider what either thou payest for the patronage, and so make some proportion by that, or what a lay-man would giuegive for it, that would make no vse of it, but the bestowing. For whatsoeuer is giuen beyond that which a man would giuegive to hauehave the meere naming of the Minister, is the price of the benefice, and not of the Aduowson; it paies for the profit of the liuing, & not for the particular appointment of the man. Mingle things as cunningly, and confusedly as thou canst, the iudgement of God shal single thē as perfectly, and the euill shal be takē out & shewed thee by it self in the great & terrible day of the Lords displeasure. Yet neither do I cōmend ye selling of Aduousons though at the easier rate; for a Patronage is an excellent priuiledge, a patrone hath the power of a great and high worke, euen in the chiefest businesse of God. Why wilt thou for a little mony let another doe God acceptable seruice, when thou maist do it thy selfe? Or why perchance dost thou suffer another to doe Gods seruice negligently and corruptly, when thou maist doe it faithfully? Take heede hereunto; for if by thy sale, the sheepe be vnfed, for whome Christ died, thou maist go among the cursed to whom it shall be said, When I was an hungrie thou hadst food in thy hand, and yet thou fedst me not.
Part. 6.
But after all this, is not the Minister fully escaped; hauing paide the Patron for his passage, he falles after into the hands of his Parish: then is hee like a man rid of a Lyon, & falne among Wolues; eueryevery one (almost, if not wholly) rubs vp his wit, and makes it a principall conquest, to deceiue the Parson. Howsoeuer the Vsurer hauehave his ten of the hundred, the Lawyer his grossefee, and the workman his wages; the Minister, who layes out his stock for their saluation, shall not hauehave his tenne of the hundred, nay, but a leane fee for the most pretious counsell; nor his full wages for his most excellent worke. It is a speciall part of thrift, if we cannot conceale and defraud some tithes, yet to make a good bargaine with the Minister, and to get somewhat by him; and if he will not bee so wrought on, he must goe for a couetous and hard man. But O thou ouerthriftie Tither, what thinkest thou, while thou dealest thus? hast thou a soule or not? If thou hast none, at least, if thou thinkest so, words wil be vseles, vntill thou feele one day by the torments of thy soule that thou hast one; and then they will also bee vselesse. But if thou hast one, it is better then thy body, which is also better then thy goods. Thou gladly giuest to the Phisition to maintaine the health of thy body, and to the Lawyers to preserue thy goods: how doth not thy hand willingly & chiefly stretch foorth it selfe to him which saueth thy soule, which is infinitely better then these? It sheweth too euidently, that thou valuest things backwards, since thou esteemest not thy soule, as thou dost thy goods and body, nor the eternall saluation thereof▪ as thy present preseruation. But they that hauehave had a glimse of heauenly glorie, despise earthly things in comparison thereof, and in disdaine say, Is it a great matter to giuegive carnall things for spirituall? such men know, they cannot giuegive so good things to them, as they receiue from them. Therefore they would euen take out of their owne bowels to doe good to their teachers, at least they wold thrust their right vponupon them, though ignorant of it; they would by all meanes desire, that they might liue plentifully in this world, whose life is imploied to make them liue euerlastingly in the next. Farre be it then from vsus to vexe and discourage by robberie and impouerishing those, who are the guides vntounto heauen. Let diuine louelove iustifie them in taking their right, yea, help them to it, and bring after them, what they hauehave left of it. Let vsus entertaine them as embassadours of Christ with bountifull allowance, and not shew our small regard of the Lord that sent them, by our ill rewarding of his messengers. Their estate is but for life, and naturall affection towards their family, is commendable in them as in vsus; therefore a prouident care, if without wrong, is not to be censured, but allowed in them; and a willing and a plentifull contribution is requisite in vsus. And herein I deserue speedier assent, because I am none of those I speake for.
Part. 7.
