things needfull that when hee goeth to encounter his aduersary there be no want euen so God would haue vs to consider all the weeke before what we haue to doe on the Sabbath day that wee might so dispose of our sixe dayes of work that the seuenth might bee wholly bestowed without any let vpon Gods seruice Q. This Commandement requireth not onely the rest of the masters or chiefe of families but of seruants too that they should not be appointed to any labour that day And therefore they who send their seruants vpon errands vpon such daies which is a sin wherein too many offend transgresse this Commandement They likewise who appoint thē that are vnder them so they worke not their wonted worke to doe other businesse either at home or abroad and thinke they breake not the Sabbath are much deceiued A. It is so Yea God hath such care that seruants shuld also rest that day that hee would the cattell should rest lest by any meanes the seruants if the cattel rested not should be constrained to work And that this commandement might more religiously be obserued euē the stranger though hee were not tyed to such lawes as Gods people were yet being then among Gods people might not worke that day lest his example might bee hurtfull or offensiue to other Q. I see then that there must bee rest from our ordinary labour vpon the Sabbath day But is it enough that wee rest from worke is that a sufficient sanctifying that day A. No for the end why we should rest from bodily worke is that wee might be wholy occupied in Sanctifying it and apply our selues to heauenly meditations Q. Then to bee idle is not the rest that is heere commanded much lesse to bestow that day or any part of the Sabbath in excessiue drinking feasting or gaming A. You say truely for the rest from bodily labour is to this end onely that the mind of men being occupied in spirituall and heauenly meditations they might more assuredly inioy that sweet rest and quietnesse of conscience which is that Peace that the world cannot giue Ioh. 14.27 as our blessed Sauiour telleth vs in such sort as he giueth it Q. I pray you then teach vs how wee may sanctifie this day of rest in such sort as that wee may find this heauenly rest A. Wée must vnderstand that this Commandement as it was giuen vnto all that God brought out of the house of bondage euen to Moses and Aaron aswell as to the people so is it generall now and belongeth vnto all states of life to all callings to Men and Women and euery body in his place must seeke to further this worke The Magistrate and the Minister the Pastor and the People the Master and the Seruant must indeauour to helpe forward as the Prophet Zephanie speaketh Chap. 3.9 with one shoulder this sanctifying the day of rest Q. Hath the ciuill Magistrate any thing required at his hands in this sanctifying of the Sabbath but that for his owne selfe and his household hee be carefull to resort to the holy exercises of that day A. Yes he is also bound euen by this Commandement in respect that the talent of gouernment is committed to him from God first to haue a care that good lawes be made against the prophanation of the Sabbath secondly to take order that such Laws be duely executed and punishment inflicted against offenders as Law commandeth Heereof wee haue in Nehemiah a godly patterne for Magistrates who séeing the Sabbath day when the people of the Iewes were returned from the captiuitie of Babylon wickedly prophaned by treading Wine-presses selling Grapes and such like labours earnestly reproued them for it yea and the Magistrates too with these words Nehe. 13.15.17 What euil thing is this that ye do and breake the Sabbath day And the night before the Sabbath he caused the gates of Ierusalem to be shut and set his seruants to watch the gates that none should open the same but they should be kept shut vntill after the Sabbath day so that he kept the Marchants which by their bearing of burthens prophaned the Sabbath day without the walles all night once or twice But seeing them somewhat obstinate and loth to be restrained he also threatned them that if they came any more in such sort to offer such prophanation on the Sabbath day hee would force them by violence to depart By which Story that is left vnto vs as a commendable fact for all Magistrates to imitate wee see how carefull and how earnest Magistrates should bee to shew themselues as the LORD hath appointed them Conseruatours of his Sabbath Q. As for Ministers of the word we know that their vocation is holy and should especially bee directed to the true sanctifying the day of rest A. It is most true that wee haue a holy calling which that wee also should walke in holily it were to bee wished But as this Commandement was giuen to Aaron as well as to Moses or the people so no doubt wee must haue great regard to the sanctifying the Sabbath day and go before other therein our selues I meane and our housholds that by our example other may the rather be moued to this holy rest And besides those duties that God requireth of vs in regard of our generall calling to Christianity wee haue a speciall calling vnto the Ministerie whereby we must striue to the vttermost of our power to call our people to the sanctifying the Sabbath day to teach them how the day is to bee sanctifyed to exhort such as are slack to reproue such as obstinately offend therein and by all extremity that we can to compell men to the sanctifying thereof And wee must do this as God hath inabled vs sincerely and seeking only the glory of GOD not our owne praise or moued by any other corrupt affection if we will truly and effectually teach our people to sanctifie the Lords Sabbath For how much the more zealously and from a sanctified heart the word is deliuered the more powerfully no doubt will it worke a godly reformation Q. Magistrates and Ministers I see must vse their talents of authority and gifts to sanctifie the Sabbath and themselues by their example also must moue other thereto haue not any other charge to helpe forward herein A. All Parents and heads of housholds must further this duty likewise to haue a great care that their children and seruants prophane not the day that God commandeth to bee kept holy Yea one neighbour ought to stir vp another as Gods people did Come Esay 2.3 let vs go vp to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Iaacob and hee will teach vs his waies and wee will walke in his paths Come let vs go to the Church let vs reuerently heare his word let vs not spend the day in drinking wantonnesse or idlenesse that God bids vs bestow in holinesse yea and seruants and children should frame themselues willingly
due And this loue is a true and sincere affection truely setled in the heart of the Parent without any outward respects and therefore when God will expresse his loue towards any he saith he will bee his Father As hee spoke to Dauid concerning Salomon 2. Sam. 7.14 I will be his Father and hee shall be my son The Apostle to testifie his kind affection and great care hee had ouer the Thessalonians 1. Thes 2.11 Psal 103.13 saith Hee exhorteth them as a Father his children the Prophet Dauid saith As a Father hath compassion of his children so hath the Lord compassion on them that feare him And God himselfe assuring his people of his Fatherly loue telleth them that his kindnesse to them shall be more certaine Es 49.15 then the mothers to the sonne of her wombe Q. This duty is of all men euen of such as know not God so performed to children that they who are wanting therein are condemned as most vnnaturall A. It is true yet would it bee more sincerely performed if men would from the heart acknowledge that their children are a gift of God as Iacob said to Esau Gen. 33.5 They are the children whom God of his grace hath giuen thy seruant And Ioseph to his father Gen. 48.9 They are the childrē that God hath giuen me Psal 127.3 Behold saith Dauid Children are the inheritance of the Lord and the fruit of the wombe his reward If this were considered as it ought fathers would not set so little by so precious a gift from the Lord as children are suffering them to run on in all lewdnesse but would in a Christian and true fatherly care séeke to prepare their children to the Lords seruice in some holy calling and not to liue in idlenesse Q. What other duty owe Parents to their children all their life long A. To offer vp to God the sacrifice of prayer for them This office they must performe alwaies in their childhood in their riper age yea so long as they liue They must bee of that mind concerning their children that Samuel was of concerning the Israelites God forbid saith he that I should sin against the Lord 1. Sam. 12 23. cease praying for you When Iaacob was to part from his father and to goe to his Vnkle Bethuel Gen. 28.3 his father Isaac dismissed him with prayer Dauid made earnest prayer for his sonne Salomon 1. Chron. 