praise is it if when ye be buffeted for your faults you take it patiently But if when ye doe well ye suffer wrong and take it patiently this is acceptable to God The contrarie whereof is First Answering againe when wee are reprooued which the Apostle condemneth Let d 1. Tit. 2. 9. Seruants be subiect to their Masters and please them in all things not answering againe Secondly Flying from them as Hagar e Gen. 16. 6. did The dutie we owe to Magistrates and Ministers are First Ministring of charges and other necessaries for To publike authoritie of Magistracie the Ministerie Supplying of charges and other necessaries for the execution of their office the execution of their Offices Giue f Rom. 13. 7. vnto all men therefore their dutie tribute to whom you owe tribute custome to whom custome feare to whom feare honour to whom yee owe honour The g 1. Tim. 5. 17 18. Elders that rule well are worthy of double honour specially they which labour in the Word and Doctrine for the Scripture saith Thou shalt not muzzel the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the Corne and the Labourer is worthy of his wages Haue h 1. Cor. 9. 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 13 14. not we power to eate and drinke Or haue we not power to leade about a Wife being a Sister as well as the rest of the Apostles and as the Brethren of the Lord and CEPHAS or I onely and BARNABAS haue not we power not to worke Who goeth a warfare any time at his owne cost Who planteth a Vineyard and eateth not of the fruit thereof Or who feedeth a Flocke and eateth not of the Milke of the Flocke Say I these things according to man Saith not the Law the same also for it is written in the Law of MOSES Thou shalt not muzzell the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the Corne Doth God care for the Oxen Eyther saith hee it not altogether for our sakes For our sakes no doubt it is written that he which eareth should eare in hope that he that thresheth in hope shuld bee partaker of his hope Doe ye not know that they which minister about the holy things eate of the things of the Temple And they which waite at the Altar are partakers with the Altar So also hath the Lord ordayned that they which preach the Gospell should liue of the Gospell Secondly A defending them in their good and honest and a defending of them in the same Actions as the people did i 1. Sam. 14. 45. Ionathan against the crueltie of his father Saul telling SAVL Shall IONATHAN dye who hath so mightily deliuered Israel God forbid As IEHOVAH liueth should one haire of his head fall to the ground since he hath wronght with God this day So the people deliuered IONATHAN that hee dyed not The like did the Princes vnto Ieremie the Prophet Ier. 26. 24. The Dutie of Children to Parents is Touching thē in priuate authoritie To Parents not marrying without their consent First That they marrie not without their consent which the light of Nature teacheth And the k 1. Cor. 6. 36 37 38. Apostle giueth this honour to Parents to haue power to keepe his Virgin and not to giue her forth to Marriage Secondly When need requireth to releeue them If any l 1. Tim. 5. 4. and in their necessities to releeue them Widdow haue Children or Nephewes let them first learne to shew godlinesse towards their owne house and to recompense their Parents for that is an honest thing and acceptable before God This was Iosephs m Gen. 45. 9 10 11. Pietie who sent word vnto his father Come downe to mee tarrie not And thou shalt dwell in the Land of Geshen and shalt bee neere mee thou and thy children and thy childrens children and thy sheepe and thy beasts and all that thou hast Also I will nourish thee there for yet remayne fiue yeeres of famine lest thou perish through pouertie and thy houshold and all that thou hast Contrariwise our n Mat. 15. 5 6. Sauiour taxeth the Scribes and Pharises for the violating of this Dutie But yee say Whosoeuer shall say to father or mother By the gift that is offered by me thou maist haue profit though he honour not his father or his mother shall be free Thus haue yee made the Commandement of God of no authoritie by your tradition To Masters is due faithfull seruice whereof we haue To Masters faithfull seruice two worthy Examples one of o Gen. 24. 33 36. Abrahams Seruant sent to get a Wife for his Masters sonne who would not so much as eate till hee had done his Message and when but some stay was made of the Maidens going with him Hinder p Verse 56. me not saith hee seeing IEHOVAH hath prospered my iournie send mee away that I may goe to my Master The other of Iacob q Gen. 31. 