Ten Sermons Upon Matthew 6:1-4, Sermon 1
THE I. SERMON.
PRO. 6.12.13.14.15.
The vnthrifty man [or the man of Belijal] and the wicked man, or [the man of vanity], walketh with a froward mouth. 13. He maketh a signe with his eyes, he signifieth with his feete, he instructeth with his fingers. 14. Lewd things are in his heart, he imagineth euill continually, and raiseth vp contentions. 15. Therefore his destruction shall come speedily, he shall be destroyed suddenly without recouery.
THis text may well be called the Anatomy of Belial, because it searcheth and openeth eueryevery veine of him, and eueryevery sinew of him,Why this text is called the Anatomy of Belial. to the very heart, and to that which is in the heart, as Anatomies do: and sheweth the causes of eueryevery spirituall disease, and the effects of eueryevery cause, and what it is that bringeth the wicked man to his wofull end, as Anatomies doe. And that so liuely, that if any man desire to see a liuely picture, and a true Anatomy of Belial indeede, let him with patience marke, and behold the hand of Gods Spirit, while Belial is a ripping vp: and he will say as the people sayd of another action of our Sauiour Christ, we neuer saw such a thing. Mark. 2.12. But all is done, and must be done to this end, that we may know our selues. And this indeed is therefore made the Anatomies speech or poesie: Nosce teipsum, know thy selfe: as if he should say, why dost thou stand still gaping and gazing vponupon my naked bones? or prying into my bowels & entrails? or iudging of my heart? &c. good leaue hast thou so to do, but learne by me then what thou art, and what thou shalt be thy selfe.
This Anatomie is altogether spiritual,The parts of this Anatmomy. and hath in it two parts. First, the description of a wiked man: secondly, his iudgemēt. He is described two waies: first, by his name: secondly, by his actions. His name setteth out his nature, and it is double: first, he is called in the Ebrew tongue, A man of Beliall: that is, a lawlesse person. Secondly, he is called in the same tongue, A man of vanitie: that is, a man altogether vnprofitable. As he is described by his names, so also is he knowne by his actions, and they be of two sorts, outward and inward: his outward actions are also two fold, his speeches, and his gestures. His speeches are set forth by two adiuncts, or circumstances: first, of their quality, then of their quantitie: for their qualitie, they be very euill, for they be altogether froward: for their quantitie, they exceede, for he walketh with a froward mouth, that is, he is continually froward. His gestures are also obserued, the gestures of his eyes, of his fingers, and of his feete, and all of them are very significant, and tending to set forward sinne. The inward actions of his heart, are layed forth two wayes. First, foreign, or in generall tearmes, saying: Lewd things are in his heart. Secondly, foreign, or in particular obseruations, by noting two vile properties arising from a lewd hart. First, that he imagineth euill continually. Secondly, he raiseth vp contentions. After his description commeth his iudgement, and that is, to be destroyed: and this destruction is amplified further, by shewing the fearefull manner of the coming thereof: for it shall come speedily without delay, and suddenly without any warning, before he looketh for it. Secondly, the euerlasting continuance of it: for it shall be without recouery.
Iudg. 19. v…lt.In the Scripture we reade of a Leuite that cut his wife in peeces, when others has wickedly abused her to the death, and sent her quarters vntounto the twelue tribes of Israel, with this motion and message: Consider the matter, consult, and giuegive sentence. But here the Lord hath cut Belial in peeces, who was the cause of his owne death, and hath hanged vp his quarters (as it were) in his word, which he hath sent into all parts of the world, that his people might consider the matter, consult, and confirme the sentence of the Lord: and also take example by him, least we come into the same case.
But before we come to the particular examination of Belials markes, it shall not be amisse to enquire of three very necessary points.3. Points. The first is, to what end this description is made. Secondly, whether we may by the same description take vponupon vsus to iudge who is a man of Belial. And thirdly, what may be learned from the coherence of this text, with the rest of the Chapter.
For the first point: Machiuels and Atheistes thinke that all the Bible, and all preaching,To what end this Anatomy tendeth. Not for pollicy. and all religion, is but matter of pollicy, to keepe men in awe: and so consequently that this that is sayd of Belial is so too. For that diuell that told Adam that he should not dye, though he did transgresse the commaundement of God: doth also tell these fellowes, that whatsoeuer the Scriptures say, or Preachers babble (as they say) yet they shall not dye the death. But what could Eue say at the last? The Serpent deceiued me. So will these cry one day: Sathan hath deceiued vsus. Well, leaue them to the Lord, and let vsus know for certaine truth, that whatsoeuer is written before hand in the Scripture is written for our learning, as the Apostle saith;Rom. 15.4. and therefore this Scripture also is written for our learning as well as any other.
