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
large discourse sheweth that by patience we are commended and presented to God that anger is repressed the tongue refrayned the minde gouerned and man thereby on euery side perfect True then is the Apostles saying auouching that patience maketh vs perfect and entire lacking nothing But now that the Apostle here saith that by pacience we are made perfect we may note that perfection is double One perfection there is of the substance of thinges as he that beleeueth constantly vpon Christ without wauering is perfect in faith for hee hath the perfection of the substance of faith Who so holdeth the doctrine of Christ as the infallible word of trueth and therunto cleaueth immoueably as to the anchor of the soule both sure and stedfast hee hath the word of God perfectly concerning the substance Who so constantly continueth in the Heb. 6. profession of his religion that neither with blast of vayne perswasion neither with storme of cruel persecution he be remoued is perfect Thus men in this world may be perfect in vertues when they haue the true substance of the vertues for which they are commended There is another perfection which is of degrees which is such as cannot be encreased in any degree as to haue such faith as that we need not to pray Lord increase Luke 17. our faith to haue such knowledge as wee neede not with Dauid desire further to be enstructed in the wayes of the Psal 25. 119. 86. Lord to haue such patience as that cannot be augmented such perfection as in nothing canbe encreased thus no man is perfect in this infirmitie and weaknes of nature by patience we grow to perfection of the substance of sundrie vertues but not to perfection in degrees but to such a measure as of men in this life may be attayned whereunto the name of perfection is geuen Thus both men in holy Scripture and things are sometimes called perfect as Iob Zacharie and Elizabeth and others yet not absolutely but either in comparison of the wicked and vngodly then whom the Saints are more holy and in comparison perfect either because the Saintes excell in the greater part of their life in excellent vertues as S. Augustine auoucheth and another father to like purpose Men 2. De meritis remis c. 2. are called perfect not that there is no imperfection in thē but because they are commended with a great heape of vertues Or finally because that measure whereunto wee grow and those vertues whereunto we aspire and clime are reputed in the Saints for perfect by the imputation of the perfection of Iesus Christ whereby all the vertues of the Saints are accepted with God Seeing then by patience vnder the manifold afflictions of this life we increase in vertue and growe to be entire perfect and as lacking nothing shall we not thereby be moued to holde fast the exhortation and proposition of the Apostle Brethren count it exceeding ioy whē you fall into diuers temptations knowing that your triall of faith bringeth foorth patience and let patience haue her perfect worke that you may be perfect and entire lacke nothing And these are the three reasons wherefore wee ought to count it exceeding ioy when we fall into diuers temptations These things thus set down the Saints might haue obiected 3. A preoccupation against his doctrin It were good thus to do we deny not but it is not so soon done as easilie spokē as thogh we were able of our selues thus in our afflictions to moderate our selues that whensoeuer we be afflicted to accoūt it exceeding ioy This obiection the Apostle answereth I know this is not a qualitie in the power and strength of nature but it is a speciall grace and gift of God in our affliction to comfort our selues that we be not cast downe nor faint hearted but rather be glad and reioyce Therefore it is to be asked of him which onely geueth this heauenly wisdome In which place there may two things be obserued 1. The obiectiō which might haue been made 2. Then the answere thereunto 1 The obiection is Wee cannot of our selues thus beare the crosse we haue no such strength in nature there is nothing more vnpleasant or vnsauourie to the flesh then is the crosse We know that in vs that is in our flesh Rom. 7. dwelleth no good thing of our selues as of our selues wee cannot so much as thinke a good thought How vnequall 2. Cor. 13. are we then to the bearing of so heauie a burthen Wee must needes sinke vnder the crosse wherefore in vaine O holy and blessed apostle in vain assuredly is this doctrine preached vnto vs. 2 The answere hereunto is this I know that this is a hard doctrine to the flesh I confesse wee are vnable of our selues to performe it this is the speciall grace gifte of God to account our afflictions exceeding ioy vnto vs. Therefore is it not to be hoped for in our selues but from him to be praied for wherfore if any man lack wisdome let him aske it of God which geueth to all men liberally and reproacheth none and it shal be geuen him but let him aske it in faith and wauer not In which answer foure things are to be considered 1 What this wisdome is It is the doctrine of the crosse here specified namely to endure patiently whatsoeuer God layeth vpon vs and to know that God in singular loue correcteth all those with the rodde of affliction whom he purposeth to make heires of his eternall glory This to