A REMEDY AGAINST PRIVAT CONTENTIONS A GODLY AND FRVITFVLL Sermon on Iames 4. 1. c. WHERIN IS AT LARGE DISCOuered the hatefulnes and perniciousnesse of priuate Iars and Contentions with manifold remedies against the same By Mr. IOHN DOD 2. Cor. 10. 3 The weapons of our warfare are not carnall but mightie through God to cast downe holds AT LONDON Printed by Humfrey Lownes for Thomas Man and are to be sould at the signe of the Talbot in Pater noster rowe 1614. The points of Doctrine handled in the Sermon following Doctrine 1. It is a most horrible sinne and shame for Christians to liue in strife and contention Doctrine 2 Our owne distempered affections are the cause of contention with others Doctrine 3 Whosoeuer is led by his lusts neuer maketh a thriuing or a sauing bargaine of it Doctrine 4 Earthly minded men are still subiect to bee vexed with enuie Doctrine 5 Prayer is the best meanes to bee prouided of all needfull things Doctrine 6 It is most iust that God should denie and reiect their prayers who aske of him earthly things for worldly respects Doctrine 7 It is a dangerous and damnable kind of adulterie to set our minds on earthly things Doctrine 8 All men are esteemed of God as they are affected A REMEDIE AGAINST Priuate Contentions Iames 4. 1. c. 1 From whence are wars and contentions among you are they not hence euen of your lusts that fight in your members 2 Ye lust and haue not ye enuie and haue indignation and cannot obtaine yee fight and warre and get nothing because yee aske not 3 Yee aske and receiue not because ye aske amisse that yee might consume it on your lusts 4 Yee Adulterers and Adulteresses know yee not that the amitie of the world is the enmitie of God Whosoeuer therefore will be a friend to the world maketh himselfe the enemie of God IN the former Chapter the Apostle had sharply reproued them for that bitter enuying strife contention that was among them perswading them vnto peace and louing agreement but because they would bee ready to answere that they liked well enough of peace vnitie Obiection but they had so many vvrongs and indignities so many occasions of griefe discontentment offered vnto them that they could not auoide brawles and iarres and therefore they were not to be blamed for their dissensions but all the fault was in others that prouoked them hereunto Answer To this he answeres in the beginning of this Chapter saying From whence are warres and contentions among you are they not hence euen of your lusts As if hee should haue said vvill you now lay the fault of your iarring and contending vpon others If you doe so you little know your owne hearts for all your distempers proceed from no other cause but from your owne lusts that is your ouer-eager desire of earthly things viz. of profit pleasure or credit and these strong vvorldly affections must needs bring forth such effects because they fight in your members that is in the powers of your soule especially yet so as also they breake forth and shew themselues in the parts of the bodie They trouble your minds and memories disquiet your wils and affections causing you one while to thinke well of such a thing or such a person and by and by to dislike the same one while to wish for this or that presently after not to care for it nay many times to abhor it hence ariseth a ciuill warre as it were vvithin your selues and thence it is that you contend with others for he will accord vvith none that cannot agree vvith himselfe Next he sets before them the effect of these wordly desires verse 2. Ye lust and haue not as who should say what doe you get by giuing place to your lusts The more you lust the lesse you haue Obiection And where they might thinke themselues hardly charged and that this accusation of earthly lusts and affections could not be proued against them Answer Yes saith hee it will plainely appeare by the effects in that yee enuie and haue indignation one against another now if you did not care for and loue the world you would neuer enuie those that goe beyond you in wordly things Obiection Further it is added Yee fight and warre and get nothing Then belike might some say wee are not Gods children if things be thus farre amisse on our parts and God also deale so seuerely vvith vs. Answer Answ Nay the Apostle doth not conclude any such matter but sayes thus much in effect you may be Christians many of you though very carnall Christians and children you may bee though ill children neither is the Lord to bee charged with ouer-seuere dealing no it is not the hardnsse of the father that vvill not grant but the badnesse of the children that will not aske that is the cause why you get nothing so that it was not the want of friends nor the want of means that caused them to be in necessity but the want of praier and so consequently of a faithfull heart and fitted to receiue the things they prayed for Obiection But here they would reply again as hypocrisie makes men full of shifting and say you charge vs that wee doe not pray that is not so I haue prayed againe and againe and yet am neuer the better Answer Indeed saith hee Yee aske and yet ye receiue not and why Because ye aske amisse As if he had said if ye speede not in prayer it is certaine all is