XXX sermons lately preached at the parish church of Saint Mary Magdalen Milkstreet, London to which is annexed, A sermon preached at the funerall of George Whitmore, Knight, sometime Lord Mayor of the City / by Anthony Farindon.

THE SEVENTEENTH SERMON.

GAL. 1.10. The last part of the Verse.

For do I now perswade men or Gods? or do I seek to please men? For if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

WHich words admit a double sense, but not con∣trary; for the one is virtually included in the other; as first, If I should yet do as I did, when I was a Jew, seek to please men, and to gain re∣pute, and honour, and wealth, fit my Doctrine to their corrupt disposition, I should never have entred into Christs service, which sets me up as it were, in opposition to the world, and the counsels of the world, and so layes me open to scorn, and hatred, to misery, and poverty.

Or more plainly this; If being an Apostle of Christ, I should yet

please men; attemper my Doctrine to their taste and relish, what∣soever I call my self, yet certainly, I shall in no degree approve my self, to be the servant of Christ.

And in this sense, if you view the form and manner of the words, they are at the first found, but a meer supposition of S. Pauls; but if we hear them again, and well observe and consider them, we shal find them to bea satyre, and bitter reprehension of those false Apostles, who did mingle and confound Christ and the Law; and all those who shall leave the truth behinde them, to meet and comply with the humours of men; I say, a plain and flat redargution, but clothed in the Garment and ••abit of a Hyothetical proposition, Nobis non licet esse sic disertis. It is not for us Latins to be thus elegant; the Latine Poer speakes it of himself, but indeed lasheth that too much liberty, which the Greeks assumed to themselves; and si adhuc placerem, if I yet pleased men, is as a finger pointing out to the false Doctors, who were pleasers of men.

Again, as it is an artisicial reprehension, so if you shall please to look upon it intentively, you shall finde it to be a rale and precept. For as some commentators on Aristotle have observed, that his rule many times is contained, and lies hid in the example and instance which he brings; as when he gives you the instance of a magnificent man, you shall there easily discover the face and beauty, and full proportion of magnificence, so what Saint Paul, speaking of him∣self, laies down as a supposition, is indeed a rule and precept. And this which hath been observed of Aristotle, is the constant method of the holy Ghost, that which is brought for instance, is a precept, when Josuah speakes of himself, I, and my houshold will serve the Lord, he draws the character of a good Master of a Family. When Job saies; I put on righteousnesse, and it cloathed me, he fitteth a robe for a good Magistrate; when David saith, I watered my Couch with my tears, he hath presented us with the most lively picture of a Penitentiary; my meat is to do the work of him that sent me, are the words of our Sa∣viour in Saint Iohns Gospel, and as they lie, seem to be but a bare Narration, but they are a command, and speak in effect thus much unto us, that as to him it was, so to us it must be even meat and drink to do the will of our Father which is in Heaven. And here, si adhuc placerem, if yet I pleased men, I were not the servant of Christ, Saint Paul speaks it of himself, but it is a command given to all those, who have given up their name unto Christ, and every man may make this deduction to himself, that to please men and serve Christ are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, are incompatible, and cannot stand together; that the best way to keep Christs livery on our

backs, is not so much to be slaves unto men, as to please them.

And then, these three things are wrapt up in this supposition. First, our Apostles purgation of himself; that he is none. Second∣ly, a sharp reprehension of Men-pleasers. Thirdly, a flat command a∣gainst it.

Or thus: here is somthing implied, and somthing plain and posi∣tive; that which is implied is, that most men are willing to be pleased; that which is plain and positive, is, that there be others, that will be too ready to please them. And then the parts will be three. 1. We shall discover the humour, the desire of being pleased, and the danger of it. 2. A humour, which is ready to meet, and an∣swer this; an art, and readinesse of pleasing others, of knowing their taste and palate, and dishing out their instructions with such sawces which shall delight them; in making their addresses to them in that shape, and posture, which they most love to look upon, and are ready to welcome and reward; and cast off all the Huge distance, and inconsistency which is between these two, the plea∣sing of men, and the being a servant of Christ, and of these we shall speak plainly in their order.

si adhuc placerem; if I yet plea∣sed men &c.

And first we need not doubt, that most men desire to be pleased, and it may seem a needlesse labour to go about to prove it, for do but whisper, do but breath against their humour, and you have made a demonstration, that it is so. Saint Paul indeed makes it his wonder at the 6. v. miror quod tam citò, I wonder that you are so soon removed; and we might well wonder at his wonder, but that his miror carries with it more of reproof then admiration; for the con∣sideration of this humour, this desire to be pleased takes off our ad∣miration, and when we have discovered this, we cease to wonder, into a barren soile, from the Gospel of Christ, which bringeth salvation, but withall trouble to the flesh, to another Gospel, which is no Gospel, but excludeth both; in a word, to see men begin in the spirit, and end in the flesh Omnis rei displicentis etiam opinio reprobatur, saith Tert. The very thought of that, which displeases us, displea∣ses us almost as much as the thing it self; for indeed it is nothing but thought that troubles us, and it is not the matter or substance of truth, but opinion, and our private humour which makes truth

such a bitter pill, that we cannot take it down. It was the usu∣al speech of Alexander the great to his Master Aristotle, Doce me facilia; leave, I pray you, your knotty and intricate discourses, and teach me those things which are easy, which the understanding may not labour under; but such as it may receive with delight: and it is so with us in the study of that art of arts, which alone can make us both wise and happy, we love not duros Sermones, those hard and harsh lessons which discipline the flesh, and bring it into subjection, and demolish those strong holds, which it hath set up, and in which it trusteth; a Parasite is more welcome to us, then a Prophet: he is our Apostle, who will bring those familiar and beloved arguments to perswade us to that, to which we have perswaded our selves already, and further our motion to that, to which we are flying; we finde almost the parallel in the 30. of Esai. 10. v. of those, who say to the Seers, see not; loquimini placen∣tia, Prophesie not unto us right things, but Prophesie deceits, men who had rather be cosen'd with a pleasing lie, then saved with a frown∣ing and threatning truth, rather be wounded to death with a kisse, then be rowsed with noise, rather die in a pleasant dream, then be awaked to see the pit opening her mouth, and even speaking to them to fly, and save themselves from destru∣ction.

I am appeal to your eye, and tender you that, which your ob∣servation must needs have taken up before, both at home in your selves, and abroad in others; for he that doth but open his eyes, and look into the world; will soon conceive it as a common stage, where every man treads his measures for approbation, and applause; where every man acts his part, walks as a Parasite to himself; and all men one to another: that is, do the same, which the Israelites did after the molten Calf, slay every man his brother, and every man his Neighbour, and every man his Companion, every man be∣ing a ready executioner in this kinde, and every man ready, and willing to die. We will therefore in the next place, search this evil humour, this desire of being pleased, and we shall be the willinger to be purged of it, if either we consider the causes from which it proceeds, or the bitter effects, which it produceth.

