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.
I say vnto you Mat. 5.22 whosoeuer is angry with his brother vnaduisedly that is without cause or immoderately vpon small cause shall bee culpable of iudgement And Saint Iohn saith 1. Ioh. 3.15 Whosoeuer hateth his brother is a murtherer Enuy is another bad affection of the heart that wisheth often sometime also practiseth the death of them whose good successe they grieue at as wee see in Cain who killed Habel his brother Gen. 4.5 because God better accepted of Habels sacrifice then of his This enuious heart is a murdering heart and was in the brethren of Ioseph so cruell that they had a purpose to kill him Gen. 37. had not Ruben first and after Iudah perswaded them otherwise And out of these or some one of them groweth a third kind of murdering hearts namely a purpose to execute their malice and mischiefe such as was in those aboue fortie men that had conspired to kill Paul which they could not effect Acts 23. yet murtherers they were because they in heart intended murder And in this sort no doubt many of our Romish-Catholicks who knew in generall that mischiefe was intended on the 5. of Nouember when that most inhumane and sauage purpose that euer was thought vpon should haue been executed and wished in their hearts it might take effect are cruell monstrous murderers And so are many other who since haue been as bloudy-minded nay when are not Papists in these our daies plotting some or other bloudy designes against this State As for murthering with the tongue Mat. 5.22 Christ telleth vs Whosoeuer shal say Foole is worthy to be punished with hell fire teaching thereby that if with vnséemely words we execute the anger that in heart wee haue conceiued we are guilty of breaking this Law Thou shalt not kill Q. But concerning the goods of our neighbour you say this prohibition may be broken A. It is true yet not because hee that robbeth or taketh from a man his riches taketh away his life also but because bringing him to want things necessarie hee maketh his life bitter and vnpleasant in which respect the sonne of Sirach saith Eccle. 34.23 Hee that taketh away his neighbours liuing slayeth him Théeues therefore robbing and stealing are breakers of this Commandement Vsurers that by their biting gaine vndoo them for the most part with whom they deale Other by tedious suites and continual trouble weary poore men out of their liuings and all oppressours Who beat the people to pieces and grind the faces of the poore as Esay speaketh chap. 3.15 that oppresse the poore and destroy the needy as Amos 4.1 chargeth them all such are guilty of breach of this precept Thou shalt not kill Another sort of transgressours of this Law may wéepe and houle as Saint Iames saith and why Iam. 5.4 Behold saith hee the hire of the labourers which haue reaped your fields which is of you kept backe by fraud crieth and the cries of them which haue reaped are entred into the eares of the Lord of hostes God gaue vnto his people a straight charge Leuit. 19.12 The labourers hire shall not remaine with thee all night Deut. 24.14 15. Thou shalt not oppresse thy hired seruant which is poore and needy thou shalt giue him his hire for the day neither shall the Sunne go downe vpon it for he is poore and therwith hee sustaineth his life lest hee crie against thee to the Lord and it bee sin vnto thee The transgression of this Law in this respect is too common Poore men when they haue wrought wasted their strength in working cannot get many times their hire at the wéekes end for their sustenance Yea poore men many times are forced to take it vp in farre worse penniworths then they might haue in the market for ready money A sin euery whit as crying a sin as not paying the reapers hire in due time and a plaine breach of this commandement Take heede then you that haue the labours of many poore men not onely of that woe denounced by Ieremie Iere. 22.13 Woe to him that vseth his neighbour without wages and giueth him nothing for his worke but also of not giuing them their hire in due time to supply their needfull wants take héed I say that not any vnder you keepe backe any thing from them by fraud which S. Iames chargeth them of his time with To be short all kind of cruell dealing is here vtterly forbidden Q. You told vs of three sorts of murder with the hand with the heart and with the tongue Of this last kind of killing I pray you speak somewhat A. First vile and reprochfull spéeches either to a mans face or behind his backe And therefore our Sauiour Christ saith Mat. 5.22 Whosoeuer saith to his brother Racha shall be worthy to be punished by a Councell and whosoeuer shall say Foole shall be worthy to be punished with hel fire by which words his meaning is to teach vs that this commandement Thou shalt not kill is broken by the least signification of our anger vttered by word of mouth but that conuicious and reproachfull termes are a grieuous transgression of this Commandement Q. Are there any other kind of words by which we may be thought to kill A. Yes as by reproachfull so also by slanderous words Pro. 22.1 for if a good name is to be chosen aboue great riches as Salomon telleth vs and is better then a good oyntment Eccle. 