bée painfull in that state of life that God hath appointed vs to liue in thereby to maintaine our selues and our families and enable our selues to doe good also to other and also by labour to banish the idle life the bane of al goodnesse and root of all wickednes Q. Hitherto wee are taught that neither in any religious respect wee must repose our trust in any but God only neither in any proud perswasion of our heart must we hope for help in any worldly meanes how hopefull so euer they seeme vnto vs neither yet must our loue bee so to any thing vpon earth but that our chief delight may be in the worship and obedience of our good God But as wee haue heard how many waies we are in danger of breaking this Commandement so would I faine vnderstand what it requireth of vs that wee may do it A. Euen the contrary to the things that it forbiddeth For as it forbiddeth all trust in any thing but in God only so doth it require of vs that in him wee should repose all our confidence in all our wants dangers or any distresse as also the Prophet Dauid aduiseth Psal 37.3 verse 7. Trust thou in the Lord saith Dauid Waite patiently vpon the Lord and hope in him So did Dauid when hee encountred Goliah that Champion of the Philistims He trusted not in the armour that Saul caused them to buckle about him but cast it away and told the proud braging Philistim that hee came with sword speare and shield but I saith he come vnto thee in the name of the Lord of Hosts 1. Sam. 17.45 the God of the Host of Israel whom thou hast railed vpon Now this confident assurance cannot flow from any other fountaine then from a setled perswasion in our heart that God is our God that is in power able in mercy willing to make vs all helpe Here-out I say doth spring this resting vpon him for helpe in all distresse And this our confidence and acknowledging God to be our God moueth vs to inuocate and call vpon God in praier either to giue vs good things which we want or to keepe vs from euill that wee heare Thus was Dauid mooued to consult whether he should lift vp his eies vnto the mountaines and then as if he corrected himselfe for that foolish thought hee asketh frō whence his help should come if hee should thinke to lurke in those hills of the land of Canaan then setting downe his resolution Psa 121.1.2 Mine helpe saith he is from the Lord which made Heauen and earth Hence commeth that boldnesse that the Apostle speaketh of to goe boldly vnto the Throne of grace that we may receiue mercy Heb. 4.16 and to finde grace to helpe in time of need Q. I see then that because we must trust in God only if we will obey this first Commandement we must onely pray vnto him and not to any Angel or Saint For how can they call on him in whom they haue not beleeued Rom. 10.14 saith Saint Paul And if praier be to be made only to them in whom wee may trust then fie vpon the Church of Rome that so abuseth the simplicitie of their followers that they make thē beleeue it is great deuotion and a holy worship to pray vnto Saints and Angels in whom yet they may not trust or beleeue For our Creed teacheth vs that we must beleeue in none but in God the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost A. You say well But you must know that the Church Romish loueth not to bee tied within such straight limits as are the Scriptures or that rule of faith which we call the Créed For in all these they can finde no warrant as their Portuesse or Breuiarie teacheth to pray vnto Michael the Archangel to come to help Gods people or as their Masse-booke instructeth to cal vpon the said Michael thus Defende nos in praelio vt non pereamus in tremendo iudicio Defend vs in the battell that we perish not in the terrible iudgment Ascribing therby vnto the Arch-angel Gods office For saluation belongeth to the Lord as all the Scriptures testifie And yet these blasphemies are in their reformed editions of their Portues and Masse-booke approued by Pius the fift and commanded by him to be published Q. I haue also read that they pray vnto Gabriel to destroy their enemies to Raphael to heale their sicknesses to take away their diseases and to wash away their faults And that they teach men to pray to their peculiar Angel if any one bee so appointed to be a gardian to any man to saue him to come downe and gouerne him to cleanse his mind from sinne to attend daily vpon him and keepe him from falling What can they aske of God more then in these prayers they sue to obtaine of the Angels A. The Popish blasphemies whereby they most impiously transgresse against the first Commandement are grosse and infinite as when they ascribe to the blessed Virgin Marie that she is the fountaine of mercie of health and grace consolation and pardon of pietie and gladnes of life and forgiuenesse She most happy Virgin drew