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
themselues that they do God good seruice if now and then onely they haue a spirt a crash a fit at the worde and leaue off but our Apostle willeth vs to continue therein often yea alwayes to be looking in the perfect law of libertie 4 Therein we must not be idle hearers but doers of the worde the promise of happinesse is not made to the hearing but to the doing of the worde we hearing must do that therein we are taught and so as good ground bring forth fruits with pacience 5 This if we do we shall be blessed in our deed not that our deedes do make vs blessed but because studie and endeuour to do well is a qualitie of such as shall be blessed And this blessednesse is giuen as a free gift and reward from God to such as walke in holinesse of life which life is not the cause of our reigning with God in eternall blessednesse but the way to the kingdome saith Saint Bernard neither are our good workes efficient and Bernard vpon 1. Psal proper causes of saluation and happinesse but ornaments of our faith as Saint Ambrose writeth But of this more was spoken 1. Iames 12. Here it may be obiected that in as much as happinesse is promised to our workes in Scripture therefore our workes purchase this happinesse Dauid pronounceth Psal 1. Psal 41. 119. 8. Luke 11. Reuel 1. him blessed which walketh not in the connsaile neither standeth in the way of sinners him blessed also who considereth the poore and needie those that are vndefiled in the way such as feare God and walke in his wayes Our Sauiour counteth them blessed which heare the worde and do it the Angel those which heare the words of that prophecie and fulfill them The Apostle here those which looke into the law of libertie and continue therein being not idle hearers but doers of the worde I answere that herehence if followeth not that men deserue by their works this happinesse but first these places entreate not of the cause why men are blessed but of their qualitie who shall be blessed euen such as do these things Secondly such things are vnderstoode of their workes who by faith are iustified accepted and blessed in whom the blessednesse of their workes doth followe the blessednesse of their faith as the effect the cause euen as ciuill righteousnesse or righteousnesse by workes whereby the fairh of our heart is knowen to men doth follow righteousnesse by faith which is before God Thirdly rewards are promised to works of grace and not of dutie so that no man by workes can chalenge happinesse vnto himselfe which as also eternal life is the meere gift of God through Iesus Christ Rom. 6. This part of the Apostles comparison is that who so looketh into the law of God with carefulnesse to liue thereafter shall be blessed in his deed Wherefore as Socrates the great Philosopher exhorted all men but specially yong men alwayes to looke into their glasses that if they were beautifull they should behaue themselues accordingly if deformed they should then hide and couer their deformities by vertue and learning so ought all Christians men and women to looke continually into this glasse of Gods worde that if they be alreadie beautified by the graces of God they may walke worthy their Ephes 4. Philip. 1. 2. Tim. 1. glorious calling in true holinesse and righteousnesse if they be deformed through sinne they may learne thereby to couer and correct their deformities of sinne by true obedience vnto the Gospel that they continuing in vertue may be blessed in their deeds not for their owne merits but of the mercie of God to whom with the sonne and the holy ghost be all praises dominion and maieâ—tie now and for euermore Amen Iames Chap. 1. verses 26. 27. Sermon 8. 26 If any man among you seemeth religious and refraineth not his tongue but deceyueth his owne heart this mans religion is in vaine 27 Pure religion vndefiled before God is this to visite the fatherlesse widowes in their aduersitie to keepe himselfe vnspotted of the world IN which wordes are the other two exhortations or admonitions namely the third and the fourth contained the thirde that Gods worde giueth and setteth downe the rule not onely to do well but to speake wel also The fourth that pure and perfect religion holy and acceptable seruice to God standeth in charitie towards the needie and in puritie of our liues These two verses containe the other two admonitions 3 To refraine the toÌ„gue wherin are two things 1 admonition it selfe 2 The reasons 1 It causeth errour and hurt 2 It defileth religion 4 Wherein pure Religion before God consisteth namely in 1 Charitie towarde the needie 2 Puritie and innocencie in our owne liues The thirde admonition of the Apostle is touching 3. Admonition the restraint and moderation of the tongue wherein he teacheth vs that the worde of truth whereby we are regenerate and begotten through the will of God prescribeth vnto vs not onely a rule of doing well but of speaking well also Wherefore the holy and vnfaigned professours of this worde must endeuour thereby not onely to reforme their actions but also to restraine their speaches and moderate their tongues that they fall not into those vices whereunto the godlesse tongue is giuen therefore sayeth he if any man among you seeme religious and refrayneth not his tongue but deceyueth his owne heart this mans religion is in vaine This admonition teacheth that the law of God being Psal 119. a lanterne vnto our feete and a light vnto our paths and a thing diuinely inspired from aboue to make a man perfect in righteousnesse and absolute to euerie good worke doth not onely restraine the vnbrideled actions of men but also refraineth and holdeth backe the 2. Tim. 3 disordered speaches of their mouthes that both in action and communication they may be holy vnto the Lorde For this cause haue we many exhortations in the sacred Scriptures of God to moderate our tongues and to restraine them In stead of many it may suffice which the holie Prophet and Prince of Israel teacheth vs If any Psal 34. man loue long life and would see happie dayes let him refraine his tongue from euill and his lips they speake no guile Hereof wee haue heard more verse 19. before and shall heare more 3. chapter from 2. verse to 13. verse thereof The reasons hereof are two 1 it causeth errour in our liues and hurt vnto our selues when wee are giuen to babling and prating thereby our hearts are deceyued and our selues indangered For great hurt commeth vnto men for want of moderation and gouernement of their tongues Solomon setting downe the inconuenience of not refraining the tongue affirmeth that life Prou. 18. and death are therein and they that loue it should eat the fruite thereof shewing how dangerous a thing it is to be loose which who is is subiect to great daunger Therfore
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
but of debt Rom. 4 Rom. 11. And againe in the question of election If it be of grace it is no more of works els were grace no grace if of works it is no more of grace for then were workes no more works This contrarietie Saint Augustine confessing sheweth that grace fauour and free gift cannot be mingled Epist 120. with works and therefore concludeth and defineth what grace or free gift is Haec est gratia This is fauour free gift grace which is geuen freely not for the merites of the worker but by the mercie of the geuer Seeing therefore that wee which were all by nature the children of wrath the sonnes of Adam subiect to eternall death and Eph. 2. damnation replenished in minde heart and will with iniquitie and sinne compassed about with thick darke and mistie cloudes of error and wickednes loathing heauen and louing earth caried away of our owne desires to work wickednes with greedines are now not for our merites but of Gods meere mercie not by our workes but by his Eph. 4. grace not of our deserts but of his owne will begotten againe and regenerate We must referre this whole work to his good wil and account his goodnes for the only efficiēt cause of our regeneration Whereby it appeareth that he is the fountaine of all goodnes and that our wickednesse must not be imputed vnto him The regeneration then of Gods Saints a most manifest testimonie of his goodnes sheweth that he is ōly author of good not of euil which th'apostle here prouing addeth of his own wil begat he vs. 2 The good will and fauour of God being the first and efficient cause of regeneration The second cause which is the instrumentall cause and meane whereby wee are regenerate is the word of God which Saint James expresseth in this place in this manner of his owne will he hath begotten vs with the word of trueth In which place he slideth and falleth into the cōmendation of the worde of God the chiefe thing in this laste parte to be obserued Which words are as it were the circumscribing and setting foorth of the word of God and the gospell of Christ whereunto is attributed specially aboue all other wordes that it is the word of trueth Which addition the Prophet Dauid geueth to Gods word because therein onely is the Psal 86. sound trueth to be found and in no other In which word as in many other places he desirous to be instructed geueth that addition to the word that it is trueth Teach me thy waies O Lord saith the Prophet and I will walk in thy trueth And in another place calling the word of God by Psal 119. the name of trueth saith Thy word endureth for euer in heauen thy trueth is from generation to generation Our Sauiour Christ in his most holy praier to God hereunto subscribeth who desiring that the Disciples might be sanctified Iohn 17. with the trueth sheweth that by the trueth he meaneth the word and gospell Sanctifie them saith he with thy trueth thy word is trueth This name of excellencie this marke of difference S. Paul geueth vnto the gospell 2. Cor. 13. 3. Gal. C. 5. 7. 2. Cor. 6. 7. 1. Col. 5. Ephes 1. 13. Heb. 10. 16. Ephes 4. aboue other words whē he affirmeth he could do nothing against the trueth but for the trueth Who vpbraiding the Galathians for reuolting and sliding away frōthe gospell crieth out O you foolish Galathians who hath bewitched you that ye should not beleue the trueth To like purpose exhorting the Ephesians to be constant in the profession of the gospell calleth that the profession of trueth where fore he thus exhorteth Let vs folow the trueth in loue the gospel the profession of the trueth it is therfore an excellent ornament and an honourable addition in this place geuen to the word of God that it is the word of trueth And this addition to be called the word of trueth most fitly agreeth vnto the holy word and Gospell of Iesus Christ and that in foure respects and for foure chiefe considerations 1. in respect of God 2. in respect of Christ 3 in respect of the holy Ghost and spirite of God 4 in respect of the particular things them selues in the word contained 1 In respect of God the word and Gospell is the word of truth because it is Gods word and Gospell who is true and cannot lie therefore this his word is then the word of truth That this word is Gods word and Gospell it is euident 1. Rom. 1. Cor. 1. 