knowe is wisdome farre greater then the wisdome of men This wisdome standeth in two things 1. In knowledge that we wisely vnderstand the causes for which we are thus afflicted of God as that partly for the punishmēt of our sinnes as the princely Prophet recordeth For iniquitie Psal hast thou chastened man partly for the more manifestation and plainer triall of our faith as Abraham Iob Israel the seruant and people of God partly for the aduauncement of Gods greater glory that thereby in the deliuerance of men from their calamities hee might be more glorified Finally that hereby wee being touched 1. Cor. 11. might repent lest that wee perish with the worlde Hereof to haue true vnderstanding and knowledge is a great point of wisdome euen of this wisdome whereof the Apostle speaketh As the wisdome how to beare the crosse consisteth in knowledge and vnderstanding of the ends wherefore it is inflicted and laide vpon vs so also it consisteth in an inward feeling and iudgement when in our heartes soules and consciences we haue sense and feeling of the comfort of the spirite which in afflictions of this life and in the crosse wherunto we are subiect vpholdeth and supporteth vs and with assured hope of safe deliuerāce in due season vnderproppeth vs This point of wisdome to feele inwardly the comfort of the spirite was in holy Iob who therefore in the Iob. 19. midst of all his miseries and in the
but of debt Rom. 4 Rom. 11. And againe in the question of election If it be of grace it is no more of works els were grace no grace if of works it is no more of grace for then were workes no more works This contrarietie Saint Augustine confessing sheweth that grace fauour and free gift cannot be mingled Epist 120. with works and therefore concludeth and defineth what grace or free gift is Haec est gratia This is fauour free gift grace which is geuen freely not for the merites of the worker but by the mercie of the geuer Seeing therefore that wee which were all by nature the children of wrath the sonnes of Adam subiect to eternall death and Eph. 2. damnation replenished in minde heart and will with iniquitie and sinne compassed about with thick darke and mistie cloudes of error and wickednes loathing heauen and louing earth caried away of our owne desires to work wickednes with greedines are now not for our merites but of Gods meere mercie not by our workes but by his Eph. 4. grace not of our deserts but of his owne will begotten againe and regenerate We must referre this whole work to his good wil and account his goodnes for the only efficiēt cause of our regeneration Whereby it appeareth that he is the fountaine of all goodnes and that our wickednesse must not be imputed vnto him The regeneration then of Gods Saints a most manifest testimonie of his goodnes sheweth that he is ōly author of good not of euil which th'apostle here prouing addeth of his own wil begat he vs. 2 The good will and fauour of God being the first and efficient cause of regeneration The second cause which is the instrumentall cause and meane whereby wee are regenerate is the word of God which Saint James expresseth in this place in this manner of his owne will he hath begotten vs with the word of trueth In which place he slideth and falleth into the cōmendation of the worde of God the chiefe thing in this laste parte to be obserued Which words are as it were the circumscribing and setting foorth of the word of God and the gospell of Christ whereunto is attributed specially aboue all other wordes that it is the word of trueth Which addition the Prophet Dauid geueth to Gods word because therein onely is the Psal 86. sound trueth to be found and in no other In which word as in many other places he desirous to be instructed geueth that addition to the word that it is trueth Teach me thy waies O Lord saith the Prophet and I will walk in thy trueth And in another place calling the word of God by Psal 119. the name of trueth saith Thy word endureth for euer in heauen thy trueth is from generation to generation Our Sauiour Christ in his most holy praier to God hereunto subscribeth who desiring that the Disciples might be sanctified Iohn 17. with the trueth sheweth that by the trueth he meaneth the word and gospell Sanctifie them saith he with thy trueth thy word is trueth This name of excellencie this marke of difference S. Paul geueth vnto the gospell 2. Cor. 13. 3. Gal. C. 5. 7. 2. Cor. 6. 7. 1. Col. 5. Ephes 1. 13. Heb. 10. 16. Ephes 4. aboue other words whē he affirmeth he could do nothing against the trueth but for the trueth Who vpbraiding the Galathians for reuolting and sliding away frōthe gospell crieth out O you foolish Galathians who hath bewitched you that ye should not beleue the trueth To like purpose exhorting the Ephesians to be constant in the profession of the gospell calleth that the profession of trueth where fore he thus exhorteth Let vs folow the trueth in loue the gospel the profession of the trueth it is therfore an excellent ornament and an honourable addition in this place geuen to the word of God that it is the word of trueth And this addition to be called the word of trueth most fitly agreeth vnto the holy word and Gospell of Iesus Christ and that in foure respects and for foure chiefe considerations 1. in respect of God 2. in respect of Christ 3 in respect of the holy Ghost and spirite of God 4 in respect of the particular things them selues in the word contained 1 In respect of God the word and Gospell is the word of truth because it is Gods word and Gospell who is true and cannot lie therefore this his word is then the word of truth That this word is Gods word and Gospell it is euident 1. Rom. 1. Cor. 1. 