haires 〈◊〉 her head kissed them annointed them â—ith precious ointment and what was 〈◊〉 which that woman thought too much for such a friende True it is therefore that the lesse we sée the goodnesse of our God the lesse we loue him but great is the affection of them to whom many sinnes are forgiuen Knowing this then that remembraunce of hard estate before will stirre the heart vp to him in loue that hath made it happie and that sight of ougly sinne lodging still in mée and cleauing to my soule and flesh will make mee praise his name who yet in mercie imputeth not the same vnto mée Vse indéede often with your selfe and especially when you féele your heart most prone and fit thereunto to viewe your sinnes against euery commaundement howe many and monstrous they are in thought worde and deede sit and thinke with your selfe what is commaunded sometimes in one sometimes in another what woonderfull perfection is required in euerie one what braunches and members euerie one hath what terrible iudgements are due to the breakers therof how far from the full absolute perfourmance of any tittle of any one of them you your selfe are therefore in what case you stand for the same euen sure of eternal destruction both of bodie soule in hel fier Yet notwithstanding how you are released of mercie not of merite that with the preciousest ransom that euer was the heart bloud of Iesus Christ the sonne of God both God man so that heauen earth may perish but you cannot perish Que. The examination of the conscience touching this commaundement Ans As for example I set view this coÌ„mandemeÌ„t wherof now we haue spokeÌ„ Thou shalt haue none other gods but me Considering what things are biddeÌ„â—r forbidden vnto me in the same And â—s alreadie now hath béene prooued first I sée I am commanded herein to worâ—hip the Lord my God and him onely to â—erue not ioyning any fellowes to him â—t all of which worship many points â—here bee but they may bee reduced â—nto a fewe First I sée I am bound to â—oue him aboue all that is in my heart and soule to make more account of him than of all the worlde or any creature in heauen or earth to cleaue faster vnto him and his wil than to any thing to estéeme him and preferre him yea euen aboue mine owne saluation if they could come in comparison together for Hee that loueth father or mother Matth. 10.28 sister or brother wife or childe or any thing more than me is not worthie of me Secondly I am commaunded to feare him aboue all that is with a godly reuerence to stande more in awe of him and his worde than of any thing else whatsoeuer to be more loath not for feare onely but euen for loue to displease him grieue him and offende him than any or all the creatures in heauen or earth beside in respect of that which he is able to lay vpon mee if I forsake him to account nothing of any thing that any man can doe vnto me mindefull euer of this saying Feare not them that can kill the bodie and are not able to kill the soule Matth. 10. but feare him that can cast both bodie and soule into hell fire Thirdly I sée that in this commaundement I am charged to make my prayers to none but to God onely for the reasons aboue in their place alledged Fourthly I sée I am commaunded not to thinke that things goe by fortune and chaunce or that any thing is done which GOD knoweth not of or could not let but that I acknowledge him to be the guider and gouernour of all things and that what good soeuer I receiue I haue it from him and therefore that I trust and stay vpon him alone at all times and in all my matters whatsoeuer And for so much as neither I nor any can either loue him or feare him pray to him or trust in him vnlesse we knowe him therefore I sée also that I am in this commaundement straitely bound â—o long as I liue to labour and trauell by all meanes appointed to knowe the Lorde and his trueth out of his worde and looke howe much I want of knowing any thing that is reueiled in his worde so farre am I guiltie of the breache of this Lawe And if it please the Lorde to blesse me with knowledge of his trueth or any thing else whatsoeuer I sée that in this commandement I am charged to giue thankes to him for it in such full manner and measure of féeling as any way is due to that benefite For if I forget to be thankefull I forget that the Lorde in that thing is my good God And if I ascribe the praise and thankes to any thing else whatsoeuer otherwise than as to the instrument of God I make my selfe another GOD beside the Lorde euen that thing wherevnto I giue the thankes and I breake this commaundement These and many such other things I sée are laide vpon me and al men and women in this first commandement then I thinke or say with my self vnto the Lord O my good God and gratious father O my swéete Lord guide most righteous what doe I sée euen in this but one law of thine against my selfe my soule and bodie why I should neuer