Exposition on the Catholic Epistles, James · Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
HOwſoeuer there may ſeeme to bee no coherence betwixt this Chapter and thoſe that went before, yet if we looke backe to Chapter 1.19. and Verſe 25. it will appeare that it cohereth very well. For hauing there fallen vponupon an Argument concerning ſpeech and the abuſe of the tongue, vntounto which he ioineth an exhortation to doe the Word, and not to heare it onelyonly; and ſpecially by emptying out all maliciouſneſſe and filthineſſe, and putting on meekneſſe and exerciſing mercy towards the poore, and not contempt; hee keepeth as we may well obſerue, within theſe bounds thorowout the reſidue of his Epiſtle. Firſt, more largely treating vponupon that of vſing the poore contemptuouſly, and vponupon workes of mercy, chap. 2. Secondly, in a like large manner returning to ſpeake of the miſgouernment of the tongue, chap. 3. after which, thirdly, in the ſame Chapter he alſo reſumeth his exhortation vntounto meekneſſe and againſt maliciouſneſe, verſ. 13. vntounto the end of the Chapter. Fourthly, he returneth to ſpeake againſt filthineſſe alſo, againſt which he had giuen a touch, chap. 1.21. and this hee doth, chap. 4. mixing his reproofe of this together with that other of malice and enuy, whence ſtrife ariſeth, a certaine Argument of pride, and therefore hee toucheth vponupon that alſo, verſ. 6. Touching the reſidue of that Chapter, wee ſhall ſee more when we come to the handling of it. Here then are two points, firſt, againſt the abuſe of the tongue; ſeconly, againſt ſtrife and contention ariſing from the want of meekneſſe in the heart, which ſtrife doth alſo vtter it ſelfe by railing and curſed ſpeaking. Touching the firſt, he reproueth it firſt more obſcurely, verſ. 1. then plainly, verſ. 2, &c.
IAMES Chapter 3. Verſe 1.
My brothren, be not many maſters, knowing that we ſhall receiue the greater damnation. Verſ. 2. For in many things we ſlip or ſtumble all.
THere were many Iewes in the daies of the Apoſtles, who went,Tho Aquinas. Gorrans. Gloſ.…ord. before they were well inſtructed in the doctrine of Faith, from Ieruſalem to Antioch, preaching the neceſſity of circumciſion, and other errors. Againſt theſe hee oppoſeth this ſpeech, Be not many maſters; that is, becauſe the knowledge requifite in a Teacher is but of few, bee not yee, that are vnlearned and ignorant, Maſters and Teachers; neither by ye many by your diuiſions through ignorance, into many opinions; for it is not a thing reprehenſible, that there by many Maſters, which are ſufficient and teach all one truth, becauſe thus they do altogether performe but the office of one Maſter, Chriſt, as he calleth himſelfe, Mat. 2…. Such ſhall receiue the greater damnation, becauſe it is a greater ſin to ſet forth falſe doctrine, than for a mans owne particular to hold it, though he ſhall alſo periſh for ſo doing. In many things we offend all; that is, we that teach the Truth onelyonly, hauehave yet our frailties and ſinnes; and therefore no need, that we ſhould ruſh further in by vſurping ſuch an high Office, vntounto which ſufficient skill is wanting; he ſpeaketh thus of himſelfe, together with them, that he might the more freely reproue them in this fault.
This ſpeech is directed againſt raſh iudging of the ſpeeches and deeds of othes,Pareus. Piſcator. alike vntounto which is Luk. 6.37. Now it is an vſuall Catachreſis in any Language to call ſuch ſupercilious perſons, as will take vponupon them to cenſure and to ſpeake euill of others, Maſters. Be not many; that is, let there be no ſuch, the ſpeech being framed according to the occaſion; becauſe there were many faulty this way, he biddeth, Be not many Maſters: Hee ſaith, We ſhall receiue the greater damnation for thus iudging others, becauſe the euill in our ſelues is aggrauated hereby before God; and as it is iuſt with him, hee will prouide that we ſhall hauehave the like meaſure meeted vntounto vsus againe, and he numbreth himſelfe amongſt them, leſt he ſhould ſeeme guilty of that which he taxeth, if he ſhould ſpeake of others only, exempting himſelfe. In many things we offend all; that is, hereby we ſhould be ſtaied from iudging of others, becauſe in iudging we condemne our ſelues, who are many waies offenders alſo, Ioh. 8. Gal. 6.1.
