Take Up the Cross

And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
— Ephesians 4:30

And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
— Ephesians 4:11-12

Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
— Romans 12:9

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
— Philippians 4:8

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
— 1 John 4:1-3

The True Trial of the Spirits, by Henry Smith. 1607.

Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesying. Try all things, and keep that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil.
— 1 THES. V. 19–22.

As the last time when I spake of these words, ‘In all things give thanks,’ and ‘Quench not the Spirit,’ touching the first, I shewed you that it is an easier thing to obtain of God, than to be thankful to him; for more have gone away speeders, than have gone away thankers, Luke xvii. 17. Then, how the wicked are beholden to God, as well as the just; and therefore it is said, that the sun doth shine upon the just and the unjust, Mat. v. 45. Then, how Jacob came not so barely to Laban, when he brought nothing with him but his staff in his hand, Gen. xxix. 13, as man cometh into this world without strength or staff to sustain him; which made the apostle to ask, 1 Cor. iv. 7, ‘What have you which you have not received?’ Therefore, to teach man to be thankful unto his Maker, he was not made in paradise, Gen. ii. 8, the place of joy and happiness; but being made out of paradise, he was brought into paradise, to shew how all his joy and happiness came from God, and not from nature, that he might know where to bestow his thanks. Therefore David, to persuade all men to thankfulness, saith, ‘It is a good and pleasant thing to be thankful,’ Ps. 92. 1. If he had said no more but good, all which love goodness are bound to be thankful; but when he saith not only good, but pleasant too, all which love pleasure are bound to be thankful; and therefore, as Peter’s mother-in-law, so soon as Christ healed her of a fever, rose up immediately to minister unto him, Mat. viii., so we, so soon as Christ hath done anything for us, should rise up immediately to serve him. And as Hannah, when she had received a son from God, did consecrate him to God again, 1 Sam. i., so whatsoever we receive of God, we must give it to God again; that is, use it to his glory, and make it one of our means to serve him; for all things which we receive in this life are given unto us, lest we should want any means to serve God. Then because the apostle requireth thanks for all things, I shewed you that he is not thankful before God which thanks him only for his benefits; but he is thankful indeed which thanks him for his chastisement. It may be, while the Lord giveth, many will say, ‘Blessed be the name of the Lord.’ But when the Lord taketh, who will say, ‘Blessed be the name of the Lord’? When the Lord did take, Job said, ‘Blessed be the name of the Lord,’ Job i. There is one example, then, of Paul’s doctrine, which in all things gave thanks. The prophet David saith, Ps. xxiii. 4, ‘Thy staff and thy rod have comforted me;’ there is another example of Paul’s doctrine, which gave thanks unto God for his rod; for an obedient child doth not only kiss the hand which giveth, but the rod which beateth.

After speaking of those words, Quench not the Spirit, I shewed you that the Spirit doth signify the gifts and motions of the Spirit. The Spirit in the 3d of Matthew is likened to fire; and therefore Paul saith well, ‘Quench not the Spirit,’ because fire may be quenched. Here I took occasion to speak of zeal, which is the fire of the Spirit; shewing you, that God is pleased with zeal, as men are pleased with love; but as Christ did baptize with fire, so John did baptize with water, Mat. iii. 11; and as the Holy Ghost descended with fire, so he did descend with wind, that cooleth fire, Acts ii. ; shewing that our zeal should be a temperate zeal, as our Master’s was. Isaiah was commanded to cry, but not to roar, Isa. vi. 8; the Jews might not gather too much manna, no more than they might gather too little, Exod. xvi. 18. As there is a measure in knowledge, so there is a measure in zeal; that is, be zealous according to discretion, as Paul saith, Rom. xii. 3, ‘Be wise according to sobriety.’ The disciples were commended for their zeal, when they left all to follow Christ, Mark x. 28; but Christ reproved them for their zeal, when they would pray for fire from heaven to consume the Samaritans, Luke ix. 55. Therefore zeal and discretion united together, are like the two lions which supported the throne of Solomon, 1 Kings x.; and he which hath them both, is like Moses for his mildness, and like Phinehas for his fervency; therefore, as wine is tempered with water, so let discretion temper zeal. But I need not bring water to quench that fire that is out already. I would rather I could say of you, You are too zealous, as Paul told the Athenians, they were too superstitious, Acts xvii. 22. But our sickness is not a hot sickness, but a cold sickness; the hot body is distempered, but the cold body is dead. Zeal was never infamous before our days; the papists are commended if they be zealous; but the protestant, if he be zealous, is held in derision.

