Math. 13. 19. touching whom we may obserue 2. things 1. the manner of their hearing 2. the issue and euent of their hearing 1. the manner of their hearing is not here expressed yet is mentioned Math. 13. 19. they heare and vnderstand not 2. The issue and euent of their hearing which is set forth by the diuells practise and behauiour toward them And that is described 1. by the manner 2. by the end of it 1. by the manner of it for he is said to come and take the word out of their hearts 2. by the end wherefore he doth so which is double he doth it to preuent 2. things which they might receiue by hearing the one being subordinate to the other the former being a meane of the later and the later being a reward of the former the one is least they should belieue the later is least they should be saued 2. The second kind of ground was stony who are ment thereby is specified vers 13. Another sort of vnprofitable hearers who are described by 4. properties whereof the two first declare their present estate and the two last their future condition 1. they receiue the word with ioy 2. they haue no rootes 3. they belieue for a while 4. In time of temptation they fall away 3. The third kind of ground was thornie which also representeth another sort of bad hearers described vers 14. by the causes and by the effect or issue by the causes for 3. things are named which like thornes choake the seede of the word 1. cares 2. riches 3. voluptuous liuing by the effect or issue that followeth thereupon they bring forth no fruite 4. The fourth and last kind of groūd was good ground in which the seede sprang vp and did beare fruit That is a resemblance of good hearers as appeareth vers 15. And those are described by 3. properties 1. by the manner of their hearing they heare with an honest and good hart 2. by their keeping of it after they haue heard it 3. by their fruitfulnes And that is amplified 2. waies 1. by the maner of it heare with patience 2. by the measure and varietie of it some bring forth more some lesse in Math. 13. 23. Mar. 4. 20. some thirty some sixtie some an hundred fold 1. To begin first with the first and so to proceed in order to the rest Christ sheweth what is ment by the seede when he saith the seede is the word of God By which tytle is plainely manifested the vertue force and efficacie of Gods word As seede is the beginning and cause of all the fruit afterward reaped so is the word the beginning and cause of all goodnes in vs euen of all grace in the heart of all good words in the mouth and of all obedience in the life And as good seede if it be well sowne in a fertile soyle will yeeld fruit so the word being well taught to capable and docible persons wil produce some good fruit for the glory of God and for their comfort and saluation The word is resembled to many things in regard of the power and vertue of it As to an hammer that will bruse vs to a fire that will either purge or consume vs to a light that will direct vs to salt that will season vs to a sword that will defend vs to seede that will beget vs to foode that will nourish vs to goades that will pricke vs forward so also to seede that being sowne wil yeeld plentie of fruit because of it owne nature through Gods ordinance and blessing it will prouoke people to obedience If therefore you receiue it and doe not beare fruit the fault is in you and not in it you are but barren soyle vnworthy of such seede Moreouer it is to be obserued that Christ compareth the word to seede that is sowne for in the propounding of the parable he said the sower went out to sowe his seede and now he saith the seede is the word meaning the seede sowne Mathew saith that the diuell catcheth away the word sowne in the heart And Marke saith that the sower soweth the word And therefore it must needs be vnderstood of the word preached The word of God as it is written in the scriptures and conteyned in the bookes of the old and new testament is good seede indeed yet it is as seede in the barne vnthrashed or as seede laid vp in the garner but the word read and expounded preached and applyed to Gods people is as seede sowne in a field And preachers be the sowers of it for albeit Christ doth not expresly declare who be the sowers yet that is apparant from other circumstances for if the word be the seede sowne then they who preach the word are the sowers And if they who heare the word taught be the ground in which the seede is sowne then the persons who teach them and whom they heare are the sowers So Christ by preaching the word was a sower yea the chiefest of all others the ground was his the seede was his he like a good husbandman with his owne hands did sowe his own seede in his owne field So the Apostles were likewise sowers Christ was a sower to the Iewes onely they also to the gentiles he in the little field of Iudea they in the large field of the whole world Wherfore S. Paul said If we haue sowne vnto you spirituall things is it a great thing if we reape your carnall things as also we together are Gods labourers ye are Gods husbandry And so all those who preach the same word which they did are sowers for as the sower filleth his hand with seede and casteth it abroad among the furrowes of the field not setting it seede by seede or choosing a peculiar place for euery seede but lets it lye as it lighteth So the preacher disperseth and dispenseth the word in a mixt people not able to giue it successe but as it pleaseth God to giue a blessing and as the hearts of the hearers are prepared for it Hence then wee may learne the necessitie of preaching no sowing no reaping As you cannot in any field reape a crop of corne at haruest vnles it were sowne with good seede at the seede time no more can any fruits of grace or any good works bee found in the Church or children of God vnlesse the seede of the worde bee sowne among them Indeed there may be sometimes good sowing and little good fruit to be reaped As the Lord did all that could bee done to his Vineyard and yet it brought forth nothing but wild grapes but if there be no sowing it is impossible to gather any fruit at all Christ therefore sayd Except the wheat corne fall into the ground it abideth alone Our hearts are the ground they must be sowne with the seede of Gods worde otherwise they will bee altogether barren or else bring forth nothing but briars and brambles thornes and