1. Rom. Saint Paul calleth it therefore the power of God to saluation to al that beleue and in another place the preaching of the crosse is to them which perish foolishnes but vnto vs which are saued it is the power of God he saith in the beginning of his Epistle to the Romās that he was seperated to preach the Gospell of God and cleering him selfe from the surmised suspicious of his aduersaries 2. Cor. 11. he thus writeth haue I therefore offended because I abased my selfe that you might be exalted and that I preached freely the Gospell of God vnto you Saint Peter subscribeth thereunto the time is come that iudgement beginne first at the house of God if iudgement beginne first at vs what shal be the end of those that beleeue not 1. Pet. 4. the Gospell of God And this God who is the author of this word and Gospell is true and cannot lie Balam the Numb 23. prophet could say of God that he is not a man that hee should lie neither as the sonne of man that he should repente Moyses in his song beareth recorde to the truth of God perfect saith he is the worke of the mightie God for Deut. 32. all his waies are iudgements God is true and without wickednes iust righteous is he Samuel telleth King Saul that indeede the strength of Israell wil not lie nor repente 1. Kings 15. John 8. Rom. 3. for he is not a man that he should repent Our blessed Sauiour Christ speaketh of his father and saith I haue many things to say and iudge of you but he that sent me is true and the things that I haue hard of him those spoake I vnto the world Saint Paul defending Gods trueth saith Rom. 3. Let God be true and euery man a lier as it is written that thou maiest be iustified in thy words and ouercome when thou art iudged And for this cause holy Dauid calleth god Psal 31. the God of truth into thy hands I commende my spirite thou God of trueth Seing the Gospell is the word Gospell of God and God the God of trut hand cannot lie thē must needes this word be true and the word of truth 2 As in respect of God the author thereof the Gospell may rightly be called the word of truth so in respect of Christ who is the matter the very substance
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
not all then vnder this condemnation Let as many then as haue any feare of God before their eies any care of their owne saluation any desire to escape endlesse condemnation any remorce of conscience for their sinne in this behoofe cōmitted any sparcle of grace any feeling of the Spirite of God whereby they are sealed vp to the day of redemption Ephes 4. repent themselues of this wickednes correcte this grieuous sinne in their manners reforme and refraine their lippes from all vaine swearing and blasphemie that thereby they fall not into condemnation but may liue for euer If condemnation be threatened to the vaine swearing of men how much more subiect thereunto are they which geue themselues to horrible periuries and false swearings Which thing almightie God reseruing finally to be punished in eternall torments of hell fire yet to shew how greatly hee detesteth this wickednes euen in this life in some measure he punisheth it When Iosua Josua 9. the Princes of Israel had made a faithfull othe to the Gibeonites Saul afterward violated it almightie God in the 2. King 21. daies of Dauid punished it with three yeares famine thorow out Israel till the seuen sonnes of Saul were geuen to the Gibeonites to bee slaine When Mataniah named by Nabuchodonosour Zedichiah had sworne subiection to the 4. Kings 24. 25. King but afterward forswearing him sealfe and rebelling the Lorde punished his periurie by the King of Babylon who tooke him prisoner slue his sonnes before his eies then put out both his eies and caried him bounde into Babylon where he was kept in perpetuall miserie I neede not say that therefore none of the posteritie of Edward the fourth came vnto the possessiō of the crowne of England because he solemnely swore at Yorke to holde him sealfe contented with his owne duke dome and to performe loyall obedience to the King Duke Elphred conspiring against King Adelstane for swore him sealfe in his purgation therefore at Rome wherefore almightie God stroke him presently in Saint Peters church there and so hee died Earle Godwine hauing treaterously slaine Alphrede brother to King Edward the third thereof charged by the King at table at a certaine time the Earle tooke breade in his hand and swore desiring that the bread might choake him if he were there of giltie which breade hee eating was there with all sodenly choaked that hee fell downe and died To be shorte one may stande for many which is notoriously knowen that a woman which in the yeare 1575. for alittle flaxce forswore her selfe in wood-streate in London therefore was presently stroken and miserably died with great torture tormentes and terrour Infinire like exampls of the iuste iudgements of God in this behalfe are exstant and albeit God doe not alwaies strike all