Then I shewed you how the Spirit is quenched, as a man doth quench his reason with over-much wine; and therefore we say, When the wine is in, the wit is out; because before, he seems to have reason, and now he seems to have none; so our zeal, and our faith, and our love, are quenched with sin. Every vain thought, and every idle word, and every wicked deed, is like so many drops to quench the Spirit of God. Some quench it with the business of this world; some quench it with the lusts of the flesh; some quench it with the cares of the mind; some quench it with long delays, that is, not plying the motion when it cometh, but crossing the good thoughts with bad thoughts, and doing a thing when the Spirit saith, Do it not; as Ahab went to battle after he was forbidden. Sometime a man shall feel himself stirred to a good work, as though he were led to it by the hand; and again, he shall be frighted from some evil thing, as though he were reproved in his ear; then, if he resist, he shall straight feel the Spirit going out of him, and hear a voice pronouncing him guilty, and he shall hardly recover his peace again. Therefore Paul saith, Grieve not the Spirit,’ Eph. iv. 30; shewing that the Spirit is often grieved before it be quenched; and that when a man begins to grieve, and check, and persecute the Spirit, lightly he never ceaseth until he have quenched it; that is, until he seem to have no spirit at all, but walketh like a lump of flesh.

After Quench not the Spirit, followeth Despise not prophesying. In the end of this epistle, Paul speaketh like a father which is come to the end of his life; who, because he hath but a while to speak, heapeth his lessons together, which he would have his sons remember when he is gone. So Paul, as though he were set to give good counsel, and had not leisure to speak that he would, sendeth the Thessalonians a brief of his mind, which their meditation should after amplify and expound unto them.

His first advice is, ‘Quench not the Spirit; that is, when a good motion cometh, welcome it like a friend, and cross it not with thy lusts. The second admonition teacheth how the first should be kept, ‘Despise not prophesying;’ and the Spirit will not quench, because prophesying doth kindle it. The third admonition teacheth how to make fruit of the second. Try the doctrines of them which prophesy, and thou shall not believe error for truth, but hold the best. The fourth admonition is the sum of all, and it cometh last, because it is longest in learning; that is, Abstain from all appearance of evil.’ This is the sum of all; for he which can abstain not only from evil, but from the appearance of evil, is so perfect as a man can be in this sinful life. Put all these together, and it is as if Paul should say, Quench not the Spirit by despising of prophesying; neither despise prophesying, because all do not prophesy alike; but rather, when you hear some preach one way, and some another, when you see some follow him, and others follow him, do you try the doctrines by the Scripture, as the men of Berea did, Acts xvii. 11, and choose that which is best, and soundest, and truest, having alway such an eye to the truth, that you abstain from all appearance of error. So jealous the Holy Ghost would have us of our faith, that we set no article upon our religion, but that which is an undoubted truth; as Moses did nothing in the tabernacle but that which was shewed in his pattern. It seems that there were some among the Thessalonians, as there be amongst us, which did forsake all religion, because the preachers did not agree, or because the lives of professors gave some offence; therefore Paul sheweth, that there is no cause why they should mislike the word for the preacher, or why they should despise religion for the professor, because the word and the religion are not theirs which teach it, and profess it, but God’s, and therefore cannot be polluted by them, no more than God. Then he concludeth, that seeing it is necessary that there shall be always errors and heresies to try us, we should also try them, and thereby be provoked so much the more from error, or heresy, or superstition, that we abstain even from the appearance thereof, lest we fall into the sin; that is the scope of these words.

