harts of Gods people they be as heathen men their soules are cut of from the church they haue no lyfe of grace no fruit or working of the word and sacraments more then of any idle tale and prophane storie no grace wrought by it no death of sinne no hope nor desire of heauen but liue as beasts no recourse to God in Christ Iesus nor no vertue that they draw from Christ so that indeede they doe not liue in Christ but are dead in their spirit while they liue in their bodies They may say indeed say true that they can see no good by the exercises of the sabboth they be vnpleasant to them and vnprofitable so that they haue no benefit by it and why is this not because Gods ordinances want their force vertue but because they want reuerence of them and being wicked contemne them therfore their souls be cut of their harts hardened they haue forfaited their saluation Then an other ill effect is as in Ierem. 17. where he saith If they pollute his sabboth hee will kindle a fire in their houses that shall not be quenched For their outward estate they be no gayners that breake the sabboth for God sends a curse which like a violent flame deuoures more then they can get So that if we would not be guiltie of death and haue our soules cut of from communion with Christ and his church and our goods also cōsumed brought to nothing by the vengeance of God Then let vs keepe his holy sabboth holy and bestow it vpon holy exercises But on the contrary side to sanctifie it and spend in those duties that God commandeth brings all comfortable blessing and happinesse As in Isai 56. 2. If the gentils that be conuerted will keepe the sabboth of God holy he promiseth that they shal haue a better name more reuerence then the Iewes that professe the religion of God but regard not his sabboth and at large there he showes how he wil blesse them and good reason to for he that keeps the sabboth aright exerciseth the whole bodie of religion for this brings in practise the whole law and teacheth one his dutie to God and to man builds him vp in euerie grace And so in Is 58. 13. If thou turne away c. Where he shewes that if any man will on Gods day forsake his owne work and leaue of vaine words and delight in the work of God and his seruice then God will giue them God will set them on high and giue them the inheritance of Iacob for indeed then they be Gods sheepe and the flock of Christ when they delight to follow him and to heare his voice for then they shall haue accesse to him and he shall haue opportunitie to blesse them and dwell in them by his spirit So that if we would auoid the curse of God on our soule and bodie and gaine the blessing of God vpon both Let vs yeld to this his commandement and with as great joye serue God in the duties of religion his worship on that day as we doe our selues in our owne affaires on the sixe dayes yea with a greater delight to because we haue a promise and may looke for a greater blessing The vse of this is to reproue those that thinke if they abstaine from worke of their calling that they take no paines in outward toyling about affaires of this world then they keepe the sabboth verie well and if no man can accuse them of going to plow or cart or such workes then they thinke they haue not broken the fourth commandement But idlenesse is a sin of Adam naught euerie day as we said before but much more naught vpon that day that should bee spent in Gods exercises But much more wicked are they that bee euill occupied in dauncing and dallying in swilling and brawling and so make it the diuels day insteede of Gods and doe more dishonour to God and hurt to their owne soules then any day in the weeke else Many also are to bee reprooued that will come to the church for the time of the day will bee content to heare the word and doe such exercises but at euen when darkenesse comes then comes the works of darkenesse and when they be in their bed then they bee plodding and casting about for worldly affaires and their heads be as busie as full of earthly matters as any night in the weeke else But wee are to know that the sabboth containes foure and twentie houres as well as any other day and therefore the night must bee spent in an holy rest to else one shall hurt himselfe more and displease God more by these vaine thoughts in the night then he could please God and benefit himselfe by keeping himselfe in good companie and good actions in the day and therefore they want the blessing because they performe not all the dutie and that which they did was in hipocrisie because they doe not care to remember that which they heard nor examine with what hart and with what profit they haue performed the duties of the day not but that a man may haue sleepe but his sleepe is to bee seasoned with the sweetnesse of the former exercises his dreames haue some tast of religion more then at other times and when they wake their thoughts meditations must bee carried after holy things because Gods eies are as fast fixed on them in their bed as in the church and hee sees and knowes their thoughts in the darke as well as their behauiour and carriage in the midst of the congregation Now God bids vs keepe the whole seauenth daye for he would haue vs giue as long a day to him as hee hath giuen vnto vs and if day containe day and night when he saith sixe dayes shalt thou labour and we vpon that permission and allowance of Gods take it for graunted that in the night we may doe what businesse we haue to doe when we be in bed may spend the time in ordering our priuate affaires and pondering how to deale in such things as we haue to deale in by reason of our calling I say if we doe this and think as indeede it is true that he giues vs the night and day both for our callings why is it not so in the sabboth then that he takes the seauenth day night to himselfe as well as he giues sixe to vs. Therefore we must know that the Lords day must containe xxiiij houres and for want of this we depriue our selues of those blessings which else we might haue because we vndoe that in the night that we did in the day we did Gods work one part of his day and that was well but we take the remainder to our selues that is a fault Thirdly this teacheth vs to doe the duties of the Lords day vpon his day Now this sanctifying and keeping of it holy consists in doing things either priuate or publique The priuate are these
touch him a little with a rebuke for his wringing and oppression shew him that the loue of the world is enmitie to God and that couetousnesse is idolatrie then comes in this place of scripture which must salue all what hath not God commanded a man to labour in his calling doth not God say hee is worse then an infidell that prouides not for his familie and so all must goe vnder the name of good husbandrie and thrift and prouiding for his familie But consider thou that standest thus for thy labour God will haue thee labour but not to serue the diuell in thy labour take paines in thy calling but hurt not thy neighbour by it prouide for thy children lay vp but lay vp a treasure in heauen prouide to bring them vp in the feare of God and in some christian vocation first prouide that they may be christians and then one hath well prouided for them store vp mercifull workes then the righteous is mercifull and lendeth his seede injoyes the blessing Thus God will haue one labour with godlynesse and prouide so for his children as hee prouides for his owne soule So come to angrie and passionate persons they can haue some thing to say for their sinne to and that out of Gods word when they haue broke out into foolish and vnaduised passions tell them this is naught anger rests in the bosome of fooles and the wrath of man fulfills not the law of God oh but I pray you doth not S. Paul say be angrie and sinne not It is true hipocrite but if thou wilt be angrie without sinne bee angrie first with thine owne sinne begin at home condemne the follie that is in thine owne soule or else thine anger is not holie spirituall but diuellish fleshlie and carnall So al-most in all other sinnes there is scarce any other sinne so bad but vngodlie persons will stand in defence of it and if they can snatch a few words out of scripture and teare them violentlie from the true sence thereof vnto their owne lust they count this a matter of great wittinesse but in truth it is a matter of great horrible wickednesse and a damnable prophaning of the name of god when one can wrest hale together manie places and say much for his sinne it is not a note of more wit but of more acquaintance with the diuell for their tongue is set on fire of hell it is tipped with hell fire blowne by the stinking breath of Satan when they haue said all they can they haue made their sinne more grieuous their hart more hard and them selues more cursed in that they haue done no thing all the while but dishonoured God to make him a patrone of wickednesse and