Obiect. By this reaſon none can cenſure the faults of others. Obiect.
Solu. It followeth onelyonly,Sol. that none can rightly doe thus without a calling, wherein he that iudgeth, ſtandeth as Gods Deputy to cenſure for him, for thus he iudgeth not, but God iudgeth by him, Secondly, hauing a calling, he ought not to be ſwaied by corrupt affections in cenſuring others in ſpleene and hatred, orbeing proud ouer poore Malefactors, as though there were nothing worthy of cenſure in himſelfe, but out of a conſcience of his owne guiltineſſe before God, cenſure with mercy and clemency.
Faber, Mayer. Faber. Gagneus. Beda. Luther. Auguſt. Ne ſitis multi magiſtri, i. diſſentientes à doctima vnici Magiſtri Chriſti. Beza. Iunius.and Gagneus, and Saint Auguſtine alſo, and Beda follow the firſt expoſition, and Luther likewiſe. See Auguſt. prolog. in lib. 1. retract. Be not many Maſters, ſaith he, diſſenting from the Doctrine of Chriſt our onelyl Maſter. Beza, and Iunius, and others, follow the newer expoſition. For my owne part, I ſee no reaſon to goe from the old receiued interpretation. That which Pareus obiecteth againſt it, that thus vnderſtood, it ſhould be againſt a multiplicity of Doctors, which is rather commended, Numb. 11.29. Mat. 9.38. is anſwered already, that hee impugneth not a multiplicity of able Teachers, but of intruders into this Office without ſufficiency. That indeed, which ſome Sophiſters turne it to, that there ought not to be many cenſurers in Eccleſiaſticall matters, but one, viz. the Pope of Rome, is abſurd. It may agree well vntounto Teachers, both by the method here vſed, this being one of the greateſt abuſes of the tongue, to vſurpe a teaching Office; to the reprehending whereof hee returneth now againe, and in regard of other places, from which we may gather, that this vſurpation was then vſuall, and taxed likewiſe by other inſtruments of God, as Act. 15.1. 1 Tim. 1.7. But if it ſhould be taken for iudging, as Luk. 6.37. the name of Maſters would not ſo well agree, and it ſhould rather hauehave beene ſaid, Be none of you Maſters: it being a thing vtterly vnlawfull in this ſenſe.
Note,Note. that it is a moſt dangerous thing to aſpire to the Office of a Teacher, when a man is not ſufficiently grounded in knowledge and learning.Rom. 10.15. For this is not the office of eueryevery one, but of ſuch as are called and ſingularly inabled vntounto it. If any raſhly intrude themſelues, their condemnation ſhall bee the greater, becauſe hereby ambition is added to their other ſinnes, as in Saul and Ʋzziah, ſacrificing; being thus puft vp,1 Tim. 3.6. they fall into the condemnation of the Deuill.
Note againe,Note. that if God ſhould marke ſtraightly the doings of the beſt, all muſt needs be found ſinners, and that in many things, and ſo liable to his iudgements; wherefore wee had need to be circumſpect and wary againſt ſinne, being aſſured, that when we hauehave done the beſt that we can, we ſhall ſtill hauehave ſinnes enow to anſwer for; and therefore in our greateſt circumſpection and beſt doing we ought to acknowledge our imperfections, and becauſe ſinnes hauehave beene in the very beſt, it will not be ſafe for vsus ſhrouding our ſelues vnderunder any example to aduenture vponupon any ſinne.
CHAP. 3. VER. 2.
If any offendeth not in word, the ſame is a perfect man, able to bridle alſo the whole body, &c.