1. Rom. Saint Paul calleth it therefore the power of God to saluation to al that beleue and in another place the preaching of the crosse is to them which perish foolishnes but vnto vs which are saued it is the power of God he saith in the beginning of his Epistle to the Romās that he was seperated to preach the Gospell of God and cleering him selfe from the surmised suspicious of his aduersaries 2. Cor. 11. he thus writeth haue I therefore offended because I abased my selfe that you might be exalted and that I preached freely the Gospell of God vnto you Saint Peter subscribeth thereunto the time is come that iudgement beginne first at the house of God if iudgement beginne first at vs what shal be the end of those that beleeue not 1. Pet. 4. the Gospell of God And this God who is the author of this word and Gospell is true and cannot lie Balam the Numb 23. prophet could say of God that he is not a man that hee should lie neither as the sonne of man that he should repente Moyses in his song beareth recorde to the truth of God perfect saith he is the worke of the mightie God for Deut. 32. all his waies are iudgements God is true and without wickednes iust righteous is he Samuel telleth King Saul that indeede the strength of Israell wil not lie nor repente 1. Kings 15. John 8. Rom. 3. for he is not a man that he should repent Our blessed Sauiour Christ speaketh of his father and saith I haue many things to say and iudge of you but he that sent me is true and the things that I haue hard of him those spoake I vnto the world Saint Paul defending Gods trueth saith Rom. 3. Let God be true and euery man a lier as it is written that thou maiest be iustified in thy words and ouercome when thou art iudged And for this cause holy Dauid calleth god Psal 31. the God of truth into thy hands I commende my spirite thou God of trueth Seing the Gospell is the word Gospell of God and God the God of trut hand cannot lie thē must needes this word be true and the word of truth 2 As in respect of God the author thereof the Gospell may rightly be called the word of truth so in respect of Christ who is the matter the very substance
and subiect whereof the Gospell entreateth it is the word of truth for it entreteth of Christ and Christ is trueth it selfe therefore the Gospel the word of truth That it entreateth of Christ it appeareth by all the Euangelists who entitle Iohn 14. their writings the holy Gospell of Iesus Christ of whom therein they entreat by the Apostles which cal their preachings and writings the Gospell the testimonie of Christ of whom therein they speake and to whom they giue and beare witnesse I am not ashamed of the Gospell of Christ 1. Rom. for it is the power of God to saluation to euerie one that beleueth Els where if our Gospel be hid to any it is hid to those that are lost in whom the God of this world hath 2. Cor. 4. blinded their mindes that is the infidels that the glorious Gospell of Christ which is the image of God should not shine vnto them Paul saith he hath sent Timothie the minister of God and his labour-fellow in the Gospell of Christ vnto the Thessalonians and for this cause is it also 1. Thes 3. called the testimony of Christ because it beareth witness and record of him To which sence soundeth that of Saint Paule who geueth thanks to God for the riches of the 1. Cor. 1. grace of God vpon the Corinthians who abounded in all knowledge euen as the testimonie of Iesus Christ that is his Gospell was confirmed in them And a little after he 1. Cor. 2. saith that when he came vnto them he came not in excellencie of words and wisedom preaching vnto them the testimonie of Iesus Christ and finally he exhorteth his 2. Tim. 1. scholer Timothie not to be ashamed of the testimonie of Christ that is the gospell neither of him the Lordes prisoner Seeing then the Gospell speaketh wholy of Christ or at least tendeth wholy vnto him and he trueth as himselfe affirmeth I am the way the trueth the life Ioh. 14. the gospel in that respect also is the word of trueth 3 Moreouer this word is inspired from the spirit For all Scripture saith Paul is inspired from aboue And Saint Peter saith that Prophesie came not in former times by 2. Tim. 2. Pet. 1. the will of man but holy men spoke and vttered the word as they were moued and inspired by the holy Ghost the holy Ghost is the spirit of trueth as our sauiour affirmeth I wil pray the Father and he shal geue you another comforter Iohn 14. Iohn 16. that he may abide with you for euer euen the spirite of trueth And againe when the comforter shall come whom I wil send vnto you from my father euen the spirite of trueth which proceedeth from the father he shal testifie of me 16. Ioh. 13. 1. Ioh. 5. 6. The word gospell being inspired by that spirit which is the spirit of trueth is in that respect Iohn 15. 26. also the word of trueth 4 In respect that euery particular thing in the gospel conteined is true therefore is it also the worde of trueth Whatsoeuer Christ spoke and preached it is truly in effect there deliuered whatsoeuer hee did it is truely reported whatsoeuer he promised it is truely and shal truely be performed what punishment is therin threatened to the wicked it shall assuredly be inflicted Finally whatsoeuer is there mentioned is most true This word conteyning nothing but the sound trueth and hauing therein no lie no vntrueth no falshood no errors as the words of mē haue for al men are liers and their words oftentimes are ful of Pasl 116. 11. Rom. 3. 4. vntruethes therefore may the gospel rightly be called the word of trueth Wherfore whether we respect God the authour or Christ the subiecte or matter or the holy Ghost the inspirer or the things themselues in this worde conteyned it is the word of trueth For God is God of trueth Christ is Lord of trueth the holy Ghost the spirite of trueth the things in this word things of trueth Therefore the Gospell the word of trueth By which word of trueth we are begotten adn regenerate we are new framed and as it were new fashioned vnto a holy birth to our new birth whereby wee are borne not of flesh and bloud but by the word of trueth to eternall life This is the seede of the new birth frō hence 1. Cor. 4. our new birth and regeneration ariseth whereof S. Paul speaking testifieth to the Corinthians that he had begot them through the gospell For this cause speaking of the spirituall begetting and of the regeneration of Timothie Tim. 1. Tit. 1. and Titus whom he had begotten by the gospell and by his meane through the word of trueth regenerate he calleth them his naturall sonnes through faith because they comming by his ministring to the knowledge of the faith of Christ were regenerate by the worde of trueth by him preached Saint Peter speaking of the causes of our regeneration 1. Pet. 1. maketh the gospell and word of God the meane and instrument of our new birth Being borne anew saith he not of mortall but of immortal seed by the word of God which endureth for euer Therefore attributing our new birth and growing vp by regeneration vnto the worde as 1. Pet. 2. the meane and instrument in the next Chapter he prosecuteth his former purpose and addeth thereunto exhortation Therefore saith he as new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the word that you may grow thereby and as the word of trueth is the instrument whereby our newe birth is caused so is it the meane also whereby therein we are continued and therefore a thing of singular excellencie Finally our Sauiour Christ acknowledging the word Iohn 17. of trueth to be the meane and instrumēt of our regeneration to that end praieth vnto his father that his Disciples might not onely be consecrate to his seruice and by him made fitte for the office of the Apostleship whereunto they were called but also might be purged regenerate and born anew saith Sanctifie them with thy trueth thy word is trueth If the gospell of Christ be the word of trueth why doe we not beleeue it if it be the instrument of our regeneration why doe we not honourably embrace it if therby God hath begotten vs againe why are we in any wise so carelesse of it that only such times excepted as for feare of law or shame of the world they must come they come not to the hearing of this word of trueth but either they talke our at table or walke out abroad or sleepe out at home or play out with companie or spende out in vaine exercise or contriue out with dalliance or passe out by euill meanes that time which is apointed for the preaching and hearing of the word These are carnal men and haue not the spirite lumpish and earthly whose affectiōs reach not to this heauenly doctrine If the gospell be the word
of trueth whereby we are regenerate and borne againe why are men and women so daintie and coy why are they so choise hereof that they wil heare it onely when where and of whom they luste as if the men make it the word of trueth and the instrument of our regeneration Let not men and women pretend that they are sanctified men and women let them not vaunte themselues to be purer then their brethren and heare this word with this partialitie For I protest vnto euery such in the feare of God that vnlesse this word of trueth and instrument of regeneration be sweeter vnto them then the hony and the hony combe by what messenger soeuer the Lord doeth send it that they flatter and deceiue them selues in a vaine shadowe of holines and are not truely sanctified vnto the Lord neither haue effectually tasted of the doctrine of regeneratioÌ„ wherof this word is the mean and instrument As then our regeneration is attributed vnto the word of trueth as vnto the meane and instrument so is saluation also as afterward is added to the Sacraments in like manner as Saint Paul saith that Christ washeth and sanctifieth Ephes 5. his Church by the washing of water through the word And againe when the bountifulnes of God our Sauiour Tit. 3. appeared not by workes but according to his mercie hath he saued vs by the washing of the new birth and the renuing of the holy Ghost The holy Sacramentes are meanes the word of trueth the instrument mean whereby we are begotten againe and new borne which greatly commendeth the excellencie of the word which this Apostle expressing saith Of his owne will begat he vs with the word of trueth 3 The finall cause of our regeneration is that wee should bee the first fruites of his creatures that is that out of the whole lumpe and masse of mankinde out of all people tongues nations and kinreds of the earth wee might be select culled and chosen out to bee a peculiar proper and speciall people vnto him who had called vs euen vnto God whose chiefe treasure whose portion and lot whose inheritance and peculiar people the Saints are In which place hee alludeth chiefly vnto the lawe wherein the first fruits and first encrease were the Lords as things picked out set a part chosen out for God himselfe Whereof thus saith God in the law Thou shalt not Exod. 22. linger nor deferre to render thy tithes and thy first fruits and thou shalt giue me thy first borne of thy children In the same booke of Moises it is commaunded the people that they offer the first fruits of their ground in the house Exod. 34. 