THE DIFFERENCE OF HEARERS OR An Exposition of the Parable of the sower Deliuered in certaine Sermons at Hyton in Lancashire By WILLIAM HARRISON His Maiesties Preacher there Together with a Post-script to the Papists in Lancashire containing an Apologie for the points of controuersie touched in the Sermons Luk. 8.18 Take heede how yee heare LONDON Printed by T. C. for Arthur Iohnson Dwelling at the Signe of the white Horse neere the great North Doore of Pauls 1614. TO THE MOST REVEREND FATHER IN God George Lord Bishop of Chester RIght Reuerend When I first preached these Sermons I little thought to haue put them forth to publike view yet such hath bene the importunitie of some of my best hearers in mouing me to penne them or some others of my Sermons As I might haue bene thought vnkind and vncurteous if I had altogether denied that their godly and earnest request And the rather was I perswaded by them because it was hoped that the publishing of these might yeeld some benefite not onely to those persons who formerly heard them but likewise to those who hereafter should reade them It is well knowne that the papists make small account of hearing Gods word preached they hope to be saued rather by sight then by hearing Though hearing be a dutie (1) Deut 6.3.4 31 12.13 Math. 17.5 commanded by God exacted by (2) Isai 28 23. 66.2.5 Ier. 6.18 9 2 10.1 the prophets Enioyned by (3) Math. 11 15. 13 9.43 Math. 15.10 Luk. 14 35 Christ Required by the (4) Act. 13.16 15 13 Reuâ—â—â— 7.11.17 Apostles and practised (5) Nehem. 8 3. Luk. 5 1 Luk. 15 1 21.38 Act. 10 33 13.7 44 Act 16.14 by all good people Though it be an apparent signe of (6) Iâ—h 8.47 18.37 1. Ioh. 4.6 Gods Elect. An infallible marke of (7) Ioh 10.27 Christs sneepe A true note of (8) Deut 33.3 Gods Saints An euident token of our (9) Luk 8 21 spirituall kinred with Christ A plaine testimonie of (10) Luk. 11 28 our happines A comfortable assurance of our (11) Math. 7 24 Luk. 10 42 perseuerance Though it be an ordinarie and effectuall meane (12) Ieâ— 23 22 Act. 2.41 1. Cor. 14 24.25 of our conuersion of (13) Act. 4.3 15.7 Rom 10.17 working faith of (14) Act. 10.44 Gâ—l 3.2.5 receiuing the spirit of obtaining (15) Reuel 3.20 fellowship with Christ and of enioying (16) 1. Tim. 4.16 â—an 1.21 saluation in heauen And though the neglect and contempt of it (17) 2 Châ—o 24.19.23 Nehem. 9.30 Ier. 26.4.5 hath bene and (18) Deut 18.19 Math. 10 14 15. Math 12.42 shall be seuerely punished Yet the papists little regard the word preached seldom will vâ—iâ— lâ—â—se to heare it As they doe wilfully refuse to hear vs so doe they iudge it to be neither greatly necessarie nor much profitable to heare their owne teachers Moses was read and preached (19) Act 15.21 euery Sabboth in the Iewes Synagogues It was the custome of (20) Luk 42 16. Christ and his (21) Act 17.42 44 17 2 â— 4 Apostles to preach to the people in the Synagogues euery Sathboth day The (22) Iustin Maâ—tye apolog 2 Teitull apolog â— 39 Ongeâ— in Exod homil 7. ancientest of the fathers testifie that in their times the people heard a sermon each Lords day And diners councills haue made (23) Colon cap 9 Laoâ—ic cap 16 Trullan ca 19 Magâ—â—t cap 25. decrees for the continuance of that custome in succeeding ages Yet the Romiâ—h (24) Bernardinâ—de Senis dâ— obâ—â—uat sabb serm 10 cap 3. Tollâ—t instruct â—acerdoâ—hâ— ca 6 Vaâ—â— catech ap 3. prelates haue made it a precept of their Church that euery one shall see a masse on each Sabboth but will not make it a precept to heare a sermon each Sabboth As if the often sight of a masse were more necessarie and more profitable then the hearing of a sermon And as if the Sabboth were better sanctified and the peoples soules more edified by the masse then by the preaching of the word As the priests are accustomed often to say masse but seldome to preach so the people for one sermon which they heare do see fortie or fifty masses Imitating (25) Thom W. siâ—gh 1st Aâ—g in Exwar 1. p 43 idâ—â— dagâ—â— Neustr 1 172. De Hentico 3. that king who saw three masses each day but seldome heard any sermon And being admonished by Lewis king of FraÌ„ce that he must not bestow all his time on masses but sould ofther heare sermons answered that he had rather often see his Friend then heare one speaking of him though hee spake neuer so good thinges As if they might with their eyes see Christ corporally present in masses and could onely heare some talke of him at sermons Wherein as they doe most blasphemously preferre their owne inuented idoll before Gods most holy ordinance So doe they bewray their ignorance touching the necessitie and efficacie of the word preached If they would duely consider the scope and doctrine of this parable they might easily perceiue that the hearing of the word is as necessarily required for the direction of their liues and the saluation of their soules As the sowing of the ground with good seed is necessarily required of them that would reape a plentifull crop at haruest And that it is not the sight of their abhominables doll but the reuerend hearing of Gods sacred word that must make them fruitfull in all good workes Againe wee cannot but acknowledge that the Lord hath sent many skilfull and painefull Husbandmen to some his fields with vs who according to their office and dutie sow it in due season after a good maner and with the best seede And yet it yeeldeth litle fruite People heare much learne litle and practise lesse Which cannot be imputed to the want of good preaching but at her to the want of good hearing the fault is rather in the ground then in the sower or in the seede The seede is good and great store is sowne but the ground is barren The doctrine is sound and the maner of teaching profitable but the people heare amisse and so for want of good hearing loose the fruite of many good sermons because the profit of hearing dependeth on the maner of hearing A medicine fitly prescribed and rightly compounded looseth his vertue in curing the patients disease if it be not duly administred and orderly receiued We to our great griese loose our labour in preaching and the people to their great perill loose their labour in hearing because they heare amisse As therefore I was at first enduced to preach those sermons so was I afterward perswaded to penne them that by them the simpler sorte for whose sake onely I do now publish them I might haue some plain direction how to heare for their profit There be some among vs Math.
and be saued c. CHrist Iesus our blessed Sauiour did no sooner begin to preach the Gospell but had many hearers With such authoritie did he teach such excellent and profitable doctrine did he deliuer such admirable miracles did he worke to confirme his doctrine and such great same of him was spread abroad that all people were willing and desirous to heare his setmous yea all manner of persons out of all coâ—sles and cuâ—rters of the land shocked vnto him in great mulâ—â—ndes Wherevpon he â—â—â—t onely taking a view of their number but also duly considering their disposition how al of them came not with same intent and purpose how all of them were not alike qualified for profitable hearing and how all of them should not receiue the same benefit by hearing of him he propounded a parable of a fower of corne to declare the diâ—e sitic of hearers who be vnprofitable who be profitable hearers Lest any should imagine that by any kind of hearing they might be saued he lets them vndeistand that there be bad hearers as well as good And because many of them were husbandmen who liued by tilling and sowing of land and all of them were well acquainted with matters of that nature for their better capacitic he setched his similitude from husbandry This parable is first propounded then expounded propounded in the 5.6.7.8 verses of this chapter whereof I for beare to speake because the doctrines thereof may be better considered in the exposition It pleased Christ for the instruction of his disciples and for the edification of his Church in future ages to expound this parable And it is the first parable which wee sind penned with his exposition The occasion of the exposition is set downe in the two verses immediately going before namely a question moued by the Apostles what should be the meaning of it And a reason rendred by Christ why he would explane it to them and not to others because it was giuen to them to knowe the mysteries of the kingdome of God but not to others Now in the verses following is conteyned the matter of the exposition which is double the former respects the seede the later respects the ground The seede faith Christ is the word of God The ground was of soure kinds and signifieth 4. forts of hearers 1 The first kind of ground was the high way What hearers are signified thereby is declared here vers 12. and more may be supplied out of Math. 13.19 touching whom we may obserue 2. things 1. the manner of their hearing 2. the issue and euent of their hearing 1. the manner of their hearing is not here expressed yet is mentioned Math. 13.19 they heare and vnderstand not 2. The issue and euent of their hearing which is set forth by the diuells practise and behauiour toward them And that is described 1. by the manler 2. by the end of it 1. by the manner of it for he is said to come and take the word out of their hearts 2. by the end wherefore he doth so which is double he doth it to preuent 2. things which they might receiue by hearing the one being subordinate to the other the former being a meane of the later and the later being a reward of the former the one is least they should belieue the later is least they should be saued 2. The second kind of ground was stony who are ment thereby is specified vers 13. Another sort of vnprofitable hearers who are described by 4. properties whereof the two first declare their present estate and the two last their future condition 1. they receiue the word with joy 2. they haue no rootes 3. they belieue for a while 4. In time of temptation they fall away 3. The third kind of ground was thornie which also representeth another sort of bad hearets described vers 14. by the causes and by the effect or issue by the causes for 3. things are named which like thornes choake the seede of the word 1. cares 2. riches 3. voluptuous liuing by the effect or issue that followeth thereupon they bring forth no fruite 4. The fourth and last kind of grouÌ„d was good ground in which the seede sprang vp and did beare fruit That is a resemblance of good hearers as appeareth vers 15. And those are described by 3. properties 1. by the manner of their hearing they heare with an honest and good hart 2. by their keeping of it after they haue heard it 3. by their fruitfulnes And that is amplified 2. waies 1. by the maner of it heare with patience 2. by the measure and varietie of it some bring forth more some leste in Math. 13.23 Mar. 4.20 some thirty some sixtie some an hundied fold 1. To begin first with the first and so to proceed in order to the rest Christ sheweth what is ment by the seede when no saith the seede is the word of God By which tytle is plainely manifested the vertue force and efficare of Gods word As seede is the beginning and cause of all the fruit afterward reaped so is the word the beginning and cause of all goodnes in vs euen of all grace in the heart of all good words in the mouth and of all obedience in the life And as good seede if it be well sowne in a fertile soyle will yeeld fruit so the word being well taught to capable and docible persons wil produce some good fruit for the glory of God and for their comfort and saluation The word is resembled to many things in regard of the power and vertue of it As to an hammer that will bruse vs Ior. 23.29 to afire that will either purge or consume vs to a light that will direct vs Psol 119.105 to salt that will scason vs to a sword that will defend vs Mat. 5.18 to seede that will be get vs to foode that will nourish vs to goades that will pricke vs forward Fphes 17. so also to seede that being sowne will yeeld plentie of fruit 1. Pet. 22. because of it owne nature through Gods ordinance and blessing it will prouoke people to obedience Pet. 2.2 If therefore you receiue it and doe not beare fruit the fault is in you Eceles 12.1 and not in it you are but barren soyle vnworthy of such seede Moreouer it is to be obserued that Christ compareth the word to seede that is sowne for in the propounding of the parable he said the sower went out to sowe his seede Vers 5. and now he saith the seede is the word meaning the seede sowne Mathew saith Math. 13.19 that the diuell catcheth away the word sowne in the heart And Marke saith Mar. 4.4 that the sower soweth the word And therefore it must needs be vnderstood of the word preached The word of God as it is written in the scriptures and conteyned in the bookes of the old and new testament is good seede indeed yet it is as seede in the
barne vnthrashed or as seede laid vp in the garner but the word read and expounded preached and applyed to Gods people is as seede sowne in a field And preachers be the sowers of it for albeit Christ doth not expresly declare who be the sowers yet that is apparant from other circumstances for if the word be the seede sowne then they who preach the word are the sowers And if they who heare the word taught be the ground in which the seede is sowne then the persons who teach them and whom they heare are the sowers So Christ by preaching the word was a sower yea the chiefest of all others the ground was his the seede was his he like a good husbandman with his owne hands did sowe his own seede in his owne field Athanas de sement So the Apostles were likewise sowers Christ was a sower to the Iewes onely they also to the gentiles he in the little field of Iudea they in the large field of the whole world 1. Cor. 9.11.1 Cor. 3.9 Wherfore S. Paul said If we haue sowme vnto you sperituall things is it a great thing if we reape your carnall things as also we together are Gods labourers ye are Gods husbandry And so all those who preach the same word which they did are sowers for as the sower filleth his hand with seede and casteth it abroad among the furrowes of the field not setting it seede by seede or choosing a peculiar place for euery seede but lets it lye as it lighteth So the preacher disperseth and dispenseth the word in a mixt people not able to guie it successe but as it pleaseth God to giue a blessing and as the hearts of the hearers are prepared for it Hence then wee may learne the necessitie of preaching no sowing no reaping As you cannot in any field reape a crop of corne at haruest vnles it were sowne with good seede at the seede time no more can any fruits of grace or any good works bee found in the Church or children of God vnlesse the seede of the worde bee sowne among them Indeed there may be sometimes good sowing and little good fruit to be reaped Esai 5.4 Luk. 13.7 As the Lord did all that could bee done to his Vineyard and yet it brought forth nothing but wild grapes but if there be no sowing it is impossible to gather any fruit at all Christ therefore sayd Ioh. 12.24 Except the wheat come fall into the ground it abideth alone Our hearts are the ground they must be sowne with the seede of Gods worde otherwise they will bee altogether barren or else bring forth nothing but briars and brambles thornes and thistles Experience may verifie this Looke into those places and Parishes where the worde is neuer taught or to those persons who will not heare though they might and you shall find nothing among them but Athesme Popery and prophanenesse Yet in those places where it is taught and heard wee may finde the frutes of holinesse and righteousnesse If not among all yet among mary Vse 1 The consideration whereof should mooue the Ministers of the Gospell to bee instant in season and out of season as Paul exhorteth them The lesse they preach the lesse shall they profite the people The more seede they cast into the furrowes of the peoples hearts the greater plenty of fruit may they expect We should follow Salomons aduise Feele 11. who sayth Inthe morning sow thy seede and in the euening let not thy hand rest for thou knowest not whether shall prosper this or that or whether both shall bee alike good What shall wee answere to the Lord our Maister and owner of the fielde if through our