Ten Sermons Upon Matthew 6:1-4, Sermon 8
THE VIII. SERMON.
MAT. 6.2.
Verily I say vntounto you, they hauehave their reward.
IF godlinesse should be no better rewarded then with the praise of men, then were true Christians of all men the most miserable, and Christianitie it selfe were a miserable profession. For in this life their lot is to be hated and scorned, molested and persecuted for their vertues sake. The world loueth his owne, saith Christ, but me it hateth: and you it shall persecute for my names sake: yea for my names sake they shall speake all manner of euill saying against you falsely. If the world will not louelove vsus, then it cannot like of vsus, if it doth not like of vsus, then it cannot commend vsus, if it cannot commend vsus, then it must condemne vsus, if it cannot louelove vsus, then it must hate vsus, and if it can neither like nor louelove vsus, what reward then must we looke for in the world? not promotion, but persecution: not life but death. Sometimes the wicked will seeme to commend and louelove those that feare God and hate wickednesse: but then I would wish the godly to beware most of all, and to cast a double feare.A double feare, when the wicked commend the godly. First, least they hauehave put forth their hands vntounto some wickednesse: that is, done something that liketh the wicked, and offendeth God. Secondly, if they be free that way, then let them feare, lest some snares and baites be laid to entrap them in their goings. The Scribes and Pharisees, and Iewish Elders did often commend Christ, but neuer for his good: Good Maister (say they) we know that thou carest for no man, and teachest the way of God truly: there is the baite; then comes the hooke: Is it lawfull to pay tribute to Caesar or no? Now Christ knowing their subtiltie, gaue them no thankes for their commendation, but called them tempting hypocrites,Mat. 22.18. saying: Why tempt ye me ye hypocrites? And will the wicked deale better with the members then they did with the head? These men are the seruants of the liuing God (saith the cunning maid to Paul and Silas, or rather the diuell by whom she wrought) and they bring vntounto vsus the way of saluation. This was not for the good of Paul and Silas: but to hauehave them apprehended the more speedily, and handled the more seuerely. It was a cunning sleight of Sathan; and therfore Paule and Silas rebuked her for her labour,Act. 16.18. being grieued to be commended by such a one, and commaunded the spirite in the name of Christ to come out of her. In a word, the cōmendatiōs of the wicked, are but traps,Psal. 69.22. & their tables but snares, as the prophet Dauid calleth thē.
And for all this, seeing that it cannot be denied, but that louelove and commendation amongst men is a good blessing: in which sense it is sayd that both Christ and Iohn Baptist, and others were in fauour both with God and man:1. Tim. 4.8. and godlinesse hath the promises both of this life and of the life to come, that is, the blessings of God, both temporall and eternall belong vntounto godlinesse:The godly shall hauehave praise and renowne in this life. it must also be granted, that euen the godly themselues (which are so much hated and scorned in the world by the wicked of the world) hauehave had, hauehave, and shall hauehave their part in that blessing of renowne, fame, and commendation: yea a good name shall follow them to their graue, and liue after them too in the world, to the high glorie and praise of God, who doth so honour his seruants which hauehave honoured him,1. Sam. 2.30 and to the comfort of their friends, the encouragement of the weake, and to the shame of the wicked. They shall hauehave praise indeede, but as the brother whom Paule commended to the Corinthians had,2. Cor. 8.18. whose praise (sayth he) is in the Gospell, that is: in embracing the Gospell, or else in setting foorth of the Gospell, as Luke did, whereby his louelove, and zeale, and godlinesse towards Christ, were manifested to his great praise and commendation: for vertue and piety is worthy of praise, as vice deserueth the contrary: therefore Peter sayth to seruants: This is praise worthy, 1. Pet. 2.19.if a man for consciēce toward God endure grief, suffering wrōgfully: And the Apostle Paul saith: Whatsoeuer things are of good report, Phil. 4.8.if there be any vertue, or any praise, that is, if there be any thing indeed praise worthy, thinke on these things. And God forbid (seeing as God hath giuen such a blessing to his seruants, and their vertues amongst the godly) but that we should giuegive vntounto vertuous men, and fearing God their due praise and commendation.
