health are in the power of God alone and not in the hande of mortall man Men are meanes praiers are instruments but it is God that saueth yea which healeth Another effect of praier is that through the faithfull praiers of the Saints their sinnes are forgiuen the sicke If saith Saint Iames hee hath committed sinne it shall be forgiuen him Whereâ—â—â—o Saint Iohn condiscendeth if any man see his brother sinne a sinne not vnto 1. Ihon. 5. death let him aske and hee shall giue him life for them that sinne not vnto death As therefore the faithfull prayers of Gods Saintes are not causes but instruments of obtayning health so are they also meanes of obteyning remission of our sinnes at the handes of God Matt. 6. Therefore our Sauiour in that fourme of prayer which he woulde to bee vsed for our selues and for our brethren also willeth that wee shoulde praye for forgiuenesse of sinnes not in our selues onely but in our brethren also VVherewith Christ mooued prayed for the Luke 23. Iewes and Steuen for forgeuenesse of those men which persecuted him Seeing therefore that the prayers of the Acts 7. Elders hath this double effect they ought not to be neglected of men Nowe where the Apostle witnessed that the sinnes of the sicke shoulde bee remitted and forgiuen by the praiers of the Elders it sufficiently refuteth the sharpe and rigorous censure of the Nouatian heretikes and their horrible blasphemie who denie pardone of sinne to such as anie wise sinne after their conuersion to the Gospell and the knowledge of the trueth Saint Iames affirmeth that if anie of the brethren any of the professed Christians anie of the Church after the profession of Gods trueth shoulde commit sinne after their conuersion and the Elders prayed for it it should bee forgiuen Salomon confesseth that the righteous offendeth seuen times a day and is a gaine restored Dauid sinned Pro. 24. after he knewe God and his sinnes though notorious and grieuous yet were forgiuen as to him vpon his confession and repentance Nathan promised Iames our Apostle 2. King 12. speaking of the professours of the Gospell confesseth that in manie things they all sinne If there were no Iames 3. remission of sinne after the profession of the Gospel and the knowledge of the truth why doth Saint Paul will Gal. 6. the brethren of Galatia that if any offended of infirmitie they should restore him in the spirit of meekenesse considering themselues least they also were tempted why doth S. Iohn speaking to those that knew the truth say that if any of them sinned they had an aduocate with 1. Iohn 2. the father who was the propitiation for their sinnes euen Iesus Christ the righteous Palpaple therefore is this heresie of the Nouatians and refuted by these and like places of Scripture Moreouer that here the Apostle mencioneth sinnes in mens sickenesse it intimateth and giueth vs to vnderstande Deut. 28. that sinnes are for the most part the causes of our sickenesse and bodily diseases The Lorde threatneth sickenesse pestilence and diseases against such as sinned and transgressed his commaundements God brought vpon Aegypt botch blaine boile and sore Exod. 9. diseases vpon the people for their churlish crueltie towardes the Israelites their shamefull contempt of the Prophets the abusing of the pacience of God Meriah Num. 12. the sister of Moises was stroken with the leprosie for murmuring agaynst her brother the Lordes minister Abimelech and the Philistins were stroken with diseases in their Gene. 20. secrete places for taking away the wife of Abraham Gehesie was plagued with the leprosie of Naaman the Assirian 4. King 5. for his couetousnesse and receyuing of gifts Dauid confesseth that Gods heauie hande of sickenesse was vpon him for his sinne from toppe to toe so that hee had Psal 38. no rest in his bones by reason of his iniquitie Saint Paul recordeth to the Church of Corinth that many of them 1. Cor. 11. were diseased for the abuse of the Lords supper Our Sauiour Christ healing him which was diseased eight thirtie Iohn 5. yeares willed him to sinne no more least a worse thing happen vnto him noting thereby that the cause of his disease was his sinne And no doubt the cause of our newe sickenesses whereof wee taste euerie yeare is the newe sinne which we dayly encrease our newe adulteries New sinnes procure new sickenesses oure newe deuised pride our newe extorcion couetousnesse and oppression our newe crueltie and iniquitie which we multiplie continually against the Lord. VVhich thing Saint Jamee to teach vs telleth vs that if the sicke haue committed sinne it should be forgiuen by prayer and this is the first remedie against bodily infirmities both generall and particular as the Apostle hath prescribed The seconde remedie in particular affliction as 2. Remedie sickenesse is mutuall confession ioyned with prayer so that prayer againe is annexed and ioyned as a remedie whereby that we might helpe one another the better there is required mutuall confession and free conferring one with another touching offences giuen Acknowledge ye your sinnes one to another and pray one for another that ye may bee healed For the prayer of a righteous man auayleth much if it be feruent Helias c. In which words these things may be obserued 1 Mutuall confession with praier is required 2 To what ende to the ende we might be healed 3 The force of the righteous mans praier 4 Howe that force is shewed by example of the praier of Elias Concerning mutuall confession and conferring one Mutuall confession with another about offences giuen done it is very necessary to the recouerie of health in sicknes for God soonest heareth such as haue put away al malice hatred out of their hearts and are at peace and loue with their brethren this is chiefly done where brotherly we confer one with another touching offences and trespasses committed which done we can best helpe one another with our mutual praiers As therfore meÌ„bers al of one body ought Rom. 12. 