Homilie let the inquisition and inquiring out of thy sinne be in thy hearte and thought Of confess and repent this inquiring and iudgement let it be without witnes let God alone see thy confessing which onely doth not vpbraid thee with the sinnes but forgiueth them Saint Augustine not abiding that proude presumption Lib. 10. confes c. 3. of men sharpely inueigheth against them in his confessions what haue I to doo saith he with men that they should heare my confessions as if they could heale my sores a curious kinde of men to know the liues of others and a slouthfull to correct their owne How know they when they heare of me of my selfe whether I 1. Cor. 2. speake the truth sith no man knoweth what is done in man but the spirite of man that is in him This intollerable arrogancie of men to heare the confessions of other mens sinnes Lysander could not abide wherefore when he asked counsell in Samothracia Lysander of the Oracle being willed by the priest and keeper thereof to tell the greatest sinne that euer he committed asked whether he should do it at his bidding or at the commaundement of the gods When it was tolde hm it was the commaundement of the gods he willed the priest to stande a parte and he would tell it the gods if they did aske him Thus the very heathen detested this auricular confession of their sinnes vnto others Wherefore let that be abandoned farre from the schoole of Christ which the very heathen by reason did not admit and let it be condemned for euer as an errour or heresie not tollerable which neyther Scripture confirmeth nor Fathers allow of Saint James in this place speaketh nothing hereof but only of confession of offences priuately committed which either for mutuall comfort or for mutuall reconciliation ought to be mutually confessed as Erasmus Bede expound it Vnto which cōfession mutual praier is ioined wherof albeit in the 14. 15. verses he had spoken yet to shew the excellencie and necessitie thereof here repeateth it againe requireth it Which he cōmendeth from the effect that all men might see and know that there is nothing more effectuall and forceble to the healing of our bodily diseases then vnfained praier proceeding frō a liuelie faith a pure heart and good conscience to God Which effect of mutuall confession and praier is health acknowledge your faults one to another and pray one for another that you may be healed our mindes cleere of malice our hearts of hatred our affections of enuie our desires of wrath and reuenge our bodies shall the sooner be restored to health by the Lord. Seeing then such an effect followeth mutuall prayer we ought to be councelled by the holy Ghost and aduised by the Apostle to praie one for another that wee may be healed But of this more hath beene spoken vpon the 14. and 15. verses before going Where Saint Iames exhorteth vs to pray one for another it no whitte at all fauoureth the opinion of Popish persons either for their praiers to the dead or for the dead To the deceased Saints herence are we not moued to pray as to mediatours and aduocates for vs to God For here the Apostle as before desireth the liuing saints to pray one for another that they may be healed The Lords prayer teacheth that men aliue may pray for men liuing therefore therein we pray not for our selues alone but for the whole bodie of the Church One man may sue to God for another being aliue and we are willed to seeke for the praiers of the liuing Saints that they may be poured out for vs to God But to sue for the helpe of the praiers of the soules and spirites of men and women deceased neither doeth this place neither any other in the canonical Scriptures of God teach or perswade vs. And as we are not taught to sue to the dead so neither are we taught to sue for the dead for the liuing saints must pray one for another being aliue they are willed to praie for those that are sicke but not dead Dauid praied 2. Kings 12. for the childe begotten of Bersebah when it was sicke but assoone as it was dead he ceased Abraham praied for the Gen. 18. Sodomites being aliue but when they were destroyed we heare no prayer for them Moises praied to GOD for the Leuit. transgressing Israelites but when they were destroyed by the hand of God he praied not Saint Paul praied for the Rom. 9. 1◠lewes his brethren according to the flesh but it is neuer mentioned that he praied for any of them deceased Prayers for the soules in purgatory therfore herence can no wise be gathered Now that health followeth the praiers of Gods saints we must not take it that as all they for whom praier was made were alwaies healed in the time of the Apostles euen so also now but that as in that time it was the ordinarie meane and had his effect in all euen so ought it to be a meane now and no doubt in sundrie it shal be and is assuredly very effectuall though the gift of healing be not as it was in the time of the Apostles for GOD will heare the praiers of his seruants and will fulfill their desires whose eares are open to the suites of the righteous and will graunt their requests as shall stand best with his heauenly wisdome This effect oftentimes to followe the praiers of the Saints it is shewed for that the praiers of the righteous are very forcible and preuaile much if they be feruent Of the force of the Saints praiers see Sermon 2. vpon S. Iames leafe 19. 