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TWo kinds of iustice and righteousnes are gathered out of this same Doctrine;* 1.1 one is true, the other false. True righ∣teousnes and iustice comprehendeth together both things in∣ternall and externall, which are required to the preseruing of them. That which is false and counterfeit, obserueth some ex∣ternall without internall: without the loue and feare of God,
without humility, without deuotion, and without other inter∣nall vertues. Like to this was the righteousnes of the Phari∣seis, of whom the Lord speaketh in Mathew;* 1.2 Woe, sayth hee, vnto you Scribes and Phariseis hipocrits, for ye tythe Mint, and An∣nise, and Cummin, and haue left the waightier matters of the law, iudgement, mercy, and fayth: these ought ye to haue done, and not to leaue the other vndone. Ye blind guides, which straine out a gnat, and swallow a Camell. Woe vnto you Scribes and Phariseis hypocrits, for ye make cleane the vtter side of the cup, and of the platter, but within they are full of bribery and excesse. And a little after; Woe vnto you Scribes and Phariseis hypocrits, for ye are like vnto paynted Se∣pulchers, which indeede appeare beautifull outward: but are within full of dead mens bones and of all filthines. Of the same kind is that righteousnes, which so often is reprehended of God in the Scriptures by the Prophets, for whom the mouth of one spea∣keth; This people honoureth me with their mouth,* 1.3 and glorifieth me with their lips: but their hart is farre from me, and the feare which they haue vnto me, proceedeth of a commaundement that is taught of men,* 1.4 but they haue despised my law. And in another place; Why offer ye so many sacrifices vnto me, sayth the Lord? I am full of the burnt offerings of vveathers, and of the fatnes of fed beasts, I haue no pleasure in the blood of bullocks, lambs, and goates. Offer me no moe oblations, for it is but lost labour: Incense is an abhominable thing vnto me, I may not away with your new moones, your Sabaoths, and solemne meetings, your solemne assemblies are wicked. I hate your new moones, and appointed feasts euen from my very hart, they make me weary, I cannot abide them.
What meaneth this? vvhat doth God condemne, that he ap∣poynted, and expresly commaunded; especially seeing that they be the acts of the noblest vertue, which we call Religion: whose proper function and duty is to worship God with the seruice of adoration, and Religion? No certainly: but he con∣demneth the men, that contenting themselues with those exter∣nall ceremonies, had no regard nor care of true righteousnes, and the feare of the Lord, as forth-with he declareth, saying; Wash you, make you cleane, put away your euill thoughts out of my sight: cease from doing of euill, learne to doe well, apply your selues to equity, deliuer the oppressed, helpe the fatherles to his right, let the
widdowes complaine come before you: And then goe to, sayth the Lord, let vs talke together: though your sinnes be as red as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow: and though they were like purple, they shall be as white as wooll. In another place he repeateth the same thing, and that with greater vehemency: He that slayeth, sayth he,* 1.5 an Oxe for me, doth me so great dishonour, as he that killeth a man: he that killeth a sheepe for me, knetcheth a dogge: hee that bringeth me meate offerings, offereth swines blood: who so maketh me a memoriall of incense, prayseth the thing that is vnright. O Lord, whence comes this? vvhy are they now abhominable and vild in thine eyes, which in times past thou didst ordaine and commaund? Presently after he addeth the reason saying; These haue they done according to their owne wayes, and their soule deligh∣teth in these abhominations. Thou seest therefore, my brother, in what base account those outward works are with God without this inward foundation. Of these outward works he saith thus by another Prophet; Though yee offer me whole burnt offerings, and meate offerings,* 1.6 I will not accept them, neyther will I regard the peace offering of your fat beasts. Take thou away from me the mul∣titude of thy songs, for I will not heare the melody of thy Vials. And in another place with greater vehemency;* 1.7 And I will, sayth he, cast dung on your faces, euen the dung of your solemne feasts.
