earth shall perish from the earth from vnder these heauens He hath made the earth by his power c. Wherein we are to note that albeit Ieremie writ al his prophecies in Hebrew yet this one sentence is set downe in the Caldean or Babilonian speech therby admonishing the captiue Iewes to disaduow Idols to cōfesse the true God plainly sensibly in a language knowen to the Idolaters If this confession bee required of these poore captiue Iewes how can these men be excused who being at libertie to depart from among the Idolaters do assist at their Idolatry thereby to giue the world to vnderstand that they also are Idolaters therefore dare not vtter one word in reproofe of the Idols 9 Sith therefore that the first sermon both of Christ of Iohn the Baptist do notably proclaime Amend your liues Let all such as haue attained to the knowledge of the truth resolue with thēselues to renounce all Idolatrie superstition vtterly to denie all assistance participation whatsoeuer therin either in hart or body Let them remember that all abandoning of their bodies to Idolatrie is a prophanation of the temple of God That the yeelding of the body to the deuill reseruing the hart to God is intollerable sacriledge That the denial of the true God the worshipping of the deuill is detestable hipocrisie That thereby they blaspheme Iesus Christ honor the Idol that they giue offēce to their neighbours as well by confirming some in their errors as by inducing others to follow their examples But especially let them remember that their pretended excuse will redound to their double damnatiō For if he who thinking to worship God yet of ignorāce throgh worshiping an Idoll offendeth deserueth death surely then he that boweth his body to worship that which he knoweth to be an Idoll 1. Con. 10.20 Luk. 12.47.48 yea a very deuil as S. Paul calleth it offendeth in far greater measure deserues greter punishmēt And so doth Christ himself pronounce concerning the disobedient seruant who knowing his masters wil not doing it Exod. 20.5 shall be beaten much more grieuously thē he that was ignorāt therof And indeed it is not only a simple sinne and transgression as in the ignorant but more contempt and misprision against the maiestie of the law-giuer as God in many places complaineth of his people that they haue dispised him Rom. 5.20 yea euen hated him as himselfe faith in his law And hereto likewise may be referred the sentence of the Apostle where hee saith That God gaue the law that sinne might abound because the knowledge of the law taking away ignorance maketh the transgression to be conioyned with contempt and despising of God 10 The more therfore that we know the inconuenience of Idolatrie the more we are to detest abhor and flie from it and neuer flatter our selues in the presence of God who knoweth our hearts It is but a foolish enterprise to vndertake to deceiue the Lord or to thinke to prosper by offending him We feare the losse of our goods dignities countrie and life if we go not to masse with other men and counterfeate our selues to bee Idolaters as they are yet we feare not to loose the treasure and inheritance of heauen life euerlasting and the kingdome of God by polluting our bodies in Idolatrie euen by the assured testimonie of our owne hearts We are not to order our duties after the easements of our flesh but according to the word of God The meanes to obtaine safetie and felicitie consisteth not in prouoking God to wrath by seruing of Idols but if we desire his mercie and fauour towardes vs wee must renounce and denie our selues and the world that wee may worship and serue him onely Let vs obey S. Iohn who saith 1. Ioh. 5.21 Psal 97.7 1. Cor. 6.20 My little children keepe your selues from Idols And let vs remember that the holy Ghost pronounceth woe to all those that worship Idols And contrariwise blesseth all those that adore and glorifie God both in hart and minde That it is not enough that we seperate our selues from Idolatrie vnlesse we also ioyne with the Church of Christ by frequenting Sermons communicating in the Sacraments and comming to common prayer Chap. 2. AS repentance and Amendement of life consisteth in this that we forsake sinne and applie our selues to goodnesse So it is not enough that we keepe both bodies and soules from Idolatrie and superstition vnlesse that also seperating our bodies from Idolaters we adioine our selues to the Church of Christ by hearing his word receiuing the Sacraments calling vpon God in the name of Iesus Christ The titles that the holy Ghost attributeth to this Church do euidently declare vnto vs of how great importance to the glory of God saluatiō of mankind this duty of ioyning with the true Church is First it is in many places called the kingdom of God yet not without great cause For as this kingdome consisteth in euidēt assured knowledge of the true God of his Son Iesus Christ in faith righteousnes peace and comfort of the holy Ghost in sanctification to be briefe in euerlasting life glory So is it in the church wherin God manifests himself reueales his truth pleasure To the mēbers therof he giueth faith righteousnes holines peace ioy and finally life glory euerlasting Contrariwise the kingdom of Sathan cōsisteth in ignorance Mat. 13. infidelity corruptiō vice sin iniquity in a bad conscience trouble of mind dispaire death damnation The members therfore of Christs Church are the kingdome of God retired from the power dominion of Sathā to the end that God may raigne in them by his spirit the scepter of his word as contrariwise al that are without the Church do belong to the kingdome of Sathā as S. Paul also doth say of the excōmunicate that they be deliuered to Sathā who raigneth without the Church of Christ 1. Cor. 5.5 1. Cor 6.9.10 Luk. 13.28 Act. 1.47 This likewise is confirmed in that the same title of the kingdom of God wherby the Church is signified is also attributed to that blessed glorious estate which the elect shal enioy after the resurrection Wherin we are taught that theris such a cōiunction betweene the Church that glorious kingdom of Iesus Christ that it is as it were the suburbes gate thereinto wherupon also al they that refuse to ioyne with the Church can pretend no portion in this kingdom of heauē For the path to felicitie importeth an ascention frō the kingdome of God vpon earth to the kingdome of God in heauē And that doth S. Luke note saying that God did dayly adioyne vnto the Church those that should be saued thereby signifying that such as refuse to adioyne themselues therto do minister no occasion to imagine that they haue attained the way to saluation and life euerlasting 2 By another title are the
vicious thou puttest him in danger of losse both of body and soule 16 Some doo respect their friendship with some masters rather than their vertue and so doo commit to them their children least they should be angrie for putting them to another These men do resemble him who being daungerously sick vseth the aduise of an ignorant phisition that is his kinseman or familiar friend for feare he should take offence if he shuld cal another albeit without comparison more learned skilfull If thou shouldest haue any waightie matter in law wouldest thou rather commit thy cause to an igâ—anâ— and negligent atturney because he is thy friende than to him that were both diligent and learned Making a voiage through some daungerous sea wouldest thou in a tempest commit thy ship to a yong pilot vnskilful or dronke because he is thy friend what a foole art thou that wilt not take the like care of the profit honor and saluation of thy child 17 Others commit their children either to him that is best cheap or by whome they may growe into greatest aduancement in the world but neuer respect the hazard of their child so they may either spare or get worldly goods When one shewed the Orator Lycurgus Eras Apo. li. 8 that hee had offered great wages to a philosopher to teach his children he vertuously answered If anie man will assure me to restore me my children endued with more vertue I will giue him not onely that some but euen halfe my goods The vertuous and wise Emperor Marcus Aurelius writeth that in the Annals of the Tarentine warre he found that the renowmed Purlius did weare a ring wherein was ingrauen this sentence The dominion of the whole earth is a small reward to him that is vertuous but to the vicious the losse of life is a simple punishment Heereby may fathers learne how carefully they ought to restraine their children froÌ„ vice to inure theÌ„ to vertue As in deede the fathers that instruct or cause their children to be instructed do far excel such as onely do beget them for of these they receiue life only of the other good and vertuous life 18 Moreouer parents ought not so much to relie vpon the diligence of childrens masters as neuer to care to vnderstaÌ„d how they profite and proceed in vertue for the regarde of such diligence would make the masters more carefully to discarge their dueties And thereof came the prouerbe The masters eie fatteth the horse this The masters eie is the fruitfulnes of the garden Parents ought not too much to hearken or credite children when they complaine of their masters rigor and seueritie Among the Lacedemonians if the children vpon the reproofe or chastisement of any whosoeuer Plutar. in his Lacon Instit for anie man was at libertie to vse correction euen to other mens children did complaine to their parents the same was a great reproch to them because themselues corrected not their children Not that we are not in discretion to inquire or take notice whether the master vseth crueltie or inhumanitie towarde them least through too much rigor hard vsage they shuld grow desperate 19 Howbeit such is the inclination of many euen from theyr youth to wickednesse that instruction by words either of parents or masters will not suffice without the rodde and correction And this doth God command and experience sheweth it to bee most necessarie He that spareth the rod sayth Salomon hateth the childe Prou. 13.24 Prou. 19.18 Pro. 29.15 17. Prou. 23.13 but he that loueth him basteth to correction Againe Correct thy childe while there is hope and regard not his crying Againe The rod and correction minister wisedome but the child lefte at libertie shameth his mother Correct thy sonne he will giue thee rest and pleasure to thy soule Withdrawe not correction from thy child if thou smite him with the rod hee shall not die Thou shalt smite him with the rod and deliuer his soule from hell The booke of Ecclesiasticus intreateth heereof more at large saying He that loueth his sonne causeth him oft to feele the rod Eccle. 30 1â— â— that he may haue ioy of him in the end Hee that chastiseth his son shall haue ioy in him and shall reioyce of him among his acquaintance An vntamed horse will be stubborne and a wanton child will be wilfull 8.9.10.11.12 13. If thou bring vp thy sonne delicatly he shal make thee afraid if thou play with him he shall bring thee to heauines Laugh not with him least thou be sorie with him and least thou gnash thy teeth in the end Giue him no libertie in his youth and winke not at his folly Bow downe his necke while he is young and beat him on the sides least he waxe stubborne and be disobedient to thee and so bring sorrow to thy heart Chastise thy child be diligent therein least his shame grieue thee In this sense do we say that many times the rod is better for children than bread And in deed as Phisitions surgeons Apothecaries are necessarie in a town for the cure of sicknes and bodily wounds so are rods chastisement for the correction of the corruptions of the soule 20 Herein is God so resolute that in the dutie of the father to chastise his child he willeth vs to learn that he doth the office of a father when he chastiseth vs with afflictions And as a father by correction declareth a true loue to his child with a desire of his good and saluation Heb. 12 so is it the will of God that wee should receiue such afflictions as he laieth vpoÌ„ vs as effects of his loue towards vs as testimonies that he accepteth vs as his lawfull children and no bastardes Likewise if seeing many children fighting together wee also see a man come and correct onely one of them wee presently thinke that to bee his childe because hee performeth the dutie of a father and so sheweth that hee loueth him better than the rest whome hee letteth goe without correction Therefore as wee saie that the pittiful and gentle Surgion empaireth the wounds so doth too much gentlenesse toward children and winking at their faults without correction breed theyr disobedience vnthriftinesse and miserie Likewise as God is thereby greatly dishonoured so doeth hee not suffer the parents that are slacke in theyr duetie to their children to escape scot free And to this purpose haue we a notable example in Holy the high priest for when he heard of the wickednesse and offensiue dealings of his sons Ophny Phinces he vsed some verball reprehensions yet because he neither reproued nor chastised theÌ„ more sharply God obiecteth to him their iniquities saying Wherefore haue you kicked against my sacrifice and hast honored thy children more than me 1. Sam. 2 Then doth hee pronounce also this horrible sentence That the priesthoode should be taken from his house that both his sonnes should die in one
they haue discharged themselues of a great care for it is theyr partes to thinke thereof 1 Cor. 7 and generally to prouide for the marriage of theyr children not to tarrie vntill through their negligence peeuishnesse and other difficulties in that prouision for them the children take occasion of lewdnesse or so ship themselues without the knowledge of their parents that afterward they bee forced to proceede to that that may redound to theyr greate sorrow and heartbreaking So dyd Abraham thinke vppon the marriage of his sonne Isaac to that end committed the charge thereof to his eldest and most faithfull seruant Gen. 24.3 whome hee wylled to seeke a wife for his sonne as in truth it is not properly for the children but for the parents to thinke vpon and prouide for the same The same doth Ieremie teach where writing to the Iewish Fathers in the captiuitie of Babylon hee sayth Iere. 29.6 Iud. 14.2 Take wiues for your sonnes and giue your daughters in marriage Heereupon when Sampson had found a maiden to his lyking himselfe dyd not demaunde her in marriage but comming to his parents hee sayd Gen. 34.3 Giue mee her to Wife Likewyse Sichem the sonne of Hemor hauing bent his heart vnto Dina the daughter of Iacob sayde vnto his father Giue mee this maide to wife Yet is it meete that as the parents make the motion so the children giue the consent Gen. 24.57 This dyd Laban declare when talking of Rebecca whome Abrahams seruant craued in marriage for his masters sonne Isaac he sayde Let vs call the mayden and aske her consent So calling her they sayde vnto her Wilt thou goe with this man And shee aunswered I will go For of matching eyther sonne or daughter agaynst theyr wylles there doo many times arise great inconueniences and much sorrowe and griefe yea the lawyers are of opinion that a free wyll is not so expedient in anie thing as in marryage 27 Now 1. Cor. 7.40 as it is the dutie of parents to prouide to match their children so are they diligently to see it be done as Saint Paul saith In the Lord that is not to demaund anie maiden for their sonne or to accept anie sonne for their daughter vnlesse the same bee affected to true religion and make profession thereof hauing a good reporte of pietie the feare of God and other Christian vertues which qualities and giftes of God are to be preferred before wealth or anie other worldly or carnall considerations So when Abraham sent his man to seeke a wife for his sonne Isaac Gen 24.3 he sware him that hee shoulde not take anie Daughter of Chanaan So when Sampson required his parents to giue him a wife of the daughters of the Philistians they aunswered Is there neuer a wife among the daughters of thy brethren Iudg. 14.3 or among my people that thou must go take a wife of the vncircumcised Philistines If Parents would consider of the daunger of the losse of theyr childrens soules by matching them with such as are of a contrarie religion or otherwyse giuen more to the world than to pietie and the seruice of God eyther what strife or contention doo for the most part ensue of such marriages how small comfort is taken in the same how slenderlie the dutie of praier is performed and what a neglygence or hinderance they are to the bringing vp of children in the feare of God they woulde abhorre euen to thinke of anie such match and in few speeches preferre him that were endued with godlynesse other vertues before riches and all other carnall and worldly considerations They would put in practise the wise aduertisement propounded by Salomons mother albeit but simply folowed by her sonne which wee reade in the Prouerbes Many daughters haue done vertuously Prou. 31.29 but thou surmountest them all Fauour is deceitfull and beautie is vanitie but the woman that feareth the Lord shall be praised But if the difficultie rest in question of maintenance for the familie let parents remember that it is better to choose knowledge than wealth that is skill and industrie howe to get than goods alreadye gotten and in his possession that hath no skill or knowledge howe to vse them Heereto may wee referre the answere of Themistocles Plutarch in his life Ci. in the first booke of offices who purposing to marrie his daughter and beeing asked why hee preferred a vertuous man before a rich answered That he liked better of a man without monie than of monie without a man or as some doo write that hee had rather match his daughter to a head of a man than to a head of siluer And therefore to conclude this speech we may wel say it is better to match our children with Christian vertuous heads that haue litle monie than with much treasure in the possession of worldly and vicious heads 28 Heereto will we yet adde two points concerning the duties of parents to their children first that in all their wordes workes they be vnto them continuall examples and myrrors of pietie and vertue so shall their admonitions exhortations be still of greater efficacie and themselues shall haue more authoritie to reproue admonish chastise their children And in deed the same that Marcus Aurelius saith that to make children vertuous they shall more profit by good example in one month than by instructiō in a whole yere may be most truely applied vnto parents He that teacheth a childe to write may sometime saye yee must make this letter long this short this straight c. But the chiefe meanes to make him to profit in writing is to set him good examples or coppies to write before him And so is it in the instruction of vertue and the feare of God For contrariwise he that teacheth well and liueth euil buildeth with one hand and pulleth downe with another And experience teacheth that more may be pulled downe in one hower then will be built vp in one day The euill example of parents is as a line to draw the children to follow them And therefore the Prophet Ezechiell reprouing the people of his time for their Idolatrie and other corruptions declareth that therin they haue taken the ordinarie course that is Ezech. 16 42. they haue followed the example of their parents Behold saith he all that vse prouerbs shall vse this prouerbe against thee saying like mother like daughter Thou art thy mothers daughter that hath cast off her hushand and her children and thou art the sister of thy sisters which forsooke their husbands and their children your mother is an Hittite and your father an Ammorite Here are three olde prouerbes which proue that children ordinarily are ready to imitate the bad examples of their parents First Like mother like daughter Secondly Thou art thy mothers daughter Thirdly Thy mother is an Hittite and thy father an Ammorite That is to say Thy parents forsaking the seruice of God haue
