why we should not speake euill of ◠Reason or condemne the brethren is drawen frō the duetie of the saints it is the dutie of Gods children to do the lawe not to iudge or condemne it The law saith speake not euil of thy brother neither condemne thy brother this law must Leuit. 19. Mat. 7. we do and endeuour to fulfill it in euery point not by withstanding it seeme to cōdemne it and be iudges of it Men condemne the law when they condemne their brethren they iudge the lawe when they will not be taught thereby nor reformed but as iudging it vnworthy to be the rule and line of their life they withstand it God hath not appointed vs to iudge his lawe but rather to doe it therfore by not speaking euil of the brethren must we do the law and not by resisting it condemne and iudge it How men are saide to do the law See S. Iames ch 1. v. 22. The meaning of this place is that we are ordained to be doers of the lavv and by God vvilled to labour to fulfill it therfore it standeth vs vpon thereunto to tende therein to labour and trauell and not by arrogantly iudging of our brethren rashly to iudge of the law Men become the iudges of the law when by obstinately transgressing of the law they seeme superiours and aboue the law as such as will not be subiect therunto and not by doing it seeme inferiours as they which will be ruled thereby then when we speake euill of our brethren which the law forbiddeth in rising vp resisting against this law we seeme to be aboue the law as such as will not be restrained thereby To iudge the law not to do it is great sinne Therfore must we rather in not speaking euill Deut. 27. of the law do it then in speaking euill thereof iudge it Great blessings are promised such as do obserue the law a great curse likewise is threatened to them which do not keepe it Moses therefore saith Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all the wordes of this law to do them This Apostle pronounceth them blessed which looke into Iames 1. 1. Ioh. 2. the perfect lawe of libertie to do it Saint Iohn witnesseth that such as do the will of God shall remaine and abide for euer and we are called to the doing of the law vvee ought therefore to do it that vve may be blessed in our deede and remayne for euer and not iudge it by violating thereof least vvee taste of the curse vvhich is threatened When vve speake not euill of our brethren vvee fulfill the royall lavve vvhich saith Loue thy neighbour as thy selfe vvhen vvee speake euill of them and iudge them because they vvalke not according to our pleasures vve iudge the lavve vvhich is farre from our dutie The lavv is by God ordained to be the line and leuell of our life the guyde of our feete the gouernour of our pathes therefore the princely Prophete Dauid Psal 119. saith Thy vvorde ô Lorde is a lanterne vnto my feete and a light vnto my pathes this lavv of God is the touchstone of our actions the triall of al our vvorkes the ballance to waigh vvhether they be according to the lavve of equity iustice to do this law not to iudg it ar we called For which cause almighty God in his law witnesseth that Deut. 4 6. he had giuen lawes vnto his people to do them Our Sauiour so often requireth the doing of the lawe and worde of God in the saints not euery one that saith vnto me Lord Lorde shall enter into the kingdome of heauen Mat. 7. but hee that doth the will of my father which is in heauen to the woman which pronounced the wombe blessed Luke 10. that bore him and the pappes that gaue him sucke He saith yea rather blessed are they that heare the worde of God and doe it To his disciples after the washing Iohā 13. of their feete blessed are yee if you know these thinges and doe them Saint James requireth this and calleth Iames 1. men to the doing of the lawe and worde of God be yee doers of the lavve not hearers onely Finally the Apostle in his Reuelation blessed is he that readeth and heareth Reuel 1. the vvordes of this prophesie and keepeth those things which are written therein to this law we must submit our selues and giue ouer all our actions thereby to be iudged this law forbiddeth euill speach of the brethren this forbiddeth proudly to iudge them arrogantly to cōdemne them because they walke not according to our wils this law must we not resist but obey notwithstand but fulfill this is the dutie of the saints of God this is the thing wee are bound vnto vvherefore if notwithstanding we speake euill of the brethren we do not the law but we iudge it and so swarue from the dutie of Gods saints and the thing whereunto we are called which is to be doers not to become iudges of the lawe of God And this is the second reason of the Apostle why we may not speake euill of the brethren because in so doing we are not doers of the law which dutie requireth but iudges which becommeth not the saints 3. A third reason why men may not proudly condemne 3. Reason arrogantly iudge their brethren is drawen frō the vsurping of the office of God of Christ men must not proudly arrogate that to themselues which is proper to God to giue lawes of their liues vnto men which if they embrace not at our pleasure to speake euill of thē to cōdemne thē therfore appertaineth not to vs for there is one only law giuer which prescribeth rules to vs to our brethren how we shall liue one iudge which shall iudge both vs and them if we doe not thereafter and this law maker and iudge is not mans fancie will pleasure but God himselfe so that when we will take vpon vs to prescribe vnto other men and woulde haue all men liue after our examples and pleasures Which if they will not proudly to iudge them bitterly to speake of them seuerely to censure and condemne them is to vsurpe the office of God our heauenly father to arrogate to our selues the thing which apperteineth not vnto vs therfore ought we not to doe it That God is the onely Law geuer and iudge which is able to saue and to destroy and that no man ought to take vpon him to set lawes of life and death to mens consciences and restraine them to their pleasures it appeareth For in the holy mountain with great feare and terror with sights and soundes from aboue almightie God Exod. 19. 20. deliuered vnto Moses the two tables of the lawe In the preface whereof the Lord setteth downe his own name as the authour thereof I am the Lorde thy God which brought thee out of the lande of Egypt thou shalt haue no
men we may answere aright either the vnruly pleasures or the immoderate desires of increasing our priuate wealth and estate for from these two fountains and well heades all contention commonly ariseth The vnruly and immoderate desire of honour the infinite desire men haue to encrease their owne estates whereby they are caried headlong to those things which seeme pleasant delectable glorious and profitable vnto them chiefly moue and pricke men forwarde to contention and quarrelling brawling and fighting Insomuch as that Saint James demaunding the question from whence warres and contentions arise answereth euen from the pleasures which fight in mens members And howe truely vnrulie pleasures and immoderate desires are causes not onely of priuate quarrels debates broiles and contentions but also euen of open warres in deede experience sufficiently doth teach vs so that there is nothing almost more manifest then that the fulfilling of our lusts the enlarging of our honour and worldly pompe the encreasing of our priuate vvealth is cause of contentions and vvarres among men VVhereof vvhether vvee vvill haue examples in holy Scripture they are plentifull or vvhether vve looke to examples prophane of the heathen they are aboundant or vvhether vve looke to proofe at home it is manifest or vvhether vvee regarde experience abroade it is euident or vvhether vvee haue an eye to priuate men or publike persons to the vvise or to the foolish learned or ignorant base or honourable one or another it is apparant that the contentions or vvarres among them haue flovved from desire of riches vvealth promotion honour glorie vvhereby they might excell one another From vvhence vvas the contention betvvixt the Gene. 13. heardmen of Abraham and his nephevv Lot vvas it not herehence euen from their desires of encreasing their vvealth insomuch that they vvere faine to depart the one from the other whereby the verie bond as it were of nature was broken Wherehence were the contentions and warres betwixt Chederleomer king of Elam and Tidall Gene. 14. king of Nations Amruphell king of Siner and Arioh king of Ellosar against the king of Sodom and the king of Gomorrah the king of Admah the king of Zeboiim and the king of Bela which is Soar were they not from their ambicious desires each of others kingdome which is the chiefe cause of warres among princes From whence was the warre and contention betwixt Abimelech Gene. 26. and Isaac was it not from the greedie desire to haue had the wealth and riches of Isaac From whence were the warres of Sennacherib against Hezekiah were they 4. Kings 18. not herehence euen of his greedie couetousnesse and ambitious desire towardes the wealth and kingdome of Israel From whence were the warres of Nabuchodonosor Iudeth 1. agaynst Arphaxad of the Medes and agaynst all other people and Nations was it not from immoderate ambition and desire of glorie which fought in his members that hee might for power haue beene reuerenced as an earthly GOD of all men Wherehence was the warre by Antiochus vndertaken agaynst 1 Macc. 1. Aegypt was it not from his desire hee had to raigne ouer it that hee might haue the dominion ouer two countries thus these and the like examples in the Scriptures teach vs that the cause both of contention and also open warres haue beene ambition vnruly lusts immoderate desire of increasing of mens priuate estates according to the doctrine of the Apostle From whence are warres and contentions among you are they not herehence euen from your pleasures whiche fight in your members If you will by examples prophane learne how true this is it may in two or three appeare euident what other cause so euer Phillip the king of Macedonia had against Philipp the Athenians this no doubt was one of those warres broyles and tumultes against them his luste and inward affection his desire of glory and his ambition his greedy care to enlarge his kingdome and encrease his riches The same pleasures the like desires moued Alexander the great the sonne of Phillip to moue warre Alexander against Darius the king of Persia What other or greater cause was there of the ciuill wars betwixt Cesar and Pompey Sylla and Marius Antonie and Augustus and other Romaines then the lustes ambition glory desire of encreasing of their own estates which ruled mightily in thē What cause hath bene knowen greater of the warres and tumultes among the peeres of our owne countrie and common wealth Then the desire they had each to exceede and excell an other in riches wealth honour and glory If we aske the stories they wil assure vs if we seeke the chronicles they will persuade vs. If we looke to priuate men and of meaner calling what causes may be assigned of so many tumultes contentions suites in lawe quarrels debates fallings out and strifes among men are not our vnruly desires the fulfilling of our owne lustes the enriching of our selues by the inioying of other mē◠landes goods liuings the chiefe causes thereof from whence were the cōtentions betwixt Eusebius the bishop of Cesaria and S. Basill betwixt Demetrius the B. of Alexandria and Origen betwixt Arrius and other heretikes the holy fathers were they not from the vaine glory and ambitious desire in Eusebius Demetrius Arrius and Montanus c. as the stories ecclesiasticall witnes wherence came the cōtentions among sundry bishops and certaine Popes was it not about the supremacie which ambitious popes haue prowdely challenged Finally if wee should rippe vp all stories and cast our eies vpon euery particular contention quarrell debate and broyle among men I doubte not but our vaine and vnruly pleasures our ambitious and immoderate desires shall be found the causes thereof So that we may conclude with the Apostle that vnruly pleasures euill affections immoderate desires fighting in our members are the causes of all warres and contentions among vs and worthily affirme with Paul 1. Timo. 6. that our couetous desires are the causes of all euill the very mother and roote of all wickednesse as from whence enuie deceyte fraude lies periuries swearings cursings bitternesse vsurie oppression extortion thefte murthers not of straungers onely but friends familiers kinsfolke brethren sisters fathers and mothers also haue sprong Truly therefore may wee say with James From whence are warres and contētions among you are they not hence euen of the pleasures which fight in your members By pleasures here saint Iames vnderstandeth those greedie desires men haue either to enlarge their honour either to encrease their wealth or fulfill their desires and these pleasures are sayde to fight in our members because these pleasures these couetous ambitious volupteous desires vse both the powers of our minde and also the partes of our bodies as souldiours to fight with as instruments and weapons wherby sinne accomplisheth and finisheth her worke in vs. And it agreeth with that speach of Saint Paul Let Rom. 6. not sinne therfore raigne in your mortall body that you should obey
