Works of Joseph Hall, Text 2 – To the reader

Works of Joseph Hall · Text 2 – To the reader

p. 407PHARISAISME AND CHRISTIANITIE.

MATTH. CHAP. 5. Verſ. 20.

Except your righteouſneſſe exceed the righteouſneſſe of the Scribes and Phariſes, ye ſhall not enter into the kingdome of heauen.

THE curious Doctors of the Iewes had reduced all Gods ſtatute-law …o ſix hundred and thirteene precepts;Petr. Galat… de arca… fide… …ath. ad fin …. Ex gloſ. Ru…. Shelemo…. ſo many as there are dayes in the yeare, and members in the body. It was an honeſt and (which were ſtrange) a Chriſtian conceit of one of their Rabbins, that Dauid abridges all theſe to eleuen, in his Pſalme 15. Eſay to ſix, in his 33 15. Michai yet lower to three, in his 6, 8. Eſay yet againe to two, in his 56, 1. Habacue to one, The iuſt man ſhall liue by faith. So ye ſee, the Law ends in the Goſpell: and that Father ſaid not amiſſe, The Law is the Goſpell foretold; Lex eſt Euangelium praedictum: Euangelium lex completa.and the Goſpel is the Law fulfilled. Theſe two are the freehold of a Chriſtian; and what but they?

The Iewes of theſe times peruerted the Law, reiected the Goſpell. Our Sauiour therefore, that great Prophet of the world (as it was high time) cleares the Law, deliuers and ſettles the Goſpell, well approuing in both theſe, that hee came not to conſume, but to conſummate the Law. Wherein (as Paul to his Corinths) he had a great doore, but many aduerſaries:1 Cor. 16.…. Iohn 3. Art thou a Maſter in Iſrael?1 Cor 16John 3 amongſt theſe were the great maſters of Iſrael (ſo our Sauiour tearmes the Phariſes) and their fellowes (and yet their riuals) the Scribes: both ſo much harder to oppoſe, by how much their authority was greater.

Truth hath no roome till falſhood be remoued; Our Sauiour therefore (as behooueth) firſt ſhewes the falſhood of their Gloſſes, and the hollowneſſe of their profeſſion: and if both their life and doctrine be naught; what free part is there in them? And loe both of theſe ſo faulty, that Except your righteouſneſſe exceed the righteouſneſſe of the Scribes and Phariſes, ye ſhall not enter into the kingdome of Heauen.

What were the men? What was their righteouſneſſe? What wanted it? Follow me, I beſeech you, in theſe three: and if my diſcourſe ſhall ſeeme, for a while, more thorny and perplexed, remedy it with your attention.

Thoſe things which are out of the ken of ſenſe or memory, muſt be fetcht from Story. The Sect (or order whether) of the Phariſes ceaſed with the Temple; ſince that, no man reads of a Phariſe; and now is growne ſo farre out of knowledge, that the modern Iewes are more ready to learne of vsus who they were: There is no point, wherein p. 408it is more difficult to auoid variety, yea oſtentation of reading; without any curious trauerſing of opinions, I ſtudy for ſimple truth, as one that will not lead you out of the rode-way to ſhew you the turnings.Ezr. 6.7Ezra 6:7 Scribes were ancient; Ezra is called (Sopher …ahir) a prompt Scribe. As long before him, ſo euer ſince they continued till Chriſts time; but in two rankes; ſome were foreign: others foreign. Some popular, others legall; Some the peoples; others, Gods; the one, Secretaries, Recorders, Notaries, as 2 Chron: 24.Ier. 8.8.Jer 8:8 11. (Sopher hamelec) the Kings Scribe: The other Doctors of the Law of God: The Law of the Lord is with vsus, in vaine made he it, the penne of the Scribe is in vaine.

As the Phariſes were (foreign;) Law-maſters: ſo theſe are the ſame which Luke 11.45. are called (foreign) interpreters of the Law. Tho to ſome not meane Critickes, it ſeemes theſe ſhould be a third ſort; which conſider not that our Sauiour on purpoſe addreſſing his ſpeech to the Phariſes, fell by the way vponupon the Scribes; and being admoniſhed by one of them, as of an ouer-ſight, now auerres right downe of the Scribes, what before he had but indifferently glanced at.Neh. 8.4. Mat. 23.…. Clerics Iudaeor…. ſaith Ierome.Neh 8:4Matt 23 What they were, is plaine by Ezraes pulpit, and Moſes his chaire. Theſe and Phariſes differed not ſo much; they agreed in ſome good, but in more euill. But the profeſſion of Phariſes, becauſe it is more obſcure, you ſhall giuegive me leaue to fetch ſomewhat further.

Euſeb: eccl. hiſt. l. 4. c. 22. Erant in circumciſione diuerſae ſententia quae maximè tribu: Iudae aduerſabantur, &c. vide Ioſ. Scalig. reſp. ad Serarū. Orig. lib. 5. aduerſ. Celſ. Chriſtianos nō habere verā religionem, quòd in varias ſectas diuiſi eſſent Domus Sam…rai & Hillel. Ar. Mont. in Euan…. An…e aduentum Chri…ti, no… …ot & tam blaſphemae haereſes. iren. lib. …. Act. 15.5.Acts 15:5There were, ſaith old Egeſippus (as Euſebius cites him) diuers opinions in the Circumciſion; which all croſſed the Tribe of Iuda: Eſſens, Galileans, Emerobaptiſts, Masbutheans, Samaritans, Phariſes, Sadduces. It were eaſie to helpe him with more, Sebuaeans, Cannaeans, Sampſaeans; and if need were, yet more. Where are thoſe wauerers, that ſtagger in their truſt to the Church, becauſe of different opinions, receiuing that rotten argument of profane Celſus againſt the Chriſtians? Say the Papiſts, one ſaith I am Caluins, another, I am Luthers. We diſclaime, we defie theſe titles, theſe diuiſions: we are one in truth: would God we were yet more one: It is the lace and fringe of Chriſts garment that is queſtioned amongſt vsus, the cloath is ſound. But what? Was the Iewiſh Church before Chriſt, Gods true Church, or not? If it were not, which was it? If it were: lo that here rent in more then eight parts, and one of them differing from it ſelfe in eighteene opinions: and yet as Irenaeus well obſerues, before Chriſt, there were neither ſo many hereſies, nor ſo blaſphemous.

Shew me a Church on earth without theſe wrinkles of diuiſion, and I will neuer ſeeke for it in heauen: although to ſome, Phariſaime ſeemes rather a ſeuerall order, then a ſect: but S. Luke that knew it better, hath (foreign) the ſect of the Phariſes. When the Profeſſion began, no hiſtory recordeth. Some would faine fetch them Eſay 65.5. Touch me not, for I am holter then thou. But theſe ſtraine too farre; for in the verſe before, the ſame men eate Swines fleſh; which to the Phariſes is more then piacular. Heare briefly their name, their original, their office. Their name (though it might admit of other probable deriuations, yet) by conſent of all**In eam conſe… tin…nt omnes Hebra…, t…e Bahal. Harneb, Pagnin. in foreign Ar. Montanus Ioſ. Scal. I. Druſius. &c. Hebrew Doctors (I hauehave a great author for it) is fetcht from ſeparation; tho vponupon what grounds, all agree not; doubtleſſe for the perfection of their doctrine, and auſterity of life. Their originall is more intricate; which after ſome ſcanning, I hauehave thus learned of ſome great Maſters of Iewiſh Antiquities. Before there was any open breach in the old Iewiſh Church, there were two generall and diuers conceits about Gods ſeruice: One that tooke vp onelyonly with the law of God; and if they could keepe that, thought they needed no more; neither would they ſapere ſupra ſcriptum, be wiſer then their Maker: Theſe were called (Karraim) of which ſort there are diuers at this day in Conſtantinople, and othere-where, at deadly feode with the other Iewes, which they now call Rabbiniſts.