declareth where he saith Doth Iob feare God for nought Hast thou not made a hedge about him and about his house and about all that he hath on euery side Thou hast blessed the work of his hands and his substance is increased in the land But stretch out now thy hand and touch all that he hath to see if hee will not blaspheme thee to thy face He therefore fought against the soule seeking by out ward tribulation to induce the same by blaspheming to offend God 9 This is a strange war for any other may haue an end either by making peace with the enemy by flying farre from him or by ouer comming him in fight but in this spirituall warre wee can not lawfully make any peace or agreemēt with our enemies the deuil the worlde and the flesh God doth forbid it and it would be our ouerthrow and destruction for they be euen so many traitors and i◠reconciliable murderers yea it would be worse for vs then for the sheepe to make peace with the woolse neither can we fly and so get from these enemies for the deuill will follow vs into al places who hath a whole army of Souldiers within vs euen our affections and couetous lustes that we beare about vs. Likewise whersoeuer we become we shall still finde the worlde an enemy it resteth therefore that onely we sight and ouercome in battell Thus doth this warre somewhat resemble the same that the Children of Israel prosecuted against the Kinges of the land that was promised vnto them when they went to take possession and inheritance thereof Deut. 27. and 20.16 for in respect that God had commanded them to destroy them they might not make peace with them or make them tributaries as also forbidding his people to feare them he would not suffer them to retyre or to returne into Egipt they were therefore of necessitie to fight and ouercome them True it is that if we consider our owne weakenes to withstand such mightye enemies Ios 1. it may breede some cause of feare but as God in olde time commaunded Iosua that hee should not feare the Cananites and assured him that he would be with him and that by ouercomming them hee would bring his people into the land of promise so likewise let vs giue eare vnto God that calleth vs to this battell with assurance that hee will stand with vs for vs and in vs to the end that couragiously fighting vnder his banner against our enemies that labour to turne vs back and to recoile we may finally by his grace and power obtaine full and perfect victorye and so ending this blessed voyadge attaine to the fruition of the heauenlye Cittie and our true countrey that we may liue with him in glorye for euer 10 As we must therfore beware of turning back by offending of God so is it our duety to take heede that in this blessed iourney wee turne neither to the right hand nor to the lefte By those that turne to the right hand wee vnderstand such as doe indeede fulfill Gods commaundement yet not to glorifie him but either to glorifie themselues or to merite Mat. 6. and by those that turne to the lefte such as following the traditions of men doe forsake the straight and assured path of Gods woorde Praier to God almes fasting and other like workes are commendable and ordeyned by God to the end by them to walke toward heauen 1. Cor. 13. but such as do them that they may be seene and praised of men doe turne to the right hande and depriue themselues of all reward in heauen because they receiue it vpon earth as our Sauiour Iesus doth teach It is also a straying to the right hand when hauing receiued the gifts of speaking the tongues euen of the Angels of prophecying of knowing all secrets and misteryes of hauing faith to remoue mountaines of destributing to the poore and of abandoning the body to the fire when I say all these giftes and graces are not accompanied with loue Such likewise as in the olde time among the Iewes did obserue the lawes and ordinances of God to the end to merite did also stray to the right hand and turned out of the way of saluation as S. Paul testified of them that they had zeale of God but not according to knowledge Rom. 10.2 Rom. 11.9 and this sentence doth hee pronounce of them They strayed out of the right way Their table shal be made a snare and a stumbling blocke On the other side such doe turne to the lefte hand as doe thinke to come to heauen by the path of mens traditions and seruices or voluntary deuotions not commanded by God as S. Paul tearmeth them Col. 2.21 as likewise Iesus Christ obiected to the Scribes and Pharisees that in their ordinances they ouer went Gods commandement wherto he addeth This people draweth neere me with their mouth Mat. 15.38 Esay 29.1.3 and honoureth me with their lippes but their hand is farre of from me But in vaine doe they worship me teaching for doctrines mens preceptes In as much therfore as God hath so farre fauoured vs as to teach vs the way wherein we should walke to heauen let vs beware that wee turne not either to the right hand or to the lefte but reiecting mens traditions let vs walke in that path which God in his worde hath shewed yet not to seeke any praise or commendation to our selues but to the end to glorifie our God 11 Thirdly by this name Trauellers we are taught that we must not stand still in the way but still goe forward that we may fructisie more and more in good workes and by amendment approche and enter into heauen and indeed such is the way to heauen that he that goeth not forward slydeth backward we nursse vp little children to the end they may grow great and waxe strong and it were a wonder to see a child continue as little and weake as at the birth euen so if we who being members of the Church of Christ and consequently entred into the path that leadeth to the kingdome of heauen and dayly do receiue the food of Gods word and sacraments should not encrease in faith working in loue amēdment of life it were a great ingratitude and vnexcusable obstinacy which should not escape vnpunished to stand still in the way and not to goe forwarde for hauing put a childe to schoole if at the end of foure or fiue yeeres he can neither read nor write any better then the first day that he went there is then good cause to take him away whereby he shall forget euen that little which he had at the first Neuertheles of how many euen of our selues may we make the like complaint as did the Apostle of the Hebrues to whom he writ saying When as concerning the time we ought to be teachers Heb. 5.12 yet haue ye need againe that we teach you the first principles of the word of
THE AMENDMENT OF LIFE COMPRISED IN fower Bookes Faithfully Translated according to the French Coppie Written by Master Iohn Tassin Minister of the word of God at Amsterdam MATH 3. v. â— 4. v. 7. Amend your liues for the kingdome of heauen is at hand LONDINI Impensis Georg. Bishop 1595. To the chiefe Magistrates and Gouernours of the Towne of Amsterdam Grace and peace from God the Father and from his Sonne Iesus Christ our onely Sauiour MY verie good Lordes as Sainct Iohn propoundeth vnto vs two sorts of children of whome he calleth the one the children of God and the other the children of the deuill so doeth the holie Scripture plainly testifie that in the day of iudgement there shall bee a maruellous difference betweene the one and the other For the one shal incomprehensibly and eternally be blessed and the other extreamely and infinitly accursed and wretched This difference which shall then appeare betweene the children of God and the children of the deuill doth aduertise and admonish vs that there ought also to be a great difference betweene them euen in this life And in deed euery one may well vnderstand that the waie to heauen is one and to hell another and consequently that the workes and affections of Gods children are of one sorte and the workes of the children of the deuill of another Neuertheles so brutish are many become that they neuer think vpon this difference betweene the one and the other neither in regard of this life nor of the life to come Others thinking slightly thereupon do neuer take information of this difference to vnderstand it Others somewhat vnderstanding it are so dazeled with the glistering shew of the world so carried awaie with the lusts of the flesh that they haue no care therof Yea euen among the children of God liuing in this peruerse world abandoned to all wickednes we see verie few that doo make shew of that difference that in this life should be betweene them and the children of the deuill Now Saint Mathew in this sentence Amend your liues for the kingdome of heauen is at hand hauing comprehended the summarie of the first Sermons of Iesus Christ and S. Iohn the Baptist doth to this purpose teach vs. First that all the duties of the children of God are contained in this word Amend also that the same is it that representeth the difference betweene them and the children of the Deuill in this life Secondly that the apprehension of the kingdome of heauen to be so neare vs ought mightily to induce vs to Amendement Vpon this consideration to the end to correct the negligence or rather the brutishnes of men in this point I haue vpon this argument framed these fower books In the first shewing how many dangerous follies there are that hinder man from Amendment In the second Wherein we are to Amend In the third who ought to Amend And in the last haue I laid down the causes that should induce vs to Amend our liues gathered out of the names and attributes of Iesus Christ out of this reason by him selfe set downe For the kingdome of heauen is at hand The whole tending to make vs to vnderstand and indeed to practise the difference which euen in this life ought to bee betweene vs and the children of the Deuill to the ende to hope with incomprehensible ioye to beholde for our selues the most blessed separation that shall bee betweene them and vs when wee shall bee lifted vp into the fruition of the eternal glory that is prepared for vs in the kingdom of heauen And vpon three principall reasons haue I resolued and emboldned my selfe to present dedâ—cate them to your Lordships The first is generall comprised in three points First in consideration of the seruent zeale holy affection that you doe testifie to the preseruation and maintenance of the true and pure religion Secondly in regard of your iustice and politicke gouernment administred with such discretion wisedome and equitie that al your louing Subiects are in dutie to acknowledge and confesse themselues to be blessed therein Thirdly in respect of your wonderfull courtesie which you vouchsafe to extend to the faithfull fled into this towne who liue vnder your authoritie and gouernment in as great case libertie and freedome as possibly they might in their owne natiue countries Which example of your clemency is also seconded by the marueilous humanitie of your subiects towards those that are harboured among them The second reason is in respect of the French Church to the seruice whereof it hath pleased God to call me In that your Lo. haue permitted authorised the holy publick ministerie with all things necessarie to the same That you haue prouided theÌ„ of a larg coÌ„uenient Church That you giue maintenance to theÌ„ for three ministers Lastly that you exercise and performe a verierare and true Christian charitie to the poore of the same Church And this your wonderfull charitie with other the vertues before noted do I here set downe first to the end that all and euery the members of the said French Church may more and more perceiue how deepely they are bound to bee your faithfull and obedient subiects Secondly that they may vnderstand and the more diligently put in practise their dutie in feruent praier vnto God for your health and prosperitie Lastly that all other Magistrates may in heart bee moued to imitate the example of those vertues that shine in your Lordships The last reason is particuler to my selfe in regard of the desire that you had to retaine me to the seruice of this Church which your selues vouchsafed to testifie in that besides your liberalitie extended to the two other ministers you offered to prouide me also both of a house maintenance As in effect it pleased you at my coÌ„ming to make demonstration of your fauor liberality affection towards me in that behalf Whereupon all such graces as God hath vouchsafed to bestow vpon me being in reson vpon iust cause vnto you due vowed I haue formed and doe acknowledge my selfe bound to dedicate and present these my fower bookes of Amendment of life vnto you to the end that being published vnder your name they may witnesse as wel my bounden dutie vnto you as also my desire according to my smal habilitie to employ my selfe in the seruice both of the Church and your Lordships Beseeching God most magnificent and vertuous Lords to maintaine you in his holy protection and with his holy spirite to guide you in all your affaires with increase of all prosperitie both spirituall and corporall And particulerly so farre to fauour me with his grace as so to blesse this small worke together with the affection wherewith it is vnto you presented that being acceptable to your Lo. It may especially redound to the aduauncement of the kingdome of Iesus Christ From your town of Amsterdam This last of Iune 1594. Your most humble and obedient seruant Iohn Taffin
for the kingdome of heauen is at hand Heereby doth the holie Ghost teach vs that the first thing that is to bee preached in the Church and sounded into our eares that especially and aboue all things we are to learne in the Gospell whereupon principally wee should set our heartes and mindes To be briefe the same which we ought chiefly to practise is this first sermon of Iesus Christ and of his forerunner Saint Iohn Amend your liues for the kingdom of heauen is at hand Now the word which the holy Ghost doth ordinarily vse throughout the new Testament and namely in this first sermon whereby to expresse Amendement signifieth vnderstanding aduice and wisdome after the knowledge of our error corruption and transgression Thus the Amendement whereto wee are heere exhorted consisteth in this that where before time we haue beene so foolish and vnaduised as to followe our owne corruptions and so to offend God wee may heereafter obtaine vnderstanding and sense euermore walking in the feare and obedience of God 2 Out of this Sermon therefore considering the propertie of the word which Iesus Christ doth vse we gather two things the first that it is an extreme folly to liue according to the flesh and so to giue ouer our selues to sinne and contrariwise that the beginning of wisedome is the feare of God Psal 111.10 Prouerb 1.7 walking in his waies The second that man naturally is inclined to this folly namely to giue himselfe ouer to his lustes and consequently to offende God for otherwise it were in vaine by so notable a reason to exhort him to shunne the same As concerning the first point The holy Scripture in many places tearmeth sinners fooles sinne â—â—oli â—nesse Moses foreshewing the corruption and rebellion of he I raelites Deut. 32.5 saith thus They haue corrupted themselues towarde God they resemble not his children but are a froward crooked generation Iere. 4.22 Do ye thus reward the Lord O ye foolish people and vnwise My people saith the Lord are foolish they haue not knowen me they are foolish children haue no vnderstanding They are wise to do euill but to doo well they haue no knowledge Againe See saith Saint Paul that ye walke diligently not as fooles but as wise men And writing to Titus Titus 3.3 he speaketh more plainly saying We our selues were in time past vnwise disobedient deceiued seruing the lustes and diuerse pleasures Prou. 1.22 liuing in malitiousnes and enuie Salomon in his Prouerbs doth vsually so take it Wisedome saith hee crieth out O yee foolish how long will ye loue foolishnes and the scornefull take their pleasure in scorning and the fooles hate knowledge And so in many other places But that we may the better vnderstand what a foolishnesse it is to offend God the holy Ghost especially in the olde Testament and sometimes also in the new doth signifie this Amendement by conuersion and turning to the Lord. Oh Israel sayth the Lord by Ieremie Iere 4.1 Iere. 31.18 If you returne returne vnto mee Againe Conuert me O Lord and I shall be conuerted Againe I desire not the death of a sinner saith the Lord but rather that hee conuert from his wickednes and liue Exech 33.11 Conuert ye O ye house of Israel Likewise sometimes in the new Testament Bee yee better aduised that is to saie Amend saith S. Peter and S. Iohn Act. 3.19 and conuert And S. Paul saith that hee shewed them of Damascus and others that they shoulde repent and turne to God and doo workes worthie amendement of life Act. 26.20 This phrase of speech teacheth vs that mans life resembleth a pilgrimage wherein whosoeuer offendeth God by walking after the world and the flesh he doth as it were turne his back to God to heauen and to life and goeth to the deuill to death and to hell fire And contrariwise that conuerting and turning to God by Amendement of life hee turneth his backe to death to hell and to the deuill and goeth to God draweth neere to him and directeth his course to heauen to life euerlasting Is there therefore anie greater foolishnes than to offend God that is to saie to turne from God and life euerlasting and to go after the deuill and death If anie man should voluntarily call himself into the fire or into some riuer either stab himselfe or drinke poison men would not saie that he were a foole but rather that hee were frantike and besides himselfe What shall wee then saie to those who willingly offending God do cast themselues into hell fire and into the bottomlesse pit of eternall death To the ende therefore that we may amend it is requisite that we retire conuert vnto God and returne to him But how Euen by ceasing to offend him and by walking according to his word for so do we turne backe from the deuill from death and from hell Let vs I saie conuert and turne vnto God yea let vs drawe neere vnto him yet as Saint Austen saith not by changing of place Prosper in his sentences out of S. Austen for hee is euerie where but by alteration of manners for as he addeth According as we grow like or vnlike vnto him so doo we eyther approch or she backe from him 3 For the second point This exhortation Amend that is to saie Be ye wiser and better aduised together with the reason thereunto added whereby to induce vs so to doo doo sufficiently as is aforesayde shew that man of his owne nature is inclined to this folly and rage namely to apply himselfe to all corruption sinne and so for the amending of his life ought to become wiser and better aduised Now notwithstanding we might note many examples of this folly yet at this present we will consider onely of seuen of the chiefest And in the meane time as the number of seuen doth commonly signifie perfection so will we thereby declare that man is perfectly foolish vntill he change his minde that he may amend And these be the follies 1. Not to beleeue that there is a God 2. To account more of man than of God 3. To thinke to liue euer 4. Not to know wherefore we liue 5. To iudge of mans felicitie or miserie by the outward apparance 6. To beleeue our enemies sooner than our friends 7. To thinke our selues wise 4 These seuen follies are the cables of vanitie and the roapes that drawe on iniquitie Of these doth Esay saie Wo vnto them that draw iniquitie with cordes of vanitie Esa 5.18 and sinne as with cart ropes For by these cordes and cables hee vnderstandeth certaine false opinions and peruerse imaginations wherewith the deuil quenching in men all feeling of sinne apprehension of God draweth them as it were with cordes and cables to all iniquitie and consequently to the pit of hell Of these he setteth downe three examples The first of prophane persons scorners of God who saie Let him make speed
