Sermon on the Parable of the Sower, Text

Sermon on the Parable of the Sower · Text

A Sermon vponupon the Parable of the Sower.

Math. 13.

1 IN that day Ieſus went out of the houſe and ſate by the Sea ſide.

2 And there was gathered vntounto him a multitude, ſo that hee entered into a ſhip, and ſate downe, and the whole multitude ſtood on the ſhoare.

3 And he ſpake many things vntounto thē by▪ Parables, faieng: Behold a Sower went forth to fowe.

4 And as he ſowed, ſome ſeeds fell by the way ſide: and the fowles came & eate them vp.

5 Other fel vponupon ſtonie ground, where they had not much earth, and by & by they ſprang vp, becauſe they had not depth of earth.

6 And when the Sun roſe they were parched, and becauſe they had no root they withered.

7 Other fell among thornes, and the thornes grew vp and choked it.

8 Other fell into good grounde, and brought forth fruit, one ſeed an hundreth fold, another ſixty, another thirtie.

9 He that hath eares to heare, let him heare.

ALthough the Iewes, at ſuch time as our ſauiour Chriſt came into y^e world, had the word of God among thē: & had alſo the temple & Sinagogues where they heard y^e ſame read & expounded: yet their ſtate was very miſerable, for Chriſt ſaith, they wer as ſhéep without a ſhepheard: becauſe their teachers, y^e Scribes & Phareſies, being choaked with couetouſnes, & puffed vp with vaine glory, were become ſtark naught, corrupt in manners, and corrupting the word with their fond gloſes: their teaching alſo was ſo cold, & with ſo litle power euen in y^t which they taught truly, y^t the people had no great liſt to heare thē. But when Iohn Baptiſt the forerunner of Chriſt, was raiſed vp to publiſh the beginning of the Goſpell, & to prepare y^e way for the Lord: he like a ſounding & ſhrill Trumpet, with the power of his word ſhooke their hearts, & rowſed their drowſines, ſo y^t frō his time y^e kingdome of heuen ſuffered violence. When Chriſt Ieſus himſelfe vttered his voice in preaching, and his diuine power in working wonders, ther appered ſuch a wonderful maieſty in his perſon, as did amaze the hearers: whervpon his fame was noiſed far & néere, ſo y^t they came running out of all quarters of y^e land by heaps, for to ſée & heare him, they ſéemed to forget thē ſelues & their ſtate, in leauing al worldly affaires, as y^e huſbandmē their plough, y^e Artificers their craftes & ſciences, following him into y^e wildernes with their wiues & their children laggering at their héeles, ſo great was their zeale. So that, as before almoſt all did periſh in y^t miſerable ſtate they were in: now it ſéemed y^t the greateſt part, or at leſt an innumerable multitude did with ſuch care imbrace y^e heauēly doctrine▪ as y^t they ſhuld be moſt happy, & come to eternal life: but this was otherwiſe, for our ſauior Chriſt ſheweth héere, y^t of this gret heap & rablemēt of people, which wer ſo zealous & trauelled ſo far to heare him, ther wer thrée parts which did not profit by his doctrine but cōtinued ſtil damned & forlorne creatures, onelyonly one parte of foure, are true ſchollers. And becauſe we be ranke hipocrits, prone & redie to deceiue our ſelues, Chriſt Ieſus laieth open the matter ſo plainly, & in ſo familiar a kinde of teaching, y^t vnles we wilfully blind our ſelues we cannot but ſée how the caſe ſtandeth in eueryevery of vsus, each man in himſelfe: for he taketh a ſimilitude from a ſower of corne, which going & caſting his ſéed abroad, it lighteth vponupon ſundrie kinds of groūd: ſome falleth by y^e way ſide, where the path is trampled & beaten ſmooth & hard, by mens féet, & is made like a pauement, & there it lieth aboue y^e ground altogether vncouered, the Fowles come by and by and picke it vp.