35. â— Leuit. 2. 14. Deut. 12. of the Lord their God In the repeating of the lawe by Moises thus was it saide to Israel Thou maiest not eate in the towns the tithes of thy corne wine or oile neither the first fruits of thy cattell or sheepe nor the fruits of thy hands The first fruits therefore as appeareth were dedicate to God neither was it 〈…〉 for men to eate or touch them as things reserued for the vse of the Lorde onely As then the first fruits were the Lords portion of the people and things dedicated and consecrate as holy vnto him so the Saints of God regenerate by his word are holy peculiar proper sanctified to the vse of the Lord the chiefe treasure he hath the thing he hath commaunded to bee receyued for himselfe which the Apostle insinuateth in this place when setting downe the ende of our regeneration affirmeth it to bee that we might bee the first fruites of his creatures of his owne will begate he vs with the worde of truth that we might be the first fruits of his creatures The Israelites Iere. 2 were called sometimes the first fruites of God because they were chosen of God aboue all other people to serue the Lord only and the first offred vnto the Lord of al nations whereof the prophet Ieremie saith Israel was as a thing hallowed vnto the Lord and his first fruits all that eate it shall offende euill shall come vpon them saith the Lord. This is most true of the true Israel which is of God of the Saints of the Church whom God hath separated from all people hallowed and sanctified vnto him selfe chosen to be a speciall possession inheritance and treasure vnto himselfe for which cause we by him are regenerate Of his owne will hath he begoten vs with the word of trueth that we might be the first fruits of his creatures S. Paul disputing to like purpose of the causes Tit. 3. of our regeneration and saluation teacheth vs the ende thereof to be the inheritance of life we are saued by his mercie through the washing of the newe birth and the renuing of the holy Ghost which he shed vpon vs aboundantly through Iesus Christ our Lord that we being iustified by his grace should be made heires according to the hope of eternaâ—l life The like end shall we find of our redemption predestination and the like all which tende to one end to shew that we are redeemed called iustified regenerated to be partakers of immortal glorie that therfore we should be dedicate and consecrate to God to be a speciall treasure vnto him to serue him in holinesse and righteousnes all the dayes of our life We are begotten by the will of God with the word of truth according to the Luke 1. Apostles doctrine Being now to this end regenerate we must endeuour our selues to shine in vertue to excell in holinesse to abound in all righteousnesse and be chiefly carefull that we bereaue not our selues of so holy an ende of regeneration by contagion of sinnes and the workes of wickednesse The excellencie therefore of the word of God is here apparant partly in that it is called the word of truth partly in that it is here the meane and instrument of regeneration the most manifest token of Gods goodnesse towards vs. Sundrie are the commendations of the word of God Psal 19. and the Gospel of Christ Dauid the holy Prophet falling into the praise therof saith the law of the Lord is perfect conuerting the soule the testimonie of the Lord is sure and giueth light or wisdome to the simple the statutes of the Lord are right and reioice the heart the commandement of god is pure and giueth light vnto the eies the feare of the lord is cleare endureth for euer the iudgements of the lord are true righteous altogither more to be desired then gold yea then much fine gold sweeter also then the honie and the honie combe Moreouer by them is thy seruant made circumspect and in keeping of them there is great reward In another place to like praise is it Psal 12. spoken The words of the Lord are pure words as the siluer tried in a fornace of earth fined seuen folde It is no small commendation of the word that it is the
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
are amisse this profit and vse vve loose vvhē we heare the vvord only and doe not thereafter this vse of Gods lavve and vvord Moises commendeth vnto princes and people Deut. 7 vvho exhorting the King continually to reade and meditate in the lavve shevveth him for vvhat end he should so doe to learne to feare the Lord and not to heare and knovve alone but to keepe his commaundements This vse vvas respected vvhen he vvilled the Leuites to teach the lavve vnto the people that they might learne to doe Deut. 31. Psal 119. and keepe the ordinances and the vvords of the lavve of God prescribed Dauid disputing of the vse and end of the lavve maketh it the reformer of our manners the directer of our pathes the line and leuell of our life and the guide of our waies to godlines Saint Paul affirmeth that all scripture is inspired from aboue and is profitable to teach 2. Tim. 3. such as are ignorant to conuince such as are repugnant to correct such as erre and wander in conuersation to instructe in righteousnes wherefore to what end to what vse to what purpose euen that thereby the man of God may be absolute perfect to euery good worke Perfectiō in righteousnes holy conuersation in life is the vse of the law and word of God As therefore the chiefe ende of sciences and humaine artes is not knowledge but action that when a thing is learned it may be put in vre and practise And as the vse and ende of morall philosophie is not to knowe only but to practise also whereunto they are vnfit which lacke experience to practise as Aristotle teacheth so the 1. lib. Ethic. c. 3. vse of Gods word which is the arte of all artes and that diuine philosophie which neither Thalis nor Pythagoras Socratet nor Plato Zeno nor Aristotle neither any other of the learned heathen haue deuised and inuēted but which we haue receiued from God himselfe is not meere knowledge to wote what to doe but practise of obedience that we may so doe in action as by hearing the word we haue learned This vse and end men then lose when they content themselues with hearing onely Which thing the Apostle here proueth by a fit similitude wherein he compareth the word of God to a glasse As the chiefe vse of the glasse is not to see our faces only but to correct our faults that there be no blemish or deformitie therein so the word of God hath this vse not to shew our selues only but to reforme our enormities that there remaine no iniquitie in vs. The word of God may well be compared to a glasse The word like a glasse Three speciall properties are in a glasse wherby the word is resembled vnto it 1 A glasse sheweth the perfecte forme of our faces with all the deformities and blemishes therein to correct them if they may be corrected So the lawe and worde of God sheweth the perfect face and fashion of sinne in vs that so farre forth as natural infimitie permitteth all blemishes may be amended for which cause Saint Paul saith that thereby we come to see sinne and by the lawe haue knowledge thereof because by the lawe is the knowledge of sinne that then being knowen we might by grace reforme Rom. 3. it 2 The glasse sheweth their owne faces which looke thereinto and not the faces of others that they might be carefull to wipe away their owne blemish and dyrty spots and not be curious in clearing of others So the lawe sheweth euery one that loketh thereinto his owne sinnes cheifely not the sinnes of his brethren so much that euerie one should be carefull of his owne life and not be too curious in the liues of others Wherefore holy Dauid so often desired to bee informed in the lawe and statutes of Psal 14. Psal 25. Psal 86 God that he him selfe might walke therein and be reformed as in his psalmes many waies it appeareth and the Apostle exhorting all men to make triall of themselues by the word not only at the receauing of Sacraments but otherwise 1. Cor. 11 by the ministerie of the word for the proofe of their faith woulde not haue them as busie in the liues of others but as carefull of their owne to mend themselues Let euerie one examine him selfe and so let him eate of this bread and drinke of this cup And againe proue your 2. Cor. 13. selues whether you are in faith examine your selues know you not that Christ dwelleth in you except ye be reprobates the word must teach vs to see our selues and our owne infirmities and endeuour to reforme our owne blemishes of sinne and not to be curious in them searching into the liues of others before our owne be throughly reformed 3 The glasse sheweth vs our blemishes which seene we hate and with mislike wipe them away so the worde of God sheweth vs the deformitie of sinne which sinne must be hated of vs thus Gods word taught Dauid to hate his owne waies and Marie Magdalen to loth here former life This maketh the Saints of God to hare the very garments defiled with the flesh and conceyue mislike against those sinnes wherevnto in times past they were giuen These things being so the Apostle compareth the word of God to a glasse Of which comparison there are two partes or members 1 They which looke into the worde of God without endeuour or yet desire to reforme their liues thereby are like such as looke into a glasse to see themselues but not to reforme their faults or blemishes of life as soone as they are gone they forget what fashion they were of thus their peering pooring and peeping into the glasse profiteth nothing as good neuer a whit as neuer the better The looking or hearing of hypocrites is like the vaine looking into glasses of fooles Fooles looke into glasses to see themselues but not to correct any thing amisse in them so hypocrites heare the worde of God and looke into his will to see it but not to correct their maners thereby Fooles looking into glasses with perswasion of themselues that they are faire when they are deformed come therehence as wise as they went and hypocrites thinking themselues righteous when they are wicked come as wise from a Sermon as they went thither As fooles looking into glasses see not that therein that which is indeede the right side is the left and the left the right and so thinke all is well So hypocrites seeing not by the worde their disordered liues that all things are topsie turuie in them perswade themselues all is well inough and so are not profited As fooles looking into glasses thinke they see a face in deede when they see but the reflexe or turning backe of a face therefore they coll they kisse they fall in loue oftentimes with the face seene in the glasse as Nareissus did with his owne face when he behelde himselfe in the water so
