His words are precise, his deeds concise; he prays so long in the Church, that he may with less suspicion prey on the Church: which he doth the more peremptorily, if his power be answerable. If his place will afford it, his grace will without question. He bears an earnest affection to the Temple, as a hungry man to his meat, only to devour it. They say, come, let us take to our selves the houses of 1God in possession. We pray for their conversion, but if there be no hope, we must use the next words of the Psalm: Oh my God, make them as a wheel: like the stubble before the wind. 2They can abide no point of Popery, but only this, Church-robbing. Every thing the Papists used but this is superstition. Some are so charitable, that having got the tithe-corn from the Church, they reserve from the presented Incumbent their petty tithes also: like monstrous thieves, that having stole the whole piece, ask for the remnants. Nay, it is not enough, that they devour our Parsonages, but they also devour our persons, with their contumelious slanders. Advantage can make his religion play at fast and loose; for he only so long grows full of devotion, as he may grow full by devotion. His arguments are weak or strong, according to his cheer; and he discourses best after dinner. Self-conceit swells him, and popular applause bursts him. He never gives the law good words, but when it hath him upon the hip. Like a kind Hen, he rules and feeds his chickens fat, starves himself. He forceth ⟨p. 51⟩formal preciseness, like a Porter to hold the door, whiles devils dance within. He gives God nothing but show, as if he would pay him his reckoning with chalk; which increaseth the debt. If ever his alms smell of bounty, he gives them in public. He that desires more to be seen of men then of God, commend me to his conscience by this token, he is an Hypocrite. He covers his ravenous extortions, and covetous oppressions, with the show of small beneficences; & so may for his charity go to the devil. Indeed, gentilem agit vitam sub nomine Christiano: He lives 3Turk under the name of Christian. He is false in his friendship, heartless in his zeal, proud in his humility. He rails against interludes, yet is himself never off the stage, and condemns a mask, when his whole life is nothing else.
His words are precise, his deeds concise; hee prayes so long in the Church, that he may with lesse suspicion prey on the Church: which he doth the more peremptorily, if his power bee answerable. If his place will afford it, his grace will without question. He beares an earnest affection to the Temple, as a hungry man to his meate, onely to deuoure it. They say, come, let vs take to our selues the houses of 1God in possession. We pray for their conuersion, but if there be no hope, we must vse the next words of the Psalme: Oh my God, make them as a wheele: like the stubble before the wind. 2They can abide no point of Popery, but only this, Churchrobbing. Euery thing the Papists vsed but this is superstition. Some are so charitable, that hauing got the tythe-corne frō the Church, they reserue from the presented Incumbent their petty tythes also: like monstrous theeues, that hauing stole the whole piece, aske for the remnants. Nay, it is not enough, that they deuoure our Parsonages, but they also deuoure our persons, with their contumelious slanders. Aduantage can make his religion play at fast and loose; for he only so long growes full of deuotion, as hee may grow full by deuotion. His arguments are weake or strong, according to his cheare; and he discourses best after dinner. Selfe-conceit swels him, and popular applause bursts him. He neuer giues the law good words, but when it hath him vpon the hippe. Like a kind Henne, hee rules and feedes his chickens fat, starues himselfe. Hee forceth ⟨p. 51⟩formall precisenesse, like a Porter to hold the dore, whiles diuels dance within. He giues God nothing but shew, as if he would pay him his reckoning with chalke; which encreaseth the debt. If euer his almes smell of bounty, hee giues them in publicke. He that desires more to be seene of men then of God, commend mee to his conscience by this token, he is an Hypocrite. Hee couers his rauenous extortions, and couetous oppressions, with the shew of small beneficences; & so may for his charitie go to the diuel. Indeed, gentilem agit vitam sub nomine Christiano: Hee liues 3Turke vnder the name of Christian. Hee is false in his friendship, hartlesse in his zeale, proud in his humilitie. He railes against enterludes, yet is himselfe neuer off the stage, and condemnes a maske, when his whole life is nothing els.
- 1Psal. 83. 12.
- 2Verse 13.Uerse 13.
- 3Hieron. ad Celant. Tom. 1 fol. 109.
