Divine Characters in Two Parts

CHAP. XXXI. The Talking Hypocrite, or the Hypocrite of Tongue, Is he whose Religion lies only in his tongue: he saith, but doth not.

AN evil Speaker is called A man of tongue , because his tongue is that with which he sinneth. In like manner may this hypocrite be termed an hypocrite of tongue, because although he be not always an evil speaker, yet is his tongue that wherewith he deceiveth, and then deceiveth most, when he speaketh best: and so is most evil, when he seemeth most good. Words are the shadows of deeds, but his are words without deeds, shadows without a substance, which is ever prodigious: for every shadow that is natural, is the attendant, or issue of some substance. But here is no substance at all, but a mere painted shadow that serves only to set off a substance, as the hypocrite, that is but a foil, or show, sets off a true Christian.

He speaketh well, and doth ill, and therefore also is an evil speaker, because his tongue belieth his heart. He saith, what he meaneth not, and doth not what he saith; and therefore he saith and doth not, because he meaneth not as he saith. All hypocrisy is principally in the heart, for which, hypocrites are called, Hypocrites in heart, that heap up wrath ; they pull down wrath, not by small parcels, but by heaps.

But this man is a double hypocrite: an hypocrite in tongue, and an hypocrite in heart. For his tongue belieth his heart, and his heart, his tongue, suffering his life to confute his tongue; and, so deceiveth others by his tongue; and himself by his heart. He maketh his tongue a fair sign to an empty shop, or as an Ivy Bush to bad wines, to delude the buyer.

He is Psittacus, a mere Parret in religion, that is still prattling by rote the words of a Christian, but not as a Christian: a mere Jews-trump, or a thing to make a noise with, on purpose to beguile. As those Orators, whose chiefest perfection lies in Pronunciation, are more beholding to their lips, than to their brains; so is this hypocrite more beholding to his tongue than to his heart. He is only a Speech-Maker, which when he hath said, he hath done. He can speak well , but without an heart to do. Sometimes his tongue runs beyond his wit; but, always beyond his heart. Sometimes he is for verbosity, as they that affect the French volubility; sometimes, for taciturnity, as they who like better the Spanish gravity. He always deceiveth, for he never speaks as he means, nor means what he speaks.

On the contrary, the true Christians tongue is the true Interpreter of his heart.

He can speak nothing but what his heart dictateth. His heart first enditeth, and then his tongue is the pen of a ready Writer . As he that is a professed wicked man, by his tongue proclaims what is in his heart; (for, out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh ); so a true Christian, hath grace in his lips, as the true witness of his love to pureness of heart .

The tongue is the helm, or rudder of the whole man , at this helm the careful Christian always sitteth, that he may bridle the whole body , as knowing that, (however some say, words are but wind) by his words he shall be justified, or condemned .

To offend sometimes in tongue, is an infirmity incident to the best, because the tongue is an unruly evil, that no man can thoroughly tame , so that there is no man but offendeth in word and tongue. But the Christian is not impotently given up to the licentiousness of the tongue, for, he is purposed that his mouth shall not transgress . He taketh heed to his ways that he sin not with his tongue, and keepeth his mouth with a bridle . And because, that only is well kept, which God keepeth, to his own industry, addeth prayer, Set a watch (O Lord) before my mouth; Keep the door of my lips . But all this he doth to prevent the evil of the tongue, incident to such as are openly wicked. He is careful also of those evils that the hypocrite in heart venteth with his tongue, which is the present business.

He is as much afraid of speaking good words in hypocrisy, as of speaking lies in hypocrisy . He taketh care that his words be such as they ought; and that they prove not wind; but, be seconded by action. As his speech is always with grace, seasoned with salt , so his actions are gracious, because the salt which seasoned his speech, hath not lost its savor. That Law of God which is in his heart, makes him not to refrain his lips; and, when the word is once gone out of his mouth, it will not be long ere the word be turned into works. Grace in his heart is a law to his lips, and his lips are an obligation upon his hands, whereupon ensueth obedience both in word and deed. That grace which first seasoneth his heart, then openeth his mouth, and after both, setteth the whole man to work the work of God.

Thus, this hypocrite aspiring to speak with the tongues of men and Angels, is yet for want of works of love answerable to his words, but as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal . The true Christians words, joining works unto them, are pleasant words, in the account of God ; and to the godly, they are as an honey-comb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones : the one hath the voice of Jacob, and the hands of Esau; the words of the other are like the prayer of David, that goeth not out of feigned lips .

[Character 1] This hypocrite is full of words.

This, by the wise man, is made the character of a fool : and, no fool to the hypocrite, who takes himself to be wise, because cunning to deceive. What he wants in works, he thinks to make out with words, but a fools voice is known by the multitude of words . When he is set upon this loquacity, he is as incontinent of his tongue, as an unclean person, of his body. He no sooner begins to take up the name of a Professor, but he poureth out all (and more than all) his mind, whereas a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards .

If he pray, he thinks the longer he prayeth (although he repeat over and over the same things again, not out of affection, but affectation) the better, and that he shall be heard for his much speaking . Not that it is unlawful, upon extraordinary occasions, to lengthen, yea, to double and treble the same suits; as Christ, who spent whole nights in prayer; and, said over and over the same words . Repetitions may be used, but vain repetitions must be avoided. This hypocrite seems very zealous in prayer, but it is in widows houses, which he intends to devour, under great shows of devotion; and, for a pretence maketh long prayers . When he is in his closet, fewer words will serve his turn; shorter prayers seem long enough.

If he preach, it is out of envy and strife, not of good-will; to vent perverse things, to draw away disciples after him: or, by good words, and fair speeches, deceive the hearts of the simple. And, through covetousness, with feigned words, to make merchandise of the souls of men.

In his discourses of Religion, he is commonly very talkative, not out of the abundance of his heart, to edify others, for his heart is empty, and little worth , but out of ambition to hear himself talk, and to be admired of others. He talks much of Precepts, which he obeyeth not; of promises, which he believeth not, and of threatenings, which he feareth not. He takes up the words of Scripture, as a fencer, to play at foils, not as a soldier takes up the sword to fight in earnest. He is so full of talk, that he wearieth all, edifieth none. He hath need enough of counsel, but hath no leisure to receive it, being all tongue, and no ear; a sickness like the plague that banisheth the Physician. He would fain be heeded, but is not so much as heard, when there is no end of his babbling.

This is so far from being an honor to him, that it is looked upon by wise men to be a womanish impotency, not so much of nature, as of sin. It is a symptom, and as it were a fit of drunkenness; he seemeth always drunk to others, though wise in his own eyes. It is as the biting of a serpent which cannot be charmed, and giveth a wise man no rest. Surely the serpent will bite, without enchantment; and, a babbler is no better . A babbler hurts his friend, aides his enemy, and undoeth himself. As members that are diseased, continually draw humors to them; so the tongue of a babbler, being never without an inflammation, draweth poison to itself by continual babbling, till as a fool, he fall, by his prating .

Contrarily, the Christian is swift to hear, and slow to speak .

He hath learned so much from reason, (although he never were Pythagoras his scholar) as to be an hearer, until he be fully instructed what to speak, and how to speak. He first boweth his ear, and heareth the words of the wise, and applieth his heart unto the knowledge of God: for, he finds it a pleasant thing to keep them with them, until they be fitted for his lips . He knoweth that in the multitude of words there wanteth not sin, but he that refraineth his lips is wise .

When he is to come before God, he dares not to be rash with his mouth, nor to let his heart itself to be hasty to utter anything before God. He remembereth that God is in the Heavens, and he upon earth; therefore his words shall be few . If he pray he will not let a word drop from his lips that he fetched not from the bottom of his heart. He will pray with the Spirit, and with the understanding also ; not only as understanding the language, but minding the matter. He will not use vain repetitions; yet, when he seeth cause, and his heart is in a praying frame, he will not be afraid, nor ashamed to use the same words .

If he be put in trust with the Gospel, although he hold it his duty to preach the Word, and to be instant in season, and out of season, and to spend and be spent, as knowing there is a necessity laid upon him, and woe unto him if he preach not the Gospel ; yet he knoweth withal, that a Preacher must be wise, if he will teach the people knowledge, therefore he giveth good heed, and seeketh out, and setteth in order many Proverbs, and seeketh to find out words of pleasure , or, acceptable words, not to gratify men's lusts or curiosity, but to win upon their affections; for that which he speaks is upright, even words of truth ; which are as goads, and nails fastened by the Masters of Assemblies, which are given from one shepherd, even the Lord Jesus Christ, the great Shepherd of the sheep . His speech, and preaching is not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit, and of power . His exhortation is not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile; but as he is allowed of God to be put in trust with the Gospel, even so he speaketh, not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth the heart, not at any time using flattering words, nor a cloak of covetousness, nor of men doth he seek glory . If he speak, he speaketh as the Oracles of God, and when he ministereth, he doth it as of the ability which God giveth, that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ .

In his discourse with men, if it be of Religion. He is not so forward to speak, as to wait for the words of others that are his Ancients. He first saith, Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom : But, if he find that they understand not, he then modestly and soberly speaks what may be good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace to the hearers ; unless he perceive himself to be among swine, to whom pearls are not to be cast . And as for ordinary discourse, he ever judgeth, that the less he speaks, the better; and he findeth by experience that to be a truth, He that can rule his tongue shall live without strife, and he that hateth babbling, shall have less evil , whereas the prating fool shall fall . Therefore he endeavoreth that his words may be gracious, and to that end suppresseth them, till he have dipt them in understanding. He useth the bridle, not the spurr, to that unruly horse, the tongue. And that speech which he doth use, is pure, plain, clear, and manifest; full of gravity and weight, not with affected elegance, yet not without gracefulnesse in the delivery .

Thus, this hypocrite is in truth what the Epicureans, and Stoic Philosophers of Athens, falsely called St. Paul , 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a babbler, or waster of words, to no purpose, without end or measure; like him that throws away good seed wastefully, and glorieth in it: the true Christian useth only the tongue of the just, which is as choice silver, whereby his lips feed many , being like to the virtuous woman, who openeth her mouth with wisdom, and in her tongue is the Law of kindness . The one, in babbling, hath his heart in his mouth; although in speaking of religion or religious things, his tongue and his heart are far asunder: the other hath his tongue in his heart, to consider what is profitable, and fi • , before he utter it; and, to speak from the heart, what he uttereth with the tongue.

This h • pocrite is loud and clamorous.

He that speaks much useth not to speak softly, in a whispering tone. Loudnesse is his best zeal, and clamour his chief rhetoric, and strongest reason. He thinks to carry the matter by noise, as the Cimbrians in their fight with Marius; and [Character 2] Stentor (whose voice (saith Homer ) equalled the voices of fifty men ) at the siege of Troy. He argues as if Guns were disputing with Bells, which should give the louder sound. He speaketh as if he were in a tempest at sea, or in a mill: or, as if he meant to out-blow the wind, or supply the defect of reason with abundance of breath. He is like the loud-crying woman, fitter to scare away enemies , than to prevail with reasonable friends. He maketh his quiet neighbors acquainted with the troubles of wars.

If he pray, he must be so loud, that he may be heard where he is not seen, like Baals Prophets, that cried aloud, saying, O Baal hear us : not that it is unlawful sometimes to lift up the voice in prayer; but this is the hypocrites property to make his voice his prayer, especially in his most private and secret devotions; which is all one, in effect, with praying standing in the Synagogues, and in the corners of the streets . Or like those hypocrites of old, who howled upon their beds, yet cried not to the Lord with their hearts . They make as loud a noise as a dog when he howleth; and, to as little purpose: for, though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice (saith the Lord) yet will I not hear them .

If he praise, or applaud his neighbor, he doth it with a loud voice, rising early in the morning : not for any good to his neighbor, whom he flattereth; but, for ends of his own, to be a gainer by him, if he love flattery. Therefore doth he rise early, for fear of losing his reward. He will be the first in praising and flattering, where he hopes for a reward; but, will be the last, in praising others that deserve better, where there is nothing to be gotten. Howbeit, if the parties whom he praiseth, be eminent, and popular, so as it may be some commendation to himself, to praise them, (because it may argue him to be in love with goodness, for that he so much praiseth it in others) he may then highly commend him whom no man cannot but praise: just as the Damosel, possessed with a spirit of divination, which brought her Masters much gain by South-saying, went out to meet Paul and Timothy, &c. and followed them with this loud acclamation, These men are the servants of the most High God, which show unto us the way of salvation . The devil himself becomes a Professor, in hope either to be the more gently dealt with by those that had power to mar his market (as here it fell out ) or, as secretly intending to disgrace those whom he commendeth, as that Pythonesse did, supposing that wise men would not long value them or their doctrine, that would be beholding to the devil for approbation.

Contrariwise, the true Christian doth all with at little noise as he can.

He is for wisdom, not folly; for sincerity, not popularity: therefore he doth all wisely, that is to say, quietly, and with least din or noise. He knoweth that God himself affecteth not to be among thunders, and earthquakes (it is the devils delight to mix himself with tempests ) but rather to be in a small still voice : and that the words of wise men are heard in quiet, mere than the cry of him that ruleth among fools . Loud clamours take up so much of the ear, that no room is left for reason to judge of the matter. As a soft shower soaketh better into the ground than a hard storm; the one opening and softening, the other beating and hardening it; so his still voice, wherein wisdom droppeth as the dew, soaketh in, and softeneth the hearts of his hearers, whereas violent speech, turneth the heart of the hearer against him that speaketh.

If he be in any disputes, he bringeth soft words and hard arguments. He will not strive, by loud and clamorous language, as seeking to prevail by violence, or impudence, but, be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves . If he pray, especially in private, he is careful to let his heart cry louder than his tongue, and his tongue to be tied to the rules of discretion and comeliness. If he pray in company, he lifteth up his voice, that it may reach all that join with him in the duty; but, no father. If he pray in secret, he taketh order that none but his Father which seeth, and heareth in secret, may take notice of his praying . He prayeth, as Hannah, who spake in her heart, only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard .

If he praise any man, it is not with a loud voice, as a flatterer; for well he knoweth, that a flatterer is but an over-officious servant that is a secret thief; getting what he can for himself, and betraying the rest into the hands of the devil, as Ahab's Prophets did him . Therefore his praise is to provoke others to the same practice of virtue, which he praiseth: It is the good works done, not the workman, which he chiefly commendeth; not to make him proud, but to encite and engage him to do more, and better, and with some caution too (especially when he seems to foretell what such an one will be, if he go on as he beginneth) as sometimes Scipio did, C. Marius, gently clapping him on the shoulders, and saying, Peradventure this shall be He. By which he encouraged him to deserve, yet kept him from elation of mind, by beginning his Prophesy with a Peradventure. He is as careful to keep down pride, as to provoke to virtue; to quicken to diligence, as to encourage by praise, and hope of reward.

Thus, this hypocrite hath no other zeal, but loudness; nor reason, but clamour, to bear down all reason, truth, and justice, like those malicious and vociferous Priests, Rulers and people of the Jews, that when Pilate had again and again pronounced Christ innocent, and the third time demanded a reason of their eagerness to have him put to death, asking them, What evil hath he done? they, instead of giving a satisfactory answer, were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified; and by their voices prevailed . The true Christian, even when provoked to passion, is as Paul, (pleading before Festus and Agrippa ) when, charged by Festus that he was beside himself, and that much learning had made him mad; he answered calmly, and gently, I am not mad, most noble Festus, but speak forth the words of truth and soberness : He acquitted himself of madness, as much by his sober speaking, as by the truth which he spake. The one, in speaking to God, is as loud as if he had to do with an idol; the other, as having to do with him that knoweth the suit of the heart, before it be uttered by the lips . The one is so loud in praising, that all find it to be but flattery; the other, so cautious, and modest, that none can pronounce him a flatterer.

This hypocrites speech is with affectation.

