also beleeue there is one God yet tremble they in desperation VVherfore then if a man shoulde describe vnto vs faith in this manner it is faith to beleeue there is one God this definition declaration or description of faith were altogether imperfect neither is this the faith wherby a man may bee saued for the deuils themselues haue as good a faith as this and yet are not saued As then it were absurde for any to say that the deuils shall be saued which no man affirmeth vnlesse hee be voide of knowledge bereft of reason enwrapped in errour doting through follie so it is no lesse absurde for men to seeke to bee saued through that faith which is common vnto the deuils also yet can not saue them which thing our Apostle here teacheth and telleth vs thou beleeuest there is one God thou doest well the deuils beleeue also and tremble To make a plaine euident and apparant difference Credere deum Credere deo Credere in deum betwixt true faith and feigned the faith of the Saints and the shadowe of faith in the wicked the holy auncient and reuerend fathers haue shewed that it is one thing to beleeue that God is and another thing to beleeue God and another thing to beleeue in God 1 To beleeue that God is is to beleeue there is a God and the same the creator and the gouernour of heauen and earth which the verie sight and view of the creatures and the frame of the worlde doth teach all Nations and people be they neuer so rude neuer so sauage neuer so barbarous as the heathen man and Oratour of the Romaines Tullie in sundrie of his bookes and 1. Lib. de natur deorum 1. Tuscul 1. de Legib. workes hath confessed And the verie deuils themselues Seeing the wonderfulnesse of his woorkes the omnipotencie of his power the incomprehensiblenesse of his wisedome the terrour and seueritie of his iudgements and the excellencie of his Maiestie are also forced will they nill they to beleeue and perswade themselues there is one God This faith then is common to the heathen and to the Saints vnto men and vnto deuils and therefore therby can we not be saued 2 To beleeue God is to beleeue Gods worde to be Psal 145. true to beleeue that God is faithfull in all his sayings and holy in all his workes Which thing albeit the wicked sometimes seeme to doe yet simplie can they not be saide to beleeue God For if they either beleeued him to be true in his promises or constant in his threatnings then would they neither so maliciously persecute vertue neither so greedilie follow after vice as experience doth teach they dayly do If they beleeued God then either the hope of heauen promised in mercie to the righteous or dreade of damnation threatned in iustice to the wicked woulde withdrawe them from wickednesse but neither the one neither the other doth perswade them therefore do they not rightly beleeue God 3 To beleeue in God is not onely to beleeue that God is neither only to beleeue all things in his holy word to be most certaine and most sure but also particularly to embrace and specially apply vnto our owne selues all the promises made by God the father in his son Iesus Christ both concerning mercie and also remission of sinnes vnto the Saints to relie rest and stay onely vppon his mightie power to haue all hope of happinesse in his onely fauour to perswade our selues of true righteousnesse release of sinne imputation of iustice eternall saluation onely through his deare sonne our Sauiour Iesus Christ the righteous who onely died for our sinnes and rose againe Rom. 4. 1. Pet. 3. Rom. 10. for our iustification who onely once suffered for vs the iust for the vniust to bring vs to God who onely is the fulfilling of the law for al that beleeue and therefore alone of god for vs made wisdome iustification sanctification 1. Cor. 1. redemption that according as it is written he that reioiceth let him reioice in the Lord. This faith who so hath from God doeth not onely beleeue God is neither alone acknowledge him as a most mightie Lorde and most iust iudge neither onely perswade himselfe generally the things in scripture contained to be true which in some sort is common both vnto men vnto deuils to the Saints and to the wicked but also doth loue God as a father full of all mercy hope in him for pardon of sinnes as in the onely fountaine of grace and goodnesse and this faith is chiefly proper vnto the Saints in whom also it bringeth forth the fruites of righteousnes that in them God in all things may be glorified through Iesus Christ To beleeue therefore that there is one God is faith more large and generall then may be accounted sounde and liuely faith whose proper marke and specifical difference is to applie the sure promises of mercie by God made vnto the Saints vnto our selues which neyther the wicked of the world neither the deuils do therefore by that their faith can they not be saued yea rather as vtterly without all hope through feare of endlesse damnation they tremble But a man might say that the faith of Gods elect seruaunts is not voide of feare for to be voide vtterly of feare is a thing most wicked Wherefore Paul hauing in many wordes noted the wickednesse of the naturall Rom. 3. and vnregenerate men setteth downe this as the full measure of their iniquitie the feare of God is not before their eyes True it is there is feare in the Saintes which God himselfe commendeth vnto vs by his Prophet to whom shall I haue respecte but to such as are poore humble Isai 66. in heart and tremble at my sayings This feare Salomon commendeth as the beginning of wisedome and Saint Prou. 1. Paul opposeth it to wicked presumption be not high minded but feare and requireth it in the Saints as a Rom. 11. marke of saluation worke out your saluation with feare and trembling This feare proceedeth from loue and Philip. 2. care we haue to please God loth in any thing to offende him as our father most mercifull most bounteous and louing not so much for feare of receyuing punishment as for care not to loose the benefite of mercie as Saint Augustine wisely hath obserued Epist 120. Honorato Mat. 25. But as for the feare and trembling of wicked men and damned spirites it is alwaies through remembrance of Gods iudgementes and their owne endles torments which in hell they shall suffer which are prepared for Satan and his Angels They feare because hee alwaies threateneth torments neuer promiseth reconcilement alvvaies appeareth rigorous neuer fauourable alvvaies dreadfull neuer amiable wherefore they carying daily in their breastes and bosomes tormenting furies which holde them day and night vnder dread of endlesse destruction when they see continually the countenaunce of God against them armed with all the weapons of
1. Ioh. 1 Ephes 6. 2. Cor. 4 of lights in whom also there is no darcknes at al hath no communion with Sathan the prince of the darcknesse of this world Christ being holy hath nothing to do no concord with Beliall the Prince of wickednes So that these cannot dwell in the heart of man together as in the fountaine of loue being so contrarie and opposed Truely therefore saith Saint Augustine the loue of the S. Augustine world and the loue of God cannot stand or consist together no more then the same eyes at once can looke vpon heauen and earth in the same instante Being therefore so contrarie God and the world it cānot be but that such as make themselues friends with the world become enemies vnto God Wherof they to whom Saint James speaketh not ignorant are sharply reprooued for louing the world with the hatred of God Ye adulterers and adultresses know ye not that the amitie of the world is enmitie with God whosoeuer therefore will be a friend of the world maketh himselfe the enemie of God And this reason of the holy Apostle holdeth not only in the propounded matter of ambitious and couetous desires which men cannot loue and loue God also but it holdeth in all worldly wickednes and loue of earthlie things whatsoeuer which men cannot possibly loue and loue God together For then might a man be holy and wicked godly vnrighteous all together for they which loue the world are wicked and vnrighteous as the worlde 1. Iohn 5 Leuit. 11 2◠c. it selfe lieth in wickednes and such as loue God are godlie and holy euen as God him selfe is holy That wee cannot possiblie geue entertainment to God and to the world together and at once loue them God and the world contrarie as appeareth in foure things both the reason is their contrarietie for things contrarie cannot dwell at once in the same person And the contrarietie betwixt the loue of the world and the loue of God in foure things appeareth 1 In the repugnancie of their nature GOD is by his nature pure holy vndefiled without contagion of Leuit. 11. 19. 20. sinne and without permixtion of any euill But the worlde is altogether wicked defiled with sinne spotted with many blemishes of vnrighteousnesse full of all contagion deadly poyson of iniquitie So that in nature there is a contraietie betwixt thē Naturally therefore being contrarie wee cannot loue them both together 1. Iohn 5. 2 As their natures are contrarie so are their precepts contrarie for other things by God other thinges by the world are inioined wherein the contrarietie betwixt thē appeareth God commaundeth mercie liberalitie pitie compassion the world perswadeth crueltie mercilesnes couetousnes hardnes of heart violence iniurie and oppression God commaundeth holines sanctification to be fruitfull in all good works to his glorie and to encrease therein to ripenes and a full measure in Iesus Christ But the world moueth vs to filthie conuersation to defile our selues with carnall lustes and all vngodlines to wearie waste our selues with all fleshly pleasure that wee may be vncleane in soule and in body God commandeth vs not to lie but speake the trueth one to another not to backbite not to slaunder not to deceaue not to circumuent or defraud one another not to sweare vainly not to curse bitterly and infinite the like but the worlde would haue vs to lie counterfette slaunder deceaue circumuent sweare curse banne and geue ouer all the powers of our mindes and partes of our bodies to committe iniquitie Hom. 22. vpō Matth. Seeing one commaundeth thee saith Chrysostome to geue of thine owne goods the other violently to take the goods of others one to embrace chastitie the other to follow intemperancie the one to loue sobernes the other to delight in gluttonie how is it possible we shoulde obey these precepts being so contrary so seem to loue them both together 3 As their precepts are contrarie so are the qualities of them which loue the one and the other contrary For other things please God other things the world Other qualities are required in such as loue God other things and qualities in them that loue the world The louers of God must be ledde by the spirite of God walke in the spirite of God and bring foorth the fruites therof as loue ioy peace long suffering gētlenes goodnes faith meeknes temperance and such like they must be indued with mercie humblenes of minde kindnes forgeuing one Ephes 4. Col. 3. another euen as Christ forgeueth vs. But the seruants and louers of the world are possest with crueltie mercilesnes wrath ennie currishnes contention fornication vncleannes wantonnes hatred debate emulation sedition murther drunkennes gluttonie and the workes of the fleshe 1. Cor. 6 Gal. 5. Ephes 3. Col. 3. Iohn 4. Psal which who committe shall not inherite the kingdome of God and of Christ The louers of God are pure vnrebukeable blamelesse before him in loue seruing him in spirit in trueth But the seruants of the world are corrupt deceitfull from the wombe defiled with sinne flattering God with their mouth and dissembling with him in their double toung The seruants of God and such as loue him are sober and temperate but the louers of the world make their bellie their God whose end is damnation whose glorie is to their shame being earthly minded Seeing therfore the Philip. 3. qualities of the louers of God and of the louers of the world are contrarie and diuers it cannot be that the same should loue God and the world both together 4 Finally the very loue it selfe is in qualitie contrarie for the loue of God is pure chaste and holy spirituall but the loue of the world is impure vncleane prophane and sensuall wherefore no man canne loue god and the world Yea rather they which endeuour to become friends of the world make themselues therby the enemies of god Wherefore my deare brethren beloued in Iesus Christ if we be the elect of god chosen by him out of the world to loue him and serue him in such holines as is acceptable vnto his diuine maiestie If we be the professed Souldiers of Christ to fight vnder his displaied banner against Sathan and the world shall we as backsliders from god traitors vnto Christ enemies of our owne saluation prophaners of our Christian profession geue our selues to the loue of the world and committe fornication against god Cleaue thereunto in league and bonde of friendshippe and so become enemies vnto the Lorde our god almightie Let vaine wicked ambitious and contentious persons let greene flourishing youth who thinke to loue god and the world also herence learne that they cannot loue both and that in making friendship with the world they fall at variance with God It is God that speaketh in his Apostle it is the spirit of truth which informeth vs it is Christ in his minister that openeth his mouth and assureth
by their owne choise therefore haue no cause therein to reioice theeues robbers pirates murtherers man quellers euill doers busie bodies who by their own desert procure their owne miserie ought not therein to reioyce Let no man saith Saint Peter suffer as a theefe murtherer euill doer 1. Pet 4. or as a busie bodie in other mens matters but if any suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed but let him glorifie God in that behalfe When men are causes of their owne crosses and procure by their wickednesse their own punishments and afflictions they must not therein reioyce but rather lament and be sorie but when we fall into temptations by the will of God then must we count it exceeding ioy Foolish men punished for their wickednesse malefactors chastined for their vngodlinesse wicked ones afflicted for their vngraciousnesse haue cause of sorow not of ioy of mourning not of mirth of lamentation not of laughter in that they fall not hereinto by Gods will but by their owne wickednesse though secretly they doe that which from euerlasting God hath determined Vnder the worde Falling into is insinuated vnto men vnder what affliction and crosse they must reioyce vnder that crosse which God imposeth and layeth vpon vs vnder those afflictions whereinto wee fall by the pleasure and purpose of God to trie vs therein when we suffer we must count it exceeding ioy 3 The circumstance of time may not be lightly passed ouer My brethren count it exceeding ioy when you fall that is whensoeuer you fall into temptations This teacheth the children of God that once or twise to reioyce vnder the crosse is not inough to the perfect dutie of a Christian but whensoeuer as often soeuer at what time soeuer we are assaulted and assailed with temptations so often to shew our selues pacient therein and ioyous because Heb. 10. our crowne is onely giuen in the ende of all our combats which the authour to the Hebrues recounting teacheth vs that we haue alwaies neede of pacience that in fine and at length wee may obtaine the promise For which cause the Angell requireth patience in the Smyrnians Reuel 2. and constancie vnder the crosse to the ende Bee thou constant vnto death and I will giue vnto thee the crowne of life It is not inough to begin to runne in the race of pacience but wee must runne out our race with pacience if we will be crowned Therefore Saint Paul admonisheth that we runne on with pacience the race that Heb. 12. is set before vs. Wherefore as he that hath borne the brunt of many bickerings and hath quit himselfe valiantly and like a man in sundrie assaults and skirmishes If before the ende of the battell he faint and giue ouer loseth all his former labor and as he that plaieth on a stage though he behaue himselfe excellently in sundry acts yet if in the last act he quaile he beareth away neither prime nor price in that action and as hee that runneth a long time but falleth or sitteth downe before he come to the goale hath not the crowne or garland so if men in manie miseries in sundrie temptations in diuers afflictions haue reioyced vnlesse whensoeuer they fall thereunto they still reioice they loose their praise and commendation of pacience whereof the Apostle to foretell and foreteach vs would haue vs count it exceedtng ioy whensoeuer wee fall into temptations 4 Finally hee would men to count it exceeding ioy when they fall into diuers or manifolde temptations Wherein we must learne that the afflictions of the saints are manifolde diuers and sundrie and that specially in three respects 1 These afflictions are manifolde in respect of the diuersitie of instrumēts which God vseth in inflicting them vpon the Saints For some times hee vseth the Diuel sometimes the meanes of men some times other his creatures as instruments and meanes by afflictions to tempt the Saints Hee vsed Satan in the temptation of Job 1. 2. ca. Job to whom he gaue licence in his goodes and in his bodie to afflict him Men almightie God vsed to afflict Israel his people wherefore in the Prophets the Assirians the Babilonians the Philistines and Aegyptians with other are both plainly called and manifestly discribed as the instuments of God to afflict his people In which sense Assur is called the rodde of the Lords furie and the staffe Esai 10. Iere. 27. Ezec. 17. 26 of his wrath and indignation Thus the Lord calleth Nabuchodonosor that cruell tyrant and shamefull idolater his seruant because he vsed him as a meane to afflict his people Thus vsed also God the Caldeans and Sabians as Iob. 1. his instruments to afflict Job the Patriarch and seruant of God Thus he vsed Sennecharib to afflict Hezekiah the Scribes and Pharisees to afflict our Sauiour and to vse all meanes of persecution against the Apostles and disciples Thus he vseth men to rob spoile slaie murther and euerie way to afflict his saints and seruants God vseth in like maner other creatures in afflicting of his Saints Sometimes the heauens giue abundance of raine whereby the corne and graine of the earth is destroied and the Saints and others brought to extremitie some times the aire is infected wherehence sicknesse plagues pestilence groweth and the people are destroied Some times brute beasts rise vp against men and destroy them as the Lion did the Prophet The Lions which destroied 3. Kings 13. those whom Salmanaser sent to inhabite Samaria whereof that none were good were hard to affirme By infinite 4. Kings 17. other his creatures the saints themselues are oftentimes afflicted wherefore if we respect but the diuersitie of instruments which almightie God vseth in these externall afflictions we shal easily be forced to confesse that in that regard euen our afflictions and temptations are sundrie 2 As in respect of the diuers instruments thereunto by God vsed the temptations of men are diuers and manifold so if we looke into the nature of temptations they Psal 34. are no lesse manifold and diuers Hereunto the holy prophet hauing regard crieth out Manie are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord deliuereth out of all As many in number so diuers in nature are our afflictions Some are afflicted by exile and banishment some by captiuitie and imprisonment some by famin and nakednesse some by perill and persecution some by slaunder and reprochfull contumelie some by rackings and tearings in peeces some by slaughter and sworde some by fire and fagots some by sores of bodie and sundrie diseases some suffer in themselues some are afflicted in their friends in their wiues in their children some in their goods some in their bodies some in their credits some by sea some by land some at home some abroade some by open enemies some by counterfeit friends some by cruell oppression some by manifest iniuries some by force some by fraud some afflicted and tempted by one meanes some by another
