This seed of it selfe is very fruitfull but according to the diuerse conditions of the ground that is of the hearers it yeeldeth none at all or diuerse fruit For the heart of some is like an high way which is worne and trodden on of all that is which without any choice is laid open to all vncleane thoughts and desires Their heart is like a common Inne which admitteth and receiueth all kinde of men good and bad knowne and vnknowne for it maketh no difference of good or euill thoughts It is like vnto a crazed boate which leaketh water at euery chinke It is like a Citie without walles or gates which is easily inuaded of the enemy Like a vineyard without a hedge whose fruit is spoiled of euery one that passeth by To conclude such a soule is like vnto a house without a dore or locke which euery one vseth as a filthy stable And how shamefull a thing is it to suffer the soule to bee thus polluted with all vncleane thoughts it may appeare by this one example Were it not an indelible shame for a woman to fall into the degree of impudency to prostitute her selfe in a common stewes Et omnibus sui copiam facere And what an ignominy then is it vnto the soule to receiue within it all vncleane thoughts and desires which the deuill offereth without any difference What is this else but to commit spirituall fornication with the harlot whereof the Lord speaketh by the Prophet Ieremy Ier. 2. Like an harlot thou runnest about vpon all high Hilles and vnder euery greene Tree What fruite now should the word of God yeeld in such a heart For euen as an harlot though shee know many men yet she remaineth alwaies barren So though they oftentimes heare the word yet are nothing bettered thereby For these vices doe distract the minde with diuers perturbations that they will not permit it quietly and attentiuely to heare the word c. The eighth Sermon IAMES 1.22 c. And be yee deers of the word and not hearers onely c. THE Apostle hauing before spoken of regeneration heere hee proceedeth exhorting the regenerate to shew forth the fruites thereof The Diuision which consisteth in three especiall members An exhortation to obedience confirmed by certaine reasons in the first foure verses The second taken from the nature and quality of Gods word which not onely teacheth vs to do well but to speake well also If any among you c. with certaine reasons Thirdly hee sheweth wherein true religion consisteth Pure religion and vndefiled c. By doing the word the Apostle meaneth not an absolute and perfect fulfilling of the Law which no man can possibly performe as the Apostle Peter witnesseth Act. 15. but the doing of the word by the imputation of the righteousnesse and obedience of Christ who hath perfectly fulfilled the Law for the saluation of the faithfull which when they haue truely receiued Christ by faith hee giueth them such measure of the spirit of sanctification that they obediently endeuour to conforme their will to the will of God to feare loue and to serue him to loue their neighbour and alwaies to proceed towards perfection Men dinersly affected to the word There are some which neither heare nor doe the word of God others which will heare but not doe and there are others which heare the word and indeuour to do the same For the first sort of these it is plaine that they are of their father the deuill by the sentence of Christ himselfe Iohn 8. chapter and 47. verse Hee that is of God heareth Gods word yee therefore heare them not because yee are not of God Simile Doth it not seeme that hee is not the Lord of a Castle which when hee would enter the gates are shut against him So the gate by which God would enter into our hearts is the hearing of the Word Preached who so then that refuseth to heare doth as it were shut the gate of his heart against Christ Euen as a Citie which receiueth victuall and all necessaries for the sustentation of their life from some other place if thou stop the waies and passages by which it was wont to bee brought they must needs faint and perish with famine So the life of our soule dependeth of some other For euery good giuing and euery perfect gift is from aboue and commeth downe from the Father The word of God is the way by which all good things commeth to the soule which if thou stop thy soule must needs perish The ground which is not manured tilled what can it yeeld but weedes brambles and thornes it bringeth not forth corne of his owne nature If thou wilt not heare the word Quid nisi peccata germinabis saith one There are many now a dayes which beare the name of Christians which will so practise the manners and rules of true Christianity as one once did imbrace the studies of Philosophie who as Cicero saith was wont to say Philosophandum esse Vt ne quid nimis Terent. sed paucis that is Hee would not wholy addict himselfe to the studies of Philosophy Sed summis tantum labijs degustare that is but a little taste and away Such are many professours now