â—n our conscience which dieth not to burne continuallie Esay 66. Mark 9. â—ith fire which cannot be quenched to be caste into the â—â—ke which burneth with fire and brimstone to be tormenâ—ed in bodie to bee afflicted in conscience for euermore â—his is the thing which sinne committed bringeth forth â—nto men whereof all they shal taste who are not clensed â—â—om all iniquitie by the bloude of Iesus Christ 1. Iohn 1. Let men therefore which delight in their sinnes and haue their pleasure in coÌ„mitting iniquitie whose hand are giuen to spoyle and robberie whose feete are swift to shedde innocent bloud whose toungs are instruments of blasphemy falsshod deceate whose liues are filled with oppression extortion and crueltie whose bodies are weried and wasted with fornication adultery vncleannes of the flesh whose manners are full of all iniquitie impietie and vngodlines alwaies recorde and recount with them selues this saying of the Apostle sinne when it is finished bringeth forth death for howsoeuer wee flatter and deceue our selues in the vanitie of our owne minde and hope we shall finde shifts enough to auoid this iudgement Esay 28. Gal. 6. yet let vs remember that God will not be mocked but looke what we sow the same shall we reape if we sowe to the flesh we shall reape of the flesh corruption and this of the Apostle standeth sure Sinne when it is finished bringeth forth death for if through original sinne inclosed in our breasts al men by nature deserue death and if God shall in the day of his wrath iudge euen the secrete thoughts and cogitations of the wicked and therefore Rom. 5. Rom. 2. Eccles. 12 condemne them shal men thinke that when lust breaketh out into open sinne actually committing of euil they shal not be punished seeing especially the Apostle here affirmeth that sinne being finished bringeth forth death This doctrine carefully considered shoulde put a bit into our iawes and be a bridle to our mouthes and strong raignes in our whole liues to withdrawe and keep vs back from yealding to euil temptations seing the end thereof is death and destruction If intemperate persons drunkerds and surfiters if theeues spoylers robbers if slaunderers liers and blasphemers if adulterers fornicators and vncleane liuers if ambitious men proud and vaine glorious if al workers of wickednes would consider that if they commit and finish sinne in their mortal bodies their sinnes thus finished should bring forth death vexation in soule torments and tortour in bodie in hell fire for euermore were not their harts morehard then Adamants were not themselues more senselesle then beasts had they either care of saluation or dread of destruction loue of God or hatred toward Satan desire of heauen or mislike of hell hope of life or feare of death assurance of ioy or perswasion of punishment in the life to come they woulde herehence bee restrayned holding fast this place of the Apostle as a stoppe agaynst sinne Lust when it hath conceyued bringeth foorth sinne and sinne being finished bringeth forth death These things thus set downe and the fruites of Conclusion lust thus disciphered the conclusion followeth which is interlaced and intermingled among the reasons whereof thus sayeth Saint James Erre not my deare brethren Seeing GOD can not bee tempted neither yet tempteth any to euill Seeing the true and naturall cause of these temptations is our owne concupiscense and lust which both conceyueth and bringeth also foorth first sinne then death in vs then can not God bee the cause thereof so that no man when hee is tempted must say I am tempted of GOD. Doe not so grossely and grieuously erre my brethren as to impute the cause of these thinges to GOD this errour is greate blasphemous and wicked beware therefore you thinke not so of God as that he soliciteth or mooueth any to euill Erre not my deare brethren The conclusion thus interlaced with the reasons 3. Reason the third and last reason why men may not say when they are tempted they are tempted of God is from contrarie effects and things repugnant to be authour of good and euill are things repugnant God is authour of good therefore he can not bee authour of euill temptations euerie good gift and euerie perfect gift is from aboue and commeth downe from the father of lights with whom is no variablenesse neither shadow of turning If God therfore be the cause of all good things then can he not be cause of euill things also not of euill temptations therfore whereby we are solicited to wickednes Nothing can be cause truly and properly of contrarie effects therfore God the cause authour and worker of all good gifts in men may not bee saide to bee cause of euill temptations Of this reason the former part or antecedent is onely set downe Euerie good giuing and euerie perfect gift commeth from aboue from the father of lights c. wherby the Apostle teacheth vs that god is the fountaine of all goodnesse the giuer of all good gifts the authour of all good things in men he is the bottomlesse pit of all grace that cannot be emptied or draweÌ„ drie of vs he worketh whatsoeuer is good in the whole world Herehence Saint Peter calleth him the God of all grace because all 1. Pet. 5. grace and all good gifts come onely from him as from a well head and fountaine The God of all grace who hath called vs vnto his eternall glorie by Iesus Christ after that you haue suffered a little make you perfect strengthen and stablish you S. Iohn Baptist being tolde of the Iewes that Christ baptised and all men came vnto him acknowledging Iohn 3. the graces which were in Christ to come from heauen from God as a fountaine of al goodnes answered and said vnto them a man can do nothing except it be giuen him from aboue this is answerable to this Apostles doctrine Euerie good giuing and euery perfect gift is from aboue from the father of lights All the effects of Gods will are onely good and whatsoeuer vertue grace good gift is it is from God Seeing therefore all good things come from him he being the onely authour of all goodnesse and graces in the children of men we ought not to make him the cause of our temptations whereby we are moued to euill for then should he bee cause not only of diuers but of contrarie effects which he properly cannot be And thus is his reason plaine and euident In this place almightie God is adorned and beautified with three ornaments wherein his excellent goodnesse more appeareth 1 He is called the father of lights the fountaine and well-spring the authour and cause from whence all good giftes flowe and spring vnto men For this cause is God called not onely the father of lights but as pure innocent holy righteous good and the authour of all goodnesse he is also called light So is God called the Isai 60. euerlasting light of his Church
which is in men which I call concupiscence remayning euen in the regenerate by the name of euill and how it is euill he expoundeth against Iulian. In the same worke he saith that lust is not only the euill of Contra Iul. lib. 6. c. 2. lib. 5. c. 4. c. 5. punishment but of fault also Finally he saith it is a vice against which wee must striue by vertue Wherefore if either in holy Scripture as we neuer doe directly but by consequent as here wee heare concupiscence is cause of sinne therefore not sinne or in the fathers as in Saint Augustine who in some places calleth not this naturall corruption remaining in the Saintes by the name of sinne but disputeth the contrarie 13. that it is not sinne in them Wee must distinguish of sinne there is sinne raigning there is sinne dwelling in men it is not sinne reigning but it is sinne dwelling in our mortall bodies There is sinne mortall and sinne veniall it is not sinne mortall but veniall because in the Saints it is not imputed There is sinne actuall there is finne in heart and will not effected nor done it is not sin actuall but it is sinne in heart conceiued and consented vnto which before God is sinne When Saint Iames here saith Lust when it hath conceaued bringeth foorth sinne he speaketh of sinne after the phrase of Scripture commonly vsed taking sinne for sinne committed sinne actuall not denying either the coÌ„senting vnto sinne which is the conception of lust neither lust it selfe which is as it were the seede the sountain the matter of mischiefe to be sinnes in their kindes albeit not actuall and committed being as yet suppressed and kept downe in the heart and will of man Neither doeth Iames here curiously dispute when sin is in it selfe and before God when it first springeth and beginneth in the account and iudgement of God but he speaketh of sinne as it is knowen to be sinne before men Sinne conceaued in heart before God is sinne All euill motions cogitations affections of the minde by God are condemned as sinnes but actions and deedes done are knowen onely to men who pearce not into the heart or cogitation Wherefore when a thing is in acte then onely with men it is accounted Seeing then that sinne is not seene and knowen for sinne with men but then when it is in acte and done or doing which is actuall sinne The Apostle in this sense speaking of sinne saith Lust when it hath conceaued bringeth foorth sinne Wherence it followeth not that because lust bringeth foorth sinne therefore it is not sinne For albeit it be not seen for sinne with men who iudge onely by the action of men yet is it sinne 1 Kings 16. with God who knoweth the very heart and first motions Albeit it be not reigning sinne yet is it sinne dwelling albeit it be not mortall sinne in the Saints yet is it veniall sinne in them also washed away and cleansed by baptisme The first birth and first fruite of lust to our knowledge and brought into act is sinne wherof S. James saith Lust when it hath conceaued bringeth foorth sinne The seconde and latter birth of lust is death For lust bringeth foorth sinne and sinne bringeth foorth death death riseth and groweth out of sinne being perfected Rom. 6. 