of Eagles cary stones in their mouthes least their voice bewray them concealeth these words they shall keepe thee in all thy waies because they z Ps 91. 11. made against him the waies to which he tempted being none of Christs waies and like the painter which Plutarch speaketh of who when hee had drawne a hen in very badde proportion chased away the liuing hens from his shoppe window lest his euill workmanship should be perceiued but it fareth with them as it did with the painter in Queene Maries times whom when he had painted King Henry the eight in harnesse with a sword in the one hand and a booke in the other whereupon was written verbum Dei the Bishop of Winchester sent for him and after many reuiling words commanded him to wipe out the booke and verbum Dei too the painter because he would be sure to wipe out both cleane wiped away a peece of the hand withall and the Papists while they wipe out verbum Dei and take away what they please out of the word of God haue wiped out their hand too they cannot so much preuaile with men seeing their leger de maine as otherwise they might no by this and the like meanes not onely their arme is shortened a 1 Sam. 2. 31. like Elyes arme but the very legs of their holy father the Pope are broken b Io. 19. 32 like the legs of the theeues which were crucified with Christ King Henry the eight broke his right leg of rents and reuenewes whereas before that time his legs were strong like the legs of the image in Nebuchadnezars dreame because many patrimonies went downe his throat and by the foisted name of Peters patrimony he deuoured the naturall inheritance of secular Princes whereas before that time his kitchin full of gridyrons and caldrons to broyle and boyle soules was like an yron mill which consumes all the wood in a country and all the flouds in England did runne into his sea King Edward the sixt broke his left leg of Idolatrous seruice when the temple was well purged Images burned when many papists shipt ouer their trinkets and packt away their paltry but our late Q. Elizabeth of famous memory crushed his head c Iud. 9. 53 like the woman who cast a peece of a milstone vpon the head of Abimelâ—ch and brake his braine-pan Secondly if God spake all and all must be obeyed then is the Pope to blame to dispense with the law or any part of it yet hee alloweth of curtizans who pay tribute for licence to be common whores the Auditor of his Exchequer excommunicating those which keepe not touch in bringing it in neither is onely fornication finable in Rome and a good â—alable kind of sinne but very incest it selfe for the Pope permitteth the brother to marry his wne brothers wife and the vncle his sisters daughter Neither dispenseth he with the breach of the seuenth Commandement alone but if hee bee displeaseed with the King as he was with King Iohn then against the fifth Commandement hee assoileth Earles Barons Knights and all other manner of men of their homages seruices and fealties that they should doe vnto him commanding vnder paine of his great cuise that no man should obey him keepe him company eate or drinke or talke with him forbidding his owne houshold to doe him any kind of seruice either at bed or at boord in Church hall or stable But what need I speake of this or that particular Commandement when the Canonists say he may dispense with the lawes of God and sinnes of men that hee may dispense against the law of God a-against the law of Nature against Saint Paul the Apostle against the old against the new against all the Commandements of the old and new Testament May I not say vnto him as Moses to Korah Dathan and Abiram d NuÌ„ 16. 7 ye take too much vpon you ye sonnes of Leui. But I proceed being indeede more desirous to lead men in the road way then to shew them the turnings or point at them that wander out of the way I am the Lord thy God e Iudg. 14. 14. In Sampsons riddle out of the strong came sweetnesse hony out of the Lyons belly here is a medely of the name according to Sampsons riddle both of strong and sweet the Lord see how strong God is thy God taste and see how sweet the Lord is hee is fortâ—er suauis and suauiter fortis there is a sweet entercourse of both that both the one and the other might winne obedience to the law I am the Lord God hath a Lordship in heauen where he hath good seruants in hell where hee hath bad in earth where hee hath both hee is not a God of heauen alone as the Poets feined Iupiter not of hell alone as they fained Pluto nor of earth alone as f 1 King 20 23. the Aramites spake as though there were gods of the mountaines and gods of the vallies but of all The Pope though he hath but some angle not all the corners of the earth though he is but as a foxe in a hole yet the Papists say as much of him as God saith here of himselfe his discreet Doctors say he is potestate maximus bonitate optimus which Epithites in former times were proper to God who was called Deus Optimus Maximus Others say he is not wholy God nor wholy man and this was true in Pope Ioane they speake righter then they are aware for she was a woman but a Canonist saith plainly onr Lord God the Pope and the Pope as Bishop Iewell reporteth was content to suffer one of his parasites to say vnto him in the late Counsell of Lateran Thou art another God on earth and he weareth a triple crowne either because he would vsurpe the Antichristian power ouer the three diuisions of the world Europe Asia and Affricke or else for that he would be a Lord of heauen where he may Canonize Saints of hell where he may free soules out of Purgatory of the earth where he may bind and loose set vp and put downe at his pleasure and because happily you will not beleeue their owne bare words you shall heare how they bring scripture for it g Ps 8. 6. he hath put all things in subiection vnder his feet the beasts of the field .i. men liuing on the earth the fishes in the sea .i. soules in Purgatory the foules of the ayre .i. the soules of the blessed risum teneatis this would make Heraclitus himselfe who alwaies wept to fall a laughing it were present remedy against all his teares But in earnest if the Pope cannot doe this why doe they attribute so much vnto him if he can what can God doe more he can say no more in generall tearmes to shew his power and dominion to shew his mercy and goodnes then this I am the Lord thy God A Lord whose title is alike to all places and therefore
Arithmethick Their cunning workemanship may beguile men as pigeons were beguiled by the counterfeit and flew to pigeons painted in the shop as birds were beguiled by Zeuxis painted grapes as Zeuxis himselfe was beguiled by Parrhasius painted sheet The God of heauē seeth without eyes heareth without eares walketh without feet speaketh without mouth but the gods of d Ps 115. ◠the heathen haue eyes and see not eares and heare not feet and walke not neither speake they thorough their throate and as the painter may paint a flowre with fresh colour but not with sweet sauour with this motto no further then colours so the Caruer may draw out an image but not make it draw in the breath with this motto no further then fashion But such was the cunning of the craftests men the craft of the Priests the simplicity of the people that men did thinke they did see did heare did goe did speake and therefore in Elyas time e 1 King 18 26. they called on the name of Baal saying O Baal heare vs and cryed loude as though he had slept and must bee awaked And in the time of King Henry the eight when these idolatrous stocks were broken in peeces the false iuglings were found out and the engines espied which made their eies to open and role about and other parts of their bodie to stirre Oh but they bee lay mens books and where as the Bible to them that cannot reade is as a sealed letter images be letters patents they lie open to euery one are written in folio that standing a farre off they may reade they are great capitall letters that running men may reade God and the very sight of them doth stirre vp a maruailous deuotion in men women and children Indeed this was the cause why Gregory the first condemning their adoration yet allowed their presence in Churches tanquam essent memoracula rudium literae as though in them dumbe lectures were read vnto the people and they might spell God in them And more then so Concilium Cenonense agreed on this that we might learne more in a short while by an image then by long study and trauaile in the Scriptures but against these I oppose Ionas and Habakuk as of greater authority of which Ionas saith f Ion. 4. 8. They are lying vanities not onely for that they proceed from the father of lies but for that as Habakuck saith g Hab. 2. 18 they teach lies teaching vs to take the creature for the Creator a thing of nothing for that which is infinite teaching vs to hope where nothing is to be expected But Idolators grace their Idols with glorious titles as to say to one h Esay 44. 17. Thou art my God i Es 41. 29. whereas it is nothing but wind and confusion to another thou art my helper whereas there is no helpe in it whereas they are all such gods as Virgill saith Aeneas brought from Troy which hee calleth vanquisht victosque Penates But let it be granted that images are lay-mens bookes yet because they are not allowed but prohibited who dare print them for the seruice of God or who dare keepe them contrary to Proclamation and not rather say of them as Iudah of Thamar k Gen. 38. 24. bring ye her forth and let her bee burnt Let God himselfe appointe how he will be serued let it be mans part to be ruled by his direction I reade of a great man I thinke it was Manlius who sending his sonne to warre against his enemy gaue him a commission by vertue whereof hee was charged what to doe when and where to set vpon the enemy but the sonne espying aduantage as he thought and seeing hope of conquest if he did borrow a point of the commission was bold to follow his owne course and indeed got the victory but returning home and expecting great commendation after his cause was decided at Rome he was put to execution I may erre in some circumstance for want of memory but I know this is the substance of the story now our life is a war-faring vpon earth three mighty campes enuiron vs the World the Flesh and the Infernall forces if the Greekes bee gone there is a Sinon within that will betray them the place God hath set downe a law and prescribed vs how wee shall fight and vnder whose colours he will be our Generall wee must fight vnder his banner to serue vnder him in Baptisme we tooke our presse-mony if now we seeke many inuentions and follow other colours though they bee such as in our opinion might helpe vs to the obtaining of the victory yet are we punishable for breach of obedience God will not allow these bookes no not for lay-men he allows no other books but the golden booke of grace l Ioh. 5. 39 Search the Scriptures for they are they which testifie of mee and the godly booke of Nature which is bound vp in the three large volumes 1. the heauens m Ps 19 1 for they declare the glory of God 2. The earth for n Ps 33. 5. that is full of the goodnesse of the Lord. 3. The sea o Ps 104. 25. for therein are things creeping innumerable both small and great beasts Hee that cannot reade in the first cannot chuse but read in the second though it were but once printed and neuer since translated yet all Nations Languages Tongues must needs read in it therein euery creature is a letter euery day a line euery night a new leafe neither can any manmetry any Carpenters chips any sacred blocks or puppets of wood which euery boy can make after he hath been a while apprentise with a caruer in wood put vs more in minde of God If we would enter into due consideration then the wonderfull frame of mans body created by God in which the bones are the timber-worke the head is the vpper lodging the eies as windowes the eie-lids as casemēts the browes as penthouses the eares as watch-towers the mouth as a doore to take in that which shall vpholde the building and keepe it in reparations the stomacke as a kitching to dresse that which is conueied into it the guts and baser parts as gutters and sinkes belonging to the house compare now this workemanship with that of an image and happily in the one wee may commende the cunning of the crafts-man but we doe not maruaile much at his worke for that we know an other his crafts master can doe the like can hew can carue can polish and varnish as well as he But consider man in whose framing God is the principall agent our carnall parents but instruments and that in framing the baser part onely that is the body not the more principall part which is the soule for that God created without them consider that man is not onely a little world as the world is a great man but an Epitome both of God who is a spirit and the world which is
so had no creature beside and therefore man should exceed all other creatures in the loue of his make and therefore Darius aforesaid when Alexander the great had ouercome him yet shewed himselfe stoute and inuincible till he vnderstood his wife was taken prisoner at hearing whereof his heart did melt his knees did smite together sorrow was in all his loynes being more grieued for her imprisonment then losse of his owne liberty victory credit and estimation Againe concerning the woman shee was taken out of the side of man neere the heart when she was first made and when shee is married there is a ring put by her husband on the fourth finger of her left hand where there is a veine which goes to the heart to teach their to loue him from the heart The Chronicle stores vs with a cluster of many singular examples of this loue some for loue to her husbands haue been content to hazard their estate as Some haue been content to leaue their Countrey when Lâ—ntulus Crustelio was banished into Sicily Sulpicia followed Gen. 12. her husband like Sarah for when Abraham by Gods commandement left his Countrey shee without commandement left her Countrey also as if shee should say to her husband as Ruth to Naomi whither thou goest I will gâ—â— and where thou dwellest Ruth 1. 16. 17. I will dwell where thou diest I will die and there will I bee buried the Lord doe so to mee and more also if ought but death depart thee and mee Some haue been content to loose their goods to loose their good name to loose their liues When Guelfus and other Noble men with their wiues were taken prisoners after a siege in the Castle of Winsberg the women hauing leaue to goe away and carry with them whatsoeuer they could beare on their shoulders they leauing all other things tooke vp their husbands and away they went A woman as we read in the Acts and Monuments defamed herselfe to deliuer her innocent husband it was Calaway a Gold-smith in London who should haue been cast away had it not been for his wife for he being indited of a crime which was death by the law and might not haue the benefit of his clergy because hee had married a widow for the law was that Bigamus might not haue his booke and he was accounted bigamus who had been twise married himselfe or else had married a woman whose former husband was dead his wife came forth before the Iudges and deposed that shee neuer was married to him that was accounted her first husband but liued in adultery with him When Nero condemned Seneca to dye he gaue him leaue to chuse what death he would dye whereupon he caused his veines to be opened in a Bath his wife Paulina of her owne accorde did the like choosing rather to dye with him then liue without him I cannot omit one example of an English Queene and that is Eleonor wife to King Edward the first for when he going to the holy Land was wounded by a Morian with a sword so enuenomed that art and medecine could not cure him this good louing wife with her owne mouth did day by day sucke and drawe out the venemous humour and without hurting herselfe helped her husband cured and closed his wound in remembrance of whose great affection King Edward did build her many monuments A second breach of this law and branch to bee cut off is Fornication which though it be not so great sinne as Adultery as I haue already proued yet flye Fornication for these 1 Cor. 6. 18 things are common to both these sinnes a diseased body a damned soule a poore purse a shamefull name a wronging of posterity and of the party with whom the folly is committed For the first these finne against their owne bodies wasting their strength in pleasure as the flame consumeth the candle and therefore are like Sparrowes which Aristotle saith doe therefore liue but a short time because of their common copulation they procure to themselues such infectious diseases as will hasten their death and such as will sticke by them when their best friends giue them ouer Concerning their soules Saint Paul excludeth them from 1 Cor. 9. 6 the Kingdome of heauen as he will haue them separated from 1 Cor. 5. 9 11. 13. the company of men vpon earth Concerning their estate pouerty commeth vpon them as one that trauaileth by the way and necessity like an armed man this sinne is purgatory to the purse though it be paradise to the desires Danae doth then like Iupiter when he comes vnto her in the forme of a showre of golden rayne and therefore the Poet saith Nuda Venus picta est nudi pinguntur amores Nam quos nuda capit nudos dimittat oportet How soone had the prodigall childe consumed his portion Luc. 15. 14 when once he light among harlots but you will say this sinne may bring a meane man to pouerty and a poore man to beggery but great ones may wallow in this sinne and yet their estate neuer be empaired nay women are like enough to gaine by the trade for they be receiuers with e Mat. 26. 15. Iudas they are at their Quantum dabis as if their louers bring any thing they are welcome if any of them say with Peter g Act. 3. 6. Siluer and f Gen 38. 16. gold haue I none ibit for as there is no entertainement for him f Thamar the string of their hearts reach to the pulse of their hands and must be rubbed with gold Concerning Name men haue a care of their credit and would haue a good reputation among men next to the approbation of God and the testimony of a good conscience for if a mans name be once tainted with iust reproch postea nullus erit but is like a garment which once rent is like to be torne on euery nayle now he that committeth adultery with a woman looseth his name a bad report is his portion while he liueth a bad heyre when he is dead and such a one as shall outline all his posterity his reproach shall neuer be put away and â—ro 6. 33. it were well if onely he himselfe did pay for it but this is not all but euen the children vnlawfully begotten doe feele the smart of it for first the staine remaineth to them and bastardy is their blemish then which what can be a greater and therefore when the holy Ghost would brande the Israelites with a marke of greatest reproch he cals them the seede of Esa 51. 3. the Adulterer and of the whore Againe parents are not so carefull of the good education of such children their birth is not so base but their bringing vp is as base as their birth such fathers care not though with the Israelites they offer such sonnes and daughters vnto diuels they haue no care to correct them they care not though they haue their swinge though
