word of God the holy Scriptures cōmend vnto vs. To which ende our Sauiour Christ exhorteth the Saints that when they come to offer any gift vpon the altar and Mat. 5. then remember any breach betwixt them and the brethren there to leaue their gift and to go and be reconciled which is by ripping vp and acknowledging offences To like purpose the Lord Iesus teacheth vs that if our brother offend against vs seuen times a day and say it repenteth Luc. 17. me and confesse the offence that we should forgiue meaning that how often soeuer our brethren offende vs and acknowledge their faultes we should forgiue them shewing that of mutuall offences there should be mutuall acknowledgment Saint James in this place either for mutuall comfort which they might receyue one of another by acknowledging their faultes or for mutuall reconciliation which in sicknesse is requisite exhorteth the saints to acknowledge their faultes one to another which thing is most expedient for it is not expedient that such as haue giuen offence should acknowledge the offence done thereby to satisfie for the trespasse committed to entertaine peace vnitie loue and charitie among themselues to liue and loue together as brethren And for asmuch as wee here eyther not at all or very hardly liue without offence giuing vnto others is it not very necessarie for the saluing vp of all matters that wee mutually confesse offences mutually be reconciled and mutually forgiue one the other And this acknowledging of our offences and faults this confession is of priuate offences done by one to another which as at other times is needefull so in our sicknes is necessarie that we being in perfect loue and peace with all men may eyther thereby finde release of paine the sooner or els with more quiet mindes sleepe in euerlasting rest and quietnesse when we shal be dissolued out of these our mortall bodies This thing how greatly doth it profite an euill minde full of wrath and indignation replenished with enuie burning with mortall hatred and boyling with desire of reuenge encreaseth our paine prolongeth our griefe continueth our sicknesse incenseth almighty God more sharply against vs and hindereth his louing kindnesse and fauour towards vs it is good therefore to put away all malice wrath anger fiercenesse hatred out of our hearts and to acknowledge our faults one to another This being the plaine meaning of this place how can our aduersaries establish their auricular confession hereupon this place by the very circumstance of the place it selfe doth not make any thing for their purpose For first here is mention made of confession of faults in sicknesse at the priuate houses of men sicke and diseased that the sicke person to the standers by might confesse wherein he had offended them and the standers by wherin they had offended him and not in the Church not in health to the priest not in his eare at Lente 2. Here he requireth that we confesse our sinnes and faults one to another and not all to one wherefore this place bindeth the minister to acknowledge asvvell to the people if in any thing he hath offended them as the people to the minister if they haue offended him The priest must asvvell confesse to the parish as the parish to the priest by this rule or else hovv can they be saide to confesse one to another if many confesse vnto me and I confesse vnto none hovv may it be said that vve haue confessed our faultes one to another 3. As vvee are commaunded to confesse our faultes one to another so must vve pray one for another But they blush to say that this appertayneth onely to the priest why should confession then more appertaine to the priest then prayer Wherefore as the people may praie one for another and for the prieste also so the priest for the people and for himselfe also that so it may be done mutually 4. In like manner by this place the people are willed to acknowledg their offences done against the priest and the priest his against them and this is mutuall prayer and mutuall confession ◠Iohn 1. Where beside this they vrge Saint Iohn if wee confesse our sinnes he is righteous to forgiue vs our sinnes and to cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnesse it cannot be vnderstood of the priest without horrible blasphemie He to vvhom vvee must confesse is righteous but no man can be so counted absolutely therefore it cannot be vnderstood of the priest Moreouer he to whom we must confesse is said to be righteous and faithfull to forgiue vs our sinnes and to cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnes and can any priest forgiue sinnes and cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnesse Doth it not appertayne to God alone to forgiue sinnes Doth not God challenge that as proper Isai 43. 44 Ps 31. 52. to himselfe Doth not Dauid confesse the same when for the forgiuenesse of sinnes he praieth onely vnto God Did not the Iewes holde that for a truth being therefore offended with Christ because he tooke vpon him to Mat. 9. forgiue sinnes not erring in their opinion that none could forgiue sinnes but God onely but in this that they knevv not Christ for true God and therefore able to forgiue sinnes neyther of these places therefore establish their auricular confession With which doctrine the Scripture is not acquainted hereof the Prophetes haue not spoken neyther haue Ioh. 14 16. the Apostles heard of it this did not the holy Ghost teach the church yet vvas it promised that it should bring them to all truth and teach them all things If the holy Ghost shall teach the church all thinges why hath it not taught this one thing And if it shall leade the Saints into all truth if this be a truth vvhy hath it not and why doth it not lead them thereunto The Glosse seeing that Distinct 5. ca. de penitent the spirite of God hath not taught it denieth it to bee taught in the Scripture therefore referreth it to the traditions of the Elders and of the Church Wherefore he saith it is better to say that this confession is from the tradition of the vniuersall church then ordained eyther by the authoritie of the new or old testament The reuerende Fathers haue disallovved it as curious and needlesse S. Chrysostome thereof saith in this wise Hom. 31. vpon the Hebru I say not vnto thee that thou come forth and shewe thy selfe openly neither that thou accuse thy selfe to others but I would haue thee to obey the Prophete saying reueale thy life vnto the Lord. Vpon the 51. Psalme thus 2. Homil. vpō Psal 51. saith the same Father Confesse and tell thy sinnes that thou maist blot and put them out if thou be ashamed to tell them any body then tell them euery day in thy soule I say not that thou confesse them to thy fellovv seruaunt that he may cast thee in the teeth tel them to God which cureth them And in another
hypocrites thinke their counterfeite hoâ—ynesse to bee true holinesse wherefore they embrace it they brooke it they delight therein they loue it as if it were sincere and perfect integritie And thus they may bee compared vnto fooles looking into glasses who heare the worde awd looke into the law being carelesse to obey it The other part of this similitude is who so looketh into the perfect law of libertie hee not being a forgetfull hearer but a doer of the worde shall be blessed in his deede In which member we see the lawe is called perfect and a perfect law of libertie 1 Perfect which addition Dauid also giueth vnto the law The law of the Lord is perfect conuerting the soule Psal 19. therefore so called because whatsoeuer appertaineth to faith and godlinesse is therein aboundantly set downe and deliuered so that neither in doctrine neither in maners we ought to seek for any other thing whatsoeuer S John entreating of the perfection of the newe lawe which is the Gospell confesseth that therein all things which Iohn 20. our Sauiour did were not written yet sufficient things to be written which men beleeuing might thereby liue wherefore he saith Many other signes and tokens did Iesus in the presence of his Disciples which are not written in this booke but these things are written that yee might beleeue that Iesus is Christ the sonne of God and that in beleeuing ye might haue life through his name Saint Paul writeth that he kept not backe any thing from the Church of Ephesus but hath shewed them all the Acts 20. counsels of God Tertulian crieth out that that Church is happie to which the Apostles haue powred out all the Tertulian doctrine of God euen with their owne bloud Our Sauiour promiseth the Church a Comforter which should Iohn 16. bring them into all truth What truth is it that the holy Ghost did not teach the Church But yet least wee should thinke there were other truthes beside such as were preached by Christ and penned by the Euangelists it is added that that Comforter should teach them whatsoeuer Christ had taught them before Wherein was enough to saluation as Iohn witnesseth Saint Paul sheweth the excellencie of the worde of God and how perfect it is in all poynts affirmeth that all Scripture is inspired 1. Tim. 3. from aboue and is profitable to teach to improue to correct to instruct in righteousnesse that the man of God might be perfect instructed to euerie good worke Vnto this truth the fathers reuerendly subscribe Saint Tract 49. vpon Iohn Augustine sayeth that where as Christ had done manie things which were not written yet such things were chosen to bee written which the writers thought sufficient for the saluation of them which beleeued Saint Cirill Lib. 12. vpon Iohn hath almost the same wordes All things that were done by Christ were not written but those things onely which seemed sufficient both to maners and to doctrine that men shining through true faith and good workes might come to the heauenly kingdome by Iesus Christ our Lorde Chrysostome vpon Matthew not once and Vpon Mat. 22. 4. hom vpon the Epistle to Titus in like manner sheweth that all things necessarie are in Scripture reuealed therefore concludeth he that they are perfect Athanasius finally affirmeth that the Scriptures inspired froÌ„ aboue is sufficient for instruction in all vertue And this is true in the whole lawe of God but most manifest in the doctrine of the Gospel The lawe which by Moises ministerie was giuen the people was so perfite that almightie God forewarned them that they should neither adde nor diminish therefrom end howe seuerely he punished that malapert and Deut. 4. 12. Prou. 30. sawsie boldnesse in the Israelites which aduentured to adde any thing either to the doctrine or the ceremonies so many sermons of the Prophets the interpreters of the lawes so many testimonies of holy Scripture the holy sacred diuine histories our Sauiour Christ himselfe witnesseth most plainly Shall we thinke more basely now of the Gospell which is a doctrine more excellent then the â—awe Shall wee thinke God had lesse carefull consideâ—ation of his church in the daies of his son being on earth â—nd afterward then he had in the time of Moises Or shall â—e dare to imagin the Prophets to haue left a more perâ—ect doctrine then the apostles taught by the very mouth â—f Christ and ledde into all truth by the holy Ghost according to the promise Wherefore if the lawe were perfect so that the people durst adde thereto or detract therefro nothing which who tempted were punished shall not the Gospel containe a most perfect doctrine whereunto nothing may be added from which nothing may be detracted This the Angel acknowledged wheÌ„ in Reuel 22. the shutting vp and concluding of the Gospel he protesteth that if any man adde to the wordes of that booke God should adde the plagues in that booke written vnto him and if any should diminish any thing therein God would diminish and take away his name from out of the booke of life Thereby therefore is the perfection of the Gospel concluded Which thing the holy Apostle here to expresse vnto vs calleth the worde of God the perfect law For this cause the Scripture hath the name of a Canon giuen it and is called Canonicall because it is the onely perfect rule line leuell and square whereby all doctrines and all maners must be meet measured examined and prooued as by that which is most sufficient and perfect which suffereth no addition nor detraction for then the rule and measure faileth This being true as most true it is not onely by the infallible worde of God but by the manifest testimonies of the reuerend fathers then Ambrose 3. de virgini all inuentions dreames doctrines traditions vnwritten verities must fall to the ground and be condemned as counterfet adulterie and sacriligious which are not warranted out of the perfect law of the Gospel as Saint Ambros affirmeth The Gospel here hence then is proued to be perfect 2 As it is perfect so is it a law of libertie not that it bringeth men into carnall freedome to do what they lust 1. Pet. 2. whereunto the wicked abuse it for a cloake of wickednesse but because it setteth vs at libertie in our consciences from Satan sinne and death which we obtainie by Christ Iohn 8. who freeing vs we are free in deede He therefore calling vs to the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God and the Gospel preaching this libertie of conscience vnto men is called the law of libertie 3 In this law must we continue herein must we looke continually herein must we meditate day and night herein must we spend our dayes Some thinke it enough Psal 1. to looke into this law once in their liues Some thinke it much to looke into it once in a yeare two three or seuen Some perswade
In so much as righteous and holy men who abstaine in many thinges from wicked actions yet oftentimes through infirmity of nature are caried by cogitations to euil thoughts so that there is no mā vnlesse he be trāslated as it were into the nature of God who sinneth not in cogitation So that the Apostle in respect of these hath here truely auouched in many thinges we fall all Which thing men considering shall the better refraine their seueritie of iudgement and rigor in censuring their christian brethren Three respects there are in men wherby their rigor towards others should be abated 1 To recount what in former times themselues haue beene 2 To thinke what hereafter they may be 3 To remember what presently they are 1 If we consider what our selues haue beene in former times it shall mittigate greatly the seueritie of our iudgemēts and rigorous censuring of our brethren Saint Paul exhorting men to patience and gentlenes towardes other and not to be seuere against their offending weak brethren thus reasoneth They now are what you in former Tit. 3. times haue beene call therefore to minde your former condition and be patient shewe all meeknes therefore to all men For we our selues were in times past vnwise disobedient deceiued seruing lustes and diuers pleasures liuing in maliciousnes and enuie hatefull hating one another The recounting therefore of our former condition must asswage the seueritie of our iudgement and make vs more moderate toward such as now are what we haue beene Wee our selues once were ignorant wee once went out of the way wee sometimes haue beene ouertaken with naturall infirmitie whereby we haue committed things not conuenient Let vs not seuerely iudge and tigorously condemne such as are subiect to the cōmon infirmities and frailties of nature 2 As to record our former state shall abate our sharpnes so to thinke with our selues whereunto wee may fall being compassed about alwaies with these infirmities S. Paul to perswade men to shew meeknes not sharpenes Gal. 6. of iudgement towards such as fall through occasion reasoneth from the frailtie of our state whereby we are subiect to like falling to which purpose he thus speaketh to the Saints of Galatia Brethren if a man be sodenly taken in any offēce ye which are spirituall restore such a one in the spirite of meekenes considering thy selfe least thou also be tempted Wherein he wisely condemneth imortunate rigour and worthelie reproueth those which are commonly most seuere iudges against their brethren whē they altogether forget their owne infirmitie wherby they may fall into like offences Now there is no infirmitie no iniquitie among men finall impenitencie and the sinne vnto death or against the holy Ghost excepted whereinto euen the best men may not fall Which if they consider it will easilie moderate their rigour and seueritie against their brethren and make them take heede least ambitiously they vsurpe this authoritie against others And how true it is that euen the best may fall euident examples and wofull experience may teach vs. Who knoweth not that lyeng is a sinne against the ninth commaundement condemned by God and his Prophets yet holy and faithfull Abraham godly Isaac fell thereinto as Gen. 12. 26. Gen. 20. the storie beareth record Murmuring is a great sinne against GOD arguing impatiencie yet Moses was thereof guilty as it appeareth Idolatrie seemeth to be sinne in the highest degree yet that by Aaron the Saint of God was committed Adulteterie a grieuous euill whereof God in his lawe hath forewarned Exod. 32. and in sundrie people men and Nations punished Exod. 20. 