deed if any man giue alms to the end to be seene of men euerie one will confesse that his deed is nought worth If a minister preach Gods word onely to get reputation not simply for the saluation of soules he prophaneth his vocation In like manner the marchant in his trafique seeking not to serue God by seruing of men but to enrich himselfe peruerteth his vocation the course of his lyfe because he liueth not to serue God but to serue himselfe 16 Why will some man saie Hath not God commanded euerie man to labour in his vocation for the maintaining of his family It is true but wee do misconster this ordinance of God For his meaning is that euery man should haue this end to serue God by the seruing of men And in reward and recompence of the seruice that wee doo him hee ordaineth that the artificer shall receiue the reward of his labour as from the hand of God whom he serueth by seruing of men and so may haue wherewith to maintaine his family That the marchant should sell his commodities for more than it cost wherein the surplussage is the reward that God paieth him for his seruice Likewise that the seruant man or woman shall receiue food some wages for seruice don to God in seruing of men Who so therefore maketh not this the end of his vocation namely to serue God by seruing of man he doth not referre his life to the right end and so prophaneth and peruerteth the same 17 Heerein doo we greatly wrong our selues for if we liued to serue God in our vocation besides that this seruice done to God should be rewarded in this life it would also bee a path waie to attain to the inheritance of heauen as Saint Paul teacheth vs saying The seruants that faithfully serue their masters doo serue the Lord Christ Col. 3.24 and therefore shall receiue of the Lord the rewarde of the inheritance of heauen As also the same Apostle sayth Through bearing of children the woman shall be saued 1. Tim. 2.15 if she continue in faith loue and holynes with modestie The poore woman bearing her fruite bringing it forth and noursing her little one abideth much paine sorrow and anguish But if shee thinke that God who vouchsafeth to continue the world by generation hath called her to this vocation that her whole ende in all the seruice that shee doth to the lyttle babe how vile and filthie so euer doo aime at the seruice of God by seruing the childe let her bee of good courage for by such seruing of God in her vocation she shall bee saued and shall receiue great reward in the euerlasting inheritance Yet not that this seruice in her vocation is anie merit but onely a path wherethrough God leadeth her to the possession of the celestiall inheritance and a worke which shall not be without reward in the lyfe euerlasting 18 It is also a great consolation to all those that are called to anie base or vile office in this worlde because if they consider that in seruing man they serue God their vocation cannot bee base or vile in the sight of God His maiesty is so great that there is no vile or contemptible office or calling in his house And therefore if a poore seruant when shee sweepes the house and doeth other businesse that seemeth base doth thinke with her selfe that God hath called her to that vocation and that seruing her master or mistres she serueth God she shall reape great contentation and is to expect a reward farre greater without comparison than any mortall man is able to giue For as God is great so doth hee greatly esteeme of seruice done vnto him And such is the excellencie of his children that they are not to imploie themselues in the seruice of men were it not that they hope for better rewarde than from men His will therfore is that in seruing of men they should looke for reward not from men onely but also from God considering that by seruing of men they doo serue God And thus so long as wee direct the ende of our liues in this sort to serue God by seruing of men wee shall neuer neede to doubt or to take care for the maintainance of our bodies in this lyfe but maye wholye repose our selues vpon so good a master whome wee serue And in deede if the seruant that faithfully serueth his master is not to care for his necessities but looketh and that iustly that the master whome he serueth should prouide for the same should not we doo God great iniurie and dishonor if referring our whole liues to his honour we should feare that he would suffer vs to starue 19 Moreouer if wee had perfectly learned that the end of our liues shoulde tende to serue God by seruing of men that one lesson woulde subuert all fraude deceit extorsion and vnlawfull trafiques For by deceiuing thy neighbour and wrongfull incroching of his goods into thy handes canst thou serue thy neighbour or God who cannot aduow but doth detest all such iniquitie No but contrarywise the iniurie done to thy neighbour proueth that in hew of seruing of God by seeking to serue thy selfe thou seruest the deuill who will returne but a wofull rewarde to his seruantes 20 By the premises wee perceiue the daunger of this fourth folly and how pernitious it is not to know wherefore we doo liue To the end therefore to Amend our liues let vs bee better aduised hereafter and learne first that the principall ende of our liues shuld tend to increase in the knowledge of God that knowing him we may glorifie him to our selues obtain life euerlasting Next that euerie man in his vocation haue this intent To serue God by seruing of men and so to fulfil the summe of the law which importeth that we loue God with our whole heart and our neghbour in God and for the loue of God The fifth Folly To iudge of mans felicitie or miserie by the outward apparance Chap. 6. THe fifth folly resteth In iudging a mans felicitie or miserie by the outward apparance This folly is so much the rather to be noted as it is more common euen in the children of God and the rather to bee reiected as it is the more pernitious The Prophet and author of the 73. Psalme confesseth that himselfe was ouertaken with this folly esteeming the wicked by reason of their prosperitie to haue beene blessed and contrarywise such as walked in purenesse and holynesse drinking vp tribulations in abundaunce as water to haue beene accursed Yea hee acknowledgeth that the outward prosperitie of the wicked and the afflictions of the righteous dyd so trouble him that his feete had almost slipped to ioyne with the wicked that hee thought there had beene no prouidence in God and that therefore it was lost labour to serue him in holynesse But afterward hee plainely confesseth that this was an extreame folly that hee was almost become a brute
the holy supper to the end that by participation in his body bloud we might the more be strengthened in this assurance that Christ is ours together with all his benefits so feede our soules spiritually to life euerlasting And indeed as ther is no saluation but in Christ so doth not Christ any whit profit vs except we belieue that he is ours together with all his benefits Well is he presented vnto vs in the preaching of the Gospell but ther be yet two other points those very notable in the cōmuniō of the holy supper For God who in his preaching speaketh generally to al men in his holy supper directeth his particular promise as it were by name to euery the cōmunicants therin And not so satisfied he also deliuereth them a seale and visible token to assure thē that his pleasure is that Christ with al his benefits should as certainely belong to euery of thē as they see touch and tail that they be partakers of that bread wine that is deliuered vnto thē He thē that careth not to be cōfirmed in this assurance that Christ with all his benefits is his is possessed with too much pride if hee thinketh it needles either that he prophane it as not feeling what a comfort and ioy it is to haue assuraunce of his saluation in Iesu◠Christ The second reason is that we presenting our selues at the Lords table may by so doing make as it were a publike protestation that we haue no fellowship with Idolaters and heretickes neither with the world But that we take our selues to be the children of God the mēbers of the body of Christ that we looke for life and saluation through him onely and so shew forth the benefit of his death al this in remembrance of him to his glorie The first reason declareth how necessary the vse of the holy supper is in regard of our selues The second how requisite it is to the glorie of God and the edification of our neighbours We might also add a third reason That is that the holie Supper is a seale of our vnion knitting together into one bodie vnder our head Iesus Christ as S. Paule expressely saith That we who are many are but one bread and one bodie because we are all partakers of one bread And thus those men that voluntarily do abstaine therefro do depriue their soules of their food Christ of his glorie and by their euill example doe minister offence to their neighbours To conclude They seperate or rather keep them selues seperate from the bodie of Christ Hereby it appeareth that they which be negligent and care not for communicating in the Lords Supper when he giueth them opportunitie do deserue not onely not to be accompted members of Christs Church Nomb. 9.9 but also to incurre the most horrible iudgement and vengeance of God As God in old time declared by Moses That the man that did not celebrate his passeouer should be cut off from among the people and beare his owne sin because he offered not the offering of the Lord in due season 2 Againe we see in sundrie reformed Churches a number of negligent hearers of sermons but yet are there many more that care not for communicating in the Lords Supper and that vpon sundry considerations first some that liue in bad consciences in whordome theft drunkennesse or other iniquities from which they are not determined yet to abstaine do forbeare the communion as doubting least they should aggrauate their condemnation according as saith S. Paule 1. Cor. 11. He that eateth and drinketh vnworthely eateth and drinketh his owne damnation These men doe resemble those who lyuing in fornication do refuse to marrie least thereby their fornication which they are not minded to giue ouer should be the more grieuous as being conuerted into adultery They may also be likened to those who hating their neighbours when they say the Lords prayer Our father which art in heauen c. do leaue out this petition forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespas against vs as imagining that if they should say that they should pray to God not to forgiue their owne sinnes because they forgiue not their neighbours But as they who lyuing in fornication and will not marry least they should forsake their adultery are in a wofull estate so the others that aske no forgiuenes for their transgressions and seek to continue in hatred against their neighbours are worthy double condemnation one in respect of their hatred that they continue the other for their sinnes for the which they aske no forgiuenes Euen so they that forbeare the holy Supper in respect of their bad consciences do pronounce sentence against themselues namely that they deserue double death first for their sinne which they do continue in wicked consciences and secondly because they seperate themselues from the communion of Christ in whom onely is the fulnesse of life What shall they then doe Let them put away their wicked conscience Let them dissolue the bands of Sathan Let them come forth of hell If they say that they can not so farre master their affections Why haue they married themselues to fornication hatred theft and other like iniquities vpon condition that they will neuer be diuorced from the same surely that is a token that they do not steadfastly beleeue that there is a hell prepared for such liners Or at the least the pleasure that they take in their sinne doth quench all remembrance thereof Otherwise the sole apprehension of this horrible and vnquenchable fire would force them to giue ouer the wickednesse that leadeth and draweth them thereto And indeed if in a mightie tempest they should chaunce to finde themselues vpon the sea in daunger of drowning they would a thousand times protest to forsake their bad consciences that so they might submit themselues to the obedience of God But how can they lie downe and sleepe vpon a pillow of fornication theft hatred and other wickednesse giuing themselues as a pray to Sathan if God in his long suffering should not recouer them Let them flatter themselues at their pleasures for if they continue in abusing the pacience of God and abstaining from the holy Supper to the end to goe on in a wicked conscience their estate is most woefull and accursed As he therefore who wanting the gift of continencie and liuing in fornication ought to abhorre it and to prouide himselfe of a remedie by marriage so as often as they haue aduertisment or heare of the celebration of the Lords supper let them at the least thinke themselues wakened and summoned to renounce their wicked consciences and by participating in the holy supper to seperate themselues from the societie of the wicked to glorifie God and to be confirmed in faith and courage to goe forward from good to better 3 Others doe forbeare the communion because they will not submit themselues to Ecclesiasticall orders and discipline If wee might admit
for them For such as through worldly conuersation doo dayly receiue wound vppon wound and one infection vpon another are in the greater neede of celestiall and heauenlie phisicke Chriso 3. sermon of Lazarus And heereunto hee addeth also That it is a greate deale worse to thinke or imagine the holye Scriptures to bee fruitlesse or vnprofytable for them than to bee vtterly ignoraunt in them And in another place prosecuting the same argument he sayth Therefore I desire you not onely to come hether often to heare the holye scriptures read vnto you but also that in your owne houses you take in hand the holy Bible and with feruent desire to profit you receiue what so euer you finde therein And soone after Loose not I beseeche you by your neglygence such a commoditie but euen in your houses attend the reading of the holy scriptures Chrisostome vpon the Epistle to the Colos Hom. 9 The same Chrisostome vppon these woordes of the Apostle Let the worde of God dwell plentifully in you sayth thus You that liue in the worlde you that haue wiues and children marke how the Apostle commandeth you especiallye to reade the holye Scriptures and that not slightly or for a fashion but plentifully and with great diligence Then hee addeth Buy the Bible which is the medicine of the soul at the least the new Testament the writings of the Apostles the Acts the Gospels that therein you may diligently reap daily instruction for the ignorance in the scriptures is the cause of all euill 9 Others there are that care not for reading the Scriptures because therin they find no tast or comfort and this is an euill signe For as hee that for a while hath beene kept eating and therefore refuseth good meat for want of appetite must thinke that his stomacke is not wel so he that findeth no tast in the reading of Gods word may well feel that his soul is sick Yet should he follow the counsel that the Phisition giueth to his patient to whom he saith Eate by eating your stomacke will come to you But this theyr want of tast proceedeth heereof that they be not acquainted with the phrase of the holy Ghost and so doo resemble those who hearing a sermon but not beeing perfect in the language doo therein reape neither instruction nor comfort to saluation It were good for those men many times to heare God speaking vnto them by reading the holy scriptures so shall they by little and little learne the speech of the holy Ghost euen as men vse to learne other languages through the exercise of hearing reading speaking Some spices there are which without brusing doo yeld no smell but the more they bee chafed the sweeter they are euen so is it with the holy scriptures such as reade but little can finde no taste but the more they bee perused and read the more doo they yeelde foorth the treasures and pleasant fruites hidden in them And in deede sayth Chrisostome the cause why many doo vnderstand nothing procedeth not so much of ignorāce as that they wil not dayly haue the writings of the Apostles or reade them That which we know Chrisostome in his preface on the Epistle to the Romanes sayth hee afterwardes if wee knowe anie thing commeth not so much of the excellencie of our vnderstanding as of this that beeing as it were tyed to the writings of the Apostle we neuer leaue reading them If you therefore will in heart applie your selues to diligent and earnest reading you shall vnderstand that which you desire For the saying of Iesus Christ Seeke and you shall finde is true 10 It is likewise a vaine and friuolous excuse to alledge that the holy Scripture is darke and profound and that we vnderstande it not Plato sayth Ierome writ for few Hiero on the 86 Psal To. 8. Chriso in his 3. sermon of Lazarus and few doo vnderstande him but the Apostles writ not for few but for all And therefore Chrisostome saith Truely the grace of the holy Ghost hath so disposed and moderated the holy Scriptures that both publicanes fisher-men tent-makers shepheards and Apostles fooles and men vnlearned may by those bookes bee saued Least also some foole might haue recourse to anie excuse in the difficultie therof he hath vouchsafed that the thinges there spoken shoulde bee easie and that handy-craftes men and seruantes widdowes and the most ignorant among men shoulde reape some benefit and profit by the reading thereof For they whome God from the beginning hath accounted worthy the grace of the holy Ghost haue not set down all these things for anie vaineglorie like the Heathen but for the saluation of their hearers The Prophets and Apostles haue written their bookes easie plaine as publike Doctors for the world so as euerie one may learne their contents by reading and meditating onely Againe how wilt thou vnderstand the contents of the Scriptures when thou wilt scarse so much as looke vppon them Take the bookes in hande reade the whole historie remember such thinges as are playne and referre darker places to another time But if by continuall reading thou canst not finde the meaning get thee to some wiser man or to some Doctour and impart to him those thinges that are written declaring thy feruent desire then if God seeth such a readynesse and diligence albeit no man woulde teach thee yet woulde he himselfe vndoubtedly declare them vnto thee Remember the Queene of the Aethiopians Eunuch who albeit hee was a Barbarian Act. 8.28 a man troubled with many cares one that vnderstoode not what hee read yet woulde not passe his iourney without reading howe much lesse beeing at home in his owne house Also if hee read so diligently when hee vnderstoode not what dyd hee after hee was instructed And in deede God seeing his zeale and diligence sent Philip to teache him Neither wyll God at this time despise our desire to profyte in his woorde but wyll make vs to feele the fruite of this promise They shall all bée taught of God And therefore sayth Saint Augustine Iohn 6.45 Augustine of Christian doctrine the holye Ghost hath so moderated the holy Scriptures that hee hath prouided to remedie the darke places by others more easie and playne For hardly is there anie obscuritie but is layde open and expounded by some other place in the same Scripture Augustine of blasphemie against the holy Ghost And heerein doeth the wisedome and goodnesse of God appeare For as hee sayeth in another place as by easie places wee are fedde so by the more harde and difficult are wee exercysed by these wee put awaie sorrowe by the others famine 11 Others there are that take no profit by reading Gods word because they reade it as it were some prophane booke and neuer thinke that it is God that speaketh to them neither giue anie attention to the reading thereof and so feele no feruent desire to profite to saluation or to reforme theyr