8. 1. Peter 2. and committed sinne being finished bringeth forth death Sinne is then said to be finished or made perfect when we geue consent to it when we yealde our selues thereunto when we suffer it to rule and raigne ouer vs as bearing chiefe sway and swindge in our life Sinne being Rom. 6. Rom. 8. thus perfected bringeth foorth death Wherein he sheweth what effect followeth the carnall life of man agreeable vnto that of Saint Paul The wages or recompence of sinne is death but eternall life is the gift of God through Iesus Christ our Lord. And not long after If ye walke after the flesh ye shall die in as much as sinne bringeth foorth and purchaseth death vnto men This may appeare manifest by one onely example Iudas the traitor was first tempted by couetous motions this temptation Mat. 26. Iohn 18. he withstoode not but consented and followed the motion and so was drawen away from duetie to Christ by his desire so lust conceaued lust hauing now consent of his will broake foorth into treason and so sinne was brought foorth euen the sinne of treason whereby Christ was sold and betrayed to the people and priestes of the Iewes This treason committed and sinne perfected purchased death for thereby he procured and purchased vnto himselfe eternall destruction which followeth sinne as the hire the labour the wages the trauell the crowne the 1. Acts 18. workes of men Men therefore being tempted and entised by their owne lust to committe sinne by committing of sinne procure death because sinne being done indeede bringeth foorth death Death is due to euery sinne which men committe so that no sinne committed considered in it selfe is so little but deserueth death But seeing the sinnes of the Saints are washed away by the fountaine of regeneration through faith in Christ therefore their sinnes which through infirmitie they committe to them procure not death as they do to the wicked But the sinnefull liues of men who tempted to euil by their owne luste and desires and caried away therby to commit sinne procure to them death according to the doctrine of the Apostle sinne wheÌ„ it is finished bringeth forth death This did almighty God intimate nay rather plainely protest to Adam telling Gane 2. him that at what time so euer he eate of the forbidden fruite he should die he finished sinne he eate of the apple by him therefore sinne came vpon him selfe and vpon all his posteritie The prophet Moyses teacheth Israel Ron. 5. 1. Cor. 15. Deut. 30. Ezeciel 18. Pro. 11. 13. 1. Pet. 2. 1. Cor. 6. 3. Col Eph. 5. Reuel 21. that their sinnes and breaches of the law of God should bring vnto them death the prophet Ezechiell from the mouth of God him selfe protesteth that euerie soule that sinneth should die hereunto Saint Peter subscribeth dissuading men from walking after the lust of their flesh because they fight gainst the soule they procure the death and destruction thereof which is that which Saint Paul in soundrie places threatneth to sundrie that they thruste vs out and disinherite vs of the kingdom of God and this death is not the death of the bodie which is naturall and common to all men but the death of bodie and soule for euer which is the seconde death this is due to the committing and finishing of sinne in all men vnlesse there come betwixt our sinne and death the remedy which God for the Saintes hath prepared by Iesus Christ euen his â—eath passion intercession to die for euer To be vnder â—ondemnatioÌ„ to be thrust out from the presence and face â—f God to be in perperuall darkenes to haue a worme
conception of concupiscense then the birth the first and the second Touching the conception of concupiscense it is the assent and agreeing of the will when it possesseth the affection and will of man so that the assenting and agreeing of our willes to the inticement of concupiscense is the conception of concupiscense euen the first thing that it worketh in vs. When the lust and concupiscense of man seazeth and resteth vpon any obiect whether it be by desiring as glorie riches pleasure or the like or by auoiding it as Gods word holy life vertue and godlines which lust naturally careth not for either by hating as iniuries oppressions wrongs rebukes violence of men such like then is mans lust said to conceiue Concupiscense had her conception in Euah when she seeing the fruit of the forbidden tree to be faire and pleasant to the Gene. 3. eie her lust rising thereupon and giuing consent to that iniquitie lust in her conceyued When the Israelites sawe Num. 25. the daughters of Moab their lust seazing resting about their beautie lust conceiued in them When the children of God sawe the daughters of men that they were faire Gene. 6. their lust resting about that matter and they yeelding consent to the inticement concupiscense conceiued adulterie in them When Sichem his lust rested vpon Dinah Putiphars wife vpon Ioseph Dauid his lust vpon the beautie of Barseba they yeelding the consent of their willes Gene. 34. Gine 39. 2. Reg. 11. 3 King 21 thereunto lust conceiued in them When Ahab the king set his affection vpon Naboth his vineyard and thereabout his lust resting yeelding thereunto the consent of his will desire and lust conceyued in him Generally in all sinne specially in euerie sinne whether it be in desire to couetousnes or in pleasure to adulterie or in reuenge to murther or in ambition to honour either in disdaine to contempt or finally in mislike to reproch and slaunder when our lust resteth thereabout and we giue consent of will to the inticement of concupiscense then doth concupiscense conceiue in vs. Wherefore as in naturall procreation first there is conception then afterwarde birth so in inward temptations to euill lust first conceyueth then is it deliuered and bringeth forth After conception in it time birth and bringing forth followeth so by obtaining consent of will lust conceyuing at it time bringeth forth also Therefore the Apostle saith Then when lust hath conceiued it bringeth forth first sinne then death Here is the former and the latter birth of lust first it bringeth foorth sinne as the immediate thing which after conception once had followeth where by sinne actuall sinne is vnderstoode such a sinne as is brought into act and done in deed as in the examples before cited is manifest Euah giuing consent to concupiscense Gene. 3. intising concupiscense conceiued and hauing conceyued it brought forth sinne in her euen the verie tasting and eating of the fruite it selfe which was forbidden Numb 25. When the Israelites gaue their consent of will to the intising lust towarde the daughters of Moab their lust conceyued by consent and brought foorth sinne euen the committing of adulterie with them Lust conceyued in the men of the first worlde when their Gen. 6. consent of will was to the daughters of men but their lust brought foorth the first birth sinne when it caused them to commit fornication in deede with them Lust conceiued in Sichem the sonne of Emor whē he gaue consent Gene. 34. to his desire towarde Dinah the daughter of Iacob but when he rauished her lay with her the lust brought forth sinne in him When Dauid yeelded to the temptation of his lust by the beautie of Barseba lust conceyued but when 2. Kings 11. he sent for her and had the vse of her bodie then lust brought foorth sinne in him VVhen Ahab desired the Vineyarde of Naboth lust conceyued but when he knew 3 Kings 21. he was wrongfully put to death and went to take possession of the Vineyarde concupiscense brought forth sinne Finally whē in any thing lust so ouermastreth ouerruleth vs as that therby we put in action that wherunto lust enticeth and tempteth thē lust in vs bringeth forth sinne The first fruites and birth of lust in men is sinne for when lust and concupiscense hath conceiued when time place opportunitie serueth it also bringeth forth sinne That the Apostle here saith Lust when it hath conceiued bringeth foorth sinne thereupon our aduersaries the Papists take an occasion to broch this their opinion concerning concupiscense that it is no sinne for thus they conclude lust bringeth forth sinne therefore lust is not finne One thing can not be cause and effect too the effect it selfe and the cause of it selfe lust therefore cannot be sinne if it bring forth sinne For then should it be cause of it self and bring forth it selfe which is a speach most vnproper To this be it answered that one thing may be cause and effect also but not cause and effect in the same respect One thing may be cause of sinne and yet sinne for one sinne is oftentimes cause of another sinne Concupiscense and lust therefore is not onely cause of sinne but sinne it selfe yet