Despise not prophesying. This admonition is, as it were, the keeper of the former; for by prophesying the Spirit is kindled, and without prophesying the Spirit is quenched; and therefore after Quench not the Spirit,’ Paul saith, ‘Despise not prophesying,’ shewing that as our sin doth quench the Spirit, so prophesying doth kindle it. This you may see in the disciples that went to Emmaus, of whom it is said, when Christ preached unto them out of the law and the prophets, the Spirit was so kindled with his prophesying, that their hearts waxed hot within them, Luke xxiv. 32. This you see again in Saul’s messengers which were sent for David, when they came among the prophets, and heard them prophesy, their spirit was so kindled that they could not choose but prophesy also, 1 Sam. xix. 20; insomuch that Saul came after himself, and hearing the prophets, as they did, the Spirit came upon him likewise, and he prophesied too; whereupon it was said, ‘Is Saul also among the prophets?’ 1 Sam. ix. 25. This is no marvel, that the spirit of man should be so kindled, and revived, and refreshed with the word; for the word is called the food of the soul, Heb. v. ; take away the word from the soul, and it hath no food to eat; as if you should take food from the body, the body would pine. And therefore Solomon saith, Without visions the people perish,’ Prov. xxix. 18; that is, without prophesying the people famish. Therefore he which loveth his soul, had not need to despise prophesying, for then he famisheth his own soul, and is guilty of her death; therefore that pastor, or that patron, which is the cause why any place doth want preaching, is guilty of their destruction, because he which taketh or keepeth away the food, doth famish the body. The apostle might have said, Love prophesying, or honour prophesying, but he saith, ‘Despise not prophesying.’ And why does he forbid to despise prophesying? why did Christ say, ‘The poor receive the gospel,’ Mat. xi. 5, but to shew, that the rich did contemn it? Why doth Paul say, ‘I am not ashamed of the gospel,’ Rom. i. 16, but to shew that many are ashamed of it? Even so he saith, Despise not prophesying;’ shewing, that the greatest honour which we give to prophets, is not to despise them; and the greatest love which we carry to the word is not to loathe it. If we do not despise the preachers, then we think that we honour them enough; and if we do not loathe the word, then we think that we love it enough; therefore the apostle saith, ‘Despise not prophesying,’ but honour prophesying. Prophesying here doth signify preaching, as it doth in Rom xii. 6. Will you know why preaching is called prophesying? To add more honour and renown to the preachers of the word, to make you receive them like prophets; and then Christ saith, ‘You shall have a prophet’s reward,’ Mat. x. 41; that is, not such a reward as you give, but such a reward as God giveth.

Lastly, If you mark, Paul saith not, despise not prophets, but prophesying; signifying, that from the contempt of the prophets, at last we come to despise prophesying too, like the Jews, who, when they were offended with the prophet, charged him to prophesy no more, Jer. xi. 21. Therefore, as Christ warned his disciples to hear the Scribes and Pharisees, although they did not as they taught, Mat. xxiii. 3; so Paul warneth the Thessalonians, that if any prophets among them do not as they teach, and therefore seem worthy to be despised, like the Scribes and Pharisees, yet that they take heed that they do not despise prophesying for the prophets. Because the preachers are despised before the word be despised, therefore we will speak first of their contempt.

Christ asked his disciples what they thought of him, Mat. xvi. 13, so I would ask you, what you think of preachers. Is he a contemptible person which bringeth the message of God, which hath the name of an angel, 2 Cor. v. 20, and all his words are messengers of life? Prophets are of such account with God, that it is said, Amos iii. 7, ‘God will do nothing before he reveals it unto his prophets; so prophets are, as it were, God’s counsellors. Again, kings, and priests, and prophets, were figures of Christ; all these three were anointed with oil, to shew that they had greater graces than the rest; but especially the prophets are called men of God, 1 Kings xiii. 1, to shew, that all which are of God will make much of prophets for God’s sake. Therefore women are forbidden to take upon them to prophesy, 1 Cor. xiv. 34, lest that noble calling should become vile and despised by such unskilful handlers of it. Therefore when the prophet Elisha would send for Naaman the leper to come unto him, these were his words, Naaman ‘shall know that there is a prophet in Israel,’ 2 Kings v. 8: as though all the glory of Israel were chiefly in this, that they had prophets, and others had none; as if one parish should triumph over another, because they have a preacher, and the other have none. Therefore when this prophet was dead, Joash the king came unto his corpse, and wept over his face, and cried, ‘O my father, my father! the chariots of Israel, and the horsemen of the same!’ 2 Kings xiii. 14; shewing that the chariots, and horses, and soldiers, do not so safeguard a city, as the prophets which teach it, and pray for it. Therefore when God would mark the Israelites with a name of greatest reproach, he calleth them a people which rebuke their priests, as if he should say, usurpers of the priest’s office, for they rebuke their priests, which are appointed to rebuke them.

