an excellent meanes to enflame our hearts also with a loue to him The last helpe is Praier For z Iam. 1.17 Euery good and perfect gift commeth from aboue Aske it therefore at Gods hands for a Vers 5. he giueth liberally to all men and vpbraideth no man These are some helps for the attainment of this grace which if we conscionably practise I doubt not but we shall soone finde kindled in our bosomes to our endlesse comfort And that is our second vse A third we now inferre but briefly and that for Vse 3 Consolation of such as loue the Lord esteeming him as their best beloued setting their whole hearts and soules vpon him In so doing they haue performed a worthy worke and such a worke as in the end brings peace Oh the priuileges the superexcellent priuileges that belong to such a one b Iob. 14.21 He that loueth me shall be loued of my Father and I will loue him and manifest my selfe vnto him saith our Sauiour So that we see here is no loue lost Christ will respect them most graciously for euermore and alwaies doe them good Yea euery thing shall further their good and welfare and so saith the Apostle c Rom. 8.28 All things worke together for good to them that loue God Euery thing the least ens and being any thing that can be named or conceiued shall worke thy good thy good of grace here and glory hereafter so that the Deuill in the end shall get nothing by tempting thee to sinne but the greater ouerthrow of his owne kingdome and thou thereby shalt grow the better it shall make thee more humble lowly watchfull carefull c. Thus blow what winde can blow the illest winde shall blow thee good hap what happen may it cannot make thee miserable Thou standest in a Center the Circumference is mercie whatsoeuer commeth to thee be it losse crosse paine sicknesse death it must first come through the circumference of mercy and so taste and relish of mercy before it come at thee or touch thee Oh! what a priuilege is this how excellent how admirable This is thy priuilege who louest God for to thee it is made and to none else besides Can we maruell now at the Apostles words e 1 Cor. 2.9 Eie hath not seene nor eare heard neither hath entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that loue him Many excellent and beautifull obiects hath the eie beheld and the eare hath heard relation made of things farre surpassing those which the eie hath seene but the heart is able to conceiue of things more excellent than either eie hath seene or eare hath heard yet neither eie hath seene nor eare heard nor yet can the heart conceiue saith he the things that God hath prepared for such as are louers of him He hath promised saith S. Iames f Iam. 2.5 a kingdome vnto such and g Cap. 1.12 a crowne of life which they shall receiue Let then the loue-sicke hearts of the godly be cheared vp for God doth not forget their labour and loue but he will recompence it with an euerlasting loue Let it serue likewise to enkindle our loue so that where it is now but in the sparke it may breake out into the flame louing him with all our soule strength and might desiring nothing aboue him equally with him or without him louing him for himselfe and all things else for him And so to end the point and vse with that sweet meditation of Austine h August 4. Confess Blessed is he O Lord who thus loueth thee and his friend in thee and his enemie for thee for onely that man cannot lose any thing which he loueth who loueth nothing but in thee who cannot be lost And thus much for the first reason that is giuen for this Title or Appellation come we now to the second and see whether we can be briefer there In a more particular respect also might the Prophet call the Lord his welbeloued viz. in respect of his office and calling as he was a Prophet to whom the charge of Christs Queene the Church was committed And in regard of this Ministers are called Christs friends according to that saying of S. Iohn i John 3.29 He that hath the Bride is the Bridegroome but the friend of the Bridegroome which standeth and heareth him reioyceth greatly because of the Bridegroomes voyce where by friend he vnderstands himselfe and in himselfe all other Ministers both Prophets and Apostles and that both because they labour to make the mariage betweene the Church and Christ as also endeuour to hold fast the Church vnto Christ being iealous ouer her for his sake lest shee should be seduced Calu. Vrsin Moller Trem. Iun. Taking this as a reason which indeed is the vsuall reason rendred by our Expositors for this Appellation by good consequence it will follow that Ministers are Christs Paranymphs Doctr. Ministers are Christs Paranymphs In a speciall manner they