CHrist Iesus our blessed Sauiour, did no sooner begin to preach the Gospell, but had many hearers. With such authoritie did he teach, such excellent and profitable doctrine did he deliuer, such admirable miracles did he worke, to confirme his doctrine, and [Page 2] such great fame of him was spread a­broad, that all people were willing and desirous to heare his sermons: yea all manner of persons out of all coastes and quarters of the land, flocked vnto him in great multitudes. Wherevpon he not onely taking a view of their num­ber, but also duly considering their dis­position, how al of them came not with same intent and purpose, how all of them were not alike qualified for pro­fitable hearing, and how all of them, should not receiue the same benefit by hearing of him: he propounded a para­ble, of a sower of corne, to declare the diuersitie of hearers, who be vnprofita­ble, who be profitable hearers. Lest any should imagine, that by any kind of hearing, they might be saued, he lets them vnderstand, that there be bad hearers as well as good. And because many of them were husbandmen, who liued by tilling and sowing of land; and all of them were well acquainted with matters of that nature, for their better capacitie he fetched his similitude from husbandry.

This parable is first propounded, [Page 3] then expounded; propounded in the 5. 6. 7. 8. verses of this chapter: where­of I forbeare to speake, because the doctrines thereof, may be better con­sidered in the exposition.

It pleased Christ for the instruction of his disciples, and for the edification of his Church in future ages, to ex­pound this parable. And it is the first parable which wee find penned with his exposition. The occasion of the ex­position is set downe in the two verses immediately going before: namely a question moued by the Apostles, what should be the meaning of it. And a rea­son rendred by Christ why he would explane it to them, and not to others, because it was giuen to them to knowe the mysteries of the kingdome of God, but not to others.

Now in the verses following, is con­teyned the matter of the exposition, which is double: the former respects the seede: the later respects the ground: The seede saith Christ, is the word of God.

The ground was of foure kinds, and signifieth 4. sorts of hearers.

[Page 4] 1. The first kind of ground was the high way. What hearers are signifi­ed thereby, is declared here, vers. 12. and more may be supplied out of Math. 13. 19. touching whom we may obserue 2. things, 1. the manner of their hearing, 2. the issue and euent of their hearing: 1. the manner of their hearing is not here expressed, yet is mentioned, Math. 13. 19. they heare and vnderstand not.

2. The issue and euent of their hea­ring: which is set forth by the diuells practise and behauiour toward them. And that is described, 1. by the man­ner, 2. by the end of it, 1. by the man­ner of it; for he is said to come and take the word out of their hearts, 2. by the end, wherefore he doth so, which is double, he doth it to preuent 2. things which they might receiue by hearing, the one being subordinate to the other, the former being a meane of the later, and the later being a reward of the for­mer: the one is, least they should be­lieue: the later is, least they should be saued.

2. The second kind of ground was [Page 5] stony: who are ment thereby, is speci­fied, vers. 13. Another sort of vnprofita­ble hearers, who are described by 4. properties, whereof the two first, de­clare their present estate, and the two last, their future condition: 1. they re­ceiue the word with ioy: 2. they haue no rootes: 3. they belieue for a while: 4. In time of temptation they fall away.

3. The third kind of ground was thornie: which also representeth ano­ther sort of bad hearers; described vers. 14. by the causes, and by the effect or issue by the causes; for 3. things are named, which like thornes choake the seede of the word, 1. cares, 2. riches, 3. voluptuous liuing: by the effect, or issue that followeth thereupon, they bring forth no fruite.

4. The fourth and last kind of groūd, was good ground, in which the seede sprang vp and did beare fruit. That is a resemblance of good hearers, as appea­reth, vers. 15. And those are described by 3. properties: 1. by the manner of their hearing: they heare with an honest and good hart: 2. by their keeping of it af­ter they haue heard it: 3. by their fruit­fulnes. [Page 6] And that is amplified 2. waies, 1. by the maner of it, heare, with patience: 2. by the measure and varietie of it: some bring forth more, some lesse, in Math. 13. 23. Mar. 4. 20. some thirty, some six­tie, some an hundred fold.

1. To begin first with the first, and so to proceed in order to the rest, Christ sheweth what is ment by the seede, when he saith the seede is the word of God. By which tytle is plainely mani­fested the vertue, force and efficacie of Gods word. As seede is the beginning and cause of all the fruit afterward rea­ped, so is the word the beginning and cause of all goodnes in vs; euen of all grace in the heart, of all good words in the mouth, and of all obedience in the life. And as good seede if it be well sowne in a fertile soyle, will yeeld fruit, so the word being well taught to ca­pable and docible persons, wil produce some good fruit, for the glory of God, and for their comfort and saluation. The word is resembled to many things in regard of the power and vertue of it: As to an hammer that will bruse vs: to Ier. 23. 29. a fire, that will either purge or consume [Page 7] vs: to a light that will direct vs: to salt Psal. 119. 105. Mat. 5. 13. Ephes. 6. 17. 1. Pet. 1. 23. 1. Pet. 2. 2. Eccles. 12. [...]1. that will season vs: to a sword, that will defend vs: to seede that will beget vs: to foode that will nourish vs: to goades that will pricke vs forward: so also to seede that being sowne, wil yeeld plen­tie of fruit, because of it owne nature through Gods ordinance and blessing, it will prouoke people to obedience. If therefore you receiue it, and doe not beare fruit, the fault is in you, and not in it: you are but barren soyle, vnwor­thy of such seede. Moreouer, it is to be obserued, that Christ compareth the word to seede that is sowne: for in the propounding of the parable, he said the sower went out to sowe his seede: and now Vers. 5. he saith the seede is the word: meaning the seede sowne. Mathew saith, that the Math. 13. 19. Mar. 4. 14. diuell catcheth away the word sowne in the heart. And Marke saith, that the sower soweth the word. And therefore it must needs be vnderstood of the word prea­ched. The word of God as it is written in the scriptures, and conteyned in the bookes of the old and new testament, is good seede indeed: yet it is as seede in the barne vnthrashed, or as seede laid [Page 8] vp in the garner: but the word read and expounded, preached and applyed to Gods people, is as seede sowne in a field. And preachers be the sowers of it: for albeit Christ doth not expresly declare who be the sowers, yet that is apparant from other circumstances: for if the word be the seede sowne, then they who preach the word are the sow­ers. And if they who heare the word taught, be the ground in which the seede is sowne: then the persons who teach them, and whom they heare, are the sowers. So Christ by preaching the word, was a sower, yea the chiefest of all others: the ground was his, the seede was his, & he like a good husbandman, with his owne hands, did sowe his own seede in his owne field. So the Apostles Athanas. de sement. were likewise sowers. Christ was a sower to the Iewes onely, they also to the gentiles: he in the little field of Iu­dea, they in the large field of the whole world. Wherfore S. Paul said, If we haue 1. Cor. 9. 11. 1. Cor. 3. 9. sowne vnto you spirituall things, is it a great thing if we reape your carnall things? as al­so, we together are Gods labourers, ye are Gods husbandry. And so all those who [Page 9] preach the same word which they did, are sowers: for as the sower filleth his hand with seede, and casteth it abroad among the furrowes of the field, not setting it seede by seede, or choosing a peculiar place for euery seede, but lets it lye as it lighteth: So the preacher dis­perseth and dispenseth the word in a mixt people, not able to giue it successe, but as it pleaseth God to giue a bles­sing, and as the hearts of the hearers are prepared for it.

Hence then wee may learne the ne­cessitie of preaching, no sowing, no rea­ping. As you cannot in any field reape a crop of corne at haruest, vnles it were sowne with good seede at the seede time, no more can any fruits of grace, or any good works, bee found in the Church, or children of God, vnlesse the seede of the worde bee sowne among them. Indeed there may be sometimes good sowing, and little good fruit to be reaped. As the Lord did all that could Esai. 5. 4. Luk. 13. 7 bee done to his Vineyard, and yet it brought forth nothing but wild grapes: but if there be no sowing, it is impossi­ble to gather any fruit at all: Christ [Page 10] therefore sayd; Except the wheat corne Ioh. 12. 24. fall into the ground, it abideth alone. Our hearts are the ground, they must be sowne with the seede of Gods worde, otherwise they will bee altogether bar­ren, or else bring forth nothing but bri­ars and brambles, thornes and thistles. Experience may verifie this. Looke in­to those places and Parishes where the worde is neuer taught, or to those persons who will not heare, though they might; and you shall find nothing among them, but Atheisme, Popery, and prophanenesse. Yet in those places where it is taught and heard, wee may finde the frutes of holinesse and righte­ousnesse: If not among all, yet among many.

The consideration whereof should mooue the Ministers of the Gospell, to Use. 1. bee instant in season and out of season; as Paul exhorteth them: The lesse they preach, the lesse shall they profite the people. The more seede they cast into the furrowes of the peoples hearts, the greater plenty of fruit may they expect. We should follow Salomons aduise, who Eccle. 11. 6. sayth; In the morning sow thy seede, and in [Page 11] the euening let not thy hand rest: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, this or that, or whether both shall bee alike good. What shall wee answere to the Lord our Mai­ster, and owner of the fielde, if through our negligence in sowing, his fielde of the Church yeelde him not such store of fruit, as otherwise it might haue done?

And you people should likewise ap­ply Use. 2. this to your selues, and learne from hence to heare often. If you contemne the word, & will not suffer your hearts to bee sowne with the seede of it, you shall bring forth no good fruit, but re­maine as a barren Heath. Doe you not remember what the Apostle saith; That Heb. 6. 8. the ground which beareth thornes and bryars is reprooued, and is neere vnto cursing, whose ende is to bee burned. Fearefull is their case, who are such ground: yet no better can they bee who refuse to heare. As you are con­tent to haue your fieldes sowne yeere­ly, that so you may reape a croppe at Haruest: So must you bee content to haue your hearts cōtinually sowne with this heauenlie seede, that so you may [Page 12] be fruitfull in all grace and godlines, though your fields be sowne but once a yeare, yet must your hearts be sowne continually, because you should yeeld and beare fruit continually. As we are content to bestowe our paines in sow­ing this seede continually (though it be as toylesome a labour as you finde in your seede-time) so be ye willing and readie to receiue this seede into the furrowes of your hearts continu­ally, that so you may from time to time, abound in fruit, for Gods glory, and your owne comfort. But whose word is it, that is this spirituall seede? It is not the word of Angell or of man, but the word of God. This seede did Christ sowe, and none else. And therefore he Ioh. 7. 16. said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. As my Father hath taught me, so I speake. This seede did the Apostles sow, Ioh. 8. 28. & none else. For when Christ sent them abroad, he bad them teach all Nations Mat. 28. 20. to obserue all things, which he had com­manded them. All those thinges must be taught, yet nothing else. And lest they should forget what those things were, hee promised to send the Holy Ghost, [Page 13] who should bring all thinges to their remem­brance, Ioh. 13. 26. Ioh. 16. 13. which he had told them: who should lead them into all trueth: Because (as hee sayd) hee shall not speake of himselfe: but whatsoeuer he shall heare, that shall he speake. And so carefull were the Apostles to sow this seede onely, as they did confi­dently protest, that they receiued of the 1 Cor. 11. 23. Gal. [...]. 8. 9. Lord, that which they deliuered to their hea­rers. And if they, or an Angell from hea­uen, or any man, preach otherwise then they had receiued, let him be accursed. And no other seed must we sow, if we will make the people fruitfull. Christ and his Mi­nisters sow none but good seede in his field: If bad seede, as Tares or Cockle Mat. 13. 24. 25. be sowne, it is done by the enuious man, the Diuell and his instruments. As there be doctrines of God, so there bee doc­trines of Diuels: namely errors and he­resies: those be as tares among wheate, and doe greatly hinder the fruitfulnesse of the good seede. There be also doc­trines of men, as the inuentions of their owne heads, vnwritten verities, De­crees of Popes, Canons of Counsels, traditions of the Church, which wan­ting the warrant of Gods word, are but [Page 14] as chaffe to the wheate: and beeing taught in the Church, will yeeld no Ier. 23. 28 more fruit, then chaffe that is sowne in a field. Vnder the Lawe, God woulde not permit the Iewes to sow the same Leuit. 19. 19. field with mingled seede: And shall we thinke, that now vnder the Gospell, he will permitte vs to teach for doctrines See post­script. Sect. 3. mens traditions, to mingle trueth with error, and his diuine Oracles with hu­mane inuentions?

Wee therefore that bee sowers, must see that our seed be good. As the Hus­band-man Use. 1. against seed-time, will not onely prouide good seede, but will also winnow it, fanne it, and try it, that so he may neither sow chaffe, nor light corne, nor darnell; but pure graine, which is like to fructifie. So wee, be­fore wee come to the Pulpit, must try and examine our doctrine, that it bee sound; and that we deliuer nothing but that which will edifie the hearers. And because, Non omnis fert omnia tellus; Each grounde will not beare each kinde of graine. Wee must, like wise and care­full Husband-men, sow that seed which is fittest for our ground; and deliuer [Page 15] such doctrines, as are most fitting for the capacitie and present condition of the Auditorie: that will yeeld the best encrease.

And you Christian people, as you Use. 2. must take heede how you heare, so also take heede what you heare. It is the word of God, not the word of the Di­uell: It is the word of Christ, not the word of Antichrist, that must make you fruitfull. As you haue great care, that your ground be sowne with sound and cleane seede: so be carefull that your soules bee instructed with sound and wholsome doctrine. Beleeue not eue­rie 1. Ioh. 4. 1 spirit; but try the spirits whether they bee of God. Despise not Prophe­sying, 1. Thes. 5. 21. Act. 17. 11. but try all things, and hold that which is good. With the Noble-men of Berea, search the Scriptures daylie, whether those thinges bee so which are taught you: What you finde contrary thereto, that reiect as tares: what is not warranted thereby, blowe away as chaffe: what is pro­ued thereby, that receiue as good seede into the furrowes of your heartes. I know the Popish Semi­naries [Page 16] will not suffer you to trye their seede, you must trust them, and take it vpon theyr word; but we allowe and require you to trye ours.

If two men offer you Seede to sowe your ground, and the one bid you trye it, and view it well, the other tell you of it, but keeps it in his sacke, you must not viewe it: whether dealing would you like better? whether seede would you receiue? If theyr seede were good, if they taught Gods worde, they would not refuse tryall.

IN the former verse you haue heard the exposition of the seede: Now see the exposition of the ground, in this verse, and the rest. There were 4. sortes of grounds mentioned, CHRIST shew­eth that by them hee meant 4. sortes of hearers: some good, some bad.

Before wee come to speake of them seuerally and particularly, we may note one thing in generall frō them all. That [Page 17] as the same seed, sowne in diuers kinds of ground, doth not fructify in all alike: in some, it yeeldes little or no fruite at all; in some, both good and plentifull fruit. So the same doctrine taught to diuers people, doth not profit all alike. It may profit some nothing at all: others verie much. Though seed bee neuer so good, yet badnes of ground may spoyle it, and cause the sower to lose both la­bour and cost. Euen so, though the doctrine wee teach bee neuer so good and profitable, yet through the ill dis­position of the hearers, it may become vnfruitfull. This seede doth fructify, or not fructify; according to the qualitie & disposition of the ground into which it is cast. If the ground be bad, the seed perisheth; if the ground be good, it en­creaseth. And because some mens hearts be as a barren ground, and other mens harts be as a fertile soile: in some it yeel­deth no fruit at all, in some it yeeldeth great abundance. This difference may by seene in each mixt company and po­pulous congregation, to which wee preach. It was found among Christs hea­rers, it was founde among the Apostles [Page 18] hearers, and may also be found among ours. The consideration whereof, serues for the instruction both of Preachers & people: 1. Of Preachers, to comfort them, and to encourage them in their labours, when they see them vnprofita­ble vnto a great number. Christ spake this Parable, especially of him selfe and of his hearers: He taught the true word of God, & in the best maner that might be, yet did he not profite all his hearers; he had 4. sorts, whereof three were vn­profitable, one onely was profitable. The Disciple must not be better then his Master: if hee be no worse, let him be well content. It doeth not a little grieue the Ministers of the Gospell, to take great paines in teaching the truth, and that in a good manner, and yet see most of their hearers to receiue little or no profit at all; but still remaine, after many yeares teaching, as ignorant, as Non semi­nantis sed suscipient is cul [...]a. Chrys. in Mat. 13. hom. 45. Popish, and prophane, as they were at the first: Yet let them not be dismayed, it was Christs owne case; the fault is in the hearers not in the teachers. God wil reward thee for thy paineful preaching, though few doe profit by it. Let not [Page 13] their fault hinder vs in our dutie, but let vs instruct with meeknesse them that be 2. Tim. 2. 25. contrarie minded, prouing if any time God will giue them repentance: They who be vnprofitable hearers now, may proue profitable hereafter. Till the time of bearing fruit doe come, wee know not which will proue good ground, which will proue bad.

2. This also serueth for the instruction of hearers Seeing that these 3. kinds of bad grounds do paint out 3. sorts of bad hearers, who neuer receiue profite to their soules by the word which they heare: You must know, that you may be receiuers of this heauenly seede: You may be hearers of Gods most holy word, and yet be neuer the better for it, neuer come to heauen by it. Three parts of Christs hearers were bad, as ap­peareth by this Parable: And he telleth vs that many shall say; Wee haue eaten Luk. 13. 26. and drunke in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streetes: but he shall say. I know you not, depart from mee all yee workers of iniquitie. And the Apostle saith: We are 2. Cor. 2. 16. to some, the sauour of death vnto death: and vnto others, the sweete sauour of life vnto life. [Page 20] Euery kinde of hearing will not saue your soules. It must be good and pro­fitable hearing, with good hearts, to vn­derstand, beleeue, and obey what you heare: Yea, not onely they, who wil­fully refuse to heare, but likewise they, who heare vnprofitably, stall bee dam­ned. And therefore as Christ after­ward exhorteth you in this Chapter; Take heede how you heare. As many seeke Verse. 18. and find not, because they seeke amisse: Many runne, and obtaine not, because they runne amisse: Many aske, and re­ceiue not, because they aske amisse: So many doe heare, and profite not, be­cause they heare amisse.

Some imagine, that if they be no Re­cusants, if they be no prophane contem­ners of the Word and Sacraments; but repayre to the Church euery Sabboth day, & heare diuine Seruice & Sermons orderly, as by Law they are enioyned, they are good Christians, & sure to bee saued: But let thē know, that they may do all these things, & yet not be saued: They may offend in the manner of their hearing, and then their case will be no better then if they heard not at all.

[Page 21] The Diuell is very subtill, and this is one of his subtilties, whereby he decei­ueth many people to their perdition: First, he labours by all meanes, if it be possible, to keepe them from hearing, because he knows it is Gods ordinance, and is afrayde least it bee powerfull in them: But if hee cannot keepe them backe from hearing, he deceiueth them with this conceit; that any kind of for­mall hearing will serue their turne. But do not herein beleeue the father of lies: beleeue Christ, who is the way, the life, and the trueth: He tels you, that there be 3. sorts of hearers which shall not be saued; onely one sort among 4. shalbe saued. And therefore examine your selues what kinde of hearers you bee: and doe not cortent your selues with that hearing that shall not edifie your soules.

Now let vs come to the seuerall kinds in particular: And first, let vs see who are they which receiue the seede on the high-way. Some hearers are compared to such ground. You know that if Land lye by the high-way side, or an high-way lye through the mid­dest [Page 22] of a plowed field, some seede in the sowing wil fall on the high-way, and so be lost. Therevnto are some hearers compared, and that very fitly: For first, as the high-way is not kept seuerall and priuate, but lyeth open and common to all trauellers and passengers; so these mens hearts are not enclosed and kept seuerall for heauenly things, but lye o­pen to all tentations and suggestions of the Diuell, to all inticements of the world, and to all idle thoughts & vaine imaginations, and that in the time of hearing. Againe, as the high-way is so troden and trampled by the feet of pas­sengers, that it cannot couer the seede, or if it shoulde couer the seede, yet the trampling will so harden the soyle, as the seede can neuer sproute: So these mens hearts are so hardened by wande­ring thoughts, both in, and immediate­lie after hearing, as the word cannot en­ter, or at least, cannot take any rooting in their hearts. And as corne sowne in the high-way, will neuer yeelde croppe like other ground, so these hearers will neuer yeelde such fruit of the worde as Mat. 13. 19. others doe. But who are these? Mathew [Page 23] sets downe one propertie of them, and Luke another. Mathew saith; They are such as heare, and vnderstand not.

There be 2. sorts of hearers who vn­derstād not the word. 1 Some through naturall infirmitie, & through defect of capacity, conceipt, vnderstāding, & me­morie. If these naturall faculties be not perfit, they cannot possibly vnderstand the word which they heare: but of these Christ doth not heare speake: this is ra­ther an infirmitie then a fault, rather a punishment of sin, then sin it selfe. God may beare with their weaknes; especi­ally if their mind and vnderstanding be as weak in apprehending worldly mat­ters, as it is in diume: If they vnder­stand the fundamentall grounds of Re­ligion: If they mislike this their infirmi­tie, & desire to haue it redressed: If they haue a care, according to their small ca­pacity, to encrease in knowledge: And if they frame their liues according to the measure of knowledge which they haue receiued.

2. Some vnderstand not the word, through negligence, carelesnes & con­tempt: who heare the word, but heed [Page 24] it not, regard it not, marke it not, care not much for it, let it passe as it cōmeth, and are thinking of some other matter, while they should attend to it; who are so farre from laying it deepe in their See Beza. annot. ma­ior in Mat 13. 19. hearts, as they will not suffer it long to continue in their heads.