conception of concupiscense then the birth the first and the second Touching the conception of concupiscense it is the assent and agreeing of the will when it possesseth the affection and will of man so that the assenting and agreeing of our willes to the inticement of concupiscense is the conception of concupiscense euen the first thing that it worketh in vs. When the lust and concupiscense of man seazeth and resteth vpon any obiect whether it be by desiring as glorie riches pleasure or the like or by auoiding it as Gods word holy life vertue and godlines which lust naturally careth not for either by hating as iniuries oppressions wrongs rebukes violence of men such like then is mans lust said to conceiue Concupiscense had her conception in Euah when she seeing the fruit of the forbidden tree to be faire and pleasant to the Gene. 3. eie her lust rising thereupon and giuing consent to that iniquitie lust in her conceyued When the Israelites sawe Num. 25. the daughters of Moab their lust seazing resting about their beautie lust conceiued in them When the children of God sawe the daughters of men that they were faire Gene. 6. their lust resting about that matter and they yeelding consent to the inticement concupiscense conceiued adulterie in them When Sichem his lust rested vpon Dinah Putiphars wife vpon Ioseph Dauid his lust vpon the beautie of Barseba they yeelding the consent of their willes Gene. 34. Gine 39. 2. Reg. 11. 3 King 21 thereunto lust conceiued in them When Ahab the king set his affection vpon Naboth his vineyard and thereabout his lust resting yeelding thereunto the consent of his will desire and lust conceyued in him Generally in all sinne specially in euerie sinne whether it be in desire to couetousnes or in pleasure to adulterie or in reuenge to murther or in ambition to honour either in disdaine to contempt or finally in mislike to reproch and slaunder when our lust resteth thereabout and we giue consent of will to the inticement of concupiscense then doth concupiscense conceiue in vs. Wherefore as in naturall procreation first there is conception then afterwarde birth so in inward temptations to euill lust first conceyueth then is it deliuered and bringeth forth After conception in it time birth and bringing forth followeth so by obtaining consent of will lust conceyuing at it time bringeth forth also Therefore the Apostle saith Then when lust hath conceiued it bringeth forth first sinne then death Here is the former and the latter birth of lust first it bringeth foorth sinne as the immediate thing which after conception once had followeth where by sinne actuall sinne is vnderstoode such a sinne as is brought into act and done in deed as in the examples before cited is manifest Euah giuing consent to concupiscense Gene. 3. intising concupiscense conceiued and hauing conceyued it brought forth sinne in her euen the verie tasting and eating of the fruite it selfe which was forbidden Numb 25. When the Israelites gaue their consent of will to the intising lust towarde the daughters of Moab their lust conceyued by consent and brought foorth sinne euen the committing of adulterie with them Lust conceyued in the men of the first worlde when their Gen. 6. consent of will was to the daughters of men but their lust brought foorth the first birth sinne when it caused them to commit fornication in deede with them Lust conceiued in Sichem the sonne of Emor whē he gaue consent Gene. 34. to his desire towarde Dinah the daughter of Iacob but when he rauished her lay with her the lust brought forth sinne in him When Dauid yeelded to the temptation of his lust by the beautie of Barseba lust conceyued but when 2. Kings 11. he sent for her and had the vse of her bodie then lust brought foorth sinne in him VVhen Ahab desired the Vineyarde of Naboth lust conceyued but when he knew 3 Kings 21. he was wrongfully put to death and went to take possession of the Vineyarde concupiscense brought forth sinne Finally whē in any thing lust so ouermastreth ouerruleth vs as that therby we put in action that wherunto lust enticeth and tempteth thē lust in vs bringeth forth sinne The first fruites and birth of lust in men is sinne for when lust and concupiscense hath conceiued when time place opportunitie serueth it also bringeth forth sinne That the Apostle here saith Lust when it hath conceiued bringeth foorth sinne thereupon our aduersaries the Papists take an occasion to broch this their opinion concerning concupiscense that it is no sinne for thus they conclude lust bringeth forth sinne therefore lust is not finne One thing can not be cause and effect too the effect it selfe and the cause of it selfe lust therefore cannot be sinne if it bring forth sinne For then should it be cause of it self and bring forth it selfe which is a speach most vnproper To this be it answered that one thing may be cause and effect also but not cause and effect in the same respect One thing may be cause of sinne and yet sinne for one sinne is oftentimes cause of another sinne Concupiscense and lust therefore is not onely cause of sinne but sinne it selfe yet not the same sinne whereof it is cause Lust conceiueth and bringeth forth sinne that is an actual sinne a sinne done in deed seene of men manifestly apparant to the view Such a sinne is not lust but the cause of this sinne but lust is a conceiued euill an inward consenting to euill and therefore sinne Thus lust is not only the cause of actuall sinne but sinne it selfe not onelie before baptisme but euen after also Lust is sinne Which may appeare by reasons of inuincible strength Whatsoeuer GOD in his lawe Christ in his Gospell the Apostles in their Epistles and canonized writings haue forbidden that is sinne God Christ the Apostles haue forbidden and condemned lust therefore it is sinne That nothing is in Scripture condemned but that which is euill and sinne no man of witte capacitie or reason can denie That concupiscense and lust that desire it selfe is in the Scriptures condemned it appeareth euidently Almightie God in the lawe hauing forbidden theft and adultery and such like sinnes when they come into acte least any should thinke If theft and adulterie Exod. 20. onely be accounted for sinnes thē when they come into an open action then peraduenture to lust and desire my neighbours goods is nothing so that I absteine from theft to desire lust after my neighbours wife is no sin so that I keep my selfe from the acte of adulterie To preuent this God telleth vs that we must not onely not vse our neighbours wife in fleshly manner but not luste after her We must not onely not robbe or steale but not so much as desire the goods of our neighbour wherefore in the last commaundement he vtterly forbiddeth desire or lust Thou shalt not lust after thy neighbors
wife his house his manseruant his maidseruant his oxe his asse or any thing that is his Thereupon our blessed Sauiour in the Mat. 5. Gospell condemneth not onely for adulterie the vsing of other women besides our owne wiues but also the very desiring and lusting after them in our hearts therefore as the true expositor of the lawe of God corrupted most shamefully and horribly depraued by the Scribes Pharisies who condemned outward actions onely for sinne he saith I say vnto you whosoeuer looketh vpon a woman to lust after her hath committed adulterie already with her in his heart The holy Apostle Saint Paul disputing of the effectes of the lawe hee reckoneth this one among others that therby wee come to the knowledge Rom. 7. of sinne condemning there concupiscense for sinne saith I knew not that to lust had been sinne if the law had not said thou shalt not lust Wherein the Apostle not only confesseth lust to be sin but to be sin in the law forbidden Now least wee shoulde thinke that the Apostle had spoken it vnawares or that that speach had slipt out of his mouth before he wist it is vsuall with him to condemne lust and that fountaine of al other sinne for sin wherefore in the sixt Chapter at the least fiue times he calleth that corruption which is in man albeit it raigne not in the Saints by actually committing any thing by the name Rom. 6. Rom. 7. of sinne lust which is the fountaine of all actuall euill is in like manner in the next Chapter at the least sixe times Rom. 8. called sinne In the eight Chapter about thrise the lust and concupiscence the inward affection and inclination Heb. 13. to sinne indeede is called sinne The Authour to the Hebrewes calleth it sinne which hangeth on and compasseth about Finally Saint Peter reputeth lust for sinne when he 1. Pet. 2. exhorteth men to absteine from fleshly lust not only from grosse sinnes actually committed but euen from corrupt affections and euill motions of the heart from whence all actuall sinne springeth Seeing then concupiscence and Mat. 16. lust is forbidden and condemned both in the law and also in the Gospell how may any man denie it to bee finne 2 Againe Whatsoeuer is repugnant to the lawe of God and his will is sinne Lust and concupiscence is repugnant to the law and will of God it is sinne therefore Sinne is a rebellion and repugnancie to the will of God and a transgressing of his commaundements wherefore Saint Iohn the Apostle defining sinne saith Sinne is the transgression of the law but lust and concupiscence not 1. Iohn 3. onely in the wicked but in the regenerate opposeth it selfe to the law of God and draweth men into the transgression of his will which Saint Paul affirmeth when hee crieth out that he saw a law in his members repugning Rom. 7. and withstanding the law of his minde and leading him captiue vnto sinne And that by the law of his minde against which lust being the law of his members fighteth the law of God is vnderstood he sheweth in his cōclutiō Thē I my selfe in my minde serue the law of God but in my flesh the law of sinne In which place what before he called the lawe of his minde here he calleth the law of God and what before the law of his members here he calleth the lawe of sinne If thē lust and concupiscence euen in the regenerate be contrarie and rebellious vnto the lawe of God then must it needes be euill and sinne For whatsoeuer is contrarie to Gods law is sinne 3 Moreouer concupiscence is from the flesh and not from the spirite That which commeth from the flesh is altogether euill not good therefore lust proceeding from the fleshly part of man is euill and sinne not pure and good The flesh and whatsoeuer is thereof is nothing els but euill and sinne euer striuing euer strugling against the Spirite Wherefore Saint Paul saith I knowe that in Rom. 7. Gal. 5. me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good Who setting downe the conflict and striuing of the flesh and Spirite affirmeth that the flesh coueteth and lusteth against the Spirite and the Spirite against the flesh so that the very Saints of God cannot doe the thinges which they woulde doe In the same place a little after discouering and describing Verse 9. the works of the flesh he reckoneth vp nothing that thereof commeth but sinne and wickednes The workes saith he of the flesh are manifest which are whordome enuie idolatrie wantonnes vncleannes crafte debate emulation c. There is then in the flesh nothing but sin nothing but rebelling against the Spirite nothing but euil and iniquitie Lust therefore being from the flesh cannot be but fleshly For all that is borne of the flesh is fleshly as saith our Sauiour Christ in the Gospell Hereupon then it Iohn 3. must needes follow as a resolute conclusion that seeing lust is from the flesh therefore it is sinne 4 Finally euen this place conuinceth luste and concupiscence to be euill For whatsoeuer is the proper cause and prouoker vnto sinne that same is euill and wicked But euery sinne proceedeth from the lust and concupiscence of the heart from the euill motions and corrupt affections in men which if they be not stayed euen in the Saintes of God but let raigne in our mortall members then forthwith as time place and other circumstances will suffer they bring foorth the very sinne in acte whereof the Apostle here speaketh Lust when it hath cōceaued bringeth foorth sinne Seeing all sinne and wickednes among men procedeth from lust it cannot be but it must bee euill for an euill tree cannot bring foorth good fruite nor a good tree euil fruite but as is the fruite Mat. 7. such is the tree as is the effect such is the cause as is the birth such is the conception as sinne is in nature such is lust and concupiscence from which it proceedeth For it is the euill motion and affection of the heart it is the wicked thought that riseth in our mindes it is concupiscēce and lust in our members which kindleth the flaming fire of all vngodlines and pricketh and tickleth the hearts of men to entise them to sinne Concupiscence and lust therefore is not onely the cause of sinne but euil and sinne it selfe The fathers hereunto subscribe Saint Ambrose calleth it iniquitie and affirmeth that there is a certaine delectation pleasure or desire in man repugnant to the will of God of which saith he Saint Paul speaketh I see a law in my members resisting Rom. 7. the law of my minde Saint Hillarie calleth the euils which are in vs maliciousnes by reason of the condition of originall sinne Saint Hierome saith that those first motions whereby men are solicited and moued be such as Vpon Mat. chap. 7. want not fault Saint Augustine in many places calleth the naturall lust
worde what it worketh in the children of men 2 The remouing of certaine faults which hinder our attending to this worde so excellent 3 Against these faults he setteth downe certaine exhortations and admonitions flowing out of the worde and they are foure as shall appeare from the 21. verse to the ende Now touching these verses they are of this fourth and last part Wherein are two things set downe by the Apostle and to bee considered of vs. 1 The excellencie of the worde of God iâ— selfe 2 The remoouing of hinderances to the attending therunto and they are two 1 Babling and talking when we should heare 2 Wrath and anger when wee are taught and reprooued Touching the former of these the excellencie of the worde of God it selfe in speciall thereunto he discendeth by the former treatise Wherein disputing of the goodnes of God he here sheweth that his goodnes especially appeareth in the worke of our regeneration the instrumentall cause whereof is the worde of God whereof in this place he speaketh So then in this 18. verse the Apostle giueth vs as it were a taste of that which in generall he had spoken that God is the fountaine of all goodnes which as in sundrie other things appeareth so especially in the worke of our regeneration the most expresse testimonie of his goodnesse towardes vs which being apparant and manifest wee must needes confesse that all good giuings and all good giftes come from him so that wee can not say without blasphemie nor thinke without impietie that GOD is authour or cause of our euill temptations and in as much as GOD both first created man in perfect innocencie and afterwarde regenerated him to bee like the image of his owne sonne in excellent vertue his great goodnesse doeth so appeare to all men that it were incomparable iniquitie in any wise to make him cause of our wickednesse To come therefore to the excellencie of the worde which is the meane of our regeneration the Apostle setteth downe the other causes thereof also so that in this 18. verse there are three causes of our regeneration the most apparant testimonie of the goodnes of God towards man 1. the efficient 2. the instrumentall 3. the finall cause 2 The efficient cause of our regeneration is the free will of God Of his owne will sayth Iames begate he vs. The good will of God the gracious fauour and free purpose of God is the first and efficient cause of saluation and regeneration in men to the trueth whereof all the Scriptures of GOD beare witnesse The electing preferring and aduauncing the Iewes aboue all other people beeing as it were a figure and resemblaunce of the eternall election and regeneration of the Saints was not for any merite of man but of the onely mercie and loue of GOD towardes them as Moises witnessed But Saint Paul speaking not of a temporall Deut. 7. 9. calling as was that of the Iewes but of an eternall calling of Gods Saintes to regenerate them to eternall Ephes 1. 1. Iohn 12. 