Ten Sermons Upon Matthew 6:1-4, Sermon 7
THE VII. SERMON. Of the reward of Hypocrisie.
MAT. 6.2.
Verily I say vntounto you, they hauehave their reward.
OF the nature of hypocrisie, we hauehave heard sufficiently in the three former Sermons, and as sinceritie graceth all our good actions before God: so on the contrarie side, we hauehave seene that hypocrisie disgraceth and shameth vsus, yea maketh euen our best deedes to stinke, as most loathsome filth before his heauenly Maiestie: yea and before men too, when once it breaketh out. And this might serue sufficiently to perswade vsus to take heed of hypocrisie, and counterfeiting in Gods religion, or any religious duties commaunded by God: but because the hypocrite dreameth of some great reward, whereby he shall become some great man, both in this world, and in the world to come, imagining that as he is liked of men, so he cannot chuse but be loued of God: therefore our Sauiour Christ affirmeth most constantly and in earnest manner, that hypocrites hauehave all the reward that they shall hauehave. For the praise of men hauehave they hunted for, and that they hauehave, & more then that they shall not hauehave to reward them: but to punish them, a portion they shall hauehave with the Diuell and his Angels in hell. The praise of men what is it? surely euen as men are themselues: & as they are affected; men are but men when they are at the best, and at the highest. Whether it be in wisedome, or in authoritie, or in goodwill, or in abilitie, or whatsoeuer else: that is vaine, and vanishing, mutable and inconstant, blind and partiall. A simple reward then is the praise of men, euen fit for such vaine fooles as seeke for nothing else. The hypocrite taketh great paines for the obtaining (notwithstanding) of this vaine reward, as fooles which hunt after a fether blowne vp and down in the wind: they cannot get it vnlesse they will sweate, and almost runne themselues out of breath, and when they hauehave gotten it, it is but a fether, and nothing lighter. The praise of men what is it? surely but words proceeding from inconstant minds, false hearts, and from those whose hands cannot accomplish the deuises of their hearts. And what are such wordes but wind? and what is more inconstant then the wind? He that obserueth the praises of men, is like him that obserueth the wind: and is fitly resembled to a Windmill, that whirleth about apace so long as the wind bloweth a main: but when the wind slacketh his gale, then he slacketh his pace: and as the Windmill is turned with the wind, so the hypocrite also turneth with the time. If he may be praised for well doing, then he will do well still: but if he be reproched, or threatned, or not highly esteemed; then he altereth his course, and is gone.
But here perhaps it will be obiected by some,Obiection. that the Scripture commendeth a good name in many places, and thereby admonisheth men to get a good name, and to keepe it being gotten. And what is that but to be praised of men? and to get the good opinion and estimation of men?Answer. Indeede this is true: a good report is to be sought for amongst men, and carefully to be kept too, when it is obtained. But this must be propter aliud non propter se: for some other end then simply for it selfe. But the meaning and drift of our Sauiour Christ here, is that we should not make that the end and scope of our well doing, as if that were our summum bonum, that is, our felicitie and happinesse, as hypocrites do, that looke no further, and desire no better thing then the praise of men.