thereby by God to be humbled whether it be by pouertie whether by contempt whether by calamitie whatsoeuer if we fixe and fasten not our eies vpon the present miseries but lift vp our hearts and cast our cogitations vpon the glorie whereof we shall be partakers we shall also be exalted so that we haue great and iust cause to reioice vnder the crosse whereunto the Apostle exhorteth Let the brother of lowe degree reioice when he is exalted Nowe as the crosse and afflictions are profitable to the poore brother and brother of lowe degree who thereby is exalted so also is this doctrine needfull and profitable to the rich Againe saith he He that is rich let him reioice in that he is made low wherein is taught how men which haue al things at wil should behaue themselues in wealth that they waxe not proud of their abundance and plentie neither trust too much to the frailtie of their cōdition but alwayes to looke to the crosse which followeth them which if it be laied on them therein they ought to reioice also When God then taketh away and remoueth the flattering and deceitfull baites of this world from rich men and so they become contemptible vnto others if he turne their wealth into wo their mirth into mourning their plentie into pouertie their abundance into want their worldly happinesse into miserie in this their humbling are they exhorted by the Apostle to reioice for thereby many occasions of many sinnes are remoued and therefore rich men by spoile of goodes losse of wealth decrease of riches or what other way soeuer tried in that they are humbled must reioice Seeing then in the state of this life there is great occasion ministred of impacience both in the poore and low degree of men and also in the rich and plenteous estate of men the onely salue of both their sores is in all changes and chaunces of this life to behaue themselues pacient vnder the crosse and thus is the doctrine here deliuered profitable for poore and rich as the Apostle teacheth Let the brother of lowe degree reioyce in that he is exalted and againe the rich in that he is humbled If any obiect here that Saint Iames willeth the brother of low degree to reioyce when he is exalted and the rich man when he is made low and humbled which seemeth contrarie to other Scriptures where we are exhorted Iere. 9. to reioyce onely in God as by the Prophet Ieremie men are commanded neither to reioice in their wisdome riches strength nor any other thing but in that they know God which executeth iudgement equitie and iustice on earth And by Saint Paul who aduiseth men to reioice in Philp. 4. the Lord onely Reioice in the Lord alway and againe I say reioice Hereunto the answere is easie 1. If we acknowledge whatsoeuer happeneth vnto vs to be from God who both woundeth and healeth casteth down and lifteth vp humbleth and exalteth then either in our low degree being 1. Kings 2. exalted or in our riches and plentie being humbled to reioice is to reioice in that God sendeth and so to reioice in the Lord. 2. If againe we looke into our owne wretched cōditiō who of our selues haue nothing but whatsoeuer we haue we haue receiued it thē in the things which we haue receiued from the hands of God moderately to 1. Cor. 4. reioice is also to reioice in the Lord who is the fountaine and well-head of all graces and blessings 3. Finally if we hold this as a ground and foundation that all good 1. Per. 5. gifts flowing vnto man grow of his meere fauour and mercy not from any merit or desert of ours then in the good blessings of God of exaltation aduauncement glorie or other whatsoeuer to reioice is godly christian and dutifull and thus men reioycing reioice in the Lorde The Apostle Saint Iames then in exhorting the brother of lowe degree to reioice when he is exalted and the rich in like maner when he is made lowe and humbled is in all points ansvverable vnto other Scriptures vvherein vve are required to reioyce in the Lord for thus for Gods sake and in the obedience of his commandements to reioyce is to reioyce in the Lord also These things thus set downe the Apostle geueth a A reason reason of the later doctrine that the rich must reioice whē he is made lowe Which reason is drawen from the nature of the things themselues for wealth riches and worldlie pompe are most vaine vncertaine transitorie and fraile so that when we enioy them and they flowe we must not be Psal 62. 1. Tim. 6. proud of them nor set our mindes vpon them if we be bereft of them we must not cast downe the head heart but rather reioice as the Apostle exhorteth For what should men put confidence in vain and transitory riches or why should they faint in hart for the losse of that which most easily pearisheth Touching the vanitie and vncertainetie of worldly wealth pompe and glorie how often and how carefully therof are we admonished in holy scripture Solomon the wiseman dissuading men from settling their eies and affections Pro. 23. vpon worldly wealth and riches reasoneth from their vncertainenes and vanitie wilt thou cast thy eie vppon that which is nothing riches taketh her to her wings as an egle and flieth away into the heauē Dauid his father through longe experience seeing that there was nothing Psal 37. more vaine then the riches and goods of this world Acknowledgeth that albeit the riche be strong and shoote vp like the greene bay tree yet are they cut downe from the earth like Grasse which withereth They passe away and are not if thou seeke their place thou shalt not finde it Solomon bringeth in the rich proude and couetous men of Wisd 5. the earth whose whole delight and happines was worldly pompe and glorie euen from the bottome of hell it selfe to confesse the vncertainty and vanitie of their condition wherein in their times they so greately gloried What say they hath pride profited vs or what profit hath the pomp of riches purchased vs all these paste away as a shadow and as a post that passeth by As a shipp in the water an arrow in the ayre a birde in the heauen and element our Sauiour Christ dissuading men from heaping and hurding Mat. 6. vp such vncertaine treasures willeth that men should not lay vp for them sealues treasure on earth where ruste and moath corrupteth and theeues breake through and steal To which purpose the Apostle giueth them epithites or additions and calleth them vncertaine charge them that are rich in this world that they bee not high minded and 1. Timo. 6. that they trust not in vncertaine riches therefore our Sauiour termeth him a fool that in the vanity of his minde Lu. 12. through confidence in vncertaine wealth plucked down his barnes and enlarged them and then
haue crucified the Lorde of glorie Christ may be called the Lord of glorie 1 Because he is full of maiestie power and glorie at the right hand Philip. 2. of God Which glorie Saint Paul noting vnto men affirmeth that God his father had highly exalted him and giuen him a name aboue all names that at the name of Iesus euery knee should bowe of things in heauen things on earth and things vnder the earth and euerie tongue should confesse Iesus Christ to be Lord to the glorie of God And in another place to like purpose entreating of the same glorie of Christ at the right hand of God auoucheth Ephes 1. that God had raised vp his sonne Christ and set him at his right hand in heauenly places farre aboue all principalities and might and power and dominion euerie name that is named not onely in this world but in the world to come Which the author to the Hebrues calleth the right hand of maiestie in highest places Which glorious Heb. 1. exaltation S. Peter expressing writeth that Christ is at the right hande of GOD gone into heauen to whom 1. Pet. 1. the powers and angels and might are subiect this being Heb. 1. a glorie farre aboue the glorious and most excellent condition of Angels to whom the Lord neuer saide Sit at my right hande till I make thine enemies thy footstoole and this glorie being proper vnto Christ our Lord hee may be called our glorious Lord or the Lord of glory 2 Christ Isai 53. Zach. 9. is the Lord of glorie because howsoeuer hee first came in basenesse great humilitie yet at his second appeaing and comming he shall come in vnspeakeable glorie as the Scriptures haue auouched The holy Euangelists with one mouth as it were describing the cōming of our Lord Matt. 24. Luke 21. Marke 13. Iesus Christ to iudgement affirme that he should come in the clouds with great power glorie S. Mathew setting down the maner of the general iudgemēt the summoning citing of all creatures before Christ the sentence of Mat. 25. iudgement which should be pronoūced to al writeth that when the sonne of man should come in his glorie and all his holy angels with him thē should he sit vpō the throne of his glorie and all nations should bee gathered before him that he should diuide the one from the other as a shedheard diuideth the sheepe from the goates and set the sheep on his right hand and the goats on his left and say to the sheepe Come ye blessed of my father receyue the kingdome prepared for you but to the goats depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the diuell and his angels Saint Iude the Apostle intreating of this glorie of Christ which he proueth out of Enoch writeth thereof in this wise Behold the Lord commeth with Iude v. 14. thousands of his saints to giue iudgement against al men Accompanied with so glorious a troupe and traine of his saints his comming is glorious S. Paul painting out the same matter vnto vs and shewing the glorious cōming of our Sauiour Christ auoucheth that the Lord Iesus should discend from heauen with a shoute and with the voice of 1. Thes 4. the archāgel with the trumpet of God The archangel being the harminger or the proclaimer of Christs comming the trumpet of God soūding out the same to all the world doth not a litle shew the glory of Christs cōming His comming therefore being so glorious he is the glorious Lorde or the Lorde of glory as the Apostle calleth him 3 Christ to conclude is a glorious Lord because he bringeth and aduanceth his seruants to immortall glory after his appearing in iudgement For he exalteth and lifteth Iohn 12 them to his eternal kingdom of glory as himselfe of himself witnesseth to the Iewes whom he telleth that when by death vpon the crosse he should be lifted vp so exalted to his kingdom he would draw all men all that beleeue vnto him to the same glory To which purpose he praieth Iohn 17. vnto his father father I will that they whom thou hast giuen me be with me euen where I am that they may behold that my glory which thou hast giuen me Wherof he assureth his Church in the person of the disciples as my Luke 22. father hath appointed vnto me a kingdom euen so I appoint vnto you that you may eat drink in my kingdom and sit iudge the twelue tribes of Israel Vnto the reall possession wherof he calleth all his saints in the sentence Mat. 25. of the general iudgement to them by him pronounced when with most comforable voice hee crieth nowe vnto them Come ye blessed of my father possesse the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world S. Paul Col. 3. subscribeth hereunto We are dead and our life is hid with Christ in God when Christ which is our life shall appeare thē shal we also appeare with him in glory Wherin the apostle assureth vs that howsoeuer our glorious condition by reason of worldly miseries calamities afflictions whervnto weare here subiect is as it were hid yet shal wehaue the accomplishmēt of our glory at Christs comming when we shall be exalted to our glorie which wee haue in Christ Iesus Saint Iohn disputing of the glorie 1. Iohn 3. which we shall inioy by Christ and the excellent dignitie and calling to that immortall glorie wherunto at his cōming by him the Saints shal be exalted saith dearly beloued we are the sonnes of God but it is not manifest what we shal be and we know that when he shal appeare we shal be like him So that albeit in this life we receiue not the perfect measure of our glorie yet when he commeth to iudge the worlde our glorie shall bee reuealed and we made like him partakers of the like and same Rom. 8. though not of equall glory with the sonne of God Christ Iesus This is that glorious libertie of the sonnes of God whereunto the saints are brought by Iesus christ our Lord not onely himselfe full of maiestie and glorie but appearing to the world in the last day in excellent glorie and then making all his seruants partakers of the like glorie is for these and like respects in Scripture called the glorious Lord or the Lord of glorie This glorie of Christ yea this glory of his poore saints if we would esteem as we ought there would not be such respect of persons as there is among men to esteeme of the riche and wealthie though prophane and wicked and to contemne and disdainfully account of the poore albeit vertuous and godly 3 To haue this faith of Christ our glorious Lord in respect of persons is to esteeme the faith religion and profession of Christ by the outward appearance of men VVhich this Apostle here condemning saieth My brethren haue not the faith of our glorious
discomfited Thus the saints and church of Christ for Peters deliuerance drewe neare Acts 16. vnto god by praier Thus Paul Silas drew neare to god when at their praier ihe very foundations of the earth shooke and trembled Thus the praiers of gods Saints shake heauen and earth and make away for vs wherby we draw neare vnto God Thus flie we to God in our needes thus drawe we neare vnto him thus are we ioined vnto god to whom we draw neare by praier which leadeth vs to the presence of god and of Christ 4 Neither do men draw neare to god by praier only Sophon 3. 2. Zacha. 1. but also by repentance which is a returning again to god vvhom through the sinnes and iniquities of our liues we had left and forsaken Thereof thus saith the Lord by his prophet turne againe vnto me and I will turne vnto you saith the lord of hosts In another of his Prophets the lord speaketh in like maner of drawing nere to god by repentance O Israel if thou returne returne vnto me saith the Iere. 4. lord Thus did Dauid draw nere to the lord when after his horrible sinnes he repented was reconciled vnto god 2. King 12. Psal 51. Thus Manasses the king falling away from god by shamefull idolatrie and wilfull obstinacie by his repentaunce in prison returned and drewe neare to God Marie Magdalen running away from god by loose life drewe neare vnto him by repentaunce VVhen the prodigall childe by his doting follie had forsaken his father yet by confession Luke 15. and earnest repentaunce hee drewe neare vnto him So when wee our selues by the transgression of our liues sequester and separate our selues from god by our vnfeined repentaunce and sorrowe of our hearts vve returne and dravve neare vnto him This thing is greatly neglected of vs men and vomen chuse rather to run and raunge further further from god by levvdnes loosnes of their liues then by sorow of hart remorse of conscience repeÌ„tance for their sins to returne dravv nere vnto him surely this is a most necessary approching dravving nere vnto god then which there is nothing more expedient in the vvhole life of man For seeing the iust man falleth Prou. 24. seuen times a day froÌ„ god euery man so long as he liueth by his iniquitie he seperated himselfe froÌ„ the Lord dayly neither is there any bord left for vs to swim out by but this of repentance wherby we grow in fauour a fresh and drawe neare vnto God then must repentaunce needs be a necessary thing in the life of man for which cause it is so often and so highly commended vnto vs. 5. Men are said more ouer to drawe neare to God when they seeke to his holy arke when they runne to his Leuit. 24. 13. 14. Num. 9. 8. Nu. 15. 33. 27. v. 15. â— Kings 14 word to aske counsell As Moses oftentimes in matters which were hard and difficult or whereof he had not manifest coÌ„mission from God drew neare to God by asking counsell from him When Saul was to follow the Philistians the priest willed that they might draw neare vnto God whereby was meant the asking of counsell at the mouth of God and of his word Thus such as in matters wherof they are ignorant seeke counsell from the mouth and word of God in his preachers and prophets drawe neare vnto God 6. By reposing all trust and confidence in God and cleauing constantly vnto him wherof Psal 73. 28. 7. Of none of all these the Apostle here seemeth to speak properly but of an other drawing neare which is by puritie sincerenes of life wherof chiefly in this place he speaketh which he commendeth vnto vs in these words cleanse your hands your sinners and purge your harts you double minded Which I take not for a new precept but with Bede others as the meane maÌ„ner of performing â— Bede that which here now is enioyned that we drawe neare to God in puritie and sinceritie of life which consisteth in the cleansing of our hands and purging of our hearts before the Lord. Let vs then coÌ„sider the place 1. In calling them sinners Sinners he meaneth not them which are subiect by naturall infirmitie to the committing of sinne as all men are so long as they rest remaine vpon the face of the earth but hereby he noteth their hainous and hornble iniquities 1. Tim. 1. 9 whereunto they were giuen 2. By wauering or double minded he noteth the shamefull hipocrisie which vvas crept in euen into their liues vvhich made some shewe of religion and had a pretence of godlines such as in outward shevv seemed deuout religious righteous holy but in their harts vvere full of vngodlinesse and impietie thus they seeme outvvardly one invvardly another in vvorde one in vvorke another one in talke another in truth therfore are they called double minded Like Ianus whom some take for Iapheth one of the sonnes of Noe others for Saturne whom the Heathen paint double faced These the prophet Dauid often sharply reproueth for that Psa 12. â—1 55. c. they speake with a double heart hauing one thing proÌ„pt in their mouthes another couered in their minds a sinne euill and odious before God and man Therfore if we will draw neare to God our double harts must be purged that we may be such indeed as we pretende to be in shew least we heare with our great shame blush you not at it that when as in shew you beare the person of noble Agamemnon in deed you play the parte of cruell and deformed Thersites in being one in shew and another in deed If this holy Apostle did so earnestly call vpon them for reformatioÌ„ of their liues which were double minded what shall wee do to such as are triple quadruple three minded foure minded yea of hundreth minds what voice shall we sounde what speach shall we vtter what mouth shall we open against such Who with the Camelion can turne themselues into all shapes who are now hote now colde in religion now professours now Romanish Catholikes now thus now otherwise minded and affected to bleare the eyes of the simple is it not high time that we call out a lowde to them to be cleansed and with open mouth crie to them to be purged 3. The wordes bearing this signification the matter followeth that men in puritie sinceritie of their liues draw neare vnto God which coÌ„sisteth in two things 1. In cleansing of their hands 2. In purging of their hartes before God Cleansing of the handes noteth the redresse and reformation What meaneth the cleansing of hands of all the outward life of man the correcting of all his actions and deedes of all which though it bee not yet of most of them the hande is the instrument wherefore the outward workes of men are vsually called the works of mens hands because most of them haue the
peace the prolonging of our prosperitie standeth in the life of one most teÌ„der womaÌ„ vertuous princes vnder the shadow of whose winges by the great prouideÌ„ce of God we haue these 33. yeares beene shrowded from many dangers and mightily protected from sundry perils at home and abroade by our enemies and our owne countriemen by whose godly zeale religion hath bene erected the truth of Gods vvorde established the glorious gospell of Christ maintained though the Princes of the world haue snuffed and raged frette and fumed stampt and starde thereat by whose gratious gouernement euery man hath hetherto in peace eateÌ„ the fruits of his owne orchard the grapes of his owne vine the coÌ„moditie of his owne land vvithout either hostile inuasion or ciuile discention to any great dammage vvhose terme of daies cannot be but the end of our prosperitie vvhose day of death shal be the beginning of our vvoful vvretchednes whose rest vvith God in eternal peace our entraÌ„ce into troubles in this coÌ„monvvealth her yeelding to nature vvhich the Lord differre long to his glory her endlesse comfort the first steppe and degree as it vvere to our miserable calamitie this I say vvhen vve do consider shall not our laughter be turned into mourning and our ioy into heauines 4. If vve recount that for tvvo yeares of late past 1585. 1586. God hath seuerely punished the prophanation of his gospell the conteÌ„pt of his vvorde the dishonour of his name our counterfetting of religion our impietie impuritie of our liues our manifolde sinnes and great iniquities vvhich in euery state and condition of men ouerflovv and abound by great famine by much penurie by extreame dearth vvhiche famine if it vvill not serue to reclaime vs and call vs vnto repentaunce to make vs thereby to chasteÌ„ our selues before God then is it to be feared that he vvill sende of al famine the most grieuous not a famine of bodily bread as novv vve haue suffered but a famine of the bread of life euen of the vvorde of Amos 8. GOD vvhereby our soules are nourished threatened by the Prophet vvhen vvee shall vâ—ander from sea to sea from North to East seeking the vvorde of God and shall not finde it and that for our vvickednesse fruitelesnesse and vnvvorthinesse he vvill take avvay the kingdome Mat. 21. of God from vs and giue it to a nation that vvill bring foorth fruite thereof shall not the remembrance of this turne our laughter into mourning and our ioy into heauines 5 If finallie we call to minde the seueritie of Gods iudgementes against like sinners and his indignation powred out vpon such people as our consciences doe witnesse we are a great number of vs shall not this turne our laughter into mourning and our ioy into heauines Wherefore I call heauen and earth to recorde this day euen against our selues that if god in his iustice hath not spared the olde world the hope of posteritie but for their fornicatioÌ„s gaue them ouer to the rage of the swelling waters to be drowned if hee spared not the famous Gen. 6. 7. Gen. 19. Cities of Sodom and Gomorrha the very Paradise of all worldly pleasure but for their intollerable pride riotousnes and vncleannes of life stroke theÌ„ from heauen with fire and brimstone that they pearished if hee spared not not the kingdome of Israel and Iudah his owne people but gaue them ouer as captiues into the hands of the Assytians 4. Kings 17 25. and Babylonians for their iniquitie if he spared not Hierusalem the citie of the Lord wherein his holie Temple was erected but for their vnworthines and ingratitude gaue it ouer into the hands of the Romane Captaines Josephus de bello Jud. lib. 7. Eusebius lib. 3. to be destroied in cruell manner as the stories report vnto vs if he spared not the noble Corinth the worthie Philippi the famous Ephesus the renowmed Constantinople but for their fruitlesnes vnder the Gospell their securitie and confidence in vaine things gaue them ouer to Turkish slauerie if hee hath not spared Fraunce Flanders and other our neer neighbours round about vs but daily punisheth their sins either with forrain power or ciuil sword either with daÌ„ger of dreadful pestilence or distres of miserable famin or some such like way or mean of punishment Shall we in Englande whose knowledge rightly considered aboue other people not inferior to these forenamed in iniquitie looke or hope to scape vnpunished What is his power abated is not his arme stretched out stil is not he in like manner righteous as hee hath beene in former times shall wee remember these things and shall not our eyes gush out with teares shall not our laughter be suddenly turned into mourning and our ioy into heauines When these calamities shal come vpon vs when our deserued punishments shall ouertake vs then shall wee will we nill we abide the performance of that woefull threatning of God by his Prophet I wil turne your feastes into mourning and your songs into lamentation I will Amos 8. bring sackcloath vpon all loynes and baldnes vpon euery head and I will make it as the mourning of an onely sonne and the ende thereof as a bitter day and this day of punishment how neere it is who knoweth Nearer no doubt then we doe thinke or suspect The terror and calamitie whereof that we may shunne and auoide let vs afflicte our selues before God through true repentance let vs sorrowe and weepe for our sinnes let our laughter be turned into wofull mourning and our ioy into heauines for the iniquities which we haue committed that God may be mercifull to our vnrighteousnes that he may be fauorable vnto vs his people that he may turn his wrathfull indignation from vs be gratious to his inheritance for euer But as for vs what man what woman of many thousands followe this aduise and councell of the Apostle who soroweth who lamenteth who weepeth who turneth his laughter into mourning or his ioy into heauinesse for his sinnes Yea euery man euery woman amongst vs flatter them selues in their owne sinnes and there withall are lulled a sleepe in the cradle of securitie The Vsurer continueth in his deuouring the adulterer and adulteresse in their vncleannes the proud person in his brauerie the glutton in his riotousnes the extortioner in his cruell dealing the couetous man in his miserablenesse the enuyous in his malice the lier in his falshoode the blasphemer in his vaine swearing the slaunderer in his backbiting Euery one runneth on the race of his owne desire and though our punishment followe vs at the heeles yet put we off the euil day from vs with the blockish Ezech. 11. 3. Amos 6. 3. Israelites and approach and drawe neer to the seate of iniquitie The wicked face it out with all shamelesnesse the common strumpette taketh vpon her as if she were right honest the secrete and priuie harlotte minceth it and pranketh it in
