Sermons, Sermon 8
The VIII. Sermon.
LUKE xviii. 11.
God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men, extortioners, &c. or even as this Publican.
THat we may ſet out at our beſt advantage, and yet not go too far back to take our riſe, 'tis but retiring to the end of the 8. verſe of this Chapter, and there we ſhall meet with an abrupt ſpeech, hanging like one of Solomons proverbs, without any ſeeming dependence on any thing before or after it: which yet upon enquiry will appear foreign, faln down from Heaven, in the poſture it ſtands in. In the beginning of the Eight verſe he concludes the former parable, I tell you that he will avenge them ſpeedily; and then abruptly, Nevertheleſs, when the Son of man comes, ſhall he find faith upon the earth? And then immediately verſe 9. he ſpake another parable to certain that truſted in themſelves, where this ſpeech in the midſt, when the Son of man comes, &c. ſtands there by it ſelf, like the Phariſee in my Text, ſeorſim, apart, as an foreign or intercalary day between two moneths, which neither of them will own, or more truly like one of Democritus his atomes, the caſual concurrence of which he accounted the principle and cauſe of all things.
That we may not think ſo vulgarly of Scripture, as to dream that any tittle of it came by reſultance or caſually into the world, that any ſpeech dropt from his mouth unobſerved; that ſpake as man never ſpake, both in reſpect of the matter of his ſpeeches, and the weight and ſecret energie of all accidents attending them, it will appear on conſideration, that this ſpeech of his which ſeems an foreign, or foreign a ſupernumerary ſuperfluous one, is indeed the head of the corner, and ground of the whole parable, or at leaſt a fair hint or occaſion of delivering it at that time. Not to trouble you with its influence on the parable going before concerning perſeverance in prayer (to which it is as an Iſthmus or fibula, to joyn it to what follows) but to bring our eyes home to my preſent ſubject. After the conſideration of the prodigious defect of faith in this decrepit laſt age of the world, in perſons who made the greateſt pretences to it, and had arriv'd unto aſſurance and ſecurity in themſelves; he preſently arraigns the Phariſee, the higheſt inſtance of this confidence, and brings his righteouſneſs to the bar ſub hac formâ.
There is like to be toward the ſecond coming of Chriſt, his particular viſitation of the Jews, and (then its parallel) his final coming to judgment, ſuch a ſpecious pompous ſhew, and yet ſuch a ſmall pittance of true faith in the world, that as it is grown much leſs than a grain of muſtard-ſeed, it ſhall not be found when it is ſought; there will be ſuch gyantly ſhadows, and pigmy ſubſtances, ſo much and yet ſo little faith, that no Hieroglyphick can ſufficiently expreſs it, but an Egyptian temple gorgeouſly over-laid, inhabited within by Crocodiles, and Cats and carcaſſes inſtead of gods; or an apple of Sodom, that ſhews well till it be handled; a painted Sepulchre, or a ſpecious nothing; or which is the contraction and Tachygraphy of all theſe, a Phariſee at his prayers. And thereupon Chriſt ſpake the parable, ver. 9.verſe 9. there were two men went up into the temple to pray, ver. 10.the one a Phariſee, &c. verſe 10.
Concerning the true nature of faith miſtaken extremely now adays by thoſe which pretend moſt to it, expuls'd almoſt out of mens brains, as well as hearts, ſo that now it is ſcarce to be found upon earth, either in our lives or almoſt in our books; there might be framed a ſeaſonable complaint in this place, were I not already otherwiſe imbarked. By ſome prepoſſeſſions and prejudices infus'd into us, as ſoon as we can conn a Catechiſm of that making, it comes to paſs that many men live and die reſolved that faith is nothing but the aſſurance of the merits of Chriſt applied to every man particularly; and conſequently of his ſalvation: that I muſt firſt be ſure of Heaven, or elſe I am not capable of it; confident of my ſalvation, or elſe neceſſarily damned. Cornelius Agrippa being initiated in natural magick, Paracelſus in mineral extractions, Plato full of his Idea's, will let nothing be done without the Pythagoreans, brought up with numbers perpetually in their ears, and the Phyſicians poring daily upon the temperaments of the body; the one will define the ſoul an harmony, In lib. 1. de anima.the other a foreign ſaith Philoponus. And ſo are many amongſt us, that take up fancies upon truſt for truths, never laying any contrary propoſals to heart, come at laſt to account this aſſurance as a principle without which they can do nothing; the very ſoul that muſt animate all their obedience, which is otherwiſe but a carcaſs or heathen vertue; in a word, the only thing by which we are juſtified or ſaved. The confutation of this popular error I leave to ſome grave learned tongue, that may enforce it on you with ſome authority; for I conceive not any greater hindrance of Chriſtian obedience, and godly practice among us, than this: for as long as we are content with this aſſurance as ſufficient ſtock to ſet up for Heaven, there is like to be but little faith upon the earth. Faith if it be truly ſo is like Chriſt himſelf, when he was Emmanuel, God upon the earth, foreign, an incarnate faith, cut out and ſquared into limbs and lineaments; not only a ſpiritual inviſible faith, but even fleſh and blood, to be ſeen and felt, organiz'd for action, 'tis to ſpeak, and breath, and walk and run the ways of Gods Commandments. An aſſent not only to the promiſes of the Goſpel, but uniformly to the whole word of God, commands and threats as well as promiſes. And this not in the brain or ſurface of the ſoul, as the Romaniſt ſeats it, but in the heart, as regent of the hand and tongue in the concurrence of all the affections. Where it is not only a working faith, an obeying faith, but even a work, even obedience it ſelf;Rom. i. 5. not only a victorious faith,1 Jo. v. 4. but even victory it ſelf, 1 Jo. 5. 4. This is our victory even our faith: to part with this as a foreign, which is our only buſineſs, is ſure an unreaſonable Theſis. Any faith but this, is a faith in the clouds, or in the air, the upper region of the ſoul, the brain; or at moſt but a piece of the heart; a magical faith, a piece of ſorcery and conjuring; that will teach men to remove mountains, only by thinking they are able; but will never be taken by Chriſt for this faith upon the earth: if it do walk here, it is but as a Ghoſt, 'tis even pity but it were laid. Let me beſeech you meekly, but if this would not prevail, I would conjure you all in this behalf; the ſilly weak Chriſtian to fly from this foreign, and call for ſome light of their lawful paſtors, to find out the deceit; and the more knowing illuminate Chriſtian, to examine ſincerely and impartially by feeling and handling it throughly, whether there be any true ſubſtance in it or no. The Phariſee looking upon himſelf ſuperficially thought he had gone on, on very good grounds; very unqueſtionable terms that he was poſſeſt of a very fair eſtate; he brought in an inventory of a many, precious works; I faſt, I tithe, &c. verſe 12.Verſe 12. hath no other Liturgies but thankſgivings, no other ſacrifice to bring into the temple, but Euchariſtical, and yet how foully the man was miſtaken!
God I thank, &c.
The firſt thing I ſhall obſerve in the words is the foreign, the rational importance of them, as they are part of a rhetorical syllogiſm, an example or parallel to ſhew that in the laſt days, though men think that there is a great deal, yet there is indeed like to be but little Faith upon the earth. And the iſſue from thence is the Phariſees flattering favourable miſconceit of his own eſtate, and the parallel line to that, our premature deceivable perſwaſions of our ſelves, that is ordinary among Chriſtians.
The ſecond thing is the foreign, the natural litteral importance of the words, and therein the concomitants or effects of thoſe his miſconceits.
1. Pride, 2. Cenſoriouſneſs. Pride noted by his ſpeech, I thank thee that I am not; then his poſture pluming up himſelf, ſtanding by himſelf he prayed; as the Syriack ſet the words, and many greek copies, ſome by making a comma after foreign, others by reading foreign, ſtanding by himſelf; as Beza renders it, ſoorſim, apart: not as our Engliſh, he ſtood and prayed thus with himſelf, but as the words will likewiſe bear it, he ſtood by himſelf thus; this poſture ſignifying a proud contemptuous behaviour, whileſt the Publican ſtood crouching humbly, and tremblingly behind.
2. Cenſoriouſneſs and inſinuating accuſations of other mens perſons, even as this Publican. To which we may add the occaſion of all this, ſeeing the Publican behind him, (i. e.) comparing himſelf with notorious ſinners, he was thus proud and cenſorious.
And of theſe in their order, as powerfully and effectually to your hearts, as God ſhall enable me. And firſt of the firſt, the Phariſees favourable miſconceits of himſelf, and parallel to theſe, our deceivable perſwaſions of our ſelves, God I thank, &c.