hypocrites thinke their counterfeite hoâ—ynesse to bee true holinesse wherefore they embrace it they brooke it they delight therein they loue it as if it were sincere and perfect integritie And thus they may bee compared vnto fooles looking into glasses who heare the worde awd looke into the law being carelesse to obey it The other part of this similitude is who so looketh into the perfect law of libertie hee not being a forgetfull hearer but a doer of the worde shall be blessed in his deede In which member we see the lawe is called perfect and a perfect law of libertie 1 Perfect which addition Dauid also giueth vnto the law The law of the Lord is perfect conuerting the soule Psal 19. therefore so called because whatsoeuer appertaineth to faith and godlinesse is therein aboundantly set downe and deliuered so that neither in doctrine neither in maners we ought to seek for any other thing whatsoeuer S John entreating of the perfection of the newe lawe which is the Gospell confesseth that therein all things which Iohn 20. our Sauiour did were not written yet sufficient things to be written which men beleeuing might thereby liue wherefore he saith Many other signes and tokens did Iesus in the presence of his Disciples which are not written in this booke but these things are written that yee might beleeue that Iesus is Christ the sonne of God and that in beleeuing ye might haue life through his name Saint Paul writeth that he kept not backe any thing from the Church of Ephesus but hath shewed them all the Acts 20. counsels of God Tertulian crieth out that that Church is happie to which the Apostles haue powred out all the Tertulian doctrine of God euen with their owne bloud Our Sauiour promiseth the Church a Comforter which should Iohn 16. bring them into all truth What truth is it that the holy Ghost did not teach the Church But yet least wee should thinke there were other truthes beside such as were preached by Christ and penned by the Euangelists it is added that that Comforter should teach them whatsoeuer Christ had taught them before Wherein was enough to saluation as Iohn witnesseth Saint Paul sheweth the excellencie of the worde of God and how perfect it is in all poynts affirmeth that all Scripture is inspired 1. Tim. 3. from aboue and is profitable to teach to improue to correct to instruct in righteousnesse that the man of God might be perfect instructed to euerie good worke Vnto this truth the fathers reuerendly subscribe Saint Tract 49. vpon Iohn Augustine sayeth that where as Christ had done manie things which were not written yet such things were chosen to bee written which the writers thought sufficient for the saluation of them which beleeued Saint Cirill Lib. 12. vpon Iohn hath almost the same wordes All things that were done by Christ were not written but those things onely which seemed sufficient both to maners and to doctrine that men shining through true faith and good workes might come to the heauenly kingdome by Iesus Christ our Lorde Chrysostome vpon Matthew not once and Vpon Mat. 22. 4. hom vpon the Epistle to Titus in like manner sheweth that all things necessarie are in Scripture reuealed therefore concludeth he that they are perfect Athanasius finally affirmeth that the Scriptures inspired froÌ„ aboue is sufficient for instruction in all vertue And this is true in the whole lawe of God but most manifest in the doctrine of the Gospel The lawe which by Moises ministerie was giuen the people was so perfite that almightie God forewarned them that they should neither adde nor diminish therefrom end howe seuerely he punished that malapert and Deut. 4. 12. Prou. 30. sawsie boldnesse in the Israelites which aduentured to adde any thing either to the doctrine or the ceremonies so many sermons of the Prophets the interpreters of the lawes so many testimonies of holy Scripture the holy sacred diuine histories our Sauiour Christ himselfe witnesseth most plainly Shall we thinke more basely now of the Gospell which is a doctrine more excellent then the â—awe Shall wee thinke God had lesse carefull consideâ—ation of his church in the daies of his son being on earth â—nd afterward then he had in the time of Moises Or shall â—e dare to imagin the Prophets to haue left a more perâ—ect doctrine then the apostles taught by the very mouth â—f Christ and ledde into all truth by the holy Ghost according to the promise Wherefore if the lawe were perfect so that the people durst adde thereto or detract therefro nothing which who tempted were punished shall not the Gospel containe a most perfect doctrine whereunto nothing may be added from which nothing may be detracted This the Angel acknowledged wheÌ„ in Reuel 22. the shutting vp and concluding of the Gospel he protesteth that if any man adde to the wordes of that booke God should adde the plagues in that booke written vnto him and if any should diminish any thing therein God would diminish and take away his name from out of the booke of life Thereby therefore is the perfection of the Gospel concluded Which thing the holy Apostle here to expresse vnto vs calleth the worde of God the perfect law For this cause the Scripture hath the name of a Canon giuen it and is called Canonicall because it is the onely perfect rule line leuell and square whereby all doctrines and all maners must be meet measured examined and prooued as by that which is most sufficient and perfect which suffereth no addition nor detraction for then the rule and measure faileth This being true as most true it is not onely by the infallible worde of God but by the manifest testimonies of the reuerend fathers then Ambrose 3. de virgini all inuentions dreames doctrines traditions vnwritten verities must fall to the ground and be condemned as counterfet adulterie and sacriligious which are not warranted out of the perfect law of the Gospel as Saint Ambros affirmeth The Gospel here hence then is proued to be perfect 2 As it is perfect so is it a law of libertie not that it bringeth men into carnall freedome to do what they lust 1. Pet. 2. whereunto the wicked abuse it for a cloake of wickednesse but because it setteth vs at libertie in our consciences from Satan sinne and death which we obtainie by Christ Iohn 8. who freeing vs we are free in deede He therefore calling vs to the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God and the Gospel preaching this libertie of conscience vnto men is called the law of libertie 3 In this law must we continue herein must we looke continually herein must we meditate day and night herein must we spend our dayes Some thinke it enough Psal 1. to looke into this law once in their liues Some thinke it much to looke into it once in a yeare two three or seuen Some perswade
milke of the worde with the exceeding comfort of the Sacraments and bringeth vs vp vnder the most wholsome discipline of Iesus Christ that we might be holy blameles before him through loue Whō if we agnize not and recount as our mother neither may we presume Ephe. 1. to thinke God to bee our father for such mutuall coniunction there is betwixt God and his Church as who so hath not her for his mother cannot haue God for his father as S. Cyprian very well writeth Christians therefore De simpli praelato and the vnfeined professours of true religion hauing the Church for their common misticall mother are a misticall and spirituall brotherhood among themselues 3 Neither that onely but they are also begotten with one seede of their new birth and regeneration which is Iames 1. the immortall seede of the word This the Apostle Saint James hath foretolde and foretaught vs when disputing of the causes of our new birth he sayeth of his owne will begate he vs with the worde of truth that we should bee the first fruits of his creatures Saint Peter therunto subscribeth 1. Pet. 1. being borne againe not of mortall but of immortall seede of the worde of God Saint Paul thereunto agreeth protesting to the Church of Corinth that he 1. Cor. 4. had begotten thē through the Gospel VVherfore as men springing from the same seede of the same parents are brethren in nature so Christians in hauing the same seed of the word of God whereby they are mistically begotten againe and regenerate are spiritually brethren so reputed so that the saints of God are to be counted brethren because they are all begotten with the immortall seed of the word of God the instrument of their regeneration 4 If Christ vouchsafe vs the name of brethren and so we haue him as a common brother then are we therefore also brethren by right among our selues For as those men which haue one third for their brother are brethren among themselues in nature as Iames Ioses hauing Iude Matt. 13. for their brother so that he being one third brother to both they must therfore be brethren betwixt thēselues so all Christians hauing Iesus Christ as their elder brother are brethren by grace among themselues also Now that Christ is our brother and so vouchsafeth vs it is apparant Iohn 20. therof assuring vs he telleth Mary that she must go to his brethren the apostles tell thē that he was ascended to his father and their father to his God their God Now Matt. 22. that which in speciall was spoken vnto them our Sauiour applieth generally to all the Saints who so shall doe my fathers will which is in heauen the same is my brother sister and mother The author to the Hebrues auoucheth the same out of Dauid I will declare thy name to my Psal 22. Heb. 1. 