Of these persons doth Christ heere speake: for he noteth it as a great fault in them, and opposeth them to those, who receiue the word with ioy. And fitly are they resembled to the high way, as before was declared. This kind of hearers is not wanting in these daies; who marke, and vnderstand little or nothing of that we speake, though wee speake neuer so plainely. If they heare a long discourse of worldly matters, they giue attentiue eares, can carry it away, & repeat it to others: but let them heare a poynt of necessarie doctrine, on an ar­ticle of their faith discussed, they con­ceiue little, and afterwards can rehearse nothing at all: So that in them is fulfil­led that Prophecie of Esay, applyed by Christ to the obstinate Iewes: By hea­ring, Mat. 13. 14. they heare & vnderstand note by seing, they see, & perceiue not. Let them [Page 25] know, that their hearing shall not pro­fit them, vnles they vnderstand. Indeed there be some, who vnderstand what they heare, & yet shall reape no benefit by it: yet is there not any, who shal haue any cōmodity by that which he heares and vnderstands not. Wherefore we must say to them, as Christ said to the multitude: heare and vnderstand: you Math. 15. 10. loose your labour in hearing if you vn­derstand not. The Eunuch thought it impossible for him to vnderstand the scripture he reade, without a guide: yet Act. 8. 31. thereby implyed, that if he had a guide, he could vnderstand. Our people haue such guides, and yet many of them vn­derstand little. If one aske them the meaning of a text, which they heard lately and learnedly, pithily and plainly expounded, they cannot tell the sense of it. If one aske their opinion touch­ing a point of doctrine lately taught them, they are not able to speake any thing of it: which declareth that they vnderstood it not: and so they proue themselues to be no good hearers.

Some say they are not learned, they are of a dull capacitie, yet they haue [Page 26] a good meaning, and as good an heart, as those who vnderstand most: they hope God will beare with them, and accept of their good meaning, when as they should rather accuse themselues of negligence. If they did duly prepare themselues, and carefully attend, they might vnderstād much more then they do. But let them first know, that though they be not learned, and cannot reade, yet ought they, and may be able, to vn­derstand, for God hath furnished prea­chers with learning, and appoynted them so to explane the word, that the simple may vnderstand it. Euen as Ezra and the Leuites, reade the booke of the lawe Neh: 8. 8. distinctly, and gaue the sense, and caused the people to vnderstand it. Though thou be not able to vnderstand the word of thy selfe, yet may [...]st thou be made able by them: yea and shalt be made able to vn­derstand the most necessatie points of saluation, before thou canst be made fit for heauen: yea many of the most neces­sarie points are so easie of themselues, that thou may vnderstand them at the first hearing, if thou wilt carefully marke them.

[Page 27] The entrance into Gods word shew­eth Psal. 1 [...]. 13. light, and giueth vnderstanding to the simple. And therefore if thou vnderstand not, thou should rather blame thy selfe for want of attention, then for want of capacitie or learning. Againe, know this, that God will neuer accept of thy good meaning, nor of thy good heart, vnles thou d oin some competent mea­sure vnderstand his word; for it is the word rightly vnderstood, that must di­rect thy good meaning, and correct thy heart: thou maist thinke thy meaning is good, and thy heart good, when both be naught: as indeed they are, if thou vnderstand not the word aright. And how should God accept of thy good meaning, voyd of vnderstanding? It is but the sacrifice of fooles: blindnes was a blemish, which made beastes vnfit for sacrifice. And doest thou thinke God will accept thy blind deuotion? deceiue not thy owne soule herein, but seeke for vnderstanding. There be some that be desirous to vnderstand what they heare, and it may be, would gladly knowe how they may be able: I would aduise them to doe these 6. things.

[Page 28] 1. Let them prepare themselues be­fore they come to heare. As we must prepare our selues before we pray, if we will not pray vainely, and as we must prepare our selues before we come to the Sacrament, if we will not receiue it vnworthily, so must wee prepare our selues before we heare, if we will not heare vnprofitably. The husbandman prepares his ground by plowing it be­fore he sowe it. If thou goe rashly to heare without preparation, thou shalt yeeld no more fruit then a field that is sowne before it be plowed. Thou maist prepare thy selfe by considering before hand, that the word which thou goest to heare, is not the word of a mortall man, but the word of the euerliuing God: that not man onely speakes vnto thee, but that God speaketh vnto thee, in and by the man. That the word is the power of God to saluation, that one day thou must giue account to God for thy hearing. If thou doest seriously con­sider these things before hand, they will prepare thee, to heare with more reuerence and vnderstanding. Againe, prepare thy selfe by vnfained humilia­tion [Page 29] for thy former sinnes; least God for the punishment of them, should blind thy vnderstanding when thou hearest. Likewise prepare thy selfe, by renewing thy faith, in the truth of Gods word, and of his promises, know­ing that the word, will not profit the Heb. 4. 2. hearers, vnles it be mixed with faith.

2. Pray earnestly vnto the Lord, that he would enlighten thy minde by his holy spirit, for the naturall man per­ceiueth 1. Cor. 2. 14. 1. Ioh. 2. 27. not the things of God, neither can he knowe them, because they are spiritually dis­cerned. It is that oyntment, which teach­eth vs all things. Dauid prayed often for illumination. Open mine eyes that I Psal. 119. 18 33. Col. 1. 9. 2. Tim. 2. 7. may see the wonders of thy lawe. Teach me ô Lord, the way of thy statutes, and I will keepe it vnto the end. Paul prayed for it, to be bestowed on others. As for the Colossians, that they might be fulfilled with all knowledge, in wisedome and spirituall vnderstanding. And for Timo­thie, to whom he thus wrote, Consider what I say, and the Lord giue thee vnder­standing in all things. Much more should we pray to obtaine it for our selues. It is the Lords gift, beg it of him by pray­er, [Page 30] the more dull os capacitie you are by nature, the more earnestly and the oftner should you pray to God, that by grace he may make a supply of that, which you want by nature. This is one reason why many heare and heede not, and vnderstand not, euen because they will not pray before they heare. Iames saith, If any man lacke wisedome, let Iam. 1. 5. him aske of God, and it shall be giuen him. So if you want vnderstāding, aske it of God, and it shall be giuen you.

3. Exercise your selues daily, in rea­ding the word, in meditating of it, in conferring and talking of it. Dauid said, I haue had more vnderstanding then all Psal. 119. 99. my teachers, for thy testimonies are my meditation. The Apostle said, that men of age, to whom strong meate belon­geth, through long custome haue their wits Heb. 5. 14. exercised, to discerne both good and euill. If you will often reade the scriptures, or heare others reade them, you shall be better able to vnderstand thē when you beare them expounded, & better carry away the doctrine drawne from them.

4. Attend diligently to that which is deliuered, marke and consider it, thinke [Page 31] then on that onely, and nothing else. Euen as the people gaue heede vnto those Act. 3. 6. Act. 16. 14. things which Phillip spake. And as Lidia, whē God had opened his hart, attended vnto the things which Paul spake. This is wanting in many, and therefore they vnderstād not: for no attention, no vn­derstanding. Paul long agoe forbad 1. Tim. 1. 4. Tit. 1. 14. men to giue heede to fables, yet is it now practised by diuers. If a man tell a winter tale, a fayned fable, or a merry iest, many listen very attentiuely vnto him, marke it well, and will talke of it afterward: but when the preacher spea­keth of heauenly matters, which tend to the saluation of mens soules, he is heeded by a few: which persōs are like the Athenians, who regarded not De­mosthenes Plutarch in De­mosth: when he spake of matters for the welfare of their citie: but listened well vnto him, when he told thē a tale of a contention about an asses shadow, betwixt the owner and hyrer of the asse. You must know, that you cannot vnderstand, vnles you doe carefully at­tend, and expell all other by-thoughts out of your mindes. And that you Luke. 4. 20. may the better attend, you must as [Page 32] Christs hearers did, fixe and fasten your eyes on the preacher: lest gazing on other things, your eyes withdraw your minde from the doctrine deliuered. And if your bodies growe drowsie and sleepie, sit not long, but stand on your feete. Euen as that worthy and Christi­an Emperour Constantine the great, vsed Suseb. de vit a con­stant. lib. 4. Cap. 33. to do, who for reuerence to the word, and for his better attention, could not be perswaded to sit downe, but would most commonly stand at sermons.

5. When you vnderstand not a point, aske them which be learned and do vn­derstand it: This was the vsuall practise of the Apostles, when they vnderstood Math. 15. 15. not the meaning of this parable, they asked Christ and he told them: when they vnderstood not his doctrine, of the things which defile a man, they as­ked him, and he made them to vnder­stand it. Be not you therefore ashamed to aske, you shall find many readie to resolue you: if you will aske, what you cannot vnderstand of your selues, and at the first bearing, you may afterward vnderstand by asking of them.

6. Lastly, be careful to practise, what [Page 33] you doe alreadie knowe and vnder­stand; then shall you be able to vnder­stād more afterward: for as Dauid saith, The feare of the Lord is the beginning of wisedome, all they that obserue them, haue Psal. 111. 10. Ioh. 7. 17. good vnderstanding. And Christ said, If any man doe the will of my father, he shall knowe of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speake of my selfe. Obedience is the key of knowledge. If men sinne against their own knowledge and con­science, the Lord in iudgement blin­deth their mindes, and hardeneth their hearts, that they shall vnderstand lesse afterward, and lesse regard what they heare. So contrariwise, he in his mercy will reward former obedience, with future illumination. The seruant who hid his talent, lost it, but he who em­ployed his talents, had them multi­plyed.

Whosoeuer will obserue these rules shall hereafter vnderstand, and pro­fite more by one sermon, then hee hath done by many sermons in times past.

The second propertie in the first kind of hearers, is set forth by the issue [Page 34] and euent that falles out at his hearing: The diuell comes and takes the word from him. The former propertie came from himselfe, this from the diuell.

In this behauiour of the diuell, to­ward these hearers, wee may note 2. things. 1. his presence: 2. his practise.

1. His presence, in that he is said to come, he commeth to the persons that doe heare, and to the places where they heare. Though here it be translated (afterward) commeth the diuell: yet it might be translated, then commeth the diuell. Marke saith, that Sathan com­meth Mar. 4. 15. immediately, to wit, as soone as they haue heard, and before they goe away from the place, as well as after­ward. Euen as fowles come to the field that is sowne, so will the diuell come to the persons that heare, and to the places where they heare. This is to be considered, because it is not simply said, the diuell taketh the word: but all three Euangelists adde this, he com­meth. And this not onely teacheth vs, Tellet. in Luk. 8. annot. 26. as some haue obserued, that the diuell is out of vs, is not alwaies present; is sometime neere, sometime a farre off: [Page 35] sometime tempteth, sometime temp­teth not. But likewise that he neither feareth the persons that heare Gods word, nor the place where they heare it. He came to Adam and Eue while Iob. 1. 6. they were in Paradise, he came and stood before the Lord, among the chil­dren of God: that is, the holy Angells. He approached neere to Christs most Math. 4. 5. 8. holy body, and carried it from one place to another. We must not there­fore thinke it strange, that he dare come among them, that meete together for the hearing of Gods word, and into Churches which be consecrated and dedicated for the worship of the Lord. Papists imagine that the ringing of consecrated bells, will driue him away: And that permanent crosses of mettall and wood, and transient crosses made on the forhead with their fingers, will put him to flight. Let them shew why he should be more afraid of these, then of Christs body? haue they more holi­nes, or more vertue in them, thē Christs body had?

Seeing the diuell comes to hearers, let vs before we heare, and afterward [Page 36] we haue heard, arme our selues against him.

2. The diuels practise, he taketh the word out of their hearts: The heart is not here taken strictly and properly, but generally, for the minde and affections: yet cannot the diuell immediately, di­rectly, & by himselfe, worke vpon the soule or heart of man, that belongeth onely vnto God, who alone is the sear­cher of the heart. The diuell worketh immediately, indirectly, & by meanes euen by externall obiects, outward senses, and corporall phantasies; he ta­keth the word out of the hart, by inter­rupting the phantasie, and making it vnfit to conuey any thing to the vnder­standing or to the heart: and by con­ueying other thoughts into the heart, and turning the minde another way, so as it shall no longer affect the word, nor thinke of it any more. Neither can he take it by violence, without their li­king, that heard it: but with their con­sent, he taketh it onely from them who were careles hearers, who neuer suffe­red it to sinke deepe into their hearts; but being like to the high way side, did [Page 37] not couer it with the moyst mouldes of holy affections: yea he taketh it from those who neuer had any great loue vn­to it, and therefore might easily be per­swaded to let him take it.

In regard of this his practise, Christ in the propounding of the parable, compared him to the fowles of the ayre, because as they will follow the sower, and will picke vp that, which lyes by the high way side, or any other place vncouered: so the diuell haun­teth the assemblies, where the word is preached, that he may take from the hearers, that which hath bene taught. Yea, in this respect the diuell is farre worse then any fowles; They eate the seede of necessitie, because they want other foode to nourish them: but he of malice, he needeth it not, it doth no good to him. And therefore he taketh it away, not to doe himselfe any good thereby, but to doe them harme, from whom he taketh it. Againe, the birds are soone satisfied, and that with a litle; if they haue once eaten their fill, they flye away, and leaue the rest, though it lye vncouered; but the diuell is neuer [Page 38] satisfied till he haue picked vp euery graine that is not couered in thr bot­tome of the heart. Birds are easily kept away, or driuen away, but it is an hard matter either to keepe the diuell away, or driue him away from those that heare carelesly: till they alter the man­ner of their hearing, he will not be kept from them.

See then what an enemie the diuell is, to hinder the efficacie of Gods word in mans heart.

As the preacher laboureth to cast the word into the heart, so be to take it out. He thrusteth many euill things into the heart, he put treason into the heart of Iudas, to betray Christ: he fil­led the heart of Ananias, to lye vnto Ioh. 13. 2. Act. 5. 3. the holy Ghost. So also doth he keepe all manner of good from the heart, by the one he would make vs bad; by the other, he would hinder vs from being good.

Except it be in praying, hee doth not trouble a man so much in any bu­sines, as in hearing of Gods word, be­cause he is afraide lest man should be conuerted and saued thereby.

[Page 39] This his practise is euidently seene in many. It appeareth by the euent, that he taketh the word from many of our hearers, for when the people haue heard the preacher speake a whole houre together, and deliuer many profitable points of doctrine, and that very plainely, yet few can repeate any thing at all: many will say they like him well, he is a good man, and made a very good sermon, yet cannot tell one word that he spake. What is the reason hereof? the diuell hath taken it out of their hearts and heads.

Report to them an humane histo­rie, tell them some strange newes, or a tale for their worldly profit, or corporall health, they will keepe it well enough, and at any time, and in any company will relate it very readily: but teach them a mysterie of saluation, instruct them in a du­tie to God or man, they forget it as soone as they haue heard it: What is the cause hereof but this? the diuell knowes that the one will neuer profit their soules, nor further their salua­tion, and therefore he will not take it [Page 40] from them: he is afraid lest the other should profit their soules, and further their saluation, and therefore he labours to depriue them of it.

If a man put coyne in a chest, and wares in a chamber, and within a while come and finde none there, he will say, a thiefe hath bene there. So if people heare much, and keepe little or no­thing, it is certaine the diuell hath bene there, to steale it out of their he [...]ts.

This should teach euery one of vs that be hearers, to looke well to our selues, and carefully to keepe that which we haue heard. The diuell will doe what he can to depriue vs of it. If he cannot keepe thee from hearing, he will (if he can) rob thee of that which thou hast heard. If thou be carelesse in keeping, he will be sure to take all from thee. You knowe, that if a man haue some speciall goods, and looke negli­gently vnto them, and care not much whether he keepe them or loose them, and a cunning thiefe be very desirous of them, he is like within a while to get them.

[Page 41] Wherefore, as Abraham droue away the Gen. 15. 11. Fowles that troubled him, when he was sacrifising; so driue yee away the Di­uell, who troubleth you whē you heare. Euen as you chase away the birds that would eate vp the corne sowne in your fields: And as by harrowing of your sowne fieldes, you couer the seed with earth, that so the Fowles may not de­uoure it, and that it may better fructify: So couer the seede of the worde in the furrowes of thy affections, and let it enter deepe into thy heart, and so shall it both be safe from the Diuell, and fit to yeeld fruit in thy life.

This practise of the Diuel is amplified by the ends of it, which are two, the one subordinate to the other. The for­mer is, least they shoulde beleeue. Whence we may obserue two things; one in respect of the word; and another in respect of the Diuell.

1. In respect of the word: namely, that the hearing and receiuing of the word, is a speciall meane to bring men to faith: for the Diuell doth therefore hinder men in hearing, least by hearing they should beleeue. Saint Paul sayth, [Page 42] That faith is by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. How can they beleeue in Rom. 10. 17. him, of whom they haue not heard? and and how can they heare without a Prea­cher? And those for whom Christ pray­ed, must beleeue in him, through the Ioh. 17. 20. Act. 8. 37. Apostles word. Was not the Eunuch brought to faith by Philips teaching? Did not Cornelius beleeue by Peters preaching? Did not the Iaylor beleeue Act. 10. Act. 16. 31. Non om­ [...]ium est fi­des, qui au­diunt ver­bum, sed quibus Deus par­titur men­suram si­dei. August. epist. 105. by hearing of Paul? Though all doe not beleeue, who doe heare, because some heare amisse: yet is hearing Gods ordinance to beget faith. Those then that desire faith, must heare and receiue the worde. Those that may heare and will not, cannot beleeue. Wofull is their case who heare not at all: for whence can they haue faith, if they heare not? Feareful is their case who hear seldome: they haue no faith, or a weake faith. But happie are they who heare often and well; they beleeue, and shall be saued.

2. Another thing is to be obserued in respect of the Diuell; namely, what an enemie he is vnto faith: for he takes a­way the word, as it is entring into mens hearts, lest they should beleeue. This is [Page 43] the very cause why he is so busy in hin­dering the worde; because hee would keepe men from faith. And no maruell though he be a deadly enemie vnto faith: he knowes that the word will not Heb. 4. 2. profite the hearers, vnlesse it be mixed with faith. He knowes that by faith we Rom. 3, Act. 10. are iustified in Christ: that by faith we obtaine remission of sinnes, and e­uerlasting life. Very loath he is that we should enioy these blessings; and ther­fore will do what he can to hinder vs of faith, which is the hand whereby we re­ceiue them. He knowes, that without Heb. 11. 6 Rom. [...]14. 23. faith it is impossible to please God. And that whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne. Vnwilling he is that we should better please God then himself doth: but glad­ly would he make all our actions sinfull, like his. He knoweth that faith is the Ephes. 6. 1. Ioh. 5. 4 shield, whereby we quench all his fiery darts; & that it is the victory, whereby wee ouercome the world, one of his Champions. And therefore wil seeke to keep this weapon out of our hands, lest himselfe & his champion be foiled ther­with. We may now say with the Apostle, 2. Thes. 3. 2. All men haue not faith. And no maruell, [Page 44] seeing the Diuell is a spightfull foe a­gainst it, and will hinder as many from faith as possibly he can. At the end of the world (as Christ fore-told) the son of Luk. 18. 8 man shall scarce find faith on the earth: Let it not seeme strange: for, as at all other times, so then especially will he keepe men backe from faith, his wrath shall then be great, because hee shall Reuel. 12. 12. know his time is short.

Doe not therefore imagine that it is an easie thing to get faith, and that thou canst beleeue when thou list; thou canst not haue faith, but in despight of the Diuell; so long as he can hinder thee by any meanes, thou shalt not beleeue. The Lord must enable thee to frustrate his attempts, and must bestow this gift on thee against his will; otherwise thou canst neuer receiue it.

But the more he labours to keepe vs from faith, the more earnestly should we labour to obteyne it▪ the more he hateth it, the better should we loue it: If it were not a most excellent grace, he would not hinder vs of it.

2. The other end why hee taketh a­way the word is this; Lest they should [Page 45] be saued: Where also two other like things may be considered: one in re­spect of the word and faith; another in respect of the Diuell.

1. In respect of faith and the word, that they will bring men to saluation: For, whereas Christ saith, the Diuell takes the word out of mens hearts, lest they should beleue & be saued: he ther­by insinuateth, that if the word enter into the heart, do there abide, & worke faith in it, the man shall be saued. And so he shall indeed: For the Gospell (as Paul saith) is the power of God vnto salua­tion Rom. 1. 16. 1. Cor. 1. 21. Ioh. 20. 31. to euery one that beleeueth: to the Iew first, and also to the Graecian. And it plea­sed God, by the foolishnes of preaching to saue them that beleeue. And therefore the E­vangelist saith; These things are writ­ten that yee might beleeue, and in be­leeuing haue life through his Name. The word bringeth vs to faith, and faith to life euerlasting. If we get the one, we cannot fayle of the other.

Oh what an heauenly comfort is this to a beleeuing soule! Cannot the Diuel by all his practises and pollicies, hinder the worde from working faith in thy [Page 46] heart? feare him not, he cannot possi­bly hinder thee of eternall saluation in heauen. Looke what assurance thou hast of thy present faith, the same assu­rance mayst thou haue of the future sal­uation of thy soule. If thou now be­leeue, thou shalt receiue the end of thy faith, which is the saluation of thy soule. But 1. Pet. 1. 9. if Sathan so take the worde from thee, that thou dost not beleeue, neuer looke for saluation in heauen. Onely he that beleeueth shall be saued.

2. In respect of the Diuell, hee is an vtter enemy to the saluation of mens soules; he taketh away the word, and hindereth them from faith, that so hee may preuent their saluation. This is the end of both the former.

The Diuell is enuious; vnwilling he is that any of vs should enioy that glory in heauen which he hath lost. As hee droue Adam and Eue out of the earth­ly Paradise; so doth he, what lyeth in him, to keepe vs from the heauenly Paradise. He goeth about like a roa­ring Lion, seeking whom he may de­uoure.

As the Ammonites, Moabites, Ama­lekites, [Page 47] and many other heathen people, would haue hindered the Israelites from entering into the land of Canaan: So the Diuel & all his Angels seeke to hin­der vs from the Kingdome of heauen. And as the Israelites subdued them, be­fore they could get possession: So must wee, through the mightie power of Christ, subdue the Diuell, before wee can enioy that most happy and glorious Kingdome.

Lastly, to conclude all the poynts touching these hearers: See what ex­cellent things they lose, who suffer the Diuell to take the worde out of their hearts: They loose saith, which is much more precious then gold; as Saint Peter saith. And hereafter they shall lose the saluation of their soules; 1. Pet. 1. 7. which is more worth then all the world. For as CHRIST sayeth; What aduantageth it a man to winne the Mat. 16. 26. whole world, and lose his owne soule?

