God who in their special charge do serue God and further his kingdome so Princes in their places Preachers in their functions are the Seruants of Christ in their seuerall callings and speciall seruice in the Church and Common-wealth in which respect our Apostle heere calleth himselfe The Seruant of God 1. Cor. 1.1 Phil. 1.1 Tit. 1.1 So Paul calleth himselfe the Seruant of Iesus Christ So againe he calleth himselfe and Timotheus the Seruants of Iesus Christ and to Titus he vseth the same Title It is meet then Brethren that we should all acknowledge our selues the Seruants of Iesus Christ and labour faithfully to performe our duetie towardes him Wee are his Seruants by the right of our creation for all things were made through him Wee are his Seruants by the right of our conseruation Iohn 1.4 for in him wee liue mooue Acts 17 28 and haue our being by the right of our redemption for he bought vs with the price of his owne precious bloud by the right of his empire rule ouer vs for all rule is giuen vnto him in Heauen and in Earth by the right also of his iudicial power Iohn 5.22 for the Father hath giuen all iudgement vnto the Sonne Seeing then Brethren that in so manifold a bond of duetie wee are bound vnto our Christ let vs so serue him in sinceritie of heart that wee be neuer numbred among the number of stubborne and disobedient seruants of whom our Sauiour speaketh Mat. 25.30 Cast the vnprofitable Seruant into vtter darkenesse there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth The duety of a good Christian shewed by the duetie of a profitable Seruant But let vs now a little examine the duetie of a profitable Seruant that wee may perceiue how farre off most men are from the regard of this duetie The profitable Seruant employeth the chiefest part of his time not in his owne but in his Maisters businesse but now men spend the whole race of their life in the seruice of the world and the diuell and the things pertaining vnto God are least of their care Seruants possesse little and that but things necessary and which they receiue from the hands of their Maisters but now men catch and scrape whatsoeuer they may and by what meanes soeuer and what they can not catch they still couet it in heart and enuy it vnto others Good Seruants though they suffer many stripes they answer not againe but vse gentle words take it patiently but now in crosses and aduersities many will murmure against the highest God yea sometimes blaspheme and despaire Good seruants hearing the threatnings of their masters doe feare and are the more wary how they offend but now adayes Gods threatnings for sinne of many are despised Good Seruants vse no familiarity with their maisters enemies but now men enter into deep league and friendship with the world and the Diuell which haue continuall enmity with God yea They haue made a couenant with death Esay 28.15 and with hell are at an agreement Good Seruants doe not their owne willes but execute the willes and commandements of their maisters but now the commaundements of God are kicked at and trodden vnder foote Is this to be the Seruants of Christ are these the markes of our Christian profession All couetous wretches then are not the Seruants of Christ but of their god Mammon the glutton and drunkard are not the Seruāts of God but of their belly which they make their god all filthy and carnall liuers serue not God but the vncleane spirit All prowd and ambitious men are not the Seruants of Christ but doe homage vnto Sathan But for what stipend and reward doe they serue Bernard li. Senten Saint Bernard sheweth Quatuor sunt quorum in hac vita obsequijs deseruimus caro mundus diabolus Deus habent singuli principes isti dona propria c. There are foure maisters to whom men in this life yeelde their seruice the flesh the world the diuell or God The flesh giueth to hir seruitours a little momentany pleasures full of stings and remorse the world transitorie aduancements the Diuell perpetuall captiuitie but God eternall felicitie quibus ergo potiùs aut impensiùs seruiendum saith he Which of these now tell mee oughtest thou rather or more earnestly to serue Of these words The Seruants of God and of our Lord Iesus Christ among the learned Expositors I finde two Interpretations first that the Apostle speaketh coniunctim that he is the Seruant of Christ who is God and Lord as well of the Apostle as of all men Heretikes confuted And heere hee meeteth with the heresie of the Ebionites Cerinthians Carpocratians Arrians and the Iewes which affirmed Christ to be onely man the sonne of Ioseph and not God the Lord whose blasphemies in few but in most effectuall words he confuteth teaching that the same Lord Iesus Christ is both God and Man the very consubstantiall Sonne of