his word a sword for the diuell Fourthlie the word of God is abused profaned by turning it to charmes and spels all kinde of sorcerie to cure such persons as be mispoken as they tearme it and ayr'd as such foolish tearmes they haue and to say the Lords praier or some place of scripture to find things that be lost with many such wicked thinges this a sinfull peruerting of Gods word And wheras men commonlie excuse themselues for this sin because the words be not ill yet let them know that when one abuseth good words to a wrong end they be euill words to him and if the word of God be peruerted to such an end as he hath not appointed they be the diuells words to him that thus peruerts them and Satan is no lesse daungerous an enemie when hee comes like an angell of light then if he appeared in his coulours and this charming God himselfe condemnes in the law saith that he will finde out such persons So that both these charmers and those that goe vnto them be wicked abusers of Gods name and either they shall haue no successe in the thing they sought for or if they haue it is a greater plague for now they prosper in their sinne and their hart is made more hard incureable And thus the word of God is abused Now the remedie against this abuse is that we labour to apply Gods word to the right ends that he hath appointed and if we will know these ends we may see them 2. Tim. 3. 16. The whole scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable to teach to improue to correct and instruct in righteousnesse that the man of God may be absolute being made perfect vnto all good works Heere hee shewes how we must imploy the scriptures of God and first generally he saith they be profitable shewing in generall that the word of God must neuer be medled withall but for some profit in all conferences wherin we bring in the word of God and in all maner of vsing Gods word this must be the closing and shutting vp of all that there be some good done that some body be the better for that some fruit be reaped where profit is not the end Gods word is not rightly applyed Then perticulerly he shewes wherin this profit consists first to teach j. to enlighten the vnderstanding that one may get more knowledge and his minde is thus bettered Secondly to conuince that is to refute and beat downe heresies false opinions afore to teach the truth now to pul vp heresies that the judgement may be sound Thirdly to correct j. to reforme amend the offenders to cōuince ill opinions to correct ill conuersations Fourthly to instruct j. to shew how one should amend his ill manners and how he should doe good as well as that he must forsake that that is ill how to liue well and how to haue such a good conuersation that one may haue comfort in his lyfe and death These are those ends of the scripture to which whosoeuer imployes it shall not dishonour Gods name and hurt his soule but glorifie God himselfe be made absolute perfect and readie to euerie good work Thus much for taking Gods name in vaine by speach without an oath but in vaine speaking and other abusing Gods word Secondly Gods name is thus taken in vaine by abusing his tytles as God Iehouah Iesus Lord and such other And that either in admiration as when one in the hearing of any odd matter or strange report shall breake forth into such vaine wandring speaches good Lord O Iesus O Christ Lord haue mercie vpon vs what a thing was that wherein one names Gods titles without any conscience and reuerence of him Therefore those which haue done so must repent So likewise we abuse Gods titles in rash petitions and imprecations as Sarah in a fuming chafe comes to Abraham and saith she the Lord be judge betwixt mee and thee and thus she must needs haue a purchased sessions and God must come downe from heauen in all the hast none else would serue the turne to redresse some wrong that she thought she had what was the matter vvhy Hagar had dealt something
to stand in feare of this great God And if we will thus deny our selues and our fleshly reason and pray vnto God for his feare and labour to kindle his feare in our harts by calling to remembrance his fearefulnesse and just and terrible vengeance vpon those that haue not feared him this will at lenght bring our prophane harts to some dread and reuerence of Gods holy Magestie The next vse that we may make is for the comfort of those of Gods children that can in some measure bring their flesh to feare and tremble before God and to stand in awe of him this will certainely bring all happinesse vnto them and those that can doe so they may be assured that whatsoeuer affliction they be in it shall either be remoued or be so sanctified and blessed vnto them as they shall beare it with much comfort profit As Ps 112. ver 2. His seede shal be mightie vpon the earth Seede mightie will we think how can that be what haue they to make them mightie what hath he to leaue them how can they be mightie when he hath nothing to bestow on them yes he hath enough for so he ads his children shal be blessed It is not lands and liuings great possessions that make ones children great for one may haue them and yet he hath no promise but that himselfe and his children shall haue the curse of God vpon them while they liue and be cast into hell fire and euerlasting damnation when they dye But it is the feare of God that makes a man happie himselfe and that will leaue a good and happie state vnto his children after for this brings the blessing of God vpon himselfe and vpon his seed after him that they shall continue happie so long as they continue fearing God But that we may not deceiue our selues and think either that wee haue not the feare of God at all because wee haue it not perfectly though we haue it in some good measure or else think that we haue it when indeed we haue it not It is good that we cōsider some marks whereby we may know whether we haue indeed this feare of God or no. One true note of the feare of God is to feare the word of God as Isaiah saith Heare the word of God yee that tremble before him As if he had said I would that all myne hearers would profit by the word of God which I speake vnto them but I know that none will make vse of it but onely those that feare him as also the prophet Habakkuk sayd That when hee heard Gods threatnings he feared and his belly trembled and rottennesse entred into his bones and he was wonderfully dismaide and terrified If then the threatnings of gods word can affright vs and make vs tremble and afrayde to doe those things which he hath forbidden or if we haue sinne they make vs confesse our sinnes hūble our soules before God for mercie this is an vndoubted token of the feare of God But if one will say that he feares God reuerenceth the magestie of God but for his word let God threaten as much as he will he cares not for it let the Minister denounce gods Iudgements and curses vpon him and against him he is a sleepe and it doth not awake nor prick him he neither hath any touch nor feeling of it but lets it passe without any regard it is most sure that such an one for all his sayings hath no feare of God in his hart According as God complaines by the prophet Amos That if the Lion did roare all the beasts of the field would tremble but they were more beastly then beasts so sencelesse that let god roare roare againe as loud as he would yet they cared not nor were not a whit afrayd so that the verie beasts gaue more reuerence to the Lion then they did vnto God If we heare the threatnings of God denounced powerfully against couetous deceitful cruel persōs against such as break gods saboths against earthly minded men that set themselues wholy to root in the groūd to seeke for fleshly things If we heare these threatnings beleued that they were true when we finde them in our selues how could we choose but feare trēble But herein most men bewray their monstrous shameful hipocrisie that if a great man some king or prince did but threaten that they should be put in prison lye in prison all their life or that they should be put to death they would shake euery joynt shew their feare in their face that no man could make thē merry in such a case but they would lamēt take on vnmesurably But let god threaten protest that he wil curse them damne thē cast them into hel for euer it neuer feares thē they can go about as merely cherfully as though ther were no danger yea they will make oft times a mock a scoffe at those judgments What a most plain palpable dissēbling is this that men wil pretēd to feare god aboue all yet will be much more afraid if a man do but threatē to turne them out of their house then if god threaten to turne them out of heauen to be in hell for euer that one angry word of their lādlord wil feare thē but twēty threatnings out of the scripture of God will not moue them one whit nor work the least sorrow in them By trying our affections to the word of God then we