c. A man may demand what maner of order is here vsed in willing vs to ioyne godlines to patience then to godlines brotherly kindnesse is not godlines the whole or the general these brāches are members of it True it is that this worde is often vsed generally to comprehende al goodnesse but in this place it comprehendeth but the first table of the lawe wherein wee are willed to bee deuout or zealous a very necessarie caueat to beware that we doe not become so patient that we forget to be zealous in the Lords quarrel it is as if Saint Peter should haue said I woulde not haue you so meeke as to beare and put vp al I woulde haue you withal to bee hotte in Gods quarrell forget not that For many vnder a colour of a meeke patience doe couer the want of religion for if God bee dishonored his trueth defaced his seruants slaundered they can heare and see and yet bee as meeke as a Lambe but if themselues bee touched yee shal see them playe the Lions and of luke warme to become fire hot this therefore is no patience which wanteth godlinesse Wee must learne then both with patience and meeknes to deale in the Lords matters also with feruent zeale least in steed of this excellent vertue of patience which was commended vnto vs there be nothing but a prophane vngodlines an irreligious mildnesse in which at this day moe do offend then through impatience for these Athiests haue this as an excuse very readily Are we not cōmanded to be gentle and soft Is it not our duetie to maintaine loue and charitie with our neighbours Indeede they bee great swearers and somtime they vse to speake against gods worde if they be awry I think they shal answere for themselues if we should gainesay or seeme to reprooue them they woulde not take it wel therefore I thinke good not to disquiet them Heere is nowe wonderfull patience these are verye godlye and charitable persons yea euen a treacherie towardes GOD and men For is there any of them which being slaundered with some foule crime whereby they should receiue great iniurie or bee spitefully rayled vppon if some of their neere friendes sitte by and holde their tongues when they know they be iniuried that cannot by and by feele say this was cold friendship that they could not haue dealt so vnlouingly towardes their friendes by whome soeuer they should haue heard them so abused they could not haue held their tongues Thē belike God nor his truth are none of their deare friends that they can put vp such iniurie done towards him There is plentie of this patience in all places but godlinesse cannot bee suffered to come neere for he is a breake peace and a very vnpleasant felow hee is ouer rough and precise and ouer captious there was good neighbourhood and friendshippe before he came they could be merie together and bee in vnitie without anye iarre had it not bene better to vse gentlenesse and patience then to haue this broyle for there is nothing better then loue and where that is not there is nothing good O miserable daies this is the good loue now amōg mē that they cannot loue one another but they must hate God to haue peace and concorde with men to bee at ods with God for mens sake to put vp the dishonoring of his name not to continue in patience vnlesse godlinesse bee wanting The vngodly world and lewde nature that is in men taketh occasion to accuse godly zeale vnder this pretence and to finde fault with the preaching of the worde because say they it setteth men at strife But we must learne in this place to ioine godlinesse with our patience for otherwise we shal be found to be nothing els but irreligious and prophane dogges although wee pretende loue neuer somuch The time wil not suffer to handle the rest which remaineth in this text Let vs remember that which hath beene said giue all diligence to pursue these excellent vertues that so wee may approue our selues to be right Christians and looke for the blessed hope promised in Iesu Christ The third Sermon 7 And with godlines brotherly kindnes and with brotherly kindnes loue 8 For if these things be with you and abound they will make you that ye shal not be idle nor vnfruitful in the knowledge of our Lorde Iesus Christ 9 For he that hath not these thinges it blind and seeth not a farre of and hath forgottē that he was purged from his olde sinnes ANd with godlinesse brotherly kindnes c. Wee haue heard already that with our faith must be ioyned vertue or godly deedes which it cannot be without if it be a true faith with vertue wee are commaunded to ioyne knowledge which may bee a guide thereunto our knowledge must goe with temperance with this must come patience therevnto must be ioined godlines There remaine yet two branches of these special vertues about which wee are to trauell the first of these is brotherly loue or kindenesse which must be yoked with godlines as I said that this godlines he speaketh of is referred to the first table of the law respecting God and his religion that wee bee sound and zelous in the same and not as those which are for al times and al religions and therefore care not what bee saide against religion beeing very belliegods and Atheists so this is referred to the seconde table shewing what wee owe vnto men This is very fitly and necessarily added for as there bee many which regarding men onely howe to please