it were against al course of nature But I wil come to the words as they lie If anie man sin not in word be is a perfect man and able to bridle the whole bodie In this proposition which is as they say hypotheticall hee sheweth that he which is able to rule and doth rule his tongue so that he doth not offend with it he is perfect and doth bridle and order well the whole bodie For where that little member goeth right al goeth right But doth not the Apostle put a case here which neuer falleth out Is there anie man perfect which sinneth not It is out of doubt that if Saint Iames doe meane by a perfect man such an one as hath no sinne in him that then hee putteth a case that is neuer founde if we take him so yet his matter standeth sure For doubtles if there could bee a man absolutelie perfect in his toong he shuld be perfect throughout Or if we take him as the scripture doth vse to speake calling them perfect which are come vnto a sound strength of godlines and ripe knowledge of God as 1. Cor. 2.6 We speake wisdome saith S. Paule among those which are perfect And Phil. 3.15 As many as are perfect let vs thinke his And Heb. 6. vers 1. Let vs be caried on vnto perfection If I say we take perfection so then look how far a man is growne in all godlines so farre is it in his tongue and looke what wanteth in his tongue of such perfection that he wanteth in all other partes for the perfection or the want in the whole man goeth with the want and perfection of the tongue Our Sauiour Christ sheweth the cause saying Out of the aboundance of the heart the mouth speaketh A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth foorth good thinges and an euill man out of the euill treasure bringeth forth euill things Matt. 12.34.35 The tongue is the speciall instrument to vtter euerie thing which is in the heart Look how far the hart is sound and good so far wil the tongue be good For let the heart proceede vnto neuer so great perfection the tongue will vtter it and be good according to the goodnes of the heart And look what euill is in the tongue it commeth from the heart And when wicked thoughts be in the hart the tongue cannot so dissemble but at one time or another they will break foorth in speech As come to particulars If the heart be full of light of knowledge and true wisdome the tongue will vtter it If there be darknes ignorance error the speech will bee according If there bee faith the toong wil confesse it if the loue of God there wil breake foorth praise and thanksgiuing If meekenesse the wordes will bee gentle If pride and wrath the tongue is fierce and bitter If chastitie then pure speech and from vnclean lusts a foule mouth What should I rehearse particulars the tongue is as the heart is in all thinges a vaine tongue argueth a vaine heart Let no man stand vpon this and say words are but winde it is no great matter what a mans wordes bee there is no harme done it is but communication This is an ignorant speech for the wordes are of such waight that our Sauiour saith Of euerie idle word you shall gine a reckoning at the day of iudgment By thy wordes thou shalt be iustified and by thy wordes thou shalt bee condemned Matt. 12. vers 36.37 Shall a man then say further though my wordes be but vaine and foolish yet I mean no hurt my heart is good Alas what an imagination is that Is not the tongue the opener of that which lay hid in the heart Euen as a man beholdeth his face in a glasse so may wee beholde the heart of a man in his tongue True it is that the hypocrite which hath a wicked heart can speake good wordes but yet the wickednes will breake foorth at times doe what he can But shall such a little member extend so farre as the Apostle here speaketh Shall hee that doeth bridle it bridle all partes of the bodie No maruel as hee declareth by his two similitudes Horses that be strong fierce and full of courage are yet with a little bit in their mouthturned about by the rider A ship is a great thing and often driuen of fierce winds vpon the seas and yet the gouernour with the little rudder turneth them about which way he wil. As such little thinges turne about great and mightie things so the tongue though it bee but a little member yet hee saith boasteth great thinges This seemeth a very hard application For he speaketh heere before of the well ordering of the tongue what power it hath and now saith boasteth great thinges for boasting is not good and a man may boast great thinges which yet he cannot do The bit in the horse mouth doth turn him about indeed and so doth the little rudder more then boast of turning about the great ship Why then saith hee the tongue boasteth great thinges Indeed the word may well bee so translated But S. Iames doth vse it not as a bare boasting nor in euill part but as if he should say look how the bit is a little thing and turneth about the whole bodie of a fierce horse causing him to obey the rider and as the rudder is small and yet turneth about a great ship or as these two little things do great matters so the tongue being a very small member lifteth it selfe vp to the performance of verie great things It so boasteth that it performeth them indeede But what bee those great matters which it doth so well To speake brieflie it bringeth forth all the good treasures of the hart as our Sauiour hath said Look what gift of grace or heauēly thing the holy ghost worketh in the heart of man his tongue vttereth the same The tongue is giuen as a speciall instrument to glorifie praise god Great duties it is to perform that way and as it were to leade the whole bodie And also towards men it doeth many goodly things Out of a wise heart it bringeth forth wisedom knowledge to inform and to iustruct the ignorant It giueth wholesome aduise and good counsel vnto such as need It perswadeth comforteth exhorteth admonisheth and rebuketh as need doth require Yea infinite are the benefites which the tongue rightlie ordered doth bring vnto men Let no corrupt communication saith Saint Paule proceed out of your mouthes but such as is good to the vse of edifying that it may minister grace to the hearers Ephes 4.29 And also hee saith Let your speech be alwayes gracious and poudered with salt that ye may know how to answer euery man Coloss 4.6 Beloved when wee consider well of these thinges it teacheth vs how farre off we be from perfection For doe wee not come woonderfull farre short of guiding our tongue aright to the performāce of these great
that God may haue the greatest glorie to bring forth the least is not to bee contemned because the Lord in time doth purge them make them more fruitfull I need not to stand heere for to handle many things or to make large exposition the matter is exceeding plain there is no more but this that all our care in hearing and professing the Gospell bee to receiue it into good ground to bring forth the fruites thereof What should I stand to rip vp the shamefull abuse in the contrarie to vtter how manie euill fruits there be in manie which are Gospellers This should be but as it were to light a candle in the cleare Sunshine for all men doe see them I doe not speake this as though it should not bee good to cry out against them but because the former things which I haue now vttered doe fully disclose them And therefore I will heere ende desiring the Lord to write these things in our hearts which wee haue heard with our outwarde eares and to make vs good ground to receiue the heauenly seed and to bring forth fruits of the same that glorifying him in this world we may be glorifyed of him in the world to come through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen FINIS TWO SERMONS VPON THE 1. Peter 5. vers 8. and 9. Wherein is shewed that the diuell is to be resisted only by astedfast faith how soeuer he commeth either against soule or bodie and that whosoeuer hath once attained the true and liuelie faith it can neuer bee vtterly lost but he is sure to get the victerie The first Sermon Be sober and watch for your aduersarie the diuel as aroaring Lyon walketh about seeking whō he may deuour whome resist stedfast in the faith 1. Pet. 5. verse 8.9 BLessed Peter an Apostle of Iesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.1 wrote this Epistle to the Christian Iewes which dwelt as strangers dispersed here and there in sundrie countries as in Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bithynia For the ten tribes were scattered of old time and had dwelt long among the Gentiles in many kingdoms being caried away by Shalmaneser king of Ashur out of their owne lande as wee read 2. King 17. And of somewhat later times manie of the tribe of Iuda and Beniamin were also dispersed among the heathen so that S. Iames wrothis epistle in like maner to the twelue tribes which were in the dispersion Iames 1. ver 1. These dispersed Iewes came vp out of all landes at certaine solemne feastes vnto Ierusalem