not the same sinne whereof it is cause Lust conceiueth and bringeth forth sinne that is an actual sinne a sinne done in deed seene of men manifestly apparant to the view Such a sinne is not lust but the cause of this sinne but lust is a conceiued euill an inward consenting to euill and therefore sinne Thus lust is not only the cause of actuall sinne but sinne it selfe not onelie before baptisme but euen after also Lust is sinne Which may appeare by reasons of inuincible strength Whatsoeuer GOD in his lawe Christ in his Gospell the Apostles in their Epistles and canonized writings haue forbidden that is sinne God Christ the Apostles haue forbidden and condemned lust therefore it is sinne That nothing is in Scripture condemned but that which is euill and sinne no man of witte capacitie or reason can denie That concupiscense and lust that desire it selfe is in the Scriptures condemned it appeareth euidently Almightie God in the lawe hauing forbidden theft and adultery and such like sinnes when they come into acte least any should thinke If theft and adulterie Exod. 20. onely be accounted for sinnes thē when they come into an open action then peraduenture to lust and desire my neighbours goods is nothing so that I absteine from theft to desire lust after my neighbours wife is no sin so that I keep my selfe from the acte of adulterie To preuent this God telleth vs that we must not onely not vse our neighbours wife in fleshly manner but not luste after her We must not onely not robbe or steale but not so much as desire the goods of our neighbour wherefore in the last commaundement he vtterly forbiddeth desire or lust Thou shalt not lust after thy neighbors
Aristotle the Philosopher and heathen sending Calisthenes the Philosopher to Alexander the great king of Macedonia Aristotle oftentimes admonished and commaunded him to speake more rarely and most pleasantly to the King because he carried life and death in his tongue The which the wiseman foreseeing saith He that keepeth his mouth Pro. 21. and his tongue keepeth his soule from trouble And in another place comparing a man whose tongue is vnbrideled to a City vnwalled affirmeth As a citie lying open Pro. 25. and vncompassed with walles euen so is a man that cannot refraine his tongue Which when holy Dauid rightly weyed and aduisedly Psal 141. considered he praieth the Lord to set a watch before his mouth and to keep the dore of his lippes And the sonne of Sirach to the like purpose crieth out Who shall Ecclus. 22. set a watch before my mouth and a seale of wisdome before my lips that I fall not sodenly by them and that my tongue destroy me not Thus men thinking themselues to haue an absolute libertie to prate and prattle what they lust without hurt or danger by their saucie pratling and brabling by the euill of their tongues they greatly endanger themselues and so deceiue their owne hearts Neither that onely but by much talke they thinke to attain to the opinion of wisdome with men who onely speaking would be thought to haue all knowledge but hereby they shewe their greater follie and so deceiue their owne hearts The wise man shewing that it is great follie not to bridle and moderate the tongue saith That the voice of a foole is in the multitude of words and elswhere to like Eccles. 5. purpose A wise man concealeth knowledge but the harts of fooles publish foolishnes The same writeth that wise Pro. 12. men vse fewe words then it followeth that such as vse many words are fooles Wherefore when by much talking Pro. 17. we thinke to obteine opinion of wisdome then most of all we descrie our owne follie and thereby we deceiue our own hearts and therefore we ought to refraine our tongues Finally we thinke our tongues to be geuen vs to prattle at our owne pleasures but they are geuen as instruments to set foorth the mightie and manifolde power of God his miracles and wonderous works which he doth towards the children of men abusing then our toungs at our own pleasure we deceue our own harts Seeing therefore by not moderating our tongues we thus deceiue our selues and our owne hearts we ought with all carefulnes to bridle moderate our tongues by the word of trueth As not moderating our tongues we deceiue our own hearts so we descrie our hypoctisie we corrupt and defile our religiō and make it vaine before God therfore ought we to moderate and refraine our tongues whose speach is not good their religion cannot be acceptable Wherefore vnlesse we refraine our tongues our religion is frustrate and in vaine Now the euils and faults of our tongues frō which they not refrained deceiue our heartes and make our religion vaine are sundrie 1 Vaine talke idle friuolous seruing to no profit to no purpose prating and pratling where there is no neede Mat. 12. for which we shall geue account to God as Christ witnesseth protesting that we shall geue accounts vnto GOD Ephes 5. for euery vaine and idle word proceeding from vs. Saint Paul exhorteth the Saints to put from them all vaine and foolish talke as a thing not becomming them From this euill if we refrain not our tongues our religion is in vain For if any man among you seem religious and refraineth not from this this mans religion is in vaine 2 Another euil to be restrained in men is when we talk of god of his word of his law religion not desirous to reforme our liues according vnto his cōmandements This is a great euil and point of halting hypocrifie wherby our religion is frustrate and in vaine For to talke of Gods word and not to walke in his will profiteth or preuayleth nothing to religion therefore almighty GOD shewing their religion to be but in vaine which talked of him in their mouthes but folowed him not in their harts crieth out This people draweth neare vnto me with their lips but their hearts are farre from me worshipping me in vaine teaching doctrines precepts of men Dauid in Gods person telling the hypocrites that their talking of his couenants was in vaine in as much as Psal 50. they would not be reformed in their conuersations saith What hast thou to doe to declare my ordinances and to take my couenants in thy mouth seeing thou hatest to be reformed and castest my words behind thee Our blessed Sauiour intimateth and witnesseth vnto men that to Mat. 7. call vpon him in their wordes maketh them but hypocrites and sheweth their religion to be vaine when they doe not that which he commaundeth therefore he saith that not euery one that saith vnto him Lord Lord shall therefore enter into his kingdome but such as did the will of his father Finally Saint Paul accounting their religion as 1. Tit. vaine which talke of God in their mouthes but obey him not in their deedes condemneth them as hypocrites who say they know God in word but deny him in deedes being abhominable disobedient and to euery good worke reprobate From this vanitie and foolish prating if wee refraine not our tongues though we seeme neuer so religious yet deceaue wee our selues and our religion is in vaine And yet this is our religion in these daies consisting in lip-labour and talking of God and his commandements but not liuing according as in his lawes he chargeth vs and therefore are we not better then very hypocrites For if any man among vs seem religious refraineth not his tongue from this vanity also surely this mans religion is in vaine 3 As from these euils our tongues must be refrayned so from rash iudgement of our brethren when vpon surmised suspitions we condemne them for this also maketh Mat. 9. our religion vaine Therefore our Sauiour to remoue it farre from the Saints his Church forewarneth them not to iudge least they be iudged not to condēne least they be condemned To whom the Apostle agreeth Iudge nothing before the time vntill the Lord come who 1. Cor. 4. shall lighten things that are in darkenes and make the counsels of the heart manifest In which kinde they sinne which by euentes iudge and condemne their brethren accounting them for most wicked vppon whom the hand of the Lords chastisement lighteth The wicked iudged Christ condemned of God Isai 53. Wisd 3 5. chap. Job 4. Psal 41. 8. because he was chastened of the Father The vngodly condemned the Saints for despised because they were subiect to affliction in the world The frends of Job iudged Iob wicked because hee was so many waies plagued of God The people condemned the Galileans those
