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
him in any part or poynte to dowte or wauer either touching his power or concerninge his promptnes and readines to heare and helpe vs is no smal sinne neither lightly by him regarded whereof the Apostle to put vs in minde condemneth it as great vanitie he that wauereth is as a waue of the sea tost of the winde and caried away 2 As by this plaine comparison and similitude this dowtefullnes and inconstancie is condemned So in like manner by a reason from discomoditie and disaduantage which followeth this wauering the reason is this That which bringeth no good vnto men but procureth hurte rather ought not to be vsed among the Saints of God but our wauering in praier bringeth no benefite vnto vs but this hurte that it maketh vs vnfit to receue any thing at the hands of God therefore all dowting and wauering in praier must be lefte and remoued from vs. That it maketh vs vnfit to receaue any thing at the hands of God who is so blinde that seeth not so wayward that confesseth not If a man should come to his neighbour and say Sir I haue a suite vnto you but I doubt I shal not obteine it for I feare either you cannot or at least you will not performe my desire Doeth he not stop and stay the hand of the geuer doeth he not make himselfe vnworthy to receaue any thing that is so doubtfull Shall it not be replied shall I doe for him that hath me in iealousie suspition that I will not helpe him and doubteth of my good nature and franke heart towards him Thus man doubting to obteine of man getteth nothing euen likewise if in our hearts we say to God I doubt thou wilt not geue me I feare thou wilt not heare me wee obtaine by prayer nothing at the hands of God because we doubt either of his power or els of his liberalitie and bountie towards vs. For as a constant perswasion and good assurance of Gods fauour highly commendeth our praiers to him so the doubting of our mindes the wauering of our hearts estrangeth and alienateth his affection from vs that we obteine nothing Wherence is it then that many praying obteine not the things they pray for Is it not herence that they pray with wauering mindes and doubting Who so then commeth before God with a doubtful and distrustfull minde wauering in heart hether and thether must not thinke to obteine any thing at the hands of God much lesse then must he hope to obteine this excellent gift of wisdome whereby wee patiently beare all the afflictions of this world without murmuring Yea so farre are such from obteining their desire of God as that by their distrustfulnes they prouoke him to anger As then the infidelitie of the Iewes shutte as it were the doare of heauen from them so that it was not opened vnto them that as they entred not through their vnbeleese into Canaan a type Heb. 3. of heauenly Hierusalem so much lesse into heauen it self euen such as were disobedient and vnfaithfull of the people and as the incredulitie and want of faith restrayned Christ from doing myracles in sundrie places as the Euangelists Mat. 13. 58. Luke 4. 24. record so in like manner the infidelitie and doubting of our mindes hideth the face of God from our prayers that he will not heare vs when our selues cannot be accepted neither our praiers welcome vnto him vnles we come before him in assurance of obteining without wauering For this is a true position and principle of the Apostle that hee which doubteth and wauereth shall receiue nothing at the hands of God If then this doubting and wauering bring with it this discommoditie that thereby we are made vncapable of the benefites graces of God it standeth vs then vpon by all meanes possible to beware of doubting and wauering in prayer And this is his seconde reason whereby this wauering is condemned 3 The last reason whereby he condemneth this is from a sentence generally receiued of all men which he proposeth as it were prouerbially A double minded man is vnstable in all his waies therfore wauering in praier is condemned A double minded man here is he which is carried away with sundrie cogitations about the same matter neither knoweth he what way to take to and what certeinly to follow This man is inconstant and vnstable in al his wayes Vnstable which is deducted and deriued from the Commonwealth which hauing lawes and orders whereby 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it may be gouerned and they carefully obserued The Commonwealth thereby hath her quietnes and stabilitie whatsoeuer hindereth and letteth the prosperous quietnesse of the commonwealth whatsoeuer is against good lawes and orders as sedition tumults vprores tyrannicall empire and bearing rule and the like is called vnstable so in like manner in the minde of man whilest reason ruleth and executeth her office the affections of man continue in their place and mans minde resteth in her quiet constitution but if the affections breake the boundes which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reason prefixeth there riseth disordernes and instabilitie He therefore which doubting and wauering praieth hath a disturbed and disordered minde and hath in him an vprore and tumult of affections which follow another thing then faith prescribeth therefore is here saide to be vnstable in all his waies disquieted disordered disturbed in all his actions all his thoughts all his enterprises whatsoeuer he endeuoureth So that this vvauering doubting and doublenes of minde vvhereby vve stand in a quandarie and mammaring vvhether vve be beloued of God or no vvhether he vvill heare vs or not vvhether he vvill accept of vs and graunt our praiers or othervvise peruerteth vveakneth disordereth and turneth vp side dovvn all Christian duetie and pietie and the vvhole life of man Which the Apostle doeth signifie more significatiuely in the tongue vvherein he vvrote by the vvorde vnstable A double minded man is vnstable in all his vvayes Whereence vve may learne that the foundation and stablenes of all godly actions and specially of all holy and acceptable prayers standeth in doctrine in Gods vvill in faith vvithout vvhich our vvhole life is disordered confused disturbed And thus these three vvayes the Apostle condemneth the vnstablenes doubting vvauering of men in prayer These things being more plaine then that they need any further enlarging let vs novv see vvhat doctrine may out of the former place this be gathered 1. That the Apostle in this place so earnestly inueigheth against dowting and vvauering in praier vvhereby vve distrust either the povver or the goodnes and fauour of God tovvardes vs me thinke it may vvell refute the doctrine of the Romish Church vvho in all things vvould haue vs dovvtefull of the fauour of God thinking it presumption vvorthy to be condemned to assure our selues certainely of his good vvill and fauoure tovvardes vs. 2 That the Apostle maketh praier the meane and vvay to attaine vnto vvisedome vvherein hee vvoulde men to remoue
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
direction Psal 119. of our youth a lanterne to our feete and a light vnto our paths Which holy Job feeling counted it more precious Iob. 23. and deare vnto him then his dayly food Yet is there no praise greater nor any thing that more extolleth the incōparable glory therof thē that it is here called the word of truth whereby we are begotten againe to bee the first fruits of the creatures of God Seeing therefore the word of God conuerteth mens soules seeing it is pure as the golde and siluer which seuen times is tried seeing it is the direction of vnbrideled youth the guide of our sliding feete and the sure light to the wandering paths of man seeing it is more precious then dayly food to Gods children seeing it is the word of saluation the immortall seede of our regeneration the worde of truth the instrument whereby we are borne a new to be the first fruits of the creatures of God who is then so blind which seeth not so wilfully ignorant which knoweth not so maliciously wicked which confesseth not the incomparable and singular excellencie of the worde and heauenly doctrine of the Gospel Whereof the Apostle to assure vs saith of his owne will hath hee begotten vs with the worde of truth that we should be the first fruites of his creatures 2 The worde of God being then so excellent and the Remouing hinderances excellencie it selfe thereof set foorth in that it is the word of trueth and the meane of our regeneration in the seconde place of this treatise the Apostle remooueth such things as hinder the attending thereunto and the things which greatly hinder the woorde are two 1 Babling and talking when wee should heare with attentiue and deepe silence 2 and anger when wee are taught and reformed by the word 1 Concerning the first thus sayth Saint James therefore my brethren let euery man be swift to heare but flow to speake Wherein our vaine babling and foolish talking when we should heare is condemned and attention audience to the word commanded vnto the saints that we shew our selues prompt and readie to learne and not hastie to teach others when we should heare and learn our selues rather Thus is our rashnes which are vnlearned reproued when we talke of high heauenly matters too excellent and deepe for our slender capacitie As of the nature secret wisdome of God of his inscrutible iudgement in calling and choosing some and condemning other at his free pleasure and such like wherein we must stay our selues contented therein to bee informed with pacience and silence of such as are learned The heathen Philosophers would not men rashly to Pythagoras speake but rather to heare with silence for which cause noble Pythagoras inioyned his hearers vij yeares silence that that while they might learne but not rashly talke of the precepts of philosophie Was that needfull in humain philosophie and is it not much more needfull in the heauenly philosophie of God that we be swift to heare and slow to speake of the diuine misteries of his word And Cleobulus taught that mē should be more careful to heare Cleobulus then to speake because audience and attentiue hearing more becommeth most men then to speake When Zeno heard a yong man prating and speaking much mocking Zeno. him hee tolde him that his eares were growne in to his tongue because he heard little and spoke much where he should haue heard much and spoken little Nature it selfe would haue vs swift to heare but slow to speake for which cause we haue two eares giuen vs to heare much and but one tongue to speake little When men therefore haue not the sufficient knowledge of things they ought rather to heare in silence and learne with pacience then rashly to speake of the things they knowe not A thing no doubt not onely needfull in worldly wisedome but necessarie also in heauenlie philosophie Sirach wisheth men to bee swift to heare good things and to be of pure life but to giue answere Ecclus. 