this people at the time when they had made an end of the tything of their increase doth declare that they had in charge frō the Lord to relieue with their goodes the Leuite straunger fatherlesse and widowe For in Deuter. before the people should craue of God that hee would blesse their land they must protest in set words that they had giuen vnto the Leuites straunger fatherlesse and widowe accordingly as he had commaunded them and so proceede after declaration of this their obedience to his will to craue his blessing for the people and the lande thus vsing their goods to the commoditie of their brethren in lending and giuing according to Gods appointment they did giue apparaunt tokens of loue towardes their neighbours The Apostle Paule will not acquite him that hath stolne if he shall steale no more but chargeth him that he shall labour that he may haue some thing to giue to him that needeth that way to practise loue and the workes thereof vppon his needy brethren It is not onely therefore the dutie of rich-men to giue something towarde the reliefe of the needy but euen the poore must spare somewhat of their pouertie to the comfort of Christ in his needie members which be it neuer so litle that they offered of their pouertie if there go a willing and a faithfull minde withall is much more acceptable to God then great summes giuen from some wealthie men of their superfluitie onely without like faith or loue vnto the Lord as wee are taught in the parable of the widowe casting in her two mites into the treasurie which are iustified by our sauiour Christe to be more then all that the riche had cast in because theirs was of their superfluitie but hers of her pouertie If any ought to be dispensed withall from declaring their loue in this parte it is very reasonable that he who by reason of his long loitering in acquaintāce with stealing idlenes was become through custome whiche is an other nature vnapt for labour should be discharged vpon the maintenance of him selfe by some honest trade yet notwithstanding euen hee standeth charged from the Lorde to reserue some thing for the prouision of his needie members To encourage vs to duetie in this part of mercifull dealing and giuing to the needie the Lorde doeth promise that it shall bee paide vs againe in our greatest need For thus saith the Prophet Isay If thou refresh the hungry and troubled soule then shall thy light spring out in darknesse The Lord shall satisfie thy soule in drought and make fat thy bones and thou shalt be like a spring of water whose waters fayle not A great blessing of God to be prouided for in drought a godly forcaste to lay vp in prosperitie that whiche we may be assured will not only come againe but also will be sure to watch that time when for our neede it shall be moste welcome vnto vs. Who would not be content to giue if he might be sure to haue it againe at his moste neede And beholde we haue letters patents from the Lorde vnder the broade seale of his bloude for the findeing of that wee haue laide out for him euen in our greatest neede How can we then be slack in the liberall laying out of some thing for an euil day according to the counsell of the holie Ghoste in Ecclesiastes Giue a portion sayth he to seuen and to eight for thou knowest not what euill shall be vpon the earth Moreouer the sentence of that great day proceedeth against the damned persons in this fourme Departe from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire whiche is prepared for the diuel and his angels for I was an hungred and ye gaue me no meate I thirsted and ye gaue me no drink I was a straunger and ye lodged me not I was naked and yee cloathed me not sick and in prison and ye visited me not Verilie I say vnto you in as much as ye did it not to one of the least of these ye did it not to me And if the promise cānot drawe vs the forme of sentence must necessarily prouoke vs to obedience heerein We learned before that negligent delaying whereby our neighboure is indaungered in his body or life was forbidden in this commaundement and then is speedy helpe and diligent vsing of the present occasion that is offered to doe our neighbour good giuen vs heere in commaundement Wee haue a singular example of this in the fourthe of Hester where Mardocai telleth the Queene that if she should let slip that present occasion then offered her to doe good vnto the Iewes shee and her fathers house shoulde perish and yet deliuerance would appeare vnto the Iewes from some other place In like manner Iob professeth that hee had not caused the eyes of the widowe to faile in longe looking and wayting before their request were graunted but had with all spede satisfied her desire acknowledging it for a greate offence if hee had bene but slack therein euen such as if he should haue bene guiltie therof might iustly haue brought a curse vpō him Our naturall inclination goeth wholy amisse in this commaundement as in the rest which notwithstanding it lye hid in some more cloasely then in other for all the it is not so cunningly couered in a ny but that it is disclosed and discerned when occasion is offered The man that is borne again vnto the hope of euerlasting life doth so cleerely perceiue his infectiō heerin that both in hart word he acknowledgeth the great necessitie benefite of a sauiour redemer being priuy vnto himself not only of many euil fruts the haue appeared in his life cōtrarie to this commaundement but also of a disposition within that is naturally prone inclined to offend heerein The hope that he hath in his mediatour and sauiour Christ Iesus doth not make him secure and carelesse in his sinne following the inclination of his owne heart but leadeth him to a continuall strife and debate with it because it is against the honour of his God and sauiour to whom he well perceiueth that he is onely beholding for his saluation and quickeneth him to all louing dealing which is so often commended and commaunded of his good and mercifull father The naturall man seeth not any such inclination in him selfe to wrath or dulnesse vnto louing dealing with his neighbours as through the grief therwith driueth him to make much of the alone Sauiour and redeemer Christe but when he is charged with his offences that burst foorth contrary to this commaundement hee maketh light of them and putteth them vp in a common bagge saying all men haue infirmities neuer so touched with it as hee can bee compelled to magnifie the grace brought by the alone mediatour Christ and much lesse is he driuen to any earnest warre with it or great care to profite in the works of loue that are contrarie to it To conclude this commaundement if
kinde of sinne shall haue a godly wife whome the Lord shall preserue from this euill to yeeld vnto the wickednesse of others yet is his faulte neuer a deale the lesse heerein then if he should haue fallen into that extremitie of sinne because his deseruing hath called for that punishment from the Lorde which the Lorde in mercie towardes her hath withholden And in asmuch as the adulterer depriueth a man of the true comforte of his true and naturall seede and posteritie can we imagine otherwise of the Lorde but that hee will drawe one swoorde or other vppon some of his children that shall neuer ceasse to pursue them before it hath driuen them in at the dores of death Iob speaking of this sinne of adulterie sayeth that it is a fire that deuoureth all to destruction So that by this testimonie the house of the whooremonger must be consumed and there is a secret fier flaming there that threateneth to deuoure before it hath done and made a finall end which men might easily se by sundrie experiences in the world if there were no word of God to leade vs therevnto The hope to hide this sinne which bewitcheth the vngodly leadeth them into this fire of God his wrath must of necessitie be vaine because the Lorde him selfe hath taken vpon him to be reuenged of those that shall dare to breake that bond of wedlock which he hath made In the olde testamēt the Lord did by a special law made for the purpose take vpon him not only the knowledge reuealing and punishing of this sinne euen when it should be most secretly done without witnes of any other man yea or certeine knowledge frō the husbād him self but also the defence and clearing of the guiltlesse woman oppressed vexed with the vniust ielousie of her husbād who might presēt his wife whether she were guiltie in deed or onely in his ielous minde was thought to be so before the priest vnto that tryall which God had appointed established for the end After which matter solemnized with all the circumstances therof as it was appointed in the boke of Num. if the woman were defiled in deed then should her belly swel and her thighe rot if she were not defiled then should she not only be free from this punishmēt but also be blessed with fruitfulnesse as appeareth in the same place We see how greatly the lord doth abhorre adulterie taking vpon him to bewray the closest dealing in the wickednesse that can be and also what a care he hath of the vniting of their mindes who are become one by mariage in ordeyning a law to cure ielousie and so taking vppon him also the defence of the innocent partie That law is now ceased but that same God doth yet remaine bearing the same hatred to that sinne that he did before hath the like loue to innocencie that before he hath had So that there is small hope to be had when God is become the searcher him selfe when he who knoweth it is an vtter enimie vnto it and hath professed the reuealing of it yea and that more is the iust and deserued punishing thereof It would greatly feare the theefe if it were noysed that that man would searche him whome he doeth wel remember to haue passed by and behelde him while he was hiding of that whiche before hee had stolne Wee doe not reade through the whole testament the like solemnitie in the searching out of any sinne neither yet that in any other sinne the partie suspected was compelled to subscribe vnto certeine words of execration and calling for euil against himselfe if he had offended saue onely in this tryall of adulterie whiche may both teach vs in what place of sin to set this crime of adulterie and what measure of punishment to looke for after trespasse and transgression made in this parte The punishment whiche in the olde Testament was appointed to be executed againste it by the ciuil Magistrate was death according as it is written in Leuiticus The man that committeth adulterie with another mans wife because hoe hath committed adulterie with his neighbours wife the adulterer and adulteresse shall dye the death In this commaundement is not onely adultery forbidden which is when one of the offenders is ioyned or betrouthed to another in marriage but also fornication when bothe the offenders are single persons We haue learned before that it is vsuall in the commaundements vnder one kinde of euill to forbid all that bee of affinitie with it and like in wickednesse vnto the same Fornication is forbidden in expresse wordes in Deutero There shall be no whoore of the daughters of Israel neither shall there be any whoorekeeper of the sonnes of Israel The punishment of this sinne of fornication whiche was so fearefull among the people of Israel is brought in of the Apostle Paule to bring all men to suche feare of God as may restraine them from it Neither let vs commit fornication sayeth the Apostle as some of them cōmitted fornication and sell in one day twentie three thousand The life of man beeing so precious vnto our mercifull father as it is it can be no small sinne that prouoketh the Lord to procede in iudgemēt euen to the death of twentie three thousand And therefore is this notable punishment notwithout great reason ioyned to fornication which was the cause thereof For commonly this sinne is made as nothing hauing naturall infirmitie set beside it in the vsuall speech of men to hide it withall But the holy Ghoste doeth not so matche it in his speeche he doeth not set it before our eyes in a cloake of natural infirmitie whereby we should the lesse feare it but putteth vppon it the garment that in deede belongeth vnto it euen a cloake bathed with the bloud of xxiii thousand men There is great diuersitie betweene these two cloakes the one is farre vnlike the other in the eyes of the holy Ghoste this sinne is fearefully stayned with much bloud in the sight of fornicatours there is nothing in it whiche is not naturall and kindely so diuerse are their iudgements and so great is their disagreement of their opinions The Apostle Paule reasoneth against fornicatours by the worthines of our bodies whiche are the members of Christ howe great is that abasing and howe miserable to be diuorced from Christ and coupled to an harlot d ee ye not knowe sayeth the Apostle that hee whiche coupleth himselfe with an harlot is one bodie for two saith he shal be one fleshe Moste certeine it is that the bodie of an harlot can be no member of Iesus Christe And the fornicatour by the testimonie of the apostle is become one bodie with her hauing the same coniunction with her in wickednes that the husbande hathe with his lawful wife in holinesse and by the appointment of the Lorde There is great cause therefore why the holy Ghost shoulde so earnestly persuade vs to flie fornication making
what wickednesse and contempt of the grace of God That man therfore that learneth not to abate the care for outward daungers and necessities to come can neuer in trueth pray vnto the Lord that he would giue him this day his daily breade For these wordes of daily bread and this day doe cutt off the care and torment of times farre off By the promise whiche in this petition we doe trust and depende vppon the holie Ghost to the Hebrues cureth couetousnesse willing them to be content with that they haue to see that their conuersation be without couetousnesse because the Lorde hath saide I will not leaue thee nor forsake thee This promise of the Lord that he will not forsake his in the day of their necessitie is set as a bulworke to beate backe their feare of want and carefull coueting that ariseth therevpon that they may hold them wel content and apaide with their present state and condition The holie Ghoste maketh a great diuersitie betwene the godlie and wicked touching these earthly thinges for they come to the godlie as it were sleeping for so doeth he tearme their quiet laboure that wayte assuredly for the successe frō the Lord in respect of the careful toile that the vngodly are tormented with as if their liuing lay onely in their trauels There is a secrete blessing of the Lorde which must be sought for at his handes by faithfull prayes without the which all care and trauel that can be taken wil not auaile It is the blessing of the Lord that maketh riche sayeth the holie Ghost There is more in that then our fleshly and mistrustfull heart can easily be persuaded of Let vs therefore learne to lessen our mistrustfull care that we may testifie to the worlde the increase of our faith in the persuasion of his mercie towardes vs according as this petition doeth admonishe vs For in praying vnto him for these outward commodities we doe acknowledge that they be at his disposing and that all the labour in the worlde will not fetche them vnlesse it please him to giue successe Wherefore we may plainely see that when we haue trauelled or vsed those outward meanes wherby commonly benefits are procured we haue but accomplished one part and the least part of that that bringeth the benefite in deed Prayer must also be vsed and the Lorde he is to be intreated and this is not the least but the chiefe parte The godly tempt not the Lord by refusing his meanes but euen then when they doe vse those meanes they are muche in prayer for the successe and going forward of them whether it be labour counsell or friendshippe that they they vse to compasse their matter by For the want of this we see it fall out in common experience that the wisest men haue had suche successe with their deuises as the most foolish man that is could not haue made a madder matche then often times falleth out euen there where their care and counsell hath beene the greatest whiche teacheth vs to giue the Lorde his due to acknowlege him the Lord and gouernour of those temporall commodities to begge them at his handes by true and vnfeigned prayer and by faith to depend vpon him and not vpon our trauel no not where it is the greatest and promiseth the moste vnto vs. Worldly men that depend wholy in the persuasion of their heart vpon the help of their hands their wisdome or their wealth or friendship do dissemble with the Lorde in this request For they seeke that at him as his gift whiche their heart telleth them that they haue alreadie at home Couetous men that wold gather faster then he will giue how can they in trueth seeke it at his hands when they are not at any time content with that measure or portion that he doth giue neither rest in his distribution hauing such a hungrie desire as would prescribe the Lord and not be limited or prescribed by the Lord The oppresser hard cruel dealer that pretendeth to beg his bread temporal cōmodity of the Lord in the meane time is the purueyer and prouider for him selfe by suche oppressing and vnmercifull meanes as the Lorde abhorreth doeth dallie with the Lorde deceiue him selfe and maketh his praier a curse vnto his owne soule and a witnesse in the day of iudgment against his own conscience in that he hath professed in this prayer that to be the Lords gift whiche he sought of sathan by suche wayes and meanes as he approueth but the Lord abhorreth them We pray here for others aswell as for our selues he therfore that professeth to pray for others their good estate concerning temporall thinges and yet conueyeth that whiche is others or withholdeth it eyther by violence or deceipte with what conscience doeth he offer this petition to the Lord The children of God haue their faith declaring it selfe by outward thinges while they doe depende vppon him for them wherein the vngodly bewray their wante howsoeuer they boast of their inward persuasion of his goodnesse For if the Lord speede them not to their contentation they will not sticke to prouide for themselues by suche either open or secrete oppression as he hathe plainely forbidden as if he were onely the God of the soule and not of the bodie also whole man to prouide for both according to the good pleasure of his will and wee by faith to depende and wayte for a speciall blessing from him euen in outward thinges which the vngodly cannot see into For they binde the Lord so vnto the instrumentes whereby hee worketh his will that in truth they haue the glorie and he is altogether depriued thereof They be only his children that in truth acknowledge him the giuer of these outwarde benefites therfore wil vse no meanes besides those which he hathe approued The other in seeking helpe by meanes forbidden of him doe plainely speake in those their doings that they haue no faith nor cōfidēce in him we may in faith good hope aske those thinges because they make for the glorie of God who doth reigne and rule in earth by giuing vnto his their wantes euen in these outward and temporal things according as we may learne in the Psalm Where after many words declaring that God executeth iustice for the oppressed giueth bread to the hungrie loseth the prisoners kepeth the strangers relieueth the fatherlesse ouerthroweth the way of the wicked immediately it followeth The Lord shal reigne for euer ô Sion As if the Lord should not be known to reigne if he should fayle his seruants calling and depending vpon him in their distresses For we may not think that he faileth his seruants when he giueth them better benefites then those which they doe aske As if they craue deliuerance out of present daunger and he by taking them in mercie out of this life worketh a final riddaunce out of all daunger shall we say that the Lord hath not heard them Likewise if their
think once to escape neglecting so great saluation which at the first begoon to be preached by the Lorde and afterward was cōfirmed by them that heard him God bringing testimony and authoritie thervnto both with signes and woonders and diuers myracles and giftes of the holie Ghost Well did the Lorde vnderstand that words are but winde with men and therefore it was the good pleasure of his will that neither his law nor Gospel should come naked and bare into the world but with the credit of his owne glorie and countenaunce of his owne maiestie For the gospell as now we haue heard was not only preached by the Lorde Iesus but also confirmed by the ministerie of those that heard him with signes woonders and myracles so that to neglect the gouernemēt of the word is to tread vnder feete the maiestie of the Lorde Hauing made this entrance I doe proceede vnto the texte where I am enforced to speake a little of the nature of the wordes because they bring great light to the true vnderstanding and meaning of the cōmaundement The word IEHOVAH which is here englished Lorde is a name of God giuing vnto him his true nature and essence which is so to haue his beginning and being of him selfe as in him by him all thinges that are haue their beeing and therfore it is vsually set before the promises and couenants of the Lorde in the scripture that we shoulde not doubt of the perfourmance thereof seeing it is the couenant promise of that God that hath his beginning and beeing of him self and procureth the beeing and perfourmance of all things vnto them in so much that the Lorde denieth in Exodus that he was knowne to Abraham Isaac and Iacob by his name Iehouah bicause he had not perfourmed in their time the promises made for their deliuerance out of Egypt and for their possession of the lande of Canaan The verbe is not vsually expressed of the Hebrues in the like phrases where the sense is apparant and therefore of some is sette downe before the word Lorde and read thus I am the Lorde thy GOD of other some nexte after the word Lorde and then it is read thus I the Lorde am thy GOD wherin although in sense there be no difference but that both affirme one and the selfe same thinge yet bicause there is more cleare vnderstanding of that one and the same thinge by placing the verbe next after the worde Lorde I see no cause why the practise of some should be preiudiciall in this matter but that it may be said I the Lorde am thy GOD. In affirming that he is their God he assureth them of all mercy and happinesse from him selfe alone both in this life and in the life to come making a league with thē to make himselfe knowne to be their God by the mercies he had to bestowe vpon them and that he would haue the care and charge of their welfare reserued to himselfe alone It remaineth to be proued by the scripture that this manner of speaking to be their God conteyneth promisses in it for this life and for the life to come In the psalme the Prophete hauing made mention of sundry outward blessings in children in increase of corne and cattel peace and freedome from enimies concludeth thus Blessed are the people that bee so blessed are the people whose GOD is the Lorde making these outwarde blessinges to bee conteyned vnder the benefite of hauing the Lord to be their god In Exodus promising their deliueraunce from Aegypt he saith that he wil be their God conteyning that outward deliueraunce within this mercie of being their god And as for the spirituall and inward blessings as writing his lawe in our harts pardoning our sinnes and not remembring them anie more that they are conteyned within this couenant of beeing our God may appeare in the Epistle to the Hebrues After those dayes sayth the Lord I wil put my lawes in their minds and in their hartes I will write them and I will bee their God and they shall be my people For I will be mercifull vnto their vnrighteousnesse their sinnes their iniquities I wil remember no more And in Ezechiel we may cleerly see that the renuing of our stonie hartes the receiuing vs to mercie after we haue transgressed the causing vs to walke in his statutes and lawes are streames that flowe from this free founteine of grace that the Lorde is become our god A newe hart saith the Lorde by his Prophet will I giue you and a newe spirite will I put within you and I will take away the stonie harte out of your body and will giue you a heart of flesh and I will put my spirite within you and cause you to walke in my statutes and yee shall keepe my iudgementes and doe them and yee shall dwell in the lande that I gaue to your Fathers and you shall be my people and I will bee your GOD Where these benefites receiued are made the fruites that followe of hauing him to be their God whiche is all done freely and vndeseruedly as the Lorde plainely professeth in the same chapiter in these wordes Bee it knowen vnto you that I doe not these thinges for your sake sayth the Lorde therefore O ye house of Israel he ashamed and confounded for your owne wayes Neither doeth this mercy of hauing the Lorde to bee our God conteyne it selfe within the compasse of this life but reacheth vnto the blessinges of the life to come as appeareth in the Gospell after Saincte Luke where our Sauiour Christe proueth that it must needes be well with Abraham and that hee muste rise againe bycause it is written The Lorde is the God of Abraham for he is not the GOD of the dead sayeth our Sauiour Christe but of them that liue In the Epistle to the Hebrues Abraham and others the children of God are reported to haue bene straungers in the land of promise and not to haue sene the promises fulfilled in their time whiche might seeme to make againste this that I haue sayd concerning the blessing of them to whom the Lord is become God but it is answered there that he was not ashamed to bee called their God for he had prepared for them a citie as if that whiche seemed to be wanting in this life were so sufficiently recompēced in that ioye that did abide for them as that the Lord neded not to be ashamed to be called their God so rich was his mercie towardes them By this we learne that the first commaundement conteyneth in it the promises of the Gospel as it is well noted by M. Peeter Martyr contrarie to this damnable opinion of certeine who holde that the fathers of the olde Testament had no promises sauing of the lande of Canaan and temporall thinges We see that the Lorde made promise to be their God which as we haue heard hath promises bothe of this life and of the
