drawne as a beare to the stake let him make account that the preacher will bait him trouble his conscience for comfort hee can looke for none Therfore if we would haue a blessing by the sabboth let vs keepe it cherfullie knowing that God loues a cherfull giuer Secondlie one must labour to doe all the duties of the sabboth those that must bee done before the sermon and those that must be done after let no ordinance scape vndone vse meditation on Gods word and works heareing reading praying singing psalmes conference workes of mercie of euerie thing something so farre as we haue abilitie and opportunitie But if we will performe them scambling lie doe this and leaue that vndone either make no preparation before or no application after either no publique or no priuate then it may bee he shall finde some blessings but the fewer of these hee performeth the fewer blessings he shall haue he that doth the work of God by halfes shall and it is just he should find the comfort and benefit of them by halfes Thirdlie as one must doe all the duties and that with delight cherfullie so he must keepe the whole day he must doe all the duties and also spend all the time in these duties hee must continue from the beginning to the ending As in Psal 92. 2. To declare Gods louing kindnesse in the morning and his truth at night So that the sabboth must bee spent both morning night and all the daie in holie duties One must forbeare worldlie businesse yea worldlie thoughts the whole foure and twentie houres for if one giue his thoughts libertie to run after matters of the world in the night he breakes the sabboth in one part sleepe one may lawfullie but his sleepe must bee sweetned with holie exercises and so sanctified vnto him as in it hee must also keepe an holie rest And heere manie faile that out of the Church wil be talking with their neighbours musing with themselues about earthlie businesses affaires thinke they haue made a good hand if they spend the most part of the daie till after the euening exercises in workes of religion and then they make no question to take their recreation or to goe about their businesses if occation bee But hee that commands to keepe it in the church bids vs keepe it in the house as to heare him and speake to him in publique so to speake to him out of our harts in priuate not to giue our selues leaue to thinke the least thought of any worldlie businesse Now then wee if seeme to make conscience of the sabboth and yet doe want that blessing which we doe looke for let vs looke to our selues we shall see that wee are halting in some one of these either wee keepe the sabboth lumpishlie and heauilie that it seemes as a tedious burden vnto vs or else wee doe some one or two duties leaue the rest vndone or else if we doe all the duties to be done we want heere that we obserue not the whole day but keep some part of it from god to our selues accordinglie as any man comes short in any of these duties so hee commeth short of the fruit of the sabboth But if one labour with joy to doe all the duties of the sabboth the whole day hee shall finde in his owne soule that it is in truth a day of blessing and brings more joy and comfort yea and a greater blessing with it then all the weeke besides And so much for this fourth commandement of the sabboth and the reasons of it The summe of the fifth Commaundement is to shew what duties we owe one to another in respect of their and our place The persons in this commandement are eyther with authoritie eyther priuate eyther further from equalitie as parents and children masters and seruants nearer equalitie as husband and wife publike in Church Commonwealth without authoritie in age gifts Exod. 20. 12. Honour thy father and thy mother c. HEtherto the duties of pietie to God out of the first Table haue bin handled Now follow the commandements of the second table concerning the duties of righteousnes to our neighbours This is the first commandement of the second table vpō which al the rest do depend as in the first table the keeping of all the commaundements following did depend on the keeping of the first commandement of the table so heere if this first commandement be well obserued both of gouernours and inferiours there could be no disorder against any other of the commandements following For all disorders in the other commandements of the second Table doe flow from hence that eyther superiours are negligent in performing their dutie of gouerning or else inferiours are proud and stubborne and refuse to obey their superiours The words contayne a commaundement and the reason of it The commaundement in those words Honour thy father and mother The reason in the words following That thy daies may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee Because the benefit of obedience is not so great to the superiours which are obeyed as to him that doth for conscience sake obey them they shall not be gainers so much as himselfe for he shall gaine to himselfe a long and happie life Honour To honour is to reuerence in heart and performe all outward duties Father That is all superiours in what place soeuer set aboue thee Thy father This is the first reason whereby God would moue inferiours to obey because he is thy father In that God makes this his reason why the childe should obey his father because he is his father We gather this doctrine That the chiefe motiue to obedience must be Gods ordinance If God haue made him the instrument of thy life and maintenance and haue set him ouer thee thou must for this cause performe all dutie of honour vnto him So in the Prouerbs Honour thy father that begat thee and thy mother that bare thee as if he had said honour thy parents and bee duetifull vnto them not because they be rich or in great place or for any other respect but this because they bee thy parents bee they father and mother how euer rich or poore thou must be duetifull vnto them So the Apostle speaketh to wiues Wiues obey your owne husbands Vsing this as a reason if they be your husbands If God hath set them ouer you as your head and gouernour you must submitte your selues to them for this cause and in obedience to Gods commaundement howsoeuer they be otherwise froward and foolish if they be yours then you must performe your duetie vnto them So for seruants the poynt is not whether hee bee a poore man or rich a simple man and ignorant or wise and discreete but is he a master hath God made him a gouernour then for the time that one is a seruant he stands in the place of Christ in his family and is to be obeyed as if hee
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
Moses and Aron 88 Moses patience 12 his staffe and the power thereof 88 Mothers dutie to her children 8 Murther either secret or open 43 N NAture of man 20 Nature of the Storke 5 Nabuchadnezzar 88. 89. 32. Neighbours 97. they must be loued as our selues 44. Nehemiah commended 84 Night of the sabboth to bee spent holilie 72 Note of the feare of God is feare of his word 23 O OAth 36. 51. Oath lawfull 57 Obedience 17 Obedience to God must come from the hart 5 Obedience of children 3 Obedience of the wife 22 Offence in words 41 P PAtience 11 Papists care little for the sabboth 6 Papists superstitions 35 Parents 40. 2 Parents dutie to their children 7 Paule his feare 20 Perfit loue casteth out feare 19 Periurie 53 Peoples dutie 25 Peace a branch of meekenes 44 Praier 36. 67. 74. Praier for Parents 6 Preparation to the first commandement 1 Pride 50 Punishments for breaking the sabboth 71. 78 R REading the word 36 Receiuing of the sacrament ibid. Reason of the second commandement 37 Remembrance of the sabboth day 70 Reasons why to obey the sabboth 74 Reuerence of children 3 Repentance 67. 88 Rewards for keeping the sabboth 72 Riches improfitable 59 Rules to bee obserued in correction of seruants 17 S SAboth day why consecrated 90 Saboth day 61. 62. Instituted in Paradice 63. First the day of rest 65. Now the Lords day and why ibid. Sacraments 17. 82 Salomons dutie to his mother 3 Seruants 55. 11. Their seruice of God 13 Seruants more to bee regarded then goods 100 Sinne. 98 Speach 46 Spells 48 Spirit of God the spirit of truth 90 Subjects dutie 29 Superiors in gifts 32 Suretiship 67 Suspition 94 Superstition the hatred of God 39 Strange Gods 13 Strange apparell 57 Swearing 51. swearing wickedly 52 T THe law deliuered 1 The tables broken 2 The workes of the Trinitie 2 Thankfulnesse of children 3. it consists in two things 5 The feare of the three children in the furnace 24 The brasen Serpent 33 The Cherubines ibid. Theft 71. 72 Temperance in meat and drinke 53 To auoid idolatry is to auoid Idols 31 To honour what 1 Trust in God 26 Truth 96 V VAine swearing 52 Vaine iangling 46 Vineyard of God ibid. Visitation of the sicke a priuate worke of the sabboth 73 Vnreuerent speeches of Gods workes 51 Vncleanenesse two fold 56 Vowes when to be vsed 36 Vse of Gods words 47 W WAntonnesse 57 What God hates hating the world 78 What it is to feare God 20 What to bee done on the sabboth day 71 Wee must loue God 16 We must not bee discouraged wanting meanes 71 Why children should first feare their mother 3 Wherein children must obey their parents 4 Wicked impietie to make an image of Christ 32 Worshipping of Images 34 Word of God 47 Wonders in Aegipt 88 Worldly crosses 11 Z ZAcharies vprightnes 7 Ziphiâ—â— 84 FINIS AN EXPOSITION VPON THE TEN COMMANDEMENTS Exod. 20. 1. God spake these wordes and saide I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the land of Egipt out of the house of bondage THESE wordes containe a preparation to stirre vs vp to keepe the law of God partly in generall to all the keeping of all the commaundements Partly more specially to the keeping of the first That preparatiue which pertaines generally to all is in these words God spake It seeeth they haue God for the author of them therefore wee must settle our selues to obey them without gainsaying because God will not bee disputed withall The preparation to the first commandement more specially is drawne partly from the nature of God partly from his benefites His nature where hee saith I am Iehouah which signifieth the essence of God incommunicable to any creature From his benefits either generall in those words thy God i. One that haue bound my selfe in couenant with thee to bee thine and to do thee good in matters for this life and the life to come Or else speciall in the last wordes which haue brought thee out of the land of Egipt signifieng that hee had prooued and shewed himselfe to bee their God by drawing them out of that bondage and because the mercie of God might more appeare in their deliuerance hee shewes the grieuousnesse of the state out of the which hee deliuered them it was an house of bondage i. a place of most extreame slauerie Sith hee is thy God then and hath beene so kinde vnto thee thou must willingly acknowledge him and him onely to bee thy God God spake these words In that it bringeth the author of these wordes hee saith God spake them This doctrine ariseth to vs that God is after a speciall the author of the tenne commaundements they are his words more specially then any other And as all scripture is to be regarded as proceeding from God so more especially these tenne words because they bee after a more peculiar sort Gods words That this is so it is proued plainelie in Deuter. fiue verse two and twentie Where Moyses hauing repeated this law sets downe two priuiledges that it had aboue all other scripture to winne the more authoritie vnto it First hee saith these words the Lord spake vnto all your multitude noteing this vnto them that whereas the ceremoniall and indiciall lawes were deliuered by the ministery of Angels and the other scriptures by the meanes of the men of God the Prophets these wordes and these commaundements God himselfe as it were in his owne person full of Magestie and terrour accompanied with all his Angels in a flame of fire did pronounce so terribly in the bearing of them all as that they trembled and came to Moyses requesting him that they might no more heare God speaking on this manner for if they did assuredly they should die for feare wherefore in this first regard they must bee exceedingly reuerenced because Gods owne voice did speake them Secondly for the writing of them they were not written as other scriptures which Saint Peter saith holy men of God write according to the instinct of Gods holy spirit within them but God him selfe did write them as it were with his owne finger not vsing thereto either men or Angells as instruments Yea at the first hee made the Tables himselfe also that there might bee nothing seene wherein was not the immediate worke of God vvherein they were written but afterwardes when Moyses brake them before the Isralites that had made the goulden Calfe to shew that they by their idolatrie had broken the couenaunt and vvere vvorthie to be cast off then though God did bid Moyses make the second Tables yet himselfe write the law not vsing thereto the ministry of any of his creatures shewing that in this regarde they bee more specially GODS wordes and so more to bee regarded And besides this testimonie diuers reasons may bee vsed to shew that these are GODS owne inuention and wordes after an extraordinarie manner For first the wonderfull and perfect holinesse that
Ioseph shewes Genesis 48. He was a great Prince and his father but a poore man and liued at his finding he had his sight and his father for age was blinde and therefore could not see his dutie yet when he comes to his poore father and his blind father he bowes to the ground and behaues himselfe so lolily as if his father had beene a mightie man and had his sight as perfectly as euer in his life Because he knew that neither blindnesse nor pouertie coulde take a way the nature of a father nor the dutie of a sonne Therefore he being a prince is as dutifull to his father a poore man as if his father had beene a Prince he poore for the outward estate did not moue him so much as the conscience and regard of his dutie which he knew to be nothing lessened So king Solomon when his mother came vnto him sitting on his throane it is noted that hee rose vp from hsi throane and bowed himselfe vnto her and caused all things els to cease till he had set his olde mother in a place of honour fit for her And he would haue all his people to know that though hee was as wise and rich a king and that of Gods owne appointing as euer was yet this his greatnesse did nothing diminish his mothers superioritie nor his reuerent cariadge towardes her This serues to confute those vngrations and wretched children that doe not reuerence their parents in heart but contemne them and thinke basely of them and content not themselues with this inward vndutifulnesse but shew it also by rough wordes by froward countenance by vnreuerent and vnfit actions and manie grow so familiar with their parēts as that one that had not known them seeing their behauiour would rather thinke them to bee neighbour and neighbour then father and sonne so vnreuerently and vndutifullie do they behaue themselues without any outward tokens of reuerence And indeed what doth the froward speaches and lookes of manie children proclaime but that they haue no feare of God in their hearts no righteousnesse in their hands nor anie regard of the duties of the first or second table If euer these persons liue to haue children and God doe not in his iustice cutte them of they shall finde that their children will reuenge their fathers wrongs into their bosome and be as readie to despise them and carrie themselues vnreuerently to them as if they were to doe it to their parents The next dutie is obedience which is commanded Coloss 3 Children obey your parents and he adds a reason this is pleasing to God It is not only a pleasing and a ioyfull thing to the parents that the childe should obey his comandements But this is a thing that God takes greate delight in and is well pleased with all and on the contrarie it doth not only greiue and offende the parents that children be stubborne and rebellious but it offendeth Gods maiestie also and greeueth his spirit Now the thinges where in children must obey their parents are especiallie these First in doing the thinges that they command and performing that worke that there parents set them about that it be neuer so base and painefull to doe so far as their strength will permit For though some children may thinke why this worke is to base and vnbeseeming my worth for as euerie one is more proud idle so he hath a greater conceite of himselfe and as he is most base and contemptible so hath he a higher imagination of his owne excellencie and worth though they may thinke the workes too base yet that may not excuse Is it too base I but did your father comand it and resraine you doe it Then you are a base and proud person that make no more account of your owne flesh then of Gods commandement for so soone as the father hath cōmanded it being a lawful thing Gods stampe is set on it it caries the face of Gods commandement he that thinkes himselfe to good to doe it thinkes himselfe too good to obey God This will not serue