negligence in sowing his fielde of the Church yeelde him not such store of fruit as otherwise it might haue done Vse 2 And you people should likewise apply this to your selues and learne from hence to heare often If you contemne the word will not suffer your hearts to bee sowne with the seede of it you shall bring forth no good fruit but remaine as a barren Heath Doe you not remember what the Apostle saith Heb. 6.8 That the ground which beareth thornes and bryars is reprooued and is neere vnto cursing whose ende is to bee burned Fearefull is their case who are such ground yet no better can they bee who refuse to heare As you are content to haue your fieldes sowne yeerely that so you may reape a croppe at Haruest So must you bee content to haue your hearts cōtinually sowne with this heauenlie seede that so you may be fruitfull in all grace and godlines though your fields be sowne but once a yeare yet must your hearts be sowne continually because you should yeeld and beare fruit continually As we are content to bestowe our paines in sowing this seede continually though it be as toylesome a labour as you finde in your seede-time so be ye willing and readie to receiue this seede into the furrowes of your hearts continually that so you may from time to time abound in fruit for Gods glory and your owne comfort But whose word is it that is this spirituall seede It is not the word of Angell or of man but the word of God Ioh. 7.16 This seede did Christ sowe and none else And therefore he said My doctrine is not mine but his that sent me As my Father hath taught me so I speake Ioh. 8.28 This seede did the Apostles sow none else For when Christ sent them abroad Mat. 28.20 he bad them teach all Nations to obserue all things which he had commanded them All those thinges must be taught yet nothing else And lest they should forget what those things were hee promised to send the Holy Ghost who should bring all thinges to their remembrance Ioh. 13.26 which he had told them who should lead them into all trueth Ioh. 16.13 Because as hee sayd hee shall not speake of himselfe but what soever he shall heare that shall be speake And so carefull were the Apostles to sow this seede onely as they did confidently protest 1 Cor. 11.23 that they receined of the Lord that which they deliuered to their hearers And if they Gal. 8.9 or an Angell from heanen or any man preach otherwise then they had receined let him be accursed And no other seed must we sow if we will make the people fruitfull Christ and his Ministers sow none but good seede in his field If bad seede Mat. 13.24.25 as Tares or Cockle be sowne it is done by the enuious man the Diuell and his instruments As there be doctrines of God so there bee doctrines of Diuels namely errors and heresies those be as tares among wheate and doe greatly hinder the fruitfulnesse of the good seede There be also doctrines of men as the inuentions of their owne heads vnwritten verities Decrees of Popes Canons of Counsels traditions of the Church which wanting the
warrant of Gods word are but as chaffe to the wheate Ier. 23.28 and beeing taught in the Church will yeeld no more fruit then chaffe that is sowne in a field Leuit. 19.19 Vnder the Lawe God woulde not permit the Iewes to sow the same field with mingled seede And shall we thinke Secpectfortis Secl 3. that now vnder the Gospell he will permitte vs to teach for doctrines mens traditions to mingle trueth with error and his diuine Oracles with humane inuentions Vse 1 Wee therefore that bee sowers must see that our seed be good As the Husband-man against seed-time will not onely prouide good seede but will also winnow it fanne it and try it that so he may neither sow chaffe nor light corne nor darnell but pure graine which is like to fructifie So wee before wee come to the Pulpit must try and examine our doctrine that it bee sound and that we deliuer nothing but that which will edifie the hearers And because Non owins fort omnta tellus Each grounde will not beare each kinde of graine Wee must like wise and carefull Husband-men sow that seed which is fittest for our ground and deliuer such doctrines as are most fitting for the capacitie and present condition of the Auditorie that will yeeld the best encrease Vse 2 And you Christian people as you must take heede how you heare so also take heede what you heare It is the word of God not the word of the Diued It is the word of Christ not the word of Antichrist that must make you fruitfull As you haue great care that your ground be sowne with sound and cleane seede so be carefull that your soules bee instructed with sound and wholsome doctrine 1. Ioh. 4.1 Beleeue not euerie spirit but try the spirits whether they bee of God 1. Thes 5.21 Despise not Prophesying but try all things and hold that which is good Act. 17.11 With the Noble-men of Berea search the Scriptures daylie whether those thinges bee so which are taught you What you finde contrary thereto that reject as tares what is not warranted thereby blowe away as chaffe what is proved thereby that receiue as good seede into the furrowes of your heartes I know the Popish Seminaries will not suffer you to trye their seede you must trust them and take in vpon theyr word but we allowe and require you to trye ours If two men offer you Seede to sowe your ground and the one bid you trye it and view it well the other tell you of it but keeps it in his sacke you must not viewe it whether dealing would you like better whether seede would you receiue If theyr seede were good if they taught Gods worde they would not refuse tryall Vers 12. And they that are beside the way are they that heare IN the formerverse you haue heard the exposition of the seede Now see the exposition of the ground in this verse and the reft There were 4. sortes of grounds mentioned CHRIST sheweth that by them hee meant 4. sortes of hearers some good some bad Before wee come to speake of them seuerally and particularly we may note one thing in generall froÌ„ them all That as the same seed sowne in diuers kinds of ground doth not fructify in all alike in some it yeeldes little or no fruite at all in some both good and plentifull fruit So the same doctrine taught to diuers people doth not profit all alike It may profit some nothing at all others verie much Thoâ—â—h seed bee neuer so good yet badnes of ground may spoyle it and cause the sower to lose both labour and cost Euen so though the doctrine wee teach bee neuer so good and profitable yet through the ill disposition of the hearers it may become vnfruitfull This seede doth fructify or not fructify according to the qualitie disposition of the ground into which it is cast If the ground be bad the seed perisheth if the ground be good it encreaseth And because some mens hearts be as a barren ground and other mens harts be as a fertile soile in some it yeeldeth no fruit at all in some it yeeldeth great abundance This difference may by seene in each mixt company and populous congregation to which wee preach It was found among Christs hearers it was founde among the Apostles hearers and may also be found among ours The consideration whereof serues for the instruction both of Preachers people 1. Of Preachers to comfort thâ—m and to encourage them in their labours when they see them vnprofitablâ— vnto a great number Christ spake this Parable especâ—â—â—y of him selse and of his hearers He taught the true word of God in the best maner that might be yet did he not profite all his hearers he had 4. sorts whereof three were vnprofitable one onely was profitable The Disciple must not be better then his Master if hee be no worse let him be well content It doeth not a little grieue the Ministers of the Gospell to take great paines in teaching the truth and that in a good manner and yet see most of their hearers to receiue little or no profit at all but still remaine after many yeares teaching non sâ—mnaâ—tâ—â—sed susâ—â—pientis â—â—lpâ— as ignorant as Popish and prophane as they were at the first Yet let them not be dismayed it was Christs owne case the fault is in the hearers not in the teachers Châ—â—s in Mâ—t. 13. hom 45. God wil reward thee for thy paineful preaching though few doe profit by it Let not their fault hinder vs in our dutie but let vs instruct with meck nesse them that be contrarie minded 2. Tim. 2.25 prouing if any time God will gâ—ue them repentance They who be vnurofitable hearers now may proue profitable hereafter Till the time of bearing fruit doe come wee know not which will proue good ground which will proue bad 2. This also seruâ—th for the instruction of hearers Seeing that these 3. kinds of bad grounds do paint out 3 sorts of bad hearers who neuer receiue profite to their foules by the word which they heare You must know that you may be receiuers of this heauenly seede You may be hearers of Gods most holy word and yet be neuer the better for it neuer come to heauen by it Three parts of Christs hearers were bad as appeareth by this Parable And he telleth vs that many shall say Luk. 13.26 Wee haue caten and drunke in thy presence and thou hast tâ—ught in our streetes but he shall say I know you not depart from mee all yee workurs of imquitie And the Apostle saith 2. Cor. 2.16 Wâ—e are to some the sanour of death vnto death and vnto other the sweete sanour of life vnto life Euery kinde of hearing will not saue your soules It must be good and profitable hearing with good hearts to vnderstand beleeue and obey what you heare Yea not onely they who wilfully refuse to heare but
him was content to acknowledge himselfe to be one of his Apostles and at his sending to go abroad to preach the Gospell So did Simon Magus he was baptized into the Name of Christ and continued with Philip as a Disciple of Christ Mat. 22.14 And so doe all those who be called and not chosen 6. The last degree of this temporary faith is outward obedience vnto the Gospell This was likewise in Iudas His cariage was so honest among the Apostles all the time of Christs passion that when Christ told them Mat. 26.22 that one of them should betray him they did not suspect him any more then any of the rest yea Mar. 14.19 euery one did as much suspect him selfe as Iudas and therefore euery one sayd Master is it I Yea Ioh. 13.24 they caused Iohn who then leaned on Iesus brest to aske him who it was And Christ did manifest him by giuing him a soppe before they could tell who it was And so this faith doeth farre excell that dead faith whereof S. Iames speaketh which is destitute of good works Iam. 4. Yet euen in this respect is it much inferior to a true iustifying faith In regard of outward obedience they differ three wayes 1. In the cause or fountaine whence it proceedeth The obedience of the one proceedeth from an heart which hath the corruption of it suppressed and restrayned but not mortifyed and the affections builded but not changed by regeneration But the obedience of the other proceedes from a pure heart and a good conscience the corruption whereof is not onely repressed and kept vnder but likewise mortifyed and the affections not onely brydeled but also changed by regeneration Yea and the man himselfe is in Christ become a new creature 2. In the measure for the one may yeeld obedience in many things yet seldome in all things he vsually taketh libertie to liue in some one grosse sinne or other Mar. 6.20 eyther openly or secretly As Herode did many things which Iohn Baptist taught him yet continued still his whoredome hee would not put away his brothers wife though he was taught so to doe Mat. 14.4 But the other is carefull to avoyde all manner of sinnes whatsoeuer and to performe all duties alike knowing that if hee faile in one point hee is guiltie of all Iam. 2.10 And though sometime he fall by infirmitie yet he lyeth not long he riseth againe by repentance 3. In the continuance for the one continueth not lâ—ng in his innocencie at last by one occasion or other his corruption will breake forth and carry him to some grosse sinne or damnable apostacie Iudas for a while liued ciuilly but at last was drawne through couetousnesse to betray his Maister Simon Magus for couetousnesse would haue bought and solde the giftes of the holy Ghost and beeing reprooued for that fault became a notorious apostate Hos 6.4 And therefore the righteousnesse of such is fitly resembled to the morning deaw which is dryed vp and gone as soone as the Sunne ascendeth on high But the other perseuereth in his vprightnesse vnto the ende hee hath a good begining and a good ending Euen as Iob who neither by the suggestions of Sathan nor by the losse of his goods nor death of his children nor diseases of his body nor aduise of his wife nor vncharitable censures of his friends coulde bee induced to sinne against God Now then seeing heereby you may discerne what this faith is how it differeth from a sauing faith examine your selues of your faith to see whether it be this or no doe not content your selues with such a faith as is not able to saue your soules Aboue all things see that you haue a special application inward renouation for therein consisteth the very life and soule of sauing faith As you haue seene the nature and degrees of this faith so now see the continuance for it is here sayd They beleeue for a time A while they receiue this faith not alwayes they lose it in the end As they are hypocrites for want of synceritie in the bottome of their hearts so likewise are they temporizers for want of continuance in their courses The Rhemistes in their marginall notes on these wordes would haue this to be obserued against the heretikes as it pleaseth them to terme vs that say Faith once had cannot be lost and that he which now hath not faith neuer had Dâ—â—â—lisicat lib. 3. c. 14. Bellarmine and other Papists alleadge this place to prooue that true faith once had may be quite lost Staplet prompt in for 4. post dom poseh But we answere that the faith whereof Christ heere speaketh may be quite lost so as a man which once had it may want it afterward yet Christ doth not here speake of the true iustifying faith of Gods elect but of the temporary faith See postscript Sect 13. which may be in the reprobate as hath beene shewed before And this is apparant out of the words of the text For the persons who thus beleeue are compared to stony ground who by reason of the hardnesse of their hearts are no more able to bring forth fruite then stony ground is able to yeelde a good croppe of corne God forbidde that wee should imagine that any of the elect in the state of grace should be no better then these In the 15. verse Christ speaketh of them resembleth them to good ground and sayeth they heare the word with a good and honest heart do keepe it and bring forth fruit with patience Againe the persons here spoken of are sayd to want rootes and so their graces are like corne sowne on the top of a rocke which wanteth depth of earth to send downe and feede the rootes Now dare they say that true justifying faith wanteth rootes or is it in any mans heart where it hath nothing to grow vpon Doeth not the Apostle teach Ephes 3.17 that they in whose hearts Christ doth dwell by faith are rooted and grounded in loue And that they who haue receiued Christ Iesus the Lord are rooted and built in him and stablished in the faith True iustifying faith is the roote of all vertues Laudo fructum bom operis sed in fide agnoscoradicem Prafat uâ— enarr on which they grow and from which they receiue life nourishment efficacy Augustine said of Abrahams offering of his sonne I commend the fruit of the good worke but I acknowledge the roote in faith And shall we then say that it hath no rootes it selfe Certaine it is that a true iustifying faith once had can neuer be lost Psal 31. Vide August prefat in Pâ—a 139. Col. 2.5 Rom. 11.29 for it is called a stedfast faith in Iesus Christ It belongeth to that calling and is one of those giftes of God which are without repentance And so it hath beene reckoned long aâ—oe by that ancient Father Augustine and thereby proued neuer to fayle