Some falleth into ſtony ground or rocky, or as S. Luke ſaith vponupon a rocke: where ther is a little thin cruſt of earth in y^e top, & ſome moiſture in which the ſéed is a little couered: & becauſe y^e earth which doth couer it is but ſhallowe, it ſpringeth vp quickly & brauncheth, & is freſh & gréene, & being ſo good, ſéemeth to be forward corne, & ſuch as would yéeld to the huſbandman a plentifull harueſt: but becauſe the roote can not ſpreade it ſelfe déepe inough to ſucke iuice out of the ground, for the nouriſhment of the blade, when the parching heate of the Sunne lighteth vponupon it, then it is dryed vp, and ſcorched, and dyeth, and neuer bringeth foorth fruite. Some other doth fall among thornes: there is deapth of earth for the ſéede to growe, ſo that it ſpringeth vp, and not onelyonly a blade, but alſo a ſtalke, and commeth ſo farre as to hauehave the eare: but the thornes growe vp with it, ouerſhadowe and choake it, inſomuch that the Corne in the eare, can not hauehave the benefit of y^e Sunne to make it ripe: therefore the fruite that it ſéemeth to bring forth commeth to naught. Some other ſéeds fall into good ground, and grow vp, and bring foorth ſeaſonable fruite, one karnell an hundreth, another ſixtie, another thirtie. This is the Parable: Now for the meaning of it, we are not to ſéeke farre, neither to goe by coniectures, for Chriſt himſelfe doeth expound and interprete eueryevery part of it a little after in this Chapter: I néed not but to lay open his Expoſition. The ſéede is the word of God: the ſower of it is the Preacher and publyſher of the ſame: for as the Sower doth fill his hand and ſo caſteth it abroad vppon the ground, not ſetting it ſéede by ſéede, or chooſing a place for euerie ſéede, but where it lighteth: euen ſo the Preacher doth caſt foorth the word among y^e people: and looke how the ground is into which it falleth, ſo doth it proſper: for your hearts are the ground vponupon which it is caſt: you that are the hearers and among whom the ſéede is ſowen, hauehave eueryevery one a heart which is one of theſe foure ſorts of grounde, vponupon which the ſéede falleth: & becauſe the ſéede hath ben & is ſtill daily ſowen among ye, I think this parcell of Scripture is verie fit and agréeable: euen as a touchſtone for eueryevery one to trie himſelfe withall, whether he hauehave rightly embraced the Goſpell, and to his ſaluation: for what a ſottiſhneſſe were this, when we hauehave ſo iuſt & plain a rule, not to meaſure our ſelues with it. But going on, on, nothing conſider whether we be not one of thoſe thrée euill ſorts of ground, which receiue the ſéede, but bring foorth no fruite, thinking we be well if we profeſſe the Goſpell or heare it, after any ſort. Let vsus goe forward: thoſe which receyue the ſéede by the waye ſide, are they which heare the word and doe not vnderſtand it, then commeth the euill one, or as Saint Luke ſaith, the Diuell, and taketh it awaye from their heart. In theſe firſt kinde of hearers, we hauehave to obſerue, how that their hearts being hard and ſmooth lyke a path that is trampled and beaten with mens féete y^e word hath no entrance, but lieth aboue vncouered: for like as when a man caſteth an handful of corne vponupon a very hard & ſmooth path, it is all one as if it were caſt vponupon a pauement: ſo alſo through y^e cuſtome & deceitfulnes of ſinning, y^e diuel hath made y^e harts of theſe vnméet to receiue the heuenly ſéed of the word: & looke how ye ſée Crowes & other foules folow the héeles of the Sower, to picke vp & deuoure ſuch karnells as doe lie vncouered: in like manner doe the diuels come like gréedie foules into the aſſemblies, wher y^e word of God is preached, to take it away from y^e hearts of the people, that it may not grow there. This peraduenture will ſéeme ſtraunge to ſome, that Satan ſhoulde hauehave anye entraunce into the Church among Gods people, eſpecially when they be about the beſt and moſt holy exerciſes of hearing the word and of prayer. How ſtraunge ſoeuer it may ſéeme, and how many ſoeuer hauehave bene, or be of that fond & doltiſh opinion, to thinke that the Diuell hath nothing to doe with them, or commeth not néere them, when they bée about theſe holye things: we are to beléeue Chriſt who telleth vsus the contrary: & we are wiſely to conſider, that when we are nighteſt that which ſhould do our ſoules good, then is this enimie readieſt at hande, and doeth moſt buſely beſtirre him. If this were not vttered by our Sauiour Chriſt himſelfe, we might wō der, and for mine owne parte I woulde not ceaſe wondering to ſee manye hearers which carry away almoſt nothing which is to any purpoſe: let a man tell a long ſtorie in a worldly matter, they hauehave wit inough to recite it in order againe, and to kéepe it in remembraunce a long time after: but let the Preacher ſpeake neuer ſo plaine, although they ſit and looke him in the face, yet if ye enquire of them ſo ſoone as they be out at the Church dores, ye ſhal eaſely perceiue that (as the common ſaieng is) it went in at the one eare, and out at the other. They will ſay peraduenture, after this manner, It was a good Sermon, I wold we could follow it: he ſaid very well: he is a perfect ready man in the Pulpet. But aſke, what doctrine did he handle? Then are they at a pauſe, and ſet at a dead lift. They will make this anſwere: we are not able to carry awaye ſo much as other can, neuertheleſſe we hope that we be as good toward God, as they that carry away moſt. They will alſo confeſſe that the word of God is good, and that we ſhould be ruled by it. Let vsus therefore déerely beloued, (if we deſire not to be of the number of theſe) marke well the ſubtill ſleights, and pollicie of the Diuell, how he handeleth & conueyeth the matter with this kinde of people. There is no doubt of this, but that if he can he will drawe awaye the minde from comming to the Sermon, one pelting let or other muſt come in the waye: if there be no worldlye buſineſſe to be done: then a paire of cardes or tables or ſome honeſt recreation, it ſhould be now no good ciuilitie to parte companye when friendes are met together: this is the ſureſt waye if it maye be obtained: but what if he faile héerein? They come to the place where the ſéede-ſhall be ſowen, ſit downe, & minde to heare: then the next way is to come with them, and to attend at their elboe, ſéeking how to depriue them of y^e word. Now his beſt way is to bring them aſléepe becauſe they were then as good bée abſent: or into a ſlumber, that they maye heare onelyonly a ſound and a confuſed humming, without any perſeuerance of the things vttered: or els when they heare any perfect ſentence, or a few ſentences, they know not why they be vttered, becauſe they hard not that which went