38 39 40. who speaketh thus of himselfe to LABAN This twentie yeeres I haue beene with thee thine Ewes and thy Goats haue not cast their young and the Rams of thy Flocke haue not I eaten whatsoeuer was torne of Beasts brought I not to thee but made it good my selfe of mine hand didst thou require it stolne by day or stolne by night I was in the day consumed with heate and with frost in the night and my sleepe departed from mine eyes The contrarie whereof is deceitfulnesse and wasting of their Masters goods which the r Tit. 2. 10. Apostle specially biddeth Seruants to take heed of not to bee Pickers but to shew all good faithfulnesse that they may adorne the Doctrine of God our Sauiour in all things Betweene Man and Wife are due First mutuall helpe The woman as ſ 1. Pet. 3. 17. Peter saith being subiect to her Husband and the Husband liuing with his To Husband and Wife each from other mutuall helpe Wife as a man of knowledge giuing honour to the woman as to the weaker vessell both being heires together of the grace of Life Secondly due beneuolence Let t 1. Cor. 7. 3. and due beneuolence the Husband giue vnto the Wife due beneuolence and likewise also the Wife vnto the Husband The Wife shee oweth this to her Husband First that shee represent his vertues being therefore called u 1. Cor. 10. 7. The Wife also to represent her Husbands vertues The glorie of man as man is the image and glorie of God Secondly to saue that which hee bringeth in wherevpon the x 1. Tim. 3. 11. and to saue that which he bringeth in Apostle willeth them to bee faithfull in all things The dutie of all Superiours to their Inferiours is First Good example of graue and wise carriage The y Tit. 2. 3 4. Againe from all Superiours A good example of graue and wise carriage elder women let them be in such behauiour as becommeth holinesse not false accusers not
that all corrections ought to leuell at The bluenesse of the wound serueth to purge the euill and the stripes within the bowels of the belly Secondly The terrifying of others to commit the like offences which God in the execution of his Lawes hath a speciall eye vnto That q Deut. 13. 11. all Israel may heare and tremble Lastly concerning Magistrates Let it bee knowne that the vse of the Sword standeth also in lawfull and iust Warre in fighting the Lords Battailes as shee speaketh r 1. Sam. 25. 28. vnto DAVID For IEHOVAH will certainly make for my Lord a sure House if my Lord fight the Battailes of IEHOVAH and euill bee not found in thee all thy dayes The Ministers Dutie is to attend publike teaching From the Ministerie publike teaching to be diligent therein I ſ Esay 62. 6. haue set Watch-men vpon thy wals O Ierusalem which all the day and all the night shall not cease the t Rom. 12. 7. 8. teacher let him continue in his teaching the exhorter in his exhortation c. The u 1. Pet. 1. 2. Elders among you I exhort c. Feed the Flocks of God that dependeth vpon you Take x Acts 20. 28. heed to your selues and to all the Flocke wherein the Holy Ghost hath made you Bishops that you feede the Church of God which hee hath purchased with his owne bloud The contrarie whereof are First Idoll shepheards that cannot teach at all such as the Prophet complayneth of Their y Esay 56. 10. watch-men are all blinde they haue no knowledge they are dumbe dogges they cannot barke Secondly Negligent Preachers which as Esay there saith lye and sleepe and delight in sleeping Wherefore God telleth z Ezech. 3. 17 18. EZECHIEL Sonne of man I haue appointed thee a Watch-man to the House of Israel and thou shalt heare the Word out of my mouth that thou maist giue warning vnto them from me when I say vnto the wicked man Thou shalt certainly dye and thou doe not giue him warning nor speake to warne the wicked man of his euill way to keepe him aliue that wicked man shall dye by his owne iniquitie but his bloud will I require at thine hand The Dutie of those that haue any charge or gouernment From priuate authoritie Prouision of Food and Rayment is First Prouision of food and rayment whereof the a 1. Tim. 5. 8. Apostle saith If any prouide not for his owne and specially for those of his owne house he is worse then an Infidell For this doth SALOMON commend the vertuous woman Prou. 31. 15. Rising whilest it is yet night she giueth meate to her houshold and the ordinarie to her Maides And b Verse 21. againe She feareth not the Snow for her Family For all her Family is clothed with double clothes And Pro. 27. 27. he saith not onely Let the milke of the Goates be sufficient for thy food but further also for the food of thy Family and for the sustenance of thy Maides Secondly Familiarly to teach their Inferiours as the c Ephes 6. 4. Familiarly to teach their Inferiours Apostle exhorteth fathers to bring vp their children in instruction and information of the Lord for which Abraham d Gen. 18. 19. is highly commended of God I know saith hee that he will command his Sonnes and his Family after him to keepe the way of IEHOVAH in doing righteousnesse and iudgement Thirdly To goe before them in Prayer so did e Gen. 25. 