Ten Sermons Upon Matthew 6:1-4, Title page – Dedication
TEN SERMONS VPONUPON THE FIRST, SECOND, THIRD and fourth verses of the sixt of Mathew. Containing diuerse necessary and profitable Treatises, viz.
A Preseruatiue against the poyson of vaine-glory, in the 1. & 2.
The reward of sincerity, in the 3.
The vncasing of the hypocrite, in the 4.5. and 6.
The reward of hypocrisie, in the 7. and 8.
An admonition to left-handed Christians, in the 9. and 10.
Whereunto is annexed another Treatise called the ANATOMIE OF BELIAL: Set foorth in ten Sermons vponupon the 12.13.14. and 15. verses of the 6. Chapter of the Prouerbes of Salomon.
Imprinted at London by Richard Field for Thomas Man. 1602.
TO THE RIGHT VVORSHIPFVLL, RODVLPH WARCVP ESQVIRE, AND ONE OF THE IVSTICES FOR THE PEACE IN OXfordshire, W. B. wisheth all prosperity in this life, and true felicity in the life to come.
RIGHT worshipfull, musing with my selfe, where to find a fit patron for these poore Sermons, you comming to my mind, I resolued to go no further for that matter, as not knowing indeed where to better my selfe. For things spirituall I know you to be of holy Isaaks diet, who longed not so much for curious and dainty meate, as for sauory meate. In regard of humane variety, and carnall curiosity, you shall not find them very dainty or rare: yet in regard of the spirituall simplicity, and plainnesse which I hauehave endeuoured to shew therein, I hope they will not be altogether vnsauory and distastfull. The doctrines therein handled I presume you will grant to be most necessary for these times. For first, though through the abundant light of the Gospell, many are both allured and enforced to speake & do more good things, then they could do in the times of darknesse & ignorance: yet considering the subtilty of Sathan, & the corruption of our nature, we hauehave need to stand vponupon our gard: for when he cannot make vsus desist from holy actions, yet he will then vse all his art and skill to poyson our affections with the staine of vaineglory. And such is the pronenesse of our corrupt nature to be tainted therewith, that neither touch-wood, or gun-powder are more capable of fire, then our nature is of that poyson of vaineglory & hypocrisie. Againe, sincerity and plaine dealing be had in so little regard, that of most they be despised, no lesse then the high way to beggery and misery: and on the otherside, that Machiuilean principle we know is too well maintained, Qui nescit dissiumulare nescit viuere, no dissembling no trading. And further, most men, yea euen the better sort, are as vntoward to good workes, as they that do all with the left hand, consulting still with flesh and bloud, and calling their worst affections to counsell. Now seeing these things are so, what could I propound more necessary, then this preseruatiue against the foresayd poyson? and what more needfull to be set foorth, then the commendations of sincerity, taken from her beauty, from her riches, and inestimable reward? And knowing you to be so sincere a friend to sincerity it selfe, and so vnfained an enemy to fained hypocrisie, and glosing vaineglory, as you are, what could I present vntounto your Worship, more suting with your so Christian and sanctified affections, then these poore Treatises of sincerity and hypocrisie?
As for the second part of this booke, it containeth (as the title sheweth) An anatomy of the man of Belial, and vaine man, who liuing only (as the saying goeth) by the finenesse of their wits) are more vnprofitable then the smoke, and (for any religion or goodnesse to Godward) scarce worth the ground they tread vponupon. Yet the onelyonly men with most men now adayes, who being very witty and expert to exalt vanity, are very highly exalted themselues: but it is onelyonly of such as are as vaine as themselues. Here you shall see Belial set forth by his names, by his gestures, by his speeches, by his imaginations and by his contentions. By his names you shall at first see his nature: By his gestures you shall perceiue his dexterity in teaching, and his facility in learning of euill: By his euill imaginations, and lewd affections, you shall see that his hart is not so secret but it may be and wilbe discouered well inough. But by his delight in contentions, and his maner of contending, you shall easily discerne his turbulent spirite, and soone iudge of what house he commeth: And by his fearefull doome that is awarded him, it will be no hard matter to perceiue how well he may be spared, and how ill the Church of Christ will thriue where the lawlesse libertine is suffered to harbour. But by all together, who (but the wilfull blind) will not see and confesse, what a monstrous monster the carnall gospeller, or libertine Protestant is? & what dayes we are now fallen into, wherein so much liberty to euill is so freely on all sides both giuen and taken, to the great endangering of the whole body both of Church and common-wealth? To you these Treatises I do offer in a double respect. First, to testifie my thankfull mind for so many Christian kindnesses, and religious fauours, which to my great comfort, and encouragement in my poore Ministery I hauehave receiued from your hands. And next, for that by reason of that place which in your countrey you hold, you hauehave right good experience of these things. For you that are to iudge (as long you hauehave, & daily you do) betweene party and party, betweene plea and plea, cannot chuse but be