He is for eloquence (an able Master of language) more than for truth: and sometimes [Character 3] for slovenly loose, or broad expressions, in contempt of eloquence, which he therefore slighteth, because never able to reach it. Sometimes he affects to be Laconical, or very short and curt in his expressions, like that of the Lacedemonians to Philip, who threatening that, if he entered their Confines, he would utterly destroy them, they answered him in one word, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , If. When at another time, He sent to know whether they would receive him into their City, they wrote him answer, in capital letters, only thus, ΟΥ, No. He will be curt and quaint of speech, like those that affect a Poetical kind of wisdom, and are indeed verbotenus sapientes, but only affected word-Masters, or Word-wise, to be able to speak elegantly (as he thinks) rather than truly or soundly (which he minds not;) to deliver Apothegmes, rather than plain instructions; riddles, rather than plain speaking; to speak sententiously, rather than sensibly out of the feeling of his own heart; oracles, or strong lines, which are many times but non-sense wrapped up in a strange habit, and being opened, prove but an Ape in a child's dress.

But, ill do such sayings become such speakers: for, either they understand them not themselves, and then that of the wise man is well bestowed on him, Excellencie of speech becometh not a fool ; and, a parable in his mouth, is like a thorn going up into the hand of a drunkard , that makes use of he knows not what, that rather wounds than helps him: or, it is not understood by others, and so is cast away with indignation and contempt. His affected brevity, breedeth scorned obscurity.

Or, on the other hand, he is for a wise-drawn style; he must draw out every sentence to such a length, as scarce any man's breath is able to carry him to the period of it; or, his brains, to make sense of it. Or he is so frequent in childish Paronamities, and affected cadences, as is able to set an edge the teeth of any masculine Orator. Quaint phrases are his chiefest study, and a pickit sallet of words are the best dish that he hath to set before you. Enticing words of man's wisdom , are of him more set by, than the Oracles of God . Nothing but a golden Key will open his Cabinet, which, being opened, contains nothing but a few brass rings, and Bristol -diamonds.

Yea sometimes, he showeth as much affectation in his very pronouncing, as in the words he pronounceth. As some affect out-landish pronunciation of the French, or Spaniard, or of the Dutch, or Italian, who to be admired of fools at home, make themselves ridiculous to wise men abroad: so this hypocrite is sometimes for a whining tone, sometimes for pronouncing through the nose. Nothing pleaseth him better than the sound of his own fiddle, although never so much out of tune. That, he thinks, must needs please others, that best pleaseth him, even when he makes himself abhorred of God, and nauseous to men.

He may be called the whining, groaning, or drawling hypocrite. He speaketh as if he were no man of this world. He seems so far out of love and patience with the corruptions of men and of the time, that you would think him a very Lot in Sodom▪ whose righteous soul is daily vexed : whereas in truth all this ado proceedeth either from feebleness of spirit, unable to bear his own crosses and disappointments in those things for which he turned hypocrite; as every weak thing is by nature apt to make moan; or, which is worse, from a pretence of zeal, and a presumption of holiness, whereas none maketh less conscience of duty, none helpeth on, or addeth more to the evil of the world and of the times, than he: as. in covetousness, and cozenage, (perhaps he will not swear) lying, and idleness; and even in this that he saith to others, (who pethaps may be better, cannot be worse than himself) Stand by thyself, come not near to me, for I am holier than thou: whereas he and such as be, are a smoke in my nose, (or wrath,) saith the Lord, a fire that burneth all the day . For, while he lamenteth other men's sins, he laugheth in secret at his own. And, among the sins of other men, he is far more offended with those whereby he is hindered, than with other sins, by which God is more dishonored; He is angry at him that hath deceived, or over-reached him, that hath oppressed, or otherwise crossed him in his designs, but seldom lays to heart lying, hypocrisy, pride, covetousness, secret uncleanness, idleness, &c. These, or some of these unclean birds make their nests in his grove, and lodge in his bosom, without noise, or notice.

Contrarily, the Christian truly useth his tongue as his glory.

It is that Organ by which his outward man differeth most from beasts, because he thereby pronounceth articulate sounds, and expresseth rational notions, as understanding what he speaketh. As therefore the Lord hath honored him with such a faculty, so he maketh use of it to the honor of his Maker, and thereby it becomes his own glory . Not that it is his glory to use it always, or as himself pleaseth, as they do who say, our lips are our own ; but, when he may use it to the glory of him that gave it.

He observeth his time to keep silence, as well as to speak . Silence is sometimes a virtue, not that silence of the hypocrite, who is sometimes silent out of sullenness; or, because by speaking he should bewray his ignorance, (which he is loath to be known of, because he would be thought to know everything;) Wisdom is too high for such a fool, therefore he openeth not his mouth in the gate . This is a silence of cunning, not virtue; his only virtue being to hold his tongue, when he knows not what to speak. But the true Christian is silent, when, being rich in the pearls of good doctrine, sound instruction, heavenly counsel, he findeth himself to be among dogs, or to have lighted into an herd of swine: and then, he knows his rule, Give not that which is holy unto dogs, neither cast ye pearls before swine .

But, because God is more honored by the right use of the tongue, than by not using it at all; and, that God hath given wisdom (as he gives riches) not to all alike, but, to some more plentifully for the supply of others, that there may be a kind of hospitality expected from the mouth of the righteous, to feed many , by bringing forth wisdom . He endeavoreth to keep as good an house as he can in this kind, or at least, confer symbola, to make up a feast among himself and others that fear God, by speaking often one to another , in the behalf of God and his righteousness, and for the assisting and encouraging of one another in the worst of times, in the way of righteousness.

Nor is he a man of words, that is, one that affecteth words for curiosity, elegancy, or vain-glory. He maketh use of words as men do of a Card or Campasse, to show himself and others the way of well-doing, that he may arrive at the desired haven; or, as men do of keys, to unlock that which needeth opening. He esteemeth that to be the best eloquence in teaching, which most usefully openeth that which is locked up; and that to be the best wit, which so useth words, as to make truth most conspicuous.

To what end is a golden Key, if it open not what we desire to see; and what hurt, if the Key be of wood, so it do the deed, which the other cannot, (saith Saint Austin ,) seeing all we expect from a Key, is but to open what was before shut up? He therefore shunneth all words, how gaudy and gorgeous soever, which edify not. He gives leave to any to go before him in excellency of speech, so himself come not behind in seriousness and weight of matter. He chooseth rather to set forth truth in a plain dress, than in the tire of an harlot, as knowing that as levity in apparel argues too much lightness and vanity of mind, so too much gaudinesse in expression, brings truth itself into suspicion.

The Apostles were enriched with the gift of Tongues, in the day of Pentecost, not only for variety of Languages, but for elegancy of speech, by which they were enabled to speak Apothegmes , which comprehend much in a little, they spake as the Spirit gave them utterance, yet did they not affect such kind of speaking, in their ordinary preaching. Paul spake wisdom among such as were perfect, yet not the wisdom of this world, and it was the words of wisdom, not the wisdom of words . To be able to speak elegantly, is the gift of God; too much to affect such speech, is an abuse of that gift. He accounts him the best Rhetorician, that so speaketh, as to teach, delight, and prevail. These three therefore the Christian hath in his eye; the first and last are his aim, the second he useth so far as it may be an in let to the other two. He is no enemy to eloquence, but to profuseness, which offendeth gravity, and is altogether unbecoming the simplicity of the Gospel: for, it endeavors so to set out trivial and the smallest matters spumeo verborum ambitu, quali nec magna atque stabilia decenter, & graviter ornarentur, with such a frothy affectation of words, as wherewith even the great and weightiest truths could not with comeliness and gravity be attired .

And as for voice, and pronunciation, he keeps to that which nature, not affected industry supplies him with. Here, he keepeth close to that grave rule of a great Master of imitable eloquence, and elocution, St. Ambrose . Touching voice, saith he, Sit sane distincta pronunciationis modo, & plena succi virilis, ut agrestem ac subrusticum fugiat sonum, non ut rithmum affectet scaenicum, sed mysticum server. Let the voice be distinct in the manner of pronunciation, and full of manly vigor, that it may eschew rustical and clownish tone; not affecting the riming tune of the stage, but keep to the gravity of that sacred matter whereof he discourseth. And if he speak in a mourning tone, it is from the true sense of God's dishonor, not out of design to deceive.

Thus, this hypocrite is as Tertullus that took more care of his Oratory, than of the matter he was to speak; and studied more the elegancy of his language, than the truth of his charge (for, not so much as one witness was produced to prove it: ) the true Christian is as the Preacher, that, in seeking out acceptable words, his main care was, that what was written (by him) might be upright, even words of truth . The one darkeneth counsel by words, without knowledge , making that more obscure which he undertook to explain; the other, by the sweetness of his lips increaseth knowledge , by clearing up that which before was obscure: the one, as Herod, by a fluent tongue, seeks to raise glory to himself, which justly ends in his own confusion : the other, as Paul, hath the tongue of the wise, which useth knowledge aright , and so causeth others to glorify God in him .

This hypocrite talks of God and good things, without minding of either.

[Character 4] As the Parret is taught by the belly, to cry, Ave Caesar, not knowing, nor thinking whom Caesar was; so this hypocrite hath often God in his mouth, when God is not in all his thoughts . He maketh bold with his name, that never thinks of his nature; sometimes by way of Interjection, O God! O Lord! O Christ! when anything is done or spoken that seems strange to him; sometimes, by way of insinuation to get something from God, as Israel, which cried, My God we know thee : but, never thought of him; for, even then Israel had cast off the thing that is good : he had cast off that God, whom he pretended to know, and made use of his name, only for self-advantage.

Sometimes he doth it, to persecute others, as those hypocrites of old, who cast out their brethren, and for countenance of their persecution, call God into the business, saying; Let the Lord be glorified : as the bloody Bishops, in times of Popery passed sentence on the Martyrs, beginning it with In nomine Domini. Whence it grew into a Proverb, In nomine Domini incipit omne malum. In the Name of God, is the introduction to all mischief; which makes the wickedness the greater, that calls in the great and glorious God, to father the devils bastard begot on their wicked hearts.

He taketh the Name of God in vain in his very prayers, sometimes ignorantly, not so much as knowing when he nameth God, as ignorant people saying their prayers in Latin which they understand not; sometimes customarily, saying over that with his lips, which was never in his heart: drawing near with his mouth, and honoring God with his lips, but have removed his heart far from him . Making use of the Name of God and Christ, no otherwise than beggars, upon the high way, or at our doors, who to move pity in others, have often in their mouths the Name of the Lord, and Jesus Christ, whom they never think of, nor care to know more than to use their names as a charm to get an alms. So that this hypocrite makes prayers unto God, as that Atheist, under the name of Pierce penny-less made his supplication to the devil.

And in the same manner he discourseth (for his better grace) of the things of God. If he talk of religion, it is with a profane spirit, that never thinks of it, but to serve his turn for worldly advantages. His tongue runs a gallop, when his head and his heart have not the least tincture of godliness appearing in them. These things he speaks of, but doth as evil things as he can. And when he speaketh of Scripture, it is no otherwise with him. Either he urgeth Scripture to upbraid others, or to call them to that duty which he never performeth, or mindeth himself: or, it is to show how much he can remember, what he can say out of Scripture, when he doth it with no other spirit, than some unhallowed ones have taken upon them to write of the tears of Christ, that yet crucify him every day afresh, and bring him to open shame ; and so likewise of the tears of Peter and Mary Magdalene, that never once thought of following them in their repentance.

Yea, some have been so bold as to translate the Book of Canticles, with a filthy heart and style agreeable, making a carnal Epithalamium, or Bride-song, of that heavenly Song of Songs; as Bonaventure that Popish Schoolman presumed to translate a great part of David's Psalms into our Ladies Psalter ; and where he found the word Dominus, or Lord, he atheistically made it Domina, or Lady, making all those prayers to her, which the Psalmist made unto God; and what the one attributed to God, he blasphemously ascribeth to the Virgin.

Perhaps this hypocrite maketh jests of, or in Scripture-phrases; or, on every occasion, hath some place of Scripture or other in his mouth, but without grace, or reverence: it may be, to make it a charm for an Ague, or (as he believeth) to drive away the devil, who first taught him so to abuse Scripture. It is true that Christ by Scripture vanquishit, and chased away the devil, and therein hath taught us how to resist the devil, that he may flee from us ; the Word of God, being the sword of the Spirit . But neither did Christ himself, much less can we, drive away the devil with the bare pronouncing of the words of Scripture, unless by faith we so draw weapons out of God's Armourie the Scriptures, that the devil may be made to feel the power of them, as well as hear the words: and therefore Peter herein directeth how to expel the devil with God's weapons, by calling on all, to resist him steadfastly in the faith . Making use of the grace of faith to be too strong for him by the Word of faith. Faith is the main shield wherewith we are enabled to quench all the fiery darts of that wicked One . And without this, he is no more afraid of Scripture-words, than of Popish holy water.

On the contrary, the true Christian speakeeh of God, and the things of God with holy fear and reverence.

He never thinks of God but with fear and reverence, even when he doth not by his tongue make mention of him. Sometimes his reverence is expressed by an awful silence; the Christian being so taken, and as it were, swallowed up with admiration and astonishment at God, his Word, Works, Justice; that he standeth mute before God, as not able to speak. He layeth his hand upon his mouth , and holdeth his peace .

But, when he speaks of God, or to God. His mind, first, seriously and reverently fixeth his thoughts upon God, whereby he setteth the Lord always before him , not only to trust in him, but to stand in awe of him, as considering what, and what manner of God he is in himself, and works, whose glory covereth the Heavens, and the earth is full of his praise : so that, when God •• th in any extraordinary way by word, or work, manifest himself, the Christian desires to be affected, as the Prophet was, When I heard, my belly trembled, my lips quivered at the voice, rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself . He looks upon God, as greatly to be feared in the Assembly of the Saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him . Therefore he dares not take his name in vain; nor, without God, will he so much as name him; By thee only, (saith the Church) will we make mention of thy Name .

He mentions the Name of God in the fear of God, and in the strength of God: and therefore saith, I will go in the strength of the Lord God I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only . He is not as the hypocrite that makes mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth, nor in righteousness . For, his heart teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips : and so his lips know what is acceptable , and he is not rash with his mouth . He first makes his supplication to God before he presumeth to talk of God, Let the words of my mouth, and the meditations of my heart, (for, in him, these two go together) be acceptable in the sight, O Lord my strength, and my Redeemer . If he have a purpose to praise God, he first goeth to God to enable him to do it, and to lend him his own Key to open his lips to so holy a purpose; O Lord, open thou my lips, and my mouth shall show forth thy praise . He is ashamed to see what little reverence is performed by Chr • stians to the Name of God, when he readeth, or heareth, that very Turks speak not of God without falling flat down on their faces.

If he speaks of the Word of God, he finds it like fire in his bones , causing his heart to burn within him , as being deeply affected with what he speaketh. He speaketh not of it, lightly, vainly, carelessly, or as adulterating it, to look favourably upon errors, and blasphemies; but, as of sincerity, and as of God, in the sight of God, speaketh he of the Word of God, in Christ, that so it may not only build up himself in hi • most holy faith , but be more effectual to the use of edifying of others, and minister the more grace to the hearers . He maketh not sport with it, but trembles at it : and is so far from making it a charm, that he makes use of it to charm his heart against all superstition, and every false way, and to hate them that regard such lying vanities.

If he enter discourse of the Works of God, he so speaketh of them that he giveth to the Lord glory and strength, he giveth unto the Lord the glory due unto his Name . He taketh pleasure in contemplating the Works of God, and therefore seeketh them out, meditates on them, and both findeth and esteemeth them to be honorable and glorious : and then resolveth, with David, to say unto God, I will speak of the glorious honor of thy Majesty, and of thy wondrous works. And he speaketh of them, so that other men also shall speak of the might of God's terrible acts, and abundantly utter the memory of his great goodness, and sing of his righteousness . Yea, he so speaketh of God's judgments in the earth, that both himself and the inhabitants of the world may learn righteousness .