What neede we moe words to vnderstand how little these externall works doe profit, although very excellent, if that foun∣dation of righteousnes be wanting, which consisteth in the loue and feare of God, and in the hatred of sinne? But if any shall aske me, why GOD doth so greatly condemne this worship, comparing the sacrifices to murthers, and the incense to idola∣try, calling the singing of Psalmes iangling, and their solemni∣ties dung? I aunswere, because besides that such works are not acceptable,* 1.8 wanting the foundation, of which we spake a little before; many also hence take an occasion to be proud, to pre∣sume great matters of themselues, and to despise others, because they doe not like them: and that which is worser, at length they come into a false security, which ariseth from this counterfeit righteousnes: and this is the greatest danger, that meeteth with men in this life: for they being lulled a sleepe with this vaine se∣curity, doe not study, nor striue to compasse those things they
want, and which are of greater waight. I would not that thou shouldest credite me, reade that which the Gospell speaketh of the prayer of the Pharisey, who praying sayd; God I thanke thee, that I am not as other men are,* 1.9 extortioners, vniust, adulterers, or as this Public••ne. I fast twice in the weeke, I giue tithe of all that I possesse. Thou seest heere how plainly those three most dange∣rous rocks are discouered, of which we spake a little before. Presumption, when he sayth; I am not as other men: Contempt of others, when he sayth; As this Publicane: False security, when he giueth thanks to God for the condition and quality of his life he led: supposing that by it he was safe and secure, ney∣ther that he had any cause to feare. Hence it is, that they that are iust and righteous after this manner, doe runne into most dangerous hipocrisie. For we are to note in this place, that there are two kinds of hipocrisie:* 1.10 one is open and vild, as that is in them, whose wickednes is publique and knowne to many, and yet neuertheles in outward conuersation they pretend great sanctity, that they may deceaue the people. The other is more subtill and more secret, by which a man doth not onely deceaue another, but also himselfe: which kind of hipocrisie was in that Pharisey, who not onely deceaued other men, but also himselfe: for when he was the worst, he would haue beene thought the best. Of this hipocrisie the Wise-man speaketh; There is a way which seemeth right vnto a man:* 1.11 but the end thereof are the wayes of death. And in another place among the foure kinds of euils, he reckoneth vp this also, saying; There is a generation that cur∣seth their father,* 1.12 and doth not blesse their mother. There is a gene∣ration that thinke themselues cleane, and yet is not clensed from their filthines. There is a generation that hath a proud looke, and doth cast vp their eye lids. There is a generation whose teeth are as swords, and their iawes as kniues, to deuoure the poore from of the earth, and the needy from among men. Salomon here rehearseth these foure conditions of men, as the most peruerse and pernicious of all, that are in the world: and amongst them he also putteth in this hipocrisie, of which we now speake, that is, when as most im∣pure men, as this Pharisey was, would be deemed pure and ho∣ly. The state of that man, that is entangled with this vice, is most dangerous. Certainly the euill is lesser, if a man be euill,
and would not be accounted good, then if he be vniust, and would be esteemed iust. For be it that a man be wicked, yet the knowledge of himselfe will be the beginning of his saluation. But when his wickednes is not knowne, and he although sicke, would be accounted sound and in health, what remedy or what medicine shall be applied to him? Therfore our Sauionr sayth to the Phariseis; The Publicanes and harlots shall enter into the kingdome of heauen before you.* 1.13 For Shall enter, the Greekes read, Doe enter in the present tense; and so that is more expresly de∣clared, which we would say. The same thing also those terrible & fearefull words of the Lord in the Reuelation doe most mani∣festly testifie;* 1.14 I would thou were hot or cold: but because thou art luke warme, & neȳther cold not hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth. What meaneth this? Why doth God wish that man were cold, and sayth that luke warme is in worser estate, then cold, seeing that luke warme is nearer vnto hot? I will tell thee what is the reason of this.* 1.15 He is hot, who by the fire of his charity, which he hath in himselfe, possesseth all vertues, as well internall as ex∣ternall: as we haue sayd before. On the contrary part he is cold, who by reason of the absence & want of charity, hath ney∣ther internall nor externall vertues. He is luke warme, who hath some externall vertues, but not any internall, no not a spark of charity. Therfore the Lord signifieth here, that he that is luke warme is in much worser estate, then he that is cold: not because he is burthened with moe sinnes, but because he is more hardly deliuered from them. For he is so much the more far∣ther of from remedy, by how much he thinketh himselfe more secure and freer from all euill: for from this superficiall righte∣ousnes (if I may so call it) which he hath, he taketh an occasion to beleeue that he is some body, when in truth he is no body. Wherfore the Lord expounding whom he had termed luke warme, addeth; Because thou sayest, I am rich, and encreased with goods, and haue neede of nothing: and knowest not how that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poore, and blind, and naked. Doe not these words liuely and in orient colours depaynt the image of the Pharisie, that sayd; God I thanke thee that I am not as other men are? Surely they do, for he thought in his hart that he was wealthy in spirituall riches; and therefore he gaue thanks to
God: but without doubt he was poore, blind, & naked: for he did not know his owne faults.