You may thinke it little danger to suffer the Diuell to take the worde out of your heartes. And it may be some had rather haue it taken from them, then the least parte of their [Page 48] worldly riches: but know that it is a precious Iewell. If you keepe it, you retaine all grace and happinesse with it: If you leaue it, you lose all goodnes with it. Oh then when you haue heard it, make much of it, and keepe it safely, and be content rather to lose any thing, yea all things that you haue, then lose it. If you did truely know, and would duely consider the danger of this losse, you would be more carefull to keepe the word, and more afrayde of losing it. You, who haue Deedes of your Lands, and Leases of your houses, are very carefull to keepe them safely, you will keepe them vnder locke and key, and that in the safest place of your houses, because you hold your lands & liuings by them, and may lose your lands and liuings, if you lose them. As carefull should you be to keepe the word; you hold your inheritance by it: It is your euidence: If it be taken from you, you shall lose faith and Gods fauour in this world, and the happy possession of an e­uerlasting and glorious Kingdome in the world to come.

And they that are on the stones, are they [Page 49] which when they haue heard, receiue the word with ioy.

Now followeth the exposition of the second kind of ground; to wit, the roc­kie and stonie ground. Christ declareth who are meant thereby; euen another sort of vnprofitable heaters. And that he might the better lay open their na­ture and condition, and let all men see who they are, he describeth them at large, by 4. seuerall properties. 1. They heare, and receiue the worde with ioy. These hearers goe farther then the for­mer. The former sort heard the word, but vnderstood it not; if they vnder­stood the words, they vnderstood not the matter. But these are not blamed for that fault; they vnderstood it well: and therefore are sayde to receiue it: their receiuing of it, is made a distinct thing from their hearing. Again, the o­ther lost it as soone as they heard it: the Diuel soon took it from them; but these keepe it a great while, euen all the time of peace, they doe not renounce it, till they be presecuted for it. Moreouer, those did not affect it, the Diuell kept it from entring deepe into their hearts, [Page 50] he tooke it presently out of their hearts, lest it should worke vpon their affecti­ons: they were such as heard it for fa­shion sake, yet had no great liking or loue of it in their hearts. These do much affect it, it pierceth their hearts, it mo­ueth their affections, they reioyce in it.

Lastly, those did not so beleeue as these doe: either they did not beleeue it at all, or with an hystoricall faith one­ly, beleeue it to be true; but not making such profession of it, nor yeelding such outward obedience to it as these doe: as afterward shall be shewed.

The first propertie is, that they re­ceiue the worde with ioy. For the pre­sent time they reioyce in the doctrine of the Gospell, it cheareth their hearts, delighteth their soules, contenteth their mindes, mooueth their affections, and is to them the most ioyfull newes that euer they heard: and yet for all that they are but vnprofitable hearers. Such an hearer was King Herode: when Mar. 6. 20. Iohn Baptist preached, hee heard him gladly; not onely willingly, but also cheerefully and ioyfully: hee tooke delight and pleasure in hearing of him; [Page 51] and yet afterward was the author of his death. Such hearers were most of the Iewes: for Christ told them, That Ioh. 5. 38. Iohn was a burning and shining lampe, and that they would for a season haue reioyced in his light. They ioyed in his doctrine, yet but for a season. Hee preached but a while. Christ fore-saw, that if hee had liued and preached longer, they would haue forsaken him. Such hearers also were the Capernaites, who liked Christs Ioh. 6. doctrine so well, as that they followed him for a while; but afterward forsooke him. Such hearers had the Apostles: And such hearers haue we at this day.

These hearers are not like Pharoh, who Exod. 5. 2. said; Who is the Lord, that I stould hear his voyce? Nor like those impious per­sons, who say to God; Depart from vs, Iob. 21. 14. Act. 13. 45. for we desire not the knowledge of thy waies. Nor like the Iewes, who spake a­gainst those things which were taught by Paul, contradicting them, & rayling on them, & thrusting the Apostles from thē. They do willingly heare the word, they approue the doctrine of it, they loue it, & like it, and reioyce to heare it. They wil rather say to Preachers, as Cor­nelius Act. 10. 33. & his kinsmen said to Peter; We are [Page 52] all here present before God, to heare all thing that are commaunded thee of God.

And if these hearers reioyce in the word, they will not scorne to be taught by the Ministers, but very willingly sub­mit themselues to the Ministery of the word. They will be as forward as any, in frequenting Sermons: for who will not desire to heare that often, which comforteth his heart? Yea, they may sharply reproue, and seuerely censure them, as impious and prophane, who are carelesse and negligent in hearing of Gods word. Yea, they may reuerence the Minister, as Herode did Iohn Baptist: they may patronage, protect and coun­tenance him; they may maintaine him, and be very bountifull toward him: for who will not make much of him that doth greatly comfort his heart? Yea, af­ter they haue heard, they may talke and conferre of the doctrine among their fa­miliar acquaintance: for who will not often talke of that which reioyceth his heart. Of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh. All these thinges may be found in these hearers of the se­cond sort, who notwithstanding are [Page 53] reckoned among vnfruitfull hearers.

See then what faire shewes an vnre­generate man may make, in hearing of Gods word. And consider it seriously, that not onely the publike persecutors, bitter raylers, wilfull contemners, care­lesse and forgetful hearers; but likewise some that loue and like the word, dili­gently attend it, and finde some com­fort in it, may be out of the state of grace, and kept backe from entring in­to heauen. A fearefull thing to consi­der; it should rowse vs out of security, and make vs looke well to the maner of our hearing. There be some who are nothing at all mooued with the worde, neither terrified with the threatnings and curses of the lawe, nor comforted with the heauenly blessings, and sweete promises of the Gospell: whom wee may compare, as Christ did the Iewes, vnto little children, which sitte in the markets, and call to their fellowes, and say; We haue piped vnto you, and you haue Mat. 11. 17. not daunced: we haue mourned vnto you, and you haue not lamented. We sing both mercy and iudgement, and yet they are not moued. Seeing Christ reckoneth [Page 54] them in the Catalogue of fruitlesse hea­rers, who are so moued, as they reioyce at the word: what is to be thought of them, who are no more touched, then if their hearts were of Adamant? If this ioy may be found in the vnregenerate, it Quest. will be hard to discerne who are rege­nerated. It is a propertie of the regene­rate to reioyce at the word. Dauid said; Thy testimonies haue I taken as an he­ritage for euer: for they are the ioy of mine Psa. 119. 111. Nehe. 8. 12. Act. 2. 41. heart. The holy people of the Lord made great ioy, because they vnderstood the words which Ezra & the Leuites had taught them. Those three thousand which were con­uerted by Peters Sermon, did receiue his word with ioy. The Eunuch conuerted by Phillip, & the Iaylor conuerted by Paul, receiued their doctrine with ioy of heart. Is there no difference betwixt the regenerate and the vnregenerate in this their ioy? Indeed both of them receiue Answere. the word with ioy: yet there may be found great difference betwixt the ioy of the one, and the ioy of the other. They differ in these foure things.

1. In the cause of it: and that is faith. And therefore Paul calleth it; The ioy Phil. 1. 25 [Page 55] of faith. The ioy of the regenerate man ariseth from a iustifying faith, whereby he beleeueth that all the promises of God in Christ, shall be performed to him in particular. The vnregenerate hath onely a generall & historicall faith, whereby he certainely beleeueth that many shall be saued by grace in Christ, hath some doubtfull hope that he is one of the number, but no certaine assu­rance. As, if there be many offenders in the same prison; one is certainely as­sured, that the King hath graunted par­don to a great number of them, hopeth that he is one, yet is not sure. And ano­ther is assured that he is one of the num­ber. Both of them will reioyce; yet there will be difference betwixt their ioy.

2. In the measure and degree: for the regenerate haue a greater measure of ioye then the vnregenerate. The regenerate haue as great, or greater ioy in the word, then in any thing else whatsoeuer. Therefore Dauid sayde; I haue had as greate delight in the way Psal. 119. 14. vers. 72. of thy testimonies, as in all riches. The Lawe of thy mouth is better vnto mee, then thousands of gold and siluer. [Page 46] I reioyce at thy word, as one that findeth a vers. 162. great spoile. Their ioy is so great, that S. Peter saith; They reioyce with ioy vnspeak­able. 1. Pet. 1. 7. It may be felt, it cannot be expres­sed. The greatnesse of their ioy, Christ Mat. 13. 44. setteth forth by the example of a man, who finding a treasure hid in the fielde, for ioy thereof departeth, and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth the field.

But the ioy of the vnregenerate is no­thing so great. They seldome haue so great ioy in the worde, as in the world, but neuer greater. Their worldly pro­fits, their earthly honours and prefer­ments, their carnall pleasures, doe as much reioyce them, and more comfort them, then the word can doe.

3. Their ioy differeth in the cōpanions: for the ioy of the regenerate is neuer found alone, but is alwaies accompani­ed with many other holy affections. They so reioyce, as that they also feare and tremble in respect of the Lords Maiestie, and their owne infirmitie. Ac­cording as Dauid exhorteth; Reioyce with Psa. 2. 12 trembling. He himselfe reioyceth great­ly: yet hee saith; My flesh trembleth Psa. 119. 120. for feare of thee, and I am afrayde of [Page 47] thy iudgements: yea the godly doe worke out their saluation with feare and trembling, when as the vnregene­rate so reioyce, as that withall they are secure and presumptuous.

Againe, the regenerate so reioyce in the word, as they put great trust and sure confidence in God and his word. As Dauid, who said, I reioyce in God, because of his word: In God do I trust, Psal. 56. 10. 11. Psal. 119. 42. I will not be afraide what man can doe vnto me. I shall make answere to my blasphemers, for I trust in thy word. When they see no meanes for the per­formance of Gods promises, they will trust his word, which confidence is of­ten wanting in the vnregenerate, he will trust Gods word, no further then he see meanes for the accomplishment of it. Moreouer, the godly man so re­ioyceth in the word, as he loueth it a­boue all things: Therfore did Dauid say of himselfe, Oh how loue I thy law? it is Psal. 119. 97. vers. 47. vers. 121. 136. 139. my meditation continually. And my delight shall be in thy commaunde­ments which I haue loued: yea they so loue it, as they hate all things contrarie vnto it. I hate vaine inuentions, but thy [Page 48] Iaw doe I loue, said the same holy man of God: yea his eyes gushed out with riuers of water, because men kept not the law: his zeale did euen consume him, because his enemies had forgot­ten Gods word. These affections can­not be found in the vnregenerate; If they sometime haue them, it is in a farre lesser measure.

4. Lastly, their ioy differeth in the countinance. The vnregenerate man reioyceth much at the first hearing and vnderstanding of the Gospell: after­ward his ioy abateth. Euen as the Is­raelites liked their Manna well, at the beginning, but loathed it within a while after. And as Iewes well haue reioyced in Iohn Baptists doctrine, for a season, but not long. Ioh. 5. 35.

But the ioy of the regenerate con­tinueth alwaies one and the same. In processe of time, it rather encreaseth then decreaseth. Their faith groweth strong, their hope more stedfast, their outward man decayeth, their inward man is renewed daily: their graces in­crease, and they continually find more experience of Gods fauour toward [Page 49] them in Christ, and therefore their ioy must needs be greater and greater. The ioy of the vnregenerate is like to a vio­lent motion, which is swifter at the be­ginning then at the end: but the ioy of the regenerate, is like to a naturall mo­tion, which is as swift or swifter at the end then at the beginning.

Besides this, the ioy of the godly con­tinueth as well in aduersitie as in pros­peritie: as well in persecutiō as in peace. Dauid in the midst of his afflictiōs could say, I reioyce in God because of his Ps. 56. 4. Psal. 119. 50. Vers. 143. word. I will not feare, what flesh can do vnto me. It was his comfort in trouble, the Lords promise did thē quickē him: yea when trouble & anguish was come vpon him, the Lords commandements were his delight. Christ promised such ioy to the Apostles, as no man could take from them. Men did reuile them, Ioh. 16. 22. Act. 5. 41. did imprison them, did whip & scourge them, and cruelly persecute them, yet could they not take their ioy frō them. They reioyced that they were accoun­ted Act. 16. 25. worthy to suffer for Christs sake, & did sing chearefully in prison, when their feet were made fast in the stockes.

[Page 49] But it is not so with the vnregene­rate hypocrites. A little persecution for the Gospell, will turne their ioy into sorrow. Euen these hearers who in the beginning of this verse, are said to re­ceiue the word with ioy; in the latter end of it, are said in the time of tenta­tion to fall away. Seeing then there is such difference of ioy, doe not content your selues with such a ioy as may be found in the vnregenerate, but seeke for such ioy as is peculiar to Gods Saints.

2. The second properties in these hearers is this, they haue no rootes. Not as if they had no rootes at all, for then they should not grow at all: they could not be said to fall away in time of ten­tation, they would presently wither a­way before tentation did come: but the meaning is, that they haue no deepe rootes, they haue no such rootes as will feede them, and make them able to yeeld fruit: therfore are they resembled to rockie and stony ground which lac­keth moysture, and will neither suffer corne sowne in it, to take any deepe rooting, nor to prosper long. Rockes [Page 51] and great stones are oftentimes hid in the ground, and couered ouer with earth: And therefore the land there, is soft and moyst aboue, but hard and dry belowe. And the corne sowne there, may sprout and growe for a while, but not long, if heate & drought doe come, it will be parched and wither away for lacke of moysture. Such is the case of some hearers, their hearts being mollified in part somewhat soft aboue, but very hard below toward the bot­tome, will not suffer the word to take any deepe rooting in them. It may en­ter into their harts, yet it cannot pearce into the bottome of them. It may be some rooting, yet very ebbe and shal­low. It may prosper for a while, and they make some profession of it, yet not long. And in regard hereof, they be­come vnprofitable hearers. So as from hence we may obserue a double dan­ger and inconuenience, of an heart that is not throughly mollified to the bot­tome: It both hindereth the rooting of the word, and also the fruitfulnes of it.

1. It hindereth the rooting of the word, so as it cannot possibly go deepe [Page 52] enough, the word should descend to the bottome of the heart, and there take rooting, and be continually nou­rished with the moysture of it; but it cannot descend so farre, vnles it be throughly mollified. Not onely they whose hearts are altogether hard, as was the hart of Pharaoh, when he heard Moses and Aaron; and the Scribes and Pharises when they heard Christ: but also they whose hearts are softened onely in part, are vnprofitable hearers: As not onely those rockes which be bare on the top, and altogether hard, and haue no manner of soyle and moy­sture aboue, but likewise those which be couered with a litle moysture and earth aboue, but not much, are vnfit to receiue seede. The one will not re­ceiue the seede at all, nor suffer it to sprout, or shoote forth a blade; the o­ther will cause it to sproute and shoote forth a 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, [Page 53] 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, to the hea­rers Psal. 95. 7. 8. Heb. 3. 7. of the Gospell, To day if ye will heare his voyce, harden not your hearts. Because the hard hearted can neuer heare 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 drinesse 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, he re­turned with the dogge to his vomit, and became as obstinate as euer he was [Page 54] 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, as good king Iosiahs heart did, when he heard the lawe read. I 2. King. 22. 19. knowe that none of our hearts are so soft as they should be. But if thou fee­lest 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 saluatiō. If Goates blood being warme, can soften the hard Adamant, doubt not but the blood of Christ can suffici­ently Cyprtan. de dupl. mart. mollifie thy heart, though it were as hard as a rocke.

[Page 55] If thou pray earnestly vnto God, to take away the stony heart of thy body, Ezek. 36. 26. 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, is they endure in their faith but 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 See post­script. Sect. 4. & Sect. 5. & Sect. 6. is but onely one kinde of faith, yet may we find many seuerall & distinct kindes thereof in the holy scriptures. There be foure 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 See post­script. Sect. 7. & Sect. 8. to the elect, is a true iustifying faith, 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, [Page 56] and the saluation of his soule. This is called by S. Paul, the faith of Gods E­lect, Tit. 1. 1. because onely they, and all they be endued with it.

And therefore it is said, that as many Act. 13. 48. as were ordained to eternall life, beleeued. Though all of them doe not receiue it at the same time, but some sooner, some later, yet is there not any of the Elect, but at one time or other, they doe receiue it.

This is called an vnfayned faith, or a 1. Tim. 1. 5. [...] faith without dissimulation or hypo­crisie, 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, Act. 15. 9. Reuel. 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, must we be saued as the Apo­stle Rom. 3. 28. Ephes. 2. 8. proueth at large in his Epistles. But this is not the faith here spoken of.

Againe, there be other kindes of [Page 57] faith, which be common both to the See post­script. Sect. 9. [...]. Cor. 13. 2. 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, sothat I could remoue mountaines, and had not loue, I were nothing. Iudas 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, ye wor­kers Math. 7. 22. of iniquitie.

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. The one is called an See post­script. Sect: 10. & Sect: 11. 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 [Page 58] 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. This is the faith Ioh. 5. 46. 47. Act. 26. 27. Ioh. 1. 1. August. de temp. serm. 181. Credere vera esse quae loqui­tur, multi & mali possunt, August. ibid. Iam. 2. 19. whereby men beleeue Moses and his writings. This is the faith which Paul would needes fasten on Agrippa, to be­leeue the Prophets. This is not fides qua cridimus in deum, sed qua credimus deo, id est credere vera esse quae loquitur. 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 found in the vnrege­nerate. They may belieue all things to be true, which are written, though they little regard them: yea this faith is in the deuells: for they belieue and tremble, as Iames teacheth.

And therefore those Atheists, those prophane and obstinate scoffers a­gainst Qui non [...]redunt, peiores sunt quam dae­monis, ad huc, nec dae mones imitantur, August. in epist. Ioh. tract: [...]. See post­script. Sect: 12. religion, which will not belieue the scriptures, nor acknowledge the [Page 59] truth of the things therein reuealed, are worse then the diuels. And if they be worse then diuells of hell, they must needes be farre from entring into heauen.

The other kind of common faith, is termed a temporary faith, which is a certaine ape of iustifying faith, yet is not the same, for although it goe some degrees beyond an historicall faith, yet it comes short of a iustifying faith, not onely in regard of sinceritie, and man­ner of apprehension, but also in regard of the efficacie in internall and exter­nall actes, and in regard of the time of continuance.

This is called a temporary faith, not onely for distinction sake, to put a dif­ference betwixt it and other kinds, but also because it continueth but for a time as appeareth by this place. For this is the faith here spoken of. And al­though some Papists laugh at the very name which we giue it, as if it were a new coyned tearme, yet you see it is grounded on this text. And they might also haue seene it taught by others, if either they had read the writings of [Page 60] the ancient, or their malice against vs, had not blinded their eyes. Augustine August. de verarelig. cap. 50. Bernard. paru. serm. ser. 1. fine. & epist. 42. ad Henr. Sc­non archi­episcop. to 2. col. 63. giues the tytle: and Bernard doth not onely giue it the like tytle, in calling it sides ficta, and comparing it to ear­then vessells that are easily broken, but likewise distinguisheth it frō the dead faith which is without good workes: and from the tryed faith, which endu­reth to the end. And also describeth it at large, by the very words of this my text.

This faith was in those Iewes, who by the sight of Christs miracles at Ieru­salem, beleeued in him. They are said Ioh. 2. 23. 24. Non cura­bat eorum verba, nec mouebatur eorum ap­plausu, vt qui corum feru [...]rem mo [...] refri­geseere c [...]gnosce­bat. Scie­bat quod non adhae­rerent sibi constanter, nec erat cor eorum rectum cū eo. Ferus in Ioh. 2. Act. 8. 13. Act. [...]. 21. 23. to beleeue in his name, and so doubt were perswaded, & did acknowledge that he was the Messiah to come: yet Iesus did commit himselfe vnto them, because he know them all, and what was in them. If he had seene a sound and permanent faith in them, no doubt he would haue trusted them, but be­cause he saw their faith was neither sound nor constant, he would not trust them, he foresaw that for all their pre­sent profession, they might forsake him afterward as the Capernaites did.

[Page 11] The faith also was in Simon Magus, who though before he had bene a no­torious sorcerer, yet hearing Philip preach, did beleeue, and was baptized, and continued with Philip, as a profes­sour of the Gospell, and wondered when he saw the great miracles which were wrought, yet when he would af­terward haue bought the gifts of the holy Ghost for money, and haue made a marchandise of them; Peter told him that he had neither part nor fellowship in that busines, that his heart was not right in the sight of God, that he was in the gall of bitternes, and in the bond of iniquitie. And after that (if we may Epiphan. cont. haeres. lib. 1. to 2. haeres. 21. Euseb. hist. [...]. 14. Niceph. 2. 36. giue credit to humane writings and Ecclesiasticall hystories) hee became a sorcerer againe, and an open ene­mie to Peter and the rest of the Apo­stles, and in a fearefull manner died at Rome.

This faith was in Iudas one of the twelue, he vnderstood the misterie of the Gospell, professed himselfe an Apostle of Christ, preached the Gos­pell as well as other Apostles, and for a long time was of honest behauiour, [Page 62] yet Christ called him a diuell, and the Ioh. 6. 70. Ioh. 17. 12. childe of perdition: Afterward he be­trayed his Maister for money, and then hanged himselfe through desperation.

This faith was also in those who fell into the vnrecouerable sinne against the holy Ghost, for they were enligh­tened, had a taste of the heauenly gift, were partakers of the holy Ghost, and tasted of the good word of God, and Heb. 6. 4. 5. of the powers of the world to come. And yet they so fel away, as they could not be renewed by repentance, did crucifie againe the sonne of God, and made a mocke of him. And this faith haue many others, who heare the word acknowledge the truth of it, hope to be saued by it, make prosession of it, liue in outward obedience, and receiue the Sacraments, and yet in time of per­secution, proue Apostataes.

But that you may the better discerne the nature of this faith, I will note the seuerall degrees of it, for thereby you may clearely see how farre it doth a­gree with an historicall & a iustifying faith, and how farre it doth differ from them both. There be sixe degrees of it.

[Page 63] 1. The first degree is illumination and knowledge. These beleeuers haue a knowledge of Gods word, especially in the chiefest poynts of Gods will and worship: in the fundamentall points of mans redemption, and in the most ne­cessary points of mans duetie. Iudas could not haue beene a Preacher of the Gospell, vnlesse he had knowne these things: Christ would not haue sent him to teach these things to others, if him selfe had beene ignorant of them. Those which fell away to the fearefull sinne against the holy Ghost, were before en­lightned. Vnlesse men know the truth, they cannot beleeue it. How shall they beleeue except they haue heard? And herein this faith agreeth both with an historicall and a iustifying faith. Christ sayd of the Apostles; They haue knowne Ioh. 17. 8. surely that I came out from thee, and haue beleeued that thou hast sent me. Know­ledge is the first step and degree to each kinde of faith. And therefore those who be ignorant of the principles of Religion, come so farre short of a true sauing and iustifying faith, that as yet they haue not attayned to an hystoricall [Page 64] or temporary faith.

