Lectures on the 25th Psalm, Dedication (2 of 4)

Lectures on the 25th Psalm · Dedication (2 of 4)

p. 39But it may be you expect examples,Plato. foreign. which one calleth the hostages of our speech, whereby that may appeare in particuler experience, which the Lord hath confirmed in generall promise. Let Noah therefore be an example, whom the Lord because of his vprightnesse,Gen. 7. 1.Gen 7:1 preserued in the vniuersall deluge. And likewise vpright Abraham, Gen. 15. 1.Gen 15:1to whom the Lord was a shield, and an exceeding great reward. Dauid professeth, that for as much as he was vpright before God,Psal. 18. 23▪ 24.Ps 18:23Ps 18:24 the Lord therefore rewarded p. 40him according to his righteousnesse, and the purenesse of his hands in his sight. And the same is confessed by Salolon his sonne,1. King. 3. 6.1 Kgs 3:6 Thou hast (sayth he vntounto the Lord) shewed vntounto thy seruant Dau…d my father great mercy, when he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousnesse, and in vprightnesse of heart with thee. 2. King. 20. 3. 5.2 Kgs 20:32 Kgs 20:5Of Ezechias you heard before. But omitting other examples, let vsus call to mind the example of Enoch, by which being the first in this kind, we may best conceiue what account the Lord maketh of Integritie.Gen. 5. 24.Gen 5:24 For when as he walked before God vprightly,Heb. 11. 5.Heb 11:5 the Lord did therfore translate him out of this valley of teares, that he should not see death, and assumed him into heauen, where he might inioy immortall glorie.

But if neither the golden reason of excellency can moue vsus, nor the siluer reason of profit allure vsus; then must the yron reason of necessitie enforce vsus to Integrity and vprightnesse of heart. For first, such is the necessity thereof, that without Integritie the best graces we seeme to hauehave are counterfeit, and therefore but glorious sinnes, the best worship we can performe is but hypocrisie, and therefore abhominable in Gods sight. For vprightnesse is the soundnesse of all graces and virtues, as also of all religion and worship of God, without which they are vnsound and nothing worth. And first, as touching graces, if they be not ioyned with vprightnesse of hart, they are sinnes vnderunder the maskes or vizards of virtue; yea, as it may seeme double sinnes: for as Augustine sayth, Simulata aequitas est duplex iniquitas; quia & iniquitas est, & simulatio: Fained equitie is double iniquity; both because it is iniquiti…, and because it is …aining. 1. Tim. 1. 5.1 Tim 1:5Wherefore in the Scriptures it is required that our faith should be foreign vnfained, 2. Tim. 1. 5.2 Tim 1:5that is,Act. 15. 9.Acts 15:9 such a faith as inwardly purifieth the hart, and outwardly worketh by louelove,Gal. 5. 6.Gal 5:6 otherwise it is not a true and a liuely,Iam. 2.Jas 2 but a counterfeit and dead faith.Rom. 12. 9.Rom 12:9 Likewise our louelove must be foreign vnfained, 1 Pet. 1. 22.1 Pet 1:22that is, as Iohn saith, we must louelove not in speech and tongue, …. Iohn 3. 18.John 3:18but in deed and truth; Or as p. 41Paul speaketh, our louelove must proceed from a pure heart, a good conscience and …aith vnfained.

Our wisedome also must be foreign without dissimulation, Iam 3. 17.Jas 3:17not that mixt or Machiuilian prudence, which politicke men in the world so greatly praise, being mixed with hypocrisie and deceit,Mat. 10. 16.Matt 10:16 but that prudence of serpents tempered with the simplicitie of Doues: otherwise it is as Iames saith,Iam. 3. 15.Jas 3:15 earthly, carnall, and diuellish.

Lastly, our repentance and conuersion vntounto God must be foreign, vnfained and from our whole hart. For it is not the renting of the garments,Io…l. 2. 12. 13. but of the heart that pleaseth God.Esay. 58. 5.Isa 58:5 Neither is it the bowing of the head like a Bul-rush, but the humiliation, the melting, the contrition of the heart that is acceptable before him. Such as was the repentance of Iosiah, 2.2. King. 22. 19.2 Kgs 22:19 King. 22. not as that of Achab, 1.1. King. 21. 27.1 Kgs 21:27 King. 21. nor yet as that of the dissembling Israelites, who made semblance of repentance and turning to God,Psal. 78. 34. 36. 37.Ps 78:34Ps 78:36Ps 78:37 but their heart was not vpright with him. If therefore without vprightnesse our faith be dead, our louelove cold, our wisedome diuellish, our repentance counterfeit, then is vprightnes no lesse necessary to saluation, then I say not any one of these graces, but thē all. But as those graces which we may seeme to hauehave without vprightnes are coūterfeit; so our religion & worship of God without it is hipocrisie. For although it be the common practise of mē, not only to content themselues with a profession of religion & pietie towards God, neglecting the duties of charitie towards men, but also to rest in an outward and bodily worship: notwithstanding it is no true religion before God,Iam. 1. 27Jas 1:27 which is altogether wanting in the duties of charitie, neither is the outward worship without the inward acceptable vntounto God.Mic. 6. 6. 7.Mic 6:6Mic 6:7 This is notably declared in the Prophecy of Micah, where to the hypocrite demanding wherewith he should come before the Lord, and bow himselfe before the high God, and making large offers, if outward seruice would stand for good payment, Shall I come before him, saith p. 42he, with burnt offerings, and Calues of a yeare old? will the Lord he pleased with thousands of Rammes, or with ten thousand riuers of oyle? shall I giuegive my first borne for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sinne of my soule? Vers. 8.Answer is made, He hath shewed thee, ô man, what is good, and what the Lord requireth of thee; surely (towards men) to do iustly, and to louelove merciemercy; and (towards God) to humble thyselfe to walke with thy God. The reasonable seruice, Rom. 12. 1.Rom 12:1that is, the spirituall worship of God, is that liuing, holy, and acceptable sacrifice vntounto God. Iohn 4. 24.John 4:24For God is a Spirit, and they that worship him, must worship him in spirit and truth. As for bodily exercise, that profiteth little, 1. Tim. 4. 8.1 Tim 4:8yea, if it be seuered from the spirituall it hurteth much.Esay 29. 13.Isa 29:13 Therefore the Prophet denounceth the fearefull judgements of God against those, who comming neere vntounto him with their mouth, and honoring him with their lippes, do notwithstanding remoue their heart farre from him.

But the truth of this doctrine will more clearely appeare, if we shall descend into the particuler consideration of the seuerall parts of Gods worship. As first of prayer: to the acceptable performance whereof, there is required vprightnesse, not onelyonly in the action it selfe, but also in the life of him that prayeth. For as touching the action it selfe, it is not sufficient to moue the lippes, or to vtter a certaine number of words as Papists and other hopocrites do; but our prayer, if it shall be acceptable, must also be a prayer of the11Col. 3. 16.Col 3:16 heart, and of the22Eph. 6. 18.Eph 6:18 spirit, a33Psal. 25. 1.Ps 25:1 lifting vp of the soule, a44Lam. 3. 41.Lam 3:41 lifting vp of the heart with the hands, a55Psal 62. 8. Lam. 2. 19. …. Sam. 1. 15.Ps 62:8Lam 2:19 pouring forth of the soule before the Lord: and to pray aright, is to pray with our 66Psal. 111. 1.Ps 111:1whole heart, with an11Psal. 119. 7.Ps 119:7 vpright heart, out of a222. Tim 2. 22.2 Tim 2:22 pure heart, with33Psal. 17. 1.Ps 17:1 lippes vnfained: finally, it is to pray in 44Psa. 145. 18.Ps 145:18truth, that is, in vprightnesse, and to this vpright prayer is the promise of hearing our prayer restrained. Psal. 145. 18. The Lord is neere to them that call vponupon him: What to all? yea, to all (saith the Prophet, of purpose excluding hypocrites) that call vponupon him in truth. For the Lord in our p. 43prayers doth not so much regard our tongue as our heart. As for them which draw neare vntounto the Lord with their lippes, and are remooued from him in their heart, they abuse the Maiesty of God,Hos 7. 13. 14.Hos 7:13Hos 7:14 whiles crying vntounto him, but not from their hearts,Psal. 78. 36.Ps 78:36 they lye vntounto God, and go about to deceiue him with their lippes, and by their hypocrisie to cast as it were a mist before his eyes. But herein they are greatly deceiued: For how soeuer masking vnderunder the vizards of hypocrisie, they may hide themselues from men: yet before God such maskers do as it were daunce in a net, for before him all things,Heb. 4. 13.Heb 4:13 euen the secrets of mens hearts are naked and open.Prou. 15. 11.Prov 15:11 Hell and destruction are before the Lord, how much more the hearts of the sonnes of men? But as I said, vprightnesse also is required in the life of him that prayeth.Psal. 66. 18.Ps 66:18 To which purpose we hauehave a notable testimony of Dauid. Psal. 66. If I regard wickednesse in mine hart (sayth he) the Lord will not heare me. Esay1. 15.Isa 1:15For the Lord heareth not hypocrites: and such as turne away their eare from hearing,Prou. …8. 9.Prov 8:9 that is, obeying his law, their prayer is abhominable.