come in thy kingdome nor lift vp mine eyes to heauen in hope of any comfort This is but one Lawe of ten and contayneth but a fewe dueties in respect of all that I owe to thée and my brethren yet ah Lorde with wailing woe I speake it so guiltie I sée my selfe so fowle and ouglie before thy face and so full of breaches euerie way euen of this one commandement that I am ashamed and confounded to â—ift vp mine eies vnto thée my God For mine iniquities are increased ouermine â—ead my trespasses are growen vp to â—he heauen to me belongeth nothing but â—hame confusion it is thy mercie that â— am not vtterly destroied yea eueÌ„ thy â—ercie maruellous that the earth as â—eary of so wicked a burden shrinketh â—ot from vnder my féete and hellish pit 〈◊〉 gulfe of endlesse woe receiueth me â—ot into it For what pleasure is â—ere in that seruaunt that being bid 〈◊〉 his master doe diuers thinges yet â—ot in any one obeyeth or perfourmeth 〈◊〉 maisters will Can hée like him â—ill hee loue him No no full soone euen I my selfe would loath and cast off such a one Ah Lorde then for my selfe what should I say Is there any seruaunt so bound vnto his master as I am bounde to thee Is there any master that can and will so quitte his seruaunts paines as thou in mercie my obedience Or can any mortall man so iustly challenge the obedience of his hireling as thou my God maist challenge the seruice of me thy creature first made of nothing by thy hande and then most dearely bought againe with precious price No no my bodie my life my heart
onely shoulde attende If affection be good attention faileth and if attention stande affection dyeth And therefore séeing that euen reason teacheth mee that to call vppon the name of God not as I ought to do is plainly to abuse his name take it in vaine neither in this point can I cleare my selfe but broken herein also I haue this his commaundement What vaine vowes and promises haue passed from me néedelesse to be made Vowes and fruitlesse to be kept For sorcerie and witchcraft charming and coniuring am I able to say I haue as earnestlie abhorred them as I ought euerie way so absteyned from them as I shoulde Nay hath not rather ease béene sought in paine of mee by these meanes Charming or at least wished if I coulde haue gotten them My selfe and my friends my children and goods haue I loued obedience more than thē Or hath not euer some base creature as swine or such like béene dearer to mee than the Lord séeking by charme to saue the one and not fearing by sinne to loose the other God sift not my guilt euen nowe in this for practise or will for my selfe or for others wil surely accuse me Further and beside al these let it be wel weied of anie Christian heart that feareth God indéede and carefullie séeketh the credite of his name howe often vnreuerentlie in sporting and playing in shooting bowling in dising carding Gaming we vse his name Scripture phrase howe the phrase of scripture wil rowle out of our mouthes in iesting and light conferences howe fearefully we vse him in cursing banning our bretheren Banning and surely he shall sée no smal guilt touching this commādement in euerie one of vs if God in iustice weigh vs in the balance and rewarde vs as he findeth weight of sinne full duelie to deserue Where is that happie man or woman so waking and sléeping so sitting and going so speaking and kéeping silence so liuing and dying as for no sin of theirs for no infirmitie for no slip or fal the name of God truth hath bin euil spoken or thought of Let this man and woman appeare and boast that in great measure they haue kept this commaundement But if none such can bee found whose frailtie hath not fostred in reprobate minds a misliking of good thinges then let all fleshe fall downe before his footestoole and sewe out pardon for that liuing so looselie they haue taken his name in vaine and broken this commandement Last of all if wee cast our eyes about consider a little the manifolde meanes prouided by the Lord to do vs good in bodie and soule and euerie way Meanes not vsed are we able to say wee haue neglected none but euer vsed them as wee ought reuerentlie carefullie and with thankesgiuing Hath neuer an vnprofitable bashfulnesse made vs conceyle our bodilie griefe or refuse the meanes thought méete to doe vs good Hath not carelesse contempt robbed vs of the remedie appointed for our soules And hath not vnthriftie selfewill reiected meanes to increase our wordlie estate If these all or anie be true we haue despised the wisedome of the Lord which appeareth in these things and should be magnified by them and in them we haue polluted his name our selues greatly occasioned others to thinke lightly of good things and grieuouslie guiltie we stand before him for it of the breache of this commandement What should I say of not rebuking others according to our place whom we haue noted to offende in any of these Not rebuking