2. The second degree is an assent to the truth of the Gospell. They are infal­libly perswaded that the whole doc­trine of the Gospell is true, and euery part of it; & that it teacheth vs the right way to heauen: and that all things ther­in contained, shal certainely be accom­plished; both for the condemnation of vnbeleeuers, and for the saluation of beleeuers. In regard hereof Christ saith; He that receiueth his testimonie, hath sealed Ioh. 3. 33. Rom. 7. 16 that God is true. As Paul sayde; I con­sent to the Law that it is good. So this be­leeuer will say; I consent to the Gospel that it is good. Yea, he will auouch with the same Apostle; This is a true say­ing, 1. Tim. 1. 15. 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 de­sire in his heart of the pardon of his sin, & of the saluation of his soule, through [Page 65] the merey of God, & merits of Christ. Euen as Balaam desired to dye the death Num. 23. 10. of the righteous: and that his last 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, whē they hard him speak of the bread which cōmeth 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. As Christ saith many Luk. 13. 24. shall doe. Herein they go beyond those that haue onely an hystoricall saith: 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: [Page 66] 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 [Page 67] 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, and to be partakers Heb. 6. 4. 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 [Page 68] 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 [Page 69] 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 thēselues; 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, who thought he was Reuel. 3. 17. rich, whē he was poore, miserable & na­ked. The other wanteth lesse, and doth better discerne his want: and therefore will say with that man in the Gospell; I Mar. 9. 24. Luk. 17 5. doe beleeue, Lord helpe my vnbeleefe. And with the Apostles; Lord encrease our faith. Yea, the one like a Pharisie, is proude of [Page 70] 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, yet neuer make profession of it. As many of the chiefe Ioh. 12. 42. Rulers among the Iewes beleeued in Christ; but because of the Pharisies 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 Mat. 22. 14. Christ. 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. [Page 71] His cariage was so honest among the A­postles, all the time of Christs passion, that when Christ told them, that one of Mat. 26. 22. them should betray him, they did not suspect him any more then any of the rest: yea, euery one did as much suspect Mar. 14. 19. Ioh. 13 24. him selfe as Iudas: and therefore euery one sayd; Master is it I? Yea, they cau­sed Iohn, who then leaned on Iesus br [...]st, 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 Iam. 4. is destitute of good works. 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 [Page 72] 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, eyther openly or secretly. As Mar. 6. 20. 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. But the other is carefull to a­voyde Mat. 14. 4. all manner of sinnes whatsoeuer, and to performe all duties alike; know­ing that if hee faile in one point, hee is guiltie of all. And though sometime he Iam. 2. 10 fall by infirmitie, yet he lyeth not long, he riseth againe by repentance.

3. In the continuance: for the one continueth not long 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 [Page 73] 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. And Hos. 6. 4. 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 yourselues 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 [Page 74] 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. Bellarmine and other Papists al­leadge De iustifi­cat. lib. 3. c. 14. Staplet. prompt. in fer. 4. post. dom. pasch. this place, to prooue, that true faith once had, may be quite lost.

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, which may be in the reprobate: as hath beene shewed before. And See post­script. Sect. 13. this is apparant out of the words of the [Page 75] 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 iustifying faith wanteth rootes? or is it in any mans heart where it hath no­thing to grow vpon? Doeth not the Apostle teach, that they in whose hearts Ephes. 3▪ 17. 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 [Page 76] vertues, on which they grow, and from Laudo fructum bonioperis, sed in fide agnosco ra­dicem. Praefat. in enarr. Psal. 31. Uide Au­gust. pre­fat. in Psa. 139. Col. 2. 5. Rom. 11. 29. De cor­rept. et grat. c. 12. Rom. 8. 30. Rom. 9. 33. 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: 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 a [...]oe by that anci­ent Father Augustine, and thereby pro­ued neuer to fayle. By this faith we are iustifyed, as the Apostle plainely and of­ten teacheth: and our aduersaries can­not denie, though they hold that we are not iustifyed by it alone. Now if we be iustified, we shall also be glorified. Yea who­soeuer thus beleeueth, shall not be con­founded. The Saintes doe keepe this faith in the hottest persecution that can befall them. And therefore in descri­bing the cruell tyrannie, and grieuous persecution, vnder the greate beaste which opened his mouth to blaspheme GOD and his Tabernacle, and them [Page 77] that dwell in heauen, and made warre a­gainst the Saints, led many into capti­uitie, and killed many with the sword. The holy Ghost breaketh forth into these speeches; Here is the patience, and Reuel. 13. 10. the faith of the Saints: because the Saints doe not loose but keepe and expresse their patience and faith in such afflicti­ons. Neyther can Sathan by his tenta­tions depriue them of faith: as appeareth in the example of Peter. Sathan des [...]red to winnow him as wheate: yet for his comfort, Christ told him that hee had prayed for him, that his faith might not Luk. 22. 32. Ioh. 11. 43. See post­script. Sect. 14. fayle. Christs prayer was not in vaine. Hee at another time acknowledged to his Father, that he heard him alwaies. And therefore though Peter did after­wardes fall most grieuously in denying his Maister, and that with an oathe, and with cursing himselfe: yet did hee not loose his faith. It remayned in his heart, though hee did not professe it with his mouth. Neyther could this be a singular prerogatiue to Peter: for Christ hath as well prayed for others as for him: not onely for all the Apostles, but like­wise [Page 78] for all those that should beleeue in him Ioh. 17. 20. Qui fecit bonos▪ faci­et perseue­rare in bo­no. August. de perseue­rant. sanct. cap. 12. through their word. And therefore in the midst of all afflictions and tentati­ons, they shall be kept constant in faith. Hee who gaue them faith, will make them to continue their faith: as he who made them good, will make them continue in goodnes. He is so faithfull, that he will not suffer them to be tempted aboue that which they be able to beare, but will giue them the issue with the tenta­tion. Their faith may be assaulted, but not destroyed; weakened, but not wa­sted; eccl [...]psed, but not extinguished: hidde and couered as the Sunne vnder a cloude, and fire raked vnder the ashes, but not abolished. The act of it may be lost for a time, but not the habite: for if their faith may fayle, and they perish, why did the Apostle say, that after they beleeued, they were sealed with the holy spi­rit Ephes. [...]. 13. of promise, which is the earnest of our inhe­ritance, vntill the redemption of the possession purchased by Christ? And how is it true, that they are kept by the power of God through 1. Pet. 1. 5. faith vnto saluation?

And if iustifying faith may not be lost, then it is certaine, that if any fall away, [Page 79] and vtterly loose their faith, they neuer had it. Diuers of Christs Disciples did seeme to beleeue in him, yet afterward forsooke him: and thereupon he said to them, there are some of you that beleeue not. And the Euangelist addeth a reason, for Ioh. 6. 64. So teach­eth Mal­donatus in Ioh. [...]. 6. out of Au­gustine and Beda. Iesus knewe from the beginning which they were that beleeued not, and who should be­tray him. As if there were some of his Disciples that beleeued, and some be­leeued not, namely those that tooke of­fence at his doctrine, and forsooke him; as also Iudas the traitour. Euen while they followed Christ, they wanted this faith. Doth not S. Iohn say of reuolters, they went out from vs, because they were not of vs; for if they had bene of vs, they 1. Ioh. 2. 15. should haue continued with vs. Who then doe fall away from the Church, but on­ly those, who indeed were neuer of the Church: were in it, but not of it? And who are they that liue in the Church and be not of it? but those that want a true iustifying faith, for by it we are made members of Christ, and incorpo­rated into his mysticall body, the Church.

But as for the faith spoken of in this [Page 80] my text, it may be lost, yea it is of such a nature, that seldome it is kept to the end of a mans life. Inward tentation by the diuell, or outward persecution by men, may rob the owners of it.

It is like to corne growing in the house top: which may flourish for a while in the spring time, but in heate and drought of summer will wither a­way. And herein consisteth a maine dif­ference betwixt iustifying, and tempo­rary faith: the one is perpetuall, the o­ther for a time. And no maruaile thogh it continue not long, seeing it is built on temporary causes, namely these three.

1. It ariseth from curiositie, for these beleeuers will heare, and learne, receiue and professe the Gospell for the new­nes of it. As the Iewes reioyced for a [...]me in Iohns light, especially for the noueltie [...]. 5. 35. of it. And as the Athenians, would heare Paul preach, and would know the mea­ning of his doctrine, because as they Act. 17. 20. 21. Sunt quis­eire volūt, [...]o ta [...]tum fine, vt sci­ant, & turpis cu­riositas est: In cantis. serm. 34. said, he brought certaine strāge things to their eares. And they gaue thēselues to nothing but to tell and heare some newes. Bernard noted diuers sorts of [Page 81] persōs who desired knowledge of hea­uenly matters, & seueral ends for which they desired it. And the first was of thē, who desired knowledge onely for this end, that they might know, and this is fowle curiositie.

Now you know that a wonder lasteth not lōg. They who haue curious heads and itching eares after noueltie, will not long like the same thing, but as the Israelites at the first liked their Manna, because it was a strange kind of meate, but afterward loathed it, whē they had bene a while fed with it. So these men at the first hearing of the Gospell, for the strangenes of the doctrine, may ad­mire it, receiue it with ioy, and professe the faith thereof, and yet afterward waxe wearie of it.

2. It often ariseth from pride and vaineglory: Because others doe con­demne the enemies of the Gospell, but doe like and loue; honour and com­mend those that beleeue it, & professe it, & liue accordingly: they to get cre­dit & honour among men, will professe the faith of Christ, & submit themselues to his holy Gospel. Euē as the Pharisies Math. 6, [Page 82] did fast and pray, and giue almes, to be Scire vo­lu [...]t vtsci­antur ipsi, & turpis venitas est. [...]. seene and praised of men. These persons as Bernard said, desire knowledge, that themselues may be knowne: and this is foolish vanitie, which men cannot e­scape, the girding taunt of the scoffing Satyricke. Scire tum nihil est, nisi te scire hoc, sciat 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, should be made as the 1. Cor. 4. 13. filth of the world, and the ofscouring 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 Ioh. 6. 26. [Page 83] whereof they had eaten, and wherwith Scire v [...] ­lunt vt sci­entiam su­am ven­dant, & turpis quas [...]us est: ibid. 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, whercat 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. Those that [...] Ad Trall. epist. 2. 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, which saluted the Colossi­ans. Coloss: 4. 14. 2. Tim. 4. 10. Yet Paul afterward thus wrote of him, Demas hath forsaken me, 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 [Page 84] 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 benefites 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 [...]hat 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, Sathan will pre­uaile Reuel. 2. 10. Luk. 10. 42. against you; your hope is gone, you loose the fauour of God, and the saluation of your owne soules: you must be faithfull vnto death, if you will re­ceiue the Crowne of life. Did not [Page 85] 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, I haue fought a 2. Tim. 4. 8. 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 [...] 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 [Page 86] 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 Math. 4. 3. 1. Thess. 3. 5. 1. Cor. 7. 5. Math. 6. 13. Iam. 1. 2. [...]. Pet. 16. is from the diuell. And therefore he is often called the tempter: and is said to tempt vs. And his suggestions and prac­tises against vs are called tentations.

The corporall and outward tentati­on is from men, who doe afflict vs, who doe hurt and persecute vs. And so all outward crosses, corporall afflictions, and bloody persecutiōs, 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, little or great.

And of this tentation, must this place Math. 13. 21. Mar. 4. 17. be vnderstood: for in Mathew and Marke, it is called tribulation 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.

[Page 87] 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 suffer the rootes to goe any reasonable depth into the earth, there to be fed with moysture: therefore 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 [Page 88] away from Faith, eyther by errour and Heresie, or by sinne and wickednesse. By errour and heresie: as did Hymeneus and Alexander, who made ship-wracke 1. Tim. 1. 19. of Faith. As did Hymencus and Phyle­tus: who erred concerning the Truth: Saying, that the Resurrection is alrea­dy 2. Tim. 2. 18. 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. 1. Tim. 4. 1. first Founder of the heresies of the Ni­ [...]laitanes.

And as those did, of whom Saint Paul prophecyed, that in the later times Men shall depart from the Faith, and giue heede vnto spirites of Errors, 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 wickednes in their liues, as those who put away a good Conscience. As [Page 89] 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. 2. Pet. 2. 20. through the knowledge of our Lord and Sauiour IESVS CHRIST, are yet tangled againe therein, and ouercome: whose latter ende is worse then the be­ginning. Fulfilling the Prouerbe, The Dogge is turned to his owne Uomite, 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 is a fearefull falling away. Cor­poral 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 reward of their former profession and obedience.

If the Righteous forsake his righ­teousnes, and commit iniquitie, all his [Page 90] righteousnes shall be forgotten, and he shall die in his iniquitie, saith the Lord. Likewise a punishment of sense, 2. Pet. 2. 21. and that so greeuous, as it had bene better for them neuer to haue knowne the way of righteousnes, thē after they haue knowne it, to turne away from the holy cōmaundement giuen vnto them. By their backsliding, they more disho­nour God, and offend others, then if they neuer had made any profession at all. And therefore their punishment shall be 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 i [...] farewell, when it brings persecu­tiō. Though Christ hath suffered much for them, yet will they not suffer any thing for him; they would faine 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 [Page 91] 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 Gal. 6. 9. in the day of triall. Let not any crosses make vs wearie 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, left there be in Heb. 3. 12. 13. any of vs, an euill heart, and vnfaithfull to depart away frō 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 heartes bee throughly mollified, if the word take deepe rooting and worke iustifying [Page 92] faith in you, neither tribulation nor an­guish, Rom. 8. 35. 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.

And finally, if it be such an hainous offence, to fall away in time of perse­cution, See Gre­gor. Nazi­an. Orat. 1 in Iulian. 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. Those in the field, where Ante [...]ciē victi, sine congressio­ne prostra­te, Cypriā. de saps. Sect. 6. they feared an ouerthrow: these in a lād of peace, where they expected no com­bat. These must needes be more faultie, and more inexcusable. Those subiects who yeeld to the enemies through feare, and for safegard of their liues, are [Page 93] 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 hand, who in these our happie 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. These are like Pro. 28. 1. Heb. 12. 4 those wicked ones, who flie when none pursueth them. We should resist vnto blood, striuing 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 [Page 94] take heede of declining in such an hap­pie Luk. 17. 32 Fact [...] est statua sa­l [...]s, vt con­d [...]t te. In P [...]al. 69. fine. season. Remember Lots wife, as Christ biddeth you. And consider that she for looking backe toward S [...]dome was turned into a pillar of salt, and that to season vs withall, as Augustine thought. Deceiue not your selues, but knowe for a certaintie, that the hearing of the Gospell, will not further your saluation, but rather aggrauate your condemnation, if you fail away from it, either in the time of persecution, or in the time of peace.

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. The ground is full of thornes. There is some reasonable depth of soyle, yet the seede, 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 [Page 95] some hearers, whose hearts are not so hard as the former, and who are not try­ed by tentation and persecution as they we [...]e, whose hearts seeme to be much mooued, and deepely pierced with the word, and liue in such peaceable times, and places, that they are neuer called to suffer for the word; and yet all is after­ward marred by corrupt affections, which are not yet mortified, but still liue and raigne in their hearts. And so these hearers suffer much from both the former kindes.

The first sort were hindered in their fruitfulnesse by the Diuell, who tooke the word out of their hearts. The se­cond sort were hindered by other mē, who persecuted them for the Gospell. But this sort are hindered by their own 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 could not brydle. They differ from the second sort, because they fall away in time of tribulation and persecution. These fall [Page 96] away in time of peace and prosperitie: those were vrged by externall meanes, cōming from others: these are drawne away by internall meanes, proceeding from themselues. Those were hindered in their perseuerance and fruitfulnesse, through the wāt of good: these through the hauing of euill, euen sinfull lusts, and bad affections in their harts, which like thornes choake the word 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 deceitfulnes of riches; and in the rest by voluptuousnesse. And therefore touching these heare [...]s, we may obserue some things in generall, which concerne them all ioyntly toge­ther, and some things in particular, which concerne them seuerally. The things in general which concerne them all, are two: whereof, the one respec­teth the time of their choaking: the other respecteth the causes of their [Page 97] choaking.

1. The time of their choaking: for it is said of them; That when they haue heard, Oi acousan tes kai po­reuomenoi sumpni gontai. 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 Sermons, and goe about their worldly affaires: then are they choaked by those things whereon their hearts were set. As thornie groūd 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, reuerētly and attentiuely, marke it carefully, and receiue it willingly: yea, hee may take it to be the word of God indeed, 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 after­ward bee hindered in the obedience of it, by the corruptions of their owne heart.

As Pharaoh was hūbled while the hād of God was heauy vpō him: but became [Page 98] as hard as he was before, whē it was re­moued. And as some are Sea sicke while they are on y ^e water, but well again whē 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 efficacie of the word, and become transgressors of it.

These are vnprofitable hearers, the word 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 yo are in hearing, but let them conti­nue, and shew their efficacie 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 [Page 99] afterward. Let not any thing in the world, or any affections in your owne hearts, hinder your obedience to the word. You know that the S [...]nne, who being commaunded by his Father to worke in his Vineyard, did promise Mat. 21. 30. 31. and purpose to goe, and went not: was condemned for not fulfilling the will of his Father. And do 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 here speaketh: for these doe heare, and receiue the word wil­lingly for the present, 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 [Page 100] seede at all, and doe choake it as soone as they receiue it. Such were the Pha­risies, Luk. 16. 14. who mocked Christ when he tax­ed their couetousnes. Such were the Iewes, who would not heare the Lawe of the Lord, but said vnto the Seers, See not: and Isa. 30. 11 Micha. 2. to the Prophets, Prophecie not vnto vs right things, but speake flattering things vnto vs: Prophecie errors. Who would haue none to be their Prophet, but he 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, & hate him as Ahab did Michaiah, and heare him with no more patience and liking, then the Iewes heard Stephen, when their Act. 7. 54. hearts brast for anger, and when they gnashed at him with their teeth.

But if these hearers, who giue reue­rent attention to the word 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 [Page 101] 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 profits, and are ready to worke him some mischiefe: Oh that these would consider their e­state, and remember how farre they are frō that profitable hearing which must saue their soules!

2. The second thing to be obserued in general, respecteth the causes of their choaking, which are three in number; Cares of the world, riches and volup­tuous liuing. From all which together, we 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, wil hinder the fruitfulnesse of the word. As thornes are to ground that is sowne, [Page 102] so are these affections to the hearers of Gods word. You know, that although the Soyle were reasonable good of it selfe, yet if thornes grow among the corne, they will not suffer the groūd to yeelde any good croppe. 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 groweth of the word. And therefore Peter exhorteth vs; first, to lay aside all malitious [...]es, & all guile, 1. Pet. 2. 1. 2. and dissimulation, and enuie: and then, as new borne babes, to desire the syn­cere milke of the word, that wee may grow thereby. And Iames biddeth vs Iam. 1. 21 lay apart all filthinesse, and superfluitie of malitiousnes, and receiue with meek­nes the ingrafted word, which is able to saue our soules. If grosse humors 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 efficacie of the word, as it shall not profit you to the [Page 103] aluation of your soules.

This shoulde teach you, so often as Use. 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, left they should hinder the corne; So be you carefull to free your heartes from these badde affections, when you come to heare. Christ biddeh you to be as wise Mat. 10. 16. Epiphan. contra hae­res. haer. 37 Ambros. praefat in enarrat. Psal. 37. Bernard. de modo vivend. serm. 28. Ier. 4. 4. as Serpents. Now this is one poynt of the Serpents wisedome (as the learned doth teach;) 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, [Page 104] 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, to care for the things 1. Cor. 7. 32, 33. 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. In the other Euan­gelists, Mat. 13. 22. Mar. 4. 19. both in Mathew and Marke, they are called, 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. Martha was Luk. 10. 40. 41, 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 in­uited to the wedding feast, made ex­cuses, Luk. 14. 18. that one had bought a Farme, and must needes goe see it: another had bought 5. yoke of Oxen, and must goe [Page 105] 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 [Page 106] 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, least at any time their hearts Luk. 21. 34. were oppressed with surfetting and drunken­nes, and cares of this life, and least the last day 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 [Page 107] hearts. Let them remember the ex­hortation giuen by Christ; Be not care­full Mat. 6. 25. 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 able to adde one cubit to his stature?

It is not sufficient for you to free your mindes from these cares while you are in hearing, but likewise beware lest they entangle you afterward. Ex­pell them so soone as they enter into your mindes, euen as you will cut vp thornes, bryars, and thistles, which you see spring vp among the corne after it is sowne. If they be in your hearts before you heare, they will keepe you from attending, from vnderstanding, or else from affecting that which you heare. And if they enter into your heartes after you haue heard, they will hinder you from practising that, which before you liked, and purposed to obey. Such enemies are they to your fruitfull hearing. Who then would haue his minde disquieted with them?

[Page 108] What? (will some man say) must we haue no care of any thing at all? must Ob. wee set all at sixe and seuen, and let the world wag? must we be like some idle and prodigall vnthrifts, who cast away all care?

Not so, we must distinguish of care; Sol. Est solicitudo diligentiae, & solicitudo dis­sidentiae. There is a care of diligence, when men in a good manner, and due measure, vse all honest and lawfull meanes, to get, and to keepe thinges needfull for this life, and for the main­tenance of themselues, and those which belong vnto them.

The Wise-man sendeth the sluggard Pro. 6. 6. 8. to learne this care of the Pismire, who prepareth her meate in the Summer, and gathereth her foode in the haruest. And the Apostle saith, that if there be a­ny that prouideth not for his owne; and namelie for them of his household, hee deni­eth 1. Tim. 5. 8. the faith, and is worse then an Infidell. This care ought to be in all.

There is also a care of diffidence and distrust, which is an inordinate care: when we keepe no measure in our care; when we are not content to vse lawful, [Page 109] but also vse vnlawfull meanes: and when wee will not depend on Gods mercifull prouidence, for a blessing on the meanes; but forecast before hand what shall bee the successe, and disqui­et our mindes with thinking what shall be the issue, and with fearing an ill euent.