goodnes of his God whom he perceiueth so entirely to imbrace him and to reckon of him as righteous is that which sendeth a true christian to good workes and is here noted as the founteine from whence good woorkes doe flowe and the first marke of a true worshipper of God. For before this persuasion of his fauour towardes vs the workes that are done by vs notwithstanding suche they are as be commanded of God are done rather to make our selues righteous thereby then for any loue and liking of him and therefore defiled with selfe loue our owne profite not directed as they ought by the alone loue of god This loue proceedeth to the doeing of those thinges that are acceptable in the sighte of God for it is the second note of the true worshippers of God to keep his commandements to go to the seruice of God not at aduenture directed by the line of our owne deuotion but by the leuell of his word and commaundement wherein also false worshippers are greately deceiued for as their beginning is euil because it floweth not from loue to God so their proceeding is as daungerous in that they followe not the rule of his worde For notwithstanding the LORD might iustlie reiecte what soeuer deedes of ours though commaunded of him if they should not proceede from loue towardes him yet herein more appeareth the greate blindenesse of Idolaters and false worshippers who in their deuising to serue God happen alwaies on those works that least like him And therefore the seruing of God by Images as it hath often in the Scripture the goodnesse of God set against it for the redresse thereof in that the not restinge therin hath begotten it so hath it also the word of God often times in the Scripture to correct it as not proceeding by the right rule Therefore in Deuterono when the Lord was about to prescribe the manner of his worship it is said thus You heard a voice but saw no similitude Take therefore good heed vnto your selues for you sawe no Image in the day that the Lord spake vnto you in Horeb where the holie Ghoste maketh the practise and example of Almightie God in opening himselfe by his worde and not by any similitude a sufficient declaration that his wil was we should be directed by his worde and not by Images in the seruice of him In Exodus in like manner the holie Ghoste maketh the teaching by the worde of God a reason why they shuld haue no images You haue seene sayth he that I haue talked with you from Heauen you shall not therefore make with me Gods of siluer nor Gods of goulde you shall make you none And in Esay it is declared that when the worde of GOD shall take place with his they shall abhorre Images as a menstruous cloath Thine eares saith the prophet shall heare a worde behinde thee saying This is the way walk in it when thou turnest to the right hand and when thou turnest to the left and ye shall pollute the couering of the Images of siluer and the rich ornamentes of the Images of goulde and caste them away as a menstruous cloath and thou shalt say vnto it get thee hence Neither is the worde of GOD set downe heere to keepe vs from Images alone but also to restraine vs from seruing of GOD by any deuotion of our owne or good intent whatsoeuer whereof we haue no warrant from the word For in his worde we receiue his owne testimonie for good euil and he hath plainely tolde vs that if we followe our owne heart and our eyes in discerning good and bad wee shall departe and goe a whoreing from him as it is written in the booke of Numbers where they are cōmaunded to haue the lawe continually before their eyes that they should not seeke after their hearte and after their owne eyes after the which faith the holie Ghoste vnto them in the same place you go a whooring In the Gospell after S. Iohn our Sauiour Christ sayth If any man loue me he will keep my word The experience is plaine that if any man doe loue another he will obserue what things hee is delighted withall that in doeing thereof hee may satisfie his affection and wil not be so negligent as whē with a little paines he may learne his dispositiō rashly to aduenture the doing of that which for any thing he knoweth to the contrarie may possibly procure his heauie displeasure This is not humilitie but pride dangerous securitie restrayning the Lord to our lyking not conforming our selues to the good pleasure of his wil. Out of this cōman dement we may learne a notable differēce betwene the church of God the synagogue of sathan The church of God loueth God and keepeth his cōmandements she is that chaste wife that admitteth none beside the Lord into the felowship of her faith she bringeth vp her young ones vnto the lyking of him feeding them with the sound milke of the word The church of Antichriste keepeth not her selfe to her husband alone but admitteth others to the vse of her faith and therefore in the scripture is she fitly resembled vnto an harlot neither doeth she nurce vp her yong ones after the lyking of her husband with the wholesome doctrine of the olde and new Testament which Augustine doth call very fitly the two pappes of the Churche but with the pestilente poyson of good intentes teaching them from their infancie to followe her foote-steppes in going a whooreing after their owne eyes and after their owne heart whiche are the very steppes of an harlot as was euen now proued vnto vs out of the Booke of Numbers Our nature is corrupt in this commaundement as in all the reste and greatly pleaseth it selfe in thinges that it doeth of a good meaning and intent vnto the Lorde not regarding whether they stand approued by his word or no holding this as a true principle that the thing can neuer be euill taken of the Lord whiche is well ment of man The man that will truely examine him selfe in this commaundement muste throughly consider of the former time of his life when hee hath occupyed him selfe in outwarde things not warranted by the worde and yet reputed of him as the speciall pleasing of God nay vnder the defence and shadowe of those thinges hath beene the more carelesse to seeke out and practise the duties of the worde remembring that suche seruice of GOD deserueth to haue a cursse continuing vppon his posteritie vnto many generations Thus shall he easily perceiue what is the benefite that he hath by the mediatour Christ Iesus for the law driueth him therevnto by opening his corruption in this manner and letting him see that there is no helpe but in the alone redeemer Christ Iesus when in him selfe he doeth truely vnderstand that he is only beholden vnto the Lord for his saluation he must begin to warr with his affections that would shake of
obediēce vnder the shadowe of good intent deuotiō occupying it selfe in trifling outwarde thinges and neuer drawing neere vnto the Lord in the dueties laide vpon him by the word he must labour diligently to finde out the wil of God in his word for no other end but that hee may be a doer and follower of the same his profiting how greate so euer it bee is not without infirmitie and therefore hee is not without humilitie in his best doings his offending at any time cannot bee without griefe for hee seeth in it the dishonour of his merciful father whose free mercie is his stay Let vs learne brethren to take heed in seruing the Lord in a deuotiō that agreeth not with his word What will it auayle to say We do it of loue and good meaning towards him when the Lord hath said that all such are haters of him Shall our mening condemne the trueth of his saying Or shall that be good meaning when we come to true reckoning which the Lorde hath pronounced to be hateing Let man be afraid to beare hatred against the Lord and therefore let him feare to serue him with good intents besides his worde If man should bee so obstinate in euill that he feareth no punishment in respect of himselfe imagining his life to make an end of all his affliction yet let him fear the punishmente of this sinne that will not leaue him in the graue but set the marke of his iniquitie vppon his children and posteritie vnto many generations I neede not greatly to speake vnto the moste that be heere that they should leaue those foolish works of deuotion and good meaning as going on Pilgrimage setting vp of shrynes and such like things receiued amongst the Papistes His name be praysed that madnesse is descryed and a great number of them selues begin now to blush at it but the outwarde ceremonies of Religion as resorting to common prayer hearing of Sermons or suche other these haue obteyned now the title of the true seruice of GOD and shut out the obedience vnto the dueties commaunded by the word These hold men now from care of dueties appointed by the word as deuised deuotion kept them in Poperie from true religion These are the good intentes of Gospellers at this day and as the Lorde spake of his sacrifices commaunded in his worde when mē were holden in those without any care of good life He that killeth a Bullock is as if he slue a man they haue chosen out their owne wayes therefore wil I choose out their delusions and bring their feare vpon them So may it truely be said of a greate number that the Lorde hateth their resorting to prayer and sermons they are now become their owne wayes whiche they haue chosen because they are sundred from Christian conuersation and amendment of life for the which they were ordayned The meanes to auoid the dangers of our deuises in the seruice of GOD and to haue disclosed vnto vs the subtilties and snares thereof is to delight in the wisdome of the worde to be much exercised therein according as it is declared in the booke of Prouerbes That when wisdome entreth into the hearte and knowledge delighteth the soule then shall it deliuer vs from the euill way and from the straunge woman whiche forsaketh the guide of her youth Now let vs pray vnto our heauenly father that we may so see our vntowardnesse vnto his true worshippe that we may magnifie his mercies that hath pardoned our transgressions and that wee may receiue strength from the power of his death to shake off all those shadowes of seruing the Lorde beeing truely humbled to serue him in spirite and truethe according to the direction of his worde ¶ The thirde Lecture vpon the seuenthe verse 7 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lorde thy God in vaine for the Lord wil not holde him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine IT is manifeste in the Scriptures that by the name of GOD is ment the lawe and commaundement of god For the Lorde wil be honoured and get a name among his people by transforming their affections and deedes into the obedience of his lawe In Leuiticus it is thus written Yee shall keepe my commaundementes and doe them for I am the Lorde Neither shall ye pollute my holie name declaring that his name is prophaned taken in vaine and polluted when his commaundementes are not regarded It is also to bee seene in the Epistle to Timothie that the name of GOD is taken for the doctrine and woorde of god Let Seruants sayth the Apostle account their maisters worthy of all honour that the name of God and his doctrine be not euill spoken of ioyning the name and doctrine of God together as wordes that importe all one matter For the name of GOD cannot but be dishonoured and euil spoken of through vs when suche lawes as all men knowe he hath appointed for vs to walke in are without regarde neglected and contemned of vs. If it bee required why the Lorde speaking of his lawe giueth it the title of his name wee must vnderstand the reason of his so doeing to be very good forceable to procure obedience For what can be more deare vnto vs than the name and glorie of our GOD Or what can binde our obedience vnto more dutifulnesse than when we vnderstand he hath committed his owne name and honour into our handes beeing content to abide without all name and glorie heere in earth if hee may not haue it of his by their obedience to his lawe And therefore as the loue of GOD muste cause vs to begin all dueties so the end wee looke at in all of them must bee by the doeing thereof to get honour and glorie to our God. For it is written to the Corinthes Whether yee eate or drinke or what soeuer ye doe doe all to the glorie of GOD. Heerevppon it commeth that workes commaunded are reiected of the Lorde when they are done to be seene of men for the prayse of our selues and not with a carefull heart to glorifie the Lorde and procure his prayse thereby Take heede saith our Sauiour Christ that ye giue not your almes before men to be seene of them or else yee shall haue no rewarde of your father whiche is in heauen The Lorde him selfe often vseth the credite and glorie of his name not onely in commaunding but also in forbidding things to be done as in Leuiticus 19. almost through the whole chapter when he forbiddeth any thing he addeth these wordes immediatly I am the Lord thy God because the contempt and breach of his commaundement doth reach to the stayning polluting of his name For he hath entred couenant with vs to be our God in causing vs to walke in his wayes that he thereby may be magnified and aduanced as it is written in Deuteronomie Thou haste set vp the Lord this day to be thy God and to walke in
And therefore we may learne that this is the estate euen of those ciuil men that are not to be touched with any notorious offence or outward euill This Sabbaoth teaching vs our inward corruption stayeth not there neither is that the end of it but leadeth vs to vnderstand that our iustification sanctification and true holinesse of life are the free works of God within vs which we are compelled to graūt in that we confesse our own ways to be corrupted that the ceassing frō sinn is the ceassing frō our own ways works For if as the truth is our owne wayes be al corrupted defiled with sinne if any good be in vs it must haue a beginning and spring other where then from our selues That the Sabdaoth did signifie our newe birth in Christ to be the workmanship of God within vs may appeare in Exodus Keepe ye my Sabbaoth for it is a signe betweene me and you in your generations that you may know that I the Lord do sanctifie you For the deniall of their owne wayes must needes witnesse theire woorkes of sanctification to proceede from the Lorde and not of them selues The same is witnessed in Ezechiel and in the Actes of the Apostles The couenaunt made with Abraham for blessing all nations in his seede is saide to be perfourmed in Christ in turning euerie one of his from their iniquitie Vnto you saith the holy ghost in that place hath God raised vp his sonne Iesus And him hath he sent to blesse you in turning euerie one of you from your iniquities There is mention made in this commandement of the Lords creation of the worlde in sixe dayes as if the Sabbaoth should only direct vs to the consideration of that worke of our creation not requiring any thing beside especially seeing there followeth that note of inferring Therefore the Lorde blessed the seuenth day halowed it as ifelse there were no other consideration to be had In the fifte of Deute where the lawe is repeated this commandement hathe annexed to it the memorie of their deliuerāce out of Aegypt Remember saith the holy Ghost in that place thou wast a seruaunt in the land of Aegypt and that the Lord thy God brought thee out thence by a mightie hande and stretched-out arme Therefore the Lorde thy GOD commaunded thee to obserue the Sabbaoth day In this diuersitie of benefites to bee considered in the Sabbaoth we may learne the Lord meant rather to induce vs to the freenesse of his goodnesse in Christe in euerie benefite then to binde vs to any one particular fruit and effect therof the clearest testimonie of this free goodnesse we haue in our newe birthe And yet the scripture affirmeth the excellencie of our creation to be in Christ as may appeare by conferring the eighth Psalme with the 2. chapter to the Hebrues verse 7.8 and 9 where the excellencie of man aboue other creatures is put ouer to be cōsidered in Christ being crowned with glorie and honour The Prophet noteth the founteine of all our goodnesse to be in Christ the greatest fruite therof to be our new byrth notwithstanding all other benefites are receiued of his children as fruites and effects thereof And they bound therefore as in sanctification so in creation and deliuerance from Aegypt to acknowlege the alone free worke of Gods goodnesse and this is the cause why the holy Ghost doth not strictly bind them vnto one benefite in the obseruing of the Sabbaoth This commandement teacheth vs mortification for to that ende are wee taught that our nature is corrupt that we may learne to subdue the same to renounce it The Iewes had this special ceremonie of rest to exercise them in the doctrine practise of mortification the truth of which ceremonie is fulfilled in Christe For by the power of his death it is brought to passe that sinne dyeth in his It was necessarie they should be acquainted with this doctrine for the Lord hath no seruice of vs that he will accept of if we learne not to renounce and denie our affections neither can we goe truely to the obedience of him but in the deniall of our selues Our affections are as vntamed coltes that refuse to draw in the yoke of the Lord and therefore must be tamed if we meane to interreine obedience For we can not drawe nere vnto the Lorde except we shall remoue farre from our selues keeping vnder our wisedome and affections that they make no insurrection against the Lorde in the gouernement of his word If a man might reteine his owne affections and desires together with the worshippe of the Lorde it woulde be receiued of many but because they can not stand together but he who is ruled by the one must depart from the other the number of them is small that truely serue the lord For notwithstanding there be many that obserue outwarde thinges that apperteine to the profession of religion and outward deedes which they may do and yet not greatly straine their affections yet because suche men whensoeuer the matter of religion and duetie directly warreth with their affections then do vsually take part with themselues in their affections againste the Lorde their kinde of seruice of the Lord is but in deede a seruing of them selues For they haue not learned this speciall point without the whiche all the rest is nothing It is a small matter for a man to busie him selfe aboute sundrie thinges so that he be surely determined of this that his affections shall no sooner be pressed but he will forthwith set them at libertie and let them goe free If we shal haue taken part with the wisedome of God to the suppressing and abandoning of our owne witt if with his pleasure we haue stoode against our owne then may we say in trueth that there hath beene some religion and seruice of God vsed and practised of vs when it hath preuailed to the displacing of our owne lustes and desires By this commandement falleth to the grounde all free will of man to doe good all workes of preparing vs to receiue Gods grace For what franke and free will vnto God can there be in that nature that is dead in sinne Or how can he boast of the freedome or good inclination of his nature whose glorie and sanctification consisteth in resting and ceassing from the affections and motions of his nature in such a victorie ouer them as he be no longer led nor ruled by them This commaundement teacheth vs to giue all glorie vnto God in the true abasing of our owne corrupt nature for the Lord is not truely honoured and glorified of vs vnlesse he be found true we liars he iust we vniust He will not haue vs stande together with him No iustice but his must be vpholden in the fall of ours he aduaunced in our humilitie Many may be brought with the Phariseie to confesse Gods goodnesse in the benefites they haue receiued of him but fewe
with the Publicane to humble themselues truely and from the sense of their heart in the nature that they haue rebelling against him It is neither great aduauncing of God nor any great abasing of our selues to professe him to haue done vs good when there is no deseruing of ours to the contrarie confessed or acknowleged For euen ciuil men haue this goodnes in them to do wel to them that haue deserued nothing to the contrarie But then is he truly honoured in his goodnesse when it is giuen to vnworthie vndeseruing persons when the loue is so great towarde his enimies Then are we truely humbled when in hart we acknowledge it not only to be vndeserued but also euen contrarie to our deseruing What then Shal we sinne that God may be glorified in our humilitie God forbidde For when we haue taken as good care ouer our wayes as fleshe and bloud possiblie can perfourme there will be matter enoughe of throwing downe our selues in all humilitie before the throne of his mercie By this cōmandement are Papistes Anabaptists and that wicked damnable sect of the familie of loue vpholding free wil their fulfilling of the law found all traitours to Gods glorie which standeth not whole and sound vnles euerie mouth be stopped al the world found culpable faulty before GOD as it is written to the Romanes This commaundement as farre foorth as it is ceremonial nowe is ceased bycause Christe is nowe come by whose death we die to sinne rest from our owne wayes And therefore in that it did admonishe vs of him to come nowe in that he is come it serueth no longer to that ende In asmuche also as the dispensation of those times were as the Apostle saith to the Galathians The minoritie and wardshippe of the Churche during whiche time the heire though Lord of all differeth not from a seruaunt but is vnder gouernours These times that nowe followe Christe must needes bee more free from the bondage of these outward thinges and from that strict obseruing of the outwarde rest that in those times they were in bondage vnto Yet all this notwithstāding in as much as this seuēth day is appointed by the Church for the assembling of the faithfull and for their ioyning together in prayer Sacramentes and hearing of the worde thereby to gette power to ceasse from sinne that is our owne wayes and workes it cannot without great wickednesse and sinne against God be neglected Wherein the wickednesse of this exceedeth in that men commonly no day in the weeke followe so muche their owne wayes and the delightes of their owne hart as on that day which is appointed to learne them howe to ceasse from their owne wayes workes and delightes For a great number those not the worst of all take that day to be ordeined only for the ease of their bodie to be a day of recreation after their trauels labours that haue beene the sixe dayes before and vse it accordingly whereas the Lorde hathe appointed it to the exercise of the word and prayer that beeing vnburdened of their worldly affaires they mighte with free harts and mindes attend vpon the word prayer and meditation of the mercies benefites of God and so profit therein that the other dayes of labour might feele the benefite and commoditie therof they being better armed to stand against the occasions of euil which men who haue daily dealings in the world and so tickle a disposition vnto sin without great grace shal neuer be able to auoyd but must altogether bee ouerwhelmed therewith And likewise it was ordeyned that men by consideration of his mercies should so be ledd to loue him and by faith to waite for the mercies and happynes laide vp for his that they might become the more willing to ceasse from their owne wayes wills and to moderate their inordinate desire after worldly thinges But is this regarded of the moste I cannot say so for common experience would confute mee One sorte as was declared before making the case of the body to be the end thereof An other a great deale worse then they vsing it onely to make good cheere play and sporte themselues on that day Thus the right vse and end of the Sabbaothe is cleane altered and not that only but chaunged into a practise moste contrarie to the institution thereof For beeing appointed to bee as I may call it the market day of the soule to make prouision for the dayes following they are not onely no better holped that way but as if Sathan might boldely open his shoppe windowes then whiche could not bee permitted him before they doe so fasten vppon his wares and stoare them of that prouision that not onely that weeke but many weekes are serued of the abundance thereof In a third sorte we shall see it that if a man haue any matter to deale in that is of smaller importāce then that his ordinarie busines may giue place therevnto those are cast vpon the Lords day and then muste hee and also oftentimes some of his be sent vpon those messages or other matters whatsoeuer to dispatch them These kinde of men vse the Sabbaoth day commonly to make an end of reckonings or other kind of like matters not finished the former weeke and to set matters and busines in a redynes for the week following so that their heads are as ful fraught with the world that day as vpon any other and therfore far from the right vse therof which is to be emptied of all suche thinges that better may haue the place These foure commaundements instruct vs perfectly concerning the glorie of God wherin it doth consist First in acknowledging him alone the author of all our welfare both in body and soule Secondly in taking such comfortes therein that wee be allured by his mercyes to doe the things that are pleasant in his sighte making it the beginning of our seruice Thirdly in hauing no other end then by our carefull doeing of his will to get glorie and praise vnto him Fourthly in all these doings euen the best to humble our selues in true acknoweledging from the heart the corruptiō of our owne heart wayes and workes earnestly trauelling to subdue the same therby aduancing the free mercie and vndeserued goodnes of our God both in iustifying and also sanctifying of vs. In the examination of our selues concerning this cōmaundement we haue to learne that we are by nature corrupted in this commaundement as in the rest that there is nothing so hard as with true humilitie of hart to be humbled in acknowledging and mortifying the corruptions wickednes rebelliōs of our nature against Gods cōmandemēts in somuch that oftentimes he suffereth his children to fall into grosse infirmities that all the world may see it before they can truly be humbled in the sight of their infirmitie and so cast downe as they giue the whole glorie to his mercie earnestly seting vpon their affections for the subduing