for to worship there according to the law of Moses and there had they heard the Apostles preach Christ as ye may see by that which is written Act. 2. and beleeued in him and vnto them that so beleeued S. Iames and S. Peter directed their Epistles Touching the matters handled in this Epistle of Peter we are to note that the holy Apostle dealeth principallie about the duties of christian life as namelie the times being then full of troubles and terrour of persecutions hee laboureth to make them bolde patient constant and cheerefull in all afflictions and sufferinges which they were to passe through to come to the partaking of the heauenly glory with Christ Also hee vseth manie graue and forcible reasons to mooue them vnto true holinesse euen to walke in the vertues of the spirit of grace and to bring foorth fruites worthie of so high a calling But first of all he openeth as it were the fountaine and beginning of all good actions in man that is how God of his great mercie had chosen them and begotten them in Christ to bee his children and heires of glory Among these perswasions admonitions and exhortations of the Apostle this is one which I haue read vnto you and which I am now to handle It may bee diuided into three partes Of which the first is an admonition or an exhortation wherby he stirreth vp all the faithfull vnto sobriety and watchfulnes in these wordes Be sober and watch The second part sheweth what cause there is to moue all men vnto this sobriety and watchfulnes or how much it standeth them euery way vpon seeing they haue so terrible and so cruell an aduersary who continuallie seeketh their eternall woe and destruction which is in these wordes For your aduersarie the diuell as a roaring Lion walketh about seeking whom hee may deuoure The thirde and last parte doth teach howe wee shall withstand him ouercome him and put him to flight that so wee may escape from his cruell tyranny which is in these words Whom resist stedfast in the faith All men may easilie see that the matter which wee haue here to deale in is of the greatest moment If a man haue landes or goods and perceiue that he hath an aduersary which lyeth in wait and seeketh to depriue him of the same it will mooue him to take heed and it wil set him on worke to seeke all the wayes and meanes hee can to learne how hee may defend and hold his right If a man do knowe that his enemie doth continuallie seeke all opportunitie and all occasions howe hee may set vpon him vnawares and with the greatest aduantages be can to take away his life will he not watch and take heed yea will he not bee glad to learne how he may so arme and strengthen himselfe that hee may withstand his saide cruell enemie when hee commeth Here is a farre greater matter not the losse of goods or landes or of this fraile life but the destruction of both body and soule in eternall damnation which is sought by a very mightie subtill and cruell enemie I know therefore that so many as haue any sparke of true wisedom wil be very attentiue to hearken to this exhortation of the Apostle and willing to learne how they may be kept safe from so great a danger For how foolish a thing is it that we should bee so carefull to beware of men that they may not harm vs which is but in lighter matters in the mean time haue no regard how to beware of diuels which seek our eternal wo and miserie Hearken therfore beloued vnto this wholsome instruction for nowe will I come to handle euery member by it selfe Be sober and watch Watching to this end that we may keep our selues out of danger is the chiefe and principall matter of this exhortation and because no man can bee fit to watch vnlesse hee bee sober hee ioyneth them both together and saith vnto vs Be sober and watch It is in vaine to call vpon drunken men to watch for sleep will soone oppresse them hee that is sober hee may watch Be sober therefore saith the Apostle and watch For our further instruction in this point wee are to remember that there bee two kindes of drunkennesse two kindes of sobernesse two sortes of sleeping and two sorts of watching the one of the boby the other of the minde Hee that with excesse and ryote powreth in wine and strong drinke vntill he
looke how much heauenly things exceed in dignitie the earthie so much must the care diligence bestowed vpon them exceed How farre almost are all men from this doctrine both in practise and iudgement first when we see the exceeding trauel and paines which they stick not willingly to bestow in getting the beggerlie trash of this worlde either riches or honours they will ride and run early and late by night and by day by sea and by land winter and sommer wearing out their bodies almost pine and starue themselues with hunger and beating their braines with as great diligence as can be possible but when it commeth to these thinges which Saint Peter speaketh as thinges of no price they passe by them in such wise that they are heere euen as slouthfull and carelesse as they are diligent in the other For iudgement in this behalfe if a man talke with these worldlie men they will shewe their minde and opinion aske them why they be so careful for these worldlie things their answere is readie we shall otherwise come short of them and go without them and whie doe yee not seeke as fast for heauenlie things they be the greatest they bee indeede the greatest but wee commit that to God we will not meddle with that Thus they shift off the care of godlinesse as though God did not require it at their hands neuer hearing of this which Saint Peter requireth wee must take heede of this giuing eare to God who teacheth vs this lesson by the holy Apostle for if we let this passe we are most miserable Heer also when we are warned to giue all diligence appeareth plainlie how hard a thing it is to flie from corrupt lustes for if it were an easie thing to be done lesse diligence might serue but sinne cleaueth neere and sticketh fast in vs and is not easilie shaken off it is deeplie rooted so that vnlesse we digge verie deepe wee are sure to leaue the roots stil behind which will growe and spring againe as fast as before yea oftentimes seeming to bee dead they suddainlie reuiue so that wee are set a worke while we liue heere without anie intermission to bee still toiling to pull vp these weedes the ground is so ranke that in a verie short time it will bee whollie ouergrowne Therefore such as despise the meanes which God hath appointed or vse them ouer negligentlie must needes haue their heart ouergrown with these stinking weeds of lust and concupiscence and so if euer there be any good seed in them as good motions or inclinations to feare God they are by and by choked so that they can bring foorth no fruite or at least no ripe and timelie fruit But heere may bee obiected that this agreeth not with the former saying that the diuine power hath giuen vs all thinges which pertaine to life and godlinesse there hee ascribeth all to God and taketh all from vs heere he seemeth to giue somewhat vnto our diligence and so to establish free-will in vs. We must answer heere that God worketh all in all and alone striketh the stroke yet hee doth not worke in vs as the Carpenter or Mason worketh vpon the log and the stone which haue no feeling of that which is done vpon them and therefore nothing of them is required but wee haue a will in vs and reason which of themselues being corrupt do nothing but hinder this worke vntill such time as God hath fashioned them a new wee haue appetites and affections in vs but of themselues mere rebels these hee tameth and subdueth So that this worke of God in vs is not without a feeling of it for hee moueth vs to will to desire to sorrow to reioyce and such like so that our diligence is required because he worketh in none but hee doth make them diligent heere is still then that which God doth bestowe vpon vs and not that which we haue of our selues By this place all those are answered which cloake and defende themselues in their naughtinesse and sloth in the seruice of God after this maner Wee haue that which God hath giuen vs all men are not alike godlie euery man cannot do as you doe when their owne heart and conscience doth tell euerie of them the contrarie saying thou art carelesse and negligent thou hast as much as thou desirest for God doth increase all giftes and graces in those which vse all diligence in seeking after him Let vs learne therefore brethren to put in practise all those thinges which are heere taught to giue greater diligence and so beate our braine more earnestlie about heauenlie thinges then about these earthlie to labour and trauel more for godlinesse then for treasures and riches Which if we doe we shall feele increase of strength to cast out corrupt lustes although not so much as faine we would yet God being true wee shall haue so much that wee cannot faile or misse of our desire It followeth