This is not ſpoken to teach,Pareus. that any are ſo perfect, that they are without out ſinne, but rather on the contrary ſide, to conuince all of ſinne: for hauing affirmed immediatly before, that all of vsus ſinne in many things, what better proofe can there be hereof, than to inſtance in the ſinfulneſſe of the tongue, ſo little a member? for if a man hauing a whole body to gouerne well, cannot ſo much as gouerne this little member, but that hereby he ſinneth ſo much, how can he be counted perfect and without all ſinne? He is farre alſo from inſtifying hereby, ſuch as ſteale, murther, or commit adultery, if they can well gouerne their tongues: for his onelyonly drift is to ſhew by the ſinnes of the tongue, that all ſinne in many things, If any ſinne not in word, he is a perfect man, is no more therefore, but as if hee ſhould hauehave ſaid, hereby it appeareth, that none are ſo perfect, but that they ſinne in many things, becauſe if but this one way of ſinning, viz. in ſpeech, be conſidered, there is not one but is guilty; for to proue a generall vnrulineſſe of the tongue tendeth his whole diſcourſe here.
So the tongue is a little member, and boaſteth great things. Verſe 5.As the bridle in the horſes mouth, and a little rudder in the hand of the gouernour of a ſhip; ſo the tongue but little in compariſon of the body, boaſteth great things; in the Greeke foreign, doth magnifically lift vp it ſelfe, ſaith Beza, is a word that is no where elſe vſed in the holy Scriptures, and it may hauehave reference both to good and euill, according to the examples of good going before, and of euill following after theſe words, The tongue is a world of wickedneſſe, that is,Verſe 6. becauſe it hath in it all manner of vices, as the world hath all kinds of things. Setteth on fire the whole courſe of nature, that is, the whole courſe of this life, that is infected with it, and is ſet on fire of hell, that is, of the deuill, who as he is a lyer and ſlanderer, ſo he corrupteth the tongues of men vntounto the like.
The whole nature of beaſts and birds, &c. that is,Verſe 7. ſome of eueryevery kinde are tamed by man, yea Lions, and Beares, and Panthers,Non vniuerſaliter de ſingulis generum, ſed reſtrictè de generibus ſingulorum intelligendum. &c. hauehave beene brought to dance, to follow men vponupon a line, and to make letters, as Pliny writeth. Fiſhes are brought to take meat at their Maſters hands, and Serpents hauehave beene tamed ſo, that their keepers could handle them, & make them without hurt to twine themſelues about their neckes.
That he might deterre them from the deſire of prelation to teach in the Church of God,Th. Aquinas. Gorran. he ſheweth the incuitable offences of ſpeaking, ſo that hee is a rare man that offendeth not, Eccl. 19. There is no man that offendeth not with his tongue: of ſuch offending at large it is not ſpokē here, but of offending in teaching, of which a man may beware, or of offending in a more hainous manner by lying, railing and ſlandering, according to the gloſſe. Now, that there are ſome perfect-men, though but few, that offend not thus, he ſheweth by two ſimilitudes, of a bridle guiding an horſe, and of a rudder guiding a ſhip. His reaſon is this, he that can turne about and guide his whole body to a good worke, is perfect: but he that can gouerne his tongue well can doe thus; Ergo, the minor is proued, becauſe he can put a bridle vponupon it.
The tongue being little, Verſe 5.exalteth great things, that is, either the ſoules of men to great rewards, or to great puniſhments, Behold how much wood a little fire kindleth. Hauing hitherto ſpoken of the vertues of the tongue; now he ſpeaketh of the vices. It is called a fire, becauſe it enflameth others; a world of wickedneſſe, becauſe hereby we ſinne againſt God, blaſpheming; againſt our Neighbour by railing, &c. and againſt our ſelues by vaine boaſting.
All are ſaid to be tamed by man,Verſ. 7. Pliny. Marcellinus. becauſe ſome of all kindes. Pliny telleth of an huge Aſpe in India, that came daily out of his hole to receiue meat at a mans table. Marcellinus telleth of a Tygre that was made tame, and ſent from India to Anaſtaſius. Or according to the Gloſſe, this may be vnderſtood metaphorically, by beaſts, men that are theeues and murtherers; by Birds, inſtable perſons; and by Serpents, ſuch as are cunning to hurt, for theſe may be conuerted ſooner than the tongue tamed.