which is a thing as hath béene saide required also in this Lawe and therefore a thing that resting in vs doeth crie for vengeaunce though in all the rest wee were pure and innocent For we were not borne for our selues but also for others and the bodie the soule the goods and estate of our brethrē should be déere vnto vs we not séeing and suffering them by our wils to do the thing that we knowe will hurt them What I say should I speake of this and many other braunches yet remaining Doe we not sée already shame ynough and grieuous sinne in great abundance Where were we nowe then euen for these that haue béene named if the percing eyes of the liuing GOD should prie into vs and with iust rewarde séeke to pay the wants he could espie in vs Could we escape the pit of endlesse paine Speake in the feare of God euen what you sée Are you pure and blamelesse in these all Dare you stande out and make the challenge Come iudge stay not sift me and spare not thy tryall I feare not for all these haue I kept from my youth O sinnefull fleshe espie thy case Thou canst not thou maiest not and I knowe thou darest not vnlesse the dreadfull wrath of God haue sealed vp thy sight And therefore euen in this commaundement also as in the former crie rather vp to heauen with shrillish shrike Wash me O Lord from these my sinnes and cleanse me from my wickednesse Haue mercie vpon me O gratious God and according to the multitude of thy mercies doe away mine offences O sweete Sauiour who may not see what he is without thee Full heauie laden I come vnto thee Christ my deere God as thou hast promised refresh and ease me Amen Amen The fourth Commaundement Remember that thou keepe holie the Sabaoth day Question WHat is the meaning of this commaundement Ans Your booke answereth that the hallowing of the Sabaoth day is to rest from our labours in our calling and in one place to assemble our selues together and with feare and reuerence to heare marke and lay vp in our hearts the worde of GOD preached vnto vs to pray altogether that which we vnderstande with one consent and at the times appointed to vse the Sacramentes in fayth and repentaunce and all our life long to rest from wickednesse that the Lord by his holy spirit may worke in vs his good worke and so begin in this life euerlasting rest Que. Had not the Iewes diuers feasts beside this Sabaoth Ans Yes in déede Some of God immediatly appointed and some by themselues vpon special occasion By the Lord they were tied to thrée solemne feasts in the yere at which he would haue all the males to appeare before him To wit The feast of vnleauened bread that is Easter Leuit. 23. Exod. 23.15 or the passeouer in remēbrance how the Angel passed ouer their houses when in one night he slewe all the first borne in AEgypt both of man and beast The feast of the haruest of the first fruits of their labours which they had sowen in the fields Verse 16. which was Whitsontide or Pentecost in remembrance that the lawe was giuen fiftie daies after their departure out of AEgypt And the feast of gathering fruits in the end of the yeare Verse 16. when they had cleansed the fields This was the feast of Tabernacles putting them in mind that 40.
of their woe whose paine in pietie they shoulde neuer wish to sée finally euen euerie way to God to Prince to Countrey to friendes their owne soules enemies most daungerous and pernicious The Lorde Iesus Christ open their eyes touche their hearts and conforme their practise of behauiour to his will if it may stand with his good liking Que. I pray you nowe goe forward in recitall of the exercises of this Sabaoth Ans Secondlie beside the diligent hearing of the worde preached on this day and read vnto vs it is our dueties and a godly exercise fit for the day amongest our selues or with our pastor and preacher to conferre and talke of that which hath béene saide and to aske questions howe this and that is to be vnderstoode Such example haue we in the Gospell where it is saide that when Christ was alone Mark 4.10 they that were about him with the twelue asked him of the parable which before he had vttred and he readilie expounded the same vnto them Then vttered he moe and without parables saith the text spake nothing vnto them Verse 34. but he expounded all things apart to his Disciples Thirdly to receiue together the supper of the Lord Luke 22. Acts. 20.7 as we are commanded and the Church euer accustomed to doe To attende vnto Baptisme if occasion so serue duely pondering the promise that is past vs to serue the Lorde and praying faithfully for his guiding grace to be powred vpon our selues that or those infants then presented to the Church that they and we may euer fulfill what we haue vowed before the congregation Fourthlie from a true féeling heart of Gods receiued goodnes to giue him thankes on this day for his many and great mercies vpon bodie and soule at home and abroad vpon our