Ten Sermons Upon Matthew 6:1-4, Sermon 4
THE IIII. SERMON.
MATH. 6.2.
As hypocrites do in the Synagogues and streetes, to be seene of men:
WE hauehave heard heretofore the excellent nature, and heauenly reward of sinceritie; now brethren, that we may be as much out of louelove with hypocrisie, as we are in louelove (I hope) with sinceritie: let vsus see the nature and reward of hypocrisie: because contraries being layed together, do the better appeare. And first, of the nature of of hypocrisie, vponupon these wordes: as the hypocrites do, &c. Of the second branch when we come to the next words, Verily I say vntounto you they hauehave their reward. At this time onelyonly of these wordes: as hypocrites do: wherein our Sauior Christ doth giuegive vsus 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 eueryevery 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 hauehave 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 hauehave their humours fed, then their liues reformed. A peece of worke both thanklesse and dangerous, yea a most vnpleasant argument hauehave I taken in hand, especially as the case standeth now, when most men come to catch and to cauill, and quot homines tot sententiae, eueryevery 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 hauehave 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 hauehave doue meetly well:) and to the Galathians he saith thus,2. Cor. 6.8. Gal. 4.6. 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 hauehave 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,Cal. Har. in his Euangelicall Harmony, vponupon 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 vntounto 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 hauehave 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) hauehave 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 hauehave 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 vntounto: 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 vsus, when the wicked do condemne vsus; 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 hauehave 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 onelyonly 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 eueryevery man should hauehave his due, and in the meane time practise all the deuises that may be to defeat eueryevery 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 vntounto: now these you may call officious hypocrites. Some seeme more forward then others in the outward profession of the Gospell, that vnderunder the colour thereof, they may the more freely giuegive them selues to their pleasures, and eueryevery new-fangled fashion that is daily inuented: these you may call (if you will) hypocrites of the fashion. Some are as the companie they come vntounto; and as Pedlers with their packes hauehave accesse to mens gates to get money: so these with their tales of eueryevery man get accesse to most mens tables, where they buy and sell at their pleasures, they care not whome, and all for a meales meate: these you may call (if you will) pedling hypocrites, or Protestents for the pot and the spit. There be diuerse others, which (if time would tarrie) I wold decipher vntounto you: as the daintie eared hypocrite, called Noli me tangere, who will professe Christ crucified, but cannot abide to hauehave Christ crucifie his sinnes; and the brazen-faced hypocrite, who in secret will say any thing, and in publike will deny the same againe. But here are enough and too many, to act a play that shall please the world, the flesh and the Diuell. Now what is the religion of all these I pray you? or (to speake the truth) of most men now adaies, but hypocrisie? that is to say, a very play, which eueryevery one studieth to act as artificially as he can, vponupon the tickle Stage of this vaine world, to winne thereby credite and commoditie amongst men, being before God nothing lesse, then that which they seem to be vntounto men. Now all these hypocrites or players may be deuided into two sorts or companies. First, such as make a counterfeit profession of religion. Secondly, such as make a counterfeit practise of that which they professe. And both these companies of hypocrites, are either publike or priuate. Publike are those which play their parts in the Church, or in the Commonwealth, and they are also of two sorts: such as abuse their office and authoritie which are publike, or such as abuse the publike assemblies and exercises of religion, seeming there to be that which they are not. Priuate hypocrites are such as play the counterfets in housholds, or otherwise. In housholds and families there is much hypocrisie, that is: many a play plaied by diuerse actors, both comically nnd tragically, that is, in sport and in earnest. The actors in these plaies be sometime the husband, sometime the wife: sometime the maister, sometime the seruants: sometime the parents, sometime the children, and sometime all together, as hereafter more at large we shall see. As in housholds, so elsewhere is much priuate hypocrisie raigning, as in shoppes amongst buyers and sellers, and elsewhere betweene partie and partie: making contracts and bargaines with great protestations of louelove and kindnesse: and all to deceiue.
