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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A01711	Certaine sermons, vpon diuers textes of Holie Scripture Whereof some haue been seuerally before published, and other some for the greater benefit of the godly reader are here now added. By M. George Giffard, preacher of the worde of God at Mauldon Essex.	Gifford, George, d. 1620.; Gifford, George, d. 1620. A sermon on the parable of the sower. aut; Gifford, George, d. 1620. Two sermons upon I. Peter 5. vers. 8 and 9. aut; Gifford, George, d. 1620. Foure sermons uppon the seven chiefe vertues of faith. aut; Gifford, George, d. 1620. A godlie, zealous, and profitable sermon upon the second chapter of saint James. aut; Gifford, George, d. 1620. A sermon preached at Pauls Crosse the thirtie day of May. aut; Gifford, George, d. 1620. A sermon on the third chapter of Saint Iames. aut	1597 (1597)	STC 11848.5; ESTC S120470	152,707	288

yet finde a hole to creepe out at although they bee neuer so wicked for thus they will say It is true Gods worde saith that faith is shewed foorth by good workes well I thanke GOD though I haue many vices in mee and am full of infirmities yet I am not altogether without good workes I am not so gracelesse but at some times I remember GOD by prayer I doe according to my abilitie giue to the poore I am readie to pleasure my friend doe not these things sufficiently shewe that I haue faith Dearely beloued take heede for here you may soone bee deceiued it is not the meaning of the Apostle when hee saith shew me thy faith by thy workes that a fewe scattered scrappes of good deedes among great heapes of sinfull workes and as it were a fewe grains of corne in a great heap of chaffe shuld be a true witnesse of the same For it must be shewed both in forsaking and renouncing all euill waies and also in following after all goodnesse for it is without all controuersie that those which seeme to bee good workes before men are not so before GOD in the man which is giuen ouer to commit sinne can that which is good come out of the same heart in which vngodlinesse raigneth Either make the tree good saith Christ and the fruite good or els make the tree euill and the fruit euill A good tree cannot bring foorth euill fruite Matt. 12.13 Luk. 6.43 neither can an euill tree bring foorth good fruite Can the same tree bring forth both good fruit euill fruite Doth a fountaine at the same place saith S. Iames send foorth both sweete and bitter water Iames 3.11 1. Iohn 3.7 Be not deceiued saith Saint Iohn he that worketh righteousnesse is righteous he that committeth sinne is of the diuell Some man will say doth not the most godly man that liueth commit sinne and doeth not the good and the bad come together from him The godly are loden with the corruptions of the flesh but yet they doe not commit sinne that is to say they are not giuen ouer as vngodly men are to the obedience of sinne they are spotted with imperfections but they doe not take pleasure therein as the wicked doe although they feele a lumpishnesse in them vnto good workes yet their whole race is applied vnto good workes they would very faine obey their God on both sides that is to say in forsaking all that is euill and doing all that which he commandeth them Contrariwise the fleshly Infidell doeth with all his heart giue vp himselfe in the whole race of his life to that which is filthie if hee doe any thing which is good it is but in shew being not done sincerely nor comming from a good roote but of selfe-loue vaine glorie or such like hee doth not any thing for the Lords sake but for his owne For loue him and ye shall finde him readie to doe you good cease that and his goodnesse doth dye Praise him hee will praise you againe discommend him although hee deserue it neuer so much ye shall not come in his bookes be ye neuer so good Forget not this then I pray yee good brethren when God hath set down so plain a rule to trie our selues by whether we be faithfull or Infidels If wee finde our selues full of good workes and our heart doth beare vs witnesse that we doe them euen for loue towards God well are we this doth declare our faith But if our euil deeds abound and our heart bee vncleane it is time to looke about vs wee are in a most miserable case I wish of GOD that wee might often thinke vpon this and be careful to shew our faith to the world by our good and pure life Be not afraid to applie this to our selues and also to deale against the vngodly with it For in this dissolute age wherein iniquitie hath almost gotten the vpper hand it is most necessarie that we vse this instrument which God hath put in our hands Thou saist thou beleeuest shew thy faith by thy workes Now followeth another reason Thou beleeuest there is one God thou doest well the diuels also beleeue and tremble Way this argument well ye shall plainly perceiue that it doth nothing at all helpe a man to say he hath faith