Selected quad for the lemma: heart_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heart_n	evil_a	speak_v	treasure_n	3,744	5	10.2424	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A01711	Certaine sermons, vpon diuers textes of Holie Scripture Whereof some haue been seuerally before published, and other some for the greater benefit of the godly reader are here now added. By M. George Giffard, preacher of the worde of God at Mauldon Essex.	Gifford, George, d. 1620.; Gifford, George, d. 1620. A sermon on the parable of the sower. aut; Gifford, George, d. 1620. Two sermons upon I. Peter 5. vers. 8 and 9. aut; Gifford, George, d. 1620. Foure sermons uppon the seven chiefe vertues of faith. aut; Gifford, George, d. 1620. A godlie, zealous, and profitable sermon upon the second chapter of saint James. aut; Gifford, George, d. 1620. A sermon preached at Pauls Crosse the thirtie day of May. aut; Gifford, George, d. 1620. A sermon on the third chapter of Saint Iames. aut	1597 (1597)	STC 11848.5; ESTC S120470	152,707	288

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

feet and is made like a pauement there it lyeth aboue the ground altogether vncouered the Fouls come by by pick it vp Some falleth into stony ground or rocky or as S. Luke saith vpon a rock where there is a litle thin crust of earth in the top some moisture in which the seed is a little couered and because the earth which doth couer it is but shallow it springeth vp quicklie and brancheth and is fresh and greene and being so good seemeth to be forward corne and such as would yeeld to the husbandmen a plentifull haruest but because the root cannot spread it selfe deepe ynough to suck iuice out of the ground for the nourishment of the blade when the parching heate of the Sun lighteth vpon it then it is dryed vp and scorched and dyeth neuer bringeth forth fruit Some other doth fall among thornes there is depth of earth for the feed to grow so that it springeth vp and not onely a blade but also a stalke and commeth so far as to haue the eare but the thornes grow vp with it ouershadow and choak it in so much that the corne in the eare cannot haue the benefite of the Sun to make it ripe therefore the fruite that it seemeth to bring forth commeth to naught Some other seeds fall into good ground and grow vp bring forth seasonable fruit one kernell an hundreth another sixty another thirtie This is the Parable Now for the meaning of it we are not to seek far neither to goe by coniectures for Christ himselfe doth expound and interpret euery part of it a little after in this chapter I neede not but to lay open his exposition The seed is the word of God the sower of it is the Preacher and publisher of the same for as the Sower doth fil his hand and so casteth it abroad vpon the ground not setting it seed by seed or choosing a place for euery seed but where it lighteth euen so the preacher doth cast foorth the worde among the people and look how the ground is into which it falleth so doth it prosper for your hearts are the ground vpon which it is cast you that are the hearers among whom the seed is sown haue euery one a hart which is one of these four sorts of groūd vpon which the seed falleth and because the seede hath beene and is still daylie sowne among yee I thinke this parcell of scripture is vey fit and agreeable euen as a touchstone for euery one to try him selfe withall whether hee haue rightlie embraced the Gospell and to his saluation for what a sottishnes were this when we haue so iust and plaine a rule not to measure our selues with it But going on on nothing consider whether we be not one of those three euill sorts of ground which receiue the seed but bring forth no fruite thinking we be wel if we professe the Gospel or heare it after any sort Let vs go forward those which receiue the seede by the way side are they which heare the worde and doe not vnderstand it then commeth the euill one or as S. Luke saith the Diuell and taketh it away from their heart In these first kind of hearers we haue to obserue how that their heartes being hard and smooth like a path that is trampled and beatē with mens feet the word hath no entrance but lieth aboue vncouered for like as when a man casteth an handfull of corne vpon a very harde and smooth path it is all one as if it were cast vpon a pauement so also through the custome and deceitfulnesse of sinning the Diuell hath made the hearts of these vnmeete to receiue the heauenly seed of the word and looke how ye see Crowes other Fowles followe the heeles of the Sower to picke vp and deuoure such kernels as do lie vncouered in like maner do the diuels come like greedy foules into the assemblies where the word of God is preached to take it away from the harts of the people that it may not growe there This peraduenture will seeme strange to some that Sathan should haue any entrance into the Church among Gods people especially when they bee about the best and most holy exercises of hearing the word of praier How strange soeuer it may seeme and how many soeuer haue been or bee of that fond and doltish opinion to think that the diuell hath nothing to do with