1. Cor. 12. Ephe. 4. to helpe one another so Christians being all members of one body ech of them meÌ„bers of ech other ought by mutuall helpe to assist and aide one another in sicknesse Wherefore to this purpose as in sicknes he willed that the Elders of the church should be sent for and assembled to praie for the sicke so a second remedie and helpe in sicknes is that the brethren thus assembled should conferre mutually touching offences committed that mutually confessing and mutually forgiuing God might the better heare their mutuall praiers of loue for those which were sicke among them To which purpose this place serueth acknowledge your faultes one to another open that which grieueth you that a remedy may be sought and found out for it the better This mutuall confession and acknowledging one to another wherein one of vs hath offended another the sacred
treatise touching outwarde temptations he now proceedeth to the third place in this first Chapter handled which is concerning internall and inwarde temptations of the mind whereby men are pricked forward and mooued to euill proceeding from Satan who by our owne concupiscense and carnall desires solliciteth vs to mischiefe wickednesse The summe whereof is this men may not impute their euill temptations to God neither make him the authour thereof seeing our owne desires do tempt vs and carie vs away to wickednesse and we beare about in our owne bosomes naturall corruption which snatcheth and catcheth euery occasion of comitting euil wherehence all sinne groweth and buddeth as from a stocke and roote and death ensueth and followeth sinne at the heeles as the reward and wages Rom. 6. thereof 1 The first thing in these wordes and this discourse is the proposition of the place whereby their errour is confuted and condemned who hold and affirme that when they are prouoked pricked to euill they are thereunto prouoked and tempted by God which lay the cause of euill concupiscense corrupt affections wicked temptations yea and of sinne it selfe vpon God and say God prouoked and stirred me vp to this euil God seduced and led me into this temptation God mooued and sollicited me to this sinne This the Apostle remouing as an horrible errour from the hearts and mindes of men giueth them this aduice in this present proposition Let no man say when he is tempted I am tempted of God When pleasure prouoketh when pride pricketh whē malice boileth when couetousnesse assaulteth when reuenge kindleth when feare discourageth or any other thing tempteth vs to euil we may not impute this to God and therby thinke our selues excused Let no man say when he is tempted I am tempted of God for God is not the cause of this temptation neither may our sinnes be referred vnto him The trueth of this proposition shall the better be vnderstood and knowen if we consider that there are specially three kindes of temptations in holy Scripture mentioned thus distinguished in the regard of the ends of euery one of them 1 One temptation is called the temptation of proof because the ende thereof is the proofe of men that thereby there may be had a triall of our faith patience constancie with other vertues in vs whatsoeuer And it is thē when either some worke is commanded vs of God which is harde and grieuous vnto the flesh as was that temptation of Abraham who from God was willed to offer and sacrifice Gen. 22. vp his onely and deare sonne Isaac whom he had begotten in his olde age in whom onely was the hope of the accomplishment of all Gods promises vnto him the heire of his goods the seede of his posteritie the very ioy of his heart which thing was commanded for the triall of his faith patience and obedience that he thus tried might be knowen and manifested to the world and his vertue and obedience an example and patterne to all posteritie to imitate and follow for euer Or els when some heauie crosse great miserie strange affliction is laide vpon vs for the triall of our hearts whether from an vnfeyned faith we loue God or no as was the temptation of Iob Job 1. 2. ◠whose crosse was heauie whose miserie was great whose afflictions strange that thereby his patience being tryed he might be thereof an example to all the Saints Thus was he tempted his children destroyed sodenly his goods taken from him violently his body diseased strangely his wife vpbrayding him wickedly his friends rebuking him sharpely What greater crosse could bee laid vpon man bereft of children spoiled of goods abused by his wife cōdemned by his friends sore in body sick in minde what miserie herewith is to be compared yet al to prooue him Like temptation was that of Tobias who sleeping vnder Tob. 2. the wall of his house his face vncouered the dongue of Swallowes fell into his eies and he lost his sight therewith tempted for triall God saith Moses tempted his people fortie yeares leading them vp and downe the wildernes Deut. 8. to humble their hearts to trie their faith to prooue their patience and so make triall of them whether they loued the Lord their God or no. Or finally this temptation is when God sendeth heresies false doctrines errors among men thereby to trie the true Saints of God and the vnfeyned seruants of Iesus Christ This end almightie God respected in the temptation of Israel vnto whom hee sent false Prophets working miracles and shewing also wonders among men thereby to trie his people To which Deut. 13. purpose the holy Apostle affirmeth that therefore heresies 1. Cor. 11. must needes bee among men that they which are proued might be knowen Thus the Church of Christ hath alwaies been tempted In the time of the Apostles many false teachers and sundrie damnable heresies were sproong vp among them as both Paul in sundrie his Epistles and Peter in like maner 1. Cor. 15. 1. Tim. 4. 