but in this with their wills In other things the deceiued doe of themselues soone espie the cosenage and seeke to helpe themselues but in this many are deceiued continually and yet cannot discerne it yea if another tell them of it yet will they not beleeue it In other fraudes the deceiuers are most in fault but here the deceiued are in greatest fault for riches deceiue you not through their owne craft 〈◊〉 through your corruption not through their frauduleÌ„t perswasions but throgh your fond affections not through their bad practises but through your madde behauiour Riches are no causes but occasions of the deceit Men take occasion by them vse them as meanes to deceiue themselues Rom. 7.11 As Paul sayd of Sinne and the Law Sinne tooke occasion by the Commaundement and deceiued me and thereby slew me So may we say of mans corruption and riches His corruption taketh occasion by riches to deceiue himselfe and therby to destroy himselfe He is deceiued by the supposed pleasantnesse of riches as Eue was deceiued by the pleasantnes of the Apple And as Eue was more to be blamed then the Apple so is the rich man more to be blamed then his riches Quest If riches doe so dangerously deceiue men how may we vse riches that they may not deceiue vs nor like thornes hinder the fruit of the word Answ You neede not to cast them away as Crates the Thebane and some other Philosophers did They are the good blessinges of God and may be well vsed for Gods glory and mans good Obserue these 5. Rules and they shall not deceiue you nor choake the word in your hearts 1. Set not your affections on them desire them not too earnestly loue them not too dearely according to the instruction of the Kingly Prophet If riches increase Psal 62.10 set not your hearts thereon but rather as the Apostle exhorteth They which vse this world 1. Cor. 7.31 let them be as though they vsed it not It is your inordinate affection toward them that makes them to deceiue you and hinder you in the obedience of the word The more you loue them the lesse will you loue the word the lesse desire wil you haue to heare and learne it and the lesse care to obey it If your hearts be set on wealth it will so deceiue you that no sinne can be gainefull but you will be ready to practise it and no dutie bring any damage but yâ—â— shall neglect it Is not the desire of money the roote of all euill 1. Tim. 6.10 What makes some to lye in their bargayning some to sweare vainely falsly some to vse fraude and cousonage some to oppresse and wrong others but an immoderate desire of riches This is the very spawne of all sinne in vniust dealing therefore learne to moderate it Doth not Christ say Mat. 10.37 that he who loueth father or mother sonne or daughter wife or children or his owne life Luk. 14.26 more then me is vnworthy of me hee cannot be my Disciple And is he worthy of him or can be his Disciple who loueth lands liuing wealth and riches better then him Doth not hee say Ioh. 14.23 If any man loue me hee will keepe my word Those then that transgresse his word for their owne aduantage and sinne against him to get to keepe or to encrease their riches doe they not loue their riches better then him 2. Be content to employ your riches as the word directeth you Luk. 16.2 You are but Stewards of your riches the Lord is the owner and wil one day call you to giue an account for your Stewardship you must not therefore vse them as you list but as he will how he would haue you to vse them he teacheth you by his word Wherefore make the word your Counsellour in all your dealings Doe not get your wealth by any other meanes then the word alloweth doe not keepe it any longer then the word permitteth and doe not otherwise bestow it or spend it then the word approueth Then cannot your riches hinder but will rather further your obedience the vse of them will be a practise of the word 3. Account the word of God and the graces and blessings conueyed vnto thee thereby greater riches and more precious Jewels then all the wealth of the world Know that godlinesse as the Apostle teacheth is great gaine 1. Tim. 6.6 Be of Pauls minde who thought all things but losse Phil. 3.9 for the excelleÌ„t knowledge sake of Christ Iesus our Lord for whom hee counted all things losse and did iudge them to be dung that hee might winne Christ As the soule is more excellent then the body and as heauen is more excellent then the earth so those thinges which belong to the soule and come from heauen are more excellent then those things which belong to the body and come from the earth If thou doe so esteeme of them thou wilt not suffer the wealth of the world to hinder thee of them If thou canst not enioy both together thou wilt rather forgoe wealth then the word The want of this due estimation causeth riches to be an hinderance to many They thinke too highly of worldly wealth but too basely of Gods word and his graces and therefore had rather get and keepe ther wealth then obey the word and increase in grace 4. Pray earnestly vnto God that he would giue thee grace to vse riches aright euen for the glory of his Name for the good of thine owne soule and for the benefit of others Say vnto the Lord with Dauid Psal 119.36 Encline my heart to thy testimonies and not to couetousnesse for thy heart cannot be enclined to both together Pray thus before thou come to hear pray thus after thou hast heard And in all thy dealings of the world pray to God to plucke these thornes out of thy heart lest they hinder thee in the obedience of his word The more thou prayest thus the lesse shall the deceitfulnes of riches hinder thee 5. Though thou abound in wealth yet be not proud but be as lowly and humble as if thou liued in want for GOD resisteth the proude 1. Pet. â— 5 and giueth grace to the humble 1. Tim. 6.17 Paul would not haue commaunded Timothie to charge rich men that they be not high minded vnlesse there were some danger that way They are in danger of being proud and when they are proud they are in danger of disobedience for proude men will despise the word and will thinke scorne to be taught their dutie and to be reproued for their faults by a poore Minister and will no further obey the word then they thinke it may stand with their credit and honour Know that God is no respecter of persons the poore may be as acceptable to him as the rich he more respecteth mans disposition and behauiour then his outward estate If thou be poore be not dismayed if rich be
he that heareth the word and vnderstandeth it Mat. 13.19 And although the first sort of bad hearers are sayd to heare and not vnderstand Yet the other two fortes are insinuated to haue vnderstood for how could they receiue the word with ioy vnlesse they vnderstood it How could cares of the world the deceitfulnesse of riches and voluptuous liuing choake the word after it was heard vnlesse it had beene vnderstood So that as the vnderstanding of the word is not sufficient to make you good hearers so on the other side the want of vnderstanding declareth you to be bad hearers All good hearers vnderstand the word though not onely they Good hearers must practise that which is taught them But how can they practise that which they vnderstand not 3. They agree in their affection to the word Those that be as stony grouÌ„d receiue the worde with ioy So also doe these good hearers though the thing it selfe be not expresly meÌ„tioned The Gospell is glad tydings and reioyceth the hearts of all that embrace it There is no commendable propertie in the reprobate and vnprofitable hearers but it is found in the elect and profitable hearers and that in a more excellent manner And therefore those who are nothing mooued nor comforted by the word are worse then some bad hearers and must not be reckoned in the number of good hearers Notwithstanding in this description of these good hearers wee may perceiue that in diuers other things they differ much from all the former hearers and therein doe greatly exceede and excell them all They are described by three properties and by them all they differ from the rest 1. By the manner of receiuing the word They receiue it with an honest and good heart 2. By the maner of reteyning it They keep it 3. By the maner of practising it They bring forth fruit and that with patience and plentie Touching the first propertie 2. things may bee noted The one more genenerall and that is the instrument of hearing it is with the heart The other more speciall and that is the qualitie and disposition of their heart it is an honest and good heart 1. Concerning the former we may hence obserue that those who will be profitable hearers of Gods most holy word must heare it with their hearts not onely with their eares to harken vnto the sound of it while it is vttered nor onely with their heads to vnderstand that which is deliuered but likewise with their hearts to keepe it and obey it Deut. 6.6 The Lord required of the Iewes that the words which he commanded them should be in their heart The wise man thus exhorted his sonne Proâ— 3.1.3 Forget not thou my law but let thine heart keepe my coÌ„mandements binde them on thy necke and write them vpon the table of thine heart And for this cause when Lydia went to heare Paul Act. 16.14 the Lord opened her heart that so she might attend to the things which Paul spake If her hart had bene shut so as the word could not enter in she had bene an vnprofitable hearer but God opening her heart that shee might receiue the word into it shee became a profitable hearer And there is great reason why al profitable hearers should receiue the word with the heart and into the heart 1. For the reformation and direction of the heart Gen. 6.5 by nature mans heart is corrupt yea all the imaginations of the thoughts of his heart are onely euill continually And out of the heart remayning corrupt come euill thoughts Mat. 15.19 Murthers Adulteries Fornications Thefts false Testimonies Slaunders such like sins which defile the man as Christ teacheth Now the worde is an Instrument of sanctification Ioh. 15.3 Christ said his Disciples were al clean through the word which he had spokeÌ„ to them And praâ—ed to his Father Ioh. 17.17 Sanctify them with thy trueth Ephe. 5.26 thy word is the trueth And the Apostle teacheth that GOD doth sanctify the Church clense it by the washing of the water through the word Now theÌ„ the plaister must be applyed to the place that is wounded or sore If it be applied to any other place it will do no good If the disease come froÌ„ the hart or inward parts it is in vain to lay the plaister to the head to the eare to the hand or to the foote so long as the heart inward parts are not cured they will minister new corrupt matter to the outward parts If then our hearts be corrupt we must not onely be content to apply the word to the eares by hearing it to the head by vnderstanding it to the tongue by talking of it but also to the heart for the purging of it at the first and for the guiding of it alwaies afterward 2. Againe the heart is the seate of the affections you must therefore receiue the word into your hearts that so it may worke on your affections both to sanctifie them as also to stirre them vp vnto good Thou must loue the word trust in the word and reioyce in the word or rather thou must loue God trust in God and reioyce in God because of his word as was shewed before in the example of Dauid Thou canst not doe this vnles thou receiue the word with thy heart As meate cannot nourish thy body vnles it be receiued into thy stomacke And as seede can neuer sprout nor come vp vnles it be cast into the furrowes and clods of the earth no more will the word profit thy soule vnles it be receiued into by heart 3. Moreouer the heart is the commander of the whole man and sets all on worke according to the disposition of it selfe Of the abundance of the hart the mouth speaketh as saith our Sauiour Math. 12.34.35 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things and an euill man out of the euill treasure of his heart bringeth forth euill things As the primuâ—â— mobile doth turne all the other inferiour orbes round about with it And as the watch wheele of a clocke guideth all the other wheeles If it stand they stand if it goe they goe if it goe slowly they goe slowly if it go swiftly they go swiftly So doth the heart of man rule and order all the senses and parts of his body either to good or euill they are exercised as it is affected Those then that would be obedient hearers of the word must needes receiue and embrace it with their hearts that so their hearts louing and lyking and beleeuing it may set all their senses and all the parts of their bodies on worke to practise it 4. Lastly the heart is the safest place for it As sowne corne if it lye on the top of the furrowes may easily be deuoured by the fowles of the ayre but if it be hid and couered is free from that danger so the word which thou hearest if it goe