are his friends to wooe the Church and winne the Church vnto himselfe to fit it and prepare it for himselfe So witnesseth the Apostle when he saith k Coloss 1.28 29. We warne euery man and teach euery man in all wisdome that we may present euery man perfect in Christ Iesus whereunto faith he I also labour And writing to the Corinthians he thus speaketh l 2 Cor. 11.2 3. I am iealous ouer you with a godly iealousie for I haue espoused you to one husband that I may present you as a chaste virgin vnto Christ By whose practise we see the Ministers dutie dignitie and office both to fit and prepare the Church for Christ as also to hold fast the Church vnto Christ that shee breake not her mariage-couenant with him I hasten to the Vses for in this I haue promised breuitie Vse 1 Let vs Ministers hence learne our duties And seeing we haue the Church committed to our care and are so farre honoured as to be betrusted with Christs Queene let vs vse all possible meanes that we may deliuer vnto the Bridegroome a pure and chaste virgin When m Gen. 24. Abraham sent his seruant to fetch a wife for his sonne Isaac he brought him godly and beautifull Rebeccah We are the Lords seruants sent to fetch a wife for Iesus Christ the Sonne of God O let vs be as faithfull to God the Father and to Iesus Christ his Sonne as that good seruant was to Abraham and Isaac Let vs doe our message with diligence and execute our charge with faithfulnesse and prayer Let vs speake of Christ and only of Christ making him the scope and subiect of all our preaching And as is the old Embleme of S. Christopher vnder which our ancient Mythologists haue described the good Pastor wade through the sea of this world staying on the staffe of faith and lifting vp Christ aloft to be seene of men n Iohn 3.14 as the brazen
which all Doctrine must be tried If we haue authority of Scripture for our propounded points it being rightly vnderstood then we haue authority from God himselfe for the deliuery of it else not Too to blame then are our ouer-credulous multitude who hand ouer head admit and receiue for Orthodoxe whatsoeuer is propounded vnto them by their teachers and thinke this is a sufficient warrant for any point they hold Our Minister said it or such a Preacher deliuered it in a Pulpit Ier. 23.16 As if there were not some who runne before they are sent and publish the visions of their owne braine prophesying that which God neuer spake In matters ciuill we are more cautelous and wary no gold almost we take before wee haue tried it by the touch or weighed it in the ballance and what 's the reason because there is much of it light and naught yea hardly we will take a groat without bowing bending rubbing it and the like being therein oftentimes ouer-curious But in religious matters which concerne our faith and soules saluation wee are ouer-carelesse albeit we are forewarned p 1 Iohn 4.1 of many false Prophets that are gone into the world and therefore willd not to beleeue euery spirit but to try the spirits whether they be of God This is a great yet common fault amongst vs. Were he q Gal. 1.8 an Angell from heauen that preacheth to thee yet art thou bound to looke into his Doctrine and examine it and not to take it vpon credit without hee bring sufficient proofe and warrant for it By vertue of our place we challenge Audience hearken to a matter you must because we say it but we cannot by and by challenge Credence for you may not beleeue it vntill you know vpon what ground we speake it And therefore like good Beraeans see you search the Scriptures whether these things be so Acts 17.11 The Matter Subiect of this Song is the last thing to be considered in the Prooem the text saith it is Text. Touching his Vineyard Of which Vineyard we shall hereafter speake more largely In the meane time this obserue we Doctr. Ministers ought to spend their paines especially for the Churches good The good of Gods Church is the subiect of a Preachers labours that is it whereupon he must especially attend as did our Prophet whose Art wit learning time and paines was especially spent about that which might make for the welfare of Gods Vineyard Hereunto tends that exhortation of the Apostle r Rom. 12.7 8. Let vs wait on our ministring he that teacheth on teaching or he that exhorteth on exhortation with which dutie he straightly chargeth Timothie and vs in him Å¿ 1 Tim. 4.13 14 15. Giue attendance to reading to exhortation to doctrine Neglect not the gift that is in thee Meditate vpon these things giue thy selfe wholly to them Preach the word be instant in season and out of season c. And according to this Doctrine was his and the other Apostles practice