A Catholicon, Part 1 · Subpart 12
The 12. lecture.
vers. 16. These are murmurers, complainers, &c.] The Apostle here by a recapitulation rehearseth together the seuerall corruptions of these deceitfull hypocrites: they are toward God, murmurers: in themselues, following fleshly lusts: toward men, either inferiours, such as their followers, they are boasters and speake proud things; or superiours, them they flatter and hauehave in admiration, for their owne aduantage.
Murmurers, complainers.] This is the Doctr. 1.propertie of carnall men, when all things fall not out according to their corrupt desire, to murmure against God.
So saith the wise man, The foolishnes of a man peruerteth his way, and his heart fretteth against the Lord. Prov. 19. 3.
Such were the Israelites in the desert, that murmured against Moses and Aaron, when they wanted foode, and wished that they had died in Egypt, Exod. 16. 8. To whome Moses saith, Your murmurings are not against vsus, but against the Lord, v. 8. So they murmured againe, when they wā ted water, Wherefore hast thou brought vsus out of Egypt, to kill vsus, our children, and cattell with thirst? Exod. 17. 3.
But this murmuring against God, which is a kinde of resisting his will, is, as our Sauiour saith to Saul, a kicking against the pricke, Act. 9. 5. the more a man striueth, the worse is his heele galled: or like as a potsheard should striue against a vessell of brasse: a potsheard with the potsheards of the earth, as Esai saith, 45. 9. like against like: it is not for man to striue against God.
The reason, that ought to cause vsus to leaue murmuring is this, as it is expressed, Exod. 16. 12. because the Lord heareth the murmurings of the people: and if, as it is in Iob, No man will say vntounto the king, Thou art wicked, how much lesse to him that accepteth not the persons of princes? Iob 34. 18, 19. If murmuring & repining against the prince goe not vnpunished, how much lesse shall they not escape that repine against God?
First then this doctrine discouereth the impietie of popish professours, who beeing Error 40.discontented with the present state, murmure and repine at eueryevery thing. They Papists murmurers and grudgers.were not contented to enioy their landes and liuings, and to liue in ease and quiet, but beganne to practise against the state, and to lie in waite against the life of our Soueraigne; whereupon, the state hath beene enforced to make lawes to restraine their vnbridled, factious, and rebellious spirit: as before they regarded not the princes lenitie, so nowe they complaine of crueltie, which is not so, but iust seueritie executed vponupon their disloyall and vnnaturall treacherie.
Secondly, all carnallmen, are here laid open, who if any thing fall out crosse against them, if sicknesse, vnseasonable weather, losse of wordly substance doe ouertake them, they are ready to lay the fault vponupon God. I remember Origen in his time complained of such writing vponupon 2. Cor. 10. Si nos non cessemus à querelis nostris, qua… frequenter habemus aduersus deum, cum de caeli intemperie, infaecūditate fructuum, caritate imbrium causamur. &c. Hom. 7. in Exod.these wordes of Saint Paul, Murmure not as some of them murmured, and were destroyed of Serpents; if we (saith he) cease not from our complaints against God, when we complaine of the vnseasonable weather, of scarcitie of fruite, want of showers, we falling into the like offence, shall taste of the like punishment. Of such complainers Bildad saith in Iob, 18. 4. They are like vntounto those that teare their own soule: euen as madde men that rend and teare their flesh, so are they that are impatient and discontented in their troubles, they profit not by their murmurings, but vexe their spirit, torment and teare their soule.
Walking after their lusts:] that is, their whole desire is to satisfie their owne carnal Doct. 2.lusts and appetite: it is one thing to walke in the flesh, foreign; an other to walke after the flesh, foreign: the first the Apostle confesseth of himselfe, 2. Cor. 10. 3. the other he denieth, v. 2. We all walke in the flesh, so long as we dwell in the bodie: but they onelyonly walke after the flesh that fulfill the lusts and desires thereof.
This then is a note of a false religion, & of the professours thereof, that it worketh not true mortification, but euen the best of them are addicted to their affections of enuie, ambition, couetousnes, lust, & such like: it is the right faith onelyonly that mortifieth the earthly members, and causeth all Mortification a note of true religion.those to die vntounto sinne, that truely receiue it. This Saint Paul sheweth, Tit. 2. 11. The grace of God that bringeth saluation to all men, hath appeared, and teacheth vsus, that we should denie vngodlinesse and worldly lusts. The same Apostle sheweth the practise hereof in himselfe, that although he had liued after the most strict sect of the Pharises, yet he was not crucified to the worlde, till he knewe Christ, Gal. 6. 14. The Pharises notwithstanding their outward glorious shewe, yet were carried away with a couetous humour, they deuoured widowes houses, Math. 23. 14.
For like as no riuers could heale the leprosie of Naaman but the water of Iordā, though the riuers of Damascus, Abanah, and Pharphar, were in shewe more excellent, 2. King. 5. 12. neither had any other poole but that of Bethesda, such pretious vertue to heale the lame, thereunto sanctified by the stirring of the angell, Iohn 5. So no other religion can sanctifie the affections, but the faith of Iesus Christ.
