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
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.
worde what it worketh in the children of men 2 The remouing of certaine faults which hinder our attending to this worde so excellent 3 Against these faults he setteth downe certaine exhortations and admonitions flowing out of the worde and they are foure as shall appeare from the 21. verse to the ende Now touching these verses they are of this fourth and last part Wherein are two things set downe by the Apostle and to bee considered of vs. 1 The excellencie of the worde of God iâ— selfe 2 The remoouing of hinderances to the attending therunto and they are two 1 Babling and talking when we should heare 2 Wrath and anger when wee are taught and reprooued Touching the former of these the excellencie of the worde of God it selfe in speciall thereunto he discendeth by the former treatise Wherein disputing of the goodnes of God he here sheweth that his goodnes especially appeareth in the worke of our regeneration the instrumentall cause whereof is the worde of God whereof in this place he speaketh So then in this 18. verse the Apostle giueth vs as it were a taste of that which in generall he had spoken that God is the fountaine of all goodnes which as in sundrie other things appeareth so especially in the worke of our regeneration the most expresse testimonie of his goodnesse towardes vs which being apparant and manifest wee must needes confesse that all good giuings and all good giftes come from him so that wee can not say without blasphemie nor thinke without impietie that GOD is authour or cause of our euill temptations and in as much as GOD both first created man in perfect innocencie and afterwarde regenerated him to bee like the image of his owne sonne in excellent vertue his great goodnesse doeth so appeare to all men that it were incomparable iniquitie in any wise to make him cause of our wickednesse To come therefore to the excellencie of the worde which is the meane of our regeneration the Apostle setteth downe the other causes thereof also so that in this 18. verse there are three causes of our regeneration the most apparant testimonie of the goodnes of God towards man 1. the efficient 2. the instrumentall 3. the finall cause 2 The efficient cause of our regeneration is the free will of God Of his owne will sayth Iames begate he vs. The good will of God the gracious fauour and free purpose of God is the first and efficient cause of saluation and regeneration in men to the trueth whereof all the Scriptures of GOD beare witnesse The electing preferring and aduauncing the Iewes aboue all other people beeing as it were a figure and resemblaunce of the eternall election and regeneration of the Saints was not for any merite of man but of the onely mercie and loue of GOD towardes them as Moises witnessed But Saint Paul speaking not of a temporall Deut. 7. 9. calling as was that of the Iewes but of an eternall calling of Gods Saintes to regenerate them to eternall Ephes 1. 1. Iohn 12. 13. life maketh the onely true and efficient cause thereof the free-will and goodnesse of God whereof he sayeth God hath predestinate vs to be adopted through Iesus Christ in himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will Whereunto that is agreeable in another place all haue sinned and are depriued of the glorie of God and are iustified freely by his grace through the redemption Rom. 3. that is in Christ Iesus Thus of his owne will and freely hee electeth thus of his owne goodnesse hee iustifieth thus of his meere mercie hee regenerateth vs vnto life The holy Apostle noting this cause of all these wonderfull workes of God in man affirmeth that God worketh Philip. 2. in vs both to will and to doe according to his owne good pleasure To like sense soundeth that to his scholer and sonne Timothie God saith he hath saued vs called 2. Tim. 1. vs with an holy calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace which was giuen vnto vs in Iesus Christ before the worlde was Finally to Titus when the bountifulnesse and loue of God Tit. 3. our Sauiour towards man appeared not according to our workes but according to his mercie he saued vs. Thus in this place of regeneration he maketh the good will and free mercie of God the cause of our regeneration As God therefore freely and of his owne will worketh in all things So in the election iustification and regeneration Ose 14. of the Saints it is apparant Herence is it that God saith by his Prophet I will loue thee freely and of mine owne wil. The Prophet Dauid saith therefore vnto God Thou hast saued vs for naught what is that for naught saith Saint Augustine but this Thou foundest nothing in vs wherefore Psal De verbis Apost 15. John 15. thou shouldest saue vs yet hast thou saued vs Freely doest thou geue freely doest thou saue This our blessed Sauiour to expresse telleth his Disciples that hee chose them not they him because there was nothing in them wherefore he should choose them yet of his owne free wil he chose them Saint John subscribeth hereunto in that hee saith 1. John 4. Herein is loue not that we loued him but that he loued vs first and gaue his sonne to be a reconciliation for our sinnes Saint Paul to ouerthrowe all foreseen workes Rom. 11. merites in man and to shew that in election iustification predestination and sanctification God worketh all after his owne will freely he thus concludeth Who hath geuen him first he shal be recompenced for of him through him and for him are all things to him be glorie for euer Amen Thus his free will and fauour towardes man is the onely efficiencie as of al other his vnspeakeable graces so of regeneration in his children That therefore saith Beda which he said before that euery good geuing and ouery perfect gift commeth from aboue from the father S. Bede of light that doeth he consequently confirme by adding that not for our merites but by the benefite of his owne will through the water of regeneration he hath changed vs from the children of darcknesse to be the children of light In this place therefore not only plainly Saint Iames but agreeably to the Scripture reuerende Beda condemneth the doctrine of done or foreseene works held by the Papists and out of this Epistle as they dreame most specially concluded For if regeneration be through the free will of God if predestination election iustification and sanctification be from the mercie and fauour of God as from the first and efficient cause then are none of all these by-workes or deserts of men for there is a playne contrarietie betwixt fauour and merite grace and deseruing so that Paul reasoneth from the opposition thereof against workes in the matter of iustification To him that worketh the wages is not counted of fauour
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