2. Kings 11. yet Dauid the man of God was tardie therein To denie Christ with execrable cursing banning swearing Mat. 26. is great iniquitie yet Peter the blessed Apostle therein offended To persecute the church to blaspheme the trueth is horrible impietie yet Saint Paul the chosen vessell of God committed both As these examples shewe that the best may because these haue done with whome none are 1. Tim. 1. now or haue been since to be cōpared So daily experiēce conuinceth the same While we see daily before our eies men of farre greatest excellencie to fall into sundry infirmities Out of whose falles a triple profit insueth 1. Therby the glorie of God his power and mercie is made manifest in making them vessels of glory who by their sinnes deserued his eternall displeasure for which cause S. Paul 1. Tim. 1. crieth out that in his conuersion Christ shewed all clemencie Secondly by the falles of great persons both themselues haue cause to humble themselues before god and not waxe proud of any thing and others seeing the most excellent men subiect to infirmitie are therence to be admonished of their greater infirmities for if the great oakes of Basan and the mightie and tall Cedars of Libanon fall what is to be looked for of the lowe trees of the forrest if the righteous bee hardly saued what shall become of the wicked 1. Pet. 4. Thirdly all men may thereby gather the frailtie of their nature and so pray to God when they stande that 1. Cor. 10. they fall not Now seeing all men are subiect to this condition that they may fall if they be not vpholden and supported by the helpe of God it ought to qualifie our hasty iudgement and to moderate the seueritie of the same against the brethren 3 Finally we shal be more temperate towards other men if we consider whereunto wee are presently subiect which is the reason here vrged The conscience of our owne sinnes and the diligent view of our owne weaknes and wickednes maketh vs more gentle towardes others which men then forget when they are too seuere iudges of their brethren To this purpose Siracides exhorteth mē Ecclus. 8. not to despise such as hauing sinned turne therefro neither to cast it in their teeth but rather to remember that we are all worthy of blame When we consider our owne selues we shall see there is in vs many things to be amended This diligent consideration will make vs more carefull of not rigorously and rashely iudgeing our brethren Are we not couetous as they are yet are wee proude and disdainfull Are we not proud yet are we fleshely wanton Are we not wanton yet are we slaunderous and reproachfull Are we not reproachfull yet are wee enuious and malicious What are we not malicious yet are wee riotous and intemperate What are we not intemperate yet are we prodigall and wastfull If not prodigall yet lyers and blasphemers if not blasphemers yet extortioners and oppressors of our brethren Or finally geuen to these and these iniquities so that it is as cleare as the sunne in his brightnesse that in many things we offend all Which who so considereth and pondereth in equal ballance shal thereby be counterpeized and brought to a moderate censure and iudgement of the sinnes and liues of others and taught effectually not to
sheepe among wolues and for his sake and the Gospels to be brought before Iudges scourged in Sinagogues expelled and excommunicated their assemblies and euery where euill entreated and spitefullie handled by his owne example exhorteth he thē to beare all these things and willeth them with inuincible courage Iohn 16. and patience to take vp their crosse and follow him And elswhere forewarning them of their oppressions therin he willeth them to be of good cheare and beare their afflictions with patience In the world saith he you shall haue trouble but bee of good cheare I haue ouercome the world The holy Apostle Saint Paul to like purpose perswadeth Rom. 12. men not to faint in heart not to cast downe their heads as discomfited but in the midst of their afflictions and miseries to reioyce Reioyce in hope be patient in tribulation continue in prayer Which condition inseperably ioyned with the profession of the faith ought not to seeme strange vnto the Saints neither to moue them Which S. Paul considering councelleth them to stand fast 1. Thes 3. in the faith and not to be moued with these afflictions because they were thereunto appointed of God The proposition therefore of this place is that the Saints of God must arme themselues against all manner afflictions and therein reioyce exceedingly Come there life or come there death come prosperitie or come miserable aduersitie come there sicknes or come there health come there wealth or come there woe come there persecution or come there pestilence come there sworde or come there famine come there captiuitie or come there any other miserie we must be prepared and armed thereunto and hold fast the proposition of the Apostle Brethren count it exceeding ioy when you shall fall into diuers temptations In this proposition many thinges may bee obserued worthy our consideration 1 That the Saints must coūt it great ioy when they fall into temptations and do suffer afflictions in the world Wherin the ioyes of Gods saints and the ioyes of the wicked are distinguished The wicked reioyce some in one vaine thing of this world some in an other accounting sicknes pouertie imprisonment ignominie miserie persecution famine nakednes sword death and such like afflictions as euils wherefore they shunne them by all meanes they abhorre thē as infallible tokens of the heauie wrath of God his iust hatred against them which suffer them as appeared by the sentence of Eliphas Iob. 4. against holy Iob who condemned him for wicked because he was afflicted and by the censure of the wicked who Isai 53. iudged Christ as reiected of God because he was plagued and smitten by him And the Iewes in like maner so iudged of them vpon whom the tower of Silo fell and whose Luke 13 bloud Pilate mingled with their sacrifice slaying them when they were offering esteeming them for wicked because of their punishment Finally by the sentence of the Barbarians in Melita who seeing a Viper springing out of the fire to rest vpon the hand of the Apostle S. Paul Acts 28. accounted him for a murtherer and a wicked person But so doe not the Saints for they know that these afflictions by the blessing and grace of God tende to their furtherance and saluation in Iesus Christ Wherefore they therein reioyce exceedingly and preferre this ioy before all worldly ioy whatsoeuer Insomuch as in the midst of their miserie and in their tortures torments they haue triumphed as the holy Apostles being afflicted beaten and smitten for the testimonie of Gods trueth departed and went out of the councell reioysing of whom S. Chrysostome Act◠5. saith The Apostles were scourged they reioyced they were bound and imprisoned and they thanked they Homil. pop Antioch 54. Rom. 5. were stoned and they preached The blessed Apostle Paul of himselfe and the rest beareth the like recorde that in their troubles they reioiced We reioyce saith he in trouble knowing that trouble bringeth forth pacience pacience experience experience hope hope maketh not ashamed because the loue of God is shed abroade in our hearts by the holy Ghost which is giuen vnto vs. The holy and blessed martyrs haue in like maner counted it exceeding ioy when they fel into temptations wherin they being by the will of God aboue the strength and course of nature haue triumphed whereas then the wicked shunne these as simply euill the saintes embrace them as testimonies of loue whereas the wicked in their miseries frette fume and fome at mouth for rage and anger stampe stare murmure and mutter against God yea and blaspheme him in extreeme desperation as Saint Reuel 16. c ver 11. 21. John in his Reuelation auoucheth the Saints reioice with ioy vnspeakable and glorious as in wholsome documents of their life corrections of their infirmities prouocations to praier inuitements to GOD repressors of naturall corruption encreasers of zeale and meanes whereby they are made conformable to the image of the sonne of Rom. 8. God Whereas the wicked herein faint and fall into dispaire and reioice in other thinges onely the Saints and holy men of God make affliction the greatest matter of their mirth and to suffer for Christ and his Gospel their soundest ioy remembring the proposition of the Apostle here set downe Brethren count it exceeding ioy when you fall into sundrie temptations Let worldlings then reioyce in their riches and glorie in their wealth let them reioyce in their pleasures and delight themselues in ambition and honour let them make their bankets bellie cheare and riotousnesse their ioy let them counte for their greatest happinesse and felicitie worldly securitie and vacation from all trouble yet this is the ioy the mirth the delight the pleasure the felicitie and happinesse of the the Saints wrongfully to suffer affliction and this they count vpon earth their exceeding ioy and therin they haue their reioycing Let the wicked in their miseries Exod. 7. grow from worse to worse as Pharao by his afflictions waxed worser and more impacient let them vse violent 1. King 31. hands vpon themselues as Saul in daunger of the vncircumcised Philistines fell vpon his owne sword and perished and many other at the losse of their riches the spoile of their goodes the departure of their friends and other afflictions murmured against God yet the Saintes holde vp their heads relie vpon God humbling thēselues before him vnder the crosse and count it exceeding ioy when they fall into manifold temptations 2 The worde Fall into is not without signification whereby the Saints of God are taught that they may neither procure neither hastē their owne crosse nor deserue at the hands of the worlde thus to be afflicted The Papists which in manie places and at sundrie times lay heauie crosses vppon themselues as beating their owne flesh scourging their owne bodies wearying and wasting themselues with long tedious and troublesome pilgrimages fall not by the will of God hereinto but
lacke wisdome to aske it of God and it shall be giuen them 4 Lastly out of this place of S. Iames who willeth vs to pray without doubting wauering it taketh away the multiude of mediators for when men in need necessitie are sent and posted ouer to many meanes and mediators and rest not vpon one onely they doubt to which they shoulde runne vnto whether to men Saints or women Saints whether to Angels or to the spirits of men for succor whether to this Angell or that this Saint of God or that in the dayes of their afflictions The establishing of many mediators is the cause of the distracting of mens minds cause of wauering which this place remoueth from the praiers of men especially which professe godlinesse and the Gospell of Christ Whereof thus the Apostle hee that wauereth is like the waues of the sea tost with the winde and caried away neither let him thinke to obtaine any thing of God A double minded man is vnstable in all his waies and this is that which I haue to note out of this place and to adde to the former place of the Apostle and containeth the second place by the Apostle handled concerning the iust reproofe and condemning of doubting and wauering praiers Let vs pray vnto Almightie God to establish our hearts in the vnfallible truth of his heauenly promises that in all things we may rest vpon his power and promptnesse in all our petitions that in all our needs we may call vpon him vvithout vvauering and obtaine the things vve pray for according to his vvill through Iesus Christ our Lord to vvhom vvith the father and the holy Spiirite be all praise and honour all glorie and maiestie for euer and euer Amen Iames Chapter 1. verses 9. 10. 11. 12. Sermon 4. 9 Let the brother of lowe degree reioice in that he is exalted 10 Againe hee that is riche in that hee is made lowe for as the flower of the grasse shall he vanish away 11 For as when the Sunne riseth with heat then the grasse withereth and his flower falleth away and the goodly shape of it perisheth euen so shal the rich man wither in all his wayes 12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tried hee shall receyue the crowne of life which the Lorde hath promised to them that loue him IN vvhich vvords the Apostle returneth and commeth againe to the matter proposed vvhich is of pacience and cōfort in afflictions vvhich vvas the first place of the Chapter and consisteth of four things 1. Of the proposing of the matter 2. Of the confirming thereof 3. Of the distinguishing of the persons to whō the crosse is profitable 4. Of the conclusion Of these tvvo of them are gone before the other tvvo in these vvords are contained Two thinges in these words and verses are to be obserued Namely 1. The distinguishing of men to whom the crosse is profitable and whereunder they must reioyce and all men are 1. Either low of degree and they must reioyce vnder afflictions remembring that they are exalted to the profession of Christ 2. Either rich and mighty and they must reioyce vnder it because thereby they are profitably humbled 2. The cōclusion which is drawen from the rewarde of pacience wherin may bee noted fiue things 1. The reward it selfe blessednesse promised to the Saints 2. When it shall be giuen when they are tried 3. Whereunto it is compared to a crowne of life 4. How shall it be giuen by promise not by desert 5. To whom to such as loue God Touching the first of these vvhich is the third thing in the treatise of the crosse it is the distinguishing of persons 3. Things in the treatise of the crosse to vvhom the crosse is profitable and this doctrine to reioyce in affliction necessarie There are tvvo sortes of men poore and rich to both the crosse and doctrine of pacience therein is necessarie so that it is profitable then to all First to the poore brother wherof thus saith James The poore Let the brother of lovv degree reioyce in that hee is exalted The crosse and doctrine of afflictions and pacience is profitable for the poore brother for if he bee afflicted vvith pouertie contempt ignominie or anie other calamitie hee must not bee pressed dovvne vvith sorovve griefe feare and fainting of heart but reioyce rather vnder his crosse and calamitie because he by the crosse is exalted For by affliction the poore brethren humbled are thereby exalted either to the true profession of the crosse and Gospell of Christ either to be like Christ and his Saints vvho haue all in this vvorld drunke of the cuppe of afflictions or els to the glorious companie of Christ and his holy Angels vnto vvhom the vvay is persecution and suffering For euen as Christ himselfe by manifolde persecutions and troubles and by dayly crosse and sufferings in Luke 24. his life entred into the glorie of his father as he protested vnto his disciples betvvixt Hierusalem and Emaus so in Acts 14. like maner must all the Saints by many tribulations enter into the kingdome of God as the Apostle Paul auoucheth to the brethren of Lystra Iconium and Antiochia in the Scriptures for vvhich cause he assureth vs no othervvise to be heires vvith Christ of glorie then condicionally Rom. 8. that vve suffer vvith him If vve be sonnes then also heires and heires annexed vvith Iesus Christ so that vve suffer vvith him that vve also may bee glorified vvith him neither othervvise to be crovvned vvith him then that first here vvith him vve be crossed also for if vve bee 2. Tim. 2. dead with Christ then shall we liue with him also and if we suffer with him wee shall also reigne with him if the crosse aduance vs to the crown if the suffring of calamitie and miserie here bring vs to glorie if our humbling by afflictions exalt the brethren of lowe degree to the profession of the Gospel in this life and in the life to come to immortalitie and glorie with Christ then must the brethren humbled by the crosse and by any afflicted reioyce therein let the brother of lowe degree reioyce when by the crosse he is exalted The humbling of vs by affliction in this worlde is the exalting of vs to glorie before God the casting downe of vs here by the crosse is the lifting of vs vp to heauen before the Lorde the abasing of our selues vnder the diuers temptations of this life is the aduanncing of vs in the kingdome of Christ Seeing then by pacience vnder the crosse the brother of low degree is exalted he ought therin not to be faint hearted 2. Phil. but ioyous and glad As then our Sauiour Christ beeing by affliction and death it selfe humbled by the father was therefore and thereby exalted vnto great glorie euen so if paciently we suffer the triall of our faith by afflictions Philip. 2. and suffer our selues