me ye workers of iniquitie This was extraordinarie giuen to some fewe at the first preaching of the Gospell but hath ceased long agoe The ordinary kindes of faith which may be found in the reprobate are two in number The one is called an hystoricall the other a temporarie faith The one I say is called an hystoricall faith or a dogmaticall because it is a bare knowledge and acknowledgment of the historie of the scriptures and of the things written therein concerning God his workes his promises and concerning Christ his merites and benefites without any apprehension of the things knowne and acknowledged This is the faith whereby men beleeue Moses and his writings This is the faith which Paul would needes fasten on Agrippa to beleeue the Prophets This is not fides qua cridimus in deum sed qua credimus deo id est credere vera esse quae loquitur It is not the faith whereby we belieue in God but the faith whereby we belieue God that is whereby we belieue all things to be true which he speaketh And so differeth very much from a iustifying faith This faith is found in the vnregenerate They may belieue all things to be true which are written though they little regard them yea this faith is in the deuells for they belieue and tremble as Iames teacheth And therefore those Atheists those prophane and obstinate scoffers against religion which will not belieue the scriptures nor acknowledge the truth of the things therein reuealed are worse then the diuels And if they be worse then diuells of hell they must needes be farre from entring into heauen The other kind of common faith is termed a temporary faith which is a certaine ape of iustifying faith yet is not the same for although it goe some degrees beyond an historicall faith yet it comes short of a iustifying faith not onely in regard of sinceritie and manner of apprehension but also in regard of the efficacie in internall and externall actes and in regard of the time of continuance This is called a temporary faith not onely for distinction sake to put a difference betwixt it and other kinds but also because it continueth but for a time as appeareth by this place For this is the faith here spoken of And although some Papists laugh at the very name which we giue it as if it were a new coyned tearme yet you see it is grounded on this text And they might also haue seene it taught by others if either they had read the writings of the ancient or their malice against vs had not blinded their eyes Augustine giues the tytle and Bernard doth not onely giue it the like tytle in calling it sides ficta and comparing it to earthen vessells that are easily broken but likewise distinguisheth it frō the dead faith which is without good workes and from the tryed faith which endureth to the end And also describeth it at large by the very words of this my text This faith was in those Iewes who by the sight of Christs miracles at Ierusalem beleeued in him They are said to beleeue in his name and so doubt were perswaded did acknowledge that he was the Messiah to come yet Iesus did commit himselfe vnto them because he know them all and what was in them If he had seene a sound and permanent faith in them no doubt he would haue trusted them but because he saw their faith was neither sound nor constant he would not trust them he foresaw that for all their present profession they might forsake him afterward as the Capernaites did The faith also was in Simon Magus who though before he had bene a notorious sorcerer yet hearing Philip preach did beleeue and was baptized and continued with Philip as a professour of the Gospell and wondered when he saw the great miracles which were wrought yet when he would afterward haue bought the gifts of the holy Ghost for money and haue made a marchandise of them Peter told him that he had neither part nor fellowship in that busines that his heart was not right in the sight of God that he was in the gall of bitternes and in the bond of iniquitie And after that if we may giue credit to humane writings and Ecclesiasticall hystories hee became a sorcerer againe and an open enemie to Peter and the rest of the Apostles and in a fearefull manner died at Rome This faith was in Iudas one of the twelue he vnderstood the misterie of the Gospell professed himselfe an Apostle of Christ preached the Gospell as well as other Apostles and for a long time was of honest behauiour yet Christ called him a diuell and the childe of perdition Afterward he betrayed his Maister for money and then hanged himselfe through desperation This faith was also in those who fell into the vnrecouerable sinne against the holy Ghost for they were enlightened had a taste of the heauenly gift were partakers of the holy Ghost and tasted of the good word of God and of the powers of the world to come And yet they so fel away as they could not be renewed by repentance did crucifie againe the sonne of God and made a mocke of him And this faith haue many others who heare the word acknowledge the truth of it hope to be saued by it make prosession of it liue in outward obedience and receiue the Sacraments and yet in time of persecution proue Apostataes But that you may the better discerne the nature of this faith I will note the seuerall degrees of it for thereby you may clearely see how farre it doth agree with an historicall a iustifying faith and how farre it doth differ from them both There be sixe degrees of it 1. The first degree is illumination and knowledge These beleeuers haue a knowledge of Gods word especially in the chiefest poynts of Gods will and worship in the fundamentall points of mans redemption and in the most necessary points of mans duetie Iudas could not haue beene a Preacher of the Gospell vnlesse he had knowne these things Christ would not haue sent him to teach these things to others if him selfe had beene ignorant of them Those which fell away to the fearefull sinne against the holy Ghost were before enlightned Vnlesse men know the truth they cannot beleeue it How shall they beleeue except they haue heard And herein this faith agreeth both with an historicall and a iustifying faith Christ sayd of the Apostles They haue knowne surely that I came out from thee and haue beleeued that thou hast sent me Knowledge is the first step and degree to each kinde of faith And therefore those who be ignorant of the principles of Religion come so farre short of a true sauing and iustifying faith that as yet they haue not attayned to an hystoricall or temporary faith 2. The second degree is an assent to the truth of the Gospell They are infallibly perswaded that the whole
doctrine of the Gospell is true and euery part of it that it teacheth vs the right way to heauen and that all things therin contained shal certainely be accomplished both for the condemnation of vnbeleeuers and for the saluation of beleeuers In regard hereof Christ saith He that receiueth his testimonie hath sealed that God is true As Paul sayde I consent to the Law that it is good So this beleeuer will say I consent to the Gospel that it is good Yea he will auouch with the same Apostle This is a true saying and worthy by all meanes to be receiued that Christ Iesus came into the world to saue sinners Herein also this faith agreeth with an hystoricall a iustifying faith And therefore those who in their hearts wil not assent to the truth of the gospel are meere Infidels though they liue in the Church yet they haue no faith at al. 3. A third degree is that he hath a desire in his heart of the pardon of his sin of the saluation of his soule through the merey of God merits of Christ. Euen as Balaam desired to dye the death of the righteous and that his last end might be like vnto his though he had no care to liue the life of the righteous nor prepare himselfe for death as the righteous man doth And as the people of the Iewes who followed Christ from place to place whē they hard him speak of the bread which cōmeth from heauen giueth life to the world desired him euermore to giue that bread And yet many of them afterward fell from him Yea moreouer they which haue this faith may not onely haue this desire in their hearts but may also expresse it by prayer to God Almightie and by vsing the meanes of saluation They may seek to enter in at the straight gate and shall not be able As Christ saith many shall doe Herein they go beyond those that haue onely an hystoricall saith