large discourse sheweth that by patience we are commended and presented to God that anger is repressed the tongue refrayned the minde gouerned and man thereby on euery side perfect True then is the Apostles saying auouching that patience maketh vs perfect and entire lacking nothing But now that the Apostle here saith that by pacience we are made perfect we may note that perfection is double One perfection there is of the substance of thinges as he that beleeueth constantly vpon Christ without wauering is perfect in faith for hee hath the perfection of the substance of faith Who so holdeth the doctrine of Christ as the infallible word of trueth and therunto cleaueth immoueably as to the anchor of the soule both sure and stedfast hee hath the word of God perfectly concerning the substance Who so constantly continueth in the Heb. 6. profession of his religion that neither with blast of vayne perswasion neither with storme of cruel persecution he be remoued is perfect Thus men in this world may be perfect in vertues when they haue the true substance of the vertues for which they are commended There is another perfection which is of degrees which is such as cannot be encreased in any degree as to haue such faith as that we need not to pray Lord increase Luke 17. our faith to haue such knowledge as wee neede not with Dauid desire further to be enstructed in the wayes of the Psal 25. 119. 86. Lord to haue such patience as that cannot be augmented such perfection as in nothing canbe encreased thus no man is perfect in this infirmitie and weaknes of nature by patience we grow to perfection of the substance of sundrie vertues but not to perfection in degrees but to such a measure as of men in this life may be attayned whereunto the name of perfection is geuen Thus both men in holy Scripture and things are sometimes called perfect as Iob Zacharie and Elizabeth and others yet not absolutely but either in comparison of the wicked and vngodly then whom the Saints are more holy and in comparison perfect either because the Saintes excell in the greater part of their life in excellent vertues as S. Augustine auoucheth and another father to like purpose Men 2. De meritis remis c. 2. are called perfect not that there is no imperfection in thē but because they are commended with a great heape of vertues Or finally because that measure whereunto wee grow and those vertues whereunto we aspire and clime are reputed in the Saints for perfect by the imputation of the perfection of Iesus Christ whereby all the vertues of the Saints are accepted with God Seeing then by patience vnder the manifold afflictions of this life we increase in vertue and growe to be entire perfect and as lacking nothing shall we not thereby be moued to holde fast the exhortation and proposition of the Apostle Brethren count it exceeding ioy whē you fall into diuers temptations knowing that your triall of faith bringeth foorth patience and let patience haue her perfect worke that you may be perfect and entire lacke nothing And these are the three reasons wherefore wee ought to count it exceeding ioy when we fall into diuers temptations These things thus set down the Saints might haue obiected 3. A preoccupation against his doctrin It were good thus to do we deny not but it is not so soon done as easilie spokē as thogh we were able of our selues thus in our afflictions to moderate our selues that whensoeuer we be afflicted to accoūt it exceeding ioy This obiection the Apostle answereth I know this is not a qualitie in the power and strength of nature but it is a speciall grace and gift of God in our affliction to comfort our selues that we be not cast downe nor faint hearted but rather be glad and reioyce Therefore it is to be asked of him which onely geueth this heauenly wisdome In which place there may two things be obserued 1. The obiectiō which might haue been made 2. Then the answere thereunto 1 The obiection is Wee cannot of our selues thus beare the crosse we haue no such strength in nature there is nothing more vnpleasant or vnsauourie to the flesh then is the crosse We know that in vs that is in our flesh Rom. 7. dwelleth no good thing of our selues as of our selues wee cannot so much as thinke a good thought How vnequall 2. Cor. 13. are we then to the bearing of so heauie a burthen Wee must needes sinke vnder the crosse wherefore in vaine O holy and blessed apostle in vain assuredly is this doctrine preached vnto vs. 2 The answere hereunto is this I know that this is a hard doctrine to the flesh I confesse wee are vnable of our selues to performe it this is the speciall grace gifte of God to account our afflictions exceeding ioy vnto vs. Therefore is it not to be hoped for in our selues but from him to be praied for wherfore if any man lack wisdome let him aske it of God which geueth to all men liberally and reproacheth none and it shal be geuen him but let him aske it in faith and wauer not In which answer foure things are to be considered 1 What this wisdome is It is the doctrine of the crosse here specified namely to endure patiently whatsoeuer God layeth vpon vs and to know that God in singular loue correcteth all those with the rodde of affliction whom he purposeth to make heires of his eternall glory This to knowe is wisdome farre greater then the wisdome of men This wisdome standeth in two things 1. In knowledge that we wisely vnderstand the causes for which we are thus afflicted of God as that partly for the punishmēt of our sinnes as the princely Prophet recordeth For iniquitie Psal hast thou chastened man partly for the more manifestation and plainer triall of our faith as Abraham Iob Israel the seruant and people of God partly for the aduauncement of Gods greater glory that thereby in the deliuerance of men from their calamities hee might be more glorified Finally that hereby wee being touched 1. Cor. 11. might repent lest that wee perish with the worlde Hereof to haue true vnderstanding and knowledge is a great point of wisdome euen of this wisdome whereof the Apostle speaketh As the wisdome how to beare the crosse consisteth in knowledge and vnderstanding of the ends wherefore it is inflicted and laide vpon vs so also it consisteth in an inward feeling and iudgement when in our heartes soules and consciences we haue sense and feeling of the comfort of the spirite which in afflictions of this life and in the crosse wherunto we are subiect vpholdeth and supporteth vs and with assured hope of safe deliuerāce in due season vnderproppeth vs This point of wisdome to feele inwardly the comfort of the spirite was in holy Iob who therefore in the Iob. 19. midst of all his miseries and in the
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
of the worde of God 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. c. 2. Containeth onely two chiefe places 1 Respect of persons in religion and in profession of the gospel it to be remooued 1. 2. to 14. verse 2 Good works as testimonies and fruites of faith must be embraced and practised of the Saints 14. 15. c. to the end 3. Containeth 3. cōmon places 1 Not to vsurpe authoritie rashly to iudge or censure the brethren 1. ver and part of the 2. 2 To gouerne and moderate the tongue part of 2. ver 3. 4. 5. to 13. verse 3 Touching gentlenes and peaceable liuing wherunto cōtentions and enuie are opposed 13. 14. c. 4. Contayneth 4. general things 1 Contention condemned 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. verses 2 Humilitie must be shewed toward God 7. 8. 9. 10. verses 3 Euill speach and slander forbidden 11. 12. 4 Vaine confidence and presumption condemned 13. 14. 15. c. to the ende 5. Containeth also 4. generall places 1 The condemning of prophane couetous and wicked rich men 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. ver 2 The discourse of pacience wherunto he exhorteth 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. verses 3 Forbidding rash othes and swearing 12. verse 4 Remedies against infirmities of the brethren 13. 14. c. to the ende Saint Iames Epistle generally resolued THe Epistle of Saint Iames cōtaineth fiue chapters and euery chapter containeth certaine common places and generall instructions for all the Saints of God 1 Containeth foure generall chiefe common places The first is concerning the bearing of the crosse and suffring externall afflictions with pacience 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 9. 10. 11. 12. v. The secōd is against wauering prayers of men which profite them nothing which make them 6. 7. 8. verses The third is of internal temptation wherof the proper cause is our owne concupiscence 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. verses The fourth in this first Chapter is the excellencie efficacie and proper effect of the worde of God 18. 19. 20. verses to the ende 2 Chapter containeth two onely places The first is against respect of persons which ought to bee farre from religion and the profession of the Gospel 1. verse to 14. The second place in this Chapter is touching good workes which as testimonies and effects of faith ought to bee embraced and practised of the Saintes from the 14. verse to the end 3 Chapter containeth three things or cōmon places 1 Is of not rash iudging censuring our brethren 1. v. part of the 2. The secōd is of moderating our tongs From part of the second verse to the 13. verse The third is of meeknesse and gentlenesse of minde desiring peace among men whereunto enuie and contention is opposed verse 13. vnto the ende 4 Containeth foure things 1 The reprouing of contentiousnesse before begonne 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. verses 2 The humbling of our selues before God 7. 8. 9. 10. verses 3 Is against euill speeche and slaunder 11. 12. verses 4 And last in this fourth chapter is against vain confidence and presumption 13. 14. 15. c. to the ende 5 Chapter containeth foure places 1 Is against prophane couetous wicked rich men whose miserie he foretelleth 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. verses 2 Is of pacience wherunto he earnestly exhorteth 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. verses 3 Or rashe and vaine othes and swearing which he condemneth 12. verse 4 Is of the remedies which against infirmities must be vsed whether they be outward in the bodie or inward in the mind 13. 14. 15. to the ende And thus in the whole Epistle there are chieflie handled seuenteene common places as in their seuerall places shall appeare THE ANALYSIS OF THE FIRST CHAPTER OF S. IAMES IN the first chapter of S Iames there are two parts The first is the title of the Epistle the other is the handling of the places and doctrines therein contained The title being the first thing according vnto the manner of Epistles containeth three thinges 1. The person which writeth it 2. The persons to whom the Epistle is written 3. The greeting or salutation he sendeth them In the person which writeth there are two things noted 1. his name Saint Iames. 2. his calling the seruant of Christ The persons to whom he writeth were the twelue tribes of Israell dispersed the greeting or salutation he wisheth them to reioyce The second part of this chapter is the handling of the places and doctrines therein contained And the places are foure 1. is of bearing the crosse and suffering outwarde affliction wherein foure things may be noted 1. the proposition of the place the saints must reioyce vnder manifold temptations 2. the confirmation and the reasons why they should so doo 1. from honestie and comelinesse 2. from profite and commoditie 3. from the cause and ende why it should be done that we may be perfit 3. a distinguishing of persons thereby shewing that afflictions are profitable to all both poore and rich 4. The conclusion from the reward of our sufferings Wherein he sheweth 1. the greatnes of the reward 2. the certainenes thereof 3. the persons thereof capable The next place handled is touching wauering prayers which he intermingleth with the former place whereof 2. 3. 4. 5. verses in 6. 7. 8. the Apostle by a digression speaketh of wandering and wauering praiers which he condemneth three waies 1. from a similitude or comparison comparing them to the waues of the sea which are alwaies tossed 2. from their vnprofitablenes they get and obtayne nothing at Gods hand 3. from a generall sentence wherby he affirmeth that such persons are troublesome in their whole life and in all their waies The third place here handled is of inward temptations proceeding from our owne corrupt concupiscence in which place S. Iames setteth downe four things 1. the proposition wherin he dischargeth God from being author of euill temptations partly because the nature of God is such as he can neither tempt nor be tempted to euil partly because there are other true causes of such like temptatiōs euen our own lustes concupiscence partly from contrarie effects God is authour of all good therefore cannot be authour of euil temptations 2. the putting downe of the true cause of temptations our own concucupiscence 3. What effects that worketh after it conceaueth once it bringeth foorth sinne and death 4. In this place the last thing is the conclusion admonishing vs that we erre not neyther commit so great sinne as to ascribe vnto God our euill temptations The fourth and last part here handled is the excellencie of the word of God whereby wee are regenerate and borne anewe In which place may three things be noted 1. the worde what it is and what it doeth 2. the remouing of things which hinder the course and efficacie of this worde loquacitie and speaking when we should be silent and anger when wee are reproued 3 finallie he setteth down exhortations to the regenerate 1. That they shoulde peaceably heare the word 2.
by their owne choise therefore haue no cause therein to reioice theeues robbers pirates murtherers man quellers euill doers busie bodies who by their own desert procure their owne miserie ought not therein to reioyce Let no man saith Saint Peter suffer as a theefe murtherer euill doer 1. Pet 4. or as a busie bodie in other mens matters but if any suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed but let him glorifie God in that behalfe When men are causes of their owne crosses and procure by their wickednesse their own punishments and afflictions they must not therein reioyce but rather lament and be sorie but when we fall into temptations by the will of God then must we count it exceeding ioy Foolish men punished for their wickednesse malefactors chastined for their vngodlinesse wicked ones afflicted for their vngraciousnesse haue cause of sorow not of ioy of mourning not of mirth of lamentation not of laughter in that they fall not hereinto by Gods will but by their owne wickednesse though secretly they doe that which from euerlasting God hath determined Vnder the worde Falling into is insinuated vnto men vnder what affliction and crosse they must reioyce vnder that crosse which God imposeth and layeth vpon vs vnder those afflictions whereinto wee fall by the pleasure and purpose of God to trie vs therein when we suffer we must count it exceeding ioy 3 The circumstance of time may not be lightly passed ouer My brethren count it exceeding ioy when you fall that is whensoeuer you fall into temptations This teacheth the children of God that once or twise to reioyce vnder the crosse is not inough to the perfect dutie of a Christian but whensoeuer as often soeuer at what time soeuer we are assaulted and assailed with temptations so often to shew our selues pacient therein and ioyous because Heb. 10. our crowne is onely giuen in the ende of all our combats which the authour to the Hebrues recounting teacheth vs that we haue alwaies neede of pacience that in fine and at length wee may obtaine the promise For which cause the Angell requireth patience in the Smyrnians Reuel 2. and constancie vnder the crosse to the ende Bee thou constant vnto death and I will giue vnto thee the crowne of life It is not inough to begin to runne in the race of pacience but wee must runne out our race with pacience if we will be crowned Therefore Saint Paul admonisheth that we runne on with pacience the race that Heb. 12. is set before vs. Wherefore as he that hath borne the brunt of many bickerings and hath quit himselfe valiantly and like a man in sundrie assaults and skirmishes If before the ende of the battell he faint and giue ouer loseth all his former labor and as he that plaieth on a stage though he behaue himselfe excellently in sundry acts yet if in the last act he quaile he beareth away neither prime nor price in that action and as hee that runneth a long time but falleth or sitteth downe before he come to the goale hath not the crowne or garland so if men in manie miseries in sundrie temptations in diuers afflictions haue reioyced vnlesse whensoeuer they fall thereunto they still reioice they loose their praise and commendation of pacience whereof the Apostle to foretell and foreteach vs would haue vs count it exceedtng ioy whensoeuer wee fall into temptations 4 Finally hee would men to count it exceeding ioy when they fall into diuers or manifolde temptations Wherein we must learne that the afflictions of the saints are manifolde diuers and sundrie and that specially in three respects 1 These afflictions are manifolde in respect of the diuersitie of instrumēts which God vseth in inflicting them vpon the Saints For some times hee vseth the Diuel sometimes the meanes of men some times other his creatures as instruments and meanes by afflictions to tempt the Saints Hee vsed Satan in the temptation of Job 1. 2. ca. Job to whom he gaue licence in his goodes and in his bodie to afflict him Men almightie God vsed to afflict Israel his people wherefore in the Prophets the Assirians the Babilonians the Philistines and Aegyptians with other are both plainly called and manifestly discribed as the instuments of God to afflict his people In which sense Assur is called the rodde of the Lords furie and the staffe Esai 10. Iere. 27. Ezec. 17. 26 of his wrath and indignation Thus the Lord calleth Nabuchodonosor that cruell tyrant and shamefull idolater his seruant because he vsed him as a meane to afflict his people Thus vsed also God the Caldeans and Sabians as Iob. 1. his instruments to afflict Job the Patriarch and seruant of God Thus he vsed Sennecharib to afflict Hezekiah the Scribes and Pharisees to afflict our Sauiour and to vse all meanes of persecution against the Apostles and disciples Thus he vseth men to rob spoile slaie murther and euerie way to afflict his saints and seruants God vseth in like maner other creatures in afflicting of his Saints Sometimes the heauens giue abundance of raine whereby the corne and graine of the earth is destroied and the Saints and others brought to extremitie some times the aire is infected wherehence sicknesse plagues pestilence groweth and the people are destroied Some times brute beasts rise vp against men and destroy them as the Lion did the Prophet The Lions which destroied 3. Kings 13. those whom Salmanaser sent to inhabite Samaria whereof that none were good were hard to affirme By infinite 4. Kings 17. other his creatures the saints themselues are oftentimes afflicted wherefore if we respect but the diuersitie of instruments which almightie God vseth in these externall afflictions we shal easily be forced to confesse that in that regard euen our afflictions and temptations are sundrie 2 As in respect of the diuers instruments thereunto by God vsed the temptations of men are diuers and manifold so if we looke into the nature of temptations they Psal 34. are no lesse manifold and diuers Hereunto the holy prophet hauing regard crieth out Manie are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord deliuereth out of all As many in number so diuers in nature are our afflictions Some are afflicted by exile and banishment some by captiuitie and imprisonment some by famin and nakednesse some by perill and persecution some by slaunder and reprochfull contumelie some by rackings and tearings in peeces some by slaughter and sworde some by fire and fagots some by sores of bodie and sundrie diseases some suffer in themselues some are afflicted in their friends in their wiues in their children some in their goods some in their bodies some in their credits some by sea some by land some at home some abroade some by open enemies some by counterfeit friends some by cruell oppression some by manifest iniuries some by force some by fraud some afflicted and tempted by one meanes some by another
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