inordinate quarunt h Io. 8. 19. vbi est quia vbique est the Pharisees should not aske where he is but where is he not he is a circle whose centre is no where and circumference euery where he filleth all things not that they containe him but rather that he contains them he is whole in all things and all things in him and as he beareth vp heauen and earth and yet is not burdened so he filleth heauen and earth and yet is not inclosed Heauen is his chamber of presence there he is by glory the heart of his elect is his preuy chamber there he is by grace and though he be farre off from the thoughts of the wicked yet is he not away for where he is absent by grace there is he present by vengeance The argument then is this I am the Lord therefore you that are seruants must obey i Mat. 8. 8. I say to my seruant doe this and he doth it It is Gâ—rrans obseruation The other Apostles call Christ k Mat. 26. 22. 25. Lord because they meant to obey him but Iudas doth not so because he had shaken off the yoke of obedience they say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 howsoeuer it come to passe that our Geneua translation in English make no difference in the title l Luc. 19. 3. 8. Zacheus desired to see Iesus because he needed a sauiour by and by he called him Lord as though he were at his beck to doe his will The whole order of nature is nought else then a proofe of the obdience which all creatures both aboue and beneath yeeld vnto the Lord the m Iob 37. 12. Raine Winde and Stormes execute that he commandeth n Mat. 8. 27 The Sea obey him when he stilleth the raging waues thereof when he treads vpon it as his freehold o Mat. 14. 25. when it is so stiffe that he may walke vpon it p Luc 5. 6. 7 The inhabitants of the sea obey him when they come thicke and three-fold into Simons net The earth obey q Ioh. 11. 43 him when he bids Lazarus come forth The heauens obey him r Act. 1. 9. when it openeth and receiueth him into glory This is sufficient euidence to condemne vs and shall set a glosse on our rebellion if we which haue sense wit and reason shall disobey if the heart of our heart and the inmost concauity thereof which is made to containe vitall breath be not filled vp with subiection to the will of the Lord that we can say euery one of vs thy law is within my heart The Lord thy God the Lord of all by right of possion the Lord God by right of ereation but the Lord thy God O Israell by â—ight of speciall election for thou art separated from other Conntries as Å¿ Es 20. 6. an I le from other lands t 1 Pet. 2. 25. God is a Bishop and u Mat 28. 19. he giues his Apostles a commission to visit all other Diocesses of the world but Israel was a Peculiar and this x Luc. 1. 68 he visited in his owne person y Deut. 7. 6 others were as the Commnos of the world these as Gods owne inclosure Other nations like wilde beasts wandred among mountaines woods and deserts these as his owne flocke hee receiued into his folde z Hos 11. 3. 4. Hee ledde Ephraim as one should beare them in his armes hee ledde them with cords of a man euen with bands of loue They which voluntarily come into any Kings dominion euen by the common law of Nations are subiects to that King a GeÌ„ 46. 6 Iacob and his family goe into Egypt yet God giues them a priuiledge calling in Israel his sonne and b Ex. 4. 22. his first borne At the first before the couenant God made with Abraham one person was not more respected then another but as soone as it was said c Gen. 17. 7 I will bee thy God and the God of thy seed after thee the Church was diuided from other nations no otherwise then light was from darkenesse in the first creation but as in the time of Brutus sic parâ—is componere magna solemus Britaine was but one Monarchy which after him was diuided into three Kingdomes till our gratious King Iames pulled downe the partition wall and ioyned not onely Roses but Realmes together so the people of the world before the couenant being of one and the same condition and all alike vnder one God were afterwards diuided into Iewes and Gentiles and one much more respected then the other till Christ the Prince of peace came who breaking downe the wall of partition made an vnion made of Iewes and Gentiles one people so that d RoÌ„ 2. 29 he is not now a God of the Iewes alone but of the Gentiles also and the Greeks may as well say Christ as the Hebrews Iesus the one e RoÌ„ 8. 15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as well as the other Abba and this that God is our God is the second argument here vsed to allure vs to obedience f Gen. 27. 12. Iacob is afraid to abuse old Isaac because he is his father g GeÌ„ 39. 8 Ioseph will not consent to the inticements of his mistrisse because Putifar is his good master and we must be afraid to offend because we haue a good Father a good Master a good God if we wander out of the way and go astray from his Commandements turning aside to the right hand or to the left he may iustly challenge vs and say I am thy God thy God why hast thou forsaken mee h 1 King 12 â— The gray-headed Counsellors in Israell which had stood before Salomon while he yet liued told Rehoboam his sonne If thou speake kind words vnto this people this day they will bee thy seruants for euer God speaketh kinde words vnto vs this day I am the Lord I am thy God and therefore wee must not bee seruants vnto sinne but in a resolute detestation whipping that bad merchant out of the temple of our heart be his seruants for euer Which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt Egypt was a land full of superstition it honoured diuels it honoured men it honoured beasts it honoured plants what thing was it but it was to them a God and therefore this was a great fauour of God to be deliuered out of it Nature hath ingrafted in euery creature to loue the place where it tooke birth and beginning i Ecc. 1. 7. The Riuers goe to the Sea from whence they came k Gen. 8. 9 The Doue returned to the Arke from whence shee came forth l 1 King 11 22. Hadad lacketh nothing with Pharaoh yet in any case will goe into his owne Country but yet if Caldea the place of Abrahams natiuity serueth strange gods then the Lord saith vnto him m GeÌ„ 12. 1 Get thee
hee might looke vp vnto him and hath placed the earth vnder his feet to teach him hee must not set his heart vpon it his chiefe affection must not be set on goods but God who giueth them God is the true Bread goods as the crums that fall vnder the table God as an habitation to rest in goods as a thorow-faâ—e to passe by mony is a prisoner wee keepe it vnder locke and key let it not be lord ouer vs make it out master we condemne our selues to our owne gallies make it our God q Col. 3. 5. couetousnesse is idolatry we set vp an idoll in our hearts r Phil. 3. 8. Paul esteemed all things as dung to win Christ esteeme not wee lightly of God to win all things besides Å¿ Mat. 19. 27. The Disciples forsooke all things and followed him doe not we forsake him and follow all things besides lose God for gaine wee lose a golden hooke for a silly fish Weigh God lighter then the world wee are deceitfull vpon the ballance let wealth seeme better in our sight then God from whom it comes t 1 Sam. 11 2. Nahash putteth out our right eyes and bringeth shame vpon vs. Loue the world better then wee loue God wee loue an harlot better then our owne spouse and therefore as Hosea aduiseth Israell wee u Hos 2. 2. must take away our adulteries from betweene our breasts This serueth to reproue those which make gold their hope and say to the wedge of gold thou art my confidence who set vp a new God for the old vpstart Mammon for the Ancient of daies as treason set vp a new King x 2 Sam. 16. 8. Absolon for old King Dauid which make the world bird-lime with which they so belime their affections that they cannot ascend vpward who hang their gold on their soules which like the weights of a clocke drawes them to the earth which no Alchimist can draw out of their hearts though it may be abstracted out of the earth who for loue of gold bury it though euen then they haue themselues one foote in the graue who are y Ps 76. 5. viri diuitiarum men â—friches not possessors of them as lords but possessed of them as seruants who contrary to this commandement doe greatest homage to that which should bee their basest drudge such are those stall-fed beasts in the Gospell which are so z Luc. 14. 18. yoked to their oxen and harnessed to their farmes that being sent for will not come to the supper they are fettered with the things of this life and so manacled they entertaine this World as a Queene and let it so rule in their hearts that the messenger may goe as he came and might haue had better thanks to haue held his peace such a one was the young man forward at first as though he would haue been a disciple of Christ but when it comes to poenam damni that hee must lose some thing that there must bee a parting blow betwixt him and his riches then hee takes his vltimum vale a Mat. 19. 22. and goes away sorrowfull that as the Disciples said of another thing was b Ioh. 6. 60 a hard saying he could not indure it such a one was Demas c 2 Tim. 4. 10. who to embrace this present world bids Paul adieu but loue God as this commandement enioyneth taste and see how sweet he is earthly things as playn dishes will be vnpleasant to vs let heauen become our obiect the earth will become our abiect long we after the water of life wee little regard the water at Iacobs well d â—oh 4 28 but with the woman of Samaria downe goes the pitcher e Mat. 14. 51. with the young man away goes clothing f Mat. 4. 20 22. with the disciples away goes ship and nets the loue of them though not the vse wee will not linger about earthly vanities we will not beat our braines and weary our selues in pursuit of the chase of this world superfluous desire of hauing shall not gnaue our hearts these glowing vanities shall not sticke so fast vnto vs wee will not thirst after them to get them with the losse of the loue of God and with the salue of our owne soules Or loue God plus quam tua more then thy delights and pleasures g Ioh. 2. 16 this followes the loue of the world where the world is our God our deuotion is pleasure and delight when h Mat. 4. 8. Satan the subtile sophister would bring our Sauiour Christ to an absurd conclusion he presseth both the premises together diuitias delitias hee should haue Power and glory the world the pleasures which it did affoord not but that there are iust delights which haue their warrants and their tearmes and therefore as one being asked whether a wise man might not eate sweet delicate meate answered yes except God made bees onely for fooles so if it were asked whether a good man may not vse pleasures it may be answered yes except God made the choise commodities of the earth onely for the wicked I will instance but in one kind of pleasure which we call pastime or recreation There are as well generous delights as ingenius studies and one of them must giue sweetnesse to the other diuers while they haue been so precise that they haue thought they might not delight in any sport at last haue been so out of heart that they delighted nothing but be acquainted with the quality let not sports be base let them not be lawles draw not occasion of delight from such pastimes as we should draw occasion of repentance thinke not the time well spent when we refresh our selues in setting creatures together by the eares sith this was bred by mans fall by our owne fault Be acquainted with the measure bend a bow too much it will breake lose it too much it will be a slugge bend the mind but doe not breake it slake it but do not loosen it Bee acquainted with the due and lawfull times make not play an occupation let it neither be a vocation for God would haue man labour in Paradise and he said fast and pray not feast and play nor yet an auocation from God Lastly Be acquainted with good carriage in it on the one side let it be as voide of rage as full of relaxation fall not out with heauen if thou art crost with an vnseasonable showre as though God did thee wrong if hee did not shine at thine appointed time on the other side ioy not to much if thou beholdest the Sunne when it shineth in his brightnes for by this ouer much delight thou makest a god of thy recreation these be lists and landmarkes within which we must bound the procession of our sports and in the licence of our desires wee must not remoue wee must not ouergoe them 3 Loue God Plus quam te more then thy selfe First more
therefore called them i Ier. 44. 17 the Queene of heauen and burnt incense vnto her and powred out drinke offerings vnto her supposing plenty and scarsity health and sicknesse weale and woe came by her so doe the superstitious in our times following Astrologers which are as Oecolampadius saith the greatest of all Impostors an Impostor is a Coniurer Iuggler or cony-catcher worships these heauenly bodyes supposing mankinde is ruled by them and therefore when they fall sicke the starres are their counsellers they take their Calender if they finde it an euill day when their sicknesse began their soule is powred out vpon them they perswade themselues that they shall not onely bee weakened and sore broken that their health shall passe away as a cloud but that they shall goe the way of all the earth that the graue shall be their house and they shall make their bed in the darke and the worme shall feele their sweetnesse and therefore making their wils take their leaue of all the world but if it bee a good day they doubt not but all sicknesse shal be taken away from them health shall bee vnto their nauell and marow to their bones that their flesh shall bee as fresh as a childs and returne as in the daies of their youth But the Prophet Esay derideth such as these are saying k Esay 47. 13. Let now the Astrologers the Starre-gasers and Prognosticators stand vp and saue thee not that he condemneth Astronomy for it is good to know the course of the heauens the rising and setting of the starres l GeÌ„ 1. 14 which God appointed to giue light and to make difference of times and seasons but vtterly disliketh Astrology whereby men will vndertake to know things which are to come and attribute the operation in the elements to the starres which belongeth to God who made the starres m Ps 147. 4 and calleth them all by their names which serueth to no vse but to delude the people and contrary to this commandement to bring them from depending onely on God Wee must not feare this feare and as our Sauiour Christ dehorting vs from carking care saith n Mat. 6. 31 32. take no thought saying what shall wee eate or what shall we drinke or wherewith shall we bee clothed vsing this argument after all these things doe the Gentiles seeke so the Lord in the prophecy of Ieremy by the like reason dehorteth from this feare saying o Ier. 10. 2. Learne not the way of the heathen and be not affraid for the signes of heauen though the heathen be afraid of such Moreouer the wicked feare rumors when it was noysed that there was borne Iesus King of the Iewes p Mat. 2. 2. 3. King Herod was troubled and all Ierusalem with him their hearts were moued as the trees of the forest by the winde rottennesse entred into their bones and they trembled in themselues so q Es 7. 2. when it was told the house of Dauid that Aram was ioyned with Ephraim the soule of the King and his people was pressed downe feare and trembling did come vpon them an horrible feare did couer them God hateth this feare and therefore will haue his people r Ier. 51. 46 goe out of the midst of Babell lest their hearts should faint and they feare the rumor should be heard in the land concerning the taking of Babell for the newes came the first yeere the siege came the second yeere and it was taken in the third and Å¿ Ps 112. 7. a good man will not bee afraid of any euill tidings for his heart is fixed and beleeueth in the Lord he is well grounded and therefore like Mount Sion he cannot bee remoued but standeth fast for euer the feare of God doth ballance his heart and therefore hee floateth steadily blowe what winde it will he sailes to the porte A fourth feare disliked is feare of disgrace which many times maketh not onely the wicked but euen good men backward in performing their duty this was one cause why Ionas was vnwilling to go to Niniuâ—h and preach vnto it the preaching that God bad him t Ion. 3. 3. Yet forty daies and Niniuâ—h shal be â—uerthrowne for he did not onely despaire of successe being out of hope that the children of Ashur would turne to the Lord when the children of Israell would not repent but feare of reproch did trouble him more when considering there was in God u Ion. 4. 2. great kindnesse and x Ps 63. 3. louing kindnesse which simples compounded make great louing kindnesse in God considering he was not onely of long suffering before hee inflicteth punishment but penitent in the stay and intermission of it hee thought he should be counted a false prophet that would bee a reprofe vnto him he should bee a prouerbe and a common talke among the people and therefore flyeth to Tarshis saying in effect with Moses y Ex. 4. 13. sende by the hand of him whom thou shouldest send This feare of disgrace began to worke vpon Paul when God called him to preach to the Gentiles z Act. 22. 1â— They know saith he that I prisoned and beate in eâ—ery Synagogue them that beleeued in thee now if I shall preach thee whom before I persecuted what will they say they will say that I weaue and vnweaue like Penelope being as variable in my practises as Proteus in hâ—s shapes set vp one day to pull downe another that I am changed as the Moon which neuer viewes vs twice with the same face thus because he would not suffer contempt he seeketh couert would stop Gods mouth vpon good termes alleadging a plea to put off the office which he was to execute To come to our selues I am perswaded that among vs many papists on the left hand many schismatikes on the right hand betwixt which two the Church liturgy of the Church is crucified a Mat. 2â— 38. as our Sauior Christ between the two malefactors would be brought to the tabernacles of peace and follow the truth in loue where it not for this that they thinke they should bee a reproach vnto their neighbours a scorne and derision to them that are round about them haue I been thus long a Recusant thinkes some Papists haue I thus many yeeres held these and these opinions and shall I now staine my cheeks with the blushes of recantation and not second my beginnings with sutable proceedings shall a Retraxit be entred against me as against the person plaintife when he commeth into the court where his plea is and saith he will not proceede what will men say they will say that I am a wauering weathercoke a reede shaken to and fro with the winde that I am so light that I had need to haue lead tyed to my heeles lest euery wind should blow me away that I ebbe and flow that I haue one mind sitting another standing in a word this fact of mine will