selues and ours knowen and vnknowen bestowed the wéek passed vpon vs to pray for the continuaunce of the same all the next wéeke ensuing euer else with his gratious supplie of all necessaries whatsoeuer without the which either our worldly estate or spiritual obedience to him cannot be sustained Fiftly to consider of the poore which the Lord hath set amongest vs as subiects for our loue to worke vpon to sée what they want how they liue to visit them and prouide for them This hath euer of Gods children béene greatlie regarded and is a part of the discipline of the Church also The Apostle Paul ordained a gathering in the church of Corinth euery Sabaoth day to this vse 1. Cor. 16.1 and that to the example of other reformed Churches Christ visited the cripples and lazers on the Sabaoth day Iohn 5. and healed him that had none to put him in the poole The borne blinde he healed on the Sabaoth day Iohn 9. And from the godlie care of our forefathers touching this matter haue flowen our hospitals and almes-houses with such like This is an exercise of fayth and loue fitte for all times but chiefely on the Sabaoth day to be regarded Thus wee féede Christ when he is hungrie Matth. 25.35 cloath him naked visite him sicke and so foorth and sure sure shall wee bee to finde it at the generall accounting daie of his Lastly to take care and conferre amongest our selues how to mainetaine all meanes that serue to the knowledge of God as the ministers scholers vniuersities schooles and such like To meditate also this day more than other daies of the creatures of God and of his excéeding goodnesse toward vs in them What it is to keepe holy the Sabaoth day is an exercise of the Sabaoth with a number such moe that were nowe too long particularlie to name Therefore to conclude and end this matter easilie may we hereby sée that to kéepe holy the Sabaoth day is nothing else but euen to separate and consecrate the same to all godlie exercises wherein our faith to God and obedience is to be shewed Que. If these then and their like bee commanded to vs on this day to be perfourmed their contraries I take by the same Lawe to be forbidden Ans Truth it is and must néedes be so but I thinke it néedelesse now againe to goe ouer them and shewe their contraries rather wey them your selfe and marke them particularly Onely these I wish by name may more duelie bee thought of that if the sanctification of this day consist greatly in labouring to knowe the Lorde by the preaching of his worde howe shall they safely passe the curse of God for the breache hereof who with benummed soules parched padded senselesse and euery way most hardened hearts either lie and sléepe on the one side idle or tossing the alepot with their neighbours suffer this day to passe without any instruction and like dumbe dogges hold their peace no way discharging the dutie of a true minister and one that tendereth the glory of God his owne his peoples soules What should I say of them that séeing the haruest great and the labourers fewe and féeling within themselues working a secrete power perswading to put their helping hand to this businesse yet doe not but suffer the people to pollute the Sabaoth for want of teaching and stay themselues from this worke of the Lorde vpon causes that as it is to be feared will melt away and not stand to excuse them when GOD shall come vnto iudgement Euery seruaunt to his owne master it is true standeth or falleth yet may one seruant admonish an other to béeware betimes and therefore with my whole heart I wish a due regard hereof Againe if to sanctifie the Sabaoth be to consecrate it to holy vses such as haue béene named is it possible for vs to escape the reuenging hande of the eternall God if he content in mercie with one day in the 7. we denie him that also and dedicate it to drunkennes to feasting and surfetting c. Nowe in the name of the God of heauen and of Iesus Christ his son who shall come to iudge the quick the dead at the latter day I require it of al that euer shall reade these words that as they wil answere me before the face of God all his Aungels at the sounde of the last trump they better wey whether carding dising tabling bowling and cocking stage plaies and summer games whether gadding to this ale or that to this bearebaiting that bulbaiting with a number such be exercises commanded of God for the sabaoth day or no. O hartal frosen void of the féeling of the mercie of thy God that hauing euery day in 6. euery houre in euery day euery minute in euery houre so tasted of the swéet grace of thy God in Christ as that without it thou hadst perished euery minute yet canst not tel howe possibly to passe ouer one day to his praise vnlesse one halfe of it be spent in carding bowling Awake awake in Iesus Christ admonished awake séeing al the wéeke long the Lord of
