Gods Arraignment of Hypocrites, Religious tract 1 · Chapter 2 · Part 2
Of the ſecond ſpeciall booke, wherein Sinne is ordered, to wit, the Morall Law.
THe Law of the Lord is the perfect Rule of righteouſneſſe, and the forbidder of all vnrighteouſneſſe: it ſhews vsus what ought to be our worſhip of his ſacred Maieſtie, and the louelove we muſt beare vntounto our neighbour. In the firſt Commandement, all our ſinnes of Atheiſme, either in not worſhipping God, or worſhipping another god, or preferring any thing before him, whether it be in thought, word, or deede. In the 2. Commandement, we ſhall hauehave ordered all our ill worſhip, deuiſed by others, or our ſelues in the ſeruice of God. In the 3. we ſhall be condemned for all kind of prophanneſſe, and light eſtimation of God and his goodneſſe, and here will come in an infinite number of ſinnes, called in one word vngodlineſſe. In proper ſignification, impietie is againſt the firſt Commandement; ſuperſtition againſt the ſecond: and vngodlineſſe in this third, which was a principall ſinne in theſe hypocrites. In the 4. Commandement, all imployments of the ſeuenth day to any other vſe, then it was appointed of God, whereby holy exerciſes are hindred: and here, alas, a whole yeare would ſcarſe ſuffice to number them vp, but I doubt not but he that ſaid he will order, will make a quicke diſpatch, and yet leaue none out of his catalogue. For the 5. in this Commandement ſhall come in all neglect of dutie toward our ſuperiours. In the 6. all want of care and neglect of my brothers life. In the 7. all kind of vncleanneſſe whatſoeuer, yea in the very thought. In the 8. all corrupt dealing. In the 9. all lying, yea eueryevery ſpeech that may doe harme vntounto my neighbour. In the 10. all repining and enuying at another mans proſperitie. O Lord, thy Law is perfect, thy teſtimonies are ſure, thy ſtatutes are right, thy commandements pure, thy iudgements truth: but alas, who can vnderſtand his faults? ſurely thou canſt order all our ſinnes, O therefore, for the merits, death, and paſſion of thy Sonne, cleauſe vsus from our ſecret ſinnes. Iames 1.25. teacheth vsus, how we may be bleſſed, Gods law the true diſcerner of complexions.if we vſe the perfect Law of God as a glaſſe appointed of the Lord: and is able to ſhew vntounto vsus the good face, or the bad face of our conſcience, what kinde of complexion we beare; whether well tempered, ruddie, freſh, and well-liking, hauing the blood of Chriſt ſprinkled vponupon vsus in iuſt proportion and meaſure, that the King of glorie may be delighted with our beautie; or ill tempered with the pale and deadly complexion of our ſinnes and tranſgreſſions, hated and deteſted of God, on which God can ſhew neuer a good looke.
It is reported of a certaine fountaine, in which a glaſſe beeing dipped, and holden before a man ſicke on his bed, if it ſhew him a deadly face, then it is a plaine ſigne he muſt die; but if a cheerefull countenance, then he is ſure to liue: of the truth of this, I will not diſpute, yet this I am ſure of, take this glaſſe of the Law, and dippe it in the blood of Chriſt, if it ſhew a pale face, then theres no hope of life, becauſe the law ſhewes nothing but a man looking vponupon it, with his deadly ſinnes hanging vponupon him; but if it ſhew a merrie countenance, then the law ſhewes that we hauehave the beautie of Chriſt reflected vponupon vsus, and this may aſſure vsus of life and ſaluation. Now as a glaſſe helps to order men in the cariage of thēſelues for their bodies among men; ſo the law of God, doth direct and ſhew vntounto vsus, what courſe we are to take to walke with God. And herein it declares three things. The law ſhewes what is comely and vncomely what apparell muſt be put on what off, and then what muſt be our behauiour.Firſt, what is comely or vncomely: Eph. 5. To be followers of God as deare children, and walke in louelove, as Chriſt hath loued vsus, is a ſeemely thing: but fornication, vncleannes, couetouſnes, filthines, fooliſh talking, ieſting, &c. are things not comely, and rather giuing of thankes, then the very naming of theſe things becommeth the Saints. Secondly, after it hath ſhewed vsus what beſeemeth Saints, it teacheth what apparell we muſt off, and what muſt be put on: Eph. 4.22. The old man, with his whole conuerſation muſt be caſt off, & the new man, which after God is created in righteouſnes and true holines, muſt be put on. Thirdly, after we hauehave apparelled our ſelues, it will order the behauiour and carriage of our ſelues, all the daies we hauehave to liue vponupon this mortall earth. Tit. 2.12. For the grace of God that bringeth ſaluation hath appeared, and teacheth vsus to denie all vngodlines, and worldly luſts, and to liue holily, righteouſly, and ſoberly in this preſent world.