The other, that thought it ſmall thankes to doe onelyonly what they were bidden; Gods Law was too ſtraight for their holineſſe: It was nothing, vnleſſe they did more then content God, earne him (for theſe were popiſh Iewes) and ſupererrogate of him. Theſe were therefore called Chaſidim, Holy, aboue the Law. They plyed God with vnbidden oblations, gaue more then needed, did more then was commanded; yet ſo, as both parts pleaſed themſelues, reſiſted not the other. The more franke ſort vpbraided not p. 409the other, with too much niggardlineſſe; neither did the ſtraiter-handed enuy the other for too much lauiſhneſſe. Would God we could doe thus. They agreed, though they differed. But now, when theſe voluntary ſeruices began to bee drawne into Canons (as Scaliger ſpeaketh) and that which was before but arbitrarie, was impoſed as neceſſarie, (neceſſary for beleefe, neceſſary for action) queſtions aroſe, and the rent began in the Iewes. Thoſe dogmaticall Doctors which ſtood for ſupererogation, and traditions aboue Law, were called (Peruſchim) Phariſes; ſeparate from the other in ſtrict iudgement, in ſuperfluous holineſſe: Theſe, as they were the brood of thoſe (Chaſidim) whom wee finde firſt mentioned in the Machabees, by the corrupt name of Aſideans; 1 Mac. 2.47.1 Macc 2:47ſo from them againe, in a ſecond ſucceſſion proceeded (as their more refined iſſue) the Eſſens, Acts 26.5. Eruditius caeteris legem exponunt Phar. Ioſ. l. 1. de bello Iud. c. 4. An old ſaying, foreign. Diſ ipul. Sammai occid. baut d ſcipulos Hillel. Epiphaa. foreign 4. In nomen Moſis, Acibe, Annae, Filiorium, Aſſanonaei. Hier. Algaſia de 11. queſtionib. 1 Cor. 1.20. foreign? Scribae lectionar…j, quaſi Scriptuarij vel Textuarij; Phariſei foreign, Druſ. Matth. 9. Eodem habitu cum Scribis; multebr: pallio, latis crepedis, & Cal…eamentorum figalis procedentes. Epiphan. Meabauab. Epiph.Acts 26:5Judg 41 Cor 1:20Matt 9both Collegiate and Eremiticall: Theſe Phariſes then, were a fraternitie or Colledge of extraordinary deuotion; whoſe rule was Tradition, whoſe practiſe voluntary auſtereneſſe: To them the Scribes ioyned themſelues, as the purer Iewes; for Paul cals them [foreign] the moſt exquiſite ſect; yea and as (Ioſephus) the beſt expoſitors; willingly expounding the Law according to their Traditions, & countenancing their traditions by the forced ſenſes of the Law. Both which profeſſions were greatly inlarged and graced by two famous Doctors, Sammai and Hillel (whom ſome, though faſly, would hauehave the founders of them) not long before Chriſts time; for old Hillel of a 120 yeeres, protracted his dayes by likely computation, to ten yeeres after Chriſts birth. How Hierome fetcheth their names with more witneſſe than probabilitie, from Diſsipating and Profaning the Law; and what bickerings and deadly quarrels were euen amongſt themſelues in thoſe two famous houſes; and what were the foure expoſitions of the Law which they followed, I liſt not now to diſcourſe. Their imployment was, expounding the Law, and vrging Traditions; therefore their Auditors had wont to ſay, when they called one another to Church (as S^t. Hierome tels vsus) [foreign] The wiſe, that is, the Phariſes, expound to day. Whence perhaps, that may be interpreted of S. Paul to the Corinths, Where is the wiſe? where is the Scribe? So did the Scribes too; but the difference was, that the Scribes were more Textuall, the Phariſes more Traditionall: therefore obſerue, that the Scribe findes fault with the ſuſpicion of blaſphemie; the Phariſe, with vnwaſhen hands: the Scribes (their Doctors) exceld for learning, the Phariſes for pietie. Their attire was the ſame, and their faſhions: but the Phariſes had [foreign] more ſway; and were more ſtrict and Cappucine-like; profeſſed more yeeres continencie; and in a word, tooke more paines to goe to hell. Theſe did ſo carry away the hearts of the Iewes, that there was no holy man, which was not tearmed a Phariſee; and therefore among the ſeuen kindes of Phariſes in their Taimud, they make Abraham a Phariſee of LoueLove, Iob a Phariſee of Feare. And if from the men you caſt your eies vponupon their righteouſneſſe, you cannot but wonder at the curioſitie of their zeale. Wherein looke (I beſeech you) firſt at their deuotion, then their holy cariage, laſtly their ſtrict obſeruation of the Law.

Such was their deuotion, that they prayed [foreign] as a Father ſaith, oft and long: thriſe a day was ordinary; at nine, twelue, and three a clocke: yea their progenitors (whom they would ſcorne not to match) diuided the day into three parts;Chaſidim. whereof one was beſtowed on praier, the next on the Law, the third on their worke. See here, God had two parts of three, themſelues but one: beſides, at their meales what ſtrictneſſe?Praec. Moſaica cam expoſ. Rabbinorum à Munſter. ed. Ibid. foreign. Epiphan. Hier. in Mat. 23. Acutiſſimas in eis ſpinas ligabant, vt ambulintes & ſedent…s …orgerentur & idm. nerentur offi …j. I ſephus. foreign, &c. Qui ci medit panem ſamaritictur ac ſi c…m…deret ſ…ill…m. Praecept. Moſ. cum expoſ. Rab. á foreign, in the new Teſtament the common people. Vna… ex ſex opprobrijs vitandis a diſcipulis ſapientum, Comeſſatio cum populo t…rrae. Ar. Mont. in Euan. Epiphan. foreign. Mark. 7.3. Praec. Moſ. cum expoſ. Rab. Epiphan. l. 1. foreign. Montan. in loc. Praec. Moſ. cum expoſ.Matt 23Mark 7:3