Let vsus now come to the ministerie of the word, to the preaching and hearing whereof, righteousnesse is necessarily required. To the preaching of the word, that we may be able to say with the Apostle,2. Cor. 2. 17.2 Cor 2:17 that we are not as many which make merchandise of the word of God, but as of sincerity, but as of God in the sight of God we speake in Christ. And againe, so we speake, not as they that please men, 1. Thes▪ 2. 4.1 Thess 2:4but God which trieth our hearts: For if we should seeke to please men, Gal. 1. 10.Gal 1:10we were not the seruants of Christ. Now he doth behaue himselfe vprightly in the ministerie of the word,2. Tim. 2. 15.2 Tim 2:15 who as the Apostle admonisheth Timothie, doth studie and indeuour to shew himselfe approued vntounto God, a workeman that needeth not to be ashamed, diuiding the word of truth aright. Who hath the testimony of his owne conscience, that he setting aside all sinister respects, doth sincerely and from his hart seeke the glory of God in the saluation of the people, and not himselfe or his owne, either p. 44profit or praise. Of which Integritie they come very short, who seeking not to profit their hearers, but to please them, endeuour not to approoue themselues to God, but to carnall men, neither seeke the glory of God, but their owne praise, nor the saluation of the people, but their own profit and preferment in the world.

But as in the minister that preacheth, so also in the people that heareth the word of God,Eccles. 4. 17.Eccl 4:17 Vprightnesse is required. To which purpose, before they come to the house of God, they ought to looke to their feet, that is, their affections, and to put off the shoes of their feet, that is, their corrupt affections, and with sincere affections they are to desire the sincere milke of the word,1. Pet. 2. 1.1 Pet 2:1 that they may grow thereby. The purpose and desire of him who commeth to the hearing of Gods word, must be to performe therein an holy and vpright worship vntounto God; and with all good conscience and sinceritie to vse the ministerie of the word, as the power of God to our saluation, &c. But they that come to heare the word, either for fashion sake, because we hauehave such a custome, as carnall professors vse to doe, or because the lawes of men require it, as those which among vsus are popishly affected, or because they would seeme to some, that they are religious, or at the least not irreligious, as dissemblers doe, or because they would see and be seene, as many proud and vaine persons do, or because they would take a nap, as some secure and s…outhfull persons doe, or because they would carpe and snatch at the preachers words, as malitious persons doe, or because they would heare and judge of the gifts of the preacher, and so giuegive their censure of his sermon, as diuerse glorious professours vse to doe, or if they come with the same affection to a sermon, as they goe to a stage-play, that is, to be delighted, as those which hauehave itching eares vse to doe, or if they come into the assembly, as Cato was wont to come to the stage, namely▪ that in shew of his dislike he might goeout againe, as some conceited and humorous p. 45persons vse to doe, or to passe the time, because they hauehave nothing else to doe, as some that liue inordinatly, either wholly neglecting their calling, or hauing no honest calling to walke in; all which are practised by hypocrits of diuerse sorts, assuredly they are farre from that integritie which is required in those that come to heare Gods word.

When we are come to the ministerie of the word, our dutie is to take heed how we heare,Luke 8. 18.Luke 8:18 as our Sauiour Christ admonisheth. For our bodily presence wil not suffice, vnlesse we behaue our selues vprightly in the hearing of the word. Our first dutie therefore is, when we are come into the assembly, to set our selues in Gods presence, that we may say with vpright Cornelius, Act. 10. 33.Acts 10:33we are here present before God to heare all things that the minister hath in commission to deliuer vntounto vsus from God: and when the minister speaketh, we are to look higher than to him, remembring that hee is an embassadour of God in Christs stead,2. Cor. 5. 20.2 Cor 5:20 by whom the Lord speaketh vntounto vsus: and therefore as hee which speaketh must speake as the Oracles of God, 1. Pet. 4. 11.1 Pet 4:11so he which heareth foreign, the word preached, 1. Thess. 2. 13.1 Thess 2:13must heare it not as the word of man, but as it is indeed the word of God. Our next dutie is to heare the word with an vpright desire to profit by it, and an vnfained purpose to practise it.Act. 8. 6.Acts 8:6 In regard of the former, we are diligently to attend to the word,Luke 19. 48.Luke 19:48 and as it were to hang on the preachers mouth,Heb. 2. 1.Heb 2:1 as being loath to let any thing s…ip from vsus,Esay 42. 23.Isa 42:23 but carefully to lay it vp in our hearts for our future vse, and in a word so to heare, as wee desire to be heard: For want of this vprightnesse they offend, who being present in body, are absent in mind, their eares going on pilgrimage, their minds going a whoring after the vanities of this life, and their heart, as Ezekiel speaketh,Ezec. 33. 31.Ezek 33:31 going after their couetousnesse; but especially they offend, who when they should listen to the word of God, doe giuegive themselues ouer to sleepe. In regard of the latter, our dutie is to heare the word of God p. 46with an honest and good heart,Luke 8. 15.Luke 8:15 and therein to retaine it; or as Salomon saith to keepe it in the mids of our heart,Pro. 4. 21.Prov 4:21 that there it taking root, may bring forth fruit with patience. As for them,Eze. 33. 31, 32.Ezek 33:31Ezek 33:32 who with Ezechiels auditours come to heare the word, without any true purpose to performe it; as they shew themselues to be hypocrits in deceiuing others,Iam. 1. 22. foreign.Jas 1:22 so they play the sophisters in beguiling themselues.

The like may bee said of receiuing the Sacraments. For what would it auaile vsus,Act. 8. 21. 23.Acts 8:21Acts 8:23 if with Simon Magus wee bee baptized, and beleeue with a generall faith? For vnlesse our hearts be vpright within vsus before God, we may remaine as he did in the gall of bitternesse, and bond of iniquitie. Or what would it profit vsus, if after the example of Iudas Iscariot we be admitted to the Lords table, and could so cunningly carry our selues,Mat. 26. 22.Matt 26:22 as eueryevery one of the Apostles should be more ready to suspect the mselues than vsus? for if our heart be not vpright within vsus, but that we giuegive the outward face and shew to God, and set our hearts vponupon the world, halting betwixt God and Mammon, and esteeming gaine to be godlinesse;Iohn 12. 6.John 12:6 we may be theeues, yea diuels as he was.Iohn 6. 70.John 6:70 And not to insist any longer in the seuerall parts of Gods worship, this may be said of all externall worship in generall, that so oft as it is seuered from the inward & spirituall worship of God, it is hypocritical and detestable in the sight of God. To which purpose the Lord professeth by his Prophet,Esay 66. 3.Isa 66:3 That he which killeth a bullocke, is as if he slew a man: he that sacrificeth a sheep, as if he cut off a dogs necke: he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swines bloud: he that remembreth incense, as if he blessed an idole. Wee must therefore beware least we rest in the performance of outward seruice, or cōtent our selues with opere operato, the deed done; which is the rotten pillar of popish superstition. For it is not sufficient to doe that which is right, vnlesse we do it with an vpright heart.2. Chro. 25. 2. 142 Chr 25:22 Chr 25:14 If with Amaziah wee doe that which is right, but not with an vpright heart, we may fall away as he did. Wherefore that exhortation which the p. 47Apostle maketh to mens seruants, much more belongeth to vsus,Col. 3. 23.Col 3:23 who are the seruants of God, namely, That we shold performe our duties towards him from our heart, not in eye-seruices, as men-pleasers, but with simplicitie of heart fearing God, and from our hearts obeying the holy will and commaundements of God.Rom. 6. 17.Rom 6:17 Out of all which it appeareth euidently, that without vprightnesse of heart, neither the graces of the spirit, which wee may seeme to hauehave, are of any worth; or our worship, of any account with God. But howsoeuer the most excellent graces without it be glorious sinnes, and the most glorious worship counterfeit, yet on the other side, where vprightnesse is, the graces which we hauehave, though as small as a graine of mustard seed, and our worship, though performed in much weakenesse, is acceptable vntounto God.

The second argument is taken from the authoritie of God himselfe, auowing the necessitie of vprightnesse. And hereunto appertaineth first the testimonie both of the holy ghost in this place, affirming, That those who are to dwell in Gods holy mountaine, are such as walke vprightly; as also of our Sauiour Christ,Mat. 5. 20.Matt 5:20 Matth. 5. denying, that we shall euer enter into the kingdome of heauen, vnlesse our righteousnesse exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisies. The righteousnesse which the Pharisies obserued themselues, and taught others to obserue, was altogether outward, whereby they abstained from outward and more grosse offences, neglecting inward and s…cret corruptions. Secondly, the commaundement of God enjoyning vprightnesse. For this is the especiall dutie which we are to performe towards God,Mic. 6. 8.Mic 6:8 viz. that wee bumble our selues to walke with our God. For when the Lord was to establish his couenant with Abraham and his seed, this condition he requireth to be performed on their part,Gen. 17. 1.Gen 17:1 to walke before him, and to be vpright. This is that which Dauid commendeth to Salomon as his last will and testament,1. Chron. 28. …1 Chr 28 Know thou the God of thy father, and serue him with an vpright heart and p. 48a willing mind, Ios. 24. 14.Josh 24:14which Iosua in his last speech commendeth to the people of Israel, that they should worship the Lord in spirit and truth. As Moses also before had charged them. Deut. 18.Deut. 18. 13.Deut 18:13 Thou shalt be vpright therefore before the Lord thy God. For seeing the Lord is a spirit, Iohn 4. 23▪ 24.John 4:23John 4:24he will therefore be worshipped in spirit and in truth. And as himselfe is a spirit, so is his law spirituall, restraining not onelyonly the hand and tongue,Rome. 7. 14. but also the heart. Now the commaundement of God imposeth a necessitie, not absolute indeed, but with this condition, If we will auoid his curse. Thirdly, the same is prooued by the oath of God,Luke 1. 73. 75.Luke 1:73Luke 1:75 which he sware vntounto our father Abraham, that he would giuegive vsus, who are the sonnes of Abraham, and heires of promise, that being deliuered out of the hands of our enemies, we should worship him without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse before him. For as the commaundement of God imposeth the necessitie of dutie, so the oath of the Lord imposeth a necessitie of certainetie, or as the schoolemen speake, of infallibilitie. And therefore if we doe not walke vprightly, worshipping the Lord, as before him, it is as certaine as the oath of the Lord is true, that we can hauehave no assurance that wee are redeemed by Christ out of the world, to raigne with him in his holy mountaine.