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
things are done of many men which haue the shevve and outvvard appearance of goodnes yet proceeding not from faith vvhereby they are sanctified neither from the same causes neither after the same manner neither to the same end Whence hovv and vvhereunto the vvorkes of the Saints come are done and tende they are farre from good vvorkes So that there is a great difference betvvixt the vvorks of the Saints and faithfull people of God and the vvorkes of heathenish people Phylosophers as betvvixt siluer and tinne golde and copper vvhich are like yet not the same The vvorkes of the heathen come from the lavv and force of nature only vvhich is corrupt and vitiate they are attained vnto by vse custome and exercise continuall their ende is credite glory renoume and estimation in the vvorlde But the vvorkes of Christians proceede from faith grovve of loue spring out of the knovvledge of the Gospell tend to the profite of our brethren and the glorie of God These mens vvorks shevve foorth and testifie their faith but not the vvorkes of the heathen Pharisies or hypocrites vvhose vvorks are not good neither please God Faith maketh not only our selues but all other things Heb. 11. vvhich vve doe vvith the good liking of God to be accepted and pleasant before him Frō vvhich fountaine vvhat soeuer flovveth not cannot please him For vvithout faith it is impossible to please God And be our vvorkes neuer so braue or beautifull in our ovvne eyes neuer so glittering and glorious in the sight of others yet if they come Rom. 14. not from faith they are not only nothing but naught also because vvhatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Saint Augustine therfore disputing against the Pharisaicall Contra duas Epist Pelag. lib. 3. c. 5. Bonifac. pride and presumption of the Pelagians saith very well Our religion discerneth the iust from the vniust not by the law of works but by the law of faith without which faith whatsoeuer seem good works are sinnes and turned into sinnes The workes therefore of the heathen Pharisies and hypocrites are not to be reputed for good yea all works which are either before or without faith are not good as Tertullian Apol. 39. 46. Saint Augustine in the place cited vpon Psal 31. 67. in his booke of the Citie of God chap. 20. against Iulian lib. 4. chap. 8. of grace and free will chapter 7. to Sixtus in his Epistles Epist 105. and other places infinite sheweth Who to Honoratus and to Sixtus and in his booke of the spirite and letter chap. 26. affirmeth that Epist 120. 105. no works are good but in that they folow iustification by faith through which they are reputed onely for good Wherence then it may be apparant that all workes shewe not ne argue true faith neither is it here the mind and meaning of the Apostle to conclude in this manner Workes shew faith therefore all workes shewe faith Or thus Good workes shew and argue faith therefore euerie one that hath works apparantly good hath therefore true faith But his scope and drift is to shew that where there is true faith in deede there cannot be but good works will appeare and follow and that men boast of faith in voine whose faith is not accompanied with good works christian actions Seeing that there is no good tree but in due time bringeth foorth her fruite in conuenient measure Whereof in summer time destitute it is accounted naught dead fruitlesses and rotten Which good workes as they haue shewe and do testifie of our faith so that men gather probablie hee hath works therefore faith but necessarilie from the negatiue which here is respected chiefly he hath no works therfore no true and liuely faith So are these works counted for good and reckned pleasant vnto GOD not for their owne sake but for the faiths sake wherence the budde spring out and issue Moses therfore to intimate thus much in Abel and Gen. 4. Heb. 11 his sacrifice putteth Abell with his faith first then afterward his sacrifice when he saith God had respect to Abell and his sacrifice to shew that because God accepted Abels faith therefore he respected the sacrifice proceding from him and not the man or his faith for the sacrifice Saint Gregorie thereof in a certaine place speaketh to the same purpose In the iudgement of almightie God there is regarde Grego had not so much what is done or giuen as of whō and how Herence is it that God is said to haue looked vnto Abell and his gift For Moses being about to say God looked vnto Abels gift he setteth downe carefully before That God looked vnto Abell By which thing it is manifestly shewed not that the offerer hath pleased for his gift but the gift for the geuer pleased God For this cause the gifts of the wicked please not God because they come from them with whō God is not pleased Thus workes are good in respect of mens faith whereby they are accepted with fauour before God and are such tokens of our faith as without which wee boast in vaine of faith Which thing in this place the apostle geuing vs to vnderstand with a mocking quippe beating downe the vayne pride of hypocrites saith But some man might say euery man might thus mock thee thou hast the faith and I haue works shewe me thy faith by thy workes and I will shewe thee my faith by my works And this is the first reason why true faith cānot be with out works which reason is from a similitude wherof and of the other things in that reason The similitude it selfe the application and the mocking and ironicall preoccupating and preuenting of the obiection This is sufficient to be spoken The second reason why iustifiing faith cannot bee 2. Reason without good works is drawen from an absurditie if that faith which is without workes be that true faith wherby we are iustified then the deuils might bee iustified for they haue a bare faith to beleeue there is a God albeit they applie not themselues obediently to walke in his commandements But it were an absurd thing to say the deuils be iustified for because they are not iustified therfore they tremble at the iudgements of God whereby it appeareth that their faith is not true nor sufficient Now to boast of such a faith as is common to deuils what vanitie what follie what absurditie is it This reason the Apostle in these words expresseth Thou beleeuest there is one GOD thou doest well the deuils also beleeue it and tremble It were an absurd thing to say the deuils are iustified yet if thy faith be but a bare faith in worde without workes in tongue without trueth in shewe without substance they may as well be iustified and saued as thou by thy like faith maist be saued but by such faith which is destitute and voide of the workes of true sanctification the deuils cannot be iustified therefore neither cāst thou O