When poore Mary shewed her louelove to the person of Christ, in annointing his body with sweete and precious ointment, and her humility in wiping his feete with the haire of her head, Christ told her that wheresoeuer his Gospell should be preached,Mat. 26.13▪ that deede of hers also should be published for a memoriall of her: to shew that the vertuous acts of the Saints are not to be curied in obliuion, but to be had in a thankfull remembrance vntounto God. The Lord in his word hath crowned his seruants with fame and renowne, which neuer sought it but fled from it: both according to his promise, and also his gracious and wonted manner of dealing,1. Sam. 2.30. Those that honour me shall be honored of me, saith the Lord. 1. Sam 2. there is his promise, his manner is to giuegive his seruants more then they seeke for or desire:1. Kin. 3.12.13. as when Salomon desired not riches but wisedome to gouerne Gods people well, God gaue him both riches and wisedome too: so when the godly desire that only Gods name may be hallowed, and cry with Dauid, Not vntounto vsus, not vntounto vsus ô Lord, Psal. 115.1.but to thy name giuegive the praise, then doth the Lord giuegive them that thing which they desire, and that also which they craued not, and that is, commendation from his owne mouth, and a part in his owne ioy. Wel done good and faithful seruant: there is their commendation:Math. 25. Enter into thy masters ioy: there is their ful reward. And thus is Moses become famous for being Gods Embassadour to King Pharao, and his Captaine generall ouer the Lords army from Aegypt to the land of promise. Thus Ioseph is famous for his chastity, and faithfull seruice: and the midwiues of Aegypt are renowned for sauing the childrens liues, against the Kings commandement. How famous is Deborah for iudging of Israel, and Iael for nailing of Sisera (Captaine of King Iabins host) vntounto the ground? How famous is Dauid for conquering of Goliah, and for his zealous courage in fetching home of the Arke? Now is Eliah famous for reprouing King Achab, and the widow of Sarepta for nourishing the Prophet: Salomon is famous for building of the Temple: the three children for contemning the Kings displeasure: and Daniel is famous for his being cast into the Lions den. Now Iohn Baptist is renowned for telling the King of his fault, and loosing of his head for the same: Peter for his sound confession, & Paul for his heauenly conuersion be both famous, and renowned by the holy Ghost, whose praises are in the word, spread throughout the whole world. So are all the holy Martyrs which suffered for the testimony of the truth, and all Christian benefactours (with the streames of whose louelove and liberality many Churches, Christians, Vniuersities, and schooles of good learning, and nurseries of good arts and sciences, (hauehave bene watered and refreshed) most famous and renowned in the Church of God. And all these hauing shunned (as much as they might) all worldly praise and glorie in the world, hauehave found most high praise and renowne with God, and all the godly in the word of God: and their praise is not of men, but of God. As for wicked hypocrites it is not so with them, but as the godly are crowned with perpetuall fame and renowne, so the wicked are and shall be crowned with euerlasting shame and reproch. Cain is infamous, and his name doth stinke, for murthering his brother Abel. Putiphars wife is infamous, and her name doth stinke for her lewd tempting and false accusing of Ioseph. Pharaoh is infamous, and his name doth stinke for his cruel handling of the Israelites. Doeg the Edomite is infamous, and his name doth stinke for accusing and killing the Lords holy Priests. Micol is infamous, and her name doth stinke for scoffing at the zeale of Dauid her Lord and husband. Iezabel for her whoredomes, and murthering of Naboth for his vineyard is infamous, and her name doth stinke. Hanun is infamous for misusing of Dauids messengers, and Ammon doth stinke before all the Israel of God vntounto this day. Sanballat and Tobiah, for hindering the building of the Lords Temple and holy Citie: Haman for seeking the death of the Lords people: Herod for murthering the young children: Ananiah and Saphira for dissembling with Peter, and lying to the holy Ghost: Simon Magus for his offer of mony for the gifts of the holy Ghost: Elimas for withstanding of Paul: Tertullus for his accusing of Paule: Iudas for betraying of his Lord and maister. The Gadarens for preferring their swine before Christs doctrine. All these, and eueryevery one of them are become infamous, and do stinke before God and man: and their reproch and shame shall neuer be blotted out: For the word sayth:Pro. 10.7. Pro. 13.9. The memoriall of the iust shall be blessed, but the name of the wicked shall rot. And in the 13. of the Prouerbes, 9, verse. The light of the righteous reioyceth: but the candle of the wicked shall be put out: To shew that the name of the wicked is no better then rotten carrion, at the stinke whereof eueryevery one that passeth by shall stop his nose, and the discoursing of their liues shalbe as noysome in hearing as the stinking snuffe of a candle burning low in the socket, that eueryevery man shall say, put it out: fie vponupon it, away withall. And this is the righteous iudgement of God vponupon the wicked, which regarded not to glorifie God, but themselues, therefore to giuegive them vp to such vile affections, and lewd actions as can breede nothing in the end but a rotten and stinking name.