hearts went after their couetousnes Let such knowe that not the hearers Rom. 2.13 but the doers of the lawe are iusâ—â—fiâ—d And that they who be hearers onely and not doers of the word Iam. 1.22 deceiue their owne soules To shew their folly and their daunger Math. 7.24 Christ compared them to a foolish man which built his house vpon the sand The raine fell the floods came and the windes blew and beat vpon that house and it fâ—ll and the fall thereof was great Iames likeneth them to a man that beholdeth his naturall face in a glasse Iam. 1.23 and when he hath considered himselfe goeth his way and forgetteth immediatly what maner of one he was They doe not onely lose their labour and reward but likewise prouoke the LORD to wrath and procure fearefull iudgements against themselues Their punishment shall be more grieuous then if they had neuer heard Christ shall say to them which heard him preach in their Cities and would not obey him Depart from me Luk. 13 2â— vee workers of iniquitie I know you not And hee sayd of the Iewes to whom he preached Ioh. 15.22 If I had not come and spoken vnto them they should not haue had sinne but now haue they no cloake for their sinne The Minisâ—â—rs which haue preached vnto them shall one day be witnesses against them and their Sermons shall be so many billes of inditement against them As it is an haynous thing in the Ministers to say and not doe so is it also an haynous thing in the people to â—eare and not do yet are many of our people faultie this way There is no sinne forbidden but they may often heare it condemned by the word As the filthy sinnes of Whordome the beasâ—lie crime of Drunkennesse the prophane sinne of Swearing the impious sinnes of polluting the Lords Sabboth the vncharitable sins of Iniustice fraude and oppression the malitious sinnes of rayling backbyting and slaundering and yet the people will not forsake them Ier. 7.10 But like the presumptuous Iewes they steale murther commit adulterie sweare falslie and practise other sinnes and yet will come and stand before the Lord in the house where his Name is called vpon There be no duties of the first or second Table which they owe to God or man but they are often taught them and yet they doe as carelesly omit them as if they neuer heard them They content themselues with bare and idle hearing as if that were all which God requires as if that were sufficient to saue their soules Oh remember you what Christ sayth Ioh. 13.17 If yee know these things blessed are yee if you doe them Though you heare them neuer so often though you know them neuer so well yet are you not blessed except you doe them Would it not greatly discontent you to send your seruants each yeere to sow your fieldes with the best seede and yet after many yeres sowing to reape no croppe but to lose both labour and cost And doe you thinke that the Lord will bee well pleased to send his Ministers from yeere to yeere to sow the good seede of his holy word among you and yet after many yeeres labour to reape no fruit at all The Aposile teacheth that the land which drinketh in the rayne Heb. 6.7.8 and bringeth forth fruit for them by whom it is dressed conceiâ—â—th blessing from God but that which beareth thornes and bryars is reproued and is neere vnto cursing whose end is to be burned Are you as soyle sowne with the Lords seede and dressed by his Husbandmen and yet yeelde no fruite for his glory and for the comfort of those that take paines among you And will you expect a blessing from the LORD Those that be such may rather feare a curse Did not CHRIST curse the Figge Tree which bare leaues but no fruite if they still continue barren their case shall be worse then theirs of Sodome and Gomorrah Mat. 10.15 for if the Sermons which haue beene preached among vs had beene preached in Sodome and Gomorrah they had repented long agoe in sack cloath end ashes but therefore shall it be easier for them of Sodom and Gomorrah at the day of Iudgement then for these disobedient people Take heede lest by your contempt of the word you â—â—se it Mat. 21 4â— Christ taketh his Kingdome from them that be vnfruitfull and will giue â—t to a Nation which shall better bring forth the fruiâ—s thereof If you often sow a fielde with good corne and at haruest can reape no good croppe you will sow it no longer you will let it lie and sow some other And can you thinke that GOD will still continue his worde to you if after long sowing you will not yeeld any 〈◊〉 It is a speciall fauour and mercie of God to haue the Gospell among vs. God hath not dealt so with euery Nation Psa 147. Happie are our eyes to see those things which we see and happie are our â—aies to heare those thinges which we heare Many righteous men would haue beene glad to haue seene and heard them and yet could not Let vs walke worthie of this blessing that it may bee continued to vs and to our posteritie Verse 15. But that which fell in good ground are they which with an honâ—st and good heart heare the word and keepe it YOV haue alreadie heard the exposition of three sorts of ground and what kinde of hearers were signififyed thereby Now see the exposition of the fourth and last kinde of ground And that was good ground in which the seede sowne sprang vp and brought forth fruit with great encrease Vnto this ground good and profitable hearers are compared As all the other groundes set forth to our view the nature and properties of bad hearers so this describeth the conditions of good hearers Before we come to the speciall properties of these hearers in particular we are to obserue one thing in generall and from the coherence to wit That although Christ had diuers sorts of hearers and nany of them were bad some one way some another way yet all of them were not bad some were good and profitable hearers all his seed was not lost some fell on good ground yeelded plentifull encrease Though the Scribes and Pharises and many of the common multitude were bad hearers yet the Apostles and many other Disciples were good hearers did keepe the word in their hearts and brought forth fruit in their liues And therfore he told the Iewes that whereas they neyther receiued Iohn nor him Mat. 11.19.20 Iohn came neither eating nor drinking and they said he had a Diuell The Son of man came eating drinking and they sayd Behold a glutton and a drinker of wine a friend of publicans and sinners They woulde neither receiue the one for his austeritie nor the other for his affabilitieâ— yet Wisedome is iustifyed of her children Mat. 11.25 And hee gaue thanks
which haue corrupt hearts it is loathsome terrible and vnprofitable Vse 1 This should teach euery one of vs to looke to our hearts and see that they be good that so we may be fruitfull hearers husbandmen haue great care to make their ground good and fertile before they sowe it If it be barren they will marke it they will set mucke and dung on it to make it more fruitfull As carefull should thou be to make thy heart good seeing it is the soyle in which the Lords heauenly seede must be sowne If it be not good alreadie vse all good meanes to make it good pray earnestly vnto God that he would sanctifie it by his holy spirit And if it be good labour to make it better the better it is the more fruitfull shall thy heating be And for this purpose heare the word often for it will make thy heart better The longer that the ground of your fields is tilled and sowne the more bare and barren it will be But it is not so with the ground of your hearts the oftner and the longer they are sowne with the scade of Gods word the more fruitfull will they be Such is the nature of this heauenly seede that it will not make the ground more barren but more fertile by often sowing As the seede is good that is sowne in your hearts so let the soyle be made answerable vnto it and then you neede not to doubt of a plentifull encâ—ease Let not so good seede be lost by lighting into bad soyle heare with penitent hearts with sanctified hearts with beleeuing hearts with resolued hearts to receiue and obey whatsoeuer is taught out of the word and you shall be happy hearers Vse 2 2. Furthermore we may hereby discerne who haue good harts who haue bad It is the goodnes of the heart that makes the hearer to bring forth fruit It is the corruption of the heart that hinders his fruitfulnes Those then that heare much and practise little haue bad hearts but those that heare and practise the word in their liues haue honest and good hearts Though none knowe the heart of another immediately and directly but God alone who is the onely searcher of it yet as the Physition can iudge of the inward temperature of the body by the pulse and as we may iudge of the tree by the fruits so may we iudge of the inward goodnes and badnes of the heart by the outward behauiour in the life And to keepe me to the present comparison of this parable If a man knew a field sowne in a good sort with good seede yet afterward did see the corne to be thin and course and yeeld no good crop he will say the ground is barren But if he passe by a close toward haruest time and see the corne very thicke and rancke and beare a long care full of corne he will say it is good land So if we knowe people to be well taught and yet yeeld little obedience in their liues we may iustly suspect that their hearts be not vpright before God but if we see them reforme their liues according to the word auoyd those sinnes which it forbiddeth and practise those duties which it commendeth and that in a constant course of their conuâ—â—sâ—tion 〈◊〉 may be assured that their hearts be honest and good Iâ— therefore you would haue others to thinke that you haue honest and good hearts 〈◊〉 forth the fruits of the word in your liues The second speciall propertie in these hearers is their keeping of the word They doe not onely receiue it with their hearts and lay it vp in the bottome of them but likewise there they keepe it fast Katâ—chousie They will not let it goe out thence nor suffer any to take it from them Beza Annot maâ—or in locum The originall word as some haue obserued is very emphaticall and importeth a keeping with much labour and difficultie And so fitly expresseth the manner of their keeping which is with striuing and strugling against their owne corruptions against Sathans suggestions and against the world allurements Though all conspire and ioyne their forces together yet doe they keepe it so safe and sure as that they cannot wrest it from them And herein they also differ from all the former hearers The first sort lost it as soone as they receiued it euen while they were in hearing the diuell tooke it from them The second sort kept it a while but not long for they beleeue for a time they keepe the word no longer then they kept their faith Though they kept both in time of peace yet they lost both in time of persecution The third sort kept the word yet not long when as afterward it was choaked by cares and pleasures it was taken from them But these kept it for euer neither the diuel by his suggestions nor other men by their persecutions nor their owne lusts by their prouocations can depriue them of the word Such an hearer was the blessed virgin the mother of Christ she kept all her Sauiours sayings in hâ—r heart Luk. 2.51 she did not only lay them vp but also kept them And not onely in her head but likewise in her heart and not some onely but all his words And such keepers are all profitable hearers for if the word enter into mens harts and afterward goe out againe it will doe them little or no good at all Though the meate which a man eateth be receiued into his stomacke yet vnles it continue there for a time and be there digested it will not nourish and seede his body Though seede be cast into the furrowes yet vnles it doe there remaine for a season to sprout and take rooting it will not yeeld any crop to the reapers Euen so though the word should be receiued into the heart yet vnles it doe there abide it cannot fructifie in the life But if it be there safely kept it will bring forth plentifull encrease And therefore Christ said Luk. 11.28 Happie are they which heare the word of God and keepe it Yea he accounteth them more happie for that their keeping of it then was the wombe that bare him and the pappes that gaue him sucke The benefite of this keeping is double 1. It serueth for direction for the word kept in the heart will direct a man in his life teaching him what sins to auoyd what duties to performe It will be a lanterne vnto his feete and a light vnto his path It will be a guide to say vnto him Isai 30.21 this is the way walke in it when he turneth to the right hand or to the left Psal 119.11 And therefore Dauid said of himselfe I haue hid thy promise in my heart that I might not sinne against thee As if the hiding keeping of the word in the heart were a speciall and an effectuall meane to keepe men from sinne And he also writeth of others The mouth of the righteous will
thinking that within that space he may need it No more do you reiect any doctrine which serues not for your present purpose keepe it stil in your hearts the time may come when it may much comfort your hearts much edifie your soules and bee a good direction for your liues We haue in these dayes few such hearers Many mens hearts are like a broken pitcher that will hold no water Or like to Siues which hold water no longer then they are kept in the water There be some who are desirous to heare much and yet they keep little they forget as fast as they learne As it is better to eate lesse meate and keepe it in the stomacke and digest it then to eate much and presently to cast it vp againe So is it better to heare lesse and keepe it well then to heart much and presently forget it No more shall profit vs thâ—n that we keepe Quest What must wee doe that we may be able to keepe it Answ 1. Emptie your hearts of euil thoughts and wicked imaginations worldlie cares and carnall lustes and if they be once expelled keepe them still out for as you often heard they wil choake the word Isaack and Isâ—mael could not dwell together in one house The Aâ—ke of God and Dagon could not stand together in one Temple No more can the word and these lustes be kept together in one heart therefore keepe them out that it may be kept in Countrey Farmers hedge and ditch and make good fence round about their sowne fieldes lest beastes should breake in destroy the corne So must thou gard defend thy heart lest these vngodly lusts break in and destroy the seede of the word 2. Meditate often of that which thou hast heard that is also a good meanes to keepe it it wil imprint it more deeplie in thy heart and cause it to worke more effectually vpon thy affections In this respect he is reputed a blessed man that doth meditate in the Law of God day night Psal 1.2 Beastes after they haue eaten their meat will chew the cudde fetch it vp againe out of their belly and chew it ouer anew Lâ—uâ—t 11.2 Such were cleane vnder the Lawe fittest for meate vnto man and for sacrifice vnto GOD. The best learned in olde and late times haue thought that holy meditation is signified thereby You must then after you haue heard call the doctrine to minde againe meditate of it so it will best nourish your soules and make you most fit for the Lords seruice He that neglecteth this cannot long keepe the word 3. Vse holy and Christian conference with others touching that which you haue heard This was commaunded vnder the Law Deut. 6.6.7 The Lord enioyned the Iewes that the wordes which he commaunded them should bee in their hearts yet not that onely but they must rehearse them continually to their children Deut. 11.16 Yea euery one must talke of them when he taried in his house when he walked by the way when he did lie downe and when hee rose vp It was practised and approued vnder the Gospell The two Disciples that trauelled to Emâ—us Luk. 24.14.15.17.27 conferred together touching Christ Christ liked their conference so well as hee vouchsafed them his presence made a third person in the conference and opened to them the Scriptures which foretold his death and resurrection and made their heartes to burne within them while hee talked with them and did manifest himselfe to them to confirme their faith in the truth of his resurrection So graciously did he approue and blesse that holy exercise In conference we may helpe others and others may helpe vs one bringing that to the others memorie which hee had forgotten So also wee may helpe our selues for that which is then repeated is more surely imprinted in the memorie and is not afterwards so easilie forgotten 4. After thou hast heard pray earnestly vnto God that hee will imprint his word in thy heart Ier. 31.33 He promised by his