saith Ionas here g Act. 20. 9 with Eutychus you may take him vp dead but I will looke againe toward thy holy Temple here you may see him with h Gen. 45. 27. Iacob to reuiue i Luc. 7. 15 with the young man to sit vp and speake k Mat. 9. 7. with the palsey man to arise walke l Rom. 7. 24. O wretched man that I am sayth Paul herein consideration of his infirmitie setting vp sayles of discomfort hee is ready to runne vpon dangerous shelues but I thanke God thorough Iesus Christ our Lord this is a breath of faith which comming stopes his course and standing as a rudder in the sentence turnes it quite another way but as for the vngodly it is not so with them when they hit vpon discord they neuer fall into a good concord when they fall they fall away Prolapsi id est prosus lapsi they fall like the Elephant who being downe riseth not againe m 1. Sam. 4. 18. they fall backward with Heli and can haue no helpe of their hands in a word this feare and terrour of conscience in the godly lasteth but for a time and they are deliuered from it in the wicked it abideth alwayes and they are deuoured by it to the one God giues the thred of grace to bring them out of the laberinth of a troubled mind the sense of sinne sendes the other headlong n Mat. 8. 32 as the diuels the heard of swyne to the lake of disperation feare in the one o Psa 114. 3. like Iorden is driuen backe in the other like p 2. Kin. 5. 27. the leprosie of Gehezi it cleaâ—eth fast for euer of all feares feare not this feare it is most opposite to the true feare of God which this Commandement requireth Lastly the wicked feare death and that because they neuer feared God in their life they carnally feare to dye they hellishly feare to be dead the intollerable payne in the very act of dissolution causeth the first the conceit that they shal be euer dying causeth the second A good man lookes death in the face and goeth out couragiously to meete it with a smile and taking it by the hand before it taketh him doth at once welcome and contemne it he knoweth that q 1. Cor. 15 56. the sting of death is sinne and that Christ hauing pulled it out calles it droane to it face r 1. Cor. 15 55. O death where is thy sting and therefore he is like the Swan which by a naturall instinct finisheth his life with ioy and singing vbi fata vocant vdis abiectus in herbis Ad vada Maandri concinit albus olor but to the wicked it is a death to thinke vpon death when they consider on the one side what euill they haue done and on the other side what euill they shall suffer on the one side what bad stewards they haue been on the other side what reckoning they shall make at the audit they cry loath to depart and are still willing like slaues to be chained to their gallyes and are as vnwilling to goe out of life as Å¿ Gen. 19. 16. Lâ—t out of Sodom and and are pulled from the earth with more violence then t 1. Kin. 2. 28. Ioab from the hornes of the Alter But if the feare of God possesseth our hearts then are wee voyde and empty of this and all other base feares according to the admonition of Esay u Esa 8. 12 wee feare not the feare of the wicked And secondly wee feare not the wicked men themselues according to that of our Sauiour Christ x Mat. 10. 28. feare not them that kill the body Iustinus Martyre sayd the persecutors could only kil they could not ill much like that of Petus concerning Nero occidere me potest lâ—dere vero non potest they haue no more power ouer the soule then Satan had ouer Iobs and can hurt the soule no more then he which cutteth a garment hurteth the body for the body is the garment of the soule Iacob y Gen. 31. 3 when God bids him leaue Padan Aram and goe againe to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan hath a wolfe by the eares which he can neither hold nor let goe without danger if he disobeyes he hath God against him if he obeyes his brother Esau comes against him but the feare of God as the stronger yron driues out the feare of man as the weaker nayâ—e Gods Commandement is of more force to make him obey then present perill to make him afrayd he feareth God more then man whose life is in his breath whose breath is in his nosthriles Saint Laurence feared not his persecutors who speake to the Emperour who caused him to bee tormented on a fiery gridyron on this wise This side is now rosted enough turne vp O tyrant great Assay whither rosted or raw thou thinkest better meate Apollonia feared not her persecutors who for confessing the faith of Christ had all her teeth pulled out of her head Herevpon I suppose it came that Apolline was the Saint for the Tooth-ach when the Tyrant threatned to burne her except she would blaspheame Christ she breaking from the Officers willingly leapt into the fire I commend her constant courage but set no Rosemary branch vpon her fact for when our Saui our Christ sayth to Peter z Ioh. 21. 18. another shall binde thee and leade thee whither thou wouldest not he teacheth that wee must suffer of another not of our selues we must not lay violent handes by no meanes vpon our owne bodyes In latter times Latimer feared not his persecutors for timâ—r addidit alas feare would force flight But he hauing forewarning six houres before that a Pursiuant was comming downe to call him vp to London there after examination to be clapt in the Towre and condemned was so far from flying that in that time he prouided himselfe that he might be ready to ride with the Messenger all these knew that if they be blessed that dye in the Lord then much more blessed are they that dye in the Lord and for the Lord they knew that Christ did forsake his father heauen and all to come vnto them they would forsake their friends earth al to come vnto him Their enemies being more weary in tormenting them then they of the torments which seemed more harsh to the beholders then to themselues who did endure them they were not afraid though ten thousand of people did beset them round about who could but kill the body but they feared him who hauing killed the body was able to cast both body and soule into hell according to the charge which Christ giueth a Luc. 12. 5. feare him which he doubleth yea I say vnto you feare him hammering vpon vs againe and againe because nay les the oftener they are smitten the deeper they peirce The last thing required by this commandement
25. 36. should cloath the naked strip those that are cloathed and when they h Deu. 27. 17. should let stand still the marke of the Land take away house and land both this as it is a terror to the oppressors so a comfort to the oppressed to consider that all this is before God it is sap in the Vine in the winter of affliction a golden sheild in the hand which breakes the stroake of all oppression to consider that Gods eyes are open and he doth as well behold them which doe the wrong as them which suffer it i Act. 7. 3 I haue seene I haue seene the affliction of my people doubling his sight because he did behold and consider looke vpon with the outward eye of his countenance looke into it with the inward eye of compassion And this did season the bitternes of the bondage of Israel as k Ex. 15. 2. the Tree which Moses cast into the spring of Marah did season the bitternes of the waters and in the captiuity of Babilon this was a combe of hony in the Lyons belly a sawce to make the sower sweet when Israel should consider that though they were taken away from their countrey they could not be taken away from God whose title was a like to all places though they had gone vp into heauen or downe into hell or dwelt in the vtter most parts of the sea Secondly this serueth for our instruction it is a prouocation to vertue to consider that though man mindeth not our good deedes yet God vieweth them though there were no reward for well doing yet virtus per se and the testimony of a mans owne conscience were sufficient to moue him to good but there is a greater testimony for God is greater then the conscience and seeth all and l Mat. 6. 6. he that seeth in secret will reward openly Againe it is a bridle to pull vs backe from much vngodlynes what sinne is it but might goe a begging for want of seruice if we did thorowly see that Gods eye were vpon it The Adulterer that layes wait at the doore of his neighbour and delighteh in a strange woman and transgressing the boundes of honesty yeelds his flesh to the seruice of Venus would make this sinne a Mittimus would not moyle his body in filth and infection no not in the darke as though he could closely conuey his sinne vnder a Canopy if he did thoroughly bethinke himselfe that to God darknes and light were both alike Rash censure would restraine their verdict if they consider they entred vpon the possession and freehold of God whose consistory is in the heart Hypocrysie and guilded piety should haue a pasport if wee thought that God did search narrowly the very inward and hidden pith of the roote the feare of God would stand at the doore of the heart and not suffer the close idolatry forbidden in this precept to haue an entrance if we marke that God saith here it is before me open in my sight In a word what one sinne should finde entertainement with vs if we thoroughly weighed this that not only the conscience which is a thousand witnesses But God who is a thousand consciences did still ouer-looke vs the one as an accuser to lay to our charge against which there is no exception the other as a Iudge to giue sentence from whom there is no appeale who hath his name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to see because the very graue is naked before him Neither is he such a God as the heathen fained their bifronted Iaxus to whom they dedicated the first moneth of the yeare setting him out with two faces with the one looking back to the yeare past with the other looking forward to the yeare to com for if he did only see such sinnes as were but a yeare old we neede neuer pray with Dauid m Psa 25. 7 forgiue me the sinnes of my youth then such sinnes as we had a yeare out-liued being like our common Almanackes out of date at the yeares end should be cast behind his backe and we might hane a pardon by course or be quit by Proclamation for who should lay any thing to our charge when God against whom we haue offended had forgotten but therefore we must auoyde sinnes of youth sinnes of age sinnes of dotage past present and to come because they are all before him n Reu. 1. 8. who is the ancient of dayes α and ω the beginning and the end the first and the last If we meete with bad debtters yet happely vpon good tearmes such as the debtter vseth in the Gospell o Mat. 18. 26. haue patience with mee and I will pay thee all we are content to beare with them and to suffer them to delay the payment but if thorough breaking many dayes we dispaire of the debt wee eyther let them goe vpon some easie composition or dismissing them for want of abilitie we burne their bandes but it is not thus with God wee are debters to him and he must be satisfied the band is written signed sealed yea forfeited and broken he calleth vpon vs to take some order with him he knocketh at the doore of our eares by his word and hauing a patience beyond all patience sends his Bayliffes to warne before he doth arrest a sound of woe before we but if the debt be not discharged he doth not burne the band but still our sinnes are before him not sinnes of the yeare past or sinnes of the yeare to come but sinnes wherein we were conceiued sinnes which shall lye downe with vs in the dust they all remaine scored vp and being registred in his booke of accounts stand in Record for without satisfaction there is no remission the onely remedy we haue is to repaire to Christ for a quittance to begge of him a Quietus est to shew God a generall release vpon his satisfaction of the det desiring that it would please him in him to be well pleased The second Commandement Exod. 20. 4. 5. 6. Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image nor the likenes of any thing that is in heauen aboue or in the earth beneath or in the water vnder the earth Thou shalt not bow down to them nor worship them For I the Lord thy God am a iealous God and visit the sins of the Fathers vpon the Children vnto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me and shew mercy vnto thousands to them that loue me and keepe my Commandements IT was a saying of the Orator Demosthenes non modo scripta but if it were possible sculpta etiam loqueretur for mine owne part I cannot speake scripta in print as they say for the forme of my words nor prune my syllables mince my words martiall my phrases and graue my speach with paintings let bad spokesmen doe this who being sent to wooe for God doe speake for themselues onely my care is
the Gospell come short in zeale of those which had but the dim candle-light of Nature let vs not who haue the law of God in our mother tongue pointing more directy to the true God then any finger to the dyall haue our motions kindled with lesse true zeale then theirs were igne fatuo which had the booke of God but clasped vp in an vnknowne language let vs not who haue knowledge and can speake diuers tongues bee to seeke in the language of Canaan be to seeke to sing the songs of Sion diuine notes of Halleluiah and glory to God in the highest Knowledge without zeale is a lame sacrifice zeale without knowledge is a blind sacrifice Å¿ Mal. 1. 8. Malachy will haue neither offred to God therefore let them not like t Ioh. 20. 4 the two Disciples Peter and Iohn or u 2 Sam. 18 21. the two Messengers which Ioab sent to carry Dauid tidings of his deliuerance one out-run the other but as the two x Luc. 24. 13. Disciples when they went to Emmaus goe together arme in arme like man and wife cheeke by ioul as Hippocrates twines if one be lacking there will want a ronge of Iacobs ladder it will be too short to reach vnto heauen Or the likenesse of any thing that is in heauen aboue or in the earth beneath or in the water vnder the earth Ex malis moribus bona'leges natae sunt bad diseases haue giuen occasion of good remedies in that therefore God forbids not onely images in generall but so many sorts in particular some in heauen as birds that flie in the firmament of heauen the Sun and Moone and Sarres the whole hoast of heauen some in earth as the similitude of men and beasts and creeping things some in the sea as the likenesse of fishes I note that to be true which the Lord speaketh according to the number of thy Cities were thy Gods O Iudah y Ier. 11. 13 and according to the number of the streets of Ierusalem haue yee set vp altars of confusion The minde of man is a glasse so long as a glasse remaineth whole there is but one face of him which looketh in it represented backe againe but if it bee once crackt or broken let but one man looke in it there appeares so many faces as there be crases so is it with the minde of man as long as it continued sound and whole there shined in it but the image of one true God but when by a fall it once lost this integrity then it receiued sundry images and Gods maiesty was disguised by variety of Idols But yet I doe not reade of any open idolatry before the floud but after the floud it entred euen into the posterity of Sem for Ioshua said vnto all the Tribes of Israell that their fathers z Ios 24. 2 euen Terah the father of Abraham serued other gods the threds of this sinne did thy draw so bigge and so long that they made them cords of vanity they did wreath these cords till they became cart-rops of iniquity busying themselues in their owne dreames and doting fancies till God caused them to be carried away captiue vnto Babilon But after the captiuity Israel said a Hos 14. 9. what haue I to doe any more with Idols b Hos 2. 7. I will goe and returne to my first husband I will not play the harlot and be to any other neither did they change the house of God into a shop of Idolatry no when the Romanâ— Emperours would haue thrust images vpon them they chose rather to die a thousand times then lay Gods honour open to the spoile of creatures neither could they euer bee brought to admit into their Temple the Standard of the Romans neither was there found any pensill relike or image in their temple * 1 Mac. 1. 23. neither when Antiochus Epiphanes sackt it for couetousnesse or when Pompey spared it for reuerence nay they were so farre from worshipping the worke of mens hands that they would not admit painter or caruer into their City But all this while among the Gentiles Idolatry did lift vp her head till the Apostles came who cryed out vpon it down with it downe with it euen to the ground then such as God had added to his Church that they might bee saued put away the strange Gods that were among them ouerthrew their altars broake their images in peeces cut downe their groues destroyed all their pictures pluckt downe all their high places broake downe their pillers and burnt their images with fire But in processe of time for if the diuell bee cast out he is discontented and saith c Mat. 12. 44. I will returne into mine house from whence I came God was againe put out of doores and his house changed into an idolatrous shop For about the yeere of our Lord 490. Gregory the first the worst of all the 63. Bishops of Rome that went before him and the best of all the 175. that followed since him though he vtterly condemned the worshipping of images yet thought it not amisse to haue them in Churches as necessary Alphabets for lay men and good shepheards Kalenders The diuell now hauing gotten an inch would take an ell and hauing gotten in his head like a subtile serpent made his whole body follow after for when the Emperours of the East and the Popes of Rome were at daggers drawing they to put downe images these to vpholde them so mightily grew the power of the Popes that they preuailed then mens hearts were not perfit with the Lord they went a whoring after their owne eyes looking to other gods they said to the wood awake and to the dumbe stone stand vp they asked counsell of their stocks and their staffe taught them they had many altars to sinne and villany was seen in their houses I would spend no further pilgrimage in this walke but that so many seuerall gods present themselues vnto my view which if I should goe about to number they should bee more then I am able to expresse To omit therefore the Persians which had as many gods as there were Starres in the sky and fires on the earth the Greekes which had as many gods as they had fancies the Romanes which canonized so many new gods as their Senate would alow to omit this infinite variety there were twelue principall gods Iuno Vesta Minerua Ceres Diana Venus Mars Mercurius Iupiter Neptune Vulcanus Apollo To these were added Saturne lest he might seeme to be wronged since his sonne Iupiter was a god and his mother Vesta was a goddesse and also Bacchus because being a hot fellow hee might make some fray seeing Câ—res was one goddesse and Venus was another herein Europ were gods for particular Countreys S. Iames for Spaine S. Dennis for Fraunce S. Patricke for Ireland S. George for England in England were gods for particular Citties S. William of Yorke S. Thomas of Caunterbury and Bonauenture but it