2. Pet. 2. aboundantly doe testifie After the time of the Apostles in the succeeding ages how many heresies sproong vp whereby the Church was tempted and tried who is conuersant in the writings of the auncient Fathers who is occupied in the turning ouer of Ecclesiasticall stories who is seene in the Chronicles of all times which knoweth not Our time not voide of like temptations for now the Libertines are reuiued the Anabaptists are raked out of hell againe the familie of loue a masse of all mischiefe a world of all wickednes a confusion of heresies is fresh in our daies Papists Seminaries Iesuites newe sectes of popish heresie swarme in euery corner of our Countrey euen among our selues and as it were out of the bosome of the churchmen arise speaking peruerse things drawing Acts. 20. vnder colour of religion and godlines many Disciples after them wherby the peace of Hierusalem is disturbed which to vs also as to other commeth to passe for the triall of the Saints and the proofe of the godly God then sēding these or like things vnto men doth it not to solicite stir or moue them to any euil defectiō or falling from the faith but to trie them to make them know them selues to exercise their vertues to cause them more immouably to cleaue vnto him that they being constant and patient vnder all manner temptations may finally attaine to eternall saluation In which temptations how so euer the instruments thereunto vsed by God be wickedly affected yet in all thinges respecteth he that which tendeth most vnto his owne glorie and the benefite of his Church and so is he neuer to bee charged as the cause of wickednesse among men 2 Beside the temptation to proue there is a temptation also of presumption whereby men are moued to Rom. 2. tempt God too much presuming of his goodnes abusing his patience despising the mercie and long suffering of God flattering
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
capacitie of man applying it self to the weaknesse of our wittes and so in the doctrine of workes hee doth so also oftner mencioning workes then faith because works are more familiar then faith being an inward vertue 2. Seeing God hath made vs capable of reason and hath giuen vs desire will and iudgement whereby we are caried sometimes to that is good sometimes to that is euill therefore it pleased the holy Ghost oftentimes to mention workes and to vse sundrie exhortations admonitions reprehensions and reproofes thereby to stirre our desirâ—s will and iudgement to that which is good and to shunne and decline the contrarie 3. Works are trials and tokens signes and testimonies of mens faith which being an internall qualitie and habite of minde is knowen in it selfe onely vnto God whereof that men might haue knowledge and might also followe it in vs therefore by workes it must be made manifest Therefore are wee willed to make our inwarde man knowen too by good workes 4. Moreouer men naturally giuen to hyprocrisie would easily deceiue not themselues onely but others also in a vaine ostentation and name of faith carelesse of the fruites of righteousnesse without which our faith is dead which to shew the Scriptures require works as fruits in al such as were once iustified by faith in Christ Iesus 5. Wee are easily stirred vp to the doing of things by rewards and deterred by punishments That we might by rewards be stirred vp to the fruites of righteousnesse therefore doth almightie God promise great rewards vnto the workes of men thereby to allure vs to righteousnesse and holinesse Which workes he also doth worke in vs for he worketh in man both the will and the deed according to his pleasure Wherfore when he crowneth our Philip. 2. vertues and good workes in vs which he himselfe onely worketh in vs he crowneth not our merits but his owne gifts as notably auoucheth Saint Angustine So then by Tract 3. vpon S. John Luke 17. working we deserue nothing yea rather if we looke into our owne deseruings we shall be forced to crie that we are altogether vnprofitable seruants The Scriptures then mention workes not thereby to merit but by promise of reward to allure to vertue 6. The Scriptures mention vvorkes so often to teach vs our dutie to be fruitfull in all vvorkes of righteousnesse and in all goodnesse to imitate Christ our example and patterne in all vertue that vvee might be such vnto christians our brethren as Iesus Christ vvas to vs louing gentle pacient bountifull righteous easily entreated readie to forgiue and plentifull in good workes and in the fruites of righteousnesse to the glorie of God 7 Finally they mention workes and thereof the rewards are promised to shew what shall followe our workes of obedience euen eternall life not for desert of workes but by the grace of God and according to his mercifull promise as in this place the Apostle promiseth the crowne of life to the pacience of Gods Saints not for the worke of pacience but for the promise of God who hath promised to rewarde therewith the pacience of his Saints whose pacience is the way and meane but not the cause of their happinesse For as the high way is not cause of our comming into the Citie but the meane whereby we come therunto and as the race or place of running is not the cause of the goale or garland there giuen but the way and meane therunto so are not our workes neither is our pacience the cause of our crowne but the way and meane whereby we come vnto it And that our workes can not cause our crowne and eternall blessednesse it is manifest 1 If man might deserue eternall life then the workes of men might binde God but God cannot be bound by vs because he receiueth Psal 16. Job 53 nothing by our workes of righteousnesse as both Dauid and Iob auouch therefore wee can not deserue life 2 If men could deserue life then were not life the gift of God through Iesus Christ therefore man can not deserue it 3 If man could deserue eternall life then must there be a proportion betwixt that which deserueth which is temporall righteousnesse and that which is deserued eternall happinesse and what proposition is there betwixt things temporall and things eternall Insomuch as Paul sayth thar our sufferings are not to be compared with our Rom. 8. 