them vp to reprobate mindes as the scripture speaketh The proposition of the holy Apostle standeth still for true Let no man say when he is tempted I am tempted of God Of this matter more may be seene vpon the first Epistle of Peter 3. Chap. v. 17. Rom. 9. 18. v. Thus their errour is refuted who holde that as good motions are inspired vs from God so euill suggestions are suggested by him also so that when men steale take away by violence commit adultery do iniurie to their brethren or any such like they must not say we are moued solicited and stirred vp thereunto by God Wherefore the Apostle here in his proposition giueth them admonition Let no man say when he is tempted I am tempted of God 2 This being the proposition in the second and next place followeth the confirmation of that proposition containing the arguments and reasons why men may not say they are tempted of God which reasons are three The first reason is drawen from the nature of God God is by nature and of himselfe pure simple holy righteous good neither doth he admit the darknesse of errour or deceite neither moueth or solliciteth hee any to errour or euill he falleth not himselfe neither casteth he any into wickednesse For he being in nature good pure holy cannot be moued to commit euill neither moueth he any thereunto wherefore hee is not authour of euill temptations in men 2 That God is good holy pure innocent righteous and one that hateth sinne the Scriptures in sundry places teach vs. For first in the booke of Leuiticus not once but often it is said that the Lorde is holy and therefore the people by like example ought in like maner to be holy Leuit. 11. 20. 2. Chron. 19. Iehosaphat the King exhorted his princes rulers officers magistrates and iudges to execute iudgement and iustice without partialitie or respect had of mens persons rendering this reason because they executed the iudgement of God with whom there is no respect of persons nor any iniquitie Dauid the princely prophet telleth men that the wicked shall not stande in Gods sight because Psal 5. GOD hateth all those that committe iniquitie In an other place hee beareth this recorde of God that Psal 145. he is true in all his sayings and holy in all his workes Siracides the sonne of Sirach would not men to impute Ecclus. 15. the cause of their sinnes vnto GOD because he hateth all sinne and wickednesse of man wherefore he thus exhorteth Say not thou it is through the Lorde that I turne backe for thou oughtest not to do the thing that hee hateth and say not thou hee hath caused mee to erre for hee hath no neede of the sinfull man for the Lorde hateth all abhomination of errour and they which feare him loue it not Many mo the like places are in scripture set downe which affirme of God that he is holy righteous iust and a hater of iniquitie which all confirme this place of the Apostle who disputing of the nature of God sheweth that hee neither is tempted to euill neither tempteth any for which cause men ought not to say when they are tempted they were tempted to euill by God Satan beeing a lyer from the beginning and not continuing in the truth Iohn 8. Ephes 6. mooueth men to falshoode and errour and not God the Diuell being the prince of the wickednesse and darknesse of this world stirreth and soliciteth men therein to wickednesse and tempteth many wayes to euill and mischiefe for which cause he is called the tempter because he alwayes tempteth men to commit iniquitie and sinne Matth. 4. So doth not God who is of a pure perfect holy righteous disposition and neither himselfe is tempted neither tempteth he any to euill Whereupon the Apostle as by his first reason here sheweth that when men are tempted they must not lay the euil vpon God neither say they were tempted of God because he neither can be tempted of any to euill neither tempteth he any 2 Another reason why when men are tempted to euil they may not say they are tempted of god is drawne from the setting downe of the verie true and perfect cause of temptations The true natural proper immediate cause of temptations is our owne concupiscense therefore not God For there cannot be two or many true naturall immediate proper efficient causes of one thing Therefore seeing of temptations to euill we haue the true naturall and proper cause in our selues euen concupiscence and carnall corruption which dwelleth in vs by original deprauation we may not make God but that the cause of our temptations to euill Saint Hierome therefore against Jouinian saieth that as in good things God is the Contra Jouinian Rom. 9. doer and perfecter for it is neither in the willer neither in the runner but in GOD which sheweth mercie and helpeth that we may come vnto the ende so euill things and sinnes the seede that is in vs is the prouocation and pricker forwarde but the diuell the perfecter of all euill The chiefe and immediate cause of euill temptations is our owne corruption and concupiscense which drawing vs away from the rule of reason and the right path of the commaundementes of God entiseth vs whereof Saint James here saith euery man is tempted when he is drawne away by his own concupiscense and is enticed The similitude of entising is taken either from beasts which hunting after their pray are oftentimes intangled by the baite of the taker and pursuite of the hunter or from birdes which seeking for meate spying corne or breade crummes or vvormes or the like baite in the snare or pitfolde or among lime tvvigges or vnder the net vvhich shall ouervvhelme them are taken entised and entrapped or from the fish vvhich greedily gaping and running after the baite of the angler svvallovveth dovvne both baite and hooke and so is deceyued Euen so men through their concupiscence are drawne avvay either the sweetnesse and pleasure either the gaine and profite either the easinesse and facilitie of a thing proposed and so are entised Our owne concupiscense therefore drawing vs away and intising to euill being the naturall and proper cause of euill temptations wee may not ascribe our temptations vnto God but vnto our selues and this is the second reason why when we are tempted we may not say that wee are tempted of GOD because our owne concupiscense not God is cause of these temptations 3 By occasion of this place before hee come to the The effests of lust and concupiscense third reason he setteth downe the effects of this concupiscense the cause of euill temptations which I noted for the third thing in this discourse This he doth by a kinde of gradation or slipping from one thing to another wherof thus saieth Saint James Then when lust hath conceiued it bringeth foorth sinne and sinne when it is finished bringeth forth death In which place he noteth first the
of trueth whereby we are regenerate and borne againe why are men and women so daintie and coy why are they so choise hereof that they wil heare it onely when where and of whom they luste as if the men make it the word of trueth and the instrument of our regeneration Let not men and women pretend that they are sanctified men and women let them not vaunte themselues to be purer then their brethren and heare this word with this partialitie For I protest vnto euery such in the feare of God that vnlesse this word of trueth and instrument of regeneration be sweeter vnto them then the hony and the hony combe by what messenger soeuer the Lord doeth send it that they flatter and deceiue them selues in a vaine shadowe of holines and are not truely sanctified vnto the Lord neither haue effectually tasted of the doctrine of regeneratioÌ„ wherof this word is the mean and instrument As then our regeneration is attributed vnto the word of trueth as vnto the meane and instrument so is saluation also as afterward is added to the Sacraments in like manner as Saint Paul saith that Christ washeth and sanctifieth Ephes 5. his Church by the washing of water through the word And againe when the bountifulnes of God our Sauiour Tit. 3. appeared not by workes but according to his mercie hath he saued vs by the washing of the new birth and the renuing of the holy Ghost The holy Sacramentes are meanes the word of trueth the instrument mean whereby we are begotten againe and new borne which greatly commendeth the excellencie of the word which this Apostle expressing saith Of his owne will begat he vs with the word of trueth 3 The finall cause of our regeneration is that wee should bee the first fruites of his creatures that is that out of the whole lumpe and masse of mankinde out of all people tongues nations and kinreds of the earth wee might be select culled and chosen out to bee a peculiar proper and speciall people vnto him who had called vs euen vnto God whose chiefe treasure whose portion and lot whose inheritance and peculiar people the Saints are In which place hee alludeth chiefly vnto the lawe wherein the first fruits and first encrease were the Lords as things picked out set a part chosen out for God himselfe Whereof thus saith God in the law Thou shalt not Exod. 22. linger nor deferre to render thy tithes and thy first fruits and thou shalt giue me thy first borne of thy children In the same booke of Moises it is commaunded the people that they offer the first fruits of their ground in the house Exod. 34. 35. â— Leuit. 2. 14. Deut. 12. of the Lord their God In the repeating of the lawe by Moises thus was it saide to Israel Thou maiest not eate in the towns the tithes of thy corne wine or oile neither the first fruits of thy cattell or sheepe nor the fruits of thy hands The first fruits therefore as appeareth were dedicate to God neither was it 〈…〉 for men to eate or touch them as things reserued for the vse of the Lorde onely As then the first fruits were the Lords portion of the people and things dedicated and consecrate as holy vnto him so the Saints of God regenerate by his word are holy peculiar proper sanctified to the vse of the Lord the chiefe treasure he hath the thing he hath commaunded to bee receyued for himselfe which the Apostle insinuateth in this place when setting downe the ende of our regeneration affirmeth it to bee that we might bee the first fruites of his creatures of his owne will begate he vs with the worde of truth that we might be the first fruits of his creatures The Israelites Iere. 2 were called sometimes the first fruites of God because they were chosen of God aboue all other people to serue the Lord only and the first offred vnto the Lord of al nations whereof the prophet Ieremie saith Israel was as a thing hallowed vnto the Lord and his first fruits all that eate it shall offende euill shall come vpon them saith the Lord. This is most true of the true Israel which is of God of the Saints of the Church whom God hath separated from all people hallowed and sanctified vnto him selfe chosen to be a speciall possession inheritance and treasure vnto himselfe for which cause we by him are regenerate Of his owne will hath he begoten vs with the word of trueth that we might be the first fruits of his creatures S. Paul disputing to like purpose of the causes Tit. 3. of our regeneration and saluation teacheth vs the ende thereof to be the inheritance of life we are saued by his mercie through the washing of the newe birth and the renuing of the holy Ghost which he shed vpon vs aboundantly through Iesus Christ our Lord that we being iustified by his grace should be made heires according to the hope of eternaâ—l life The like end shall we find of our redemption predestination and the like all which tende to one end to shew that we are redeemed called iustified regenerated to be partakers of immortal glorie that therfore we should be dedicate and consecrate to God to be a speciall treasure vnto him to serue him in holinesse and righteousnes all the dayes of our life We are begotten by the will of God with the word of truth according to the Luke 1. Apostles doctrine Being now to this end regenerate we must endeuour our selues to shine in vertue to excell in holinesse to abound in all righteousnesse and be chiefly carefull that we bereaue not our selues of so holy an ende of regeneration by contagion of sinnes and the workes of wickednesse The excellencie therefore of the word of God is here apparant partly in that it is called the word of truth partly in that it is here the meane and instrument of regeneration the most manifest token of Gods goodnesse towards vs. Sundrie are the commendations of the word of God Psal 19. and the Gospel of Christ Dauid the holy Prophet falling into the praise therof saith the law of the Lord is perfect conuerting the soule the testimonie of the Lord is sure and giueth light or wisdome to the simple the statutes of the Lord are right and reioice the heart the commandement of god is pure and giueth light vnto the eies the feare of the lord is cleare endureth for euer the iudgements of the lord are true righteous altogither more to be desired then gold yea then much fine gold sweeter also then the honie and the honie combe Moreouer by them is thy seruant made circumspect and in keeping of them there is great reward In another place to like praise is it Psal 12. spoken The words of the Lord are pure words as the siluer tried in a fornace of earth fined seuen folde It is no small commendation of the word that it is the
direction Psal 119. of our youth a lanterne to our feete and a light vnto our paths Which holy Job feeling counted it more precious Iob. 23. and deare vnto him then his dayly food Yet is there no praise greater nor any thing that more extolleth the incōparable glory therof thē that it is here called the word of truth whereby we are begotten againe to bee the first fruits of the creatures of God Seeing therefore the word of God conuerteth mens soules seeing it is pure as the golde and siluer which seuen times is tried seeing it is the direction of vnbrideled youth the guide of our sliding feete and the sure light to the wandering paths of man seeing it is more precious then dayly food to Gods children seeing it is the word of saluation the immortall seede of our regeneration the worde of truth the instrument whereby we are borne a new to be the first fruits of the creatures of God who is then so blind which seeth not so wilfully ignorant which knoweth not so maliciously wicked which confesseth not the incomparable and singular excellencie of the worde and heauenly doctrine of the Gospel Whereof the Apostle to assure vs saith of his owne will hath hee begotten vs with the worde of truth that we should be the first fruites of his creatures 2 The worde of God being then so excellent and the Remouing hinderances excellencie it selfe thereof set foorth in that it is the word of trueth and the meane of our regeneration in the seconde place of this treatise the Apostle remooueth such things as hinder the attending thereunto and the things which greatly hinder the woorde are two 1 Babling and talking when wee should heare with attentiue and deepe silence 2 and anger when wee are taught and reformed by the word 1 Concerning the first thus sayth Saint James therefore my brethren let euery man be swift to heare but flow to speake Wherein our vaine babling and foolish talking when we should heare is condemned and attention audience to the word commanded vnto the saints that we shew our selues prompt and readie to learne and not hastie to teach others when we should heare and learn our selues rather Thus is our rashnes which are vnlearned reproued when we talke of high heauenly matters too excellent and deepe for our slender capacitie As of the nature secret wisdome of God of his inscrutible iudgement in calling and choosing some and condemning other at his free pleasure and such like wherein we must stay our selues contented therein to bee informed with pacience and silence of such as are learned The heathen Philosophers would not men rashly to Pythagoras speake but rather to heare with silence for which cause noble Pythagoras inioyned his hearers vij yeares silence that that while they might learne but not rashly talke of the precepts of philosophie Was that needfull in humain philosophie and is it not much more needfull in the heauenly philosophie of God that we be swift to heare and slow to speake of the diuine misteries of his word And Cleobulus taught that mē should be more careful to heare Cleobulus then to speake because audience and attentiue hearing more becommeth most men then to speake When Zeno heard a yong man prating and speaking much mocking Zeno. him hee tolde him that his eares were growne in to his tongue because he heard little and spoke much where he should haue heard much and spoken little Nature it selfe would haue vs swift to heare but slow to speake for which cause we haue two eares giuen vs to heare much and but one tongue to speake little When men therefore haue not the sufficient knowledge of things they ought rather to heare in silence and learne with pacience then rashly to speake of the things they knowe not A thing no doubt not onely needfull in worldly wisedome but necessarie also in heauenlie philosophie Sirach wisheth men to bee swift to heare good things and to be of pure life but to giue answere Ecclus. 5. with aduised patience And if they haue vnderstanding to shape an answere vnto their neighbour if not to lay their handes vpon their mouthes least they be trapped in an vndiscrete worde and so bee blamed The Apostle Saint Iames seeing rash babling to bee a disturbance vnto the attention of men which they ought to performe to the worde exhorteth men to be swift to heare but slowe to speake That wee are willed to bee swift quicke readie and prompt to heare and learne but slowe to speake it forbiddeth not men to speake at all but not to speake rashly but to obserue time place person and other circumstaunces in their speach as shall be most conuenient And the circumstaunces in our talke and speaking to be obserued are specially these 1 The person to whom 2 The place where 3 The time when 4 The maner how 5 The things whereof wee speake 6 The ende wherefore which carefully obserued greatly beautifie and adorne the talke and speach of men 1 The person to whom we speake whether our equal our better our inferiour whether a prince or subiect honourable or of meane birth learned ignoraunt wise or foolish this ought in talke to be considered that regard had of the person our talke may be accordingly 2 The place is to be noted for in some place it is better Prou. 25. 11. to speake then to be silent in another place better to be silent then speake 3 Time also maketh much to the fitnesse of our speach There is a time to speake and a time to be silent faith 〈◊〉 Preacher The sonne of Sirach accounteth it a great point Ecclus. 3. of wisdom to seeke oportunitie to speake in therfore he sayth A wise man will hold his tongue till he see oportunitie Ecclus. 20. but a trifler and foole will regard no time And againe a tale out of time is as musicke in mourning but wisdome knoweth the seasons of correction and doctrine Ecclus. 22. The Prophet counted it a great gift to speake in time wherefore he sayth The Lord hath giuen mee a Isai 50. tongue of the learned to know how to minister a worde in time to him that is wearie Salomon teaching men how Pro. 15. to make their talk comfortable and profitable vnto men willeth them to waite for time and season A ioy commeth to man by the answere of his mouth and how good is a worde in due season When Abigail saw the drunkennes of Nabal she saide nothing vnto him touching Dauid 1. Kings 25. whom he had bitterly reuiled and abused shamefully but in the morning she tolde him of the matter Thus sought opportunitie Archesilaus the Philosopher therefore being at a banket and among the pots being desired to dispute and reason of a certaine matter refused and answered that it was a chiefe thing and proper especially to philosophie to know the time of euerie thing If the light of nature