her enemies 6 This loue is the rather to bee esteemed and commended because the giftes of speaking with tongues working of miracles prophecying and such like are nothing without loue Yea which is more then al those gifts euen faith hope shal haue an end but loue as Saint Paul saith abideth for euer Albeit therefore that by faith and hope we be made heires of wonderfull ioy and felicitie yet is the effect and fruite of loue greater in this respect that thereby the ioy of our perticuler felicitie obtained by faith shall be infinitly doubled and encreased for euery of the electes sakes whom we shall then loue as our selues and whose felicitie will be vnto vs as great a comfort as our owne Thus wee see what loue is required at our hands and how much wee are to esteeme it Now if wee would examine our selues and trie our loue with the same which God requireth at our hands as is afore shewed we shal find that it cometh very short And indeed what man loueth his neighbour as himselfe and that for the loue of God Who doth not many times by his neighbour otherwise then himself would be done by Who dealeth with another as he would be delt by Who is resolued to giue his life for his brethren Who loueth his enemies as himselfe and in hart praieth for them If loue as is aforesaid suffereth long if it enuieth not if it seeketh not her owne if it thinketh none euil if the patience therof be such as that it endureth sustereth al things 1. Cor. 13 Then doth it sufficiently appeare that we do wrongfully boast our selues to be the children of God because his character cannot bee seene in vs which is loue or that in purpose to amend we doe not mislike our owne corruption When therefore we heare the holy Ghost say Amend your liues Let vs be assured that he doth admonish vs so to encrease in this loue that wee may loue God with all our harts and our neighbours as our selues and that to the same end these two naturall rules may continually sound in our eares and that our consciences by the same examining all our wordes and workes may bee our iudge to condemne whatsoeuer we shall peraduenture doe to others which we would not should be done to our selues and to reproue our want of loue when we do not that to him that we would haue done to our selues that so in amending whatsoeuer it shall find in vs not conformable to this loue we may dayly encrease therin and thereby more and more get printed in vs the Character of Gods children and of the true Disciples of Iesus Christ And now let vs proceed to another examination of our loue Of Almos and relieuing of the poore Chap 10. AMong other the testimonies of our loue and charitie the due reliefe of the poore is not the least And indeed in vaine doe we boast of charitie vnlesse we practise the same by relieuing the poore in their necessities Who so hath this worlds goods 1. Ioh. 3.17 saith Saint Iohn and seeth his brother haue neede and shutteth vp his compassion from him how dwelleth the loue of God in him Whereto hee addeth My children let vs not loue in word neither in tongue onely but indeed and in truth This dutie of loue did the Apostles of Iesus Christ so hartely commend that finding themselues to agree in the doctrine of the Gospell with S. Paul Gal. 2.10 2. Cor. 8.9 they commended nothing vnto him but to remember the poore And thereof was himselfe also very carefull as he doth affirme in his Epistle to the Galathians and did effectually shew the same in his second to the Corinthians As also it is not amisse to note that the last iudgement and sentence of felicitie or miserie shall bee pronounced in part vpon the performance or neglect of this dutie to the poore in affliction Mat. 25. 2 This reliefe of the poore is commonly tearmed Almes which word signifieth pitie and compassion The rather to teach vs that this reliefe must proceede of compassion through the feeling of their afflictions And this doth Esay declare saying If thou openest thy hart to the hungerie and satisfiest the needy soule thy light shall shine in darkenesse and thy darkenesse shall bee as the none day The word which the Prophet heere vseth Esa 58.10 signifieth as much as if wee should say if thou pullest forth thy heart to giue to him that hungreth therby teaching vs that true Almes importeth the opening communication of our harts by feeling the necessitie of others and therefore doth S. Augustine say Augustine his first booke of visit the sicke c. 3. 1. Cor. 13.3 that if our reliefe ministred to the poore proceedeth not of loue and compassion it neuer ascendeth into the presence of God Hereto may we also refer this sentence of S. Paul If we giue al that we haue to the poor haue no loue it profiteth not Yea saith a good auncient father In hart to take compassion of the poore is more then to giue them our goods for hee that giueth importeth externall things but hee that taketh compassion openeth and giueth his owne hart This compassion proceedeth of the vnion that God hath made betweene vs in that we all discending from Adam are as it were one body and one flesh As Esay exhorting vs to this compassion doth say Hide not thy self from thy owne flesh Esay 58.7 Heb. 1â— 3â— Which the Apostle also confirmeth saying Remember them that are in bondes as if ye were bound with them them that are in affliction as if ye were also afflicted in the body And indeed as Saint Paul saith This vnion should breede such a feeling of the weale or woe of the members of this body that wee should reioyce for the prosperitie of the one 1. Cor. 12.26 Rom. 12 15. 1. Cor. 12.25 1. Ioh. 3.17 and be sorrie for the miserie of the other and as in another place he saith that wee should weepe with them that weepe Otherwise as hee addeth there is no coniunction in the body but deuision partialitie And in that sence Saint Iohn denieth that ther is any loue in him who seeing the want and necessitie of his brother closeth vp his bowels by the bowels signifieng the compassion and mercy wherewith he should be moued at the sight of the pouertie of his brethren Iesus Christ also to assure vs that he will take compassion of vs whom we are persecuted for his name saith Act. 9 5. Zach. 2 8 Deut 32 10. that he is persecuted in vs that are the members of his body Yea he protesteth that who so toucheth vs toucheth the apple of his eye Therby declaring that as the apple of the eye is so tender that it may not be touched but with great griefe so the coniunction betweene him vs is such Psal 17.8 that he seeleth our afflictions therof taketh great
carried away or wasted himself would transport as much as he might into the towne and commit the custodie thereof to some friend euen so wee beeing aduertised of the daungers which dayly experience doth acquaint vs withall howe the man that this daie aboundeth in all prosperitie by to morow is made a begger let vs deliuer so much of our goods to the poor as conueniently we may before we loose all let vs by theyr handes transport at the least some part thereof into heauen and there deliuer it into the custodie of Iesus Christ who in the daâ—e of iudgement will restore it vs to our euerlasting ioy Secondly let vs doo good to the poore while wee liue here for as is aforesayde all that we giue in our life time shall remaine to vs for euer and what wee leaue at our death that wee loose Thirdly let vs doo it while the poore come among vs or that others do craue it in their name for we must thinke that then God maketh vs a signe to giue and whispereth in our eares saying Now is the time to doo well let not this occasionslip Thus wee see that dooing good to the poore while wee haue time and meanes wee shal giue them occasion to praise and blesse God and he acknowledging vs to bee his children wyll so faire fauour vs that in the great daie of the Lord standing at the right hand of Iesus Christ wee shall heare this blessed and comfortable speech directed vnto vs Come yee blessed of God my father inherite the kingdome of heauen prepared for you from the foundation of the world Math. 25.34 Of the dutie of the Poore 24 HEreto will wee adde some few instructions touching the duetie of the poore First as almightie God in commaunding the riche to relieue the necessitie of the poore and needie and for the same promising such great and euerlasting reward as is afore mentioned shoulde thereby so pierce and take possession of their harts as to constrain and make them both liberally and cheerfully to relieue them so are the poor therin to coÌ„ceiue a stedfast foundation of comfort as vnderstanding therby how carefull the Lord is for them who ordaineth men whom hee hath endued with wealth to be his seruants through whose ministration he will prouide for theyr necessities They are therefore to assure themselues that God doth not despise or neglect them but because in his wisdome he hath decreed that there shall bee both rich poor his will is to vse the rich in the releefe of the necessities of the poore When Iesus Christ to the end to induce the rich to performe their dueties did protest that whatsoeuer they did to the poore either in releeuing or in contemning them they did it to himselfe Could he more certainly assure them of helpe and releefe than by aduowing such releefe as they receiued as performed to himselfe and such contempt or deniall as was vsed in their behalfes as done to himselfe in theyr persons Coulde he declare anie greater care or affection to the poore than by recommending them to vs as his owne person Could hee more liuelie testifie how highly hee esteemeth or how heartely hee accepteth of theyr releefe than by bringing into his kingdome all those that haue releeued theyr necessities and by thrusting such into hell as haue despised them 25 If the poore doo call God their father can they doubt of his loue either that he louing them is not also willing to helpe them in theyr necessities Withall considering that by his Apostle he chargeth vs not to forget to doo good Heb. 13.16 and to distribute thereto adding that with such sacrifices he is pleased If a mother careth for her child before it be borne prouiding for it such things as may be necessarie when it commeth into the world thinke you that your heauenly father careth not to prouide for the necessities of his children alredy borne into the Church who do cal him father say vnto him Mat. 4.4 as it were by the mouth of Iesus Christ Giue vs this daie our daylie bread Surely there is no doubt but hee is wylling to releeue their necessities as also they may bee well assured of his power to doo it First in regard of that which Iesus Christ teacheth Man liueth not by bread onely but by euerie woorde that proceedeth out of the mouth of God Exo. 28.18 1. King 19.8 Mat. 4.2 They are to learne that euen without anie naturall or ordinarie meanes God can feed them only with his blessing the example whereof we haue in Moses Helias and Christ who liued forty daies without meate And in deed as he can when he purposeth to send a famine Leuit. 26 whereby to depriue man of the meanes to liue so take awaie the strength of bread 〈…〉 but eate a man neuer so much it shall not nourish him So can hee blesse euen one morsell of the bread that it shall yeld vs more sustenance than we ordinarily receiue of greater plentie He can so multiply it as he did in the wildernesses Math. 14.19 where he fedd fiue thousand men with fiue loaues Hee can prouide vs of foode as he fed his people in the desart for the space of fortie yeeres sending them Manna from heauen and as he did by them Deut. 8.3 Exod. 16.35 Deut. 8.4 1. King 17.14 1. King 17.6 so cause that our garments and shooes shall not weare or consume He can blesse our bread and oyle as he did for the widdow of Sarepta so that vsing that which we haue it shall not diminish To be short he can vse the seruice of Rauens to bring vs foode as hee did for Elias These testimonies examples of Gods will and power might assure the poore that God will prouide for their necessities to the ende that they in assurance of faith maye trust and depend vppon him onelie 26 By this assurance of Gods will and power they ought to bee stirred vp to praie vnto God that hee vouchsafe to prouide for theyr necessities and theyr praiers must proceed of faith For the will of God is that we begge of him whatsoeuer wee steadfastlye beleeue that he can and will giue vs. Rom 10 14 And in that respect it behoueth them to praie to God to touch the heartes of the rich and to moue them to charity and compassion that they may stretch forth theyr hands to releeue those that stand in need They are moreouer to vnderstand that as God hath ordained the office of deacons to prouide for their releefe acknowledging therin his wisdome goodnes they are diligently to praie vnto him to send such deacons as may be endued with giftes and graces requisite for such an office to preserue them vnder his protection to guide them wyth his holy spirit and to strengthen them that they may ouercome all labors and difficulties so that following their charge faithfully cheerfully they may by that means receiue as
doone to if God should visite them with the like necessitie Let thē thinke whether if they had but one hundred crownes they would bestow them all vpon one silke gowne layde on with golde lace and the whiles goe without a shert hosen or shoes The poore are their flesh Esay 58.7 saith Esay who commaundeth to couer them but they contrariwise that they may cloth thēselues sumptuously do leaue the poor naked without sherts hose or shoes Let them then thinke with themselues whether in the accompt of the goods that God hath committed vnto them the Articles of excesse and superfluitie in apparell will bee alowed by him who vndoubtedly heareth the cries and oppositions of his poore members complayning that they were left naked If a Taylour when he hath made a garment a great deale too long large being reproued shall haue no other excuse but that hee had too much stuffe woulde that bee accepted Woulde they not tell him that hee shoulde haue made the garment after the measure of the bodie but not according to the quantitie of the stuffe Euen so they that hauing plentie of goods doe employ them not after the measure of their vocation or the profession of a reformed religion but in superfluitie and excesse doe expose themselues to the skorne and grieuous reprehension in the sight of God and his Angels Let them therefore cloth themselues decently euerie man according to his calling yet so that the poore bee not forsaken in their necessities Let them put on such cloth that the poore may at least haue freeze To bee short let them put in practise the saying of Esay of the conuersion of the Marchaunts of Tyre Esay 23.18 That their traficke and Marchaundise shall bee sanctified to the Lord. It shall not bee locked vp neither hidden but shall bee vnto those that dwell in the presence of the Lorde that they may eate and be satisfied and haue dureable clothing for so doth the word signifie that he vseth 12 To conclude wee are to thinke that professing reformed religion it were meete wee should giue examples of reformation yet doe men see in vs the encrease of pompe and excesse in apparell as well in fashion as in stuffe edginges laces quoifes and other like vanities These as they testifie are small reformation in heart so doe they with manie call in doubte our faith and consequently our doctrine Those of the Church of Rome doe hereof occasion to harden their heartes in that in this pointe they see no difference betweene them and vs. As also the Anabaptistes haue almost no other argument to diuert themselues and others from our doctrine but the pompe and excesse in apparell that they see in the professors of our religion Beholde saie they they sauour all together of the worlde They bee worldly people Bee they the children of God Saint Iohn sayth Loue not the worlde 1. Ioh. 2 15. Ioh. 4.4 hee that loueth the world is an enemie to God Yet it is true that these men professing a greater simplicitie in apparell doe euen in themselues shew ambition to the world as concerning the stuffe for condemning a garde of veluet or a pafement lace they yet requite the vanitie with the excellencie and price of the stuffe which cannot be too fine or too deere for them and so in sumptuousnesse doe exceede both gards and lace Yet doth our dutie also require that for our partes wee shoulde take away all obiections or occasion to stumble at vs. Also as they are not to condemne the doctrine for anie such outward matters so are wee to remember the protestation of Saint Paule who sayth 1. Cor. 8.13 Rather then I will offend my neighbour I will eate no flesh while I liue If hee so submitted and resolued himselfe in a matter indifferent how much rather shoulde wee beware of offending the weake in these vanities prohibited by God Woe Luk 17.1 2. sayth Iesus Christ bee vnto him by whome offences come It were better for that man a mille stone were hanged about his necke and that hee were cast into the sea Shall wee euen obstinately through our vanities be causes of the ruine of our brethren Iustine in his 20 booke for whome Iesus Christ hath died Iustine reporteth that Pithagoras by his doctrine perswaded women to laye aside their golden ornamentes and other pompe of theyr garmentes as instrumentes of vanitie and impudencie and declared vnto them that the true ornamentes of women did consist not in garmentes but in chastitie What a great shame doe wee offer to Iesus Christ when his Authoritie and doctrine cannot worke the like effecte as to make vs to forsake such vanities which the perswasion of the Paynime brought the poore heathen vnto If these exhortations cannot pierce deepe enough into our heartes let vs call to minde how the Prophet Sophonie threatneth euen the Princes rulers and great courtiers saying It shall bee in the daye of the Lordes sacrifice thereby meaning the day of his vengeance that I will visite the Princes and the kinges children Sopho. 