giuen vnto the Lord that he is the Lord of hostes as 1. c. v. 6. 8. 9. 10. 11. 14 2. c. v. 2. 4. 7. 8 ch 3. v. 1. 5. 7. 10. 11. 14. 17 c. 4. v. 1. 3. And innumerable the like places in holy Scriptures Whereunto our Apostle according to the phrase of Scripture respecting to note the power of God and his hablenes to bring destruction vpō the prophane rich men of the world for detaining holding backe the wages of the hireling affirmeth that the voice of the detained wages crieth and is gone vp into the eares of the Lord of hosts Which place containeth no small comfort vnto the poore afflicted saints of God in that the Lord is called the Lord of hostes who being mighty in power hauing all the creatures in heauen earth at a bay and vseth them at his will as his hoste armie protesteth professeth himselfe to be the protectour and defence of his seruaunts S. Iames therfore partly for the terrour of the wicked who in due time shall feele the waight of his reuenging hand and partly for the comforte of his afflicted seruaunts whose wages wicked men holde backe by fraude calleth almighty God the Lord of hostes as hauing a power alwaies prepared and an armie euermore in a readinesse to fight against his enemies Now if the cries of their detained wages which worke in our bodily and earthly haruest be entred into the eares of the Lord of hostes which of wicked persons is helde backe by fraude and therefore heare so heauie a sentence of endlesse destruction against them how much more fearefull iudgement shal be pronounced against them vnder how wofull wretched condition are they who by fraude or by force detaine withhold and keepe backe the hyre and wages of them that labour in the heauenly Mat. 9. Mat. 10. Mat. 20. and spirituall haruest of the Lord who sowe the forrowes of your heartes with the diuine seede of the worde of truth and should reape the encrease of their laboures with great ioyfulnes which are Gods labourers sent into Heb. 13. the haruest of the worlde to gather in many soules into the Lordes barnes and to fill his garners with the spirites of the Saints This mē care not for in these daies who do not only withhold from the ministers and preachers of the word of God which labour in the spiritual haruest of the Lord those wages that hire which by them is due vnto them but also endeuour by all meanes to take that hire from them which many yeares past for this end hath beene giuen that there being no hire no reward no wages or at the least very little proposed they might discourage all from labouring in the Lords vineyard might bring in barbarisme darke ignorance into the church of Christ And I would to God they did not tempt this matter who would otherwise seeme most zealous to Gods glorie and as it were chiefe men in the Church of Christ God for Christes sake graunt that the venim of this poyson sinke not into the heartes of princes and men in authoritie for then shall there be nothing to be looked for but desolation miserie wretchednes extreame contempt and vtter subuertion of the glorious gospell which euill be farre from vs and our posteritie now and for euer Amen The first euill then in this place condemned and for which this sentence of iudgement is gone out against the prophane riche men of the worlde is their fraudulent detaining and withholding of their labourers wages the crie whereof entred into the eares of the Lorde of hosts This seconde euill and sinne for which the Apostle 2. Euill or sinne in the wicked threateneth their destruction to the wicked is their sensualitie and carnall life which consisteth briefly in three things 1. Pleasure 2. Wantonnesse 3. Riotousnes and excessiue banquetting you haue liued in pleasure on the earth and in wantonnesse you haue nourished your harts as in a day of slaughter Pleasure heere signifieth the deliciousnesse of men in this life whereunto they giue themselues that they faring deliciously euerie daie may spende their time and life in pleasure like Epicures by the which they are not onely condemned as iniurious vnto others but also are accused as mispending that which they detaine from their workemen vpon their owne pleasure and delights Such pleasure the men of the first world gaue thēselues vnto such was the pleasure and delicacie of the Sodomites Mat. 24. Ezech. 16. for these gaue themselues to eating to drinking to pleasure and daintinesse of their liues and so liued in pleasure vpon the earth Which is that euill condēned by Salomon Eccles. 2. when men withhold nothing from their soules but giue them whatsoeuer their hearts or eies desire withdrawing themselues from no ioy nor pleasure Who encourage one another to the fulfilling of their lustes Come let vs Wised 2. inioy the pleasures that are present let vs cheerefully vse the creatures as in youth lette vs fill our selues with costly wine and oyntments let not the flower of life passe by vs let vs crowne our selues with rose buddes before they be weathered let vs be partakers of our wantonnesse let vs leaue some token of our pleasures in euery place where we come for this is our portion and our lot These are such as S. Paul mencioneth whose belly is their God Philip. 3. whose glory is to their shame being carnally minded who imitate follow the exāple of the rich glutton who Luc. 16. fared deliciously euery day they eat they drinke they rest they sleepe they giue thēselues to idlenes in all things take their pleasure wherin their sensualitie appeareth Thē which there is nothing more dangerous or pernicious in men in so much that the very heathen folke and philosophers haue said that it is not onely dangerous but altogether vnworthy the excellencie of man The Saints of God ought to remēber with themselues how far it is frō duty thereby the holy garmēt which we haue put on in the day of baptisme is stained thereby the tēple of the holy ghost which are the bodies of Christians is polluted defiled with the filthines of satan in thē faith patience tēperance modesty iustice all the rest of christian vertues should appeare all which that filthy strumpet pleasure putteth out of place whereunto rich men for the most parte giue themselues and therefore are condemned by the Apostle 2. Their sensualitie also sheweth it selfe in the wantonnes of their liues wherby carnal vncleanes is vnderstood as S. Paul to the Romanes walke honestly as in the day Rom. 13. time not in drunkennesse and surfetting not in chambering and wantonnes wher by chambering and wantonnes is vnderstood that effect which riseth of chambering and wantonnes as venerie fleshly vncleannes therunto also most rich mē are giuē For riches minister matter of liuing deliciously delicious liuing pricketh forward
the Lord in the lawe said thou shalt not take Exod. 20. the name of the Lord thy god in vaine it is apparant that seeing in other places he permitted the Israelits to sweare therefore thereby he forbad not all swearing but vaine swearing false swearing loose and licencious dissolute and disordered swering For seeing that swering by the name of God is a part of that diuine seruice which is due vnto him as in holy Scripture is apparant Exo. 20. v. 7. c. 23. v. 13. Deut. 6. 13. v. cap. 10. ver 20. Isai 65. 16. Ierem. 4. 2. 5. 7. ver Isai 45. 23. c. 48. 1. Iere. 23. 7. 8. verses Psal 93. 11. v. Therefore woulde hee his people to take diligent heede and beware that they runne not into anie superstition irreligiousnesse or impietie by vaine and wicked swearing which euill to preuent and that the religion of an othe might be inuiolable therefore the Lorde in his lawe commaunded that they shoulde not take his name in vaine by rash vaine wicked and false swearing or anie other way whatsoeuer Our Sauiour Christ in the Gospell teacheth his that they should not sweare at all not forbidding such Matt. 5. othes as the law of God commendeth but correcting controlling the disorderednesse licenciousnes of swearing which in his time was crept into the manners and mouthes of men in whose time it was in custom to sweare by creatures by heauen earth Hierusalem the great Citie by the Temple thereof and such like as in the Gospell appeareth Which thing saith Saint Hillarie they did in reproch of God and to his dishonour who is then Hillar 4. vpon Matt. highly dishonoured when his religion or anie poynt thereof is applied vnto creatures This detestable wickednesse our Sauiour condemneth willing that his shoulde not sweare at all And worthily doth Christ altogether forbid that wickednesse and vanitie of swearing especially by creatures for it is plaine idolatrie in as much as men make those things their gods whereby they sweare S. Chrysostom writing vpon S. Matthew his gospell handling Homil. 12. operis imperf vpon Matth. the matter of swearing by creatures affirmeth truly that who so sweareth by heauen yearth or what thing else so euer he therein and therby maketh that his God whereby he svveareth and so euery one that svveareth by any thing else then by God thereby maketh himselfe an idolatour because he applieth the religion of an othe to a creature which is onely due vnto God the creatour and to no other S. Hierom expounding that place of Christ sweare not at all neyther by heauen c. subscribeth herevnto Vpon S. Matth. Men saith he swearing by angels heauen earth the elements worship carnall and corruptible creatures with diuine and holy worship Now to giue diuine worship to creatures is idolatrie therefore to sweare by any thing then by God is idolatrie Lactantius reprouing Lib. 3. de falsa sapientia c. 19. the vanitie of Socrates the philosopher whom the auncient heathen helde as the wisest among men among other things hee findeth great fault with him for that hee swore by a dog and a goose reputing him for madde in hauing a most filthy creature as a dog is for his GOD thereby intimating that what creature so euer it be albeit most vile and contemptible yet vve make it our God by swearing by it as Socrates did a dogge and a goose whereby he swore vsually If then thus to sweare be a thing so wicked as our Sauiour rightwell considered then no doubte our Sauiour had iust cause to forbid swearing altogether yet not meaning all in generall but all vaine idolatrous and vvicked svvearing vvhereunto that time vvas giuen Saint Iames likewise not forbidding or condemning all svvearing but that svvearing which grew of their impatiencie vnder the crosse the disorderednes of othes which was crept into their liues and manners giueth this exhortation to the Saints But aboue all things my brethren svveare not neyther by heauen neyther by earth neyther by any other othe condemning their vaine othes their othes by creatures their needlesse othes in their priuate communication and so in all things agreeth with our Sauiour Christ who to his disciples saith I say vnto Mat. 5. you sweare not at all If S. Iames and our Sauiour Christ also forbad men to sweare by heauen earth or any such creature or other whatsoeuer wil that rash othes proceed not out of our mouthes shall we then thinke it lawfull in vaine vpon euery occasion rashly to sweare by him that sitteth vpon the Cherubins which walketh vpō the wings of the wind and rideth vpon the heauens as an horse shall wee not sweare by the earth shall we thinke it lawfull to sweare by the most pretious price of our redēption paide by the only death bloud shedding of Iesus Christ shall we not sweare nether by heauen nor by earth nor any other oth shal we think it lawful to sweare by the creatour of heauen earth shall we thinke it lawfull to pearce the sides wound the hart slay the soule teare rent the body of Iesus Christ by vaine swearing All vaine othes therfore all swearing by any creature al swering in any maner otherwise then the expresse word of God alloweth is cōdēned The vanitie of our times in this behalf is vtterly reproued whose detestable othes are by this light by the holy sacrament by Gods wounds by Gods hart by the bloud of Christ by Gods side by the passion of Christ by his death by heauen by the Lord a thousand more which a man is afraide for very horror to name This vtterly condemneth our most disordered dissolute manner of swearing in euery childes mouth most rife and readie this conuinceth the licentiousnes of our age whose common speach and cōmunication is intermingled interlaced with manifold othes horrible blasphemy this altogether reproueth our false filthy othes in our shoppes ware houses in barganings and occupyings this condemneth the ruffenly svvearing of men destitute of knowledge voide of all feare of God who glory in their blasphemie and encourage themselues in their vvickednesse who haue their pleasure and felicitie in their disordered and dissolute swearinges in rapping out othe after othe to the great dishonour of God and his sonne Iesus Christ 2. The Apostle then reprouing the vaine rashe and wicked swearing of men teacheth how the faulte may be corrected what remedy against the euil is best to be vsed Therefore saith he sweare not neither by heauen nor by earth nor by any other othe but let your yea be yea and your nay nay that is vse in all things which are to be affirmed a plaine affirmation in things to be denied a flatte negation and deniall If a thing be so or so say so it is if it be not so then say it is not so This is to let our yea be yea and our nay nay The like correction of
the like vanitie wickednes Mat. 5. hath our blessed Sauiour in the most holy gospel set down vnto the saints who forbidding men all vaine rash vnnecessary swearing their vsuall oths by heauen earth Hierusalem by their heads such like willeth that in steede therof all their cōmunication should be yea yea nay nay teaching that in our familiar cōmon speach in our vsuall talke cōmunication we should not sweare at all but should affirme things to be affirmed denie things to be denied in al simplicitie of speach without all othes whatsoeuer And it is to be obserued that as our Sauiour repeated iterated the wordes twise yea yea nay nay so our Apostle saith let your yea be yea your nay nay to teach by the geminating repeating doubling of the wordes how constant we should be in all our talke cōmunication with the brethren which constancie and simplicitie ought to be in the tongues talke of all christians which vvere it practised of men professing godlines as it should then should vvicked svvearing and horrible blasphemie be easely abandonned and abolished out of the common speach and talke of Christians To vvhich simplicitie if exhortations admonitions inhibitions cōminations bitter threatenings out of the sacred word of God cannot persuade then ought mē by force of ciuill lawes be therunto compelled Wherfore it ought to be not the least nor the last care of Christian princes to make lavves for such as by vaine vvicked svvearing shall blaspheme the name of the eternal euerliuing God Whereof that noble Prince of most famous memorie Henrie the eight the Henry 8. most victorious K. of England not ignorant endeuoured to plante simplicitie singlenes of speach in men and to remoue all forged svvearing enacted made a lavv that to the vse of the poore euery Duke for euery othe sworne should pay 40. shillings euery Lord for euery othe tvvēty euery Knight ten shillings a gentleman fourtie pence for euery oth swearing Maximilian the Emperour careful in Maximilian this point of the glory of God that it by vaine swearing might not be dishonoured decreed that who so was deprehended for a vaine swearer should pay 13. shillings foure pence which monie who so refused to pay repented not of the wickednes should loose his head Lodouike Lodouike a king of Fraunce ordained that all common and vaine swearers should haue their lips seared with an hote burning iron which he caused to be exequuted openly in the citie of Paris And Philip another of their kings made a Philip. law that who soeuer he were poore or rich high or low base borne or noble in what place soeuer it were though in a commō tauerne at the wine when where wisemen oftentimes ouershote themselues if he blasphemed Gods name by vaine swearing he should straight way be drowned Justinian the Emperour made a law gaue in commission Iustinian cōmandement to the gouernour of the famous citie of Constantinople that he should put to death the blasphemer least that god himself should punish plague both the citie and the whole realme for leauing so great wickednes vnpunished Would God some Henrie or Henrie his seed some Maximilian some Lodouick or Philip some Justinian were stirred vp in euery christian cōmon-wealth kingdome that lawes might not onely be made but seuerely executed against the disorderednes of all states degrees of men for swearing that neither king nor Cesar prince nor people duke nor earle lord nor knight gentleman nor yeoman page nor peasand man nor woman yong nor old one nor another might be found guiltie of blasphemous vaine and wicked swearing but rather that all degrees and states of men and whosoeuer professeth godlines might either by this correction of the Apostle Let your yea be yea and your nay nay or els by seueritie of the Ciuile and positiue lawes there hence be restrained hereof the Apostle according to the example of our Sauiour Christ most carefull correcteth the vanitie and wicked disorderednesse of their swearing and saith Let your yea be yea and your nay nay 3. Why men should thus correct and reforme their The reason of not swearing blasphemous othes the reason followeth least they fal into condemnation Great daunger hangeth ouer the heads of vaine swearers the wrath of God is ouer them to destroy thē This did almighty God threaten in his law whē Exod. 20. he would that mē should not take his holy name in vain for if they did they should not be counted guiltlesse but should be vnder that bitter curse of condēnation pronoūced Deut. 27. by the mouth of Gods holy prophet Cursed is euery one that continueth abideth not in all the words of the law of God to do them In signe of Gods high displeasure Leuit. 24. against so grieuous wickednes almighty God cōmaunded that the blasphemer should be put to death whether he were straunger or borne in the land he should die the death if he blasphemed the name of God To which sin as due punishment is threatened not the death onely of the body which in the wicked is the entraunce to endles condēnation but of the soule for euer without our vnfained Zach. 5. repentance therfore in this present world This eternal cōdēnation against wicked vaine swearers the prophete of God in his reuelation foretelleth who from heauen saw a booke 20. cubits long and 10. cubits broad wherein was nothing but plagues calamities curses miseries threatened against the theese vayn swearer Whereunto Sirach Ecclus. 23. hauing regard protesteth vnto men that the plague of God hangeth ouer their houses for euer which are giuen to blasphemie and delight in swearing And albeit we do not alwaies see the exequution of Gods iust iudgements against such persons yet is it most sure that thereby they fall into condemnation and incurre the iuste displeasure of God for which cause as somtimes he punisheth here eyther in themselues or in their posteritie either in their bodies or in their minds so doth he vndoubtedly punish in the life to come such as offend in this point against the law of the highest This eternall condemnation and the intollerable wrath and indignation of God for euer if we will auoide and shunne then must we hold fast this exhortatiō that in common talke in familiar and daylie communication and conference in our ciuill dealings among men we sweare not at all but that in all things our yea be yea and nay be nay least we fall into condemnation If then condemnation be here threatened against vaine and wicked swearers and all men of all states and degrees of all sexe and kinde men women young olde high lowe rich and poore herein haue corrupted their waies who daily slay the soule wound the heart pierce the sides rent the body of Iesus Christ and blaspheme the holy name whereby they are called are