The black ſin that hath dyed the Phariſees ſoul ſo deep, as to become his characteriſtick inſeparable property, a kind of agnomen, a perpetual acceſſion to his name, is hypocriſie. The proper natural importance of which word, ſignifies the perſonating or acting of a part, putting on another habit than doth properly belong to him. But by the liberty we ordinarily allow to words, to enlarge themſelves ſometimes beyond their own territories, to thrive and gain ſomewhat from their Neighbours, it is come vulgarly to ſignifie all that ambitious outſide, or formality the colour and varniſh of religion, by which any man deceives either others or himſelf; and accordingly there is a twofold hypocriſie, the firſt deceiving others; the ſecond himſelf. That by which he impoſeth upon others is the ſin we commonly declaim againſt, under that name, moſt fiercely, ſometime by juſt reaſon, as having been circumvented by ſuch glozes, ſometime in a natural zeal to truth, preferring plain downright impiety, before the ſame transfigured by a varniſh. Reatus impii pium nomen, his being counted innocent is an acceſſion to his guilt. But then ſometimes too, under this odious name we may wound ſincere and pure devotion; as the Primitive Chriſtians were by the tyrants put in wild beaſts skins that they may be torn in pieces; men may be deterr'd from all the leaſt appearance of purity, for fear they ſhould be counted hypocrites. However this firſt ſort of hypocriſie may deſerve its ſeaſonable reprehenſion, this parable in my text doth not take it in; but inſiſts mainly upon the other, that colour of piety by which a man deceives himſelf, and cheats and glozes with his own ſoul. That firſt ſort, were it not for ſome hurtful conſequences, might for ought I can gainſay, paſs for an innocent quality in a ſinner. For what great injury doth that man do to any other, or himſelf? what grand ſin againſt God or the World, by deſiring to ſeem better than he is; by labouring to conceal thoſe ſins in himſelf, which could not be known without diſhonour to God, and ſcandal to his neighbour? 'Twas a Lawyers anſwer being queſtioned whether it were lawful for a woman to take money for proſtituting her ſelf, that indeed 'twas a ſin to proſtitute her ſelf; but that being ſuppoſed as in ſome kingdoms it is permitted, he thought 'twas no great fault to get her living by it.
Not to juſtifie his opinion, but apply it by accommodation: In like manner arraign an hypocrite, and muſter up all the ſins he hath commmitted in ſecret, and all theſe I will acknowledge worthy of condemnation, becauſe ſins: nay, if his end of concealing them be to circumvent a welbelieving Neighbour, that ſhall be ſet upon his ſcore alſo, but for the deſire itſelf of keeping his ſin from, the eyes of men; ſo that he do not from the eyes of God, and his miniſters upon occaſion: for a cautiouſneſs in any one not to ſin ſcandalouſly, or on the houſe top, take this by it ſelf, abſtracted from the ſin it belongs to, and I cannot ſee why that ſhould be either a part, or aggravation of a ſin. There is nothing that deſerves the tears, yea and holy indignation of a godly ſoul, more than the ſight of an immodeſt boaſting ſinner, that makes his crimes his reputation; and his abominations his pride, and glory. 'Tis that which we lay to the Devils charge in the times of heatheniſm; that he ſtrove to bring ſin in credit by building temples, and requiring ſacrifices to luſt, under the name of Venus, Priapus, and the like; that incontinence might ſeem an act of religion; and all the prophaneſs in the world a piece of adoration. And it begins now to be revived in the world again, when baſhfulneſs is the quality of all others moſt creditably parted with; and the only motive to the commiſſion of ſome ſins is, to be in the faſhion, to be ſeen of men; when men put on affected errors, affected vanities, affected oaths, juſt as they do gay cloaths, that they may be the better counted of: this indeed is a damnable hypocriſie, when men are fain to act parts in ſin, that they are not naturally inclined to; and to force their conſtitutions, and even to offer violence to their own tender diſpoſitions, that ſo they may not be ſcoffed at for punies, or preciſe perſons, as Auguſtus his daughter, which being admoniſhed of a ſin that beaſts would never have committed, anſwer'd that that was the reaſon they omitted the enjoyment of ſo precious a delight, becauſe they were beaſts; as if innocence were more beſtial than luſt, and ignorance of ſome ſins the only guilt. The horrour and deteſtation that this ſin ſtrikes into me, makes me, I confeſs, willing almoſt to become an advocate of the firſt kind of hypocriſie, whereby men retain ſo much modeſty in their ſins (I hope of weakneſs) as to be willing to enjoy the charitable mens good opinion though undeſerved.
But for the ſecond kind of hypocriſie, this couzening of a mans own ſoul, this tyring and perſonating in the cloſet, this inventing of arts and ſtratagems to ſend himſelf comfortably and believingly to the Devil, this civil inteſtine treachery within, and againſt ones ſelf; this is the grand impoſture that here the Phariſee is noted for. An eaſineſs and cheatableneſs that coſts the bankrupting of many a jolly chriſtian Soul. He, ſaith Plutarch, that wants health,foreign. pag. …. let him go to the Phyſicians, but he that wants foreign a good durable habit of body, let him go to the foreign (the maſters of exerciſe) otherwiſe he ſhall never be able to confirm himſelf into a ſolid firm conſtant health, call'd thereupon by Hippocrates foreign, the conſtitution of wreſtlers; without which health it ſelf is but a degree of ſickneſs, nouriſhment proves but ſwellings, and not growth, but a tympany. Both theſe, ſaith he, Philoſophy will produce in the ſoul not only teaching men foreign (where by the way he repeats almoſt the whole decalogue of Moſes, though in an heathen Dialect) to worſhip the Gods, &c. which is foreign, the health of the ſoul, but foreign, that which is above all, foreign, not to be overjoyed or immoderately affected in all this. This which he attributes to Philoſophy in general, is, ſaith Ariſtotle, an act of intellectual prudence, or ſobriety, foreign, not to vouchſafe higher titles to himſelf than he is worthy of; not to think himſelf in better health than he is, which is not the dialect of a meer heathen, but the very language of Canaan, Rom. xii. 3.Rom. 12. 3. foreign, the very word in Ariſtotle, which cannot be better expreſt than by that foreign to have a moderate ſober equal opinion of ones own gifts; not to overprize Gods graces in our ſelves, not to accept ones own perſon or give flattering titles to ones ſelf; in Jobs phraſe. This Chryſoſtom calls foreign,c. 5. pag. 261. a word near kin unto the former, the meekneſs or lowlineſs of heart, foreign, &c. when a man having attain'd to a great meaſure of grace, and done great matters by it, and knoweth it too, yet foreign fancies no great matter of himſelf for all this. As the 3. children in Daniel having receiv'd a miracle of graces, which affected even the enemies of God, yet were not affected with it themſelves. Enabled to be martyrs, and yet live. Or as the Poet of Callimachus that ſtood after he was dead— foreign;Pantelius. Which is Nebuchadnezzars phraſe, walking in the midſt of the fire and yet they have no hurt. Yet in their foreign their Song of praiſe, all that they ſay of themſelves is this,Song of 3. child. ver. 9. and now we cannot open our mouths, ver. 9. for this, ſaith Chryſoſtom, we open our mouths, that we may ſay this only, that it is not for us to open our mouths. By this low modeſt interpretation every Chriſtian is to make of his own actions and gifts, you may gueſs ſomewhat of the Phariſees miſconceits.