1. page c. Sermon 3. leafe 26. page 1. c. Sermon 17. vpon 4. Iames leafe 184. page 1. c. To which places this also may here be added that Two things required in prayer that it may be effectuall to the efficacie of mens praiers the Apostle requireth two things One in him that praieth the other in the praier it selfe 1 Touching him that praieth if he wil haue his praier heard he must be iust and righteous for it is here saide that the praier of the righteous auaileth much They must be such as feare God and beleeue in Iesus Christ such as are carefull to serue him in spirite and trueth such as doe walke before him in holines and righteousnesse of life These are they whose praiers auaile much For this cause Saint Paul exhorteth men to praie to God lifting vp pure 1. Tim. 2 Psal 145. Psal 34. 1. Peter 3 handes vnto him The Princely Prophet Dauid affirmeth that God will fulfill the desires of them that feare him and heare their crie and saue them And in another place which is alleadged carefully by Saint Peter the prophet promiseth the present helpe and the priest aide of god to our praiers when we are righteous the eyes of the Lord are ouer the righteous and his eares are open to
ground of men or by them planted vppon rotten rootes and stockes become fruitlesse and perish and neuer take roote but this away and die by little and little so if the worde of God be cast in the stonie ground of our hearts or planted vpon the rotten rootes of our carnall affections it neuer taketh roote but decayeth dieth and withereth VVherefore to the end it may bring forth fruit in vs in some thirtie in some sixtie in some an hundreth vve must endeuour to haue it first ingraffed in vs which in the regenerate is assuredly true whereof the Apostle here admonisheth Lay aside all filthinesse and superfluitie of maliciousnesse and receyue vvith meeekenesse the vvoorde ingraffed in you Novve why we should so do in the third place the 3. The reason reason is rendered because it is able to saue our soules The vvorde of God is the onely medicine for all our invvard maladies it is that souereigne salue vvhich saueth our soules it is the plaister to lay to the vvoundes of of our sinnes yea and hath in store a salue for euerie sore of the minde Seeing therefore it bringeth so great profite vvith it vvee ought vvith meekenesse to receyue it VVhich Saint Iames intimateth and shevveth vvhen he sayeth receyue vvith meekenesse the vvorde engraffed in you vvhich is able to saue your soules The vvord of God receyued by faith saueth our soules because it is the meane to bring vs to God and his sonne Iohn 17. Christ whom to know and beleeue is eternall life This worde assureth our heartes in the promises of mercie which we taking sure holde of are thereby spared Hereby doe we attaine vnto faith by which we doe liue the iust shall liue by faith and faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the worde of GOD. Beeing therefore Abac. 2. Gal. 2. John 20. 31. Rom. 10. the meane and instrument whereby we apprehend Christ in whome onely there is life beeing the way whereby we come to true faith whereby our soules doe liue thererefore is it sayde to saue our soules To which purpose Saint Paul calleth it the worde of saluation Acts 30. c. 11. 14 Rom. 1. 1. Cor. 15. 2. Ephes 13. 1. Tim. 4. and the power of GOD to saluation to euerie one that beleeueth This worde being the worde of reconciliation preached by the Minister receyued of the hearer is saluation to both Wherefore Paul exhorteth Timothie to take heede to himselfe and to learning and therein to continue because in so doing he should saue both himselfe and those that heare him This vertue and power of the worde in another place expressing he affirmeth that it pleased God by the foolishnesse of 1. Cor. 1. preaching to saue those that beleeue In which he labouring became all things to all men that by all meanes he might saue some through his preaching Notvvithstanding this force is not in the bare and outvvard hearing of the vvord but in beleeuing the vvord preached to vs and heard of vs othervvise it profiteth nothing For as the vvorde profited not the Ievves because it vvas not mixed vvith faith in those that heard Heb. 4. it so neither profiteth it vs or any other to saluation vnlesse it be ioyned vvith beleefe vvherefore that it may saue our soules it must be receyued vvith faith of all the Saints of God This vvorde healeth the vvounded heart and conscience this is vvine to scoure and oile to supple our festring Luke 1â— sores herein is there remedie against euery sinne least through the heauinesse of the burthen we should fall into desperation Against presumption it terrifieth vs against distrust it comforteth