them or commeth not neere them when they bee about these holie things we are to beleeue Christ who telleth vs the contrary and we are wisely to consider that when we are nighest that which shoulde doe our soules good then is this enemie readiest at hand doth most busilie bestirre him If this were not vttered by our Sauiour Christ himselfe we might woonder for mine own part I would not cease wondring to see many hearers which cary away almost nothing which is to any purpose let a man tell a long storie in a worldly matter they haue wit inough to recite it in order again to keep it in remēbrance a long time after but let the preacher speak neuer so plain although they sit look him in that face yet if ye enquire of thē so soon as they be out at the church doors ye shal easily perceiue that as the cōmon saying is it went in at the one eare and out at the other They will say peraduenture after this maner it was a good sermon I wold we could follow it he said very wel he is a perfect ready man in the pulpit But ask what doctrine did he handle Then are they at a pause and set at a dead lift They will make this answere we are not able to carrie away so much as other can neuertheles we hope that we be as good toward God as they that carie away most They will also confesse that the worde of God is good and that wee should be ruled by it Let vs therefore dearly beloued if we desire not to be of the number of these marke well the subtill sleights and pollicie of the diuell how he handleth and conueyeth the matter with this kind of people There is no doubt of this but that if he can he will drawe away the minde from comming to the Sermon one pelting let or other must come in the way if there be no worldly businesse to be done then a paire of cards or tables or some honest recreation it should be nowe no good ciuility to part companie when friends are met togither this is the surest way if it may be obtained but what if he faile heerin They come to the place where the seed shal be sowne sit down and mind to heare then the next way is to come with them and to attend at their elbowe seeking how to depriue them of the word Now his best way is to bring them asleepe because they were then as good bee absent or into a slumber that they may heare

flight any where but in God then may we vse some other way to resist him besides faith We are to resist him by praier will some say That is true for prayer is a speciall fruite of faith the liuely faith doth bring foorth true prayer And if the prayer bee not of faith it cannot help to deliuer vs from the tyranny of Satan Faith sendeth vp praier yea with fasting strong praier which draweth downe the power of God vpon vs which shieldeth and defendeth vs from the rage of the fiende All other meanes that haue beene deuised to put diuels to flight are vaine and friuolous yea meere illusions of Satans owne deuising which wickedlie deface the power of God For when men cannot resist by faith then doe they flie vnto those other meanes as more sure Wofull is the state of the world in this thing that when men wil not learne of God to resist the diuell they learne at the diuell himselfe But that this thing may be more euident we are to see how many wayes the diuell seeketh to deuour vs. I doe not meane that we should in particulars see those wayes by which the Diuell deuoureth the soules of men for who is able so to expresse them surely not any mortall man For he hath manifold sleightes subtilties and craftes yea euen ten thousand deuises of all sorts to snare and to entrap the soules withall Hee hath also his forces and fierie dartes of terrour to wounde withall It is no dealing in particulars but to bee armed stronglie to resist him howsoeuer he commeth My purpose therefore is but to touch certaine generall heads which containe the rest So that this cruell aduersarie this roaring Lyon the Diuell may catch the praie deuour it he careth not which way it bee for that is the ende of all if hee may carie soules to hell And therefore according to the seuerall states and conditions that men bee in hee frameth himselfe to set vpon them There is no man I suppose which will make any doubt that the diuel coueteth to plunge al men as deep as he can into all euill but according as men are apt and incliued he is faine to deale as he may with some one way with some another Such as be ignorant in darknesse with them he dealeth that he may keep the pure cleere and heauenlie light of the Gospell out of their harts so holde them still vnder the power and in the kingdome of darknesse Touching these Saint Paule saith If our Gospell be hid it is hid to those that perish in whom the God of this world hath blinded the mindes euen of the infidels least the light of the Gospell of the glorie of Christ shoulde shine vnto them which is the image of God 2. Cor. 4. vers 3.4 To bring this to passe this enemie vseth speciall meanes by which he may diffame the Gospel and the profession of it as a doctrine not to bee suffered breeding and drawing with it so manie euils As namelie he soweth errours heresies and wicked opinions He is the father of al such things He raiseth vp the