2. Cor. 4. future glorie and that momentanie afflictions cause a farre more excellent and an eternall weight of glorie 4 Such as will deserue must haue in themselues whereby they deserue but all our vertues whereby in the vanitie of our mindes wee hope to gaine heauen are from God not of our selues we haue nothing that we haue not 1. Cor 4. 1. James 2. Cor. 3. receiued of our selues we can do nothing not so much as thinke that is good whose willes are framed by God to euerie vertue practised of vs therefore can not wee deserue eternall life let vs holde then with this Apostle that this crowne is due to pacience not by our deserts but by the promise of God 5 Now to conclude this place this is giuen to such as loue God to them which loue God in many places 2. Tim. 4 8 Rom 5. 28. manie promises are made so in this place the crowne of life is promised to them that loue God Why Because we can expresse our loue by no way better then by suffering for him and by bearing such things as he layeth vpon vs. Thus then such as shewe themselues to loue God in pacient bearing afflictions from him are they to whom the crowne of life shall be giuen Now let vs pray c. Iames Chap. 1. ver 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. Sermon 5. 13 Let no man say when he is tempted I 3. Place of the Chapter am tempted of God for God cannot be tempted with euill neither tempteth he any man 14 But euery man is tempted when he is drawen away by his owne concupiscence and is intised 15 Then when lust hath coÌ„ceiued it bringeth forth sinne and sinne when it is finished bringeth forth death 16 Erre not my deare brethren 17 Euery good gift and euery perfect gift is from aboue and commeth downe from the father of lights with whom is no variablenesse neither shadow of turning In these verses are foure things to bee obserued Namely 1. The proposition that men may not count God the cause of their temptations 2. The reasons arguments for coÌ„firmation of the proposition they are three 1. From the nature of God who neither is tempted nor tempteth 2. From the true and naturall cause which is concupiscense 3. From contrarie effects 3. The effects of lust concupiscense which is cause of euil teÌ„ptations they are 2 1. Sinne. 2. Death 4. The conclusion seeing then God cannot be counted the cause of our temptations we must beware that we erre not in making him cause therof THe Apostle hauing ended the
finally and deceauing themselues in the power and prouidence of God towards the sonnes of mē Such a temptation is it when men continue in sinne wallow Ephes 4. and welter in iniquitie committing wickednes with greedines presuming vpon the mercie of God and say with themselues Haue not I sinned and what euill hath come vnto me The greater my sinne is the greater shall Ecclus. 5. his mercie be in forgeuing me the Lord hath mercie in store for vs all be we neuer so wicked In the last houre I will returne vnto him and I shal be receaued This is a temptation tending to presumption abusing the mercie and goodnes of the Lord. Such is that temptation whereby wee are sollicited to say I know the goodnesse of the Lord is great ouer all his creatures I know he hath a fatherly and prouident care ouer me and he will not see the worke of his owne hande to perish for lacke of sustinance God that giueth clothing Mat. 6. Psal 147. to the floures and lillies of the field and feedeth the yoong rauens that call vpon him will cloth me and feede me also what need I to wearie or waste my selfe with toilesome and troublesome labour I will rest vpon his prouidence such is the temptation of witlesse persons and very harebraines who say I know there shall not one haire of my head fall away without the knowledge of God I know that he is alwaies at hand present to helpe and succour at time of neede I will feare nothing therefore I vvill runne through fire and vvater I vvill not be terrified by the glittering and glistring svvorde or sheild I vvill passe through the pikes by svvord and famine cold and nakednesse perill and pestilence come on it vvhat vvill those are sollicited by satan to presume of Gods mercy povver prouidence and goodnesse Satan assailed Christ himselfe in this kinde solliciting him to cast himselfe Mat. 4. dovvne from the pinacle of the temple because God had giuen his Angels charge ouer him that he should not hurt his foote against a stone To sinne then because God is mercifull to loyter and be idle because God is liberall to cast our selues into present daunger rashly because he is able to deliuer vs to lie still in the ditch and not to helpe Psal 91. our selues because he is of povver and can rayse vs is a temptation and suggestion of satan vvhereby he mooueth vs to presumption 3 There is finally a temptation which is to deceiue and seduce men drawing them into error mouing them to euil stirring them forward to iniquitie and vngodlines aduenturing and enterprising any thing repugnant to the law and will of God Of this there are two kindes also 1 Temptation to deceiue externall 2 Temptation to deceiue internall Externall temptation whereby wee are drawen into any sinne is that temptation whose cause is externall and outward and the beginning therof without vs as when by Sathan by the world and the thinges which here compasse vs about though in some sence they are inward because they moue our hearts and inwarde parts yet in as much as the causes are without and the beginning of these temptatiōs from others then our selues they may be called outward Sathan tempteth vs by false doctrine which he moueth by offence which he causeth by occasiōs and allurements to euill which he ministreth and otherwise