Their very diſciples were taught (to ſhame vsus Chriſtians) if they had forgotten to giuegive thankes, to returne from the field to the boord to ſay grace. For diuine ſeruice; the Decalogue muſt bee read once a day of eueryevery man: the Scribes ſay the firſt watch; the Phariſes, any houre of the night: others, twice, without mouing eie, hand, foot, in a cleane place, free from any excrement, and foure cubits diſtant from any ſepulchre. For faſting, they did it twice a weeke; not popiſhly (which Wickliffe iuſtly cals Foole-faſting) but in earneſt; on Monday and Thurſday. Beſides (to omit their almes, which were eueryevery way proportionable to the reſt) what miſerable penance did they wilfully? They beat their heads againſt the wals, as they went, till bloud came: whence one of their ſeuen Phariſes is called (Kizai) a Phariſe-draw-bloud: They put thornes in their skirts, to ſting them themſelues; they lay, on plankes; on ſtones, on thornes: and Banus p. 510that Hermiticall Phariſee drencht himſelfe oft, night and day, in cold water [foreign] for chaſtity; or (if you reade it without an aſpiration) it ſignifies for follie rather: what could that apiſh and ſtigmaticall Friar hauehave done either more or worſe? This was their deuotion. The holineſſe of their cariage was ſuch, that they auoided eueryevery thing that might carry any doubt of pollution: they would not therefore conuerſe with any different religion; and this Law went currant amongſt them: Hee that eates a Samaritans bread, bee as hee that eates ſwines-fleſh. An Hebrew Midwife might not helpe a Gentile; not bookes, not wax, not incenſe, might bee ſold to them: yea, no familiarity might bee ſuffered with their owne vulgar. For whereas there were three ranks among the Iewes; the wiſe, (thoſe were the Phariſes) their Diſciples, and the populus terrae, (as they called them) this was one of the ſix reproaches to a nouice of the Phariſes, To eate with the vulgar ſort: and leſt (when they had beene abroad) they ſhould hauehave beene toucht by any, contrary to the warning of their phylacteries, they ſcoure themſelues at their returne; and eat not, vnleſſe they hauehave waſht [foreign] that is, accurately, as the Syriac; oft, as Eraſmus; or with the grip't fiſt, as Beza following Hierome. And not with eueryevery water (marke the niceneſſe) but with that onelyonly which they had drawne vp with their owne labour: and to make vp the meaſure of their pretended ſanctimonie, they vowed continency, not perpetuall (as our Romaniſts vrge) but for eight or tenne yeeres. Thus they did vnbidden. How ſtrictly did they performe what was inioyned? No men ſo exact in their tithes: I pay tithes of all, ſaith the boaſting Phariſee: Of all (as a great Doctor noteth) it was more than hee needed. God would hauehave a Sabbath kept; they ouerkeepe it. They would not on that day ſtop a running veſſell, not lay an apple to the fire, not quench a burning, not knocke on a table to ſtill a childe: what ſhould I note more? not rub or ſcratch in publike. God commands them to weare (Totaphoth) phylacteries: Vex Egyptiaca. Verſus quidam ex lege Moſis in pergameno ſcripti. ſez. 14. priores 13. Exo. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. 6. Deut. Pagn. Quo ferrum vim aſſandi habet. Praec. Moſ. cum expoſ. Ibid.Exod 4:5Exod 4:6Exod 4:7Exod 4:8Exod 4:9they doe (which our Sauiour reproues) [foreign] enlarge them: and theſe muſt bee written with right lines in a whole parchment of the hide of a cleane beaſt. God commands to celebrate and roſt the Paſſeouer; they will hauehave it done (in an exceſſe of care) not with an iron, but a woodden ſpit, and curiouſly chuſe the wood of Pomegranate: God commanded to auoid Idolatry; they taught their Diſciples, if an Image were in the way, to fetch about ſome other; if they muſt needes goe that way, to runne: and if a thorne ſhould light in their foot (neere the place) not to kneele, but ſit downe to pull it out, leſt they ſhould ſeeme to giuegive it reuerence. I weary you with theſe Iewiſh niceties. Conſider then how deuout, how liberall, how continent, how true dealing, how zealous, how ſcrupulous, how auſtere theſe men were, and ſee if it bee not a wonder that our Sauiour thus brandeth them; Except your righteouſneſſe exceed the righteouſneſſe of the Scribes and Phariſes, yee ſhall not enter into the kingdome of Heauen: That is, If your doctrine bee not more righteous, you ſhall not be entred of the Church: if your holineſſe bee not more perfect, you ſhall not enter into heauen: behold, Gods kingdome below and aboue is ſhut vponupon them.

The poore Iewes were ſo beſotted with the admiration of theſe two, that they would hauehave thought if but two men muſt goe to heauen, the one ſhould be a Scribe, the other a Phariſee. What ſtrange newes was this from him that kept the keies of Dauid, that neither of them ſhould come there? It was not the perſon of theſe men, not their learning, not wit, not eloquence, not honour they admired ſo much, but their righteouſneſſe: and loe nothing but their righteouſneſſe is cenſured: Herein they ſeemed to exceed all men: herein all that would bee ſaued, muſt exceed them. Doe but thinke how the amazed multitude ſtared vponupon our Sauiour, when they heard this Paradox. Exceed the Phariſes in righteouſneſſe. It were much for an Angell from heauen. What ſhall the poore ſonnes of the earth doe, if theſe worthies bee turned away with a repulſe? yea perhaps, your ſelues, all that heare mee this day, receiue this not without aſtoniſhment and feare, whiles your conſciences ſecretly comparing your holineſſe with theirs, finde it to come as much ſhort of theirs, as theirs of perfection. And would to God you could feare more, and bee more amazed with this compariſon; for (to ſet you forward) muſt wee exceed them, or elſe not bee ſaued? If we let them exceed vsus, what hope, p. 411what poſſibilitie is there of our ſaluation? Ere wee therefore ſhew how farre we muſt goe before them, looke backe with me (I beſeech you) a little, and ſee how farre we are behinde them.

They taught diligently, and kept Moſes his chaire warme: How many are there of vsus,Matth. 23.3.Matt 23:3 whom the great Maſter of the Vineyard may finde loitering in this publike market-place, and ſhake vsus by the ſhoulder with a Quid ſtatis otioſi? Why ſtand you here idle?