Some thinke none may be tearmed hypocrites, but such as hauehave bene forward and zealous professors of the Gospell in shew: but they are deceiued. Indeed whosoeuer is a professor of Christianitie, and denyeth the power thereof, is an hypocrite. But of professors there are two sortes: some are very forward, and some are not so forward: some are zealous and make a great shew, & some are not so zealous, nor so much in shew, yet all professors of Christs Gospell. Whosoeuer hath giuen his name to Christ in baptisme, and is a partaker of the Lords table, is a professor of the name of Christ: but if in their liues they serue Sathan, they are but hypocrites. But it will be replied, that such as neuer made any shew of religion canot be counted hypocrites, because hypocrisie is a counterfetting or dissembling in religion. It is true indeed: but what count you religion? or what is it to make a shew of religion? Is it onelyonly to be a diligent hearer of Sermons? or a daily frequenter of the temple? or to talk much of the Scripture? or to reason well in matters of Diuinitie? or to vse praier and singing of Psalmes, and catechizing in the familie? or to keepe company with godly persons? or to speake against vnlawfull swearing and prophaning the Sabbath? or to defie idolatrie and superstition, &c. Surely he that doth all these, maketh a good shew of religion, and if he doth them not to God as well as to men, he is a grosse hypocrite. But what then? Is this all religion? Indeed many thinke so, and deceiue themselues. But whosoeuer maketh a shew of any religious duties, maketh a shew of religion. And we know that all the duties required in both the tables of the Commaundements, are religious duties being performed by way of obedience to God, as they ought to be. And if they be not so performed, they are then done but to the halfes, that is, to men but not to God. Now that religion consisteth aswell in the duties of the second table which concerne our neighbor, as in the duties of the first, which concerne Gods worship: it is euident by the testimonie of S. Iames. Iam. 1.27.Pure religion and vndefiled before God: euen the father is to visite the fatherlesse and widowes in their aduersitie, and to keepe himselfe vnspotted of the world, that is, to helpe those that hauehave no meanes to helpe themselues. He doth not exclude the duties of the first table, which concerne the immediate worship of God, but sheweth that all that without the other is vaine, as he saith plainely in the verse before: If any man among you seemeth religious, and refraineth not his toung, (meaning from backbiting, lying, slaundering, and maliciousnesse, and filthie talking, against which he inueigheth in the 21. verse) this mans religion is vaine. Now many ciuill honest men being baptized and admitted to the Lords table, and coming at times appointed to the holy exercises of Gods worship, may in some good measure keepe the duties of the second table, and yet not be very forward obseruers of the first table, paying man his due, and being slacke inongh to giuegive God his due. Now these I say if they keepe the second table, that is, pay eueryevery man his owne, honour their superiors, and liue chastly and orderly, and seeke to preserue life, and keepe hospitality for the poore, and helpe their neighbour to his right, and beare true witnesse, they do also make a good shew of religion: but if they do these things but to be seene and commended of men, they are but hypocrites: that is, counterfeits before God. Againe, if they stand more precisely vponupon one thing, that God hath commaunded, then vponupon another: it is a signe that their hearts are not vpright with God: for if they were vpright, they would aswell regard his commaundement for one thing as for another, or else they are hypocrites and dissemblers, to pretend obedience to Gods commaundements when they meane nothing lesse.
But it will be obiected againe, that the duties of the second table may be performed in some sort, euen by a meere ciuill or naturall man, that knoweth not God (as amongst the heathen be many such) nor make any shew of religion at all: or else where is the common distinction of ciuility and religion? Of ciuill actions and religious actions? The answer is easie, and to stand long vponupon such a point, were but to trifle away the time. We speake now of Christians in name and profession at the least, and not of the heathen: and eueryevery one that professeth himselfe a Christian, professeth also the workes of Christianitie in shew at the least, which are (as hath bene shewed) the workes of the second table aswell as of the first: which selfe same works may be done both ciuilly and religiously too: and so one and the same man in one and the same action: may shew himselfe both a ciuill honest man, and a religious honest man. As for example: the law of the Prince commaundeth me to pay my debts, to helpe my neighbour, to releeue the poore, &c. As a subiect owing obedience to my prince I do these things, and therein I do the part of a ciuill man, because I obey vntounto ciuill authoritie. But if in doing of the same things, I hauehave an eye vntounto God who commaundeth the same things, and do them in his feare, and of louelove vntounto his Maiestie: then do I the same things both religiously & ciuilly too. As for the heathen or heathenish professors of the Gospell, if they do obey ciuill authoritie for feare or for vaineglorie, or for any other end then the louelove of their neighbour, which also must flow out of the louelove of God, as being the end of the law: they also play the hypocrites because they seeme to louelove their neighbour, when they onelyonly louelove themselues.