who would not admit any other charge to be ioined to their Ministerie no not the Office of Deacons but laid the charge of prouiding for the poore on others Acts 6.2 thinking it not fit to leaue the word of God to serue tables Reas And did we but consider the weightinesse of the calling we would soon confesse a Minister had little need to employ himselfe in any by-affaires For as it is an honor so it is a burden and such a burden as is too much for halfe a man Humeris angelorum formidandum 2 Cor. 2.16 Obiect it requires the whole man yea the strength and abilitie of Angels to stand vnder it and therefore saith the Apostle who is sufficient for these things But Saint Paul exercised a manuall occupation and became a Tent-maker labouring with his hands and that after he was called to his Apostleship And so Saint Peter and others were fishers and followed fishing I grant the Apostles did so Answ but it was only in case of necessitie in time of the Churches wants and pouertie to the end they might support the need and necessitie of it as also that they might cut away all occasion from them who watched for an occasion whereby they might disgrace them and winne credit to themselues And thus for a Minister to ioine another calling to his calling when he is not able to maintaine his charge and in the generall want and pouertie of the Church it not being able to maintaine him and his cannot be thought vnlawfull But where there is a Church well established and reformed this cannot be allowable This Doctrine likewise like Rebeckaes wombe doth Vse 1 twinne it affords a double vse one to vs who are the Lords warriers that t 2 Tim. 2.4 we entangle not our selues with the things of this life The Lord hath laid a heauy burden vpon thy shoulders couch not downe with Isachars Asse to receiue any other load What a shame is it for to see a Minister to turne Farmer Grasier Physitian or the like and all for a little pelfe so loading his minde with the burden of cares and couetousnesse as if he were exonerated of the burden of the Gospell May we not well wonder with Synesius how becomes to gaine so much leisure as to serue two Masters God in Choro Epist 57. and Mammon in Foro I know there is a care of secular affaires belonging to vs For a u 1 Tim. 3 4 5. 1 Tim. 5.8 Bishop must be able to rule his owne house honestly And againe if there be any without exception that prouideth not for his family he denieth the faith and is worse than an Infidell But these things must not hinder our constant care for the welfare of Gods Vineyard Neither doe I thinke it a thing vnlawfull for a Minister to studie Physicke or haue to doe with some other calling for besides in the forenamed cases so it be at spare houres Horis succisiuis and vsed rather as a recreation than occupation it is allowable yet still Diuinitie must be our most and mainest studie Maior pars vitae atque ingenij huc sâ—et that we may saue and winne soules to God Let vs then that are Ministers of Gods word neither be idle nor ill occupied and when we are about any thing which belongs not to our calling then remember we the checke that Christ gaue to Peter * Iohn 21.21 Clericus in oppido Piscis in arido Age quod tui muneris est verbi es Minister hoc age What is that to thee The Church is thy proper element and the Pulpit thy right vbi the Temple should be the center of all thy circumference Doe that which belongs vnto thy Office as Valentinian said to Ambrose Thou art a Minister minde thou that Vse 2 And now for our people this vse concerneth them I doubt not but you will subscribe to what hath now beene
taught and say Thou hast well said in all that thou hast spoken but now marke your duties for if this be so then ought you so to prouide for your Ministers and their families as that they may haue no cause to diuert their studies In 1. ad Tim. A necessary liuing saith Chrysostome ought plentifully to be ministred vnto your Teachers lest they should be discomfited and that they might not depriue themselues and you of great things while they be busied about the smallest And surely this is one of the blemishes of our Church that many well-deseruing Ministers are of necessitie compelled to leaue studying of Sermons and studie for bread to put in their owne and childrens mouthes What Vocation is there in this land honest in it selfe and industriously followed by the professors of it wherein a man may not liue and leaue well behinde him for the maintenance of such as shall â—ome after Dat Galenus opes dat Iustinianus honores except only in the Ministerie Physicke and Law bring wealth and honour but Learning followes Homer with a staffe and wallet the studie