God hath not taken such paines (as I may say) in making and setting forth Belials picture,Nor to gaze at, in this liuely sort as you see, to that end that we should do nothing but stand and gaze at his picture, but that we should note him well,But to know him & auoide him. Belial in like a runagate. and learne to know him when we see him, and to auoide him when we know him. For, Belial is like a runagate, who hath done that which he is ashamed of, & hauing stolne the cloke of vertue, and honestie, is runne away with the same vponupon his backe, seeking how to hide himselfe in the world. And for feare of being taken, he hath gotten himself into seruice with great mē of the world, like Elimas with the Deputy. And hath so won their fauors,Act. 13. that he walketh with them in the fields, & strowteth it with them in the streetes: he feasteth with them at their tables: he buyeth and selleth for them in their shops: he tradeth for them beyond the seas: he courteth with the most gallant in the court: He hath found a place in the Vniuersities amongst scholers: in Cities amongst merchants:What entertainmēt and friendship Belial hath in all places. in Churches amongst Preachers: in iudgement hals amongst Lawyers: in Consistories amongst Doctours, and proctors: at Theaters amongst players: in housholds amongst seruants and children: in Gentlemens houses amongst seruingmen and their maisters. He hath learned to insinuate himselfe into the company of all states and degrees: and hath found the fauour to be shrowded amongst Captaines and souldiers, amongst Lords and Ladies, amongst Knights and Esquires, amongst yeomen and artificers, amongst prentises and iourny-men, and where not? And if need be, he can hauehave a licence to go beyond the seas amongst Italians & Barbarians, and to come from all places of the world,Vertue and godlinesse can neuer get good seruice nor good mariage. and be welcome at his good leasure and pleasure: and all this can Belial do, and more then this too: for, he hath a great number of foule deformed vices, and monstrous vgly abuses, which are all begotten of his owne body, both male and female, which he can easily preferre into seruice. And so well are they brought vp by the double diligence of his brother Machiauell, that many become sutors vntounto them, and glad is he that can match his son, or his daughter with one of them, when vertue and godlinesse may go through the world, and can harldy get a seruice, except in the iayle, or in some beggers cottage: much lesse can they get a good mariage: and if they do hit vponupon a good mariage, it will not be long before they shall be diuorced againe.
But Belial with his cubs, because they are eueryevery where, are thought to be no where: but the Lord from whom they are run away, he knoweth them well inough. And here he hath made out a warrant,Gods warrant for the attaching of Belial. you see, to attach them wheresoeuer they can be found, and to summon them to answer for themselues before Gods iudgement seate: which warrant is committed to all Magistrates, Ministers and other of his faithfull people and subiects. And because many say they cannot know Belial, and they must take heede how they detect any by that name: therefore the Lord hath well prouided here for his people, and in this his attachment hath put downe such markes and notes, of his talke, of his name, of his gestures, &c. that vnlesse men will be wilfully blind, they cannot chuse but know him, although he goeth neuer so disguisedly, and denieth his name neuer so stoutly.
And indeed let Belial be arrested at Gods sute for dishonouring him, or at Christs sute for crucifying him, or at the Churches sute for persecuting her, or at the Gospels sute, for slandering of it, or at Religions sute for contemning of it (as all these actions and many more will come against him one day) he will straight way deny his name,What actions come against Belial, and at whose sute. and say, You mistake me sir, I am not the man that you looke for, &c. Then those men which want either will, or skill, or courage, or all (nor greatly regarding the words of their warrant) take his word for the matter, and so let him go for an honest man: but those that are wise in God, can easily discerne Belial from an honest man, as King Salomon could well descry the harlot from the true mother of the child, because the wisedome of God was with him.1 King. 3. vlt. And the godly wise hauehave learned to say to Belial as the damsell sayd once vntounto Peter: Surely thou art one of them, for thy voice bewraieth thee: So, thou art one of the men of Belial: How Belial is descried by the godly wise.for thy filthy speeches bewray thee, thy outragious oathes bewray thee, thy proud and profane gestures bewray thee, thy lewd and contentious behauiour bewray thee, therefore it is but a folly to denie thy name: for as the Asse is knowne by his braying, and the length of his eares, to be an Asse, though he iet it in a Lions skin: so, thou art knowne by thy conditions to be a man of Belial, although thou goest in the habite of an honest religious, or religious honest man.