7.3 as elsewhere he teacheth vs then must the slaundering tongue be a murthering tongue in that it taketh away a mans reputation which is as it were the life of a mans name as well as the hand that taketh away a mans goods should be iudged a murdering hand which is before proued Q. But without danger of breach of Gods law a man may reproue sin and lewd life in another A. Yes and so did Eliah very plainely when hee said to Achab a wicked King of Israel who charged him with troubling Israel 1. King 18.18 I haue not troubled Israel but thou and thy fathers house in that you haue forsaken the commandements of the Lord and thou hast followed Baalim And the Prophet Esay calleth the Princes of Iudah Princes of Sodome Esay 1.10 and that people who iudged themselues a very holy and religious people the people of Gomorrah Yea it is the duty of Pastors and Ministers now as in times past it was of the Prophets to tell Gods people of their sins Leuit. 19.17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart but thou shalt plainely rebuke thy neighbour and suffer him not to sinne as also S. Paul willeth Gal. 6.1 But there is great difference betweene slaundering or reproaching which is heere condemned and this Christian reprehension much commended to vs by Christ and his Apostles First in the roote for that springeth from the bad affection of a cankred heart Secondly in the
Assyrians that they thought by their helpe to auoyd Gods iudgements denounced against them by his messengers Some also put their trust in Chariots Psal 20.7 and some in Horses So did Pharao when hee and his people followed after the Israelites but they were all drowned in the Sea And some trust to the strength of their Towers as did the Iebusites in their fort of Zion in so much as they scorned Dauids messengers whom hee sent 2. Sam. 5.6 but Dauid preuailed against it And so worldly men as they haue worldly meanes to help themselues in resting too much vpon such meanes breake this Commandement Q. But it is not vnlawfull to vse good meanes to escape any trouble or danger as infinite examples in the Scriptures may teach vs. A. True so that we vse them as meanes only and not as things able of themselues to make vs any helpe but as Gods instruments by whom he worketh for our good Physicke is good if we intreat God by Prayer to giue a blessing to it Strength of men is needfull against a mighty enemy but the Lord Euen the Lord that is mighty in battell Psal 24.8 doth giue the victorie The Husbandman doth husband his ground and sow his séed but the increase commeth of the Lord. And euery worke of euery man in his calling is good and attaineth to the end for which it is wrought if God prosper it otherwise our skil strēgth wisedome and all our indeuours though very earnest are but vaine Q. By this that hath beene said it is not hard to gather how many waies this first Commandement may be broken in respect of our confidence that wee haue in other worldly means but may not our owne heart also beguile vs and cause vs to transgresse the same A. Yes verily and that two ways either by inordinate loue euen of things that we may nay that wee must loue or by putting affiance and confidence in any thing that we haue or that we can do Q. How can this be that in louing that which we must loue we may displease God or breake this first Commandement A. The loue of Parents toward their children is a duty that must bee performed and commonly is so feruent that God setteth it as a patterne whereby he would haue vs to behold his loue toward vs his Children Yea Esay 49.15 for that cause he will be called Father of vs that the very name wherby we speak vnto Him may assure vs of his loue The loue also of Children to their Parents of the mutual loue of Husband and Wife are much and often commanded so likewise the loue of Brethren is set for example before vs of a true Christian affection that we should beare one toward another for it is commended vnto vs by the name of Brotherly loue Rom. 12.10 Yet must our loue to God so farre surmount all these loues of any worldly Creature Heb 13.1 how deare soeuer vnto vs either by nature or by any other affection that if it so be that wee must shew whom wee most loue by our obedience in comparison of our loue to God the loue to man must vtterly be extinguished and be no loue euen as the Apostle accounted all whatsoeuer holinesse or righteousnesse he might séem to challenge by the Law to bee but losse and dung Philip. 