The third and last argument, enforcing the necessitie of vprightnesse, may be this: For either wee must be vpright, or hypocrits. There is no third: for not to bee vpright, is to be an hypocrite, and not to be an hypocrite, is to be vpright. But we may in no case be hypocrites. For hypocrisie is a sinne most odious vntounto God, most foolish in it selfe, most pernicious to them that are infected therewith. It is most odious vntounto God: for as the vpright are the Lords delight,Pro. 11. 20.Prov 11:20 so the hypocrit is an abhomination vntounto him.Luke. 16. 15.Luke 16:15 For that which is highly esteemed among men, is abhomination in the sight of God. And not without cause: For all hypocrisie and doubling is a double if not a triple sinne: for counterfeit pietie is double impietie, both because it is impietie, p. 49and because it is counterfeit. And as hypocrisie is a counterfeiting, it containeth also two sinnes opposed to simplicitie and truth; both which are comprised in integritie, viz. falshood opposed vntounto truth, as it is mendacium facti, and deceit or guile opposed vntounto simplicitie, as duplicitie or doubling. The hypocrite in respect of his falsehood and disguising, in the Greeke tongue is called foreign, that is, a stage-player, who although perhaps he be little better than a rogue, representeth sometimes the person of a prince or monarch. Those therefore are hypocrits, who lead their life as it were vponupon a stage, cloaking sinne vnderunder the shew of vertue, hauing some …orme or vizard of pietie, but denying the power of it,2. Tim. 3. 5.2 Tim 3:5 Qui in superficie boni sunt, sed in alto mali, as Augustine speaketh, who seeme to honour God with their lips,Mat. …5. 8.Matt 5:8 but remooue their heart farre from him; who desiring to seeme good, but not to be so, and not to seeme euill,Mat. 23. 25.Matt 23:25 but to be so; make cleane the outside of the cup, and of the platter, but within they are full of briberie and excesse:Mat. 23. 27.Matt 23:27 and are therefore compared by our Sauiour Christ to painted sepulchres, which appeare beautifull outward, but are within full of dead mens bones and all filthinesse. And as the fruit which groweth neere to Mare mortuum, when it is ripe maketh a faire shew, but within is full of cinders or ashes, as some write:Mat. 23. 28.Matt 23:28 so these men outwardly appeare righteous vntounto men, but within they are full of hypocrisie and iniquitie.

But as in the disguising of hypocrits there is falshood, so in their doubling there is guile, wherby they indeuouring to deceiue both God and man, do in the end beguile themselues. And therefore not vnworthily is hypocrisie in the Scriptures tearmed guile.Psal. 32. 2.Ps 32:2 And first, they foolishly goe about to deceiue God,Iohn 1. 47.John 1:47 the searcher of the heart, when they hope by a counterfeit semblance of religion to blear his eyes, and by vaine shewes to please him, whiles they securely abound with more hidden and secret sins: which seemeth to hauehave been the hypocrisie of the Israelits, reprooued p. 50by the Prophet Esay, chap. 58.Esay 58. 2.Isa 58:2 After this maner doe they offend: first, when they pray with fained lips, pretending such things in their prayer, as they do not intend, asking such things with their lips, as they do not desire with their heart, promising such things as they mean not to performe, and bearing the Lord in hand with the Pharisie, Luke 18. that they be such persons as indeed they are not: for these men, after the example of the Israelits, whose heart was not right within them, goe about to deceiue the Lord with their mouth,Psal. 78. 36. 37.Ps 78:36Ps 78:37 and with their tongue they lie vntounto him. Secondly, when as they either commit secret sinnes, that God may not see them; or hauing sinned, doe seeke to conceale their sinnes from God, that he may not know them: for such is the folly of hypocrits, that because they whē they hide themselues, see not God, they imagine that God seeth not them; like to the silly woodcocke, which when she hath so hid her head, that she seeth no body, she imagineth that no body seeth her. Thirdly, whereas the whole course of their life is leaud and dissolute, they will seeke to pacifie God with some outward obseruations, and those perhaps deuised by themselues: And this is the ordinarie practise of Papists, who when they hauehave fearefully sinned against God,Esay 1. 11. &c.Isa 1:11 they will make him a plaster of their owne satisfactions.

But the most vsuall practise of hypocrits is to deceiue men, to whom they desire especially by outward shewes to approoue themselues, pretending a profession of religion both to their worldly and their wicked respects. To their worldly respects, when as vnderunder the profession of religion they seeke the world, and the things which are in the world, subordinating religion to their worldly desires, and professing Christianitie in a secondarie respect, so farre foorth as it standeth with the obtaining or retaining of their worldly desires, &c. To their wicked respects, when they make religion a cloke for their wickednesse. Thus heretiques to countenance their errours, prepretend p. 51holinesse:Mat. 23. 14.Matt 23:14 Thus the Pharisies vnderunder a pretence of long prayers,Iohn 12. 5, 6.John 12:5John 12:6 deuoured widdowes houses: Thus Iudas couered his couetousnesse vnderunder a pretended care for the poore:1. King. 21. 9.1 Kgs 21:9 Thus Iesabell when she intended the murder of Naboth, proclaimeth a fast:2. Sam. 15. 8.2 Sam 15:8 Absolon when he intended treason against his father,Mat. 28. 13. 16.Matt 28:13Matt 28:16 pretended the keeping of a vow: H…rod professed to the wise men, that he would goe and worship Christ, when he meant to kill him.

Againe, the hypocrite seemeth to sinne with an high hand against the light of his conscience, detaining the truth in vnrighteousnesse, seeing the better things, and following the worse.In Esay 1….Isa 1 And therefore Hierome sayth, That in comparison of two euils, it is lesse to sinne openly, than to faine holinesse.

But hypocrisie, as it is double iniquitie, and therefore most odious vntounto God, so is it extreame folly: for the hypocrite, whiles he seeketh to deceiue not onelyonly man, but God also, who cannot be deceiued, he beguileth himselfe. For he that would seeme religious,Iam. 1. 26.Jas 1:26 and hath not learned to refraine his tongue, but letteth loose the reines to his vnbrideled tongue, as hypocrites vse to doe in censuring, backbiting, and slaundering their brethren, such an one deceiueth his owne heart, his religion is vaine. Likewise, he that is an hearer of the word,Iam. 1. 22.Jas 1:22 but no doer of it (that is to say, an hypocrite) such a one deceiueth himselfe; and is indeed that foolish man,Mat. 7. 26.Matt 7:26 who (as our Sauiour sayth) doth build vponupon the sand. Those that content themselues with the shining lampe of an outward profession, wanting the oyle of grace in their hearts,Mat. 25. 3.Matt 25:3 are by our Sauiour Christ compared to the foolish virgins. For seeing it is better to be good than to seeme so, and worse to be euill, than to seeme so, is it not extreame folly in hypocrites to chuse to be euill rather than to seeme euill, and to seeme good rather than to be good? The folly of these men therfore is worthily noted by Chrisostome; Oper. imperf. in Matth.Hypocrit, saith he, if it bee good to be good, why wilt thou seeme to be that which thou wilt not p. 52be? If it be euill to be euill, why wilt thou be that which thou wilt not seeme to be? If it be good to seeme good, it is better to be so: if it be euill to seeme euill, it is worse to be so. Wherfore, either seem to be that which thou art, or be that which thou seemest to be. Againe, is it not extream folly for a man, that he may hauehave with thē of Sardis the name that he liueth, to be content to be dead;Apoc 3. 1.Rev 3:1 & that he may seem to be in the number of thē that shalbe saued, willingly to be in the number of thē that shall be cōdemned? Lastly, hypocrisie is pernicious to him that is infected therewith, because it is a sinne which the Lord doth grieuous…y punish both in this life, & in the world to come: in this life, first by defection, & consequently by detection. For those which be in the Church, but not of it, they are subiect to defection or falling away, & thē the Lord suffereth to fall away, that their hypocrisie may be detected,1. Iohn 2. 1….1 John 2:1 as the apostle Iohn sheweth. For the hypocrit is he which hath receiued the seed into stony ground, & therfore wanting moisture & root,Luke 8. 13.Luke 8:13 is not able to indure the Sun of tēptation, but is like the rush without water,Iob. 8. 11▪ 12▪ 13Job 8:11Job 8:12Job 8:13 or like the grasse on the house top, which withereth before it be plucked vp. VponUpon triall therefore the hypocrite faileth, and by his failing his vnsoundnesse is detected. And this is the reason wherby the sonne of Syrach dissuadeth from hypocrisie:Eccles. 1. 35.Eccl 1:35 for God (saith he) will discouer thy secrets, & cast thee down in the middest of the congregation, because thou camest not in truth vntounto the feare of God, but thine heart is full of guile. And likewise our Sauiour,Luke 12. 1, 2.Luke 12:1Luke 12:2 Beware (saith he) of the leauen of the Pharisies, which is hypocrisie. For there is nothing couered that shal not be reuealed, neither hid, that shall not be knowne. And as touching the life to come, there is such assurance of the hypocrites damnation, that our Sauiour Christ, when hee would signifie,Mat. 24. 51.Matt 24:51 that the wicked seruant, Math. 24, should certainely be condemned, he saith, He shal hauehave his portion with hypocrits, where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.Mat. 5. 8.Matt 5:8 For as the vpright or pure in heart are blessed, because they shall see God: Iob. 13. 16.Job 13:16so are the hypocrites accursed, for p. 53they shall not see him. Againe, so pernicious is hypocrisie to the double minded man, that there is lesse hope of an hypocrite than of an open sinner: first, because he sinneth against the light of his conscience: secondly, because by his outward shewes he bleareth the eyes of men, wherby he escapeth those admonitions and reproofes, whereby the open sinner many times is reclaimed. And lastly, because in his pride and selfe-louelove hee posteth ouer all publick reprehensions and exhortations to the open sinners, because he is assured, that in the opinion of others they belong not vntounto him. And this is that which our Sauiour Christ sayth to the hypocriticall Scribes and Pharisies,Mat. 21. 31.Matt 21:31 That Publicans and harlots should goe into the kingdome of God bef…re them.