2. brethren in the middest of the congregation will I praise thee And a little after inferring this as graunted he sayeth It became him in all things to bee like his brethren that hee might bee mercifull and a faithfull high Priest in things appertayning to God Finally Saint Paul those whome hee knewe before hath hee also predestinate to bee like the image of his sonne Rom. 8. that hee might bee the first borne among manie brethren Christians then hauing Christ as their elder brother are therefore called brethren by right among themselues 5 Finally inasmuch as the Saints diuide the same inheritance among them therfore are they called brethren For brethren they are as Aristotle writeth among whō the Ethico 9. same inheritāce is diuided yea they which diuide the same lands liuing patrimony possessiō goods or riches are cōmonly reputed brethren the sons saints of god cōmunicate the same inheritance diuide the same kingdome of their heauenly father among them are coheires ioint-heires of the heauenly patrimonie eternall life therefore brethren S. Paul exhorting Christians to vnitie loue draweth his reason from the inheritance of the Saints we Ephe. 4. haue all one hope of calling we all cōmunicate the same inheritance of eternal life we all looke for the same kingdome therefore must we liue in concord and vnitie Saint Peter sheweth in like manner that there is one inheritance one common kingdome the same promises of life 2. Pet. 1. to all the Saints of God wherefore he saith that they all are by the same promises made partakers of the same heauenly nature In regard therefore of their inheritance which is one to all the Saints they are also brethren And this diuine and heauenly brotherhoode is violate and broken when either by erronious doctrine or corruption in religion or dissention in opinion or disdainfull contempt the poore and true Saints are disquieted and troubled Frater fere alter almost another equall of like condition The diligent consideration of this holy brotherhood greatly nourisheth amitie and cherisheth loue among the Saints whereunto respect of persons is opposed and therefore the more effectually to mooue them to loue whereof hee afterwarde speaketh the Apostle in the first place noting the persons calleth them brethren which brotherhood carefully remembred shall both remoue respect of persons from them cherish loue in their hearts and bosoms whose condition calling is like equall The Saints whom he calleth brethren being the persons 2. The thing it selfe whom he admonisheth in the next place commeth the thing it selfe whereof they are admonished that they haue not the faith of Christ in respect of persons wherewith true loue true charitie true religion cannot stande nor consist wherein the Saints are giuen to vnderstand that they must not professe Christian religion in respect of persons as reuerencing regarding respecting the rich and wealthy men of the world and neglecting disdaining contemning the poore but rather in their publike meetings and assemblies brotherly and louingly to embrace one another without disdainig the poore brethren who being of the same heauenly and holy brotherhood wherby they are of equall condition before God ought not then to be contemned or neglected of men haue not the faith of our Lord Iesus Christ in respect of persons 1 What is here ment by faith Christian religion the true seruice of Christ the profession of the Gospel whereunto respect of persons is contrarie For if pure religion and vndefiled before God be this to visite the fatherlesse and widowes in their aduersities and to regarde the poore in their miseries as before was taught vs then contrarie hereunto is the contempt of the poore and preferring of the rich which respect of persons is here condemned 2 Christ is called the glorious Lorde in this place sometime to like purpose is he called the Lord of glorie by S. Paul to the Corinthians when he sayth that none 1. Cor. 2. of the Princes of this world did know Christ for had they knowne him they would neuer
flourishing and shining to the world Was not Moses a man mightie in wordes and deedes for this Num. 12. vertue excellent among the Hebrewes for which cause the Scripture saith he was the meekest man vpon earth Was not Dauid worthely commended for the same who not onely spared Saul his enemie when hee might haue flaine him but pardoned Simei who railed on him and 1. Kings 24 2. 16. cursed him in the day of his persecution by Absolom his sonne Was not Pericles of excellent meekenes among the Pericles heathen who at night sent him home with a torche who all the day had reuiled him in open place of iudgement Was not Socrates among the Philosophers of a singular Socrates spirite in this behalfe who being tolde that one had railed and spoaken euill of him answered with meekenes I neuer knew that he could speake well of any Was not Julius Cesar famous among the Romane Emperours who for meekenes was reputed as a god among men Was not Ceasar Augustus Cesar worthie in that behalfe who therefore was consecrate of the people Was not Philip of Macedonia Philip. among the kings excellent for meekenes who being bitterly backbitten vilely slaundered and reproachfully spoken of by the Athenians thanked them because thereby he was made more circumspect in his whole life Whose heroicall and princely spirite Alexander the great his Alexander sonne resembled who being euill dealt withall and reuiled answered It is kinglike when thou hast done well to be euill reported of Was not Constantine the great worthie Homil. 20. to the people immortall fame for the same who being infourmed that certaine malicious and spitefull persons had caste downe his image broken the head and mangled the face thereof in iesting manner felt his head and face and answered he could perceiue no such thing as Chrisostom reporteth of him The king of Poland Finally did not that Polish king excel in meekenes who being moued by some to punish those which said he was euill spoken of by all men answered merilie I had rather that one should be euill spoken of with all men then all men with one These examples and infinite the like both sacred and prophane haue we whose steps we following might attaine by Gods grace to this vertue and learne by the Apostles councell to shewe our wisdome in meekenes of spirite To the embracing of which vertue many thinges there are which might allure and prouoke vs. 1 The manifolde exhortations therunto seruing geuen out by the spirite of God in the holy Scriptures Which men cannot contemne without contempt done to God himselfe By whose spirite they were enioyned 2 These proposed examples in the holy Scriptures Rom. 15. 1. Cor. 10. which are written for our learning and the examples euen of the heathen whose vertues and righteousnns if we doe not excell we shall neuer enter into the kingdom of God 3 The sharpe threatnings of God against such as hauing lost patience are easilie prouoked to wrath and take reuenge against iniuries committed which ought only to be referred vnto God who saith Reuenge is mine and I will repay it 4 To consider that the more excellent Deut 32. Rom. 12 the spirite of man is and the more worthie the person the lesse desirous he is of reuenge and more enclined to meekenes therefore one of the heathen said How much more excellent and mightie euery man is so much more easie is he to be entreated And the noble and gentleman like minde is capable of gentlest and softest motions 5 Moreouer if we would but view our owne liues whereby we prouoke men and God himselfe wherein we desire meekely to be dealt withall wee should the better be perswaded to meekenes to which purpose Gregory Nazianzene saith If thou know that thou owest to other G. Naziancene men and art beholden to men for remitting thine offences vse thou then meeknes toward others for God is a gentle father towards those that are gentle And certaine it is that so long as men dwell vpon the face of the earth they both offend others and themselues are offended and therefore neede as well to feele gentlenes and meekenes from others as to shewe the same vnto their brethren knowing then that our selues haue neede of the meekenes of others we must also shewe meekenes to our brethren 6 Finallie the good and necessarie endes which meeknes respecteth ought thereunto to moue the saints of God 1 It respecteth the holy obedience which wee owe vnto God for obedience vnto whose will wee must embrace meekenes 2 It hath regard to the priuat peace tranquilitie to the publick quietnes both of the church and commonwealth which by meekenes is mainteyned 3. It hath an eye to the prosperous estate of our selues and others which by brauling contention trouble somnes is hindered but by gentlenes and meekenes of wisdome is nourished 4 It respecteth the force of our praiers to God which by meekenes are made forceable by malice hindred by contention interrupted by braulings weakened by dissention slaked These are the endes which this vertue respecteth which carefully considered of vs should make vs embrace the councell of the Apostle Who is a wise man among you and endued with knowledge let him shew by good conuersation his workes in meekenes of wisdome And this is the exhortation of S. Iames to embrace meekenes 2. To meekenes in the next place is contention opposed The opposing of contention You bragge and boast in vaine of meeknes of wisdome for you are farre from it in as much as you are geuen to bitter enuie and contention vices repugnant and contrarie to Christian wisdome whereunto if you be geuen you boast you reioyce in vaine therof saith S. Iames but if you haue bitter enuying and strife in your heartes reioice not neither be yeliers against the trueth In which place he opposeth two vices to the vertue before commended enuie and strife or contention Enuie is a vice or sinne whereby we grieue that another prospereth and fareth well by vs that any â—aÌ„ should Enuie on crease growe vp be accounted of besides our selues desiring to hurt disquiet and remoue them of mere malice Hereby men pine away languish to see the prosperitie of their brethren as the heathen Poet saith This vice followeth Horace the prosperitie welfare and glorie of our brethreÌ„ is the shadowe followeth the bodie Wherefore Salomon Pro. 23. would not haue men companie with enuious persons neither to eate at their tables for though they make a faire face yet they thinke all too much that another hath This is a worke of our corrupt nature poison which we draw from Adam wherwith all his posteritie was infected Wherefore when S. Paul would reckon vp the works Gal. 5. of the flesh odious in the sight of God he saith Moreouer the works of the flesh are manifest which are adulterie fornication vncleannes wantonnes idolatrie