of them But when it pleaseth God to pull any out of their corruption and to begin Christianitie in them hee doeth let them see with assurance of his mercie towarde them but so as notwithstanding he bringeth them not onely to the sight and bewailing of that rebellion which they feele in their affections against his wil but also to the mortifying and subduing thereof The man therefore that will truely examine him selfe hath to consider what resisting of his affections hath beene in his life so shall hee soone perceiue what neede he hath to betake him selfe vnto the mediatour CHRISTE IESVS while his conscience shall wittnesse either of no profiting at all herein or at the least so little as shall sufficiently conuict him and force him to lay holde vpon the righteousnesse of Christe as his only refuge yet so as his care to suppresse his affections be no lesse because hee vnderstandeth what mercie is in Christe but so much the more increased as he perceiueth that trauaile to please the Lord euen as the best thankfulnesse that wee can performe for the great benefite of our redemption Now let vs pray that we may beare such an enimies heart against our owne corrupt affections as may not spare to treade vppon them when soeuer they shall ryse vp against the Lord. ¶ The fifte Lecture vpon the twelfth vearse 12 Honour thy Father and thy mother that thy dayes may be prolonged vpon the land which the Lord thy GOD giueth thee THe former commaundementes doe perfectly instructe vs in all the dueties that apperteine directly to god These following doe giue vs rules and preceptes for the dueties that wee doe owe vnto men The Lord our God being perfect in all happinesse by him selfe alone hath no neede of our seruice yet will he haue tryall of the loue that wee beare vnto him not onely by deedes done immediatly vnto him selfe but also by deedes done for his cause vnto men He therefore meaning to make a tryall of our loue towardes him hath commaunded vs that we should not be altogether our owne men closed vp within our owne profites and pleasures onely regarding and procuring them and wholy taken vp of them but that we should go out of our selues at his commaundement to the good of our brethren witnessing our thankfulnesse vnto God in giuing for his sake this seruice vnto men The dueties vnto GOD going in order before these vnto men do admonish vs of this doctrine that all our doeings towardes men are nothing where Gods glorie doth not go before as it is written in the Epistle of Sainct Iohn In this wee knowe that wee loue the children of GOD when wee loue God and keepe his commaundementes And like as our dealing with men is nothing when the true seruice of God is either not knowen or not regarded so that seruice that is giuen vnto GOD is not accepted when our brethren are neglected of vs. Therefore doeth our Sauiour Christ in Matthew charge vs that when our neighbour hath any thing against vs wee should not presume to offer any gift vnto God before we be reconciled so greatly doeth the Lorde esteeme of this louing conuersation with men that the holie Ghoste maketh it the proofe of our blessed estate as it is written in Iohn Wee knowe that we are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren Concerning that which we do owe vnto men the honourtng of father and mother hath the firste place By Father and mother are all those vnderstoode who are the instruments of GOD in any of his speciall goodnesse towardes vs whome because hee hath vouchsafed to be his meanes in the conueying of that grace that we doe inioy by them he cannot abide that they should be without honour at our handes By honour whiche is required to be giuen vnto them wee are taught so to behaue our selues towardes them in all our dealinge as may wittnesse that in heart wee doe honour them and therefore this honour doeth not so much exact any one seuerall thing as it putteth a qualitie and condition vppon all our behauiour towards them that it should be such as it may be a wittnesse of our hearte howe highlie it doeth reuerence and regarde them If it be demaunded why the Lorde by Father and mother should vnderstand all the instrumentes of his goodnesse towards vs whereas hee maketh mention but of one sorte it may be required of them againe why the Lorde forbidding all kinde of violence should make mention onely of murther For as by murther beeing the chiefe he comprehendeth all of that kinde so by one instrument of his speciall goodnesse hee leadeth vs to the consideration of all the like Moreouer we must reuerence the wisedome of the onely wise GOD heerein who by the moste grosse euils laboureth to worke the loath-thing of all the like and by benefites and good thinges in them selues moste amiable to further the cause of all the rest setting the ouglyest shape he possiblie can vppon euils to terrifie vs withall and giuing to good thinges the countenaunce that may best commend them Our trauaile therefore muste bee to searche into these good thinges which wee receiue by others that when we shall haue founde them wee may as by dutie apperteyneth honour the owners of them Nature may preuaile with them that bee of any consideration for the conceiuing of those benefites whiche they inioye by meanes of theire Parentes so that the trauaile neede not to be muche heerein Reason may persuade euen the moste simple that if wee haue any good thinge in this life or any blessing following it they who haue brought vs into life may iustely clayme a parte therein The matter of Magistrates is not so plaine what good wee receiue by them therefore it craueth more time to be giuē vnto it The Magistrate is the instrument of GOD to preserue that life whiche the Lorde in mercie hath giuen vnto vs For by the administration of iustice and execution of good lawes the outrage of the wicked with whome the worlde is alwayes pestered is restrained from laying violent handes vppon the good which otherwise would at all times burst foorth because the occasion which is the good workes of the one and the euill of the other can neuer bee separate from their liues And that this is the occasion may be proued out of the Epistle of S. Iohn where after inquirie had what it was that moued Caine to slay Abel he answeareth Because his owne workes were euill and his brothers good And least wee should note some extraordinarie thing in Caine hee putteth all the wicked in the ranke with him making it the common disposition of them all and therefore saying We may not bee as Caine which was of the wicked and slew his brother It is therefore no small blessinge and benefite of God that keepeth the sword of the vngodly from our throte whiche is euery houre drawen out and shakē at vs with whom we
wee shall doe some outwarde thinges commaunded heere whiche shall obteine greate commendation of many men and for all that the Lorde want his glorie which consisteth in the foure points which were spoken of in the former commaundement it shall auayle vs nothing Those things that apperteine vnto God must of necessitie go with those dueties vnto men that shall be accepted Neither in deede can we holde out in these except we haue life and incouragement from the other For the loue that GOD is our God tenderly fauouring and plentifully rewarding vs that bee his muste make vs to perseuere in those dueties which otherwise would not abide the reproches and iniuries of men but would burst foorth to requite them and muche lesse would wee laboure to ouercome them and their euill with our good doone vnto them But this persuasion of his good fauour towardes his and plentifull mercie whiche is to bee shewed vpon them maketh men willingly to forbeare the insuing and satisfying of their owne corrupt affections not enuying the wicked their transitorie delights but prosecuting their course in his obedience through all their reproches while they doe well perceiue what a plentifull recompence of rewarde abideth for them by the free gifte of their GOD. The man that cannot be persuaded but that hee loueth his neighbour as himselfe perfourming all that is required of him in that behalfe must be sent to examine him selfe if there haue at no time appeared in him any cruell dealing towarde his inferiours any neglect or delay in helping and releeuing the distressed if compassion hath alwayes as occasion serued drawen him to speedie releeuing by lending or giuing so shall he easily see into the errour of his opinion Now let vs pray vnto our heauenlie Father that we may so see into our cruell and carelesse disposition that we may magnifie the free mercies of our GOD in the forgiuenesse thereof and also haue power more and more to subdue it that wee abounding in all mercifull dealing may glorifie him in this life and be glorified of him in the life to come H.I. ¶ The seuenth Lecture vppon the 14. verse 14 Thou shalt not commit adulterie WE haue learned alreadie that the loue whiche we owe to our neighboure stayeth not in his owne person alone but proceedeth vnto other things that bee precious and deere vnto him in the which if he shall by vs be annoyed foorth with in so doeing we shal be conuict to be voide of loue and charitie towardes him For the excuse is vaine and childish to say we loue the man when we stick not there to vexe him where we knowe it cannot be but that some greate griefe of heart will come vnto him He that loueth a man in deede dealeth tenderly with all those thinges that are especially liked of that man fearing moste of all there to offend where he vnderstandeth that he may the soonest displease And because nexte to a man him selfe his wife ought to be most deere vnto him the wrong that is done to any therein cannot but haue the next place vnto the sinne of murder The greatnesse of this sinne of whordome shall then better be discerned when wee shall bring our minde from that account which is made of it with man vnto that iudgement whiche the moste iuste GOD hath set downe of it in his worde It hath beene obserued in all times and is to be seene at large in the olde Testament that the sinne of adulterie and vncleannesse hath then abounded moste when for their idolatrie the people hath beene vnder the greatest displeasure of the Lorde And if to be giuen vp to this such like kindes of vncleanesse hath bene the punishment of that most greeuous sinne of idolatrie we may soone coniecture in what account it standeth before the Lorde For it cannot be holden for a small offence before him which he in iustice taketh to be a due punishment for the greatest sinne The holie Ghoste maketh the crime of theft a small matter in respect of the offence of adulterie affirming theft to be subiect neither to the like infamie and reproche with men neither yet to the like greeuousnesse of punishment from the lord And therfore when he hath spoken of the punishment that is due for theft amplifying the other crime aboue it hee vseth these wordes But hee that committeth adulterie with a woman hee is destitute of vnderstanding hee that doeth it destroyeth his owne soule hee shall finde a wounde and dishonour and his reproche shall neuer bee put away Thus the adulterer in his wickednesse doth both vndermine his owne life and also bringeth suche a blot of infamie and reproche vnto his name as neuer shall be wiped out It is not to be meruailed at if the holie Ghoste make adulterie a more heynous facte then theft For therein men rob not others of their goods substāce alone but of their honestie honor Neither rob they only those that are borne but also those that are yet vnfashioned in their mothers womb from whom as they take all honour estimation so they procure vnto them a perpetuall blot of infamie more and besides that that by their byrthe they become illegitimate and cut off from the title and claime of many temporall benefites which they are moste cruelly depriued off before that euer it was graunted them to see into the benefite and commoditie thereof muche lesse to take any comforte by the vse and inioying of them What the stayne was of infamie and dishonour that bastards were vnder in the olde lawe may appeare in Deuteronomie where it is plainely forbidden them euen to their tenth generation to beare any office among the people of god A cruel heynous offēce to rob so many generatiōs of all estimation all place of office honour among the people of God yet so much more heynous is the crime because it is done by falsifying of the couenant of marriage cancelling of the bond that was made by the Lord himselfe for the perfourmance of certeine dueties betweene partie and partie beeing sealed and deliuered in the presence of God his Angels and many other wittnesses assembled for that purpose Moreouer the adulterer as much as lyeth in him maketh a stewes in his owne house becommeth a bawde to his owne wife directeth the eyes and heartes of adulterers towardes her in as muche as it is a punishment iustely befalling him from the iustice of the Lord if he shall haue his owne wife abādoned to the wickednesse that he hath brought vpon another Whiche punishment Dauid him selfe though otherwise deare vnto the Lorde and leading his life in vprightnesse sauing in that faulte with the wife of Vrias was not free from according as we reade in Samuel Iob also acknowledgeing the iustice of that punishment offereth him selfe to suffer the shame thereof if euer hee sought to abuse any mans wife But if it shall so fall out that a wicked man in this
and disposer of them but the vngodly whatsoeuer they say in worde thinke in heart that they came by fortune and chaunce and therefore doe not giue him the glorie for them neither sanctifie them by prayer as things receiued in especiall good will from God. In the Psalme there is plentifully set foorth vnto vs what protection the godly shall finde against all dangers in their distresses in the end of that Psalme it is declared by what meanes they shall escape those dangers in these wordes He shall call vpon me and I will heare him I will be with him in trouble I will deliuer him and glorifie him with long life will I satisfie him and shew him my saluation If any shall diligently reade that notable book of prayer the prayer booke of the holy Ghoste I meane the booke of Psalmes he shall cleerely see that which before was said that the prophet is no way distressed but hee runneth foorthwith vnto God by prayer and findeth comfort at his hands knowing as he testifieth in the Psalme that the Lorde is neere vnto all that call vpon him yea to all that call vpon him in trueth that hee will fulfill the desire of them that feare him that he will heare their cry and saue them It hath bene declared that we in this petition are taught to call vpon God for deliuerance whatsoeuer our necessitie shal be and that with hope in God to be heard albeit we see no meanes how we shal be holpen It hath in like manner bene declared how hardly this is perfourmed of vs that we should haue hope when we can see no meanes lightly to helpe so that it is the faithfull man alone that giueth this glorie vnto god We learned out of the Psalme that the faithful man beeing tossed with the tempest vpon the sea and seeing no possibilitie to escape resorteth vnto God by prayer and findeth the fruit thereof This as was said before is hardlie perfourmed in such extremities where there appeareth no meanes likely to deliuer vs It is as hard a thing by reason of our corruption to seeke at God his hands by true prayer those outwarde benefites that are procured by our laboure as by meanes appointed of God to helpe vs therevnto As for example whē a man hath an occupation to liue by it is no easie matter for him to craue as hartily at God his hands for his liueing as that man that wanteth all ordinarie meanes to mainteine him We are taught in this petition to beg at the hands of God by prayer those outwarde thinges that haue meanes ordeined to bring thē euen then when we haue the vsuall meanes For the man that hath friends of great credite that are able to compasse matters of greater importance then he hath any to trouble them withall must looke seke for successe at the Lorde by prayer as carefully as if he knew of no helpe or friendshippe at all When men of wisedome credite or power go aboute their matters without any calling vpon the name of God they plainly denie the Lord that honour that is due vnto him for he must be acknowledged as hee is in deed the disposer of all outwarde benefites aswell of those that come by the meanes of our labour indeuour or other our meanes whatsoeuer as those that come so as we can giue no reason of the same comming by casualtie or fortune as men commonly vse to speake And in this petition wee are taught to craue all outwarde benefites and the successe and goeing forewarde of all our laboures of the LORDE who is the onely giuer of them and without whose especiall blessing all healpes and meanes are to no purpose according as it is written in the Psalme Except the Lorde builde the house they labour in vaine that builde it It is vaine for you to ryse early and lye downe late declaring heereby how little helpe there is in all our carefull toyle to atteyne to wealth and earthlie commodities And therefore in all our trauailes wee are taught to resorte vnto GOD by earnest and faithfull prayer It is he that muste blesse our going in and our comming out as wee do reade in the Psalmes Wherfore the godlie looke for a peculiar blessing of GOD vppon their laboures and seeke vnto him for it when as the vngodly ascribe the honour that is due vnto God vnto those helps and meanes of counsel labour or indeuour which are but the instrumentes appointed of the Lord therevnto The daunget of this disease is so greate and man so easilie drawen to seeke vnto the healpes that hee hath without any due respect and regarde of the Lorde that in expresse wordes he giueth his people warning of this offence in Deuteronomie Beware leaste thou say in thine hearte my power and the strength of myne owne hand hath prepared me this aboundaunce but remember the Lord thy GOD For it is he whiche giueth the power to get substaunce Let vs learne to sanctifie all outwarde blessings by prayer seeking them vnfeignedly at the Lorde and acknowledging them in trueth and from a persuaded heart to haue beene giuen vs from the hands of our God what soeuer hath bene store or strength of our meanes to procure thē by For otherwise they are not pure vnto vs if we bee not resolued of the giuer thereof reaching through all meanes into the sight of his goodnesse who is the Lord and disposer of these temporall thinges A Christian is taught in this petition not to be tormented before hand with the feare of an hard estate and euil condition in time to come because the Lord who is the disposer of all outward thinges hath taught his to resort vnto him for the necessitie of the day in the day and time of their distresse promising to stand by them in their troubles and wants and to declare himselfe to be their God by the benefites and mercies that he will graunt at their requests What a great burthen therfore are we discharged of by the Lord who in promising to heare vs in the day of our calamitie hath cut off many cares griefes and vexations which long before they come torment the vngodly and when they are vppon them doe driue them either to despaire or to vngodly shiftes How iust also is the plague and punishment of those who refusing this benefite of the Lorde will haue their owne care and feare vsurpe vpon the mercie and goodnesse of GOD who in singular good will hathe returned vnto vs the benefite of our thoughtes and cares to haue them otherwise bestowed for our good in his seruice willing vs not to be careful before hand for the necessitie to come for the care of the day shall suffice for the same If the Lorde in mercie abate and giue backe this benefite of our care that we may haue it before the necessitie come free to bestowe vpon his seruice for our owne profite what madnesse is there in our refusall nay
distresse he sendeth his word and healeth them deliuereth them from their graues It were an infinite worke to recite those places in the booke of Psalmes that proue the mercies of God to remoue punishmentes from the offenders when they shall in true repentaunce turne vnto him It is a harde matter in great affliction to persuade the man that is sore afflicted for his sinne that there is mercy with the lord to remoue his punishment if he shal truly humble him selfe in repētance for his sinne yet we see what plaine proofes there are of the same to increase our faith in the persuasion to haue our sinnes forgiuen when we are truely grieued and penitent for the same This is a doctrine most needefull to be stoode vpon because the blessing that the Lord hath promised to bestowe vpon his by reason of our corruption are rather deliueraunces from euill then preseruations in any continuall course of prosperitie I say they rather come in after our affliction then stande continually with vs to keepe affliction from vs whiche many mistaking haue stumbled at the afflicted estate of the children of God but the worde of the Lord doth guide those that be his to looke to the end of the vpright man Marke the vpright man and beholde the iust for the end of that man is peace saith the Prophet And almoste all those requestes that Solomon maketh for the people of God are to haue blessinges benefites procured vnto them after their troubles afflicted estate We see therefore howe needefull it is to holde this doctrine of forgiuenesse of sinnes that we stumble not at the crosse of Christ that we do not murmur or despaire in our affliction that we should not shake off hope notwithstanding our grief whatsoeuer haue had long continuance and abode with vs that we nourishe no wrong iudgement of the estate of the Church and children of God that we decide not with the vngodly against the seruants saints of god A tentation that had almost shaken the faithful seruant and prophet of God Dauid vntil he went into the sanctuarie of the Lord to inquire the end of those men This doctrine ouerthroweth the heresie of the Nouatians who do denie the forgiuenes of sinns after baptisme That which is ioyned with this petition of our forgiuing them that trespasse against vs noteth not any deseruing to haue our sins forgiuen by reasō of our forgiuing of them that offend against vs for then we should not pray to haue them forgiuen seing we remoue them by deserte but is added for our instruction and for our comfort For our instruction to teache vs that the Lord requireth this at our handes that we should be mercifull because he is mercifull For our comforte to tell vs that if we whiche be men can remitte the wronges and iniuries done against vs much more will our heauenly Father who is without comparison aboue man in mercie and compassion forgiue the offences sinnes of his seruants when they shal in true repentaunce seeke vnto him For the same it is needefull for our infirmitie to receiue persuasion of his mercie especially when his iudgement shal be vppon vs and punishment which is the assured signe of his displeasure shall presse vs it is then a harde matter to conceiue hope that the Lorde will forgiue vs For infidelitie is as deepely rooted in our heartes as any sinne or iniquitie whatsoeuer therefore the Lord hath left vs who are taught by his spirite to forgiue vnto others their offences cōmitted against vs an assured hope to finde fauour at his handes who will neuer be found inferiour vnto man in mercie Therfore is it thus written in Luke Forgiue vnto vs our sinnes for euen we forgiue euerie man that is indebted to vs And as it is necessarie that we should bee vpholden with this hope so is it requisite that we remember that which is written in Matthew If ye doe not forgiue men their trespasses no more will your father forgiue you your trespasses to admonish vs that the Lorde will haue his to resemble him and heare this his image of mercie before the world If we be taught to remitt and forgiue offences vnto others when they shall haue done vs any wrong we may easily perceiue that the Lord will not haue vs to cherish our selues in the hope of beeing heard when wee shall offer vnto other iniurie and wrong For if a Christian be admonished in this petition so far to profite that hee learne to forgiue iniuries done against him much more would the Lorde haue him to be farre from offending others by iniuries done vnto them The last petition wherin we craue that the Lord would not leade vs into temptation but deliuer vs from euill doeth admonish vs that the almightie vseth to punish sinne with sinne that when men shall haue long continued in sinne they shall become so blinde and hardened therein by the iuste iudgemente of GOD that hardly sometime after muche affliction they can bee cured of the same That the godly are subiecte vnto a kinde of hardnesse of heart which is a punishment for their former sinnes laide vpon them from the Lord as may appeare by that prayer of the church of God whereof wee reade in the Prophet Isaie in these wordes O Lorde why haste thou made vs to erre from thy wayes and hardened our heartes from thy feare returne for thy seruaunts sake and for the tribes of thine inheritaunce It is not that hardnesse of heart whiche is peculiar to the reprobate that is mentioned in this place but to bee so taken with the snares of sinne and so ledd into temptation and blinded intangled therein as the godlyest that lyueth may bee and yet afterwarde by affliction or some other meanes deliuered from the same For when it pleaseth the Lorde to lay affliction vpon his no doubt there is in them this erring from his wayes and hardnesse of hearte from his feare which the Churche of GOD complaineth of in this place and whiche the Lorde purposeth to cure For he is not cruel to punish when there is no cause but his meaning is to mollifie their harde heartes thereby that they may be humbled vnder the gouernement of his holie worde We pray therfore in this petition that we may not bee hardened through the deceiptfulnesse of sinne for the auoyding wherof the children of God are admonished in the Epistle to the Hebrues to exhorte one another Exhorte one another sayeth the holie Ghoste while it is called to day least any of you bee hardened through the deceiptfulnesse of sinne This petition of not leading vs into temptation but deliuering vs from euil doth wel followe that of forgiuenesse of sinnes For when it pleaseth the Lord to forgiue sin he deliuereth them from beeing hardened therein giuing them the sight of the deceipt that is in it and also power and maisterie ouer the rage thereof In that prayer of Solomon whiche