of Diuinitie brings contempt and beggerie Looke how it was with the Iewes vnder the tyrannie of Egypt Exod. 5. so is it now with vs when we should make bricke worke in our profession we are enforced to gather straw seeke out for sustenance and yet if our tale of bricke be not made vp we are cried out vpon for being idle But God heares our cries and will one day plead our cause In the meane time let such places and Parishes as would haue their Ministers thus to follow close their callings see that they so prouide for their certaine maintenance as that they may without distraction follow it We haue done with the Prooem Now we come to the Poem or Song it selfe My welbeloued hath a Vineyard in a very fruitfull hill Text. c. Wherein is set forth Gods great loue towards his people Israel and Iudah and their horrible ingratitude and disobedience towards him together with their fearefull and finall ruine for that their disobedience All which is darkly and obscurely propounded vnder a continued similitude or allegorie of an vnprofitable Vineyard which did not answer the cost and expectation of the Vinitor by bringing forth of fruit x Heb. 6.7 meet for him that dressed it In opening whereof we need not doubt of finding out the true and proper sense and meaning in the Generall as who this Vinitor is and who the Vineyard and what the fruit these being explained and expounded by our Prophet vers 7. But in the Particulars there is question As what is meant by Hill Fence Stones Plant Tower Winepresse forasmuch as these parts are not followed by him and are diuersly interpreted by Expositors By Hill some vnderstanding the field of this world others the citie of Ierusalem which was higher than all other Cities and the Countrie thereabouts And others the Land of Canaan a land flowing with milke and hony By Fence or Hedge some vnderstand the Law which was giuen by Moses whereby the people of Israel were fenced in and kept within compasse Others the Couenant which God made with his people the Iewes wherwith he did hedge them in vnto himselfe to be his peculiar people And others vnderstand thereby the Diuine protection by which as by an hedge the Lord did continually protect his people By Stones some vnderstand their wicked Kings Saul Ahab and the rest who by their wicked practises did hinder the growth of Gods Church Others the Gentiles and Heathen people the Canaanites and Hittites with the rest whom the Lord cast out before the people of Israel Others vnderstand thereby all kinde of Idolatrie Errors Abominations which the Lord purged his people from And there are some others who by stones vnderstand the Wall wherewith the Lord did make the fence or hâ—dge and that because the y Sakal in Piel word here vsed signifieth as well to build with stones and gather them together for that end as to remoue stones By the choice Plant some would haue the Lord Iesus to be meant and that because the Prophet speaketh in the singular number both in the Parable and in the exposition of it He saith not Vines or Plants z Sorec Isch Iehudah but a Vine or Plant and the man of Iudah not the men of Iudah Others vnderstand thereby the best and choisest persons amongst that people especially them of the house of Iudah as Dauid Solomon and the rest whom God had chosen and endued with an excellent measure of his Spirit for rule and gouernment and others vnderstand it more largely for the whole body of that people the stems and branches of Abraham Isaak Iacob those honourable Plants By Tower some vnderstand their Prophets Priests and Princes whom the Lord gaue vnto them to watch as out of a tower ouer them for their good Others would haue vs vnderstand thereby Ierusalem that great Metropolitan Citie of the Iewes And others the Temple which was built therein By Wine-presse that was therein some doe vnderstand the Doctrine of the Prophets their exhortations and reprehensions whereby they did labour to bring the people to repentance Others Passions and Afflictions which the Lord laid vpon them for their sinnes And others vnderstand thereby the Altar in the Temple vpon which they did offer vp their sacrifices and oblations Thus we see the diuersitie of opinions concerning these particulars and the variety of paths wherein our Interpreters walke so that it is no easie matter to take the right yet amongst all I had rather follow them who by this fruitfull Hill vnderstand the Land of Canaan For of it the Scripture thus speaketh a Deut. 11.9 11 12. The Land whither you goe to possesse it is a land of hils and vallies and drinketh water of the raine of heauen A land which the Lord thy God careth for the eies of the Lord thy God