darkenesse but waxeth pale in the light for as Isidorus saith in the night it shineth like fire but in the day time looketh pale like gold So in the night of aduersity the vertues of Gods children shine most cleere which when men are in prosperity are obscured and couered The godly then count it exceeding ioy when they fall into diuers temptations knowing that afflictions are therefore sent of God for the triall of their faith and this is the first reason of the confirmation taken from the profite of affliction Knowing that the triall of your faith bringeth forth patience Heere is now the second profite that commeth of affliction The second profite of Afflictions namely patience the beauty foundation and crowne of all other vertues A vertue saith Tertullian which hath such a preheminence in the ranke of vertues Tertul. that without it no man can fulfill any precept The praise of patience or doe any worke acceptable vnto God as contrarywise impatience is the mother of all finnes and euery vice may bee ascribed to impatiencie God himselfe is vnto vs a daily example of patience From the example of God the Father which maketh his Sunne to arise vpon the iust and vniust and bestoweth innumerable benefites vpon vnthankefull men and such as fight against him and maketh as though hee saw not the sinne of men Wis 11.20 because they should amend And the same Sonne of God Of Christ shewed his wonderfull patience at his Conception Natiuity Death and Passion hee cured his enemies hee washed the traitors feete and gaue him a kisse Esay 53.7 Hee was led as a sheep to the slaughter and as a sheepe dumbe before the Shearer so opened not hee his mouth When hee was reuiled 1. Pet. 2.23 hee reuiled not againe when hee suffered hee threatned not but committed it to him that iudgeth righteously The faith and patience of Abraham was proued by many and hard peregrinations Of the faithfull by domesticall broyles by the sacrificing of his onely sonne The patience of Esay was proued being cut asunder with a saw Of Ieremy by imprisonements captiuity and stoning Of Micheas by reproches and buffeting Of Elias by the terrible threatnings of Kings in the Desart and of famine Of Iob by his plagues of body and losse of all his temporall goods And to conclude with Saint Paul Heb. 11.25 they chose rather to suffer aduersitie with the people of God then to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season Who now would not embrace this noble vertue who would not aspire to such a treasure But with what Simile should I delineate this noble vertue vnto you Simile Let vs compare it with the purest mettall Patience is like vnto pure gold and that in three respects First Patience compared vnto gold in regard of the soliditie of it for nothing is more solide and compact then gold for being put into the fire it neither cuaporateth or is diminished in the weight or consumed but when through the violence of heat it is dissolued if it haue any admixtion of impurity it is cleansed and becommeth more bright So the patient man hath such soliditie of minde that being put into the fire of tribulation doth neither euaporate through anger and impatiency neither is diminished in the weight of vertue through diffidence and distrust or consumed through pusillanimity or faint-heartednesse but is made the more pure and shineth the more bright in vertue 1. Pet. 1.6 Though now for a season yee bee in heauinesse through manifold temptations that the triall of your faith being much more precious then gold that perisheth though it bee tried with fire might be found to your praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Iesus Christ Secondly in regard of the ductibility thereof in working for gold is so ductible that betwixt the Anuile and hammer without any diuision or interruption of parts it is dilated and extenuated into most thin plates So the patient minde resisteth not persecution but is so flexible that it is not broken through inconstancy not diuided of his persecutor through wrath but is dilated into charitie through patience So were the holy Martyrs when they prayed for their persecutors Thirdly in regard of the tranquility thereof For nothing among mettals in working maketh lesse noise for being stricken it soundeth not as doth brasse and yron So the true patient minde resoundeth not in murmuring cursing rayling or scolding against a contumacious tongue after the example of Christ Who when hee was reuiled 1. Pet. 2.23 reuiled not againe when hee suffered hee threatned not but committed it to him that iudgeth righteously Such also was the patience of the blessed Martyrs which being scourged and buffeted of their persecutors answered not againe nor resisted through impatiency if then wee will retaine this noble vertue wee must in these properties resemble the pure gold Contrariwise the deuill himselfe is the