not well in your prayers for that is a key to open Gods treasurie neither is his eare â—uer shut against the faithfull supplications of his seruants and hereby doth it appeare that you aske amiss in that ye aske That ye might consume it vpon your lusts They would not be so absurd as to say so to God Lord giue me this that I may bestow it vpon my lusts but that was their purpose intent which is euident by this that the scope and drift of their petitions vvas for earthly things if they were sicke oh how earnest would they be for wealth if in debt what importunitie vvould they vse to get out it of and so for other the like matters but why did they aske these worldly things Euen for worldly respects not to serue God better but to serue themselues they desired health that they might pursue their commodities or follow their pleasures and delights they asked wealth to the intent they might hold vp their heads with the best that they might haue larger maintenance that they might better their apparell and their diet c. Obiection What if we doe desire these things in those regards is Obiection that any such great fault Answer I will tell you saith the holy ghost Yee adulterers and adulteresses c. As if he should haue said you wretched and sinfull men and women doe you imagine that God doth bestow these things vpon you that you should abuse
them to his dishonour and to the satisfying of your owne carnall desires Your health to idlenesse and wantonnesse your wealth to pride and excesse this is farre from the Lords meaning And the haynousnesse of this sinne will appeare euidently by the similitude heere vsed Put case a wife should bee alwaies whining for money and larger allowance and would neuer let her husband bee at peace but night and day be at him for the granting of her request and her husband should demand of her what she would doe with it if she should answere I haue an affection to such an adulterer and I haue maintained him thus long would faine haue him to be in his brauerie still vvould this suit please her husband Nay would hee not abhorre both her and her request yet this is the case of all earthly minded men they would faine haue these outward things and what would they doe with them euen spend them vpon their owne lusts and that is to commit spirituall fornication against the Lord in which regard he is so round with them in this place Yee adulterers and adulteresses know ye not that the loue of the world is the enmitie of God It is not onely spirituall adulterie but enmitie against God in so much that he concludeth in the words immediatly following Whosoeuer therfore will be a friend of the world that is liue as vvordly men doe for his diet for his apparell for his carriage for his drifts and purposes c. such an one maketh himselfe the enemie of God he is so indeed whatsoeuer he conceiue of Gods loue towards him and therefore will God shew himselfe an enemy toward him The drift wee see of these words is to draw the people of God from those miserable contentions and vexations which were among them which hee doth by rebuking them and that for speciall faults 1. Some inward to wit 1. Their lusting after and immoderate desiring of earthly things 2. Their enuie that others should speede better then themselues 2. Some outward viz. brawling and strife about which he spends many words because almost all their life was spent therein From both which he terrifies them by the ill effects First that they got nothing Secondly that they endangered their owne soules in making themselues adulterers adulteresses and so enemies to God and God to them And thus much for the meaning and order of the words Vers 1. From whence are warres and contentions among you namely that are professors In that he doth so sharpely take them vp for their mutuall discord and dissension the generall doctrine is that Doct. 1 Strife a great sinne It is a most horrible sinne and shame for Christians to liue in strife and contention and to breake out into brawling and passion Reason 1 First the causes are verie bad one of which the Apostle pointeth at where he saith Whereas there is among you enuying and strife and diuisions are yee not carnall and walke as men 1 Cor. 3. 3 as if he should haue said when you are male content and passionate and euer falling out one with another doe you thinke that this is from faith and not from the flesh yes surely it is euen from the flesh for where there is bitter strife and enuying in the heart all the wisdome that such are led by is earthly sensuall and diuellish and this may be Iam. 3. 14. 15 Reason 2 the second reason why contention is such a grieuous sin namely Because those that are therunto giuen are led not onely by soil a guide as there owne sensuall wisdome that was neuer taught them by God and his word but farther they are guided by Sathan for the Apostle saith Iames 3 their wisdome is diuellish now if it be a foule shame to be led by sense as a beast what is it to be led by Satan as his vassal Reason 3 Another cause of this sinne is giuen by Salomon where hee saith Prou. 13. 