heretickes and Schismatickes and then suggesteth to the heartes of men which be his chiefe seruants that the Gospell hath bred them and they proclaime it with open mouth Behold and see say they what a doctrine is this yea this new learning that hath brought foorth so many foule heresies and diuisions The diuell say they the diuell goeth with it How can it be of God how can it bee good doctrine which bringeth foorth such fruit Satan did practise this while the holie Apostles were aliue vpon the earth as we read how the false Apostles did seeke almost euerie where to pul down that which S Paule had built S. Iohn in the Reuelation mentioneth the Nicholaitanes and a woman which said she was a Prophetesse that taught seduced the seruāts of the Lord that they might commit fornication and eat of things offred vnto Idols And the same Apostle saith that in his time there were many Antichrists for so he calleth the heretikes which then were 1. Ioh. 2. S. Paule said to the Elders of Ephesus I knowe this that after my departure there shall enter in among you grieuous Wolues not sparing the flocke and there shall rise vp of your selues that shal speak peruerse things to draw Disciples after them Act. 20. When all the Apostles were taken out of this life then was this prophecie fully accomplished for then did the diuell send foorth euen routs of wicked heretickes which did seduce manie greatlie trouble all Churches Then had hee those which cried out Beholde what a Gospell is this which hath brought foorth so foule and monstrous opinions Thus cunninglie did Satan work to keepe manie still in their former blindnes And in like maner in these dayes when the light of the gospell againe brake foorth he raised vp horrible heresies and sectes and then setteth his seruants a worke to crie out See what fruits this new Gospell bringeth forth This hath made many so much offended at it that they will not heare it and so the Diuell holdeth them still in their former blindnesse and deuoureth them as a praie Also hee raiseth vp lies and slaunders to diffame both the doctrine and al that professe it This hath beene his ancient practise Christ was said to haue a diuell to be a raiser of sedition and an enemie to Cesar His Apostles were deemed to be raisers of faction and disturbers of the common peace enemies to the state of princes and the Christians euer were accused to be men whichsecretly amōg themselues did commit most foule and abominable sinnes True it is that in all times he had manie which were hypocrites that professed the trueth for a time and then falling into notorious offences all the professors were said to be such Thus hath he in all times held many in darknesse by making them out of loue with the doctrine of saluation And as when Christ was risen from the dead Satan did raise and spread a lie namely that while the watchmen were asleep the disciples of Christ did steale him away and then sayd he was risen and this lie was beleeued though it were most absurd had no shew of liklihood so looke what lies and slaunders he raiseth vp nowe manie doe beleeue them For as S. Paul saith 2. Thess 2. Because men receiue not the loue of the truth God sendeth them strong delusion to beleeue lies Nowe for a man to resist the diuell in these practises that he be not seduced and held in blindnes it is necessarie to haue knowledge of the trueth and a liuely faith For if he come once to that he shal find that the Gospel is the pure and heauenly light euen the power of God to saluation as S. Paule saith to euery one that beleeueth Rom. 1. And that these sectes and heresies and troubles that follow it are raised vp by the diuell himselfe euen of

which hath once with the cie of faith seene but a glimse thereof is so inflamed and rauished with desire of a neerer and fuller sight that it can neuer be satisfied For this cause Saint Paule making comparison betweene the ministerie of the Law and the ministerie of the Gospell 2. Cor. 3. tearmeth that the ministration of death and the letter which killeth and this the ministration of the spirit which giueth life Which by the way also is to bee obserued because there bee at this day among vs many frantike brains namely those of the Family of loue which cal the true sound interpreting of the word the literal sense or the letter which killeth and their owne grosse and foolish allegories the spirit not knowing that Saint Peter speaketh of the difference betweene the Lawe and the Gospell Heere also appeareth of what price and dignitie the Gospell is for who can set foorth the worthinesse of this when hee saith that by these promises we are made partakers of the diuine nature We were indeed at the first created after the image of GOD and so partakers of his nature but wee lost all this with our first parentes and in steed thereof wee were made partakers of the diuelish nature bearing his image and fulfilling his lustes Now by faith in the Gospell this image is restored and built vp in vs againe whilest we receiue the spirite of sanctification ioyned with the same If men did knowe this first that all happinesse in men is to bee made partakers of the nature