20. and in Prayer to goe before them Isack pray vnto IEHOVAH ouer-against his Wife that is in her presence and together with her and for her because she was barren The Dutie of Parents more particularly is From both the Parents To apply their children to that they are fit for First To apply their children to that they are fit for f Pro. 22. 6. Instruct a childe after the manner of his way euen when he is verie old he will not depart from it ADAM g Gen. 4. 2. in the first beginning of the World practised this Lesson for hauing two sonnes CAIN and HABEL HABEL was a Shepheard and CAIN an Husbandman Secondly To prouide for them For h 2. Cor. 12. 14. Children ought and to prouide for them From the Father to name the Childe not to store vp for Parents but Parents for their Children Speciall to the Father is to name the Childe which authoritie Zacharie Father of Iohn Baptist tooke vpon him when the Mother of the friends i Luk. 1. 62 63. striuing about the name hee decided the Controuersie and called him Iohn Of the Mother another Dutie is more specially to bee From the Mother to nurse it obserued that she nurse the Childe Holy women haue alwayes reckoned this to belong vnto them k Gen. 21. 7. Sarah a great Princesse maketh no doubt but that hauing a Childe she was to giue it sucke Who would haue said to ABRAHAM SARAH shall certainly giue sucke for I haue borne a Sonne In like sort l 1. Sam. 1. 23. Anna is recorded to haue giuen suck to Samuel as was the common course then of religious and godly Matrones whereupon the m 1. Tim. 5. 10. Apostle requireth this in the first place as one of the most special good workes which hee would haue that woman to bee well reported for that should be associate into the number of Widdowes that she haue nursed her Children From Masters due respect of their Seruants trauailes The Dutie of Masters is to haue a due respect of their Seruants trauailes whereof there is a speciall Law n Deut. 15. 12 13 14. When thou sendest out free from thee in the seuenth yeere thy brother an Hebrew that hath serued thee six yeeres thou shalt not let him goe away emptie but shalt giue him a liberall From Husbands cherishing of their Wiues with all entyre affection reward of thy Sheepe and of thy Corne and of thy Wine c. The Dutie of Husbands is that they cherish their Wiues with all entyre affection Ye o Eph. 5. 25. 29. Husbands loue your Wiues euē as Christ hath loued the Church for no man at any time hath hated his own flesh but nourisheth it cherisheth it The Dutie of Equals one vnto another is Secondly it is of equals one vnto another in louing honouring and First To loue and to honor each other Be p Rom. 12. 10. affectioned to loue one another with brotherly loue In giuing honour go one before another submitting q Ephes 5. 21. your selues one vnto another in the feare of GOD. Wherefore wee are to testifie that our loue and respect to others by all holy tokens and outward signes of salutation or otherwise Greet r 1. Pet. 5. 14. ye one another with the Kisse of loue Salute ſ Rom. 16. 16. one another with an holy Kisse The Churches of Christ salute you
to doe all things through Christ that strengtheneth mee Thirteenth Wee haue innumerable Angels that attend to helpe vs Psal 34. 7 8. The Angell of IEHOVAH pitcheth his Tents round about them that feare him 2. Kings 6. 16 17. Feare not there be more with vs then that are with them Then praying to IEHOVAH hee opened the eyes of his seruant who looking saw that behold the Mountaine was full of Horses and Chariots of fire that is of holy Angels round about ELISHA Fourteenth There is no cause why wee should â—aint vnder this burden seeing Prayer ministreth abundant comfort to vs which comming from Gods Spirit with so much the greater vehemencie sighes and grones as the troubles that lye vpon vs are more pressing and weightie must needes bee effectuall for the working of some good blessing To which purpose the Apostle inforceth this Argument Rom. 8. 26 27. Fifteenth Howsoeuer it bee no affliction can debase vs or make vs poore for hauing Christ who is t Heb. 1. 2. Heire of all things and Lord of Heauen and Earth wee cannot but bee rich in him By this Argument the Apostle u Rom. 8. 31. there mollifieth the bitternesse of afflictions He that hath not spared his owne Sonne but for vs all hath giuen him vp to death how shall he not together with him giue vs all good things I haue beene too long in these The rest of the markes that follow to shut them vp shortly are First Humilitie Micah 6. 8. He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth IEHOVAH require of thee but to doe right and to loue kindnesse and to walke humbly with thy God Secondly Loue of the Brethren because they are Brethren and Children of the same Father 1. Iohn 3. 