29.19 But how great was Iobs care for his children they went banqueting from house to house one with another Iob 1.5 Iob fearing that in their feasting they might offend God soght daily to pacifie God and to intreat him for them Q. I see Parents as they are of their children to be honoured so must they haue a continuall care of their children euen from their child-hood for their maintenance for their instruction for their Christian conuersation wherein I feare Parents are as much to be blamed for neglect of their duty as children for not giuing thē their due honor But let vs now heare somewhat of the duties of Gouernours A. Gouernours and all superiours if they knowe how to behaue themselues as Parents ouer their children will soone learne what dueties they must perform as superiors to their inferiors For the very title of fathers and mothers whereby here they are noted teacheth them that they must vse the talent of authority which God hath giuen them with a tender affection to the good of them who are placed vnder them And loue if it bée such as the Apostle teacheth it should be out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and faith vnfained 1. Tim. 1.5 will make men to study and labour by all meanes they can to bee profitable in their place and calling to others especially to such as their duety bindeth them to respect and care for Q. I see then that fatherly loue must be in the hearts of Magistrates or els how great so euer their authority is such as are vnder them shall not feele any good or comfort by their gouernment But what duties doth God who hath set them ouer other require of them towards such as are committed to their charge A. Their first and chiefe care must be to maintaine the truth of the Gospell by all meanes they can and to take diligent héed that lawes made to that end may duely bee executed O how carefull was good King Dauid for the building of Gods house And when it was told him that not he but his sonne Salomon should build it hée made yet great preparation for that worke and earnestly incouraged hée his sonne to build Gods house and the Princes to further that building When Dauid was dead and Salomon established in the kingdom one of the first works that he did was the building of Gods house 2. Chron. 29.3 2. Chr. 29.5.2 2. King 18.4 Yea Hezechiah in the first month of his reigne began with reformation of things amisse about Gods house and most zealously abolished Idolatry To this end also is the zeale of Iosiah much cōmended in scriptures By all which we learn that Princes not only may but must haue a great care to set forth true Religion and God requireth this duety of them that their subiects by them should bee brought to the loue of the truth and detestation of sinne and all Idolatrie Great was the forwardnesse of Asa herein and of his people who made a couenant to seeke the Lord God of their Fathers 2. Chr. 15.12 13. with all their heart and with all their soule And whosoeuer would not seeke the Lord God of Israel should bee slaine whether he were small or great man or woman And for the binding themselues the more straitly to kéepe this statute Lawe They sware vnto the Lord with a loud voice with shouting and with Trumpets and with Cornets Verse 14. This care also of Nehemiah and other Gouernours among the people Neh. 10.29 after they were fréeed from their captiuity in Babylon doth notably appeare how they boūd themselues by Oath cursing themselues if they did transgresse to reforme disorders among them and to be obedient to Gods Lawe A second care must Magistrates haue for the good and quiet gouernment of the people which that they may performe they must alwaies follow those rules which Moses from God giueth to the people of Israel Peruert not iudgement Deu. 16.19 accept no persons take no bribes for bribes blind the eyes of the wise and peruert the words of the Iust And else where Ye shall not do vniustly in iudgement Leuit. 19.15 Thou shalt not fauor the person of the poore nor honour the person of the mighty thou shalt iudge thy neighbour iustly And to bee short in all their gouernment they must haue a tender affection and fatherly care that their people vnder them may liue a peaceable and quiet life in all godlinesse and honesty 1. Tim. 2.2 Q.
to kill him that would remoue a bounder as Dionys Halicar reporteth lib. 2. Some steale their neighbours money by praising aboue the worth that which they sell and so perswading them the thing is better then it is whether Marchants for their wares or workemen for the worke which they make many times rather to the shew then for the profit of the buyer and to such Merchants the sonne of Sirach addeth Vitailers There are saith he two things Ecclus. 26 39. which I think to be hard perilus A Marchāt cannot lightly keep him from wrong and a Vitler is not without sin Yea the laboring man as it is fil he should haue his wages for his work so if he worke not truely for his wages doth but steale the money of him that set him to worke Hee that is slothfull in his worke Pro. 18.19 is euen the brother of him that is a great waster either of his own if he be slothfull in his own businesse or of his that hires him if he worke for another and so is a breaker of this Law Q. What shall we iudge of them who neuer thinke they haue worke enough for their money but by all meanes they can seek to increase and adde vnto other mens toile Deut. 25.4 A. God thus commandeth Thou shalt not mouzell the Oxe that treadeth out the corne And Salomon telleth vs Pro. 12.10 that A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast to teach vs thereby to be much more merciful vnto men and not to sucke out by too toilesome worke the very life of them that worke for vs as if wee thought men should liue onely to serue our turne But to rehearse all the meanes whereby wee steale from other men their goods and possessions it is impossible and therfore I set this down as a touchstone wherby we may trie whether wee bee faulty or not that whosoeuer séeketh by other mens losse to inrich himselfe is a thiefe and a transgressour of this Commandement And yet there is one thiefe more which because hee first beginneth with himselfe stealing first from himselfe I leaue to the last place of this kind of theeues That is the vnthrift that spendeth his Patrimony if hee haue any or whatsoeuer by his hands he getteth if he liue by his occupation or labour in drinking playing or some vnthrifty course so robbing himselfe of the meanes whereby he should liue this I confesse séemes to be but a foolish theefe but a théefe hee is yea and not in robbing himself only for hee robbeth others too For the poorest man if he be maried or kéep a house must thus thinke that which hee getteth his wife and family haue their part therein and so in spending their part hee is a thiefe and robbeth them If he haue Copie-hold or frée land or any inheritance other whom he leaueth behind haue interest therin and so the child vnborne is robbed by such vnthrifts Foolish therefore and false is that which they think and say sometime that they spend nought but their owne For they spend that also that belongeth to their family to their posterity And thus much of thefts that are done or committed Q. Are there also thefts by omission of duties which diuers men according to their seueral callings ought to performe A. Yea diuers And first to begin with the greatest theeues that robbe men of the food of the soule Behold saith the Lord Ier. 23.30 I will come against them which steale my word euery man from his neighbour Now the Pastors that are negligent in teaching are theeues of this sort They also who when they teach or instruct their people beare with mens sinnes and will not tell them of their transgressions as God commandeth his Prophet but will rather seeke to please as the desire of sinners is to sleepe securely in their sinnes Es 30.10 as wée may sée To be short they may truly be sayd to steale Gods words which take them from the eyes and knowledge of men and in stead therof deliuer mens traditions much like the Harlot 1. King 3.20 which rising in the night stole away the liuing childe from the true mother and layd the dead child in the roome of it Next vnto these are Iudges if they iudge not the cause of the Widow and fatherlesse but either for feare dare not or because they fauour great ones that are aduersaries to their cause will not or for any other worldly respect care not to doe speedy right to them as their state requireth and the equitie of their cause should moue them to do This their duty is commonly required of them in the Scriptures so that I néed not bring particulars of that I say herein If a man finde a thing and make not restitution it is sin to him Leuit. 