and iust soeuer the cause be that might prouoke me thervnto It was a saying sometime of Asia that it was no prayse neuer to haue seene it but to haue liued temperately in Asia was praise worthie so many were the allurements so great was the intemperancie thereof I thinke we may nowe altering the words reteine the trueth of the matter if we should say it were no great matter neuer to haue seene the Courtes of Princes but to haue liued Christianly in those Courtes were a special work of Christ in his And therefore Madame as sometimes I spake in the hearing of your honour so nowe I say againe that where the assault of the aduersarie lyeth sorest against any there wisedome would that the instruments to beare off and to beate backe the same should be more in number and stronger in effect And for this cause we do reade that in the Courte of Israel the Prince himselfe who for the number and weight of affaires was as may be thought by some iust title to be priuileged aboue the rest might not be exempted from keeping this diligent watch and warde in his owne person by reading all the dayes of his life in the lawes of his God against the dangers that by reason of that place he was in great danger of diuers wherof after they are recited in Deuteronomie immediately the holy Ghost giueth the medicine for them whiche is to be occupied in the lawes of his God all the dayes of his life If any by daily meditation in the lawe of God shall thus exalt wisdome that is the word of God by making it the chief delighte of their heart beside the auoyding of these daungers and suche like there is a promise passed from the Lord that wisedome shall exalt them If they shall sett her in place and estimation aboue all other things she will requite it againe by aduauncing their honour and estate aboue the condition of others but if they shall make no more of her but as a common thing she wil answer them in like measure againe to leaue thē in place estimation with the common worst sort of men The honour therfore of aduauncement which all men are giuen to haue so great lyking of commeth neither from the East nor frō the West but from the Lord him self this true honour wayteth vpon all of them whom imploy them selues their countenance and their credite to honour and aduaunce this wisedome which is the worde of god Which thing that it may abound in you Madame daily more and more and in his honour to whome the Lorde hath ioyned you and that by the meanes thereof you may so continue your life as that you shall not feare to dye as in dutie I am for many benefites receiued moste bounden so I doe moste humbly craue it of our mercifull GOD to whose fatherly prouidence ceassing to adde any thing further and remayning to perfourme all duties from time to time that I shall bee enabled vnto I do most humbly committee your Honour ¿ ¿ Your honors moste humble to commaund in the Lorde Iohn Knewstub ⧠THE LECTVRES of Iohn Knewstub vpon the twentith chapter of Exodus and certeine other places of Scripture The first Lecture vpon the firste and seconde verse of the same Chapter THEN God spake al these words saying I am the Lord thy God 2 Which haue brought thee out of the lande of Aegypt out of the house of bondage IT hath alwayes beene and now is a frutefull trauaile of men to drawe arts and sciences plentifully laide out into briefe heads and some few general rules and principles not onely for memorie whiche in many and long discourses becommeth so intangled as it can hardly with any fruit get out but also for practise whiche of necessitie muste be so much the later as it shall be longer before we learne the matters to be practised and the slower we are in perusing matters to be done the slacker must we be in the performance therof But yet all this notwithstanding aswell reason as the practise of the learned might easily be auoided bicause all is but the reason and practise of man if the onely wise God had not leafte vnto vs the whole doctrine of Christianitie comprehended in verie fewe words examples whereof we haue diuerse bothe in the olde and newe Testamente whiche may be a sufficient warrant for enterprising thus briefly to comprehend Christianitie If any shall take exception against the preaching and opening of the lawe in this cleare lighte of the gospell calling it as it is called in the seconde Epistle to the Corinthes the ministerie of death the killing letter let him vnderstand that the holie ghost in the same place speaketh of the lawe without Christe what it worketh in our infirmitie whereas otherwise of the law being considered in the couenant that is in Christ it is truely saide by the Prophet in the Psalme The lawe of the Lorde is perfect conuerting the soule the statues of the Lorde reioyce the heart c. At the publishing of this lawe of God there was great terrour feare on euery side For as appeareth in this former chapter the mount Synai was all on smoke and the Lorde came downe vpon it in fier and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a fornace and all the mount trembled excedingly The people hearing the thunders and lightnings and the sounde of the trumpet seeing the mounteine smoking and feeling such terrible trembling and shaking of the earth fled and stoode a farre off making earnest suite vnto Moses that he would speake vnto them and that they might not heare the Lorde least they died so great was their feare and so woonderfully were they amased at the matter It was very requisite and necessarie that this maiestie of the lord should come in with the entrance of his worde For we are giuen to make small reckoning of it lightly to reiect the authoritie thereof For doe not thousands imagine that they sufficiently reuerence the maiestie of the Lord when notwithstanding they liue without all awe feare and reuerence of his word Nedeful therefore was it nay most necessary that the maiestie of the Lord should visibly come forth after a glorious maner at the deliuery of the word that men might vnderstand that the neglect of the worde is the contempt of the maiestie and honor of the Lorde For the Lorde hath coupled his honor and glorie to his word so that they can not neglect the one but that they must in so doing cōtemne and despise the other Those plentifull testimonies that are recited to the Hebrues to aduaunce the dignitie of Christe prouing his diuinitie and giuing him superioritie aboue the Angels are in the seconde chapter applied by way of exhortation to the reuerencing of his worde telling them that if the worde spoken by angels was ratified and that euery disobedience receiued a iust recompence of rewarde how could they
life to come And as it appeareth in Genesis all the mercies that Abraham receiued were conteined vnder these wordes which are the wordes of the couenaunt I will be God to thee and to thy seede after thee The benifite that here is set downe of bringing thē out of the land of Egypt from the house of bondage is an experience whiche they had of this goodnesse of God wherin he did apparauntly declare him selfe to be their God and so likewise it is in other places brought in as a confirmation of the couenaunt Because the Lorde loued you sayth the holy ghost and because he would keep the othe which he had sworn to your fathers the Lord hath brought you out by a mightie hand and deliuered you out of the house of bondage from the hand of Pharao king of Egypt that thou mayest knowe that the Lorde thy God hee is GOD the faithfull God whiche keepeth couenaunt and mercie vnto them that loue him and keepe his commaundements This experience of God his goodnesse towardes them and the triall that hee is become their GOD maketh much to bring an obedience and therefore is placed with the couenaunt For when we haue tryall in deed that the Lord hath speciall good wil towards vs it hath greate force in it to bring vs willingly vnder his obedience Therefore we are taught by this alwayes to haue in memorie those benefits of God that haue in them the note and marke of speciall good will and lyking such as he beareth vnto his Children For the remembraunce of those will draw dueties from vs that shall proceed from a frank and free hart Let vs therefore haue a register of his greatest benefites done vnto vs Let vs call to minde what a speciall benefite this is if we had none other that when we were as is the disposition of all Adams children following the lusts and affections of our owne hart in that brode way that leadeth vnto death which so many followe it hath pleased him to pick vs out of so many to giue vs mysliking of that course of life whiche by nature we are so addict and inclyned vnto the earnest hungring and thirsting after that righteousnes that is approued by his worde His benefites may not be ouer passed without consideration they cary with them strong persuasion vnto obedience the faithful doe vse this helpe to further obedience vnto god In the last chapter of Iosua there is mention made of the seuerall benefites of God bestowed vpon his people and all for this end to reclayme them from sinne and to stirre them to free and willing seruice of the lord And the people in the same Chapter alledge his benefites receiued as a reason why they neither may nor wil refuse obedience vnto him God forbid say the people that we should forsake the Lord to serue other Goddes For the Lorde brought vs and our fathers out of the land of Aegypt from the house of bondage and he did those greate myracles in our sight and preserued vs in all the way that we went and among all the people through whome we came and the Lord did cast out all the people euen the Amorites which dwelt in the land therfore will we serue the Lord for hee is our GOD. They gather by these benefites that he is their God and conclude therfore that they wil serue the Lord because he is their God and hath beene so singulerly good beneficiall vnto them And in very deede this persuasion that hee is our God and so tenderly affected towardes vs is the mother of all true obedience the founteine from whence floweth all true worship and seruice of God the note that discerneth betweene the workes of a true Christian and the deedes of an Infidel or heathen man The Christian worketh his obedience hauing this persuasion that God is already his GOD The Infidel and vnbeleeuer hath no suche persuasion and therefore his doinges come not franckly and freely from him to honour the Lorde but slauishly and seruilely to serue himselfe and after that manner as it were to get within the Lorde and to earne his saluation of him selfe It is this faith which made the difference betweene the sacryfice of Abell and the sacrifice of Cayne as the Scripture doeth declare It is this faith that maketh the difference betwene the continencie that we haue reade to haue beene in Infidelles and Paganes and that whiche is in Christians betweene the mercie and almes that procedeth oftentimes from ciuil men and that merciful reliefe that commeth from Christians It is this persuasion of his goodnesse that iustifieth the one whereas the other wanting this is odious hateful in his sight It is this persuasion that God is so rich in goodnesse as to accept of vs which sendeth vs to the true seruice of him The Lord is not only contented to say that he is their GOD but also to bring good euidence for the same in putting thē in mind of that singular benefite of their deliuerance from Egypt which he had bestowed vpon them Wee learne then in this Commaundemente which chargeth vs that we take the Lorde for our God that he hath taken vpon him selfe the prouision to stoare vs with graces and blessings bothe for this life and for the life to come and will haue the honour and glorie of it him self alone because he will declare the riches of his graces towards his faithfull people and by his dealing with them bee knowen to be their god Therefore he bindeth vs to seeke for all good things at his hands alone and in like manner when we haue receiued any thing by humble thanksgiuing to returne the whole praise therof vnto him again Now that we know the meaning of this cōmaundemēt it behoueth vs to apply it to our profit wherein we must first vnderstand that by the meanes of sin which is in euery man by nature man his wit vnderstanding hath receiued such a blindnesse as it cannot conceiue the trueth of this cōmaundement also his wil affection is so poysoned as it cannot take any ioy or lyking in it the tryall wherof may be had in this manner when the man that is not borne againe and receiued into mercie whome the scripture calleth the naturall man because all are such by nature whē he I say is in any streight or necessitie either because he wanteth necessary foode for this life or for that he is in dāger to loose welth credit or life seeth not the ordinarie meanes by which it is likely hee should escape the danger Let it thē be tolde him that God is his God hath a loue towards him and a care ouer him wil in his time by lawful meanes prouide for him yet notwithstanding his wit neither cōceueth this persuation nor his wil affection is any thing made ioyful or comforted therby as one that desirously enclyneth after the hope thereof which is declared by this that
children vpon the third generation and vpon the fourth of them that hate me 6 And shewing mercie vnto thousandes to them that loue me and keepe my commaundements ALbeit the time would nor permit me to speake the laste day of the third verse but forced me to reserue it vnto this day and to ioyne it with this matter that now you haue heard of not making to our selues any grauen image yet that whiche time hath nowe knitte together is by the iudgement of diuerse godlie and learned men not to be sundered at all For they take that of hauing the Lord our God which hath already beene declared to be the firste commaundement and this Scripture that now I haue read conteyned in these foure verses to be the seconde Of this iudgement was that learned Father Peter Martyr whose wordes are these in his Commentarie vppon the Romanes I suppose the firste commaundement to be that which is sett before the reste in steade of a proheme I am the Lorde thy GOD whiche haue brought thee out of the lande of Aegypt For in these wordes are we commaunded to accompt him for the true God and that we shoulde not thinke that he is to bee worshipped together with other Gods straight way is added the second precepte wherein wee are prohibited to worship straunge Gods and grauen thinges and images and if a man will more narrowly consider the thing he shall see that together with this first comaundemente is offered vnto vs the Gospell for in it GOD promiseth that he will be our god These are the wordes of Peter Martyr Of this iudgement in like manner was that learned and godlie man M. Bucer as appeareth in his exposition vpon 24. Psalme where hee hath these wordes The first thing of all in the matter of our saluation is to beleeue in one Lorde our GOD from whome as the fathers had their deliuerance from Aegypt and all other blessinges beside so wee all receiue the good things that we haue whiche is taught in the firste of the ten commaundementes that is to say in this I the Lord am thy GOD whiche brought thee out of the land of Aegypt The seconde cōmaundement is to ioyne no feigned God with the true GOD which mans madnesse is alwayes accustomed to do neither were these men alone of this iudgement but followed in it the opinion of some of the best learned among the interpreters of the Hebrue who doe thus diuide these two commaundements taking that of making grauen images to be a braunch of the second cōmaundement which forbiddeth vs either to ioyne any false God to the only true Lord or to worship the true God with any false worship deuised of our selues not cōmanded frō him For as it followeth in that place whiche now I cited out of M. Bucer the blindenes of man is accustomed to giue so much to his own deuises in ioyning some in worship with God or to that which he hath deuised for the worship of god that he wil not depend vpon the mere goodnes of God alone And for the moste parte saith he they seke by such ceremonies to pacifie the lord whom they do perceiue to be offended with their wicked life which thing hath greater blasphemie in it then we can conceiue of It is most sure that when once man dare aduenture to put others in the honour of worship with the Lorde whiche thing he hath forbidē he wil not be afraid to bring vpon him an other worship then he hath commaunded these bothe come from one corrupte beginning as shall God willing heereafter more plentifully appeere We are in this commaundement forbidden to worship any together with him or to admitt any worship of him besides his owne whiche he hath lefte vs in his worde the Lorde therefore woulde haue vs to seeke al good things at his hands alone and cannot abide that we should haue other Gods before his face or vppon his face for this interpretation will bothe the wordes and the meaning beare very well as if he should say In as muche as I haue taken vpon me to care for you and to honour my selfe by shewing foorth the treasures of my grace vpon you it shall not be lawfull for to darken the light of my goodnesse by seking to obteine that at the hands of any other the gift wherof I haue reserued to my selfe alone for the glorie and praise of the riches of my grace For I doe you to vnderstand that when soeuer you seeke to any other then me for any parte of your welfare you doe as it were drawe a corteine ouer my face that I cannot be seene in the full shewe of my mercie howe I am affected towardes you while they by stepping betweene conuey some praise of the gifte and mercie to them selues Heere we see all passages to the virgine Marie Angels or Saintes whatsoeuer to be stopped vpp and the way to GOD opened vnto all in their necessities to run thyther with an assured hope of comforte by reason of the promise When Sathan would haue obteyned of our sauiour Christe a parte in the honour of worship he telleth him it was written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God him alone shalt thou serue the answere of our sauiour Christ being according to the question and demaund telleth vs that Sathan would not haue refused to haue had the Lord worshipped so that he might haue obteyned to haue beene partaker with him in it It declareth also that not only the Lord refuseth to haue Sathan but also any other whosoeuer to be worshipped with him for it is written Him alone shalt thou serue Inuocation therefore and prayer beeing a worship that the Lord preferreth aboue sacryfice may not be giuen to any Sainct or Virgin but muste be reserued vnto the Lord alone who will not haue his grace darckened or his glorie parted with any Neither can he suffer that the virgin Marie or any saint or angel should cōe into any opinion of mercy either aboue him or equall with him whiche must be graūted if this be cōfessed that it is lawful to call vpon thē For why should we come in prayer vnto them if he who is of greater power to perfourme our request be also of more mercie to incline fauourably to our demaunds This resorting therefore vnto them by prayer hath in it a plaine profession that they are more redily inclined vnto compassion then the Lord which in deed denieth him to be god For he is not the true God if any do exceede him in mercie and compassion It cannot be that the Lord should be God if any be found his superiour or match in mercie wherein consisteth his chiefe glorie But of this God willing more shall be spoken when I come to speake of prayer And yet it may not be forgotten that in dying for vs when we were enimyes vnto him he lefte that patterne of mercie behinde him the like whereof hath not beene hearde or seene in
is due vnto him euen vnto the third and fourth generation of them that shal be founde transgressours herein calling them haters of him who are not by faith the very knot of this spirituall wedlocke surely knit vnto him alone He can no more abide to heare of any that should be fellowes with him at our faith than the honest man can abide to heare that another besides himselfe should haue the enterteinment of an husband with his wife It is diligently to be obserued that he calleth thē haters of him who shal thus diuide their affection from him The most that they can say for this their worshippe is that it commeth from a good meaning intent this persuadeth the moste of them well of it For God say they cannot of his mercie refuse that which is wel ment intended towarde him The Lord therfore vtterly ouerthroweth this defence saying in expresse wordes that they be haters of him so ledd with the liking of their worship from the Lord and his true seruice that when occasion serueth they bewray extreame hatred therevnto prosequuting it with fire fagot in the true professours thereof This sin of idolatrie and false worship of God is diligently to be considered of that we may see the danger of it and keepe vs from transgressing therein The daunger of this sinne the greatnesse therof we can not better discerne than by the punishment executed against it from the iust Lorde who because he is iust and Iustice it selfe cannot appointe punishment but according to the nature and qualitie of the offence he threateneth that the fire of his ielousie shal burne vpon the posteritie of those that offende therein vnto the thirde and fourth generation Greate muste that sinne bee the flame of whose punishment casteth out smoke so long The greatnes of the punishment may lead vs to se the heynousnesse of that offence of Idolatrie and seruing of God by good intentes The fire of Gods wrath beeing kindled by this sinne as wee see cannot be quenched many generations after the death of them that haue beene the firste transgressours in the same The lord declareth the reason by his prophet Hosea why he will thus punishe the posteritie of the idolaters I wil haue no pitie vpon her children saith the Lord by the prophet because they be the childrē of fornication declaring that hee may lawfully disinherit them because they are none of his but children begotten in fornication The state of the children of Israel in the captiuitie of Babylon euen vntill the comming of Christe may fitly shadowe out vnto vs the truth of this punishment threatened here for idolatrie For albeit there was a returne frō Babylon yet we knowe that the number was small that returned and subiect vnto greate misery euen vntil the comming of Christ beside their punishment in the want of temporall benefites The lord thretned by his prophet Hosea according as he did perfourme in deede that he would no more suffer them to inioye the vse of his worshippe I will cause saith the Lord al her mirth to cease her feast days her new Moones and her Sabbaoths and al her solemne feasts And in the thirde chapter the Lorde in like manner declareth that the children of Israel shal remain many daies without a king also without an offring Long before their captiuitie they had nothing beside the outwarde shew and ceremonies of the worship of God which also vtterly ceassed when they were led into banishment yet the comforte came which was promised in the latter time vnto their posteritie according as it was fore-told them by the Prophete but greate was that sinne that procured so long lasting punishmente vppon their posteritie and so greate a punishment that they should be diuorced from the lord For he affirmeth this by his Prophet that he wil marrie them vnto him for euer declaring thereby that they had bene diuorced before But we need not take examples of God his punishment of Idolatrie from the people of Israel wanting beside other benefites the true worshippe of God so long time Poperie in these last times may be a true spectacle thereof where the declining from true religiō hath brought so miserable blindenesse continuing so many generations The Papistes now in the latter dayes of the Gospel after this as it were solemnizing of the marriage againe betweene the Lord and his Church require to knowe where the Church was before this time of the Gospel as if some of the Israelites after that the Lorde had returned vnto them in mercie and betrothed them a newe vnto himselfe againe should haue required where the Church had beene in their captiuitie when they wanted the sacrifice and offeringes the Sabbaothes new moones and all the true outwarde worship of God calling into question the trueth of that true worship and seruice of God because they had been so long without it before Those times of Poperie were the times of idolatrie and punishment of the Lord for idolatrie they were as I may call it the widowhoode or rather the diuorced estate of the churche when notwithstanding the Lorde did beare loue and secrete liking vnto those that were his yet was their outward estate the condition of a widowe or rather of a diuorced woman hauing in it the badge of displeasure and punishment from the lord To require therfore that this our time should bee confourmed in worshippe vnto that is to like of diuorcement better then marriage to craue that the vnlawful libertie of the one may be a paterne warrant to dissolue the godly and lawful bonde of the other The Lord affirmeth likewise that he Wil shewe mercie vnto thousandes of them whiche loue him and keepe his commandementes wherein he noteth vnto vs two properties in the true worship of God the first is the loue of him the seconde the keeping of his commandementes wherof the first that is the loue of him openeth vnto vs what beginning true worshippe hath and the seconde which is the doing of things pleasaunt in his sight telleth vs by what rule that worshippe doth proceede euen by his word which truely discouereth what thinges are pleasing or displeasing vnto him That loue towardes him beginneth all true seruice and worship of God hereby it is manifest because the Apostle declareth that the children of God are sealed vp with the spirite of adoption whereby they crie Abba Father whiche beareth witnesse vnto their spirite that they are the children of God. Whiche inward testimonie of adoption cannot be without the loue of him that hath adopted them And in the Epistle to the Galathians the Apostle hath these wordes In Iesus Christe neither circumcision nor vncircumcision auaileth any thing but faith that worketh by loue And in the same Epistle he affirmeth The life whiche he nowe liueth to be in this faithe that the Sonne of God hathe loued him and giuen him selfe for him This loue therefore that ariseth of the