the Father The other Interpretation is of the later Writers which read the word disiunctim Seruus Dei Domini nostri the seruant of God and of our Lord Iesus Christ where he hath respect vnto two of the Persons in Trinitie the Father and the Sonne whose seruant our Apostle here professeth himselfe to be And this interpretation proueth also the Diuinity of Christ seeing that equally he professeth himselfe to be the seruant of God the Father and of his Sonne Iesus Christ and both his God and his Lord. And heere the heresies of the Sabellians and Priscilians are refuted c. The second part Vnto the twelue Tribes which are dispersed salutation HAuing spoken before of the person of the Writer of this Epistle and of his Office next hee sheweth to whom he wrote to the twelue Tribes dispersed wherein these three things commeth to bee considered 1 Of the dispersion of the Iewes 2 Why he wrote especially vnto them 3 Of his salutation It is well knowne that the Israelites were diuided into twelue Tribes according to the number of of the twelue sonnes of Iacob which were the twelue Patriarches from whom as from Fountaines sprang many and great Nations Gen. 35. 49. They first dwelled with their father Iacob in the Land of Canaan afterwards in Egipt after that in the Desarts of Arabia from whence they inhabited the Land of Palestina where hauing receiued the Law of God and Religion they were ioyned together into the body of one Kingdome and Synagogue and so long they remained vnited as they claue vnto God but when they reuolted from the high God vnto idolatry and the seruice of strange Gods after the manner of the Heathen who in steed of the true God worshipped deuils Psal 106. ver 40.41 then was the wrath of the Lord kindled against his people and hee abhorred his inheritance and hee gaue them into the hands of the Heathen and they that hated them were Lords ouer them As the Lord also before
had threatned if they would not be reformed but walke stubbornely against the Lord that hee would scatter them among the Heathen Leuit. 26.33 and will draw out a sword after them and their land shall be waste and their Citties shall bee desolate Againe Deut. 4.27 and the Lord shall scatter you among the people and you shall bee left few in number among the Nations whither the Lord shall bring you And least any should thinke these threatnings to bee vaine and but words let vs see with what horrible examples the Lord hath confirmed them Hoshea raigning ouer the ten Tribes in Samaria they turned from the Lord and committed all abhominations against him wherefore God stirred vp Salmanazar King of Assiria who after three yeares warre tooke Samaria the Metropolis of that Kingdome 2. Reg. 17. spoyled the Countrey carried away all the people into the most cruell captiuity of the Assirians Secondly the other two Tribes namely the Tribe of Iuda and the Tribe of Beniamin 2. Reg. 25. were dispersed Ierusalem being taken with their perfidious King Zedekia by Nabuchadnezzar with their wiues children and other Princes as Ieremy before prophecied Ierem. 27. then was the Citty ouerthrown the Temple consumed with fire and they that escaped the sword famine fire and pestilence as flockes of Cattell were driuen away into the miserable captiuity of the Chaldaeans Thirdly the Reliques of the Israelites were oppressed and dispersed now by the King of Syria now by the King of Egypt sometimes with ciuill warres among themselues so that wretched Iudaea standing in the midst and addicted sometimes to this side sometimes to that was trodden downe of both and exposed to the direptions of both sides so that many good men not enduring the sight of the prophanation of their Country and holy Things wandred farre and neere Yea some betooke them to the Desart chusing rather to leade their liues with brute beasts then with such kind of men as the History of the Machabees doth testifie and they wandred vp and downe Heb. 11.37 in Sheepes skinnes and in Goates skinnes being destituted afflicted and tormented Heere brethren wee are to obserue two notable Lessons for our instruction First that with all reuerence wee heare and beleeue the word of God that wee may learne thereby to feare the Lord For his word is neuer in vaine nor returneth voide as the Prophet saith Esay 55.10 11 c. Surely as the raine commeth downe and the snow from heauen and returneth not thither but watreth the earth and maketh it to bring forth and bud that it may giue seed to the sower and bread vnto him that eateth So shall my word bee that goeth out of my mouth it shall not returne vnto me voide but it shall accomplish that which I will and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it And the Lord hath in all ages seuerely punished the contempt of his Word and Messengers 2. Chron. 