Ioine moreouer vertue with your faith c. Saint Peter knoweth what babes we bee how vnable to guide our steppes in the pathes of godlinesse and that maketh him not only to mooue and perswade to godlinesse but euen as it were taking vs by the hand and teaching vs how to tread euery step he rehearseth particularlie the things wherein we are to trauell when hee saith Ioyne moreour with your faith vertue with vertue knowledge with knowledge temperance with temperance patience with patience godlinesse and with godlines brotherlie kindnes and with brotherlie kindnes loue Faith heere is set in the first place vnto which all the other must bee ioyned because without it we cannot by any meanes please God it doth iustifie vs before God alone but yet it doth not Now if we marke well what maner of men they were to whom hee wrote namely no babes nor yoonglinges in the Gospell for he said they had obtained like precious faith with him and afterwarde in this chapter hee saith they did knowe and were stablished in the present truth wee shall easilie perceiue how this may stop the mouthes of manie which holde blind errours First of all of those which affirme that ignorance is the mother of deuotion if Godlinesse and vertue bee the true deuotion then it must needes followe that their doctrine is false and diuelish seeing we are charged to ioyne vnto our vertue knowledge it is true if they meane Popish deuotion for they coulde neuer haue kept men in awe to bee zealous of their religion and to seeke for that at the handes of men which God alone doeth giue vnlesse they had kept them in blindnesse and ignoraunce and therefore they tooke a wise way to keepe the people from knowing the word which so soone as it brake foorth againe disclosed all their falshood and trecherie in so much that neither good nor bad almost haue anie deuotion vnto them Secondly of those which although they bee not ranke Papistes yet haue in them still a smacke and sauour of popish
yet finde a hole to creepe out at although they bee neuer so wicked for thus they will say It is true Gods worde saith that faith is shewed foorth by good workes well I thanke GOD though I haue many vices in mee and am full of infirmities yet I am not altogether without good workes I am not so gracelesse but at some times I remember GOD by prayer I doe according to my abilitie giue to the poore I am readie to pleasure my friend doe not these things sufficiently shewe that I haue faith Dearely beloued take heede for here you may soone bee deceiued it is not the meaning of the Apostle when hee saith shew me thy faith by thy workes that a fewe scattered scrappes of good deedes among great heapes of sinfull workes and as it were a fewe grains of corne in a great heap of chaffe shuld be a true witnesse of the same For it must be shewed both in forsaking and renouncing all euill waies and also in following after all goodnesse for it is without all controuersie that those which seeme to bee good workes before men are not so before GOD in the man which is giuen ouer to commit sinne can that which is good come out of the same heart in which vngodlinesse raigneth Either make the tree good saith Christ and the fruite good or els make the tree euill and the fruit euill A good tree cannot bring foorth euill fruite Matt. 12.13 Luk. 6.43 neither can an euill tree bring foorth good fruite Can the same tree bring forth both good fruit euill fruite Doth a fountaine at the same place saith S. Iames send foorth both sweete and bitter water Iames 3.11 1. Iohn 3.7 Be not deceiued saith Saint Iohn he that worketh righteousnesse is righteous he that committeth sinne is of the diuell Some man will say doth not the most godly man that liueth commit sinne and doeth not the good and the bad come together from him The godly are loden with the corruptions of the flesh but yet they doe not commit sinne that is to say they are not giuen ouer as vngodly men are to the obedience of sinne they are spotted with imperfections but they doe not take pleasure therein as the wicked doe although they feele a lumpishnesse in them vnto good workes yet their whole race is applied vnto good workes they would very faine obey their God on both sides that is to say in forsaking all that is euill and doing all that which he commandeth them Contrariwise the fleshly Infidell doeth with all his heart giue vp himselfe in the whole race of his life to that which is filthie if hee doe any thing which is good it is but in shew being not done sincerely nor comming from a good roote but of selfe-loue vaine glorie or such like hee doth not any thing for the Lords sake but for his owne For loue him and ye shall finde him readie to doe you good cease that and his goodnesse doth dye Praise him hee will praise you againe discommend him although hee deserue it neuer so much ye shall not come in his bookes be ye neuer so good Forget not this then I pray yee good brethren when God hath set down so plain a rule to trie our selues by whether we be faithfull or Infidels If wee finde our selues full of good workes and our heart doth beare vs witnesse that we doe them euen for loue towards God well are we this doth declare our faith But if our euil deeds abound and our heart bee vncleane it is time to looke about vs wee are in a most miserable case I wish of GOD that wee might often thinke vpon this and be careful to shew our faith to the world by our good and pure life Be not afraid to applie this to our selues and also to deale against the vngodly with it For in this dissolute age wherein iniquitie hath almost gotten the vpper hand it is most necessarie that we vse this instrument which God hath put in our hands Thou saist thou beleeuest shew thy faith by thy workes Now followeth another reason Thou beleeuest there is one God thou doest well the diuels also beleeue and tremble Way this argument well ye shall plainly perceiue that it doth nothing at all helpe a man to say he hath faith when he hath no good deedes if this kinde of faith could saue him then should the diuels be saued also because they haue the same beleefe but because it is most certaine that the diuels shall not thereby bee saued therefore it is also as manifest that those men who haue no other beleefe but that which they haue cannot bee saued Let vs see then how farre the faith of Diuels doth goe Thou beleeuest saith he that there is one God or that God is one and so thou thinkest this a great matter not to beleeue as the vaine Gentiles which did thinke there were diuers gods and indeede for so farre thou doest well but yet marke what a great matter thou hast attained the Diuels doe beleeue the same and yet haue thereby no benefite or reconciliation with GOD for they tremble when they remember the terrible iudgement seate and the euerlasting fire which is prepared for them This faith of the diuels is not to be restrained to some one poynt but stretcheth vnto the whole doctrine of Faith They doe stedfastly beleeue and know that Iesus Christ dyed for the sinnes of the world this is a sure reason that they know the doctrine of GOD when they seeke to deface and ouerthrow it by contrary errors When a man therefore is of a sound iudgement in the Scriptures for matters of faith and is able to confirme euerie poynt and to ouerthrow the contrarie errours though many will say hee is a sound man and hee taketh himselfe to bee as great a Gospeller as any other yet if hee haue no workes if his faith bee not a liuely regenerating saith hee may esteeme of himselfe what he will but the Lord telleth vs that hee is no more forwarde then the diuels they are as founde in the knowledge of trueth as he And if this common and generall faith would serue they should bee saued as well as hee But it may bee here obiected that there is great difference betweene the faith of Diuels and the faith of those men which beleeue and yet haue no fruites of godlinesse in them The Diuels indeede doe beleeue all matters of faith to bee true but they doe not nor can not beleeue that they pertaine any thing at all to them they haue no hope of mercie but men although they bee very sinfull yet they are in hope that they shall bee saued Heere is a great difference therfore the faith of such men goeth far beyond the faith of Diuels The Lord giue vs eyes to see and hearts to vnderstand for I will shew that the difference is That the faith of the Diuels is more perfect For what is the