10. Onely through pride man maketh contention So much hautinesse as there is in the heart so much discontentment are men subiect vnto if others wrong them indeed they cannot beare it if it be but in their conceit all is one they will chafe and fret at it and all this proceeds hence that they thinke better of themselues then either God or men doe or then in truth there is any iust cause why any should doe The effects 2 Secondly as the causes of this sinne are ill so are the effects sutable Iam. 3. 16. for where there is enuying and strife there is sedition and all manner of euill workes In what heart or in what house soeuer those vices reigne the Lord seeth and men may euidently perceiue that there are euil thoughts euill words euill practises of all kinds for there the diuell and sinne beare sway and fill the places with all manner of pollutions Effect 2 Further as contention puls on all euill so it hinders all good it makes the parties that they cannot pray for in all our requests to God wee must lift vp pure hands without wrath c. they cannot heare because good hearers 1. Tim. 2. 8 must be slow to wrath and receiue the word with meeknesse Iam. 1. 19. As for the Lords supper they cannot be meet partakers of it because it is a Sacrament of loue and if wee would bee forgiuen we must forgiue in a word they are vnfit for euery good worke for the wrath of man accomplisheth not the righteousnesse Iam. 1. 20. of God Lastly this is it which ruinates both persons and families for an house diuided against it selfe cannot stand Nay Luke 11. 17. a kingdome be it neuer so mightie diuided against it selfe shall be desolate And if this be a sure thing that where brethren dwell together in vnitie God hath appointed his Psal 133. 1. 3. blessing and life for euermore then it is as certaine on the other side that where men liue in continuall strife there God hath appointed his curse and death for euermore Vse 1 First for the reproofe of them that spend a great part of their time in fretting and quarrelling because things goe not so well as they would haue them Some there are indeed that when they fall to open brawles go by the worse because they are ouer-matched and therefore they will sit and mope in a corner but vnto such Iames speaketh saying Sigh not one against another So that there are sighers Iam. 5. 9 as well as chiders and both condemned by the word Sigh one for another wee may as if a friend or a child of ours haue sinned it is an happie thing if we can weepe in secret for them but wee must not sigh one against another no more then we may chafe one against another Wee must not when wee are alone muse of the vnkindnesse of such and such and so grow to bitter thoughts against them that is a wofull thing and will
bee a hard reckoning for vs at length for as Iames addeth the Iudge is at the doore and the Assises will be fearefull for all such persons If thy cause be good and thy conscience good God is at hand to right all thy wrongs but when men giue themselues to fretting and bitter discontentment it is as much in effect as if they should say that God is no equall Iudge and therefore they cannot rest satisfied with his gouernment yet are they ready enough in their distempered fits to prophane the name of God by calling him to be iudge in their causes as Sarah did when her maid despised her God be iudge between me and thee saith she to her husband but if the Lord had come she would haue been the loser Gen. 16. 5 For God being a most righteous Iudge would haue examined both parties and then who would haue been found in the greater fault Abraham tooke Hagar but who was the cause of it was not Sarah the greatest complainers and exclaimers are vsually most faulty themselues and therfore let christians be ashamed to be so clamorous contentious vpon euery occasion for to bee so vnpeaceable amongst men sheweth that there is little acquaintance with the God of peace therefore let vs rather goe from our owne right and yeeld a little then be still falling out with our neighbours better it is to lose some of our outward commodities then to lose our inward and outward peace Obiection But why should I so abase my selfe as to yeeld vnto him Answer Nay why should you be so base minded as to yeeld vnto the diuell for whosoeuer giueth place vnto anger and wrath giueth place vnto the diuell Most abominable Ephe. 4. 26. 27 therefore is that falling out which is amongst professors though there be many things amisse in a familie yet if there be mutuall loue and compassion and tender heartednes crosses are made much easier and burdens much lighter then else they would be whereas if there be brawles in the familie euery light affliction is made heauie what a disgrace therefore is it for the subiects of the Prince of peace to be at such variance among themselues It is for dogges and swine to be barking and biting one at another but to see Sheepe or Lambes tearing one another all the world would wonder at it If then we professe that Christ is our shepheard and wee his sheepe how can wee with any comfort looke him in the face when wee so farre differ from the nature and properties of his sheepe in eating vp our owne heartes with griefes and ministring continuall vexation vnto others and biting and deuouring one another But heere will some obiections be made for as euery one is more guiltie so will he haue more colours to hide his corruptions from the view of the world Some will grant that they are often discontented indeed but they haue reason so to be Let vs heare their reasons then Obiection One is that they are prouoked Answer But who can prouoke a sheepe to bark and bite true Christian loue is not prouoked so that it is not the prouocation without but want of true loue with in and abundance 1. Cor. 13. 