a daies which will not giue their whole heart and loue to the word but lightly and carelesly touch this heauenly Philosophie Such care for the word of God in the same measure Vt canis é Nilo Simile as they were wont the holy water comming into the Church content to bee sprinkled with a few drops but taking it in euill part if one should cast much vpon them So these content themselues with neuer so little or none at all so much doe they feare to fall into the excesse of ne quid nimis Againe as that man seemeth not to be of his houshold or family whose commandement he will not heare for shall he do that which he refuseth ro heare Is it not a wonderfull thing that all the members of the body should bee consecrated to Christ both for that hee hath created and redeemed vs and yet wee cannot affoord him one member not so much as an eare To the poysons of detractions wee haue our eares open but to the word of saluation men giue a deafe eare How shall they beleeue in him of whom they haue not heard Rom. 10.14 and how shall they heare without a Preacher But leauing these men as incorrigible and desperately wicked Contra negantes principia non est disputandū but praying to God for them I will proceed to the rest The second sort are such as can be content to heare the word but haue no care to do it For this seed of the word though of its owne nature it be most fruitfull yet according to the variety of the ground that is of the hearers among whom it is sowen it bringeth forth no fruit or very diuerse by reason that their
wheate againe Typha a kinde of wilde corne but typham or chaffe onely which in the nature of things is very admirable seeing it is a Maxime in Philosophy Omne agens sibi simile generare euery agent ingendreth his like So it chanceth vnto them in whose hearts if the word of God be sowne it bringeth not forth the frnite of this seed but chaffe or Typham that is not the fruit of godlinesse but the chaffe of vanity Now that this word of God may be vnto vs the sweete sauour of life vnto life 2. Cor. 2. the Apostle teacheth heere how wee must prepare the ground of our hearts euen by casting out the noysome weeds of vices which hinder the fruitfull and happy haruest of the seed of the word and heere hee nameth two filthinesse or vncleanesse and malice because they defile and perturbe the minde that wee cannot hearken nor be obedient to the word of God By vncleanesse he vnderstandeth all impurity which springeth of gluttony Siouth begetteth lust gluttony bringeth it forth drunkennesse fornication incest adultery and such like which spring of fleshly lust as a Father very truely saith libidinem torpor gignit gula parit quid miri igitur filiam parentes sequi Slouth begetteth lust gluttony bringeth it forth what maruell then if the daughter doth follow her parents Math. 5.19 Out of the heart saith our Sauiour proceed euill thoughts murthers adulteries fornications thefts false testimonies slanders c. And the Apostle Paul would haue all Christians to bee free from all vncleanesse as for fornication and vncleanesse Ephe. 5. Augustine let them not be once named among you Vbi carnis immunditia ibi habitatio diaboli qui maximè inquinato corpore gaudet saith Augustine The deuill dwelleth with vncleanesse of the flesh who most delighteth in a polluted body For wisedome cannot enter into a wicked heart Wisd 1. nor dwell in a body sub ect vnto sinne And this not onely the sacred Scripture forbidded but also humane wisedome In hoc saith Seneca nos amplectuntur vt strangulent non aliter igitur quam latrunculâ— viatoribus insidiantes eosque seducentes ac perimentes declinandae sunt Pleasures embrace that they may strangle vs which as thieues that lie in wait that they may seduce and kill trauellers wee should auoid And surely the counsell herein Scip. Afri counsell that Scipio Africanus in Liuie gaue to King Masinissa is excellent Vince animum caue ne deformes multa bona vitio vno tot meritorum gratiam maiore culpa quam causa culpae est corrumpas Vanquish thy minde and take heed thou do not deforme many good gifts with one vice and corrupt the beauty of 〈◊〉 many deserts with a greater fault then the cause of the fault is Which a man should the easier do if he wold consider the vilenes filthines shortnes and end of this vice the long shame and the short time and how perhaps the pleasure of a short minute shall be punished with the repentance of many yeares and peraduenture with euerlasting damnation Seeing then that the Wisedome of God cannot rest in polluted and vncleane hearts O let vs cleanse and purge our hearts of all vncleane and polluting sins that the soule-sauing word of God may enter and dwell heerein The second vice heere noted is maliciousnesse Maliciousnesse what which Augustine defineth to be nocendi amor the loue of doing hurt Saint Ambrose to bee mentis deprauatio a deprauatioÌ„ of the minde And Cicero versuta fallax ratio nocendi A subtile and