1.8 and all such as are clothed with straunge apparell Thus wee see how the Princes and great Lordes making a shew of their sundrie sutes of sumptuous apparell and new and straunge fashions are heere threatned with Gods iudgements And therefore let such as be of meaner calling imagine whether such vanities and corruptions bee worthie greater punishment in them or no. 13 Now in as much as our Sauiour Iesus Christ the Sonne or God and his forerunner Iohn Baptist doe in their first preaching admonish vs to Amend our liues Let vs studie to forsake this ambitious vanitie so that euery man in his calling not imaginarie but such as God hath called him vnto apparelling himselfe modestly may in effect declare that he feareth God and mindeth to liue to edification remembring that garments are as it were a notable blemish of sinne the occasion of garments made as well to couer our shame as to defend vs from other the discommodities engendred in Adams transgression That the vse of the garments in steade of pride and puffing of vs vp may tend to humilitie making vs to glorifie God for his mercie and liberalitie towardes vs. Moreouer that we take care not to decke vp our bodies which shortly must perish and rot but to adorne our soules which are immortall with holinesse and good workes in the sight of God To be short that cutting off our superfluities wee doe therewith assist and relieue the poore members of Iesus Christ to the ende that in the day of iudgement Mat. 25. this blessed sentence I was naked and ye clothed me come therfore yee blessed of God my father and possesse the kingdome of heauen may passe on our sides Of excesse and superfluitie in feastes and banquets Chap. 24 NOw let vs speake of banquets No man can in these daies make a feast without excesse and that excesse must bee also reproued and represented
For the least that we can say of dances is to cal theÌ„ vnfruitful considering they also are in many sorts hurtfull as hereafter we wil declare 6 The same Apostle in another place propoundeth two sorts of works or fruits viz. Of the flesh of the spirit Gal. 5. but sith we cannot without great impudencie place these dances among the fruites of the spirit we must in reason acknowledge them to be the works of the flesh And indeed in dances we find the same pollution insolencie the S. Paul expresly mentioneth among the works of the flesh but not that temperance which he tearmeth the fruit of the spirit 1. Ioh. 2.15 Iohn saith Loue not the world neither the things that are in the world and for example which they be he nameth Lust of the flesh lust of the eyes pride of life Is not al this found in dances No doubt theÌ„ they be of the world not of God And so consequently as he addeth Who so loueth them the loue of the father is not in him If in a picture we see some eating drinking some dancing so forth will we terme this a picture of the children of God not rather a representation of the world Againe to what end is dancing but to delight the world the flesh As the affectioÌ„s of the flesh be enemies to god so he that loueth the world maketh himself an enemy to God It therfore plainly appeareth in this prohibition of Saint Iohn that we should not loue the world dancing is forbidden and applying our selues therto we must needs fal at enmitie with God Ephe 5.4 Mat. 12.36 7 Saint Paul willeth vs to abstaine from al folish vaine speeches as things not beseeming the Saints And Iesus Christ saith that in the day of iudgement we shall giue accompt of euery Idle word If the holy Ghost condemneth al tauntes quippes pleasant and idle talke that tend onely to delight the companie and consequently beseeme Apes and iesters but are not any way conuenient among Christians and the children of God surely the sollies mirth vanitie of dances are without comparison more vnseemly among the Saints and rather to be condemned Ephe. 5.16 The Apostle representing vnto vs the time that wee haue lost during our ignorance whiles we yet serued the Deuill the world and the flesh exhorteth vs to redeeme it And how In forsaking the pleasures of our flesh for the price of the purchace But doe we obey his admonition when we loose the whole day yea and spend the night in dancing making our selues besides wearie and vnfit for our vocation in the morning 8 The holy Scripture in many places exhorteth vs to be sober modest 1. Pet. 5.8 Phil. 4.5 Luk. 12.35 Phil. 3.20 1. Thes 5.6 1. Pet 5.8 Col. 3.5 Gal. 5.24 1. Cor. 9.27 Eccles 7 3. Mat. 16 24. Phil. 2.11 stedfast in al parts of our life to haue our loyns girt vp that is not to suffer the affections of our soules to cleaue to the ground in the desires and vanities therof to haue our conuersation in heauen to watch to mortifie our members to crucifie our flesh and the lusts thereof to tame and subdue our bodies to goe rather to the house of mourning then of mirth that is to say to seeke meanes to quench our pleasures vanities by the representation of death to deny our selues to beare our crosse to weepe when the world reioyceth To be short to employ our selues in our vocation in feare trembling But such as vse dancing do little thinke vpon these rules and duties of Gods children The onely remembrance of these exhortations and admoniâ—ions might suffice were they not desperate to make them renounce such vanitie insolencâ—e lightnes yea euen to abhorre and detest them If when they were in the châ—efe of their dance God should send some extraordinarie thunder or earthquake they would straight leaue off Yea if the same should long continue with other tokens from heauen then would all this mirth and vaine dancing bee conuerted into sorrow and griefe for their dancing and so their consciences would testifie that dances are repugnant to that disposition that should be in vs to watch for the comming of the Lord. 9 Now to proceede to another consideration By three principal points we may iudge whether our deeds and works be good First whether they concurre with our vocation Secondly whether they edifie our neighbours Lastly whether they tend to the glory of God As concerning our vocation it coÌ„sisteth in this That we being freed from sin do she from it and shunne all apparance of euill As touching edification the same resteth in this that our conuersation be such as may beseeme the profession of the Gospell that others may be induced to embrace follow the same And for the glory of God Saint Paul saith Whether we eate or drinke or whatsoeuer we doe let all be done to the honour and glory of God Now we referre our eating and drinking to the glorie of God when wee vse the same in sobernesse and thankesgiuing that wee may euerie of vs bee the better disposed to serue God in our vocations The like is in our sleepe and all other the recreations of our bodies or mindes But is not dauncing directly repugnant to our vocation because that where we should shunne sinne and all apparance of euill with all occasions and allurements thereto it ministereth nothing but apparance and entisement to the same Likewise for the edification of our neighbours This folly and vanitie is to no other vse but to be an offence vnto them in that thereby the dancers seeme to inferre that the Gospel therein concurreth with the world and the flesh considering that we that professe the Gospell and therefore ought to renounce such vanitie are so bent giuen thereunto And as touching the glorie of God what dancer dare be so impudent as to mayntaine that God is glorified in dancing either that hee danceth to the ende to glorifie God or to bee the more apt to serue him in his vocation Moreouer the rule of good workes resteth not in the custome and vse of the world but in the testimonie of the will of God Rom. 1â— â— Fashion not your selues like vnto this world sayth Saint Paul but proue what is the good will of God As for dancing wee must therefore place it among the wicked woorkes because it is repugnant to our vocation to the edification of our neighbours to the glorie of God and to the rule of his will Rom. 14.23 Agayne if euerie worke that is not of saith bee sinne as Saint Paule affirmeth and that there can bee no faith without the testimonie of Gods will let our dancers eyther prooue that it is Gods wyll that they shoulde dance or else acknowledge and confesse that dancing is sinne 10 Furthermore let vs consider the persons If they be stroken in yeeres dancing is an vnseemly lightnesse
For as in a great stormie winde a man lappeth his cloke about him holdeth it fast for feare of loosing but when the winde is downe and the wether calme he letteth it hang easily so when husbands will as it were perforce wrest awaie their wiues infirnities manye of them will obstinately resist yet coÌ„trariwise by sweete words louing exhortations they might be wonne voluntarily to forsake them Thirdly the husband must seeke diligently to remoue the stone wherat his wife stumbleth taketh occasion of grief So when Sarah was moued against Abraham because of Agar obiected vnto him albeit wroÌ„gfully Gen. 16. that he was the cause that she contemned her bearing with his wife he remoued the cause of the contention in suffering her to turne Agar out of doores He must also take heed that himself be not taynted with the same vice which hee reproueth in his wife least shee stoppe his mouth with the reproch of the same fault But rather by giuing her example by the contrarie vertue let her be induced to imitate him In reprouing the wife the husband must alwaies vse such discretion that she bee not brought into contempt and therefore it should neuer bee doone in the presence of more then themselues For as it is meere follie for a husband to praise and commend his wife in companie so is it as daungerous to checke and reproue her before witnesse For indeede thereof it commeth that women being not able to beare that disgrace will replie and so prouoke strife and dissention in open presence which will redound to great reproch and offence And therefore doth Cleobulus of Lyndie one of the wisemen of Greece deliuer these two precepts to the married man First that he flatter not his wife Secondly that hee reproue her not before straungers And Marcus Aurelius vseth three saying A wise husband and one that seeketh to liue in quiet with his wife must obserue these three rules Often to admonish Seeldome to reproue and neuer to smite her Let the husband also remember the sayinges of a heathen who speaking of the infirmities of the woman very aptly saith That they must bee either taken away or borne withall Hee that can take them quite away maketh the woman farre more commodious and fit for his purpose and hee that can beare with them maketh himselfe better and more vertuous 5 The husband is also to vnderstand that as God created the woman not of the head and so equall in authoritie with her husband so also he created her not of Adams foote that shee should bee troden downe and despised but hee tooke her out of the ribbe that shee might walke ioyntly with him vnder the conduct and gouernment of her head And in that respect the husband is not to commaund his wife in manner as the master his seruaunt but as the soule doth the body as being conioyned in like affection and good will For as the soule in gouerning the bodie tendeth to the benefite and commoditie of the same so ought the dominion commaundement of the husband ouer his wife to tend to reioyce and content her 6 To conclude As God hath testified his singular goodnes vnto man in creating him an helper to assist him so let him consider in how many sortes shee is to him a helper to passe ouer this lyfe in blessednesse And let this dayly seeking of such a benefite receyued at the hand of God induce him to render thankes and to dispose himselfe to vse it well to his owne comfort and saluation and not to abuse it to the destruction both of himself and his wife But if hee chaunceth as many do vpon troubles afflictions in marriage let him remember that the same doo proceed not properly from marriage but from the corruptions of the parties marryed and for his parte let him studie to amend his infirmities and faults by amendement of lyfe and withall praie to God to grant the like grace vnto his wise to the ende that the more they recouer the image of God the more feeling they maye haue of the felicitie of marryage which Adam and Eue had inioyed had they continued as they were created in the image of God Of the duties of parents towards their children Chap 4. SVch as bee married doo growe to bee fathers and mothers by bringing forth children thorough the blessing of God Let vs therefore vnderstand the duties of parents to theyr children and of children to theyr parents And now wee will begin wyth parents First of theyr due care to see theyr children taught to praie to God and to rehearse the Apostles Creed and the ten commandements For as by this exercise theyr heartes and mindes shall the rather bee inclined to godlynesse and reuerence toward God so as they increase in age they shall euerie daie better than other comprehend that which they learne to theyr owne comfort and instruction to saluation Also as the tongue is called the glorie of man because that besides all other reasons by his speech he is discerned from the brute beastes so is it meete that so soone as the child can begin to speake his tongue should bee imployed to glorifie God by calling vpon him and protesting the grounds of faith As also in repeating the will of God in such sort as he will that wee should serue and honor him 2 Secondly if parents doo note anie vice in theyr little ones as lying choller enuie couetousnesse contempt of parents reâ—dines to strife and other lyke corruptions it is theyr duetie diligently in time to reproue correct them as men vse to plucke vp weedes while they bee yet young least growing vp among the good seed they shoulde hinder their growth and choake them vp By experience wee can see that mothers swathing theyr little ones doo laie theyr limmes right each in his place likewise if a child be geuen to bee left handed they chide him yea sometimes they binde it vp or otherwise restraine the vse of it that hee may bee accustomed to the right Also if the childe hath some string vnder his tongue they cut it least it shoulde hinder his speech much rather then ought they to beware that by theyr inconuenience the vices of the soule doo not increase for it is the dutie of parents euen in the infancie to beginne to shape and frame the soule vnto vertue 3 It is also the dutie of parents to prouide that theyr children maye learne to write and reade for it maye bee vnto them a great helpe in the course of this life and a treasure of greater account than money And therfore the negligence of many is sharply to bee reproued Besides that the peformance of the dueties of parents heerein doth greatly binde theyr children vnto them Neuerthelesse the principall end thereof shoulde not haue respect to such commoditie as the children may reape thereby towardes the vse of this present life but rather that they may reade the word of God to