was a perpetuall infamie and death by the lawe of God faith men doe not dispise a thiefe when he stealeth to satisfie his soule when he is hungrie but if he be found he shall restore seuen folde or he shall giue all the substance of his house but he that committeth adulterie with a woman he is destitute of vnderstanding and hee that doeth it destroyeth his owne soule S. Augustine no doubt therefore measuring sinnes according to their Lib. 21. c. 16. ciuit Dei punishments and seeing that inequalitie of paines doe growe of the inequalitie of offences and sinnes writeth that hell fire shall bee greater or lesser according to the wickednesse of men Whose sinnes therefore are greater their punishment shal be sharper whose sinnes are lighter their paines shall bee easier So that inequalitie of punishments doth rightly argue inequalitie of offences God almightie in his word and law partly inflicting partly threatning greater punishment to one sinne then to an other doth thereby sufficiently teach vs the inequalitie of sinnes by men against him committed 4 Neither this onely but euen mans owne conscience when he hath committed sinne sheweth and testifieth inequalitie of sinne in that he is more vexed troubled in mind for some one then for another sinne more inwardly tormented for committing adulterie in breaking the promise which he made before God and his holy Congregation then for theft more in minde disquieted for the committing of murther then for oppressing his neighbour in bargaining more burthened in conscience for slaying his owne father and mother then any other man or woman more grieued in spirite for horrible blasphemie against GOD and his Sonne Christ whose soul men slay as it were whose bodie they rent whose sides they pierse whose flesh they teare whose heart they wounde whose bloud they shedde whose name they prophane by cursed execrable cruell and vngodly othes then for slaunder or backebiting of their brethren Hauing this testimonie of our conscience which by the instinct and light of nature is imprinted and impressed in mens hearts it is euident that there is great difference and inequalitie of sinnes Which thing wee may see in Cain whose sinnes were Gene. 4. many yet no one so much touched his conscience as the shedding of the innocent bloud of his brother Esau had manie sinnes for which he was worthily condemned for a prophane person yet none of his sinnes Gene. 27. Heb. 12. 27. troubled him so much as that for one portion of meate he had solde his birth-right wherefore afterward when hee woulde haue inherited the blessing he was reiected and found no place of repentance though he sought that blessing with teares as the Scripture recordeth Iudas the traitour was an euill man euerie way couetous mercilesse and guiltie of great wickednesse yet none Mat. 27. of these troubled and disquieted his minde so much as his treason and shedding of innocent bloud wherewith he was so touched as that through conscience therof hee brought the money backe againe to the rulers which for his betraying Christ he had receiued and went out and hanged himselfe This wee finde and knowe to bee most true both in hystories sacred and also prophane in common vse and practise of our times that some one sinne so much more then others haue disquieted mens mindes as that some therefore haue fallen phrentike others become desperate some haue beene dayly disquieted and haue languished away others haue beene the butchers of their owne bodies whereby appeareth euidently inequalitie of sinne 5 Moreouer not onely Gods lawes but ciuill Iawes acknowledge inequalitie of sinnes in that they doe not onelie set downe greater punishment to one sinne then to another but also giue more sharpe charge for the auoyding of one sinne then of another As Gods lawe chiefly forbiddeth idolatrie which is spirituall fornication mans lawe chiefly forewarneth to beware of disloyaltie rebellion and rising vp against their princes wherby it appeareth that these are greatest sins both before God and men and so an equalitie of sinnes 6 The verie Scriptures of GOD the woorde of trueth witnesseth that one sinne is greater then an other therefore vndoubtedly sinnes are vnequall Almightie GOD comparing the sinnes of Hierusalem Ezech. 16. Psal 1. 1. with the sinnes of Samaria and Sodome auoucheth that Hierusalem had done worse then they both and had corrupted her wayes more then eyther Samaria or Sodome and had farre exceeded them and iustified them in the abhomination which shee aboue them had committed Our Sauiour auoucheth in plaine maner inequalitie Iohn 19. of sinne when he tolde Pilate that Judas in betraying him had the greater sinne Saint John plainly auoucheth 1. Iohn 5. inequalitie of sinne in that he sayeth There is a sinne not vnto death for which we must pray in the brethren Another vnto death for the which hee woulde not haue praier made Saint Paul preferring adulterie and fornication before other sinnes putteth a plaine 1. Cor. 6. marke of difference betwixt sinnes therefore hee saith Flie fornication euerie sinne that a man doth is without the bodie but hee that committeth fornication sinneth against his owne bodie Finally S. Peter maketh an euident difference and inequalitie of sinnes when hee speaking 2. Pet. 2. of backesliding affirmeth that it had beene better for men neuer to haue knowen the worde of righteousnesse then after they haue knowen it to turne from the holy commaundement giuen vnto them 7 As one vertue is more excellent then another so is one sinne vice worse then another but S. Paul maketh 1. Cor. 13. 13. charitie more excellent then either hope or faith therefore it must so fall out in sinnes that one be woorsse then another Seeing therefore that all sinnes came not from the same roote and originall seeing the like euents follow not all sinnes alike seeing some sinnes are punished more sharpely others more sleightly Seeing some sinnes more trouble the consciences of men then others do seeing not onely Gods lawe but mans also forwarneth of one more then of another seeing the verie Scripture of God affirmeth one to be greater then an other then is the Stoicall opinion false which holdeth an equalitie of all sinnes Neither is it the meaning here of the Apostle to make all transgressions alike as if it were al one to sinne in one and in many precepts but to shew that the whole lawe is so vnited in euerie point that who so breaketh one iot breaketh all and that no man can perfectly fulfill any one commaundement which fulfilleth not all And finally that the Maiestie of God the lawmaker is offended in the breach of euerie commaundement whose will and pleasure is vnaccomplished as well in one part of the lawe as in manie therefore saith he who so euer keepeth the whole lawe and yet faileth in one poynt he is guiltie of all and this is the proposition 2 This proposition of the Apostle is in the seconde place confirmed that hee that
sinne and translated into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of Rom. 8. God And here to bee iudged is to bee discharged quitte deliuered and absolued from death and damnation as the place it selfe may import vnto vs so doe and so speake as they which shall bee iudged by the lawe of libertie that is such as trust by the mercie of God to be deliuered from death and damnation The reason of this exhortatorie conclusion is there shall bee condemnation mercilesse vnto him that sheweth no mercie and mercie reioyceth agaynst condemnation Such as in disdayning and contemning the poore and preferring the rich beeing prophane and wicked shewe themselues mercilesse and voyde of loue shall themselues taste not of mercie but of iudgement not of loue but of the wrath of GOD but they which in this poynt fulfill the royall lawe of GOD commaunding men to loue their neighbours as themselues and so shevve themselues mercifull euen tovvardes the poore brethren they shall triumph ouer iudgement and condemnation vvhereunto they shal not be subiect This thing as in the proposed matter it is most true so in other officices and dueties it is no lesse manifest for generally vvho so is of an hard heart merlesse currish and cruell towarde men shall finde God seuere rough sharpe against himself For mercy shal be restrained from those which shew no mercie and iudgement or condemnation mercilesse shal be to them which shewe no mercie If in Christian assemblies men preferre the rich with mercilesse contempt of the poore brethren Almightie God in the assemblie of his Saints and in the meeting together of thousands and ten thousands of his angels shal neglect disdaine thē In the works of mercy who so is merciles shall finde no mercie for he that stoppeth Pro. 21. his eare to the crie of the poore shall crie himselfe and not be heard Wherefore the glutton in the Gospell Luke 16. neglecting the humble suite of poore Lazarus onely for the crummes which fell from his table crieth in hell fire for euer to haue the tippe of his tongue onely to be cooled and findeth no fauour Almightie God in his prophet sheweth himselfe angrie Isai 1. not fauourable to such as by their auarice vsurie oppression and extortion fraud deceite and crueltie in Psal 18. dealing haue beene without pitie Dauid the man of God protesting that God reiecteth them when they crie for helpe either in paine or in feare who reiecte the crie of the poore afflicted saith They cried but there was none to helpe them euen to the Lord but hee answered them not In mutuall pardoning and forgeuenes of sinne when we our selues are harde and straite laced wee finde God harde and seuere toward our selues for he shal find vengeance at the handes of God who seeketh vengeance Ecclus. 28. Mat. 18. Marke 11. 