his wayes and to keepe his ordinaunces his commaundements and his lawes and to harken vnto his voyce as if the obseruing of the law were the placing of him in his seate of glorie Now that we haue learned what is ment by this worde Name it remaineth to vnderstand what it is to take his name in vaine This name is saide to be taken in vaine when there is not diligent care watchfull obseruing and greate regarde had to the commaundementes of GOD to doe them It is written in Deuteronomie If thou shalt not obserue to doe for so is the trueth of the Hebrue text all the wordes of the law that is If thou wilt not diligently marke this law for to doe it and feare this glorious and fearefull name the Lorde thy GOD then the Lord wil make thy plagues woonderfull c. Carelesse securitie when men haue no carefull minde of the worde of God to liue thereafter is that which is forbidden by this taking of his name in vaine or vainely For in this place the holie ghost expoundeth the obseruing and taking heede to doe al the commandementes of the lawe to be the fearing of this glorious name The Lorde thy God whiche feare of his name is contrarie to the taking of it in vaine and esteeming of it as a vaine thing In saying He wil not holde them guiltlesse he doth assure them of punishment that are carelesse in keping of his commaundementes wherevppon his name and honour hangeth as it is written in Leuiticus If ye shall despise mine ordinaunces either if your soule abhorre my lawes so that yee will not doe all my commaundementes but breake my couenaunte then will I appoint ouer you fearefulnesse a Consumption c threatening as appeareth in that Chapter to proceed in punishment vntill their vncircumcised heart bee humbled to the carefull keeping of his commaundements For those who minde his commaundementes to doe them are they to whome onelie his mercies are promised in the 103 Psalme The louing kindenesse of the Lorde indureth for euer vppon them that feare him and think vppon his commandements to do them The punishmente of these that haue no carefull regard of the worde to doe it is threatened in the 28. of Deuteronomie beginning at the 15. verse in the which verse it is to be noted that there is the same phrase of speeche in the Hebrue whiche I spake of before that is not obseruing to doe all the commaundements which importeth this want of care in doing pointing out by that speache secure men that take no greate care of the worde for to doe it The same wordes Obserue to do are vsed in the first verse of the same Chapter and therefore not lightlie to be regarded of vs beeing so often noted by the holie ghoste If wee peruse the iudgementes of God throughout the whole Bible wee shal easily perceiue that when the people ceassed to be carefull how to please God then was some one punishmente or other let in vppon them to awake them out of that daungerous sleepe of securitie Send away this care by good life to honour God and then assure thy selfe punishment will not be long absent if thou be not a bastarde ouer whome he hath no fatherly regarde And no meruaile for in very deed God hath no seruice in trueth where this godly care is wanting it is no prayer that is not a careful prayer he neuer obteyneth that hath no desire to obteine When workes of them selues good are done without any great care to haue them doone the same may haue prayse for doeing but the heart can claime nothing for any carefull purposing The scripture therefore is plentiful in teaching vs that a Christians life muste bee a carefull life comparing Christianitie to a trade or occupation that muste be applyed thoroughly or else there is no good to bee doone in it If any man striue for a maisterie saith the holie Ghoste hee is not crowned except he striue as he ought to do The husbandman must laboure before he receiueth the fruite sending vs to learne at husbandry the care and trauail of Christianitie Euery man that proueth maisteries sayth Saincte Paule absteyneth from all things and they doe it to obteyne a corruptible crowne but we for an vncorruptible This commaundement therefore excludeth all feigned carelesse and hypocriticall walking in the wayes of the Lord and telleth vs that the Lorde looketh vnto them as he sayth by the Prophete that doe tremble at his worde It is not lightlie to be passed ouer that requiring this care to be had of Gods glorie he ioyneth to the name of the Lorde those two wordes Thy GOD whiche signifieth that loue to him because he is our God must bring foorth the care of his glorie and this obseruing of his commaundementes to doe them For heerein is the care and feare of a seruaunt distinguished and discerned from the care and feare of a Sonne that the sonnes care and feare he hath of his Father is ioyned with loue and aryseth thereof and proceedeth thereby to please him The Seruauntes care and feare aryseth in respecte of punishment if hee displease his maister or else from the hope of wages if happily hee may please him in his seruice So that euen the true feare and care of GOD is mingled with the loue of him because he is our god And is not that which wrestleth with the conscience and proceedeth to doing onely for this cause to get ease thereof not hauing any respect to glorifie his good God not but that the Lorde hath such beginning euen of his best children but that it is not right before it be seasoned with the loue of his mercie For the feare of GOD is neuer true in vs till wee be drawen vnto him by his goodnesse where through he allureth vs as it is written in the Psalme Mercie is with thee that thou maist be feared In the Booke of Kinges Solomon prayeth that the straunger who is not one of the people of Israel but commeth to the house of GOD hearing of his woonderfull workes may haue his prayers graunted that al people may feare GOD as doeth the people of Israel acknowledging his true feare to spring of his goodnesse The feare of GOD because it ariseth of his goodnesse draweth vs alwayes vnto God and in the Scripture therfore argumentes and reasons are drawen from his feare to bringe vs toward him in some one or other duetie as in the Psalme Yee that feare the Lorde prayse him and the reason is taken from his goodnesse in the next verse following For he hath not despised the affliction of the poore but when he called vnto him he hearde Also in the 115. Psalme Ye that feare the Lorde trust in the Lord for he is their helper and their sheelde c prosecuting his goodnesse as before In the next verse following it is saide The Lord hath bene mindeful of vs he will blesse
to the defence of that holde whiche being taken by the enimies he is assured to receiue continuall shame and dishonour The Lord will be honored by hauing his word obeyed if we doe not conspire to mainteine his honour that way we are guiltie of treason against his glorie when we suffer sathan to batter downe obedience in vs to God and man we are as well accessarie to the betraying of his glorie as those souldiers that are quiet within the castle while their enimies sacke the same without Let vs therfore goe carefully aboute these matters of his honour let our care and sounde dealing be a recorde vnto our hartes that we are not conspired with his enimies There can be no better argument that men do willingly consent with sathan then to see them carelesse of his assaultes then neuer to see them stande vpon their watche especially dealing with the enimie who hath professed that hee will neuer be at truce with them And because the Lord giueth so glorious a title to christianitie as to call it his glorie making so neere a bonde betweene our saluation his honour let vs not sleepe in so earnest matters neither bring a slender and bare affection where there is the assured hope of a double commoditie Nowe let vs pray vnto our heauenly Father that we may more be humbled that wee haue so long liued to so litle honour of his name not only that we may thereby truly acknowledge the mercy of Iesus Christe that hathe put vppe so great dishonour at our handes washing it away no otherwise than with his bloud but also that in the remembraunce of so long time wherein we haue dishonoured him we may bee whetted to bestirre vs this time that we haue to liue bothe to pull downe our affections that would dishonour him in the plaine contempte or carelesse regard of obedience also to bring forth that fruite of newe life that may open the mouthes of many to speake of his praise for it whose workmanship it is The fourth Lecture vpon the eighth verse 8 Remember the Sabbaoth day to keepe it holie 9 Sixe dayes shalt thou labour and doe all thy worke 10 But the seuenth day is the Sabbaoth of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt not doe any worke thou nor thy sonne nor thy daughter thy man seruaunt nor thy maide nor thy beast nor thy straunger that is within thy gates 11 For in sixe dayes the Lord made the heauen and the earthe the sea and al that in them is and rested the seuenth day therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbaoth day and halowed it THe rest from bodily laboures that was commaunded vpon the Sabbaoth day had in it this signification that Christianitie did consist in ceassing from sinne So doe the Prophets who are the true expositors of the law interpret it For thus we do read in the Prophet Esay Blessed is the man that doeth this and the Sonne of man that taketh holde on it he that keepeth the Sabbaoth and polluteth it not and keepeth his hand from dooeing any euill The Prophete doeth declare what it is to keepe the Sabbaoth by these wordes following And keepeth his hand from doeing any euil The euill that by this sabbaoth we are commaunded to rest and ceasse from is not a matter straunge and disagreeing from our disposition but rooted in our nature as nowe we haue it from Adam And therefore the same Prophet that here affirmeth the keeping of the Sabbaoth to consist in ceassing and resting from euill in an other place affirmeth it to be the ceassing from our owne wayes and workes declaring thereby this euill and iniquitie that we are commaunded to ceasse from to be no forrener or straunger but to keepe his house and home in our owne nature In that the Scripture termeth euil to be our own wayes and works according as it is written by the Prophete Isaie If thou consecrate the Sabbaoth as glorious vnto the Lorde and shalt honour him not doing thine owne wayes nor seeking thine owne will c. expounding the Not doing our owne ways nor seeking our owne will to be the consecrating of a glorious Sabbaoth vnto the lord The Sabbaoth then consisteth in keeping vs from doing euil so that necessarily we must conclude this euil to be in our owne wills and wayes This inwarde corruption wherewith bothe our wit and wil is poysoned was very fitly resembled in the outward obseruing of the Sabbaoth For vppon the Sabbaoth day the people were called from all their accustomed workes that they had beene occupied in the sixe dayes before So that a man comparing their doinges that day with those they were exercised in the other sixe dayes must of necessitie say they were cleane altered and chaunged in their doinges from that that vsually before they had beene and so diuerse as if they had not beene the same but other men A resemblance verie fitte and sitting to our spirituall Sabbaoth whiche consisteth in becomming newe men concerning our dooinges from that wee haue beene before wee knewe the Gospell The outward rest from bodily laboures whiche did shadowe out our true rest from sinne whiche is our accustomed way and worke was so strictely obserued among the Iewes that the neglect thereof in the least thinges as gathering sticks vpon the Sabbaoth day was punished with death as we do reade in the 15. of Numbers to declare some signification of greater thinges in it according as the Prophetes haue interpreted it The Sabbaoth then doth verie well point out the corruption that we haue receiued of Adam which ruleth and reigneth in the ways and wils of al them that are not borne againe and chaunged bothe in will and deede by the power of that his grace which only he bestoweth vppon his elect For thus it is written to the Ephesians Among whome speaking of the children of disobedience We also had our conuersation in time past in the lustes of our flesh in fulfilling the will of the fleshe and of the minde and were by nature the children of wrath as wel as others We haue to marke here that speaking of his sinne he describeth it to haue beene done by following the wil of the minde whiche is the reasonable part as well as in following the will of the flesh which is the affection vnreasonable part And lest we shuld ascribe this only to his custome in sinne as if hee had not beene borne with this disease nor by nature inclined therevnto he putteth himselfe and others vnder the wrathe of God by nature saying We are by nature the children of wrath as well as others making it the common case of all men as naturally to be inclined to euill as they are to eate and drinke in their hunger or thirst It is worth the noting that he putteth himselfe in the number for he saith of him selfe to the Philippians that his life was not outwardly to be reproued no not before his calling
the signification of a Verbe Transitiue and therefore thus it may very well be translated That they meaning thy Parents may prolong thy dayes making the continuaunce of our life as it were the gifte of Parentes approuing the honour that their Children giue vnto them and so it is here attributed vnto Ionadab as his blessing and benefite that he shall not want a man to stand before GOD for euer notwithstanding the obedience were in his Children Whereby wee are taught so to walke duetifully and thankfully towardes our superiours as they may be compelled to approue it and so to blesse it with many good dayes For the Lorde to get this honoure of inferiours to their superiours hath as it were put this benefite of longe dayes into their handes and maketh it to followe their approuing of that thankfulnesse whiche they receiue from their inferiours This threatening of the Lord may not onely bring a terrour vnto rebellious subiectes and disobedient children whiche liue in the displeasure of their superiours iustly conceiued against them but also vnto those who notwithstanding they haue committed nothing that iustly may displease them yet haue not done any thing that may iustly chalenge approbation and lyking from them This curse of cutting off the length of their liues either in their owne person or in their posteritie moste iustly falleth vpon such as greatly regarde not the consent of their parentes in that weightie matter of marriage Parentes haue heere to learne the bringing vp of their children in all obedience and reuerence towards them selues lest by their too much lenitie they bring such an infection into their children as will not departe from them before it hath broughte them all vnto the graue that there bee not one man of their seede lefte to continue their name This blessing of many good dayes promised to obedient inferiours is so farr foorth perfourmed as it may be a blessing vnto them For sometime God in mercie taketh away obedient children in their young yeeres that they should not taste of the afflictions that he meaneth to bring vpon the land or lest the iniquities of those dayes should peruert them In Deuteronomie vnto the promise of long life are added these wordes That it may be well with thee promising them benefite of longe life no longer then it shall be for their weale to inioy it So likewise it may come to passe that a disobedient childe may liue long to taste of the griefe of disobedience in his owne Children to suffer exile and banishment or some one greate punishment or other or else that his wickednesse may growe yet riper to reuengement so that it be no longer a blessing to inioy such dayes Wee must remember that all this which hath beene spoken of obedience and the blessing thereof must be limitted so as in obeying them we do not disobey God and go contrarie vnto his word This commaundemente also bindeth superiours vnto their inferiours For those gifes of God that come with speciall direction to be employed vnto certein persons as do the gifts of inferiours cannot in equitie but haue some speciall consideration from them againe vppon whome they are thus especially employed Heerevpon aryseth the particular callings that bee when by reason of particular benefites and blessinges whiche wee receiue of particular persons wee become indebted vnto them againe for seuerall dueties more and aboue those generall dueties which we owe vnto all men This commaundement comprehendeth all particular callings of what cōdition soeuer they shal be For the lawe beeing a perfecte rule of righteousnesse cannot content it selfe with generall duties alone When this duetie from superiours is not giuen to them that be vnder them it commeth often to passe by the iust iudgement of God and yet with the inferiours their great sinne heynous offence that they become vnthankeful vndutiful rebellious againste those that be set ouer them armed by the iust iudgement of God to denie duetie vnto them from whom they haue receiued none Maisters complaine of the vnfaithfulnesse of seruants and yet was there neuer any time when seruaunts had iuster cause to complaine of vndutifull maisters For where are those masters to be found that haue any iust regard of the swette of their seruants which is their bloud bestowed in their seruice How slenderly are they recompenced when they haue spent their young yeares the flower of their life vpon them yet euen reason would that seeing the Lorde hathe laide the maintenance of their life vpon their labour and trauell which their maisters haue eaten vp they should not be so cruelly vnkinde as after their long seruice to sende them away with an emptie hand I omit to speake how litle the care is of bringing them vp in the feare of god The number of those parentes which carefully perfourme this dutie towards their children to make them learned in the lawe of their God is as small And where shall we finde any number of suche Magistrates as employ them selues to terrifie wickednesse and wicked men and to incourage the good in their goodnesse These thinges are as wel due from them as the other duties before recited belong vnto them There is also generally required of all superiors that louing dealing and behauiour towardes their inferiours which may witnes that they are not vnthankfull for those special benefits which they do receiue from them For if loue whiche hathe in it speciall good will and liking be commanded towardes all men in generall there must of necessitie be a greater measure of it betwene those that are more particularly employed the one vpon the other This louing regard of them outwardly declared in deed and behauiour must come in as a supplie to helpe to beare and susteine the weight of labour subiection whiche the nature of man otherwise can hardly digest as in a mans bodie more labour or cost is bestowed about those parts that haue the lest beautie and forme in themselues in so muche that those parts which as they are of themselues dare least abide the eye are set forth with more beautie to the eye thereby after a manner hauing recompence of their want in the bodie so in the bodie of the common wealth and in the societie of man tender regarde of superiours and amiable affection towards those that be vnder them should beare vp a part of that heauie burthen of subiection and seruice The gyftes and graces of God in others craue also honour from vs For being fellowe-members of one bodie we haue our benefite and fare the better for the seuerall gyftes of others For the Lorde hathe made suche a diuision of his gyftes as that he hath laide a necessarie part of the welfare of euerie man out of himselfe in some other the lack wherof maketh him maymed in him selfe therfore forceth him to seeke vnto others for his perfecte forme iust proportion These gyfts of God wee are not only bound to see and behold but also to
that was done what kinde soeuer it was according as it is written in Leuiticus If a man cause any blemish in his neighbour as he hathe done so shal it be done to him breache for breache eye for eye toothe for toothe suche a blemishe as he hath made in any such shal be repaid to him wherby the offender was drawn to the better consideration of that griefe whiche he had brought vpon another in feeling the displeasure thereof within him selfe and also feared the more from offending being wel assured before that he could offer no great wrong vnto his neighbour whiche selfe same in so doing he should not bring vpon his owne head This punishment doth not only declare the vnlawfulnesse of violence whiche here is forbiden but also by that punishment whiche the iust Lord did appoint for it we see howe great the offence is which hath had suche a punishment appointed for it from the iustice of God that more account may be made of suche iniuries then commonly there is in any place In this commandement is forbidden all crueltie and therfore in the punishment of certeine offences there was a number of stripes appointed whiche in punishing they might not passe as we reade in Deut. So doeth the Lorde abhorre crueltie that he would not haue it couered no not vnder the cloake of iustice zeale against sinne whiche vnder that pretence might be shadowed if in any respect at al it were to be mainteyned This lawe was so religiously obserued amongest the Iewes that they would alwayes giue one stripe lesse vnto the offendour whosoeuer And therefore fourtie beeing the number of strypes whiche they might not passe the vsuall punishment was to giue fourtie saue one whiche number they did not exceede no not in punishing of Paule towardes whom they beare so deadly hatred as he testifieth of himselfe to the Corinthes Of the Iewes saith he in that place fiue times receiued I fourtie stripes saue one Thus woulde the Iewes giue out some signification howe they did abhorre crueltie being verie vnwilling to be publiquely noted of that crime how bloudie soeuer their harts were no not at that time when as they might haue had some shadowe in pretending the zeale of iustice for their facte But Christians must abhorre that in deede whiche these in shewe would be thought to be farre from Crueltie was restrained in that whiche we read of in the nineteenth of Leuiticus of not putting a stumbling blocke before the blinde nor reuiling the deafe for suche wantes gette compassion amongest all those in whome there is any humanitie or pitifull inclination Those therefore must of necessitie be cruel and sauage that are so farre from any touch therwith as that they can abide to increase it by insulting vppon them and adding more torment vnto them To represse cruel dealing it was forbidden them to withholde the hyre of the poore and needie hyred seruant as it is written in Deuteronomie Thou shalt giue him his hyre for his day neither shall the sunne goe downe vpon it for he is poore and therewith susteineth his life least he crie against thee vnto the Lorde and it bee sinne vnto thee To the same ende was the commandement giuen in Exodus for not vexing nor oppressing the straungers widowes and fatherlesse children with this threat If thou vexe or trouble suche and so he call and crie vnto me I will surely heare his crie Then shal my wrath be kindled and I wil kil you with the swoorde and your wiues shal be widowes and your children fatherlesse For the same cause in the same chapter they are cōmanded to restore the garment taken to pledge before the sunne go downe This is his garment for his skinne saith the Lord Wherein shal he sleepe therefore when he crieth vnto me I will heare him for I am merciful The commandement that was giuen in Leuiticus concerning those that were impouerished fallen into decay to relieue them but in no case to take vsurie or aduantage of them had in it the same purpose and ende to meete with crueltie and vnmercifulnesse For euerie suche condition hath in it matter to moue vs to pitie compassion which occasion is taken of the good as offered them from the Lord to declare whose children they are by being mercifull euen as their heauenly father is mercifull But when men are so farre from compassion and mercie as beeing prouoked by present and visible occasion offered they doe not onely shut vppe the bowels of compassion against them but euen make a pray spoile of them most cruelly increasing their miserie it is a plaine proofe that there is no droppe of humanitie and muche lesse of Christianitie within them To conclude this speeche of crueltie that whiche is written in Deuteronomie of the mouseling the mouthe of the Oxe that treadeth out the corne and is applied by Saint Paule to the Corinthes to proue that the labourer may not bee denied his hyre and wages for his paines maketh plainely against crueltie battereth downe all the walles of vnmercifulnesse that are so strongly vpholden by the general practise of so many now a-dayes For what man almost is there of any worshippe or wealth who thinketh not that he may lawfully vse his tenaunt or poore neighbour without any wages yet the prophet Ieremie pronounceth woe againste this kinde of crueltie in these wordes Woe vnto him that buildeth his house by vnrighteousnesse and his chambers without equitie he vseth his neighbour without wages and giueth him not for his worke It is nothing so cruell a facte to robbe a straunger whome thou knowest not as to sucke out by his labour the bloude of thy friende and neighbour and after to sende him away without wages If suche buildinges stande vpon vnrighteousnesse as sayth the prophete it is to be feared that many a faire house in this land hathe suche a ruinous foundation as threateneth the destruction of the owner This kinde of crueltie howe heynous it was in the sight of God and what plague it might bring in iustice vppon the things that were in suche vnrighteousnesse accomplished did Iob verie well vnderstande and therefore saith If I haue eaten the fruites of my lande without siluer or haue grieued the soules of the maisters thereof let thistles growe in steede of wheate and cockle in steed of barley A righteous man saith the holy Ghost regardeth the life of his beast but the mercies of the wicked are cruell If hee neglecte not his beastes but giueth them foode in due time muche lesse will he neglecte his familie or seruantes in defrauding them of that either in meate or wages that is conuenient These examples that nowe I haue alledged as they spring from an vnmercifull heart and tende to the vniust griefe and molestation of the bodie and life of our brother so are they directly againste this commandement Notwithstanding as they bring damage
