it is indeede O the blindnes the world hath lien long in especially the Gentiles Plato seemed to haue great knowledge of God he was called diuine Plato but he had no knowledge in deede for he knewe him not distinct in persons And all other knowledge is to damnation for there was neuer a science that made this plaine but this Gospell of Iesus preached by the Apostles and left to this day in register to vs. All the science of Philosophers is meere follie in respect of this science of the Gospell The knowledge that the Iewes had of God was but as a glimmering for all were vnder shadowes and types but in the Gospell there is the full sight So that as thou seest the Sunne shining whereby thou art able to discerne and iudge of euery obiect so thou hauing this Gospell shining in thy soule thou shalt see distinctly the God of heauen in his essence and shalt discerne the persons of the Trinitie wherein thou shalt finde ioy O the ioy that ariseth vpon this spirituall knowledge and sight of God as hee hath reuealed himselfe in his word Alwaies brethren marke the gloriousnes of this Gospell It lets thee see cleerely and distinctly thy God thy redeemer if thou 2. Cor. 4. 3. 4. wilt prease to looke without it to see him thou shalt be the more blinde and the more dimme and the further from seeing of him Therefore striue to get a sight of God in his Gospell otherwise thou shalt not get a sight of him to thy comfort Now making mention of Christ he subioynes a description of Christ In whom saith he that is in Christ Iesus is all treasure weigh euery word of wisedome and knowledge I cannot see when euer he names Christ that he can let him goe so but the heart is so full of him that his mouth is full of him also He before called him that hope of glorie and now naming him hee saith In whom is all treasure of knowledge and wisedome Alas brethren to speake this by the way this tastlesse speaking of Christ testifies that there is little of Christ in the heart of men How to speak comfortablie and cheerefully of Christ. and women now adaies If thy heart were filled of him in any measure thou wouldest euer be speaking of him and so fully as thy heart could deuise Now the Lord teach vs to speake of him so ioyfully as wee may euer more and more take pleasure to speake of his name to his euerlasting praise that wee may finde what vertues be in the Lord Christ Iesus Amen But to come to the words he laies out the rich merchandise that is in him take heed ye that would be merchants and that The riches of Christ that is in him he calles wisedome and knowledge I will not be curious to distinguish them except ye will call wisedome that hid mysterie and knowledge this knowledge of earthly and heauenly things all is in Christ hee hath this knowledge these two are distinguished Rom. 11. 33. O the deepnes of this riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God! For there is no other wisedome but in Iesus Christ for the fulnes of God is in him Now he calles it not bare knowledge and wisedome but he saith In whom are the treasures of all wisedome and knowledge Many will haue wisedome and knowledge but neuer a one hath the storehouse of it saue Iesus Christ Now hee saith not the treasures but all treasures to shew you that there is not a treasure without him Ye haue heard before of this fulnes In him saith he this fulnes dwels Now againe hee saith In whom are all treasures And againe in a higher stile hereafter vers 9. In whom dwels the fulnes of the Godhead bodily looke what a Sauiour ye haue all is included within the vaile and nature of man and shines as it were through the vaile Then of this I conclude there is nothing to be sought without him Thou that hast need seeke nothing without Iesus For he that would be wise without Iesus Christ hee would be wise without God because the father is in him So thou that wilt haue all fulnes seeke it in him Brethren if this Iesus that is reuealed this day were sought earnestly we would finde it by plaine experience in our selues that there was nothing lacking in him that might doe vs good but he would minister vnto vs wisedome and knowledge and all other benefits And I charge thee vnder the paine of thy life that thou goe to no other to seeke for ought without him Seeke not to mans traditions to these deceiuers of Gods people May not their deceits be perceiued by you May you not see that poyson of theirs in their doctrine Fie on that man of sinne fie on him that drownes all the world with his foule stinke of traditions Rest vpon this Gospell and spit at this beast and this poyson that hee offers to the world Content thee with this Gospell Would to God I or thou could attaine to the thousand part of this Gospell If thou wist what this Gospell were and what treasures of wisdome were in it thou wouldest neuer let it be out of thy sight night nor day Thou wouldest spit at all other doctrine and tradition that sauoured not of this Gospel For in this Gospel is light and life but in mans tradition thou shalt finde no light nor life Darknes and damnation shall be the end to them which imbrace them O damnation to thee ô man that leaues the fountaine of liuing waters and diggest vp to thy selfe cesternes of rotten water Woe vnto thee that leaues the truth of the Gospell to follow the traditions and fantasies of mans braine Lord deliuer vs from that poysonfull doctrine and they that are in the chaines of it the Lord deliuer them out of the same and giue them this full riches of the Gospell of Iesus Christ To whom with the Father and the holie Spirit one euerlasting God be praise for euer Amen THE FOVRTEENTH LECTVRE VPON THE Epistle of PAVL to the Colossians COLOS. Chap. 2. vers 4 5 6 7. 4 And this I say least any man should beguile you with entising words 5 For though I be absent in the flesh yet am I with you in the spirit reioycing and beholding your order and your stedfast faith in Christ 6 As ye haue therefore receiued Christ Iesus the Lord so walke in him 7 Rooted and built in him and stablished in the faith as ye haue been taught abounding therein with thankesgiuing AFter brethren that the Apostle hath spoken at large of his owne person to purchase authoritie to his doctrine and exhortation now in the first verse which I haue read hee returnes to the exhortation begun in the first chapter taking the occasion of the words going before For there the Apostle shewed that in Iesus Christ were all treasures of wisedome and Coherence vnderstanding hid Vpon this hee concludes in this verse seeing
this vice of filthie speaking would ye know it There is no house but it is full of this villanie The villaine cannot speake two words but the one is filthie speaking and so it is no wonder that this ayre is defiled Thou bringest on Gods iudgements on thee and thy corne both thou art a foule speaker Paul in the Ephesians calleth it rotten speech stinking speech and that because it is of foule things For where the thing is filthie the talke must be filthie also And as the filthie thing defileth and corrupteth the flesh and vitiateth all that it toucheth euen so out of question the filthie speech will rot thee Put a fresh apple amongst the rotten the very rotten apples will rot the fresh euen so thou Simile shalt rot thy selfe by thy foule speech Ye will say to me Is there such a force in a word what doe I reckon of it it is but winde But Paul 1. Cor. chap. 15. vers 23. saith be not beguiled thou thinkest words be nothing what addeth he wicked speeches corrupt good manners wicked speeches therfore will rot thee be not beguiled with them By this learne thou then how subiect the heart of man is to vanitie and how readie hee will be to sucke it in Hee will sucke it in faster then euer a drie mouth will drinke in drinke and he will speake of his vanitie and filthines no there is not an obiect cast vp but it will defile the soule of the filthie speaker To what end should I speak of these things the foule heart will commit filthines with the shadow of it and ere euer thou be a harlot in thy bodie thou wilt be a harlot in thy heart and tongue first and then it will not rest vntill thou pollute that bodie of thine Looke to it and proue thy experience if thy heart hath not committed adulterie or euer thy bodie committeth it The bodie was neuer so subiect to draw a pestilence as the hart is to attract the vice of adulterie and all other filthie vices and thy senses in thy head are as many doores to the soule that letteth in either good or euill things when they are open especially take heed The senses windowes to thy eyes and eares for they are principall but the eares chiefest For as the greatest grace is let in by the care for from whence commeth faith but by the hearing From whence cōmeth edificatiō but by the care and so it is a special sense in a man and therfore take heed to it As it receiueth the