of the earth The kingdome of the Persians and Medes a mightie kingdome hauing besides Sidrach Misach and Abednego 120. princes and gouernours yet it was measured by it limits and bounds it reached not through the whole worlde The Grecians the Romans the Babylonians and other people had mightie Monarches Dominions and Empires yet none of them but had their bounds on earth which they did not passe but the kingdome of Christ is infinitely spread vpon the face of the earth and runneth through the whole worlde Psal 72. for his dominion is from sea to sea and from the riuers vnto the end of the land They that dwell in the wildernesse shall kneele before him and his enemies shall licke the dust the kings of Tharsis and of the Iles shall bring him presents the kings of Sheba and Saba shal bring him gifts Yea all kings shall worship him all nations shall serue him This kingdome reacheth from East to West from whence men shall arise to encrease this kingdome for which cause our Sauiour saith to the vnthankefull Mat. 8. Iewes that many shall come from the East and West and shall sit with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in his heauenly kingdome which kingdome Saint Iohn describing and shewing who were as heires sealed vp therevnto saith After these things I beheld and lo a great multitude which no man could number of all nations and kinreds people Reuel 7. and tongues stoode before the throne and before the Lambe clothed with long white robes palmes in their hands and so after the 144. thousand of the Iewes he referreth an innumerable multitude also of the Gentiles to the kingdome of Christ whereby it appeareth it is infinite and vniuersally diffused and scattered vppon the whole earth whereunto all the elect of God wheresoeuer dispersed appertaine as in the writing of Iames to the twelue tribes dispersed appeareth 2 Besides this in that Saint Iames writeth vnto the twelue tribes dispersed it teacheth vs that the Church of Christ is tied or bound to no place neither so fastened to Hierusalem but it may be remoued but is alwayes there where the true saints of god are The church was somtime in paradise whē our prime parents were there resident in their righteousnes but not so immoueably but that it was afterward els where in Abell The Church was in Mesopotamia in Abraham but not there tied but afterward it was here and there with him now in Aegypt now in Caldea now in Canaan now here now there with Isaac Iacob and Ioseph with Dauid the Princes the Prophets Christ the holy Apostles as the stories witnesse Now in the countries of the Gentiles in the dispersed Iewes to whom S. Iames here writeth Absurdly therefore do our aduersaries the Papists tie the Church of Christ to the Chaire of Peter in Rome Seeing in all times it hath remoued with the faithfull and is there where the worde is professed Sacraments duly administred discipline in some measure practised and exercised 3 Now that Saint Iames mencioneth onely the twelue tribes of Israel as the persons to whom he writeth we may not gather that this doctrine appertaineth not to vs nor to other Churches as well as to the Iewes and scattered tribes to whom it was chiefly and first sent For such is the nature of God that when he speaketh to one man or one people yet then must all men and all people heare him Wherefore when he gaue his law to Israel onely yet it concerneth all men and condemneth all that are guiltie Exod. 20 thereof Saint Paul rehearsing the punishments which God inflicted vpon the Iewes for their horrible sinnes 1. Cor. 10 shewing that the same appertaine vnto all concludeth that such things came vpon them for examples but were written to admonish vs vpon whom the endes of the world are come And generally speaking of the whole scripture that it is not written to any one people but that Rom. 15. it concerneth others in like maner saith Whatsoeuer things are written aforetime are written for our learning that we through patience and consolation of the holie scripture might haue hope Whatsoeuer then in scripture tendeth either to doctrine or to instruction reprehension correction or consolation it after some maner also pertaineth vnto all Whether then the Saints write to whole Congregations and Churches as Paul to the Romans Corinthians Galathians Ephesians Philippians Collossians Thessalonians and other Churches or els to speciall persons as Paul to Timothie Titus Philemon Iohn to the elect Ladie to Gaius beloued in the Lord or other persons they in some maner concerne all men and something therhence may be gathered which concerneth not those places and persons only but all in generall Though therefore Saint Peter write to the Saints being 1. Pet. 1. 1. straungers which dwelt here and there throughout Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bithinia and S. Iames here sendeth this Epistle to the twelue tribes of Israel dispersed and scattered yet may we not thinke that it concerneth them onely but all men also albeit for the circumstance of time place and person they wrote vnto certaine Neither is this marueilous or strange The Philosophers and prophane writers as Plato Cicero Aristotle Xenophon Seneca and others haue written to seuerall and certaine persons chiefly yet their precepts concerned all the Gentiles who thought themselues bounde to obey them Shall humane Philosophie dedicated to certaine persons binde all to obey it and shall not the heauenly and diuine Philosophie of Gods worde though it thiefly be sent to some one yet bind all men to obedience This Epistle was sent to the twelue tribes dispersed yet it concerneth all men Wherefore of the Grecians it is called Catholike of the Latins Canonicall of vs others Generall because it concerneth all people in generall Neither doth it follow it was writ first to the Iewes therefore it appertaineth not to vs Gentiles for the whole law of God and the whole doctrine of the Gospell was Exod. 20. Mat. 10. Act. 13. Matt. 28. first deliuered vnto the Iewes and then afterwarde vnto the Gentiles Thus much is necessarie herehence to know for vs Who easily will turne the Iewes vnto obedience to the scriptures and liue as we lust our selues as if these things concerned not vs but them onely The persons to whom this Epistle was written were the 12. tribes dispersed and after them the doctrine bindeth vs all to holy obedience In the title the third and last thing is the greeting he 3. Salutation sendeth Touching greetings salutations which amōg all men haue at all times been vsuall wee need not curiously to consider seeing it cānot be denied but that both godly and profane persons haue vsed it and both profane writings and the holy Scripture also deliuer and set down sundry formes thereof Plato disputeth of the salutations and gteetings of the Gretians whose common salutatiōs 3. Epist Dionisio were three To wish ioy
v. 10. slaunder he promiseth like reward vnto that affliction also Blessed are they which suffer persecution for righteousnes sake for theirs is the kingdome of heauen blessed shall you be when men reuile you and persequute you and say all manner of euill saying against you for my sake falsly reioice and be glad for great is your reward in heauen Thus then if we endure pouertie and miseries therunto annexed if we endure temptation of persecution slander reproach and such like we are pronounced blessed Hereunto Saint Peter subscribeth who exhorting men patiently 1. Pet. 3. to beare persecution and affliction for righteousnes sake reasoneth from the rewarde which with Iames he calleth blessednes Who will harme you if you follow that which is good notwithstanding blessed are you if you suffer for righteousnes sake Yea feare not their feare neither 1. Pet. 4. be troubled And a little after touching the reward of our patient abiding and suffering for Christ he calleth it happines and blessednes if you bee rayled on for the name of Christ blessed are you for the spirite of God and of Christ resteth on you Who then is spoiled of his goods for Christes profession who suffereth persecution for Christian religion who endureth imprisonment for the testimonie of his conscience who abideth patiently the triall of his faith by sundrie temptations is both by Christ and his holy Apostles accounted blessed The rewarde of our patience then is happines and felicitie Wherein the Apostles defend a paradoxe and an opinion contrarie vnto the iudgemēt of men of this world for the world holdeth them onely for happie who abound in wealth who haue all things at their pleasures willes who neuer come into any misfortune neither are vexed or afflicted with any miserie or calamitie But such as are pressed with pouerty distressed with greefe tempted by afflictions assaulted with miserie subiect to calamitie these they count for cursed miserable of all men most wretched as they in the Prophet counted our Sauiour to bee Isai 53. in wofull plight because he was vnder the rodde of his father and thereby plagued and the wicked condemned the Wisd 3. Saints and censured them miserable and their ende greeuous because they suffered paine and were tried in afflictions among men From whose iudgement and opinion Saint James dissenting calleth and counteth them which endure temptations happie Let worldlings then count prosperitie their felicitie let Epicures count plenteousnes of bread their happines let greene and flourishing youth make the desiers of their hearts their blisse let other men count worldly delights carnall pleasure wicked mammō vaine pompe quiet rest and continuall securitie their cheerest good and only ioy in this world yet with Iames must all the Saints count the triall of their faith the exeresse of their patience the bearing of the crosse the suffering of affliction the enduring of temptations their happines and felicitie and holde the sentence of the Apostle for sure Blessed is the man that endureth temptations If happines and felicitie be the reward of our patience and all men by instinct of nature desire happines as the very heathen philosophers haue in their learned writings plentifully discoursed shall there be any man or woman so carelesse of himselfe so voide of reason so farre from knowledge so great an enemie to his soules health which shall refuse the burthen of the crosse seeing patient endurance purchaseth our happines Let vs in the feare of God addresse our selues to the bearing of the crosse let vs arme our selues against the day of affliction let vs in full assurance of hope indure the temptations which are laide vpon vs that thus induring we may receiue our ful reward euen eternal blessednes for euer 2 This reward of our endurāce shal then be geuen when we are tried the crowne is promised after our contentions the hire is rendred after our labour If then wee will enioy the reward and haue our blessednes in the king dome of God then must we in this world be tried by affliction The doctrine of this place is that we must first suffer before we be rewarded first be tried before we be recompenced Which thing Saint Paul preacheth vnto Timothie setting downe the labour before the hire and the contending before the crowne No man saith he is crowned 2. Tim. 2. 2. Tim. 4. except he striue lawfully The same Apostle setteth downe his trauel before his reward and his labour before his recompēce when he saith I haue fought a good fight I haue finished my course I haue kept the faith frō hencefoorth therefore is the crowne of righteousnes laide vp for me which the righteous iudge shall geue mee at that day and not me onely but all those that loue his appearing There is no price where there is no striuing there is no garland where there is no goale to runne to there is no crowne where there is no triall of masteries there is no victorie where there is no enemie there is no hire where there is no labor there is no happines where there is no triall by temptation Now the full triall of man is not at once or twise but in the whole course of his life so that the whole life of man is nothing els but a continuall triall and warfare vpō earth striuing and strugling against all afflictions miseries calamities and troubles of this world In which contention and conflict if we acquit our selues like men and in inuincible constancie endure temptations to the end we shall bee blessed whereof our Sauiour Christ assureth Mat. 10. 24. Reuel 2. vs He that continueth saith he vnto the end shall be saued And the Angell to the Church of Smyrna Be thou constant and faithfull vnto death and I will giue thee the crowne of life When therefore to the ende of our life and in the whole course thereof we bee pacient when to the ful measure of our trial which is in the ende of this mortall condition we endure temptations then shall we bee blessed for blessed is the man which endureth temptations for when hee is tried he shall receiue the crowne of life If our trial then must goe before our happines which is geuen vs in reward and our labour before our hire then do those Christians flatter and deceue them selues who thinke to be pertakers of this reward without affliction in this life Seing the triall of our faith by troubles must goe before our happines Vaine therefore and slouthfull too dainty and too delicate are they who refusing the burden of the crosse and the induring temptatiōs hope to attaine to this happines by wallowing in wealth by stretching thē selues vpon their beddes of downe by pampering and puffing vp of their flesh with riotous life by pricking and prankinge vp them selues in intollerable pride by weariing and wasting their bodies with carnall pleasures with liuing at harts ease and in all securitie in this world for the Apostle
because all graces and giftes wherewith the Church is beautified come from God as from a fountaine and father of vertues The Apostle Saint John recordeth of God that hee is light 1. Iohn 1. and in him is no darkenesse the fountaine of all vertue the giuer of all grace a nature most perfect and iust farre from all contagion or mixture of sinne the authour of good but not of any euill this the Apostle in these wordes expressing calleth GOD the father of lightes By lights hee vnderstandeth vertues graces good things as by darkenesse the contrarie is vnderstoode by the phraise of the Hebrues If then God be the father fountaine and authour of lightes vertues graces and good things in men then may it not be said that he is cause of euill temptations for that agreeth not to light but to darkenesse 2 Moreouer it is attributed vnto God that hee is not variable mutable chaungeable with whom there is sayeth Iames no variablenesse This is added to preuent that which otherwise might haue beene obiected they might say God in deede is sometimes the cause of good things among men it followeth not therefore but that he may be sometimes in like maner the cause of euill Men excelling in vertue and causes of good things in common wealthes may sometimes change their good into euill and sometimes do one thing sometimes the other and why may not God so do the Apostle sheweth God is not variable there is no changing with him he is constant alwayes alike euer cause of good neuer author of euil Whereof euen Balaam the couetous prophet hath Num. 23. truely prophecied to Balac the King of Moab GOD is not as man that hee should lie nor as the sonne of man that he should repent Seeing then hee had once blessed his people Israel hee beeing alwayes like himselfe will not varie or chaunge his purpose The Psal 102. Psal 89. 34. princely Prophet Dauid remouing all variablenesse from God and making him constant and euer like himselfe affirmeth that albeit heauen and earth perish be changed like a garment yet he remaineth the same and his yeares faile not This Samuel told Saul the king of Israel 1. Kings 15. that seeing he had giuen the kingdome from him to Dauid therefore that purpose shoulde stande because the strength of Israel will not lie nor repent for he is not a man that he should repent God is like himselfe in all things with whom there is no variablenesse VVhen God altereth things at his owne pleasure saith Saint Gregorie the things alter but he remaineth the same and chaungeth Lib. 20. 25. on Iob. not Therefore by his Prophet Malachie he crieth I am the Lord I chaunge not and your sonnes of Iacob Malac. 3. are not consumed VVhen then in Scripture it is saide often it repented God the Scripture speaketh to the capacitie of men but in no wise attributeth inconstancie and variablenesse to God This doe those manifolde places teach which witnesse that GOD is sure immutable and constant in all his wayes If therefore GOD varie not then hee being once the authour of good things hee alwayes doeth good not euill and is the fountaine of good giftes not cause of euill temptations to any 3 As God chaungeth not so there is no shadowe of turning with him He is not like the Sunne the Moone the Starres which appeare and shine sometimes but at other times are couered with darkenesse which haue their chaunges and their courses the day nowe within ten eleuen or twelue houres the night the Sunne glorious now in beautie but anon in an Eclipse the Moone nowe in the full nowe in the waine now newe nowe a quarter olde and so forth The Planets nowe in this place of heauen nowe in that shining There is no such turning with God He is not now good and nowe turned to the contrarie for hee is alwayes light and with him is no 1. Jhon 1. darkenesse at all For his goodnesse is alwayes cleare bright and continually shining his light chaungeth not with Sunne Moone or Starres in the Firmament he giueth not good things at one time and at another draweth vs to euill by any temptation but as himselfe is immutable so are his graces and giftes alwayes good and not chaungeable into euill wherefore hee is not to bee counted authour of euill in any wise as by the wicked he is wrongfully charged neither sendeth hee euill at any time to men whereof they themselues are not the first causes he excelleth not now in vertue and anon falleth into infirmitie he is not now the authour of good things and anon turneth to the contrarie but hee is in deede that God of grace and goodnesse that fountaine and father of lights with whom there is no variablenesse nor shadowe of chaunging wherefore the worker of good things but not the prouoker of man vnto wickednesse by any euill temptation which is the thirde thing here attributed vnto God that with him there is no shadow of turning and this is the thirde reason why men beeing tempted ought not to say they are tempted of God because he is the authour of good and therefore cannot be authour of euill for that he cannot be cause of contrarie effects And thus entreating of the goodnesse of God as the fountaine of al grace in man and shewing by these reasons that God cannot be counted the authour of our euill or the cause of euill temptations in vs he discendeth to the worke of regeneration as the most manifest token and testimonie of his goodnesse For the greatnesse therefore of his goodnesse towardes the children of men and for his manifold graces let vs dayly pray vnto him that he may shrowde vs vnder his mercifull shield of protection and defence that thereby we being armed may be able to withstande all assaultes and temptations of Satan the worlde and our owne concupiscence that we may stand fast in the day of our triall and with inuincible fortitude and pacience may finish our wearifull pilgrimage in his feare religion and seruice to the glorie of his name the profite of our brethren the comfort of our owne conscience the strengthening of our faith through Iesus Christ our Lord to whom with the father and the holy ghost be praise for euer and euer Amen Iames Chap. 1. verses 18. 19. 20. Sermon 6. 18 Of his owne will begate he vs with the worde of truth that we should be as the first fruits of his creatures 19 Wherefore my brethren let euery man be swift to heare and slow to speake slow to wrath 20 For the wrath of man doeth not accomplish the righteousnesse of God IN these wordes and so to the 4. Part of this Chapter end of the Chapter the Apostle handleth the fourth and last part of the chapter which is touching the excellencie of the worde of God In which three things must be obserued 1 The excellencie it selfe and the singular effect of the