perswader and authour to impatience for not able to suffer that God had made all things subiect vnto man through enuy deceiued he our first parents discontented with their estate which brought all misery to them and their posterity Cain Gen. 4. not able patiently to beare the felicity of Abel oppressed and slew him The Israelites alwaies sinned through impatience The want of patience was the cause that they rose vp against Moses and Aaron yea against the Lord himselfe The Iewes and Gentiles persecuted the Apostles and Martyrs because they could not patiently endure their preachings and reprehensions Here brethren wee see that patience and suffering of aduersity None a perfect Christian without patience is so necessary vnto a Christian man that without it hee can indeed bee no perfect Christian For against the fiery darts of the deuill through innumerable snares through infinite assaults wee must passe through and endure to the end before wee come to our heauenly Country vnlesse therefore wee bee armed with a strong and constant patience wee shall often faint before wee come to the midst of our course Heb. 10.36 Nulla anceps luctamen init virtute sine ista Virtas nam vidua est quam non patientia firmat Prudentius therefore saith the Apostle Yee haue need of patience that when yee haue done the will of God yee might receiue the promise No vertue may endure conflict if Patience bee away For vertue like a Widdow goes where Patience doth not stay As wel saith the Christian Poet Prudentius This is the true patience which is not ouercome with any aduersity and is exercised chiefly in suffering three things which are Oris opprobria corporis flagella damna temporalia the reproches of mens mouthes Patience exercised chiefly in three things the stripes of body temporall losses into which a certaine Schoole-man reduceth all aduersity which the true patience must vanquish First it is not ouercome with opprobrious speeches for commonly the wicked are wont to load the
God who in their special charge do serue God and further his kingdome so Princes in their places Preachers in their functions are the Seruants of Christ in their seuerall callings and speciall seruice in the Church and Common-wealth in which respect our Apostle heere calleth himselfe The Seruant of God 1. Cor. 1.1 Phil. 1.1 Tit. 1.1 So Paul calleth himselfe the Seruant of Iesus Christ So againe he calleth himselfe and Timotheus the Seruants of Iesus Christ and to Titus he vseth the same Title It is meet then Brethren that we should all acknowledge our selues the Seruants of Iesus Christ and labour faithfully to performe our duetie towardes him Wee are his Seruants by the right of our creation for all things were made through him Wee are his Seruants by the right of our conseruation Iohn 1.4 for in him wee liue mooue Acts 17 28 and haue our being by the right of our redemption for he bought vs with the price of his owne precious bloud by the right of his empire rule ouer vs for all rule is giuen vnto him in Heauen and in Earth by the right also of his iudicial power Iohn 5.22 for the Father hath giuen all iudgement vnto the Sonne Seeing then Brethren that in so manifold a bond of duetie wee are bound vnto our Christ let vs so serue him in sinceritie of heart that wee be neuer numbred among the number of stubborne and disobedient seruants of whom our Sauiour speaketh Mat. 25.30 Cast the vnprofitable Seruant into vtter darkenesse there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth The duety of a good Christian shewed by the duetie of a profitable Seruant But let vs now a little examine the duetie of a profitable Seruant that wee may perceiue how farre off most men are from the regard of this duetie The profitable Seruant employeth the chiefest part of his time not in his owne but in his Maisters businesse but now men spend the whole race of their life in the seruice of the world and the diuell and the things pertaining vnto God are least of their care Seruants possesse little and that but things necessary and which they receiue from the hands of their Maisters but now men catch and scrape whatsoeuer they may and by what meanes soeuer and what they can not catch they still couet it in heart and enuy it vnto others Good Seruants though they suffer many stripes they answer not againe but vse gentle words take it patiently but now in crosses and aduersities many will murmure against the highest God yea sometimes blaspheme and despaire Good seruants hearing the threatnings of their masters doe feare and are the more wary how they offend but now adayes Gods threatnings for sinne of many are despised Good Seruants vse no familiarity with their maisters enemies but now men enter into deep league and friendship with the world and the Diuell which haue continuall enmity with God yea They haue made a couenant with death Esay 28.15 