Gods Husbandry, Sermon 1 · Chapter 17
CHAP. XVII. Containing the ſecond vſe.
AND in the next place,The vnfruitful muſt ſee their vnfruitfulneſle and their danger by reaſon of it. for thoſe that are found in this triall vnfruitfull, let them not hide it from themſelues, let them not deceiue themſelues, but let them ſee and conſeſſe it, and withall ſee and feele their vnhappineſſe in regard of it: for in Gods name wee muſt deale plainely with them, and aſſure them, that (whatſoeuer hitherto, either they hauehave thought of themſelues, or others hauehave thought of them) they be no better than very plaine hypocrites. For all their hanging vponupon the Vine, for all their flouriſhing greeneneſſe of profeſſion, for all their faire and pleaſant leaues, of comming to Church, delighting to heare Sermons, louing ſome good men, commending Preachers, ſpeaking againſt profaneneſſe and common abuſes, dealing truly with men, and ſuch like; for all theſe I ſay (and an hundred more things which they truſt vponupon, if an hundreth more there be of the like kind), they be but diſſemblers, guilefull perſons, goates in ſheepes skins, painted tombes, rotten-hearted perſons, and very ranke hypocrites. Brethren, I pray you conceiue not, that wee delight in diſgracing men, in terrifying their conſciences, in diſcouraging their hearts, in making their ſtates and themſelues appeare euill, if they were not ſo. Alacke what good ſhall we get by your diſcomfort or diſgrace! what benefit will your miſery bring vntounto vsus? Nay verily, wee hauehave no pleaſure (yea, we hauehave much griefe) in pronouncing againſt men, that they be hypocrites. But wee muſt needes ſpeake the truth, that God hath put into our mouthes, and that with all plaineneſſe, and with all earneſtnes, and with all authoritie: yea, ſo much the plainer, and more earneſt muſt we bee in this matter, by how much we do better vnderſtand, both the needfulnes of diſcouering to the hypocrit his hypocriſie, and withall the difficulty of making him perceiue it, though it be diſcouered. For you know in how many places, the Scripture tells vsus of ſuch, as in ſeeing, ſee not, which muſt needes bee verified in this matter, as well as in any other. An hypocrite is exceeding loath to count himſelfe an hypocrite: an harlot will ſcarce call her ſelfe a harlot; a theefe will ſcarce giuegive to himſelfe the name of theefe? how much leſſe will thoſe that ſinne in diſſembling, take to themſelues their owne names? Out of the naturall louelove of our ſelues, which doth inordinately poſſeſſe vsus; and out of ſome common notion that eueryevery man hath, of the vileneſſe of many ſinnes; it comes to paſſe, that moſt ſinners are vnwilling to intitle themſelues by their ſinnes. But of all others the diſſembler (the principall piece and buſineſſe of whoſe occupation it is, to hide that which is euill, out of ſight) will be moſt backward to thrattle his hypocriſie (as it were) by laying his hand vponupon the throate of it, and drawing himſelfe to a round confeſſion, in plaine termes ſaying, In very deed I am but an hypocrite. A man that hath been thought by himſelfe and others, to be worth many thouſands, is very vnwilling to acknowledge himſelfe a bankerout, and it ſounds as terrible as death in his eares to ſay, I hauehave caſt vp my reckonings, & find my ſelfe not worth a groat: euen ſo a man that hath long been taken for a good Chriſtan, is very backward to ſee and confeſſe, that all his Chriſtianitie was in formes, and that he is not the man hee was taken for but an errand diſſembler. For why, the heart of man is loath either to perceiue himſelfe ſo wretched, as he cannot but confeſſe himſelfe to be, in caſe he be but an hypocrite, or elſe to take the paines, which hee muſt needs take, to make his eſtate better: for doubtleſſe it cannot but proue a painefull piece of worke to weede out a vice ſo deepely ſettled, and ſo farre ouer-ſpreading. But brethren, vntill hypocriſie be plainely diſcerned, it can neuer be reformed; neyther this, nor any other vice will cuer be conquered, if it be not eſpied. He ſhall for euer remaine an hypocrite, that being ſo, will not confeſſe himſelfe ſo to be. For when a man is ignorant of his vnhappineſſe, he will neuer ſet himſelfe with all diligence to redreſſe it; and certainely ſinne will neuer be ouercome, without ſtriuing againſt it. This and this alone, is the true cauſe of our earneſt plainneſſe in this matter. Wee would ſhew you your diſeaſe, that you might in time ſeeke remedy, and not periſh by it. Wee would lay open your ſores, that you might procure a playſter, and not be deſtroyed for want of healing. And therefore returning againe to the matter we were about, we doe now certifie eueryevery perſon amongſt you, in whom that vniuerſall care of knowing, and accompliſhing the whole will of God in each point of it, and that out of the louelove he beareth to him, and for the honour and glory of his holy name (that he I ſay in whom this care) is not to be found, though hee hauehave liued neuer ſo honeſtly, to the world: though he come to the Church neuer ſo duly; though hee hauehave bin conſtant in frequenting Sermons; though he hauehave beene very kinde to the Miniſters of Gods Word; though hee hauehave prayed many times with great feeling; though he hauehave fits of great ſorrow for diuers ſinnes; though he repeate Sermons, and pray in his family; though he hauehave obtained great credit amongſt godly men, and goe in the name of a moſt worthy Chriſtian; yet for all this (and more than this, if more may be, without the fore-named generall endeauour) is but a flat hypocrite, a ranke diſſembler, a couſener of the world, a beguiler of himſelfe, a whited ſepulcher, a picture of a Chriſtian, and not a Chriſtian indeede. This is thy caſe, whatſoeuer thou haſt heretofore deemed; this, and none other, is thy condition, if thou beeſt deſtitute of that fruitfulneſſe, which hath been plainely deſcribed vntounto thee. Open thine eyes now, and ſee thy wretchedneſſe; now ſuffer thy ſoule to bee wrought vponupon, and begin to ſeele thy miſery, that thou mayeſt be capable of helpe.