And First: It hath no better Originall, then Defect, then a wilfull, and negligent fayling in those Duties, to which Nature and Religi∣on hath obliged us; a leannesse and emptinesse of the soul, which not willing to fill it self with Righteousnesse, fills it self with Aire, with false counsells, and false attestations, with miserable comforts: In time of necessity, when we have nothing to eate, we fall too with the Prodigall, and fill our Belly with husks. The wicked flie when none pursueth. Prov. 28.1. fly from themselves to others, and

from others to themselves; chide themselves, and flatter themselves, are troubled and soon at rest, fly to the Rule, which condemns them, to absolve them, and suborne one Text, to infringe and o∣verthrow another, as he that hath no good Title, is bold on a false one. Citò nobis placemus; It is a thing soon done, and it requires no labour nor study to be pleased: we desire it as sick men doe Health, as Prisoners doe Liberty, as men on the rack doe Ease; for a trou∣bled spirit is an ill disease; not to have our will is the worst Impri∣sonment, his choice, is to put himself upon the rack. We may see it in our civill affaires, and matters of lesser allay: when any thing lyes upon us as a burden, how willing are wee to cast it off? How doe we strive to pluck the sting out of every serpent, that may bite us? how do we study to work out the venom out of the worst of evills? when we are poore, we dreame of Riches, and make up that, which is not, with that which may be: when we have no House to hide our heads, we build a Palace in the Aire: when we are sick, This thought turnes our bed, That we may recover; and if the Physitian cannot heale us, yet his very name is to us as a promise of Health: we are unwilling to suffer, but we are willing, nay, desirous to be ea∣sed, as Basil tells us of young men, that when they are alone, or in some solitary place 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, they feigne unto themselves strange Chimeras, suppose themselves Lords of Countreys, and favourites of Kings, and which is yet more, though they know all this to be but fancy, and a Lye, yet please themselves in it, as if it were true indeed. We all are like Ari∣stotles young man 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, full of Hope, and when there is no Doore of hope left, we make one. And so it falls out in the mana∣ging of our spirituall estate, we doe as the Apostle exhorts (though not to this end) cast away every Thing, that presseth down, but so cast it away, as to leave it heavier then before, preferr a momenta∣ry ease, which we begg, or borrow, or force from Things without us, before that Peace, which nothing can bring in, but that griefe, and serious Repentance, which we put off with hands and words, as as a Thin irksome, and unpleasing; For could we be sick, we might be well; did not we love our disease, we might shake it off; but we are sick, and will be so; there is something wanting, and a supply is our shame, being an Argument of that defect, which we are unwilling to acknowledge, a Physitian doth but upbraid us, and selves in our Disease, as in health it self, and had rather languish and Dye, then be told we are sick.

And this (in the Second place) proceeds even from the force and power of Conscience within us, which, if we will not hearken to it as a Friend, will Turne Fury, and pursue and lash us, and if we

will not obey her Dictates, will make her feele her whip. This is our Judge, and our Executioner; It whips the sluggard, stones the Adulterer, Hangs and quarters the Traytor, blows upon the mi∣sers store, and makes the lips of the Harlot bite like a Cockatrice; whither shall they goe from her spirit, and power? whither shall they fly from her presence? the Philosopher will tell us, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, they fly from themselves, yet carry themselves about with them whithersoever they goe. Now every thing that is oppressed, doth naturally desire ease, and so doe they, and finding it a labori∣ous thing to quiet the Conscience, which cannot be done but by yeelding and bowing our backs to her whip, and running from our selves, from those sinnes, which pleased our sense, but enraged our Conscience; we seek out many inventions, and advance our sinnes against her, till they prevail, and even put her to silence. For in evill men, the worst part doth the office of the better, corrupts the Records, mitigates the sentence, pronounceth life in Death: The sensuall part is their Conscience, their God, it bids them doe this, and they doe it, and when it is done, is a ready Advocate to plead for it, and defend it; It conceives and brings forth the Monster, and then gives it what name it please: It was a crying sinne; It hath now lost its voice; It was uncleanness, it is now frailty; It was trea∣son, it is now the love of our Countrey; It was perjury, It is now prudence; Riches commend Covetousnesse, bonor Treason, plea∣sure wantonness: That which begets sinne, nurseth it up, till it grow up to strength to oppose it self to Conscience, and degrade, and put her from her Office, and bring in a Thousand sorry excuses to take her place; in the midst of which she cannot be heard; not heard a∣gainst Riches, whose Sophistry is preferred before her Demon∣strations; not heard against Beauty, which bewitches us, and makes us fooles; not heard against Honor, which lifteth us up so high, that we cannot heare her; not heard against Power, which is the greatest parasite in the world, and calls in a world of Parasites to bow before us, and blesse us in the Name of the Lord; and thus we are first pleased to sinne and then are easily pleased in it; wee are in danger, and will not know it, and when the God of Israel is angry, heare what the God of Ekron will say: In a word; we raise a storme in our selves, and whistle it downe; we wound our selves, and skinn it over, we are too soon troubled, and too soon eas'd, and might recover, were not our remedy more fatall then our Di∣sease.

Thus you see this humour of being pleased is very predominant in most men; and in the Third place, as it proceeds from the power and force of Conscience, which will speak if she may be Heard, and doth speake, even when she is not heard, so it doth from the lustre and Glory of Piety and holinesse, which spreads her Beames, and

darts her Light in the very face of them, who have proscrib'd her, sent her a Bill of divorce, and put her away, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, for goodnesse is equally venerable to all men, and not onely Good men speak well of her, but her enemies praise her in the gates; who is so evill, that he is willing to goe under that Name? How angry will a Strumpet be, if you call her so? Call a Pharisee a Hypocrite, and he will thrust you out of the Synagogue. Though I bow downe before an Image, yet I am not an Idolater; though I break the bonds of Peace, yet I am not factious. Though I never have enough, yet I am not covetous; I am not evill, though I doe those Things, for which we justly call men so. Our rule here is quite contrary to that known and received Axiome of the world, Malo me divitem esse, quam haberi; In the managing of our worldly affaires, we had rather be rich, then be accounted so, but in the course of our Religion, we are rich enough, we are good enough, if we have but the name that we are so; we are good enough, if none dare call us evill.

And thus it is both in the Errours of our understanding, and of our will: In the one we think it better to pretend to knowledge, and rest our selves in that, then to be taught to alter our mind, malumus didicisse, quam discere, That we know something already, is our glo∣ry, but to submit our selves to Instruction, is an Argument of Im∣perfection; and therefore we account it a punishment to be Taught; And this is the reason, why so few have retracted their Errors, but rather stoutly defended them, even a loathness to seem to have er∣red, which mightily reignes in most men but especially in all preten∣ders unto knowledge; Nature it self having annexed a shame un∣to these two above all other Things, which Naturally befall us, Lust and Ignorance; for as the Italian Proverb is, A Learned Fool will be a fool ever.

And so it is in the other; In the practick errors of our life, wee would not know our selves, nor have others know that we have done any thing amisse; qui apponit scientiam, apponit dolorem, he that increaseth Knowledge, increaseth sorrow: for when the knowledge of the Truth incites us to follow after it, and the force of Custome draws us back, we are as it were, at warre, and divided in our selves, our motion is unquiet, as the bounding of a heady Steed, with the bit in his mouth; we are in our own way, and impatient of a Check; and we hate those Counsellors which are willing to be eyes to us, and lead us out of Danger. Tell a heretick, he is so: He will Ana∣thematize you. Tell a Schismatick he is so; he will fly from you, as from the Plague. Tell a persecuter, he is so, and he will rage more, and make it good upon your self, deny it, and yet make it too manifest, That he is so. For the will of man loves the channel, which it hath chosen, and would runne on smoothly, and evenly without

Interruption, but when it meets with any stop, or bank, it begins to rage and foame, and cast up mire and dirt in their faces, who do attempt to stop its course, volumus errare, we will erre, and he is an Enemy, that tell us the truth, volumus peccare, we will sinne, but he that tells the Sinner, Thou art the man, shall not be received as a Prophet, but be defied, as an Adversary: Sinne is of a Monstrous appearance, who can stand before it? and therefore we either cloud and hide it with an excuse, or dresse it up in the mantle of Virtue, in the Habit, and Beauty of Holiness, as Pompey, to commend the Theater, which he built, call'd it a Temple.