can it be grownded then vppon the Euangelists doctrine The Apostles themselues did not alwaies necessarily vse that signe in healing but sometimes the word and prayer only somtimes laying on of hands only sometimes touching Act. 3. v. 6. Act. 9. v. 34. 40. Acts 28. 8. Acts 20. 10 Acts 5. 15 only sometime lying vpon as in the Actes of the holie Apostles in sundrie places appeareth Sometimes the verie shadowe of the Apostles serued as the shadowe of Peter healed many sometimes things brought from them and giuen to the sicke as from Paul were brought vnto the sicke kercheifs and hand kercheifs and deceases were taken from them and foule spirites departed So Acts 19 then it was no such sacrament in the dayes of the Apostles Neither doth this place any whitte helpe or profit them For heere annoynting is a signe of health and recouerie the gifte therof seasing the signe must cease also neither ment James that it should be vsed as a salue of a surgeon or as a medicine of the physition but that in sickenes they lifting vp their minds to God and powring out their prayers to him might receaue that in signe that as their bodies by that externall meane should bee healed so their souls should be clenged purged and purified by the holy annoynting of the spirite of God and of Iesus Christ So that the Apostle speaketh not of their sacramente which thing euen Cardinall Caietane their Caietane owne man confesseth in like manner The Aposte in this place speaketh according as the gifte of healing was in force in his time and binding hereby men thereunto during the time of the continuance of the same and not for euer as the papists doe Out of which place we may learne thus much that as when in the Apostles time the gifte of healing was in force men were willed to sende for the Elders of the Church that they might pray for the sicke and annoint them with oile that they might recouer So nowe the gift being taken away in our great and extreame sickenesse to send for the elders of the Church the Pastours the Ministers the preachers of the worde with the faithfull brethren that by them we may be taught that the cause of our sickenesse is our sinne that they may informe vs in the doctrine of vnfained repentance that they may comfort and counsell vs in our extremities that they may powre out praiers vnto God for the assistance of his grace and encrease of all needfull spirituall vertues in vs and for riddance out of our paines and sickenesse as shall seeme best to his heauenly wisedome VVhich done we may vse all other lawful meanes of phisicke or the like for our recouerie in the feare of God But now is it quite contrarie with most men for as if sickenesse befell men rather by chaunce and fortune then by the prouidence of God and by naturall causes onely and not as punishments of sinne chastisements of men in this world from the hand of God or as trials of our pacience and exercises of our faith in their bodily diseases they foorthwith flie to outward remedies shewing that they haue more care of the life of their bodies then of the saluation of their soules They poste to the Physition they sende in all haste to the Apoticarie they runne to the Surgeon they greedily seeke after all outwarde meanes but their hearts are not turned to God who sendeth death and giueth life who woundeth and maketh whole bringeth to graue and lifteth vp againe they search not out the true cause of their sicknes which is their sin But whē Phisitiō leaueth hearing ceaseth speach faileth senses are gone and the partie more then halfe deade then doe most sende for the minister runne for the Pastour seeke to the preacher when he can not profite the sicke person VVhat counsell can nowe bee giuen what instruction can nowe be taken what comfort can now be ministred what exhortation can preuaile in this extremitie This ought not to be so my brethren it is not the meaning of the Apostle whose counsell is rather that in all our bodily diseases we should flie first to spirituall and ghostly physitions as appeareth Wherefore in this place the Apostle willeth that if anie be sicke they should call for the elders of the Church that they might pray for them VVhose prayers in that behalfe of what force they be the Apostle expresseth the praier of the faithful shal saue the sicke and the Lorde shall raise him vp and if he haue committed sinne it shall be forgiuen him Which place teacheth that healing in that time was not to be ascribed and assigned to the annoiting with oile but to the praiers of the Elders flowing from faith and the praier of the faith shall saue him saieth the Apostle The praier of faith proceeding from a stedfast hope an vndoubted trust an earnest beliefe is therfore of great force For God is neare at hande to heare all such as call Psal 145. vppon him euen such as call vppon him faithfully and our Sauiour telleth him which in the Gospell sued for his sonne possessed with a foule spirite that all thinges Matt. 9. are possible to him that beleeued and in another place whatsoeuer you aske beleeue and you shall obtaine it Of Marke 11. this matter see more Iames 1. ver 6. Prayer is the effectuall instrument and meane to the obtaining of health which to that effect God would to bee vsed Therefore when the holy Prophets or blessed Apostles restored life to the dead sight to the blind limmes to the lame health to the sicke hearing to the deafe speach to the dumme or the like they haue vsed praier thereunto Elias the Prophet restoring the sonne of the widowe of Sareptha being deade to health or rather 3. Kings 17. to life it selfe stretched himselfe vppon him and called vppon the name of the Lorde And Elizeus his seruant and successour in the place of prophecie restoring the deade sonne of the Sunamite to his life againe went into the childe shutte the doore vppon 4. Kings 4. him prayed and stretched himselfe vppon the childe and hee reuiued When Peter restored Tabitha to life hee kneeled Acts 9. downe and praied and then turned to the bodie and said Tabitha arise VVhen Christ raised vp Lazarus hee first Iohn 11. prayed Father I thanke thee that thou hast heard me I knowe thou hearest me alwayes but because of the people that stand by I said it that they may beleeue that thou sendest me And in other cures both our Sauiour himselfe and the Apostles vsed prayer VVhich is the meane and instrument of healing here by the Apostle sette downe the efficient cause whereof is God himselfe therefore hee sayeth And God shall raise him vppe and if hee hath committed any sinne it shall bee forgiuen him Life and death Ecclus. 11. Deut. 32. 1. King 2. 6. 16. Wisd 13. 13. Tob. 2. sickenesse and
who would not then count it exceeding ioy when they fall into diuers temptations Troubles in the wicked are causes or rather occasions in them to fret and fume to grudge and groane mutter and murmure against God But in Gods Saintes they are the instruments whereby God worketh patience in their hearts therefore to be reioyced in count it therefore my brethren exceeding ioy whē you fal into temptations because the triall of your faith bringeth foorth patience Rom. 5. But it may be obiected that this place and doctrine is against Saint Paul who entreating of the like argumēt saith contrary to this For Saint Iames saith That the triall or proofe of our faith bringeth forth patience But S. Paul saith That patience bringeth foorth triall or proofe These are contrary and how can they then hang togither The reconciliation of these places may be this 1 The words by Iames and Paul vsed are not the same therefore neither is the thing the same Speaking then of diuers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things they speake not contrarily one to the other In this place proofe is taken actiuely as it signifieth those things whereby we are tried as afflictions themselues whereby occasion is ministred of trying and proouing the faithfull Thus temptations and afflictions trie vs and this triall or proofe that is the things whereby wee are tried and prooued which are afflictions bringeth foorth patience that is ministreth matter of our patience And thus triall with James here is as cause of that triall with Paul which after this manner is as an effect With Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 triall is taken passiuely as it signifieth that proofe and triall which is made of vs by which wee are made knowen This knowledge commeth through our patience for patience maketh vs to be knowen whether we mutter and murmure or whether we be quiet in our sufferings And thus patience causeth bringeth foorth that experience proofe or triall which is made of vs. And thus is patience cause as it were of triall 2 We may not looke so straitly and narrowly into causes and effects but that we may graunt the same to be cause and effect also in sundrie kindes of causes or in diuers respects For triall proofe experience of most prosperous successe and happie issue in many troubles encreaseth our patience and confirmeth our constancie so that the more triall we haue of good successe the more patient and more constant are we made in affliction and thus triall causeth parience as Saint Iames saith On the other side patience and suffering of the crosse causeth great experience and proofe of Gods presence to deliuer vs also maketh vs knowen of what behauiour wee be in our troubles And thus patience causeth triall as Saint Paul faith and so triall and patience are mutuall helpers and nourishers one to another and both cause and effect one of the other Thus S. James saying that triall of our faith bringeth foorth patience and Saint Paul that patience bringeth foorth triall or proofe speaketh trueth also For the triall of our faith maketh perfect our patience that the more we are tried the more patient we are And patience causeth triall because he whose faith faileth not whose patience is inuincible is thereby prooued and knowen to be of excellent constancie These thinges thus premised and set downe before the meaning of the Apostle is not doubtfull The triall of your faith bringeth forth patience that is the afflictions and temptations themselues whereby your faith is tried bringeth foorth patience And this is one and the same which Saint Paul preacheth to the Romans We reioyce in tribulation knowing that tribulation bringeth foorth Rom. 5. patience Our trials and tribulations our afflictions and miseries which here wee suffer inure and accustome vs to the crosse and men accustomed to a thing grow therein to be patient What we are dayly vsed vnto that we finally beare quietly dayly afflictions make vs so accustomed and acquainted with sufferings that thereby we grow to be patient Wherefore as Milo Crotoniales by bearing a calf when it was yong was made able by dayly exercise to beare it also when it was an olde oxe So men by daily bearing the crosse shal be enhabled to beare it patiently Lament 3. Therfore the prophet said wisely that it was good to beare the crosse from a child that as the affliction groweth greater so our patience might grow greater also and so affliction and the triall of our faith make vs patient Thus afflictions and the triall of our faith thereby bring foorth patience not as the efficient cause of patience and the geuer of patience which is God onely Therefore Paul 1. Philip. saith to the Philippians that it was geuen to them both to beleeue in Christ and also to suffer for him But as the instrumentall cause as the occasion ministred whereon our patience may worke Seeing therefore afflictions do thus bring foorth patience so excelient a vertue as whereby Luke 21. Heb. 10. we possesse our soules and obteine the promises as both our Sauiour witnesseth and the Apostle protesteth this is reason inough to moue vs in afflictions to reioyce And this is the second reason why the Saintes should count it exceeding ioy when they fall into diuers temptations because the triall of their faith bringeth foorth patience 3 From euent or effect the Apostle finally reasoneth The Saints must count it exceeding ioy when they fall into temptations because patience in affliction maketh men entire and perfect Affliction and the crosse of Christ are the instruments whereby God doth pollish vs and refine vs till we grow to be perfect in Christ and become like and conformable vnto the sonne of God him selfe the perfect pattern of all patience Seeing then by patience we be made perfect and patience is caused and gendred of affliction we therefore ought in affliction to reioyce Here the word perfect signifieth stable constant abiding and perseuering continuing and enduring vnto the end in the most holy profession of the Gospell with courage inuinsible as absolute entire and lacking nothing to this perfection we attaine by patience Patience in affliction is the schoole and nurture-house of Christ and of the holy Ghost and the effectuall meane which the Lord our God vseth to make vs perfect wherein if we be continually trayned vve shall grow to full measure and perfection of vertue Thus Abraham Isaac and Jacob thus Joseph and holy Job mightie Patriarkes thus Moises Isai Jeremie thus Michai and Zacharie holy Prophets thus Dauid Hezechia and the rest of the zealous Princes thus Paul Peter Iohn and others true Apostles thus Steuen Polycarpe and infinite the like faithfull Martyrs haue by patience in afflictions growen to such measure of perfection as in the weakenes of nature and infirmitie of man may be attained vnto Saint Cyprian in his De bono patientiae booke entituled Of the profit and good of patience in a
lacke wisdome to aske it of God and it shall be giuen them 4 Lastly out of this place of S. Iames who willeth vs to pray without doubting wauering it taketh away the multiude of mediators for when men in need necessitie are sent and posted ouer to many meanes and mediators and rest not vpon one onely they doubt to which they shoulde runne vnto whether to men Saints or women Saints whether to Angels or to the spirits of men for succor whether to this Angell or that this Saint of God or that in the dayes of their afflictions The establishing of many mediators is the cause of the distracting of mens minds cause of wauering which this place remoueth from the praiers of men especially which professe godlinesse and the Gospell of Christ Whereof thus the Apostle hee that wauereth is like the waues of the sea tost with the winde and caried away neither let him thinke to obtaine any thing of God A double minded man is vnstable in all his waies and this is that which I haue to note out of this place and to adde to the former place of the Apostle and containeth the second place by the Apostle handled concerning the iust reproofe and condemning of doubting and wauering praiers Let vs pray vnto Almightie God to establish our hearts in the vnfallible truth of his heauenly promises that in all things we may rest vpon his power and promptnesse in all our petitions that in all our needs we may call vpon him vvithout vvauering and obtaine the things vve pray for according to his vvill through Iesus Christ our Lord to vvhom vvith the father and the holy Spiirite be all praise and honour all glorie and maiestie for euer and euer Amen Iames Chapter 1. verses 9. 10. 11. 12. Sermon 4. 9 Let the brother of lowe degree reioice in that he is exalted 10 Againe hee that is riche in that hee is made lowe for as the flower of the grasse shall he vanish away 11 For as when the Sunne riseth with heat then the grasse withereth and his flower falleth away and the goodly shape of it perisheth euen so shal the rich man wither in all his wayes 12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tried hee shall receyue the crowne of life which the Lorde hath promised to them that loue him IN vvhich vvords the Apostle returneth and commeth againe to the matter proposed vvhich is of pacience and cōfort in afflictions vvhich vvas the first place of the Chapter and consisteth of four things 1. Of the proposing of the matter 2. Of the confirming thereof 3. Of the distinguishing of the persons to whō the crosse is profitable 4. Of the conclusion Of these tvvo of them are gone before the other tvvo in these vvords are contained Two thinges in these words and verses are to be obserued Namely 1. The distinguishing of men to whom the crosse is profitable and whereunder they must reioyce and all men are 1. Either low of degree and they must reioyce vnder afflictions remembring that they are exalted to the profession of Christ 2. Either rich and mighty and they must reioyce vnder it because thereby they are profitably humbled 2. The cōclusion which is drawen from the rewarde of pacience wherin may bee noted fiue things 1. The reward it selfe blessednesse promised to the Saints 2. When it shall be giuen when they are tried 3. Whereunto it is compared to a crowne of life 4. How shall it be giuen by promise not by desert 5. To whom to such as loue God Touching the first of these vvhich is the third thing in the treatise of the crosse it is the distinguishing of persons 3. Things in the treatise of the crosse to vvhom the crosse is profitable and this doctrine to reioyce in affliction necessarie There are tvvo sortes of men poore and rich to both the crosse and doctrine of pacience therein is necessarie so that it is profitable then to all First to the poore brother wherof thus saith James The poore Let the brother of lovv degree reioyce in that hee is exalted The crosse and doctrine of afflictions and pacience is profitable for the poore brother for if he bee afflicted vvith pouertie contempt ignominie or anie other calamitie hee must not bee pressed dovvne vvith sorovve griefe feare and fainting of heart but reioyce rather vnder his crosse and calamitie because he by the crosse is exalted For by affliction the poore brethren humbled are thereby exalted either to the true profession of the crosse and Gospell of Christ either to be like Christ and his Saints vvho haue all in this vvorld drunke of the cuppe of afflictions or els to the glorious companie of Christ and his holy Angels vnto vvhom the vvay is persecution and suffering For euen as Christ himselfe by manifolde persecutions and troubles and by dayly crosse and sufferings in Luke 24. his life entred into the glorie of his father as he protested vnto his disciples betvvixt Hierusalem and Emaus so in Acts 14. like maner must all the Saints by many tribulations enter into the kingdome of God as the Apostle Paul auoucheth to the brethren of Lystra Iconium and Antiochia in the Scriptures for vvhich cause he assureth vs no othervvise to be heires vvith Christ of glorie then condicionally Rom. 8. that vve suffer vvith him If vve be sonnes then also heires and heires annexed vvith Iesus Christ so that vve suffer vvith him that vve also may bee glorified vvith him neither othervvise to be crovvned vvith him then that first here vvith him vve be crossed also for if vve bee 2. Tim. 2. dead with Christ then shall we liue with him also and if we suffer with him wee shall also reigne with him if the crosse aduance vs to the crown if the suffring of calamitie and miserie here bring vs to glorie if our humbling by afflictions exalt the brethren of lowe degree to the profession of the Gospel in this life and in the life to come to immortalitie and glorie with Christ then must the brethren humbled by the crosse and by any afflicted reioyce therein let the brother of lowe degree reioyce when by the crosse he is exalted The humbling of vs by affliction in this worlde is the exalting of vs to glorie before God the casting downe of vs here by the crosse is the lifting of vs vp to heauen before the Lorde the abasing of our selues vnder the diuers temptations of this life is the aduanncing of vs in the kingdome of Christ Seeing then by pacience vnder the crosse the brother of low degree is exalted he ought therin not to be faint hearted 2. Phil. but ioyous and glad As then our Sauiour Christ beeing by affliction and death it selfe humbled by the father was therefore and thereby exalted vnto great glorie euen so if paciently we suffer the triall of our faith by afflictions Philip. 2. and suffer our selues
