he that heareth the word and vnderstandeth it Mat. 13.19 And although the first sort of bad hearers are sayd to heare and not vnderstand Yet the other two fortes are insinuated to haue vnderstood for how could they receiue the word with ioy vnlesse they vnderstood it How could cares of the world the deceitfulnesse of riches and voluptuous liuing choake the word after it was heard vnlesse it had beene vnderstood So that as the vnderstanding of the word is not sufficient to make you good hearers so on the other side the want of vnderstanding declareth you to be bad hearers All good hearers vnderstand the word though not onely they Good hearers must practise that which is taught them But how can they practise that which they vnderstand not 3. They agree in their affection to the word Those that be as stony grouÌ„d receiue the worde with ioy So also doe these good hearers though the thing it selfe be not expresly meÌ„tioned The Gospell is glad tydings and reioyceth the hearts of all that embrace it There is no commendable propertie in the reprobate and vnprofitable hearers but it is found in the elect and profitable hearers and that in a more excellent manner And therefore those who are nothing mooued nor comforted by the word are worse then some bad hearers and must not be reckoned in the number of good hearers Notwithstanding in this description of these good hearers wee may perceiue that in diuers other things they differ much from all the former hearers and therein doe greatly exceede and excell them all They are described by three properties and by them all they differ from the rest 1. By the manner of receiuing the word They receiue it with an honest and good heart 2. By the maner of reteyning it They keep it 3. By the maner of practising it They bring forth fruit and that with patience and plentie Touching the first propertie 2. things may bee noted The one more genenerall and that is the instrument of hearing it is with the heart The other more speciall and that is the qualitie and disposition of their heart it is an honest and good heart 1. Concerning the former we may hence obserue that those who will be profitable hearers of Gods most holy word must heare it with their hearts not onely with their eares to harken vnto the sound of it while it is vttered nor onely with their heads to vnderstand that which is deliuered but likewise with their hearts to keepe it and obey it Deut. 6.6 The Lord required of the Iewes that the words which he commanded them should be in their heart The wise man thus exhorted his sonne Proâ— 3.1.3 Forget not thou my law but let thine heart keepe my coÌ„mandements binde them on thy necke and write them vpon the table of thine heart And for this cause when Lydia went to heare Paul Act. 16.14 the Lord opened her heart that so she might attend to the things which Paul spake If her hart had bene shut so as the word could not enter in she had bene an vnprofitable hearer but God opening her heart that shee might receiue the word into it shee became a profitable hearer And there is great reason why al profitable hearers should receiue the word with the heart and into the heart 1. For the reformation and direction of the heart Gen. 6.5 by nature mans heart is corrupt yea all the imaginations of the thoughts of his heart are onely euill continually And out of the heart remayning corrupt come euill thoughts Mat. 15.19 Murthers Adulteries Fornications Thefts false Testimonies Slaunders such like sins which defile the man as Christ teacheth Now the worde is an Instrument of sanctification Ioh. 15.3 Christ said his Disciples were al clean through the word which he had spokeÌ„ to them And praâ—ed to his Father Ioh. 17.17 Sanctify them with thy trueth Ephe. 5.26 thy word is the trueth And the Apostle teacheth that GOD doth sanctify the Church clense it by the washing of the water through the word Now theÌ„ the plaister must be applyed to the place that is wounded or sore If it be applied to any other place it will do no good If the disease come froÌ„ the hart or inward parts it is in vain to lay the plaister to the head to the eare to the hand or to the foote so long as the heart inward parts are not cured they will minister new corrupt matter to the outward parts If then our hearts be corrupt we must not onely be content to apply the word to the eares by hearing it to the head by vnderstanding it to the tongue by talking of it but also to the heart for the purging of it at the first and for the guiding of it alwaies afterward 2. Againe the heart is the seate of the affections you must therefore receiue the word into your hearts that so it may worke on your affections both to sanctifie them as also to stirre them vp vnto good Thou must loue the word trust in the word and reioyce in the word or rather thou must loue God trust in God and reioyce in God because of his word as was shewed before