This care wee must renounce as a fruit of vnbeliefe; and as a thorne that will choake the seede of the word. We must with diligence and care vse neces­sarie and lawfull meanes; but leaue the issue to him, who knoweth best what to doe. We must cast this bur­den on the Lord, as the Psalmist tea­cheth vs, and hee shall nourish vs. Wee Psal. 55. 22. 1. Pet. 5. 7. must cast all our care on him: as the Apostle exhorteth: for hee careth for vs.

Let vs rest in his good pleasure, and be content to take in good part what­souer hee sendeth, knowing that all Rom. 8. 28 thinges worke together for the best to them that loue God. And so our care shall not hinder the fruitfulnesse of the word.

[Page 110] 2. But to proceede in the text, what is the second thorne that choaketh the word? Christ here nameth riches; they are as dangerous this way as worldly cares. Though some confound these two, and make both but one thorne, yet is there indeede great difference betwixt them. They are heere distin­guished one from the other, as well as voluptuous liuing is distinguished from them both. And in truth they are of­tentimes seuered, and not found toge­ther in some persons. A man may be perplexed with worldly care, yet not grow rich thereby. The poore are of­tentimes as carefull how to liue, and to get wealth as the rich: yea, sometime more carefull, because their charge is greater, and their wantes more, but their meanes be fewer and weaker. It may bee GOD doth plague their great care with great want: the more carefull they are, the more needfull they bee. If they woulde bee lesse carefull, They might bee lesse need­full.

Againe, rich men are sometime with­out care: As is seene in the godlie: [Page 111] Abraham was rich, so was Iob, both in the beginning and also in the later end of his daies: and yet both of them, free from distrustfull care: yet are riches as pricking thornes to choake the word as well as those cares.

Not onely they who vexe themselues with griping cares, how to get, and how to exercise their wealth: but like­wise those who thinke they haue e­nough already, and care not much for more, but like the rich man in the Gos­pell, say to their soules, Liue at ease, eate Luk. 12. 19. drinke and take your pastime, you haue much goods laid vp for many yeares; may be vnprofitable hearers.

Although this Euangelist nameth riches simply and absolutely without any addition, yet is he to be expoun­ded by Mathew and Marke, who call this thorne the deceitfulnes of riches. And that declareth the manner how they choake the word, namely, by de­ceiuing the owners. Then bee they thornes, when they deceiue. If thou enioy them, and vse them in great plen­tie, Chrysoft. in Math. 13. ho. 45. yet shall they not choake the word in thy heart, vnles they first deceiue [Page 112] thy soule, but if they once deceiue thee, they will choake thee. Not the world, but the cares of the world: not riches, but the deceitfulnes of riches, make the word fruitles.

And certaine it is, that they deceiue many, because they make many vn­fruitfull hearers. In regard whereof, Christ said, we cannot serue God and Math. 6. 24. Math. 19. 23. riches: And that a rich man shall hard­ly enter into the kingdome of heauen. And Paul said, they that will be rich fall into tentations and snares, and into many foolish and noysome lusts, which drowne men in perdition. And while some haue lusted after them, they erred 1. Tim. 69. 10. I [...]. 4. 4. 1. Ioh. 2. 15. from the faith, and pierced themselues through with many sorrowes. And Iames said, Whosoeuer will be a friend of the world, maketh himselfe the ene­mie of God. And Iohn said, If any man loue the world, the loue of the father is not in him.

But how doe they deceiue men? we would faine knowe that, will some say.

I answere, that riches deceiue men foure waies.

1. In respect of the cause of them. [Page 113] They make the owner beleeue, that God in speciall fauour and mercy did bestowe them vpon him, and that he would neuer haue giuen him such a­bundance, vnles he had dearely loued him. And therefore imagineth that he is deepe in Gods bookes, and in grea­ter fauour then those that sustaine los­ses, and endure wants. This is a grosse deceit. Salomon teacheth, that a man Eccles. 9. 1. knoweth neither loue nor hatred, of all that is before him: that is, he neither knoweth whether God loue him or hate him, by his outward estate, neither by his riches nor by his pouertie. And he giueth a Vers. 2. reason, because all things come alike to all men: And the same condition is to the iust, & to the wicked: to the pure and to the polluted: to him that sacri­ficeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: As is the good, so is the sinner: he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oathe. And Christ sheweth, y ^t by doing good Math. 5. 45. to al, we may be children of our heauē ­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 [Page 114] 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, Gal. 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 mē 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 [Page 115] in his heart, saying, I shall haue Deut. 29. 19. 20. 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 fauour, 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 thē better that haue them. That they yeeld the greatest blessings, benefits & com­forts, that man receiueth on the earth. [Page 116] 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 diffe­reth 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. Pet. 1. 18. either for soules or bodies. They can­not redeeme our soules: wee were not bought with corruptible things, as sil­uer and golde.

[Page 117] The whole world, and all the wealth thereof, were not a sufficient Ransome for one soule, nor a full satisfaction to Math. 16. 26. 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, & no more then Luk. 16. 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 [Page 118] keepe his word, no further then it ser­ueth for their commoditie. If the word command any thing, 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 deluded in this sort, euery trifling com­moditie will hinder you in obedience to the word.

3. Riches deceiue men in regard of their effects, because they will not performe that which they seeme to promise, and which their owners ex­pected 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 beare greene leaues, white flowers, and sweete blossomes, yet vnder the same, doe carry sharpe prickes, that will make a man to bleede, if he doe not handle them choysely and warily.

[Page 119] 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. And so they are little better, then the apples of So­dome, August. de ciuit. dei. lib. 21. cap. 5. 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, (a land that flowed with milke Deut. 8. 11. and hony) and had eaten and filled themselues with the fruites thereof, [Page 120] 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: I spake vnto thee Ier. 22. 21. when thou wast in prosperitie: but thou saidst, I will not heare, this hath bene thy manner from thy youth.

Dauid in the time of his exile and persecution, committed no such sinnes, as he did when he was setled in his kingdome. And it hath bene obserued and confessed by many of the learned, that the Church more abounded in pietie and zeale, when it was perse­cuted and poore; then when it was peaceable, and endowed with riches. And thereupon it was said, Religio pepe­rit diuitias, sed silia deuorauit matrem. Fox. Acts. & monū p. 716. ex August. Religion brought forth riches, but the daughter, hath deuoured the mo­ther.

That as the Church encreased in possessions, so it decreased in vertue. Hieron. Some write, that whē Christian Empe­rours, with good entents, enriched the Polychron. lib. 4. cap. 26. Church with lands and possessions, a voyce was heard to crye; This day [Page 121] is venome or poyson powred into the Church. And afterward the Church began to complaine, and say, In pace mea amaritudo mea maxima; In pace mea, Bernard. in cantic. serm. 33. amaritudo mea amarissima. In my peace, my bitternes is the greatest; In my peace, my bitternes is the most bitter. Not so bitter before by the death of Martyrs, and conflict with Heretikes, as now by the manners of the house­hold.

So that not a fewe, but many, haue bene deceiued and corrupted by riches this way, and therefore all had neede to looke to themselues.

4. Lastly, riches deceiue men, in re­spect of the continuance. Many trust to them, and hope to enioy them long, when as they are presently depriued of them.

Thus was Dauid deceiued. In his pros­peritie, he said, I shall neuer be moued: the Psal. 30. 6. 7. Lord of his goodnes had made his mountaine to stand strong, but thē the Lord did hide his face, and he was troubled. In regard whereof, Salomon saith, Wilt thou cast Pro. 23. 5. thine eyes vpon that which is nothing? for riches taketh her to her wings, [Page 122] like an Eagle which flyeth into the heauen. And Paul bad Timothie, charge rich men, not to trust to vncertaine 1. Tim. 6. 17. riches, vncertaine they are, and there­fore not to be trusted; they will de­ceiue those that trust to them. They will faile vs in our greatest neede, as namely, at the houre of death. That rich man, who enlarged his barnes, and laid vp goods for many yeares, when Luk. 12. 20. he was in great hope of enioying them long, had his soule taken from him that night, and knew not who should en­ioy them. Naked came we into this world, and naked must we returne: 1. Tim. 6. 7. wee brought nothing into it, neither must we carry any thing out of it: hic Ambros. acquiruntur, hic relinquntur, here they are gotten, and here they are left.

All those waies doe riches deceiue men. And whom they deceiue, in their hearts they choake the word.

Such impediments are they to the word, as they hinder many from re­ceiuing and professing it.

Christ said, the poore receiue the Gospell. Math. 11. 6.

And Paul said, you see your calling, [Page 123] that not many mightie or many noble 1. Cor. 1. 26. are called: but God hath chosen the weake ones to confound the mightie: and base and despised ones, to con­found the noble.

So likewise they hinder men in the obedience and practise of the word. Rich men are more bound to serue the Lord then the poore, for on whom he bestoweth much, of them he requireth much: As he is more bountifull to thē, so should they be more dutifull to him: yet oftentimes it commeth to passe, that they seldomer heare it, and lesse obey it, then others doe. But the grea­ter is their sinne, and the more fearefull shall be their iudgement, if they doe not amend.

You then that be rich, looke well a­bout Use. 1. you, take heede lest your riches deceiue you, and in deceiuing you, make the word fruitles. It had bene better neuer to haue enioyed them, then thus to be deceiued and hindred by them. Salomon thought this to be an euill sicknes which he saw vnder the sunne: to wit, riches reserued to the owners Eccles. 5. 12. thereof for their euill. And is it not verified [Page 124] in them: whose Riches doe choake the worde in their hearts, and make it vn­fruitfull in their liues? what greater euil could befall them? Do they not here­by endanger their owne soules? In a woefull case they are, and farre worse then the poorest in the world.

CHRIST sayth vnto such, Woe be vnto you that are rich: for yee haue re­ceyued Luk. 6. 24 your consolation. Some com­fort they may find now, but none here­after. And Iames saith to them, Go too now yee Rich men, weepe and howle, for the miseries that shall come vppon you: your Iam: 5. 1. 2. 3. gold and siluer is cankred, and the rust therof shalbe a witnes against you, and shall eate your flesh, as it were fire. Ye haue heaped vppe Treasure for the last dayes. Though now they feare no dan­ger, yet one day they shall feele it, to their great sorrowe. It is strange to see howe craftie and wise Rich men bee in worldly affaires. In all their dealings, they take such good heed, that they can hardly bee deceiued by any, yet in spi­rituall matters, touching the saluation of theyr soules, they may easily bee o­uer-reached.

[Page 125] They are to theyr great losse often deceyued, and yet doe not perceiue it: Their owne riches deceiue their soules, and yet they cannot discerne it, nor will acknowledge it.

Oh consider, that as the Diuell may deceiue you, and as other men may de­ceiue you, so also your own wealth may deceiue you, and that as dangerously as any.

It may so deceiue you, as it may procure your euerlasting destruction, if in time, you do not espie it, and redresse it.

CHRIST would neuer haue said that the deceitfulnes of Riches, as Thornes choake the seed of the word, vnlesse ri­ches did deceiue men, and make them vnfruitfull hearers. Let his words then be an admonition, to make you take better heede.

There is not any one of you, but if a Friende tolde you of a Couzener, that had beguyled manie, and went about to deceyue you, to your great dam­mage, you would take warning, and ey­ther refuse to haue any dealings at all with the man, or else, if by necessity you [Page 126] were compelled thereunto, you would be so very circumspect in your dea­lings, that hee should hardly defraud you. Christ Iesus here lets you vnder­stand, that riches are deceitfull, and that in deceiuing men, they hinder them in that which serues for Gods glory, and the good of their owne soules. And will not you receiue war­ning, and beware of them? Take heede of them, they seeme to be your good friends, and much to pleasure you, yet is there falshood in their fellowship. The better you like them, the more you loue them: and the more you trust them, the more readie are they to de­ceiue you.

And indeed this is one of the stran­gest and grossest deceits that can be found in the world In other matters men are deceiued against their wills, 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. [Page 127] 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, but through your corruption: not through their fraudulēt 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. As Paul sayd of Rom. 7. 11 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.

If riches doe so dangerously deceiue Quest. men, how may we vse riches, that they may not deceiue vs; nor like thornes, hinder the fruit of the word.

[Page 128] You neede not to cast them away, as Answ. 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, set not your hearts there­on: Psal. 62. 10. 1. Cor. 7. 31. but rather as the Apostle exhor­teth; They which vse this world, 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 you shall neglect it. Is not the desire of [Page 129] money the roote of all euill? What 1. Tim. 6. 10. 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, that he who loueth Mat. 10. 37. Luk. 14. 26. father or mother, sonne or daughter, wife or children, or his owne life, 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; If Ioh. 14. 23. 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. You are but Luk. 16. 2 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, [Page 130] 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 Iewels then all the wealth of the world. Know that godlinesse (as the Apostle teacheth) is great gaine. 1. Tim. 6. 6. Phil. 3. 9. Be of Pauls minde, who thought all things but losse, for the excellēt 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 whith belong to the [Page 131] 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 thé 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; Encline my heart to Psal. 119. 36. 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 [Page 132] 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, and giueth 1. Pet. 5. 5 1. Tim. 6. 17. grace to the humble. 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 not proud.

Lastly, if riches deceiue men, and Use. 2. [Page 133] hinder them in the obedience of the word, let not the poorer sort alwaies follow the example of rich men. Their riches doeth often choake the worde which they heare, so as it taketh no ef­fect in their hearts, nor yeeldeth any fruit in their liues. If then the poorer sort will doe as they doe, they will prooue vnprofitable hearers. In world­lie matters the poorer sort will follow them no further then serueth for their present profite. If the rich should sow among thornes, and reape a course croppe of corne at haruest, through ill husbandry; the poore will not be drawne by their example to vse the like ill husbandry, nor bee content to reape the like croppe: but what­soeuer the other doe, they will be carefull to dresse their ground after the best manner, and seeke to make the best profite of that little lande which they occupie.

And why then should they imi­tate their ill husbandry in spirituall and heauenly thinges? If in Christs time, and the Adostles time, the [Page 134] poore had beene led by the example of the rich, very few had embraced the Gospell: many of them did receiue it, though most of the rich did reiect it. Consider this, that their example will not excuse you before God: your meane estate hath least impediments. The wise man desired God to giue him Pro. [...]0. 8. 9. neither riches nor pouertie; but to feed him with foode conuenient, lest being full, hee should deny GOD, or beeing poore, should steale, and take Gods Name in vaine. And therfore as ground without thornes, yeeldeth greater in­crease then that which is ful of thornes: So you who be of middle and meane e­state, should performe greater obedi­ence, then those that be exceeding rich, or very poore.

The third and last thing, that as a thorne choaketh the word, is voluptu­ous [...]. liuing, or the pleasures of this life. Though Mathew omit this, yet Marke mentioneth it as well as this Euange­list; and calleth it, The lusts of other things, or lusts about other things. This differeth from the former: for men may be rich, and yet enioy no pleasure. Salo­mon [Page 135] sayde, hee saw this euill vnder the Sunne, and it was much among men. A man to whom God had giuen riches, and Eccle. 6. 1. 2. treasures, and honour, and wanted nothing for his soule, of all that it desired: but God gaue him no power to eate thereof, but a strange man shall eate it vp. This is vani­tie and an euill sicknesse. Some are so miserable, as they cannot finde in their hearts to vse their riches for their owne comfort; but let them lye by them, as a sicke man doth his meate. Againe, there be many who liue in pleasure, and yet enioy little wealth; who waste their wealth in wantonnesse, and care little for riches, so that they may haue their pleasure for a time. Such are the wanton youthes of our age, who like the prodi­gall Sonne, spend their patrimonie by Luk. 15. riotous liuing.

These carnall pleasures will no lesse choake the seede of the word, and hin­der the fruites of it, then cares of the world, or deceitfulnesse of riches. Salo­mon was a myrrour of wisedome: yet when hee gaue himselfe to voluptous­nesse, he forgat himselfe, neglected his dutie to his Creator, and gaue way to [Page 136] abhominable Idolatrie. And for this cause did Iob sacrifice for his children [...]ob. 1. when they were feasting, lest the plea­sures thereof should make them blas­pheme God in their hearts. And Paul 1. Tim. 5. 6. sayd, that the widdow which liueth in pleasure, is dead while she is aliue: be­cause such are no more able to per­forme the duties of Christians, then one that is dead is able to performe the of­fice of a man. These pleasures hinder the fruitfulnes of the word in three re­spects.

1. In regard of the nature of the word, & the obedience therof, it affordeth no such carnal pleasures as the natural man desireth: though it yeeld spirituall and heauenly pleasures, yet it it yeeldeth no corporall or carnall pleasures. And ther­fore voluptuous persons, who minde nothing but their pleasures, haue no care to obey the word, which bringes them no such pleasures as they desire. Nay the word doth crucify our lusts, doth curbe & moderate our pleasures. And therefore the naturall man, who hath his heart wholy set on pleasures, and will not be stinted in the vse of [Page 137] them, cannot endure it.

2. In regard of the effect of plea­sures, they breede securitie in the heart, make it more vnfit for grace, more prone to vice, & lesse fearefull of sinne and punishment. And therefore it is sayd, That Whoredome and Wine take Hos. 4. 11. away the heart. Pleasure, like another Cyrce, so enchanteth mens mindes, that like bruite beastes, they are altogether giuen to sensuallitie, and wholy neglect their dutie to God.

3 In regard of the matter of plea­sures: for many carnall pleasures con­sist in the vse of vnlawfull thinges, and in the practise of some sinne. Now if a mans heart bee set on plea­sure, then to satisfie his pleasure hee will sinne against GOD, as Eue did in eating the forbidden fruite. And as Herode did, who though hee heard Iohn Baptist gladly, and did many thinges that he taught, yet he would not put away his brothers wife, as he was commaunded.

Voluptuous persons wil not embrace such doctrine, nor follow such teachers as condemne their vnlawfull pleasures. [Page 138] They will not suffer wholesome doc­trine 2. Tim. 4. 3. (as Paul fore-told,) but after their owne lusts, get them an heape of tea­chers, to trie whether any will tollerate their sinfull pleasures, and them will they like best. Uolupt as est escamalorum: Homo ca­pitur vo­luptate, sicut hamo piscis. August. Pleasure is the baite of sinne. And man is taken with pleasure, as the fish with an hooke. As the Fisherman couereth his hooke with a baite, that the fish bi­ting at the baite, may be catched with the hooke: So the Diuell doeth baite many sinnes with pleasure, that man re­ceiuing the pleasure, may be catched with the sinne. In regard whereof, the voluptuous man, who will not bee a­bridged of any pleasure, committeth many sinnes against God, and fayleth often in the obedience of the word. He may often heare the word, yet will not obey it in any point which crosseth his pleasure. As some sicke patients are content that the Physition pre­scribe them a dyet, and sometime aske him a question, whether such meate be good for them or no: though the Phy­sition, who best knowes what is hurt­full for him, doe forbid them some [Page 139] kinds of meate, yet haue they so strong an appetite to some of those meates, as for all his direction, they will not for­goe them, but onely would haue beene glad if he would allow them. So men come to heare the worde, and thereby to learne what is good and ill for the health of their soules: though the Prea­cher giue them good direction, yet so earnest is their desire of pleasure, that they will take their delight in those thinges which hee by the worde doeth forbid.

This may teach vs, to take heede of Use. 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, we were (as the A­postle speaketh of himselfe and others) Tit. 3. 3. 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 [Page 140] 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. I may say to you, as Christ sayd of 2. Tim. 3. 4. Luk. 4. 21. Isaiahs Prophecy; This day is this Scrip­ture fulfilled in your eares: 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 pleasures, then to glorify God, by the obedience of his word: Are they not lo­uers of pleasures, more then louers of God? And those that wilfully 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 [Page 141] God, they may rather be counted pro­phane Epicures, then godly Christians. The greater their pleasures is now, the Reuel. 18. 7. 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 Eras. apo­phth. lib. 7. in Arcesil. fel from other Sects to the Epicures; 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. Reioyce Eccles. 11. 10. O young man in thy youth (as Salomon spea­keth) and let 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, let him be vniust Reuel. 22. 11. still: and he which is filthie, let him bee filthie still: yet shall they find that Christ [Page 142] will come shortly, and his reward is with him, to giue to euery one accor­ding to his worke. And then those which with poore Lazarus, endure paine, shall bee comforted: but those which with the rich glutton, enioyed their pleasures, shall be tormented.

What? will you abridge vs of all Quest. pleasures? must we become Stoickes? may we not take pleasure sometime for our refreshing?

We will neyther with Stoickes con­demne Answ. 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 [Page 143] as a reward and blessing to his people that obey his voyce. The Lord (saith the Prophet) shall comfort Zion, he Isai 51. 3. 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 Psal. 104. 15. to strengthen mans hart; 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 transit, peccatum remanet. The pleasure passeth Augustin. away, the sinne remaineth, and the pu­nishment shall follow: he that taketh pleasure in any acte of sinne, is like to gnats and flies, that play with a candle that burneth them. As Dalilah spake faire to Sampson, and much delighted [Page 144] 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: [Page 145] 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 Luk. 16. 9. rich man, 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, Eccles. 3. 4. 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 sackcloath. Then Isai. 22. 12. 13. 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 the sword, we should rather hūble our selues with sorrowfull repentance, with fasting & prayers, thē delight our selues with the pleasures of the flesh. If any will thē addict thēselues to their wōted [Page 146] delights: we may say to them as Elishah said to his seruant Gehazi: Is this a time 2. King. 5. 26. to receiue money, and to receiue gar­ments, and oliues, and sheepe and oxen? Is this a time to sport your selues with carnall pleasures, and worldly delights? Is it not rather a time of mourning, then of ioyes? We must weepe with them that weepe. And therefore if our brethren and neere neighbours feele the hand of God heauie on them, we must then forbeare our pleasures, and mourne for them. The Lord denoun­ced Rom. 12. 15. a fearefull woe, against them that were at ease in Sion, which did lye vpon beds of Iuorie, and stretch themselues vpon their beds; did eate the lambes of the flocke, and the calues out of the Amos. 6. 4. 5. 6. stall. Did sing to the sound of the violl, and inuented to themselues instrumēts of musicke like Dauid. Did drinke wine in bowles, and annoynt themselues with the chiefe oyutments, but were not sorry for the affliction of Ioseph. Know then, that all times are not sea­sonable for your pleasures. And then onely vse them when it is fitting.