Thus, this hypocrite sometimes names God, and good things, as some use customary compellations at every turn, thereby to adorn their speech; or, as profane swearers, that often have God in their mouths, to his dishonor, and their own confusion; the true Christian speaketh of God, as fearing this glorious and fearful Name, THE LORD HIS GOD . And of the Word, not as of the word of men, but (as it is in truth) the Word of God ; and of his works as honorable and glorious, the one makes use of the Name of God and these things, as some do of money, only to cast account, or to reckon their gain; the other useth them to better purposes, as knowing the true worth and value of them.

[Character 5] This hypocrite speaks well of good things in others, but cares not to have them in himself.

He giveth virtue his good word, but not entertainment: he commendeth her (as men, do boys that, for a spurt, work hard, without wages, to show what they can do) and so letteth her go. He knoweth it to be his interest to commend good Ministers, good Christians, good Books, (because men usually take the height of his goodness, by what he commendeth in others,) but followeth them not. He talketh of the bow he never shot in, and applauds that excellency which he means not to imitate. 'It is Religion enough for him to commend some that have it, or rather some that had it. For, as he saith, virtutem incolumem odimus, sublatam ex oculis quaerimus invidi. Virtue that is yet before us, we hate: but that which is dead and gone, we seem emulous seekers of; not for the love of virtue, but that he might be thought virtuous, without it.

He honoreth goodness in others, as the Scribes and Pharisees did the holiness of those that had been long dead, but persecuting it in the living. They built the Tombes of the Prophets, and garnished the Sepulchers of the righteous departed, and said, if we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the Prophets , but killed and crucified those that were sent to themselves . He praiseth his religious Parents and Ancestors, as the Jews did Abraham and Moses, never caring for Abraham's faith, nor for Moses his fidelity: and, as some amongst us, are ready to boast, my father had such good exercises in his family, and did so and so, but never care to tread in his steps. And thus much goodness the devil himself will allow this hypocrite to have, as knowing that it is far more easy to deceive by commending goodness, than by declaiming against it .

Contrarily, the true Christian is more careful to be good himself, than to commend goodness in others.

He neglects not to give praise where it is due, as envying the goodness he seeth in others: but the sight of that, provoketh him; and, his commending of that, engageth him to be more industrious to get more thereof into himself. Commendation stirreth up to imitation; and praise is a spurr to things praise-worthy. Therefore the Christian speaketh of good things in others, that he may stir up himself to goodness. In reading a good book, he laboreth to be of the Authors mind, and to make use of his wisdom, and rules, by turning reading into practice; words into action; he having no other end in reading the works, or words of the wise.

He is first diligent to read and inquire after the wisdom, virtues and actions of the best men, that have written the fairest Copies for others to follow. To this end wise Authors have written books, as Xenophon wrote the actions of Cyrus the greater, and entitled his book, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . The Institutes of Cyrus, not which he learned, but taught by his actions, as the Orator explains it , Non tam historicae serviens veritati, quam ut absolutum institueret ducem. Not so much to give a true historical account, as to make a complete Commander or General in war. And wise men read such books, as Alexander did Homer, not so much for delight, as for profit, to extimulate noble minds to heroic actions.

The Christian will not come behind, but out-strip heathens in this commendable practice. He looks upon good examples, as drawing after them Trophies of honor, not only in the account of good men, but in the sight of God. By it, that is, by the heroic exercise of their faith, more than by weapons of war, the Elders of old obtained a good report. It is an honor to a believer to hear and read what honor believers that lived many Ages before them have achieved. Nor doth he rest upon Quae genus, & proavi, what his Ancestors have done, but counts it a foul shame not to tread in their steps. And, being compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses , as are all the Saints and faithful of old that have before him, besides those that live in the same Age with him, he will not be slothful, but a sedulous follower of them, who through faith and patience inherit the promises .

Thus, this hypocrite is willing enough by commending others, to put them upon action, but sits still himself, as Abner and Joab, the two Generals of the Armies of David and Ishbosheth, Let the young men arise and play before us , that they might be witnesses of their valor, but not Partners in the fight; the true Christian, so looketh upon those Worthies that have by their faith acted for God, that he also runs with patience to the race that is set before him , and so runneth, that he may obtain : the one praiseth that in the dead, which he hates in the living, and so gets no good by either; the other giveth all others their due, and reapeth much benefit to himself, by following the good examples of the godly living, as well as of Saints departed.

This hypocrite is a great declaimer against vice, but without detestation of it. [Character 6]

He loves vice well enough, and is loath to disparage it; but he must speak against it, when he speaks of it; or he should too soon be discovered to love it. He must speak against it to save his credit; but he speaks against it so, as to save his vice too. What a man loveth he is loath to discommend; and, if he must discommend it, he will disparage it as little as he can. To speak of vice, and not against it, is indeed to speak for it; to speak against it seemingly, yet giving it all the allowances that wit can think of, is cunningly to commend it. This hypocrite shall curse the deceiver, yet himself holdeth fast deceit . He will speak against covetousness, yet hath an heart exercised with covetous practices . He is a sharp censurer of uncleanness, yet himself hath eyes (at least) full of adultery .

And when he hath spoken all he can against his own sin, suppose it to be pride, oppression, wantonness, usury, &c. before those, who know it not to be his; yet when he comes among such as are not ignorant of it, but perhaps sharers in it, then he extenuates it all he can, and deals with it as Players do with vice in Interludes, trimming, and masking, (if not rather unmasking) it so, as it getteth more lovers thereby, than enemies: or, as lewd women when they are arraigned for some foul offense, make themselves fine and amiable as they can, to move pity in some, lust in others, and to blind the eyes of justice, not unlike to Jezebel at the approach of Jehu, painting her face, and tyring her head, and in that garb, looked out at a window, supposing that none now would, or could, for pity, lay hold upon her .

On the contrary, the true Christian hateth sin, and will be sure it shall get nothing by his tongue.

He cannot speak against that sin, which he hateth not with a perfect hatred: Not because sin hath shamed him, but because God hath taught him better, therefore he hateth every false way . And his hatred will be sure not only to speak, but to do whatever may tend to the ruin of what he hateth. Either he will not at all make mention of the evil, by way of discourse, because mention occasioneth notion, and notion (in many) btings forth motion , wherefore if it be unknown, he is willing to devote it unto silence and oblivion. There are some things, which must not only be not done, but not so much as once named amongst Christians, as becometh Saints . Not that he makes it unlawful to name the Word covetousness, but to lay open all the secret and cunning practices which covetous wretches secretly make use of, it being a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret , and a means rather to teach sin, than to reform it.

If he must necessarily name the wickedness (as sometimes to aggravate the offense to draw the offender to deeper humiliation; or in evidence, before a Judge,) he doth it with all the detestation and disadvantage of the sin that possibly he can. He chooseth rather to imitate Solomon in speaking of the odious sins of adultery and drunkenness; who, to the mentioning of the sins themselves, usually adds the sad effects, dangerous inconveniences, and dreadful ends thereof; than to imitate Ham, in telling of his fathers nakedness to his two brethren without . He will not adventure to tell a long tale, much less to act a Scene of impure lust, with all enticing circumstances, and then think to mend the matter with a Tragical Conclusion of the acted offenders. Such an Antidote comes too late, and is too weak, when the poison is already taken down, and begins to work.

Thus, this hypocrite disgraceth sin in policy, as sometimes Abigail did her husband Nabal, unto David, calling him a man of Belial, not with purpose to have him ruined, but to asswage the fury of David against him; or he extenuateth his sin, in hope thereby to preserve it, as Lot did Zoar, Is it not a little one? the true Christian, is as Joab, not thinking it enough that his sin, as Absalom, be hanged by the hair of the head, unless he strike it with dart after dart, through the heart it self ; the one painteth and pranketh his Jezebel, in hope to find favor; the other, as the Eunuch, casteth her down; and, at once, as Jehu, treadeth her underfoot, and maketh dogs meat of her .

[Character 7] This hypocrite speaketh of the things of God, for controversy, not for edifying.

If he be of a wrangling wit, he exerciseth himself more in difficulties and subtleties, than in plain truths, because his Leviathan -wit thinks, it hath not sea-room enough in unquestionable truths. He cannot sit down and quietly consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; but, he dotes about questions, and strife of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth .

Instead of striving to be one of them that shall be saved, he, as a questionist, or disputer, demands of Christ, Lord, are there few that shall be saved ? Not asking, to learn, but rather out of curiosity; or, with a spirit of contradiction. And this humor possesseth many, who, having more learning than grace, sharpen their wits to baffle those who have more grace than learning, and by grace do shame them and all their learning. Sometimes pride breeds an itch in good parts, and, in men of great hopes, there is ofttimes an humor of opposition, which being nourished, breedeth opinionativenesse, and profaneness in the heart. The first mover about questions and strife of words is pride, in the Apostles observation that was but now mentioned.

It is a true observation, nimium altercando veritas amittitur, by too much wrangling truth is lost. And there is nothing more dangerous in scholars of pregnant parts, and busy wits, than to vaunt of a polemical, or rather parodoxical ability to defend anything, though never so improbable; for hereby they come at length to hold anything, although never so false and damnable; or to deny anything, or to hold nothing, be it never so clear and demonstrable. And so, as some by following the Fencing School, come at last to be Swaggerers; so these, by the wit-fence of Sophistry, become desperate heretics, and bring upon themselves swift destruction . Yet this hypocrite resolves to overcome in every conflict of disputation, which many times proves no better than that between the two Thebane brethren, a Cadmëan victory.

Contrarily, the true Christian speaketh of truth reverently and peaceably.

He that is for truth, and not for victory, is more willing to be overcome by truth, than to conquer with error. Nor is he a loser by being worsted in Argument, while truth prevaileth; but should suffer loss by gaining the day, had he prevailed against truth. He therefore feareth error, and gets more ground of it by prayer, and peaceable managing of Arguments of truth against it, than by hot and fierce disputes, wherein he finds that passion is as bad in a disputation, as that dust, raised between the two Armies of Marius and the Cimbres, which dust was so great, that when they thought to engage in battle, they lost all sight of one another, whereby the glory of the victory fell to Catulus, Colleague to Marius.

Wherefore he fleeth wrangling contention, doing nothing in strife or vain-glory , but armeth himself against it, with calmness of mind, in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves, if God peradventure will give them repentance, to the acknowledging of the truth . He omitteth not the just and strenuous defense of the faith, when occasion is offered, but contendeth earnestly for the faith which was once delivered unto the Saints . But it is by steely arguments of reason, not by by thunder claps of passion, and so he proves himself the best Champion of truth.

Perhaps others can fence, but not fight better. The best fencers are not the best soldiers. A true man backit with a good conscience and a good cause, sometimes foils a fencing thief; and a sincere Christian that loves the truth and peace, will keep his ground better in the defense of truth, than he that pretends to much more skill in disputation: and though he speak with less Art, yet what he speaketh is more to the purpose. And, if all things else fail, yet his faith and courage fail not; so that when he can answer sophisms and fallacies no longer, he boldly resolveth, as he that was over-matchit by Popish Sophisters, when he cried out to the persecuting Bishop, My Lord, although I cannot dispute for the truth, yet I can die for the truth.

Thus, this hypocrite maketh use of Scripture, as some contentious spirits use the Law of the land, for a waster or cudgel to break his neighbors head; the true Christian sets it up as a Standard which he resolves to maintain with his life: the one is a fencer, no soldier; a wrangler, no assertor of truth; the other is a good soldier of Jesus Christ , that so manageth his spiritual Arms, as to defend and love the truth and peace .

[Character 8] This hypocrite maketh no conscience of lying to his neighbor.

As his carriage in the matter of his talk is false towards God; so he is no changeling, in speaking to his neighbor, wherein more pains than ordinary is required to unmask him. For this, he may be called the lying hypocrite, Signanter, as being a more eminent liar than any other. For he is a double liar; a liar in all his carriage as he is an hypocrite; and more particularly a liar of his tongue, in speaking that for truth, which he knows to be false, with a purpose to deceive. Every liar is by his lie an hypocrite, (although he be not such in other things, but an open wicked man) for everyone that lieth would be thought to speak truth; so then, an hypocrite, and a liar, meeting in one, make a double hypocrite, or, an hypocrite in grain; A lie, is the hypocrisy of the tongue; as hypocrisy in behavior is the lie of the life. By the one he speaketh lies in hypocrisy , by the other he acteth lies in all his conversation. He loveth lying rather than to speak righteousness , and is nothing but a lie in all his behavior both towards God and man.

The best man, that hateth lying most, may be made a lie by others, that put that trust and confidence in him which they ought to place only in God: so, men of high degree are a lie, because, if laid in the balance with God, (for wisdom, power, stability, fidelity,) they are altogether lighter than vanity . But here is only a lie passive, which is his sin that maketh him so; not his, that is so made by others, unless he say (as the Bramble to the trees) come, and put your trust in my shadow : but this hypocrite is a lie active; for he not only abuseth others, but himself most of all, when he saith to himself, Come and put thy trust in the shadow of my hypocrisy: for he playeth the hypocrite and the liar so long, that he comes at length to believe his own lie, and to trust in it, as that by which he hopes to delude God as well as man.

Yea, this hypocrite in speaking truth, lieth, when he understands, or believes that to be a lie, which he delivers for a truth. As when he talks much of the judgment to come, of the torments of hell, and of the unavoidablenesse of them without repentance, none of which he indeed believeth to be true; yet, delivering them as truths, and believing the contrary, he lieth in speaking truth. He that in speaking, goes against his mind, lieth, whether he speak truth or falsehood. And what is there which this hypocrite speaketh, wherein he doth not so lie? If he say, there is a God, he speaketh truth; yet lieth▪ as to his lying self, in so saying, because he believeth not the truth which he speaks, but looks upon it as a lie. For every hypocrite is a fool, and every such fool is an Atheist, that saith in his heart, there is no God . This is the language of his heart, as appears by the language of his life; he being corrupt, and doing abominable works, as if there were no God: so that, both his heart and life give his tongue the lie, even when he speaketh truth: and he is is proved a liar by two of his own witnesses.

But, his lying to his neighbor is not confined to his talk of God, and heavenly things: he can hardly speak, but he lieth, and loveth to lie, to whomsoever he speaketh of other matters. He that lieth in all his carriage, will not make scruple to follow the same trade with his tongue. Reputation with men, is his greatest ambition, therefore he must seem better than others, that he may raise a name. But his carriage answereth not his high-flown profession; he sometimes takes a cup too much, or is wanton, or useth some deceit in commerce, or is strongly suspected of some other miscarriages, which not only blemish his reputation, but endanger his person. Here, he is put to his shifts, whereof the first is a lie. He out-faceth that with a lie, so long as he is able, which he blushed not to do in hope of not being discovered. He thinks to cover his fault by a lie, as Rachel did her fathers idols, by sitting upon them , and so by hiding it, doubles it. And indeed, lying is as common with him, as swearing is with a debauchit ruffian. He can as hardly speak without a lie, as the other without an oath.

If he be asked a question of his carriage, not becoming his Profession; or, for which he is afraid he shall be blamed, or shamed: his answer is no other than a lie. If he have been where he should not, and done what he ought not, and after be asked, as Gebazi was, Whence comest thou? or, where hast thou been? He hath a lie ready, thy servant went no whither .

If he have a mind to draw another, who makes Profession of Religion as well as he, (and perhaps, with more sincerity) into sin, and the other alledgeth any Command of the Lord against it, he will be lie God, and Scripture, and all to bring him to his lure, and make an hard shift to abuse the other with a pretended warrant from God for so doing; as the old Prophet of Bethel, who abused the man of God that had prophesied against Jeroboams Altar; by causing him, contrary to the express Command of God, to return with him, and to eat bread, upon pretence that he, being a Prophet as well as the other, had received later order from God so to do; but he lied unto him .