3 8. that hee might winne CHRIST And this is that hatred of Father Mother Wife Children Brother Luke 14.26 Sister yea and of our own life too that Christ saith must be in his Disciples Not that wee may hate these but that in comparison of our loue to God these things must séeme vnto vs. Abraham is a true pattern of this loue who when GOD commanded was willing to haue offered his sonne Isaack Gen. 22. the only hope of all the promises which God had made to him So wée vnlesse we can be content to obey Gods will though Father Mother Wife and Children and all our friends yea though our own lusts delights or affections draw to the contrary doe breake this Commandement because we rather obey the things that hinder vs then God who commandeth Q. Your meaning is that if wee loue any thing so that it may make vs neglect our loue seruice or worship of GOD euen by that loue we break this Commandement Thou shalt haue no other God before mee A. I meane so For if God were our delight and the ioy of heart then would our affectiō vnto other things bee ruled and framed according to it But if other loues possesse our harts they sit in Gods place and drawe vs after them Q. You said also that this Cōmandement may be transgressed if we put our trust or affiance in any other thing but in God A. True for if in danger we trust in our owne strength as if thereby we can be able to stand or in our subtiltie that by wiles and shifts we wil auoid the peril or in any such help as we think to make to our selues these and such like are but lying vanities of which the Prophet saith Ionah 2.8 They that wait vpon lying vanities forsake their owne mercy Yea if the Husbandman assure himselfe of good increase because he hath done the part of a good husband to his ground or any tradesman thinketh to be rich because he is painefull in his trade because they make their labour in their calling to be in Gods stead who only must giue a blessing to all they do such do transgresse this Commandement Q. Your meaning is not hereby to find fault with such paines as men take in their lawfull calling For it is the decree of the Almighty Gen. 3.19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eate thy bread Neither can we call it our bread as Christ teacheth vs to aske vnlesse some way or other we labour for it but when we haue done what belongeth to vs to doe yet as Except the Lord build the house they labour in vaine that build it Psal 127.1 Except the Lord keepe the Citie the keeper watcheth in vaine So vnlesse the Lord giue blessing to all that we doe it cannot prosper For it is God only that giueth power to get substance Deut. 8.18 A. You say well and therefore if we perswade our selues by any such meanes to supply our wants not séeking to God by hearty praier to prosper our doing yea if with good Moses wee pray not Let the beauty of the Lord our God bee vpon vs Psal 90.17 and direct thou the worke of our hands vpon vs euen direct the worke of our hands Wee shall want the desired successe of our paines because wee rest not as we ought to doe vpon help from God and his direction whereby wee may bee taught and guided with what mind and to what end wée should labour namely for conscience towards God to liue in our honest calling not séeking with greedie affection to inrich our selues but to
very time that hee gaue the Law of the Commandements vnto them A. God gaue the Law of that Carnall Commandement Heb. 7.16 as the Apostle to the Hebrewes calleth it for a time to traine his people in obedience to him which in outward obseruances they would more readily learne but in such obseruances as had in euery one of them a spirituall meaning and might haue led them to that true worship that GOD requireth and is delighted in Circumcision was the first that God appointed and that before the Law Moral was giuen about 400. yéeres The next vnto it was that ceremonie of the Paschall Lamb commanded about two Moneths before the Law was giuen as may bee gathered if wee compare the 33. of Numbers verse 3. with the 19. Chapter of Exodus verse 1. Q. What spirituall meaning was in those two obseruances required A. Circumcision did giue this to vnderstand that they brought with them from their Mothers womb such corruption of flesh as must bee taken away if they will be in truth the people of God therfore that they should looke farther then to the outward ceremonie For if thou be a transgressor of the Law thy circumcision is made vncircumcision Rom. 2.25 as S. Paul teacheth For he is not a Iew that is one outward neither is that circumcision that is outward in the flesh Verse 28. But he is a Iew that is a true seruant of God that is one within and the circumcision is of the heart in the spirit not in the letter or outward obseruance whose praise is of GOD Verse 29. and not of man And therefore Ieremie calling the men of Iudah and Ierusalem to the true consideration of that ceremonie wherein they so iustified themselues aboue other that were not circumcised thus exhorteth them Ier. 4.4 Breake vp your fallow ground and sow not among the thornes be circumcised to the Lord and take away the