14. We know we are passed from death to life because we loue the Brethren The practice of this one dutie to the members of Christ for Christs sake casteth such a shining Light in the eyes of God and Man that our Sauiour Mat. 25. 35 36. by it our Faith and consequently the righteous iudgement of God in the sauing of our Soules shall be made manifest to all the World in the latter Day Thirdly To loue our Enemies and to forgiue them their offences Mat. 5. 44 45. Loue your enemies blesse them that curse you doe good to them that hate you and pray for them that molest you and persecute you that you may bee the children of your Father which is in Heauen c. Ephes 4. 32. Forgiue one another as God in Christ hath forgiuen you Fourthly Open profession of Christ and of the Gospell Rom. 10. 10. With the heart men beleeue vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth confession is made vnto saluatition Fiftly Humble confession of our sinnes Prouerbs 25. 13. Hee that confesseth his sinne and forsaketh it shall obtayne Mercie Sixtly The vsing of good meanes to clense vs from them Psal 19. 1â— His ignorance who vnderstandeth O clâ—nse me from my secret sinnes Seuenthly Holily religiously to sanctifie the Sabbath Day for this binding vs to the good abearing from following our owne pleasures and profits and the things that are so sweete vnto the flesh cannot rightly bee performed but of those that indeed make a conscience of their wayes wherefore the x Esay 58. 13 14 Prophet setteth it as a speciall marke vpon the Childe of God If thou wilt keepe backe thy foot on the Sabbath from doing thine owne pleasure in my holy Day and shalt call the Sabbath delight holy to IEHOVAH glorious and shalt honour it not to doe thine owne wayes nor to find out thy pleasure nor to speake a word then shalt thou delight thy selfe in IEHOVAH and I will make thee to ride vpon the high places of the Land and make thee to eate the Inheritance of thy Father IACOB So y Ier. 17. 14 c Ieremie 17. many sweet and gracious promises are made to those that keepe the Sabbath and sharpe and to the end of the Chapter seuere Iudgements threatened to the contrarie And seeing it pleaseth God to set such a speciall Memento vpon this Commandement aboue the rest Remember thou keepe holy the Sabbath Day it should teach vs what a deepe Roote the same ought to haue in our heart and how it should affect vs. Of this that our Sanctification is here imperfect two things doe follow a Christian Warfare and Repentance Christian Warfare is a Warre proclaymed of GOD himselfe for men to try all their strength and valour in when hee saith I z Gen. 3. 15. will set enmity betweene thee and the woman and betweene thy seed and betweene her seed Meant principally of Christ the Seed of the Virgin but withall comprehending all his members Therefore heere is a Flag of defiance set vp and a perpetuall and endlesse Warre denounced wherein we may take no truce nor euer be weary of it Of this it is written in the a Reuel 12. 7. Reuelation that a great signe was seene in Heauen MICHAEL and his Angels meaning specially the Saints vpon Earth fighting with the Deuill and his angels And to this spirituall Combate the Scripture euery-where doth incite vs b 1. Tim. 1. 18. Fight that good fight Let c Heb. 12. 1. vs runne with patience the strife that is set before vs and such like Whereupon the Church of God in this life is called The militant Church and all Christians d 2. Tim. 2. 3. Souldiers though principally the same be giuen to the Ministers whose part it is to goe before the people in this spirituall Conflict So PAVL Phil. 2. 25. maketh mention of EPAPHRODITVS his fellow-Souldier And so doth hee and Timothy call Archippus in the e Verse 2. Epistle to Philemon being a Phrase of speech borrowed from the Law where the Ministery of the Priests and Leuites is called a Souldiership or f Num. 4. 3. 8. 24 25. Warfare In this spirituall Battaile I consider fiue things First The Enemies we are to fight with Satan and all his brood the name of Satan comprehending all impure spirits of whom he is the Head being not onely our g Mat. 13. 39. enemy that hateth vs and h 1. Pet. 5. 8. goeth about as a roring Lyon seeking whom hee may deuoure but withall our i Reuel 12. 10. accuser that accuseth vs before our God day and night and the k 1. Pet. 5. 8. pleader against vs. This the Apostle notably describeth Ephes 6. Put on the whole Armour of God that ye may be able to stand against the assaults of the Deuill for we wrestle not against flesh and bloud but against Principalities against Powers and against the worldly Gouernors the Princes of the darknesse of this World against most wicked spirits which are in the high places Satans brood I call the World and the Flesh By World meaning First The malignant Church the companie of the wicked and vngodly The sonnes of that