They compaſt ſea and land (Satans walke) to make a proſelyte: we ſit ſtill and freeze in our zeale, and loſe proſelytes with our dull and wilfull neglect. They ſpent one quarter of the day in praier: how many are there of vsus that would not thinke this an vnreaſonable ſeruice of God? We are ſo farre from this extreme deuotion of the old Euchita, Correcti à Concilio Toletan. Bellar.that wee are rather worthy of a cenſure with thoſe Spaniſh Prieſts for our negligence. How many of you Citizens can get leaue of Mammon to beſtow one houre of the day in a ſet courſe, vponupon God? How many of you Lawyers, are firſt clients to God, ere you admit others, clients to you? How many of you hauehave your thoughts fixed in Heauen, ere they be in Weſtminſter? Alas, what dulneſſe is this? what iniuſtice? All thy houres are his, and thou wilt not lend him one of his owne for thine owne good. They read, they recited the Law, (ſome) twice a day; neuer went without ſome parts of it about them: but to what effect? There is not one of our people (ſaith Ioſephus) but anſwers to any queſtion of the Law as readily as his owne name.Quilibet noſtrū de lege interrogatus, facilius quam nemen ſuū reſpondet. Ioſ. cone… App. lib. 2. How ſhall their diligence vpbraid, yea condemne vsus? Alas! how doe our Bibles gather duſt for want of vſe, while our Chronicle, or our Statute-booke, yea perhaps our idle and ſcurrilous play-bookes, are worne with turning? Oh how happy were our fore-fathers (whoſe memory is bleſſed for euer) if they could with much coſt and more danger get but one of Pauls Epiſtles in their boſomes; how did they hugge it in their armes, hide it in their cheſt, yea in their hearts! How did they eat, walke, ſleepe, with that ſweet companion, and in ſpight of perſecution, neuer thought themſelues well, but when they conuerſed with it in ſecret! Loe now theſe ſhops are all open, we buy them not; theſe books are open, we read them not, and we will be ignorant becauſe we will. The Sunne ſhines and wee ſhut our windowes. It is enough for the miſerable Popiſh Laitie to bee thus darke, that liue in the perpetuall night of Inquiſition. Shal this be the only difference betwixt them and vsus; that they would read the holy leaues, and may not; we may, and will not? There is no ignorance, to the wilfull. I ſtand not vponupon a formall and verball knowledge: that was neuer more frequent, more flouriſhing. But if the maine grounds of Chriſtianitie were throughly ſetled in the hearts of the multitude, wee ſhould not hauehave ſo much cauſe of ſhame and ſorrow, nor our aduerſaries of triumph and inſultation. Shew leſſe therefore for Gods ſake, and learne more; and ballace your wauering heart with the ſound truth of Godlineſſe, that you may flie ſteadily thorow all the tempeſts of errors. Make Gods Law of your learned counſell with Dauid, and be happy:Matth. 8.12.Matt 8:12 Elſe if you will needs louelove darkneſſe, you ſhall hauehave enough of it: you hauehave here inward darkneſſe, there outward [foreign] This is your owne darkneſſe,Choſhet Aphelab. Tenebrae caliginis. that his of whom the Pſalmiſt; He ſent darkneſſe, and it was darke: Darke indeed: A thicke and terrible darkneſſe, ioyned with weeping and gnaſhing. I vrge not their awfull reuerence in their deuotion, our ſleepy or wilde careleſneſſe; their auſtere and rough diſcipline of the bodie, our wanton pampering of the fleſh; though who can abide to thinke of a chaſte Phariſee, & a filthy Chriſtian? a temperate Phariſe, & a drunken Chriſtian? how ſhamefully is this latter vice (eſpecially) growne vponupon vsus with time? we knew it once in our ordinarie ſpeech appropriated to beggers, now gallants fight for it. This beaſtlineſſe had wont be baſhful, now it is impudent; once children were wont to ſhout at a drunkard (as ſome foule wonder) now not to be drunke is quarrell enough among men, among friends: Thoſe knees that we were wont to bow to the God of Heauen, are now bent to Bacchus, in a paganiſh, beſtiall, diuelliſh deuotion. To leaue the title of Chriſtians, for ſhame let vsus be either men or beaſts. My ſpeech haſtens to their holy and wiſe ſtrictneſſe of cariage; wherein I can neuer complaine enough of our inequality: They hated the preſence, the fire, the faſhion, the bookes of a Gentile, of a Samaritane; neither was p. 412there any hatred loſt on the Samaritans part;In aquam ſe cum veſtibus immergunt vbi contigerent aliquem ex alia gente. foreign; &c. Epiph. for if he had but toucht a Iew, he would hauehave throwne himſelfe into the water, clothes and all: both of them equally ſicke of a Noli me tangere; Touch me not, for I am holier, Eſay 65.

Our Romiſh Samaritanes haunt our tables, our cloſets, our eares; we frowne not, we diſlike not: We match, conuerſe, conferre, conſult with them careleſly, as if it were come to the old ſtay of that indifferent Apelles in Euſebius; Sat eſt credere in crucifixum: but that which I moſt lament, and yee, Fathers and Brethren, if my voyce may reach to any whom it concerneth, in the bowels of Chriſt let me boldly (tho moſt vnworthy) moue your wiſdomes, your care to redreſſe it. Our young ſtudents (the hope of poſterity) newly crept out of the ſhell of Philoſophy, ſpend their firſt houres in the great Doctors of popiſh controuerſies; Bellarmine is next to Ariſtotle: yea, our very vngrounded Artizans, young Gentlemen, fraile Women, buy, read, trauerſe promiſcuouſly the dangerous Writings of our ſubtileſt Ieſuites. What is the iſſue? Many of them hauehave taken poiſon, ere they know what milke is; and when they hauehave once taſted this bane, they muſt drinke & die. Oh what pitty, what vexation is it to a true heart, to ſee vsus thus rob'd of our hopes; them of their ſoules! I hauehave heard, yea I hauehave ſeene and enuied the cautelous ſeuerity of our Aduerſaries, which vponupon the deepeſt paines forbid the ſale, yea the ſight of thoſe Authors, which they terme infectious; where was euer Caluin publikely bought in one of their Church-yards? where euer read without licence, without ſecurity? I cenſure not this as the peculiar fault of this place: would God this open remiſſeneſſe were not a common euill, and had not ſpred it ſelfe wide thorow all thoſe Churches that are gone out of Babylon. Barthol. Brixenſis.Let no man tell mee of the diſtinction of that old Canoniſt: Some things (ſaith he) we reade leſt they ſhould bee neglected, as the Bible; ſome leſt they ſhould be vnknowne, as Arts and Philoſophie; ſome that they may bee reiected, as Hereticall bookes. True; But let them read that can reiect, that can confute; we diſtruſt not our cauſe, but their weake iudgements. A good Apothecarie can make a good medicine of a ſtrong poiſon; muſt children therefore be allowed that box? I know how vnworthy I am to aduiſe; onelyonly I throw downe my ſelfe at your feet, and beſeech you, that our loſſes and their examples may make vsus no leſſe wiſe in our generation.Matth. 23.13.Matt 23:13

I follow the compariſon; They paid tithes of all they had: not a pot-hearbe, but they tithed it. Heare this ye ſacrilegious Patrons, the merchants of ſoules, the Pirats of the Church, the enemies of religion; they tithed al; you nothing; they paid to their Leuites, your Leuites muſt pay to you: Your cures muſt bee purchaſed, your tithes abated or compounded for: O the ſhame of Religion! How too iuſtly may I vſurpe of you that of Seneca? Petie ſacrileges are puniſhed, while great ones ride in triumph. Neuer excuſe it with pretence of Ceremonie; Moſes neuer gaue ſo ſtrict a charge for this, as Paul [foreign] communicate all thy goods with thy Teacher;Gal. 6.6.Gal 6:6 All, with an emphaſis. Welfare yet the honeſt Phariſes, whoſe rule was: (Decima vt diues fias) Tithe and be rich: If euer thou be the fatter for this grauell, or the richer with that thou ſtealeſt from God, let me come to beg at thy doore.

