Ten Sermons Upon Matthew 6:1-4, Sermon 5
THE V. SERMON.
MATH. 6.2.
As the hypocrites do.
WE hauehave hitherto heard, how vaineglorie, and hypocrisie do defile all our good actions before God: and how by taking heede, vaineglorie is to be auoyded. The reward likewise of sinceritie we hauehave seene, and in part the mature of hypocrisie; according to the intent and purpose of our Sauiour Christ, who both describeth hypocrites vntounto vsus in their colours, and in so doing doth plainely tell vsus, that he would hauehave the doings and qualities of hypocrites to be made known vntounto the world. To which end it is necessary, that the hypocrite be vncased and viewed well in the light, that eueryevery one espying his vgly visage, and taking good markes of him, may beware of him, auoide his conditions, and escape his punishment. And this worke (as you know good brethren) I called the vncasing of the hypocrite, wherein I shewed you first what is hypocrisie: namely, a counterfeiting of religion, or any religious dutie, or a doing of that which we do onelyonly to be seene of men, and yet seeme to be such as would approue our waies in the sight of God, professing the louelove and feare of God, when there is no such matter in vsus. For which cause they are most fitly compared to players, who make a shew of doing that which they do not indeede, and represent those persons which they are not. Next, how many kinds of hypocrites there be, some being publike, some priuate, some religious, some ciuill. Lastly, we tooke a particular view of some speciall hypocrisies, described by our Sauiour Christ in the 23. of Mathew, from the 14. verse to the 23. whereof the last was of them, that seeme to make a conscience of trifles, and none of waightie matters, which Christ calleth straining of gnats, and swallowing of camels: all which for breuities sake I do omit, because there are many mo yet behind to be vncased: whose acts and monuments are truely recorded: whose visages and pictures are plainely deciphered, and whose bowels and inward parts are deepely searched, and whose iuglings and dissemblings are all fully discouered by Christ the searcher of hearts, in the forenamed 23. chapter of Mathew, and diuerse other places beside. Wherein our Sauiour Christ we see is not sparing but plentifull, not mild but seuere, not short but long, not negligent but painefull, and neuer hath done with them, but euer anone meeteth with them, remembreth them, and neuer lets them passe vntill he hath marked them with his blacke cole of deepe dislike and deadly detestation, and still warning his disciples to beware of hypocrits, and their leuin of hypocrisie, whereof but a little sowreth and spoileth the whole lumpe. Now seeing our Sauiour Christ bendeth all his force as it were against hypocrisie, and the doings of hypocrites: I see no reason that any should be offended that I do so too. For hypocrisie in religion is like Iudas amongst the disciples, a faire spoken theefe, but a cunning and daungerous traitor, readie still to betray both Christ and all Christianitie into the hands of their enemies: onelyonly she saith, as Esau said: The dayes of mourning for my father will come shortly, and then I will kill my brother Iacob: that is, I onelyonly want and waite a time to do my feates in.
Besides those actes which our Sauiour Christ hath alreadie noted in the Scribes and Pharises to the 25. verse of the 23. of Mathew, we find in the verses following diuerse other parts of their hypocrisie, seuerely taxed, and liuely described by him, whereof some be in actu, some in potentia: that is, some be present, and some are to come. By the former he sheweth what is alwaies the present behauiour of hypocrites, euen when they are at the best: by the latter he prophecieth what they will be when time shal serue, and that he sheweth in the 34. verse: where he saith: that they (which now for the present do garnish the sepulchers of the righteous) shall one day both kill and crucifie, scourge and persecute both Prophets and wise men, in their sinagogues, and from citie to citie.
But for the present thus it is with them. First, they make cleane the outside of the cup and platter:Verse 25. but within they are full of briberie and excesse: & these he further likeneth to whited tombes, which appeare beautifull outward,27. but are within full of dead mens bones and of all filthinesse: applying his similie vntounto hypocrites thus: So are ye also, for outwardly ye appeare righteous vntounto men,28. but within ye are full of hypocrisie and iniquitie. Christs meaning is, that all hypocrites care is to approue themselues in the sight of men, by setting faire shewes vponupon eueryevery thing, but before God they are most wicked & abominable: like the harlot, who to please straungers is very diligent and carefull, and towards others is very courteous, and sober, and kind, but towards her owne husband is most sauage, impudent and shamelesse.