present doe I see with cheerfulnes freely offering vnto thee By this argument the r 2. Cor. 9. 7. Apostle exhorting to liberalitie willeth euery one to doe as he purposeth in his heart that is freely and of his owne accord determineth with himselfe For saith hee God loueth a cheerefull giuer And thereupon the Children of God are euery-where called A Å¿ Psal 110. 3. Cant. 6. 9. free-hearted people Whereunto the same Apostle there maketh griefe and necessitie to be contrarie Griefe when wee performe good duties heauily and with grudging not of a franke and readie minde Necessitie when wee doe them indeed but against our will onely because wee must needs doe so to saue our credit and reputation among men whereas otherwise wee would not doe them And so doth Peter also oppose these two 1. Pet. 5. 2. Of the other vertue we haue a notable Example in our Sauiour t Marke 3. 5. Christ who was angry and sorrie withall at the hardnesse of the Iewes hearts The contrarie whereof is vnaduised anger such as the Apostle speaketh of Iam. 1. 20. The wrath of man worketh not the Righteousnesse of God or that which God prescribeth For this Ionas is reproued of God Ionas 4. 9. And Ahab u 1. King 21. 4. taxed that he was discontented and angry because NABOTH would not let him haue his Vineyard The third affection is feare of offending in any thing which Salomon maketh the Badge of Gods Children Blessed x Pro. 28. 14. is the man that feareth alwayes And y 1. Pet. 1. 17. Peter doth exhort vs If yee call him Father which without respect of persons iudgeth according to euery mans worke passe the time of your dwelling heere in feare The contrary is carnall securitie when a man runneth on in the hardnesse of his heart without Repentance for so Salomen doth there oppose it But he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into euill Thou saith z Rom. 2. 5. PAVL after thine hardnesse and heart that cannot repent heapest to thy selfe wrath against the Day of Wrath. And a Deut. 19. 19. Moses in Deuteronomie Take heed that there be not any among you that when he heareth the words of this curse blesse himselfe in his minde saying Peace shall be vnto me though I walke after the fantasie of mine owne heart So adding a drunken soule to a thirstie one Lastly our whole bodie and all the members of it ought holily to expresse the inward holinesse of our mind soule Ye are b 1. Cor. 6. 20. bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirits which are Gods present c Rom. 12. 1. your bodies a liuing Sacrifice holy and acceptable vnto God Giue your d Rom. 6. 19. members seruants vnto Righteousnesse in Holinesse The vnmarryed e 1. Cor. 7. 34. woman careth for the things of the Lord that she may bee holy both in body and in spirit And the Apostle f Heb. 10. 22. speaketh not onely of the sprinkling of our hearts from an euill conscience but of the washing of the body by the bloud of Christ with cleane water For this cause our Sauiour g Heb. 10. 5. Christ comming into the World saith Sacrifice and Oblation thou wouldest none of but a body thou hast fitted for me wherein to yeeld your absolute and perfect obedience that is better then all Sacrifice The contrary whereof is the dishonouring or defiling of our owne bodies wherof the Apostle speaketh Rom. 1. 24. And the giuing of our Members seruants vnto vncleannesse and to iniquitie to commit iniquitie Rom. 6 19. which is there opposed to the former of giuing themselues vnto Righteousnesse in Holinesse In this part of the Members of our bodie the senses first are to be acquainted with good things especially the sight and hearing Incline h Pro. 4. 20. thine eares vnto my words Blessed i Mat. 13. 16. are your eyes for they see and your eares for they heare The contrarie whereof is the abusing of them as our first k Gen. 3. Parents did Next is the Tongue for by it as the Apostle l Iam. 3. 9. saith blesse we God Of this it is said m Rom. 14. 11. Euery tongue shall giue thankes vnto God that euery n Phil. 2. 11. tongue may confesse that Iesus Christ is Lord vnto the glory of God the Father The contrary whereof is when the mouth speaketh vaine things as it is Psal 144. 8. To the tongue belongeth open profession of God and of all good duties Be readie o 1. Pet. 3. 15. alwayes to make profession to euery one that asketh of you an account of the faith which is in you p Rom. 10. 10. for with the mouth men make confession to saluation Ye q Exod 23. 13. shall make no mention of the names of other gods neither shall they be heard out of thy mouth Their r Psal 16. 4. sorrowes shall be multiplyed that endow another god I will not powre their burnt Offerings of bloud nor take their names in my lips And hither are to be referred all outward markes of this profession as in Gods seruice The calling vpon of his Name Bowing and kneeling Lifting vp of hands eyes c. as the people did Nehem. 