things both in glorifying God also in ministring grace by our talk at al times vnto mē What shall speak of our wants in this point If we did wel throughly behold discern thē this one thing wold manifest vnto vs that in manie things we sin al that so we might not be so rigorous in condemning or iudging others For if we come so far short in the duties of the tongue both in praising God and also in benefiting men so manie wayes as wee might and are bounde What shall wee thinke is the number of all our sinnes wee may well say that they be moe in number then the haires of our head But why hath the Lord set foorth this power and good of the right ordered tongue wee must well consider of that It is not that wee should come to the sight onely how vnperfect we are but that withal we should labour and striue towards greater perfection It is a most worthy thing to professe the holy faith and to sound foorth the praise and glorie of the most high God Also it is an excellent thing to speake such wordes as may at all times minister grace to the hearers Hereunto appertaineth that which Salomon saieth The tongue of the iust man is as fined siluer and the lippes of the righteous doe feed many Prouerb 10.20 21. Thus much concerning the first part which is the ordering of the tongue aright which is an exceeding great matter and now I will proceed to the other part that is the wonderfull harme of the euill tongue for looke how great the power of the tongue is vnto good where it is well ordered so great force hath it also on the other part vnto all mischiefe where it is not bridled And least this might seeme strange or incredible the Apostle vseth a comparison Behold saith hee how great a thing a little fire kindleth Wee all know that one little sparke of fire lighting into drie matter is enough to fire a whole house and so a whole citie a countrey yea the whole world so much as will kindle and burne This is a wonderfull thing which God hath giuen to the fire that from so little so great flames will arise and that it will spread in such sort And Saint Iames saith that the tongue is fire It is not of our common fire it is figuratiuely called fire for it will spread farre though it be little and set all on a flame euen as fire yea it extendeth it selfe in mischiefe so farre that hee calleth it a world of wickednes What a marueilous saying is this Is the tongue so small a member and yet containeth in it such a depth and such a gulfe of all wickednes A world is a great thing it is the vniuersalitie of all creatures and by this the holy Apostle doeth expresse the wickednesse of the tongue as if he should say the generalitie of all euill and wickednesse is the tongue What euill what mischiefe what wickednesse what treacheries and lies come not from the tongue And marke how hee saith that the tongue is so placed or set among our members that it defileth the whole bodie If a thing bee full of euill and set with such distance that it can not touch another thing then the euill is not spread but resteth and defileth it selfe but it is not so yee see with the tongue for it is so set that it defileth the whole bodie And so fire where the drie matter is absent doth nothing but if it light vpon it then it enflameth all and setteth the whole on fire Euen so he saith that the tongue reacheth vnto and setteth on fire the course of nature The whole course of nature may verie well be taken for the whole world as if he should say The tongue euen like a firebrand setteth the whole world on fire for the truth is that in all places there be hote flames of contention there be broiles and dissentions yea all things doe boile and burne with the fire of the tongue And in the next wordes he sheweth what manner of fire the tongue is and from whence it hath that fire It is saith hee it selfe set on fire of hell Then is the tongue not onely fire but most pestilent and hellish or deuilish fire Hell enflameth the tongue how can that be Hell is here put for the deuils of hell they set the tongue on fire they doe enflame it with the hellish fire for as the holy ghost inspiring and sanctifying the heart of a good or godly man filleth it with all precious and heauenly treasures which then the tongue bringeth foorth to the praise and glorie of God and to the benefite of men so the deuill filleth the hearts of wicked men with such treasures as hell doth affoord and their tongues doe vtter foorth the same And in that respect the holy Apostle saith that the tōgue it selfe is set on fire of hell O that men would consider of this how their tongues are thē speciall instruments of the deuill to spread here in the whole worlde the fire of hell O that they would weigh and consider whome they serue and whose worke they doe perfourme That tongue which hath beene giuen to be the chiefe instrument in the bodie of man for to magnifie the praise and honour of the Lorde and to benefit men how is it turned and changed to be the firebrand to set the whole world on fire euen with the fire of hell But if it be demanded what is this same fire which it is enflamed withall and with which it doth enflame the whole course of nature You know that Saint Paul saith The deuill hath fiery dartes which faith doth quench now where faith is not hee fixeth those dartes in the heart of man and so when the heart is filled with that hellish fire the tongue presently receiueth it and casteth it abroad euen like wild fire hee shooteth the dart of pride and vaineglorie ambition into the mind the dart of selfeloue of enuie of hatred and of malice Moreouer he fasteneth his dartes of vanitie and vaine pleasures with the dartes of all vncleane lusts of fornication and adulterie These are from hell these are fierie and the fire of Gods wrath is with them and the tongue hereupon scattereth and disperseth all this fire abroad as wordes of contempt of disdaine and reproch words full of fury and bitter rage with lying and slandring backbiting wordes full of vanitie and horrible othes wordes full of filthie ribaldrie and all manner of beastly songs Shall I take vpon me to number the starres or to measure the sandes of the sea If not what should I take vpon me to enter into all particulars in this matter There is nothing which the fiends of hell doe suggest into the wicked heartes of men but the tongue poureth it forth Hereupon as wee see by daily experience all the world is on a flame euen with the fire of hell There is cursing and banning
be not blasphemers or persecutors of the word they be not contemners which regard not at all to heare it they come not vnder a shewe or pretence as to a thing which otherwise they haue no care nor feeling of or which they delight not for to heare but how They receiue it with ioy and take such pleasure therin that returning they can say surely this was a very notable peece of worke and wel handeled I am glad that I heard it it doth me euen as much good as my meate I would goe a mile to heare the like againe Is not this then marueilous and fearfull that a man may goe thus far yet be a castaway and a forlorne wretch It is not a thing to be woondered at when the holie scriptures giue sentence against those traiterous villaines which set themselues against God and tread downe his lawes but when God vttereth this sharpe sentence against this zealous kind of mē if it cause vs not to wōder yet it may make vs to tremble when we see that a man may proceed thus far in religion and yet be damned Whē we vnderstand that a man may bee zealous and ready to heare preaching vnderstandeth carieth away letteth it grow in his heart hath some ioy in it and yet neuer the better abiding still vnder the curse But there be some which will obiect against me and say this is no good manner of teaching for the vse of true teaching is to builde vp and edifie the faith but this seemeth to take away the certainty of faith from all so that no man can tell whether he shall be saued For by what means can a man make a better triall and proofe of his faith then this that he giueth eare to Gods word vnderstandeth it carieth it away and ioyeth in it If such a man may be damned who may not dispaire I answere with S. Paul 1. Cor. 10.12 He that thinketh he standeth let him take heed he do not fall If the admonition were necessary to the Corinthes it is necessarie for vs all One of the principall endes and vses of preaching is to giue men warning that they do not deceiue thēselues with euery kind of faith or ioy in the word but to looke for good and sound triall in themselues which is not the way to bring men to despaire but to bring them to true godlinesse to cause them to shake off securitie and loosnesse in the seruice of God to beware least their heartes bee hard still within it causeth men to trie themselues least they should be deceiued by a vaine shadowe of a dead and fruitlesse faith for Christ saith that these beleeue for so it is expressed by S. Luke the 8.13 and ioy in the worde and yet are damned Then let vs come to the particular applying of this point to see howe wee are to deale with our selues when ye receiue the word take heed that ye giue it depth of earth enough look that your hart be not soft pliable enough a little aboue and a hard rocke of stone within but see that it bee digged and softened to the bottome that the worde may take deep roote enough Alas what a miserable thing is it when