A third cunning of Satan is to make sanctification an odious thing, and to fasten on it some vile reproch, that men may bee ashamed to serue God, and to be saued. And that this may worke the more effectually, he suffers many to goe so farre in religion as they may, without losing them, that is, in a morall and ciuill profession thereof; but that degree, beyond which indeed is onelyonly the very life and power of sanctification, is very offensiue to them, and appeares to such to bee but hypocrisie and scrupulositie. Hence it is, that among most of these ciuilians, regeneration and sanctification, which they attaine not, is Puritanisme, and a true Saint is called a Puritan; which in their English, meanes a dissembling or scrupulous fellow. And this being the verdit of those, who account thē selues for honest men, and their neighbours think the same (to whom these ciuill men are almost Puritans) like a kennel of dogs, they runne away with the crie, and barke out this terme against eueryevery honest man they meete. But a lamentable persecution of tongues is this the whiles, especially among Christians, that a man should be reuiled for being a Christian; and that regeneration, the worke of the holy Ghost, should bee reproched. Cursed is hee that despiteth the Spirit of grace, euē that Spirit which gaue his tongue that power, by which hee is able to speake against the Spirit. Cursed is hee that reuileth the holy Ghost, and raileth on the power of the liuing God. Know that the time shall come, when thy words shall returne vponupon thee, as so many Lyons; yea, the diuell, who now sets thee on worke, shall come to worke vponupon thee with torments: but especially that blessed Spirit, whom thou hast reuiled, shall come against thee, and teare thee in pieces, and there shall be none to deliuer thee. Thou seest in the whole course of such a mans life, a maine current of honestie and goodnesse; and who would thinke that any should bee so shamelesse to raile on goodnesse, and to oppose against it? For the verie opposing against goodnesse, giues thee the title of wickednesse, which alone is the enemie thereof. It shewes thou art a souldier of the Dragon, who goes out to make warre with that blessed seede, that keepes the commandement of God. But I doe know thy vsuall defences: thou wilt say, that there are none worse, then such as make such a shew of purenesse, and withall thou art furnished with some merry tales, that shew many mad trickes of these ouer holie brethren. Heere a little discretion and iudgement in stead of salt, would be of very good vse to amend the sauour both of thy heart and tongue. For an vpright iudgement, as it findeth many truths, so toward the true discouerie of this businesse, it findeth these. First, that whosoeuer is indeed good, shall and must also seeme good; for his works wil praise him, whether he will or no; his fruits wil shew what tree he is, they must shine before men, that men seeing them, may glorifie God their heauenly Father. Hence first we conclude, that euerie one that seemes good, is not an hypocrite, but contrarily he may bee one of Gods chiefest seruants. Therefore thou canst not presently fall to thy nickname only for the shew of goodnesse. Secondly, that there is indeede a dissembled holinesse, worne for a cloake to wickednes, that the shape of an Angell of light some times couers a foule diuell, yea, the foulest diuels are they that most vse, & need this couer. Now for this fellow, if thou findest him, puritā is too good a name for him; for the Scripture hath sharper names, as, generation of Vipers, Wolues in Sheepes clothing, and painted Sepulchers full of rotten bones. These bee they, whereon the diuell sets the one foote, when he kickes at true Christians with the other, iustifying by these, his railings on those who especially hate these, as the diuels chiefest seruants. But now there needs some discretion to know these from the other, that thou call not good euill, nor euill good; nor a Christian Hypocrite, nor an Hypocrite, Christiā. Toward this thou must looke to the fruites of both, and that not a few particulars, but to the generall. For a Godly man is subiect to infirmitie, & hath some fals; and an Hypocrite knowes that to couer his wickednesse hee must shew some goodnes. But looke to the continuall course of both, and thou shalt finde, one good generally, though sometimes fraile; and the other often grosly transgressing, though much couering his rotten heart. The things wherein especially thou shalt try the difference, may be these. First a louelove to Christ: secondly, a louelove of Christs voice: thirdly, a louelove of the members of Christ, and a reioycing in them who excell in vertue. Now these things will againe appeare if for the louelove of Christ, the louelove of his word, and the louelove of his members, a man be ordinarily contented to lose sinfull profits or pleasures, and with the steward to write 50. for an 100. This is the touchstone of a Christian, euen the taking vp of the Crosse, forsaking all, and following Christ. But this the hypocrite cannot abide, he serues Christ, that Christ may serue him, to get pleasure and profit by him, not to lose by him.