But wicked hypocrites will take a good order for that, they can hauehave such as themselues, to perfume their doings (while they liue) with braue commendations, to whom they say as Saul sayd to Samuel: Honour me before this people. And when they dye, there are inough that will for a small reward be hired to commend them in a Sermon to the skies, and then we can hauehave Pamphlets printed, and Epitaphes engrauen vponupon our tombes, which will keepe our names from rotting. Besides all this, we will giuegive some gownes, and money to the poore, which we can no longer keepe, and may well spare: and all this put together, will cast a most sweete smell. Surely for the godly that liued well, and died in the Lord, it will: for their life is like a waxe candle, made and compounded of sweete matter, which men are content it should burne out, because when it is our it will cast a most fragrant and sweete smell: but the life of the wicked is like a candle made of filthy stuffe, which men will not suffer to burne out, because it is no sooner out, but it stinketh all the house ouer. Although you commend it neuer so much, yet men will not beleeue you that it was like that of waxe:Simile. nay if you praise it, wil they not laugh you to scorne, and think you mad, or drunken, or senslesse? Euen so is it with him that praiseth a wicked man either liuing or dead: what doth such a preacher but play the foolish Herald, and go about to perswade men that a stinking snuffe is as good as a sweete waxe candle, or that filthie puddle water is as wholesome and as sweete as rose water? Many such there are in the world, who while they so preach, the auditors that hauehave indgement and knew the life of such a man as well as he (if not better) sit and smile to themselues, and wonder that any man either for money or monies-worth should be hired to become so voide of sense And whereunto shall we compare such Sermons and Epitaphs better, then vntounto flowers and herbes that are strawed and pricked vponupon dead corpses, buried only in a winding sheet? Those flowers may well be laid vponupon the dead corpes for a shew,Simile. or to keepe men from smelling ill aires, and may go with him to the graue, but to keepe it from rotting, and putrifying, from corruption, wormes and stinke, they cannot. So such high commendations bestowed vppon vnworthy persons, as Papists, Atheists, drunkards, whoremongers, and such as liued most prophanely and irreligiously (and so died for ought that any man can tell▪ without repentance, or any life of Gods Spirit in them) are sweete herbes and faire flowers bestowed vpō them for ornament sake, to please their friends, but to preserue their name from rotting & stinking they cannot by any meanes: for God is iust, who hath sayd, Those that dishonor me, I will dishonour: & as for that stinking and rotten cōmendations that they hauehave bestowed vponupon thē, by such as theēselues (who also hunt after the like things) it is all: For they hauehave their reward: & are they not then in a miserable case?