How joyful and glad was Lydia when she could draw Paul and Silas to her house: ‘If you think me to be faithful,’ saith she, ‘come to my house,’ Acts xvi. 15, shewing that never any guests were so welcome to her house before. How tender was the Shunamite over Elisha, that she built an house to welcome him, and to keep him with her, 2 Kings iv. 10; thinking all the places in her house too bad for him, she built him a new room to make him stay with her. How much did the Galatians make of Paul, that he saith, they would pull out their own eyes to do him good, Gal. iv. 15; so once a prophet was esteemed like a prophet. And hath he bid you despise them now, which bade you honour them before? No; Paul chargeth us to receive our teachers as he was received himself, saying, ‘He which laboureth in the word is worthy of double honour,’ 1 Tim. v. 17, that is, the preacher, after a sort, is more to be honoured than the ruler, for Aaron was the elder brother, but Moses was the younger brother; and therefore, if there be any appendix, the magistrate is the appendix, for if Aaron’s Urim and Thummim would have served, Exod. xxviii. 30, Moses’s rod and staff should not have needed; but when the tongue could not persuade, the rod did compel, and so came in the magistrate. As Paul sheweth the Thessalonians how the preachers of the word should be honoured, so he teacheth the Philippians how to honour their teachers, saying, ‘Receive him in the Lord with great gladness, and make much of such,’ Philip. ii. 29; that is, shew yourselves so glad of him, that he may be glad of you. Have you need to be taught why Paul would have you make much of such? Because they are like lamps, which consume themselves to give light to others, so they consume themselves to give light to you; because they are like a hen, which clucketh her chickens together from the kite, so they cluck you together from the serpent; because they are like the shout which did beat down the walls of Jericho, Josh. vi. 20, so they beat down the walls of sin; because they are like the fiery pillar which went before the Israelites to the land of promise, so they go before you to the land of promise; because they are like good Andrew, which called his brother to see the Messias, John i. 41, so they call upon you to see the Messias; and therefore make much of such.

If we should make much of prophets, how much should we make of prophesying! If we should love our instructors, how much should we love instruction! Simeon keeping in the temple met with Christ, Luke ii. 28; so many hearing the word, have met with knowledge, have met with comfort, have met with peace, have met with salvation; but without the word never any was converted to God. Therefore, whensoever the word is preached, every one may say to himself, as the disciples said to the blind man, ‘Be of good comfort, he calleth thee,’ Mark x. 49; be of good comfort, the Lord calleth thee; but when the word is not preached, then every man may say to himself, Beware, the devil calleth thee. When the prophets went from Jerusalem, the sword, and famine, and pestilence, and all the plagues of God rained upon them, even as fire came upon Sodom so soon as Lot was gone out, Gen. xix. 21; therefore what may those lands fear, which use their prophets as the Jews used those which were sent to them? Amos calleth it an evil time, wherein the prudent keep silence, chap. v. 13, therefore this is an evil time, wherein the prudent are silent.