in the example of Dauid Thou canst not doe this vnles thou receiue the word with thy heart As meate cannot nourish thy body vnles it be receiued into thy stomacke And as seede can neuer sprout nor come vp vnles it be cast into the furrowes and clods of the earth no more will the word profit thy soule vnles it be receiued into by heart 3. Moreouer the heart is the commander of the whole man and sets all on worke according to the disposition of it selfe Of the abundance of the hart the mouth speaketh as saith our Sauiour Math. 12.34.35 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things and an euill man out of the euill treasure of his heart bringeth forth euill things As the primuâ—â— mobile doth turne all the other inferiour orbes round about with it And as the watch wheele of a clocke guideth all the other wheeles If it stand they stand if it goe they goe if it goe slowly they goe slowly if it go swiftly they go swiftly So doth the heart of man rule and order all the senses and parts of his body either to good or euill they are exercised as it is affected Those then that would be obedient hearers of the word must needes receiue and embrace it with their hearts that so their hearts louing and lyking and beleeuing it may set all their senses and all the parts of their bodies on worke to practise it 4. Lastly the heart is the safest place for it As sowne corne if it lye on the top of the furrowes may easily be deuoured by the fowles of the ayre but if it be hid and couered is free from that danger so the word which thou hearest if it goe
be kept from them See then what an enemie the diuell is to hinder the efficacie of Gods word in mans heart As the preacher laboureth to cast the word into the heart so he to take it out He thrusteth many euill things into the heart he put treason into the heart of Iudas to betray Christ Iob. 13.2 Act. 5.3 he filled the heart of Ananias to lye vnto the holy Ghost So also doth he keepe all manner of good from the heart by the one he would make vs bad by the other he would hinder vs from being good Except it be inpraying hee doth not trouble a man so much in any busines as in hearing of Gods word because he is afraide lest man should be conuerted and saued thereby This his practise is euidently seene in many It appeareth by the euent that he taketh the word from many of our hearers for when the people haue heard the preacher speake a whole houre together and deliuer many profitable points of doctrine and that very plainely yet few can repeate any thing at all many will say they like him well he is a good man and made a very good sermon yet cannot tell one word that he spake What is the reason hereof the diuell hath taken it out of their hearts and heads Report to them an humane historie tell them some strange newes or a tale for their worldly profit or corporall health they will keepe it well enough and at any time and in any company will relate it very readily but teach them a mysterie of saluation instruct them in a dutie to God or man they forget it as soone as they haue heard it What is the cause hereof but this the diuell knowes that the one will neuer profit their soules nor further their saluation and therefore he will not take it from them he is afraid lest the other should profit their soules and further their saluation and therfore he labours to depriue them of it If a man put coyne in a chest and wares in a chamber and within a while come and finde none there he will say a thiefe hath bene there So if people heare much and keepe little or nothing it is certaine the diuell hath bene there to steale it out of their hearts This should teach euery one of vs that be hearers to looke well to our selues and carefully to keep that which we haue heard The diuell will doe what he can to depriue vs of it If he cannot keepe thee from heaving he will if he can rob thee of that which thou hast heard If thou be carelesse in keeping he will be sure to take all from thee You knowe that if a man haue some speciall goods and looke negligently vnto them and care not much whether he keepe them or loose them and a cunning thiefe be very desirous of them he is like within a while to get them Wherefore Gen. 15.11 as Abraham droue away the Fowles that trouble him when he was sacrifising so driue yee away the Diuell who troubleth you whē you heare Euen as you chase away the birds that would eate vp the corne sowne in your fields And as by harrowing of your sowne fieldes you couer the seed with earth that so the Fowles may not deuoure it and that it may better fructify So couer the seede of the worde in the furrowes of thy affections and let it enter deepe into thy heart and so shall it both be safe from the Diuell and fit to yeeld fruit in thy life This practise of the Diuel is amplified by the ends of it which are two the one subordinate to the other The former is least they shoulde