Catholicke or vniuersall Church For the Tabernacle signifieth the Church militant vpon earth the holy Mountaine the Church triumphant in heauen By sojourning in the Tabernacle is vnderstood the short and transitorie abode of Christians as it were pilgrims in the earth as in a strange land by dwelling in the Mountain of God is signified their perpetuall eternall rest in heauen as in their owne countrey Wherein the Prophet alludeth vnto that materiall Tabernacle which was called the Tabernacle of the assembly or congregation and to the mount Moriah where the Temple was placed the one whereof was a type of the Church militant vpon earth the other was a figure of the Church triumphant in heauen I am not ignorant that both members are by some expounded of the Church militant and by others of the Church triumphant but I follow that exposition which seemeth best to agree with the words and meaning of the holy ghost For the varietie of phrase plainely argueth diuersitie of matter sojourning in Gods Tabernacle being much different from dwelling in the Mountaine of his holinesse And the conclusion of the answere in the last words of the Psalme which without doubt doth render the true meaning of the question belongeth both to this life and to that which is to come He that doth these things shall not beremooued for euer that is he shall neither fall away from the grace of God in this life nor be excluded out of Gods glorious presence in the life to come The sence therefore and meaning of the question is this Lord thou searcher and trier of the hearts and reines of men who art acquainted with all secrets and best knowest who are thine for as much as there is so much vnsoundnesse and hipocrisie among them that professe thy name and frequent the places of thy worship that many deceiue others with a counterfeit shew and some beguile themselues with a false opinion of religion declare I beseech thee vnto thy Church some tokens and cognisances of a true and sound Christian whereby the sheepe may be discerned from the goats and the wheat from tares shew vs Lord who is a sound member of the Church militant here on earth and shal be an inheritor of glorie in the Church triumphant in heauen who is a true subject of thy kingdome of grace and shall be an heire of the kingdome of glory And this was the meaning of the question Now let vs come to the words of this text Wherein wee are to consider two things the parts of the question and the partie to whom it is propounded Of the parts wee are to speake first seuerally of either and then joyntly of both together The former part Lord who shall soiourne in thy Tabernacle By Tabernacle some as I said vnderstand heauen which elsewhere in the Scriptures is called Gods Tabernacle and not vnsitly seeing the Lord stretcheth out the heauens as a curtaine and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in But howsoeuer the name Tabernacles is sometimes figuratiuely vsed to signifie heauenly and euerlasting habitations Notwithstanding it more properly signifieth tents in warre and the flitting habitations of warfaring men And that by Tabernacle is here meant the Church militant the other word of soiourning doth import For heauenly Tabernacles are not tents to sojourne in but mansions of perpetuall habitation and euerlasting rest Basill by Tabernacle vnderstandeth our flesh which the Apostle calleth the â—arthly house of our Tabernacle for our bodies are not onely Tabernacles but Temples also of God As if this were the sence Lord who is he who hauing sojourned as a stranger in this flesh of ours shal at the length rest with thee in thine heauenly kingdome And surely the sence which he giueth is godly for it teacheth that those which shall for euer rest in the mountaine of Gods holinesse do liue in this flesh as pilgrims and strangers mortifying their earthly members Notwithstanding his exposition is not fit For according to this interpretation the former part of the question containeth the answere to the latter for so hee sayth He that hath soiourned as a pilgrim in the flesh he shall dwell in the holy mountaine Most fitly therefore by Tabernacle we may vnderstand the Church militant which elsewhere is called the Tabernacle of God and sometimes the house sometimes the Temple of God For a Tabernacle is a militarie mansion and as it were a portable house which hath no fixed seat or setled place Now whereas the holy ghost calleth the Church of God a Tabernacle we learn first that the life of a Christian is a warfare as Iob saith wherein we are to fight against the enemies of our saluation which fight against our soules namely the flesh the world and the diuell Whereupon the Church of God vpon earth is called the Church militant It behooueth therefore euery one of vs that would bee esteemed a true member of the Church to behaue our selues as Christian souldiours fighting vnder the banner of Christ. And for as much as our aduersarie the Diuell goeth about like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may deuour and seeing the flesh lusteth against the spirit sending out of the heart as it were a furnace the sparkles of foolish and noisome lusts which fight against our soules and the world likewise partly by the desires thereof partly by bad examples carrieth vs away to embrace the world to mind earthly things to serue Mammon and to place our paradise here on the earth It behooueth vs therfore both to prepare our selues to this combat and therefore not to bee secure or to sleepe as others but to stand vpon our guard to be sober and vigilant and to arme our selues with that complete armour of God described Eph. 6. and also in the fight valiantly to encounter and constantly to withstand our spirituall enemies to resist the diuell and hee shall flie from vs with the shield of faith to quench his fierie darts and with the sword of the spirit which is the word of God to refell his assertions and repell his assentations So to vse the world that we doe not ouer-vse it so to possesse worldly things that we be not possessed of them but rather renouncing worldly lusts and being wained from worldly desires to meditate and mind heauenly things To crucifie the flesh with the lusts thereof and to mortifie our members which are on the earth liuing not according to the flesh but according to the spirit This warfare is to be entertained this warre is to be maintained of vs if we would be esteemed sound members of the Church militant who sojourning in the Tabernacle of God doe fight in his campe against our spirituall enemies But on the other side if we execute the workes of the diuell giuing our selues ouer vnto sinne and iniquitie if with Demas we embrace
charitie where none contendeth in fight but resteth in euerlasting peace Now heauen is called the mountaine of God for these causes First because it was figured by the mountaine of God euen as Christ is called our Passeouer Secondly because of the height thereof whereby it is eleuated farre aboue the earth For albeit in respect of vs who are now placed within the compasse of heauen and behold Comavam coeli superficiem as it were the inward roofe thereof it cannot so fitly be called a mountaine notwithstanding as it is the throne of God who sitteth on the globe of heauen as it were his throne and as it is the seat of the blessed spirits whose conuersation is in the highest heauen as it were in the top of an hill it is not vnfitly called the mountaine of God Vnto this mountaine if we should ascend but in thought as Scipio once did in his dreame and from thence should behold the earth we should easily contemne this inferiour world with the desires thereof For the whole globe of the earth together with the water which seemeth none so great vnto vs if we could see it from the highest heauens would appeare vnto vs like a mote in the sunne But if withall we felt the vnspeakable joyes of heauen and from thence should cast downe our eies vnto this valley of teares there to behold the vanities of vanities and nothing but vanitie in vexation of spirit as Salomon saith it cannot be expressed with how feruent a desire we should be inflamed to haue our habitation in heauen Peter when as hee was present in the transfiguration of Christ in the mount Thabor and had a tast of the heauenly glory he was straightway rauished therewith and desired greatly to remaine there Lord saith he it is good being here let vs make three Tabernacles c. Thirdly heauen is called a Mountaine because it is a safe place free from all hazard or possibilitie of danger where the blessed spirits dwell on high safe from all danger and feare of euill But heauen is not onely called the mountain of God but also the holy Mountaine or which is all one the Mountaine of his holinesse because it is sanctified by the presence of God For which cause Sion also and the mount Moriah are called the holy mountaine of God For where the Lord doth manifest his presence that is a holy place namely because of Gods presence sanctifying it But in the highest heauen the Lord doth principally manifest his presence and reueale his glory Wherefore if mount Thabor