Christ hath giuen vs warning here so plainly for a man to be a zealous gospeller not only willing to heare but hath an earnest desire trauelleth to heare taketh pleasure delight when he heareth yet neuertheles because he taketh no heede thereto his heart within is so stonie that he heareth but to his further increase of damnation Manie thinke it goeth wel with them when as they receiue this testimonie frō men he is a sound Protestant he fauoureth and delighteth in the truth these indeed be great tokens of the fear of God but yet we are not to rest in thē our chief dealing is between God our hart that in this thing whether our heart bee not hard and rockie Those are a thousande times happy which feele melting heartes and soft affections so that Gods word doth pearce into them causeth them to tremble at the maiesty power of the fame their tender heart doth sigh and mourn for their iniquitie As on the contrary part they which make no conscience of sin but are hardened in their affections although they seem to be in good case yet are they cursed miserable Let euery man therefore that goeth from the sermon carie this with him I heare by Christs owne words that there is a stonie ground where the seed falleth where it groweth but not deep enough it springeth vp but doth not bring forth fruit this is a wofull case if I should be in the number of these for then al my labor is lost which I bestow in frequēting Sermōs yea it were much better that I had neuer heard I feele that I ioy in it I would not for any thing but I had heard it but Christ saith that the reprobate some of them do heare the word with ioy so that if I looke not narrowly to mine owne heart I may for all this be damned therefore I must not satisfie my selfe with this but see that I couer the word deep enough that my heart be softened in such sort that I feele the roote goeth deepe yea so deepe that it can neuer be rooted out And therefore let him continuallie crie vnto God and say O Lord make soft my harde and stony heart let it bee a melting heart that thy holie worde may growe in it for euer I would to God this doctrine of our Sauiour Christ might make euerie of vs to tremble shake as indeed if it were well weighed it is so fearfull that it might cause the haire of our heads to stand vp for then would we not so loosely securely walk in the hardnesse of our heartes there would not be so many backsliders in time of persecution there would not be so many braue boasters and praters of Religion who are readie to pull in their hornes and to hide their heades so soone as there is anie feare of daunger or likelihood of persecution neither would men bear themselues in hand that they be iolly professours when they haue but a little tasted of the word are no more but empty barrelles which giue a great sound Heere then wee be set a worke with great toyle to haue this same hard stonie ground made softe and fit to receiue this heauenly seed And hee which is not carefull in this point to take paines yee shall see him waxe so hard that euen as a continuall raine dropping vpon a rocke of stone maketh it neuer the softer so nothing can make his heart to relent This may teach vs then to cease marueiling when wee see so manie which willinglie giue themselues to be taught haue still little remorse of sinne The Lorde for his mercie sake make vs wise and sharpe sighted to iudge of our selues not to be lead on forward in a carnall profession but to
man haue more then God And if we misse of it we haue lost all seeing without it nothing can defende vs from the assaultes of the Diuell But when we are willed to resist the Diuel stedfast in the faith is it so that wee haue faith in our owne power or when wee will Can wee of our selues be stedfast in faith Or is it a matter so easie to obtaine a strong faith Saint Peter hath no such meaning For goodly thinges are hard to be attained vnto and faith is the most precious and excellent of all other most hard to be come by It is not in mans will or power to beleeue and to beleeue stedfastlie at his pleasure But Saint Peters meaning is to mooue all men to feeke it where it is to be found and by such meanes as be ordayned for to come vnto it by For there is no man almost but will acknowledge that a strong faith is a most rich iewell but when it commeth to the matter they depriue themselues for the most part either deeming that they haue it or can haue it in their owne power resting in a vaine shadowe not knowing at all the nature of the true liuely and powerfull faith or if they doe acknowledge it to be the gift of God yet they neuer seeke it by those meanes which he hath ordained to worke it in men and to nourish it vp in them When wee are therefore willed to resist the Diuell stedfast in the faith it is as much as to saye giue all diligence and vse all the wayes and meanes that may be to increase and strengthen your faith that you may ouercome the Diuell If you be diligent that way happie are you and if you take not that course then are you vtterly vndone for what way can you then escape the power and tyranny of the roaring Lyon But it will be said S. Peter doth not heere shewe how men shall come to this stedfast faith No for his whole doctrine tendeth to that point in al this Epistle and therefore hee needed not to put them in mind particularlie yet it shall not be amisse for me to note somewhat He that will attaine to the true liuelie and iustifying faith which armeth a man with the power of God must first of all know for certainty that he hath not so much as anie spark thereof of himselfe we are all of vs by nature shut vp vnder vnbeleefe and in miserable blindnesse which while many doe not know they rest and content themselues in a certaine dead image of faith and are vtterlie seduced for that faith hath no power He that knoweth this indeed beholding the depth of the calamities which hee is in will looke vp to God who is the giuer of faith Hee is desirous to know what the promises of God are which hee is to beleeue and what the way is in which hee must walke to performe the duties of a Christian life for the true faith worketh by charitie as Paule saith and cannot be without good workes He searcheth the Scriptures as Christ willeth Ioh. 5. hee doth with all diligence bende his eare to heare the holy Gospell of Iesus Christ preached feeling therein the power of God to worke faith He doth crie and cal vnto God day night for to teach him to lighten him to giue him vnderstanding to increase his faith He findeth the blessing of God in these meanes therefore applieth them But now on the contrary part hee that resteth in this God giueth faith and if it be his will I shall haue it and so despiseth all meanes not considering how God giueth faith is vtterlie awrie and out of the right way From hence it is that there be so manie commendations of the word of God and of the liuelie power that it hath to saue our soules From hence it is that wee are often called vpon to giue eare to the voice of God to hearken to his counsels Thus shall wee obtaine the holy faith And he that hath faith and feeleth the power of God in him if he will haue it increase is to consider the abundant kindnes of God who hath bestowed so great a gift vpon him he is from the bottom of his heart to giue all praise and thankes and honor vnto him for so great kindnesse and mercie shewed Moreouer he is to take heed that wil be stedfast in the faith to resist the diuel that he bee rich in good workes and that hee abstaine from committing those vices which nature doth lead vnto For in the time of triall in the hower of temptation or when Satan doth assault it will greatly shake the mind if a man when he doth looke for the arguments of a true faith and findeth that hee hath beene fruitlesse but if his conscience doe accuse him not only of a slacknesse in good workes but also of foule sinnes commited then will he crie out that all his former profession of the faith was but in shew or in hypocrisie This Apostle in the first chapter of his seconde Epistle teacheth that if we ioyne vertue with our faith and with vertue knowledge and with knowledge temperance with temperance patience and with patience godlinesse and with godlinesse brotherlie kindnes and with brotherlie kindnesse loue we shal make our calling and election sure we shall if we doe these thinges as he saith neuer fall 2. Pet 1. vers 5.6.10 We shall perceiue assuredly if these things be in vs that God hath called vs effectually and that hee hath chosen vs. And therein doth consist the stedfastnes of faith euen when we are sure that God hath chosen vs in his sonne vnto life eternall If this assurance of Gods loue and fauour towards vs were not to be attayned vnto how could he say Whom resist stedfast in the faith Can there be any stedfast faith without that I beseech yee let vs thinke well of these things let vs vse all care and diligence yea all the holy meanes that God hath appointed to increase our faith that being armed therby we may resist and ouercome our enemie the diuell But here it may be demaunded whether the diuell be to be resisted only by faith or some other things to be vsed I answere that Saint Peter doth set downe the only way by which we are to resist the diuell we haue nothing whereby to withstand him but faith and that is sufficient alone to withstand him whatsoeuer way hee seeketh to hurt vs. I suppose that the reason heerof is euident vnto all men The power of God alone is sufficient euery man will confesse to shielde vs from the Diuell and no power indeed but the power of God Faith onely armeth vs with that power of God and maketh it as it were ours He that standeth and liueth as the the Scripture speaketh by faith standeth and liueth not in himselfe but in the power of God If we thinke it lawfull to seeke help to resist him and to put him to
