Law two things seeme worthie to be considered in this place The first why the Lord doth not rest in the former Commaundement which is a perfect Law for the well ordering of all society if it were throughly obserued The second why this Commaundement forbidding murther hath the next place after that What haue ye learned for answer to these things The scope of it First the Lordresteth not in the former Commandement only because that contempt of good order and gouernement which reigneth in our nature breaketh foorth into sundry outrages and mischiefes which he saw likewise necessary that they should be expresly mentioned and straightly forbidden Secondly he giueth the Commaundement against murther the next place because not onely in the account of man but also euen in the estimation of God himselfe life is more precious then anie other vvorldly thing vvhich man enioyeth And further also it hath the next place to the end that all vvhich haue any power and gouernement may see vvhat that is vvhich as touching humane society they stand chiefly charged with and that also euen to this ende that the blessing of long life promised in the former Commandement might not by any contrary attempt of any man be any vvay hindred or interrupted These indeed are the reasons both why the Lord endeth not his Law in the former Commaundement though one would thinke that it alone might suffice for the well ordering of all humaine societie and also why he placeth this our present Commaundement nexte after that Let vs now come to the interpretation And first what meane you by murther which is the onely finne expresly forbidden in it Murther is the vniust and malicious or vvilfull taking away of the life of any of mankind by any of the same kind or of our owne life by our selues by vvhat vvay or meanes soeuer it may be It is true thus farre doth murther reach But is there nothing else forbidden in this Commaundement Yes God doth not onely forbid all outward euils whereby this wicked murther is occasioned but also all inward and corrupt affections from whence it springeth or whereby it is any way furthered and perfected Sinnes forbidden Yea the Lord in this commandement straightly forbiddeth the euill thought of murther with all crafty deuises and practises wherewith any do lye in wayt for bloud It must needs be so else should not the Law of God be perfect for as our Sauiour Christ sayth out of the heart come euill thoughts murthers c. the which do defile a man Math. 15.19.20 Such was the murtherous thought of Esau against his brother Iaacob Gen. 27.41 Reade also Ezek. 22.6 Which are those outward euils whereby murther is occasioned Sower disdainfull and wrathfull countenances taunting and reuiling speeches captious quarrelling and fighting These are the more immediate forerunners and occasions of murther as daily experience sheweth For the sword would not be so rashly drawne as it is wont if the tongue could be kept in the scabbard as it ought to be and if the countenance and behauior were so amiable as it should be c. But let vs go on Which are those inward affections of the heart from whence murther springeth and whereby as by the secret and whispering accessories and abbettors murther would be perfected if God should not graciously stay and hinder it They are partly such as be contrary to the vertues which are required to harmlesenesse and innocency touching mans person and life And partly they are such as be contrary to the vertues of helpfulnesse concerning the reliefe succour and comfort thereof These kinds of euill vnkind and troublesome affections are indeed the breeders and hatchers of all violence and bloudy murthers All which contrary affections both to harmelesnesse and also to helpfulnesse though they all consent in doing of hurt yet for the helpe of our vnderstanding and memories we will follow this order of distinction here in this negatiue part of this Commandement because it is the fittest order to be held afterward in the affirmatiue part of it Touching the first branch therefore of the distinction Which are those euill affections which be contrary to the vertues of harmelesnesse and innocencie touching mans person and life They are of three sorts Which are they First the contraries of meekenesse Secondly the contraries of tractablenesse or gentlenesse and easinesse to be intreated Thirdly the contraries of peaceablenesse Of these therfore let vs now henceforth inquire And first which are the contraries of meekenesse They are these which follow 1 Pride in that euerie man thinketh too highly of himselfe 2 Enuie and repining at our neighbours prosperitie 3 Rash and vnaduised anger when no iust cause is giuen 4 Treafenesse or hastinesse to anger when one is teachie and tangle vpon euerie light and trifling occasion 5 Immoderate and bitter anger though there be neuer so great cause giuen 6 Desire or purpose of reuenge though reconciliation hath bene sought yea though satisfaction and recompence hath bene tendred and offered as sometime it falleth out 7 Finally impatience the fruites whereof are restlesse murmuring with cursed exclamation and complaining The contraries of tractablenesse or gentlenesse easinesse to be intreated are next Which are they On the one hand too great softnesse or a seruile and timorous kind of blockishnesse when any shall passe by great abuses against their person and life or against