beleeue Whence we may obserue two things one in respect of the word and another in respect of the Diuell 1. In respect of the word namely that the hearing and receiuing of the word is a speciall meane to bring men to faith for the Diuell doth therefore hinder men in hearing least by hearing they should belecue Saint Paul sayth That faith is by hearing Rom. 10.17 and hearing by the word of God How can they beleeue in him of whom they haue not heard and and how can they heare without a Preacher And those for whom Christ prayed Ioh. 17.20 must beleeue in him through the Apostles word Act. 8.37 Was not the Eunuch brought to faith by Philips teaching Did not Cornelius beleeue by Peters preaching Act. 10. Did not the Iaylor beleeue by hearing of Paul Act. 16.31 Though all doe not beleeue Non ommum est sides qus audiunt verbum sed quibus Deus partitur mensuram sides who doe heare because some heare amisse yet is hearing Gods ordinance to beget faith Those then that desire faith must heare and receiue the worde Those that may heare and will not cannot beleeue Wofull is their case who heare not at all for whence can they haue faith if they heare not Feareful is their case who hear seldome they haue no faith or a weake faith But happie are they who heare often and well August epist. 105. they beleeue and shall be saued 2. Another thing is to be obserued in respect of the Diuell namely what an enemie he is vnto faith for he takes away the word as it is entring into mens hearts lest they should beleeue This is the very cause why he is so busy in hindering the worde because hee would keepe men from faith And no maruell though he be a deadly enemie vnto faith Heb. 4. he knowes that the word will not profite the hearers vnlesse it be mixed with faith Rom. 〈◊〉 He knowes that by faith we are iustified in Christ Act. 10. that by faith we obtaine remission of sinnes and euerlasting life Very loath he is that we should enioy these blessings and therfore will do what he can to hinder vs of faith which is the hand whereby we receiue them Heb. 11.6 He knowes that without faith it is impossible to please God Rom. ◠14.3 And that whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Vnwilling he is that we should better please God then himself doth but gladly would he make all our actions sinfull like his Ephes 6. He knoweth that faith is the shield 1. Ioh. 5.4 whereby we quench all his fiery darts that it is the victory whereby wee ouercome the world one of his Champions And therefore wil seeke to keep this weapon out of our hands lest himselfe his champion be foiled therwith We may now say with the Apostle 2. Thes 3.2 All men haue not faith And no maruell seeing the Diuell is a spightfull foe against it and will hinder as many from faith as possibly he can At the end of the world as Christ fore-told the son of man shall scarce find faith on the earth Luk. 18.8 Let it not seeme strange for as at all other times so then especially will he keepe men backe from
a Deacon yet afterward became an Arch-hereticke Reuel 2.6 first Founder of the heresies of the Nicolaâ—tanes And as those did of whome Saint Paul prophecyed that in the later times Men shall departe from the Faith and giue heede vnto spirites of Errors I. Tim. 4.1 and doctrines of Diuels And as those that in former Ages fell from the Truth to the Heresies of Arrius Pelagius Nestorius and other damnable Heretickes And as those that in the dayes of Queene Mary did fall from the truth of the Gospell formerly professed to the Errours and Idolatrie of the Church of Rome Againe men may fall away by sinne and wickednesse in theyr liues as those who put away a good Conscience As those who beginne in the spirite but ende in the flesh As those who turned backe after Satan As those who had escaped from the filthinesse of the world 1. Tim. 5.15 through the knowledge of our Lorde and Sauiour IESVS CHRIST 2. Pe. 2.20 are yet tangled againe therein and ouercome whose latter ende is worse then the beginning Fulfilling the Prouerbe The Dogge is returned to his owne Vomite the Sowe that was washed to the wallowing in the myre Now these doe not fall away in part only and for a time as the Apostles did at Christs Passion but wholly and perpetually This a fearefull falling away Corporall relapses into naturall diseases are not so dangerous to the body as these relapses into errour and sinne are dangerous to the soule For by them men procure to themselues a double punishment Poenam damni poenam sensus A punishment of losse For they loose the rewarde of theyr former profession and obedience If the Righteous forsake his righteousnes and commit iniquitie all his righteousnes shall be forgotten and he shall die in his iniquitie saith the Lord. 2. Pet. 2.21 Likewise a punishment of sense and that so greeuous as it had bene better for them neuer to haue knowne the way of righteousnes theÌ„ after they