For firſt, were he never ſo holy and pure, of never ſo ſpiritual Angelical compoſition, yet the very reflecting on theſe excellencies, were enough to make a devil of him. The Angels, ſaith Gerſon, tri. 1. in Magnif.as the Philoſophers intelligences; have a double habitude, two ſorts of imployments natural to them; One upwards, in an admiration of Gods greatneſs, love of his beauty, obedience to his will, moving as it were a circular daily motion about God, their Center; (as Boethius of them, mentemque profundam circumeunt) another downward, of regiment and power in reſpect of all below, which they govern and move and manage. Now if it be queſtioned, ſaith he, which of theſe two be more honourable, for the credit of the Angelical nature, I determine confidently, that of ſubjection pulchriorem & perfectiorem eſſe, quam ſecunda regitivae dominationis, 'tis more renown to be under God, than over all the world beſides, As the ſervice to a King is the greateſt preferment that even a Peer of the Realm is capable of. And then if an Angel ſhould make a ſong of exultance to ſet himſelf out in the greateſt pomp, he would begin it as Mary doth her Magnificat, For he hath regarded the low eſtate of his ſervant: So that the bleſſed Virgins mention of her own lowlineſs, was not a piece only of modeſt devotion, but an foreign of expreſſion, and high Metaphyſical inſinuation of the greateſt dignity in the world. And then let the Phariſee be as righteous as himſelf can fancy, come to that pitch indeed which the contemptuous opinionative Philoſophers feigned to themſelves,p. 162. foreign, in Tatianus, which is in the Church of Laodicaea's phraſe, I am rich and am increaſed in ſpiritual wealth, and have need of nothing; or the fools in the goſpel,St. Luke xvi. 19. I have ſtore laid up for many years; nay to St. Pauls pitch, rapt ſo high, that the ſchools do queſtion whether he were viator or comprehenſor, a traveller or at his journeys end; yet the very opinion of Gods graces would argue him a Phariſee; this conceiving well of his eſtate is the fouleſt miſconceit. For if he be ſuch a complete righteous perſon, ſo accompliſh't in all holy graces, why ſhould he thus betray his ſoul, by depriving it of this foreign, which the very Heathens could obſerve ſo abſolutely neceſſary; this humility and lowlineſs of mind, this uſeful and moſt ingenuous vertue, always to think vilely of himſelf; not to acknowledge any excellence in himſelf, though he were even put upon the rack. The Philoſophers that wrote againſt pride, are cenſured to have ſpoil'd all by putting their names to their books.Gerſ. tr. 10. in Magnif. Modeſty, like Dina, deſiring never ſo little to be ſeen, is raviſhed. The ſanctifying ſpirit that beautifies the ſoul, ie an humbling ſpirit alſo, to make it unbeauteous in its own eyes. And this is the firſt miſconceit, the firſt ſtep of Phariſaical hypocriſy, thinking well of ones ſelf on what ground ſoever; contrary to that virgin grace Humility, which is a vertue required not only of notorious infamous ſinners (for what thanks or commendation is it for him to be on the ground that hath faln and bruiſed himſelf in his race? for him that is ready to ſtarve to go a begging?) but chiefly and mainly of him that is moſt righteous; when he that knows a great deal of good by himſelf, foreign, a great deal of good ſucceſs in the ſpirit, yet foreign, is not advanced a whit at the fancy of all this.
The Phariſees ſecond miſconceit is a favourable overprizing of his own worth, expecting a higher reward, than it in proportion deſerves. When looking in the glaſs, he ſees all far more glorious in that reflect beam than it is in the direct, all the deformities left in the glaſs, and nothing but fair return'd to him, a rough harſh unpleaſing voice ſmoothed, and ſoftned, and grown harmonious in the Eccho: there is no ſuch cheating in the world, as by reflexions. A looking-glaſs by ſhewing ſome handſom perſons their good faces, and that truly, hath often ruin'd them by that truth, and betrayed that beauty to all the uglineſs and rottenneſs in the world; which had it not been known by them, had been enjoyed. But then your falſe glaſſes what miſchief and ruine have they been authors of? how have they given authority to the deformed'ſt creatures, to come confidently on the ſtage, and befool'd them to that ſhame, which a knowledge of their own wants had certainly prevented? What difference there may be betwixt the direct ſpecies of a thing, and the ſame reflected, the original and the tranſcript, the artificial famous picture of Henry the fourth of France will teach you; where in a multitude of feigned devices, a heap of painted, phantaſtical Chimaera's, which being look'd on right reſembled nothing, being order'd to caſt their ſpecies upon a pillar of poliſh't mettal reflected to the ſpectators eye the moſt lively viſage of that famous King. He that hath not ſeen this piece of art, or hath not skill in Catoptricks enough to underſtand the demonſtrable grounds and reaſons of it, may yet diſcern as much in nature, by the appearance of a rainbow, where you may ſee thoſe colours reflected by the cloud, which no Philoſopher will aſſert to be exiſtent there. And all this brings more evidence to the Phariſees indictment, and demonſtrates his opinion of his own actions or merits, to be commonly deceiveable and falſe.
He ſees another mans actions radio recto, by a direct beam, and if there be no humour in his eye; if it be not glazed with contempt or envy, or prejudice, he may perhaps ſee them aright. But his own he cannot ſee but by reflexion, as a man comes not to ſee his own eyes, but in the ſhadow, and at the rebound; whereupon Alcinous the Platonick calls this act of the ſoul, foreign, a dialogue of the ſoul with it ſelf,Pag. 8. and the knowledge that comes from thence foreign, a reſemblance by ſhadowing. The ſoul underſtands, and wills its object; this act of it by its ſpecies is caſt upon the fancy, and from thence, as even now from the column of braſs, or bell-mettle, 'tis reflected to the underſtanding: and then you may gueſs, what a fair report he is likely to receive, when a Phariſees phancy hath the returning of it. He that with his own cleareſt eyes could take a gnat for a taller unweildier creature than a Camel, and thereupon ſtrains at it, Mat. xxiii. 24.Mat. xxiii. 24. What would he do if he ſhould come to his multiplying glaſs? He that when he ſees a mote, and that radio recto, in others eyes, can miſtake it for a beam, how can he think you, improve the leaſt atome of good when he is to look on it in himſelf? How will his phanſie and he; the one a cheat from the beginning, the other full greedy of the bait, fatten and puff up a ſacrifice, that he himſelf hath offer'd? O how fair ſhall it appear, and ready to devour all the ſeven f…t ones, though it be the thinneſt of Pharaoh's lean kine, lank and very ill favoured? how ſhall the reflexion of his beggarlieſt rags return to his eye the picture of a King? and the ordinarieſt vapour, or cloud of his exhaling be deckt over withall the beauty and variety of the Rainbow? What Ariſtotle ſaid of the Sophiſts that they did foreign,Elench. l. 1. though it be a p…zling place for the Criticks, this Cenſor or Ariſtarchus in my text, will interpret by his practice; he blows up himſelf, as they were uſed to do their meat againſt a foreign, a tribunes or a Sheriffs feaſt, that it may look the fairer, and not deceive others only, but himſelf; forgets what he has done, and now thinks 'tis his natural complexion: as the Carpenter in the 13. of Wiſdom; Wiſd. xiii.that piece of wood which himſelf had juſt now carved into an Idol, he preſently prays to and worſhips as a god: or as lyars, that by telling a tale often at laſt begin to believe themſelves; ſo hath he befool'd himſelf into a credulity: the farthing Alms he hath given ſhall be a ſtrange kind of uſury (yet not ſtranger perhaps than what he deals in dayly) be phanſied into a mountain of gold; and the bares calves of their lips become Hecatombs. If he have abſtained from fleſh when the market would yield none; or forborn to eat a ſupper after a notorious feaſt,ver. 12. he will call this faſting twice in the week, ver. 12. and avouch himſelf an obedient abſtemious ſubject and Chriſtian, though good Friday be witneſs of his unchriſtian Epicuriſm. If he afford the Miniſter the tenth of his houſe-rent, an annual benevolence far below that that his dues would come to, which by taking of a jolly fine at firſt, is for ever after paired into but a larger ſort of quit-rents (though his extortion bring in no revenue to any but the Devil and himſelf) he will yet be confident with the Phariſee, I pay tythes of all that I poſſeſs.
A pittance of vertue in a Phariſee is like the Polypod's head, to which Plutarch compares Poetry, Mor. lib. 1. pag. 25.hath ſome good, but as much or more ill in it alſo, ſweet indeed and nutritive, ſaith he; and ſo is all vertue though ſimply moral, good wholſom diet for the ſoul, but withal foreign, it ſends up vapours into the brain, and ends in whimſeys and ſtrange and troubleſom dreams: the man phanſies, I know not what, preſently of himſelf; like learning in an ill natur'd man, all about him are the worſe for it; one moral vertue tires ſometimes the whole vicinity of natural good diſpoſed gifts: 'twere well perhaps for his ingenuity and modeſty that he were not ſo vertuous, that one drop of water being attenuated into air hath taken up all the room in the bladder: 'twere as good for the heart to be ſhrivel'd up, as thus diſtended, it muſt be ſqueez'd again to make place for ſome more ſubſtantial gueſt, and be emptied quite, that it may be fill'd. In brief, 'tis the ſmall meaſure, and this only of aiery, empty piety, that hath puſt up the man. As they ſay a little critical learning makes one proud; if there were more it would condenſate and compact it ſelf into leſs room.