36.15.16 Therefore the Lord God of their Fathers sent to them by his Messengers rising earely and sending for hee had compassion on his people and on his habitation But they mocked the messengers of God and despised his words and misused his Prophets vntill the wrath of the Lord arose against his people and till there was no remedie Secondly to hate sinne and flie from sinne as from a serpent as the cause of all euils and calamities that are in the world The euils of sinne Sinne blindfoldeth the minde taking away the supernaturall light of Gods grace it defileth and spotteth the conscience as a thing most filthy and vnworthy for a man it accuseth vs guilty before God as iniurious to his Diuine Maiestie it impouerisheth vs spoyling vs of all our spirituall riches it dishonoureth vs making vs odious in the sight of God and of his holy Angels in this life is the cause of sicknesse famine sword pestilence and all euils that may happen to the body and of eternall destruction of body and soule in the life to come To conclude seeing that God is the inexhaust treasurie of all goodnesse and sinne separateth from God it followeth then that sinne bringeth vpon vs incomparable and infinite losse for it depriueth vs of God the infinite good Your sinnes haue diuided betwixt your God and you Esay 59.2 If then ô man thou dost so diligently take heed of temporall losse if thou so carefully keepest thy money and treasure how art thou deceiued through blindnesse of minde how is thine vnderstanding darkened with folly how is thy reason obscured by the deuill If thou fearest not to fall into sinne which depriuest thee of God the fountaine of all happinesse Why makest thou so small account of the God of infinite Maiestie Why fearest thou more to loose one peny then by sinning to bee depriued of thy God and through lying deceiuing swearing c. to be separated from him who is insititly good and who hath power to cast both body and soule into hell and without whom there is no blessednesse Thus for their sinnes was that Nation of the Iewes Gods vengeance pursuing them many times dispersed and persecuted But of this the Apostle hath not respect in this place but of the dispersed Christians which for the name of Christ were scattered abroad and persecuted For many out of all the Tribes which professed Christ after Saint Stephen was stoned Acts 7. flying the rage of the Pharisies were scattered in diuers Countries Actes 8.1 At that time saith the Scripture there was a great persecution against the Church which was at Ierusalem The state of the Church Millitant and they were all scattered abroad except the Apostles And heere brethren againe we are to note the state and condition of the Church militant and of all the faithfull while they are in their exile and pilgrimage in this life trauelling toward their Countrey in the way they are to suffer many crosses troubles persecutions and many iuiuries of the world and the diuell and if wee will arriue at the hauen of happinesse and port of felicity wee must follow our Pilot and Captaine Iesus Christ the same way he went before vs Act. 14.22 For through many tribulations wee must enter into the Kingdome of heauen 2. Tim. 3.12 And all that will liue godly in Iesus Christ must suffer persecution It cannot then bee otherwise but the godly going to heauen-ward must be enforced to suffer diuers troubles Pathemata Mathemata Afflictions are instructions These are the trials of the faithfull by which God exerciseth the faith hope charitie and patience of his children and confirmeth them and therefore in the booke of Wisedome this triall of faith is compared to the triall of gold As gold is tryed in the fire Wisd 3.6 so men are tried in the furnace of affliction And againe 1. Pet. 1.6.7 Through manifold temptations yee are in heauinesse that the triall of your faith being
much more precious then gold that perisheth though it bee tried with fire might bee found vnto your praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Iesus Christ For as by the fire gold is tryed whether it bee pure or no so by the crosse faith whether it be without the drosse of hipocrisie Now the comforts that all the faithfull and chiefly Gods Ministers which for their calling sake are most subiect to all crosses and iniuries of the wicked may gather from hence in all their troubles are First that the cause is not theirs but the Lords Secondly that they come forth to battell being armed not with carnall but with spirituall weapons Thirdly that they haue present with them a King or Captaine vnder whom they fight euen Christ himselfe who hath vanquished the whole Kingdome of darknesse Fourthly that they haue regard to the incorruptible crowne of glory which