vs in ignorance it teacheth vs in errour it informeth vs in falshoode it correcteth vs in manners it instructeth vs in wandering pathes it directeth vs in daungerous waies it guideth vs being a lanterne vnto our feet and a light vnto our paths that we perish not a present remedie for euerie sickenesse Psal 119. of the minde an approued helpe at all assayes and needes a soueraigne salue for euerie sore of heart and therefore rightly and worthily said by Jamer to be able to saue the soule If then this word be of power able to saue the soule if all filthinesse layd apart and superfluitie of maliciousnesse remoued it be receyued with meekenesse then the contempt hereof is pernicious daungerous and damnable For if the Israelites escaped not when they refused to heare Moises which by Gods commaundement spoke vnto them on earth how much lesse shall men vnder the Heb. 12. Gospel escape if they turne from him which by his ministers speaketh from heauen vnto them Now this word is not contemned onely by open rebellion and resistance thereunto as by the Iewes by Turkes persecuting tyrants Romish prelates and their adherents but also when in worde it is professed but in conuersation of life it is not expressed a thing most heinous and horrible in the sight of God of which contempt most professours are now guiltie Hereby then let them be admonished and so effectually reclaymed And this is the first admonition of the Apostle wherefore lay aside all filthinesse and superfluitie of maliciousnesse and receiue with meekenesse the worde that is graffed in you which is able to saue your soules Some men too much giuen to please themselues in 2 Admonition their foolish imaginations conceits hereupon thinke it enough to heare the worde of God albeit they doe not thereafter Which fond perswasion to roote out of mens mindes the Apostle setteth downe this second admonition wherein is shewed that it becommeth all the Saints of God so to heare the word preached as that they frame their liues thereafter and liue according as therein they are taught from God that their conuersation be answerable to their profession and their deedes correspondent to the doctrine wherein they are informed In which admonition two things come to be considered 1 What it is that they are admonished of namely to be doers of the word not herers onely 2 The reasons why they should so do which are two as in the discourse shall be euidently apparant 1 The admonition be ye doers of the worde not hearers onely S. Iames hauing not in vaine learned in the Mat. 13. parable of Christ that the seede beeing cast into the foure seuerall groundes yet fructifieth but in one onely and seeing by dayly experience that many men make shevve of religion but yet liue carelesse in their conuersation who turning the eares of their bodies to the worde and in their mouthes professing themselues to knowe GOD yet in their deedes denie him Titus 1. beeing abhominable disobedient and to euerie good worke reprobate and in shewe make profession but in life are nothing answerable thereunto in this place inueighing against that hypocrisie of men condemning that outwarde hearing as vnprofitable to themselues and odious vnto God sheweth most notably what maner hearers the Gospell requireth euen such as
another The lawe of loue therefore comming and proceeding from God the king of all kings and kingdomes of the earth is therefore called royall kingly princely 2 Because it is the chiefe of all lawes which concerne our dueties towardes our brethren perswading men and drawing them to the o-obedience of the seconde table which in perfourming of loue is fulfilled Therefore is loue so often called the fulfilling of the lawe Saint Paul saieth that the whole Rom. 13. law is briefly contained in this loue the neighbour as thy selfe To like effect in another place to another Church he sayeth All the lawe is fulfilled in one worde Gal. 5. which is this loue thy neighbour as thy selfe And to his scholer Timothie the end of the commandement is loue 1. Tim. 1. out of a pure heart and good conscience and faith vnfeigned Seeing then the lawe of loue is as the chiefe head and as it were the Queene ouer other vertues and duties and the onely thing wherein all the lawe of the seconde Table is contained complete and fulfilled it maye therefore not amisse bee called royall or princely 3 This law furthermore is called royall because it is like the kings high way for as the kings high way is open for euerie man to passe therein and bringeth men from place to place foorth out right without turnings So the lawe of GOD which is the lawe of loue is open plaine without turnings of all men to bee gone in trauailed past through not turning either to the right hande or to the left through respect of persons whereunto who so respecteth declineth turneth out of the high way and wandereth 3 The law of loue being this roiall law and for these causes so called enioyneth men to loue their neighbours as themselues In which three things may here briefly be obserued 1 What this law requireth loue 2 To whom to our neighbour 3 How as to our selues That Gods lawe requireth loue who readeth the Scriptures and seeth not who peruseth the word of god and is ignorant God himselfe in the verie lawe expresly Leuit. 