2 in his owne priuate quarrels as Sirach recordeth The seruant who would not haue pitie vpon his felow for one hundred pence is dealt withall in seueritie til all the debt of tenne thousand talents be discharged in the Gospell Who therefore saith Cyprian lost that fauour which before was shewed him because he shewed not fauour to his fellow seruant In iudging of our brethren and all other Vpō the Lords praier dueties to be perfourmed vnto men wee must looke to receaue with the same measure whereby wee haue deliuered If we geue by hard measure of rash and cruel iudgement wee shall reape and receaue againe by the like Wherefore our Sauiour Christ exhorteth men not rashlie to iudge or condemne least they be likewise iudged and Mat. 7. condemned for with what measure we meate vnto other men it shall bee measured with the like vnto vs againe which is the iust iudgement of God against men in the whole course of their liues Such then as are mercilesse and nourish not loue shall not only not obteine mercie but cannot aske mercie at the hands of GOD or man For with what face what looke what countenance can they aske that which they haue denied to others Yea experience and vse of things doe plentifully teach vs that mercie shal be denied the mercilesse and condemnation without pittie shewed vpon them which shew no mercie Haue we not seene many pinched with pouertie bitten with famine eaten with noysome diseases spoiled of their wealth robbed of their riches vexed in their mindes tormented in their bodies afflicted on euerie side who in the daies of their flourishing wealth in the soundnes and health of their bodies and quietnes of their mindes haue beene merciles towardes such as in this wise were afflicted Hath not condemnation execution punishmēt been merciles towardes them for that they shewed no mercie This is therefore generally in al things particularly true in hauing the faith of our glorious Lord Iesus Christ in respect of persons that there shal be condemnation merciles shewed vnto them which shew no mercie The opposite and contrarie member hereunto is mercie reioyceth against condemnation for they which are mercifull shall finde fauour grace and mercie before the iudgement seate of God and reioyce ouer condemnation which through the grace of God they shal escape in as much as by their loue and fruites of mercie they shewe themselues truely inserted and ingraffed into the body of Rom. 8. Iesus Christ whereby they are exempted and freed from condemnation For there is now no condemnation vnto those that are in Iesus Christ which walke not after the flesh but after the spirite These being made by the mercy of God the liuely members of the body of Iesus Christ these being the children of the resurrection these beeing the heires of the grace of god these being the iointheires with Iesus Christ these by their vnfeined loue shewing themselues the faithfull and vndoubted Saints shall not come into condemnation neither see death neither feare they the seueritie of Gods iudgements as doe the wicked but reioyce and triumph ouer condemnation Wherefore seeing that iudgement shal be mercilesse towardes them which shewe no mercie and that mercie reioiceth against condemnation let vs not respecte the outward appearance of men and regarde the riche with disdainfull contempt of the poore and so appeare mercilesse least that we fall into mercilesse condemnation but let vs haue a right iudgement of the brethren that wee serue one another in the feare of GOD And so geuing testimony of the mercie wherof we are partakers through Christ by him may triumph and reioyce ouer condemnation This the GOD of all might maiestie and mercie graunt vnto vs To whom with the sonne and the holy Ghost be all praise honor and glorie both now and for euermore Amen Iames Chapter verses 14. 15. 16. 17 18. 19. Sermon 12. Verse 14. What auaileth it my brethren though a man saith he hath faith when he hath no workes Can his faith saue him 15 For if a brother or sister be naked and destitute of dailie foode 16 And one
they shal be deuoured of hellish torments So that both here and there their owne consciences shall feede and gnaw vpon them and the recordation and remembraunce of these corruptible vanities wherein they onely trusted shall as it were continually eate them vp and consume them And this is no small parte of their miserie and finall destruction which he denounceth against them for the which in despayre and without hope they must weepe howle as they are foretolde by the holy and blessed Apostle The third and last thing wherin their miserable destruction 3. Thing wherin their destruction calamitie standeth and finall calamitie consisteth is that they haue heaped vp treasure for the last dayes These are the treasures of the wicked which shall not helpe but hurte them in the daie of the Lord. For thus prophane rich mē hourd and heape vp treasure of Gods iuste wrath heauy displeasure and deserued indignation against themselues in 2. Cor. 5. the daie of vvrath and indignation vvhen all men shall stande before the throne of Iesus Christe to giue an accompte Rom. 2. of their vvorkes and to receaue according to that they haue done in their bodies bee it good or euill Then shall they lye open on euery side to the iuste iudgements of God and wil they nill they they shal heare the fearefull sentence of destruction against them Then shall their sinnes be reuiued in the midst of their bowels then shall their consciences finde no reste then shall they day and night feele death working in their hearts and hell shall stande before their eyes yea sinne shal be at their right hande and satan at their lefte destruction shal be without to consume them and the immortall worme of conscience within their soule to gnawe them God aboue to condemne them the deuill beneath to take and carie them to fire and brimstone in that bottomlesse lake that burneth for euer wherein their fire faileth not and Isay 66. their vvorme dieth not This is the treasure which prophane riche men lay vp for themselues against the latter dayes Some expound these wordes otherwise you haue heaped vp treasure against the latter day that is in these latter daies wherein you should watch and pray continually that you might be thought worthy to escape the Luk. 21. wrath to come when you should seriously expect and looke for the appearing and comming of Christ in glorie to giue iudgement against all men and to rebuke all Jude 14. 15. the vngodly among them of all their wicked deedes which they haue vngodly committed and all their cruell speaking which vvicked sinners haue spoken against him you giue your selues to heaping hourding vp of riches as if there should be no end eyther of your life or of the world it selfe and the nearer you grovve to the end of the vvorld the more couetous you are you heape vp treasure for your selues against the latter dayes what wickednesse is this Couetousnes ought alvvaies and at all times to be auoided as the roote and mother of all wickednesse but 1. Tim. 6. most especially towards the cōming of Iesus Christ least by worldly carefulnes vve become forgetfull of his comming therfore our Sauiour Christ preparing his disciples against his comming in glorious maiestie to sit in iudgement and to pronounce sentence against all the worlde Luc. 21. aduiseth them aboue other thinges that their heartes be not ouercome and oppressed with dronkennes surfetting and the cares of this world least he come vpon them vnawares notwithstanding euen against this time to be dronken and drowned in couetous desires is great vngodlines And thus doe men heape vp treasure for the last daies Some hereof make this sence Goe to now you rich men you thinke to heape vp riches enough to serue you vnto the last day and to the very ende of the world and therein shewe your extreame couetousnes and vngodlines For what a sinne is this that men shoulde thinke themselues able by themselues to heape and boarde vp enough to serue vnto the last dayes and to the end of the world But to augment and increase their miserie and to paint out their destruction in more liuely and in more fresh colours the Apostle may seeme to haue meant of the heaping vp of the treasures of Gods vengeance and iudgements against them in the latter daies in the day of iudgement And these are the particular circumstances which out of this place in my iudgement may bee gathered whereof thus saith our Apostle Go to now you rich men weepe and howle for the miseries which shall come vpon you your riches are corrupt your garments are moath-eaten your siluer and golde is cankred and the rust therof witnesseth against you and shall eate your flesh as it were fire ye haue heaped vp treasure for the last dayes God for his mercies sake graunt vnto vs such grace from his holy Spirite that wee thereby first seeking the kingdome of heauen and the righteousnes thereof may according to his mercifull promise obtaine all other things necessarie for this present life and that we throgh his speciall grace being risen in all fruites of righteousnes and workes of true sanctification with Christ may seeke the things which are aboue where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God and effectually setting our affections vpon heauenly things and not vpon thinges vpon the earth may also so put our trust and confidence in the Lord that if riches increase and multiplie vnto vs by his goodnes yet we may not set our hearts vpon them but that euen in this life we may with all our might maine lay vp for our selues treasures in heauen where neither rust nor moath doeth corrupt and where theeues breake not in and steale least that we setting our affections with prophane persons vpon vncertaine riches thereby wee treasure and heape vp for our selues treasure of Gods iust iudgements and wrathfull displeasure and so be subiect to this sharpe commination and threatening of finall destruction From which he deliuer vs that suffered bitter death vpō the crosse for vs euen Iesus Christ our Sauiour To whom with the father the holy ghost be praise in the great congregation of the saints now and for euermore Amen Iames Chapter 5. verses 4. 5. 6. Sermon 24. Verse 4 Behold the hire of the Labourers which haue reaped your fieldes which is of you kept back by fraud crieth and the cries of them which haue reaped are entred into the eares of the Lorde of hostes 5 Ye haue liued in pleasure on the earth in wantonnes yee haue nourished your hearts as in the day of slaughter 6 You haue condemned killed the iust and he hath not resisted you IN these wordes are reckoned vp the sinnes and euils of prophane rich men for which this so dreadful a destruction is denounced against them And it is the second branch of the first part of this Chap. in particular The euils and