saluation pardon life and forgiuenesse from another Fountaine not dreaming of such Fountaines of spirituall graces to be found in her as they most impiously ascribe vnto her And as blasphemous is that their suit Through the Virgin his Mother our Lord grant to vs saluation and peace Euen the Popish Church following in that point the patterne of the purer times conclude commonly their Praiers with this clause through Iesus Christ our Lord. But in this Prayer Christ must bee gracious to vs through his Mother or for her sake Christ I say who for our sakes was made man humbled himselfe to the death euen that shamefull death of the Crosse that Hee might make atonement betwéene his Father and vs must now if we beléeue such teachers and follow such guides not saue vs according to Gods determinate purpose and mercy before all ages and according to his own grace and mercy who came to saue sinners and dissolue the works of Sathan but for his Mothers sake must he saue vs. O horrible popish blasphemy And yet all these horrible impieties are in their booke of the Office of the blessed Virgine printed Ano. 1604. Set forth as they tel vs according to their reformed Latine A deformed reformation it may well bee called that publisheth such idolatrus things so manifestly against the first Commandement to the great offence of the simple and ignorant Q. All popish prayer-bookes are stuffed with such abominations asking of their Saints whereof some may iustly bee doubted of whether they were such or not the things that none but God only can giue I thinke that such offend grieuously also against this Commandement as ascribe vnto their supposed saints the praise and glory of such good things as they receiue from God A. It is true and God reprooueth his people for that
well as their masters must be freed from all bodily labour that vpon the Lords day they may serue the Lord. Q. You haue now spoken of the first table of the Commandements I desire also to heare somewhat of the second table that as in the first God hath taught vs how to serue him so wee may likewise learne how to performe our duties to our neighbours A. You say well And you must vnderstand that wee are first taught such duties as inferiours owe to superiours and how superiours must care for such as are vnder them and then other dueties more common one towards another are set downe Q. And why is this Commandement Honour thy Father and Mother set in the first place of the second table A. As in obeying the fourth commandment we haue very good means and great helpes to the performance of the three former euen of whatsoeuer pertaineth to the seruice of God so in kéeping well this first commandement we shall much more readily bée framed to the keeping of all that follow Q. What is then meant by Father and Mother in that Commandement For it is not to be thought that God who giueth a perfect Lawe vnto his people Psal 19.7 Rom. 7.12 the which whosoeuer doth shall liue thereby Gal. 3.12 would leaue vnspoken of any duties that we owe to any A. You say right and therefore vnder the names of Father and Mothers he commandeth all superiours to bee obeied of their inferiors And that is done vpon good ground For the superiors in this their superiority haue a great representation of the power and care that good Parents haue ouer their children As to begin with Kings and Magistrates Xenophon saith that a good King differeth not from a good Father Romulus called his Senators Fathers and Augustus who refused the title of Lord willingly yéelded to bee called The Father of his Countrey As for Pastors or Ministers not onely the Prophets in times past were stiled Fathers 2. King 2.12 and chap. 13.14 but the Apostle St. Paul calleth himselfe father of Timothy Titus Onesimus And St. Peter calleth Marke his sonne 1. Pet. 5.13 And St. Paul yeeldeth a reason to the Corinthians why Teachers are Fathers to them whom they teach 2. Cor. 4.15 For in Christ Iesus I haue begotten you through the Gospell Therefore also the name of spirituall or ghostly Father is giuen vnto Pastors And masters towards their seruants supply the roome of Fathers in bringing them vp in the feare of God or at the least so they ought to do therefore are called Patres familias Fathers of housholds Naamans seruant therefore aduising his master to follow the Prophets commandement in washing in Iorden 7. times sayd thus Father if the Prophet 2. King 5.13 had commaunded thee a great thing wouldest thou not haue done it So we see that by this word Father may well be vnderstood Kings and Magistrates Pastors and Masters and that to all these honour is due and here commanded Q. What is meant by this word honour A. First it teacheth vs that such dutie as wée owe to superiours must willingly be performed For honour is a reuerent affection imprinted in our hearts toward others without forcing or constraint without which affection of the minde the outward shewe is scarce a shadow of honour and is many times done by cap and courtesie or such outward reuerence to them who are contemned and scorned of them that doe it So did the Gouerners souldiers to Christ putting vpon him a skarlet robe and vpon his head a crown of thorns and in his right hand a Reed for a Scepter Then they bowed their knées before him and mocked him saying Mat. 27.29 God saue thee King of the Iewes Then also that which here is called honour is elsewhere expressed by the name of feare Yee shall feare Leuit. 