6.3 and therefore a breach of this commandement And because this as all other of the Commandements require loue Thou shalt not see thy brothers Asse or his Oxe fall downe by the way and withdrawe thy selfe Deu. 22.4 but shalt lift him vp with him Yea if thou meet thine enemies Oxe or Asse going astray Exod. 23.4 thou shalt bring him to him again For the omission of such duties is a breach of this lawe Q. Now let vs heare somewhat of the ninth Commandement Thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy neighbour A. As the last Commandement whereof I haue spoken restraineth our déedes and actions from doing wrong so this teacheth our tongues not to speake any thing whereby our neighbour may be wronged And in effect it requireth that which S. Paul willeth the Ephesians Wherefore cast off lying Ephe. 4.25 and speake euery man the truth vnto his neighbour For he is called Psal 31. The God of truth and loueth truth not in word or shew in the inward affection Psal 51.6 and therefore would haue vs to walke in the truth Q. But being forbid to beare false witnesse against our neighbour may we do it against others whom we call not neighbours as the Iewes thinke it lawfull to take vsury of vs because it is thus prohibited to them Deu. 23.19 Thou shalt not giue to vsurie to thy brother and vs they account not their brethren A. The word neighbour hath that sence in this place which our Sauiour Christ taught the captious expounder of the Lawe in Luke 10.37 as if it had been thus commaunded Thou shalt not beare false witnes against any man Q. Then teach vs I pray you how many waies this lawe may bee transgressed A. Either by ending matters in controuersie betwéen neighbours or by false reports or conceits of others or our selues Q. How in ending controuersies A. Two waies either when matters are ended by daies-men or by lawe Leu. 19.13 For séeing Thou mayst doe no wrong to thy neighbour but must follow Iustice iustly that is Deu. 16.20 in all sincerity I take this to be a good
vnthankfulnesse to him bitterly by his Prophet Hosea because they said I will goe after my louers Hos 2.5 that giue me my bread and my water my wool and my flaxe mine oyle and my drinke As the Iewes in like manner thought it was well with them when they burnt incense to the Queen of heauen say they had we plenty of vittailes and were well Ier. 44.17 and felt none euill But since we left off to burne incense to the Queen of heauen and to powre out drink offerings to her wee haue had scarcenesse of bread and haue been consumed by the sword and by famine vers 18. Euen as now our silly papists lul them selues in security of superstition because say they we had a good or merrie world before this new learning was knowne among vs for so basely they reckon of the glorious light of the Gospell But as by Hosea God threatneth that vnthankfull people of Israel to take those his blessings from them because they yeelded not thankes to him for them but to their louers that is to their Idols so hee by his seruaunt Ieremy telleth the Iewes they had no cause to bragge of their welfare when they worshipped the Quéen of heauen for the Lord considered of it ver 21.23 and plagued them for it Q. What duty then doth the Lord require of vs for his benefits that hee bestoweth vpon vs Can we make anie recompence to God for the same A. None at all For hee standeth not in néed of any thing that we haue The whole world is his and all that is therein Only a thankefull heart is the acceptable Sacrifice What shall I render vnto the Lord saith Dauid for all his benefits towards mee Psal 116.12 I will take the Cup of thankesgiuing for my saluation and call vpon the name of the Lord 13. I will offer to thee a Sacrifice of praise 27. Of which sacrifice of praise God himself giueth this testimony Psal 50.23 He that offreth praise shall glorifie mee This dutie Noah performed at his going out of the Arke Gen. 8.20 Gen. 12.7 Abraham when God promised to his seed the land of Canaan and after also at diuers times when vpon sundry occasions he had in his hart this promise confirmed Gen. 13.4.18 Gen. 26.25 Isaak also vpon promise of Gods presence and multiplying his seede Lastly Iaacob when he had escaped the danger of his brother Esau built an Altar there that is at Shechem where hée bought a piece of ground to set vp his Altar thereon and in token of a thankfull heart for his great deliuerance he called the Altar The mighty God But among infinite examples of this Sacrifice which the godly did offer for Gods goodnes towards them I will conclude with that of Iosaphat and his Souldiers who when God had giuen them a great victorie ouer their enemies 2. Chron. 20.26 they blessed the Lord in the valley of Berachah vpon performance of which godly duety that it should neuer be forgottē that place receiued that name And as if this had not beene sufficient once to haue giuen thanks vnto God for this benefit euery one of them goe to Ierusalem yea to the very Temple to reioyce before the Lord for this his mercy Thus were the godly at all times very careful by offering to God only praise for his goodnesse to acknowledge their obediēce to the first Commandement and to professe that they trusted not in any other God but in him alone Q. The summe of all that is sayd is this that God forbiddeth all kind of religious worship either to the works of mens hands or fancies of mens braine or to the Host of heauen or to Angels though excellent and glorious creatures of God then also all vaine confidence in worldly helpes or in any kind of thing that we haue or can doe Lastly all inordinate or excessiue loue to any creature or delight whatsoeuer Then it commandeth vs that wee rest vpon him as our only hope and helpe looking for all good things from him alone praying vnto him for whatsoeuer wee want and intreating him to keepe vs from whatsoeuer wee feare or would shun and in regard of his manifold mercies whereof we daily taste vnlesse we be too senselesse let vs knit vp the duties required of vs in this Cōmandement With giuing thankes alwaies for all things to God euen the Father in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ Eph. 5.20 A. These are in deed the generall duties that God here requireth of vs in this first precept whereby we are to learne that seeing we must know that all good must come from him we must not then thinke that wee can so much as offer to God a good thought of our selues much lesse doe a good deed vnlesse he inable vs and therefore he must haue the glory of all that we haue or can doe Q. Let vs now come to the second Commandement wherein it seemeth to mee GOD teacheth vs how and after what manner hee will bee worshipped A. Very true and it is néedfull hee should so do For when wee are once assured that there is a God our own heart within vs telleth vs that this God must bee worshipped and therefore wee search and examine by our own reason and iudgement vnlesse we follow the light of GODS word what may be the most acceptable seruice vnto Him whom wee estéeme as God This hath béene the cause that euen the Gentiles and such as knew not the true God haue thought those things that most delight the sences to be also best pleasing to their false gods And for that cause they had Musicke to please the Eares Lights and gay shewes to satisfie the Eyes Perfumes Odours for delighting the Nose and so as they set vp to themselues vaine gods and such as could make them no help so they serued them with vaine worship and such as could not be acceptable to the Diuine power Q. What is then the end which God here especially respecteth in this Commandement when Hee forbiddeth grauen Images any likenes of any thing in Heauen aboue or in the Earth beneath or in the waters vnder the earth A. God would not that his people should imagine that such worship as consisted onely in outward obseruances might please Him Hee would that his seruice should be answerable to his Nature spirituall and heauenly for as Christ saith The true worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and Truth In Spirit I say Ioh. 4.23 and sincerity of heart without hypocrisie and in Truth not only in outward rights and obseruances which were but shadowes and figures of the true worship For saith our Sauiour Christ the Father requireth euen such to worship him Q. If God meant hereby to command a spirituall seruing of him why did he charge his people by the ministery of Moses with so many outward ceremonies as hee did and that euen in that place and about that