And these are the causes which beget and nurse up this evill Hu∣mour in us; This desire to be pleased; this unwillingnesse to be Trou∣bled, though it be to be pluckt out of the fire. 1. A defect in our selves, cannot fill up with righteousness, we doe with the shadow of it; Se∣condly, The Power of Conscience, which when we cannot quiet, we slumber, and cast into a deep sleep; and lastly: the Glory and Beauty of Goodness, which forceth from us, though not a Complacency, yet an approbation, and makes them lay claime unto her, who have violently Thrust her out of doores. He that loves to erre, loves not to be told so; He that is not righteous, will Justify himself, and the worst of men desire to beare up their Head and Esteem with the best.

Let us now see the danger of this Humour, and the bitter effects it doth pro∣duce.

And first, This desire to be pleased placeth us out of all hope of succour, leaves us like an Army besieged, when the Enemy hath cut off all relief. It is a curse it self, and carries a train of curses with it; it makes us blinde to our selves, and not fit to make use of other mens eyes; it maketh our raine, powder and dust, Deut. 28. corrupts all that Counsel and instruction, which as moisture should make us fruitful, it makes us like to the Idols of the Heathen, to have eyes and see not, to have ears, and not to hear; living dead men, such as those to whom the Pythagoreans set up a Sepulchral Pillar; such as Plato sayes do 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 sleep in Hell; men made up of contradictions; in health, and therfore desperatly sick; strong and therefore weak, and never more fools, then when they are most wise; plus quàm oportet sapiunt, & plus quàm dici po∣test desipiunt, saith Bernard; they are wiser then they should be, and more deceived then we can expresse. Look on the Galatians, in this Epistle, and you shal see how this humour did bewitch them,

and what fools it made them, They had received the spirit by the hear∣ing of faith, but this spirit did shake and trouble them, frowned upon that, which they too much inclined to, and therefore they turn the ear from Saint Paul, and opend it to let in the poyson of Aspes, which the lips of those false Apostles carried under them, and for no other reason, but because they did 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 C. 6. v. 12. make a fair shew in the flesh, make them put on the form and shape of a Jew, to avoid the fury of the Roman, who did then tolerate the Jew, but not the Christian, and how many have we now adayes, who do Galatizari, as Tertullians phrase is, who are as foolish as the Galatians? and make this humour the onely rule, by which they frame and measure out their Religion? who make it as their Mistris, and love it most then when it is exploded? who will hear to teacher, but that Pharisee, who hath made them his Proselytes? Every man is pleased in his Religion, and that is his Religion, which pleaseth him; that he will relie upon, and Ana∣thema to Saint Paul, or any Angel, that shall preach any other Gospel but that. Our two Tables are not written with the finger of God, our Religion is not framed in the Mount, but here below, in the Region of Phantasmes by flesh and blood, which must not be despleased, but swells against every thing, that doth not touch it gently and flater it, and so makes us like to the beasts that pe∣rish, who have no principle of motion, but their sense; nay, worse then they, for they have no reason, but we have reason in∣deed, sed quae suo malo est, atque in perversum solers, but which is made instrumental against it self, taught to promote that, which it condemns, to forward that which it forbids, and serves onely to make us more unreasonable.

For again, in the second place, this humour, this desire to be plea∣sed doth not make up our defects, but makes them greater; doth not make vice a vertue, but sin more sinful, for he is a villain in∣deed, that will be a villain, and yet be thought a Saint; such a one as God will spue out of his mouth. And what is it to acknow∣ledge no defect, and to be worse and worse? to feign a Paradise and be in Hell? to have a name that we live, and to be dead? and what content is that, which is more mortal, then our selves, and will soon end, and end in weeping and lamentation? Better, far better, were it, that a sword did passe through our heart; that the hidden things of darknesse were brought to light, and the coun∣sels of our heart made manifest to us, then that it should be dead as a stone, senslesse of its plague; better we were tormented into health, then t hat we should thus play and smile, and laugh our selves into our graves look to upon those sons of Anack, those Gi∣antlike sinners against their God, who have bound up the Law, and sealed up the testimony, which is against them; who will do what

they please, and hear what they please, and nothing else, who deal with the Scripture as Caligula boasted he would with the Civil Law of the Romans, take care ne quid praeter eos loquitur, that it shall not speak at all, or not any thing against them; look upon them; I forget my self, for I fear we look upon them so long, till our eyes dazle at the sight, and we begin to think, that is not truth, which these men will not hear; but yet look upon them, not with an eye of flesh, but that of faith, an Evangelical eye, and it will rather drop then dazle; pitty then admire them. Oh infaelices, quibus licet pecca∣re, Oh most unhappy men of the World, who have line and liberty to destroy themselves, whom God permits to be evil (as in wisdom he may) and then in justice permits to defend it, whose Chariot wheels he strikes not off, 'till they are in the Red-sea, whom he suffers, when they would not hearken to his voice, to be smo∣thered to death with their own power, and the breath and ap∣plause of fooles; Oh 'tis the heaviest judgement in the world not to feel, and fear a judgement till it come. It may be said perhaps, what in all ages hath been said, and not without mur mur and com∣plaining, Behold these are the wicked, yet they prosper in their wayes; their pride compasseth them about as with a chain, their violence covereth them as with a garment, they feel no pangs, no throws, have no luctati∣ons, no struglings within them: they call themselves the children of the most High; and what evil can be to him that feels is not? what is Hell to him that is not sensible? but these are but the E∣bullitions, the breathings of flesh and blood, that sees no more of man, then his face and garment; for what seest thou? a pain∣ted Sepulchre, but thou doest not see the rotten bones within; thou seest Triumphs and Trophees without, but within are hor∣rour, and setench: thou seest the tree of life painted on the gates, open them, and there is fire and Brimstone, Hell and Damnation; thou hearest the tongue speak proud things, but thou seest not the worm, which gnaws within; all this Musick is but a Dirge sung at their Funerall, their joy but an Abortive, and an untimely Birth begat by pleasure, by power and wealth, a shadow cast from outward contentments, and when these depart, this joy pe∣risheth.