after the transfiguration of Christ there wrought and the presence and glory of God there manifested was for that cause called the holy mountaine how much more doth the highest heauen where Christ sitteth at the right hand of his father in majesty and glory deserue to be called the holy mountaine of God The Scriptures ascribe such holinesse to â—his mountaine of God as nothing may enter therein which is not holy Which must teach vs beloued to follow after holinesse without which we shall neuer see God Verely verely I say vnto you saith Christ our Sauiour except a man be borne of water and of the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdome of God Our abode in the mountaine of God is expressed in the word dwelling whereby two things are signified Perpetuitie Rest. Perpetuitie for there the children of God remaine not as pilgrims for a time but as citisens and heires for euer Whereupon the kingdome of heauen is also called an heauenly inheritance wherin are euerlasting habitations and an inheritance immortall and vndefiled that fadeth not away reserued in heauen for vs. I wil not stand to proue this point being the last article of our Creed coÌ„firmed by manifold testimonies of scripture which often mentioneth eternall life eternall saluation eternall kingdome let vs rather labor by all good meanes to make sure our calling and election to this eternall kingdome that the meditation therof may teach vs first to contemne in respect thereof the momentarie vanities of this present world accounting it more than madnesse if for the temporarie fruition of sinne wee shall depriue our selues of Gods presence where there is fulnesse of ioy and at whose right hand there are pleasures for euermore if for light and temporarie trifles we loose a superexcellent eternall weight of glorie in heauen Secondly with patience and comfort to run the race of afflictions set before vs looking vnto Iesus the author and finisher of our faith who for the ioy that was set before him endured the crosse and despised the shame and is set at the right hand of the throne of God For the and light afflictions of this life are not worthy the eternall weight of glorie that shall be reuealed which notwithstanding they procure vnto vs whiles we looke not on the things which are seene but on the things which are not seene For the things which are seene are temporall but the things which are not seene are eternall Againe the word dwelling importeth rest For there the children of God doe not wander as pilgrims neither are subject to any molestations but doe wholly rest from their labours And for that cause the kingdome of heauen is called the rest of God and as it were an eternall Sabboth In respect whereof the land of Canaan was a type of our heauenly countrey For as to the Israelits after they had for many yeares wandered as pilgrims through the desert the land of Canaan was the mountaine of their perpetuall habitation and rest euen so to vs after wee haue finished our pilgrimage through the desert of this world there remaineth an heauenly Canaan that Sabbatisme or rest of God which the Apostle testifieth is left to the people of God But as against those Israelites which after they were brought out of Aegypt and were in the way towards the land of promise by their infidelitie and contumacie prouoked God the Lord sware in his anger that they should neuer enter into his rest so shall it happen to so many of vs as professing our selues to bee redeemed out of the bondage of the spirituall Pharao shall notwithstanding neither truly beleeue in Christ nor repent of our sinnes but prouoke the Lord by our infidelitie and disobedience Wherefore as the holy ghost sayth To day if you shall heare his voice harden not your hearts as in the prouocation and as in the day of temptation in the wildernesse where your fathers tempted me c. to whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest Let vs studie therefore to enter into that rest least any of vs fall after the same ensample of disobedience And let vs take heed least at any time there be in vs an euill heart of infidelitie to depart from the liuing God For the
LECTVRES ON THE XV. PSALME Read in the Cathedrall Church of S. Paule in London Wherein besides many other very profitable and necessarie matters the question of Vsurie is plainely and fully decided By GEORGE DOVVNAME Doctor of Diuinitie Whereunto are annexed two other Treatises of the same authour the one of Fasting the other of Prayer LONDON Printed by Adam Islip for Cuthbert Burbie and are to be sold in Paules Church-yard at the signe of the Swan 1604. TO THE MOST HIGH AND MIGHTY KING IAMES BY THE GRACE OF GOD KING of great Brittaine Fraunce and Ireland defender of the Faith c. YOVR Maiesties gracious acceptance of my Treatise concerning Antichrist hath emboldened me to dedicat these my labours vnto your Highnesse which are in no other respect worthie of your royall patronage but that they haue bene imployed in the explanation of an excellent Psalme of the royall Prophet Dauid whose writings the holy Ghost hath the rather commended to posteritie that by his example Kings and Princes might be admonished to spend part of their time which they may spare from their royall administration in heauenly meditations and spirituall exercises whereby they might gather assurance to themselues that after their earthly kingdome is ended they shall inherit an euerlasting kingdome in heauen for although it be a singuler fauour of God vouchsafed vnto them that they should so beare the image of his power and authoritie amongst men as that they should bee called Gods yet godly and Christian kings are not so much to glorie in the fruition of their temporall crownes and kingdomes as to solace themselues in the comfortable expectation of that incorruptible crowne of glorie which is laid vp for them in heauen For which cause King Dauid thought it to be his dutie to giue all diligence as Peter since hath exhorted vs all to make his calling and election sure and by vndoubted testimonies and infallible tokens to gather assurance vnto himselfe that hee was the true child of God And that he should not take his marks amisse as men are apt to deceiue themselue in this point he intreateth the Lord in this Psalme to reueale vnto him the vndoubted marks of the sons heires of God which hauing learned by the information of the holy Ghost he publisheth them to the common good of the Church Shewing as it were from the Oracle of God that not all that professe the true religion nor all that are able to discourse therof but those that walke worthie of their calling that behaue themselues as it becōmeth the children of the light that is that liue vprightly worke righteousnesse speake the truth from their hearts c. are the sound members of the Church militant vpon earth and shall bee inheritors of glorie in the Church triumphant in heauen The meditation and practise of which things I do so much the more boldly commend to your Maiestie because it euidently appeareth by your former both studies in priuat and also speeches in publicke and writings published you haue propounded Dauid to your selfe as a patterne for imitation And now as a Minister of God I exhort your Highnesse to immitat him still as in speaking and writing so especially in the conscionable practise of Christian duties that you may bee more and more as he was a man according to Gods owne hart walking before the Lord as he did in truth and righteousnesse and vprightnesse of heart and gouerning and guiding the people of God according to the integritie of his heart and the singuler wisedome of his hands So shall the Lord take pleasure in you as he did in him and will not onely giue your Highnesse long and prosperous dayes but will also blesse your posteritie after you and establish them in the throne of these kingdomes for euer to the euerlasting glorie of his name and the perpetuall good of his Church which mercies the Lord graunt for his Christs sake Amen Your Maiesties obedient and loyall subiect George Downame LECTVRES ON the 15. Psalme Verse 1. A Psalme of Dauid Lord who shall soiourne in thy Tabernacle who shall dwell in the mountaine of thy holinesse THis Psalme of Dauid is a Psalme of doctrine wherin the Kingly Prophet sheweth by what markes and notes a sound member of the Church militant and a true citizen of the kingdome of heauen may bee discerned and knowne And it is set downe in forme of a dialogue betwixt Dauid and the Lord consisting on two parts Dauids question Verse 1. and Gods answer in the rest of the Psalme The occasion of the question seemeth to haue beene the disguising and counterfeiting of many professors in all ages who liuing in the Church and not being of it but as goats among the sheepe and as tares among the corne doe notwithstanding by an externall profession of religion and false opinion of true pietie deceiue not only others but sometimes themselues also For many there are who place all religion in the performance of the outward worship And therefore such persons if they frequent the Church heare the word receiue the sacraments