5. with aduised patience And if they haue vnderstanding to shape an answere vnto their neighbour if not to lay their handes vpon their mouthes least they be trapped in an vndiscrete worde and so bee blamed The Apostle Saint Iames seeing rash babling to bee a disturbance vnto the attention of men which they ought to performe to the worde exhorteth men to be swift to heare but slowe to speake That wee are willed to bee swift quicke readie and prompt to heare and learne but slowe to speake it forbiddeth not men to speake at all but not to speake rashly but to obserue time place person and other circumstaunces in their speach as shall be most conuenient And the circumstaunces in our talke and speaking to be obserued are specially these 1 The person to whom 2 The place where 3 The time when 4 The maner how 5 The things whereof wee speake 6 The ende wherefore which carefully obserued greatly beautifie and adorne the talke and speach of men 1 The person to whom we speake whether our equal our better our inferiour whether a prince or subiect honourable or of meane birth learned ignoraunt wise or foolish this ought in talke to be considered that regard had of the person our talke may be accordingly 2 The place is to be noted for in some place it is better Prou. 25. 11. to speake then to be silent in another place better to be silent then speake 3 Time also maketh much to the fitnesse of our speach There is a time to speake and a time to be silent faith 〈◊〉 Preacher The sonne of Sirach accounteth it a great point Ecclus. 3. of wisdom to seeke oportunitie to speake in therfore he sayth A wise man will hold his tongue till he see oportunitie Ecclus. 20. but a trifler and foole will regard no time And againe a tale out of time is as musicke in mourning but wisdome knoweth the seasons of correction and doctrine Ecclus. 22. The Prophet counted it a great gift to speake in time wherefore he sayth The Lord hath giuen mee a Isai 50. tongue of the learned to know how to minister a worde in time to him that is wearie Salomon teaching men how Pro. 15. to make their talk comfortable and profitable vnto men willeth them to waite for time and season A ioy commeth to man by the answere of his mouth and how good is a worde in due season When Abigail saw the drunkennes of Nabal she saide nothing vnto him touching Dauid 1. Kings 25. whom he had bitterly reuiled and abused shamefully but in the morning she tolde him of the matter Thus sought opportunitie Archesilaus the Philosopher therefore being at a banket and among the pots being desired to dispute and reason of a certaine matter refused and answered that it was a chiefe thing and proper especially to philosophie to know the time of euerie thing If the light of nature
blessed onely which ioyne practise with hearing of the worde breaketh out and crieth Blessed is he that readeth and they that heare the words of this prophesie keep those things which are written therein Agreeable to which doctrine the Apostle in this place admonisheth the Saintes in these wordes Be you doers of the worde not hearers onely Of which admonition two are the reasons The first is from detriment and hurt They that heare onely and doe not the word also are hurtefull to themselues for they deceiue themselues in a vayne perswasion and thereby hurte themselues to their owne iuster condemnation Men thinke themselues highly in the fauor of God and perswade themselues that they doe GOD good and sufficiēt seruice and haue performed the dueties of christians in conuenient measure when they are content to hearken and listen to the word of God albeit they neuer endeuour thereby to leade their liues neither to reforme their manners thereunto But this being nothing so they greatly deceiue themselues and procure iuster condemnation against themselues from God For hovv much more mē knovv by hearing so much more do they enhaunce their iudgements increase their punishment if they vvalk not according to their knovvledge Our Sauiour Christ protesteth that that seruant vvhich knovveth Luke 12. the vvill of his master and doeth it not should be beaten vvith many stripes This Apostle witnesseth that it is a double sinne to a man to know what to doe aright and not to do it he that knoweth how to doe aright and doeth it not to him it is sinne not sinne simply but sinne with aduantage Whereunto Iames. 4. Saint Augustine writing to Athanasius subscribeth Epist 144. By Gods word and lawe man sinneth so much the more how much the more by the word he knoweth that to bee sinne which he committeth Saint Chrysostome thereunto Homil. 12. Popes Anty agreeth who to the people of Antioch writeth in this māner against their vsuall swearing whereof they had often heard yet were not amended the oftner men heare the more they offend the more they encrease their punishment if they reforme not that whereof they haue heard so often Theophilact to the like sence soundeth vpon the words vpon Luk. 12. Cap. of our Sauiour How much the more hee knoweth which sinneth so much the greater punishment he procureth to himselfe Saint Ambrose in like manner citing the wordes of Christ in the seuenth Chapter of Saint Mathew his gospell 1. Offic. c. 26. Not euery one that saith vnto me Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but he that doeth the things which I say concludeth thereupon For I knowe not whether the studie of knowledge without practise and deedes doe not more inwrap vs no doubt then our know ledge without obedience doeth inwrap and intangle vs in her iudgements The more often the Israelites heard the voice of their Jerom. 5. 6. Esay 42. c. Prophets the more inexcusable were they when they did not obey them the more our Sauiour and his Disciples preached to Cities and people the more they denounce Iohn 15. Mat. 11. punishment vvhen they hearing would not doe thereafter The more knowledge men haue the more they deceiue themselues if they doe not thereafter The more men and women know as many very carefully in shewe heare such as they lust and to whom they in the vanitie of their humors are addicted the more iust condemnatiō they procure to themselues and the heauier wrath of god they heape and treasure vp against themselues and they doe not that which they knowe by hearing Whereof to aduise men the Apostle geueth vs this worthy admonition Be ye doers of the word not hearers onely deceiuing your selues This lesson must we heare this counsell must wee follow this doctrine must wee embrace who bosting that we haue hard two or three sermons this day or that day for all that we neither diminish ought of our pride in flaūting ruffs in curious cuffes in coloured starche or other our vanities Nether haue we left our boiling malice our swelling hatred our cursed couetousnes our fleshly pleasure neither abate we any thing of our vvanton banquets our riotuous feastes our sumptuous tables neither stay vve our bribed hāds our slaunderons mouthes our blasphemous tongues our lying lips neither withhold we our selues from pestilent vsurie cruell oppression violent extortion fraudulent dealing with our brethren neither finally doe we amend those enormities iniquities sinnes and blemishes of our liues whereof we haue beene admonished and thus to our iuster condemnation flattering our selues with bare hearing we deceiue our selues Seing then the knovvledge vve haue by hearing the vvord vvithout practise of vertue and studie of good vvorks encreaseth our iudgemēts and in contenting our selues vvith hearing only vvithout the doing of Gods vvill reueled vve deceaue our selues to our greater condemnation Let this reason moue vs to bee doers of the vvord and stirre vs vp to embrace the doctrine of the Apostle be you doers of the vvord not hearers only deceauing yourselues The hearing of our time is in many marueylous the knoledge of the cōmon people is great hath not been the like in any former generatiō in this our Countrie and Nation their vnderstanding in the Scriptures is such as that many of the Laitie and people can talke with glorie reason with feruencie dispute with a grace of the Scriptures of God whose hearts notwithstanding are puft vp with pride whose mindes are set on mischiefe whose feet are swift to shedde innocent bloud whose handes are full of briberies whose heads are occupied about couetous desires whose liues are stained with vsurie and oppressions whose bodies are wearied and wasted with pleasures choaked with the cares enticed with the delightes carried away with the vanities rauished with the inordinate desires of this wicked world hearing the sound of the word in their eares but admitting not the sence in their hearts are greatly and grosly deceiued like the Athenians who could talk much of vertue but practised nothing thereof whom Pantolidas the Ambassador hearing dispute Partolidas of vertue and being demaunded how their speaches pleased him answered Their talke was good and deserued praise but this was to be lamented that speaking so well they would not reforme their liues according to vertue So our knowledge and talking of the Scriptures of vices to be remoued and vertue to be embraced is worthy praise but this is greatly to be lamented that we talking so well doe walke so wickedly Herein if we runne on still and so continue we enhaunce our punishment encrease our iudgement enlarge our condemnation Wherefore we must not be hearers onely but doers also of the worde of God as the Apostle here admonisheth The next and second reason vvhy vve must be doers 2. Reason of the lavve not heaers only is dravven from the vse of Gods vvord vvhich is to reforme in vs those things that