Prophet that in the new couenant of grace he would put his Lawe in the inward parts of his people and write it in their hearts Heb. 8.10 The Lawes of the former couenant hee wrote in Tables of stone but the Lawes of the latter couenant hee will write in the fleshlie tables of mens hearts If he write them in your heartes by the finger of his holy spirit they shall neuer be rased or blotted out Wherefore pray earnestlie vnto him that hee would write them and so shall you be able to keepe them for euer Wherefore be carefull to vse these meanes What is the cause why people heare much and keepe little but are like to bottomlesse barrels which let water runne out as fast as it is powred in That of all the Sermons which they haue heard in their whole life time they haue scarce the abridgement of one left in their heartes or heades for their direction and consolation But euen because they haue neglected these meanes Vse them hereafter and you shall finde how well they will make you able to keepe that which you heare And bring forth fruite The third and last propertie in these hearers is this They bring forth fruite And this is another speciall difference betwixt them and all the rest For the rest eyther bring forth no fruite at all as the first sorte or but for a time as the second or imperfect fruite and in some things onely as the third But these bring forth not for a while but continually not in some thinges onely but in all and that ripe and perfect fruite If good seede bee sowne in good ground it vsually bringeth forth fruite for the vse of them which owe it and sowe it So if some doctrine be preached and people heare it with good heartes it will bring forth fruit in their liues These fruites are brought forth not by profession but by practise and doe consift not so much in wordes as in deedes And therefore Paul prayed that the Philippians might be filled with the fruites of righteousnesse Phil. 1.11 And that the Colossians might please God in all things Colos 1.10 being fruitful in all good works And he saith of the Romanes Rom. 6.22 That they being freed from sinne and made seruants vnto God had their fruits in holinesse So that this fruite cannot be vnderstood of the reward which the Saints receiue in heauâ— but of the obedience which they performe on earth for that is a fruit which they receiue this is a fruite which they bring forth That they receiue from God this they yeeld vnto God that is a fruit of glory this is a fruit of grace See then the disposition of these good hearers They doe not onely heare the word with their cares and vnderstand it with their mindes and keep it in their hearts but they doe also practise it in their liues This is the chiefest end of all the rest Therefore doe
they heare it and learne it and keep it in their hearts that they may order their liues by it and practise it when occasion is offered Happy are all those which thus heare For as Iames saith Iam. 1.25 Who so looketh into the perfect law of libertie and continueth therein hee not being a forgetfull hearer but a doer of the worke shal be blessed in his deede If therefore you would haue your hearing to be acceptable to God and comfortable to your owne soules let it end in obedience Ground that is sowne with good seede though it shoot forth a broad and rancke blade will not content the owner vnlesse it bring forth a good croppe No more can you please the Lord by hearing vnderstanding and professing the word vnlesse therewithall you bring forth fruite of obedidience in your liues All the knowledge and learning that men can possibly haue in any Aâ—te or Science is nothing worth without practise And can you thinke that your knowledge in matters of Religion will profite you any whitte without practise And indeede wee learne no more then wee practise As that Paâ—â—â—â— acknowledged who hearing the first Verse of the 39. Soâ—rat hist. lib. 4.18 Psalme I said I will take heede to my wayes least I offend with my tongue confessed that he had not learned it in many yeeres because he had not in many yeres attained to the right practise of it We should be carefull to bring forth these fruits both in respect of God and also in respect of our selues First in respect of God because they serue for his glorie Therefore sayde CHRIST to his Disciples Ioh. 15.8 Herein is my Father glorified that yee beare much fruite And therefore Paul prayed that the Philippians might be filled with the fruites of righteousnesse Phil. 1.11 which are by Iesus Christ vnto the glorie and prayse of God Rom 2.23 Those which glorie in the Lawe and breake it doe dishonour God but they which â—eare it and obey it do honour him If then you hauâ— any zeale of Gods glorie bring forth these fruites Againe in respect of our selues because wee shall receiue the reward of them These that haue their fruit in holinesse Rom 6.22 shall haue their end in eternaâ—l life The workes of darkenesse are vnfruitfull workes Iâ—â—es 5.11 they bring no good to the authouâ—s but the works of rightâ—ousnes are fruitfull and procure a great reward to the doers The fruites of grace are the seedes of the fruites of glorie Hee that soweth to the Spirit Gal. 6.8 shall of the Spirit reape eternall life 1. Cor. 15.38 Let vs therefore as the Apostle exhorteth vs not bee wearie of well doing for in due season wee shall reape if wee faint not Let vs be stedfâ—st and vnmoueable abundant alway in the worke of the LORD forasmuch as wee knowe that our lâ—bour is not in vaine in the LORD Yea let vs be fruitfull in all good duties as well in those that abridge vs of our flesh he delights and worldly gaine as in other seeing the losse and want of those here shall bee recompenced with greater pleasures and profits in the Kingdome of heauen But take heede least you bee deceiued in iudgeing amisse of these fruites for some haue erred in taking those to be good fruites which are none and those to be none which are 1. These fruites come of the seed and bee of the same kinde and nature with the seede As nothing is good seede but the worde of God so nothing is to bee taken for good fruit but the practise and obedience of the worde And therefore the actes of will-worshippe the obseruations of vnwritten traditions and the practise of mens precepts are not the fruits here spoken of The Lord may say to them that bring foorth such fruite Who required these thinges at your handes These things as the Apostle saith Col. 2.23 may haue a shew of wisedome in voluntarie Religion and humblenesse of minde and in not sparing the bodie nor hauing it in estimation to satisfie the flesh yet they perish with the vse they are after the comandements and doctrines of men and therefore cannot please the Lord. God requires that you who haue beene taught the worde should bring forth the fruites of it and not the fruites of humane traditions If a man sow his fielde with corne and it bring forth more grasse then corne it will not content him the grasse would haue growne there though it neuer had beene sowne with corne In like sort if you be taught the word of God and be more carefull to obserue mans traditions theÌ„ Gods truth you shall not please the Lord therby but rather offend him 2. Againe as some haue erred in taking those to be fruits which are not so on the other hand some haue erred in taking those to be no fruits which indeed are good fruits Know you that the practise of euery dutie comanded in the word is good fruit Notwithstanding as there be diuers kinds of seede some of one graine some of another also diuers kindes of fruits some of one graine some of another So there be diners kinds of doctrines diuers kinds of duties And as al fields are not sowne with the same graine but some with one kinde some with another as they will best beare So all doctrines and duties are not imposed and enioyned to all persons but some to one some to another according to their calling place and estate And therefore as all fields doe not bring forth the same graine but euery one that kind wherewith it was sowne So all persons cannot performe the same duties but some one kinde some another according to their estate and calling The Magistrate therefore bringeth forth one kind of fruite the minister another the people another The father one kind the child another the Maister one kind the seruant another The rich one kind the poore another Yet as that is accounted a fruitfull field which bringeth forth a plentiful encrease of that graine wherewith it was sowne though it be not the least graine of all So those persons are fruitfull hearers who carefully performe all such duties as belong to their place state and calling though they be not able to performe such good workes as are accounted the greatest and most profitable Some haue imagined that the founding of Colledges and Schooles erecting of Hospitals building of Churches bountifull almes giuen to the poore and such great good workes which can be performed by a fewe are the onely or chiefest good fruites Though we will not denie but that these be excellent fruits in their kinde if they proceede from a good roote and be directed to a right end yet are there many other good fruites that may be as acceptable to God and as comfortable to the doers Not onely the common duties of all Christians but likewise the particular duties of euery mans speciall calling and estate though it be neuer
ground which noteth vnto vs a third kind of hearers And those also are bad hearers This ground is full of thornes There is some reasonable depth of soyle yet the sâ—ede and the corne sprouted is choaked by thornes and bryars that come vp among it so as it yeeldeth no good crop at haruest In like sort there be some hearers whose hearts are not so hard as the former and who are not tryed by tentation and persecution as they were whose hearts seeme to be mâ—ch mooued and deepely pâ—eâ—ced with tâ—e word and liue in such peaceable times and places that they are neuer called to suffer for the word and yet all is afterwarde maâ—red by coâ—ruâ—t affections which are not yet mortifyed bâ—t still liue and raigne in their hearts Aâ—â— so these hearers differ much from both the former kindes The first sort were hindered in their fruitfulnesse by the Diuell who tooke the worde out of their hearts The second sort were hindered by other men who persecuted them for the Gospell But this sort are hindered by their owne carnall and worldly lustes They differ from the first kind because those vnderstood not the word but these vnderstand it and would haue embraced and obeyed it but that it crossed their corrupt affections which they coulde not brydle They differ from the second sort because they fall away in time of tribulation and persecution These fall away in time of peace and prosperitie those were vrged by externall meanes comming from others these are drawne away by internall meanes proceeding from themselues Those were hindered in their perseuerance and fruitfulnesse through the waÌ„t of good these through the hauing of euill euen sinfull lusts and bad affections in their hearts which like thornes choake the worde which they heare Those renounced their profession these keepe their profession and yet are vnfruitfull These hearers are not all alike for though the word be choaked in them all yet it is not choaked in all by the same causes meanes In some it is choaked by worldly care in others by the deceitfulnesse of riches and in the rest by voluptousnesse And therefore touching these hearers wee may obserue some thinges in generall which concerne them all ioyntly together and some thinges in particular which concerne them seuerally The things in generall which concerne them all are two whereof the one respecteth the time of their choaking the other respecteth the causes of their choaking 1. The time of their choaking for it is sayd of them That when they haue heard 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and are departed or gone their way they are choaked c. They are not choaked while they are in hearing but rather afterward when they are departed from the Semons and goe about their worldly affayres then are they choaked by those things whereon their hearts were set As thornie ground may haue some good moyst mouldes and depth of soyle and cause the seede sowne in it to sprout and come vp but afterward will not suffer it to prosper the thornes in time will choake it So may a man heare the word reuerently and attentiuely marke it carefully and receiue it willingly yea hee may take it to be the word of God indeede and the onely word that must saue his soule hee may wish that hee were able to follow it and haue a purpose to follow it and yet afterwarde bee hindered in the obedience of it by the corruptions of his owne heart As Pharaoh was huÌ„bled while the hand of God was heauy vpoÌ„ him but became as hard as he was before when it was remoued And as some are Sea sicke while they are on the water but wel again whoÌ„ they come to land And as the hardest Mettals are hot soft and pliable while they are in the fire but become colde hard and stiffe when they are taken out of the fire So are some hearers much moued while they are in the Church and so long as they heare and yet afterward when they are gone away and betake themselues to their worldly affayres loose the efficacy of the worde and become transgressors of it These are vnprofitable hearers the worde which they heare will not saue their soules Men may often heare after this maner and yet neuer come to heauen Doe not therefore content your selues with these present motions while you are in hearing but let them continue and shew their efficacy after you haue heard when occasion is offered in your liues Let not the word onely moue your affections but also mortifie them And let it not onely stirre vp your affections while it is hard but direct them and ouer-rule them in your conuersation afterward Let not any thing in the worlde or any affections in your owne hearts hinder your obedience to the worde You know that the Sonne who being commaunded by his Father to worke in his Vineyatd Mat. 21.30.31 did promise and purpose to goe and went not was condemned for not fulfilling the will of his Father And doe you thinke that you shall be taken for dutifull children to God Almightie if while you heare his word you loue it and like it and purpose to follow it and yet afterward by some sinister occasions be hindered in the obedience of it Know this that God will neuer accept of good purposes without good performance nor of good motions in your mindes without good maners in your liues There be some couetous and voluptuous persons farre worse then these of whom Christ heare speaketh for these doe heare and receiue the word willingly for the presâ—nt they are choaked afterward But there be some couetous worldlings and voluptuous Epicures who will not heare at all or not with any patience They will not receiue the seede at all and doe choake it as soone as they receiue it Luk. 16.14 Such were the Pharisies who mocked Christ when he taxed their couetousnes Such were the Iewes Isa 30.11 who would not heare the Lawe of the Lord but sayd vnto the Seers See not and to the Prophets Prophecie not vnto vs right things but speake flattering thinges vnto vs Prophecie errors Micha 2. Who would haue none to be their Prophet but hee that would lie falsly would prophecie to them of wine and strong drinke And such be those in our dayes who cannot endure to heare any thing spoken to curbe them of their carnall pleasures or abridge them of their worldly profites who raile against the Preacher and hate him as Ahab did Michaiah and heare him with no more patience and liking then the Iewes heard Stephen Act. 7.54 when their hearts brast for anger and when they gnashed at him with thrir teeth But if these hearers who giue reuerent attention to the worde when it is deliuered haue some good liking of it and a purpose to obey it would obey it but that it doth crosse their pleasures and profites are reckoned in the number of vnfruitfull hearers What may be thought of