anie that belong to them and haue no care to vse the lawfull meanes which God hath appointed for the remedying thereof such as are priuate rebuke and if that will not preuaile publike complaint to the magistrate for the punishment of such as shall go on in harmefull and mischieuous practises without all regard of amendement or of seeking any priuate reconciliation On the other hand hardnesse to be intreated when reconciliation is sought Now in the third place which are the contraries of peaceblenesse the which God doth likewise forbid in this Commaundement In one extremitie cowardly yeelding to vnlawfull conditions of peace or to peace it selfe in such cases as we ought to vse constant resistance In the other extremitie first vnapeaceablenesse in such cases wherein we ought to seeke and follow after peace with all men Secondly contentiousnesse or a delight in an obstinate course of brawling and contention Thirdly inueterate hatred or rancor and malice All these are the contraries of the vertues belonging to harmelesnesse and innocencie touching the life and persons of men Shew furthermore which are the contraries to the vertues which belong to helpefulnesse concerning the reliefe succour and comfort of life These are likewise of three sorts Which are they First the contraries to the vertues of peace-making Secondly the contraries to those vertues which belong to the repelling of iniuries Thirdly the contraries to the vertues which serue to the well placing and bestowing of benefites Let vs therefore likewise inquire of these in the same order as we haue alreadie done of the former And
also Iohn 19.12 All these false witnesses in either respect following therein the suggestion of the Diuell the father of lyes Iohn chap. 8. and the accusers of the brethren Reue. 12.10 Which wickednesse the Lord expresly forbiddeth Leu. 19.16 Thou shalt not walke about with tales where note the signification of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 racil comming of the verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 racal which is by making marchandise to seeke gaine See Tremel By this therefore which hath bene sayd we may sufficiently perceiue that all kind of lying slandering and back-biting is forbidden in this Commandement whether against our foe or for our friend or for our owne aduantage reade Leuit. 19.11 We may not lye of the Diuell according as it is truly sayd It is a shame to lye of the Diuell As we must not vse cursed speech Iude verse 9. so neither may we vse lying speech against him and therefore much lesse against our neighbour yea our good neighbour We may not lye on Gods behalfe Iob 13.4.7.8.9.10 Rom. 3.7.8 much lesse for mans cause To conclude this point we must not lie against our selues by flattering and blessing our selues while we walke in wicked wayes For this is to trust in lying words as the Lord saith by his Prophet Ieremiah chapter 7.4 c. Trust not in lying words c. Not that those words were lying in themselues but because hypocrites vnder that pretence soothed themselues in an outward profession of Gods religion without amendment of their liues But haue we now all the euils and sinnes which the Lord forbiddeth in this holy Commandement No we haue not It is also against the will of God in this Commandement that any should conceale that truth vvhich ought to be vttered either for the benefit of our good neighbor or for the rebuke and chastisement of him that is euill as also that on the other side any should vnseasonably vtter and disclose that truth vvhich for the present ought to be kept secret Moreouer it is against this Commandement that any should praise that which ought to be discommended or commend that vvhich ought to be dispraised Yea to praise and encourage or to dispraise and discomfort rashly and without good and discret moderation Finally all vaine-glorious boasting and hunting after our owne praise together vvith all dissembling and double dealing yea all want of plainnesse and simplicity which vvill not stand with good duty is cōtrary to the obedience of this Cōmandement These no doubt are transgressions of this Commandement for they hinder the truth that it cannot be acknowledged and aduanced as it ought to be and likewise they hinder the discerning of vice and wickednesse of life that it cannot be so reproued and condemned as it should be Now this we know that he who iustifieth the wicked and he that condemneth the righteous they are euen both of them abomination to the Lord Pro. 17.15 And againe chap. 28.4 They that forsake the Law praise the wicked but they that keepe the Law set themselues against them To praise aboue measure is flattery of the which it is said that he which flattereth his neighbour spreadeth a net for his steppes Prou. 29.5 Detracting is a sinne on the other hand against the which reade Psalme 15. Against vaine boasting reade Prou. 27.1 and against dissembling and double dealing reade againe Psal 12.2 They speake deceiptfully and Psal 41.6 And thus we haue seene what be the externall sinnes and transgressions forbidden in this Commandement But not onely are these outward euils forbidden but also all those inward vices and hidden corruptions of the heart which be as the roote and cause of these Shew therefore now which those inward euils vices be Of this sort are all vncharitable and groundlesse suspitions all rash iudging and taking of such things in the vvorst part which may be vvell construed and chiefly all hatred and malignant enuy against our neighbours good name credit and vvelfare These are indeed the inward euils of the heart from the which all false witnesse lying and slandering do spring according to that we reade Matth. 