Seeing therefore vprightnesse is a grace so excellent, that it goeth vnderunder the name of perfection, and is esteemed as the beautie of Christs spouse, wherewith hee is especially delighted: so profitable, that to them which walke vprightly, the Lord denieth nothing that is good, but giueth them Grace in this life, and Glory in the life to come, and not onelyonly maketh them blessed, but their posteritie also after them: so necessarie, as that without it our best graces are counterfeits, and our best worship of God hypocrisie, and our selues hypocrits, who shall neuer see God, but shall hauehave our portion with hypocrits, where is weeping and gnashing of teeth; how doth it behooue vsus to labour for this grace, which is so excellent in it selfe, so pleasing vntounto God, so profitable and necessarie vntounto vsus, and contrariwise to auoid the contrary sinne of hypocrisie which is so odious vntounto God, so foolish in it selfe, and so pernicious vntounto vsus? And to this purpose, that wee may come to the fifth and last thing, let vsus obserue these few rules:Psal. 16. 8.Ps 16:8 first, let vsus according to the example of Dauid, learne to set God alwayes before our eyes, and our selues in the sight and presence of God. And to this end let vsus meditate euermore both of his omnipresence, remembring p. 54that he is alwayes present with vsus in all places, neither can we possibly auoid his presence,Psal. 139. 7.Ps 139:7 as the Psalmist teacheth: as also of his omniscience, remembring, That the eyes of the Lord are in eueryevery place beholding the euil and the good, Pro. 15. 3.Prov 15:3and not only looking vntounto the outward actions and speeches, but also beholding the inward affections of the heart,Psal. 139. 2.Ps 139:2 and cogitations of the mind, euen before wee conceiue them, that so we may learn to walke with our God, approouing our selues vntounto him, and so behauing our selues, as those which hauehave their conuersation in the sight. and presence of God. Who knoweth not how decently and reuerently we carry our selues whiles wee are in the sight and presence of our superiours, especially of our prince. Therefore Senec a admonisheth his friend Lucilius, that he would set before him Cato or Laelius, Epist. 11. in fin.or some other graue and reuerend man, that he might liue as in his sight: for as he sayth, Magna pars peccatorum tollitur, si peccaturis testis assistat: a great part of our sinnes is taken away, if when wee are about to sinne, there bee a witnesse by vsus. How much more would the presence of almightie God strike a reuerence into vsus,Heb. 11. 27.Heb 11:27 if we had the eyes of Moses, the eyes of faith, whereby he saw him that is inuisible, and is alwayes present with vsus: especially, if wee considered, that the Lord seeth not as man seeth, for man looketh vntounto the outward appearance,1. Sam. 16. 7.1 Sam 16:7 but the Lord beholdeth the heart; and that not onelyonly the bodies of men, but the soules also are manifest before him. Hell and destruction are before the Lord,Prou. 15. 11.Prov 15:11 how much more the hearts of the sonnes of men? By this argument Dauid exhorteth Salomon his sonne to vprightnesse,1. Chro. 28. 9.1 Chr 28:9 1. Chron. 28. And thou my sonne Salomon, saith he, Know thou the God of thy father, & serue him with an vpright heart & with a willing mind; for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and vnderstandeth all the imaginations of thoughts.

Secondly, to the meditation of his omnipresence and omniscience, let vsus adde the consideration of his omnisufficiencie, remembring as the Prophet Hanani said to p. 55Asa, That the eyes of the Lord behold all the earth, 2. Chron. 16. 9.2 Chr 16:9to shew himselfe strong with them that are of an vpright heart towards him, and that as Salomon saith,Pro. 2. 7.Prov 2:7 He is a shield to them that walke vprightly, and not that onelyonly,Psal. 84. 11.Ps 84:11 but as Dauid sayth, He is the Sunne (that is, author of all comfortable blessings) and a shield (that is a preseruer and protectour from euill) the Lord will giuegive grace and glory, and no good thing will he withhold from them that walke vprightly. And this is the argument which the Lord vseth to moue Abraham to integritie,Gen. 17. 1.Gen 17:1 Gen. 17. I am God all-sufficient, walke before me and be vpright. For assuredly, if we did effectually call to mind Gods all-sufficiencie, we would neuer be so foolish, as to play the hypocrits, approouing our selues to men rather than to God; seeing he is all-sufficient to crowne vsus with blessings, & to shield vsus from euill. Whereas men can neither doe vsus good, vnlesse God bee pleased to vse them as his instruments, whereby hee will conuey his blessings vntounto vsus, neither can they do vsus harm vnlesse God doe vse them as his rods, whereby to correct vsus.

Thirdly, to the former let vsus joyne a serious meditation of the last judgement: namely, that God all-sufficient who is eueryevery where present, and is acquainted with al our secrets,Rom. 2. 16.Rom 2:16 shall one day iudge the secrets of men: and will bring eueryevery worke vntounto iudgement with eueryevery secret thing, Eccles. 12. 14.Eccl 12:14whether it bee good or euill. Let vsus therefore set God before our eyes, sitting in judgement, remembring that we must all appeare before the iudgement seat of Christ, 2. Cor. 5. 10.2 Cor 5:10that …uery man may receiue according to those things which he hath done in the body, whether good or euil, whether open or secret, whether alone or with others, whether in light or darkenesse, by day or by night. For darkenesse hideth not from God, Psal. 139. 12.Ps 139:12but the night shineth as the day, the darkenesse and light are both alike. Let vsus not therfore content our selues with an externall profession of religion, and outward shew of vertue, when as our hearts be not vpright within vsus, but are possessed with hypocrisie, and abound with secret sinnes. For an externall profession seuered p. 56from vprightnesse of heart, shall no whit auaile thee at the day of judgement, for God shall judge the secrets of men, but it shall be very prejudiciall vntounto thee, increasing thine horrour and confusion. For how shalt thou be confounded, thinkest thou, who hast made a profession of religion, when the bookes being opened, and thy secret sinnes laid open before all the world, thou shalt be conuicted of hypocrisie, & condemned of many foule sinnes vnrepented of, which thou hadst laboured to conceale from the world? And with what horrour shalt thou be striken,Mat. 24. 51.Matt 24:51 supposest thou, when thy portion shall be assigned thee with the hypocrits, where is weeping and wailing, and gnashing of teeth? Remember that many in the day of judgement shall say,Mat. 7. 22, 23.Matt 7:22Matt 7:23 Lord, Lord, hauehave not we prophecied in thy name, and cast our diuels in thy name, and done many great workes in thy name? to whom the Lord shall answere, I neuer knew you, depart from mee you workers of iniquitie.Mat. 25. 3. 12.Matt 25:3Matt 25:12 Call to mind the fiue foolish virgins, who hauing lampes, but no oyle, were excluded. If therefore we would not depart ashamed from our Sauiour Christ at his comming, wishing the mountaines to fall vponupon vsus, and to couer vsus from his sight, but would stand before the sonne of man with comfort, let vsus endeuour to approoue our selues in the meane time to Christ our judge, walking before him in vprightnesse of heart, and so demeaning our selues, as those who thinke that of their most secret thoughts, words, and deeds there must an account be giuen to God, who searcheth the heart and trieth the reines, Ier. 17. 10.Jer 17:10that he may giuegive eueryevery man according to his waies, and according to the fruit of his workes.

Fourthly and lastly, let vsus follow the aduise of Salomon, Prou.Pro. 4. 23.Prov 4:23 4. Aboue all obseruation to keepe our heart. For the heart, as it is the fountaine of life, so of liuing well or ill; from whence all our speeches and actions, as it were streames, doe flow and proceed. Those things which come out of the mouth (sayth our Sauiour Christ) come from the heart. Mat. 15. 18, 19.Matt 15:18Matt 15:19For out of p. 57the heart come euill thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thef…s, false testimonies,Luke 6. 45.Luke 6:45 slaunders. And againe, The good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth …oorth good things, and the euill man out of the euill treasure of his heart bringeth forth euill things: for out of the aboundance of the heart the mouth speaketh, and also the hand worketh. If therefore we desire, that our actions and speeches may bee good and pure, wee must first hauehave our hearts purified by a true faith:1. Tim. 1. 5.1 Tim 1:5 that so our louelove and obedience may flow from a pure heart, and good conscience, and faith vnfained. For it cannot be, that the streames of our actions should be good and sincere, if the fountaine of our heart be corrupt. Wherefore in reforming our liues, our first and chiefe care must be for the purging of our hearts, as our Sauior Christ admonisheth, Mat. 23. Cleanse first (saith he) the inside of the cup and platter, Mat. 23. 26.Matt 23:26that the outside of them may be cleane also. Iam. 4. 8.Jas 4:8And Iames, Purge your heart you double minded (saith he) and not your hands onelyonly. For what will it auaile vsus to drie vp the streames, whiles the fountaine springeth: or to lop off the boughs, whiles the body and root doe remaine vntouched? Surely, if with Amaziah we shall doe those things which be right,2. Chro. 25. 2. 142 Chr 25:22 Chr 25:14 but not with an vpright heart, we shall fall away as he did. If with Simon Magus we professe our selues to beleeue,Act. 8. 21.Acts 8:21 and joyne our selues to the Saints of God, notwithstanding we may be as he was in the gall of bitternesse and bond of iniquitie, if our heart be not vpright within vsus. This neglect of the heart is the cause of all hypocrisie, making men double minded, bearing as wee say, two faces vnderunder a hood. Wherby it commeth to passe, that the most glorious professours sometimes become like to Summer fruit, which many times being faire and mellow on the outside, is rotten at the core.