are alwaies vpon it from the beginning of the yeere euen vnto the end of the yeere A good land and large flowing with milke and honie By Fence or Hedge his mightie protection whereby he defended and preserued his people from all their enemies This was that hedge which the Lord made about b Iob 1.9 Iob and about his house and about all that he had on euery side And this hedge did the Lord promise to make about c Zach. 2.5 Psal 90. Ierusalem so that none should hurt it Of which Fence reade at large Psal 90. By Stones the Canaanites and Hittites of whom Dauid thus speaketh d Psal 44.2 Thou didst driue out the Heathen with thy hand and plantedst them thou didst afflict the people and cast them out Of which Stones e Alphons Salm. in parab vincae Matth. 21. say some Iohn Baptist speaketh when he telleth the Iewes bragging they had Abraham to their father f Matth. 3.9 that God is able of these stones to raise
lurking in our own bosomes It is sinne that hales downe those iudgements on vs and ours h Iosua 7 8-13 What shall I say O Lord when Israel turnes their backes before their enemies said Iosua to God now marke Gods answer Get thee vp wherefore liest thou thus vpon thy face Israel hath sinned they haue transgressed my Couenant which I haue commanded them for they haue euen taken of the accursed thing and haue also stollen and dissembled also and they haue put it euen amongst their owne stuffe Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies because they were accursed neither will I be with you any more except you destroy the accursed thing from amongst you This answer may we giue to the like demand Why are wee so often punished afflicted plagued Surely wee haue taken of that execrable thing and broken the Couenant of the Lord and vntill that accursed thing Sinne be searched out and cast away neuer hope for any fauour to be shewed from the Lord i Ionah 1.15 Ionah must be cast ouer-boord before the storme cease Vse 3 Lastly seeing sinne sets God and his dearest people at variance be they graced with neuer so many excellencies or priuiledges then k Rom. 11.20 be not high minded but feare for whatsoeuer thou art that sinnest against the Lord be thy priuiledges neuer so many or excellent l Ierem. 22.24 wert thou as a signet vpon Gods right hand or as the apple of his eye yet he will haue a controuersie with thee And so for our Land in generall which may seeme to out-vie the felicitie of all other Nations in high and rich prerogatiues Of all the trees in the Garden wee may seeme to be the Vine that God hath set his heart vpon amongst all the varietie of Flowers England is the Lilly and the Rose amongst all the Princes we haue had a Deborah and haue a Dauid amongst all the Prophets of the Lord wee haue the most reuerend Elishaes amongst all the Nurseries and Springs of learning wee haue the most famous Naioths amongst all Lands we haue that Canaan which abounds with plentie of all good things and amongst all Cities wee haue Ierusalem But will these priuiledges beare vs out if wee take libertie to sinne against the Lord Alas they cannot nay so farre are they from stopping Gods wrath as that they will rather make way for it As a man is more offended with the euill behauiour of a seruant that hath beene aduanced by him so the Lord with vs. When Saul behaued himselfe not so well in his Kingdome as he ought it was taken from him and giuen vnto Dauid Hold that thou hast O England lest misery come vpon thee And thus much for the Appeale which was the first thing wee considered in the Plea The Indictment followes in these words Text. What could haue beene done more to my Vineyard that I haue not done in it Wherefore when I looked that it should bring forth grapes brought it forth wilde grapes Wherein wee haue an Action commenced against them of Ingratitude which is prosecuted and proued to their faces and therein More particularly we see first how the Lord excuseth himselfe from being in any fault for that their barrennesse No way was he defectiue he had done as much as might be done to make it fruitfull What could haue beene done more to my Vineyard saith he that I haue not done in it And secondly hee accuseth them for horrible vnthankfulnesse in making so vngratefull a returne which accusation is amplified by an Antithesis betweene his iust demand He looked that it should bring forth grapes and their vniust demeanure for it brought forth wilde grapes The forme of the words as we see is Interrogatorie What could haue beene done Wherefore when I looked c. And it is obserued by some that before man fell to sinning God fell not to questioning all his speeches to him were either commendatory