lesse godhead to be in those gods then in the least creatures This serueth to reproue the Turke whose oath is this I sweare by God the maker of heauen and earth and the 4. Historiograpâ—ers of Euangelicall Histories and by the 8000 Prophets that came from heauen and by our mighty god Mahomet aboue all other to be worshipped and by the spirits of my father and Grandfather by this my sacâ—ed and imperiall head It serueth to reproue Châ—â—stâ—ans who by their oathes lay open Gods honour to the spoyle of creatures and though it be a thing forbidden by flat statute beautifie and set our the Saints with the ornaments of his name Let not therefore the name of Saints waite vpon our worâ—es to serue where our humour shall place them let vs not fill our mouthes with them as though the sentence were not full if they were left out let not Oathes by Saint An. by Saint Mary by Saint George or other fly at all aduentures and waite at the heeles of euery word these and other oathes are but custome in the elder sort imitation in the younger sort brauery in the rich necessitie in the poore no pleasure in them no profit of them and sinnes cloathed with no delight or gaine are lesse excuseable euen in the sight of men As weare not to impart Gods worship with Saints so not with reliques of Saints which Clement the 5. thought were to be bad in the highest veneration a Heb. 11. 22. Ioseph gaue commandement of his bones and b Gen. 50. 25. lying on his death bed tooke an oath of the children of Israell to carry his bones with them out of Egypt least as Chrysostome saith the Egyptians remembring the good c Deu. 34. 6 things he had done should vse the good mans body to an occasion of Idolatry God buryed Moses body the Iewes knew not where one reason was left they should bring his carkeis into the land of Canaan from which he was excluded by the iudgement of God another reason was that by this meanes he might meete with all and preuent their superstition for therefore saith D. Raynolds it may be thought that the diuell when he did striue with Michaell about the body of Moses did striue that his body might be reuealed to the Iewes that thereby they might haue occasion to commit idolatry when a miracle was wrought at the martyring of Policarpus the Centuâ—ion would not haue his body deuided least the remnants of the dead corpes should be worshipped of the people Indeed if that were true that the bones of Siluester the 2. did coÌ„monly ratle in his tombe before the death of Popes for this they say the ratling of his bones doth portend then there were some reason why they should be esteemed but his bones are vsed like Dice made of womens bones to cozen a man and no such ratling indeed and therefore let this ratling lye be buryed with them The Israelites must reserue nothing of the Paschall lambe lest d Ex. 12. 10 they should mixe that holy banquet with their daily bread 2. lest the sight of raw flesh might make it lesse esteemed 3. lest any superstition might creepe in by reseruing the reliques and therefore the very bones must be burnt and more then so e Ex. 32. 20 Moses tooke the sinne of Israell and the calfe which they had made and grounde it to powder and strowed it vpon the water and made the children of Israell drinke of it both in despight of their idolatry and that there might remaine no monument thereof lest they which were most giuen to superstition might gather together the reliques This serueth to reproue such as while they liue appoint or obserue any festiuall day in honour of reliques as Pope Innocent who ordeyned the feast of the holy speare and of the holy nayles and though we doe well to obserue the seuenth day that thereby we may learne to rest from sin that day and make the rest of the weeke sutable to the same yet to make more reckoning of one Sabboth then another in regard of reliques and to haue our Gaudees and feasts on relique Sunday as they call it cannot be without sent of superstition Againe it reproueth such as when they dye thinke reliques will helpe them the sooner to heauen as those which are of this minde that if they be buryed in a Gray Fryers frocke the third part of their sinnes shall be forgiuen them which dignity was indeed granted by a Bull to that religion But neuer thinke that these nor Saint Peters Cope or his other vestiments can be a quittance for our debts they are pallium breue not talaris tunica a short cloake not a gowne long enough to hide our sinnes only the coate of Christ without seame can couer them all f Esa 43. 25. I euen I am he that putteth away thine iniquities for mine owne sake where euen as God excludeth all other motiues when he saith for mine owne sake so he excludeth all other meanes when he saith I and that with an ingemination euen I doe it He hath grace if we sinne g Eph. 2. 7. riches of grace if our sinnes be great exceeding riches of grace if they be many h 1. Tim. 1. 13. mercy for Paul for he did it ignorantly i Psa 51. 1. great mercy for Dauid for he sinned willingly he can pardon for his mercy is omnipotent he will pardon for his omnipotency is meryfull as for reliques they come short of his mercy that remitteth sinnes and come not neere the value of that ransome which was payd for them The Masse wherein is consecration transubstantiation missall oblation and adoration is a great Idoll and should haue as little worship as these reliques much vertue as I haue already shewed was attributed to it whereas in very deed there was no vertue in it it could not so much as defend it sacrificer who in some place of this land in the reigne of Queene Mary was beset with Swordes and Bucklers lest hee should be disturbed in his missall sacrifice to blame also therefore were they which did flye to it for succour neither did men thinke it only present helpe for themselues but if their pigges were sicke they had a Masse called the Masse of Saint Anthony to ridde them from their diseases another for their Hennes that were sicke and lost againe to blame were men to vse it for the conuersion of those which were thought heretickes as did Anthony Kechin Bishop of Landaffe in Queene Maryes dayes to vse it for deliuering of soules out of purgatory as did Odilo Abbot of Cluniake who thought that his Masses had deliuered diuers soules from thence saying more ouer that he did heare the voices and lamentations of diuels crying out for that the soules were taken from them by the Masses Dirges funerall by reason whereof Pope Iohn the 19 brought in the feast of all soules Againe to blame were they
thoroughly sifts them out 1 Pet. 2. 25 then ministers the quantity of the punishment according to the quality of the offence this is the right visitation Among vs are some visitations non morum sed nummorum visitationes But God visits not the purse but visits the sinne he will not spare the poore for pitty nor the rich for bribes hee will not commute the penance or respect any externall thing whither it be comelines of body excellency of wit nobility of stocke antiquity of descent the soule that sinneth shall die and there is Rō 2. 11. no respect of persons The sinne of the Fathers vpon the children Men are dull vpon the spurre and doe not easily bend when God bids them bow therefore God threatneth to extend his rigour to their posterity hee will lay vp the sorrow of the father for his children but Iob. 21. 19. doth this stand with the iustice of God to punish the childe for the fathers offence how then is the Scripture true euery Gal. 6. 5. man shall beare his owne burden how is the prouerbe true euery fat shall stand on his owne bottome if it be so let that prouerbe which was out of date be renewed againe the fathers haue eaten Eze. 18. 2. sowre grapes and the childrens teeth are set on edge The Ciuill law to fetch this point from our first originall saith Partus sequitur ventrem the birth followes the wombe that is the child shall be as the mother if shee be free her child shall bee free though shee marry a bond-man and according to the lawes of the Realme the child shall be as the father but when father and mother are bond both as ours are then there is no question but the children are bond The whelps of wolues though they can doe no hurt with hunting yet already doe sport themselues in biting and delight in bloud the brood of serpents like the disciples of the Pharisees yonger in yeeres Mat. 22. 16 but like in malice are shorter in stature but aequall in poyson and who will blame him that shall kill these whelpes and destroy the young serpents though they haue yet no strength to hurt and cast forth their poyson non prius nati quam damnati And though children being young bring forth no bad fruit in the boughs yet are they infected at the roote but leaue this originall and goe on if the father be a traitor to his Prince doe you maruaile if his children doe smart for it if the husband hath publike notice of his wiues adultry shall hee not giue her a publike discharge shall he smother the fault which shee is not ashamed to set abroach the disease of marriage is adultry and the medecine is deuorcement shall he put away the mother and retaine her children which he knoweth to bee an adulterous generation now God is the husband of his Church he marryed Israell to himselfe but she in ioyning her Hos 4. 12. selfe to Idols went a whoring from vnder her God God therefore Hos 4. 12. Esa 50. 1. forsakes her and giues her a bill of diuorcement and therefore if her children feele the smart God bids them reason the case with their mother and not lay the blame vpon him pleade Hos 2. 2. with your mother with an ingemination pleade with her Againe God may punish the sinne of the parents on the Children yet the cause of punishment may be in themselues as if any being sicke of the plague infect other and they dye euery one of them is said to dye of his owne plague God will not haue this prouerbe vsed in Israell the fathers haue eaten sowre grapes Eze. 18. 3. the Childrens teeth are set on edge but if they eate sowre grapes as their fathers did no maruaile though their teeth be set on edge When God takes away his grace they eate sowre grapes and drinke their owne poyson then are they as shippes cast vpon the rockes dashed in pieces or sunke in the sandes when God not giuing them his grace they want all their tackling then are they as a house which falles of it selfe because God as a Sampson Iud. 16. 29. hath withdrawen the pillers then are they as olde lame men which sinke of themselues when God will not lend them his grace as a staffe to vpholde them This God doth visit the iniquitie of the fathers on their Children not by taking away any thing they had but because he will not supply that they wanted this is no iniustice in God for euery good gift commeth from him grace is his he may giue it to whom hee will he may withold it from whom he please it is lawfull for him to doe with his owne what he list and hee many times withholdes Mat. 20. 15 it from the Childe when he considers the sinne of the father and for that the father ran further and further into wickednes he giues ouer the Children so that they sell themselues to worke wickednes that filling vp the the iniquitie of the fathers they might haue their punishment cast into their bosome And this is that wich Hosee saith concerning Israell because Hos 2. 5. the mother played the harlot and shee that conceiued Hos 4. 13. them did shamefully therefore their daughters shal be harlots that they might be punished for their owne faults but mediately for the sinne of their parents which caused God to giue ouer their of-spring that so they might giue head to their lusts and bring a speedy destruction vpon themselues This must teach both parents and children each of them a seuerall lesson Parents to haue a greater care then other of discharging their duty to God for the neglect hereof brings a plague on themselues and on those which come out of their loynes and if God accomplish not his iudgements assoone as a sinne is committed hee can well worke them vpon the ofspring of such as seeme to haue escaped his hand I haue seene saith Eliphaz the foolish well rooted and suddenly I cursed his habitation saying his Children shall be farre from saluation and they shall be Iob. 5. 3. 4. destroyed in the gate iudgement shall finde out the Children though happely sometime it passe by the father his bloud be on Mat. 27. 25 vs and on our Children say the Iewes to Pylate concerning the bloud of Christ cruenti plane genitores saith Saint Augustine qui ante facti sunt paricide quam parentes O cruell fathers which were paracides before they were parents but though this wish had not been yet this cruell crying sinne had come home to their Childrens doores and been powred into their bosomes Wee haue a prouerbe happy is the Childe when the father goes to the diuell for example the father not so much as rouing at God makes the world his standing marke he neuer thinkes of compassing heauen but as Satan came from compassing the earth to and fro and from
the theefe who being indited desired the Iudge he might escape vnpunished for stealing was his custome from his youth and now he could not leaue it to whom the Iudge replyed it was his custome to giue iudgement against such malefactors and therefore he must be condemned let therefore little by little good custome shake off and pluck vp that which euill costume hath brought in and ingrafted and the more deepely it is rooted in vs the more paine let vs take to root it vp and doe the best we can to crosse this and euery bad custome yea though we cannot turne the streame yet let vs swimme against it To the fourth sort which say they doe not curse God nor choppe his heart in peeces nor throwing his name to the ground tread and trample it vnder their feet they doe not like madde dogs fly in their masters face indeed they deny not but that they vse small oathes as faith troth masse crosse or the like and what matter is it if they be so prodigall of these trifling oathes that they pawne them for euery trifle at euery word To these I say Our nature is such that we say of a great sinne as Lot of the City Zoar p Gen. 19. 20. is it not a little one and as when wee haue sinned the diuell shewes vs one of his two false glasses wherein he maketh our sinne appeare so great that it cannot be forgiuen so before wee haue sinned he shewes the other glasse making the sinne appeare little and the punishment none at all the case being thus no maruaile though we thinke we haue yeelded much if we acknowledge a beame to be a mote an hainous offence to be a crime or a crime to be an errour but howsoeuer men flatter themselues yet thse petty oathes are great faults and to be refused in our talke as poyson in our meat he that shall giue his fatih and lay his truth in pawne pawneth whatsoeuer is most precious in his soule and hee that sweares by the Masse is as he that sweares by q Zeph. 1. 5 Malcham against whom God will stretch out his hand to cut him off Our Sauiour Christ forbids them all by flatte statute r Mat. 5. 34 sweare not at all mentioning certaine oathes vsuall among the Iewes neither by heauen or earth including in them all naturall creatures or Ierusalem including all artificiall I like his wit well but giue him no other commendation who sitting at a churles table but yet an vnbidden guest would bee still swearing by this meate by this bread by this cheese by this drinke that thereby he might take occasion to eate and drinke with him for it confirmes the matter if a man takes downe that by which hee sweareth insomuch as his host weary of such a guest wished him to leaue off his swearing Our Sauiour Christ dehorts vs from these small cōmon oathes because they haue a bad beginning ſ Mat. 5. 37 whatsoeuer is more then yea yea nay nay commeth of euill proceeds from an inward and secret corruption whereby the diuell tempts vs and Saint t Ia. 5. 