to his promises and because the plaine testimony of the scripture compelleth them they affirme it constantly and condemne the contrarie as a soule errour that God hath chosen men and men come to feele and to know this And therefore because it is a true doctrine they say also that they themselues are sure that God hath chosen them but when they take not the way to become sure which S. Peter hath here set downe but goe in a contrarie path and are spotted with filthy crimes wee may boldly say they be lyars for although they brag with their tongues of that that they should be yet there is a birde in their brest which doth sing in a cōtrary note telleth them plainly what they be Another kind of men there be which in no case can be perswaded that any man can be sure of saluation and therefore with scoffes they aske of them which professe the word when God told them so If it were a thing which were not to be or could not be knowen then the Apostle hath greatly ouershot himselfe in telling vs how wee shall come to be sure But aske a question of them whether they doe not beleeue in God euery one will answere I put all my whole trust in him reason then a little further and tell them that the Scripture which can not lie saith That all which trust in God shall be saued how then will they ioyne these togither that they trust in God and yet doubt whether they shall be saued can God deceiue or say they they know not what Vndoubtedly if they did know that they haue trust they should also know they can not perish But let vs learne by this the miserie of our time in which men do still thinke this doctrine to be strange Now let vs come to the particular application of this doctrine in which euery one must come home to himselfe remembring first that such as God hath called home to himselfe and chosen to be his children he doth also giue vnto them true faith and feeling that they bee his elect and such as perceiue no such thing in themselues are in a verie miserable case and as yet wee may say forlorne creatures therefore euery man in himselfe must aske this question of his owne soule How goeth the matter with thee Art thou sure God hath chosē thee Doest thou feele any assurance of eternal life The conscience will answere vprightly if wee be not negligent to make inquirie then if we find this within I am not sure for I doubt and stagger we must inquire with our selues thus what is the cause God is faithfull which hath promised eternall life vnto all which beleeue our heart will make answere Thou regardest not the feare of God thou art full of foule sinnes euill lustes doe reigne in thee thou doest not study for the knowledge of Gods worde thou art vnfruitfull and barren in good workes therefore thou canst not say I am led by the spirit of God and therefore sure I shall be saued If he be wise he will not stay here as the manner of fooles is saying I am not sure indeed neither do I thinke any man can be I commit it to God let him doe with me what he will these speeches may seeme to haue some wit godlines in them but they are indeed deuilish and madde because God hath taught vs a contrary lesson in this place but go this steppe further may I come to this assurance and which is the way The Lord doth answere by his Apostle Thou maiest come to this assurance and pointeth him out the way euē that which you haue heard wherein he must painefully trauell and goe forwarde not for a gird or a braid and waxe idle againe but still labour for these men had gone a great way and yet they are willed to proceede still if the Lorde guie not this assurance we are to labour so much the more and to be so much the more importunate to suspect our iudgement and to seeke for knowledge to call our selues to a more strait account to set a watch ouer our affections to see with what mind we doe things to foster no sinne willingly in vs nor to be slacke to any good worke which God hath appointed to call crie vnto God for faith and his spirit to guide vs to vse the means diligently which God hath appointed as the hearing searching meditating in the word thus in time for it is wroght in mē by degrees they neuer come to the full God wil let thē see that he is their God That neither life nor death height or depth things present or things to come Angels principalities nor powers nor any creature shall separate vs from his loue in Christ It followeth in the next verse For by this meanes an entring shall be ministred vnto you abundantly into the euerlasting kingdome of our Lord Iesus Christ This is a confirmation of the last clause of the former sentence where he saith If you doe these things you shall neuer fall and why because you shall haue a great entrance into the eternall kingdome of Christ as that is a confirmation of the other where he saith Make your calling election sure as the reason followeth there Ye shall come to be sure how because he which proceedeth so far that he knoweth he shall neuer fall away from God to destruction he is as it must needs be sure also that he is chosen for hee speaketh not here of euery particular fall into sin which is of the most godly but saith S. Peter I tell you if you do these things ye shall neuer fall not because there is any such stablenes in our selues or in our own works but we know that they be the fruits of Gods spirit in vs which is his seale set vpon none but those whome he doth marke vp to life eternall he is vnchangeable so it followeth here Ye shall not fall for they that haue a rich entrance into the kingdome of Christ which is euerlasting so that Christ doth raigne in them as hee doth in all the faithfull by his spirit can not fall vntill the power of Christ faile and his kingdome come to an end For we must note that the force of the reason resteth in the difference which is between the kingdome of Christ and the kingdomes of this world in which though they be neuer so mightie and full of pollicie and wisedome yet they should come to an end and therefore a man can not rightly say vnto the subiectes you haue a mightie prince who is bountifull and gracious your peace therefore and happie estate shall endure for euer nay the mightie may bee ouercome if not by men at least wise by death and so they may bee to day in peace and good estate to morrow all in an vprore to day vnder a louing and gracious prince to morrow vnder a fierce tyrant so vncertaine is the state of the kingdome of
the manner of those men which called it saith when as in very deede it is none but onely a certaine resemblance and shadowe thereof Thus much for this enterance and state of his disputation now follow his reasons by which hee doth prooue that this kinde of faith cannot auaile or profit a man for hee doth prcoue it very strongly and pithelie The first of them is taken from a comparison or similitude which hee setteth downe thus If a brother or a sister bee naked and destitute of daily foode and one of you say vnto them Depart in peace warme your selues and sill your bellies notwithstanding ye giue them not those things which are needfull to the booie what helpeth it This is the summe of the matter There commeth vnto you a poore man or a poore woman which lacketh clothes and sustenance you giue them gentle and faire words God helpe ye God succour ye and send yee releefe but yee giue them nothing can this helpe the poore man or the poore woman Shall they not for all your louing words sterue for cold and dye for hunger if euery man should serue them so and giue them no other almes Why doe ye not see then that as this almes and liberalitie to the poore which is but in faire speeches is colde and doth not helpe so in like manner the faith which is but in words and outward profession of speech although it be with neuer so great bragges is dead and then further why doe ye not vnderstand that a thing which is weake and dead in it selfe can by no meanes haue power to giue life and to saue But obserue it a little better thus the comparison standeth