19. commaundeth that men should loue one another Our Sauiour Christ the very expounder of his fathers will vnto men exhorteth all the Saints thereunto as to the cognizance and liuerie wherby they should bee knowne to be his seruants The Apostles the interpreters of this Iohn 13. lawe enfourmed and taught by the holy Ghost the spirite whereby they were ledde into all truth haue thereof beene carefull Therefore Saint Paul owe nothing Rom. 13. Ephes 5. to any but that ye loue one another And againe be yee followers of God as deare children and walke in loue euen as you haue Christ for example And againe And Col. 3. aboue all things put on loue which is the bonde of perfectnesse To whom Saint Peter subscribeth aboue all 1. Pet. 4. things haue feruent loue among your selues for loue couereth the multitude of sinnes Saint John in his three Epistles therein laboureth especially to perswade the Saints to follow loue Of which in the time of his preaching he was so carefull that as Saint Ierome recordeth Vpon 6. to Galath being verie aged and not able without helpe to ascende into the Pulpet preached still of loue vntill his auditours were wearie of the same to whom he answered it was the thing that the whole lawe required and enioyned of God which who so hath hath all things VVherefore if we looke either into the olde Testament or the newe wee shall finde that the royall lawe of God enioyneth loue Whereof we are forgetfull when enuie and malice hatred and rancour debate and contention couetousnesse and vsurie slaundering and backebiting lying and deceite separating our selues from the brethren respect of riches honour glory worldly pompe not of religion pietie and godlinesse reigneth in our hearts The persons whom we must loue are our neighbors thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe But who is Leuit. 19. our neighbour Our Sauiour Christ by the parable of the man falling into the handes of the theeues betwixt Luke 10. Hierico and Hierusalem telleth the lawier who questioned with Christ to tempt him that all men which neede our help or to whom any dutie belongeth are our neighbours whether neare at hand or farre of whether friends or enemies rich or poore one or another Wherehence Saint Augustine concludeth that all men are our neighbours to whom either dutie should bee shewed if it bee Lib. 1. doctrine Christ. c. 30. needfull either remaineth due if it be required And citing that place of Saint Paul thou shalt not commit adulterie thou shalt not kill thou shalt not steale thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy neighbour and if there bee any other commaundement it is briefly contained in this thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe by neighbour saith he must wee vnderstande all men vnlesse we will say it is lawfull to commit adulterie with the wife or some or to kill some or to rob some or beare false witnesse against some But seeing these cannot lawfully be done against any therefore vnder neighbour euerie man is comprised In his worke of true religion reprouing men for louing men not because they were men and the creatures of God but because they De vera religione were allianced or affianced vnto them sayeth it were discourtesie not to loue in respect they are men and to loue in respect they are fathers or children c. Thereby teaching vs to loue all men because all men in that they are men are our neighbours The lawe teaching vs to loue all men and to doe duetie vnto them as vnto neighbours for to respect the persons of the riche and preferre them with neglect of the poore is agaynst this lawe whereof in so doing wee are transgressours The manner howe wee must loue is as our selues And euerie man vnfeignedly feruently continually loueth himselfe so must wee also loue our neighbours albeit straungers albeit enemies who are all our neighbours 4 This then being the summe and substance of this royall lawe to loue our neighbours as our selues who finally may be saide to fulfill this lawe They fulfill the royall lawe of loue who through faith working by loue â—al 5. obey this lawe of God And this faith of Gods Saints looketh not to the outward appearance of mens persons but to the vnfeigned profession of Christian religion Of this fulfilling of the law the Apostle may seeme to speake if ye fulfill the royall law according to the Scripture which saith Loue thy neighbour as thy selfe you do well The obedience of Gods children is accepted albeit vnperfect for Christs sake whose righteousnes imputed vnto vs we are by faith through imputation saide to fulfill the lawe As before vpon the 1. Chap. ver 22. hath beene said The obedience and fulfilling of Gods law is accepted according to the measure of faith distributed to euery Ephe. 4. Rom.