15.19 Out of the heart saith our Sauiour Christ come euill thoughts c. false testimonies and slaunders Reade also the ground of the same euils noted Prou. 21.10 Against euill suspitions Reade 1. Tim. 6.4 a fruit of corrupt doctrine Against rash iudging reade Matth. 7.1.2 Consider also the sinne of Iobs friends Reade also Luke 13.1 and Iohn 9.2 Against the taking of things in euill part and whisperings reade Rom. 1.29 And of enuy it is sayd who can stand before it Prou. chapter 27.4 But yet one thing more that we may conclude the negatiue part of this ninth Commandement Is this Law of God fulfilled if we for our owne parts auoid the euils both inward and outward which haue bene mentioned though we should allow or winke at the same sinnes in others No in no case but contrariwise God requireth that vve hate them in other as vvell as in our selues and that as much as lyeth in vs vve reproue represse and sharply correct and punish them It is true for seeing God abhorreth all false witnesse lying and slaundering c. Prou. 6.19 and chap. 12.22 it cannot in any reason be thought but that he requireth also that all his seruants should likewise do so And so it is expresly testified Prou. 13.5 A righteous man hateth the lying word or false matter whatsoeuer it be On the contrary he is affirmed to be a wicked man whosoeuer he be that giueth heed to false lippes Prou. 17.4 and againe chap. 29.12 Wherefore worthily it is to be noted to be the property of a godly man to shew an angry countenance against the slaundering tongue chap. 25.23 And Psalme 101.5 King Dauid speaking in the holy zeale of Gods Spirit saith Him that priuily slandereth his neighbour will I destroy Reade also Psalme 140.10 and Psal 31.18 a fearefull imprecation against this sinne Gal. 2.11 c. See the zeale of the Apostle Paule against Peter dissembling And Luke 23.50.51 the praise of Ioseph of Arimathea for not consenting with the rest to giue sentence against our Sauiour Christ vpon the false accusation brought against him And Iohn 9.50.51 the like practise of Nicodemus is recorded Thus haue we according to that measure of grace which God hath vouchsafed for the present the whole negatiue part of this Commandement and from thence also a fit passage to the affirmatiue part which now followeth Shew therefore hencefoorth by the renewing as it were of our treatise for our further and more full instruction what on the contrary Duties commanded are the good duties which our righteous God the God of truth commandeth vs in this his holy Commandement The Lord God straightly commandeth euery man in all causes to speake and vvitnesse the truth and to testifie against all falshood lies and slanders to the due credite commendation and safety of euery neighbour wherein he doth well
against all the Diuels temptations neuer fell the least iot that might be from his most pure and perfect obedience no nothing in any the least thought but abode firmely in his stedfastnesse to the end and remaining for euer a perfect and princely high Priest according to the order of Melchisedech who was both a King and a Priest as we reade in the holy Scriptures Psalme 110. and often repeated in the Epistle to the Hebrewes And beside we haue often heard from the testimonie of many Scriptures that he knew no sinne that he is the Lord our righteousnesse c. Perfect therefore is our redemption by our Prince and Sauiour Christ whereby he hath deliuered vs from all our vaine thoughts and motions and from the verie originall corruption and sinfull contagion of our nature as well as from all our actuall transgressions and rebellions against euerie Commaundemēt of the most holy righteous Law of the Lord our God seeing he continued in all things that are written in the booke of the Law to do them To him therefore together with the same God who is by Christ our heauenly Father and to the holy Ghost three persons one God most wise holy righteous mercifull be all honor and glorie both now for euermore But are we so discharged by our Sauiour Christ that we need not to make any reckening of the originall corruption of our nature and the immediate fruites thereof that is of our vaine thoughts and loose and wandring motions and lustes so farre foorth at the least as we giue no consent to be led by them and to commit the outward actions thereof Nothing lesse for although through the mercies of God because of that reconciliation vvhich our Sauiour Christ hath made by his bloud they shall not be imputed vnto vs vve must neuerthelesse be vvatchfull in striuing against them vve must instantly sigh vp vnto God from the secrets of our soules pray alvvaies for the forgiuenesse of them and for his grace to suppresse them and finally vve must most tenderly cherish all contrarie good motions thoughts and meditations vvhich God by his holy Spirit by the ministerie of his vvord shall put into our hearts It is very true our hearts ought to be as nimble and readie through the grace of God to resist all secret temptations and lusts as our nature is rife and lauish to cause them suddenly to arise