and with hell are at an agreement Good Seruants doe not their owne willes but execute the willes and commandements of their maisters but now the commaundements of God are kicked at and trodden vnder foote Is this to be the Seruants of Christ are these the markes of our Christian profession All couetous wretches then are not the Seruants of Christ but of their god Mammon the glutton and drunkard are not the Seruāts of God but of their belly which they make their god all filthy and carnall liuers serue not God but the vncleane spirit All prowd and ambitious men are not the Seruants of Christ but doe homage vnto Sathan But for what stipend and reward doe they serue Bernard li. Senten Saint Bernard sheweth Quatuor sunt quorum in hac vita obsequijs deseruimus caro mundus diabolus Deus habent singuli principes isti dona propria c. There are foure maisters to whom men in this life yeelde their seruice the flesh the world the diuell or God The flesh giueth to hir seruitours a little momentany pleasures full of stings and remorse the world transitorie aduancements the Diuell perpetuall captiuitie but God eternall felicitie quibus ergo potiùs aut impensiùs seruiendum saith he Which of these now tell mee oughtest thou rather or more earnestly to serue Of these words The Seruants of God and of our Lord Iesus Christ among the learned Expositors I finde two Interpretations first that the Apostle speaketh coniunctim that he is the Seruant of Christ who is God and Lord as well of the Apostle as of all men Heretikes confuted And heere hee meeteth with the heresie of the Ebionites Cerinthians Carpocratians Arrians and the Iewes which affirmed Christ to be onely man the sonne of Ioseph and not God the Lord whose blasphemies in few but in most effectuall words he confuteth teaching that the same Lord Iesus Christ is both God and Man the very consubstantiall Sonne of the Father The other Interpretation is of the later Writers which read the word disiunctim Seruus Dei Domini nostri the seruant of God and of our Lord Iesus Christ where he hath respect vnto two of the Persons in Trinitie the Father and the Sonne whose seruant our Apostle here professeth himselfe to be And this interpretation proueth also the Diuinity of Christ seeing that equally he professeth himselfe to be the seruant of God the Father and of his Sonne Iesus Christ and both his God and his Lord. And heere the heresies of the Sabellians and Priscilians are refuted c. The second part Vnto the twelue Tribes which are dispersed salutation HAuing spoken before of the person of the Writer of this Epistle and of his Office next hee sheweth to whom he wrote to the twelue Tribes dispersed wherein these three things commeth to bee considered 1 Of the dispersion of the Iewes 2 Why he wrote especially vnto them 3 Of his salutation It is well knowne that the Israelites were diuided into twelue Tribes according to the number of of the twelue sonnes of Iacob which were the twelue Patriarches from whom as from Fountaines sprang many and great Nations Gen. 35. 49. They first dwelled with their father Iacob in the Land of Canaan afterwards in Egipt after that in the Desarts of Arabia from whence they inhabited the Land of Palestina where hauing receiued the Law of God and Religion they were ioyned together into the body of one Kingdome and Synagogue and so long they remained vnited as they claue vnto God but when they reuolted from the high God vnto idolatry and the seruice of strange Gods after the manner of the Heathen who in steed of the true God worshipped deuils Psal 106. ver 40.41 then was the wrath of the Lord kindled against his people and hee abhorred his inheritance and hee gaue them into the hands of the Heathen and they that hated them were Lords ouer them As the Lord also before
had threatned if they would not be reformed but walke stubbornely against the Lord that hee would scatter them among the Heathen Leuit. 26.33 and will draw out a sword after them and their land shall be waste and their Citties shall bee desolate Againe Deut. 4.27 and the Lord shall scatter you among the people and you shall bee left few in number among the Nations whither the Lord shall bring you And least any should thinke these threatnings to bee vaine and but words let vs see with what horrible examples the Lord hath confirmed them Hoshea raigning ouer the ten Tribes in Samaria they turned from the Lord and committed all abhominations against him wherefore God stirred vp Salmanazar King of Assiria who after three yeares warre tooke Samaria the Metropolis of that Kingdome 2. Reg. 17. spoyled the Countrey carried away all the people into the most cruell captiuity of the Assirians Secondly the other two Tribes namely the Tribe of Iuda and the Tribe of Beniamin 2. Reg. 25. were dispersed Ierusalem being taken with their perfidious King Zedekia by Nabuchadnezzar with their wiues children and other Princes as Ieremy before prophecied Ierem. 