for many haue it yet contemne Christ and his merits neuer seeke for saluation by him rather feare him then loue him and with the Diuels beleeue and tremble Yet herein they come short of them who haue a iustifying faith for their desire is not so earnest nor so constant nor so effectuall Not so earnest for the desire of the elect is vehement and very earnest set foorth by hungring thirsting which are vehement and strong appetites in them that haue long wanted meate and drinke yea the strongest desires that can be found in man but these men haue a desire in a lesser measure Neither is their desire so constant for it comes but by fits and may soone be gone againe like to lightning which is a sudden flash and soone gone But the desire of the other is like the light of the Sunne which is permanent Their desire may be quenched before they haue fully obtayned the thing desired but the desire of the other can neuer be satisfyed till they be assured that they haue gotten the thing they wanted Nor yet is it so effectuall in vsing the meanes of saluation with such care diligence painefulnesse and constancie The one sort think no paines too great no labour too long the other thinke lesse will serue the turne and therefore leaue off or lessen their labour in vsing the meanes before they haue gotten sauing grace for their soules 4. The fourth degree is this They may haue an apprehension of Christ and his benefites an inward feeling of some grace and a perswasion of Gods fauour in Christ. So they are sayde to taste of the heauenly gift and to taste of the good word of God and to be partakers of the holy Ghost as was shewed before Which wordes must needes import a particular apprehension and an inward cense of some good receiued and some fauour expected As some of the Israelites tasted of the fruites of the Land of Canaan did thereby perceiue what a good Land it was and conceiued some hope of enioying it and yet neuer enioyed the Land but perished in the wildernesse So these beleeuers may haue a taste of heauenly gifts and an hope of enioying euerlasting glory and yet perish in the end And indeed these beleeuers could not haue receiued the word with such ioy as was spoken of before vnlesse they had an apprehension of Gods fauour and some sense of grace in their hearts Yet herein doe they greatly differ from the regenerate 1. In the seat and so in the synceritie of these graces for these beleeuers hearts are as stony ground they cannot receiue the worde into the bottome of their hearts nor suffer the rootes of it to goe deepe enough and so their faith graces are not rooted in the bottome of the heart but sticke in the superficies or vpper part of it All things in them are superficiall and they full of hypocrisie Whereas the iustifying faith and the sauing graces of the regenerate are like a solide body hauing three dimensions length breadth and depth and do possesse the deepest and lowest parte of the heart 2. In the reason and ground of this their apprehension And so it is nothing but vaine presumption for it is built vpon false and mistaken grounds they take the shadow for the substance doe ouerweene their owne graces and take their faith to be vnfayned their repentance to be sound and their regeneration to be effectuall when indeede they are not And so they are like vnto beggers who in their sleepe dreame that they are become very rich 3. In the measure and therefore their apprehension of heauenly things is compared to tasting because the heart doth as it were but with the tip of the tongue lightly taste these spirituall things and doth not feed on them Look what difference there is betwixt Cookes and others that taste meat before it be serued vp to the table the guests that eat the same at the table the same difference there is betwixt the vngenerate the regenerate touching the measure of grace which they receiue Though the regenerate do here receiue but the first fruits of the spirit do know in part and prophesie in part beleeue in part find no perfection in thēselues yet haue they a greater measure then the vnregenerate 4. In the sense iudgement of their want The one wanteth more and yet doth lesse discerne his want like the Angel of Laodicea who thought he was rich whē he was poore miserable naked The other wanteth lesse and doth better discerne his want and therefore will say with that man in the Gospell I doe beleeue Lord helpe my vnbeleefe And with the Apostles Lord encrease our faith Yea the one like a Pharisie is proude of that which hee thinketh he hath the other is humbled by knowing what he wanteth The one contenteth himselfe with that which he hath groweth secure and laboureth not to better his estate the other striueth to grow in grace as
preferment in the world As appeareth in those who sought out Christ and followed him from place to place not so much for the miracles which they had seene and doctrine which they had heard as for the loaues whereof they had eaten and wherwith they were filled There be others saith Bernard who deserue knowledge that they may sell it for money for honour and this is filthy lucre There be other two ends whercat some doe aime for some desire knowledge that they may edifie others and this is charitie some desire knowledge that themselues may be edified and this is wisedome And these are to be allowed but all other ends are to be condemned Those that professe Christ for worldly profit are not Christians but marchants of Christ as Ignatius tearmeth them And will professe his Gospell no longer then it may stand with worldly profit As may be seene in Demas who for a time was such a professour of the faith that S. Paul reckoned him in the Cathologue of the Saints which saluted the Colossians Yet Paul afterward thus wrote of him Demas hath forsaken me and hath embraced this present world As an house will fall if the foundation be remoued and fire will goe out of it selfe if fewell be withdrawne so these mens faith will faile if the Gospell bring no gaine but losse And seeing those temporizing professours haue these causes propounded to themselues in hearing and receiuing the word in beleeuing and professing it with ioy their faith cannot be sincere for nothing is sincerely done vnles it be done for Gods glory And if it be not sincere it cannot be sound and firme And both waies it differs from iustifying faith for as it doth all things of sinceritie for God himselfe for Christ himselfe for the spirituall and heauenly benefites of Christ as farre as humane infirmitie will permit so is it firme and constant being built on such grounds as will not shrinke Do not therefore content your selues with this temporary faith but seeke for â—hat which will abide for euer as well in persecution as in peace as well in time of tentation as out of tentation for if your faith faile Sathan will preuaile against you your hope is gone you loose the fauour of God and the saluation of your owne soules you must be faithfull vnto death if you will receiue the Crowne of life Did not Christ commend Mary for choosing the good part which should neuer be taken away from her Imitate her in your choyse of faith The one will faile you when you stand in most neede of it As in the time of tentation in the time of affliction and at the houre of death But the other will abide with you to comfort and strengthen you at all seasons and against all the enemies of