Part. 8.
But now heere come in the many stories, which condemne these purer men to bee guiltie against these duties, and so to be hypocrites. Yet runne not away too fast with this neither, but euen in the point of hearing reports, take also some discretion with you. For against good men very commonly, are bold and confident slanders raised, which by their stoutnesse might seeme to bee truth it selfe. But let not the wise beleeue them before examination. For most commonly in the very telling of them, will appeare a venom and malice, the true issue of the old Serpent: and vponupon farther triall, falshood and lying, the naturall brother of the former, and a truly begotten sonne of the Accuser of the Brethren. He began the rule in Paradise, and will continue euen to the new Ierusalem; lie boldly, for some of it will sticke fast for euer. And how can it be otherwise, since the lasinesse of men is such, that they will beleeue a report at the first telling, rather then trouble themselues to examine and finde out the truth, which onelyonly should be belieued; & withall their maliciousnesse is so great, that they are willing and readie to receiue euill reports, yea, they delight in them. But the seruants of Christ know, that the last iudgement shall be by words, and that a rash and a bitter iudge shall, though not rashly, yet seuerely be iudged. Therefore according to the Psalmist, The good man is merciful, and guideth his words with discretion. He inclineth naturally to beleeue good rather then euill; yet auoiding to condemne the iust, hee also shunnes to iustifie the wicked. Therefore that his iudgement may bee righteous, hee searcheth both the matter how probable it is in it selfe; and next he examineth the re-reporters, whether they bee those, in whom the truth dwelleth, and who themselues hauehave a good report of the truth; not being like Pilate, ignorant, and yet to learne what is truth. For it is a kind of murther of our neighbour in his name and reputation (which is almost as his life) both to beare false witnes, and to receiue false witnesse against him. Lastly, a good man, if hee may conueniently, will inquire of the partie himselfe, or of some of his acquaintance, whether such things hauehave beene done by him; and if done, in what manner, and vponupon what occasion: for many times the maner of things wholly alters the matter, and the matter may be good, in the manner in which it was done, yet euill in the manner bestowed on it by the reporter. Againe, the thing being true, yet the occasion and cause may, though not iustifie, yet excuse the fact; for many euill deeds are done by infirmitie, which yet prooue not the men euill that did them. It were pittie that men should go to work this way with Dauid, and onelyonly iudge of him by his murder and adulterie: but it rather becomvs, to see whether his course of life being different from his fact, do not manifestly prooue, that these sinnes were of infirmitie; of sinne cleauing to him, not reigning in sinne. And in this point should eueryevery man be the milder; for as it is said commonly in other matters, it is eueryevery mans cause; this mans to day, and thine to morrow. And though thou sweare with Peter, that if al the world deny Christ, thou wilt not denie him, yet I wil neuer beleeue thee no more then Christ did Peter; for in many things we sinne all, and as the Apostles said, We are also men, subiect to the same infirmities.
Part 9.
But if these cautions wil not yet moderate the sauages of this world, as indeed a foole, though braied in a mortar, will not grow wise: Yet, O thou man of God, whosoeuer thou art, that sufferest for Christs sake, binde this rebuke to thine head for a crowne, and reioice that thou art such a one as the diuell and his followers hate; for hee cannot be but good, whom the diuell hateth. Reioyce when men speake all euill of thee falsely, and know thou art now a brother of Christ and his Saints in tribulation, and in the kingdome; for if thou suffer with him, thou shalt also bee glorified with him. The spirit, whose shame now thou bearest, shall hereafter cause thee to beare his glorie; and the more shame for his sake, the more glorie. So shall these Balaams, whose hearts are so ready to curse the people of God, be the very meanes to procure a blessing vntounto them. For so many curses, so many blessings; therfore if there were no offēce to God, nor hurt nor pittie to themselues, we might well suffer them to curse apace, for they curse vsus as fast to glorie.