27. then was the Citty ouerthrown the Temple consumed with fire and they that escaped the sword famine fire and pestilence as flockes of Cattell were driuen away into the miserable captiuity of the Chaldaeans Thirdly the Reliques of the Israelites were oppressed and dispersed now by the King of Syria now by the King of Egypt sometimes with ciuill warres among themselues so that wretched Iudaea standing in the midst and addicted sometimes to this side sometimes to that was trodden downe of both and exposed to the direptions of both sides so that many good men not enduring the sight of the prophanation of their Country and holy Things wandred farre and neere Yea some betooke them to the Desart chusing rather to leade their liues with brute beasts then with such kind of men as the History of the Machabees doth testifie and they wandred vp and downe Heb. 11.37 in Sheepes skinnes and in Goates skinnes being destituted afflicted and tormented Heere brethren wee are to obserue two notable Lessons for our instruction First that with all reuerence wee heare and beleeue the word of God that wee may learne thereby to feare the Lord For his word is neuer in vaine nor returneth voide as the Prophet saith Esay 55.10 11 c. Surely as the raine commeth downe and the snow from heauen and returneth not thither but watreth the earth and maketh it to bring forth and bud that it may giue seed to the sower and bread vnto him that eateth So shall my word bee that goeth out of my mouth it shall not returne vnto me voide but it shall accomplish that which I will and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it And the Lord hath in all ages seuerely punished the contempt of his Word and Messengers 2. Chron. 36.15.16 Therefore the Lord God of their Fathers sent to them by his Messengers rising earely and sending for hee had compassion on his people and on his habitation But they mocked the messengers of God and despised his words and misused his Prophets vntill the wrath of the Lord arose against his people and till there was no remedie Secondly to hate sinne and flie from sinne as from a serpent as the cause of all euils and calamities that are in the world The euils of sinne Sinne blindfoldeth the minde taking away the supernaturall light of Gods grace it defileth and spotteth the conscience as a thing most filthy and vnworthy for a man it accuseth vs guilty before God as iniurious to his Diuine Maiestie it impouerisheth vs spoyling vs of all our spirituall riches it dishonoureth vs making vs odious in the sight of God and of his holy Angels in this life is the cause of sicknesse famine sword pestilence and all euils that may happen to the body and of eternall destruction of body and soule in the life to come To conclude seeing that God is the inexhaust treasurie of all goodnesse and sinne separateth from God it followeth then that sinne bringeth vpon vs incomparable and infinite losse for it depriueth vs of God the infinite good Your sinnes haue diuided betwixt your God and you Esay 59.2 If then ô man thou dost so diligently take heed of temporall losse if thou so carefully keepest thy money and treasure how art thou deceiued through blindnesse of minde how is thine vnderstanding darkened with folly how is thy reason obscured by the deuill If thou fearest not to fall into sinne which depriuest thee of God the fountaine of all happinesse Why makest thou so small account of the God of infinite Maiestie Why fearest thou more to loose one peny then by sinning to bee depriued of thy God and through lying deceiuing swearing c. to be separated from him who is insititly good and who hath power to cast both body and soule into hell and without whom there is no blessednesse Thus for their sinnes was that Nation of the Iewes Gods vengeance pursuing them many times dispersed and persecuted But of this the Apostle hath not respect in this place but of the dispersed Christians which for the name of Christ were scattered abroad and persecuted For many out of all the Tribes which professed Christ after Saint Stephen was stoned Acts 7. flying the rage of the Pharisies were scattered in diuers Countries Actes 8.1 At that time saith the Scripture there was a great persecution against the Church which was at Ierusalem The state of the Church Millitant and they were all scattered abroad except the Apostles And heere brethren againe we are to note the state and condition of the Church militant and of all the faithfull while they are in their exile and pilgrimage in this life trauelling toward their Countrey in the way they are to suffer many crosses troubles persecutions and many iuiuries of the world and the diuell and if wee will arriue at the hauen of happinesse and port of felicity wee must follow our Pilot and Captaine Iesus