if that liberalitie which is onely in words bee cold or dead and doth not profite the poore nor make him a liberall man which vseth it then it followeth also that that faith which is onely in speech is dead and therefore cannot saue or profite him which hath it if words onely could profite or cause it to be faith why should not words also profit the poore man or woman which is destitute If words onely can make a faithful man why shuld not words make a liberall man If for a man to say he hath faith be of that power to do the greatest things as namely to couple vs to Christ to raise the soule frō death to life to put the diuell to flight to ouercome the world should it not be able to do the lesser that is to say so far to preuaile with vs to haue such power in vs as to bring forth good works Deere brethrē know that if it be aliue do the former it must needs do this if it do not this latter thē surely it is dead and can doe nothing to saue vs. This is a most plaine and forcible reason to proue that the faith of a carnall and worldly Gospeller is but a dead shew of faith and therefore he is not iustified nor saued neither can be iustified nor saued thereby seeing it hath no life in it selfe to worke and to bring foorth fruites it cannot giue life vnto him for how should it bring that which it hath not To set it foorth more plainly thus the Apostle addeth but some man might say thou hast the faith and I haue workes shew mee thy faith by thy works and I will shew thee my faith by my workes He sheweth here how euerie simple man which is a true Christian may be able to deale against the greatest and most skilfull Doctor that is to prooue that hee hath no faith if he haue not good works for when he saith Some man will say it is as much as if he had sayd any man may say thou hast faith that is thou makest thy boast that thou hast faith shewe it by thy workes because faith is an holy thing wrought by Gods spirite and a liuely and mightie thing therefore it cannot be without holy and good actions For as a man is knowne to bee dead when he doth not breathe cannot stirre see heare and such like and contrariwise when hee doth any of these he is knowne to bee aliue euen so is it with faith if it can or do bring foorth no good works then is it dead on the contrary part the actions and stirring thereof doe shew it to be aliue This is a strong place against all those which doe not onely vaunt themselues of a vaine and dead beleefe but also would leaue no mark to know who are of God and who are of the diuell Let a man take them tardie in any foule vice wherein they wallow and say vnto them ye are out of the way ye haue not the true beleefe in God ye are couetous ye are a worldling ye are a drunkard and an adulterer or such like their answere is readie Who made you able to iudge can you tell how I beleeue will you take vpon you to see what is in my heart whatsoeuer you say I haue as good a beleefe as your selfe Marke well now I pray ye for here ye may learne how to answere such sellowes say thus vnto them Faith indeed of it selfe is a secret thing in the heart but yet because it can no more be without good deedes then fire can be without heat the Lord doth bid vs by his Apostle to say vnto you shewe mee your faith by your workes and when your tongue is foule and your deedes are wicked most certain it is that the heart is vncleane there is no right faith for that doth purge the heart as S. Peter saith Act. 15. Looke but vpon mens words and outward brags of their beleefe and ye would thinke there were such plentie of faith that there could be almost no more euery man doth so strongly beleeue in Christ But come to this touchstone and triall which is here giuen vs shew thy faith by thy workes and it shall by and by carrie vs so farre on the other side when wee see such flouds of all horrible and beastly sinnes that it will cause vs to thinke vpon this saying When the sonne of man commeth shall he finde faith vpon the earth For if this be true as it is most true because God himselfe hath set it downe that the faith which is without good workes is dead and those are Infidels which like bruit beasts care not but for the things of this world and make no conscience of committing all kinde of euill workes Doe ye suppose that if the sonne of man should now come that he should finde any great store of faith Alas alas how many are the sinfull deedes of the most men which shew that they haue no faith How few are the good workes and how weake euen in the small remnant of the godlie which doth declare how poore and slender their faith is But wee must yet proceede further in this matter and as it were strike it a little deeper As men are wilie to deceiue themselues so they will here
departed Doeth not this improoue the faith of those which for the religion of GOD are so farre off from hazarding their liues and goods that they dare not be seene when neuer so little danger doth arise wherein are those like vnto Rahab which will turne with euery winde and a man can not tell what religion they be of they will be sure to row with the tide and neuer to striue against the streame doe such now iustifie them selues like Rahab haue they such a faith as shee had No dearely beloued they are as yet verie infidels and loue them selues and the worlde more then they loue GOD and his truth this thing then is most euident that the true beleefe doth make all those that haue it ready and willing to lose their liues and their goods for the Gospell this must not seeme to be a strange doctrine when as our Sauiour telleth vs in sundry places that hee that doth not forsake all and take vp his crosse and follow him can not be his disciple Well wee must therefore be so hote and zealous in the profession of true religion that it cause vs to forget our owne state and commoditie we must haue so burning a loue to Gods trueth that nothing may be able to quench the same Wee must not stagger and varie because wee shall endure trouble Let vs conclude this point wherein it is proued that they erre and are deceiued which do not make account of keeping religion pure of louing it before all other things and so of giuing to God his due honour Remember that from hence ye are to fetch the first part of the true description of a godly man and the triall of the iustifying faith which is but one and therefore worketh alike in all which are partakers of it though not in the like measure and withall marke how farre the holy ghost doth differ in setting forth a righteous man from the common manner of worldlings whereas he taketh it to be the chiefe worke which respecteth God himselfe his truth they passe ouer that and count it no matter though a man be an idolater or superstitious or a swearer which doeth not reuerence the name of God so that hee be a friendly man to his friend and such like how great an enemie he be to the worde of God it skilleth not these are bruit beasts without vnderstanding verie Atheistes which will say plainly they can see no difference betweene the papists and the professours of the gospell both because they are not able to iudge of doctrine and also that they look but vnto men Now let vs come to the second thing wherein they erre and which this text doth confute sharply they suppose as I told ye that men are to haue no further regard but to this not to hurt passing by all those duties wherein they are to doe good vnto their brethren not duly considering how the lawe of God doth not only bind vs to abstaine from hurting our neighbour but also doth most straigtly tie vs to doe all good deeds vnto them so that he is guilty before God not only which committeth that which the lawe forbiddeth but also which leaueth the thing vndone which the law inioyneth Now then because the true faith bringeth vs to haue care to obey God wholly Saint lames requireth that a man should shewe his faith not onely by leauing that which is euill but also by the perfourmance of that which is good for thus he saith Shew me thy faith by thy deeds and that faith which is without workes is dead Here by the way obserue by comparison how farre off are those from grace which swarme full of vncleane vices and their whole race is nothing but a continuall sinning whereas this is euidently here prooued that such men as carrie a great shewe of vprightnes in refraining from sundrie vices are still without testimonie of true beleefe because their holy deeds doe not appeare for when as the holy scriptures doe testifie that the heart is purified by faith that those are borne againe in the new and spirituall birth that they are new creatures and haue a new heart and a right spirit created and renued in them it must needs be that they are prepared vnto euery good worke they haue not only put off the olde man with his corrupt lustes but haue also put on the new man which is created in righteousnes true holines as they haue walked