before. Such as are not ſo drouſie headed, being wakeful, he ſéeketh ſtill to conuey ſome thoughts into their minds, whereabouts they may be occupied, and theyr vnderſtanding drawen away: the minde of a man being light and inconſtant, if he can put in but one motion, it oftentimes draweth with it ſo manye lynkes as make vp a whole chaine, in y^e meane time the Preacher goeth on, and he vnderſtandeth not what was ſayd, & ſo whē his minde retourneth, he can hauehave no ſound knowledge of the things vttered, but a confuſed opinion: into theſe by thoughts, men are oftentimes brought, euen by occaſion of ſome word or ſentence which they heard vttered, & are caried ſo far, that they cannot of long time recouer their minde to bring it again to the matter. Séeing this great danger, we ought when we come to heare Gods word taught, to make accoūt that we go about a very hard worke, y^t we go to encoūter w^t Satā hand to hand, who ſeketh then moſt buſily to ſteale away our hart: y^t he may make y^e word fruitles in vsus, & cauſe vsus to ſinne greuouſly againſt God. Ther is no one man which maketh cō ſcience of hearing y^e word rightly, which ſetting theſe things together, y^e reuerēce we owe vntounto it, y^e ſtedines of our mind, which ſhould be vponupon it, and the care to kéepe it, but will eaſily graunt that it is as hard and painful a trauell to do this, as for the man that worketh in the ſoreſt bodely labour. Héere is therefore a leſſon for eueryevery man to apply to himſelf when he is going to heare the word, to thinke, I am now going about a great worke, I ſhall be too weake if the Lorde God doe not mightelye aſſiſt me: for I am not to ſit down there at eaſe, but to wraſtle and ſtruggle with the Diuell, & with all the corruptions of mine owne fleſh, and hardneſſe of my heart: that my minde maye be kept ſtedfaſt vponupon the word, that I maye receiue it with all reuerence & feare, as the worde of the great and glorious God: not to iudge of it at mine owne pleaſure, but to craue wiſedome from the Lord: not to heare it and to let it go, but to kéep it as a moſt precious Iewell locked vp in my heart, that I may guide my ſelfe thereby. And we ſhall be a great deale the rather moued to this diligence, if we conſider what a companion we carie about with vsus, and what a gueſt we lodge withall, when we he ſuch as heare the word, and doe not kéepe it. For Chriſt telleth vsus that it is the diuell which doeth this: which as a gréedie Fowle deuoureth the ſéede which was ſowen in our heart: if any make none account to hauehave him poſſeſſing their minde, & hardening their harts againſt the word: then let them continue in their ſloth to heare with drouſie minds, to heare & not to vnderſtand: to regard the holy word, but as the word of a man: to make little account to kéepe it. But if he thinke it a moſt miſerable thing to hauehave ſo filthy a beaſt, and ſo foule a ſpirit to lodge in his breſt: if he thinke it to be a moſt vile ſlauery, to be vanquiſhed & ouercome of ſo horrible an enimy, to be lead captiue & kept thrall vnderunder ſuch a tyrant: then let him thinke alſo how miſerable a thing it is to be ſuch a kind of ground as doth receiue the ſéede by the way ſide: for vndoubtedly howſoeuer men ſeeme to defy the diuell, and curſe him as though he ſhould not come nigh them, yet ſéeing it is no mortall man but the Lord Ieſus Chriſt himſelfe, who telleth vsus héere y^t the diuell is not onelyonly nigh, but in theſe kinde of hearers, euen hardening theyr heartes, & blinding their eies, we ought moſt conſtantly to beléeue it. He that ſhall déeply weigh y^e eſtate of our church at this day, wil ſoone be brought to confeſſe, that there be many of this firſt ſort of hearers, they ſhall perceiue it right well by this, that they are not able in any wiſe to iudge or put difference betwéene ſound and ſincere preaching, and vaine pratling: they know not when y^e Preacher doth miniſter vntounto thē wholſome foode, & when there is nothing but chaffe & winde: ye ſhal heare them highly commend ſome Sermon, as a matter worthy to be written in letters of gold, when as indéed it deſerueth not ſo much as to be noted with a coale. I ſpeak not of thoſe ſily wretches, which were neuer as yet acquainted with preaching, for it is no great maruell, though they be not able to diſcerne chalke from chéeſe: or being blind for to iudge of coulours, but to ſuch as long time hauehave ben hearers, & yet neuer y^e wiſer, becauſe they are not able to iudge when ſound and neceſſary concluſions are drawne out of y^e word: but is al one with them, whether y^e reaſon that is made be good or bad, ſtrong or weake: yea further ye ſhall perceiue y^t euen a little ſhew of a reaſon although neuer ſo doltiſh, being againſt true godlineſſe, doth more preuaile with them, then a multitude of infallible proofes, although they be neuer ſo ſure: and that which is ſo groſe & abſurd that a childe may laugh at, ſéemeth to them a verye ſtrong piller to leane vntounto. Ther néedeth no more when a man preacheth vntounto them, but a glorious ſhew of learning, a ſwéet ringing voice, & matters ſo ſtrange & ſtraungely handeled, that they may be brought into a wonderment of y^t they know not. And Satan hath many chapplaines fit for this turne, to ſerue y^e vain humor of ſuch people, & to ſet forth thē ſelues after a pompous ſort: more ſéeking their owne vaine glory, then the glorye of the Goſpell, in the conuerſion of the people. The ſecond kinde of ground are they which receiue the ſéed vponupon y^e hard rock, where ther is ſome entrance, & the word hath a ſhallow root in them, for as it were the top of their heart is ſoft after a ſort, and there it is couered a litle, & it groweth vp quickly, and ſpringeth freſh, they ſéeme to be ſtout and excellent profeſſours, they brag of great zeale: a man would take them to be ſincere, & ſo they take themſelues: but when the Sun ariſeth, that is, the firie trial or parching heat of perſecution, they ſtumble & fal away, and becauſe the word had no déepe roote in them, it withereth and bringeth forth no fruit: theſe alſo are not profited by the word of grace, but are ſtil caſt awayes and damned creatures: in this kinde of ground, or in theſe hearers, if we note well, we ſhall ſée that which is ſtraunge and wonderfull: when Chriſt ſayth and teſtifieth of them, that they receiue the word with ioy: theſe hée not blaſphemers or perſecutors of the word: they be not contemners which regarde not at all to heare it: they come not vnderunder a ſhew or pretence as to a thing which otherwiſe they hauehave no care nor féeling of, or which they delight not for to heare, but how? They receiue it with ioy, & take ſuch pleaſure therein, that returning they can ſay, ſurely this was a very