12. Iames disswades vs from them because they haue as bad an end and will haue men refraine them lest they fall into condemnation if no excuses are strong enough to vphold these kind of oathes which men reckon are of no reckoning then I need not to take paine to put downe blasphemous oathes for being a heauy burden they fall of themselues To blame therefore are those dogs which make no bones in tearing Gods name who cast vp their children to God as though he were their vnderling as an angry and fumish master giues his seruant a buffet with his fist The common gamester if he be on the loosing side will make his tongue run as fast against God as Cards Dice and bowles doe run against him he will rent and teare his name as a draper rasheth out a peece of cloath to the buyer his oathes like hail-shot shall flye vp and downe the roome where hee hath his losse Let a man taking these iniuries done vnto Christ as his owne wrongs for Christ tooke all our sins vpon him tell him of his blaspheming let him goe about to bring home this Asse from going further astray as the law prouided we should our neighbours Asse let him crosse him u Ex. 23. 4 in his swearing all this is but losse of diligence there is no possibility of reformation perswasions are in vaine better suffer him in his fury then minister aduice his wound by medling with it is made the greater and like hot water by stirring it casteth vp the more fume say to wrest the strings of his tongue in tune they will snappe and breake vpon you this old bottle will breake with new wine the more you rub him the more will this gald horse kicke the more you touch him the more will this toad swell the more you meddle with him the more will this serpent gather poyson in his throate and in his head to vomit out goe about to coole him you shall but adde to his fire and increase his heate as the water doth the heate in lime and the smithes forge for he hath sworne he will sweare it out and fill vp his periods with oathes of sound goe to the profane swaggerer as he seldome thinkes vpon God but in time of affliction for the crosse-house is his schoole-house his aduersity his vniuersity his rew his hearbe of grace so he will seldome name him but in his oathes of which he will vpon small occasion shoote such chaine-shot that you would thinke he would make the windowes of heauen to shake totter The souldiers put Christ to death but did not breake x Ioh. 19. 33. a bone of him but these gallants crucifying to themselues againe the Sonne of God breake his bones diuide him into bones handes feete bloud heart sides curse and ban and champe him in their mouthes I reade of an adultresse wife who hauing had three sonnes tolde her husband vpon her death-bed that she had turned to euill and committed a trespasse against him that hauing forgotten the couenant of her God other men had bowed downe vpon her and of her three children one onely was his and so dyed without further discouery this father desirous that the sonne begotten of his owne body might inherit his land and goods making his last Will intreated his exequetors to vse the best meanes they could to try out which of the three was his naturall sonne and vnto him he bequeathed his land and all that he had these exequetors not like many other which like vultures prey on the dead and as the Phenix doe rise on others ashes tolde the children that their fathers Will was doubtfull the land little the goods not great and deuided what were they among so many The best way was to try by hap hazard which of them should haue all Whereupon setting vp the dead corpes
the sea then offend one little one then what iudgement remaineth for him which offendeth great ones God in heauen that great Iudge the indge in earth that little god ſ Deu. 27. 17. If there be a curse for him that remoueth the marke of the land then how is he accursed which by a false oath shall take away house and land t Mat. 25. 43. if there be a curse against those which cloath not the naked what shall become of those which by their periury strippe those that are cloathed u Ex. 23. 4. if we must deale well with our enemies Asse how ill doe they deale which vpon their oath giuing in a false euidence shall make himselfe an Asse and send him a begging A man is knowne to be his fathers sonne by his manner of going they say he hath his fathers gate or going x Ep. 5. 2. why walke in loue as he hath loued vs 2. by following his fathers qualities y 1. Pet. 1. 16. Be ye holy as I am holy 3. By his speach now God hath sworne in his z Psa 8 9. 35. holynes and will not lye and therefore let a false oath neuer defile our breath let this poyson neuer infect our heart or touch our tongue As Gods name is profaned when the rod of pride being in mens mouthes they strike God and despight him with their oathes so againe this may be done in speach without an oath as first when we profane his word or any thing which his word speaketh of him and againe when we doe so slightly speake of his workes that there by no glory is gotten to his name Gods word is profaned when profane men vndertake to meddle with it and to be pratling of it for now there is a ring of gold in a swines snowt and a pretious pearle muzled vp and downe in the myre this serueth to reproue bad ministers for if they shal be like bad minstrels which sing one thing and play an other not consonant to that they sing if like Shepheards they shall haue a good voice with which they acquaint their flocke but not feet as good guides to goe before them if extrinsecally they take heed to their flockes but not intrinsecally to themselues as the a Act. 20. 28. Apostle aduiseth then doe they dishonour God and his word for in respect of God they make him like a goate which is fed with leaues that is with words and in respect of his word they clippe the credit of it for they would not haue beleeued as it is in the Lamentations that the aduersary and the enemy should haue entred into the gates of Ierusalem for the sinnes of her Prophets and iniquities of b Lam. 4. 12 13. her Priests This made a madde fellow desire a bad-liuing preacher to teach him a nearer way to heauen then that which he had pointed out in his sermons for he did not thinke that to be the nearest way for that he did not goe that way himselfe this made Origen to giue full scope to his eyes to bring forth flouds of teares for after hee had committed a grieuous offence comming into an open assembly gathered together to heare the word of God and seeing none present to expound it he steps vp into the pulpit and being vnprouided did thinke to speake of that text which after hee had opened his Bible should first present it selfe to his view now the place of Scripture which he light vpō was this vnto the vngodly c Ps 50. 16 17. said God why doest thou preach my law and takest my couenant in thy mouth seeing thou hatest to bee reformed and hast cast my words behind thee Whereupon calling his sinne to remembrance and saying within himselfe truely that d Gen. 27. 20. which Iacob said vntruely to his father Isaac concerning the venison the Lord God hath brought this text to my hand and therefore did I find it so quickly surely the holy Ghost had a finger in it and would haue me keepe my mouth as it were vvith a bridle because I haue sinned against heauen he clasped his booke this rebuke did breake his heart and he was full of heauinesse his spirit vvas in perplexity vvithin him and his heart vvithin him was desolate his tongue did cleaue to the roofe of his mouth and did comment vpon the Text onely vvith sighes and teares Secondly this serueth to reproue such people as vvill bee talking of Scripture and haue the pure vvord of God in their mouthes vvhen as yet they are not washed from their filthynesse e Ex. 19. 10 God would not deliuer his law before the people did sanctifie themselues will God haue them sanctified before they heare it and will hee haue the vnsanctified busie their tongues about it The word of God is cleane and desireth to come out of a cleane vessell f Mat. 9. 17 it is new wine and would not be out poored out of old bottles it is good seed and would spring out of such as haue broken vp their fallowed ground g Tit. 1. 15. To the pure are all things pure but to them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing is nothing pure but they pollute that which h Hag. 2. 13. in it self is pure and cleane As the polluted person did the sacrifices for therefore were the sacrifices called vncleane as being vncleane in themselues as i Mat. 1. 7. the blind or broken or maimed or hauing a wen or skiray or scabbed or else offered by vncleane persons and k Leu. 22. 22. by such as had mindes consciences polluted circumcise therfore the heart as the Eagle casts her bill and the adder slips l Deu. 10. 16. off her old skin m 1 Cor. 5. 7. purge out the old leauen as the serpent spues vp his poison cast away the old man n Mar. 10. 50. as the begger did his old cloke when he was to speake vnto Christ o Deu. 6. 7. then talke of the word of God when thou tarriest in thy house and as thou walkest by the way and when thou liest downe and when thou risest vp otherwise thy good words are but splendida peceata and thy lewd life as a bad string bringes thy good words as sweet musicke our of all tune they are an abomination to God he cannot suffer them his soule hateth them they are a burden vnto him and he is weary to beare them Againe Gods word is prophaned when men abuse it to charmes or any sorcery whatsoeuer when hauing lost any thing they will haue a siue and a paire of shieres then by repeating a certaine place of Scripture which I will not repeate for let no man know that knowes it not they thinke to find out the finder when hauing the tooth-ach or being forespoken or prickt with a thorne will haue a Paracelsian character or a blessing or Pater noster said for their cure Colloquintida ranke poison did make good
bee lesse regarded run with full saile into the breach of this Commandement but let this suffice to haue spoken of this hedge or fence extrinsecally so farre forth as it keepeth out such beasts as would profane the name of God now a word or two of it intrinsecally as it keepeth vs within the grounds of Gods glory that we haue a care to get glory to his name A sinner sits in sinne by consent lyes in it by working it sleeps in it by custome euery one of these must arise and not arise onely but as it was said to the palsie man o Luc. 5. 23 Arise and walke wee arise by eschewing euill wee walke by doing good we purchase no greater displeasure by committing iniquity then omitting of duty The p Mat. 25. 26. 45. slothfull seruant and they on the left hand are endited and condemned for sinnes of omission and therefore as this Commandement chargeth vs that we doe not dishonour God by committing sinne So on the other side it warneth vs to glorifie God in giuing and getting him honour by our words and deeds and first in our words by our oathes for as God who is the truth not deceiuing cannot be more dishonoured then when he is called to witnesse a lye for in this case the holy Ghost vseth the word defiling q Leu. 19. 12 Yee shall not sweare by my name falsely neither shalt thou defile the name of thy God so can he not be more honoured then when he is produced to testifie a truth and therefore Gods seruice and a lawfull oath are coupled togither when the holy Ghost saith r Deu. 6. 13 Thou shalt serue him and sweare by his name this condemneth the Heretickes Cathari which affirmed that it was not lawfull for a Christian man to sweare for any cause at any time but because one iarring string is enough to bring a whole noise of musicke out of tune let vs see here what strings wee must harpe vpon to make a sweet concorde First the persons that sweare must bee such as feare God and eschew euill for Moses the Captaine of the Israelites placeth ſ Deu. 6. 13 fearing God and eschewing euill seruing him in the forewarde the swearing by his name in the rereward and Saint Paul as though he liked well this mustering of Moses mentioneth the true seruice he doth vnto God when hee cals him to witnesse t Rō 1. 9. God is my witnesse whom I serue in my spirit u Iob. 16. 17 16. 19. and Iob vseth the like kinde of trayning when in Marshalling hee first sets out the integrity of his life then my witnesse is in the heauin and my record is on high the mouth of other which magnifying themselues vse to say God is priuy to my heart he knowes my care when as yet they are but hypocrites and full of infection should be stopped as the lips of the leper were couered x Leuit. 13. 45. according to the law and if they come publikely to depose a good Magistrate should rebuke them as Christ did the vncleane spirit saying y Mar. 1. 25 holde thy peace and come out Secondly they must not in this case be voluntary men but stay for a call as Abrahams seruant did whom his master z Gō 24. 3 caused to sweare for a mans forwardnesse in offering himselfe brings great suspition that he is prodigall of his credit and of his soules health Thirdly the person called to witnes must bee the God of heauen and earth for by him doth Abraham minister an oath a Gē 24. 3 I will make thee sweare by the Lord and Ieremy commands it b Ier. 4. 2. thou shalt sweare the Lord liueth and therefore the Aegyptians were to blame to sweare by the life of their King the Scythians by his throne and Nouatus who ministring the Communion to the people vsed to sweare them by that they had in their hand that is the Sacrament as the Papists did by their Masse and by their other Idols but hee that sweares by Malcham and that shall say c Am. 8. 14. thy God O Dan liueth robbeth God of his honour and giueth too much vnto an Idoll attributing vnto it wisdome to see into the breast and power to punish him that shall binde his lye with an oath and rewarde him that shall sweare in truth in iudgement and in righteousnesse As there are rules for the persons so for the matter it must be a knowne truth for a man must not sweare that which is false and he knowes it false nor that which is true if he thinkes it false nor that which is false though he thinkes it true for a wise man lookes or he leape d Ec. 2. 14 his eyes are in his head e 5. 1. he is not rash with his mouth f 10. 2. his heart is at his right hand Againe we must not produce the name of God in matters of no moment but in such as shall be of great importance marriage is a weighty matter and if a man will not vndoe himselfe when he tyes himsele fast if he seekes a godly seede he must ioyne himselfe with such a wife as is not seperated from God for men doe not g Mat. 7. 16 gather grapes of thornes or figges of thistles there fore Abraham sweares his seruant in a matter of marriage that he shall not take a wife for his sonne among the Idolaters but in a h Gen. 24 3 godly family it is a shame to plaintife and defendant and a dishonour done to a great man to produce him either ad testificandum or respondendum in a matter that is not worth the speaking of much more shamefull is it for a man to dishonour the great God in calling him out of heauen and making him waite in matters of no weight to serue where his humour shall place him let therefore other meanes i Ex. 18. 22. as inferiour Officers end smaller causes but let God haue his glory as another Moses in determining doubtfull matters when they shall be of great importance As we must bring glory to God by our oathes so by our speach without oath first in speaking of his word when leauing the booke that is clasped vp to the Lambe and the Trinitie our tongues are occupyed in his statutes so as on the one side God shall not haue cause to complaine on vs as of the Iewes k Hos 8. 12. I haue written vnto them the great things of my law but they were counted as a strange thing on the other side man shall haue cause to giue vs the cōmendation which S. l Luc. 24. 15 Luke doth the two disciples going to Emmaus who as they went did not busie their tongues about slandering or vaine words but talked of the death and resurrection of Christ Secondly in speaking 〈…〉 his nature of his name as Dauid naming 〈…〉 glory m Psa 50. 1 the Lord