And generally the more there is within, the leſs report they give of themſelves; as S. Matthew mentioning himſelf before his converſion, doth it diſtinctly, Matth. 9. 9. by the name of Matthew, and his trade ſitting at the receit of cuſtom, Matthew the Publican, by that odious renaming of ſin; (whereas all the other Evangeliſts call him Levi, or the ſon of Alpheus) but leaves out the ſtory of his own feaſting of Chriſt, (only as Chriſt ſate at meat in the houſe) which S. Luke ſets down exactly,ver. 10. and Levi made him a great feaſt, Luk. 5. 27. or as in the hiſtory of S. Peter's fall and repentance in the Goſpel, according to S. Mark; (which the primitive Church agree that S. Peter had a hand in it) his denial is ſet down with all the aggravating circumſtances, more than in all the reſt put together, Mar. 14. 71. he began to curſe, and ſwear, I know not this man of whom you ſpeak: two Evangeliſts ſay only he denied him the third time; to this S. Matthew adds, he curſed anaſware, ſaying, I know not the man. But he in his own witneſs, moſt exactly in aggravating the ſin, I know not this, &c. But when he comes to the mention of his repentance, when the two other ſay, foreign, he himſelf, or S. Mark from him, only foreign, he wept; always ſpeaking as much bad, and as little good of themſelves as can be.
A little windy opinionative goodneſs diſtempers the empty brain, 'tis charity muſt ballaſt the heart; and that's the grace according to holy Maximius his opinion,foreign. that all this while we have requir'd, but not found in the Phariſee, and that's the reaſon that the braſs ſounds ſo ſhrill, and the cymbal tinkles ſo merrily. And this is the Phariſees ſecond miſconceit, his overprizing his own good deeds and graces. The third is.
His opinion of the conſiſtence and immutability of his preſent eſtate, without any, either conſideration of what he hath been, or fear what he may be again, he hath learnt or rather abus'd ſo much Scripture, as that the yeſterday and the morrow muſt care for themſelves; Prometheus or Epimetheus are prophane heathen names to him; he is all in contemplation of preſent greatneſs; like the heathen gods which are repreſented to have nothing to do, but admire their own excellencies. I thank God that I am not, &c. The Phariſee having a firſt-borns portion from the hand of God, will not be rude or importunate with him for new and freſh ſupplies; nor will he diſparage himſelf ſo much as to ſuſpect the perpetuity of his enjoyment. foreign, ſaith Plutarch, a man that is honourably and freely born hath a fair treaſure of confidence, foreign.and ſo a natural advantage of other men; but baſtards and men of a crack't race foreign, that have a great deal of copper or droſs mix't with their or and argent, foreign theſe men are born to be humble and ſhamefac'd. But amongſt theſe contemplations he may do well to conſider the Amorite his father, and his mother the Hittite, the pollutions and blood he was clothed with in the day that he was born Ezek. 16.Ezek. xvi. the accurſed inheritance as well of ſhame as ſin derived unto him. For then certainly he would never ſo plume himſelf in his preſent ſunſhine. If he have not gotten in the foreign, among the Adamites in Epiphanius, and there ſet up for one of Adams ſect before his fall,Haereſ. 32. or the Valentinians which call'd themſelves the ſpirituals, and the ſeed of Abel, who indeed never had any natural ſeed we hear of. If he will but grant himſelf of the ordinary compoſition and race of men, come down from Adam either by Cain or Seth, I am ſure he ſhall find ſins paſt enough either in his perſon or nature to humble him, be he never ſo ſpiritual. And then for the time to come, Chriſt certainly was never ſo eſpouſed to any ſoul, as to be bound to hold it for better for worſe. That if he find ought in that ſpouſe contrary to the vow of wedlock, he can foreign (the word uſed in divorces amongſt the Athenians on the husbands part) ſend the ſoul out of his houſe or temple; eſpecially if ſhe do foreign (the phraſe uſed on the womans part) if ſhe leave or forſake the husband, if ſhe draw back or ſubduce her ſelf out of his houſe,Heb. x. 8. Heb. 10. 38, &c. by an evil heart of unbelief, openly depart from the living God, Heb. iii. 12.Heb. 3. 12. It is obſerv'd by the Criticks as an abſurd ridiculous phraſe in ſome authors, to call the Emperors Divi in their life time, which ſaith Ritterſhuſius when the propriety of the Roman tongue was obſerved, capitale fuiſſet, had been a grand capital crime. And as abſurd no doubt is many mens foreign and foreign, their canonizing, ſecuring and beſainting themſelves in this life, upon every ſlight praemature perſwaſion that they are in Chriſt. That which Aphrodiſius on the Topicks, obſerves of the leaves of trees, may perhaps be too true of the ſpiritual eſtate and condition of men, that the Vine and Fig and Plane tree, which have thin broad leaves, and make the faireſt ſhew foreign, do thereupon ſhed them preſently: ſome few indeed, the Olive, Bay and Myrtle, which have narrow ſolid leaves are able to keep them all the year long foreign and foreign, always green and flouriſhing. And God grant ſuch laurels may for ever abound in this Paradiſe, this garden of the land; that the children of this mother may environ her like olive plants round about her table; this perhaps you will count an high thing to ſhed the leaf, but what think you of extirpation, and rooting up? even this you ſhall hear denounced, and executed on thoſe that caſt a fair ſhadow, either as on degenerous or unprofitable trees; either for bad fruit, or none at all, Cut it down, why cumbreth it the ground?
But to our purpoſe; When S. Paul therefore reſolves that nothing ſhould ever ſeparate him from the love of God, Rom. viii.Rom. 8. ſin is there left out of the catalogue; be he never ſo poſſeſt of that inheritance, for ought he knows this very confidence may root him out again. His Brethren the Jews thought their eſtate as irreverſible as the Phariſees here; and upon as good grounds as he can pretend; the very promiſe of God to Abrahams ſeed indefinitely; and yet by that time this parable was ſpoken, they can bring him word of the repeal of that promiſe, within a while ſeal'd and confirm'd by their foreign their inſtant utter deſtruction; a forerunner of which (if not the cauſe) was this confidence of their immutable eſtate.