greatest grace so it will take in the foulest greatest vice that is Take heed thē to it let it not be giuen to euery bodies talk keep her chast lend her not to filthie speaking when thou hearest any speake filthie talke turne thy eare from him I giue this exhortation to yong ones that are brought vp in filthie houses with gentlemen with swaggerers I say this therefore for them that they may receiue knowledge for it will take a deepe impression And therefore it should be enformed in good things for there is none of you but the filthie things ye gate in your youth hindreth you in good operation Therefore thou that art young keepe a chast eare abhorre filthie companie And you know if the pestilence were in a house you would not abide there O if thou knewest the pestilence of filthie talke thou wouldest not abide in the house with him that speaketh filthie talke For as filthie thoughts are put from the heart so filthie speaking is from the mouth and as there is mortification required in the heart so there is mortification required in the mouth and tongue That spirit crieth to all runne vp thorough the bodie and all the members of it and mortifie them beginning at the heart Therefore thou that wouldest speake speake cleane things minister grace in thy talke purge the heart for yee know out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh Therefore I say to you if thou heare a Lord speake foule talke say my Lord your heart is foule stinking like a priuie I will say this to thee Lord clense thy heart and tongue or els both will be burnt in hell Againe brethren as the contagion ariseth out of the heart to the tongue euen so the filthy word goeth not so soone from the mouth or tongue but it sendeth a stinke back againe to the heart and it maketh it fouler then before and so thou defilest not thy tongue only by thy filthie speech but thou defilest thy heart and laiest on it a double filthines Is it not as good then to be silent and euer purging your hearts Thou that thinkest both filthie things and speakest filthy things O vile villaine thou sinnest doubly But alas who can hinder this filthines in man or woman alas so long as we liue we shall finde it in them yet I giue thee my counsell lend not thy tongue to it but aske grace of God in Iesus Christ to keepe thy heart and tongue from this vncleannes and be slaine in thy heart and surely thou shalt get grace in thy heart to slay it by the spirit of the Lord Iesus to whom be all honour and praise for euer THE XXVII LECTVRE VPON THE EPISTLE OF PAVL to the Colossians COLOS. Chap. 3. vers 9. 10. 9 Lie not one to another seeing that ye haue put off the old man with his workes 10 And haue put on the new which is renued in knowledge after the image of him that created him WE insist yet brethren in this exhortation which the Apostle hath to the Colossians to this end that they should mortifie their earthly members that is their lusts and foule affections He vseth sundrie arguments to this purpose as we heard and at last hee concludeth that purpose in other words Before he said mortifie and now put away seeing it is to day it is a shame that they should bee seene now in Coherence the day light of righteousnes to walke in vncleannes and filthie lust Then he rehearseth vp a number of vices besides them that were before namely wrath anger which is firie malice cursed speaking filthie speaking And here we left the last day Now we shall goe forward with the last vice which is lying we be to speake of it first here and so to passe forward to the argument taken from that regeneration begun and therefore it should perseuere in vs to the end But to come to the vice of lying There be here three vices Three vices of the tongue reckoned that follow the tongue for if it bee euill it is the worst member in the bodie The first is cursed speaking when we hurt the fame of our brother The second is filthy speaking rotten speaking as hee saith in another place when wee defile the eare and consequently the heart of our brother with the breath of our mouth for we defile all and our owne heart also whereunto our foule speech returneth as ye
before the faces of men Now the Lord heare vs for his sonnes sake Iesus Christ to whom with the Father and holie Ghost be ascribed as most due is all power and praise for euer and euer Amen THE XXXVII LECTVRE VPON THE EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE Colossians COLOS. Chap. 4. vers 6. 6 Let your speech be gracious alwaies and poudred with salt that ye may know how to answere euery man THis is another generall sentence or exhortation brethren pertaining as the former to all sorts and degrees of men women in the world none being so great or so high that they are to be exempted frō it nor any being so meane or small as that they can be freed frō it for as God is the cōmon God of al but specially of thē that beleeue so doe the doctrines that he deliuereth commonly concerne all but chiefly his Saints and seruants in this world So that men may as well reiect and cast off God himselfe as refuse the doctrines that are deliuered in this and such like places His purpose and drift is to teach mē to take heed to their tongues And this is not vnfitly ioyned to the former sentence or verse wherein he admonished them to walke warily generally towards all but specially towards them that are without as well because they knew not how to beare with incircumspectiō in others as not hauing learned that dutie of charitie as also because more regard is to be had of gaining them then of those that be ranged into the Church And in as much as by the speech or tongue men bewray their retchlesnes and indiscretion as well as by acts or deeds he therefore prouoketh them euen in that respect to haue a speciall eye to their words as well as to their works So that it may seeme in some sort to to be an illustration of the generall by some particulars Whatsoeuer it be this is certaine he would haue vs to be warie that we giue no offence to others nor bewray inconsideratiō in our selues by our words but rather that we should manifest much goodnes in our selues and set it out vnto others for their good and Gods glorie Now two things are to be considered in this verse the one is a precept or commaund in these words Let your speech be gracious alwaies and poudred with salt by which he giueth vs to vnderstand that it is no arbitrarie matter such as we may doe or leaue vndone as we list but that it is profitable yea necessarie The second is the end that hee aimeth at in their obedience in these words that ye may know how to answere euery man which is the good of others as well as their owne comfort in the graces they had receiued because whatsoeuer wee haue receiued wee haue receiued it for other mens benefit as well as for our owne and therefore should referre it to the fame ends In the speech that hee commendeth vnto vs he requireth two properties first that it should be gracious or with a grace as we say Secondly that it should be poudred or seasoned with salt That speech is or may be iustly called gracious which as in respect of the speaker proceedeth from some grace that God hath vouchsafed vnto him for howsoeuer to speake be a naturall thing as reason hath yeelded vs conceits to speake of so nature hath affoorded vs instruments to speake by as the tongue the teeth the lips and such like yet to speake the speech that the Apostle commendeth and commaundeth vnto vs in this place cannot be but by grace from God And as in regard of the hearer bringeth with it some grace to them to whom it is directed which thing the Apostle plainly expresseth Ephes 4. vers 29. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth but that which is good to the vse of edifying that it may minister grace to the bearers By which wee learne that it is no easie thing to speak well nor easie matter to heare good things and to profit by them Our nature is backward both to the one and the other for as it is a burthen to heare a foole speake meaning by foole a wicked man because he speaketh nothing but that which is euill so a naturall man that is to say a wicked man can deliuer nothing but speake like to himselfe because out of the aboundance of the heart the mouth speaketh And therefore me thinketh that the speaker in this case should pray as the Prophet Dauid doth that God would set a doore before his lips and guide the tongue of his mouth And this hee ought to doe if hee be but a common Christian and speake to his euen Christian because there is matter of corruption in him that may cause him to ouershoote himselfe or ere he beware both as in regard of the naughtines of his mind and mouth generally and as in respect of the blindnes of his heart particularly yea and that many times when we deliuer good things because in the multitude of words or speech there is transgression as Salomon saith And the hearer also should intreate God to boare his eares and to open his vnderstanding yea and to incline his heart that nothing might steale away his affection from that which so directly concerneth other mens good Gods glorie and his owne spirituall comfort which dutie of inuocation and praier whilest men as in other respect so in this behalfe regard not it falleth out that both God is robbed of his glorie men of their spirituall good and themselues of Christian comfort Nay I will say more whilest they doe not onely neglect this good dutie but imagine as the wicked did in Dauids time that their tongues are their owne they will speake who is Lord ouer them or who shall controule them they doe not onely lose their labour as water spilt vpon the ground which is pitifull but increase their disobedience to God and manifest their want of charitie towards men which is vngodly And if this be the state of them that speak not of good things with an honest hart to godly edification what must their condition be that deliuer lewd and wicked things bewraying not onely the vncleannes of their owne mindes but at the least intising if not corrupting others to runneriot with them to the selfesame excesse of sinne And of this sort are those ribaulds and filthie persons who can neuer be merrie or thinke themselues well occupied till they blaspheme God with their mouthes and strike or curse mē with their tongues I meane the bitter and lewd words they doe deliuer But these are to be sharply reproued and must needes haue the dung of their filthines and corruption cast into their faces And this must we doe brethren if either we reuerence God or loue his glorie or hate euill or desire their saluation and they themselues must bee contented to heare it with patience and to beare it with profit or else the meanes vsed vnto
not The rule is as it becommeth that Lord of light as it becommeth that glorious Gospell this reuelation of the God of glorie as it becommeth so glorious a calling Then he sheweth what it is to walke worthie of the Lord it is to please him in all things in all our actions and cogitations to studie to please him to make him a meeting as the Apostle speaketh seeing he hath set himselfe to please vs we should goe about euery way to please him Now brethren thus farre wee heard the last day briefly in this text first we haue foure points or heads in the which consisteth the pleasing of the Lord. Then we are to enter into the third part of the epistle concerning the doctrine to the Colossians The first part of the pleasing of the Lord is this fructifying saith he in euery good worke there 4. points wherein we ought to indeauour to please God is the first part The second is growing in knowledge The third is to be strengthened with all might through his glorious power The fourth and last is being strengthened with all might vnto patience vnder the crosse to thanke him cheerefully and ioyfully These are the foure points wherein the pleasuring of God standeth To come to the first it is to fructifie in euery good worke marke it the speech is borrowed from a tree that brings out good fruite We knowe the pleasure of the Husband-man is when he seeth a tree in his garden fruiteful and bringing out good fruite in due season Euen so the pleasure of the Lord is when he looketh downe to thee as vnto a tree planted in his garden and seeth thee fructifying in euery good worke that is his pleasure But here the difference betwixt the fruitfull tree and the godly man is this The tree that is most frutefull S. will bring out but a kinde of fruite onely an apple tree will bring forth apples a peare tree peares and another his kinde of fruite and so forth in the rest but thou that art a fruitfull tree in the garden of the Lord thou must not bee bound to one kinde of fruite but as the Apostle speaketh you must bring forth all good workes both of soule and body for the Lord will not haue the fruite of the one without the other But if thou be planted in the garden of the Lord thou must bring forth fruite to the pleasure of God both of soule and body Againe you knowe a tree hath the season but thou art not bound to one season to sommer winter or haruest but thou art bound to beare fruites continually So briefly brethren there is the first point of the pleasing of God wouldest thou please him looke that thou bee fruitefull bee not barren worke be not idle be occupied and well occupied doe no euill but good not one sort of goodnesse but all the good that is possible for thee to doe Now to come to the second point of the pleasing of God it stands in growing in knowledge and that is faith This point flowes from the first marke it A man that fructifieth in good workes he feedes vpon his owne workes by the very iuyce and sap of the workes Growth in knowledge knowledge or faith is nourished It is true in deede good workes must come of faith and there cannot be good workes where faith is not first they must rise of faith in the heart and faith as the Apostle saith worketh by charitie Galath 5. 6. Euen Good workes Note well as good workes come of faith so good workes nourish augment and intertaine the mother of it that is faith This is the difference betwixt the fruitfull man and the tree The tree bringeth not forth the fruite to it selfe nor feedes on it It is not so with the fruitfull man In deede it is true the good workes of a man which are the fruite of faith they serue first to the glorie of God and next to the good of his neighbour But there is further vse of them he getteth the best himselfe Doest thou a good turne to any man thou hast the best of it thy selfe and thou feedest more on thy good worke then the person doth vpon whom thou bestowdest thy good worke So this is sure good workes nourish faith euen as euill workes sowre and bitter fruites whereof this land is ful foule thoughts in thy heart foule and filthie speeches in thy mouth cruell and barbarous deedes in thy hand nourish vnbeleefe in the filthie and wicked person Trowest thou all is gone from thee when thou hast suffered a foule word to passe out of thy mouth and an euill deede to passe from thy hand that thou art quit of them No no it comes backe vpon thy selfe and leaueth a foule blacke spot behinde it and if thou bee an infidell thy infidelitie increaseth in thy heart and thou art nourished by it Alas the best of vs all is subiect at all times to one euill or other If thou be faithfull the very euill deede will come backe vpon thee and anger thy heart The very euill deedes if thou goe forward in them shall extinguish thy faith or feeling as the Apostle saith 1. Thes 5. 19. So thy fruits shall either augment thy faith or else extinguish thy faith if thou continue Therefore take heede to thy doings that they wound thee not to thy heart and if thou wouldest please God fructifie in good workes and secondly by them growe in faith The third point followes being strengthened with all might through his glorious power and this followeth from the second for euery one followeth from other Wee knowe that the tree that groweth as it fructifieth so it groweth strong a growing thing groweth euer to strength as a decreasing thing faileth more and more to weakenes and the more the fruitfull tree groweth it is the stronger so a man growing in faith and good workes he growes to strength For except the tree groweth to strength it may well fructifie for a time but it is not able to fructifie long the sommer will wither it and the winter will rot it euen so a man except he growe in faith and in the fruits of faith to a strength till he be strong and growe in strength of well doing he shall not be able to stand and abide all He shall not be able to abide the dint of persecutions the sword hunger imprisonment and such other afflictions I say he shall not be able to abide these things except he growe to a strength of God but the heate of persecution shall make him to perish and wither away He is not content with this simple word of strength but he addeth to all might A christian man must not be content with one sort of strength in this life In deede were there but one calamitie one affliction and one persecution one sort of strength might suffice but seeing there are manifold yea a thousand fold thy strength must bee a manifold strength thou must