did ouerflowe the worlde in the dayes of Noe according as it is written in Genesis Then the sonnes of God sawe the daughters of men that they were faire they toke them wiues of all that they liked Therefore the Lord said My spirite shal not alwayes striue with man because he is but fleshe c. Here vppon we see the euill beginning and the iust punishment of suche as pollute marriage whiche shoulde be kept in all obedience and holinesse For marriage is the nourcerie of Christianitie Nowe if the nource be a drie nource not hauing any true feare and seruice of God shal she not be guiltie of those that sterue vnder her hand Or shal their cruel carelesnesse be vnpunished that dare commit heires of so great an inheritance vnto such nources destitute altogether of any nourishment fitte and conuenient for them The learned giue this reason why in the books of kinges there is so continuall mention made of their mothers who were Kings that the children are by nature giuen to followe muche the inclination of their mothers and that education whiche they receiue from them and therefore that diligent care should be had to make suche choice as were likely to bring the benefite of Christian education to their children and posteritie This is the first thing whiche is required to make a godly and chaste life in marriage Euen to marrie in the Lorde As this choice is the beginning of a godly and chaste life so loue and heartie good affection is the thing that doth continue it For the increasing whereof it was prouided in the olde Testament that the newe married man should not go on warfare neither be charged with any publique businesse but be free at home one yeare reioyce with the wife whiche he had taken to the ende there might be suche vniting of mindes as afterwardes were not easily to be fundered This also had the Lorde respect vnto in that lawe which as we haue heard before was made to cure the iealous affection of the man. This loue shall then be surely continued when either partie shall perfourme that which the Lord hath laide vpon them humbling themselues vnder the burden of obedience which he hath charged thē withal which is for the man as we are taught by the Apostle Peter that he giue honour vnto the woman as the weaker vessel making a supplie of her weakenesse and that want whiche by nature shee hathe of many gyftes graunted vnto man by his loue and hartie good affection declared vnto her euen as in the bodie of man the stronger members giue diligent care and support vnto the weaker alwayes taking heede that he suffer no contempte to abide in his heart much lesse in his dede towards her who is fellowe heire with him of the grace of life as the Apostle witnesseth in the same place therfore may not haue her life made by contempt or outragious dealing so bitter and grieuous as it may rather be called a curse then a grace and mercifull gyft of God. But the chiefe cause whiche shoulde moue a christian moste is left their prayers and seruice of God be reiected whiche cannot be acceptable vnto him while there abideth wrathe and displeasure in the hart towards any but especially if there be iarring and dissention with those with whome we should be moste at one For prayer is the lifting vppe of pure handes without wrathe as the Apostle testifieth to Timothie The man behauing himselfe thus according to the commandement of God shall do the duetie which to him belongeth to continue a chast and godly life For the wife it is required by the apostle in the same place that she be of a meeke gentle and quiet spirit whiche the holy ghost requireth her to be apparelled withall setting it in the place of all outward vaine attyring of them selues as that which is precious before God and most able to allure the heartes of good men affirming this to haue beene the attire of holy womē in times past which trusted in god who for that they trusted in him committed them felues to the ornamentes prescribed by him not fearing contempt but assuredly beleeuing that in that his way he both coulde and woulde giue fauour vnto them in the eyes of their husbandes It is worthy the noting that hee maketh it the attyre of them that trusted in God for therein he plainely giueth foorth that the outwarde vaine setting out of them selues sauoureth of mistrust and feare of contempt whatsoeuer be pretended and that if they trust in God they shall not neede to feare that their meeknesse and quietnesse can bring any contempt with it but that it shall be rewarded with liking from the lord It is also required that they be reuerently subiect vnto their husbandes in all things as was Sarai who vsed such speach of reuerence calling him syr as did witnesse of the heart that it did honour him which if it be refused neither is that benefite graunted vnto their weaknesse of a head and guide acknowledged whiche is great vnthankfulnesse both vnto God and to their husbande neither yet that gouernement obeyed which the Lord hath put them vnder which is intollerable disobedience The place therefore that they are in must be acknowledged with all humilitie and the duties laide vpon them by the Lorde perfourmed that there may bee continuance of their godly and chaste loue Thus no occasion must be giuen vnto sathan by either of them thorough alienation of minde and breach of loue in not perfourming their seuerall dueties to make any way or passage to the vngodly and vnchast liking or vsing of any other Yong men shall then giue them selues to the dueties of this commaundement when they shall haue learned sobrietie temperaunce a gifte that brideleth their affections in pleasures as eating drinking and vaine setting forth of them selues in apparel not suffering them to haue all that they require herein but cutting thē short of that they wold yea of some part and of that also which honestly they might haue alwayes being short rather than in any respect beyond that the is conuenient for men of their degree so that they neede not to feare the iudgement of any indifferent men being alwayes a good deale within the compasse of their state and calling but neuer without giuing foorth testimonie by that meanes to al men of their modest temperate and sober minde which the holy Ghoste calleth the ornament of young men And the Apostle Paule warneth Titus to exhorte them vnto this gifte and grace of young yeares a verie profitable meane to driue away vnchast conuersation Women also are exhorted vnto this temperance and sobrietie and vnto modestie and shamefastnesse which is the roote and beginning of it by the Apostle Paule to Timothie who willeth in that place that their apparell may speake and declare the shamefastnesse of their minde which dare not put foorth it selfe vnto all that
dignitie and degree of countenaunce in their apparell that most lawfully they might otherwise clayme For therefore it is called temperaunce bycause it restraineth a man of his libertie But in this our age when almost all goe as farre as they may and the most part both of men and women a great deale beyond their compasse where is this temperance and sobrietie which is so highly commended in the Scriptures the verie walles of pure life and barres of chast conuersation This may be bewayled of all men but the disease is so vniuersall as it is impossible to be cured if the lord shall not put to his mightie hand from heauen It will be sayde that it is hard to measure these indifferent things but the trueth is otherwise for the holy Ghost hath sent vs a measure and meteyard euen sham efastnesse and temperance so that when there is no moderation or temperance but that by euerie indifferent iudgement they bee as farre as their estate can giue them leaue when there is no shamefastnesse but that they dare bee bolde to goe without blushing as farre as their place or abilitie can leade them maye wee not boldely say that they haue left the Lorde his measure and therefore their attire and behauiour must of necessitie be deformed in his eyes how wel soeuer it be pleasing vnto them selues This temperaunce is to be taught the yonger sort not onely from the mouth of the elder but frō their life and conuersation that they may be kept in those means which do vphold chast behauiour and therefore the Apostle Paule chargeth Titus that he stirre vp the elder both men and women to season yong yeares therewith Although this be the dutie generally of all elder people yet is it the speciall dutie of parentes to their children by their teaching and example of life thus to instruct thē And therefore in Deuteronomie it appeareth that the woman that had offended in her fathers house the matter not beeing knowne before marriage must be stoned to death at the doore of her fathers house But and if her husband should wrongfully charge her that he found her not a mayde after triall made to the contrarie he must pay an hundred sickles of siluer to the father of the mayde The reward of her innocencie as well as the punishment of her wickednesse reaching vnto the father for she must be stoned at his doore telleth vs what dutie belongeth vnto the parents in as muche as they had their parr as well in the dishonour as honour that followed the good education of their childrē The Lorde in forbidding vs adulterie telleth vs that our nature is inclined therevnto For what neede wee to be forewarned of that which we are in no daunger of It is required that we peruse diligētly the course of our life with due consideration how our intemperancie hath vttered it selfe in any of those things which we haue nowe learned to be forbidden vs and also in diligent consideration howe prone and tickle our affections be therevnto that we may in truth come from the opinion of our selues to betake vs wholy to that perfect obedience of Iesus Christ to rest in it as that onely which can abide the iustice of the righteous God then in thankful regard of those his mercies manfully to set vpon our in temperat desires for the mortifying therof that the Lord may haue the honour of our moderate and chast conuersation Which that it may so come to passe let vs call vppon our heauenly father saying The eighth Lecture vpon the fifteenth verse Thou shalt not steale IT hath bene shewed before that our neighbour is not to be considered in his person alone but in what so euer thing is deare vnto him as goods good name and suche like and therefore that the loue which we must beare towards him may not be towardes his body alone but also towardes his goods that our dealing with them may be so vpright as may declare in deede that we doe loue the man For if any thing of his passing through out handes shall not finde fidelitie and faythfull dealing but deceitfull conueyaunce of it or some parte thereof to oure selues can it bee truely sayde wee loue the man there is no man that can so iudge of it that can I say persuade him selfe that hee is beloued of those men when nothing of his goodes commeth to their handes but it is sure to be fleeced and to pay toll before it shall depart The Lord therefore commaunding safe passage and louing dealing towardes our neighboures goodes when so euer according to the manifold necessities of euerie man to deale and communicate with an other in buying and selling or otherwise they haue occasion to passe through our handes hath forbidden stealing and all vnfaithfulnesse in their goods condemning it of want of charitie and loue towardes them selues whose goods are diminished by vs when so euer we shal haue dealing with thē And bicause we goe so closely to work and are so cunning to deceiue our selues imagining that wee loue our neighbours when in deede there is no such affection in vs the holy Ghoste is compelled as it were to trace vs and by such vnfaithful footesteps as these be to descrie vs For when we are so often taken with vntrustie dealing and vnfaythfulnesse in our neighbours goods good name and such like is there not iust cause to arest vs for not discharging this duetie of loue which is so due vnto them This vnfaythfull dealing with the goodes of our neighbour howe greatly it did displease the Lorde and with what lawes he did restraine his people of Israel from the same the statutes and orders of that gouernement can best declare from whence it shall not be amisse to take some helpe in the interpretation of this commaundement In Exodus we doe reade that if any man should steale a sheepe and kill it or sell it he should restore for that one sheepe foure but if any man should steale an oxe and after kill it or sell it hee should restore fiue oxen for that oxe The reason why he must pay more for the oxe then for the sheepe was for that his neighbours losse was greater in the want of the one then of the other as bringing more profite to the owner thereof But if they were found with the theefe aliue not solde nor killed then must hee restore but the double of the oxe asse or shepe for that his obstinacie in this euil did not appeare so greate as when hee should make sale of them and turne them into gaine For it might be while they were aliue that he being touched with repentaunce woulde restore them againe but when they were solde or killed the theefe gaue greater token of his impudencie and confirmed obstinacie and the owner also was one degree further from any likelyhoode to come by them againe If the theefe be nothing worth and so not able to make restitution then as it
trade Herevnto may be added that it is often preiudicial to the reasonable sale of that man who must sell his wares for present money his necessitie so constrayning him The like is to be said of other things which notwithstanding they be good and sufficient for the moste parte therof yet haue something mingled among to increase the quantitie and so the price of the other whiche in the vse thereof bringeth no benefite but hurt hinderance and deceipte vnto him that occupieth the same One example may be this Whē cloathes are stretched fiue sixe or seuen yardes in a cloathe aboue that whiche the cloath doth of necessitie require it is well knowne vnto the seller who taketh money for the same that all of them will shrinke in againe so soone as euer they shal be wet and that the wearer shall haue no good by thē And how then can these men take money for nothing They can not be priuileged to take in some part of money for that which hath no peece of commoditie in it when it shall come to the triall and vse that should be of it There is no equalitie to take a commoditie for that which in his handes or house if it lie by him wil vanishe into nothing It is no otherwise then if some iuggler had closed in our fist as we thought some peece of coyne but when we open our hand there is no suche thing to be found there As for their desire to haue it so whiche doe buy it of vs that cannot mainteyne any thing in vs not lawfull of it selfe For no mannes appetite can warrant our wrong dealing in deceiptfull wares If the commoditie whiche we do vtter be neither altogether nor yet in part deceiptfull but wholy good and sufficient yet if we shall ouer-sell it we trespasse against this rule of equitie and reason which forbiddeth the commoditie of one to arise of the losse of another and laboureth for equall commoditie in exchaunge as nighe as may be Neither can we bee truely intituled vnto any other their commoditie but by departing from some other thing of ours vnto them againe as commodious as that is and the same either in weight measure or value Those men therefore that in buying and selling doe alwayes lay in wayte for them who for some one necessitie or other must necessarily vtter their cōmoditie thinking to make a pray of their necessitie to make the price after their owne lust desire are not simple theeues for it skilleth not to make it theft whether it be muche or litle that we take frō another which we haue no right vnto nether yet whether it be done vnder some color or without any shewe of right but also this kinde of dealing hath in it a spice and smacke of crueltie murther because it is toward those most cōmonly whose necessitie if there were any Christiā bowels in vs were rather to be pittied as it alreadie is then further to be increased by vs as if their affliction were not yet enoughe to bee vnder our feete vnlesse we trampled vpon them and did our good will that they might neuer arise againe It is no more lawfull to leaue testimonie that there is wante of loue towardes our neighbour by our dealing with his goods in buying and selling then it is in our borrowing keeping or lending as was before declared For the Lorde hathe forbidden vs to shewe any lacke of loue towardes our neighbour and for triall of our obedience herein he followeth our footing to the gate of his goodes as well as to the doore of his person to espie whether we returne from thence bothe mercifull and helpefull or cruell and hurtefull For thus doth he trace vs and trie out our heart towarde our brethren leading vs to see the secretes of it by the out-goinges that it hathe to the thinges that be especially necessarie and commodious for them and also best beloued and most deare vnto them As the Lorde hathe bounde the borrower lender keeper buyer or seller to good abearing toward our goodes so hathe he graunted the peace for him that shall finde any thing of oures No exception admitted to the contrarie no not in the finding of the goods of his enimie For the man that shal find his enimies oxe or asse going astray is charged to bring to him againe And if he shall see his enimies oxe or asse lying vnder his burthen he must helpe him vppe with it according as it is written in Exodus Hee is also charged with all the lost thinges of his brothers that he shall finde to restore them againe in Deuteronomie and if he knowe not whose oxe or sheepe they be that he findeth going astray they must remaine with him at his house vntil his brother seeke after them Deuteronomie If any man should deale deceiptfully and therefore vncharitably with his neighbours goodes then were they bounde to restore that whatsoeuer it were whiche their conscience did charge them with all adding the fifte parte more thervnto giuing it vnto him that was so wronged iniuried or deceiued by thē the same day which they should offer for that their trespasse to the Lord so that the Lord would not be appeased vntil their brethren were satisfied Thus must they do when their conscience should pricke them in any thing according as it is written in Leuit. The wronges that are there sett downe to be restored againe are to denie his neighbour that which was taken him to keepe or that whiche was put to him of trust oppression either by fraude or violence finding that whiche was lost and denying it and whatsoeuer one hath hindered his neighbour in by a false othe These thinges are expressely set downe in that place to be restored in the whole and the fifte parte thereof added therevnto at the summon of their conscience whensoeuer It appeareth in the booke of Numbers that the offenders in this parte must pay this damage vnto his next kinseman if he were dead whom thus they had wronged neither was he so acquited if he had no kinsman but must giue it to the Lord for the priestes vse If so be it shal please the Lorde to call any man and let him see an vniuersall oppression and harde dealing in all his doeing not grieuing him with the alone remembrance of one or some fewe then the counsell of Daniel is to be followed to breake off their sinnes by righteousnes and their iniquities by mercie toward the poore that plentie of mercifull dealing may followe there where there hath gone before great store plentie of the contrarie Is not this the fasting sayth the Prophete Isaie that I haue chosen to loose the bandes of wickednesse to take off the heauie burdens and to let the oppressed goe free and that ye breake euerie yoke Is it not to deale thy bread to the hungrie that thou bring the poore that wander vnto thine house When thou seest the
vnderproppe it and as it were lende their shoulders vnto it Therefore it is saide by the holy Ghost in Exodus Thou shalt not receiue a false tale neither put thy hand with the wicked to be a false witnesse It shal not excuse vs that wee were not the first authours of it neither yet that many as wel as we did beleue it but we are taught to take heede how we giue credit to report euē strengthned with the approbatiō of many wherof notwithstāding we our selues haue no certeine knowlege that we be not so hastie to giue sentence in our heart and much lesse in place of iustice vse our testimonie against any vpon no sufficient ground moued onely by the speeche and reportes that runne abroade We are taught neither to ioyne nor goe with the mightie to witnesse a false matter for fauour or feare neither yet vpon a kinde of foolishe pitie to honor the poore to ioyne with them in their vniust cause so precious woulde the Lorde that the regarde of his trueth should bee It is not lawfull for vs to agree with any againste god And as for that easie eare that so soone receiueth the slaunderers report the holy Ghoste giueth the medicine for it in the Prouerbes As the Northe winde driueth away the raine so doth an angrie coūtenance the slaundering tongue It is the ouer good enterteinement that the slaunderous tongue findeth that cherrisheth it for the heauie countenaunce driueth suche guests cleane away The scripture speaketh of those people that they be as pedlers that go from house to house to vtter their wares euen slaūderous speeche the receiuer therefore must be as euill as the first brocher for if we had no receiuers we should haue no theeues Those men therefore that with friendely lookes and eares do enterteine them that are euer bringing newes and reportes of others are partakers with them of that euil and of all the fruites and effectes thereof We are to consider that whiche oftentimes hath bene spoken before that vnder one sinne as this bearing of false witnesse it is vsuall with the holie scripture to conteine all that be of any affinitie with it so that all the fruites and venome of an hateful and vnlouing tongue are heere forbidden Those men that blaze abrode the infirmities and offences of their brethren through want of loue offend against this commaundement which prouideth for all louing dealing with our brethren in their name and estimation It is no excuse to say the matter is true we vtter of them when the truth shall conuict vs that we haue not proceeded therein by the rules of loue which chargeth vs to couer them and by louing couering of them to cure them in deede and to take out the blott and blemish of them bothe before God and man For the word of God chargeth vs with a duetie of louing dealing euen towardes such as shall slip into sinnes and offences as is saide that loue couereth all trespasses and that it is hatred that stirreth vpp contention And likewise we reade that he who couereth a transgression seeketh loue but hee that shall publish suche a matter separateth his chiefe freend For it commeth so heauily vnto our heart when that we shall heare men that they haue no regarde of vs in our infirmities not spareing by the inlargeing of the report to increase our miserie infamie that notwithstanding we haue bene most tenderly louing to suche men aforehand yet shall we now no longer kepe that lyking good opinion of them while we doe not see them as it were bearing a parte of our griefe and sorrowe with vs but rather increasing the same by their vnlouing dealing in the publishing of it We haue good admonition to this purpose in the Prouerbes where it is said That the discretion of a man differreth his anger and his glorie is to passe by an offence This passing by is an vsuall speech when wee stand not vppon a thing to the vttermost as those that meane to beare with nothing nor vse any friendship in the matter but with extremitie to stand vppon all things This couering of offences may seeme a very pleasant doctrine vnto the flesh for we are naturally bent one to sooth vp an other in sinne and no man to espie any fault specially in his friend acquayntance at the least if we shall see it yet we wil not see it But the holie Ghoste is far from the vpholding of any such kinde of passing by sinnes and offences for he meaneth that couering of them by louing admonition and priuate exhortation whiche in causing a man to be ashamed of them and to leaue them blotteth out the memorie of them bothe before God and man So doeth the Apostle Iames expound this couering of sinnes Brethren if any of you haue erred from the trueth and some man hath conuerted him let him knowe that hee whiche hath conuerted the sinner frō going astray out of his way shall saue a soule from death and shall hide a multitude of sinnes To this doeth our Sauiour Christe exhorte vs in Matthew affirming that if he which hath offended shall heare our admonition and be ordered by it we haue wonne our brother that place is worth the diligent noting For after that he hath spoken of his care for the lost sheep that leaueth ninetie nine to seeke that one whiche was lost declaring also the ioy that he conceiueth after the finding of this one foorthwith he maketh mention of seeking vp those of our brethren who haue fallen into sinne or iniquitie and therefore offended vs chargeing vs with the seeking vp of them by brotherly admonition according as it is there plainly set foorth as also in Leuiticus By these testimonies is apparant that louing and freendly admonition is the way to hide sinne and that dissembling it and not admonishing our brethren is the hatred of them the procuring of the blazing abroade of it because we knowe that the Lord will not suffer him vnpunished but by punishing it wil vtter and declare it We therefore in dissembling it while that we shall not admonish them to leaue it and so to haue it hid in the mercies of God may truely be said to hate them and also to be in the same offence and fault of publishers and blazers abroade of their sinne in as muche as through our negligence the Lord is forced to bring it to light that so it may be cured So that we must be farr from this hatred towarde them nay wee must so loue their credit lest they should be put to some open punishment and shame for their sinnes as that the very good affection that we beare vnto them and griefe to haue them made a publique example of reproch moue vs by way of exhortation to preuent the publishing of it by some blaste of sore punishment from the Lorde Wherin as we are to deale plainly so must we also