his vengeaunce to persequute them when they see they can take no hold-fast of Gods mercie for their intollerable pryde and finall apostasie against his heauenly maiestie they cannot but feare they cannot but tremble Now if the Deuils beleeue there is one God then Psal 14. the Epicures the Atheistes the wicked fooles of the vvorlde vvhich say in their heartes there is no God are worse then deuils If the deuils tremble before Gods presence and throne of iudgement then are many men and women which iest at the day of iudgement make a mocke at appearing before the tribunall seate of God to receyue according to their workes worse then deuils If then hypocrites haue no better faith then deuils haue and it be a most absurde thing to say the deuils are saued then is it no lesse absurditie to say that wicked men by like faith can be saued seeing they are destitute of all goodnesse voide of all righteousnesse farre from all fruites of sanctification Which thing this holy Apostle teacheth vs in this place thou beleuest there is one God thou doest well the deuils also belieue and tremble Finally then it may herehence appeare necessarie that as men are truly iustified before God through faith in Christ so they should by their workes the liuely testimonies of true faith shewe themselues before men to be in deede righteous that as inwardly with God they are made iust by their beleefe so outwardly with men they might be knowen to be iuste by their deedes that so they might adde to their faith vertue to their profession sanctification to their religion holy conuersation which is the scope and drifte of this Apostles doctrine Neither is this doctrine a doctrine eyther rarely heard of or vnusiall in other places of holy Scripture for the whole bodie of the Scriptures teach vs the necessitie of good vvorkes and fruits of sanctification in the saints without which all holinesse is hypocrisie all deuotion dissimulation And to this ende not onely the Prophets in their bookes but our Sauiour Christ in the gospell and the holy Apostles in their sacred writings haue moued men professing godlinesse to the fruits of righteousnesse least they otherwise doing be iustly reprooued for their hypocrisie And for asmuch as it is not onely a matter of most great account in all times to haue this godly care of bringing forth fruites of true sanctification vnto Gods glory but is also the most liuely testimonie of our election who are therefore called of God that we might be Ephes 1. irreprehensible through loue and the sure signe of our regeneration and new birth whose chiefe end is to walke in good workes which God hath prepared for vs as witnesseth the Scriptures we are the workemanship of God Ephes 2. created in Iesus Christ vnto good workes that we should walke therein Which thing also Zacharie the father of S. Iohn baptist maketh the end of our redemption Luc. 1. we are redeemed by him from the power or handes of our enemies that we should serue him without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of our life Much more not onely might but also ought to be spoken touching these matters but I hope this may suffice reasonable creatures touching the office of faith and vse or end of good vvorkes in the Saints of God Now God which is the fountaine of all goodnesse the father of all lightes the giuer of all spirituall grace the sender downe of all vertues into our heartes powre downe vpon vs that most excellent gifte of vnfayned faith without vvhich nothing is acceptable nothing pleasant in his sight that it in vs vvorking through loue and vve replenished with all fruites of righteousnesse and abounding in all sanctification may thereby giue infallible testimonie of our iustification and in the whole course of our life may alwaies through righteousnesse and holinesse so glorifie God here that by him vvee may be glorified in the life to come not through our merites but of his only mercie through Iesus Christ our onely Lord and Sauiour who with the father and the holy ghost liueth and raigneth one immortall inuisible and onely wise God both now and for euermore Amen Iames Chapter 2. verses 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. Sermon 13. Verses 20. But wilt thou vnderstand O thou vaine man that the faith which is without workes is dead 21. Was not Abraham our father iustified through workes when he offered vp Isaac his sonne vpon the altar 22. Seest thou not that faith wrought with his works through the works was the faith made perfect 23. And the Scripture was fulfilled which saith Abraham beleeued God and it was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse and he was called the friend of God 24. Ye see then how that of works a man is iustified and not of faith onely 25. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot iustified through workes when she had receyued the messengers sent them out another way 26. For as the body without the spirite is dead so faith without works is dead In these words of the Apostle there are two things to be considered as appeareth Namely 1. The other part of his confirmation conteining the 3. Thirde argument from the example of Abraham 20. 21. 22. 23. 4. Fourth from the example of Rahab 25. 2. The conclusion of the whole discourse 1. Made and set downe vers 24. 2. Repeated 26. The third reason why true faith is not without good 3. Reason workes is drawen from the example of Abraham who had no doubt a true and liuely faith for which cause hee is Gen. 15. Rom. 4. highly praised both of Moses the Prophet and Paul the Apostle of Christ yet did this great and holy Patriarke by offering vp his sonne Isaac in whom the hope of his posteritie and the truth of Gods promise consisted shew what manner faith he had not a dead barren and fruitelesse faith but quick liuely and plentifull in all good workes to the glorie of God For which cause he receaued a true testimonie from Gods owne mouth and it was set downe by Moses for all posteritie for euermore that he was righteous indeede and the friend of God Such a faith ought euery one of Gods Saints to haue therefore whereby they may recete auestimonie from God man of their integritie righteousnes and iustification The force of this reason is this what maner of faith Abraham the father of the faithfull had such faith ought all his children all the Saintes all that rightly beleeue in God and his Sonne Iesus Christ for to haue also But the faith of Abraham was no shadowe nor shewe but a substance and soundnes of faith His faith was not in worde onely but in worke also not in tongue and talke alone but in truth and veritie not a bare barren fruitelesse faith but a liuely working and plentifull faith such faith therefore ought the faith of all Gods Saints to bee and not