The cause of which temptations and the instrument also being without the temptation is called externall The world to deceiue vs tempteth by vanitie thereof by improbitie therein the vaine pompe of the world tickleth vs the corruptions therein inuade and assault vs with the examples of wickednesse dayly seene of vs these things often seduce deceiue and the temptation is outward The things wherewith we be compassed tempt men manifoldly power honour ambition pleasure on the one side feare daunger and perill famine nakednesse pouertie death on the other thus are men also outwardly tempted and drawen into the errours and corruptions of our common life and thereby deceiued and led into euill The temptations which seduce men and are internall are such whose immediate and next cause is in our selues as man is tempted to commit euill by his owne corruption and concupiscense mooued by his owne disordered appetite to commit sinne Thus haue we in our bosoms a domesticall tyrant originall sinne and natural corruption from Adam pulling haling drawing vs dayly to euill that sinne in all things might exercise power ouer vs. Hereunto though Satan helpe yet the cause is in our selues in as much as by him wee are not constrained but come and follow freely deceiued and seduced by our own concupiscense And of this kinde of temptation the Apostle chiefly speaketh when he saith If any man be tempted let him not say I am tempted of God God to proue men tempteth his seruāts but to cause them to presume or to deceiue and draw them to euil he doth not So that he is not the cause of such temptations neither may wee referre these euil temptations vnto him And this the proposition of this place teacheth vs Let no man say when he is tempted I am tempted of God If God tempt no man to euill why saith the Scripture that he hardeneth the heart of Pharao that he blindeth Exod. 4. 7. 10. 11. Esai 14. Psal 81. man and giueth him ouer into a reprobate minde As of Pharao in the booke of Exodus in many places and chapters is recorded of Israel the people of God as in Isai in Dauid and other Prophets is mencioned of the Gentiles thrise in the first chapter to the Romans is confessed of others in other places in like maner Hereunto it may bee answered first that God in his iudgements which are sometimes open sometimes secret but alwayes iust moueth and inclineth mens willes whither him lusteth wherein hee either with the latter sinne of man punisheth the former or else hee taketh away his grace from men whereof destitute they runne headlong into their owne destruction by committing sinne with greedinesse or finally hee bringeth to passe Ephes 4. his purpose by the wickednesse either of Satan or men as able to worke out that which is good by the iniquitie of men and thus he is alwayes iust So that we may say with the Apostle that hee is not the cause of our euill temptations Let no man say that when hee is tempted he is tempted of God God mooueth not men to euill hee driueth not men to euill affections hee instilleth wickednesse into no mans heart but partly in taking away his spirite from them partly in punishing one sinne with another partly by bringing to light the sinnes of men which before were couered partly in accomplishing his owne will and bringing to passe his determinate counsailes and purposes euen by euill meanes and instruments as ruling all thinges after his will he is saide to indurate and harden the hearts of men and to giue
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
Heare O Israel the ordinances lawes and statutes which I teach you to doe that you may liue and goe in and possesse the lande which the God of your fathers geueth you The princely Prophet Dauid exhorteth the people Psal 78. to the hearing of those laws which frō god he would geue vnto them as a thing of greatest weight therefore saith he heare my law O my people incline your eares to the words of my mouth for I will open my mouth in a parable and vtter heard sentences of olde The holy Prophet Isai calling all men to Christ exhorting them to heare Esay 55. his law and attend therunto crieth out Incline your eares come vnto me heare and your soule shall liue and I will make an euerlasting couenant with you euen the sure mercies of Dauid Hearing and attending to Gods worde is the way whereby we come vnto heauenly wisdome wherefore the sonne of Sirach calleth all those who would learn diuine Verse 34. wisdome to the hearing of his doctrine My sonne heare thou my doctrine and despise not my counsell And a litle after in the same place If thou loue to heare thou shalt receiue doctrine if thou delight in hearing thou shalt be wise The wise man Salomon commending hearing as the 1. par c. 8. v. 6. 7. c. 22. v. 17. 18. 19. 23. 19. Rom. 10. way to attaine wisdome and knowledge saith The wise man shall attaine vnto wisdome by hearing And S. Paul making it the meane whereby we come to faith which is the greatest point of heauenly wisdome in men thereof saith Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God And our Sauiour Christ being the cheefe Scholemaster and onely teacher from God of this wisdome is Mat. 3. 17. by God himselfe commended vnto vs to be hearkened vnto Wherefore the Disciples and John Baptist the one in the daies of Christs baptisme by John the other as the Disciples Peter Iames and John in the daies of Christes transfiguration 1. Iohn 1. were from heauen commanded to heare him This is my welbeloued sonne heare him Saint Iohn confesseth this to haue beene one way wherby they beleeued John 8. in Christ the worde of life That saith he which was frō the beginning which we haue heard which we haue seen and our hands haue handled the word of life this the true saints of god know for which cause they heare the word of Iohn 10. god as of thē our sauiour witnesseth They that are of god heare Gods word And againe My sheepe heare my voice Luke 10. Therfore whē Marie saw that she by hearing might attain vnto faith in Christ and the true wisdome of God she sate downe at the feete of Christ and heard him preaching for which attention she is by Christ commended Marie hath chosen the better part and it shall not be taken from her Finally the Angell of God in the Reuelation teaching Reuel 2. 