when he hath no good deedes if this kinde of faith could saue him then should the diuels be saued also because they haue the same beleefe but because it is most certaine that the diuels shall not thereby bee saued therefore it is also as manifest that those men who haue no other beleefe but that which they haue cannot bee saued Let vs see then how farre the faith of Diuels doth goe Thou beleeuest saith he that there is one God or that God is one and so thou thinkest this a great matter not to beleeue as the vaine Gentiles which did thinke there were diuers gods and indeede for so farre thou doest well but yet marke what a great matter thou hast attained the Diuels doe beleeue the same and yet haue thereby no benefite or reconciliation with GOD for they tremble when they remember the terrible iudgement seate and the euerlasting fire which is prepared for them This faith of the diuels is not to be restrained to some one poynt but stretcheth vnto the whole doctrine of Faith They doe stedfastly beleeue and know that Iesus Christ dyed for the sinnes of the world this is a sure reason that they know the doctrine of GOD when they seeke to deface and ouerthrow it by contrary errors When a man therefore is of a sound iudgement in the Scriptures for matters of faith and is able to confirme euerie poynt and to ouerthrow the contrarie errours though many will say hee is a sound man and hee taketh himselfe to bee as great a Gospeller as any other yet if hee haue no workes if his faith bee not a liuely regenerating saith hee may esteeme of himselfe what he will but the Lord telleth vs that hee is no more forwarde then the diuels they are as founde in the knowledge of trueth as he And if this common and generall faith would serue they should bee saued as well as hee But it may bee here obiected that there is great difference betweene the faith of Diuels and the faith of those men which beleeue and yet haue no fruites of godlinesse in them The Diuels indeede doe beleeue all matters of faith to bee true but they doe not nor can not beleeue that they pertaine any thing at all to them they haue no hope of mercie but men although they bee very sinfull yet they are in hope that they shall bee saued Heere is a great difference therfore the faith of such men goeth far beyond the faith of Diuels The Lord giue vs eyes to see and hearts to vnderstand for I will shew that the difference is That the faith of the Diuels is more perfect For what is the

to his promises and because the plaine testimony of the scripture compelleth them they affirme it constantly and condemne the contrarie as a soule errour that God hath chosen men and men come to feele and to know this And therefore because it is a true doctrine they say also that they themselues are sure that God hath chosen them but when they take not the way to become sure which S. Peter hath here set downe but goe in a contrarie path and are spotted with filthy crimes wee may boldly say they be lyars for although they brag with their tongues of that that they should be yet there is a birde in their brest which doth sing in a cōtrary note telleth them plainly what they be Another kind of men there be which in no case can be perswaded that any man can be sure of saluation and therefore with scoffes they aske of them which professe the word when God told them so If it were a thing which were not to be or could not be knowen then the Apostle hath greatly ouershot himselfe in telling vs how wee shall come to be sure But aske a question of them whether they doe not beleeue in God euery one will answere I put all my whole trust in him reason then a little further and tell them that the Scripture which can not lie saith That all which trust in God shall be saued how then will they ioyne these togither that they trust in God and yet doubt whether they shall be saued can God deceiue or say they they know not what Vndoubtedly if they did know that they haue trust they should also know they can not perish But let vs learne by this the miserie of our time in which men do still thinke this doctrine to be strange Now let vs come to the particular application of this doctrine in which euery one must come home to himselfe remembring first that such as God hath called home to himselfe and chosen to be his children he doth also giue vnto them true faith and feeling that they bee his elect and such as perceiue no such thing in themselues are in a verie miserable case and as yet wee may say forlorne creatures therefore euery man in himselfe must aske this question of his owne soule How goeth the matter with thee Art thou sure God hath chosē thee Doest thou feele any assurance of eternal life The conscience will answere vprightly if wee be not negligent to make inquirie then if we find this within I am not sure for I doubt and stagger we must inquire with our selues thus what is the cause God is faithfull which hath promised eternall life vnto all