In so much as righteous and holy men who abstaine in many thinges from wicked actions yet oftentimes through infirmity of nature are caried by cogitations to euil thoughts so that there is no mā vnlesse he be trāslated as it were into the nature of God who sinneth not in cogitation So that the Apostle in respect of these hath here truely auouched in many thinges we fall all Which thing men considering shall the better refraine their seueritie of iudgement and rigor in censuring their christian brethren Three respects there are in men wherby their rigor towards others should be abated 1 To recount what in former times themselues haue beene 2 To thinke what hereafter they may be 3 To remember what presently they are 1 If we consider what our selues haue beene in former times it shall mittigate greatly the seueritie of our iudgemēts and rigorous censuring of our brethren Saint Paul exhorting men to patience and gentlenes towardes other and not to be seuere against their offending weak brethren thus reasoneth They now are what you in former Tit. 3. times haue beene call therefore to minde your former condition and be patient shewe all meeknes therefore to all men For we our selues were in times past vnwise disobedient deceiued seruing lustes and diuers pleasures liuing in maliciousnes and enuie hatefull hating one another The recounting therefore of our former condition must asswage the seueritie of our iudgement and make vs more moderate toward such as now are what we haue beene Wee our selues once were ignorant wee once went out of the way wee sometimes haue beene ouertaken with naturall infirmitie whereby we haue committed things not conuenient Let vs not seuerely iudge and tigorously condemne such as are subiect to the cōmon infirmities and frailties of nature 2 As to record our former state shall abate our sharpnes so to thinke with our selues whereunto wee may fall being compassed about alwaies with these infirmities S. Paul to perswade men to shew meeknes not sharpenes Gal. 6. of iudgement towards such as fall through occasion reasoneth from the frailtie of our state whereby we are subiect to like falling to which purpose he thus speaketh to the Saints of Galatia Brethren if a man be sodenly taken in any offēce ye which are spirituall restore such a one in the spirite of meekenes considering thy selfe least thou also be tempted Wherein he wisely condemneth imortunate rigour and worthelie reproueth those which are commonly most seuere iudges against their brethren whē they altogether forget their owne infirmitie wherby they may fall into like offences Now there is no infirmitie no iniquitie among men finall impenitencie and the sinne vnto death or against the holy Ghost excepted whereinto euen the best men may not fall Which if they consider it will easilie moderate their rigour and seueritie against their brethren and make them take heede least ambitiously they vsurpe this authoritie against others And how true it is that euen the best may fall euident examples and wofull experience may teach vs. Who knoweth not that lyeng is a sinne against the ninth commaundement condemned by God and his Prophets yet holy and faithfull Abraham godly Isaac fell thereinto as Gen. 12. 26. Gen. 20. the storie beareth record Murmuring is a great sinne against GOD arguing impatiencie yet Moses was thereof guilty as it appeareth Idolatrie seemeth to be sinne in the highest degree yet that by Aaron the Saint of God was committed Adulteterie a grieuous euill whereof God in his lawe hath forewarned Exod. 32. and in sundrie people men and Nations punished Exod. 20. 2. Kings 11. yet Dauid the man of God was tardie therein To denie Christ with execrable cursing banning swearing Mat. 26. is great iniquitie yet Peter the blessed Apostle therein offended To persecute the church to blaspheme the trueth is horrible impietie yet Saint Paul the chosen vessell of God committed both As these examples shewe that the best may because these haue done with whome none are 1. Tim. 1. now or haue been since to be cōpared So daily experiēce conuinceth the same While we see daily before our eies men of farre greatest excellencie to fall into sundry infirmities Out of whose falles a triple profit insueth 1. Therby the glorie of God his power and mercie is made manifest in making them vessels of glory who by their sinnes deserued his eternall displeasure for which cause S. Paul 1. Tim. 1. crieth out that in his conuersion Christ shewed all clemencie Secondly by the falles of great persons both themselues haue cause to humble themselues before god and not waxe proud of any thing and others seeing the most excellent men subiect to infirmitie are therence to be admonished of their greater infirmities for if the great oakes of Basan and the mightie and tall Cedars of Libanon fall what is to be looked for of the lowe trees of the forrest if the righteous bee hardly saued what shall become of the wicked 1. Pet. 4. Thirdly all men may thereby gather the frailtie of their nature and so pray to God when they stande that 1. Cor. 10. they fall not Now seeing all men are subiect to this condition that they may fall if they be not vpholden and supported by the helpe of God it ought to qualifie our hasty iudgement and to moderate the seueritie of the same against the brethren 3 Finally we shal be more temperate towards other men if we consider whereunto wee are presently subiect which is the reason here vrged The conscience of our owne sinnes and the diligent view of our owne weaknes and wickednes maketh vs more gentle towardes others which men then forget when they are too seuere iudges of their brethren To this purpose Siracides exhorteth mē Ecclus. 8. not to despise such as hauing sinned turne therefro neither to cast it in their teeth but rather to remember that we are all worthy of blame When we consider our owne selues we shall see there is in vs many things to be amended This diligent consideration will make vs more carefull of not rigorously and rashely iudgeing our brethren Are we not couetous as they are yet are wee proude and disdainfull Are we not proud yet are we fleshely wanton Are we not wanton yet are we slaunderous and reproachfull Are we not reproachfull yet are wee enuious and malicious What are we not malicious yet are wee riotous and intemperate What are we not intemperate yet are we prodigall and wastfull If not prodigall yet lyers and blasphemers if not blasphemers yet extortioners and oppressors of our brethren Or finally geuen to these and these iniquities so that it is as cleare as the sunne in his brightnesse that in many things we offend all Which who so considereth and pondereth in equal ballance shal thereby be counterpeized and brought to a moderate censure and iudgement of the sinnes and liues of others and taught effectually not to