Christ the same way he went before vs Act. 14.22 For through many tribulations wee must enter into the Kingdome of heauen 2. Tim. 3.12 And all that will liue godly in Iesus Christ must suffer persecution It cannot then bee otherwise but the godly going to heauen-ward must be enforced to suffer diuers troubles Pathemata Mathemata Afflictions are instructions These are the trials of the faithfull by which God exerciseth the faith hope charitie and patience of his children and confirmeth them and therefore in the booke of Wisedome this triall of faith is compared to the triall of gold As gold is tryed in the fire Wisd 3.6 so men are tried in the furnace of affliction And againe 1. Pet. 1.6.7 Through manifold temptations yee are in heauinesse that the triall of your faith being
our prayers are strengthned and made effectuall whereby approaching vnto God we are heard And this that the Apostle might perswade vs willeth vs to aske this wisedome of God by faith without wauering For God is neere vnto such as call vpon him saith the Prophet but yet onely to such as call vpon him faithfully Now in the third place commeth to bee considered certaine comfortable motiues to confirme our hope that if wee aske this wisedome faithfully we shall obtaine it The first saith the Apostle is Gods liberalitie Hee giueth to all men liberally Gods liberallity is altogether infinite in imparting his goodnesse and graces most copiously vnto his creatures for so the Aduerbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 affluentèr largitèr as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the Apostle might expresse not onely the readinesie but also the effuse liberality of the Giuer God is prompt ready and free in his giftes not like vnto most men which giue grudginly nigardly and semiclusa manu as the prouerbe is as it were pinching away part of their benefites Hee giueth superaboundantly aboue what we deserue Rom. 10. Ephe. 3.20 For hee is rich vnto all that call vpon him Hee is able to doe superaboundantly aboue all that wee aske or thinke saith the Apostle as his nature is infinite so is his bounty Abraham craued but a son of the Lord as an heire of his goods and God promised to multiply his seed as the Starres of heauen Gen. 22.17 and as the sand that is by the Sea-shore And which is the greatest of all the Messias and Sauiour of the world was borne of the same seed Iacob desired but bread to eate and cloathes to put on and a safe returne into his Country Gen. 28.29 And hee had the Angels to his keepers and companions of his peregrination an happy marriage a plentifull off-spring ample riches great Flockes Diuine Visions and sweet Promises 1. Sam. 9. Saul seeking his fathers Asses receiued the Kingdome and gouernement of all Israel Salomon desired of the Lord but onely wisedome 1. Reg. 3.13 and hee receiued with the same incredible riches a peaceable Kingdome and great glory riches and honour so that among the Kings there was none like vnto him Neither do there want examples in the new Testament Iohn 4. The woman of Samaria sought but for water to quench her bodily thirst and shee found the water of Life the Sauiour of the world The thiefe on the Crosse craued of the Lord onely to bee mindefull of him and heard these wotds of our Sauiour This day thou shalt bee with mee in Paradise Luk. 23. Grace saith Saint Ambrose is so much more aboundant then our prayers Amb. Com. in Luc. that the Lord doth alwaies giue more then wee craue Seeing then so great is the liberality of our God in giuing Let wretched man bee ashamed saith Augustine of his slacknesse and slothfulnesse in asking And as the Lords Liberality should wonderfully stirre vs vp confidently to flie vnto him by faithfull and feruent prayers So Gods great Magnificence whereby he giueth generally to all men which carieth a comfortable Emphasis If God giueth liberally vnto all men will hee not giue wisedome vnto vs if wee aske in faith Shall wee susspect his liberality vnto vs who is so bountifull vnto all flesh So liberall is our good God Rom. 8.32 That hee spared not his owne Son but gaue him for vs all vnto death and shall hee not with him giue vs all things also He giueth food vnto all creatures And feedeth the yong Rauens which call vpon him And shall hee neglect to heare the prayers of man whom he hath aboue all other creatures created to eternall glory Great surely is the weight of this generall speech vnto all men hee denyeth himselfe to none hee is the inexhaust fountaine of all goodnesse euer open vnto all thirsty soules without exception hee calleth all vnto him Iohn 7.37 Mat. 11.28 If any man thirst let him come vnto mee and drinke Come vnto mee all that are weary and laden and I will ease you To all hee giueth the law of nature reason the admirable glasse of his creatures Math. 6. Hee maketh his Sunne to arise vpon the good