If he would make a show of doing much more good than he performeth, and give out to the godly, as well as to others, that he hath done so much good for this or that person, or place, as indeed he hath not; or, promiseth so much, and performs but a part, yet makes the world believe he hath done all; and if he be charged with dissembling therein, he answereth as Ananias and Saphyra, who would needs sell all their land and possessions, and lay the price thereof down at the Apostles feet, for supply of the Saints, but kept back a part of the price; and being questioned for it, they thought to make it good by a lie, that they sold it but for so much, and they had brought it all . In a word, take an hypocrite without a lie in any discourse, and send him to • he Pope to be canonized for a Saint.

If down-right lying be too gross to serve his purpose, and to stand with his profession or honor, the devil, his father, hath found out a new Art of lying, or rather, another sort of lying newly become an Art, to wit, the Jesuits imp, and darling, Equivocation, which is a speech, that in some sense reserved in the breast of the Speaker, may be true, but according to the plain sense of the words, by which he seeks to shift and abuse the hearers, is a lie. If he be asked, Are you a Priest? He answereth, No: meaning, he is none of the Order of Aaron, or Melchizedek. Demand of him, did you within such a time see such a Priest, or Jesuit, that is sought for? He answereth, No, I saw him not: meaning, he saw him not upon the rop of Paul's. Interrogate him further, Have not you said Mass of late in England? His answer is still the same, No; meaning, he said it not in the English tongue, or in an open Church.

This he denieth to be lying, and maintaineth to be lawful: and▪ so makes it a worse kind of lie, than that which is on all hands yielded to be lying. For a sin blended and defended as no sin, makes it a bed of snakes, or a complication of sundry sins in one. He cannot deny, but what he speaketh, is, in the hearers understanding, a direct lie: for, he saith, he saw not him whom he did see. He did not that, which yet he knows was done by him. To think to salve all with some mental res • rvation to himself, of which the hearer can take no notice, cannot excuse from a lie, when the speech is between man & man, especially between him and a Magistrate that hath power to examine him. For he asketh the question, expecteth a positive answer to his question, according to the plain construction and sense of the words, and meaning of the question; the other therefore is bound, if he speak, to speak truth to his neighbor ; Not one thing with the lips, and reserving another sense in his heart▪ contrary to the plain sense of the words he speaketh with his mouth. This is to speak with a double heart , which God abhorreth, however Jesuits use, and applaud it. The truth is to be spoken in the heart, as well as with the tongue . He that speaks that with his tongue, which is contrary to what he meaneth in his mind and heart, is a liar to himself, because he knoweth his words to be contrary to truth; and he is a liar to his neighbor, because he deceiveth him by an untruth cunningly uttered; which cunning alters not the nature of the sin, but aggravates it. The more cunning any man is in sinning, the more he resembles the devil the father of sinners, but especially of liars .

And to say truth, the devil is sometimes more ingenuous than many of his scholars; when he lieth, he will confess it; they deny it, and maintain it to be no lie. When the father of lies had taught Ahab's Prophets to prophecy a lie unto him touching the success of his march to Ramoth-Gilead, they do not in express terms tell him he should take it; but only thus, the Lord shall deliver it into the hands of the King; speaking ambiguously, (as the devil used, in delivering his Oracles,) that so, if the King of Syria carried it (as he did) those prophets might evade a lie by saying we said indeed, God shall deliver it into the hands of the King; but we did not tell him what King, nor did he ever ask us. We meant in our minds, the Syrian King. Yet even the devil himself that put that answer into their mouths, freely confessed the truth, when he declared how and what he would do, to persuade Ahab to attempt that war, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his Prophets . Here's the lie confessed by the father of it; if his sons think otherwise of it, we leave it to them to consute him.

But, perhaps he pleadeth, that they to whom he speaketh, are of a false religion, heretics, and so no members, no brethren; and, even their Magistrates have no power to examine him, or to proceed against him, because excommunicated; and all that is done against him, is, coram non judice, before one who is indeed no Judge; and therefore he may make more bold to baffle him. But this bold hypocrite considereth not, (though he be a Jesuit ) what Jesus (whose name they abuse) did, before Caiaphas, and afterwards before Pilate, no disciples, no Catholics. Before Caiaphas, he first was silent , to let that High Priest know how little power he had to examine and condemn him, who was indeed the substance of that shadow, and that great High Priest, that shortly was to pass, and accordingly did pass, into the Heavens , for us, (where it is to be feared, the other never came, for himself:) But considering withal, that to this end he was borne, and for this cause came he into the world, that he should bear witness unto the truth . He both then, before Caiaphas, and after, before Pilate, (to whom first also he refused to speak, to show Pilate that he could have no power at all against him, except it were given him from above witnessed a good confession , ingenuously acknowledging in such words and language as they might and did plainly understand, who he was, without any Equivocation, or mental reservation , leaving us an example that we should follow his steps .

It may be, this hypocrite taken in a lie, will plead that he lieth but in jest, or for sport and merriment, to show his wit, not to deceive. But while he shows his wit, he showeth his wickedness. Every fool can lie, and make sport, but not without some wickedness. And if sport may legitimate a lie, then the madman who casteth fire-brands, arrows and death, and saith, am not I in sport ? may have a license too. Wickedness committed in jest will be punished in earnest: foolish talking and jesting which are not convenient, (and whoever durst to maintain a lie to be convenient, ) are not allowed to be so much as named among Saints . Therefore sporting lies are condemned by the light of nature in very heathens. Solon that wise Lawgiver, and Governor, although in his latter time he took some delight in mirth and merry Poemes, and came to hear Thespis acting some of his verses upon the Stage, in which when he perceived some lies, after all was ended, he called Thespis to him, and asked, If he were not ashamed to lie so openly in the face of the world; and, being answered, that it was not material, for that all was but in sport, Solon beating the ground with his staff, through indignation, replied, if we once commend lying in sport, we shall find it afterwards in good earnest, in all our bargains and dealings.

If he be not so pleasant, as to use the jesting lie, but rather condemns it, (not as hating the sin, but for lack of wit to make sport, or as taken up with other wickedness, which is more sport to him ;) yet he hopes the officious lie may be borne without offense, which sometimes may be for the good of many; it saved many Hebrew-children, (and, among the rest Moses ) that should have been destroyed , it preserved the Spies, that otherwise could not have escaped . And hence some have imagined and defended, pious frauds; for doing of good, to be lawful: and those not only Priscillian heretics, (who maintained lying to be lawful, against whom St. Augustine chiefly bent his learned and solid book, ) But great and learned men of great note in the Church, have spoken too favourably of officious lying.

But the father last named hath so soundly and nervously answered all Arguments and Examples brought for it, and given so many strong reasons out of Scripture against it, as it is almost impossible to add anything material thereunto, or to refute his book. Among other passages and instances, he answers those two of the Midwives, and Rahab, whom God blessed for such their dealing, the one with the children, the other with the Spies, thus; Non ideo factum est, quia mentitae sunt, sed quia in homines Dei misericordes fuerunt. Non est itaque in eis remunerata fallacia, sed benevolentia; benignitas mentis non iniquitas mentientis . It was not so done to them, because they lied, but because they were merciful to God's people: not their deceit, but their benevolence; the benignity of the mind, not the iniquity of the tongue in lying, was rewarded in them. And this we know, that God likes no such Advocate as liars to plead his cause. Will ye, saith Job to his three friends, speak wickedly for God, and talk deceitfully for him? Will ye make a lie for him, as one lieth for a man ? This was his meaning, having immediately before charged them as forgers of lies in this very cause. Put nothing to his word, saith Ashur, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar . This imputation of lying for God, to advance his truth, the Apostle rejecteth with execration .

Contrariwise, the true Christian in all things speaketh the truth from his heart.

He loveth truth , and hateth lies , therefore he first adviseth with his heart, before he uttereth anything with his mouth. His heart teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning unto his lips . His lips utter nothing, but what the heart first dictated, that so he may make this sure, not to lie, in case he should tell an untruth, through ignorance, or false information. Therefore he prayeth with Agur, Remove far from me vanity and lies . Yet, he is cautious, not to take those things for lies, which are not such. There are in Scripture divers things which the Proctors for lies, do urge as lies, which are not so. Every liar seeks to conceal truth, yet everyone that concealeth truth is not a liar. Abraham concealed truth in not saying Sarah was his wife: but did not lie in saying she was his sister, for she was his sister by the fathers side . A man may conceal truth; by silence, without a lie; for so did Abraham; he did not deny her to be his wife: had he done so, that had been a lie. But he only said, She is my sister, and so saved himself from lying.

Again, Tropes or Figures, as also Parables which are frequently used in Scriptures, although not true in the very letter, are not lies, because never intended to be spoken, but to signify somewhat else by an elegancy of speech, not by a fallacy of words; and so they are to be understood, and accordingly are interpreted by such as understand language: so as here is no deception in the speaker, but a more lively and profitable instruction of the hearers.

When Christ is said to be a Rock a Lion, a Lamb, &c. and when the devil is called also a Lion, a Wolf, a Dragon, Leviathan, &c. no man is so weak as to take these speeches to be meant properly, but figuratively, by way of allusion or comparison; to show the strength and virtues of the one, and wickedness of the other so fully in few words, as could hardly in many other plain words be so fully expressed. He therefore refuseth not such expressions, but rather studieth how to make out the elegancy of them, and how, aptly to imitate the Holy Ghost in such figures and similitudes.

So for Parables, as that of Jotham, concerning the trees ; and those many Parables of our Savior in the Evangelists, although the things mentioned in them were never acted according to the letter, (which was never intended by them,) yet something, like those very things were acted by those very persons to whom those parables were spoken, which had it been spoken in plain down-right language, would not have instructed them half so well, or so much. For those parables do hold forth them and their actions, in so clear and lively a glass, as makes them to see themselves and their actions so fully, as not to be able to evade the condemning of themselves by their own judgment and conscience, which otherwise could never be so convincingly done.

Therefore he useth Parables also, (yet far from lying) when he is able so to frame them, that the true scope may both appear, and teach; and the words be so chosen and placed as an intelligent ear may discern them to be a Parable, not a story: nec invidentur discentibus, quod his modis obscurantur, sed commendantur magis; ut quasi substracta desiderentur ardentius, & inveniantur desiderata jucundius . Nor are things of this nature enviously found fault withal, but rather commended by such as are put to the pains to pick out the true meaning of them; when it appeareth, that therefore the things thereby intended, seem to be laid under parabolical expressions, as it were out of sight, that they may be sought out with more diligence, and found with more pleasure. And the scope, being once found, it will then appear, that those parables contain not falsehoods, but truths, because truths, not falsehoods were not only intended, but signified by them; and so, they are not only warrantable, but commendable, and very acceptable to an ingenuous hearer, or reader.

But as for lies he abhorreth them, seeing that he hath put off the old man with his deeds . He will not tell a lie for God himself, as knowing how hateful lying is unto God . He leaveth equivocating lies, to those 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , those arch-liars, and patrons of them, who all hold of that one grand lie, the Papacie, which by the Spirit of truth is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , The lie, as comprehending in it all sorts of lies, and the quintessence of them to deceive and destroy the souls of men . Nor will he make himself or others merry with that which makes the Spirit of God sorry , by a sporting lie: or, for any man's pleasure, take up an officious lie, whatever good might redound to himself or others by it, as knowing it to be an evil and hateful thing, to do evil that good may come thereof ; and that there is no necessity laid upon any man by God, to lie, although for saving his life; which must go, rather than be preserved by sin, which ruineth life, and soul, and all, in the Conclusion.

He is sufficiently instructed, how hateful unto God, injurious to our neighbor and fellow-member, lying is, as if the eye should tell a lie to the foot, or the hand to the throat; and lastly, how unprofitable and pernicious to the liar; for a lying tongue is but for a moment. This is madness indeed (saith Cyprian ) not to know, nor consider that lies cannot long cozen him that at present may be abused by them. A man may possibly get some present commodity by it, as Gehazi did, but it leaveth an everlasting plague of leprosy, I mean, a guilty conscience behind it, which as a millstone about his neck, pulls him into the sea of God's wrath, and gives him his part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone; which is the second death . No sin is branded with more disgrace, or more threatened with inevitable destruction, which is extended, not only to all that make lies, but to all that love them . And let the liar bear what Arms he will, yet the true Christian by searching his true Pedigree in the best Herauldry, the holy Scriptures, finds the devil to be his true father , and, that he is burnt in the tongue, or rather in his conscience, with an hot iron , not only as a perpetual infamy, but as a certain fore-runner of those everlasting burnings which he must endure in hell forever.

Possibly he may, by fear, or some other sudden surprise, fall into this sin, ere he be aware, as Sarah did, I laughed not, for she was afraid , and as Peter did, which cost him dear (s), (although few of God's people ever went so far) but he will bewail it with tears of blood, and pray earnestly, Remove from me the way of lying; as hating, and abhorring it . He is so far from practicing of lying upon that account that holy persons have sometimes used it, that he looks not upon their falls, for imitation, but upon their repentance, and their being received to mercy thereupon, as an encouragement to repentance, not to lie. Nay rather, because he finds such eminent Saints subject to so foul a vice, he abhors it and fears it the more in himself, and keepeth a stronger watch upon his lips, that he may not so foully offend with his tongue.

If any man propound to him the instance of Rahab, and ask what he would do, if a godly man, persecuted and pursued to death, should seek shelter under his roof, and his discovering of him would be present death to the persecuted man; whether he would not to him that demands him, rather follow Rahab's pattern, and say, He is gone away? No: his resolution would be that of Firmus, an holy Bishop of Tagesta , St. Austin's country, in Africa; when the Emperor (not then Christian) required the delivery, or (at least) the discovery of a a Christian which he had with great care hid from the Tyrant, resolutely answered, nec prodam, nec mentiar, I will neither betray him, nor lie; from which resolution no torments then inflicted (which were many and sharp) could draw, or force him.

Thus, this hypocrite loveth vanity, and seeketh after lies ; the true Christian hateth both; the one will not only lie, but plead for lying; the other will not only avoid the practice, but stop his ears against all Arguments brought to defend it.

This hypocrite with his tongue deceiveth his neighbor. [Character 9]

He pretendeth uprightness, love, and justice towards his neighbor. This is the language of his tongue. He affects to be a fair spoken man, and to give everyone good words, especially him whom he means to swallow, as men use to speak to dogs, which they intend to catch, and hang. The words of his mouth are smoother than butter, when war is in his heart . Eate, saith he, to thee, when his heart is not with thee , but rather wisheth every bit may choke thee. When thou art buying of him, he makes use of his smooth tongue to over-reach and defraud thee in the commodity, or price, or both. Either he enters into some religious discourse, if he think that will take most with thee, to make thee to trust him, for what he would put into thy hand, and then seems offended or grieved, if you give him not his own price, although unreasonable. What! do you think I would, or durst to deceive you, saith he? No, I am none of those; one word with me, is all. And so you must be content to be over-reachit, to give him his price, and think yourself well used; or else, he throws by his wares, and tells you he hath none at your rates, and so parts with you in discontent: and while profane men cozen many, by swearing; he, by his Yea and Nay deceives more.

Not that swearing is better in bargaining than Yea and Nay; or, that Yea and Nay should be Items to a wise man not to deal, because the hypocrite with this language cheateth, (for it is the only expression allowed by Christ, and the Apostle, in ordinary discourse but, because cheating under this visor is more abominable. For, as St. Austin once said of lying, that a lie out of a Priscillianists mouth, was less to be wondered at, because they held lying to be lawful; but a lie by an Orthodox Christian is more intolerable, because he professeth to abhor it as abominable; so, cheating by swearing, is not so much to be abominated in a profane man, (for he professeth no better,) as deceiving, in Christ's own language, by an hypocrite, whose very Profession teacheth him better, and lays a kind of command upon you to believe him upon his bare word, by which he deceiveth.