workes Whervpon Thomas Aquinas gaue this glosse (27) Verba â—â—hite habere sidem per aliqua certa signa non poteris probare cum desint opera verba non sunt testes â—uffi untes In Iacob epist cap. 2. Shew me thy faith As if hee should say Prooue vnto mee by some certaine signes that thou hast Faith thou canst not proue it when workes be wanting wordes are no sâ—fficient witnesses And in another place hee saith (28) In 2. thess 2.2 That vngodly men seeme to haue true faith when indeede they haue not Gregory 1. once Bishop of Rome telleth vs That (29) Fidâ—i nostre veritatâ—m in vitae nostra consideratione debemus agnoscere tâ—nc enim veraciter fideleâ— sumus si quod verbis promitâ—mus operibus implâ—mus Hoâ—â—â— 29. we ought to make knowne the truth of our faith by the consideration of our life for then are wee beleeuers in truth if that which we promise in words we fulfil in works And froÌ„ him the Councell of Mentz protested (30) I lle veâ—o â—redit quâ— exâ—xcet opeâ—â—â—do quod credit Conâ—â—l Mogunt câ—â—â—â—n 1. that hee doth truely beleeue who exerciseth by working that which he beleeueth If then the one of these bee a true Faith indeede and is truely and properly so to be called and the other is not a true faith indeede and improperly so called how can they be one and the same faith No more then a working horse and an idle painted horse are one and the same Againe these two doe so differ as that the one is called a liuing Faith the other is called a dead Faith That which iustifieth and bringeth forth good works is called a liuing Faith (31) Rom. 1.17 Galat. 3.11 So the iust man is sayd to liue by Faith And Paul sayd (32) Galat. 2.20 I liue by the Faith in the Sonne of God Ferus hauing described the nature of a true Iustifying faith that it is nothing else but to trust to the free mercy of God (33) ComeÌ„t in Math. 8. he addeth further This is the true Faith whereby the iust man liueth But that which iustifieth not and is destitute of good works is tearmed a dead Faith by the Apostle (34) Iam. 2.26 Yea as the body is dead without the spirit so is faith dead without workes But the (35) Annot. in Iam. 2.26 Rhemists (36) De iustif li. 1. c. 15. Cardinall Bellarmine (37) Enchirid cap. 4. de fide obiect 2. Coster the Iesuite and others doe answere that the Apostle doth not compare a dead faith with a dead man but with a dead body And therefore as a dead body is a true body so a dead faith is a true faith But they must knowe that although the Apostle compare a dead faith not to a dead man but to a dead body yet he compareth it to the dead body of a man which is no true humane body indeed because it wanteth the soule which is the forme of it The Philosopher will teach them That when the bodye is dead there is neyther foote nor hand but onely by equiuocation for all the parts of the body are defined by their office and facultie therefore when they lye dead they are not the same but onely retaine the shadow and shew of the name Though a dead body haue the earthly and materiall parts yet it is not the true body of a man nor the same body that it was before seeing it wanteth his forme life and actiuitie operation and motion So a dead faith hath some materiall parts of a true faith as knowledge vnderstanding and assent yet it is not a true faith indeed because it wanteth speciall application which is the soule of saith It wanteth actiuitie charitie and obedience which are the life of it Diâ—imus Alexandrinus did otherwise take the words of S. Iames then these papists doe for thus he writeth (38) Notandum scilicet quia cum fides mortua sit praeter opera iam neque fides est Nam neque homo mortuus homo est Enarrat in Epist Iacob cap 2. It is to be marked that seeing faith is dead without good workes it is now no faith at all for a dead man is not a man at all Their owne friend Ferus is as peremptorie against them and for vs. Faith without charitie saith he (39) Sine charitate fides titulum quidem fides habet caeterum si non obscurè de eare loqui velis perinde fides est quasi corpus exanime homo aut extincta candela lumen vel exâ—isa arbor est arbor c. Postill Domin quinquages Serm. 7. hath indeed the tytle of faith but if thou wilt not speake obscurely of that matter it is not in that sort faith as a body without a soule is a man as a candle put out is light or as a tree cut downe is a tree What kind of light is that which doth not shine and giue light what kinde of fire is that which is not kindled what kinde of man is that which neyther seeth nor heareth nor feeleth nor moueth What kinde of tree is that which hath neyther rootes nor boughes nor bringeth forth fruite Such a kinde of faith is that which is without charitie namely a dead Faith as Iames nameth it How then can any man iustly say that these two are both one and the same faith Lastly they differ in their effects because the one procureth the saluation of our soules namely that liuely and speciall faith which worketh by loue for of that it is sayde Whosoeuer (40) Ioh. 3.16 beleeueth in the Sonne hath euerlasting life And by (41) Ephes 2.8 grace wee are saued through faith and not of our selues But the other the Historical faith destitute of works cannot saue (42) Iam. 2.14 any man so teacheth the Apostle And that all those places cannot bee vnderstood of one the same faith all writers giue euidence Augustine said (43) De side operib cap. 16. not that faith of the Diuels who beleeue and tremble and confesse Iesus to bee the Sonne of God is that foundation which suffereth none to perish but that faith which the Apostle saith worketh by loue Now what he took to be the faith of the Diuels I haue before shewed Credunt Deum credunt Deo they haue an historicall faith to beleeue all things to be true which hee hath reuealed Non credunt in Deum they put no confidence in him so want a speciall iustifying faith that should saue them So Bernard (44) In Deum qui credit non consundetur c. Deum Deo credunt Damones ed in illum non credunt In quem qui credit non confundetâ—r quia spein suam non ponunt in illum De sanct Andr. serm 3. writeth He that beleeueth in God shall not be confounded And therevpon inferreth that the Diuels though they beleeue God yet they doe not beleeue in God in whom whosoeuer
blade but neuer to beare a ripe eare So they who haue hearts altogether hardened will not heare or at least not receiue the word of God at all into any part of their hearts but those who haue hearts partly soft and partly hard may receiue the word and retaine it for a time but will neuer bring forth the fruites of it Wherefore the holy Ghost saith in the Psalmes and it is applyed by the Apostle Psal 95.7.8 to the hearers of the Gospell To day if ye will heare his voyce harden not your hearts Heb. 3.7 Because the hard hearted can neuer he are the word of God so reuerently and effectually as they ought to doe the Lord biddeth vs not to harden but to soften our hearts if we will heare his voyce The harder the heart is the more vnprofitable shall be the hearing the softer the heart is the more profitable shall the hearing be Againe this hardnes will cause men to deny the word in time of tentation The moysture and softnes aboue is the cause of receiuing the word with ioy and beleeuing for a time but the hardnes and drinesie below is the cause of reuolting afterward When Gods hand was heauie on Pharoh he somewhat relented humbled himselfe and confessed his sinne but as soone as it was remoued here-turned with the dogge to his vomit and became as obstinate as euer he was before So if a mans heart be mollified onely in part he may relent while he heares the word and may embrace it with peace but in time of persecution may grow as hard as euer he was before euen as yron is soft in some measure while it is in the fire but becommeth hard againe when it is cold Let vs not therefore content our selues with an vpper softening but see that our hearts be softened to the very bottome that they may melt like waxe at the fire 2. King 22.19 as good king Iosiahs heart did when he heard the lawe read I knowe that none of our hearts are so lost as they should be But if thou fee-lest thine owne hardnes doest mislike it desirest earnestly that it may be more and more mollified and doest vse all good meanes for the further mollifying of it thy heart either is alreadie or shall be within a while so softened as it may receiue the word profitably to thy saluatioÌ„ If Goates blood being warme can soften the hard Adamant Gortandâ—â—pl mart doubt not but the blood of Christ can sufficiently mollifie thy heart though it were as hard as a rocke If thou pray earnestly vnto God to take away the stony heart of thy body Ezek. 36.2 and to giue thee an heart of flesh be assured that he will performe it seeing he hath promised it by his holy Prophet 3. Let vs now come to the third propertie of these hearers They belieue for a time Mathew and Marke say they endure for a season that it they endure in their with out a while They doe belieue yet not long But it is to be considered what kinde of faith this is Though the Papists teach that there is but onely one kinde of faith See postscript Sect. 4. Sect. 5. Sect. â— yet may we find many seuerall distinct kindes thereof in the holy scriptures There befoure kindes of faith One is proper and peculiar to Gods elect and to the regenerate The rest are common both to the elect and the reprobate That which is proper and peculiar to the elect is a true iustifying faith See postscript Sect. 7. Sect. 8. whereby a man doth apprehend and apply to himselfe all the promises of God in Christ and all the merits of Christ for the pardon of his sinne and the saluation of his soule Tit. 1.1 This is called by S. Paul the faith of Gods Elect because onely they and all they be endued with it And therefore it is said Act. 13.48 that as many as were orduned to eternall life beleened Though all of them doe not receiue it at the same time but some sooner sâ—me later yet is there not any of the I 〈◊〉 but at one time or other they doe receiue it This is called an vnfayned faith 1. 