deuill 3 The reason why that he may flie from vs. 2 Approaching neere to God and therin also are three things touched v. 8. 1 What he commandeth to draw neere to God 2 What he promiseth such as doe so that God will draw neere to them 3 How it must be done After a double manner 1 By cleansing our hands 2 By purging our hearts 3 Is of humiliation or humbling our selues before God consisting of two things namely of 1 Chastising our selues through repentance and mortification Wherein are two thinges to be noted v. 9. 1 What he commandeth to suffer affliction 2 The waies how it must be done 1 Sorowing 2 Weeping 3 Turning laughter into mourning 4 Ioy into heauines 2 Casting downe our selues before God where two things are touched by the Apostle v. 10. 1 The precept or thing he commandeth to be done 2 The reason why that God may lift vs vp 4 Touching the remoouing of certaine euils of pride verse 11. to the end Now the euils of pride here mentioned are two namely 1 Reproach and speaking euill of our brethren therein two things must be considered v. 11. 12. 1 What he forbiddeth speaking euill of our brethren verse 11. 2 Why it muste bee shunned the reasons are 4. Namely from 1 The violating of the law verse 11. 2 The duty of the saints 11. 3 The vsurping of Gods office v. 12. 4 Our owne condition v. 12 2. part 2 Vain confidence in determining long before of thinges to come therein fiue things are noted 1 What he coÌ„demneth vain confidence of men v. 13. 2 Why wee should not so determine v. 14. 1 Because tyme altereth things 2 Because our life is vaine and vncertaine 3 Acorrecting of the euill v. 15. 4 The repeating of it with reproofe v. 16. 5 The conclusion 17. THE FOVRTH CHAP. OF S. IAMES THE FIRST SECOND AND THIRD VERSES THE XVII SERMON Verse 1 From whence are warres and contentions among you are they not herehence euen from of your pleasures that fight in your members 2 Ye lust and haue not ye enuie and desire inordinately and cannot obtain ye fight and warre and get nothing because ye aske not 3 Yee aske and receyue not because yee aske amisse that ye might lay the same out on your pleasures IN this fourth Chapter the holy Apostle goeth on with the matter of brawling and contention in the ende of the former Chapter discussed of setting downe other causes of contentions and warres among men which he condemneth The whole Chapter may be resolued into foure braunches or members 1 Is touching contention 2 Touching our duetie to God 3 Concerning humiliation 4 Is the reproofe of two euils proceeding of pride In the first there are fiue things 1 A question 2 An answere 3 A condemning of vaine pleasures as voide of effect 4 The rendring of causes why they are void 5 A bitter and sharpe reprofe of those things And these are contained in the sixe former verses In the seconde place touching the duetie of men to God there are two things wherin it consisteth 1 Submission wherein there are three things 1 What is commaunded 2 The contratie 3 The reason 2 Approching and drawing neere to God wherein there are three things also 1 A precept 2 A promise 3 Howe the thing is to be done v. 7. 8. The third part is of humiliation and thereof are two branches 1 Chastising our selues wherein two things are to be considered 1 What he commaundeth 2 How it is to be done by sorowing weeping turning laughter into mourning and ioy into heauinesse 2 Point of dutie to God is casting downe our selues before God therein are two things the precept the reason And this part is absolued in the 9. and 10. verses The fourth part is the condemning of two euils of pride 1 the one is euil speaking 2 The other vaine confidence In euill speach two things are noted 1 What is forbidden 2 Why it is forbidden The reasons are foure 1 Thereby the lawe is violate and iniuried 2 it is the duetie of Christians to doe the lawe not to iudge it as in slaundering and speaking euill of their brethren they doe 3 Hereby men vsurpe Gods office 4 Al men are of fraile condition therefore ought they not to speake euill one of another 2 The other euill of pride is vaine confidence when men long before without good regarde will determine of things therein are fiue things 1 VVhat is condemned 2 VVhy wee shoulde not so vainely trust 3 A correcting of the euill 4 The repeating of it with reproofe 5 The conclusion And this last part is finished from the 11. verse to the ende These things thus generally noted the first part of the Chapter is from the first to the seuenth verse wherein fiue things are noted 1 The question 2 The answere 3 The condemning of the vaine pleasures of men as without effect 4 The rendering of reasons why the desires of men are voide of their effects 5 A sharpe reproofe of these things In the three first verses are foure of these fiue set downe as namely 1 The question 2 The answere 3 The condemning of the things as voide of effect 4 Why they are voide of effect because 1 They are not asked 2 They are asked amisse Nowe let vs come vnto these particulars the first 1 The question whereof is the interrogation demaunde or question wherein the Apostle beginning a fresh the matter of contention seeketh out other causes thereof then in the former Chapter he had alledged therefore saith he from whence are warres and contentions among you Here by warres he vnderstandeth rather those striuings and broyles whereby men rise vp by the depressing and â—eeping vnder of others and those fightings and quarâ—els which in the common life of man fall out then â—arres commonly so called when great multitudes of â—en oppose themselues one vnto another which warres â—hus commonly and properly so called oftentimes are â—aused by the same meane and priuate contention brawâ—ngs and debates of men of might and power doe ofâ—entimes breake our into open warres The Apostle to â—arch out other causes of seditions tumults contentiâ—ns and the like euils demaundeth and asketh this question From whence are warres and contentions among you The demaund made in few words requireth answere 2 The answere and the Apostle answereth the former interrogation by another question from whence are warres and coÌ„tentions among you Are they not sayeth he herehence euen from your pleasures which fight in your members This second interrogation with the wordes in the next verse ye lust and haue not yee enuie and desire immoderately containe the assigment of the causes of warres broiles contentions among men and the causes are assigned here two vnruly pleasures fighting in the members of men and immoderate desire If therefore we demaund beside that which before hath beene spoken Chapter 3. 14. 15. 16. verses what furthermore is cause of brawlings brabblements contentions and warres among
gifte thereof and thinke them vnworthie the benefit which thinke themselues too good to craue and desire it and therefore men often misse those things they woulde full faine haue because they seeke not to the geuer but goe about by other meanes to obteine them Euen so God though he geue many things vnasked especially to his seruants and sometimes vnto the wicked yet woulde hee for his riches and honours be sought vnto and thinketh them vnworthie his singular benefits who thinke scorne to desire them wherefore they ofttimes misse of their purpose because they seeke to obteine it otherwise then by praier vnto God who geueth these thinges onely vnto men Which reason Saint Iames here setteth downe in the first place why men lust desire after things which they obteine not because they aske them not of God Now as this is specially applied here by Saint Iames so may we more generally consider of it and as it is geuen here for a reason why honour and riches whereafter men seeke are not alwaies attained so may it be a reason certaine and sound in other thinges innumerable that therefore we attaine not vnto them because we seek them not from God We haue no children and we desire them but we obteine not for we seek by some slibber slabber or other deuice to obtain theÌ„ but not froÌ„ god We haue not our health of bodie and we desire it but wee obtaine it not because we seeke to cunning women which for the most part are arrant witches or to skilfull Physicions in whom we put our confidence and by whom not by God we look to obteine it To be short generally in all other things and particularly in enery one this is a iust cause of not obteining because we aske not the things we would haue from god the only geuer of all good things Where Saint Iames saith that men obteine not the things which they desire because they aske them not we may herence learne how necessarie a thing it is to pray in all our needes and necessities to God for the supplie of our wants Wherof hath beene spoken Chap. 1. verse 8. sermon 3. fol. 25. Sermon 27. 2 The second reason why men lust and desire but obtaine not because they aske these things amisse to lay them out vpon their pleasures They desire and aske riches to spend them lewdly they would haue honour to abuse it shamefully Thus they aske but they aske amisse to spend and lay out riches vpon their pleasures that is to euill vses to euill purposes This reason is added by the way of preuenâ—ing an obiection these men might haue said Doe not we aske yea assuredly we aske and we aske dayly and yet oâ—taine not Wherefore sayest thou O blessed Apostle that wee obtaine not because we aske not Hereunto Saint Iames answereth well it may bee that you aske but when you doe aske yet you aske amisse for you aske these things and Gods good blessings to spend them vpon your pleasures to euill vses to euill purposes therefore though you aske yet you obtaine not God who is rich to all such as call vpon him promiseth to heare men but yet so as that they pray according to his will and a right but when we pray amisse he will not heare vs. Saint Iohn saith that what soeuer we aske according 1. Iohn 5. to the will of God wee shall obtaine it If then we aske not aright neither according to Gods will then may we not looke to obtaine the thinges wee pray for Saint Hierom writing vpon the wordes of Christ in the Vpon 7. Matt. gospell saith well and worthily If hee that asketh obtaine and he that seeketh finde and it be opened to him that knocketh then to whom it is not giuen who findeth not and to whome it is not opened it is apparant that he hath not asked sought knocked as he should agreeable to the words of this Apostle you aske and haue not because you aske amisse Many other causes there are why men desiring and asking things from God yet doe not obteine the thinges they aske 1 They which aske are oftentimes wicked and such God heareth not though they multiplie sundrie praiers The Lord therefore said to the wicked Iewes that he would not heare them though they poured out many Jsai 1. praiers vnto him neither see them albeit they stretched out their hands vnto him To which purpose he protesteth Ezech. 8 Amos. in Ezechiel that for their abhominations hee woulde not heare his people Amos in many places almost in euery Chapter witnesseth that God woulde not turne to sundrie people hauing regard to the manifold transgressions which they had committed for which hee woulde shewe no fauourable countenaunce vnto them neither Mich. 3. heare them The Prophet affirmeth that God woulde not heare the wicked people which hated the good loued the euill oppressed their brethren by cruell extortion and plucked their skinnes from their backes and their flesh from their bones and chopt them in peeces as flesh to the pot and meate to the caldron The blinde man in the Gospel restored to sight by Christ whom the Iohn 9. malicious Scribes and Pharisies reputed for wicked because hee did that miracle on the Sabboth day sheweth that Christ was righteous because that God heard him we know saith he that God heareth not sinners wicked men contemning God and delighting in sinne but if any man be a worshipper of God and dooth his will him God heareth VVhereby it appeareth that the wickednes of men is one cause vvhy they are not heard of God 2 Sometimes men aske and obtaine not because they themselues are hard hearted vnto others and will not heare them Dauid auouching that God reiecteth Psal 18. the praiers of such as themselues reiected the crie of the afflicted sayeth They cryed but there was none to saue them euen vnto the Lord but he would not heare them Solomon his sonne subscribeth to his father when he writeth that such as shutte their eares vnto the cries of other Prou. 21. men shoulde crie themselues and not be heard Therefore our Sauiour exhorteth all men when they pray to Mat. 6 s 7. Marke 11. Mat. 18. be readie to forgiue others and heare their desires that they themselues crying may be receyued VVherefore when vvee will not graunt the humble and needfull desires of the poore afflicted when wee are so strait laced so maliciously minded so hard hearted that wee will heare no suite made vnto vs our selues may often crie and not bee heard and sundrie times aske that wee obtaine not For God is not commonly woont to heare such as disdaine the cries of their poore brethren 3 Sometimes men aske those things which are hurtfull vnto them therefore not to aske them were wisedome but when we aske them not to obtaine them is mercie from God The Israelites asked meate for their Num. 11. lust in anger it was giuen which