When our Sauiour Christ said that one should betray him who was then in presence with him, there was looking one vponupon another, and eueryevery man was iealous ouer himself, saying: Is it I? Is it I? But what saith our Sauiour Christ? He that dippeth his finger with me in the dish, that is the man that shall betray me. He named no body: but that was inough, for thus might any one conclude vppon Christs words,A strong argument. He that dippeth his hand now with Christ in the dish, is the traytour: but Iudas dippeth his hand now with Christ in the dish, therefore Iudas is the traitor. In like maner, when God saith, there be wicked men of Belial, and vaine men, lawlesse persons, and vnprofitable, that must be destroyed speedily, sodenly, and without recouery: now eueryevery man will put it off from him selfe, and say, that he is not that man of Belial, &c. But what saith the Lord? he nameth none, but noteth them thus: The man of Belial and the vaine man, walketh with a froward mouth: he maketh a signe with his eyes, &c. that is, he that walketh with a froward mouth, he that is lawlesse in his affections, he that is vnprofitable in his conuersation, he that imagineth euill at all times, and raiseth vp contentions, he is that man of Belial, that must be destroyed if he repent not: then may we conclude thus: But such a one walketh with a froward mouth, &c. and hath all the markes of Belial, and therefore he is a man of Belial. And thus we se to what end this description of Belial is set forth, namely to that end that we might know him, when we meet him, and auoide him when we know him. And now let vsus go to another point, and see whether it be lawful for Christians to iudge of another,2 Point. A point of ingratitude and an abuse of Gods merciemercy to outface the truth. To take the notes that God hath giuen is not to iudge, but to pronounce the iudgement of God. Christs wordes Iudge not, how they are abused by the wicked. The impudency of the couetous man. by this description or no.
It is no small mercy of God so exactly to anatomize, or describe the wicked man: for by this meanes, one shall not be taken for another: and Christians knowing for certaine a wicked man by his picture, may more easily auoide him, more safely reproue him, and more freely giuegive Vertue her robes and her ornaments againe, when Belial that runagate is stript out of all, and turned out naked as he deserueth. But intollerable is the vnthankfulnesse of many, and by this doctrine to be reproued, that so abuse the mercy of God, as to outface the truth euen now in the day light of the Gospell, and glorious truth of the Lord. So shamelesse and impudent are the fauourites of Belial, that they will not sticke to say: How know you that he is a wicked man, or a wicked woman? Oh you may not iudge, you may not iudge, when we do but iudge the tree by the fruites, and pronounce that which God hath set downe. Now he that taketh the notes which God hath giuen him, doth not iudge, but onelyonly pronounceth the iudgement of God.
Whatsoeuer the wicked do, yet when they daunce in this net, You must not iudge, &c. they thinke themselues safe, like the foolish bird called the Ostrich, which putteth her head into a bush, and then thinketh that no body seeth her, though all her body be out of the bush. If a wicked man be reproued for couetousnesse, what is his defence but this: How know you that I am couetous? you may not iudge, when all his life fauoureth of nothing else but greedy couetousnesse, all his talke is of worldly matters, for heauenly things he can find no leisure, no time to heare the word, and yet how know you that he is couetous? He getteth al mens trades into his hands, to the spoile and decay of many that would liue by him: he will be a mercer, a grocer, a draper, a cutler, an armourer, a girdler, a malster, a brewer, a corne-bodger, a gamester, and what not? and so ouerdroopeth all occupations about him, and vnderunder him, that none can thriue but he: and yet how know you that he is a worldling?Of the proud mā. In the like sort if the wicked Belial be reproued for pride, he will straight be at defiance with you, and for his defence, this shall be his plea: How know you that he is proud? you may not iudge, &c. when all their whole life bewrayeth nothing else: eueryevery day a new fashion: all the day little inough for their curling, and crisping, and frisling, and pluming, and setting &c. Their gate must be counterfeit, their speech is counterfeit, their beauty is counterfeit, their haire is counterfeit, and yet how know you that teyh be proud?Of the incontinent person. In like manner will the lasciuious and incontinent person pleade for himselfe: you may not iudge, when all his life doth stinke of his filthinesse, when he hunteth harlots houses: yea though the streetes swarme with his bastards, though he doth daily vomit out filthy, shamelesse, and ribaldry speeches: yet he may be an honest man,The wicked are patrons one to another. will some say: Oh it is hard to iudge. These are such as claime patronage one of another, claw me, & I will claw thee. They will stand out with it at the barre with God himselfe, as in Math. 3.8. Your words hauehave bene stout against me (sayth the Lord:) But they aunswere: What hauehave we sayd? But they that make no conscience of iustifying wicked men, will make no conscience to iustifie wickednesse it selfe in time: as Salomon made no bones of idolatrie, when once he liked idolatrous women.