Hauing ſhewed that he which is able to order his tongue aright,Faber. Stapul. in teaching nothing but the truth, is a perfect man; he deſcendeth to the ſhewing of the tongues vnrulines, that Teachers may be the more wary in ſpeaking. And this he doth by compariſons from horſes, and ſhips, and fire, &c. yet this little member, he ſaith, boaſteth of great things, eſpecially in ſuch as doe arrogate vntounto themſelues the skill of teaching, and are ambitious of the name of Maſters. It is a fire, and the people gathered together as a thicke wood, &c.
He that can gouerne the tongue,Oecumen. in Iac. may well be ſaid to be able to gouerne the whole body, becauſe the tongue is more voluble, but the body heauie, and ſo longer in turning about. And if it ſhould be ſaid, Why, what maſtery is it to rule the tongue, which is but a little thing? a thing that is little can doe but little hurt; he addeth theſe ſimilitudes of a Bridle, and of a little Rudder, and of a little fire, and ſo forth: for as theſe (though they be little) are of great force, ſo is the tongue to do much good or hurt. And as by the Bridle and Rudder the horſe & ſhip are guided, ſo the tongue is to be guided by right reaſon to that which is good. It is a world of wickedneſſe, that is, according to ſome, a multitude of wickedneſſes, as the word World is ſometime vſed; according to others, the ornament of wickednes, as the word foreign ſignifieth, ornatus, becauſe hereby oratoricall cloquence is vſed to entice vntounto ſinne. It ſetteth on fire the wheele of hell, according to ſome tranſlations, ſo that hell fire is hereby rolled vponupon vsus, as vponupon Diues, whoſe torment was in his tongue eſpecially, which he had abuſed to vaine ſpeaking, and to the taſting of dainties ſo much: or if it be read according to moſt, (the wheele of nature) foreign, the meaning is, that all our whole life is corrupted and made lugubrous hereby; Can no man tame the tongue? This ſurely is the right reading with an interrogation, and not, the tongue can no man tame, for then in vaine doth he afterwards ſay, theſe things ought not to be ſo (my brethren.) All that is ſaid therefore is no more but thus much in effect: As ſhips are directed, ſo ſhould the tongue be, neither is this an hard thing, ſeeing all things are tamed by man, and can none then rule their tongue? it is not ſo.
By the conferring of theſe expoſitions together,Mayer. we may the better now conceiue the meaning of theſe words.
Touching the firſt,Verſ. 2. verſe 2. I aſſent to them that deny perfection vntounto the beſt in this world, and expound this as an argument againſt it, becauſe none can rule the tongue ſo, as not to offend ſome way hereby;Tho. Aquin. Oecumen. and to this alſo Tho. Aquinas and Gorran conſent, and it is the inference of Oecumenius, though the two former turne the ſenſe of the place another way, as Faber doth, to Teachers. But he began plainly in the former words, In many things we offend all, to intreat of the generall caſe of all, whom he proueth here to be ſinners, according to Pareus. The argument lyeth thus;Pareus. EueryEvery one that is not perfect is a ſinner: but none are perfect, ſo as not to fall in any thing, Ergo, &c. the Minor is proued by the conſideration of the ill that is in eueryevery mans tongue. Hee that cannot gouerne his tongue ſo, as not at any time to offend hereby, is not perfect, (for the onelyonly perfect man is hee that offendeth not in ſpeech, ſeeing ſuch an one in ouercomming an harder labour is doubtleſſe able to ouercome the leſſer in gouerning the whole body, which is not ſo voluble as the tongue) but no man can thus gouerne his tongue, Ergo, &c. the Minor of this is proued in the words following, verſe 7, 8, &c.