8. 16. answering all Amen Amen with the lifting vp of their hands and stooped and bowed downe to IEHOVAH with their face to the ground ward In doing reuerence to Superiours Å¿ Leuit. 9. 32. vncouering our head and rising vp before them c. The contrary whereof is Open profession of wickednesse when a man need not to digge to finde out their sinnes as the Prophet speaketh Ier. 2. 34. they are so plaine and manifest vnto all or as it is in t Ezech. 24. 7. EZECHIEL When they set their sinne vpon the cliffe of the Rocke in the open face and view of the World and do not powre the same vpon the earth to couer it with dust loth it should be seene Such is that Esay 3. 10. The obstinacie of their face testifieth against them and they doe not conceale but vtter their sinne openly shamelesly and obstinately as Sodom whose impudencie of sinning was such and so audacious that the u Ier. 20. 16. Prophet saith of them God heard a cry in the morning and a shooting at noone day And IEREMIE x Ier. 2. 25. When I said Keepe thy foot from being vnshod and thy throte from being athirst thou saidst desperately No for I loue strange gods and them will I follow Againe y Ier. 18. 12. They say desperately We wil go after our own thoughts and euery one do after the fancie of our own wicked heart And hither Their errour which hold it lawfull to bee present at Idolatrous seruice keeping a mans Conscience to himselfe And where such beare themselues bold vpon the example of Naaman the Syrian 2. King 5. 17 18 let
vertue of all goodnesse The Apostle noteth this also common to all good duties And c 2. Thess 3. 13 ye brethren be not wearie of well-doing Doing d Gal. 6. 9. well let vs not bee wearie for in the proper time we shall reape if we faint not Which is a notable reason taken from the end and reward due vnto it And the rather to perswade vs to this vertue the Apostle to the e Heb. 12. 2 3. Hebrewes biddeth vs to looke to the Captaine and perfiter of our faith IESVS who for the ioy set before him indured the Crosse despising shame and sitteth at the right hand of the Throne of God Consider therefore saith the Apostle him that indured such gaine-saying of sinfull men against him that you bee not wearie and faint in your soules The contrarie therefore is First To faint giue ouer and to be wearie of well-doing Cursed f Gal. 3. 10. is euerie one that continueth not in the things that are written in the Law to doe them Secondly To slide backe and fall away from which the Apostle doth carefully dehort vs Take g Heb. 3. 12. heed brethren lest there be at any time in any of you a wicked heart of vnbeliefe to depart away from the liuing God for as our Sauiour threateneth Hee h Luke 9. 62. which setteth his hand vnto the Plough and looketh backe is vnfit for the Kingdome of God Now wee must not thinke that this perfection here spoken of is required of all alike for euen among men it is iust i Luke 12. 48. to whom more is committed of him to require more The holinesse and perfection of the Angels farre exceeded the holinesse and perfection of Adam according as their nature was more excellent and perfect Adam k 1. Tim. 3. 6. also excelled Eue who as the weaker Vessell euen then when shee stood in her integritie was first assailed by the cunning and slight of Satan and both Adam and Eue if they had still continued in the state of Innocencie by time and experience of Gods goodnesse should haue beene better confirmed and growne more and more in heauenly Graces as our l Luke 2. 52. Sauiour did so in men growne and publike persons more is required then in children or priuate men The last thing is that as our minde soule and bodie Euery thing with so much the greater strength as the dutie doth more excell and all the strength of them must bee carryed both in nature and action to the performance of all good duties so it must bee to euery one in his degree and place For a difference of duties must of necessitie bee holden the Commandements are some greater then other and in euery Commandement some duties to bee preferred before the rest For example the duties of the first Table are greater then the duties of the second which besides the expresse words of our Sauiour Christ calling it the m Mat. 22. 37. first the great Cōmandement may be shewed out of the Prophet first and then out of the Apostle who both make the breach of the first Table to bee the cause that men runne head-long into all offences against the second Vpon n Hosh 4. 12. the tops of the Mountaines they sacrifice and vpon the hils they offer burnt offerings vnder the Oke and Poplar and Oliue because the shaddow therof is good Therefore doe your daughters commit fornication and your daughters in Law goe a whoring And therefore o Rom. 1. 