â—orde alas I knowe it is not great yâ—ough neither answereth it the greatnesse of my sinne but thou canst giue greater if it please thée O deare Father rent my heart and giue mée féeling cleaue it a sunder by thy pearcing spirit that from it may flowe the teares of true repentaunce strike good Lorde this harde rocke of mine that it may gushe out sorowfull water for so fowle offence and what wanteth in mée any wayes supplie in mercie with my Sauiour in whom thou art perfectly pleased Graunt O God vnto mée thy gratious spirit to kill in mée continually more and more the strength and power of sinne and to rayse mée vp in bodie and soule to more obedience towardes thée Let not my wantes stande euer swéete Lorde betwixt thy mercie and mée but giue mee will to wishe it giue me power to doe it giue mée loue to like it and euer strength to continue in it that thou hast appointed for mee to walke in before thée in this worlde Heare mee O Lorde O God O swéete and endlesse comfort of my sinnefull soule for Iesus Christ his sake that liuing heare I may euer serue thee and dooing so I may neuer loose thée Amen Amen The second Commaundement Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen image nor the likenesse of any thing that is in heauen aboue or in the earth beneath c. FIrst for the order of this Commaundement eyther wee may answere that this first Table contayning the honour and duetie of men to the Lorde as the seâ—ond doeth their duetie to man and the worshippe of GOD being partâ—y inwarde partly outwarde haâ—ing in the former Commaundement laide downe the former kinde to wit of inward worship fitly now in this the two next folow the outward duties which to the same our gratious God we iustly owe. Or else thus That the Lorde in the first commaundement hauing separated himselfe from al other gods deuised and made by men and commanded all mortall men and women his creatures subiect to his Lawe to worship him onely and none but him here now in this second precept as order required he setteth downe modum rationeÌ„ iuxta quam coli velit the waie and maner how he wil bee serued Forasmuch as in vaine he should haue doone the first except he had done the second also The way and maner is this euen according to his will and nature Which albeit it may séeme to flesh and bloud not so fitlie done by a negatiue lawe as by an affirmatiue it might yet besides that we are not to teache the Lorde euen in speciall wisedome hath he thus doone it For first our natures are very prone to the breache hereof which by a negatiue is stronglier beat downe than by an affirmatiue and then againe the Gentiles next neighbours to the Iewes were very much giuen to idols and images and therefore by name forbidden to the Iewes least by the Gentiles in that point they should be defiled And yet doth not the Lord here so set downe a negatiue but that he includeth an affirmatiue in it For as he saith Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen image and meaneth thereby Thou shalt not worship mee with any deuise of â—hine owne contrary to my wil and naâ—ure so implieth he herein the affirmaâ—iue namely thou shalt in euery reâ—pect worship me according to my will â—nd nature Moreouer remember here â—gaine which hath béene touched beâ—re that both in this commandement 〈◊〉 in all other the Lord setteth downe 〈◊〉 name that thing the doing whereof 〈◊〉 not doing is most decent or horriâ—â—e And therefore in this place forâ—â—â—ding all false and fonde worshippe 〈◊〉 his Maiestie hee setteth downe in name that which is most vnséemely and vile to wit Idolatrie For of all wrong worshippe to make him like a man or woman or other worse creature to prostrate our selues thereunto and to thinke wee worship him in so dooing is most horrible What expositions your Booke giueth you may looke and marke adding for more plainnesse thereunto thus much that the very meaning of this commandement in effect is thus much as if the Lorde should haue said although the corrupt nature of man bee such as naturally he desireth my presence in some visible forme and shape foolishly thinking that then he is most neare vnto mee when he hath before his eyes some visible picture of mee yet for as much as this and the worship hereby doone vnto mee is neither agréeable to my will nor nature I therefore commaund thée that thou make to thy selfe no grauen image c. That is that thou goe not about to represent me by any likenesse of any creature whatsoeuer neither to worship mée in or vnder any such showes or after any way than out of my worde thou learnest to bee agréeable both to my will and nature Easilie then may we sée what wee are occasioned here in this commandement to consider of namely 1 The making of Images 2 The worshipping of them 3 The reasons God vseth here Touching the first then vsually vppon this occasion is mooued this question whether simplie it bee vnlawfull and misliked of the Lorde to make any kinde of Image by painting carâ—ing ingrauing c. And