vpoÌ„ whom the tower of Siloe fell for great sinners because of Luke 13. Acts 28. the heauy hand of God vpon them whose iudgement our Sauiour condeÌ„neth The Barbarians at Melta now called Malta seing a viper spring out of the fire light hang on Pauls hand iudged him a murtherer because of the sight of the viper which they thought to haue been sent of God as against a murtherer of men or some most wicked person Of this euill they are also guiltie who with their mouthâ—â— condemne iudge others vpon external shew outward tokeÌ„s Such as condeÌ„ne those for hypocrites who stoupe in their going those for arrogant and proud which goe vpright those for solemne which are addicted to silence those for wanton and light of life which are pleasant in talke those that are spary in their liues for misers such as are comely apparrelled for lasciuious as his aduersaries did iudge Gneus Pompeius for effeminate because he scratched his head with one finger and the Romans iudged Fabius for slouthfull because in al things he lingered and delaied on till by his lingering he had preserued the weale publike Such as familiarly apply theÌ„selues to men they iudge as flatterers whom they see graue they condeÌ„ne for Stoicall those that bear iniuries they hold as malicious disseÌ„blers they which in case resist authours of seditioÌ„ raisers of tragicall disturbance in common weales whom they see religious aboue others theÌ„ they haue as superstitious such as are not come on so farre as themselues they iudge as temporizers and carnall professours This euill of tongue must be restrained otherwise wee iudging after outward appearance which Christ forbiddeth chalenge that to our selues which is Iohn 7. John 5. 2. Cor. 5. James 4. proper to Christ to whom all iudgement is committed Finally condemning and iudging the law which we doe when we iudge our brethren and in so doing are not doers of the law but iudges we make our religioÌ„ vaine so if any man seeme religious and refraineth not his tongue from rashly iudging the brethren this mans religion is in vaine 4 Another euill is flatterie a speach and report of false and vaine praise geuen to a man when we speake things that are false to please men feed their humors when we say what they say deny what they deny when to sooth men vp we call day night light darkenes sweet sower good euill And coÌ„trariwise I say whether in manners or in doctrine this is an euill of the toÌ„gue froÌ„ which who so refraineth not his religion is vaine Such are Parasites and flatterers whose mouthes are instruments of false praise Such are false Prophets false teachers false pastors which for feare of men or for their fauour either suppresse the trueth and speake it not or els conceiue lies and vtter them This is pernitious in the Church and in the Commonweale in societies and in priuate families in all states and degrees of men into whose handes it is more dangerous to fall then into the handes of Rauens as Diogenes affirmeth For Rauens eate mens bodies dead but flatterers deuoure them and feede on them liuing Wherefore as of wilde beastes tyrantes are worst so of tame beastes flatterers Which thing is so odious vnto God who is the God of trueth as that they which flatter in their lippes make their religion vaine before him Wherefore if any man among you seem religious and refraineth not his tongue from flattering also this mans religion is in vaine 5 DissimulatioÌ„ wheÌ„ we pretend one thing in our words and speaches and haue another thing in our heartes whether it be to God as hypocrites or to men as counterfets maketh also our religion vaine Vaine therefore was the religion of the Israelites who promised their Exod. 19 Psal 8 Iosua 24 Psal 12 Mat. 22 faithfull seruice vnto God yet their heartes were turned after wicked waies starting aside like a broaken bowe the religion of Saul and those wicked ones which dissembled with Dauid the religion of the Pharisies and Herodians which glosed with Christ in the gospell the religion of euery man and woman which hath one thing readie in mouth another couered in their hearts and so dissemble in their false tongues is in vaine and odious before GOD for if any man seeme religious and refrayneth not his tongue from this euill also this mans religion is in vaine 6 The sixt euill from which we must refraine is lyeng which is a false signification of speach or voice with intention to deceiue This God to abandon from his people willed them they shoulde not lie one to another Which the Prophet expounding exhorteth the people Leuit. 25 Zach. 8. Ephes 4. to speake the trueth one vnto another and not to lie The Apostle remouing all the workes of the old man corrupted with deceaueable lustes of the fleshe from the true professors of religion and such as were regenerate by the gospell whose religion it marreth exhorteth in this wife Wherefore put away all lying from you and speake the trueth one to another for you are members one of another This euil reigneth in the tongues of many euen professing religion and the Gospell whose houses are vpholden whose riches are increased whose families are mainteyned whose children are aduaunced whose sonnes are made Gentlemen by the lies their fathers and their seruants in their shoppes in their warehouses and in other places haue made for aduauntage But haue we thus learned Christ Is not all our profession and religion in vaine by the falshood of our tongues that wee may also with the Apostle conclude that if any man or woman among vs seeme religious deuout and holy yet refraineth not his tongue from lies but vseth deceit in his lips euen this mans religion is in vaine as the Apostle auoucheth 7 The next euill which corrupteth our religion and maketh it vaine before God is filthie speach whereby not onely our liues are descried to be euill but our hearts to be wicked and our religion counterfette This I would men professing godlines would remember whose mouthes are open oftentimes to great filthinesse as if thereby their religion were not defiled But as Diogenes seeing a faire yong man speaking filthily said art thou not ashamed to dravve a leaden svvorde out of an yuiry scabberd so may vvee say to such as vvhose profession is fayre but their communication filthy are you not ashamed to dravve such filthinesse ouâ— of so holy and precious a calling and against them also conclude vvith this Apostle if any man among you seem religious and here from refraineth not his tongue this mans religion is vaine 8 Another is slaunder vvhereof chapt 4. verse 11. 9 Another cursing and execration chapt 3. v. 9. 1. Pet. 3. v. 9. 10 A tenth euill is blasphemy and svvearing spoken of chapt 5. verse 12. Of all these and euery one of them vvith such like may vvee vvorthily say vvith the Apostle if any man among
another The lawe of loue therefore comming and proceeding from God the king of all kings and kingdomes of the earth is therefore called royall kingly princely 2 Because it is the chiefe of all lawes which concerne our dueties towardes our brethren perswading men and drawing them to the o-obedience of the seconde table which in perfourming of loue is fulfilled Therefore is loue so often called the fulfilling of the lawe Saint Paul saieth that the whole Rom. 13. law is briefly contained in this loue the neighbour as thy selfe To like effect in another place to another Church he sayeth All the lawe is fulfilled in one worde Gal. 5. which is this loue thy neighbour as thy selfe And to his scholer Timothie the end of the commandement is loue 1. Tim. 1. out of a pure heart and good conscience and faith vnfeigned Seeing then the lawe of loue is as the chiefe head and as it were the Queene ouer other vertues and duties and the onely thing wherein all the lawe of the seconde Table is contained complete and fulfilled it maye therefore not amisse bee called royall or princely 3 This law furthermore is called royall because it is like the kings high way for as the kings high way is open for euerie man to passe therein and bringeth men from place to place foorth out right without turnings So the lawe of GOD which is the lawe of loue is open plaine without turnings of all men to bee gone in trauailed past through not turning either to the right hande or to the left through respect of persons whereunto who so respecteth declineth turneth out of the high way and wandereth 3 The law of loue being this roiall law and for these causes so called enioyneth men to loue their neighbours as themselues In which three things may here briefly be obserued 1 What this law requireth loue 2 To whom to our neighbour 3 How as to our selues That Gods lawe requireth loue who readeth the Scriptures and seeth not who peruseth the word of god and is ignorant God himselfe in the verie lawe expresly Leuit. 19. commaundeth that men should loue one another Our Sauiour Christ the very expounder of his fathers will vnto men exhorteth all the Saints thereunto as to the cognizance and liuerie wherby they should bee knowne to be his seruants The Apostles the interpreters of this Iohn 13. lawe enfourmed and taught by the holy Ghost the spirite whereby they were ledde into all truth haue thereof beene carefull Therefore Saint Paul owe nothing Rom. 13. Ephes 5. to any but that ye loue one another And againe be yee followers of God as deare children and walke in loue euen as you haue Christ for example And againe And Col. 3. aboue all things put on loue which is the bonde of perfectnesse To whom Saint Peter subscribeth aboue all 1. Pet. 4. things haue feruent loue among your selues for loue couereth the multitude of sinnes Saint John in his three Epistles therein laboureth especially to perswade the Saints to follow loue Of which in the time of his preaching he was so carefull that as Saint Ierome recordeth Vpon 6. to Galath being verie aged and not able without helpe to ascende into the Pulpet preached still of loue vntill his auditours were wearie of the same to whom he answered it was the thing that the whole lawe required and enioyned of God which who so hath hath all things VVherefore if we looke either into the olde Testament or the newe wee shall finde that the royall lawe of God enioyneth loue Whereof we are forgetfull when enuie and malice hatred and rancour debate and contention couetousnesse and vsurie slaundering and backebiting lying and deceite separating our selues from the brethren respect of riches honour glory worldly pompe not of religion pietie and godlinesse reigneth in our hearts The persons whom we must loue are our neighbors thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe But who is Leuit. 