your saluation If once you get it whether you liue long or die soone whether you be assaulted with many suggestions or be free from tentation whether you passe away your daies in peace or vnder the crosse you shal be able at your last end to say to the great comfort of your soules with the Apostle I haue fought a good fight I haue finished my course I haue kept the faith henceforth is laid vp for me the crowne of righteousnes which the Lord the righteous iudge shall giue vnto me 〈◊〉 that day 4. The fourth and last propertie of these hearers is their reuolting which is here set forth by the time or occasion as also by the manner of it First by the time and occasion that is the time of tentation There is a double tentation that doth befall men the one is spirituall and inward the other is corporall and outward The spirituall and inward tentation is from the diuell And therefore he is often called the tempter and is said to tempt vs. And his suggestions and practises against vs are called tentations The corporall and outward tentation is from men who doe afflict vs who doe hurt and persecute vs. And so all outward crosses corporall afflictions and bloody persecutioÌ„s are called tentations that is trialls because they try what men are whether dissembling hypocrites or sincere Christians whether their faith be fained or vnfained wauering or stedfast little or great And of this tentation must this place be vnderstood for in Mathew and Marke it is called tribulation and persecution for the word Christ foresaw that the hearers and professours of the Gospell should afterward be graciously persecuted he therefore foretold what it should worke in this kind of hearers it would cause them to reuolt For the manner of it it is said in Mathew and Marke they are offended and that by and by and immediately but here they goe away they depart will not stand to it as men of courage but shrinke and fall away And this commeth to passe by reason of their owne hardnes as this parable declareth for as stony grounds mingled with some earth are commonly hotte and will cause the corne cast into them to sprout and come vp very speedily but will not suffer the rootes to goe any reasonable depth into the earth there to be fed with moysture therefore in the dry season of summer the blade of the corne will wither together with the rootes So these men though they haue some good motions and affections in their harts receiue the word with chearefulnes and seeme to be very forward for a time yet in time of persecution all their goodnes will be dried vp they will loose their first loue to the word and fall from their former profession They neuer did cleaue to Christ with their whole hearts and therefore are more easily drawne away Men may fall away from Faith eyther by errour and Heresie or by sinne and wickednesse By errour and heresie as did Hymeneus and Alexander who made ship-wracke of Faith As did Hymencus and Phyletus who erred concerning the Truth Saying that the Resurrection is already past and did destroy the faith of many As did Nicholas whom for his profession was chosen for a Deacon yet afterward became an Arch-hereticke first Founder of the heresies of the Niâ—â—laitanes And as those did of whom Saint Paul prophecyed that in the later times Men shall depart from the Faith and giue heede vnto spirites of Errors and doctrines of Diuels And as those that in former Ages fell from the Truth to the Heresies of Arrius Pelagius Nestorius and other damnable Heretickes And as those that in the dayes of Queene Mary did fall from the truth of the Gospell formerly professed to the Errours and Idolatrie of the Church of Rome Againe men may fall away by sinne and wickednes in their liues as those who put away a good Conscience As those who beginne in the spirite but ende in the flesh As those who turned backe after Satan As those who had escaped from the filthinesse of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Sauiour IESVS CHRIST
his name from vnder heauen Wherefore let all rich men take heede lest they be thus deceiued let them know that riches are common both to good and bad yea that the worst often haue them and the best often want them and therfore let not the hauing of them make them to presume any whit the more on Gods fauour or lesse feare his iudgments 2. Riches deceiue men in respect of the nature of them In making them to thinke that they be farre better then indeed they are That they are good in their owne nature that they make thē better that haue them That they yeeld the greatest blessings benefits comforts that man receiueth on the earth That those who enioy them are the happiest and those who want them are the most miserable in the world This is a notorious deceyt for they are not good in their owne nature but onely in the vse Not good to all but onely to the good who knowe how to vse them aright They are not Riches in trueth but in showe and doe as much differ from true riches as the shadowe differeth from the substance Happie men may want them miserable men may haue them Naball had them when Dauid wanted them The Rich Glutton that at at his death was sent to hell torments had them in abundance when as Lazarus who after death was carryed to Abrahams bosome did want them The Apostles had neither golde nor siluer and yet were happie They make fewe better but many worse and are occasions of much euill Neyther can they yeeld any great benefits to the owners either for soules or bodies They cannot redeeme our soules wee were not bought with corruptible things as siluer and golde The whole world and all the wealth thereof were not a sufficient Ransome for one soule nor a full satisfaction to God for one sinne They rather hinder then further our saluation Can they exempt men from Gods iudgements Doe not Rich men feele them as well as poore Can they free our bodyes from diseases Are not Rich men subiect to diseases as well as poore men Can they preserue vs from death Doe not Rich men dye as well as poore All the benefits which you can reape by them are no better no more then the Rich Glutton had who was costly cladde and daintily fedde Are not they then fondly deceiued who thinke so highly and make so great account of them Wherefore take heede least you be thus deceyued This deceyte is also a Thorne in the heart to choake the worde It will cause men to set theyr heartes on Riches to loue them and desire them and seeke them more then they ought It will make them to serue God and keepe his word no further then it serueth for their commoditie If the word command any thing which they thinke will hinder their profite they will rather transgresse the word then forgoe their gaine Such men will not get and employ their wealth as the word doth direct but would haue the word and the teachers thereof to allowe them to get and employ their wealth as they list Take heede of this deceit If thou be deluded in this sort euery trifling commoditie will hinder you in obedience to the word 3. Riches deceiue men in regard of their effects because they will not performe that which they seeme to promise and which their owners expected at their hands They seeme to promise and men expect nothing but good from them and yet they bring much euill with them As thornes doe beare greene leaues white flowers and sweete blossomes yet vnder the same doe carry sharpe prickes that will make a man to