It was a phanſie of the Stoicks mention'd by Plutar. Mor. l. 1. p. 43.foreign, that a wiſe man could do nothing amiſs, that all that he did was wiſe and vertuous. And they that will have men ſaved and damned by a Stoical neceſſity, now adays, may borrow this phancy of the Stoicks alſo: but Homer, ſaith he, and Euripides long ſince exploded it. I am ſure S. Paul will fairly give any man leave, that takes himſelf to be in a good eſtate now, to fear a bad before he dy; to expect a tempeſt in a calm; or elſe he would not have been ſo earneſt with him that thinks he ſtands to take heed leſt he fall, 1 Cor. x. 12.1 Cor. 10. 12. It was the confidence of a Turk (i. e.) a Stoick reviv'd, in Nicetas Chon. that ſaid he knew they muſt overcome,pag. 170. on now for ever, as having got foreign, an habit of conquering: and it was well if this aſſurance did not take the pains to loſe it him again. It is the Rhetorick of diſcreet Captains to their Souldiers in Thucydides, and other Hiſtorians, to exhort them to fight on comfortably and couragiouſly, as having overcome, in remembrance of their paſt victories as pawns, and pledges of the future: but 'tis alwayes on condition and preſumptions of the ſame diligence and valour, which formerly they ſhewed. And the ſame military encouragements and munition, the Fathers frequently furniſh us with againſt our ſpiritual warfare, but all rather to increaſe our diligence than ſecurity, to ſet us to work on hope of ſucceſs; not to nouriſh us in idleneſs in hope of a victory. If we ſhould ſuffer the Devil from this propoſition, he will give his Angels charge that a child of his ſhall not daſh his foot againſt a ſtone; and then that aſſumption, thou art the child of God, to conclude that thou canſt not hurt thy ſelf with a fall, he would ſtraight back that with a Mitte te deorſum, Caſt thy ſelf down to ſhew what thou canſt do; and then if thou haſt not another ſcriptum eſt to rejoynder, thou ſhalt not tempt, (then this confidence is tempting of God) I know not how thou wilt be able to eſcape a precipice, a bruiſe if not a breaking. The Valentinian having reſolved himſelf to be foreign, ſpiritual, confeſt indeed that other men muſt get ſome ſtore of faith and works to help them to Heaven,lib. 1. p. 26. foreign, Iren. But they had no need of either, becauſe of their natural ſpiritualneſs; that which is ſpiritual cannot part with its ſpiritual hypoſtaſis what ever it do or ſuffer; no more than gold by a ſink can loſe its luſtre; or the Sun beams be defam'd by the dunghil they ſhine on. They commit all manner of impurity, ſaith he, and yet they are foreign, ſeeds of the election; the ſeeds indeed, deep ſet in the earth that take root downward, but never bare fruit upward; they never ſpring at all except it be towards Hell; nor ſprout out any branch or ſtalk of works, unleſs it be of darkneſs. Theſe forſooth have grace foreign as their proper poſſeſſions, all others but to uſe, and ſo it ſeemed, for they of all others made no uſe of it. There was another like fancy in the ſame Irenaeus of Marcus and his followers, that by the foreign a form of baptizing, that they had, that they were become foreign inviſible to the judge, then if ever they were apprehended 'twere but calling to the mother of Heaven, and ſhe would ſend the helmet in Homer, that they ſhould preſently vaniſh out of their hands. Thus have men been befool'd by the Devil to believe that their ſacred perſons could excuſe the fouleſt acts, and, as it was ſaid of Cato, even make crimes innocent; thus have ſome gotten the art of ſinning ſecurely, nay religiouſly, as he that in our Engliſh Hiſtory would put his Neighbours in a courſe to rebell legally. But I hope all theſe fancies have nothing to do, but fill up the catalogues in Irenaeus and Epiphanius; I truſt they ſhall never be able to tranſplant themſelves into our brains or hearts. But pray God there be no credence of them ſcattered here and there among haſty, ignorant, overweening Chriſtians. A man ſhall ſometimes meet abroad ſome reaſon to ſuſpect it, yet 'twere pitty to fear ſo far as to ſet to confute them. There may be indeed a ſtate and condition of Chriſtians ſo well ſetled and riveted by Chriſt in grace, that their eſtate may be comfortably believed immutable, an election under oath, perhaps that mentioned by the Pſalmiſt, I have ſworn by my holineſs, I will not fail David; for ſpiritual bleſſings are frequently in Scripture conveyed along with temporal. But it is much to be doubted, that thoſe men that have boldneſs to believe this of themſelves, have not ballaſt enough of humility and fear to make it good. Porphyry had ſo much Divinity in him as to obſerve that foreign were the only foreign, that perpetual waſhings, and purgings and luſtrations, were the only means to defend or deliver from evil, either to come or preſent; the only Amulets and foreign in the world; 'tis the rainbow in the Heaven reflected thither from a cloud of tears below, that is, Gods engagement never again to drown the earth. But then there muſt be alſo another bow in the heart, that muſt promiſe for that, that it ſhall not be like a deceitful bow, go back again to folly, never again be drowned with ſwiniſh,Exod. xvii. beſtial, filthy luſts. In the 17. of Exodus the Iſraelites prevailed againſt Amalek, and that miraculouſly without any ſenſible means;verſe 16. and verſe 16. the promiſe is made for the future, that the Lord will fight with Amalek for ever, where by the way the LXX. put in foreign, God will fight againſt Amalek as it were under hand, by ſecret hidden ſtrength; which addition of theirs (if it were inſpired into the Tranſlators, as S. Auguſtin is of opinion, all their variations from the Hebrew are foreign, and ſo Canon) then happily that foreign may ſignifie ſome ſecret infuſion of ſupernatural power into Moſes his hands; that there is promiſed; anſwerable to that ſame effuſion of grace, to enable all the people of God in our fight with ſin the ſpiritual Amalek, by which grace Moſes and the Chriſtians have aſſurance to prevail. And this may be ground enough for a Chriſtian; Chriſt hath prayed, and God promiſed that your faith ſhall not fail. But then all this while, the ſtory of the day will tell us, on what terms this ſecurity of victory ſtood, if ſo be Moſes continue to hold up his hands; noting 1. the power of prayer; 2. of obedience; 3. of perſeverence; and upon theſe terms even a Phariſee may be confident without preſumption: but if his hands be once let down; if he remit of his Chriſtian valour (for ſo manus demittere ſignifies in Agoniſticks) Amalek prevails, verſ. 11.verſe 11. Juſt as it fared with Samſon, he had an inconceivable portion of ſtrength, even a ray of Gods omnipotence beſtowed on him, but this not upon term of life, but of his Nazarites vow (i. e.) as the LXXII. render it Numb. Numb. vi. 2.vi. 2. foreign, a prayer as well as a vow; and that of ſeparating or hallowing purity and ſanctity to the Lord; and his vow being broken, not only that of his hair, but with it that of his holy obedience; that piece of Divinity preſently vaniſhed, and the Philiſtines deprived him of his eyes and life.Numb. xv. 9. And thereupon it is obſervable Numb. xv. 9. that which is in the Hebrew performing a vow, is rendred by the LXXII, foreign, to magnifie a vow, then is the vow or reſolution truly great, that will ſtand us in ſtead when it is performed. As for all others they remain as brands and monuments of reproach to us; upbraiding us of our inconſtancy firſt, then of diſobedience; and withal as ſigns to warn that Gods ſtrength is departed from us. I doubt not but this ſtrength being thus loſt may return again before our death, giving a plunge, as it did in Samſon, when he pluckt the houſe about their ears at laſt, Jude xvi.Jud. xvi. But this muſt be by the growing out of the hair again, verſe 22. the renewing of his repentance and ſanctity with his vow,ver. 22. and by prayer unto God, verſe 28.ver. 21. Lord God, or as the LXXII. foreign, Remember me I pray thee and ſtrengthen me, but for all this,ver. 19. it was ſaid before in the 19. verſe his ſtrength, and in the 20. verſe the Lord was departed from him. ver. 20.And ſo now doubt it may from us, if we have no better ſecurity for our ſelves than the preſent poſſeſſion, and a dream of perpetuity. For though no man can excommunicate himſelf by one rule, yet he may by another, in the Canon Law; that there be ſome faults excommunicate a man ipſo facto; one who hath committed them the law excommunicates, though the Judge do not: you need not the application, there be perhaps ſome ſins and Devils like the Carian Scorpions which Apollonius and Antigonus mention out of Ariſtotle, hiſt. commen.which when they ſtrike ſtrangers do them no great hurt,cap. 11. foreign, preſently kill their own countrey-men; cap. 19.ſome Devils perhaps that have power to hurt only their own ſubjects; as ſins of weakneſs and ignorance, though they are enough to condemn an unregenerate man, yet we hope, through the merits of Chriſt into whom he is ingrafted, foreign, ſhall do little hurt to the regenerate, unleſs it be only to keep him humble, to coſt him more ſighs and prayers. But then, ſaith the ſame Apollonius there,Cap. 12. your Labylonian ſnakes that are quite contrary, do no great hurt to their own countrey-men, but are preſent death to ſtrangers; and of this number it is to be feared may preſumption prove, and ſpiritual pride; ſins that the foreign, the Devils natives, ordinary habitual ſinners need not much to fear; but to the ſtranger, and him that is come from far, thinking himſelf, as S. Paul was, dropt out of the third Heaven, and therefore far enough from the infernal countrey, 'tis to be feared I ſay, they may do much miſchief to them. And therefore as Porphyry ſayes of Plotinus in his life, and that for his commendation; that he was not aſhamed to ſuck when he was eight years old, but as he went to the Schools frequently diverted to his nurſe; ſo will it concern us for the getting of a conſiſtent firm habit of ſoul, not to give over the nurſe when we are come to age and years in the ſpirit, to account our ſelves babes in our virility, and be perpetually a calling for the dug, the ſincere milk of the word, of the Sacraments, of the Spirit, and that without any coyneſs or ſhame, be we in our own conceits, nay in the truth never ſo perfect, full grown men in Chriſt Jeſus. And ſo much be ſpoken of the firſt point propoſed, the Phariſees flattering miſconceit of his own eſtate; and therein implicitely of the Chriſtians premature deceivable perſwaſions of himſelf; 1. thinking well of ones ſelf on what grounds ſoever; 2. overprizing of his own worth and graces; 3. his opinion of the conſiſtency and immutability of his condition, without either thought of what's paſt, or fear of what's to come. Many other miſconceits may be obſerved, if not in the Phariſee, yet in his parallel the ordinary confident Chriſtian; as 1. that Gods decree of election is terminated in their particular and individual entities, without any reſpect to their qualifications and demeanors. 2. That all Chriſtian faith is nothing but aſſurance, a thing which I toucht foreign in the preface▪ and can ſcarce forbear now I meet with it again. 3. That the Goſpel conſiſts all of promiſes of what Chriſt will work in us, no whit of precepts or prohibitions. 4. That it is a ſtate of eaſe altogether and liberty, no whit of labour and ſubjection; but the Phariſee would take it ill if we ſhould digreſs thus far, and make him wait for us again at our return. We haſten therefore to the ſecond part, the foreign, or natural importance of the words, and there we ſhall find him ſtanding apart, and thanking God only perhaps in complement; his poſture and language give notice of his pride, the next thing to be toucht upon.