19. our neighbour Our Sauiour Christ by the parable of the man falling into the handes of the theeues betwixt Luke 10. Hierico and Hierusalem telleth the lawier who questioned with Christ to tempt him that all men which neede our help or to whom any dutie belongeth are our neighbours whether neare at hand or farre of whether friends or enemies rich or poore one or another Wherehence Saint Augustine concludeth that all men are our neighbours to whom either dutie should bee shewed if it bee Lib. 1. doctrine Christ. c. 30. needfull either remaineth due if it be required And citing that place of Saint Paul thou shalt not commit adulterie thou shalt not kill thou shalt not steale thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy neighbour and if there bee any other commaundement it is briefly contained in this thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe by neighbour saith he must wee vnderstande all men vnlesse we will say it is lawfull to commit adulterie with the wife or some or to kill some or to rob some or beare false witnesse against some But seeing these cannot lawfully be done against any therefore vnder neighbour euerie man is comprised In his worke of true religion reprouing men for louing men not because they were men and the creatures of God but because they De vera religione were allianced or affianced vnto them sayeth it were discourtesie not to loue in respect they are men and to loue in respect they are fathers or children c. Thereby teaching vs to loue all men because all men in that they are men are our neighbours The lawe teaching vs to loue all men and to doe duetie vnto them as vnto neighbours for to respect the persons of the riche and preferre them with neglect of the poore is agaynst this lawe whereof in so doing wee are transgressours The manner howe wee must loue is as our selues And euerie man vnfeignedly feruently continually loueth himselfe so must wee also loue our neighbours albeit straungers albeit enemies who are all our neighbours 4 This then being the summe and substance of this royall lawe to loue our neighbours as our selues who finally may be saide to fulfill this lawe They fulfill the royall lawe of loue who through faith working by loue â—al 5. obey this lawe of God And this faith of Gods Saints looketh not to the outward appearance of mens persons but to the vnfeigned profession of Christian religion Of this fulfilling of the law the Apostle may seeme to speake if ye fulfill the royall law according to the Scripture which saith Loue thy neighbour as thy selfe you do well The obedience of Gods children is accepted albeit vnperfect for Christs sake whose righteousnes imputed vnto vs we are by faith through imputation saide to fulfill the lawe As before vpon the 1. Chap. ver 22. hath beene said The obedience and fulfilling of Gods law is accepted according to the measure of faith distributed to euery Ephe. 4. Rom.
no flesh and the chiefe knowledge of sinne come by the morall lawe then doe not the woorkes of the morall lawe iustifie more then the workes of the ceremoniall lawe of God 3 That lawe whose workes Saint Paul excludeth from being meanes of mans iustification causeth wrath Rom. 4. as in the same disputation is auouched but to cause wrath is not proper to the ceremonies of the law which were rather giuen to reconcile the people to God but to the morall lawe which thundereth out the fearful wrath Deut. 27. Gal. 3. of God against all transgressions Therefore not onely not the ceremonies but neither the morall workes of the law do iustifie vs before God 4 Finally S. Paul to the Church of Galatia handeling the same argument and question of iustification Gal. 3. and therin prouing that vve art not iustified by the works of the lavve he reasoneth from contraries by the lavve vve are held accursed therefore thereby vvee are not saued and iustified His antecedent or former proposition he proueth by the lavve it selfe vvherein it is thus vvritten Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all Deut. 27. things that are vvritten in the lavv to do them Novv this curse is not so much vnderstood of the breach of the ceremonies as of the moral precepts to the transgression vvhereof from 15. verse to 26. verse setting dovvne seuerall curses as against idolatry disobedience of children to their parents remouing of land markes vvhereunder he condemneth all iniuries and extortions not counselling and helping our neighbour hindering the right of the straunger fatherlesse and vvidovv incest buggerie priuy hurt briberie 36. verse he concludeth Cursed saith he is euerie one that abideth not in all things that are vvritten in this booke to do them Citing therefore that place in the matter question of iustification vvhich he applieth to faith altogether taketh frō works speaketh not of the ceremonies of the lavv only but of the moral precepts also so of all the vvorks of the lavv vvhich both in vvhole and in part are denied to iustifie vs before God Albeit this controuersie betvvixt the Ievves and Acts 15. 5. Gal. 1. 11. Rom. 4. 9. the Apostles began about circumcision vvhich the Ievves vvould haue annexed to faith the Gospel as necessarie to euery one which should be saued as appeareth yet the Apostle rising from the part to the vvhole from circumcision to all the lavve of Moises excludeth not only circumcision but all the vvorkes of the lavve from iustifying vs before God It follovveth not therefore because faith and vvorks are both in gods Saints togither therfore they haue the same effect namely to iustifie before God For albeeit man hath at once feete handes eares and eyes yet followeth not that they serue to one vse but to seuerall the feete to walke the handes to touch the eares to heare the eyes to see so albeit in the Saints there is both faith and good workes yet by faith not by workes are we saued and iustified before GOD. In the Sunne there are together both heate and light yet is not the light but the heate and influence cause of the bringing foorth of earthly creatures and fruites of the ground and by the light not by the heate it shineth vnto men In the Element of water naturally there is moysture ioyned with colde yet to purge and wash is proper to the moysture not to the colde to coole proper to the coldnesse rather then to the moysture So in like manner albeit fayth and good woorkes bee in the Saints at once yet are men iustified by faith and beleefe not by woorkes which in deede are not good but in as much as we are iustified by faith in Christ from whence as fruites from a tree they spring vnto men and are manifest to the worlde by order and consideration faith going before as the cause gendering good woorkes as effects in the Saints of God To applie iustification to workes as well as to faith is a deceit and fallacie from the accident in applying that to one which is proper to another because both are ioyned together Saint Origen vpon the 3. Rom. sheweth that faith alone without works saueth whereof he giueth the theefe for exemple and the woman to whom Christ said thy sins are forgiuē thee thy faith hath made thee whole Origen in Rom. 3. Now that we say faith and workes are ioyned together so inseparablie as that faith without workes is dead according to this infallible doctrine in them which are alreadie iustified it is true not simplie For in men to be iustified they are not for in them first faith is whereby they are iustified and afterwardes good workes follow In the poore publican there were no good works Luke 18. but faith was in him whereby moued he hūbled himselfe said O God be merciful vnto me a sinner so destitute of workes he departed iustified The theefe who through Luke 23. faith intreated our Sauiour Christ that he would remember him when he came to his kingdome thereby was iustified yet had no good workes apparant with his faith Faith therefore in men to be iustified is without workes but being once iustified workes as soone as occasion is ministred shew themselues in the Saints of God according to this doctrine Truely therefore saith Saint Augustine When the Apostle saith wee suppose or conclude Defide operibus c. 14. that a man is iustified by faith without the works of the lawe he doeth it not that men professing and obteining faith should despise the workes of righteousnes but that euery man might know that by faith he may be iustified And writing to Sixtus the priest he saith The Saints haue Epist 105. Sixto good works in as much as they are iustified but to bee made righteous they haue none To Honoratus hee speaketh in like manner Good Epist 120. Honorato workes beginne after that we are iustified but we are not therefore iustified because good works went before iustificatiō Thus must we wisely distinguish times and persons the time before iustification when faith is alone from the time when we are iustified at what time faith and workes are ioyned together The persons to be iustified in whom faith only is required fom these which are iustified already in whom besides faith good workes must also shine and flourish For they together with faith receaue also the holy Ghost and Spirite of sanctification as saint Luke Acts 10. 44. Gal. 32. Rom. 4 3. Tit. 5 Ephes 1. 13. recordeth to haue hapned the Centurion and Saint Paul auoucheth to the churches of Galatia Rome Ephesus to his Scholer Titus And this spirit receaued with our iustification is not idle but worketh so in the saints as that he draweth them from sinne and pricketh them forward to al good works that they may be filled with the fruites of righteousnesse which are by Iesus Christ vnto the glorie and