In the next place Christ sheweth, what friends and welwillers hypocrites are vntounto the Prophets, that is, to the Preachers of Gods word: but you must note, that is to them that were dead: and that they are great friends to them, appeareth two waies. First, by the cost that they are at in decking their Tombes. Secondly, by blaming of their forefathers, by whom the Prophets were persecuted and iniuried while they were aliue. And thus would they get a good opinion amongst men, by reuerencing the memorie of the Prophets and holy men of God. For while they did thus counterfeit a louelove vntounto their persons, they seemed to yeeld to their doctrine: and who would not take them now for most faithfull followers of their doctrine, and most zealous seruants and worshippers of God? It was a thing very plausible to decke the Tombes of the Prophets, and to erect monuments for them. For by this meanes, saith Caluin: Cal H…. Euang. Mat. 23.quasi ex tenebris eruebatur religio vt in suo honore staret: religion was as it were plucked out of darkenesse and set vp in her due honour. But indeede they meant nothing lesse then to restore the doctrine of the Prophets, which by their death might seeme to be put out. And yet being both straungers vntounto the propheticall doctrine, and also most deadly enemies vntounto the same, they wold bestow goodly Tombs vponupon thē being dead, as though that they and the Prophets had stood both for one and the same cause.
And this saith Caluin, is vsuall with hypocrites, to honour the holy seruants of God, & pure teachers of the word after their death, whom they could not endure being aliue. And for this M. Caluin doth yeeld a very singular good reason. This cometh not only from the corrupt custom of the vulgar people, saith he: sed quia duris & seueris correptionibus molesti, ampliùs non sunt mortui cineres, non agrè in illis colendis euanidā religionis vmbram ostentant qui loquentiū vocibus ad insaniam aguntur. But because their dead dust and ashes are no longer troublesome vntounto thē with hard and sharpe reproofes: therfore it doth not grieue them to make shew of a vanishing shadow of religion, in reuerencing thē being dead, who were driuen to madnes & rage with their liuely voices. The world (because it durst not wholly despise God, or at least rise vp openly against him, as it were in armes) hath inuented this deuice to worship the shadow of God for God himself: & in like maner doth reuerence the shadow of the preachers & Prophets for the doctrine it selfe. What need we go any further for an exāple of this play, then to the Popish church? who are not content with that lawfull and due reuerence that is giuen to the Apostles & blessed Martyrs of Christ: but will bestow most impiously vponupon them that worship that is due to God: and professe that they cannot honour them inough: when in the meane time by their raging against the faithfull, (which follow their steppes and doctrine ) they do plainely shew howe they would vse the Apostles and Martyrs, if they were now aliue againe, and did performe that dutie which they did when they were on earth. For why else do they with such rage burne and flame out against vsus, but because we desire to hauehave that doctrine to be receiued, and to flourish, which the Apostles and Martyrs hauehave sealed with their bloud? Let them then a dorne the images of the Saints, with their frankensence, candels, flowers, and all kind of pompe as long as they list, saith Caluin: if Peter were now aliue they would surely pull him in peeces: if Paule were amongst them, they would certainely stone him: if Christ himselfe were aliue and amongst thē, they wold rost him to death with a softfire.
And do not diuerse Protestants play the same part? who will seeme to make much of some Preachers: and giuegive them good entertainment, as Herod did Iohn Baptist, and yet persecute with might and maine their owne Pastors for teaching the same doctrine which they do? Or for the couering and cloking of their speciall and beloued sinnes, will seeme to the world to be religious, by hearing the preaching, and entertaining of the persons of Preachers at their houses, thinking themselues then safe,Iudg. 18. as Micah did when he had a Leuite in his house, when in their harts they do vtterly loth and detest the sinceritie of that truth, and the strictnesse of those courses, as puritanisme, and too much precisenesse which they vrge? And what is the religion of all such, but a play to be seene of men?