For in the third pleace; This humour, this desire to be pleased, doth not take the whip from Conscience, but enrageth her, layes her asleep to awake with more terrour. For conscience may be seared indeed, but cannot be abolisht, may sleep, but cannot die, but is as immortal as the soul it self. Conscience follows our know∣ledge, and it is mpossible to be ignorant of that, which I cannot but know; tis not conscience, but our lusts that make the Musick; for in the common and known duties of our lives, conscience doth not, cannot mislead us; whose conscience ever told him, that

Murder, or treason were virtuous? but our lust having conceived and brought forth sin, licks and shapes it to the best advantage; he that is taken in Adultery, will not say that Adultery is no sin; but that flesh was weak, and beauty importunate, saith Hilary; he that revenges will look more on the foulnesse of the injury, then the irregularity, and exorbitancy of his wrath; he that troubles the peace of Israel will make necessity his plea, or say, he troubles none but those that trouble Israel, and thus conscience may be supprest, but not totally, and for a time, but not for ever: it may be slumbered by diversion of the mind from trouble some thoughts, by immersing it in pleasures and delights, by the lullabies of Pa∣rasites and false Prophets, and so be in a manner held down by the weight of the flesh; But still it is not dead, but sleepeth; and then when these are removed, when pleasure shall turn her back, and worse side, when the false Prophets are dumb, when the flesh hath a thorn in it, will awake as a Giant out of wine, and be more Active and Clamorous then before, call in thy power, thy honour, subborn the the pleasures of the world to make thy peace; seek out some cunning Artist, who can teach what a Philosopher once profest 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 an Art of indolency, a way to be free from pain and grief; when thy conscience urgeth one place of Scripture, do thou answer it with another; when the letter killeth, do thou put life into it with a glosse, and when it puts thee to trouble, do thou strive to put it to silence, yet consci∣ence will be conscience still, and keep her sting, and bite and wound thee deeper yet; For to seek remedy against the gnawings of the conscience, from these outward formalities and flatteries, is to strive to take away grief with that, which is the cause of it, to de∣stroy it with that which begets it, to diminish it with that which increaseth it, and to cure a wound with poyson; what though we have some pause and ease? we can have no Holy-day, but what we make our selves, and that will make our other dayes more black and dismal; for that ease which I forced and gave my self, doth but multiply my pain and leave it to return upon me a∣gain with violence and advantage: nay, our conscience doth not stay so long, but many times layes hold on us in a triumph, in all our state and glory, and in our clearest day will break through all those Bulwarks which we have set up against her, and sieze upon us, when we shall say, we shall never be moved, will shake us, when we say Tush God doth not see, will strike through our loins, and when we plead, conscience will tell us we lie. When we breath nothing but spirit, will pronounce us most carnal Hy∣pocrites; will be as the finger on the wall, when we are quaff∣ing in the vessels of the Sanctuary, you will say, but who sees it? why, the king, the Sacrilegious kind saw it, who was guilty. For who can feel the sting of another mans conscience? and it is no

good argument to say, we do not see it, and therefore it is not done: for what close offender will publish the sorrow of his heart? who will tell you what stripes he feels, who is resolved to cleave fast to that, for which he is beaten? He whose wayes tend to death, when he makes most hast, and even feels himself falling in, yet wil not tell you he is going into Hell. And this is the sad condition of all those, who will, who must be pleased, who will heare nothing that is contrary to them, that is, nothing that may help them; who are devils to themselves, and help the Tempter to overthrow them, who never acknowledge a disease til it be incurable, never see them∣selves but in Hell, never feel any pain, till it be eternal.

The second Part.

We proceed now to lay forth the other evil humour of pleasing men, which is more visible and eminent in the Text. And indeed, to desire to be pleased, and to be ready to please 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 saith Isidor Pelusiot, to flatter, and to be flattered bear that neer relation the one to the other, that we never meet them asun∣der. It is the Devils net, in which he catcheth two at once, if there be an itching ear, you cannot misse, but you shall find a flater∣ing tongue: if the king of Sicily delight in Geometry, the whole Court shall swarm with Mathematicians, if Nero be lascivious, his pallace shall be turned into a stew or Brothel-house, or worse; Non deerit Alexandro talia concupiscenti pernitiosa adulatio, saith Cur∣tius. Alexander that loved to be flattered had Parasites enough. If the Donatists be factious, ther will be a Primianus and a Maxi∣minianus to lead them, accedit dignum patellâ operculum, as Saint Hierom applies this proverb to this very purpose; these dishes that will receive nothing but juncats, shall finde covers to fit them. And if we look into the world, and see how men every day change with the fashion of the world, alter their notes and turn them to the times, what Echo's they are, when power speaks; if we turn over those multitude of Pamphlets, which for the most part are nothing else but the monuments of mens flattery and base conde∣scendency (for what error yet hath shewn so foul a face, as not to finde a patron?) If we consider what mountebanks we have in Divinity, as well as in Physick, who seek not men, but theirs, and not to cure their souls, but their own poverty, we shall find reason enough to be jealous, that there hath been a kinde of conspi∣racy made to meet and satisfie this so inordinate and pernitious desire, and to betray the of truth of Christ to this soul and loath∣some humor.

We must enquire then, what it is to please men, and from whence

it proceeds, that men, who naturally love to be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, to to be eminent above their Brethren, can work themselves to this Basenesse, as to fall down and lick the dust of their feet, and help them to destroy themselves, to the Ruine of Both; for both he that makes the Musick, and he that heares it, fall together into the same Hell, to howl forever.

And first, we must not Imagine, That Saint Paul doth bring in here a Cynicall Morosity, or a Nabal-like Churlishness, That none may speake to us, and we speake nothing but swords, That we should make a noise like a Dogge, and so goe round about the City; That we should be as Thornes in ou Brethrens sides, ever pricking and gauling them, That we should, as Appius in Livy, accusatoriam vitam ducere, breath nothing but rayling accusations, nothing but what may strike them with feare, or cast them down with sorrow, or raise their anger, and Indignation. No, Saint Paul was now no such rigid and morose Disciplinarian, for now he is an Apostle, and not a Persecuter, Manè lupus rapax Benjamin ad vesperam dividit escam, Ananiae ovi submittens caput, He was as Benjamin, of whose tribe he was, a Ravening Wolfe, but now he bows down his head to Ana∣nias, who was a sheep, and of the flock of Christ, and breaths no∣thing but meekness. There is not a more pleasing, more Tractable, more plyable Creature in the world, then a Christian; If his Bro∣ther persecutes him, he is his Beadsman, and prayes for him; if he injure him; he is his Priest, and absolves him; if he erre, he is his Angel, to keep him in all his wayes, and bring him back; if he mourn, he puts on Sackcloath, and if he Rejoyce, He is one at the Feast; He appears not to him in any shape that may disquiet or trouble him, but as Esau did to Jacob, Gen. 33.10. That he may see his face, as if he saw the face of God himself. Read the 10. Chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians, the last verse, Even I, saith Saint Paul, please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, out the profit of many, That they may be saved. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 I please them, the same word which is in the Text, and in the Ninth Chapter of the same Epistle, at the 22 Verse, I am made all things to all men, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; I am made, I even frame and Fashion, and force my self to it, Though I am free, I make my self a servant, at the 19. Vers. I undergoe all the Humility, the Drudgery, the hardship of a servant; To the Jew I become a Jew, that I might gaine the Jew, and you have an example of it, Acts 21. verse 23, 24, 25. To those that are under the Law, as under the Law; to the Gentiles, who were not bound to Mases Law, as a Centile, to them that were without Law, as without Law, as we find Acts 17.22. a Christian Proteus, that wrought himself into any shape, which might bring advantage to them who beheld him; was a Jew to the Jew, to make him a Christian; to them that were without Law, as without Law, to confirm them in the Truth of the Gospel, to them

that were weak, as weak, to make them strong; as all Things to all men, not to fill his purse, but to gaine their soules, to cut off Cir∣cumcision by permitting Circumcision; to converse with the Gen∣tile, and passing by to throw down their Altar, by the Inscription; and by the unknowne, bring them to the knowledge of the living God; by being without the Law, bring the Gentile to the grace of the Gospel, and thus Cedendo vincere, by seeming to yeeld to over∣come. And this is not the pleasing of a parasite, but of an Apostle, and carefull Father, even that Discretion and Wisedome, which Quintilian commends in a School-master, whose Duty it is, non sta∣tim onerare infirmit atem discentium, sed temperare vires, not present∣ly to over burden the weak capacitie of Noviers, but to Temper and moderate his own strength, and consider not what he can teach, but what they can learne; with Jacob, to lead his Flock on softly, lest they Die.