Touching the next words,Verſ. 3. Behold, we put bits into horſes mouthes, &c. the word of attention foreign, is diuerſly read; the vulgar tranſlation readeth it,Beda. foreign, but if. Beda, But euen as, and he expoundeth it with a ſupplement thus; if we gouerne the horſe & the ſhip by ſo ſmal a thing as a Bridle & Rudder, then ought we much more to hauehave the bridle of reaſon in our mouths. But the moſt approued reading is foreign,Gagneus. Behold. For the ſenſe, Gagneus ſeemeth to me to come neereſt vntounto the right, that a compariſon is here made betwixt the tongue, and a Bit, and Rudder, ſmall things, yet of great force: and therefore though the tongue be ſmall, it is not to be neglected for the danger that may be therein. For verſe 2. hauing affirmed, that hee which offendeth not in ſpeech is a perfect man, and can bridle the whole body: the next words wherein a compariſon is taken from a Bridle, follow moſt fitly, if they be thus vnderſtood; as the bridle is to the horſe to guide and to rule him, ſo is the tongue to the whole body. Now the Bridle being rightly vſed, guideth the horſe to goe well, and to doe good ſeruice to his Rider; and ſo the tongue being rightly ordered, carrieth the whole man on in a right way of glorifying God, and promoting the ſaluation of others,Piſcator. as Piſcator ſpeaketh; for a good heart is the fountaine of the right ordering of the tongue indeed. But if the tongue be vngouerned, it carrieth the whole man on to deſtruction, euen as the reines being laid looſe vponupon the horſes neeke, hee runneth and carrieth his rider with him into miſchiefe; and therefore he applieth the ſimilitude accordingly: ſo the tongue being a little member boaſteth great things, Verſ. 5. Faber.foreign. Faber readeth it magnifactrix, a doer of great things; the vulgar,Beda. exalteth great things. Beda, exulteth of great things. But ſeeing the word is compounded of foreign, great, and that which maketh it vp into a verbe, is ſeldome or neuer any where elſe found, and ſo vncertaine how it ſhould be rendred; I rather hold with Faber, that the doing of great matters is meant; and thus it agreeth beſt to the ſimilitudes going before, and following after: as the Bridle hath a great worke in the horſe, and a ſmall Rudder in the ſhip; ſo hath the tongue in man, which is alſo further declared by the ſimilitude of a little fire. Pareus agreeth, that the word foreign may be taken in a good or euill ſenſe. But both he and Tho. Aquinas and Piſcator will hauehave the ſimilitudes of the Bridle, &c. to be vnderſtood in a good ſenſe onelyonly, and this that followeth of a little fire &c. in an ill ſenſe, vntounto both which theſe words the tongue being a little member foreign, hath equall reference, ſo that, they ſay, it lifteth vp it ſelfe ſometime to much good, according to the former ſimilitudes; ſometime to much euill, according to the latter. But the fore-going ſimilitudes may be applied both waies, as I hauehave ſhewed, and ſo it will be more full.
Touching theſe words, The tongue is a fire, a world of wickedneſſe, Verſe. 6&c. they are eaſie to be vnderſtood, as the fire, though it be but little, inflameth and burneth downe great buildings, ſo the tongue bringeth the whole man to deſtruction, for hell fire is the …ward of a wicked tongue, and oft-times the intemperate tongue kindleth a fire, as it were in the body, which appeareth by the eyes ſparkling, when a man ſpeaketh furiouſly, and the voice ouermuch extended in this kinde pierceth to the inward parts, to the breaking of ſomething there, wherupon bleeding to death enſueth;Naucler. ſol, 36…. as in Scylla the Roman Dictatour, from whom through the ouermuch extention of his voice, the bloud guſhed out, and he died. For the world of wickedneſſe: wherefore the tongue is called ſo, ſee Pareus, and Thomas; the ſecond mentioned by Oecumenius is too curious, though Beza hath alſo the ſame note. And for the reſt of the words, they are ſufficiently explained already. Whereas Oecumenius readeth theſe words, The tongue can no man tame, interrogatiuely, he doth herein differ from all others, neither is that reading probable, for the ſcope of S. Iames here, is to ſhew that the tongue is more vnruly than any thing. Whereas he obiecteth, if it ſhould be read poſitiuely, it were in vaine for any man to ſtriue to gouern his tongue; I anſwer, that it followeth not, no more thā that it is in vain to ſtriue to be righteous, becauſe it is ſaid,Eccl. 7.20. There is no man righteous: for as in this caſe yet eueryevery good man will ſtriue to be as righteous as poſſibly he can, being aſſured thus to be accepted, according to that hee hath; ſo he will ſtriue to gouerne his tongue, at leaſt refraining from the euill here taxed, curſing, and railing, &c. though he cannot keepe free from idle ſpeeches, and ſuch like ſmaller offences.