treatise touching outwarde temptations he now proceedeth to the third place in this first Chapter handled which is concerning internall and inwarde temptations of the mind whereby men are pricked forward and mooued to euill proceeding from Satan who by our owne concupiscense and carnall desires solliciteth vs to mischiefe wickednesse The summe whereof is this men may not impute their euill temptations to God neither make him the authour thereof seeing our owne desires do tempt vs and carie vs away to wickednesse and we beare about in our owne bosomes naturall corruption which snatcheth and catcheth euery occasion of comitting euil wherehence all sinne groweth and buddeth as from a stocke and roote and death ensueth and followeth sinne at the heeles as the reward and wages Rom. 6. thereof 1 The first thing in these wordes and this discourse is the proposition of the place whereby their errour is confuted and condemned who hold and affirme that when they are prouoked pricked to euill they are thereunto prouoked and tempted by God which lay the cause of euill concupiscense corrupt affections wicked temptations yea and of sinne it selfe vpon God and say God prouoked and stirred me vp to this euil God seduced and led me into this temptation God mooued and sollicited me to this sinne This the Apostle remouing as an horrible errour from the hearts and mindes of men giueth them this aduice in this present proposition Let no man say when he is tempted I am tempted of God When pleasure prouoketh when pride pricketh whē malice boileth when couetousnesse assaulteth when reuenge kindleth when feare discourageth or any other thing tempteth vs to euil we may not impute this to God and therby thinke our selues excused Let no man say when he is tempted I am tempted of God for God is not the cause of this temptation neither may our sinnes be referred vnto him The trueth of this proposition shall the better be vnderstood and knowen if we consider that there are specially three kindes of temptations in holy Scripture mentioned thus distinguished in the regard of the ends of euery one of them 1 One temptation is called the temptation of proof because the ende thereof is the proofe of men that thereby there may be had a triall of our faith patience constancie with other vertues in vs whatsoeuer And it is thē when either some worke is commanded vs of God which is harde and grieuous vnto the flesh as was that temptation of Abraham who from God was willed to offer and sacrifice Gen. 22. vp his onely and deare sonne Isaac whom he had begotten in his olde age in whom onely was the hope of the accomplishment of all Gods promises vnto him the heire of his goods the seede of his posteritie the very ioy of his heart which thing was commanded for the triall of his faith patience and obedience that he thus tried might be knowen and manifested to the world and his vertue and obedience an example and patterne to all posteritie to imitate and follow for euer Or els when some heauie crosse great miserie strange affliction is laide vpon vs for the triall of our hearts whether from an vnfeyned faith we loue God or no as was the temptation of Iob Job 1. 2. ◠whose crosse was heauie whose miserie was great whose afflictions strange that thereby his patience being tryed he might be thereof an example to all the Saints Thus was he tempted his children destroyed sodenly his goods taken from him violently his body diseased strangely his wife vpbrayding him wickedly his friends rebuking him sharpely What greater crosse could bee laid vpon man bereft of children spoiled of goods abused by his wife cōdemned by his friends sore in body sick in minde what miserie herewith is to be compared yet al to prooue him Like temptation was that of Tobias who sleeping vnder Tob. 2. the wall of his house his face vncouered the dongue of Swallowes fell into his eies and he lost his sight therewith tempted for triall God saith Moses tempted his people fortie yeares leading them vp and downe the wildernes Deut. 8. to humble their hearts to trie their faith to prooue their patience and so make triall of them whether they loued the Lord their God or no. Or finally this temptation is when God sendeth heresies false doctrines errors among men thereby to trie the true Saints of God and the vnfeyned seruants of Iesus Christ This end almightie God respected in the temptation of Israel vnto whom hee sent false Prophets working miracles and shewing also wonders among men thereby to trie his people To which Deut. 13. purpose the holy Apostle affirmeth that therefore heresies 1. Cor. 11. must needes bee among men that they which are proued might be knowen Thus the Church of Christ hath alwaies been tempted In the time of the Apostles many false teachers and sundrie damnable heresies were sproong vp among them as both Paul in sundrie his Epistles and Peter in like maner 1. Cor. 15. 1. Tim. 4. 2. Pet. 2. aboundantly doe testifie After the time of the Apostles in the succeeding ages how many heresies sproong vp whereby the Church was tempted and tried who is conuersant in the writings of the auncient Fathers who is occupied in the turning ouer of Ecclesiasticall stories who is seene in the Chronicles of all times which knoweth not Our time not voide of like temptations for now the Libertines are reuiued the Anabaptists are raked out of hell againe the familie of loue a masse of all mischiefe a world of all wickednes a confusion of heresies is fresh in our daies Papists Seminaries Iesuites newe sectes of popish heresie swarme in euery corner of our Countrey euen among our selues and as it were out of the bosome of the churchmen arise speaking peruerse things drawing Acts. 20. vnder colour of religion and godlines many Disciples after them wherby the peace of Hierusalem is disturbed which to vs also as to other commeth to passe for the triall of the Saints and the proofe of the godly God then sēding these or like things vnto men doth it not to solicite stir or moue them to any euil defectiō or falling from the faith but to trie them to make them know them selues to exercise their vertues to cause them more immouably to cleaue vnto him that they being constant and patient vnder all manner temptations may finally attaine to eternall saluation In which temptations how so euer the instruments thereunto vsed by God be wickedly affected yet in all thinges respecteth he that which tendeth most vnto his owne glorie and the benefite of his Church and so is he neuer to bee charged as the cause of wickednesse among men 2 Beside the temptation to proue there is a temptation also of presumption whereby men are moued to Rom. 2. tempt God too much presuming of his goodnes abusing his patience despising the mercie and long suffering of God flattering
finally and deceauing themselues in the power and prouidence of God towards the sonnes of mē Such a temptation is it when men continue in sinne wallow Ephes 4. and welter in iniquitie committing wickednes with greedines presuming vpon the mercie of God and say with themselues Haue not I sinned and what euill hath come vnto me The greater my sinne is the greater shall Ecclus. 5. his mercie be in forgeuing me the Lord hath mercie in store for vs all be we neuer so wicked In the last houre I will returne vnto him and I shal be receaued This is a temptation tending to presumption abusing the mercie and goodnes of the Lord. Such is that temptation whereby wee are sollicited to say I know the goodnesse of the Lord is great ouer all his creatures I know he hath a fatherly and prouident care ouer me and he will not see the worke of his owne hande to perish for lacke of sustinance God that giueth clothing Mat. 6. Psal 147. to the floures and lillies of the field and feedeth the yoong rauens that call vpon him will cloth me and feede me also what need I to wearie or waste my selfe with toilesome and troublesome labour I will rest vpon his prouidence such is the temptation of witlesse persons and very harebraines who say I know there shall not one haire of my head fall away without the knowledge of God I know that he is alwaies at hand present to helpe and succour at time of neede I will feare nothing therefore I vvill runne through fire and vvater I vvill not be terrified by the glittering and glistring svvorde or sheild I vvill passe through the pikes by svvord and famine cold and nakednesse perill and pestilence come on it vvhat vvill those are sollicited by satan to presume of Gods mercy povver prouidence and goodnesse Satan assailed Christ himselfe in this kinde solliciting him to cast himselfe Mat. 4. dovvne from the pinacle of the temple because God had giuen his Angels charge ouer him that he should not hurt his foote against a stone To sinne then because God is mercifull to loyter and be idle because God is liberall to cast our selues into present daunger rashly because he is able to deliuer vs to lie still in the ditch and not to helpe Psal 91. our selues because he is of povver and can rayse vs is a temptation and suggestion of satan vvhereby he mooueth vs to presumption 3 There is finally a temptation which is to deceiue and seduce men drawing them into error mouing them to euil stirring them forward to iniquitie and vngodlines aduenturing and enterprising any thing repugnant to the law and will of God Of this there are two kindes also 1 Temptation to deceiue externall 2 Temptation to deceiue internall Externall temptation whereby wee are drawen into any sinne is that temptation whose cause is externall and outward and the beginning therof without vs as when by Sathan by the world and the thinges which here compasse vs about though in some sence they are inward because they moue our hearts and inwarde parts yet in as much as the causes are without and the beginning of these temptatiōs from others then our selues they may be called outward Sathan tempteth vs by false doctrine which he moueth by offence which he causeth by occasiōs and allurements to euill which he ministreth and otherwise The cause of which temptations and the instrument also being without the temptation is called externall The world to deceiue vs tempteth by vanitie thereof by improbitie therein the vaine pompe of the world tickleth vs the corruptions therein inuade and assault vs with the examples of wickednesse dayly seene of vs these things often seduce deceiue and the temptation is outward The things wherewith we be compassed tempt men manifoldly power honour ambition pleasure on the one side feare daunger and perill famine nakednesse pouertie death on the other thus are men also outwardly tempted and drawen into the errours and corruptions of our common life and thereby deceiued and led into euill The temptations which seduce men and are internall are such whose immediate and next cause is in our selues as man is tempted to commit euill by his owne corruption and concupiscense mooued by his owne disordered appetite to commit sinne Thus haue we in our bosoms a domesticall tyrant originall sinne and natural corruption from Adam pulling haling drawing vs dayly to euill that sinne in all things might exercise power ouer vs. Hereunto though Satan helpe yet the cause is in our selues in as much as by him wee are not constrained but come and follow freely deceiued and seduced by our own concupiscense And of this kinde of temptation the Apostle chiefly speaketh when he saith If any man be tempted let him not say I am tempted of God God to proue men tempteth his seruāts but to cause them to presume or to deceiue and draw them to euil he doth not So that he is not the cause of such temptations neither may wee referre these euil temptations vnto him And this the proposition of this place teacheth vs Let no man say when he is tempted I am tempted of God If God tempt no man to euill why saith the Scripture that he hardeneth the heart of Pharao that he blindeth Exod. 4. 7. 10. 11. Esai 14. Psal 81. man and giueth him ouer into a reprobate minde As of Pharao in the booke of Exodus in many places and chapters is recorded of Israel the people of God as in Isai in Dauid and other Prophets is mencioned of the Gentiles thrise in the first chapter to the Romans is confessed of others in other places in like maner Hereunto it may bee answered first that God in his iudgements which are sometimes open sometimes secret but alwayes iust moueth and inclineth mens willes whither him lusteth wherein hee either with the latter sinne of man punisheth the former or else hee taketh away his grace from men whereof destitute they runne headlong into their owne destruction by committing sinne with greedinesse or finally hee bringeth to passe Ephes 4. his purpose by the wickednesse either of Satan or men as able to worke out that which is good by the iniquitie of men and thus he is alwayes iust So that we may say with the Apostle that hee is not the cause of our euill temptations Let no man say that when hee is tempted he is tempted of God God mooueth not men to euill hee driueth not men to euill affections hee instilleth wickednesse into no mans heart but partly in taking away his spirite from them partly in punishing one sinne with another partly by bringing to light the sinnes of men which before were couered partly in accomplishing his owne will and bringing to passe his determinate counsailes and purposes euen by euill meanes and instruments as ruling all thinges after his will he is saide to indurate and harden the hearts of men and to giue
them vp to reprobate mindes as the scripture speaketh The proposition of the holy Apostle standeth still for true Let no man say when he is tempted I am tempted of God Of this matter more may be seene vpon the first Epistle of Peter 3. Chap. v. 17. Rom. 9. 18. v. Thus their errour is refuted who holde that as good motions are inspired vs from God so euill suggestions are suggested by him also so that when men steale take away by violence commit adultery do iniurie to their brethren or any such like they must not say we are moued solicited and stirred vp thereunto by God Wherefore the Apostle here in his proposition giueth them admonition Let no man say when he is tempted I am tempted of God 2 This being the proposition in the second and next place followeth the confirmation of that proposition containing the arguments and reasons why men may not say they are tempted of God which reasons are three The first reason is drawen from the nature of God God is by nature and of himselfe pure simple holy righteous good neither doth he admit the darknesse of errour or deceite neither moueth or solliciteth hee any to errour or euill he falleth not himselfe neither casteth he any into wickednesse For he being in nature good pure holy cannot be moued to commit euill neither moueth he any thereunto wherefore hee is not authour of euill temptations in men 2 That God is good holy pure innocent righteous and one that hateth sinne the Scriptures in sundry places teach vs. For first in the booke of Leuiticus not once but often it is said that the Lorde is holy and therefore the people by like example ought in like maner to be holy Leuit. 11. 20. 2. Chron. 19. Iehosaphat the King exhorted his princes rulers officers magistrates and iudges to execute iudgement and iustice without partialitie or respect had of mens persons rendering this reason because they executed the iudgement of God with whom there is no respect of persons nor any iniquitie Dauid the princely prophet telleth men that the wicked shall not stande in Gods sight because Psal 5. GOD hateth all those that committe iniquitie In an other place hee beareth this recorde of God that Psal 145. he is true in all his sayings and holy in all his workes Siracides the sonne of Sirach would not men to impute Ecclus. 15. the cause of their sinnes vnto GOD because he hateth all sinne and wickednesse of man wherefore he thus exhorteth Say not thou it is through the Lorde that I turne backe for thou oughtest not to do the thing that hee hateth and say not thou hee hath caused mee to erre for hee hath no neede of the sinfull man for the Lorde hateth all abhomination of errour and they which feare him loue it not Many mo the like places are in scripture set downe which affirme of God that he is holy righteous iust and a hater of iniquitie which all confirme this place of the Apostle who disputing of the nature of God sheweth that hee neither is tempted to euill neither tempteth any for which cause men ought not to say when they are tempted they were tempted to euill by God Satan beeing a lyer from the beginning and not continuing in the truth Iohn 8. Ephes 6. mooueth men to falshoode and errour and not God the Diuell being the prince of the wickednesse and darknesse of this world stirreth and soliciteth men therein to wickednesse and tempteth many wayes to euill and mischiefe for which cause he is called the tempter because he alwayes tempteth men to commit iniquitie and sinne Matth. 4. So doth not God who is of a pure perfect holy righteous disposition and neither himselfe is tempted neither tempteth he any to euill Whereupon the Apostle as by his first reason here sheweth that when men are tempted they must not lay the euil vpon God neither say they were tempted of God because he neither can be tempted of any to euill neither tempteth he any 2 Another reason why when men are tempted to euil they may not say they are tempted of god is drawne from the setting downe of the verie true and perfect cause of temptations The true natural proper immediate cause of temptations is our owne concupiscense therefore not God For there cannot be two or many true naturall immediate proper efficient causes of one thing Therefore seeing of temptations to euill we haue the true naturall and proper cause in our selues euen concupiscence and carnall corruption which dwelleth in vs by original deprauation we may not make God but that the cause of our temptations to euill Saint Hierome therefore against Jouinian saieth that as in good things God is the Contra Jouinian Rom. 9. doer and perfecter for it is neither in the willer neither in the runner but in GOD which sheweth mercie and helpeth that we may come vnto the ende so euill things and sinnes the seede that is in vs is the prouocation and pricker forwarde but the diuell the perfecter of all euill The chiefe and immediate cause of euill temptations is our owne corruption and concupiscense which drawing vs away from the rule of reason and the right path of the commaundementes of God entiseth vs whereof Saint James here saith euery man is tempted when he is drawne away by his own concupiscense and is enticed The similitude of entising is taken either from beasts which hunting after their pray are oftentimes intangled by the baite of the taker and pursuite of the hunter or from birdes which seeking for meate spying corne or breade crummes or vvormes or the like baite in the snare or pitfolde or among lime tvvigges or vnder the net vvhich shall ouervvhelme them are taken entised and entrapped or from the fish vvhich greedily gaping and running after the baite of the angler svvallovveth dovvne both baite and hooke and so is deceyued Euen so men through their concupiscence are drawne avvay either the sweetnesse and pleasure either the gaine and profite either the easinesse and facilitie of a thing proposed and so are entised Our owne concupiscense therefore drawing vs away and intising to euill being the naturall and proper cause of euill temptations wee may not ascribe our temptations vnto God but vnto our selues and this is the second reason why when we are tempted we may not say that wee are tempted of GOD because our owne concupiscense not God is cause of these temptations 3 By occasion of this place before hee come to the The effests of lust and concupiscense third reason he setteth downe the effects of this concupiscense the cause of euill temptations which I noted for the third thing in this discourse This he doth by a kinde of gradation or slipping from one thing to another wherof thus saieth Saint James Then when lust hath conceiued it bringeth foorth sinne and sinne when it is finished bringeth forth death In which place he noteth first the
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
which is in men which I call concupiscence remayning euen in the regenerate by the name of euill and how it is euill he expoundeth against Iulian. In the same worke he saith that lust is not only the euill of Contra Iul. lib. 6. c. 2. lib. 5. c. 4. c. 5. punishment but of fault also Finally he saith it is a vice against which wee must striue by vertue Wherefore if either in holy Scripture as we neuer doe directly but by consequent as here wee heare concupiscence is cause of sinne therefore not sinne or in the fathers as in Saint Augustine who in some places calleth not this naturall corruption remaining in the Saintes by the name of sinne but disputeth the contrarie 13. that it is not sinne in them Wee must distinguish of sinne there is sinne raigning there is sinne dwelling in men it is not sinne reigning but it is sinne dwelling in our mortall bodies There is sinne mortall and sinne veniall it is not sinne mortall but veniall because in the Saints it is not imputed There is sinne actuall there is finne in heart and will not effected nor done it is not sin actuall but it is sinne in heart conceiued and consented vnto which before God is sinne When Saint Iames here saith Lust when it hath conceaued bringeth foorth sinne he speaketh of sinne after the phrase of Scripture commonly vsed taking sinne for sinne committed sinne actuall not denying either the coÌ„senting vnto sinne which is the conception of lust neither lust it selfe which is as it were the seede the sountain the matter of mischiefe to be sinnes in their kindes albeit not actuall and committed being as yet suppressed and kept downe in the heart and will of man Neither doeth Iames here curiously dispute when sin is in it selfe and before God when it first springeth and beginneth in the account and iudgement of God but he speaketh of sinne as it is knowen to be sinne before men Sinne conceaued in heart before God is sinne All euill motions cogitations affections of the minde by God are condemned as sinnes but actions and deedes done are knowen onely to men who pearce not into the heart or cogitation Wherefore when a thing is in acte then onely with men it is accounted Seeing then that sinne is not seene and knowen for sinne with men but then when it is in acte and done or doing which is actuall sinne The Apostle in this sense speaking of sinne saith Lust when it hath conceaued bringeth foorth sinne Wherence it followeth not that because lust bringeth foorth sinne therefore it is not sinne For albeit it be not seen for sinne with men who iudge onely by the action of men yet is it sinne 1 Kings 16. with God who knoweth the very heart and first motions Albeit it be not reigning sinne yet is it sinne dwelling albeit it be not mortall sinne in the Saints yet is it veniall sinne in them also washed away and cleansed by baptisme The first birth and first fruite of lust to our knowledge and brought into act is sinne wherof S. James saith Lust when it hath conceaued bringeth foorth sinne The seconde and latter birth of lust is death For lust bringeth foorth sinne and sinne bringeth foorth death death riseth and groweth out of sinne being perfected Rom. 6. 8. 1. Peter 2. and committed sinne being finished bringeth forth death Sinne is then said to be finished or made perfect when we geue consent to it when we yealde our selues thereunto when we suffer it to rule and raigne ouer vs as bearing chiefe sway and swindge in our life Sinne being Rom. 6. Rom. 8. thus perfected bringeth foorth death Wherein he sheweth what effect followeth the carnall life of man agreeable vnto that of Saint Paul The wages or recompence of sinne is death but eternall life is the gift of God through Iesus Christ our Lord. And not long after If ye walke after the flesh ye shall die in as much as sinne bringeth foorth and purchaseth death vnto men This may appeare manifest by one onely example Iudas the traitor was first tempted by couetous motions this temptation Mat. 26. Iohn 18. he withstoode not but consented and followed the motion and so was drawen away from duetie to Christ by his desire so lust conceaued lust hauing now consent of his will broake foorth into treason and so sinne was brought foorth euen the sinne of treason whereby Christ was sold and betrayed to the people and priestes of the Iewes This treason committed and sinne perfected purchased death for thereby he procured and purchased vnto himselfe eternall destruction which followeth sinne as the hire the labour the wages the trauell the crowne the 1. Acts 18. workes of men Men therefore being tempted and entised by their owne lust to committe sinne by committing of sinne procure death because sinne being done indeede bringeth foorth death Death is due to euery sinne which men committe so that no sinne committed considered in it selfe is so little but deserueth death But seeing the sinnes of the Saints are washed away by the fountaine of regeneration through faith in Christ therefore their sinnes which through infirmitie they committe to them procure not death as they do to the wicked But the sinnefull liues of men who tempted to euil by their owne luste and desires and caried away therby to commit sinne procure to them death according to the doctrine of the Apostle sinne wheÌ„ it is finished bringeth forth death This did almighty God intimate nay rather plainely protest to Adam telling Gane 2. him that at what time so euer he eate of the forbidden fruite he should die he finished sinne he eate of the apple by him therefore sinne came vpon him selfe and vpon all his posteritie The prophet Moyses teacheth Israel Ron. 5. 1. Cor. 15. Deut. 30. Ezeciel 18. Pro. 11. 13. 1. Pet. 2. 1. Cor. 6. 3. Col Eph. 5. Reuel 21. that their sinnes and breaches of the law of God should bring vnto them death the prophet Ezechiell from the mouth of God him selfe protesteth that euerie soule that sinneth should die hereunto Saint Peter subscribeth dissuading men from walking after the lust of their flesh because they fight gainst the soule they procure the death and destruction thereof which is that which Saint Paul in soundrie places threatneth to sundrie that they thruste vs out and disinherite vs of the kingdom of God and this death is not the death of the bodie which is naturall and common to all men but the death of bodie and soule for euer which is the seconde death this is due to the committing and finishing of sinne in all men vnlesse there come betwixt our sinne and death the remedy which God for the Saintes hath prepared by Iesus Christ euen his â—eath passion intercession to die for euer To be vnder â—ondemnatioÌ„ to be thrust out from the presence and face â—f God to be in perperuall darkenes to haue a worme