Verse 33.In the 33. verse of the former 23. Chapter, Christ (being about to conclude his Sermon) doth more plainly vncase these hypocrites, and layeth them wide open to all the world, telling what they are, what they must looke for, and what his seruants must look for at their hands. What they are he sheweth, when he saith: O Serpents and generation of vipers! to shew, that they were not only enemies to the doctrine of the Prophets, but most pestilent enemies to the whole church of God, and like vipers will not sticke to eate out the very bowels of the Church their mother, to maintaine their owne state and pride. What they must trust vntounto if they truly repent not, he sheweth, when he saith: how should ye escape the damnation of hell? As if it were a thing almost impossible for professed hypocrites to repent and be saued. So hypocrites we see by Christs example are to be handled, though they be the great maisters of Israel: their vizards are to be plucked off, and they are to be laid open to the view of the world, and to be haled by force as it were before the tribunall seate of Gods iudgement. What Gods seruants must looke for at hypocrites hands when time shall serue (howsoeuer they seeme now to heare them, and to entertaine them) our Sauiour Christ sheweth, when he saith, he will send Prophets and wise men, and Scribes among them, that is, men endued with all manner of learning, and qualified with aboundance of Gods graces: but they shal scourge them and persecute them from citie to citie:Verse. 34.37. yea euen in Ierusalem, the Lords Prophets shall be killed, and the messengers of the most high shall be stoned to death. In times past their rage was such against the holy Prophets, that neither the holinesse of the Temple, nor reuerence of the Altar, whereupon the sacrifices were offered, could stay them from shedding of innocent bloud. As for example: the bloud of Zacharias the sonne of Barachias, meaning indeede him, that was the son of Iehoiada the priest, whom Christ calleth Barachias, that is, the blessed of the Lord: of Barach and ias, which is, the blessed of the Lord, as M. Caluin noteth; because he had spent his whole life in the worship and seruice of God. And this is vsuall in Scripture, to giuegive vntounto men besides their proper names, other names of speciall signification, either for their consolation, or for their humiliation. So Iacob was called Israel, that is, preuailing with God:2 Chron. 24.22. and Salomon, Iedidah, that is beloued of the Lord: and Iames and Iohn, Boanerges, that is, sonnes of thunder: and Iehoiada, Barachias, that is, the blessed of the Lord. So terroris gratia, to terrifie him, Bashur that misused Ieremy, was called Magor Misabib, that is, feare on eueryevery side. And Naoim in the bitternesse of her soule, would be called Marah, that is, bitternesse. But now to the matter of Zacharias, the sonne of Iehoiada Barachias, the blessed of the Lord. Of whose martyrdome and the cause thereof, we may reade sufficiently in the second of Chronicles, the 24. chapter, from the 17. verse vntounto the 23. So likewise in time to come they which now boasted of the Prophets Tombes amongst them: and of learned Preachers in their sinagogues, should through the iust vengeance of God, be giuen vp to such a reprobate mind, that they should shew all kind of raging crueltie against the same Prophets, whom they so much seemed to reuerence. God graunt this prophesie may neuer take place amongst vsus, if it be his will: but surely it is much to be feared, that if time should turne, and religion alter (which our sinnes hauehave iustly deserued) it will proue too true. For hypocrites will play the hypocrites, and shew them selues in their colours when all is done: euen as the Blackmoore will be blacke, if all the water in the sea were spent in washing him. For they that are so forward now in colour of their office and pretence of lawe, to abuse Gods Ministers, as many be: what would they do, if they had Prince and Prelates, and lawe, and all to backe them? They that now in the publike and authorized profession of the Gospell, (and vnderunder the gouernment of so gracious and Christian a Prince as we hauehave, who esteemeth of the true Ministers of Christ in the Church, as of the soule in the bodie, the Lord long preserue her amongst vsus) are not ashamed to contriue wicked plots, and diuellish deuises, to call their Ministers names into question, by suggesting vntounto great persons, most impudent lyes and shamefull slaunders, and that vnderunder pretence of their office, and vponupon the credite of their oath. They that now so abound in malice against their Minister, for speaking but the truth, that when they can find no matter against him at home, can send an hundred miles for matters obiected and answered, ended and finished ten yeares ago, and to reuiue matters whith hauehave bene dead and buried so long time, like those that in Queene Maries time, digged vp Bucers bones out of the graue, to endite them and burne them: what cruell persecutors would these become if time did serue? What would not these men do against the poore seruants of Christ if Queene Maries time shold come againe? except God did giuegive them