in darkenes so now they walke in the light There is one step yet further in this matter I trust that as yee will confesse this That if those doe not beleeue well which haue no good workes to shewe although they bee in some things vpright and much more the foule filthy liuers which dishonour God and his truth so ye will also be brought to see that those miserable men are yet further off which barke against this holy doctrine and can not abide that a man should say to the wicked and vngodly thou art in the way to hell thou shalt die the death if thou returne not from these euils They may thunder and raile against men and say they vtter damnation but let them looke if they can quench the light which the holy ghost hath giuen in this text Let vs returne to the former matter againe Wee must not only abstaine frō euil but also do good there be many likewise deceiued in their doing good restraining it to the baser and lesser part they looke but vnto the bodies of their brethren and suppose they are to haue no further regard but of them to relieue and ease the miseries of the flesh let the soule be neuer so blind neuer so sick in neuer so great danger of eternall destruction they haue no pitie of that which doeth bewray that they see no further then this life they haue no true loue nor pitie in them for then would they loue the soules of men which are so precious they would pitie the wofull miserie that they be in For how absurd a thing is this that one should be carefull to case the calamitie which lasteth but for a day and not respect that which is eternall I must therfore here againe admonish ye that such as will haue proofe of their faith by good workes must exercise the same as well to the soules as to the bodies of men and because therin doth stand the greatest loue of all other they are therein to shew themselues most earnest There is no more excellent note of faith and of the true feare and loue of God then when a man is grieued and mourneth to see men out of the way to life running headlong in their sinnes vnto destruction and when as he doth in loue and pitie admonish them and seeke by instruction to draw them out of the snares of the deuill On the contrary side hee can neuer say he hath any droppe of grace which delighteth and sporteth himselfe at the lewde and wanton behauiour
with what manner of tongue they doe it They curse and banne they rayle reuile and reproach They sweare borriblie they lie they do slaunder and diffame They flatter they boaste they scoffe they iest they power forth words of all vanitie They speake all manner of vncleane words and out at their mouth commeth forth as it were the stinking mind of a most filthie puddle or of a rotten dunghill And then with the same tongue so polluted and in that vncleane vessell of their mouth they will bring and offer vp those sweete odors of the praise of God Here is a great instruction ministred vnto vs which we ought carefullie to hearken vnto and to print it in our minde If euer we haue to doe with any man or woman which is poore and base for outward respects and take it that they offer vs wrong so that our wrath begin to bee kindled let vs take heed that neither our heart so farre despise them nor our tongue vtter such contemptuous speeches vnto them such words of disdaine and ignorminie such base and vile tearmes as that we forget the image of God in them O beloued shall not this a little bridle vs shall we giue such tearmes to the image of God as we would scarce giue to a dog If any shall obiect and say some are so wicked and abominable that no speech can be too base for them I answer according to the doctrine of the holy Apostle here that howsoeuer wee are to loath and to abhor their wickednes yea to giue them such phrases of speech as may expresse their bad estate as wee shall finde the holy Scripture doth yet spare the image of God in them euen so farre as it remaineth giue them not such speeches that be so vile as I am loath to name any of them which ye shall vsually heare proceeding out of mens mouthes when they doe fall out least therein you curse reuile and vtterlie despise the image of God To conclude let the feare of God bridle our tongues that this deadly and diuelish poyson may bee taken out of them and that with them wee maye magnifie and praise the Lord God so that our praise may be acceptable vnto him and that our speeches may be such as tend vnto edification and that minister grace to the hearers Amen FINIS A Sermon preached at Pauls Crosse the thirtie day of March 1591. PSALME 133. Behold how good and how c. THe holie Prophet King Dauid was the composer and writer of this Psalme as the title thereof doth expresly mention It is called a song of degrees as there be 14. other besides this here set together of the same title but in what sence the learned interpreters are of diuers iudgements I will follow that which is most probable by the holie Scriptures The word Magnaloth which the Prophet here vseth doth properlie signifie steps or staires by which we ascend into higher places But by a Metaphor as I take it to be here vsed it signifieth high estate high degree excellencie or dignitie For proofe hereof wee reade 1. Chro. 17. vers 17. where Dauid speaking vnto God saith thou hast regarded me according to the estate of a man of high degree vsing the same word that is here So then if wee consider the phrase of the Hebrew tongue which to expresie the superlatiue degree vseth the plurall number a song of degrees that is a song of excellencies or a song of dignities is as much as to say a most excellent or a most worthy song The holy ghost in giuing this title doth as it were set a marke in the forehead of the Psalme to giue notice vnto vs that there is a treasure of most excellent doctrine and most fit for our instruction contained in it that wee may with the greater diligence and attention giue eare vnto it The Argument or the matter here handled is all but one For the holy ghost with a very high and singular praise through the whole Psalme doth set forth and commend the vnitie and concord of brethren The brethren which he speaketh of and which are to keepe this holy agreement are all the faithfull children of the Church fellow members of Christs mysticall body and true worshippers of GOD among whom is the spirituall brother-hoode The vertue it selfe which is here commended is that same which Saint Paul doth so earnestly exhort and perswade all Christian men vnto to keepe the vnity of the spirite in the bond of peace Ephes 4. vers 3. The Primitiue Church is commended for the practise thereof in which wee haue a liuely example set before vs for it is written that the multitude of them that beleeued were of one heart and of one soule Act. 4. vers 32. For as one body consisting of many members hath but one heart and one soule by which all the members are vnited and loue each other so the multitude were vnited in iudgement and affection as if there were but one heart and one soule in them all The commendation and praise by which the holie Ghost setteth foorth the excellent worthines of this vertue is vnder two Epithites which are these good and comelie For hee saith behold how good and how comely a thing it is for brethren also to dwell in vnitie These two Epithites hee afterward openeth and amplifieth by two similitudes the one is taken from the annoynting of Aaron with the precious oyntment to declare chiefly the sweete and pleasant comelines of this vnitie the other is taken from the dewe of Hermon which commeth downe vpon the mountaines of Sion to expresse the fruite and good that commeth thereof And finally he concludeth from the highest cause euen the Lord God who hath commanded the blessing of life eternall to be vpon this vnitie This is briefly the summe of the Psalme or of this praise which is giuen Now come to the exposition By the first word behold the Prophet doeth stirre vp the mindes of the Israelites euen of al the Tribes to take view how blessed a thing vnitie and concorde is euen by their owne experience which they had partly by the former times and partly by the time then present For in former daies they had felt with much sorrowe the great calamities harmes and annoyances of discorde and at this time now present when this Psalme was giuen they sawe the blessings and benefits of vnitie and peace For their former experience in the daies of King Saul when he persecuted Dauid which had done none euill the worshippe of God was neglected good men were oppressed euill men flourished with much griese of minde vnto many then was there discord so farre as men durst speake When Saul was taken away and Dauid was annoynted King in Hebron Abner the sonne of Ner Captaine of Sauls armie tooke Ishbosheth Sauls sonne and set him vp for King the discorde then grew much greater for then one part of the Tribes claue vnto Dauid the other vnto the house of Saul