There be two trades in this land, without the which the realm cannot stand the one is the king’s soldiers, and the other is the Lord’s soldiers; and the Lord’s soldiers are handled like the king’s soldiers; for, from the merchant to the porter, no calling is so despised, so contemned, so derided, that they may beg for their service, for their living is turned into an alms. One saith, that Moses is quis, that is, the magistrate is somebody; but Aaron is quasi quis, that is, the minister is nobody, because nobody is despised like him. Receive a prophet in the name of a prophet! Nay, receive a prophet in the name of an enemy, as Ahab received Elias, Art thou here, mine enemy? 1 Kings xxi. 20. If Paul had lived in our days, he would not have said, ‘Despise not the prophets,’ but ‘Persecute not the prophets; for he should have seen not only despisers of the prophets, but mockers of them; not only mockers of, but slanderers of them: not only slanderers, but hunters, and biters, and smiters of them. Joseph was troubled so soon as he began to feed his father’s sheep, Gen. xxxvii. 4, so the pastors are troubled so soon as they begin to feed their Father’s sheep. Every man thinks to find friends against them; and though there be no law to hurt them, yet no man fears to accuse them; because authority doth disfavour them, they cannot tell how to preach, nor what to say, because there be so many Ahabs which would have them say that which pleaseth them, though it be not true, 1 Kings xxii. 13. Charm the charmer never so sweetly, let his song be never so pleasant, yet many adders are ready to stop their ears, and stop his mouth, like a bird which is smitten in her song, of the archer whom she singeth unto. Even as Saul let his spear fly at David while he played upon the harp to solace, and comfort, and drive the evil spirit from him, 1 Sam. xviii. 10; so while we play upon David’s harp to solace, and comfort, and drive the evil spirit from you, many let the darts of reproach and the arrows of slander fly at us, saying, as the woman said to Elijah, If thou hadst not been, my child had not died,’ 1 Kings xviii. 10; if we had not been, their peace had not died; if we had not been, their sports had not died; if we had not been, their customs, and their titles, and their honours had not died. And why should not Herod and Archelaus die, which sought the death of the child? Mat. ii. 15. Why should not any custom, or honour, or pleasure die, which seeketh the death of religion? Alas,’ saith Jeremiah, ‘what have I done that all men should curse me? Jer. xv. 10. but the truth, you should not hate us for the truth. had need to hide the prophets again to save them out of prison, 1 Kings xviii. 3, 4. Where is Rahab, that she might convey away the servants of God? Joshua ii. 1. Once Baal’s prophets were punished, 1 Kings xviii. 40, but now Christ’s prophets are punished. Once they did ask, ‘Where is the seer, that he may teach us?” 1 Sam. ix. 9, but now they ask, Where is the seer, that we may take him? Once they did build houses for the prophets, like the Shunamite, 2 Kings iv. 10, but now they take their houses from them, and think they do God service when they make them, and their wives, and their children, and their servants, beggars. Once Paul said to Timothy, ‘Let no man despise thy youth,’ 1 Tim. iv. 12, shewing that preachers should not be despised for their youth; but now they despise the young prophets and the old too. How is the double honour turned to single honour! Nay, how is our honour turned to dishonour! If I be a master,’ saith God, where is my fear?’ Mal. i. 6; so, if we be prophets, where is our reverence? Doth not the contempt of the prophets cry unto God, as well as the blood of Abel? Gen. iv. 10. When the messengers which were sent unto the vineyard for fruit were beaten of them which should have laden them, then it is said that the lord of the vineyard waxed wroth, and said that he would let out the vineyard to others, which should yield him the fruits thereof, Mat. xxi. 43. The meaning hereof is this, that when the preachers and teachers which Christ sendeth to his church for fruits are abused and persecuted of them whom they call to the banquet, then he will remove their light and his gospel to others, which will yield him the fruits thereof. Therefore, what may this land fear, which hath used Christ’s ambassadors as Ammon used David’s ambassadors ? 1 Chron. xix. 4. Jerusalem is left without one prophet, because she despised him. Sodom was burned, because she despised Lot; and the whole world was drowned, because it despised Noah; and are not these examples written for our warning? The time came that Saul sought for a prophet, and God would not answer him by prophets, because he had despised his prophets before, 1 Sam. xxviii. 6. So the time cometh when you shall ask, Where is the seer? and they shall say, He is rapt away like Elijah, 2 Kings ii. 11. A prophet was amongst us, but when he was despised in Jerusalem, he was sent to Nineveh. Is not judgment begun already? Doth not the gospel stand at the door, as if she were ready to take her leave? Are we not come from despising of prophets almost to the despising of prophesying too? Do not many run unto the rulers, as young Joshua ran to Moses, and cry, Masters, forbid them to prophesy? Do not many walk in the streets while we preach in the temple? The beasts came to the ark to save themselves, Gen. vii. 9; and will not men come to the church to save themselves? But we may cry unto them as the children did unto their fellows in the market, We have piped unto you, and ye would not dance; we have lamented for you, and ye would not mourn,’ Mat. xi. 17. Some come to hear us as Naaman came to Elisha; when the prophet had told him what he should do, he mocked him for it; he thought that he knew a better way than that himself, 2 Kings v. 11. So they come to hear us, but they think they can teach us; but they must remember that Paul saith, ‘God hath chosen the foolish to confound the wise,’ 1 Cor. i. 27. Therefore, if they think themselves wise, let them think us those fools whom God hath chosen to confound them; for although at all other times we are plain and simple as Jacob, yet at this time we have a promise, and it is given to us for your sake to speak sometime that which we conceive not ourselves, because the hour is come wherein God hath appointed to call some of you, as he hath done some of you before. Therefore, as the princely spirit came upon Saul when he should reign, to teach him how he should rule, 1 Sam. xi. 6, so the prophetical spirit cometh upon preachers when they should teach, to teach them how they should speak. Therefore, as Christ was contented to be baptized of John, Mat. iii. 18, so be you contented to be instructed of us, that if we be more simple than you, the glory of God may appear more in converting you by us.