4. Doe not content your selues one­ly [Page 147] with carnall and earthly pleasures, but also seeke for spirituall and heauen­ly pleasures. Doe not count this to be your onely pleasure, to liue deliciously for 2. Pet. 2. 13. a season, as some heretofore haue done, and were iustly taxed by the Apostle. But know that there Rom. 7. 22. are delights for the inward man, as well as for the out­ward. There is Psal. 1. 2. a delight in the lawe of God. There Rom. 1. 4. is consolation by the scriptures. There is Phil. 21. consolation in Christ. And a reioycing Gal. 6. 14. in the Crosse of Christ. There is Rom. 14. 17. a ioy in the holy Ghost. There is Phil. 1. 25. a ioy of faith. There is Rom. 12. 12. a reioycing in hope. There is a 2. Cor. 1. 12. Psal. 1. 2. Ps. 112. 1. reioycing in the testimonie of a good conscience. Do not therfore satisfie thy selfe, with outward and corporall de­lights, but seeke also for those that be inward and spirituall: these are more permanent, and profitable, and will yeeld true comfort to thy soule. Be like that blessed man, who delighteth in the law of God, and meditateth therein day and night, who feareth the Lord, and delighteth greatly in his comman­dements. Imitate the blessed Virgin, Luk. 1. 47. whose spirit reioyced in God her Saui­our. [Page 148] And the holie Apostle, who deli­ted in the law of GOD, concerning the Luk. 1. 47. Rom. 7. 22. inward man.

Then shalt thou bee satisfied with the fatnesse of the Lords house: and he shall giue thee drinke out of the Riuer Psal. 36. 8. Ps. 16. 11. of his pleasures, as Dauid speaketh.

There be also pleasures in heauen: for in the presence of God is fulnesse of ioy: and at his right hand are pleasures for euermore. Those farre excell all the pleasures of the garden of Eden. They yeelde full contentment, and make all them happie which doe enioy them: Therefore seeke especially for them.

A woefull thing it is, to enioy plea­sure in this life, which is but short, and to endure paine in the other life, which is eternall. If you cannot be partakers of both together, seeke for the better. Make Moses choyce, who refused the delights of Pharaohs Court: and chose Heb. 11. 25 rather to suffer aduersitie with the peo­ple of God, then to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season.

Lastly, from the consideration of all these Thornes together, wee may ob­serue, that not one onely corrupt affec­ction, [Page 149] but likewise manye corrupt af­fections in mans heart, doe choake the seede of the word: Euen all these three, mentioned before. A man may as well be hindered by one of them, as byan o­ther; as well by any one of them, as by all of them. It is not impossible to finde them all three in one & the same man.

A man may be much perplexed with worldly cares, how to get and encrease riches, and when he hath gotten them, hee may be deceiued by them, in thin­king too highly of them, in louing them too dearely, and trusting too much vn­to them. He may then also liue in plea­sure: he may be carefull to get riches, and to encrease them, that so hee may consume them on his owne lustes. By reason of his worldly care, and the de­ceitfulnes of his riches, he may be spa­ring and niggard-like in relieuing of o­thers, yet in regarde of voluptuousnes, he may spend much on himselfe.

That Rich-man, Luke 12. had much Lu. 12. 19 goods layde vp for himselfe, for many yeares. Not any for others, but all for himselfe: and therefore he would liue at ease, eate, drinke, and take his pastime. [Page 150] And the rich glutton, which would not Luk. 16. 19. 21. giue so much as the crums that fell from his table, to poore Lazarus: was giuen to pleasure, & spent much on his owne back & belly: Such men as these, haue many thornes growing in the field of their hearts: they haue many impedi­ments to hinder them in the obedience of the word. And therefore cannot be profitable hearers, and diligent practi­sers of the word. The more thornes growe in a sowne field, the lesse corne is reaped at haruest. So of all carnall hearers, these yeeld the least fruit.

Yet are these three things distingui­shed one from another, as was shewed before, are oftentimes seuered in their subiects, one of them may be found in one man, and not either of the other. And one of the other may be found in another man, and not that. A man may be carefull: and yet poore. A man may be rich, and yet not giuen to plea­sure. And all of them haue their speciall and seuerall effects, one hindering after one manner, and another after another manner.

And therefore any one of these, is [Page 151] able of it selfe to hinder the fruitfulnes of the word. You knowe there be many kindes of thornes: with vs there be white thornes, and black thornes, haw­thornes, and slowthornes: And the word in the originall, is taken not one­ly Scapulae lexicon in Akantha. for thornes, but likewise for bryars and brambles, and any thing that hath prickes. And therefore as one kind of thornes, (if there be many of that kind) may as well hinder the fruitfulnes of your fields, as many kindes. So one kind of corrupt affections in your harts, may hinder the efficacie of the word, as well as many. And therefore as when you plow and sow your ground, you rid vp not onely one kinde of thornes and bryars, but likewise all of each kind. So when you heare the word, expell out of your hearts, not onely all bad affections of one kind, but likewise all bad affections of each kind.

It is lamentable to see, how fondly people deceiue themselues herein. Ma­ny men doe harbour one noysome lust, one corrupt affection or other, in their hearts, and because they keepe out [Page 152] many others, they hope all is well with Quid re­fert, si hoc vel illo mo­do pereas. Agricola quocun (que) modo pere­nutia semi­na pariter luget, &c. Chrysost. in Math. 13. homil. 45. them. The couetous worldling con­demnes the voluptuous epicure: And the voluptuous epicure, condemnes the greedie and miserable worldling. The couetous man thinketh that he is a good Christian, because he is not giuen to prodigall licentiousnes: And the vo­luptuous man, would be esteemed a good hearer, because hee abhorres worldly cares and miserable couetous­nes. But let them both knowe, that ei­ther of these two sinfull lustes, are suffi­cient to condemne their soules: and let them not purge their hearts from the one alone, but from both together, if they will be fitte soyle for the Lords seede.

The last thing to be obserued in these hearers, is the effect of their choaking: namely, what is the issue and euent that befalls them, when they are thus choaked by those corrupt lustes: they bring forth no fruite. Though they doe not fall away from their professi­on, as those hearers mentioned in the former verse: but still continue professours and hearers of the Gos­pell, [Page 153] yet are they vnfruitfull in their profession. The originall word doth properly signifie, that they doe not bring [...]. forth any full and perfect, any ripe and truely fruite. As if they might bring forth some kinde of fruite, yet no good fruite, no full corne, nor profita­ble gaine. Corne sowne amōg thornes, may yeeld some kinde of fruite, yet not such as will please the husband­man: It will be an vntimely fruite: it will wither away, before it be through­ly fed, and fully ripe. It will be very thinne on the ground, when it is rea­ped, it will proue nothing but short eares, and small gaines; and when it is threshed, nothing but light corne, and vnprofitable. Such is the obe­dience of those men, which be giuen to couetousnes, and voluptuousnes, they may performe some outward du­ties, yet not many: onely such as doe not hinder them in their worldly pro­fits, nor abridge them of their carnall pleasures. And those which they doe performe, are very imperfect, neither acceptable to God, nor comforta­ble to their owne soules. They are [Page 154] not such as God exacted, they doe not proceed from such sinceritie of the heart, neither are they directed to that right end, neither are they per­formed in such an holy manner as he requireth. Though they seeme to be­gin well, yet their inward lusts doe so hinder them, that they cannot bring their actions to a due perfection, but waxe wearie of doing well: And ei­ther quite cease from their enterpri­ses begun; or else efaint much in their proceedings, before they bring any thing to a good end.

Whence first we may take notice of the nature, qualitie and maner of their obedience, whose hearts are still posses­sed with the cares of the world, and the pleasures of this life. They may per­forme many good duties, yet faile in some maine dutie.

And yet those which they performe, cannot please the Lord, we haue preg­nant examples hereof in the scriptures.

Naaman the Syrian, being cured of his leaprosie by the Prophet Elisha, vowed vnto him, to worship none other God, but the God of Israel, [Page 155] yet desired he to be tollerated in one point: that when he went with his Mai­ster into the house of Rimmon, and when 2. King. 5. 18. his Maister leaned on his hand, and he did bowe as his Maister and others did, the Lord would be mercifull vnto him therein. Though he misliked that idola­try in his heart, yet because he could not enioy his gainefull place and office vnder his Maister, vnles in that point he dissembled, he for his gaine would in outward behauiour, ioyne with others in that idolatrous worship, he would be a Proselyte, so farre as it might stand with his worldly commoditie, but no further. And the reason was, because worldly lustes were not then mortified in his heart. Iudas had diuers commendable things in him, otherwise Christ would neuer haue chosen him to be one of the twelue: he heard his sermons, liued a long time ciuilly, and preached the Gospell to others: yet be­cause couetousnes did still raigne in his heart, for money he betrayed his Maister.

That rich yong man which came to Christ to knowe the way to eternall [Page 156] life, had so kept the commandements for outward actes, as Christ loued him, Mar. 10. 21. yet because his corrupt affections were onely kept vnder, and not killed, he left Christ, and had rather breake his commandement, then leaue his owne wealth.

Herod (as you heard) did many things which Iohn Baptist taught, yet because the word was not powerfull in his heart, to mortifie his sinfull lustes, he would not breake off his incest, nor put away his brothers wife.

If you suffer the like affections to a­bide in your hearts, your obedience will be no better.

You see by experience, that corne growing among thornes, is neither so much, nor so good, as that which groweth in other ground; And that it might haue bene more, and also better, in the same ground; if the thornes before the sowing, had bene ridde vp.

Doe not then imagine, that your obedience can either be plentifull or acceptable, so long as these inordinate affections be harboured in your hearts. [Page 157] Knowe this, that though other affecti­ons be suppressed, yet so long as these beare sway in you, so long as they doe hinder you in good, and prouoke you vnto euill; you are not mortified by the spirit of sanctification: for mortifi­cation is a change and reformation not of part onely, but of the whole nature of man, yea of all the faculties of the soule, and of all the affections of the heart: he that is washed (saith Christ) Ioh. 13. 10. is cleane euery whit. And will God accept of any fruites, that come from an heart not sanctified? Wherefore purge your hearts from these lustes: And be willing to yeeld obedience as well to those commandements, which seeme hard and vnpleasant vnto you, as vnto those that be more easie, and de­lightfull. For this is not thanksworthy to obey those commandements which doe nothing crosse your worldly pro­fits and carnall pleasures: but herein is your dutifulnes especially seene, if you be content to forgoe your profit, and abridge your selues of your pleasures, that so you may keepe the commande­ments of the Lord.

[Page 158] Moreouer, if those which bring forth such fruites as these, be condemned, what shal we say of them, that be worse then these? that bring forth very little or no fruit at all: which heare much, and practise almost nothing: who re­ceiue Gods seede into their hearts, but bring forth the diuells fruits in their liues. We haue many such hearers, as the Prophet Ezekiel had, the people came vnto him, and sate before him, Ezeck. 33. 31. and heard his words, yet would not do them: but with their mouthes made iestes, and their hearts went after their couetousnes.

Let such knowe, that not the hea­rers, but the doers of the lawe are iu­stified. Rom. 2. 13.

And that they, who be hearers onely, and not doers of the word, deceiue Iam. 1. 22. their owne soules.

To shew their folly and their daun­ger, Christ compared them to a foolish Math. 7. 24. man, which built his house vpon the sand; The raine fell, the floods came, and the windes blew, and beat vpon that house, and it fell, and the fall there­of was great.

[Page 159] Iames likeneth them to a man that be­holdeth Iam. 1. 23 his naturall face in a glasse, and when he hath considered himselfe, go­eth his way, and forgetteth immediatly what maner of one he was. They doe not onely lose their labour and reward, but likewise prouoke the LORD to wrath, and procure fearefull iudge­ments against themselues. Their punish­ment shall be more grieuous, then if they had neuer heard. Christ shall say to them which heard him preach in their Cities, and would not obey him; Depart from me, yee workers of iniqui­tie, Luk. 13. 26. Ioh. 15. 22. I know you not. And hee sayd of the Iewes to whom he preached; If I had not come and spoken vnto them, they should not haue had sinne; but now haue they no cloake for their sinne. The Ministers which haue preached vnto them, shall one day be witnesses against them: and their Sermons shall be so many billes of inditement against them. As it is an haynous thing in the Ministers to say and not doe; so is it also an haynous thing in the people, to heare and not do: yet are many of our people faultie this way: There is no sinne forbidden, but [Page 160] they may often heare it condemned by the word: As the filthy sinnes of Whor­dome: the beastlie crime of Drunken­nesse: the prophane sinne of Swearing: the impious sinnes of polluting the Lords Sabboth: the vncharitable sins of Iniustice, fraude and oppression: the malitious sinnes of rayling, backbyting and slaundering: and yet the people will not forsake them: But like the Ier. 7. 10. presumptuous Iewes, they steale, mur­ther, commit adulterie, sweare falslie, and practise other sinnes; and yet will come and stand before the Lord, in the house where his Name is called vpon. There be no duties of the first or second Table, which they owe to God or man, but they are often taught them, and yet they doe as carelesly omit them, as if they neuer heard them. They content themselues with bare and idle hearing, as if that were all which God requires, as if that were sufficient to saue their soules. Oh remember you what Christ sayth; If yee know these things, blessed are yee if you doe them. Though you heare Ioh. 13. 17. them neuer so often, though you know them neuer so well, yet are you not [Page 161] blessed except you doe them. Would it not greatly discontent you, to send your seruants each yeere to sow your fieldes with the best seede, and yet after many yeres sowing to reape no croppe, but to lose both labour and cost? And doe you thinke that the Lord will bee well pleased, to send his Ministers from yeere to yeere, to sow the good seede of his holy word among you; and yet af­ter many yeeres labour, to reape no fruit at all? The Apostle teacheth, that the land which drinketh in the rayne, Heb. 6. 7. 8. and bringeth forth fruit for them, by whom it is dressed, conceiueth blessing from God: but that which beareth thornes and bryars, is reproued, and is neere vnto cursing, whose end is to be burned. Are you as soyle sowne with the Lords seede, and dressed by his Husbandmen, and yet yeelde no fruite for his glory, and for the comfort of those that take paines among you? And will you expect a blessing from the LORD? Those that be such, may rather feare a curse. Did not CHRIST curse the Figge Tree, which bare leaues, but no fruite? [Page 162] if they still continue barren, their case shall be worse then theirs of Sodome Mat. 10. 15. and Gomorrah: for if the Sermons which haue beene preached among vs, had beene preached in Sodome and Gomorrah, they had repented long a­goe in sack cloath and ashes: but there­fore shall it be easier for them of Sodom and Gomorrah at the day of Iudge­ment, then for these disobedient peo­ple. Take heede lest by your contempt of the word, you lose it. Christ taketh his Kingdome from them that be vn­fruitfull; Mat. 21. 43. and will giue it to a Nation which shall better bring forth the fruits thereof. If you often sow a fielde with good corne, and at haruest can reape no good croppe, you will sow it no lon­ger, you will let it lie, and sow some o­ther. And can you thinke that GOD will still continue his worde to you, if after long sowing, you will not yeeld a­ny fruit? It is a speciall fauour and mer­cie of God, to haue the Gospell among vs. God hath not dealt so with euery Nation. Happie are our eyes, to see Psa. 147. those things which we see: and happie are our eares, to heare those thinges [Page 163] which we heare: Many righteous men would haue beene glad to haue seene and heard them, and yet could not. Let vs walke worthie of this blessing, that it may bee continued to vs and to our posteritie.

YOV haue alreadie heard the expo­sition of three sorts of ground, and what kinde of hearers were signifi­fyed thereby. Now see the exposition of the fourth and last kinde of ground. And that was good ground, in which the seede sowne sprang vp, and brought forth fruit with great encrease. Vnto this ground good and profitable hea­rers are compared. As all the other groundes set forth to our view the na­ture and properties of bad hearers; so this describeth the conditions of good hearers.

Before we come to the speciall pro­perties [Page 142] of these hearers in particular, we are to obserue one thing in generall, and from the coherence; to wit, That although Christ had diuers sorts of hea­rers; and nany of them were bad, some one way, some another way; yet all of them were not bad, some were good and profitable hearers: all his seed was not lost; some sell on good ground, & yeelded plentifull encrease. Though the Scribes and Pharises, and many of the common multitude were bad hearers; yet the Apostles and many other Dis­ciples were good hearers, did keepe the word in their hearts, and brought forth fruit in their liues. And therfore he told the Iewes, that whereas they neyther receiued Iohn nor him: Iohn came nei­ther Mat. 11 19. 20. eating nor drinking; and they said he had a Diuell: The Son of man came eating & drinking; and they sayd, Be­hold a glutton, and a drinker of wine, a friend of publicans and sinners. They woulde neither receiue the one for his austeritie, nor the other for his affabili­tie: yet Wisedome is iustifyed of her children. Mat. 11. 25. And hee gaue thanks vnto his father, because, that although he had hid these [Page 165] thinges from the wise and men of vn­derstanding; yet he had reuealed them vnto babes. Though some of his hea­rers in Capernaum tooke offence at his Ioh. 6. 66. 68. doctrine of eating his flesh, & drinking king his blood; and from that time went backe and walked with him no more. Yet the Apostles would not for­sake him, but frely ackdowledged that they would neuer leaue him, because he had the words of eternall life: and they did beleue that he was the Christ, the Sonne of the liuing God. When he preached in the Temple, at the Feast of the Tabernacles, there was dissention Ioh. 7. 40. 41. 43. 46 among his hearers: Some sayde; Of a truth this is the Prophet. Others sayd; This is the Christ. Some sayde; Shall Christ come out of Galilie? Others said; Neuer man spake like him. At another time, some that heard him, saide hee Ioh. 10. 20. 21. had a Diuell, and was mad, and blamed men for hearing him any longer. Others said; These are not the wordes of one that hath a Diuell. Can the Diuell open the eies of him that was borne blind? Such diuersity of hearers had Christ: his worde did not worke alike in all that [Page 166] hard it. Some waxed worse, & some were made better by hearing of it. The like effect was seene in Pauls hearers: When he and Barnabas preached at Iconium, a Act. 14. 1. 2. 4. great multitude, both of Iewes and Graecians beleeued: though there were some vnbeleeuing Iewes, that stirred vp, and corrupted the mindes of the Gentiles against the brethren. In that deuision of the Citie, though some were with the Iewes, yet some were with the Apostles. And when he prea­ched Act. 17. 32. 34. at Athens, some mocked him for his doctrine of the Resurection: some would heare him againe, as if they were not fully resolued, but desired to be fur­ther instructed: yet certaine men did cleaue to Paul, & beleeued; as Denys a Iudge, of Mars Streete, Damaris a wo­man, and others with them.

And thus it pleaseth GOD still to blesse the Ministerie of his seruants. Though they cannot conuert all, yet they doe conuert some; they doe not altogether lose their labour. As there is no field so barren, but if it be sowne, some seede will come vp, and yeeld en­crease: so is there no place or congre­gation [Page 167] so bad, but if the truth be there sincerely taught, it will in time winne some. Though some continue obsti­nate, and remaine as ignorant, as Po­pish, and as prophane, as euer they were before they heard. Yet Wisedome shall be iustifyed of her children; as many as are ordayned to eternall life shall be­leeue. Some shalbe called, and by hea­ring shall grow in knowledge, in grace, and obedience.

This may comfort and encourage vs in our labours: Though it bee some griefe to see many non proficients, who heare much, and are neuer the better: yet if it please the Lord to giue some happie issue vnto our labours, that wee edifie some, though not all, that wee profite a few, though not many: wee should therewith be content, and praise the Lord for it. If indeede wee should conuert none at all, yet must wee not faint, but still continue our paines, and expect a reward at the Lords hands: for he will reward our laboures, though we should do others no good thereby. And therefore the Prophet sayd; I haue Isai. 49. 4. laboured in vaine, I haue spent my strength in [Page 168] vaine, and for nothing: but my iudgement is with the Lord, and my worke with my God. It is not our worke, but the Lords worke, to conuert soules. Paul may 1. Cor. 3. 6 plant, Apollos may water, but it is God that giueth the encrease. Wee haue re­ceiued and taken vpon vs, Curam non curationem; A care and a charge, not a Bernard. de consi. der. lib. 5. cap. 3. curing. Non est in medico, semper releuetur vt ager; It is not in the power of the Physition to cure his sicke patient at his pleasure. Euery one of vs shall re­ceiue a reward. Secundum laborem, non se­cundum 1. Cor. 3. 8. prouentum; according to his la­bour, not according to his fruit. As Ber­nard well obserued. And therefore Paul 1. Cor. 15. 10. sayd not; I haue profited more then all; but I haue laboured more then they all. And rather reioyced in the abundance of his labours, then in the fruitfulnesse of his laboures. It a quaeso, fac tu quod tu­um 2. Cor. 11. 23. est: Nam Deus quod suum est satis abs (que) tua solicitudine & auxietate curabit: Doe then I pray thee, that which is thy office and dutie; God will haue care enough of that which belongeth vnto him; sayd the same Bernard; But if we con­uert and edifie some by our poore Mi­nisterie, [Page 169] we may comfort our selues by them: and say of them as Paul did of the Corinthians; Yee are the 1. Cor. 9. 2. 1. Thes. 2. 19. seale of our Apostleshippe in the Lord. And as hee did of the Thessalonians; What is our hope, or ioy, or crowne of reioycing? Are not euen you it in the presence of our Lord Iesus Christ at his comming?

When wee sow good seede in the Lords field, the enuious man soweth tares. Wee must not looke that in a populous congregation all should be good and true hearers: If some onely be good and profitable hearers, let vs praise GOD for them, and pray vn­to him, dayly to encrease their num­ber.

But to come neerer to the proper­ties of these hearers in particular: In the description of them, and by com­paring them with the former hearers, wee may easilie perceiue, that in some thinges they doe agree with them: in some thinges they differ from them, and doe much excell them. There were some commendable thinges in diuers of the former hearers, [Page 170] and would haue wrought good in them if they had beene well vsed. In these things doe these good hearers agree with them. They haue the selfe-same things, though in a better maner, and with better vse.