19.3 euery man his mother and his father Q. Why is the mother named in these words before the father A. Because through the greater familiarity that the mother hath commonly with the children they becom lesse awfull to their children for such is our natural corruption that where we haue any hope of liberty wee will too readily séeke for more then wee should haue or can well vse Therfore lest this our badde inclination should too much abuse the mothers facility it is in this commandement especially prouided that the mother be feared and that wee should haue a speciall regard thereof the Mother is first named as the Parent that is in greatest danger to bee wronged and to haue her due honour taken from her Q. This honor then that inferiors owe to their superiors because it is also called feare as you haue taught seemeth to bee nothing els but a reuerent respect vnto our betters and that child-like feare which the Scriptures teach Psal 111.10 to be the beginning of wisedome if it be the feare of the Lord. And likewise no doubt this feare or reuerent respect of our betters frameth vs also more sincerely to perform all duties vnto them But as you haue taught what persons are to bee honoured as Parents Kings and his inferiour Magistrates Ministers and Masters of families and likewise what is meant by this tearme of honour so for my better instruction vouchsafe to handle more particularly the particular duties are due to euery of these A. You must vnderstand that this honour or reuerent feare heere commanded is as it were a roote out of which the seuerall duties to euerie of our superiors doe growe So that where that is truely planted there will bee no want of honour to them to whom honour belongeth And first to begin with Parents who are here expresly named because they were first that among men were honoured and children if they be not too gracelesse haue euen naturally an inclination to reuerence them so that they seeme to bee set as a true patterne of such subiection as becommeth all inferiors to begin I say with Parents and to shew how they of their children must be honoured the wiseman teacheth thus Pro. 23.22 Obey thy Father that hath begotten thee and despise not thy mother when she is old The Apostle also Ephes 6.1 Children obey your Parents in the Lord for that is right Q. Obedience then I see is one of the fruits that spring from honor which is commanded But is it sufficient that children bee obedient when they are commanded A. Nay the very aduice and counsell of Parents should be reuerenced also and is wheresoeuer the true honour towards Parents is seated And so Salomon teacheth My sonne heare thy fathers instruction Pro. 1.8 and forsake not thy mothers teaching Bind them alway vpon thine heart Pro. 6.21 and tye them about thy necke Q. But alas in our wicked dayes wherein wee liue there are too many who little regard either the counsell or commandement of their Parents but the more fatherly and kindly they are dealt withall the more
stubbornly they disobey A. The cause thereof is much in the folly of the Parents who are so tender ouer their children that when they offend they cannot finde in their heart they should be corrected Foolishnes is bound in the heart of a child Pro. 22.15 but the rod of correction shall driue it away from him Pro. 23.14 Thou shalt smite the child with the rod and shalt deliuer his soule from hell But if in their youth they bee not corrected for their disobedience the father and mother shall find them like to trées which béeing but young might bee bowed any way but being come to some growth will by no meanes be bended and so shall know by experience that a dissolute or foolish child is the calamity of his father Pro. 19.13 Q. If wee obey and harken to the Commandements and follow the aduice of our Parents haue we then discharged all the dutie that this Commandement requireth A. No For children must furder haue a continuall care euery way to be a stay comfort to their Parents if by their strength they may helpe their weaknesse if by their sight they may guide their blindnesse if by their wealth they may supply their want if by their knowledge they