fondly people deceiue themselues herein Many men doe harbour one noysome lust one corrupt affection or other in their hearts and because they keepe out many others Quid resert si hoc vel illo modo pâ—reas Aâ—â—â—la â—â—â—ocunâ— modo perenuâ—â—â—â— semâ—nâ—â— parâ—â—er 〈…〉 13. â—omil 45. they hope all is well with them The couetous worldling condemnes the voluptuous epicure And the voluptuous epicure condemnes the grâ—edie and miserable worldling The couetous man thinketh that he is a good Christian because he is not giuen to prodigall licentiousnes And the voluptuous man would be esteemed a good hearer because hee abhorres worldly cares and miserable couetousnes But let them both knowe that either of these two sinfull lustes are sufficient to condemne their soules and let them not purge their hearts from the one alone but from both together if they will be fitte soyle for the Lords seede The last thing to be obserued in these hearers is the effect of their choaking namely what is the issue and euent that befalls them when they are thus choaked by those corrupt lustes they bring forth no fruite Though they dâ—â— not fall away from their profession as those hearers mentioned in the former verse but still continue professours and hearers of the Gospell yet are they vnfruitfull in their profession The originall word doth properly signifie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they doe not bring forth any full and perfect any ripe and truely fruite As if they might bring forth some kinde of fruite yet no good fruite no full corne nor profitable gaine Corne sowne amoÌ„g thornes may yeeld some kinde of fruite yet not such as will please the husbandman It will be an vntimely fruite it will wither away before it be throughly fed and fully ripe It will be very thinne on the ground when it is reaped it will proue nothing but short eares and small gaines and when it is threshed nothing but light corne and vnprofitable Such is the obedience of those men which be giuen to covetousnes and voluptuousnes they may performe some outward duties yet not many onely such as doe not hinder them in their worldly profits nor abridge them of their caâ—nall pleasures And those which they doe performe are very imperfect neither acceptable to God nor comfortable to their owne soules They are not such as God exacted they doe not proceed from such sinceritie of the heart neither are they directed to that right end neither are they perâ—â—â—â—ed in such an holy manner as he recâ—uireth Though they seeme to begin well yet their inward lusts doe â—o â—inder them that they cannot bring their actions to a due perfection but waxe wearie of doing well And either â—uite cease from their enterprises begun or elsâ— efaint much in their proceedings before they bring any thing to a good end Whence first we may take notice of the nature qualitie and maner of their â—â—â—dience whose hearts are still prossessed with the care of the world and the pâ—â—â—sâ—res of this lifâ— They may perfâ—â—me many good duties yet faile in sâ—â—e maiâ—e duâ—â—e And yet those which they performe cannot â—lease the Lord we haue prâ—gâ—â—â—â—â—xâ—mples hereof in the scriptures Nâ—aâ—â—an the Syrian being cured of 〈◊〉 leapâ—osie by the Prophet Elisha â—â—â—â—ed vnto him to worship none other God but the God of Israel yet desired he to be tollerated in one point that when he went with his Maister into the house of Rinâ—mon and when his Maister leaned on his hand 2. King 5.10 and he did bowe as his Maister and others did the Lord would be mercifull vnto him therein Though he mâ—slâ—ked that idolatry in his heart yet because he could not enioy his gainefull place and office vnder his Maâ—ster vnles â—n that point he dissembled he for his gaine would in outward behauiour ioyne with others in that idolatrous worship he would be a Proselyte so farre as it might stand with his worldly commoditie but no further And the reason was because worldly lustes were not then mortified in his heart Iudas had diuers commendable things in him other wise Christ would neuer haue chosen him to be one of the twelue he heard his sermons liued a long time ciuilly and preached the Gospell to others yet because couetousnes did still raigne in his heart for money he betrayed his Maister That rich yong man which came to Christ to knowe the way to eternall life had so kept the commandements for outward aâ—tes Mar. 10.21 as Christ loued him yet because his corrupt affections were onely kept vnder and not killed he left Christ and had rather breake his commandement then leaue his owne wealth Herod as you heard did many things which Iohn Baptist taught yet because the word was not powerfull in his heart to mortifie his sinfull lustes he would not breake off his incest nor put away his brothers wife If you suffer the like affections to abide in your hearts your obedience will be no better You see by experience that corne growing among thornes is neither so much nor so good as that which groweth in other ground And that it might haue bene more and also better in the same ground if the thorâ—es before the sowing had bene ridde vp Doe not then imagine that your obedience can either be plentifull or acceptable so long as these inordinate affections be harboured in your hearts Knowe this that though other affections be suppressed yet so long as these beare sway in you so long as they doe hinder you in good and prouoke you vnto euill you are not mortified by the spirit of sanctification for mortification is a change and reformation not of part onely but of the whole nature of man yea of all the faculties of the soule and of all the affections of the heart Ioh. 13.10 he that is washed saith Christ is cleane euery whit And will God accept of any fruites that come from an heart not sanctified Wherefore purge your hearts from these lustes And be willing to yeeld obedience as well to those commandements which seeme hard and vnpleasant vnto you as vnto those that be more easie and delightfull For this is not thanksworthy to obey those commandements which doe nothing crosse your worldly profits and carnall pleasures but herein is your dutifulnes especially seene if you be content to forgoe your profit and abridge your selues of your pleasures that so you may keepe the commandements of the Lord. Moreouer if those which bring forth such fruites as those be condemned what shal we say of them that the worse then these that bring forth very little or no fruit at all which heare much and practise almost nothing who receiue Gods seede into their hearts but bring forth the diuells fruits in their liues We haue many such hearers as the Prophet Ezekâ—â—l had the people came vnto him Ezeck 33.31 and sate before him and heat this words yet world not do them but with their mouthes made iâ—stes and their
no further then thy eares or head it is easily taken from thee but if it descend to the bottome of thy heart it may there be safelie kept It is an heauenly treasure And therefore thou must imitate that man who finding a treasure in the field Math. 13.44 did hide it and for ioy thereof went and sold all that he had to buy that field Though men will suffer their baser stuffe and wodden vessell to be more common and lye more open and remaine in greater danger yet their best and most costly stuffe their iewells and coyne they will lay vp in the safest places So seeing the word of God is most precious of great value and worth lay it vp safely in the bottome of the heart Vse And if this be a property of good hearers to heare the word with their hearts then those who bring their bodies to the Church and leaue their hearts at home who draw neere to God with their lippes and with their eares when their hearts are farre from him cannot be good hearers If thou wouldest be of that number prepare thy heart before hand and while thou hearest let not thy heart be thinking on any by-matters but onely attend to that heare with thy heart as well as with thy eares and then shalt thou be blessed by thy hearing 2. Againe note hence more specially the qualitie and disposition of their hearts who heare profitably they heare with an honâ—st and good heart It is not any kind of heart that will make your hearing profitable it must be an honest and good heart Though thou shouldest heare with thy heart as well as with thy eares yet vnles it be a good heart it will little auaile thee For in the goodnes of the heart consâ—steth a maine difference betwixt these hearers and some of the former Those which be compared to stony ground did heare with their harts For they are saide not onely to heare but also to receiue the word with ioy Yet were they not good and honest hearts They were hard and stony and would not suffer the worde to take rooting deepe enough And those that be resembled to Thornie ground did heare with their hearts yet were their hearts not good They were full of worldly cares and carnall delights which afterward choaked the word But these receiued it with good and honest hearts Kale kaâ— agathe and therefore did both retaine it and obey it In describing of the qualitie of this their hart Christ here vseth two words which be of a neere yet not of the same signification There is some difference â—etwixt them the one properly signifieth faire beautifull seemly and comely the other signifieth good and excellent The one noteth the outward apparent qualitie the other expresseth the inward nature and inherent propertie of the thing Beza aâ—or maâ—â—â— in 〈◊〉 locâ—â— And so hereby is signified that the heart of these hearers is good each way both outwardly before men manifesting it self to be good by open profession by aboundance of fruites and by constant perseuerance And also inwardly in it selfe and before God by a sincere sanctification and holie disposition And so their heart differeth from the heartes of the former hearers For though they in receyuing the Worde with ioy in belieuing it and bringing forth some fruites of it did make some faire showe and gaue some outward signe of a good hearâ— yet their heart was not effectually sanctified within and they made those faire showes but for a time Afterward they reuolting in time of Tentation or failing in their fruites thorough worldly cares and voluptuousnes bewrayed the filthinesse of theyr hearts Those then that would bee good hearers must haue good hearts both waies Both inwardly in their owne nature and inclination as also outwardly before men by the fruites and testimonies As is the heart so will the hearing be Good meâ—te will not nourish that mans bodie who hath a bad stomacke that cannot well digest it before it be sent to other partes but eyther leaues it â—â—we or turnes it to grosse humors No more can sound Doctrine profite that man that hath a corrupt and wicked heart Obiection If this be so that no man that hath a bad heart should come to heare and if he doe come he shall loose his labour and neuer be made better by hearing But wee knowe the contrarie manie haue beene amended by hearing yea theyr bad haue bene made good Answere This must be vnderstoode of the whole acte of hearing Not onely of the time before they come to heare but also of the whole Time while they are in hearing Those men which had badde hearts before they came to heare and still haue badde heartes all the time of their hearing and goe away with as badde hearts as they brought with them shall neuer reape profite by theyr hearing But if theyr heattes were badde before yet are changed and sanctified by their hearing they are profitable and fruitfull hearers The hearts of those three thousand which were conuerted by one of Peters sermons Acts 2.37.41.42 were not good till they heard him preach but then were their harts pricked and made good And at that instant they became fruitfull hearers For they receyued the worde gladly were baptized added to the church and continued in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and breaking of bread and prayers The heart of Lydia was not good before shee heard Paul Act. 16.14 but God then opened her hart by opening it made it good and it being made good caused her to attend to his doctrine and to bring forth the fruites of it by kind entertaining of her teachers That vnbelieuer and vnlearned man 1. Cor. 14.24.25 which as the Apostle writeth came in when all did prophecie brought a bad heart with him For he was rebuked of all and iudged of all and the secrets of his heart made manifest yet was his hart made good in the very time of hearing and therefore did he fall downe on his face and worship God and said plainely that God is in you indeed Wherefore knowe this that so long as thy heart is bad thy hearing cannot be good but so soone as thy heart is changed thy hearing shall be profitable Augustin epist 118. c. 3. Retract 2.20 Some write that Manna tasted according to the disposition of the eaters to the good it had a sweete and pleasant taste euen such a taste as they desired Roffens lib. 1. c. 12. but to the bad a bitter and loathsome taste Though this be vncertaine Augustine once wrote it for certaintie Heskins parlâ—â—iâ—it 3.12 but afterward doubted of it because he could finde no warrant for it but onely in Apocrypha yet the like may be seene in the word of God our heauenly Manna It tasteth it nourisheth and profiteth the hearers according to the seuerall dispositions of their hearts To them which haue good hearts it is sweet comfortable and profitable to them
so meane and base in the iudgement of the world if they be performed in such a sort as the word directeth are most acceptable fruites such as God will approue and reward He that is a seruant and in his seruice is put to many base workes yet if he performe the common duties of all Christians and likewise performe the workes of his calling in such a manner as the word teacheth him the worke of his seruice are good fruits And therefore Paul bad seruants be obedient to their Maisters in singlenes of heart Ephes 6.5 as vnto Christ not with eye seruice as men pleasers but as the seruants of Christ doing the will of God from the heart As if by seruing their Maisters in a good sort they did serue Christ yea he lets them vnderstaÌ„d that God would reward that their seruice for whatsoeuer good thing any man doth that shall he receiue of the Lord Vers 8.2 Cor. 8.12 whether he be bond or free And elsewhere the Apostle teacheth that if there be first a willing minde it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not This bringeth forth of fruite is amplified 2. waies 1. by that maner 2. by the measure of it First by that maner of it for they are said to bring forth fruit with patience And herein may also be seen a differeÌ„ce betwixt these and one sort of the other hearers Those that be coÌ„pared to stony grouÌ„d in time of tentation fal away so fayle both in professioÌ„ practise and the reason is because they want patience to beare the crosses that doe follow the word But these at all seasons and in all estates continue constant both in their profession and practise because they be endued with patience to endure all troubles that doe befall them for the words sake After ground is sowne with corne it endures many violent stormes and intemperate seasons faire weather and fowle frost and snowe cold and raine in winter heate and drought in summer before it can beare fruit in haruest So those who heare and receiue the word for the saluation of their soules doe oftentimes endure great troubles and suffer much affliction before they can bring forth the fruits of it Yet if they be endued with patience they will be content to beare all Hence it is that the Apostle telleth the Hebrewes Hâ—â—â— 1â— 36 that they had neede of patience that after they had done the will of God they might receiue the promise As if by patience they might be made able in those bloodâ—â— daies of cruell persecution to doe the will of God and so to receiue the promises And through want of patience they should faile â—n the deede and not obtaine the promise And for this cause he exhorteth vs to runne with patience the race that is set before vs. Heb. 12.1 As if none could hold out to the end of the race but onely the patient And therefore in the midst of the greatest persecutions the patience and faith of the Saints is commended and admired As when it was said Reuel 13.10 Here is the patience and the faith of the Saints because by patience in bearing the crosse and by faith in beleeuing to receiue the crowne they were made constant Thus will patience arme a man against all crosses so that by it he shall be made able manifestly to encounter with them and safely to passe through them and not be hindered by any of them in