Howe Christs words in Mat. 7.1. are to be vnderstood. 1. Cor. 10. 1 Cor. 11. Phil. 1.9.It is sayd indeede, Iudge not that ye be not iudged, Math. 7.1. But that place is to be vnderstood against rash iudgement, not iudgement simply, for other places do allow of iudging, but no place alloweth rash, hastie, and peremptorie iudging. The Apostle Saint Paule handling the doctrine of the Lords supper, sayth vntounto his auditours the Corinths, Iudge ye what I say: to shew that Christians must be able to iudge of doctrine. And speaking of the preparation of Christians before they come to the Lords table, he saith: Iudge your selues: to shew that Christians must be able to iudge of their owne estate. In another place he prayeth that the Church of Christ may abound in all knowledge and iudgement, and giueth a reason, that they may be able to discerne things that differ.Deut. In another place the Lord himself saith: Iudge righteous iudgemēt. All which places (besides infinite more to the like effect) do shew that our Sauior Christ for bad not all kind of iudgement: they may as well conclude that there must be no Iudges, nor iudgement seats: no courts, nor verdicts, no Assises, nor sessions, because Christ hath sayd: Iudge not: and so we should make a good peece of worke quickly. But harken now what common reason sayth to the matter. Shall not the Goldsmith iudge of mettals, because Christ hath sayd, Iudge not? Shall not the Phisition iudge of a sicke body, because Christ hath sayd, Iudge not? Shall not a iury of twelue men iudge of a fellon, because Christ hath sayd iudge not? Shall not the Iudge giuegive iudgement vponupon a malefactour, because Christ hath sayd, Iudge not? Shall not the eare iudge of sounds, and the eye of colours, and the nose of smels, and the pallate of meates, because Christ hath sayd Iudge not? Yes: you will say all. Very well: And shall not a Christian also by the powers of his inward man discerne betweene a good man and a wicked man, because Christ hath sayd, Iudge not? Or doth all power of iudging, and ability of discerning belong onelyonly to the outward man, and none to the inward man? or shall the inward man be able to iudge of eueryevery thing, sauing of mens actions and behauiour?1. Cor. 2.14. That is very absurd. The naturall man perceiueth not the things of God, sayth the Apostle, because they are spirituall, and must be spiritually discerned: but the spirituall man iudgeth all things, and is iudged of none: that is, of no carnall man is he rightly iudged, for the carnall man can no more iudge of the spirituall man and his actions, then a blind man can iudge of colours. Therefore, though Christ hath sayd, Iudge not, yet will no man loose his authority in place of iudgement,They that cry out, you must not iudge, are most rash themselues in iudging of others. The iudgemēt which wicked mē giuegive of the godly and of others is peruerse, & peposterous. nor the priuiledge of his sight, nor of his hearing, nor of his tasting, nor the vse of naturall reason. Nay more, though Christ hath sayd, Iudge not, yet these fellowes will not sticke to be most swift iudges of others themselues: for do they see another man zealous in religion, deuout in prayer, a diligent hearer of the word of God, a painefull searcher of the Scripture? a seuere reprouer of sinne, and a strict man in his life and conuersation? what is their verdict of such a one? Forsooth, such a one is an hypocrite, a Puritane, a Precisian; oh fie vppon him, none are worse then these professours, a busie fellow I warrant you, a dangerous man, an enemy to the state, &c. But if a man will serue the time, and play the pot companion, and become an vnthrift, a gamster, a tauerne hunter, or a whore hunter, and blaspheme the sacred name of God at eueryevery word, and scoffe handsomely at religion: then their verdict is this, and their bolt is leuelled in this manner: Such a man is euen the honestest man that liueth, a notable good fellow, and no mans foe but his owne. A preposterous iudgement they giuegive on both sides, like the Barbarians, with whom Paule was either a murtherer, or a God. But now heare the iudgement of the word concerning these swift iudges,Esa. 5.20. & their crooked measures: Wo be vntounto them (saith the Prophet Esai) that speake good of euill, and euill of good: which call light darkenesse, and darkenesse light, sower sweete, and sweete sower. He that iustifieth the wicked, Pro. 17.15.and condemneth the innocent, euen both these are abhomination vntounto the Lord, saith Salomon. And in another place: He that sayth to the wicked thou art righteous, Pro. 24.24.him shall the people curse, and the multitude shall abhor him. All which places do teach vsus two things. First, that it is lawfull for a man to iudge betweene a godly man and a wicked: but then we must beware how we iudge: that we condemne not, or commend not one for another. Secondly, that those which rashly and vnaduisedly iudge of men at their owne pleasure, are the worst men that liue. Let vsus learne then to iudge the Lords iudgements.Mat. 7. It is an easie way that Christ hath taught: The tree is knowne by his fruites. He that cannot iudge of meate by his taste is sicke: So, they that cannot iudge of sinne for want of spirituall taste, are verie dangerously sicke. When God hath set vp a torch, and lighted it at noone day, and yet we blindfold our selues and will not see, it is vnthankfulnesse most peeuish and intollerable, which calleth for a most seuere iudgement, euen depriuation ipso facto, of all spirituall vnderstanding,Rom. 1. and to be giuen vp of God vntounto a reprobate sence.