notable péece of worke & wel handeled, I am glad that I heard it, it doth me euen as much good as my meate, I would go a mile to heare y^e like again. Is not this then meruailous and fearefull, that a man may goe thus far, & yet be a caſtaway, and a forlorne wretch? It is not a thing to be wondered at when the holy ſcriptures giuegive ſentence againſt thoſe traiterous villaines which ſet thē ſelues againſt God, and tread down his laws: but when God vttereth this ſharp ſentence againſt this zealous kinde of men, if it cauſe vsus not to wonder, yet it may make vsus to tremble, when we ſee y^• a man may procéed thus far in religion & yet be damned. When we vnderſtand y^t a man may be zealous, & redy to heare preaching, vnderſtandeth, carrieth away, letteth it grow in his hart, hath ſome ioy in it, and yet neuer the better, abiding ſtill vnderunder the curſe. But there be ſome which will obiect againſt me & ſay, this is no good manner of teaching, for y^e vſe of true teaching is to build vp and edifie y^e faith: but this ſéemeth to take away the certeintie of faith from al, ſo that no man can tell whether he ſhall be ſaued: For by what meanes can a man make a better triall & proofe of his faith then this, that he giueth eare to Gods word, vnderſtādeth it, carieth it away, & ioyeth in it? If ſuch a mā may be damned, who may not diſpaire? I aunīwere with S. Paule. 1. Cor. 10. 12. He that thinketh he ſtandeth, let him take héed he do not fal. If y^• admonition were neceſſary to the Corinthes, it is neceſſary for vsus al One of the principall ends & vſes of preaching, is to giuegive men warning y^t they doe not deceiue themſelues with eueryevery kind of faith or ioy in the word: but to looke for good & ſound triall in themſelues: which is not the way to bring men to diſpaire, but to bring them to true godlineſſe: to cauſe them to ſhake of ſecuritie & looſeneſſe in the ſeruice of God: to beware leaſt their heartes be hard ſtill within: it cauſeth men to try thēſelues leaſt they ſhuld be deceiued by a vaine ſhadow of a dead & fruitleſſe faith: for Chriſt ſaith, y^t theſe beléeue (for ſo it is expreſſed by S. Luke the 8. 13.) & ioy in the word, and yet are damned. Then let vsus come to the particular applieng of this point: to ſée howe wée are to deale with our ſelues. Whē ye receiue y^e word take héede y^t ye giuegive it depth of earth inough, looke that your heart be not ſoft and pliable inough a little aboue, and a hard rocke of ſtone within, but ſée y^t it be digged and ſoftened to the bottome, y^t the word may take root déepe inough. Alas, what a miſerable thing is it, when Chriſt hath giuen vsus warning héere ſo plainly, for a man to be a zealous Goſpeller, not onelye willing to heare, but hath an earneſt deſire, and trauelfeth to heare, taketh pleaſure & delight when he heareth, yet neuertheles, becauſe he taketh no héed therto, his heart within is ſo ſtony, y^t he heareth but to his further increſe of damnation. Many think it goeth well with thē, when as they receiue this teſtimonie frō men: he is a ſound Proteſtant, he fauoureth & delighteth in y^e truth, theſe indéed be great tokens of y^• feare of god, but yet we are not to reſt in thē: our chiefe dealing is betwéene God & our heart: & that in this thing whether our heart be not hard and rockie. Thoſe are a thouſand times happie, which féele melting hearts & ſoft affections, ſo that Gods word doth pearſe into them, and cauſeth them to tremble at the maieſty & power of the ſame: their tender heart doth ſigh & mourne for their iniquitie. As on y^e cōtrary part, they which make no conſcience of ſinne, but are hardened in their affections, although they ſéeme to be in good caſe, yet are they curſed and miſerable. Let eueryevery man therefore that goeth from the Sermon, carry this with him: I heare by Chriſtes owne words y^t there is a ſtonie ground where the ſéede falleth: where it groweth but not déep inough, it ſpringeth vp but doth not bring forth fruite, this is a wofull caſe, if I ſhould be in y^e number of theſe, for then all my labour is loſt, which I beſtow in frequenting Sermons, yea, it were much better y^t I had neuer heard: I féele that I ioy in it, I would not for any thing but I had heard it: but Chriſt ſaith that the reprobate, ſome of them do heare the word with ioy, ſo that if I looke not narrowly to mine owne hart, I may for all this be damned: therfore I muſt not ſatiſfie my ſelfe with this, but ſee that I couer the worde déepe inough, that my heart be ſoftned in ſuch ſort, that I féele the roote goeth déepe, yea, ſo déepe, that it can neuer bée rooted out: And therefore let him continually crie vntounto God and ſay: O Lord make ſofte my harde and ſtonie heart: let it be a melting heart, that thy holy worde may growe in it for euer. I woulde to GOD, this doctrine of our Sauiour Chriſt, might make euerye of vsus to tremble and ſhake (as indéede if it were well weighed, it is ſo fearfull, that it might cauſe the haire of our heades to ſtand vp) for then would we not ſo looſely and ſecurely walke in the hardnes of our hearts: there would not be ſo manye backſliders in time of perſecution: there would not be ſo many braue boaſters and praters of Religion, who are ready to pull in their horns, and to kide their heades, ſo ſoone as there is anye feare of daunger, or lykelyhoode of perſecution: neither would men beare themſelues in hand that they …e iolly Profeſſors, when they hauehave but a little taſted of the word, and are no more but emptie barrels, which giuegive a great ſounde. Héere then we be ſet a work with great toyle, to hauehave this ſame harde ſtonye ground made ſoft, and fit to receiue this heauenlye ſéede. And he which is not carefull in this poynt, to take paines, ye ſhall ſée him waxe ſo hard, that euen as a continuall rayne dropping vppon a Rocke of ſtone maketh it neuer the ſofter, ſo nothing can make his heart to relent. This may teach vsus then to ceaſe maruelling, when we ſée ſo many which willingly giuegive themſelues to be taught, and hauehave ſtill little remorre of ſinne. The Lord for his merciemercy ſake make vsus wiſe and ſharpe ſighted to iudge of our ſelues: not to be leade on forwarde in a carnall profeſſion, but to giuegive credite to our heauenlye teacher, who hath héere opened his holy mouth to inſtruct vsus ſo plainlye, and before hande to warne vsus of the great daunger: that we may ſtir vp our ſelues, and de quickened in our dull ſpirits, with all humble ſubmiſſion, and boowing downe our neckes, to receiue the doctrine of our Lorde, and to open our heartes in ſuch ſorte that hée may digge in them, and thruſt in his ſpade to the bottome. For otherwiſe, it cannot goe well with vsus. If this wer practiſed among vsus, we ſhoulde not hauehave ſo