or commandatory But when man turned his heart to another obiect then God turned his voice to another accent and the first word he speakes to him after his transgression was a question m Gen. 3.9 Adam where art thou and with the same forme and method of speech hee goeth on n Verse 11. Who told thee thou wast naked Hast thou eaten of the tree whereof I commanded thee thou shouldest not eat And euer since it is vsuall with the Lord to discusse with man after the same manner sometimes to teach him sometimes to reproue him sometimes to confirme him and oftentimes to conuince him For albeit mans questions are for the most part effects of dubitation doubting being the mother of them that breedeth them and causeth them yet Gods questions are of another nature and haue another vse for they for the most part tend to conuince the conscience and bring it to a sense and science of sinne And so here God doth Appeale to the consciences of these Israelites and fetch euidence against them from the impartiall euidence of their owne hearts What could haue beene done more q.d. Is there any thing that could haue beene desired of a Husbandman wherein I haue beene wanting Shew me wherein I haue failed of my dutie alledge what you can against me let your consciences speake Wherefore when I looked c. Some reade it Why haue I looked o Moller in loc as if God should expostulate with himselfe why he expected any good fruit from so naughty and peruerse a people and that he doth after the manner of men who oftentimes complaine of themselues and are offended with themselues when the euent of a thing doth not answer their hope and expectation for that they haue bestowed such cost and paines to so little purpose But others thinke this sense to be the plainer p Calu. in loc Seeing I haue fully discharged my dutie and haue done aboue all that could haue beene expected in husbanding my Vine whence comes it that it yeelds me so euill recompence Now haply some may obiect Obiect that albeit God had thus planted and watered his Church and vsed all outward meanes for the fertilitie thereof yet seeing as the Apostle sheweth q 1 Cor. 3. Pauls planting is nothing nor Apolloes watering without Gods blessing how could God say he had done all that could be done when he with-held a blessing and softned not their hearts that the meanes might become profitable Might not this man of Iudah and inhabitant of Ierusalem haue had replied Resp 1 in the words of the Leper r Matth. 8.2 Why Lord if thou wilt Loquitur de sufficientia externoris mediorum non internae gratiae Hieron Vrsin Simul pluit Dominus super segetes super spinas sed segeti pluit ad horreum spinis ad ignem tamen vna est pluvia August de benedict Esau Iacob thou canst make vs cleane For answer hereunto First we are to know that God
liuing what credit is it for him to brag that such an estate was left him nay is it not a shame So if the vertues of thy parents liue in thee it is then a grace vnto thee that thou descendedst from their loynes otherwise the contrary The very Heathen x Ouid. Metam lib. 13. Juuenal Sat. 8. haue rather choose to descend of vnnoble parents so themselues were noble and renowned through vertue than to come of worthy parents and progenitors and themselues to grow base and degenerate out of kinde So it is better to be religious and the sonne of wicked parents than being the sonne of godly parents to be wicked Cain Cham Ismael and Esau might boast of Adam Noah Abraham Isaac the noblest parents who on the other side might blush and grieue at such degenerate issues Walke then in the steps of thy godly parents and speake not of thy bloud Non genus sed genius non gens sed mens but of thy good not of thy parents vertues but of thy owne for what hath a coward to doe to glorie in the valour of his father And I would that Papists would consider of this who brag that their Pope and Bishops are the Successours of Peter and the rest of the Apostles Well admit this to be true yet can they shew vs how they succeed them in their gifts and graces If they cannot as all the world may see they cannot their personall succession is nothing worth and they brag of an emptie title without honour It remaines now that we come to taka a view of the fruits which this Vineyard brought forth which is the third and last thing I propounded to be considered Text. Hee looked for iudgement but behold oppression for righteousnesse but behold a crie Here we see first what fruits they were which God especially expected and they were fruits of the second Table Iudgement Righteousnesse And secondly what were the fruits which they returned namely Oppression A crie I might obserue