which beleeue our heart will make answere Thou regardest not the feare of God thou art full of foule sinnes euill lustes doe reigne in thee thou doest not study for the knowledge of Gods worde thou art vnfruitfull and barren in good workes therefore thou canst not say I am led by the spirit of God and therefore sure I shall be saued If he be wise he will not stay here as the manner of fooles is saying I am not sure indeed neither do I thinke any man can be I commit it to God let him doe with me what he will these speeches may seeme to haue some wit godlines in them but they are indeed deuilish and madde because God hath taught vs a contrary lesson in this place but go this steppe further may I come to this assurance and which is the way The Lord doth answere by his Apostle Thou maiest come to this assurance and pointeth him out the way euē that which you haue heard wherein he must painefully trauell and goe forwarde not for a gird or a braid and waxe idle againe but still labour for these men had gone a great way and yet they are willed to proceede still if the Lorde guie not this assurance we are to labour so much the more and to be so much the more importunate to suspect our iudgement and to seeke for knowledge to call our selues to a more strait account to set a watch ouer our affections to see with what mind we doe things to foster no sinne willingly in vs nor to be slacke to any good worke which God hath appointed to call crie vnto God for faith and his spirit to guide vs to vse the means diligently which God hath appointed as the hearing searching meditating in the word thus in time for it is wroght in mē by degrees they neuer come to the full God wil let thē see that he is their God That neither life nor death height or depth things present or things to come Angels principalities nor powers nor any creature shall separate vs from his loue in Christ It followeth in the next verse For by this meanes an entring shall be ministred vnto you abundantly into the euerlasting kingdome of our Lord Iesus Christ This is a confirmation of the last clause of the former sentence where he saith If you doe these things you shall neuer fall and why because you shall haue a great entrance into the eternall kingdome of Christ as that is a confirmation of the other where he saith Make your calling election sure as the reason followeth there Ye shall come to be sure how because he which proceedeth so far that he knoweth he shall neuer fall away from God to destruction he is as it must needs be sure also that he is chosen for hee speaketh not here of euery particular fall into sin which is of the most godly but saith S. Peter I tell you if you do these things ye shall neuer fall not because there is any such stablenes in our selues or in our own works but we know that they be the fruits of Gods spirit in vs which is his seale set vpon none but those whome he doth marke vp to life eternall he is vnchangeable so it followeth here Ye shall not fall for they that haue a rich entrance into the kingdome of Christ which is euerlasting so that Christ doth raigne in them as hee doth in all the faithfull by his spirit can not fall vntill the power of Christ faile and his kingdome come to an end For we must note that the force of the reason resteth in the difference which is between the kingdome of Christ and the kingdomes of this world in which though they be neuer so mightie and full of pollicie and wisedome yet they should come to an end and therefore a man can not rightly say vnto the subiectes you haue a mightie prince who is bountifull and gracious your peace therefore and happie estate shall endure for euer nay the mightie may bee ouercome if not by men at least wise by death and so they may bee to day in peace and good estate to morrow all in an vprore to day vnder a louing and gracious prince to morrow vnder a fierce tyrant so vncertaine is the state of the kingdome of

the manner of those men which called it saith when as in very deede it is none but onely a certaine resemblance and shadowe thereof Thus much for this enterance and state of his disputation now follow his reasons by which hee doth prooue that this kinde of faith cannot auaile or profit a man for hee doth prcoue it very strongly and pithelie The first of them is taken from a comparison or similitude which hee setteth downe thus If a brother or a sister bee naked and destitute of daily foode and one of you say vnto them Depart in peace warme your selues and sill your bellies notwithstanding ye giue them not those things which are needfull to the booie what helpeth it This is the summe of the matter There commeth vnto you a poore man or a poore woman which lacketh clothes and sustenance you giue them gentle and faire words God helpe ye God succour ye and send yee releefe but yee giue them nothing can this helpe the poore man or the poore woman Shall they not for all your louing words sterue for cold and