many olde ruſtie Proteſtants: which if a man talk with them from morning to night, they are able to continue ſpeach in reciting ſtories and places of Scripture, and will vtter matter agaynſt the doctrine of the Pope: but let a man vrge them with the doctrine of regeneration, and ſtande vponupon the neceſſitie of ſincere repentaunce, ſhowing them that they muſt be trulye humbled vnderunder the burthen of theyr ſinnes, that they muſt mortifie and ſubdue their carnall luſts: this is to hard a cruſt for their old téeth. This matter doth marre all: this doeth robbe them of their glorie: and therefore they cannot willynglye abide▪ to heare of it. Let vsus come now to the third kinde of ground, which receyueth the ſéed among the thorns: héere is depth inough of earth: ſo y^t as the ſecond ſort of hearers ſéemed to go far beyond the firſt, ſo theſe ſéeme to goe farre beyond them, and to come nigher to eternall life, for héere the word doth grow and hath roote ſo déepe, that it ſpringeth foorth ſo farre, that Chriſt ſaith it groweth vp, and the thornes grow vp with it, the ſtalk doth ſhoote foorth the eare, and lacketh but riping. For this may be proued by Saint Luke, who ſaith that they be not (Teleſphorountes) that is, ſuch as beare ripe and timely fruite: for theſe profeſſors doe many good workes, and ſéeme to bring forth the fruites of the Goſpell: and that in ſuch wiſe that men cannot alwayes diſcerne them, but thinke their déedes to be notable: but Chriſt Ieſus doth ſhew that their works before God, (who onelyonly cannot be deceyued) are as Corne which lacketh riping, which béeing ouerſhadowed with buſhes, withereth in the eare and commeth to naught: this is a daungerous caſe if we looke not to it: That a man may heare the Goſpell preached, carrie it away, be moued thereby to doe many good workes: and yet be damned. He is a thouſande folde madde therefore, which doeth not looke to himſelfe in this point: to trye what ſoundneſſe there is in the fruits of his faith, and how ſincerely he doth imbrace Gods word. As before I ſayde, that ſome would obiect and ſay, this wil deſtroy the faith, ſo am I ſure that héere it will be ſaid much more: becauſe this ſéemeth to take away the ſureſt tryal of faith: if a man may not by and by ſaye, I hauehave good workes, therefore I hauehave the true and lyuely faith: I aunſwere, that whoſoeuer hath any good worke in him, the ſame hath the true faith, which hath brought foorth that good worke, becauſe it is impoſſible without faith to do any good thing, or to hauehave any good motion or intent: but withall I ſaye, that it is one thing to ſéeme good before men, and another thing for to be good indéede before God. In outwarde appearaunce, there is little difference betwéene the good déeds of them which feare God ſincerely, and the vntimely fruite of worldlyngs: but God whoſe eye doth not looke vponupon the outward ſhew, but the inward affection, ſéeth which procéedeth of faith, and which doth procéede of vaine glorie, or ſome other ſiniſter reſpect, & putteth as great difference betwéene them, as he did betwéen the ſacrifices of Cayn & Abel. We muſt take héed then, y^t the fruits of our faith be ripe & timely, otherwiſe they be good but in ſhew. We muſt come then to ſée firſt what theſe thorns are: in S. Mathew they are called, the cares of this world & the deceitfulnes of riches: in Saint Luke: the cares of riches, & pleaſures of this lyfe. And in very deed, theſe thornes doe grow together. For were it not for the pleaſures of this life, there would be no cares of riches: he which doth ſéeke gréedelye for wealth, it is eyther becauſe he woulde be able to hauehave wherewithall to fill the luſts of y^• fleſh, and to pamper his body delicately: or els to ſet forth himſelfe in pride, & to clyme ambitiouſly to honour. For ſo long as a man doth take pleaſure in any of theſe, ſo long he is couetous & raketh together ſo much, that as the common ſaieng is, he raketh vp the Diuell and all. What muſt we doe then? Our heartes are as a ground that is ranke, & bringeth foorth many wéeds: we are ſet a work as God ſpeaketh by his Prophet Ieremy. chap. 4. 4. Plow vp your falow, & ſow not among y^e thorns: we muſt put all diligēce & care y^t our hearts may be rid of ſuch noiſome wéeds as will choke y^e word of God, & make that it ſhal not bring forth fruit in vsus. So long as we ſuffer any of theſe in vsus, either to louelove daintie & delycate féeding of our fleſh, and to fill our ſelues with y^e luſts thereof, or to be gallant in y^e eies of men, & hautely to lift vp our ſelues in our vainglorious mindes, & for y^e maintenance of theſe delights bend our care to y^e world: ſo long ſhall we be vnprofitable ſcholers in y^e ſchool of Chriſt. Alas poore men which wold faine come to God, & yet are glewd to y^e world, they offer one hand to Chriſt, & the other to y^e diuel: they can talke of y^e ſpirit, & yet are led by y^e fleſh: y^e goſpel is in their mouth, & couetouſneſſe lodgeth in their hearts: their workes gliſter & are gréene before men, and are withered before God: they ſéeme to be faithfull & are faithles, to be heires of glory, & yet are the children of cōfuſiō. Ther are great plētie of theſe herers, & ſpecialy in ſuch places, wher ther is wealth and honours: how many fall away cheked with the world? And yet we are not afraid of our ſelues to take héede that we ſtand faſt. A great merciemercy of God it is that we hauehave not onelyonly the doctrine layed before vsus, but alſo fearfull examples: ſo that we may buy our wit with other mens coſt. For when we ſée the world with delights and pleaſures, with conetouſneſſe and ambition, to carrie away thoſe which profeſſe the Goſpell, is not our owne matter in hande, are not we made of the ſame mettall they are, doth not the world aſſault vsus as it doth them? Yes, and we ſhalbe ouercome alſo, if the Lorde hauehave not merciemercy vponupon vsus. The hardneſſe of this worke, ought not to diſcorage or make vsus ſlack, but hearing what Chriſt ſaith, whome we ought to beléeue, the more harde, the more we are to ſtirre vp our ſelues, vnleſſe we make ſmall reckoning of the ſaluation of our ſoules. He y^t ſhall yéeld and giuegive ouer the digging vp of theſe thornes, becauſe he perceiueth they grow déepe in his heart, and ſpring as faſt as he can cut them: is not worthy to enter into life: be which will not continually till and wéede this grounde, may well hauehave the Goſpell in ſome ſorte for to grow in him, but not to ſaue him. Déerly beloued we muſt be ſurely perſwaded of this, that as there be many godly men, ſo hauehave they atteined it with great labour and toile, yea, they are ſtill ſet a worke and cannot come to an end, becauſe theſe thornes cannot be vtterlye ro…ted out.