â—n our conscience which dieth not to burne continuallie Esay 66. Mark 9. â—ith fire which cannot be quenched to be caste into the â—â—ke which burneth with fire and brimstone to be tormenâ—ed in bodie to bee afflicted in conscience for euermore â—his is the thing which sinne committed bringeth forth â—nto men whereof all they shal taste who are not clensed â—â—om all iniquitie by the bloude of Iesus Christ 1. Iohn 1. Let men therefore which delight in their sinnes and haue their pleasure in coÌ„mitting iniquitie whose hand are giuen to spoyle and robberie whose feete are swift to shedde innocent bloud whose toungs are instruments of blasphemy falsshod deceate whose liues are filled with oppression extortion and crueltie whose bodies are weried and wasted with fornication adultery vncleannes of the flesh whose manners are full of all iniquitie impietie and vngodlines alwaies recorde and recount with them selues this saying of the Apostle sinne when it is finished bringeth forth death for howsoeuer wee flatter and deceue our selues in the vanitie of our owne minde and hope we shall finde shifts enough to auoid this iudgement Esay 28. Gal. 6. yet let vs remember that God will not be mocked but looke what we sow the same shall we reape if we sowe to the flesh we shall reape of the flesh corruption and this of the Apostle standeth sure Sinne when it is finished bringeth forth death for if through original sinne inclosed in our breasts al men by nature deserue death and if God shall in the day of his wrath iudge euen the secrete thoughts and cogitations of the wicked and therefore Rom. 5. Rom. 2. Eccles. 12 condemne them shal men thinke that when lust breaketh out into open sinne actually committing of euil they shal not be punished seeing especially the Apostle here affirmeth that sinne being finished bringeth forth death This doctrine carefully considered shoulde put a bit into our iawes and be a bridle to our mouthes and strong raignes in our whole liues to withdrawe and keep vs back from yealding to euil temptations seing the end thereof is death and destruction If intemperate persons drunkerds and surfiters if theeues spoylers robbers if slaunderers liers and blasphemers if adulterers fornicators and vncleane liuers if ambitious men proud and vaine glorious if al workers of wickednes would consider that if they commit and finish sinne in their mortal bodies their sinnes thus finished should bring forth death vexation in soule torments and tortour in bodie in hell fire for euermore were not their harts morehard then Adamants were not themselues more senselesle then beasts had they either care of saluation or dread of destruction loue of God or hatred toward Satan desire of heauen or mislike of hell hope of life or feare of death assurance of ioy or perswasion of punishment in the life to come they woulde herehence bee restrayned holding fast this place of the Apostle as a stoppe agaynst sinne Lust when it hath conceyued bringeth foorth sinne and sinne being finished bringeth forth death These things thus set downe and the fruites of Conclusion lust thus disciphered the conclusion followeth which is interlaced and intermingled among the reasons whereof thus sayeth Saint James Erre not my deare brethren Seeing GOD can not bee tempted neither yet tempteth any to euill Seeing the true and naturall cause of these temptations is our owne concupiscense and lust which both conceyueth and bringeth also foorth first sinne then death in vs then can not God bee the cause thereof so that no man when hee is tempted must say I am tempted of GOD. Doe not so grossely and grieuously erre my brethren as to impute the cause of these thinges to GOD this errour is greate blasphemous and wicked beware therefore you thinke not so of God as that he soliciteth or mooueth any to euill Erre not my deare brethren The conclusion thus interlaced with the reasons 3. Reason the third and last reason why men may not say when they are tempted they are tempted of God is from contrarie effects and things repugnant to be authour of good and euill are things repugnant God is authour of good therefore he can not bee authour of euill temptations euerie good gift and euerie perfect gift is from aboue and commeth downe from the father of lights with whom is no variablenesse neither shadow of turning If God therfore be the cause of all good things then can he not be cause of euill things also not of euill temptations therfore whereby we are solicited to wickednes Nothing can be cause truly and properly of contrarie effects therfore God the cause authour and worker of all good gifts in men may not bee saide to bee cause of euill temptations Of this reason the former part or antecedent is onely set downe Euerie good giuing and euerie perfect gift commeth from aboue from the father of lights c. wherby the Apostle teacheth vs that god is the fountaine of all goodnesse the giuer of all good gifts the authour of all good things in men he is the bottomlesse pit of all grace that cannot be emptied or draweÌ„ drie of vs he worketh whatsoeuer is good in the whole world Herehence Saint Peter calleth him the God of all grace because all 1. Pet. 5. grace and all good gifts come onely from him as from a well head and fountaine The God of all grace who hath called vs vnto his eternall glorie by Iesus Christ after that you haue suffered a little make you perfect strengthen and stablish you S. Iohn Baptist being tolde of the Iewes that Christ baptised and all men came vnto him acknowledging Iohn 3. the graces which were in Christ to come from heauen from God as a fountaine of al goodnes answered and said vnto them a man can do nothing except it be giuen him from aboue this is answerable to this Apostles doctrine Euerie good giuing and euery perfect gift is from aboue from the father of lights All the effects of Gods will are onely good and whatsoeuer vertue grace good gift is it is from God Seeing therefore all good things come from him he being the onely authour of all goodnesse and graces in the children of men we ought not to make him the cause of our temptations whereby we are moued to euill for then should he bee cause not only of diuers but of contrarie effects which he properly cannot be And thus is his reason plaine and euident In this place almightie God is adorned and beautified with three ornaments wherein his excellent goodnesse more appeareth 1 He is called the father of lights the fountaine and well-spring the authour and cause from whence all good giftes flowe and spring vnto men For this cause is God called not onely the father of lights but as pure innocent holy righteous good and the authour of all goodnesse he is also called light So is God called the Isai 60. euerlasting light of his Church
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
peruersnesse in iudgement Our Sauiour Christ shewing whom Almightie God hath called Matt. 5. to eternall happinesse in his euerlasting kingdome pronouÌ„ceth the poore in spirit to be heires therof wherfore he saith Blessed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the kingdome of heauen So then such as by the miserable condition pouertie of this life haue their minds and spirites brought vnder and tamed to obey God are they whom God hath chosen to be rich in faith heires of the kingdome of heauen This thing the blessed virgin acknowledging affirmeth such as of whome no account Luke 1. is made in the world and are altogether vile in the eies of men by God to be aduaunced euen to heauenly dignitie and therefore sayeth that God had put downe the mightie from their seate and exalted them of low degree Saint Paul disputing of the calling of men to eternall saluation by the preaching of the Gospel shewing that the poore of this worlde haue the chiefe rowme and place in the eternall election of the Saints writeth thereof in this wise to the Church of Corinth brethren you see your calling howe that not manie wise â— Cor. 1. after the flesh not manie mightie not manie noble are called but GOD hath chosen the foolish things of the worlde to confound the wise God hath chosen the weake things to confounde the mightie vile things and things which are despised in the worlde hath God chosen and things which are not to confound the things which are that no flesh should reioyce in his sight Such Leuit. 26. Jere. 31. 1. Cor. 6. as were vile weake miserable poore base hath God called to be heires of his kingdom To these hath God made promise of good things euen that he would be their God they should be his people These are the Lords inheritance Exod. 19. 1. Pet. 2. and his portion for euer these are a chosen genetion a holy nation a roiall priesthoode a peculiar people vnto the Lord. Though then their condition be miserable in the worlde albeit they be implicate and inwrapped in basenesse pouertie yet are they replenished with spiritual treasure and chosen of God to be rich in faith and heires of his kingdome Seeing God so regardeth esteemeth and honoureth the poore of this world that in the inheritance of his heauenly kingdome he preferreth theÌ„ before the rich and proude of the people then is it great peruersnesse of iudgement to preferre the rich whom he reiecteth and contemne those whom he honoureth with the glorie of his heauenly kingdome Which place as it worthily condemneth the vanitie and peruersnes of their iudgment which preferre the prophane rich men of the world to the poore which are godly religious so is it also full of singular consolation and comfort for the poore thus dispised of men For if they haue an eye to the heauenly kingdom wherunto they are called by God what is more excellent If they regard eternall life whereof they are heires by Iesus Christ what is more glorious If they looke vnto the immortal incorruptible inheritance which is laid vp reserued for them 1. Pet. 1. in heauen what is more singular If they record recount with themselues that they are chosen of God to be rich in faith what is more comfortable Which dutifull consideration swaloweth vp as a bottomles gulfe deuoureth Rom. 8. all the miseries afflictions calamities of this world while wee holde fast the principle of the Apostle that all the afflictions and suffering of this life are not to be compared vnto the glorie which shal be reuealed to the children 2. Cor. 4. of God whose momentanie and light afflictions cause vnto them a farre more excellent waight of glorie while they looke not to the things which are present but to the things which are to come neither to those which are seene but to those that are not seene for the things which are seene are teÌ„porall but the things which are not seene are eternal This consolation incouragement paciently to endure the pouerty basenes of their life is herehence ministred by the apostle when to condemne such as haue the faith of Christ in respect of persons of peruersenes of iudgement he sayth Hearken my deare brethren hath not God chosen the poore of this worlde to bee rich in faith and heires of the kingdome which he hath promised vnto those that loue him That the Apostle sayeth hath not God chosen the poore of this world that they should be rich in faith c. it followeth not that therefore hee casteth off all rich men But here is mention made of the choosing of the poore partly for their comfort partly to beare downe the intollerable pride and insolencie of the prophane rich men partly to teach that God chooseth not men to his eternall inheritance for any thing whereof the worlde accounteth Otherwise it is true that God our of all estates of men chooseth certaine whome hee will make rich in fayth and heires of his kingdome which consisteth of all estates degrees and conditions of men seruants and maisters princes and people rich poore base and honourable for God would all men to be saued 1. Tim. 2. 2. Pet. 3. and to come to the knowledge of the truth God hath chosen the poore to be heires of his kingdom but you haue despised them to despise them whom God hath chosen to contemne them whom he accouÌ„teth of is in iudgement to swaâ—ue from God which is peruersnes for to oppose our selues to God in our iudgemeÌ„t and therein to be contrarie vnto him to preferre those whom he refuseth to refuse them whom god preferreth to honor theÌ„ whom God reiecteth to reiect those whom God honoreth is waâ—wardnes peruersnes in iudgmeÌ„t wherof they are guilty which honor rich prophane persons dispise the poore which are godly which is the first euil in these respecters of persons by the apostle here condeÌ„ned 2 The second euill in them is madnes it is a kinde of frantikenes madnes for men to reuerence honour and preferre those before the godly brethreÌ„ whoÌ„ they for many causes ought rather to accouÌ„t execrable cursed The prophane rich men for sundry causes ought to be held as execrable cursed theÌ„ to honor prefer exalt these is a kind of madnes This do the respecters of persoÌ„s who seeing a maÌ„ come in with a gold ring on his finger in good â—y apparrell say Sitte thou downe in a good place but to the poore in vile rayment say with contempt Sitte there â—or here vnder my footstoole The respecters of persons therefore are not onely peruerse in iudgement but mad after a manner also That the rich ought rather to be counted and helde â—s cursed then to be honoured and preferred before the â—oore brethren the Apostle sheweth and that for 3 great â—uils and sinnes which commonly raigne in the prophane â—ich men of
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
then the sinne of ignorance concludeth thus Wherefore he that knoweth to doe aright and doeth it not to him it is sinne that is the greater finne Our Sauiour in like manner condemneth the Iewes of Iohn 15. greater sinne because hee came in person to them and spoke vnto them yet they vtterly refused him and his doctrine which had they not done their sinne had been the lesse Thus their sinne of wilfulnes by Christ is iudged the greater their sinne of ignorance the lesser If men therefore weigh the causes beginnings affections of meÌ„ from whence sinnes spring that some are of wilfulnes others of ignorance some of malice others of infirmitie Therence may we easilie see the inequalitie of sinne 2 As of their causes sinnes are iudged so also they are iudged of their euents sinnes of malicious wickednes thrust out and expell the holy Ghost and Spirit of God so doe not sinnes of infirmitie Therefore sinnes of malicious wilfulnes are greater then sinnes of infirmitie Sinnes of wilfulnes abolish all faith from the hearts and all repentance from the liues of men and so consequently all Heb. 6. 16. Heb. 10. 26. Heb. 12. 17 hope of pardon and forgeuenes So doe not sinnes of infirmitie or ignorance This was and is manifest in Cain in Saul in the Pharisies in Iudas in Julian the Apostata backslidar in Lucian the mocker and such like Whereby it appeared that their sinnes were greater then the sinnes of other men And thus also may we iudge the inequality of sinnes 3 If we looke into the inequalitie of punishments they also argue inequalitie of sinnes for it were against equitie and right to punish like sinnes in one more sharply in another more slenderly Wherefore seeing almighty God the righteous and iust iudge of the whole earth Gen. 18. doeth punish some sinnes with greater some with lighter punishments it argueth vndoubtedly a manifest differeÌ„ce Gen. 3. of sinnes When Adam and Euah had sinned God layeth vnlike punishments vpon them lesse vpon Adam greater vpon Euah whereby it may appeare that the sinne of Euah 1. Tim. 2. 14. was greater then the sinne of Adam Salomon in his booke of wisdome in the difference of punishment intimateth Wisdome 6 the difference of sinnes Wherefore to shew that the sinnes of Princes are greater then the sinnes of the people he saith They which are most lowe are worthie mercie but the mightie shal be mightely tormented Our Sauiour Christ the eternall wisdome of God by inequalitie of punishments witnesseth inequalitie of sinnes vnto Luke 12. men To which purpose that serueth in the Gospell That seruant which knoweth the wil of his master and doeth it not shal be beaten with many stripes but he that knoweth not the will of his master yet committed things worthie of stripes shal be beaten with fewe stripes That sinne therfore which is punished with many stripes is the greater that which with fewer is the lesse sinne In another place he setteth downe degrees of punishments wherence degrees of sinnes may be gathered He saith Christ which is angrie with his brother vnaduisedly is worthie of iudgement Mat. 5. he that calleth him Racha is worthie of a councel who so calleth him foole is worthy to bee punished with hell fire As then a councell is greater then iudgement and hell fire then a councell so is contempt signified by Racha greater sinne then vnaduised anger and slaunderous and reproachfull speach by foole signified greater Mat. 10. then the signes of contempt Herence may it appeare that the sinne of Sodome was lesse then the contempt of the Gospel because our Sauiour auoucheth that it should be easier in the day of iudgement for the men of Sodome and Gomorrha then for that Citie which receaued not the Gospell Thus hee shewetb that the sinnes of Corazin and Mat. 11. Bethsaida are greater then the sinnes of Tyrus and Sydon the sinnes of Capernaum greater then of Sodome by the punishments which should be greater and heauier vpon Corazin and Bethsaida then vpon Tyrus and Sydon vpon Capernaum then vpon Sodom Wherefore he vpbraideth them and denounceth horrible vengeance against them Woe to thee Corazin woe to thee Bethsaida for if the myracles done in thee had been done in Tyrus and Sydon they had long agoe repented in sackcloth and ashes Verely I say vnto you it shal be easier for Tyrus and Sidon in the day of iudgemeÌ„t then for you And thou Capernaum which art lifted vp to heauen thou shalt be brought downe vnto hell for if the great workes which haue been done in thee had beene done among them of Sodom they had remained vnto this day But I say vnto you it shâ—lbe easier for theÌ„ of Sodome in the day of iudgement then for thee In that he therfore denounceth heauier iudgement against these Cities then against Tyrus Sydon and Sodoma it appeareth that their sinnes were the greater so they were indeede in respect of their knowledge of Gods will and the manifolde myracles they had shewed them to prouoke them which were not done vnto Tyrus Sidon or Sodoma the famous Cities To like purpose Mat. 12. the threatning of greater punishment to the blaspheming of the holy ghost then to the blaspheming of the sonne of man intimateth greater to be the sinne of blasphemie against the holy ghost in wilfully and maliciously resisting the trueth then the sinne of blasphemy against the sonne of man in taking offence at his basenes and humilitie And in reprouing the great hypocrisie of the Scribes and Mat. 23. Pharisies for deuouring poore widowes houses vnder pretence of long praier Christ sheweth that their sinne is greater then the other sinnes of men in that therunto he denounceth heauier condemnation Saint Paul maketh difference of mens sinnes by the difference of the punishments thereunto threatned or inflicted Rom. 2. wherefore in that men by contemning the long patience of God heape and treasure vp vnto themselues the greater punishment Therence it appeareth that the contempt of Gods great mercie and patience is a sinne greater then the common sinnes of men Saint Iames to Iames 3. Heb. 10. 28. signifie that vsurping authoritie ouer our brethren in curiouslie and rigorouslie condemning them when we our selues are likewise guiltie and faultie is a greater sinne then other sinnes among men declareth that by the punishment because it prouoketh God to punish vs therefore more seuerely therefore hee disswadeth the Saintes therefro My brethren be not many masters knowing that we shall receaue the greater condemnation The lawe it Deut. 25. self to teach an inequalitie of sinnes by the inequality of punishments willeth that punishments should be according to the hainousnes of the sinnes implying inequality of sinnes by inequalitie of punishments Salomon the wise man shewing that thefte is not so Pro. 6. abhominable in the sight of God as whordome is by the punishment of both for theft might be redeemed but adulterie