3. Iohn what he should write to euery one of the seuen Churches of Asia to that which he had spoken to ech one of thē hee addeth as a thing most necessarie Let him that hath an eare heare what the spirit saith to the 7. churches And to conclude our Sauiour commēding hearing as a most necessarie thing in all those that would be pertakers of the word of trueth and his heauenly doctrine so oftē in the Gospel vrgeth this he that hath eares to heare let him heare If thē the prophets hereunto haue so often moued the people If it be the way and meane whereby we attaine to heanenly wisdom if by this we be made partakers of faith and heauenly misteries if it be the propertie of the Saints of God sheepe of Christ if Marie were therefore so highly commended by Christ himselfe if as a necesarie addition to the seuerall charge of euerie Church it was added by the angell if our Sauiour so often repeate it he that hath eares to heare let him heare who is so wilfully blinded so malitiousl◠obstinate so peeuishly peruerse that seeth not how necessary a thing it is to heare the word of trueth whereof our Apostle here not ignorante geueth the Saints this first admoniton to here the word But because in all ages and times many do heare yet neuer the nearer wee are not only taught to heare 2 The maner but how we should heare that we might heare with profit For if it be to some the sauour of life vnto life but to others the sauour of death vnto death if the worde sound in the eares of many to their iuster condemnation then is it not enough to knowe we must heare but also to learne how to heare is necesarie for which cause the Apostle 2. Cor. 2. Ezech. 2. 3. teacheth vs how we ought to heare receaue this word of trueth whereby God of his owne good will hath begotten vs againe to be the first fruites of his creatures In the manner of our hearing and receauing this word the Apostle first remoueth certaine euils from vs which hinder our profitable hearing then hee sheweth positiuely and affirmatiuely how we must heare Touching the former he willeth in hearing to put away all filthines and superfluitie of maliciousnes all iniquitie all carnall affection all losenes of life all pride and insolencie of minde all arrogancie and disdainefulnes of spirite wherence wrath anger debate contention often ariseth and the fructifieng of the worde is alwaies hindered all which must be abandoned and abolished vtterly from them which wil profitably heare the word of trueth Filthines and corruption of heare or affection is wherby our mindes doe wander and we are occupied about other matters thinking of our pride pleasures vanitie and such like when our mindes should be stayed and fixed in the hearing of the word Superfluitie of maliciousnes is wherby we growe into contempt of the word speaking euil and disdainfully of the diuine doctrine and heauenly wisdom of God which two must first be remoued For whereas mens mindes are a wool-gathering and caried away with filthy cogitations and desires there men cannot heare the worde with profit and when men growe in dislike of the worde hate of the trueth speake euill of the mysterie of godlines what commoditie can it then bring to such and what hope is there that in them it shall fructifie This Saint Iames verie well perceyued therefore hee remooueth these euils from godly hearers This shall all men by their owne experience most easily learne and therefore must carefully remooue them Whereof to speake no more but this howe is it that many men often heare and learne nothing yea being asked what hath beene sayde remember nothing but that when they should heare their mindes are either set vppon couetous desires or occupied about fleshly imaginations or caried away with proude conceytes or rauished with filthie cogitations or else alienated by mislike hatred and contempt from the worde preached so
the first parte and point of their misery so the next and second thing which encreaseth their miserie is that the very â—ust of their golde and siluer shall rise vp and beare witnesse agaynst them and consume their flesh as it were fire When much golde and siluer shal be heaped hourded vp by prophane couetous men and through their insaciable desire shal lie vntil it ruste or canker or be any way consumed the very consuming the very canker and rust it selfe shall rise vp and witnesse against them Thus the Apostle giueth a person to a thing without life and maketh the very ruste of the rich mans riches to rise vp to condemne him Like is that of Abacuc who witnesseth Abacuc 2. that the stones in the wall and the timble of houses builded with bloud should crie out against the builder and witnesse that it was builded vvith bloud So the ruste of the golde and siluer shall rise vp against the rich men and witnesse against them which when they consider they ought to weepe and howle as for a great miserie and calamitie comming vppon them To keep those things to priuate vse which should be conferred in publike to holde that in our handes and keepe it in our cofers which being put to vse might profit many to lay that long by vs to no end which might be imployed to the comfort of our brethren to let that consume rotte canker and ruste for lacke of vse which is ordained for common vse of men shal be a sufficient witnesse in the day of the Lord to condemne vs. For rich meÌ„ to keepe their garments till they be rotten or motheaten their gold siluer till they ruste or canker this very keeking of theÌ„ till they perish this consuming this rust this canker shal condeÌ„ne