Christ their chiefe Captaine hath reserued in heauen for them Lastly let them consider that as Saint Augustine saith Afflictions to the faithfull are but as files and hammers to the gold Milles to the wheate or the Ouen to the bread gold by the file and hammer wheat by the mill and loaues by the ouen are brought to their perfection So a true Christian is purified and perfected by crosses and afflictions Aug. de tempore ser 78. This is the high-way to our heauenly Country The last thing in the Epigrapha or Title is the salutation or greeting The third point A certaine forme of salutation hath euer bene vsuall among all Nations Three manner of salutations Plat. in Epist 3. Dionis as both holy and prophane Writers witnesse who haue set downe diuers formes thereof Plato expresseth three that were most in vse among the Grecians as to wish Prosperity to wish Health to wish Ioy. The first was common to the Phylosophers the second to the Physitions the third to the vulgar people The ancient Romanes vsed commonly but one forme of greeting as Salutem optare to wish Health as it is euident by Ciceroes Epistles The most vsuall among the Iewes was to wish Peace The Apostle Saint Paul in euery of his Epistles vseth this forme of greeting Rom. 1.7 1. Cor. 1.3 1. Cor. 1.2 Gal. 1.3 Ephe. 1.2 Phil. 1.2 c. Acts 15.23 Grace bee with you and Peace from God our Father and from the Lord Iesus Christ Saint Peter vseth the same forme Saint Iude wisheth Mercy peace and loue to be multiplied The first generall Councell held at Ierusalem vseth the same manner of salutation as this our Apostle Saint Iames doth The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to Reioyce laetari bono animo esse to bee of good cheere or comfort howsoeuer the externall affaires of this world fall out Hee wisheth them all health and happinesse which may happen to strangers and Pilgrimes in this life both of body and soule He wisheth them a true and constant faith wherby they may acknowledge God He wisheth them a stedfast hope whereby they may cleaue to Gods promises in Iesus Christ He wisheth them true charitie whereby they may loue God with all their heart with all their soule and with all their minde He wisheth them patience in aduersity moderation in prosperity eternall saluation with perfect glorification both of body and soule Obseru 1 Heere obserue that the Apostle wisheth not vnto them the honours of this world great riches or liberty which yet they might seeme to want but spirituall good things that they may lead their liues acceptable vnto God that they may be at last truely happy and blessed for cuermore Math. 6.33 Seeke first saith Christ the Kingdome of heauen For what shall it profite a man though he should winne the whole world Mat. 16.26 if hee loose his owne soule So the Apostle Iohn inspired with the same Spirit wisheth to the Elect Lady 2. John 3. and her children aboue all things Grace mercy and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Iesus Christ And Saint Iohn vnto the seuen Churches wisheth Grace and peace from him which is Apoc. 1.4 which was and which is to come He wisheth not vnto them these false fading and corruptible goods which are common to the good and bad to the iust and vniust indifferently and which doe perish with vs but the gifts of the Spirit which can neither bee giuen nor taken away of men Obseru 2 Here againe let vs consider with what care and dilligence the first Pastors of the Church performed their office of Preaching and teaching the people when they not onely fed the present with their wholesome word of exhortation examples and doctrine but also laboured to draw the absent dispersed and future age to all piety with their holy Writings They watched ouer the Flock of Christ as they that were to giue account for their soules They knew well the word of the Lord to bee stable and sure Their bloud will I require at thine hands Ezech. 3.18 This care also had all Gods seruants in the succeeding ages as Clemens Alex. Iustinianus Tertullianus Cyprianus c. a president for all true Pastors to haue before their eyes Obseru 3 Againe heere is laid before our eyes the sweete mercy and goodnesse of God towards the exiles and dispersed Christians when he raised vp godly and faithfull Pastors to comfort them and further their saluation The Apostles after His Passion being scattered abroad by sundry apparitions hee comforted them Can a woman forget her child Esa 49.15 and not haue compassion on the sonne of her wombe though she should forget yet will I not forget thee saith the Lord. So Dauid in his exiles in the wildernesse and warres and in his greatest temptations this louing Lord neuer forsooke him but with his comforts alwaies accompanied him The Vse Let not the godly therefore