call vpon God with the rest of the congregation they imagine that they haue sufficiently discharged their dutie though their life and conuersation be irreligious and vnrighteous Yea and not a few seeme to repose such trust and affiance in the very name of the Church that if they imagine themselues to bee in the true Church and doe not gaine say the doctrine therein professed they take no further care for their saluation but liue securely as though all the members of the visible Church were also members of the inuisible and as though all which haue the externall Church to their mother had also God to their spiritual father in Christ. Wherefore to the end that men should no longer deceiue themselues with vaine opinions fond conceits the Prophet hauing first consulted as it were with the Oracle of God setteth downe certaine marks or notes of a true Christian and citizen of heauen wherby euery man may discerne himselfe And withall he teacheth that in a sound and liuely member of the Church an externall profession of the faith and an outward communion with the Church of God is not sufficient vnlesse the vprightnesse of our life be answerable to our profession And the same is confirmed by our Sauiour Christ Not euery one that saith vnto me Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but he that doth the will of my father which is in heauen Many shall say vnto me in that day Lord Lord haue not wee prophecied in thy name and cast out diuels in thy name and done great wonders in thy name And then will I professe vnto them saying I know you not depart from me you workers of iniquitie But now let vs search out the true sence and meaning of this question By the names of Tabernacle and Mountaine we are to vnderstand the two parts of the
or passing on in hope of transâ—ation to a better estate This word therefore the holy-ghost doth vse to signifie that a citizen of heauen is a pilgrim on earth and that his life here is a pilgrimage And so Peter calleth the time of our life the time of our pilgrimage And Iacob professeth that the daies of his pilgrimage meaning his life were few and euill And likewise Dauid I am a stranger saith he before thee and a pilgrim as all my forefathers were In a word it was the profession of all the faithfull That they were strangers and pilgrims vpon the earth Here therefore wee are taught so many as desire to be citisens of heauen to behaue our selues as pilgrims on the earth Who being exiles in a forraine land desire to come vnto our owne country He that hath a good patrimonie in his owne countrey great wealth kind and able kinred and friends and is forced for a time to sojourne in a strange land where he is ill intreated disturbed molested assailed by his enemies on euery side hee will affect nothing in that strange countrey neither will he set his heart vpon any thing there but his mind is vpon his countrey desiring nothing more than to returne thither But our countrey is in heauen where we haue an euerlasting inheritance an incorruptible and inestimable treasure where is God our heauenly father Christ our eldest brother and the rest of our brothers and sisters the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Martyrs and all the quire of heauenly Saints and celestiall spirits and wee are pilgrims for a time here vpon earth where we are hated ill intreated assaulted with the temptations of Satan the world and the flesh subject to many inward infirmities and outward troubles And therefore it behooueth vs not to set our hearts on worldly things or to place our paradise vpon the earth For if our hearts be on the earth how is our treasure in heauen if the earth be our countrey how are we citizens of heauen Wherefore if we bee pilgrims in the world let vs not bee addicted to worldly desires let vs not mind earthly things but being wained from worldly cogitations let vs mind those things which be aboue Let vs vse the world as though we vsed it not and let vs be so affected towards earthly things as pilgrims and wayfaring men are toward such delights or commodities as they see in their journey or at their inne Which if they vse as meanes to further them in their journey yet they set not their hearts vpon them And yet assuredly our abode in this life in respect of our continuance in the mountaine of Gods holinesse is not so much as the time of our lodging or bait in an Inne Therefore howsoeuer such as be but earth-wormes doe crawle as it were vpon the earth and mind earthly things Yet must we remember that we are citisens of heauen and pilgrims on the earth Are wee pilgrims liuing as it were exiled from our celestiall countrey and heauenly father What ought wee then more feruently to desire than to be in our country and that this earthly Tabernacle of our body being dissolued wee might dwell in that habitation made without hands eternall in the heauens Are we such pilgrims as indeed desire to be in our countrey Let that then bee our chiefest care and indeuour to trauell into our countrey Let vs first seeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and carefully vse the meanes of our saluation And let vs thinke that if wee bee pilgrims wee must also be wayfaring men Are we wayfaring men in this life then will wee vse hac vita vt via This life as a way and the things of this life as they may bee helpes vnto vs in this way Let vs make choise of the high and as it were the Kings way which leadeth vnto heauen the way of true faith and vnfained repentance Let vs insist and persist therein though it bee a narrow and an afflicted way Let vs walke before God in the duties of our lawfull callings and in those good workes which God hath prepared for vs. This is the way let vs walke therin Let vs not returne to our sinnes let vs not deâ—â—â—ne from the way of Gods commaundements either to the right hand or to the left let vs not stand at a stay nor looke backward with Lots wife and much lesse goe backward but with Paule let vs doe one thing forgetting that which is behind and striuing to that which is before let vs make on towards the marke vnto the price of the high calling of God in Iesus Christ knowing that whosoeuer perseuereth to the end he shall bee saued And this was the former part of the question concerning a true member of the Church militant which the holy ghost hath expressed in these wordes Who shall soiourne in thy Tabernacle calling the Church militant the Tabernacle of God and teaching that hee which is an heire of the kingdome of heauen is a pilgrim on earth Now followeth the later part of the question which is concerning the member that shall bee of the Church triumphant and inheritour of the kingdome of heauen in these words Who shall dwell in the mountaine of thy holinesse The kingdome of heauen by a metonymy of the signe he calleth the mountaine of God For the mountaine of God was a type of the kingdome of heauen And this mountaine was either the land of Canaan which was a type of the coelestiall Canaan as it is said Exod. 15. Thou shalt plant them O Lord in the mountaine of thine inheritance in the place which thou hast made for thine habitation or else the mount Sion which elsewhere is called the mountaine of Gods holinesse and was a type of the heauenly Ierusalem or lastly the Mount Moriah where the Temple was placed which is somewhere called the mountaine of the congregation standing on the North part of Sion and is therefore called the holy mountaine because it was the place of the holy assemblies which the Lord sanctified for his habitation and for his worship and this alâ—â— was a type of the temple of God that is to say of heauen Whereas therefore heauen is called the mountaine of God it is a metonymy such as wee find elsewhere in the Psalmes I cried vnto the Lord and he heard me out of the mountaine of his holinesse that is heauen And thus the most interpret this place as namely among the Greekes Basil saith this mountaine doth signifie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The supercelestiall religion which is euery way conspicuous and bright which some call Coelum Empyrium wherof the Apostle speaketh Heb. 12. Among the Latines P. Lombard in thy holy mountaine that is saith he In euerlasting blisse where is the vision of peace signified in the name Ierusalem and the supereminence or height of