witchcraft hatred debate emulations wrath contentions seditions heresies enuie murthers c. In another place exhorting Rom. 13. the Saints to walke vprightly the Apostle setteth downe certaine couples of vices as enimies and hinderers of the honest conuersation of the Saints In which number enuy is reckoned Therfore saith he walke honestly as in the day time not in dronkennes and surfetting nor in chambering and wantonnes neither in strife and enuying 1. Pet. 2. Finally S. Peter informing those that were regenerate and borne againe not of mortall but of immortall seed of 1. Pet. 1. the word of god to cast from them the works of their former conuersation to embrace those things which were according vnto godlines geueth them this exhortation Wherfore laying aside all maliciousnes al guile dissimulation enuie and euil speaking as new borne babes desire that sincere milke of the word that you may growe thereby Infinite are the testimonies of holy Scripture whereby this euill is condemned To the originall and beginning whereof if wee look it is from Sathan the deuill who enuying the prosperitie of man in the beginning not onely to sequester them from their pleasant aboade in Paradise but to alienate them from the fauour of God and expell them from all happines tempted to tast of the forbidden fruite contrarie Gen. 3. to the commaundement whereby hee plunged both himselfe and his posteritie into perdition Gen. 4. Whose eldest sonne Cain the runnagate and reprobate by the example of the deuil his father enuied his brother Abell for that God accepted the sacrifice of his brother proceeding from a sincere affection but not his proceeding from a double and dissembling minde with GOD through which enuy he followed him neuer leauing him he had laied his cruell clubbe vpon the innocent head of his brother Children of the same father were the Philistims Gen. 26. enuying the flocks of sheepe and heads or heards of cattle whereby Isaac was enriched by sundrie waies from time to time molested crossed and ouerthwarted the holy Patriarke Saul a twigge of the same tree a brāch of the same roote a childe of the same parent enuied the 1. Kings 18. vertue and glorie of Dauid who for slaying the Philistim Goliah hauing farre greater praise then Saul Saul hath slaine his thousand but Dauid his tenne thousande was therefore all the daies of Sauls life enuied and sought to haue beene destroied The Scribes and Pharisies and Elders of the people of the Iewes pursuing our blessed Sauiour Mat. 26. 27. with like hatred and enuie for the wonderful miracles and works he shewed among the people neuer lefte him before they had suborned false witnesses to accuse him a corrupt iudge to condemne him and cruel persons to crucifie him Such are finally in our daies such as grieue at enuie and sorowe at the riches honour estimation welfare and euery good thing in their brethren of which wickednes if they repent not they shall shewe themselues the sonnes of Sathan the slaues of sinne the children of perdition the heires of death and endlesse damnation Of which euill least the Saints should be partakers Saint Iames forewarneth them setteth it against meeknes of wisdome a speciall ornament in the chosen of God And this enuie hath this epithite or addition bitter because the heart of man therewith once infected turneth all things into bitternesse Nowe as enuie is opposite to meekenesse so is strife Strife and contention Strife or contention is stirred vp when men are addicted to themselues defending their owne opinions and actions not onely stoutly but stubbornely in nothing submitting themselues to the authoritie of others but as wise aboue all others they will censure and iudge all but bee iudged of none wherehence great disdaine discorde and disturbaunce ariseth among men both in the common wealth and in the Church of God VVhich the holy Apostle carefully considering hath disswaded it as a thing pernicious and daungerous in the Rom. 13. Saintes and seruaunts of GOD. This is in those couples which are enemies to holy conuersation mencioned before Walke honestly as in the day time not in drunkennesse and surfetting not in chambering and wantonnesse not in strife and enuying This Saint Paul 1. Cor. 3. condemned as a token of carnally minded men when he sayeth to the Corinthians Where as there is among you enuying and strife and diuisions are you not carnall and walke after the flesh And admonisheth the Philippians Philip. 2. that they doe nothing through contention or vaine-glorie but that in meekenesse of minde euerie Rom. 1. one esteeme another better then himselfe This is reckened for one of the workes wherewith the wicked Gentiles were infected This is a woorke of the flesh Gal. 5. whereby the life of man is corrupted This is a mischiefe which bringeth great miserie to the Church common weale of Christians The contention betwixt Haimo and Haniball the Carthagenians was the ouerthrow of their famous Citie The contention and strife betwixt Lacedemon and Athens the two lights of Grecia was the ruine of their whole countrie The cōtention betwixt the Numantians was the onely cause they were ouercome by Scipio who asking Tyretius the captaine general what was the reason that in former times it was inexpugnable thē ouercom vāquished was answered that their cōcord caused their continuance their contention bred their destruction The contention betwixt Anthonie and Augustus burst into open warres to the great damage of the Romanes Betwixt Caesar and Pompei Silla and Marius and other the Romanes was cause of great hurt to the state of Italie The contentions in our owne countrey betwixt men of the noblest houses what hurt it caused who was so blind that sawe not who was so malicious that lamented not who was so happie that rued not In priuate families contentions betwixt father and childe mother and daughter maister and seruaunt husband and wife cause both continuall disquietnesse and dayly sorrowe and decrease of state and many mischiefs besides as experience in manie too euidently doth teach vs so that there is not a more pernicious thing either in the common wealth or in priuate estates then is strife and contention among men In the Church it is no lesse pestilent and pernicious The contention and strife betwixt Eusebius the Bishop of Caesarea and Basill the great betwixt Arius after his repulse concerning the Bishoprike of Alexandria and others in the Church haue done much hurt contentions striuings and brawlings in our times about white or blacke rounde or square and the like things of no weight haue and doe cause great hurt in the Church of Christ as wofull and lamentable experience teacheth So that in the common wealth in priuate states in the Church it selfe great hurt commeth through contention Wherefore with all carefulnesse it ought to bee shunned of the Saints of God VVherein wee must beware least through flying of contention