dye for hunger if euery man should serue them so and giue them no other almes Why doe ye not see then that as this almes and liberalitie to the poore which is but in faire speeches is colde and doth not helpe so in like manner the faith which is but in words and outward profession of speech although it be with neuer so great bragges is dead and then further why doe ye not vnderstand that a thing which is weake and dead in it selfe can by no meanes haue power to giue life and to saue But obserue it a little better thus the comparison standeth if that liberalitie which is onely in words bee cold or dead and doth not profite the poore nor make him a liberall man which vseth it then it followeth also that that faith which is onely in speech is dead and therefore cannot saue or profite him which hath it if words onely could profite or cause it to be faith why should not words also profit the poore man or woman which is destitute If words onely can make a faithful man why shuld not words make a liberall man If for a man to say he hath faith be of that power to do the greatest things as namely to couple vs to Christ to raise the soule frō death to life to put the diuell to flight to ouercome the world should it not be able to do the lesser that is to say so far to preuaile with vs to haue such power in vs as to bring forth good works Deere brethrē know that if it be aliue do the former it must needs do this if it do not this latter thē surely it is dead and can doe nothing to saue vs. This is a most plaine and forcible reason to proue that the faith of a carnall and worldly Gospeller is but a dead shew of faith and therefore he is not iustified nor saued neither can be iustified nor saued thereby seeing it hath no life in it selfe to worke and to bring foorth fruites it cannot giue life vnto him for how should it bring that which it hath not To set it foorth more plainly thus the Apostle addeth but some man might say thou hast the faith and I haue workes shew mee thy faith by thy works and I will shew thee my faith by my workes He sheweth here how euerie simple man which is a true Christian may be able to deale against the greatest and most skilfull Doctor that is to prooue that hee hath no faith if he haue not good works for when he saith Some man will say it is as much as if he had sayd any man may say thou hast faith that is thou makest thy boast that thou hast faith shewe it by thy workes because faith is an holy thing wrought by Gods spirite and a liuely and mightie thing therefore it cannot be without holy and good actions For as a man is knowne to bee dead when he doth not breathe cannot stirre see heare and such like and contrariwise when hee doth any of these he is knowne to bee aliue euen so is it with faith if it can or do bring foorth no good works then is it dead on the contrary part the actions and stirring thereof doe shew it to be aliue This is a strong place against all those which doe not onely vaunt themselues of a vaine and dead beleefe but also would leaue no mark to know who are of God and who are of the diuell Let a man take them tardie in any foule vice wherein they wallow and say vnto them ye are out of the way ye haue not the true beleefe in God ye are couetous ye are a worldling ye are a drunkard and an adulterer or such like their answere is readie Who made you able to iudge can you tell how I beleeue will you take vpon you to see what is in my heart whatsoeuer you say I haue as good a beleefe as your selfe Marke well now I pray ye for here ye may learne how to answere such sellowes say thus vnto them Faith indeed of it selfe is a secret thing in the heart but yet because it can no more be without good deedes then fire can be without heat the Lord doth bid vs by his Apostle to say vnto you shewe mee your faith by your workes and when your tongue is foule and your deedes are wicked most certain it is that the heart is vncleane there is no right faith for that doth purge the heart as S. Peter saith Act. 15. Looke but vpon mens words and outward brags of their beleefe and ye would thinke there were such plentie of faith that there could be almost no more euery man doth so strongly beleeue in Christ But come to this touchstone and triall which is here giuen vs shew thy faith by thy workes and it shall by and by carrie vs so farre on the other side when wee see such flouds of all horrible and beastly sinnes that it will cause vs to thinke vpon this saying When the sonne of man commeth shall he finde faith vpon the earth For if this be true as it is most true because God himselfe hath set it downe that the faith which is without good workes is dead and those are Infidels which like bruit beasts care not but for the things of this world and make no conscience of committing all kinde of euill workes Doe ye suppose that if the sonne of man should now come that he should finde any great store of faith Alas alas how many are the sinfull deedes of the most men which shew that they haue no faith How few are the good workes and how weake euen in the small remnant of the godlie which doth declare how poore and slender their faith is But wee must yet proceede further in this matter and as it were strike it a little deeper As men are wilie to deceiue themselues so they will here