〈◊〉 1.5 〈◊〉 or a faith without dissimulation or hypoâ—â—â—e because it is not counterfaited and is a faith in deed and in truth and is seated not in the tongues or the head but in the bottome of the heart This faith is said to purifie the heart Aâ—â— 15.9 〈◊〉 13.10 and is called the faith of the Saints because none haue it but those who be sanctified By this faith are we now iustified without the workes of the law and by this Rom. 3.2 must we be saued as the Apostle proueth at large in his Epistles â—phâ—â— 2.8 But this is not the faith here spoken of Againe there be other kindes of faith See postscript Seâ—l 9.1 Cor. 1â— 2 which be common both to the Elect and reprobate And these are either extraordinarie or ordinarie Extraordinarie as the faith of working miracles whereof the Apostle speaketh saying If I had all faith so that I could remoue mountaines and had not loue I were nothing Iudus the childe of perdition had this faith as well as the rest of the Apostles for he wrought miracles as well as they And many shall say to Christ haue not we in thy name cast out diuells and by thy name done many great miracles to whom he shall answere I neuer knew you depart from me Math. 7.22 ye workers of iniquitic This was extraordinarie giuen to some fewe at the first preaching of the Gospell but hath ceased long agoe The ordinary kindes of faith which may be found in the reprobate are two in number See postscript Seâ—l 10. Seck 11. The one is called an hystoricall the other a temporarie faith The one I say is called an hystoricall faith or a dogmaticall because it is a bare knowledge and acknowledgment of the historie of the scriptures and of the things written therein concerning God his workes his promises and concerning Christ his merites and benefites without any apprehension of the things knowne and acknowledged Ioh. 5.46.47 This is the faith whereby men beleeue Moses and his writings Act. 26.27 This is the faith which Paul would needes fasten on Agrippa 〈◊〉 1.1 August dâ—tâ—â—p to beleeue the Prophets This is not fides qua credimus in deum sed qua credimus deo id est credeâ—e vera esse quae loquitur â—orm 181. Creâ—ere veâ—â—â—â—â—e 〈…〉 mulâ—◠〈◊〉 possunt August 〈◊〉 Iam. 2.19 It is not the faith whereby we belieue in God but the faith whereby we belieue God that is whereby we belieue all things to be true which he speaketh And so differeth very much from a iustifying faith This faith is sound in the vnregenerate They may belieue all things to be true which are written though they little regard them yea this
a true saying and worthy by all meanes to be receiued that Christ Iesus came into the world to saue sinners Herein also this faith agreeth with an hystoricall a iustifying faith And therefore those who in their hearts wil not assent to the truth of the gospel are meere Infidels though they liue in the Church yet they haue no faith at al. 3. A third degree is that he hath a desâ—re in his heart of the pardon of his sin of the saluation of his soule through the mercy of God merits of Christ Euen as Balaam desired to dye the death of the righteous Num. 23.10 and that his lasâ—end might be like vnto his though he had no care to liue the life of the righteous nor prepare himselfe for death as the righteous man doth And as the people of the Iewes who followed Christ from place to place whoÌ„ they hard him speak of the bread which coÌ„meth from heauen Ioh. 6.34 giueth life to the world desired him euermore to giue that bread And yet many of them afterward fell from him Yea moreouer they which haue this faith may not onely haue this desire in their hearts but may also expresse it by prayer to God Almightie and by vsing the meanes of saluation They may seek to enter in at the straight gate and shall not be able Luk. 13.24 As Christ saith many shall doe Herein they go beyond those that haue onely an hystoricall faith for many haue it yet contemne Christ and his merits neuer seeke for saluation by him rather feare him then loue him and with the Diuels beleeue and tremble Yet herein they come short of them who haue a iustifying faith for their desire is not so earnest nor so constant nor so effectuall Not so earnest for the desire of the elect is vehement and very earnest set foorth by hungring thirsting which are vehement and strong appetites in them that haue long wanted meate and drinke yea the strongest desires that can be found in man but these men haue a desire in a lesser measure Neither is their desire so constant for it comes but by fits and may soone be gone againe like to lightning which is a sudden flash and soone gone But the desire of the other is like the light of the Sunne which is permanent Their desire may be quenched before they haue fully obtayned the thing desired but the desire of the other can neuer be satisfyed till they be assured that they haue gotten the thing they wanted Nor yet is it so effectuall in vsing the meanes of saluation with such care diligence painefulnesse and constancie The one sort think no paines too great no labour too long the other thinke lesse will serue the turne and therefore leaue off or lessen their labour in vsing the meanes before they haue gotten sauing grace for their soules 4. The fourth degree is this They may haue an apprehension of Christ and his benefites an inward feeling of some grace and a perswasion of Gods fauour in Christ So they are sayde to taste of the heauenly gift and to taste of the good word of God Heb. 6.4 and to be partakers of the holy Ghost as was shewed before Which wordes must needes import a particular apprehension and an inward cense of some good receiued and some fauour expected As some of the Israelites tasted of the fruites of the Land of Canaan did thereby perceiue what a good Land it was and conceiued some hope of enioying it and yet neuer enioyed the Land but perished in the wildernesse So these beleeuers may haue a taste of heauenly gifts and an hope of enioying euerlasting glory and yet perish in the end And indeed these beleeuers could not haue receiued the word with such ioy as was spoken of before vnlesse they had an apprehension of Gods fauour and some sense of grace in their hearts Yet herein doe they greatly differ from the regenerate 1. In the seat and so in the synceritie of these graces for these beleeuers hearts are as stony ground they cannot receiue the worde into the bottome of their hearts nor suffer the rootes of it to goe deepe enough and so their faith graces are not rooted in the bottome of the heart but sticke in the superficies or vpper part of it All things in them are superficiall and they full of hypocrisie Whereas the iustifying faith and the sauing graces of the regenerate are like a solide body hauing three dimensions length breadth and depth and do possesse the deepest and lowest parte of the heart 2. In the reason and ground of this their apprehension And so it is nothing but vaine presumption for it is built vpon false and mistaken grounds they take the shadow for the substance doe ouerweene their owne graces and take their faith to be vnfayned their repentance to be sound and their regeneration to be effectuall when indeede they are not And so they are like vnto beggers who in their sleepe dreame that they are become very rich 3. In the measure and therefore their apprehension of heauenly things is compared to tasting because the heart doth as it were but with the tip of the tongue lightly taste these spirituall things and doth not feed on them Look what difference there is betwixt Cookes and others that taste meat before it be serued vp to the table the guests that eat the same at the table the same difference there is betwixt the vngenerate the regenerate touching the measure of grace which they receiue Though the regenerate do here receiue but the first fruits of the spirit do know in part and prophesie in part beleeue in part find no perfection in theÌ„selues yet haue they a greater measure then the vnregenerate 4. In the sense iudgement of their want The one wanteth more and yet doth lesse discerne his want like the Angel of Laodicea Reuel 3.17 who thought he was rich whâ—Ì„â—e was poore miserable naked The other wanteth lesse and doth better discerne his want and therefore will say with that man in the Gospell Mar. 9.24 I doe beleeue Lord helpe my vnbeleefe And with the Apostles Lord encrease our faith Luk. 17.5 Yea the one like a Pharisie is proude of that which hee thinketh he hath the other is humbled by knowing what he wanteth The one contenteth himselfe with that which he hath groweth secure and laboureth not to better his estate the other striueth to grow in grace as he groweth in yeeres 5. The fift degree of this temporary faith is outwarde profession of the Gospell A man may haue an hystoricall or dogmaticall faith Ioh. 12.42 yet neuer make profession of it As many of the chiefe Ruler among the Iewe beleeued in Christ but because of the Phaâ—isâ—es did not confesse him But they who haue this temporary faith do professe Christ as long as they keepe it So did Iudas he called Christ his Master did follow
him was content to acknowledge himselfe to be one of his Apostles and at his sending to go abroad to preach the Gospell So did Simon Magus he was baptized into the Name of Christ and continued with Philip as a Disciple of Christ Mat. 22.14 And so doe all those who be called and not chosen 6. The last degree of this temporary faith is outward obedience vnto the Gospell This was likewise in Iudas His cariage was so honest among the Apostles all the time of Christs passion that when Christ told them Mat. 26.22 that one of them should betray him they did not suspect him any more then any of the rest yea Mar. 14.19 euery one did as much suspect him selfe as Iudas and therefore euery one sayd Master is it I Yea Ioh. 13.24 they caused Iohn who then leaned on Iesus brest to aske him who it was And Christ did manifest him by giuing him a soppe before they could tell who it was And so this faith doeth farre excell that dead faith whereof S. Iames speaketh which is destitute of good works Iam. 4. Yet euen in this respect is it much inferior to a true iustifying faith In regard of outward obedience they differ three wayes 1. In the cause or fountaine whence it proceedeth The obedience of the one proceedeth from an heart which hath the corruption of it suppressed and restrayned but not mortifyed and the affections builded but not changed by regeneration But the obedience of the other proceedes from a pure heart and a good conscience the corruption whereof is not onely repressed and kept vnder but likewise mortifyed and the affections not onely brydeled but also changed by regeneration Yea and the man himselfe is in Christ become a new creature 2. In the measure for the one may yeeld obedience in many things yet seldome in all things he vsually taketh libertie to liue in some one grosse sinne or other Mar. 6.20 eyther openly or secretly As Herode did many things which Iohn Baptist taught him yet continued still his whoredome hee would not put away his brothers wife though he was taught so to doe Mat. 14.4 But the other is carefull to avoyde all manner of sinnes whatsoeuer and to performe all duties alike knowing that if hee faile in one point