foreskin of your hearts So that this ceremony giuing them to vnderstand how by naturall birth all flesh is corrupted and sinfull they should acknowledge their pollution and indeuour to become new Men. Q. And is this all that circumcision teacheth A. No It assureth them also of grace and mercy And therefore is it called the Couenant which is indeed as is called in the next verse the signe of the Couenant saith God between mee and you Gen. 17.11 Because God thereby assured to them the blessednesse that he promised to Abraham and his séed In which respect also S. Paul saith that Abraham receiued the signe of circumcision Rom. 4.11 as the seale of the righteousnesse of Faith which he had when he was vncircumcised Q. Circumcision was then vnto the people of Israel as the sacrament of Baptisme to vs. A. It is very true sauing onely that in the outward signes they differ For as in Baptisme wee haue a promise of the fauour of God forgiuenesse of sins and of euerlasting life if by a true Faith wee take hold of the promises So they had also and as God requireth of vs that wee who are baptized should die vnto sin and as the Apostle admonisheth vs should walke in newnes of life Rom. 6.4 So did hee require of Abraham that hee should walke before God and be perfit Gen. 17.1 And as we acknowledge all this to be performed vnto vs in Christ in whom al the promises of God are Yea 2. Cor. 1.20 and are in him Amen euen so they also were not to looke for the promised blessings but in the promised seed of Abraham Q. Had the Paschall Lambe also a spiritual meaning or was it but a sign for that time by which the destroyer might know what houses should bee free from the destruction and the people might by that sacrament be the rather incouraged to rest vpon God A. It was not onely an assurance to Gods people of their deliuerance from Egypt but also in that they were commanded yeerely to solemnize that feast they were taught that God would haue them alwaies mindfull of that redemption Moreouer this their deliuerance from Egypt was vnto them an assurance of their deliuerance from the bondage of sin as their planting in the land of Canaan should haue made them lift vp their hearts to that Spirituall blessing in that heauenly inheritance wherof the land of Canaan was but a shadow perswading themselues that as neither we in this world so they had not here a continuing Citie Heb. 13.14 but we seeke for one to come Euen one that hath a foundation Heb. 11.10 whose builder and maker is God Q. I see plainly that by that Sacramēt the people of God were not only put in mind of a temporal happinesse but had also promise of eternal glory in which respect 1. Cor. 5.7 S. Paul speaking of that Ceremony incorageth the Corinthians to looke for endlesse blessednes But what learne we or what was taught them by the Ceremonies vsed in the eating of their Paschall Lamb A. First the Lambe it selfe must be without mayme or spot of a yeere old a Weather Lambe to point to the great perfection that must bee in him that should frée vs from sin greater I say then can bee in any man conceiued according to the common course of nature It was to bee kept from the tenth day of the Moneth vntill the foureteenth shewing that as the Apostle saith Heb. 7.26 Hee must bee separate from sinners The bloud of the Lambe must bée sprinkled to teach that without sheading of bloud there is no remission Heb 9.22 And this particular sprinkling of the doore-posts of euery house with the said bloud sheweth that not a generall knowledge of Christ his satisfaction for sinnes is sufficient for vs vnlesse euery one of vs do find in our own hearts by the grace of God and the effectuall working of Gods Spirit this atonement by faith that Christ hath made for vs. Q. This that hath bin spoken concerneth the Lambe it selfe and how it should be vsed and the bloud sprinkled Now let me heare how the Israelites should eat the same A. Some of the Ceremonies vsed in eating of it signified their speedie departing out of Egypt as wee must vpon any occasion offered speedily and in haste shake off the fetters of sinne such was their eating with shooes on their feete their staues in their hand and perchance their rosting it and their eating it with vnleuened bread for they might not stay to sowre it with leauen Their eating it with sowre hearbes might put them in mind of their hard diet in Egypt and therefore make them more thankfull when they came to better Or els rather that being made free from that Egypt yet many aduersities might be looked for Hereby also we see that though we be freed from the bondage of the spirituall Egypt the power of sin yet wee shall haue many sharpe combates with our corrupt affections and many afflictions in this