but of debt Rom. 4 Rom. 11. And againe in the question of election If it be of grace it is no more of works els were grace no grace if of works it is no more of grace for then were workes no more works This contrarietie Saint Augustine confessing sheweth that grace fauour and free gift cannot be mingled Epist 120. with works and therefore concludeth and defineth what grace or free gift is Haec est gratia This is fauour free gift grace which is geuen freely not for the merites of the worker but by the mercie of the geuer Seeing therefore that wee which were all by nature the children of wrath the sonnes of Adam subiect to eternall death and Eph. 2. damnation replenished in minde heart and will with iniquitie and sinne compassed about with thick darke and mistie cloudes of error and wickednes loathing heauen and louing earth caried away of our owne desires to work wickednes with greedines are now not for our merites but of Gods meere mercie not by our workes but by his Eph. 4. grace not of our deserts but of his owne will begotten againe and regenerate We must referre this whole work to his good wil and account his goodnes for the only efficiēt cause of our regeneration Whereby it appeareth that he is the fountaine of all goodnes and that our wickednesse must not be imputed vnto him The regeneration then of Gods Saints a most manifest testimonie of his goodnes sheweth that he is ōly author of good not of euil which th'apostle here prouing addeth of his own wil begat he vs. 2 The good will and fauour of God being the first and efficient cause of regeneration The second cause which is the instrumentall cause and meane whereby wee are regenerate is the word of God which Saint James expresseth in this place in this manner of his owne will he hath begotten vs with the word of trueth In which place he slideth and falleth into the cōmendation of the worde of God the chiefe thing in this laste parte to be obserued Which words are as it were the circumscribing and setting foorth of the word of God and the gospell of Christ whereunto is attributed specially aboue all other wordes that it is the word of trueth Which addition the Prophet Dauid geueth to Gods word because therein onely is the Psal 86. sound trueth to be found and in no other In which word as in many other places he desirous to be instructed geueth that addition to the word that it is trueth Teach me thy waies O Lord saith the Prophet and I will walk in thy trueth And in another place calling the word of God by Psal 119. the name of trueth saith Thy word endureth for euer in heauen thy trueth is from generation to generation Our Sauiour Christ in his most holy praier to God hereunto subscribeth who desiring that the Disciples might be sanctified Iohn 17. with the trueth sheweth that by the trueth he meaneth the word and gospell Sanctifie them saith he with thy trueth thy word is trueth This name of excellencie this marke of difference S. Paul geueth vnto the gospell 2. Cor. 13. 3. Gal. C. 5. 7. 2. Cor. 6. 7. 1. Col. 5. Ephes 1. 13. Heb. 10. 16. Ephes 4. aboue other words whē he affirmeth he could do nothing against the trueth but for the trueth Who vpbraiding the Galathians for reuolting and sliding away frōthe gospell crieth out O you foolish Galathians who hath bewitched you that ye should not beleue the trueth To like purpose exhorting the Ephesians to be constant in the profession of the gospell calleth that the profession of trueth where fore he thus exhorteth Let vs folow the trueth in loue the gospel the profession of the trueth it is therfore an excellent ornament and an honourable addition in this place geuen to the word of God that it is the word of trueth And this addition to be called the word of trueth most fitly agreeth vnto the holy word and Gospell of Iesus Christ and that in foure respects and for foure chiefe considerations 1. in respect of God 2. in respect of Christ 3 in respect of the holy Ghost and spirite of God 4 in respect of the particular things them selues in the word contained 1 In respect of God the word and Gospell is the word of truth because it is Gods word and Gospell who is true and cannot lie therefore this his word is then the word of truth That this word is Gods word and Gospell it is euident 1. Rom. 1. Cor. 1. 1. Rom. Saint Paul calleth it therefore the power of God to saluation to al that beleue and in another place the preaching of the crosse is to them which perish foolishnes but vnto vs which are saued it is the power of God he saith in the beginning of his Epistle to the Romās that he was seperated to preach the Gospell of God and cleering him selfe from the surmised suspicious of his aduersaries 2. Cor. 11. he thus writeth haue I therefore offended because I abased my selfe that you might be exalted and that I preached freely the Gospell of God vnto you Saint Peter subscribeth thereunto the time is come that iudgement beginne first at the house of God if iudgement beginne first at vs what shal be the end of those that beleeue not 1. Pet. 4. the Gospell of God And this God who is the author of this word and Gospell is true and cannot lie Balam the Numb 23. prophet could say of God that he is not a man that hee should lie neither as the sonne of man that he should repente Moyses in his song beareth recorde to the truth of God perfect saith he is the worke of the mightie God for Deut. 32. all his waies are iudgements God is true and without wickednes iust righteous is he Samuel telleth King Saul that indeede the strength of Israell wil not lie nor repente 1. Kings 15. John 8. Rom. 3. for he is not a man that he should repent Our blessed Sauiour Christ speaketh of his father and saith I haue many things to say and iudge of you but he that sent me is true and the things that I haue hard of him those spoake I vnto the world Saint Paul defending Gods trueth saith Rom. 3. Let God be true and euery man a lier as it is written that thou maiest be iustified in thy words and ouercome when thou art iudged And for this cause holy Dauid calleth god Psal 31. the God of truth into thy hands I commende my spirite thou God of trueth Seing the Gospell is the word Gospell of God and God the God of trut hand cannot lie thē must needes this word be true and the word of truth 2 As in respect of God the author thereof the Gospell may rightly be called the word of truth so in respect of Christ who is the matter the very substance
man be iustified by the like The deuils beleeue and tremble yet not iustified not saued Now that the deuils beleeue there is one God yea and confesse Iesus Christ to be his onely sonne yet tremble before his throne and diuine presence the holy word of God and the most sacred scriptures do teach vs when our blessed Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ was come into the land of the Gergesens there mette him two mâ—n possessed with deuils which came out of the graues very fierce and terrible so that no man might passe by that way And these deuils possessing these two men cried out vnto Christ with trembling and feare Iesus thou sonne of God what haue we to doe with thee art thou come hether to torment vs before the time In another Euangelist in like manner when the people preaced about Christ to be healed the vncleane spirites which were in them whom Christ then cured seeing him fell downe before him and cried saying Thou art the sonne of God The deuill possessing him whom neither fetters could holde nor chaines could binde nor bandes could bridle seeing the Lord Iesus a farre of running and worshipped him crying with a lowde voyce what haue I to doe with thee Iesus the sonne of the most high God To this sense soundeth that also in the Euangelist Saint Luke 4. item v. 41. eius deus Luke 8. 26. Luke who writeth that the vncleane spirite possessing the man in the Synagogue of Capernaum in Galile knew Christ God blessed for euermore and also confessed him openly Whereof the Euangelist saieth thus In the Synagogue there was a man which had a spirite of an vncleane deuill which cried with a loude voice saying vnto Iesus Christ Oh what haue we to doe with thee Iesus of Nazareth Art thou come to destroy vs I know whom thou art euen the holy one of God These places nowe cited out of Saint Matthew cap. 8. ver 18. 19. of S. Marke 3. cap. ver 11. and cap. 5. ver 2. 3. c. of Saint Luke cap. 4. ver 33. 34. c. and 5. 41. Luke cap. 8. ver 26. and many such like places doe euidently shewe a kinde of beliefe to bee in the deuils whereby they be perswaded there is a God Their confessing also the sonne of God Iesus Christ to be God euen the sonne of the most highest and their prostrating and casting downe of themselues before his diuine presence Finally their feare least he should torment them and their desiring of him not to sende them into the deepe the place of their punishment confirmeth this truth the deuils beleeue also and tremble The deuills then doe not onely beleeue there is one God but also confesse Iesus Christ to bee his sonne and tremble for feare of his mightie power To conclude this beliefe of the deuils and vnclean Acts 19. spirites saint Luke in the Acts of the holy Apostles setteth forth most euidently in the storie of the seuen sonnes of Sceua the priest and Iewe. Which sonnes of his being Exorcists and taking vpon them to call on the name of Iesus whom Paul preached coniured therby the foule and vncleane spirites to come out of men but the euill spirit by them thus coniured in a certaine man answered them and said Iesus I know and Paul I know but who are you Thus did the deuil nor only beleeue but confesse also not onely Christ the sonne of the most highest but Paul also the seruant of the Lord and of our blessed Sauiour Iesus Christ Albeit these testimonies out of the newe Testament bee most cleare to teach vs that the deuils beleeue there is one God yet let vs also cast our eyes vppon the former generations and looke euen from the beginning and in the succeeding ages and wee shall see out of the olde Testament also this same confirmed and so haue a most sweete and pleasaunt harmonie of them both together VVhen God Almightie had made man and placed him in the most pleasaunt garden of Eden and had giuen Gene. 3. him commaundement that he shoulde not eate of the forbidden fruite which grewe in the middest of Paradise euen of the tree of the knowledge of good and euill Satan tempting man to disobedience doth not denie that there was anie God which had giuen such commaundement to man but as beleeuing there was one God and confessing the same vnto Euah asketh her whether God indeede had commaunded them not to eate of the tree of knowledge VVhen the sonnes of God the holie Angels stoode all about the throne of God and Satan himselfe comming from the compassing of the earth and the worlde Iob 1. 2. presented himselfe also before his diuine Maiestie and God had demaunded of him whether he had considered Iob his seruant The deuill as beleeuing the heauenlie and diuine nature confesseth the Godheade in his accusation of Iob hath Iob serued God for nought Thus the deuill at that time also beleeued Finally when the Lorde Almightie sitting vpon his heauenly throne and hauing all the hoste of heauen about 3. Kings 22. him as it were consulting and deuising to bring a iust plague vpon Ahab the wicked and vngodly King of Israell had but asked the question who woulde entice Ahab that he might perish in Ramoth Gilead Satan the deuill as beleeuing that diuine nature and excellent maiestie to be God submitted himselfe to Gods will offered himselfe to the execution of his iudgements and sayd I will entice him Thus then both the testimonies of the olde and the authorities of the newe Testament confirme the doctrine of our Apostle the deuils beleeue and tremble Nowe where the Apostle Saint Iames saieth thou beleeuest there is one God thou doest well the deuils also beleeue and tremble this speach thou doest well may haue a double sense For either it may be taken irronically and in taunting wise as iustly vpbraiding and reprouing them for their vaine ostentation of fayth and their boasting in their beleefe which is no better then the faith of diuels VVherefore as when men doe most wickedly yet we in reproouing in taunting in mocking and checking manner say O it is well done and so reproue their iniquitie So here Saint Iames bitterly and sharpely inueighing agaynst the wicked and iustly reproouing their vaine faith sayeth Thou beleeuest there is one God thou doest well the deuâ—ls beleeue also and tremble and so condemneth their hypocrisie As who should say is it well done in deede when thou doest beleeue no better then deuils do Or else it may be spoken affirmatiuely and to this sense thou beleeuest there is one God thou doest well for it is a good thing thus to doe but yet is not this all neither is it inough or sufficient neither must thou rest in that degree of fayth but goe on and proceede and growe from faith to faith and then to beleeue there is one God is well Otherwise thy faith shall not profite thee for the deuils
that not onely the beginning of faith but the increase and perfection therof is from him For which cause as the Apostles prayed to Christ Luke 17 who is God blessed for euer for increase of saith so S. Paul and Saint Peter ascribing the perfection establishment and consummation of all things vnto GOD haue therefore praied vnto God as plainly appeareth in their Epistles The God of peace that brought againe from Heb. 13. the dead our Lord Iesus the great Shepheard of the sheepe through the bloud of the euerlasting couenant make you perfecte in all good workes to doe his will woorking in you that which is pleasaunt in his sight thorowe Iesus Christ to whom be praise for euer and euer Amen And Saint Peter And the God of all grace which 1. Pet. 5. hath called vs vnto his eternal glorie by Christ Iesus after that ye haue suffered a little make you perfect confirme strengthen and stablish you to whom be glorie for euer and euer Thus then the beginning continuance and encrease yea the perfection and establishment of the very faith of Abraham was onely from God as the cause yet is it knowen to be perfect and declared so to be before men through workes as the Apostle witnesseth and the Scripture was fulfilled when by his obedience it did clearely appeare how truely it was written of Abraham by the Prophet Moses that Abraham beleeued and it was Gen. 15 imputed vnto him for righteousnes So that his worke is said in the Scripture to haue made the testimonie of Moses true cleare and euident that Abraham beleeued and that his faith to that word of promise that one of his owne loines and bowels should be his heire was imputed vnto him for righteousnes This being the argument of Saint James from the example of Abraham that what faith was in him the like ought to be in all Gods Saints and that as his faith was ioyned with the worke of obedience to God when occasion was ministred so ought the faith of euerie one of the children of God to be bewtified accompanied shewed foorth through good works The conclusion is inferred You see then how that a man is iustified of workes that is The conclusion made proued and knowen to men to be iust and righteous before God by workes and not by faith onely not of a colde dead bare barren fruitlesse idle faith onely such a faith as is in words when we say we haue faith though we haue no workes Of which faith hypocrites so much glorie and make boastein vaine as of that faith which is no true faith And this conclusion must agree in the same sence of tearmes wherein the example was proposed and the tearmes herein to be noted are specially two Iustified and faith Iustified in the example proposed signifieth to be knowen for iust not to be made iust Faith signifieth that bare profession whereby in words we say we haue faith and the religion of Christ Such faith was not in Abraham therefore neither is any other man by such a faith reputed for righteous And their wordes thus in the same and right sense taken the conclusion is true a man is not iustified by faith onely but by workes faith onely in wordes maketh not men to bee knowen for righteous among men but faith in workes and deedes These things thus set downe in the example of Abraham 4. Reason the fourth and last argument which faith in gods Saints is not without workes is drawne from Rahab the vittailer tauerner hostesse or harlot of Ierico whose example teacheth the same that Abrahās did that the faith of Gods Saints is not fruitlesse or void of good works for she also was iustified through workes when she receyued the messengers and sent them out another way The storie is recorded in the booke of Iosua wherein it is set downe that at what time as Iosua by the counsell and Iosua 2. commaundement of God purposed the siege and sacking of Ierico the Citie he sent before him two men to spie out and to view the land and the Citie which thing comming to the eares of the King of Ierico that there were such men come to the house of Rahab hee sent to her to send him the men she seeing that being perswaded they were the true seruants of the God of heauen earth and that the lande should bee giuen by God into their hands wherin her faith consisted she hid the men and tolde the messengers of the King that they were gone and so sent them away who being gone shee came to the spies and tolde them how their feare was vpon the inhabitants of the land therefore desired she them that as she had shewed them mercie so they would shewe he◠mercie when the Citie should be destroyed This was promised a signe and warning was giuen shee sendeth them away and so they escaped This her facte Saint Iames commendeth affirming that thereby shee also was iustified euen knowen for righteous and declared thereby to the spyes of Iosua and to all Israel The force of this place then is this as Abraham through bare and naked faith deserued not the prayse of iustice righteousnesse and iustification before men so neither did Rahab but as Abraham hauing occasion thereto shewed his fayth by his holy obedience so Rahab shewed the vnfeignednesse of her fayth by her sauing and sending away safely the messengers of Josua and so both of them were iustified before men and in the vewe of the worlde not by faith onely that is bare faith but by workes whereby their faith was shewed and made manifest In these two examples all men are contained whether Iewe or Gentile whether righteous or prophane and openly wicked Abrahams example containeth all Iewes and all men of vertue and godlinesse Rahabs example containeth all Gentiles straungers from Gods people all wicked persons which yet through the grace of GOD are planted in the Church and made members of the bodie of Christ wherein the diuersitie of the argument consisteth Thus the holie Apostle culled and picked out two most diuerse and vnlike examples the one of a man the other of a woman the one of Gods people the other of a straunger the one of one godly the other of one wicked to the ende that thereby he might teach men that none neither man nor woman neither Iewe nor Gentile neither of the people of GOD nor straunger neither godly nor wicked can bee reputed or reckened for iust and righteous before GOD in deede whose praise appeareth not in the practise of vertue and good workes by which they are shewed and knowen for righteous before men So that in none vvhat kinde or condition what people or nation what coast or countrie so euer they bee of true faith can bee void and destitute of vvorks as by these arguments novv appeareth most manifest Novve the Apostle againe repeateth the conclusion The conclusiō repeated that as the bodie voyde