deade without workes Which thing Saint Iames to insinuate giue vs to vnderstād he breaketh forth into these words but wilt thou vnderstande O thou vaine man that the faith which is without workes is deade was not Abraham our father iustified through workes when he offered vp Isaac his sonne vpon the altar Wherein first let vs with Illericus see the annotation and obseruation or note of Cardinall Caiatan one of the Romish clergy vpon these wordes wilt thou vnderstand O thou vaine man that faith which is without works is Cardinall Caietane deade Marke reader saith he that James meaneth not that faith without workes is deade because it is manifest that we are iustified by faith euen without workes as appeareth by infants baptized and in olde folke also baptized and forthwith deceasing and dying but he meaneth faith without workes that is faith refusing to worke is deade vaine and not able to iustifie Thus euen one of their owne who would herence conclude the necessitie of workes in the matter of iustification spoke that same which we all speake and defende and for which wee are wrongfully condemned of them that faith which is not prepared to doe well when occasion is offered but then refuseth to worke is deade and profiteth nothing for as much as true faith worketh alwaies when matter occasion and opportunitie is offered through loue as Saint Paul auoucheth This sence of Saint James if the Romanistes Gal. 5. would holde if not with vs yet with their owne Cardinall there should remaine out of this place no controuersie at all betwixte vs and them in the matter of iustification This foretold the words of the Apostle are plaine the storie euident the matter manifest therefore a briefe and pataphrasticall running ouer them may bee sufficient Wilt thou vnderstand saith he ô thou vaine man that faith without workes is dead Faith in men iustified destitute of workes or as Caietane saith refusing to doe well when occasion is offered is dead indeede for that all the Saints shewe foorth their faith in the practise of workes and vertue The apostle Saint Iames also here calleth hypocrites and men vaunting and boasting of faith without the fruites of righteousnesse emptie or vaine borowing his similitude from barrelles or other like vessels which the emptier they be the more they doe sounde and rumble so likewise these men the voider they are of true faith the more they prate and prattle therof the lesse substance they haue of sound religion the greater shewe and sound they geue and therefore may bee well called vaine or emptie Was not Abraham our Father iustified when he offered Gen 17. Gen. 18. his sonne Isaac vpon the Altar was he not iustified through workes Moses recordeth that when Abraham had obteined a Sonne according to the promise which was made vnto him by God both when he talked with Abraham and gaue him circumcision the seale of the couenant and also in the day of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrha he was commaunded to goe to the mount Gen. 22. Moriah and there to offer vp that Sonne whom GOD had witnessed should be his heire and in whom all the nations of the world should be blessed Which thing Abraham willingly obeying causeth his Asse to be sadled wood to be prepared fire and a knife to be in a readines and the next morning he and his sonne and two of his seruantes tooke their iourney towardes the mount Moriah there to offer vp Isaac Abraham a farre off seeing the place commaunded his seruants to stay laide the wood vpon Isaac tooke the knife and fire in his owne handes and so with his Sonne came to the place which the Lord appointed Where hee taketh and bindeth his sonne hee stretcheth out his hande for the knife to haue cut his throate This his obedience the Lord seeing sendeth his Angell stayeth Abraham from touching the childe and saith vnto him Now I know that thou fearest God in that thou hast not spared thy sonne for my sake This was the worke of Abraham whereby he made manifest and declared his liuely faith for which work S. James saith he was iustified that is knowen to be iust This his faith wrought with his workes and was effectuall and fruitfull through his obedience and through that worke of his obedience was his faith made perfecte declared to be sound shewed to be true knowen to be liuely and acceptable before God and man Who the more he by his obedience shewed his faith the more was his faith thereby knowen to be perfect not that his faith or any mans faith in this world can be perfect and absolute 1. Cor. 13. on euery part For we haue here no gift in the highest degree of perfection which may not daylie be increased and all men must learne in humilitie of their Spirites dailie to praie with the most holy Apostles Lord increase our faith But in as much as by good workes our faith Luke 17. daily riseth and groweth to greater measure of perfection and is daily more and more thereby confirmed and knowen to be perfect as the more often the tree bringeth foorth fruit the more plainly is it knowen to be good it is called perfect That Saint James here saith of Abrahams faith that it was made perfect by workes wee may not therence conclude that the beginning and first rising and springing vp of faith is from God but the consummation and perfection thereof from our selues and our own works For what were this but intollerable pride in ascribing the lesse to God the greater to our selues the beginning of good to him the consummation and accomplishment to our selues to chalenge and arrogate praise vnto our workes and to derogate from his glorie where against the Princely Prophet Dauid prayeth when he saith Not Psal 115. vnto vs ô Lord nor vnto vs but vnto thy name geue the praise For were the beginnings from God but the perfection in our works then looke how much more excellent the perfection and ende of euery thing is then the beginning and the consummation of faith then the entrance or inchoation thereof so much more praise shoulde belong to vs then to God himselfe Which thing to desire were great vngodlines to attempt were horrible pride boldly to chalenge were not onely shamefull presumption but the full measure of all iniquitie Wherefore let vs learne a better profession and ascribe all in all vnto God who both beginneth and also maketh perfect whatsoeuer is perfect in vs hee it is that Philip. 2 worketh in vs both to will and also to perfourme according to his good pleasure From whom we haue all 2. Cor. 3 our sufficiencie who of our selues as of our selues are not able to thinke a good thought much lesse to make perfecte any thing in our selues but all our sufficiencie is from God from whom euery good and euerie perfecte Iames 1. gift proceedeth as from the father of lights So
the 1. Pet. 5. name of the Lord thy God in vaine for he will not holde him giltlesse that taketh his name in vaine If hee tempt Exod. 20. vs to vsurie drawe out this sword of the spirit this word of God it is written thou shalt not geue to vsurie vnto thy Deut. 23. brother vsurie of money vsurie of meate or of any thing which is put to vsurie which who so doeth shall not dwell in the Lords tabernacle nor rest vpon his holy mountain Psal 15. If we be tempted to deceite and sraudulent dealing let vs resist by this it is written let no man oppresse or deceaue 1. Thess 4. his brother in bargaining for the Lord is a iudge of such things If he moue vs to dronkennes remember it is written 1. Cor. 6 the dronkard shall not inherite the kingdome of God and of Christ If he moue vs to disloyaltie and disobedience to Princes let vs resist him with that of Paul let euerie 1. Cor. 6 Rom. 13. soule be subiect to the higher powers for there is no power but of God and who so resisteth power resisteth the ordinance of God and shall receaue vnto themselues condemnation If he sollicite vs to vnnaturalnes to our parents let vs driue him back and say it is written honour Exod. 20. Ephes 6. thy father and thy mother that thy daies may be long vp pon the land which the Lord thy God geueth thee If hee moue vs to slaunder and backbiting if he moue vs to bribery corruption if he moue vs to false iudgement if he moue vs to filthie talke and ribaldrie if hee moue vs to wastfulnes and prodigalitie finally to what sinne or iniquitie soeuer he moueth vs we must resist him with this we are by God commaunded the contrarie And thus shall we haue him alwaies at a bay thus shal we keep him still at swords point and thus shall we resist him that hee hurt vs not 5 To conclude this our enemie is resisted by the aide of Gods spirite and by the presence of his power whereby we subdue our enemies therefore are we exhorted to be strong in the Lord in the power of his might therefore is the spirite of power the spirite of might the Ephes 6. Luke 10. 