carelesse to walke woorthie their profession and indeuour not to bee fruitefull in the woorkes of righteousnesse to the glorie of GOD therefore is their faith vaine idle detestable and shamefull in the sight of GOD. 5 The last kinde of fayth is Christian faith which is a sure trust in the mercie of GOD through the merits of Christ vndoubtinglie perswading our selues of remission of our sinnes by his righteousnesse and of eternall saluauion by his passion whereby hauing peace in our consciences with GOD wee rest and walke in obedience vnto his commaundements Whereof the Prophet speaketh The iust shall liue by fayth Abac. 2. Rom. 3. Saint Paul Wee conclude that a man is iustified by fayth without the woorkes of the lawe Againe beeing iustified by faith wee haue peace with GOD through Iesus Christ our Lorde To the Church of Rom. 5. Ephes 2. Ephesus VVee are saued by grace through faith and that not of our selues it is the gift of GOD neither of woorkes least any should boast And againe by Christ wee haue boldnesse and entraunce with confidence Ephes 3. by faith in him Of this faith Paul alwayes speaketh when hee entreateth of iustification which wee obtayne onelie by this faith in Iesus Christ And Gen. 15. Rom. 4. Gal. 3. this is the fayth whereby Abraham vvas iustified before GOD when it was auouched Abraham beleeued and it was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse And this faith is neuer idle in the Saintes of GOD hauing iust occasion ministred but it woorketh through loue and hath moste singular ornaments Gal. 5. and vertues ioyned vnto it as inseparable companions in all those that are truelie iustified as inuocation of GOD gratefull memorie for benefites receyued pacience and inuincible constancie vnder the Crosse bounteous liberalitie and louing mercie towardes the distressed Saints in their necessities obedience to the worde of truth mortification of our earthly members renouation of the spirite of our mindes with the woorkes of sanctification which as effectes of fayth make it shine and bee manifest in the sight of men There then being many acceptions of faith whereof speaketh this Apostle not of the last as Paul doth but of the second and of the fourth That he speaketh of the second it appeareth in the 19. verse hee speaketh of that Verse 19. faith which is common to men and to diuels for hee sayeth thou beleeuest there is one God thou dost well the diuels also beleeue and tremble Now the diuels haue no true nor iustifying faith that were absurd to graunt for they beleeue not in Christ neither hope they for mercie but tremble in despaire at the iudgement of God but their faith is to beleeue there is one God to acknowledge the things contained in the scripture of the old and new testament to be true to confesse Christ to be the son of god but neither Messiah nor mediator for thē That he meaneth faith in the 4. sense which is the outward presēce of faith which is rather a shew shadow thē any substāce rather an imagination and conceyued opinion of faith then faith in deed as when we say we haue fayth and in wordes pretende it It appeareth also out of the Apostle For Saint James speaketh of that faith when men Verse 14. Verse 19. say they haue fayth as himselfe in the proposition of this place speaketh What auaileth it my brethren though a man saith he say he hath faith whē he hath no worke Can his faith saue him The Apostle inueieth against a bare pretence of faith against that faith vvhich is in vvordes onely vvhich is a verball faith As also Saint Thomas of Aquine their angelicall Doctour confesseth S. Thomas vvho expounding the similitude in the fifteenth and sixtenth verses expressed follovving the same sense of faith saieth As liberalitie in vvordes helpeth not the poore vnlesse meat and other necessarie things be giuen ministred so neither that faith vvhich is in vvords can saue vs. Thus hee expoundeth Saint Iames of verball faith vvhich in vvordes onely consisteth Seeing then Saint Paul speaketh of a true liuely and fruitfull faith vvhereby vve liue Iames of a dead rotten barren faith vvherby men are counted dead they speake of faith in diuerse significations and therefore are not contrarie neither to bee opposed neither can one and the same effect of iustification before GOD bee applyed vnto both these kindes yea the faith vvhereof Paul speaketh iustifieth before God and the faith vvhereof Iames speaketh dooth not therefore speake they not of one kinde of fayth For vvhich cause the conclusion of Saint James cannot be ment of the faith mencioned in Saint Paul but of another vvhen hee saieth ye see then that a man is iustified through vvorkes and not of faith onely This faith then is the faith of diuels and hypocrites not the faith of Christians And so the place serueth nothing at all against the doctrine vvhich vvee out of Paul preach that vve are iustified by faith onely by a liuely faith onely But not by a bare dead or fruitlesse faith onely vvhich vvith Saint Iames vvee also preach vnto the worlde Thus the aduersaries of Vpon 2. chap. ver 15. 