Pride is a vice either 1. in our natures, 2. in our educations, or 3. taken upon us for ſome ends: the firſt is a diſeaſe of the ſoul▪ which we are inclined to by nature; but actuated by a full diet, and inflation of the ſoul, through taking in of knowledge, virtue, or the like; which is intended indeed for nouriſhment for the ſoul, but through ſome vice in the digeſtive faculty, turns all into air and vapours, and windineſs, whereby the ſoul is not fed but diſtended, and not fill'd but troubled, and even tortured out of it ſelf. To this firſt kind of pride may be accommodate many of the old fancies of the Poets and Philoſophers, the Gyants fighting with God, (i. e.) the ambitious daring approaches of the ſoul toward the unapproachable light, which coſt the Angels ſo dear, and all mankind in Eve, when ſhe ventured to taſte of the tree of knowledge. Then the fancy of the heathens mentioned by Athenagoras, that the ſouls of thoſe gyants were Devils;pag. 28. B. that 'tis the Devil indeed that old ſerpent, that did in Adams time, and doth ſince animate and actuate this proud ſoul, and ſet it a moving. And Philoponus ſaith that winds and tumours (i. e.) luſts and paſſions, thoſe troubleſom impreſſions in the ſoul of man, are the acceptableſt ſacrifices, the higheſt feeding to the Devils; nay to the very damned in Hell, who rejoyce as heartily to hear of the converſion of one vertuous, or learned man to the Devil, of ſuch a brave proſelyte, I had almoſt ſaid as the Angels in Heaven at the repentance and converſion of a ſinner. This is enough I hope to make you keep down this boyling and tumultuouſneſs of the ſoul, leſt it make you either a prey, or elſe companions for Devils; and that's but a hard choice, nay a man had far better be their food than their aſſociates, for then there might be ſome end hoped for by being devoured; but that they have a villanous quality in their feeding, they bite perpetually but never ſwallow, all jaws and teeth, but neither throats nor ſtomachs; which is noted perhaps by that phraſe in the Pſalmiſt, Death gnaweth upon the wicked; is perpetually a gnawing, but never devours or puts over.
Pride in our education is a kind of tenderneſs and chilneſs in the ſoul, that ſome people by perpetual ſoftneſs are brought up to, that makes them uncapable and impatient of any corporal or ſpiritual hardneſs; a ſqueaſineſs and riſing up of the heart againſt any mean vulgar or mechanical condition of men; abhorring the foul cloaths and rags of a beggar, as of ſome venemous beaſt: and conſequently as ſupercilious and contemptuous of any piece of Gods ſervice, which may not ſtand with their eaſe and ſtate, as a ſtarcht gallant is of any thing that may diſorder his dreſs. Thus are many brought up in this City to a loathing and deteſtation of many Chriſtian duties, of alms-deeds, and inſtructing their families in points of religion; of viſiting and comforting the ſick, nay even of the ſervice of God, if they may not keep their ſtate there; but eſpecially of the publick prayers of the Church, nothing ſo vulgar and contemptible in their eyes as that. But I ſpare you, and the Lord in mercy do ſo alſo.
The third kind of pride is a ſupercilious affected haughtineſs, that men perhaps meekly enough diſpoſed by nature, are fain to take upon them for ſome ends, a 'ſolemn cenſorious majeſtick garb, that may entitle them to be patriots of ſuch or ſuch a faction; to gain a good opinion with ſome, whoſe good opinion may be their gain. Thus was Mahomet fain to take upon him to be a Prophet, and pretend that 'twas diſcourſing with the Angel Gabriel made him in that caſe, that his new wife might not know that he was Epileptical, and ſo repent of her match with a beggar, and a diſeaſed perſon. And upon theſe terms Turciſm firſt came into the world, and Mahomet was cried up foreign, the greateſt Prophet (to omit other witneſs) as the Saracen fragments tells us, that we have out of Euthymius. Thus are imperfections and wants, ſometimes even diſeaſes both of body and mind aſſumed and affected by ſome men to get authority to their perſons, and an opinion of extraordinary religion; but rather perhaps more oyl to their cruiſe, or cuſtom to their trading. But not to flutter thus at large any longer, or purſue the common-place in its latitude, the Phariſees pride here expreſſeth it ſelf in three things; 1 his poſture, ſtanding apart; 2. his manner of praying altogether by way of thankſgiving: 3. his malicious contemptuous eye upon the Publican. The firſt of theſe may be aggravated againſt the ſchiſmatick that ſeparates from the Church or cuſtoms, but eſpecially Service and Prayers of the Church. 'Tis pride certainly that makes this man ſet himſelf thus apart, whereas the very firſt ſight of that holy place ſtrikes the humble Publican upon the knees of his heart a far off; as ſoon as he was crept within the gates of the Temple, he is more devout in the porch than the Phariſee before the Altar. The 2d. againſt thoſe that come to God in the pomp of their ſouls, commending themſelves to God as we ordinarily uſe the phraſe, commending indeed not to his mercy, but acceptance; not as objects of his pity, but as rich ſpiritual preſents; not tears to be received into his bottle, but jewels for his treaſure. Always upon terms of ſpiritual exultancy, what great things God hath done for their ſouls; how he hath fitted them for himſelf; never with humbled bended knees in acknowledgment of unworthineſs with St. Paul, who cannot name that word, ſinners, but moſt ſtraight ſubſume in a parentheſis, of whom I am the chief, 1 Tim. i. 15.1 Tim. 1. 15. and for the expreſſion of the opinion he had of his own ſanctity, is fain to coyn a word for the purpoſe, foreign, a word not to be met with in all Greek Authors again before he uſed it;Epheſ. iii. 8. leſs than the leaſt of the Saints, Epheſ. 3. 8. And Jacob in a like phraſe,Gen. xxxii. 10. I am leſs than all thy mercies, Gen. 32. 10. The Litany that begins and ends with ſo many repetitions importuning for mercy, even conjuring God by all powerful names of rich mercy that can be taken out of his Exchequer, to have mercy upon us miſerable ſinners, this is ſet aſide for the Publican; the ſinners Liturgy, nay as ſome ſay, for the profane people only, not to pray but to ſwear by. But this only as in tranſitu, not to inſiſt on. The 3d. expreſſion of his pride is his malicious ſullen eye upon the Publican, and that brings me to the next thing propoſed at firſt, the Phariſees cenſoriouſneſs and inſinuated accuſations of all others. I am not as other men, extortioners, &c. or even as this Publican.
'Twere an ingenuous ſpeculation and that which would ſtand us in ſome ſtead in our ſpiritual warfare, to obſerve what hints and opportunities the Devil takes from mens natural inclinations to inſinuate and ingratiate his temptations to them; how he applies ſtill the fuel to the fire, the nouriſhment to the craving ſtomach; and accommodates all his propoſals moſt ſeaſonably and ſuitably to our affections; not to enlarge this foreign in the groſs, nor yet foreign to each particular; you may have a foreign or taſte of it in the Phariſee.