know themselues and holdeth that for a dishonouring of his name whereof they make no reckoning will both charge them and punish them too vnlesse speedily they repent for their grieuous transgressiō Q. You told vs in the beginning that the fourth Commandement if it bee well obserued is a very good meane to instruct vs how wee may performe these duties vnto God and to furder vs in doing the same A. It it most true for it commandeth the sanctifying of the Sabbath that is vpon that day the occupying of our selues about such holy exercises as might rauish our hearts with a consideration of Gods goodnesse towards vs and his wisedome in all his works Q. This Commandement as it is repeated by Moses in the fift of Deuteronomy is this Keep the Sabbath day to sanctifie it as the Lord thy God commanded thee and so forth from the beginning of the 12. verse to the end of the 15. wherein I obserue some things that seem not to belong vnto the first table of the Commandements wherof as yet we speake A. That is truely obserued And for your better vnderstanding of this commaundement you must remember that first the commandement it selfe is giuen in these words Keepe the Sabbath day Then is the chiefe and principall end why it should bee kept mentioned Afterwards the commandement it selfe is explained namely what God requireth of vs or what hee meaneth by these words Keepe the Sabbath In it thou shalt do no maner of worke thou thy son c. And by this occasion is shewed a second end of giuing this Commandement That thy man seruant and thy mayd seruant may rest as well as thou Fourthly diuers reasons are scattered here there in these words some inducing to obedience in respect of the principall end which is the sanctifying of the Sabbath others in regard of the second end of this day of rest for the Sabboth day in the true signification of the word and the day of rest is al one namely that seruants might haue a day of rest as well as their masters Q. That I may particularly bee instructed in this Commandement I pray you first to teach mee the precept it selfe what is thereby meant Thou shalt keepe the day of rest Are all workes forbidden in these words A. The Prophet Moses is informed from God himselfe concerning this point Leuit. 23 8 The seuenth day is a holy conuocation in it thou shalt doe no seruile worke Q. But what are those seruile workes A. The works of euery mans seuerall vocation wherein he is to bestow his labour either for the good of the common-wealth wherein hee liueth or the maintenance of his owne estate and of his family Which workes because they are especially wrought in respect of this present life that here wee liue in comparison of those that aime at the euerlasting life are worthily called seruise because that curse of God belongeth to these our bodily labours In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eate bread Gen. 3.19 vntill thou returne to earth And seruile also they may be called because for the most part they are not wrought with such sincerity respect to Gods glory as they ought but sauor somewhat of our corruption and are too much inthralled to either our gréedy desire to inrich our selues by painful trauel or ambitiously seeking prayse of men or are otherwise sowred with some such leauen and so serue in some part at the least our polluted and naughty affections Q. But being commanded to keep the day of rest we are not forbidden all kind of workes A. No. For there are workes of Religion such as were circumcising the children which if the eight day wherein by Gods Law they were to be circumcised fel vpon the Sabbath was to bee performed without transgression of this Law Ioh. 7.22 as our Sauiour Christ affirmeth And the killing of the Sacrifices vpon the Sabbath day must be done Mat. 12.5 So the paines or labor in comming to Church vpon the Sabbath day is a labour not only lawful but commanded and necessarily required of all Christians as a duety that they must performe Some other are workes of necessity as if an Oxe be fallen into a pit vpon the Sabbath day it is no breach of this Commandement to pull it forth Luke 14.5 But here we must deale wisely and sincerely For if any businesse may without great danger bee put off vntill another time then this is not a work néedfull to be done that day so that euery occasion cannot make a worke of necessitie but only danger of great hurt or losse There are also works of charitie whereof Christ giueth this example Luk. 13.15 Doth not euery one of you loose an Asse or Oxe from the stall and lead him to the water on the Sabbath day Such workes are the visiting of the sicke comforting of them that are in heauinesse and such like works Q. Among the workes of charity many reckon this that they make drinkings gather great companies together vpon the Sabbath day to benefit som poore man as their pretence is may not this be truly accounted among the works of charitie that this day may be performed A. No. For when a worke that seemeth to proceed from a charitable affection toward man is crossed by some commandement of the first table all which belong to the immediate honor of God thou must rather shew thy loue to God then to man And indeed they who will not choose other daies wherein they may performe duties of loue towards their neighbour then that which God appointeth for to honour him in doe plainly shew they loue their owne profit better then either God or their neighbor because they take such time only to do good to their neighbour as God challengeth to be honoured in being loth to leese the work of a day appointed for labour Q. Is there then great necessity in consecrating the Sabbath day to a day of rest A. Very great as may appeare by the charge that is giuen For the word Kéep the Sabbath the word I say vsed in the Hebrew requireth oft a great and diligent care in kéeping that which is there commanded as Deutero 8.11 24.8 1. Kings 2.3 2. Kings 11.5 In all which places and many such like the selfe same word is vsed that here Moses hath to shewe the watchfull care wee should haue to kéepe this day of rest Yea God himselfe in giuing this commandement Exod. 20 giueth it with a memento Remember that thou keepe holy the Sabbath day Remember not onely when it commeth to keepe this day of rest from bodily labour but thinke of it before hand As a wise builder wil prouide his stuffe néedful for his building that when the work is in hand nothing bee wanting Or a discreet Captaine purposing to fight with his enemy will muster his Souldiers appoint his Captaines and Officers furnish them with armour weapons and victuall and all
well as their masters must be freed from all bodily labour that vpon the Lords day they may serue the Lord. Q. You haue now spoken of the first table of the Commandements I desire also to heare somewhat of the second table that as in the first God hath taught vs how to serue him so wee may likewise learne how to performe our duties to our neighbours A. You say well And you must vnderstand that wee are first taught such duties as inferiours owe to superiours and how superiours must care for such as are vnder them and then other dueties more common one towards another are set downe Q. And why is this Commandement Honour thy Father and Mother set in the first place of the second table A. As in obeying the fourth commandment we haue very good means and great helpes to the performance of the three former euen of whatsoeuer pertaineth to the seruice of God so in kéeping well this first commandement we shall much more readily bée framed to the keeping of all that follow Q. What is then meant by Father and Mother in that Commandement For it is not to be thought that God who giueth a perfect Lawe vnto his people Psal 19.7 Rom. 7.12 the which whosoeuer doth shall liue thereby Gal. 3.12 would leaue vnspoken of any duties that we owe to any A. You say right and therefore vnder the names of Father and Mothers he commandeth all superiours to bee obeied of their inferiors And that is done vpon good ground For the superiors in this their superiority haue a great representation of the power and care that good Parents haue ouer their children As to begin with Kings and Magistrates Xenophon saith that a good King differeth not from a good Father Romulus called his Senators Fathers and Augustus who refused the title of Lord willingly yéelded to bee called The Father of his Countrey As for Pastors or Ministers not onely the Prophets in times past were stiled Fathers 2. King 2.12 and chap. 13.14 but the Apostle St. Paul calleth himselfe father of Timothy Titus Onesimus And St. Peter calleth Marke his sonne 1. Pet. 5.13 And St. Paul yeeldeth a reason to the Corinthians why Teachers are Fathers to them whom they teach 2. Cor. 4.15 For in Christ Iesus I haue begotten you through the Gospell Therefore also the name of spirituall or ghostly Father is giuen vnto Pastors And masters towards their seruants supply the roome of Fathers in bringing them vp in the feare of God or at the least so they ought to do therefore are called Patres familias Fathers of housholds Naamans seruant therefore aduising his master to follow the Prophets commandement in washing in Iorden 7. times sayd thus Father if the Prophet 2. King 5.13 had commaunded thee a great thing wouldest thou not haue done it So we see that by this word Father may well be vnderstood Kings and Magistrates Pastors and Masters and that to all these honour is due and here commanded Q. What is meant by this word honour A. First it teacheth vs that such dutie as wée owe to superiours must willingly be performed For honour is a reuerent affection imprinted in our hearts toward others without forcing or constraint without which affection of the minde the outward shewe is scarce a shadow of honour and is many times done by cap and courtesie or such outward reuerence to them who are contemned and scorned of them that doe it So did the Gouerners souldiers to Christ putting vpon him a skarlet robe and vpon his head a crown of thorns and in his right hand a Reed for a Scepter Then they bowed their knées before him and mocked him saying Mat. 27.29 God saue thee King of the Iewes Then also that which here is called honour is elsewhere expressed by the name of feare Yee shall feare Leuit. 