euen the most mighty 〈…〉 two â—isciples naming Iesus 〈…〉 n Luc. 24. 19. of Nazareth a Prophet mighty in 〈…〉 we speake of Kings we make their names glorious when the o 1. Cro. 29 26. Scripture mentioneth the death of King Dauid it maketh fower wheeles whereon the height of his honour did run Dauid had reigned ouer all Israell super totum Israelem super therefore he was a superiour 2. he reigned therefore hee was a principall superiour 3. not a superiour or King of an infamous Kingdome as Ogge the King of Basan but ouer Israell a Countrey which if God p Ios 12. 24 had fashioned the world like a Ring as he did like a Globe might haue been the Gemme of it 4. not Regulus ouer part of the Kingdome as the one and thirtie Kings before Dauids time q 1. Kin. 12. 17. 20. and Rehoboam and Ieroboam who succeeded his sonne Salomon and parted the Kingdome or as the three sonnes of Brute among whom their father parted this Iland or as one of the seauen Kings which were in England in the reigne of the Saxons but an absolute Monarch super totum ouer all Israell so when we speake of our gratious King Iames either in our priuate instruments or in his Letters Patents we make him glorious in his Titles Iames by the grace of God of England Scotland France and Ireland King defender of the faith c. so in styling a noble man we doe not derogate from his honour in barring or abasing his titles and shall we not then make his name glorious who is King of Kings God of Gods and Lord of Lords as to fay with Abraham r Gen. 24. 3. the Lord God of the heauen and God of the earth the King of Israell Iudge among the heathen Lord of hostes with addition of euery other stile whatsoeuer by which the Scripture doth set out his glory so likewise must we glorifie God in speaking of his nature and properties as of his mercy to say there is mercy with God that he might be feared there is iustice in God for he rewardeth euery man according to his workes power and vengeance belong vnto God for he is a consuming fire by which he takes away all the vngodly of the earth like drosse as hee did the Sodomites there is prouidence and great louing kindnes in God by which the Lyons being sauage beasts became men in humanity towards Å¿ Dan. 6. 22 13. Daniell when men which are kind by nature became sauage beasts in cruelty against him by which the flame was martyred with spending her heat when the three t Dan. 3. 25 children as so many Salamanders were in the fire Againe we must set out the glory of God in declaring his wonderfull workes euen before the sonnes of men for if the builders of Babell did thinke to make themselues famous by making the Tower shall Gen. 11. 4. not God get him a name by the workes of his hands now all the workes of God are wrapped vp in three large volumes the heauens the earth and the sea the heauens declare the glory Psa 19. 1. of God and the firmament sheweth his handy worke what a thing is this that the Sun should reioyce as a Gyant to run Psa 19. 5. Iosh 10. 13. his course and againe that it should stand still as in the dayes of Ioshua goe backe as in the dayes of Ezechias and being Esay 38. 8. Luc. 23. 45 euer bright should lose it light as at the passion of Christ The earth is full of the goodnes of the Lord what a thing is this Psa 33. 5. that it being founded vpon the seas and prepared vpon the Psa 24. 2. Iob. 38. 5. floudes and being poysed in the iust proportion by line and measure should abide stedfast when the high mountaines which doe as it were imbosse the earth may seeme able to shake it ouersway it and tumble it into the sea They that goe downe to the sea in shippes see the wonders Psa 107. 23 of God in the deepe is not the Whale a wonder in nature that Psa 104. 26. takes his pastime in it is not the ship it selfe an artificiall wonder that Merchandize should goe froÌ„ countery to countery in such a woodden conueyance if we doe not speake of these and all his other workes for his name is stamped vpon them all to his glory we doe in speach though we sweare not take his name in vaine as God must win glory by our words so by our deedes when being transformed into the image of Mat. 17. 4. Christ we shine before other like lights as the face of Christ when he was trasfigured on the Mount did shine like the Sun therefore mindes and soules are likened vnto Lampes because we should shine each vnto other superiours to in feriours in being talking lawes and walking Statutes inferiours to superiours in being like the tree in Genesis faire to looke vpon Gen. 3. 6. 1. Peâ— 3. 1. euery one oweth good example as a due tribute that God may haue the glory due to his name and thus much of this fence or hedge both ad extra and ad intra as farre forth as it keepe out beasts and keepe the good Christian within the boundes of Gods glory The binder of this hedge is the rodde of Gods Iudgements the Lord will not hold him guiltles that taketh his name in vaine The sinne of the blasphemy hath been so odious that euen ciuill authority hath set sharpe censures vpon it Henry the first and Maximilian the Emperour set fines vpon their heads which should open their mouthes to sweare vainely the greatest fines vpon the greatest persons as being not onely guilty of the sinne it selfe but of the bad example they gaue vnto other Ludouicke commonly called Saint Lewis caused the lips of blasphemers to be seared with an hot yron Philip the French King did punish this sinne of blasphemy with death yea though it were committed in a Tauerne where many wise men many times forget themselues But if any did binde two sinnes together by binding a lye with an oath few nations had any pitty on him The Aegyptians did strike of his head because thereby faith and truth among men might be decayed in this case the Scithian did suffer death and he that made proofe of periury should haue his goods The like did Philip an Earle of Flanders decree for the precinct of his dominion King Edmond before the Conquest as Gregory the 9. in another place gathered a Councell at London where he made this law that periurers should be separated from the company of God and our law as I haue read is that if a false verdict giuen by twelue men bee found the twelue men be attainted and their iudgement shal be the same that is appointed for petty treason their medowes shal be ared vp their houses broken downe their woods turned vp and
the corde more then threefold that is not easily broken yet the Pope saith breake these bonds a sunder and cast away these cords from you compasse or imagine the death of your King leuy warre against him adhere to his enemies giue them aide or comfort within or without the Realme I will discharge you of your oath and fealty I will licence you to withdraw your oath of allegiance to take armes against him yea to lay violent hands vpon him occidite or excidite kill him or ill him deponite a thronâ— or exponite periculo depose him from his throne or expose him to danger thus an oath or any other thing to the contrary notwithstanding subiects shall haue law to lift vp their heeles against their head vnder whose feete they should lay downe their liues But I may say vnto the Pope in this case as Moses to the Rebels Å¿ NuÌ„ 16. 7. Korah Dathan and Abiram Yee take toâ— much vpon you yee sonnes of Leuy and as they in the Gospell but more iustly t Maâ—t 2. 2â— By what authority doest thou these things and who gaue thee this authority thou hast no commission to dispense with an oath no power to discharge a man of it thou blasphemest in saying thou wilt free him that breakes it u Mar. â— â—1 Who can forgiue sins but God onely though thou perdon God will punish though thou doest promise faire God will pay home and condemne him as guilty that taketh his name in vaine The fourth Commandement Exodus 20. 8. 9. 10. 11. Remember that thou keepe holy the Sabbath day Sixe daies thou shalt labour and doe all that thou hast to doe but the seauenth day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God In it thou shalt doe no manner of worke thou and thy sonne and thy daughter thy man-seruant and thy maid-seruant thy â—attell and the stranger that is within thy gates For in six daies the Lord made heauen and earth the sea and all that in them is and rested the seauenth day Whererefore the Lord blessed the seauenth day and hallowed it IT is written of the Lacedemonians that by coÌ„mon exercise they could behaue theÌ„selues souldier like in the campe but knew not how to vse the time of peace so many haue stil to husband their busines to trade in their crafts and occupations on the working daies but are to seeke how to vse the Sabbath a time of rest therefore God in this coÌ„mandement would teach vs a lesson with which coÌ„mon vse is not acquainted Remember the Sabbath day to keepe it holy The words containe 1. A charge 2. Seuerall reasons to induce vs to put the charge in execution In the charge wee are to consider 1. The matter giuen in charge 2. The persons to whom the charge is giuen The matter giuen in charge is to hallow the Sabboth which consisteth 1. In resting from our owne workes 2. In labouring in the seruice of God The persons to whoÌ„ the charge is giuen are either Superiors and they more priuate as Parents Masters More publicke as Magistrates Or Inferiours whither they be home bred as children thy sonne or thy daughter seruants thy man-seruant thy maid-seruant or forenners the stranger that is within thy gates The reasons to induce vs to execute this charge are 1. Gods bounteous liberality in giuing six daies for dispatch of our owne busines 2. Iustice which should be in man in giuing euery one his due it is Gods day 3. Gods owne patterne he resteth the seuenth day 4. The benefits that ensue vpon obseruing it that is the blessing of God he blessed c. In it thou shalt doe no manner of worke there be opera fortunae â—ulpâ— naturae workes of our calling workes of sinne and workes of nature from the first we must abstain the seuenth day from the second euery day from the third not by coÌ„pulsion on any day a Deu. 5. 14 God would haue all our Cattell rest by name the Oxe and the Asse I say in this as Saint Paul in an other case doth God take care for Oxen had God respect properly to the cattel or doth he not speake it rather for vs to teach vs to rest on the seuenth day on which the cattel cannot be imployed in any labour without the seruice of man b 2. Sam. 7. 2. Dauids care was not to dwell in a house of Cedar trees whiles the Arke of God remained within the curtaines c Luc. 7. and Iairus is as much commended for building a Synagogue as others in their couetous humours are blamed for demolishing Churches leauing nothing but rude heapes of stone but though this be a worke of so great commendation yet in the law is a Caueat put in that such a good worke be not performed on the d Ex. 31. 13 Sabbath day or any thing then taken in hand that belongs to the Tabernacle e Mat. 26. 13. The good worke of Mary Magdalenâ— in powring a box of oyntment on the head of Christ shall be spoken of for a memoriall of her vnto the worlds end so on the other side the with-holding of her oyntment on the Sabbath day is set downe to her commendation that though she and the other f Mar. 16. 1 Mary Iames his mother had prepared sweete oyntments to annoint the dead body of Christ yet they came not to the Sepulcher till the Sabbath was past but rested that day according to the g Luc 23. 56. Commandement Here-upon Canâ—tus a King of this land not full 32. yeares before the conquest ordeyned that fayres Courts and worldly workes on that day should be forborne and in the 4. yeare of King Henry the 2. the common Councell of London decreed that nothing should be bought or sould within the liberties of that Citie and that no artificer or handy crafts-man should bring his wares or workes to any person to be worne or occupied on that day for by this meanes they thought the day to be profaned Two sorts of people are here to be blamed the first are they which ouer keepe it as the Iewes which are too nice and too strickt in obseruing this day and therefore if a man were sicke or diseased they thought that vpon this day meanes might not be h Ioh. 7. 23. â— vsed for his recouery for Christ chargeth them with this that they were angry with him for that hee had made a man whole on the Sabbath day yea the i Pharisees in reputation Act. 23. 8. greater then the Sadducees and sounder in beleefe the k Act. 26. 5 most exact sort and comming nearest to the law began to picke a quarrell with l Act. 22. â—1 Christ for that his Disciples being hungry did m Mat. 12. plucke the eares of corne on the Sabbath day they find no fault for plucking the eares for this the law permitted n Den. 23. 25. but to plucke them on the Sabbath day this they
of his fauour and vnlocke the closet of his benefits wee shall haue priuatiue blessings which consiste in deliuering vs from euill we shall haue positiue blessings which consiste in doing vs good some in possession some in expectation some in act some in hope corporall spirituall temporall eternall his grace shall preuent vs his mercy shall follow vs all the dayes of our liues Let therefore the end of the sixt day be a bound to ouâ— busines like the bound on the k Ex. 19. 12 Mount which the people must not passe like the riuer which Shemei l 1. Kin. 2. 37 must not goe beyond an Herculis columna wherein is gâ—â—uen non vltra no further then thus let nothing draw our busines without the gates within which God hath confined it let not now worldly affayres looke in at our windowes if our couetous affections would be to bold let religion ouer-rule them curb them put them to a non plus and with checke and frowne keepe them vnder goe no further then we are led by this law as the wise men went no further then they were guided by the starre let our Omer be filled the sixt day then set we downe our rest and gather now no more Manna for refreshing the body till the seuenth day be past neuer set vpon that day which God hath set apart for himselfe let our trading stand still when it is come to the Lords day as m Mat. 2. 5. the Starre when it came vnto Christ so God shall blesse vs and saue vs and shew the light of his countenance vpon vs which shall shine more and more vntill it be perfect day vntill we celebrate an euerlasting Sabbath and finde continuall rest in Christ Iesus to whom with the Father and the holy Ghost three persons and one God be all glory power Praise and Dominion now and for euer Amen The fift Commandement Exod 20. 12. Honour thy father and mother that thy daies may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee ON two Commandements hang the whole law and the a Mat. 22. 40. ver 37. Prophets The first thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thine heart with all thy soule and with all thy minde on this hangeth the first table of the law as vpon a great nayle of the Sanctuary The second is like vnto this thou shalt loue thy neighbour ver 39. as thy selfe on this hanges the second table as on another nayle fastned in the holy place When the loue of God doth carry vs along toward the hauen of happines we take a good course as when one riuer runeth towards the Ocean it goes as it should but when this doth meete with the loue of our neighbour as one riuer meeteth with another then there is a current indeed and we set forward with a maine streame to a sea of blessednes and therefore as b Act. 2. 2. the holy Ghost was giuen from heauen that we should loue God so was it giuen on earth that we should loue men and therefore the Scripture maketh â— 1 Tim. 2. 2 godlynes and honesty to meete together d Luc. 1. 75 holynes and righteousnesse to kisse each other or rather weaues them together as e o 19. 23 the coate of Christ without seame that they might not be put a sunder both of them make vp one perfect paire of compasses which can take the true latitude of a Christian heart the first like the top of Iacobs ladder reacheth to heauen the f GeÌ„ 28. 12 second like the foote of the ladder rests on the earth or rather walkes about in a perfect circle of all such duties as one of vs owe vnto another by the first we walke in reuerent regard of all that duty wee owe to Gods Maiesty by the second in simplicity we serue our brethren and yeeld to euery callings seuerall person that duty which belongeth vnto him The first of these I haue already with the helpe of God passed ouer to the second I am to set forward at this time God againe giue winde to may sayles that I may run the point aright and let my words be not only like Peters Angle g Mat. 27. which cast into the sea tooke a fish but like Peters net a Luc. 5. 6. which let downe to make a draught inclosed a great multitude of fishes Honour thy father The words rest your eares on these two heads 1. A charge Honor thy father teÌ„porall as the father of the house as thy father by Nature Office countrey thy betters in place thy Elders in yeeres Spirituall thy Pastor and Minister which begets thee to God by the immortall seede of his word 2. A motiue to induce vs to harken to the charge i. a promise of long life that thy daies may be long pleasant and fruitfull habitation in the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee HOnour thy father A duty so necessary that Philo the Iew placed this fift Commandement in the first Table as though wee had not performed our whole duty to the God of heauen except wee gaue the honour heere required to Parents to Magistrates to all such as represent the person of God vpon earth Frst therefore honour thy father thy naturall father because thou art 2 man b Heb. 12. â— God indeed is the father of Spirits and therefore called c Num. 16 22. the God of the spirit of all flesh and though he made all his workes in six dayes and then rested yet this resting was from workes of a new kinde â—ot of the same kinde for he that d GeÌ„ â— 7. breathed in the first mans â—ace breath of life so that hee was a liuing soule doth still after a wonderfull manner create the soule in the infusion of it and infuseth it in creating it but goe to the flesh he vseth our parents as instruments of the worke and they are meanes in framing that part and therefore should children yeeld honour vnto them The Scripture vseth diuers Arguments to draw vs on to the performance of this duty as the care which parents haue of their children good education of which the Apostle speaketh when he saith e Eph. 6. â— Bring them vp in instruction and information of the Lord bring them vp this respecteth meate drinke and apparell parents are not like the Rauen which forsakes her young till they are of colour like vnto her selfe nor yet like the Kite which grieueth to see her young in good plight Indeed we read of parents which haue cast out their children whom the wolues haue nourished which though it bee not true yet hath a semblance of truth for wolues may become fathers fathers haue become wolues but these are such as Saint Paul brandeth with this marke f RoÌ„ 1. 30. 1. without naturall affection but by nature parents seruant depositum keepe that which God hath giuen them and haue a care to preserue the