may see our affections to God himselfe either in loue for he that loues Gods word most may assure his soule that hee loues God best or in feare for hee that most trembles and is most humble at Gods threatnings hee carries the greatest reuerence towards God himselfe and so that he that puts greatest confidence in the promises of God doth most faithfully trust in God Another sure badge of this true feare is that it will make one depart from euill it will not make him onely confesse say indeede it is naught and it is my fault and my nature and I would I could leaue it but it will worke a seperation beetwixt sinne and the soule so that it will depart from euill what danger so euer seeme to ensue vpon it and he will not be alured by any reward to commit sinne In what measure the feare of God hath seasoned the hart in the same measure it will worke this departing from sinne as we see it plainely proued by the example of the three children The case stoode thus with them that either they must bow to the filthie idoll which was before them or burne in that flaming fornace which was prepared for him that would not either they must purchase and procure the wrath of God or suffer the wrath displeasure of Nabuchadnezer but hauing the feare of God within them it gaue them courage and boldnesse that they feared not Nabuchadnezers threatning and power but
stoode resolute for the cause of God and shewed the King plainely that they would not dishonor God to please him or for his anger if god would they knew that he could deliuer them if he would not yet this they let him know that they would not incurre Gods anger and danger of euerlasting death for feare of any bodily death But on the contrary side so farre as any man hath not the feare of God but feares man more then God then they will vpon euery occasion runne to euill as if one be in some fault that he thinkes he shall be punished for it then he will help himselfe by lying and thinkes that he hath made a very good shift if he can escape by that meanes this is now to make man a god and god an Idoll when one will seeke to make the face of man milde and gentle by making gods face angry frowning So those that when they be in distresse and in some neede by pouertie will venture to help themselues by breaking gods saboth taking time from his worship to labour for their owne gaine this is plaine that they feare the feare of the wicked and doe not make God their dread for if they did it is most sure they would depart from euill So he that feareth god no hope of promotion or outward benefit can make him consent to wickednesse as Ioseph might in likelihood haue ben a great gainer and gotten much promotion by yelding to the wicked and filthie allurements of his mistresse yet he would not giue the least mark of consenting because he was afrayde to sinne against god So in Isa 51. 12. Who art thou that fearest mortall man that must be giuen to the wormes and forgettest thy God that did spread out the heauens The great feare of mans power ariseth from the forgetting of gods free power When one is in such a terrour of man that is but dust and cannot defend himselfe against the wormes but they shall creepe in his bowells and eate vp his hart will he nill he it comes from hence that one doth quite forget that there is such a God as was able to make heauen and earth of nothing and that hath fearefull judgements layde vp for sinners and then indeed he feares man and then he will sinne if he bid him and rather be so seruile to his master and superiour as to breake Gods law then to beare his anger and chiding or correction and if man bid him doe any thing he will doe it though God bid him doe the contrarie Therefore in the Reuel when he reckons vp a great rable of reprobates and the whole host of damned sinners he puts the fearefull in the verie forefront of them and makes them the captaines ring-leaders of all the rest those which be fearefull not fearefull that be not fearfull to displease God breake his law but herein they be audacious and impudent but for any good seruice of God they be afrayde to doe it They be afraid to keepe the saboth or goe to heare sermons least they should be accounted to precise they will not serue God least their old acquaintance and friends should forsake them least their neighbours should mock laugh at them they feare least they should be jested at This dastardlinesse and coldnesse to doe good but courage and readinesse to doe ill that if men doe but hold vp the finger and the basest and most abject persons in a country doe but speake a word or two he may allure and perswade them to drink swill and breake the sabbath and such other filthie sinnes which they haue promised to forsake and God hath threatned to punish shewes plainely that they be voide of the true feare of God The third and last note of the true feare of God is to delight in Gods commandements to walke in his wayes as he saith Blessed is the man that feareth God and delighteth greatly in his commandements He that hath no delight to walk in gods waies but in his owne hath all the pleasure in talking of his owne commoditie and profit not of Gods lawes as though himselfe were the god to be serued and lust had the soueraintie and command of his hart and not God such an one hath not the feare of God but if one delight to conferre of gods law and take his greatest pleasure in speaking and thinking of Gods commandements such an one may conclude with him selfe assuredly that he hath that feare of God in his hart which will keepe him to euerlasting life so long as hee keepes and embraceth it Hence then the best man in this world may learne to confesse his owne weaknesse and to acknowledge the wants and defects of this feare of God for that so much feare of death and of pouertie and of disgrace and of men shewes a great emptinesse of the feare of God This trembling at mens thratnings so much at gods threatnings so little that is in all men by nature the great feare of loosing earthly things and little feare to loose heauenly things the much delight we haue in matters of this world and little delight in the law of God testifies to our faces shewes plainely that we haue but a verie little sparke of the true feare of God those which haue most of it These wants we must see and confesse and runne vnto Christ Iesus that made a perfect and absolute satisfaction that he might supply our imperfections and then of his fulnesse we shall haue enough to fulfill that wherin our selues came short Thus much of the true holy feare that God commands such a feare as being joyned with loue and proceding from it makes vs loue him more and more obey him The next and last dutie commanded in this first commandement is to trust in God with all our harts to put our full confidence and relie wholy vpon him and him alone This is commanded Prou. 3. 5. Trust on God with all thine heart and leane not to thine owne wisedome Though thine owne reason tell thee now that I haue great prosperity and the vvorld at will I shall bee safe yet trust not to that but make God thine onely stay So Iere. 17. 7. Blessed is that man that trusts in God and makes him his stay for hee shall be like the tree planted by the water side Hee shewes that hee that trusts in God shall be blessed of God so that he shall be still in a florishng estate vvhat euer heat j. stirres or alterations and changes others feele hee shall bee well still for he shall be alwaies fruitfull and indeede this is the onely happinesse of a christian to bee fruitfull in good workes and this is the miserie of all miseries to be barren in good workes that pincheth his hart is as a scorching heat indeed but so long as one trusts in God he shal be kept in the spring still it shal be no winter nor fal of the leafe