repentance, and work a strange alteration. God deliuer me out of their handes, and giuegive them better minds if it be his will. It were a strange alteration to see some that now bring Bibles to the Church, and turne to places after the Preacher, one day to be instruments to burne so many Bibles as they can come by. It were strange to see such as are now most attentiue in hearing the preacher, and most kind in giuing him entertainment, one day to throw a faggot at his head, or to be a witnesse against his doctrine, or to helpe to burne him? Well, such times hauehave bene, and such times may come again for our sinnes: and then shall the approued be knowne, as the Apostle speaketh, and hypocrites with their light and chaffie profession shall then be discouered, & blowne away with the wind. Many now would answer as Hazael did to the Prophet,2. King. 8.12.13. if any should say to them as the Prophet said to him. I weepe, saith the Prophet, to remember what thou shalt do to the children of Israel when thou art king of Aram, how thou shalt burne their cities. and put their young men to the sword, and dash their infants in peeces, and rent their women with child. What? said Hazael, is thy seruant a dogge, that I should do this great thing? So would many answere now (no doubt:) Are we dogges, that we should so vse God seruants, &c? No doubt of it, in King Edwards daies, he that should hauehave warned some persons of such things, that were hearers of those reuerend Martyrs and Bishops, Hooper, Latimer, Ridley, Cranmer, & other faithfull Ministers. D. Taylor, Bradford, and others, they would hauehave bene at defiance with thē: yet for al that, they (when time serued) stood foorth to accuse these godly Fathers, & to persecute them to death, that a man wold litle hauehave thought of be actors in such ttagedies. Wel, God blesse vsus all my brethren, & keep vsus in his holy feare, and make vsus vpright harted, & constant in the profession of religiō: for I do feare greatly else, that if euer time should serue (which God for his mercies sake forbid, if it be his will) too too many would play Hazaels part, though they make a faire shew now, and stand at open defiance for such matters. Well, let no man bragge of his own strength, that he will do this, and he will not do that: for manie good men, euen sincere Christians, may promise and vowe a standing for the truth with Peter, and because they rely vppon their owne strength, may fall with Peter: but I trust God will giuegive them merciemercy and repentance to rise againe with Peter: but as for hypocrites and time-seruers, whose hearts are best knowne vntounto God, out of question, they will then shew themselues in their colours. Let them now pretend with Iudas neuer so much care for the poore, or louelove to Christ, they will one day proue theeues to the poore, and traytors to Christ, as Iudas did: and if they once fall with Iudas, let them take heed that they hang not themselues with Iudas, for betraying and persecuting innocent bloud. For it is not the approbation of the Elders that will iustifie Iudas, nor his officious kisse that will couer him, nor the law of the land that will warrant him, nor the siluer bribe that will enrich him, nor the praise of men that wil comfort him, nor his forced restitution that wil restore him, nor his constrained confession that will conuert him, nor his faithlesse repentance that will saue him; when his money, & his friends, & his owne tongue, and heart, & hand, & conscience, as a thousand witnesses, and God himselfe shall be against him, God grant that all counterfeits and hypocrites, and dissemblers in religion, may in time take heede by his example. There be many both honest and godly religious Christans, whose desire is, with all their harts to please God, by doing those things which his word requireth of them. And these for the louelove that they beare vntounto the truth, and their hatred that they carry against wickednesse, are by an odious name called Puritanes: and if they fall at any time through occasion, as oftētimes they do through some infirmity against their wils, then are they condemned as hypocrites, but most vniustly. For though all our actions smell of hypocrisie, as maister Bradford well perceiued, when he desired the Lord to forgiue him all his hypocrisies, and confessed a little before his death, that all his prayers, and all his best seruing of God were but hypocrisie, meaning in comparison of that sinceritie that is required of euerie Christian: yet notwithstanding are none to be tearmed hypocrites, which fall by occasion through infirmitie, and are onelyonly stained with the dust of it, and infected with the contagion thereof, as men that draw in one and the same aire with hypocrites: but onelyonly such are to be counted for hypocrites, which make a shew of that which they are not, nor meane to be, but with their tongues can hold men cunningly with a faire tale of religion and godlinesse, while their hearts are resolued to practise all kind of mischiefe and iniquitie: of such I speake, and not of simple harted and well meaning Christians, who hauehave (no doubt) their faults as well as other men, though they make not an art of sinning as hypocrites do.