haue knowne it to turne away from the holy coÌ„mandement giuen vnto them By their backsliding they more dishonour God and oftend others then if they had neuer made any profession at all And therefore their punishment shall he greater then if they had neuer knowne the Gospell Here then see the danger of persecution it driues many from Christ Such is the disposition of some as they will not suffer any thing for the Gospell they like and loue it when it brings peace and prosperitie with it but they bid it farewell when it brings persecutioÌ„ Though Christ hath suffered much for them yet will not they suffer any thâ—ng for him they would â—aine raigne with him but they will not suffer with him nor for him And therefore if they be called to beare the crosse they will rather renounce the Gospell then beare the waight of it But let them know that if they deny Christ or his word before men he will deny them before his father in heauen he that setteth his hand to the plough and looketh backward is vnfit for the kingdome of God Let vs arme our selues against this danger that we may continue constant in the day of triall Gal. 6.9 Let not any crosses make vs weary of well doing knowing that in due season we shall reape if we faint not And because persecution can neuer harme vs if our hearts be good let vs take heede as we are exhorted by the Apostle lest there be in any of vs an euill heart Heb. 3.12.13 and vnfaithfull to depart away froÌ„ the liuing God but exhort one another daily lest any be hardened with the deceitfulnes of sin If any of your hearts be not yet mollified so as the word of God cannot take deepe rooting in the bottome of them troubles for the Gospell can no sooner befall you then you will renounce it but if your hearts bee throughly mollified if the word take deepe rooting and worke iustifying faith in you Rom. 8.35 neither tribulation nor anguish nor persecution nor famine nor nakednes nor perill nor sword shall separate you from the loue of Christ but in all these things you shall be more then conquerours Sce Gregor Nazaan Orat. 1. in Iulian. And fâ—nally if it be such an hainous offence to fall away in time of persecution what shall we say of them who fall away in time of peace those doe it by compulsion by force and violence these of their owne accord those doe it halfe against their will but these most willingly those to saue their own goods and preserue their liues these to saue neither being in danger of neither those by constraint these through contempt Those among their enemies who were readie to hurt them if they would not recant these among their friends who will helpe them if they abode constant Ante aciâ—Ì„ victi sine congressione prostrate Cypriade laps Sect. â— Those in the field where they feared an ouerthrow these in a laÌ„d of peace where they expected no combat These must needs be more faultie and more inexcusable Those subiects who yeeld to the enemies through feare and for safegard of their liues are more fauoured and more easily pardoned then they who being in no danger did willingly run to the enemies and of their owne accord ioyne with them against their lawfull Prince Oh then what fauour can those expect at Gods hands who in these our happy daies and in this our peaceable land doe fall away from the truth of the Gospell to poperie and profanenesse These are farre worse then dastardly cowards for they yeeld not till they see some danger these yeeld before any danger appeareth Pro. 28.1 Heb. 12.4 These are like those wicked ones who flie when none pursueth them We should resist vnto blood strining against sinne As Christ shed his blood for the saluation of our soules so should we be readie to shed our blood for the maintenance of his Gospell How farre are they from this who fall away before they sawe any enemies to resist what hope can they haue of mercy from Christ who are so easily turned from the sincerity of his Gospell which they should defend with their dearest blood Thinke seriously of this and take heede of declining in such an happie season Luk. 17.32 Remember Lots wiâ—e as Christ biddeth you Facta est stâ—ua salâ—â—vt condiat tâ— In Psal 69. fiâ—e And consider that she for looking backe toward Sodome was turned into a pillar of salt and that to season vs with all as Augustine thought Deceiue not your selues but knowe for a certaintie that the hearing of the Gospell will not further your saluation butâ— rather aggrauate your condemnation if you falâ—â—way from it either in the time of persecution or in the time of peace Vers I. And that which fell among thornes are they which haue heard and after their departure are choaked with cares c. NOW followeth the exposition of the third kind of