vsurpe authoritie rashly to iudge and condemne the brethren This I would to God our sharpe censurers and seuere iudgers would weigh who geue definitiue and peremptorie sentence of al men who chalenge a chiefe power and absolute authoritie ouer all their brethren who condemne without charitie whatsoeuer doeth not please them selues Would God they would but turne ouer the leafe wherein their owne infirmities are registred and turne the other ende of the wallet before them to fixe their sight vpon their owne blemishes and blottes of corruption then would their pride be abated their heate asswaged their chollor cooled their iudgementes moderated their arrogancie delaied and qualified and thēselues brought to a temperature not so ambitiously to vsurpe and arrogate to themselues the censuring of their brethren Which to effect and compasse in the Saints the Apostle vseth this reason also My brethren be not many masters knowing that we shall receiue the greater condemnation for in many things we sinne and fall all Of our manifolde fallings many are the occasions sundrie are the causes 1 The original corruption which lieth couched in our bosomes wherby we are led captiue vnto sinne 2 The snares of Sathan which he laieth to take vs and intangle vs in the pitfold of iniquitie 3 The euil examples which are presented before vs whereby we are drawen to all vngodlines euery day 4 The lenitie of the gouernours of discipline who according to the rule of iustice take not execution vpō sinne whereby others are pricked forwarde to like sinne For whereas punishment is not executed saith Salomō speedelie there are the hearts of men set vpon mischiefe Eccles. 8. Psal 101. Therefore Dauid saith hee would betimes destroy all the wicked of the land that he might cut off all the workers of wickednes from the citie of God 5 Finally the fearefulnes and flatterie of the Ministers of the word who either for feare or for fauour tell not men of their manifolde offences wherby they are occasioned sundrie waies to fall The reason of the Apostle is this Seeing all men are subiect to many falles and infirmities therfore must they not be too seuere against their brethren be not many masters saith the Apostle knowing that we shall receiue the greater condemnation for in many things we offend all Now the fall of man is double either particular or generall Particular as to fal into any one sinne or more as theft dronkennes adulterie murther couetousnes vsurie extortion slaunder lying blasphemy and the like Into some or many of these euen the most holy Saintes haue may and doe daily fall Generall falling is when men fall Heb. 6. 1. Iohn 5. Mat. 12 away not in one onely sinne but generally in all resist the grace of God offered This is apostacie this is the sin vnto death this is the sinne against the holy Ghost euen a generall and vniuersall falling away frō the knowen trueth Heb 6. 10. 2. Pet. 2. Whereof the authour to the Hebrewes affirmeth that who so doeth so sinne cannot be restored by repentance And S. Peter auoucheth that it were better for mē not to haue knowen the trueth then after that they haue knowen it to fall away from the holy commaundements Thus doe not the Saints fall but onely the reprobate Of the former kinde the Apostle speaketh for al men fal particularly in many things which we ought alwaies to cōsider that it might teach vs not to vsurpe authoritie ambitiously to censure and iudge our brethren whereunto this place and exhortation serueth My brethren be not many masters for we shal receiue the greater iudgement for in many things we offende or fall all Whereas Saint James willeth that wee be not many masters doeth it take away the authority of masters ouer their seruāts No assuredly for then would neither S. Paul so carefully nor Saint Peter so diligently haue geuen precepts concerning obedience of seruantes to their masters Saint Paul exhorteth seruants to be subiect to their 2. Tit. Ephes 6. masters and to please them in all things to be obedient to them which are their masters according to the flesh with feare and trembling in singlenes of minde as vnto the 1. Tim. 6. Lord. In another place in this wise he councelleth them Let as many seruants as are vnder the yoke count their 1. Pet. 2 masters worthy all honour that the name of God and his doctrine be not euill spoken of To whom Saint Peter subscribeth Seruants saith he be subiect to your masters with all feare not onelie to the good and courteous but also to the froward Seeing these Apostles haue enioyned this obedience to seruants towards their masters and the same spirite spoke in them and in Iames our Apostle it foloweth then that the authoritie of masters is not here abandoned If we must not be many masters neither be iudges ouer our brethren shall we thinke that power is taken away hereby from Princes iudges and magistrates ouer their Subiects and such as are vnder them Neither For then woulde not the Scriptures teach what magistrates should be in common wealthes neither enioyne obedience to be performed vnto them Moises being wearied with the gouernement of the whole people of Israel Exod. 18. is taught by Jethro his father in law the priest of Midian to chuse more offiicers and gouernours vnder him whose qualities are foure Men they must be 1 of courage 2 fearing God 3 dealing truly 4 hating couetousnesse Moises according to this counsell ordained Deut. 1. 16. officers and iudges ouer the people taught them their dueties and set downe the qualities in them required To whom obedience by the law of God is to bee performed Exod 20. Which God contained in the fourth commaundement where it is said honour thy father and thy mother not onely the parents of our bodies but the parents and fathers of the countrie which are princes and magistrates in common wealthes This obedience he requireth when he giueth them authoritie to determine causes and willeth Exod. 22. men to stande to their verdit Our Sauiour Christ taught the same by his own example who in tokē of ciuil Matt. 17. subiection paied tribute to Caesar And afterwarde being tempted by the Scribes and Herodians and demaunded Matt. 22. the question whether it were lawfull to giue tribute to Caesar or no answered them in this wise Giue to Caesar that which belongeth to Caesar and to God that which belongeth vnto God S. Paul by Christes spirit taught willeth euery soule to be subiect to hier powers because Rom. 13. their power is from God Finally S. Peter exhorteth all men to submit themselues to all maner humaine ordinance 1. Pet. 2. for the Lords sake The soueraintie of the prince ouer the people the correcting controlling and iudging of the magistrate and ciuill officer of the transgressing and offending persons is not hereby remoued VVhat if we may not bee many masters shall
at the pleasure of the rider The bitte being little in comparison of the horse preuaileth so greatly Euen so the tongue a small part and one of the least of all our boidly members guideth the whole body to good or to euill being moderated by reason then it profiteth no doubt greatly This when Theophrastus the Theophrastus famous philosopher considered he said not amisse That it were better trusting to an vntamed and an vnbrideled horse then to an vnbrideled tongue for the danger of the horse by not medling with him may bee preuented but because we carrie our vnbrideled tongues alwaies about vs the perill and danger thereof cannot bee auoyded The other similitude is from the sterne or rudder of the shippe Beholde the shippes also although they be great and driuen with fierce windes yet are they turned about with a small rudder whethersoeuer the gouernour lusteth The rudder is but a small peece of wood in respect of the whole shippe yet it turneth the greatest ship that is whethersoeuer the master pleaseth to auoide dangerous rockes sinking sandes and other perils of sea and waters and to bring it to the desired hauen whereunto they bende their iorney So the tongue is a little member yet ruled by reason it guideth the bodie and keepeth it from falling into sundrie mischiefes wherunto otherwise we are endangered It is little and small among other members of the bodie yet it boasteth great thinges and is effectuall and of force to compasse or at least attempt great matters Wherefore what the bitte in the horse mouth is to the gouerning of his whole bodie and the rudder of the shippe to keepe it from dangers to turne it to winde it to direct it in all points as shall seeme best vnto the master euen the same is a moderate tongue to the rule of the whole body If thou drawe and plucke in the bridle thou restrainest if thou geue the head vnbrideled horses will endanger thee if thou holde wisely the rudder thou maist saile in safetie if thou let it goe as it will the windes take holde of the shippe and carrie it into perill if thou pluck the raignes of the tongue thou restrainest it if thou geue libertie to the tongue it will bring thee to destruction if thou holde thy tongue with wisdome and reason thou liuest in securitie if thou let it runne at randonne thou shalt be plunged into vnrecouerable danger Thus by these two familiar similitudes of horses and shippes the one by the bitte the other by the rudder gouerned and directed the Apostle plainly setteth downe what profit and benefit redoundeth by the moderating of the tongue vnto men which is the first part of the handling of this matter These two similitudes in the thirde fourth and part of the fifth were conteined set downe to shewe the profit The 2. part of the handling of moderating our tongues In the other part of the fifth verss and in the other verses to the fifteenth the Apostle setteth downe the other part of the treatise and handling of this matter namely how good a thing it is to bridle and moderate our tongues from the euils and inconueniences which followe the vnbrideled tongue For as the profit of moderating our tongues is great so contrariwise the discommodities of the vntamed tongue and vnbrideled mouth are many Which thing he sheweth first generally then particularly Generallie the euils and discommodities of an euill tongue are set downe by two comparisons First the vntamed tongue is like fire a little fire is able to destroie much matter the tongue being little yet doeth great mischiefe A coale yea a sparke of fire oftentimes hath raised great flames whereby whole houses villages townes and cities woods fieldes and forrestes haue beene deuoured Costly buildings gorgeous houses goodly cities large kingdomes huge countries ample wildernesses and pleasant forrests by a little fire may bee subdued and brought to nothing So the tongue is a fire which destroyeth and wasteth the greatest matters One word of the tongue hath kindled fire of hatred in mens heartes which vntill death hath neuer beene extinct and put out yea it hath caused so great a flame as hath destroied many people and burnt vp many Nations so that with S Iames wee may worthely compare it to fire Which to signifie it may be that God almighty hath made it of forme colour and fashion like vnto a fire The tongue is sharpe rounde and small at the tippe or toppe but greater wider and broader downeward So fire vpward is sharpe small rounde but greater larger and broader downeward So that the vpper ende of the flame is sharpe but the nearer wee goe to the matter whereon it feedeth or burneth the larger wider and greater is the flame and fire Wherfore in shape and forme the tongue is like fire The tongue in colour is reddish so is the colour of the fire so that therein they agree together The fire is swift and runneth speedely sending out flames nowe this way now that way So the tongue runneth and rouleth this way and that way is swift also and nimble sending out sound farre and neare and therefore not vnlike vnto fire so that for many like respectes it may not amisse bee compared vnto fire Now as it is compared vnto fire so is it called a world of wickednes It is a sea of sinne a pitte of vice without bottome a masse of mischiefe the originall or instrumentall cause of manifolde euils so that verye heathen poets and persons haue confessed it the cause of all euill as the Poet Menander did Menander It is a world of wickednes because most mischiefes and greatest sinnes among men by vnbrideled and wicked tongus are determined attempted and perfourmed By the tongue theeues conferre together talke and determine of robberies manquellers and murtherers by their tongues raise vp braulings the causes oftentimes of cruell murther By their tongues adulterous and lechearous persons first tempt the chastitie of others and with their wordes agree vpon the wickednes By the tongue lying dissembling flatterie and counterfetting is committed By the tongue slaunder backbiting swearing blasphemie and periurie is vttered By the tongue false sentence is pronounced either to the condemning of the righteous or absoluing of the wicked both which are abhominable before the Lord. By the tongue men are led into errour through false doctrine drawen to wickednes Pro. 17. by lewde councell Through the tongue by false reports priuate men and princes kingdomes and countreis townes and cities societies and families are sette at variance By the tongue familiars and frendes haue beene set at daggers drawing and their quarrels thereby haue ended in bloud By the tongue quarrels are picked contentions See Basil in Psal 33. fol. 85. pag. 2. caused braulings growen to the great hurte of priuate states and the marueilous hurte and disturbance of of weales publicke With filthines of speach it corrupteth with dissembling and flatterie it deceaueth
Dauid the cause of his iust destruction Had Iudas the traitour learned to resist the diuell when hee put into Mat. 26. Iohn 18. his minde for lucre to betray his maister hee had not for that sinne fallen into dispaire wherein he was his owne hangman the testimonie of his euerlasting damnation If the rebels in the north not long since and the villainous traytours now of late with the traiterous conspiratours fresh in memorie had learned and endeuoured to resist the diuell when to shedde innocent blood when to depose the Lordes annnointed Elizabeth by the grace of God our soueraigne Ladie and Queene of Englande France and Ireland to bring in forraine nations to set vp a murtherer of her husband and the onely cause of many miseries and mischiefes both here and elsewhere in like manner to endeuour the vtter calamitie and finall destruction of their natiue soyle and Countrey they were by him sollicited and mooued neyther had their bodyes beene dismembred too gentle a punishment for so hainous iniquitie neither their soules endaungered to damnation as theirs were all which died in finall impenitencie Had we our selues men and women learned to resist the diuell when nowe by pride nowe by ambition nowe by couetousnesse nowe by extortion nowe by adulterie nowe by enuie nowe by one iniquitie nowe by another by him we are tempted to rebell agaynst GOD then shoulde wee not by committing these and the like sinnes so iustly open the mouthes of our Prophets and preachers to thunder out the heauie iudgement of God against vs and our Countrie neither should we be subiect to so many strange and newe diseases as the punishment of our new sinnes as raigne and abound among vs from yeare to yeare VVherefore both to auoyde manie mischiefes and miseries in our common and temporall life and also to flie the daunger of future calamitie and euerlasting damnation to come wee must euermore remember the exhortation which is giuen vs and holde fast the admonition of the Apostle Resist the diuell VVho beeing the auncient enemie of mankinde seeketh by all meanes to drawe vs from the loue and embracing of GOD and to couple vs in loue and league with himselfe therefore ought we to oppose our selues vnto him as to our mortall enemie withstand all carnall lustes all fleshly desires all wordly prouokements as the instruments of Satan that hauing peace with men without contention and performing reuerent obedience to God without rebellion we may rise vp against the deuill and in all things resist him as we are exhorted Now satan the deuill is sundry wise resisted of men How satan is resisted First by faith in Iesus Christ wherewith we armed stande fast without wauering thereby resist the assaults of satan the deuill S. Paule arming men against all spirituall 1. Cor. 16. assaults by satan and his ministers and preparing them to the spiritual battle with the deuill his members exhorteth them to stand fast in the faith wherby especially our spiritual enemies are beaten back resisted put to flight watch saith he stand fast in the faith acquite you like meÌ„ be strong S. Paul calleth faith the spirituall shield whereby Ephes 6. we are able to beare of and quench the firie dartes of the deuill therfore exhorting men to put on the whole armour of god he willeth them chiefly to take vnto them the shield of faith that thereby they may quench the firie dartes of the deuill The Apostle Peter preparing vs and 1. Pet. 5. 1. Iohn 5. 4 12. Reu. 11. arming vs against satan willeth vs to resist him by faith be sober saith he and watch for your aduersary the deuill goeth about seeking whom he may deuoure whom resist stedfast in the faith For which cause S. Augustine attribubuteth Lib. 3. c. 20 de lib. ar bitrio S. Basil in psal 32. this effect vnto faith that it vanquished ouercommeth and resisteth the deuill S. Basill vpon Psalm 32. What man is able to wage warre with the deuill vnles he flie to the helpe of the Captaine of the hoste therehence therefore through our faith in him wee wounde and thrust through our enemie When â—atan then assaulteth with any temptation there is no way better to resist him then by trusting perfectly in the grace of God vvhich is 1. Pet. 1. brought vnto vs by the reuelation of Iesus Christ and to be assured that seeing we are marked with the seale of Eph. 4. 2. Corin. 1. Iohn 10. the spirite for the sheepe of Christ therefore we cannot be plucked out of his handes that sith our names are written in the booke of life therefore vve cannot perish for euer by the temptation of Satan that in asmuch as we are chosen by God and predestinate from euerlasting Rom. 8. of the meere fauour of God to be conformable to the image of Christ therefore no creature in heauen aboue or in earth beneath nor in any infernall place no not Satan himselfe shal be able to seperate vs from the loue of God which is in Iesus Christ our Lord. This assurance of our hope this persuasion of our faith this certaintie of our saluation if we hold out before satan without wauering we shall in his temptations resist him and thus by faith is he resisted 2. As we resist him by faith so also we resist him by prayer when in our manifolde temptations we flie by prayer vnto God for succour against the deuill our auncient enemie when in the midst of the greatest assaultes of satan we runne for strength vnto God who is the defence the protectour shielde and deliuerie of his people and by whom all they which trust in him do not onely treade downe men their enemies but satan himselfe the aduersarie of all the sonnes of God by which meanes the assaultes of satan are expelled This way of resisting the Mat. 6. deuill our Sauiour Christ commendeth vnto men when he willeth vs among other things to pray for deliuerance from all euill and temptations of the enemie lead vs not into temptations but deliuer vs from euill Saint Paul setting downe the partes of our spirituall Eph. 6. armour which beyng put on and first girte and buckled about vs we shal be able to withstande our aduersarie the deuill after the girding of our loynes with veritie the putting on the brest plate of righteousnesse and the shooing of our feete with the preparation of the Gospell of peace and the taking in hande of the shielde of faith the helmet of saluation the sworde of the spirite which is the worde of GOD he ioyneth vnto all these prayer wherevvith satan is also repelled And experience teacheth the saints of God that if vvhen they are assaulted by satan they giue themselues incoÌ„tinently to praier then is the deuill foorthwith repelled and resisted For God is neare to those that call vpon him and will fulfill the desire of them that feare him and deliuer them vvherefore when