Now, that we may the rather be stirred vp to a diligent obseruation of our heart, we are briefely to consider these two things. First, that the heart of man is deceitfull and wicked aboue all things,Ier. 17. 9.Jer 17:9 and therefore cannot sufficiently p. 58be watched. And secondly, that such as is the qualitie of the heart, such is the qualitie of the man in the estimation of God.

Hetherto we hauehave spoken of integritie, as it is referred vntounto God: it followeth now, that wee should intreat thereof, as it hath reference vntounto men. For as wee must walke before God in truth and sinceritie without hypocrisie; so must we hauehave our conuersation among men in simplicitie and singlenesse of heart, without dissembling or guile. For euen in our conuersation among men, wee are to hauehave God alwayes before our eyes, that as in his presence and sight wee may in singlenesse of heart performe such duties as we owe vntounto men.Col. 3. 22.Col 3:22 For howsoeuer simplicitie is accounted folly in the world, and worldly wisedome, consisting of dissimulation and deceit, be eueryevery where extolled: yet if we would be esteemed citisens of heauen, and pilgrims on earth, it behooueth vsus to bee fooles in the world, that we may become truly wise, as the Apostle exhorteth,2. Cor. 3. 18.2 Cor 3:18 1. Cor. 3. Let no man deceiue himselfe. If any man among you seeme to be wise in this world, let him be a foole, that he may be wise, for the wisdome of this world is foolishnesse with God. Not that I would hauehave simple men to be fooles, but that wise men ought to be simple.Mat. 10. 16.Matt 10:16 For true wisdome is tempered with the simplicitie of doues.Iam. 3. 17.Jas 3:17 And that wisedome which is from aboue, is pure, and without hypocrisie. Whereas on the other side, the wisedome of the world, consisting of dissimulation and deceit, is by the censure of S. Iames, earthly, carnall, and diuellis…. Iam. 3. 15.Jas 3:15It is true indeed, that in the world simplicitie is deemed folly, and simple men are accounted as idiots, and innocent men esteemed fools. For such a generall wickednesse hath possessed the minds of most men, that now adayes no man is called innocent, but such as want wit to doe euill. And contrariwise, that mixed prudence is commended in the world, which is …oyned with h…pocrisie and deceit. Which notwithstanding it were easie for any man to attain vntounto, who makes p. 59no conscience of dissembling, lying, facing, swea…ing, forswearing. But in the Scriptures simplicitie is both commended and commaunded as a note of the citisen of heauen, without which there is no entrance for a man into the kingdome of God. Christ commaundeth his followers to be wise indeed as serpents, but withall to be foreign,Mat. 10. 16.Matt 10:16 that is, simple or sincere, without any mixture of guile, as doues are without gall. And likewise Paule would hauehave vsus wise vntounto that which is good, Rom. 16. 19.Rom 16:19but simple vntounto euill. In regard hereof the primitiue Church,Act. 2. 46.Acts 2:46 Act. 2. is highly commended, that they conuersed together in singlenesse of heart: and herein especially the Apostle glorieth,2. Cor. 1. 1….2 Cor 1:1 2. Cor. 1. That in simplicitie and godly purenesse, and not in fles…ly wisedome, he had had his conuersation in the world. Iohn 1. 48.John 1:48And no maruell, for it is the note of a true Israelite to be without guile: and such the holy ghost pronounceth blessed. Christ our Sauiour in respect of this simplicitie is called a lambe; Psal 32. 2.Ps 32:2and those that will be his followers, must not be foxes or wolues, but as they are called in the Scriptures, sheepe, following the steps of our Sauiour Christ,1. Pet. 2. 21▪ 22.1 Pet 2:211 Pet 2:22 who did no sinne, neither was there guile found in his mouth. And hereunto let vsus adde the testimonie of the holy ghost in this place, affirming, That those which shall dwell in the holy mountaine of God, are such as walke vprightly, that is, without hypocrisie towards God, without guile towards men.Mark. 12. 15.Mark 12:15 Now this guile or dissembling, or doubling, or hypocrisie (for so sometimes it is called) which is opposed vntounto simplicitie,Luk. 20. 23.Luke 20:23 is twofold, in word, and in fact: in word, when one thing is said, and another thought, which in the Scriptures phrase,Psal 12. 2.Ps 12:2 is speaking with an heart and an heart.foreign. I liad. 9. This diuorce betwixt the mind and the tongue, is detestable vntounto God, and odious to ingenious men: sometimes also it is called in the Scriptures a deceitfull tongue, Zeph. 3. 13.Zeph 3:13which the Lord sayth should not be found in the remnant of Israel. Psal▪ 109. 2.Ps 109:2Sometimes, a mouth of deceit, as Psal. 109. such as is described Psal. 55. The words of his mouth are softer than butter, Psal 55. 2….Ps 55:2whiles warre was in his heart: his words were more supple p. 60than oyle,Ier. 9. 8.Jer 9:8 yet were they swords: and Ie…em. 9. their tongue is an arrow shot out, and speaketh deceit: one speaketh peaceably to his neighbour with his mouth, but in his heart he layeth ambushments for him. Vers. 9.But what followes? shall I not visit them for these things saith the Lord? Or shall not my soule be auenged on such a nation as this? If therefore wee would escape the judgements of God,Psal. 34. 12, 13.Ps 34:12Ps 34:13 and desire to liue a long and prosperous life, We must keepe our tongues from euill, and our lips, that they speake no guile, following, as I said before, the simplicitie of the lambe of God,1. Pet. 2. 22.1 Pet 2:22 in whose mouth there was found no guile.

Dissembling in fact is, when one thing is pretended, and another intended, or as Augustine speaketh, Dolus est cum aliud agitur, In Iohan. 1.aliud fingitur. In which doubling, the wisdome of our Polititians, brought vp at Machiauels feet▪ doth principally consist: the practise whereof is now growne so vsuall, that commonly it is said, Qui nescit dissimulare, nescit viuere: he that knoweth not how to dissemble, knoweth not how to liue. Howbeit, more truly it is said, and by warrant of Scripture,P…o. 10 9. Qui vadit planè, vadit sanè, He that walketh plainely, walketh safely. Prou. 10. He that walketh vprightly, walketh safely, but he that peruerteth his wayes, shall be knowne, namely, as an example to others. The highest degree of this deceit, is that which we call cony-catching or cousenage: when as a man by cunning trickes and artificiall fetches ouerreacheth his neighbour: when with his tongue concinnat dolum, Psal. 50. 19.Ps 50:19he trimly forgeth deceit▪ and in his deeds layeth wait for his brother,Ier. 5. 26.Jer 5:26 setting snares and nets to catch men, as fowlers doe for birds, or as cony-catchers doe for rabbets, bunting his brother with a net, Mic 7. 2.Mic 7:2as the Prophet Micah speaketh. Now as simplicitie in the Scriptures is commended vntounto vsus as a note of the true sheepe of Christ, imitating the simplicitie of the lambe of God: so deceit and guile is condemned as a propertie of those, who resemble the image of Satan the old serpent, the forger of deceit, and the father of lies. For if he be a true Christian, in whom there is no guile, what is hee in whom no simplicitie or p. 61plaine dealing is to be found? If in the remnant of Israel a deceitfull tongue shall not be found,Zeph. 3. 13.Zeph 3:13 then belong not they to the Israell of God, who with their tongues doe forge deceit. If true Christians be the sheepe of Christ, resembling his simplicitie, in whom there was found no guile: what then are those foxes and wolues, who imitate the old serpent in subtiltie and deceit? If those which shall rest in the holy mountaine of God, be such, as doe walke in vprightnesse and simplicitie, then hauehave they no inheritance in the kingdome of heauen, who walke in dissimulation and deceit. And this may further appeare by the Lords prohibitions, censures, and threatnings denounced against deceit.Le…. 19. 11. It is forbidden, Leu. 19, You shall not lie, 1. Thess. 4. 6.1 Thess 4:6nor vse deceit one towards another. And 1. Thess. 4, We are charged not to goe beyond or ouerreach our brother, foreign.or to defraud him in any matter. It is censured as a sinne odious vntounto God. A man of deceit God hateth. Psal. 5. 7.Ps 5:7It is reckoned Rom. 1, among the crimes of the Gentiles,Rom. 1. 29.Rom 1:29 giuen ouer to a reprobate sence, that they were full of guile. Ezec. 22. 12.Ezek 22:12And Ezec. 22, among the abhominations of Ierusalem, for which destruction is threatened against it, that they made gaine of their neighbours by deceit. And lastly, the judgements of God are denounced against it, Psal. Psal 55. 23.Ps 55:2355, The deceitfull men shall not attaine to the halfe of their dayes. 1. Thess. 4. 6,1 Thess 4:61. Thess. 4. 6, The Lord is a re…enger of such things, namely of cousenage and deceit. And in the place before cited, shall I not visit them for these things, Ierem. 9. ….Jer 9saith the Lord? or shall not my soule be auenged on suc… a nation as this?

