presume on this seeing he hath not so much as one day in his power Martialis Non est crede mihi sapientis dicere viuam Sera nimis vita est crastina viue hodie Beleeue me 't is no wise-mans part to say liue here I will Liue well to day to trust is vaine to liue to morrow till Herein we are like vnto Pharaoh which when the whole land was so plagued with frogs Exod. 8. that they filled the fields the streetes the houses and no place was free from them and Moses asked him when he should pray vnto the Lord for him answered To morrow O the madnesse of men which are alwaies deferring their repentance till the morrow till the houre of their death when they see the sword of the wrathfull Iudge drawne ouer their heads on the one side death ready to strike them on the other side their sinnes to accuse them below them hell with open mouth to receiue them the deuill gaping like a roaring Lyon to deuoure them then I say when they haue liued in warre with God all their life long they flie vnto him for mercy and seeke peace this repentance proceedeth rather of a seruile feare then of any loue 2. Mac. 9. like that of wicked Antiochus Sero sapiunt Phryges beware of had I wist Let vs not therefore tempt the Lord by presuming vpon his mercy Againe they tempt God by doubting of his prouidence and goodnesse Exod. 17. as the Israelites did at Raphidim where was no water Of this sort are they which distrusting Gods prouidence for their posterity hoard vp riches by all vnlawfull meanes c. On the other side they tempt God which presuming vpon his prouidence neglect all ordinary meanes in their seuerall Vocations c. For God cannot bee tempted c. Heere is now the first reason why God is not the authour of euill which is taken from the nature of God who is pure perfect and by nature most holy yea holinesse it selfe So that purity and holinesse is a prerogatiue which God hath onely reserued vnto himselfe This the Princely Prophet witnesseth The Lord is righteous in all his waies Psal 145. and holy in all his workes Therefore the Saints of God affirmed Who shall not feare thee ô Lord Reu. 15.4 and glorifie thy name for thou onely art holy and all Nations shall come and worship before thee for thy iudgements are made manifest It is then as impossible for any sparke of vnholinesse or vncleanesse to bee in God as it is for darknesse to be in the midst of light or coldnesse in the midst of fire c. The sixth Sermon IAMES 1.19 c. 19 Wherefore my deere brethren let euery man be swift to heare slow to speake and slow to wrath 20 For the wrath of man doth not accomplish the righteousnesse of God THE Apostle before hauing commended the excellency of the word of God in that it is the word of God the word of Truth and meane of our regeneration he next adioyneth these excellent precepts teaching vs how wee should fruitfully heare the same which consisteth in obseruing these three morall precepts The first concerneth the facility of hearing The second of restraining the tongue The third of moderating of wrath For the first it is manifest that this noble sense of hearing was giuen vs of God that is the power of discerning voices and sounds For hee that created the whole body of man and powred into it a reasonable soule created also this sense so profitable to his glory and necessary to the attaining of eternall life and this is it he saith Exod 4.11 Who hath giuen the mouth to man and who hath made the dumbe and the deafe or him that seeth or the blind Haue not I the Lord Againe Psal 94. Hee that planted the eare shall hee not heare Heereupon Lactantius concludeth Lactan. lib. 3. cap. 9. that the sense of the eare is more necessary to saluation then the sense of the eye for doctrine and wisedome is receiued by the eare onely and not by the eye And the Apostle saith Rom. 10. Luke 11. Iohn 8. Faith commeth by hearing And Blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepe it Hee that is of God heareth Gods word And how should wee vse this excellent sense to the glory of God wee are instructed in the fabrication thereof which expresseth the wonderfull skill of the Creator First they are not Osseae sed cartilaginiae substantiae not of a bony but of a gristely substance which hauing their beginning from the bone called Os temporium The fabrick of the eares out of the Anatomists serueth to extend the holes of the eares that the sound may be the better perceiued and these Cartilagines are hollow dry and hard Hollow that by their concauity they may receiue the aire tortuous or winding least by any suddaine or vehement collision of the aire the tender membranes and organes of hearing should bee hurt and that the sound being temperately receiued should the more delight the sense of hearing Hard that the collision of the aire might bee the more milde and the sound the greater In the like manner first that the inward minde may effectually heare the word of God it must bee made hollow