This secret hypocrisie of Gods children doth not a litle trouble many of them, neither can many be perswaded but that all that they do is done in hypocrisie, as maister Bradford writing to one of his friends, in most of his letters condemneth himselfe for a painted hypocrite, and being thus troubled in their tender consciences, they are still afraide of that woe, that our Sauiour Christ pronounceth against hypocrites. But for the comforting of such tender consciences (whose feare is euer that they shall not deale vprightly and sincerely inough in Gods sight) we are to distinguish of hypocrisie: for some hypocrisie respecteth men onelyonly, seeking only praise of men and not of God: and some hypocrie there is that respecteth God also, yea most of all, and that stealeth in this fort vponupon vsus. A Christian that feareth God goeth in priuate by himselfe to call vponupon God, by prayer. Now in his priuate prayer, somtime his mind is drawne away into a nūber of by-thoughts and wandering imaginations, insomuch as he oftentimes thinkes least of God, when he calleth vponupon him, neither is throughly moued with an inward desire of obtaining those things that he prayeth for, nor with a hartie loathing of those sins that he prayeth against: then commeth Sathan and suggesteth thus: Surely thou art an hypocrite, for thou hast not prayed with all thy heart, nor with all thy soule, nor with all thy might. Againe, sometime the Christian soule prayeth earnestly, with great feeling and groning of spirite, and hath his mind wholy intent and bent vponupon God, that he is euen rauished, as it were in prayer, thinking of nothing but heauenly things, & when he hath done goeth his way, thinking with himselfe that he hath done very well, and no doubt but God doth highly commend him for it: and flattereth and commendeth his own heart for so doing. The like corrupt thoughts & motions, shall we feele in performing other holy duties of reading our task in the Bible, or meditating or giuing secret almes, &c. And whē we bewaile these corruptions, yet stil we shal be readie to think wel of our selues for it: as one that wept bitterly for his secret hipocrisie, & thē was troubled because he thought he shold be cōmēded for that. In a word, whatsoeuer the Lord worketh in vsus, or by vsus, we are readie straightway to thinke well of our selues for it: euen this secret hypocrisie is a sinne and a great staine, and is the last sinne that shall be subdued in the godly, and needeth also great repentance, and must be washed away by faith in the merits of Christs bloud. I deny not, but that a Christian soul may reioyce and take comfort vntounto himself in the performance of such holy duties in priuate, for that it is a liuely signe of the sanctifying grace of Gods spirit with him: but yet there is matter sufficient to humble him remaining, if he doth not still continually returne all the glory vntounto God, and not thinke the better of himselfe in so doing neither. But this is not that grosse hypocrisie against which I deale all this while vponupon this next, nor against which Christ crieth woe so often, for that is a domineering sinne in the wicked, who study to do al that they do to be seene of men: and thereunto (to blind the eyes of the world) bend all their wits: and yet for the most part do not so much as once thinke, neither will they be knowne to play the hypocrites: these make an art of sinne, and thinke they do well to liue thereby.