To conclude therefore this first note: seeing vprightnesse is made a proper marke of the true child of God, and citisen of heauen, whereas contrariwise, dissimulation and deceit are the brands of the wicked: it behooueth eueryevery one to apply this note to himselfe. Doost thou walk vprightly without hypocrisie towards God, without guile towards man?Mat. 5. 8.Matt 5:8 happy and blessed art thou: for thou shalt see God, and as thou now art a sound member of the Church militant, so shalt thou be an inheritour of glory p. 62in the triumphant. Doest thou not walke in sinceritie towards God, and simplicitie towards men, but in hypocrisie and dissimulation? then most fearefull is thine estate, vnlesse thou repent,Act. 3. 21.Acts 3:21 for thou hast no part or fellowship in the doctrine of saluation, or in the communion of Saints, but thy portion shall bee assigned thee with hypocrits,Mat. 24. 51.Matt 24:51 where is weeping and gnashing of teeth.

The second note of a citisen of heauen, is Righteousnesse: For to the Prophet, demaunding who is a sonne and heire of God; the Lord answereth, He that worketh righteousnesse. Where first we are to consider the sence of the words, and then are wee to shew, that the working of Righteousnesse is a proper marke of those, who liuing in the Church, are appointed to eternall life.

Iustice is that vertue which giueth to eueryevery one that which is due vntounto him. And it is either vniuersall or particular. The vniuersall, summarily compriseth al those duties which we owe to our neighbour: and is therefore said to containe all other morall vertues within it, according to the testimonie of the auntient Poet, which to this purpose is alleadged by some.Theognis, vers. 147.

foreign,

In iustice is all vertue summarily comprised.Arsiot. Ethic. lib. 5. cap 3.

The particular Iustice is either Distributiue, or Commutatiue. The Distributiue is that, which hauing place in distributing rewards or punishments, obserueth a Geometricall proportion, according to the worthinesse of men, or their deserts. The Commutatiue iustice is that, which hauing place in Contracts, obserueth an Arithmeticall proportion in the equalitie of the things commuted.

But of the vniuersall righteousnesse, this place is especially to be vnderstood, the summe whereof is that law royall,Iam 2. 8.Jas 2:8 as Saint Iames calleth it, Thou shalt louelove thy neighbour as thy selfe: foreignWherein all the precepts of righteousnes, that is to say,Rom. 13. 9.Rom 13:9 of the second Table are summarily contained. p. 63And the rule of exercising this righteousnesse, is that law of nature commended vntounto vsus by our Sauiour Christ, M…t. Mat. 7. 12.Matt 7:127, Whatsoeuer you would that men should do to you, euen so do you to them, for this is the law and the prophets. Which sentence is sayd so to hauehave pleased the Emperour Alexander S…uerus, Lamprid in Alexandr.that in his pallaces and publicke buildings he caused it to be written and engrauen: and when he punished any man, he caused this saying to be proclaimed by the crier, Quod tibi non-vis, alteri ne …eceris. Do not to another what thou wouldest not hauehave done to thy selfe.

Now the exercise or working of this righteousnesse is here made a note of the child of God. For he doth not say, he that can talke of righteousnesse; nor he that delighteth to heare anoter man speake thereof; nor he which professeth righteousnesse, or maketh a pretence thereof; but he that worketh righteousnesse shall dwell in the holy mountaine of God. For there are some which can notably discourse of righteousnesse, than whose life nothing is more vnjust. And there are others, who with Eze…iels auditors delight to heare the Minister preaching of righteousnesse,Ezec. 33. 32.Ezek 33:32 as if he were some skilfull Mulitian that hath a pleasant voyce, but it is to heare onelyonly, and not to practise. There be many also who with the Pharisies say and do not;Mat. 23.Matt 23 which professe righteousnesse, but do not practise it.

Qui Curios simulant & Bacchanalia vivunt.

But with the folly of these men the holy Ghost meeteth in diuerse places of the Scripture,Mat. 7. 21.Matt 7:21 Mat. 7, Not euerie one that sayth Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heauen, but he that doth the will of my father which is in heauen.Rom. 2. 13.Rom 2:13 Rom. 2, Not the hearers of the Law are just before God, but the doers of the Law shall be justified, Iam. Iam. 1. 22.Jas 1:221, Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers onelyonly, deceiuing your selues,Mat. 5. 20.Matt 5:20 &c. Mat 5, Vnlesse your righteousnesse exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisies, (who sayd and did not) you shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen. p. 64Wherefore brethren let no man deceiue you, 1. Iohn 3. 7.1 John 3:7not he that heareth, nor he that speaketh, not he that professeth or pr… tendeth, but he that worketh righteousnesse, he is righteous.

Neither is that to be omitted that the holy Ghost speaketh in the present tence, thereby signifying a continuall act, as Basill hath obserued: Marke (saith he) the accuratnesse of the speech; he doth not say, who hath wrought, but he which worketh. For it is not one action that maketh a vertuous man, but it behooueth a man in his whole life to keepe a constant course of well doing. For Iustice is an habit induing a man with a perpetuall and constant will to do eueryevery man right.See Thom. 2. 2. 9. 58. 1.

But here some will object: The Scriptures testifie that there is not a righteous man vponupon the earth,Rom. 3. 10.Rom 3:10 Rom. 3. There is not a iust man, no not one. If therefore the righteous onelyonly shall be saued,1. Pet. 4. 18.1 Pet 4:18 and scarcely they, as Peter saith, How can any man liuing hope to be saued, seeing there is not a just man vponupon earth,1. King. 8. 46.1 Kgs 8:46 that doeth good and sinneth not, as Salomon professeth.Eccles. 7. 22.Eccl 7:22

I answer: If we should be summoned before the Iudgement feate of Gods justice, and the Lord should deale with vsus summo iure, according to extremitie, exacting at our hands that full and perfect righteousnesse which is required in his law:Psal. 143. 2.Ps 143:2 assuredly the Lord entring into judgement with vsus, no man liuing could be iustified. But we must appeale from the judgement seat of Gods justice to the throne of his mercy: and from the sentence of the Law concluding all vnderunder sinne, to the sentence of the Gospell, pronouncing all those that truly beleeue in Christ, not just onelyonly, but also blessed: that so being clothed with the righteousnesse of Christ by faith, we may in him be justified, though vnjust in our selues in respect of legall righteousnesse. Now those which truly beleeue in Christ, are sayed to be righteous two wayes: before God by Faith, that is, by the righteousnesse of Christ, apprehended by Faith: before men by the fruits of Faith, that is, by righteousnesse inherent in vsus, and performed p. 65by vsus. For those which beleeue in Christ, their Faith is imputed vntounto them for righteousnesse; because they apprehending Christ, who is our righteousnesse, and by the same Faith being vnited vntounto him, his righteousnesse and obedience is imputed vntounto them, and accepted of God for them, as if they had performed the same in their owne persons.

But they who are justified by the righteousnesse of Christ, are also sanctified by his spirit, regenerated, and as it were created a new to good workes,Eph. 2. 10.Eph 2:10 which God hath prepared for vsus,Rom. 6. 18.Rom 6:18 that we should walke in them. For so soone as we are deliuered by Christ out of the bondage of sinne, we become the seruants of righteousnesse: That as in former times we gaue our members as seruants of sinne vntounto vnrighteousnesse,verse 19. we should from henceforth giuegive them as seruants of righteousnesse vntounto holinesse. And howsoeuer the best obedience of the faithfull is but an imperfect obedience ioyned with manifold infirmities and wants, and stained with diuerse corruptions, wherewith they are infected, and sinnes whereinto they fall, in so much that Esay compareth the righteous works of the faithfull to menstruous clouts; notwithstanding the Lord beholding them in Christ,Esay 64. 6.Isa 64:6 and accepting their will for the deed,Iob. 1. 1.Job 1:1 and sincere indeuour for the performance, not onelyonly themselues are termed righteous, but are also said to worke righteousnesse.Luke 1. 6.Luke 1:6 And this working of righteousnesse, the perfection whereof is not to be measured by the perfectnesse of the worke,Act. 10. 22.Acts 10:22 but by the vprightnesse of the will,Heb. 11. 33.Heb 11:33 and sinceritie of the indeuour aspiring towards perfection, is an vndoubted note of a true citisen of heauen, who in this Psalme is described. And that the Lord accepteth those for true members of the inu…sible Church, who worke righteousnesse, the Scriptures testifie:Act. 10. 35.Acts 10:35 In eueryevery nation, saith Peter, he that seareth God and worketh righteousnesse is accepted of him. And this is so vniuersall a note of the children of God, and so proper p. 66vntounto them, that whosoeuer worketh righteousnesse he is truly said to be borne of God; 1. Iohn 2. 29.1 John 2:29and he that worketh not righteousnes is not of God,1. Iohn 310▪ 8. but of the diuell. But as they that worke righteousnes are the seruants of God in the kingdom of grace, so shall they raigne with him in the kingdome of glory. For that which is said in the beginning of this Psalme, That he which worketh righteousnesse shall rest in the mountaine of God; and in the end, That he shall neuer be remoued; the same is cōfirmed by the holy ghost in other places of Scripture.Esay. 33. 15, 16.Isa 33:15Isa 33:16 Esay 33, He that walk…th in righteousnes, &c. Pro. 10. 30.Prov 10:30he shall dwell on high. And Prou. 10, The righteous shall neuer be remoued. Psal. 69. 28.Ps 69:28And so certaine is the saluation of the righteous, that the booke of the liuing,2. Tim. 4. 8.2 Tim 4:8 is the booke of the just:Psal. 69. 28.Ps 69:28 eternall glorie is the crowne of righteousnesse: the rising againe vntounto glory,Luke 14. 14.Luke 14:14 is the resurrection of the just. And as justice containeth all those vertues which hauehave reference to our neighbour, so the reward of it is the heape of all rewards, namely, blessednesse. For as the Scriptures testifie,Psal. 106. 3.Ps 106:3 blessed are those that worke righteousnesse; and not onelyonly they,Mat. 5. 6.Matt 5:6 but those also which hunger and thirst after righteousnesse are blessed.