And to make all this more full and plaine which hath bene said let vsus heare what our Sauiour Christ saith to the matter, who is the best expositor of his owne mind. In the 23. of Matthew, he pronounceth wo eight or nine times against the Scribes and Pharisees for diuerse kinds of hypocrisie, or diuerse seuerall counterfeit parts which they played, all which were not in matters of religion, most were but not all. First, in the thirteenth verse he saith:Mat. 23.13. Wo vntounto you Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites, because yee shut vp the kingdome of heauen before men: for ye your selues goe not in, neither suffer ye them that would enter to come in. There is one kind of hypocrisie: his meaning is, that they had one deuice or other still to keepe men from the hearing of Christs preaching, which was the verie kingdome of Gods grace, and the meane to bring them to the kingdom of glorie: and for that matter they had diuerse pretences: but because the thing they aymed at, was to keepe men from hearing of the Gospell preached: therefore Christ calleth them hypocrites. When I consider well of that place of Scripture, it maketh me remember such Church officers, as neuer go foorth to cause men to come to Church, but when the Sermon is readie to beginne, which they neither care perhaps to heare themselues, nor would by their goodwils that others should heare. Now because the preaching of the word, is the kingdome of Gods grace, and the meanes to bring men to the kingdome of glorie, let them take heede of Christs wo, because they shut vp the kingdome of heauen before men: for they themselues go not in, neither suffer they them to enter that wold come in, and all vnderunder pretence of executing their office in causing men to come to Church. Oh cunning diuell, that vnderunder pretence of bringing men to church, can keepe men from that, which should let them into the kingdome of heauen, that is, from hearing the word preached.
Verse 14.In the 14. verse our Sauiour Christ pronounceth wo vntounto the same persons for another kind of hypocrisie, and that is this: VnderUnder colour of long prayer, they deuoured widows houses, for which they were to receiue the greater damnation. Here is religious hypocrisie condemned, that is, vnderunder shew of any religious dutie to practise mischiefe. Some abuse long prayer, some short prayer, some read prayer, some weekely prayer, to couer their malice, and to make the world beleeue they are deuout persons. Let such as do so take heede: for Christs sentence is already gone foorth against such: they shall receiue the greater damnation.
Verse 15.In the 15. verse he sayth they playd the hypocrites another way, and that was in taking great paines to make men of their painted profession, and then to nusle them vp in al kind of grosse hypocrisie and wickednesse, to which end they would compasse sea and land, and vse all kinds of forcible perswasions, pretending their soules health, &c. Of this sort are all Iesuits and Seminary Priestes, which in like manner go from place to place, to withdraw men from their right faith to God, and true allegiance to their Prince, and to reconcile them vntounto the Church of Rome.