deceitfull kind of hurting all which commeth to one sense The minde then must first be puâ—â—â—ed of all malice before the heauenly seed of the word can take any roote in our hearts that is our hearts must bee sweeped cleane from enuy hatred desire of reuenge and wishing euill to our neighbour for our hearts cannot bee capable of them both neither can the light of Gods Spirit dwell together with the darkenesse of these vices This pestilent vice alwaies accompanieth vertue glory and prosperity Vulgus liuor in plateis habitant sic vt mala fere omnia saith that famous Orator The common people and enuy dwell together in the streetes as for the most part doth all wickednesse And there are certaine effectuall remedies to quench malice and enuy Sed morbo ipso peiora but worse then the disease it selfe The remedies of enuy are worse theÌ„ entry it selfe Misery and an Infamous life Of the one sprang this prouerbe miseriam solam inuidia carere that miserie alone wants enuy and to the other pertained this of Socrates who when Alcibiades demanded on a time of him by what meanes hee might auoide enuy and malice answered Viue vt Thersites Thersites a filthy and base pesant cuius vitam si nescires in Homerica leges Iliade Liue as Thersites did whose life if thou knowest not thou maist reade in Homers Iliados a scossing and a perfect Socraticall answere For it is no wise part to forsake vertue that thou maist auoide enuy and better it is to bee noble Achilles with enuie then base Thersites without it Achilles a noble and valiant Captaine And very aptly hee calleth it Superfluity of maliciousnesse a metaphor taken of a stomack surcharged with meates or drinkes which laboureth to cast out Omne superuacuum pleno de pectore tollit So when it once aboundeth in the heart it is cast forth at the mouth in cursed speeches And this brethren is the cause that among so many which all their life long haue frequented the hearing of Sermons that they are nothing bettered thereby because they come with hearts laden with all filthinesse and superfluity of maliciousnesse which they should first vngorge How many are there among vs of whom we may complaine as the Prophet did once The word of God is to them at a reproach they haue no delight therein For what haue wee profited I meane the greatest number by so many Sermons so many cryings out Who hath forsaken his wicked custome of blaspheming swearing backbiting cursing deceit or vsury Who hath cast off his hatred contention desire of reuenge Who hath cast off his vnchaste loue Surely with horrour of minde I speake it I may say with Saint Augustine it seemeth vnto mee by so many admonitions Nos non alium referre fructum quam vt Dei aduersus eos causam in extremo iuditio tueatur that wee reape no other fruit then to defend the equity of Gods iustice in condemning them at the last iudgement So that the Preacher may say with the Prophet Esay 49. I haue laboured in vaine I haue spent my strength in vaine but my iudgement is with the Lord and my worke with God The Apostle alludeth here to the parable of our Sauiour Iesus Christ The seed is the word of God whereof some fell by the way side some among thornes some on stony ground and some on good ground
falleth away and the beauty of the fashion of it perisheth euen so shall the rich man fade away in all his wayes 12 Blessed is the man that endureth tentation for when he is tryed he shall receiue the Crowne of life which the Lord hath promised to them that loue him THE Apostle returneth againe to his former proposed doctrine of patience The Analysis and comfort in afflictions and sheweth the profite that commeth to poore and rich thereby for which they ought to reioyce for which he also giueth a reason Secondly hee concludeth this doctrine with the reward of patitience Verse 12. Blessed is the man that endureth temptations c. There are two sorts of men poore and rich to both which the doctrine of patience vnder the Crosse is necessary For the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is he which is abiect afflicted with pouerty sicknesse exile hatred of the world and other calamities to which is opposed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the rich to whom all things pertaining to this mortall life doe succeed after their desires The Apostle willeth the poore brethren to reioyce in affliction because they are hereby exalted either to the true profession of the Gospell of Christ or because they are thereby made like vnto Christ himselfe and his holy Saints who haue all in this world drunk of the cup of afflictions and haue thereby a sure testimony to their conscience that they are the adopted sons of God and therefore heires of the heauenly glory as Christ himselfe testifieth Luk. 24.25 26. O yee fooles and slow of heart to beleeue all that the Prophets haue spoken Ought not Christ to haue suffered these things and to enter into his glory The rich againe should