and euill and causeth his raine to fall vpon the iust and vniust No man then but through his owne default is depriued of these blessings which serueth notably to confirme our hope of obtaining all good things at the hands of God who is so liberall to all men The third motiue to confirme our hope in prayer is taken from the goodnesse of Gods nature Hee reprocheth or casteth no man in the teeth So great is his loue and kindnesse that hee neuer vpbraideth vs with his former benefits that thereby hee should shame or repell those that pray vnto him Wee see men yea of the most liberall sort will oftentimes reproach such as craue of them with their former gifts that thereby they might shift and shake off importunate suters Eccl. 18.17 A foole saith the Wise-man will reproach churlishly and a gift of the enuious putteth out the eyes An odious kind of men which reproach a friend with a benefite receiued which the receiuer and not the giuer ought to remember and commend Wherefore men are loath to make request to such for any thing neither haue they any hope to obtaine of men of this disposition Obiurgatio est in aduersis crudelis Sene. in Prouerb but the thanke and grace of a benefite is lost by such bragging euen among men as the Poet aptly saith Crede mihi quamuis ingentia Posthume dones Authoris pereunt garrulitate sui Although thy giftes on mee are great friend Posthume and thy cost Yet through thy bragges they perish all beleeue me and are lost The vse Seeing then wee haue so gracious and liberall a God who is delighted with our often prayers Let vs beloued cast off all doubtfulnesse if wee thinke to receiue any thing of the Lord and therefore Vers 6. He compareth a doubtfull wauering minde vnto a waue of the sea tossed of the winde such indeed is the minde that doubteth in his prayers whether God be able to deliuer him or willing to stand to his promises which as a waue tossed with the winde inclineth sometime to this side sometime to that now hee presumeth anon hee despaireth and fainteth Therefore when thou commest to commence thy sutes vnto the Lord trust confidently in his mercy say with the Prophet I will trust in thy mercy Psal 13.15 and then assure thy selfe as Saint Bernard very truely saith Ber. Ser. 5. de quadrag Vnum è duobus indubitantèr sperare possumut aut dabit quod poscimus aut quod nouerit nobis esse vtilius One of these two we may vndoubtedly hope for that either he will grant that wee desire or that which shall bee more profitable for vs VER 8. A wauering minded man is vnstable in all his
presume on this seeing he hath not so much as one day in his power Martialis Non est crede mihi sapientis dicere viuam Sera nimis vita est crastina viue hodie Beleeue me 't is no wise-mans part to say liue here I will Liue well to day to trust is vaine to liue to morrow till Herein we are like vnto Pharaoh which when the whole land was so plagued with frogs Exod. 8. that they filled the fields the streetes the houses and no place was free from them and Moses asked him when he should pray vnto the Lord for him answered To morrow O the madnesse of men which are alwaies deferring their repentance till the morrow till the houre of their death when they see the sword of the wrathfull Iudge drawne ouer their heads on the one side death ready to strike them on the other side their sinnes to accuse them below them hell with open mouth to receiue them the deuill gaping like a roaring Lyon to deuoure them then I say when they haue liued in warre with God all their life long they flie vnto him for mercy and seeke peace this repentance proceedeth rather of a seruile feare then of any loue 2. Mac. 9. like that of wicked Antiochus Sero sapiunt Phryges beware of had I wist Let vs not therefore tempt the Lord by presuming vpon his mercy Againe they tempt God by doubting of his prouidence and goodnesse Exod. 17. as the Israelites did at Raphidim where was no water Of this sort are they which distrusting Gods prouidence for their posterity hoard vp riches by all vnlawfull meanes c. On the other side they tempt God which presuming vpon his prouidence neglect all ordinary meanes in their seuerall Vocations c. For God cannot bee tempted c. Heere is now the first reason why God is not the authour of euill which is taken from the nature of God who is pure perfect and by nature most holy yea holinesse it selfe So that purity and holinesse is a prerogatiue which God hath onely reserued vnto himselfe This the Princely Prophet witnesseth The Lord is righteous in all his waies Psal 145. and holy in all his workes Therefore the Saints of God affirmed Who shall not feare thee ô Lord Reu. 15.4 and glorifie thy name for thou onely art holy and all Nations shall come and worship before thee for thy iudgements are made manifest It is then as impossible for any sparke of vnholinesse or vncleanesse to bee in