theyr comfort and instruction to saluation As also it were theyr partes to vse them dayly to reade some Chapters of the holy Scriptures thereby to incline theyr affections to the word of God to inure them in the phrase of the holy Ghost by lyttle and lyttle to learne the heauenly doctrine to note the examples of Gods vengeance poured vpon the wicked and disobedient and of his blessinges vnto those that walke in his feare Athanasius to this purpose sayth verie well If thou lookest that thy children shoulde obey thee Athan. vpon the 6. to the Ephe. ioyne and accustome them to Gods woorde it wyll redound greatlye to thy profyte Let thy children heare and reade the holy Scriptures for in them shall they learne Honour thy father and thy mother But if thou doest otherwise thou trainest them vp in the Scriptures of deuilles whereout they learne most wicked things But it is not so when they are instructed in the holy Scriptures 4 Parents therefore are diligently to applie themselues to this which God commandeth and so often and earnestly commendeth vnto them namely to instruct theyr children in the knowledge feare of God Plut. in his Lacon Apotheg and in the faith of Iesus Christ When one asked of Agesilaus king of Lacedemon wherin it were best to instruct children Hee answered In those things which they are to vse in theyr age This aunswere sheweth what a folly it is to linger children in the learning of vaine trifling and vnprofytable things which as they grow in yeres they will contemne and forget Parents can be carefull enough to bring vp theyr children in some course trade or other estate wherin to get their liuings wheÌ„ they come to be men and in deede such fathers as doo neglect that are vnworthie to haue children and in that consideration dyd a certaine lawe giuer in olde time ordaine Solon that the child whom his parents had not trained vp in some conuenient course whereby to get his liuing should not be bound to nourish them in their olde age But as the soule is more precious than the bodie so is it the duetie of parents in youth to traine vp their children in the practise of those thinges wherewith in age euen in this life they may glorifie God and bee heires of the Lord. 5 And to that end they are to consider especiallye so many the commandements of God so expresly inioyning parents to instruct their children in the heauenly doctrine Deut. 6.6 These words which I command thee this daie sayth Moses shall be in thine heart thou shalt continually rehearse them vnto thy children and shalt talke of them when thou tarriest in thine house as thou walkest by the waie when thou liest downe and when thou risest vp Now the worde whereby wee doo saie Thou shalt teach in that language wherein Moses wrote signifyeth Thou shalt sharpen Therein shewing that as when wee should pitch some stake in a hard ground by making it a point we sharpen it so parents are to sharpen instruction to theyr children But how By often repeating vnto them the heauenly doctrine that it may enter euen into the dullest wits Moses hauing written that excellent song which containeth so many notable aduertisements and is rehearsed in the two thirteth chap. of Exodus Deu. 32 4â— doth adde Set your heartes vnto all the woordes which I testifye against you this daie that yee may commaund them vnto your children Ephes 6.4 that they may obserue and doo all the wordes of this lawe The Apostle Saint Paule exhorteth Christians to the lyke duetie commaunding parents to bring vp theyr children in the instruction of the Lorde 6 The examples of such as haue shewed themselues faythfull and obedient to these commaundementes of God ought to moue our heartes to imitate them This testimonie doth God himselfe giue of Abraham Gen. 18.19 1. King 2.1 1. Chro. 28.9 that he knew that he would command his children and his familie after him to keepe the wayes of the Lord and to minister iustice and iudgement Dauid before his death gaue notable and holy preceptes vnto Salomon admonishing him to keepe the commandements of God and to walke in his feare And it is not the dutie of fathers onely but also of mothers to bring vp their children and to instruct them in the knowledge and feare of the Lord. Prou. 31 2. Tim. 1.5 Act. 16.1 As Bethsheba Dauids wife gaue notable instructions to her sonne Salomon as appeareth in the booke of Prouerbes And as Saint Paul beareth witnes that Timothie euen in his childhood was instructed in holy writ thereby commending the faith of his grandmother Loys and his mother Eunice by whom no doubt hee was taught especially considering his father was a Gentile 7 Saint Hierome writing to Leta not only exhorteth her to instruct her daughter in her youth in holy writ but also telleth her that her selfe must teach her Let her sayth he in stead of precious stones and silks loue godly bookes and in those bookes let her delight not in the leaues beautifyed with sundrie colours but in the distinct and pure doctrine according to faith First let her learne the Psalter that by such Canticles she may forsake the world and in Salomons Prouerbes let her bee taught to liue vertuously In Ecclesiastes let her accustome her selfe to tread vnder foot and to contemne worldly matters in the booke of Iob let her imitate his example of vertue and patience Let her laie holde of the Gospels and still keepe them in hand and with her whole hart let her learne the Acts and Epistles of the Apostles Thus when she hath stored the closet of her heart with such treasure let her by heart learne the Prophets the bookes of Moses of Kings of Chronicles Esdras and Hester last of all let her learne Salomons song For if shee shoulde reade that first shee might take harme as not vnderstanding the holye songes of spirituall marriage vnder carnall wordes But let her forbeare all Apocrypha let her bee still busied in the bookes of Cyprian Athanasius and Hillarie It maye seeme that Saint Hierome requireth much more than a christian maiden albeit zealous is able to performe But let this exhortation make the maidens of our daies to blush yea euen men and women who are so farre from this dutie that they are not able to alleadge one sentence of holy Scripture either for their own comfort or to resell the errour of heretikes or to instruct their neighbours 8 Moreouer Parents are commanded to instruct their children not onely in the worde but also in the vnderstanding of the Sacraments sacrifices and other of Gods holye ordinaunces When thy childe Deut. 6.20 sayth Moses shall hereafter aske thee saying What meane these testimonies ordinances and lawes which the Lorde our God hath commanded you Then shalt thou saie vnto thy sonne Wee were Phaâ—aohs bond men in Egypt but the Lord brought vs out
of Egypt with a mightie hande and the Lord shewed signes and great wonders and euill vpon Egypt vpon Pharaoh and vpon all his householdâ— before our eies And brought vs out from thence to bring vs in and to giue vs the lande which hee sware vnto our fathers Therefore the Lord hath commaunded vs to doo all these ordinances to feare the Lord our God that it may go euer well with vs and that hee may preserue vs aliue as at this present Exod. 12.26 Particularly concerning the pascall lambe Moses sayd When your children aske you what seruice is this you keepe Then shall yee saie It is the sacrifice of the Lordes passeouer Exod. 13.14 who passed ouer the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt when hee smote the Egyptians and preserued our houses Hee lykewise ordayned that they should teach theyr children what was meant by the commaundement to offer vnto God euerie male that first openeth the wombe and to redeeme the first borne of theyr children When thy sonne shall aske thee to morrowe saying What is this Thou shalt then saie vnto him With a mightie hand the Lord brought vs out of Egipt out of the house of bondage For when Pharaoh was hard hearted against our departing the Lorde then slew all the first borne in the land of Egipt therefore I sacrifice vnto the Lord all the males that first open the wombe but all the first borne of my sonnes I redeeme Iosua 4.21 And as Iosua commanded the people to take the twelue stones that they tooke out of Iordan when thy passed ouer drie shood so hee inioyned the fathers to teach theyr children the signification of those stones thereby to remember Gods wonderfull workes 9 By the premises wee may manifestly see the duties of Christian parents to teach theyr children But how doo they perform it Themselues at the least for the most parte knowe not the signification of Baptisme or the supper or wherefore those Sacramentes were instituted How can they then put in action these commandements of God or instruct their children in heuenly doctrin When they shall aske what is signified by the water that is pâ—ured vpon the babe or by the bread or wine that are deliuered in the holye supper How many bee there that can teach or tell them What a slacknesse is this that wee profyte no better in obedience to God in a matter so requisite and necessarie as is the instruction of our children 10 Neyther is this all for they are also diligently to note Gods wonderfull workes whether in the chastising of his people in the deliuerie of his Church or in the punishing of his enemies Deut. 4 9 thereof to make reporte to theyr children thereby to teach them to feare God and to put theyr trust in him Take heed to thy selfe sayth Moses and keepe thy soule diligently that thou forget not the thinges which thine eies haue seene that they depart not out of thy hart all the daies of thy life but teach them to thy sonnes and to thy sonnes sonnes This dutie is more amplie declared in the 78. psalme Psalme 78. 2 where the prophet sayth thus I will open my mouth in a parable I will declare high sentences of olde which wee haue heard and knowen and our fathers haue tolde vs. Wee will not hide them from their children but to the generation to come wee will shew the praises of the Lord his power also and his wonderfull workes that he hath done How hee established a testimonie in Iacob and ordained a lawe in Israel which hee commanded our Fathers that they shoulde teache their children c. Ezechias king of Iuda beeing recouered of a daungerous sicknesse protesteth that the fruit of his deliuerie shall be to praise God and to instruct his children in the lyke dutie The liuing sayth hee the liuing shall confesse thee Esa 38.19 The father to the children shall declare thy truth God hauing grieuously chastised his people sayth by the prophet Ioel Such a thing was done in your time or in the time of your fathers tell ye it to your children and your children to their children and their children to another generation Ioel 1. 3 By the premises may parents vnderstand how farre in duty they are bound to instruct theyr children in the heauenly doctrine and to rehearse vnto them the wonderfull workes of God that euen from theyr youth they may print in theyr heartes true godlynesse with an apprehension of lyfe euerlasting so leade them into the knowledge and obedience of God But what Some parents are so ignorant that albeit they would yet are they not able to teach theyr children As this ignorance is vnbeseeming any christian so shoulde the feeling thereof induce them to seeke to profit in the knowledge of the word and workes of God first in regard of their owne comfort and consolation next that they may bee able to instruct their children We reade of many who euen in their old age haue learned the Greeke tong or the arts Yea there was one that said that albeit one of his feet were in the graue yet wold he learn But our argument importeth not the knowledge or the learning of the artes or sciences that serueth this present life but the knowledge requisite for the glorifying of God and the attaining to life euerlasting And therefore it were good they should begin to profit in so neâ—essary a felicity rather late than neuer yet not in respect onely of their owne persons but also as is aforesaid that according to so many commandements so expresse and so often reiterated they may be able to instruct their children We reade of a Grecian Ladie who being a mother learned the liberall arts that she might teach her children and thereby purchased great praise Euridice Plut. in the bringing vp of children How much rather ought parents to be careful and zealous to profit in the heauenly doctrine were it onely to be able to instruct their children 12 At the least if they want knowledge or bee vnwilling to take leasure to teach them yet let them do as much for their soules and the life to come as for their bodies and this present life Parents that either cannot write and reade or will not or haue not time to teach their children will yet send them to schoole and such as would haue them learn some art or occupation or traâ—â—ike if them selues professe not the same wherin they like to imploy their children they will yet put theÌ„ to dwell with those that do professe the same to the end they may learne How therfore can parents excuse theÌ„selues when their children remain vntaught in these things that concern the glory of God life euerlasting But howsoeuer it be if they be neither able of themselues nor do prouide to haue them taught by others they shall be inexcusable in the sight of God the ignorance of the children ingendering contempt of
God loue of the world neglect of heauenly felicitie wil cry out for euerlasting vengeance against their parents so that if they account not their children as beasts without soul or if they loue them with the due loue belonging to parents let them declare their loue especially to the soule the Christian instruction whereof surmounteth all worldly treasure An ancient Philosopher said that hee could haue bin content to haue gone vp into the highest pinacle in the towne Crates Plut. in thâ— bringing vp of children thence to haue cried O fathers what meane you that imploy your whol indeuors to get riches why are ye so carelesse for the instructing of your children to whom ye leaue theÌ„ It is as if parents wheÌ„ their childe were sicke to the death without prouiding for his health should prepare him new garments Some say it would be a great comfort for them in heauen to know their neere kindred consequently their children and this commeth of natural affection But might it not be a greater discomfort for them eueÌ„ in their life time to see them go to hell for want of instruction Tâ—e Lacedemonians were very careful to bring vp their children in vertue according to the lawes of Lycurgus their law giuer therby grew to this custome that if anie man committed anie trespasse it was lawfull for anie that sawe him freely to reproue him and it was a great reproch to mislike of such reprehension 13 Some charge their childreÌ„ to be dulwitted hard to be bowed or brought to vertue Albeit naturall inclination bee a great helpe to profiting yet exercise custome to do wel is a mightie meanes to bend and shape them that waie yea euen such that by experience wee finde this olde prouerbe true Vse ouercommeth nature And this dyd Lycurgus the Lacedemonian lawe giuer verie aptly demonstrate to his people Plut. in his Lacon Apotâ—eg Hee tooke two whelpes the one of a hunting kinde the other of a mastiffe that followed the kitchin Then dyd hee bring vp the mastiffe to the game and the hound to the kitchen Afterward meaning to make demonstration and so to perswade the people to his purpose hee caused them to bee assembled and brought forth his two dogs where setting downe a dish of pottage and withall casting off a hare the hound fell to the pottage the mastiffe followed the hare Behold then sayth he what it is of doctrine vse he that came of a hunting kind yet vsed to the kitchin followeth his pottage and the other come of a mastiffe following the kitchin being now vsed to the game followeth the hare The wheele-wright doth by strength bow his timber letting it he long in that bent it abideth crooked Barren ground wel tilled soyled and sown with good seed groweth fruitfull yeeldeth good increase Iron weareth with handling The water by continuall dropping weareth the stone Wilde beasts may bee tamed and wilde coltes by custome bee brought to the saddle and are content to bee lead by the bridle The Greekes named Manners by a word that signified Custome Thereby to declare that euen the dullest capacities may by instruction and custome bee fashioned to vertue As contrariwise the wit most inclined by nature to vertue may by bad instruction and the conuersion of the wicked be peruerted and grow vicious 14 Parents therefore are heerein to respect two pointes First to begin to frame and bend their children in their tender youth to vertue remembring that a seale entereth deepest into softest waxe Plato warneth mothers and nurses from telling foolish tales to theyr children least they infect theyr tender wits with folly astonishment Experience sheweth that children will sooner learn anie language by conuersation thaÌ„ older folkes Also that the yonger the twigge is the sooner it is bent or made straight Secondly it is the parents duetie to restraine their children from haunting conuersing with such as bee vicious and peruerse And in deed we see that they doo soone learne villanous and vnseemely speeches and malitious and leaude actions wyth theyr corruptions and as the olde prouerbe sayth Halting with the lame they shal learne to halt A child that naturally speaketh well by conuersing with such as corrupt theyr speech shal degenerate and speake as badly Tie a young twigge that is crooked with a straight one that is stronger than it and in growing it wil become straight so continue when it is vndone And contrariwise a straight one tied to that which is crooked and stronger than it selfe will grow continue crooked 15 The Lacedemonians were maruellous carefull to prouide that their children should not be corrupted by euill companie And in regard thereof Plutarch in his Laconicalâ— we reade that when Antipater demanded of them fiftie children for hostages one of their chiefe magistrates named Etheocles aduised theÌ„ not to condescend thereto least they being brought vp in the societie of such as were wholy giuen to pleasure and vice might peraduenture grow vicious and so bring home afterward to their countrie nothing but corruption and miserie and therupon in lieu of fiftie children they offred the double number of men and women and so of aged persons alreadie formed of strength and discretion to withstand vice and corruption Lastly when Antipater still vrged them to send their children and vsed great threates in case they should disobey they plainly answered saying Let him if he can require anie thing more grieuous than death for rather will we condiscend thereto than to send our children O wonderfull constancie and care to preserue their children from vice and corruption If the heathen had such regarde to this vertue importing the training vp of their children in the obseruatioÌ„ of the laws of a mortall man what a shame may it be vnto christian parents that are so negligent in bringing vp theyr children in the heauenly doctrine and forming theyr manners and behauiors to pietie and godlynes in the feare and obedience of God Moreouer by this example may parents take warning when they mean to put forth their children to anie trade or occupation eyther to learning carefully to see and enquire whether such as they thinke to place them withal be vertuous or endued with the fear of God In the admittance of a seruant the feare of some temporall or carnall inconuenience causeth thee to enquire of his or her truth or other qualities Therefore if thou committest a childe to the instruction of a master before thou enquirest of his vertues thou shewest that thou hast lesse care of corrupting or infecting thy child with vice than of some small incouenience that might happen by an vnthriftie seruant When thou buyest an earthen pot thou soundest vpon it to see whether it be broken least thou shoulde be deceiued in a small peece of monie yet doest thou not sound whether the master to whome thou committest thy child be vicious or vertuous albeit by putting him to one that is