1. They agree with them, in that they heare as well as the rest. All the persons spoken of in this Parable are hearers, both good and bad: and they all heare one and the same doctrine, though not after one and the same ma­ner, nor with the like efficacy and fruit. And therefore those which refuse to heare, eyther through error, as our Re­cusants: or through contempt and neg­ligence, as some carelesse and carnall people, are so farre from beeing the ground here mentioned, as that they are worse then the bad ground spoken of before. There cannot be any good­nesse in their hearts, nor yet in their liues. Can any field yeeld a good crop of corne at haruest, which was not sowne at the seede time? They are worse then many reprobates haue beene and are: How then can they looke to be as good as the Elect are and shall be?

[Page 171] 2. They agree in the vnderstanding of the word: for it is sayd in Mathew; He that receiueth seed in good ground, Mat. 13. 23. Mat. 13. 19. is he that heareth the word, and vnder­standeth it. And although the first sort of bad hearers are sayd to heare and not vnderstand: Yet the other two sortes 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 groūd, receiue the worde with ioy. So also doe these good hearers, though the thing it selfe be not expresly mētioned. [Page 172] 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 [Page 173] 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. The Lord required of the Deut. 6. 6. Iewes, that the words which he com­manded them, should be in their heart. The wise man thus exhorted his sonne, Prou. 3. 1. 3. Forget not thou my law, but let thine heart keepe my cōmandements: 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 [Page 174] 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, by nature mans heart is cor­rupt: Gen. 6. 5. 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: Christ Ioh. 15. 3. said his Disciples were al clean through the word which he had spokē to them. And praied to his Father; Sanctify them Ioh. 17. 17. Ephe. 5. 26. with thy trueth, 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 thē 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 frō the hart or inward parts, it is in vain to lay the plaister to the head, to the [Page 175] 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 [Page 176] the earth, no more will the word profit thy soule, vnles it be receiued into thy 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. A good man out of the good trea­sure Math. 12. 34. 35. 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 primum 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 [Page 177] 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 no further then thy eares or head, it is easily taken from thee: but if it descend to the bottome of thy heart, it may there be safelie kept. It is an heauenly treasure. And therefore thou must imitate that man, who finding a treasure in the field, did Math. 13. 44. hide it, and for ioy thereof, went and sold all that he had, to buy that field. Though men will suffer their baser stuffe, and wodden vessell, to be more common, and lye more open, and re­maine in greater danger: yet their best and most costly stuffe, their iewells and coyne, they will lay vp in the safest pla­ces. So seeing the word of God, is most precious, of great value and worth, lay it vp safely in the bottome of the heart.

And if this be a property of good hea­rers, Vse. [Page 178] to heare the word with their hearts, then those who bring their bo­dies to the Church, and leaue their hearts at home: who draw neere to God with their lippes and with their eares, when their hearts are farre from him, cannot be good hearers. If thou wouldest be of that number, prepare thy heart before hand, and while thou hearest, let not thy heart be thinking on any by-matters, but onely attend to that: heare with thy heart, as well as with thy eares, and then shalt thou be blessed by thy hearing.

2. Againe, note hence more special­ly, the qualitie and disposition of their hearts, who heare profitably, they heare with an honest and good heart. It is not any kind of heart, that will make your hea­ring profitable, it must be an honest and good heart. Though thou shoul­dest heare with thy heart, as well as with thy eares, yet vnles it be a good heart, it will little auaile thee. For in the goodnes of the heart consisteth a maine difference, betwixt these hea­rers, and some of the former. Those which be compared to stony ground, [Page 179] did heare with their harts: For they are saide not onely to heare, but also to re­ceiue the word with ioy. Yet were they not good and honest hearts.

They were hard and stony, and would not suffer the worde to take rooting deepe enough. And those that be re­sembled to Thornie ground, did heare with their hearts, yet were their hearts not good: They were full of worldly cares, and carnall delights, which after­ward choaked the word. But these re­ceiued it with good and honest hearts, Kalè ka [...] agathe. and therefore did both retaine it, and obey it.

In describing of the qualitie of this their hart, Christ here vseth two words which be of a neere, yet not of the same signification. There is some difference ketwixt them: the one properly signi­fieth faire, beautifull, seemly, and come­ly: the other signifieth good and ex­cellent. The one noteth the outward apparent qualitie, the other expresseth the inward nature, and inherent pro­pertie of the thing. And so here by is Beza anot. maior in hunc locū. signified, that the heart of these hearers is good each way: both outwardly be­fore [Page 180] men, manifesting it self to be good by open profession, by aboundance of fruites, and by constant perseuerance. And also inwardly in it selfe, and be­fore God, by a sincere sanctification, and holie disposition. And so their heart differeth from the heartes of the former hearers. For though they in re­ceyuing the Worde with ioy, in belie­uing it, and bringing forth some fruites of it, did make some faire showe, and gaue some outward signe of a good heart, yet their heart was not effectu­ally sanctified within: and they made those faire showes but for a time; Af­terward they reuolting in time of Ten­tation, or failing in their fruites, tho­rough worldly cares and voluptuous­nes, bewrayed the filthinesse of theyr hearts.

Those then that would bee good hearers, must haue good hearts both waies. Both inwardly, in their owne na­ture and inclination, as also outwardly before men, by the fruites and testimo­nies. As is the heart, so will the hea­ring be.

[Page 181] Good meete will not nourish that mans bodie, who hath a bad stomacke, that cannot well digest it, before it be sent to other partes, but eyther leaues it rawe, or turnes it to grosse humors. No more can sound Doctrine profite that man, that hath a corrupt and wicked heart.

If this be so, that no man that hath a Obiection. bad heart should come to heare: and if he doe come, he shall loose his labour, and neuer be made better by hearing. But wee knowe the contrarie, manie haue beene amended by hearing: yea, theyr bad haue bene made good.

This must be vnderstoode of the whole acte of hearing. Not onely of Answere. the time before they come to heare, but also of the whole Time, while they are in hearing.

Those men which had badde hearts before they came to heare, and still haue badde heartes all the time of their hearing, and goe away with as badde hearts as they brought with them, shall neuer reape profite by theyr hearing. But if theyr heattes were badde be­fore, yet are changed and sanctified by [Page 182] their hearing, they are profitable and fruitfull hearers.

The hearts of those three thousand, which were conuerted by one of Peters sermons, were not good, till they heard Acts 2. 37 41. 42. him preach: but then were their harts pricked and made good. And at that instant they became fruitfull hearers: For they receyued the worde gladly, were baptized, & added to the church, and continued in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship, and breaking of bread, and prayers.

The heart of Lydia was not good be­fore shee heard Paul, but God then o­pened Act. 16. 14 her hart, & by opening it, made it good; and it being made good, cau­sed her to attend to his doctrine, and to bring forth the fruites of it, by kind entertaining of her teachers.

That vnbelieuer and vnlearned man, which as the Apostle writeth, came in 1. Cor. 14. 24. 25. when all did prophecie, brought a bad heart with him. For he was rebuked of all, and iudged of all, and the secrets of his heart made manifest: yet was his hart made good in the very time of hea­ring: and therefore did he fall downe [Page 183] on his face, and worship God, and said plainely, that God is in you indeed. Wherefore knowe this, that so long as thy heart is bad, thy hearing cannot be good; but so soone as thy heart is chan­ged, thy hearing shall be profitable. Some write that Manna tasted accor­ding August. in epist. 118. c. 3. Re­tract. 2. 20. Roffens. li. 1. c. 12. Heskins parlicinēt. 3. 12. to the disposition of the caters: to the good it had a sweete and plea­sant taste, euen such a taste as they desi­red: but to the bad a bitter and loath­some taste. Though this be vncertaine, Augustine once wrote it for certaintie, but afterward doubted of it, because he could find no warrant for it, but onely in Apocrypha: yet the like may be seene in the word of God, our heauenly Man­na. It tasteth, it nourisheth and profi­teth the hearers, according to the seue­rall dispositions of their hearts. To them which haue good hearts, it is sweet, comfortable, and profitable: to them which haue corrupt hearts, it is loathsome, terrible, and vnprofitable.

This should teach euery one of vs, Use. 1. to looke to our hearts, and see that they be good, that so we may be fruit­full hearers: husbandmen haue great [Page 148] care to make their ground good and fertile, before they sowe it. If it be barren, they will marke it, they will set mucke and dung on it, to make it more fruitfull. As carefull should thou be to make thy heart good, seeing it is the soyle in which the Lords hea­uenly seede must be sowne. If it be not good alreadie, vse all good meanes to make it good, pray earnestly vnto God, that he would sanctifie it by his holy spirit.

And if it be good, labour to make it better: the better it is, the more fruit­full shall thy hearing be: And for this purpose, heare the word oftner, for it will make thy heart better. The longer that the ground of your fields is tilled and sowne, the more bare and barren it will be. But it is not so with the ground of your hearts, the oftner and the longer they are sowne with the seede of Gods word, the more fruitfull will they be. Such is the nature of this heauenly seede, that it will not make the ground more barren, but more fer­tile by often sowing.

As the seede is good, that is sowne in [Page 185] your hearts, so let the soyle be made answerable vnto it, and then you neede not to doubt of a plentifull encrease. Let not so good seede be lost, by ligh­ting into bad soyle, heare with peni­tent hearts, with sanctified hearts, with beleeuing hearts, with resolued hearts, to receiue and obey, whatsoe­uer is taught out of the word, and you shall be happy hearers.

2. Furthermore, we may hereby dis­cerne, Vse. 2. who haue good hearts, who haue bad. It is the goodnes of the heart, that makes the hearer to bring forth fruit. It is the corruption of the heart, that hinders his fruitfulnes. Those then that heare much, and practise little, haue bad hearts: but those that heare and practise the word in their liues, haue honest and good hearts. Though none knowe the heart of another, imme­diately and directly, but God alone, who is the onely searcher of it: yet as the Physition can iudge of the in­ward temperature of the body by the pulse, and as wee may iudge of the tree by the fruits: so may we iudge of the inward goodnes and badnes of [Page 186] the heart, by the outward behauiour in the life. And to keepe me to the present comparison of this para­ble.

If a man knew a field sowne in a good sort with good seede, yet after­ward did see the corne to be thin and course, and yeeld no good crop: he will say the ground is barren. But if he passe by a close, toward haruest time, and see the corne very thicke and rancke, and beare a long eare full of corne, he will say it is good land. So if we knowe people to be well taught, and yet yeeld little obedience in their liues, we may iustly suspect. that their hearts be not vpright before God: but if we see them reforme their liues according to the word, auoyd those sinnes which it forbiddeth, and practise those duties which it commendeth, and that in a constant course of their conuersation, we may be assured that their hearts be honest and good.

If therefore you would haue others to thinke, that you haue honest and good hearts, shew forth the fruits of the word in your liues.

[Page 187] The second speciall propertie in these hearers, is their keeping of the word.

They doe not onely receiue it with their hearts, and lay it vp in the bot­tome of them, but likewise there they keepe it fast. They will not let it goe Katéchou­sie. Beza An­not. maior. in locum. out thence, nor suffer any to take it from them.

The originall word as some haue obserued, is very emphaticall, and importeth a keeping with much la­bour and difficultie.

And so fitly expresseth the manner of their keeping, which is with striuing and strugling against their owne cor­ruptions, against Sathans suggestions, and against the worlds allurements. Though all conspire, and ioyne their forces together, yet doe they keepe it so safe and sure, as that they cannot wrest it from them. And herein they also differ from all the former hea­rers.

The first sort lost it as soone as they receiued, it: euen while they were in hearing, the diuell tooke it from them. The second sort kept it a while, but [Page 188] not long, for they beleeue for a time, they keepe the word no longer then they kept their faith. Though they kept both in time of peace, yet they lost both in time of persecution. The third sort kept the word, yet not long, when as afterward it was choaked by cares and pleasures, it was taken from them. But these kept it for euer, neither the diuel by his suggestions, nor other men by their persecutions, nor their owne lusts by their prouocations, can depriue them of the word. Such an hearer was the blessed virgin, the mother of Christ, she kept all her Sauiours sayings in her Luk. 2. 51. heart; she did not onely lay them vp, but also kept them. And not onely in her head, but also in her heart: and not some onely, but all his words. And such keepers are all profitable hearers, for if the word enter into mens harts, and af­terward goe out againe, it will doe them little or no good at all.

Though the meate which a man ea­teth, be receiued into his stomacke, yet vnlesse it continue there for a time, and be there digested, it will not nourish and feede his body.

[Page 189] Though seede be cast into the fur­rowes, yet vnles it doe there remaine for a season, to sprout and take rooting, it will not yeeld any crop to the rea­pers. Euen so, though the word should be receiued into the heart, yet vnles it doe there abide, it cannot fructifie in the life. But if it be there safely kept, it will bring forth plentifull encrease. And therefore Christ said, Happie are Luk. 11. 28. they which heare the word of God and keepe it. Yea he accounteth them more hap­pie for that their keeping of it, then was the wombe that bare him, and the pappes that gaue him sucke. The bene­fite of this keeping is double.

1. It serueth for direction: for the word, kept in the heart, will direct a man in his life, teaching him what sins to auoyd, what duties to performe. It will be a lanterne vnto his feete, and a light vnto his path. It will be a guide, to say vnto him, this is the way walke in Isai. 30. 21. Psal. 119. 11. it, when he turneth to the right hand, or to the left. And therefore Dauid said of himselfe, I haue hid thy promise in my heart, that I might not sinne a­gainst thee. As if the hiding & keeping [Page 190] of the word in the heart, were a speciall and an effectuall meane to keepe men from sinne. And he also writeth of o­thers; The mouth of the righteous will speake of wisedome, and his tongue Psal. 37. 30. 31. will talke of iudgement: for the lawe of God is in his heart, and his steps shall not slide. If you will carefully and safely keepe the word in your hearts, you shall shew forth the fruit of it in your liues.

2. It serueth for perseuerance. It will make a man constantly to conti­nue in grace, in obedience, in the Lords fauour, and in state of saluation. It is certaine, that so long as men keepe the word in their harts, they cannot wholy fall away from God. Now those that heare with good and honest hearts, shall alwaies safely keepe it: neither can the diuells tentations, nor the worlds persecution rob them of it: neither can their owne corrupt affections being mortified, expell it out of their hearts. Though other hearers may loose the word by those meanes, yet not any of these which haue these honest & good harts. And therefore as they are now in [Page 191] grace, & in state of saluatiō, so shal they continue therein for euer. Whereupon Iohn saith; Whosoeuer is borne of God, sin­neth 1. Ioh. 3. 9 not: for his seede remaineth in him: neyther can he sinne, because he is borne of God. He cannot sinne totally and final­ly, so as he should thereby quite cut off himself from grace, and from saluation.

Wherefore this propertie of these hearers, confuteth their opinion, who hold, that a man once in state of grace, may vtterly fall away, and become a re­probate. If any will obiect, that so long as they keepe the word in their hearts, they cannot fall away: but they may loose the word, it may be taken out of their hearts, and then they may perish. I answere. That in this their argument they begge the question: for neyther can any other take the word from them, neyther shall they lose it of them­selues. For this perpetuall keeping of the word, is a speciall propertie in these good hearers, whereby they differ from all other hearers. As their hearts are farre better then the rest; so shall they better keepe the word then any of the rest. Those bad hearers, which had their [Page 192] hearts mollified but in part, or had their hearts fraught with worldly cares and voluptuousnes, may receiue and keepe the word for a time, and loose it after­ward, as you heard before: but these who haue honest and good hearts shall keepe it, and bring forth fruit. This is a maine difference betwixt them; that the rest keepe it for a time, these keepe it for euer. If these hearers might after­ward loose it as well as the rest, and bring forth no fruites of it, then were there no difference betwixt them and the former. But certainely there is great difference. And therfore those who re­ceiue it, and keepe it not long, receiue it with bad hearts. Those who receiue it with good and honest hearts, shall keepe it vnto the end. In this respect Christ compared him that heard his words, and did the same, to a wise man, which built his house vpon a rocke: the Mat. 7. 24. 25. raine fell, the floodes came, and the winds blew, and beat vpon that house, and it fell not: for it was founded on a rocke. So firmely is this hearer built on Christ, that sure & immoueable Rocke, that no troubles, tryals, persecutions, or [Page 193] tentations can ouerthrow him. In the same respect Christ said, Euery branch Ioh. 15. 2. that beareth not fruit in me, my Father taketh away: and euery one that bea­reth fruite, hee purgeth, that it may bring forth more fruit. To signifie, that none are cut off but barren branches: those that be fruitfull shall neuer be cut off, but be made more fit to beare more fruit.

If it be further obiected, that so long as their hearts are honest & good, they shall keepe the word, & bring forth the fruits thereof: but their hearts may be corrupted, and lose that goodnes, and then they shall lose the word. I also an­swere, that if their hearts be once made such good & honest hearts, as be here spoken of, they shall neuer be wholy & finally corrupted, they shall keepe their goodnes to the end. For as the Apostle Rom. 11. 29. saith; The gifts and calling of God are without repentance. He who first made them good, will cōtinue them in good­nes. He will confirme thē vnto the end, that they may be blameles in the day of 1. Cor. 1. y ^e Lord. Hath he not promised to make an euerlasting couenāt with his people? [Page 194] and neuer to turne away from them, to doe them good? and to put his feare into their hearts, that they shall not de­part from him. For this purpose did Au­gustine De bono perseue­rant. lib. 2. cap. 7. Quifecit bonos, fa­ [...]iet perse­ [...]erare in bono. de perseue­rant. sanct. cap. 12. alleadge that, and other places. And further saith; Sicut operatur vt ac­cedamus, sic operatur ne discedamus; As he worketh, that we may come to him, so doth he worke, that we may not de­part from him. I confesse, the grace and goodnes of the heart, may lie for a time, as fire vnder ashes; yet is it neuer vtter­ly extinguished. A man in a traunce see­meth dead for a time, yet doth he re­uiue, because his soule is in him. So shall these within a while recouer, because grace still remaineth in them.

Hence then must we learne to keep the Vse. word, that so we may enioy these be­nefites, and be reputed good hearers. The Apostle exhorteth vs to let the Col. 3. 16. word dwell in vs plenteously, teaching and admonishing vs. It must not lodge in vs as a stranger doeth, for a night in his Inne; but haue continuall residence and abode, as a man hath in his dwel­ling house. The voyce of it must not be like the stroke of a Musitian, which [Page 195] onely affecteth a man while he heareth the sound: but rather like the receipt of a Physition, which worketh in the body a long time after it is taken.

It may be while you heare some doc­trines, you knowe no present vse of them; yet keepe them in your hearts for the time to come: Heare for after­wards, Isa [...]. 42. 23. as the Lord speaketh by his Pro­phet. As Ioseph in yeeres of plentie, layd vp store for yeeres of famine. And as the Ant in summer gathereth prouision for winter: So must we at one time learne instructions, which may stand vs in stead at another time. In time of peace we must furnish and prepare our selues for warre: in health, for sicknes: in prosperitie, for aduersitie: in life, for death. The Lord will not admit vs to be of his priuie Counsell, to acquaint vs before hand how hee will vse vs, and what he will bring vpon vs: wee must therefore so keepe the word, as we may be prepared for all occasions, and know how to behaue our selues in all estates. We must be like the wise Virgins, who kept Oyle in their Lamps for al seasons. A carefull Householder will not cast a­way [Page 196] an implement, because he hath no present vse of it, but will keepe it for 7. yeeres, thinking y ^e 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 heare much, and presently forget it. No more shall profit vs then that we keepe.

What must we doe, that we may be able to keepe it? Qu [...]st.

1. Emptie your hearts of euil thoughts and wicked imaginations, worldly Answ. [Page 197] cares, and carnall lustes: and if they be once expelled, keepe them still out: for as you often heard, they will choake the word. Isaack and Ishmael could not dwell together in one house. The Arke 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 will imprint it more deep­ly 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 Psal. 1. 2. day & night. Beastes after they haue ea­ten their meate, will chew the cudde; fetch it vp againe out of their belly, and chew it ouer a new. Such were cleane Leuit. 11. 2. vnder the Lawe, fittest for meate vn­to man, and for sacrifice vnto GOD. [Page 182] The best learned in olde and late times, haue thought, that holy meditation is signisied 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 cōference with others, touching that which you haue heard. This was commaunded vn­der the Law. The Lord enioyned the Iewes, that the words which he com­maunded D [...]ut. 6. 6. 7. them, should bee in their hearts: yet not that onely, but they must rehearse them continually to their children. Yea, euery one must talke of them when he taried in his house, when Deut. 11. 16. he walked by the way, when he did lie downe, and when he rose vp. It was practised and approued vnder the Gos­pell: The two Disciples that trauelled to Emaus, conferred together touching Christ: Christ liked their conference so Luk. 24. 14. 15. 17. 27. well, as hee vouchsafed them his pre­sence, made a third person in the con­ference, and opened to them the Scrip­tures, [Page 199] 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 we 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. He promised by Ier. 31. 33. 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. The Lawes of the for­mer Heb. 8. 10 concnant hee wrote in Tables of stone: but the Lawes of the latter co­uenant hee will write in the fleshly ta­bles of mens hearts. If he write them in your hearts, by the finger of his holy spirit, they shall neuer be rased or blot­ted [Page 200] out. Wherefore pray earnestly 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 [Page 201] in some things onely, as the third. But these bring foorth not for a while, but continually; not in some things onely, but in all; and that type and perfect Fruite. If good seede bee sowne in good ground, it vsually bringeth foorth fruite, for the vse of them which owe it and sowe it; So if some Doctrine bee preached, and people heare it with good heartes, it will bring foorth fruite in theyr liues.

These fruites are brought forth, not by profession, but by practise; and doe consist not so much in wordes, as in deedes. And therefore Paule prayed that the Philippians might be filled with the fruites of Righteousnes. And that the Colossians might please God in all Phil: 1. 11 things, being fruitful in all good works. And he saith of the Romanes; That they Coloss: 1. 10. being freed from sinne, and made ser­uaants vnto GOD, had theyr fruite in Holynesse. So that this fruite cannot Rom: 6. 22. be vnderstood of the reward which the saints receiue in heauen, but of the obe­dience which they performe on Earth: for that is a fruite which they receyue: [Page 202] 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 eares, 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 they heare it, and learne it, and keep it in their hearts, that they may order their liues by it, and practise it when occasion is offered. Happy are all those which thus heare. For as Iames saith; Who so looketh into Iam. 1. 25 the perfect law of liber [...]ie, and continu­eth therein, hee not being a forgetfull hearer, but a doer of the worke, shalbe blessed in his deede.