the turne then it is a contemptible thing in the world and men will mocke me why but are you a christian and haue you not learned so farre to denie the world as to preferre Gods commandement before the contentment and mocking of men and were it not better for you that the worlde should speake euill of you vniustly for well doing Then that god should instly plague you for well doing An example of this obedience we haue in Isaac who yeelded to his fathers commadement so far as to suffer his head to be chopt of and himselfe bound and laid one the woode and burnt Because his father being a Prophet had warrant so to doe and could shew the commandement of God vnto him to proue it a lawfull thing he did and t was his dutie to obey If he had not seene Gods commandement Abraham had gon beyonde his commission for it had beene willfull murder and he ought not to haue obeyed but when the thing was lawfull Isaac was bounde to submit himselfe to his father euen vnto death So Christ was obedient to his father in the most base and painfull thinge of all for what burden more contemptible then the burden of our sinnes and to be hanged on the crosse mockt and spitted on and buffetted and what more painfull then to vndergoe the curse and plague of God yet if he his father would haue him suffer all this he would not stand with him for such a mattter but willingly submitted himselfe to the death of the crosse So that if the thing be lawfull though it be a thing of no credit and of much paine yet if it be the fathers commandement it is Gods commandement and the child must obey and by how much the thing is more base and contemptible and more hard and painfull by so much he is a better childe and shall haue a greater reward for in matters that be easie and pleasing hee doth serue himselfe now a good child should serue his father for euery christian childe must be his fathers seruant but hee that is vndutifull and stub borne is a rebell against God And as in other matters the parents are to be obeyed so espeically in mariage As Isaac being a man of discretion of 40. yeares old yet would not once goe about to take a wife for himselfe but was content to stand at his fathers chosing And Iacob would not dispose of himselfe in mariage till Isaac and Rebecca had consulted vpon the matter and had directed him whether hee should and among whom he should chose his wife Naomi being but a daughter in law yet would not be at her owne disposition to take what husband liked her best but was willing to be disposed by Naomi in matter of mariage especially therefore children must giue this honour to their parents to thinke their fathers wiser and better able to make choyce themselues and as in
matters lesse weightie so especially to take their counsell and be directed by them in this great matter that so neerely concerns their estate A second thinge wherein children must obey their parents is in bearing their admonitions and corrections As it is often said in the prouerbs Despise not the correction of thy father nor contemne not the admonition of thy mother Set not light by them but weigh them and consider well of them in thine heart Nowe the childe is bound to obey his father as in doing the thinges commanded so in suffering his rebukes and chasticement Because it is a dutie lying vpon the soule of the father and commanded vnto him from God and secondly because it is a testimonie of his fathers loue to him for hee that spareth the rod hates the childe but he that loues him corrects him betime And then correction is a meanes of their saluation and keepes them from hell for foolishnesse is bound to the heart of the childe it is tyed there as with a corde or rather chayned so that nothing will make a seperation but the rod of correction that will part them and he that is not corrected is a foole and so shall continue still Because then it is the fathers dutie and a token of his loue and a meanes of the good of the childe he must suffer it patiently and humbly and not only so but hee must see that hee profit by it and make a good vse of it for else he makes his father take much paines and vndergoe a great deale of greese in vaine and to no purpose and therefore not profiting by correction is guiltie of contemning Gods ordinance This serues for the reproofe of such children as are soure and angrie at the admonition or correction of their parents that although they be fonde and light headed and haue neither experience nor knowledg yet thinke they can tell how to carrie themselues well enough and scorne to bee admonished or told of a fault but of such that is verified that the wise men faith afoole is wiser in his owne conceite then ten men that render a reason But for these parsons that pout and swell thus at an admonition the best course that can be taken with the is to beat out that pride by sharpe correction For this makes them so audacious when wordes are giuen vnto them because they haue not beene soundly and throughly corrected The third dutie of Children is thankefulnesse to their parents and consisteth especially in two things First in releiuing their parents when they shall be in want if the parent be blinde the child must be an eye vnto him if he be lame he must be a staffe vnto him if he stand in neede of any thing the childe must to his power helpe and succour him And this dutie indeed the verie law of nature doth require for the father hath paide for it before hand and it is but a due debt for when the child was borne naked without any friends and could not helpe himselfe nor put one morsell of meate into his owne mouth nor hang a ragge on his own bodie to keepe him warme who pittied him who releiued him were not the parents then insteede of all limmes vnto him and had much care and feare for his sake afore he came to this estate wherein he is now were it not then a shamefull ingratitude in him and were he not worse then a beast if he would not haue care to recompence all these kindnesses and to pay so due a debt So the holy Ghost commands children To be like the stroke Now the manner of the stroke is this that when the olde one is growne weake and cannot flye a broade for himselfe the young storkes will helpe him and the old stroke fares as well is as largly prouided for by the trauaile of the young as when he was in his full and perfect strength So Ioseph dealt with Iacob when Iacob was in want and his sonne had plentie when his father sent mony to buy corne the sonne would not take it but gaue him corne freely and whereas siue yeares of famine were behinde he sent for him and had great care to bring him thether and hauing brought him thether was so carefull to prouide for him and to administer to him whatsoeuer hee had neede of as that Iacob did neuer fare better and with more ease in all the time of greatest plentie then he did when the whole world was affamished for want of bread for before he sent to the market for it and there he must buy it for his money but now that he was come to Ioseph in dearth he needes not be at so great paines or cost for it is sayd He did put meat into his mouth that is he was a good tēder hearted nurce to his father and his fathers familie and as carefull that nothing should be lacking to them as the mother for the childe that will euen put her teat into the childs mouth So Ruth though she was but Naomies daughter in law yet now that Naomies yeares and strenght were spent shee being young tooke paines and trauelled for both and when beside that which shee had gotten with her paine and labour Boaz being a mercifull man gaue her some victuals shee would not deuoure all her selfe but euen spared it from her owne bellie for her mother only shee tooke so much as was needfull to refresh her bodie and to strengthen her in her trauaile the rest shee reserued for her old mother in law and knew well that it was better young folkes should bee pinched then their old parents lacke anything Therefore we see how God honoured her with the mariage of a Prince and great man in Israell and gaue the sonne of God Christ Iesus to be borne of her seede This serues for the sharpe reproofe of the swinish and vnnaturall disposition of many vngratious children that so long as the parents haue anie thing to giue and something may be be gotten by them all that while they will be so kinde and so louing and there is such striuing and catching that well is he that can get the old one but when their parents are drawne drie and they haue sucked all from him and left nothing once then he is neglected of all then euerie day is an yeare till he be deade then he is a burden and a clogge and he must be eating and drinking then he doth nothing but spende he gets nothing such foule and currish speaches shal be hearde oft times from the mouthes of wicked and vnnaturall children This is the fowlest dishonour that can be not to releeue and helpe the weake and distressed parents As Christ faith Matt. 15. 6. such honour not their parents those that pretende by bestowing it an other way to bee freed from releeuing their parents these doe not honour there parents And for these churlish and beastly people let them looke for it if God cast them not into hell
before their children shall make euen with them and reuenge and quitte there parents wronges to the full by the like fauage dealing with them A second dutie of thankefulnesse is to pray for their parents As in Tim. 2. He commands that prayers be made for all in authoritie And if any must praye for those that be further of in common weale much more for those that are nearer in the familie Therefore this is a fault to bee greatly condemned in many that can see their parents faults and speake of them too much but cannot finde time to fall downe before God and beseech him to heale their nature and helpe them out of their sinnes Many haue liued a longe time with their parents yet cannot say that they sent vp an heartie prayer to heauen for their parents so vnnaturall and vnthankefull be they The vse of all these duties to those whose parents are not aliue is to looke that their sinnes be not aliue after their parents death And therefore to examine themselues whether they haue beene faultie in any of these things and if they do repent for it and desire pardon else they be lyable to two plagues First that their children should take their parents quarrell in hand and requite their wicked dealing in what euer dutie they haue fayled and haue not repented of it And secondly that as honouring parents brings a long and happie life so their dishonouring their parents should make them haue a short life and miserable or if a long life yet full of Gods curses for their vnrepented sonne Therfore let such as be now fatherlesse marke themselues and finding that their children are stubborne against them and vnthankfull and rebellions euerie way as many may see it openly and wofully let call themselues backe and see what kinde of children they were before how they behaued themselues to their parents whether they were not all together faultie in this point If it be so let them confesle that their owne sinnes haue found them out and are turned open let them acknowledge that God is iust and hath giuen the same measure into their bosomes their own euill is fallen vpon their owne heads they digged a pit in their youth and now in their age are fallen into it And thus much of the duties of children Now follow the duties of parents to their children For vnder the dutie of inferiour is comprehended also the dutie of the superiour And as God would haue inferiours to giue honour so he commaunds superiours to carrie themselues in that manner that they may deserue honour And doth bind them as straightly as the inferiours Now the duties of parents to their children are eyther in their tender yeares riper age The parents dutie to the children in their tender yeares and childhood is first to instruct them in religion to season them with the words of pietie or by little and little to drop in the grounds of holinesse into them euen so soone as they are able to speake and beginne to haue the least vse of vnderstanding So Prouerb Teach a childe in the trade of his youth and he will remember it afterwards Where the holy ghost exhorting men to teach their young children meetes with an obiection Alasse might one say teach such little ones what good will that doe we shall but loose our labour for they cannot vnderstand it nor conceiue the meaning of these things The holy ghost answeres Be it that for the time he cannot vnderstand the sense yet teach him the words and tearmes of goodnesse and though while he continues a child perhaps it seeme a fruitlesse thing yet you shall see afterwards it will not be in vaine for the crop of this seede that was soone in the childhood will appeare when he comes to age though for a time it lay hidden then he wil remember these things that to good vse which it seemed he got no good by when he was so young wanting vnderstanding Therefore let him haue the words taught him when he is able to heare and speake words and after when he is of more discretion he will conceiue remember the sense too And this dutie the holy ghost commaunds Ephes 6. 4. Bring them up in instruction and feare of the Lord. And this Timothies mother did put in practise For it is noted of her that she instructed Timothie in the scriptures from a child and that was the cause he was so holy a man she was a nurse to his soule as wel as to his bodie and gaue him milke out of the breasts of the scripture so soone as he had done sucking her owne breasts so that as he waxed strong in naturall strength of naturall life so he waxed strong in the knowledge of the life to come and therefore he grew so excellent a man and so worthy a preacher and member of the Church because his mother fedde his soule as well as his bodie The second dutie of parents to their children in their yonger yeares is to correct them to giue them correction which the holy ghost in the Prouerbs commaunds often and shews the fruit of it Correct him and thou shalt saue his soule chasten him and he will giue thee pleasure In the latter the rod of correction driues away folly this is the onely meanes to make a diuorse betwixt folishnesse and his heart which are so neerely wedded together But in correction these rules must be obserued First let it be seasonable and done in time passe it not ouer to long but begin early enough So Salomon saith Hee that loues him corrects him be time and doth not omit it till it be to late but takes the fittest opportunitie when he may with most ease and fewest stripes doe most good For indeed a small twig and a fewe blowes in time when he is yet a child not hardened in sinne will doe more good then many tods and abundance of stripes afterwards if this seaso be let slip for if the child be not mastred when he is young he will maister his parents when he growes elder Therefore let them not get an head for if they doe they will prooue like an young colt that hath gotten an ill tricke at the first he hath once cast his rider he was marred in the beginning and now you may sooner almost kill him then breake him and bring him in any good order againe Secondly it must be done with great compassion and mercie not in bitternesse to ease ones selfe with the paine of the child which is too barbarous crueltie For in truth commonly there is good cause why the father should be as much grieued or rather more then the child because for the most part he doth but correct his owne sinnes in his sonne for if the childe be curst and froward is it not because he hath seene the parents brawling and contentious if he lye hath not his father giuen him a patterne of dissembling and if he sweare being