Hath not this despising of the preachers almost made the preachers despise preaching? The people’s neglect of the prophets hath made the prophets neglect prophesying. The non-resident keeps himself away, because he thinks the people like him better because he doth not trouble them; and the drone never studieth to preach, for he saith that an homily is better liked of than a sermon; and they which would study divinity above all, when they look upon our contempt, and beggary, and vexation, turn to law, to physic, to trades, or anything, rather than they will enter this contemptible calling. And is not the ark, then, ready to depart from Israel?

Now, if you will know what makes prophets and prophesying so despised, you may see first in Jeroboam’s priests. It is said that Jeroboam made Israel to sin, 1 Kings xv. 26; that is, Jeroboam made Israel to contemn religion, because he made priests of the basest of the people, 1 Kings xiii. 33; therefore they which make priests like Jeroboam’s priests, make the people contemn the priests and religion too. Why might none carry the ark but the Levites? Deut. x. 8. Was it not lest the ark (which was a sign of God) should be despised? Therefore none should meddle with the word (which is the law of God) but they which are fit, lest they make it despised. Hannah said, ‘I will not offer the child to God before he be weaned,’ 1 Sam. i. 22, that is, before he be taken from the dug; but now they offer their children to God before they be weaned, before they can go, before they can speak; and send them to fight the Lord’s battles before they have one stone in their hand to sling at Goliah, that is, one scripture to resist the tempter, Mat. iv. This is either because the patrons or the bishops have lime upon their fingers, which makes them like blind Isaac, Gen. xxvii. 11, that they take no heed whom they bless.

The second thing which makes prophets and prophesying despised, is the lewdness and negligence of them that are able to do well in their ministry, and yet do contrary. It is said of Hophni and Phinehas, that by their corrupt sacrificing they made the people abhor the sacrifice, 1 Sam. ii. 17; so many, by their slubbering of the word (for want of study and meditation), do make men think that there is no more wisdom in the word of God than they shew out of it; and therefore they stay at home, and say, they know as much as the preacher can teach them.

There is a kind of preachers risen up but of late, which shroud and cover every rustical, and unsavoury, and childish, and absurd sermon, under the name of the simple kind of teaching, like the popish priests, which make ignorance the mother of devotion; but indeed, to preach simply is not to preach rudely, nor unlearnedly, nor confusedly, but to preach plainly and perspicuously, that the simplest man may understand what is taught, as if he did hear his name. Therefore, if you will know what makes many preachers preach so barely, and loosely, and simply, it is your own simplicity, which makes them think, that if they go on and say something, all is one, and no fault will be found, because you are not able to judge in or out; and so because they give no attendance to doctrine, as Paul teacheth them, 1 Tim. iv. 16, it is almost come to pass, that in a whole sermon the hearer cannot pick out one note more than he could gather himself. Wheat is good, but they which sell the refuse of wheat are reproved, Amos viii. 6; so preaching is good, but this refuse of preaching is but like swearing: for one takes the name of God in vain, and the other takes the word of God in vain.

As every sound is not music, so every sermon is not preaching, but worse than if we should read an homily. In Jer. xlviii. there is a curse upon them which do the business of the Lord negligently. If this curse do not touch them which do the chiefest business of the Lord negligently, truly I cannot tell whom the prophet meaneth. These would not have prophesying despised, and yet they make it despised themselves.

The last thing which makes prophets and prophesying despised is, the diversity of minds. While one holdeth one way, and another another way, some leave all, and will be of no religion, until both parties agree; as if a patient should pine himself, and cat no meat at all, because one physician saith that this meat will hurt him, and another saith that meat will hurt him. These are the three enemies which make us and our labours despised.