To get and keepe a good name, there be many reasons to perswade vsus: but to make the praise of men the end of our well doing; we hauehave no one reason to perswade vsus, but diuerse to disswade vsus: as we shall see anone. For the getting of a good report amongst men, we hauehave reason: for Salomon preferreth it before riches,Pro. 22.1. and before precious oyntment: that is, before all pleasures and profites whatsoeuer. Before riches he preferreth a good name, and saith, that it is better then riches: and that for three causes. For first, few riches are hardly obtained without much euill: a good name is not obtained without some good deedes. Secondly, riches are meanes, by reason of our corruption to call vsus from God. They that will be rich, 1. Tim. 6.9.fall into temptations, and snares, and many foolish and noisome lusts, which drowne men in perdition and destruction, saith Saint Paule. 2. Cor. 9.2.A good name prouoketh vntounto golinesse. Your zeale (saith Paule to the Corinthians) hath prouoked many. Meaning: that the good report which he made of them to others where he came, did through the blessing of God prouoke many to the like zeale. Thirdly, riches are vncertaine, here to day,Pro. 23.5. and gone to morrow. Trauell not too much to be rich, (saith Salomon) for riches take them to their wings like an Eagle: but a good name is more permanent then life, for it liueth after death. As a good name is better then riches, so is it also better then a precious ointment. For first, the best ointment that is, may be purchased for money: as appeareth by that which Mary, Iob. 12.3. Mar. 143.a meane woman bought for our Sauiour Christ: but a good name cannot be bought for thousands. Secondly precious ointment onelyonly suppleth the outward parts,Luk. 10.34. and is soueraigne for outward wounds, but a good name doth comfort the heart: The light of the eye reioyceth the heart, Pro. 15.30.and a good name maketh the bones fat, saith Salomon. Thirdly, a good ointment onelyonly profiteth the annointed, but a good name is profitable to others.Aug. de bono viduita. Nobis necessaria vita nostra, alijs fama nostra, saith S. Augustine: our life is necessarie for our selues, and our good report for others, to encourage them to godlinesse as we hauehave heard. Lastly, ointment is pleasant in smell onelyonly to those that are nigh:Iob. 12.3. The house was filled (saith the Euangelist) with the smel of that ointment which Mary bestowed vponupon Christ, but a good name flieth farre and neare.Mat. 9.26. And this brute went of Christ (saith the Euangelist Mathew) through the land. Againe, a good name is in part a reward of righteousnesse:Heb. 11.39. All these (saith the Apostle to the Hebrewes, speaking of the faithfull, whom he nameth and commendeth in that place) through faith hauehave obtained a good report. All which commendations of a good name, do serue not onelyonly to perswade vsus to get it, and keepe it, for the glorifying of Gods name, and encouraging of our brethren: but also they do greatly condemne two sorts of men in the world. First, those that so they do well, care not what men say of them; but so farre as we can, we must with doing well keepe a good name, for the causes before alleadged. Secondly, those that make no conscience of detracting a mans good name, being so excellent, but make a continuall practise of slaundering, and backbiting their brethren. And these are worse then theeues: for a theefe may make restitution of goods ill gotten, but he that hath robbed a man of his good name cannot make restitution of it againe. But what is it to hauehave a good name, or how may it be gotten? Is it so to liue as all men may speake well of vsus? No, Wo be vntounto you (saith our Sauiour Christ) when all men speake well of you:Luk 6. for he that handleth matters in such sort as shall please all men, must needes be a notorious wicked man, and a cunning deepe hypocrite. What then? that the wicked may commend vsus? verily if it be possible, we must so liue as that those which are without (saith the Apostle) may afford vsus a good report: that is, those that are not yet of the Church, or not called. But surely it is a hard matter for the wicked to commend the godly: and if they should commend thee being a good man, it will make good men to thinke that thou art leauing thy goodnesse, and enclining to them, whose humours thou now feedest. No: neuer looke for a good name but amongst good men: for the wicked, saith Christ,Mat. 5. shal speak al maner of euil saying against you falsly for my name sake: that is: if you louelove me and my truth, and because you will not runne with them vntounto the same excesse of riot that they vse:1 Pet. 4.4. Pro. 28.3. therefore they speake euill of you, saith Saint Peter. They that forsake the law (saith Salomon) praise the wicked: and that is because they are like themselues. And if at any time they condemne the euill or imperfections, which through occasion Gods children sometimes fall into, (as commonly the wicked do, which make themselues merrie with the slippes of good men) it is not for any hatred that they beare against sinne, but either to iustifie themselues in their riotous courses and outragious wickednesse: or else to disgrace and deface the beautie of that holy religion which we professe, or both. In a word then it must follow, that a good name is that commendation, which good men through the blessing and motion of the good spirit of God, do bestow vponupon good men, for doing of good things, to good ends, and all to comfort and encourage them in their well doing, and that God the giuer and worker of all goodnesse may therein be praised and glorified.