Heare O Israel the ordinances lawes and statutes which I teach you to doe that you may liue and goe in and possesse the lande which the God of your fathers geueth you The princely Prophet Dauid exhorteth the people Psal 78. to the hearing of those laws which frō god he would geue vnto them as a thing of greatest weight therefore saith he heare my law O my people incline your eares to the words of my mouth for I will open my mouth in a parable and vtter heard sentences of olde The holy Prophet Isai calling all men to Christ exhorting them to heare Esay 55. his law and attend therunto crieth out Incline your eares come vnto me heare and your soule shall liue and I will make an euerlasting couenant with you euen the sure mercies of Dauid Hearing and attending to Gods worde is the way whereby we come vnto heauenly wisdome wherefore the sonne of Sirach calleth all those who would learn diuine Verse 34. wisdome to the hearing of his doctrine My sonne heare thou my doctrine and despise not my counsell And a litle after in the same place If thou loue to heare thou shalt receiue doctrine if thou delight in hearing thou shalt be wise The wise man Salomon commending hearing as the 1. par c. 8. v. 6. 7. c. 22. v. 17. 18. 19. 23. 19. Rom. 10. way to attaine wisdome and knowledge saith The wise man shall attaine vnto wisdome by hearing And S. Paul making it the meane whereby we come to faith which is the greatest point of heauenly wisdome in men thereof saith Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God And our Sauiour Christ being the cheefe Scholemaster and onely teacher from God of this wisdome is Mat. 3. 17. by God himselfe commended vnto vs to be hearkened vnto Wherefore the Disciples and John Baptist the one in the daies of Christs baptisme by John the other as the Disciples Peter Iames and John in the daies of Christes transfiguration 1. Iohn 1. were from heauen commanded to heare him This is my welbeloued sonne heare him Saint Iohn confesseth this to haue beene one way wherby they beleeued John 8. in Christ the worde of life That saith he which was frō the beginning which we haue heard which we haue seen and our hands haue handled the word of life this the true saints of god know for which cause they heare the word of Iohn 10. god as of thē our sauiour witnesseth They that are of god heare Gods word And againe My sheepe heare my voice Luke 10. Therfore whē Marie saw that she by hearing might attain vnto faith in Christ and the true wisdome of God she sate downe at the feete of Christ and heard him preaching for which attention she is by Christ commended Marie hath chosen the better part and it shall not be taken from her Finally the Angell of God in the Reuelation teaching Reuel 2. 3. Iohn what he should write to euery one of the seuen Churches of Asia to that which he had spoken to ech one of thē hee addeth as a thing most necessarie Let him that hath an eare heare what the spirit saith to the 7. churches And to conclude our Sauiour commēding hearing as a most necessarie thing in all those that would be pertakers of the word of trueth and his heauenly doctrine so oftē in the Gospel vrgeth this he that hath eares to heare let him heare If thē the prophets hereunto haue so often moued the people If it be the way and meane whereby we attaine to heanenly wisdom if by this we be made partakers of faith and heauenly misteries if it be the propertie of the Saints of God sheepe of Christ if Marie were therefore so highly commended by Christ himselfe if as a necesarie addition to the seuerall charge of euerie Church it was added by the angell if our Sauiour so often repeate it he that hath eares to heare let him heare who is so wilfully blinded so malitiousl◠obstinate so peeuishly peruerse that seeth not how necessary a thing it is to heare the word of trueth whereof our Apostle here not ignorante geueth the Saints this first admoniton to here the word But because in all ages and times many do heare yet neuer the nearer wee are not only taught to heare 2 The maner but how we should heare that we might heare with profit For if it be to some the sauour of life vnto life but to others the sauour of death vnto death if the worde sound in the eares of many to their iuster condemnation then is it not enough to knowe we must heare but also to learne how to heare is necesarie for which cause the Apostle 2. Cor. 2. Ezech. 2. 3. teacheth vs how we ought to heare receaue this word of trueth whereby God of his owne good will hath begotten vs againe to be the first fruites of his creatures In the manner of our hearing and receauing this word the Apostle first remoueth certaine euils from vs which hinder our profitable hearing then hee sheweth positiuely and affirmatiuely how we must heare Touching the former he willeth in hearing to put away all filthines and superfluitie of maliciousnes all iniquitie all carnall affection all losenes of life all pride and insolencie of minde all arrogancie and disdainefulnes of spirite wherence wrath anger debate contention often ariseth and the fructifieng of the worde is alwaies hindered all which must be abandoned and abolished vtterly from them which wil profitably heare the word of trueth Filthines and corruption of heare or affection is wherby our mindes doe wander and we are occupied about other matters thinking of our pride pleasures vanitie and such like when our mindes should be stayed and fixed in the hearing of the word Superfluitie of maliciousnes is wherby we growe into contempt of the word speaking euil and disdainfully of the diuine doctrine and heauenly wisdom of God which two must first be remoued For whereas mens mindes are a wool-gathering and caried away with filthy cogitations and desires there men cannot heare the worde with profit and when men growe in dislike of the worde hate of the trueth speake euill of the mysterie of godlines what commoditie can it then bring to such and what hope is there that in them it shall fructifie This Saint Iames verie well perceyued therefore hee remooueth these euils from godly hearers This shall all men by their owne experience most easily learne and therefore must carefully remooue them Whereof to speake no more but this howe is it that many men often heare and learne nothing yea being asked what hath beene sayde remember nothing but that when they should heare their mindes are either set vppon couetous desires or occupied about fleshly imaginations or caried away with proude conceytes or rauished with filthie cogitations or else alienated by mislike hatred and contempt from the worde preached so
themselues that they do God good seruice if now and then onely they haue a spirt a crash a fit at the worde and leaue off but our Apostle willeth vs to continue therein often yea alwayes to be looking in the perfect law of libertie 4 Therein we must not be idle hearers but doers of the worde the promise of happinesse is not made to the hearing but to the doing of the worde we hearing must do that therein we are taught and so as good ground bring forth fruits with pacience 5 This if we do we shall be blessed in our deed not that our deedes do make vs blessed but because studie and endeuour to do well is a qualitie of such as shall be blessed And this blessednesse is giuen as a free gift and reward from God to such as walke in holinesse of life which life is not the cause of our reigning with God in eternall blessednesse but the way to the kingdome saith Saint Bernard neither are our good workes efficient and Bernard vpon 1. Psal proper causes of saluation and happinesse but ornaments of our faith as Saint Ambrose writeth But of this more was spoken 1. Iames 12. Here it may be obiected that in as much as happinesse is promised to our workes in Scripture therefore our workes purchase this happinesse Dauid pronounceth Psal 1. Psal 41. 119. 8. Luke 11. Reuel 1. him blessed which walketh not in the connsaile neither standeth in the way of sinners him blessed also who considereth the poore and needie those that are vndefiled in the way such as feare God and walke in his wayes Our Sauiour counteth them blessed which heare the worde and do it the Angel those which heare the words of that prophecie and fulfill them The Apostle here those which looke into the law of libertie and continue therein being not idle hearers but doers of the worde I answere that herehence if followeth not that men deserue by their works this happinesse but first these places entreate not of the cause why men are blessed but of their qualitie who shall be blessed euen such as do these things Secondly such things are vnderstoode of their workes who by faith are iustified accepted and blessed in whom the blessednesse of their workes doth followe the blessednesse of their faith as the effect the cause euen as ciuill righteousnesse or righteousnesse by workes whereby the fairh of our heart is knowen to men doth follow righteousnesse by faith which is before God Thirdly rewards are promised to works of grace and not of dutie so that no man by workes can chalenge happinesse vnto himselfe which as also eternal life is the meere gift of God through Iesus Christ Rom. 6. This part of the Apostles comparison is that who so looketh into the law of God with carefulnesse to liue thereafter shall be blessed in his deed Wherefore as Socrates the great Philosopher exhorted all men but specially yong men alwayes to looke into their glasses that if they were beautifull they should behaue themselues accordingly if deformed they should then hide and couer their deformities by vertue and learning so ought all Christians men and women to looke continually into this glasse of Gods worde that if they be alreadie beautified by the graces of God they may walke worthy their Ephes 4. Philip. 1. 2. Tim. 1. glorious calling in true holinesse and righteousnesse if they be deformed through sinne they may learne thereby to couer and correct their deformities of sinne by true obedience vnto the Gospel that they continuing in vertue may be blessed in their deeds not for their owne merits but of the mercie of God to whom with the sonne and the holy ghost be all praises dominion and maieâ—tie now and for euermore Amen Iames Chap. 1. verses 26. 27. Sermon 8. 26 If any man among you seemeth religious and refraineth not his tongue but deceyueth his owne heart this mans religion is in vaine 27 Pure religion vndefiled before God is this to visite the fatherlesse widowes in their aduersitie to keepe himselfe vnspotted of the world IN which wordes are the other two exhortations or admonitions namely the third and the fourth contained the thirde that Gods worde giueth and setteth downe the rule not onely to do well but to speake wel also The fourth that pure and perfect religion holy and acceptable seruice to God standeth in charitie towards the needie and in puritie of our liues These two verses containe the other two admonitions 3 To refraine the toÌ„gue wherin are two things 1 admonition it selfe 2 The reasons 1 It causeth errour and hurt 2 It defileth religion 4 Wherein pure Religion before God consisteth namely in 1 Charitie towarde the needie 2 Puritie and innocencie in our owne liues The thirde admonition of the Apostle is touching 3. Admonition the restraint and moderation of the tongue wherein he teacheth vs that the worde of truth whereby we are regenerate and begotten through the will of God prescribeth vnto vs not onely a rule of doing well but of speaking well also Wherefore the holy and vnfaigned professours of this worde must endeuour thereby not onely to reforme their actions but also to restraine their speaches and moderate their tongues that they fall not into those vices whereunto the godlesse tongue is giuen therefore sayeth he if any man among you seeme religious and refrayneth not his tongue but deceyueth his owne heart this mans religion is in vaine This admonition teacheth that the law of God being Psal 119. a lanterne vnto our feete and a light vnto our paths and a thing diuinely inspired from aboue to make a man perfect in righteousnesse and absolute to euerie good worke doth not onely restraine the vnbrideled actions of men but also refraineth and holdeth backe the 2. Tim. 3 disordered speaches of their mouthes that both in action and communication they may be holy vnto the Lorde For this cause haue we many exhortations in the sacred Scriptures of God to moderate our tongues and to restraine them In stead of many it may suffice which the holie Prophet and Prince of Israel teacheth vs If any Psal 34. man loue long life and would see happie dayes let him refraine his tongue from euill and his lips they speake no guile Hereof wee haue heard more verse 19. before and shall heare more 3. chapter from 2. verse to 13. verse thereof The reasons hereof are two 1 it causeth errour in our liues and hurt vnto our selues when wee are giuen to babling and prating thereby our hearts are deceyued and our selues indangered For great hurt commeth vnto men for want of moderation and gouernement of their tongues Solomon setting downe the inconuenience of not refraining the tongue affirmeth that life Prou. 18. and death are therein and they that loue it should eat the fruite thereof shewing how dangerous a thing it is to be loose which who is is subiect to great daunger Therfore
vpoÌ„ whom the tower of Siloe fell for great sinners because of Luke 13. Acts 28. the heauy hand of God vpon them whose iudgement our Sauiour condeÌ„neth The Barbarians at Melta now called Malta seing a viper spring out of the fire light hang on Pauls hand iudged him a murtherer because of the sight of the viper which they thought to haue been sent of God as against a murtherer of men or some most wicked person Of this euill they are also guiltie who with their mouthâ—â— condemne iudge others vpon external shew outward tokeÌ„s Such as condeÌ„ne those for hypocrites who stoupe in their going those for arrogant and proud which goe vpright those for solemne which are addicted to silence those for wanton and light of life which are pleasant in talke those that are spary in their liues for misers such as are comely apparrelled for lasciuious as his aduersaries did iudge Gneus Pompeius for effeminate because he scratched his head with one finger and the Romans iudged Fabius for slouthfull because in al things he lingered and delaied on till by his lingering he had preserued the weale publike Such as familiarly apply theÌ„selues to men they iudge as flatterers whom they see graue they condeÌ„ne for Stoicall those that bear iniuries they hold as malicious disseÌ„blers they which in case resist authours of seditioÌ„ raisers of tragicall disturbance in common weales whom they see religious aboue others theÌ„ they haue as superstitious such as are not come on so farre as themselues they iudge as temporizers and carnall professours This euill of tongue must be restrained otherwise wee iudging after outward appearance which Christ forbiddeth chalenge that to our selues which is Iohn 7. John 5. 