it séemeth yea â—ecause the woordes are so flatte withâ—ut exception Thou shalt not make any grauen image c. For answere whereunto 3. seuerall â—udgements are founde amongst men â—ome thinke in déede all pictures and â—mages to be vnlawfull aswell in Ciâ—ill vse as in religious and such are the â—urkes by name if it bee truely writâ—n of them Whose money they say hath neuer any image vpon it but certain Arabike letters their other works as carpets couerings quisshins c. vtterly also without any image of man or any liuing creature vpon them and all because they thinke it vnlawful Others thinke it lawful to make any picture at all yea euen of God himselfe so that the same be not worshipped as a bare picture image And they vnderstand this commaundement of images made to this ende to be adored These are our Papists The thirde iudgement and best is of them that thinke it lawful to make pictures of things which we haue séene to a ciuill vse but not to vse them in the Church and for religion Now for the first opinion it is out of all question false and too superstitious For howsoeuer the Turks receiue not such profe yet we that imbrace cleaue to the authoritie of Gods worde know that the Lorde hath not lefte this commaundement neither any other without large and plaine exposition in other places of the scripture and therfore we are to conferre place with place practise with precept and so to sée whether in déede all images be forbidden to be made or no. First then marke the wordes in Leuiticus Leuit. 26.1 Ye shall make you no Idols nor grauen Image neither reare you vp any pillers c. Out of which place thus I
reason Looke how the Lorde forbiddeth the rearing vp of a piller so doth he forbid the making of images for he ioyneth them here in one prohibition but he doth not simply forbid in all respects the rearing vp of a piller therfore neither the other The seconde proposition is prooued thus Gen. 28.18 Iacob pitched the stone on ende that had lien vnder his heade all night powred oyle on it and calleth it Beth-el the house of God Iosue 2 Iosua commaunded by the commaundement of God twelue stones to be pitched vp Samuel pitched vp a stone also betwixt Mispeh and Sheu 2. Sam. 7.12 and called the name thereof Ebenezer Therefore not the rearing vp of a piller but the rearing vp of it to be worshipped idolatrously was forbidden Euen so of images For as I sayde they are ioyned of GOD in the place of Leuiticus as thinges like equally forbidden A most notable place also for the proofe hereof is that in Iosua where the Israelites woulde haue warred vpon their brethren Iosua 22. if they had erected that altar for religion which in déede they did set vp for a ciuill vse as there you may sée Besides all this doe wee not sée that GOD himselfe commaunded the Cherubims Lillies Pomgranetes Oxen Lyons and such like pictures to bee made and sayth he had giuen his Spirite to Bezaliel Exod. 25. whereby he might haue vnderstanding to worke all these workes Nowe thinke with your selfe would GOD eyther haue commaunded images to be made or ascribed the abilitie to doe such woorkes to the grace of his Spirite if in this commaundement giuen and published before the time he had simplie forbidden the same in all respectes It can not be vnlesse GOD should be contrarie to him selfe and therefore the Turkes or whosoeuer else so thinkes are deceiued The same might yet further be prooued by the commaundement of GOD to make the Brasen Serpent and by Christes not finding fault with Caesars image vpon the money that was shewed him and many proofes moe if néede were For the seconde opinion of them that thinke it lawfull to make any picture yea euen of GOD himselfe and to set them vp in Churches so long as no worship is doone to them as they are bare images there is great cause why they should be gainesaid and resisted euen in both But especially in the first for they oppose themselues to the true sense of this commaundement to diuerse other plaine Scriptures to the nature of God to reason and to the iudgementes and practise of godlie men as by particular viewe of euery one appeareth The sense of the commandement against it For touching the true and direct ende of this commandement it hath béene said before and is most true that it is chiefly to forbid al pictures of God as the most grosse blindenesse and impietie of all other bicause he may not be imagined to be like either man or woman or any other creature Other Scriptures He neuer was séene and therefore can not be painted or pictured like any creature Deutro 4.15 Esa 40.18 Acts. 17.29 but with a breach of this commaundement For other places of the scripture plainly forbidding the same I haue quoted them before nothing can bee more expresse Thirdly they oppose theÌ„selues to his nature Nature against it which is such as no heauenly creature can resemble much lesse any earthly no natural thing much lesse