and not to grieue or offende them altogether forgetting their dutie towards the Lord God and wholy shutting him out as thogh their chief care should be of men let pas godlines so there bee some that offend on the other side which looking alwaies so high as to haue respect to the Lord and his trueth to bee earnest and firie in that ouerlooke men forgetting the dueties which they owe vnto them the holye Apostle meeteth with this mischief and telleth vs that we must so loue God that we also loue men ioyne saith hee to your godlinesse brotherly kindnesse for vnlesse this be ioyned and goe with our zeale of Gods worde it is no true godlinesse although wee bee neuer so sounde in iudgement and seeme to be as hotte as Moyses or Elias yea euen to be swallowed vp with burning zeale for it doeth not proceede from Gods spirite who doeth also worke the loue towardes men wheresoeuer hee goeth but it doeth proceede of some corrupt cause as of vaineglorie or selfe loue and such like and deserueth not indeede tobee called godly deuotion no more then the true faith can be without vertue or deserueth to be called ought saue a shadowe or Image of faith if it bee without good workes but it is a bitternesse which resembleth the true zeale which doth euermore carrie with it a loue and care towardes men True it is that to be
not haue done thus The Prophete Dauid when hee had committed murther and adultery being reprooued by Nathan although hee knewe rightwel that the Diuel was a great furtherer in the matter likewise hee might haue thought vpon the fonde dealing of the woman which so indiscretly washed her selfe in such a place as others might see her yet hee letteth these goe and to the ende hee may wholy and fully condemne himself he looketh home to the welspring of all this foule and beastly sinne and saith Beholde I was borne in wickednesse and in sinne hath my mother conceiued mee as if he shoulde say O Lorde I cannot seeke any way to be excused for all this rebellion against thee is conceiued and bred in mine owne corrupt brest I brought the roote of it from my mothers wombe This is a good lession for vs to learne for so long as wee doe not knowe it but like partial and corrupt Iudges go about to excuse our selues to rid our hands of that we haue committed we shal neuer come to any sincere repētāce Further weare here to obserue in this place that al corruptiō comming from this lust if wee will repent indeede wee must begin heere For if they bee changed onely in their outwarde deedes and wordes and this inward sicknes not healed they haue gained nothing no more thē a man which would destroy a tree and doth no more then loppe shred of certaine boughes and twigges leauing the stumpe and roote behynde for so long as this doth liue in them they may well seeme in the eyes of men to bee very great conuerts if they bee ignorant idiots are become suche as haue gotten some skill and knowledge from drunkardes ruffians adulterers and suche like they become sober and modest and of good behauiour as this may bee done before men and yet the hart nothing altered before God for there bee many causes which may mooue men to seeme outwardlye to bee godly when the hearte within is fraught with loathsome lustes and full of rotten corruptions whiche make men still altogether abhominable before God To bee short therefore a man shall neuet rightly iudge of him selfe whether hee haue repented vnlesse hee looke to the bottome of this sore that it may be healed The greatest multitude of men being as blind as beetles in this point imagine that repentance is a very light easie thing which they can haue when they list when a man of wisdome saith this that here lieth so deep a matter that heere be rootes which are hard to be pulled vp hee is moued to bee the more carefull least he deceiue himselfe Looke therefore euery man to his thoughts for by them is the trial made if the thoughts be chāged the inward desires altered so that of prophane and worldly they are become holy and heauenly then hee may boldly say I haue a newe hearte and there is a right spirite renued in mee I haue repented I haue not plaide the hypocrite I feele an vpright heart toward God I feele the corrupt fountaine stopped so that the filthy matter and stinking mudde doeth not boyle foorth as it did It may also bee demaunded heere whether this iuste bee not a sinne or a corruption of it selfe because S. Peter saith that corruption resteth in it The place which I alleadged out of the 51. Psalme doeth prooue it to bee a sinne also it may bee proued out of the fifth to the Romans Where Saint Paule proueth that infants haue sinne because they are subiect to death which is the reward of sinne although as hee saith they sinne not after the similitude of the transgression of Adam Therefore if wee had none other but this it were enough to condemne vs and vtterly to cast vs away Let vs neuer cease therefore vntill wee feele a change in our selues euen in this secrete infection for otherwise wee shall neuer bee able to flie the corruptions whiche are in the world or as Saint Iames speaketh in the first Chapter of his Epistle to keepe our selues vnspotted of the worlde so long as wee carie the corrupt world in our own brest neither shal our religion be pure for thus it is saide if any man among you seemeth religious and refraineth not his tongue but deceiueth his owne hearte this mans religion is vaine Pure religion and vndefiled before God euen the father is this to visite the fatherlesse and widowes in their distresse and to keepe himselfe vnspotted of the worlde The seconde Sermon vpon the 5. 