In the 16.Verse 16. verse he noteth another grosse hypocrisie: and that is, to make a conscience of swearing by one thing, and no conscience of swearing by another, as to sweare by the Temple was with them no sinne, but to sweare by the gold of the Temple, that was a great sinne. And to sweare by the Altar was nothing, but to sweare by the offering vponupon the Altar, that was a great sinne: Such hypocrites are they that make it no matter of offence to sweare at euerie word, by the holy and dreadfull name of God, so they sweare not by that precious bloud which he shed, or the wounds which he receiued, or some part of his most sacred person. And to sweare by the creatures of God, as by the light, by the fire, by their siluer, by the bread or other things which God made, as also by their faith and troth: is no sinne, so long as they sweare not by God himselfe. But marke what our Sauiour Christ saith vntounto all such. In the 17.Verse 17. verse he saith thus: Ye foolish and blind, to shew that there are foolish and blind hypocrites, which euer through ignorance and folly commit hypocrisie. Whether is greater (saith he) the gold or the temple that sanctifieth the gold? the offering or the Altar, that sanctifieth the offering? whosoeuer therefore sweareth by the Altar, sweareth by it and by all things thereon. And whosoeuer sweareth by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein. And he that sweareth by heauen, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon. And euen so by Christs reason, he that sweareth by the light or any other creature, sweareth by it and by him that made the same and ruleth the same: and he that sweareth by his faith or troth, sweareth by it and by God, from whom is faith and troth be deriued, and on whom they be grounded. But to proceed: In the 23.Verse 23. verse the Lords Iesus taxeth thē for another kind of hypocrisie, & that is this: They tithe mint and annise and cummin, and leaue the weightie matters of the law, as iudgement, mercy and fidelity. This he calleth straining of a gnat, and swallowing of a cammell. A disease that al hypocrites do labor of, to be verie busie and doubtfull in small and trifling matters, and to neglect altogether the weighty and principall duties of the law. Hic morbus omnibus fere saeculis & apud omnes gentes regnauit (saith Maister Caluin) vt maior pars hominum leuiculis obseruationibus Deum placare studuerit. This is a disease (saith he) that hath raigned in all ages, amongst all men, that the greater part of men hauehave studied to please God with the lightest and triflingest obseruations that could be, and his reason is this, because (saith he) they cannot exempt themselues from all kind of dutie and seruice to God, therefore they flye vntounto this as a second remedy, to redeeme most grieuous offences with satisfactions that are nothing worth. And for an instance, he bringeth in the Papists: who passing ouer the great and most substantiall commandements of God, do thinke to make him amends by sweating about cold and naked ceremonies. And such a thing is it that Christ reproues in the Scribes and Pharisees, who cast by the principall points of the law of God, and thought yet both to satisfie him, and to retaine also a name of righteous men, by paying of their tithes, and not of all things neither: but of mint and annife and cummin, and such toyes, when notwithstanding in greater matters they vsed all the fraud and deceipt that could be, and left no cunning meanes vnpractised, to defeat the Church of her right in the chiefest things. After the manner of many now a daies, who (most hypocritically) will come to the Minister, and saie, you shall hauehave all your due, God forbid that we should keepe a farthing from the Church that is due. No Sir, you shall hauehave rather more then lesse of your due. Now these be good Pharisaicall speeches. But when it commeth to triall indeed, it shall be the tithe onelyonly of mint and cummin, &c. that is, of toyes and trifles to speake of, as it might be of the remnant of an apple tree, or if you will the tenth part of an apple. And because you shall not saie, but that they deale well with you and with a good conscience, you shall hauehave the paring and all, whereas when we come to the vncasing of the hypocrite, we shall find him iust of Ananias his religion,Act. 5. Ier. 43. who told the Apostles that there was all, when there was but halfe, or of the Iewes religiō, in Ieremy 43. who sayd that they would heare the word of God from Ieremy: but when Ieremy spake, they sayd plainely, this is not the word of God, we know the word of God. So say minting hypocrites, we will pay our dues: yea, to the vttermost, but we will set downe ourselues what is due, and more then that you get not: like a good fellow on the way, that bad a man deliuer his purse, and when it was told him that it was against the kings lawes to rob and steale: his answer was; It is true indeed, the kings lawes must be obeyed, but you must know that for this time I am king, & my cōmandement is that you deliuer your purse: behold my Septer (quoth he) and shewed him his sword, euen so is it with those which say, all dues must be payed, but they will set downe what shall be due, & their will shall go for a law: I speake not now of things in controuersie, but of things that be out of controuersie. What deuises? what shifts? what art and cunning? what craft and subtily, euen among the meanest aswell as the greatest (except here one and there one, a few amongst many that deale truly▪) and all to defeate and defraud the Church of her right: and yet forsooth when they come to pay the tith of their mint and their annise, & cummin, and stubble, and a halfe penny for a shilling: and a shilling for a pound, and a pound for ten, deuouring both fields and flockes, that is, the greatest matters of all, they will say, God forbid, but you should hauehave your due. And let a Christian Minister demaund, but what the Christian Magistrate hath allowed him: what exclamations shall you heare? what grieuous accusations of hard dealing? of cruell dealing? a couetous man, neuer content, and I know not wat will ensue? I speake it to warne you my brethren to take heed in time, of such grosse hypocrisie: and to repent of that which is past, and deale vprightly as in the sight of God, who will brooke no such dealing at your hands. It is a point that toucheth the state of our soules, and the hazard of our saluation very nearely: and therefore looke vntounto it, as you will answer it vntounto God. I doubt not but God will still prouide for his seruants, what his gracious will and pleasure is, as he did for his seruants the Apostles, in the Primitiue Church,Act. 5. when Ananias and his wife played their parts with them, lying vntounto the holy Ghost, to saue part of their goods, & to keepe a good opinion amongst men: but God tooke them with the manner, and smote them downe with present death, to shew how he can do with all such as play the like parts. And though he doth not strike all such presently as he did them: yet many of them may sensibly feele Gods hand vppon them, in their goods, or in their bodies, or in their cattell, or one way or other, or hardening their heats, or blinding their eyes, that they cannot repent of their wickednesse, because he reserueth for them (I feare) a more fearefull iudgement.