may whollie rest and relie vpon his diuine pleasure that after we haue suffered a little he may make vs perfect confirme strengthen and stablish vs. To whom be glory dominion and maiestie now and for euermore Amen Iames Chapter 5. verse 12 Sermon 26. Ver. 12 But before al things my brethren sweare not neither by heauen nor by earth nor by any other othe but let your yea be yea and your nay nay least ye fall into condemnation 3. Place of the Chapter NOw commeth the Apostle to the thirde place in this chapter handled which is concerning swearing Vnto which he slideth descendeth very orderly for that in the former treatise he had exhorted the Saints to patience and disswaded al murmuring and impatiencie and commonly most grieuous and horrible othes with most bitter execrations growe of our impatiencie Therefore hauing discoursed thereof he addeth in the next place admonition and councell touching swearing willing vs to detest all such wickednes and to accustome our tongues to simple and true speach Though then the Apostle seeme properly to speake of such vaine and wicked othes as where unto men breake oftentimes through impatiencie yet will I touch this more generally and hereunder conteine all othes whatsoeuer are rashly and wickedly made by men In this 12. verse conteyning the third place concerning swearing three things are to be noted Namely 1. The condemning of the thing as horrible and detestable sinne 2. The correcting of that euil what men in stead of wicked swearing should doe 3. The reason why men ought not to sweare 1 Touching the first of these thinges thereof thus saith our Apostle Aboue all things my brethren sweare not Where he condemneth othes and swearing Which place being falsly applied by the Anabaptists for the condemning of all othes and of swearing it shall not be impertinent to this place but both profitable and proper to consider whether all swearing ought vtterly to be condēned or no. And if not then what swearing what othes the Apostle here reproueth Which thing that it may the better appeare let vs in briefe and in a word consider what an othe is what it is to sweare An othe is the affirming or denying of a thing An othe with the calling on of the name of God to witnesse and auouch the trueth of the thing vttered To sweare is to affirme or denie a thing with the calling on of the name of God for the auouching of the trueth of that thing which with solemne othe we haue protested Or an othe is an earnest and vehement affirmation or negation of a thing lawfull and honest by the name of God whereby we desire him to be a witnesse vnto the trueth and a reuenger and punisher of all such as vse deceat falshood This being the definition of an othe whether is it altogether condemned or not The Anabaptists abusing this place and that of our Sauiour Christ Sweare not at all condemne all othes as Mat. 5. vnlawfull in Christians But the word of God rightlie and trulie vnderstoode permitteth Christians in some causes and cases to sweare By which men must not challenge vnto themselues libertie of swearing for what they luste but ought to learne neuer to sweare at al but so and vnder such condition as the scriptures teach them and no other wise That Christians and the Saints of God may sweare Wheather Christians may sweare in some cases and therefore all othes and swearing not vtterly condemned it may by sundrie groundes and arguments be proued 1 What the morall lawe of God permitted that is lawfull for the morall lawe is perpetuall vniuersall and generall binding all men comprising all times containing al things that are lawfull This lawe permitteh men to sweare this giueth licence to the Saints in some cases and some causes to sweare Moyses in the repeating of the Deut. 6. lawe from the mouth of God gaue this charge to Israell the people of God thou shalt feare the Lord thy God and serue him and thou shalt sweare by his name To the like purpose in the same booke the prophet giueth the like commaundement thou shalt feare the Lorde thy God Deut. 10. thou shalt cleaue vnto him sweare by his name Thus almighty God maketh the calling vpon his name in their lawfull othes to be a parte of his diuine seruice and permitteth the same vnto his people so that to sweare by the law of God is permitted The holie prophets the best expounders and interpreters of the lawe haue therefore taught the people in certaine cases to sweare Ieremie saith thus to Israell thou shalt sweare the Lorde liueth in Ierimie 4. truth in equitie in iudgement The prophet Dauid the Psal 63. worthy prince of Israell protesteth that all they shal be commended that sweare in the name of God their heauenly King Isay exhorteth and willeth that who so sweareth Isay 65. Ierimie 12. on earth should sweare by the true God The Lorde in Ieremie his prophet teaching this not only to bee lawfull but laudable and praise worthy in al his seruantes and therefore also requireth it as a parte of his diuine seruice and saith it shal be that if they haue learned the waies of my people then they shall sweare in my name the Lorde liueth Thus the lawe and the Prophets teach that in certaine cases and in some respects it is lawfull to sweare 2 That whereof we haue God himselfe the Patriarkes Christ and Saint Paul for our example and warrant cannot be altogether vnlawfull But the Lord our God a most holy God and most iust the Patriarkes the most deare seruants of God Iesus Christ the eternall sonne of the father and the onely true patterne of all perfection the holie Apostle the most elect vessell and most pure seruant of Iesus Christ haue sworne how then are al othes vnlawfull how is all swearing forbidden And first touching God is not hee recorded at sundrie times to haue sworne and that by himselfe VVhen Abraham at Gods commaundement was readie to haue Gene. 2◠offered vp his onely sonne in sacrifice to God the Lord stayed his hande and saide by my selfe haue I sworne sayeth the Lord because thou hast done this thing and hast not spared thy onely sonne therefore will I surely blesse thee and will greatly multiplie thy seede as th◠starres of heauen and as the sande which is vpon the sea shore and thy seede shall possesse the gates of their enemies The princely Prophet Dauid prophecying of the Psal 110. eternall Kingdome and Priesthoode of Christ bringeth in God swearing vnto him The Lorde sware and will not repent thou art a Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech VVho speaking also of the othe of the Lord made vnto him touching his posteritie whereon the Psal 132. people grounded their praiers and desired the establishment thereof sayeth in like manner the Lorde hath sworne in trueth to Dauid and hee will
the like vanitie wickednes Mat. 5. hath our blessed Sauiour in the most holy gospel set down vnto the saints who forbidding men all vaine rash vnnecessary swearing their vsuall oths by heauen earth Hierusalem by their heads such like willeth that in steede therof all their cōmunication should be yea yea nay nay teaching that in our familiar cōmon speach in our vsuall talke cōmunication we should not sweare at all but should affirme things to be affirmed denie things to be denied in al simplicitie of speach without all othes whatsoeuer And it is to be obserued that as our Sauiour repeated iterated the wordes twise yea yea nay nay so our Apostle saith let your yea be yea your nay nay to teach by the geminating repeating doubling of the wordes how constant we should be in all our talke cōmunication with the brethren which constancie and simplicitie ought to be in the tongues talke of all christians which vvere it practised of men professing godlines as it should then should vvicked svvearing and horrible blasphemie be easely abandonned and abolished out of the common speach and talke of Christians To vvhich simplicitie if exhortations admonitions inhibitions cōminations bitter threatenings out of the sacred word of God cannot persuade then ought mē by force of ciuill lawes be therunto compelled Wherfore it ought to be not the least nor the last care of Christian princes to make lavves for such as by vaine vvicked svvearing shall blaspheme the name of the eternal euerliuing God Whereof that noble Prince of most famous memorie Henrie the eight the Henry 8. most victorious K. of England not ignorant endeuoured to plante simplicitie singlenes of speach in men and to remoue all forged svvearing enacted made a lavv that to the vse of the poore euery Duke for euery othe sworne should pay 40. shillings euery Lord for euery othe tvvēty euery Knight ten shillings a gentleman fourtie pence for euery oth swearing Maximilian the Emperour careful in Maximilian this point of the glory of God that it by vaine swearing might not be dishonoured decreed that who so was deprehended for a vaine swearer should pay 13. shillings foure pence which monie who so refused to pay repented not of the wickednes should loose his head Lodouike Lodouike a king of Fraunce ordained that all common and vaine swearers should haue their lips seared with an hote burning iron which he caused to be exequuted openly in the citie of Paris And Philip another of their kings made a Philip. law that who soeuer he were poore or rich high or low base borne or noble in what place soeuer it were though in a commō tauerne at the wine when where wisemen oftentimes ouershote themselues if he blasphemed Gods name by vaine swearing he should straight way be drowned Justinian