3. 5. 6. he saith Paul is nothing and Apollo is nothing but God who giues the increase When he hath giuen God that glorie then in the fourth chapter vers 2. he saith let men so esteeme of vs as the disposers of the mysteries of God so let men euer giue God all glorie and praise and let them be assured the 1. Sam. 2. 33. God whom they honour in their calling shall honour them againe Now to this God be all honour and praise Amen THE THIRTEENTH LECTVRE VPON THE EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE Colossians COLOS. Chap. 2. vers 1. 2. 3 1 For I would ye knew what great fighting I haue for your sakes and for them of Laodicea and for as many as haue not seene my person in the flesh 2 That their hearts might be comforted and they knit together in loue and in all riches of the full assurance of vnderstanding to know the mysterie of God euen the father and of Christ 3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdome and of knowledge YE haue heard brethren from the foure and twentith verse of the first chapter of this epistle how Paul hath insisted vpon his owne person purchasing authority to his doctrine y t he hath propounded and to the exhortation begun As yet he continues in speaking of himselfe from the beginning of this second chapter vnto the sixt verse thereof Then after he returnes to his exhortation exhorting the Colossians to perseuerance in that faith which they had receiued The sum of the former Lecture and exhorting them from vaine traditions obtruded or layd on them by the false teachers letting them vnderstand that there was nothing except Christ and his Gospell to be acknowledged or receiued by them and that all other things without him are but vanitie Then to come briefly to our purpose and this text now read in the last verse of the chapter preceding yee heard the Apostle vttered what paines he tooke and what strife he suffered and all for this end to present euery man without exception perfect before God especially in that great day Now the Colossians to whom he writes whom he neuer saw bodily nor they him might haue obiected against this his paine labor and strife which he sustained Well Paul thou pinest thy selfe but for whom what is that to vs It is not for vs thou neuer sawest vs nor we thee so all thy labour fighting and trauell Obiection is nothing profitable for vs. The Apostle in the first verse meets Answere with and answers it I would you knew saith he what great fighting I haue for your sakes and not for you onely but for your neighbours them of Laodicea this is a towne in Phrygia and not for them only but for as many of the Gentiles as haue not seene my person in the flesh There is his answere it is plaine onely hereout I shall gather some short notes for our instruction Then first I marke in the person of the Colossians that moues the question They thought he could haue no care of them except he had seene them so commonly men thinke that they who are absent from them and neuer see them neither know them by their face as we say whom they haue not seene face to face can haue no care of them nor loue to them This is the iudgement commonly of the world and it is so indeede for naturall men that haue no more than naturall loue will speake thus of them with whom they haue not been acquainted I knew him not what haue I to doe with them whom I neuer saw nor knew What good can such men doe to me or I to them This is the fashion of the worldly men But this is all wrong as you The difference betweene the regenerate and vnregenerate The loue of the Saints exceedes the loue of the world shall see and therefore marke in the answere of Paul what great difference is betwixt naturall men and renewed men the common sort of men and the seruants of God In his answere we learne that they that are of God which haue gotten that new birth aboue nature and contrarie to nature the seruants of Christ especially such as Paul was they loue them whom they neuer sawe haue a care ouer them whom they neuer knew yea they will striue and fight to the death for them For why brethren you must vnderstand concerning them that are conioyned in the bodie of Christ one hand will not know another better then they will know one another although they haue not seene one another bodily being far distant in person and place the one from the other because it is the spirit of Iesus who ioynes them together and giues euery one a sure knowledge of the other conioyned with Christ as a member of that body Hence commeth this liuely knowledge which one christian will haue of another whom otherwise he neuer sawe in properperson For they haue not onely this fleshly sight of naturall men and bodily eye to see a mans body and face before them but they haue a spirituall eye whereby they can see to the farthest nooke and corner of the world and will send as it were the very spirit and soule out of the body to the vtmost part of the world where they know there is any of Christs members Therefore Paul saith 1. Cor. 5. 4. When ye are gathered together and my spirit c. Thou that hast no care of the Saints of God where euer they be scattered thou hadst neuer this spirituall and heauenly eye of Paul Suspect thy selfe thou art but a naturall man and if thou haue not a loue to them to embrace and fixe them as it were in thy heart alas it is a token that thou art not in that body of Christ as yet Thirdly in this answere I see it is requisit that we loue them that are Saints howbeit we neuer saw them nor they vs in this world for when the conscience is touched with a feeling of that loue there ariseth The feeling of loue in our hearts a consolation to the soule When thou feelest in thy soule that the Saints loue thee thou maist be assured that God also loues thee and therefore it hath pleased the Lord to leaue in register the acts of the Apostles containing that loue and care they had for the Saints not onely for their owne time but also for all who should liue to the end of the world For Paul he had not onely a care of the Colossians but also of the whole gentils his loue and care extended so far that it reached out to the end of the world If thou be a member of Christ the care of Paul reacheth to thee as one of that body Then lastly I note it is so requisit that we vnderstand of this loue of the We must endeuour to make our loue knowne to the Saints Saints to vs whether we haue seene them or they vs or not that the man
they should mortifie their earthly members and after the generall he commeth to the deliuerie of these seueral foule affections that breake out in the bodie and the first hee nameth was fornication the second was vncleannes in generall whatsoeuer the third was one speciall kinde of vncleannes the inordinate affection the burning lust that cannot bee quencht the fourth was generall euill concupiscence Now brethren wee spake of these the last day as God gaue the grace and as this permitted leauing off the generall discoursing pertaining to the common heads of doctrine and therefore without further repetition of any thing that was spoken I goe forward This day we proceed with the fift member and then after wee shall come to the two arguments whereby hee will moue them to this mortification of the lusts of the flesh The fift member then hee termeth it auarice or couetousnes Euen as before when he had named the generall vice or member called vncleannes hee subioyned a speciall member which he called the inordinate affection the which member of affection among all parts and sorts of vncleannes is the greatest Euen so now when he hath named the general member which he calleth euill concupiscence he subioyneth the speciall called auarice which is the worst kinde of euill concupiscence in this world therefore he maketh a choise of it besides al other concupiscences in the heart of men For euen as that burning lust of the heart is vnquenchable and cannot be extinguished by any earthly meane without the spirit of Christ it will neuer be quenched so this wicked concupiscence of auarice it is vnsatiable it can neuer be filled It is like a deuouring gulfe for though it could swallow in all this world yet it would be too little for it Giue an auaricious man the whole world hee will yet craue more and this is no marueile for this world and all that are in this world are finite and bounded within termes but the desire of an auaricious man is in a manner infinite And to speake the truth if it get not God it will Nothing can fill the couetous heart but God himselfe neuer be satisfied There is nothing that will content or fill it the more he hath the more hee will craue In a word there is nothing that will be able to fill the desire of man but that infinite God And as one said well alluding to the shape of this world and comparing it with the heart of a man The world is round and circular the heart is foure cornered Therefore the couetous mans heart may fitly bee compared to a square which can neuer be compleatly filled vp by a circle though a circle be of all others the most capacious figure still there is a corner voide turne the circle which way thou wilt within the square Euen so though the whole frame of the heauens earth seas and ayre with all that be within thē were ingrossed in the gulfe of a couetous mans vnsatiable hart yet would it neuer be filled neuer contented neuer haue enough It is knowne that a quadrangle