13. life maketh the onely true and efficient cause thereof the free-will and goodnesse of God whereof he sayeth God hath predestinate vs to be adopted through Iesus Christ in himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will Whereunto that is agreeable in another place all haue sinned and are depriued of the glorie of God and are iustified freely by his grace through the redemption Rom. 3. that is in Christ Iesus Thus of his owne will and freely hee electeth thus of his owne goodnesse hee iustifieth thus of his meere mercie hee regenerateth vs vnto life The holy Apostle noting this cause of all these wonderfull workes of God in man affirmeth that God worketh Philip. 2. in vs both to will and to doe according to his owne good pleasure To like sense soundeth that to his scholer and sonne Timothie God saith he hath saued vs called 2. Tim. 1. vs with an holy calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace which was giuen vnto vs in Iesus Christ before the worlde was Finally to Titus when the bountifulnesse and loue of God Tit. 3. our Sauiour towards man appeared not according to our workes but according to his mercie he saued vs. Thus in this place of regeneration he maketh the good will and free mercie of God the cause of our regeneration As God therefore freely and of his owne will worketh in all things So in the election iustification and regeneration Ose 14. of the Saints it is apparant Herence is it that God saith by his Prophet I will loue thee freely and of mine owne wil. The Prophet Dauid saith therefore vnto God Thou hast saued vs for naught what is that for naught saith Saint Augustine but this Thou foundest nothing in vs wherefore Psal De verbis Apost 15. John 15. thou shouldest saue vs yet hast thou saued vs Freely doest thou geue freely doest thou saue This our blessed Sauiour to expresse telleth his Disciples that hee chose them not they him because there was nothing in them wherefore he should choose them yet of his owne free wil he chose them Saint John subscribeth hereunto in that hee saith 1. John 4. Herein is loue not that we loued him but that he loued vs first and gaue his sonne to be a reconciliation for our sinnes Saint Paul to ouerthrowe all foreseen workes Rom. 11. merites in man and to shew that in election iustification predestination and sanctification God worketh all after his owne will freely he thus concludeth Who hath geuen him first he shal be recompenced for of him through him and for him are all things to him be glorie for euer Amen Thus his free will and fauour towardes man is the onely efficiencie as of al other his vnspeakeable graces so of regeneration in his children That therefore saith Beda which he said before that euery good geuing and ouery perfect gift commeth from aboue from the father S. Bede of light that doeth he consequently confirme by adding that not for our merites but by the benefite of his owne will through the water of regeneration he hath changed vs from the children of darcknesse to be the children of light In this place therefore not only plainly Saint Iames but agreeably to the Scripture reuerende Beda condemneth the doctrine of done or foreseene works held by the Papists and out of this Epistle as they dreame most specially concluded For if regeneration be through the free will of God if predestination election iustification and sanctification be from the mercie and fauour of God as from the first and efficient cause then are none of all these by-workes or deserts of men for there is a playne contrarietie betwixt fauour and merite grace and deseruing so that Paul reasoneth from the opposition thereof against workes in the matter of iustification To him that worketh the wages is not counted of fauour
are amisse this profit and vse vve loose vvhē we heare the vvord only and doe not thereafter this vse of Gods lavve and vvord Moises commendeth vnto princes and people Deut. 7 vvho exhorting the King continually to reade and meditate in the lavve shevveth him for vvhat end he should so doe to learne to feare the Lord and not to heare and knovve alone but to keepe his commaundements This vse vvas respected vvhen he vvilled the Leuites to teach the lavve vnto the people that they might learne to doe Deut. 31. Psal 119. and keepe the ordinances and the vvords of the lavve of God prescribed Dauid disputing of the vse and end of the lavve maketh it the reformer of our manners the directer of our pathes the line and leuell of our life and the guide of our waies to godlines Saint Paul affirmeth that all scripture is inspired from aboue and is profitable to teach 2. Tim. 3. such as are ignorant to conuince such as are repugnant to correct such as erre and wander in conuersation to instructe in righteousnes wherefore to what end to what vse to what purpose euen that thereby the man of God may be absolute perfect to euery good worke Perfectiō in righteousnes holy conuersation in life is the vse of the law and word of God As therefore the chiefe ende of sciences and humaine artes is not knowledge but action that when a thing is learned it may be put in vre and practise And as the vse and ende of morall philosophie is not to knowe only but to practise also whereunto they are vnfit which lacke experience to practise as Aristotle teacheth so the 1. lib. Ethic. c. 3. vse of Gods word which is the arte of all artes and that diuine philosophie which neither Thalis nor Pythagoras Socratet nor Plato Zeno nor Aristotle neither any other of the learned heathen haue deuised and inuēted but which we haue receiued from God himselfe is not meere knowledge to wote what to doe but practise of obedience that we may so doe in action as by hearing the word we haue learned This vse and end men then lose when they content themselues with hearing onely Which thing the Apostle here proueth by a fit similitude wherein he compareth the word of God to a glasse As the chiefe vse of the glasse is not to see our faces only but to correct our faults that there be no blemish or deformitie therein so the word of God hath this vse not to shew our selues only but to reforme our enormities that there remaine no iniquitie in vs. The word of God may well be compared to a glasse The word like a glasse Three speciall properties are in a glasse wherby the word is resembled vnto it 1 A glasse sheweth the perfecte forme of our faces with all the deformities and blemishes therein to correct them if they may be corrected So the lawe and worde of God sheweth the perfect face and fashion of sinne in vs that so farre forth as natural infimitie permitteth all blemishes may be amended for which cause Saint Paul saith that thereby we come to see sinne and by the lawe haue knowledge thereof because by the lawe is the knowledge of sinne that then being knowen we might by grace reforme Rom. 3. it 2 The glasse sheweth their owne faces which looke thereinto and not the faces of others that they might be carefull to wipe away their owne blemish and dyrty spots and not be curious in clearing of others So the lawe sheweth euery one that loketh thereinto his owne sinnes cheifely not the sinnes of his brethren so much that euerie one should be carefull of his owne life and not be too curious in the liues of others Wherefore holy Dauid so often desired to bee informed in the lawe and statutes of Psal 14. Psal 25. Psal 86 God that he him selfe might walke therein and be reformed as in his psalmes many waies it appeareth and the Apostle exhorting all men to make triall of themselues by the word not only at the receauing of Sacraments but otherwise 1. Cor. 11 by the ministerie of the word for the proofe of their faith woulde not haue them as busie in the liues of others but as carefull of their owne to mend themselues Let euerie one examine him selfe and so let him eate of this bread and drinke of this cup And againe proue your 2. Cor. 13. selues whether you are in faith examine your selues know you not that Christ dwelleth in you except ye be reprobates the word must teach vs to see our selues and our owne infirmities and endeuour to reforme our owne blemishes of sinne and not to be curious in them searching into the liues of others before our owne be throughly reformed 3 The glasse sheweth vs our blemishes which seene we hate and with mislike wipe them away so the worde of God sheweth vs the deformitie of sinne which sinne must be hated of vs thus Gods word taught Dauid to hate his owne waies and Marie Magdalen to loth here former life This maketh the Saints of God to hare the very garments defiled with the flesh and conceyue mislike against those sinnes wherevnto in times past they were giuen These things being so the Apostle compareth the word of God to a glasse Of which comparison there are two partes or members 1 They which looke into the worde of God without endeuour or yet desire to reforme their liues thereby are like such as looke into a glasse to see themselues but not to reforme their faults or blemishes of life as soone as they are gone they forget what fashion they were of thus their peering pooring and peeping into the glasse profiteth nothing as good neuer a whit as neuer the better The looking or hearing of hypocrites is like the vaine looking into glasses of fooles Fooles looke into glasses to see themselues but not to correct any thing amisse in them so hypocrites heare the worde of God and looke into his will to see it but not to correct their maners thereby Fooles looking into glasses with perswasion of themselues that they are faire when they are deformed come therehence as wise as they went and hypocrites thinking themselues righteous when they are wicked come as wise from a Sermon as they went thither As fooles looking into glasses see not that therein that which is indeede the right side is the left and the left the right and so thinke all is well So hypocrites seeing not by the worde their disordered liues that all things are topsie turuie in them perswade themselues all is well inough and so are not profited As fooles looking into glasses thinke they see a face in deede when they see but the reflexe or turning backe of a face therefore they coll they kisse they fall in loue oftentimes with the face seene in the glasse as Nareissus did with his owne face when he behelde himselfe in the water so
Lord Iesus Christ in respect of persons VVhich place giueth vs occasion to consider these foure things 1 VVhat respect of persons is 2 That respect of persons in all things and all men by the scriptures of God is coudemned 3 How many waies respect of persons is had and offence therby committed 4 That respect of persons cannot stand with the faith religion and profession of the gospel neither with christian charitie loue of all those which call vpon Iesus Christ especially to be nourished and cherished 1 What is respect of persons it is to respect anie thing besides the cause and matter it selfe which onely ought of vs to be considered whereby we decline from the matter to the man from the thing to the person and swarue from equitie righteous iudgement and true estimation of things VVhich thing may appeare more euident by examples one or two set downe and considered If then for example sake two men laboure in the Church or common wealth for one and the same office vpon a worthie man onely to be conferred the one very worthie and fitte for the place but neither kinsman friend familiar nor of acquaintance the other not worthy yet near vnto vs by birth linked with vs in league of loue of our familiar and best acquaintance to look vnto kinred familiaritie and acquaintance and not to the worthines of the man and necessitie of the place whereunto we ought to haue regard this is respect of persons for we regard not so much the worthines which ought to be in him whom we should thereunto promote as we doe to his person whom we haue promoted In like manner if two men haue committed like trespasse thereby deseruing either Bridewell Newgate or Tiburne or any such like punishment yet the one our frend rich honorable the other a stranger poore miserable to spare the one for his riches honor friendshippe and to punish the other is respect of persons and falling from iustice If two stand in need of our helpe the one lewde yet neare vnto vs the other honest yet further of to haue regard to kinred familiaritie or any such respect and not to the commandements of Christ Geue to euery one that asketh to him Luke 6. Gal. 6. that would borow turne not away and to the rule of S. Paul while we haue time let vs doe good to all men but especially to those of the housholde of faith is respect of persons in the assemblies and meetings of Christians to regard one for his riches another for his glorie a thirde for his nobility or for like respects and to disdain others for their pouertie basenes and meannes of condition is respect of persons here condemned haue not the faith of our glorious Lord Iesus Christ in respect of persons Thus then to looke vnto or respect any thing beside the matter and cause it selfe onely to be regarded is respect of persons To which euill it apperteineth to haue consideration of kith or kinne of sexe or kinde affinitie or consanguinite nobilitie or auncientrie friendshippe or familiaritie condition or countrie birth or parentage pompe or riches power or might or such like To fixe our affections vpon externall things to esteeme according to the outward appearance of men and in regarde thereof either to fauour or to contemne them to account of thē or to disdaine them and in regard of like consideration either to doe for fauour or not to doe for feare any thing against equitie iustice charitie is respect of persons Whē we see rich mighty honourable men adorned with costly aray decked with golde and pretious pearles attēded vpon with great traines of men to iudge according to this outward appearance and to haue them in account admiration with the contempt of the poor which are religious zealous vertuous and honest is to haue the faith of Christ in respect of persons wherof to beware the Apostle admonisheth the Saints 2 Which sinne as pernicious and perillous in all causes in all persons at all times the sacred Scripture cōdemneth as a thing most repugnant to equitie iustice and charitie God almighty ordeyning lawes whereby the cōmonwealth Leuit. 19. of Israel might most happely bee gouerned commaundeth that they should respect neither poore nor riche but haue a sound and simple eye to iustice Moses Deut. 1. in his informations to the Iudges and Magistrates of the people chargeth them not to regard either Iewe or stranger but to iudge equally betwixt man and man the small and the great neither to feare the face of man which who so doeth respecteth mens persons And exhorting the officers not to wrest iudgement requireth them to respecte Deut. 16. no mans person for thereby no doubt the lawe whose tenour is loue is wroong and wrested of men The princely prophet seeing how men swarue away Psal 82. from true iudgement by partialitie respecting the persons of men crieth out against the Iudges and magistrats o◠his time therefore How long will you iudge vniustly and respect the persons of the wicked whom Salomon his sonne following in that opiniō condemneth the same as Pro. 18. hurtfull and dangerous among men It is not good to accept the person of the wicked in iudgement and againe Pro. 24. it is not good to haue respect of any mans person in iudge ment If god forbid respect of mens persons in ciuil iudge ments shall it not much more be condemned in matters of religion Our Sauiour therefore to remoue al sinister John 7. iudgement and respect of persons from the professors of religion willeth that men iudge not according to the out ward appearance but according to righteous iudgement geuing a most diuine and heauenly admonition to al mē to iudge according to the trueth of things not to regarde mens persons least thereby they were turned away from righteousnes in iudgement as were the foolish Iewes who Mat. 13. seeing his basenes accounted him for an abiect of Galile the sonne of a poore Carpēter whose kinred was of mean condition and in respect of his person they condemned him not looking to the matter and trueth which he preached among them S. Paul seeing this respect of mens persons and esteeming by the outwarde appearance of men 1. Tim. 5. wisely and wel forewarneth his Scholer Timothie to do the duetie of a Minister without preferring one to another neither to doe any thing partially Finally our Apostle in this place agreeably to the Scriptures admonisheth the brethren not to haue the faith of Christ in respect of persons Thus then both in the olde in the new testament is this euil condemned as repugnant to iustice cōtrary to charitie dissonant and disagreeing to the gospel of Christ 3 This euill is diuersly committed both generally and particularly of men 1. When in our meetings and Christian assemblies we account of men not for their vertue religion honestie but for their countenance they beare the pompe