Thoſe are greatly ouerſéene which thinke it to be an eaſie thing to profeſſe Chriſt vntounto ſaluation: & make no further account but to bée Goſpellers, at eaſe: if they can vanquiſh in diſputatiō, to thinke they hauehave won the field: no, no, they hauehave a heart which is harde to ouercome: they hauehave thornes which wil not eaſily be deſtroied: héere lieth y^e victory and getting of the ſpurs: this man ſhall be crowned becauſe he hath willingly giuen vp himſelfe to the power of Gods grace to purge his heart, and to make roome for the holy worde, that it may grow there alone, and not be ouerſhadowed and choaked. Now let vsus marke well that which is ſayde héere, both of the ſtonie and alſo of the thornie ground, how farre they procéede in profeſſing Chriſt, and imbracing his Goſpell: and we ſhall plainely ſée, how greatly thoſe carnal Goſpellers which will not hauehave faith to be tried by the fruits, are deceiued: Faith, faith, (ſay they) is that which doth iuſtifie, it is true indéede, but not a fruitleſſe faith: whoſoeuer beléeueth ſhal be ſaued: it is euen ſo, but not after eueryevery kinde of beliefe: for then why ſhould not theſe two ſorts of herers be ſaued, it is meruailous when the Scripture is ſo euident, & our ſauiour Chriſt ſpeaketh ſo plainly, that this groſe & doltiſh errour ſhoulde poſſeſſe the minds of ſo many. But indéed it is a ſwéet doctrine, when a man may let looſe the raines to all the luſts of the ſleſh, at the leaſt thus farre, not to vere & torment himſelfe in ſubduing them, & yet by faith to be ſaued. When heauen & hell méete together, and God and the diuel be reconciled, then ſhal theſe fleſhly Epicures, and vaine proude men come to their happineſſe. When Chriſt ſhall denie that which he hath héere vttered, then ſhall theſe bée true beléeuers.