God as it is for darknesse to be in the midst of light or coldnesse in the midst of fire c. The sixth Sermon IAMES 1.19 c. 19 Wherefore my deere brethren let euery man be swift to heare slow to speake and slow to wrath 20 For the wrath of man doth not accomplish the righteousnesse of God THE Apostle before hauing commended the excellency of the word of God in that it is the word of God the word of Truth and meane of our regeneration he next adioyneth these excellent precepts teaching vs how wee should fruitfully heare the same which consisteth in obseruing these three morall precepts The first concerneth the facility of hearing The second of restraining the tongue The third of moderating of wrath For the first it is manifest that this noble sense of hearing was giuen vs of God that is the power of discerning voices and sounds For hee that created the whole body of man and powred into it a reasonable soule created also this sense so profitable to his glory and necessary to the attaining of eternall life and this is it he saith Exod 4.11 Who hath giuen the mouth to man and who hath made the dumbe and the deafe or him that seeth or the blind Haue not I the Lord Againe Psal 94. Hee that planted the eare shall hee not heare Heereupon Lactantius concludeth Lactan. lib. 3. cap. 9. that the sense of the eare is more necessary to saluation then the sense of the eye for doctrine and wisedome is receiued by the eare onely and not by the eye And the Apostle saith Rom. 10. Luke 11. Iohn 8. Faith commeth by hearing And Blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepe it Hee that is of God heareth Gods word And how should wee vse this excellent sense to the glory of God wee are instructed in the fabrication thereof which expresseth the wonderfull skill of the Creator First they are not Osseae sed cartilaginiae substantiae not of a bony but of a gristely substance which hauing their beginning from the bone called Os temporium The fabrick of the eares out of the Anatomists serueth to extend the holes of the eares that the sound may be the better perceiued and these Cartilagines are hollow dry and hard Hollow that by their concauity they may receiue the aire tortuous or winding least by any suddaine or vehement collision of the aire the tender membranes and organes of hearing should bee hurt and that the sound being temperately receiued should the more delight the sense of hearing Hard that the collision of the aire might bee the more milde and the sound the greater In the like manner first that the inward minde may effectually heare the word of God it must bee made hollow through humilitie Via domini ad cor dirigitur Gre. inhom cum sermo veritatis humilitèr auditur Secondly it must also bee tortuous or winding that the word receiued which is the food of the soule may not lightly passe away but that wee may ruminate and reuolue it as the Virgine Mary of whom it is said that shee kept all these sayings and pondered them in her heart Thirdly the minde must also bee durus siccus hard and dry in retaining of the word of God For a thing that is hard and dry receiueth keepeth better what it receiued then that which is soft and tender And Aristotle saith Arist lib. de sen that Organum auditus est aer The aire is the instrument of hearing Aire the instrumēt of hearing and is contained within the eares and included in the miringa which is a little skinne and that aire must bee firme and still for if it haue his proper motion and sound it perceiueth no externall sound as it appeareth in them which through the motion of such aire feele tinkling or ringing in their eares In like manner wee should receiue this heauenly doctrine into the inward cels of the memory there hold it fast and perseuer therein as our Apostle saith not as forgetfull hearers Iam. 1.25 Iohn 15. but doers of the word And our Sauiour If yee abide in mee and my words abide in you aske what you will and it shall bee done vnto you Againe the sound is brought thus into the eares How the sound is brought into the eares Betweene the bones of the Temples there is a way ad basim cerebri to the ground
the Kingdome of heauen you that are as the Apostle noteth you 2. Tim. 3.