25 26 28 29. God gaue them vp to their owne hearts lust vnto vncleannesse to defile their owne bodies betweene themselues which turned the Truth of God into a Lye and worshipped the Creatures forsaking the Creator who is blessed for euer For this cause God gaue them vp to vile affections vnrighteousnesse fornication c. The duties of the first Table are greater then the second as they are in order before them And this is absolutely true comparing like degrees as morall duties of the one with morall duties of the other not ceremoniall of the first Table with the Morall of the second for in that case it is true which the p Hosh 6. 6. Prophet speaketh I am delighted with Mercie and not with Sacrifice So the chiefe middle and least duties of the first Table are to be compared with the like of the latter deedes with deedes words with words thoughts with thoughts not otherwise for if you cōpare Murder with the least abuse of the Name of God or Adulterie with the least breach of the Sabbath these are the greater sinnes For the measure and proportion to bee obserued in this difference First in the seruice of God our nature ought to bee more prone and apt vnto it our knowledge greater our iudgement riper our conscience tenderer our memorie fresher our desires and will earnester all things to bee done with a greater Affection Loue Approbation Cheerefulnesse Feare to offend Sinceritie Zeale Watchfulnesse and continuance both in Profession and Action In which regard to shew how all our Thoughts Desires and Affections should thus bee taken vp when we come to deale with God it is said Thou q Mat. 22. shalt loue the Lord with all thine heart and with all thy soule and with all thy strength As if this were proper to the Duties of the first Table which indeed doth but principally belong to them and is by proportion to bee carryed to the rest Therefore the glorie of God ought to be dearer vnto vs then the sauing of our owne soules As the examples of Moses and Paul doe teach vs r Exod. 32. 32. one desiring to be blotted out of the Booke of Life rather then that Gods great Name should be blasphemed amōg the Gentiles The ſ Rom. 9. 3. other for the glorifying of God in the sauing of his Brethren the Nation of the Iewes wishing to be anathema accursed from Christ But especially Christ himselfe as a most absolute and perfect example of all righteousnesse doth herein goe before vs when the houre being come wherein hee was for our sakes to drinke vp the full cup of the fierce wrath of his Father and his soule perplexed that he knew not which way to turne him yet hee more regardeth the glorifying of God then the sauing of himselfe from that houre Now t Ioh. 12. 27 28 is my soule troubled And What shall I say Father saue me from this houre but for that cause am I come vnto this houre Father glorifie thy Name And hereupon it is that in all our Prayers we are to set that in the first place as our Sauiour by the verie order of his heauenly Prayer teacheth so as if it could be imagined that wee had no need to aske for our selues which wee alwayes haue yet the onely zeale of his glorie ought continually to stirre vs vp vnto this dutie and that much more forcibly then all our owne necessities The
contrarie whereof is Loue of the Creature aboue God He u Mat. 10. 37. that loueth father or mother more then me is not worthy of me They x Iohn 12. 43. loued the prayse of men more then the praise of God Whither belongeth the loue of our selues and of worldly pleasures of which kind of people the Apostle saith y Philip. 3. 14. Whose god is their belly Secondly When we come vnto our selues the soule is to be respected before all worldly commodities z Mat. 6. 33. Seeke first the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and all these things shall as appendices be cast vnto you So in spirituall Graces euery one as it is more excellent Desire a 1. Cor. 12. 31. the best gifts and I will shew you a more excellent way Follow b 1. Cor. 14. 1. after loue and couet after spirituall gifts but more that ye may prophesie of outward things The bodie is c Pro. 22. 1. to be esteemed more then rayment a good name more then great riches and grace and fauour better then siluer or gold And therefore in the things that concerne our owne good first we are to aske those that belong to the sauing of our soules and that without exception next the things for this present life so farre as God seeth them to bee good for vs. The contrarie whereof is that which the Apostle speaketh of Phil. 3. 19. To minde earthly things and as he saith in d 1. Tim. 6. 5 6 9 10. another place To imbrace godlinesse not for it selfe but for lucres sake Thirdly Circumstances also of time place person and such like ought to inforce our strength and powers Paul though he carryed himselfe in all sinceritie towards all yet 2. Cor. 2. 