father of the Church searching and seeking out rhe true Serm. 4. domi 1. quadrag causes for vvhich the Saintes of God might lavvfully vveepe vvriteth that there be tvvo causes for vvhich they may so do 1 Because they haue omitted through negligence many things vvhich they should haue done 2 Because they haue committed through boldnesse manie things also vvhich should haue beene vndone by them the one he calleth the sinne of omitting the other the sinne of committing and for both ought men to vveepe before God Let vs therefore looke hereinto vvith vvakefull and vvatchfull eyes let vs recorde and recounte vvith our selues vvhat dueties and good things vve haue omitted vvhich vvee shoulde haue done either to God or man either to our selues or others to our ovvne charge or to straungers to our friends or to our enemies let vs call to minde vvhat euill we haue done vvhereby God hath beene dishonoured our neighbours iniuried our selues defiled other by our euill example allured to vvickednesse Hovv vve haue dishonoured God by blasphemie oppressed our neighbours by iniurie vsurie extortion deceite and couetousnesse hovve vvee haue defiled our selues vvith fornications adulteries vvantonnesse and fleshly vncleannes vvith drunkennesse surfetting or the like enormities hovv vve haue dravvne on others to like sinne by sight by persvvasion by action by motion shall it not make vs to vtter our repentance by vveeping If vve forget not that vve haue omitted our dutie of praier and inuocation to god and the performance of humble seruice vnto him that vve haue omitted the ministring to the necessitie of the Saints and the helpe vve should haue shevved to the needie brethren that vvee haue omitted many good opportunities vvhich haue beene offered for the encrease of our vertue fayeth pacience mercie and such like that vvee haue neglected the carefull visiting of the poore destitute vvhich liue in our streetes and complaine and perish before our eyes for lacke of reliefe that wee haue omitted many exercises of prayer of preaching of reading and meditating in the lawe of God that we haue omitted the doing of manie things which appertaine vnto godlinesse and true sanctification and committed much wickednes priuately publikely openly secretely in our soules in our bodies at home and abroade agaynst God and men in our conuersation in our communication haue wee not iust cause to chastise and afflict our selues by weeping When wee heare of our cruell dealings our intollerable pride our silthinesse of the flesh our riotousnesse of life our great falsehoode lying deceyte vnderminding one of another our enuie hatred malice slaunder reproch backebytings and all iniquitie which nowe reigneth in our whole life mercifull God what fountaines what welles of teares shoulde it cause in vs VVherefore if Democritus the Philosopher wept continually Democrit 9. to see the ignoraunce blindnesse and doting follie of man shall not wee weepe day and night to see the blindnesse ignorance wretchednesse and wickednes of our selues whereby we continually prouoke the wrathfull indignation of God against vs VVhen our goods are taken by pirates our wealth consumed by shipwracke our houses burnt with fire our landes taken from vs by violent oppression our riches wasted by pestilent vsurie our libertie restrained by cruell persecution our children miscarie suddenly our friendes die from vs dayly and one misfortune fall on the heeles of another what crying what wringing Psalm 42. 7. Job 2. 15. c of handes what lamenting what weeping is there among vs But that God by our wickednesse is offended his name through vs blasphemed his lawe and holy worde contemned his pacience and long sufferance dayly prouoked and abused his threatnings his admonitions his counsels neglected his louing mercie forgotten and his great benefites not remembred that many good things pertaining to duetie haue beene through our follies omitted and manie wickednesses whereof we should haue beene cleare committed by vs who weepeth who lamenteth Let vs deare Christians in the feare of God euermore remember alwayes holde fast this councell of the Apostle that by sorrowing and weeping wee may shew our affliction and chastising our selues by repentance 3. A thirde way of afflicting our selues is by turning our laughter into mourning our wanton laughing which proceedeth frō the dissolutenes of our minds must bee turned into mourning Here by laughter is vnderstoode that lasciuious and wanton mirth and giggling which is rife among fooles and vaine persons and which they take vp vpon euerie vaine occasion in the world whereby their follie appeareth as Sirach witnesseth who Ecclus. 19. making the vaine laughter of men an argument of folly sayth A mans garments excessiue laughter and going declare what he is descrie his follie And in another place not long after A foole lifteth vp his voice with laughter Ecclus. 21. but a wise man doth scarse smile secretly And Salomon in his preacher like as the noise of thornes vnder the pot Eccles. 7. which for a time crackle but profite nothing for they are consumed suddenly and quickely So is the laughter of a foole this is also vanitie This laughter our Sauiour Christ condemneth crying out wo and denouncing Luke 6. vengeance against such as gaue themselues to wanton mirth and vaine laughter Wo vnto you that now laugh for you shall waile and weepe Our foolish giggling our prophane laughter our dissolute mirth our wanton screaming and scrcking our disordered lifting vp of our voices in our incontinent mirth must be laid aside and be turned into mourning if so be we wil humble our selues by true repentance vnto God And here vnder laughter and mirth are vnderstood also all those delicates and delightes all those merry conceyts and pleasant pastimes all those iollities sportings wherein men take pleasure and so become forgetfull of the iudgements of God and neglect the chastising of themselues for their wealth vnto God Whereunto our Mat. 24. Sauiour Christ witnesseth the world should be giuen towardes the end thereof yea and at the very appearing of the Sonne of God in iudgement whereof the saith As the dayes of Noe were so shall the comming of the Sonne of man be for as in the dayes before the floude they did eate and drinke marie and giue in marriage vnto the day that Noe went into the Arke and knew nothing till the floud came and tooke them away euen so shall also the comming of the Sonne of man be Wherein hee shevveth that in the latter dayes men shal be giuen to brutish pleasures delights and pastimes which the Apostle in the Saints of God would haue to be turned into mourning suffer affliction sorrow and weepe let your laughter be turned into mourning 4. Finally as our laughter must be turned into mourning so must also our ioy be turned into heauines the ioy vvhich worldly minded men conceyue of worldly thinges the wanton reioycing of men must be turned into heauinesse hanging downe of head casting downe of countenance in signe of shame for
fight valiantely in this wise fight saith he and feare not for it is great honour to loose a mans life for his countrie therefore the rest of the citizens are defended by our vertue the mothers and children are thus in safegard which are the seede of the age to come Thus the temples remaine and good lawes pietie and shamefastnesse thus euery one shall enioy his owne thinges and landes when the enemies be expulsed to this ende haue lawfull warres bene vndertaken by the Saints these ends Abraham Moses Iosua the godly iudges Samuel Dauid and the rest in their vvarres haue respected and for this cause do vve also pray for princes and magistrates that by their power and prouident care we may lead our liues in 1. Tim. 2. godlinesse and safetie 3. Lastly warres may not rashly but aduisedly bee vndertaken with deliberation and counsell thereunto Prou. 24. the vvise man exhorteth with counsell thou shalt vndertake vvarres peace must be bought and redeemed though it be vvith losse as Hezechiah vvould rather giue his treasure to Sennicherib then wage warre with him Al things 3. Kings 18 and alwaies must be tried before vvee come to handie 3. Kings 18. 1. Off. blovves vvhich counsell the vvise Romane oratour giueth all things are first to be tempted before we contend by force and vveapons and the vvay to discide matters must first be sought out before vve trie the strength of vvarres Wherefore as surgions trie alvvaies before they cut or feare of a mans member vvhich they do at last least it breede to further daunger so may not vvarres be vndertaken but when other meanes haue bene sought and there is imminent perill and daunger ready to ensue thus by warres in certaine cases to resist is not vnlavvfull And these things in generall as they may stop the mouthes of the Anabaptistes so are their reasons in perticular ansvvered by Peter Martyr vpon Genes fol. 56. vpon 1. Samuel fol. 190. And by Caluin against them in his little vvorke so titled against the Anabaptists fol. 56. as the booke is in Octauo Finally it may here be enquireth vvhether righteous men may not resist the rage violence and force of men by aide of law I ansvvere they may Paul vvithstood the rage of his Act. 24. false accusers and enemies by defence in lavve before Festus the gouernour from vvhose corrupt iudgement he chalenging the benefit of the lavv appealed to the iudgement Act. 25. seate of Cesar the Emperour of the Romanes Saint Augustine commended Maximinus the Bishop for that Epist 50. Boniface he vvithstood the rage of the cruell Donatists by the ayde of the lavve and appealing to the magistrate vvhich had he not done saith he his patience had not deserued commendation but his negligence had deserued worthie reproofe Neither doth Paul find faulte with the Corinthians for going to law but that they went to law vnder vnbeleeuing 1. Cor. 6. iudges and that for trifles or else thereby to oppresse one another So that neither this resistaunce is against righteousnes and iustice neither here forbidden when S. Iames saith that prophane rich men slay the righteous and he doth not resist them And these are the three euils and great sinnes for which the Apostle denounceth their destruction against the wicked their fraudulent detayning their labourers wages their sensualitie of life and their crueltie and thus is the first mēber with the true perticular branches therof ended Now let vs pray O eternall and most mighty God the onely righteous iudge of all the world who hatest all oppression crueltie and vnmercifulnesse among men and delightest rather in iustice equitie and vnfayned righteousnesse sende downe thy heauenly spirite into our heartes powre dovvne thy holy Ghost into our mindes that vve alwaies carefull of vpright dealing true innocencie brotherly charitie may flie all deceitfull detayning all cruell oppression all wrongfull iniurying of our neighbours and embrace mercy pitie compassion towardes the poore distressed that we being alwaies farre from withholding the right from others by deceit from afflicting the brethren through violence from murthering the righteous by vnmercifulnesse may thereby auoide the dreadfull sentence of endlesse condemnation against the wicked rich men of the world denounced and euermore remaine in thy louing fauour and be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light through Iesus Christ our onely Sauiour Amen Iames Chap. 5. verses 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. Sermon 25. Verse 7 Be patient therefore brethren vnto the comming of the Lord beholde the husbandman watcheth for the precious fruite of the earth and hath long patience for it vntill he receaue the former and the later raine 8 Be ye therfore patient also settle your mindes for the comming of the Lorde draweth neere 9 Grudge not my brethren one against another least ye be condemned beholde the iudge standeth before the dore 10 Take my brethren the Prophets for an example of suffering aduersitie and of long patience which haue spoken vnto vs in the name of the Lord. 11 Beholde we count them blessed which endure yee haue heard of the patience of Iob and haue knowen what end the Lord made For the Lord is very pitifull and mercifull THese wordes are an exhortation to patience 2. Place of the Chapter Being the second place and parte of this Chapter Which place being resolued into the partes and particulars therin conteineth foure speciall members Namely 1. The exhortation to patience 2. A similitude whereby patience is taught vs therein are three things 1. The similitude 2. The applicatiō 3. The reason 3. The handling of patience by the contrary which is grudging 1. The thing 2. The reason 4 The reasōs why we should be patient and they are foure 1. From example of the prophets in generall 2. From the rewarde of patience 3. From example of Iob. 4. From the nature of God who is mercifull and pitifull 1 Touching the first it is the exhortation which S. Iames very fitly and conueniently setteth downe for in the former place hauing entreated of the crueltie iniuries which by the prophane men and couetous wicked riche persons the poore suffer least therewithall they should be pressed downe to the ground The Apostle against these and all other iniuries troubles and afflictions incident to this life comforteth them exhorting them patiently to beare the crosse imposed and to suffer with quietnes the manifolde troubles of this life earnestly expecting in their mindes the comming of the Lord Iesus Christ who shal plentifully auenge their iniuries vpon the heads of their oppressors for which cause they ought to be patient vnto the comming of the Lord. This vertue of patience is a most excellent ornament in the life of a Christian neither is there any other thing more seemely or more answerable to the condition of the professours of the Gospell of Christ Iesus then with inuincible courage and constancie to beare and sufferre the manifolde afflictions whereunto we
length of daies from seede time to haruest shall not christians looking for immortall fruite of their patience settle their hearts so that neither multitude of troubles nor waight of miseries nor grieuousnes of oppressions nor number of iniuries shal be able to dawnte and disquiet them be yee therefore patient and settle your hearts saith the Apostle And in the manifold afflictions of this life the harts Mēs minds settled in affections minds of Gods Saints are sundrie waies settled 1. Our hearts are settled in our afflictions by the sweete promises we haue from God of our deliuerance who hath promised to deliuer the righteous out of troubles and such a◠put their trust in him Dauid thereof saith Many are Psal 34. the troubles of the righteous but the Lorde deliuereth out of all In another place to like purpose the saluation Psal 37. of the righteous is of the Lorde hee shal be their strength in time of trouble Therefore almighty GOD Psal 5◠saith to his people call vpon me in the day of thy trouble and I will deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie mee The Prophete exhorting men to settle themselues to rest Psal 36. 91. 15. and relie vpon God in their miseries yea in all thinges giueth this counsell from the promise of God commit thy cause or thy way vnto the Lord and trust in him and he shall bring it to passe He will bring foorth thy righteousnesse as the light and thy iudgements as the noone day Thus hath God promised to defend our cause to restore vs to our right and in our miseries to deliuer vs therfore ought we therby to settle our mindes God saith 1. Cor. 10. Paul is faithful which wil not suffer vs to be tempted aboue our strength but wil giue the issue with the tētatiō that we may bear it And S. Peter The Lord knoweth how 2. Pet. 2. to deliuer the godly out of tentation Seeing then wee haue such sweete promises of deliueraunce out of troubles therefore therein ought we to be patient and to settle our mindes vpon these promises that the Lorde will deliuer vs in due time from all afflictions and finallie washe away all teares from our eyes as the Scripture teacheth 2. As by the promises of our deliuerance our hearts or settled through patience in our oppression so also ought they to be settled in the experience we haue of the power of God in the deliuerance of the righteous If we looke to others or our selues we shall finde experience triall of this truth whereby our heartes ought in all our miseries to be settled Hath not God deliuered Moses and Exod. 14. Israell his people from the armie of Pharao when the red sea was before them hard sharpe rockes on both sides the enemie at their heeles following so that their state was daungerous What did not God deliuer Dauid from 1. King 18 19. 20. 21. 23. 24. sundry attempts of Saul who sought by many waies his vtter confusion for which cause he so often praiseth God for his deliuerance as the booke of Psalmes therewith is replenished and full Was not Hezechiah the godly king deliuered Psal 18. 23. 27. 86. 144. 4. Kings 19 mightily by God from the powre and armie of Sennacherib into whose iawes God put his bitte bridle and ledde him away into his owne countrie by a rumour of inuision that vvas brought him and by the destruction of his armie by the Angell of God Did he not deliuer the Israelites out of the hands of the Philistines other their enemies which often and long time had them in subiection as the booke of Iudges of Samuell recordeth When the Aramites had besieged Samaria therfore Iudges 1. Samu. 4. Kings 7. the people Prince and countrie in great distresse by famine and perill by reason of the enemie was it not deliuered miraculously by God who caused the Aramites to heare a noyse of horses and charrets vvherewith they terrified fledde and lefte their prouision behind them Was not Iehosaphat by him deliuered both in the battle 3. Kings 22 in Ramoth Gilead and also from the Moabites Amorites and Amalachites which ioyned battle against him hath he not deliuered infinite other his holy Saints from 2. Chron. 22 their oppressions afflictions and troubles they haue suffered if wee seeke experience in our selues vvhich of See Psalm 61. v. 4. 63. v. 7. 91. 4. vs is it vvhom at one time or another God hath not deliuered eyther from peril by lande or by sea at home or abroade eyther from oppression and iniuries of open enemies or daungers of counterfaite friendes either from griefe of minde of sickenesse of bodie eyther from spoyle of goods or perill of life by the wicked Seeing therefore we haue this triall and experience of Gods helpe in our oppressions shall we not therein be patient and settle our hearts 3. Neither thus onely are our hearts settled in our miseries but also when we cast our eies vpō the crowne of glory which we shall receaue the glorious hope whereof we shal be pertakers if we endure with patience we should settle and quiet our mindes in our miseries Thus Paul exhorting the Romanes to settle their hearts and in their Rom. 8. afflictions which by the example of Christ they should suffer comforting them telleth them that the sufferings of this their mortall and temporall life are not to be compared to the glory which should be reuealed to the sonnes of God And in like manner to the Church of Corinth the 2. Cor. 4. momentanie afflictions which are for a season cause vnto vs a far more excellent eternall waight of glory while we look not to things which are seen but to things which are not seene for the things which are seene are temporal but the things which are not seene are eternall Our Sauiour Heb. 12. Christ settled his hart vpō the hope he had of the glorious crowne wherof he should be partaker By whose example S. Paul exhorteth vs also to endure with patience the afflictiōs of this life run with setled minds the race which is set before vs looking vnto Iesus the authour and finisher of the faith Who for the ioy that was set before him endured the crosse and dispised the shame and is set at the right hand of the throne of God This crowne is giuen the Saints after their miseries here be ended and they are made partakers of the promises after the troubles of this life are finished whereunto hauing an earnest regard and casting their eyes continually thereby their hearts and mindes are settled so that these miseries and afflictiōs are mightily borne of them vnder the burden whereof they are not greatly disquieted As in the Apostles the holy martyrs and many other of the chosen Sonnes of God is apparent 4. Finally our hearts in afflictions are settled when we record and recount often the