men we may answere aright either the vnruly pleasures or the immoderate desires of increasing our priuate wealth and estate for from these two fountains and well heades all contention commonly ariseth The vnruly and immoderate desire of honour the infinite desire men haue to encrease their owne estates whereby they are caried headlong to those things which seeme pleasant delectable glorious and profitable vnto them chiefly moue and pricke men forwarde to contention and quarrelling brawling and fighting Insomuch as that Saint James demaunding the question from whence warres and contentions arise answereth euen from the pleasures which fight in mens members And howe truely vnrulie pleasures and immoderate desires are causes not onely of priuate quarrels debates broiles and contentions but also euen of open warres in deede experience sufficiently doth teach vs so that there is nothing almost more manifest then that the fulfilling of our lusts the enlarging of our honour and worldly pompe the encreasing of our priuate vvealth is cause of contentions and vvarres among men VVhereof vvhether vvee vvill haue examples in holy Scripture they are plentifull or vvhether vve looke to examples prophane of the heathen they are aboundant or vvhether vve looke to proofe at home it is manifest or vvhether vvee regarde experience abroade it is euident or vvhether vvee haue an eye to priuate men or publike persons to the vvise or to the foolish learned or ignorant base or honourable one or another it is apparant that the contentions or vvarres among them haue flovved from desire of riches vvealth promotion honour glorie vvhereby they might excell one another From vvhence vvas the contention betvvixt the Gene. 13. heardmen of Abraham and his nephevv Lot vvas it not herehence euen from their desires of encreasing their vvealth insomuch that they vvere faine to depart the one from the other whereby the verie bond as it were of nature was broken Wherehence were the contentions and warres betwixt Chederleomer king of Elam and Tidall Gene. 14. king of Nations Amruphell king of Siner and Arioh king of Ellosar against the king of Sodom and the king of Gomorrah the king of Admah the king of Zeboiim and the king of Bela which is Soar were they not from their ambicious desires each of others kingdome which is the chiefe cause of warres among princes From whence was the warre and contention betwixt Abimelech Gene. 26. and Isaac was it not from the greedie desire to haue had the wealth and riches of Isaac From whence were the warres of Sennacherib against Hezekiah were they 4. Kings 18. not herehence euen of his greedie couetousnesse and ambitious desire towardes the wealth and kingdome of Israel From whence were the warres of Nabuchodonosor Iudeth 1. agaynst Arphaxad of the Medes and agaynst all other people and Nations was it not from immoderate ambition and desire of glorie which fought in his members that hee might for power haue beene reuerenced as an earthly GOD of all men Wherehence was the warre by Antiochus vndertaken agaynst 1 Macc. 1. Aegypt was it not from his desire hee had to raigne ouer it that hee might haue the dominion ouer two countries thus these and the like examples in the Scriptures teach vs that the cause both of contention and also open warres haue beene ambition vnruly lusts immoderate desire of increasing of mens priuate estates according to the doctrine of the Apostle From whence are warres and contentions among you are they not herehence euen from your pleasures whiche fight in your members If you will by examples prophane learne how true this is it may in two or three appeare euident what other cause so euer Phillip the king of Macedonia had against Philipp the Athenians this no doubt was one of those warres broyles and tumultes against them his luste and inward affection his desire of glory and his ambition his greedy care to enlarge his kingdome and encrease his riches The same pleasures the like desires moued Alexander the great the sonne of Phillip to moue warre Alexander against Darius the king of Persia What other or greater cause was there of the ciuill wars betwixt Cesar and Pompey Sylla and Marius Antonie and Augustus and other Romaines then the lustes ambition glory desire of encreasing of their own estates which ruled mightily in thē What cause hath bene knowen greater of the warres and tumultes among the peeres of our owne countrie and common wealth Then the desire they had each to exceede and excell an other in riches wealth honour and glory If we aske the stories they wil assure vs if we seeke the chronicles they will persuade vs. If we looke to priuate men and of meaner calling what causes may be assigned of so many tumultes contentions suites in lawe quarrels debates fallings out and strifes among men are not our vnruly desires the fulfilling of our owne lustes the enriching of our selues by the inioying of other mē◠landes goods liuings the chiefe causes thereof from whence were the cōtentions betwixt Eusebius the bishop of Cesaria and S. Basill betwixt Demetrius the B. of Alexandria and Origen betwixt Arrius and other heretikes the holy fathers were they not from the vaine glory and ambitious desire in Eusebius Demetrius Arrius and Montanus c. as the stories ecclesiasticall witnes wherence came the cōtentions among sundry bishops and certaine Popes was it not about the supremacie which ambitious popes haue prowdely challenged Finally if wee should rippe vp all stories and cast our eies vpon euery particular contention quarrell debate and broyle among men I doubte not but our vaine and vnruly pleasures our ambitious and immoderate desires shall be found the causes thereof So that we may conclude with the Apostle that vnruly pleasures euill affections immoderate desires fighting in our members are the causes of all warres and contentions among vs and worthily affirme with Paul 1. Timo. 6. that our couetous desires are the causes of all euill the very mother and roote of all wickednesse as from whence enuie deceyte fraude lies periuries swearings cursings bitternesse vsurie oppression extortion thefte murthers not of straungers onely but friends familiers kinsfolke brethren sisters fathers and mothers also haue sprong Truly therefore may wee say with James From whence are warres and contētions among you are they not hence euen of the pleasures which fight in your members By pleasures here saint Iames vnderstandeth those greedie desires men haue either to enlarge their honour either to encrease their wealth or fulfill their desires and these pleasures are sayde to fight in our members because these pleasures these couetous ambitious volupteous desires vse both the powers of our minde and also the partes of our bodies as souldiours to fight with as instruments and weapons wherby sinne accomplisheth and finisheth her worke in vs. And it agreeth with that speach of Saint Paul Let Rom. 6. not sinne therfore raigne in your mortall body that you should obey