for the true worship of god Now follows the reason of this commandement drawn partly from Gods iudgements against all false worshippers from his mercy kindenesse to thē that worship him in truth The judgement towards the breakers of this commandement is that he will not onely plague them take vengeance on thē in their owne persons but he will execute his wrath also on their seed posteritie to the third and fourth generation Which is therfore set downe because it is a verie hard thing to perswade euen that this is so great fearefull a sin when in a good meaning as they say they serue God after another manner then hee hath warranted commanded The reason taken frō his kindnesse to those that are obedient because we are very slow and slack to the right seruice of God is to allure prouoke vs because that god will not only blesse such an one in his own soule body both in life death but his blessing shal reach further euen vpon many generations in his posterity so that God will neuer leaue blessing those that with an vpright hart worship him in truth according to his word I am Iehouah thy God a iealous strong God IN these words calling himself our God he implies that ther is an euerlasting marriage betwixt god vs therfore as it is a foule fact for a woman after hir marriage the couenāt of god betwixt thē to defile her body with filthy adulterers So it is a much more hainous abhominable thing for any man or woman after his couenant with God to follow idols and images not contenting himself with the perfect beautie of Christ Then where he saith a iealous God hee compares himselfe to an husband that as hee loues his wife most tenderly dearely whilst she remaines chast faithfull so is he most offended prouoked if she deale lewdely and trecherously with him so Christ Iesus hath loued vs most dearely and giuen his bloud for vs but if we deale not chastly with him in this case he will be as a jealous man whose most abundant loue being abused doth burst forth into the strongest hatred as Salomon saith that jealousy is the rage of man the eie of iealousy seeth all things Then he cals himselfe a strong God shewing his power that hee hath abilitie as willingnesse to punish in that hee cals himselfe jealous it declares that he wants not will and cause to powre vengeance on them and in that hee is a strong God hee is of might sufficient to plague and confound those that wickedly break his couenant From al this discription wherby God hath set out himselfe vnto vs to bee our God and a iealous God that cannot abide any such filthinesse and a strong mightie God that is able to execute his wrath on the offenders we may and must take courage and comfort to stand for Gods pure worship against all idolaters and idolatrie and all manner of superstition being that he is our God one that hath bound himselfe in couenant to defend and protect vs as also hee is iealous which carries a flame of loue to all those that be faithfull as well as an exceeding detestation of the vnfaithfull and then he is a strong God not strong with an idle kinde of strength that lies hide within him and neuer is put in practise but hee doth vse his strength to the maintayning and protecting of all such as are true friends to him and maintayners of his worship Which is for comfort of those whose friends and such from whom they haue their maintenance are popish and will hate them and be enemies to them if they be enemies to superstition and loue God and his worship but feare not that God is a strong God if they will not help hee will they haue no such power against you as god hath for you so long as you continue vpright in his worship This is also for the terror of all idolatrous and superstitious persons that haue many things to vphold them and are well friended and strong defended but yet mischiefe shall be their end in the end because he is stronger then all men that sets himselfe against them and whom they prouoked euen to iealousie by their filthinesse who sees all their wayes as hee saith pull out thine adulteries from betwixt thy brests that is those monuments of idolatrie which idolaters put so much trust in as Agnus dei c. pull them out they offend him hee cannot abide the sight of them no more then a iealous husband the wantonnesse of his wife before his face God cannot I say endure this impuritie and wickednesse withall he is strong which name he giues heere to himselfe not bragging and boasting of his might but to let all idolaters know what an one they shall finde and feele him to bee in their punishments and plagues So much for the names by which God sets out himselfe in this reason Visiting the sinnes of the fathers on the children FIrst it may bee objected how God can in iustice doe this and punish the children for the fathers fault But to that one may answere as God doth in Hosea 2. 2. speaking to the Iewes hee bids them plead with their mother comparing him selfe to an husband he shewes that there is no fault in him but all the blame lies on the adulterous mother for as an husband may without any fault put away the wife that hath dealt trecherouslie and hir adulterous broode to so God may iustlie plague and forsake both the parents and the wicked children of wicked parents Now his vengeance vpon the children of Idolatrous parents is shewed especially in these things First in with-holding the meanes of grace from them and also the spirit of grace secondly in letting them see their fathers euill waies so imitate them thirdly in with-holding from them those meanes that might turne and conuert them and helpe them out of their sinne as the admonition of his children and such like But the doctrine that wee may gather hence is that vngodly parents are the most deadly enemies vnto their children as in Exo. 34. Where God sets downe his name most comfortably and the aboundance of his mercy yet he ads this withall Holding not the wicked innocent but visiting the sinnes of the fathers on the children This the example of wicked Ahad doth euidently proue for in that he would shed the innocent bloud of Naboth in that hee would commit idolatrie and serue Baalim who could haue done a greater wrong to Ahabs posteritie then Ahab did by these things for hence it was that the kingdome was taken from his house and that his children about seauenty persons had their heads chopt from their bodies and were made as dung and all his kinsfolkes acquaintance fared the worse for his wickednesse And so Ieroboam that seducer of Israell hee thought by his idolatry to haue established the kingdome to him his
one and reward the other as their life and deeds had deserued These were the things about which he would willinglie exercise his tongue speake joyfullie to the people for one cannot speak of these things conscionablie but it will work in him a feeling and a loue of these things so that him selfe shall get more good and those also that heare him So the 107. Psal 8. Let them consider before the Lord his louing kindnesse and his wonderfull workes before the sonnes of men He would haue vs haue such a feeling in our hands as that we should not onelie confesse Gods kindnesse to him but before men also make the same knowne And therfore all of vs must here bee humbled and acknowledge how exceeding short we come how seldome or neuer we breake forth into such confession or declaration of Gods power wisdome mercie such like good as our selues and others might therby be stired vp the more to be thankfull vnto him and to stay vpon him Who almost hath said as Dauid in the Psal Come and I will tell you what the Lord hath done for me what carefulnesse he hath had ouer our soules and bodies what faithfulnesse he shewed vnto vs in all our needs and of all his wonderfull mercie and wisdome whereof we may see experience Manie can make long discourses of the kindnesse of such a friend and spend an houre together what this and that good man hath done for him but for God that giues life and breath and all thinges and that giues power to our friends to doe vs good and kindnesse to put that power in practise who doth almost speake of all his goodnesse of all his power that hee continually doth shew practise towards vs to moue himselfe and others the more earnestlie to glorifie his name Likewise thirdlie we are here commanded to speake of Gods workes with reuerence thanks giuing wether the workes of mercie or of iustice And thus the children of Israell with there leader Moyses after that wonderfull deliuerance at the red sea did fall to praising and magnifieng God and to confesse his excellent greatnesse and magestie and set out the same to all posterities And as one must magnifie God for all his workes so especially for those that goe most beyond the reach and seeme most contrary to carnall reason and thus Paul hauing disputed of election and reprobation such works as carnall men and fleshly wit most snuffes at and would willingly snarle and speake most vildly of it if it durst for feare of men he being a man of Gods speaks most reuerently and with wonderfull awe of the greatnesse of God Rom. 11. 