vnfaithfull shall be excluded but so many as beleeue shall enter into that rest And as Iosua who also is called Iesus brought the Israelites into that rest so Christ the true Iesus and Sauiour of his people bringeth all those that beleeue in him into this eternall rest For he not onely died that hee might purchase by his bloud this rest for vs and ascended into heauen to prepare eternall mansions for vs but also when wee are to leaue this earthly Tabernacle of our bodies he sendeth his holy Angels to conuey our soules into the bosome of Abraham and to place them in this mountaine of God By that which hath beene said wee see what difference there is betwixt the Church militant on earth and triumphant in heauen For this is a Tabernacle of warre that a mountaine of peace In this we sojourne for a time as pilgrims from God or as the Apostle speaketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in that being remooued from the bodie we dwell with God or as the same Apostle speaketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Here is trouble there is ease here is the valley of teares there is the kingdom of happines glory here is the combat and fight there is quiet perpetual rest here we are in our way there in our countrey Hitherto we haue spoken of the parts of this questiō seuerally now we are in a word to intreat of thē ioyntly together For both parts are to be vnderstood of one the same party or subiect out of which cōiunctiō we gather two things the first that those which shall dwell in the holy mountain do first sojourne in Gods Tabernacle the second that those which do here sojourne in the Tabernacle of God shal also rest in the mountain of his holines The former serueth for our instruction teaching vs that none shal be mēbers of the Church triumphant but those which haue bin mēbers of the Church militāt none shal be heires of heauē but those that haue bin pilgrims on earth All men desire to rest in the holy mountain of God but how few behaue thēselues as pilgrims in his Tabernacle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Basil such men are geason all desire with Balaam to die the death of the righteous but few do care to lead the life of the iust all desire glory but few do care for grace al are desirous of the end which is saluatiō but few are careful of the subordinat means The latter serueth for our consolation assuring vs that all the true mēbers of the Church militant shall be members of the Church triumphant that all the children of God as all the faithfull are be also heires of eternall life that those which are obedient subiects in the kingdome of grace shall be inheritors of the kingdome of glory that those who are pilgrimes on earth shall be citisens of heauen For this is the priuiledge of a true Christian noted in the end of the Psalme that being once in the state of grace he shall neuer be vtterly remoued Herein therefore the faithfull may solace themselues that although they are despised and abused in the world yet they are heires of eternall life and citizens of the kingdome of heauen And so much of the parts of the question now we are to consider of the party to whom it is propounded For as touching this most weightie question the Psalmist consulteth with the Lord the collector of his Church and the giuer of eternall life And there may two reasons be giuen why in this question he appealeth vnto the Lord. First because in determining this question we are not to stand to the iudgement of men but of God onely For mens iudgement whether they deliuer their opinion concerning others is very vncertaine or touching themselues it is many times deceitfull For as touching themselues how many are there especially in the Church of Rome who boast of the name of the Church and in comparison of themselues contemne all others as heretiques or schismatiques because they presume that they are in the Catholique Church obseruing the rites of their Church and beleeuing as their Church beleeueth when as in truth they are members of Antichrist and nothing lesse than the true members of the Catholicke and inuisible Church of Christ. And therefore no maruell if many who liue in the face of the true Church do falsly iudge themselues to be sound members of the same Neither are we to stand to mens iudgement concerning others For the iudgement of the vngodly is corrupt and of the godly vncertaine The wicked iudge the true members of the Church indeed to be the scum of the world and off-scouring of all things them they hate contemne persecute excommunicate either as impious or as hereticall euen as our Sauiour Christ hath foretold They shall excommunicate you yea the time shall come that whosoeuer killeth you will thinke that he doth God good seruice The world doth loue her owne but hateth those which are Christs as our Sauiour sayth the world hateth them because they are not of the world euen as I am not of the world And againe if the world hateth you know that it hated me first if you were of the world assuredly the world would loue her owne But now because you are not of the world but I haue chosen you out of the world therefore the world doth hate you But the iudgement also of the godly concerning others is vncertaine For there is a twofold iudgement the judgement of Charitie Certaintie By the iudgement of Charitie◠the faithfull judge euery professed member of the visible Church when they speake of the particular persons to be a member of the inuisible elected called justified sanctified howbeit they know in generall that many are in the Church which be not of it and that many be called but few are chosen The judgement of Certaintie appertaineth only to God who onely is the searcher of the heart As the Prophet Ieremie sayth The heart is deceitfull and wicked aboue all things who can know it I the Lord search the heart and trie the reines that I may giue to euery man according to his wayes and according to the fruit of his workes Seeing therefore wee are to stand to the judgement of God and not of men let vs labour to approoue our selues not to men but to the Lord who trieth the heart Secondly the Prophet deuolueth this question to Gods judgement that we may vnderstand the answere which ensueth to be without exception as being the aunswere not of man but of God who best knoweth who are his who also in the end of the world shall separate the sheepe from the goates Whe◠〈…〉 let no man deceiue himselfe any longer either 〈…〉 title of the Church or with a faire shew of an outward profession c. but let him know this for a certaine truth as it were from the Oracle
in the day of judgement shall say Lord Lord haue not we prophecied in thy name and cast our diuels in thy name and done many great workes in thy name to whom the Lord shall answere I neuer knew you depart from mee you workers of iniquitie Call to mind the fiue foolish virgins who hauing lampes but no oyle were excluded If therefore we would not depart ashamed from our Sauiour Christ at his comming wishing the mountaines to fall vpon vs and to couer vs from his sight but would stand before the sonne of man with comfort let vs endeuour to approoue our selues in the meane time to Christ our judge walking before him in vprightnesse of heart and so demeaning our selues as those who thinke that of their most secret thoughts words and deeds there must an account be giuen to God who searcheth the heart and trieth the reines that he may giue euery man according to his waies and according to the fruit of his workes Fourthly and lastly let vs follow the aduise of Salomon Prou. 4. Aboue all obseruation to keepe our heart For the heart as it is the fountaine of life so of liuing well or ill from whence all our speeches and actions as it were streames doe flow and proceed Those things which come out of the mouth sayth our Sauiour Christ come from the heart For out of the heart come euill thoughts murders adulteries fornications thefâ—s false testimonies slaunders And againe The good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth â—oorth good things and the euill man out of the euill treasure of his heart bringeth forth euill things for out of the aboundance of the heart the mouth speaketh and also the hand worketh If therefore we desire that our actions and speeches may bee good and pure wee must first haue our hearts purified by a true faith that so our loue and obedience may flow from a pure heart and good conscience and faith vnfained For it cannot be that the streames of our actions should be good and sincere if the fountaine of our heart be corrupt Wherefore in reforming our liues our first and chiefe care must be for the purging of our hearts as our Sauior Christ admonisheth Mat. 23. Cleanse first saith he the inside of the cup and platter that the outside of them may be cleane also And Iames Purge your heart you double minded saith he and not your hands onely For what will it auaile vs to drie vp the streames whiles the fountaine springeth or to lop off the boughs whiles the body and root doe remaine vntouched Surely if with Amaziah we shall doe those things which be right but not with an vpright heart we shall fall away as he did If with Simon Magus we professe our selues to beleeue and joyne our selues to the Saints of God notwithstanding we may be as he was in the gall of bitternesse and bond of iniquitie if our heart be not vpright within vs. This neglect of the heart is the cause of all hypocrisie making men double minded bearing as wee say two faces vnder a hood Wherby it commeth to passe that the most glorious professours sometimes become like to Summer fruit which many times being faire and mellow on the outside is rotten at the core Now that we may the rather be stirred vp to a diligent obseruation of our heart we are briefely to consider these two things First that the heart of man is deceitfull and wicked aboue all things and therefore cannot sufficiently be watched And