6. and 7. verses 5 Therfore giue euen al diligence thervnto ioyne moreouer vertue with your faith with vertue knowledge 6 And with knowledge temperaunce and with temperaunce patience and with patience godlines 7 And with godlines brotherly kindenesse and with brotherly kindnes loue ANd hereunto giue al diligence c. He hath declared in the former verses among other chief matters this one especiallv to howe great holinesse and purenesse through sanctification we be called which was chiefly expressed in these wordes that by them yee may bee made partakers of the diuine nature in that yee flie the corruption which is in the worlde through lust vnto this now he ioyneth an exhortation requiring at their handes not only to put to their diligence but also as hee saith euen all diligence For as it is the greatest and chiefest thing which we are to looke after so there is required at our handes to giue our principal care and studie thereunto this equitie must easily be graunted that if we cannot obteine or get the thinges of this life which are small in comparison vnlesse wee put to our diligence for God will haue it to bee so that then of good right looke howe much heauenly things exceede in dignitie the earthly so much must the care and diligence bestowed vpon them exceed How far almost are all men from this doctrine both in practise and iudgement first when we see the exceeding trauel paines which they sticke not willingly to bestowe in getting the beggerly trash of this world either riches or honours they wil ryde and run early and late by night and by day by sea and by land winter and sommen wearing out their bodies almost pine and sterue themselues with hunger and bearing their braines with as great diligence as can be possible but when it commeth to these things which S. Peter speaketh as things of no price they pass by them in such wise that they are here euen as slouthfull and carelesse as they are diligent in the other For iudgement in this behalfe if a man talke with these worldly men they wil shew their minde and opinion aske them why they bee so careful for these worldly things their an swere is readie wee shal otherwise come short of them and go without them why do ye not seeke as fast for heauenly thinges they be the greatest they be in deede the greatest but we commit that to God wee wil not meddle with
right knowledge of Gods will and increaseth and groweth by the same it is also the rule and square to measure and guide al vertue by for we must not thinke that that is good which seemeth so vnto our reason but that which God in his reuealed will hath called good vnlesse therefore vertue did growe in vs wee cannot haue it before wee become skilfull and haue learned it out of the woorde of God For this cause the Apostle mouing these excellent men to increase in godlinesse sheweth them the way when hee willeth them to increase in knoweledge Nowe if wee marke well what manner of men they were to whome hee wrote namelye no babes nor youngelinges in the Gospel for hee saide they had obteined like precious faith with him and after warde in this Chapter hee saieth they did knowe and were stablished in the present truth wee shall easily perceiue howe this may stop the mouthes of many which holde blinde errors First of al of those which affirme that ignorance is the mother of deuotion if godlinesse and vertue be the true deuotion then it must needes folowe that their doctrine is false and diuelishe seeing we are charged to ioine vnto our vertue knowledge it is true if they mean Popishe deuotion for they coulde neuer haue kept men in awe to be zealous of their religion and to seeke for that at the handes of men which God alone doeth giue vnlesse they had kept them in blindnesse and ignorance and therefore they tooke a wise way to keepe the people from knowing the worde which so soone as it brake foorth againe disclosed all their falshood and treacherye in so muche that neither good nor bad almost haue any deuotion vnto them Secondly of those which although they bee not rancke Papistes yet haue in them still a smacke and sauour of Popish principles and therfore like fooles are also enemies vnto knowledge For thus they speake it were no matter if there were lesse preaching I thinke the people bee the woorse for it there is knowledge euen enough what should laye men bee troubled to learne or to seeke for the knoweledge of the Scriptures let them tende their woorke and looke to their occupations and learne to bee quiet and to deale honestlye against these poore blinde beastes for I may vse no gentle speeche wee are to reason out of this place first that all men knowe they neuer so muche are heere commaunded to increase in knowledge to the ende they may increase in faith and godlinesse Secondly let them consider to what manner of menne Saint Peter wrote namelye to poore and riche men women and children to al sortes and to bee short to as manie as woulde haue Faith and vertue and so come to life and glorye