hee is guiltie of all Iam. 2.10 And though sometime he fall by infirmitie yet he lyeth not long he riseth againe by repentance 3. In the continuance for the one continueth not lâ—ng in his innocencie at last by one occasion or other his corruption will breake forth and carry him to some grosse sinne or damnable apostacie Iudas for a while liued ciuilly but at last was drawne through couetousnesse to betray his Maister Simon Magus for couetousnesse would haue bought and solde the giftes of the holy Ghost and beeing reprooued for that fault became a notorious apostate Hos 6.4 And therefore the righteousnesse of such is fitly resembled to the morning deaw which is dryed vp and gone as soone as the Sunne ascendeth on high But the other perseuereth in his vprightnesse vnto the ende hee hath a good begining and a good ending Euen as Iob who neither by the suggestions of Sathan nor by the losse of his goods nor death of his children nor diseases of his body nor aduise of his wife nor vncharitable censures of his friends coulde bee induced to sinne against God Now then seeing heereby you may discerne what this faith is how it differeth from a sauing faith examine your selues of your faith to see whether it be this or no doe not content your selues with such a faith as is not able to saue your soules Aboue all things see that you haue a special application inward renouation for therein consisteth the very life and soule of sauing faith As you haue seene the nature and degrees of this faith so now see the continuance for it is here sayd They beleeue for a time A while they receiue this faith not alwayes they lose it in the end As they are hypocrites for want of synceritie in the bottome of their hearts so likewise are they temporizers for want of continuance in their courses The Rhemistes in their marginall notes on these wordes would haue this to be obserued against the heretikes as it pleaseth them to terme vs that say Faith once had cannot be lost and that he which now hath not faith neuer had Dâ—â—â—lisicat lib. 3. c. 14. Bellarmine and other Papists alleadge this place to prooue that true faith once had may be quite lost Staplet prompt in for 4. post dom poseh But we answere that the faith whereof Christ heere speaketh may be quite lost so as a man which once had it may want it afterward yet Christ doth not here speake of the true iustifying faith of Gods elect but of the temporary faith See postscript Sect 13. which may be in the reprobate as hath beene shewed before And this is apparant out of the words of the text For the persons who thus beleeue are compared to stony ground who by reason of the hardnesse of their hearts are no more able to bring forth fruite then stony ground is able to yeelde a good croppe of corne God forbidde that wee should imagine that any of the elect in the state of grace should be no better then these In the 15. verse Christ speaketh of them resembleth them to good ground and sayeth they heare the word with a good and honest heart do keepe it and bring forth fruit with patience Againe the persons here spoken of are sayd to want rootes and so their graces are like corne sowne on the top of a rocke which wanteth depth of earth to send downe and feede the rootes Now dare they say that true justifying faith wanteth rootes or is it in any mans heart where it hath nothing to grow vpon Doeth not the Apostle teach Ephes 3.17 that they in whose hearts Christ doth dwell by faith are rooted and grounded in loue And that they who haue receiued Christ Iesus the Lord are rooted and built in him and stablished in the faith True iustifying faith is the roote of all vertues Laudo fructum bom operis sed in fide agnoscoradicem Prafat uâ— enarr on which they grow and from which they receiue life nourishment efficacy Augustine said of Abrahams offering of his sonne I commend the fruit of the good worke but I acknowledge the roote in faith And shall we then say that it hath no rootes it selfe Certaine it is that a true iustifying faith once had can neuer be lost Psal 31. Vide August prefat in Pâ—a 139. Col. 2.5 Rom. 11.29 for it is called a stedfast faith in Iesus Christ It belongeth to that calling and is one of those giftes of God which are without repentance And so it hath beene reckoned long aâ—oe by that ancient Father Augustine and thereby proued neuer to fayle
scâ—at alter It doth thee nought auayle to knowe vnles thy knowledge others knowe Those that embrace and professe religion for this end cannot continue constant If the time should come that true Christians should be reuiled and euill spoken of 1. Cor. 4.13 should be made as the filth of the world and the offcouring of all things as the Apostles were these men would renounce their faith 3. It often proceedeth from couetousnes for the getting and keeping of wealth and riches that they may clime vp to high preferment in the world As appeareth in those who sought out Christ and followed him from place to place not so much for the miracles which they had seene and doctrine which they had heard as for the loaues whereof they had eaten Scire volunt vt scientiam suam vendant turpis quaestus est ibid. and wherwith they were filled There be others saith Bernard who deserue knowledge that they may sell it for money for honour and this is filthy lucre There be other two ends whereat some doe aime for some desire knowledge that they may edifie others and this is charitie some desire knowledge that themselues may be edified and this is wisedome And these are to be allowed but all other ends are to be condemned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ad Trall epist 2. Those that professe Christ for worldly profit are not Christians but marchants of Christ as Ignatius tearmeth them And will professe his Gospell no longer then it may stand with worldly profit As may be seene in Demas who for a time was such a professour of the faith that S. Paul reckoned him in the Cathologue of the Saints Coloss 4.14 which saluted the Colossians Yet Paul afterward thus wrote of him Demas hath forsaken me 2. Tim. 4.10 and hath embraced this present world As an house will fall if the foundation be remoued and fire will goe out of it selfe if fewell be withdrawne so these mens faith will faile if the Gospell bring no gaine but losse And seeing those temporizing professours haue these causes propounded to themselues in hearing and receiuing the word in beleeuing and professing it with ioy their faith cannot be sincere for nothing is sincerely done vnles it be done for Gods glory And if it be not sincere it cannot be sound and firme And both waies it differs from iustifying faith for as it doth all things of sinceritie for God himselfe for Christ himselfe for the spirituall and heauenly ben fites of Christ as farre as humane infirmitie will permit so is it firme and constant being built on such grounds as will not shrinke Do not therefore content your selues with this temporary faith but seeke for that which will abide for euer as well in persecution as in peace as well in time of tentation as out of tentation for if your faith faile Reuel 10. Sathan will preuaile against you your hope is gone you loos the fauour of God Luk. 10.42 and the saluation of your owne soules you must be faithfull vnto death if you will receiue the Crowne of life Did not Christ commend Mary for choosing the good part which should neuer be taken away from her Imitate her in your choyse of faith The one will faile you when you stand in most neede of it As in the time of tentation in the time of affliction and at the houre of death But the other will abide with you to comfort and strengthen you at all seasons and against all the enemies of your saluation If once you get it whether you liue long or die soone whether you be assaulted with many suggestions or be free from tentation whether you passe away your daies in peace or vnder the crosse you shal be able at your last end to say to the great comfort of your soules with the Apostle 2. Tim. 4.8 I haue fought a good fight I haue finished my course I haue kept the faith henceforth is laid vp for me the crowne of righteousnes which the Lord the righteous iudge shall giue vnto me at that day 4 The fourth and last propertie of these hearers is their reuolting which is here set forth by the time or occasion as also by the manner of it First by the time and occasion that is the time of tentation There is a double tentation that doth befall men the one is spirituall and inward the other is corporall and outward The spirituall and inward tentation is from the diuell Math. 4.3 And therefore he is often called the tempter 1. Thess 3.5 and is said to tempt vs. And his suggestions and practises against vs are called tentations 1. Cor. 7.5 The corporall and outward tentation is from men Math. 6 1â— who doe afflict vs who doe hurt and persecute vs. And so all outward crosses Iam. 1.2 corporall afflictions and bloody persecutioÌ„s 1. Pet. â—6 are called tentations that is trialls because they try what men are whether dissembling hypocrites or sincere Christians whether their faith be fained or vnfained wauering or stedfast Math. 13.21 little or great And of this tentation must this place be vnderstood Mar. 4.17 for in Mathew and Marke it is called tributation and persecution for the word Christ foresaw that the hearers and professours of the Gospell should afterward be graciously persecuted he therefore foretold what it should worke in this kind of hearers it would cause them to reuolt For the manner of it it is said in Mathew and Marke they are offended and that by and by and immediately but here they goe away they depart will not stand to it as men of courage but shrinke and fall away And this commeth to passe by reason of their owne hardnes as this parable declareth for as stony grounds mingled with some earth are commonly hotte and will cause the corne cast into them to sprout and come vp very speedily but will not suff er the rootes to goe any reasonable depth into the earth there to be fed with moysture therfore in the dry season of summer the blade of the corne will wither together with the rootes So these men though they haue some good motions and affections in their harts receiue the word with chearefulnes and seeme to be very forward for a time yet in time of persecution all their goodnes will be dried vp they will loose their first loue to the word and fall from their former profession They neuer did cleaue to Christ with their whole hearts and therefore are more easily drawne away Men may fall away from Faith eyther by errour and Heresie or by sinne and wickednesse By errour and heresie as did Hymeneus and Alexander 1. Tim. 1.19 who made ship-wracke of Faith As did Hymeneus and Phyletusâ— who erred concerning the Truth Saying 2. Tim. 2. 18. that the Resurrection is already past and did destroy the faith of many As did Nicholas whom for his profession was chosen for