To an eaſy natur'd man whoſe ſoul is relax't, and has its pores open to receive any infection or taint, the devil preſents a multitude of adulterers, drunkards, &c. thereby to diſtill the poyſon ſoftly into him; to ſweeten the ſin and ſecure him in the commiſſion of it, by ſtore of companions: but to a Phariſee, rugged, ſingular, ſupercilious perſon, he propoſeth the ſame object under another colour. The many adulterers &c. that are in the world not to entice, but to incenſe him the more againſt the ſin; not to his imitation but to his ſpleen and hatred: that ſeeing he can hope to gain nothing upon him by bringing him in love with their ſin, he may yet inveigle him by bringing him in hatred with their perſons; and plunge him deeper through uncharitableneſs, than he could hope to do by luſt. He knows well the Phariſees conſtitution is too auſtere to be caught with an ordinary bait, and therefore puts off his title of Beelzebub prince of flies, as ſeeing that they are not now for his game; but trouls and baits him with a nobler prey, and comes in the perſon of a Cato or Ariſtarchus, a ſevere diſciplinarian, a grave Cenſor, or as his moſt Satanical name imports, foreign, an accuſer and then the Phariſee bites preſently. He could not expect to allure him forward, and therefore drives him as far back as he can; that ſo he may be the more ſure of him at the rebound; as a skilful woods-man, that by wind-laſſing preſently gets a ſhoot which without taking a compaſs and thereby a commodious ſtand, he could never have obtain'd. The bare open viſage of ſin is not lovely enough to catch the Phariſee, it muſt be varniſh'd over with a ſhew of piety; with a colour of zeal, and tenderneſs in Gods cauſe, and then the very deviliſheſt part of the Devil his malice and uncharitableneſs, ſhall go down ſmoothly with him. And that this ſtratagem may not be thought proper to the Meridian only where the Phariſee liv'd; Leo within 500. years after Chriſt, and other of the Fathers, have obſerved the ſame frequently practiſed by the Devil among the Primitive Chriſtians; ut quos vincere flammâ ferroque non poterat, ambitione inflaret, virus invidiae infunderet, & ſub falſâ Chriſtiani nominis profeſſione corrumperet: That they whom perſecution could not affright, ambition may puff up, envy poyſon, and a falſe opinion of their own Chriſtian purity betray to all the malice in the world. Thus have Hereticks and Sectaries in all ages by appropriating to themſelves thoſe titles that are common to all the children of God, left none for any other, but of contumely and contempt: as ſoon as they fancy to themſelves a part of the ſpirit of God, taken upon them the monopoly of it alſo. Thus could not the Valentinians be content to be foreign themſelves; but all the world beſide muſt be foreign and foreign, animal and earthly. 'Twere long to reckon up to you the Idioms and characters that Hereticks have uſurped to themſelves in oppoſition and reproach, and even defiance of all others; the Phariſees ſeparati, Sadducees juſti, Novatians foreign, puri, Meſſalians precantes. As if theſe ſeveral vertues, ſeparation from the world, love of juſtice, purity, daily exerciſe of prayer, were no where to be found but amongſt them. Even that judicious, learned, eloquent, yea and godly Father Tertullian is caught in this pit-fall; as ſoon as he began to reliſh Montanus his hereſie, he ſtraight changeth his ſtyle, Nos ſpirituales, and all other Orthodox Chriſtians Pſychyci animal, … Jejun.carnal men. The Devil could not be content that he had gain'd him to Montaniſm (an hereſie which 'tis confeſt only a ſuperlative care of Chaſtity, abſtinence, and martyrdom, brought him to) but he muſt rob him of his charity too, as well as his religion. Not to keep any longer on the wing in purſuit of this cenſorious humour in the Phariſee and Primitive hereticks; the preſent temper and conſtitution of the Church of God, will afford us plenty of obſervation to this purpoſe: amongſt other crimes with which the reformation charge the Romaniſts, what is there that we ſo importunately require of them as their charity? that ſeeing with the Apoſtolical ſeat, they have ſeiz'd upon the Keys of Heaven alſo; they would not uſe this power of theirs ſo intemperately, as to admit none but their own proſelytes into thoſe gates, which Chriſt hath opened to all believers. For this cauſe, ſaith Eulogius in Photius, were the Keys given to Peter, pag. 1600. foreign.not to John or any other, becauſe Chriſt foreſaw Peter would deny him, that ſo by the memory of his own failings, he might learn humanity to ſinners, and be more free of opening the gates of Heaven, becauſe he himſelf (had it not been for ſpecial mercy) had been excluded; other Apoſtles, ſfaith he, having never faln ſo foully, foreign, migkt like enough have uſed ſinners more ſharply: but 'twas not probable that Peter would be ſuch a ſevere Cato, and yet there is not a more unmerciful man under Heaven than he that now tyrannizeth in his chair. Spalatenſis indeed, after his revolt from us could ingenuouſly confeſs, that he could have expected comfortably, and perhaps have been better pleaſed, to have been ſaved in the Church of England, with a 1000. l. a year, as in the Roman with 500. l. But do not all others of them count this no leſs than hereſie in him thus to hope? Cudſemius the Jeſuit denies the Engliſh Nation to be Hereticks, de deſp. Cal. vini cauſa.becauſe they remain under a continual ſucceſſion of Biſhops. But alas! how few be there of them, which have ſo much charity to afford us? What fulminations and clattering of clouds is there to be heard in that Horizon? What Anathematizing of hereticks (i. e.) Proteſtants? what excommunicating them without any mercy, 1. out of the Church, then out of the book of life; and laſtly, where they have power, out of the Land of the living? And yet, would they be as liberal to us poor Proteſtants, as they are to their own Stews and Seminaries of all uncleanneſs, then ſhould we be ſtor'd with indulgences. But 'twas Tertullian's of old, that there is no mercy from them to be expected, who have no crime to lay againſt us but that we are true Chriſtians. Apol.If they would but allow one corner of Heaven to receive penitent humble Proteſtants, labouring for good works, but depending on Chriſt's merit; if they would not think us paſt hopes, or prayers, there might be poſſibly hoped ſome means of uniting us all in one fold. But this precious Chriſtian grace of Charity being now ſo quite periſh't from off the earth, what means have we left us, but our prayers to prepare, or mature this reconciliation? Shall we then take heart alſo, and bring in our action of treſpaſs? Shall we ſit and pen our railing accuſation in the form that Chriſt uſes againſt the Phariſees,Mat. xxiii. 13. Matth. 23. 13. Wo unto you Scribes and Phariſees, Hypocrites, for you ſhut up the Kingdom of Heaven againſt men, for you neither go in your ſelves, neither ſuffer ye them that are entring to go in? This we might do upon better grounds, were we ſo revengefully diſpoſed; but we fear to incur our Saviours cenſure, Luke 9. 55.Luk. ix. 55. And he turn'd and rebuk'd them ſaying, Ye know not what manner of ſpirits ye are of. We ſhould much miſtake our Chriſtian ſpirit, if we ſhould not in return to their curſes, intercede with God in prayer for them; Firſt, that he will beſtow on them the grace of meekneſs or charity; then ſincerity and uprightneſs, without wilful blindneſs and partiality; and laſtly, to intercede for the ſalvation of all our ſouls together.Rom. xii. 20. And this is the only way St. Paul hath left us, Rom. 12. 20. by returning them good to melt them, hoping and praying in the words of Solomon, that by long forbearing this great Prince of the Weſt will be perſwaded; and that our ſoft tongues may in time break the bone. But whilſt we preach charity to them, ſhall we not betray partiality in our ſelves, by paſſing over that uncharitable fire that is breaking out in our own chimnies? 'Twere to be wiſhed that this Chriſtian grace which is liberal enough of it ſelf, would be entertain'd as gratefully as it is preacht; we ſhould not then have ſo many foreign ſons of fire amongſt us as we have; who being inflam'd, ſome with faction, others with ignorant prejudice, others with doting on their own abilities, fall out into all manner of intemperate cenſures foreign words of the ſword, all ſharp contumelious invectives againſt all perſons, or doctrines, or lives that are not ordered or reviſed by them. For what Photius out of Joſephus obſerves among others to have been one main cauſe or Prognoſtick of the deſtruction of Jeruſalem, the civil wars betwixt the foreign and the foreign, the Zelots and the cut-throats, pray God we find not the ſame ſucceſs amongſt us. Whilſt the Zelots, ſaith he, fell on the Sicarii, the whole body of the city, foreign, was bitterly and unmercifully butchered betwixt them; and under one of thoſe two names all the people were brought to ſuffer their part in the maſſacre. I deſire not to chill or damp you with unneceſſary fears, or to ſuſpect that our ſins ſhall be ſo unlimited as utterly to outvie and overreach Gods mercies. But, beloved, this ill blood that is generally nouriſh't amongſt us, if it be not a Prognoſtick of our fate, is yet an ill Symptome of our diſeaſe. Theſe convulſions and diſtortions of one member of the body from another as far as it can poſſibly be diſtended, this burning heat, and from thence raving and diſquietneſs of the ſoul, are certainly no very comfortable Symptomes. When the Church and Kingdom muſt be dichotomiz'd, preciſely divided into two extreme parts, and all moderate perſons by each extreme toſſed to the other with furious prejudice, muſt brand all for Hereticks or carnal perſons, that will not undergo their razor. And then the contrary extreme cenſure and ſcoff at their preciſeneſs that will not bear them company to every kind of riot. Theſe, beloved, are ſhrewd feveriſh diſtempers, pray God they break not forth into a flame. When the boat that goes calmly with the ſtream, in the midſt of two impetuous rowers, ſhall be aſſaulted by each of them, for oppoſing or affronting each; when the moderate Chriſtian ſhall be branded on the one hand for preciſeneſs, on the other for intemperance, on the one ſide for a Puritan, on the other for a Papiſt, or a Remonſtrant; when he that keeps himſelf from either extreme, ſhall yet be entituled to both; what ſhall we ſay is become of that ancient Primitive charity and moderation? The uſe, beloved, that I deſire to make of all this, ſhall not be to declaim at either; but only by this compaſs to find out the true point that we muſt ſail by.Eth. 2. 8. By this, ſaith Ariſtotle, you ſhall know the golden mediocrity that it is complained on both ſides, as if it were both extremes; that may you define to be exact liberality, which the covetous man cenſures for prodigality; and the prodigal for covetouſneſs. And this ſhall be the ſum not only of my advice to you, but prayers for you; that in the Apoſtles phraſe, your moderation may be known unto all men, by this livery and cognizance, that you are indited by both extremes. And if there be any ſuch Satanical art crept in amongſt us, of authorizing errors or ſins on one ſide, by pretending zeal and earneſtneſs againſt their contraries; as Photius obſerves that it was a trick of propagating hereſies, by writing books intitled to the confutation of ſome other hereſie;P. 249. foreign 397. foreign. the Lord grant that this evil ſpirit may be either laid or caſt out; either fairly led, or violently hurried out of our coaſts.