good meanes we can and he will prouide for the children of his seruants Therefore one should neither withhold himselfe from any works of mercy nor nigardly and pinchingly restrayne himselfe of any necessarie thing yea any comfortable delight for his childrens sake Lastly for disposing let this be the first and maine rule that those be vsed best which are best and those haue most goods giuen them that haue more grace in their hearts So Iacob had the blessing though Esau was the first borne and Ioseph had the double portion though he was the youngest but one of twelue For grace makes the younger to be the elder and sinne makes the elder the younger therefore he was indeede the right heyre for euerie one of the former ten had stayned themselues with some soule and grosse sinne which did put them out and therefore they were iustly disinherited So Solomon was not Dauids eldest sonne but hee was the sonne of his age yet he succeeded him in the kingdome because the other were proud and vndutifull and there was no hope that they would doe any good in Church or common weale This must be the first then that grace haue the first place vertue must make the heyre Secōdly the other also must haue their portiō proportionablie not one all and all the rest neuer a whit as is contrary to the cōmon practise that the eldest must goe away with the whole and the rest haue iust nothing as though he only were a lawfull child and the rest not legitimate and hence growes much hurt and much heart burning and emulation among brethren Now God saith parents must lay vp for their children not for one child only And others that if they haue no heyre male but all daughters the heritage must be put away from them and giuen to some other and why so forsooth because of the name sake that the name might continue but how know you that he shall continue to keepe vp your name or how know you that he may not liue so as that he shall be a blotte to your name and to your selfe rather then a credit why then should one for a foolish regarde of name breake both Gods law and the law of nature too For God hath appointed Numbers 27. That if there be no sonne the lande and heritage shal be deuided among the daughters And thus much for the duties both of parents and children So much for the duties of parents and children Now followeth the duties of seruants and Maisters First for the duties of seruants The first dutie is reuerence to their gouernour and that is both inward and outward The inwarde commanded in Ephes b. 5. Seruants be obedient with feare and trembling 1. Peter 2. 18. bee subiect to your Maisters with all feare 1. Tim 6. 1. let seruants count their Maisters worthy of all honour So that it is not enough for a seruant to performe all outward duties required at his hand vnlesse he begin with this first dutie to haue his master in an high account in his heart and to carrie a reuerend estimation of him in his heart he must account him worthie all honour Paule in that place speakes to christian seruants which had vnbeleeuing and infideli Maisters yet he would haue them count such worthy of all honour not that their insidelitie did deserue to be honoured but because they carried on them the authority of God standing in Christs place as his vicegerents in the familie Because of Gods ordinance thereof and his commandement laide vpon the seruant he must reuerence his maister though an insidell So that euerie christian seruant must set his firme conclusion with himselfe This is maister and gouernour that God hath appointed ouer me and that stands in Gods roome to mee therefore because of his place and the charge layde on me by God I will highly and reuerently esteeme of him Secondly this reuerence must appeare in the outwarde behauiour and cariadge of the body Else for one to pretende feare in the heart and not declare it by the outward gestures this is not sounde dealing but hipocrisie and falshood Therefore the inward account must shew it selfe in the bodie and in the actions of the bodie As first in not aunswering againe if they be at any time reproued for any thing done amisle they must not haue a gainsaying proude and vndutifull spirit but in all good speches and submissiue cariadge manifest their inward reuerence But contrarie to this is the vnteuerent behauiour of most seruants especially to poore men if the maister be poore and meane and of small account in the world the seruants take themselues for his companions and not as inferiours they thinke themselues not bounde to shew any dutie of subiection vnto him in standing bare in bowing to him and rising vp be fore him where as indeed the poore mans seruant is bounde to be as dutifull to him as if he were a Prince for Gods commandement respects not wealth and the outward things but only Gods ordinance Indeed if rich men did carrie the person of God vpon them and the poore the person of an Angell or some meaner creature then it were some thing their commssion hath all one seale and their authoritie in both is the selfe same and he that will seeme to reuerence a rich maister and not a poore is an hypocrite and shewes himselfe to be led by some carnall respect not by Gods commandement And for one to deale vndutifully with his poore master that beside the sinne is a double iniurie for this is to add affliction to affliction For if he be opprest with contempt abroad and be had in disgrace of others the seruant by his dutifull and reuerent dealing should comfort and refresh him and be a meanes to mitigate his greefe but to dispise him at home that is contemned of euerie one abroad this is to lay a greater burden vpon him that all readie sinkes vnder it Therefore if seruants reuerence their maisters they must not giue them frowarde speaches but euen outwardly shewe their inward account and the more base their maisters bee in the world the greater reward shall they haue from God and they shew the more truth and grace to be in their hearts For to reuerence a rich man that will not beare contempt but will take him downe and crush him this the veriest hipocrite may doe euen for his owne peace But here is sinceritie here is truth of heart and vprightnesse if when the master is poore and meane and of no reckoning in the world then the seruant can reckon him worthie of honour and serue him with reuerence and giue him his authoritie and full allowance in all good carriage how euer others doe debase and contemne him A second thing outward wherein inferiours and seruants must shew their reuerence to their masters is in hauing a care of their name not blazing outward their infirmities For this is a fault of many seruāts that being hired to doe
well was verie seruiceable and by it painefull trauell brought in much profit vnto the master if he be diseased by some sore or sicknesse he will let him haue rest and looke carefully to him that he want nothing and take the counsell of some one that is skilfull in such matters for some drench or medecine that may helpe his horse or oxe restore his health Thus men will deale with a beast but what master almost can be found that doth not plainely proue that he loues a beast more for his commoditie sake then he doth a man for Gods sake for he that will be content to be at cost and charges and some trouble also with his diseased and sicke horse his sicke seruant may lie and die and he will neuer come at him nor seeke any remedie for him but rather encrease his paines by murmuring and grudging that he eates and he drinkes and doth nothing but spend and burthen the familie And when Gods hand hath restrained him from working and not his owne negligence and ofttimes when he gets his weakenesse by faithfull and painefull seruice done to him then some are so cruelly and miserably coueteous as that they will abate so much of their wages as the time of their sicknesse comes to And when he suffers paine and griefe enough by his sicknes then he that should looke to healing of him doth not onely neglect that but also gleanes from him and robs him of his wages which is a double sinne and iniurie So much for the duetie of masters to their seruants that dwell with them Now when they part the masters duty is to looke that he send not his seruant away emptie but doe something for him according to the blessing of God vpon him by his seruants labour according to his owne abilitie and looke how much longer time the seruant hath beene with him and howe much more faithfull seruice he hath done to him by so much more must he be franke and bountifull in respecting and beleeuing him Contrarie to this is the dealing of those shisters that must haue new seruants euerie yeare for that either they be so bad themselues as none will stay with them longer then needes they must or els they intertaine such vngodly persons into there familie as it is not sit that they should tarrie long in any place And those that take in such manner seruants as deserue noe recompence because they imploy their labour about such things as the familie hath no benefit by them but are fit only to serue their Maisters lust in vanitie and foolishnesse for such it is iust that though they dwell manie yeares in a place they should haue no reward giuen them because their labour hath brought no good to the familie no bodie hath beene a gayner or bettered by it but here was a great fault on both parts for both the Master was a foole to giue harbour to such vnprofitable companions and the seruant was a foole to spende his time and paines about such base seruice as could be benefit to no bodie and here it is iust that both should be loosers But when one hath had a seruant that hath beene with him a longe time and done him faithfull seruice so imploying his labour and spending both his daies and strength as that some profitte and commoditie redownds to the familie And the maisters estate hath beene better by his carefull diligence now by continuance of time and by this profitable societie they had the seruant should grow to be vnto him as a child and he if he will seeme to be one of a good nature vpō so long experience of his faithfull and louing cariage should put on the affection of father to him For indeede nature shewes that it is a shame for one to put away his old seruant that hath worne out his bodie in his seruice without bestowing his liberalitie vpon him in some measure according to his owne abilitie and his seruants labours But it is the custome of most men now a dayes so wretchedly couetous are they growne that they deale with their seruants as one would deale with an horse when he grows old and can doe nothing any longer that may bring profit euen pull his skinne ouer his eares and cast his bodie to the dogs and thus brutish are vnnaturall men to their seruants ofttimes toyle them while they can labour consume their strength and spend them out then age will come and the bones will growe weake and the bodie waxe feeble and faint one cannot be alwaies young and strong and what then Then turne them out of dores poore and helpelesse into the wide world to shift for themselues as they can and they must either beg or steale or sterue and thus it comes to passe that manie become theeues and vagrant beggers through the masters base niggardlinesse that would not doe his dutie in bestowing some proportionable and competent releefe vpon them So much for their duties that bee further of from equalitie in the familie as parents and childe Masters and seruants Now those that are more equall are the husband and wife whose duties are either common to both or more particuler to either of them The common duties are these First they must loue one an other with a pure heart feruently This dutie both husband and wife must performe naturally one to an other Which that they may the better striue for let vs consider of some excellent cōmodities that will proceede from this loue and wich indeede will shew in their practise whether their bee this loue or not First this benefit will certainly ensue where there is loue betweene man and wife they will be chast and true hearted so farre as they loue one the other truely they are garded from all strange lusts euen in heart that they will not allowe any vnchast desire much lesse any vnchast looke or action For so in Prouerbs 5. 19. 20. Delight in thy wife and reioyce in her loue for why shouldest thou goe after strange women As if he had said sure enough if thou doe not loue thy wife thou wilt follow a whoare or at the least art in daunger to doe it but if thou loue thy wife truely thou art strengthned against a stranger And so may it be saide of the woman concerning her husband For it is not the hauing of a wife that makes a man chast and keepes him from filthinesse but the louing of his wife that will keepe him and so it is not the hauing of an husband that makes a woman honest and preserues her from adulterers but it is the louing of her husband which will doe it For many married men and women liue filthilie and impurely but if they did loue one an other they were safe from that fault This then is one benefit it is a most sure defence of ones chastitie to loue each other An other benefit that constant loue will bring is that they shall be verie patient
this disordred confusion as if the Pilot would both hold the sterne and hoyst vp the sayle and be vpon the hatches and sit vpon the neast and labour at the pumpe and od all himselfe it must needs goe ill with the ship and that is in continuall danger of sinking But those gifts that God hath giuen the wife the husband must see them employed and then she shal be a fellow-helper vnto him and bring a blessing vpon the family by her labour And so much for the duties of husband and wife which I doe not so speake as though is were in the power or nature of any man or woman to performe these duties nay by nature men be inclined to the contrarie The wife is naturally disobedient and stubborne prone to conteme and dispise her husband and he is prone to be wandring abroad and take more delight in any ones company then his owne wiues and if he be with her at any time he is so destitute of all true sauing knowledge as that he is readie alwaies to be eyther light or foolish or else sowre and churlish and to doe her hurt by his example and make her worse rather then better and both of them are destitute of all true and spirituall loue one of the other But God shewes these duties in his word to the end that we seeing our sinnes and our weaknes might bewaile our wants before God and beseech him that requires these things at our hands to worke these things in our hearts and as he hath giuen vs these good commandements to giue vs grace to make our hearts good to keepe the commandements And he that makes this vse of the law he profits by the doctrine But if any be so blinde and so vnacquainted with the wickednesse of his owne heart as that he dreame of some strength in himselfe to doe these duties it is certaine he neuer did performe any of thē in truth nor shall euer till he do lament his wants with vnfained griefe before God desire him to make him obedient as well to giue him a charge of obedience And thus much concerning the duties of priuate persons As namely of parents and children of masters and seruants of husband and wife The duties of publike persons follow Which are eyther in Church as Minister and People Commonweale as Magistrate and Subiect For the minister and people It is euident that the minister is a father It is plaine 1. Cor. 4. Where Paule though you haue many teachers yet I haue begotten you vnto Christ And Paule cals Timothie and Titus his children because as their naturall parents were instruments of God to beget them to a naturall life so he was Gods instrument to beget him to a spirituall life Now the duties of the minister and people are eyther common or speciall The common duties which mutually belong to them both are to pray one for another and to giue thanks one for another That the minister ought to pray for the people the continual example and practise of Paule almost in all his Epistles doth declare as to the Philip. Coloss Thess for whom he writes that he giues thanks to God and praies day and night for their encrease in all good graces By Paules example then ministers must learne to pray to God in secret for the flocke committed to their charge that God would pardon all their sinnes and heale their natures and make his doctrine effectuall to worke grace and saluation in their hearts And then if God haue heard his prayer and blessed his preaching to conuert the hearts of his people to saue their soules he must not let this slip but marke and obserue and returne thanks vnto God for it So 1. Sam. 12. 23. The people being affrighted with Gods fearefull signe and seeing their sinnes then they come vnto Samuel the prophet of God as commonly it is the practise of men in time of prosperitie to set light by the minister and not to regard him at all but in time of aduersitie where miserie pincheth it is often seene that men will send for him and be content to heare him and craue his direction so in affliction they come to Samuel and earnestly desired him to pray for them Then his answere is God forbid that I should sinne against God and cease praying for you shewing that it is a great sinne against God in the ministers if he be not frequent in prayer for his people So that though the minister studie diligently preach painefully and walke religiously in all good conscience yet if he doe not pray to God and beseech him earnestly to amend those faults that he sees in them and to conuert their soules vnto him and doe not also giue thanks when he perceiues any good thing wrought in them and pray for the continuance and encrease of it hee doth sinne against God and faile in a speciall dutie that he owes to his charge For all planting and watering is in vaine vnlesse God giue the encrease And how can he respect any blessing of God vnlesse he doe both often and earnestly seeke for it and render most heartie thanks for it as he findes it granted For the people that it is their dutie to pray to God and be thankfull for their minister it is plaine Heb. 13. 18. where this commaundement is giuen Pray for vs for we are assured that we haue a good conscience c. And Paule to Philemon saith That he hopes through their praiers to be giuen vnto thē and 2. Thes 3. 1. He wils them to pray for him that he may haue free passage and that he may be deliuered from vnreasonable men And to Timothie 2. 1. he wils that prayers be made for all in authoritie that as God hath set them ouer vs as gouernours so he will gouerne their hearts and order their proceedengs aright This confutes those people that a long time haue liued vnder a minstry but all that space cannot say that they haue once offered vp a true and hartie prayer to God for their pastor that he might be furnished with gifts for the faithfull discharge of so great and waightie an office neuer spoken to God in his behalfe to giue him a dore of vtterance to deliuer aright and deuide the word of truth to be with his meditations and direct his tongue that he might to their consciences and for their edifying And againe if at anie time God haue powred downe more plentifull grace vpon their minister that he hath beene better stird vp to teach them and hath spoken with more power and zeale then ordinarie more earnestly reprouing their sinnes and exhorting them to repentance yet they take it but as an ordinarie thing and let it passe without any notice as though it were not any mercie of God to prepare the ministers mouth to speake to their conscience And because they be thus slacke in desiring and negligent in thanksgiuing for so great a fauour God doth iustly depriue