But yet this is not all, for when the hypocrites reward is come to an end (which soone it doth, like a thing of naught, that is soone ripe, and soone rotten) and when the date of his good deedes, or rather glorious sinnes is expired, then must he come to a new reckning for all his hypocrisies, and trecherous robberies committed against the glory of God: while he hath abused the name of God, and taken vntounto himselfe all that praise which was due vntounto God onelyonly, like those kind of fellowes, which come to men in the Princes name, to take vp their goods as it were to the Princes vse, and then appropriate them wholly to themselues. And for that they hauehave both robbed God of his glory, and made his most glorious name and sacred religion their cloake and couering, while they hauehave most profanely played their parts therewith, to the great dishonour of his Maiesty, and the spoile of the Church, and oppression of their brethren. And seeing as in their best deedes they hauehave made more account of mens praise, then of commendation at Gods hand,Their iudgemēt. their iudgement is from euerlasting decreed, and already is sentence gone foorth against them, which can neuer be reuoked, and that is to hauehave their part and portion with the diuell and his Angels in hell torments for euer, where they shall not onelyonly be depriued of Gods gracious presence, which is true felicity, and fulnesse of ioy for euer, but also ly languishing not for a yere or two, nor yet for a 100. nor a 1000. nor 10000. nor a 100000. nor a milliō of thousands of yeares, for thē there were some hope that their paine would one day end (though it were long before, and intollerable in the meane time,) but for euer & euer, perhaps with many of those also whose vaine praises they hauehave in their life time so much hunted after: where the one shall curse each other; and their rewards, yea the persence of each other, and remembrance of their mutuall folly and vanity; of the one in giuing, of the other in seeking and taking the glory from God: euen the remembrance I say of this their former vanity, folly, misery, madnesse, and impiety, shall like an euer gnawing and tormenting Serpent, sting, wound, and torment their consciences for euermore. Yea if there be any paines or torments in hell greater then other, they shall surely fall to the hypocrites lot: yea, the hypocrites portion is so fearefull, that the wicked seruant that liueth most carelesly, not regarding his maisters displeasure, nor once thinketh of his comming, but is found misusing of his fellowes at his maisters comming,Mat. 24.51. is threatned in the Gospell to be cut off, and to hauehave his portion with hypocrites, where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth: to shew, that of all sinnes there is none more odious in Gods sight then the hypocrite is, neither shall any be more seuerely punished then he shall be. And thus good brethren you see the reward of hypocrisie in this life,The vse of the former doctrine. 1. It sheweth the sottish vanitie of men, that seeke after praise of the world. and in the life to come: a miserable and a wofull reward, miserable here when it is at the best, but most wofull hereafter when it is at the worst.
Now let vsus see what good vse we may make of all that hath bene sayd. And first, seeing the great vanity and misery of the hypocrites reward in this life, and his wofull portion in the life to come, who can wonder sufficiently at the world, yea at himselfe, that is so bewitched and besotted with the louelove of worldly praise (as a foole enamored of a cruell harlot) that notwithstanding all this, yet eueryevery man almost maketh it his summum bonum, and chiefe study how to obtaine vntounto it? Surely most men do know this to be true, euen by experience (the schoolemaister of fooles) but how few do rightly consider of it? It may be, that now and then, some being wearied with their hunting after it, and troubled with vexation of spirite, may fetch a sigh at the matter, and cry (as many do) fie vponupon the world, and who would trust the world? and faire words make fooles faine: and I wil not trust mens faire speeches againe in hast, &c. But yet for all that, as soone as the pang is a little past, all is forgotten, and a woing of this common painted harlot they go againe. How many in the world (especially followers of Princes Courts, and attendants vponupon great persons) do go beyond themselues, some in gorgeous building,Building. Apparell. Dainty fare Great gifts. Play. some in sumptuous apparell, some in delicate fare, some in great gifts, some in holding company at play: all which they wold not hauehave done but to be praised of men? If I should not do as others do, I should be counted a coward, saith one. If I should not keep a feast as others hauehave done before me (saith another) I shold be coū ted a miser, or a beggar, though they begger themselues for it indeed. If I should not hauehave it something like on my table, and weare somewhat, and giuegive somewhat more then ordinary, how should I be accounted of? If I should not flatter a little, and