of God and to communicate with him and then that this is wrought onely by the Gospell men woulde not so lothsomelie despise it and preferre euery light commodity trifling pleasure before it men would not seeke to disgrace and slander it men would not be so soone wearie in hearing of it nor thinke euerie houre tenne while they be at it Finally men vnlesse they were mad men would not as they do now almost euerie where thinke themselues best at ease when it is furthest from them for who would willinglie throwe himselfe headlong to destruction who would so play the mad beastes as to thrust God from them and refuse to bee made partakers of his heauenlie nature which all they doe that haue as yet felt no sweetnesse in the Gospell or at least haue so little tasted that it can scarse obtaine colde loue at their hands But there needeth somewhat to bee said vpon the phrase of speech which Saint Peter vseth for it is somewhat harde to some and as it was in olde time foully abused by Heretikes so is it wickedly at this day peruerted by the louelie Familie which holding this doctrine that men are deified and God is hominified as their language is meaning that the verie essence and substance of God is transfused into men and his substance and theirs mingled togither take great holde of this that the Apostle saith We are made partakers of the diuine nature But you shal see that euery simple man may casilie confute them if we aske what the nature of an horse is will a man answer that he is made of the earth then a horse and a man are both of one nature forman is also made of the earth It is manifest then that none is so foolish but hee will confesse that when we speake of the nature of any thing we meane not the substance but the qualities and properties euen so in this place we must needs graunt that by the diuine nature in this place is nothing els meant but that there shuld be such a nature and such qualities in men as may carie a resemblance of the diuine nature as for example God is holie we must bee holie he is pure good iust gracious bountifull louing and mercifull all these and such like must be also in vs wee shall also come to bee partakers of life of glorie of ioy of happinesse and eternitie and so in a neerer sort to bee partakers of the diuine nature What are all those now the better which haue so receiued the precious promises that their qualities are euen as agreeable to the nature of God as light is with darknesse or Heauen with Hell or Christ with Beliall Sith so manie shamefull and beastlie sinnes flow raigne in them which are so manie partakinges of the Diuelish nature let them for shame denie that they haue ought wherin they communicate with God in anie thing sauing a bare profession Then what is it which maketh a good man The promises of the Gospell What is it which bringeth life and saluation The Gospell Who are they which haue imbraced the promises haue the true and liuely faith The holy Who are they whom God hath called to life eternall to bee those whome he loueth as children bearing his Image The pure and vndefiled In the last clause of this verse he sheweth his meaning very plainlie In that saith hee yee flee the corruptions which are in the world through lust This is the way to bee made partakers of the diuine nature for as corruptions and filthie defilinges the more they cleaue vnto vs the more they separate vs from the Lord so contrariwise the more a man doth flie and eschewe them so much the neerer hee doth approch vnto God who is the fountaine of all puritie VVee are heere to note that Saint Peter maketh all corruption and naughtinesse in the worlde to spring out of concupiscence or as it is vsuallie translated Lust where wee must learne first what this concupiscence or lust is which is heere sayd to bee as it were the seate of sinne and indeede it is the roote and fountaine out of which groweth and floweth all euill that is committed in the worlde either in thought word or deed to bee short this is that which is forbidden in the tenth commandement when he saith Thou shalt not couet at least so much of it is forbidden there as pertaineth to the second Table that is the roote and fountaine of all euill against men for there is nothing recited in the same last commaundement but towarde men and when our Sauiour Christ setteth foorth the summe of the first Table he saith it is to loue the Lord with all the heart withall the soule c. Now where the whole heart is required there concupiscence must needes be forbidden but yee will say what is it wherein doth it consist It is not in deeds wordes nor thoughts but a more close and inwarde sicknesse bred as they say in the bones the naturall blot and spot of originall sinne which we haue by inheritance from our first parentes and bring with vs out of our mothers womb out of which al euil thoughts and desires doe arise in vs. Saint Iames in the first chapter of his epistle maketh it the wombe and mother which conceiueth and bringeth forth sin Let no man saith hee when hee is tempted say I am tempted of God for God cannot be tempted with euill neither

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