hence from the Prophets elegancie adorning of his speech Rhetorically by a figure thus much that Doctr. Rhetorick may lawfully be vsed in the handling of Gods word Vse Rhetoricke is an Art sanctified by Gods Spirit and may lawfully be vsed in handling of Gods word There might be brought diuers instances out of holy Scripture wherein all the parts of Rhetoricke are vsed and euery approued rule of it practised yea euen in this very Prophesie But I hasten towards a conclusion and therefore passe from this with a word of admonition to all that we beware how we condemne the lawfull vse with the abuse For the Art it selfe is to be approued and onely the abuse thereof to be condemned But I come to the particulars in my Text. He looked for iudgement righteousnesse He doth not say he expected Oblations and Sacrifices which this people were abundant in as Chap. 1.11 but he expected that Iudgement and Iustice should be administred the cause of the poore pleaded and all good duties and offices of loue should be shewed towards our brethren and those who were in need Sundrie points might hence be raised but I will only obserue this one which is as the summe of all The works and duties of the second Table are in speciall manner expected and respected by God Doctr. The duties of the second Table God especially respects In the first Chapter of this Prophesie wee may reade how forward this people were in the outward duties of the first Table y Isay 1.11 offering multitude of sacrifices and burnt offerings of Rammes and the fat of fed beasts c. But God he cals them off and tels them he would none because they had no regard of the duties of the second Table z Verse 15.16 for their hands were full of bloud Then exhorting them to repentance hee wils them to testifie the truth thereof by bringing forth fruits meet for repentance And for their better direction he instanceth in some particulars making choice not of such duties as immediately concerne himselfe but of such as especially concerne our neighbour a Verse 17. Seeke iudgement releeue the oppressed iudge the fatherlesse pleade for the widow As if he had said vnto them You offer multitudes of sacrifices and obserue solemne daies and Feasts the new Moones and Sabbaths and the like and are not wanting in the outward duties of the first Table But I especially respect the duties of the second wherein you haue beene wanting and therefore labour to finde out what is right and seeke after that iustice that God requires in his Law dealing with others as you would be dealt withall giue ouer your crueltie exercise mercie and stretch forth your helping hand for the releeuing and defending of such as are in need And in the 58. of this Prophesie we may reade how God reiects their b Isay 58.6 7. prayers and fastings because they regarded not to shew mercy and kindnesse vnto the poore and needie and withall shewes them what manner of Fast it was that he required namely to loose the bands of wickednesse to vndoe the heauie burdens and to let the oppressed goe free To deale bread vnto the hungrie to bring the poore that are cast out vnto their houses to cloath the naked and the like This was the Fast that God did especially respect In the Prophesie of Micah we may reade what large proffers the wicked make c Micah 6.6 7. They will come with burnt offerings and calues of a yeere old they will offer thousands of Rammes and ten thousand riuers of oile they would giue their first borne for their transgression the fruit of their bodie for the sinne of their soule so that God would be pleased herewith But yet all this would not please him d Verse 8. He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to doe iustly and to loue mercy and to walke humbly with thy God without this all the former is nothing worth Thus we see verified what we finde recorded by the Prophet Hosea I desire Mercie and not Sacrifice e Hos 6.6 It is better pleasing vnto God to see the duties of Iustice and Righteousnesse of Mercie and louing kindnesse performed to our neighbour than to haue Sacrifices neuer so many or great seuered from these done vnto himselfe The workes and duties that the second Table requires to be performed of vs are most expected and respected by him Reas For the touchstone of piety and true religion towards God is our iust and righteous dealing with our brethren f 1 Ioh. 3.10 Herein are the children of God knowne and the children of the Deuill whosoeuer doth not righteousnesse is not of God neither hee that loueth not his brother True faith is operatiue g Iam. 2.18 26. and worketh by loue and is to be manifested by our workes without which it is to be iudged dead as S.