is neuer filled euen so the heart of an auaricious man being a quadrant it is neuer filled The more he hath the more hee will craue the auaricious heart will neuer be satisfied vntill it drowne the man Paul 1. Timoth. chap. 6. vers 9. speaking of them that will be rich he saith they drowne themselues There is their end Brethren if ye will compare together these two foule affections as the speciall worst members in a man certainly I account auarice farre worse and more incurable then the other As for the lust and that fire it will grow lesse and as a man groweth old it wil grow old and faile with him But as for this affection of auarice it groweth more and more and as a man groweth in age it groweth in youth the older thou art it is the younger for the more thou decayest in strength of thy members the more strong groweth it according to the prouerbe All vices grow old but auarice groweth young Therefore aboue all wicked affections this vice of auarice A prouerb requireth mortification Now slay it I beseech you and fill it vp once fill vp that gulfe And wherewith either with godlines or else it will neuer be filled Godlines is great gaine 1. Timoth. chap. 6. otherwise thou shalt neuer haue contentation I tell thee there is no other meane then to fill thy heart with godlines if thou haue thy heart filled with godlines a little thing will fill thy heart a sober supper and a sober dinner will serue thee but if thou want godlines in thy heart auarice shall raigne in thee as a tyrant and how beit he had gotten a world of things yet if he heare of any thing behinde he can not be satisfied but requireth that also For his greedines can not be filled Now to goe forward when he hath named this auarice he leaueth it not as he did the rest of the vices before simply naming it but he insisteth in it and describeth it to be idolatrie as he would say it the greatest vice that is it bereaueth God of his honour and worship Brethren it is not in this place only where he calleth this vice of auarice idolatrie but in the fift to the Ephesians 5. verse he termeth the auaricious man an idolater and Iesus Christ in 16. of Luke vers 13. No man saith he can serue God and riches Where ye may see he attributeth that to riches which is proper to God for the auaricious man honoureth his riches and is a seruant yea rather a slaue to his riches whereas he should serue his God But I say to thee pretend to serue God as thou wilt thou shalt not serue God and riches both for the words of Christ meane that when once thou beginnest to be in loue with thy riches thou biddest God farewell For thou wilt be content rather to be a slaue to riches worshipping them then to serue God as he cōmanded thee in his word Brethren ye may aske of me what man is hee that will adore his riches for he is an idolater that will adore any Idol whatsoeuer it be what rich man will fall down to a piece of money I say there was neuer an Idolater tooke greater pleasure to looke on a grauen Image then an auaritious man Auarice is idolatrie 1. The couetous man loueth his mony more then God 2. Trusteth in his mony will delight to looke on a piece of money The outward eye of him shall be so fixt on it that he shall forget his God such shall be his pleasure to behold it But to speake nothing of the outward worship There was neuer an idolater that had greater confidence in his Idoll then the couetous man in his money Remember ye not the rich man who when hee had filled his barnes My soule saith he take thy rest whereon vpon thy riches there is his confidence Luk.
thou makest the spirit sad and if thou continue on thou wilt make the spirit to dislodge himselfe out 1. Thess 5. 22. 23 Psal 37. 11 of thee for the spirit of Iesus dwelleth in a pacified heart And to be short it is true a man to be angrie and not to sinne in it it is a hard matter for wrath of all affections it is the hottest sodainest and misruliest It is a short furie depriuing thee of thy wit Therfore the counsell of the Apostle to the Ephesians chap. 4. vers 26. is to be followed Be angrie but sinne not where he sheweth that it is a hard thing to be angrie and not to sin Now then as all the affections would haue the direction of his spirit so chiefly anger would haue the direction of the spirit of God otherwise it is sinne Aske then the direction of that spirit and say O Lord guide my wrath yea supposing it were a iust cause seeke the spirit otherwise thou wilt passe the bounds and spill a good cause therefore in anger the speciall thing to be craued is the spirit of Iesus The second degree of wrong he calleth it anger the word is too milde to expresse the first language The word importeth Anger a firie wrath and commonly to speak it so when the bloud swelleth and gorgeth about the heart and runneth and fireth the tongue and the eye so that when this firie wrath is enkindled there is no mercie at thy hand it cannot be restained from euill and thy tongue wil fall out in cursed and euill speeches against thy brother and neighbour and so this sinne is Anger resteth in the bosome of sooles worse then the first I say thou that hast this vice except thou seeke mortification in time if thou let it raigne within thee I will assure thee an euill turne will be in thy hand a furious man will either stab or be stabbed Therefore temper thy anger in time and be not content that it burst within thee but euer striue to quench the fire in the heart Ye know if a house bee set on fire if it bee not quenched in time it will burne thorough and spoyle both the house where it is begun and others Simile besides euen so if thy heart be set on fire with wrath if it be not quenched with the watrie spirit of God it will burne thee vp and hurt thy neighbour also quench it then with the spirit of Iesus Now come to the third degree hee termeth it malice worse then the two first there is no worse bodie then a malitious Malice body Malice is a continuing wrath it will lodge with thee night and day and thou and it will sleepe on together The other two commeth on with a sudden push and they will flie away at an instant but a malitious man taketh a purpose to doe ill when he seeth his time Paul saith Let not the Sunne goe downe on thy wrath it will keepe thee waking the diuell will come to thee and thou and the diuell will take counsell together to slay thy neighbour And therefore if common wrath and that firie wrath are to be mortified how much more shouldst thou mortifie thy malice As for a furious bodie he wil soone be pacified but a malicious man hee will come laughing and slay the man Now come to the fourth that he speaketh of here he calleth it blasphemie that is a cursed speaking that hurteth the name 4 Blasphemie of thy brother It is the effect of the former all runne to the tongue and from the tongue the action passeth to the hand So that when thou hast strooken him with thy tongue thou wilt strike him with thy hand Therefore slay the first slay the cursed speaking that it may haue the hand holden off Now brethren there is yet a higher degree where is slaughter murther there is not a word here of it The highest here is cursed speaking I marke this in Paul while he is condemning vices ye shall finde that he speaketh either little or nothing of murther which is an argument to me that this cursed vice of murther had not at this time been so rife amongst them to whom hee writeth as it is at this day O villaine how darest thou take away the life of a creature Thou wilt say I will discharge a pistoll on him O God shall powre downe his iudgements vpon thee vile murtherer that so lightly esteemest of the creature of God created to his owne image The like was not found among the Ethnickes that at this day raigneth in Scotland For so I perceiue this hainous vice of murther hath Note this of murther not so rife among the Gentiles as among Christians not raigned so amongst them as it doth this day And I am sure if Paul were to write an Epistle to Scotland hee will condemne this vice most for of such scalding burning and murthering as there is in this land was neuer heard of in any part of the whole world and yet hee will be called a Christian while he is more cruell and tyrannous then the worst Gentile that euer was And so Paul hee leaueth this vice vnspoken of because it raigned not so among the Gentiles yea he abhorreth it so that hee would not haue it once named among the Christians Ye see then here this garment of iniurie against our neighbour there is wrath firie anger malice and blasphemie put together and all to let you see that that wofull garment it is a thicke cloath and that our neighbours may many waies be wronged Againe I note that thou shouldest not bee content to put one pleate two or three away but goe to the singlest of all put it off of thy heart for if thou foster it it will grow thicke vpon thee and it will not rest till it come to the vtmost action for mortification is not of one sinne onely but it is of all sinnes yea of the lightest corruption in the heart Therefore begin not to extenuate and say I will leaue this and keepe this no away with the least sinne if it were but the smallest canker that is in thee keepe not a bit of it no slay all or else thou shalt be holden at heauens gate When hee had ended these foure vices contained vnder the generall iniurie hauing spoken of the iniurie of the tongue he leaueth it not so but insisteth vpon the euils that followeth the tongue To lend the tongue to euill speaking against thy neighbour either before his face or behind his backe as it is the custome of many now adaies it is a dangerous thing Looke how the third chapter of Iames describeth the tongue It is a world of wickednes and therefore it is chiefly to be taken Sinnes of the tongue heed of Slay that member and y e affection or els thou wilt perish It is no small matter to let thy tongue fall a chiding it shall fire thee Well to come to