a Deacon yet afterward became an Arch-hereticke Reuel 2.6 first Founder of the heresies of the Nicolaâ—tanes And as those did of whome Saint Paul prophecyed that in the later times Men shall departe from the Faith and giue heede vnto spirites of Errors I. Tim. 4.1 and doctrines of Diuels And as those that in former Ages fell from the Truth to the Heresies of Arrius Pelagius Nestorius and other damnable Heretickes And as those that in the dayes of Queene Mary did fall from the truth of the Gospell formerly professed to the Errours and Idolatrie of the Church of Rome Againe men may fall away by sinne and wickednesse in theyr liues as those who put away a good Conscience As those who beginne in the spirite but ende in the flesh As those who turned backe after Satan As those who had escaped from the filthinesse of the world 1. Tim. 5.15 through the knowledge of our Lorde and Sauiour IESVS CHRIST 2. Pe. 2.20 are yet tangled againe therein and ouercome whose latter ende is worse then the beginning Fulfilling the Prouerbe The Dogge is returned to his owne Vomite the Sowe that was washed to the wallowing in the myre Now these doe not fall away in part only and for a time as the Apostles did at Christs Passion but wholly and perpetually This a fearefull falling away Corporall relapses into naturall diseases are not so dangerous to the body as these relapses into errour and sinne are dangerous to the soule For by them men procure to themselues a double punishment Poenam damni poenam sensus A punishment of losse For they loose the rewarde of theyr former profession and obedience If the Righteous forsake his righteousnes and commit iniquitie all his righteousnes shall be forgotten and he shall die in his iniquitie saith the Lord. 2. Pet. 2.21 Likewise a punishment of sense and that so greeuous as it had bene better for them neuer to haue knowne the way of righteousnes theÌ„ after they haue knowne it to turne away from the holy coÌ„mandement giuen vnto them By their backsliding they more dishonour God and oftend others then if they had neuer made any profession at all And therefore their punishment shall he greater then if they had neuer knowne the Gospell Here then see the danger of persecution it driues many from Christ Such is the disposition of some as they will not suffer any thing for the Gospell they like and loue it when it brings peace and prosperitie with it but they bid it farewell when it brings persecutioÌ„ Though Christ hath suffered much for them yet will not they suffer any thâ—ng for him they would â—aine raigne with him but they will not suffer with him nor for him And therefore if they be called to beare the crosse they will rather renounce the Gospell then beare the waight of it But let them know that if they deny Christ or his word before men he will deny them before his father in heauen he that setteth his hand to the plough and looketh backward is vnfit for the kingdome of God Let vs arme our selues against this danger that we may continue constant in the day of triall Gal. 6.9 Let not any crosses make vs weary of well doing knowing that in due season we shall reape if we faint not And because persecution can neuer harme vs if our hearts be good let vs take heede as we are exhorted by the Apostle lest there be in any of vs an euill heart Heb. 3.12.13 and vnfaithfull to depart away froÌ„ the liuing God but exhort one another daily lest any be hardened with the deceitfulnes of sin If any of your hearts be not yet mollified so as the word of God cannot take deepe rooting in the bottome of them troubles for the Gospell can no sooner befall you then you will renounce it but if your hearts bee throughly mollified if the word take deepe rooting and worke iustifying faith in you Rom. 8.35 neither tribulation nor anguish nor persecution nor famine nor nakednes nor perill nor sword shall separate you from the loue of Christ but in all these things you shall be more then conquerours Sce Gregor Nazaan Orat. 1. in Iulian. And fâ—nally if it be such an hainous offence to fall away in time of persecution what shall we say of them who fall away in time of peace those doe it by compulsion by force and violence these of their owne accord those doe it halfe against their will but these most willingly those to saue their own goods and preserue their liues these to saue neither being in danger of neither those by constraint these through contempt Those among their enemies who were readie to hurt them if they would not recant these among their friends who will helpe them if they abode constant Ante aciâ—Ì„ victi sine congressione prostrate Cypriade laps Sect. â— Those in the field where they feared an ouerthrow these in a laÌ„d of peace where they expected no combat These must needs be more faultie and more inexcusable Those subiects who yeeld to the enemies through feare and for safegard of their liues are more fauoured and more easily pardoned then they who being in no danger did willingly run to the enemies and of their owne accord ioyne with them against their lawfull Prince Oh then what fauour can those expect at Gods hands who in these our happy daies and in this our peaceable land doe fall away from the truth of the Gospell to poperie and profanenesse These are farre worse then dastardly cowards for they yeeld not till they see some danger these yeeld before any danger appeareth Pro. 28.1 Heb. 12.4 These are like those wicked ones who flie when none pursueth them We should resist vnto blood strining against sinne As Christ shed his blood for the saluation of our soules so should we be readie to shed our blood for the maintenance of his Gospell How farre are they from this who fall away before they sawe any enemies to resist what hope can they haue of mercy from Christ who are so easily turned from the sincerity of his Gospell which they should defend with their dearest blood Thinke seriously of this and take heede of declining in such an happie season Luk. 17.32 Remember Lots wiâ—e as Christ biddeth you Facta est stâ—ua salâ—â—vt condiat tâ— In Psal 69. fiâ—e And consider that she for looking backe toward Sodome was turned into a pillar of salt and that to season vs with all as Augustine thought Deceiue not your selues but knowe for a certaintie that the hearing of the Gospell will not further your saluation butâ— rather aggrauate your condemnation if you falâ—â—way from it either in the time of persecution or in the time of peace Vers I. And that which fell among thornes are they which haue heard and after their departure are choaked with cares c. NOW followeth the exposition of the third kind of
ground which noteth vnto vs a third kind of hearers And those also are bad hearers This ground is full of thornes There is some reasonable depth of soyle yet the sâ—ede and the corne sprouted is choaked by thornes and bryars that come vp among it so as it yeeldeth no good crop at haruest In like sort there be some hearers whose hearts are not so hard as the former and who are not tryed by tentation and persecution as they were whose hearts seeme to be mâ—ch mooued and deepely pâ—eâ—ced with tâ—e word and liue in such peaceable times and places that they are neuer called to suffer for the word and yet all is afterwarde maâ—red by coâ—ruâ—t affections which are not yet mortifyed bâ—t still liue and raigne in their hearts Aâ—â— so these hearers differ much from both the former kindes The first sort were hindered in their fruitfulnesse by the Diuell who tooke the worde out of their hearts The second sort were hindered by other men who persecuted them for the Gospell But this sort are hindered by their owne carnall and worldly lustes They differ from the first kind because those vnderstood not the word but these vnderstand it and would haue embraced and obeyed it but that it crossed their corrupt affections which they coulde not brydle They differ from the second sort because they fall away in time of tribulation and persecution These fall away in time of peace and prosperitie those were vrged by externall meanes comming from others these are drawne away by internall meanes proceeding from themselues Those were hindered in their perseuerance and fruitfulnesse through the waÌ„t of good these through the hauing of euill euen sinfull lusts and bad affections in their hearts which like thornes choake the worde which they heare Those renounced their profession these keepe their profession and yet are vnfruitfull These hearers are not all alike for though the word be choaked in them all yet it is not choaked in all by the same causes meanes In some it is choaked by worldly care in others by the deceitfulnesse of riches and in the rest by voluptousnesse And therefore touching these hearers wee may obserue some thinges in generall which concerne them all ioyntly together and some thinges in particular which concerne them seuerally The things in generall which concerne them all are two whereof the one respecteth the time of their choaking the other respecteth the causes of their choaking 1. The time of their choaking for it is sayd of them That when they haue heard 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and are departed or gone their way they are choaked c. They are not choaked while they are in hearing but rather afterward when they are departed from the Semons and goe about their worldly affayres then are they choaked by those things whereon their hearts were set As thornie ground may haue some good moyst mouldes and depth of soyle and cause the seede sowne in it to sprout and come vp but afterward will not suffer it to prosper the thornes in time will choake it So may a man heare the word reuerently and attentiuely marke it carefully and receiue it willingly yea hee may take it to be the word of God indeede and the onely word that must saue his soule hee may wish that hee were able to follow it and haue a purpose to follow it and yet afterwarde bee hindered in the obedience of it by the corruptions of his owne heart As Pharaoh was huÌ„bled while the hand of God was heauy vpoÌ„ him but became as hard as he was before when it was remoued And as some are Sea sicke while they are on the water but wel again whoÌ„ they come to land And as the hardest Mettals are hot soft and pliable while they are in the fire but become colde hard and stiffe when they are taken out of the fire So are some hearers much moued while they are in the Church and so long as they heare and yet afterward when they are gone away and betake themselues to their worldly affayres loose the efficacy of the worde and become transgressors of it These are vnprofitable hearers the worde which they heare will not saue their soules Men may often heare after this maner and yet neuer come to heauen Doe not therefore content your selues with these present motions while you are in hearing but let them continue and shew their efficacy after you haue heard when occasion is offered in your liues Let not the word onely moue your affections but also mortifie them And let it not onely stirre vp your affections while it is hard but direct them and ouer-rule them in your conuersation afterward Let not any thing in the worlde or any affections in your owne hearts hinder your obedience to the worde You know that the Sonne who being commaunded by his Father to worke in his Vineyatd Mat. 21.30.31 did promise and purpose to goe and went not was condemned for not fulfilling the will of his Father And doe you thinke that you shall be taken for dutifull children to God Almightie if while you heare his word you loue it and like it and purpose to follow it and yet afterward by some sinister occasions be hindered in the obedience of it Know this that God will neuer accept of good purposes without good performance nor of good motions in your mindes without good maners in your liues There be some couetous and voluptuous persons farre worse then these of whom Christ heare speaketh for these doe heare and receiue the word willingly for the presâ—nt they are choaked afterward But there be some couetous worldlings and voluptuous Epicures who will not heare at all or not with any patience They will not receiue the seede at all and doe choake it as soone as they receiue it Luk. 16.14 Such were the Pharisies who mocked Christ when he taxed their couetousnes Such were the Iewes Isa 30.11 who would not heare the Lawe of the Lord but sayd vnto the Seers See not and to the Prophets Prophecie not vnto vs right things but speake flattering thinges vnto vs Prophecie errors Micha 2. Who would haue none to be their Prophet but hee that would lie falsly would prophecie to them of wine and strong drinke And such be those in our dayes who cannot endure to heare any thing spoken to curbe them of their carnall pleasures or abridge them of their worldly profites who raile against the Preacher and hate him as Ahab did Michaiah and heare him with no more patience and liking then the Iewes heard Stephen Act. 7.54 when their hearts brast for anger and when they gnashed at him with thrir teeth But if these hearers who giue reuerent attention to the worde when it is deliuered haue some good liking of it and a purpose to obey it would obey it but that it doth crosse their pleasures and profites are reckoned in the number of vnfruitfull hearers What may be thought of