may reforme their ignorance if by their paines they may ease them of trauell to be short if their place their credit or reputation their acquaintance or any other meane that they haue may doe them good they must by all such means which they haue testifie their honour to their Parents A notable example wee haue in Ioseph who did euery way honour his father Iaacob Acts 7.14 and relieued him and his family in number 75. when there was a great dearth in the land Therfore the son of Sirach thus exhorteth My sonne helpe thy father in his age Eccles 3.13 14. and greeue him not so long as he liueth if his vnderstanding faile haue patience with him and despise him not when thou art in thy full strength And Christ reprooueth the Scribes and Pharises because that vnder colour of their blind deuotion they hindered children from performing this honour Mat. 15.4 5 6. Q. But Christ hath commaunded Call no man father vpon the earth for there is but one Mat. 15.9 your Father which is in heauen How can wee keepe this precept of our Sauiour Christ and not breake this Commandement Honour thy father and thy mother A. The words of our Sauiour Christ are not simply to be vnderstood but comparatiuely as if he had sayd If the question be Mat. 10.37 whether thy heart shall bee more tied to God or to thy earthly father thou must without all doubting or cōsultation wholy addict thy self to thy heauenly Father For He that loueth father or mother more then me saith Christ is not worthy of me he that loueth son or daughter more then me is not worthy of me Yea in another place hee wils that we hate all these things yea and our life also or els we cannot be his disciples In all which Luke 14.26 Christ teacheth vs to honour our father but so as we obey God to loue him that begate vs but yet more to loue him that made vs. He would haue vs to distinguish aright betweene the loue that wee owe to God which must be with all our heart and soule and minde and with whatsoeuer wee haue and the loue to Parents which is thus limited that it must bee in the Lord that our obedience also may be framed accordingly Q. How children should honour their Parents we haue now heard But what honour is due to Princes Magistrates A. Such like as to Parents For as Parents are ouer their children so are Kings and Magistrates ouer their subiects and such as are vnder their charge St. Paul giueth therefore charge vnto Titus thus Put them in remembrance with whō thou art and whom thou hast a charge of that they bee subiect to principalities and powers Tit. 3.1 and that they bee obedient Bee yee subiect to euery ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it be vnto the King as vnto the superiour or vnto gouernors as vnto them that are sent of him 1. Pet. 2.13 14. saith S. Peter And S. Paul writing to the Romans willeth Rom. 13.1 that Euery soule be subiect to the higher powers Not only for feare of wrath but for conscience sake Ver. 5. So that this obedience must be heartie and not in shew only but from the very soule and inward man and that not for feare but for conscience sake because God hath appointed vs vnder them and them ouer vs. Q. To performe the honour commanded what other thing besides obedience is required of vs to doe to Princes and Magistrates A. We must afford them maintenance fit both for their estate and for the defence of the Common-wealth when néed shall be The Apostle yéeldeth this reason to make them of his time more willingly to giue such aid For they are Gods Ministers Rom. 31.6 applying themselues for the same thing that is for incouragement of the godly and the repressing of euill whereof he wrot Ver. 4. And therupon he groundeth this exhortation Giue to all men their dutie tribute to whom tribute custome to whom custome feare to whom feare honour to whom honor is due Verse 7. If Paul would haue Princes and Magistrates in those dayes obeyed honoured and maintained when they were enemies to the Gospell how much more now when they maintaine the Gospell should al such dues be performed to them Q. Doth this Commandement require yet any further duty to bee performed to them that are our gouernours A. Yes wee are willed also to pray for them 1. Tim. 2.1 2. I exhort saith Saint Paul first of all that prayers supplications intercessions and giuing of thankes bee made for all men For kings and for all that are in authority that wee may lead a peaceable and quiet life in al godlinesse and honesty Ieremy also exhorted the Iewes who had very stubbornely opposed themselues against the correcting hand of God and sought al waies that they could deuise not to serue the Babylonians whom God for their sinnes appointed them to serue hee I say exhorteth them that they should pray for the peace of Babylon no doubt also for the peace of the king thereof Nebuchadnezar for in the peace therof saith he shall you haue peace Ier. 29.7 In the twentieth Psalme the people of Israel pray for Dauid their King And in the 72. Psalme Dauid now at the point of death hauing made Salomon King prayeth to GOD for him And this prayer for our gouernours is not the least testimonie of a true affection that we haue to honour them if our prayer for them be feruent neither is this duty to bee performed onely for Princes and gouernours but for Parents also although I thought good especially in this place to speake thereof because the