Whereas he impugneth ill ſpeeches againſt our neighbour,Verſ. 11. out of this conſideration, that we bleſſe God with our tongues, comparing bleſſing to ſweet water, and curſing to bitter, which cannot both come out of one fountaine;Tho. Aquinas. Faber. Tho. Aquinas and Faber inferre, and that rightly, that the bleſſing of thoſe that bleſſe God, when their mouthes are full of curſings againſt men, and railings, and corrupt talking, is no bleſſing, but a ſinne alſo in them, euen as ſweet water and bitter being mingled together is made all bitter, there being more force in the bitter to turne the ſweet into the ſame taſte with it ſelfe, than in the ſweet to turne the taſte of the bitter, becauſe bitter is an extreme, and ſweet the medium of the taſte.
Note of what great neceſſity it is to hauehave a ſp…ciall care of the gouerning of the tongue:Note. for as a man is in this reſpect, ſo is he accounted of before God. Words are not winde, as the common ſaying is, but fire and deadly poiſon, if they be euill, to the deſtruction of the whole man. They come out of the heart, Mark. 7. and defile indeed, Matth. 12.37.
Note againe,Note. that an euill tongue worketh from fire to fire, from hell and the deuill to the kindling of heat, and fury, and contention here, and to the bringing of a man to ſuffer in hell fire hereafter. The lewd tongued perſon is vponupon a wheele turned by the deuill, till he be brought to the ſame deſtruction with himſelfe. He is more ſauage than the wildeſt and ſauageſt beaſts, which may be tamed, but he is vnreclaimably barbarous.
Laſtly note,Note. that the beſt ſpeeches which an ill tongued man can vſe, are all corrupted and diſtaſtfull before God, by meanes of his ill language at other times, which is as bitter water to the making of all his water bitter, to the turning of him into a bramble, vponupon which no Figs grow. Let railers, and ſwearers, and curſers, and filthy ſpeakers, conſider of this and tremble.
CHAP. 3. VERS. 14, &c.
But if ye hauehave bitter enuying and ſtrife in your heart, glory not, neither lye againſt the truth, &c.
In the 13. verſe, hee returneth to ſpeake of meekneſſe againe,Mayer. as I hauehave already noted in my generall Analyſis, and that very fitly, becauſe, according to Pareus, Pareus.it is ſo good a meanes to reſtraine the tongue from the offences before condemned: the contrary vntounto which bitter enuying, &c. here named, are the very fountaine of all irregularity, and of all the euill of the tongue, which if they be in them, he biddeth them not to glory in the Chriſtian profeſſion, as though they were wiſe and good Chriſtians, for ſo they ſhould lye againſt the truth, ſeeing they are the blots and ſpots of Chriſtianity,Gloſ. ord. that are thus tainted. Some expound bitter enuying foreign, of zeale towards God made bitter by contentious words with our neighbour, but the firſt is better;Tho. Aquinas. and lying againſt the truth they expound, either of lying againſt Chriſt who is the truth, or of doing contrary to that which was promiſed in Baptiſme, viz. to forſake the pompe of the world, which is not done by thoſe that are proud of their good workes. But the firſt is moſt genuine and ſimple, for it is a falſe and lying righteouſneſſe,Icrom. Vera iuſtitia habet compaſſionem, falſa indignationem. Verſe 17. according to Ierom, wherein there is enuie and anger: for true iuſtice hath compaſſion, but falſe hath indignation.