his good will to be laide vpon our loynes He is at hand to view whether through impacience we bite the lippe hang downe the heade wring the handes stampe with the foote stare with the eyes murmure with our mouthes or any wise frette fume or rage agaynst God or whether in the moderation and quietnesse of our mindes wee in inuincible fortitude manhoode and courage doe beare the oppressions of the wicked that either hee may punish our impaciencie our crowne our constancie with immortalitie and glorie This consideration might teach vs carefully therein to behaue our selues For as the eye of the mistres keepeth the maiden the eye of the parents the childe the eye of the maister his seruant in awe and in order euen so the presence of the Lorde and his watching and wakefull eye keepeth vs in our afflictions in godly moderation that therein we breake not out into rages through our impaciencie 4 Finally the Lord is at hand and the iudge at the doore to execute his iust iudgements vppon them that wrongfully afflict his seruants and powre out the vessels and vials of his wrath agaynst them that trouble his chosen So that albeit our persecutours and aduersaries for a time rage exercise their tyranny vpon vs yet they shall not endure and continue alwayes neyther shall they scape scotfree neyther shall they auoyde the reuenging hand of God which in it due time shall light vpon them in full weight and presse them to powder in his sore indignation who suffereth not the rodde of the wicked alwayes to bee vpon the righteous but by executing vengeaunce vppon their aduersaries giueth peace vnto Israel whereunto hee is readie for as a Iudge hee is at hande to reuenge the righteous and to punish also the wicked and cruell oppressours of his people This place of Saint Iames may easily teach vs that the cause of all impaciencie and desire of reuenge agaynst our aduersaries and all muttering and murmuring in our afflictions proceedeth and groweth from this wicked stocke roote heade or fountaine euen from the ignoraunce of the power and presence of God For were we throughly perswaded that God almightie seeth our miseries is able to deliuer vs beholdeth our behauiour vnder the crosse and will in due time auenge our cause vpon our enemies were we fullie assured that we are not left to the rashnesse and temeritie of foolish fortune and blinde chaunce which thinges Christians doe not acknowledge neither subiect to the willes pleasures crueltie and tyrannie of men but according to the good purpose of our God who numbreth euen euery heare of Matt. 10. our heades so that without his prouidence not one of them shall perish what a steppe would this make to pacience what quietnesse would it worke in our hearts what strong consolation and comfort would it cause in our afflictions howe effectually would it remooue all murmuring from vs that in all things we should holde fast the exhortation of the Apostle grudge not one against another brethren least you be condemned behold the iudge standeth before the doore Reasons why we should be pacient 4 The fourth and last thing in this treatise concerning pacience is the rendring of certaine reasons why the Saints of God ought to addres them to pacience vnder the crosse and the manifold afflictions of this life the reasons are foure as hath beene noted 1 From the example of the Prophets which haue spoken vnto vs in the name of the Lord. Which reason may thus be formed that which the holy Prophets of God haue suffered that wee by their example ought to suffer in like manner but the Prophets of God haue suffered aduersitie and haue had pacience we ought therefore to suffer in like manner and in all our troubles to haue pacience To reason from example of other and thereby to moue to pacience is most vsuall in holy Scripture Christ Matt. 5. our Sauiour exhorteth his to suffer paciently reuilements persecutions and all manner of euill by the example of the holy prophets whome men in their time Heb. 12. likewise persecuted The authour to the Hebrues reasoneth from the example of our Sauiour Christ wherby he stirreth and moueth the Iewes to pacience seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses let vs cast away euery thing that presseth downe and the sinne that hangeth on so fast and let vs runne with pacience the race which is set before vs looking vnto Iesus the authour and finisher of the faith who for the ioye that was set before him endured the crosse despised the shame and is set downe at the right hand of the throne of God The Apostle S. Peter also reasoneth from the same 1. Pet. 2. example in sundrie places of his first Epistle to the same vertue but chiefly when he thus writeth hereunto are ye called for Christ also suffered for you leauing you an example that you should follow his steps Who when he was reuiled reuiled not againe when he suffered threatened not but committed it to him that iudgeth righteously in which place through the consideration and vew of Christs example the Apostle moueth Christian seruāts to abide with patience the heauie yoke of their harde seruitude vnder infidels and vnbelieuing maisters And our Apostle S. James persuading the saints and chosen seruants of God patiently to endure the cruel persecutiō and affliction of prophane rich men of this worlde draweth his first argument and reason from the example of the holy prophets take saith he my brethren the prophets for example of suffering aduersitie and of long patience which haue spoken vnto vs in the name of the Lord. The examples of Gods saints in generall who haue bene subiect to manifold afflictions therin haue quit themselues patient are many And leauing Abels suffering by Cain his brother Abraham his patiēce in the iniuries he suffered by the Egiptians Philistins princes of the east Isaac his patience in respect of the iniuries of Ismael and the Philistins Jacob touching the oppressions attempts and deuises of Esau Joseph by the patriarks his brethren and infinite the like the Apostle generally propoundeth vnto vs the example of the prophets which haue spoken vnto men in the name of the Lord. Which thing if we shall particularly vnfold let vs begin with Moses the great Prophete which spoke in the name of the Lorde to Pharao and the Egyptians to Israel and the Iewish people Exod. 5. 6. 16. Nu. 11. 16. the chosen people of God what vile speaches reproches and checkes bore he at the hands of Pharao what rebellions vprores false accusations suffered he at the hands of the people who is so blinde that seeth not or so ignorant which knoweth not How Elias was persequuted by 3. Kings 18. 19. 4. Kings 2. 9. Achab and Iesabel how Eliseus was mocked of the children and sought for by the king of Syriah to haue bene punished the stories aboundantly witnesse vnto all
not shrinke from it saying of the fruire of thy bodie will I sett vpon thy throne The Prophet Isai speaking of the deliuerance of the Israelites out of their captiuitie in Babylon by Cyrus Isai 45. and of the calling of the Gentiles for the faithful accomplishment of that promise hee bringeth in God himselfe swearing I haue sworne by my selfe the worde is gone out of my mouth in righteousnesse and shall not returne that euerie knee shall bowe vnto me and euerie tongue shall sweare by my name The Lord himselfe willeth the Prophet in his name to make this protestation vnto the Ezech. 33. world Say vnto them as I liue saieth the Lord God I desire not the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his wayes and liue Which place Tertullian citing crieth out the Lord sweareth saying as I liue hee Lib. de poenitentia would that men should beleeue him O happie men for whose cause the Lord sweareth O most miserable wretched if we beleeue not the Lord when he sweareth More of the othe of God may be seene Psal 95. v. 11. Iere. 11. 5. Luke 1. 73. Heb. 6. 13. Deut. 4. v. 21. 31. From God to come to the example of the Patriarks Abraham the great and mightie Patriarke making a Gen. â—1 league with Abimelech the king of the Philistins swore vnto him that hee for his part woulde keepe that league inuiolable Whose sonne Isaac the patriarke to like Gene. 26. purpose swore to the same prince and his people Dauid a Prophet and a Patriarke as Peter calleth him swore to Ionathan 1. Kin. 20. 2. Actes 2. when hee made a league of friendship with him and by othe also promised to Saul that he would not destroy his posteritie Our Sauiour Christ his othe in the Gospel was Amen Amen Velily verily I say vnto you 1. King 24. which not onely S. Chrysostome taketh for an othe but others innumerable of great learning sounde iudgement singular knowledge in the Scriptures of God Which othe is in many places set downe by the Euangelists as Mat. 5. 18. 26. v. in Iohn more often 3. Iohn 3. v. 5. Iohn 24. 25. verses 14. Iohn 12. Iohn 16. 20. Saint Paul drawen on and led by these examples almost in euery Epistle sweareth God is my record whom I Rom. 1. serue in my spirit in the Gospel of his sonne that without ceasing I make mention of you saith he to the Church of Rome then being In another place I take God to record 2. Cor. 1. against my owne soule that to spare you I came not as yet to Corinth To the Church and Congregation of God Gal. 1 at Galatia hee thus breaketh out the things that I write vnto you beholde I witnesse before God that I lie not Thus both God and the Patriarkes Christ and his Apostle is our example hereof so that it cannot be a thing vnlawfull Nowe if they replie that it was lawfull in the time of the lawe but not in the time of the Gospel that may easily bee refuted for our Sauiour Christ disanulled no Mat. 5. part of the morall lawe but fulfilled it therefore thereof sayeth hee I came not to breake the lawe but to fulfill it And this is a part of the morall lawe therefore at Christes comming was it not abholished but standeth in full strength power and vertue for euer Neither can their cauill impeach this doctrine for that our Sauiour the setter foorth of the Gospel and Paul a faythfull preacher of the same and both in the prime of the Gospell haue sworne wherehence it is apparant that euen vnder the Gospell it was lawfull for Christians to sweare 3 Lastly the lawfulnes of an othe euen among Christians herehence appeareth in that the ende of othes is profitable and the vse necessarie among men For whose vse is profitable and good and whose ende is needefull and necessarie that must needes be good profitable and lawfull Such a thing is an othe taken in the feare of God Some things are done in such secrecie and so priuilie that they cannot bee knowne or come ro light but onely by an othe then men are forced to take an othe and to witnesse a truth in the name of God the knowledge whereof is right necessarie among men So in the lawe when a man had laid a pawne or any other thing vpoÌ„ trust to another and the thing were lost or miscaried vnder Exod. 22. Num. 5. 19. his hands if the theefe were not founde the receyuer should be brought before the Iudge and take his othe whether hee had stole it conueyed it away and embefiled it or no. VVhereof seeing the owner had no witnesse he to whom it was committed and had receyned it was put to his othe whether it was gone by his meane and knowledge Thus had this othe a necessarie ende and vse among the people VVhen the people of Israel were afflicted by the men of Ai for the trespasse and sinne of Achan in taking the execrable thing from Hiericho Iosua 7. this thing beeing secrete and vnknowne Iosua commaunding all the tribes to appeare and Achan at the length taken Iosua willeth him to sweare and to vtter the truth which he did and was punishid and the fauour of God againe obtained for his people The authour to the Hebrewes commending lawfull othes vnto Heb. 6. men affirmeth that an othe for confirmation among men is the ende of all strife In euerie christian common wealth othes are for many such causes taken without which as many sinnes would lie secret and vnknowne to the great hurt of men so many duties would bee vnperformed were not men therunto bound by solemne othe and protestation the reuerend care whereof woorketh great good in the Church and common wealth albeeit many most wickedly and vngodly haue and doe despise the religion thereof Seeing then the lawe it selfe commendeth it the example of God the Patriarkes Christ and his Apostles confirmeth it seeing the end is necessarie and the vse profitable in the church coÌ„mon wealths of Christians what absurditie is it in supersticious Anabaptists to condemne all othes al swearings amoÌ„g men Othes then taken onely in the name of God for matters weightie and of importance righteous iust and true to the glorie of God the ending of controuersies the performance of duetie the profite peace and quietnesse of the Church and common wealth with pure affection to truth equitie and godlinesse with hatefull minds to falshood iniuries wickednes and oppression are lawfull in the Saints of God and in true Christians euen vnder the Gospel of Iesus Christ These things thus premised and set downe before wherehence it appeareth that all othes are not condemned neither euerie manner of swearing forbidden the Saints of God what manner of swearing doth the Lord in his law our Sauiour in the Gospell and this Apostle in this place forbid and condemne When
and horrible is the sinne both before God and man And shall we think it our lawfull excuse we haue got a custome of swearing we cannot leaue it therefore we are to be excused Things therefore that are receiued by custome being euil are so much the worse how much more customable and ought with so much greater care to be corrected how much more wee are therewithall inured 3 Neither can example of the multitude helpe vs we doe but as all other men doe we see such men such women sweare as deepely as we doe This excuseth not the fact this deliuereth not from punishment The more men sinned in the sinnes of the first world the more was Gen. 6. 7. Gods wrath kindled and the heauier condemnation fell vpon them The more vniuersall and common the sinnes of Sodom were the lowder they cried to GOD for vengeance Gen. 19. The more the Israelites were defiled with fornication with the daughters of Moab the more therfore by the hand of God pearished The more the Prophetes of Numb 25. Baal were the more horrible was their idolatrie The 3. Kings 18. Ierem. 44. more resisted the word of the Lord by the handes of Ieremie the greater was the rebellion The more rose vp against Steuen the Martyr the greater was their contempte and wickednes The Apostles of Christ Peter Paul and Iude do not diminish the sinne but increase the wickednes of the seducers Acts 7. of men by their multitude Let not the multitude of wicked persons let not the vaine example of vile sinners drawe vs vnto this transgression but laying apart all excuse for the vanitie and wickednes of out othes let vs incontinently leaue them least we running on in our horrible and blasphemous swearing procure the heauy hand of God against vs in this life by sundrie plagues to punish vs and in the life to come to cast bodie and soul into that bottomlesse pitte of perdition and finall condemnation there for our vaine swearing to be punished for euer From which torments hee deliuer vs who was wounded for our transgressions and broken for our iniquities chastised and punished for our sinnes and through whose onely stripes we are healed euen Iesus Christ our blessed Sauiour To whom with the Father and the holy Ghost be all praise dominion power and maiestie now and for euer more Amen Iames Chapter 5. verses 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. Sermon 27. Verse 13 Is any afflicted among you let him pray Is any mery let him sing psalmes 14 Is any sick among you let him call for the elders of the church and let them pray for him and annoint him with oyle in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of the faithfull shal saue the sicke and the Lord shall rayse him vp and if hee hath committed sinnes they shal be forgeuen him 16 Acknowledge your faults one to another praie one for another that you may be healed for the praier of a righteous mā auaileth much if it be feruent 17 Elias was a man subiect to like passions as we are and he prayed earnestly that it might not raine and it rained not on the earth for three yeares and six moneths 18 And againe he prayed and the heauens gaue raine the earth brought forth her fruite 4. parte of this chapter IN these wordes and the rest to the ende of the Chapter the fourth and laste parte of this Chapter is conteyned namely touching our behauiour both in our owne infirmities and in the infirmities of others what is best therein to bee done In which place two things may be obserued First what is the best remedie against outwarde and bodily afflictions and infirmities Secondly what is best to be done in the inwarde infirmities of our brethren and howe wee ought therein to behaue our selues These wordes concerne the first thing what is the best remedie agaynst bodily and outwarde infirmities or afflictions and how therein the Saintes should behaue themselues These words therefore shew how wee shoulde behaue our selues in bodily afflictiōs infirmities which thing the Apostle doth 1 Generally shewing what is the best remedie against all afflictions outwarde and bodily namely prayer which hath place both in sorrowe and in ioy 2 Particularly in sicknes what ought to be done what remedies to seeke after 1 The praiers of the elders with annointing with oyle in the name of the Lord. 2 Mutual confession with mutuall prayer Concerning then the remedie against bodily and Remedie against outwar◠afflictions in general outward molestations and infirmities the Apostle beginneth with the generall shewing what is the best remedie generally agaynst all afflictions of the bodie and outwarde euen prayer which hath place both in sorrowe and in mirth and ioy whereof thus sayeth the Apostle Is anie among you afflicted Let him pray Is any merrie let him sing Wherein we are taught what Christians should doe and howe to behaue themselues in all the chaunges and chaunces of this life whether they taste of the bitter cuppe of afflictions or else bee partakers of the pleasantnesse of prosperitie whether they bee in wo or whether they bee in wealth in both which states and conditions of our life our recourse must bee to God in affliction by petition in ioy and mirth by thankes giuing the other part of prayer So that praier is profitable and hath it place both in sorrowe and in ioy both in mourning and in mirth which thing Saint James to insinuate and signifie to vs sayth is any man among you afflicted Let him pray Is any merrie let him sing Thus in our afflictions must we pray for comfort and deliuerance in ioy and mirth must wee sing Psalmes of praise and thankesgiuing for his blessings and benefites vnto God Whereby the corruption and peruersnesse of our nature is corrected who in our afflictions cast downe the countenancethang downe the head grind the teeth and fome at the mouth in our posperitie and mirth are forgetfull of God the giuer of all goodnesse and graces are puft vp with pride and swell in our vaine confidence Deut. 8. Psal 10. c. 30. Iere. 31. Which our vanitie is here corrected and we taught in affliction to pray and in ioy to be thankefull And to come to these in particular is any man among you afflicted saith the Apostle let him pray Affliction in this place is not so much that destresse and trouble whereof the causes are apparant and manifest against which pacience frō the seuenth to the twelft ver was set downe as a remedie as that trouble whereof the causes are not knowen or apparaunt so manifestly as the former and yet wee afflicted whereunto the Apostle setteth downe prayer as the best remedie Is any among you afflicted let him pray Are wee pinched with pouertie are we distressed with famine are we pressed with miserie are we compassed about with anie calamitie then let vs pray that God will giue
and affirmeth that in Africa it was receaued to the ende that men might thereby bee the more stirred vp to zeale to Gods worde feruencie and earnestnesse in praier al other laudable seruices to God And this was in such moderation as that the note carried not away nor lib. 2. retrac confounded the dittie neither the sound the sence of the thing Whereof Saint Augustine being afraide desired the vse of Athanasius in the Church of Alexandria who caused his Reader to stande and sing with so little inflection Lib. 10. confis 23. of the voice and so great moderation and modestie that it was more like the sounde of one pronouncing then singing and yet singing in that modest manner Such like singing therefore whether it bee in our priuate houses or whether it be in the face of the Congregation is commendable And this is the kinde of singing in our exercises to God whether they be priuate or publicke that may be iustified Saint Iames requireth in our priuate gratulations and thanksgeuing for benefites to almightie God that we should in this wise sing Is any merrie let him sing To sing therefore in the modestie and moderation of our affections in the manifolde ioyes and blessinges of this life in token of our thankefull hearts to GOD for the blessinges and benefits from him so plentifully receaued is here commended by the Apostle Is any man mery let him sing In the generall afflictions therefore of our life the best remedie is praier here by Saint Iames prescribed whereof there is vse both in sorow and in ioy in aduersitie and prosperitie according to the doctrine here deliuered Is any among you afflicted let him pray is any merry let him sing Thus are we here taught generally when we are either moued by affliction or merrie in minde by occasion of Gods blessings what to doe which is the first parte of this treatise 2 As men in their afflictions generally are here Remedie in particular affliction of Sickenes taught to commend their causes and cases to GOD by praier so in the next second place he teacheth vs what particularly in sicknes we should doe shewing to what remedie we must runne to what Physicion we must seeke to in our extremitie of sicknes a particular affliction wherof thus saith Saint Iames Is any sicke among you Let him sende for the Elders of the Church and let them praie for him c. The elders of the Church must be our chiefe Physicions Ecclus. 38 9. 10. 11. 12 their praiers vnto God for vs must be the first remedy we must seeke after in our sicknes according to the doctrine of the Apostle By Elders here are vnderstoode the graue godlie wise and discreete brethren they chiefly of the ministerie as most conuenient it shoulde be as vnto whom this excellent gift and power was geuen with other of the people as oftentimes iust occasion serued for them and so often both together as was most profitable such as were able in errour to instruct in griefe to comfort in sorowe to solace and in sicknes to aduise the patient To them not to sorcerers inchaunters witches wise-womē or wise men are we commanded by Saint James in our sicknes to flie To the Saints and Elders of the Church in the Apostles time was the gift of healing sicknes and bodilie infirmities geuen according as our Sauiour Christ had promised his Disciples whom sending foorth Christ encourageth them from the effect their preaching shoulde 〈◊〉 16. take and from the graces which shoulde be geuen them which beleeued through their preaching Goe ye into al the world and preach the Gospell to euery creature hee that shall beleeue and be baptized shal be saued but hee that will not beleeue shal be condemned And these tokens shall followe them which beleeue In my name they shall cast out deuils and shall speake with new tongues and they shall take away serpents and if they shall drinke any deadly thing it shall not hurte them they shall lay their hands on the sicke and they shall recouer This gift was therefore promised the faithfull and the brethren in the second sending foorth of the Apostles into the world Of which gift the Apostles in their first sending out were partakers Therefore Saint Marke thereof speaking saith They cast out many deuils and annointed many that Marke 6. Mat. 10. 8. were sicke and they were healed The Apostle S. Iames speaketh of this matter as it was in his time wherein the Saints and brethren had the gift of healing Saint Paul reckoning vp the gifts of the holy Ghost in his time poured out vpon the Church mentioneth there-among the gift of healing To one is geuen the word of wisdome to 1. Cor. 12. another is geuen the word of knowledge by the same spirite to another is geuen faith by the same spirite to another the gift of healing by the same spirite The signe of this gift of healing was annointing with oile in the name of the Lord therefore Saint Iames here exhorteth that the Elders of the Church be sent for that they pray that they annoint the sicke in the name of the Lord. Whilest then the gift of healing being but a tēporall gift to continue for a season was in the church so long the signe thereof which was annointing with oile continued the gift shortly after the apostles time ceasing the signe ceased also Notwithstanding our aduersaries the Papists by an apish and eluish imitation of the Apostles contrarie to their meaning retaine the signe the thing ceasing And albeit healing be taken from the Church yet doe they anoint still which also they make a Sacrament and call it extreame vnction which they minister to the sick not in signe of health and recouerie as the Apostles did but whē there is no hope of life in them then annointe they men and women as a goodly remedie and helpe against sinne satan death and damnation Whose erronious opinion hath no sure foundation no certaine ground no true establishment in the Scriptures And for those places which they vse and alleadge for the same they helpe no whit at all Where they alleadge out of Marke that the Apostles did annoint with oile and so healed it is true Let them therence reason Marke 6. and their reason is absurd The Apostles annointed such as were thereby healed therefore we will vse to annoint such as are readie to die What sequence or following is there in this reason The Apostles did it to such as recouered they doe it to none but such as they geue ouer to death and haue no hope of their life The Apostles did it in token of health they doe it as a sure aide against satan sinne death and damnation holding that who so in that extremitie is so annoynted shal be out of danger of Satan and death This continued but for a time and these men would haue it to remain as a sacrament for euer How