The reason here of Saint Paul sheweth, because heresies are of the workes of the flesh, Gal. 5. 20. and the flesh lusteth against the spirit: but it is the spirit whereby we doe mortifie the deedes of the flesh, Rom. 8. 13. The followers then and embracers of heresies beeing voide of the spirit cannot attaine to true mortification.
First then this note layeth open the nakednesse of poperie, which neuer is able Error. 41. No true mortification in Poperie.truely to sanctifie the commers vntounto it: who are more ambitious, then their spirituall father the Pope with his Cardinals, & popish prelacie? who more idle and giuen to epicurisme then their Monkes? who more traiterous to prince and countrie, thē the Iesuites a principall sect among them? and where in the world is more fornication, and adulterie, so domitrie, to be found, then in Rome the cheife seat and palace of the Popedome?
If they shall obiect, that there are truely mortified among them, as their Hermites, Anachorites, Caponchians, Carthusians, many of them going barefoote, eating no flesh, cloathed with sackcloath, &c. I aunswere, that among the Iewes, there were the Essaei, a most strict sect, that eate no flesh at all, and the Pharises, that were more secular and worldly; among the heathen, we reade also of diuers sectes, the Epicures, that gaue themselues to pleasure. The Stoickes and Pythagoreans, that professed strictnesse and seueritie of life, yet both these were enemies to the Apostle Saint Paul, Act. 17. and the other sects aduersaries to our Sauiour Christ: there was no true humilitie amongst them, what outward shewe soeuer they made. Like as it said of Plato, that he thus answered Diogenes, when he spurned his Calco Platonis fastum, inquit Diogenes, sed maiore fastu, inquit Plato.carpets and couerings, saying, I tread vnderunder my feete Platoes pride: I saith he, but with greater pride, So the superstitious sectes seeking for merite and iustification in their strict obseruances, thereby bewraied their pride, and want of true mortification. So that Saint Paul hath truely prophesied of them, Men shall be louers of themselues, couetous, boasters, false accusers, intemperate, fierce, despisers of them that 2. Tim. …. 2, 3, 4, 5.are good, traytours, headie, high minded, louers of pleasures more then louers of God, hauing a shewe of godlinesse, but hauing denied the power thereof.
Secondly they which professe the right faith, must also indeauour to leade a godly life, and to mortifie their carnall lustes: for if they be not ledde by the spirit of Christ, they are not his, Roman. 8. 9. and it is vaine for them to put the hand to the plough by a good profession, and to looke backe by an euill conuersatiō: such are not apt for Gods kingdome, Luke, 9. 62. Hierome well saith to this purpose, Inter Christianum & Gentilem non fides tantum debet, sed vita distinguere, & diuersam religionē per diuersa opera monstrare ad Celantia: Betweene a Christian and a Gentile not faith onelyonly, but the life must distinguish, and we must shewe a diuers religion by diuers workes.
Whose mouthes speake proud things:] the word is foreign, swelling things like to a bubble, or things puft vp with wind…: that is to their schollers, followers and inferiours, they doe boast themselues, and make great ostentation of knowledge: such are all hypocrites, schismatickes, heretickes, False religion full of boa…tingthe Apostle doeth so prophesie of them, that they should be boasters, 2. Tim. 3. 2. as the wise man saith in the Prouerbs, There is, that maketh himselfe rich, hauing nothing, Prou. 13. 7. so doe these make thē selues rich in knowledge and vertue, wanting both.
Such an one was Zidkiah, that smote Michaiah vponupon the cheeke, saying, When went the spirit of God from me to speake vntounto thee? 1. King. 22. 24. This proud hypocrite boasteth, as though he onelyonly had the spirit of God, whereas he was altogether destitute of it.
Such a proud boaster was the Pharise, Luk. 18. that vaunteth euen before God of his vertuous life, but the Publicane is preferred before him.
Like as the harlot is described, crying thus to those that passe by the way: Who so is simple let him come hither, and to him that is destitute of wisedome, shee saith, &c. Prou. 9. 16. She vseth the very same words which Wisdome doeth vntounto her followers, v. 4. Like as the harlot maketh ample & large promises to those whome shee enticeth, yet her guests are in the depth of hell, v. 18. euen so doe false teachers and deceiuers abuse the simple.
This cunning they learne of their great Master Sathan, who as he can transforme himselfe into an angell of light, so these false Apostles are deceitfull workers, 2. Cor. 11. 13, 14. So did Sathan deale with our Eue in paradise, promising if they did eate of the forbidden fruite, they should in knowledge be as God: but by their transgression; they came neerer to the nature and condition of the deuil that tempted them.