and start vp We should be as readie alwaies to pray to God against them as they are prest and readie to solicite vs to withdraw our hearts from God This euill lust and concupiscence of ours must be watched and fought against continually after the example of the Apostle Paule Rom. 7 euen so long as we carie about vs this corrupt nature of ours as against a monster of manie heads Alwaies euill thoughts and motions will haue the first foot in euery matter The Lord in the beginning cursed the Serpent because it was the Diuels instrument to bring sinne into the world when as before there was no euill lust in mans pure nature How we are to repent and obey this Commandement Wherefore seeing euer since the entrance of euill lust this hath bene and is the Deuils secret meanes to entice and draw vs vnto all sinne it ought to be more odious vnto vs then any serpent can be I would heare yet one thing more of you What thoughts and motions do you meane by vaine thoughts and wandring lusts and motions All thoughts motions and lusts whatsoeuer they are they are all of them vaine and sinfull which be not agreeable to the word and will of God and which tend not to the right ends that is to the glorie of God to the benefit of his Church people It is true for as the Apostle saith Whether ye eate or drink or whatsoeuer ye do do all to the glorie of God 1. Cor. 10.31 So we may say whatsoeuer ye thinke mind or deuise let it be to the glorie of God But seeing by the meanes of the contrarie vanitie and euill coueting which is in vs our minds are most feeble and fickle in themselues touching all good thoughts and meditations that we cannot stay our hearts in them we may see from hence most liuely how great and vrgent cause we haue alwaies to lift vp our eyes to our Sauiour Christ who was and is still lifted vp vnto vs like vnto that healing serpent which was lifted vp by Moses in the wildernesse that by faith in him we may obtaine helpe euen a soueraigne counterpoison against the stingings of this venimous serpent who hath so deepely and so deadly conueyed his poison into vs. We may see also what great cause we haue to be continuall in praier to God that it wold please him to sanctifie our hearts that the thoughts and meditations thereof may be acceptable vnto him according to the prayer of Dauid in the 19. Psalme VVe may perceiue likewise what great cause we haue to acquaint our selues with the holy Sacraments and to make due vse from these sensible assurances of Gods loue that thereby we may the rather haue power against the vanitie of our minds c. Let vs learne to make the Lord our portion And let Christ our Sauiour be in steade of al couetable or desirable things vnto vs according to the doctrine which we haue heard out of the 16. Psal and as we reade Song of songs chap. 5.16 that Christ is to the Church in steade of all sweet things It leades vs backe to the first Commandement and thence through all the Commandements yea wholly delectable that is according to the Hebrew word there vsed all whatsoeuer is worthie to be coueted or desired And thus this 10. Commandement which is as it were the period and full point of the Law of God the end as one may say of the race or gole of humane charitie it directeth vs backe againe to the first Commandement and euen to God himself the onely true fountaine of all loue and the most worthie to be loued of all and for whose sake also we should according to this Commandement perfectly loue euerie neighbour according to that which we reade 1. Tim. 1.5 The end of the Commandement is loue out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith vnfained The Law of God therfore as also the obedience thereof may be compared to a circular course the end whereof is as one may say the beginning of the same or to a golden chaine the linkes whereof are so fastened together that no one can be sundred from the whole by reason of their mutuall connexion and knitting together in the which also the last is alwaies next to that which soeuer a man shall recken for the first It is also so large a circuit that no man can euer make his walke out of the compasse or command of it Finally in somuch as loue ought both to begin
you make rehearsall of some of those testimonies for the confirmation of this point Which may those testimonies be He that loueth purenesse of heart saith king Salomon for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend Prou. 22.11 Yea the king of heaueÌ„ shal blesse him as it followeth in the next verse The eyes of the Lord preserue knowledge c. And as we reade Psa 24. ver 4.5 He that hath a pure heart hath not lifted vp his mind to vanity nor sworne deceitfully He shal receiue a blessing froÌ„ the Lord righteousnes from the God of his saluation And our Sauiour Christ Matth. 5.8 Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Moreouer Psal 1. Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsell of the wicked c. But his delight is in the Law of the Lord and in his Law doth he meditate day and night For he shall be like a tree planted by the riuers of waters that will giue forth her fruit in due season whose leafe shall not fade so whatsoeuer he shall do shall prosper And Psal 32.2 Blessed is the man in whose spirit there is no guile Likewise Prou. 28.10 The vpright shall inherit good things And verse 18. He that walketh vprightly shall be saued Finally Prouerbs 14.22 To them that thinke on good things shall be mercy and truth And chap. 22.5 The thoughts of the diligent do surely bring abundance These places of holy Scripture and the like do indeed confirme that God hath promised all kind of blessing to the obedience of this Commaundement For although purenesse of heart vprightnesse inward delight meditation and good thoughts last mentioned do belong to the duties of all the Commaundements yet they haue as it were their mansion place residence in this CoÌ„mandemeÌ„t after a speciall maner And let vs marke I pray you how God honoureth vpright pure and holy thoughts with the blessing of the actions and duties themselues because from thence as from the originall all the actions of life do proceed according to that Prou. 4.23 which sentence was alledged not long before So on the contrary the holy Apostle Saint Paule chargeth his wicked nature with action of sinne by reason of the euill thoughts and motions thereof though he laboured against them and gaue them no harty consent Rom. 7.19 I do not the good saith he which I would but the euill which I would not that do I. And yet againe on the other side Phil. 4.8.9 Thinke on these things saith he that is thinke of them earnestly and with a care to practise them And the God of peace shall be with you yea to giue that peace which passeth all vnderstanding whereof he had written before in the 7. verse of the same chapter Thus then we see how great a part of our blessing yea how the ground of mans whole blessing in a manner resteth in the obedience of this Commaundement if happily we could be free from the euill coueting forbidden in it and if we had such pure vpright and godly hearts as we ought to haue both in loue to God and to our neighbour But that we may now at the last come to the vse of this Commandement according as we haue seene the vse of all the rest Haue you perfectly obeyed this Commandement which is as the sealing vp of all perfect obedience Euerie one of vs is a damnable transgressor that thereby you may escape the curse and be partaker of the blessing of it I am so farre froÌ„ the perfect obedience of it that I do more infinitely sin against it then against any other CoÌ„mandement of this secoÌ„d Table according as my vaine flitting thoughts motions are more then either my setled consent or performed actions Yea my disobedience against this last Commandement is the cause why I do disobey all the rest Finally when as the other ComandemeÌ„ts shew me to be a sinner in the words actions and purposes of my life this conuinceth me to be out of measure sinfull euen in my very nature and person These things which you haue answered are not onely true concerning your selfe and euery one of vs and all the children of men while yet we lye altogether in our naturall ignorance and vanity in the lust of the flesh and of the mind but they are also true concerning all that be regenerate by the Spirit of God though in them the secret lusts of the flesh do not preuaile and get dominion ouer them as they do ouer the children of this world Touching the vngenerate we need not stand to vse much proofe It is euident Gen. 6.5 Ier. 17.9 chap. 18.18 Psa 36.3.4 Prou. 4.16 chap. 16.30 and Rom. 8.7 In the best things they do they are inwardly altogether corrupt therefore the Lord reiecteth all their hearing of his word their prayers and their sacrifices Isa 58.2 c. Ezek. 33.31 Prou. 15.18 cha 21.27 and chap. 28.9 Isa chap. 1. That the same naturall corruptioÌ„ remaineth still inherent in the regenerate though not in the same measure reade Gal. 5.17 and 2. Cor. 3.5 Heb. 12.1 But most plentifully this matter iâ— layd foorth Rom. chap. 7. and namely ver 14.18.21.23.25 â—eade also the example of Dauid a man likewise of singular holinesse yet was he not free from this home-dwelling sinne Psal 39.1.2.3.4 c. 9. The place is notable to this purpose But what need we any other proofes then our owne experience For are not our thoughts very vaine and wandering and our affections alwayes inclining to vnlawfull lusting and coueting Verily if we shall but a little marke our selues we shall find cause why we should be ashamed of our selues Our Sauiour Christs perfect obedience for vs. and why we should lift vp our hearts with our tongue vnto God to say with the Apostle O wretched that I am c. Behold therefore the most excellent vse of this last Commaundement in the discouering or drawing out as it were by the eares this our most secret and daungerous sinne the disobedience whereof is more infinit then against any of the Commaundements of this second Table as was answered Whence also it is that this Commaundement doth in like speciall manner discouer the heauie curse and damnation which is due vnto vs for the same vnlesse our Sauiour Christ had dyed euen for our naturall corruption and the most secret lust thereof vnlesse he had perfectly obeyed this Commandement on our behalfe moreouer and beside his obedience to the rest of this second Table It is to singular purpose therefore that we be specially perswaded that our Sauiour Christ hath fulfilled it for vs What proofe haue you hereof That our Sauiour Christ hath perfectly obeyed this Commaundement both in freedome from all sinfull concupiscence and the least thought or motion thereof to the hurt of any man and also in perfect disposition of mind and affection to do good to all with all full