19.3 euery man his mother and his father Q. Why is the mother named in these words before the father A. Because through the greater familiarity that the mother hath commonly with the children they becom lesse awfull to their children for such is our natural corruption that where we haue any hope of liberty wee will too readily séeke for more then wee should haue or can well vse Therfore lest this our badde inclination should too much abuse the mothers facility it is in this commandement especially prouided that the mother be feared and that wee should haue a speciall regard thereof the Mother is first named as the Parent that is in greatest danger to bee wronged and to haue her due honour taken from her Q. This honor then that inferiors owe to their superiors because it is also called feare as you haue taught seemeth to bee nothing els but a reuerent respect vnto our betters and that child-like feare which the Scriptures teach Psal 111.10 to be the beginning of wisedome if it be the feare of the Lord. And likewise no doubt this feare or reuerent respect of our betters frameth vs also more sincerely to perform all duties vnto them But as you haue taught what persons are to bee honoured as Parents Kings and his inferiour Magistrates Ministers and Masters of families and likewise what is meant by this tearme of honour so for my better instruction vouchsafe to handle more particularly the particular duties are due to euery of these A. You must vnderstand that this honour or reuerent feare heere commanded is as it were a roote out of which the seuerall duties to euerie of our superiors doe growe So that where that is truely planted there will bee no want of honour to them to whom honour belongeth And first to begin with Parents who are here expresly named because they were first that among men were honoured and children if they be not too gracelesse haue euen naturally an inclination to reuerence them so that they seeme to bee set as a true patterne of such subiection as becommeth all inferiors to begin I say with Parents and to shew how they of their children must be honoured the wiseman teacheth thus Pro. 23.22 Obey thy Father that hath begotten thee and despise not thy mother when she is old The Apostle also Ephes 6.1 Children obey your Parents in the Lord for that is right Q. Obedience then I see is one of the fruits that spring from honor which is commanded But is it sufficient that children bee obedient when they are commanded A. Nay the very aduice and counsell of Parents should be reuerenced also and is wheresoeuer the true honour towards Parents is seated And so Salomon teacheth My sonne heare thy fathers instruction Pro. 1.8 and forsake not thy mothers teaching Bind them alway vpon thine heart Pro. 6.21 and tye them about thy necke Q. But alas in our wicked dayes wherein wee liue there are too many who little regard either the counsell or commandement of their Parents but the more fatherly and kindly they are dealt withall the more
stubbornly they disobey A. The cause thereof is much in the folly of the Parents who are so tender ouer their children that when they offend they cannot finde in their heart they should be corrected Foolishnes is bound in the heart of a child Pro. 22.15 but the rod of correction shall driue it away from him Pro. 23.14 Thou shalt smite the child with the rod and shalt deliuer his soule from hell But if in their youth they bee not corrected for their disobedience the father and mother shall find them like to trées which béeing but young might bee bowed any way but being come to some growth will by no meanes be bended and so shall know by experience that a dissolute or foolish child is the calamity of his father Pro. 19.13 Q. If wee obey and harken to the Commandements and follow the aduice of our Parents haue we then discharged all the dutie that this Commandement requireth A. No For children must furder haue a continuall care euery way to be a stay comfort to their Parents if by their strength they may helpe their weaknesse if by their sight they may guide their blindnesse if by their wealth they may supply their want if by their knowledge they may reforme their ignorance if by their paines they may ease them of trauell to be short if their place their credit or reputation their acquaintance or any other meane that they haue may doe them good they must by all such means which they haue testifie their honour to their Parents A notable example wee haue in Ioseph who did euery way honour his father Iaacob Acts 7.14 and relieued him and his family in number 75. when there was a great dearth in the land Therfore the son of Sirach thus exhorteth My sonne helpe thy father in his age Eccles 3.13 14. and greeue him not so long as he liueth if his vnderstanding faile haue patience with him and despise him not when thou art in thy full strength And Christ reprooueth the Scribes and Pharises because that vnder colour of their blind deuotion they hindered children from performing this honour Mat. 15.4 5 6. Q. But Christ hath commaunded Call no man father vpon the earth for there is but one Mat. 15.9 your Father which is in heauen How can wee keepe this precept of our Sauiour Christ and not breake this Commandement Honour thy father and thy mother A. The words of our Sauiour Christ are not simply to be vnderstood but comparatiuely as if he had sayd If the question be Mat. 10.37 whether thy heart shall bee more tied to God or to thy earthly father thou must without all doubting or cōsultation wholy addict thy self to thy heauenly Father For He that loueth father or mother more then me saith Christ is not worthy of me he that loueth son or daughter more then me is not worthy of me Yea in another place hee wils that we hate all these things yea and our life also or els we cannot be his disciples In all which Luke 14.26 Christ teacheth vs to honour our father but so as we obey God to loue him that begate vs but yet more to loue him that made vs. He would haue vs to distinguish aright betweene the loue that wee owe to God which must be with all our heart and soule and minde and with whatsoeuer wee haue and the loue to Parents which is thus limited that it must bee in the Lord that our obedience also may be framed accordingly Q. How children should honour their Parents we haue now heard But what honour is due to Princes Magistrates A. Such like as to Parents For as Parents are ouer their children so are Kings and Magistrates ouer their subiects and such as are vnder their charge St. Paul giueth therefore charge vnto Titus thus Put them in remembrance with whō thou art and whom thou hast a charge of that they bee subiect to principalities and powers Tit. 3.1 and that they bee obedient Bee yee subiect to euery ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it be vnto the King as vnto the superiour or vnto gouernors as vnto them that are sent of him 1. Pet. 2.13 14. saith S. Peter And S. Paul writing to the Romans willeth Rom. 13.1 that Euery soule be subiect to the higher powers Not only for feare of wrath but for conscience sake Ver. 5. So that this obedience must be heartie and not in shew only but from the very soule and inward man and that not for feare but for conscience sake because God hath appointed vs vnder them and them ouer vs. Q. To performe the honour commanded what other thing besides obedience is required of vs to doe to Princes and Magistrates A. We must afford them maintenance fit both for their estate and for the defence of the Common-wealth when néed shall be The Apostle yéeldeth this reason to make them of his time more willingly to giue such aid For they are Gods Ministers Rom. 31.6 applying themselues for the same thing that is for incouragement of the godly and the repressing of euill whereof he wrot Ver. 4. And therupon he groundeth this exhortation Giue to all men their dutie tribute to whom tribute custome to whom custome feare to whom feare honour to whom honor is due Verse 7. If Paul would haue Princes and Magistrates in those dayes obeyed honoured and maintained when they were enemies to the Gospell how much more now when they maintaine the Gospell should al such dues be performed to them Q. Doth this Commandement require yet any further duty to bee performed to them that are our gouernours A. Yes wee are willed also to pray for them 1. Tim. 2.1 2. I exhort saith Saint Paul first of all that prayers supplications intercessions and giuing of thankes bee made for all men For kings and for all that are in authority that wee may lead a peaceable and quiet life in al godlinesse and honesty Ieremy also exhorted the Iewes who had very stubbornely opposed themselues against the correcting hand of God and sought al waies that they could deuise not to serue the Babylonians whom God for their sinnes appointed them to serue hee I say exhorteth them that they should pray for the peace of Babylon no doubt also for the peace of the king thereof Nebuchadnezar for in the peace therof saith he shall you haue peace Ier. 29.7 In the twentieth Psalme the people of Israel pray for Dauid their King And in the 72. Psalme Dauid now at the point of death hauing made Salomon King prayeth to GOD for him And this prayer for our gouernours is not the least testimonie of a true affection that we haue to honour them if our prayer for them be feruent neither is this duty to bee performed onely for Princes and gouernours but for Parents also although I thought good especially in this place to speake thereof because the