bleede if he doe not handle them choysely and warily So riches doe promise to men great ease high honour many pleasures and much contentment and yet withall they bring great paine much trouble and little contentment They are not gotten without great labour nor kept without great care and feare nor lost without great sorrowe And so they are little better then the apples of Sodome which seeme to be faire and ripe and fit to be eaten but if one taste them they vanish into powder and smoake And that which is worse they will seeme to make a man more fit and yet in truth doe oftentimes make him more vnfit for Gods seruice They puffe vp his heart with pride they make him more secure and careles of heauenly things lesse to feare God and his iudgements and lesse to regard and obey his word And therefore the Lord not without iust cause gaue warning before hand to the people of Israel that when they were placed in Canaan a land that flowed with milke and hony and had eaten and filled themselues with the fruites thereof they should beware that they forgat not the Lord their God not keeping his commandements and his ordinances And afterward he thus complaineth of them I spake vnto thee when thou wast in prosperitie but thou saidst I will not heare this hath bene thy manner from thy youth Dauid in the time of his exile and persecution committed no such sinnes as he did when he was setled in his kingdome And it hath bene obserued and confessed by many of the learned that the Church more abounded in pietie and zeale when it was persecuted and poore then when it was peaceable and endowed with riches And thereupon it was said Religio peperit diuitias sed silia deuorauit matrem Religion brought forth riches but the daughter hath deuoured the mother That as the Church encreased in possessions so it decreased in vertue Some write that whē Christian Emperours with good entents enriched the Church with lands and possessions a voyce was heard to crye This day is venome or poyson powred into the Church And afterward the Church began to complaine and say In pace mea amaritudo mea maxima In pace mea amaritudo mea amarissima In my peace my bitternes is the greatest In my peace my bitternes is the most bitter Not so bitter before by the death of Martyrs and conflict with Heretikes as now by the manners of the household So that not a fewe but many haue bene deceiued and corrupted by riches this way and therefore all had neede to looke to themselues 4. Lastly riches deceiue men in respect of the continuance Many trust to them and hope to enioy them long when as they are presently depriued of them Thus was Dauid deceiued In his prosperitie he said I shall neuer be moued the Lord of his goodnes had made his mountaine to stand strong but thē the Lord did hide his face and he was troubled In regard whereof Salomon saith Wilt thou cast thine eyes vpon that which is nothing for riches taketh her to her wings like an Eagle which flyeth into the heauen And Paul bad Timothie charge rich men not to trust to vncertaine riches vncertaine they are and therefore not to be trusted they
his right hand are pleasures for euermore Those farre excell all the pleasures of the garden of Eden They yeelde full contentment and make all them happie which doe enioy them Therefore seeke especially for them A woefull thing it is to enioy pleasure in this life which is but short and to endure paine in the other life which is eternall If you cannot be partakers of both together seeke for the better Make Moses choyce who refused the delights of Pharaohs Court and chose rather to suffer aduersitie with the people of God then to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season Lastly from the consideration of all these Thornes together wee may obserue that not one onely corrupt affecction but likewise manye corrupt affections in mans heart doe choake the seede of the word Euen all these three mentioned before A man may as well be hindered by one of them as byan other as well by any one of them as by all of them It is not impossible to finde them all three in one the same man A man may be much perplexed with worldly cares how to get and encrease riches and when he hath gotten them hee may be deceiued by them in thinking too highly of them in louing them too dearely and trusting too much vnto them He may then also liue in pleasure he may be carefull to get riches and to encrease them that so hee may consume them on his owne lustes By reason of his worldly care and the deceitfulnes of his riches he may be sparing and niggard-like in relieuing of others yet in regarde of voluptuousnes he may spend much on himselfe That Rich-man Luke 12. had much goods layde vp for himselfe for many yeares Not any for others but all for himselfe and therefore he would liue at ease eate drinke and take his pastime And the rich glutton which would not giue so much as the crums that fell from his table to poore Lazarus was giuen to pleasure spent much on his owne back belly Such men as these haue many thornes growing in the field of their hearts they haue many impediments to hinder them in the obedience of the word And therefore cannot be profitable hearers and diligent practisers of the word The more thornes growe in a sowne field the lesse corne is reaped at haruest So of all carnall hearers these yeeld the least fruit Yet are these three things distinguished one from another as was shewed before are oftentimes seuered in their subiects one of them may be found in one man and not either of the other And one of the other may be found in another man and not that A man may be carefull and yet poore A man may be rich and yet not giuen to pleasure And all of them haue their speciall and seuerall effects one hindering after one manner and another after another manner And therefore any one of these is able of it selfe to hinder the fruitfulnes of the word You knowe there be many kindes of thornes with vs there be white thornes and black thornes hawthornes and slowthornes And the word in the originall is taken not onely for thornes but likewise for bryars and brambles and any thing that hath prickes And therefore as one kind of thornes if there be many of that kind may as well hinder the fruitfulnes of your fields as many kindes So one kind of corrupt affections in your harts may hinder the efficacie of the word as well as many And therefore as when you plow and sow your ground you rid vp not onely one kinde of thornes and bryars but likewise all of each kind So when you heare the word expell out of your hearts not onely all bad affections of one kind but likewise all bad affections of each kind It is lamentable to see how fondly people deceiue themselues herein Many men doe harbour one noysome lust one corrupt affection or other in their hearts and because they keepe out many others they hope all is well with them The couetous worldling condemnes the voluptuous epicure And the voluptuous epicure condemnes the greedie and miserable worldling The couetous man thinketh that he is a good Christian because he is not giuen to prodigall licentiousnes And the voluptuous man would be esteemed a good hearer because hee abhorres worldly cares and miserable couetousnes But let them both knowe that either of these two sinfull lustes are sufficient to condemne their soules and let them not purge their hearts from the one alone but from both