2. Cor. 5. James 4. proper to Christ to whom all iudgement is committed Finally condemning and iudging the law which we doe when we iudge our brethren and in so doing are not doers of the law but iudges we make our religioÌ„ vaine so if any man seeme religious and refraineth not his tongue from rashly iudging the brethren this mans religion is in vaine 4 Another euill is flatterie a speach and report of false and vaine praise geuen to a man when we speake things that are false to please men feed their humors when we say what they say deny what they deny when to sooth men vp we call day night light darkenes sweet sower good euill And coÌ„trariwise I say whether in manners or in doctrine this is an euill of the toÌ„gue froÌ„ which who so refraineth not his religion is vaine Such are Parasites and flatterers whose mouthes are instruments of false praise Such are false Prophets false teachers false pastors which for feare of men or for their fauour either suppresse the trueth and speake it not or els conceiue lies and vtter them This is pernitious in the Church and in the Commonweale in societies and in priuate families in all states and degrees of men into whose handes it is more dangerous to fall then into the handes of Rauens as Diogenes affirmeth For Rauens eate mens bodies dead but flatterers deuoure them and feede on them liuing Wherefore as of wilde beastes tyrantes are worst so of tame beastes flatterers Which thing is so odious vnto God who is the God of trueth as that they which flatter in their lippes make their religion vaine before him Wherefore if any man among you seem religious and refraineth not his tongue from flattering also this mans religion is in vaine 5 DissimulatioÌ„ wheÌ„ we pretend one thing in our words and speaches and haue another thing in our heartes whether it be to God as hypocrites or to men as counterfets maketh also our religion vaine Vaine therefore was the religion of the Israelites who promised their Exod. 19 Psal 8 Iosua 24 Psal 12 Mat. 22 faithfull seruice vnto God yet their heartes were turned after wicked waies starting aside like a broaken bowe the religion of Saul and those wicked ones which dissembled with Dauid the religion of the Pharisies and Herodians which glosed with Christ in the gospell the religion of euery man and woman which hath one thing readie in mouth another couered in their hearts and so dissemble in their false tongues is in vaine and odious before GOD for if any man seeme religious and refrayneth not his tongue from this euill also this mans religion is in vaine 6 The sixt euill from which we must refraine is lyeng which is a false signification of speach or voice with intention to deceiue This God to abandon from his people willed them they shoulde not lie one to another Which the Prophet expounding exhorteth the people Leuit. 25 Zach. 8. Ephes 4. to speake the trueth one vnto another and not to lie The Apostle remouing all the workes of the old man corrupted with deceaueable lustes of the fleshe from the true professors of religion and such as were regenerate by the gospell whose religion it marreth exhorteth in this wife Wherefore put away all lying from you and speake the trueth one to another for you are members one of another This euil reigneth in the tongues of many euen professing religion and the Gospell whose houses are vpholden whose riches are increased whose families are mainteyned whose children are aduaunced whose sonnes are made Gentlemen by the lies their fathers and their seruants in their shoppes in their warehouses and in other places haue made for aduauntage But haue we thus learned Christ Is not all our profession and religion in vaine by the falshood of our tongues that wee may also with the Apostle conclude that if any man or woman among vs seeme religious deuout and holy yet refraineth not his tongue from lies but vseth deceit in his lips euen this mans religion is in vaine as the Apostle auoucheth 7 The next euill which corrupteth our religion and maketh it vaine before God is filthie speach whereby not onely our liues are descried to be euill but our hearts to be wicked and our religion counterfette This I would men professing godlines would remember whose mouthes are open oftentimes to great filthinesse as if thereby their religion were not defiled But as Diogenes seeing a faire yong man speaking filthily said art thou not ashamed to dravve a leaden svvorde out of an yuiry scabberd so may vvee say to such as vvhose profession is fayre but their communication filthy are you not ashamed to dravve such filthinesse ouâ— of so holy and precious a calling and against them also conclude vvith this Apostle if any man among you seem religious and here from refraineth not his tongue this mans religion is vaine 8 Another is slaunder vvhereof chapt 4. verse 11. 9 Another cursing and execration chapt 3. v. 9. 1. Pet. 3. v. 9. 10 A tenth euill is blasphemy and svvearing spoken of chapt 5. verse 12. Of all these and euery one of them vvith such like may vvee vvorthily say vvith the Apostle if any man among
milke of the worde with the exceeding comfort of the Sacraments and bringeth vs vp vnder the most wholsome discipline of Iesus Christ that we might be holy blameles before him through loue Whō if we agnize not and recount as our mother neither may we presume Ephe. 1. to thinke God to bee our father for such mutuall coniunction there is betwixt God and his Church as who so hath not her for his mother cannot haue God for his father as S. Cyprian very well writeth Christians therefore De simpli praelato and the vnfeined professours of true religion hauing the Church for their common misticall mother are a misticall and spirituall brotherhood among themselues 3 Neither that onely but they are also begotten with one seede of their new birth and regeneration which is Iames 1. the immortall seede of the word This the Apostle Saint James hath foretolde and foretaught vs when disputing of the causes of our new birth he sayeth of his owne will begate he vs with the worde of truth that we should bee the first fruits of his creatures Saint Peter therunto subscribeth 1. Pet. 1. being borne againe not of mortall but of immortall seede of the worde of God Saint Paul thereunto agreeth protesting to the Church of Corinth that he 1. Cor. 4. had begotten thē through the Gospel VVherfore as men springing from the same seede of the same parents are brethren in nature so Christians in hauing the same seed of the word of God whereby they are mistically begotten againe and regenerate are spiritually brethren so reputed so that the saints of God are to be counted brethren because they are all begotten with the immortall seed of the word of God the instrument of their regeneration 4 If Christ vouchsafe vs the name of brethren and so we haue him as a common brother then are we therefore also brethren by right among our selues For as those men which haue one third for their brother are brethren among themselues in nature as Iames Ioses hauing Iude Matt. 13. for their brother so that he being one third brother to both they must therfore be brethren betwixt thēselues so all Christians hauing Iesus Christ as their elder brother are brethren by grace among themselues also Now that Christ is our brother and so vouchsafeth vs it is apparant Iohn 20. therof assuring vs he telleth Mary that she must go to his brethren the apostles tell thē that he was ascended to his father and their father to his God their God Now Matt. 22. that which in speciall was spoken vnto them our Sauiour applieth generally to all the Saints who so shall doe my fathers will which is in heauen the same is my brother sister and mother The author to the Hebrues auoucheth the same out of Dauid I will declare thy name to my Psal 22. Heb. 1. 2. brethren in the middest of the congregation will I praise thee And a little after inferring this as graunted he sayeth It became him in all things to bee like his brethren that hee might bee mercifull and a faithfull high Priest in things appertayning to God Finally Saint Paul those whome hee knewe before hath hee also predestinate to bee like the image of his sonne Rom. 8. that hee might bee the first borne among manie brethren Christians then hauing Christ as their elder brother are therefore called brethren by right among themselues 5 Finally inasmuch as the Saints diuide the same inheritance among them therfore are they called brethren For brethren they are as Aristotle writeth among whō the Ethico 9. same inheritāce is diuided yea they which diuide the same lands liuing patrimony possessiō goods or riches are cōmonly reputed brethren the sons saints of god cōmunicate the same inheritance diuide the same kingdome of their heauenly father among them are coheires ioint-heires of the heauenly patrimonie eternall life therefore brethren S. Paul exhorting Christians to vnitie loue draweth his reason from the inheritance of the Saints we Ephe. 4. haue all one hope of calling we all cōmunicate the same inheritance of eternal life we all looke for the same kingdome therefore must we liue in concord and vnitie Saint Peter sheweth in like manner that there is one inheritance one common kingdome the same promises of life 2. Pet. 1. to all the Saints of God wherefore he saith that they all are by the same promises made partakers of the same heauenly nature In regard therefore of their inheritance which is one to all the Saints they are also brethren And this diuine and heauenly brotherhoode is violate and broken when either by erronious doctrine or corruption in religion or dissention in opinion or disdainfull contempt the poore and true Saints are disquieted and troubled Frater fere alter almost another equall of like condition The diligent consideration of this holy brotherhood greatly nourisheth amitie and cherisheth loue among the Saints whereunto respect of persons is opposed and therefore the more effectually to mooue them to loue whereof hee afterwarde speaketh the Apostle in the first place noting the persons calleth them brethren which brotherhood carefully remembred shall both remoue respect of persons from them cherish loue in their hearts and bosoms whose condition calling is like equall The Saints whom he calleth brethren being the persons 2. The thing it selfe whom he admonisheth in the next place commeth the thing it selfe whereof they are admonished that they haue not the faith of Christ in respect of persons wherewith true loue true charitie true religion cannot stande nor consist wherein the Saints are giuen to vnderstand that they must not professe Christian religion in respect of persons as reuerencing regarding respecting the rich and wealthy men of the world and neglecting disdaining contemning the poore but rather in their publike meetings and assemblies brotherly and louingly to embrace one another without disdainig the poore brethren who being of the same heauenly and holy brotherhood wherby they are of equall condition before God ought not then to be contemned or neglected of men haue not the faith of our Lord Iesus Christ in respect of persons 1 What is here ment by faith Christian religion the true seruice of Christ the profession of the Gospel whereunto respect of persons is contrarie For if pure religion and vndefiled before God be this to visite the fatherlesse and widowes in their aduersities and to regarde the poore in their miseries as before was taught vs then contrarie hereunto is the contempt of the poore and preferring of the rich which respect of persons is here condemned 2 Christ is called the glorious Lorde in this place sometime to like purpose is he called the Lord of glorie by S. Paul to the Corinthians when he sayth that none 1. Cor. 2. of the Princes of this world did know Christ for had they knowne him they would neuer
another The lawe of loue therefore comming and proceeding from God the king of all kings and kingdomes of the earth is therefore called royall kingly princely 2 Because it is the chiefe of all lawes which concerne our dueties towardes our brethren perswading men and drawing them to the o-obedience of the seconde table which in perfourming of loue is fulfilled Therefore is loue so often called the fulfilling of the lawe Saint Paul saieth that the whole Rom. 13. law is briefly contained in this loue the neighbour as thy selfe To like effect in another place to another Church he sayeth All the lawe is fulfilled in one worde Gal. 5. which is this loue thy neighbour as thy selfe And to his scholer Timothie the end of the commandement is loue 1. Tim. 1. out of a pure heart and good conscience and faith vnfeigned Seeing then the lawe of loue is as the chiefe head and as it were the Queene ouer other vertues and duties and the onely thing wherein all the lawe of the seconde Table is contained complete and fulfilled it maye therefore not amisse bee called royall or princely 3 This law furthermore is called royall because it is like the kings high way for as the kings high way is open for euerie man to passe therein and bringeth men from place to place foorth out right without turnings So the lawe of GOD which is the lawe of loue is open plaine without turnings of all men to bee gone in trauailed past through not turning either to the right hande or to the left through respect of persons whereunto who so respecteth declineth turneth out of the high way and wandereth 3 The law of loue being this roiall law and for these causes so called enioyneth men to loue their neighbours as themselues In which three things may here briefly be obserued 1 What this law requireth loue 2 To whom to our neighbour 3 How as to our selues That Gods lawe requireth loue who readeth the Scriptures and seeth not who peruseth the word of god and is ignorant God himselfe in the verie lawe expresly Leuit. 19. commaundeth that men should loue one another Our Sauiour Christ the very expounder of his fathers will vnto men exhorteth all the Saints thereunto as to the cognizance and liuerie wherby they should bee knowne to be his seruants The Apostles the interpreters of this Iohn 13. lawe enfourmed and taught by the holy Ghost the spirite whereby they were ledde into all truth haue thereof beene carefull Therefore Saint Paul owe nothing Rom. 13. Ephes 5. to any but that ye loue one another And againe be yee followers of God as deare children and walke in loue euen as you haue Christ for example And againe And Col. 3. aboue all things put on loue which is the bonde of perfectnesse To whom Saint Peter subscribeth aboue all 1. Pet. 4. things haue feruent loue among your selues for loue couereth the multitude of sinnes Saint John in his three Epistles therein laboureth especially to perswade the Saints to follow loue Of which in the time of his preaching he was so carefull that as Saint Ierome recordeth Vpon 6. to Galath being verie aged and not able without helpe to ascende into the Pulpet preached still of loue vntill his auditours were wearie of the same to whom he answered it was the thing that the whole lawe required and enioyned of God which who so hath hath all things VVherefore if we looke either into the olde Testament or the newe wee shall finde that the royall lawe of God enioyneth loue Whereof we are forgetfull when enuie and malice hatred and rancour debate and contention couetousnesse and vsurie slaundering and backebiting lying and deceite separating our selues from the brethren respect of riches honour glory worldly pompe not of religion pietie and godlinesse reigneth in our hearts The persons whom we must loue are our neighbors thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe But who is Leuit. 19. our neighbour Our Sauiour Christ by the parable of the man falling into the handes of the theeues betwixt Luke 10. Hierico and Hierusalem telleth the lawier who questioned with Christ to tempt him that all men which neede our help or to whom any dutie belongeth are our neighbours whether neare at hand or farre of whether friends or enemies rich or poore one or another Wherehence Saint Augustine concludeth that all men are our neighbours to whom either dutie should bee shewed if it bee Lib. 1. doctrine Christ. c. 30. needfull either remaineth due if it be required And citing that place of Saint Paul thou shalt not commit adulterie thou shalt not kill thou shalt not steale thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy neighbour and if there bee any other commaundement it is briefly contained in this thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe by neighbour saith he must wee vnderstande all men vnlesse we will say it is lawfull to commit adulterie with the wife or some or to kill some or to rob some or beare false witnesse against some But seeing these cannot lawfully be done against any therefore vnder neighbour euerie man is comprised In his worke of true religion reprouing men for louing men not because they were men and the creatures of God but because they De vera religione were allianced or affianced vnto them sayeth it were discourtesie not to loue in respect they are men and to loue in respect they are fathers or children c. Thereby teaching vs to loue all men because all men in that they are men are our neighbours The lawe teaching vs to loue all men and to doe duetie vnto them as vnto neighbours for to respect the persons of the riche and preferre them with neglect of the poore is agaynst this lawe whereof in so doing wee are transgressours The manner howe wee must loue is as our selues And euerie man vnfeignedly feruently continually loueth himselfe so must wee also loue our neighbours albeit straungers albeit enemies who are all our neighbours 4 This then being the summe and substance of this royall lawe to loue our neighbours as our selues who finally may be saide to fulfill this lawe They fulfill the royall lawe of loue who through faith working by loue â—al 5. obey this lawe of God And this faith of Gods Saints looketh not to the outward appearance of mens persons but to the vnfeigned profession of Christian religion Of this fulfilling of the law the Apostle may seeme to speake if ye fulfill the royall law according to the Scripture which saith Loue thy neighbour as thy selfe you do well The obedience of Gods children is accepted albeit vnperfect for Christs sake whose righteousnes imputed vnto vs we are by faith through imputation saide to fulfill the lawe As before vpon the 1. Chap. ver 22. hath beene said The obedience and fulfilling of Gods law is accepted according to the measure of faith distributed to euery Ephe. 4. Rom.