Besides, The Act it self was not unlawfull because the Synagogue was indeed Dead, but not yet buried, but to be buried with Honor, and it was Judaeis factus tanquam, it was onely amongst the Jews; for what himself did amongst the Jews at Jerusalem, he reproves Saint Peter for doing it amongst the Gentiles at Antioch. Gal. 2.11,14. Ni∣hil Paulo indignum, quod efficit Deo credere, saith Hilary, That which brings a Jew or Gentile to Christ, may well become Saint Paul an Apostle of Christ, when we so please men, that we please God also, we cannot please them enough. But when the Case is otherwise, when the Truth and Honor of God were in hazard, then Saint Paul is in a manner Saul againe, and breaths forth threatnings and slaughter, He strikes Elymas the Sorcerer Blind; Delivers up the Incestnous Corinthian to Satan, and when they were puffed up, was ready with his Goad to let out the wind; comes toward them in that Imperious straine; What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod? which I am sure are not pleasing words, sed quae cum ictu quodam andi∣untur, but such as are Heard with a kind of smart, and leave an im∣pression behind them; for quam exerta acies macherae spiritualis? as Tertullian speaks; hownaked and keene is the edge of his Repre∣hension, In faciem impingit, he strikes them on the face, in os caedit, he beats them on the mouth, jam, vero & singulari stylo figit, and sometimes points them out as a mark, and darts his Reprehension, and strikes it in them; what then would he doe, if he lived now, and saw what we see?

Thus you see, Both these are true; we may please men, and we may not please them; we must please them, and we must not please men, if we will be the servants of Christ. For if you please, you may conceive that Relation betwixt God and Man; which is betwixt our Reason and our sense. Now sinne may seem to be no∣thing

else, but the Flattery of our Sense, because when I breake the Law, my will stoops downe to please my sense, and betray my rea∣son; but yet when I please my sense, I doe not alwayes sinne: for I may please my sense, and be Temperate; I may please my eye, and make a Covenant with it; I may please my Tast, and yet set a knife to my Throat; I may please my sense, and it may be my Health and Virtue as well as my sinne; so in like manner, to please men against God is the basest slattery, and Saint Paul flings his Dart at it, but to please men in reference to God, is our Duty, and takes in the greatest part of Christianity; for thus to please men may be my Allegiance, my Reverence, my meekness, my Lon∣ganimity, my charitable care of my Brother, I may please my supe∣rior & obey him; I may please my obliged Brother, and forgive him; I may please the poore Lazar, and relieve him; I may please an er∣ring Brother, and convert him, and in thus doing, I doe that, which is pleasing both to God and man.

What then is that, which here St. Paul condemnes? Look into the Text, and you shall see Christ and men, as it were two opposite Termes; If the man be in Error, I must not please him in his Er∣ror; for Christ is Truth; If the man be in sinne, I must not please him, for Christ is Righteousness; And in this case we must deale with men, as Saint Austin did with his Auditory, when he observed them negligent in their Duties; we must tell them that, which they are most unwilling to heare; Quod non vult is facere, Bonum est, saith he, That which you will not doe; That which you are afraid of, and run from; That, which with all my Breath and Labor I can∣not procure you to love, That is it which we call to doe good. That which you deride; That which you Turne away the care from with scorne; That, which you loath as poyson, That which you per∣secute us for; Quod non vultis audire, verum est: That which you di∣stast, when you heare, as gall and Wormwood; That, which you will not Heare, That which you call strange Doctrine; That is Truth. As Petrarch told his friend; Si prodessevis, scribe, quod Do∣leam; If you will profit and Improve me in the wayes of Good∣nesse, let your Pen drop Gall, write something to me, which may trouble and grieve me to read; so when men stand in opposition to Christ, when men will neither heare his voice, nor follow him in his wayes, but delight themselves in their owne, and rest and please themselves in Error, as in Truth, to awake them out of this plea∣sant Dreame, we must trouble them, we must thunder to them, we must disquiet and displease them; for who would give an Opiate Pill to these Lethargiques? To please men then, is to tell a sick man, that he is well; a weak man, that he is strong, an erring man, That he is Orthodox; in stead of purging out the noxious Humour, to nourish and increase it, to smooth and strew the wayes of Error with Roses, that men may walk with case and Delight, and even

Dance to their Destruction; to find out their palate, and to fittit, to envenom that more which they affect, as Agrippina gave Clau∣dius the Emperor Poyson in a Mushrome: what a seditious Flatterer is in a Common-wealth, that a false Apostle is in the Church; For as the seditious Flatterer observes and learnes the Temper and Con∣stitution of the place he lives in, and so frames his speech and Be∣haviour, that he may seem to settle and establish that, which he stu∣dies to overthrow, to be a Patriot of the Publick good, when he is but a Promoter of his private ends, to be a servant to the Common∣wealth, when he is a Traytor; so do all Seducers and false Tea∣chers; They are as loud for the Truth as the best Champions shee hath, but either substract from it, or adde to it, or pervert and cor∣rupt it, that so the Truth it self may help to usher in a lye: when the Truth it self doth not please us, any lye will please us, but then it must carry with it something of the Truth.

For Instance: To acknowledge Christ, but with the Law, is a dan∣gerous mixture (It was the Error of the Galatiams here) To mag∣nisy Faith, and shut out Good Works, is a Dash; That we can doe nothing without Grace, is a Truth, but when we will doe no∣thing to impute it to the want of Grace, is a bold and unjust additi∣on; To worship God in Spirit and Truth; our Saviour commands it, but from hence to conclude against outward worship, is an inju∣rious Defalcation of a great part of our Duty. To stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, The Apostle commands it, but to stand so, as to rise up in the Face of the Magistrate, is a Gloss of Flesh and Blood, and corrupts the Text: Letevery soul be subject to the higher Powers, That's the text, but to be subject no longer then the Power is manag'd to our will, is a chain to bind Kings with, or a Hammer to bear all Power down, that we may tread it under our Feet; and when we cannot relish the text, these mixtures and Additions and Substractions will please us. These hang as Jewells in our Eares; these please and kill us; beget nothing but a dead Faith, a graceless life; not Liberty, but Licentiousnesse, not De∣votion, but Hypocrisy, not Religion, but Rebellion, not Saints, but Hypocrites, Libertines, and Traytors.