posteritie for euer Isai speaking to the people in the name of the Lord was sawen in peeces with a sawe of wood as the Hebrewes record in their writings Ieremie spoke vnto Ierem. 5. 20. 42. 44. the Israelites in the name of the Lorde and his worde was contemned and lightly regarded as winde himselfe smitten by Passhur the priest his counsell reiected by the people and men of Israell and hee commaunded to speake no more vnto them in the name of the Lord and this bore he patiently What should I speake of Micheas 3. King 22 Amos 7. 2. Chro. 24. Daniel 6. stroken by Sidkiah the sonne of Hananie Amos abused by Amasiah Zacharie slaine by Ioash the king Daniel cast into the denne of Lions with what inuincible courage cōstancie with what patiēce long suffering they haue endured contempt of the people persequutiō by the princes famine hunger of the land restraint and imprisonment by false suggestion of the wicked reprochfull taunts and vile speaches cruell torments bitter threatenings bloubie woundes and vndeserued death the holy Scriptures and sacred stories plentifully do teach vs. If such men therfote of such pietie and godlines of such eminencie excellencie of such renowme for vertue so dere so greatly beloued of God which haue spoken vnto men in the name of the Lord haue bene partakers of like calamities haue bene companions of like sufferings and therein haue shewed themselues patient shall not we farre inferiour vnto them in all degrees be content to suffer with patience that which they haue suffered before vs whē then we are subiect to the iniuries oppressions afflictings of men when we are vnder the cruelties persequutions and furiousnes of the wicked let vs cast our eies vpon the sufferings of the prophets their patience let vs holde fast the counsell of this Apostle that we take the holy Prophets for ensample of suffering aduersitie long patience and by their example learne to addresse our selues in all our afflictions thereunto that we being compassed about with so many examples of the prophets may without murmuring and sinister affection runne on vvith ioy the race that is set before vs that finally with them vve may possesse our soules in patience vvhereby the Apostle stirreth vs vp in this place and first reason Luk. 21. 2. Another reason is dravven frō the acknovvledged and confessed revvard of patience vve saith the Apostle count them happie vvhich endure If vve our selues make this accompt acknowledge that they are happie which suffer aduersitie patiently shall not vvee endeuour to attaine vnto that vvhich our ovvne consciences acknowledge to bring felicitie and happinesse That they are blessed vvhich endure and suffer aduersitie wrongfully it hath bene sufficiently shevved 1. Iames. v. 12. Greater revvard to vertue none cā be giuen then felicitie happines hereunto all mē tende hereafter they striue that they might be happie though not all a right this happines is promised to the patience of Gods saints vvherefore vve ought to giue all diligence in all our afflictions to behaue our selues patiently that vve may be partakers of this happinesse And so much the more earnestly vve ought to striue there after because the revvard is knovven and confessed of vs and vve our selues counte them happie vvhich endure therefore the full persuasion of this so excellent a revvard ought to stirre vp out dull affections to the performaunce of patience What induraunce receiueth this blessed revvarde vve may easely coniecture not suffering and induring for euery thing but vvhen vve suffer and indure for the truth sake for the profession of the gospell for righteousnesse then are men happie for not the suffering but the cause maketh martyrdome as S. Augustine auoucheth to Dulcitius Neyther the induring but the cause quarrell Epist 61. Dulcitio vvherefore and vvherin men suffer purchaseth the crowne and revvarde of happinesse vvrongfully to suffer at the handes of men is a thing acceptable vnto God wherefore if eyther for Gods cause and his truth sake or for no 1. Pet. 2. deserte in our selues but of the malice and wickednesse of wicked men vvee suffer vvrongfully and therein endure patiently vve shall receaue the crowne of glorie euen eternall blessednesse and felicitie in the kingdome of God Thus the Patriarks thus the Prophets thus the Apostles thus the holy Martyrs are counted blessed for they haue endured Thus also such as suffer losse of goods sicknes of body anguish of mind slaunder of name death of friendes restraint of libertie oppressions of men or other crosse or affliction whatsoeuer if therein they endure patiently shall also be blessed If happinesse be promised as the revvard of our patience and so accompted with men what reason of greater force what persuasion of more waight what argument of sounder substaunce may be made to persuade to patience then the reward of patience euen eternall happines Behold saith Iames we count them happie which endure 3 The thirde reason is drawen from the example of Iob. Ye haue heard of the patience of Iob and you know what end the Lord made What the sufferings and trials of Job were what he suffered in his children in his goods in his body by his wife by his friēds the storie teacheth vs and it was wonderfull It had bene a great matter to haue lost at one time by the Sabeans 500. yoke or oxen and as many shee asses with the death of his seruaunts but at the same time and immediatly to heare tidings that fire from heauen had burnt vp 7000. sheepe and all his seruaunts sheapheards which kept them encreased his triall mightily and wonderfully proued his patience It had bene a great crosse thus to haue bene bereft and robbed of his riches and substaunce but together to haue his children all at one clap to be slaine with the fal of their owne brothers house when they were making merie and so suddenly to be oppressed with stones and timber without all rescue helpe or succour what a straunge triall was this It had bene much thus to haue lost both his riches his children together but afterward to be stroken with botch and boyle from top to toe that all men abhorred him what encrease of his crosse what waight of his affliction was this The losse of goods the death of childrē the disease of body was great but for his owne wife who should haue bene his cōfort to be his corsie which should haue bene a help to become a hindrāce who should haue encouraged him to prick him on to curse God that he might die what sea of sorow could be greater and finally to make vp the ful measure of al affliction for his deare friends to checke him charge him as an hypocrite what anguish of mind might hereunto be cōpared in one day of rich to become poore of wealthy to become destitute of full to bee emtie of plentifull to become needy of a
the Lord in the lawe said thou shalt not take Exod. 20. the name of the Lord thy god in vaine it is apparant that seeing in other places he permitted the Israelits to sweare therefore thereby he forbad not all swearing but vaine swearing false swearing loose and licencious dissolute and disordered swering For seeing that swering by the name of God is a part of that diuine seruice which is due vnto him as in holy Scripture is apparant Exo. 20. v. 7. c. 23. v. 13. Deut. 6. 13. v. cap. 10. ver 20. Isai 65. 16. Ierem. 4. 2. 5. 7. ver Isai 45. 23. c. 48. 1. Iere. 23. 7. 8. verses Psal 93. 11. v. Therefore woulde hee his people to take diligent heede and beware that they runne not into anie superstition irreligiousnesse or impietie by vaine and wicked swearing which euill to preuent and that the religion of an othe might be inuiolable therefore the Lorde in his lawe commaunded that they shoulde not take his name in vaine by rash vaine wicked and false swearing or anie other way whatsoeuer Our Sauiour Christ in the Gospell teacheth his that they should not sweare at all not forbidding such Matt. 5. othes as the law of God commendeth but correcting controlling the disorderednesse licenciousnes of swearing which in his time was crept into the manners and mouthes of men in whose time it was in custom to sweare by creatures by heauen earth Hierusalem the great Citie by the Temple thereof and such like as in the Gospell appeareth Which thing saith Saint Hillarie they did in reproch of God and to his dishonour who is then Hillar 4. vpon Matt. highly dishonoured when his religion or anie poynt thereof is applied vnto creatures This detestable wickednesse our Sauiour condemneth willing that his shoulde not sweare at all And worthily doth Christ altogether forbid that wickednesse and vanitie of swearing especially by creatures for it is plaine idolatrie in as much as men make those things their gods whereby they sweare S. Chrysostom writing vpon S. Matthew his gospell handling Homil. 