Yet may we admire, what ſhould be the reaſon that for all this, ſinne is no better ordered. when the Lord hath left vsus ſo perfect a law, The law no falſe glaſſe.better then all the looking glaſſes in the world: for it tells men moſt truly their bad faces, and their good faces, it beguiles no man, in making him better thē he is: nay, it hath a priuiledge aboue all other laws, to wit, many particular examples, which are as little glaſſes contained in this great glaſſe; wherein men may ſee their owne faces by the face of another. As good Kings, may not onelyonly ſee themſelues in Gods law, what is to be done, and left vndone, and what is the reward of both; but they may ſee themſelues in Dauid, a man after Gods owne heart, Ioſias, Ezekias, true reformers of religion: euill Kings, in Saul, Ieroboam, and Manaſſes: good rich men in Abraham, euill in Dives: ambitious perſons, in Hammon; contented in Mordecai: couetous in Iudas, liberall hearted in Zacheus: euill counſellers in Ahitophel, good in Samuel, 1. king. 12. embracers of the world in Demas, cloſe ſtickers vntounto Chriſt and his ſeruants in Philemon: ſound friends in Ionathan, rotten at the heart in Ioab: faithfull children in Salomon, rebellious in Abſalom: good ſeruants in Abrahams ſeruant, euill in Oneſimus: obedient and louing wiues in Sara, euill in Michal Dauids mocking wife. Alas, will neither precept, nor example, deale with man, but the Lord muſt bring in a third bnoke to order ſinne, and that is to ſet it in the eyes of the conſcience, as he doth in this place? ſurely it were not amiſſe, by the way, to ſhew the reaſon of this laſt refuge of the Lord, and this laſt appeale to the court of conſcience. Reaſons why Gods law can order ſinne no better, but the laſt refuge muſt be to the co…rt of conſcience.Firſt is an euill conſcience it ſelfe, that may not indure the Law to rubbe on that ſore: as timorous patients had rather die and rotte away, then that either bitter purgation ſhould be inwardly taken, or any coraſiues applied outwardly: or like bankerupts, hate nothing worſe, then to looke vponupon their bookes of accounts: or like the Elephant, leaſt he ſhould ſee his foule great bodie, muds the water that he may drinke. So theſe in like manner, had rather rot away in their ſinnes, then that the purging phyſicke of the law ſhould be adminiſtred, or the coraſiues of Gods curſes ſhould be laid vponupon their ſores: the ſoule bankerupt of grace, may not indure to heare of the accounts and reckonings that it muſt make with Gods law: and the bodie of ſinne is ſo foule, that he would not looke vponupon it: and therefore by his pleaſures and paſtimes he laughs ſinne out of countenance: but woe be vntounto him, when he ſhall be preſſed of God, to confeſſe his ſinne, vponupon the racke of his conſcience.
2. is continuall liuing in dar… neſſe.The ſecond reaſon, is the louelove of darknes, and the hatred of the light. A man that hath a long time bin ſhut vp in cloſe priſon, and kept from the light of the ſunne, when he is drawne into the open aire, his eyes are ſo dazeled with the bright beames thereof, that he cannot looke about him, but deſires to be in his denne againe; and with the owle, had rather put his head into a hole, then hauehave the ſunne ſhine on it: his time is with the Bat to flie abroad when the night is come: therefore Gods law beeing as the ſhining of the ſunne, and his life lead in darknes, he will not to the light, leaſt his workes ſhould be reprooued.
Thirdly, 3. Negligence.men are either ſo laſie in themſelues, that they will not goe to the glaſſe of Gods law, or els they can indure no ſmart, becauſe the law would hauehave them waſh and be cleane; like little children though they ſee their ſpots in a glaſſe, yet they may not indure the cold water.