5 of selfe loue that causeth you to be so passionate Obiection But who can chuse but be angry at sinne that is it that mooueth me Answer But see whether this faire shew doe not proceed from foule hypocrisie and the Lord open our eyes that we may see it Your anger you say is from hatred of sinne well let vs examine the matter a little First doe you hate your owne sinnes and haue they caused you as often to breake your sleepe as the iniuries of Anger against sinne how discerned others Nay that way they must needes confesse they are more sparing that then is nothing else but plaine dissimulation to pretend griefe for anothers sinne when you haue little or none for your owne Secondly such as grieue for the faults of any and are desirous to reforme them will vse a good discreet order in dealing with the parties obseruing all circumstances for that ende As namely first the circumstāce of time that they will not presently vpon the cōmitting of the offence flie in their faces in the view of all the standers by seeking to disgrace them to the vttermost but wil waite the fittest opportunitie when with most benefit and least blemish to the party they may help him against corruption Secondly as euery sin is greater so they will be more incensed against it and herein doth the hypocrisie of many appear that they will bee more mooued at soome small offence wherein they themselues are touched then at a farre greater matter that nothing concernes their credit or commoditie though it do neuer so much concerne Gods glorie Such may go masked vnder the vail of hypocrisie but God will discouer their false pretences in the end neither let them euer looke for comfort in the time of sicknesse or of death from such kind of zeale against sinne Indeed there is a corruption in all and we are too sensible of iniuries but the godly doe condemne it in themselues are neuer content till they can be more troubled at sinnes whereby God is dishonoured then at infirmities and iniuries whereby they themselues are wronged Thirdly if any be displeased at sinne he wil vse all good remedies for the healing thereof he will reproue and admonish and exhort and all from a louing and mercifull heart yea hee will ioyne vnto these heartie prayer for a blessing vpon his indeauours This we see in Moses hee was verie angrie against the sin of the Israelites in making the golden calfe and shewed his iust anger in executing iudgement vpon the ring leaders in that hainous offence but withall we must note that he was neuer more feruent in praier for them then at that time Those therefore that Exod. 32. 11 are so far moued that they cannot speake vnto the offenders in giuing them good louing aduice nor speake for them vnto God in putting vp hearty and earnest requests such I say may be assured that their anger is not the zeale of the spirit but the heate of the flesh which they can haue no comfort in but must be humbled for it leaue it Vse 2 A second vse of this is for instruction that if euer vvee looke for peace with God and comfort in our soules and good estimation among Gods children then let vs take heed as of other sinnes so of this sinne of passion and distemper Do men deale with vs as with enemies let vs loue them Do they wrong vs let vs pray for them Doe they Mat. 5. 44 speak euill of vs let vs speak the best of them to them for that is Christ his counsell hereby shall men knovv that we are his Disciples if we loue one another Iohn 13. 35. whereas otherwise they may suspect vs to bee hypocrites if we
hate one another And further hereby shall we assure our harts before God that we are of the truth and that we do pertaine to his family this euery Christian that hath any acquaintance with 1. Iohn 3. 19 his own heart will confesse that when hee is most mercifull and most ready to put vp iniuries indignities then he hath most comfortable assurance of his own saluation and can most cheerefully looke vp vnto God in Christ as one that hath interest in him Quest But how may a man become thus peaceable and quiet it must needs be acknowledged that contention is a foule sinne an horrible shame but how may I master my violent passions and become more mild and calme Answer The Lord telleth you hovv to vanquish and kill this corruption and one meanes is Remedies against anger Tit. 3. 2. 3 1 Often to examine your own heart the Apostle willeth men to shew all meekenesse toward all men Obiection But might some say I am of an hastie nature ready to bee prouoked and therfore I cannot indure such iniuries as men offer me Answer But remember what you haue said and done against others especially against God and that wil abate the pride of your heart Haue not you beene vnwise disobedient and liuing in malitiousnesse and enuie hatefull and hating others In which regard the wise mans counsell is that a man Eccl. 7. 