those that be worse who will not heare it who will not beleeue it who doe mislike it yea maligne him that teacheth any thing that is against their pleasures or profites and are ready to worke him some mischiefe Oh that these woulde consider their estate and remember how farre they are from that profitable hearing which must saue their soules 2. The second thing to be obserued in generall respecteth the causes of their choaking which are three in number Cares of the worlde riches and voluptuous liuing From all which together wee may learne that noysome lusts and bad affections in the heart doe greatly hinder the fruitfull hearing of Gods word Yea though the heart be much mooued with the word for a time and be very like to profite by hearing and the hearer haue a purpose to follow the word yet corrupt affections of care couetousnesse and voluptuousnesse will hinder the fruitfulnesse of the worde As thornes are to ground that is sowne so are these affections to the hearers of Gods word You know that although the Soyle were reasonable good of it selfe yet if thoâ—nes grow among the corne they will not suffer the ground to yeâ—lâ—e any good crâ—ppe So if hearers haue indifferent good mindes of themselues especially if some froward affections were expelled yet so long as those affections remaine in them they will hinder the growth of the worde And therefore Peter exhorteth vs 1. Pet. 2.1.2 first to lay aside all maliciousnes all guile 〈…〉 â—â—tion and â—nuie and then as new borne babes to desire the syncere milke of the worde that we may grow thereby Iam. 1.21 And Iames biddeth vs lay apart all filthinesse and superfluitie of maliciousnes and receiue with meeknes the ingrafted word which is able to saue our soules If grosse humours abide in the stomacke they will not suffer it to digest the meate which is eaten but will make it rather to hurt then to nourish the body So if there be froward and inordinate affections in your harts they will so hinder the efficacy of the word as it shall not profite you to the saluation of your soules Vse This shoulde teach you so often as you come to heare to looke vnto your hearts and to emptie them of all wicked affections remayning in them As you are carefull when you plow and sow your fields to rid vp by the rootes all thornes bryars and bushes lest they should hinder the corne So be you carefull to free your heartes from these badde affections when you come to heare Mat. 10.16 Christ biddeh you to be as wise as Serpents Now this is one poynt of the Serpents wisedome as the learned doth teach Epiphan contra haresâ—har 37 Ambros praefat in enarrat Psal 37. Bernard de modo vivend serm 28. Ier. 4.4 That when he is thirstie he goeth from his hole to the water yet before he drinke he casteth vp the poyson which was neere his throate Imitate him therein If any poyson of bad affections be found in your hearts expell them lest they hinder the efficacy of the word Yea as the Prophet saith Breake vp your fallow ground and sow not among thornes Be circumcised to the Lord and take away the fore-skins of your hearts that so you may heare to the profit comfort of your soules Let vs now see in particular and seuerally what are the things which like thornes doe choake the seede of the word Three be here named The first of them is Care and because there be two kindes of care the one a godlie and spirituall care 1. Cor. 7.32 33. to care for the things of the Lord how we may please him and to care for the things of the soule how it may bee saued The other a worldly and carnall care to care for the things of the world how to please men and how to prouide for our bodies in this world Mat. 13.22 In the other Euangelists both in Mathew and Marke they are called Mat. 4.19 for distinction sake Cares of the world These cares are as thornes to choake the word in the hearers hearts They do oftentimes keepe men from hearing at all Luk. 10.40.41 Martha was carefull to prouide good fare for her guests troubled herselfe about many things when with her sister Mary shee should rather haue heard Christs doctrine Those guests who were innited to the wedding feast Luk. 14.18 made excuses that one had bought a Farme and must needes goe see it another had bought 5. yoke of Oxen and must goe prooue them another had maried a Wife and therefore could not come Worldly cares keepe many from the Church who would not be absent if their worldly businesse did not draw them another way yet will not bee present if their absence serue for their gaine So doe these cares make their hearing altogether vnprofitable euen as thornes make the sowne ground vnfruitfull Some haue their hearts so exercised with thinking and plotting of worldly matters that they cannot attend to the word deliuered Others hauing beaten their braines and busied their heads before fall to sleepe when they should heare Others that bee awake and listen haue no loue nor liking of that which is taught The thinges of the worlde haue so put their mouthes out of taste as they can finde no sweetnesse in the word Others attend seeme to like all wel for a time yet afterward the cares of the worlde enter into their heades and heartes and driue the worde out of them euen as one naile driues out another There may be in them for a time some striuing and strugling betwixt the world and the word but the world ouercomes in the end and maketh them no better then if they had neuer heard Christ bad his Disciples take heede to themselues Luk. 21.34 least at any time their hearts were oppressed with surfetting and drunkennes and cares of this life and least the last dâ—y should come on them at vnawares Because cares of the world doe oppresse the heart as wel as surfetting and drunkennes and make vs vnfit for his comming to Iudgement Our people are much oppressed with worldly cares they rise early and lye downe late and eate the bread of carefulnes they busie their heades they beate their braines they weary their bodies they breake their sleep they weaken their strength they hinder their health and shorten their liues with carking and caring toyling and moyling about worldly affayres and this is one speciall cause why they heare so much and profite so little These then who would be profitable hearers must before and after their hearing keepe these cares out of their heartâ—s Let them remember the exhortation giuen by Christ Mat. 6.25 Be not carefull for your life what you shall eate nor what you shal drinke nor for your body what rayment yee shall put on Is not the life more worth then meate and the body then rayment Which of you by taking care is
sinner he that sweareth as he that feareth an oathe And Christ sheweth Math. 5.45 that by doing good to al we may be children of our heaueÌ„ly father who dealeth so in making his sunne to shine on the euill and good and sending a raigne on the iust and vniust Hereby a man may be led into a fooles paradise and made to thinke that he is happy when he is miserable and that God is his friend when he is his foe And a most dangerous deceit this is hurtfull to himselfe and odious to God hurtfull to himselfe because it will make him secure and to content himselfe with his present estate and neuer seeke to better it yea it will cause him to contemne the word which should make him better and to thinke that he is already as good as the word can make him And therefore he will refuse to heare it often and when he heareth it is without profit he deceiueth himselfe in his owne imagination Cal. 6.3 seeming to himselfe that he is somewhat when he is nothing And therefore putteth off from him the curses of the law as not deserued by him but applyeth to himselfe the blessings of the Gospell as if they properly belonged vnto him I would we had none such deceiued rich meÌ„ in this our age Those that be such let them know that this fond conceit is odious to God for he threatneth that when a man heareth the curses of the law and blesseth himselfe in his heart saying Deut. 29.19.20 I shall haue peace although I walke according to the stubbornenes of mine owne heart thus adding drunkennes vnto thirst The Lord will not be mercifull vnto him but then the wrath of the Lord and his iealousie shall smoake against that man and euery curse that is written in his booke shall light vpon him and the Lord shall put out his name from vnder heauen Wherefore let all rich men take heede lest they be thus deceiued let them know that riches are common both to good and bad yea that the worst often haue them and the best often want them and therfore let not the hauing of them make them to presume any whit the more on Gods sauour or lesse feare his iudgments 2. Riches deceiue men in respect of the nature of them In making them to thinke that they be farre better then indeed they are That they are good in their owne nature that they make theÌ„ better that haue them That they yeeld the greatest blessings benefits comforts that man receiueth on the earth That those who enioy them are the happiest and those who want them are the most miserable in the world This is a notorious deceyt for they are not good in their owne nature but onely in the vse Not good to all but onely to the good who knowe how to vse them aright They are not Riches in trueth but in showe and doe as much differ from true riches as the shadowe differâ—th from the substance Happie men may want them miserable men may haue them Naball had them when Dauid wanted them The Rich Glutton that at at his death was sent to hell torments had them in abundance when as Lazarus who after death was carryed to Abrahams bosome did want them The Apostles had neither golde nor siluer and yet were happie They make fewe better but many worse and are occasions of much euill Neyther can they yeeld any great benefits to the owners 1. P. â—t 1.18 either for soules or bodies They cannot redeeme our soules wee were not bought with corruptible things as siluer and golde The whole world and all the wealth thereof were not a sufficient Ransome for one