them eueÌ„ their own consciences shal condemne theÌ„ in the great day of the Lord that they kept these things from the vse of men til they were consumed the corruption consumption and spoile of these things shall shew their insaciable couetousnes their infinite desire of riches and declare their vngodlinesse Wherfore as when we keepe our bread in our binnes and cubberds vntill it moulde rather then giue it and breake it vnto the needy or when we suffer our drinke to sowre on our handes rather then giue and drawe it out to the thirstie or when our garments rotte for wante of wearing and are motheaten wherewith we should cloath the naked it doth testifie our couetousnesse our crueltie our hardnesse of heart towardes the needy and distressed members of Iesus Christ and the very withholding of these things from the poore shall rise vp in iudgement as it were and condemne vs of insatiable desire of riches when the remembraunce thereof shall presse our consciences euen so the canker and ruste of our gold siluer in our cofers wherewith the Christian captiues should haue bene redeemed the distressed relieued the naked clothed the hungrie fedde and the poore succoured shall shew our immeasurable couetousnesse and beare witnesse vnto our consciences in the day of the Lorde and thus are these things said to beare witnesse against the rich men of the world And wherefore shall these witnesse thus against wicked rich men because these blessings and riches are giuen men thereby after their owne state moderately considered to helpe and soccour others Wherefore the Scripture maketh not rich men lords ouer their riches to keepe theÌ„ Mat. 24. Luc 16. 1. Pet. 4. or spende them at their owne pleasures but stewards who ought to lay them out at the pleasure and to the glorie of their maisters And for this cause men sinne not onely by mispending of riches but also by keeping them Luc. 16. backe from the vse of others and therefore for both these as also in respect of the wrongfull getting of them they are called riches of iniquitie When men beyng hereof but stevvardes shall keepe them from profiting others thereby and by keeping them they consume ruste and canker the canker and ruste of them shall rise vp against them Neyther that onely but forasmuch as what redoundeth vnto vs aboue necessarie reliefe of our selues and families and a godly moderate not vnsaciable and endlesse care of prouiding honestly for our houses vviues 1. Tim. 5. children which who so doth not is vvorse theÌ„ an infidel and denieth the faith is not ours now But the goods of the poore vvhereof vvho so depriueth him is a murtherer saith Sirach To vvhom Saint Augustine subscribeth Ecclus. 34. S. Augustine Homil. to the People of Antioch 34. vvhen he counteth him slayne vvhom vve haue not fedde being able And Saint Chrysostom telleth the rich among the people of Antioch in that his assertion vvhich there he holdeth that vvhatsoeuer is aboue our necessary maintenaunce is not ours but the goods of the poore and to retaine this thus from them crieth alowde in the eares of the Lorde as a shamefull sinne and extreame oppression and crueltie against the brethren the ruste the canker the consuming of such thinges shall stande as it were as witnesses to condemne vs in the day of iudgement and accuse vs as guilty of their deaths froÌ„ whom these things haue bene by vs thus detained In as much therfore as the rich are not lords of their riches but the stewards of God to imploy them to the glory and pleasure of their master the ouerplus of their riches none of theirs but the poores whom they slay and murther asmuch as in them lieth when they detaine it therefore when they suffer the poore to perish the naked to sterue the needie to die for vvant of necessary succour vvhen in the meane time their garmentes are moth-eaten their gold siluer cankered the consumption canker and corruption of these things shall stande vp in iudgement against them and witnes of their vnsatiable coueteousnes extreame crueltie hardnesse of hart immoderate desire of riches and the great impietie and vngodlinesse which lurketh in them for which they shal be condemned Neyther do these onely witnesse against vs but also they eate vp our flesh as it vvere fire because that couetuous desires pine men greedy gaping after riches consume them Wherehence it commeth to passe that Sirach Ecclus. 31. his saying is found true vvaking after couetousnes pineth away the body and care after riches driueth away sleepe This miserable and wretched experience teacheth in the route and rabble of couetuous persons whose flesh iâ— dried from their bones whose skinnes wyther vppon their backes whose bodies are pined and consumed away for greedinesse of gaine and continuall carking and caring so that the Apostle might say truly that the ruste and canker of couetuous mens riches shall coÌ„sume them and eate them vp as fire For as fire deuoureth consumeth and licketh vp all thinges that it toucheth so insaciable and greedie desire of riches consumeth and eateth vp the fleshe of the couetuous and causeth that finally
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