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 magis quam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 louers of pleasures more then louers of God As though there were no heauen for the godly Ferra pilae similis nullo fulcimine nixa Aere sublimi tam graue pendet onus God hath hanged the earth vpoÌ„ nothing Iob 26.7 nor hell for the wicked When thou callest to minde that thou treadest vpon the earth hanging like a ball in the aire and floting in the waters is it not euident enough vnto thee that there is a God Hee hangeth the earth vpon nothing Cum te pendenti reputas insistere terrae Nonne vel hinc clare conspicis esse DeuÌ„ When thou considerest that thou tread'st on earth that hangs in aire Dost thou not clearely see by this there is a God-head faire The vse wee are to make of this doctrine is The Vse neuer to fall in loue with this polluting world as our intollerable greedinesse plainely sheweth that we are too much glewed to the loue of earthly things and haue little feeling of the ioyes of our heauenly countrey prepared for all such as loue the Lords appearing nor yet of the sinnes of this infecting world which cleaue so fast vnto vs. A Simile shewing the danger of worldly loue O that I could by any plainnesse of teaching imprint this so profitable a doctrine in your minds We see beloued in reason that the naturall heate which is within vs by externall cold in the Winter kept in and augmented which by the heate in Summer opening the pores euaporateth out and is inwardly diminished And verely so is it in spirituall matters the colder wee feele the loue of the world the more the loue of God is kindled in our hearts and the more it encreaseth but if we wallow in earthly delights in the sun-shine of polluting pleasures ô how much is the loue of God within cooled and diminished in our hearts 1. Sam. 17.39 Euen as Dauid was not well able to go vnder the burthen of Saules armour about him but when it was taken from him hee couragiously marched on and slew that enemy of God and his people the great Goliah So whilst wee are laden with Saules armour that is clogged and spotted with the weight of this defiling world wee are altogether vnapt to any Christian combate but if wee cast of this weight wee runne with alacrity as did Danid encounter with this spirituall Goliah preuaile with honour and giue him the foyle The second inseparable property then and effect of true Religion the Apostle teacheth to bee innocency of life to keepe our selues vnspotted of the world that is to bee cleere from the workes of darkenes and pollutions of wicked worldlings to abstaine from carnall lusts and filthy pleasures to which prophane worldlings are most prone The Saints of God which truely embrace the Christian and soulesaâ—â—â—g Religion are here distinguisheâ—â—â—â—m hipocrites and false 〈◊〉 They onely labour to bee holy and pure both in body and minde in soule and spirit in thought and we he 2. Cor. 11. that they may bee presented blamelesse as chaste virgines before the Lord Iesus Epictetus Epictetus comprised all his Philosophy in these two words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sustine Abstine Beare Forbeare to suffer euill Lactantius and abstaine from doing euill And Lactantius saith the rule of a godly life consisteth in Patience and Abstinence Almighty God requireth especially of all that professe his name this innocency of life that they keepe themselues vnspotted of the world So when hee called Abraham from the idolatry of Mesapotamia to his true worship and Religion Gen. 17. he gaue him this charge Walke before mee and bee thou perfect So when hee gathered his people into one Congregation and body polliticke hee required of them holinesse innocency and integrity of life as the effect and note of true Religion saying Bee yee holy Leuit. 11. for I am holy So our Sauiour the Authour of Christian Religion calleth his from the pollutions of the world when hee willeth them to bee as innocent as Doues Math. 10. So the Apostle prescribing to them the Christian sacrifice warneth them to take heed of worldly corruptions and not to Fashion themselues thereunto Rom. 12. This is also his counsell to Timothy 2. Tim. 2. Let euery one that calleth vpon IESVS CHRIST depart from iniquity Now the spots wherwith worldlings are chiefly defiled are Thefts Adulteries and fleshly Vncleanenesse Couetousnesse Vsury Oppression Drunkennesse Pride Enuy Contention Ambition Vaine-glory c. Wilt thou know now whether thou bee a true Professour indeed of this pure Religion which onely is able to saue thy soule fall then into a serious examination of thy conscience whether thou bee not defiled with adulteries and vncleannesse whether thy heart bee not set vpon couetousnesse and oppression stained with vsury extortion thy body polluted with surfetting drunkennes whether thou bee free from pride arrogancy void of enuy malice and contention whether thou bee not spotted with cruelty hard-heartednes towards thy neighbour c. Herewith whoseeuer is stained his Religion howsoeuer he flatter himselfe is not pure vndefiled before God for pure Religion and vndefiled before God the Father is to visite the fatherlesse widowes c. Examine thy conscience whether thou be studious of the coÌ„trary vertues as chastity teÌ„perance meeknes loue mercy liberality brotherly kindnes c. wherein the true Religion consisteth which God grant vnto vs for his Sonne Iesus Christs sake to whom with the Holy Ghost bee all honour praise power and Dominion for euer and euer Amen FINIS