persons in like manner offending yet that it might appeare how greatly he detesteth this wickednes he giueth men a taste of his anger and wrathfull indignation euen in this life present shewing thereby how much more sharpely they shal be punished in the world to come And thought in great patience he beareth with this intollerable sinne of men for a long time and season yet shall they not be vnpunished for euer Truely in this thing therefore saith the poet Tibullus Though that periurie be at the first couered yet at length punishment commeth without noyse secretely And Homer in like manner saith Albeit God foorthwith punish not periuries yet doeth hee at length whereby most grieuous punishments falle on the authour his companion and children which hath committed them Which thing seemeth to haue beene fulfilled in Philip king of Macedonia his children whom Pausanias recordeth to haue fallen into so many miseries calamities and troubles because he violated his othes and falsified his promises so often Wherfore howsoeuer either vain swearers or periured persons doe here escape the reuenging hand of God yet shall they vndoubtedly be subiect to eternall condemnation vnlesse they both leaue their wickednes and speedely repent themselues of their sinne embrace the councell of the Apostle who correcteth this euil Let your yea be yea and your nay nay least ye fal into condemnation This reason drawen from danger not temporal only but eternal rather might be a sufficient stop and stay to keep our lips from this wickednes from which refraining we are so far that we pretend excuses to our vanity 1 Some therefore say I am forced to sweare men otherwise will not beleeue me Shall man force thee to blaspheme and shal not Gods word drawe thee to obedience shall man make thee to doe more in transgressing then Gods word in obeying Is there any necessitie to force thee to doe that which doing thou fallest into condemnation yea is not thy owne vanitie thy inconstancie in thy words thy falshood in thy promises thy periurie in thy othes thy often swearing not vainly only but vntruely also cause that no man giueth thee credit if in al thing◠thy deedes were agreeable to thy words thy performāces according to thy promises if thou wert thy words master and neuer protestedst but the trueth if thy tongue were geuen to simplicitie and thy lippes not defiled with lies then shoulde thy worde be beleeued as well yea rather better then thine othe but because thy wordes are but wind and in thy speaches there is no hold because thy promises are without perfourmance in thy saying there is no faith because in thy tongue there is no trust and in thy talke there is no trueth therefore thou swearest yet thou art not beleeued The law saith He that is once presupposed and taken for an euill man is alwaies so presupposed and he that is taken once for faithlesse vntrustie is alwaies so presupposed Aristotle as Laertius writeth or Demetrius as other affirme being asked what Laertius de vitaphilo profite men gate by their lies falshoode and vntrueths in them answered this onely that oftentimes whē they tell the trueth yet men will not beleeue them The fault therfore redoundeth vpon thy owne head that thou art not beleeued so farre therefore is this pretence from excusing thy swearing that it rather encreaseth thy offence 2 If we pretend our custome doeth this excuse our sinne Nay doeth not custome of doing euill aggrauate the wickednes that seruant that is accustomed to rob his master and doeth it therefore more commonly is more punishable thē he that hath once done it so hath done The childe that by vse and custome groweth to be disobedient deserueth with more seueritie to be chastened then he that once offendeth and so leaueth Euery wickednes how much more commonly it is done so much more hainous is it The man more accustomed to adulteries is the more filthie whoremonger the wife that hath more vsually prostituted her selfe to others is the more detestable harlot the theefe that by custome robbeth deserueth more iustly to be hanged the more vsually any euill is committed the more haynous
Homilie let the inquisition and inquiring out of thy sinne be in thy hearte and thought Of confess and repent this inquiring and iudgement let it be without witnes let God alone see thy confessing which onely doth not vpbraid thee with the sinnes but forgiueth them Saint Augustine not abiding that proude presumption Lib. 10. confes c. 3. of men sharpely inueigheth against them in his confessions what haue I to doo saith he with men that they should heare my confessions as if they could heale my sores a curious kinde of men to know the liues of others and a slouthfull to correct their owne How know they when they heare of me of my selfe whether I 1. Cor. 2. speake the truth sith no man knoweth what is done in man but the spirite of man that is in him This intollerable arrogancie of men to heare the confessions of other mens sinnes Lysander could not abide wherefore when he asked counsell in Samothracia Lysander of the Oracle being willed by the priest and keeper thereof to tell the greatest sinne that euer he committed asked whether he should do it at his bidding or at the commaundement of the gods When it was tolde hm it was the commaundement of the gods he willed the priest to stande a parte and he would tell it the gods if they did aske him Thus the very heathen detested this auricular confession of their sinnes vnto others Wherefore let that be abandoned farre from the schoole of Christ which the very heathen by reason did not admit and let it be condemned for euer as an errour or heresie not tollerable which neyther Scripture confirmeth nor Fathers allow of Saint James in this place speaketh nothing hereof but only of confession of offences priuately committed which either for mutuall comfort or for mutuall reconciliation ought to be mutually confessed as Erasmus Bede expound it Vnto which cōfession mutual praier is ioined wherof albeit in the 14. 