such sort as they did the Paschall Lambe they must teach them that it was to put them in mind how the Lord spared the houses of the Israelites wherein the Passeouer was eaten as God cōmanded when he smote the Aegyptians Again Exo. 12.27 when the children should demaund what was meant by the putting apart the first borne they must say that therby they should call to remembrance how Pharao whē obstinately refused to let the Israelites goe to serue God Exo. 13.15 the Lord destroyed all the first-borne of man and beast of the Aegyptians but spared all the first borne among the Israelites Yea and that with more reuerence their children might heare the Lawe and more readily and willingly obey the same they must teach them how terribly the Lawe was giuen in the mount Horeb. Deu. 4.9 10. To be short they must bee made to vnderstand what was meant by a heape of stones that was in Gilgal neere Iordan Iosh 4.22.23 namely that it was a testimonie that Iordan was then dried vp so that the Israelites passed ouer it on dry land when they went to take possession of the land of Canaan An example of this dutie we may sée in the Parents of Timothy 2. Tim. 3 15. who knew the holy scriptures of a childe and therefore Paul putteth him in minde to continue in the things which he had learned and was perswaded of Ver. 14. If Parents were herein more carefull they should haue more dutifull children Q. But how can Parents teach their children that which themselues know not A. It is the more pitty that men and women professing the name of Christianity should content themselues to liue in such brutish ignorāce of their duty towards God and man as do very many or that they are not ashamed of the name of fathers who cannot performe any dutie that they owe to their children Nay it is great maruell that they are no more diligent to learne herein their duety that in some good measure they may performe it since God was so offended with Eli the Priest and Iudge of Israel for that sinne as that he swore that the wickednes of the house of Eli should not be purged with sacrifice or offering for euer 1. Sam. 3.14 And hee was as good as his word for Hophni and Phinehas were both slaine in one day in the battell a iust iudgement against those wicked sonnes of Eli and Eli himselfe hearing of this newes and that the Arke was taken fell backward in his chaire broke his necke 1. Sam. 3 4.18 A fearefull example for carelesse Parents to thinke vpon Neither can Parents that neglect this duety hope for any blessing from God vpon their children Q. But children are many times loth to learne any good and wil spend their time in loitering and idlenesse rather then in any good imploiment what can Parents then do A. In that case heare what Salomon renowned for wisedome aduiseth Pro. 13.24 He that spareth his rodde hateth his childe but hee that loueth him chasteneth him betime Pro. 29.15 For the rod and correction giue wisedome but a child set at liberty maketh his mother ashamed 2. Kings 2.24 If those Idolatrous children of Bethel had béen by correction taught to knowe God they had not mocked the Prophet Elisaeus the man of God calling him bald pate and so might haue escaped that fearful death for they were destroied by 2. Beares euen 42. of them Q. Great then is the sin of Parents in these dayes who suffer children that might bee well occupied in learning some thing or other that might after do them good to play all the day long before their eyes neuer thinke they do amisse Surely the gamesome life that in their childhood they are inured with will neuer suffer thē to take in hand any painful occupation wherat they must continue Neither can this be amended vnlesse fathers and mothers would fully determine and resolue with themselues to follow this counsell of Salomon Chasten thy sonne while there is hope Pro. 19.18 and let not thy soule spare for his murmuring But as not to chastise or correct breedeth in children contempt of Parents and a carelesnesse what they doe so too much seuerity would not bee vsed against them A. S. Paul is of that minde Eph. 6.4 Fathers saith he prouoke not your children to anger And the very selfsame exhortation he vseth to the Colossians shewing his reason Col. 3.21 Lest they should