Let men therfore take héede that they be not deceiued, nor made ſlacke in looking to the fruits of their faith & mortification of vaine fleſhly luſts, through y^e prophane pratling of ſuch worldly belly Gods: beléeue not them, but beléeue Ieſus Chriſt, who telleth you that it is not inough to heare the word, & to receiue it with ioy, & to let it grow in vsus, vnleſſe it bring forth reaſonable and timelye fruit in vsus.

Againe, let vsus marke how ſtrong and inuincible an Argument may be gathered out of this text againſt all contemners and deſpiſers of the word, ſuch as care not for hearing: theſe thrée ſorts of hearers, are before thē, & néerer to chriſtianitie then they, and yet come ſhort: therefore it muſt néeds follow, that ſuch ignorant Atheiſts, as neither know, nor deſire to knowe any thing aboue this world, are very far from God, although they would ſéeme with their mouth & lips to draw néere vntounto him. For if this matter were well obſerued, men would not regard nor hauehave thoſe men in eſtimation to be good & honeſt, who are very dogs or ſwine, not regarding y^e precious pearle of the Goſpel, but redy to bark & bite at thoſe which bring it. Let a man inquire thus, not of a few, but of y^e greateſt part of men, how ſaie yée to ſuch a man, what thinke ye of him? he is (ſaye they) a verye good man, a good natured man, a gentle perſon truſtie to his friēd, ſure of his word, & doth kéepe as good an houſe as anye man of his calling in all this ſhire. But how is he affected vntounto Gods word: is he zealous in religiō? Nay ſurely, I did neuer heare y^t he did deale y^• way, he is a very quiet man, no medler at al. O notable honeſt man, as deuout in y^e laws of God as the horſe which he rideth vponupon, as careful to hauehave gods glorie aduaunced, as the ſwine in the …ie, a great deale behinde theſe vnprofitable hearers, which are … waies: & yet forſooth being very bruit beaſts before God (in y^e ſtate they be in, yet vnleſſe y^e Lord call them to bée zealous of his glorye) they muſt be reputed for the beſt men. Our fieldes are full of ſuch Cattell as theſe, and if the Lord do not put too his helping hand; our caſe is very miſerable. If any of thoſe which were ſo zealous to heare, that they woulde to their hinderaunce in worldly matters leaue off their buſineſſe, and follow preaching, as theſe which flocked to heare Chriſt, wer yet neuertheleſſe relected, becauſe they did not ſo ſincerely as they ſhould: what ſhal we ſay of thoſe which wil not ſtep out at their dores, euen when they hauehave nothing to do, vnles it be to ſit at cards or tables. If ſuch a man maye be damned, as is mooued with ſome delight, when he heareth the worde preached: What ſhall we iudge of thoſe woodden blockes and ſottiſh men, who féele no more ioye in it then a poſt, when it is vttered vntounto them? If ther be ſome go to deſtruction, which conforme themſelues and hauehave a ſhew of fruite by the worde: wher ſhal thoſe wretches appeare, whom the holy word of God cannot moue one whit, to reforme their diſordered & beaſtly behauiours. I néede not ſtande to mueigh out of this place againſt thoſe helhounds, which dare opē their mouths to reproch and ſlaunder the ſetting forth of the Goſpell. The Lord diminiſh the number of them.