please a little (sayth another) I should not be liked. If I should not be very eloquent, and garnish my Sermon with Doctors, Fathers, Poets, Philosophers, aswell as with the Scriptures, though there be no neede of them; and speake all languages, aswell vnknowne as knowne, I should be counted no scholer, nor to hauehave any learning. But if I do excel others in my building, in my feasting, in my apparell, in my almes giuing, in my preaching, and shew of learning, in my courting, my aduenturing: (yea in swearing, and whoring, and drunkennesse, and riot, and reuelling, say some shamelesse and gracelesse persons) why then I shall be had in admiration, and euerie body will commend me: I shall leaue a name behind me, &c. These things being thus resolued vponupon, then commeth foorth the men of the world, their fellowes in folly, and deale their reward. Whose house is that (saith one?) as if he had somthing to giuegive towards the building or repairing of it. Such a man built it saith another: now the reward. I assure you saith the inquisitor, it is a very faire house, and well contriued. Yea saith the third, all the smoke comes out at one chimney, or else is conueyed vnderunder the ground, &c. and there is his reward: besides occasion ministred of an houres or two discoursing and descanting vponupon his whole life. In like manner are those rewarded, that iet in all kind of brauery, with pedlers shops about them: as many women do? Who is that, sayth one? Such a one saith another. I promise you saith the third, and that is the reward: he is very braue: she is very fine saith another: Is it a man or a woman sayth another? I cannot tell sayth one, by his long haire he should be a woman: by her bare head it should be a man sayth another: Yea, saith another, but God knoweth who payeth for all this. In like sort come from a feast, and see the reward of the world: We had great cheare sayth one: Yea, he may well inough sayth another, for he commeth easily inough by it. And then commeth a third: But I doubt me he must pinch a good while for this geare. And thus you see the worlds reward: are not men well rewarded now, that looke for no more then the praise of men?
Let those Ministers also consider well of this point, that euen against their owne consciences (as they are driuen sometime openly to confesse do bumbast their Sermons with all kind of humanity, besides the word of God, not because they thinke it then necessary, but as some hauehave freely confessed, in the most famous and publike places of the land, because the eares of the people are troubled with such a kind of itch, that they must needes do it, or else their doctrine would be loathed for the plainesse and simplicity thereof. I speake not against the vse of humane authorities when case shall require, euen in the Pulpit: for I know there is a very good vse of them manie waies: both for confutation of errour, and also for confirmation of doctrine by way of consent, but against the vanitie and weakenesse of those that would not vse it but onelyonly to please men: their vanity and weakenesse I say is to be pitied, and so is also theirs too, that study hard, and preach often, and deliuer sound doctrine, and abound with nothing but the Scriptures, if therein they respect nothing but the praise of men: For marke I pray you; a Minister studieth hard, taketh great paines, he watcheth when others sleepe, &c. and at length commeth like a woman to trauell, and bring forth the birth of his mind, which by meditation, and study, & other good meanes he hath conceiued, &c. when he is deliuered of his burthen, the world vieweth it, & rewardeth him for the same: but how? first perhaps they are away whom he did especially looke for, and desire to please, there is one griefe: then others perhaps fall asleepe, or tarry not to the ende: then there is another crosse: but for those that are most attentiue, perhaps some will inuite him to dinner of conscience or of custome: well, that he could hauehave had at home: then there is inquiry, what was he that preached to day? do you know him? No saith one: I know him sayth another. How like you the Sermon? He made a good Sermon, sayth one: a proper man saith another: he touched all degrees, and spared none sayth another: he had but a soft voyce, saith another, no vtterance, it is pitty, with a little practise he would do well: he was too long sayth another: he hath no learning sayth another? What Vniuersitie was he of? where dwels his friends? what liuing hath he? hath he no more benefices then one? He sayd well sayth another, if he can follow it himselfe when he hath done, &c. And afterward perhaps if he stay long amongst them, or chance to hauehave charge ouer them, they that before praised him to the skies, will be the first that shall picke quarrels against him for one thing or another, and all to remoue him. Is it not then a labour well bestowed, to set our selues onelyonly to get praise of men? can there be a greater misery? were we not in a good case thinke you, if we had hope of no better reward then this? no maruell though. But blessed be God, our