First then, let vsus compare the cunning practises of the Romanists, and lay them Error. 42. Papists boasts and vaine brags of faith.to this rule; who doe boast more of knowledge and godlinesse then they? what great promises doe they make to their proselytes of indulgences, pope-pardons, à paena & culpa, of the intercession of Saints, merits of Martyrs, vertue of images, releife by their masses, of holy bread, holy water, the agnus dei, crucifixe, hallowed graines, and such like toyes, which are all but popish trash and trumpery? These their promises, are like to that which Rabsakeh made in the name of the king of Assur his master, make appointment with me and come vntounto me, that eueryevery man may eate of his owne vine, and sigtree, &c. till I come and bring you to a land like your owne land, a land of wheate and wine, of bread and vineyards, a land of oyle & honnie, that ye may liue not die, 2. Kin. 18. 31, 32. Here were goodly promises, but the people found no such matter, when they were carried away captiue into the land of the Assyrians: neither shall popish corrupted proselytes finde any thing answerable in popish religion, to the great protestations of their Iudasited, I would say, Iesuited fathers.
Secondly, the people of God are here warned, not to regard swelling wordes, or glorious titles, if any shall come vntounto thē, with the name of the Catholike Church, the Popes holinesse, the vnspotted virgin, with the bodie of Christ in a boxe, & such like: for as Origen wel saith, All heretickes, Omnes haereti…i…v… Iudas, Ihesu dicunt Rabbi, & osculisigno, i quadam indicatione cha itatis veritatem produnt. Tract. 35. in Math.as Iudas, say vntounto Christ, Master, and with the signe of a kisse, that is a certaine shewe of charitie they doe betray the trueth: euen so doe heretickes in these daies, which in a shewe of trueth betray the trueth.
Hauing mens persons in admiration for lucre sake:] This then is an other note of Doctr. 4. Flattering in false teachers.hypocriticall seducers, that such, as serue their turne, and are for their profitte, they will extoll to the skies, and depraue others as much that are not to their humor.
The prophet Isay noteth this in his time to hauehave beene a fault, that flatterers would call a foole wise or ingenious, and a nigard or churle liberall, Isay, 32. 5. but he prophesieth that this custome should not be vsed by the faithfull seruants of Iesus Christ.
Such were the princes of Zoan, and counsellers of Egypt that flattered foolish and simple Sethon their king, saying vntounto him, that he was the son of the wise, Isa. 19. 11.
Thus the woman of Tekoah beeing instructed by wilie Ioab, flattered king Dauid, saying, My Lord the king is as an angell of God, that shee might winne his fauour for the returne of bloodie Absolom, 2. Sam. 14. 17. Thus Baals prophets that were fedde at Iezabels table, flattered Ahab, & pleased his humor, that they might pamper their bellies still, 1. King. 22. 6.
Like as the strumpet enticeth the yong man with carpets, & laces, & perfumes, Pro. 7. 16. 17. til she hauehave got all his substance into her house, Prou. 5. 10. so doe flatterers play, they perfume & please others with sugred words, & renowmed praises, as with toyes and laces, till they hauehave serued their owne turne, and sucked aduantage to thēselues.
The reason that mooueth men to vse flattering wordes, is because they know, that many times the truth offendeth, as the Apostle saith, Am I therefore become your enemie, because I speake the truth! Gal. 4. 16. As Hierome saith, The truth is bitter, of a Ve…itas amara est, rugolae frō tis & tristis & offendit corr…ctos. Dialog. 1. advers Pelagian.frowning and seuere countenance, and offendeth them that are reprooued. They foolishly consider not the ende: for as the wise man saith, He that rebuketh a man, shall finde more fauour at the length, then he that flattereth with his tongue, Prou. 28. 23. This glozing and clawing of hypocrites, in the ende will bring shame.
First we here discouer the hypocrisie of the Romanists, Iesuits, seminarie priests, Error 43.with others, that will crouch and insinuate themselues into the courts and fauour of princes, commending them with most honourable words, and blazing their praises, The popish sort flatterers of the state.many times, but due and iust, but they doe it cunningly to make a way for thēselues, and to get footing for their superstition. It is to be feared, yea and almost it is apparant, that these popish practisers, seeing all their violent and treacherous plotts to be frustrate, doe attempt now by flattering the state to winne fauour: but I trust our wise gouernours, hauing sufficient experience of them alreadie, will remember that worthie saying of the wise man, speaking of flatterers, Though he speake fauourably, beleeue him not: for their are seauen abominations in his heart. Prou. 26. 25.
Againe, this may be a rule to all true professours of the Gospel, especially to ministers of the word of God, that they regard not the persons of men, neither seeke to please them, for their owne preferment sake. I am afraid, least there be many such preachers, that hauing occasion to speake before great persons, are afraid to offend them, but studie to deliuer pleasing things: not remembring what Saint Paul saith, If I should yet please men, I were not the seruant of Christ. Neither shall the fawning perswasions of such profit the soules of the hearers, no more then a building can stand, which is daubed vp with vntempered and vnwrought morter. Ezech. 13. 10.