15. verses he had spoken yet to shew the excellencie and necessitie thereof here repeateth it againe requireth it Which he cōmendeth from the effect that all men might see and know that there is nothing more effectuall and forceble to the healing of our bodily diseases then vnfained praier proceeding frō a liuelie faith a pure heart and good conscience to God Which effect of mutuall confession and praier is health acknowledge your faults one to another and pray one for another that you may be healed our mindes cleere of malice our hearts of hatred our affections of enuie our desires of wrath and reuenge our bodies shall the sooner be restored to health by the Lord. Seeing then such an effect followeth mutuall prayer we ought to be councelled by the holy Ghost and aduised by the Apostle to praie one for another that wee may be healed But of this more hath beene spoken vpon the 14. and 15. verses before going Where Saint Iames exhorteth vs to pray one for another it no whitte at all fauoureth the opinion of Popish persons either for their praiers to the dead or for the dead To the deceased Saints herence are we not moued to pray as to mediatours and aduocates for vs to God For here the Apostle as before desireth the liuing saints to pray one for another that they may be healed The Lords prayer teacheth that men aliue may pray for men liuing therefore therein we pray not for our selues alone but for the whole bodie of the Church One man may sue to God for another being aliue and we are willed to seeke for the praiers of the liuing Saints that they may be poured out for vs to God But to sue for the helpe of the praiers of the soules and spirites of men and women deceased neither doeth this place neither any other in the canonical Scriptures of God teach or perswade vs. And as we are not taught to sue to the dead so neither are we taught to sue for the dead for the liuing saints must pray one for another being aliue they are willed to praie for those that are sicke but not dead Dauid praied 2. Kings 12. for the childe begotten of Bersebah when it was sicke but assoone as it was dead he ceased Abraham praied for the Gen. 18. Sodomites being aliue but when they were destroyed we heare no prayer for them Moises praied to GOD for the Leuit. transgressing Israelites but when they were destroyed by the hand of God he praied not Saint Paul praied for the Rom. 9. 1◠lewes his brethren according to the flesh but it is neuer mentioned that he praied for any of them deceased Prayers for the soules in purgatory therfore herence can no wise be gathered Now that health followeth the praiers of Gods saints we must not take it that as all they for whom praier was made were alwaies healed in the time of the Apostles euen so also now but that as in that time it was the ordinarie meane and had his effect in all euen so ought it to be a meane now and no doubt in sundrie it shal be and is assuredly very effectuall though the gift of healing be not as it was in the time of the Apostles for GOD will heare the praiers of his seruants and will fulfill their desires whose eares are open to the suites of the righteous and will graunt their requests as shall stand best with his heauenly wisdome This effect oftentimes to followe the praiers of the Saints it is shewed for that the praiers of the righteous are very forcible and preuaile much if they be feruent Of the force of the Saints praiers see Sermon 2. vpon S. Iames leafe 19. 1. page c. Sermon 3. leafe 26. page 1. c. Sermon 17. vpon 4. Iames leafe 184. page 1. c. To which places this also may here be added that Two things required in prayer that it may be effectuall to the efficacie of mens praiers the Apostle requireth two things One in him that praieth the other in the praier it selfe 1 Touching him that praieth if he wil haue his praier heard he must be iust and righteous for it is here saide that the praier of the righteous auaileth much They must be such as feare God and beleeue in Iesus Christ such as are carefull to serue him in spirite and trueth such as doe walke before him in holines and righteousnesse of life These are they whose praiers auaile much For this cause Saint Paul exhorteth men to praie to God lifting vp pure 1. Tim. 2 Psal 145. Psal 34. 1. Peter 3 handes vnto him The Princely Prophet Dauid affirmeth that God will fulfill the desires of them that feare him and heare their crie and saue them And in another place which is alleadged carefully by Saint Peter the prophet promiseth the present helpe and the priest aide of god to our praiers when we are righteous the eyes of the Lord are ouer the righteous and his eares are open to