Now therfore we haue declared that there are two kinds of righteousnes, one true, and the other false and counterfeit; and how noble the excellency of the true is; and how the false is exposed to many and great dangers. Let no man think that the labour and time, which we haue bestowed vppon this demon∣stration, to haue been ill spent. For the holy Gospell, the purest doctrine of all the diuine Scriptures, and the most excellent, which as a glasse representeth the forme and rule of our life, ve∣ry often reprehendeth thys false and counterfeit righteousnes, and so doe the Prophets, as before we haue shewed. Therefore it was not meete, that we should cursorily runne ouer it, which so often is beate vpon in the Scriptures: especially seeing that all men for the most part, doe shun manifest dangers; as Ma∣riners, doe Rocks that show themselues;* 1.16 and here where there is such euidencie, lesse admonition will serue, but where the Rockes lie hid vnder the water, there is greater heede to be ta∣ken; and therfore they are marked in the Maps and Sea-cards of Sailers, that they may not rush vpon them at vnawares. Let no man deceiue himselfe in thys, saying that then this doctrine was more copiously to be discoursed of, when this vice did raigne more spaciously and largely in the world: but now there is no need of it, because thys sinne is vnusuall, and vnfrequen∣ted. For I thinke that the world hath continued alwaies in the same estate:* 1.17 for there are, and alwaies haue beene, men of the same nature, and of the same inclination, conceaued in the same originall sinne, which is the fountaine of all sinnes, and therfore alwaies produceth like effects.
And because there is so great likenes and similitude in the causes of euils, it followeth of necessary consequence, that the like should be in the effects. Therefore the same vices, which were then in the men of this and that condition, are now also, although perhaps the names be some-what changed: as the Comedies of Plautus & Terence, are at thys day the very same Comedies,* 1.18 which they were a thousand yeres agoe, albeit, the persons, that then acted them, be changed. Therefore, as that rude and carnall people, did thinke that then they did especially
please GOD, when they did offer such sacrifices, and did fast after that manner, and did celebrate such feasts according to the letter, and not according to the spirit: so also now in our time, there are many Christians, which euery Sabaoth, and at all occa∣sions frequent the Church, who are called very good Church∣men, and doe run from sermon to sermon, and performe such like things, and that well. But in the meane-time theyr desires are so full of vaine-glory, they so gape after honors and riches; and are so desirous of reuenge, as any other that neuer obser∣ueth any such thing. They remember not what theyr professi∣on requireth, they haue no care of theyr neighbours good, they perseuere in hatred, and passions, they maintaine theyr honour with tooth and nayle, they will not humble themselues, to giue reuerence & place vnto others, no not for the rule of the whole world.
Moreouer, there are others that disdaine to confer and enter talke with theyr neighbour, for euery small trifling cause: and there are others, that eyther doe not, or very vnwillingly and grudgingly doe satisfie their Creditors: much lesse pay the wa∣ges due vnto theyr painfull seruants and hirelings: and if per∣haps they be wronged in the least title of theyr honor, or riches, or such like things, good Lord, what hurly burleys doo they raise? Many of thē that are most liberall in pouring forth long prayers, and very prodigall in discoursing Scripture matters, of∣tentimes are exceeding miserable and very niggards in giuing almes, and helping theyr needy neighbours. Many of them hold vp theyr hands to heauen, and in the villany of theyr de∣ceitfull hypocrisie, turne vp the white of theyr eyes in theyr prayers, as though they were rauished with the heauenlinesse of theyr meditations, when theyr harts are sette vppon mischiefe, being full of hatred, bitternes, and selfe-conceited singularitie. There are others that will not eate flesh in Lent, & vpon dayes prohibited, not for any thing, no not for a thousand pound: neuerthelesse, they mutter, murmurre, and repine without any feare of GOD, and most cruelly cut the throates of theyr neighbours, by enhancing of rents, by taking vnmerciful fines, and by other extortions, so that they grinde theyr faces, & make their lifes irkesome vnto them. So that there be some that count
it a religion, and make very holy of it to eate the flesh of crea∣tures permitted of God for the foode of man; but they make no bones of it to eate vp and deuoure the flesh of men, and to ridde them, like cruell Caniballs, out of theyr lifes; then the which thing I know not whether any thing is more strictly for∣bidden of God. And yet the welfare of our neighbour, the ten∣dering of his fame and honour, are one of the especiall matters, of which we shall render an exact account vnto God, of which those men are not much carefull, which greatly account of o∣thers things, which in the truth of the matter are much lesse.