18. Isai 11. spirite of wisdome the spirite of strength the spirit of fortitude the spirite of boldnes promised the Church that by the help thereof not onely our mortall enemies but our ghostly aduersaries might be resisted By these or the like waies ought al the saints of god to oppose themselues to Sathan and resist the deuill as they are admonished thus should Adam and Euah thus should the men of the first world thus should the Sodomites thus should the Israelites thus should Dauid thus should Salomon thus should the Iewes thus should Judas haue resisted when by satā they were solicited and stirred vp to wickednes thus finally must all Gods seruants resist him if they will perfourme true submission vnto God Very well therefore admonisheth S. Cyprian fol. 196. de zelo liuore 3 The precept and the contrarie being thus sette downe the thirde thing in this former part of duetie is the reason of the contrarie why wee shoulde oppose our selues vnto Sathan and set our selues to resist him Which reason is drawen from hope of victorie if we thus and by al meanes resist him then he flieth from vs then is he put to flight repelled and put back Resist the deuill and hee will flie from you that they may put Sathan to flight and triumph victoriouslie ouer him men ought by all meanes to resist him Sathan the deuill is of a dastardlie and cowardlie nature fierce and furious against the fearefull but flieth away from such as withstand and resist him Saint Barnard 1. Epistle saith to this purpose truely of him The enemie more willingly pursueth thee flying thē sustaineth thee resisting more audaciouslie and boldly followeth at the back then resisteth to the face Wherefore he may very worthely be compared and resembled to the Crocodile who as it is Crocodile affirmed flieth away when a man turneth boldely vnto him but followeth very fiercely when he is not resisted So Sathan that olde dragon that cruell crocodile flieth when he is resisted but followeth vs hardly when we geue place vnto him Seeing men to withstande him by strong faith earnest praier true holines the sword of Gods Spirite which is the word of God and by the aide of the power and Spirite of God he flieth wherefore wee hauing this hope of victorie ouer him we ought to be encouraged to resist him But how is this true that if we resist the deuill hee flieth from vs when daily experience teacheth the contrarie See we not that where he is withstood yet not long after he renueth his battle and giueth a new attempt and assault against vs I answere that albeit the deuill be infatigable and neuer wearied albeit in one battle put to flight hee renue his assaults and prepare new temptations for vs yet so often as he tempteth and setteth vpon vs if wee thus resiste him he shal flie from vs and we in al temptatiōs shall haue the vpper and better hand of him He is therfore like a malicious professed enemie who oftentimes put to the soile and ouercome driuen See Luk. 4. 13 out of the field and put to flight yet so long as he liueth he is alwaies rising and resisting daiely preparing newe force to geue a fresh battle Euen so Sathan bearing a tyrannous hatred and malicious minde against the sonnes of God by whom through Gods resisting grace repelled and driuen back often yet euer anon renueth his battle and geueth new assaults vnto vs. Neitheir is his subtiltie altogether vnlike the order of Players who hauing for a time spoken for a time again voyde the Stage goe out disguize thēselues change their apparel so at length come in again as if they were others so satan somtimes leaueth the stage of tēptations and departeth from vs for a season in the meane time hee 2. Cor. 11. disguiseth himselfe and changeth as it were his apparell transformeth himselfe euen as it were into an angel of light and entreth the place againe as if he were some other and then plaieth a new part and prize to deceiue vs. Finally as the beast Camelion turneth it selfe into all Camelion formes and fashions so this great beast the deuill and satanas changeth himselfe into a thousand shapes tenne thousand fashions with all wilines falshoode lying wonders all craftines and spirituall wickednes in high places assaulting and assailing men to drawe them to iniquitie In all which conflicts the Apostle exhorteth vs to resiste him To which endeuour he promiseth assured victorie resist the deuill and he shall flee from you This must be our comfort in this dangerous skirmige this must be our encouragement in this
our sinnes the ioy which vve take in vayne or wicked things must vvholy be lefte of and turned into heauinesse if by suffering afflictions and chastising our selues before God we will shew our selues humbled Euen such ioy as wee conceaue in our wealth and worldly condition such ioy as of our dignities honours here arise in our harts such ioy as of any worldly thing whatsoeuer is gathered such mirth and ioy as eyther wee cause to our selues or counterfeit fooles make vnto vs such vaine merimentes as for wanton recreation men deuise for their dissolute and disordered solace cheering vp of thēselues such ioy as the couetuous man taketh of his riches the proude man or woman of their brauery the leacherous and adulterous person of his filthie vncleannes or any other maketh of any vanitie whatsoeuer must be turned into heauines as the Apostle exhorteth that so wee may shewe foorth the true humiliation and chastising of our selues by repentance wherevnto the Apostle moueth suffer affliction sorrowe and weepe let your laughter be turned into mourning and your ioy into heauinesse Neyther must such like mirth and ioy onely be remoued but in the dayes of our heauinesse in the time of our repentaunce in the affliction of our selues before God euen honest and lawfull mirth for a time must be layd a parte and we must wholy giue our selues to mourning whereunto Saint Iames called the men of his time suffer affliction sorrow weepe let your laughter be turned into mourning and your ioy into heanines And haue not we as great and as iuste cause to exhort Why England should mourne men in these daies haue not we cause to suffer afflictions ought not wee to sorrowe and weepe is there not cause now ministred vnto vs why our laughter should be turned into mourning and our ioy into heauinesse 1. If wee waigh and ponder our sinnes aright vvhich euerie one in perticular committeth or if wee caste our eyes vpon the sinnes generally committed in the world and what punishment might both specially hange ouer euery one and generally ouer vs all for the same is it not cause enough why we should sorrow and weepe why our laughter should be turned into mourning and our ioy into heauinesse When the princely prophet Dauid tooke the suruey and vewe of his owne sinnes and recounted the due punishment which he had deserued for the same then sorrowed 2. Kings 12 15. Psal 6. 35. 51. c. he and wept then was his laughter turned into mourning and his ioy into heauinesse When the king of Niniue considered at Jonas his preaching the greatnesse of his sinne and the destruction of the citie within Ionas 3. fortie dayes for the same then turned he all his laughter into mourning and his ioy into heauinesse and shall not we whose eyes are full of adulteries whose handes are replenished with bribes whose feete are swifte to shedde innocent bloud whose lippes are giuen to lying whose tongues can tell no truth whose mouthes are full of blaspemie cursing and bitternes whose mindes are set on mischiefe whose hearts burne and boile with malice whose liues are puft vp with pride whose bodies are stayned with all iniquitie sorow and weepe for these sinnes shall not our laughter be turned into mourning and our ioy into heauines for these iniquities against God committed When Isai and Jeremie the holy Prophets men of God saw the sinne of Iuda and Hierusalem and the heauy Isai 22. Ierem. 9. punishment hanging ouer them for their grieuous iniquities so turned all their laughter into mourning and their ioy into heauinesse as that the one wepte day and night therefore and would not be comforted the other desired a fountaine of teares in his head to bewayle the calamitie that was imminent When holy Dauid sawe Psal 119. that men kepte not the lawe of God his laughter was so turned into mourning and his ioy into heauinesse as that his eyes gushed out with water for the transgression of his people When Esdras the scribe sawe the shamefull 1. Esd 9. and horrible abominatiō of the people in mixing the holy seede with the people of the lande wherein the handes of the princes and peeres of the people were the chiefe he rente his clothes for sorowe he tore of the hayre of his bearde for griefe he sat downe astonied turning all his laughter into mourning and his ioy into heauinesse When our blessed Sauiour sawe the obstinacie and hardnes Luke 19. of the peoples harts whose cogitations were so darkned they could not see the day of their visitation and perceyued in his spirite their destruction approching euē his mirth such as it was for his laughter we read not seemed to haue bene turned into mourning and his ioy into heauines whē he burst out into weeping watry tears ouer the city of Hierusalem said ô that thou hadst euen knowē at the least in this thy day the things which appertaine vnto thy peace But now are they hidden from thee Shal these men of god for these causes turn their laughter into mourning and their ioy into heauines in the publike breach of Gods lawes in the diminishing of his maiestie in blemishing of his glory in falsifiyng of his truth prophaning of his Gospell counterfeyting in his profession abusing of his patience contemning of his threatenings shall not our laughter be turned into mourning and our ioy into heauines 2. Moreouer if we consider how the malice of the whole worlde and the hatred of the greatest princes and men of might is kindled and inflamed against vs how they are confederate and haue combined themselues against the truth of God and against the Lordes annointed for the defence of the same who by secrete conspiracies and open attempts of horrible treason by raysing Anno 1586. the subiect against the Prince and the people against their lawfull Soueraigne haue at many times by diuerse wayes endeuoured the death of her Royall person decay of religion destruction and vtter calamitie of this our natiue counttie whose determinations had they effected according to their mindes our streates had runne with streames of bloud our children had bene slayne before our faces our daughters rauished in our owne sightes our wiues abused before our eyes our houses on flaming fire in our presence our selues finally murthered in moste cruell manner Gods truth had perished from among vs religion and the Gospell had beene put to flight Romish superstition had inuaded this lande againe to the destruction of innumerables soules when with thankfull harts for this miraculous deliuerance out of the iawes of so cruell Lions gratefull memorie to God for so wōderfull safety frō so bloudy enemies we shal reméber these things shal not our laughter be turned into mourning and our ioy into heauines 3. When we consider besides this that the hope of our happines the state of our wealth the continuance of the gospell the terme and time of our