16. the gospell play in the word faith and make a doubtfull argument out of Saint Iames from the manifold signification of faith when they conclude that faith onely doeth not iustifie vs. 2 Now as faith is manifolde so iustification or to Double iustification Psal 32. Rom. 4. iustifie is double There is iustifying before God which is to be reputed as righteous to haue our sinnes forgeuē and our iniquities pardoned in the sight of God which is the righteousnesse and iustification mentioned of the prophet and remembred of Paul Blessed is that man whose vnrighteousnes is forgeuen and whose sinnes are couered blessed is that man vnto whom the Lorde imputeth not sinne This iustification is by faith as Moses confesseth in Gen. 15. Rom. 4. Abraham and Paul by his example proueth in the rest of the Saints Abraham beleeued God and it was counted vnto him for righteousnesse Of this iustification Paul to the Romanes Galathians Ephesians Philippians and in all other places speaketh whensoeuer he affirmeth that wee are iustified by faith by which men onely are iustified before God As there is iustifying before God which is through saith So is there iustification before men which is to be shewed declared and knowen of men to be iust and righteous And this iustifying is by works which onely shewe foorth our faith to the knowledge of men and make it knowen to the worlde that we are righteous and iust indeede Thus by his obedience as the fruites of his faith was Abraham iustified in offering his sonne the offering whereof made him not righteous before God but his faith but it made him knowen to men to haue beene iustified before God through faith and so hee was iustified before men through works Thus to be iustified by works with
to haue denied had bene mercie S. Augustine saith therof that God denieth sometimes Epist 121. things in mercie which in wrath he giueth If then wee aske euill things it is his louing kindnesse not to graunt them VVherein God dealeth with men as a tender father with his children if a childe aske an euill thing the father denieth it in loue if he aske a cole of burning fire a sharpe poynted or sharpe edged knife if hee aske poyson for honie a Scorpion for an egge for an Eele a Serpent or whatsoeuer other thing bee hurtfull if hee loue his childe hee will denie it euen so when wee not knowing what or howe to aske aright desire hurtfull things from God in mercie hee heareth not but denieth our praiers When Plato considered that men through ignoraunce oftentimes desire hurtfull In Alcebiade things which being graunted were euill to the parties hee protesteth this to bee the best forme of praier which he gathered out of the olde Poets Iupiter king giue vnto vs praying and not praying vowing and not vowing those things which are best and commaunde that euill things bee farre from vs though wee desire them Thus the heathenish Philosopher sawe that it was not good to be heard when men pray for or desire hurtfull things If the heathen desired not to bee heard when they prayed for euill things to their gods which indeede were no Gods shall not wee repute it a great mercie from the eternall and euerliuing God to haue our prayers denyed when wee desire things that are hurtfull Men therefore praying for things hurtfull to themselues are in mercie repelled and denied Which things if we should obtaine at the hands of God therein saith Chrysostom God should shew himselfe an enemie rather then a louing father Ho. 18. opere imperf Mat. 4 Sometimes we aske things vniust vnhonest vnlawfull would wee God to graunt our prayers Some men aske the liues of their enemies some men aske the goods of their brethren some men aske the vnlawfull vse of strange women some men aske their owne death some men the death of their children some aske agaynst charitie some agaynst equitie some against honestie manie against pietie and vertue And therefore they haue the repulse at the handes of God Wherefore it shall bee good and profitable for men throughly to determine in themselues to aske onely good things at the hands of God least they receyue the deniall For men asking vniust vnlawfull vnhonest things are not heard at the handes of God and there petitions are voide and of none effect When an importunate or rather impudent suter came to Agesilaus the king earnestly entreating him in a certaine matter and saide Sir might it please your grace you promised me such a thing Truth quoth the king so the thing were honest and iust that thou requirest otherwise I spoke it but promised it not The suter replied and vrged further It becommeth a King to perfourme euerie worde of his mouth yea if it were but a becke or nodde of his heade To whome the king answered no more sayeth hee then it becommeth him that will craue any thing of a king to aske onely that is rightfull and honest And thus the king cut off his shamelesse suter VVoulde God all Kings Queenes and Princes woudle denie all sutes vnhonest vniust vnlawfull or such as tende either to priuate