through humilitie Via domini ad cor dirigitur Gre. inhom cum sermo veritatis humilitèr auditur Secondly it must also bee tortuous or winding that the word receiued which is the food of the soule may not lightly passe away but that wee may ruminate and reuolue it as the Virgine Mary of whom it is said that shee kept all these sayings and pondered them in her heart Thirdly the minde must also bee durus siccus hard and dry in retaining of the word of God For a thing that is hard and dry receiueth keepeth better what it receiued then that which is soft and tender And Aristotle saith Arist lib. de sen that Organum auditus est aer The aire is the instrument of hearing Aire the instrumēt of hearing and is contained within the eares and included in the miringa which is a little skinne and that aire must bee firme and still for if it haue his proper motion and sound it perceiueth no externall sound as it appeareth in them which through the motion of such aire feele tinkling or ringing in their eares In like manner wee should receiue this heauenly doctrine into the inward cels of the memory there hold it fast and perseuer therein as our Apostle saith not as forgetfull hearers Iam. 1.25 Iohn 15. but doers of the word And our Sauiour If yee abide in mee and my words abide in you aske what you will and it shall bee done vnto you Againe the sound is brought thus into the eares How the sound is brought into the eares Betweene the bones of the Temples there is a way ad basim cerebri to the ground
or foundation of the braine hauing within a certaine concauity after the manner of a labyrinth in the middle whereof are two little bones annexed to their membranes the one called malleus the other Incus Malleus Incus in regard of the vse thereof which the prudent Creator of nature hath so artificially placed that in the thicker part they do almost touch one another because the hearing is made through the motion of the aire which is brought into the passage vnto these bones and there is made a certaine repercussion of the aire which maketh the sound which is heard Heere wee are taught that euen as the sound is brought into the eare through the agitation of the externall aire so the sound of the heauenly Doctrine is brought by the Preacher into the minde of the hearer Rom. 10. Faith commeth by hearing Who so loueth his owne soule will dilligently frequent the hearing The heart of man that hath vnderstanding seeketh knowledge Prou. 15. Hee indifferently heareth all that can instruct him hee despiseth not the doctrine for the person of the man Non quantum sciat sed quantum ignorat considerat Hee recounteth not how much hee knoweth but how much hee is ignorant of Againe the eares of man are alwaies open and are not sometimes shut as are the eyes and the mouth to teach vs that wee should bee alwaies ready to heare the word of God and therefore the eares as Isidor would haue it are called Aures ab hauriendis vocibus of drawing in the voyce More heereof might bee spoken but I am heere to supply the place of a Diuine and not to play the Anatomist in the Physitians Art Againe when the Apostle willeth vs to bee swift to heare hee meaneth not an vnfruitfull hearing that wee may carpe taunt or scoffe or giue eare to scurrile filthy and leud speeches c. but as if hee had said Seeing that God offereth himselfe vnto you so louingly so kindly in his holy word the meane of our regeneration it behoueth you to shew your selues attentiue tractable and obedient hearers Therefore the dilligence of the people is commended Iohn 6. Math. 14. which forsaking all things yea the care of meate and drinke came from all parts vnto Christ to heare the word out of his mouth But now how few be there found in this declining age that haue that zeale and loue to the word of God as to preferre the hearing thereof before their earthly commodities The second precept is of brideling the tongue The secōd precept of bridling the tōgue that is the petulancie and loquacitie thereof The tongue and the faculty of speaking is the singular gift of God and onely proper vnto man as it appeareth as well by the framing of the whole body as by his miracles and iudgements declared in this member When all men had but one language hee diuided and confounded it into many at the building of the Tower of Babell Gen. 11. by giuing an humane voyce to Balams Asse Numb 23. 