reioyce in affliction as very profitable vnto them because being taught thereby how vaine the pompe and riches of this world is they are restrained within the bounds of their duty So that the poore thereby are made content with their abiect condition and the pride of the rich thereby abated The Elect of God ought not to change their mindes with the blasts of Fortune as the common sort of men do But a brother that is an humble Christian pressed downe with diuers miseries should rather reioyce in this for that being contemned of the world hee is beloued of God who will exalt him to the fellowship and glory of his Saints aboue Againe let the rich when hee is made low reioyce because whereas hee was for the deceitfull goods of this life honoured in the world now for the profession of Christ hee is contemned and despised 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exaltatio is the glorificatiō of the Saints which Christ giueth vnto his faithfull seruants I go saith hee to prepare a place for you Ioh. 14. and I will receiue you vnto my selfe First heere let vs note the loue and mildnesse of the Apostle who calleth all Christians though neuer so poore abiect and base in the world Brethren for all which haue partaked of the same Baptisme hauing the same God their Father and Creator the same Sonne their Sauiour and Redeemer the same holy Ghost their Sanctifier Members of the same Church professours of one and the same Religion What are they else but brethren yea more neerely linked together then in any carnall affinity Christ himselfe calleth vs Brethren and willeth vs to repute one another brethren Math. 5 22 Whosoeuer is angry with his brother c. The etrnall Sonne of God himselfe calleth vs his brethren Math. 6. Math. 23. Iohn 20. Math. 10. Goe tell my brethren saith hee Againe Hee that doth the will of my Father which is in heauen hee is my brother sister and mother But is it not to be lamented that this excellent vertue of charity among Christians is not onely cold but almost altogether quenched How many brawles strifes hatreds treasons of one towards another and murthers haue crept now into the place thereof This prouerbe Homo homini Deus one man is as it were a God towards another this wretched age hath turned into homo homini damon Lupus one man is a deuill or a wolfe towards another So that this complaint of the Poet is verified among vs Ouidius Illud amicitiae sanctum venerabile nomeu Nunc tibi pro vili sub pedibusque iacet The reu'rend name of friendship pure which once was sacred sweet As thing most vile of thee is quite trodden vnder feete The friendship and loue of the world aimeth onely at profite Seneca Mel muscae cadauera lupi frumenta formicae praedam non hominem sequitur turba ista and maketh it the ground thereof as Seneca once truely said As the waspes and flyes follow the hony Wolues the dead carcasse Emets the corne so these kind of friends follow their prey and not the man The word exalted I find among the Fathers to be two waies expounded The word exalted 2 waies taken First it signifieth the Crowne of heauenly glory wherewith Christ will crowne all in his Kingdome which heere suffer patiently the crosse and afflictions for his names sake with the most certaine expectation whereof the seruants of God do erect their mindes and comfort themselues in all aduersity yea and in death it selfe For the afflictions of this life are but temporary and very short but the crowne of glory in their exaltation is eternall Hee that loueth his life shall lose it Iohn 12. Luk. 18. and hee that hateth his life in this world shall keepe it vnto eternall life And againe this word exalted may bee taken for the inward and spirituall ioy of the minde wherewith Gods children are cheared and comforted when they are hated and afflicted of the wicked as the Apostles Acts 5.41 Which went reioycing that they were counted worthy to suffer rebuke for Christs name Blessed are yee when men reuile you Math. 5.11 12. and persecute you and say all manner of euill against you for my names sake falsely Reioyce and bee glad for great is your reward in heaaen And wee must not thinke as the reuerend Beda noteth vpon this place that this pertaineth onely to the Apostles and holy Martyrs but vnto vs all as the example of blessed Iob whom God first humbled with many afflictions before hee exalted him vnto glory telleth vs so Abel Noe Abraham Dauid and the rest of the Patriarches and Prophets and all the rest of the Fathers could find no other way to heauen but through exile persecutions and diuers troubles let euery man in his afflictions apply this vnto himselfe and hee shall finde great comfort vnto his soule The rich in that hee is made low THE other part of his exhortation pertaineth to the rich men To the rich for hee taketh heere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diuitem for a man any way fortunate in this world Psal 144. Whose sonnes are as the yong plants and their daughters as the polished corners of