the kingdome of God It is peace and ioy in the holie Ghost Rom. 14. 17. So if thou be one of that kingdome thou wilt be a peaceable bodie Then the man that cannot liue in peace but is full of variance euer troubling and renting the members of the Common-weale who will not say that that man is not to bee suffered in the towne hee is not worthie to dwell in it much more a restles spirit in the kingdome of Iesus Christ Disturbers of the peace of Church and Common wealth should bee driuen out of the towne Looke if our text speakes not this These restles spirits that trouble not only the Common-weale this whole kingdom and haue studied to the subuersion of the whole land but haue by their meanes gone about to trouble the whole kingdome of Christ they should haue no place neither in Church nor Common-weale they are vnworthie of any calling either in Church or policie they haue pulled themselues asunder from both The second argument is from the body wherein we are vnited Were it not a monstrous thing to see the hand strike the face if thou hadst spiritual eyes it would seeme as monstrous a thing to thee to see a member of that body of Christ to strike another Then briefly as the ioyning of men in a citie requires a peaceable life and that they should liue in peace much more this vnion of the members not in a citie and Common-weale onely but in a body so that some of them are the hand some the eye some the foot and so foorth This vnion requires peace and quietnes they should not be restles spirits nor full of variance and therefore thou that art a restles spirit in the Church of God and yet saist thou art of the Church and wilt say thou beleeuest I say to thee thou shewest plainly thou hast nought to doe with the bodie And as I said before these troublesome men full of debate I will affirme it againe they neuer wist what that vnion with Christ is for if they had that vnion with Christ that grace of Christ would come downe from the head and bind them with the bodie So thou shewest Such as loue not peace haue nothing to doe with Christ nor his Church plainly that thou hast not to doe neither with the bodie nor with the head O murtherers your hearts are full of dissension ye shall perish in that great day I giue you this doome ye shall not escape Thus much for the eight peece of this garment of regeneration and sanctification In the end of this verse wee haue the ninth grace and peece of this garment and it is this Be thankefull that is the force of The ninth part of the garment of the nevv man the word so it is thankfulnes that he requires All the rest before are offices and graces that preuent a good deede done As when a man begins to bee mercifull to any or mercie bee shewen to him of that person that is a good deede done and so the former graces stand in doing But this grace of thankfulnes VVhat thankefulnes is it is such as stands in recompencing a good deede done In rendring good for good If thou wilt compare this grace with them that went before it is lesse then any of them for it is a greater matter to be the beginner of any good deede then to recompence a good deede done to thee And thou art a wretched bodie that neither canst doe good nor when good is done to thee canst not render thankes for it There be three Three sorts of good mē sorts of good men First he is a good man that can begin to do any good to another not prouoked by any thing that is done to him which for Gods cause can bee beneficiall to his neighbour Secondly he is a good man that can render good for good and recompence the good done to him but there can no true recompencing come without the spirit of grace Lastly he is the best man that can render good for euill that can finde in his heart to meete an euill deede with any good There be as many sorts of euill men he is an euill man that cannot shew mercie to another nor begin to doe any good but hath Three sorts of euill mē his heart locked vp Againe hee is farre worse that when hee hath gotten good cannot recompence it with good againe especially to them to whom he hath been most indebted as to his parents This countrie is full of such this man is a wretch he is worse then an Infidell An Ethnick can render good for good thou shamest thy parents What if this ingratitude were to common men but it is to them to whom they are most bound to and it is an argument that thou art vngratefull to the Lord. But the worst of all is he that for good repaies euill and this land is full of such also yea they who haue done them most good they will meete them with an euill turne All these are vngratefull men and when thou hast called a man an vngratefull man thou hast called him all the euill in the world for such a one is vnworthie to liue Therefore studie to be thankfull and thou that gettest any good done to thee by any man at the least meete him with thankfulnes It is meruaile how a man can lie downe without this consideration for if thou suffer thy selfe to be opprest with ingratitude thou shalt perish If the time would serue I would goe forward I will marke onely this All these graces are grounded vpon the word of Iesus Christ vpon this Gospell Wouldest thou be mercifull let the word dwell in thee Wouldest thou be kind wouldest thou be humblie minded and so foorth of the rest of the graces let the word of Iesus Christ raigne in thee This is the meane that ingenders these graces and keepes them in thy heart to wit the word of Iesus So thou who wouldest be gracious The Gospell is Gods hand to fill vs vvith graces and full of grace be full of the Gospell For it is that word that purifieth the heart neuer rest til thou get thy heart full of the Gospell Thou thinkest that nothing can fill thee but a bodily foode no no the word of Iesus is as effectuall to fill the heart as sensible as euer thou foundest thy stomacke fed with foode But consider this this fulnes of the heart is not gotten so long as we liue here Therefore let our pleasure bee euer in filling of our hearts with the Gospel as thou hast pleasure to fill thy stomacke with meate and drinke so fill thy Simile heart thine emptie heart that is full of nothing but winde fill it with the Gospell Alas if we could get an hunger of the word for the soule that hungers for the foode of the word it shall be filled and it shall feele the sweetnes of the word But the heart is so filled
with the filthines of nature that it cannot hunger for the word nor feele the sweetnes of it therefore emptie thy heart of this filth which is in it that being emptied thou maist haue some greedines of spirituall things Know you not the necessitie of this If in some measure thou emptie it not and fill it not with this word of grace I giue thee this doome looke not for a life to come For there is no fulnes of glorie except the fulnes of the word goe before in thee So if thou be not filled with the word in this life looke not to haue a life with Iesus in that day Seeing then it stands vpon such a paine take pleasure in this word albeit he be but a base sillie man that vtters it to thee for it is the meane that the Lord hath vsed to fill thy soule with and it hath pleased the Lord to put this iewell in earthen vessels therefore take heede to them 2. Cor. 5. 18. 19. 20. and fill thy selfe for els at that day thou shalt repent the time that thou wouldest not take grace when grace was offered being offended at the basenes of men in the Ministerie O let not the basenes of Christs seruants be a let to thee but be thou euer greedie to fill thy self with the word And woe be to them that would put this word away from thee and stuffe in vanities in steede of it woe to thee with thine Earldome except the Lord conuert thee in time The Lord in his mercie giue vs grace to keepe this word of Iesus and to feede thereupon To this Lord with the Sonne and holy Spirit be all praise for euermore Amen THE XXXI LECTVRE VPON THE EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE Colossians COLOS. Chap. 3. vers 16. 17. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you plenteously in all wisedome teaching and admonishing your owne selues in Psalmes and hymnes and spirituall songs sing with a grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatsoeuer ye shall doe inword or deede doe all in the name of the Lord Iesus giuing thankes to God euen the father by him WE haue heard brethren heretofore of this spirituall araiment of the new man or new creature made by Iesus Christ and wee haue heard of so many parts and peeces of it as haue been thus farre reckoned vp Of mercie kindnes humilitie mildnes lenitie forgiuing charitie peace and lastly thankfulnes for benefits receiued Now in the beginning of this text the Apostle recommends that meane whereby these graces and all other such like are gotten and wrought in the heart of man The meane briefly hee Coherence calles the word of Christ the speech of Christ Let saith hee the speech of Christ dwel in you plenteously For without this word which is the instrument of the spirit of Iesus wherby he works in the heart and without the which he workes not ordinarily there can be no grace wrought in the heart For to speake The Gentiles had no spiritual grace the truth neuer Gentile had any of these graces and for any that they had they were but dead images of vertues without life for where the word is not there can be no grace life nor vertue in man But to come to the words in particular Let saith he the word of God dwell in you plenteously Then the meane of all these graces is the speech or language to take it generally that comes out of the mouth Well brethren there is no little moment in speaking and it hath no small force in the hearer either to good or euill The language thou hearest will either do thee good or euill for it enters not so soone into the eare but Speech euer doth good or hurt as soone it goes to the heart and either will corrupt or sanctifie the heart Corrupt language will rot thy heart Ephes 4. 29. if thou takest pleasure to heare it it will cause thy heart to stinke Againe so soone as we haue spoken a word of grace by speaking it it will cleanse the heart and put out vncleannes for there is not a graine of it but it is full of stinke And therfore 1. Cor. 15. 33. When he hath recited the words of the Epicures Eate say they drinke let vs take our pastime then the Apostle subioynes be not deceiued for saith he wicked speaking corrupts good manners foule speeches euil talke will make thee an euill man For first it defiles thy heart and then thy actions Againe Ephes 4. 29. he giues expresse commandement Looke saith he that no rotten speech proceede out of thy mouth vpon paine of thy life Albeit thy heart thinke it as thy heart is euil inclined to thinke it yet keepe thy mouth close and vetter it Pro. 3. 24. Keepe the mouth close albeit the heart haue vncleane thoughts not Then he saith recommending the talke that should bee spoken Speake that that is to the edification of the hearer Speake no speech but that that is gracious I will not insist in this only keepe thy owne tongue first that thou corrupt not thy selfe or thy neighbour then take heede to thy neighbours tongue least in case thou lend thine eare to his talke that thou get not a filthie heart by it But to our purpose Speech that strikes in the eare it is of great force in the heart But whose speech must this be that workes these graces which are reckoned vp Will euery speech worke it No whose must it be then Let saith he the speech of Christ be in your hearts dwelling in all plentie Then it is Christs speech O it must be the speech of a great personage that must make this operation It is his speech that will pearce downe The speech of Christ only is the instrument of grace to the spirit because he is a spirit a diuine spirit and is the maker of all spirits and therefore it is he who pearceth downe to the heart and all his words are spirit and life This Peter saith Whither shall we goe thou hast the words of eternall life Ioh. 6. 68. And therefore seeing he hath the spirit if the Auditor were neuer so dead he will make him heare The time is come now saith he in Ioh. 5. 25. when the dead shall heare the voyce of the sonne of God O then heare the word of Christ and it will giue thee life Then the speech of Christ is nought els but the Gospell which the Apostle to the Romanes chap. 1. 16. calles the power of God vnto saluation to euery one who beleeues Beleeue it and thou shalt find this power in thee For as concerning the Gospell it was Iesus Christ who was the first speaker of it first in The Gospel preached by Christ since the beginning Paradice and then to the Fathers in order and lastly in his owne person in a full reuelation hee spake this word of life Looke not then for life let none from the King to the beggar
the bodie howbeit he should doe wrong to thy bodie yea and hee should hang thee behead thee thou must not refuse obedience there is a Lord will requite him The other is as euill as the first when thou giuest all to him both in soule and bodie Fie on thee thou giuest to him that which God hath forbidden The Lord hath reserued the soule to himselfe and yet thou wilt giue it to thy superiour Ye know the speeches of the land of what religion the Prince is I will be of the same Some of the Lords will say so my religion depends vpon the commaundement of the Prince but if the King did his dutie hee would stone thee for thy blasphemie These are the two vices in seruice and obedience Then comes the third point the vertue that is in mediocritie the seruant must obey his master according the bodie but not according to the soule Thou art of two parts of a bodie and of a soule Giue thy master the bodie but as for thy soule keep it to the Lord. Though all the Angels should claime right to my soule I will not giue it them it is reserued to my Lord. Now to come to the second part The description of this obedience wherein the Apostle insists Obey them that are your masters according to the flesh in all things not in some things according to your appetite but in all things according to their will and commaund Then will ye say shall wee obey them in all things vngodly vnhonest vnlawfull and forbidden by the absolute power of God I answere the word before immediatly bounds your obedience as their dominion is bounded so is your obedience towards them bounded So that if Obedience of seruants limited with their commaund they would hurt thy conscience they passe their bounds and thou art not bound to obey but deny them obedience For if thou wert a beggar thou art as free in conscience as the King but yet seruants take heed looke that you make not the rule of your obedience your owne will as there is ouer many this day who follow their froward will whisperers that will doe things with a quiet Pater noster The rule of thine actions is not thy owne will but the will of thy master In such sort that if he commaund thee things grieuous laborious and wearisome thou art bound to obey The Lord himselfe Luk. 17. 7. he sets downe the estate of a seruant Which of you hauing a seruant that hath been occupied all the day in labour and trauell will say to him come and sit down No hee will not say that to him but notwithstanding all his painfull labour and wearisomnes he will say Goe make my supper readie then rest your selfe there is the burden Thinke not because it is wearisome therefore thou maist disobey it but if it stand with the will of the Lord thou art bound to obey This shortly for the matter wherein seruants be bound to obey now followes the manner forme and fashion of their obedience First he tels thee in what manner thou shouldest not obey for it stands thee in no lesse then the reward of death and life euerlasting if thou wert but a sweeper of a house or a caster out of ashes thou hast to doe with the Lord in doing of thy seruice The forme of not obeying is to obey to the eye of thy master This is a vice in thy seruice when thou hast not an eye lifted vp to heauen but art set so on thy master that without respect to the Lord thou goest about to please him yet more thou obeyest him with eye seruice when thou settest not thy heart so much as thy outward eye to please thy master so that when he leaues thee thou wilt goe to thy wantonnes againe or els doe some euill as there be many in Edenburgh this day who in their masters absence sit either idle or els do euill in stealing of their masters goods Such seruice as this is called eye seruice The Lord compares these seruants to reprobates what doe they As soone as their master is absent they will begin to strike their fellow labourers and what more they will sit downe and drinke and be drunken What will the Lord doe when he comes he will cut them off and giue them their portion with hypocrites Matth. 