wee betray the trueth for which Sirach Ecclus. 4. Iude v. 3. and Jude the Apostle woulde haue vs contende or least by desire of peace wee seeme to sooth vp men in sinne and foster them in wickednesse yea for godlinesse vertue religion Christian faith to shine with all might and maine is not lawfull onely but lawdable also The holie Prophets for these causes haue mightily contended agaynst deceyuers and seducers of the people as Moses Elias Micheas Esay Ieremie and the rest Our blessed Sauiour euen Iesus Christ for the truth Mar. 5. 15. 23. for the lawe for iustice and equitie contended against the deceytefull hypocriticall and superstitious Iewes Scribes Pharisies and high Priests The Apostles for the same causes had fundrie conflicts and combates in their times Saint Paul had sharpe contentions euerie where agaynst the Iewes for iustification by faith without Epistles to the Romans Ephe. Galat. Philip. the woorkes of the lawe agaynst Philosophers and worldly wise men for the truth of Religion agaynst the idolaters of the Gentiles agaynst false brethren which craftily crept in to search out the libertie of the Gospell Galat. 2. 2. Cor. 11. all these contentions were godly VVherefore as Moises agaynst the Amalakites Iosua agaynst the Cananites Israel agaynst the Madianites Sampson against the Philistines Dauid agaynst the Moabites Idumeans and Edomites Asa Hezichia Iosias and other vertuous Princes against idolatrous and wicked persons are commended when they stroue and contended So when for vertue iustice religion Christian fayth and such like quarels we contende our contentions are worthie commendation So then not all strife and contending is euill and opposite to meekenesse but that which breaketh loue alienateth the mindes of brethren renteth in sunder the bond of peace causeth diuisions among Christians and is against the rule of equitie and this is condemned Yea to varie in opinion of sundrie things in confultations and deliberations to disagree to iarre and dissent one from another in disputations of schooles pleadings in court of lawe so that they bee without bitter speaches without spuing out of rancour and poison without wreaking of our wrath and malice of our hearts without vp braiding reuiling taunting defaming and defacing one the other is not forbidden This bitter enuie hurtfull and vncharitable contention and strife whereby loue is broken peace and tranquilitie disturbed and hindered are the two euils opposed to meekenesse whereunto who so is giuen boasteth in vaine of wisedome and lyeth falsely agaynst the truth For the Gospel which is an absolute truth sheweth that onely to be true and sound wisedome when flying bitter enuie shunning contentions and striuings repressing and keeping downe desire of reuenge we shewe by good conuersation our woorkes in meekenesse of wisedome And this is the opposing of these two vices to the vertue of meekenesse the seconde thing in this discourse obserued 3 These things thus set downe in the thirde and next place the Apostle distinguisheth of wisedome and A distinguishing of wisedome setteth each foorth by Epithites and additions by their qualities and markes of difference there is one wisedome earthly another heauenly that condemned and this commended among men Vnto this distinction is he necessarily brought For where contention strife and brawling commonly growe of pride and pride is vsually puft vp with opinion of our owne wisedome hauing spoken of contention the effect of pride he hath iust occasion to speake of wisedome the false opinion whereof is oftentimes cause of pride among men and so distinguisheth of wisedome as that he stoppeth and shutteth a doore or gate against manifolde mischiefes The wicked couer and colour their brawlings brabblements contentions and striuings vnder a cloake of wisedome whose mouthes to stoppe our Apostle protesteth that if to haue bitter enuying and strife in our hearts if to burne and boyle in hatred if to bee giuen to contentions brawlings and disturbing of peace be wisedome as manie men account it yet it is but earthly wisedome sensuall and diuelish and so deserueth not the name of wisedome but vnproperly and as men tearme it vndeseruedly and commeth to distinguish of wisedome one is earthly sensuall and diuelish the which is wicked such wisedome may bee in brawlers and contencious persons another heauenly holy and diuine and this is onely in the true Saints of God Concerning the former which is wicked wisedome Wicked wisedome if wee may call it wisedome after an vnproper speach and by the common speach of men so calling it it is discribed here by three qualities or properties 1 It is earthly such as smelleth and sauoureth altogether of the earth and of the worlde and of worldly demeanour and manners The wisedome of earthly and worldly minded men is to be proude contentious quarellous giuen to reuenge euerie trespasse euerie offence euerie iniurie herehence it is that such are counted wise which take no wrong at any mans hande that put vp no iniuries which will be auenged by force and might They are contrariwise called fooles sillie men innocents which beare iniuries against them committed Insomuch as when we are iniuried and reuenge not the worldlings saying is What fooles are you to suffer it If we bee slaundered and euil spoken of and render not slaunder for slaunder reproch for reproch rebuke for rebuke then say they also What fooles are you If hee had saide so by me I would haue had him by the eares or I would haue spent an hundred pounde but I woulde haue tamed his tongue and made him eate his worde Thus the worldly minded men countbitter enuie and contentious brawlings and dayly striuing with men wisedome VVhich if we graunt to be wisedome yet is it carnall fleshly worldly and earthly Saint Paul hereunto agreeth who condemning the same fault in the Corinthes VVho notwithstanding boasted of their wisedome sayeth in this 1. Cor. 1. wise vnto them Where as is among you enuying and strife and diuisions are you not carnall and walke as men This is wisedome after a manner yet earthly not heauenly carnall not spirituall from beneath not from aboue worldly not godly With this false and coloured wisdome many puft vp thinke it the best way to auoide iniuries to put vp nothing but reuenge euerie quarrell and the onely way to obtaine their willes to cut it out of the whole cloth to quarrell with euerie one to be at endlesse debate and deadly contention with men this is farre from meekenesse this is called wisedome but this wisedome sayeth Saint Iames is onelie earthly 2 As earthly so is this wisedome sensuall naturally blind in heauenly things such whereunto by common sense men are caried as bruite beasts who suffering iniuries one of the other foorth-with either strike againe or push with horne or bite and teare with mouth and so are auenged Such wisedome it is to bee quarrellous contentious and giuen to reuenge This wisedome is 1. Cor. 2. not purged but corrupt with euill affections of nature
Dauid the cause of his iust destruction Had Iudas the traitour learned to resist the diuell when hee put into Mat. 26. Iohn 18. his minde for lucre to betray his maister hee had not for that sinne fallen into dispaire wherein he was his owne hangman the testimonie of his euerlasting damnation If the rebels in the north not long since and the villainous traytours now of late with the traiterous conspiratours fresh in memorie had learned and endeuoured to resist the diuell when to shedde innocent blood when to depose the Lordes annnointed Elizabeth by the grace of God our soueraigne Ladie and Queene of Englande France and Ireland to bring in forraine nations to set vp a murtherer of her husband and the onely cause of many miseries and mischiefes both here and elsewhere in like manner to endeuour the vtter calamitie and finall destruction of their natiue soyle and Countrey they were by him sollicited and mooued neyther had their bodyes beene dismembred too gentle a punishment for so hainous iniquitie neither their soules endaungered to damnation as theirs were all which died in finall impenitencie Had we our selues men and women learned to resist the diuell when nowe by pride nowe by ambition nowe by couetousnesse nowe by extortion nowe by adulterie nowe by enuie nowe by one iniquitie nowe by another by him we are tempted to rebell agaynst GOD then shoulde wee not by committing these and the like sinnes so iustly open the mouthes of our Prophets and preachers to thunder out the heauie iudgement of God against vs and our Countrie neither should we be subiect to so many strange and newe diseases as the punishment of our new sinnes as raigne and abound among vs from yeare to yeare VVherefore both to auoyde manie mischiefes and miseries in our common and temporall life and also to flie the daunger of future calamitie and euerlasting damnation to come wee must euermore remember the exhortation which is giuen vs and holde fast the admonition of the Apostle Resist the diuell VVho beeing the auncient enemie of mankinde seeketh by all meanes to drawe vs from the loue and embracing of GOD and to couple vs in loue and league with himselfe therefore ought we to oppose our selues vnto him as to our mortall enemie withstand all carnall lustes all fleshly desires all wordly prouokements as the instruments of Satan that hauing peace with men without contention and performing reuerent obedience to God without rebellion we may rise vp against the deuill and in all things resist him as we are exhorted Now satan the deuill is sundry wise resisted of men How satan is resisted First by faith in Iesus Christ wherewith we armed stande fast without wauering thereby resist the assaults of satan the deuill S. Paule arming men against all spirituall 1. Cor. 16. assaults by satan and his ministers and preparing them to the spiritual battle with the deuill his members exhorteth them to stand fast in the faith wherby especially our spiritual enemies are beaten back resisted put to flight watch saith he stand fast in the faith acquite you like meÌ„ be strong S. Paul calleth faith the spirituall shield whereby Ephes 6. we are able to beare of and quench the firie dartes of the deuill therfore exhorting men to put on the whole armour of god he willeth them chiefly to take vnto them the shield of faith that thereby they may quench the firie dartes of the deuill The Apostle Peter preparing vs and 1. Pet. 5. 1. Iohn 5. 4 12. Reu. 11. arming vs against satan willeth vs to resist him by faith be sober saith he and watch for your aduersary the deuill goeth about seeking whom he may deuoure whom resist stedfast in the faith For which cause S. Augustine attribubuteth Lib. 3. c. 20 de lib. ar bitrio S. Basil in psal 32. this effect vnto faith that it vanquished ouercommeth and resisteth the deuill S. Basill vpon Psalm 32. What man is able to wage warre with the deuill vnles he flie to the helpe of the Captaine of the hoste therehence therefore through our faith in him wee wounde and thrust through our enemie When â—atan then assaulteth with any temptation there is no way better to resist him then by trusting perfectly in the grace of God vvhich is 1. Pet. 1. brought vnto vs by the reuelation of Iesus Christ and to be assured that seeing we are marked with the seale of Eph. 4. 2. Corin. 1. Iohn 10. the spirite for the sheepe of Christ therefore we cannot be plucked out of his handes that sith our names are written in the booke of life therefore vve cannot perish for euer by the temptation of Satan that in asmuch as we are chosen by God and predestinate from euerlasting Rom. 8. of the meere fauour of God to be conformable to the image of Christ therefore no creature in heauen aboue or in earth beneath nor in any infernall place no not Satan himselfe shal be able to seperate vs from the loue of God which is in Iesus Christ our Lord. This assurance of our hope this persuasion of our faith this certaintie of our saluation if we hold out before satan without wauering we shall in his temptations resist him and thus by faith is he resisted 2. As we resist him by faith so also we resist him by prayer when in our manifolde temptations we flie by prayer vnto God for succour against the deuill our auncient enemie when in the midst of the greatest assaultes of satan we runne for strength vnto God who is the defence the protectour shielde and deliuerie of his people and by whom all they which trust in him do not onely treade downe men their enemies but satan himselfe the aduersarie of all the sonnes of God by which meanes the assaultes of satan are expelled This way of resisting the Mat. 6. deuill our Sauiour Christ commendeth vnto men when he willeth vs among other things to pray for deliuerance from all euill and temptations of the enemie lead vs not into temptations but deliuer vs from euill Saint Paul setting downe the partes of our spirituall Eph. 6. armour which beyng put on and first girte and buckled about vs we shal be able to withstande our aduersarie the deuill after the girding of our loynes with veritie the putting on the brest plate of righteousnesse and the shooing of our feete with the preparation of the Gospell of peace and the taking in hande of the shielde of faith the helmet of saluation the sworde of the spirite which is the worde of GOD he ioyneth vnto all these prayer wherevvith satan is also repelled And experience teacheth the saints of God that if vvhen they are assaulted by satan they giue themselues incoÌ„tinently to praier then is the deuill foorthwith repelled and resisted For God is neare to those that call vpon him and will fulfill the desire of them that feare him and deliuer them vvherefore when
dwell in our mindes then shall God himselfe draw neere in louing fauour vnto vs and ouershadowe vs with the presence aâ— brightnes of his countenance then shall we be one in tâ—â— God and God with vs then shall hee dwell reâ—â— affliâ—â— with vs Mala. 4. for euer Which thing he geue and graunt vnto vs who hath not spared his only sonne for vs EueÌ„ god the father to whom with the sonne and the holy Ghost one one God in glorious trinitie bee praise dominion and maiestie now and for euer Amen Iames Chap. 4. verses 9. 10. Sermon 20. Verse 9 Suffer afflictions and sorrowe ye and weepe let your laughter be turned into mourning and your ioy into heauines 10 Caste downe your selues before the Lord and he will lift you vp THese wordes conteine the thirde part and place of this 4. Chapter which is touching The thirde place â—â— part of the Chapter our humiliation and humbling our selues before God which coÌ„sisteth in two things as here by the Apostle is set downe Namely 1. In chastising our selues throgh repentance and mortification of life wherein are two things to be obserued of vs. 1. What he commaundeth To suffer affliction 2 How it is to be done 1. Sorrowing 2. Weeping 3. Turning laughter into mourning 4. Ioy into heauines 2. In casting downe and prostrating our selues before the Lord wherein two things are to be noted 1. What hee commaundeth To prostrate our selues before God 2. Why That God may exalt vs. Now concerning this place it is the doctrine of humiliation and humbling our selues before God for the iniquities and sinnes by vs dayly against him committed Wherein the Apostle opposeth to the former vices in man things contrarie to their wantonnes and pleasures the afflicting and humiliating of themselues to their pride and arrogancie Christian modestie to their carnal delights lasciuious and lewde mirth he setteth down vnfained sorow and griefe whereby their repentance might be shewed whereunto these two verses serue Suffer affliction sorrowe and weepe c. wherin two things are to be considered 1. The chastising of our selues 2. And our casting downe our selues before God 1 Touching the chastising of our selues therin two things may bee obserued 1. what hee commaundeth 2 how the same is to be perfourmed The precept Suffer afflictions which is not an exhortatioÌ„ to patience in trouble wherof afterward c. 5. 7. but to chastise and afflict our selues by true repentance and mortification of our liues suffer affliction be you afflicted afflict your selues by true repentance before the Lord. Which exhortation is right necessarie because the whole life of worldly carnally minded men whose happines is in pleasure lust delights of the flesh is altogether spent in riot wantonnes banquetting iollitie laughter miâ—th and wicked reioising wherin men drowned forget neglect their duetie vnto God neither remember they the iudgements of god and his heauie wrath which therfore hangeth ouer them as the storie of the first world in the daies of Noe declareth Wherein they were geuen to eating to drinking to riotousnes to wantonnes and all Gen. 7. pleasures of the flesh vntill such time as the floud came vpon them and destroyed them And the example of Sodom confirmeth in the dayes of Lot whereof the Gen. 19. men and the women with al the people gaue themselues whollie to the satisfying and fulfilling of al the lustes and desires of the flesh and excesse of their liues till the Lord rained fire and brimston vpon them from heauen and miserablie destroyed them Which negligence rising from the plentie and prosperitie of worldly thinges almighty GOD foreseeing gaue charge thereof vnto Israel his people that when they came into the land of Canaan where they shoulde Deut. 6. 8. possesse great and goodly Cities which they builded not houses replenished with all manner of goods which houses they filled not welles digged which they digged not vineyardes which they planted not When they had eateÌ„ and droken and were full abounding and flourishing in all worldly prosperitie they should take heede least they forgat the Lord who had geuen them all these thinges Seeing then prosperitie and worldly wealth seeing carnall delightes and fleshly pleasures make vs stubborne forgetfull and negligent in our dueties to God is it not necessarie that we be often admonished and earnestlie exhorted thus to chastise our selues by repentance true mortification least we be carried away with the sway of earthly things vnto finall destruction Which when our Apostle Saint James had considered as hauing care of our soules health exhorting vs to true humiliation and chastising of our selues saith Suffer affliction or be chastised and sorowe and weepe that therby our repentance which is to saluation not to be repented of might be witnessed Will we liue for euer then 2. Cor. 7. 2. Tim. 2 must we die here by repentance and mortification to sinne Will we obteine eternall rest then in this life must 1. Pâ—t 1 we be afflicted Wil we reioyce with ioy vnspeakeable and glorious then must we here sorowe for a season Will we haue mirth without end then must wee lament our iniquities in the bodie that our soules may liue in heauen for euermore with God They which haue their pleasure in this world shall surely haue their paine in the world to come as Abraham witnessed to the rich glutton in the Gospell they which are here full shall there want they which here laugh shall Luke 16 Luke 6 there weepe waile and lamente they that liue in pleasure vpon the earth shal suffer punishment and torments in the world to come vnlesse here they mortifie theÌ„selues and be chastised through repentance let vs there fore be admonished by the Apostle let vs holde fast the exhortation of S. Iames Suffer afflictions The afflictions which here we are exhorted to suffer What is affliction here are nothing els but the conceauing of griefe for sinne true and vnfeined repentance for the life past the chastising of our selues by fasting watching praying and such like before the Lord the true mortification of our earthlie members and the subduing of all carnall desires in our selues that thereby we may bee truely humbled before God This affliction holy Dauid suffered thus did he chastise himselfe thus was he afflicted before the Lord when he washed his couch with his teares in the night season Psal 6. Psal 35. and watered his bed with weeping when in the sicknesse of his enemies he humbled himselfe with fasting and his prayer was turned into his bosome when his iniquities Psal 38. 102. 9. were gone ouer his head and as a weightie burthen they were too heauie for him to beare when his wounds were putrified and corrupt because of his foolishnes when he was bowed and crooked very sore when he went mourning all the day long when his reines were full of burning and nothing sound in his flesh when he was weakened very much
measure of their wickednes Whereunto the Apostle had respect in this place when hee willeth them to weep and howle for their miseries to come 5 Whose miseries being generally touched as the cause of their comfortlesse lamentation so in the laste place it is shewed wherin this their miserie consisteth In this especially that the thinges wherein they so greatly trusted are vaine and vncertaine and shall testifie against them in the day of their punnishment And for as much as by their vaine trust and confidence in these thinges 1. Cause of their weeping and the first point of their miserie they heape and hoorde vp for themselues treasure of the wrath of God against the last day 1 And first the things wherein they trusted are vncertaine which appeareth both in generall and in particular also In generall riches are vncertaine vaine and transitorie subiect to manifolde corruptions which this Apostle teaching telleth the prophane and wicked rich men of the world that their riches are corrupt Doeth not the holy Scripture often foretell vs of the corruption vanitie and vncertaintie of riches Is it not an argument oftentimes beaten vpon in the word of trueth Are they not for great vncertainnes to be compared vnto an Ecle which wringeth slideth and slippeth out of the hand before we be aware thereof Are they not like a birde which now we haue in hand but our hand being opened she flieth from vs and wee cannot recouer her Psal 37. Salomon disswading men from immoderat loue and desire thereof geueth this wise aduice and councell Trauel not too much to be rich but cease from such a purpose wilt thou cast thine eye vpon it that is nothing for riches taketh her to her winges as an Egle and flieth into the heauens Whose father the princely prophete Dauid intreating of the vncertaine condition of prophane and wicked Psal 37. rich men crieth out be it they be strong and shoote vp as the greene bay tree yet are they cut of from the earth like grasse and wither as the greene hearbe they passe away and are not if thou seeke their place thou shalt not finde it And Solomon in his book of wisdom maketh the wicked Wisedom 5. riche men now burning and boyling in hell torments to acknowledge the frayltie and vncertaintie of riches which passe and perish as a shadowe or a poste that passeth by flie away as an arrowe in the aire a shippe in the vvater a birde in the heauens Our blessed Sauiour entreating of the corruption of vvorldly riches confesseth Mat. 6. Luk. 12. they are subiecte to theefes to the moth and canker The vncertainty wherof he sheweth in the parable of him who enlarged his barnes and saide vnto his Soule Soule eate drinke and take thy pleasure for there is great store of riches reposed and laide vp for thee for many yeares to whō it was replied by God that that night they should take his soule from him And many folde experience teacheth vs that when men haue feathered there nestes at their pleasure and hope to liue at ease many faire yeares and purpose with them selues to spende their daies in iollytie euen then often times not lyuing only but life is also taken from them Saint Paule seeing the ftayltie and vncertaine state of riches and the corruption where vnto they are subiecte giueth them this epithite or addition 1. Timo. 6. vncertaine charge them that are riche in this world that they truste not in vncertaine riches This our Apostle not varying from him selfe describing the brittle and fickell state of riches compareth them to grasse which is Iames. 