Woe to you ſpirituall robbers. Our blinde fore-fathers clothed the Church; you deſpoile it: their ignorant deuotion ſhall riſe in iudgement againſt your rauening couetouſneſſe. If robbery, ſimonie, periurie will not carry you to hell; hope ſtill that you may bee ſaued. They gaue plentifull almes to the poore: we in ſtead of filling their bellies, grinde their faces. What excellent Lawes had we lately enacted that there ſhould be no begger in Iſrael? Let our ſtreets, wayes, hedges, witneſſe the execution. Thy liberality relieues ſome poore. It is well. But hath not thy oppreſſion made more? Thy vſury, extorting, racking, incloſing, hath wounded whole Villages, and now thou befriendeſt two or three with the plaiſters of thy bounty. The mercies of the wicked are cruell. They were preciſe in their Sabbath; we ſo looſe in our, as if God had no day: See whether our Tauerns, ſtreets, hie-wayes deſcry any great difference. Theſe things I vowed in my ſelfe to reproue; if too bitterly, (as you thinke) pardon (I beſeech you) this holy impatience: and blame the foulenes of theſe vices, not my iuſt vehemency. And you (Chriſtian hearers) than which no name can be dearer: be perſwaded to ranſacke your p. 413ſecure hearts; and if there be any of you whoſe awaked conſcience ſtrikes him for theſe ſinnes, and places him below theſe Iewes in this vnrighteouſneſſe, if you wiſh or care to be ſaued, thinke it high time, as you would euer hope for entrance into Gods kingdom, to ſtrike your ſelues on the thigh, and with amazement and indignation to ſay, What hauehave I done? to abandon your wicked courſes; to reſolue, to vow, to ſtriue vntounto a Chriſtian and conſcionable reformation. Paul, a Phariſe, Phil. 6.3.was according to the righteouſnes of the Law vnreproueable: yet if Paul had not gone from Gamaliels feet, to CHRISTS, he had neuer beene ſaued. Vnreproueable, and yet reiected? Alas, my brethren, what ſhal become of our gluttony, drunkenneſſe, pride, oppreſſion, bribing, couſenages, adulteries, blaſphemies, and our ſelues for them? God and men reproue vsus for theſe; what ſhall become of vsus? If the ciuilly righteous ſhall not be ſaued, where ſhall the notorious ſinner appeare? A Chriſtian below a Iew? For ſhame, where are we? where is our emulation? Heauen is our goale, we all runne; loe the Scribes and Phariſes are before thee; what ſafety can it be to come ſhort of thoſe that come ſhort of heauen? Except your righteouſneſſe, &c.

You hauehave ſeene theſe Scribes and Phariſes; their righteouſneſſe and our vnrighteouſneſſe. See now with like patience, their vnrighteouſneſſe that was, and our righteouſneſſe that muſt be: wherein they failed, and we muſt exceed. They failed then in their Traditions and Practiſe. May I ſay they failed, when they exceeded? Their Traditions exceeded in number and proſecution, faulty in matter.

To runne well, but out of the way (according to the Greeke prouerbe) is not better than to ſtand ſtill. Fire is an excellent thing: but if it be in the top of the chimney, it doth miſchiefe rather. It is good to be zealous in ſpight of all ſcoffes,Gal. 4.13.Gal 4:13 but [foreign] in a good thing. If they had beene as hot for God, as they were for themſelues, it had beene happy: but now in vaine they worſhip mee (ſaith our Sauiour) teaching for doctrines the Traditions of men. Hence was that axiome receiued currantly amongſt their Iewiſh followers: There is more in the words of the wiſe, than in the words of the Law: More; Plus eſt in verbis ſapien…um quam in verbis legis. Galatin. Serarius. Non malè compara…i Phariſaeos Catholicis.that is, more matter, more authority: and from this principally ariſes and continues that mortall quarrell betwixt them and their (Karraim) and (Minim) vntounto this day. A great Ieſuite (at leaſt that thinks himſelfe ſo) writes thus in great earneſt: The Phariſes (ſaith he) may not vnfitly be compared to our Catholicks. Some men ſpeake truth ignorantly, ſome vnwillingly; Caiaphas neuer ſpake truer, when he meant it not: one egge is not liker to another, than the Tridentine Fathers to theſe Phariſes in this point, beſides that of free-will, merit, full performance of the Law, which they abſolutely receiued from them: For marke,Pari pietatis affecta & reuerentia, Trans iones vna cum libris veteris & noui Teſtamentiſ…, ſpicimus & veneram…r. Decr. 1. Seſſ. 4. Nolo verba quae ſcripta non ſunt legt. With the ſame reuerence and deuotion doe we receiue and reſpect Traditions, that wee doe the Bookes of the Old and New Teſtament, ſay thoſe Fathers in their fourth Seſſion: Heare both of theſe ſpeake, and ſee neither; if thou canſt diſcerne whether is the Phariſe, refuſe me in a greater truth. Not that we did euer ſay with that Arrian in Hilarie: Wee debarre all words that are not written: or would thinke fit with thoſe phanaticall Anabaptiſts of Munſter, that all bookes ſhould be burnt beſides the Bible: ſome Traditions muſt hauehave place in eueryevery Church; but, Their place: they may not take wall of Scripture: Subſtance may not in our valuation giuegive way to circumſtance, God forbid. If any man expect that my ſpeech on this opportunity ſhould deſcend to the diſcourſe of our contradicted ceremonies, let him know that I had rather mourne for this breach than meddle with it. God knowes how willingly I would ſpend my ſelf into perſwaſions if thoſe would auaile any thing: but I well ſee that teares are fitter for this Theame than words. The name of our mother is ſacred, and her peace precious. As it was a true ſpeech cited from that Father by Bellarmine: Bellum Hereticorum pax eſt Eccleſiae: ex Hilario Bellar.The war of Hereticks is the peace of the Church: ſo would God our experience did not inuert it vponupon vsus: The war of the Church is the peace of Hereticks. Our diſcord is their muſicke; our ruine their glory: On what a ſight is this, Brethren ſtriue, while the enemy ſtands ſtill, and laughs, and triumphs. If we deſired the griefe of our common mother, the languiſhing of the Goſpell, the extirpation of Religion, the loſſe of poſterity, the aduantage of our aduerſaries, which way could theſe be better effected than by our diſſentions?Iſc…. That Spaniſh Prophet p. 414in our Age (for ſo I finde him ſtiled) when King Philip asked him how hee might become maſter of the Low-Countries, anſwered: If he could diuide them from themſelues: According to that old Machiuellian principle of our Ieſuites, Diuide and Rule. And indeed it is concord onelyonly (as the Poeſie or Mot of the vnited States runs) which hath vpheld them in a rich and flouriſhing eſtate againſt ſo great and potent enemies.Concordiâ res paruae creſcunt, &c. Our Aduerſaries already brag of their victories: and what good heart can but bleed to ſee what they hauehave gained ſince we diſſented; to fore-ſee what they will gaine? They are our mutuall ſpoiles that hauehave made them proud and rich.Noſtrâ miſeriâ tu es magnus. de Pomp. Mimus. If you euer therefore looke to ſee the good dayes of the Goſpell, the vnhorſing and confuſion of that ſtrumpet of Rome, for Gods ſake, for the Churches ſake, for our owne ſoules ſake, let vsus all compoſe our ſelues to peace and louelove: Oh pray for the peace of Ieruſalem: that peace may be within her wals and proſperity within her palaces.