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
practise of Christ or looke vnto the examples of the Apostles wee shall see and finde that in all times destruction calamitie and miserie hath beene denounced against menne According whereunto hee foretelleth in this place their destruction to the prophane men of the worlde and saith Go to yee rich men weepe and howle c. This being the denouncing of calamitie in the second place the persons are to be considered against whom he thus denounceth who by the Apostle are specified goe to now you rich men The rich men then of the world are they against whom the Apostle threatneth what shal we say are all rich men vnder this denouncement and commination shall they all weepe and howle for their miseries which should come vpon them was Abraham the Gen. 12. 13 noble patriarke whose riches were great and his wealth exceeding subiect to this or the like iudgement was Isaac Gen. 26. his sonne whom for his heards of cattle flocks of sheepe and other riches the Philistines enuied vnder this cōmination was Dauid the king a man according to the mind of God himselfe greatly enriched by God hereunto subiect was Hezechiah or Iosias the famous princes whose zeale to Gods religion and glory the Scriptures haue renowmed were the Centurions mentioned in the gospell Mat. 8. Act. 10. and storie of the Apostles men of wealth condemned by this place of the Scriptures no assuredly For these and many more mentioned in the booke of God haue bene wealthie and riche yet godly also neyther doeth Iames denounce this against all men which are rich without all exception for riches are the gifte of GOD and oftentimes bestowed vppon the most elect and most deare children of God for the which they are not subiect to this condemnation commination and threatening Wherefore as when Christ had tolde his disciples Mat. 19. that it was easier for a Camell to passe through the eye of a needle then for a riche man to enter into the kingdome of heauen he expoundeth his meaning for he meaneth Mar. 10. not of all rich men in generall but of such as trusted in their riches which he plainely protesteth to his disciples who tooke an occasion thereby to doubte of the saluation of many euen so when the Apostle threateneth riche men whose vtter destruction and calamitie he denounceth he ought not to be vnderstood of all rich men without exception for there be many rich who vse their riches to Gods glorie and the comfort of their poor brethren who are to be exempted from this commination of the Apostle Manifest it is by the circumstance of the place that his drifte is onely to condemne prophane and wicked rich men who abuse their riches and wealth to all impietie iniquitie and vngodlines whose life is puffed vp with pride whose heart is oppressed with crueltie who wallowe and welter in vncleannes of the flesh who altogether flowe in pleasure These are they whom the Apostle calleth to weeping and howling these are they against whom this destruction is denounced who exceeding in aboundance of all things liuing at ease and in all securitie geuing themselues ouer to all vanitie in the middest of all their iollitie haue iuster cause of mourning then of mirth of sorrowe then of ioye of weeping then of laughter of howling then of reioycing for that riches in wicked persons are the occasion of manifolde mischiefes they gender vaine hope they nourish wicked confidence they hatch fraude and deceate they cause oppression extortion wrongful dealing voluptuousnesse intemperancie and pride the mother of all wickednes Which when they consider they haue cause to lament seeing that so sharpe a sentence so straite a iudgement so bitter a commination is geuen out against them goe to now ye rich men Against like prophane couetous rich men the like threatnings are gone out by others Isai the Prophet denounceth vengeance and calamitie vpon those cruel and Isai 5 prophane rich men who in their vnsatiable couetousnes ioyne house to house land to land that they alone may dwell vpon the face of the earth The Prophet Abacuk in like manner crieth out against couetous rich men who by briberie and corruptition Abac. 2 by crueltie and oppression enriched themselues woe to him that coueteth an euill couetousnes to his owne house that he may set his neast on high to escape from the power of euill Thou hast consulted shame to thine owne The Apostle Saint Iames therefore in deciphering their miserable and wretched state to come and their future calamities whereof they shoulde taste when they should drinke vp the dregges of the iudgement of God prepared for them exhorteth them to weepe how not thereby to preuent by repentance the miseries to come but as without all hope and as plunged ouer head and eares in all dispaire with all horror and terror of minde to look daylie for these miseries which should not be preuented nor auoided of them 4 This thing these prophane persons must doe because of the miseries which they shall suffer and the eternall punishments whereof in fine they shal be partakers For though in this world they reioyce solace and repaste themselues and take their pleasure vpon earth as the rich chuffe and carle did in the Gospell who was costly apparrelled and fared deliciouslie euery day yet shall they be assured hereafter to taste of all miserie and torments Luke 16. intollerable the recounting recording whereof should cause them to weepe to warie to howle to crie to lament without ceasing and gnash their teeth for paine and punishment to come For seeing these are thrust cleane out of the fauour of God seeing they are excluded from the kingdome of Christ the inheritance of God the felowship of the saints seeing they heare in their owne consciences the dreadful sentence of eternall condemnation pronounced against them seeing they haue so bitter and sharpe a iudgement geuen of them and so heauie destruction threatened by the Spirite of God in the mouth of the Apostle seeing they are concluded in that number which at the lefte hand of Christ shall haue their deserued rewarde to goe Mat. 25. in to hel fire prepared for the deuill and his angels Haue they not cause for this extreame miserie of all miseries the greatest to weepe and howle as they are aduised by the Apostle Goe to now you rich men whose golde is your god whose siluer is your safetie whose felicitie is worldly prosperitie whose glorie is your shame being earthly minded weepe and howle for the miseries which shall come vpon you Which miseries are not common but tragicall and full of extreame calamitie as the miserie of Aiax Oedipus Hercules or the like among the heathen By which the Apostle teacheth the woefull euent and vnhappie ende of the wicked which howsoeuer they passe their daies here where sometimes they taste of the cup of Gods wrath yet shal they in fine receaue the iust full reward and