And thus we hauehave heard both what a good name is, and for what causes it is to be procured and retained. But that we may not (for all that) make the praise of men, whether they be good or bad, the end of vertue and well doing, setting vp our rest when once we come to that; there be many reasons to perswade vsus so to beleeue, and to disswade vsus from so doing: and all may be drawne from the words of this Text: Verily I say vntounto you they hauehave their reward: the summe whereof, for the matter is, that hypocrites hauehave all that they shall hauehave, as touching any matter of reward, for the paines that they take. And for the manner of the speech: that it is most certaine true, and not to be doubted of, but that they hauehave here in this world all the reward that they shal hauehave: and that is the praise of men if they hauehave that. Which words do shew most plainely, that hypocrites who serue for the vaine praise of the world, are of all men the most vaine and the most miserable: and their reward (of all rewards) is the most vaine, and miserable reward that is.
The vanitie or madde folly rather, of those that make the praise and estimation of men, (yea, say they be their honest neighbours, or great states) the end of their good deedes, shall appeare, if we consider their reward. First, by the vncertaintie of it. Secondly, by the deceitfulnesse of it. Thirdly, by the breuitie of it. Fourthly, by the vnprofitablenesse of it. Lastly, by the daunger of it. The praise and hartie liking of men is an vncertaine reward, and so vncertaine, that nothing is more vncertaine then it, both in the winning, as also in the wearing. Such is the frowardnes, and vntounto wardnesse of mans nature for the most part vntounto goodnesse, and his weaknesse and wearinesse in the louelove and liking of vertue, that it is no small matter to make him tast of vertues fruite, much more hard is it to keep him in a continuall liking of it. One thing the hypocrite is sure of, that he taketh great paines, and is at great cost, and vseth all his art to please this man, or that man, or all men: but whether he shall please them all, or any of them or no, that he is not sure of. It fareth with them as it did with Hester in some sort, though they want Hesters resolution: she was sure that she had a good deede in hand, when she should go into the Kings presence, to speake a good word for the liues of her people: but whether the King would like of her sure, or reach foorth his golden scepter vntounto her in token of fauour or no, she was not certaine: and therfore she willed them to pray for her. But because it was not so much the liking of the King,Hest. 4 16. as the good of Gods people, and the glorie of God that she sought: yea to no other end did she desire the Kings fauour, but for the good of her people, and the discharge of a good conscience before God: therefore she put her life in a venture: saying, if I perish, I perish: which hypocrites will not do, because they hauehave not that hope of a better life, which Hester had.
When a man hath wonne the commendation and liking of men whom they go about to please: are they sure it shall continue? Surely no: mens minds are mutable. Oftentimes of a sudden they will commend a man for that, which vponupon better consideration they will mislike: or for nouelties sake they will praise a thing at the first, which within a while will grow stale, and out of request. Or some tale-bearer cometh in the hypocrites way, and crosseth him with some false information, and so breedeth some sinister or wrong construction of a mans labour: and another extenuateth the gift, or good will, the worke or the paines: and when we thinke to find a friend as in times past, behold we meete with a hotefoe, or a cold friend. As Dauid who found a great friend of Saul one day, and the next day for no cause his mortall enemie. Tell me now, is there any thing more vncertaine then the good opinion of men?
The deceiptfulnes of worldly praise.As it is vncertaine, so is it also deceitfull, and many times false, making men beleeue that they are that which they are not: praising sower for sweet, &c. The hypocrite in seeking to please men onelyonly, meeteth many times with as much an hypocrite as himselfe. One offereth much seruice, and dutie, presenteth him many and rare deuises, dedicateth new and learned Treatises vntounto him, talketh very godly and religiously, and saluteth most humbly, and perswadeth most pithily, &c. The other requiteth him with the like, highly commending him for his paines, for his zeale, for his skill, for his cost, &c. and behind his backe derideth all: he protesteth that he shall alwaies hauehave a friend of him, and he shall alwaies be welcome vntounto him, and he will helpe him to preferment, and I know not what: when in his heart he meaneth no such matter: and thus hypocrisie is rewarded with hypocrisie, one shadow with another.