limmes in the body which are infectious ne pars sincera trahatur if bad members come from other places as Seminaries and Iesuites doe from Rome they be like the bird Ibis which destroyeth the serpents which come out of Libia into Aegypt very hurtfull to their Country Aaron and his sonnes doe consecrate their hands to God in the holy slaughter of sinne but when Aarons vrim and Thummim will doe no good then comes Moses with his rodde and staffe when the tongue cannot perswade the rodde doth compell and when the sword of the spirit meetes with such yron harts that it enters not but is rebated then doth the arme of the Magistrates bruise them with a rodde of yron and breake them in peeces like a potters vessell As the Magistrate is the Comet of the guilty so is he the refuge of the innocent his seate is a shelter to such as are oppressed and a sanctuary to all that are distressed his breast is an Ocean whereinto the cares of priuate men doe empty themselues which when he hath receiued he presently seeketh to ease them by repressing the violence of such as doe vexe them and as though there were a writ directed to him from God much like a fieri facias he goes about to right those that are wronged Neither doth a good King alwaies this by Deputies alone but as though he had receiued an Impresse from God much like the Rowle of a Eze. 2. 9. Ezechiell with this motto of Moses b Num. 11 12. carry them in thy bosome he himselfe is a guarde vnto his subiects against catterpillers and cormorants and bastards fawcons It is written to the commendation of Marcus Aurelius that diuiding the houres of the day for the businesse of his Empire hee allotted one houre to heare the complaints of the grieued the suits of poore men and widdowes wanting iustice and that two daies in the weeke hee would walke abroad to see if any person would speake with him or make complaint vnto him On the other side it is written to the discommendation of other persons that they admitted not those c Est 4. 2. which by their apparell did testifie their mourning Thus you see the good milke which Kings as nurces send forth in the streames of iustice pitty and compassion Saint Paul setting out the blessings which we reape by meanes of good Kings mentioneth especially these three d 1 Tim. 2. 2 Peace Godlines and honesty each of these is a great blessing peace whither wee respect deliuerance from enemies abroad for therefore was Arabia called faelix because the people liuing in continuall peace had their townes vnwalled or whither we respect quiet from discorde at home it is well with Bees when they make a noyse in their hiues but it is well with men when they be at quiet in the cōmon wealth happy is this land of ours which hath receiued this benefit by good Princes happy be the remembrance of King Henry the 7. who ioyned the Roses the Houses of Yorke and Lancaster together and so freed it from ciuill dissention and before that time happy bee the remembrance of King Henry the 2. in subduing Wales vnto England though this was done Armorum strepit◠but since that time still twice happy be the remembrance of our gracious King Iames who with quietnes hath pulled downe the wall of partition betwixt England and Scotland and hauing come ouer on this side Iorden hath planted the Tribes of his Israell and people on both sides the Riuers thus the Riuers goe againe vnto the Sea and the doue is returned with an Olyue branch in her mouth to the Arke from whence she came forth and we hope that all three peoples shall long and long yea for euer dwell in the Tabernacle of peace and in sure dwellings and in safe resting places for their peace sing Te Deum in the highest note when many other Nations cry Miserere in a mournefull voyce since the same continent containes them all the same Kingdome and gouernement rules them all the same Religion instructs them all since these three most sure bonds naturall ciuill and religious knits them all togither which hath been twisted by our mighty Monarch and therefore surely like to hold out for euer e E◠4. 12. a three fold corde is not easily broken The second benefit mentioned by the Apostle is Godlines A good Prince like Canutus before the conquest makes lawes by counsell of his sages binding his subiects one rule of Christian Religion well and aduisedly to hold not giuing countenance either to Iewish Turkish Greekish or Popish Religion though all these stand for competition of truth but onely to the Reformed driuing his subiects as a good sheepheard his sheepe altogither to greene pastures not dispencing with any since none are exempted by God denying a tolleration either to the cause of Papists lest it should infect the persons or to the persons lest it should credit the cause The third benefit is Honesty A good Prince hath a care that there be iust and honest dealing betwixt man and man that he which hath much setting honesty aside doth not tyrannize ouer him that hath little that the fat cow doth not deuoure the leane and the full eare eate vp the poorer corne that one doth not by fraude take away anothers land or by violence hold that which is none of his or conuert other mens goods to his vse in a word that men doe not liue like beasts but honestly and vprightly one with another these three I say are great blessings which we enioy vnder good Princes and the want of any one of them is a great blemish in a common wealth peace without godlines is but security godlines without honesty is but hypocrisie honestie without godlines is but paganisme and a glistering sinne neither godlines nor honesty without peace can well bee maintained Godlines is the summe of the first Table honesty the Summe of the second peace an happy manner of enioying them both Lastly honour the King for God himselfe honoureth him in stiling him by his name for as Patriarch and Prince haue interchangeable names for the Hitites called Abraham the Patriarch a Prince thou art a Prince of God among vs and f Gen. 23. 6 to make euen Peter calleth Dauid the Prince Patriarke g Act. 2. 29 I may boldly speake vnto you of the Patriarke Dauid so God and the King haue interchangeably borrowed names a Ps 20. 9. God is a King in heauen the King is a God on earth herein honouring the King in giuing him his owne name as Iacob honoured Iosephs b Ps 82. 6. sonnes when he said c Gen. 48. 16. Let my name be named vpon them now as the people honour him whom the King doth honour in token whereof they cryed before Ioseph d Gē 41. 43 Abrech that is tender father in token whereof Haman brought Mordocai on horsebacke after he had arayed him
earth is the Lords and all that therein is the compasse of the round world and they that dwell therein Secondly for his gift howsoeuer like the Persians he may boast of golden mountaines yet there neuer comes so much as a mouse forth he is like that man who bequeathed great Legacyes though himselfe were as poore as Iob did inherit the winde and tasted the smart of bitter want it is God the father Sonne and Holy Ghost who are the fountaine the conduit and cisterne of all that we haue and therefore Saint Paul saith b Rom. 11. 36. of him thorough him and for him are all things The Lord giueth we hold that we haue in Capite c Gen. 41. 56. no corne in Egypt in time of famine but comes from Ioseph d Gen. 2. 8. Adam was brought into Paradise not made in Paradise and still man comes more naked e Iob 121. into the world then f Gen. 32. 10. Iacob did to Laban when he brought but his staffe with him and therefore we must not steale the benefits we haue from the goodnes of God to father them on fortune on Nature on our owne wit and industrey vpon some sained God as the heathen did vpon Mars if in warre they had the vpper hand vpon Minerua if they had wisedome vpon Mercury if their busines had speedy dispatch for g 1. Cor. 12 11. all these worketh on and the selfe same spirit but we must giue God his due glory in stripping our selues naked and making an Inuentory of all that we haue we must make so many Items of receipt as they are blessings bestowed vpon vs. Giueth from aboue commeth all that we haue for the matter and it commeth as a gift for the manner a Ps 44. 3. The Israelites gat not the land in possession thorough their owne sword neither was it their owne arme that helped them but thy right hand O God and thine arme and the light of thy countenance because thou hadst a fauour vnto them First therefore lift not vp thine horne on high and speake not with a stiffe necke be not the more puffed vp with pride for that thou hast greater endowments and possessions then other for b 1. Cor. 4. 7. what hast thou that thou hast not receiued if thou hast receiued it why reioycest thou as though thou hadst not receiued it it is a Nabals speach my bread my water my flesh for who hath ought that is not Gods c 1. Sam. 25 11. bonatua be donasua We say indeede our d Mat. 6. 11 daily bread but lest it should be thought to be pulled downe by weight of merit not powred downe by gift of grace we say giue vs and therefore Iob in the Catalogue of his vertues rehearseth this among the rest he did e Iob. 31 25. not reioyce when his substance was great nor beheld the Sun when it shined or the Moone walking in her brightnes he knew he was but a weather sheepe vpon whom the shepheard had bestowed a Bell more then vpon the rest of the flocke and therefore he would not cast his nose into the winde and carry his crest the higher for any outward prosperitie that hee did enioy Secondly that thou hast is giuen thee therefore dispose of it to the good of thy neighbour be like the Moone which leteth her light shine vnto the world which is giuen by the ouershining of the Sun vpon her It is written of Alexander Bishop of Lincolneâ— Quod nondum dederit nondum secredit habere He thought he had it not himselfe if another were not the better for it neither thinke that thine owne state wil be empayred by relieuing other for it is written f 2. Cor. 9. 9 he hath sparsed a broad giuen to the poore â—â—◠〈◊〉 remaineth for euer that is he shall haue to giue of continuance the flowers hurt not their owne fruit though they yeeld hony to the painfull Bee The Sun looseth not it light though it lendeth light vnto the Moone nor he in conclusion hurts his estate whose hand is not to close for others neede nor to open for his owne g Lu. 6. 38 giue there is a precept and it shall be giuen you there it is backt with a promise or giue there we are bound and it shall be giuen you there is a counter-band to saue vs harmeles God giues vs a bill of his hand or enters into band and becomes surety that we shall be payd with aduantage Thirdly that which thou hast is giuen therefore giue thankes if God withdraw the light of his countenance it is for our tryall if hee letteth it to shine vpon vs it is to cause a reflection of thankes A dutifull tenant that thinkes to hold his liuing or buy a further estate will pay his rent and sometime bring his Lord a present we are tenants to God and if wee will hold that we haue we must doe him seruice and homage we must pay him yearely our hourely rent gratiarum actio est inâ—itatio ad plus dandum this praise may cause him to open his hand and fill vs with blessings be therefore like the solide body which hath a reflexe of heate where the Sun doth extend the beames of light and though we haue euen yron hearts yet let his graces like an Adamant draw them vnto him draw dutiâ— from vs. Lastly that which thou hast is giuen therefore be patient if God impouerish thee when thou art rich abate thee if thou hast much and pull thee downe if thou art aloft a Iob. 1. 21. Iob imputed no vnreasonable dealing vnto God though he bereaued him in a minute of all that he had in his life but is content that God should dispose of that which he had put into his hands we hould that we haue of God not in feesimple that he should pretend no more title to them for though he puts vs in possession he puts not himselfe out of possession he is Lord royall still true owner of all he is the maker of all this word maker importeth he hath made all things in such sort that it is meete all power and soueraigne Dominion should remaine to himselfe we are tenants advolâ—ntateâ— dâ—mini Copy holders at the will of the Lord grudge we not therefore if God visit our estates but goe lightly away with an easie burden The land which the Lord thy God giueth thee When Abrahaâ— b Gen. 12. the father of the faithfull first set foote in the land of Canaan he had not in it the breadth of a foote but within a while such was his humble and gentle carriage he got the fauour of the Hittites c Gen. 23. â—6 â—0 bought a field and possession of Ephron and all the people confirmed the sale after that not a field but a whole countrey not by purchase but by gift d Ios 14. 15. was allotted to the sons of Abrahaâ— and distributed among
the Tribes e Ps 115. 16 the earth God hath giuen to the children of men f Ps 105. 1 but this pleasant and plentifull part of the earth did he giue vnto Israel as a particular inclosure out of the commons of the whole world and therefore it is compared g Esa 20. 6 to an I le because Israel was separated from other countries as an I le from other lands as a Gen. 43. 34. Beniamin had his mease by himselfe so according b Num. 23. 9. to Balaams prophecy the people did dwell by themselues were not reckoned among the nations Ierusalem was walled about and c Ioh 4. 9. the Iewes did not meddle with the Samaritans but after according to the d Zac. 2. 4. prophecy of Zachary e Eph. 2. 14 the partition wall was broken downe and the Church of Christ dispersed farre and nigh f Gal. 6. 16 is called the Israel of God which shall enter into his rest and g Mat. 8. 11 sit downe with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdome of heauen whereof this land of Canaan was a type and figure whether hee bring vs that made vs for his Sonne Iesus Christ his sake to whom with the Father and the holy Ghost be giuen all honour and glory for euer The sixt Commandement Exod. 20. 13. Thou shalt not kill IT is true which the father of lyes saith in the booke of Iob a Iob 2. 4. Skin for skin and all that euer a man hath will he gâ—â—en for his lâ—fe Mens mindes are shut in their chests as dead bodies are buried in coffins they are interred in the Gâ—lgatha of this world as moles are intombed in their hils yet set a man neuer so much by his wealth he will giue his goods for the ransome of his life more then so men preferre their liberty before their riches for say fetters bee of gold yet is the seruitude no lesse miserable though it be more glorious but to saue their liues the b Ios 9. 23. Gâ—bâ—onites are content to loose their liberty and neuer to bee freed from being bondmen Since therefore life is so precious God in this commandement takes order for the life of man first forbidding all cruelty which might take it away then inioyning vs to vse the best meanes we may to preserue it The negligent Pastor the seditious Hereticke which slay the souâ—es of men and so destroy the life spirituall the detracting 〈◊〉 whose tongue as sharpe as the quilles of a Porcupin wounde the good name of his neighbour and so destroy the life ciuill with bare mentioning I passâ— ouer supposing that other commandements leade me a nearer way into these fieldes only the malicious murderer who laies waite for bloud and so destroies the life naturall shall be the subiect of my speach for the hand of this text doth leade me to him and therefore God assisting me I will spend this daies exercise in this walke There are some sinnes as more hainous then other which are said to cry vnto God for vengeance as the sinne of the Sodomites c GeÌ„â—8 20. mentioned in the Epistle to the d RoÌ„ 1. 24. Roâ—â—aines the sinne of oppressors e Ia. 5. 4 which keepe backe the hire of the labourers the sinne of murther for f Gâ— 4. 10. the voice of bloud doth cry vnto God the wounds opening and bleeding in the presence of the murderer doe after a sort cry and say Lord how long how long wilt thou cease to be auenged euen g Iob 24. 12 the soule of the slaine doth cry out and therefore when the seruants were slaine which were messengers sent to inuite the guests vnto the wedding God is not said to see it as he doth this and other sinnes but a Mat. 22. 7 when the King heard it hee was wroth b GeÌ„ 4. 11. The earth opens her mouth to receiue the bloud of the slaine c Esa 26. 2â— but the earth shall disâ—lose her bloâ—d and shall no more hide her slaine the bloud which shee hath drunke shee shall againe cast out that it may cry against those which spared not to dislodge the soules of innocents form their harmeles bodies A man cannot water the earth with his brothers bloud but he wrongeth God for d Gen. 9 6 in the image of God did â—â—e make man he therefore that batheth his sword in the pretious life of man razeth Câ—sâ—rs picture and breakes in peeces the Kings broade Seale The e Gâ— 3. 17 earth was cursed for sinne but f Gen. 4. 12 the first murderer did loose of that blessing which remained vnto it g Gen. 4 15 God would not haue Kain slainâ— not that he fauoured the murder but to shew how he detested the shedding of bloud when he would not haue a hand stretched out against him who had committed such outrage against the person of his owne brother The Lord did forbid the eating of bloud a Leu. 17. 13. euen the bloud of the least bird the eating of flesh b Gen. 9 4. which died of it selfe or which was strangled because the bloud was in it c Leu. 23. 28. Hee would not haue the damme and young killed both in one day and though d Deu. 14. 21. strangers had a larger Patent for eating of flesh then the people of God yet the flesh of an Oxe that had gored any man or woman to death might not be eaten noe not of strangers All these prohibitions tended to this end to teach that we must not lay waite for blould that we must not deuoure mens soules like Lyons and teare them in peeces that we must not bee like wolues in the euening eating vp our brethren as if we would eate bread nor swallow them vp quicke like a graue euen whole as those that goe down into the pitte Againe the e Num. 19. 11. the Lord did command that hee which had touched the dead body of any man as being vncleane should purifie himselfe the like should he doe f Num 31. 19. which had killed any person euen him or her whom to saue aliue had beene sinne g Gen 9 7 he commandeth the preseruation of seede a Deu. 20. 10. and commandeth euen in warre to be mindfull of pitty all these Iniunctions tended to this end to teach vs the more to detest the shedding of bloud and to shew that violence which is hurtfull in all things is horrible in life God in all ages seuerely punished this finne to shew hee would haue no man breake the prison and let the soule out but he that did inclose it before the law was giuen vnto Moses God enacted this statute b Gen. 9 6 who so sheddeth mans bloud by man shall his bloud be shed The c Ex. 21. 12 Law was life for life a law neuer repealed for it standeth in effect in the last booke of the Bible