If therefore you would haue your hearing to be acceptable to God, and comfortable to your owne soules, let it end in obediēce. Ground that is sowne with good seede, though it shoot forth a broad and rancke blade, will not con­tent the owner vnlesse it bring forth a good croppe. No more can you please [Page 203] the Lord by hearing, vnderstanding, and professing the word, vnlesse there­withall you bring forth fruite of obe­dience in your liues. All the know­ledge and learning that men can possi­bly haue in any Arte or Science, is no­thing worth without practise. And can you thinke that your knowledge in matters of Religion will profite you any whitte without practise. And in­deede wee learne no more then wee practise: As that Pambo acknowled­ged; who (hearing the first Verse of the 39. Psalme, I said I will take heede to my Socrat. hist. lib. 4. 18. wayes, least I offend with my tongue) con­fessed that he had not learned it in ma­ny yeeres, because he had not in many yeres attained to the right practise of it. We should be carefull to bring forth these fruits, both in respect of God, and also in respect of our selues.

First, in respect of God, because they serue for his glorie: Therefore say de CHRIST to his Disciples; Herein is Ioh. 15. 8. my Fathet glorified, that yee beare much fruite. And therefore Paul prayed, that the Philippians might be filled with the Phil. 1. 11 fruites of righteousnesse, which are by [Page 204] Iesus Christ, vnto the glorie and prayse of God. Those which glorie in the Lawe, and breake it, doe dishonour God: but Rom. 2. 23. they which heare it, and obey it, do ho­nour him. If then you haue any zeale of Gods glorie, bring foorth those fruites.

Againe, in respect of our selues, be­cause we shall receiue the reward of thē. Those that haue theyr fruite in holines, shall haue their end in eternall life. The Rom. 6. 22. Ephes. 5. 11. works of darknes are vnfruitfull works, they bring no good to the authors: but the workes of Righteousnes are fruite­full, and procure a great rewarde to the doers. The fruits of grace are the seedes of the fruites of glorie. He that soweth to the Spirit, shall of the Spirit reape e­ternall life. Gal. 6. 8.

Let vs therefore, as the Apostle ex­horteth vs, not be wearie of well doo­ing: 1. Cor. 15 38. for in due season wee shall reape, if we fainte not. Let vs be stedfast and vnmooueable, aboundant alway in the worke of the Lorde: For as much as wee knowe that our labour is not in vayne, in the Lorde. Yea, let vs bee fruitefull in all good dutyes, as well in those that abridge vs of our fleshlie de­lights [Page 205] and worldly gaine, as in other; seeing the losse and want of those here, shalbe recompenced with greater plea­sures and profites in the Kingdome of Heauen.

But take heede, least you be decey­ued, in iudging amisse of these Fruites; For some haue erred, in taking those to bee good Fruites, which are none: and those to be none, which are.

1. These fruites come of the seede, and bee of the same kinde and nature with the seede. As nothing is good seede, but the Worde of God: so no­thing is to bee taken for good Fruite, but the practise and obedience of the Worde. And therefore the actes of Will-worship, the Obseruations of vn­written Traditions, and the practise of mens precepts, are not the fruites heere spoken of. The Lord may say to them that bring foorth such fruite; Who required these thinges at your handes? These things, (as the Apostle saith) may Cal: 2. 23. haue a shewe of wisedome in voluntary Religion, and humblenesse of minde, and in not sparing the Bodye, nor ha­uing it in estimation, to satisfie the flesh; [Page 206] yet they perish with the vse: they are after the commandements & doctrines of men, and therefore cannot please the Lord. God requires, that you, who haue beene taught the word, should bring forth the fruites of it, and not the fruites of humane traditions. If a man sow his field with corne, and it bring forth more grasse then corne, it will not content him, the grasse would haue growne there, though it neuer had beene sowne with corne. In like sort, if you be taught the word of God, and be more carefull to obserue mans traditi­ons thē Gods truth, you shall not please the Lord therby, but rather offend him.

2. Againe, as some haue erred in ta­king those to be fruits which are not, so on the other hand, some haue erred in taking those to be no fruits, which in­deed are good fruits. Know you, that the practise of euery dutie cōmanded in the word, is good fruit. Notwithstan­ding, as there be diuers kindes of seede, some of one graine, some of another, & also diuers kindes of fruits, some of one graine, some of another: So there be di­uers kinds of doctrines, & diuers kinds [Page 207] of duties. And as al fields are not sowne with the same graine, but some with one kinde, some with another, as they will best beare. So all doctrines and duties are not imposed and enioyned to all persons, but some to one, some to another, according to their calling, place and estate. And therefore as all fields doe not bring forth the same graine, but euery one that kind where­with it was sowne: So all persons can­not performe the same duties, but some one kinde, some another, according to their estate and calling. The Magistrate therefore bringeth forth one kind of fruite, the minister another, the people another. The father one kind, the child another, the Maister one kind, the ser­uant another: The rich one kind, the poore another. Yet as that is accounted a fruitfull field, which bringeth forth a plentifull encrease of that graine wher­with it was sowne, though it be not the least graine of all. So those persons are fruitfull hearers, who carefully per­forme all such duties as belong to their place, state and calling, though they be not able to performe such good [Page 208] workes, as are accounted the greatest and most profitable.

Some haue imagined, that the Foun­ding of Colledges, and Schooles, erec­ting of Hospitalles, buylding of Chur­ches, bountyfull Almes, giuen to the Poore, and such great good workes, which can be performed by a fewe, are the onely, or chiefest good-Fruites. Though wee will not denye, but that these be excellent fruits in theyr kinde, if they proceed from a good roote, and bee directed to a right ende: Yet are there many other good Fruites, that may bee as acceptable to God, and as comfortable to the dooers. Not onely the common dutyes of all Christians, but likewise the particular dutyes of e­uery mans especiall calling and estate; (though it be neuer 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 approoue and reward.

Hee that is a seruant, and in his ser­uice is put to many base workes: yet if hee performe the common dutyes of all Christians, and likewise performe [Page 209] the workes of his calling, in such a man­ner as the word teacheth him, the work of his seruice are good fruites. And therefore Paule bad seruants bee obe­dient Ephes. 6. 5. to theyr Maisters in singlenesse of heart, as vnto Christ: not with eye-ser­uice, as men pleasers, but as the seruants of Christ, doing the will of God frō the heart. As if by seruing theyr Maisters, in a good sorte, they did serue Christ: Yea, he lets them vnderstand, that God would reward that their seruice: for whatsoeuer good thing any man doth, that shall hee receiue of the Lord, whe­ther he be bond or free. And elswhere Vers. 8. 2. Cor. 8. 12. the Apostle teacheth, that if ther be first a willing minde, it is accepted, accor­ding to that a man hath, and not accor­ding to that he hath not. This bringing forth of fruite is amplified two wayes: 1. by the māner, 2. by the measure of it. First, by the maner of it, for they are said to bring forth fruit with patience. And herein may also be seen a difference be­twixt these, & one sort of the other hea­rers: Those that are compared to stony ground, in time of tentation fal away, & so faile, both in profession and practise; [Page 210] 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, that Heb. 10. 36. 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 bloodie daies of cruell persecu­tion, to doe the will of God, and so to [Page 211] receyue the promises. And thorough want of patience they should fayle in the deede, and not obtayne the pro­mise. And for this cause hee exhorteth vs to runne with patience, the race that is set before vs. As if none could holde Heb: 12. 1 out to the ende 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 admyred: As when it was said; Heere is the Patience, and the Fayth of the Reuel: 13. 10. Saintes; Because by patience in bearing the Crosse, and by faith in belieuing to receyue the Crowne, they were made constant. Thus will Patience arme a man against all Crosses, so that by it hee shalbe made able manifestly to encoun­ter with them, and safely to passe tho­rough them, and not be hindred by any of them, in the obedience of the word. Howsoeuer in others, Cross [...]s and Tri­bulations doe breede faynting and Re­lapse: yet in these Hearers, Tribulati­on Rom: 5. 3. 4. bringeth foorth patience; patience, experience; experience hope; and hope maketh not ashamed. What is the cause, that one hearer, to preuent some [Page 212] inconuenience which hee feareth, or to remoue some trouble that hee 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 stoppe 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: we should loue Religion so dearely, wee must bee content to suffer persecution for the profession and practise of it, and ra­ther lay downe our liues for the main­tenance of it, then fayle in the obedi­ence of it. The same minde ought to be [Page 213] in vs, which was in the blessed Apostle Paul; who knowing that bands and af­flictions did abide in euery place: yet passed not for them; Neyther was his Acts. 20. 24. Act. 21. 13. life deare vnto himselfe, so that hee might fulfill his course with ioy. And when he was tolde by Agabus the Pro­phet, that hee must be bound in Ierusa­lem; did openly protest, that hee was readye not onely to be bound, but also to dye there, for the Name of the Lord IESUS. Yet consider that you can­not endure the least of those things, vn­lesse you be endued with patience; you knowe not what may befall you heere­after, 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 persecution, by inferiour persons: Especially in these popish parts, where some hold of Christ some of Antichrist: where papists grow head-strong through impunitie. And where many are Protestants in shewe, but Papists in Truth.

[Page 214] If they cannot persecute you by the Sworde, they will persecute you by the tongue. If not by fire and fagot, as they were wont, yet by priuate wrongs and spitefull displeasures. Yea the Church Gen. 19. Gal. 4. 29. is no better nowe; then was Abrahams house, in which the sonne of the bond­woman, by scoffes and mocks, did per­secute the sonne of the free woman.

Did not Cayne and Abel sacrifice to­gether? Genes: 4. yet Cayne enuyed Abel, be­cause his Sacrifice was better accepted, 2. Cor: 11 26. and afterwardes slewe him for it. Was not Paule often in perilles among false Brethren? And did you not heare out of Bernard, howe the Church complai­ned, Pax a pa­ganis, pax ab haereli­cis, sed non profecto a filijs. In cant: serm. 33. that in her peace, shee had greatest bitt [...]rnes? Of a peaceable time he said, Et pax est, & non est paz; There is peace, and there is not peace: peace from Pa­gons, peace from Heretikes, yet not peace indeede from the sonnes. Many friendes, were foes indeede. We must therefore in all times looke to receyue some Affliction for the Gospells sake: And therefore seeke for patience at all seasons, that so in the time of persecu­tion, and in the time of peace, you may [Page 215] continue constant in the profession, and practise of Gods word.

2. Moreouer, this theyr bringing forth of fruite is amplified by the mea­sure of it, which was great in all, yet not alike in all.

All were fruitefull, yet there was great difference and variety in the qua­litie of theyr fruite, some brought forth lesse, some more.

Though this be not heere noted in Math: 13 8. 23. this Euangelist, yet is it mentioned by the other two Euangelistes; and that Marc: 48 20. both in the propounding of the Para­ble, and in the Exposition of it. They say, Some brought foroth thirtie folde, some fixty folde, some an hundred fold. So much did each Seede multiplie and encrease.

Wherein CHRIST speaketh accor­ding to the qualitie of the best ground in Iudea: The whole land was very fer­tile, as the Scripture teacheth. It was a land that flowed with milke and hony: and therefore would yeelde great en­crease of Corne. The worst of it was as good as the best of our grounds; and therefore the best must needes bee ex­ceeding [Page 216] fruitfull. The ground of other lands, haue yeelded great encrease. When Isaacke sowed corne in Gerar, he receiued an hundred measures for one G [...]nes. 26. [...]2. Plin. Hist. lib. 18. 10. Herodot. in M [...]l­pom lib 4. pag. 125 E [...]in Clio. li. 1. p. 35. that he sowed. Forraine writers record that Byzazū in Africa, for one bushell of seede yeelded an 150. of encrease. That the countrey of the Euhespe­rites yeeldeth an hundred fold. The countrey of the Cynopeans, three hun­dreth fold. And the land of Babylon in some parts hath bene so fruitfull, that it neuer yeelded lesse then two hun­dred fold, sometime three hundred fold. Now the land of Canaan especi­ally in some parts, and in a seasonable yeare) was not inferiour to them, and therefore would yeeld great encrease, yet not all alike: some parts of it was more fertile then other, and so brought forth greater store of fruit.

The [...]by doth Christ set forth the di [...]sitie of fruitfulnes in his hea­rers.

All good hearers yeeld plentie of fru [...] yet some more, some lesse.

The word worketh powerfully in them all, yet more powerfully and [Page 217] effectually in some then in others. So fruitfull is the seede of the word, that of a few graines there springeth an ad­mirable encrease of all vertues. A plentifull store of all graces in the heart; many heauenly meditations, holy thoughts, and godly motions in the minde: all sorts of good words in the mouth; and all manner of good workes in the life: yet all good hea­rers, haue not all these in the same qualitie and number.

In some they more abound, in o­thers lesse. And therefore as before you sawe some difference betwixt bad hearers: so here you may behold some varietie and difference among good hearers. For one doth much exceede another in the multitude, and en­crease of fruites, according to the mea­sure of Gods grace giuen to euery one.

The Rhemistes teach, that this diffe­rence Annot. on Math. 13. 8. sect. 1. See post­script. sect. 15. of Fruites, is the difference of merits in this life, and rewards for them in the next life: according to the diuersitie of states. As that the hun­dred fold agreeth to virgins professed, [Page 218] threescore fold to Religious widowes, thirty folde to the marryed.

And hence would many popish wri­ters proue, the excellencie and dignitie of single-life, aboue Widow-hood, and Mariage.

But therein they manifestly declare, that they neyther vnderstand the scope of the Parable, nor the meaning of Answer. Christs Exposition.

1. For first it is apparant that Christ spake it not of receyuing fruites, or re­wards: but of bearing, and bringing forth fruites of obedience.

Though these be so linked together, as the one sorte doth certainely followe the other: yet doo they much differ.

The one sort of fruites, are our deeds, performed by vs vnto God: the other sorte are Gods rewardes, which hee in mercy bestoweth on vs, and which wee receyue from him.

The one sort are the fruites of grace, heere brought foorth for a time on the Earth; the other are the fruits of glory, receyued and enioyed in Heauen, for euermore.

Of the former kinde, Christ speaketh: [Page 219] For it was not his purpose to shew the difference betwixt men in heauen; but a difference betwixt good hearers, in bringing forth the fruits of the word on the earth. Euen as before he noted a difference betwixt bad hearers, not as they shall be hereafter in hell, but as they are now liuing in the world: how then can his words proue any merit of workes, or difference of me­rits in the next life?

2. Christ in this parable spake not of any outward estates, or different degrees of men in the world, but onely of diuers sorts of hearers. Peo­ple of all estates and conditions, did then heare him, and afterward heare the Apostles, and doe now heare vs. Now Christ teacheth, that of what state or condition soeuer they be, whether single persons, or maried, or widowes, they shall beare fruites, ac­cording to the manner of their hea­ring, and according to the inward dis­position of their hearts.

And therefore a maried person hea­ring in a better manner, and recei­uing the word with a better heart, then [Page 202] a virgine then a widowe, shall bring forth more fruites of the word, and receiue more benefite by his hea­ring.

3. Againe, God will neither re­spect nor reward any, for their out­ward estates and conditions, but for the right vse of them, and for their good cariage and godly behaulour in them.

And therefore Augustine said, M [...]lior est maritata humilis, quam virgo superba. Inpsal. 75 An humble maried woman, is better then a proud virgin.

And Cyril compared virgins which In leuit. lib. 2. in sine. had chastitie of body without puritie of minde, without grace in the heart, and obedience in their liues, vnto those fiue foolish virgins, that had lampes without oyle, and were not suffered to enter into the bridegromes wedding chamber.

And Augustine preferred maried mar­tyrs, De virgi­nit cap. 45. before chaste virgins.

But to leaue them with their ab­surd collection, and to come to the doctrine here entended by Christ, we [Page 210] are here taught, that many may heare the word of God together, and all be profitable hearers, and all be sa­ued by their hearing, yet all doe not profite alike, nor bring forth the same fruites of obedience in their liues: but some fewer, some more; accor­ding as their hearts are prepared, and according as it pleaseth the Lord to bestowe his graces. Yea though they all heare one and the same man, and the same sermons, and one heare as often as another: yet may one be more plentifull in the fruites of the word, then is another.

All furrowes of the same land, doe not bring forth an equall number of eares: and all eares of the same fur­rowe, doe not beare an equall num­ber of graines: but some more, some lesse, as it pleaseth the Lord to giue an encrease.

The consideration whereof, ser­ueth for the instruction of all sorts of good hearers, whatsoeuer measure of fruits they doe bring forth.

[Page 222] 1. First, this may comfort those good hearers, who profite not so much in hea­ring as some others doe, doe not attaine to such a measure of knowledge, nor are able to yeelde such aboundance of fruite as others doe.

If theyr hearts bee holy and good, if they doo all of Faith and sinceritie, and desire to bring forth more fruites: God will account them profitable Hearers, Siue parū, siue mul­tum, om­nes horreo erunt. August: in Psal: 128. and accept of theyr obedience. And the Worde which they heare, shall saue theyr soules.

As Husbandmen are glad of all Eares which haue Corne in them; though some bee longer, some shorter; some containe more graines, some contayne fewer; yet will they gather all into the Barne. So God doth accept of all per­sons that bring foorth the fruites of the word, and will bring to Heauen, as well those that haue lesser, as those that haue more fruits.

Such is his Mercie and Bountie, that although hee requyre the same measure of all, yet finding difference among them, because of the diuer­sitie of his grace, hee doth so receyue [Page 223] the first and the best, as hee doth not re­fuse the second, and middle-sorte, nor yet reiect the last, and least. Vnder the Lawe, there were some Sacrifices chea­per, some more costly; If men or womē, Leuit: 12. 8. by reason of theyr pouertie, were not a­ble to offer the better, the Lord was cō ­tent to take the meaner. And therefore CHRIST commended the pore wid­dowes two mytes, aboue all the great gifts, which rich men cast into the trea­surie. Mar: 12. 43. Mat. 25. And vnder the Gospell, the Ser­uant which receyued two Talents, and by employment made them foure, was commended and rewarded of his Mai­ster, as well as he that had receiued fiue, and made them tenne. And they that wrought but one houre in the Vine­yard, Mat: 20. receiued the same penny at night, with them that had borne the heate and burden of the day. Wherefore let not thyne owne penurie, and other mens plentie of fruite dismay thee: but con­sider; That if thou practise what thou knowest, doest as many good workes as the Lord doth enable thee; and art willing, and desirous to doe more, if a­bility were afforded, and occasion offe­red; [Page 224] thou art a good hearer, and mayest goe to heauen with those that farre exceede thee in the number of their fruites.

Yet let not any take occasion hereby to be more backward and sparing in their fruits, as if a small quantitie would serue the turne All of vs ought to striue to bring forth abundance; yea each yeere more then other. Those which be planted in the house of the Lord, do flourish and bring forth in their olde age. It is to be feared, that he who de­sireth Psa. 92. 14. to be no better, is not good at all: and he that desireth to bring forth no more fruites, bringeth forth none at all that be good. Let them vnderstand, that none bring forth such store of fruit as they ought. And that he which sow­eth sparingly, shall reap sparingly: & he that soweth liberally, shall reape libe­rally. 2. Cor. 9. 6. God will crowne his owne gifts in vs. The more fruits they beare heare, the more glorie shall they enioy in hea­uen. Let them therefore striue to a­bound more & more in all good fruits: knowing that this consolation belon­geth not to the which will not abound [Page 225] with more, though they might: but onely to those which would abound with more, and cannot, being hinde­red by their infirmities, or through want of abilitie and opportunitie. In them GOD will take the will for the deede, and will no lesse reward them, then those who hauing more meanes, and better abilitie, haue brought forth more fruits.

2. Lastly, this diuersitie of fruit in good hearers, may teach them that bee more plentifull in hearing them then o­thers be, not to be proud of thēselues, nor to despise those that bring forth fewer: for both of them are reckoned in the number of good and profitable hearers. They which bring forth some lesser fruits, may haue good hearts, may be iustified, may be sanctified, may be in fauour with God; and at last enter into heauen as wel as thou, who aboun­dest with more. Paul laboured more 1. Cor. 15. 10. 2. Cor. 11. 23. abundantly then all the Apostles, and suffered more then any of them. And therefore farre more then any common Christian. Though toward his end, the remembrance therof did much comfort [Page 226] him, so as he could say; I haue fought a good sight, I haue finished my course, I haue kept the faith: hence forth is layde vp for me the Crowne of righteousnes, which the Lord, the righteous Iudge, will giue vnto me at that day: Yet hee addeth these words, con­cerning 2. Tim. 4. 8. his copartners in the reward; And not onely vnto mee, but vnto all them also that loue his appearing. Because many others, who came short of him in the abundance of labours and sufferings, should be crowned as well as he.

Dost thou surpasse others in the mul­titude of fruites? be not high minded, 1. Cor. 4. 7. doe not despise them: for what hast thou, which thou hast not receiued? And if thou hast receiued it, why boa­stest thou of it, as if thou hadst not re­ceiued it? If thou abound more then o­thers, thou mayst say with the Apostle; It is not I, but the grace of God which 1. Cor. 15. 10. is with me; and by his grace, I am that I am. The more lowly thou art, the better are thy fruites. The more and the better graines that an eare of corne hath in it, the lower it will bowe downeward; but the fewer and the worse graines it hath, the higher and [Page 227] straighter will it stand vp. Euen so, the more good fruites for number, and the sounder for qualitie, that any man hath, the more lowly and humble will he be. The prouder he is, and the more he in­sulteth ouer others, the fewer & worse be his gifts and fruits. Therfore be low­ly and humble, not Arrogating to thy selfe, but ascribing to God the glory of all thy fruites. Not disdayning any, for the small measure of their fuits: but ho­noring them for their good beginning, and praying to God, that they may a­bound more and more. And this I pray for you all, as the Apostle did for the Phlippians; that your loue may abound Phil: 1. 9. 10. 11. yet more and more in knowledge, and in all iudgement: that yee may discerne things that differ, that yee may be pure, and without offence, vntill the day of Christ, filled with the fruites of righte­ousnes, which are by IESUS CHRIST; vnto the glorie and prayse of GOD. The Lorde graunt you all these things, for his mercies sake, in his beloued Sonne,