hope is, and our comfort is, that we (dealing faithfully and vprightly in Gods businesse) shall be rewarded of God himselfe in Christ his sonne, with another manner of reward then all the world can giuegive vsus, or take from vsus either. In a farre more miserable case me thinke is the hypocrite, then many a mans horse or beast is. The horse is rid hard,The hypocrite is more to be pitied for his misery, then the beast. and trauelled sore all day, and at night is turned into a sorry stable, with a galled backe and spurred sides: but yet with his maisters reward, and that is a good baite, and a good word: Let him be well dressed, and well meated sayth the owner: he hath gone well to day: it is as good a horse as euer man put legge ouer. And if he chance to be stolen, or lost, or to dye, his maister maketh great enquirie, and searcheth for to find him againe, or great moane (besides high commendations of his beast) because he cannot be had againe. In like maner fareth it with the hypocrite in part, whom eueryevery man rideth, and derideth at his pleasure: as the spurre makes the horse to go, so vaine glorie and praise makes the hypocrite to go: and therefore it was well sayd in the Prouerbe: Gloria calcar habet: praise is a spurre, as if the vaineglorious foole were a iade that would not go without spurring. When the hypocrite hath ended his iourney, he is turned home againe with a gald conscience: well may he hauehave a good word: as, It was well done, &c. but scarse many times the worth of an asses baite. And if he be missing, perhaps there is not so much enquiring after him, as after the strayed horse, except peraduenture as Laban sought after Iacob, to call him to account for the manner of his departure. And if he dye, some moane may perhaps be made for him, and a good word from a false heart may chance be cast after him: but it may be more moane will be made for a good seruiceable beast, and the one shall be as soone forgotten as the other. But when death comes, it were happy for hypocrites if then they were horses, or asses, or vile toades: for then should their miserie ende with their liues: but they cannot hauehave that priuiledge, and therefore they are farre more miserable then the bruite beast which perisheth. Consider well of it my good brethren, and let vsus not be any longer bewitch…d with this tickling humour, and most vaine vaine as I may call it, of carping and caring, and studying and seeking how to please men against God, or to please men & not God: but let vsus labour by all good meanes, and call instantly vponupon God by humble prayer, that we may be so gouerned by his holy Spirit and grace, that all our desire and study may be to do chose things, and that in such manner, as may get praise and commendation at his hand, and we may be approued in his sight.
Lastly, let his doctrine serue to worke patience in all those that hauing deserued commendation, and louelove, and good liking of those amongst whom they hauehave laboured, cannot get the fame, or hauing once gotten it, through their faithfull and plaine dealing, or the inconstancie and frowardnesse of men lost the same. EueryEvery man hath his time; as Salomon saith, there is a time to reioyce, and a time to be sorry, so there is a time to be praised, and a time to be dispraised, a time to be lifted vp, and a time to be cast downe againe, least we should looke for our heauen vponupon earth. And let it not greeue any man to be dispraised: nor greatly puffe vp any to be commended, but rather be we grieued that we cannot studie to please God better then we do: and be we glad, that we hauehave the testimonie of a good conscience before God, that we hauehave deserued better of men, then we find at their hands: and shall find farre better of Gods hands then euer we desired, or deserued. And seeing as the praise and commendation of men is so vaine and miserable a reward, both for the vncertaintie of it, for the deceitfulnesse of it, for the breuitie of it, for the vnprofitablenesse of it, and for the danger of it: let vsus neither straine with a good conscience: nor (keeping a good conscience according to Gods word) greatly regard it, when we hauehave lost it. For so do miserable hypocrites, who as Christ sayth here in our text, hauehave their reward. If any body hath now put vppon him the Diuels armour of proofe, I meane vnbeleefe (as commonly all hypocrites do) that this doctrine may not enter into his hart, let them but consider and weigh well, who hath sayd it, and how he affirmeth it, that hypocrites hauehave their reward. He that hath said it, is the Lord Iesus himselfe, who being the wisedome of the father, knoweth what he sayth: and being truth it selfe cannot erre: let no man now suspend his iudgement for the matter, or stay his repentance, vntill he heare it confirmed by some Doctours, or Fathers, or Councels: for he hath spoken it, that cannot deceiue any, nor be deceiued by any: yea, vponupon whose word and authoritie, all the Doctours and Councels in the world hauehave builded and must build whatsoeuer they teach, or else they build beside the foundation.