require by vertue of this precept resteth in the soule you may dissemble with men you may set vp Idols in your heart and conceale it from them for I haue walled in the heart and mans eyes cannot be let into it but deceiue not your selues see you doe it not for I know the Anatomy of the heart and can gage the very bottome of the thoughts your doings are not behind my backe but before mee before my face in my sight I am all eye all hand all eare all foot I see worke heare all and am euery where I view all things as one and each one thing as all being whole together without diuision change or abatement Thus you see the streames into which this fountaine diuides it selfe now come to the waters and drinke raste of euery one as they present themselues in order to your view Wee must haue one God and he must be Dauids God a Ps 31. 14 I said vnto the e Lord thou art my God this God shall be our God vnto death therfore we must 1. loue him aboue all 2. feare him aboue all 3. trust in him aboue all for whatsoeuer we loue feare or trust in most that is a god to vs for the first loue him aboue all our Sauiour Christ said vnto Peter three seuerall times b Ioh. 21. 13. Simon Ioanna louest thou mee that his three-folde confession might wipe away the shame of his three-fold deniall or as Bernard c Mat. 26. 70. saith to teach thee that thou must loue God plus quam tuos tua te more then thy kinred more then thy substance more then thy selfe 1. More then thy kinred Great is the loue of children towards their parents it was a strange thing that Sarah d Gen. 18. 11. old Sarah when it ceased to be with her after the manner of women e 21. 7. should giue children sucke it was as strange that a childe should giue sucke to the parents yet Moses witnesseth the one the French Academy reports the other for when a father was condemned to die of famine his daughter gaue him sucke with her owne breasts which being made known to the Magistrates she obtained pardon for her fathers life here was loue much like the naturall loue of the Storke which feeds the dam when shee is old because the dam did feed her when she was young greater is the loue of parents towards their children magis discendit quā ascendit amor of the children the Poet said filius ante diē patrios inquirit in annos but the parents praied offred to the gods to preserue their children that they might ouer liue them therfore called superstitiosi the child is many times sicke of the father and weeps because his father liues so long whereas the father is ready to dye for sorrow that his child doth dye so soone When Iacob supposed verily that his sonne Ioseph was dead he would not be comforted but said f Gen. 37 35. surely I will goe downe into the grane vnto my sonne mourning and Dauid shewing his fatherly affection when hee heard of the death of Absolon wept as hee went and thus hee said g 2 Sam. 18 33. O my sonne Absolon my sonne my sonne Absolon would God I had died for thee o Absolon my sonne my sonne but this notwithstanding if our parents if our children stand betwixt vs and our God wee must not regard them nay in this case our holy carelesnesse must make them our footsteps God is loue and he that dwelleth in loue dwelleth in God and God in him yet loue it selfe speakes of hate in this respect and exhorts it h Ln. 14. 26 If any man come to me hate not his father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters hee can not be my disciple in this case odium in suos is pietas in Deum and if they lye in his way as he is going to God he must tread and trample them vnder his feet for loue vnto God forget his blood as i Gen. 29. 18. Iacob forsooke his kinred for loue he had vnto Rachell This serueth to reproue the father which maketh a God of his child as father Hely did he himself was a good man but his children of disposition vnlike himself the white Halciones hatch black young ones k Esa 5. 2. the vine in Esay brings forth wild grapes these children were young twigs that liked not vnder the old tree weeds that waxed out of measure noysome and fruit vpon which a bad aire falling it did quicklie rotte and fall from the tree and because their cockering father doting on them gaue them but light admonition for heauy sins and small l 1. Sam. 2. 23. 24. 29. rebuke for great offences Why doe you such things for of all this people I heare euill reports of you doe no more my sonnes for it is no good report I heare hee is said to honour his children more then God on the other side it serueth to reproue the child which maketh a god of his father Elisha was somewhat faulty this way who being too much wedded to his parents would first go m 1 King 19. 20. kisse his father and mother when he was called to the seruice of God more blameable was that disciple who being called to follow Christ would stay till his father was dead n Mat. 8. 21 Master suffer me first to goe and bury my father when the matter respecteth faith and religion and seruing of God o Mat. 23. 9 call no man your father vpon earth which should haue superiority ouer your faith or hinder you when God calleth for there is but one your Father which is in heauen 2. Loue God plus quam tua more then thy substance we may roue a riches but God must bee our standing marke Crates otherwise a wise man in this was reckoned but a Philosophicall foole to throw his mony into the sea with these words Ego te mergam ne mergar à te I will drowne thee lest thou shouldest drowne mee The Cappuchines are but Hypocrites who neither take nor touch siluer but start backe when it is offered as p Ex. 4. 3. Moses did from his rodde when it was turned to a serpent the prodigall man is blame-worthy who comming to his wealth before he comes to his wits runneth beyond his pale and liuing without compasse maketh his owne hands his executors and his owne eyes his ouerseers supposing he onely knoweth the value of the world and that others ouerprise it wee may haue riches as the Egyptians had their bondmen for vse onely and vse them as trauellers doe their third legge to helpe them along to their iourneies end but the immoderate loue of them must be left to the heathen which know no other heauen os homini sublime dedit whereas other creatures looke downewards to the ground God hath giuen man a contrary countenance that
walking in it so hee will compasse earthly things for him and his and hauing the greedy worme vnder his tongue with Esops Dogge would ingrosse the world for himselfe and his issue now no way comes amisse to wealth vsury extortion oppression sacriledge swearing lying subtelty as porters shall bring in his gaine now poore Naboth shall not hold his owne because Ahab is sicke of his Vineyarde like enough such a father goes to the diuell but how is his Childe happy you will say because he shall gather all these riches which his father raked together yet I say not happy for many times we see there comes a sonne that is as good with a forke as his father with a rake as good a spendall as his father get-all and scorning to thinke of the troubles and sighes of his father in heaping vp his goods consumes the fat of his predecessors in few yeares as the leane Kyne did eate vp the fat in Pharaohs dreame Of all goods these may most truely be called Gen. 41. 4. moueable for like larkes they fall to the ground faster then euer they mounted vp and like cloudes neuer rest till they fall as they climed Iob speaketh as though the wicked when they set vp their houses by pilling and poling and rake other mens goods by hooke and by crooke did but make a stacke of wood and then commeth a sparke of Gods wrath and makes an end Iob. 15. 34. of all if therefore parents will be happy in themselues happy in their posterity let them loue God keepe innocency do the Psa 37. 37. thing that is iust for that shal bring a man peace at the last that Psa 112. 2. shall bring Gods blessing vpon their children the generation of the righteous shal be blessed when the vngodly shall perish they shal see it Secondly Children may heere learne to pray to God not only to hide their owne sinnes in his woundes to bury their owne offences in his death to crosse their accompts and forget them al but to pray further as in the Letany Remember not Lord the offences of our forefathers not that we must pray for the dead while we liue we must take an obligation of our selues daily to pray for other and commend each other to God by interchangeable prayers but when men are dead he that prayes for the good does wrong to the good he that prayes for the bad cannot mend him or helpe him with prayers We allow not the sacrifices made for soules nor those feralia dedicated to the infernal gods that they might be pacified with those that are departed happely some will say were I not better pray for them then to say the diuell goe with them as good a reason as if a theefe being blamed for robbing a man vpon Shooters hill or in Stangate hole should reply and say were I not better robbe him then kill him of euils euery one is to be auoyded But thus farre wee pray that God would not remember the sinnes of our forefathers to visit them vpon vs who doe succeede them for because Dan. 9. 16. of our sinnes and for the iniquities of our fathers God will set his face against vs and let in one punishment or other vpon vs. Of those which hate me they which transgresse the law of God especiall they which lay his chiefe honour open to the spoyle of creatures hate God and desire to spoyle him of his gouernement Qui diligit meretricem odit sponsam suam hee that loues an harlot hates his owne spouse and on the other side she that loues an other man hates her own husband now Idolaters Ho. 2. 5. 13 Nu. 15. 39. play the harlots and doe shamefully and say I will goe after my louers they follow their louers goe a whoring after their owne Ho. 3. 1. 4 17. eyes looke to other gods and are ioyned to Idols therefore may they well be sayd to hate God The effects doe sufficiently shew forth this hatred for the bringers in of Idols put God and his truth out of doores and Iudg. 11. 7. thereupon doth Iephtha proue that his brethren did hate him because they did expell him out of his fathers house Againe when men are out of loue with any thing they care not how little while they keepe it eyther they will sell it as Iosephs brethren solde him to the Ishmaelites or change it as Israell did the ordinances Gen. 37 28 Esa 24. 5. now Idolaters make an exchange of God though no Nation euer changed their God which yet are no gods yet they change their glory Therefore doe they hate God because God Ier. 2. 11. hateth all them that worke wickednes 1. Their God who made them Psa 5. 5. glorious This must teach Idolaters not to flatter themselues in their sinne and to thinke they doe God good seruice and loue him as well as the best and therefore haue his image to shew their deuotion for God saith they hate him Secondly this teacheth that we are not to giue Papists the commendation of good honest men and to binde their religion as a crowne vnto them for they be such as hate God and lift vp their hands against him therefore we must say with Dauid I Psa 31. 6. hate them that holde of superstitious vanities and I hate them that hate Psa 139. 21 thee I hate them right sore as though they were mine enemies or at leastwise we must be like the Phisition which loues the patient and hates his disease 2. Therefore we must haue no fellowship or ioyne in any league of frendship with them for therefore in the olde Testament Iehu takes vp Iehosaphat for that he would 2. Cro. 12. 2 helpe the wicked and loue them that hâ—ted the Lord and in the Mat. 9. 14. new Testament the Disciples of Iohn are blameable who ioyned themselues with the Pharisees whom Christ condemned who hated Christ and sought to intangle him in his words 3. Wee must not contract marriages with them giue our daughters to them or take their daughters to vs as adultry is a cause of diuorce so should Idolatry be a cause of restraint and should hinder it as well as the other doth seperate it when the birds assembled themselues in Parlament there was a Decree past that the Eagle for breeding of fairer birds should ioyne in marriag with the Ostrich whereupon he makes suite vnto her but hauing been a while in her company and perceiuing she did eate yron and steele and deuoure that which he could not abide he gaue off his suite so on the one side if there be any externall thing as antiquity of discent great kinred much alliance great wealth many friends good hope of raising the house that should moue Protestants to match in the houses of Papists and to graffe in their stocke let them consider againe on the other side that they bee haters of God procurers of the Kings
figured on his forehead the calenders of death appeare in the furrowes of his face the graue doth call him saying it is high time to depart this life to come away and dwell in it and therefore take the benefit of this â—hoâ—t time a Ier. 4. 4. brâ—ake vp your fallow groundes and sow not among the thornes be circumcised b Deu. â—0 16. to the Lord and take away the fore-skinnes of your hearts let vnquiâ—t passions and ambitious desires be crucified c Mat. 2â— 38 like the two theeues and euen in this sense let them d Gal. 5. 12 be cut off that trouble you The wicked slippe no time to worke wickâ—dnesse e Ioâ— 2â— 5 as wil le Asses in the wildernesse they goe forth to their businesse it is now no good argument they are not drunken f Act 2. 15. since it is but the third houre of the day for g Esa 5. 11. they rise vp early to follow a â—â— 23. 2. drunkenesse Balaam posteth for a bribe b Luc. 16. 5 the vniust steward hasteneth to make friends of the vnrighteous Mammon be you as wise in your generatioÌ„ c Ex 16. 21 gather Manna in the morning steppe into the water d Ioh 5. 7. with the criple while health may bee recouered open while Christ e Reu. 3. 20 knocketh f Mat. 23. 37. gather your selues vnder the hen while shee clocketh with g Luc. 19. 5 Zacheâ— come quickely when Christ calleth at this present instant change your hearts a â— Cor. 6. 2 now is the accepted time and now knoweth no morrow b Ioh. 9. 4. worke while it is day euery day lay vp somewhat for the last take order with death before it serues you with an execution take hold on time as it commeth and catch it by the forelockes seeke Christ c Mat. 28. 1 with Mary the first day of the weeke and first houre of the day chase not away good houres to bad purpose sit not at the Alehouse and see the race of an houre glasse vse not time with the slothfull but gaine by the expense of time when it steales from you let it carry with it some witnesse of the passage in that you haue in it made your election sure and would not hazarde the saluation of your soules vpon the doubtfull euent of your finall repentance they are your daies say not we will doe with our owne what we list but spend them and end them in God In the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee Long life is a blessing which God giueth to obedient children but hast thou but one blessing my father Yes surely thou blessest when thou hast blessed and therefore thou giuest Israel a fuitfull land also the land of Canaan d Ex. 3. 17. a land that floweth with milke and honâ— so that thou hast e Gen. 27. 3â— blessed Iacob and therâ—fore hee shall bee blessed f Eph. 2. â— thou art rich in mercy mercy there is the compassion of thy nature rich there is the abundance g Luc. 8. 1â— thou giuest after thou hast giuen as a spring runneth after it hath runne a Ps 100. 5 thy mercy is euerlasting and thy goodnesse is without conclusion Frst thou giuest breath that thy dayes may be long then thou giuest bread in the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee here is a blessing vpon a blessing as though one of thy mercyes did binde thee to giue another as though former benefits were an earnest lay de to assure vs of those which are to come as though thou wouldest shew what thou wilt doe by what thou hast done The Oyle ceaseth not as long as there are b 2. Kin. 4. 6 vessels to receiue it and thy mercy lasteth as long as there is a true concurrence as long as there is no let in vs to hinder the apprehension O Lord make our praise and thankes answereable to thy goodnes that as thy goodnes is without end so there may be no period to our praise but that we may still say c Ps 41. 13. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel world without end So be it euen so be it Giueth not that the Israelits should haue this land in present possession for they did not enter vpon it till the daies of Ioshua in whose time God cast out other nations and planted them in but he speaketh in the present tense for the certaintie of performance God forgiues vs our debts and when we sue out our pardon d Rom. 8. 33. hee acquits vs by proclamation and crosseth our accompts here that hereafter we may haue our Quietus est and he is as true a debter to pay as he is mercifull creditor to forgiue and doth reckon that his promise doth as much indebt him to vs as mens loue or desert doe indebt vs to them first therefore O Israel here is a land made ouer vnto thee and the grant is good for that it coÌ„meth from the right Landlord the Lord and it is gratious for that it commeth not from a stranger but from thy God the Lord is thy God and therefore thou shalt haue it cum gratia et priuilegio 1o. cum gratia thou shalt not purchase it or pay a fine or rent for it but it shal be passed ouer to thee by a deed of gift thy God giueth 2o. thou shalt haue it cum priuilegio there shall be no ioint tenants or copartners to hold it with thee but thou shalt haue it solely and wholy to thy selfe The Lord misdoubt not thy state thy God looke to haue it with all fauour giueth doubt not of thy freedome theâ— feare not any that now keepe the possession The Lord thy God giueth The diuels mouth doth run ouer when shewing Christ all the Kingdomes of the world he saith e Luc. 4. 6. All these are mine and to whom soeuer I will I giue the power and glory of them if thou therefore wilt worship â—e they shall be all thine for first for his claime he is like the franticke man who standing on the sea shore thought all the shippes that passed by to be his owne or he doth but dreame he hath them like him who sleeping thought he held in his hands two staues and waking did thinke verely they should be two crocier staues and therefore presently prepared himselfe tooke horse and posted for two Bishoprickes not doubting but he should be presently installed but his horse casting him himselfe turned to be criple and his crociers to be critches God is the Lord of all by right the diuell but by vsurpation the Scripture stileth him f prince of darkenes he shewes himselfe like the Poet Accius who being but a dwarfe made himselfe an image as if he had been one of the sonnes of Anac indeede he may g Iob. 1. 7. compasse the earth too and fro and walke in it a Ps 24. 1. but the