33. O the deepenesse of the riches both of the wisdome and knowledge of God how vnsearchable are his Iudgements and his waies past finding out and then who hath knowne the minde of the Lord. j. who can tell why God chooseth one to life and refuseth an other to death why he will haue one saued and an other condemned who can assigne the cause of these hidden things And in the next verse hauing before spoken off ordaining one to shame and an other to glorie he shuts vp closes all with this holy reuerent conclusion wondring at his greatnesse of him saith he and to him for him are all things to him bee glory for euer Amen q. d. hee made all things at the first himselfe he sustaines and preserues all things by his owne power still therefore it is most just and equall that he should dispose and order all things according as seemes best to him for his owne glorie And as we must striue to magnifie God in these works that crosse our reason so in those also that are most contrarie to our affection as in our crosses and afflictions And thus did Iob when God had taken away his sonnes his seruants his sheepe his Oxen his Camels and all his goods and that all of the suddaine he falls not to murmur and grudge against God but breakes out into the praise of God The Lord hath giuen saith he the Lord hath taken blessed be the name of the Lord. In all these miseries hee could finde in his hart and finde good cause to blesse the name of God for he knew that it came from God and though the diuel were a chiefe stirrer yet he could not goe beyond his commission and though God had taken away all no wrong was done to Iob Gods it was and God had giuen it him and might haue taken it away sooner and therefore still he was to be blessed So did Hezekiah so did Eli It is the Lord let him doe what he will so that euen in gods chastisements corrections which are tedious to the flesh and goe against the graine of our affections we must prayse him As Nebuchadnezar in the end of his seuen yeares miserie saith He is holy in all his works and Iust in all his wayes And thus we must glorifie the name of God in speach without an oath Now it followes to be spoken of an oath and first we must know that it is a dutie seruice of God when we haue a lawfull calling just warrant to take an oath so it be done aright as rash swearing is a sinnefull thing so reuerent swearing is an holy thing and one may sinne as well in omitting this when it is lawfully required as in committing the other which is forbidden So Deut. 6. 13. and 10. 20. Thou shalt feare the Lord and serue him and sweare in his name In both which places god plainely commands it as a seruice of him to sweare by him when one hath a warrantable and just cause to take an oath Therefore their error must bee condemned that would altogether root out the vse of oathes as vnlawfull and being called thereto refuse it because they say they would not take gods name in vaine nay now they doe take Gods name in vaine in refusing to sweare by it reuerently and vpon good ground allowance they might euen as well refuse to heare and reade and pray as to sweare being thus called therevnto Likewise it serues for our instruction that when the case stands so as that an oath is required at our hands by those which haue authoritie and when wee haue a sufficient warrant then wee should willingly and cheerefully doe it and that with a minde to glorifie God and an expectation of a blessing vpon this as vpon hearing and reading because it is an ordinance of God as well as they bee and it is a fault when men comming to this doe not propose the glory of God vnto themselues or looke for any reward for this dutie but onely looke to the ciuill ends to set agreement and make all things right and such like not thinking that this is a matter of highlie honouring God nor looking to his name nor to his promise of giuen good successe and blessing to all his ordinances Manie will hope to speede better for a good
warrant for vs to breake Gods commandement because wee had forgot that which God bids vs remember this is euen as if a man should forget his purse behind him when hee went to the market and when hee came to buy things wanting mony of his owne should goe and cut another bodies purse and then if one come and tell him this is not honest dealing it is plaine theft and why would you bee so bold to cut your neighbours purse why alas neighbour I hope I was in no fault necessitie drew mee to it for I had left my purse at home and I knew not how to doe for mony to buy my things and to haue gone backe againe would haue beene to much paines Why but doth this make it lawfull to cut your neighbours because you had forgotten your owne nay who should haue remembred it and not come to make such shifts and euen so men deale with God oh they cannot chuse but breake the sabboth they are driuen to it of force necessitie compels them and what necessitie why such things lie to bee done that will bee spoiled else why but why did you forget them before now shal your former forgetfulnesse bee a warrant for you to steale Gods holy time and abuse it to vnholy things Some hath a bonde to pay that will bee forfaited else and why did you not remember before to make your condition with such an exception vnlesse it were on the sabboth and then to defer it for some reasonable time after or some such like condition and so I haue this and this thing that must bee done and why did not you thinke of this before to preuent it as it is sure you might if you did serue God in your calling and not couetousnesse so others say it is so tedious and irksome to spend that day holy that they cannot endure it and why is it tedious to you is it not because you prepared not your soule to keepe it you let sinne keepe dominion in your hart all the weeke and then it must needes bee dull and dead to all goodnesse on the seauenth day but those that doe labour to walke vprightlie purely before God sixe daies finde such comfort thereby as no outward pleasure can bring nor anie thing in this world but onely the ordinances of God can afford Secondly this teacheth vs to lay as a dutie euery one vpon his owne conscience to remember this day in all our affaires to haue this in our minde that wee entangle not our selues by any businesse which might hinder vs from keeping of it first because wee haue so direct an item as wee call it to remember this day secondly because whereas God contented himselfe in all the other commandements to set them downe either onely affirmatiuely or onely negatiuelie hee hath not done so in this commandement but to set the deeper impression in our harts hath set it downe both affirmatiuelie and negatiuely keepe it holy saith hee and as though that were not inough doe no manner of worke in it and then wheras other of the commandements for the most part haue no reasons annexed to them in the decalogue though in the scripture else where they haue this and the second commandement haue diuers reasons added vnto them that men might haue a greater regard vnto it Therefore if wee will doe any thing for Gods sake then doe this for his sake if a friend should come to vs and say I haue some ten errands which I would haue you doe for mee and I will recompence you throughly for your paines but of all the ten there is one amongst the rest which I would haue you especiallie to remember and of all loues see that you forget it not would not one thinke him verie negligent and vnmindfull of his friend that would forget this of which he had such a speciall charge especially if his friend should in most of the other giue but the bare commandement and thing set downe without any more words but should insist vpon that and giue him reason vpon reason why hee should haue a speciall care of it but so God saith to vs hee giues vs warning before shewing that wee are ready to forget it but hee would haue vs striue against this forgetfulnesse and then because wee should not forget but doe it hee vrgeth it with many reasons now then to forget this is it not a plaine contempt and neglect It followes To keepe it holy NOw the Lord shewes what is to bee done on the sabboth day namely wee must keepe it holy it is not inough to forbeare our owne worke and so to keepe it idly but wee must bee as carefull to doe Gods worke and so to keepe it holy Hence then wee learne this doctrine that the sabboth must bee imployed in holy exercises it must not bee a bare rest but a sanctified rest so ceasing from worldly things as that we be taken vp in heauenly things for idlenes is a sin euery day but much more on the sabboth No man hath alowance in gods word to spend any time idly but it is a damnable sin in the weeke daies much lesse are we warranted to spend Gods time vnprofitablie and idly of the twaine it were better leaue ones owne worke vndone vpon ones owne daies permitted for his labour then Gods worke on Gods daie appointed for his seruice Now the reasons why this must bee spent onely in holie exercises are taken from the ill effects that will follow if wee doe not spend it in these workes These ill effects wee shall see in Exod. 31. 12. Where God commands them that they should abstaine from all workes and keepe it an holy for if they doe worke euen in making garments and things for the temple which seemed to pertaine to god much more in things of their owne these two euils will follow first they shall die the death their life shall bee taken away they must die a naturall death and then secondly they must bee cut off from their people j. bee subject to the curse of God and bee cast off from the people of God by solemne excommunication These bee the punishments of polluting the Sabboth no small punishments and these God doth execute daily euen among vs for though the law of the land takes not hold on such persons to put them to death yet God giues them ouer to commit some sinne which mans law punisheth with death and the first cause of all and that at which God strikes and which their owne soule feeles most heauie as appeares by the daily complaints when they bee brought to execution is that they neuer regarded the sabboth had no care to heare Gods word to spend the day in duties of religion in prayer but followed after vanitie and their owne lust and therfore God meets with them And though the minister cannot by law excommunicate them and cast them out of the congregation yet God excommunicates them that in the