departed Doeth not this improoue the faith of those which for the religion of GOD are so farre off from hazarding their liues and goods that they dare not be seene when neuer so little danger doth arise wherein are those like vnto Rahab which will turne with euery winde and a man can not tell what religion they be of they will be sure to row with the tide and neuer to striue against the streame doe such now iustifie them selues like Rahab haue they such a faith as shee had No dearely beloued they are as yet verie infidels and loue them selues and the worlde more then they loue GOD and his truth this thing then is most euident that the true beleefe doth make all those that haue it ready and willing to lose their liues and their goods for the Gospell this must not seeme to be a strange doctrine when as our Sauiour telleth vs in sundry places that hee that doth not forsake all and take vp his crosse and follow him can not be his disciple Well wee must therefore be so hote and zealous in the profession of true religion that it cause vs to forget our owne state and commoditie we must haue so burning a loue to Gods trueth that nothing may be able to quench the same Wee must not stagger and varie because wee shall endure trouble Let vs conclude this point wherein it is proued that they erre and are deceiued which do not make account of keeping religion pure of louing it before all other things and so of giuing to God his due honour Remember that from hence ye are to fetch the first part of the true description of a godly man and the triall of the iustifying faith which is but one and therefore worketh alike in all which are partakers of it though not in the like measure and withall marke how farre the holy ghost doth differ in setting forth a righteous man from the common manner of worldlings whereas he taketh it to be the chiefe worke which respecteth God himselfe his truth they passe ouer that and count it no matter though a man be an idolater or superstitious or a swearer which doeth not reuerence the name of God so that hee be a friendly man to his friend and such like how great an enemie he be to the worde of God it skilleth not these are bruit beasts without vnderstanding verie Atheistes which will say plainly they can see no difference betweene the papists and the professours of the gospell both because they are not able to iudge of doctrine and also that they look but vnto men Now let vs come to the second thing wherein they erre and which this text doth confute sharply they suppose as I told ye that men are to haue no further regard but to this not to hurt passing by all those duties wherein they are to doe good vnto their brethren not duly considering how the lawe of God doth not only bind vs to abstaine from hurting our neighbour but also doth most straigtly tie vs to doe all good deeds vnto them so that he is guilty before God not only which committeth that which the lawe forbiddeth but also which leaueth the thing vndone which the law inioyneth Now then because the true faith bringeth vs to haue care to obey God wholly Saint lames requireth that a man should shewe his faith not onely by leauing that which is euill but also by the perfourmance of that which is good for thus he saith Shew me thy faith by thy deeds and that faith which is without workes is dead Here by the way obserue by comparison how farre off are those from grace which swarme full of vncleane vices and their whole race is nothing but a continuall sinning whereas this is euidently here prooued that such men as carrie a great shewe of vprightnes in refraining from sundrie vices are still without testimonie of true beleefe because their holy deeds doe not appeare for when as the holy scriptures doe testifie that the heart is purified by faith that those are borne againe in the new and spirituall birth that they are new creatures and haue a new heart and a right spirit created and renued in them it must needs be that they are prepared vnto euery good worke they haue not only put off the olde man with his corrupt lustes but haue also put on the new man which is created in righteousnes true holines as they haue walked in darkenes so now they walke in the light There is one step yet further in this matter I trust that as yee will confesse this That if those doe not beleeue well which haue no good workes to shewe although they bee in some things vpright and much more the foule filthy liuers which dishonour God and his truth so ye will also be brought to see that those miserable men are yet further off which barke against this holy doctrine and can not