that when God is said to harden it is not so to bee vnderstood as if hee did harden them which before were soft and flexible but thus that it which by his owne nature is hard he suffereth it still to bee hard and through his iust iudgements but per accidens more and more by the meanes of Sathan to bee hardened And how Per accidens Surely because God heerein worketh no euill but the deuill abuseth Gods benefites bestowed vpon a man to his obduration and hardening of his heart and causeth a wicked man of his owne accord to abuse the same to his owne destructiō as it is to be seen in Pharas and therefore in this kind of hardening there is no compulsion but a man is voluntarily hardned and in this respect Sathan hardneth The second kind is called a voluntary obduration or hardening when man hardeneth his owne heart which is when a man confirmeth and hardeneth himselfe in euill purpose neither will hee heare nor bee obedient to the voyce of the Lord or to any admonitions whereby hee is called to repentance but abuseth Gods suffering to his owne damnation which not onely Pharaoh did but also Saul and Iudas and many other though wee doe not peculiarly reade of them as wee do of Pharaoh that God hardened their hearts but onely because they voluntarily stood obstinate in their owne conceiued wickednes against all admonitions And thus not God but man hardeneth himselfe The third is called the Diuine or Iudiciall hardening that is when God as an vpright Iudge punisheth their former sinnes and the voluntary stubbornnesse of the wicked by more and more hardening their heart by the ministery of Sathan being partly already of their owne nature obdurate and partly also by the sinnes of the wicked hardened such properly was the hardening of Pharaoh so often mentioned in Exodus and in the ninth to the Romanes and besides other places in the ninth of Exodus it is said that Pharaoh sinned and hardened his heart First it is said hee sinned expressing plainly the cause of obduration which is his sinne next his heart was hardened shewing the punishment of sinne which is hardnesse of heart Hardnesse of heart is sinne the cause of sinne and the punishment of sinne For Pharaoh himselfe first sinned then God as a punishment of his sinne hardned more and more his heart so that hardnesse of heart is sinne the punishment of sinne and the cause of sinne Heere now it is manifest that sinne and the custome of sinning is that which hardneth the heart of the wicked and therefore it is said of Pharaoh that hee sinned and his heart was hardned and the Scripture plainely teacheth that GOD hardneth Sathan hardneth and Man himselfe hardeneth his owne heart but in a diuerse sence after a diuerse manner It is spoken of God not as the authour of euill but per accidens by doing good by bestowing his benefites by vsing well the wicked putposes of the vngodly and disposing them as a soueraigne agent vnto a good end Sathan hardneth as the authour of sinne blindnesse and prince of darkenesse he working in the wicked peruerteth the good motions which God instilleth into their minds and vnder the pretext of good abuseth them to euill vnto their owne destruction he alwaies sophistically concludeth and sheweth reasons to effect it and therefore hee is called Princeps tenebrarum Prince of darkenesse Who hath deliuered vs from the power of darkenesse that is Collos 1. from the power of Sathan Iohn 13. the example of Iudas maketh manifest this who did not so obstinately proceed before the diuel entred into him and began wholy to carry him after his will First he consented to the counsell of Sathan but after the taking of the sop he fully possessed him and this is called of the Diuines proxima causa indurationis quae extra hominem considerari potest The next cause of obduration which may bee considered without man Thirdly man himselfe hardneth his owne heart who of his owne will turneth his heart from God and assenteth to the counsell of Sathan Ad actiones simpliciter à Deo motus ad peccandum alectus à diabiolo saith a Father being of God simply moued to actions but of the deuill allured to sinne By sinning willingly and perseuering in sinne he obstinately hardeneth his heart to resist God abusing all Gods benefites to his owne destruction for except the will of man consented there could bee no hardening for to harden the heart is nothing else but the will to be more and more obstinate in an vngodly purpose So that Sathan hardeneth by suggesting Man by consenting Aug. con Fauslum God by forsaking as Augustine pitihily saith Diabolus suggerit Homo consentit Deus deserit the deuill suggesteth man consenteth God forsaketh And so this Oracle of the Prophet holdeth euer most firme O Israel Hos 13. thy destruction is of thy selfe but thy helpe commeth onely of mee This being so I conclude with the Apostle Let no man say when hee is tempted