23. 24 should not take notice of euery fault of his seruant but passe by many and why because euery mans soule can tell him though men cannot charge him that he hath commited the like or greater faults against God or men which if we could well consider mens vnkindnesses would seeme nothing in our eyes for when our owne sinnes lye heauie others vvrongs lye light and when we feele not the weight of sinne in any good measure euery trifling offence of men seemes an hainous crime vnto vs. A second helpe against wrathfull passions is to be assured of the remission of our sinnes Bee yee curteous one to another saith the Apostle and tender hearted So I will will some say so long as they vse mee well but if they deale otherwise and begin to doe me wrong they shall heare of it whosoeuer they bee Oh deale not so saith Paul But forgiue one another euen as God for Christ his sake Ephe. 4. vlt. forgaue you Seeing the Lord hath sent his sonne and the sonne hath giuen his blood and the holy Ghost hath sprinkled the same vpon your hearts for the washing away of all your iniquities stand not with men for small pettie iniuries but forgiue and forget them and assuredly whosoeuer hath the comfortable feeling of the pardon of his sinnes cannot but doe so When Steuen saw Christ sitting at the right hand of God in heauen and was assured that he had saued him from his sinnes and that he should forthwith goe vnto him he could kneele downe and with all meekenesse pray for his most bitter enemies that were then stoning of him neither weere they so mad against him to do him hurt as he was earnest with God for them to procure their good The third and last remedie is to denie carnall reason for that is anill guide that leadeth vs out of the way Euer marke this in reuengeful persons when they are reproued for their spitefull and malicious dealing their answere is had I not cause had I not reason to do as I haue done no none at all for what sound reason can there bee against Gods reason who saith Reuenge not c. for vengeance is mine I will requite it saith the Lord. It is his office which he hath appropriated vnto himselfe and they are intruders yea traitors that will goe about to thrust God out of his iudgment seat And therefore let not the diuell delude vs with this conceite that wee haue reason for our brawling and quarrelling for the best that can be said for it is this that it is beastly and fleshly reason such as the Lord esteemeth folly and frensie and enmitie against his maiestie Rom. 8. which will bring with it death and destruction of body and soule if we yeeld vnto it and be led by it Are they not hence euen of your lusts Here he sheweth the fountaine of all their discontentments namely their own vntamed affections whatsoeuer occasions there may be that is the true cause as the reason why a Lyon rageth and roreth is not that any creature disquieteth him and raiseth him vp for then a sheep being stirred should roar too but that his naturall inclination draweth him thereunto Doct. 2 Lust in the heart the cause of contention The Doctrine hence to bee gathered is this that Our owne distempered lusts are the cause of all our strife and contention with others They make vs vnquiet in our selues and so cause vs to disquiet them that are about vs. Therefore it is said that fleshly lusts doe fight against our 1. Pet. 2. 11 soules they cause a continuall warre within a man which inward combat with ones selfe sheweth it selfe oftentimes in outward iarring with men Christ Iesus had as great wrongs as euer man in this world had yet was he neuer in any passion or distemper and why because he was quite voide of carnall affections Before his conuersion Paul was very boistrous and full of rage but after that hee had spent the heat of his anger vpon his owne great sinnes he that had beene very froward became very meeke and was able with patience to vndergo imprisonment whipping stoning reuiling with any the like indignities wee neuer heare this from him what shall I beare this a man of my education of my learning of my gifts shall I endure to liue in the stocks hungrie and cold and full of paines c. No no these thoughts were farre from Paul he was content to suffer any thing yea to lay downe his life for the name of the Lord Iesus and that because his lusts were subdued and the venome thereof remoued Let euery Christian looke backe vnto his disposition before his calling and who is there but shall find that hee was full of enuie hastie and testie and ready to bee prouoked but since his conuersion hee may say to the glorie of God that he can beare that which hee could not before and get out of that passion in a few houres that was wont to hang vpon him many moneths and as he growes more in grace so shall it be better with him still Vse 1 So often therefore as wee breake forth into any distempered speeches or actions let vs know that wee haue a summons from God to take notice of our vnrulie affections What haue you forgotten your selfe are you more wearie of your life then of your sinne then there is somewhat within to bee conquered and brought vnder and that should bring you vpon your knees to become a suter vnto God Lord I see by the fruits that lust is