4. subiect to sudden speady corruption for as soone as the sunne ariseth with heate the grasse wethereth and the flower falleth away so subiecte is the state of riches to corruption and vanitie Though Cresus King of Lydia were of infinite riches so that it grewe into a prouerbe richer then Cresus yet came his riches and all his glorious pompe vnto corruption when waging warre agaynst Cyrus the king of Persia hee was ouercome taken and subdued Though Xerxes were neuer so rich that he conducted an infinite armie of 1000000. men agaynst Greece and with his shippes made a bridge ouer the sea Hellespont and through his riches waxed so proude that he thought not onely that al men shoulde obey him but commaunded the Sea also to be quiet and calme and the mountaines to giue place vnto him yet was his state subiect to corruption when his armie was discomfited by the nauie of the Grecians on the Sea by the Isle Salamine insomuch as himselfe for the securitie of his owne person was forced to escape vnknowen in a fishers boate and so with great dishonour and losse of infinite preparation men and riches returned Though manie men in our memorie and the memorie of our forefathers haue in their times flourished in wealth yet their riches haue corrupted and themselues oftentimes haue beene thereof suddenly bereft or else their heires haue not enioyed the riches of their fathers whereby it appeareth in plaine euidence howe subiect to corruption our riches bee that the Apostle might rightly say that their riches were corrupt and therefore they trusting to a thing vncertaine and subiect vnto vanitie and for loue thereof leauing the Lorde who for that contempt bringeth destruction vpon them they ought to weepe and howle for that poynt and part of their misetie Seeing then in generall that riches are things vncertaine and shall in fine vanish away and come to nothing seeing they are of no continuance but subiect to alteration chaunge and corruption seeing the time shall come wherein they shall perish from you and when you Wisd 9. shall say with the wicked in the wise man Salomon what hath pride profited vs or what hath the pompe of riches brought vs All these are past away like a shadow and as a post that passeth by as the shippe that passeth uer the water which being gone by the trace thereof cannot be founde neither the path in the flouds as the flying and flittering of a birde in the aire or as an arrowe shotte at a marke which passeth through the aire and no man can tell the way whereby therefore for this miserie weepe and howle Goe to nowe you rich men weepe and howle for the miseries shall come vpon you your riches are corrupt The corruption and vncertaintie of their riches wherein they trusted is one poynt of their miserie wherefore they are called to comfortlesse lamentation 2 As riches ingenerall ar vncertaine and subiect to corruption so neither are the partes of riches more sure but euerie thing vnder heauen whereof a man maketh his account as of riches is subiect to vanitie and corruption and the chiefest partes of riches are gaye cloathing and costly apparell Siluer gold and the like which all are subiect to corruption 1 Touching gay garments costly clothing fine apparell Apparell though it be neuer so costly
horrible sinnes For albeit there bee no sinne so little or small in the opinion or estimation of man but that it commeth before the Lorde and entreth into his eares whose eares heare and whose eyes see all the workes of men neither is their anie sinne kept from his knowledge yet to note the horrour and haynousnesse of some sinnes aboue others the holie Ghost in the sacred Scripture sayeth of such that they crie vnto the Lorde VVherefore Moises to shewe the great and grieuous sinne of Cain in murthering his louing and naturall Gene. 4. brother bringeth in GOD speaking thereof to him Cain what hast thou done the voyce of thy brothers bloud crieth vnto mee from the ground When the filthie Sodomites had stained themselues with vnnaturall lust with foule fornication and all shamefull vncleannesse Gene. 18. of the flesh impietie and vngodlinesse the crie of their iniquitie was great in the Lordes eares and their sinne exceeding grieuous in his sight To shewe the barbarous crueltie of the people of Aegypt and their extreeme exactions wherewith they ouercharged Exod. 3. Isai 5. 9. 1. Kings 9. 16 Iob. 34. 28. and pressed to grounde the Israelites the Prophet thereof speaking bringeth in God thus conferring with him there-about in Horeb I haue seene I haue seene the oppression of my people which are in Aegypt and haue heard their crie because of their taske-maisters To like purpose our Apostle setting foorth the great iniquitie and iniurie done to the poore labourers in the detaining and keeping backe of their wages by the rich men of the world affirmeth that the same crieth vnto God and that the crie thereof is gone vp to the eares of the Lord of hostes Wherehence we are taught and may well learne that albeit men themselues by vs oppressed doe not alwayes powre out the bitternesse of their hearts neither alwayes ring in the eares of the Lorde agaynst them by whome they are oppressed yet the verie iniquities and sinnes of the wicked themselues crie out day and night in the eares of the Lorde against them for vengeance Thus Gene. 4. murther though kept for a season from the knowledge of men thus adulterie fornication and fleshly vncleannesse Ecclus. 23. though it be done in secrete that no eye doeth see it thus oppression and extortion though all men almoste practise it thus pride though the whole lande Isay 3 flyeth after it thus vsurie briberie and all manner couetousnesse thus peruerting of righteous iudgement and all manner wrongfulnesse and iniurie thus lying swearing blasphemie and slaunder thus all iniquitie and vnrighteousnesse of men whereby the lande Sophonie 3. Osea 4. is altogether polluted and bloud thereby toucheth bloud cryeth in the eares of the Lorde of hostes who beeing a righteous iudge and that GOD onely to Deut. 32. Psal 94. whom repaying vengeance belongeth will reward it accordingly And assuredly as all sinnes at all times haue cried out for vengeance from the Lorde who hath heard them and in iust measure punished them so the haynous and horrible sinnes of our age crye out in like manner for vengeaunce our shamelesse adulteries whereof our countrie is full our cruell hatred whereby we murther one another in our heartes our intollerable pride in flaunting ruffes in coloured starchings in newe cuts and iagges in periwigges and french frilles in the deuill and all which our vanitie and the iniquitie of our times haue deuised our suttle and fraudulent dealings our voluntarie bankerouting our great oppression and extortion whereby the faces of the poore are pitifully grinded our vsurie which hath succeeded and gotte in the place of noble marchaundizing whereby we eate vp one another our manifolde open and secrete publike and priuate offences daily and hourely in moste wicked manner committed crie out in the eares of the Lorde of hostes and vnlesse wee seeke speedy redresse through vnfained repentaunce vnto GOD vvee shall feele the smarte and griefe thereof subiect to the like destruction here mentioned by the Apostle sith wee are guiltie of the like or the same iniquities against which it is iustly denounced Here God is called the Lord of hostes which attribute God the Lorde of hostes or addition is oftentimes and in sundrie places giuen vnto him because he hath all his creatures alwaies readie as an innumerable and infinite hoste to fight at his pleasure and becke against the wicked for the maintenaunce of his glory and defence of his seruauntes Which thing Sirach notably expresseth there are saith he spirites created for vengeaunce which in their rigour Ecclus. 39. lay on sure strokes in the time of destruction they shevve forth their power and accomplish the wrath of him that made them fire and hayle and famine and death these are created for vengeaunce the teeth of wild beastes the scorpions and the serpentes and the sworde execute vengeaunce for the destruction of the wicked They shal be gladde to do his commaundement and when neede is they shal be readie vpon earth and when their houre is come they shall not ouer passe the commaundement The droppes of raine from heauen were his hoste to fight against and destroy the men of the first world Fire Gen. 6 7. Gen. 19. from heauen was his hoste to fal downe and consume the Sodomites and them of Gomorrah The mightie hayle stones which fel vpō the soldeours of the kings which ioined battle with Iosua wherewith more perished then by the sword of the people the scrawling wormes the hopping Iosua 10. frogges the creeping lice and other like creatures were his hoste to fight against Pharao and his people Exod. 7. 8. 9. 10. 14. and the raging sea rose vp against him and ouerwhelmed him and his armie One people is his armie to punish another and euery one of his creatures serue at his Psal 105. 28. 29. 30. c. pleasure either to worke the deliuerance of his seruants or the destruction of his enemies and therefore is God often called the Lord of hostes The Seraphins in the prophete stood vp and cried one to another holy holy holy is the Isay 6. 1. 9. Lord of hostes the whole world is full of thy glorie Ieremie Ierem. 10. the prophete yeeldeth this attribute and name vnto him who cōparing the idols of the natiōs with the Lord saith the portion of Iacob is not like them for he is the maker of all things and Israel is the rodde of his inheritaunce the Lord of hostes is his name Nahum the prophet Nahum 2 describing the victories of the Caldeans against the Assyrians and the punishments by God brought by them vpon the same people crieth behold I come vnto thee saith the Lord of hostes and I will burne her charrets in the smoke and the sword shall destroy thy yong lions and I wil cut of thy spoyle from the earth and the voyce of thy messengers shall no more be heard In the prophecie of Malachie it is often
which in these two things appeareth 1 That they condemne the righteous men 2 That they condemne them not only but also slay them when they make no resistance The wicked men of this world condemne the righteous at their pleasures they geue what sentence they lust against the iust and godly men they iudge the innocent at their willes if in all thinges they doe not please them which is great crueltie and a thing abhominable before God For he that absolueth the wicked in iudgement and Pro. 17. condemneth the righteous both are abhominable before God saith Solomon Neither do these only wrongfully iudge condēne the righteous but also they slay him and hee resisteth them not This is fiercenes and intollerable crueltie Now the righteous is slaine diuers waies 1 In heart by hatred Hee that hateth his brother in his heart is a murtherer saith Saint Iohn 2 In tongue by slaunder therefore Christ conteineth it vnder the nature of murther 1. Ioh. 3. making it subiect to like iudgement 3 Or by denying helpe in their miserie wherein wee suffer them to Mat. 5 pearish without succour 4 Or when by fraud or force we take or holde from men that which is their owne wherby as much as in vs lieth we murther them 5 Whē finally we bereaue men of their liues Which al agre with this place of Saint Iames and are found in the rich wicked men of this world who albeit themselues by themselues doe not alwaies these thinges yet sith by their meanes and power these are done therefore are they said to doe it So partly by themselues partly by others the rich prophane men of the world condemne and slaye the righteous when he resisteth them not which thing is a point of great crueltie For can there be any crueltie cōparable to that to waxe fierce to rage furiouslie against him that resisteth not Is not this sauagenes farre exceeding the crueltie of the Lion before whom if a man fall downe and lie prostrate seeming neither to stirre striue nor struggle the Lion often suffereth him and toucheth him not But these more rauening then Wolues more hungrie then beares more greedie then Tygers more cruell then Lions fall vpon the righteous to slaye him when he resisteth not Seeing here it is said that these men slay the righteous when he resisteth not it may be enquired whether righteous and iust men wrongfully oppressed may resist at all or no. Our Sauiour Christ instructing his how to behaue Mat. 5. themselues against worldly oppressions and iniuries willeth them not to resist euill but if any smite them on the one cheeke they should holde out the other if any striue for their coates they shoulde let them haue cloake also and if one forced them to goe a mile they should go two The holy Prophet of God Ieremie commending the patience Lament 3. of the iust and righteous man vnto vs affirmeth of him that he geueth his cheeke to him that smiteth him and is filled with reproach The blessed Apostle S. Paul Rom. 12. aduertising the Saints what they should doe in their oppressions and iniuries which here they were sure to sustaine and suffer woulde they shoulde not auenge themselues but rather geue place vnto wrath Isai painting out the singular patience of Iesus Christ the righteous auoucheth Isai 53. that he was brought before his enemies as a sheepe before the shearer and opened not his mouth much lesse resisted The Apostle finally of the iust and righteous man affirmeth that he was slaine of the wicked and resisted not What shall we say then Is it not lawfull at all to resist iniuries but shall wee suffer our selues to be spoyled robbed iniuried smitten and murthered without resisting by notwithstanding thē shal we flesh them animate them encourage them to further mischiefe Shall we as it were pricke them on forwarde to doe more violence in that we resist them not nor withstande their rage and furie Hereunto I answere though it be commaunded vs that we shall not resist and commended in the righteous men that they did not resist their oppressours yet it followeth not that the righteous may not at all resist For touching the commaundement of Christ and his Apostle it is apparant that they spake of impatient resisting of such resisting as was ioyned with greedie desire of priuate reuenge in which manner the Saints of God are euery where forbidden to resist In other respects it is not vnlawful to resist but ether by auoyding their oppressions either by telling the wicked of their iniuries or finally by repelling force by force when we cannot haue the lawfull ayde of Magistrates it is lawful to resist the wicked when they oppresse vs which doctrine may be warranted out of the vnfallible word of trueth Our Sauiour Christ commaunded his Disciples to flie from Citie to Citie when rhey were persecuted and Mat. 10. so by auoiding iniuries to make resistance as it were to their persecutors And when himselfe was in daunger of Iohn 8 stoning he conueyed himselfe from them and did not suffer the Iewes to wreake their wrath vpō him so by his shunning he withstoode their violence When Aretas the gouernour of the Damasens laide waite for Saint Paul he stoode not still but was let downe out of a window by 2. Cor. 11. a baskette through the wall of the Citie and so escaped When more then fourtie men had conspired and sworne Acts 23 his death vowing with an othe◠that they woulde neither eat nor drinke before they had murthered him he withstoode their rage and furie when by the conduct of souldiours he fledde to Cesarea Dauid the Saint of God a 1. King 1◠c. man iust and righteous seeing the rage of Saul against him offered not himselfe to his crueltie but by auoydaunce withstoode him sometimes onely by turning aside when Sauls speare was readie to haue nailed him to the wall Sometimes escaping by the meanes of his wife being laid wait for Sometimes by flying from place to 1. King 21. c. 22. 23. 24. place as the storie recordeth So then righteous and iust persons compassed about with daunger oppressed of the wicked persecuted by the tyrants of the earth afflicted of the vngodly of the worlde are not hereby forced to stande still to be swallowed vp of daungers but must and may auoide if there be an honest meane therof and so resist the iniuries of men which is neither agaynst precept nor example in holy Scripture duly considered and pondered yea the contrarie were follie and is worthily condemned in men 2 Neither by auoiding and shunning their iniuries is it lawfull onely to resist the wicked but also by telling them of the wicked oppressions and extreame crueltie which they shew towardes their brethren though in the meane time our bodies be subiect to their tirannous outrage and furie Our Sauiour Christ therfore being caught Iohn 18. of the Iewes not against
another This grudging and murmuring is either when we greiue that wicked rich men should so highly be exalted should abound in wealth excell in power and the poore yet righteous and iust men should by pouertie iniurie and penâ—rie be pressed downe in the world Or els it is that muttering and murmuring whereby we take it in euill parte that our selues should be so tost and tormoiled other should be dealt withall more gently thinking that wee beare a greater burthen and heauier crosse from God then wee haue deserued and that other men as yet not touched haue deserued more Or finally it is that grudging which is in our afflictions whereby we are discontent that wee should sigh so long vnder our afflictions and the wicked which afflicte vs should so long scape vnpunished and through impatiencie complaine hereof to God This ought not to be in the Saints of God who ought to bee renowmed for their vnspeakeable pacience Whose bounden duetie it is to pray euen for their enemies to wish well to them which haue done them iniurie to blesse them that curse Matt. 1. 6. 18. Ephes 4. 1. Pet. â— them or forgiue and forget offences committed in all godly moderation to settle their hearts and to commit their cause to him that iudgeth righteously And if this moderation and equitie of our minds be to be shewed towards our enemies for whose iniuries and oppressions we ought not to murmure or impaciently to complaine against them vnto god how much lesse ought we then to grudge or murmure one against another How much lesse becommeth it the Saints to grudge and murmure one against another for the dayly offences which are giuen For who is he that can liue so vprightly but that in one thing or another at one time or another hee shall giue offence If euerie one giue some offence vnto another shall we complaine to God in the bitternesse of our heart shall we desire reuenge from God against theÌ„ and shall we not all then perish for no man liueth without some offence giuing We therefore in these small offences asking iudgement from God and reuenge agaynst others desire the same agaynst our selues in as much as we in the like offende our brethren and so shall we all be condemned This grudging and muttering proceedeth from impaciencie argueth discontentment of the mind causeth mutuall complaining vnto God and desireth reuenge against such as haue done vs iniurie VVhich thing is farre from the excellencie and dignitie of a Christian Finally it bringeth condemnation vpon vs who haue lost pacience according to the denouncing of the scripture wo be vnto them that haue lost pacience thereby falling from dutie to men from charitie to the brethren from obedience to God from trust in his diuine prouidence from sincere imbracing of the Gospell of Christ which prescribeth vnto vs pacience and so we incurre iust and deserued condemnation for which cause the holy Apostle in this place doth not onely recommend vnto the Saints the excellent vertue of pacience but also disswadeth murmuring therunto contrarie grudge not one against aâ— other brethren least ye be condemned The reason why we should not murmure one agaynst another is drawne from the presence of the Lord who is at hande as a iust iudge to auenge vs of our enemies and to crowne vs for our pacience or punish our murmuring The Lorde our God beholdeth our iniuries with open eie and seeth our oppression by the wicked he is prest and at hand to rescue and deliuer vs as it shall seeme best to his diuine maiestie he marketh all our behauiour vnder the crosse let vs not therefore be impacient neither murmure but therein shewe all Christian moderation as becommeth Saints The Lord is at hand the iudge standeth before the How God is at hand doore 1 In that he seeth all the creatures of the world and beholdeth all the miseries and oppressions of his people Thus was he at hand and at the doores of the Aegyptians to see and behold the grieuous oppression of his people Exod. 3. Israel Wherefore he protesteth to his seruant Moises I haue seene I haue seene the trouble of my people Israel in Aegypt and haue heard their crie because of their taskemasters and do know their sorrowes For it is the Lord that beholdeth from heauen al the children of men Psal 33. and from the habitation of his dwelling he considereth them all that dwel on the earth Thus was he at the doores of Abraham to behold the mocking and persecution of Jsmael Gene. 21. against Isaac at the doores of Isaac to heare the intended murther of Esau against his brother Iacob He was at hand and at the doores and gates of Laban to beholde his oppressing of his nephew Iacob He was at the doores Gene. 27. Daniel 3. of Nabuchodonosor to beholde the fierie triall of the three children At the heeles doores and gates of the princes of the prouinces of Babylon to beholde and see heare and marke the wicked purpose and deuise they imagined against Daniel At the doores of Saules palace to beholde Daniel 6. 1. King 18. 19. c. the persecution of Dauid At the doores of the Sâ—cibes Pharisies high priests and princes of the Iewes marking and viewing their crueltie against his sonne Iesus Christ and his holy Apostles At the doores of the persecuting Emperours to beholde their crueltie towards the blessed martyrs At the doores of all oppressours extortioners vsurers couetous persons iniurers and hurters of their brethren to see view marke and beholde with open eye the violence wickednes of men against his seruaÌ„ts 2 As he is at hand and at the doore to see our miseries so also is he at the doore to deliuer vs from our enemies rescue vs from our oppressours Moises telleth Israel Deut. 4â— that there is no God that coÌ„meth so neare to any people as the Lord commeth neare to them to helpe and deliuer them from all their dangers Dauid the princely prophet Psal 34. subscribeth and consenteth hereunto the Lord saith he is neare vnto them that are of a contrite heart and wil saue such as be afflicted in spirit to deliuer them for though many be the trobles of the righteous yet is the Lorde at hand to deliuer them Therefore saith he in another place God is our hope strength our helpe in trouble neare Psal 46. readie to be found And the Lord himselfe promiseth his presence to helpe his Church and defende it against all Isai 27. their oppressions and iniuries I the Lord sayth God doe keepe it that is his Church I will water it euery moment least any assault it I will keepe it night and day Thus is the Lord at hand thus standeth the iudge at the doore euermore prest and readie 3 The Iudge standeth at the doore to beholde our behauiour vnder the crosse and to see howe we take these afflictions which he suffereth according to