daies so little regard the Ministerie of the Word as themselues might see if they had grace to marke how often and how fearefully Gods Iudgements are threatned against them that will not hears throughout the Scriptures Q. Let vs now heare what honour seruants owe their masters A. Saint Paul teacheth it plainely Eph. 6.5.6.7 Seruants be obedient vnto your Masters according to the flesh with feare and trembling in singlenesse of your hearts as vnto Christ not with seruice to the eye as men pleasers but as the seruants of Christ doing the will of God from the heart with good will seruing the Lord and not men Which commandement of the Apostle requireth such seruice as is not now commonly done to Masters for it must bee hearty and sincere being more carefull to do the duty of a seruant then to require reward yea striuing rather to deserue well then to aske recompence The Apostle saith it must bee with feare and trembling Saint Peter likewise Seruants 1. Pet. 2.18 bee subiect to your Masters with all feare not that their meaning is that seruants should alwaies be afraid of anger or punishment but their feare should be such as the Wife-man speaketh of Pro. 28.14 Blessed is the man that feareth alwaies that is that alwaies mistrusteth his owne doings that neuer thinketh that he hath serued God sincerely enough but suspecteth his owne waies not wholy to be guyded by Gods Spirit euen so seruants should feare lest they be short in performance of their duty or doing their seruice to be short they should rather feare the Lords Eye then their masters wrath And where this hearty seruice is and so seasoned with feare of Gods All-séeing-Eyes and a true view of our owne vnability to serue so perfectly as wee should there doubtlesse will be a faithfull indeuour to serue truely And such seruants for a good supply of their own wants will carefully intreat the Lord both better to inable them to doe their duty and to giue such blessing to their desire to serue truely as may be to their Masters good Q. But many times Masters are froward and too too rigorous insomuch as such seruice may seeme a very grieuous bondage are such masters to be honoured also A. Saint Peter answereth this question commanding seruants to be subiect to their Masters not onely to the good and courteous but to the froward also For this is thank-worthy 1. Pet. 2.18 if a man for conscience toward God indure griefe suffering wrongfully So that a true Christian seruant must doe his duty towards his Master remembring that so doing he serueth the Lord as Saint Paul in the place alleaged teacheth who howsoeuer their master cannot be pleased yet will take in good part and plentifully reward their faithfull seruice Therfore must seruants striue to bridle herein the corruption of their nature and to serue as S. Paul would haue vs to do al things Phil. 2.14 without murmurings and reasonings for as before I said concerning honouring of Parents so here also and in all duties that wee owe to our superiours an honourable and reuerent affection printed in our hearts towards them must bee the roote from whence true seruice must grow that it may bee willing Q. Besides these superiours that now you haue spoken of there are others also as olde folke husbands Schoolemasters which are accounted superiours to whom also honour belongeth A. Most true concerning aged folke God hath giuen this Commandement Leuit. 19.32 Thou shalt rise vp before the hoare head and honour the person of the old man especially if godlinesse be ioyned with many yéeres then age is a Crowne of glory Pro. 16 3. when it is found in the way of righteousnesse As for Wiues Saint Paul teacheth them obedience Ephe. 5.22 Wiues sub your selues vnto your husbands as vnto the Lord. And that more willingly they might performe this duty he yeeldeth this reason for the Husband is the Wiues head verse 23. Now it were a monstrous thing for the body not to be vnder the head Againe Wiues submit your selues to your Husbands as it is comely in the Lord teaching that it is a foule and vncomely thing if the wife bee not in subiection to the husband And for the comfort of all inferiours wée must note that they must be subiect vnto the Lord and for the Lords sake as is to bee séene in the subiection of children subiects and seruants that their mind beeing still fastened vpon their heauenly rather then vpon their earthly Master or Husband they may with lesse griefe beare the yoke of obedience Yea Schollers if they knew what good they get by their Schoolemasters who traine them vp in knowledge and lay in them the very ground-worke of Learning whereby they are made fit to serue most profitably in the Church or Common-wealth willingly also would confesse that they should defraud them of their due if they doe not honour and reuerence them Q. We haue now heard of the honour that inferiors owe to their superiors whether by nature as Parents or by publike place in the Common-wealth as gouernors or in the Church as Pastors and Ministers or by age as Elders or by voluntary subiection and that either in priuate households as to Husbands or masters of families or to Schoolemasters as profitable to the youths of many places but do not these superiors also owe to their inferiors some duties A. Yes and first to begin with Parents as they of their children must bee honoured so must they also giue cause of honour Parents owe to their children diuers duties wherof some are to be done in the childhood of their children some when they are come to riper age and some at all times must be performed Q. What are Parents bound to do to children in their childhood A. First in their infancy they must haue care that they may haue things necessary for the sustenance of their life when they are not able to helpe themselues and this the fathers and mothers may learne of the beasts of the field and birds of the ayre who leaue not their young ones vntil they be fit to shift for themselues 1. Sam. 1.23 as Anna gaue her childe sucke vntill shee would weine him Secondly when they are come to any vnderstanding they must not prolong the time to instruct them first in the very principles and grounds of Religion For if Thou teach thy childe in the trade of his life Pro. 22.6 when hee is old he will not depart from it And therefore the Apostle admonisheth thus Fathers Ephes 6.4 bring vp your children in instruction and information of the Lord. In the booke of Deuteronomy it is a charge very often giuen vnto Parents to teach their children Gods Law Yea it is worth marking how in all their extraordinary ceremonies or actions the children were instructed what was meant thereby As if the children should inquire when they saw their fathers to eate in
to perform this duty Q. Wee haue heard what persons should be furtherers to this worke of sanctifying the Sabbath Now let vs heare what duties are required of vs to the sanctifying thereof A. If wee will holily as wee ought apply our selues to this holy seruice wee must beginne with our selues for vnlesse wee be first sanctified Mat. 7.18 our seruice cannot be holy An euill tree cannot bring forth good fruit saith He that cannot lye The Priests in the Leuiticall Law when they went about that holy seruice that belonged to their office must first themselues bee sanctified Exod. 28.41 And therefore Iosiah that good King minding to haue the feast of the Passeouer kept 2. Chro. 35.6 commanded the Priests to sanctifie themselues for that seruice And God commanded the people of Israel to be sanctified Exod. 19.10 when he appointed to declare to them his Law Good Ezechia therfore intreated God to be mercifull to some that came out of some Tribes of Israel to the feast of the Passeouer that prepared their whole heart to seeke the LORD 2. Chro. 30.19 although they wanted the Legal sanctification This good foundation of sanctifying our selues beeing thus layd all that wee doe will bee better accepted with God Then must wée carefully follow all the holy exercises of that day such as are these hearing of the Word attentiuely and as men greedy to learne Praying to GOD feruently for the assistance of his holy Spirit in all our godly indeuours yeelding to him most hearty thankes for his graces bestowed vpon vs godly conference when wee are out of the Church one with another of the lessons that we haue heard by the Ministery of the Word company with such as can and will instruct vs either by reading to vs good Bookes or by godly talk