THE BRIGHT STAR VVHICH LEADETH wise men to our Lord Iesus Christ OR A familiar and learned exposition on the ten Commandements gathered from the mouth of a faithful Pastor by a gracious young man sometime scholler in Cambridge Ruth 2. 17. Ruth gleaned and carried it home to her mother LAEORE ET CONSTANTIA LONDON Imprinted by Iohn Harison for Thomas Man dwelling in Pater Noster Row at the signe of the Talbot 1603. To the Christian Reader CHristian Reader the good prouidence of God hath vouchsafed thee benefit abroad by the labours of a reuerent faithfull Pastor which he meant only to his owne flocke at home These fruitefull doctrines which in this booke are offered to thee were receiued from his mouth but neither penned nor perused by himselfe nor published with his consent or knowledge for had he been willing that they should be exposed to open view he would haue garnished them with richer attire and yet with modestie according to the Apostles rule 1. Cor. 2. 1. Without affected excellencie of words or carnall wisdome They were collected by a godly ingenious young man whose diligent attention and painefulnes deserne no small commendations yet what hand or memorie can follow so fast the fluent speech of an eloquent Preacher as to set downe all in the same forme and elegancie wherein it is deliuered Moreouer at the printing diuers faultes haue escaped both of Orthographie poynting and method in some places But howsoeuer it is a religious and well seasoned heart will finde and feele herein such comfort and light as that light and slender defects will easilie be passed ouer And let not God be defrauded of his due praise who hath multiplied that food to feast so many which of man was appoynted to feede so few And here is that in some degree verified which 〈◊〉 Sauiour foretold his Disciples Luk. 12. 3◠What ye haue spoken in darkenesse shall be heard in light and that which ye haue spoken in the eare in secret places shall be heard on the houses Well good reader let this and such other wholesome writings kindle thy desire to the preaching of the word that thou maist be more frequent in hearing and iudicious in vnderstanding Beware thou grow not conceited of a sufficiencie to be found in reading good bookes and so begin to distaste the Ministerie they are not ordayned to kill our appetites to the word but to sharpen them And so I commend thee to the Lord who of his mercy graunt thee wisdome with good successe to thy euerlasting happinesse thorough Iesus Christ Thine in the Lord R. C. A necessarie Table referring the Reader to the principall matters contained in this booke A. ABoundance of loue breeds aboundance of patience Fol. 20 Abrahams offering vp of Isaac 33. his curtesie 46 Abusing of Gods titles 49 Abusing of his properties 50 Adams disobedience 3. 98 Adulterie 53. 54. 55 Agnus Dei 38 Ahabs sinne 38 All disorders of the second Table from the fift command 1 All duties contained in the commandements 2 All scripture proceedeth from God 1 Anger 48. 40. B BEginning of wisedome feare of God 20 Behauiour of a christian 54 Benefits by the loue of man and wife 19 Blessing for keeping the Saboth 90 Body abused 57 C CArnall reason 22 Charmes and spells 48 Children of God must not faint 11 Children 41. 2. Christ came to obey the lawes 3 Christ Iesus Lord of the Saboth 64 Christians 54 Commandement first 1 Commandement second 28 Commandement third 43 Commandement fourth 61 Commandement fift 1 Commandement sixt 37 Commandement seuenth 51 Commandement eight 57 Commandement ninth 80 Commandement tenth 97 Comparison betwene the lawes of God and men 2 Commandement broken as well by omission as cōmission 55 Confession of sinne 56 Contentednesse ones estate 73 Compassion 45 Correction for children 6. It must be done with compassion 8. With prayer ibidem Couetousnesse 51. 68. 69. 100 D DAie of judgement 47 Damnable to spend time idely 71 Dauid is perswaded by Abigail 4. his presumptuous sin 7 Death 47 Delight in Gods commandements 25 Deliuerance from Pharaoh 11 Disobedience to God 40 Diuell 47. 86. He is the author of oat 51 Drunkennesse 51 Duties of a child 3 Duties of seruants 11 Duties of husbands and wiues 19. 21. 22 Duties of publike persons 25 Duties of Majestrates and people 29 E ELI his to much loue to his children 13 Eli his pacience 57 Elder persons dutie 33 Enemies of Daniel 84 Enclosers of land 70 Euill conscience 80 Enuie 40. The causes thereof ibid. Enuie murtherer of him selfe 41 Enuie guiltie of murther two waies ibid. Examples of obedience 6 F FAlse swearing 53 False witnesse 89 Faithfulnesse in seruants 13. In husband and wife 21 Fasting 36 Feare of God 19. 50 Flatterie Flatterers 91. 93 Foolishnesse vncharitablenesse the cause of ill suspicion 81 Fruits of the spirit 10 Frugalitie 74 G GEsture offensiue 41 Glorifying of God in words 55 Gods nature 1 God is Iehouah and why 8 Gods benefits generall speciall ibid. God the author of the ten commandements ibid. Gods cursings and blessings 3. His goodnesse 9. His insight into man 14 Gods name taken in vaine 44 Gouernors must see the Saboth kept 8 H HAbakucks feare of God 23 Hearing 36 Herods incest 5 He that breakes one commandement breakes all 6 Hezechias patience 57 Honestie 29 How to employ the Scriptures 49 Humilitie 39 Husbands must dwell with their wiues 22. Edifie them by example 23. By instructions ibid. He must honour her which consisteth in two things 24 I IAcobs trust in God 26. His Obedience 5 Iacobs diligence 6 Iehouah what it signifies 7 Iealouzie what 37 I am thy God what it implies ibid. Idlenes a sinne of Adam 72 Idlenes 65. 75 Idle persons pouerties prisoners ibid. Images forbidden 29 Images are teachers of lyes 33 Idolatrie Idols ibid. 34. Instructions for householders 82 Instructions for seruants 83 Inferior guifts 32 Iobs mildnesse 3. his zeale 15. his pacience 57. his feare 25. his trust 27 Iosephs feare of God 20. His dutie to his father 3 Isaie his feare 21. 25 Iustice 49. It consisteth in getting and restoring 73 K KEeping of the Saboth day holy in what it consisteth 73 Kindes of lyers two 90 Kings 29 Kings chosen by lots 39 Knowledge of God wanting all disobedience groweth 16 L LAzinesse 57 Liberalitie 75 Lies against ones selfe 85 Lying tongues make three mortall wounds 87 Life of man consisteth in the blessing of God 74 Lots 36 Loue. 17. Loue of God 18 Loue to seruants and children 81 Loue of the husband to the wife 19 Loue is armour against jealousie 20 Lusting after other mens goods 57 M MAnasses repentaunce 8 Manna 78 Marriage 57. Maraiage for children 8 Mary Magdalen 78 Meanes to auoid adulterie 54. 55 Meditation on the word 16 Meditation on Gods curses necessarie ibid. Masters 11. 19. 101 Mercie power justice infinite in God 8 Mercie to the needie 48 Ministers dutie 25. they must be good examples 29
willingly serue great personages and are readie to employ them selues in their businesses but because they think that hence they shall haue honour and credit and come to credit as a rewarde of their seruices but now if we know that God doth giue such excellent wages as no man can giue the like for what doth he not bestow on those that feare him he giues them his sonne he giues them his holy Spirit and grace in their harts he giues them his feare and his blessing in this life and life eternall in the world to come if one know this then he will sure serue God with a willing minde But on the contrary the cause and fountaine of all rebellion and disobedience against God is because there is no right knowledge of God as he complaines in Hosea 2. That they lye they steale they commit adultery bloud toucheth bloud But what was the cause of all this confusion why because there was no knowledge of God in the land and where men know not God what should be looked for else for then they cannot loue him nor feare him nor trust in him nor seeke nor doe any dutie if there be no knowledge This serues to confute all ignorant persons that doe not know God they cannot tell how many persons there bee or if they doe they cannot tell what any of them did for them they are not acquainted with the properties of God nor with his actions they neuer thought on his name nor pondered on his trueth his justice his power his mercie and such like things These may brag of loue and faith and hope and confidence and patience but they haue none of them it cannot be for all good things flow from this that we doe know God Therefore Paule saith 2. Thess 1. 8. ver That God will come with thousands of his Angells in flaming fire rendring vengeance to all those that know not him nor obey not his gospel these things follow close doth not one know God then t is cleere he doth not obey his gospel he makes no conscience of that Therefore an ignorant hart is alwaies a sinfull hart a man without knowledge is a man without grace and this ignorance is so foule a sinne as that it shal be sufficient to bring gods vengeance vppon one how euer light account men make of it God will damne them for this because they haue not knowne and then t is to to sure they could not nor would haue regard to his commandements And on the other side this must stirre vs vp to call for wisdome and to cry for vnderstanding to seeke for it and to dig for it as for gold or precious stones We must often reade Gods word confer of it and meditate on it which if we do it will giue vs vnderstanding then we shall see gods properties and see his goodnesse his loue and how able and willing hee is to help vs and then we cannot chuse but trust in him And indeede this often meditating and thinking on Gods word is the next way to make vs like God and to renue and repaire the image of God in vs. For by seeing Christ in the gosple wee are chaunged from glory to glory and the more wee know him the more wee encrease in being like to him so long as we know in part we are like in part but when we shall haue perfect knowledge then shall we be perfect in holinesse and perfect in righteousnesse perfect and holy as he is perfect As 1. Iohn he saith Now it appeareth not what we shall bee but when he shall appeare wee shall bee like him and why like him because we shall know him as he is so that the perfection of knowledge will bring the perfection of holinesse the more we increase in knowledge the more all good vertues will increase and if this were perfect we should be perfect without all weakenesse and infirmitie But the more we meditate in Gods word the more our knowledge will grow and therefore also the image of God will grow more liuely till we bee made perfect and absolute in the life to come The next dutie is Loue. That wee must loue God withall our harts and all our soules as is commanded Luke 10. The reason is because he is that Iehouah in whom we liue we moue and haue our being he is our God that giues vs all good things and can onely free vs from all sinne and miserie therefore wee are bound to loue him And indeede this is the chiefe dutie and the best fruit of knowledge but because it is so plaine a dutie as that no man will denie it it is best for vs leauing to vse more words in prouing the dutie to shew some markes of loue of God that we doe not deceiue our selues whereby we may see in what measure wee keepe this first and chiefe commandement The first marke may be how we delight to meet God in those meanes wherin he hath appointed to meet vs for in what measure we can offer our selues to God in those things wherein hee offers himselfe to vs in that measure wee loue him If we be willing to aske all good things and seeke comfort at his hand by prayer and to lay open our wants to him and as it were to conferre with God If we be desirous to come to heare his word spoken vnto vs wherein we may see his wisdome for our direction his mercie for our comfort his povver for our defence and for the subduing of our sinnes and his riches to make vs rich and supply all our wants then we doe indeede loue God and the more we can reioyce in these things the more we loue God and the lesse the lesse we loue him So for the sacraments in them Christ Iesus offers himselfe vnto vs and to make vs partakers of his bodie and blould would we then try how we loue God vve may doe it by examining what desire we haue to these things would we rather come to this banquet of the heauenly King to eate the body and bloud of his sonne that is set before vs rather then to the table of an earthly king to tast such good cheere as hee can make vs is there such an affection to vs then indeede we loue God for then we haue a delight to come wher he is For in these meanes God doth bestow himselfe vpon vs and comes to dwel in vs as Christ saith that he will dwell in vs and his father the holy ghost will come into our harts The second note whereby we may try our loue to God is obedience as Christ saith Iohn 14. 20. He that loues me keepes my commandements He then that keepes Gods commandements best he loues God best But if any will say that he loues God as well as the best yet he will breake the saboth and lye and dissemble and be a miser wholy rooting on the earth and setting himselfe and all his hart after his
haue and in what manner hee must be serued and all his attendance and prouision but much more absurd and injurious it is that we will let flesh and bloud beare the sway in his worship for these doe joyne with the diuell and are enmitie to God And if wee will haue this preheminence in our house and that our seruants must do that which we bid them not what they themselues thinke good for hee is a good seruant that doth his masters will not his owne then why should not we thinke it right that god must be lord in his house and we must doe his seruice after his appointment and not our owne This serues to condemne the Papists that are most guiltie in this point and haue defiled the whole worship of God with their owne inuentions and superstition as in prayer by praying to the dead and for the dead and by making other mediators then Christ in all which God may and will say vnto them who required these things at your hands So likewise in the sacraments for the Lords supper the bread must be conjured and crossed and likewise the wine or else they thinke it is not sufficiently sanctified but where hath Gods word commanded any of these things If they be so needefull then they condemne God for want of wisedome that could not see it or if they were not needefull how dare they bee so bold as to adde them to Gods ordinance So in baptisme they haue added spittle salt and creame and such trompery all which is wicked and abhominable and comes vnder this who required these things at your hands So for the ministrie how haue they corrupted it by Popes Cardinals Abbots Monkes Friers the rest of that crue and then they haue appointed their Priest to offer a sacrifice propitiatorie for quicke and dead whereof there is no mention in the scripture of God and therfore there can bee no blessing vpon them for they proceede from the flesh and not from the spirit sprang from out of the earth did not come downe from heauen Therefore also we are to be exceeding thankfull vnto God that hath freed vs from all these things and that wee are taught to worship God aright taught to pray in the holy Ghost and haue the word purelie and soundly deliuered vnto vs hauing such a teaching as God hath commanded and to which he hath also annexed a blessing and so for the sacraments that leauing these toyes they are administred in that sort that God hath commanded So much for the things forbidden in this commandement namely idolatrie and superstition Now as this false worship is forbidden in this commandement so the contrary namely the pure and holy worship of God is enjoyned and wee are commanded heere to stand for and to practise all the good meanes whereby God hath commanded himselfe to bee worshipped These are either more ordinary as prayer hearing reading the word and receiuing of the sacraments and discipline The lesse ordinary are fasting which is to be vsed to the intent that we may the more soundly humble our soules before God and be reconciled vnto him and is then specially