As the praise of men is vncertaine and deceitfull:Of the breuity of praise. so also is it for the breuitie of it, a vaine thing: for as a flash of lightning for the time dazeleth the eye, and suddenly vanisheth away: so do the praises of vaine men for a time tickle the eares, and delight the senses of vaine hypocrites, and straight way they come to an end. And if liking last, and all the effects thereof, that is kindnesse, friendship, heartie welcome, hope of preferment, or preferment it selfe; what is all this but a thing of no continuance? neither can a man leaue it to his heires after him.
As it is of no continuance,The vnprofitablenesse of worldly praise▪ so is there no profite in it, I meane: for the most part, men are rather loosers then gainers that serue onelyonly for the praise of men, especially when their humour is once espeid. The hypocrite that neuer aymeth at the glorie of God, or the good of others, but onelyonly his owne vaine credite and estimation, shall hauehave faire words enough, but little else, except it be sorrow of heart, and vexation of spirite, for the losse of his time, and labour, and studie, and goods, and all for the wind of mens mouthes. Nay, if he do winne perhappes (as many flatterers and Parasites do sometime, which obserue great persons humours) for some small counterfeit seruice, or odde trifle, or pleasant ieast, or wittie conceipt, some great benefite, some gainefull office, or great preferment, or high reuerence in the world; yet hath he made but a bad bargaine of it, if he hath no further purpose in all this but to magnifie himselfe; giuing no honour to God, but all to himselfe: he hath his reward saith Christ:Mat. 16.26. and what profite is in this, to win the whole world, and to loose his owne soule?
As the praise of men is vnprofitable, and a thing which who so laboureth to get,The danger or it. shall get nothing by it: so is it also for the daunger thereof a vaine reward of vertue. For many times a vaine glorious man being praised to his face, or hearing that his courses are well liked and commended of men, is thereby emboldened to go so farre, without all modestie or discretion, that he shameth himselfe: yea many times fondly presuming vponupon them that hauehave soothed them vp, and made much of them, venture most foolishly and desperately, in pursuing of lewd attempts to their own vndoing.Pro. 17.4. The wicked giueth heed to false lips, (saith Salomon) & a lier hearkeneth to a naughtie tongue, that is, to be ruled by them: and is not that daungerous? Now whose lippes are more full of falshood, then the lippes of the flatterer; who still perswadeth fooles that their copper is good gold, and their blacke is pure white, and that their foolishnesse is high wisedome, and that their crooked waies are the straightest waies? &c. And who doth hearken more to such lippes, then the vaineglorious hypocrite, who doth all to be praised of men, and cannot endure by any meanes to heare any fault found with anything that he doth?: Againe, if he be a foole that praiseth the hypocrite, or a foolish man that hath no iudgement or vnderstanding, nor abilitie to discerne of colours, then hath he gotten a blind man to leade him into the ditch. If many wise men, and of great place do praise the hypocrite: then is the foole lifted vp aloft, but to shew his nakednesse, that others may enuie him for his aduauncement, and despise him for his follie, and contemne him for his vnworthinesse.
1. King, 22.King Achab was glad when his going to warre against Ramoth Gilead was liked of, and confirmed by the approbation of foure hundred Prophets: the wind of their mouth was pleasant, but most daungerous: for it blew him with a maine gale like a shippe without a Pilote vponupon the rockes of his owne destruction. When Herod for his vaine Oration receiued the commendation of his flattering Courtiers and seruaunts, who cried, the voyce of God and not of a man; he felt a sweete and a pleasing wind that blew him vp beyond himselfe, that like one in a traunce (or dreame rather) forgot himselfe to be a mortall man,Act. 12. and so quietly tooke to himselfe that honour that was due vntounto God. But it was the most daungerous wind that euer blew vponupon him: for it both ripened his sinne, and hastened the vengeance of God immediatly vponupon him. Many such daungerous windes and blastes, are Princes and Noblemen, and other persons of great calling subiect vntounto: the more neede hauehave they to looke vntounto themselues, and we to pray vntounto God most earnestly for their standing. Seeing therefore that the praise of men is so vncertaine, so deceiptfull, of so short a continuance, so vnprofitable, and so daungerous, we may safely conclude, that of all rewardes it is most vaine, and that hypocrites in making of that the end of their actions, are most vaine men, or madde fooles: for, they hauehave their reward.