The deceitful tongue is the hypocrites badge : a double heart is his Ware-house : no marvel then, if he give his mouth to evil, and his tongue frameth deceit ; and, that vanity be the chief subject of his discourse. If he have a mind to betray and destroy, he hath sugared words dipt in Crocodiles tears to get you into his net, as that wretched Ishmael did those eighty men that came from Shilo, and from Samaria, to go to the House of the Lord, he went out to meet them, weeping all along as he went, and said, Come to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, (whom he had before slain) and having gotten them into the midst of the City, there he slew them . He carried himself as if he were a very Jonathan, when he was in truth a very Ishmael, a crafty blood-sucker of his brethren, whom he drew into his net by his tongue.

On the contrary, the true Christians tongue is wholly employed for his neighbors good.

Not only when he is employed about, and discourseth of Religion and heavenly things for the good of edifying ; but in all his discourse and converse with him, he seeketh his good, not his harm. He will not only keep his tongue from lying thereby to deceive him, and from evil and filthy communication thereby to corrupt him, but he will see that his lips speak no guile , thereby to circumvent and defraud him. He will not only refrain all speech that may hurt him, but he will use his tongue to the best advantage of his neighbor, and rejoice in, and lay hold upon any opportunity to serve him. If he be oppressed by evil tongues, he will be a Jonathan to speak for his integrity. If he be in want, he will speak and write (as Paul did) for his relief. If he want advise, he will be a faithful Counselor, that as ointment and perfume rejoice the heart, so doth the sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel .

His tongue is not mercenary, or for hire, whether the cause be good or evil. Where he finds it evil, no money shall tempt him to plead it. If it be good, no bribe shall corrupt him to desert or neglect it. His speech is useful, charitable, comfortable. He is a tongue for the dumb, and openeth his mouth in the cause of all such as are (causelessly) appointed to destruction .

Thus, this hypocrite speaketh sweetly with his lips, but in his heart he imagineth how to throw thee into a pit: he will weep with his eyes, but if he find opportunity he will not be satisfied with blood . The true Christians tongue, is always profitable, and safe, without covering hatred by deceit. The words of the one are softer than oil, yet are they drawn swords ; but, while the words of the wicked are to lie in wait for blood, the other, by his mouth delivereth them . The tongue of the one is a trap for his neighbor, the other is his protection.

[Character 10] This hypocrite is a slanderer of his neighbor.

His great delight is to hear and to tell tales, that he may walk with slanders ; or, be a Spie, or Intelligencer to the slanderer. If he can hear any news, as an Athenian news-monger ; he is big of it, till he can be delivered of it to some others. If he can hear none, he raiseth some, or causeth others to do it, ( Report, saith he, and we will report it, ) that he may not want wares for his Customers. And so he is a tale-hearer; or a tale-maker, that by one of these he may be a tale-bearer; and so, a slanderer: turning his tongue into a scourge , yea, into a sharp sword ; and his speech, into the piercings of a sword . For, the words of a tale-bearer are as wounds, that go down to the uttermost parts of the belly.

He knoweth God hath made a Law against raising reports, as well as receiving reports : for in one, he forbiddeth both. And as well-knowing that he that will buy, or make this ware, will vend it again. God expressly prohibiteth this devilish trade, Thou shalt not go up and down as a tale-bearer among thy people . The word, translated Tale-bearers is from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Rakel, which properly signifieth a Merchant or Pedlar that goes up and down the Country, and offereth wares at every man's door. So the tale-bearer uttereth his tales and criminations of other men, as wares which he longs to vend at very easy rates, to any man that will take them off his hand: and the more secret the thing is, the more he desires to make it known, that it may be the greater news. A tale-bearer revealeth secrets . And he will do it, although to the ruin of the parties whom it concerneth. He will carry tales, (or be a man of slanders) to shed blood . And this he will do, under pretence of friendship and good neighbourhood to him to whom he tells the tale; and perhaps to him also of whom he speaketh; for, he is grown so cunning in his trade, that when the slander is deepest, he seems to be fullest of compassion, and wisheth, he had gone an hundred miles that it were not so: whereas he that is of a faithful spirit, would conceal the matter , if it were so.

But let God make what Laws he will against it, our hypocrite he is resolved to be an Antinomian, (at least) in this point; and rather to turn devil, (as the word Rakel , by Aquila an ancient Greek Interpreter, is rendered) for he cares not what mischief he does, so he may have vent for his tales and slanders. This is that for which Satan and this hypocrite bear one name, because they are both of the same occupation. The devil hath that name from calumniating and false accusing of the godly, therefore is he called the accuser of the brethren ; And so, such as take pleasure in this trade, are called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , devils , that is, (as our Translators render it) false accusers, or make-bates. And, for this Christ himself called Judas a devil , in relation to his delating and betraying of his Master. So that by this it appears, how odious this hypocrite upon the very account of a tale-bearer and slanderer, is unto God, being as reprobate-silver, who the Lord hath rejected .

For this, is he hated also of men, (although slanderers make use of him, as some wicked Princes do of Traitors) A whisperer defileth his own soul, and is hated wheresoever he dwelleth, saith the son of Sirach . Therefore, saith he, curse the whisperer, and double-tongued, for such have destroyed many that were at peace. A back-biting tongue hath disquieted many, and driven them from Nation to Nation: strong Cities hath it pulled down, and overthrow the houses of great men. A back-biting tongue hath cast out virtuous women, and deprived them of their labors: who so hearkeneth to it shall never find rest, nor dwell quietly . That which is translated a back-biting tongue, is, in the Original, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a third tongue. And so the Chaldee Paraphrase expounds that of the Psalmist, Let not an evil speaker be established , a man which speaketh with a third tongue. For indeed hereby this hypocrite hurteth many at once. An evil tongue killeth three, say the Hebrew Doctors, the speaker, the receiver of the report, and the person spoken against. The two first by the sin, the third, by the sword of his tongue.

On the contrary, the true Christian is tender and jealous of his brothers good name.

He knoweth that a good name is better than precious ointment . Costly ointments are reckoned among the treasures and happiness of Princes. And he that robbeth a man of that, robs him of his choicest Jewels, the death thereof is an evil death, the grave were better than it . He knoweth that God shall destroy forever, the man that loveth devouring words; he shall take him away, and pluck him out of his dwelling place, and root him out of the land of the living . Seldom is a tale-bearer long lived, nor happy while he lives. Therefore the Christian makes a door and a bar, both to his ear and tongue; that by the one, tales may not enter; nor by the other, slip from him to wrong his neighbor: for he that uttereth slanders is a fool .

He will not take up an evil report against his neighbor : for this were to let the devil sit in his ear: nor will he report evil of his neighbor; for this were to let the devil sit upon his lips, and to destroy his neighbor. If he speak of the faults of others, it is only when he is called, and cannot refuse without sin: nor will he seek to be called, for this is all one upon the point, as to the matter of slander, as if he were not called: for, hereby he, in effect, calleth himself: And when he is called, and must speak, he handleth such sores as tenderly as may be with duty.

His tongue neither itcheth to tell tales, nor his ear to hear them. He will neither be thief nor receiver. If any one about him be discovered to slander his neighbor, although but privily, that is, by a secret whisper only, merely to pick thanks, he looketh upon it, as betonguing, or hurting his neighbor with a third tongue, (as the Original beareth it) and therefore resolves to cut him off ; not, to kill him, but to rid the house of him, as he after explains himself, He that worketh deceit shall not dwell in my house, he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight . For it is with him a received maxim, that should he do otherwise, all that belong to him would soon learn the same trade; because, if a Ruler hearken to lies, all his servants are (or will be) wicked.

Thus, this hypocrite speaketh words like Doeg, concerning Ahimelechs relieving of David ; who spake like the piercings of a sword . The Christian speaketh of his neighbor, (especially if godly) as Jonathan, to the King his father, touching David, speaking good of him, saying, Let not the King sin against his servant, against David; because he hath not sinned against thee, and because his works to thee-ward have been very good . The one, by the perverseness of the tongue, breaketh the spirit, the other, by the wholesomnesse of his tongue, is a tree of life .

[Character 11] This hypocrites tongue mocketh his neighbor.

Hypocrisy must be witty, or the hypocrite will gain little by the trade. And that which is fallacious, must be facetious, the better to excuse a fallacy when it is discovered, and the more to engratiate the hypocrite that else would lose by his juggling. Therefore this hypocrite must have somewhat to exercise his wit upon, which is, his neighbor. For, he that makes so bold with God, as to do what he can to mock him, will strain a point of friendship to abuse his neighbor, with whom he thinks he may be more free. His wit is a jeering wit, which delighteth most in scoffs and mocks! Seldom shall you find an hypocrite of parts, but he is, (where he may be free) a great scoffer.

David found it so, as a type of Christ, whose enemies expressed their malice by mocking, as much as by persecution: and, to say truth, there is no persecution like mocking. Ishmael will mock at Isaac, till he be thrown out of doors . And this is by God himself, counted, and punished as persecution . And it is also noted as the constant character of a man borne after the flesh, that is, of a graceless wretch; such as the hypocrite always is, even at his very best. In this he will not come behind very abjects, or the basest of men. When he is in his feasts, and jollity, he lays aside his counterfeit gravity, and not only sporteth himself with his own deceivings , laughing in his sleeve to see how many his counterfeit Sanctity hath deceived, but making bold to abuse those that truly fear God, with taunts and mocks, as if that were no sin, but a piece of wit that deserves commendation.

Among all David's enemies, he was most cut to the heart with hypocritical mockers at feasts : that is, with hypocrites that were facetious, and sanniones, mockers, that in their feasts made him their sport. Therefore some read it, Hypocrites, Scoffers for a cake of bread, (for so the word sometimes signifies ,) or for juncates, or dainty meats used in feasts. They will mock their neighbors for good cheer, for their bellies when they sit at his table who loves such mirth. So that, hypocrites are most apt to this at their belly-cheer and banquets. When their bellies be full, their tongues walk, and mocking, for sport and mirth, is their table-talk.

He thinks it excuse enough to say, Am not I in sport? I hope a man may be bold with his friend in a way of merriment. But he never considereth that such jesting is linked with foolish talking, and both condemned and forbidden . His luxuriant wit dissolveth him at such times into a 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , or all manner of scurrilous scoffing, to vex and gaule those whom he hath a mind to abuse, so he can but make sport to himself, and others who wholly give themselves to foolish laughter, and dissolute mirth: and this is his 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which he takes to be lawful, but miserably and willfully erreth therein. Nay, sometimes he affecteth this kind of dicacity, as Vespasian used to do, to take away the envy and clamour of some dishonest or uncomely gain, turning off all with a merry jest, as that Emperor did, the gain he made by urine, when he made his son smell to the money raised by it.

He little remembers the sad malediction that fell upon Cham for derision ; and the dismal end of those two and forty children that mockit the Prophet of God, saying, Go up thou bald-head, and were destroyed of Bears . Nor doth he consider that men's carriage in their cups and mirth; do lay open their inward frame of spirit; and, that such an heart is little worth . For jests many times show men's hearts in earnest; as the covetous and unclean persons discover themselves by their mirth, to all persons of understanding. It is a poor shift to say, Lasciva est pagina, vita proba est, though his lines be wanton, his life is chaste; and, a base thing to make a fool in a play of another man's good name.

He pleaseth himself, though he abuse others, and will lose his friend rather than his jest. But seldom do such fools so lose their friend, but in the conclusion, they lose themselves. The Philistines thought it not enough to make Sampson grind in a mill after they had put out his eyes, and bound him with fetters of brass; but they would needs at their great feast, call for Sampson to make them sport: which Sampson did, but, to their cost. For, of three thousand men and women, and the Lord's of the Philistines, that beheld Samson's making of sport, not one escaped with his life . So, many times, jest ends in earnest; that offense which is foolishly given, is ill taken; and many, thinking so to make sport, as the Philistines did, pull an old house about their ears, which is just upon them. It is ill making others afraid of his wit, who hath as much reason to be afraid of their memories.

Contrariwise, the true Christian abhorreth mocking, and cherisheth the good of his neighbor.

He remembereth his holy Profession, and walketh worthy of it, in speech as well as in action. He is enjoined to edify others, not to corrupt them . To build them up in their holy faith, not to disgrace them ; to provoke them to love and to good works , not to wrath and fury by abusing of them. He knoweth that hard speeches, as well as lewd actions must come to judgment; and, that condemnation is due to evil words, as well as to evil works . Therefore, if he see his neighbor in a fault, he counselleth him with love and pity, reproveth him with gravity, and laboreth to restore him with the spirit of meekness .

As for that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , or sober mirth, the product of a modest and chaste wit: he sometimes sparingly useth it for some honest and seasonable recreating of a mind tired with study, cares, labors, and standing in as much need of such refreshing, as the body being weary, doth of rest. If jesting once go beyond Piety, so that God be dishonored; beyond charity, that his neighbor be wronged, or beyond comliness, that his wisdom and gravity be called into question and himself disgraced, he presently disowneth and leaveth it. Mirth he liketh; but, not such, as whereby the Spirit of God is grieved, the spirit of his neighbor exasperated or his own spirit and grace questioned.

He exerciseth his tongue merrily, so as to be free from all wanton, obscene, immodest, offensive expressions, or matter that may corrupt or offend any by petulancy, biting, bitterness, or scoffing; as also from profaning Scripture, or other things sacred: and that his mirth tend to some profit of the hearers, as Elijah's mocking of the Priest of Baal, in the hearing of those whom they had deluded; that it be suitable to his profession, calling, and gravity; not done merely for vain mirth, or too often, as a thing delighted in for itself, or otherwise, than other honest recreations ought to be, for the better quickening of all that hear him to those more serious employments which become wise men and Christians. Otherwise, he saith of laughter, it is mad; and of mirth, what doeth it ?

Thus, this hypocrite is as Sanballet, mocking the Jews for that which deserved incourogement ; and, as Pilate's soldiers, bowing the knee before Christ, and mocking him, saying Hayle-King of the Jews . The true Christian maketh mirth, as Elijah did with Baals Priests, to convince them, and instruct others. The one mocketh, and is mocked; the other shunneth vain-mocking, and is honored of all.

[Character 12] This hypocrite employeth his tongue in magnifying of himself.

He that despiseth others, is a great admirer of himself, and none more than the hypocrite, who makes himself his God. He will be sure to be of those who justify themselves before man , and that's enough for him, although what he highly esteemeth, is abomination in the sight of God. Whomsoever he wrongeth, he will be sure to do himself more than right: but so, in conclusion, he doth himself wrong. He speaketh great swelling words of vanity of his own sufficiency, worth, and actions, to draw others to admire and trust him to the confusion of both . He cannot speak of himself, but with self applauding; and what others speak touching any excellent action done by any other, he layeth claim to, as bearing a great share in it; I know whom he may thank for that, saith he, meaning himself, when another is praised.

Sometimes he seeketh to exalt himself, by discommending those whom others praise. If another be commended for a man of wit, learning, or parts, above others, this hyhocrite maketh a tush of all that is spoken; whereby he gives you to understand, that the other party is not to be named the same day with him. For he that disparageth another man's worth, doth tacitly declare himself to be more worthy; as those false Apostles, who decried Paul, intended thereby to make themselves more eminent by lessening of him. But the end of self-praisers drunken with pride, is first, to stagger and reel by gross mistakes; than to fall into the ditch of some gross error, or foul miscarriage of life; and lastly, to go off with scorn and derision, and to go out like the snuff of a candle.

If he be a young man, he understandeth all things, before he be well acquainted with himself: he needeth not to be twice asked before he speak; rather he will go on speaking till he be twice bidden to hold his peace. And when he speaketh, it is not so much for your good, as to let you see what a rare man he already is. He minds not your edification, but your applauding of him. Hang a bell at his ear to make him music, and he will give you leave to lade him with work till his brains crack again. It is with him, as with some young Professors of the same stamp, who by their own report have all knowledge, and are all zeal; you cannot teach them anything but they are past it: tell them of keeping the Commandments, their answer is, all these have I kept from my youth up . This hypocrite hath done more than he is bound unto, and more than any man can teach him.