to be practised when that we would be freed from some iudgement of God that we either feele or feare or else when wee would obtaine some special blessing that we doe earnestly desire It was commanded in the law once a yeere that they might be acquainted with it and haue a perfect reconciliation with God A second lesse ordinarie meanes of Gods worship is vowes which are to be vsed on speciall occasions when to strēgthen our selues against some sinne or in performing some dutie vve doe binde our conscience to auoide all occasions that may draw vs into the one and to vse all good meanes that may further vs in the other The third is lots which is apart of gods worship to bee vsed in matters of waight to the deciding of controuersies to the ending of strife and contention an example of which we haue in the Acts. 1. Where being to choose an Apostle in Iudas stead and not knowing the fittest they committed the matter to Gods speciall piouidence in casting lots So in choosing of a King which was a matter of great importance because no strife and contention should arise of any tribe towards other therefore they cast lots and so chose him whom God pointed out as it were by the finger And the like they did in deuiding the land of Canaan least any emulation or enuie should arise among them they vsed Gods owne hand as it were in giuing euery tribe his inheritance In such matters of waight and moment then these lots must bee vsed for these ends as a good seruice of God The last lesse ordinary part of Gods worship is an oath which is in like matters of waight to be vsed Sith these things are as stricktly commanded as the other are forbidden this condemnes the corruption and loosenesse of our times Many thinke that if they bee free from idolatrie and superstition then they haue kept this commandement and haue not broken this Thou shalt make to thy selfe no grauen image This is not so for one may bee a damnable breaker of this commandement for all this for God commands as well as forbids and we must turne from dumbe idols to serue the liuing God or else there is no true conuersion Many can say that they do not pray superstitiously but do they euer pray religiously they spend no time in vaine repetitions but do they spend any time in faithfull and holy petitions praying in the holy Ghost they reade no Popish bookes but doe they read the booke of God they come not at Masse but do they reuerently receiue the Lords supper they haue left off Popish fasts like inough for we are falne from Poperie to plaine impietie but doe they fast a christian fast as they did it sinfully doe they doe it conscionably in casting downe themselues and celebrating a sabboth vnto God to confesse their sinnes and craue pardon for the same But for want of these things many want the blessing of God which they might haue and are breakers of this commandement because they bee not so dilligent in vsing the good meanes of their saluation as they were in vsing the ill meanes of their destruction and are not as carefull to plant in the holy worship of God as to pull vp the superstitious so that such are as well guiltie of the breach of this commandement as idolaters they for doing that they should not we for not doing that we should they for vsing false worship we for not vsing the true worship of God but then we shall bee true worshippers of God when we shun and hate all false worship and put in practise all the parts of this true worship of the true God So much of the commandement forbidding all kinde of false worship and commanding the contrary viz. with all reuerence and conscience to performe loue stand
but we must serue him in the duties of religion and mercy onely As for example Gods children will not eat meat at their owne table without crauing Gods blessing vpon them but when they are to come to the table of the Lord they vse a greater and more solemne preparation because they expect a greater and more excellent blessing so likewise a christian in all the workes of his calling hath a regard to serue and glorifie God but in a more speciall manner vpon the seauenth day because hee then lookes for a more plentifull and liberall benediction both vpon his soule and bodie and these men that among vs keepe such a prating that euery day must bee a sabboth and wee must rest from sinne marke them whether they rest from sinne at all and obserue if there bee any families so bade as theirs that commonly if one would rake hell as wee say hee could not meete with more prophane and irreligious persons that speake of keeping euery day holy but in truth keepe euery day vnholy but others that in conscience of Gods commandement doe binde themselues to keeping of the sabboth which God hath instituted goe farre beyond them in all vertue and holinesse if they could shew any good effect in themselues of this their euerie day sabboth we might giue some credit to them for God doth alwaies giue a blessing to his owne ordinance but for such vilde and vnholy persons that in all their life neuer kept a sabboth holy to make a talke of keeping euery day as a sabboth it is most palpable and damnable hipocrisie The last objection of which wee will speake is taken out of 1. Colos 2. 16. Let no man condemne you in respect of an holiday or of a new moone or of the sabboth daies So that the Apostle say they puts the sabboth among other ceremonies which are to bee abrogated but for the answering of this we must know that the Apostle speakes of such sabboths as are in the same ranke with the meates and drinkes whereof hee speaks before of which sort were the first day of euery month and the first and last day of euery one of their solemne feasts of these hee speakes in the plurall number and not of the sabboth day the Lords day in the singular number which hath a singuler excellencie and how euer times chaunge neuer changeth then Easter and Penticost and the other feasts of like kinde are indeede abrogated as being ceremonies not written in the tables of stone as this was And thus much for the proouing of this that this sabboth is morrall and perpetuall which sith it is so the vse is for the confutation of such as sharpen their tongues and wits and open their mouthes to speake against it not content to take libertie themselues but would make a gap for others to breake out also It is a vilde and notorious sinne to bee prophane in ones owne person and to practise the breach of any of Gods commandements but to draw others to impietie and as much as they can to breake the yoke wherewith God hath yoked them this is much more intollerable This is just the diuell himselfe when hee had fallen from his vprightnesse and rebelled against God the next worke hee tooke in hand was to allure Adam to sinne and make him as verie a rebell against God as himselfe so these wicked men limmes of the diuell that themselues are corrupted and lie vnder the curse of God will take so much paines about nothing as to peruert others and being stark naught themselues to make all men if it might bee like them This also is for our instruction that wee must so rest vpon Gods reasons and so stand for his worship as that euery blast and objection of a prophane person may not blow vs away and weaken our reuerence to Gods ordinance It is a great fault that wee are no better confirmed in the truth but that euerie breath of an heretique will put vs downe and set vs to the wall as it were that wee stand in a mammering and know not whether wee goe right or wrong it is an euident token that men bee ladenwith sinnes and carried away of their lust when the often preaching of the truth cannot so establish them it as that they can say we are so resolued in our harts that this is the truth of God as that by Gods mercie we had rather forsake our liues then forsake it but none can attaine to such knowledge but such as haue a pure and an vpright hart And this that men be so quickly moued from the truth is not because of the strength of the arguments made against it but by reason of their owne weaknesse which haue not the spirit of truth to leade them into the truth and to confirme and shew them errors and heresies and make them lothsome vnto them and giue them power against them Therfore we must labour for this spirit of truth which may so settle and ground vs in the truth as that euerie storme of a false opinion from the mouth of some fantasticall and vaine person that hath no godlinesse nor learning to commend him that neuer did any thing nor suffered any thing for Christs sake may not weaken our hold and shake our foundation and cast vs downe from the truth that we should be seduced by them Nay we should be so far from yeelding to the false dreames of such as that when they grow obstinate we should not shew the least token of allowance or any countenance to them we should not entertaine them or receaue them to house or bid them God speed for he that doth so as Saint Iohn saith is pertaker of his euill deedes because in so doing he confirmes them in their sinne brings himselfe in certaine daunger to be infected by them And thus much for that that this keeping of a seauenth day holy by setting it apart to the duties of religion onely mercie is a morall and perpetuall dutie to continue while the world continues Now let vs come more perticulerly to the words of the commandement First for that word Remember IN that God prefixed in speciall termes as it were of set purpose to meet with mens forgetfulnesse a memorandum heere more then in any other of the commandements we may hence learne that who euer will faithfully and conscionablie keepe the sabboth when it is come must before hand haue a special care a forecast to preuēt those things that may hinder them in the keeping of it A reason of this caueat which God giues and of the dilligence that wee must haue in thus remembring and preparing for the sabboth may bee drawne from our owne infirmitie that vnlesse wee bee very circumspect and cast about with care indeede wee are readie easily to let slip some businesse and leaue something vndone which will then distract vs and draw our minds and bodies to from gods seruice some money to pay or to receiue some
were the most honourable and wise in the world The vse of this is to consute those wretched and miserable children that take occasion to be vndutifull because their parents be poore and low and in disgrace and small account among men But be they so then the childe ought so much the more to honour them or else he addes afflication to afflication Therefore so farre should he be from contemning his parents because they be low and afflicted as that he should reuerence them and honour them the more that he may be a comfort and reliefe vnto them in their trouble For for the child to honour his parents when all the world honours them and hath them in account and to be dutifull then when they can eyther reward him if he be dutifull or punish him for his vndutifulnesse is no triall of his honestie and obedience to God For then it may be he doth it ether vpon constraint because he dare do no otherwise or of a base minde because he loues and gapes after his fathers wealth more then for conscience to Gods commaundement But then the obedience is most sound and acceptable to God when there be fewest worldly meanes to prouoke one vnto it So for the wife or seruant to say O had I an husband or master of such great account of such gifts and wisedome that could promote and reward me then I could frame to obedience Nay for he that is not faithfull in the least will not be faithfull in the most And God accounts not of that obediēnce or reuerence which proceeds not frō conscience of his commandement but from hope of some outward reward Therefore it is our dutie not so much to trouble our selues in enquiring what heads other haue as to labour to make best of our owne For this in the naturall bodie we see that if one haue an head full of infirmities and subiect to diseases he will not therefore knocke it against the walles and contemne it but he thinks this is my head that God hath giuen me and therfore I must not make it worse by ill vsage but striue to make it better by all means I can O but say they other children haue better parents that be more carefull of them But let such turne backe a little and looke to themselues and examine their owne stuffe other you say haue better parents true But looke to your selfe a little and thinke on the other side haue not other parents also better children more duetifull and obedient and more vertuous euerie way then you be Put these two together now and then the mouth will soone be stopped So the wife other husbandes are more kinde and louing and be better to their wiues But if you stand so much in examining his goodnesse by other mens you will driue him to trie your goodnesse with other women Be not there many wiues more subiect to their husbands more quiet and meeke and that goe farre beyond your selfe in many graces So that in such obiections let inferiours couch these two one with the other and looke to their owne faults as well as to anothers and they shall not finde great cause to complayne O but he sayles in doing his dutie to me but God failes not in commaunding you to doe your duetie to him This is the point be you a Christian or an hypocrite If you bee a Christian then GODS commaundement must be the rule of your obedience and not the dealing of others to you Therefore this doth iustly reprooue their audacious boldnesse and shamelesse impudence that if their parents growe olde or impotent or poore then they thinke they may take libertie to caff of the yoake of subiection and to grow stubborne as who should say that age and pouertie of such like things could cut of the nature of a parent and take away the authoritie of a superiour that outward things should haue the chiefe account and Gods commaundement be least of all regarded This likewise may serue for some comfort to these gouernours that are in a poorer or lower condition that God hath challenged vnto them as much honour in their place as to the greatest prince in the world For the poore mans wife is as much bound by God to honour her husband as the Queene to honour the king And the meanest parents and maisters are as much to be acounted of in their families as if they had all the welth and honour in the world Therefore they should beare their pouertie so much the more patiently Because no pouertie or lownesse of their estate can giue licence to the inferiours to account anie whit the worse of them and if the inferiours doe for this cause despise them they sinne against God doe iniurie vnto them and GOD will be reuenged of them accordingly So much for that God bids the inferiour to honour his superiour And the child his father howsoeuer matters stand in other respects Honour The duties of the naturall childe commanded in this word are comprehended vnder these three heades First reuerence Secondly obedience Thirdly thankefulnesse for the first For reuerence Children are commaunded to reuerence their parents Now this reuerence must be both inward and outward In the heart and behauiour of the bodie For if the outwarde begin not at the heart it is hypoctiticall and therefore not pleasing to God And if one pretende the inward reuerence and shew it not outwardly this is but dissembling and falsehood for it cannot be within but it will shew it selfe without So that it must be both inward in heart and outward in cariage of ones bodie The inward is commanded Leuit. 9. 19. 3. Yee shall feare euerie man his father and mother and keepe my Sabboths In those words GOD commandes the substance of the whole lawe both in the first and second table and for the second table he begins with the first cōmandemēt Feare euery man his mo ther. One would haue thought he should haue begun with the father but though more be due vnto him yet because it is a greater not of truth to performe it to the mother because her infirmities whereto shee is more subiect make her more subiect to contempt and for her indulgencie commonlie the mother doth lesse exact this at her childs hand therefore God doth beginne there where obedience is best tried and faith Feare thy Mother and thy father and then for the first table he sets downe the last commandement of it Keepe my sabboths and whosoeuer is carefull in the first table conscionablie to keepe the sabboth and for the second to keepe the fifth commandement in dutie to superiours he shall be sure to holde out in all the other cōmandements so that reuerence of the heart is required of children The second branch of reuerence is in the outward behauiour as in bowing to them in standing bare and putting of before them in an humble and lowly countenance and behauiour when one speakes vnto them And this the example of