soule Math. 16.26 nor a full satisfaction to God for one sinne They rather hinder then further our saluation Can they exempt men from Gods iudgements Doe not Rich men feele them as well as poore Can they free our bodyes from diseases Are not Rich men subiect to diseases as well as poore men Can they preserue vs from death Doe not Rich men dye as well as poore All the benefits which you can reape by them are no better Luk. 16. no more then the Rich Glutton had who was costly cladde and daintily fedde Are not they then fondly deceiued who thinke so highly and make so great account of them Wherefore take heede least you be thus deceyued This deceyte is also a Thorne in the heart to choake the worde It will cause men to set theyr heartes on Riches to loue them and desire them and seeke them more then they ought It will make them to serue God and keepe his word no further then it serueth for their commoditie If the word command anything which they thinke will hinder their profite they will rather transgresse the word then forgoe their gaine Such men will not get and employ their wealth as the word doth direct but would haue the word and the teachers thereof to allowe them to get and employ their wealth as they list Take heede of this deceit If thou be delâ—â—ed in this sort euery trifling commedotie will hinder you in obedience to the word 3. Riches deceiue men in regard of their effects because they will not pâ—â—fâ—rme that which they seeme to promise and which their owners expoâ—ted at their hands They seeme to promise and men expect nothing but good from them and yet they bring much euill with them As thornes doe beâ—re greene leaues white flowers and â—â—â—cre blossomes yet vnder the same doe carry sharpe prickes that will â—â—â—ke a men to bleede if he doe not â—â—ndle them choysely and warily So riches doe promise to men great ease high honour many pleasures and much contentment and yet withall they bring great paine much trouble and little contentment They are not gotten without great labour nor kept without great care and feare nor lost without great sorrowe August de ciâ—â—t deâ— lib. 21. cap. 5. And so they are little better then the apples of Sodome which seeme to be faire and ripe and fit to be eaten but if one taste them they vanish into powder and smoake And that which is worse they will seeme to make a man more fit and yet in truth doe oftentimes make him more vnfit for Gods seruice They puffe vp his heart with pride they make him more secure and careles of heauenly things lesse to feare God and his iudgements and lesse to regard and obey his word And therefore the Lord not without iust cause gaue warning before hand to the people of Israel that when they were placed in Canaan Deut. 8.11 a land that flowed with milke and hony and had eaten and filled themselues with the fruites thereof they should beware that they forgat not the Lord their God not keeping his commandements and his ordinances And afterward he thus complaineth of them Ier. 22.21 I spake vnto thee when thou wast in prospertie but thou saâ—â—â—st I will not heare this hath
thinges which hee by the worde doeth forbid Vse This may teach vs to take heede of pleasures If our hearts be drawne away with them wee shall be barren soyle We professed and promised in our Baptisme to renounce the vaine pompe and glorie of the world and all carnall desires of the flesh shall we then by seeking following them choake the word in our hearts Although before our conuersion Tit. 3.3 we were as the Apostle speaketh of himselfe and others disobedient deceiued seruing the lusts and diuers pleasures yet now after our conuersion we must forgoe many pleasures that so we may yeeld better obedience to the word of God It was foretold by Paul that in the last daies shall come perilous times for men should be louers of pleasures more then louers of God 2. Tim. 2.4 I may say to you as Christ sayd of Isaiahs Prophecy Luk. 4.21 This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your cares now are come those perilous times Now doe many men loue their pleasures more then they loue God The loue of God is seene in keeping his Commaundements Those then that are more carefull take more paines and defray more charges to satisfie themselues in their pleâ—sures then to glorify God by the obedience of his word Are they not louers of pleasures more then louers of God And those that wilâ—ully breake Gods Commaundements that so they may enioy their pleasures as some by whoredome others by surfetting and drunkennesse others by scoffing and iesting others by lasciuious dancing riotous gaming wanton sports prophane pastimes on the Sabboth day Are they not louers of pleasure more then louers of God And if they loue their pleasures more then they loue God they may rather be counted prophane Epicures then godly Christians The greater their pleasures is now Reuel 18.7 the greater will their paine be hereafter Many of these are so addicted to their pleasures as they will not by any meanes be reclaymed wee finde it an harder matter to reforme them then to reforme other offenders The Phylosophers obserued that many fel from other Sects to the Epicures Eras apophth lib. 7. in Arcesil but not any from the Epicures to other Sectes When we speake against their pleasures wee but speake to the bellie which wanteth eares Surdo canimus they are like the deafe Adder that stoppeth her eare But if they will take no warning let them goe on and trie what will become of them in the end Eccles 11.10 Reioyce O young man in thy youth as Salomon speaketh and lâ—t thine heart cheere thee in the dayes of thy youth and walke in the wayes of thine heart and in the sight of thine owne eyes but knowe that for all these things GOD will bring thee to Iudgement Hee that is vniust Reuel 23.11 let him be vniust still and he which is filthie let him bee filthie still yet shall they find that Christ will come shortly and his reward is with him to giue to euery one according to his worke And then those which with poore Lazariâ— endure paine shall bee comforted but those which with the rich glutton enioyed their pleasures shall be tormented Quest What will you abridge vs of all pleasures must we become Stoickes may we not take pleasure sometime for our refreshing Answ We will neyther with Stoickes condemne all pleasures nor with Epicures commend all pleasures Onely we teach you what pleasures are to be auoyded and how other pleasures are to bee moderated least they hinder you in grace and in your dutie to your good God Wee acknowledge that GOD hath giuen vs his blessings and graunted vs the vse of his creatures not onely for necessitie but likewise for delight and pleasure Adam enioyed pleasure before his fall Paradise where hee was placed was called the Garden of Eden that is The Garden of pleasure The Lord hath proomised delights and pleasures as a reward and blessing to his people that obey his voyce The Lord saith the Prophet shall comfort Zion Isai 51.3 he shall comfort all her desolations he shall make her desart like Eden and her wildernes like the garden of the Lord ioy and gladnes shall be found therein praise and the voyce of singing And God giueth not onely bread to strengthen mans hart Psal â—04 15 but also wine to make his heart glad and oyle to make his face shine But take heede how you vse them The abuse of them dishonoureth God and hindereth the saluation of many mens soules If you will knowe how to vse them aright obserue these foure rules 1. Regard the matter of them that it be not a thing forbidden by God for euery sinfull pleasure shall be punished with a sorrowfull paine voluptas trâ—â—sit peccatum remanet Auâ—ustin The pleasure passeth away the sinne remaineth and the punishment shall follow he that taketh pleasure in any acte of sinne is like to goats and flies that play with a candle that burneth them As Dalilah spake faire to Sampson and much delighted him for a time but at last betrayed him and deliuered him into the hands of his enemies and was the cause of his destruction So these sinfull pleasures may delight men for a season yet in the end they will betray them and procure their euerlasting condemnation There be but two ends of these pleasures either repentance or punishment Those that doe not seriously repent shall be seuerely punished 2. Obserue a due measure in them Though the things wherein thou takest delight be lawfull yet moderate thy selfe in the vse of them thou maist tast of them but not surfet hony is sweete and wholesome but hee that eateth much may surfet of it and annoy his body So pleasures are necessarie to satisfie the infirmitie of our fraile nature and to make vs more chearefull in Gods seruice yet superfluitie is dangerous to the soule and will breede securitie and contempt of spirituall things in the heart Doe not turne Christian libertie into licentious Epicurisme As he that will haue an healthfull body must vse sobrietie in his diet so hee that will haue a sound soule must vse temperance in his pleasures 3. See that the time be fitting pleasures must not be perpetuall nor continuall It is noted as a fault in the rich man Luk. 16.9 that he was cloathed in purple and fine linnen and fared delicately euery day Now and then had bene enough There is a time for all things Eâ—â—â—s 34. said the wise man A time to weepe and a time to laugh And so there is a time when we may take our pleasures and a time when wee must abstaine from them The Lord reproued the Iewes that when he called them vnto weeping and mourning to baldnes and girding with sack cloath Isai 22.12.13 Then there was ioy and gladnes slaying oxen and killing sheepe eating flesh and drinking wine And therefore if God doe visite the land with any publike calamitie of pestilence famine or