Verſe 17. The wiſedome that is from aboue is firſt chaſte, then peaceable, &c. Hee runneth vponupon the word Wiſe and Wiſedome from the 13 verſe hitherto, becauſe he had ſpoken of Maſters, verſ. 1. that is, Teachers, which if any deſire to be, he ſheweth them verſ. 13. the neceſſity of being Teachers in their conuerſation: for as Bernard ſaith,Bern. Efficacior eſt vox operis, quàm ſermonis, nec ſufficit doctori oſtendere ſed etiam facere. The voyce of the worke is more efficacious than of the ſpeech, neither is it ſufficient for a teacher to ſhew, but to doe. He began alſo Chap. 1.5. with wiſedome, ſhewing of whom it is to be asked, and whence it commeth, verſe 17. viz. from aboue. To proue therefore that the contentious and enuious are not wiſe by this wiſedome, he ſetteth downe the properties thereof, hauing before, verſe 15. affirmed, that it is not from aboue, but earthly, carnall, and deuilliſh. Pareus.The true wiſedome is firſt chaſte, that is, in the feare of God doing any thing, or modeſt, and without arrogancy, 3. gentle, foreign, that is, not rough in taking ſuch things as are ſpoken in the worſt ſenſe, but in the beſt. 4. Eaſie to be intreated, or gently intreating, for foreign may be taken either actiuely or paſſiuely, it is to be perſwaded eaſily to the beſt, or apt to perſwade others with good ſpeeches. 5 Full of mercy, that is, not ſo much in deeds of charity, for theſe are not the ſubiect of this diſcourſe, but towards thoſe that hauehave erred, and are out of the way, for the wiſe pitty them, and doe mercifully ſeeke to bring them to rights againe. 6 And of good fruits, that is, of all ſorts both of humanity and louelove. 7 Without partiality, foreign, without ſiniſter iudging of the ſpeeches and deeds of others. 8 Without hypocriſie, not making a ſhew of one thing, and being another▪ one in ſpeech, and another in heart, to get applauſe of the world after the machiauillian policy.Verſ. 18. And to perſwade vntounto all this, he ſheweth verſe 18. that to be thus peaceable and louing, tendeth to euerlaſting life, which is the fruit of righteouſneſſe, as the corne of the harueſt is the fruit that commeth of the Husbandmans induſtry in tilling and ſowing the ground, and therefore not the merit of righteouſneſſe, but of Gods bleſſing, as the corne is. And this I take it is the true ſenſe of this place, and therefore I ſpare to adde more expoſitions.Th. Aquinas. OnelyOnly I will ſhew how Tho. Aquinas applieth theſe eight to the eight beatitudes, Matth. 5. and as being oppoſed againſt ſeuen deadly ſinnes. Firſt, the pure in heart are chaſte. 2. peaceable. 3. the poore are gentle. 4. the meeke are eaſie to be perſwaded. 5. they that hunger after righteouſneſſe conſent vntounto good. 6. the mercifull are full of good fruits. 7. the mourners iudge not others. 8. they that ſuffer perſecution are void of hypocriſie. The 7. ſinnes are incontinency, pride, gluttony, anger, enuie, couetouſnes, and murther.
Note that there are two ſorts of wiſedome,Note. the one earthly, ſenſuall, and deuilliſh; the other godly, which is from aboue. The wiſedome of the contentious and wrangler, is of the firſt ſort, and therefore little cauſe is there for any man to glory in it. But hee that is meeke and quiet ſpirited, and that doth good, though hee may be counted ſimple amongſt men, is truly wiſe indeed. For the true wiſdome ſtandeth in deeds and in power to temper a mans ſelfe in a Chriſtian manner.
Note againe,Note. that as there is no Corne to be had at harueſt without ſowing, ſo there is no happineſſe to be had in Heauen without ſowing. And as it is not eueryevery ſeed, nor eueryevery kinde of ſowing, that will bring forth Corne; ſo it is not any ſowing, but by righteouſneſſe, and that in peace, that will fructifie vntounto eternall life; they that by well-doing ſeeke immortality, are recompenced with euerlaſting life,Rom. 2.7, 8. if they continue patiently ſo to doe; but the contentious, and vnrighteous, with wrath and indignation.