bee discouraged For as moderate correction is fatherly and a token of loue so rigorous punishment procéedeth rather of furie Q. These are the duties that fathers owe to their children beeing yet but young Education Instruction both in the knowledge and feare of God and also in some honest trade of life and reasonable correction But what must Parents do for their children being come to ripenesse of yeeres A. They must allowe them reasonable maintenance reasonable I say for too much may make them vnthrifty and to mis-spend their time and their goods and too little may driue them to badde shiftes for their maintenance Gen. 25.5 6. Abraham though hee gaue his goods to Isaac his eldest son yet to other children he gaue gifts also Iehosaphat had diuers sonnes besides Iehoram his eldest to whom hee gaue the kingdome to whom he gaue great gifts of siluer and gold 2. Chron. 21.3 and of precious things with strong Cities in Iuda 2. Cor. 12.14 And S. Paul teacheth vs that children ought not to lay vp for the fathers but fathers for their children whereby it doth appeare that fathers should not suffer their children to want necessary maintenance but should relieue them if they can Yea and that they may as the Apostle speaketh 1. Thes 4 4 Keepe their vessell in holinesse and honour Parents must be careful to prouide mariages for their children Gen. 24 as Abraham was to prouide a wife for Isaac Gen. 28 and as Isaac aduised Iaacob to goe to the house of Bethuel and so he did Gen. 3.4 And Hamar herein was carefull to prouide for his sonne Sechem and solicited for him And it were much to bee wished that children would giue this honor vnto Parents cōcerning their mariages that without their parents counsell and good liking they would neuer attempt so weighty matters And also that Parents would bee more carefull to prouide in time fit matches for their children so that by consent of such friends mariages might be made no doubt God would giue greater blessing to this his holy institution then many times he doth Q. What are the duties that Parents ought at all times to bee carefull to performe to them or for them A. The first is loue For as Parents must loue their newe borne babes so must they still continue their louing affection It is a debt alwaies to be in paying yet neuer fully payd so long as he liueth to whom it is
due And this loue is a true and sincere affection truely setled in the heart of the Parent without any outward respects and therefore when God will expresse his loue towards any he saith he will bee his Father As hee spoke to Dauid concerning Salomon 2. Sam. 7.14 I will be his Father and hee shall be my son The Apostle to testifie his kind affection and great care hee had ouer the Thessalonians 1. Thes 2.11 Psal 103.13 saith Hee exhorteth them as a Father his children the Prophet Dauid saith As a Father hath compassion of his children so hath the Lord compassion on them that feare him And God himselfe assuring his people of his Fatherly loue telleth them that his kindnesse to them shall be more certaine Es 49.15 then the mothers to the sonne of her wombe Q. This duty is of all men euen of such as know not God so performed to children that they who are wanting therein are condemned as most vnnaturall A. It is true yet would it bee more sincerely performed if men would from the heart acknowledge that their children are a gift of God as Iacob said to Esau Gen. 33.5 They are the children whom God of his grace hath giuen thy seruant And Ioseph to his father Gen. 48.9 They are the childrē that God hath giuen me Psal 127.3 Behold saith Dauid Children are the inheritance of the Lord and the fruit of the wombe his reward If this were considered as it ought fathers would not set so little by so precious a gift from the Lord as children are suffering them to run on in all lewdnesse but would in a Christian and true fatherly care séeke to prepare their children to the Lords seruice in some holy calling and not to liue in idlenesse Q. What other duty owe Parents to their children all their life long A. To offer vp to God the sacrifice of prayer for them This office they must performe alwaies in their childhood in their riper age yea so long as they liue They must bee of that mind concerning their children that Samuel was of concerning the Israelites God forbid saith he that I should sin against the Lord 1. Sam. 12 23. cease praying for you When Iaacob was to part from his father and to goe to his Vnkle Bethuel Gen. 28.3 his father Isaac dismissed him with prayer Dauid made earnest prayer for his sonne Salomon 1. Chron. 