I am tempted of God The second thing I mentioned is the temptation to seduce deceiue drawing mouing and stirring vs forward to all wickednesse And of this temptation there are two kinds externall and internall externall is that whose cause is outward and beginning thereof as when sathan vseth the world riches glory euill examples as meanes to allure vs Of his snares it is said Iob. 18. A snare is laid for him in the ground and a trap for him in the way The snare and the trap are the deuils instruments to catch soules The deuill is like a Fowler or a Hunter A Simile who that hee may take birds or wilde beasts sheweth forth a pleasant bait but hideth the snare that being allured with the baite they may bee caught with the snare For when he promiseth to the proud man honours to the couetous man mony to the loose man pleasures c. what doth he else but vnder the baite hide the net and the snare that he may catch vnwary soules The Latine more plainly expresseth it Abscondita est in terra pedica eius decipula super semitas His snare is hidden in the ground and his trap vpon his pathes In which words as a father noteth are signified two kinds of temptations Hugo Card. The one open which except it be hidden vnder the colour of some good it is perceiued of all men and this is signified per pedicam by the ginne which is hidden in the ground as is fornication and other carnall sinnes The other more secret subtile and hidden which scarce of the wise is discerned which is signified per decipulam by a deceitfull trap The deuill then hath his ginne and his trappe for all kinds of men for he knoweth the manners of men and to what vice they are most prone and layeth that baite before their eyes to which hee knoweth their minde will bee most easily inclined
Apostle Saint Paul saith Romanes 12.19 Auenge not your selues but giue place vnto wrath for vengeance is mine and I will reuenge saith the Lord. But because it chanceth oftentimes that wee are compelled to answere againe The secōd remedy as when by our silence the angry man is prouoked the more thinking thereby that he is contemned Iohn 19. as was the anger of Pilat against Christ in this case another remedy is to be sought Pro. 25.15 and this is lingua mollis a modest and gentle answere Such was the wisedome of Abigal towards Dauid being angry 1. Sam. 25. For saith Salomon Prou. 15.1 A soft anger putteth away wrath but grieuous words stirre vp anger Thirdly The third remedy to winne an enemy by benefites is a singular kind of remedy prescribed both by wise Salomon and by the blessed Apostle If hee that hateth thee bee hungry giue him bread Pro. 25.21 Rom. 12.20 if hee bee thirsty giue him water to drinke for thou shalt lay coles vpon his head and the Lord shall recompence thee And this is a most noble kinde of victory And now the remedies for the repressing of wrath in our selues are these Remedies for suppressing of wrath in our selues First the remembrance of Christs sufferings for thy sinnes and why then shouldst not thou suffer a little for his sake Ephe. 4 32 Forgiuing one an other euen as God for Christs sake forgaue you Imitate their example which being stinged with the fiery serpents looked vpon the brazen serpent and were healed Wrath is a fiery serpent fixe the eyes of thy consideration vpon Christ and thou shalt be healed Secondly represse thine anger with silence Ephe. 4.31 Let all bitternesse and anger and wrath crying and euill speaking bee put away from you Plutarch commendeth this counsell of Atheriodorus the Philosopher who perswaded Augustus Caesar that when hee was angry hee should not say or doe any thing before he had to himselfe said ouer the Greeke Alphabet that by this meanes the rage of his wrath by delay might bee cooled The third is to consider the cause that is thine owne sinnes for no aduersity may happen vnto thee which thine owne sins haue not deserued Whereof pithily speaketh Augustine Irascoris patri tuo peccas irasccre tibi ipsi ne peccas Thou art angry with thy father and sinnest but bee thou angry with thy selfe that thou maist not sin The fourth is a firme faith in Gods prouidence nothing may be said or done vnto thee which is not ordered by Gods prouidence yea all the haires of your head are numbred Math. 10. saith Christ And againe Shall I not drink of the cup which my Father hath giuen mee Iohn 18.11 The fift is commiseration to take pitty on him which is angry and prouoketh thee to wrath For while this Passion ruleth in him he is a foole a mad-man Besides he is the instrument of God for the exercise of thy patience Example wee haue in King Dauid when Shemei cursed and reuiled him he was so far from taking reuenge that hee said The Lord hath bidden him to curse Dauid 2. Sam. 16.10 who dare then say why hast thou done so To conclude if thou be angry hearken to the Apostles counsell Ephes 4. Let not the Sunne go downe vpon thy wrath and this may suffice to moderate