if it were a token of valor yet such men howsoeuer they seeme perchance many of them to feare no man yet the lest breath of GODS mouth Psal 76.12 who cutteth off the spirit of Princes and is terrible to the Kings of the earth shall make them tremble and quake as the Aspe-leafe Dan. 5.6 as did Bellshazzar in all his royalty But may Gods name be taken in vaine any other way then by swearing A. Yes If wee thinke or speake of Gods works with lesse reuerence and due consideration then we ought to do thereby is the second Commandement broken For as men by their names so is the glory and Maiestie of GOD apparant vnto vs by his works so that his power and might his wisedome his mercy may easily bee seene to them that reuerently consider of his creation of all things of nothing of the order wherein hee hath made and appointed them how he hath made all his creatures for our vse And in his gouerning the world as hee doth both his iustice and his greatnesse may be seene So that to talke of his works and not worthily to praise the workemanship or not to giue honour to the worker thereof is to take his name in vaine because that which may be knowne of God is not so reuerently esteemed of vs as it ought to be Deut. 23.21 Q. Wee read that if the people of God to rouze vp their slouthfulnesse and to reforme their negligence in Gods seruice should vow any thing to God they might not be slacke in performing that they promised doth this any thing belong to this third Commandement A. Very much For a vow is as it were a holy promise not made only before God and whereof hee is a witnesse but also made to him and therefore not without great dishonouring of his name can bee broken or left vnperformed Num. 30.3 Whosoeuer voweth a vow vnto the Lord or sweareth an oath to bind himselfe by a bond he shall not breake promise but do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth Therefore the Psalmist aduiseth thus Psa 76.11 Vow and performe vnto the Lord. Q. You meane not heere to commend to the godly the popish vowes wherein they who haue vowed do so much reioyce as if they were the chief professors of Christianity A. No those Popish vowes are commonly to abstaine from things lawful in themselues to be vsed with such a bond of cōscience as that howsoeuer vnable to performe it they find themselues yet must they still striue though altogether against the stream to do that they haue promised Again they thinke to merit thereby and so robbe Christ of the glory of his meriting for vs the forgiuenesse of our sinnes and the fruit of his sacrifice which onely could make the atonement with God for vs. These and many other such superstitions or rather blasphemies do so staine their Popish vowes that they are in the sight of God and all good men most abominable Yet I commend as godly helps against our weakenesse and infirmitie that we shall easily find in our selues in our indeuour to serue God such purposes and promises as with our selues we make vnto God of dayly praying reading abstinence and all other godly exercises whereby wee may grow in knowledge of God and all true obedience For such exercises do not only kéepe vs wel occupied and so are a redéeming of the time from the vaine conuersation that wee haue had in times past but are as a continuall manuring and watering of the godly thoughts which God by his grace hath now planted in our hearts And for such vowes or promises if wee make to God and performe them not wée shall be found guilty of taking the name of the Lord our God in vaine Q. What say you to such godly wishes as are ordinarie in our mouthes godly I say in outward shew Good morrow God speed or such like is there no danger of breaking this Commandement in vttering them A. Yes very great for wee vse them but too often as words of course rather for fashion then with any true deuotion wée tumble them out of our mouthes before wee thinke in our heart of that we speake Nay the solemne Prayers that wee purpose to make vnto God are by this meanes becom as the Preacher termeth them Eccle. 4.17 The sacrifice of fooles for when wee should talke with God if our affections be wandring and our thoughts carry vs sometime to pleasures somtime to profit or to any other worldly things wee performe not heerein our purpose to God and therefore wee take his name in vaine Q. Wee learne then that we haue great need when wee haue a purpose to sue vnto God to free our selues as much as possibly wee can from all thoughts that may hinder vs or cause our hearts to wander from heauenly cogitations Yea do what wee can our heart wil not so be knit vnto God in prayer as it ought to be and therefore it behoueth vs not only to watch and pray Mar. 13.13 Ephe. 6.18 but also to watch vnto prayer that spying the time when we see our selues best inabled thereto by the spirit of God Rom. 8.26 which helpeth our infirmities then wee should take hold of that grace that is offered to vs. A. You say true Q. But what say you of our profession of Christianitie and that wee are the children of God May not this our profession bee a transgression of this Commandement A. Yes and is but too often God complaineth of his people of the Iewes thus Esay 52.5 My Name is all the day continually blasphemed Againe When they entred vnto the Heathen whither they went Ezech. 