acquainted with all sorts of men: who in their turnes hauehave all of them played and do daily play their parts before you: yet as Salamon (by the wisedome of God which was with him that he might gouerne well) could discerne the true mother from the false: so can you by the same wisedome easily discerne a counterfeit from one of a sincere and simple hart, though with Ieroboams wife he disguise himselfe neuer so much. And as all men did then feare and r…uerence that renowned king, because they saw the Lord with him to do iustice and iudgement: so I know nothing that hath so much aduanced, your name and credite in your countrey, and caused the sweete sauour thereof to spread it selfe like a precious ointment, both farre and neare, and round about you, but that all men do euidently see (besides your louelove of learning, and trauell for the same) that God is with you to do iustice and iudgement, to releeue the poore and distressed, to encourage the vertuous and well disposed: but especially to heale the breaches of the common-wealth, and to bind those fast together with the bond of godly vnity, which by vnkind iarres and contentions hauehave bene likely for euer to hauehave bene disioyned, distracted and dismembred in mind and affection the one from the other. Blessed are the peace makers, saith our blessed Sauior & Prince of peace. And who doth not see how abundantly God hath blessed you? whose heart he hath enclined, and whose trauels he hath imployed, and still doth employ (for the greatest part of your time) in so blessed a worke? Without all suspition of flattery be it spoken, vntounto the praise of God, and the comfort of your soule in the day of the Lord: your readinesse to do good vntounto all, your Zeale in religion, your felicity in composing of controuersies, in planting of peace, and in quenching of strifes, and that to the contentment of all parties, doth not a little reioyce the harts of all that are round about you, and shall minister no small occasion to their posterity that is to come, to commend the same to the euerlasting praise of God, and your neuer dying fame. It was Pauls reioycing, that the care of all the Churches being layd vponupon him, yet he through Gods power fainted not vnderunder his burthen. And surely you may well say, the care both of Church and common-wealth about you lyeth vponupon you: but yet God doth enable you to vndergo that care. Yea, from what parts almost do they not repaire vntounto you (as vntounto the common Phisition of the common-wealthes diseases, and the stay of the countrey, and most blessed instrument of eueryevery mans peace and welfare, when any of their matters are otherwise like to languish and fall to the ground? When it was first reported that you should be employed in Embassage for her Maiesty into France, although it could not be denied but that your employment that way might, yea and in all likelihoods would (through the blessing of God) hauehave proued very beneficiall to the Church of God in both nations, yet it grew very disputable among some, whether your presence there or at home in your owne countrey, had bene the more necessarie. And so fast hath God vnited vntounto you the harts & affections of the poore commons about you: yea and of all sorts, that as vnwillingly they would hauehave parted with you, if the choyce had bene in them, as the young infant forbeareth the presence of the kind and tender mother. I speake not this to the preiudice of any: neither is there any such cause, for thankes be to God you cannot in this respect say (as sometime Eliah sayd of himselfe) that the Lord hath left you alone: but I speake it to your comfort and encouragement, wheresoeuer you shall be employed, whether in forren businesse or domesticall affaires. For though you cannot want your crosses more then other of Gods deare children, who both abroad and at home, do by daily experience find that virtutis est inuidia comes, and that they are enuied of the malignant no lesse for their vertues, then Iacob was hated of Esaw because of the blessing, yet cannot that gracious aspect of Gods louing countenance, & fauourable blessing, which hauehave hitherto continually seconded al your godly indeuours, but be tanquā arrha, as an vndoubted pledge and testimony vntounto you, that whither soeuer you shall be lawfully called foorth, to do him seruice in seruing your Prince and countrey, he will not leaue you to your selfe, nor to the malice of the enuious: but will on the contrary stand by you and hedge you in with grace and mercy, wherewith you shall be defended as with a shield. And as he hath promised to honour those that honor him, so shall you assuredly find for euer, as you hauehave hitherto done, the truth of that promise in due time performed vntounto you. Therefore go on still like your selfe, as a faithfull friend to truth and sincerity, and an vnfained enemy to the man of Belial, and vaine man, whose counterfeit dealings shall vanish as the smoke against the wind: and the God of heauen prosper you in your goings. And now, no whit doubting of your willingnesse to peruse these Treatises, nor of your readinesse to construe all things in the best part, and to make your best vse of them, to the glory of God, the good of his Church, the comfort of your soule, and benefit of your countrey: I humbly commend both your selfe, and them to the blessing of God. From my study this 8. of February.
Your worships in all good affection, W. BVRTON.