As it is a vaine thing to serue for the praise of men, that is to say, for vanitie it selfe,The miserie of the hypocrite. so is it a thing most miserable, and slauish. For first, though it be a most vaine shadow and fruitlesse vanitie of all vanities that man hunteth after, yet cannot he hauehave it without great paines taking. Secondly, before he can weare it, and enioy it freely, he must be censured of all. Thirdly, how often and commonly is he after all his paines and cost that he hath bene at, deceiued of his expectation. For the paines that the hypocrite taketh to please men, he may truely say as Iacob said (though not with so good a conscience) I was in the day consumed with heate, Gen. 31.40and with frost in the night, and my sleepe departed from my eyes. Yea the feares, cares, and doubtes that he is turmoiled and tossed in, are vnspeakeable: one while he is vexed to know certainely the humour and disposition of him whose praise he seeketh: then he careth how to fit his humour, with what wordes, with what gestures, with what by-matters, what tales and discourses, with what presents: then what companie to hauehave, and how to consort himselfe with them. And then what is the fittest time to find him both at leysure, and in a good moode. Then it is a world to see how the hypocrite acteth his part, and what paines he taketh: first, in marking the countenances, and gestures, & speeches, & commendations, and welcomes, and faire promises that are shewed him. Then in recounting of them, and descanting vponupon them: first, to himselfe, and then to others, thinking and bragging how he was reputed and taken with such and such, and that he was so bold and so bold with him, and better entertained then his betters, and how glad such and such were of their companie, and I know not what: Did you note how attentiue he was (saith he) when I spake such a thing? Did you not marke how he smiled ar such a word? Did you see I pray you, how he tooke me by the hand, how courteously he entertained me, how he bad me sit downe: what commendations he gaue me: he said he neuer sawe a thing better done, nor heard a speech that better pleased him in all his life. All this while the foole is counting his chickens, as they say, before they be hatched. But if one come in his way, and seeme to take any manner of exception to anything, or to aduise him in such a point, or such a point, or that he be not so highly applauded, and regarded for this and that action, or for this and that speech, or for this and that circumstance wherein he pleased himselfe: then his comb is cut, and a cloude is ouercast, his glorie is eclipsed, his market is marred, and he must cast about againe how to hauehave his cake better baked another time: for that time he cryeth as Caesars Parrot did: Operam & oleum perdidi: I hauehave lost both labour and cost. Then he vexeth himselfe againe, in musing and studying what should be the cause of so hard successe. I beleeue saith he, that some bodie hath angred him, he was so melancholike: or I may thanke such and such that had told some tales against me. And then is the poore foole beset and hemmed in with a number of odde surmises, and conceipts, and imaginations, whereof eueryevery one doth haunt him, and pull him, like the furious spirite that haunted Saul.
If all for the present runnne currant, and answere his desire, then he thinkes himselfe a iolly fellow: and who but he, with such and such that hauehave taken good liking of him; and there (as one come to his fooles paradise) he sets downe his rest.