12. operis imperf vpon Matth. the matter of swearing by creatures affirmeth truly that who so sweareth by heauen yearth or what thing else so euer he therein and therby maketh that his God whereby he svveareth and so euery one that svveareth by any thing else then by God thereby maketh himselfe an idolatour because he applieth the religion of an othe to a creature which is onely due vnto God the creatour and to no other S. Hierom expounding that place of Christ sweare not at all neyther by heauen c. subscribeth herevnto Vpon S. Matth. Men saith he swearing by angels heauen earth the elements worship carnall and corruptible creatures with diuine and holy worship Now to giue diuine worship to creatures is idolatrie therefore to sweare by any thing then by God is idolatrie Lactantius reprouing Lib. 3. de falsa sapientia c. 19. the vanitie of Socrates the philosopher whom the auncient heathen helde as the wisest among men among other things hee findeth great fault with him for that hee swore by a dog and a goose reputing him for madde in hauing a most filthy creature as a dog is for his GOD thereby intimating that what creature so euer it be albeit most vile and contemptible yet vve make it our God by swearing by it as Socrates did a dogge and a goose whereby he swore vsually If then thus to sweare be a thing so wicked as our Sauiour rightwell considered then no doubte our Sauiour had iust cause to forbid swearing altogether yet not meaning all in generall but all vaine idolatrous and vvicked svvearing vvhereunto that time vvas giuen Saint Iames likewise not forbidding or condemning all svvearing but that svvearing which grew of their impatiencie vnder the crosse the disorderednes of othes which was crept into their liues and manners giueth this exhortation to the Saints But aboue all things my brethren svveare not neyther by heauen neyther by earth neyther by any other othe condemning their vaine othes their othes by creatures their needlesse othes in their priuate communication and so in all things agreeth with our Sauiour Christ who to his disciples saith I say vnto Mat. 5. you sweare not at all If S. Iames and our Sauiour Christ also forbad men to sweare by heauen earth or any such creature or other whatsoeuer wil that rash othes proceed not out of our mouthes shall we then thinke it lawfull in vaine vpon euery occasion rashly to sweare by him that sitteth vpon the Cherubins which walketh vpō the wings of the wind and rideth vpon the heauens as an horse shall wee not sweare by the earth shall we thinke it lawfull to sweare by the most pretious price of our redēption paide by the only death bloud shedding of Iesus Christ shall we not sweare nether by heauen nor by earth nor any other oth shal we think it lawful to sweare by the creatour of heauen earth shall we thinke it lawfull to pearce the sides wound the hart slay the soule teare rent the body of Iesus Christ by vaine swearing All vaine othes therfore all swearing by any creature al swering in any maner otherwise then the expresse word of God alloweth is cōdēned The vanitie of our times in this behalf is vtterly reproued whose detestable othes are by this light by the holy sacrament by Gods wounds by Gods hart by the bloud of Christ by Gods side by the passion of Christ by his death by heauen by the Lord a thousand more which a man is afraide for very horror to name This vtterly condemneth our most disordered dissolute manner of swearing in euery childes mouth most rife and readie this conuinceth the licentiousnes of our age whose common speach and cōmunication is intermingled interlaced with manifold othes horrible blasphemy this altogether reproueth our false filthy othes in our shoppes ware houses in barganings and occupyings this condemneth the ruffenly svvearing of men destitute of knowledge voide of all feare of God who glory in their blasphemie and encourage themselues in their vvickednesse who haue their pleasure and felicitie in their disordered and dissolute swearinges in rapping out othe after othe to the great dishonour of God and his sonne Iesus Christ 2. The Apostle then reprouing the vaine rashe and wicked swearing of men teacheth how the faulte may be corrected what remedy against the euil is best to be vsed Therefore saith he sweare not neither by heauen nor by earth nor by any other othe but let your yea be yea and your nay nay that is vse in all things which are to be affirmed a plaine affirmation in things to be denied a flatte negation and deniall If a thing be so or so say so it is if it be not so then say it is not so This is to let our yea be yea and our nay nay The like correction of
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
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
headlong in their shamefull pride and by committing al manner sinne and iniquitie to rush into finall destruction Thus haue we forgotten the exhortation of the Apostle but let all such as feare God learne a better profession by brotherly admonition reprehension and correction to seeke the coÌ„uersion of their brethren as the Apostle teacheth 3. Neither thus only but by exhortation men conuert sinners from going astray out of the way For what way can men be sooner conuerted from errour then by dissuading from vice persuading to vertue wherin exhortation consisteth When Isai the Prophet of God sought Isai 1. the conuersion of the people froÌ„ their errour in idolatrie iniquitie and wickednes wherein a long time they had wallowed he seeketh it by exhortation persuading them to vertue dissuading them from vice To which purpose that exhortation serueth wash you make you cleane put away the euill of your hands from before my eies cease to do euill learne to do good seeke iudgement relieue the oppressed iudge the fatherlesse defend the widow To this purpose the Apostle to the Hebrnes exhorteth men Heb. 3. 1. Thess 5. 11. professing godlines to stirre vp one another and to seeke their conuersion which were departed from the liuing God and to preuent the fall of others by exhortation therefore he saith takeheed my brethren least there be at any time in any of you an euill heart and vnfaithfull to depart from the liuing God but exhort one another daily while it is called to day least any of you be hardened through the deceitfulnes of sinne This meanes vsed Paul and the holy Apostles to conueâ—t and call away men from their errours in the time of their ignoraunce and to bring them to the true knowledge of the gospell Neither is there any way whereby we more reclaime conuert our sinning brethren from going astray out of their way then by daily exhortation and therefore especially is it needfull and necessarie that we exhort one another daily if wee haue any care of winning the soules of our brethâ—en and sisters and of bringing them to the knowledge of godlinesse And this meane is common to all Christians thus must the magistrate thus must the minister thus must the parents thus must the maisters thus must the scholemaisters thus must the neighbour thus must euery man seeke to conuert euery one that erreth by exhortation to turne him from going astray out of his way 4. We seeke more ouer the conuersion of our brethren out of their errours when we conferre with them gently and courteously concerning the causes of their errours Wherefore to vnfold such places as may seeme to bolster vp the erring brethren in falshood of opinion and to remoue such offences as whereby they are wrapped in errour of their liues by conference with them in brotherly manner this is also away to conuerte them 5. Finally we conuert the erring and wandring brethren by our good and godly example of holy life For men erring either in manners or in opinion seing the example of all vertue and godlines in the Saints their faith flourishing their patience abounding their humilitie singular â— Pet. 2. 