together if they will be fitte soyle for the Lords seede The last thing to be obserued in these hearers is the effect of their choaking namely what is the issue and euent that befalls them when they are thus choaked by those corrupt lustes they bring forth no fruite Though they doe not fall away from their profession as those hearers mentioned in the former verse but still continue professours and hearers of the Gospell yet are they vnfruitfull in their profession The originall word doth properly signifie that they doe not bring forth any full and perfect any ripe and truely fruite As if they might bring forth some kinde of fruite yet no good fruite no full corne nor profitable gaine Corne sowne amōg thornes may yeeld some kinde of fruite yet not such as will please the husbandman It will be an vntimely fruite it will wither away before it be throughly fed and fully ripe It will be very thinne on the ground when it is reaped it will proue nothing but short eares and small gaines and when it is threshed nothing but light corne and vnprofitable Such is the obedience of those men which be giuen to couetousnes and voluptuousnes they may performe some outward duties yet not many onely such as doe not hinder them in their worldly profits nor abridge them of their carnall pleasures And those which they doe performe are very imperfect neither acceptable to God nor comfortable to their owne soules They are not such as God exacted they doe not proceed from such sinceritie of the heart neither are they directed to that right end neither are they performed in such an holy manner as he requireth Though they seeme to begin well yet their inward lusts doe so hinder them that they cannot bring their actions to a due perfection but waxe wearie of doing well And either quite cease from their enterprises begun or else efaint much in their proceedings before they bring any thing to a good end Whence first we may take notice of the nature qualitie and maner of their obedience whose hearts are still possessed with the cares of the world and the pleasures of this life They may performe many good duties yet faile in some maine dutie And yet those which they performe cannot please the Lord we haue pregnant examples hereof in the scriptures Naaman the Syrian being cured of his leaprosie by the Prophet Elisha vowed vnto him to worship none other God
so safe and sure as that they cannot wrest it from them And herein they also differ from all the former hearers The first sort lost it as soone as they receiued it euen while they were in hearing the diuell tooke it from them The second sort kept it a while but not long for they beleeue for a time they keepe the word no longer then they kept their faith Though they kept both in time of peace yet they lost both in time of persecution The third sort kept the word yet not long when as afterward it was choaked by cares and pleasures it was taken from them But these kept it for euer neither the diuel by his suggestions nor other men by their persecutions nor their owne lusts by their prouocations can depriue them of the word Such an hearer was the blessed virgin the mother of Christ she kept all her Sauiours sayings in her heart she did not onely lay them vp but also kept them And not onely in her head but also in her heart and not some onely but all his words And such keepers are all profitable hearers for if the word enter into mens harts and afterward goe out againe it will doe them little or no good at all Though the meate which a man eateth be receiued into his stomacke yet vnlesse it continue there for a time and be there digested it will not nourish and feede his body Though seede be cast into the furrowes yet vnles it doe there remaine for a season to sprout and take rooting it will not yeeld any crop to the reapers Euen so though the word should be receiued into the heart yet vnles it doe there abide it cannot fructifie in the life But if it be there safely kept it will bring forth plentifull encrease And therefore Christ said Happie are they which heare the word of God and keepe it Yea he accounteth them more happie for that their keeping of it then was the wombe that bare him and the pappes that gaue him sucke The benefite of this keeping is double 1. It serueth for direction for the word kept in the heart will direct a man in his life teaching him what sins to auoyd what duties to performe It will be a lanterne vnto his feete and a light vnto his path It will be a guide to say vnto him this is the way walke in it when he turneth to the right hand or to the left And therefore Dauid said of himselfe I haue hid thy promise in my heart that I might not sinne against thee As if the hiding keeping of the word in the heart were a speciall and an effectuall meane to keepe men from sinne And he also writeth of others The mouth of the righteous will speake of wisedome and his tongue will talke of iudgement for the lawe of God is in his heart and his steps shall not slide If you will carefully and safely keepe the word in your hearts you shall shew forth the fruit of it in your liues 2. It serueth for perseuerance It will make a man constantly to continue in grace in obedience in the Lords fauour and in state of saluation It is certaine that so long as men keepe the word in their harts they cannot wholy fall away from God Now those that heare with good and honest hearts shall alwaies safely keepe it neither can the diuells tentations nor the worlds persecution rob them of it neither can their owne corrupt affections being mortified expell it out of their hearts Though other hearers may loose the word by those meanes yet not any of these which haue these honest good harts And therefore as they are now in grace in state of saluatiō so shal they continue therein for euer Whereupon Iohn saith Whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not for his seede remaineth in him neyther can he sinne because he is borne of God He cannot sinne totally and finally so as he should thereby quite cut off himself from grace and from saluation Wherefore this propertie of these hearers confuteth their opinion who hold that a man once in state of grace may vtterly fall away and become a reprobate If any will obiect that so long as they keepe the word in their hearts they cannot fall away but they may loose the word it may be taken out of their hearts and then they may perish I answere That in this their argument they begge the question for neyther can any other take the word from them neyther shall they lose it of themselues For this perpetuall keeping of the word is a speciall propertie in these good hearers whereby they differ from all other hearers As their hearts are farre better then the rest so shall they better keepe the word then any of the rest Those bad hearers which had their hearts mollified but in part or had their hearts fraught with worldly cares and voluptuousnes may receiue and keepe the word for a time and loose it afterward as you heard before but these who haue honest and good hearts shall keepe it and bring forth fruit This is a maine difference betwixt them that the rest keepe it for a time these keepe it for euer If these hearers might afterward loose it as well as the rest and bring forth no fruites of it then were there no difference betwixt them and the former But certainely there is great difference And therfore those