But now beginneth a new peece of work, & that is, how to keep this credite and commendation wholly to himselfe: and not be dispossessed. For what if the wind turne, and afterward by some mishappe or other those parties that so magnified him before, will not vouchsafe so much perhaps as to salute him, or speake kindly vntounto him, or to conuerse with him as in times past? or send for him as they were wont to doe? or giuegive him so much as a good countenance? as nothing is more vsuall in the world then such alterations in the mindes of men. So was it with Iacob and Laban. When Iacob had taken exceeding great paines in his Vncle Labans seruice, and was still the same man that he was wont to be, carefull of his Vncles good, yet when Laban saw him to prosper and thriue well, he enuied him: and Iacob perceiued it well inough by his countenance:Gen. 31.5. for saith he to Rahel and Leah, I see your fathers countenance, that it is not toward me as it was wont. Nowe the godly can make vse of such things, as not to trust in men, nor to set their hearts on the world, but to walke wisely, &c. But they are no whit dismayed at such alterations and chaunges: but knowing that the world is euer like it selfe, and is no chaungeling, except it be from euill to worse, they go on still in doing their dutie, making themselues merrie at the feast of a good conscience before God, whose glorie and fauour are the markes that they aime at, and in him onelyonly they trust. But the hypocrite is then much vexed and troubled, and new feares and thoughts arise in his hart, casting about how to recouer that countenance, and commendations which he hath lost, that is: how to get the shadow that goeth from him.
To this end he resolueth with himselfe to make friends, to frame new deuices, to vse all the art and skill that his braine can affoord, practising, promising, and bestowing much against his nature: flattering here, and lying and dissembling there, much against his conscience: he must creepe to one, and crouch to another, and sooth vp all beyond all modestie and reason: backebiting this bodie, and accusing another bodie, and censuring of eueryevery one to feede mens humours, against all honestie and equity: for by honest and simple dealing it cannot be obtained.
And thus by this little you may see what paines, what charges, what cares, what feares, and doubts, and inconueniences a man must vndergo that will hunt for the praise of men: is not then the reward of hypocrisie a miserable reward, and they miserable fooles, that take such paines and vexe themselues so, for the getting of that which is vainer then their own shadow?
The hypocrite before he hath his reward, must not onelyonly take great paines, be at much cost, and vexe himselfe with many cares, feares, and foolish conceipts, which is a maruellous miserie: but also be subiect to the censures and iudgements of eueryevery one: his name must be called in question vponupon eueryevery occasion that is offered to speake of him, his whole life ripped vp, and all his actions sifted and scanned at eueryevery mans pleasure: some will commend him, some will condemne him, some will admire him, some will deride him, some will say he is a good man, some will say he is a bad man, and a deceiuer. And what a miserable thing is this, for a man to hauehave his name thus haled and pulled, like a bone among dogges, and to be like a tennise ball tossed vp and downe, and canuassed at eueryevery mans pleasure: and all for a vaine shadow, which the more he followeth, the more it flieth from him? The Apostle therefore in Gal. 5.26. disswadeth vsus from vaineglory in this maner: Let vsus not be desirous of vaine glorie, (saith he) prouoking one another, enuying one another. To shew that the fruites of a vaineglorious mind are but prouocations to euill, and the reaping of enuie: which like a monstrous monster will spoile her selfe to hurt another. A miserable reward then is that, which setteth the enuious man a worke, and prouoketh others also to sift vsus, and to practise against vsus.