this passion in a Christian man Ira debet rationi ac virtuti accubare Basil tanquà m canis pastori quae mordeat increpet allatretque vitium vitiosos velut lupos Anger should lie downe by reason and vertue as the dog by the Shepheard it should barke at bite and rebuke vice and vitious men as wolues The seuenth Sermon IAMES 1.21 21 Wherefore lay apart all filthines and superfluity of maliciousnesse and receiue with meeknesse the word that is graffed in you which is able to saue your soules THE Apostle here exhorteth the regenerate to the hearing of the word of Truth And first he sheweth how we must prepare our mindes to the hearing of the word that it may fructifie in our hearts which consisteth in two things 1 Laying aside all filthinesse and malice to heare it with meeknesse 2 Next the reason why we must heare it because it is able to saue our soules First by an elegant metaphor taken from husbandry the Apostle teacheth that the noysome weeds of vices both of body and soule must bee first rooted vp and extirpated before the heauenly doctrine the word of truth can be receiued and bee graffed in the field of our hearts euen as the husbandmen before they cast the corne into the ground do first purge their ground of Thornes Brambles Stones and such like that it may yeeld the more increase For in euery action either naturall or spirituall two things are necessary Alterum quod agat alterum quod patiatur The Agent which worketh and the Patient vpon which it must worke And in the Agent there must bee power to worke and in the Patient or Sufferer a disposition to receiue For that the earth may bring forth fruite it is needfull that the Seed bee cast into it and that it bee first prepared as I said c. and if either of these bee wanting in vaine is the hope of fruit The Smith that hee may finish his worke first softneth it in the fire and maketh it tractable for except it be molified in vaine he laboureth to beat the cold Iron And it is a Maxime in Philosophie Actus actiuorum esse in patiente dispositi The greater in any thing the disposition is to receiue the sooner and more perfect followeth the action Wee see dry wood put into the fire quickly to be kindled and a candle lately put out and yet smoaking with the least touch of fire to receiue the flame and sometimes without fire with the breath onely to bee kindled So much auaileth a conuenient and apt preparation in the thing that receiueth any action So though I confesse the grace of God to bee free nullis astrictam legibus bound by no lawes as Aug. saith yet this grace commonly imitateth the reason and order of naturall things Hence it followeth How wee may profit by hearing the Word that a man may profite by hearing of Sermons It is not alwaies enough that there be a learned and apt Teacher vnlesse the Hearer also bee apt and wel disposed that is that the ground of his mind be first prepared that he heare not the same negligently onely for custome or in an affection of curiosity but that hee heare with zeale and deuotion for there are many that come to Sermons onely to carpe or to note if the Preacher vtter any sentence acutely or eloquently whereby they may feed their curiosity Curious hearers and not satisfie the hunger of their soule And euen as they say there is some ground so barren that if they sow the finest wheate in it bringeth not forth
hearts are carried away with diuers affections Ecles 2.10 So that this of Salomon may be verified in them Whatsoeuer mine eyes desired I with-held it not from them I with-drew not my heart from any ioy Those idle hearers our Sauiour likeneth vnto seed sowen among thornes stones Math. 13. or in the high-way Simile And are not many like vnto away in which if there lie any mony or thing of value it stayeth not long there but is taken vp of trauellours but if it be a clout or some vile thing it is let alone there is none that taketh it vp So scurrile things vnhonest speeches filthy songs wee receiue into our hearts and fixe in our memory as things very precious but the diuine and pretious iewell of Gods word is straightway forgotten the deuill catcheth it away and why because wee are like the high-way wee are hearers and not doers What shall I say Simile Hee that heares the word and doth it nor is like vnto him that carrieth his aduersary with him which will accuse him and deliuer him to the Iudge to be condemned The word which I haue spoken shall iudge you in the last day Iohn 12. Mat. 5.25 Againe agree with thine aduersary quickely whiles thou art in the way with him least thine aduersarie deliuer thee to the Iudge and the Iudge deliuer thee to the Sergeant and thou bee cast into prisou Will you know what an aduersary the word of God is to the wicked How the word of God reproueth it crosseth all their desires it standeth by and reproueth them to their faces it telleth the wicked that their palate is infected their taste corrupted the sweet seemeth bitter vnto