bene thy manner from thy youth Dauid in the time of his exile and persecution committed no such sinnes as he did when he was setled in his kingdome And it hath bene obserued and confessed by many of the learned that the Church more abounded in pietie and zeale when it was persecuted and poore then when it was peaceable and endowed with riches And thereupon it was said Religio peperit diâ—â—tias Fox Acts. monâ— P. 716. ex August sâ—d filia deuor aâ—it matrem Religion brought forth riches but the daughter hath deuoured the mother That as the Church encreased in possessions Hicron so it decreased in vertue Some write that wheÌ„ Christian Emperours Polyâ—hron lib. 4. cap. 6. with good entents enriched the Church with lands and possessions a voyce was heard to crye This day is venome or poyson powred into the Church And afterward the Church began to complaine and say In pace mea amtritudo mea maxima Bernard in cantic serm 33. In pace mea amaritudo mea amarissima In my peace my bitternes is the greatest In my peace my bitternes is the most bitter Not so bitter before by the death of Martyrs and conflict with Heretikes as now by the manners of the household So that not a fewe but many haue bene deceiued and corrupted by riches this way and therefore all had neede to looke to themselues 4. Lastly riches deceiue men in respect of the continuance Many trust to them and hope to enioy them long when as they are presently depriued of them Thus was Dauid deceiued In his prosperitie he said I shall neuer be moued Psal 30.6.7 the Lord of his goodnes had made his mountaine to stand strong but theÌ„ the Lord did hide his face and he was troubled In regard whereof Salomon saith Pro. 23.5 Wilt thou cast thine eyes vpon that which is nothing for riches taketh her to her wings like an Eagle which flyeth into the heauen 1. Tim. 6.17 And Paul bad Timothie charge rich men not to trust to vncertaine riches vncertaine they are and therefore not to be trusted they will deceiue those that trust to them They will faile vs in our greatest neede as namely at the houre of death That rich man who enlarged his barnes and laâ—d vp goods for many yeares Luk. 12.20 when he was in great hope of enioying them long had his soule taken from him that â—ight and knew not who should enioy them Naked came we into this would 1. Tim. 6.7 and naked must we returne wee brought nothing into it neither must we carry any thing out of it hic aâ—quiruniur hic relinquntur here they are gotten and here they are left All those waies doe riches deceiue men And whom they deceiue in their hearts they choake the word Such impediments are they to the word as they hinder many from receiuing and professing it Christ said the poore receiue the Gospell Math. 11.6 And Paul said you see your calling that not many mightie or many noble are called 1. Cor. 1.26 but God hath chosen the weake ones to confound the mightie and base and despised ones to confound the noble So likewise they hinder men in the obedience and practise of the word Rich men are more bound to serue the Lord then the poore for on whom he bestoweth much of them he requireth much As he is more bountifull to theÌ„ so should they be more dutifull to him yet oftentimes it commeth to passe that they seldomer heare it and lesse obey it then others doe But the greater is their sinne and the more fearefull shall be their iudgement if they doe not amend Vse 1 You then that be rich looke well about you take heede lest your riches deceiue you and in deceiuing you make the word fruitles It had bene better neuer to haue enioyed them then thus to be deceiued and hindred by them Salomon thought this to be an euill sicknes which he saw vnder the sunne to wit Eccles 5.12 riches reserued to the ownâ—rs thereof for their euill And is it not verified in them whose Riches doe choake the worde in their hearts and make it vnfruitfull in their liues what greater euil could befall them Do they not hereby endanger their owne soules In a woefull case they are and farre worse then the poorest in the world CHRIST sayth vnto such Woe be vnto you that are rich Luk. 6.24 for yee haue receyued your consolation Some comfort they may find now but none hereafter And Iames saith to them Go too now yee Richmen weepe and howle for the miseries that shall come vppon you Iam 5.1.2.3 your gold and siluer is cankred and the rust thereof shal be a witnes against you and shall eate your flâ—sh as it were fire Ye haue heaped vppe Treasure for the last dayes Though now they feare no danger yet one day they shall feele it to their great sorrowe It is strange to see howe craftie and wise Rich men bee in worldly affaires In all their dealings they take such good heed that they can hardly bee deceiued by any yet in spirituall matters touching the saluation of theyr soules they may easily bee ouer-reached They are to theyr great losse often deceyued and yet doe not perceiue it Their owne riches deceiue their soules and yet they cannot discerne it nor will acknowledge it Oh consider that as the Diuell may deceiue you and as other men may