Fourthly, 4. Luſts.men are not ordered by Gods law, becauſe they will attend vponupon their luſts. Like ſchoole-boies that ſee their foule faces, yet becauſe they are giuen to play, runne away from the water: ſo many a man, by the cares of the world, as of pleaſure, profit, honour, or ſuch like, cannot ſtay to make any vſe of the beholding of themſelues in Gods law: Iam. 1.24. For ſtraight way he is gone, and ſo forgetteth what manner of perſon he was. Our Sauiour Chriſt when he inuited his gueſts to his marriage-feaſt, found many idle excuſes returned vntounto him. One hath bought a farme, and he muſt goe ſee it: others a yoke of oxen, and they muſt goe trie them: others hauehave married a wife, and they deſire likewiſe to be excuſed. EueryEvery one hath ſomething to doe, to keepe them from God and his law; it were well if they knew how faithfull reckonings, make long friends: and therefore it were very good not to delay the time with God: for he will not be mocked. Chriſt hath ſtood a long time knocking: he is ſtanding, if we put off to anſwer, he may ſoone be gone away from vsus. We vſe Chriſt as he was vſed in his birth; no roome for him in the Inne; if he pleaſe, he may hauehave the ſtable and the manger; and good reaſon, for great perſonages and vſuall gueſts, hauehave taken vp the inner roomes: ſo deale we with our Sauiour, our ſoules are taken vp with great perſonages, as lords and commanders, whome we cannot but obey: as lord couetouſnes, ambition, pride, ſelfe-louelove, pleaſure, and many vſuall gueſts, with which we hauehave had great cuſtome, ſo that Chriſt beeing an vnknowne gueſt vntounto vsus, it may be for meere pitie we will beſtow vponupon him our worſt roomes; if he pleaſe to goe into the ſtable, and will not vexe vsus in the inner roomes of our ſoules, he ſhall hauehave a nights lodging, and we will beſtow vponupon him ſome of our refuſe, ſuch as our great lords care not to meddle withall. This I tell you, is a ſtrong meanes to keepe vsus from Chriſt and his law, when like ſlaues we will be at the command of our baſe affectons.
Fiftly, diſordered callings take away the ordering of ſinne; as what law can order our commō beggers, ſtage-players, fidlers, and ſuch like: ſo many a wretched calling into which men thruſt themſelues, takes away all ordering by Gods lawe, and makes them runne head-long into all ſhame and confuſion: nay further, many callings from God, by the wickedneſſe of mans heart are become exceeding ſinnefull, when indeede Gods callings are all happie orders for our good. As for example, ſhop-keepers, they cannot liue except they ſell their wares vponupon the Sabbath day; how ſhould Gods lawe order theſe perſons in the ſanctification of the Sabbath? for it is in vaine for that perſon to waſh, which preſently after hee hath waſhed his hands, muſt foule them againe: ſo Ale wiues, how ſhould they ſanctifie themſelues, when they are readie to ſerue eueryevery filthy puddle, and durtie foule? it is hard to ride with an other in fowle way and not be plaſhed by him; for one to be at the mill, and not to be duſted; to touch pitch, and not be defiled; to carrie burning coales in his boſome, and eſcape the burning.
Sixt, is a miſconceit of the word of God, and his miniſters, 6. Want of lo…ethat they would make him worſe then he is. We ſee a man, when the glaſſe doth diſcontent him, throwes it away, and will not beleeue that he is ſo deformed, and therefore that glaſſe ſhall not teach him to apparell himſelfe: ſo men deale with Gods word and his miniſters, as Ahab dealt with the Prophet, Shall I ſeeke vntounto him, he neuer prophecied any good vntounto me? wherefore haſt thou found me, O my enemie? thou art the troubler of my ſtate, and therefore ſhalt hauehave no hearing.
Seuenth, inquirie of their companions, 7. Miſ information of others.whether the matter be ſo hainous, as the word of God and his miniſters would hauehave it? What, is good fellowſhip for halfe a douzen of ale, ſo great a matter? Is playing a game or two at the cards on the Sabbath day ſo great an offence, as nothing will pay for it but damnation? Alas, he ſurely is too preciſe, and denies all libertie: truely, truely, as long as one ſlovin inquires of another, there is like to be no handſomneſſe: ſo as long as one drunkard will be reſolued by another, one whoor-maſter by another, one ſwearer by another, one beaſtly companion by another, the law of God ſhall appeaſe no tuinults among them.
Eigth, 8. Habit of finning.the habite of vndecencie; hence no care to looke into the glaſſe: he applauds himſelfe in that profeſſion, & would hauehave the world ſo account of him; he laughs at his own foule face, and this vnhandſome apparell: ſo the habite of ſinne makes men laugh at reformation.