And this is not all, but when the hypocrite hath taken all this pains, and endured all this sifting, he oftentimes commeth short of his expected hope, and therein they are most miserable: like the builders of Babel Tower: they looked for a great name, and loe they reaped a great shame.Gen. 11. For Babel, that is, confusion, fell vponupon them. They serue long for Rahel, and the world sendeth Leah in her stead, which they like not so well.2. Sam. 1.15 They runne many times with newes, when they hauehave no thankes for their labour: like the man that ranne to tell Dauid of Sauls death, who looking for some reward, (or thankes at the least) at Dauids hand, lost his life for his labour. What paines did Ioab take with the host of Israel, 2. Sam. 10.to quench the rebellion of Absalom? and to kill Absalom that monster in nature, who first kindled the fire? What thankes did the messenger looke for at king Dauids hand, when he told him of Absaloms death: and behold the King fell to weeping and crying out for the death of the traytor. What praise and encouragement did Ioab the Kings Generall, with all the Captaines of the armie, looke for at the Kings hand? and loe, they were deceiued of their expectation, for the King would not so much as once shew himselfe vntounto them, till he could not chuse.2. Sam. 10. Dauid deserued both louelove and commendations at Hanuns hands, whē so kindly he sent Embassadours to see how he did▪ but instead thereof that wicked Ammonite construed eueryevery thing to the worst, suspecting them to come as spies into his land, and so vsed them accordingly with all spite and shame, shauing their beards off by the halfes, and curtalling their garments by their buttockes. And euen so many times it falleth out in the world, when a man thinketh to do for the best, it falleth out for the worst. Is there any thing then more miserable then to hunt for the praise of men? Achitophels counsels were for a while esteemed of as the Oracles of God, but at the last his wisedome was turned into folly by Hushai Dauids friend: whereupon the foolish hypocrite,2. Sa. 17.…3. and hypocriticall traitor went home, and for sorrow hanged himselfe. And so is it vsually in the world: many carrie all the credite for a time, and afterwards when others come in place that shal excell them in one thing or other, then they are no bodie. What is then more miserable then to make the praise of men the end of our labor? The children of God see this and beleeue it, and hauehave good experience of it, and therefore they make no reckening of it, but resolue with themselues as the Apostle hath taught them: We must passe through honour and dishonour, 2. Cor. 6.through good report and badde report, through praise and dispraise. The counterfeit secketh onelyonly for honor, and there he resteth▪ the hypocrite hunteth after praise and commendation, and there he resteth: but through dishonour and bad report he would passe, and not stay there: but, as if one were no more to be regarded then the other, but both to be despised alike. The Apostle telleth vsus that we must passe through both, and go on in our holy courses: like waies that bring vsus to our iourneis end, wherof some be faire, and some be soule: so must we accompt of the praise and dispraise of men. For we hauehave a iourney to make vntounto the kingdome of heauen, wherein we must imitate wise trauellers,Simile. who when they come to a fowle way, they are not much troubled though it doth moile them, and somewhat hinder their pace, but they go on the more warily. And whē they come to faire waies, and pleasant fields, and well furnished Innes, they do not there set downe their rest, but go on their iourney with more boldnesse and comfort. The chiefest thing that they respect, is not so much the foulenesse or fairenesse of waies or weather, as that they be not out of their right way. Euen so in our spirituall iourney, while we walke the pathes of God, we shall passe through the blind lanes, and deepe sloughes of reproches, and priuie slaunder, & through many a storme of tempestuous spirites. What then? We must go on for all that, but so much the more circumspectly and warily. After that we shall meete with friends, and come to faire waies of peace and tranquilitie, and the pleasing winds of good report and commendation wil blow vponupon vsus: what then? shall we there rest? as though the end of our iourney were for to come to a greene way, or to a pleasant wind? no: but we must go on still, keeping a good conscience, to cheare vsus vp withall, and the better our way be, and the more temperate the aire be, the more chearefully and comfortably should we persist in our heauē ly iourney: not so much standing vponupon these accidents of praise and dispraise, of liking and disliking, of stormes and calmes, as whether we be in the right way or no, taking heede that we go not too fast for feare of tyring, nor too slow for feare of casting behind, and comming too late.
But vaine hypocrites onelyonly talke of going this iourney, they do not meane to trauell it indeede, but make a shew of such a thing, trauelling and professing religion, and ciuilitie, so long as they may be assured of easie iourneis, good prouision, faire weather, and pleasant waies, or else they are vndone. If they know that dishonour and bad report lye in their way, they will not set out. And if they see that they shall be praised and well esteemed for their labour, they will then go, and run themselues out of breath too, for all that they do, is to be praised of men: but of all men they are most vaine and miserable; for they hauehave their reward: and what is that else, for the vncertaintie thereof, for the deceitfulnesse thereof, for the breuitie thereof, for the vnprofitablenes thereof, for the daunger thereof: considering also the paines they take for it, and the feares and cares that they are vexed withall for it, and the manifold siftings, and censurings they endure for it, and how often they loose their expectation, reaping the clean contrary to that which they looke for? These things being well considered, (I say) what else is the reward of hypocrisie compounded of, but of vanitie and misery it selfe?