and therefore as well the poore ploughman as the greate Clarke is commanded to increase his knowledge out of Gods booke Thirdlye they muche ouershoote them selues when they woulde beare them in hande that knowledge whiche is the guider of vertue shoulde bee the cause of vice Naye if wee wipe our eyes and looke better to the matter wee shall see that there is a sloodde of ignoraunce whiche hath almost ouer whelmed all and in many whiche seeme to know very muche if they were sounded to the bottome there should be found in them grosse ignorance and palpable darknes and so in deede the true cause of al foule sinnes which abound at this day among vs and flowe euen as a swelling Sea is the want of true knowledge This ignoraunce hath taken such roote that all they which haue made proofe will confesse with mee that our time is like the time of the prophete Esaie 28. who hauing laboured himselfe as it were out of breathe in teaching and seeing so smal profiting beeing commaunded of the Lorde stil to go to his businesse bursteth foorth into these speeches whom shall I teache knowledge whome shall I make for to vnderstande them that are wained from the milke and drawne from the brestes for precept must bee vppon precept precept vppon precept line vnto line line vnto line a litle here and a litle there And in an other place hee saith the woorde of the Lorde was like a sealed booke if hee come to oâ—e saying Reade this I pray you he makeâ—h answere I cannot reade to another that can reade hee answereth I cannot for it is sealed Furthermore let these seely creatures learne of this place to bee ashamed of that wherein they seeme after a sorte to glorie when they vse to saye as they thinke in defence of themselues wee be without skil wee haue no knowledge wee bee poore honest men wee haue no learning it is as much as to say we haue no faith we haue no vertue wee haue no godlinesse for wee bee plainely taught heere that faith vertue and knowledge must increase and growe vpp together Let vs al print this lesson deepely in our mindes that it may driue vs to make haste to come out of our ignorance and to seeke apace after knowledge Let vs take heede of flattering our selues as some other doe whiche hauing gotten some skil or at leaste thinke that they haue sette very light by the publike teaching of the word they do excuse them selâ—es after this sort I thanke God I am not of the ignorant sorte nor of the meanest iudgement I know somewhat let them hunte after preaching that neede it is very good for them as for mee I am sufficiently acquainted with the matter alreadie this kinde of men are harde too deale withall because they bee wise in their owne conceite and not in the Lorde for if they had once but euen a litle tasted of true knowledge of the sweetnesse and power therof they woulde neuer haue enough of the first sponeful if they had an healthful stomacke they could neuer be brought so soone to loath as it were to vomit vp againe so wholesome sustenaunce But let vs learne heere that when our knowledge is growne to bee neuer so great because we knowe but in part and we know nothing as we ought to know as Saynte Paule saith euen then wee are to giue all diligence to ioyne to our vertue knowledge vnlesse when wee haue begunne and proceeded so farre wee minde to fal backe againe This place doth plainly set foorth the woeful and miserable state of those whiche bâ—e without teaching or haue it in so scanty a measure that they come almost to no vnderstanding they are meerie and thinke all is wel and thinke themselues best when they are least dealt withall but iudge righteous iudgement whiche the Lorde by his Apostle teacheth vs to iudge and wee shall see that their myrth is nothing els but a madde laughter euen in the middest of feareful and horrible destruction Vnto knowledge ioyne temperaunce c. Or continence for so the worde whiche Saint Peter vseth may be translated But what doth he meane hauing bidden vs to ioyne vertue to faith Againe as though he
had forgotten himself to expresse certaine seueral kindes of vertues which he wil haue vs to ioyne to the former when as indeed the worde Vertue conteineth them al. We may not thinke but that hee is very wel aduised and that he knoweth with whom he hath to doe what babes and children wee are which must not haue meat set before vs in grosse to bee our owne Caruers but it must bee mynced too our handes wee must also bee fedde as it were by spoonfuls For this cause he did not content himselfe to exhort in general vnto vertue but also to name and pointe vs out certaine chiefe branches which wee must especially labour about for vnlesse God shoulde deale with vs in this wise so vaine are wee that we should wander and roue as it were in a wide fielde and neuer come nigh the mark or at least in looking after some one vertue or other forget and let goe the chiefe and principal For wee see many that can rowle in their mouth the name of vertue and godlinesse and nothing almost but vertue vertue as though they woulde persuade men that their garden did growe ful of such hearbes but when wee come to this particuler examination to looke for this vertue and that in steed of these sweete hearbes wee shall finde nothinge but stinking weedes Heere is a great parte of our diligence and