young are not oathes too reefe in the familie among elder folkes if he rayle and speake euill was not his parents dealing a president to him Lightly there be but few ill humors in the child which he did not draw from the parents and that ill sappe which doth appeare in the bud came first from the roote Therefore in pitie as smiting at themselues and their owne sinnes they must giue chasticements to their children Thirdly it must be done with prayer that God will giue them wise hearts to giue most due and seasonable correction and their children also soft hearts to receiue it with patience and to their profit Be it that the child doe well deserue correctio yet to flie vpon him in a passiō this is too beastly a rage for a cow will not rush vpon her calse in furie nor a sheepe will not deale so with her lambe and indeed this doth but harden the childs heart and imbitter him and make him more stubborne and fearce and mischieuous Therefore that one may correct his child for some good end it must be done with prayer and so it shall be done also with great calmenesse and meekenes and without mixture of wrath and passion For if the word and Sacrament be vnprofitable without Gods blessing which why should he giue if one thinke too much to aske it much lesse may one looke for eyther blessing or profit by the rod vnlesse he aske it of God But being ioyned with prayer because it is Gods ordinance God will giue a blessing and it shall doe good A thirde dutie to be performed in infancie especially belonges vnto the mother the former were common to both parents but this is her speciall dutie to nurce it Not to throw it from her so soone as shee hath brought it into the world but as God hath giuen her as her wombe to beare so breasts and milke to nourish her child so let her be thankfull to God for the blessing and vse them to that end that he gaue them For this is so naturall that euen the beasts will not omit it the poorest and leanest beasts that is yet will suckle her young ones her selfe and will not be so vnnaturall as to post them ouer to another And this is noted of the good women in scripture that they did much reioyce in suckling their children with their owne breasts as Sarah saith that now she shall giue sueke a thing that greatly gladded her heart And it is noted as a plague and punishment to haue a barren wombe and drie breasts and therfore it is foule fault when God hath giuen a good blessing for one wilfully to turn into a curse Those women therfore that haue failed in this dutie must be humbled as hauing omitted a good duty that god required at their hands those that haue done it must do it still For in the primitiue Church when widows were to be chosen that should haue the sicke and weake seruants committed to their charge and tending none were to be admitted to this office but those that had nourced their children themselues though they were otherwise good women and vertuous yet if they had not beene so mercifull to their children there was a suspicion left that howsoeuer God would change and alter their hearts if they were vnnaturall to those that were so neare to them ye would be negligent to those that were further of them and therefore they were not to be trusted with this office So much for the duties which parents must performe to their children in their tender yeares Now those follow which must be performed when they grow to more ripenes of yeares And these are first To bring them vp in some profitable and lawfull calling by which they may liue honestly and Christianly and not be fruitlles burdens of the earth and clogs to their friends drones that must liue on other mens sweat and can do nothing themselues but that they be trayned vp in some honest occasion whereby they may be able to maintayne themselues and doe some good to others So Adam did though he was rich enough and had large possessions to leaue to his sonnes For they had the whole world to be deuided amongst them that was patrimonie sufficient yea he would not let his sonnes spend their time idely liue like idle fellowes hauing nothing to doe but brought vp the one in husbandrie and the other in keeping sheepe probable and lawfull vocations The like is seene in Isaac who was a great man and of such great wealth as that Abimelech the king confesseth he was greater and mightier then he Notwithstanding all this greatnesse Iacobs bringing vp was not in idlenesse and sloth but he was exercised in husbandrie and had verie good skill in handling cattle and had it not beene for this what would he haue done when persecution came when he was faine to leaue his fathers if he had done nothing before and could haue done nothing now but eate and drinke and sleepe who would haue giuen him intertainment and where should he haue had maintenance on that price but hauing beene trayned vp laboriously and being a verie good shepheard though he was gone from his father yet he could take paines and get his liuing so that euerie one would be willing to haue had him and the place where he came was much the better for him And Iacob himselfe till they begin to set vp and inrich themselues by this crueltie and oppression of others Therefore eyther let it be well gotten or it will doe them no good for it carries the curse and plague of God who will do more hurt then al the wealth can do good Secondly for the vsing while one hath it vse it well be not a slaue and a drudge for his children but let one enioy his portion and take his part while he liues and reioyce in Gods benefits with thankfulnesse and temperatenesse For it is a soule fault that one should say O I haue many children what then therefore there is nothing but rauening and scraping for God faith that a good man is mercifull and lendeth and his seed enioyeth the blessing he is mercifull first to himselfe for mercie begins at home he will not be afraid to take a good meale and enioy Gods benefits because of his children but is mercifull in an honest cherishing his owne bodie and then he is mercifull to others also abroad he will lend and doe good to whom he can and doing so then his seed enioyeth the blessing they fare the better for it For indeed those children are alwaies best prouided for whose parents beare this mind that they had rather trust God with their children then riches with their children and make this their hope when wee are dead yet God is aliue Indeede if God were deade or should not looke to our children though we were liuing yet we might be afraid and thinke they should be vndone but so long as God liueth vse the
discretion and in vsing them with a good conscience a good wise choice and a christian and honest vse Now for choosing the maine dutie and the chiefe thing to be regarded is that they get such vnder their roofe as be the seruants of God such as haue grace and vertue in their harts cary a good conscience with them This duty is confirmed by the example of Dauid Psal 101. where his example sets down a rule how euery one should order his family He shewes that for wicked persons teltales proud persons swaggerers such as haue great looks no grace he would haue none of them for his seruants but those that were religious vpright such should be his scruants And there is good reason why one should be carefull to take none into his familie but Christias for if they be not faithfull to God as sure as God liues they will neuer be faithfull to their master For all obedience and faithfulnesse flowes from the first table begins there but if a man neglect his dutie where he hath more hands to tie him to it he will be much more slacke where he hath fewer bands Secondly a wicked person is verie contagious and will infect the children with his lawdnesse and euill behauiour and indeed many can tell by experience that the ill example and the vilde perswasions of one vngodly will doe more harme to the children then all that many good seruants can do will do them good So that this is euen to bring a leprous person among the whole and a contagious man among the sound Thirdly a wicked person doth bring Gods curse vpon the family euen as a good seruant hath Gods blessing going with him as we see in Ioseph So when an vngodly sinfull fellow hath the fingring and and dealing in a matter the curse of God pursues and followes him for so it is said The curse of God is vpon the house of the swearer and vpon the house of the theese not onely vpon his owne heart but euen vpon the house and habitation where such an one is kept and maintained and countenanced But shall I be plagued and punished for my seruants sinnes yes and iustly too for he that will relieue and retaine such an one that he knowes is an enemie to God must needs open his doores to the curse of God So that if one would not haue the curse of God to rest vpon his house nor vnfaithfulnes in his seruants nor his house poysoned with that leprosie which onely the blood of Christ can heale let him take good aduice in chosing his seruants and in planting his family And thus wisely men can deale for other matters for he that purposeth to plant him a good orchard will not runne to euerie hedge and euerie groue and all the bramble bushes he can see and thence take him plants for his orchard but if he hope for any benefit by his orchard he will make prousion for the best graffes and sciences he can get and those will he set in his orchard and so he hopes it may hereafter turne him to good profit But if one would say why I hope and I looke to haue as fruitfull and commodious an orchard as any man in the parish but what doth he in the meane while what course takes he in planting it why heere 's a bryer there is a crabtree and there a thorne these be all the plants he lookes for and hence he cuts all his sciences why then it is plaine he doth but dissemble he is not in good earnest So for those that be sheepemasters and hope for commoditie that way they will enquire and marke out of what ground the sheepe they purpose to buy come where they were bred if they were bred in a rotten ground especially if they haue a rotten bleake too he will not put them in his fold nor let them come among the rest least they should be all infected Will one deale thus for his orchard and for his sheepe and should he not consider likewise in planting his family When he takes a seruant into his fold out of what pasture comes he hath he beene brought vp in a rotten ground In a place of disorder of riot of swearing of breaking the Sabboth and such like and hath he a rotten bleake will sweare will he lye wil he speak filthily doth he looke like a swaggerer and like a ruffian and will you venture on yet then you are a foolish master and loue neyther your selfe nor your house nor children if you take such vnto them that will eyther infect them if they be not verie good or if they be will vexe and molest them Therefore here many masters are to be reproued that scorne to be admonished of the minister but God will find them out that vse more care by farre in planting their orchards and chosing sheepe to breed then they doe in planting their family and chosing out seruants Such as may bring glorie to God and profit to the Church and be for their owne commoditie also And yet this folly raignes in them too that of all men they are the most readie to complaine of ill seruants and how neuer any was so troubled as they with vntrustie seruants that they must still be chaunging As if one should say neuer any man had so bad an orchard why what is the matter you see others haue peares and apples and plums and good fruit and I come to mine and find nothing but hips and hawes and sloes I pray you what did you plant there then did not you set thornes and brambles and can you looke for better commoditie of such wares Therefore euen thanke your selfe and your owne folly that could make no better a choice at the first so for these masters will they take seruants at all aduentures and then crie out they be not faithfull let them blame themselues then that would not at the first see they were religious afore they intertained them It is then a great and common fault amongst most masters that haue no regard of grace and religion but if he be such an one as will take a little wages and please him in euerie thing and serue his lust take him what euer he be papist atheist swaggerer theese drunkard or anything care not That is the least part of their thought But no man shall haue Gods blessing in his seruice vnlesse he will chuse such as will serue God The second point of the masters dutie is in vsing and that when they dwell together in part direction in recompence matters of religion matters of calling For direction in matters of religion and Gods seruice the master must looke that they come to the publike assemblies in due time and that they tarrie it out and sit in a conuenient place where they may heare learne and not in such by-corners and obscure odde places where they spend their time in prating or scoffing or sleeping or such like This is no
abundance of loue breeds aboundance of patience for loue hopes all thinges and suffer all thinges And loue is not prouoked but where there is little loue their is little bearing and little hoping and there they be quickly prouoked vpon euerie light and small defect or fault they grow to chasing and brawles and then who euer was troubled with such a husband or such a wife Nay they might rather say who euer had such an vnloving and vnkind heart as I for if there were that loue that should be and in that measure that there is that loue they would beare with patience and meakenesse such infirmities and would not be so quickely prouoked nay not by greater matters As the mother that in good earnest and without dissembling loues her little childe though it crie all night and be vnquiet and breake her sleepe and disquiet her verie much yet shee will not fling it out of doores nor lay it at further end of the house furthest from her but shee vseth it kindly and will doe what shee can to still it and when it cries shee will sing and in the morning they be as good friends as euer before and shee feeds it and tends it neuer a whit the lesse for all the nights trouble One that were not acquainted and knew not the loue of the mother would wonder why did it not disquiet your rest all night and can you be so merrie with it now Yes shee can for shee loued it and shee hath forgotten all that in the morning And so indeed could the husband and wife loue one an other with such a pure and christian loue they would beare much and endure much and yet loue neuer a whit the lesse For loue is all waies a brestplate against impatience A third profit that springes from loue is that loue edifies and loue seekes not it owne thinges therefore if they loue one an other they will in all thinges seeke the good one of another and then if he see a fault in his wife he will tell her of it meekly and gently and labour to bring her to amendment then if he see any fault of his part shee will with all reuerence and humilitie admonish him of it But on the contrarie where there is not loue they will regard their owne ease more then the saluation one of an other Then if the husband see his wife in any fault he thinkes indeede it is a sinne but if I come to tell her of it she will streight be in a passion and chafe and so the wife I confesse this sinne is dangerous to my husbands soule but if I should goe about to admonish him he is so hiddie that he would be bitter furious against me presētly But now here is a great want of loue in eyther partie For what though your wife will be in a passion he that loues his wife would rather shee should be in passion against him for a litle time then God with her for euer And the wife that loues her husband would more willingly suffer her husbands anger and futie for a while for well doing thē he should suffer Gods wrath eternally for ill doing Whereas they not louing one an other put it of with silēce dare not speake A fourth fruit of loue is that it armes one against iealousie the poyson of all dutie for loue will neither bee suspicious in matters of goods nor iealous in matters of the bodie For all iealousie and suspicion I speake of euill iealousie and suspicion for if their be euident and apparant causes and reasons then it is iust and no fault but all ill iealousie causlesse suspicion ariseth of one of these two points First either that one is or hath beene wicked himselfe and hauing beene faultie and naught himselfe he is readie to iudge others by himselfe and to measure all with his owne measure or else from a doting affection that one makes a God of this or that thing this is not true loue So when the wife doats foolishly vpon her husband and makes an idoll of him then is shee quickely readie to be iealous wheras a true and sound loue would worke the contrarie effect in her So for matters of goods he that trusts in them will trust no bodie with them but is alwaies suspitious and misdemeaning and will neither trust wife nor seruants nor children nor any not because they would not deale faithfully enough but because he makes that his God And therefore is immoderatly afraid to loose it but where there is a pure and seruent loue that will cut of all needlesse and misdeemings both in goods and bodie This is the first dutie that is common both to husbande and wife The second followes and that is faithfulnesse That both bende their wits and all their endeuours to the helpe each of other and to the common good of the familie The husband must not follow his priuate pleasure and delight nor the wife her owne ease pride but though by nature they could both be content to seeke themselues Yet they must striue both to build vp the house and to doe good one to an other and not hurt Because they stand in the place of Christ to those that are committed vnto them both for their soules and bodies First then the husband and wife must be faithfull in their bodies one to an other else they breake the couenant of God For mariage is not a couenant of man but a couenant of God where in the parties binde themselues to God and they be in recognisance in heauen to keepe themselues pure and chast one to an other Then for other matters there must be one purse and one heart and hand for the good of the familie and each of other But now if the wife be wastfull and idle then she like a foolish woman puls downe her house And if the husband be an vnthrift and consume and spende that idly and vainely to serue his lust or pride or anie sinne that might helpe his wife and children and be a meanes to make them liue plentifully and cheerefully whereas now they are pinched with want and necessitie this lauishing is a great vnfaithfulnesse and comes accompanied with manie inconueniences So much for the generall duties belonging both to husbande and wife The particular follow And first the wife must feare her husband as is commanded in Ephes 5. 33. Let the wife see that shee feare her husband and 1. Peter 3. 2. The Apostle requires a conuersatiō with feare So that if euer the wife will be comfortable and profitable to the husband and doe anie good in the family shee must haue a care of her heart and looke that shee carrie an inwarde feare to her husbande for the husband is the wiues head euen as Christ is the head of the Church and euen as the Church must feare Christ Iesus so must the women also feare their husbands And this inward feare must be shewed by an outward