36.20 they polluted my name And therefore Saint Paul is bold to charge the Iewes to the end hee might humble them and make them know themselues thus The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you Rom. 2.24 declaring thereby that profession of seruing God without conuersation somewhat answerable is a taking of Gods name in vaine To this end tend these exhortations Ephe. 4.1 I pray you walke worthy of the vocation whereunto you are called Phil. 1.27 Let your conuersation bee as becommeth the Gospell of Christ Walke worthy of the Lord. Yea Col. 1.10 the Apostle Saint Iames saith plainely If a man thinke himselfe religious Iam. 1.26 and refraineth not his tongue but deceiueth his owne heart this mans Religion is vaine If the not-guiding of the tongue may make vaine all our profession of Religion then much more if our life be polluted and stained with sundry sinnes In what case then are they who go forward in all kind of vncleannesse and wickednesse not in one but in almost all kind of sinnes do not they howsoeuer they professe themselues to bee Gods seruants dishonour him in taking vpon them the name of Gods seruants or Gods children and care not how in life they dishonour
things needfull that when hee goeth to encounter his aduersary there be no want euen so God would haue vs to consider all the weeke before what we haue to doe on the Sabbath day that wee might so dispose of our sixe dayes of work that the seuenth might bee wholly bestowed without any let vpon Gods seruice Q. This Commandement requireth not onely the rest of the masters or chiefe of families but of seruants too that they should not be appointed to any labour that day And therefore they who send their seruants vpon errands vpon such daies which is a sin wherein too many offend transgresse this Commandement They likewise who appoint thē that are vnder them so they worke not their wonted worke to doe other businesse either at home or abroad and thinke they breake not the Sabbath are much deceiued A. It is so Yea God hath such care that seruants shuld also rest that day that hee would the cattell should rest lest by any meanes the seruants if the cattel rested not should be constrained to work And that this commandement might more religiously be obserued euē the stranger though hee were not tyed to such lawes as Gods people were yet being then among Gods people might not worke that day lest his example might bee hurtfull or offensiue to other Q. I see then that there must bee rest from our ordinary labour vpon the Sabbath day But is it enough that wee rest from worke is that a sufficient sanctifying that day A. No for the end why we should rest from bodily worke is that wee might be wholy occupied in Sanctifying it and apply our selues to heauenly meditations Q. Then to bee idle is not the rest that is heere commanded much lesse to bestow that day or any part of the Sabbath in excessiue drinking feasting or gaming A. You say truely for the rest from bodily labour is to this end onely that the mind of men being occupied in spirituall and heauenly meditations they might more assuredly inioy that sweet rest and quietnesse of conscience which is that Peace that the world cannot giue Ioh. 14.27 as our blessed Sauiour telleth vs in such sort as he giueth it Q. I pray you then teach vs how wee may sanctifie this day of rest in such sort as that wee may find this heauenly rest A. Wée must vnderstand that this Commandement as it was giuen vnto all that God brought out of the house of bondage euen to Moses and Aaron aswell as to the people so is it generall now and belongeth vnto all states of life to all callings to Men and Women and euery body in his place must seeke to further this worke The Magistrate and the Minister the Pastor and the People the Master and the Seruant must indeauour to helpe forward as the Prophet Zephanie speaketh Chap. 3.9 with one shoulder this sanctifying the day of rest Q. Hath the ciuill Magistrate any thing required at his hands in this sanctifying of the Sabbath but that for his owne selfe and his household hee be carefull to resort to the holy exercises of that day A. Yes he is also bound euen by this Commandement in respect that the talent of gouernment is committed to him from God first to haue a care that good lawes be made against the prophanation of the Sabbath secondly to take order that such Laws be duely executed and punishment inflicted against offenders as Law commandeth Heereof wee haue in Nehemiah a godly patterne for Magistrates who séeing the Sabbath day when the people of the Iewes were returned from the captiuitie of Babylon wickedly prophaned by treading Wine-presses selling Grapes and such like labours earnestly reproued them for it yea and the Magistrates too with these words