abide that a man should say to the wicked and vngodly thou art in the way to hell thou shalt die the death if thou returne not from these euils They may thunder and raile against men and say they vtter damnation but let them looke if they can quench the light which the holy ghost hath giuen in this text Let vs returne to the former matter againe Wee must not only abstaine frō euil but also do good there be many likewise deceiued in their doing good restraining it to the baser and lesser part they looke but vnto the bodies of their brethren and suppose they are to haue no further regard but of them to relieue and ease the miseries of the flesh let the soule be neuer so blind neuer so sick in neuer so great danger of eternall destruction they haue no pitie of that which doeth bewray that they see no further then this life they haue no true loue nor pitie in them for then would they loue the soules of men which are so precious they would pitie the wofull miserie that they be in For how absurd a thing is this that one should be carefull to case the calamitie which lasteth but for a day and not respect that which is eternall I must therfore here againe admonish ye that such as will haue proofe of their faith by good workes must exercise the same as well to the soules as to the bodies of men and because therin doth stand the greatest loue of all other they are therein to shew themselues most earnest There is no more excellent note of faith and of the true feare and loue of God then when a man is grieued and mourneth to see men out of the way to life running headlong in their sinnes vnto destruction and when as he doth in loue and pitie admonish them and seeke by instruction to draw them out of the snares of the deuill On the contrary side hee can neuer say he hath any droppe of grace which delighteth and sporteth himselfe at the lewde and wanton behauiour

of other men Iudge deare brethren these Cockbraines which can not be merrie but at the sinfull and prophane speeches of vaine men doe they shew the fruites of faith Those abominable beasts which delight to make men dronk to the intent they may laugh are they of GOD or of the diuell We must diligently exercise the contrarie labouring to draw one another to God and to conuert their soules which goe astray which is the speciall and chiefe good work that we can doe vnto men To feed the hungrie to clothe the naked to visit the sicke and those which are in bonds to open as it were the bowels of mercie and compassion to all that are in miserie are very excellent and glorious fruites of faith and haue great promises of reward in the holie Scriptures yet are they not comparable to these when the soule is sicke in prison and in the chaines of Satan to visit and releeue it When it is pining away for want of heauenly foode to minister vnto it when it is full of grieuous sores and deadly wounds to giue holesome medicines and salues vnto it to mourne with the bowels of pitie and compassion for it From hence it ariseth that all true faithfull hearts doe sobbe and groane with sorrow when they see men left without instruction and when they behold the desolations and ruines of the Church it doth pinch them euen at the heart it causeth bitter teares to flow out of their eyes when they behold any famine death of the food of life and when they see them runne from sea to sea from the one end of the land to the other to seeke for it When they see the young man and the beautifull virgin perish for thirst he that shall deny this or stand in doubt thereof neuer knew as yet what the vse and benefite of the worde is nor yet what that loue in the spirit is which the Lord commendeth vnto vs. I might here stand long in particulars to shew the crueltie of those parents which suffer their children to be without the knowledge of God and to perish in their sinnes For one of the chiefe fruits of their faith doth stand in this which the Apostle commaundeth Ephe. 6.4 Fathers prouoke not your children to wrath but bring them vp in the nurture and instruction of the Lord. For those which haue the riches and wealth of the world the holie Ghost faith 1. Ioh. 3.17 He that hath this worlds good and seeth his brother stand in neede and shutteth vp his compassion from him how dwelleth the loue of God in him If this bee true that the rich men of the world doe not loue GOD when they will not part with their riches to relieue that miserable carcase of their brethren then doubtlesse it is a more strong argument against them when as so many soules perish for want of good and pure instruction which by their wealth they might procure if they did not make more account of their riches then of the saluation of men Gods word pronounceth them blessed which imploy their goods to feede the poore then how much more blessed a thing is it when they are imployed to the ministring of spirituall foode which neuer perisheth But let vs come to those which haue the charge