things are done of many men which haue the shevve and outvvard appearance of goodnes yet proceeding not from faith vvhereby they are sanctified neither from the same causes neither after the same manner neither to the same end Whence hovv and vvhereunto the vvorkes of the Saints come are done and tende they are farre from good vvorkes So that there is a great difference betvvixt the vvorks of the Saints and faithfull people of God and the vvorkes of heathenish people Phylosophers as betvvixt siluer and tinne golde and copper vvhich are like yet not the same The vvorkes of the heathen come from the lavv and force of nature only vvhich is corrupt and vitiate they are attained vnto by vse custome and exercise continuall their ende is credite glory renoume and estimation in the vvorlde But the vvorkes of Christians proceede from faith grovve of loue spring out of the knovvledge of the Gospell tend to the profite of our brethren and the glorie of God These mens vvorks shevve foorth and testifie their faith but not the vvorkes of the heathen Pharisies or hypocrites vvhose vvorks are not good neither please God Faith maketh not only our selues but all other things Heb. 11. vvhich vve doe vvith the good liking of God to be accepted and pleasant before him Frō vvhich fountaine vvhat soeuer flovveth not cannot please him For vvithout faith it is impossible to please God And be our vvorkes neuer so braue or beautifull in our ovvne eyes neuer so glittering and glorious in the sight of others yet if they come Rom. 14. not from faith they are not only nothing but naught also because vvhatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Saint Augustine therfore disputing against the Pharisaicall Contra duas Epist Pelag. lib. 3. c. 5. Bonifac. pride and presumption of the Pelagians saith very well Our religion discerneth the iust from the vniust not by the law of works but by the law of faith without which faith whatsoeuer seem good works are sinnes and turned into sinnes The workes therefore of the heathen Pharisies and hypocrites are not to be reputed for good yea all works which are either before or without faith are not good as Tertullian Apol. 39. 46. Saint Augustine in the place cited vpon Psal 31. 67. in his booke of the Citie of God chap. 20. against Iulian lib. 4. chap. 8. of grace and free will chapter 7. to Sixtus in his Epistles Epist 105. and other places infinite sheweth Who to Honoratus and to Sixtus and in his booke of the spirite and letter chap. 26. affirmeth that Epist 120. 105. no works are good but in that they folow iustification by faith through which they are reputed onely for good Wherence then it may be apparant that all workes shewe not ne argue true faith neither is it here the mind and meaning of the Apostle to conclude in this manner Workes shew faith therefore all workes shewe faith Or thus Good workes shew and argue faith therefore euerie one that hath works apparantly good hath therefore true faith But his scope and drift is to shew that where there is true faith in deede there cannot be but good works will appeare and follow and that men boast of faith in voine whose faith is not accompanied with good works christian actions Seeing that there is no good tree but in due time bringeth foorth her fruite in conuenient measure Whereof in summer time destitute it is accounted naught dead fruitlesses and rotten Which good workes as they haue shewe and do testifie of our faith so that men gather probablie hee hath works therefore faith but necessarilie from the negatiue which here is respected chiefly he hath no works therfore no true and liuely faith So are these works counted for good and reckned pleasant vnto GOD not for their owne sake but for the faiths sake wherence the budde spring out and issue Moses therfore to intimate thus much in Abel and Gen. 4. Heb. 11 his sacrifice putteth Abell with his faith first then afterward his sacrifice when he saith God had respect to Abell and his sacrifice to shew that because God accepted Abels faith therefore he respected the sacrifice proceding from him and not the man or his faith for the sacrifice Saint Gregorie thereof in a certaine place speaketh to the same purpose In the iudgement of almightie God there is regarde Grego had not so much what is done or giuen as of whō and how Herence is it that God is said to haue looked vnto Abell and his gift For Moses being about to say God looked vnto Abels gift he setteth downe carefully before That God looked vnto Abell By which thing it is manifestly shewed not that the offerer hath pleased for his gift but the gift for the geuer pleased God For this cause the gifts of the wicked please not God because they come from them with whō God is not pleased Thus workes are good in respect of mens faith whereby they are accepted with fauour before God and are such tokens of our faith as without which wee boast in vaine of faith Which thing in this place the apostle geuing vs to vnderstand with a mocking quippe beating downe the vayne pride of hypocrites saith But some man might say euery man might thus mock thee thou hast the faith and I haue works shewe me thy faith by thy workes and I will shewe thee my faith by my works And this is the first reason why true faith cānot be with out works which reason is from a similitude wherof and of the other things in that reason The similitude it selfe the application and the mocking and ironicall preoccupating and preuenting of the obiection This is sufficient to be spoken The second reason why iustifiing faith cannot bee 2. Reason without good works is drawen from an absurditie if that faith which is without workes be that true faith wherby we are iustified then the deuils might bee iustified for they haue a bare faith to beleeue there is a God albeit they applie not themselues obediently to walke in his commandements But it were an absurd thing to say the deuils be iustified for because they are not iustified therfore they tremble at the iudgements of God whereby it appeareth that their faith is not true nor sufficient Now to boast of such a faith as is common to deuils what vanitie what follie what absurditie is it This reason the Apostle in these words expresseth Thou beleeuest there is one GOD thou doest well the deuils also beleeue it and tremble It were an absurd thing to say the deuils are iustified yet if thy faith be but a bare faith in worde without workes in tongue without trueth in shewe without substance they may as well be iustified and saued as thou by thy like faith maist be saued but by such faith which is destitute and voide of the workes of true sanctification the deuils cannot be iustified therefore neither cāst thou O
his vengeaunce to persequute them when they see they can take no hold-fast of Gods mercie for their intollerable pryde and finall apostasie against his heauenly maiestie they cannot but feare they cannot but tremble Now if the Deuils beleeue there is one God then Psal 14. the Epicures the Atheistes the wicked fooles of the vvorlde vvhich say in their heartes there is no God are worse then deuils If the deuils tremble before Gods presence and throne of iudgement then are many men and women which iest at the day of iudgement make a mocke at appearing before the tribunall seate of God to receyue according to their workes worse then deuils If then hypocrites haue no better faith then deuils haue and it be a most absurde thing to say the deuils are saued then is it no lesse absurditie to say that wicked men by like faith can be saued seeing they are destitute of all goodnesse voide of all righteousnesse farre from all fruites of sanctification Which thing this holy Apostle teacheth vs in this place thou beleuest there is one God thou doest well the deuils also belieue and tremble Finally then it may herehence appeare necessarie that as men are truly iustified before God through faith in Christ so they should by their workes the liuely testimonies of true faith shewe themselues before men to be in deede righteous that as inwardly with God they are made iust by their beleefe so outwardly with men they might be knowen to be iuste by their deedes that so they might adde to their faith vertue to their profession sanctification to their religion holy conuersation which is the scope and drifte of this Apostles doctrine Neither is this doctrine a doctrine eyther rarely heard of or vnusiall in other places of holy Scripture for the whole bodie of the Scriptures teach vs the necessitie of good vvorkes and fruits of sanctification in the saints without which all holinesse is hypocrisie all deuotion dissimulation And to this ende not onely the Prophets in their bookes but our Sauiour Christ in the gospell and the holy Apostles in their sacred writings haue moued men professing godlinesse to the fruits of righteousnesse least they otherwise doing be iustly reprooued for their hypocrisie And for asmuch as it is not onely a matter of most great account in all times to haue this godly care of bringing forth fruites of true sanctification vnto Gods glory but is also the most liuely testimonie of our election who are therefore called of God that we might be Ephes 1. irreprehensible through loue and the sure signe of our regeneration and new birth whose chiefe end is to walke in good workes which God hath prepared for vs as witnesseth the Scriptures we are the workemanship of God Ephes 2. created in Iesus Christ vnto good workes that we should walke therein Which thing also Zacharie the father of S. Iohn baptist maketh the end of our redemption Luc. 1. we are redeemed by him from the power or handes of our enemies that we should serue him without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of our life Much more not onely might but also ought to be spoken touching these matters but I hope this may suffice reasonable creatures touching the office of faith and vse or end of good vvorkes in the Saints of God Now God which is the fountaine of all goodnesse the father of all lightes the giuer of all spirituall grace the sender downe of all vertues into our heartes powre downe vpon vs that most excellent gifte of vnfayned faith without vvhich nothing is acceptable nothing pleasant in his sight that it in vs vvorking through loue and vve replenished with all fruites of righteousnesse and abounding in all sanctification may thereby giue infallible testimonie of our iustification and in the whole course of our life may alwaies through righteousnesse and holinesse so glorifie God here that by him vvee may be glorified in the life to come not through our merites but of his only mercie through Iesus Christ our onely Lord and Sauiour who with the father and the holy ghost liueth and raigneth one immortall inuisible and onely wise God both now and for euermore Amen Iames Chapter 2. verses 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. Sermon 13. Verses 20. But wilt thou vnderstand O thou vaine man that the faith which is without workes is dead 21. Was not Abraham our father iustified through workes when he offered vp Isaac his sonne vpon the altar 22. Seest thou not that faith wrought with his works through the works was the faith made perfect 23. And the Scripture was fulfilled which saith Abraham beleeued God and it was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse and he was called the friend of God 24. Ye see then how that of works a man is iustified and not of faith onely 25. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot iustified through workes when she had receyued the messengers sent them out another way 26. For as the body without the spirite is dead so faith without works is dead In these words of the Apostle there are two things to be considered as appeareth Namely 1. The other part of his confirmation conteining the 3. Thirde argument from the example of Abraham 20. 21. 22. 23. 4. Fourth from the example of Rahab 25. 2. The conclusion of the whole discourse 1. Made and set downe vers 24. 2. Repeated 26. The third reason why true faith is not without good 3. Reason workes is drawen from the example of Abraham who had no doubt a true and liuely faith for which cause hee is Gen. 15. Rom. 4. highly praised both of Moses the Prophet and Paul the Apostle of Christ yet did this great and holy Patriarke by offering vp his sonne Isaac in whom the hope of his posteritie and the truth of Gods promise consisted shew what manner faith he had not a dead barren and fruitelesse faith but quick liuely and plentifull in all good workes to the glorie of God For which cause he receaued a true testimonie from Gods owne mouth and it was set downe by Moses for all posteritie for euermore that he was righteous indeede and the friend of God Such a faith ought euery one of Gods Saints to haue therefore whereby they may recete auestimonie from God man of their integritie righteousnes and iustification The force of this reason is this what maner of faith Abraham the father of the faithfull had such faith ought all his children all the Saintes all that rightly beleeue in God and his Sonne Iesus Christ for to haue also But the faith of Abraham was no shadowe nor shewe but a substance and soundnes of faith His faith was not in worde onely but in worke also not in tongue and talke alone but in truth and veritie not a bare barren fruitelesse faith but a liuely working and plentifull faith such faith therefore ought the faith of all Gods Saints to bee and not
are void whom selfe-loue opinion of wisdome pride of heart hauing Iude 2. 2. Pet. 2. 10. puffed vp despise gouernment and speake euill of thē that are in authoritie to whom in the vanitie of their opinions in the fancies of their own braines in the conceits of their grene heads they wil not obey though they haue neither found ground nor sufficient reason nor euident proof to lead induce them to their false perswasions Wherefore they also are farre from this wisdome whose propertie it is easilie to be entreated 5 Another qualitie or propertie of this wisdome is Isai 55 1. John 2 mercy it is full of mercy and mercy is specially in two things 1. in pitying the bodily needes of our brethren in pouertie and distresse whereof is largely spoken 1. chapt verse 27. 