24. 48. 49. c. Then this is the forme forbidden and he giues a reason what manner of men are these eye pleasers they that doe such seruice are pleasers of men that is they are flatterers studying to please men when their heart will be farre from them Well he or she who sets not their heart to please God but seekes first of all to please the eye of man shal neuer be a faithfull seruant to man False to God neuer true to mā for false to God neuer true to man But that man who sets his heart to please God that is a true seruant he will be as true behinde thy backe as befor thy face therefore thou who wouldest make a choise of seruants seeke them who are set to please God and if thou get them with that marke thou gettest happie seruants But on the contrarie want he this marke he shall be a curse to thee and the most thou shalt get of him hee shall be an eye seruant for if once thou shouldest turne thy backe he shall be a waster of thy goods and an euill speaker of thee behinde thy backe The forme of seruice he craues is this Obey with simplicitie and singlenes of heart He opposeth this to eye seruice for they are as contrarie as light and darknes and therefore where there is eye seruice onely there is no singlenes of heart for he that goes about to serue thee with eye seruice hath a double and false heart Againe where the simplicitie of the heart is O there is a blessed seruice where there is such seruice there is fidelitie and faithfulnes there is a faithfull seruant there is no eye seruice for he is not a seruant to thy eye onely but a seruant behinde thy backe also He shall be euery way faithfull He laies downe the ground of this sinceritie fearing God So he that feares God more then the eye of him who is his master the King or Prince that man shall be the faithfullest seruant And by the contrarie he that hath not the feare of God in his heart that wretch will beguile thee hee shall neuer bee faithfull to thee Therefore thou who wouldest haue a good seruant I giue thee a token whereby thou maist know him Looke if he haue the feare of God and if hee feare God more then thee for all thy scepter and sword thou shalt get a faithfull seruant and subiect But on the contrarie thou shalt receiue a curse in thy house and familie when thou shalt get any that wants this feare of God for he shall neuer feare thee but shall euer be false to thee You that haue seruants
heard The third and last is lying speaking when we speake not the truth to our brother but thinke one thing and speake another with the mouth That is as euill a vice as was yet any Now then brethren because this sinne of lying is so common and naturall to man and woman for all men are lyars saith the Apostle Rom. 3. 4. by nature The diuell began it and in the fall of man he spued that venome into him so that al men naturally from the beginning are lyars Therefore we will speake to you of lying howbeit not so amply as it would require yet for your satisfaction to open to you the greatnes of this sin and to begin at the word To lie it signifieth to take the meaning of the word to speak The sinne of lying one thing and thinke another in the minde It is a variance and disagreement betwixt the minde and the mouth Alas all should goe together The minde of God and his mouth goeth together and if thou be reformed to this image all will go together in thee also Now this variance proceedeth of a disagreement First it goeth asunder within the man The minde shewing the truth the will repining Now you must vnderstand that the tongue is chiefly commaunded by thy will and the disordred appetite of man and not by reason for if reason ruled it it would not speake so much wrong as it doth The second thing that wee should obserue is this To lie to speake one thing and thinke another is a sinne against God Supposing there were no more euill that followed it and that thou iniurest no bodie yet that same contradiction betwixt the minde and the tongue is a sinne against God and thou iniurest God himselfe by thy lie There is nothing then more vnbeseeming a Christian man and that is more vnworthie of the Lord Iesus then is lying For what saith he of himselfe I am the truth Ioh. 14. 6. and wilt thou then be a liar looke how thou agreest with Christ But brethren there is yet more in a lie to wit the end and respect that the lyar hath before him when he lieth and by this hee maketh the sinne the greater for this is most sure all lies are to deceiue Thou that liest to thy brother thou wilt deceiue him and oftentimes the end of thy lie is either to hurt him in his bodie or goods and substance And therefore the Apostle saith Lie not against him to hurt him Yet there is more Supposing a liar be not set to hurt his brother but to profit him As for example when a Phisition will say to the patient the medicine is sweete when it is bitter when thou art set thus way to profit him as thou profitest his bodie thou hurtest the minde for there is no wrong information but it hurteth the minde if thou make me to beleeue that that is not hurtest not thou my minde But brethren to goe forward Supposing the lyar hurt not his brother by his lie neither in bodie or goods nor minde neither one way or other yet it commeth backe to thine owne hurt Let profit come to thy neighbor as it will by thy lie yet thou hurtest thy selfe and that is a simple aduantage to pleasure any with thine own hurt and especially to displease God with the pleasuring of thy neighbour if there were no more but this thou shouldest not lie If thou get an habite to lie thou canst not speake one true word and if thou speake the truth thou wilt Simile mingle it so with fallehood that scarsely canst thou be beleeued and that is a foule fault Ye see this by experience Well then euill custome is euill And besides this thou losest thy credit amongmen howbeit at times thou speake the truth For this is true Quisemel malus semper praesumitur malus He that is once euill it may be presumed he is euer the same But what mattereth this Know yee not that a lyar procureth the wrath of God Among the rest whom God hateth Salomon saith in his Prouerbs The Lord hateth a lyar To conclude a lie of whatsoeuer sort is a sin against God yet y t ye may vnderstand this better ye shall know there are sundry sorts of lying One is pernitious tending to the hurt of thy neighbour The second is an officious lie for the good of thy brother and the third is a merrie lie for the delectation of thy brother There is none of these but they are euill howbeit they be not alike That lie that serueth to the good of thy brother is a sinne to thee and again to deliuer thy brother with a lie it is a greater sin but the pernitious lie is the greatest of all Now all commeth to this all is sin Would ye haue me insist in probation If there were no more but the commaundement Thou shalt beare no false witnes it may serue for this commaundement teacheth thee that all sorts of lies are euill in their owne nature And Paul to the Romanes chap. 3. vers 7. 8. Doe no euill saith he that good may come of it This telleth thee that that is That which is euill in his owne nature can neuer be good euill of it owne nature and forbidden by Gods commaundement that thing will neuer be made good by any circumstance in the world lay to it the sweetest salue thou wilt it will neuer be good yea if it were to saue the life of thy brother if thou lie it will not be good to thee yea though thou were able to alter the nature of a lie it is a sinne and it is a follie to thinke that the pretence of a good end will make an euill thing of it owne nature to be good Augustine saith If wee looke not simply to the nature of the action as to the end then the euill may haue a defence Therefore saith he looke euer to the action put all other things aside if it be not good say not that that action is good how beit the best thing in the world should follow it it will euer abide a sinne Further if there were no more but this naturall conscience in man it telleth thee that all sorts of lies are euill I appose thine owne conscience if thou hast any Thou wilt not so soone lie but thy conscience will admonish thee and will say to thee Thou hast sinned Brethren there is no man that will seeme to lie and confesse it but he will be ashamed of it What meaneth this but that the cōscience telleth them it is a sin Look to the children they will blush when they are challenged with a lie What is the cause of this but that the conscience sheweth them they haue sinned Ye see that a man thinketh he cannot haue a greater iniurie done to him then to say to him hee lieth This telleth him that there is a conscience within him that abhorreth a lie and that it is vnworthie of the nature of man