Now those that make an art of sinne, and put on profession of religion for their cloake, deale artificially indeed, for being giuen to lying and dissembling, they will inuey egerly against lying and dissembling, like the theefe who hauing found more money about the true man then he would be acknowne of, cried out, Good Lord what a world is this, whom can a man beleeue now a dayes? Art thou not ashamed to lye? diddest not thou tell me thou haddest no more? &c. when notwithstanding he was busie in committing of his robbery. Againe, they will extoll & commend humility, & condemne the proud to the pit of hel, that a mā wold think they were the meekest men in the world, whē all the matter is to hauehave all submission and reuerence shewed to themselues, as an vsurer of Londō, who willed the preacher to cry out against vsury, that all might come to him for money. Againe, they will not sticke to frequent Sermons, to commend honest men, to intrude themselues into good company, & all to make the world beleeue that they are such themselues, as they are whom they do commend, and conuerse withall. If you bewaile the corruptions of the time, they can bewaile them asmuch as you. If you condemne hypocrisie and dissimulation, they can do it as iudicially as you. If you speake of the Ministers duty, they can tell it as well as you. If you alledge Scripture for proofe of any matter, they can be as deepe in Scripture as you. If you will be an Apostle or amongst the Apostles, they are for you: nay they will go a little beyond you and them too, they wil ease you al of your burden, and care: for none shall carry the bagge nor make the prouision but they, because they meane with their brother Iudas to play two parts in one, that is: the tray-God, and the theefe too.
Is this true will you say? how shall we then know hypocrites from honest Christians? if we cannot know them, how then shall we auoide them?Math. 7. Well inough: by their fuites you shall know them, sayth Christ, speaking of those that are sheep without and wolues within, as all hypocrites be, by their fruits you shal know them. To shew that we must wait a time for the matter, for fruite is not presently ripe so soone as it sowne, but it must hauehave a time to bud, and to blossome, and to harden, and to ripen: and then taste it, when it is ripe, and you shall then by it know what name to call the tree by. One of you is a diuell sayth Christ, meaning Iudas, and one of you shall betray me. Now when Christ sayd that Iudas was a diuell, the same Iudas was a grosse hypocrite, but it was not knowne vntounto men vntill he had betraied his maister, and hanged himselfe. There was a time for Iudas to conceiue diuellish purposes, and there was a time to bring forth the same. So hypocrites hauehave a time to conceiue mischiefe, which lyeth hidden in the heart, like the infant in the mothers belly, but when the fulnesse of time commeth, forth it must come, and cannot be dissembled any longer, no more then it is possible for a woman to keepe her infant within her, beyond the appointed time of nature. God knoweth them now, and men shall know them hereafter. God seeth when the seed is sowne, how it groweth, and how it ripeneth: yea he knoweth the thoughts of mens hearts long before they are.
Math. 22.The Pharisees come to Christ: Good maister thou art a good man, and teachest the way of God truly, and carest for no man. Tell vsus, or resolue vsus of our doubt: Is it lawfull to pay tribute to Caesar or no? In shew these are good trees. Christ seeth the roote, and the sap, and the bud, and presently determineth what they are. Why tempt ye me ye hypocrites? and afterward when they accused him to be an enemy to Caesar, then the fruite ripened, and all men knew them to be hypocrites. Herod was a craftie fox, and Christ knew him to be one, long before the world espied him. Herod had one sinne that he loued well, and lodged it in his heart. But as Rahell couered her fathers idols with the asses litter, so he had a faire couering for his sinne, he would heare Iohn preach, he would reuerence the man, & seeme to be glad of him, and what was all this? but so much litter to couer a beast withall: a faire couering to cast ouer a foule sinne. For who would hauehave thought now that such an auditour of such a Preacher had loued his brothers wife, and kept her as his wife? He seemed to like well of Iohn Baptist, but the dancing damsell pleased him better, and his brothers wife best of all: and when for the sauing of his credite before men, in performing of a wicked promise, rashly made to a lewd wanton, he careth not to shed the innocent bloud of the man of God, whom before he seemed to reuerence: then is Herods fruite ripe, taste it now, and tell me if he was not an hypocrite: and are not all they such hypocrites, as do to their power as he did, though not in that degree and measure of iniquitie? We are professours of the Gospell say some, and we like our Preachers doctrine well, but our honest neighbours please vsus better, and our beloued vanities best of all. We liue by them, and we are sory that we cannot do for him as we would, for we hauehave passed our word against him: so was Herod sory too, for that he had passed his promise. And to keepe credite with those that hauehave pleased, and pleasured vsus, we must not call backe our words: so sayd Herod too, but vncase the hypocrite a little, and view him well. First, if thou wilt be counted a true Christian, and a sincere professor of the truth, why doest thou lodge any one sinne with delight in thy heart? tell me that: If thou saiest there is no such matter, then tell me why doest thou frequent the companie, and take such excessiue pleasure in the bewitching vanities of such persons, as will snare thee, and deceiue thee? Then: why art thou so rash as to promise thou knowest not what? Then: when thou seest that thou art in danger of committing wickednesse, who can compell thee to keepe such a wicked promise? Oh I must keepe my credite with men. Oh but hypocrite, first keepe credite with God, and remember thy former promise that thou madest and vowedst to him in thy Baptisme: if all this will not serue, then rush on like an hypocrite, vncased to thy owne destruction.