it is with men in our age let a poore man owe ought to the rich he shall forfette his bande he shall paye for the time he shal be sued for the debt with all vnmercifulnes and crueltie he shal be forced to satisfie to the vttermost farthing which is a sinne for which the prophane rich men are to be accounted accursed Or finally when rich men pretende title to the right of the poore and so wrongfully sue him to take from him his right patrimonie purchase or inheritance partly by his owne countenance partly by his riches calling the poor before iudgements for his owne Not that it is now not lawfull for any rich man to sue the poore for his right or that all rich men doe bring the poore before iudgement seates alwaies for as it is lawfull for the rich to get his owne in some respectes So neither doth euery rich man sue euery poore man which is indangered vnto him but because the prophane couetous and wicked rich men commonly so doe and that then when they should forgeue for Christes sake as when the poore is vnable to pay when he is godly and desirous to liue by his labour and endeuoureth to liue out of debt and danger and yet cannot Now to call such before iudgement seates to sue them for extremities to sollicite and trouble such and with crueltie to seeke the vttermost of them is mercilesnes and crueltie for which the prophane rich men are to bee accounted execrable and accursed These wicked prophane vngodly rich men care not for wife nor children houshold nor familie of their poore distressed brethren they regarde neither vertue religion godlines nor honestie they turne their eyes frō their pouertie vnablenes carefull endeuour they will be satisfied they will cast them in prison bring them to seats of iudgement keepe them in durance they wil make dice of their bones but they will haue the extremitie of them and the more godly men be the more these tirannes rage against them forgeuing rather great summes to the voluptuous prodigall lasciuious wicked and wanton persons then to release small matters to the godly Seeing then the rich vse such vnmercifulnes towards the poore for which we should rather account them cursed it seemeth great madnes in men so partially to honour them which are thus wicked 3 The third sinne and euill in the rich men of the Blasphemie world wherefore they are to be helde accursed is their blasphemie against the religion of Christ they blaspheme the worthie name whereby ye are named You are named after Christ Christians this worthie name is by prophane rich men blasphemed they blaspheme the worthy name which is called vpon you that is where after you are called or named The Apostle according to the phrase of the Hebrewes speaketh As the name of the father is called vpon by the child that is the childe is named after the name of the father Which phrase Iacob vsed when hee blessed the two sonnes of Joseph the Angell which hath Gen. 48. deliuered me from all euill blesse the children and let my name be called vpon them and the name of my Fathers that is let them be named by the name of my Fathers and by my name The name of the husbande is also called vpon by the wife that is the wife is named after her husband as the Prophet Isai speaketh In that daye shall seuen women take holde of one man and say Wee will Isai 4. eate our owne bread and weare our owne garments that is we will finde our selues but let thy name he called vpon vs let vs be called by thy name In religion the true worshippe and seruice of God the name of God is called vpon the professors of Gods seruice Moses speaking of Deut. 28. the preferment of Israel aboue all other people that God was their God and they his people saith Then all people of the earth shall see that the name of the Lord is called vpon ouer thee Daniel the Prophet of God in his prayer and confession of his sinnes and the sinnesnnes of the people Dan. 9. saith in this wise O Lord heare O Lord forgeue O Lord consider and doe it deferre not for thine owne sake O my God for thy name is called vpon thy Citie and vpon thy people thy Citie people are called after thy name the citie of God the people of God Amos prophecying of Amos 9. vniting the Edomits and other enimies of the Iewes with them in the misticall bodie of Christ in like maner speaketh in the person of God I will raise vp in that day the Tabernacle of Dauid which is fallen downe and I will raise vp his ruines and builde it as in the daies of old that they may possesse the remnant of Edom and of all the heathen because my name is called vpon them saith the Lord that doeth this Vnder the Gospell Christian religion and the name of Christ is called vpon Christians that is Christians are named after the name of Christ as here the Apostle speaketh The worthy name of Christ which was called vpon the Saints that is whereby the Saints were named being Christians of Christ by the wicked worldlings and prophane men of the earth is blasphemed and euill spoaken of For rich men commonly are enemies vnto religion and either openly they blaspheme it or secreatly scorne at it So that as not many wise according to the fleshe nor many noble nor many mightie are called thereunto so neither many rich men because their happinesse trust and confidence is in their wealth which withholdeth frō comming to the kingdome of GOD. For the which cause our Sauiour pronounceth it easier for a Camell to Mat. 19. passe through the eye of a needle then for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of God Seeing then these prophane rich men dishonour God and his Gospell it were madnes for you his children to geue honour vnto them The worthie name of Christ and his Gospell as generally of all men so specially of prophane rich men may two wayes be blasphemed dishonoured and euil spoken of 1 When they deride iest scorne and scoffe at Christian religion speaking maliciously disdainfully against Christ and his profession Thus the Scribes and Pharisies with the Iewes blasphemed the worthy name of our profession when they called Christ Samaritan when they saide hee cast out deuils by the power of Beelzebub the Iohn 8. Mat. 12. prince of the deuils when they called and counted his doctrine deceite heresie newe and strange doctrine not to be suffered Thus Iulian the Apostata blasphemed this worthie name when in contempt he called Christ Galilean Carpenters sonne the man crucified Thus Porphirius Tripert hist. lib. 6. c. 6. Cyril contra Jul. c. the Philosopher Lucian the scorner blasphemed the worthie name whereby we are called when they reuiled reproached spoke euill of and scorned the Gospell The Heathen Philosophers and Galen the
another The lawe of loue therefore comming and proceeding from God the king of all kings and kingdomes of the earth is therefore called royall kingly princely 2 Because it is the chiefe of all lawes which concerne our dueties towardes our brethren perswading men and drawing them to the o-obedience of the seconde table which in perfourming of loue is fulfilled Therefore is loue so often called the fulfilling of the lawe Saint Paul saieth that the whole Rom. 13. law is briefly contained in this loue the neighbour as thy selfe To like effect in another place to another Church he sayeth All the lawe is fulfilled in one worde Gal. 5. which is this loue thy neighbour as thy selfe And to his scholer Timothie the end of the commandement is loue 1. Tim. 1. out of a pure heart and good conscience and faith vnfeigned Seeing then the lawe of loue is as the chiefe head and as it were the Queene ouer other vertues and duties and the onely thing wherein all the lawe of the seconde Table is contained complete and fulfilled it maye therefore not amisse bee called royall or princely 3 This law furthermore is called royall because it is like the kings high way for as the kings high way is open for euerie man to passe therein and bringeth men from place to place foorth out right without turnings So the lawe of GOD which is the lawe of loue is open plaine without turnings of all men to bee gone in trauailed past through not turning either to the right hande or to the left through respect of persons whereunto who so respecteth declineth turneth out of the high way and wandereth 3 The law of loue being this roiall law and for these causes so called enioyneth men to loue their neighbours as themselues In which three things may here briefly be obserued 1 What this law requireth loue 2 To whom to our neighbour 3 How as to our selues That Gods lawe requireth loue who readeth the Scriptures and seeth not who peruseth the word of god and is ignorant God himselfe in the verie lawe expresly Leuit. 19. commaundeth that men should loue one another Our Sauiour Christ the very expounder of his fathers will vnto men exhorteth all the Saints thereunto as to the cognizance and liuerie wherby they should bee knowne to be his seruants The Apostles the interpreters of this Iohn 13. lawe enfourmed and taught by the holy Ghost the spirite whereby they were ledde into all truth haue thereof beene carefull Therefore Saint Paul owe nothing Rom. 13. Ephes 5. to any but that ye loue one another And againe be yee followers of God as deare children and walke in loue euen as you haue Christ for example And againe And Col. 3. aboue all things put on loue which is the bonde of perfectnesse To whom Saint Peter subscribeth aboue all 1. Pet. 4. things haue feruent loue among your selues for loue couereth the multitude of sinnes Saint John in his three Epistles therein laboureth especially to perswade the Saints to follow loue Of which in the time of his preaching he was so carefull that as Saint Ierome recordeth Vpon 6. to Galath being verie aged and not able without helpe to ascende into the Pulpet preached still of loue vntill his auditours were wearie of the same to whom he answered it was the thing that the whole lawe required and enioyned of God which who so hath hath all things VVherefore if we looke either into the olde Testament or the newe wee shall finde that the royall lawe of God enioyneth loue Whereof we are forgetfull when enuie and malice hatred and rancour debate and contention couetousnesse and vsurie slaundering and backebiting lying and deceite separating our selues from the brethren respect of riches honour glory worldly pompe not of religion pietie and godlinesse reigneth in our hearts The persons whom we must loue are our neighbors thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe But who is Leuit. 19. our neighbour Our Sauiour Christ by the parable of the man falling into the handes of the theeues betwixt Luke 10. Hierico and Hierusalem telleth the lawier who questioned with Christ to tempt him that all men which neede our help or to whom any dutie belongeth are our neighbours whether neare at hand or farre of whether friends or enemies rich or poore one or another Wherehence Saint Augustine concludeth that all men are our neighbours to whom either dutie should bee shewed if it bee Lib. 1. doctrine Christ. c. 30. needfull either remaineth due if it be required And citing that place of Saint Paul thou shalt not commit adulterie thou shalt not kill thou shalt not steale thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy neighbour and if there bee any other commaundement it is briefly contained in this thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe by neighbour saith he must wee vnderstande all men vnlesse we will say it is lawfull to commit adulterie with the wife or some or to kill some or to rob some or beare false witnesse against some But seeing these cannot lawfully be done against any therefore vnder neighbour euerie man is comprised In his worke of true religion reprouing men for louing men not because they were men and the creatures of God but because they De vera religione were allianced or affianced vnto them sayeth it were discourtesie not to loue in respect they are men and to loue in respect they are fathers or children c. Thereby teaching vs to loue all men because all men in that they are men are our neighbours The lawe teaching vs to loue all men and to doe duetie vnto them as vnto neighbours for to respect the persons of the riche and preferre them with neglect of the poore is agaynst this lawe whereof in so doing wee are transgressours The manner howe wee must loue is as our selues And euerie man vnfeignedly feruently continually loueth himselfe so must wee also loue our neighbours albeit straungers albeit enemies who are all our neighbours 4 This then being the summe and substance of this royall lawe to loue our neighbours as our selues who finally may be saide to fulfill this lawe They fulfill the royall lawe of loue who through faith working by loue â—al 5. obey this lawe of God And this faith of Gods Saints looketh not to the outward appearance of mens persons but to the vnfeigned profession of Christian religion Of this fulfilling of the law the Apostle may seeme to speake if ye fulfill the royall law according to the Scripture which saith Loue thy neighbour as thy selfe you do well The obedience of Gods children is accepted albeit vnperfect for Christs sake whose righteousnes imputed vnto vs we are by faith through imputation saide to fulfill the lawe As before vpon the 1. Chap. ver 22. hath beene said The obedience and fulfilling of Gods law is accepted according to the measure of faith distributed to euery Ephe. 4. Rom.