of soules what is the principall good worke which they are to shewe their faith by and wherein they are to declare their loue towards Christ and his Church Iohn 21.15 Simon Ioanna louest thou me Feede my sheepe feede my Lambes feede my sheepe When as therefore the hireling the idle drone and the idoll shepheard haue the flocke of the sheepe and lambes of Christ and doe not feede them or at the least doe so feede them that they are neuer the better where is the faith which they boast of is it any other then the dead faith and the faith of Diuels Whosoeuer therefore will haue the testimonie of his faith in this calling hee must execute the office as the Scripture bindeth him Is it possible that he can giue credit to the word of God and bee of a right beleefe and not regarde this The rest of his good deedes whereby some man will say he doth shew his faith are no good deedes for if hee did them of loue towards God and his brethren would hee not then doe that wherein his loue to both should most of all shew it selfe Can he loue God and hate God Can he loue men and hate men Or can hee loue God and not regarde to doe his will Or can hee loue men and not care for the saluation of their soules O my brethren who cannot say to such a man Shew me thy faith by thy workes Who will bee so blind as to thinke such are in good case I will now draw towards an ende onely by this place exhorting euery man while GOD giueth him time and abilitie to giue himselfe to the exercise of good workes and the seruice of God And deare brethren what should make vs so slack considering how short our time is and how great reasons there are to perswade vs as first to begin with that which is taught in this place Is it not a marueilous blessing to haue the witnesse of our faith Is it not a miserable curse to be without the true peace of conscience and to abide still in doubt Doeth not God promise vs also although wee can deserue nothing but when we haue done all that we can wee are still vnprofitable seruants that all our good workes shall be rewarded Mat. 10.42 Luk. 12.33 euen to a cup of colde water which is giuen for his sake Make ye bagges which neuer waxe olde or treasure which neuer faileth in heauen c. Shall not the promise of rewarde mooue vs Goe further how deare and precious ought the name of our God to bee vnto vs how much ought it to delight vs to heare it magnified how much ought wee to abhorre to see it stained and dishonoured Is not his name honoured when those which call vpon him are fruitfull in good workes Iohn 15.8 Herein saith Christ is my Father glorified that ye goe and bring foorth much fruit Also he saith Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes Matt. 5.16 and glorifie your father which is in heauen Is not Gods name dishonoured by the euil conuersation of those which professe his word Saith not Saint Paul Rom. 2.24 The name of God is euill spoken of through you among the heathen Ought not the Gospell to be deare vnto vs Is it not in the mouth of the greatest number of worldlings when they see the euill deedes of professors Loe these are your Gospellers here is their holie doctrine these are they which hunt after Sermons ye may see what they are and what their teaching is they haue as fewe good workes as other men they are all in wordes O wretches shall not these things mooue vs

to let the world see our faith and loue towards God by our good works Likewise is there any greater loue which can bee shewed towards men then when they shall be mooued by our good deeds to glorifie God in the day of their visitation when our godly dealing shall cause them to confesse that it is an holie religion which wee professe and so giue eare and ioyne themselues vnto the same O happie man which by his holie life is a meane to draw others from their euill waies and to bring them to bee schollers in the same schoole that he is Contrariwise what a wofull and miserable wretch is that which slaundereth and dishonoureth the holie worde by his sinfull life which driueth other from it and so thrusteth them on headlong to destruction Ovncharitable man shal not the bloud of such in some sort be laide to thy charge when thou driuest them from the Lorde and his trueth as much as lyeth in thee and driuest them headlong to destruction I might proceede to many particulars but then I should be ouer tedious The Lord plant these things in our hearts and giue vs grace to continue in all goodnesse to our liues ende to his glorie and our eternall comfort Amen FINIS A Sermon on the third Chapter of Saint James The Text. vers 1 2 3 c. 1 Be not many masters my brethren knowing that wee shall receiue the greater condemnation 2 For in many things wee sinne all If any man sinne not in word he is a perfect man and able to bridle the whole bodie 3 Beholde wee put bits into the horses mouthes that they should obey vs and we turne about all their bodie 4 Behold also the ships which though they bee