euill 17 Therefore to him that knoweth howe to do well and doth it not to him it is sinne 2. euil of pride THis is the seconde euill and mischiefe of pride euen the vaine confidence that men haue in themselues when presuming of themselues and the certaintie of their liues and states they determine long before of these and these matters as if it were in their owne powers to doe what they lust and all things did not rather depend and hang vpon the will pleasure and prouidence of God This other mischiefe of pride the Apostle in these wordes condemneth Go to now ye that say c. In which wordes fiue things are to be considered and noted of vs. Namely 1 What he condemneth the vaine confidence of man in determining that before which is not in himselfe to compasse ver 13. 2 Why wee should not do so two reasons there are alledged verse 14. 1 Because times alter things and are vncertaine 2 Because our life is vnsure that thereof we can promise nothing 3 A correcting of the euill and thing here reproued ver 15. 4 The repeating thereof againe verse 16. 5 The conclusion verse 17. 1 Nowe of these fiue the first is the reprehending of the euill and sinne it selfe Go to nowe ye that say to day or to morrow will we go into such a citie and continue there a yeare and by and sel and get gaine in which place the Apostle reporteth and referreth the wordes of the proude Marchants and occupiers of the worlde or generally of any the like who in the insolencie or arrogancie of their hearts and vaine confidence in themselues leauing the reuerende account they should make of the diuine prouidence of God whereby all thinges onely are directed too much trusting in themselues say to day or to morrowe will we goe into such a citie and continue there a yeare and by and sell and occupie Thus in a vaine confidence determine they of future businesse and things to come which is great pride and presumption For who can appoint before hand such matters seeing the euent of the things the state of their owne life the power to compasse our determinations is not in our owne selues and owne handes but wholy dependeth vpon the will of God and his diuine prouidence Let all such as presume too much in vaine confidence of themselues say with him in the Gospel soule rest eate drinke be merrie for thou hast much goods reposed and laid vp for thee for many yeares beware least Luke 12. they heare with him the terrible voyce of God vnto him answering againe Thou foole this night shall they take thy soule from thee This vaine confidence of wicked and proude persons Saint James here condemning cryeth out Go to nowe you that say to day or to morrowe will we go into such a citie and continue there a yeare and by and sell and gaine which woordes may seeme most plaine vnto vs if we consider but a little the speach and practise of proude occupiers who leauing the prouidence and will of God whereby all things are gouerned determine of things long before at their owne pleasures and say among themselues this will wee doe and that will wee doe who shall hinder it who shall let vs Are there not many in our times likewise culpable of the like pride and vanitie Say not princes this will we doe the next yeare and the yeare following and who shall hinder vs Say not captaines we will beseege such a Citie and such a time will inuade such a towne and what shall let vs Say not our marchaunts among themselues wee will shortly go to Turkie to Barbarie to Venice to Constantinople to Hambrough Norenbrough to Fraunce to Flaunders to Spaine to the East Countreys and there will wee occupie thus long and haue our factours and agents in this place and that place of the worlde Say not Gentlemen and rich Citizens at such a time wee will ride downe into the Countrey and there continue so manie weekes so manie dayes wee will then returne and spende the winter in the Citie Say not all men and women almost in the confidence of their owne states this will wee doe and that will wee doe not looking to the will and prouidence of God but determine their matters long before in the vanitie and pride of their owne mindes This is the vaine confidence which men conceyue of themselues reprooued by the Apostle Go to nowe you that say to day or to morrow will we go into such a Citie and there continue a yeare and by and sell and occupie and gaine 2 This speach and vaine considence the Apostle The reasons condemning this pride condemneth by a double reason 1 From the vncertainetie of euents which times alter who knoweth what to morrowe may bring The time to come is vncertaine to morrow may haue euents which we knowe not nor dreame of to morrowe may bring things to passe quite contrarie to our purposes which may altogether alter these determinations wee can not assure our selues of like euents to morrowe as wee see to day who knoweth whether to morrowe will bring life or death pouertie or aduersitie sickenesse or health good or euill Therefore ought wee not to presume of the time to come One night altereth many things Manie men are aliue ouer night deade in the morning Manie are ouer night rich and wealthie by next day impouerished and beggered altogether Manie houses stand to day which before to morrowe may vtterly be destroyed and burnt to the ground Manie regions are now drie land which by to morrowe may be ouer-flowne and ouer whelmed with sudden rushing in of the sea and waters Manie at libertie to day which ere to morrow may be restrained These euents are vncertaine neyther knovve wee vvhat to morrovv vvill bring vnto vs vvhat vanitie then is it to determine of things long before seeing that one night may so easily alter all and turne things vp side dovvne The Sodomites vvere suddenly consumed the men of the first vvorlde vvell ouer Gene. 19. night by the next day ouer-vvhelmed with the flouds and deluge and so destroyed The sonnes and Gene. 6. 7. daughters of holie Iob vvere merrie the one daye Iob. 1. but on the morrow they were oppressed and slaine the house falling on them Job himselfe the one day rich in children in sheepe in oxen in asses in camels but the next day miserably empouerished seeing therefore one day can thus altar the state and condition of things what grosse follie is it for a long time then to determine before hande of these like matters Let vs heare therefore the graue counsell of Salomon the wise Glorie not of to Prou. 27. morow for thou knowest not what to morow will bring Many things alter in moment of time the Latine prouerbe is true assuredly that many thinges fall out betwixt The latin prouerbe the potte and the vpper lippe many ready to put
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
his good will to be laide vpon our loynes He is at hand to view whether through impacience we bite the lippe hang downe the heade wring the handes stampe with the foote stare with the eyes murmure with our mouthes or any wise frette fume or rage agaynst God or whether in the moderation and quietnesse of our mindes wee in inuincible fortitude manhoode and courage doe beare the oppressions of the wicked that either hee may punish our impaciencie our crowne our constancie with immortalitie and glorie This consideration might teach vs carefully therein to behaue our selues For as the eye of the mistres keepeth the maiden the eye of the parents the childe the eye of the maister his seruant in awe and in order euen so the presence of the Lorde and his watching and wakefull eye keepeth vs in our afflictions in godly moderation that therein we breake not out into rages through our impaciencie 4 Finally the Lord is at hand and the iudge at the doore to execute his iust iudgements vppon them that wrongfully afflict his seruants and powre out the vessels and vials of his wrath agaynst them that trouble his chosen So that albeit our persecutours and aduersaries for a time rage exercise their tyranny vpon vs yet they shall not endure and continue alwayes neyther shall they scape scotfree neyther shall they auoyde the reuenging hand of God which in it due time shall light vpon them in full weight and presse them to powder in his sore indignation who suffereth not the rodde of the wicked alwayes to bee vpon the righteous but by executing vengeaunce vppon their aduersaries giueth peace vnto Israel whereunto hee is readie for as a Iudge hee is at hande to reuenge the righteous and to punish also the wicked and cruell oppressours of his people This place of Saint Iames may easily teach vs that the cause of all impaciencie and desire of reuenge agaynst our aduersaries and all muttering and murmuring in our afflictions proceedeth and groweth from this wicked stocke roote heade or fountaine euen from the ignoraunce of the power and presence of God For were we throughly perswaded that God almightie seeth our miseries is able to deliuer vs beholdeth our behauiour vnder the crosse and will in due time auenge our cause vpon our enemies were we fullie assured that we are not left to the rashnesse and temeritie of foolish fortune and blinde chaunce which thinges Christians doe not acknowledge neither subiect to the willes pleasures crueltie and tyrannie of men but according to the good purpose of our God who numbreth euen euery heare of Matt. 10. our heades so that without his prouidence not one of them shall perish what a steppe would this make to pacience what quietnesse would it worke in our hearts what strong consolation and comfort would it cause in our afflictions howe effectually would it remooue all murmuring from vs that in all things we should holde fast the exhortation of the Apostle grudge not one against another brethren least you be condemned behold the iudge standeth before the doore Reasons why we should be pacient 4 The fourth and last thing in this treatise concerning pacience is the rendring of certaine reasons why the Saints of God ought to addres them to pacience vnder