may whollie rest and relie vpon his diuine pleasure that after we haue suffered a little he may make vs perfect confirme strengthen and stablish vs. To whom be glory dominion and maiestie now and for euermore Amen Iames Chapter 5. verse 12 Sermon 26. Ver. 12 But before al things my brethren sweare not neither by heauen nor by earth nor by any other othe but let your yea be yea and your nay nay least ye fall into condemnation 3. Place of the Chapter NOw commeth the Apostle to the thirde place in this chapter handled which is concerning swearing Vnto which he slideth descendeth very orderly for that in the former treatise he had exhorted the Saints to patience and disswaded al murmuring and impatiencie and commonly most grieuous and horrible othes with most bitter execrations growe of our impatiencie Therefore hauing discoursed thereof he addeth in the next place admonition and councell touching swearing willing vs to detest all such wickednes and to accustome our tongues to simple and true speach Though then the Apostle seeme properly to speake of such vaine and wicked othes as where unto men breake oftentimes through impatiencie yet will I touch this more generally and hereunder conteine all othes whatsoeuer are rashly and wickedly made by men In this 12. verse conteyning the third place concerning swearing three things are to be noted Namely 1. The condemning of the thing as horrible and detestable sinne 2. The correcting of that euil what men in stead of wicked swearing should doe 3. The reason why men ought not to sweare 1 Touching the first of these thinges thereof thus saith our Apostle Aboue all things my brethren sweare not Where he condemneth othes and swearing Which place being falsly applied by the Anabaptists for the condemning of all othes and of swearing it shall not be impertinent to this place but both profitable and proper to consider whether all swearing ought vtterly to be condēned or no. And if not then what swearing what othes the Apostle here reproueth Which thing that it may the better appeare let vs in briefe and in a word consider what an othe is what it is to sweare An othe is the affirming or denying of a thing An othe with the calling on of the name of God to witnesse and auouch the trueth of the thing vttered To sweare is to affirme or denie a thing with the calling on of the name of God for the auouching of the trueth of that thing which with solemne othe we haue protested Or an othe is an earnest and vehement affirmation or negation of a thing lawfull and honest by the name of God whereby we desire him to be a witnesse vnto the trueth and a reuenger and punisher of all such as vse deceat falshood This being the definition of an othe whether is it altogether condemned or not The Anabaptists abusing this place and that of our Sauiour Christ Sweare not at all condemne all othes as Mat. 5. vnlawfull in Christians But the word of God rightlie and trulie vnderstoode permitteth Christians in some causes and cases to sweare By which men must not challenge vnto themselues libertie of swearing for what they luste but ought to learne neuer to sweare at al but so and vnder such condition as the scriptures teach them and no other wise That Christians and the Saints of God may sweare Wheather Christians may sweare in some cases and therefore all othes and swearing not vtterly condemned it may by sundrie groundes and arguments be proued 1 What the morall lawe of God permitted that is lawfull for the morall lawe is perpetuall vniuersall and generall binding all men comprising all times containing al things that are lawfull This lawe permitteh men to sweare this giueth licence to the Saints in some cases and some causes to sweare Moyses in the repeating of the Deut. 6. lawe from the mouth of God gaue this charge to Israell the people of God thou shalt feare the Lord thy God and serue him and thou shalt sweare by his name To the like purpose in the same booke the prophet giueth the like commaundement thou shalt feare the Lorde thy God Deut. 10. thou shalt cleaue vnto him sweare by his name Thus almighty God maketh the calling vpon his name in their lawfull othes to be a parte of his diuine seruice and permitteth the same vnto his people so that to sweare by the law of God is permitted The holie prophets the best expounders and interpreters of the lawe haue therefore taught the people in certaine cases to sweare Ieremie saith thus to Israell thou shalt sweare the Lorde liueth in Ierimie 4. truth in equitie in iudgement The prophet Dauid the Psal 63. worthy prince of Israell protesteth that all they shal be commended that sweare in the name of God their heauenly King Isay exhorteth and willeth that who so sweareth Isay 65. Ierimie 12. on earth should sweare by the true God The Lorde in Ieremie his prophet teaching this not only to bee lawfull but laudable and praise worthy in al his seruantes and therefore also requireth it as a parte of his diuine seruice and saith it shal be that if they haue learned the waies of my people then they shall sweare in my name the Lorde liueth Thus the lawe and the Prophets teach that in certaine cases and in some respects it is lawfull to sweare 2 That whereof we haue God himselfe the Patriarkes Christ and Saint Paul for our example and warrant cannot be altogether vnlawfull But the Lord our God a most holy God and most iust the Patriarkes the most deare seruants of God Iesus Christ the eternall sonne of the father and the onely true patterne of all perfection the holie Apostle the most elect vessell and most pure seruant of Iesus Christ haue sworne how then are al othes vnlawfull how is all swearing forbidden And first touching God is not hee recorded at sundrie times to haue sworne and that by himselfe VVhen Abraham at Gods commaundement was readie to haue Gene. 2◠offered vp his onely sonne in sacrifice to God the Lord stayed his hande and saide by my selfe haue I sworne sayeth the Lord because thou hast done this thing and hast not spared thy onely sonne therefore will I surely blesse thee and will greatly multiplie thy seede as th◠starres of heauen and as the sande which is vpon the sea shore and thy seede shall possesse the gates of their enemies The princely Prophet Dauid prophecying of the Psal 110. eternall Kingdome and Priesthoode of Christ bringeth in God swearing vnto him The Lorde sware and will not repent thou art a Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech VVho speaking also of the othe of the Lord made vnto him touching his posteritie whereon the Psal 132. people grounded their praiers and desired the establishment thereof sayeth in like manner the Lorde hath sworne in trueth to Dauid and hee will
and horrible is the sinne both before God and man And shall we think it our lawfull excuse we haue got a custome of swearing we cannot leaue it therefore we are to be excused Things therefore that are receiued by custome being euil are so much the worse how much more customable and ought with so much greater care to be corrected how much more wee are therewithall inured 3 Neither can example of the multitude helpe vs we doe but as all other men doe we see such men such women sweare as deepely as we doe This excuseth not the fact this deliuereth not from punishment The more men sinned in the sinnes of the first world the more was Gen. 6. 7. Gods wrath kindled and the heauier condemnation fell vpon them The more vniuersall and common the sinnes of Sodom were the lowder they cried to GOD for vengeance Gen. 19. The more the Israelites were defiled with fornication with the daughters of Moab the more therfore by the hand of God pearished The more the Prophetes of Numb 25. Baal were the more horrible was their idolatrie The 3. Kings 18. Ierem. 44. more resisted the word of the Lord by the handes of Ieremie the greater was the rebellion The more rose vp against Steuen the Martyr the greater was their contempte and wickednes The Apostles of Christ Peter Paul and Iude do not diminish the sinne but increase the wickednes of the seducers Acts 7. of men by their multitude Let not the multitude of wicked persons let not the vaine example of vile sinners drawe vs vnto this transgression but laying apart all excuse for the vanitie and wickednes of out othes let vs incontinently leaue them least we running on in our horrible and blasphemous swearing procure the heauy hand of God against vs in this life by sundrie plagues to punish vs and in the life to come to cast bodie and soul into that bottomlesse pitte of perdition and finall condemnation there for our vaine swearing to be punished for euer From which torments hee deliuer vs who was wounded for our transgressions and broken for our iniquities chastised and punished for our sinnes and through whose onely stripes we are healed euen Iesus Christ our blessed Sauiour To whom with the Father and the holy Ghost be all praise dominion power and maiestie now and for euer more Amen Iames Chapter 5. verses 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. Sermon 27. Verse 13 Is any afflicted among you let him pray Is any mery let him sing psalmes 14 Is any sick among you let him call for the elders of the church and let them pray for him and annoint him with oyle in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of the faithfull shal saue the sicke and the Lord shall rayse him vp and if hee hath committed sinnes they shal be forgeuen him 16 Acknowledge your faults one to another praie one for another that you may be healed for the praier of a righteous mā auaileth much if it be feruent 17 Elias was a man subiect to like passions as we are and he prayed earnestly that it might not raine and it rained not on the earth for three yeares and six moneths 18 And againe he prayed and the heauens gaue raine the earth brought forth her fruite 4. parte of this chapter IN these wordes and the rest to the ende of the Chapter the fourth and laste parte of this Chapter is conteyned namely touching our behauiour both in our owne infirmities and in the infirmities of others what is best therein to bee done In which place two things may be obserued First what is the best remedie against outwarde and bodily afflictions and infirmities Secondly what is best to be done in the inwarde infirmities of our brethren and howe wee ought therein to behaue our selues These wordes concerne the first thing what is the best remedie agaynst bodily and outwarde infirmities or afflictions and how therein the Saintes should behaue themselues These words therefore shew how wee shoulde behaue our selues in bodily afflictiōs infirmities which thing the Apostle doth 1 Generally shewing what is the best remedie against all afflictions outwarde and bodily namely prayer which hath place both in sorrowe and in ioy 2 Particularly in sicknes what ought to be done what remedies to seeke after 1 The praiers of the elders with annointing with oyle in the name of the Lord. 2 Mutual confession with mutuall prayer Concerning then the remedie against bodily and Remedie against outwar◠afflictions in general outward molestations and infirmities the Apostle beginneth with the generall shewing what is the best remedie generally agaynst all afflictions of the bodie and outwarde euen prayer which hath place both in sorrowe and in mirth and ioy whereof thus sayeth the Apostle Is anie among you afflicted Let him pray Is any merrie let him sing Wherein we are taught what Christians should doe and howe to behaue themselues in all the chaunges and chaunces of this life whether they taste of the bitter cuppe of afflictions or else bee partakers of the pleasantnesse of prosperitie whether they bee in wo or whether they bee in wealth in both which states and conditions of our life our recourse must bee to God in affliction by petition in ioy and mirth by thankes giuing the other part of prayer So that praier is profitable and hath it place both in sorrowe and in ioy both in mourning and in mirth which thing Saint James to insinuate and signifie to vs sayth is any man among you afflicted Let him pray Is any merrie let him sing Thus in our afflictions must we pray for comfort and deliuerance in ioy and mirth must wee sing Psalmes of praise and thankesgiuing for his blessings and benefites vnto God Whereby the corruption and peruersnesse of our nature is corrected who in our afflictions cast downe the countenancethang downe the head grind the teeth and fome at the mouth in our posperitie and mirth are forgetfull of God the giuer of all goodnesse and graces are puft vp with pride and swell in our vaine confidence Deut. 8. Psal 10. c. 30. Iere. 31. Which our vanitie is here corrected and we taught in affliction to pray and in ioy to be thankefull And to come to these in particular is any man among you afflicted saith the Apostle let him pray Affliction in this place is not so much that destresse and trouble whereof the causes are apparant and manifest against which pacience frō the seuenth to the twelft ver was set downe as a remedie as that trouble whereof the causes are not knowen or apparaunt so manifestly as the former and yet wee afflicted whereunto the Apostle setteth downe prayer as the best remedie Is any among you afflicted let him pray Are wee pinched with pouertie are we distressed with famine are we pressed with miserie are we compassed about with anie calamitie then let vs pray that God will giue
their praiers The praiers of the righteous pearce euen Ecclus. 35. vnto heauen they reach vnto the cloudes they come vnto God himselfe they ascend to him and his graces discend vnto the righteous Though then there be infinite distance betwixt heauen and earth God and man yet heareth he from his holie hill the praiers of his righteous seruantes poured out vnto him Which Ieroboam that wicked king also knew who hauing his hand which hee thrust out to haue taken the 3. Kings 13 man of God dried vp he desired the Prophet and man of Exodus God to pray that it might be restored Pharao king of Egypt knew that the praier of Moses and Aaron the righteous seruants of God preuailed much wherfore when the plagues of God fel vpon him and his people then desired he Moses and Aaron to praie for him This the captaines Jerem. 4◠and remnant of the people of Israel after their ouerthrow destruction by Nabuchodonozer right wel cōfidered how effectuall the praiers of the righteous we are with God for which cause they besought Ieremie the Lords seruant to pray for them This thing to teach Abimelech king of Gerar almightie God tolde him that Abraham whose Gen. 20. wife the king had taken away was a Prophet he should praie for him who praying the people and Prince were healed of their disease wherewith God for Sarah had plagued them To which purpose to shew of what weight the praiers of Gods Saints are with him he commaunded the three frends of Iob to goe and be reconciled vnto Iob Iob. 42. whom they had not comforted in affliction as they should haue done and telleth them that hee should pray for them at whose praier he would be intreated All which teacheth that onely their prayers are of force with God for good who are iust and righteous The praier saith Saint Iames of the righteous preuaileth much As in him that praieth it is required that he be righteous so is it required in the praier of the righteous that it be also feruent proceeding from a pure affection flowing from vnfeined faith kindled by a burning zeale influmed with feruent loue continued in great earnestnesse and constancie without which our praiers obteine little or nothing at the hands of God but being earnest constant and feruent they preuaile greatly When Moses continued Exod. 17. feruent in praier in the battell against the Amalechites the people of Israel prospered Our Sauiour Christ teacheth by two places in Saint Luke his gospell that our Prayers must be feruent and constant by the example of Luke 11. 18. the man that obteined the borowing of bread of his friēd by his feruencie and earnestnes in asking and would not take the deniall or repulse and so through importunitie obteined of the widow who solliciting the vniust iudge to auenge her cause vpō her enemie obteined her request at length with much a do through her constancie continuance in praier Wherby our Sauiour also teacheth vs that we must continue in praier and cease not if we wil obteine the petitions of our heartes with God The woman of Cannan often reiected yet still feruently persisting obteined Mat. 15 and had her request for her daughter from our sauiour Iesus Christ And the Apostle in this place teacheth that the praiers of the righteous auaile much if they be feruent Wherfore as he that praieth must be righteous so must his praier be feruent earnest and constant if hee wil obteine any thing at the hands of God Wherence we may learne that the wicked are out of hope of obteining for their comfort the things they praie for because it is said that the praiers of the righteous auaile much not the praiers of the wicked whose praiers being heard of God tend to their greater and iuster condemnation destruction and punishment And the praiers also of the righteous are then effectuall when they are feruent Let all them which hope to receaue their petitions at rhe hands of God in all things applie themselues to righteousnesse let them not be faint hearted of a wauering minde colde in asking easilie repelled soone discouraged in praying but let them be feruent and constant therein if they look to be regarded for our Apostle affirmeth that the praier of the righteous auaileth much if it be feruent And that the praier of the righteous auaileth much being feruent the Apostle proueth by the example of Elias at his praier the heauen was as it were shutte vp for a time and againe thereat opened Whereof thus saith S. Iames Elias was a man subiect to like passions as we are and praied earnestly that it might not raine and it rained not on the earth for 3. yeares and 6. moneths he praied againe and the heauen gaue raine and the earth brought foorth her fruite This storie touching Elias is recorded in the book of 3. Kings 17. 18. Kings where it is mentioned that in the daies of Achab Iezabel there was great and extreame famine drought vpon the land so that men perished for want of food cattle died for lacke of water in the Countrey of Samaria In which distresse Achab and his seruant Obadia deuided the land to seeke for water for the residue of their cattle and horses least they also for want of water should pearish At what time Obadiah met with Elias Elias talked with Ahab whom he councelled to make hast and to get home least the raine should stay him After which raine ensued immediatly in the land Which storie James here citing faith that Elias praied and it rained not for 3. yeares 6. moneths and he praied againe and it rained In the story there is no mention of his praier neither for drought neither for raine concerning the drought this only is said that Elias tolde Ahab the king that there should neither raine nor dewe fall but according to his word for certaine yeares yet the Apostle saith he praied and it rained not for 3. yeares and 6. moneths Cōcerning the raine he is said to haue tolde this to the king whom he biddeth to haste least the raine did stay him he is saide to haue couched vpon the ground to haue put his head and face betwixt his knees and to haue commaūded his seruante to looke to the sea ward but mention of his prayer is none But hereby is it manifeste that in both cases he praied when he saw the horrible idolatrie of the princes and people and the bloudie persecution where vnto the Church and Saintes were subiecte for zeale to Gods glorie for care ouer the church he praied for famine and drought frō the Lord that thereby they being punished might remember them selues repente of the wickednes they had committed and retourne vnfainedly vnto God Whose prayer God heard and brought famine drought vpon the lande for three yeares and sixe monthes And afterwardes either seeing their repentance or hoping for