For the matter of their Traditions, our Sauiour hath taxed them in many particulars; about waſhings, oathes, offerings, retribution: whereof he hath ſaid enough when hee hath termed their doctrine, the Leauen of the Phariſes, that is, ſowre and ſwelling. Saint Hierome reduces them to two heads:In Matth. 23.Matt 23 They were Turpia, anilia; ſome ſo ſhamefull that they might not bee ſpoken; others idle and dotiſh; both ſo numerous that they cannot be reckoned. Take a taſte for all; and to omit their reall Traditions, heare ſome of their interpretatiue.Praec. Moſ. cum expoſ. Rab. The Law was, that no Leper might come into the Temple; their Tradition was, if he were let downe thorow the roofe, this were no irregularity. The Law was,Ibid. a man might not carry a burden on the Sabbath: their Traditionall gloſſe;Ibid. if he carried ought on one ſhoulder it was a burden; if on both, none. If ſhoes alone, no burden; if with nailes, not tolerable. Their ſtint of a Sabbaths iourney was a thouſand cubits; their gloſſe was, That this is to bee vnderſtood without the wals: but if a man ſhould walke all day thorow a Citie as big as Ninene, hee offends not. The Church of Rome ſhall vie ſtrange gloſſems and ceremonious obſeruations with them,Sacrarum Ceremoniarum lib. 1. accipit de gremic Camerarij pecuniam, vbi nihil tamen eſt argenti; ſpargenſque in populos dicit: Aurū & argentum non eſt mihi: quod autē habeo, hoc tibi do. Canō. Poenitential. pag. 1. Numb. 12. Ezec. 4. Luc. 5. Otho Friſingenſis in praefat. In Matth. 23.Num 12Ezek 4Luke 5Matt 23 whether for number or for ridiculouſneſſe. The day would faile mee if I ſhould either epitomize the volume of their holy rites, or gather vp thoſe which it hath omitted. The new elected Pope in his ſolemne Lateran proceſſion muſt take copper money out of his Chamberlaines lap, and ſcatter it among the people; and ſay; Gold and ſiluer hauehave I none. Seauen yeeres penance is enioyned to a deadly ſinne; becauſe Miriam was ſeparated ſeuen dayes for her leproſie; and God ſaies to Ezekiel, I hauehave giuen thee a day for a yeere. Chriſt ſaid to Peter, Lanch forth into the deepe: therefore hee meant that Peters ſucceſſor ſhould catch the great fiſh of Conſtantines donation. But I fauour your eares. That one I may not omit, how S. Hierome, whom they fondly terme their Cardinall, compares ſome Popiſh faſhions of his time with the Phariſaicall; who when he had ſpoken of their purple fringes in the foure corners of their (Tallin) and the thornes which theſe Rabbins tie in their skirts, for penance, and admonition of their duty: Hoc apud nos (ſaith he) ſuperſtitioſae muliercula in parvulis Euangelijs, in crucis ligno & iſtinſmodi rebus factitant: That is, Thus ſuperſtitious old wiues doe amongst vsus with little Goſpels of Iohn, with the wood of the Croſſe, and the like. Thus that Father directly taxeth this Romiſh vſe: who if he were now aliue, and ſhould heare their Church groaning vnderunder the number of Ceremonies more than the Iewiſh, would (beſides holy Auſtin complaint) redouble that cenſure of our Sauiours,Matth. 23.4.Matt 23:4 Woe to you Scribes, Phariſes, hypocrites: for yee binde heauy burthens and grieuous to bee borne, and lay them on mens ſhoulders. I forbeare to ſpeake of the erroneous opinions of theſe Iewiſh Maſters concerning that Pythagorian tranſanimation or paſſage of the ſoule from one body to another (a point which the Iewes had learned from them,Vide Druſium de tribus ſectis Iud. Alia Doctrina. Matth. 16.14.) concerning the not-riſing vp of the wicked, Aſtronomicall deſtinie, free-will, merit of workes, perfection of obedience; in eueryevery of which it were eaſie to loſe my ſelfe and my ſpeech. I haſte to their maine vnrighteouſneſſe; which was not ſo much the planting of theſe ſtocks, which God neuer ſet,Phariſae…rū, quae eſt niſi legis ſecundum carnem obſeruatio. Hier. in Gal. 1.Gal 1 as the graffing of all holineſſe and Gods ſeruice, vponupon them; a faſhionable obſeruation of the outward letter, with neglect of the true ſubſtance of the Law; a vaine-glorious oſtentation of piety and perfection; and more care to be thought, than p. 415to be good; a greater deſire to be great, than good; cruelty and oppreſſion coloured with deuotion. My ſpeech now towards the cloſure ſhall draw it ſelfe vp within theſe two liſts; of their Hypocriſie, their Worldlineſſe; Hypocriſie in Faſhionableneſſe and Oſtentation; Worldlineſſe in Couetouſneſſe, Ambition. Only ſtir vp your ſelues a while, and ſuffer not your Chriſtian attention to faile in this laſt act.