Ninth, 9. Hardneſſe of heart.deſperation: the blacke-moore will not waſh, for hee may as ſoone waſh his skin off, as take away his colour: the leopard cannot change his ſpots: and ſo is it with them that are accuſtomed to doe euill.
Laſtly, 10. Preſumption.the hope of a good day (as we ſay) makes men put off their waſhing; as they will waſh at Chriſtmas, on Sunday, or when a holy day comes, or ſome feaſting day: ſo many a ſoule vnderunder the hope of merciemercy, puts off the day of his viſitation, and meanes to repent in his old age: But alas, repentance is the gift of God, and therefore not to be commaunded at their wills. I remember the good counſell that one gaue to one of theſe delayers, who inquired the beſt time to repent: the anſwer was made according to his mind, one day before his death: that is well ſaies he, but yet I am not reſolued: for I know not when I ſhall die: neither doe I, ſaies his Counſellor, yet this is my counſell to preuent that danger, repent euerie day, and then ſhall you bee ſure to repent the day before your death. And theſe may be ſome of the reaſons why men will not bee ordered by Gods lawe, and therfore verie requiſite that God ſhould hauehave another booke, for the ordering of ſinne and ſinners, and that is the conſcience, which is to be vnderſtood in this place: yet ſo, that the other ought not to be excluded, for this can doe nothing but by the information of the former: for this booke is as I may tearme it, the application of the former; this makes vſe of the precepts laid downe in them: and therefore conſcience is verie neceſſarie, that the law might hauehave his worke in commaunding and forbidding ſinne: now the conſcience from the euidēce that the law giues in, either abſolues or condemnes, and ſo the Lord hath made it a little Iudge, ſitting vponupon his throne in the ſoules of men.
Before] The propoſition in the originall, giues vsus to vnderſtand, that after the ordering of ſinne, ſinne ſhould be ſo viſible, that it were impoſſible for a wicked man to looke off it: it ſhall ſtill meete him in the face, and ſuffer his conſcience to take no reſt, night nor day.
Thee:] The originall hath it, in thine eyes: Eye of the bodyman hath a threefold eie; firſt, the eie of the bodie, but that is no diſcerner of ſin: for wicked men hauehave this eie actiue enough to behold vanity and pleaſure. Hence riſeth the extraordinarie ſenſualitie of mankind, after the pleaſures and profits of this world; they liue all by ſenſe, blinded in their vnderſtanding, and conſcience: but this eye is not meant in this place. The ſecond eie, is the eye of vnderſtanding, Eie of reaſon no ſufficient iudge in the matters of ſin.which is the true diſcerner of all Gods works: for God hauing made all for man, he muſt needs giuegive him an eie, to behold all things that were made for him. By this eie, Adam was able to name the creatures, to knowe their natures, ends, and vſes: this eie ſince the fall is notably bleered; in heauenly things which truely concerne God, hee can ſee nothing at all, becauſe the obiect is too farre diſtant, and cannot be reached vntounto by any facultie in him: euen as an aged man can ſee things about him, but to looke afarre off, he is not able, neither can he diſcerne any thing: ſo our aged vnderſtandings can ſee ſome things at hand, as what belongs to this eſtate: as hee is a man for ciuill ſocietie, hee can doe ſome morall duties, exerciſe himſelfe in ciuil matters, and labour to maintaine his naturall life. Yet in all theſe his eye is ſo dimme, that he commits many diſorders in them all: for his morallitie, ſee how he abuſeth it in the firſt of the Romans: for his ciuillitie, ſee how he breaks the legs of iuſtice, & makes him lie in the ſtreets: for ſtrange be the contentions that are in the world betwixt men, to ſupplant one another in their rights, to infringe good titles, and make vp broken: and for this purpoſe, many a lawyer hath euen ſould himſelfe to bee a man of contention, for himſelfe and his neighbours; and ſo farre he makes himſelfe for eueryevery bodie, if ſo be he can make eueryevery bodie for himſelfe. Laſtly, in naturall things he hath loſt the vſe of ſobrietie; and therefore in eating and drinking, he becomes either a glutton, or a drunkard: therefore this eie cannot be quicke enough for the ſenſe and feeling of Gods iudgements: Lye of conſcience the beſt iudge.therefore God aboue ſenſe and reaſon hath giuen a third eye, which is the eie of conſcience, and this is a moſt powerfull eye; in ſo much that the learned hauehave affirmed that conſcience is ſupra hominem, infra deum, aboue man, vnderunder God.