in their sorrow and aduersities despaire let none distrust Gods fatherly care towards them Blessed is the man that maketh the Lord his trust Psal 40.4 and regardeth not the proud nor such as turne after lies Obseru 4 Lastly here wee learne that the duty of kind greetings and salutations is Apostolicall and a worke of charitie whereby as members of one body we wish well one to another This duty of euery true Christian is not to be reiected or proudly to be disdained as all holy and Apostolicall men the Saints of God by their owne examples haue taught vs Yea Christ himselfe most louingly saluted his Disciples Math. 28.9 Luk. 24.36 Ioh. 20.26 The Vse and the women being in distresse God saue you Peace be vnto you Here are reproued the proud Stoicall sullen Sectaries of our time who being puffed vp with selfe-conceite of their owne worthinesse disdaine to afford so much as salutations to any they meete which dissent from them in some opinions concerning their humorous fancies rightly resembling the old Donatists or Anabaptists of this age plainely shewing heereby how far
falleth away and the beauty of the fashion of it perisheth euen so shall the rich man fade away in all his wayes 12 Blessed is the man that endureth tentation for when he is tryed he shall receiue the Crowne of life which the Lord hath promised to them that loue him THE Apostle returneth againe to his former proposed doctrine of patience The Analysis and comfort in afflictions and sheweth the profite that commeth to poore and rich thereby for which they ought to reioyce for which he also giueth a reason Secondly hee concludeth this doctrine with the reward of patitience Verse 12. Blessed is the man that endureth temptations c. There are two sorts of men poore and rich to both which the doctrine of patience vnder the Crosse is necessary For the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is he which is abiect afflicted with pouerty sicknesse exile hatred of the world and other calamities to which is opposed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the rich to whom all things pertaining to this mortall life doe succeed after their desires The Apostle willeth the poore brethren to reioyce in affliction because they are hereby exalted either to the true profession of the Gospell of Christ or because they are thereby made like vnto Christ himselfe and his holy Saints who haue all in this world drunk of the cup of afflictions and haue thereby a sure testimony to their conscience that they are the adopted sons of God and therefore heires of the heauenly glory as Christ himselfe testifieth Luk. 24.25 26. O yee fooles and slow of heart to beleeue all that the Prophets haue spoken Ought not Christ to haue suffered these things and to enter into his glory The rich againe should reioyce in affliction as very profitable vnto them because being taught thereby how vaine the pompe and riches of this world is they are restrained within the bounds of their duty So that the poore thereby are made content with their abiect condition and the pride of the rich thereby abated The Elect of God ought not to change their mindes with the blasts of Fortune as the common sort of men do But a brother that is an humble Christian pressed downe with diuers miseries should rather reioyce in this for that being contemned of the world hee is beloued of God who will exalt him to the fellowship and glory of his Saints aboue Againe let the rich when hee is made low reioyce because whereas hee was for the deceitfull goods of this life honoured in the world now for the profession of Christ hee is contemned and despised 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exaltatio is the glorificatiō of the Saints which Christ giueth vnto his faithfull seruants I go saith hee to prepare a place for you Ioh. 14. and I will receiue you vnto my selfe First heere let vs note the loue and mildnesse of the Apostle who calleth all Christians though neuer so poore abiect and base in the world Brethren for all which haue partaked of the same Baptisme hauing the same God their Father and Creator the same Sonne their Sauiour and Redeemer the same holy Ghost their Sanctifier Members of the same Church professours of one and the same Religion What are they else but brethren yea more neerely linked together then in any carnall affinity Christ himselfe calleth vs Brethren and willeth vs to repute one another brethren Math. 5 22 Whosoeuer is angry with his brother c. The etrnall Sonne of God himselfe calleth vs his brethren Math. 6. Math. 23. Iohn 20. Math. 10. Goe tell my brethren saith hee Againe Hee that doth the will of my Father which is in heauen hee is my brother sister and mother But is it not to be lamented that this excellent