And these we must avoid the rather, because they goe hand in hand, as it were with the truth, and carry it along with them in their Company, as Lewd persons doe sometimes a Grave and So∣ber man, to countenance them in their sportiveness, and Debauche∣ry. De nostro sunt, sed non nostrae, saith Tertul. They invade that In∣heritance which Christ hath left his Church; some furniture, some colour, something they borrow from the truth, something they have of ours, but Ours they are not: And therefore as St. Ambrose adviseth Gratian the Emperor, of all Errors in Doctrine, we must beware of those, which come neerest, and border as it were upon

the truth, and so draw it in to help to defeat it self; Because an open and manifest Error carries in its very forehead an Argument against it self, and cannot gain admittance, but with a vaile, where∣as these Glorious but painted Falshoods find an easy entrance, and begge entertainment in the Name of truth it self; This is the Cryp¦tick method, and subtill Artifice of men-pleasers, that is Men∣deceivers, to grant something, that they may win the more, and that too, in the end, which they grant; not rudely at first to demolish the truth, but to let it stand, that they may the more securely raise up, and fix that Error with which it cannot stand long; Saint Paul saw it well enough, though the Galatians did not; If you be cir∣cumcised, Christ profiteth you nothing, That is, is to you, as if there were no Christ at all. For if the false Apostles had flatly denyed Christ, the Galatians would have been as ready, as Saint Paul, to have Cut them off, because they had received the Gospel; but joyn∣ing and presenting the Law with Christ, they did deceive, and please them well, who began in the Spirit, and did acknowledge him, but would not renounce the Law, propter metum Judaeorunt, for feare of their Brethren the Jews.

Now these men-pleasers, these Crows, which devour not dead, but living men, are from an Evill Egge, and Beginning, are bred and hatcht in the dung, in the love of this world, and are so proud and fond of their Originall, that it is their labour, their Religion, and main designe of their life, to bring the Truth, Religion, and Christ himself in subjection under it, and to this end are very fruitfull to bring forth those mishapen issues, which savour of the earth and corruption, and have onely the name of Christ fastned to them, as a badge, to commend them, & bring them to that end, for which they had a being; which is to gaine the world, in the Name; but in de∣spight of Christ.

And these are they, who as Saint Peter speaks, make merchandize of mens souls. 2. Pet. 2.3. nummularii sacerdotes, as Cyprian calls them, Doctors of the Mint, who love the Image of Caesar more then of God, and had rather see the one in a piece of Gold, then the other renew'd and stampt in a mortall man; and this Image they carry a∣long with them whither soever they goe, and it is as their Holy Ghost to inspire them; for most of the Doctrines they Teach, sa∣vour of that mint, and the same stamp is on them both; The same face of Mammon which is in their Heart, is visible also in their Do∣ctrine. Thus Hosea complain'd of the false Prophets in his Time, peccata populi mci come derunt, They cat up the sinne of the People, that is, by pleasing them, they have consented to their sinne, and from hence reaped gaine (for flatterry is a livelyhood) or they did not seriously reprehend the sinnes of the People, that they

might reeive more sacrifices on which they might feed; some ren∣der it, Levabant animum suum ad peccata populi: they lifted up their soule, anhelabant, they even panted after their sinne, desi∣red that they might sinne, that they might make advantage, and so made them evill, to make themselves Rich. For from hence, from hence, from that for which we cannot find a name, nor have a Thought bad enough, from a desire to be rich, breaks forth that mark of a slave, our desire to please; Saint Paul hath made a window into their breasts, that we may see them with the same hand coyning their Dectrine and Money; They that are such, serve not the Lord Jesus, but their own Belly, and by good words, and f•…•…re Speeches, deceive the Hearts of the simple. Serpents they are to De∣ceive, and the Curse of the serpent is upon them, upon their bel∣ly they goe, and they eat Dust all the dayes of their life. For a wonderfull Thing it is to see, how the love of the world will Transforme men into any shape, sometimes to fawne like a Dog, sometimes to rage like a Lion, and then to lurke like a Fox; how, like the Charity of the Gospel, it makes them to beare all Things, beleeve all Things, endure all T hings; Contu∣melias in quaestn habere, et injuriis pasci, to count Contume∣lies gain, and to feed, and feed sweetly on Injuries, to speak what they doe not think, to like what they condemn, to mor∣tify themselves, to eye, and cringe, and bow, and fall to the ground, which is a kind of Mortification, more then they will doe for Christ, who brings Poverty, disgrace, and contempt, and hath no reward, but that which is laid up for the future. This brought Plato the great Philosopher a ship-board to sayle to Dionysius his Court, and there laid him down at his feet, this made him 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. as Nazianz. speaks, prefer a Halfe-peny before his goods; This was the evill Spirit in the mouth of those lying prophers, which did prevaile with Ahab to goe up, and fall at Ramoth Gilead. This makes men speak, not with mens Persons, but with their Fartunes, not with thye sinner, but with the rich and Noble man; and this Spirit is abroad still, and perswades some into their Graves, and some into Hell, rayses every storme, and every Tempest; and makes that desolation which we see upon the Earth. We read that Ari∣stippus found Diogenes washing his Herbs and Roots, his daily food, and in a kind of pitty or scorne, told him, That if he would flatter Dionysius, he need not eat these; nor tye himself to such course fare; but Diogenes replies like a Philosopher, and returns his saying upon him, Si tu ista esse velles, Dionysio non adulareris, If thou couldest content thy self, and feed on these, thou wouldst never be so base, as to flatter Dionysius.

And certainly, if we could with the Lyrick, be content with

Nature for our purveyour, and look for no supply but from her Hand, Having Food and Raiment, as Saint Paul speaks, could we be there with content; did we not enlarge our desires as Hell, and send our hopes afarr off, did we not love the world, and the things of this world, we should not thus debase, and annihilate our selves, as being men our selves, to make our selves the shadows of others, in their morning to rise with them, at their noone and highest, to come up and close with them, and then at their night, fall out, and leave them in the dark; we should not mould and fitt our best part, to their worst, our Reason to their lust, nor make our fancy the Elaboratory to work out such Essaies, which may please and destroy them; we should not foment the Anger of the Revenger to consume him; nor help the Covetous to bury himself alive, nor the Ambitious to break his Neck; nor the Schismatick, to rend the Seamlesse coat of Christ, nor the seditious, to swim to Hell in a River of Blood; but we should bind the Revengers Hands, break the Misers I dols, bring down the Ambitious to the Dust make up those rents which Faction hath made, and confine the Seditious to his own sphere and Place; for who would favour or uphold such Monsters as these, but for pay and salary? In a word, If every man did hate the World, every man would love his Brother; If every man did keep himself unspotted of the World, every man would be his Brothers Keeper; when the world pleaseth us, we are as willing to please the world, and we make it our stage, and Act our parts; wee call our selves Friends, and are but Parasites; wee call our selves Prophets, and are but Wizards and Juglers, wee call our selves Apostles, and are Seducers, wee call our selves Brethren, though it be in Evill, and like Democritus his Twinns, wee live and dye together, wee flatter, and are flattered, wee are blind, and leaders of the Blind, and fall together with them into the Ditch, and bring our Burden after us, we please men to please our selves, lull them into a pleasant Dreame, and our Dam∣nation sleepeth not.

You see now what it is to please men, and from whence it proceeds, from whence it springs, even from that bitter root, the root of all evill, the Love of the World.