secondly that such as is the qualitie of the heart such is the qualitie of the man in the estimation of God Hetherto we haue spoken of integritie as it is referred vnto God it followeth now that wee should intreat thereof as it hath reference vnto men For as wee must walke before God in truth and sinceritie without hypocrisie so must we haue our conuersation among men in simplicitie and singlenesse of heart without dissembling or guile For euen in our conuersation among men wee are to haue God alwayes before our eyes that as in his presence and sight wee may in singlenesse of heart performe such duties as we owe vnto men For howsoeuer simplicitie is accounted folly in the world and worldly wisedome consisting of dissimulation and deceit be euery where extolled yet if we would be esteemed citisens of heauen and pilgrims on earth it behooueth vs to bee fooles in the world that we may become truly wise as the Apostle exhorteth 1. Cor. 3. Let no man deceiue himselfe If any man among you seeme to be wise in this world let him be a foole that he may be wise for the wisdome of this world is foolishnesse with God Not that I would haue simple men to be fooles but that wise men ought to be simple For true wisdome is tempered with the simplicitie of doues And that wisedome which is from aboue is pure and without hypocrisie Whereas on the other side the wisedome of the world consisting of dissimulation and deceit is by the censure of S. Iames earthly carnall and diuellisâ— It is true indeed that in the world simplicitie is deemed folly and simple men are accounted as idiots and innocent men esteemed fools For such a generall wickednesse hath possessed the minds of most men that now adayes no man is called innocent but such as want wit to doe euill And contrariwise that mixed prudence is commended in the world which is â—oyned with hâ—pocrisie and deceit Which notwithstanding it were easie for any man to attain vnto who makes no conscience of dissembling lying facing sweaâ—ing forswearing But in the Scriptures simplicitie is both commended and commaunded as a note of the citisen of heauen without which there is no entrance for a man into the kingdome of God Christ commaundeth his followers to be wise indeed as serpents but withall to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is simple or sincere without any mixture of guile as doues are without gall And likewise Paule would haue vs wise vnto that which is good but simple vnto euill In regard hereof the primitiue Church Act. 2. is highly commended that they conuersed together in singlenesse of heart and herein especially the Apostle glorieth 2. Cor. 1. That in simplicitie and godly purenesse and not in flesâ—ly wisedome he had had his conuersation in the world And no maruell for it is the note of a true Israelite to be without guile and such the holy ghost pronounceth blessed Christ our Sauiour in respect of this simplicitie is called a lambe and those that will be his followers must not be foxes or wolues but as they are called in the Scriptures sheepe following the steps of our Sauiour Christ who did no sinne neither was there guile found in his mouth And hereunto let vs adde the testimonie of the holy ghost in this place affirming That those which shall
calleth it Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Wherein all the precepts of righteousnes that is to say of the second Table are summarily contained And the rule of exercising this righteousnesse is that law of nature commended vnto vs by our Sauiour Christ Mâ—t. 7 Whatsoeuer you would that men should do to you euen so do you to them for this is the law and the prophets Which sentence is sayd so to haue pleased the Emperour Alexander Sâ—uerus that in his pallaces and publicke buildings he caused it to be written and engrauen and when he punished any man he caused this saying to be proclaimed by the crier Quod tibi non-vis alteri ne â—eceris Do not to another what thou wouldest not haue done to thy selfe Now the exercise or working of this righteousnesse is here made a note of the child of God For he doth not say he that can talke of righteousnesse nor he that delighteth to heare anoter man speake thereof nor he which professeth righteousnesse or maketh a pretence thereof but he that worketh righteousnesse shall dwell in the holy mountaine of God For there are some which can notably discourse of righteousnesse than whose life nothing is more vnjust And there are others who with Ezeâ—â—iels auditors delight to heare the Minister preaching of righteousnesse as if he were some skilfull Mulitian that hath a pleasant voyce but it is to heare onely and not to practise There be many also who with the Pharisies say and do not which professe righteousnesse but do not practise it Qui Curios simulant Bacchanalia vivunt But with the folly of these men the holy Ghost meeteth in diuerse places of the Scripture Mat. 7 Not euerie one that sayth Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but he that doth the will of my father which is in heauen Rom. 2 Not the hearers of the Law are just before God but the doers of the Law shall be justified Iam. 1 Be ye doers of the word and not hearers onely deceiuing your selues c. Mat 5 Vnlesse your righteousnesse exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisies who sayd and did not you shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen Wherefore brethren let no man deceiue you not he that heareth nor he that speaketh not he that professeth or prâ—tendeth but he that worketh righteousnesse he is righteous Neither is that to be omitted that the holy Ghost speaketh in the present tence thereby signifying a continuall act as Basill hath obserued Marke saith he the accuratnesse of the speech he doth not say who hath wrought but he which worketh For it is not one action that maketh a vertuous man but it behooueth a man in his whole life to keepe a constant course of well doing For Iustice is an habit induing a man with a perpetuall and constant will to do euery man right But here some will object The Scriptures testifie that there is not a righteous man vpon the earth Rom. 3. There is not a iust man no not one If therefore the righteous onely shall be saued and scarcely they as Peter saith How can any man liuing hope to be saued seeing there is not a just man vpon earth that doeth good and sinneth not as Salomon professeth I answer If we should be summoned before the Iudgement feate of Gods justice and the Lord should deale with vs summo iure according to extremitie exacting at our hands that full and perfect righteousnesse which is required in his law assuredly the Lord entring into judgement with vs no man liuing could be iustified But we must appeale from the judgement seat of Gods justice to the throne of his mercy and from the sentence of the Law concluding all vnder sinne to the sentence of the Gospell pronouncing all those that truly beleeue in Christ not just onely but also blessed that so being clothed with the righteousnesse of Christ by faith we may in him be justified though vnjust in our selues in respect of legall righteousnesse Now those which truly beleeue in Christ are sayed to be righteous two wayes before God by Faith that is by the righteousnesse of Christ apprehended by Faith before men by the fruits of Faith that is by righteousnesse inherent in vs and performed by vs. For those which beleeue in Christ their Faith is imputed vnto them for righteousnesse because they apprehending Christ who is our righteousnesse and by the same Faith being vnited vnto him his righteousnesse and obedience is imputed vnto them and accepted of God for them as if they had performed the same in their owne persons But they who are justified by the righteousnesse of Christ are also sanctified by his spirit regenerated and as it were created a new to good workes which God hath prepared for vs that we should walke in them For so soone as we are deliuered by Christ out of the bondage of sinne we become the seruants of righteousnesse That as in former times we gaue our members as seruants of sinne vnto vnrighteousnesse we should from henceforth giue them as seruants of righteousnesse vnto holinesse And howsoeuer the best obedience of the faithfull is but an imperfect obedience ioyned with manifold infirmities and wants and stained with diuerse corruptions wherewith they are infected and sinnes whereinto they fall in so much that Esay compareth the righteous works of the faithfull to menstruous clouts notwithstanding the Lord beholding them in Christ and accepting their will for the deed and sincere indeuour for the performance not onely themselues are termed righteous but are also said to worke righteousnesse And this working of righteousnesse the perfection whereof is not to be measured by the perfectnesse of the worke but by the vprightnesse of the will and sinceritie of the indeuour aspiring towards perfection is an vndoubted note of a true citisen of heauen who in this Psalme is described And that the Lord accepteth those for true members of the inuâ—sible Church who worke righteousnesse the Scriptures testifie In euery nation saith Peter he that seareth God and worketh righteousnesse is accepted of him And this is so vniuersall a note of the children of God and so proper vnto them that whosoeuer worketh righteousnesse he is truly said to be borne of God and he that worketh not righteousnes is not of God but of the diuell But as they that worke righteousnes are the seruants of God in the kingdom of grace so shall they raigne with him in the kingdome of glory For that which is said in the beginning of this Psalme That he which worketh righteousnesse shall rest in the mountaine of God and in the end That he shall neuer be remoued the same is coÌ„firmed by the holy ghost in other places of Scripture Esay 33 He that walkâ—th in righteousnes c. he shall dwell on high And Prou. 10