the obedience of the word How soeuer in others crosses and tribulations doe breede fainting and relapse yet in these hearers Rom. 5.3 â— tribulation bringeth forth patience patience experience experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed What is the cause that one hearer to preuent foâ—â—e inconuenience which he feareth or to remoue some trouble that he feeleth will refuse to performe the dutie taught him And another will rather chuse to endure all crosses and losses all disgraces and dangers yea imprisonment and death then sinne against his God but because the one wanteth patience the other is endued with patience So necessarie is patience for our practise So greatly doth it further vs in our obedience This should be a motiue to perswade euery one of you to seeke for patience It is in vaine to heare Gods word with intent to obey it vnles by patience you possesse your owne soules for otherwise your owne crosse will stop your course to turne you out of the way that leadeth vnto life The more patience the more obedience the lesse patience the lesse obedience wee should loue religion so dearely as we must be content to suffer persecution for the profession and practise of it and rather lay down our liues for the maintenance of it then faile in the obedience of it The same minde ought to be in vs which was in the blessed Apostle Paul who knowing that bands and afflictioâ—s did abide in euery place yet passed not for them Act. 20.24 neither was his life deare vnto himselfe so that hee might fulfill his course with ioy Act. 21.13 And when he was told by Agabus the Prophet that he must be bound in Ierusalem did openly protest that he was readie not onely to be bound but also to die there for the name of the Lord Iesus Yet consider that you cannot endure the least of those things vnles you be endued with patience you know not what may befall you hereafter and therefore pray vnto God that he will grant you patience to beare that which shall come In time of publike peace and when the Gospell is defended by the authoritie of Magistrates men may endure some secret and priuate persecutiâ—â— by inferiour persons Especially in theâ—e popish parts where some hold of Christ some of Antichrist where papists grow headstrong through impunâ—tâ—e And where many are Protestants in shew but Papists in truth If they cannot persecute you by the sword they will persecute you by the tongue If not by fire and fagot as they were wont yet by priuate wrongs and spitefull displeasures Gen. 21.9 Yea the Church is no better now Gal. 4.29 then was Abrahams house in which the sonne of the bond woman by scoffes and mockes did persecute the sonne of the free woman Genes 4. Did not Caine and Abell sacrifice together yet Caine enioyed Abell because his sacrifice was better accepted and afterward flew him for it 2. Cor. 11. â—6 Was not Paul often in perills among false brethren And did you not heare out of Bernard how the Church complained that in her peace Pâ—xapagâ—â—â— pax 〈…〉 non 〈…〉 33. she had greatest bitternes Of a peaceable time he said Et pax est non est pax there is peace and there is not peace peace from Pagons peace from Heretikes yet not peace indeed from the sonnes Many friends were foes indeed We must therefore in all times looke to receiue some affliction for the
faith his wrath shall then be great Reuel 12.12 because hee shall know his time is short Doe not therefore imagine that it is an easie thing to get faith and that thou canst beleeue when thou list thou canst not haue faith but in despight of the Diuell so long as he can hinder thee by any meanes thou shalt not beleeue The Lord must enable thee to frustrate his attempts and must bestow this gift on thee against his will otherwise thou canst neuer receiue it But the more he labours to keepe vs from faith the more earnestly should we labour to obteyne it the more he hateth it the better should we loue it If it were not a most excellent grace he would not hinder vs of it 2. The other end why hee taketh away the word is this Lest they should be saued Where also two other like things may be considered one in respect of the word and faith another in respect of the Diuell 1. In respect of faith and the word that they will bring men to saluation For whereas Christ saith the Diuell takes the word out of mens hearts lest they should beleue be saued he therby insinuateth that if the word enter into the heart do there abide worke faith in it the man shall be saued And so he shall indeed For the Gospell as Paul saith is the power of God vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth Rom. 1.16 to the lew first and also to the Greacian 1 Cor. 1.21 And it pleased God by the foolishnes of preaching to saue them that beleeue Ioh. 20.31 And therefore the Evangelist saith These things are written that yee might beleeue and in beleeuing haue life through his Name The word bringeth vs to faith and faith to life euerlasting If we get the one we cannot fayle of the other Oh what an heauenly comfort is this to a beleeuing soule Cannot the Diuel by all his practises and pollicies hinder the worde from working faith in thy heart feare him not he cannot possibly hinder thee of eternall saluation in heauen Looke what assurance thou hast of thy present faith the same assurance mayst thou haue of the future saluation of thy soule If thou now beleeue thou shalt receiue the end of thy faith 1. Pet. 1.9 which is the saluation of thy soule But if Sathan so take the worde from thee that thou dost not beleeue neuer looke for saluation in heauen Onely he that beleeueth shall be saued 2. In respect of the Diuell hee is an vtter enemy to the saluation of mens soules he taketh away the word and hindereth them from faith that so hee may preuent their saluation This is the end of both the former The Diuell is enuious vnwilling he is that any of vs should enioy that glory in heauen which he hath lost As hee droue Adam and Eue out of the earthly Paradise so doth he what lyeth in him to keepe vs from the heauenly Paradise He goeth about like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may deuoure As the Ammonites Moabites Amalekites and many other heathen people would haue hindered the Israelites from entering into the land of Canaan So the Diuel all his Angels seeke to hinder vs from the Kingdome of heauen And as the Israelites subdued them before they could get possession So must wee through the mightie power of Christ subdue the Diuell before wee can enioy that most happy and glorious Kingdome Lastly to conclude all the poynts touching these hearers See what excellent things they lose who suffer the Diuell to take the worde out of their hearts They loose faith which is much more precious then gold as Saint Peter saith And hereafter they shall lose the saluation of their soules I. Pet. 1.7 which is more worth then all the world For as CHRIST sayeth What aduantageth it a man to winne the whole world and lose his owne soule Mat. 16.2 You may thinke it little danger to suffer the Diuell to take the worde out of your heartes And it may be some had rather haue it taken from them then the least parte of their worldly riches but know that it is a precious Iewell If you keepe it you retaine all grace and happinesse with it If you leaue it you lose all goodnes with it Oh then when you haue heard it make much of it and keepe it safely and be content rather to lose any thing yea all things that you haue then lose it If you did truely know and would duely consider the danger of this losse you would be more carefull to keepe the word and more afrayde of losing it You who haue Deedes of your Lands and Leases of your houses are very carefull to keepe them safely you will keepe them vnder locke and key and that in the safest place of your houses because you hold your lands liuings by them and may lose your lands and liuings if you lose them As carefull should you be to keepe the word you hold your inheritance by it It is your euidence If it be taken from you you shall lose faith and Gods fauour in this world and the happy possession of an euerlasting and glorious Kingdome in the world to come And they that are on the stones are they which when they haue heard receiue the word with joy Now followeth the exposition of the second kind of ground to wit the rockie and stonie ground Christ declareth who are meant thereby euen another sort of vnprofitable heaters And that he might the better lay open their nature and condition and let all men see who they are he describeth them at large by 4. scuerall properties 1. They heare and receiue the worde with ioy These hearers goe farther then the former The former sort heard the word but vnderstood it not if they vnderstood the words they vnderstood not the matter But these are not blamed for that fault they vnderstood it well and therefore are sayde to receiue it their receiuing of it is made a distinct thing from their hearing Again the other lost it as soone as they heard it the Diuel soon took it from them but these keepe it a great while euen all the time of peace they doe not renounce it till they be presecuted for it Moreouer those did not affect it the Diuell kept it from entring deepe into their hearts he tooke it presently out of their hearts lest it should worke vpon their affections they were such as heard it for fashion sake yet had no great liking or louâ— of it in their hearts These do much affect it it pierceth their hearts it moueth their affections they reioyce in it Lastly those did not so beleeue as these doe either they did not belecue it at all or with an hystoricall faith onely beleeue it to be true but not making such profession of it nor yeelding such outward obedience to it as these doe as afterward shall be shewed The first propertie is that they
much reioyce them and more comfort them then the word can d ee 3. Their ioy dâ—â—reth in the coÌ„panions for the ioy of the regenerate is neuer found alone bâ—â—â—â— alwaies accompanied with many other holy affections They so reioyce as that they also feare and tremble in respecâ— of the Lords Maiestie and their owne infirmitie According as Dauâ—d exhorteth Psa 2.12 Reioyce with trembling He himselfe reioyceth greatly yet hee saith Psa 119.120 My flesh trembleth for feare of thee and I am afrayde of thy iudgements yea the godly doe worke out their saluation with feare and trembling when as the vnregenerate so reioyce as that withall they are secure and presumptuous Againe the regenerate so reioyce in the word as they put great trust and sure confidence in God and his word As Dauâ—d who said I reioyce in God because of his word In God do â— trust Psal 56.1.11 I will not be afraide what man can doe vnto me Psal 119.42 I shall make answere to my blasphemers for I trust in thy word When they see no meanes for the performance of Gods promises they will trust his word which confidenceâ— often wanting in the vnregenerate he will trust Gods word no further then he see meanes for the accomplishment of it Moreouâ—r the godly man so reioyceth in the word as he loueth it aboue all things Therfore did Dauâ—d say of himselfe Oh how loue I thy law Psal â—19 â—â—â—vers 47. vers 121.136.139 it is my meditation continually And my delight shall be in thy commaundements which I haue loued yea they so loue it as they hate all things contratie vnto it I hate vaine inuentions but thy law doe I loue said the same holy man of God yea his eyes gushed out with riuers of water because men kept not the law his zeale did euen consume him because his enemies had forgotten Gods word These affections cannot be found in the vnregenerate If they sometime haue them it is in a farre lesser measure 4. Lastly their ioy differeth in the countinance The vnregenerate man reioyceth much at the first hearing and vnderstanding of the Gospell afterward his ioy abateth Euen as the Israelites liked their Manna well at the beginning but loathed it within a while after And as Iewes well haue reioyced in Iohn Baptists doctrine Ioh. 5.35 for a season but not long But the ioy of the regenerate continueth alwaies one and the same In processe of time it rather encreaseth then decreaseth Their faith groweth strong their hope more stedfast their outward man decayeth their inward man is renewed daily their graces increase and they continually find more experience of Gods fauour toward them in Christ and therefore their ioy must needs be greater and greater The ioy of the vnregenerate is like to a violent motion which is swifter at the beginning then at the end but the ioy of the regenerate is like to a naturall motion which is as swift or swifter at the end then at the beginning Besides this the ioy of the godly continueth as well in aduersitie as in prosperitie as well in persecutioÌ„ as in peace Dauid in the midst of his afflictioÌ„s could say Pâ— 56.4 I reioyce in God because of his word I will not feare Psal â— 19.50 what flesh can do vnto me It was his comfort in trouble the Lords promise did theÌ„ quickeÌ„ him Vers 43. yea when trouble anguish was come vpon him the Lords commandements were his delight Christ promised such ioy to the Apostles as no man could take from them Men did reuile them Ioh. 16.22 did imprison them did whip scourge them and cruelly persecute them Act. 5.41 yet could they not take their ioy froÌ„ them They reioyced that they were accounted worthy to suffer for Christs sake Act. 16.25 did sing chearefully in prison when their feet were made fast in the stockes But it is not so with the vnregenerate hypocrites A little persecution for the Gospell will turne their ioy into sorrow Euen these hearers who in the beginning of this verse are said to receiue the word with ioy in the latter end of it are said in the time of tentation to fall away Seeing then there is such difference of ioy doe not content your selues with such a ioy as may be found in the vnregenerate but secke for such ioy as is peculiar to Gods Saints 2. The second properties in these hearers is this they haue no rootes Not as if they had no rootes at all for then they should not grow at all they could not be said to fall away in time of tentation they would presently wither away before tentation did come but the meaning is that they haue no deepe rootes they haue no such rootes as will seede them and make them able to yeeld fruit therfore are they resembled to rockie and stony ground which lacketh moysture and will neither suffer corne sowne in it to take any deepe rooting nor to prosper long Rockes and great stones are oftentimes hid in the ground and couered ouer with earth And therefore the land there is soft and moyst aboue but hard and dry belowe And the corne sowne there may sprout and growe for a while but not long if heate drought doe come it will be parched and wither away for lacke of moysture Such is the case of some hearers their hearts being mollified in part somewhat soft aboue but very hard below toward the bottome will not suffer the word to take any deepe rooting in them It may enter into their harts yet it cannot pearce into the bottome of them It may be some rooting yet very ebbe and shallow It may prosper for a while and they make some profession of it yet not long And in regard hereof they become vnprofitable hearers So as from hence we may obserue a double danger and inconuenience of an heart that is not throughly mollified to the bottome It both hindereth the rooting of the word and also the fruitfulnes of it 1. It hindereth the rooting of the word so as it cannot possibly go deepe enough the word should descend to the bottome of the heart and there take rooting and be continually nourished with the moysture of it but it cannot descend so farre vnles it be throughly mollified Not onely they whose hearts are altogether hard as was the hart of Pharaoh when he heard Moses and Aaron and the Scribes and Pharises when they heard Christ but also they whose hearts are softened onely in part are vnprofitable hearers As not onely those rockes which be bare on the top and altogether hard and haue no manner of foyle and moysture aboue but likewise those which be couered with a litle moysture and earth aboue but not much are vnfit to receiue seede The one will not receiue the seede at all nor suffer it to sprout or shoote forth a blade the other will cause it to sproute and shoote forth a