There is not any body that can denie, but that these & such like things, doe daily raigne among Clergie & Laiety, among all sorts of people. Therefore, seeing that thys euill is so vniuer∣sall, it were needfull that wee should deliuer men from so great errors, by propounding vnto them sound instructions, and by prescribing wholsome admonitions; especially seeing that they whose duty and function it is, doe it not. But that the Christi∣an Reader may hence suck greater commodity, and that he may not swallow poyson in stead of a medicine, it is needfull before all things, that he know the pulse and vaine of his owne disposi∣tion and inclination, that he know of what spirit he is, that hee may learne what his minde is most chiefely bent and inclined to. For there are certaine generall doctrines, which are profitable for all in generall, & for euery one in particuler; as are the pre∣cepts of Charity, Humility, Patience, and such like. There are others more speciall, which doe so profit some, that they are not fit for all. For example: There is one very scrupulous, his con∣science is to be enlarged. On the otherside, there is another, whose conscience retcheth like Cheuerill, that hath a large con∣science, his is to be restrayned and brideled: to those that are faynt-harted and doe despaire, the diuine mercy is to be prea∣ched: but to those, that be head-strong, stifenecked, secure & presumptuous, the diuine iustice is to be denounced, and so we may say of the rest, according to the counsell of Ecclesiasticus, saying; With a man irreligious, talke of religion, with an vniust man of iustice:* 1.19 and with a woman of those shee is iealous of: with a fearefull man of warre, with an enuious man of thanks-giuing, with a wicked man of godlines, and with an vnhonest man of honesty, &c.
Seeing therfore that there are two kindes of men, certaine of which doe more apply themselues to inward vertues, neuer ca∣ring for the outward, nor much esteeming them: others so loue the outward, and are so studious of them, that they neglect the inward: therefore these are to be perswaded vnto them, and the other vnto others, that by this meanes their humors may be reduced to a due proportion. For which cause wee also haue so tempered our stile, that wee haue seated euery one in his due place: by extolling the greater without preiudice of the lesser, and by depressing the lesser, that they may not preiudice the greater: that by this meanes wee may be altogether secure and safe from those two most dangerous Rockes, being by great in∣dustry taught and warned, how we may eschew them: one of these is, so much to esteeme internall exercises, that we neglect externall: the other is, so to account of externall, that we omit the internall: especiall, the feare of the Lord, and hatred of sin. Therefore the summe of thys whole busines is, to haue deepe rooting in the feare of the Lord, so that we feare at the onely name of sinne. He that hath this firme and stedfast roote fixed in his soule, he may be called happy, and vpon this foundation he may builde what he will. But he that is easily induced to cō∣mit sinne, let him assuredly knowe, that hee is most miserable, blinde, and most vnhappy, although he hath all the colourable paintings of sanctitie, that are in the world.
A two-fold righteous∣nes.
Math. 23.
••say, 29.
Esay, 1.
Esay, 66.
Amos, 5.
Mal. 2.
What euils doe arise from this false righ∣teousnes.
Luke, 18.
Two kinds of hipo∣crisie.
Prou. 14.
Prou. 30.
Math. 21.
Apoc. 3.
who is hot, cold, and luke warme
A simili∣tude.
The world hath alwais been set vp∣on mis∣chiefe.
A simili∣tude.
Ecclus, 37,