Nehe. 13.15.17 What euil thing is this that ye do and breake the Sabbath day And the night before the Sabbath he caused the gates of Ierusalem to be shut and set his seruants to watch the gates that none should open the same but they should be kept shut vntill after the Sabbath day so that he kept the Marchants which by their bearing of burthens prophaned the Sabbath day without the walles all night once or twice But seeing them somewhat obstinate and loth to be restrained he also threatned them that if they came any more in such sort to offer such prophanation on the Sabbath day hee would force them by violence to depart By which Story that is left vnto vs as a commendable fact for all Magistrates to imitate wee see how carefull and how earnest Magistrates should bee to shew themselues as the LORD hath appointed them Conseruatours of his Sabbath Q. As for Ministers of the word we know that their vocation is holy and should especially bee directed to the true sanctifying the day of rest A. It is most true that wee haue a holy calling which that wee also should walke in holily it were to bee wished But as this Commandement was giuen to Aaron as well as to Moses or the people so no doubt wee must haue great regard to the sanctifying the Sabbath day and go before other therein our selues I meane and our housholds that by our example other may the rather be moued to this holy rest And besides those duties that God requireth of vs in regard of our generall calling to Christianity wee haue a speciall calling vnto the Ministerie whereby we must striue to the vttermost of our power to call our people to the sanctifying the Sabbath day to teach them how the day is to bee sanctifyed to exhort such as are slack to reproue such as obstinately offend therein and by all extremity that we can to compell men to the sanctifying thereof And wee must do this as God hath inabled vs sincerely and seeking only the glory of GOD not our owne praise or moued by any other corrupt affection if we will truly and effectually teach our people to sanctifie the Lords Sabbath For how much the more zealously and from a sanctified heart the word is deliuered the more powerfully no doubt will it worke a godly reformation Q. Magistrates and Ministers I see must vse their talents of authority and gifts to sanctifie the Sabbath and themselues by their example also must moue other thereto haue not any other charge to helpe forward herein A. All Parents and heads of housholds must further this duty likewise to haue a great care that their children and seruants prophane not the day that God commandeth to bee kept holy Yea one neighbour ought to stir vp another as Gods people did Come Esay 2.3 let vs go vp to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Iaacob and hee will teach vs his waies and wee will walke in his paths Come let vs go to the Church let vs reuerently heare his word let vs not spend the day in drinking wantonnesse or idlenesse that God bids vs bestow in holinesse yea and seruants and children should frame themselues willingly
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
daies so little regard the Ministerie of the Word as themselues might see if they had grace to marke how often and how fearefully Gods Iudgements are threatned against them that will not hears throughout the Scriptures Q. Let vs now heare what honour seruants owe their masters A. Saint Paul teacheth it plainely Eph. 6.5.6.7 Seruants be obedient vnto your Masters according to the flesh with feare and trembling in singlenesse of your hearts as vnto Christ not with seruice to the eye as men pleasers but as the seruants of Christ doing the will of God from the heart with good will seruing the Lord and not men Which commandement of the Apostle requireth such seruice as is not now commonly done to Masters for it must bee hearty and sincere being more carefull to do the duty of a seruant then to require reward yea striuing rather to deserue well then to aske recompence The Apostle saith it must bee with feare and trembling Saint Peter likewise Seruants 1. Pet. 2.18 bee subiect to your Masters with all feare not that their meaning is that seruants should alwaies be afraid of anger or punishment but their feare should be such as the Wife-man speaketh of Pro. 28.14 Blessed is the man that feareth alwaies that is that alwaies mistrusteth his owne doings that neuer thinketh that he hath serued God sincerely enough but suspecteth his owne waies not wholy to be guyded by Gods Spirit euen so seruants should feare lest they be short in performance of their duty or doing their seruice to be short they should rather feare the Lords Eye then their masters wrath And where this hearty seruice is and so seasoned with feare of Gods All-séeing-Eyes and a true view of our owne vnability to serue so perfectly as wee should there doubtlesse will be a faithfull indeuour to serue truely And such seruants for a good supply