of his life notwithstanding seeing it so neerly concerned the glory of God the good of his followers and the conuiction of his aduersaries he made a notable confession of the truth And that the truth sometimes may be concealed it may be proued by the authoritie of God himselfe For when as the Lord appointed Samuel to go to Bethlehem to annoint Dauid king Samuel desired to be informed how that might safely be done for if Saul should heare thereof he would be sure to kill him The Lord therefore teacheth him this godly pollicy Thou shalt take an heifer with thee and say I am come to sacrifice or as some read to selebrate a feast to the Lord. Whereas therefore Samuel was sent to Bethlehem for two causes he was by the commandement of God to conceale the more principall which teacheth vs that the simplicity of doues is to be tempered with the wisedome of seruants The same is proued by the example of Abraham which himselfe doth justifie for whereas Sara was not onely his sister according to the Hebrew phrase but also his wife he professed the one that she was his sister and concealed the other that she was his wife when as therefore the profession of the truth not necessary is joyned with the damage or danger either of our selues or others and so is vnseasonable howsoeuer we may neither deny the truth nor vtter an vntruth yet we may or rather must conceale the truth either wholly or in part As for example An innocent man who is persecuted for righteousnesse sake is sought for by his persecutors that he may be brought to punishment committeth himselfe to your fidelitie and safe custody The persecutors come and demaund of you where this partie is What will you do in this case If you tell where he is you betray the innocent If you knowing where he is shall say you cannot tell where he is or shall say he is where you thinke he is not you shall lye Will you offend in lying against your owne soule or in treachery against the innocent Forsooth the circumstances are to be considered If you plainely see that notwithstanding whatsoeuer you shall say he cannot be concealed it is all one in respect of the innocent partie whether you conceale the truth or confesse it For neither by confessing the truth shall you betray him nor by concealing it saue him If it be doubtfull whether by concealing the truth he may be preserued or not hide the truth so much as thou mayst and by telling some other truth as Raâ—ab did diuert the fury of the persecutors another way But if the partie be so hid that vnlesse thou discouer him he cannot be found and perhaps thou be asked concerning the very place where he is whether he be there or not here if you say nothing you betray him if you say I cannot tell you lye Therefore as Augustine faith A man in such a case must say I know where he is but I will neuer tell you for which Christian humanitie whatsoeuer you shall constantly endure it is so far from being worthy of blame that it is to be commended And here unto belongeth that memorable example recorded by Augustine in the same place of a certaine Bishop Firmâ—â—s by name but more firme as he saith in resolution For when as messengers sent from a persecuting emperour enquired of him concerning a Christian whom he had hid as secretly as he could where he was he answered them that neither could he lie neither would he betray the man neither could they by any tortures make him to discouer the partie Whereupon they bring him to before the emperour who admiring the constancie and courage of the Bishop was content for his sake to pardon the other Likewise in heathen writers the constancy of Zeno the Philosopher is highly commended who rather than he would be forced by any tortures to vtter secrets against his will he did bite off his tongue and spit it in the tyrants face And thus much may suffice to haue spoken of the three generall notes this onely remaineth that we should apply them to our selues Wherefore from this proposition of the holy Ghost Those that walke vprightly worke righteousnesse embrace the truth are such as shall inherit the kingdome of heauen and reciprocally those that shall inherit the kingdome of heauen are such as walke vprightly exercise iustice speake the truth in their hearts let vs consider what euery mans conscience will assume for if thy conscience shall make this assumption But I walke vprightly worke righteousnesse embrace the truth though with great imperfection yet with my true endeuour and vnfained purpose and desire of mine heart then vpon these premises will follow this happy conclusion Therefore thou are one of those that shall inherit the kingdome of heauen But on the other side if this be the assumption which thy con-conscience maketh Thou playest the hypocrite before God and dealest deceitfully with men thou liuest vnjustly and followest after lies vpon these premises it will follow necessarily That thou art not such an one as shall inherit the kingdome of heauen And therefore as thou wouldest hope to be saued so repent of these sinnes and embrace the contrary vertues which are here set downe as the proper notes of Gods children But let vs come to the fourth note which as also the third whereof euen now I spake respecteth the tongue and the same in part may be sayd of the eight Now whereas the holy Ghost among the ten notes of Gods children taketh two or three from the toung it appeareth that great regard is to be had of the tongue For howsoeuer many make but light account of their words which are they say but wind notwithstanding the holy Ghost affirmeth that death and life are in the power of the tongue and as men loue to vse it so shall they eate the fruit thereof And Christ our Sauiour after he had said that men are to giue an account of their idle words he adjoyneth this reason for by thy words saith he thou shalt be iustified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned Wherefore let vs learne to gouerne our tongue otherwise we shall be conuicted by three notes out of this Psalme that we neither are sound members of the Church militant nor shall be inheritors of glory in the Church triumphant but rather shall shew our profession of religion though otherwise neuer so glorious to be but vaine For as Iames saith If any man among you seemeth religious and refraineth not his tongue but deceiueth his owne heart that mans religion is vaine Moreouer betwixt the third note and this fourth there is great assinitie For thereby are signified two duties of the tongue which may not be seuered the contrary affirmatiue being vnderstood vnder this negatiue namely that the speech of the vpright man concerning his neighbour is full of charitie whereby The is so farre from
inficit animam interficit for whiles he infecteth his ear he destroyeth his soule casting thereinto the seeds of suspition hatred and contempt as 1. Sam. 22. which afterward bring forth most damnable fruits 3. Lastly to himselfe hee is a sword destroying his owne soule by committing that sinne which is most odious vnto God for he which slaundereth his neighbour behind his backe he committeth the same offence with him that raileth on the deafe and is like to him that smiteth his neighbour secretly which whosoeuer doth he is accursed And therefore no maruell though this be said to be that seuenth sinne which God doth abhorre for there is no sinne which maketh a man so like the diuell as this doth for from slaundering and backbiting he hath his name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a common name to him with all slaunderers But as the Lord doth greatly detest backbiting so doth he grieuously punish it and not only them but also the places that harbour them and not only in this life but in the life to come for if raylers shall not inherit the kingdome of God much lesse shall slaunderers And therefore it is euident that this vice I speake of the habit or custome of backbiting for in many things we sinne all and he is a very perfect man that neuer offendeth in his tongue is not incident vnto a citisen of heauen This note therefore agreeth to all them that shall inherit the kingdome of God It remaineth therefore that I should shew how it agreeth to them alone for backbiting is so common a vice that it is naturally in all men for vnto all doth the Apostle apply those testimonies They haue all gone out of the