can it be grownded then vppon the Euangelists doctrine The Apostles themselues did not alwaies necessarily vse that signe in healing but sometimes the word and prayer only somtimes laying on of hands only sometimes touching Act. 3. v. 6. Act. 9. v. 34. 40. Acts 28. 8. Acts 20. 10 Acts 5. 15 only sometime lying vpon as in the Actes of the holie Apostles in sundrie places appeareth Sometimes the verie shadowe of the Apostles serued as the shadowe of Peter healed many sometimes things brought from them and giuen to the sicke as from Paul were brought vnto the sicke kercheifs and hand kercheifs and deceases were taken from them and foule spirites departed So Acts 19 then it was no such sacrament in the dayes of the Apostles Neither doth this place any whitte helpe or profit them For heere annoynting is a signe of health and recouerie the gifte therof seasing the signe must cease also neither ment James that it should be vsed as a salue of a surgeon or as a medicine of the physition but that in sickenes they lifting vp their minds to God and powring out their prayers to him might receaue that in signe that as their bodies by that externall meane should bee healed so their souls should be clenged purged and purified by the holy annoynting of the spirite of God and of Iesus Christ So that the Apostle speaketh not of their sacramente which thing euen Cardinall Caietane their Caietane owne man confesseth in like manner The Aposte in this place speaketh according as the gifte of healing was in force in his time and binding hereby men thereunto during the time of the continuance of the same and not for euer as the papists doe Out of which place we may learne thus much that as when in the Apostles time the gifte of healing was in force men were willed to sende for the Elders of the Church that they might pray for the sicke and annoint them with oile that they might recouer So nowe the gift being taken away in our great and extreame sickenesse to send for the elders of the Church the Pastours the Ministers the preachers of the worde with the faithfull brethren that by them we may be taught that the cause of our sickenesse is our sinne that they may informe vs in the doctrine of vnfained repentance that they may comfort and counsell vs in our extremities that they may powre out praiers vnto God for the assistance of his grace and encrease of all needfull spirituall vertues in vs and for riddance out of our paines and sickenesse as shall seeme best to his heauenly wisedome VVhich done we may vse all other lawful meanes of phisicke or the like for our recouerie in the feare of God But now is it quite contrarie with most men for as if sickenesse befell men rather by chaunce and fortune then by the prouidence of God and by naturall causes onely and not as punishments of sinne chastisements of men in this world from the hand of God or as trials of our pacience and exercises of our faith in their bodily diseases they foorthwith flie to outward remedies shewing that they haue more care of the life of their bodies then of the saluation of their soules They poste to the Physition they sende in all haste to the Apoticarie they runne to the Surgeon they greedily seeke after all outwarde meanes but their hearts are not turned to God who sendeth death and giueth life who woundeth and maketh whole bringeth to graue and lifteth vp againe they search not out the true cause of their sicknes which is their sin But whē Phisitiō leaueth hearing ceaseth speach faileth senses are gone and the partie more then halfe deade then doe most sende for the minister runne for the Pastour seeke to the preacher when he can not profite the sicke person VVhat counsell can nowe bee giuen what instruction can nowe be taken what comfort can now be ministred what exhortation can preuaile in this extremitie This ought not to be so my brethren it is not the meaning of the Apostle whose counsell is rather that in all our bodily diseases we should flie first to spirituall and ghostly physitions as appeareth Wherefore in this place the Apostle willeth that if anie be sicke they should call for the elders of the Church that they might pray for them VVhose prayers in that behalfe of what force they be the Apostle expresseth the praier of the faithful shal saue the sicke and the Lorde shall raise him vp and if he haue committed sinne it shall be forgiuen him Which place teacheth that healing in that time was not to be ascribed and assigned to the annoiting with oile but to the praiers of the Elders flowing from faith and the praier of the faith shall saue him saieth the Apostle The praier of faith proceeding from a stedfast hope an vndoubted trust an earnest beliefe is therfore of great force For God is neare at hande to heare all such as call Psal 145. vppon him euen such as call vppon him faithfully and our Sauiour telleth him which in the Gospell sued for his sonne possessed with a foule spirite that all thinges Matt. 9. are possible to him that beleeued and in another place whatsoeuer you aske beleeue and you shall obtaine it Of Marke 11. this matter see more Iames 1. ver 6. Prayer is the effectuall instrument and meane to the obtaining of health which to that effect God would to bee vsed Therefore when the holy Prophets or blessed Apostles restored life to the dead sight to the blind limmes to the lame health to the sicke hearing to the deafe speach to the dumme or the like they haue vsed praier thereunto Elias the Prophet restoring the sonne of the widowe of Sareptha being deade to health or rather 3. Kings 17. to life it selfe stretched himselfe vppon him and called vppon the name of the Lorde And Elizeus his seruant and successour in the place of prophecie restoring the deade sonne of the Sunamite to his life againe went into the childe shutte the doore vppon 4. Kings 4. him prayed and stretched himselfe vppon the childe and hee reuiued When Peter restored Tabitha to life hee kneeled Acts 9. downe and praied and then turned to the bodie and said Tabitha arise VVhen Christ raised vp Lazarus hee first Iohn 11. prayed Father I thanke thee that thou hast heard me I knowe thou hearest me alwayes but because of the people that stand by I said it that they may beleeue that thou sendest me And in other cures both our Sauiour himselfe and the Apostles vsed prayer VVhich is the meane and instrument of healing here by the Apostle sette downe the efficient cause whereof is God himselfe therefore hee sayeth And God shall raise him vppe and if hee hath committed any sinne it shall bee forgiuen him Life and death Ecclus. 11. Deut. 32. 1. King 2. 6. 16. Wisd 13. 13. Tob. 2. sickenesse and