As Christ hath sayd it (against whom I say, there is no gainesaying) so hath he affirmed it in most earnest and confident maner: Verily I say vntounto you, they hauehave their reward: that is, in good earnest I speake it, and for a most vndoubted truth I affirme it. And all little inough: for such is the cunning of Sathan to beguile mens soules, that he will still feede them with some hope, that it is not so hard as the Preacher saith it is. Thou shalt dye the death saith God to Ad…m, if thou eatest of that tree: No sayth Sathan, ye shall not dye, that is, God doth not meane to deale so hardly with you as he sayth: he is mercifull, and that was but to make you afraid. So playeth the hypocrite still, Tush, tush, sayth he there is no such matter, they hauehave not their reward, we hope to go to heauen aswell as the best, and that we hauehave as good a faith to God as any body. What sir: we hauehave soules to saue as well as you, we would you should know it: Verily sayth Christ, they hauehave their reward: Verily no, sayth the hypocrite: now who shall be beleeued? Christ or Belial? God or the Diuell? Well, but we trust God be more mercifull vntounto vsus then so: Verily no, sayth Christ (meaning except they repent.) Yea, the hypocrite hath so good an opinion of himselfe, that he thinkes the Lord is as it were beholding vntounto him for his play, or counterfeit seruice, and should do him great wrong if he should not receiue him into fauour aswell as others: For (saith Christ) when it shall be sayd vntounto them definitiuely: God ye cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the Diuell and his Angels: for when I was naked yee clad me not &c. they will not take this for an absolute and iust decree of the Iudge; but as though they had wrong offered them, they reply againe: Why Lord when did we see thee naked, Mat. 25.and did not clothe thee? &c. If that will not serue, then they will put him in mind what they hauehave done for him: we hauehave cast out Diuels in thy name, and heard thee preach in our streetes: so will others plead for themselues: why Lord we hauehave sharply rebuked Sathan, and reproued sinne by thy word: we hauehave kept out Church orderly, and duly: we neuer missed a Sermon, nor Seruice on weeke-dayes: we gaue as liberally to the poore as any man of our abilitie in the countrey. I hauehave payd my tithe mint and cummin, saith another, and I hope no body can charge me to hauehave bene a theefe, or a murtherer, or common whoremonger, &c. and therefore I trust to be saued as well as another. And thus do many deceiue themselues, by imagining (as the Psalmist sayth) that the Lord is like themselues::Psal. 56. that is, not so good as his word: But my brethren be not deceiued, Christ hath sayd it, that is inough: If that be not inough, he hath confirmed it with an earnest asseueration most confidently, to put men out of doubt, and to assure men what to trust vntounto, if they liue and dye in pypocrisie: If all that be not inough, then the Lord hath sworne in his wrath,Psal. 95. that they shall not enter into his rest.
Therefore cast away these vaine perswasions, and this false hope, take heed of that Diuell, and vile motion that goeth about to weaken the credit of Gods word with you. And from henceforth let vsus so endeuour to please the Lord, that at his comming he may commend vsus, and say, Well done, good and faithfull seruant, enter into thy masters ioy: which shall neuer be sayd to hypocrites: For verily (saith Christ) they hauehave their reward.
Now let vsus pray.