of their own wants will carefully intreat the Lord both better to inable them to doe their duty and to giue such blessing to their desire to serue truely as may be to their Masters good Q. But many times Masters are froward and too too rigorous insomuch as such seruice may seeme a very grieuous bondage are such masters to be honoured also A. Saint Peter answereth this question commanding seruants to be subiect to their Masters not onely to the good and courteous but to the froward also For this is thank-worthy 1. Pet. 2.18 if a man for conscience toward God indure griefe suffering wrongfully So that a true Christian seruant must doe his duty towards his Master remembring that so doing he serueth the Lord as Saint Paul in the place alleaged teacheth who howsoeuer their master cannot be pleased yet will take in good part and plentifully reward their faithfull seruice Therfore must seruants striue to bridle herein the corruption of their nature and to serue as S. Paul would haue vs to do al things Phil. 2.14 without murmurings and reasonings for as before I said concerning honouring of Parents so here also and in all duties that wee owe to our superiours an honourable and reuerent affection printed in our hearts towards them must bee the roote from whence true seruice must grow that it may bee willing Q. Besides these superiours that now you haue spoken of there are others also as olde folke husbands Schoolemasters which are accounted superiours to whom also honour belongeth A. Most true concerning aged folke God hath giuen this Commandement Leuit. 19.32 Thou shalt rise vp before the hoare head and honour the person of the old man especially if godlinesse be ioyned with many yéeres then age is a Crowne of glory Pro. 16 3. when it is found in the way of righteousnesse As for Wiues Saint Paul teacheth them obedience Ephe. 5.22 Wiues sub your selues vnto your husbands as vnto the Lord. And that more willingly they might performe this duty he yeeldeth this reason for the Husband is the Wiues head verse 23. Now it were a monstrous thing for the body not to be vnder the head Againe Wiues submit your selues to your Husbands as it is comely in the Lord teaching that it is a foule and vncomely thing if the wife bee not in subiection to the husband And for the comfort of all inferiours wée must note that they must be subiect vnto the Lord and for the Lords sake as is to bee séene in the subiection of children subiects and seruants that their mind beeing still fastened vpon their heauenly rather then vpon their earthly Master or Husband they may with lesse griefe beare the yoke of obedience Yea Schollers if they knew what good they get by their Schoolemasters who traine them vp in knowledge and lay in them the very ground-worke of Learning whereby they are made fit to serue most profitably in the Church or Common-wealth willingly also would confesse that they should defraud them of their due if they doe not honour and reuerence them Q. We haue now heard of the honour that inferiors owe to their superiors whether by nature as Parents or by publike place in the Common-wealth as gouernors or in the Church as Pastors and Ministers or by age as Elders or by voluntary subiection and that either in priuate households as to Husbands or masters of families or to Schoolemasters as profitable to the youths of many places but do not these superiors also owe to their inferiors some duties A. Yes and first to begin with Parents as they of their children must bee honoured so must they also giue cause of honour Parents owe to their children diuers duties wherof some are to be done in the childhood of their children some when they are come to riper age and some at all times must be performed Q. What are Parents bound to do to children in their childhood A. First in their infancy they must haue care that they may haue things necessary for the sustenance of their life when they are not able to helpe themselues and this the fathers and mothers may learne of the beasts of the field and birds of the ayre who leaue not their young ones vntil they be fit to shift for themselues 1. Sam. 1.23 as Anna gaue her childe sucke vntill shee would weine him Secondly when they are come to any vnderstanding they must not prolong the time to instruct them first in the very principles and grounds of Religion For if Thou teach thy childe in the trade of his life Pro. 22.6 when hee is old he will not depart from it And therefore the Apostle admonisheth thus Fathers Ephes 6.4 bring vp your children in instruction and information of the Lord. In the booke of Deuteronomy it is a charge very often giuen vnto Parents to teach their children Gods Law Yea it is worth marking how in all their extraordinary ceremonies or actions the children were instructed what was meant thereby As if the children should inquire when they saw their fathers to eate in
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