After examination of our owne harts and finding out of our sinfull wayes with repentance and sorrow for the same to beseech God that he would prepare and fit our harts to profit by the publique exercises of religion on the sabboth And to entreat him that he would so direct the ministers mouth is that he may speake to our harts and say something that serues to kill our sinne and to comfort and build vp our souls that as he is appointed for a phisition so he would fit vs with some medicine as well as others as saint Paul bids them pray for him that he may haue the dore of vtterance And when one doth this in an humble hart desiring to repent and turne from his sinnes in good earnest he shall neuer come to the sermon but he shall heare some one lesson or other that will make him better and he shal haue cause to thank God for it But if one come rudely into Gods house from brauling chiding at home or so soone as he is out of his bed to come to the church without preparing his hart or fitting himselfe by any prayer to God or confession and sorrow for his sinne then he shall feele that to his vncleane hart all things are vncleane the word shal be but a tediousnesse serue to the further hardning of his hart Also one must reade some part of the scripture priuately that may season his hart and settle and quiet his minde affections that he may be more teachable And that he may the better fit himselfe after this sort he is to rise betime in the morning for there is none so good a master no work so good in it selfe nor none that will bring so great a reward therefore we should rise as earely to serue this master in this work as any day else for any other work and if we doe thus we may haue sufficient to prouide for the publique exercises that we may come vnto them with profit Also an other priuate work of the sabboth is to releâ—ue and visit them that be sick or in any kinde of miserie And so also to reconcile those that be at jarre and discord Further also to meditate vpon the word that we haue heard and to ponder of it to apply it to our selues to marke what we haue remembred what we haue layd vp in our harts and purpose to follow and how matters stand betwixt God and our selues in the things that haue bene deliuered for till the word be thus made our own it is but as chaffe lying loose in the hart that euery puffe of winde will driue away and euery temptation will blow from vs. It is not as a treasure locked vp that will stand vs in some steede in the time of neede Likewise to confer with other christians among whom we liue to talke of the things taught calling them to minde and how they were prooued vnto vs and then further to enlarge them according to our owne perticuler necessitie and as it were to spread the medicine vpon one an others harts These be the priuate things which as euery one is more careful to performe so shal he receiue a more large and abundant blessing vpon the publique Now the publique themselues are To ioyne with the rest of the congregasion in praying and praysing God with one hart and voice in diligent attending to the word publikely read preached for there is a greater blessing promised to this ministeriall reading then to any mans reading at home Then also the vse of the sacraments as to be present at baptisme for the departing away argues a great contempt of it and with a publique disgrace of Gods ordinance for if one or two haue libertie the rest haue the like and then where were the reuerence Therefore one must tarrie at such exercises as to shew his reuerence so secondly to help the congregation in praysing God for ingrafting an other member into his visible bodie of the church to pray that God would giue the inward working fruit of the same by his holy spirit And to edifie himselfe also by calling to minde that he is also made pertaker of the new couenant and joyned to Christ Iesus And to examine himselfe what fruit he hath felt in himselfe of the death of Christ in killing his sinne and of his resurrection in raising him vp to newnesse of life so either to be humbled if he feele not that profit he would or to be thankfull feeling this work of baptisme and to comfort himselfe in the remembrance of this that the merite and vertue of Christ Iesus his death is his to satisfie for his sinnes and to kill by little and little the power of them all which things we see now presently sealed vp to the partie baptised in the present action For the baptising of the infant is not onely for his profit but for the good of all the church that euery one may see his dutie and what God hath promised and what benefit himselfe is to receaue and looke for Another dutie but priuate is praier after the sermon and publike meeting that those good things which one hath remembred may bee turned into a praier which he must offer vnto God beseeching him that hath shewed him what is to be auoided to giue him power to auoide it and to encline his hart to keepe the things commanded as well as to tell him the dutie that belongs vnto him and as hee hath hard many sweet promises which will doe him no good so long as he hath an vnbeleeuing hart cannot bring himselfe to giue credit vnto them therfore that God would also knit the promises vnto his hart and giue him grace to trust vpon them and to remember them when hee shall haue neede Thus much for one dutie required to sanctifie the sabboth Now the next words follow Sixe daies shalt thou labour c. IN which words God shews a reason why we should obey this commandement God hath giuen a man sixe daies for the duties of his calling but on this condition that hee shall contriue all his works so within the compasse of the sixe daies so that hee let none remaine till the seauenth nor reserue any outward thing to trouble him from the seruice of God on the sabboth From this equitie God drawes a reason to moue euerie one of vs to keepe the sabboth From this we may gather that Gods commandements are equall as hee saith in Ezek. 18. 25. God deales with those that charge his lawes of vnjustice and shewes that his waies bee all together equall the waies of man be vnequall So 1. Iohn 5. he saith that the commandements of God are easie indeede to manie they be most tedious and heauie but this is not from any vnequalnesse in the law but from the naughtinesse of the men that haue carnal harts and worldly mindes for if one haue ouercome the world and growne any thing spirituall so farre Gods
commandements are lightsome the spirituall hart feedes vpon the spirituall law and delights and rejoyceth in it This must serue therefore to cut off those dangers that men cast to themselues in keeping of this commandement as though God had ouershot himselfe in making such an vnjust law as no man can keepe it but hee must bee vndone by it as though hee knew not what hee did when hee bad them rest the sabboth day It is a meruailous impudencie in many that no man durst speake so hardly and presumptuouslie against any positiue law of the prince as euerie base person will speake against this law of God Oh it is impossible to keepe it such losses it brings and these damages it brings that hee must needes come to beggerie that will obserue it what did God seeke the impouerishing and the spoile of men when hee bad them serue him nay he appointed it as a day of blessing and it seemes so hard and vnjust to them because they bee carnall and fleshly and not hauing faith in Gods promises nor any desire to obey him they will still haue shifts and something to say against it the hart is dead and wicked or else the law would bring comfort Oh how should one doe for recreation say some is it not a recreation for a christian to heare the voice of a christian and for a sheepe of Christ to feede in his pastures is it not a recreation for a person condemned to come where hee may get his pardon sealed to him is it not a recreation for a man subject to death to heare a direction that will leade him to life therefore if wee were not altogether sencelesse and blockish in respect of spirituall sence and life it would bee as great a joy for vs to feede at his table and in his house vpon the bread of life as in our owne houses vpon corruptible bread And againe could Christ finde in his hart for our sakes willingly to bestow his soule body and giue his bodie to death and his soule to suffer