Now, what shall we answer to our despisers? Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy,’ saith the church, ‘for I shall be raised,’ Micah vii. 8; so, despise not the prophets, O ye Israelites, for they shall be honoured. Peter saith to Ananias and Sapphira, ‘You have not lied unto men, but unto God,’ Acts v. 3; so you have not despised man, but God: for Christ saith, ‘He which despiseth you, despiseth me,’ Luke x. 16. When Satan slew Job’s servants, his malice was against Job, Job i. 16; so, when you despise God’s servants, your presumption is against God: for that which you do unto them,’ saith Christ, you do unto me,’ Mat. x. Why then, if they despise Christ, Christ will despise them; for he told Saul that he spurned against the prick, that is, he spurned against that which would spurn against him. Therefore, if you give unto Christ when you give unto the poor, and if you honour Christ when you honour his prophets, then, as you give to the poor for Christ’s sake, so despise not the prophets for Christ’s sake. If, for all this, we must be despised still, then this is our remedy: Paul saith, ‘Whatsoever we are to you, yet we are a sweet savour to God, both in them which are saved, and them which perish,’ 2 Cor. ii. 15; that is, though we bring him word that you will not come to the banquet, yet we shall be welcome without you. And so much of that.

After Despise not prophesying, followeth Try all things, as if he should say, Despise not prophesying, but for all that try prophesying, lest thou believe error for truth; for as among rulers there be bad rulers, so among prophets there be false prophets. This made Christ warn his disciples to beware of the leaven of the pharisees, that is, of their false doctrine, Mark viii. 15. This made John say, Try the spirits,’ 1 John iv. 1. And therefore we read, in Acts xvii. 11, how the men of Berea would not receive before they had tried it; and how did they try it? It is said that they searched the Scripture. This is the way which Paul would teach you to try others, whereby he was tried himself; whereby we may see that if you use to read the Scriptures, you shall be able to try all doctrines: for the word of God is the touchstone of everything, like the light which God made to behold all his creatures, Gen. i. 2. So is the Scripture to decide all questions: every doubt must come to the word, and all controversies must be ended at this tribunal. The Scripture must speak which is right, and which is wrong; which is truth, and which is error; and all tongues must keep silence to hear it. So God hath appointed that the judge of our controversies, which, he saith in John xii. 48, shall judge us in the last day. Here a man may ask, If it be so that God would have us to try all our religion by the Scripture, and not by fathers, nor by doctors, nor by councils, nor by angel, nor by pope, how then do the papists say we must believe as the church believeth, and never look in the Scripture whether our teachers say as God saith, but take it upon their credit, as a blind man eateth his meat?

A man trieth his horse, which must bear him, and shall he not try his faith, which must save him? Paul saith, ‘Let every one be able to give a reason of his faith.’ Is this a reason of our faith to say, I believe so, because Rome believeth so, or rather, because that the word doth teach me so? It will not answer for them which die in heresy to say, The priests taught us so; no more than it would excuse Eve to say, The serpent taught her so, Gen. iii. 13: for God saith, ‘Be not deceived,’ neither by serpent, nor by prophet, nor by angel. Therefore I conclude with Paul, ‘Despise not prophesying,’ lest the gospel be taken from you; and yet, ‘try prophesying,’ lest you receive error for truth.

As we are to try doctrines, so Paul would have us to try our thoughts, and our speeches, and our actions; therefore he saith, Try all things. He doth not bid us take a taste of all sins and vanities, as Solomon did, to try them; for they are tried already : but that we should set the word of God alway before us like a rule, and believe nothing but that which it teacheth, love nothing but that which it prescribeth, hate nothing but that which it forbiddeth, do nothing but that which it commandeth, and then we try all things by the word. As the eunuch said, ‘Ilow should I understand without an interpreter?’ Acts viii. 31, so thou mayest say, ‘How should I try without the word, which is the touchstone of good and evil?

Now, when we have tried by the word which is truth and which error, what should we do then? ‘Keep that which is best:’ that is, stay at the truth, as the wise men stayed when they came to Christ. We must keep and hold the truth, as a man grippeth a thing with both his hands; that is, defend it with thy tongue, maintain it with thy purse, further it with thy labour, in danger and trouble, and loss and displeasure, come life, come death; think, as Christ did seal the truth with his blood, so thou must seal it with thy blood, or else thou dost not keep it, but let it go. Well doth Paul put try before choose, for he which trieth may choose the best, but he which chooseth before he try, takes the worse sooner than the best, and therefore the pope’s priests, because the people should take superstition before religion, will never let them have the touch-stone, but keep them from the Scripture, and lock it up in an unknown tongue, which they cannot skill of, lest they should try their doctrines, like the men of Berea, Acts xvii, making religion a craft, as men call their trades. Therefore, as Josiah rejoiced that the book of God was found again, so we may rejoice that the book of God is found again, for when the people might not read it, it was all one as if they had lost it.