The laſt kind of ground, are the good hearers, which do not onelyonly receiue the ſéede, but alſo bring forth the fruits ther of. Although not eueryevery one a lyke or in the ſame meaſure, for ſome bring forth an hundreth folde, ſome ſixtie fold, ſome thirtie folde, according to the meaſure of Gods graces in them.

Although héere be great ods in bringing forth the fruits, yet they be all accepted and accompted for good grounde, true Chriſtians, and ſincere profeſſors of godlineſſe: now as we be taught héere that it is required of all to be doers, as S. Iames ſaith, and not hearers only cha. 1. ver. 22. ſo are we alſo taught, not to deſpiſe or raſhly to condemne thoſe, which do not bring forth ſo great a meaſure of fruit as others do: True it is, as Chriſt ſaith, héerein is my father glorified, that ye bring forth much fruite. Iohn. 15. 8. But it is alſo as true which he ſaith in the ſecond verſe of the ſame chapter, EueryEvery braunch that bringeth forth fruite, he purgeth, that it may bring forth more fruite. Then to bring forth moſt, is moſt of all to be deſired, that God maye hauehave the greateſt glory: to bring forth the leaſt is not to be contemned, becauſe the Lord in time doth purge thē, & make them more fruitfull. I néed not to ſtand héere for to handle manye things, or to make large expoſition, the matter is excéeding plaine, ther is no more but this, that all our care in hearing & profeſſing the Goſpell, be to receiue it into good ground, and to bring forth the fruites thereof. What ſhould I ſtand to rip vp the ſhamefull abuſe in the contrary, to vtter how manie euill fruits ther be in many which are Goſpellers. This ſhuld be but as it were to light a candle in the cléere Sun ſhine, for all men do ſée them. I do not ſpeake this, as though it ſhould not be good to crie out againſt them: but becauſe the former things which I hauehave now vttered, doe fully diſcloſe them. And therefore I will héere ende, deſiring the Lord to write theſe things in our harts, which we hauehave heard with our outward eares, and to make vsus good ground, to receiue the heauenly ſéede, & to bring forth fruites of the ſame, that glorifieng him in this world, we may be glorified of him in the world to come, through Ieſus Chriſt our Lorde. Amen.

FINIS.

End of the text · George Gifford, Sermon on the Parable of the Sower (1582)