either of Gods goodnes to our selues or his mercy shewed to others or his fearefull iudgments against the wicked for contempt of Him and his truth or generally of his wonderfull works in creating all things in such order as they are and all for our vse Q. I perceiue they that are sanctified and with sanctified hearts doe keepe the Sabbath day may find much comfort in such holy exercises but how may wee sanctifie our selues A. It is a harder worke then wee are able to performe yet if we heartily call vpon God for his grace intreating Him to worke that in vs which wee of our selues are no way able to doe and then keepe a carefull watch at the dore of our lips that we speake not vnaduisedly and haue a watchfull eye vnto our waies that we walke warily if I say in sincerity of heart wee thus seeke to prepare our selues to sanctifie our selues to this holy rest no doubt God wil giue a blessing to these our good indeuors Q. Alasse then how lamentable is the case of many in our dayes who spend scarcely one hower of the day in the Church and thinke that time also how short soeuer long and tedious But in the Ale-howses or the vngodly feasts and meetings which too many resort vnto they willingly tarry very long yea the whole day seemeth too short when it is bestowed so rebelliously against Gods expresse Cōmandement A. In truth the carelesnesse and supine security of men in these our dayes is much to be pittied wherein many who haue the name of Christians would scorne to be deemed not to be so haue onely heard of GOD and are acquainted with the name of Christ and so by continuall company among Christians haue some generall knowledge of good words but yet are so carelesse to attaine to any true knowledge by the light of Gods word so godlesse and irreligious in prophanation of the Sabbath day so wholy deuoted to such vnchristian méetings and so loose lewd in behauiour when they are there that if any Turkes or Infidels should behold their conuersation at such times they would then detest the very name of Christianity such staines are they to the very profession Q. But God forbid all that resort to such meetings were so vnruly some are more moderate and come but at the intreaty of their friend or for company of their neighbours or fellowes not delighting much in drinking A. True some are more moderate but he that is most moderate if he trust too much in himselfe that he can in such dangerous meetings carry himselfe soberly may soone bee deceiued and therefore may seeme by his ouerboldnesse to tempt God as presuming of his own naturall disposition And let all men assure themselues heereof that God in his iust iudgement forsakes them and leaues them to themselues who contemptuously do breake his Law And therfore if their friend intreat them to disobey Gods Commandement in resorting vpon the Sabbath day to such feasts it is the part of a good Christian rather to moue his friend to detest his wicked prophanation of the Lords Sabbath but in any wise let not the seruant of God consent to his wicked perswasion Exod. 23.2 Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do euill much lesse one seducing friend And since they say they go with their friend and thinke that should serue to make their fault lesse I would all Christians should remember 1. Thes 5.11 their duty is to exhort one another to good and to edifie one another in the things that belong to godlinesse but to suffer thy selfe to be drawne away to wickednesse is a token of great weakenesse and to consent to such perswasion procureth Gods wrath to bee short séeing the godly must abstaine from all shew of euill 1. The. 5.22 and must in all their doings as the third Commandement teacheth glorifie God it is most certaine that the resort to such vngodly méetings vpon the Sabbath day how moderately soeuer they carry themselues is a breach of Gods Commandement and therefore God in his iustice may and will in his good time punish such offenders vnlesse they repent and take a new course Q. What are the reasons whereby the Israelites are mooued to obey this Commandement A. The first reason is the Commandement of God which Moses heere in repeating the Law setteth forth and strengtheneth partly in respect of the authority of the Commander in calling him Lord partly hee allureth them to performe vnto this Commandement willing obedience because he hath many waies declared himselfe to bee their good and gracious God whom they cannot disobey without great note of vnthankfulnes Secondly in giuing them 6. daies to supply all wants of their body and for dispatch of their worldly affaires hee reserueth onely one to be wholy imploied in his honor and seruice the bestowing of which day in such sort as wee ought to doe is also most to our owne good because it is the gaining our soules to God I say by this his large allowance of so many daies for bodily labours they iustly are to be charged with a staine of ingratitude if they willingly giue not
What are the duties of Pastors to their flocke A. Saint Peter setteth out their duties thus The Elders which are among you I beseech 1. Pet. 5.1.2 which am also an Elder feed the flocke of God which dependeth vpon you caring for it not by constraint but willingly not for filthy lucre but with a ready mind Now this feeding must be partly by doctrine and instruction partly by example of life and conuersation Q. By doctrine you mean not only deliuering of godly lessons but also exhortation admonition reprehension commination and all such means whereby godly lessons may be applyed to the people A. It is very true And all these things must be done according to that rule If any man speak 1. Pet. 4.11 let him talke as the words of God Keepe the true patterne of wholsome words saith S. Paul teaching Timothy how he shuld feed with the word the flocke of God 2. Tim. 1.23 The same Apostle also moueth Timothy 1. Tim. 4.12 to be vnto them which beléeue an ensample in word in conuersation in loue in spirit in faith and in purenes And he thus chargeth Titus Aboue all things shew thy selfe an ensample of good workes with vncorrupt doctrine Tit. 2.7 with grauity integrity But because al the food that man can giue either by words or déeds wil nothing nourish the Soules of the people vnlesse our gracious GOD giue a blessing therewithall a faithfull Pastor will carefully follow the Pastor-like patterne that Paul setteth before him in many places and namely writing to the Ephesians when hee assureth them Eph. 1.16 17 that he maketh mētion of them in his prayers that God would giue them his Spirit of wisedome And againe Phil. 1.3 4 I thanke my God hauing you in perfect memory alwaies in all my prayers for al you praying with gladnesse For Prayer of the Righteous S. Iames telleth vs auaileth much Iam. 5.16 if it be feruent to drawe downe from heauen a blessing vpon the people for whom the faithfull Pastor is an humble suter This duty because in a Minister it is so necessary both for himselfe that God wil giue him wisdome and vtterance and for his people that God will giue them attentiue eares to heare and faithfull harts to receiue the Word I could not but mention it in this place although I said before in speaking of the duties of Gouernours that all superiours and inferiours must offer this sacrifice of Prayer one for another Q. Now let vs heare somewhat of such duties as masters owe to their seruants A. Out of that which hath beene sayd of the duty of Gouernours toward them ouer whom they are set that may well be gathered For euery houshold is a little Common-wealth as a Common-wealth is as it were a vniuersall houshold So that to traine them vp in godlinesse and to be watchfull ouer them for their honest peaceable liuing among themselues and their faithfull discharge of their duty should be the chiefe care of the Masters And as old men haue honour due to them in respect of their age so must they take good héed that they giue no ill example to the younger by staining their gray haires with lewdnesse of life Col. 3.19 and in a word Husbands must loue their wiues and not be bitter vnto them 1. Pet. 3.7 And dwell with them as men of knowledge ruling them with discretion and kind behauiour not with cruelty or bitternesse Q. Now that wee haue heard of the reciprocall duties of superiours and inferiours and that a great piece of duty that inferiours owe to superiours consisteth of obedience It is I thinke very needfull to inquire whether Parents Princes Pastors or Masters must in all things bee obeyed For it is plaine Dan. 3. that the three children obeyed not the Kings Commandement for they would not worship the golden Image and that which they did therein GOD deliuering them so miraculously from the fiercenesse of the fire did well approue and the Apostles being commanded to preach no more in the Name of IESVS sayd plainely Acts 5.29 Wee ought rather to obey God then man and preached Christ not regarding the commandement of their gouernors A. As it is reason that the Prince should rather be obeyed then the Master so is it our dutie rather to serue the