After Try all things and keep the best, followeth Abstain from all appearance of evil; as if he should say, That is like to be best which is so far from evil that it hath not the appearance of evil; and that is like to be the truth, which is so far from error that it hath not the show of error; whereby he sheweth that nothing should be brought into the church, or added to our religion, but that which is undoubted truth, without suspicion of error. It is not enough to be persuaded of our faith, but we must be assured of it; for religion is not built upon doubts, but upon knowledge. Here we may marvel why Paul biddeth us abstain from all appearance of evil, because sin, and heresy, and superstition are hypocrites; that is, sin hath the appearance of virtue, and heresy hath the appearance of truth, and superstition hath the appearance of religion. But by this the apostle doth note that there is no sin, nor heresy, nor superstition, but, if the visor be taken away from it, it will appear to be a sin, and heresy, and superstition, though at the first sight the visor do make it seem none, because it covereth the evil, like a painted sepulchre upon worms and rotten bones.

Hereby we are taught to judge of all things as they are, and not as they seem to be. As we draw aside the curtain before we behold the picture, so we must remove our prudence and all surmises, and then behold the thing naked as it is, if we will know it indeed.

Here I might admonish them which separate themselves from our church. As Paul saith, Examine whether you be in the faith,’ so examine whether you have the show of error. Hath it not the show of error to broach a religion which was never heard of before? Hath it not the show of error to retain an opinion which the author himself hath recanted, as though ye would suck up that which the dog hath vomited? Hath it not the show of error to affirm that those preachers may not be heard, which (by their own confessions) have converted them to the knowledge of God, and daily convert others? Hath it not the show of error to affirm that the Lord’s prayer may not be used for a prayer, which for anything that we or they can read, was so used from the beginning?

Hath it not the show of error to say that no man may use any set prayer, seeing there be many set prayers, and psalms, and blessings in the holy Scripture, which were used in the same form? Hath it not the show of error to affirm that we have no church, and yet to grant that our martyrs which died in popery were true members of the church? Hath it not the show of error to affirm that two or three may excommunicate all the rest without a minister, seeing the pastor is the mouth of the church? Hath it not the show of error to affirm that the church of Christ was ever invisible before this age, and that it is such a small flock as their number is, and that it hath set foot nowhere but in England? Hath it not the show of error to hold that for good and sound religion which is altered every day, adding and detracting, as though a man should make a religion of his own invention, so fast as new conceits come into his brain? Let them think what Paul saith unto them, ‘Be wise unto sobriety,’ Rom. xii. 3, and suspect that construction which yourselves devised; for Solomon saith, There is an error upon the right hand as well as upon the left, Prov. iv. 27; that is (as I may call it), the zealous error; and if this be not, I know none within this land.

Yet shall I say that we have not the show of error? Nay; I would we were but in the show of error. I may not call evil good, no more than I may call good evil; and therefore let us pull out the beam out of our own eyes, as we would pull the mote out of their eyes. If Paul would have us abstain from every appearance of evil, sure he would have us abstain from heresy and idolatry, for these are the greatest evils. But if we be not idolaters, yet we have the show of idolatry. If we be not of antichrist’s religion, yet we are of antichrist’s fashion, so long as we have the same vestures, and the same orders, and the same titles that antichrist knoweth his ministers by. It is said that the serpent’s sting is in her tail, and so it seems; for this tail of antichrist (which the pope hath left behind him like an evil savour) is unto us as the remnant of the Canaanites were unto the Jews, Num. xxxiii. 55. They should have destroyed all the Canaanites, but because they spared some, therefore they whom they left were goads in their sides and pricks in their eyes, that they could never be in quiet for them. So we should have expelled the head and the tail too of antichrist; but because we did not, therefore the remnants of popery are goads in our sides and pricks in our eyes, that we cannot yet be in quiet for them. Therefore let us pray that he which hath taken away the evil, will take away the show of evil too.

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