vertue of charity among Christians is not onely cold but almost altogether quenched How many brawles strifes hatreds treasons of one towards another and murthers haue crept now into the place thereof This prouerbe Homo homini Deus one man is as it were a God towards another this wretched age hath turned into homo homini damon Lupus one man is a deuill or a wolfe towards another So that this complaint of the Poet is verified among vs Ouidius Illud amicitiae sanctum venerabile nomeu Nunc tibi pro vili sub pedibusque iacet The reu'rend name of friendship pure which once was sacred sweet As thing most vile of thee is quite trodden vnder feete The friendship and loue of the world aimeth onely at profite Seneca Mel muscae cadauera lupi frumenta formicae praedam non hominem sequitur turba ista and maketh it the ground thereof as Seneca once truely said As the waspes and flyes follow the hony Wolues the dead carcasse Emets the corne so these kind of friends follow their prey and not the man The word exalted I find among the Fathers to be two waies expounded The word exalted 2 waies taken First it signifieth the Crowne of heauenly glory wherewith Christ will crowne all in his Kingdome which heere suffer patiently the crosse and afflictions for his names sake with the most certaine expectation whereof the seruants of God do erect their mindes and comfort themselues in all aduersity yea and in death it selfe For the afflictions of this life are but temporary and very short but the crowne of glory in their exaltation is eternall Hee that loueth his life shall lose it Iohn 12. Luk. 18. and hee that hateth his life in this world shall keepe it vnto eternall life And againe this word exalted may bee taken for the inward and spirituall ioy of the minde wherewith Gods children are cheared and comforted when they are hated and afflicted of the wicked as the Apostles Acts 5.41 Which went reioycing that they were counted worthy to suffer rebuke for Christs name Blessed are yee when men reuile you Math. 5.11 12. and persecute you and say all manner of euill against you for my names sake falsely Reioyce and bee glad for great is your reward in heaaen And wee must not thinke as the reuerend Beda noteth vpon this place that this pertaineth onely to the Apostles and holy Martyrs but vnto vs all as the example of blessed Iob whom God first humbled with many afflictions before hee exalted him vnto glory telleth vs so Abel Noe Abraham Dauid and the rest of the Patriarches and Prophets and all the rest of the Fathers could find no other way to heauen but through exile persecutions and diuers troubles let euery man in his afflictions apply this vnto himselfe and hee shall finde great comfort vnto his soule The rich in that hee is made low THE other part of his exhortation pertaineth to the rich men To the rich for hee taketh heere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diuitem for a man any way fortunate in this world Psal 144. Whose sonnes are as the yong plants and their daughters as the polished corners of
This seed of it selfe is very fruitfull but according to the diuerse conditions of the ground that is of the hearers it yeeldeth none at all or diuerse fruit For the heart of some is like an high way which is worne and trodden on of all that is which without any choice is laid open to all vncleane thoughts and desires Their heart is like a common Inne which admitteth and receiueth all kinde of men good and bad knowne and vnknowne for it maketh no difference of good or euill thoughts It is like vnto a crazed boate which leaketh water at euery chinke It is like a Citie without walles or gates which is easily inuaded of the enemy Like a vineyard without a hedge whose fruit is spoiled of euery one that passeth by To conclude such a soule is like vnto a house without a dore or locke which euery one vseth as a filthy stable And how shamefull a thing is it to suffer the soule to bee thus polluted with all vncleane thoughts it may appeare by this one example Were it not an indelible shame for a woman to fall into the degree of impudency to prostitute her selfe in a common stewes Et omnibus sui copiam facere And what an ignominy then is it vnto the soule to receiue within it all vncleane thoughts and desires which the deuill offereth without any difference What is this else but to commit spirituall fornication with the harlot whereof the Lord speaketh by the Prophet Ieremy Ier. 2. Like an harlot thou runnest about vpon all high Hilles and vnder euery greene Tree What fruite now should the word of God yeeld in such a heart For euen as an harlot though shee know many men yet she remaineth alwaies barren So though they oftentimes heare the word yet are nothing bettered thereby For these vices