Commander of all Princes and Potentates then any Prince or Magistrate whatsoeuer Q. May Subiects then if Princes command things which they thinke vnlawfull repine and murmure May they as our new masters of Rome now teach vs the Iesuites those bloudy politicians rebell depose and kill them A. In deed so they teach and so they indeuor to practise too but God forbid wee should not detest their wicked doctrine and doings heerein let vs leaue such Atheisticall axiomes to the wooers of that purple harlot drunken with the bloud of the Saints Apoc. 17.6 who care not what Countries and Kingdomes they ruinate so they may haue any hope to effect their sauage designes but in all vnlawfull commandements wee obey God in not obeying them and we obey men in patient induring their punishments rather then wee would doe that which God forbiddeth Neither are wee to stir vp mutinies or incite to rebellions as the popish Clergie doth continually but the weapons wherewith wee must resist the violence of vngodly Princes when they command vnlawfull things are first Patience whereby sometime euen sauage Natures are tamed and Prayer both that God wil giue vs strength to continue in his holy obedience and that he would mitigate the rage of all such cruell persecuters Q. What reasons doth Moses in repeating this Law vse to induce our corrupt nature to obey A. Two the first in respect of the Commandement which should be of great force to such as account themselues to be the seruants of God For if mens Commandements be obeyed though wee are not sure alwaies wee do well in obeying them how much more must wee frame our selues to do what the Lord our God commandeth in which there can bee no danger of sinning The second in respect of the good that GODS people should get thereby For as the Israelites now ready to take possession of the land of promise are warned that if they will long inioy that land and prosper therin they be obedient to their Parents so if wee will long and happily haue vse of Gods temporall blessings wée must truly yeeld this obedience to our Parents whether by nature as Father and Mother or by calling as Gouernours Pastors and Masters or by age as old men that they may be mooued by such our dutifull carriage toward them to pray vnto God for continuance of his fauour toward vs. Q. But because this promise is sometime more generall vnto all obedience Deut. 32.47 as By this word you shall prolong your dayes 1. King 3.14 and to Salomon If thou walk in my Commandements I will prolong thy dayes Why is it
heere a peculiar promise belonging to such as honor their Parents A. That disobedient children may know that they who performe not the duty of honour to them who vnder God are authors and gouernors of their life may looke for no promise of long life but rather may feare the shortning of their daies as a punishment due to their disobedience Q. But how is long life promised as a blessing Wee see it is full of miseries wants feares cares and troubles in so much that death is many times rather desired then long life 1. Kings 19 4. Eliah sitting vnder the Iuniper tree desired that hee might dye and sayd It is now enough O Lord take my soule for I am no better then my Fathers A. Long life is not of it selfe a blessing because many times wicked men liue long 1. King 13.11 as the Prophet that deceiued the man of God that came from Iudah 1. Macha 6.16 is said to be old Antiochus liued 149. yeeres but the sinner Esay 65.20 though hee be a hundred yeeres olde shall be accursed Yet because God promiseth long life often as a blessing no doubt it is so vnto his seruants but then he so seasoneth the bitternes of this life with the sweet comfort of his fauour that not onely their dayes are prolonged but also as here Moses saith it goeth well with them wherby it commeth to passe that such doe feele to their vnspeakeable consolation the performance of this promise With length of dayes will I satisfie him I will shew him my saluation Psal 91.16 Q. But how can it be sayd the Lord their God gaue them that Land seeing Ioshua and the Israelites fought many battels Iosh 12.24 so that before they could inioy the land they smote one and thirty Kings A. First when they went to take possession of that Land of promise God made the waters of Iordan miraculously to giue place Iosh 3.17 so as they went ouer dry-shod Iericho the first Cittie that Ioshua did assault had the walles thereof battered with no other engines Iosh 6.16 then the sound of seauen Trumpets made of Rams hornes and the shout of the Israelites When the fiue Kings of the Amorites were discomforted did not God shew that he fought for them the Amorites were put to flight and many were killed in the flight GOD also cast hailestones from heauen vpon them so that moe were slaine so then by the sword And the it might yet more plainly appeare that the Lord tooke their part Ioshu 10. at the Prayer of Ioshua the Sun stood still that they might haue time enough to pursue their enemies And the Israelites being scarce well settled in that promised land of Canaan the Amalekites and Madianites and all they of the East in number like Grass-hoppers gathered together against them Gideon the Captaine of the hoast of Israel onely with three hundred men deuided into three bands set vpon this great multitude in thrée seuerall places euery man hauing a Trumpet and a Pitcher wherein was a Lampe The Israelites sounding their Trumpets and breaking their pitchers holding their Trumpets in their right hands and their Lamps in their left cryed The sword of the Lord and of Gideon and stood in their places so the Lord set euery mans sword vpon his neighbour and vpon all the host So all the host fled Vpon good ground therefore said the Prophet Psal 44.3 They inherited not the Land by their own sword neither did their owne arme saue them but thy right hand O Lord and thine arme and the light of thy countenance because thou didst fauor them Yea God himselfe euen in Ioshua his daies sold his people Iosh 24.12 Not by thy sword or by thy bow didst thou conquer the land of Canaan So that although the people sometime fought yet GOD so miraculously subdued their enemies vnto them that it must needs be confessed that GOD gaue them that Land Q. Now let vs heare somewhat of the sixt Commandement Thou shalt not kill A. The words themselues are a prohibition but out of them we must also gather a Commandement Q. But why are the three first Commandements and this and the rest that follow deliuered negatiuely or prohibiting the thing that is euill rather then commanding that which is good A. Because through the corruption that is in vs wee are so prone and inclining to euill that wee must first learne to eschew euill before wee can apply our selues to doe good we must after the counsell that our Sauiour Christ giueth Mat. 12.33 first make the tree good because Mat. 7.18 an euill tree cannot bring forth good fruit Therefore our Lord God herein teacheth vs where our reformation must begin wee must purge out the olde leauen of sinne that wee may be a new lumpe 1. Cor. 5.7 and for this cause are we forbidden to do that which is sinne that by little and little vnaccustoming our selues from our own waies we may grow and go on forward in newnesse of life Q. But what is forbidden in this Commandement A. First all killing with hand heart or tongue and the things that tend to the hurt of any mans person then also the bereauing him or spoyling of his goods or possessiōs Thirdly the Omission of such duties as tend to the safety or good of other men Q. I desire to heare of these points more particularly and first of killing with the hand A. The killing with the hand is diuersly sometime it is done bluntly without any care to cloake it as Cain killed Habel Ioab Abner and Amasa sometime craftily as Dauid killed Vriah For though he thought the matter was wittily contriued 2. Sam. 11. so as no body could charge him with it yet Nathan the man of GOD told him Thou hast killed Vriah the Hittite with the sword 2. Sam. 12.9 thou hast slaine him with the sword of the children of Ammon Sometime men murder vnder shew of iustice so was Naboth put to death for his Vineyard A fast was proclaimed Naboth accused of blasphemy the accusation prooued and he stoned who could say Achab had any hand in this Yet was the Prophet Eliah sent from God to examine him vpon this interrogatory 1. Kings 21 19. Hast thou killed and also gotten possession A lesson needfull to be learned of many Polititians in these daies who care not by secret practices to take out of the way any that may hinder their proud attempts Yet euen the greatest of them must one day stand giue account of their doings before that iust Iudge to whom no such thing is secret because his Eyes behold their very thoughts and their very intents and all the meanes which they vsed are knowne to him Q. But how may murder be committed with the heart only death not insuing A. Our Sauiour Christ in expounding this very Commandement and reprouing the interpretations of the Scribes and Pharises thereof saith But