the Emperour made a law gaue in commission Iustinian cōmandement to the gouernour of the famous citie of Constantinople that he should put to death the blasphemer least that god himself should punish plague both the citie and the whole realme for leauing so great wickednes vnpunished Would God some Henrie or Henrie his seed some Maximilian some Lodouick or Philip some Justinian were stirred vp in euery christian cōmon-wealth kingdome that lawes might not onely be made but seuerely executed against the disorderednes of all states degrees of men for swearing that neither king nor Cesar prince nor people duke nor earle lord nor knight gentleman nor yeoman page nor peasand man nor woman yong nor old one nor another might be found guiltie of blasphemous vaine and wicked swearing but rather that all degrees and states of men and whosoeuer professeth godlines might either by this correction of the Apostle Let your yea be yea and your nay nay or els by seueritie of the Ciuile and positiue lawes there hence be restrained hereof the Apostle according to the example of our Sauiour Christ most carefull correcteth the vanitie and wicked disorderednesse of their swearing and saith Let your yea be yea and your nay nay 3. Why men should thus correct and reforme their The reason of not swearing blasphemous othes the reason followeth least they fal into condemnation Great daunger hangeth ouer the heads of vaine swearers the wrath of God is ouer them to destroy thē This did almighty God threaten in his law whē Exod. 20. he would that mē should not take his holy name in vain for if they did they should not be counted guiltlesse but should be vnder that bitter curse of condēnation pronoūced Deut. 27. by the mouth of Gods holy prophet Cursed is euery one that continueth abideth not in all the words of the law of God to do them In signe of Gods high displeasure Leuit. 24. against so grieuous wickednes almighty God cōmaunded that the blasphemer should be put to death whether he were straunger or borne in the land he should die the death if he blasphemed the name of God To which sin as due punishment is threatened not the death onely of the body which in the wicked is the entraunce to endles condēnation but of the soule for euer without our vnfained Zach. 5. repentance therfore in this present world This eternal cōdēnation against wicked vaine swearers the prophete of God in his reuelation foretelleth who from heauen saw a booke 20. cubits long and 10. cubits broad wherein was nothing but plagues calamities curses miseries threatened against the theese vayn swearer Whereunto Sirach Ecclus. 23. hauing regard protesteth vnto men that the plague of God hangeth ouer their houses for euer which are giuen to blasphemie and delight in swearing And albeit we do not alwaies see the exequution of Gods iust iudgements against such persons yet is it most sure that thereby they fall into condemnation and incurre the iuste displeasure of God for which cause as somtimes he punisheth here eyther in themselues or in their posteritie either in their bodies or in their minds so doth he vndoubtedly punish in the life to come such as offend in this point against the law of the highest This eternall condemnation and the intollerable wrath and indignation of God for euer if we will auoide and shunne then must we hold fast this exhortatiō that in common talke in familiar and daylie communication and conference in our ciuill dealings among men we sweare not at all but that in all things our yea be yea and nay be nay least we fall into condemnation If then condemnation be here threatened against vaine and wicked swearers and all men of all states and degrees of all sexe and kinde men women young olde high lowe rich and poore herein haue corrupted their waies who daily slay the soule wound the heart pierce the sides rent the body of Iesus Christ and blaspheme the holy name whereby they are called are
not all then vnder this condemnation Let as many then as haue any feare of God before their eies any care of their owne saluation any desire to escape endlesse condemnation any remorce of conscience for their sinne in this behoofe cōmitted any sparcle of grace any feeling of the Spirite of God whereby they are sealed vp to the day of redemption Ephes 4. repent themselues of this wickednes correcte this grieuous sinne in their manners reforme and refraine their lippes from all vaine swearing and blasphemie that thereby they fall not into condemnation but may liue for euer If condemnation be threatened to the vaine swearing of men how much more subiect thereunto are they which geue themselues to horrible periuries and false swearings Which thing almightie God reseruing finally to be punished in eternall torments of hell fire yet to shew how greatly hee detesteth this wickednes euen in this life in some measure he punisheth it When Iosua Josua 9. the Princes of Israel had made a faithfull othe to the Gibeonites Saul afterward violated it almightie God in the 2. King 21. daies of Dauid punished it with three yeares famine thorow out Israel till the seuen sonnes of Saul were geuen to the Gibeonites to bee slaine When Mataniah named by Nabuchodonosour Zedichiah had sworne subiection to the 4. Kings 24. 25. King but afterward forswearing him sealfe and rebelling the Lorde punished his periurie by the King of Babylon who tooke him prisoner slue his sonnes before his eies then put out both his eies and caried him bounde into Babylon where he was kept in perpetuall miserie I neede not say that therefore none of the posteritie of Edward the fourth came vnto the possessiō of the crowne of England because he solemnely swore at Yorke to holde him sealfe contented with his owne duke dome and to performe loyall obedience to the King Duke Elphred conspiring against King Adelstane for swore him sealfe in his purgation therefore at Rome wherefore almightie God stroke him presently in Saint Peters church there and so hee died Earle Godwine hauing treaterously slaine Alphrede brother to King Edward the third thereof charged by the King at table at a certaine time the Earle tooke breade in his hand and swore desiring that the bread might choake him if he were there of giltie which breade hee eating was there with all sodenly choaked that hee fell downe and died To be shorte one may stande for many which is notoriously knowen that a woman which in the yeare 1575. for alittle flaxce forswore her selfe in wood-streate in London therefore was presently stroken and miserably died with great torture tormentes and terrour Infinire like exampls of the iuste iudgements of God in this behalfe are exstant and albeit God doe not alwaies strike all persons in like manner offending yet that it might appeare how greatly he detesteth this wickednes he giueth men a taste of his anger and wrathfull indignation euen in this life present shewing thereby how much more sharpely they shal be punished in the world to come And thought in great patience he beareth with this intollerable sinne of men for a long time and season yet shall they not be vnpunished for euer Truely in this thing therefore saith the poet Tibullus Though that periurie be at the first couered yet at length punishment commeth without noyse secretely And Homer in like manner saith Albeit God foorthwith punish not periuries yet doeth hee at length whereby most grieuous punishments falle on the authour his companion and children which hath committed them Which thing seemeth to haue beene fulfilled in Philip king of Macedonia his children whom Pausanias recordeth to haue fallen into so many miseries calamities and troubles because he violated his othes and falsified his promises so often Wherfore howsoeuer either vain swearers or periured persons doe here escape the reuenging hand of God yet shall they vndoubtedly be subiect to eternall condemnation vnlesse they both leaue their wickednes and speedely repent themselues of their sinne embrace the councell of the Apostle who correcteth this euil Let your yea be yea and your nay nay least ye fal into condemnation This reason drawen from danger not temporal only but eternal rather might be a sufficient stop and stay to keep our lips from this wickednes from which refraining we are so far that we pretend excuses to our vanity 1 Some therefore say I am forced to sweare men otherwise will not beleeue me Shall man force thee to blaspheme and shal not Gods word drawe thee to obedience shall man make thee to doe more in transgressing then Gods word in obeying Is there any necessitie to force thee to doe that which doing thou fallest into condemnation yea is not thy owne vanitie thy inconstancie in thy words thy falshood in thy promises thy periurie in thy othes thy often swearing not vainly only but vntruely also cause that no man giueth thee credit if in al thing◠thy deedes were agreeable to thy words thy performāces according to thy promises if thou wert thy words master and neuer protestedst but the trueth if thy tongue were geuen to simplicitie and thy lippes not defiled with lies then shoulde thy worde be beleeued as well yea rather better then thine othe but because thy wordes are but wind and in thy speaches there is no hold because thy promises are without perfourmance in thy saying there is no faith because in thy tongue there is no trust and in thy talke there is no trueth therefore thou swearest yet thou art not beleeued The law saith He that is once presupposed and taken for an euill man is alwaies so presupposed and he that is taken once for faithlesse vntrustie is alwaies so presupposed Aristotle as Laertius writeth or Demetrius as other affirme being asked what Laertius de vitaphilo profite men gate by their lies falshoode and vntrueths in them answered this onely that oftentimes whē they tell the trueth yet men will not beleeue them The fault therfore redoundeth vpon thy owne head that thou art not beleeued so farre therefore is this pretence from excusing thy swearing that it rather encreaseth thy offence 2 If we pretend our custome doeth this excuse our sinne Nay doeth not custome of doing euill aggrauate the wickednes that seruant that is accustomed to rob his master and doeth it therefore more commonly is more punishable thē he that hath once done it so hath done The childe that by vse and custome groweth to be disobedient deserueth with more seueritie to be chastened then he that once offendeth and so leaueth Euery wickednes how much more commonly it is done so much more hainous is it The man more accustomed to adulteries is the more filthie whoremonger the wife that hath more vsually prostituted her selfe to others is the more detestable harlot the theefe that by custome robbeth deserueth more iustly to be hanged the more vsually any euill is committed the more haynous
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