Wherefore seeing not onelyonly in this place, but elsewhere also in the Scriptures eternall life is promised to those that worke righteousnesse; the consideration of this reward ought to be a motiue to prouoke and stirre vsus vp to the exercise of justice: Which I do not speake to this end, as though the workes of justice were to be performed with that mind, as that we should hope thereby to be justi…ied before God, or by them to merit eternall life; for that is an opinion sacrilegious and blasphemous against Christ, whose justice alone, apprehended by faith, justifieth vsus before God, and maketh vsus accepted vntounto eternall life.Phil. 3. 9. 9.Phil 3:9 In respect of which justice we are to esteeme all our owne merits (if we had any) as dung, that we may gaine Christ, and may be found in him, not hauing our owne righteousnesse, which is of the Law, but that which p. 67is by the Faith of Christ, the righteousnesse which is of God through faith.

And therefore if we desire that the workes of righteousnesse which we do performe, should be acceptable vntounto God, they are not to be performed to that end that we might by them attaine to justification or saluation: for good works performed to that end are glorious sins: but in doing the workes of righteousnes, these ends are to be propounded. First, in respect of God, that we may glorifie him: for which end we were elected, created, redeemed, regenerated. For by the workes of righteousnesse God is glorified.Iohn 15. 8.John 15:8 Her…in, saith our Sauiour Christ, is my father glorified, that ye beare much fruit. For which cause Paul prayeth for the Philippians,Phil. 1. 11.Phil 1:11 that they might be filled with the fruit of righteousnesse, which are by Iesus Christ vntounto the glorie and praise of God. Neither is God glorified in vsus alone, but in others also, which are the wit…esses of our good deeds. Therefore Christ exhorteth vsus,Mat. 5. 16.Matt 5:16 so to let our light shine before men, that they seeing our good workes may glorifie our father which is in heauen. And Peter likewise counselleth vsus so to hauehave our conuersation honest among the Gentiles, 1. Pet. 2. 12.1 Pet 2:12that by our good workes which they shall see, they may glorifie God in the day of the visitation.

Secondly, that we may testifie our thankfulnesse vntounto God for all his benefits bestowed vponupon vsus, and may auoid the punishment which is due to vnthankfulnes. For whereas the Lord in lieu of all his benefits, both temporal and spirituall, as election, vocation, redemption, regeneration, expecteth at our hands these fruits alone, of holines and righteousnes; assuredly it were vnthankfulnes vntollerable, if either we should be barren of good fruits, or bring forth euill fruit. For wherefore hath the Lord elected vsus? that we might be saued howsoeuer we should liue? No, but he hath elected vsus that we should be holy and without blame before him in louelove? Eph. 1. 4.Eph 1:4Why hath Christ redeemed vsus from the hand of our spirituall enemies? that being freed p. 68from them we might sinne the more freely? No, but that being deliuered from the hand of our spirituall enemies, Luke. 1. 74, 75.Luke 1:74Luke 1:75we might worship him without feare, in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of our life. Wherefore hath he freed vsus from the seruitude of sinne? that we might hauehave freedome to sin? No,Rom. 6. 18. & 22.Rom 6:18Rom 6:22 he hath freed vsus from sinne, that we might be the seruants of righteousnesse: and being now freed from sinne, and made seruants vntounto God, we hauehave our fruit in holinesse, and the end euerlasting life. Why did he beare our sinnes in his body vponupon the crosse? that we liuing in sin should not die for them? No,1. Pet. 2. 24.1 Pet 2:24 he bare our sinnes in his body on the tree, that we being deliuered from sinne, might liue in righteousnesse. Wherefore doth he regenerate vsus by his spirit, and as it were create vsus anew? that we should doe nothing our selues? NO, Wee are the workmanship of God, created in Christ Ksus to good workes, which God hath prepared, Ehp. 2. 10.that we should walke in them. Why doth hee bestow his temporall benefits vponupon vsus? that like well pampered horses we should kicke against our Lord and Maister? No, he crowneth vsus with his manifold blessing, to this end,Psal. 105. 45.Ps 105:45 that we might keepe his statutes and obserue his lawes. For what else doth the Lord require of thee which art the people of God,Deut. 10. 12.Deut 10:12 in lieu of all his mercies, but to feare the Lord thy God, to walke in all his wayes, and to louelove him, and to serue the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soule? that thoukeepe the Commandements of the Lord, and his ordinances which he commaundeth thee for thy wealth? Let vsus remember that we are trees of righteousnesse which the Lord hath planted in his garden,Cant. 4. 12, 13.Song 4:12Song 4:13 that is, his Church, that we may bring forth the fruit of righteousnesse. But if he shall come to seeke fruit (as eueryevery yeare he commeth) and shall find none,Luke▪ 3. 6, 7.Luke 3:6Luke 3:7 howsoeuer he may forbeare for a time, yet at the length he shall cut downe the vnfruitfull trees: for he cannot abide that they should cumber the ground, and make it also barren. Let vsus remember that we are the branches of the vine,Iohn 15. 2.John 15:2 which if we be vnfruitfull, the Lord wil cut off.Mat. 3. 10.Matt 3:10 Let vsus consider that the axe is layd to the root p. 69of eueryevery tree; that eueryevery one which bringeth not forth fruit, may be cut off and cast into the fire.

Againe, in respect of our neighbour we are to worke righteousnesse, that we may helpe him either with the benefit or the example of our good worke. For the benefit of justice belongeth to others. For whereas other vertues are referred to the good of him that hath them; justice onelyonly seemeth to be the good of another man: for justice attendeth the duty of one man to another;foreign. but in other vertues is attended the duty of the inferiour faculties vntounto reason,Arist. Eth. 1. …. c. 3. as one saith. But thou mayst helpe thy neighbour also by the example of thy good worke.Thom. 2. 2. For when thou goest before thy brother with the light of thy good example,q. 100. 1. Pet. 3. 1.1 Pet 3:1 thou shalt gaine him vntounto Christ, if he be not already wonne vntounto him,1. Pet. 2. 12.1 Pet 2:12 that he also may glorifie God in the day of the visitation. Or if he be already ingrafted into Christ, by thy good example thou shalt edifie him,2. Cor. 9. 2.2 Cor 9:2 and as the Apostle testifieth of the Corinthians, thou shalt prouoke him to good workes.

Lastly, we are to performe the workes of righteousnesse, in respect of our selues, as being both profitable and necessary forts, profitable: First, because by them we may make sure our calling and our election;2. Pet. 1. 10.2 Pet 1:10 as Peter teacheth, they being so many testimonies vntounto vsus thereof. True indeed it is,Rom. 9. 11. 2. Tim. 1. 9.Rom 9:112 Tim 1:9 that we were elected without respect of workes,Rom. 3. 28.Rom 3:28 and we are called by grace, not according to workes,Eph. 2. 8. 9.Eph 2:8Eph 2:9 we are justified by faith without workes, and by grace we are saued through faith, and not by workes. But if a man would know whether he be elected, called, justified, and shall be saued, (as we are bound to giuegive diligence, that we may hauehave a firme knowledge of these things) we are not to pry into the secret counsell of God, but we are to examine our selues by our fruits: for both we and others are to be discerned by our fruits. As our Sauiour saith,Mat. 7. 16. 201Matt 7:16 by their fruits you shall know them, do men gather grapes of thornes, or …igges of thistels? a bad tree cannot bring forth p. 70good fruit. By the fruits therefore of righteousnes we may euidently discerne our selues to be sanctified. And none are sanctified but such as first are justified; and whosoeuer are justified are effectually called, and none are effectually called, but such as are elected; and none are elected, but such as shall be saued.Ia…. 2. 18. To this purpose Iames sheweth that the faith whereby we are justified, must be demonstrated by good workes.1. Iohn. 3. 14.1 John 3:14 And Iohn affirmeth, that by the the louelove of our brethren (which is all one in effect with righteousnesse) we know that we are translated from death vntounto life. Againe, good workes are profitable, because they hauehave the promises both of this life, and of that which is to come.