hurt or publike harme in their kingdomes Shall a mortall man and earthly king shall a heathen which knewe not God aright denie sutes which are vniust and shall not GOD our heauenly King denie such sutes and petitions as are vncharitable vnhonest vnlawfull vniust when they are made vnto him God beeing righteous delighteth onely in righteousnesse and equitie VVherefore he will not admit wicked vniust and vngodly prayers made vnto him 5 As for these causes the prayers of men are put backe and repelled with God so also as Saint Iames toucheth when we aske amisse to consume and lay out these things vpon our vaine pleasures Thus when we pray it is no maruel that we be denied Wherby it appeareth that in euery prayer which we would to be of force and effectual wee must haue a chiefe regarde and respect to the ende vvherefore vve pray The endes of godly prayers are as I suppose three The endes of lawfull praypers 3 our owne neede the want of others the glorie of God VVhich endes if wee respect in the dâ—sires of our heartes to GOD wee shall bee heard according to his will If wee regarde other endes then in holy Scripture can bee iustifyed no maruaile that wee obtaine not 1 And first in prayer wee must respect our owne neede which either is in things inwardly and touching the soule which beeing the more excellent part ought first of all to bee considered and those things chiefly to bee sought which appertaine to the saluation thereof as the most excellent gift of fayth repentaunce loue good woorkes pardon of sinnes pacience in aduersitie lowlinesse in prosperitie peace of conscience assuraunce of hope ioy of the holie Ghost and the like whereof our Sauiour Christ aduertiseth vs first of all seeke the kingdome of GOD or of heauen and the righteousnesse thereof and all other things shall bee Matt. 6. ministred vnto you Of which things we shoulde haue speciall regarde in as much as wee are but straungers Heb. 13. here and haue no citie of abode but looke for another in the kingdome of Christ wherin is the dwelling of Gods Saints for euer Either else our neede is in things outwarde concerning our bodies for the competencie of things therevnto it is also lawfull to pray-Looking therefore vnto our bodily neede for the supplie of that our want wee may pray without offence to God Solomon the wise man respecting this ende prayed neither for much Prou 13. wealth neither to be pressed downe with pouertie but to haue mediocritie and a competencie to supplie all want Our Sauiour woulde for this ende that men Mat. 6. should dayly pray for their daylie breade whereunder all needefull things for this life are comprehended Thus may wee pray for meate for drinke for health of bodie deliueraunce out of prison prosperous successe in common affaires and all other the like according as our need shall be For our owne wants and needes therefore we may pray to God for temporall things 2 As the supplie of our owne wants is one ende in prayer respected so also may wee pray for temporall things that our brethren may by vs bee sustained VVherefore when I desire a competent state of liuing not onely to mainetaine my selfe and mine owne familie but that I also may haue whereby to releeue my needie neighbour I pray not amisse For if it be a blessed thing rather to giue then to receyue as Saint Paul Acts 20. gathered out of our Sauiour then to desire these temporall things to bee able to minister to the needes of our brethren is commendable And
it his comming vnto them because by the giftes and graces thereof hee draweth neare vnto Mat. 28. â—0 the Saintes I will not leaue you comfortlesse but I will come vnto you not by bodily presence before the iudgement but by the graces of his spirite whereby he draweth neare dayly to his Church Thus hee drewe neare vnto the Apostles when in the day of Pentecost Acts 2. hee sent his Spirite in visible manner and fourme vnto them 4 God draweth neare to men by powring out his temporall benefites vppon them health wealth honour and sending them deliueraunce out of their trouble Thus he drewe neare to Israell whereof Moises speaketh What nation is so great whome the gods come Deut 4. Phil. 4. 5. Psal 69. 18 s Psal 119. 151 34. 13. 46. 1. so neare vnto them as the Lorde our God is neare vs in all that we call vnto him for Thus he drew neare to Moises Israel Dauid Hezekiah and the like 5 God draweth neare vnto man in offering his mercie shewing his fauour assisting with his helpe multiplying his louing kindnesse vnto them 6 God finally draweth neare vnto vs in a spirituall vnion with man through the incarnation of Iesus Christ whereby God is vnited vnto vs and wee to him in the vnion of the two natures in the person of Iesus Christ by which meane God dwelleth among vs and is Iohn 1. 