sinnes that bee alreadie ripe in oure selues and to turne it that way to be reuenged vpon them when it would be so gladly occupied in suspecting and surmising euill in others which either is not so at all or at the least not so cleare as in our selues So that alwayes this bee our rule from the sight of our owne sinnes to proceede to the reprouing of others In consideration of the end and vse of the toung which is to giue foorth the good things of the heart we are sent from speach either bitter or nipping or vainely or without profite delighting vnto the wholesome wordes of edifying and instructing one an other vnto good as it is written in the Prouerbes The heart of the wise maketh his mouth wise and addeth doctrine vnto his lippes His sweete words are as an honie combe sweetnesse to the soule and health to the bones The lippes of the iust man are reported to feede many and that they knowe what is acceptable to God and man and labour to get grace and fauour to that which they do speake It is sayd that the fruit of a righteous man is as a tree of life and that he bycause he winneth soules is wise and that he shal be filled with good things for the fruit of his mouth that it is that good vnderstanding and wisedome that getteth grace and fauour with men with other infinite testimonies out of that booke directing vs to the right vse of the toung Wee haue to learne so to examine our dealings with our neighbours credite and good name according to these dueties here prescribed vs that wee learne truely to humble vs vnder the free mercies of Iesus Christe and truely to honour him by shewing forth our loue towards our neighbour in all good dealing with his name and subduing those affections that rise vp against it that we may giue forth testimonie vnto others that we are in Christe by cause we are dying vnto sinne and liuing vnto righteousnesse Nowe let vs pray vnto our heauenly father that wee may witnesse our loue vnto men by all faithfull and louing dealing with their name The xj Lecture vpon the seuenteenth verse Thou shalt not couet thy neighbours house neyther shalt thou couet thy neighbours wife nor his man seruant nor his mayde nor his oxe nor his asse neyther any thing that is thy neighbours THis last commaundement pearceth deeper then the former Before the deede was condemned that was hurtfull to our neighbours and the setled wil also and resolued determination these were forbidden in the other commandements but nowe the holy Ghoste reproueth the desire and lust towardes any thing of our neighbours notwithstanding there be no full resolution nor setled consent giuen therevnto I call it a setled consent when in our mynd we are fully resolued and haue set it downe that we will embrace and follow that as occasion shall be giuen wherevnto our desire lust and appetite doth leade vs Desire and longing after the thinges of our neighbours as house wife goods or lande which yet are cut off before we sit down with the deliberate persuasion to take our pleasure of them are here brought vnto iudgment and restrayned by this commaundement In deede the Lorde doth pardon and forgiue vnto his childrē the desires and longings of their minde that are repulsed and beaten backe before they obteine full consent But it is one thing to dispute what desire vnto euill is in the desart of it selfe and an other howe it is pardoned in the merites of Christe For in the merites of Christe not onely the desires but also the euill doings of his seruants lye hidden and couered We are then to consider what reckoning is to be made of the lusting coueting desires that solace themselues some good time with their neighbours benefite when yet they shal be scared frō that feast before their affectiō shal be filled wholy satisfied In the gospel after S. Luke we are charged to loue the Lord with all our hart with al our strēgth with al our thoghts While thē our thoughts are carried hither thither now after his goodes to desire this house or this parcell of land of his or the estate condition that now is his although we would not wishe it before his death being a long time holden in these thoughtes and vanishing in these desires although nothing be fully concluded to say deliberately in our heartes These pleasures will we followe are we not iustly blamed for not louing him with all our thoughts Were it not a plaine mockerie of GOD if a man should giue libertie to his thoughts to pursue pleasures whole dayes and weekes so that they take heede of setting it downe and concluding fully to wallowe in any Our thoughts should be wholy taken vp to the Lords vse and therefore may they not be let loose after goods or benefites of our brethren with the alone charge to take heede howe they fully settle them selues in them but so they be sure of that otherwise to take no great care this is not by loue to take vp our thoughts and direct them to his seruice but by carnall libertie to giue them the head And surely we may discerne a fault in this euen by the light almost of reason that our thoughts should rather delight to spend themselues vpon euill or vaine thinges then vpon those that haue the greatest pleasure and chiefest goodnesse in them Behold then it is a faultie thing that our thoughts run rouing after vaine things that they folow the delights of their neighbours pleasure or profites though not greatly setled in them but wantonly wandring by them Why should they not bee fastened with delight and whole consent vnto good things Hath not the Lord payde the price for body and soule and al that is in vs Why then should not all bee kept vnder his obedience without rouing after our owne desire Either else why should wee excuse any thought straying and wandring from him with this answere that it had returned before it was gone so farre as possible it might This is no reasonable excuse nor plaine dealing before our God this is not to loue him with all the thought It were a verie vngodly thing and would be cryed out against euen amongst mē if any should permit his sonne not to spare daliance and delight with young women so that hee made this alwayes sure that they should gette no holde of him by giuing full consent to ioyne in marriage with them This were an intollerable thing among men And can we thinke when we shall haue delighted oure selues a long time in the pleasure of vnlawfull thoughtes that this wil wipe out all bicause we are not fully purposed to dwell in them Our thoughts are married already vnto the Lorde they are not at libertie to matche them selues where it shall best like them neyther yet to acquaint them with any straunge loue She is no longer
that the word of the Lord came vnto Abraham in a vision saying Feare not Abraham I am thine exceeding great reward And Abraham said Oh Lorde God what wilt thou giue me seeing I goe childlesse Beholde to me thou hast giuen no seede wherefore a seruaunt of myne house shall be myne heire Then the worde of the Lorde came vnto him saying One that shall come out of thine owne bowells hee shall be thine heire Moreouer he brought him foorth and sayde Looke vp nowe vnto heauen and tell the starres So shall thy seede be And Abraham beleeued the Lord and he accounted that to him for righteousnesse By this testimonie we see that Abraham was accoūted righteous not in part righteous or half righteous but with out any addition it was sayde of him that he was righteous before he had any sonne and therefore before he could offer vp his sonne in sacrifice euen then when he made complaint vnto God for that he had no sonne and therefore a seruaunt must bee his heire beleuing the promise that thē was made vnto him for a seede and posteritie that shoulde come out of his owne loynes that fayth was reckoned vnto him for righteousnesse and hee him selfe accepted of as righteous before the Lorde Iames sayth that hee was iustified when his owne sonne Isaac was offered vppon the altar and that this deede of his in not refusing to kill his onely sonne for a sacrifice at the commaundement of God did so please the Lorde that he was iustified for it In the other place alledged the holy Ghost affirmeth that hee was iustified before his sonne Isaac was borne euen at that time when the promise was giuen forth that he should haue a sonne and that the beleeuing of this good will of God towardes him herein did so please the Lorde that he accounted of him as righteous for it Howe then Doth the holy Ghost differ from him selfe God forbid But the Apostle Sainte Iames attributeth that to the effect for being ioyned with his cause which the holy ghost in that other place giueth vnto the true and originall cause alone As if one man wold iustifie a workman and commend him aboue others for workes that hee hath seene him do and an other would in like manner iustifie the same but for the inward skill knowledge and conceiuing that he hath of the rules and principles of that trade or occupation what so euer which skill he may discerne by his speache albeit he neuer sawe him worke And albeit a man may say that he is a good workman bicause his worke is good yet if a man wil speake properly he must say he is a good workeman bycause his skill is good For his good skill in that trade is the cause of his good workmanshippe and the goodnesse thereof commeth from thence as from the proper founteine and cause Nowe euerie man knoweth that when any man is commended for his worke it is bycause of the skill and knowledge that appeareth therein and is ioyned therewith as the onely cause and occasion thereof Euen so bycause our fayth appeareth in our good woorkes as our skilfull knowledge dothe in our skilfull workmanship that is giuen to good woorkes which is peculiar vnto fayth as the proper cause thereof and a man shall bee called a skilfull woorkman for his skilfull workmanship when notwithstanding it is most assured that his skilfull knowledge is before his skilfull woorke as also the cause thereof and hee iustly may be called skilfull for it notwithstanding he should bee kept from vttering that his skill in worke many yeres after the perfect knowledge thereof The holie Ghost therefore in Genesis iustifieth Abraham as skilfull for his skill alone and in that epistle of Iames he iustifieth him as skilful of that worke wherein so much skil appeared For it may be lawfull vnto me for the better vnderstanding hereof to resemble fayth by skill and good deedes by skilfull workmanshippe bycause as good workmanship hath all the commendation for the good skill that appeareth in it so haue good woorkes all their praise from the fayth that hath begotten them and is necessarily ioyned with them This is also to be added that bycause there is not in our workes that perfection that is required we are constreyned to stand to the mercie of God and to seeke refuge there by a true fayth and this is the cause why we magnifie faith which otherwise is imperfect as be all things that are in vs bicause it applieth the mercy of God vnto vs wherby our sinnes are pardoned and the want that is in our worke not imputed And for proofe that the Apostle Sainte Iames giueth not that title vnto woorkes to iustifie but bycause of the fayth whiche hath begotte those workes and which is ioyned with them and couereth the imperfections that is in them in the same place where he ascribeth righteousnesse vnto Abraham for offering vp his sonne hee sayth that this scripture was fulfilled Abraham beleeued and it was reckoned vnto him for righteousnesse and he was called the friende of God So that all the commendation of this woorke is included in faith and giuen vnto it for the fayth of the doer For other wise hee should haue sayde Abraham wrought and that was receiued bycause it was righteous seeing hee had stoode vppon the commendation of his workes so muche immediately before and was euē yet in the same matter But he sayth Abraham beleeued and that was reckoned vnto him for righteousnesse They would match workes with faith in iustification and the Apostle when hee speaketh most of works doth shrowd them vnder fayth saying after mention of his best woorke that this Scripture was fulfilled in it Abraham beleeued and that was imputed to him for righteousnesse and not receiued in the righteousnesse and deseruing of it selfe and he was called the friend of God. And in the eleuenth Chapter to the Hebrues all the woorkes of the godly fathers are ascribed vnto fayth and by name in the seuenteenth verse of that Chapter this deede of Abraham is fathered vpon his faith For workes are so farre from iustifying vs that the cause why they them selues are iustified is in fayth For without fayth it is impossible to please God. And in this chiefe worke of Abraham that nowe wee haue heard of that Scripture of imputing righteousnesse vnto him was fulfilled Therefore the worke did not stande in any account for the worthinesse thereof but onely bycause the Lorde did impute it vnto him for righteousnesse which thing also it did not attaine vnto of it selfe but bycause of fayth whiche was ioyned with it It is to be noted that the Apostle Sainte Iames speaketh here but of one woorke as the offering vp of his sonne and that woorke also not done but onely purposed to be done If therefore his meaning had beene to debate the worthinesse of woorkes and what place they haue in the purchase of our saluation hee would haue taken woorkes
be heard Saue me sayth he for I haue sought thy preceptes And in the same 173. verse Let thy hand saue mee for I haue chosen thy preceptes Likewise in the last verse of that Psalme hee sayeth these wordes I haue gone astray like a loste sheepe seeke thy seruaunt for I doe not forget thy commaundementes And not in this verse alone but in many other through-out this Psalme hee conceiueth hope of beeing hearde in his Prayer because the Lord had giuen him a carefull heart to the keping of his word wherin his glorie doth consist In asmuch therfore as he was careful of his glorie he conceiueth hope that the Lorde will not be vnmindefull of him but is bolde in a godlie hope to say Beholde mine affliction and deliuer me for I haue not forgotten thy lawe And sometimes in this intreating of the Lorde to heare him he promiseth in time to come that he will keepe the statutes and commandements of the Lord as it appeareth in the 145. verse of the Psalme in these wordes Heare me O Lord and I wil keepe thy statutes These authorities from the Prophet are vttered to this end that we shuld not put those things a sunder which the Lord hath coupled together For the Lord his glorie is not parted from his wil reuealed in his worde whensoeuer we haue in purpose to sanctifie his name to get praise vnto him and to aduaunce his kingdome here vpon earth we must proceede no otherwise then according to his word being assured that it hathe allowance and probation from the same these three petitions do not so much note what seueral things are to be asked as with what minde those thinges that we aske according to his wil are to be desired that is euen with a hartie longing desiring to see his name sanctified his kingdome established and that whiche is to his good liking and will accomplished here vpon earthe by bringing something to passe whereof he hath declared his liking apparantly in his word If we shal craue any grace of him whereby to haue our life bettered and our conuersation amended the care of his kingdome the desire of his name the longing to see his wil and pleasure take place ought to bee the thing that should moue vs therevnto Our petitions also for temporall blessings or to haue euils remoued from vs ought in like manner to be made in the care and desire of his kingdome and glory who hath promised in his worde that he will be nigh vnto his that call vppon him in in trueth and that hee will heare the prayers of his that attende vppon his commaundementes bothe in blessing them with good things also in turning euil things from them Such things therefore we should also desire euen for the establishing of his name credit and kingdome here vpon earth according as the seruants of God haue done as appeareth in many places of the scripture Helpe vs oh God of our saluation saith the Prophet for the glorie of thy name deliuer vs and bee mercifull to our sinnes for thy names sake Wherefore shoulde the heathen say Where is their God beeing moste of all carefull least the wicked should triumphe ouer the Lotd if that he should not stand by his according as he promised in his worde but lay them open to all iniuries and reproches of the wicked without hope of deliuerance from him Nowe let vs pray vnto our heauenlie father that we may so be touched with the glorie of his name the care of his kingdome and desire that his wil may take place as may comforte vs in the assured hope to haue our prayers heard when we call vpon him c. ¶ The xvj Lecture vppon the 11. verse Giue vs this day our daily bread WHen Solomon had made request vnto the Lord for the people of Israel on the dedication of the temple that hee woulde vouchsafe to hear their prayers when any of those seuerall occasions whiche there he maketh mention of should oppresse them in the end of his prayer he requesteth the Lord that he would defend the cause of his people Israel alwayes as the matter should require that what soeuer necessitie or extremitie time should bring vpon thē he would haue a fatherly regarde vnto them in that time of their necessitie releeue them This is that which is ment by daily bread that the Lorde would graunt vs euery day whatsoeuer shal be the necessitie of that day giuing alwaies the thinges of the day in his day For those be his words in that place according to the truth of the Hebrue text In this petitiō we haue warrāt to call vnto God for temporall benefites that we shall stand in neede of whatsoeuer The seruāts of God haue gone before vs by their example in applying the Lorde with prayer when soeuer the want of any thing did vexe them In the booke of Psalmes we shall see that Dauid in all distresses flyeth vnto God by prayer cureing all his griefes whether of minde or body with no other plaster then prayer That booke of psalmes being well perused let vs see the manifold vse and wonderful successe of prayer for somtime the Prophet cureth the griefe and languishing of his heart with prayer sometime he recouereth the helth of his body by prayer in other places he putteth all his enimies to flight with no other weapō then this of prayer to be briefe he maketh of prayer a medicine for all maladies speedeth so wel with it in all his necessities that we may not onely say in bare words that it is a salue for all sores but euen write vpon the head thereof Probatum est for it is tryed to haue cured all griefes and vexations of what kinde soeuer In the Psalme the Prophet declareth that hungrie and thirstie soules wandering in the wildernesse and calling vnto God by prayer are satisfied of him and sent away replenished with good thinges In the same Psalme he declareth in like manner that men beeing in prison bound fast with chaines and yron without all hope of help calling vpon the Lord in their prayers are heard of him their prayers graūted they deliuered The same psalme maketh mentiō of mē pyning away with sicknes or heauines of heart yet by calling vpon him in prayer to haue ben cured to haue recouered that dangerous estate To cōclude in the 13. verse of the same psalme the mariners that call vpon God when the tempest doth threten death vnto them are reported there to haue their prayers heard of the Lorde to be deliuered from that daunger and to bee brought to the land that they longed for What man not well instructed would once haue conceiued hope to haue these or the like thinges holpen by prayer What man not well instructed in the worde of God would not take it to be a casuall thing that commeth as it is said by fortune when faire wether commeth after a