They are also necessary, not as the causes of our justification and saluation, as though we were either justified by them, or saued for them; but as necessary fruits of faith and testimonies of our justification, according whereunto the sentence of saluation shall be pronounced: for although vntounto the act of justification good workes do not concurre, as any causes thereof, yet in the subject, that is, the partie justified, they concurre as fruits of our faith, and consequents of our justification. For as breathing is such a fruit or consequent of life, as where that is, we judge the body to liue; where that is not, we judge it to be dead: so is the exercise of righteousnesse and performance of good workes, such a consequent of faith, as that where good workes are, the faith is liuely; where they are not at all,Iam. 2. 26.Jas 2:26 the faith is dead. They are necessary also in respect of saluation, not as the causes thereof, but partly as the way;Eph. 2. 10.Eph 2:10 for we are his vvorkmanship created vntounto good workes, which he hath prepared for vsus to walke in them,…. and therefore they are fitly sayd to be Vni regum, non causa regnandi, The way to the kingdome, not the cause of reigning: and partly as the euidence, according vntounto which the Lord proceedeth in judgement to the sentence of saluation.Mat. 25. 34. 35.Matt 25:34Matt 25:35 Come you blessed of my father p. 71(sayth Christ the judge) inherit you the kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the world: For I was an hungrie and you gaue me meat, I thirsted and you gaue me drinke, &c. It is most certaine that Christ our Sauiour by his obedience hath merited and purchased eternall life for all those that beleeue in him, according to the maine promise of the Gospell, that whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall be saued. By that righteousnes and obedience of Christ, apprehended by faith, & not by or for any righteousnes inherent in vsus, or obedience performed by vsus, are we made sonnes & heires of God, entituled vntounto the kingdome of heauen, acquitted from our sinnes, and accepted vntounto eternall life. Notwithstanding, seeing all that be in the Church professe themselues to beleeue, whereof many deceiue either themselues with an opinion, or others with a profession of faith; therefore the Lord proceedeth vntounto judgement, according to the fruits either of faith, or infidelity: taking for granted, that in those who are members of the true visible Church, where good workes are there is faith, and where are no good workes there is no faith. And therefore it behoueth vsus, as we desire either to hauehave assurance of our saluation whiles we liue here, or to heare the comfortable sentence of saluation pronounced to vsus in the day of judgement, so to be carefull to demonstrat our faith by good workes. And hereby it appeareth against the malicious slaunder of the Papists, that although we deny good workes to be meritorious of euerlasting life, yet we do not teach men to cast off all care and well doing.

Now for the auoiding of errour: Whereas the workes of righteousnesse are made a proper note of the sons and heires of God, we are first to restraine this part of the Lords answer to that subject whereof Dauids question is propounded, namely, to those who liue in the true visible Church, and professe the name and religion of God. Of these, because there be many hypocrites and vnsound p. 72professors among them, Dauid desireth to be informed, who are the true professors. The Lord answereth: He that worketh righteousnesse, and so by his good workes doth demonstrat his faith. There are many workes materially good to be found, not onelyonly among heretickes and idolatours, as the Papists, but also among Turkes and Pagans. But we speake not of those that are without, for they are not within the compasse, either of Dauids question, or Gods answer. And secondly we are to know that all works in respect of the matter, or the thing done, seeme to be good workes, are not straightwayes the workes of righteousnesse, neither doth he which performeth them alwayes worke righteousnesse. For it is not a good and a true worke of righteousnesse indeed, vnlesse it proceed from the right fountaine, vnlesse it be done in a right maner, and to a right end. As touching the fountaine, it is a good rule of Gregory: That the streames of righteousnes towards our brother, must be deriued from the fountaine of pietie towards God. For we louelove not our brother aright, vnlesse we louelove him in and for the Lord, and we cannot louelove him in and for the Lord, vnlesse we louelove the Lord much more: and we louelove the Lord, because we are by faith persuaded, that he loueth vsus first, his louelove being shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost: and we cannot beleeue in God and Christ our Sauiour, vnlesse we know God aright, and vnderstand the mysterie of our saluation by Christ. If therefore we be ignorant persons, we hauehave no faith, if we be vnfaithfull persons, we hauehave no true louelove or feare of God, nor any other sanctifying grace: If we hauehave no true louelove of God, we hauehave no true louelove of our brother. For euen as the louelove of God, seuered from the louelove of our neighbour, is hypocrisie; so is the louelove of our neighbor seuered from the louelove of God, counterfeit. The good workes therefore that are done, either by an ignorant person, or by a more ciuill honest man, who is void of p. 73faith, of religion, of the louelove and feare of God, although materially they be good: yet are they euill as they proceed from him. For whiles the tree is euill, the fruit cannot be good, whiles the person is not accepted as just in Christ (as none but the faithfull are) his actions cannot be acceptable:Heb. 11. 6.Heb 11:6 for without faith it is impossible to please God.1. Tim. 1. 5.1 Tim 1:5 And this is that which the Apostle saith, that the end and consummation of the commandement is louelove, out of a pure heart, a good conscience, and faith vnsained.

In respect of the manner, our good workes must be performed vprightly,2. Chron. 25. 22 Chr 25:2 not in hypocrisie and dissimulation: otherwise it is vnfained and counterfeit. For though we doe that which is right, yet if we doe it not with an vpright heart, we doe it not rightly, neither can we be sayd to worke righteousnesse.

In respect of the end, we are to perfome good workes, that by the discharge of our duty God may be glorified. But if our end be, to be seene of men, if to win praise and glorie to our selues, if to merit of God, and as it were to bridle him by our good deed, all our workes, though neuer so glorious in the eyes of the world, yet are they splendida peccata, that is to say, glorious sinnes. To this purpose we are to remember, that we are to worship God,Luke 1. 75.Luke 1:75 not onelyonly in holinesse, but in righteousnesse also: and we worship him in righteousnesse, when as in a sincere obedience to God we seeke by performing the duties of righteousnesse to our brother to glorifie God. From this note therefore of Gods children, we distinguish the seeming good workes, first of infidels without the Church, or of more naturall men within; because there can be no true righteousnesse or louelove of men, without faith, pietie and louelove of God. Secondly, of hypocr…tes and dissemblers, who do no good, but for sinister and by-respects, and therefore their righteousnesse being hypocrisie, is double injustice. Lastly, p. 74of all Pharisaicall and Popish justiciaries, who by their good workes thinke (such is their Satanicall pride) to make God beholding vntounto them, and to merit heauen to themselues, most sacrilegiously & injuriously vntounto Christ our Sauiour, placing the matter of their justification, and the merit of their saluation in themselues.

In a word, that is no true righteousnesse which is seuered from holinesse; neither is that a worke of righteousnesse, which is not a righteous worke rightly done, as that is not, which is done in hypocrisie, or to an ill end. He therefore vndoubtedly is the sonne and heire of God, who professing the true faith, laboureth to demonstrat his faith by good works; his faith working by louelove, and his louelove proceeding from faith vnfained: who in vpright obedience towards God, seeketh by the exercise of righteousnesse, and discharge of his dutie towards his neighbour, to glorifie God.

The third note of the child God is Truth, which the holy ghost expresseth in these words, and speaketh the truth in his heart. Which words (sayth Augustine) are not thus to be vnderstood,De … ad Consent. as though keeping the truth in the heart, we should vtter vntruth with our mouth. But the holy ghost vseth this phrase of speech, because a man may with his mouth vtter the truth, which will nothing auaile him, if he hold not the same in his heart. Wherefore although this phrase of speaking the truth in his heart, seeme somewhat harsh, notwithstanding, if it be rightly vnderstood, it doth more fully expresse the disposition of a man which is addicted to the truth, than if it had been said from the heart. Thus therefore I read, who speaketh the truth which is in his h…rt, that is, who vttereth with his tongue the truth which he hath conceiued in his mind. For that we may be vcraces, that is, speakers of the truth, there is a double conformitie or agreement required, which is here expressed, the one of the speech with the mind (namely, that we should speak as we thinke) the other of the mind, p. 75with the thing it selfe (namely, that wee should conceiue in our mind, according to the truth of the matter.) For as the rule and measure of truth in words, is the agreement of them with our thoughts: so the rule and measure of truth in our thoughts, is the agreement thereof with the things themselues. It is true indeed, that in some sciences either agreement alone sufficeth vntounto the truth: as in morall philosophy he is foreign, a speaker of the truth, who speaketh as he thinketh, although perhaps he thinketh otherwise than the thing it selfe is: And in Logicke he is said to speake the truth, who speaketh as the thing is, although perhaps he thinketh otherwise: But in diuinitie both, as I said, is required. Neither can we be said, if either be wanting, to be veraces, that is, such as speake the truth which is in our heart: for he which deliuereth an vntruth, supposing it to bee true, howsoeuer hee bee free from the vanitie of lying, yet he cannot be said to bee a speaker of the truth; for in his mouth he vttereth an vntruth, though in his heart he be well affected to the truth. Contrariwise, he that speaketh the truth which he thinketh to be false, he is a lyar, though he speake the truth, because he hath truth in his mouth, but not in his heart. Such a one therefore,Psal. 12.Ps 12 because hee speaketh with an heart and an heart, may not vnworthily be said to lie. For ment…ri est contra mentemire: to lie, is to speake otherwise than a man thinketh. Wherefore, that a man may bee said to speake the truth which is in heart, there is a double agreement required, the one of the tongue with the mind, the other of the mind, with the things themselues. And to this double conformitie in speaking the truth, there is opposed a double falshood, namely, when a man speaketh either that which is false, or falsely. He speaketh that which is false, who speaketh otherwise than the thing is, whether he thinkes it to be so, or otherwise. He speaketh falsely, who speaketh otherwise than hee thinketh. He which speaketh a falshood, supposing it to be p. 76true, is not so much to be blamed for lying, as for vnaduifednesse and rashnesse. For we ought to be sure of those things which we affirme. But he which either speaketh that which hee knoweth to bee false, or speaketh that which is true falsely, that is, animo fallendi, with a purpose to deceiue (as the diuell sometimes doth) he is a lyar: neither can you easily determine, whether is in the greater fault: for as the one hath lesse truth in his mouth, so the other hath more deceit in his heart.