deceiue you so also your own wealth may deceiue you and that as dangerously as any It may so deceiue you as it may procure your euerlasting destruction if in time you do not espie it and redresse it CHRIST would neuer haue said that the deceitfulnes of Riches as Thornes choake the seed of the word vnlesse riches did deceiue men and make them vnfruitfull hearers Let his words then be an admonition to make you take better heede There is not any one of you but if a Friende tolde you of a Couzener that had beguyled manie and went about to deceyue you to your great dammage you would take warning and eyther refuse to haue any dealings at all with the man or else if by necessity you were compelled thereunto you would be so very circumspect in your dealings that hee should hardly defraud you Christ Iesus here lets you vnderstand that riches are deceitfull and that in deceiuing men they hinder them in that which serues for Gods glory and the good of their owne soules And will not you receiue warning and beware of them Take heede of them they seeme to be your good friends and much to pleasure you yet is there falshood in their fellowship The better you like them the more you loue them and the more you trust them the more readie are they to deceiue you And indeed this is one of the strangest and grossest deceits that can be found in the world In other matters men are deceiued against their wills
not proud Vse 2 Lastly if riches deceiue men and hinder them in the obedience of the word let not the poorer sort alwaies follow the example of rich men Their riches doeth often choake the worde which they heare so as it taketh no effect in their hearts nor yeeldeth any fruit in their liues If then the poorer sort will doe as they doe they will prooue vnprofitable hearers In worldlie matters the poorer sort will follow them no further then serueth for their present profite If the rich should sow among thornes and reape a course croppe of corne at haruest through ill husbandry the poore will not be drawne by their example to vse the like ill husbandry nor bee content to reape the like croppe but whatsoeuer the other doe they will be carefull to dresse their ground after the best manner and seeke to make the best profite of that little lande which they occupie And why then should they imitate their ill husbandry in spirituall and heauenly thinges If in Christs time and the Adostles time the poore had beene led by the example of the rich very few had embraced the Goâ—â—ell many of them did receiue it though most of the rich did reiect it Consider this that their example will not exâ—â—â—e you before God your meane state hath least impediments Pâ—â— â—0 c. â— The wise man desired God to giue him neither riches nor pouertie but to feed him with foode conâ—enient lest being fâ—â—â— bee should deny GOD or beeing 〈◊〉 should steale and take Gods Nâ—â—e in vaine And therfore as ground without thornes yeeldeth greater increase then that which is ful of thornes So â—ou who be of middle and meane esâ—â—â—e should performe greater obedience then those that be exceeding rich or very poore 〈…〉 The third and last thing that as a thorne choaketh the word is voluptuous liuing or the pleasures of this life Though Mathew omit this yet Marke mentioneth it as well as this Euangelist and calleth it The lusts of other things or lusts about other things This diffâ—reth from the former for men may be rich and yet enioy no pleasure Salomon sayde hee saw this euill vnder the Sâ—nne and it was much among men A man to whom God had giuen riches Eccle. 6.1.2 and treasures and honour and wanted nothing for his soule of all that it desired but God gaue him no power to eate thereof but a strange man shall eate it vp This is vanitie and an euill sicknesse Some are so miserable as they cannot finde in their hearts to vse their riches for their owne comfort but let them lye by them as a sicke man doth his meate Againe there be many who liue in pleasure and yet enioy little wealth who waste their wealth in wantonnesse and care little for riches so that they may haue their pleasure for a time Such are the wanton youthes of our age who like the prodigall Sonne Luk. 15. spend their patrimonie by notous liuing These carnall pleasures will no lesse choake the seede of the word and hinder the fruites of it then cares of the world or deceitfulnesse of riches Salomon was a myrrour of wisedome yet when hee gaue himselfe to voluptousnesse he forgat himselfe neglected his dutie to his Creator and gaue way to abhominable Idolatrie And for this cause did Iob sacrifice for his children when they were feasting Iob. 1. lest the pleasures thereof should make them blaspheme God in their hearts 1. Tim. 5.6 And Paul sayd that the window which hueth in pleasure is dead while she is aliue because such are no more able to performe the duties of Christians then one that is dead is able