Some of their Rabbins ſay well, that God requires two things concerning his Law; Cuſtodie and Worke. Cuſtodie in the heart; worke in the execution: Theſe vnſound and ouerly Phariſes did neither. It was enough if they kept the Law in their hands; ſo they had a formall ſhew of godlineſſe, it was enough;2 Tim. 3.5. foreign.2 Tim 3:5 if the outſide of the platter were cleane, they cared for no more. God had charged them to binde the Law to their hand, and before their eyes, Deut. 6. wherein, as Ierome and Theophylact well interpret it, he meant the meditation and practiſe of his Law: they, like vntounto the fooliſh Patient, which when the Phyſitian bids him take that preſcript, eats vp the paper; if they could get but a lift of parchment vponupon their left arme next their heart, and another ſcroll to tie vponupon their forehead, and foure corners of fringe,Si haec prohibeantur, filum rubrum ponent in manu. Praec. Moſ. cum expoſ. or (if theſe be denied) a red threed in their hand, thought they might ſay with SAVL, Bleſſed be thou of the Lord, I hauehave done the commandement of the Lord. That Opus operatum of the Papiſts (for I ſtill parallel them) is not more falſe Latine than falſe Diuinitie: it is not the outſide of thy obedience that God cares for, if neuer ſo holy, neuer ſo glorious; it is enough that men are couſened with theſe flouriſhes: the heart and the reines are thoſe that God lookes after. What cares a good market-man how good the fleece be, when the liuer is rotten? God doth not regard faſhion ſo much as ſtuffe. Thou deceiueſt thy ſelfe, if thou thinke thoſe ſhewes that bleared the eyes of the world, can deceiue him. God ſhall ſmite thee thou whited wall, God ſhall ſmite thee. Doſt thou thinke he ſees not how ſmoothly thou haſt dawbed on thine whoriſh complexion? He ſees thee a far off, and hates thee while thy paraſites applaud thy beauty. I ſpeake not of this carrion fleſh which thou wantonly infecteſt with the falſe colours of thy pride, which God ſhall once waſh off with riuers of brimſtone: I ſpeake of thy painted ſoule, and thy counterfet obedience. GiueGive me leaue (yea let me take it) to complaine that we are fallen into a cold and hollow age, wherein the religion of many is but faſhion, and their pietie gilded ſuperſtition: Men care onelyonly to ſeeme Chriſtians; if they can get Gods liuerie on their backs, and his name in their mouthes, they out-face all reproofes. How many are there, which if they can keepe their Church, giuegive an almes, bow their knee, ſay their prayers, pay their tithes, and once a yeere receiue the Sacrament (it matters not how corrupt hearts, how filthy tongues, how falſe hands they beare) can ſay in their hearts with Eſau, I hauehave enough my brother? As if God cared for this thy vaine formalitie; as if he hated thee not ſo much more than a Pagan, by how much thou wouldſt ſeeme more good. Be not deceiued: If long deuotions, ſad lookes, hard penances, bountifull almes, would hauehave carried it (without the ſolid ſubſtance of godlineſſe) theſe Scribes and Phariſes had neuer beene ſhut out of heauen. Conſider this therefore (deare brethren) none but your owne eyes can looke into your hearts: we ſee your faces, the world ſees your liues; if your liues be not holy, your hearts ſound, though your faces were like Angels, you ſhall hauehave your portion with Deuils. Tell not me thou heareſt, prayeſt, talkeſt, beleeueſt: How liueſt thou? What doſt thou? Shew me thy faith by thy workes, ſaith Iames. It was an excellent anſwer that good Moſes gaue to Lucius in the Church-ſtorie: The faith that is ſeene, Socrat. eccl. hiſt.is better than the faith that is heard; and that of Luther not inferiour, that faith doth pingueſcere operibus, grow fat and well-liking with good workes. It is a leane ſtarued carcaſſe of faith thou pretendeſt without theſe. If profeſſion be all, the Scribes and Phariſes are before thee. Ranſacke thy heart, and finde ſound affection to God, firme reſolutions to goodneſſe, true hatred of ſinne: ranſacke thy life, and finde the truth of workes, the life of obedience; then alone thy righteouſneſſe exceeds the righteouſneſſe of the Scribes and Phariſes, and thou ſhalt enter into Heauen. Their oſtentation followes; wherein it is ſtrange to conſider, how thoſe that cared not to be good, ſhould deſire yet to ſeeme good: ſo did theſe Phariſes. They would not faſt without a ſmeared p. 416face, nor giuegive an almes without a trumpet, nor pray without witneſſes. Scribes, Phariſes, hypocrites. They did act a religious part, they did but play deuotion. They were nothing beſide the ſtage: all for ſight, nothing for ſubſtance. Would God this vice of hypocriſie had either died with them, or had onelyonly hereditarily deſcended to their ſucceſſors. Satan will not let vsus be thus happy. I ſee no mans heart: but I dare boldly ſay, the world is full of hypocriſie. By their fruits yee ſhall know them (ſaith our Sauiour:) By their fruits; not by the bloſſomes of good purpoſes, nor the leaues of good profeſſion, but by the fruits of their actions. Not to ſpeake, how our mint and cummin hath incroched vponupon iudgement and iuſtice: Search your ſelues (yee Citizens:) now you draw neere to God with your lips, with yoar eares, where is your heart? Here your deuout attention ſeemes to cry, The Lord is God: how many are there of you, that hauehave any God at home? how many that hauehave a falſe God? God at Church; Mammon in your ſhops? I ſpeake not of all; God forbid. This famous Citie hath in the darkeſt, in the wantoneſt times, afforded (and ſo doth) many, that hauehave done God honour, honeſtie to the Goſpell. But how many are there of you that vnderunder ſmooth faces hauehave foule conſciences? Faire words, falſe meaſures, forſworne valuations, adulterate wares, griping vſuries, hauehave fild many of your coffers, and feſtered your ſoules: You know this, and yet like Salomons Curtizan you wipe your mouthes, and it was not you. Your almes are written in Church-windowes, your defraudings in the ſand; all is good ſaue that which appeares not. How many are there eueryevery where, that ſhame religion by profeſſing it? whoſe beaſtly life makes Gods truth ſuſpected: for as, howſoeuer the Samaritan, not the Iew, releeued the diſtreſſed traueller, yet the Iewes religion was true, not the Samaritans; ſo in others, truth of cauſes muſt not be iudged by acts of perſons; yet, as he ſaid, It muſt needs be good that Nero perſecutes; ſo who is not ready to ſay, It cannot be good that ſuch a miſcreant profeſſes? Woe to thee Hypocrite, thou canſt not touch, not name goodneſſe, but thou defileſt it; God will plague thee for acting ſo high a part: See what thou art, and hate thy ſelfe; or (if not that) yet ſee how God hates thee: he that made the heart, ſayes thou art no better than an hanſome tombe; the houſe of death. Behold here a greene turfe, or ſmooth marble, or ingrauen braſſe, and a commending Epitaph; all ſightly: but what is within? an vnſauourie, rotten carcaſſe. Tho thou were wrapt in gold, and perfumed with neuer ſo loud prayers, holy ſemblances, honeſt protections; yet thou art but noyſome carrion to God: Of all earthly things, God cannot abide thee; and if thou wouldſt ſee how much lower yet his deteſtation reacheth, know that when he would deſcribe the torments of Hell, he calls them (as their worſt title) but the portion of hypocrites. Wherefore cleanſe your hands yee ſinners, Iam. 8.4. foreign.and purge your hearts yee double-minded: For vnleſſe your righteouſneſſe exceed the hypocriticall righteouſneſſe of the Scribes and Phariſes, yee ſhall not enter into the kingdome of Heauen.