Many in the world are content they say, to heare the Preacher, so long as he preacheth Christ crucified, or else not: and surely no reason. But open this case, and see if a counterfeit may not be vnderunder it. For, many are content to sinne freely, and set all vponupon Christs score: saying, he shall pay for all. If any man meaneth so when he biddeth the preacher preach Christ crucified, then there is an hypocrite vncased. Many are content to heare that Christ liued in pouertie to enrich them, that he was abased to aduance them, that he was punished to acquite them, that he was mocked to grace them, that he was naked to clothe them, that he was hungrie to fill them, that he was cursed to blesse them, & that he died to saue them: but to heare that they must be poore for his sake, and be abased for his sake, and to be mocked for his sake, and to be crucified for his sake, and crucifie their sinnes which crucified him, they cannot abide; this is not to preach Christ crucified. Christ crucified must dispense with some sinnes of theirs, or else they hauehave done with him: nay if Christ come now to crucifie their beloued sinne, and their sweete sinne, and their profitable sinne, let Christ take heed that he be not crucified againe by them. What? is Christ crucified for vsus? and must we hauehave our sinnes crucified too? nay we will none of that: we are content to take a place in his kingdom at his right hand and his left hand, but to baptized with his baptisme, and to drinke of his cup, we will not endure. We will do any thing he will hauehave vsus to do, sauing that which goeth about to restraine vsus of our libertie: we will follow him, heare him, eate and drinke with him, giuegive him leaue to pay all, and to dye for vsus, and commend him for his kindnesse, but to be so kind to him, as for his louelove to part with one sinne, that we are in louelove withall, to leaue following the fashions of the world, or to part with a locke of haire, is a hard saying: who can abide it? To forgiue our enemies, to lend freely, to releeue the poore cheerfully, to keepe the Sabbath wholy and entirely, to leaue our pleasures at his call, to heare his doctrine more then ordinarie, is a hard saying, who can abide it? To leaue our false weights, and false lights, and false oathes, and false friendship, and to deale simply, and plainely, without fraud and deceit, is a hard saying: who can abide it? To leaue our engrossing, our forestalling, our cogging and dissembling, our back-biting and slandering, our rash iudging, and condemning of our brethren, is a hard saying, who can abide it? To forsake the filthy fellowship of profane persons, to cast off the company of scoffers, and deriders of religion, to embrace the truth sincerely, and to make much of those that feare God, be they neuer so poore or simple, is a hard saying, who can abide it? To be checked for our swearing and blaspheming of Gods name, to be called vppon for Catechizing our houshold, and to vse thanksgiuing at the table, and singing of Psalmes for our spirituall recreation, and to conferre soberly and friendly of the Sermon, is plaine Puritanisme (as they call it) who can abide it? No, no, Sir, we can no skill of this geare: preach Christ crucified, and we will heare you, otherwise not: we cannot away with this doctrine.
Well, but let the hypocrites know, that if Christ crucified be preached rightly, and applied truly to the conscience, he will make all the veines in the hypocrites heart to ake, he will suffer him to hauehave but small rest in his bed, and little list to his meate, and lesse pleasure in the world, and least of all in the word of God: for that in the end is the iudgement of God vponupon hypocrites, to loath the word because it goeth about to make sinne loathsome vntounto them. Christ crucified hath wrought a double worke, he hath both destroyed the Diuell, and also the worke of the Diuell. And so is Christ to be preached, both crucified and crucifying, crucified for our sinnes, and also by his vertue and Spirite crucifying sinne in vsus, or else we cannot be saued.
Now let vsus pray.