the crosse and the manifold afflictions of this life the reasons are foure as hath beene noted 1 From the example of the Prophets which haue spoken vnto vs in the name of the Lord. Which reason may thus be formed that which the holy Prophets of God haue suffered that wee by their example ought to suffer in like manner but the Prophets of God haue suffered aduersitie and haue had pacience we ought therefore to suffer in like manner and in all our troubles to haue pacience To reason from example of other and thereby to moue to pacience is most vsuall in holy Scripture Christ Matt. 5. our Sauiour exhorteth his to suffer paciently reuilements persecutions and all manner of euill by the example of the holy prophets whome men in their time Heb. 12. likewise persecuted The authour to the Hebrues reasoneth from the example of our Sauiour Christ wherby he stirreth and moueth the Iewes to pacience seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses let vs cast away euery thing that presseth downe and the sinne that hangeth on so fast and let vs runne with pacience the race which is set before vs looking vnto Iesus the authour and finisher of the faith who for the ioye that was set before him endured the crosse despised the shame and is set downe at the right hand of the throne of God The Apostle S. Peter also reasoneth from the same 1. Pet. 2. example in sundrie places of his first Epistle to the same vertue but chiefly when he thus writeth hereunto are ye called for Christ also suffered for you leauing you an example that you should follow his steps Who when he was reuiled reuiled not againe when he suffered threatened not but committed it to him that iudgeth righteously in which place through the consideration and vew of Christs example the Apostle moueth Christian seruāts to abide with patience the heauie yoke of their harde seruitude vnder infidels and vnbelieuing maisters And our Apostle S. James persuading the saints and chosen seruants of God patiently to endure the cruel persecutiō and affliction of prophane rich men of this worlde draweth his first argument and reason from the example of the holy prophets take saith he my brethren the prophets for example of suffering aduersitie and of long patience which haue spoken vnto vs in the name of the Lord. The examples of Gods saints in generall who haue bene subiect to manifold afflictions therin haue quit themselues patient are many And leauing Abels suffering by Cain his brother Abraham his patiēce in the iniuries he suffered by the Egiptians Philistins princes of the east Isaac his patience in respect of the iniuries of Ismael and the Philistins Jacob touching the oppressions attempts and deuises of Esau Joseph by the patriarks his brethren and infinite the like the Apostle generally propoundeth vnto vs the example of the prophets which haue spoken vnto men in the name of the Lord. Which thing if we shall particularly vnfold let vs begin with Moses the great Prophete which spoke in the name of the Lorde to Pharao and the Egyptians to Israel and the Iewish people Exod. 5. 6. 16. Nu. 11. 16. the chosen people of God what vile speaches reproches and checkes bore he at the hands of Pharao what rebellions vprores false accusations suffered he at the hands of the people who is so blinde that seeth not or so ignorant which knoweth not How Elias was persequuted by 3. Kings 18. 19. 4. Kings 2. 9. Achab and Iesabel how Eliseus was mocked of the children and sought for by the king of Syriah to haue bene punished the stories aboundantly witnesse vnto all
not shrinke from it saying of the fruire of thy bodie will I sett vpon thy throne The Prophet Isai speaking of the deliuerance of the Israelites out of their captiuitie in Babylon by Cyrus Isai 45. and of the calling of the Gentiles for the faithful accomplishment of that promise hee bringeth in God himselfe swearing I haue sworne by my selfe the worde is gone out of my mouth in righteousnesse and shall not returne that euerie knee shall bowe vnto me and euerie tongue shall sweare by my name The Lord himselfe willeth the Prophet in his name to make this protestation vnto the Ezech. 33. world Say vnto them as I liue saieth the Lord God I desire not the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his wayes and liue Which place Tertullian citing crieth out the Lord sweareth saying as I liue hee Lib. de poenitentia would that men should beleeue him O happie men for whose cause the Lord sweareth O most miserable wretched if we beleeue not the Lord when he sweareth More of the othe of God may be seene Psal 95. v. 11. Iere. 11. 5. Luke 1. 73. Heb. 6. 13. Deut. 4. v. 21. 31. From God to come to the example of the Patriarks Abraham the great and mightie Patriarke making a Gen. â—1 league with Abimelech the king of the Philistins swore vnto him that hee for his part woulde keepe that league inuiolable Whose sonne Isaac the patriarke to like Gene. 26. purpose swore to the same prince and his people Dauid a Prophet and a Patriarke as Peter calleth him swore to Ionathan 1. Kin. 20. 2. Actes 2. when hee made a league of friendship with him and by othe also promised to Saul that he would not destroy his posteritie Our Sauiour Christ his othe in the Gospel was Amen Amen Velily verily I say vnto you 1. King 24. which not onely S. Chrysostome taketh for an othe but others innumerable of great learning sounde iudgement singular knowledge in the Scriptures of God Which othe is in many places set downe by the Euangelists as Mat. 5. 18. 26. v. in Iohn more often 3. Iohn 3. v. 5. Iohn 24. 25. verses 14. Iohn 12. Iohn 16. 20. Saint Paul drawen on and led by these examples almost in euery Epistle sweareth God is my record whom I Rom. 1. serue in my spirit in the Gospel of his sonne that without ceasing I make mention of you saith he to the Church of Rome then being In another place I take God to record 2. Cor. 1. against my owne soule that to spare you I came not as yet to Corinth To the Church and Congregation of God Gal. 1 at Galatia hee thus breaketh out the things that I write vnto you beholde I witnesse before God that I lie not Thus both God and the Patriarkes Christ and his Apostle is our example hereof so that it cannot be a thing vnlawfull Nowe if they replie that it was lawfull in the time of the lawe but not in the time of the Gospel that may easily bee refuted for our Sauiour Christ disanulled no Mat. 5. part of the morall lawe but fulfilled it therefore thereof sayeth hee I came not to breake the lawe but to fulfill it And this is a part of the morall lawe therefore at Christes comming was it not abholished but standeth in full strength power and vertue for euer Neither can their cauill impeach this doctrine for that our Sauiour the setter foorth of the Gospel and Paul a faythfull preacher of the same and both in the prime of the Gospell haue sworne wherehence it is apparant that euen vnder the Gospell it was lawfull for Christians to sweare 3 Lastly the lawfulnes of an othe euen among Christians herehence appeareth in that the ende of othes is profitable and the vse necessarie among men For whose vse is profitable and good and whose ende is needefull and necessarie that must needes be good profitable and lawfull Such a thing is an othe taken in the feare of God Some things are done in such secrecie and so priuilie that they cannot bee knowne or come ro light but onely by an othe then men are forced to take an othe and to witnesse a truth in the name of God the knowledge whereof is right necessarie among men So in the lawe when a man had laid a pawne or any other thing vpoÌ„ trust to another and the thing were lost or miscaried vnder Exod. 22. Num. 5. 19. his hands if the theefe were not founde the receyuer should be brought before the Iudge and take his othe whether hee had stole it conueyed it away and embefiled it or no. VVhereof seeing the owner had no witnesse he to whom it was committed and had receyned it was put to his othe whether it was gone by his meane and knowledge Thus had this othe a necessarie ende and vse among the people VVhen the people of Israel were afflicted by the men of Ai for the trespasse and sinne of Achan in taking the execrable thing from Hiericho Iosua 7. this thing beeing secrete and vnknowne Iosua commaunding all the tribes to appeare and Achan at the length taken Iosua willeth him to sweare and to vtter the truth which he did and was punishid and the fauour of God againe obtained for his people The authour to the Hebrewes commending lawfull othes vnto Heb. 6. men affirmeth that an othe for confirmation among men is the ende of all strife In euerie christian common wealth othes are for many such causes taken without which as many sinnes would lie secret and vnknowne to the great hurt of men so many duties would bee vnperformed were not men therunto bound by solemne othe and protestation the reuerend care whereof woorketh great good in the Church and common wealth albeeit many most wickedly and vngodly haue and doe despise the religion thereof Seeing then the lawe it selfe commendeth it the example of God the Patriarkes Christ and his Apostles confirmeth it seeing the end is necessarie and the vse profitable in the church coÌ„mon wealths of Christians what absurditie is it in supersticious Anabaptists to condemne all othes al swearings amoÌ„g men Othes then taken onely in the name of God for matters weightie and of importance righteous iust and true to the glorie of God the ending of controuersies the performance of duetie the profite peace and quietnesse of the Church and common wealth with pure affection to truth equitie and godlinesse with hatefull minds to falshood iniuries wickednes and oppression are lawfull in the Saints of God and in true Christians euen vnder the Gospel of Iesus Christ These things thus premised and set downe before wherehence it appeareth that all othes are not condemned neither euerie manner of swearing forbidden the Saints of God what manner of swearing doth the Lord in his law our Sauiour in the Gospell and this Apostle in this place forbid and condemne When