And what else (I pray you) do they but tithe mint, and annise, and cummin, and neglect the greater matters of the law, which in the Church or cōmon-wealth do so vehemently vrge matters of ceremony and circumstance, and in the meane time leaue the principall and most substantiall points of Gods worship vnlooked vntounto? What a stirre do some keepe to hauehave euerie thing in order about the Church, to please the eye and the time withall, but hauehave no care to hauehave a learned preacher to instruct their soules in the wayes of life and saluation? What a coile do others keepe about sitting and kneeling at the Communion? and neuer regard the due examination of themselues aforehand, that they may come worthily vntounto the same?
These and such like matters ought to be done, but the greater matters ought not to be left vndone. Or else (saith Christ) men are like those that straine a gnat and swallow a cammell. Now what a ridiculous iest is it, to see one mince and chew a smal crum of bread for feare of choaking, and yet swallow downe a whole loafe? or to straine the liquour that hath a gnat in it, for feare of hurting their iawes, and make no bones of a cammell, which is a huge beast, that is, of a thing that is more then they are able to compasse, without manifest perill and destruction? Such ridiculous hypocrites are they that keepe a great stirre about trisles, and let foule abuses passe by, yea swallow them downe whole.
And because we are now entred into the bowels of hypocrisie: giuegive me leaue a little to cleare my selfe of one thing more, wherein (as in diuerse others) I hauehave bene not a little mistaken, and that is this. It is rumoured abrode, that I would hauehave perswaded the Church-officers of this place to dispense with their oath, in not presenting those things which concerne my selfe in my ministerie: which is all one, as if I shold perswade them to be periured, by a witting and willing abusing of the most sacred name of God, whome they hauehave called to witnesse against their owne soules, if they do not present all things that they are sworn vntounto. It is vntrue, and a wickednesse, that I trust God in his merciemercy wil preserue me from while I liue; but this indeed I said, that in their oath; as in all other oathes that are ministred iudicially, two things are chiefly respected, if they be not expressed: the one is the glorie of God, the other is the good of the Church; which I told them they were in the execution of their office, and in al other presentments to hauehave a special regard of: aduising them to looke most to those things, that do make most for the aduancing of the glorie of God, and the reformation of the Church of God: as namely, the prophaning of the Lords day, by vnnecessarie working thereupon: by carying of wares vp and downe, and open gaming vponupon the Lords day, together with blasphemers, drunkards and vsurers, and negligent commers to the church; al which be foule blots and spots in a Christian congregation: and therin shold God be greatly glorified: and not to let these alone, and stand altogether prying into the Minister, for matters of ceremonie and circumstance: as if they were in office for no other end, but to trouble Gods Minister, and to strengthen the hands of the wicked. But forasmuch as God is glorified also in presenting of eueryevery thing that commeth within compasse of their oath, I would hauehave them answer truly vntounto euerie article. And so I say still vntounto you that be in office: deale so as God may be glorified, and Gods church may be edified. Leaue this partialitie in doing your office: hauehave the feare of God before your eyes: and feare more to offend his Maiestie by abusing his holy name, then to offend your honest neighbours by winking at their sinnes. I tell you these things plainely, and in louelove to your soules (whatsoeuer men iudge of me) I protest before God (if protestations will serue) your courses that you take be not good. God is dishonoured by you, and the Church of God vnreformed. It is seldome that you go abroad to visite mens houses: I meane those that are frozen in their dregges: and when you doe go, it is so vnseasonably, that it were better that you went not at all. You should go at the beginning of common Prayer, and compell men as much as in you lyeth, to come to the general confession and prayers of the Church, and reading of the Scripture, as well as to the Sermon but you tarry till the Sermon beginneth, and then draw out many with you, that would be gladder to heare the Sermon, perhaps then your selues are, and so you hinder both your selues and them too. And by this meanes you offend double, by bringing in an open contempt both of the Sermon and the common prayers of the Church. For what say many? we are a comming: all in good time: the Sermon is not begunne yet: and so you let them alone: as who say, if they come to the Sermon then all is well. Againe by this meanes, behold another inconuenience while men are left to thēselues, to go & come at their own pleasure, the poore are for the most part defrauded of their allowance, because (men comming not in due time) the collectors cannot hauehave it of them, vnles they would go as vnseasonablie about in the Sermon time, as you do.