My ſpeech muſt end in their Couetouſneſſe and Ambition: A paire of hainous vices. I ioyne them togither: for they are not onelyonly brethren, but twins; yet ſo as the elder here alſo ſerues the younger. It is ambition that blowes the fire of Couetouſneſſe. Oppreſſion gets wealth; that wealth may procure honour. Why doe men labour to be rich, but that they may be great? Their Couetouſneſſe was ſuch, that their throat (an open ſepulchre) ſwallowed vp whole hoaſes of Widowes. Whence their goods are called by our Sauiour [foreign] not foreign,Luc. 13.41.Luke 13:41 as if they were already in their bowels: and which was worſt of all, while their lips ſeemed to pray, they were but chewing of that morſell. Their Ambition ſuch, that they womaniſhly brawled and ſhouldred for the beſt ſeat;foreign. Matth. 23.6.Matt 23:6 the higheſt pew: A title, a wall, a chaire, a cap, a knee, theſe were goodly cares for them that profeſſed grauitie, humilitie, mortification. Let me boldly ſay, Ieruſalem neuer yeelded ſo very Phariſes as Rome. Theſe old diſciples of Sammai and Hillel were not Phariſes in compariſon of our Ieſuites. From iudgement (you ſee) I am deſcended to practiſe: wherein it is no leſſe eaſily made good that theſe are more kindly Phariſes, than the ancient. A poore Widowes Cottage fill'd the panch of an old Phariſe; How many faire Patrimonies of deuout young p. 417Gentlemen**A word which the Se…r…s report (in their Quodlibet) vſuall amongſt them, to ſignifie beguiled and wipt of their inheritance; from the example of M. Henry Drury of Lawſhall in Suffolke ſo defeated by the Ieſuits. As at Winnoxberg in Flanders neere Dunkerke, where a rich Legacie giuen by a charitable Lady for the building of an Hoſpitall, was cunningly turned to the maintenance of Ieſuites. Sacr. cerem. l. 1. de Conſe. Benedict. & coron. Pontif. Poſtea Imperator ſi praeſens eſt ſtapham equi Papalis tenet, & dem ducit equum per froenū aliquantulum. And afterward: Dum Imperator haec officia praeſtat, debet Papa modeſte recuſare: tande… cum aliquibus bonis verbis recipiendo permittit aliquā tulum progred… &c. That is, while the Emperor doth theſe ſeruices to the Pope, of holding his ſtirrup and …ading his horſe by the bridle, the Pope ought modeſtly to refuſe: but at laſt with ſome good words, he ſuffers him to goe on a while; and then at laſt ſtates himſelfe, &c. Act. 9.8. foreign. GiueGive me not pouerty nor riches. Prou. 30.8.Acts 9:8Prov 30:8 Druryed by them, (pardon the word, it is their owne; the thing I know and can witneſſe) hauehave gone downe the throat of theſe Loyoliſts, let their owne Quodlibet and Catechiſme report. What ſpeake I of ſecular inheritances? theſe eyes hauehave ſeene no meane houſes of deuotion and charitie ſwallowed vp by them. As for their ambitious inſinuations, not onelyonly all their owne Religions enuiouſly cry downe, but the whole world ſees and rings of. What oare of ſtate can ſtir without their rowing? What Kingdome either ſtands or fals without their intermedling? What noble Family complaines not of their proling and ſtealth? And all this with a ſterne face of ſad pietie and ſterne mortification. Yea what other is their great Maſter, but the King of Phariſes? who, vnderunder a pretence of ſimple piety, challenges without ſhame to hauehave deuoured the whole Chriſtian world, the naturall inheritances of ſecular Princes, by the foiſted name of Peters patrimony, and now in moſt infamous and ſhameleſſe ambition cals great Emperours to his ſtirr up, yea to his footſtoole. But what wander we ſo far from home? Vae nobis miſeris (ſaith S. Ierome) ad quos Phariſaeorum vitia tranfierunt, (Woe to vsus wretched men, to whom the Phariſes vices are derived.) The great Doctor of the Gentiles long ago ſaid, All ſeeke their owne, and not the things of God; and is the world mended with age? would God wee did not finde it a ſure rule; that (as it is in this little world) the older it growes, the more diſeaſed, the more couetous: we are all too much the true ſonnes of our great grandmother; and hauehave each of vsus an Eues ſweet tooth in our heads, we would be more than we are: and eueryevery man would be either (foreign) … (foreign) either the man, or ſome-body. If a number of your conſciences were ript, O yee that would be Chriſtian Gentlemen, Lawyers, Citizens, what doe we thinke would be found in your mawes? Here the deuoured patrimonie of poore Orphans; there the commons of whole Towneſhips; here the impropriate goods of the Church; there piles of vſury; here bribes and vnlawfull fees; there the raw and indigeſted gobbets of Simonie: yea, would God I might not ſay, but I muſt ſay it, with feare, with ſorrow, euen of our ſacred and diuine profeſſion, that which our Sauiour of his Twelue, Yee are cleane, but not all. The multitude of our vnregarded Charges, and ſoules dying and ſtarued, for want of ſpirituall prouiſion, (while they giuegive vsus bodily) would condemne my ſilence for too partiall. In all conditions of men (for particulars are ſubiect to enuy and exception) the daughters of the horſe-leech had neuer ſuch a fruitfull generation: They cry ſtill, GiueGive, GiueGive: not giuegive alone, that is, the bread of ſufficiency; but giuegive, giuegive, that is, more than enough. But what is more than enough? What is but enough? What is not too little for the inſatiable gulfe of humane deſires? EueryEvery man would ingroſſe the whole world to himſelfe, and with that ambitious conqueror feares …t will be too little: and how few Agurs are there, that pray againſt too much? From hence …, that ye Courtiers grate vponupon poore Trades with hard Monopolies. Hence, ye Merchants load them with deepe and vnreaſonable prices, and make them pay deare for dayes. Hence, ye great men wring the poore ſpunges of the Commonalty into your priuate purſes; for the maintenance of pride and exceſſe. Hence, ye cormorant Corne-mongers hatch vp a dearth in the time of plenty. God ſends graine, but many times the Deuill ſends garners. The earth hath beene no niggard in yeelding: but you hauehave beene lauiſh in tranſporting, and cloſe in concealing. Neuer talke of our extreme froſts: we ſee Gods hand, and kiſſe the rod; but if your hearts, your charity, were not more frozen than euer the earth was, meane Houſe-keepers ſhould not need to beg, nor the meaneſt to ſtarue for want of bread. Hence laſtly, our loud oppreſſions of all ſorts cry to heauen, and are anſwered with threats, yea with variety of vengeances. Take this with thee yet, O thou worldling, which haſt the greedy-worme vnderunder thy tongue with Eſaies dogs, and neuer haſt enough; Thou ſhalt meet with two things as vnſatiable as thy ſelfe: the Graue and Hell; and thou, whom all the world could not ſatisfie, there be two things whereof thou ſhalt hauehave enough: Enough would in the graue, enough fire in hell.

I louelove not to end with a iudgement; and as it were to let my Sunne ſet in a cloud. We are all Chriſtians, we ſhould know the world what it is, how vaine, how tranſitorie, p. 418how worthleſſe. We know where there are better things, which we profeſſe our ſelues made for, and aſpiring to: Let vsus vſe the world like it ſelfe, and leaue this importunate wooing of it, to Heathens and Infidels, that know no other heauen, no other God. Or if you like that counſell better; Be couetous: Be ambitious: Couet ſpirituall gifts, 1 Cor. 14.1. Neuer thinke you hauehave grace enough; deſire more, ſeeke for more: this alone is worthy your affections, worthy your cares: Be ſtill poore in this, that you may be rich; be rich that you may bee full; bee full that you may bee glorious. Bee ambitious of fauour, of honour, of a kingdome; of Gods fauour, of the honour of Saints, of the Kingdome of glory: whither, he that bought it for vsus, and redeemed vsus to it, in his good time, ſafely and happily bring vsus.

To that bleſſed Sauiour of ours, together with the Father and his good Spirit, the God of all the world, our Father, Redeemer, and Comforter, be giuen all praiſe, honour, and glory now and for euer. Amen.

FJNJS.

THE PASSION SERMON.

PREACHED AT PAVLS CROSSE ON GOOD-FRIDAY.

Aprill. 14. 1609.

By IOS. HALL.

SIC ELEVABITVR FILIVS HOMINIS

Io 3.

ANCHORA FIDEI:

LONDON, Printed for THOMAS PAVIER, MILES FLESHER, and John Haviland. 1624.

TO THE ONELYONLY HONOR AND GLORY OF GOD MY DEARE AND BLESSED SAVIOVR (WHICH HATH DONE AND SVFFERED ALL THESE THINGS FOR MY SOVLE.)

HIS WEAKE AND VNWORTHY SERVANT HVMBLY DESIRES TO CONSECRATE HIMSELFE AND HIS POORE LABOVRS: BESEECHING HIM TO ACCEPT AND BLESSE THEM TO THE PVBLIKE GOOD, AND TO THE PRAISE OF HIS OWNE GLORIOVS NAME.

p. 421TO THE READER.

I Deſire not to make any Apologie for the Edition of this my Sermon: It is motiue enough, that herein I affect a more publike and more induring good. Spirituall niceneſſe, is the next degree to vnfaithfulneſſe: This point cannot bee too much vrged, either by the tongue, or Preſſe. Religion and our ſoules depend vponupon it, yet are our thoughts too much beſide it. The Church of Rome, ſo fixes her ſelfe (in her adoration) vponupon the Croſſe of Chriſt, as if ſhe forgat his glory: Many of vsus ſo conceiue of him glorious, that wee neglect the meditation of his Croſſe, the way to his glory and ours. If wee would proceed aright, wee muſt paſſe from his Golgotha, to the mount of Oliues, and from thence to Heauen, and there ſeeke and ſettle our reſt. According to my weake abilitie, I hauehave led this way in my ſpeech, beſeeching my Readers to follow mee with their hearts, that wee may ouertake him which is entred into the true Sanctuary, euen the higheſt Heauens, to appeare now in the ſight of GOD for vsus.