Contrarily, the true Christian is sparing to undertake for himself.

Let him deserve never so well, yet he forgetteth not that rule, Let another praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips . He will scarce trust another to do it, unless it be a stranger that will deal impartially. He heareth his own praise, with the same frame of spirit that he heareth dispraise and reviling. If he deserve not blame, he regardeth not the railing; if he deserve it, he is careful to reform: so, if he deserve not the praises given him, he takes no notice of them; if they be the shadow that follows his well-doing, he will rather rise higher in virtue, and shorten the shadow, than decline in well-doing to make the shadow longer. Praise may make him more humbly diligent, than lift him with the pride, which he knows is the next way to fall into the condemnation of the devil .

The better acquainted he is with himself, the more need he findeth of those Items. Be not high minded, but fear : and, let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall . He seeth every day less reason to trust, and more cause to fear himself. Therefore he abhorreth to commend himself, and is impatient when it is done by others; not, out of cunning to attract more, but of consciousness of his own many infirmities that make him (in his own opinion) unworthy of it. The longer he liveth, and the more he observeth himself, the worse he likes himself. I see (saith he,) a great part of my zeal was but heat of blood. Many of my prayers were but rhetorical expressions, not cordial breathings of an hungry soul: much of my sorrow for sin, was no better than worldly, for my shame sustained, or punishment threatened; my tears were but water spilled upon the ground, not fit for God's bottle.

He is even afraid to speak the truth for himself, when he is most put to it, and even others as well as himself have need of it, for his just vindication from unjust aspersions and calumnies. When he doth it, he will choose rather to do it in a third person, than in his own, as that blessed Apostle, I knew a man in Christ, &c . Wheresoever he mentioneth any grace, or sufficiency in himself, he carefully puts it off to the account of God; not I, but the grace of God that was in me . If he have any • hing to glory in, he puts it upon Christ, I have whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ . If he be able to want, and to abound, to be full, and to be hungry, to abound, and to suffer need, he tells you by whom he doth it, I can do all things through Christ, which strengtheneth me .

Thus, this hypocrite is as Saul, angry, if more be ascribed to David, than to him . The true Christian is like Gideon, that if any chide him for assuming that work to himself, which drew all the praise after it, he will rather put the praise upon them as being better able to do the work . The one, the less he knoweth himself, the more he boasteth and commendeth himself; the other, the more he is acquainted with himself, the less he finds cause to like himself, and the more, to wait till the Lord commend him , when every good man is to expect his praise from God.

CHAP. XXXII. The Idle Hypocrite Is he whose business it is to be idle, or worse.

IT is hard to give him a right name; and therefore not easy to give him an apt description. Whether he may be more fitly termed the Busie Hypocrite, whose business is idleness; or, the Idle Hypocrite, whose idleness is his business, it is not easy to determine. For, either he sets himself on work, but to no purpose; and so, his business is no better than idleness: or, he presumes it is work enough for him to keep himself out of work; and so, his idleness is his business.

Hardly will the body possessed of an active spirit, be idle; but, never the mind: something it will do. But, if that something about which he busieth himself be as good as nothing, I mean as bad, or rather something worse; we shall do him a favor, at least a right, to account him idle; and, his occupation, an idleness, under color of business; and rightly term him, The idle Hypocrite: the busy Idler, or the idle Busie-body. He either doth nothing, and then, all his business is, to defend his idleness: or, that which he doth, is worse than if he did nothing, and so his business is but idleness.

One idleness in him (which is the child of sloth, whereby he is without employment) begets another idleness, which is the fruit of the former, opening the door to all manner of wickedness. What the Apostle speaketh of wanton women, is too true of men also, When they learn to be idle, they wander about from house to house; and are not only idle, but tattlers also, busy-bodies, speaking (and doing too) things which they ought not to do . None walk so disorderly, as they who work not at all, but are busy-bodies . So that he is never more idle, than when he is most busy in that which idleness sets him upon.

On the contrary, the true Christian is truly diligent, and constantly well employed.

He knoweth that God himself worketh , and will admit of no loiterers and idle persons about him . He that will have his penny, must work in his vineyard. And he that worketh receiveth wages, and gathers fruit unto life eternal . Therefore he dares not be idle, nor ill employed. And he worketh the works of God, that is, such as God alloweth and sets him about, without picking and choosing his own work. What (saith he unto God) wilt thou have me to do? No work seems amiss to him that is wholly for God. Nor will he, with the sluggard, delay time, (yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep); But he worketh while it is day, before the night cometh, wherein no man can work . He glorifieth God on earth, that he may be glorified by God in Heaven .

He so emproveth time, and business, that even his idleness, (if I may so call his vacant hours) that is, his necessary rest, his leisure, is not without some diligence; because it tends to fit him for business. He sleeps, to rise and go about his work, not to pamper sloth; he eats, as Elias did, to walk in the strength of his food, the way that God sends him , not to gratify his throat, or belly. So, on the other side, his labor, in regard of contentment and delight in doing God's Will, is unto him a rest, being of the nature of Heaven, Coeli motus, quies: the rest of Heaven is perpetual motion, which being interrupted would disturb all. He is never better pleased than when God gives him his hands full of work; nor more restless, than when God doth not employ him.

Thus, this hypocrite embraceth idleness as his work, and work, as his idleness: the true Christian embraceth work as his meat, and shunneth idleness as his bane: the one hath no business, but his idleness, the other hath no time for idleness, for his business.

[Character 1] This hypocrite, being found idle, pleadeth safety, and necessity for his idleness.

He would work as hard as any man, if he durst. But, to labor were as much as his life were worth: so sloth pleadeth for him. As if health were to be preserved by idleness, the bane of health; or, eye-sight, by continual winking. That with him is healthy, which destroyeth the end of health, employment for God. He dares not go to plow in winter for fear of cold ; habebit frigore febrim, the cold will bring an Ague upon him. Nor will he go abroad early, for fear of a Lion in the way , better lie a bed and turn as the door on the hinges, than be slain in the streets. Better entertain poverty in bed, than an Ague in the field, or meet a Lion in the Wood. The way of duty is to him an hedge of thorns ; therefore he must tread gingerly, or not at all: yea, it is (by his telling) more than he can safely do, to pull his hand out of his bosom, to put it to his mouth, to feed himself; his hand may take more cold by the way, than his meat is worth ,

How many such hypocrites hath the Common-wealth, as well as the Church. Such are good, neither for Common, not private wealth: good for nothing, but fruges consumere, to make riddance of what others provide, and to consume God's blessings upon their lusts , which should be emproved to his glory. For their own particular; If they escape clothing with rags, yet it will not be long ere their house drop thorough, and that poverty come upon them as one that travelleth by the way, and their necessity as an armed man . For the public, they threaten to bring whole Nations under tribute to maintain their idleness and voluptuousness. Plato compareth idleness in a State, to phlegm and choler in the body, which are the common causes of all sickness. If so, then sure our State hath much need of Agarick and Rhubarb, if not Hellebore, to purge this peccant, lethargical, epidemical humor.

This hypocrite is one of those many in our Lord's Vineyard, who are too ready to hearken to Satan's counsel, Spare thyself, short not life with too much study and toile, take heed of a consumption, &c. He pretendeth age and infirmity disabling from God's work before he needeth, and maketh night before Sun-setting: as they that being to act a Comedy in the day, shut up the windows, and make an artificial night. Or, he is of the mind of that slothful servant, who that his Lord (forsooth) might be no loser, wrapped up his talent in a napkin, and so made sure that he should be no gainer.

Contrarily, the true Christian knoweth his • afety lies in diligence.

He finds that the diligent hand maketh rich , and hath an assurance that the soul of the diligent shall be made fat . He knoweth Winter-husbandry to be most useful, although most painful. In Summer every sluggard will with the snake, peep abroad. There are twelve hours in his day , and till they be expired, all the Lions in the Wood or World shall not be able to worry him , nor the foxes to entrap him. He hath experience that, walking in God's way he is in God's keeping . But, out of the way of duty, he may (like enough) meet with a Lion, as the disobedient Prophet : or, with a storm, a wrack, a whale, as fugitive Jonah , to swallow, not to save: but, walking diligently in his calling, he is within the hedge, and pale of Providence, and under the guard of the holy Angels .

He dreams not of ease till he hath done his work: then he is sure to rest from his labors in the Heavens. Nor cares he to take up his rest while he is in his journey, As he hath here do abiding City, but seeketh one to come . So he feareth that doom, He that takes his ease in this world, shall travel in the next, He is more afraid of the serpent, if he should lean upon the wall , as weary of work, than of a Lion, while he walketh in God's way. He fleeth idleness as the enemy of health, the consumption of thrift, the foil of virtue, the hindrance of wisdom, and the hatred of God.

Thus, this hypocrite works not for fear of danger; the true Christian worketh himself out of danger: the one by his fear, pulleth upon him the thing feared, the other by his diligence, preventeth that fear.

This hypocrite is idle, that he may not be, nor thought to be, covetous. [Character 2]

Let him be but idle, and he will tell as fair a tale of self-denial, in regard of seeking to himself great things; as if his idleness were not a vice, making him to refuse working; but, a virtue, forbearing work, to prevent the vice of the worldling. A mean, yea, poor estate, (forsooth) contents his moderate mind, not as seeking higher life; but, as choosing rather a dogs life, with hunger and ease, than the life of the industrious Christian, which abhors to be idle. He likes not those that are so eager to earn and get, for he likes not the labor: from hand to mouth is as much as he seeks, for he is resolved on his ease. And is it not a virtue to be content with small means? yea, to be patient in poverty, rather than to be always drudging and toiling? Thus who so contented a man in show, as our idle hypocrite?

Indeed, idle persons are ordinarily, for any act they do (saving for wishes) good-fellows, and nearer of kin to the waster , than to the niggard. But, first, if at any time they chance to work, they set an higher price on their labor, than any diligent person can find in his heart to do; because it toiles their lazy bones more for want of use; and their little work must bear out a great time of idleness both before and after. Next, if we enter into their thoughts and wishes, we shall find them to covet more than any man can earn. The sluggard, even when his hands refuseth to labor, coveteth greedily all the day long; but the righteous giveth and spareth not . And what is the issue but this, the one giveth, and hath plenty ; the other wisheth, and his soul hath naught. And, when that armed man comes indeed upon him, he finds it another manner of burden than he dreamed of, to bear poverty. When the rain beats through the decayed roof, and the wind blows thorough his ragged coat, when his garden yields him nothing but thorns and nettles, when he shall beg and no man take pity on him, and find plenty of only one thing, poverty; then shall that come to pass, the desire of the slothful slayeth him, because his hands refuse to labor .

Contrariwise, the true Christian laboreth that he may avoid covetousness.

He seeks to cut off vain wishings and wouldings, that he may not bring himself into the temptation of unnecessary poverty, through his own default. He is afraid to eat the bread or idleness, lest it make him relish the bread of deceit, or of theft. For, if poverty even of God's sending doth occasion men (through their own corruption) to steal and take the Name of God in vain : how much more when they bring it on themselves? If it be so dangerous, as our portion here, how much more as our purchase! A Christian therefore never takes himself to be out of the rank of thieves, until he labor with his hands the thing that is good : and he looks upon it as a tempting of God, to look for plenty without pains. Profit is entailed on labor; In all labor there is profit . He will not therefore be wanting unto Providence, nor disable himself for the blessing promised to labor. And, seeing the idle and confident never thrive, the diligent and diffident, no better; for he either thrives not, or thinks not that he thrives; the Christian joins discretion and faith to his diligence, and so is sure of the blessing.

Thus, this hypocrite flying labor, falls into covetousness; the diligent Christian avoideth covetousness by falling to his labor; the one the less he laboreth, the more greedily he craveth; the other, the more diligence he useth, the less satisfieth him.

[Character 3] This hypocrite pretends he hath a Calling, (and therefore a warrant) to be idle.

He hath a large estate whereon to live without pains taking. He needeth not to spend more than what is his own already. Therefore he concludeth God requires not him to work. It is calling enough to look to what he hath, and to spend it nobly. Indeed there is a rank of people called the Gentry, whom I honor in regard of place, and many of them much more in regard of worth; and happy are the places where such plants do grow. But I cannot but bewail the abuse of that, as of all other blessings and honors conferred on men, the generality of them being possessed with this opinion, that such must live at the height, and spend all their time in pleasures and idleness no way conducing to the common good, but much to the prejudice of it; as if God, like Augustus had built an Apragopolis, a City void of business, and a nursery of idleness, for them here upon earth: or had made them only to play up and down the world, as Leviathan, upon the waters .

But idleness is tolerated only in the devils dominions, such as Laish, where the people dwelt careless, after the manner of the Zidonians quiet and secure,—and had no business with any man . But where God ruleth, and people own him for their God, it is otherwise. Never any man (I take it) had larger possessions than Adam, who was the only absolute Monarch of the whole world; nor was any mere man more noble, for he is styled the Son of God . If any exceeded him in riches, and Nobility, it was only the Lord Jesus, the only natural Son of God, and heir of all things . Yet it pleased not God, that either Adam in Paradise, in the state of innocence; or his Son, appearing in our flesh, should be without a Calling, or idle in it All other creatures are servants, first to God, and then to man; to teach man to be a servant, first to God, and then to human society. The Angels themselves are ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation . Yea, God himself whom all things serve, hath care of all things which he hath made, and hitherto worketh .

Neither heaven or earth afford a pattern for an idle person; nor scarce, Hell▪ For the devil himself is busy, going to and fro in the earth, and walking up and down in it Not idly, but as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour . But herein he jumps with the others; he doth nothing but what he hath a mind to. A goodly difference between a Gentleman and an Yeoman, that this man must do all the good, the other none. When he is once born, all his work is done, and there is as much use of him at four years old, as at forty, viz. to be waited upon. Possibly he may in the midst of all his rovings and wasteful expenses abroad, put his wife to be his drudge at home, and make her labors maintain his idleness. She must work in looking to his business, to get money for him to waste among good-fellows, pot-companions, horses, dogs, hawks, harlots, anything to help away an estate, where he hath withdrawn himself. But herein he useth her worse than the savage Indians, who though they make their wives to work, yet work themselves also.

Much honor is due to the Gentleman that is a Statesman, Magistrate, Student, Merchant, Soldier, that serveth his Country, (there are employments enow for ingenuous and noble spirits to avoid the mechanical:) but he that is only a Gentleman, and will do nothing but be a Gentleman, will not be long without a Sirname fit for him, from some vice to which he addicts himself, (for such persons, the more idle, the more busy in wickedness) as namely, a Gentleman-swearer, a Gentleman-swaggerer, a Gentleman-gamester, a Gentleman-drunkard, a Gentleman-whoremonger; and after all, a Gentleman-thief, or a Gentleman beggar; all which are out of all predicaments of goodness, ingenuity and honor, staining the name of a Gentleman, and shaming not only his Ancestors, but the Christian Religion.

The Germans call such Edil-men, and have a dangerous Proverb that such are venison in heaven, or rather for the devil in hell. The Lacedemonians allowed their Gentry vacations from handy-crafts, but they seldom or never suffered their youth to be without generous action, but trained them up in martial-discipline, or other ingenuous and useful education. But the Athenians (herein a wiser people) condemned and punished idleness in whomsoever they found it. But whatever the world allow, or punish, a Christian standerh or falleth to his own Lord and Master, whose doom will be certainly this, Cast the unprofitable servant into utter darkness, where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth . It will then be a bad plea before him, to say, Lord, I lived and died a Gentleman: when Christ can answer, I, who was better borne than you every way, was fain to labor hard, for such as you, (had you the grace to lay hold on the benefit of it) but I never took all that pains to allow you in idleness, but to work in my Vineyard , O how many shall be deceived and perish forever in this gross deceit, who think (with Galba) Nemo rationem otii sui reddere cogetur , no man shall be called to account for his idleness!