Let us now Behold that huge Distance and Inconsistency, which is between these two, The pleasing of men, and the service of Christ.

Jf I yet please men, I am not the servant of Christ.

I am thy Servant, saith David, Psal. 119. Grant me understand∣ing, to know what it is to be thy Servant. Latet sub familiaribus ver∣bis maxima Fidei & conscientiae professio, saith Hilary, By this familiar word of Servant, we bind our Faith and Conscience to the will and command, to the beck of him we serve. The servant of Christ? It is a title too great, too high an Honor for mortall man; too high for an Emperour, for an Apostle, for an Angel, for a Seraphim; but since he is pleased to give it, we are bound to make it Good, That every Action and motion, every thought of ours may be to him; That whether we live, we may live unto him, whether we die, wee may die unto him, That whatsoever wee doe, we may be the Lords.

And first; wee cannot do both, not serve men, and Christ, no more then you can draw the same streight line to two points, to touch them both; you cannot, saith Christ, serve God and Mammon. One Master may have many servants, but one servant cannot have many Masters; Imperium dividi potest, Amor non potest, Power and command may stretch, and spread, and divide it self to many, but Love and Observance cannot be carryed, and levell'd but on one, nor can the mind, saith Quintilian, seriously Intend many things at once, Quocunque respexerit, desinit intueri quod propositum fuerat, to whatsoever it turnes it self, it turnes from that which it first lookt upon, and loseth one Engagement in another, because it cannot fitt and apply it self to both. How then can one and the same man bestow himself upon Christ, and upon the world? For it is not with the will and Affections, as it is with the Intellectuall facultie. The understanding may easily sever one Thing from another, and understand them both, nay, it hath power to abstract, and separate Things really the same, and consider them in this Difference; but it is the property of the will and Affections, in unum ferri, & se in unitatem colligere, to collect and unite, and make it self one with the Object, nor can our Desires be carryed to two contrary Ob∣jects at one and the same Time: wee may apprehend Christ as righ∣teous and Holy, and the World and Riches of it, as vanity it self, but we cannot at once serve Christ as Just, and Holy, and love the World and the vanities thereof; Our Saviour tells us, we shall love the one, and hate the other, leane to the one, and despise the other; If it be a love to the one, it will be at best, but a liking of the other; If it a will to the one, it will be but a velleity to the other; If it be a look on the one, it will be but a glance on the o∣ther;

And this liking this velleity, This glance are no better then disservice, then hatred, and Contempt: For these proceed from the understanding, but my love from my will, which is fixed, not where I approve, but where I choose. 'Tis easy to say, and we say it too often, for the Divell is ready to suggest it; 'Tis true: wee set our Affections upon things below, but yet so, That we doe not o∣mit the Duties of Divine worship; we are willing to please men, but we doubt not, but we may please Christ also; we are indeed Time-servers, but we are frequent Hearers of his Word: we pour Oyle into our Brothers eares, but we drop sometimes a Peny into the Treasury; Thus we please others, and we please our selves, we betray others, and are our own Parasites, but Christ is ready to seale up our lips with an 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, No man can serve two Masters. So that you see what a weak Foundation that Hope hath, which is thus built up upon a Divided love and service, it is built in the Aire, nay, it hath not so sure a Basis, it is built upon nothing; It is rais'd upon Impossibility.

Secondly: The Servant must have his eye upon his Master, and as he sees him doe, must doe likewise: Now Christ is called Gods Servant, Isai. 62.10. and he broke through Poverty, Disgrace, and the Terrors of Death it self, that he might doe his Fathers will; O∣mitted no tittle or lota of it, but he that would not break a bruised reed, shook the Cedars of Libanus, pronounced as many woes to the Pharisees, as they had sinnes, calls Herod Fox, plucks off every vi∣sor, plowes up every Conscience, and thus shook the Powers of Hell, and Destroy'd the Kingdome of Satan; for he came not to do his owne, but his Fathers will. Look upon his Acts of mercy; even them he did not to please men; non habent divina adulationem, saith Hilary, His divine works, his works of Love and Compassion had Nothing of Flattery in them: He did them not as seeking his owne Glory; for he had a Quire of Angels to chant his praise; he did them not to flatter men; for he needed not that which is ours; for the world was his, and all that therein is. Power cannot flatter, and Mercy is so intent on its work, that it thinks of nothing else; to work wonders, to please men, were the greatest wonder of all; And thus should we look upon him, and Teach our brethren, as he wrought miracles; not for prayse, which may make us worse; not for Riches, which may make us poorer then we were; but be∣seech them in Christs stead, and in the Person of Christ, and speake like him in whose mouth there was neither flattery nor guile; speak the Truth, though it displease, speak the Truth, though the Hea∣then Rage, and the People imagine a vaine Thing; speake the Truth, though, for ought we know, it may be the last word wee speak; speak the Truth, though it nayle us to the Crosse; where we shall most resemble him with this Title, The servant of Christ, as

his was, The King of the Jewes. He that takes Nothing but his Name, serves the world, he that flatters, when he bids him rebuke, and pleaseth others when they displease Christ, is not his servant, but his enemy, but one of those many Antichrists; or if his Servant, such a servant, as Peter was, when he denyed him, as Judas, when he betrayed him; and he will take it for more disservice to betray him in his Members, then in his Person, and is troubled more at the sight of those wounds which are made in his Mysticall Body, then he was at those which were made in his flesh; for he willingly suffe∣red the paines of Death, that they might not die; Himself was lead to Death, as a sleep to the flaughter, and opened not his mouth, but when he saw havock made of his Church; he cryed out, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? and in this, every false Teacher is worse then Peter, when he was at the worst, every flatterer is worse then Judas; every Seducer is worse then the Jewes, when they nayl'd him to the Crosse.

For lastly, A servant is nothing, is no person in Law, hath no power of his owne, servitus morti aequiparatur, say the Civilians, a servant is as a Dead man, and cannot Act nor move of himself, but is Actuated as it were, by the Power and command of his Lord and Master, and never goes, but when he sayes goe, never Doth, but what he bids him doe, and doth not interpret, but execute his Will. Non oportet villicum plus sapere, quam Dominum, saith Columella; It is a most unfit, and disadvantageous thing for the Farmer or Hus∣bandman to be wiser then his Lord; For when the Lord comman∣deth one thing, and the servant thinks it fitter to do another, the crop and harvest will be but Thin; and it is so in our spiritual Hus∣bandry; It savours of too much boldness and presumption, for the servant to be wiser then his Master, and there will be but small in∣crease, when the Master calls for the whip, and the servant brings the merry Harp and the Lute, when he calls for a Talent to reckon but a mite, and when he writes a Hundred, to take the Bill, and set down Fifty. It is the greatest folly in the World to be thus wise, when wisedome it self prescribes; when he condemnes the love of the World, to put in Immoderate, and yet keep no moderation in our Love; when he forbids us to be Angry, to lay hold of that without a cause; and yet suffer, every breath to raise a Tempest in us: when he sayes, sweare not all, to perswade men to sweare, and sweare againe, though it be against a former Oath; when he bids us pray for our Enemies, to be so bold, as to curse our Friends and our Brethren. It is a great and dangerous folly, thus to trifle with our Master, and delude his Precepts; and what doe we with these Di∣stinctions, and limitations, and mittigations, but shake Christs Live∣ry off from our backs? and Thrust our selves out of his service? and then Tell me whose servants are we? Quot nascuntur Domini?