euer men obserue many parts of the lawe yet if they obserue not the whole they are guiltie of the whole and vnder the curse and malediction which to the general breach of the law is threatened Doth not our Sauiour teach that vnlesse we obserue his whole doctrine when we professe him and are baptized in his name that it preuaileth little to obserue some Mat. 28. when he bindeth all his seruants to the obedience of all that which he commaunded the Disciples Would not almightie God geue vs so much to vnderstand when in his lawe hee bindeth vs so often to the obseruation of the whole Which thing to intimate vnto vs the Apostle affirmeth that whosoeuer obserueth the whole law yet faileth in any point is guiltie of all A man therefore keeping all the whole lawe beside that one thing wherin he offendeth is guiltie of the whole and that no lesse in respect of the breach of the law it selfe before God then if he had offended in many points thereof albeit he more greeuously no doubt offendeth that offendeth in more precepts Wherefore as when a Prince enioyneth his Subiects the obseruing of all his lawes and ordinances which he geueth them if any one obserue all the rest saue onely one wherein he offendeth the same is a breaker of the kings commaundement and hath transgressed the law of his Prince and is subiect to the penaltie which is threatened the transgression of the whole lawe Euen so God enioyning vs sundrie precepts willing vs to obserue them all If any man obserue nine of the commaundementes yet offende in the tenth hee is a transgressor of the lawe and is guiltie of the whole law Whereunto full and perfect obedience is enioyned Thus they which obserue all the rest of the law and yet offend in any one point are held as transgressours of the whole lawe whereof they are guiltie for the law is as wel broaken in one as in many offences though not so greeuouslie in one as in many And as a iudge hauing twelue malefactors deseruing like sentence to be punished in like manner all whom the law requireth to be executed if he hang eleuen and let the twelfe escape for fauour he is an vniust a wicked and corrupt iudge in that action euen as if he saued foure sixe or more euen so when men offend in one point of the lawe though they obserue all the rest they are guiltie of the whole in as much as in one as well as in many it is broaken Whereof the Apostle Saint Iames admonishing such as wil be counted iust and obseruers of the lawe and yet haue the faith of our Sauiour Iesus Christ in respect of persons protesteth vnto them that if they keepe all the rest of the law of God yet in this one thing which is against loue they fall away from duetie they are guiltie of all If he that keepeth the whole law beside that one thing wherein he offendeth and in that one offending be guiltie of the whole law then it may seeme that it is all one to offend in one and in many precepts of the lawe that it is like sinne to transgresse in any one tittle or iote and in the whole lawe equall sinne to breake one and all the precepts and commandements of the law of God and so all sinnes may seeme alike and equall as the Stoicall Philosophers were of opinion Hereunto be it answered that the Apostle saith not he that keepeth the whole law and offendeth in one point thereof is guiltie of the whole in like manner or alike as if he had offended in the whole and euery point thereof but he is guiltie of the whole Guiltie he is of the whole who offendeth in one but not so guiltie nor so greeuously offending as if he offended in euery point of the lawe So that the Stoicall equalitie of sinnes that all sinnes are like may not herence be gathered nor auouched Which opinion of those blockish not Philosophers in deede but meere fooles rather is hissed out of the Schoole of Christ And as it may not herence be gathered so may it diuersly be confuted 1 All sinnes not to be equall it appeareth manifestly if that we looke into the causes the beginnings and the affections from whence sinnes rise in men These cōsidered one sinne shal be seene greater or lesse then another For who seeth not that sinnes proceeding of malicious wickednes are greater then such as be committed of infirmitie weaknes ignorance This the holy Prophet Dauid that man of God knew who looking into the causes Psal 59. of sinnes reputeth the sinne of maliciousnes much greater then other sinnes therefore he praieth to GOD 1. Joh. 5. not to forgeue such Saint Iohn measuring sinnes by their causes beginnings and affections accounting that sinne which is from wilfulnes whereby wee sinne vnto death farre beyonde all comparison the worst willeth that the Saints should pray for such brethren as sinne but not vnto death As for such as sinne vnto death by vniuersally and wilfully falling away from the knowē trueth he would no prayers to be made for them Our Sauiour Mat. 11. Mat. 12. Christ iudging and estimating sinnes from their causes promiseth mercie fauour grace and pardon to such as ignorantly receaued him not if at length they would come vnto him but such as maliciouslie resisted the trueth wilfully fought against the gospell obstinately opposed them selues against the holy Ghost who offered them grace they refused and so blasphemed the spirite of Christ hee protesteth should neuer be forgeuen Saint Jude distinguishing of sinnes whereof some are done of infirmitie Iude 22. 23 and simple ignorance some of stubbernes and peeuishnes measuring them by their causes willed that such as sinne in the former kinde should be pittied but such as sinne in the second should seuerely be corrected and chastened Saint Paul in two most worthie places to the Hebrewes Heb. 6. 10 disputing of Apostasie and sliding away from the knowen trueth which commeth of a malicious obstinacie and wilfulnes of mind measuring that sinne from the cause the maliciousnes and wilfulnes of their hearts denieth all pardon thereunto as to a sinne irremissible and which cannot be pardoned as other sinnes are Saint Paul writing of himselfe and his owne sinnes in afflicting 1. Tim. 1. and persecuting the Church of Christ measuring sinnes according to their causes reputeth sinnes done of ignorance lesse then sinnes of wilfulnes Wherefore he offending ignorantly obtained mercie whereas the Scribes and Pharisies and other Iewes opposing themselues to the Gospell were subiect to the eternall iudgement of God In another place pronounceth he the greater iudgement to them which wilfully and impenitently despised the lōg Rom. 2. sufferance and patience of God Finally Saint Iames this our Apostle in this his Epistle Iames 4. esteeming sinnes from the affections and fountaines from whence they come iudging that sinne which is of knowledge greater
wee betray the trueth for which Sirach Ecclus. 4. Iude v. 3. and Jude the Apostle woulde haue vs contende or least by desire of peace wee seeme to sooth vp men in sinne and foster them in wickednesse yea for godlinesse vertue religion Christian faith to shine with all might and maine is not lawfull onely but lawdable also The holie Prophets for these causes haue mightily contended agaynst deceyuers and seducers of the people as Moses Elias Micheas Esay Ieremie and the rest Our blessed Sauiour euen Iesus Christ for the truth Mar. 5. 15. 23. for the lawe for iustice and equitie contended against the deceytefull hypocriticall and superstitious Iewes Scribes Pharisies and high Priests The Apostles for the same causes had fundrie conflicts and combates in their times Saint Paul had sharpe contentions euerie where agaynst the Iewes for iustification by faith without Epistles to the Romans Ephe. Galat. Philip. the woorkes of the lawe agaynst Philosophers and worldly wise men for the truth of Religion agaynst the idolaters of the Gentiles agaynst false brethren which craftily crept in to search out the libertie of the Gospell Galat. 2. 2. Cor. 11. all these contentions were godly VVherefore as Moises agaynst the Amalakites Iosua agaynst the Cananites Israel agaynst the Madianites Sampson against the Philistines Dauid agaynst the Moabites Idumeans and Edomites Asa Hezichia Iosias and other vertuous Princes against idolatrous and wicked persons are commended when they stroue and contended So when for vertue iustice religion Christian fayth and such like quarels we contende our contentions are worthie commendation So then not all strife and contending is euill and opposite to meekenesse but that which breaketh loue alienateth the mindes of brethren renteth in sunder the bond of peace causeth diuisions among Christians and is against the rule of equitie and this is condemned Yea to varie in opinion of sundrie things in confultations and deliberations to disagree to iarre and dissent one from another in disputations of schooles pleadings in court of lawe so that they bee without bitter speaches without spuing out of rancour and poison without wreaking of our wrath and malice of our hearts without vp braiding reuiling taunting defaming and defacing one the other is not forbidden This bitter enuie hurtfull and vncharitable contention and strife whereby loue is broken peace and tranquilitie disturbed and hindered are the two euils opposed to meekenesse whereunto who so is giuen boasteth in vaine of wisedome and lyeth falsely agaynst the truth For the Gospel which is an absolute truth sheweth that onely to be true and sound wisedome when flying bitter enuie shunning contentions and striuings repressing and keeping downe desire of reuenge we shewe by good conuersation our woorkes in meekenesse of wisedome And this is the opposing of these two vices to the vertue of meekenesse the seconde thing in this discourse obserued 3 These things thus set downe in the thirde and next place the Apostle distinguisheth of wisedome and A distinguishing of wisedome setteth each foorth by Epithites and additions by their qualities and markes of difference there is one wisedome earthly another heauenly that condemned and this commended among men Vnto this distinction is he necessarily brought For where contention strife and brawling commonly growe of pride and pride is vsually puft vp with opinion of our owne wisedome hauing spoken of contention the effect of pride he hath iust occasion to speake of wisedome the false opinion whereof is oftentimes cause of pride among men and so distinguisheth of wisedome as that he stoppeth and shutteth a doore or gate against manifolde mischiefes The wicked couer and colour their brawlings brabblements contentions and striuings vnder a cloake of wisedome whose mouthes to stoppe our Apostle protesteth that if to haue bitter enuying and strife in our hearts if to burne and boyle in hatred if to bee giuen to contentions brawlings and disturbing of peace be wisedome as manie men account it yet it is but earthly wisedome sensuall and diuelish and so deserueth not the name of wisedome but vnproperly and as men tearme it vndeseruedly and commeth to distinguish of wisedome one is earthly sensuall and diuelish the which is wicked such wisedome may bee in brawlers and contencious persons another heauenly holy and diuine and this is onely in the true Saints of God Concerning the former which is wicked wisedome Wicked wisedome if wee may call it wisedome after an vnproper speach and by the common speach of men so calling it it is discribed here by three qualities or properties 1 It is earthly such as smelleth and sauoureth altogether of the earth and of the worlde and of worldly demeanour and manners The wisedome of earthly and worldly minded men is to be proude contentious quarellous giuen to reuenge euerie trespasse euerie offence euerie iniurie herehence it is that such are counted wise which take no wrong at any mans hande that put vp no iniuries which will be auenged by force and might They are contrariwise called fooles sillie men innocents which beare iniuries against them committed Insomuch as when we are iniuried and reuenge not the worldlings saying is What fooles are you to suffer it If we bee slaundered and euil spoken of and render not slaunder for slaunder reproch for reproch rebuke for rebuke then say they also What fooles are you If hee had saide so by me I would haue had him by the eares or I would haue spent an hundred pounde but I woulde haue tamed his tongue and made him eate his worde Thus the worldly minded men countbitter enuie and contentious brawlings and dayly striuing with men wisedome VVhich if we graunt to be wisedome yet is it carnall fleshly worldly and earthly Saint Paul hereunto agreeth who condemning the same fault in the Corinthes VVho notwithstanding boasted of their wisedome sayeth in this 1. Cor. 1. wise vnto them Where as is among you enuying and strife and diuisions are you not carnall and walke as men This is wisedome after a manner yet earthly not heauenly carnall not spirituall from beneath not from aboue worldly not godly With this false and coloured wisdome many puft vp thinke it the best way to auoide iniuries to put vp nothing but reuenge euerie quarrell and the onely way to obtaine their willes to cut it out of the whole cloth to quarrell with euerie one to be at endlesse debate and deadly contention with men this is farre from meekenesse this is called wisedome but this wisedome sayeth Saint Iames is onelie earthly 2 As earthly so is this wisedome sensuall naturally blind in heauenly things such whereunto by common sense men are caried as bruite beasts who suffering iniuries one of the other foorth-with either strike againe or push with horne or bite and teare with mouth and so are auenged Such wisedome it is to bee quarrellous contentious and giuen to reuenge This wisedome is 1. Cor. 2. not purged but corrupt with euill affections of nature