to performe the office of a man These pleasures hinder the fruitfulnes of the word in three respects 1. In regard of the nature of the word the obedience therof it affordeth no such carnal pleasures as the natural man desireth though it yeeld spirituall and heauenly pleasures yet it it yeeldeth no corporall or carnall pleasures And therfore voluptuous persons who minde nothing but their pleasures haue no care to obey the word which bringes them no such pleasures as they desire Naâ— the word doth crucify our lusts doth cuâ—be moderate our pleasures And therefore the naturall man who hath his heart wholy set on pleasures and will not be stinted in the vse of them cannot endure it 2. In regard of the effect of pleasures they breede securitie in the heart make it more vnfit for grace more prone to vice lesse fâ—arefull of sinne and punishment And therefore it is sayd Hos 4.11 That Whoredome and Wine take away the heart Pleasure like another Cyrce so enchanteth mens mindes that like bruite beastes they are altogether giuen to sensuallitie and wholy neglect their dutie to God 3 In regard of the matter of pleasures for many carnall pleasures consist in the vse of vnlawfull thinges and in the practise of some sinne Now if a mans heart bee set on pleasure then to satisfie his pleasure hee will sinne against GOD as Eue did in eating the forbidden fruite And as Herode did who though hee heard Iohn Baptist gladly and did many thinges that he taught yet he would not put away his brothers wife as he was commaunded Voluptuous persons wil not embrace such doctrine nor follow such teachers as condemne their vnlawfull pleasures They will not suffer wholesome doctrine as Paul fore-told 2. Tim. 4.3 but after their owne lusts get them an heape of teachers to trie whether any will tollerate their sinfull pleasures and them will they like best Homo capitur voluptâ—tâ— sirâ— hamâ— pasâ—is August Voluptas est esca malorum Pleasure is the baite of sinne And man is taken with pleasure as the fish with an hooke As the Fisherman couereth his hooke with a baite that the fish biting at the baite may be catched with the hooke So the Diuell doeth baite many sinnes with pleasure that man receiuing the pleasure may be catched with the sinne In regard whereof the voluptuous man who will not bee abridged of any pleasure committeth many sinnes against God and fayleth often in the obedience of the word He may often heare the word yet will not obey it in any point which crosseth his pleasure As some sicke patients are content that the Physition prescribe them a dyet and sometime aske him a question whether such meate be good for them or no though the Physition who best knowes what is hurtfull for him doe forbid them some kinds of meate yet haue they so strong an appetite to some of those meates as for all his direction they will not forgoe them but onely would haue beene glad if he would allow them So men come to heare the worde and there by to learne what is good and ill for the health of their soules though the Preacher giue them good direction yet so earnest is their desire of pleasure that they will take their delight in those
no further then thy eares or head it is easily taken from thee but if it descend to the bottome of thy heart it may there be safelie kept It is an heauenly treasure And therefore thou must imitate that man who finding a treasure in the field Math. 13.44 did hide it and for ioy thereof went and sold all that he had to buy that field Though men will suffer their baser stuffe and wodden vessell to be more common and lye more open and remaine in greater danger yet their best and most costly stuffe their iewells and coyne they will lay vp in the safest places So seeing the word of God is most precious of great value and worth lay it vp safely in the bottome of the heart Vse And if this be a property of good hearers to heare the word with their hearts then those who bring their bodies to the Church and leaue their hearts at home who draw neere to God with their lippes and with their eares when their hearts are farre from him cannot be good hearers If thou wouldest be of that number prepare thy heart before hand and while thou hearest let not thy heart be thinking on any by-matters but onely attend to that heare with thy heart as well as with thy eares and then shalt thou be blessed by thy hearing 2. Againe note hence more specially the qualitie and disposition of their hearts who heare profitably they heare with an honâ—st and good heart It is not any kind of heart that will make your hearing profitable it must be an honest and good heart Though thou shouldest heare with thy heart as well as with thy eares yet vnles it be a good heart it will little auaile thee For in the goodnes of the heart consâ—steth a maine difference betwixt these hearers and some of the former Those which be compared to stony ground did heare with