2. In pitying the spirituall needs of the saints and of all men as when they lacke good councell to minister it when they run astray to call them home againe when they offend to tell them of it that they may be reclaimed to draw them by all meanes out of the snare of satan whereby they otherwise might be caried away to their destruction Whereence it appeareth that the wisdome frō aboue hath a mercifull regard both to the bodies and also to the soules of the saints of God whereof if wee become carelesse then haue wee not that wisedome which is full of mercie 6 The sixt propertie hereof is that it is full of good workes as constancie in profession paciēce in afflictions carefulnes in our vocation continuance in prayer mortification of the flesh renouation of the spirite reformation of our life and finally whatsoeuer tendeth to true sanctification 7 It is also without iudging which is either without respect of persons to regard the matter 2. chapt 1. Ether without ambition and rigour in iudging thy brethren 3. chapt 1. Either without greedie and busie inquiring seeking into other mens liues either iudging all in the worst part either vnaduisedly to iudge or condemne one another These kinds of iudgings either partially either ambitiously and rigorously either curiously either malitiously either rashly are here condemned Not taking away a right estimation and iudgement betwixt man and man thing and thing good and bad truth and falshood iustice and iniurie oppression equitie or any the like either ecclesiasticall or ciuill iudgement 8 Finally this wisdome from aboue is without hypocrisie This doth nothing colourably or counterfetly suttlely or guilefully this wisdome beareth not two faces vnder one hood this wisdome pretendeth not one thing openly and meaning another secretly this doth al things plainely and purely simply and sincerely as proceeding from God the God of truth to whome no dissembling no counterfetting no double dealing is or can be pleasant and these are the properties of heauenly wisedome By this distinguishing of wisedome he stoppeth the dore and gate to all impuritie to all contentiousnes to all rigorousnes and desire of reuenge to all stubbornnes to be corrected or informed to all irreconciliablenes and vntractablenes of men to all vnmercifulnes to all wickednes euill iudgement hypocrisie dissēbling before God and man Where vnto who so is giuē how so euer he haue that earthly sensuall diuelish wisedome yet hath he not this diuine wisedome which commeth from God These things being thus disposed the last thing in this treatise is why wee should shewe by good conuersation our workes in meekenes of wisedome because the fruites of righteousnes are sowen in peace of them which make peace a reason from reward in so much as they shal reape the fruites of righteousnes which they haue sowen in peace This place teacheth vs that whatsoeuer we do whether good or euill it is a seede sowen whose fruite hereafter is to be expected if the seede be good we shall receiue Gal. 6. Job 8 good if euill then shall we receaue euill things euen punishments Which saint Paul confirmeth be not deceiued God is not mocked for whatsoeuer a man soweth that shall he also reape if he sowe to the flesh hee shall of the flesh reape corruption if he sowe to the spirite he shal of the spirite reape life euerlasting That they may receiue pleasant and delectable fruite from the liberall hande of God the Apostle exhorteth them to sowe good seede euen the seede of peace that they may receiue and reape the reward of peace mentioned by our Sauiour which is Mat. 5. eternall blessednes and to be reckoned for the children of God And this reason is set downe to perswade the saints to embrace peace against the corrupt iudgement of the world who iudgeth them miserable foolish wretched that liue peaceably but the spirit of truth teacheth here the contrary that hovvsoeuer the vvorlde iudgeth of peaceable persons yet shall they assuredly in due time reape and receaue the reward of peaceable righteousnes Which reward ought to allure all men to meekenes of wisdom which ought of christians so far foorth to be folowed as a good conscience be retained vice and iniquitie suppressed vertue and godlines promoted loue and charitie in the holy feare of God cherished And this is peaceable wisdome by the Apostle commaunded This wisdome Christ Iesus our Lord who of GOD is for vs made wisdome and righteousnes sanctification and redemption graunt vnto vs that in all peace and quietnes of heart we may serue one another in loue and in one spirite and one trueth with one minde and one mouth maye glorifie God the God of peace To whom with Christ Iesus his sonne our Sauiour and the holy Ghost our comforter be praise in the great congregation of the Saints Amen The Analysis of the fourth Chapter of S. Iames. This fourth Chapter 〈◊〉 foure things or places 1 Is of contentions warres therein 5. thinges are to be marked from v. 1. to 7. 1 An interrogation or question concerning the beginnings and causes of contentions and warres among men verse 1. 2 An answeare to the question conteyning the assignment of the causes which are two 1 Vnruelie pleasures fighting in our members 2 Immoderate desire of increasing our priuate estate and wealth verse 1. 3 A condemning of those pleasures and desires of men which bring with them nothing but anguish and sorrow v. 2. former part 4 Why these desires are without effect or ineffectuall the causes are two 1 Because either men aske not those thinges at Gods hand part of the second verse 2 Or because if they aske thē yet aske they amisse v. 3 5 A sharp reproof of these things Wherein there are 3. things noted 1 The reproofe it selfe v. 4 first part 2 The reason of this reproofe v. 4. 2 part 3 The preuenting of an obiection v. 5. 6. 2 Place is of our duety to God consisting of two things namely 1 Submission to him wherin three things are to be noted v. 7. 1 What he commandeth to submitte our selues to God 2 The contrarie to resist the
it in the lustes thereof neyther giue you your members as weapons of vnrighteousnesse vnto sinne In some sense these and all other euill pleasures and Rom. 7. euill desires as branches of the olde tree and roote of Adam fight in the very elect of God as saint Paul confessed of him selfe that he had a lawe fighting in his members withstanding and resisting the lawe of his minde and leading him captiue vnto sinne whereof in another Gal. 5. place he speaketh when hee saith that the flesh fighteth against the spirite and the spirite contendeth against the flesh that we cannot doo the thinges wee would Euen in the most elect and chosen vessels of God there is a fighting in their members The vnregenerate parte striueth against the regenerate the olde Adam against the newe Man the outwarde Man against the inwarde so so that there is in the Saints a striuing and a fighting in their members But here Saint Iames seemeth to call that the fighting of pleasures in our members not when the spirite striueth against the fleshe but when wee giue ouer our selues wholy to the following obeying of our lustes pleasures in following seeking after wealth honour fleshly lusts when we bend all our force when we imploy all our labour bestow all our time spende all our wits and studie when wee make our bodies and soules seruantes of our wealth honour and desires and for those striue by all possible meanes then do our pleasures fight in our members then vse we them as souldiours to fight for our couetousnesse and ambition where vnto to resigne the rule and gouernment ouer vs is properly according to the Apostles doctrine to haue pleasures fighting in our members Where vnruly pleasures and immoderate lusts are assigned causes of warres and contentions which causes beyng euill the effectes cannot be good vvee may not therence condemne all contention neyther all vvarres as vnlavvfull For neither contention for religion against superstition neither for truth against falshood neither for sound doctrine against blasphemous heresie neyther for true iustice against open iniurie neyther for excellent vertue against shamefull iniquitie is here reproued but prayse vvorthy as chapter 3 verse 14. hath beene shevved Neither is lavvfull vvarre for defense of religion aduauncement of Gods glorie repelling intollerable iniury from the church of Christ or common wealth vvherein vve liue condemned as a vice but as a vertue renovvmed as chapter 5. verse 6. shall appeare Here is then the question asked here is also the ansvvere made from vvhence are vvarres and contentions among you are they not hence euē of the pleasures vvhich fight in your members These thinges thus set downe in the thirde place Pleasures condemned 3 he commeth to the condemning of these vnruly pleasures these couetous and ambitious desires of menne these striuings and contentions of men from their effectes they profite or helpe not at all they bring no good thing vvith them they are without effect they onely bring anguish and anxietie of minde vexation and trouble griefe and torment conceaued of not obtaining the desires of our harts Thereof Saint Iames saith yee luste and haue not you enuie and desire immoderately and cannot obtaine yee fight and warre and get nothing Thus are the labours desires and trauailes of men to attaine riches and honour by their owne euill meanes oftentimes frustrate and voyde of effects Carking and caring pinching and pining lusting and desiring fighting and cōtending for honour or wealth preuaile nothing without the helpe of God Dauid the Prophet to this purpose auoucheth that Psal 12 7. it is in vaine to rise vp early go late to bed to eate the bread of carefulnes as therby by our selues to attaine vnto great matters the trauell of man by himselfe without the blessing of God is nothing worth vain vnprofitable for of our selues we cānot adde one cubite to our stature Math. 6. nay wee cannot make one hayre white or blacke as our Math. 5. Sauiour witnesseth couetous and miserable men oftentimes luste and long after the goods of their neighboures and brethren they hate they enuy such as prosper by them they earnestly desire and affect the riches of others they sigh they sobbe they sorrow they grieue that they cannot bring about their purpose to enioy their neighbours liuings As Achab did for not obteyning the inheritance of Naboth they fight they brawle 3. Kings 21. they frette they fume they stampe they stare they fome at mouth like wilde boores they raise tumultes as Demetrius for his commoditie against Paul they Act. 19. 16. 19. picke and spie out holes they frame accusations they inuent matter they forge lies they deuise slaunders they suborne witnesses against their brethren iniuriously to attaine vnto their riches by right by wrong by hooke by crooke by all meanes they seeke to rush into the possessions of their neighbors They turne euery stone they labour by all meanes to attaine to honour estimation wealth and riches power and glorie in the worlde and all is oftentimes in vaine and they misse of their purpose They lust saith Iames and haue not they enuie and desire immoderately obtaine not they fight and warre and get nothing One man ambitiously desireth honour another couetously hunteth after gaine and commoditie this man aymeth at a kingdome another shooteth at promotion one followeth his carnall desire another seeketh after other pleasures euery one either for greedy gaine priuate increase or for ambitious desire of augmenting his honour trouble excruciat and vexe themselues miserably and yet all in vayne For these their vnruly pleasures and immoderate desires are very often fruitlesse and without effect as experience teacheth vs. Some men seeke by their greedy desire to attaine vnto great wealth therefore they toyle moyle themselfes at yeares end get nothing Yea sometimes loose that they had already as those that will occupie many trades set vp many shops of sundrie commodities haue many irons in fire at once busie themselues with many thinges whereof sometimes they are ignorant thus busying themselues now here now there now about this thing now about that trusting many venting their commodities diuers waies for triple gaine as they thinke in fine gaine nothing but the losse of time goods and labour Such also are they which hauing very good gainfull trades whereof they liue well yet for greedines of gaine they betake thēselues vnto other trades as the occupier when after many yeares he wil play the marchant aduenturer for so he doeth oftentimes aduentureth all and bringeth home nothing but a heauie heart a fooles head experience dearely bought repentance too late the prouerb of foolish had I wist I would not haue done it These and such like ouer greedie of hastie wealth lose their labours oftentimes and profite themselues nothing at all Some in like manner hauing aspiring heartes and mindes caried away with ambition seeking increase of honour come to
1. Ioh. 1 Ephes 6. 2. Cor. 4 of lights in whom also there is no darcknes at al hath no communion with Sathan the prince of the darcknesse of this world Christ being holy hath nothing to do no concord with Beliall the Prince of wickednes So that these cannot dwell in the heart of man together as in the fountaine of loue being so contrarie and opposed Truely therefore saith Saint Augustine the loue of the S. Augustine world and the loue of God cannot stand or consist together no more then the same eyes at once can looke vpon heauen and earth in the same instante Being therefore so contrarie God and the world it cānot be but that such as make themselues friends with the world become enemies vnto God Wherof they to whom Saint James speaketh not ignorant are sharply reprooued for louing the world with the hatred of God Ye adulterers and adultresses know ye not that the amitie of the world is enmitie with God whosoeuer therefore will be a friend of the world maketh himselfe the enemie of God And this reason of the holy Apostle holdeth not only in the propounded matter of ambitious and couetous desires which men cannot loue and loue God also but it holdeth in all worldly wickednes and loue of earthlie things whatsoeuer which men cannot possibly loue and loue God together For then might a man be holy and wicked godly vnrighteous all together for they which loue the world are wicked and vnrighteous as the worlde 1. Iohn 5 Leuit. 11 2◠c. it selfe lieth in wickednes and such as loue God are godlie and holy euen as God him selfe is holy That wee cannot possiblie geue entertainment to God and to the world together and at once loue them God and the world contrarie as appeareth in foure things both the reason is their contrarietie for things contrarie cannot dwell at once in the same person And the contrarietie betwixt the loue of the world and the loue of God in foure things appeareth 1 In the repugnancie of their nature GOD is by his nature pure holy vndefiled without contagion of Leuit. 11. 19. 20. sinne and without permixtion of any euill But the worlde is altogether wicked defiled with sinne spotted with many blemishes of vnrighteousnesse full of all contagion deadly poyson of iniquitie So that in nature there is a contraietie betwixt thē Naturally therefore being contrarie wee cannot loue them both together 1. Iohn 5. 2 As their natures are contrarie so are their precepts contrarie for other things by God other thinges by the world are inioined wherein the contrarietie betwixt thē appeareth God commaundeth mercie liberalitie pitie compassion the world perswadeth crueltie mercilesnes couetousnes hardnes of heart violence iniurie and oppression God commaundeth holines sanctification to be fruitfull in all good works to his glorie and to encrease therein to ripenes and a full measure in Iesus Christ But the world moueth vs to filthie conuersation to defile our selues with carnall lustes and all vngodlines to wearie waste our selues with all fleshly pleasure that wee may be vncleane in soule and in body God commandeth vs not to lie but speake the trueth one to another not to backbite not to slaunder not to deceaue not to circumuent or defraud one another not to sweare vainly not to curse bitterly and infinite the like but the worlde would haue vs to lie counterfette slaunder deceaue circumuent sweare curse banne and geue ouer all the powers of our mindes and partes of our bodies to committe iniquitie Hom. 22. vpō Matth. Seeing one commaundeth thee saith Chrysostome to geue of thine owne goods the other violently to take the goods of others one to embrace chastitie the other to follow intemperancie the one to loue sobernes the other to delight in gluttonie how is it possible we shoulde obey these precepts being so contrary so seem to loue them both together 3 As their precepts are contrarie so are the qualities of them which loue the one and the other contrary For other things please God other things the world Other qualities are required in such as loue God other things and qualities in them that loue the world The louers of God must be ledde by the spirite of God walke in the spirite of God and bring foorth the fruites therof as loue ioy peace long suffering gētlenes goodnes faith meeknes temperance and such like they must be indued with mercie humblenes of minde kindnes forgeuing one Ephes 4. Col. 3. another euen as Christ forgeueth vs. But the seruants and louers of the world are possest with crueltie mercilesnes wrath ennie currishnes contention fornication vncleannes wantonnes hatred debate emulation sedition murther drunkennes gluttonie and the workes of the fleshe 1. Cor. 6 Gal. 5. Ephes 3. Col. 3. Iohn 4. Psal which who committe shall not inherite the kingdome of God and of Christ The louers of God are pure vnrebukeable blamelesse before him in loue seruing him in spirit in trueth But the seruants of the world are corrupt deceitfull from the wombe defiled with sinne flattering God with their mouth and dissembling with him in their double toung The seruants of God and such as loue him are sober and temperate but the louers of the world make their bellie their God whose end is damnation whose glorie is to their shame being earthly minded Seeing therfore the Philip. 3. qualities of the louers of God and of the louers of the world are contrarie and diuers it cannot be that the same should loue God and the world both together 4 Finally the very loue it selfe is in qualitie contrarie for the loue of God is pure chaste and holy spirituall but the loue of the world is impure vncleane prophane and sensuall wherefore no man canne loue god and the world Yea rather they which endeuour to become friends of the world make themselues therby the enemies of god Wherefore my deare brethren beloued in Iesus Christ if we be the elect of god chosen by him out of the world to loue him and serue him in such holines as is acceptable vnto his diuine maiestie If we be the professed Souldiers of Christ to fight vnder his displaied banner against Sathan and the world shall we as backsliders from god traitors vnto Christ enemies of our owne saluation prophaners of our Christian profession geue our selues to the loue of the world and committe fornication against god Cleaue thereunto in league and bonde of friendshippe and so become enemies vnto the Lorde our god almightie Let vaine wicked ambitious and contentious persons let greene flourishing youth who thinke to loue god and the world also herence learne that they cannot loue both and that in making friendship with the world they fall at variance with God It is God that speaketh in his Apostle it is the spirit of truth which informeth vs it is Christ in his minister that openeth his mouth and assureth