12. professeth hee did it more aboundantly vnto them Fourthly In things that are indifferent the lesse and fewer circumstances must yeeld to the more and greater vpon this reason Ezra being in a straight either to passe vnto Ierusalem with danger of his owne life and of theirs that went with him or to giue the King occasion to suspect the truth which he had taught him preferred that rather I was ashamed saith hee Ezra 8. 22. to aske of the King an Armie and Horsemen to helpe vs against the enemie in the way because we had spoken to the King saying The hand of our God is vpon all them that seeke him in goodnesse But his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him In respect of all these things that hitherto haue bin deliuered the Law of God is called the Moral Law for there is a four-fold cōsideration of the Law of God One as it is an absolute and perfect comprehension of al duties whatsoeuer whereupon it hath the name of the Morall Law Another as it is the Image Sampler wherunto men Angels were created in all Wisedome and Holinesse at the beginning And so it is properly termed the Law of Nature The third as it contayneth the couenant of workes In which regard Paul is wont for the most part to terme it the Law and sometimes the e Rom. 3. 27. Law of Workes The last as it is a rule and direction for renewed Holinesse or the workes of Grace and Sanctification And in that sence Iohn calleth it the new Law or Commandement 1. Iohn 2. 8. But the Morall Law is it which here wee treate of whereunto for the Reasons afore-said these properties are ascribed First It is a Light vnto our feete and a Lanterne vnto our steps as it is in Psal 119. 104. Salomon f Pro. 6. 23. also in the Prouerbs For the Commandement is a Lanterne c. the Law a Light guiding our steps aright in those straight wayes wherein we are to walke And heereof the Commandements of God are said to bee straight and right The g Psal 19. 9. Commandements of IEHOVAH are right Therefore h Psal 119. 126 I account all thine Ordinances right in all things So doth Salomon proclayme in his i Pro. 4. 11. Prouerbs that by the words of Wisdome which there hee vttereth hee will guide vs in the paths of rightnesse Secondly It is a good and a holy Law as the Apostle to the k Rom. 12. 2. Romanes calleth it That good will of God And DAVID l Psal 119. 39. Thy Lawes are good Being therefore good it is in it selfe acceptable vnto God and maketh those that doe it accepted to him Whereupon the same Apostle m Rom. 12. 2. there calleth it That acceptable will of God Contrariwise sinne peruerteth the straight wayes of the Lord as Peter speaketh Acts 13. 10. And therefore it is euill and naught Know n Ier. 2. 19. and see saith IEREMIE that it is an euill and bitter thing that thou forsakest IEHOVAH And this is the common Epithite which the Scripture giueth vnto sinne which being naught maketh vs odious and hatefull vnto God o Pro. 15. 26. Euill thoughts are an abomination to IEHOVAH Thou p Psal 3. 6. hatest all the workers of iniquitie Thirdly It is a q Iam. 1. 25. perfect Law commanding all good and forbidding all euill Fourthly It is an eternall Law without limitation of time or place giuing a most absolute and perfect direction for all ages and times of the World before and since the Fall and binding to a perpetuall obseruation of it So in the r Reuel 21. 27. Reuelation wee finde That no vncleane thing nor which doth abomination or lyes shal enter into the new Ierusalem And Paul telleth the ſ Gal. 5. 21. Galathians They which doe such things the workes of the flesh there reckoned vp shall not inherit the Kingdome of God for which cause the definition not of Righteousnesse onely but of euery Commandement is so fitted as the same may be a perpetuall rule to serue all times and persons whatsoeuer for albeit some speciall duties of certaine Commandements shall cease when wee come to Heauen yet the substance of euery one remayneth there shall bee no Seuenth day set apart vnto Gods Seruice for all Eternitie of time shall be taken vp for it and a t Heb. 4 9. perpetuall Sabbath no vse of Marriage but u Mat. 22. 30. puritie and perfection like to the holy Angels And the like is to be said of the other Commandements for seeing the Image of God witnesse the x Coloss 3. 10. Ephes 4. 24. Apostle standeth in Righteousnesse and Holinesse which are the two branches of the Law it must needes tye vs with an euerlasting loue who were first made in that likenesse and whose perfection in Heauen is to bee fully and perfectly renewed thereunto which perpetuitie of the Morall Law was y Exod. 34. 27. 2 Cor. 3. 7. noted by ingrauing of it in stone But where will you say is this Doctrine of Righteousnesse taught First Nature it selfe doth teach it in that by our first Creatiō