thy houshold and all that is thine Being aduanced to such honor he forgot not neither dispised his poore father besides that albeit his brethren had so wickedly entreated him yet he forgot that iniury and vndertoke to feed them Hereto had relation Christs commending of his mother whē he said behold thy mother hee accordingly performed the duty of a child to her and toke her home vnto him Iohn 19 27. We also read that when a certaine father was condemned to be famished in prison his daughter came daylie to visit him and because she was narowly serched least shee should bring him any food hauing no other meanes to help him she suckled him with her brests Valerius Max. wheervpon because her father liued longer then was expected she was watched and being knowen how shee had relieued him they gaue him to his daughters piety and deliuered him out of prison 11 This duetie did the Grecians name by a name deriued from the Storckes who feede and nourish their dammes when they are impotent through age so are vnto vs as misterisses to teach vs to acknowledge the good that wee haue receiued from them that brought vs into this world and bred vs vp Such therefore as being able doe refuse to supply and relieue the necessities of their parents so shew themselues deuoide of naturall affection must bee sent to schoole among the Storckes that of them they may learne to yeelde due reuerence to their parentes And of these is the number at this day too great yea and such that it is growne to a common speech that one father or mother can bee content to relieue a dozen children but a dosen children will not feede one father or mother But if of necessitie they be put to doe it it is with great difficulty such strife as may iustly minister occasiō of grief and sorrow vnto both father and mother A certaine Cinical Philosopher writing to his wife about his new borne sonne promiseth so to teach him Crates that he will returne him vnto her not a dogge alter the name of their sect but a Storcke that should relieue her in her age But the children of our daies are more hard to receiue this instructiō the rather cōsidering the inhumanity that appeareth in many notwithstanding they be taught their duties in the schoole not of a Cynicall philosopher but of God himselfe in his Church 12 But as in many children couetousnes choaketh all feeling of this duty toward parents So Satan transforming himselfe into an Angel of light euen long since induced the Iewes to defeate their parents of this reliefe assistance vnder the colour of the seruice honor of God Mark 7.9 In this respect doth Iesus Christ obiect vnto thē that they taught that euery gift by the children offered vnto God should profit the parents but he bitterly reproueth thē for it protesting that it is the tradition of men that reuearseth the commandement of God And herein he declareth first that this commandement Honor thy father and mother comprehendeth also the dutie to relieue helpe them in their necessities Secondly that refusing to relieue the want of their parents euē vnder colour of offering vnto God that which they ought to giue vnto them they do quite abolish this cōmandement Thirdly by conferring Gods ordinance to put to death all those that shall curse either father or mother with this cōmandement to honor them in relieuing their necessities he sheweth that despising of parents in their necessity and not relieuing them is as a cursing of them and consequently a transgression that deserueth death 13 To cōclude to the end to inuite childrē to honor their parents as is afore shewed God addeth this promise Ephe. 6 2. That thy dais may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee And Saint Paul doth note that it is the first commaundement with promise For albeit there be a promise added to the second yet is the same common vnto the whole law But this is peculiar and especiall to all such childrē as honor their parents for herein hath God declared how highly hee commendeth the obedience and honour that children yeelde to them And the same haue the Heathen also noted as among others Menander an auncient Poet who saith Of honor vnto parents due the hope of happy life ensue But the Lord spake to the Israelities properly of the land that hee had promised them for an inheritance which should be vnto them as a testimonie and seale of his goodnesse and loue toward them It is therefore as if he should haue said To the end that liuing vpon the earth thou maiest long enioye the earnest penye of my goodnesse and grace toward thee But now seeing the whole earth is blessed to the faithfull the promise of long life vpon the earth is vnto vs also a blessing of God First because we can not liue long without participating in many and great benefits of God euen in respect of the preseruation of this present life Secondly because the faithfull may the longer employ themselues to serue and glorifie God In consideration whereof we see what the Church in olde time saide Psal 115.17 The dead praise not the Lord neither any that goe downe into the place of silence But we will praise the Lord from hence foorth and for euer The same doth Ezechia king of Iuda also note in his cantikle Esay 38.19 The lyuing the liuing he shall confesse thee as I doe this day The father to the children shall declare thy truth 14 In as much therefore as long life is promised as a blessing God doth continue it to obedient children so long as it is a blessing vnto them And hereupon doth Saint Paule ioyne together these two sentences That it may goe well with thee Ephe. 6.3 and that thou maiest liue long vpon the earth As also when God taketh away such obedient children before they be olde yea before they come vnto mans state whether it bee least malice shoulde corrupt their harts or to preuent some great calamities wherin they might paraduenture be entangled or vpon whatsoeuer other considerations to receiue them into a better life he doth faithfully performe his promise vnto such children because hee dealeth better then promise with them But as contrariwise this promise threatneth such children as will not honor their parents with short life So doe experience declare that many such children are of short and wretched life But if contrariwise such disobedient children do chance to liue long so farre is such long life from being vnto them a blessing that to the contrary it is an enforcement and encrease of woe because they enlarge their iust condemnation so as they had beene better to haue dyed in their youth But how euer it be God so disposeth hereof that by the effects we may perceiue that they which honor their parents are blessed and the others accursed 15
mercy righteousnes power truth both perfect infinit yea that his whole essence is no other but wisdom goodnes iustice which do infinitly surmount the capacitie of man Likewise that our true humilitye simplicitie wisdome discretion consisteth in this that albeit we do not comprehend it we doo neuertheles beleeue that his will is the rule of all righteousnes that he that demandeth any other reason or cause therof than is declared in his word entreth into a bottomlesse gulfe wherein he shal be swalowed vp that God is goodnes it selfe and can neither wil nor do anie thing but what is good that his power to dispose of all creatures as he pleaseth cannot bee separate from his wisedome and iustice and therefore that he cannot doo anie thing vniustly or vnwisely that it is too great abasemēt to God not to acknowledg in him a more profound wisdome than man is able to comprehend or not to confesse anie other righteousnes in God than such as man shall finde to be iust and to maintaine that he is not able to doo any thing whereof man is not able to comprehend the reason 6 If proude and curious mindes should obiect vnto vs that wee propound these allegations because we are not able to answere to theyr replications obiections and blasphemies yet let vs not bee so carried awaie or readie to minister contentment to theyr rashnes and curiositie but rather let vs cleane to the simplicitie most assured principles of Christian religion Heerein resteth the true sanctification of the name of God As contrarywise it is a most dangerous presumption to seeke to giue account of the workes of God in the wisedome whereof hee wylleth that man feeling his owne ignorance should humble himselfe or to minister vnto men anie accesse to the inaccessible light of God wherinto no man is able to penetrate 2. Cor. 12.2 but hee shall be swallowed vp or in briefe to seeke to nourish the presumption and rashnes of men which God to the end to ingender humilitie in them will kill Saint Paul taken vp into the third heauen and there hearing wordes vnspeakable such as it was not lawfull to vtter knew well inough how farre hee might wade in reuealing the mysteries of Gods wisedome and prouidence And our selues may perceiue how moderate hee was in this respect Lykewise how resolute constant hee shewed him selfe in opposing the onely will wisedome power glorie of God agaynst all replications reproofes and blasphemies of men And in deede speaking of Iacob the elected and Esau the reiected hee sayth Rom. 9.11 Before the children were borne and when they had yet done neither good nor euill that the purpose of God might remaine according to election not by workes but by him that calleth it was sayde vnto Rebecca The elder shall serue the younger as it is written I haue loued Iacob and haue hated Esau Heere doeth hee plainely declare that Iacob was elected and Esau reiected not for eyther of theyr works either good or bad but according to the determination of God grounded vpon his election And hereupon the Apostle demanding whether there were anie vnrighteousnesse in God answereth first God forbid And that kinde of phrase hee ordinarily vseth whensoeuer hee goeth about to reiect anie question as abhominable and vnworthie of aunswere and heereby admonisheth vs when men vse the lyke replications to abhorre them and to saie God forbidde as thereby maintaining that it is a matter that cannot come to passe 7 Secondly for a manifest explanation that there is no iniquitie in God he addeth For God sayde to Moses Exod. 33.19 I will haue mercie on him to whome I will shew mercie and will haue compassion on him on whom I will haue compassion Heerein doth hee first confyrme that which wee haue alreadie touched namely that election is grounded vpon the onely mercie and free grace of God without any consideration of our works Secondly he alledgeth no other reason of this mercie to some and not to other some but the onely wyll of God saying He will shew mercie to whome he will shew mercie Thus doth the Apostle teach vs that if man thinketh it no reason that God should choose some and reiect other some onely vppon his goodnes and mercie wythout anie consideration of theyr workes our most pertinent reason to iustifie God is with the Apostle to saie It was his will Thus when our Lord Iesus Christ sayde Math. 11.25 I giue thee thankes O father Lord of heauen and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and men of vnderstanding and hast opened them to babes He addeth onely this reason It is so O father because thy good pleasure was such So farre therefore must we bee from hauing anie thing to replie against whatsoeuer Gods will that euen in this so strange a worke in the iudgement of flesh proceeding of the good will and pleasure of our heauenly father he sheweth that wee haue an argument to praise him and wyth Iesus Christ to giue him thankes And Saint Paul followed these steppes of his master Eph. 1.3.4.5 11. for first he praiseth God because he hath elected vs in Iesus Christ and then hee addeth that it was done according to the good pleasure of the will of God So often therefore as wee reade and see that God sheweth mercie to some whome he will saue in his kingdome and glorie and leaueth forsaketh other some It is inough that wee alleadge that it is according to the pleasure and counsell of the will of God Thus much to cut off all replications and obiections 8 Earthly kings in the ends of their edictes and proclamations doo ordinarily in stead of a reason adde this For such is our pleasure And thereby doo prohibite theyr subiectes from anie farther enquirie and examination of the reasons of their ordinaunces And shall not God bee in as good credite as mortal man to make vs to receiue and aduow whatsoeuer hee willeth and decreeth onelye adding For such is his will and such is his pleasure Men may many times bee deceiued in that which pleaseth them but God forbid that God should will anie thing that were not righteous or good Let vs therfore so learne to sanctifie the name of God that so soone as in his worde hee declareth that such was or is his will we reiect all replications and vpholde that seeing hee willeth it it is iust good and holy albeit we cannot comprehend the reason of it This is the doctrine that the Apostle by his example doth deliuer And it is our dutie not to couet to bee wiser than the holy Ghost who spake by him either to demand or to render anie reason of the wil of God which cannot be but most iust and holy 9 Saint Paul proceeding in his purpose speaketh of the hardning of Pharaohs heart saying For this purpose haue I stirred thee vp that I might shew my power in thee Rom. 9.17
darknes What concord hath Christ with Belial Or what part hath the beleeuer with the Infidell And what agreement hath the temple of God with Idols for yee are the temple of the liuing God as God hath sayde I will dwell among them and walke there and I will bee their God and they shall bee my people Wherefore come out from among them and separate your selues sayth the Lord and touch no vncleane thing and I will receiue you and I will bee a father vnto you and you shall bee my sonnes and daughters saith the Lorde almightie And in the next Chapter following hee addeth Now therefore beloued seeing wee haue these promises let vs cleanse our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirite and growe vp vnto full holinesse in the feare of God 3 The temple of Ierusalem was called holy because it was not a lodging for men but the house of God wholye dedicated and consecrated to his seruice as were also the vesselles belonging thereto in the same respect called holy Nowe if Baltasar king of Babylon by vsing them in a banquet drinking in them with his princes and concubines dyd prophane them and was for the same soone after rewarded for the same night hee lost both his kingdome and lyfe surely they that shall abandon not the vessels but the temple it selfe and not a temple of stone and of wood but euen theyr bodies and soules that are made the liuely temples of the liuing God to the prophane and filthie vses of the world and the flesh in lieu of dedicating the whole to the holye seruice of God who is with them do most filthily prophane the Temple of God and can expect no other than a most horrible vengeaunce and punishment as the holie Apostle Saint Paule protesteth saying Hee that destroieth the temple of God God will destroie him 1. Cor. 3.17 for the temple of God is holy which you are When a king maketh his entrie into a Towne or Citie hee findeth those streetes where he is to passe made cleane and his pallace hanged howe much rather ought wee whome God chooseth to bee his temple and to make his entrie into vs to bee with vs and to dwell with vs to purifie and cleanse from all filthynesse and vncleannesse and to adorne the place of his habitation with all vertue and holynesse 1. Pet. 1 13 4 Heereunto doth Saint Peter exhort vs saying Gird vp the loines of your minde bee sober and trust perfectly on the grace that is brought vnto you by the reuelation of Iesus Christ as obedient children not fashioning your selues vnto the former lusts of your ignorance But as hee that hath called you is holie so bee yee holie in all manner of conuersation because it is written Leuit. 11.44 19. 2 Be ye holie for I am holy Where hee sayeth that the loyns of our minds must be girt hee sheweth that as they that weare long garments when they come in foule wayes doo tucke and girte them vp least they should load them with mire by dragging them through the same so wee whose mindes and affections doo so bend to the earth that they doo euen traile thereupon walking thorough this world full of mire and corruption must tucke them vp toward heauen least they shoulde touch such daungerous and damnable mire from the which we ought wholy to retire and separate our selues that we may be made holy to the Lord. If anie man 2. Tim. 2.21 sayth Saint Paul purge himselfe from these filthinesses and corruptions he shall be a vessell vnto honour sanctified and meet for the Lord and prepared vnto euerie good worke 5 Iesus Christ prayeth vnto his father to sanctifie vs but how Euen by withdrawing vs from the corruptions of this worlde Iohn 17.17 and guiding vs by his spirite to bee consecrated and dedicated vnto him If therefore we grow not in sanctification we do make vaine the prayer of Iesus Christ so farre as it concerneth our selues In the same prayer hee addeth this protestation For their sakes I sanctifie my selfe Iohn 17.19 that they also maie bee sanctified thorough the truth If our sauiour Iesus Christ sanctified and consecrated himselfe to God his father to the ende his holynesse might stretch vnto vs and so in him and by him wee might bee sanctifyed vnto God wee doo falsely boast that hee is Emanuel God wyth vs conioyned and vnited vnto vs and that wee are members of his bodie vnlesse that separating our selues from the corruptions of the worlde and the flesh 1. Cor. 1.30 wee bee sanctified in him and vnto him And in deede if Christ were of God made vnto vs not onely righteousnesse but also sanctification it is in vaine for vs to boast of iustification wythout sanctification for God beeing wyth vs and vnited vnto vs this vnion must of necessitie engender not onelye our iustification in him but also our sanctification by him 6 It is the holy Ghost dwelling in vs that hath conioyned vs with Iesus Christ that hee may bee E anuel God wyth vs For hee sayth the Apostle Saint Paul that hath not the spirit of Christ is not his And as there can bee no fire without warmth or lyght so cannot God bee by his spirite in vs or with vs but hee will also sanctifie and purifie vs from all vice and corruption Rom. 8.9 that hee may consecrate vs vnto God We beleeue the holy Catholike Church Holy I saie because God is with it causing it to participate in his holynesse Wee are not therefore members of this holy Church vnlesse wee also bee holie As lykewise wee adde that wee beleeue the communion of Saintes that is of the faithfull and children of God But falsely and in vaine shall wee beare the name of Saintes or pretende our selues to bee the faithfull and children of God vnlesse that denying the filthynesse and corruptions of the worlde and the flesh wee bee fully dedicated in all purenesse and holynsse to the seruice of God And in deede when the holy Apostle sayeth Ensue peace and holinesse Heb. 12.14 without the which no man commeth to the Lorde Hee aduertiseth vs that holinesse is as it were the bonde betweene God and vs also that without the same we cannot beholde the face of the Lord. 7 This is the will of God saith Saint Paule euen your sanctification 1 Thes 4.3 that is that wee abstaine from whooredome that euerie one of you shuld know how to possesse his vessell in holinesse and honour not in the lust of couetousnes euen as the Gentiles which knowe not God That no man oppresse or defrande his brother in anie matter for the Lorde is auenger of all such thinges as wee also haue tolde yee before time and testified for God hath not called vs to vncleannes but vnto holines 8 Whereas Emanuel commaundeth vs to sanctifie the sabaoth daie hee therein sheweth vs how much his holynes doth bind vs to amend our liues The