any artificial And to set vp a picture of God not like him whether it be to offende him and to dishonor him if otherwise we cannot conceiue it let vs iudge by our selues who quickly woulde take it in great snuffe if one picturing vs should make either the eies too great the nose too long or high the eares mouth armes hands or any thing wrong Yea we would burst it in pieces bid away with it and not abyde the sight of it Yet dare we abuse the God of heauen our creator and maker and set vp 20. thousande pictures of him in seuerall places neuer awhit like him for it is vnpossible they should be neither one like another O Christ open our eyes that we may sée this vanitie and the sinne of that church that maintaineth this as good For truely it is fearefull thus to play with the Lord whom neuer eyes sawe nor can see as he is in nature and beâ—ng Fourthly they do against al reason for God is a spirite Reason against it and therefore â—annot be pictured God is infinite and â—herefore cannot be pictured God as often hath beene saide was neuer yet â—éene of any and then how is it possible â—o picture him Youth and age length â—readth thicknes white or blacke this â—ember or that these are not things â—â—cident to the Godhead and therefore â—mpossible in verie reason to picture God Last of all they oppose themâ—elues both to the iudgement and pracâ—ise of the Godly in thus doing All practise of the godlie against it For to omit the iudgements of the Prophetes and Apostles so lately quoted crying against this impietie It is verie worthie noting that the auncient Father Damascene a defender of other images and pictures greatly yet saith Deum conarivelle effingere Lib. 4. cap. 8. rem stultam esse impiam non enim imagines Deus admittit To goe about saith he to picture God is both a verie foolish thing and a wicked For God may not be pictured And if you marke the practise of the godlie I pray you of all those notable visions and manifestations made vnto them which of them euer went about to make a picture Surely if they would not euer presume to picture God in that manner that they sawe him and talked with him because they well knewe these were but sparcles as it were of his glorie and maiestie that they sawe and hee in nature a farre other thinâ— than euer he appeared vnto them or they able to beholde if he had doone it howe shall we beholde nay O Lorde what blindenesse is it in vs to set him out as we list our selues and euen as euerie sinnefull man and rude painter pleaseth Therefore I trust we sée this to be a fault and euen forbidden in this seconde commaundement to make any image of God himselfe The thirde opinion of them that thinke there is a lawfull vse of some Images and pictures though not in reâ—igion is most true otherwise were the â—ift cunning and abilitie to doe these things by painting caruing grauing or such like a wicked thing when as yet we heard before that it procéedeth of Gods â—pirite either in Bezaliel or whosoeuer â—lse indued with it But then hereupoÌ„ ariâ—eth another questioÌ„ as namely whether â—mages pictures in churches may not â—e had though we put no religion in theÌ„ Wherunto we may answere that howâ—oeuer it be tollerable in some mens oâ—inions and a thing indifferent to haue â—ome sort of pictures in the Church for 〈◊〉 ciuil
heauen doth defend féede thée cōfort blesse thée is contented but in one day especially to be regarded vow with thy self in request of strength to kéepe it that to the Lord that one day shall be consecrated of thée obserued according to his will Que. These things thē thus passed ouer I pray you are these words Six days shalt thou labour c. a commaundement so that we sinne if we labour not on them al Ans No they are no commandement but a permission or a remission rather of so much right of the Lords For euer hath the Church vpon occasions separated some of the wéeke days also to the seruice of the Lord rested from their labors Which they neuer wold haue presumd to do if the Lord had commaunded to the contrary And euen now our holy daies commanded by publike order are not all to be misliked if to the glory of GOD and sanctification of his name they be bestowed as they are intended Therefore a commaundement I say they are not but a remitting of the Lords right who in déede might chalenge all Que. And for the 7. day it selfe may wee not in case doe any thing thereon because the words here are so in it thou shalt doe no maner of worke c Ans I haue said before if you remēber that the precise strict rest of the Iewes on this day was ceremoniall therfore now by Christ taken away that it bindeth not vs. And therefore touching your question and our estate in these daies vnder the Gospell very certaine it is that not euen in the seuenth day we stand so bound to rest but that in it also we may worke if either necessitie so vrgently requireth or the déede doone be greatly to the