12 their modestie rare their obedience excellent and all manner of vertue in perfect beautie thereby are ofteÌ„times forced to confesse the truth of their religion which are thus renowmed for vertue and by their godly demeanour to acknowledge their owne corruption so be conuerted It standeth vs therfore greatly vpon to beware least in this respect we be carelesse and negligent and so loose by euill example whom we might by good haue wonne to Iesus Christ and his gospell And for asmuch as the liues and examples of Gods Examples preuaile much Saints preuaile greatly either to vertue or to vice and either persuade to or dissuade from our errours in both kinds from whence as from a perpetuall well spring the floud of all that is good or euill floweth it is our bounden dutie which feare God euery one to watch ouer his brother that by all good example we may call them from their errours and conuert them as here we are exhorted 6. To conclude we seeke the conuersion of our brethren by sharpe chastening out of the word of God For where gentle â—enitiues will not serue there sharpe corsies must be vsed and when milde preparatiues preuaile nothing then must scowring and searching purgations be applied Thus did the Prophets thus did our Sauiour Christ thus did the Apostles seeke their coÌ„uersion whom by other means they could not reclaime nor bring from errour Seeing the case thus standeth with vs so great necessitie constraineth and is layed vpon vs for the conuersion of our brethren then wo to them who then subuert when they should conuert the brethren which hinder wheÌ„ they should helpe their conuersion whose saluation God hath as it were put into their handes Wo to the carnall professours of the gospell whose wicked examples encourage the erring brethren and persons to continue in their errour Wo to the contentious and waywarde vntractable and disobedient of our time who with their quarrell picking and bitter striuings about things oftentimes friuolous and not weightie and other grieuous debates make diuision and cause schisme in the church wherby the Papistes Iesuites and other erroneous persons are fleshed in their errours Wo to al men women by whom the conuersion of soules shal be in aniwise hindered seing we are so necessarily inioyned the care of their conuersion This is the councel of the Apostle this is the remedie against inward infirmities and diseases of our minds this is the labour and trauell of the Saints of God by al meanes to seeke the conuersion of such as doe wander erre out of the way The double profite of this care 2 The next and second thing is the profitte which redoundeth and the reward which is geuen them that are carefull to conuert such as erre let him know that he that coÌ„uerteth a sinner from going astray out of his way shall saue a soule from death and couer a multitude of sinnes Cor. 7. 6. 1. He that thus endeuoureth the coÌ„uersion of other and turneth a sinner from going astray from out of his way saueth his soule that is conuerted whom he reclayming deliuereth from death and damnation wherin thorow error he was intrapped Now to procure the saluation of any one soule is a worke both more excelleÌ„t more difficult more harde and more victorious then the subduing of Countries kingdomes by dint of sword or atchieuing glorious conquests by force of armes ouer our enemies This is a seruice and sacrifice more pleasant vnto God to sacrifice vp one soule to saluation then the slaying of all the bulles and oxen vpon a thousand hilles and to offer them in sacrifice to God Ezech. 18. 33. Hereof God himselfe reioyceth as it were whofe delight is not in the death of a sinner but rather that he should repent
and be saued Hereof the powers and holie Spirites of men and Angels in heauen reioyce as our sauiour recordeth in the Gospell auouching that there is Luc. 15. ioy in heauen ouer any one sinner that repenteth This is therefore a singular benefite which commeth of this Christian and godly care we haue to conuert other euen the sauing of their soules 2. The other profit herence rising is the couering hiding of the multitude of sinnes The manifolde sinnes of men conuerted are hidde in their conuersion so that he which conuerteth another as hee conuerteth so putteth he away hideth the multitude of his sinnes which is now rightly conuerted and turned to the knowledge of the trueth To conuert one from his sinne and from going astray from out of his way is a special point of loue and a notable effect thereof and it is a propertie of loue also to couer sinnes Loue saith Peter out of the wise Salomon 1. Peter 4. Prou. 10. 12. couereth the multitude of sinnes Wherfore in conuerting the brethren wee thereby hide and couer their sinnes also And thus this double benefite redoundeth to him that is conuerted euen the sauing of his soul and the hiding of his sinne Which as it is referred to the partie conuerted so may it be to him which conuerteth In the conuerting of others he saueth his owne soule in discharging so great a worke of loue And men thus saue their soules in perfourming Ezech. 3 33. of this action as the watchman is saide to saue his soule when he hath descried the enemie and admonished the people of their danger which hangeth ouer theÌ„ for sinne And as the Minister by exercising himselfe in the Scriptures and by continuing in reading is saide to saue himselfe and those that heare him So men in performing 1. Tim. 4. this duetie towards their brethren by discharging a good conscience and perfourming so excellent labour of loue doe thereby saue their soules And as they saue their soules so they hide a multitude of their owne sinnes when they endeuour the conuersion of others For God is commonly marueylous merciful to their sinnes which endeuour to winne others vnto him by which trauaile they purchase great fauour with the Lorde and obteine thereby the pardon of their manifold sinnes wherefore S. Iames saith they hide a multitude of sinnes Albeit then this may stande with a iust proportion and an analogie of the Scriptures yet I thinke rather that the first ought to be referred to him that is conuerted and the second to him that conuerteth in this wise let him knowe that hee that conuerteth a sinner from goeing a stray out of his waie saueth a soule from death euen that soule which he conuerteth And hideth a multitude of sinnes euen the multitude of his owne sinnes which almightie God hideth forgiueth and couereth for the exceading loue he sheweth to his brethren in their conuersation Which sheweth the vnspeakeable reward which shal be giuen them which seeke to winne other vnto God Which thing the holy prophet Daniel long before had for Daniel 12. tolde who speaking of the glorious crowne of the ministers of God and also of all the faithfull which instructing the ignorante bring them therby to the true knowledge of God saith they that bee wise shall shine at the brightnes of the firmameÌ„t the that turne many to righteousnes shall shine as the starres for euer and euer thus shall they be rewarded at the hand of God which conueâ—t sinners from going astray and turne others to righteousnes God for his Christ sake so prepare our heartes in holy feare that we may be instrumeÌ„ts effectual through him of the conuersion of others that so wee may winne wandring soules to God and bring the straying sheep of Christ into his sheepefolde that they thereby may by his grace be saued and our sinnes in his fight couered in the only righteousnes of Iesus Christ vnto whom with his father and the holie Ghoste our euerlasting comforter three persons in trinitie one eternal God in vnitie be rendred al power praise dominion and Maiestie for euer and euer Amen FINIS Faults escaped in the printing the chiefest whereof are here noted and may be found out easily by this direction looking to the leafe first then to the page next to the section or diuision of the page and lastly to the line of that section or diuision MOnarches for monarchies fol. 6 pag. 2. sect 2. line 12. groane for groyne f. 15. p 1. s 2. l. 2 Crotoniales for Crotoniates f. 15. p. 2. s 2. last line wuering a wauering f. 20. p. 2. s 1. l. 13 kind kinds f. 33. p. 1. s 2. l. 14 churchmeÌ„ church meÌ„ f. 39. p. 2. s 2. l. 18 efficiencie efficient f. 53. p. 1. s 3. l. 2. receiued reserued f. 57. p. 1. s 2. l. 29. malistious malicious f. 61. p. 2. s 1. l. 8 from the end addistion addition f. 64. p. 1 s 2. l. 11 here heare f. 65. p. 1. l. 28. 2. from the end of it spared saued f. 67. p. 1. s 3. l. 5 professorus professours f. 69. p. 2. s 3 l. 5. her heuier f. 70. p. 2. s 2. l. last and when f. 70. p. 2. s 3. l. last then the. f. 72. p. 2. s 2. l. 2. froÌ„ the end Melta Melita f. â—8 p. 2. s 2. l. 12 I say superfluous f. 79. p. 1. s 2. l. 6 bodies bodie f. 84. p. 1. s 2. l. 8 remoued moued f. 84. p. 1. s 2. l. 11 shedheard shepheard f. 91. p. 2. now out f. 92. p. 1. s 2 l. 18 degreles degrees f. 98. p. 2. s 1. l. 2 obseured obserued ead pa. l. 21 other ether f. 102. p. 2. s 2 l. 11 reforming informing f. 106. p. 1. s 1. l. 8. or of f. 107. p. 1. s 2. l. 20 correction concession f. 121. p. 2. s 3. l. 3 say he is wanting f. 122 p. 1. s 2. l. 1 discussed distressed f. 122. last word s 2. voine vaine f. 127. p. 1. s 2. l. 5. froÌ„ end runing ranne f. 128. p. 2. last word which why f. 137. p. 1. s 2. l. 2. signe life f. 138. p. 1. s 1. l. 4 fourth fifth f. 146. p. 1. s 1. l. 17 bitterresse bitternes ead last word section 1. secure seuere f. 149. p. 2. s 2. l. 9 boidly bodily f. 157. p. 1. s 3. l 5 them him f. 168. p. 2. s 1. l. 1 there that ead l. 3 them him l. 3. there twise vntill lacketh there s 2. l. 7 shine striue f. 170. p. 1. s 1. l. 1 folowed foloweth f. 190. p. 1. s 3. l. veheminice vehemencie f. 192. p. 1 s 3. l. 2. resist him resist the deuil f. 20. s 3. â— your you f. 211. p. 1. s 4 signes of this outwarde for of thi our margin f. 216. p. 2 partly in for other f. 217. p. 1. s 3. l. liue lie f. 218. p. 1. s 3. l. last in redoundeth f. 229. p. 1. s 2. l. â— imprudent impudent ead l. 18 euen euill f. 234. p 2 s 3. l. 10 we men f. 235. p 2. middle laud lowde f. 242. p. 2. s 1. l. 2 this such f. 248. p. 2. s 1. l. 6 their there f 258. p. 1. s 1. l. 5 violent valiant f. 275. p. 2. s 4. l. 7 that is lacking f. 295. p. 1. s 2. l. 8 diuine diuers f. 310. p. 2. s 3. l. â—