Part. 10.
From Christs time, place is approoued by truth, not truth by place. Hee that freed true worship from being tied to Ierusalem, and tied it to the seruice in spirit which may be in all places, gaue true religiō a large scope, euen as large as the world it selfe. Therefore Ierusalem being broken vp, and true worship being set free into the whole world, let not Rome seeke to captiue her againe, and tie her to the chaine thereof: for they that worship in spirit and truth, hauehave God pleased with them, though such worship bee in places, that know not Rome to bee on earth.
74
The Word of God is an vndefiled Word, rightnes it selfe; and therefore the most perfect rule. Let therefore sinfull men frame their liues to it, not seeke, as many doe, to frame it to their liues, and so to sinne by the authoritie of righteousnes. And let fraile and falling man, though many of them thinke they be the Church, not trie this VVord by themselues, whether it bee right or not, but by the VVord trie whether they bee right, euen the right and true Church; which is knowne by this, that they heare Christs voice, and walke according to this rule of Christ: Galathians 6. 16.
75
Silly and foolish is the pride, that any man takes in his seruice toward God. For first, the whole man being from God, wee can giuegive him out of man nothing but his own. Againe, the whole man being due to God, there can returne no good thing from man to God, but what is his due. Thirdly, it is Gods free choise, that vouchsafeth to vse thy seruice, who refuseth the imploiment of many men, excellent in naturall abilities. Certainly, we hauehave seene many such of great hope turned into earth, before any, or small vse of thē. God Al-sufficient, who can raise vp seruants of stones, thus often sheweth, that men hauehave need of God and his choise, to doe him any good seruice; but hee needeth not them. Therefore let vsus rather thanke God, then boast before him, if he imploy vsus in his seruice. Let vsus with humilitie readily performe it, as to that great Lord, who hath refused infinite better, to be serued by vsus; and whom therefore to serue is a happines & priuiledge of ours frō him, not a benefit of ours to him
76
Many seuerall women were made for many seueral men; if many had bin allotted to one, there would hauehave bin fewer of the masculine sexe; for euen among heardsmen, this rule is obserued. But now there is a kind of equality in number, that eueryevery one might hauehave his mate diuidedly, without diuiding with another. And this which was indeed best was first; for then there being but one woman to one man, the sin which is now vnlawfull, was then vnpossible. What bare necessitie was to man by creation, let necessarie obedience vntounto God bee to the children of regeneration; whose speciall vertue, is to auoide the ill which may be done. Surely as running after lust beyond this one, is endlesse in regard of satisfaction, so hath it a bad end in regard of retribution, euen tormented old age, that it can sinne no more, and eternall death for hauing so much sinned.
77
When a man is possessed by any lust, be it of couetousnesse, concupiscence or the like, there is set vp an image in him, though not a grauen one, which is to him a God. This image wholly filleth his minde, to it he committeth idolatry, for he offereth his whole heart in sacrifice to it; and if he can obtaine the thing therin represented, he accounteth himselfe happy, as in the obtaining of God. Such an image was there in Ahab of Naboths vineyard, and such a one of Bathsheba in Dauid. But let vsus take heede of this worship of images, for it is but a vaine shadow which steppeth into to the place of God; It telleth vsus of happinesse, but it selfe obtained goeth into nothing, & robs vsus of true happinesse. Let vsus rub out therefore the print thereof with prayer and holy meditations, filling vp our hearts with profitable and eternall truthes, to keepe out these dying and killing vanities, let nothing posses our hearts but God himselfe, who will one day glorifie the place wherein he dwels, and make it looke like a temple of God: And surely nothing but God is worthy of a man.