who receiue it and keepe it not long receiue it with bad hearts Those who receiue it with good and honest hearts shall keepe it vnto the end In this respect Christ compared him that heard his words and did the same to a wise man which built his house vpon a rocke the raine fell the floodes came and the winds blew and beat vpon that house and it fell not for it was founded on a rocke So firmely is this hearer built on Christ that sure immoueable Rocke that no troubles tryals persecutions or tentations can ouerthrow him In the same respect Christ said Euery branch that beareth not fruit in me my Father taketh away and euery one that beareth fruite hee purgeth that it may bring forth more fruit To signifie that none are cut off but barren branches those that be fruitfull shall neuer be cut off but be made more fit to beare more fruit If it be further obiected that so long as their hearts are honest good they shall keepe the word bring forth the fruits thereof but their hearts may be corrupted and lose that goodnes and then they shall lose the word I also answere that if their hearts be once made such good honest hearts as be here spoken of they shall neuer be wholy finally corrupted they shall keepe their goodnes to the end For as the Apostle saith The gifts and calling of God are without repentance He who first made them good will cōtinue them in goodnes He will confirme thē vnto the end that
offend him 2. Againe as some haue erred in taking those to be fruits which are not so on the other hand some haue erred in taking those to be no fruits which indeed are good fruits Know you that the practise of euery dutie coÌ„manded in the word is good fruit Notwithstanding as there be diuers kindes of seede some of one graine some of another also diuers kindes of fruits some of one graine some of another So there be diuers kinds of doctrines diuers kinds of duties And as al fields are not sowne with the same graine but some with one kinde some with another as they will best beare So all doctrines and duties are not imposed and enioyned to all persons but some to one some to another according to their calling place and estate And therefore as all fields doe not bring forth the same graine but euery one that kind wherewith it was sowne So all persons cannot performe the same duties but some one kinde some another according to their estate and calling The Magistrate therefore bringeth forth one kind of fruite the minister another the people another The father one kind the child another the Maister one kind the seruant another The rich one kind the poore another Yet as that is accounted a fruitfull field which bringeth forth a plentifull encrease of that graine wherwith it was sowne though it be not the least graine of all So those persons are fruitfull hearers who carefully performe all such duties as belong to their place state and calling though they be not able to performe such good workes as are accounted the greatest and most profitable Some haue imagined that the Founding of Colledges and Schooles erecting of Hospitalles buylding of Churches bountyfull Almes giuen to the Poore and such great good workes which can be performed by a fewe are the onely or chiefest good-Fruites Though wee will not denye but that these be excellent fruits in theyr kinde if they proceed from a good roote and bee directed to a right ende Yet are there many other good Fruites that may bee as acceptable to God and as comfortable to the dooers Not onely the common dutyes of all Christians but likewise the particular dutyes of euery mans especiall calling and estate though it be neuer so meane and base in the iudgement of the world if they be performed in such a sort as the word directeth are most acceptable fruites such as God will approoue and reward Hee that is a seruant and in his seruice is put to many base workes yet if hee performe the common dutyes of all Christians and likewise performe the workes of his calling in such a manner as the word teacheth him the work of his seruice are good fruites And therefore Paule bad seruants bee obedient to theyr Maisters in singlenesse of heart as vnto Christ not with eye-seruice as men pleasers but as the seruants of Christ doing the will of God froÌ„ the heart As if by seruing theyr Maisters in a good sorte they did serue Christ Yea he lets them vnderstand that God would reward that their seruice for whatsoeuer good thing any man doth that shall hee receiue of the Lord whether he be bond or free And elswhere the Apostle teacheth that if ther be first a willing minde it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not This bringing forth of fruite is amplified two wayes 1. by the maÌ„ner 2. by the measure of it First by the maner of it for they are said to bring forth fruit with patience And herein may also be seen a difference betwixt these one sort of the other hearers Those that are compared to stony ground in time of tentation fal away so faile both in profession and practise and the reason is because they want patience to beare the crosses that doe follow the word But these at all seasons and in all estates continue constant both in their profession and practise because they be endued with patience to endure all troubles that doe befall them for the words sake After ground is sowne with corne it endures many violent stormes and intemperate seasons faire weather and fowle frost and snowe cold and raine in winter heate and drought in summer before it can beare fruit in haruest So those who heare and receiue the word for the saluation of their soules doe oftentimes endure great troubles and suffer much affliction before they can bring forth the fruits of it Yet if they be endued with patience they will be content to beare all Hence it is that the Apostle telleth the Hebrewes that they had neede of patience that after they had done the will of God they might receiue the promise As if by patience they might be made able in those bloodie daies of cruell persecution to doe the will of God and so to receyue the promises And thorough want of patience they should fayle in the deede and not obtayne the promise And for this cause hee exhorteth vs to runne with patience the race that is set before vs. As if none could holde out to the ende of the Race but onely the patient And therefore in the midst of the greatest persecutions the patience and faith of the Saints is commended and admyred As when it was said Heere is the Patience and the Fayth of the Saintes Because by patience in bearing the Crosse and by faith in belieuing to receyue the Crowne they were made constant Thus will Patience arme a man against all Crosses so that by it hee shal be made able manifestly to encounter with them and safely to passe thorough them and not be hindred by any of them in the obedience of the word Howsoeuer in others Crossâ—s and Tribulations doe breede faynting and Relapse yet in these Hearers Tribulation bringeth foorth patience patience experience experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed What is the cause that one hearer to preuent some inconuenience which hee feareth or to remoue some trouble that hee feeleth will refuse to performe the dutie taught him And another will rather chuse to endure all Crosses and losses all disgraces and dangers yea imprisonment and death then sinne against his God but because the one wanteth patience the other is endued with patience So necessarie is patience for our practise So greatly doth it further vs in our obedience This should be a motiue to perswade euery one of you to seeke for patience It is in vaine to heare Gods word with intent to obey it vnles by patience you possesse your owne soules For otherwise your owne crosse will stoppe your course to turne you out of the way that leadeth vnto life The more patience the more obedience the lesse patience the lesse obedience we should loue Religion so dearely wee must bee content to suffer persecution for the profession and practise of it and rather lay downe our liues for the maintenance of it then fayle in the