But here now groweth a question: whether may we iudge of reprobates vnreuealed or no?We may iudge who is (for the present) a wicked man, but not who is a reprobate. A similitude of a Iury. Verily that is a matter that belongeth not to vsus, but to the high Iudge of heauen and earth: Neither doth it follow, that because I see such a one is a wicked man, therefore such a one is a reprobate, and a damned wretch: God forbid we should reason so: for though I see now what he is, yet what he shall be hereafter I know not, neither do I know what God hath decreed of him from euerlasting. A Iurie of twelue sworne men do find (being led thereunto by their euidence, that such a one is a theefe, and guilty of felonie, but further they cannot go; to say for certaine that such a one shall dye for it they cannot: for the booke may saue him, or the Iudge may repriue him, or the Prince may pardon him, for any thing that they know: So a Christian by the euidence that Gods word giueth, may find such and such to be guiltie of wickednesse: and for the time may by his fruits pronounce, that he standeth in the state of reprobation, so long as he so continueth: but that he shall dye in that case, is more then he knoweth: for the booke of God may be a meane of his conuersion: and God the iudge of quicke and dead may repriue him to a further time of repentance: and in the end God for his mercies sake in Iesus Christ may pardon him all his sinnes, and so receiue him to mercy: but this is more then any man can assure himselfe of, if he continueth in his wickednesse: therefore let no man presume to be a wicked man still in hope of mercy, for he may so deceiue himselfe.Cases rare and extraordinary. The Church perceiued that Iulianus the Apostata, or backesliding Emperour had sinned against the holy Ghost, and therefore was a reprobate that way: whereupon they made a decree, that all the Church should pray against him. Paule by a speciall spirite of discerning, discerned of Alexander the Copper-smith to be a reprobate: and so did our Sauiour Christ discerne of Iudas to be a diuell incarnate,Iohn 6. and so a reprobate: but these are no presidents nor warrants for priuate persons to hold by, while they giuegive finall sentence vponupon any. And so much shall suffice for the second point, where we see how farre we may safely go in the iudging of other men by the description of Belial, and how farre not: and now let vsus come to the third circumstance, and see what we may learne from the coherence or ioyning of this text with the rest of the Chapter.