those that be worse who will not heare it who will not beleeue it who doe mislike it yea maligne him that teacheth any thing that is against their pleasures or profites and are ready to worke him some mischiefe Oh that these woulde consider their estate and remember how farre they are from that profitable hearing which must saue their soules 2. The second thing to be obserued in generall respecteth the causes of their choaking which are three in number Cares of the worlde riches and voluptuous liuing From all which together wee may learne that noysome lusts and bad affections in the heart doe greatly hinder the fruitfull hearing of Gods word Yea though the heart be much mooued with the word for a time and be very like to profite by hearing and the hearer haue a purpose to follow the word yet corrupt affections of care couetousnesse and voluptuousnesse will hinder the fruitfulnesse of the worde As thornes are to ground that is sowne so are these affections to the hearers of Gods word You know that although the Soyle were reasonable good of it selfe yet if thoâ—nes grow among the corne they will not suffer the ground to yeâ—lâ—e any good crâ—ppe So if hearers haue indifferent good mindes of themselues especially if some froward affections were expelled yet so long as those affections remaine in them they will hinder the growth of the worde And therefore Peter exhorteth vs 1. Pet. 2.1.2 first to lay aside all maliciousnes all guile 〈…〉 â—â—tion and â—nuie and then as new borne babes to desire the syncere milke of the worde that we may grow thereby Iam. 1.21 And Iames biddeth vs lay apart all filthinesse and superfluitie of maliciousnes and receiue with meeknes the ingrafted word which is able to saue our soules If grosse humours abide in the stomacke they will not suffer it to digest the meate which is eaten but will make it rather to hurt then to nourish the body So if there be froward and inordinate affections in your harts they will so hinder the efficacy of the word as it shall not profite you to the saluation of your soules Vse This shoulde teach you so often as you come to heare to looke vnto your hearts and to emptie them of all wicked affections remayning in them As you are carefull when you plow and sow your fields to rid vp by the rootes all thornes bryars and bushes lest they should hinder the corne So be you carefull to free your heartes from these badde affections when you come to heare Mat. 10.16 Christ biddeh you to be as wise as Serpents Now this is one poynt of the Serpents wisedome as the learned doth teach Epiphan contra haresâ—har 37 Ambros praefat in enarrat Psal 37. Bernard de modo vivend serm 28. Ier. 4.4 That when he is thirstie he goeth from his hole to the water yet before he drinke he casteth vp the poyson which was neere his throate Imitate him therein If any poyson of bad affections be found in your hearts expell them lest they hinder the efficacy of the word Yea as the Prophet saith Breake vp your fallow ground and sow not among thornes Be circumcised to the Lord and take away the fore-skins of your hearts that so you may heare to the profit comfort of your soules Let vs now see in particular and seuerally what are the things which like thornes doe choake the seede of the word Three be here named The first of them is Care and because there be two kindes of care the one a godlie and spirituall care 1. Cor. 7.32 33. to care for the things of the Lord how we may please him and to care for the things of the soule how it may bee saued The other a worldly and carnall care to care for the things of the world how to please men and how to prouide for our bodies in this world Mat. 13.22 In the other Euangelists both in Mathew and Marke they are called Mat. 4.19 for distinction sake Cares of the world These cares are as thornes to choake the word in the hearers hearts They do oftentimes keepe men from hearing at all Luk. 10.40.41 Martha was carefull to prouide good fare for her guests troubled herselfe about many things when with her sister Mary shee should rather haue heard Christs doctrine Those guests who were innited to the wedding feast Luk. 14.18 made excuses that one had bought a Farme and must needes goe see it another had bought 5. yoke of Oxen and must goe prooue them another had maried a Wife and therefore could not come Worldly cares keepe many from the Church who would not be absent if their worldly businesse did not draw them another way yet will not bee present if their absence serue for their gaine So doe these cares make their hearing altogether vnprofitable euen as thornes make the sowne ground vnfruitfull Some haue their hearts so exercised with thinking and plotting of worldly matters that they cannot attend to the word deliuered Others hauing beaten their braines and busied their heads before fall to sleepe when they should heare Others that bee awake and listen haue no loue nor liking of that which is taught The thinges of the worlde haue so put their mouthes out of taste as they can finde no sweetnesse in the word Others attend seeme to like all wel for a time yet afterward the cares of the worlde enter into their heades and heartes and driue the worde out of them euen as one naile driues out another There may be in them for a time some striuing and strugling betwixt the world and the word but the world ouercomes in the end and maketh them no better then if they had neuer heard Christ bad his Disciples take heede to themselues Luk. 21.34 least at any time their hearts were oppressed with surfetting and drunkennes and cares of this life and least the last dâ—y should come on them at vnawares Because cares of the world doe oppresse the heart as wel as surfetting and drunkennes and make vs vnfit for his comming to Iudgement Our people are much oppressed with worldly cares they rise early and lye downe late and eate the bread of carefulnes they busie their heades they beate their braines they weary their bodies they breake their sleep they weaken their strength they hinder their health and shorten their liues with carking and caring toyling and moyling about worldly affayres and this is one speciall cause why they heare so much and profite so little These then who would be profitable hearers must before and after their hearing keepe these cares out of their heartâ—s Let them remember the exhortation giuen by Christ Mat. 6.25 Be not carefull for your life what you shall eate nor what you shal drinke nor for your body what rayment yee shall put on Is not the life more worth then meate and the body then rayment Which of you by taking care is
the sword we should rather huÌ„ble our selues with sorrowfull repentance with fasting prayers theÌ„ delight our selues with the pleasures of the flesh If any will theÌ„ addict theÌ„selues to their woÌ„ted delights we may say to them as Elishah said to his seruant Gehazâ— 2. King 5.26 Is this a time to receiue money and to receiue garments and oliues and sheepe and oxen Is this a time to sport your selues with carnall pleasures and wordly delights Is it not rather a time of mourning then of ioyes We must weepe with them that weepe And therefore if our brethren and neere neighbours feele the hand of God heauie on them we must then forbeare our pleasures and mourne for them Rom. 12.15 The Lord denounced a fearefull woe against them that were at ease in Sion which did lye vpon beds of Iuorie and stretch themselues vpon their beds Amos. 6.4.5.6 did eate the lambes of the flocke and the calues out of the stall Did sing to the sound of the violl and inuented to themselues instrumeÌ„ts of musicke like Dauid Did drinke wine in bowles and annoynt themselues with the chiefe oyntments but were not sorry for the affliction of Ioseph Know then that all times are not seasonable for your pleasures And then onely vse them when it is fitting 4. Doe not content your selues onely with carnall and earthly pleasures but also seeke for spirituall and heauenly pleasures Doe not count this to be your onely pleasure 2. Pet. 2.13 to liue delicâ—ously for aseason as some heretofore haue done and were iustly taxed by the Apostle But know that there (a) Rom. 7.22 are delights for the inward man as well as for the outward There is (b) Psal 1.2 a delight in the lawe of God There (c) Rom. 1.4 is consolation by the scriptures There is (d) Phil. 21. consolation in Christ And a reioycing (e) Gal. 6.14 in the Crosse of Christ There is (f) Rom. 14.17 a ioy in the holy Ghost There is (g) Phil. 1.25 a ioy of faith There is (h) Rom. 12.12 a reioycing in hope There is a (i) 2. Cor. 1.12 reioycing in the testimonie of a good conscience Do not therfore satisfie thy selfe with outward and corporall delights but seeke also for those that be inward and spirituall these are more permanent and profitable and will yeeld true comfort to thy soule Be like that blessed man who delighteth in the law of God Psal 1.2 and meditateth therein day and night who feareth the Lord Ps 112.1 and delighteth greatly in his commandements Imitate the blessed Virgin Luk. 1.47 whose spirit reioyced in God her Sauiour And the holie Apostle who delited in the law of GOD Luk. 1.47 concerning the inward man Rom. 7.22 Then shalt thou bee satisfied with the fatnesse of the Lords house Psal 2â— â— and he shall giue thee drinke out of the Riuer of his pleasures Ps 1â— 11 as Dauid speaketh There be also pleasures in heauen for in the presence of God is fulnesse of ioy and at his right hand are pleasures for euermore Those farre excell all the pleasures of the garden of Eden They yeelde full contentment and make all them happie which doe enioy them Therefore seeke especially for them A woefull thing it is to enioy pleasure in this life which is but short and to endure paine in the other life which is eternall If you cannot be partakers of both together seeke for the better Make Moses choyce who refused the delights of Pharaohs Hâ—b 11.25 Court and chose rather to suffer aduersitie with the people of God then to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season Lastly from the consideration of all these Thornes together wee may obserue that not one onely corrupt affection but likewise manye corrupt affections in mans heart doe choake the seede of the word Euen all these three mentioned before A man may as well be hindered by one of them as by an other as well by any one of them as by all of them It is not impossible to finde them all three in one the same man A man may be much perplexed with worldly cares how to get and encrease riches and when he hath gotten them hee may be deceiued by them in thinking too highly of them in louing them too dearely and trusting too much vnto them He may then also liue in pleasure he may be carefull to get riches and to encrease them that so hee may consume them on his owne lustes By reason of his worldly care and the deceitfulnes of his riches he may be sparing and niggard-like in relieuing of others yet in regarde of voluptuousnes he may spend much on himselfe That Rich-man Luke 12. Lu. 12.19 had much goods layde vp for himselfe for many yeares Not any for others but all for himselfe and therefore he would liue at ease eate drinke and take his pastime And the rich glutton Luk. 16.19.21 which would not giue so much as the crums that fell from his table to poore Lazarus was giuen to pleasure spent much on his owne back belly Such men as these haue many thornes growing in the field of their hearts they haue many impediments to hinder them in the obedience of the word And therefore cannot be profitable hearers and diligent practisers of the word The more thornes growe in a sowne field the lesse corne is reaped at haruest So of all carnall hearers these yeeld the least fruit Yet are these three things distinguished one from another as was shewed before are oftentimes seuered in their subiects one of them may be found in one man and not either of the other And one of the other may be found in another man and not that A man may be carefull and yet poore A man may be rich and yet not giuen to pleasure And all of them haue their speciall and seuerall effects one hindering after one manner and another after another manner And therefore any one of these is able of it selfe to hinder the fruitfulnes of the word You knowe there be many kindes of thornes with vs there be white thornes and black thornes hawthornes and slowthornes And the word in the originall Scapulae lexicon in Akantha is taken not onely for thornes but likewise for bryars and bramblâ—s and any thing that hath prickes And therefore as one kind of thornes if there be many of that kind may as well hinder the fruitfulnes of your fields as many kindes So one kind of corrupt affections in your harts may hinder the efficacie of the word as well as many And therefore as when you plow and sow your ground you rid vp not onely one kinde of thornes and bryars but likewise all of each kind So when you heare the word expell out of your hearts not onely all bad affections of one kind but likewise all bad affections of each kind It is lamentable to see how
vnto his father because that although he had hid these thinges from the wise and men of vnderstanding yet he had reuealed them vnto babes Though some of his hearers in Capernaum tooke offence at his doctrine of eating his flesh Ioh. 6.66.68 drinking king his blood and from that time went backe and walked with him no more Yet the Apostles would not forsake him but fâ—ely ackdowledged that they would neuer leaue him because he had the words of eternall life and they did beleue that he was the Christ the Sonne of the liuing God When he preached in the Temple at the Feast of the Tabernacles Ioh. 7.40.41.43.46 there was dissention among his hearers Some sayde Of a truth this is the Prophet Others sayd This is the Christ Some sayde Shall Christ come out of Galilie Others said Neuer man spake like him At another time some that heard him saide hee had a Diuell and was mad Ioh. 10.20.21 and blamed men for hearing him any longer Others said These are not the wordes of one that hath a Diuell Can the Diuell open the eies of him that was borne blind Such diuersity of hearers had Christ his worde did not worke alike in all that hard it Some waxed worse some were made better by hearing of it The like effect was seene in Pauls hearers When he and Barnabas preached at Iconium â—â—â— 14.1.2 â— a great multitude both of Iewes and Graecians beleeued though there were some vnbeleeuing Iewes that stirred vp and corrupted the mindes of the Gentiles against the brethren In that deuision of the Citie though some were with the Iewes yet some were with the Apostles Act. 17.32.34 And when he preached at Athens some mocked him for his doctrine of the Resurection some would heare him againe as if they were not fully resolued but desired to be further instructed yet certaine men did cleaue to Paul beleeued as Denys a Iudge of Mars Streete Damaris a woman and others with them And thus it pleaseth GOD still to blesse the Ministerie of his seruants Though they cannot conuert all yet they doe conuert some they doe not altogether lose their labour As there is no field so barren but if it be sowne some seede will come vp and yeeld encrease so is there no place or congregation so bad but if the truth be there sincerely taught it will in time winne some Though some continue obstinate and remaine as ignorant as Popish and as prophane as euer they were before they heard Yet Wisedome shall be iustifyed of her children as many as are ordayned to eternall life shall beleeue Some shal be called and by hearing shall grow in knowledge in grace and obedience This may comfort and encourage vs in our labours Though it bee some griefe to see many non proficients who heare much and are neuer the better yet if it please the Lord to giue some happie issue vnto our labours that wee edifie some though not all that wee profite a few though not many wee should therewith be content and praise the Lord for it If indeede wee should conuert none at all yet must wee not faint but still continue our paines and expect a reward at the Lords hands for he will reward our laboures though we should do others no good thereby And therefore the Prophet sayd Isai 49.4 I haue laboured in vaine I haue spent my strength in vaine and for nothing but my iudgement is with the Lord and my worke with my God It is not our worke but the Lords worke 1. Cor. 