wisedome therefore that when wee studie for vertue and godlinesse and when we cal vpon the Lord for gifts we search out euery part and branche least wee be ouerseene in some special pointe and leaste while wee seeke to increase one vertue another decay in vs for that shal come to passe if we cast not our eies diligently on euery side and so oftentimes wee rather loose then gaine rather go backwarde then forwarde Out of the negligence in this point of doctrine or for want of knowledge in it men grow into securitie a very litle contenteth them yea though it be but euen some shew of vertue and slouthfully they shuffle of the matter a thing greatly to be taken heed vnto Because out of al question it is that which hath caused diuers forwarde men in continuance of time as it were gathering rust to become slacke if wee haue desire therefore to continue let vs learne to put this lesson in practise But why doth he wil vs to ioyne temperance or continence with knowledge it should seeme that he had no regarde of anie affinitie in matching these thinges together for temperance is conuersant about pleasures and delightes Yes verily wee shal plainely see that there is great cause for which he ioyneth eue ry one of these vertues together And first to beginne with this ye are to note that cōtinencie is not conuersant alone about the delights of the bodie but also of the mind so that in seeking knowledge which we must doe very eagerly we are to take heede of these extreemes which are contrary to a continēt mind eyther to bee so wauering that euery puffe do driue vs frō the manifest truth or els on the other side to be so stiffe so wilfully wedded to our owne iudgement that wee wil stande in defence of that which we haue once liked and not admit any reason to the contrarie both these are contrary to a continent mind and both of them enemies to true knowledge Therefore we are warned heere in our diligent searche for knowledge to take heede that when wee haue learned the truth wee continue stedfast and vnmoueable in it not to bee tossed to and fro as some vnstable mindes are who when they haue beene taught the truthe the least doubt that is raised against it causeth them by by to shake to feare whether they be in the righte way or no also wee must take heede of that stiffenesse which causeth some to speake when it were better for them too heare to be heard aloft when a lower voyce might serue them better far from the counsel of S. Iames who willeth vs to be swift to heare and slow to speake Let vs be sure our knowledge be wel grounded before we setle our selues to continewe in it least in steede of heaping vp golde wee fil our chests with nothing but drosse Also wee must beware that wee bend our studie for the knowledge of these pointes which serue to increase godlines and true edifying For many seeke for knowledge but their vayne braine doth carie them to seeke after curious questions and too let passe those thinges which shoulde doe them most good and this is a sore and grieuous sicknesse in men as the questions they commonly moue doe shewe Hee addeth To temperance ioyne patience This also may seeme to bee somewhat strange but if wee looke well vnto it we then shal perceiue the meaning more plainely patience is not only requisite in those which haue receiued the profession of the Gospel to beare and indure al persecutions afflictions which oftentimes are so raging that except wee haue our hartes wel staied and seasoned with patience wee shal be driuen to forsake and to forswere our knoweledge but also it is very requisite to be wel armed and fenced with it when we shal haue to do with those which are absurd and grosse and therefore it is as a dagger to a mans hearte to heare al their blockish reasons against the worde to see howe senselesse they are when the plaine truth is laide before them Likewise their spiteful raylinges and fleeting mockes which they will vse their bolde abusing of Gods worde their arrogant presumption which causeth them to prattle very fast euen they knowe not what or eles wee shall be hurled hither and thither vpon rockes and make shipwracke of our mildenesse and so marre and disgrace the good cause which wee haue in hande For wicked men will iudge al to proceed of rancour anger and ascribe all to choller and so by this meanes there is procured some dishonor to God who should greatly be honored if we could meekely as the Apostle willeth instruct those which are contrarie minded proouing if God at any time wil giue them repentance to come out of the snare of the Diuel of whome they be holden captiue to do his wil so to stop their mouthes that they cannot be able to answere The want of this vertue oftentimes bringeth greate inconuenience to the conference of brethren which should bring togither as it were into one heape whatsoeuer euery one hath gleaned by himself that so the one might supply the want of the other but the impatience of some is such that great inconuenience doth growe thereby To conclude this matter seing troubles are alotted vnto vs sufferings for the truth that we are subiect to so many reproches railings taunts mocks at the hands of absurd euil men who soeuer looketh to walke in the way of knowledge he must seeke to possesse his soule in patience It folowith with patience godlines