1. Tim. 3. made manifest in the flesh as Saint Iohn and Saint Paul speake And therefore Christ Emmanuel Where then the Apostle sayth drawe neare to God and he will drawe neare to you he speaketh chiefly of Mat. 1. drawing neare by his grace fauour mercie who enlargeth his louing kindnesse towards all those which with reuerence and feare draw neare vnto him 3 These things thus set downe in the last place we are taught howe wee should drawe neare to God which the Apostle expresseth in these wordes Clense your Howe man draweth neere to God handes you sinners and pourge your heartes you double minded Which woordes howsoeuer they may seeme to others a newe or another exhortation yet to me they seeme orderly to follovv as the manner how we should drawe neare vnto God namely in puritie and sincerenesse of life To enlarge this circumstance a little we may consider that as God by many wayes draweth neare vnto vs so we by no lesse draw neare vnto him 1 Men draw neare to God by outward profession though it be not alwayes in sinceritie of heart thus did the people of Israel in outwarde profession and with their mouthes drawe neare to God which as a token Isai 29. 58. 2. 3. of hypocrisie is condemned God therefore speaking there-against sayeth This people commeth neare vnto mee with their mouth and honour mee with their lippes but their hearts haue they remooued farre from mee Against which Jeremie breaketh out thou hast Iere. 12. planted them and they haue taken roote they growe and bring foorth fruite thou art neare in their mouth and farre from their reynes Thus inueyed hee against such as in mouth professed God but denyed him in heart which hee meaneth by reynes This is that hypocrysie worthily condemned by Paul in wordes they Tit. 1. professe they knowe God but haue denied him in deed beeing abhominable disobedient and to euerie good worke reprobate Thus men in the outward profession of the Gospell though sometimes it bee in hypocrisie are said to draw neare to God as now most men doe 2 Men also drawe neare to God by fayth in Iesus Christ whereby they haue enteraunce vnto God Of which kinde the holy Apostle Saint Paul speaketh being iustified by faith wee haue peace with God through Rom. 5. our Lorde Iesus Christ by whome we haue also accesse through faith vnto this grace wherein we stande Which grace is to be reconciled vnto GOD and knitte in a Ephes 2. moste holie league of heauenly and spirituall fellovvship vvith him This in another place is also mencioned vvhere to the Church of Ephesus he auoucheth that by faith both Ievve and Gentile haue accesse and entraunce to the father by one Spirite A little after in like manner sayeth Saint Paul by our Lorde Iesus Christ haue vvee boldnesse and entraunce vvith confidence by faith in him Ephes 3. By fayth in the mediation of Christ vve come boldly Heb. 4. vnto god vvhereunto the Authour to the Hebrues exhorteth VVe haue not an high priest vvhich cannot bee touched vvith the feeling of our infirmities but vvas in all things tempted in like sort yet vvithout sinne Let vs therefore go boldely vnto throne of grace that Heb. 10. vvee may receyue mercie and finde grace to helpe in time of neede In another place the same authour speaking of this drawing neare to God writeth and exhorteth in this wise Seeing we haue an high Priest which is ouer the house of God let vs drawe neare with a true heart in assuraunce of faith sptinckled in our hearts from an euill conscience and washed in our bodies with pure water Let vs sayeth he draw neare with a true heart in assurance of faith Finally shewing the verie high way which leadeth vnto God and whereby wee draw neare and come vnto him hee maketh that to bee faith whereby the holy fathers haue approched and drawne neare vnto him whereof hee thus concludeth withour fayth it is impossible to please God For hee which commeth to Heb. 11. God must beleeue that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that seeke him VVherefore as through infidelitie we were estraunged from God so by faith are wee reconciled vnto him and knit into a misticall coniunction with God whereby we drawe neare vnto him To trust therefore perfectly in the grace of God by Iesus Christ assuredly to beleeue the promises of God made vnto vs in his beloued to repose all our hope of happinesse vpon God through the mediation and merits of Christ crucified to looke for eternall saluation from God by fayth in the onely passion of our blessed Sauiour and so in our consciences to haue peace with God and bee reconciled vnto him is another and second way whereby we drawe neare vnto God 3 Men drawe neare to God also by prayer wherby we ascend as it were to heauen and approch neare to the presence of God which is as it were a paire of wings to carie vs to him whereby as by a key saith Saint Augustine 226. Serm. de tempo Ecclus. 35. 15 the doore of heauen is opened and our praier ascendeth to him the mercie of God descendeth to vs. Thus the Patriarchs had their passage and entraunce to God Thus the Prophet Moises in the departing out of Aegypt and in the encountering in battle with the Amalakites drew neare to God Thus Iosua drew neare to him when Exo. 14. 17 by his praier the Sunne stoode still for the space of two Acts 12. dayes vntill his enimies were