them and bitter sweet it telleth them that they are like vnto swine which haue no smelling and therefore they willingly wallow in the mire which if they had in them a spirituall nose a sound iudgement they could not endure their owne stinke by reason of the filthinesse of their swinish liues It telleth them that they are neere vnto death and must giue account vnto God for the least sin they commit and that if God doth not punish them in this life hee hath reserued them to the more seuere punishment in the world to come It telleth them that no sin shall escape vnpunished nor no vertue be defrauded of a reward It denounceth woe woe woe vnto them if they repent not betime woe bee vnto them in their life woe vnto them in their death and woe be vnro them after death O what a terrible litigator is this brethren agree with this aduersary betime while thou art in the way of this life Bee yee doers of the word and not hearers onely Contend not with it striue not with it repine nor at it for thou shalt neuer ouercome it For a while happily you may plead excuses extenuate your sinnes sed tandem tandem causa cadetis but at length your cause shall faile and bee ouerthrowne and thy conscience it selfe being illuminated and better informed by reason shall one day condemne thee and deliuer thee into hell neuer to come out from thence so great is the summe of thy debts which thou shalt neuer bee able to pay Our Sauiour ioyning the hearing and doing of the Word together Math. 7.24 saith Whosoeuer heareth the word and doth it is like vnto a wise man which hath buth builded his house vpon a rocke c. bee yee therefore doers of the word and not hearers onely c. Many can boast that they haue heard a Sermon this day or that day yet diminish they nothing of their pride and other vanities neither haue they left their boyling malice their swelling hatred their cursed coueteousuesse their fleshly pleasures neither abate they any thing of their wanton banquets their riotous feasts neither stay they their bribing hands their slanderous mouthes their blasphemous tongues their lying lippes neither refraine they from pestilent vsury cruell oppression violent extorsion fraudulent dealing with their neighbours Therefore saith the Apostle Bee yee doers of the word not hearers onely The third sort are these which heare the word with all diligence and haue a care to practise the same and endeuour to square their liues by the line thereof these onely are pronounced blessed by the mouth of Christ himselfe Luk. 11. Blessed are they which heare the word of God and keepe it and shewing whom hee counteth for his brethren hee saith that they are his mother and his brethren Luke 8. which not onely heare but do the word of God And If yee know these things Iohn 13. happy are yee if yee do them Wee all make profession of Christ and say wee haue faith when wee neuer go about to bring in tune our iarring liues to this vnison Faith indeed is the foundation saith the Apostle but where is our Christian building 1. Cor. 3. O build vpon it build vpon it bee yee doers of the word This then shall bee my counsell and request to you all euen for Christs sake and so I will conclude I beseech you be attentiue Yee Gentlemen Gentlemē build vpon this your faith in Christ the workes of clemency iustice and liberality that yee may bee indeed such as your names do import this is the first I would haue you to build vpon your faith Oppresse not your poore Tenants with vnreasonable rents and heauy fines Esay 3.15 What haue yee to do that yee beat my people in peeces and grinde the faces of the poore saith the Lord euen the Lord of Hostes Giue one part of your substance vnto God another to the poore and with the rest vphold an honest estate and calling this is the second Be humble not proud of Gentility and riches but remember yee must all die returne naked into the earth and giue account to the supreme Iudge for all your actions let this be the third so shall you not bee hearers onely c. Yee Marchants Marchāts build you also three things vpon your faith in Christ Play not the vsurers and prostitute not your mony to vnlawfull gaine this is the first Doe not adulterate or falsifie your mony or wares let this be the second Deut. 25. Haue not in your houses two weights and two measures one to buy with and another to sell with for this is abhomination to the Lord let this be third so shall you not bee hearers onely c. Yee Yong-men doe not impinguate and pamper vp your flesh Yong men least like an vntamed horse it doth recalcitrare lift vp the heele against you but chastice the same with fasting imbrace sobriety let this bee the first stone you lay vpon the foundation of your faith Inure and exercise your selues in the wholsome discipline of learning least idlenesse effeminate your mindes and sathan make it a seed-plot of al vices which like Pthisicorum Febris a feuer hectick will cleaue euer after to your bones and