For this one Master, whose service wee have cast off, how many Masters and Tyrants doe we serve? servants to the Flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof; servants to Covetousnesse, which sets us with the Gibeonites to be hewers of wood, and diggers of water, con∣demnes us to the Mines, and Brick-kiln; servants to Ambition, which will carry thee from step to step, from degree to degree, till thou break thy neck; servants to pleasure, which like the Egyptian Thieves, will Embrace and strangle thee; and Servants to other men; would that were all; nay, but to other mens wills and Lusts, which change as the winde, now embracing, anon loathing, now ready to joyne with that, which in the twinkling of an eye they fly from; et quot rascuntur Domini? How many Masters must thou serve in one man? servants to their Lusts, which are as unsatiable as the Grave; servants unto Error, which is blind; and to sinne, which is Darkness it self, even mancipia Satanae, the bondslaves of Satan, with Canaans curse upon us, Gen. 9. A servant of servants shall he be. Non sum servus Christi, I am not the servant of Christ, is Anathema Maran-atha, the bitterest Curse that is.

For Conclusion then, Let them who are set apart to lead others in the wayes of Truth and Righteousness, take heed they lead them not in the wayes of Cain, and take from them their spirituall, as he did from his Brother his Temporall life. Let them who subscribe themselves Your servants in Christ; (In every Epistle thus they write) be carefull to make it good, That their Epistle prove not a Complement, and their subscription, a lye. Let them who doe 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, fitt their conversation and Doctrine to the Times, and so make them worse; who force the word of God, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, to speak in favour of Philip, or any great Potentate, as he was; let them who make it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a buskin to be pull'd on, and fit any designe, any enterprize, let them remember what they are call'd, and they call themselves the servants of Christ, of that Christ, who will one day call them to an Account, and require the blood of those, who are under their charge, at their Hands; who shall call upon them as Augustus Caesar did upon Quinctilius Varus; Quinctili Vare, redde legiones. Give an account of your stewardship, where are the Legions; those souls which I committed to your hands? The souls of them you betrayed to the world; and left them Mammonists; the souls of them you betray'd to Pride, & made them Factious; The souls of them you betray'd to discontent, and made them seditious? the souls of them you betray'd to cruelty, and made them Murderers? Their blood will be upon you, and verily it shall be required of this Generation.

And let them who are Taught, remember, They are hought with a price, and are the servants of Christ, and cleave fast to him, and not

to be drove from him with every wind of Doctrine, not to Judge of the Doctrine by the person, but to judge of the person by his Doctrine; for in Christianity saith Saint Hierom, Non multum differt decipere, & decipi, there is no great difference between these two, To take a cheat, or to offer one; for both are deceived, and both pe∣rish; The one comes with a vaile, the other is willing to draw it o∣ver his face, The one puts out his eyes, and the other is willing to be blind, and both rejoyce at the work, both cry, so so, Thus we would have it. When we see so many, so diffident in all things, but that which should fitt them for happinesse, taking nothing upon Trust, but the Doctrines of men: when we shall see them have mens per∣sons in Admiration, and their eyes dazle at every Mushrome in Divinity, that grows up in a Night; when we shall see them De∣bauch their reason, and deliver up their understandings and wills to a Face, to a voice, to the Gesture, and Behaviour, and sleight of men, when every empty cloud that comes towards them shall be taken for heaven, and he that speaks not so much reason as Balaams Asse, shall be received for a Prophet; when men are so enclined, so rea∣dy, so ambitious to be deceived, we need not wonder to see so ma∣ny Blind Bartimeus's in our streets, that Grope at noone-day, and stumble at every straw, That blindness is happened to Israel, That Truth is become a Monster, and error a Saint, we need not wonder that the Pharisees have more Disciples then Christ. Men and Bre∣thren, what should I say? why should you desire to be pleased? if we thus please you, we damne you: why should we study to please you? if we study to please you, we damne our selves. 'Tis not your Favour, your Applause which we affect, we know well e∣nough, out of what Treasury those windes come, and how uncer∣tainly they blow; one applause of Conscience is worth all the Tri∣umphs in the World. Bring then the Ballance of the Sanctuary, The Touch-stone of the Scripture; If our Doctrine be not minus Habens, be not light, but full weight; If it be not Refuse Silver, but current Coine, and beare no other Image, but of the King of Kings, even for the Truths sake, for our common Masters sake, whose ser∣vants we are, lay aside all malice, and guile, and Hypocrisy, and re∣ceive it, That you may grow thereby; but if nothing yet be Truth, which doth not please you, then what shall we say? but even tell you another Truth, vero verius, most true it is, you will not heare the Truth.

And therefore in the last place; Let us all, both Teachers and Hearers, purge out this evill Humour of pleasing, and being pleas'd, and let us, as the Apostle exhorts, Consider one another, to provoke un∣to love, and Good works; Let us speak Truth, every one to his Neigh∣bour; For we are members one of another. This is the true and surest Method of pleasing one another; for Flattery, like the Bee, carries

Honey in its mouth, but hath a sting in its Tayle; but Truth is sharp and bitter at first, but at last more pleasant then Manna; He that would seale up thy lips for the Truth, which thou speakst, will at last kisse those lips, and Blesse God in the Day of his Visitation. And this if we doe, we shall please one another 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, to Edifica∣tion, and not unto ruine; And thus all shall be pleased, the Physiti∣an, that he hath his Intent, and the Patient in his Health, The strong shall be pleas'd in the weak, and the weak in the strong, The wise in the Ignorant, and the Ignorant in the wise, and Christ shall be well pleas'd to see Brethren thus walk together in Unity, strengthning and inciting one another in the wayes of Righteousnesse, and when we have thus walkt hand in hand together to our journeys End, shall admit us into his presence, where there is fulnesse of joy and plea∣sures for evermore.

Notes

• Josh. 24.15.
• Job. 29.24.
• John 4.34.
• Exob. 32.27.
• Rom. 14. the last vers.
• Arist Rhetor. 2. c. 14.
• Aristot. l. 9. Eth. c. 4.
• Quintil. l. 3. Instit. 1.
• Eccles. 1. last vers.
• Seneca.
• 1 Cor. 4.5.
• Sueton Calig. c. 34.
• Psal. 73.6,7.
• Curt. l. 8.
• Psal. 59.6.
• Hieron ad He∣liodorum, Epi∣taph. Nepoti∣ani.
• Quint. l. 1. Inst. c. 3.
• 1 Cor. 4.21.
• Ex Deo magia quam in con tumeliam Dei hominibus pla∣cendum. Hil. in Psal. 52.
• Petrarch. l 7. de Re. F c. ult.
• The Truth is corrupted, saith Nyssen. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Orat. 1. Cont. Ennom.
• Tert. de Pro∣script.
• Dictum Dio∣genis. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Athen: Deipnos. l. 6. c. 17.
• H s 4.••.
• Rom. 16.18.
• Naz. Or. 3.
• Val. Max. l. 4. c. 3.
• Hil. in Loc.
• Matth. 6.24.
• Hil. de Trin. l. 2.
• Servus pro nullo est.
• Athen. Deipn. l. 12. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Scire uti Forc.
• Heb. 10 14. Ephes. 4.