their harts For they are saide not onely to heare but also to receiue the word with ioy Yet were they not good and honest hearts They were hard and stony and would not suffer the worde to take rooting deepe enough And those that be resembled to Thornie ground did heare with their hearts yet were their hearts not good They were full of worldly cares and carnall delights which afterward choaked the word But these receiued it with good and honest hearts Kale kaâ— agathe and therefore did both retaine it and obey it In describing of the qualitie of this their hart Christ here vseth two words which be of a neere yet not of the same signification There is some difference â—etwixt them the one properly signifieth faire beautifull seemly and comely the other signifieth good and excellent The one noteth the outward apparent qualitie the other expresseth the inward nature and inherent propertie of the thing Beza aâ—or maâ—â—â— in 〈◊〉 locâ—â— And so hereby is signified that the heart of these hearers is good each way both outwardly before men manifesting it self to be good by open profession by aboundance of fruites and by constant perseuerance And also inwardly in it selfe and before God by a sincere sanctification and holie disposition And so their heart differeth from the heartes of the former hearers For though they in receyuing the Worde with ioy in belieuing it and bringing forth some fruites of it did make some faire showe and gaue some outward signe of a good hearâ— yet their heart was not effectually sanctified within and they made those faire showes but for a time Afterward they reuolting in time of Tentation or failing in their fruites thorough worldly cares and voluptuousnes bewrayed the filthinesse of theyr hearts Those then that would bee good hearers must haue good hearts both waies Both inwardly in their owne nature and inclination as also outwardly before men by the fruites and testimonies As is the heart so will the hearing be Good meâ—te will not nourish that mans bodie who hath a bad stomacke that cannot well digest it before it be sent to other partes but eyther leaues it â—â—we or turnes it to grosse humors No more can sound Doctrine profite that man that hath a corrupt and wicked heart Obiection If this be so that no man that hath a bad heart should come to heare and if he doe come he shall loose his labour and neuer be made better by hearing But wee knowe the contrarie manie haue beene amended by hearing yea theyr bad haue bene made good Answere This must be vnderstoode of the whole acte of hearing Not onely of the time before they come to heare but also of the whole Time while they are in hearing Those men which had badde hearts before they came to heare and still haue badde heartes all the time of their hearing and goe away with as badde hearts as they brought with them shall neuer reape profite by theyr hearing But if theyr heattes were badde before yet are changed and sanctified by their hearing they are profitable and fruitfull hearers The hearts of those three thousand which were conuerted by one of Peters sermons Acts 2.37.41.42 were not good till they heard him preach but then were their harts pricked and made good And at that instant they became fruitfull hearers For they receyued the worde gladly were baptized added to the church and continued in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and breaking of bread and prayers The heart of Lydia was not good before shee heard Paul Act. 16.14 but God then opened her hart by opening it made it good and it being made good caused her to attend to his doctrine and to bring forth the fruites of it by kind entertaining of her teachers That vnbelieuer and vnlearned man 1. Cor. 14.24.25 which as the Apostle writeth came in when all did prophecie brought a bad heart with him For he was rebuked of all and iudged of all and the secrets of his heart made manifest yet was his hart made good in the very time of hearing and therefore did he fall downe on his face and worship God and said plainely that God is in you indeed Wherefore knowe this that so long as thy heart is bad thy hearing cannot be good but so soone as thy heart is changed thy hearing shall be profitable Augustin epist 118. c. 3. Retract 2.20 Some write that Manna tasted according to the disposition of the eaters to the good it had a sweete and pleasant taste euen such a taste as they desired Roffens lib. 1. c. 12. but to the bad a bitter and loathsome taste Though this be vncertaine Augustine once wrote it for certaintie Heskins parlâ—â—iâ—it 3.12 but afterward doubted of it because he could finde no warrant for it but onely in Apocrypha yet the like may be seene in the word of God our heauenly Manna It tasteth it nourisheth and profiteth the hearers according to the seuerall dispositions of their hearts To them which haue good hearts it is sweet comfortable and profitable to them