3.6 to conuert soules Paul may plant Apollos may water but it is God that giueth the encrease Wee haue receiued and taken vpon vs Curam non curationem Bernard de consider lib. 5. cap. 3. A care and a charge not a curing Non est in medico semper releuetur vt ager It is not in the power of the Physition to cure his sicke patient at his pleasure Euery one of vs shall receiue a reward 1. Cor. 3.8 Secundum laborem non secundum prouentum according to his labour not according to his fruit As Bernard well obserued 1. Cor. 15.10 And therefore Paul sayd not I haue profited more then all but I haue laboured more then they all And rather reioyced in the abundance of his labours then in the fruitfulnesse of his laboures 2. Cor. 11.23 It a quaso fac â—â— quod tuumest Nam Deus quod suum est satis obsque tua solicitudine anxietate curabit Doe then I pray thee that which is thy office and dutie God will haue care enough of that which belongeth vnto him sayd the same Bernard But if we conuert and edifie some by our poore Ministerie we may comfort our selues by them and say of them as Paul did of the Corinthians 1. Cor. 9.2 Yee are the seale of our Apostleshippe in the Lord. And as hee did of the Thessalnians 1. Thes 2.19 What is our hope or ioy or crowne of reioycing Are not euen you it in the presence of our Lord Iesus Christ at his comming When wee sow good seede in the Lords field the enuious man soweth tares Wee must not looke that in a populous congregation all should be good and true hearers If some onely be good and profitable hearers let vs praise GOD for them and pray vnto him dayly to encrease their number But to come neerer to the properties of these hearers in particular In the description of them and by comparing them with the former hearers wee may easilie perceiue that in some thinges they doe agree with them in some thinges they differ from them and doe much excell them There were some commendable thinges in diuers of the former hearers and would haue wrought good in them if they had beene well vsed In these things doe these good hearers agree with them They haue the selfe-same things though in a better maner and with better vse 1. They agree with them in that they heare as well as the rest All the persons spoken of in this Parable are hearers both good and bad and they all heare one and the same doctrine though not after one and the same maner nor with the like efficacy and fruit z And therefore those which refuse to heare eyther through error as our Recusants or through contempt and negligence as some carelesse and carnall people are so farre from beeing the ground here mentioned as that they are worse then the bad ground spoken of before There cannot be any goodnesse in their hearts nor yet in their liues Can any field yeeld a good crop of corne at haruest which was not sowne at the seede time They are worse then many reprobates haue beene and are How then can they looke to be as good as the Elect are and shall be 2. They agree in the vnderstanding of the word for it is sayd in Mathew He that receiueth seed in good ground Mat. 13.23 is
Dei maiorem fâ—uctum in vno homine factat quam 〈◊〉 secundâ—m quod tâ—raipsa mâ—gis ulonea est CommeÌ„t 1. Math. 13. how some referre theÌ„ to beginners to proceeders and to the perfect some to Virgines Widowes and maried persons some to thought speeche and deede some to them who expose their goods their bodies and their liues for Christ Yet saith he Christ seemeth heere to meane that outwardly the worde of GOD doth conuert more in one place then in another and aâ—so that the same word of God doth bring forth more fruit in one man then in another According as the ground is fitter Tollet hâ—uing propounded the different expositions of some Fathers (29) Donâ—nus de fructu ipso loquitur qui non semper statui responâ—et praeterealoquitur de fructu seminis dumest in terra volens significare se loqui de â—s qui in hoc sâ—culo fructus â—osie referunt Comment in Luk. 8. annot 17. saith their opinion is the fittest who referre that difference of fruits vnto mens persons as they worke well better and best in this world in what estate soeuer they bee because they doe not alwaies liue perfectly who are in a perfect state And it often commeth to passe that they who are in a lower state bring forth greater and more abundant fruite then they who are in an higher for the Lord speaketh of the fruit it self which is not alwaies answerable to the state And hee speaketh of the fruite of the seede while it is in the earth Whereby he would signifie that hee spake of them who bring forth these fruits in this world Iansâ—nius saide (30) Centesâ—â—â— affeâ—â—â—â— qui perfectam ac sumam vitam agunt sexagesimum vero qui mediocrem trigesimum qui in seriores sunt fructum tamen boâ—um afferentes pro suis viribus Concord Euangel c. 47. They bring forth an hundred folde who leade a perfect and chiefest life They bring forth sixty fold who lead an indifferent good life And they thirty who are infetiour yet bring forth good fruite according to theyr abilitie Mâ—ldoâ—atus reckoneth vp fiue seuerall opinions cut of the Fathers yet will not stand to any of them but saith (31) Fructum vocat â—ut opera bona que sides verbi Dei fructus esse soâ—nt vt Math. 21.4 aut vitum aeternamâ— 2. Cor. 9.6 In Math. 13.23 That Christ calleth fruite eyther Good workes which are accustomed to be the fruits of Faith and of the word of God As when it is sayd The kingdome of God shall be taken from you and giuen to an other Nation which shall bring forth the fruites thereof Math. 21.42 Or else eternall life as 2. Cor. 9.6 Galat. 6.7.8 Iam. 3.18 Do not therfore blame me though in expounding the variety of those fruites I doe dissent from the Rhemists and from the Cardinall seeing I haue the consent of so many of the Fathers and of your owne writers SECT XVI. BVt to conclude least I might seeme ouer-much to exceed the lâ—ngth of a Postscript I knowe your Priests do confidently tell you that they haue all the ancieÌ„t Fathers on their side against vs Euen as Eutiches and Dioscorus insolently bragged (1) See concil Chalcedon act 1. that the Fathers taught their errour And as the Arians falsly pretended (2) Athanas epist De sentent Dionysy Alexandr contra Arianos that Dyonisius Alexandrinus was of their opinion And as the Pelagians (3) Bellarm. de amiss grat statu peccat lib. 4 cap. 9. alledged Clemens Alexandrinus Ambrose Arnobâ—us Chrysost others as maintainers of their heresie I haue therfore giuen you a tast of that vntruth euen in those Controuersies touched in these sermoÌ„s The like hath beue done by others and may be done againe in other Controueâ—siâ—s Doe not therefore belieue those their vaine brags Againe whereas they boast much of vnitie doe make it a marke of the Church and would thereby proue (4) Bellarm. de not 〈◊〉 4. cap. 10. themselues to be the true church you may by these few points euidently see that they haue many â—arres and contentions about the chiefest points of faith As the Anâ—â—â— long agoe were (5) 〈◊〉 histor lib. 5.22 noted not onely to differ in opinion from the orthodox all fathers of the Church but likewise to differ much one from another and that in many points of religion So may it now be obserued that the papists doe not onely varie from vs but likewise dissent many waies one from another And that not onely in ceremonies and circumstances or matters of lesser moment as they charge vs to contend among our selues but likewise in the substantiall points of mans saluation in the very forme nature and properties of a iustifying faith And lastly whereas you all pretend that you haue that true faith in Iesus Christ which is able to saue your soules I would wish you to consider that all those doe dâ—ceiue themselues therein who doe not testifie their faith by their workes as the Apostle teacheth Much hath bene written and that by sundry men in times past touching the bad maners of Rome we who reade those reports and doe knowe the maner of your conuersation may well imagine that sinfull deeds are the proper fruites of poperie And that papists wheresoeuer they be whether at Rome or else where are all alike prophane in their behauiour I know that like pharises you are very strict in obseruing humane preceps as not to eate an egge in Lent not to doâ— any worke on one of the superstitious holydaies abrogated in our Church not to go out of the doores before you haue blessed your selues with the signe of the crosse not to take the better hand of a crosse standing in the high way side not to speake of a dead man vnles you say God haue mercy on his soule Yet are most of you very carelesse in keeping Gods commandements Where may we finde more vngodly swearing more impious profanation of the Sabboth more wilfull disobedience to lawfull authoritie more beastly drunkennes and disordered drinkings and swaggering more filthy whore dome more wastfull gaming more bitter rayling and vncharitable back-byting then is to be seene in the Recusants and non-communicants of this Countrey And so infectious is sinne that theyr bad example doth corrupt the mind and manners of manie about them Doe these hope to be sâ—ued by their good works Will these be accounted confessours of theyr Religion Boni sunt catholici qui fideÌ„ integram sequuÌ„tur bonos more 's Quast in Mat ca. 11. And yet keepe no good conscience in theyr conuersation Augustine sayd truely That they are good Catholickes who follow both sound Faith and good manners Why then should we account them good Catholickes who haue neyther sound Faith nor good manners The Lord of his mercie open your eyes that you see his truth and come out of Babell And also worke true faith in your heartes that you may through hs Sonne inherite his euerlasting kingdome Amen FINIS LONDON Printed by Tho Creede for Arthur Iohnson dwelling at the signe of the white horse neere the great North dore of Saint Paules Church 1614.
he that heareth the word and vnderstandeth it Mat. 13.19 And although the first sort of bad hearers are sayd to heare and not vnderstand Yet the other two fortes are insinuated to haue vnderstood for how could they receiue the word with ioy vnlesse they vnderstood it How could cares of the world the deceitfulnesse of riches and voluptuous liuing choake the word after it was heard vnlesse it had beene vnderstood So that as the vnderstanding of the word is not sufficient to make you good hearers so on the other side the want of vnderstanding declareth you to be bad hearers All good hearers vnderstand the word though not onely they Good hearers must practise that which is taught them But how can they practise that which they vnderstand not 3. They agree in their affection to the word Those that be as stony grouÌ„d receiue the worde with ioy So also doe these good hearers though the thing it selfe be not expresly meÌ„tioned The Gospell is glad tydings and reioyceth the hearts of all that embrace it There is no commendable propertie in the reprobate and vnprofitable hearers but it is found in the elect and profitable hearers and that in a more excellent manner And therefore those who are nothing mooued nor comforted by the word are worse then some bad hearers and must not be reckoned in the number of good hearers Notwithstanding in this description of these good hearers wee may perceiue that in diuers other things they differ much from all the former hearers and therein doe greatly exceede and excell them all They are described by three properties and by them all they differ from the rest 1. By the manner of receiuing the word They receiue it with an honest and good heart 2. By the maner of reteyning it They keep it 3. By the maner of practising it They bring forth fruit and that with patience and plentie Touching the first propertie 2. things may bee noted The one more genenerall and that is the instrument of hearing it is with the heart The other more speciall and that is the qualitie and disposition of their heart it is an honest and good heart 1. Concerning the former we may hence obserue that those who will be profitable hearers of Gods most holy word must heare it with their hearts not onely with their eares to harken vnto the sound of it while it is vttered nor onely with their heads to vnderstand that which is deliuered but likewise with their hearts to keepe it and obey it Deut. 6.6 The Lord required of the Iewes that the words which he commanded them should be in their heart The wise man thus exhorted his sonne Proâ— 3.1.3 Forget not thou my law but let thine heart keepe my coÌ„mandements binde them on thy necke and write them vpon the table of thine heart And for this cause when Lydia went to heare Paul Act. 16.14 the Lord opened her heart that so she might attend to the things which Paul spake If her hart had bene shut so as the word could not enter in she had bene an vnprofitable hearer but God opening her heart that shee might receiue the word into it shee became a profitable hearer And there is great reason why al profitable hearers should receiue the word with the heart and into the heart 1. For the reformation and direction of the heart Gen. 6.5 by nature mans heart is corrupt yea all the imaginations of the thoughts of his heart are onely euill continually And out of the heart remayning corrupt come euill thoughts Mat. 15.19 Murthers Adulteries Fornications Thefts false Testimonies Slaunders such like sins which defile the man as Christ teacheth Now the worde is an Instrument of sanctification Ioh. 15.3 Christ said his Disciples were al clean through the word which he had spokeÌ„ to them And praâ—ed to his Father Ioh. 17.17 Sanctify them with thy trueth Ephe. 5.26 thy word is the trueth And the Apostle teacheth that GOD doth sanctify the Church clense it by the washing of the water through the word Now theÌ„ the plaister must be applyed to the place that is wounded or sore If it be applied to any other place it will do no good If the disease come froÌ„ the hart or inward parts it is in vain to lay the plaister to the head to the eare to the hand or to the foote so long as the heart inward parts are not cured they will minister new corrupt matter to the outward parts If then our hearts be corrupt we must not onely be content to apply the word to the eares by hearing it to the head by vnderstanding it to the tongue by talking of it but also to the heart for the purging of it at the first and for the guiding of it alwaies afterward 2. Againe the heart is the seate of the affections you must therefore receiue the word into your hearts that so it may worke on your affections both to sanctifie them as also to stirre them vp vnto good Thou must loue the word trust in the word and reioyce in the word or rather thou must loue God trust in God and reioyce in God because of his word as was shewed before in the example of Dauid Thou canst not doe this vnles thou receiue the word with thy heart As meate cannot nourish thy body vnles it be receiued into thy stomacke And as seede can neuer sprout nor come vp vnles it be cast into the furrowes and clods of the earth no more will the word profit thy soule vnles it be receiued into by heart 3. Moreouer the heart is the commander of the whole man and sets all on worke according to the disposition of it selfe Of the abundance of the hart the mouth speaketh as saith our Sauiour Math. 12.34.35 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things and an euill man out of the euill treasure of his heart bringeth forth euill things As the primuâ—â— mobile doth turne all the other inferiour orbes round about with it And as the watch wheele of a clocke guideth all the other wheeles If it stand they stand if it goe they goe if it goe slowly they goe slowly if it go swiftly they go swiftly So doth the heart of man rule and order all the senses and parts of his body either to good or euill they are exercised as it is affected Those then that would be obedient hearers of the word must needes receiue and embrace it with their hearts that so their hearts louing and lyking and beleeuing it may set all their senses and all the parts of their bodies on worke to practise it 4. Lastly the heart is the safest place for it As sowne corne if it lye on the top of the furrowes may easily be deuoured by the fowles of the ayre but if it be hid and couered is free from that danger so the word which thou hearest if it goe