way there is none that doth good no not one their throat is an open sepulchre the poyson of aspes is vnder their lips And therefore none are freed from it but those which are regenerate neither is this vice seene alone in them that are prophane and openly wicked but also in them who would seeme to be religious For those which would seeme religious and yet be not so these for the most part place the top of their religion in inueighing against the faults of others that is to say in backbiting as though other mens want of religion would proue them to be religious But this custome argueth him that vseth it to be an hypocrit and a vile person For as Iames sayth If any man would seeme to be religious and doth not refraine his tongue but deceiueth his owne heart that mans religion is vaine And it is truly said of Hierome It is the propertie of vile persons to make others vile and those which cannot be commended by their own desert doe seeke to be commended in comparison of others Wherefore as we desire to be accounted heires of heauen so let vs learne to keepe our tongues form backbiting and in tender care of our brothers credit to couer his offences especially such as sauour of infirmity as Sem and Iaphet once did couer the nakednesse of their father For as hatred which often bursteth forth into slaundering and backbiting raiseth contention so charitie couereth the multitude of offences What then will you say are the offences of our neighbour so to be buried as that it is not lawfull for a man to mention them As touching the vices of others this is the duty of euery honest man First in presence If a brother be ouertaken with some lesse offence we are to admonish him in the spirit of meeknesse if he offend more grieuously we are to freely to reproue him and not to suffer sinne to rest vpon him Wherefore as Bernard saith If thou wilt rebuke an offender reproue him to his face and bite him not behind his backe For open rebuke is better than secret loue The wounds of a louer that is to say euen his sharpest reprofes are faithfull but the kisses of an enemie are to be prayed against And Dauid to the like purpose Let the righteous saith he smite me and I will esteeme it a benefit let him reproue me and it shall be a pretious oyle that shall not breake mine head Wherefore we are in this behalfe to follow the direction of our Sauiour Christ If thy brother offend against thee that is in thy sight for an offence committed before thee is a scandale vnto thee go and reproue him betweene thee and him alone If he shall harken vnto thee thou hast won thy brother But if he shall not harken vnto thee take vnto thee one or two that by the mouth of two or three witnesses euery word may be established And if he will not vouchsafe to heare them tell it vnto the Church and if he refuse to heare the Church also let him be vnto thee as an heathen man and a publican And this is the course which we must take with him that is a brother But if he be a sonne of Beliâ—l or one that is openly profane such as the Scriptures calleth a scorner who maketh a scoffe of all religion with such when they offend before vs we are to take another course For although our hearts ought to be grieued and vexed at the wickednes of prophane persons as Lots was among the Sodomits though we ought to mourne for the sinnes of our neighbours and countrimen as those who were marked in the forehead that they might escape the common destruction though it ought to be an irkesome thing vnto vs as it was to Dauid to fee the transgressors which keepe not the word of God finally though with Dauidâ— we ought to weepe riuers of waters because men keepe not Gods law notwithstanding priuat admonition or brotherly reprofe is not to be vsed to wards desperat sinners or prophane ruffians For holy things as our Sauiour Christ aduiseth are not to be cast before dogges neither is precious pearle of brotherly admonition to be thrown before swine for they will not only trample it vnder their feet but also turne vpon thee to offer thee violence or disgrace And to the same purpose is the aduice of Salomon Prou. 9 He that reproueth a scorner purchaseth to himselfe shame and he that rebuketh the wicked getteth himselfe reproch Rebuke not a scorner lest he hate thee but rebuke a wise man and he will loue thee Giue admonition to the wise and he will be the wiser teach a righteous man and he will increase in learning And such ought to be our behauiour in presence of him that offendeth As for those which be absent we are not behind our neighbours backe to publish their shame For he that vttereth infamie is a foole The secret faults of our neighbours especially such as are committed of infirmitie we are to conceale and couer For loue couereth the multitude of sinnes Neither are we to vtter the rest vnlesse we be vrged
he had learned it he said That in 49 yeares he had not so learned that lesson that he was able to performe it For as Iames sayth If any man sinne not in word he is a perfect man and able to bridle all the body And as he is perfect so also blessed as that wiâ—e man sayth Blessed is the man who offendeth not with his mouth It remaineth therefore that euery one should apply this note to himselfe For as those which find themselues to be giuen to backbiting and sâ—aundering mustrepent of this sinne if euer they hope to rest in the mountaine of Gods holinesse because as yet they bee not so qualified as they are who shall inherit the kingdome of God whose propertie it is not to slaunder with their tongue so those who professing religion haue learned to bridle their tongue and in tender care of their neighbours good name doe loue to speake charitably of them may by this note among others gather assurance vnto themselues that they be the children of God The fift note is expressed in these words That doth none euill to his neighbour Where first we are to vnderstand the meaning of the words By neighbour who is meant all doe not agree The vulgar sort esteemeth no man their neighbour who is not vicinus neare them in dwelling The Scribes and Pharisies accounted no man their neighbor who was not their friend for so were they wont to say Thou shalt loue thy neighbour and hate thine enemie But Christ our Sauiour extendeth the signification of neighbour to our enemies also and Luke10 being demaunded by an expounder of the law Who was his neighbour he euinceth That the Samaritane though hated of the Iews for his countrey sake was that Iewes neighbour who had fallen among theeues and consequently that euery Iew was to shew himselfe a neighbour to any Samaritane or stranger in the like case And in the law it selfe the Lord so expoundeth himselfe for whom in Exod. 23 he calleth thine enemie the same in Deut. 22 where the same law is repeated he calleth thy brother Now neighbour and brother is vsed in the same sence in the Scripture as Leuit. 19. 17. Thy neighbour therefore is not onely hee which is nigh vnto thee in place or neere in friendship but also he who is neere vnto thee in nature as euery man is partaking the same humane nature with thee whether he be friend or foe thy countryman or stranger For all men are brethren among themselues hauing one father which is God and one mother which is the earth All are neighbours being neare one vnto another in nature all made of one blood all one flesh For euen the poorest man that hath not a clout to couer his nakednesse he is thy flesh that is of the sameflesh with thee and therefore art to pittie him not to hide thy selfe from him By the word neighbour therfore we vnderstand any man whatsoeuer euery man being neere vnto vs in nature and neerely joyned to vs by the common bond of humanitie For therefore doth the holy ghost vnder the names of neighbour brother in the Scriptures signifie any other man whatsoeuer to teach all men so to be affected one to another as it becommeth louing neighbours and brothers By Euill we are to vnderstand any harme injurie losse or hinderance whatsoeuer done either to the soule of his neighbour or to his bodie chastitie goods or good name for to the soule harme may be done by scandales in life or doctrine that is to say by euill examples or erronious opinions to the bodie by violence to the chastitie by fornication and adulterie to the goods by theft or robberie to the good name by slaunders and ill reports So that in these words the holy ghost assigneth to the citisen of heauen such innocencie towards all men that willingly he will doe no harme to any man whether friend or foe whether countryman of stranger whereby either his soule may be scandalized his body hurt his or her chastitie violated his goods impaired or his good name impeached And further vnder this negatiue the affirmatiue also is required in those which are and shall bee citisens of heauen namely That they do not only abstain from euill but also that they bee willing and ready to doe good to their neighbour that is not only to their friends and welwillers but also to their enemies Thus haue we the meaning of the words Let vs now come to the scope and purpose of the Psalmist that is to shew that this innocencie