obedience of it The same minde ought to be in vs which was in the blessed Apostle Paul who knowing that bands and afflictions did abide in euery place yet passed not for them Neyther was his life deare vnto himselfe so that hee might fulfill his course with ioy And when he was tolde by Agabus the Prophet that hee must be bound in Ierusalem did openly protest that hee was readye not onely to be bound but also to dye there for the Name of the Lord IESUS Yet consider that you cannot endure the least of those things vnlesse you be endued with patience you knowe not what may befall you heereafter and therefore pray vnto God that he will grant you patience to beare that which shall come In time of publike peace and when the Gospell is defended by the authoritie of Magistrates men may endure some secret and priuate persecution by inferiour persons Especially in these popish parts where some hold of Christ some of Antichrist where papists grow head-strong through impunitie And where many are Protestants in shewe but Papists in Truth If they cannot persecute you by the Sworde they will persecute you by the tongue If not by fire and fagot as they were wont yet by priuate wrongs and spitefull displeasures Yea the Church is no better nowe then was Abrahams house in which the sonne of the bond-woman by scoffes and mocks did persecute the sonne of the free woman Did not Cayne and Abel sacrifice together yet Cayne enuyed Abel because his Sacrifice was better accepted and afterwardes slewe him for it Was not Paule often in perilles among false Brethren And did you not heare out of Bernard howe the Church complained that in her peace shee had greatest bittâ—rnes Of a peaceable time he said Et pax est non est paz There is peace and there is not peace peace from Pagons peace from Heretikes yet not peace indeede from the sonnes Many friendes were foes indeede We must therefore in all times looke to receyue some Affliction for the Gospells sake And therefore seeke for patience at all seasons that so in the time of persecution and in the time of peace you may continue constant in the profession and practise of Gods word 2. Moreouer this theyr bringing forth of fruite is amplified by the measure of it which was great in all yet not alike in all All were fruitefull yet there was great difference and variety in the qualitie of theyr fruite some brought forth lesse some more Though this be not heere noted in this Euangelist yet is it mentioned by the other two Euangelistes and that both in the propounding of the Parable and in the Exposition of it They say Some brought foroth thirtie folde some fixty folde some an hundred fold So much did each Seede multiplie and encrease Wherein CHRIST speaketh according to the qualitie of the best ground in Iudea The whole land was very fertile as the Scripture teacheth It was a land that flowed with milke and hony and therefore would yeelde great encrease of Corne. The worst of it was as good as the best of our grounds and therefore the best must needes bee exceeding fruitfull The ground of other lands haue yeelded great encrease When Isaacke sowed corne in Gerar he receiued an hundred measures for one that he sowed Forraine writers record that ByzazuÌ„ in Africa for one bushell of seede yeelded an 150. of encrease That the countrey of the Euhesperites yeeldeth an hundred fold The countrey of the Cynopeans three hundreth fold And the land of Babylon in some parts hath bene so fruitfull that it neuer yeelded lesse then two hundred fold sometime three hundred fold Now the land of Canaan especially in some parts and in a seasonable yeare was not inferiour to them and therefore would yeeld great encrease yet not all alike some parts of it was more fertile then other and so brought forth greater store of fruit Theâ—…by doth Christ set forth the diâ—â—â—sitie of fruitfulnes in his hearers All good hearers yeeld plentie of fruâ—… yet some more some lesse The word worketh powerfully in them all yet more powerfully and effectually in some then in others So fruitfull is the seede of the word that of a few graines there springeth an admirable encrease of all vertues A plentifull store of all graces in the heart many heauenly meditations holy thoughts and godly motions in the minde all sorts of good words in the mouth and all manner of good workes in the life yet all good hearers haue not all these in the same qualitie and number In some they more abound in others lesse And therefore as before you sawe some difference betwixt bad hearers so here you may behold some varietie and difference among good hearers For one doth much exceede another in the multitude and encrease of fruites according to the measure of Gods grace giuen to euery one The Rhemistes teach that this difference of Fruites is the difference of merits in this life and rewards for them in the next life according to the diuersitie of states As that the hundred fold agreeth to virgins professed threescore fold to Religious widowes thirty folde to the marryed And hence would many popish writers proue the excellencie and dignitie of single-life aboue Widow-hood and Mariage But therein they manifestly declare that they neyther vnderstand the scope of the Parable nor the meaning of Christs Exposition 1. For first it is apparant that Christ spake it not of receyuing fruites or rewards but of bearing and bringing forth fruites of obedience Though these be so linked together as the one sorte doth certainely followe the other yet doo they much differ The one sort of fruites are our deeds performed by vs vnto God the other sorte are Gods rewardes which hee in mercy bestoweth on vs and which wee receyue from him The one sort are the fruites of grace heere brought foorth for a time on the Earth the other are the fruits of glory receyued and enioyed in Heauen for euermore Of the former kinde Christ speaketh For it was not his purpose to shew the difference betwixt men in heauen but a difference betwixt good hearers in bringing forth the fruits of the word on the earth Euen as before he noted a difference betwixt bad hearers not as they shall be hereafter in hell but as they are now liuing in the world how then can his words proue any merit of workes or difference of merits in the next life 2. Christ in this parable spake not of any outward estates or different degrees of men in the world but onely of diuers sorts of hearers People of all estates and conditions did then heare him and afterward heare the Apostles and doe now heare vs. Now Christ teacheth that of what state or condition soeuer they be whether single persons or maried or widowes they shall beare fruites according to the manner of their hearing and according to the inward