it in the lustes thereof neyther giue you your members as weapons of vnrighteousnesse vnto sinne In some sense these and all other euill pleasures and Rom. 7. euill desires as branches of the olde tree and roote of Adam fight in the very elect of God as saint Paul confessed of him selfe that he had a lawe fighting in his members withstanding and resisting the lawe of his minde and leading him captiue vnto sinne whereof in another Gal. 5. place he speaketh when hee saith that the flesh fighteth against the spirite and the spirite contendeth against the flesh that we cannot doo the thinges wee would Euen in the most elect and chosen vessels of God there is a fighting in their members The vnregenerate parte striueth against the regenerate the olde Adam against the newe Man the outwarde Man against the inwarde so so that there is in the Saints a striuing and a fighting in their members But here Saint Iames seemeth to call that the fighting of pleasures in our members not when the spirite striueth against the fleshe but when wee giue ouer our selues wholy to the following obeying of our lustes pleasures in following seeking after wealth honour fleshly lusts when we bend all our force when we imploy all our labour bestow all our time spende all our wits and studie when wee make our bodies and soules seruantes of our wealth honour and desires and for those striue by all possible meanes then do our pleasures fight in our members then vse we them as souldiours to fight for our couetousnesse and ambition where vnto to resigne the rule and gouernment ouer vs is properly according to the Apostles doctrine to haue pleasures fighting in our members Where vnruly pleasures and immoderate lusts are assigned causes of warres and contentions which causes beyng euill the effectes cannot be good vvee may not therence condemne all contention neyther all vvarres as vnlavvfull For neither contention for religion against superstition neither for truth against falshood neither for sound doctrine against blasphemous heresie neyther for true iustice against open iniurie neyther for excellent vertue against shamefull iniquitie is here reproued but prayse vvorthy as chapter 3 verse 14. hath beene shevved Neither is lavvfull vvarre for defense of religion aduauncement of Gods glorie repelling intollerable iniury from the church of Christ or common wealth vvherein vve liue condemned as a vice but as a vertue renovvmed as chapter 5. verse 6. shall appeare Here is then the question asked here is also the ansvvere made from vvhence are vvarres and contentions among you are they not hence euē of the pleasures vvhich fight in your members These thinges thus set downe in the thirde place Pleasures condemned 3 he commeth to the condemning of these vnruly pleasures these couetous and ambitious desires of menne these striuings and contentions of men from their effectes they profite or helpe not at all they bring no good thing vvith them they are without effect they onely bring anguish and anxietie of minde vexation and trouble griefe and torment conceaued of not obtaining the desires of our harts Thereof Saint Iames saith yee luste and haue not you enuie and desire immoderately and cannot obtaine yee fight and warre and get nothing Thus are the labours desires and trauailes of men to attaine riches and honour by their owne euill meanes oftentimes frustrate and voyde of effects Carking and caring pinching and pining lusting and desiring fighting and cōtending for honour or wealth preuaile nothing without the helpe of God Dauid the Prophet to this purpose auoucheth that Psal 12 7. it is in vaine to rise vp early go late to bed to eate the bread of carefulnes as therby by our selues to attaine vnto great matters the trauell of man by himselfe without the blessing of God is nothing worth vain vnprofitable for of our selues we cānot adde one cubite to our stature Math. 6. nay wee cannot make one hayre white or blacke as our Math. 5. Sauiour witnesseth couetous and miserable men oftentimes luste and long after the goods of their neighboures and brethren they hate they enuy such as prosper by them they earnestly desire and affect the riches of others they sigh they sobbe they sorrow they grieue that they cannot bring about their purpose to enioy their neighbours liuings As Achab did for not obteyning the inheritance of Naboth they fight they brawle 3. Kings 21. they frette they fume they stampe they stare they fome at mouth like wilde boores they raise tumultes as Demetrius for his commoditie against Paul they Act. 19. 16. 19. picke and spie out holes they frame accusations they inuent matter they forge lies they deuise slaunders they suborne witnesses against their brethren iniuriously to attaine vnto their riches by right by wrong by hooke by crooke by all meanes they seeke to rush into the possessions of their neighbors They turne euery stone they labour by all meanes to attaine to honour estimation wealth and riches power and glorie in the worlde and all is oftentimes in vaine and they misse of their purpose They lust saith Iames and haue not they enuie and desire immoderately obtaine not they fight and warre and get nothing One man ambitiously desireth honour another couetously hunteth after gaine and commoditie this man aymeth at a kingdome another shooteth at promotion one followeth his carnall desire another seeketh after other pleasures euery one either for greedy gaine priuate increase or for ambitious desire of augmenting his honour trouble excruciat and vexe themselues miserably and yet all in vayne For these their vnruly pleasures and immoderate desires are very often fruitlesse and without effect as experience teacheth vs. Some men seeke by their greedy desire to attaine vnto great wealth therefore they toyle moyle themselfes at yeares end get nothing Yea sometimes loose that they had already as those that will occupie many trades set vp many shops of sundrie commodities haue many irons in fire at once busie themselues with many thinges whereof sometimes they are ignorant thus busying themselues now here now there now about this thing now about that trusting many venting their commodities diuers waies for triple gaine as they thinke in fine gaine nothing but the losse of time goods and labour Such also are they which hauing very good gainfull trades whereof they liue well yet for greedines of gaine they betake thēselues vnto other trades as the occupier when after many yeares he wil play the marchant aduenturer for so he doeth oftentimes aduentureth all and bringeth home nothing but a heauie heart a fooles head experience dearely bought repentance too late the prouerb of foolish had I wist I would not haue done it These and such like ouer greedie of hastie wealth lose their labours oftentimes and profite themselues nothing at all Some in like manner hauing aspiring heartes and mindes caried away with ambition seeking increase of honour come to
greatly broken when he roared for very griefe of his heart Daniel the holy Saint and man of God in like manner Dan. 9. afflicted and chastised himselfe with sackcloth fasting and ashes for his owne sinnes and the sinnes of the people Thus haue the Saints of God done thus must all they doe which feare God by true repentance of their heartes and true mortification of their liues chastise themselues which is the suffering of affliction which the Apostle here teacheth Suffer afflictions This place nothing fauoureth their heresie which holde that they ought to beate themselues with scourges Iesuites and Papists for that it did more put away sinne then any confession Which their doating follie they compared with martyrdome Of which sect of heretiques Alphonsus speaketh Who because they scourged themselues were called Flagellarij or Flagellantes se beating themselues Alphonsus de Castro lib. 2. cont heresis Whose heresie hath patronage neither in the olde nor in the newe testament neither of man nor woman in all the whole Scripture commended Neither must it foster the foolish opinion of wicked Iesuites and popish persons who for vaine-glorie for opinion of desert and merite at the hand of God at certaine times scourge and beate themselues in like maner But of that popish practise we haue no example either of holy Patriarch Prince or Prophet either of blessed Apostle Euangelist or Martyr neither of man woman or saint whatsoeuer in Scripture mentioned neither any commaundement counsell or exhortation either in the olde or in the new testament neither from God Christ the Prophets or Apostles of Iesus Christ neither finde we any iote title sillable in all the worde of God therefore is that practise as drawen from heretiques condemned and disallowed Here the chastising of our selues the suffering of affliction by the Apostle specified is the vnfained repentaunce of our hearts for sinnes coÌ„mitted our true humiliation before God for the same which S. Iames here commendeth vnto vs suffer affliction 2. The way whereby this our humbling and chastising of our selues is performed is also here expressed and it is in foure thinges which are as signes and tokens of the true chastening of our selues before God 1 Men shewe their chastising in their sorrowe and heauines of heart which is not the least token of afflicting Signes of this outward affliction our selues and of our suffering affliction prescribed by the Apostle which is the inseperable companion of our true repentance before God This sorrowing and heauines of our heartes is that contrite spirite that humbled and broken heart which Psal 51. 2. Cor. 7. is a sacrifice acceptable and pleasant before God Which sorrowe Saint Paul commendeth euen that sorow which leadeth to repentance not to be repented of I now reioyce saith hee not that you sorrowed but that you 1. Cor. 5. sorrowed to repentance This godly sorrow Saint Paul required in the Corinthians for that they had tollerated the incestuous adulterer ye are puft vp and haue not rather sorrowed that he that hath done this deed might be put from among you This is that inward grife of the Saints which in their hearts they conceiue for their sinnes committed agaynst God and thereby shewe their afflicting and chastising of themselues before him Thus holy Dauid by vnfeyned sorrowe for his sinnes committed shewed himselfe humbled and afflicted before God as both in the storie and in his Psalme of lamentable repentance is affirmed Manasses 2. Kin. 12. Psal 51. 2. Chron. 33. hauing done manie things agaynst God to despite the Lorde withall being caried away into captiuitie humbled himselfe and afflicted himselfe by repentance which in his sorrow and griefe he conceyued appeared Marie Magdalen chastising and afflicting herselfe for sinne by repentance gaue manifest token thereof in the great sorrowe which she shewed herselfe to haue conceyued euen in the presence of Iesus Christ Saint Peter hauing denied his maister shewed himselfe to haue bene Mat. 26. therefore chastened in conceiuing such great griefe and heauines of heart as forced him to go out of the iudgement hall which was the house of the high priest and to weepe bittetly Thus the holy men of god calling to remembrance their iniquities and sinnes againg God committed and therfore afflicting themselues by repentance before the Lord begin their afflicting and chastising them selues with sorow And this sorow bewraieth it selfe partly in hanging downe of the heade in the casting downe of the countenance partly in outwart behauiour and gesture of the bodie partly in our speeches and words which are the witnesses of our affections and giue testimonie of our heartie sorrowe And this is the first thing wherein the chastising and afflicting our selues appeareth 2 As the chastising and afflicting of our selues consisteth in sorow and griefe conceiued for sinne so doth it in like maner appeare in our weeping and lamenting for the same vvhen we povvre out teares before God in token of our vnfeigned repentaunce vnto him VVhich thing must not be counted altogether effeminate and such as becommeth women onely but it is euen in the best men and most holy Saintes of God a thing commendable and highly to be praysed being ioyned with true faith in Iesus Christ For which cause Dauid the princely Prophet and holy man of God vvas not ashamed to confesse that in signe of his chastising of himselfe Psal 6. by true repentaunce hee wette his bedde and watered his couse with teares VVhen the booke of the lawe of God was founde and brought to Iosiah the godly and vertuous prince and he thereby had perceyued howe greatly the people 4. King 22. had offended in signe of his humilitie and chastising of himselfe with true repentaunce he wept before the Lord. The Prophet Ioel calling the people to this afflicting of themselues by true repentaunce therein hee requireth Ioel. 2. weeping Turne saith hee vnto the Lord with weeping fasting and mourning The Prophets calling the people to repentaunce haue exhorted them to mourne weepe before the Lorde Saint Peter for feare of the Iewes hauing denied and for sworne his master Christ at the looking backe of Christ he remembred himselfe he repented Mat. 26. him of his sinne his heart melted and rent in peeces as it were for sorrowe and to testifie his humiliating of himselfe for the sinne committed he went out and vvept bitterly To this purpose therefore this Apostle exhorting the Saints to suffer affliction to chastice themselues by vnfeigned repentaunce shevving the vvay and manner hovve it must be done teacheth that it must bee in sorrovv and vveeping Herehence then vve see vvhat the true vse of vveeping is and for vvhat cause vve may vveepe lavvfully to vtter the sorrovv of our hearts to testifie our true repentance to God to vvitnesse our afflicting of our selues for our sinnes agaynst God committed vve are exhorted Why the saiâ—â— may weepe to vveepe Saint Augustine that graue and reuerend