the wrath of God and shall wee account it a burden to bestow one day in seauen vpon him to be made pertakers especiallie of such benefits And God hath willinglie giuen vs sixe for our calling and may wee not well afford the seauenth to our soules but wee haue such businesse wee cannot doe it But for matter of businesse God shewes two things that if one would obserue should easilie preuent these businesses first sixe daies shalt thou doe all thy work Where hee shewes that if one would labour faithfullie and conscionablie in their calling vpon sixe daies they might well dispatch their businesse but indeede this makes men so loath to giue a seauenth day to God because hauing beene idle and vnthriftie on the sixe they haue neglected some businesse that now lies vpon them the seauenth day and then it is a great burden indeede and impossible for such to keepe it but they must loose by it but Gods commandement brings no such losse their owne sinne is the cause of it and if this bee not the cause then the other is men take more vpon them then their owne work for if one take nothing but his worke hee may dispatch all well in sixe daies if one serue God in his calling his calling will not hinder him from keeping Gods commandements but if one serue couetousnesse and filthie lucre then indeed hee can finde no time to serue God When men in hast to bee rich and eager desire of wealth will take more in their hands then they can mannage this is their fault and all this is not their worke but the worke of their lust this is to bee a busie bodie but let any man bee faithfull in his calling on the sixe daies and not through greedinesse encomber himselfe with more then is needefull and hee shall see hee may easily keepe this seauenth to God there is no cause of such complaining against it And indeede to a spirituall hart that hath any grace measure of Gods spirit how euer it seeme to carnall men it is most just and equall yea most sweet and comfortable so that they can with all their harts thanke God that he hath giuen them one day wherein they may lighten their harts of all worldly cares and throw of all griefes thoughts of debts or such like to giue them selues wholy to seeke comfort in him that will prouide for them in due time and hath prouided this sabboth as an ease vnto them that they should not trouble them selues wtih any such thoughts on that day And thus much to proue that the keeping of a seauenth day and spending it in holy dutie is a morall law and perpetuall and belongs vnto vs as well as to the Iews and so much the more vnto vs because we hauing more excellent meanes a greater perfection is required of vs. As also to shew that euery one must make a preparation for the sabboth Both by dispatching his businesse as nothing may bee left vndone till the sabboth and by behauing himselfe so in the businesse as his affections may not bee to much tied vnto them for the former will hinder the rest of the sabboth and the latter the holynesse of it Therfore that we may keep an holie rest he must doe all that hee hath to doe vpon the sixe daies and if hee take more vpon him then he can finish in the space of sixe daies it is more then God laies vpon him and he doth not labour for conscience sake but for couetousnesse sake and this is not his worke but the worke of his corruption and then secondly a man must draw his hart from the loue of the world worldly things and then neither worldlie losses will fill his hart full of worldlie greife nor commodities with worldlie delight which two things would hinder him from delighting in spirituall exercises so that he that will empty his hands of all worldlie businesse and his hart of worldlie affections shal be able with comfort to keepe a rest and an holie rest vnto God And for the first reason drawne from the equitie of Gods commandements that hauing giuen vs the large allowance of sixe daies and taken the small pittance of one daie vnto himselfe hath dealt in great equitie with vs so that one must not goe about to make hipocriticall shifts and excuses for if he doe it is not from the hardnesse of the law but the hardnesse of his hart not from difficultie in the thing but want of loue in the person for nothing is so easie but a worldlie hart that loues not God will be shifting and haue some odd reasons against it Now we must speake of the second reason It is the sabboth of the Lord thy God IN which God lets vs know that he which is our God and the mightie strong God hath impropriated this to himselfe as his owne possession set a part for his owne seruice therfore wee must willinglie
that they may prolong thy daies namely thy parents when they shall haue occasion with a glad and ioyfull heart to thanke God for that comfort which they haue receiued by the obedience and dutifulnesse of their children this brings with it a blessing of God vpon the soule and bodie of such a childe to prolong his life in all happinesse But on the other side when the father and mother through the rebellion and obstinacie of a childe are driuen to sigh and mourne before God with a troubled soule that hee that should haue bene one of the greatest comforts is one of the greatest griefes and he that should haue built vp the house doth pluck it down this brings a curse and prouokes God to cut of his life vntimely and his soule also vnlesse he repent to his damnation An example of this we haue in the Rechabites the sonnes of Ionadab Ierem. 35. 19. They did reuerence their parents so much and had such a regard of him as that when he seeing the excessiue abuse of wine to drunkennesse and the abuse of lands and houses to couetous greedinesse commanded them to drink no wine nor build no houses nor buy no land which might seeme an hard commandement abridging them of their pleasure and profit yet in loue to their father they kept it all their daies faithfully Now God he comes vpon the Israelites and condemnes them by the example of Ionadabs sonnes shewing that he had beene a better father vnto them then Ionadab had beene to his sonnes and his commandements restrained them from no lawfull delight but onely from sin that would damne the soule yet they would not be so obedient to him as the Rechabites to their father Therefore in the last place he comes to giue a reward to the Rechabites and saith that Ionadab the sonne of Rechab shall neuer want a man to stand before me Such a good thing and so acceptable is it vnto God that children should submit themselues vnto their superiours And so Ioseph hauing beene a good sonne to Iacob Iacob prolonged his daies for he prayed so heartily for him that God could not denie Alwaies when Ioseph came then Iacobs mouth was full of blessings and he was so nimble to pray for him with his whole hart as that he could haue powred out his soule in a prayer for him to haue done him good and these did not goe into the ayre and vanish fruitlessely but tooke place and God indeed blessed Ioseph in himselfe his posteritie aboundantly So that the best diet and the best ayre that one can liue in to make children haue a long and happie life is to be obedient to their parents Therefore let children learne to be dutifull and to serue their parents as Paule saith that Timothie did serue him as a sonne serueth his father so that a good childe should be his fathers best seruant This doing they shall bring Gods blessing vpo their soules and bodie otherwise they shall haue a short life and a miserable life alwaies in bondage to some foule lust or other that shall play the tyrant ouer them and reuenge their parents quarrell vpon them This serues also secondly to instruct parents that if they would haue it goe well with their children they must not then so much labour to get great matters in the world for them but to take them downe by time to instruct them and narture them in godlinesse and to labour to bring obedience and pietie into their hearts or els be they as greate as they will they shall bring a curse vpon them As we see in Dauid sonnes whē he was negligent in bringing them vp in the feare of God but let them haue their owne way and could not find in his heart for foolish fondnesse to correct them we see how Gods curse pursues them one commites incest the other seeing Dauid would not punish so soule a sinne vsurps authoritie and he becomes his brothers iudge and executioner and after also driues his father out of his kingdome and seekes his life till he died a miserable death and a strange Gods hand taking vengeance on his wickednesse An other by treasonable practises came to death by his brother iustly So all these came to a violent and fearefull end why because he would not reproue thē nor checke them as is noted but for Solomon his father instructed him his mother instructed him he was kept in not suffered to runne after vanitie so and therefore we see what blessings befell to him what a curse ouertooke the rest So Eli