glorie of God Examples of the first are Dauid eating the shewebread 1. Kings 22. and the Disciples gathering and rubbing the eares of corne Of the second Christ himselfe healing on the sabaoth day many which yet the Iewes thought to be vnlawful The discourse of Christ touching this point in the Gospell is very woorthy noting wherein he flatly and strongly refuteth this superstitious conceit of the sabaoth in the Pharisees and all other by diuerse argumentes as first by the example of Dauid aboue named Secondly of their lawfull practise they circumcised children and slewe their sacrifices c. on the Sabaoth Thirdly by the testimonie of Osce I will rather haue mercie than sacrifice That is loue to our brethren than outward seruice Fourthly from the lesse to the greater it is lawfull on the Sabaoth day to pull out a brute beast that is fallen into a pit or is in such like danger as néeds it must be helped or else it perisheth therfore much more a man c. By all which you sée that man is not made for the Sabaoth but the Sabaoth for man And euen in the right of our Christ wee also are in some sort Lordes of the Sabaoth as in it to doe what vrgent cause constraineth in déede and may not conueniently be differred Que. Here is named in the wordes of the commandement the straunger that is within the gates I pray you therefore howe farre thinke you this bindeth vs Ans I doe willingly still tell you my opinion in euerie thing my selfe and you also I trust readie to yéeld to better aduise when we shall heare it For my part I sée not how we may aunswere it to the Lorde if being priuate men and householders we suffer within our gate to lurke and lie hid and that refuseth to obey the Lord in the sanctifying of this day as is commaunded to the glorie of his name after that such meanes haue béene vsed for the reforming of them as possiblie we can And the more I wey with my selfe that most straite law of the Lorde for execution of them that should séek to estrange any from the true God Deut. 13. the more I am confirmed by the verie end equitie and meaning of it in this opinion against al affection of kindred aliance friendship or whatsoeuer Reade the words mark the zeale which God requireth in al men towards him when as no meanes will reforme our friends but they stil peraduēture tempt vs. And then by the way let it not passe vnmarked I pray you howe straitely all masters and mistresses stand bound to sée that the Lorde be honoured not onely in themselues but by manseruaunt and maide seruant olde and young in their houses of discretion of the Sabaoth day séeing God of purpose nameth them And sée againe how this naming of the straunger doubleth the bond more vpon vs. For by comparison if we stand charged with our stranger and guest much more with our daily seruauntes children c. it must néedes be and indéede wey it well Que. I am then thus I thinke satisfied in euery point of this commaundement neither doe I remember what further to aske you herein Ans The commandements of the Lord saith Dauid are exceeding broad neyther in déede is any man able so to laie open any one of them but iudgement by the gift of God increased more may be séene and espied in them but thus much nowe shall suffice for my measure this only added that this reason drawen for the Lordes owne example who rested from his worke on this day ought greatly to mooue vs to the carefull kéeping of it as euen the very first worde also of the Lawe for if you marke it he doeth not say Kéepe holie the Sabaoth day but Remember to keepe it holie that is haue an earnest care of it and in any case forget it not but remember to kéepe it holie And thus much of this Commaundement The examination of the conscience The profitable vse and application of this commandement is to wey and duely consider that it is the Lawe of no man but of God the chiefest lawegiuer the wisest most righteous and most able to reuenge instituted of purpose by him for these and such like ends First that we should wholy consecrate as that day ourselues vnto the Lord his seruice hearing reading meditating those things which might lay before vs the goodnesse of almightie God toward vs and our great ingratitude to him againe with all other sinnes whereby we haue prouoked him to wrath stirring vp our hearts to true repentaunce for them and amendement of the same Secondly for the ease of seruants cattell which otherwise by the vnmerciful gréedinesse and crueltie of some might happily be abused Lastly to expresse and lay before vs some shew of that spirituall and eternal rest in heauen which we all so looke and long for Then these thinges considered to call to minde howe often and grieuously wee haue offended against euery one of these as against the first by absenting ourselues from the Church What it is to be absent from Church and place of common prayer and place of common méeting when wee might haue béene present if