so great and are driuen of fierce windes yet are they turned about with a very small rudder whither soeuer the gouernour listeth 5 Euen so the tongue is a little member and boasteth of great things Behold how great a thing a little fire kindleth 6 And the tongue is fire yea a world of wickednesse so is the tongue set among our members that it defileth the whole bodie and setteth on fire the course of nature and is it selfe set on fire of hell 7 For the whole nature of wilde beasts and of birds and of creeping things and of things of the sea is tamed and hath been tamed of the nature of man 8 But the tongue can no man tame it is an vnrulie euill full of deadlie poyson 9 Therewith blesse wee God euen the father and therewith curse we men which are made after the image of God 10 Out of one mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing my brethren these things ought not so to be 11 Doth a fountaine send forth at one place sweet water and bitter 12 Can the figge-tree my brethren bring foorth oliues either a vine figges so can no fountaine make both salt water and sweet THis portion of holie Scripture beloued in the Lord containeth in it two things The one of them is a precept against rigorous iudging of our brethren the other is for the ordering and guiding of the tongue in generall Men offend generally and commonly in them both and the offences therein committed bee not light but very heinous in the sight of God As touching the former how heinous it is it appeareth in this that he saith knowing that wee shall receiue the greater condemnation The hainousnesse of the offences committed in the other is manifest by the verie speeches of the Apostle by which he setteth foorth the poison of the tongue And in the first chapter of this Epistle vers 26. he saith If anie man among you seeme to bee religious and bridleth not his tongue but deceiueth his owne heart that mans religion is vaine Heerby then it is euident that the matters be of great importance and such as it standeth vs neerly vpon to be well instructed in and therfore I pray you let vs hearken attentiuely to the voice of our God and make conscience to obey the same for that is requisite also vnlesse we will deceiue our selues as hee speaketh in the first chapter touching such as be hearers of the word onlie and not doers And doubtlesse hee that shall looke vpon the profession of the Gospel which is at this day among men and withall consider how common the vices of the tongue be and what the Lord here pronounceth against them it will euen abash and astonish him for he shall be euen forced to thinke that there is scarce any true religion to be found among men seeing there be so few which are not rigorous Iudges and scarce any that doe bridle their tongue But let vs come to the words of the Text. Bee not many masters my brethren knowing we shall receiue the greater condemnation for in many thinges wee sinne all Heere bee three braunches in this the first is the precept Be not manie masters my brethren The second is a threatening of terrible vengeance if we do not eschewe that vice which is in these words Knowing that wee shall receiue the greater condemnation The third rendreth a reason both whie men should not be rigorous and seucre in iudging their brethren and also that if they be their iudgment shall bee the heauier before God in these wordes For in many thinges we sin all Now to the first branch which is the precept Be not many masters Saint lames speaketh somwhat darklie in this because Master or masters is a word of office in the Scriptures Christ is called so and rightlie for he is the great master Ye call me saith he to his Apostles Ioh 13. vers 13. Ho didaskalos master and Lord and ye say right I am so And Saint Paule saith that Christ hath some Apostles some prophets some Euangelists some pastors and Didaskalous that is Doctors teachers or as we translate it heer in Saint Iames Masters The word doth cause some to take it that he meaneth heere the publike office of teachers and especiallie because he saith be not many masters for in that he saith be not many it seemeth that he alloweth the Mastership which hee heere speaketh of in some few otherwise whie doth he not say if he speake of a thing which is simplie a vice in it selfe My brethren let no man be a master And so they take it that he reprooueth that great vice when men are so ready to thrust themselues into the Ministerie which they should not doe so rashlie being indeed vnfit This carieth a colour in it to lead vs to take the precept of the Apostle heere as that hee willeth vs that manie should not enter into the publike office of Doctors seeing God giueth gifts but to a few to be able to discharge it well But indeede hee doth not heere deale with that publike mastership but with a vice wherein each man taketh vpon him to be a seuere censurer a iudge and a condemner of others for in this men take vpon them to be masters If