health are in the power of God alone and not in the hande of mortall man Men are meanes praiers are instruments but it is God that saueth yea which healeth Another effect of praier is that through the faithfull praiers of the Saints their sinnes are forgiuen the sicke If saith Saint Iames hee hath committed sinne it shall be forgiuen him Whereâ—â—â—o Saint Iohn condiscendeth if any man see his brother sinne a sinne not vnto 1. Ihon. 5. death let him aske and hee shall giue him life for them that sinne not vnto death As therefore the faithfull prayers of Gods Saintes are not causes but instruments of obtayning health so are they also meanes of obteyning remission of our sinnes at the handes of God Matt. 6. Therefore our Sauiour in that fourme of prayer which he woulde to bee vsed for our selues and for our brethren also willeth that wee shoulde praye for forgiuenesse of sinnes not in our selues onely but in our brethren also VVherewith Christ mooued prayed for the Luke 23. Iewes and Steuen for forgeuenesse of those men which persecuted him Seeing therefore that the prayers of the Acts 7. Elders hath this double effect they ought not to be neglected of men Nowe where the Apostle witnessed that the sinnes of the sicke shoulde bee remitted and forgiuen by the praiers of the Elders it sufficiently refuteth the sharpe and rigorous censure of the Nouatian heretikes and their horrible blasphemie who denie pardone of sinne to such as anie wise sinne after their conuersion to the Gospell and the knowledge of the trueth Saint Iames affirmeth that if anie of the brethren any of the professed Christians anie of the Church after the profession of Gods trueth shoulde commit sinne after their conuersion and the Elders prayed for it it should bee forgiuen Salomon confesseth that the righteous offendeth seuen times a day and is a gaine restored Dauid sinned Pro. 24. after he knewe God and his sinnes though notorious and grieuous yet were forgiuen as to him vpon his confession and repentance Nathan promised Iames our Apostle 2. King 12. speaking of the professours of the Gospell confesseth that in manie things they all sinne If there were no Iames 3. remission of sinne after the profession of the Gospel and the knowledge of the truth why doth Saint Paul will Gal. 6. the brethren of Galatia that if any offended of infirmitie they should restore him in the spirit of meekenesse considering themselues least they also were tempted why doth S. Iohn speaking to those that knew the truth say that if any of them sinned they had an aduocate with 1. Iohn 2. the father who was the propitiation for their sinnes euen Iesus Christ the righteous Palpaple therefore is this heresie of the Nouatians and refuted by these and like places of Scripture Moreouer that here the Apostle mencioneth sinnes in mens sickenesse it intimateth and giueth vs to vnderstande Deut. 28. that sinnes are for the most part the causes of our sickenesse and bodily diseases The Lorde threatneth sickenesse pestilence and diseases against such as sinned and transgressed his commaundements God brought vpon Aegypt botch blaine boile and sore Exod. 9. diseases vpon the people for their churlish crueltie towardes the Israelites their shamefull contempt of the Prophets the abusing of the pacience of God Meriah Num. 12. the sister of Moises was stroken with the leprosie for murmuring agaynst her brother the Lordes minister Abimelech and the Philistins were stroken with diseases in their Gene. 20. secrete places for taking away the wife of Abraham Gehesie was plagued with the leprosie of Naaman the Assirian 4. King 5. for his couetousnesse and receyuing of gifts Dauid confesseth that Gods heauie hande of sickenesse was vpon him for his sinne from toppe to toe so that hee had Psal 38. no rest in his bones by reason of his iniquitie Saint Paul recordeth to the Church of Corinth that many of them 1. Cor. 11. were diseased for the abuse of the Lords supper Our Sauiour Christ healing him which was diseased eight thirtie Iohn 5. yeares willed him to sinne no more least a worse thing happen vnto him noting thereby that the cause of his disease was his sinne And no doubt the cause of our newe sickenesses whereof wee taste euerie yeare is the newe sinne which we dayly encrease our newe adulteries New sinnes procure new sickenesses oure newe deuised pride our newe extorcion couetousnesse and oppression our newe crueltie and iniquitie which we multiplie continually against the Lord. VVhich thing Saint Jamee to teach vs telleth vs that if the sicke haue committed sinne it should be forgiuen by prayer and this is the first remedie against bodily infirmities both generall and particular as the Apostle hath prescribed The seconde remedie in particular affliction as 2. Remedie sickenesse is mutuall confession ioyned with prayer so that prayer againe is annexed and ioyned as a remedie whereby that we might helpe one another the better there is required mutuall confession and free conferring one with another touching offences giuen Acknowledge ye your sinnes one to another and pray one for another that ye may bee healed For the prayer of a righteous man auayleth much if it be feruent Helias c. In which words these things may be obserued 1 Mutuall confession with praier is required 2 To what ende to the ende we might be healed 3 The force of the righteous mans praier 4 Howe that force is shewed by example of the praier of Elias Concerning mutuall confession and conferring one Mutuall confession with another about offences giuen done it is very necessary to the recouerie of health in sicknes for God soonest heareth such as haue put away al malice hatred out of their hearts and are at peace and loue with their brethren this is chiefly done where brotherly we confer one with another touching offences and trespasses committed which done we can best helpe one another with our mutual praiers As therfore meÌ„bers al of one body ought Rom. 12. 1. Cor. 12. Ephe. 4. to helpe one another so Christians being all members of one body ech of them meÌ„bers of ech other ought by mutuall helpe to assist and aide one another in sicknesse Wherefore to this purpose as in sicknes he willed that the Elders of the church should be sent for and assembled to praie for the sicke so a second remedie and helpe in sicknes is that the brethren thus assembled should conferre mutually touching offences committed that mutually confessing and mutually forgiuing God might the better heare their mutuall praiers of loue for those which were sicke among them To which purpose this place serueth acknowledge your faultes one to another open that which grieueth you that a remedy may be sought and found out for it the better This mutuall confession and acknowledging one to another wherein one of vs hath offended another the sacred
and so manie kinds of temptations there be that the Apostle may worthily call them manifolde and diuers 3 Finally the ends wherfore they are infflicted are diuers therefore in that respect also they may not amisse be counted diuers Some times we are afflicted to the ende we should be humbled some times we are afflicted to the ende we should be tried some times we are afflicted that in the nature of Gods blessings we may better be instructed some times we are afflicted that God may be glorified some times we are afflicted that our sinnes thereby may be remitted sometimes we are afflicted that the pride of our hearts may be repressed and sinfull desires mortified some times we are afflicted that his loue towards vs may the more liuely be expressed some times we are afflicted that thereby the world may be hated of vs sometimes we are afflicted that we may be more zealous in praier for deliuerance some times we are afflicted that we in afflictions made conformable and like the image of the sonne of God togither with him may be partakers Rom. 8. of his glorie As therefore euery thing serueth not for one purpose neither is euery medicine ordained for euery maladie so neither hath euery temptation one end wherefore it is inflicted but many ends there are of many afflictions so that in respect of their sundrie ends they are also diuers manifold partly then in respect of the manifold instruments whereby God afflicteth men partly in respect of the sundrie kinds of temptations partly in respect of the manifold ends which in afflictions god respecteth they may well be called and tearmed diuers and manifold And these are the things in this proposition the first branch of the diuision to be obserued Brethren count it exceeding ioy when you fall into diuers temptations 2 The proposition ended the confirmation which is 2. Confirmation the second thing here followeth which containeth the reasons and arguments which the Apostle vseth whie the Saints should be comforted vnder the crosse and count it exceeding ioy when they fall into diuers temptations The reasons are three 1 From honest comelines in the Saints It is comely honest and a thing decēt in the Saints paciently to haue their faith tried by afflictions of this life the faith of Gods Saints and seruants is tried the Saints therefore in afflictions must reioyce and be pacient No man doubteth but it is a comely and honest thing for Gods children paciently to suffer the triall of their saith And that afflictions make manifest triall and proofe of our faith the holy Gene. 22. Scriptures of God aboundantly teach vs. When Almightie God would haue the faith of Abraham to shine and appeare glorious vnto the world he tempted him by willing him to sacrifice his onely sonne Isaac in whom only vvas the hope of all the promises Hereby his faith vvas tried Moses vvriteth that the manifold troubles vvhich Deut. 8. the Israelites for fortie yeares suffered in the vvildernesse vvere to trie them To vvhich end God is said to send false Deut. 13. Prophets among the people thereby to trie their faith vvhether they vvould cleaue stedfastly to God Saint Paul 1. Cor. 11. thereunto subscribing affirmeth that there must be heresies among them that they which are approued may be knowen Dauid the princely Prophet speaking of the Psal 105. afflictions of Ioseph in Aegypt confesseth the end thereof to haue beene the triall of his faith When he writeth that God tried him vntill the appointed time was come for his deliuerance Zacharie prophecying of the blessings Zach. 13. which should be vpon the true seruants of God after their clensing and clearing from all idolatrie and shewing that al such as should enioy those excellent blessings notwithstanding should bee tried with manifold afflictions saith that God would bring thar third part reserued to himselfe through the fire and would fine them as siluer is fined and trie them as gold is tried Saint Peter telleth 1. Pet. 1. the Saints that they were vnder manifold temptations that the triall of their faith being much more precious then golde that perisheth though it be tried in the fire might be found to their praise honour and glorie at the comming of Iesus Christ And thus seeing the ende to be the triall of the faith of the Saints he calleth affliction 1. Pet. 4. the fierie triall Thinke it not strange dearly beloued concerning the fierie triall which is among you Wherein hauing an eie to the comparison so vsuall in scripture wherby the Saints are compared to gold and siluer who are tried by affliction as these mettels are by fire calleth affliction fierie triall The Angell willed Iohn to write to Reuel 2. the Church of Smyrna to exhort them not to feare any of the things which the diuell should lay vpon them to trie them whereby it is more cleare then the Sunne in his brightnesse at noone day That afflictions are for the triall of the faith of men they are as the touch-stone to trie gold from copper as the fornace to discerne siluer frō drosse as the sieue or fan to sift the chaffe from the wheat Wherefore as that is counterfet not true gold which beareth and abideth not the touch-stone that drosse and dregges which carieth not the fining that dust and chaffe which suffereth not the sifting so that faith which will not abide trial by affliction is weake imperfect wauering and vnseemely in any Christian Whereas then ciuill and morall vertues are then soonest tried when their obiect is present whereon they may worke as fortitude in daunger chastitie in pleasure temperance in present dainties and delicates anger when we are prouoked so the faith of Gods children is then most manifest when affliction are present to trie them And as the starres and moone shine not at noone day when the Sunne shineth in his glorious beautie so neither doe the vertues of Christians then appeare when men are in prosperitie but in the night and mist of affliction Seeing then it is a comely and honest thing in the Saints of God to haue proofe and triall of their faith and other vertues to bee made and this triall is made specially by afflictions and troubles of this life then no doubt ought the Saints paciently to suffer affliction and to count it exceeding ioy when they fall into diuers temptations in as much as the triall of their faith bringeth foorth their inward vertues and afflictions are therefore sent to make trial of the faith of Gods children and this is the first reason or argument of the confirmation lying secretly in the word triall 2 Another reason set downe manifestly is drawen from the vtilitie and profite which commeth by bearing afflictions by bearing paciently the miseries and afflictions of this life the most singular vertue of patience is wrought in vs. If affliction and triall of our faith bring vnto vs the worthie vertue of patience
are subiect whensoeuer the times be what manner so euer the meanes be what kinde so euer we suffer in For which cause the exhortations in the holy and sacred worde of God thereunto apperteyning are sundrie and manifolde Which to passe ouer and as it were onely to geue a taste thereof by the way What saith Saint Paul touching Rom. 1â— this matter Doeth not he exhort the Saintes to reioyce in hope to be patient in tribulation to continue in praier Who elswhere setting downe the steppes and degrees wherein the Saintes must treade if they wil walk worthie the calling whereunto they are called requireth Ephes 4. 1. Pet. 4. 12. Iames 1. 2. Reuel 2. 10. Heb. 10. 35. 36. as the third steppe to Christian conuersation long suffering or patience wherefore he saith I therefore as a prisoner in the Lord exhort you that you walke worthie the calling whereunto you are called How With al humblenesse of minde and meekenesse with patience or long suffering supporting one another through loue endeuouring to keepe the vnitie of the Spirit in the bond of peace The holy and blessed Apostle Saint Peter describing 2. Pet. 1. vnto the Saintes that golden chaine of all excellent vertues wherewith he would haue all the elect of God to be adorned and beautified as the most incomparable ornament of their life maketh patience the fifth linke therof whereunto in this wise he perswadeth therfore giue all diligence thereunto Ioyne moreouer vertue with faith and with vertue knowledge with knowledge temperance with temperance patience with patience godlines with godlines brotherly kindnes with brotherly kindnes loue For if these things be in you and abound they will make you not to be idle nor vnfruitefull in the acknowledging of our Lorde and onely Sauiour Iesus Christ These and infinite other the like places wee haue generally mouing vs to this excellent and commendable vertue patience Particularly the Apostle in this place exhorteth to patience which is in bearing and suffering the iniuries and cruell oppressions of prophane rich men by whose tyrannie and cruell dealing they were marueylouslie afflicted which they ought with all patience to beare looking and wayting for the comming of the Lorde Iesus Christ to auenge their causes and quarrelles against the wicked Our holy and blessed Sauiour Christ in particular exhorteth vnto patience which in the bearing of violence Mat. 5. and iniuries of men consisteth Resist not euill saith our sauiour Christ but if one smite thee on the one cheeke offer vnto him the other and if he sue thee at the lawe to take away thy coate from thee let him haue thy cloake also if he constraine thee to goe with him a mile go two Whereby our Sauiour exhorteth the Saintes to prepare themselues alwaies against iniuries and with all patience and quietnes of their mindes to beare the oppressions of men which wrongfully should be offered Hereunto this Apostle hauing respect willeth and exhorteth the Saints to beare the iniuries and cruell oppressions of the wicked with patience and with all godly quietnes to wayte for the comming of Iesus Christ Be ye therefore patient saith the Apostle Saint James vntill the comming of the Lord. Wherein we are taught that seeing we must stay our selues and settle our hearts and with patience runne the race of afflictions vntill the comming of Christ therfore both the reward of their patience and other vertues of the Saints and also the punishment of their aduersaries and oppressours are reserued till the day of Christ till his comming in glorious maiestie to iudge the quick and the dead and to geue sentence against all men Wherefore albeit the Saintes of God haue some small and little feeling of their future ioyes and glorie to come as in the meditating vpon heauenly thinges in the setled peace and quietnes of our consciences with God Col. 3. Rom. 5. and the like and the wicked also euen in this life sometime feele and tast of their extreame calamities to come Isay 57. Isay 66. by the disquietnes of their consciences the continuall anguish of their soules the great vexation of their minds and the comfortlesse sorrowe of their hearts which they often suffer Yet neither the Saints shall haue the consummation of their ioyes neither the wicked the full measure of their punishments before the day of iudgement and comming of Iesus Christ Wherefore S. Iames here exhorteth the Saints to waite for both these til the comming of the Lord. The consideration hereof is comfortable and the knowledge therof most profitable to the Saints wherfore we may note this in particular a little And first for the glorie of the Saints and their deliuerance it is in perfect measure to be looked for only at the appearing of Iesus Christ in glorious maiestie Our Sauiour Iesus Christ to that purpose foretelling his Apostles of his comming to iudgement and the signes which Luke 21. Mat. 24. 31. should forerunne it exhorteth them against that day to lifte vp their heads to be of good cheare and to be comforted because their redemption approached then onely promising them full deliuerance from miseries and perfect redemption of soule and body Saint Paul affirmeth to the Romanes that in this life they should be subiect to Rom. 8 manifold afflictions and troubles euen as the Lord Iesus Christ was and that here there is no ende of affliction to be looked for but we must waite for that til the comming of Christ which with sighing and sorrowing he witnessed they waited for euen the deliuerance and redemption of their bodies This glorious redemption onlie is perfected at the comming of the Lord. Paul writing to the church Coloss 3. of Colossa auoucheth that our life is hid with Christ and that when Christ which is our life shall appeare then shal we also appeare with him in glorie What is the glorie of the Saints Is it not to be conformable to the image of Rom. 8. the sonne and to be made like vnto him But wee come not to that perfect conformitie and likenes with Christ in this mortall life but in the life to come therefore the Col. 3. 1. Iohn 3. glory of the saints in the day of iudgement in perfect measure onely is reuealed Saint Iohn therefore saith now are wee the sonnes of God but yet it is not made manifest what we shal be we knowe that when he shall appeare we shal be like vn to him for we shall see him as he is Thus the glorie of Gods Saintes in perfect beutie shall not appeare before Iesus Christ be reueiled againe from heauen The holy Apostle and electe vessell of Christ Saint Paul looked for his glorious 2. Tim. 4. 1. Pet. 1. 5. 6. 7. 1. Pet. 4. 13. 1. Pet. 5. 4. crowne only in the day of Christ his appearing therfore saith he I haue fought a good fight I haue finished my course I haue ended my race I haue kepte the faith from