our sinnes the ioy which vve take in vayne or wicked things must vvholy be lefte of and turned into heauinesse if by suffering afflictions and chastising our selues before God we will shew our selues humbled Euen such ioy as wee conceaue in our wealth and worldly condition such ioy as of our dignities honours here arise in our harts such ioy as of any worldly thing whatsoeuer is gathered such mirth and ioy as eyther wee cause to our selues or counterfeit fooles make vnto vs such vaine merimentes as for wanton recreation men deuise for their dissolute and disordered solace cheering vp of thēselues such ioy as the couetuous man taketh of his riches the proude man or woman of their brauery the leacherous and adulterous person of his filthie vncleannes or any other maketh of any vanitie whatsoeuer must be turned into heauines as the Apostle exhorteth that so wee may shewe foorth the true humiliation and chastising of our selues by repentance wherevnto the Apostle moueth suffer affliction sorrowe and weepe let your laughter be turned into mourning and your ioy into heauinesse Neyther must such like mirth and ioy onely be remoued but in the dayes of our heauinesse in the time of our repentaunce in the affliction of our selues before God euen honest and lawfull mirth for a time must be layd a parte and we must wholy giue our selues to mourning whereunto Saint Iames called the men of his time suffer affliction sorrow weepe let your laughter be turned into mourning and your ioy into heanines And haue not we as great and as iuste cause to exhort Why England should mourne men in these daies haue not we cause to suffer afflictions ought not wee to sorrowe and weepe is there not cause now ministred vnto vs why our laughter should be turned into mourning and our ioy into heauinesse 1. If wee waigh and ponder our sinnes aright vvhich euerie one in perticular committeth or if wee caste our eyes vpon the sinnes generally committed in the world and what punishment might both specially hange ouer euery one and generally ouer vs all for the same is it not cause enough why we should sorrow and weepe why our laughter should be turned into mourning and our ioy into heauinesse When the princely prophet Dauid tooke the suruey and vewe of his owne sinnes and recounted the due punishment which he had deserued for the same then sorrowed 2. Kings 12 15. Psal 6. 35. 51. c. he and wept then was his laughter turned into mourning and his ioy into heauinesse When the king of Niniue considered at Jonas his preaching the greatnesse of his sinne and the destruction of the citie within Ionas 3. fortie dayes for the same then turned he all his laughter into mourning and his ioy into heauinesse and shall not we whose eyes are full of adulteries whose handes are replenished with bribes whose feete are swifte to shedde innocent bloud whose lippes are giuen to lying whose tongues can tell no truth whose mouthes are full of blaspemie cursing and bitternes whose mindes are set on mischiefe whose hearts burne and boile with malice whose liues are puft vp with pride whose bodies are stayned with all iniquitie sorow and weepe for these sinnes shall not our laughter be turned into mourning and our ioy into heauines for these iniquities against God committed When Isai and Jeremie the holy Prophets men of God saw the sinne of Iuda and Hierusalem and the heauy Isai 22. Ierem. 9. punishment hanging ouer them for their grieuous iniquities so turned all their laughter into mourning and their ioy into heauinesse as that the one wepte day and night therefore and would not be comforted the other desired a fountaine of teares in his head to bewayle the calamitie that was imminent When holy Dauid sawe Psal 119. that men kepte not the lawe of God his laughter was so turned into mourning and his ioy into heauinesse as that his eyes gushed out with water for the transgression of his people When Esdras the scribe sawe the shamefull 1. Esd 9. and horrible abominatiō of the people in mixing the holy seede with the people of the lande wherein the handes of the princes and peeres of the people were the chiefe he rente his clothes for sorowe he tore of the hayre of his bearde for griefe he sat downe astonied turning all his laughter into mourning and his ioy into heauinesse When our blessed Sauiour sawe the obstinacie and hardnes Luke 19. of the peoples harts whose cogitations were so darkned they could not see the day of their visitation and perceyued in his spirite their destruction approching euē his mirth such as it was for his laughter we read not seemed to haue bene turned into mourning and his ioy into heauines whē he burst out into weeping watry tears ouer the city of Hierusalem said ô that thou hadst euen knowē at the least in this thy day the things which appertaine vnto thy peace But now are they hidden from thee Shal these men of god for these causes turn their laughter into mourning and their ioy into heauines in the publike breach of Gods lawes in the diminishing of his maiestie in blemishing of his glory in falsifiyng of his truth prophaning of his Gospell counterfeyting in his profession abusing of his patience contemning of his threatenings shall not our laughter be turned into mourning and our ioy into heauines 2. Moreouer if we consider how the malice of the whole worlde and the hatred of the greatest princes and men of might is kindled and inflamed against vs how they are confederate and haue combined themselues against the truth of God and against the Lordes annointed for the defence of the same who by secrete conspiracies and open attempts of horrible treason by raysing Anno 1586. the subiect against the Prince and the people against their lawfull Soueraigne haue at many times by diuerse wayes endeuoured the death of her Royall person decay of religion destruction and vtter calamitie of this our natiue counttie whose determinations had they effected according to their mindes our streates had runne with streames of bloud our children had bene slayne before our faces our daughters rauished in our owne sightes our wiues abused before our eyes our houses on flaming fire in our presence our selues finally murthered in moste cruell manner Gods truth had perished from among vs religion and the Gospell had beene put to flight Romish superstition had inuaded this lande againe to the destruction of innumerables soules when with thankfull harts for this miraculous deliuerance out of the iawes of so cruell Lions gratefull memorie to God for so wōderfull safety frō so bloudy enemies we shal reméber these things shal not our laughter be turned into mourning and our ioy into heauines 3. When we consider besides this that the hope of our happines the state of our wealth the continuance of the gospell the terme and time of our
vanisheth away 3. The thing condemned and the reasons why deliuered in the third place followeth a correcting of the euill in stead of saying to day and to morow we wil go to such a citie let vs say if the Lord will and if we liue we will do this or that thus correcteth he the euill for yee ought to say saith he if the Lord will if we liue we will do this or that It is a speciall point of godlinesse in all things that are to be done first to make honourable mention of the Lords will and pleasure and euermore to recount and record our owne frailnesse and in all things to say if the Lord wil and if we liue we wil do this or that Our whole life relieth vpon him in him it is onely to direct all our waye without his leaue can wee doe nothing lette vs therefore referre all things to his will and say as wee are taught by the Apostle if the Lord will and if we liue we will do this or that The whole course of mans life is ruled by God the heart of mā saith Salomon purposeth his way but the Lord Prou. 16. Prou. 20. directeth his steppes the steps of man are ruled by the Lord how can a man then vnderstand his owne waies I know saith Ieremie that the way of man is not in himselfe Ierem. 20. neyther is it in man to guide and direct his steps And this is not onely true in walking after the law of God and directing our liues according to his vvill which without his speciall fauour and grace cannot be but of the whole course of our life which is altogether directed by his pleasure prouidence wherfore in all things men ought to prefer the will of God To which purpose our Sauiour Christ putteth a petition concerning the will of God before Mat. 6. the things appertaining vnto this life What can any man otherwise of neuer so great might do without the will of God if Pharao could haue done any thing by his Exod. 14. owne absolute power without the vvill of God then had the Israelites at once bene ouerthrowen his kingdome in securitie If Aman could haue done any thing vvithout Ester 3. the vvill of God then had Mardocai gone to the pot and all the men of the Ievvish nation If Sennacherib could haue done any thing vvithout Gods vvill then Hezechia 4. Kings 18. 19. Reue. 12. had bene plagued by the Assyrians If the deuill himselfe could doe any thing vvithout the vvill of God then long since had the vvhole Church of God bene destroied vtterly No man neyther in these like matters nor in any ciuill affayres can doe any thing but according as God hath determined and after his vvill for vvhich cause in all things and actions vve aduenture and enterprise vve must preferre his vvil if God will When Paul tooke his leaue of the Ephesians readie Acts 18. to iournie tovvardes Hierusalem he promised to returne to them againe yet not simply but if God vvould Being at Corinth he protesteth to the Romaines that he praied to God that he by one meane or another might haue Rom. 1. a prosperous iournie vnto them by the vvil of God When he vvas at Philippi in Macedonia frō thēce vvrote to the 1. Cor. 4. Corinthians into vvhose church many false brethren were crept he promised to come shortly vnto thē againe yet he preferreth the will of the Lord and saith If that the Lord will wherefore he saith But I wil come shortly vnto you if the Lord will and will know not the wordes of them which are puffed vp but the power And againe I will not now see you in my iourney but I trust to abide a while 1. Cor. 16 with you if the Lord permitte In all his determinations had he speciall respect to the will of God as is apparant By whose example according to this councel must men correct their vanitie and foolish speaches If the Lorde will we will doe this or that Seeing Gods will must be preferred in al things who at his owne pleasure by his diuine prouidence ruleth ouer all if we can doe nothing without him in whom onely we haue our life being and Acts 17. mouing what temeritie and rashnes what impietie and vngodlines is it in this pride of our heartes without any regarde had to his will of our selues to determine any thing Now as Gods wil must first be preferred to all our actions So also hauing respect to our mortalitie fraile condition subiect to speedie death wee also adde If wee liue which is requisite to our determinations seeing our life is so vncertaine The Apostle therefore to correcte this greate euill and mischiefe of pride whereby men in vaine confidence promise to themselues many matters and determine long before of things vncertaine in that they say To day or to morrow we will goe into such a citie and continue there a yeare and by and sell gaine teacheth vs in stead thereof to say if the Lord will and if we liue we wil doe this or that This euen reason it selfe beside the word of GOD teacheth vs for is it not reason that we should say by his leaue we will doe this or that from whom wee haue our life our mouing and being and this we haue from God is it not reason that we should yeelde our selues vnder his will Wherefore Socrates taught by naturall reason this doctrine willeth Alcibiades in all thinges to say If God Socrates will Christians ought therefore rather by the worde of trueth taught to learne this lesson least in their affaires determinations counsells and busines not preferring Gods will they be worse then the very heathen 4 Haue not our age hatched many such birdes as say not only not if God will we will do this or that but will he nill he we will do it Haue we not such as determine things long before against religion iustice equitie honestie or Godlines haue wee not many proude and wilfull persons which in their purposes counsels determinations actions neuer care for the will of God nor regard whether hee will or will not such things as they determine But let all such as feare God bee aduised by the Apostle and correcte the vanitie of their pride and say in all things if the Lorde will and if we liue wee will doe this or that as heere wee are exhorted Yet is it not the purpose of the holie Ghoste heere to condemne all for proude and wicked who at all times and in all things vse not thus to say if the Lorde will and if wee liue we will do this or that For the very Saints of God trusting perfectly vppon the grace of God brought 1. Pet. 1. vnto them by the Reuelation of Iesus Christ who serue God instantly day and night and worshippe him in spirit and in truth whose soules and bodies are quicke holy