I have done with the Phariſees cenſoriouſneſs, I come now in the laſt place to the ground, or rather occaſion of it; his ſeeing the Publican, comparing himſelf with notorious ſinners, I thank thee that, &c.
That verſe 1 Cor. xv. 33. which St. Paul cites out of Menanders Thais, that wicked communication corrupts good manners, is grounded on this moral eſſay, that nothing raiſeth up ſo much to good and great deſigns as emulation; that he that caſts himſelf upon ſuch low company, that he hath nothing to imitate or aſpire to in them, is eaſily perſwaded to give over any farther purſuit of vertue, as believing that he hath enough already, becauſe none of his acquaintance hath any more: thus have many good wits been caſt away, by falling unluckily into bad times, which could yield them no hints for invention, no examples of poetry, nor encouragement for any thing that was extraordinary. And this is the Phariſees fate in my text, that looking upon himſelf, either in the deceivable glaſs of the ſinful world, or in compariſon with notorious ſinners, extortioners, adulterers, Publicans, ſets himſelf off by theſe foils, finds nothing wanting in himſelf, ſo is ſolaced with a good comfortable opinion of his preſent eſtate, and a ſlothful negligence of improving it. And this, beloved, is the ordinary lenitive which the Devil adminiſters to the ſharp unquiet diſeaſes of the conſcience if at any time they begin to rage, the only conſerve that he folds his bittereſt receits in, that they may go down undiſcern'd; that we are not worſe than other men; that we ſhall be ſure to have companions to hell; nay, that we need not neither at all fear that danger; for if Heaven gates be ſo ſtrait as not to receive ſuch ſinners as we, the rooms within are like to be but poorly furniſht with gueſts; the marriage feaſt will never be eaten, unleſs the lame, and cripples in the ſtreet or hoſpital be fetch't in, to fill the table. But, beloved, the comforts with which the Devil furniſheth theſe men are, (if they were not merely feigned and fantaſtical) yet very beggarly and lamentable, ſuch as Achilles in Homer would have ſcorned, only to be chief among the dead, or Princes and eminent perſons in Hell. We muſt ſet our emulation higher than ſo, ſomewhat above the ordinary pitch or mark, Let our deſigns flie at the ſame white that the skilfulleſt marks-men in the army of Saints and Martyrs have aimed at before us; that the foreign and foreign and foreign of the Church, the religious exerciſers and champions and trophy-bearers of this holy martial field have dealt in. 'Tis a poor boaſt to have out-gon Heathens and Turks in vertue and good works; to be taller than the dwarfs, as it were, and Pygmies of the world; we muſt not be thus content, but outvy even the ſons of Anak, thoſe tall, gyantly ſupererogatory undertakings of the proudeſt, nay humbleſt Romaniſts. O what a diſgrace will it be for us Proteſtants at the dreadful day of doom! O what an acceſſion not only to our torments, but our ſhame, and indignation at our ſelves, to ſee the expectation of meriting in a Papiſt, nay the deſire of being counted vertuous in a Heathen, attended with a more pompous train of charitable magnificent deeds, of conſtant magnanimous ſayings, than all our faith can ſhew, or vouch for us! Shall not the Romaniſt triumph and upbraid us in St. James his language,Jam. ii. 18. Chap. ii. 18. Thou haſt faith and I have works, and all that we can fetch out of St. Paul not able to ſtop his mouth from going on, Shew me thy faith without thy works, as our engliſh reads it out of the Syriack and vulgar Latin, and I will ſhew thee my faith by my works? 'Twill be but a nice diſtinction for thee then to ſay, that works are to be ſeparated from the act of juſtification, when they are found ſeparated à ſuppoſito, from the perſon alſo. But not to digreſs; the Phariſee ſeems here pretty well provided, No extortioner, no adulterer, guilty of no injuſtice. And how many be there among you that cannot go thus far with the Phariſee? Some vice or other perhaps there is that agrees not with your conſtitution or education; drunkenneſs is not for one mans turn, prodigality for anothers, and I doubt not but that many of you are as forward as the Phariſee to thank God, or rather require God to thank them, that they are not given to ſuch or ſuch a vice. But if you were to be required here to what the Phariſee undertakes, if you were to be arraigned at that ſevere tribunal, I ſay not concerning your thoughts and evil communications, but even the groſs actual, nay habitual ſins; if a Jury or a rack were ſet to inquire into you throughly, how many of you durſt pretend to the Phariſees innocence, and confidence, that you are not extortioners, unjuſt, adulterers? Nay, how many be there that have all the Phariſees pride and cenſorionſneſs, and all theſe other ſins too into the vantage? Certainly there is not one place in the Chriſtian world that hath more reaſon to humble it ſelf for two or all three of theſe vices, than this City wherein you live. I am ſorry I have ſaid this, and I wiſh it were uncharitably ſpoken of me; but though it will not become me to have thought it of you, yet 'twill concern you to ſuſpect it of your ſelves, that by acknowledging your guilts you may have them cancell'd, and by judging your ſelves prevent being judged of the Lord. And here Saint Chryſoſtome's caution will come in very ſeaſonably toward a concluſion of all, that the Publicans ſins be not preferred before the Phariſees works, but only before his pride. 'Tis not his ſtore of moral vertues that was like to prove the Phariſees undoing, but his over-valuing them,Arrian. in Epiſt. foreign, ſaith the Stoick, appliable to this alſo. 'Tis not his innocence that hath ſo encumbred him all this while, but his opinion of it. The faſting and the tithing muſt not be caſt away, becauſe the Phariſee was proud of them, this were a furious diſcipline which would down with all violently, that had ever been abuſed to idolatry or ſin; or with him in Plutarch, that becauſe Poetry had ſome ill conſequences ſometimes, would have the Muſes and their favourites diſpatched into Epicurus his boat.Mor. l. 1. p. 26. His counſel was more ſeaſonable, that to prevent drunkenneſs, appointed them to mix water with their wine, that the mad god might be allay'd with a tame ſober one; and that is the caution that I told you of, that you abſtract the Phariſees works from his pride; and then borrow the Publicans humility from his works; that you come to the temple of God with all the proviſion a Phariſee can boaſt of, and then lay it down all at the Publicans feet, and take up his miſerere, his ſighs, his dejection, his indignation at himſelf inſtead of it, then ſhall you be fit to approach to that templum miſericordiae which Gerſon ſpeaks of, ſine ſimulachro, &c. that had not a picture or image of a Saint in it, no manner of oſtentation or ſhew of works, non ſacrificiis ſed gemitibus, &c. not to be viſited with ſacrifices but ſighs, not to be filled with triumphant foreign, ſongs of rejoycing and victories, but with the calm and yet raviſhing Rhetorick of the Publican, foreign, Lord be merciful to me a ſinner. Even ſo, O Lord, deal thou with us, according to thy mercies, viſit us with thy ſalvation, draw us with thy mercies, and enlighten us with thy ſpirit, thy humbling ſpirit to ſeaſon us with a ſenſe of our ſins and unworthineſs; thy ſanctifying ſpirit to fill us here with all holy ſincere requiſite graces; and in the ſpirit of thy power to accompliſh us hereafter with that immarceſſible crown of glory.
Now to him, &c.