them of a great part of the blessing that haue carelesly omitted a great part of their dutie So for the ministers of the word many be there that can say they haue preached many sermons and deliuered many doctrines and admonitions to their parisioners giuen them many good exhortations But who of many can say as Ierome did My soule shall weepe for you in secret if publike preaching will not preuaile I will trie what priuate weeping can doe and if I cannot mooue them by speaking to them to amend I will mooue God with many teares in secret to conuert them And thus much for the common duties of both The particular follow And first of the people The first thing that the people must performe to their minister is to haue a tender and reuerent account of them And this is commaunded 1. Thess 5. 12. where the Apostle giues this in charge Now I beseech you brethren know them that labor among you and that are ouer you in the Lord and admonish you that you haue them in singuler loue for their works sake as if he said I speake not this so much for the ministers sake for whether ye loue him or account of him or not so long as God accounts and esteemes highly of him he is well but I desire you euen for your own good that for those faithfull men of God which labour amongst you to whom God hath giuen the spirit of grace and admonition and whom God hath set to watch ouer your soules let not them be forgotten and neglected amongst you but take knowledge of them and obserue them and that for their works sake For in truth they of all men deserue most to be regarded and accounted of in regard of the profit that they bring and the worke they performe which howsoeuer it be not outward and commonly brings no money to the purse Yet it is inward and brings peace vnto the soule For vnto them is committed the word of reconciliation and life and they are made disposers of the treasures of God that bring comfort and reioycing to the heart If then they be meanes to giue Christ Iesus vnto you if they helpe you to heauen if they purge the soule and build you vp in grace if they beat downe sinne and ouerthrow the power of Sathan in you ought you not then to loue them and that for their worke and your profits sake But many there be that make no such account of him why Because they feele no such neede of him they see no necessitie of his labour but that they may well spare him they can see no good he doth and no wonder they can see none to whom nothing is good but that which serues their flesh For as they account of him so they profit by him and iust it is from God that as they despise his minister so he should them and make them fruitlesse hearers of that word which to better men wants not a most excellent fruit according as Christ hath said He that dispiseth you dispiseth me and he that dispiseth me dispiseth him that sent me If they dispise God how can they reuerence the men of God And hence it is that young vpstart boyes and girles in many places are growne to that top of impudencie and shamelessenesse in sinning and standing for sinne as that they dare set thēselues against the minister of God and oppose their life of purpose against his doctrine and stand as stiffly for the dishonouring of God and the breach of the law of God as he can stande for his law whose life is nothing but a disgracing of their minister that in publique and veiw of all the world they might gainsay that in practise which he taught publiquely and euen in the heat of the sermon when the reproofe is yet fresh and scarcely ended then in the heat of their raging lust to fall to the thinge that was forbidden by God and by his minister reproued But why comes foolish youth and boies to be thus impudent But that they are animated by the froward example of elder persons As those young children that mocked Elisha the Prophet how could they speake so basely and contumeliously of the reuerende man of God but that they heard such thinges at home by their gouernours and must needes vtter them when they come abroad But was not this their boldenesse met with Did not God paye them home though they were but children for two beares came out of the woode and slew 40. of them For when they dare professe themselues to be aduersaries to the man of God and to the law of god they must needes faile in euery other dutie despising the person they must needes neglect the doctrine and not reuerencing the preacher they cannot take good by his preaching The minister of god then ought to be esteemed not according to his coats and wealth which is the thing that foolish men doe only doat vppon but according to the singular worke and calling in which God hath sette him and which he will haue respected The second dutie of the people is to obey the doctrine of the minister else they be no faithfull keepers of the eight commandement vnlesse they make conscience to yeelde obedience to the doctrine of their minister taught truely out of the word of God This is commanded Heb. 13. 17. Obey them that haue the ouersight of you and submit your selues c. He wils them to obey their ministers namely in doctrine and he addes the reason because they watch for your soule sith ye stand vpon their guarde to defend your soules from distruction therfore submit your selues and obey not so much the men as the doctrine and instruction deliuered out of Gods word in their calling And secondly if you doe not this you shall be so farre from giuing ioy to the heart of your minister which good people should doe as that you shall peirce his soule with sorrow and be a meanes to eate vp his heattwith for what greater anguish can come to the ministers soule then this that when he exhorts his people to holines they be vnholy he teacheth them to be spiritually minded and they be set altogether on the world he shewes them that they must rule themselues and families after the law of God and follow their owne lust this of all afflictions doth most wound breake the heart of a godly and faithfull minister that in loue to his flocke preacheth Gods word sincerelie vnto them I but would some say what neede we care for his being agreeued Nay this is it that many desire and wish nothing more then that they knew how to vexe the minister But saith he make not so light account of greeuing the minister for that is not profitable for you he hath the sorrow of it but you the losse he is driuen to runne oftner vnto God by your ill intreatie and to seeke for the loue of god when men doe neglect them but in the meane
good man and yet be neuer a whitte the better for it God hath giuen so many graces for their good and will they be better by none of them that is a soule faulte and it shewes that in truth their is no true reuerence for that which one esteemes and accounts of in an other he would bee very desirous to be partaker of it himselfe Superiours in gifts they must do this for all duties in this commandement are mutuall they must turne their gifts to the best good of others vse their wisdome to direct their knowledge to instruct their strength to beare burthens as the Apostle saith you that are strong What we must not lay burthens vpon the weake to suppresse them but beare the burthens of the weake to helpe them Vnlesse therefore hee to whom God hath giuen more graces then ordinarie doe vse that which he hath receiued to the glorie of him that gaue it and to the good of mankind for which he gaue it he is found an abuser of the Lords talents which gaue them him not that he should vaine gloriously set himselfe aboue others that want them and so tread his inferiours vnder foot or cruelly oppresse or craftily circumuent and deceiue those of meaner capacitie then himselfe but to the common good of the whole Church and the further edification of the weaker that as he hath receiued more then so according to the number of his talents he might bring forth a greater encrease But for one to grow proude and set himselfe aboue others that brings the curse of God vpon him and is the next way to make him despised and to loose his gifts which he can vse no better As it is seene by wofull experience in a greater number that God had furnished with many gifts both of bodie and minde so that there was great hope that they should haue much set forth the glorie of God and done much good to the Church of God When they began once to lift vp themselues and seeke their owne vaineglorie more then Gods glorie and so haue turned their giftes the wrong way themselues haue growne in contempt and those graces which they haue had haue rotted away and by little little came to nothing And iust it is with God that it should be so for that man which will not honour God with his gifts God will see that he shall haue no honour and better that they and their gifts should perish then they should haue them to doe no good but set vp themselues Thus much for superiours and inferiours in gifts These in age follow The dueties of younger persons to the ancient is to shew a reuerent opinion of them and to shew all reuerent and submissiue behauiour vnto them in respect that they carry vpon them as it were a print of Gods eternitie which is commaunded Leuit. 19. 32. to rise vp before the hoare head and honour the person of the aged I am the Lord. Where giuing this commaundement of honouring the aged he meets with yong conceited heads by this reason I am the Lord to whom thou owest obedience I will haue it thus and in this respect it were the best way for thee to yeeld obedience So Isay 3. 5. It is noted as a curse of God and a plague that comes with the subuersion of the commonwealth when such wofull confusion should take place as that young boyes and children of no discretion or gouernment should presume against and proud young youthes that haue no grace nor any thing to commend them that neuer did good that none can say that the world is the better for them it might haue done as well if they neuer had beene borne that such proud absurd persons should grow to that extremitie of impudencie and shamelesnesse as to presume against their betters and preferre themselues before their elders Which doth sharpely also reprooue the customable rudenesse of our youth that no whit regard their elders To shew any token of reuerence to them in rising before them or vncouering but go vse such behauiour with them as if it were with fellow boyes or playfellowes The dutie of the elder persons is to giue a good example For a grey head is a glorie if it be found in the way of grace if they be godly and holy and shew a graue wise and graue conuersation then eyther younger persons shall giue them their due reuerence or if they doe not the sinne lyes vpon their owne heads and they be blamelesse So Titus 2. 2. The elder must be sober honest discreet sound in the faith in loue and patience as their bodie decayes so their soules must encrease in all grauitie and sobernesse and for their vnsound limmes and weake they must get a strong and sound fayth that by the long continuance of time and often vse of the meanes of saluation they must get great soundnesse and power of faith which may worke aboundantly in them by the fruits of loue which alwaies accompanies true faith and this loue will make them patient not forward not pettish not easie to be offended but full of long suffering to be an example to others of meeknesse But contrarie it is in those whose sinnes of their youth haue stayned them so deeply and so filled their bodies as there is no grace to be seene in their olde age Their words are altogether vaine and light foolish nothing sauouring of grace so that no man can in reuerence eyther craue aduise from them or be silent to heare such foolish and vnsauerie talke as customably comes from them and their conuersation full of testinesse and vnaduised wrath and bloted with miserable and abiect couetousnesse and greedinesse that they are alwaies smelling earthward and pursuing the world swiftly when they can scarce go vp and downe in the world No grace no wisdome nor any vertue bewtifieth their grey haires these want and that iustly their honour because they haue the first steppe olde age but they want the vpshot and perfection to be found in the way of grace And thus much for the dueties of superiours and inferiours commaunded in this commaundement The reason is next That thy daies may be long in the land which the Lord thy god giueth thee This is taken from the good effect and commoditie that will follow to him that keepes this commaundement It shall be for his profit he shall haue the benefit of it himselfe So that hence we may learne this lesson that the way to get a prosperous and long life is to be obedient to parents and superiours and to honour them As in Ephes 6. 2. He saith this is a commaundement with promise namely with a speciall promise For indeed this stirs vp the heart of the parent to pray to God for his children that he would poure a blessing on them and that not in word onely but indeed and in the desire of his soule he will beg it earnestly at Gods hand for so the wordes in the originall runne
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