On the contrary, the true Christian, whatever his revenues, or degree be, looks upon himself as a servant bound to do service.

He standeth in God's family as a servant, although a King. Oh Lord, saith David, truly I am thy servant, I am thy servant, and the son of thine handmaid . Not only in complement, or for state, as some Noblemen are to Princes; but, as doing him real service. And such an one was his mother before him, namely, an Handmaid to God; and Handmaids are not idle. Moses was faithful in all God's House as a servant. Yea, Christ himself, although he were a Son, was his fathers servant . Behold my servant, whom I uphold, saith God ; who, though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered . He never needed the rod or spurr, he never did anything amiss, nor omitted the least duty, yet he endured much hardship to give proof of his obedience, when it pleased the Lord to bruise him , albeit his delight was only to do the Will of God .

Nor is he a servant at large, but in some particular calling, wherein he abideth with God , whether it be in the Magistracy ruling with God , that is, ruling for God, and being faithful with the Saints. And so he is a servant unto all. Thus, as David, he serveth his generation by the Will of God . Or, whether it be in the Ministry, so he is a servant of Jesus Christ . Thus Paul, in behalf of all faithful Ministers, We preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your servants for Jesus sake. Yea, he that is highest in the family, must be a servant to the family, or the family will not long thrive in estate, or order. Hence that of Plato, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . In every house there is one servant, the Lord of the house. None doth so duly and dearly earn his bread as the Master of the family, doing his duty, or the Minister that laboreth (or sweateth) in the Word and doctrine . Or the Magistrate in the Common-wealth, watching for the good of the whole, waking for them when they sleep, exposed to danger that their people may be in safety. And well may they eat the bread of the Governor , who scorn to eat the bread of idleness; well may they eat and drink of the best, that abhor the bread of wickedness, and the wine of violence ; and that eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness ; not so drinking, as to forget the Law (or Decree) and pervert the judgment of the children of affliction .

Thus, this hypocrite abuseth his honor and estate as a protection unto idleness; the true Christian interpreteth it as a charge to do the more service: the one is as the rich man, whose ground brought forth plentifully, and saith unto his soul, thou hast much good laid up for many years, take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry , but, that night had his soul taken from him ; the other is, in his way, as the virtuous woman in hers, she seeketh wool and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands : She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household . She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff : not for need, for, She considereth a field, and buyeth it, with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard, strength and honor are her clothing . Her husband is a person of quality, a Magistrate, that is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the Elders of the land . The one is a Patron of all effeminacie and lewdness, like Sardanapalus, and Nero, and takes up his lodging in hell . The one is a pattern to all such Gentlemen, and Gentlewomen too, that expect their portion in Heaven.

[Character 4] This hypocrite is idle under color of Religion.

He thinks Rel • gion is calling enough for him: to spend all his time in reading, praying, hearing conference, &c. as if Religion were a discharge from outward and civil affairs, and imported a vacation from all service of men. Indeed he is so bought with a price, as not to serve men, as to forsake or dishonor him that hath bought him. But yet Religion dischargeth not, nor disannulleth his former vocation of life, if lawful: for, every man is commanded in the same vocation wherein he was called, (that is, where • n God found him, when he first called him into Christ) therein to abide with God : and, to abide so, as not to relinquish duty to men, by which he may bring honor to God.

Indeed there are a sort of men, who ( Pharaoh -like) account all men devoutly disposed to be a company of idle ones, that pretend Religion for a cloak of idleness, saying to such as desire sometimes for religious duties, ye are idle, ye are idle; therefore ye say, Let us go, and do sacrifice to the Lord . If their servants redeem time, by working extraordinarily, to read, or pray, they give them more work, that they may not think on such toys, as such profane beasts blasphemously call those religious duties. But there are not none, but too many such hypocrites as now is spoken of, who give too much occasion to such enemies so to blaspheme; who use their freedom as a cloak for all their idleness, wantonness, purloining from their Masters, or defrauding of others: who think and affi • m that it well becomes them to say to their Masters▪ or Parents, we are the servants of Christ, we must go about his business, as Christ did , about his fathers. We must have our liberties to hear where we think fit, and when we think fit, and to confer with good Christians, &c. when perhaps they go to hear the devil preach in a Brothel-house, or gad, as Dinah, till they come home with a great belly, or so hardened in stubbornness, pride, and idleness, that they are the stain of Religion, and the scum of the Country.

But this hypocrite is, for the most part, his own man (for, a servant to Christ, he is not:) he hath nobody to control him. He is a great Professor, a diligent hearer of every good Preacher that he can go or ride unto. He is a great discourser of the Sermon, repeats it (not to his own family when he comes home; but) to others abroad, where he may be noted for his zeal and devotion, and perhaps get a good dinner for his pains, but neglecteth the care of his family; and so under the name of a zealous Christian, he becomes worse than an infidel . He pretendeth more than ordinary acquaintance with God; but strangers from duty are strangers to God; To whom he will say, I never knew you, depart, ye workers of iniquity. Of what use were the Moon, if always in coitu, keeping so close to the Sun, as never to give any light of her own? better for the world to see some short eclipse, than to have always such a conjunction. And it were not worse for the world, that such hypocrites did openly declare their close impieties, than to make Religion their cloak for all the idleness and wickedness, which they under a color of devotion, are guilty of.

In this kind, the Popish Monks and Votaries, (of whom the Cardinals themselves long since complained to Pope Paul the third, that there were then too many Orders already, and therefore did oppose all they could, his erecting of that Society of hellish Locusts, the Jesuits) are the Bell-weathers, and may wear the Garland. To whom that of the Cretans truly belongeth, always liars, evil beasts, slow bellies . It is said in Spain, You shall hardly see a fat man, but he is either a Priest, or a Friar. As the green-sickness is reckoned the Maides disease, so this Lurdanisme , hath crept in by little and little upon the single and monastical life, since it went out of fashion for Priests to preach, and for Monks to labor.

But no work doth so try and tire the patience of the spiritual Idler, as God's work, this is a weariness with a witness, which he snuffeth at , at least in private. No time so grudged at, as that which is spent in any (especially extraordinary) humiliation, or seeking of God, and with such gaping yawnings ill-favouredly endured, as the time of hearing and prayer. Then, the hour seems tripled, like to Germane-miles; and every minute over and above the hour, makes him secretly to gnash his teeth at the Minister, and even to curse the action itself.

Contrarily, the true Christian by Religion is kept from idleness.

Religion teacheth him with quietness to work, and to eat his own bread . If he be a servant, he will not despise his Master, because in Christ, they are brethren, but rather do him service, because he is a believer , that the Name of God, and his doctrine be not blasphemed. If he be free from the yoke of men, he is so much the more freely a servant both to God, and to men for God's sake. Christian-Liberty is a blessing wherein his faith rejoiceth; but Christian-obedience to Superiors, care of human and Christian-society, and with good-will doing service to God and man, is as much an article of his faith, as the other. He will work with his hands the thing that is good, that he may (rather) have to give to him that needeth , than through idleness to draw upon himself a necessity of receiving: for well he remembereth the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

He knoweth that, as one said of Physic, Ars longa, vita brevis; the Art is long a learning, but life is short to learn it in: so it is much more to be said of Christianity, much work, little time; the days of darkness, which are many , make haste; the night cometh, wherein no man can work, therefore it behooveth him to work while it is day . Let others count business too scant for the time, and expend the supposed superfluity thereof in play, (and indeed recreation is then over-loved, and over-used, when it is either used for lack of business, or preferred before business) but the diligent Christian always finds the time too short for his work, though haply, his strength, too short for the time; and so, must allow more than he could well, &c. willingly spare for necessary refection.

Thus, this hypocrite pretends to serve God, that he may have a color to be idle, but the true Christian shakes off idleness that he may industriously serve God; the one turns Religion into idleness, the other makes it his Religion not to be idle.

[Character 5] This hypocrite will do evil, that he may not be idle.

Such as the hypocrites colors which he hath for his idleness, are, such are his pretences of business, which makes him an idle busy-body. Esau was a type of this hypocrite: his name imports him a Doer; and such he was, but a mis-doer. His pains-taking is the devils diligence, not God's service. He that leaves off to understand, and to do good, will soon imagine mischief upon his bed, and set himself in a way that is not good . The idle head is Satan's forge; and the idle heart, his field . No marvel then, if this sluggards field, and Vineyard too, be all grown over with thorns, and the face thereof covered with nettles : (He either pricks, or stings all that look for fruit from him;) yea, that he be altogether become a briar, and a very thorn . The best of them is a briar; and the most upright, sharper than a thorny hedge . A fearful example thereof is seen even in David himself, (although no hypocrite) in whose heart, when he was idle, were sowed the rates of lust, which brought forth prodigious fruits: how much more then, where no fear of God is sown before?

Sodom had not so abounded in vices, but for the abundance of idleness that was in her . Augustus his Apragopolis, the City of Idlers will prove King Philip's Poneropolis the City of evil-doers. For, idle persons and evil-doers are fellow-Citizens, and inter-commoners. Sloth is pulvinar Satanae, the devils pillow, of which he that takes counsel shall never do well; he may have work enough, that goes to him to be set on work. But, as Argos was anciently the mother City of Greece, until the Citizens became 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Idlers, so Idleberg is a mother-City, and swarms with inhabitants; not, in the Israel of God, but in the Egypt of the world. Idleness is a mother-sin, fruitful in issue. It is not only a kind of theft in it self, (as the Apostles opposition showeth, let him that stole, steal no more, but rather let him labor ), but also a cause of poverty, the source of mischief. So 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , idleness, poverty, and evil-doing, are conjoined as so many links in a chain. Poverty, if it be the fruit of idleness, is the mother of mischief.

What a number of unprofitable Arts and Artifices are devised under pretence of avoiding idleness, which yet in the issue introduce poverty, and make way for mischief! Of this kind are Play-houses, (those Panders to the Stews,) Tipling-houses, Gaming-houses. Bowling-allies, where men either win without right, or lose without need; and • o forfeit either their conscience, or their patience. The name of pastime is a Passport for any lewd exercise. No project comes amiss to hunt away precious time, that should be taken by the fore-lock, and therewith the opportunity of doing or receiving good.

Contrariwise, the true Christian avoideth idleness by doing something that is good.

As the wise man breaks silence by speaking something that is better than silence, so the wise Christian breaks off idleness by doing something that is better than doing of nothing. His rule is not only to labor, but chiefly to see that the thing he laboreth in be worth his labor . He joineth choice, with his diligence, for he will guide his affairs with discretion . The wise man hath his eyes in his head, but the fool walketh in darkness , for want of eyes to see, even when he hath light before him. Therefore anything serves his turn, so he be doing, and that what he doth be not worth the doing.

But the Christian will meddle with nothing, till he be able to answer himself that question, Cui bono? What is it good for? Is it my Calling, or within it? or in the way to it? doth it prepare me for it, or quicken me in it? doth it make me work more cheerfully, or fruitfully? He doth not work to gratify the lusts either of others or himself, but to please God. When he is alone, be employeth his mind with honest cares, and that at all times: and so, he neither leaves room for the devils tares, because his field is sown; nor time for the devil to sow them, because he watcheth his field continually.

Thus, this hypocrite would reckon his working to God, though he work for the devil: the true Christian approveth himself to God his Father; both in that he worketh, and in what he worketh: the one is as the mad man, that rather than sit still, will cast fire-brands, arrows, and death : the other, is as the virtuous woman, that will do good, and not evil, all the days of her life?

This hypocrites business begins and ends in thinking of business. [Character 6]

If he be not so active as others, yet his thoughts are still at work, and he is fore-casting what to do, and how to do it; but he never goes about to effect what he makes you believe he hath thought upon. He lieth in bed too long to do much work; but that time (he tells you) he spends in fore-cast: but after he is risen, he goes not about the work. He views the weather, and observes the wind so much, that he neither finds time to sow, nor reap . But yet, in musing and wishing, he hath, in his own opinion, made a good days work.

The name of sluggards, (Otiosi,) sounds as if it were compounded of earnest wishing O Si! O Si! And, when he hath his wish, then he will work, if you will believe him. When he is rich, then he will be a good husband: when he is a Bishop, he will preach, Mean-while you must trust him. Stultus semper incipit vivere. The fool is every day beginning to live, but when he comes to begin, he thinks it better to go another way to work. He never dischargeth his present function well, whose mind runs upon another. He never comfortably enjoyeth his present means or estate, who aims at a greater. His heart must always faint, that feedeth on hopes deferred . All his life-long, he thinks of making his Will, yet dies intestate: he intends works of charity, yet dies uncharitable. He purposeth to repent, yet dies impenitent. The time is not yet come, (say the idle lingering people) that the Lord's house should be built .

Hereto conduceth a melancholic constitution, which is busy in thinking, idle in performance, because unsettled in resolution; full of meditation, empty of action; fitter to be his own Executioner than Executor. He is disputing what he is, till he ceaseth to be . Before he can agree with himself which work to begin first, it is time to leave work, or rather not to work at all. And so, not as Moses, but as the sluggard, He spendeth his years as a tale that is told .

Contrarily, the wise Christian so thinketh of business, as to get up and be doing.

He ordereth his affairs by serious fore-casting, and brings his thoughts into action. He redeemeth the time in working, which he spends in contriving. In the morning he soweth his seed, and in the evening he suffereth not his hand to rest , till all be sown: that if one fail, he may not be unprovided; and, if both prosper, he may find a double blessing, He makes use of the day-light of prosperity, that he may not grind in the mill in the days of darkness approaching. He will not lie a bed by day, with purpose to work in the night by candle. His works are works of the light, therefore he putteth not off working till it be dark.

If I live long, saith he, yet my work is more than my days, and I shall be longer dead than alive, (and there is no working in the grave) and haply, while he lives he may be longer sick than in health; whereby he may through infirmity be in as bad condition, for disability to work, as the woman that liveth in pleasure, through impiety, dead while he liveth . Therefore whatsoever his hand findeth to do, he doth it with all his might, because there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the grave whither he goeth . Whatever he wisheth for, he turns his wishes into prayers, and seeks the effect of his prayers in his faithful labors; not gaping, with his hands in his pockets, nor expecting a return of prayers without conscionable diligence: for he knows that God looks that his children should pray, as they eat, eating for strength to labor: and to be ready to go about that to which they pray to be enabled: and to receive that as a consequent of industry, which they seek as a fruit of a bounty.

Thus, this hypocrite is big of thoughts, which perish in the womb, for want of birth: the true Christian, is as Rachel and Leah, that built up Israel by the fruit of the womb : the one supposeth good thoughts will serve for want of good works, and so he and his thoughts perish together; the other, adds, works to his thoughts, and so liveth forever.

[Character 7] This hypocrite makes it his business to talk of business.

Ignavus opere, loquax. A slothful hand hath a busy tongue; what he wants in work, he makes up in talk; and he that will take words for deeds, shall have good measure, pressed down, and shaken together. The sluggard is always talkative; which makes him so poor, because, as the saying is of the Nightingale as well as of the Cuckoe, vox est, & praeterea nihil. He is a voice, but nothing more. He can talk well, but that is all, which in the wise man's observation is a poor trade, In all labor there is profit, but the talk of the lips tendeth only to poverty . Yet this folly is too common, because idle persons are so many. Talk is a cheap entertainment, and better accepted of busy-bodies, than an invitation to work; but the after-reckoning proves dear to both. Not he that saith Lord, Lord, but he that doth the Will of the Father, gets Heaven .