Againe, when you do go, to whom do you go? or whose houses do you visite? Alas, none but a few poore base Alehouses, and the meaner sort: you dare not go to the richer sort, to the better sort: no, you are afraid to displease them: you say it is not the custome: but they may, and their wiues may, and their seruants may come at their pleasure, and do what they list: and that see the poorer sort, and they thinke they should be suffered as well as the rich. Againe, when you hauehave visited some few places or persons; what do you? Do you present anie of them? Neuer. Do you take twelue pence apeece of them according to the Statute? Seldome. And there againe the poore are defrauded by your partialitie. And to saie the truth, I do not see with what faces you can present the poore and meaner sort, except you also present the rich, for feare least either periurie or partialitie should flie in your faces. And what are your pretences? Forsooth for the poorer sort: alas they are poore, we hauehave giuen them warning, &c. as though they hauehave not had warning enough, or should from yeare to yeare still be warned, and neuer be spurred forward by the discipline of the Church. And for the richer sort, why sir, we see them not, we know them not that do offend: do you know any? Can you tell vsus of any? And what a stirre wold here be, if we should be so forward? What, would you hauehave vsus noted aboue all men in the towne? and I know not what. A way with these figge leaues for shame, and looke to your oath sincerely. My brethren leaue this halting, and dissembling, and malicious dealing, and partiall dealing in Gods businesse. For all that deale so, do as hypocrites do: and you know that hypocrisie is detestable in the sight of God. It is no maruell (good brethren) that there be so many Schismaticks,Schismatiks. that hauehave deuided them selues from our congregations, crying out against vsus, that we hauehave no Church amongst vsus for want of discipline and gouernement, although therein they be foully deceiued. For they thinke, that because in many places of the land, discipline is either not vsed at all; as where euerie man is let to do what he list: or else abused, as where onelyonly good men are troubled for trifles, or some few of the most inferiour sort, which hauehave no money to pay, are called in question: that therefore we hauehave no discipline at all: but they are deceiued greatly. For euen as a rich man hath gold and siluer in his house, though he let it lye and rust, or else mispend it: and as there is a sword in the sheath, though it be not drawne foorth; and power also in the owner thereof to draw it foorth, though he exercise not that power at all, or not aright: euen so in this Church of England is a sword of discipline: that is, Church gouernement, and power in the Ministers and officers of the Church to exercise the same, although in some places it is let rust in the sheath, & in other places perhaps drawne foorth and vsed vnseasonably. But alas many that be ignorant and weake, and yet tender of conscience (howsoeuer most of that sort be caried with a spirit of furie and insolencie) do stumble exceedingly at these things: and surely no great maruel, when those that be sworne to present so many things, let all alone, or else turne the edge of the sword against the Ministers of the word, taking, as it were, a pride and felicitie in disgracing and discrediting of them. For (to let passe the corruptions of many which are in place and authoritie to punish faults) surely this is a thing intollerable, for any that are sworne to bring disorders to light, to make no more conscience of their oath, then if the fearefull name of God were a matter of no regard, but to be plaied and dallied withall, or made a cloake for mischiefe and malice, as if God himselfe did either know nothing of your dealings, or had no will or abilitie to punish the same. Neither is it any maruell though the Minister of Christ be had in contempt, and be counted a contentious and a troublesome fellow, when those which should second him with the censurers of the Church are content to let the wicked do what they list, without controulment: nay are as readie to violate Gods orders as others, and assoone as any to misuse Gods Minister for doing of his dutie faithfully. And what will be the end of all this, but a fearefull iudgement of God vponupon the land, to end the matter withall? As it fell out in the daies of Zedechiah king of Iudah, in whose daies both he and the Priests, and the people trespassed wonderfully, and heathenishly, and polluted the house of the Lord, euen as in our daies the house of God is polluted and contemned. To redresse this geare, the Lord sent vntounto them his messengers, rising early and sending: for he had compassion on his people,2. Chron. 