thinking that within that space he may need it No more do you reiect any doctrine which serues not for your present purpose keepe it stil in your hearts the time may come when it may much comfort your hearts much edifie your soules and bee a good direction for your liues We haue in these dayes few such hearers Many mens hearts are like a broken pitcher that will hold no water Or like to Siues which hold water no longer then they are kept in the water There be some who are desirous to heare much and yet they keep little they forget as fast as they learne As it is better to eate lesse meate and keepe it in the stomacke and digest it then to eate much and presently to cast it vp againe So is it better to heare lesse and keepe it well then to heart much and presently forget it No more shall profit vs thâ—n that we keepe Quest What must wee doe that we may be able to keepe it Answ 1. Emptie your hearts of euil thoughts and wicked imaginations worldlie cares and carnall lustes and if they be once expelled keepe them still out for as you often heard they wil choake the word Isaack and Isâ—mael could not dwell together in one house The Aâ—ke of God and Dagon could not stand together in one Temple No more can the word and these lustes be kept together in one heart therefore keepe them out that it may be kept in Countrey Farmers hedge and ditch and make good fence round about their sowne fieldes lest beastes should breake in destroy the corne So must thou gard defend thy heart lest these vngodly lusts break in and destroy the seede of the word 2. Meditate often of that which thou hast heard that is also a good meanes to keepe it it wil imprint it more deeplie in thy heart and cause it to worke more effectually vpon thy affections In this respect he is reputed a blessed man that doth meditate in the Law of God day night Psal 1.2 Beastes after they haue eaten their meat will chew the cudde fetch it vp againe out of their belly and chew it ouer anew Lâ—uâ—t 11.2 Such were cleane vnder the Lawe fittest for meate vnto man and for sacrifice vnto GOD. The best learned in olde and late times haue thought that holy meditation is signified thereby You must then after you haue heard call the doctrine to minde againe meditate of it so it will best nourish your soules and make you most fit for the Lords seruice He that neglecteth this cannot long keepe the word 3. Vse holy and Christian conference with others touching that which you haue heard This was commaunded vnder the Law Deut. 6.6.7 The Lord enioyned the Iewes that the wordes which he commaunded them should bee in their hearts yet not that onely but they must rehearse them continually to their children Deut. 11.16 Yea euery one must talke of them when he taried in his house when he walked by the way when he did lie downe and when hee rose vp It was practised and approued vnder the Gospell The two Disciples that trauelled to Emâ—us Luk. 24.14.15.17.27 conferred together touching Christ Christ liked their conference so well as hee vouchsafed them his presence made a third person in the conference and opened to them the Scriptures which foretold his death and resurrection and made their heartes to burne within them while hee talked with them and did manifest himselfe to them to confirme their faith in the truth of his resurrection So graciously did he approue and blesse that holy exercise In conference we may helpe others and others may helpe vs one bringing that to the others memorie which hee had forgotten So also wee may helpe our selues for that which is then repeated is more surely imprinted in the memorie and is not afterwards so easilie forgotten 4. After thou hast heard pray earnestly vnto God that hee will imprint his word in thy heart Ier. 31.33 He promised by his Prophet that in the new couenant of grace he would put his Lawe in the inward parts of his people and write it in their hearts Heb. 8.10 The Lawes of the former couenant hee wrote in Tables of stone but the Lawes of the latter couenant hee will write in the fleshlie tables of mens hearts If he write them in your heartes by the finger of his holy spirit they shall neuer be rased or blotted out Wherefore pray earnestlie vnto him that hee would write them and so shall you be able to keepe them for euer Wherefore be carefull to vse these meanes What is the cause why people heare much and keepe little but are like to bottomlesse barrels which let water runne out as fast as it is powred in That of all the Sermons which they haue heard in their whole life time they haue scarce the abridgement of one left in their heartes or heades for their direction and consolation But euen because they haue neglected these meanes Vse them hereafter and you shall finde how well they will make you able to keepe that which you heare And bring forth fruite The third and last propertie in these hearers is this They bring forth fruite And this is another speciall difference betwixt them and all the rest For the rest eyther bring forth no fruite at all as the first sorte or but for a time as the second or imperfect fruite and in some things onely as the third But these bring forth not for a while but continually not in some thinges onely but in all and that ripe and perfect fruite If good seede bee sowne in good ground it vsually bringeth forth fruite for the vse of them which owe it and sowe it So if some doctrine be preached and people heare it with good heartes it will bring forth fruit in their liues These fruites are brought forth not by profession but by practise and doe consift not so much in wordes as in deedes And therefore Paul prayed that the Philippians might be filled with the fruites of righteousnesse Phil. 1.11 And that the Colossians might please God in all things Colos 1.10 being fruitful in all good works And he saith of the Romanes Rom. 6.22 That they being freed from sinne and made seruants vnto God had their fruits in holinesse So that this fruite cannot be vnderstood of the reward which the Saints receiue in heauâ— but of the obedience which they performe on earth for that is a fruit which they receiue this is a fruite which they bring forth That they receiue from God this they yeeld vnto God that is a fruit of glory this is a fruit of grace See then the disposition of these good hearers They doe not onely heare the word with their cares and vnderstand it with their mindes and keep it in their hearts but they doe also practise it in their liues This is the chiefest end of all the rest Therefore doe
so meane and base in the iudgement of the world if they be performed in such a sort as the word directeth are most acceptable fruites such as God will approue and reward He that is a seruant and in his seruice is put to many base workes yet if he performe the common duties of all Christians and likewise performe the workes of his calling in such a manner as the word teacheth him the worke of his seruice are good fruits And therefore Paul bad seruants be obedient to their Maisters in singlenes of heart Ephes 6.5 as vnto Christ not with eye seruice as men pleasers but as the seruants of Christ doing the will of God from the heart As if by seruing their Maisters in a good sort they did serue Christ yea he lets them vnderstaÌ„d that God would reward that their seruice for whatsoeuer good thing any man doth that shall he receiue of the Lord Vers 8.2 Cor. 8.12 whether he be bond or free And elsewhere the Apostle teacheth that if there be first a willing minde it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not This bringeth forth of fruite is amplified 2. waies 1. by that maner 2. by the measure of it First by that maner of it for they are said to bring forth fruit with patience And herein may also be seen a differeÌ„ce betwixt these and one sort of the other hearers Those that be coÌ„pared to stony grouÌ„d in time of tentation fal away so fayle both in professioÌ„ practise and the reason is because they want patience to beare the crosses that doe follow the word But these at all seasons and in all estates continue constant both in their profession and practise because they be endued with patience to endure all troubles that doe befall them for the words sake After ground is sowne with corne it endures many violent stormes and intemperate seasons faire weather and fowle frost and snowe cold and raine in winter heate and drought in summer before it can beare fruit in haruest So those who heare and receiue the word for the saluation of their soules doe oftentimes endure great troubles and suffer much affliction before they can bring forth the fruits of it Yet if they be endued with patience they will be content to beare all Hence it is that the Apostle telleth the Hebrewes Hâ—â—â— 1â— 36 that they had neede of patience that after they had done the will of God they might receiue the promise As if by patience they might be made able in those bloodâ—â— daies of cruell persecution to doe the will of God and so to receiue the promises And through want of patience they should faile â—n the deede and not obtaine the promise And for this cause he exhorteth vs to runne with patience the race that is set before vs. Heb. 12.1 As if none could hold out to the end of the race but onely the patient And therefore in the midst of the greatest persecutions the patience and faith of the Saints is commended and admired As when it was said Reuel 13.10 Here is the patience and the faith of the Saints because by patience in bearing the crosse and by faith in beleeuing to receiue the crowne they were made constant Thus will patience arme a man against all crosses so that by it he shall be made able manifestly to encounter with them and safely to passe through them and not be hindered by any of them in the obedience of the word How soeuer in others crosses and tribulations doe breede fainting and relapse yet in these hearers Rom. 5.3 â— tribulation bringeth forth patience patience experience experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed What is the cause that one hearer to preuent foâ—â—e inconuenience which he feareth or to remoue some trouble that he feeleth will refuse to performe the dutie taught him And another will rather chuse to endure all crosses and losses all disgraces and dangers yea imprisonment and death then sinne against his God but because the one wanteth patience the other is endued with patience So necessarie is patience for our practise So greatly doth it further vs in our obedience This should be a motiue to perswade euery one of you to seeke for patience It is in vaine to heare Gods word with intent to obey it vnles by patience you possesse your owne soules for otherwise your owne crosse will stop your course to turne you out of the way that leadeth vnto life The more patience the more obedience the lesse patience the lesse obedience wee should loue religion so dearely as we must be content to suffer persecution for the profession and practise of it and rather lay down our liues for the maintenance of it then faile in the obedience of it The same minde ought to be in vs which was in the blessed Apostle Paul who knowing that bands and afflictioâ—s did abide in euery place yet passed not for them Act. 20.24 neither was his life deare vnto himselfe so that hee might fulfill his course with ioy Act. 21.13 And when he was told by Agabus the Prophet that he must be bound in Ierusalem did openly protest that he was readie not onely to be bound but also to die there for the name of the Lord Iesus Yet consider that you cannot endure the least of those things vnles you be endued with patience you know not what may befall you hereafter and therefore pray vnto God that he will grant you patience to beare that which shall come In time of publike peace and when the Gospell is defended by the authoritie of Magistrates men may endure some secret and priuate persecutiâ—â— by inferiour persons Especially in theâ—e popish parts where some hold of Christ some of Antichrist where papists grow headstrong through impunâ—tâ—e And where many are Protestants in shew but Papists in truth If they cannot persecute you by the sword they will persecute you by the tongue If not by fire and fagot as they were wont yet by priuate wrongs and spitefull displeasures Gen. 21.9 Yea the Church is no better now Gal. 4.29 then was Abrahams house in which the sonne of the bond woman by scoffes and mockes did persecute the sonne of the free woman Genes 4. Did not Caine and Abell sacrifice together yet Caine enioyed Abell because his sacrifice was better accepted and afterward flew him for it 2. Cor. 11. â—6 Was not Paul often in perills among false brethren And did you not heare out of Bernard how the Church complained that in her peace Pâ—xapagâ—â—â— pax 〈…〉 non 〈…〉 33. she had greatest bitternes Of a peaceable time he said Et pax est non est pax there is peace and there is not peace peace from Pagons peace from Heretikes yet not peace indeed from the sonnes Many friends were foes indeed We must therefore in all times looke to receiue some affliction for the