29.19 But how great was Iobs care for his children they went banqueting from house to house one with another Iob 1.5 Iob fearing that in their feasting they might offend God soght daily to pacifie God and to intreat him for them Q. I see Parents as they are of their children to be honoured so must they haue a continuall care of their children euen from their child-hood for their maintenance for their instruction for their Christian conuersation wherein I feare Parents are as much to be blamed for neglect of their duty as children for not giuing thē their due honor But let vs now heare somewhat of the duties of Gouernours A. Gouernours and all superiours if they knowe how to behaue themselues as Parents ouer their children will soone learne what dueties they must perform as superiors to their inferiors For the very title of fathers and mothers whereby here they are noted teacheth them that they must vse the talent of authority which God hath giuen them with a tender affection to the good of them who are placed vnder them And loue if it bée such as the Apostle teacheth it should be out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and faith vnfained 1. Tim. 1.5 will make men to study and labour by all meanes they can to bee profitable in their place and calling to others especially to such as their duety bindeth them to respect and care for Q. I see then that fatherly loue must be in the hearts of Magistrates or els how great so euer their authority is such as are vnder them shall not feele any good or comfort by their gouernment But what duties doth God who hath set them ouer other require of them towards such as are committed to their charge A. Their first and chiefe care must be to maintaine the truth of the Gospell by all meanes they can and to take diligent héed that lawes made to that end may duely bee executed O how carefull was good King Dauid for the building of Gods house And when it was told him that not he but his sonne Salomon should build it hée made yet great preparation for that worke and earnestly incouraged hée his sonne to build Gods house and the Princes to further that building When Dauid was dead and Salomon established in the kingdom one of the first works that he did was the building of Gods house 2. Chron. 29.3 2. Chr. 29.5.2 2. King 18.4 Yea Hezechiah in the first month of his reigne began with reformation of things amisse about Gods house and most zealously abolished Idolatry To this end also is the zeale of Iosiah much cōmended in scriptures By all which we learn that Princes not only may but must haue a great care to set forth true Religion and God requireth this duety of them that their subiects by them should bee brought to the loue of the truth and detestation of sinne and all Idolatrie Great was the forwardnesse of Asa herein and of his people who made a couenant to seeke the Lord God of their Fathers 2. Chr. 15.12 13. with all their heart and with all their soule And whosoeuer would not seeke the Lord God of Israel should bee slaine whether he were small or great man or woman And for the binding themselues the more straitly to kéepe this statute Lawe They sware vnto the Lord with a loud voice with shouting and with Trumpets and with Cornets Verse 14. This care also of Nehemiah and other Gouernours among the people Neh. 10.29 after they were fréeed from their captiuity in Babylon doth notably appeare how they boūd themselues by Oath cursing themselues if they did transgresse to reforme disorders among them and to be obedient to Gods Lawe A second care must Magistrates haue for the good and quiet gouernment of the people which that they may performe they must alwaies follow those rules which Moses from God giueth to the people of Israel Peruert not iudgement Deu. 16.19 accept no persons take no bribes for bribes blind the eyes of the wise and peruert the words of the Iust And else where Ye shall not do vniustly in iudgement Leuit. 19.15 Thou shalt not fauor the person of the poore nor honour the person of the mighty thou shalt iudge thy neighbour iustly And to bee short in all their gouernment they must haue a tender affection and fatherly care that their people vnder them may liue a peaceable and quiet life in all godlinesse and honesty 1. Tim. 2.2 Q.
must carefully regard this Commandement Thou shalt not Lust Q. It seemeth that rash wishes for some things which either we see other inioy or our selues vpon some occasion thinke we want are against this Law A. True for euen those motions argue a discontentednesse of our owne estate and a wishing of better then God hath giuen vs. Q. The seuerall things that we are forbidden to couet haue beene before handled in the seuenth eighth Commandements so that heere wee neede not any further declaration thereof A. It is so for that that wée are in them forbidden to do or so much as we purpose or be willing to performe we are here forbidden to lust after or to suffer within vs any motion to accomplish it Q. If Gods Commandements require