measure of their wickednes Whereunto the Apostle had respect in this place when hee willeth them to weep and howle for their miseries to come 5 Whose miseries being generally touched as the cause of their comfortlesse lamentation so in the laste place it is shewed wherin this their miserie consisteth In this especially that the thinges wherein they so greatly trusted are vaine and vncertaine and shall testifie against them in the day of their punnishment And for as much as by their vaine trust and confidence in these thinges 1. Cause of their weeping and the first point of their miserie they heape and hoorde vp for themselues treasure of the wrath of God against the last day 1 And first the things wherein they trusted are vncertaine which appeareth both in generall and in particular also In generall riches are vncertaine vaine and transitorie subiect to manifolde corruptions which this Apostle teaching telleth the prophane and wicked rich men of the world that their riches are corrupt Doeth not the holy Scripture often foretell vs of the corruption vanitie and vncertaintie of riches Is it not an argument oftentimes beaten vpon in the word of trueth Are they not for great vncertainnes to be compared vnto an Ecle which wringeth slideth and slippeth out of the hand before we be aware thereof Are they not like a birde which now we haue in hand but our hand being opened she flieth from vs and wee cannot recouer her Psal 37. Salomon disswading men from immoderat loue and desire thereof geueth this wise aduice and councell Trauel not too much to be rich but cease from such a purpose wilt thou cast thine eye vpon it that is nothing for riches taketh her to her winges as an Egle and flieth into the heauens Whose father the princely prophete Dauid intreating of the vncertaine condition of prophane and wicked Psal 37. rich men crieth out be it they be strong and shoote vp as the greene bay tree yet are they cut of from the earth like grasse and wither as the greene hearbe they passe away and are not if thou seeke their place thou shalt not finde it And Solomon in his book of wisdom maketh the wicked Wisedom 5. riche men now burning and boyling in hell torments to acknowledge the frayltie and vncertaintie of riches which passe and perish as a shadowe or a poste that passeth by flie away as an arrowe in the aire a shippe in the vvater a birde in the heauens Our blessed Sauiour entreating of the corruption of vvorldly riches confesseth Mat. 6. Luk. 12. they are subiecte to theefes to the moth and canker The vncertainty wherof he sheweth in the parable of him who enlarged his barnes and saide vnto his Soule Soule eate drinke and take thy pleasure for there is great store of riches reposed and laide vp for thee for many yeares to whō it was replied by God that that night they should take his soule from him And many folde experience teacheth vs that when men haue feathered there nestes at their pleasure and hope to liue at ease many faire yeares and purpose with them selues to spende their daies in iollytie euen then often times not lyuing only but life is also taken from them Saint Paule seeing the ftayltie and vncertaine state of riches and the corruption where vnto they are subiecte giueth them this epithite or addition 1. Timo. 6. vncertaine charge them that are riche in this world that they truste not in vncertaine riches This our Apostle not varying from him selfe describing the brittle and fickell state of riches compareth them to grasse which is Iames. 4. subiect to sudden speady corruption for as soone as the sunne ariseth with heate the grasse wethereth and the flower falleth away so subiecte is the state of riches to corruption and vanitie Though Cresus King of Lydia were of infinite riches so that it grewe into a prouerbe richer then Cresus yet came his riches and all his glorious pompe vnto corruption when waging warre agaynst Cyrus the king of Persia hee was ouercome taken and subdued Though Xerxes were neuer so rich that he conducted an infinite armie of 1000000. men agaynst Greece and with his shippes made a bridge ouer the sea Hellespont and through his riches waxed so proude that he thought not onely that al men shoulde obey him but commaunded the Sea also to be quiet and calme and the mountaines to giue place vnto him yet was his state subiect to corruption when his armie was discomfited by the nauie of the Grecians on the Sea by the Isle Salamine insomuch as himselfe for the securitie of his owne person was forced to escape vnknowen in a fishers boate and so with great dishonour and losse of infinite preparation men and riches returned Though manie men in our memorie and the memorie of our forefathers haue in their times flourished in wealth yet their riches haue corrupted and themselues oftentimes haue beene thereof suddenly bereft or else their heires haue not enioyed the riches of their fathers whereby it appeareth in plaine euidence howe subiect to corruption our riches bee that the Apostle might rightly say that their riches were corrupt and therefore they trusting to a thing vncertaine and subiect vnto vanitie and for loue thereof leauing the Lorde who for that contempt bringeth destruction vpon them they ought to weepe and howle for that poynt and part of their misetie Seeing then in generall that riches are things vncertaine and shall in fine vanish away and come to nothing seeing they are of no continuance but subiect to alteration chaunge and corruption seeing the time shall come wherein they shall perish from you and when you Wisd 9. shall say with the wicked in the wise man Salomon what hath pride profited vs or what hath the pompe of riches brought vs All these are past away like a shadow and as a post that passeth by as the shippe that passeth uer the water which being gone by the trace thereof cannot be founde neither the path in the flouds as the flying and flittering of a birde in the aire or as an arrowe shotte at a marke which passeth through the aire and no man can tell the way whereby therefore for this miserie weepe and howle Goe to nowe you rich men weepe and howle for the miseries shall come vpon you your riches are corrupt The corruption and vncertaintie of their riches wherein they trusted is one poynt of their miserie wherefore they are called to comfortlesse lamentation 2 As riches ingenerall ar vncertaine and subiect to corruption so neither are the partes of riches more sure but euerie thing vnder heauen whereof a man maketh his account as of riches is subiect to vanitie and corruption and the chiefest partes of riches are gaye cloathing and costly apparell Siluer gold and the like which all are subiect to corruption 1 Touching gay garments costly clothing fine apparell Apparell though it be neuer so costly
health are in the power of God alone and not in the hande of mortall man Men are meanes praiers are instruments but it is God that saueth yea which healeth Another effect of praier is that through the faithfull praiers of the Saints their sinnes are forgiuen the sicke If saith Saint Iames hee hath committed sinne it shall be forgiuen him Whereâ—â—â—o Saint Iohn condiscendeth if any man see his brother sinne a sinne not vnto 1. Ihon. 5. death let him aske and hee shall giue him life for them that sinne not vnto death As therefore the faithfull prayers of Gods Saintes are not causes but instruments of obtayning health so are they also meanes of obteyning remission of our sinnes at the handes of God Matt. 6. Therefore our Sauiour in that fourme of prayer which he woulde to bee vsed for our selues and for our brethren also willeth that wee shoulde praye for forgiuenesse of sinnes not in our selues onely but in our brethren also VVherewith Christ mooued prayed for the Luke 23. Iewes and Steuen for forgeuenesse of those men which persecuted him Seeing therefore that the prayers of the Acts 7. Elders hath this double effect they ought not to be neglected of men Nowe where the Apostle witnessed that the sinnes of the sicke shoulde bee remitted and forgiuen by the praiers of the Elders it sufficiently refuteth the sharpe and rigorous censure of the Nouatian heretikes and their horrible blasphemie who denie pardone of sinne to such as anie wise sinne after their conuersion to the Gospell and the knowledge of the trueth Saint Iames affirmeth that if anie of the brethren any of the professed Christians anie of the Church after the profession of Gods trueth shoulde commit sinne after their conuersion and the Elders prayed for it it should bee forgiuen Salomon confesseth that the righteous offendeth seuen times a day and is a gaine restored Dauid sinned Pro. 24. after he knewe God and his sinnes though notorious and grieuous yet were forgiuen as to him vpon his confession and repentance Nathan promised Iames our Apostle 2. King 12. speaking of the professours of the Gospell confesseth that in manie things they all sinne If there were no Iames 3. remission of sinne after the profession of the Gospel and the knowledge of the truth why doth Saint Paul will Gal. 6. the brethren of Galatia that if any offended of infirmitie they should restore him in the spirit of meekenesse considering themselues least they also were tempted why doth S. Iohn speaking to those that knew the truth say that if any of them sinned they had an aduocate with 1. Iohn 2. the father who was the propitiation for their sinnes euen Iesus Christ the righteous Palpaple therefore is this heresie of the Nouatians and refuted by these and like places of Scripture Moreouer that here the Apostle mencioneth sinnes in mens sickenesse it intimateth and giueth vs to vnderstande Deut. 28. that sinnes are for the most part the causes of our sickenesse and bodily diseases The Lorde threatneth sickenesse pestilence and diseases against such as sinned and transgressed his commaundements God brought vpon Aegypt botch blaine boile and sore Exod. 9. diseases vpon the people for their churlish crueltie towardes the Israelites their shamefull contempt of the Prophets the abusing of the pacience of God Meriah Num. 12. the sister of Moises was stroken with the leprosie for murmuring agaynst her brother the Lordes minister Abimelech and the Philistins were stroken with diseases in their Gene. 20. secrete places for taking away the wife of Abraham Gehesie was plagued with the leprosie of Naaman the Assirian 4. King 5. for his couetousnesse and receyuing of gifts Dauid confesseth that Gods heauie hande of sickenesse was vpon him for his sinne from toppe to toe so that hee had Psal 38. no rest in his bones by reason of his iniquitie Saint Paul recordeth to the Church of Corinth that many of them 1. Cor. 11. were diseased for the abuse of the Lords supper Our Sauiour Christ healing him which was diseased eight thirtie Iohn 5. yeares willed him to sinne no more least a worse thing happen vnto him noting thereby that the cause of his disease was his sinne And no doubt the cause of our newe sickenesses whereof wee taste euerie yeare is the newe sinne which we dayly encrease our newe adulteries New sinnes procure new sickenesses oure newe deuised pride our newe extorcion couetousnesse and oppression our newe crueltie and iniquitie which we multiplie continually against the Lord. VVhich thing Saint Jamee to teach vs telleth vs that if the sicke haue committed sinne it should be forgiuen by prayer and this is the first remedie against bodily infirmities both generall and particular as the Apostle hath prescribed The seconde remedie in particular affliction as 2. Remedie sickenesse is mutuall confession ioyned with prayer so that prayer againe is annexed and ioyned as a remedie whereby that we might helpe one another the better there is required mutuall confession and free conferring one with another touching offences giuen Acknowledge ye your sinnes one to another and pray one for another that ye may bee healed For the prayer of a righteous man auayleth much if it be feruent Helias c. In which words these things may be obserued 1 Mutuall confession with praier is required 2 To what ende to the ende we might be healed 3 The force of the righteous mans praier 4 Howe that force is shewed by example of the praier of Elias Concerning mutuall confession and conferring one Mutuall confession with another about offences giuen done it is very necessary to the recouerie of health in sicknes for God soonest heareth such as haue put away al malice hatred out of their hearts and are at peace and loue with their brethren this is chiefly done where brotherly we confer one with another touching offences and trespasses committed which done we can best helpe one another with our mutual praiers As therfore meÌ„bers al of one body ought Rom. 12. 1. Cor. 12. Ephe. 4. to helpe one another so Christians being all members of one body ech of them meÌ„bers of ech other ought by mutuall helpe to assist and aide one another in sicknesse Wherefore to this purpose as in sicknes he willed that the Elders of the church should be sent for and assembled to praie for the sicke so a second remedie and helpe in sicknes is that the brethren thus assembled should conferre mutually touching offences committed that mutually confessing and mutually forgiuing God might the better heare their mutuall praiers of loue for those which were sicke among them To which purpose this place serueth acknowledge your faultes one to another open that which grieueth you that a remedy may be sought and found out for it the better This mutuall confession and acknowledging one to another wherein one of vs hath offended another the sacred