for foolish pittie grew so tender that hee would not correct his children according as he ought therefore miserie came vpon himselfe and both they died in a day Therefore as parents may and must desire an happie and longe life for their children so they must also vse the meanes to get it for them by good nurture and mastring them to make them know and doe their dutie for better parents master them by correction then God destroy thē in indignation for if they be not staid at first they will proceede from rebellion against parents to rebels against magistrates and then they will rebell against god also till he cut them of by distruction This serues also for the comfort of dutifull children who happily can see nothing but pouertie and are destitute of all worldly meanes of helpe But let them not looke on the outside so much turne to the inside a little how haue they behaued themselues to their parents how haue they dealt with them what affections haue they carried toward them what good haue they beene willing to doe for them what obedience haue they shewed them Make account then that God will blesse thē and succour thē that they shall liue a long and happie life vpon the earth And it is iust that their children also should reward the like to them to couer their infirmities as Noahs chrildren did so that either God will not let them breake out or else they shall hide them and not lay them open to their shame But those that be now so rebellious as they be sicke of the father or mother and desire the parents landes more then their life Looke for it a daye will come that they shall bee sicke of their children to But here seemes an obiection to arise We see it far otherwise ofttimes vilde persons liue long and those that bee obedient die quickely but to this we may answere that the reprobate liues but to heape vp wrath against the day of wrath and to make vp a greaer measure of his sinnes that God may make vp a greater measure of vengeance so that the greatest promotiō for reprobates were to dye so soone as they were borne for the longer they liue the more sins they commit and the more shal be their torments For the godly if God take them away sooner it is to take them to a better place that they may be taken from the euill
doe good and make him drie to minister matter for euerie contention Secondly beware of couetousnesse For a couetous man cannot but be cruell so Solomon saith in Prouerb 1. This is the way of all those that be greadie of gaine they will take away the life from the owners thereof He cares not what mischeefe an other hath so he may haue lucre Who euer stands in the way twixt him and his landes hee wisheth his death vnfainedly If it be a father he could reioyce to see him laid in his graue that he might haue his lands if a brother so he may gaine by his death you can bring him no more welcome newes then that his brother his dead Alwaies coueteousnes drawes after it a long tayle of craft and crueltie Lastly take heede of riotousnesse and drunkennes for when drinke is in the wit is out and grace is out to then a man is such light stuffe that the diuell may tosse him about at his pleasure So in Prouerbs 23. 29. To whome is woe to whome is sorrow and stripes without cause c. First it hurts the bodie it selfe Secōdly it breedes strife and contention murmuring brawling and wounds without cause for when they went good friendes if drunkards can be good friends to their pots all on the sudden vpon a madde humor no bodie knowes they fall together by the eares and are readie to stab and mischeife one an other and two or three houres after aske them why and then they cannot tell but t was a mad humor of theirs Thirdly they so spend themselues this way and drinke vp all their wealth as that they haue no abilitie to doe any worke of mercie Therefore pride couetousnesse drunkennesse must be shund of all those that will keepe this commandement thou shalt not kill Thus much for the sixt commandement concerning the safety of our neighbours person and what duties we doe owe vnto him Now followes the seuenth commandement concerning his chastity and how we should that way behaue our selues in these words Thou shalt not commmit adulterie THe summe of it is that we should auoyd all vncleanenes in our selues and others and vse all meanes to preserue our owne and our neighbours chasiitie The things forbidden eyther Inward in all vncleane lusts Outward 1. Adulterie 2. Fornicatiō Vnnaturall with others selfe naturall in mariage eyther entring without parents consent c. vsing out of season and immoderatly 3. Vncleanenesse eyther Wantonnes In the Things parteyning to bodie as apparrell food sleepe bodie parts hand eye and foot whole in dauncing FIrst for filthie lusts and desires of the heart consented vnto Though they be kept in neither breake forth in word nor deede yet this verie lust and desire it selfe makes one a breaker of this commandement before God As our Sauiour Christ the lawe maker and therefore also the best expositer of it doth testifie Math. 5. 27. I say vnto you hee that looketh vpon a woman to lust after hee hath committed adulthrie with her all readie in his heart They of olde afore hee saith meaning the Pharises had said thou shalt not commit adulterie extending the commandement no further then the grosse act and that they would not haue men commit because it would bringe reproch vpon their name and death vnto their bodie but Christ makes a more narrow meaning and shewes that the adulterie of the heart is odious to God as well as that of the bodie and that men cannot more easily see and perceiue that outward filthinesse then he doth the inwarde for hee hath pure eyes that can abide none iniquitie and hee searcheth the heart and reynes An vncleane heart therefore wishing foule thinges and meditating vpon vile matters is most hatefull to God The vse of this is to condemne those that when they heare Gods curse against the breakers of this commandement concerning adulterie that thinke if they haue not broken forth into the outward action they are free and out of gunshot it pertaines not vnto them But let them know that if they haue an ill heart though men cannot charge them with the euill act yet God can charge them with the euill thought and that they are lyable to Gods curse as well as those that offend outwardly Indeede there be degrees and the increase of sinne bringes an increase of iudgement and grosser sinnes shall haue more greeuous plagues but the least thought is sufficient to condemne them And those that will not humble themselues nor care not for inward motions will if occasion be offered easily be drawne to the outward practise For if lust haue conceiued it bringes forth sinne and he that will not refraine it in the conception shall not be able to hinder it in the birth therfore he that would not haue sin borne must not let lust cōceiue but labour earnestly to kill it in the wombe as it were for howsoeuer thought be free in respect of the sight and law of men yet it is not free from Gods nor from his law which was not only giuen only to reforme and rule the outward manners but the soule also and the affections Secondly this serueth for the instruction of those which haue thus offended that they must repent and craue pardon at Gods hands and intreat him of his mercie to kill this lust and to wash away the filthinesse of their heart that they may not only be freed from the iudgement of God due to the sinne but also may hinder the birth of so filthy a monster as will proceede of this so ill a conception in either conception it is a foule fault after the conception to take any thing that may disable the encrease and birth of it but in this conception it is the greatest vertue and safest way to take such a receite as shall quite kill it that it may neuer come forth to light and this conceite is only to repent and craue pardon for else God will bring their secret sinne to open shame and their inward filthie desire to outward publique disgrace Now the meanes to purge ones heart and to make it cleane and pure from such filthie affections is first to pray to God often and earnestly to punish the heart and to sanctifie it by his holy spirit Then secondly to be faithfull and diligent in some honest and lawfull calling that may busie the heart vpon some thing lawfull and profitable for idlenesse is the mother of foule lusts As a standing poole not hauing any course of running growes filthie of it selfe and full of toades and neuts and filthie vermine so the heart that is not taken vp in some good and honest calling is a fit place for the diuell to breede and engender all monstrous and filthie lusts idlenesse procures lust nothing more as what was the reasō why the Sodomits grew so filthie vncleane that no people euer were so filthy and beastly but because hauing the most fruitfull and abundant contrrie in the world for it was like