2. Mach. 3. Heliodorus that Church-robber by his iust iudgement was stricken dumbe The Priest Zacharias Luke 1. as a punishment of his incredulity remained dumbe nine monthes Acts 2. To the Apostles hee gaue the gift of all tongues whereby hee manifested that the tongue and the vse thereof is by him and from him Lactantius li. de opific. Dei And Lanctantius saith that the faculty of speech is so wonderfull and so diuine a work that he onely that created it and no other is able to vnfold it Againe hee elegantly expresseth foure offices of the tongue Foure offices of the tongue The first is with his motions to articulate and forme the voyce the second is an interpreter of the minde to vtter the cogitations or thoughts there hidden the third to gather together the meate broken and chawed with the teeth and to send it into the stomack the fourth to receiue the drinke and to discerne the taste of things c. This the Apostle strictly forbiddeth to abuse that wee speake not rashly and vnreuerently of God his holy word and his iudgements not to reason and talke of those things we know not when we are vtterly vnlearned and ignorant if Mat. 12. as our Sauiour saith wee shall giue an account of euery idle word how much more then for our prophane talking of God and his holy word And surely if any age then most of all this age hath peruerted this precept of the Apostle Now euery Artificer Boy c. are giuen not onely quick to speake but also to teach yea their owne Pastors of whom they should learne with reuerence heare with silence and aske counsell with humblenesse Dauid once gaue thankes vnto God because he had made him wiser then his teachers Psal 119. But now men and women in arrogancy of spirit in the pride of their hearts in presumption of their owne knowledge will bee slow to heare whatsoeuer shall crosse their conceits but swift to speake without weight number or measure of their words against order law gouernement learned Fathers yea and Prince also when as Irenaeus saith De eisdem non semper easdem sententias habent Irenaeus amantes vel non amantes haud eadem de eisdem iudicant According to their loue or hatred their iudgements are not the same of the same things This brethren the Apostle heere forbiddeth as a hinderance to the fruitfull hearing of the word and would haue vs with al quietnesse godly vnitie and Christian humility to heare the word of God and not rashly and insolently prate and prattle thereof in a presumptuous conceit of their owne knowledge For if any man seemeth to himselfe that hee is somewhat when hee is nothing Gal. 6.3 hee deceiueth himselfe in his imagination This moderating of the tongue not onely the holy Scripture but also the Heathen Philosophers teach vs. Aristotle when he was asked why when he taught others to speake he himselfe was silent and sparing of his words said Cos ipsa non scindit cultros tamen acuit The whetstone it selfe cutteth not but yet it sharpeneth kniues Simonides was wont to say Simonides Silentij se poenituisse nunquam sermonis saepius that it neuer repented him of his silence but often of his speech Zeno hearing a yong man full of words told him in derision Zeno. that his eares were growne into his mouth because hee heard little and spake much Yea nature her selfe in the very situation of the tongue teacheth thus much It is fenced and included as it were with two wals the teeth and the lips it hath placed it below the braine the eyes the eares the nose as it were insinuating that wee should first ponder in our minde first see first heare before wee speake Note This nature teacheth in that shee hath placed the organes of the other senses aboue the tongue Againe Nature hath giuen vs two eares
two eyes two nosthrils and one tongue as it were inferring heereby that we should heare more see more and know more then wee should speake Besides nature hath as it were tyed the tongue with a certaine ligament which maketh that Candidam lineam in the midst thereof which springeth à basi ossis hyoidis which because it is an impediment to the speech in some children it is cut off Notwithstanding all these documents of nature her selfe The fooles heart is in his mouth Eccles 21. whereas a wise mans mouth is in his heart saith the Wiseman And as one saith their words are first sent ad rationis limam priusquam ad linguam to bee polished by reason before they come to the tongue fideli silentio tuta est merces saith the Prouerbe Faithfull silence hath euer a safe reward Prou. 10.6 In many words there cannot want sinne but hee that refraineth his lippes is wise And therefore the Apostle would haue our wordes alwaies to bee gracious Col. 4.6 and poudered with salt Hee that will speake aduisedly must first ponder his words before they come to his lippes Simile And euen as those that are at variance need a Iudge who discussing the matter on both sides may giue true sentence So he that will speake discreetly must first sit as a Iudge betwixt his heart and his tongue strictly examining whether the words bee right which his heart offereth to his tongue before hee speake There is a pestilent kind of men of whom Salomon saith Prou. 12. There are that speake words like the pricking of swords Heereof speaketh the Princely Prophet Psalm 5.7 Whose teeth are speares and arrowes and their tongue a sharpe sword Of this serpentine kind are such as with slanderings backbitings whisperings rent obscure and blemish the good name of their neighbour and spoile them of