gaue now and then a penny to Christ this is to giue the bread to the dogs and crummes to the children as in truth most men doe The full streame and freenesse of their liberalitie runs to seruing of their lust but the sparing gifts and pinching bountie that God must haue And all these rob and cousen themselues and though they imagine to get mountaines of pleasure yet the end shall be paine he that loues wine and oyle and he that loues pastime what is his verdit and what sentence hath God set downe He shal be a needly fellow and liue in want pouertie is the best ende and easiest punishment of this wastfullnesse for want of moderation in meat drinke apparaile and pastime An other kind of wastfullnesse is in idlenesse An idle person is a theefe he puts his hand into his bosome and eates vp his owne flesh He consumes himselfe and is a waster of himselfe and an idle person shall be clothed with rags If one should haue such a companion as when he came to him should find him sufficiently furnished with reasonable store of goods to maintaine himselfe but by that time they parted company should strip him out of all leaue him nothing make him goe in a ragged coat and leaue nothing behind him but want and miserie would not one thnke this was but a cousening companion and a theeuish fellowe But so it stands with idlenesse if that it keepe one companie a while and he will intertaine this guest into his heart it will make a speedie riddance of all set him bare in apparell and base in account and fill an house full of distresse and calamitie that is founde full of wealth And in truth experience shewes this among vs daily that if a man be left well and be of sufficient wealth to maintaine himselfe in good sort let him but giue harbour to idlenesse and all flies away it goes to wracke and by little little like a moath it moolters away his great wealth makes him no better then a begger afore it haue done with him vnlesse he shake it of betime And true it is that Salomon saith His pouertie comes like an armed man Idle persons be pouerties prisoners if they haue no calling to settle thēselues in pouertie hath a calling to arrest thē and if they can take vp themselues in no lawfull businesse pouertie comes with a commission to take vp them and will not be put backe neither it comes armed it will preuaile So that an idle man is a theefe to himselfe he does that to himselfe that if another should doe it all men would take heed of him for a notorious cousener And besides 2. Thess 3. he condemnes such as walke inordinately and bids them labour with their hands and not be idle that they may eate their owne bread as if he had said he that doth nothing hath right to nothing he hath no bread of his owne to eate he puts stolne meat into his mouth euerie bit he eates he cannot say Lord giue me this day my daily bread for it is none of his because he neuer earned it God will haue him doe something afore he haue any thing God indeed allowes recreation he will haue it to fit vs for our calling not to hinder vs from it And why doe we account any man a theefe but because he is a naughtie fellow he takes his neighbours meat and paies not for it he takes his cloathes and giues him nothing in recompence and why then is not an idle man a theefe for he takes his meat and his apparrell and what euer he hath from an other without allowance without doing any thing for them they be Gods and God hath made no such bargaine that he shall haue them without doing seruice to him but when he leaues his calling he looseth his right and title he liues of an others goods shall answere for it as a theefe A third thing wherein one plaies the theefe in his own goods is by suretiship For Salomon names idlenesse and suretiship as two sinnes that men make little account of but God doth marke them and esteemes them as foule faults For this suretiship how euer men thinke it comes from a kinde nature and a louing disposition that they would be willing to doe good to any but it is nothing so it proceeds from an vnwise heart and a great measure of foolishnesse for true kindnesse at home and loue if it be true loue will doe most where it owes most but this is a foolish crueltie when one vnder the shew of mercie to an other will vndoe himselfe and his wife and children I speake not this but that a man may and ought to be suretie and this is a dutie to be performed to a good man with a good calling and according to ones abilitie that he breakes not his owne backe with bearing an other mans burthen Therefore in suretiship keepe these two rules first looke what a kinde of man he is that you would paune your credit for a man must not do his hand ouer his head for euerie one that will aske but onely for such as he is bound vnto by some bond of dutie eyther for religion and charitie or else for some knot of friendship or of kindred else if one be so carelesse to be suretie for he cares not who Salomon takes his coat pittie him not let him feele the smart of his foolish and sinfull rashnes Secondly for whom euer it be goe not aboue your abilitie promise not for so much as might hurt your familie and impayre your estate if it must be taken from you for when one is suretie he bindes himselfe to pay if the principall doe not and if hee doe not meane to doe it or cannot doe this is a meere dissembling and plaine cousenage of him to whom he makes the bond and how can it be counted better then a lye when he promiseth to doe that which he neither can performe though he would nor purposeth to performe though he could If any one therefore haue offended this way let him know and confesse that it was his rashnesse and folly and then his best way is to repent and craue pardon of God and beseech him to make a supplie of his wants But so long as one continues these speeches O I was deceiued and I meant well and I did it of good will and he hath dealt ill with me so long I say as one laies the fault vpon another thus postes it of from himfelfe so long he is farre enough from repentance and shall be farre enough from comfort the crosse and curse doe both remayne vpon as yet that is not the way to lay it vpon another it was long of his vnfaithfulnesse and ill dealing with me nay it was long of your owne vnfaithfulnes and ill dealing with your family it was long of your wisedome that you did not aduise vpon the matter craue assistance at Gods hands and aske
streight to rating and reuiling them no he was not of that minde he loued his neighbours name better then so and therefore he pittied them and was carefull to heale their fault as he would haue beene dealt with all in the like case So that if one haue pittie and compassion of his neighbours faults and pray for him and admonish him and vse all meanes to bring him to repentance he loues his neighbours credit and he that can thus conuert his brother from going astray he hath done the part of a good man and louing friende for hee hath healed the soule and cleared the name and couered a multitude of sinnes And thus much for this inward dutie and the three notes and trials of it Now followes the outward duties which are either generall or speciall And first for the generall That is to speake the truth from ones heart as Dauid in the 15. Psalm Not to speake the truth alone but from our heart neither after a flattering dissembling manner nor after a rayling and reprochfull manner not for hope or feare or that so it be wrested frō one by any sinister affection but heartily to speake iust as the cause is without seruing ones selfe This is one commendation of Christ and a cheefe cōmendation that no guile was found in his mouth But yet these two rules must be kept in speaking the truth First that one speake with a good affection for if one speake the truth in wrath and passion in a distempered minde the words indeed are not sinfull but the manner is wicked and breakes the commandement Many will haue a care to speake nothing but that which they cā iustifie proue to be true but for their affection it is altogether disordered for in a reuengfull minde to ease themselues what euer euill they know by a man out it shall goe without any regard of edifying others or conuerting the persons only in a rage they care not how they discredit their neighbour Now this rude and vngodly speaking of the truth is sinne against our neighbours name as well as to lye and backebite So that alwaies truth must be bounded with a louing heart with a quiet and well tempered mind if one speak vnseasonably to hurt his neighbour he offēds in speaking the truth So for the end that is the second rule that one must looke his ende be good that one doe ayme at Gods glorie and the edification of men for so the Apostle saith Colloss 4. What euer you doe let all be done to the glorie of God If one be about to speake any thing let him first looke what glorie he may bring to God by speaking it Secondly see what profit may redowne either to those to whom we speake or to the partie of whom else neuer speake of other mens faults or of any thing else but when we can say this profit will come either to giue warning to others that they may take heede or that out selues may learne more to hate the sinne or that the partie of whome the speach is may be brought to a sight of his fault and to amendment If one cannot see some good or other that will arise by his speach it is sure it was sin and at the least an idle word So that one must speake the truth from his heart with a good affection and in good discretion so that God may haue his due praise and man his due edification Thus much for the generall dutie Nowe the speciall concerneth either others or our selues In speaking of others these rules must be obserued In praysing to speake in ones commendation rather in his absence because if one be commending before ones face though his commendations be true yet it sauours rather of flatterie then liking of the graces besides through our infirmitie it is not without danger of making one proud and conceited But in ones absence speake the truth as much as we can to the praise of Gods children that so we may winne more credit to their graces and they may be able to doe more good with them and thus as time and place requires it is dutie to giue due and true commendations to Gods seruants But for reproofe and speaking of others mens faults doe that alwaies before their faces the time and season of commending is in absence but the time and season of reprehending is when either the partie alone is present or he is one that is present or at least the thinge may bee brought to him whome it concernes For so the holy Ghost commands Hate not thy neighbour but tell him plainely of his fault Till it not an other Be as plaine and as round with him as one can so that it be in good tearmes and that one know his betters and superiours This is contrarie in many that neuer speake so much to magnifie ones good parts as when the man himselfe is within the hearing and neuer so much of ones faults and frailties as when he is farre enough of this shews that the one comes from a fawning disposition to currie fauour rather then in acknowledgment of the graces and the other rather from malice and reuenge more then from loue and desite of the parties good For one should not in modestie make a rehearsall of ones good things before his face vnlesse it be when hee is deiected and to much depressed to comfort him to raise him vp And this we must obserue in speaking concerning others Now concerning our selues this must be kept that one speake as sparingly as may be either of his infirmities least it giue a suspicion of pride or else disgrace himselfe so much that he be made lesse able to doe the good he might otherwise doe or else of his good thinges and matters of aduancement for feare least he should grow at the length to waxe proude and big in his imagination Now these thinges no man in the world is able perfectly to fullfill for allmost in euerie braunch we are readie to offend continually but the vse that wee must make is first to see our wants then to confesse them and acknowledge them in humility before God and lastly to pray for assistāce and to beseech God that hath giuen vs an holy heart that we may keepe them and yeeld obedience to them in some measure of vprightnesse And thus much for the first fiue commandements which extende them to all outwarde actions and all inward thoughts with consent Now followeth the tenth last cōmandement Thou shalt not couet thy neighbours house nor his wife nor his seruant nor his Oxe nor his Asse nor any thing that is his THis forbids the least thoughts and motions of the hart against our neighbour through any consent or yeelding of the will And commands such a contentednes with our owne estate as that we neuer haue the smallest motion tēding to the hurt of our neighbour in any sort yea that we haue such a loue to our neighbour as we neuer thinke
doe it not principally because his master commands but because God commands not because his Maisters eye is vpon him but because Gods pure eyes behold him either to punish him if he doe not his dutie or to reward him if he doe it faithfully This is the cheese point at which seruants must ayme Commandement Ephes 6. 5. In singlenesse of your heart as vnto Christ And there is a reason why one must cheefly seeke to please God and not man for if one doe so this will follow that one shall not doe it in eye seruice that is this when the Maister lookes on to be so nimble and readie to doe as much as two or three but no sooner the Maisters eye is turnd away but all is giuen ouer and the time spent idle and nothing is done or if it be t is naughtily and negligently But where this is not that one chiefly respects God his obedience can neuer be constant it is but by sits and starts and hangs vpon the masters eye take away that and all is done Secondly if one serue not God then he is streight discouraged at vnkindnesse here 's no rewarde for ones paines no respect had of ones labour indeede if oneserue his master only he may truely say so of times but if one serue God and do it in obedience to God he cannot at anie time say here is no consideration had of ones diligence t were impious to say so to make God a lyar vnfaithfull but there is sufficient consideration and reward if one serue God for then if his master doe not recompence him he whome he serueth will As the example of Iacob shewes He serue a coueteous maister one that made no conscience of his promise to a poore man as this is alwaies the tricke of a couetous man he cares not what promise he breake to a poore man Yet Iacob made conscience of his dutie and endured his couetousnesse for twentie yeares space and serued him to with all his might so that hee was pnicht by heat in the day by cold in the night and if sleepe departed from his eyes and if euer any thing were spoild by wilde beasts he made it good yet Laban all this while did nothing but seeke to eate him vp and to rauen all frō him that he could Then God comes and tels him that though Laban was thus churlish yet he could haue wages enough and because he serued God God will pay him though man doe not and so hee did and that throughly and fully for by Gods owne hand and prouidence most of Labans best cattle were turned to Iacob and so he grew far more welthy had a larger recōpence then euer he looked for So that if on serue two maisters he shall commonly haue double wages For God will incline the heart of his maisters to fauour him when he is faithfull and himselfe also will fully reward him with abundant blessing in his soule and bodie and conscience and name and posteritie after him For no man euer serued God in a calling but hee may as well pray for Gods blessing and as surely looke for it be the worke neuer so meane and base that he goes about as the minister when he preacheth or prayeth or administreth the sacrament or doth any worke of his calling The last dutie of seruants is to pray for their gouernours and for good successe vpon their labours in their gouernours businesse This is commanded 1. Tim. 2. Where it is commanded that not euery place of authoritie one is in the inferiour should pray to God for him if he be bad to conuert him be mercifull to him if good to strengthen him and giue him continuance and increase of these graces Likewise when seruants goe about matters of weight concerning their maister they must pray to God for direction and successe as when Abraham trusted his seruant with a great matter namely to fetch a wife for his sonne he goes about with prayer to God to direct him and giue him a good proceeding and euent and where God had blessed him he giues thankes to God and prayseth him as hee would not trust his own strength but cals to God for assistance so hauing obtained assistance he lets God haue the praise and then when he was intreated to stay ten daies and might haue had all courteous and liberall intertainment yet he would not but tels them that seeth God had blessed him and his maister expected his comming they should not nowe hinder him and nothing could containe him from his Maister that looked for him This confutes those that neuer pray God to giue a blessing to their gouernours and to bestow grace vpon their masters and hence it iustly comes to passe that they want many good things from their masters which they shoud haue because they performe not all the duties of a good seruant in that they call not vpon God for their master And those are also reproued that will be desirous to be employed in their masters affaires and to haue dealing in businesses committed to them but they are so presumptuous in a carnall confidence of their owne abilitie that they runne boy strously and rudely vpon matters not entreating the helpe of the great God in things of great moment and then it is iust that God should crosse them because they take away that he neuer sanctified and if they will not aske a blessing is not it righteous that he should turne their wit into folly and though they goe about it prudently crosse and ouerturne all their policy because they trust more in policie then in his blessing The seruant therfore must craue Gods assistance that he may vse good meanes after a good manner and with good successe And an other vse heere is to be made of those which haue beene seruants but now are not this is their dutie euen to goe backe and see wherein they haue fayled in any of these things and for that aske mercie at Gods hand and craue pardon else they shall be lyable to these two euils First that God may iustly plague them now for their former sinnes and secondly that as they failed in their dutie to their masters so their seruants shall faile in dutie to them whereas if one haue repented he may looke and haue some hope that God in mercy will so order his seruants hearts as that they shal not recompence his owne euill vnto him because the blood of Christ hath washed it away But such as will pilfer deale wickedly with their masters not repent for it and make some repentance it is most iust from God that they themselues should be spoyld and robd without any amends Thus much concerning the duties of seruants the duties of the master follow For as God binds the inferiour to his duty so he requires that the superiour be carefull in his place and calling too Now the masters duties consist in two maine points Namely in chosing them with wisedome and