36.15.16.17. and on his habitation; but they did as we do: They mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his Prophets, vntill the wrath of the Lord arose against his people, & till there was no remedy. For he brought vponupon them the King of the Chaldeans, who slue their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuarie, and spared neither young man nor virgin, auncient nor aged: God gaue all into his hands. See the 2. of Chron. the 36. Chapter, and the 16. and 17. verses: to shew vsus that though God can beare with manie sinnes, yet he cannot beare with the contempt of his word and Ministers. And thus you see brethren, three foule and fearefull monsters brought forth by the malice, and nursed by the negligence, and couered by the hypocrisie of Church officers: and that is, contempt of discipline and gouernment, Schisme and deuision in the Church, contempt of Gods message and messengers, and all attended vponupon with the consuming wrath and vengeance of God. If any man shall think that I hauehave vrged these things too neare, and too particularly applyed this doctrine: let them but seriously consider as before God, what dammage the Church sustaineth by the corrupt and partiall dealing of Church officers, and I hope they will easily confesse, that a Pastor (whome God hath made a watchman to see that none of Christs sheepe be lost or deuoured) by his pastorall authoritie in his owne place, may and ought to say as much as I hauehave done, yea euen to the Church officers of this place, without offence to any. And I maruel (considering the great mischiefe that ensueth the negligence and counterfeit dealing of Ecclesiasticall officers, and how the fault (when Schismatikes are bred) is returned vponupon the Ministers & faithful teachers) that others are so sparing, or no more earnest against them then they are. For if men be ielous ouer their children, & do with great indignation set thēselues against those that are means whereby they are bereaued of thē, yea of their cattell, which is lesse. And if the Church ought also to be as iealous ouer her children, (which through the painefull trauels of her Ministers hauehave bene begotten vntounto Christ) as men are of theirs: then why should not the Fathers, and nurses, I meane the Ministers of the Churches children, for the Lord Iesus open their mouths▪ yea with great zeale and indignation against those, by whose meanes the members of the Church may and do miscarrie? For why should the Church of Christ be robbed of her children: as this very congregation or flocke hath bene of some since my coming hither, through your negligence that be in office, and sworne to bring grosse and noisome abuses to light (the stinke whereof maketh many weake ones to loath their mothers house) and we sit still and hold our peace? But alas sir (will hypocrisie say) what would you hauehave vsus to do? when we present faultes, nothing is reformed: as good let all alone, as get the ill will of our honest neighbours and do no good: money will buy of all, &c. But this is too open a net to daunce in, when all the world shall see, that the least part of the hypocrites care, is to reforme grosse abuses, to do good indeed, and with a religious heart zealously to maintaine the glorie of God: but rather bend all their studie to serue the time, to please men, and to crosse the truth. Nay rather if mens hearts be vpright with God,Iosh. 14. they are of Iosuahs mind, who said, Though all Israel will not, yet I and my house shall serue the Lord: so, though no man else will make a conscience of their oath or office, yet we will: and so do I pray you. For if others will be remisse, and partiall, and corrupted when you hauehave presented faults, and will swallow those Cammels, that you bring out of their stables: that is their sinne, and they shall answere for it. But if you faile in your dutie, seeing and not seeing, straining gnats and swallowing of camels: that is your sinne, and you shall answere it also; for eueryevery one shall beare his owne burden. And therefore in the feare of God, let vsus looke eueryevery one of vsus better vntounto in then we hauehave done: and repent of that which is past, that God in Christ Iesus may be mercifull vntounto vsus.