is a peculiar note to the sonnes and heires of God as belonging to them all and to them alone for it is the propertie of Gods children to be more readie to suffer than to offer wrong For euen Socrates though a heathen man could say That it is better 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to suffer iniurie than to doe wrong For from offering euill to any they are restrained by these considerations First as touching any other men whatsoeuer they call to mind and consider that they were created according to the same image of God and consequently that they cannot be hurt but that the image of God also shall be violated They consider that they are their brethren of the same nature of the same bloud of the same flesh which affinitie maketh euen beasts of the same kind to loue one another and therefore that he which hurteth or wrongeth another offendeth against humane nature and violateth humanitie it selfe And therefore are louingly and courteously affected towards all men not willingly doing any thing to others which they would not that others should do to them in the like case And as concerning those which be of the houshold of faith in which number when they thinke of particulars they esteeme all that professe the same faith with them to them they thinke themselues tied by a neerer bond of loue For those they embrace as brothers not onely in respect of creation but also in respect of adoption as brothers not onely in nature but also in Christ them they loue and affect not onely as neighbours who are neere vnto them in nature but also as those who are one with them in Christ as being fellow members of the same bodie whereof Christ is the head And therefore they easily perceiue that no wrong can bee offered to them which doth not redound to Christ himselfe for what good or euill is done to his members Christ esteemeth it as done to himselfe Wherefore the children of God are so farre from any course or custome of doing ill to their neighbours that on the contrary their desire and indeuour is to do good to all men but especially to those which be of the houshold of faith For first as touching the soules of their brethren their desire is to liue without offence and not to hinder the saluation of their brethren either by prouocation
vnrighteous saith the Prophet forsake his owne imaginations and returne vnto the Lord For therefore is repentance called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it is a changing of the mind And to conclude those that will walke vprightly before God they must labor to approue not onely their outward behauiour but also the secret thoughts of their minds and affections of their harts to him that trieth and searcheth the harts and râ—ynes of men especially looketh to the hart Neither are the children of God to take vp in their mouthes that is to vtter which is a second signification of the verbe nasa slanderous reports for the tongue of the godly wise is healthfull being readie to heale the good name of his neighbour and not to wound it whether before his face by railing scorning cursing or behind his backe by whispering and slandering And thus some do read this place and vttereth not a reproch which translation seemeth not to be so fit because we may not thinke that the Prophet in such breuitie of speech would reckon one and the same note twice for according to this reading the fourth note should differ litle or nothing at all from this Neither are the children of God to take vp ill reports with their eares or to giue eare vnto them or to receiue them for that is a third signification of the word which the Chaldey paraphrase and the Greeke and Latine translations do embrace viz. to receiue for so the Septuagints to omit the rest do read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and receiueth not an ill report against his neighbours To these we may add a fourth signification of the verbe which is to beare or endure according vnto which the meaning of the Prophet may be this that the child of God cannot brooke a slanderer neither can he endure to heare his neighbour defamed By neighbour as was said before we are to vnderstand not onely those who are neere vnto vs in place which most commonly are called neighbours or in friendship but those who are neere vnto vs in nature as all men are whether they be remoued from vs either in place as forreiners and strangers or in affection as foes The meaning therefore of the words is this that he who shall inherit the kingdome of heauen shall be so farre himselfe from backbiting his neighbour or slandering him as that willingly he heareth not the slanderous reports of talebearers neither can he endure that the good name of his neighbour which is so deere vnto him should be violated For surely the good man to whom the glorie of God is deere and who also tendereth either the fame or saluation of his neighbour he taketh no delight in hearing the faults of his brethren For by offences Gods glorie is obscured the saluation of our brethren hazarded their good name impeached and the judgements of God prouoked Whosoeuer therefore taketh pleasure in hearing of the offences of others he also delighteth to heare those things whereby God is dishonored our brothers saluation hindered their good name impaired and the judgements of God procured which is scarcely incident to a godly man whose propertie it is rather to mourne for the dishonour offered to God and to be sorie for the infamie of his brother and to pitie his miserable condition in that by his sin he hath exposed himselfe to the iudgements of God both in this world and also in the world to come As for the rest who being of this world belong not to the heauenly Ierusalem forasmuch as they are full of enuie and selfe-loue they thinke the commendation of others to be to their disparragement and esteeme the dispraise of others as a praise to themselues and therefore take pleasure to heare the vices and offences of others their eares being like to cupping-glasâ—es readie to receiue the worst things And this is so common a vice though few obserue it in themselues that scarcely there is any meeting or conference of men wherein the vices of others are not both maliciously related but willingly heard and so heard that they may be reported againe to others Whereby it appeareth that this charitable disposition whereby a man so tendereth the credit and good name of his neighbour as that neither himselfe will defame him nor willingly heare the slaunderous reports of others is particular to the children of God and heires of eternall life and therefore not vnworthily reckoned among the notes which are proper to them Here therefore we are taught if we would be accounted citisens of heauen so to tender the good name of our brethren as that we will not willingly heare the slanders of talebearers and backbiters And forasmuch as this dutie is of so great moment and importance as that the holy Ghost reckoneth it as one of the ten markes of Gods children let vs briefly consider and weigh the arguments whereby we may be stirred vp to the practise thereof Consider therefore both the discommodities which follow vpon the receiuing of ill reports also the commodities which accompanie the repelling or rejecting of slaunders For if thou hast thine eares open to talebearers and slaunderers thou becommest accessarie to their sinne and guiltie of the same offence with them Now a slaunderer as I haue shewed heretofore is a manslayer killing three men as it were with one stroke a serpent biting in secret a diuell To this foule offence hee maketh himselfe accessarie who willingly receiueth tale-bearers and hearkeneth to their slaunders For if there were not a receiuer of tales there would not be a tale-bearer For as in the crime of theft he is accessarie which receiueth wittingly stollen goods so in this crime of backbiting he is accessarie who willingly receiueth the whisperers reports yea is more guiltie of his neighbours infamie than the other is of fellonie A theefe by himselfe may steale and without a receiuer may rob his neighbor of his goods but a tale-bearer or slaunderer cannot rob a man of his good name nor yet impaire his credit vnlesse there be another to heare and to admit his slaunders well may he shew his owne mallice but him that is absent he cannot hurt Wherfore Bernard doubteth not to affirme That tale-bearers and tale-hearers are guiltie alike And againe Whether is more damnable sayth he to be a teller or a receiuer of tales and ill reports it is hard to say For as the tale-bearer hath the diuell in his tongue so the tale-hearer hath the diuell in his eare But if you would vse to stop your eares against tale-bearers and giue them the repulse either by a frowning countenance or some sharpe reproofe these commodities would follow thereupon first you should preserue the good name of your neighbour which is perhaps as deare vnto him as his life secondly you should keepe your selfe cleare from the guilt of this sinne For as I said before the backbiter whiles he iâ—â—â—cteth the eare he destroieth the soule casting thereiâ—â— the seeds of