that treasure Prou. 22. which as Salomon saith is more precious then gold and great riches And euen as theeues which robbe vs of temporall goods the Law punisheth by hanging So they that rob their neighbour of a farre greater treasure deserue a far greater punishment Which the Athenians considered who made a Law as Vtimus de legibus witnesseth that whosoeuer was conuinced to bee a backbiter tale-bearer or slanderer of his neighbour he was first bitterly reproched through the whole Citie and afterwards slaine Solon made a Law that the euill tongued and backbiter should bee sined for euery such offence three Drachmas to the party grieued Plutarch in vita Solon and two to bee payed to the treasurie For they iudged such to be very pernitious members in a Common-wealth disturbers of peace authours of contentions hatred and murthers which I thinke the Poet would signifie by the Serpents teeth which Cadmus sowed in the ground of which straightway sprang vp armed men which presently imbrued themselues in each others bloud Ouid. lib. 3. Metamor Marte cadunt subitiper mutua vulnera fratres This earth-bred brood anone By mutuall stroke of ciuill warres dispatched euery ' chone The deuill ucertainely is the sower of these teeth of which spring warres broyles and dissentions in the world Was not Doeg the Edomite a Serpents tooth who secretly accused Abimelech the Priest vnto Saul for relieuing Dauid peruerting his innocent intention and plaine meaning which so kindled Saul with wrath that he slew foure score and fiue which ware the Ephod with the whole Citie of Nob 1. Sam. 22. not sparing man woman child and suckling Were not the Princes of Amon Serpents teeth 2. Sam. 10. which traduced King Dauids messengers vnto their Maister King Hanun and peruerted Dauids kinde intention which was the cause of cruell warres and much bloud-shed Therefore it is truely said Eccl. 10.11 If the Serpent bite if hee bee not charmed no better is a babbler Where the vulgar Translation hath Simordeat serpens in silentio sic qui occulte detrahit If the Serpent bite in silence so doth hee which secretly backebiteth The Serpent is a trecherous beast for he doth not as the Bull which threatneth with his hornes before he hurt neither roareth he as doth the Lyon nor barketh as the dog before he bite but secretly stingeth making no noise So the backbiters in silence vnder the colour of religion and zeale with their Serpents teeth rent the good name of others and with their vipers tongues degenerate and staine the life of others Horat. Pelliculam veterem retinens fronte politus Astutam vapido condis sub pectore vulpem This in effect Thy wonted forme retein'd a friendly face dost keepe A crafty Fox is hid in wilie heart so deepe As truely saith the Poet Nunquid non vipera est lingua detractoris ferocissima S. Bernard Is not the tongue of the backbiter a most cruell viper which with one breath giueth so deadly an infection Nunquid non lancea est lingua ista profecto acutissima quae tres penetrat ictu vno scil detrahentem audientem eum cui detrahit Is not the tongue of a backbiter a iaueling yea surely and that a most sharpe one which killeth three with one stroke to wit the backbiter himselfe the hearer and whom he backbiteth saith S. Bernard But of this better occasion will be offered me to speake when I come to the handling of the third chapter Slow to wrath THE third precept is of moderating and brideling of wrath Duplex definitio irae secund Arist lib. 2. rhetor c. 20 which Aristotle two manner of waies defineth First wrath is a desire ioyned with griefe of reuenge for some apparant contempt or iniury done vnto our selues or friends Secondly Ira est ebullitio sanguinis circa cor Anger is a boyling or inflammation of the bloud about the heart To this definition subscribe all the Physitians To both these definitions Damascence seemeth to leane Dam. lib. 2. de Ortho. fide Greg. moral l. 5. c. 30 Gregory maketh three species of anger The first is a kind of bilious passion which is quickly kindled as soone calmed and this hath lesse danger and malice It is like stra◠which quickly taketh fire and quickly goeth out This the Greekes call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Cicero excandescentia Ira furor breuis An anger soone come and soone gone The Logicians a Passion The second is called of the Latines Iracundia which carrieth in minde a longer remembrance of an iniury receiued and is of more continuance This Aristotle calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though this doth not alwaies proceed to reuenge either because men cannot or for certaine reasons will not and this is worse then the first because it is fixed more fast and taketh deeper roote in the mind The third kind is of such which are soon kindled with the flames of anger slow to represse it And this is a great sin so long to foster wrath in thy bosome vntill it turne into hatred for what