may whollie rest and relie vpon his diuine pleasure that after we haue suffered a little he may make vs perfect confirme strengthen and stablish vs. To whom be glory dominion and maiestie now and for euermore Amen Iames Chapter 5. verse 12 Sermon 26. Ver. 12 But before al things my brethren sweare not neither by heauen nor by earth nor by any other othe but let your yea be yea and your nay nay least ye fall into condemnation 3. Place of the Chapter NOw commeth the Apostle to the thirde place in this chapter handled which is concerning swearing Vnto which he slideth descendeth very orderly for that in the former treatise he had exhorted the Saints to patience and disswaded al murmuring and impatiencie and commonly most grieuous and horrible othes with most bitter execrations growe of our impatiencie Therefore hauing discoursed thereof he addeth in the next place admonition and councell touching swearing willing vs to detest all such wickednes and to accustome our tongues to simple and true speach Though then the Apostle seeme properly to speake of such vaine and wicked othes as where unto men breake oftentimes through impatiencie yet will I touch this more generally and hereunder conteine all othes whatsoeuer are rashly and wickedly made by men In this 12. verse conteyning the third place concerning swearing three things are to be noted Namely 1. The condemning of the thing as horrible and detestable sinne 2. The correcting of that euil what men in stead of wicked swearing should doe 3. The reason why men ought not to sweare 1 Touching the first of these thinges thereof thus saith our Apostle Aboue all things my brethren sweare not Where he condemneth othes and swearing Which place being falsly applied by the Anabaptists for the condemning of all othes and of swearing it shall not be impertinent to this place but both profitable and proper to consider whether all swearing ought vtterly to be condēned or no. And if not then what swearing what othes the Apostle here reproueth Which thing that it may the better appeare let vs in briefe and in a word consider what an othe is what it is to sweare An othe is the affirming or denying of a thing An othe with the calling on of the name of God to witnesse and auouch the trueth of the thing vttered To sweare is to affirme or denie a thing with the calling on of the name of God for the auouching of the trueth of that thing which with solemne othe we haue protested Or an othe is an earnest and vehement affirmation or negation of a thing lawfull and honest by the name of God whereby we desire him to be a witnesse vnto the trueth and a reuenger and punisher of all such as vse deceat falshood This being the definition of an othe whether is it altogether condemned or not The Anabaptists abusing this place and that of our Sauiour Christ Sweare not at all condemne all othes as Mat. 5. vnlawfull in Christians But the word of God rightlie and trulie vnderstoode permitteth Christians in some causes and cases to sweare By which men must not challenge vnto themselues libertie of swearing for what they luste but ought to learne neuer to sweare at al but so and vnder such condition as the scriptures teach them and no other wise That Christians and the Saints of God may sweare Wheather Christians may sweare in some cases and therefore all othes and swearing not vtterly condemned it may by sundrie groundes and arguments be proued 1 What the morall lawe of God permitted that is lawfull for the morall lawe is perpetuall vniuersall and generall binding all men comprising all times containing al things that are lawfull This lawe permitteh men to sweare this giueth licence to the Saints in some cases and some causes to sweare Moyses in the repeating of the Deut. 6. lawe from the mouth of God gaue this charge to Israell the people of God thou shalt feare the Lord thy God and serue him and thou shalt sweare by his name To the like purpose in the same booke the prophet giueth the like commaundement thou shalt feare the Lorde thy God Deut. 10. thou shalt cleaue vnto him sweare by his name Thus almighty God maketh the calling vpon his name in their lawfull othes to be a parte of his diuine seruice and permitteth the same vnto his people so that to sweare by the law of God is permitted The holie prophets the best expounders and interpreters of the lawe haue therefore taught the people in certaine cases to sweare Ieremie saith thus to Israell thou shalt sweare the Lorde liueth in Ierimie 4. truth in equitie in iudgement The prophet Dauid the Psal 63. worthy prince of Israell protesteth that all they shal be commended that sweare in the name of God their heauenly King Isay exhorteth and willeth that who so sweareth Isay 65. Ierimie 12. on earth should sweare by the true God The Lorde in Ieremie his prophet teaching this not only to bee lawfull but laudable and praise worthy in al his seruantes and therefore also requireth it as a parte of his diuine seruice and saith it shal be that if they haue learned the waies of my people then they shall sweare in my name the Lorde liueth Thus the lawe and the Prophets teach that in certaine cases and in some respects it is lawfull to sweare 2 That whereof we haue God himselfe the Patriarkes Christ and Saint Paul for our example and warrant cannot be altogether vnlawfull But the Lord our God a most holy God and most iust the Patriarkes the most deare seruants of God Iesus Christ the eternall sonne of the father and the onely true patterne of all perfection the holie Apostle the most elect vessell and most pure seruant of Iesus Christ haue sworne how then are al othes vnlawfull how is all swearing forbidden And first touching God is not hee recorded at sundrie times to haue sworne and that by himselfe VVhen Abraham at Gods commaundement was readie to haue Gene. 2◠offered vp his onely sonne in sacrifice to God the Lord stayed his hande and saide by my selfe haue I sworne sayeth the Lord because thou hast done this thing and hast not spared thy onely sonne therefore will I surely blesse thee and will greatly multiplie thy seede as th◠starres of heauen and as the sande which is vpon the sea shore and thy seede shall possesse the gates of their enemies The princely Prophet Dauid prophecying of the Psal 110. eternall Kingdome and Priesthoode of Christ bringeth in God swearing vnto him The Lorde sware and will not repent thou art a Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech VVho speaking also of the othe of the Lord made vnto him touching his posteritie whereon the Psal 132. people grounded their praiers and desired the establishment thereof sayeth in like manner the Lorde hath sworne in trueth to Dauid and hee will
the like vanitie wickednes Mat. 5. hath our blessed Sauiour in the most holy gospel set down vnto the saints who forbidding men all vaine rash vnnecessary swearing their vsuall oths by heauen earth Hierusalem by their heads such like willeth that in steede therof all their cōmunication should be yea yea nay nay teaching that in our familiar cōmon speach in our vsuall talke cōmunication we should not sweare at all but should affirme things to be affirmed denie things to be denied in al simplicitie of speach without all othes whatsoeuer And it is to be obserued that as our Sauiour repeated iterated the wordes twise yea yea nay nay so our Apostle saith let your yea be yea your nay nay to teach by the geminating repeating doubling of the wordes how constant we should be in all our talke cōmunication with the brethren which constancie and simplicitie ought to be in the tongues talke of all christians which vvere it practised of men professing godlines as it should then should vvicked svvearing and horrible blasphemie be easely abandonned and abolished out of the common speach and talke of Christians To vvhich simplicitie if exhortations admonitions inhibitions cōminations bitter threatenings out of the sacred word of God cannot persuade then ought mē by force of ciuill lawes be therunto compelled Wherfore it ought to be not the least nor the last care of Christian princes to make lavves for such as by vaine vvicked svvearing shall blaspheme the name of the eternal euerliuing God Whereof that noble Prince of most famous memorie Henrie the eight the Henry 8. most victorious K. of England not ignorant endeuoured to plante simplicitie singlenes of speach in men and to remoue all forged svvearing enacted made a lavv that to the vse of the poore euery Duke for euery othe sworne should pay 40. shillings euery Lord for euery othe tvvēty euery Knight ten shillings a gentleman fourtie pence for euery oth swearing Maximilian the Emperour careful in Maximilian this point of the glory of God that it by vaine swearing might not be dishonoured decreed that who so was deprehended for a vaine swearer should pay 13. shillings foure pence which monie who so refused to pay repented not of the wickednes should loose his head Lodouike Lodouike a king of Fraunce ordained that all common and vaine swearers should haue their lips seared with an hote burning iron which he caused to be exequuted openly in the citie of Paris And Philip another of their kings made a Philip. law that who soeuer he were poore or rich high or low base borne or noble in what place soeuer it were though in a commō tauerne at the wine when where wisemen oftentimes ouershote themselues if he blasphemed Gods name by vaine swearing he should straight way be drowned Justinian the Emperour made a law gaue in commission Iustinian cōmandement to the gouernour of the famous citie of Constantinople that he should put to death the blasphemer least that god himself should punish plague both the citie and the whole realme for leauing so great wickednes vnpunished Would God some Henrie or Henrie his seed some Maximilian some Lodouick or Philip some Justinian were stirred vp in euery christian cōmon-wealth kingdome that lawes might not onely be made but seuerely executed against the disorderednes of all states degrees of men for swearing that neither king nor Cesar prince nor people duke nor earle lord nor knight gentleman nor yeoman page nor peasand man nor woman yong nor old one nor another might be found guiltie of blasphemous vaine and wicked swearing but rather that all degrees and states of men and whosoeuer professeth godlines might either by this correction of the Apostle Let your yea be yea and your nay nay or els by seueritie of the Ciuile and positiue lawes there hence be restrained hereof the Apostle according to the example of our Sauiour Christ most carefull correcteth the vanitie and wicked disorderednesse of their swearing and saith Let your yea be yea and your nay nay 3. Why men should thus correct and reforme their The reason of not swearing blasphemous othes the reason followeth least they fal into condemnation Great daunger hangeth ouer the heads of vaine swearers the wrath of God is ouer them to destroy thē This did almighty God threaten in his law whē Exod. 20. he would that mē should not take his holy name in vain for if they did they should not be counted guiltlesse but should be vnder that bitter curse of condēnation pronoūced Deut. 27. by the mouth of Gods holy prophet Cursed is euery one that continueth abideth not in all the words of the law of God to do them In signe of Gods high displeasure Leuit. 24. against so grieuous wickednes almighty God cōmaunded that the blasphemer should be put to death whether he were straunger or borne in the land he should die the death if he blasphemed the name of God To which sin as due punishment is threatened not the death onely of the body which in the wicked is the entraunce to endles condēnation but of the soule for euer without our vnfained Zach. 5. repentance therfore in this present world This eternal cōdēnation against wicked vaine swearers the prophete of God in his reuelation foretelleth who from heauen saw a booke 20. cubits long and 10. cubits broad wherein was nothing but plagues calamities curses miseries threatened against the theese vayn swearer Whereunto Sirach Ecclus. 23. hauing regard protesteth vnto men that the plague of God hangeth ouer their houses for euer which are giuen to blasphemie and delight in swearing And albeit we do not alwaies see the exequution of Gods iust iudgements against such persons yet is it most sure that thereby they fall into condemnation and incurre the iuste displeasure of God for which cause as somtimes he punisheth here eyther in themselues or in their posteritie either in their bodies or in their minds so doth he vndoubtedly punish in the life to come such as offend in this point against the law of the highest This eternall condemnation and the intollerable wrath and indignation of God for euer if we will auoide and shunne then must we hold fast this exhortatiō that in common talke in familiar and daylie communication and conference in our ciuill dealings among men we sweare not at all but that in all things our yea be yea and nay be nay least we fall into condemnation If then condemnation be here threatened against vaine and wicked swearers and all men of all states and degrees of all sexe and kinde men women young olde high lowe rich and poore herein haue corrupted their waies who daily slay the soule wound the heart pierce the sides rent the body of Iesus Christ and blaspheme the holy name whereby they are called are