so strict and holy and perfect obedience that it permitteth not so much as any wandring thought at any time to bee cherished within vs considering our owne infirmity and weakenes to withstand sinne nay our pronenesse and inclination to fall from our sincerity in performance of our duety it seemeth it is impossible for any man CHRIST only excepted whose conception was by the holy Ghost to fulfill the lawe A. It is so Q. Why then are wee blamed as transgressors if God require more of vs in his lawe then any man euen the best that liueth is able to performe A. Wee are iustly blamed because God requireth no more at our hands then man by his first creation was made able to performe For the Lawe that now wee haue was written in the table of mans heart at his creation and our first Parents to whom it was giuen were inabled to doe it Now that they through their disobedience whereof both were partakers Eue in intising Adam in being perswaded haue lost that ability to doe the good they would and should doe it is their fault for GOD created them good and holy And as the corruption of bloud euen by mans laws disableth all the posterity when the father hath committed some grieuous fault Rom. 5.14 euen so in Adams sin wee are all transgressours God therefore in commaunding perfit obedience commaundeth no more then of right hee might doe and wee by our disobedience deserue blame because it is our owne corruption that disableth vs that wee cannot doe what wee are commanded yea and what we willingly would doe being now regenerated Q. VVhat vse then haue wee of the lawe since we are not able to keep it A. It is a true glasse wherein if we looke without partialitie we shall behold our selues as we are that is sinners Rom. 3.20 Rom. 5.20 Gal. 3.19 For by the lawe commeth the knowledge of sinne Yea by it sinne is made vnto vs more manifest Seeing then our selues by the lawe to be far from all hope of saluation it driueth vs to séek elsewhere to obtain mercy in which respect it may be well called Gal. 3.24 A Schoole-master to Christ not only in respect of the Ceremonial laws which were but figures and shadowes Christ the truth the body For when we sée it vnpossible for the law to saue vs Rom. 8.3 in asmuch as it is weake because of the flesh then must we séeke vnto him whom God sent in similitude of sinfull flesh Rom. 8.3 and for sin by whom also he condemned sin in the flesh Q. The most cōfortable vse then that we may haue by the law is not to hope by obseruing or keeping it to merit at Gods hands the kingdome of glory as Papists do being so blinded in conceit of their own works that they cānot see thē to be vnperfect being tried by the touch-stone of the law as in truth they are but to looke vnto the remedy that God of his endlesse and infinite mercie hath prouided against our transgressions namely to the satisfaction which Christ hath wrought Gal. 3.13 For Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the law when he was made a curse for vs. But haue wee no other vse of Gods lawe A. Yes it is to vs as to a workman his rule and square according to which we ought to frame all our actions And if any thing that we doe agrée not with this rule wee must not onely acknowledge it not to be right but to the vttermost of our power we must indeuour to reforme it according to the rule Q. The promises then of the Gospel free vs not from obedience of the Lawe No Rom. 3.31 Mat. 5.17 God forbid saith Saint Paul that it should so be And Christ telleth them of his time Thinke not that I am come to destroy the law or the Prophets I am not come to destroy them but to fulfill them So that although the lawe can now bring no condemnation to the godly that are in Christ Iesus Rom. 8.1 Yet are we still bound to the obseruation or keeping of the lawe of the commandements A. This to be true many answeres that Christ gaue to such as asked what they should doe to inherit eternall life do plainly proue for he willed them to kéepe the commandements To loue God with all their heart soule and strength and their neighbour as their selfe Yea after him all the doctrine of the Apostles tendeth to that end yea our accusing cōscience when we transgresse them and our excusing heart when in some good measure wee striue to doe them is a strong witnesse within our selues to testifie that wee acknowledge our selues bound to obey them Seeing therefore wee cannot so keepe them as we ought to doe though God in iustice may require this obedience of vs punish our disobedience Let vs humble our selues in feruent and faithfull prayer crauing the assistance of his grace in some good measure to obey his will and pardon for our weaknesse and imperfection in doing the same that of his meere mercy and by vs vndeserued grace we may escape deserued wrath in the day of wrath FINIS