1, For consolation; 2, for exhortation.
Use 1. The first thing is, for the place. But how shall this be brought in ? What of the place ? I say a trial by the place, where all shall be in: 'In my holy mountain.' It shall be therefore for trial of religion. Where the mountain is, there is the true religion, there is the church; look where you will, still it is in the mountain. Many now-a-days cry out and keep a stir to know where the true church is, and I affirm, it is in the mountain. So that in this I may say of the church, as sometime Elijah did speak of the true God, 1 Kings xviii. 24, ' Let him which answereth by fire be the true God;' so I say of the church and of true religion. Let that be the true religion that hath most fire in it, that which sheweth forth most piety and holiness. The papists they say they are the true church; but look on God's mountain, look which religion makes a
186 THE TOUCHSTONE OF REGENERATION.
man most mild, and tames his fierce nature, which takes away a man's dogged disposition, for a dog barks and then he bites, so the barking and biting of the Romish Church shews them not to be in the mountain; their church doth allow biting. Was there ever any doctrine like theirs, which teaches a man to murder his own king, to keep no faith, &c. ? Was there ever any religion like theirs, that set poisoning afoot ? which also set princes at variance ? The last sacrament of theirs will never be forgotten, when that peace was proclaimed between both religions, then one would have thought all was well and ended, there were ten thousand massacred at one place called Labius, eighty slain with one sword, with many other of their cruelties ; and the gunpowder treason, so odious and monstrous as the like hath not been heard (a). The like I may say of Garnet's part, who must not reveal this treason, because it was done in confession (6). Oh monstrous times, that confession should be so abused to barbarous, inhuman, matchless cruelty ! If ever you take our religion to teach such things, though popery should prevail against us, as God forbid, we will claim no more right of the mountain. Never did, nor never will, our reli- gion teach taking up of arms against our king, cruelty against superiors and others; but, by the contrary, our religion teacheth a man to suffer with and for Christ. It may be some cruel men may be among us, but we look what we profess, and teach that men with meekness must suffer ; all this that I have said much concerneth us. If God will have no cruelty to be taught nor reign where he loveth, see what a thing it is to be thus cruel. If we be thus fierce and savage, let us not deceive ourselves, we are not yet come to the mountain of God ; for, saith the prophet, ' They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain.'
Use 2. Now I come to the second use, for exhortation. There is yet a little of the lion and the bear remaining in every one of us, which shews us to be not thoroughly renewed, yet I do not say that those who are angry are not regenerate ; but I say, if this do rage and rule with us, all is not safe and well. A good tree sometimes may have some bare or crab stock on some side of the tree, that bears crabs, and yet the tree be good; but this must not be predominant. The apostle says, ' If there be divi- sions and dissensions among you, are you not carnal ? ' 1 Cor. iii. 3. I speak not of some little faults, — God help us ! in all our natures there is much frailty, — but of such that rule in us. It is a wonder to see how un- charitable many men are to censure others for every little fault, when they themselves swallow down camels, I mean gross sins. Some man, for refusal of riotous excess, though he be full of excellent parts, yet say they, Such a one is a Puritan; and so again, if an honest man or woman fall by infirmity into some sin. Oh, say some, lo, now his hypocrisy discovers itself. ^ Shall men be thus censured, as though perfection were on earth ? This is far from covering thy brother's nakedness, this is far from St Paul's rule, ' to restore such a one with the spirit of meekness,' Gal. VI. 1. Beloved, God forbid that I should harden any man in sin; I speak these things only that since a little of the bear and the lion will still be in every one of us so long as we shall live in this world, let us learn to bear one another's infirmities, otherwise if thou chafe, censure, brawl, and chide still, I can give thee no comfort of thy state. Can such a one be regenerate ? What ! is the bear, and the lion, and the wolf come among us again ? To conclude, as abroad, so look to thy conversation at home, among thy servants and friends ; take heed thy authority deceive thee not, to think thou mayest set thy heart to raging and plotting envy and strife,