doe distract the minde with diuers perturbations that they will not permit it quietly and attentiuely to heare the word c. The eighth Sermon IAMES 1.22 c. And be yee deers of the word and not hearers onely c. THE Apostle hauing before spoken of regeneration heere hee proceedeth exhorting the regenerate to shew forth the fruites thereof The Diuision which consisteth in three especiall members An exhortation to obedience confirmed by certaine reasons in the first foure verses The second taken from the nature and quality of Gods word which not onely teacheth vs to do well but to speake well also If any among you c. with certaine reasons Thirdly hee sheweth wherein true religion consisteth Pure religion and vndefiled c. By doing the word the Apostle meaneth not an absolute and perfect fulfilling of the Law which no man can possibly performe as the Apostle Peter witnesseth Act. 15. but the doing of the word by the imputation of the righteousnesse and obedience of Christ who hath perfectly fulfilled the Law for the saluation of the faithfull which when they haue truely receiued Christ by faith hee giueth them such measure of the spirit of sanctification that they obediently endeuour to conforme their will to the will of God to feare loue and to serue him to loue their neighbour and alwaies to proceed towards perfection Men dinersly affected to the word There are some which neither heare nor doe the word of God others which will heare but not doe and there are others which heare the word and indeuour to do the same For the first sort of these it is plaine that they are of their father the deuill by the sentence of Christ himselfe Iohn 8. chapter and 47. verse Hee that is of God heareth Gods word yee therefore heare them not because yee are not of God Simile Doth it not seeme that hee is not the Lord of a Castle which when hee would enter the gates are shut against him So the gate by which God would enter into our hearts is the hearing of the Word Preached who so then that refuseth to heare doth as it were shut the gate of his heart against Christ Euen as a Citie which receiueth victuall and all necessaries for the sustentation of their life from some other place if thou stop the waies and passages by which it was wont to bee brought they must needs faint and perish with famine So the life of our soule dependeth of some other For euery good giuing and euery perfect gift is from aboue and commeth downe from the Father The word of God is the way by which all good things commeth to the soule which if thou stop thy soule must needs perish The ground which is not manured tilled what can it yeeld but weedes brambles and thornes it bringeth not forth corne of his owne nature If thou wilt not heare the word Quid nisi peccata germinabis saith one There are many now a dayes which beare the name of Christians which will so practise the manners and rules of true Christianity as one once did imbrace the studies of Philosophie who as Cicero saith was wont to say Philosophandum esse Vt ne quid nimis Terent. sed paucis that is Hee would not wholy addict himselfe to the studies of Philosophy Sed summis tantum labijs degustare that is but a little taste and away Such are many professours now a daies which will not giue their whole heart and loue to the word but lightly and carelesly touch this heauenly Philosophie Such care for the word of God in the same measure Vt canis é Nilo Simile as they were wont the holy water comming into the Church content to bee sprinkled with a few drops but taking it in euill part if one should cast much vpon them So these content themselues with neuer so little or none at all so much doe they feare to fall into the excesse of ne quid nimis Againe as that man seemeth not to be of his houshold or family whose commandement he will not heare for shall he do that which he refuseth ro heare Is it not a wonderfull thing that all the members of the body should bee consecrated to Christ both for that hee hath created and redeemed vs and yet wee cannot affoord him one member not so much as an eare To the poysons of detractions wee haue our eares open but to the word of saluation men giue a deafe eare How shall they beleeue in him of whom they haue not heard Rom. 10.14 and how shall they heare without a Preacher But leauing these men as incorrigible and desperately wicked Contra negantes principia non est disputandū but praying to God for them I will proceed to the rest The second sort are such as can be content to heare the word but haue no care to do it For this seed of the word though of its owne nature it be most fruitfull yet according to the variety of the ground that is of the hearers among whom it is sowen it bringeth forth no fruit or very diuerse by reason that their