In this Chapter,The third point: of the coherence of this text with the rest of the Chapter. Salomon maketh a diuision of sinnes, and dealeth against diuerse kindes of sinne: as namely against rashnesse and vaineglorie in suretiship, but not against suretiship it selfe, as more at large I hauehave shewed in my Caueat for sureties: and then he taxeth those that liue idlely for want of a lawfull calling, and negligently in their calling, and vnprofitably both, as before I hauehave declared (according to my poore measure) in my Rowsing of the sluggard (the greatest enemy I confesse one of them that euer I had to deale withall in my selfe.) And these sinnes he prosecuteth vntounto the 12. verse. From those he ariseth, and encountreth with greater, and grosser sinnes, both of men and women vntounto the ende of the Chapter:Doct. Gods fanne doth find out all. from whence we may note, that the fanne that God sifteth sinne withall shall find out all, and is like the net that bringeth all to the shore. Some thinke to go away with their sinnes as many theeues do with their pilfers, and not to be espied: but it cannot be: for if Gods word may hauehave free passage, it will find them out. How fondly then do they deceiue themselues, which will hauehave the word to be sincerely deliuered, and throughly applied, and yet thinke that they should be exempted from the censure and reproofe of the word,Luk. 11.45. and not be touched? Of such we reade in the Gospell:Some look to be dispensed with for their sins. and namely of a certaine Lawyer, who hearing our Sauior Christ inueying against some great fault amongst that profession, steppeth vp, and bestirreth himselfe as a fish that felt himselfe masked in the net, and sayth, Maister, in so saying thou puttest vsus to rebuke also. Where we see, that there are some sinnes that can be contented to sit stil, & see their fellows arrested, but being attached themselues, they storme, and startle at the very sight of the officer: yea at the very glimering of the light when it commeth to them, supposing themselues to be priuiledged, by reason that they belong some to Princes, some to Noblemen, some to Gentlemen, some to Lawyers, some to Bishops, and some to their officers, and all retaining to great men in the world, that they should be spared for their maisters sake:Partiality is to be found in the world, but not in the word. No man can escape the power and censure of the word Luk. 12.3 The vse of this point. I. King. 18. which partiall dealing may well befound in the world, but in the word it cannot be: for the word of God is of that largenesse that it compasseth all: of that brightnesse that it discouereth all: of that maiesty, that it astonisheth all: of that power, that it apprehendeth all: and of that authority that it commandeth all. Neither can any sinne, or sinnes, withall the shiftes and deuises in the world escape the power and censure of that word, which hath once spoken the word, and proclaimed it to all the world, that whatsoeuer is done in secret shall be preached on the house top, that is, shall be made knowne to all the world. Therefore, thinke it not strange good brethren, if you find your selues touched, and rifled too, when you heare a Sermon, for the word of the Lord being deuided aright, will do both. Say not as Achab sayd to Eliah: Hast thou found me ô my enemy? when your secret and deare sinnes are by the power of the word rightly handled, and applied by your Pastour, or whosoeuer else: for God hath found you out, as he did find out Adam hidden amongst the trees of the garden, or else we should hauehave lost our selues for euer: and therefore let vsus be thankfull to his Maiesty for so great a mercy,The minister doth but hold forth the glasse that sheweth vsus our spots, Ier. 43.3. Ioh. 4. Great sins and small sinnes are knit together. for it is great indeed: and not be angry with his ministers, who do but hold vsus the glasse while we see therein our spots. Neither say you as the proud Iewes did to Ieremy: This is not the word of the Lord which Ieremy speaketh, but he speaketh as Baruch the sonne of Neriah prouoketh him. For it is the nature of the word to tell you all that you hauehave done, as Christ told the woman of Samaria.
Againe, here we may further obserue, how great sins and small sins are knit together, as great theeues and little theeues lye all in one prison, go all in one line, stand all at one barre, and hauehave all one maner of triall: where we are to note, that Gods Spirit is not so carefull to sift out the lesser offences of men: but the greater also. For, as he is the Iudge of all men, so he dealeth vprightly in equity with all men: and not as the Scribes and Pharisees, nor as their Apes the Papistes, who straine gnattes and swallow camels, while they vrge the tithing of mint, and cummin, and rew, and let the weightier matters of the law go by: who make the breaking of a Popish ceremony, or dirty traditions of men a mortall sinne, but neuer vrge matters of substaunce, either in matters of faith,The lawes of the Popish church are like the Spiders web. or manners. Neither are Gods lawes like the Spiders webbe, that catcheth onelyonly little flies, but like the net that taketh the Lion as well as the Hare, which straightnesse and vprightnesse bewraieth the crookednes of men. For first, how contrarie to Gods course is the practise of Antichrist, and Papists? For how precise are they in the searching out of toyes and trifles, ceremoniall and circumstantiall things, and punishing men for the omission of them? But for the profaning of the Sabboth, for the insufficiency of vnpreaching Ministers, for the contempt of Gods word, and such like things, they are not so precise; nay scarse do they account of them as of sinnes.Many professours are zealous against smaller offences in others, and dispēce with foule abuses in themselues! Our force is to be bent against the least sinnes aswell as the greatest. This also reproueth many professours of the Gospell, which will seeme to make a conscience of many matters of lesse moment in others, and dispence with very foule abuses, as of swearing, gaming, &c. both in themselues, and in their families. Whereby all of vsus are to be admonished to take that course that Gods Spirite taketh here, and that is, to be as zealous agaynst one sinne as against another, and to bend our force against the greatest as well as against the least: and to pull out as well the beames as the motes, out of our owne eyes, as well, as out of other mens. And so much for the doctrine that ariseth of the coherence, or ioyning of this text with the rest of the Chapter.
Now let vsus pray.