fearefull iudgements of God vpon them which haue afflicted and cruelly persequuted his Church and Saints in all times This might easily asswage and mitigate all griefe and sorowe of out hearts Cain for persequuting and murthering Abell was Gen. 4. punished with a desperate minde all the dayes of his life with eternall torment of conscience in the kingdome of satan for euer Ismael for persequuting Isaac the seede of Gen. 21. Gal. 4. the promise was therefore caste out of the house of Abraham which was the ripe of the church of God Pharao and the Egyptians hauing a longtime afflicted the people Exod. 14. of God were therefore finally ouerthrowen in the redde sea and so prince and people horse and man perished The Philistines Amalachites Madianites Babilonians Assirians and others for like persequution were also punished Achab king of Israel persequuted the prophets 3 Kings 22. afflicted the saints of God and slew them to whom his bloudy wife Jesabell blew the bellowes of cruel tyrannie therfore he perished in the battle in Ramoth Gilead by the Syrians and the dogges licked his bloud in the poole of Samaria and shee was caste downe at a windowe 4. Kings 9. her braines being dasht out and her bodie deuoured of dogges When Antiochus the king of Siria had raised great persequution against the people of God hee himselfe was grieuously punished by God for not onely Maccab. 1. 6. 2. 9. c. his armie was greatly wasted of Iudas Maccabe but also when he purposed to haue made Hierusalem a coÌ„mon sepulchre for the Iewes he was stroken with a grieuous and incurable disease of his bowels and scrawling of wormes in his bodie and such a filthie stincke as that no man could abide it so that he was forced to waÌ„der in the mountaines and so ended his daies in miserie Haman afflicted Ester 7. Mardocaie and the people of the Iewes for which cause God caused him to fall into the disfauour of Assuerus who caused him to be hong vpon the gallowes he had prepared for Mardecay Herod called the great persecuting our sauiour Christ in the infaÌ„ts of Bethlem the coast therof Mat. 2. whom from two yeares olde and vnder hee caused to be murthered for the same was stroken with the fearefull disease of Antiochus and after vnspeakeable tormentes thereby ended his life most wretchedly as both Iosephus Ioseph lib. 17 c. 9. Antiquis 1. lib. c. 8. 9 writeth and Eusebius recordeth in his Ecclesiasticall historie Herod called Antipas the sonne of Herod the great caused Iohn to be beheaded in prison at the request of Herodias for that he had said It was not lawfull for him to haue his brother Philips wife For which thing Herod was punished of God His father in lawe Aretas the king of Arabia ouercame and slewe his armie and he fled to Lugden in Fraunce whether his incestuous harlotte folowed him where in miserable banishment he and she both perished What punishments the cruell Iewes suffered for Ioseph 18. lib. c. 20. Antiq. De bello Iudaico persecuting Christ and his Apostles it is at large in seuen bookes shewed by Josephus who shewed the great miserable warre the Romane Captaines Titus and Vaspasian had against Ierusalem and the wonderfull distresse the Iewes were driuen vnto thereby as is apparant and our Sauiour before had threatened Herod Agrippa as he imitated Luke 19. Mat. 23. Luke 21. 23. Actes 12. the persecution of his Grandfather Herod the great so was he punished as he was For hauing slaine Iames and cast Peter into prison making an oration to the people for which they gaue him the name of God is this the voice of God not of a maÌ„ he chalenging the same was stroken by the angell of God wormes scrawled also out of his bodie and so he died Nero the Emperour persecuted Paul and Peter and the Saintes but he fell by his owne handes and became his owne butcher Domitian the persecuting Emperour was slaine of his Subiects and buried without honour Like punishment befell like persecutours Finally many who haue afflicted priuate men haue beene themselues also greeuously afflicted and punished by God whose iust reward if wee did consider it shoulde cause vs in our afflictions to be patient and to settle our mindes as we are here exhorted partly therefore by the promises of our deliuerance and partly by the experience and trial of the power of God in that behalfe partely by the hope we haue of our glorious reward if we continue patient and finally that almighty God doth seuerely punish the wicked who haue persecuted his Church or any member thereof in our afflictions our hartes must be quietted and setled according to the doctrine of the Apostle be yee therefore patient also and settle your hearts 3 The third and laste thing in the similitude is the 3. Reason reason annexed the Saintes of God must be patient and settle their heartes because the comming of the Lorde approcheth Though the Lorde seeme to â—aâ—ie long yet wil he come and not tarie The prophet Abacuc shewing Abacuc 2 that both the enimies of Gods elect shal be destroied and the Saints certainely deliuered so that the issue of both shal be assuredly at the appoynted time though not alwaies according to our rash headie and hastie affection faith that the vision thereof that is of the deliuerance of the Saints and the punishmeÌ„t of the wicked is for an appointed time but at the laste it shall speake and shall not lie though it tarie waite for it shall surely come and not stay Which Saint Paul applying to the coÌ„ming of Christ Heb. 10. as a feare full auenger against the wicked and a plentifull rewarder of the patience of the righteous therefore telleth the Hebrues that they haue neede of patience that after they haue done the will of God they might receaue the promises For yet a little vvhile and hee that shall come will come and not tarrie Our Sauiour Christ in the holy Reuelation speaking of his comming which he Reuel 22. vvill not prolong but rather hasten for the elects sake sayth vnto his Church beholde I come shortly blessed â—at 24 is hee that keepeth the wordes of the Prophesie of this booke Seeing therefore the Lords comming to reuenge his elect and punish their enemies is at hand draweth neere the saints ought not to thinke the time of their afflictioÌ„ loÌ„g but to settle their harts endure with patieÌ„ce Which is the reason of the Apostle in this place to moue vnto patience Which reason if it might perswade men in the time of the Apostles to be patient and to endure the time of their triall because the comming of the Lorde for their full deliuerance drewe neere how much more effectuall is it to moue vs to endure the time of our trial seeing the time of Christes comming is so much shortened And if the comming of the Lord
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