If talk may go for business, this hypocrite will perform his share, without diminution. He is like people in a market, that use many words but make few bargains. In the field a tale takes up the day as well as a journey, or other labor. He is as an idle servant that talks away the day that should be spent in his Masters business. But, if he be in the field, and bring home an empty bag and bottle at night, that is enough. But as he said, operam conduxi, non orati • nem. I hired an hand, not a tongue; I expected labor, not prattling So will this hypocrite find in the issue, that he that being bidden by his father to go work in his vineyard, was not adjudged to do the Will of his father, although he gave his father good language, and said I go Sir, but went not . His motto may be Verbo tenus; As far as words will go, have with you; or, re infectâ; the work not done. Such an one can neither be virtuous, for talking imprints no habit; nor prudent, for words work no experience; nor wealthy, for the idle hand beguiles the mouth; and justly, because the tongue dischargeth the hand.

On the contrary, the true Christians works speak more than his tongue.

His works speak for him, and praise him in the gates : He findeth that he hath two hands, and but one tongue; to advise him that his deeds be more than his words. In the multitude of words, as well as dreams, there are divers vanities. Therefore he watcheth over his tongue, lest it send forth idle words, which like vagrants, m • y fall into the hands of justice; knowing that of every idle word account must be given . He hateth the occupation of words that are uttered instead of works. Not that he declineth good language; but, he accounts eloquence without action, to be all one with dumbness, or no better than babbling. He is no enemy to good discourse, but abhors discourse of good, without doing the good he discourseth of. He disliketh not, but hearkeneth to the words of the Preacher, setting in order many Parables, and studying to find out acceptable words of truth . Nor is he offended with the words of a faithful Advocate, who pleadeth for the right of God, or man; but such as hinder duty to God or man. For he serves and loves both God and man, not in word, or in tongue, but in deed and in truth

Thus, this hypocrite is as the soldier, that thinks it better to spend his time at home, in talking and glorying of former victories, than to engage in a new war ; the true Christian is as Joab, that would not with patience hear out his discourse, who saw Absalom hang by the hair of his head, yet slew him not; but, brake off talking, ( I may not tarry thus with thee ,) and dispatchit the work. The hypocrites tongue is ashamed of his hand; but the Christians hand adds reputation to his tongue: the one worketh with the tongue, the other speaks by the hand.

[Character 8] This hypocrite is busy, but where he needs not.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the Busie-body and the Idler are joined together by the Apostle, as inseparable companions ; where he preferreth a diligent wife that hath an husband to observe, children to bring up a household to look after, before a widow that professeth to think no more of marriage, but pretends much zeal to devote herself to lodge strangers, to wash the Saints feet, &c. (as some ancient women were then employed by the Church; the better to provide for such as then travelled up and down in the service of the Gospel, and of the Church:) for that those younger widows will, after a while, wax wanton against Christ, and marry. And withal, learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house: and not only 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , idle, but tattlers also, and busy bodies. They are curiously busy in vain things; no wonder then, if idle in things necessary. Idleness is the School-mistress of curiosity, and curiosity makes busy where no need is.

This hypocrite useth himself, as he useth his Watch. He looks more diligently to keep it exactly, for the more punctual measuring of time, than he looks to that business which should he done in that time. He keeps his Watch, to see how the time passeth, but keeps not touch with God to serve him in that time. He is a better Clock-keeper, than a Christian. He might do much work in the time he spends about his Watch. Or, he undertaketh so much of other unnecessary things, as leaves him no time to do his own business: and so, while he hath here to do, and there to do, he lets go that he should hold . He delights to tire himself in by business, and so hath neither strength nor heart for that which is needful.

There is not a greater argument of idleness, than to be a 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , one that casteth about to get work; and, to meddle with every business, as delighting to have his oar in every man's boat. Hence, as among the Heathens, many curious Arts and devices have been invented, as Astrology, Alchymy, Chyromancie, Pyromancie, Necromancie, and such like costly and dangerous vanities, infelicibus ustulanda lignis, fit for nothing but the fire: so even among hypocrites in the Church, there is more time and cost spent about toys, than duty. Either he sets himself hard to work to be able to find out and practice some foolish feat, which a wise man would never care to do, nor to be able to do. He is mightily taken with his own invention; as he that, with much toile and trial was able to climb the pinnacle of an high Tower, and to set an egg on end, on the top: or, as he that presented himself before Alexander, and vaunted of his dexterity to cast a pease through a little hole, and received a meet-guerdon for his busy idledesse, a bush • l of pease.

Sometimes he busieth himself in the study of the times, fashions, complements, visits, &c. erecting, as it were, an University of idleness to busy all vain persons in Court and City, like that Office set up at Rome, by Tiberius, styled A voluptatibus. But no one thing doth more unworthily usurp the name of business, than that over-busy curiosity of some hypocrites of both sexes, (but most what of the female) which inquireth after the affairs and faults of others, Lamiae -like; but, putting up their eyes in a box, at home, that there they may not see anything amiss. In which busy intermeddling, the eye, the ear, and the tongue are all more busy than well employed.

First, the eye, that is very busy: for the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth ; that is, very busy to peer and pry into every man's faults and actions. The eye is both the hand and foot of curious intermeddling. He had rather look in at the window, than come in at the door; or, if he come in, he will choose rather to come at such time wherein the house is all out of order, that he may see all at the worst. He comes not in love; but, out of curiosity, or envy. He will not therefore come (if he can prevent it) when things are at the best, lest he lose the end of his coming, which is, to find fault. As toll-gatherers search for concealed goods; so he, for privy infirmities of his neighbor, more than for presumptuous sins in himself. He loves to be a Surveyor of other men's virtue, like those who survey other men's lands, but possess none of their own.

Next, the ear is employed to listen, and pricketh itself up to hear anything of others, but what it should: for curious ears are compared to cupping-glasses, that draw out corrupt humors, rather than anything else: or, to some gates in Cities, appointed for the passing out of malefactors. A scandalous tale, or surmise, an intelligence or occasion of evil report is a feast to such an ear. Darius entertained such under the name of Otacoustes. Thus the Athenians busied themselves to hear and tell news .

The Tongue also is as busy as either eye or ear, to inquire after work for this hypocrite. For the ear and the tongue do tradere operas mutuas, make work for one another. The tongue maketh enquiry, that the ear may have intelligence: and the intelligence by the ear, giveth the tongue matter of report. But against this, even the wiser heathens have made sundry Laws. The Locrians of Greece, (that inhabited Parnassus ) set a fine upon his head, who returning out of the Country should immediately ask, What news in the City; as laying a bar upon all curiosity and busy intermeddling of the tongue. The Thurians, (Citizens of Thurium, another City of Greece, ) suffered none to be abused upon the stage, but adulterers and busy-bodies; because they would have these sins thoroughly disgraced. For curiosity is a kind of incontinency, and adultery is a kind of curiosity; for, in both there is a sinful endeavor to search and know what they should not.

It is an ill hound that followeth every by-sent. And he is an ill member of a State, a Town, a Family, that pretendeth to know all news that is stirring; what such an one is worth; what he oweth; whence cometh such a stranger; of what parentage, condition, &c. and what he cometh for. He little considereth the answer of the Egyptian -servant to him that asked him, What is that thou carriest covered? It is therefore covered that thou shouldest not know. He thinks he must know everything, or he is nobody; but this makes him to know so little of what he ought to know concerning himself.

This hypocrite is like the Hen that loveth to scrape in the dust, though she hath corn enough before her. He hath work enough before him, and within him, yet he leaveth the enquiry into himself, and raketh the dunghill before other men's doors, that he may better conjecture what is in the house. Such an one doth more good to his enemy, than to himself: for him, he maketh more circumspect. But, for himself, by clawing his own itching ear, he worketh smart as well to himself, as to others. Instead of wisdom and knowledge, his mind is filled and furnished with the shreds and rags of other men's tatter'd reputations: and, many times, (either by enquiring after his own fortune, as Saul , or by questioning about others, as Oedipus ) he cometh to understand his own confusion.

Contrarily, the true Christian hath no other business, but duty.

He is as busy in God's way, as the hypocrite in his. But he studies to be quiet, and to do his own business . Not that he will not do business for others, if desired, and that it may be for their good: but all that he doth for himself, or others, is confined within the limits of his calling and duty. Necessity, or profit, tending to the good of all, are the things be aimeth at. He finds time little enough for necessaries, concerning life and godliness; and, for profit whereby he may benefit himself and others, that he may not be altogether an unprofitable servant: to these, his heart often giveth him an Hoc age; or, do this with all intention of mind.

His eyes are in his head, and look right on, and his eye-lids look strait before him : he doth not cast his eyes on every side to busy himself with every by-business: or. if they go abroad, it is on Reasons errand, when there is just cause so to do; to see for instruction, or to move compassion, not to feed curiosity, or to kindle lust. And his errand being done, his eyes return, and keep home, as chaste handmaids; and so they avoid Dinah 's danger, who by needless wandering abroad came home deflowered. He hath learnt so much of a heathen, that there is nothing more pernicious than a rolling wandering eye that curiosity employeth. Cyrus being told that Panthea the wife of King Abradates, (whom among the Assyrians, Cyrus had conquered) was worthy his beholding, for that she was exceeding fair; nay, therefore, quoth he, she is the more dangerous to be looked upon .

He is not like the Lamia's, blind at home, and sharp-sighted abroad: he is rather blindfold abroad, and turneth his eyes inward. Of all objects, he liketh the true mirror best, because that showeth him himself, and that without flattery. If he look abroad, it is rather on the Sun, the Moon, the Stars, and other works of God , than upon men's private behaviours. The Works of God are perfect , and regular; whereas men's actions are irregular and exorbitant. He will look where he may profit himself; not vex himself.

His ears are chaste (he being wedded to Christ:) He can hear no whisperings against others, no more than he can hear flatteries of himself. He stoppeth his ears against the tale-bearer, and casteth him out, and so causeth those contentions which are on foot, to cease , and preventeth the beginning of more. If he hear any, it shall be God himself, by whomsoever speaking to him. I will hear (saith he) what God the Lord will speak . Speak Lord, for thy servant heareth . If he hear other men's matters, it is in Christ's service, and in the nature of a Judge, Governor, or Pleader; not as a busy-body where he hath nothing to do.

He employeth his tongue, not to inquire after other men, or to speak his pleasure of them, but to move questions of importance, that concern his own well-doing and welfare: Such as that of the Goaler, What shall I do to be saved ? What have I done , that I may repent? What must I do, that I may amend ? What have I received, that I may render thanks ? If his tongue may be of use, to plead the cause of the oppressed, to give wholesome counsel and advice, and to speak a word in season, that may be like apples of gold in pictures of silver; he is then willing to speak, and to improve his tongue to the utmost: in such cases he will not keep silence, until somebody be the better for his speaking.

Thus, this hypocrite makes himself busy where he hath no work, that he may save himself the labor of working what belongs unto him; the true Christian shunneth all by-business, that he may work and finish the work which God hath given him to do: the one laboreth in vain, and is punished as a loiterer; the other worketh to purpose, and is rewarded for his labor.

This hypocrite is busy, but in things beside his Calling. [Character 9]

As the adulterer loveth others (how homely soever) better than his own wife; because he is better pleased with sin, than in keeping the Covenant of his God : so, this hypocrite loves to be busy in any calling, rather than in his own, because he preferreth the pleasing of himself before pleasing of God. If he have gotten a few shreads or ends of learning, or but a few Sermon-notes of other men's, he must presently be a Preacher, even before he understandeth what he saith, or whereof he affirmeth . If he be a Tradesman, he must needs preach by the Spirit, though he walk in the flesh by so doing; or, he must turn Merchant, till his giddy brain bring him to a morsel of bread: For, as he that passeth by and meddleth with strife, belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears : either the dog will bite him, if he let him go, or he must stand still like a fool, and hold the dog, and so neglect his own way, and business; so this hypocrite meddleth with what belongs not to his own calling, and, with what he was never brought up unto, but is another calling differing from his, and therefore will never make a saving match of it in the conclusion; but will be a sinner both in the beginning and end of such putting his sickle into another man's field, and smart for his folly by cutting his own fingers.

As a bird that wandreth from her nest, so is a man that wandreth from his place : such is this hypocrite, meddling out of his calling. God furnisheth every man with abilities suitable to his own calling, because, therein he works for God; but not with sufficiencies for another calling, because therein he works for himself, or rather indeed against himself: for, he that steps, out of his calling, sins against God, and so makes an ill match for himself: he is as a soldier, that being by his General appointed to one place, he leaveth that, and betakes him to another. He is a bird forsaking her nest; while she is in her nest, she is safe: but she no sooner wandreth from it, but she is liable to be caught in nets, to be shot, or made a prey to other ravenous fowls. Uzzah may ptetend zeal, in putting forth his hand to hold up the Ark, when the Oxen that drew it, stumbled and shook it . But God, once for all, gave such a testimony of his indignation, by smiting Uzzah dead in the place, as may teach all wise men to the end of the world, to beware how they step out of, or go from their callings.

Not that it is simply unlawful in any case, to lay aside that condition of life, to which he was brought up: for, if God call him in some extraordinary case, place, or time, to do him some other and greater service, (as Moses, David, Elisha, Amos ): or, to serve the Common-wealth in a case of extremity, (as the poor wise man, that by his wisdom saved the City .) Or, if a man be likely to perish by famine, unwholesomenesse of air, or, blood-thirstiness of conspiring enemies, as Elijah, and others; there is no question, but Paul may make Tents , though brought up at the feet of Gamaliel . Jacob may go down into Egypt . And such as being persecuted in one City, may fly into another , and there exercise some other calling, if they cannot follow their own. But of all such cases, God must be Judge, not the Party himself. Such as walk most close with God, and have the mind of God and Christ, imparted to them, must be consulted, and their judgment had in the case, before a man undertake to forsake his place, or calling. It must not be of, or from a man's own unsettledness, and seeking, but he must see a plain Providence leading, and even driving him into such a change.

Elisha stirred not from his Plough, till Elijah cast his mantle upon him . Amos left not the herd, nor the gathering of Sycamore fruit, (or wild figs) until the Lord took him as he followed the flock, and said unto him, Go, prophecy unto my people Israel . Not Stephen himself, as able for gifts, and as full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, as he was, would adventure upon the work of a Deacon, (which then chiefly consisted in taking care of the poor, by which the Apostles would not be hindered from preaching; holding it unreasonable to leave the Word of God, to serve Tables ) until the Brethren had chosen him, and set him before the Apostles, for them to lay hands upon him . And, when the Apostle Paul so expressly ordaineth in all Churches, that, as God hath distributed to every man, and as the Lord hath called everyone, so let him walk . That is, when God hath fitted him for a calling, and put him in it, Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called , that is, wherein God set him; and again, Let every man wherein he is called, therein abide with God : Let every man know, (although the hypocrite will not, till it be too late) that he must look very well to his warrant for shifting or leaving off his own calling, lest he leave his calling and his God, (with whom he ought to abide ) both together.

When Agar fled from her Mistress, God met her, and said unto her, Agar, Sarah 's maid, Whence comest thou? And whither wilt thou go ? The name of relation was a check; for if she were Sarah 's maid, she was out of her place, she must be in Sarah 's house, and about her business. Admit, her Mistress used her hardly, (for her perking above her Mistress, and slighting of her) yet this was no warrant for the servant to run away . If the spirit of the Ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place, is God's rule, for yielding pacifieth wrath ; Therefore, the charge is, return to thy Mistress, and submit thyself under her hands . It were well, if not only this hypocrite, but all that wander from their place and calling, would give ear to this voice of God, which concerneth them, as much as it did Agar.

As Philip said to his son Alexander (excelling in singing) Art thou not ashamed, being a Prince, to sing so well? So it may justly be said to this hypocrite, Art thou not ashamed to be so well versit in that calling which belongs not to thee, and which cannot but make thee neglect thine own; to be a Bishop in another man's Diocese ? to be a Keeper of the Vinyards belonging to others, and thine own Vine hast thou not kept? He may be more expert perhaps, than some, than most others, in his own profession and calling: yet this is no warrant to leap into another, or to busy himself in another. How might he excel; how abundantly useful more than he is, might he be, if he would lay out but that time to add to his excellency in his own calling, which he extravigantly wasteth upon another!