in execration yea maranatha or excommunicate to death That is to saie let him bee cut off from the Church as the reprobate shal be at the comming of Christ whereof they are warned in this word Maran-atha which signifieth The Lorde commeth Yet is there more This Priest dying for vs hath killed sinne and corruption in his owne bodie as is before declared And to the end that sinne might die in vs and that we might practise this saying of the holy Apostle Saint Peter Inasmuch as Christ hath suffered for vs in the flesh 1 Pet. 4.1 that is to saie in his humanitie let vs arme our selues with the same minde which is that wee hauing suffered and beeing dead with him as concerning the corruption of the flesh shoulde desist from sinne to the ende that hence forwarde wee shoulde liue as much time as remaineth in the flesh not after the lustes of men but after the will of God And this is the amendement that Iesus doeth commaunde Saint Iohn sayth that Christ hath made vs kinges and Priestes vnto God This is another reason to moue vs the more seruently to amende in respect as well of the one office as of the other First Apoc. 1.6 seeing wee are raysed to this honour to bee kinges shall wee bee so miserable and senselesse as to make our selues the vile and wretched bonde men of Sathan and the seruauntes of sinne and the worlde If a king redeeming a poore bonde man whome his master diuersely tormented shoulde besides so farre fauour and honour him as to adopt him for his child Were it not a frantike or senselesse parte in him to forsake such honour and preferment and to returne to liue vnder the tyrannie and thraldome of his olde master Yet this doo they who beeing deliuered from the tyrannie and crueltie of Sathan and made kinges in Iesus Christ doo giue themselues to the lustes and pleasures of the flesh and the allurementes of the worlde thereby returning themselues into the wretched bondage of the deuill to abide eternally vnder his tyrannous dominion Let therefore this title King aduertise and admonish vs so to amende our liues that forsaking and vtterly renouncing the dominion and tyrannie of Sathan and the corruptions of the flesh wee may effectually shew our selues to bee spirituall Kinges and that the kingdome of Iesus Christ is in vs. Moreouer in as much as wee are also made Priestes let vs remember that if wee will amende our liues wee must with the kingly Prophet Dauid offer contrite and broken heartes pulled downe and humbled with the feeling of our sinnes with condition that wee will heereafter beware and take heede of the same Let vs also call to minde that we must offer our bodies a liuely holy and acceptable sacrifice vnto God which is our reasonable seruice and not to forme our selues after this worlde Psal 51.19 but bee transformed by the renuing of our mindes to the ende wee may proue what is the good perfect and acceptable will of God Neyther let vs forget alwayes to offer vnto God thorough Iesus Christ the sacrifice of praise and thankesgiuing which is the fruite of our lippes confessing and acknowledging his name Rom. 12.1 To conclude let vs remember his benefites and communication wyth vs for God is delighted with such sacrifices Beholde therefore howe this honour which wee receiue of Iesus Christ Heb 13 16 euen to bee kings and priests to our God may be a mighty inducement vnto vs to amend our liues 14 There doth yet remaine the office of a Prophet which also doth admonish vs to amend because hee hath reuealed vnto vs all that hee hath knowen of his father Iohn 15.15 and declared as well what wee must doo in obeying him as what wee are to beleeue to our saluation And this is an incomprehensible benefite as wee may euydently consider by the miserable and wretched estate of those to whome the worde of God comprised in the Lawe and the Gospel is not preached And this doth Saint Paul in few words represent vnto vs saying They are not in Christ neither haue anie portion in the commonwealth of Israel but are straungers to the couenant of the promise Ephes 2 12 without hope and are without God in the world And in deede if Gods worde bee as Dauid calleth it a light to our steps those men to whome the worde is not directed Psa 119.105 are poore and blinde cannot choose in all their wordes and deeds but stumble and fall All that they doo is sinne because they doo it wythout faith whereof the word is the foundation Much lesse also haue they any knowledge of the remission and satisfaction of theyr sinnes in the bloud of Christ Rom. 14. 25 10.17 and therefore all theyr sinnes doo remaine and shall be imputed vnto them to be in the daie of iudgement most horribly and eternally punished If they then that neuer heard this prophet shall bee iustly punished in eternal fyre what iudgement and vengeance are they to expect for theyr ingratitude and rebellion that heare this Prophet and by him eyther by reading or hearing his worde doo vnderstand the will of God and yet doo make no care of amendement of lyfe by obeying the will of God vnto them reuealed Luke 12.47 and by them knowen The seruant sayth Iesus Christ that hath knowen his masters will and hath not done it shal be punished much more grieuously than hee that neuer knew it And surely the sins committed by those that know the wil of God are not only transgression against the lawe but also contempt misprision against the maiestie of God And in that regard doth Iesus Christ denounce agaynst many townes wherein the Gospell was preached a more horrible and terrible iudgement than against Sodome Gomorrha and other townes that heard the word of the Lorde Seeing therefore that this worde Math. 10.15 to vs addressed by this prophet Iesus Christ doeth tend to illuminate and to exhort vs to amendement of life Let this office and name of Prophet attributed to Iesus Christ make vs to remember our bonde and duetie whereby wee are bound to amend and to yeld obedience vnto all that our Prophet Christ doth teach ordaine and command as being assured that as they that will not heare this Prophet to obey him shall bee rooted out so contrarywise they that shall heare and obey him shall by the path of good workes proceeding of faith apprehending the iustice of Christ attaine to the fruition of life euerlasting In this sort must these two names and titles Iesus and Christ serue to make vs to feele our bond and dutie and to inflame our affections to amend all the daies of our lyfe The seuenth cause of Amendement gathered of the signification of this worde Amend Chap. 7. IN the first Chapter of the first booke we haue declared that the holy Ghost commanding vs to amend doeth ordinarily vse two wordes
mightily to moue vs to amendement First when by the kingdome of heauen is signified the blessed estate and incomprehensible felycitie that wee shall inioy in heauen therein are wee taught that our estate is farre different from the estate of bruite beastes who by their death are reduced to naught For as for men when they die all is not death with them but they that beleeuing in Iesus Christ haue amended their liues shal depart into a life replenished with all glorie ioy and incomprehensible eternall felicity heere signified by the kingdome of heauen as contrariwise they that remaine hardned in theyr euill doinges shall for euer bee tormented with the fire of Gods wrath Dan. 12. Many saith Daniel that sleepe in the dust shall awake some to life eternall and others to eternall reproch and infamie Iohn 5.28 This sentence doth Iesus Christ confirme saying The houre shall come that all that are in the graues shal heare the voice of the sonne of man and shall come foorth euen they that haue done good to the resurrection of life they that haue done euil to the resurrection of condemnation And to this end shall Iesus Christ come to iudge the world that the childrē of God that haue amended their liues may be exalted into the fruition of the kingdome of heauen contrariwise the disobedient swallowed vp with the deuill his Angels in hell That we may the better feel the efficacie of this reason For the kingdom of heauen is at hand we are vndoubtedly to beleeue it is in deed an article of our faith that Iesus Christ shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead And in this respect S. Paul writing to Timothie 1. Tim. 4.4 saith I summon thee before God before the Lord Iesus Christ who in his appearance and kingdome shall iudge the quicke the dead Acts. 17.31 As also the same Apostle in another place saith God hath ordained a daie when he shall iudge all the world in righteousnes This was an old resolute point of the Iews religion as it appeareth by these sentences of Iesus Christ The men of Niniue shall rise in the day of iudgement to condemne this generation Math. 12.41 Math. 10.15 Againe If it shall be more easie for Sodom in the daie of iudgement than for those townes that woulde not receiue the Gospel These threatnings wold haue bin of smal waight with the Iewes had they not bin perswaded that there was a daye of iudgement wherein the children of God should be receiued in to the kingdome of heauen and the vnbeleeuers and obdurate in wickednes cast into euerlasting death 3 To the end the rather to confirme vs in the expectation of this daie of iudgement so much to be desired and so blessed for those that do amend their liues but so terrible to the rebellious obstinate Math. 25.31 S. Mathew representeth vnto vs the form therof saying Whē the son of man shall come in his glorie all the angels with him then shal he sit vpon the throne of his glorie and he shal separate the sheep from the goats and he shall set the sheep on his right hand the goats on his left to thē on his right hand he shal say Come ye blessed of my father inherite the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world And to them on the left hand hee shall saie Depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fyre which is prepared for the deuill and his Angels and they shal go into euerlasting paines and the righteous into euerlasting life Let vs therefore bee fully resolued that the daie will come that such as haue amended theyr liues increasing in faith working in loue and fructifying in good workes shall bee gathered into the fruition of the kingdome of heauen and the others into euerlasting fyre And in deede sith it is so sayth Saint Augustine that all thinges before prophesied in the holy Scriptures August in his Epist 42. to Mandarens haue come to passe and beene fulfilled in theyr season as the floud the bondage of the seede of Abraham in Egypt and theyr deliuerie the captiuitie of Babylon and the returne from the same the comming of Christ in the flesh and all that concerned his passion his resurrection and ascension into heauen his promise to send the holy Ghost to the Apostles the calling of the Gentiles other like matters what reason haue we to doubt of this day of iudgement which hath bin foreshewed in so many passages of the holy Scripture 4 Neither can we anie way doubt thereof if we haue anie reason or vnderstanding For if we beleeue that there is a God which all nations in the world doo confesse we must also beleeue that hee is righteous if he be righteous hee will reward the righteous that amend their liues punish the disobedient that are giuen to wickednes But this reward or punishment is not performed in this life but in part and that verie seldome as both the Prophet manifestly declareth in the 71. psalme and experience doth dayly teach It followeth therefore that after this life there is another wherin the righteous haue their reward euen the fruition of the kingdome of heauen and the disobedient shal be punished with euerlasting torments This discourse doth S. Paul confirme in expresse words for he seeing the persecutions of the faithful 2. Thes 1.5 and their grieuous afflictions least they should be shaken with some opinion that there were no prouidence or iustice in God he vpholdeth to the contrarie doth shew that the persecutions afflictions that they suffered were a manifest demonstration of the iust iudgment of God To the end saith he that ye may be accounted worthie the kingdome of God for the which ye do also suffer For it is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you and to you that are troubled rest with vs. But when shal that be Euen when the Lord Iesus shal shew himselfe from heauen with his mightie Angels In flaming fire rendering vengeance to thē that do not know God which obey not the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ which shall be punished with euerlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord and from the glorie of his power when he shall come to be glorified in his Saincts to be made maruellous in all them that beleeue If then it bee a righteous thing with him to recōpence tribulation as is aforesayd to those that trouble vs euen vs I say that are pore vpon earth how much more righteous will it be with him most horribly eternally to punish those that haue persecuted euen the person of Iesus Christ the welbeloued sonne of God In this sense is this daie called the daie of the restoration of al thinges because the disorder and confusion that seemeth now to be in the gouernment of the world Act. 3 21. shall bee then
6. Heb. 2.14 rose againe for our iustification when by dying he mortified our old man by rising againe raised vs vp into newnes of life when by his death he destroyed him that had the empire of death did he not by destroying this kingdome of Satan bring the kingdom of heauen nearer vnto vs And in deed this kingdom of heauen was neuer so neare our fathers other the beleeuing Iews in old time Wel had they the promise that the seed of the woman should bruse the serpents head but we do see the performance thereof in Iesus Christ who by his death hath ouercomen the deuill and the power of Hell Well had they the pascall lambe to figure vnto them that for the auoyding of eternall death they must be washed in the bloud of Christ But as Iohn the Baptist euen with his finger pointed to this Lambe Iesus Christ saying Behold the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world Iohn 1 2â— so this lambe did afterward really shed his bloud for the remission of our sinnes to free vs from eternall death Well did they stay and ofter innocent beastes in sacrifice as it were laying their sinnes vpon them that by their death signifying the death of Iesus Christ to come they might haue as it were an assured pledge of the remission of their sins consequently hope of life But there was not as yet any payment or satisfaction for sinnes And therefore these sacrifices were as it were bonds with sureties wherein man the principall debtor Coloss 2.14 acknowledgeth the debt Iesus Christ vndertooke as a pledge and surety 5 In this sence did Iesus Christ in his death make ful paymeÌ„t for the sins of al the elect consequently also of those that liued vnder the first testament as the Apostle saith which also S. Paul vnder the same coÌ„sideration termeth the former sins Coloss 2.14 Heb. 9.15 Rom. 3.24 not that they were not pardoned to the beleeuing Iews But because vntil that day there was no price laid downe for the satisfaction of Gods Iustice And in that sence dothe the same Apostle say that he nailed those obligations to his crosse as hauing then satisfied discharged the same And therefore were the expiatorie sacrifices circumcision with other like ordenances of the law abolished at his death Neither could they haue been kept as necessary but that they would still haue been witnesses that Christ stood yet bound Besides not content to haue by this abolition as it were canceled these obligations he hath also ordeined Baptisme and his holy supper to be vnto vs as it were authenticall acquittances and witnesses of payment made 6 It is likewise the benefite for the which he coÌ„mandeth vs to amend adding this reason For the kingdome of heauen is at hand For it is as if he had said Behold this is the time that I will breake the serpents head and destroy him that hath the empire of death and banish the prince of the world Now do I goe to make payment for al the sins of the elect to crucifie the old man that he may no longer raigne in them to purchase for them newnesse of life To be short to reestablish them in state requisit coÌ„uenient for the children of God Is not the kingedome of heauen then very neere at hand Amend therefore for it is time that you feeling your iustification and attonement to be made with God shold be at peace in your consciences should renounce the deuil the flesh the worlde and your selues mortifie the olde man who is crucified with me and become new creatures by vertue of my resurrection But if contrariwise you remayne hardened in your sinnes and will not giue ouer and mortifie the ambition pride couetousnes fraude whore dome insolencie dronkennes ryot hatred enuy malice and other corruptions and doe not amend by growing in al good workes shal you not so much as in you lyeth quench the kingdome of heauen that is in you and with most villanous ingratitude treâ—d vnder foote this incomprehensible benefit heere offered The heathen that neuer heard speaking hereof for their continued impenitency shall be iustly coÌ„demned The Iewes who had some knowledge albeit obscure and a farre off shal be more grieuously punished because they did not amend But you to whom this kingdome of heauen is neare at hand vnlesse ye amend shall incurre a condemnation without comparison more horrible and fearefull And the beleeuing Iewes who neuer sawe this kingdome of heauen but from far off and obscurely and yet as the Apostle saieth to the Hebrewes did beleeue it and reioyced and walking in the feare of God did amend Eph. 3.9 shal be your iudges to your confusion 7 We are furthermore to consider the preaching of the Gospel signified also by this kingdome of heauen Iesus Christ saieth Verily I say vnto you among them that are begotteÌ„ of women arose not a greater then Iohn Baptist Heb. 11. notwithstanding he that is the least in the kingdome of heauen is greater then he He doth not heere meane that the least in the christiaÌ„ Church shal either in piety or in glory in the kingdome of heauen excel Iohn Baptist but that they shal be greater Prophets then he that is to saie that they shal be able more amply perticulerly and euidently to speake of euery thing that concerneth our redemption saluation in Iesus Christ And indeed what euident assured knowledge hath there been reuealed to the Christian Church concerning the person of Iesus Christ that he was conceaued by the holy Ghost borne of the virgin Mary very God and very man likewise of his offices that he hath receaued the anoynting of the holy Ghost to be our Priest king Prophet Consequently of his sufferings death resurrection ascentioÌ„ into heaueÌ„ of the certitude of our iustification saluatioÌ„ not by workes but by grace by the merits of his death Moreouer how the Gospel of saluation was directed to the Gentils wherby there was reuealed to the world a mistery secret Mat. 11.11 which as S. Paul saith hath from the beginning been hiddeÌ„ in God coÌ„teining a wonderful wisedome then reuealed to the Angels And albeit the ancient fathers weâ—e neuer destitute of the spirit of God Yet had they it not euer without coÌ„parison so plentifully as it hath bene communicated by the preaching of the Gospell 2. Cor. 3.8 And therefore doth S. Paul call it in excellency the ministery of the spirite And Iesus Christ termeth it regeneration Mat. 19.28 as wheÌ„ he saith to his Apostles ye that haue followed me in regeneration shall sit vpon twelue thrones Truely therefore in regarde of the preaching of the Gospell Iesus Christ did saye that the kingdome of heauen was at hand and that therefore we must amend As indeed Mat. 19.28 what excuse may we pretend if hauing such a sonne of light before our eyes we be neuerthelesse giuen