tempest or health doeth succeede sicknesse when deliuerance commeth after imprisonment or plentie after pouertie These are so often sene by experience to come one after an other that notwithstanding men haue in their distresse prayed for them yet hardly can they be brought to think that they are blessings graunted to faithful prayer but rather imagine that they are thinges cast heere and there vpon men at aduenture And therefore where men are in those or such like distresses they hardly or not at all conceiue any hope to he heard Seldome doe they make any sute vnto God in faith especially if those afflictions lay sore vpon them but the children of God knowing that they are promised to haue the Lorde neere vnto them in all that they shall call vnto him for and that they shal be heard for the thing of the day vpon his day as their occasion requireth so doe they seeke vnto the Lord beeing sure in continuance to finde comforte at his hands and why they knowe assuredly that the Lord will haue his mercie and power tryed and seene heere vppon the earth in hearing the requestes of his in their distresse that by that meanes hee may bee truely feared and honoured of them according as it is proued in the booke of Kinges and also that by his hearing of their petitions in those their distresses they may be confirmed in the persuasion that GOD fauoureth them remitteth their sinnes and beeing at one with them is fauourably inclined vnto them in all their needfull demaunds Whosoeuer shall diligently consider of the places of Scripture in the olde Testament applied by the Apostle to the forgiuenes of sinns shall easily perceiue that the godlie haue taken their deliueraunce from their distresses as pledges of the remission of their sinnes and assuraunces that God for Christe was at one with them For their temporall blessings were not receiued of them but as confirmations of his reconciliation with them whiche proueth that which was said before that the Lord heareth the prayer of his in their necessitie to strengthē their faith in the remission of sinnes and persuasion that GOD for Christ is beecome fatherly affected towardes them his promises being visibly confirmed to them In Deuteronomie there are promises made vnto them that do giue diligent heede vnto the law and commandements of God to obey them that they shal be blessed in the fruit of their body in the fruit of their cattel in their comming in and going out in all that they shall put their handes vnto in causing their enimies that rise against them to fall before their face and the cause is added in the tenth verse in these wordes Then all the people of the earth shall see that the name of the Lorde is called vppon ouer thee and they shall be affrayde of thee It is therfore moste assured that the Lord will be seene to bee the GOD of his and to haue a kingdome heere vppon earth by graunting them their requestes when they shall call vppon him in their distresse by leauing outwarde blessings as plaine confirmations of his inwarde heartie good will that he beareth towardes them And for this cause doe his people craue those temporall benefites euen that it may bee seene that he ruleth vppon earth standing by his as he hath promised Wherefore whensoeuer their enimies oppresse them or by the want of any his accustomed benefites they seeme not to bee regarded of the Lord they cōplaine vnto him not so much in the consideration of their necessitie as in regarde of his glorie vsing these such like kind of speeches Wherfore should the Heathen say Where is now their GOD As if their chiefe care were to haue the Lorde his glorie vpholden in the confirmation of his goodnesse promised vnto his whiche is called into doubt of the vngodlie while they see those that accounted thēselues for his in affliction and oppression necessitie and want as if they were not regarded of him wherby the vngodly are imboldened the more to oppresse the righteous by calling into question the trueth of his promises made vnto his confirmed the rather in the continuing of their disobedience Very fitly therefore is the hallowing of his name the comming of his kingdome and the doeing of his wil set before the request of outwarde necessities because wee should demaund them rather in respect of his glorie that he might therby haue a name and kingdome here in earth and his wil perfourmed rather then wee to haue therein our alone necessitie releeued The godly in like manner returne the whole praise vnto him euen whē those things are graunted vnto them that seeme to be moste casuall and to come at aduenture Therfore in that Psalme before mentioned they are willed to praise the Lord and to tel vnto others what he hath done for thē when those things which seeme to be meere casuall and comming by fortune and chaunce are obteyned which clause of praysing the Lord and telling vnto others what thinges he hath graunted at the requestes of their prayers is added in the psalme vnto the end of euery seuerall benefite graunted vnto thē But al men cōceiue not this doctrin they are his children alone who in hart are assured that these which cōmonly we cal casual things are disposed by him at the pleasure of his will graūted as pledges of his goodwill to those that in trueth call vpon him and therfore in the last verse of that psalme it is said Who is wise that he may obserue these things because they be onely his children that haue this wisdome to obserue this to mark it to knowe that he disposeth these outwarde things to the good of his as pledges of his fatherly goodnes towards them and therfore they onely call vpon him for them in faith and in receiuing them doe assuredly in their heart reckon them as benefites receiued of him confirming their faith therby in the assurance of his especiall goodwill towards them By this that hath bene said it doth appeare that when we are oppressed with anguish of heart or vexed with any calamitie either of bodie or minde wee haue to seke our remedie at the hands of the Lord by prayer in assured hope to receiue no smal comfort thereby if in faith and hope of his mercies we continue in calling vppon his name It is a very hard matter and the worke of faith alone when a man is sore distressed seeth no means to escape then to call vpon God with faith and hope of beeing heard and if help shall come it is as hard a matter to ascribe it vnto the mercies of God as the fruit of prayer and an assured token of his goodwil rendering from the ground of our hart the praise that is due vnto him for it and strengthening our faith therby in the persuasiō of his mercies towards vs The seruāt of God glorifieth God in these things acknowledging from his hearte that God is the giuer
necessitie whatsoeuer indureth longer then they wishe or increase vpon them after their suite made for deliueraunce because the Lord wil worke a more glorious worke in their deliuerance for the comfort and increase of their faithe notwithstanding it be some long time after shall we say the Lorde hathe reiected their prayers because he hath delayed so long God forbidde For the Lorde according to the good counsel of his will hath not iustified the innocencie and good causes of his sometimes no not before their death And as it hath bene said of the time so likewise is it to be thought of the meanes maner of helping relieuing vs if that hath ben other then we coulde haue prescribed shall we denie the Lord to haue hearde our suites because the helpe that we haue had hath not beene in the same manner that we haue conceiued to be best This one thing we haue often to call to remembrance that before the request of these outward necessities there is the desire of doing his will here in earth to teach vs that the Lord is thus helpful in outward necessities oppressing them vnto the prayers of suche as haue not onely the knowledge of his will but also the desire to do it For that goeth before the other in our prayer therfore in our desire in as much as true praier goeth not without the desire of the hart vnto the request of the tongue Those therfore that looke for these outward blessinges when they call vnto the Lord must learne both to know what his will is reueled in his word also to haue a desire to doe the same For vnto those that thus worship him the Lord hath promised to incline his eare according as it is written in these wordes We knowe that God heareth not sinners but if any man be a worshipper of God doth his wil him heareth he putting them in hope of beeing heard that be worshipers of him making those the worshippers not that do vnto him whatsoeuer liketh them but that are doers of his liking wil which is opened to vs in his word To the confirmation of this may be added that which is written in the first Epistle of S. Iohn in these wordes whatsoeuer we aske we receiue of him because we do those thinges whiche are pleasing in his sight By this it appeareth that witches sorcerers whiche wil haue the name of wisemen and wise women who are thought to do so many things with prayer cannot preuaile with the Lorde to obteine these outward thinges of him in fauour and goodwil for of all people they are the most ignorant of his will therefore of his worship But as euen nowe it was proued if any man be a worshipper of God and a doer of his will him heareth he Those are they to whō the Lord hath made promise that he wil be mercifully inclined vnto in their prayers petitions he is nighe vnto al that call vpon him in trueth he wil fulfil the desire of thē that feare him he wil heare their crie and will saue them The Lord preserueth all them that loue him saith the holy Ghost It may so fal out that the prayers of witches such like may be instrumentes of his iustice for the punishment of sinne in others and for the hardening of their own harts but it is as sure as the lord liueth that they neuer obteine any thing by their prayers to their good in fauour good liking of the lord But as for the seruants of God they are in assured hope to haue their prayers heard whē they shal cal vpon the Lord in their outward distresses for they are persuaded as the truth is in deede that it standeth vpō the name glorie of the Lord to stand by his in their necessities for to succour and help them as the matter shall require Wherefore they require it as a part of his owne glorie as an argument and assurance that he reigneth here in earth as a matter that is agreeable to his good pleasure and will according as they haue learned out of his word whiche giueth them an assured hope of beeing heard and maketh them bolde to call vppon him knowing that his owne glorie the renoune of his owne kingdome and a matter that is agreeable to his owne good liking and will is in hande while their distresses wants are brought before the Lord to be holpen relieued by him A manifest confirmation proofe of this is to be found in the Psalme In the whiche place the prophet speaketh much in the beginning of extolling the name of God of meditating the beautie of his glorious maiestie of shewing foorth the glorie of his kingdome and speaking of his power after this it followeth that the Lorde vpholdeth all that fall that he fulfilleth the desire of them that feare him that he wil heare their crie and will saue them as if the glorie of his name and renoune of his kingdome were seene in this to lift vp his that fall to heare their crie and saue them And no doubt the Lord will haue it knowen here vpon earth that he is Lorde ouer all true faithfull in his word by the helpe and defence that he will graunt vnto his whensoeuer in their distresse they shal by faithful prayer resorte vnto him His meaning is to leaue manifest and plaine profe that he ruleth herein earth euē by that mercie that he hath to bestowe vpon his who cal and crie vnto him in their necessitie with an assured hope of being heard For the glorie of his name the honour of his kingdome and the good pleasure of his will go ioyntly together with the hearing regarding of their cause according as they are set before this petition in this fourme of prayer that is prescribed by the lord Where before we make mention of daily bread there is request made for the halowing of his name the comming of his kingdome and dooing his wil because euen then when he relieueth the necessities of his that call vpon him his name is hallowed his kingdome commeth and that is perfourmed which is agreeable to his will. This cannot but minister hope and comfort vnto vs in all our necessities that his honour and glorie is after a manner darkened in our distresse and as it were suffereth in the same which the lord God cannot but erecte and aduaunce and therefore fauour our distresse wherevnto his owne honour is so neerely ioyned Nowe let vs pray c. ¶ The xvij Lecture vppon the 12. and 13. verses 12 And forgiue vs our debts as we also forgiue our debters 13 And lead vs not into temptation but deliuer vs frō euil for thine is the kingdome and the power and the glorie for euer Amen IN this petition we do require the forgiuenesse of our sinnes wherein wee are to vnderstande that by this worde sinne is not onely ment the guiltines that we haue brought in
vpon vs by offending but also the punishment whatsoeuer that followeth therevpon as shal hereafter God willing moste plainely appeare We are therefore put in hope by this petition to haue as well the punishment as the fault of our sinne pardoned forgiuen vs so that when any punishment of God is vppon his they neede not to despaire for we are taught and commanded by him to make suite for the forgiuenesse of sinnes which could not be done in faith if the Lord had not promised vnto vs the pardon forgiuenesse thereof The godlie at all times when any affliction was vppon them haue resorted to the Lord for the forgiuenes of their sinnes And why Are we not taught so to do in the holy scripture Doth not the praier of Solomon leaue this for a perpetuall doctrine vnto the Church that when any punishment is vpon those that be his they should cōfesse their sinnes in trueth with an assured hope in so doing to finde fauour at his handes and ease of their griefe when they shal truely turne vnto him according as it is written in that Chapter in these words When thy people Israel shal be ouerthrowen before the enimie because they haue sinned against thee and turne againe to thee and confesse thy name pray make supplication vnto thee then heare thou in heauen and be mercifull vnto the sinne of thy people Israel bring them againe vnto the land which thou gauest vnto their fathers A plaine proofe we haue in this place that the people of God may resort boldly vnto God euen then when his punishment is vpon thē for the forgiuenesse of their sinnes and as plaine is this also that his mercie toward them pardoning of their sinnes consisteth not only in the remouing of the fault frō them but also of the punishment that is due for the fault transgression For he praieth that when the people shal be led out of their land by their enimies because they haue sinned against the Lord that if they shall confesse their sinnes and turne vnto the Lord then he would be merciful and bring them againe vnto the land which is to remoue the punishment from them as well as the fault and guiltinesse This was that punishment to bee captiues and prisoners in their enimies land when they are brought home this punishment is remoued The like profe we haue of this matter in the same Chapter in these wordes When heauen shal be shut vppe there shal be no rayne because they haue sinned againste thee and shall pray in this place and turne from their sinne when thou doest afflicte them then heare thou in heauen pardon the sinne of thy seruants giue rayne vpon the land They that haue sinned are incouraged to pray vnto the Lord are assured to be heard whē they shall in trueth bewayle and confesse their sinne Marke it also that as well in this place as in that former the pardon of their sinne remoueth the punishment and reacheth vnto that as well as vnto the guilt therof I do note this because of that doctrine of the church of Rome which doth affirme that God doth pardon the fault of his and yet reteine still the punishment which they say must bee redeemed by their satisfactiō A daungerous doctrine that God shuld absolue them of the fault yet presse them with the punishment whiche doth not apperteine vnto them but in respecte of their offence because they are faultie this doctrine chargeth the Lord with iniurie For if he shal remit forgiue the fault yet reserue the punishment he punisheth without a cause For where the fault is pardoned the man is as if he had not offēded he is no longer accounted a trespasser Can it then stand with the iustice of the Lord to punish him whom he him selfe hath iustified as no offender in the free pardoning and forgiuing of his fault We do see it throughout this chapter that when they shall confesse their fault and turne vnto the Lorde they are discharged of the punishmente and that the holie Ghost is ignorant of this diuorcement betweene the punishment the fault which the church of Rome hath inuented to vtter their merchādize of satisfactions withall And lest any should thinke that this prayer for the forgiuenesse of sinnes did but take place in these special causes in the remouing of those particular speciall punishments the holie Ghost maketh it generall in the seuen and thirtie verse When there shal be Famine in the land when there shal be Pestilence Blasting Mildew Grashoppers or Caterpillers when their enimies shall besiege them in the cities of their lande or any plague or any sicknesse for these are the verie words of the text that their prayers shal be auaileable when they shal confesse their faultes and truly turne vnto the Lord for the remouing of those punishments what so euer they are that be vpō thē yea euen to make them that shal haue led them away captiues to haue pitie and cōpassion on them as it is declared in that chap. This is great comfort vnto a Christian conscience when he shall learne and vnderstand that there is a medicine that can cure him euen then when the Lorde shall haue reuealed his sinne by bringing punnishment vpon it Moreouer least it should be excepted against this that in deede Solomon praied that punishments might be remoued when they should confesse and truely bewaile their sinne but howe can it be proued that the Lorde did euer promise to heare any suche prayers The matter is manifest in the booke of Chronicles And the Lorde appeared to Solomon and saide vnto him I haue heard thy prayer if I shutte the heauen that there be no rayne or if I commaunde the grashhoppors to deuour the lande or if I sende pestilence among my people if my people doe humble themselues pray and turne from their wicked ways then will I heare in heauen and bee mercifull vnto their sinne and will heale their lande In the Psalme there is plentifull profe that the Lorde wil be intreated to forgiue the sinnes of his seruauntes and to remitte their punishmentes when they shall in true repentaunce humble them selues before him They sayth the prophet that dwel in darkenesse beeing fast bound in miserie and yron because they rebelled againste the word of the Lord when he humbled their heart with heauinesse they fel downe there was no helpe then they cryed vnto the Lord in their trouble and hee deliuered them from their distresse he brought them out of the shadowe of death and brake their bandes in sunder In that Psalme there is likewise proofe of the same matter apparant enoughe in these wordes Fooles by reason of their transgression and because of their iniquitie are afflicted their soule abhorreth all meate they are brought to deaths doore then they crie vnto the Lord in their trouble and he deliuereth them in their
we haue so often heard of before when he prayeth that the people of God may haue their punishmentes remoued when they call vppon him there is alwayes added the condition of turning from their sinne either in expresse wordes or else in wordes that necessarily importe the same As to take one example for many in that Chapiter hee hath these wordes When Heauen shall be shutt vpp and there shall be no rayne because they haue sinned against thee and they shall pray in this place confesse thy name and turne from their sinn when thou doest afflict them then heare thou in Heauen and pardon the sinne of thy seruauntes and of thy people Israel when thou haste taught them the good way wherein they may walke so that the turning from sinne is necessarily required of them that doe looke for the forgiuenesse of sinne And then especially when the Lorde shall testifie against vs from Heauen by punishments laide vppon vs wee haue to call to minde our former sinnes and ceasse to be carelesse and secure therein For when the Lord forgiueth sinne hee also cureth sinne not suffering vs any longer to sleepe in the same beeing snared with the baytes and allurementes thereof but begetteth in vs a new care to shake it off and a new watchfulnesse ouer it There is added to the end of this petition For thine is the kingdome the power the glorie for euer which doeth admonish vs of sundrie profitable instructiōs for by it we are taught what shuld be the end of our petitions why we would haue thē graunted euen that his kingdome power glorie may be aduāced For as we haue learned before while that the Lord frameth his to the obedience of his wil giueth good things vnto thē remoueth euil thinges from them his name is halowed his kingdome cōmeth his wil is done here in earth for by dealing thus with his seruaunts he will be knowen to rule and reigne here vpon earth be glorified in the same This desire therefore to haue him glorified should bee bothe at the beginning and end of our prayers whether our suit be for spirituall graces or for tēporall blessings By this also our faith is strengthened in the hope to obteine our petitions because the Lorde cannot neglect the glorie of his name and the honour of his kingdome whiche dependeth vpon the perfourmaunce of his mercies towardes his seruauntes that call vpon him therfore our hope cannot deceiue vs beeing ioyned so neere vnto the glorie of our God. Moreouer in this we are admonished that it is not the worthynesse of our selues nor yet of any other but the honour of his name that commendeth our suites and petitions vnto the lord Finally heerein we are admonished of a speciall worshippe and seruice which is thanks giuing vnto GOD when soeuer wee receiue any benefite of what kinde soeuer For we acknowledging in our prayers not onely that hee hath the disposing of these benefites but also that his kingdome glorie honour consisteth in the rewarding of his with the same shall be found traytors to the crowne of his kingdome if after benefites receiued wee doe not by thanks giuing confesse and acknoweledge the same This giuing of thanks is a speciall worshipp and seruice of God in somuch that the Lorde reiecting sacrifice placeth his honour in thanksgiuing Will I eate the fleash of Bulles or drinke the bloude of Goates sayth the Lord by his Ptophet Offer vnto God praise and pay the vowes vnto the moste high and call vppon mee in the day of thy trouble so will I deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me And in the laste verse of that psalme it is said that he who offereth praise vnto the Lord doth glorifie him Whereby it appeareth that the Lord esteemeth thanksgiuing as a speciall worship and seruice of him whiche may well bee perceiued in sundrie places of the Scripture but especially in the booke of the Psalmes It is in deede a seruice of God peculiar and proper vnto the children of god For the wicked are not acquainted with it they see not the Lord his arme in their deliuerances they see not through the instruments that God vseth to helpe thē by into the especiall goodwill and fauour of GOD from whence the godly take those healpes to come as a plaine profe therof Therfore doth the Prophet say The voice of ioy and deliuerance shal be in the tabernacles of the righteous saying the right hand of the Lorde hath done valiauntly Hee maketh it the peculiar worke of the righteous to reioyce in the Lorde and in heart to prayse him For notwithstanding all people taste liberally of his benefits yet the feeling of his fatherly goodnesse whiche procureth giuing of thanks in deed is proper onely vnto the children of God. It is a singular priuiledge that he doth vouchsafe his elect alone when he giueth such a sweete taste vnto his benefites as driueth their heartes to reioycing and giuing of thankes not onely in the comfort of the present benefite but also in that hauing receiued an assured token of his fauour they peaceably passe ouer the course of their life assuring them selues that they are had in especiall reckoning and account with the lord Therefore the Prophete is bolde to haue this speech of them Blessed is the people that reioyce in thee they shall walke in the light of thy countenaunce O Lorde they shall reioyce continually in thy name and in thy righteousnesse shal they exalt them selues He maketh it no common matter to reioyce in the Lord but matter belonging onely to the electe and blessed people of God how greatly it pleaseth the Lorde The Apostle wittnesseth in the Epistle to the Corinthes where hee requireth the prayer of the church of God for him in his affliction that when his deliueraunce is obteyned by the prayers of many many persons may giue thanks vnto god Which notably declareth how acceptable a seruice it is to giue thanks vnto God when the afflictions of the children of God serue therevnto and are beecome a speciall ende of the same As wittnesseth in like manner the Prophet The Lorde hath looked downe from the height of his Sanctuarie that hee might heare the mourning of the prisoner and deliuer the children of death that they may declare the name of the Lorde in Hierusalem and his praise in Sion Now if it be demaunded why the sacrifice of thanks giuing is so acceptable a worship and seruice of the Lord The answere is ready because it ascribeth the gouernment and distribution of all benefites vnto the Lord denying them to come by casualtie or chaunce as doe the vngodly whatsoeuer they say in that they are neither comforted truely in them nor yet thankfull for them Moreouer it acknowledgeth God not to be a dead thing and bare name that regardeth not men that serue him in the obedience of his will but that in trueth hee hath a care of his Church helpeth
in their neede and regardeth them in perfourming the trueth of his promise towardes them This acknowledging of the mercies of God by giueing of thanks helpeth forwarde the faith of other in persuasion of this tender care that hee beareth towardes his Wherefore the godly were accustomed to open vnto others the children of God the especiall benefites and mercie whiche they had receiued of the Lorde that they might not onely ioyne with them for the praise of his mercie but also receiue increase of faith in the visible experience of his goodnesse It is wel knowen that the people of God vnder the law had a solemne rite ceremonie in perfourming the vowes of thankesgiuing and peace offering when soeuer they had receiued any notable and singular benefite of the Lorde Whiche was a thing so well pleasing the Lorde that they present this their purpose to prayse the Lorde and to tell what he had done for them as a reason to persuade him to worke their deliuerance when they are distressed according as wee reade Saue me from the Lyons mouthe and aunswere me in sauing me from the hornes of the Vnicornes I will declare thy name vnto my brethren in the middest of the congregation wil I prayse thee saying Praise the Lord ye that feare him magnifie him all yee seede of Iacob For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the poore but when he calleth vnto him he heard My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation my vowes wil I perfourme before them that feare him The pore shall eate and be satisfied they that seeke after the Lorde shall praise him This kinde of persuasion haue the seruants of God often vsed and therefore wee doe reade that the godly in their petitions haue vsed often these words Shut not vp ô Lord the mouthes of them that prayse thee open not the mouthes of the vngodly that they may praise the power of their idols and magnifie a fleashly king They were persuaded that the Lord did greatly esteme his owne glorie and honor that it was a speciall seruice and worship that he delighteth in as it is in deede For euen the end of our saluation is the praise of his free mercie and grace and he hath elected his to the prayse of the riches of his grace and the end of our temporall deliuerance is to acknowledge and magnifie that grace whiche we haue tryed to bee true had good experience of the same So doth the godlie king Ezechias confesse that the Lorde would not haue him swalowed vp of the pit without the taste of his mercie in deliueraunce because if he had so departed the Lorde should then haue wanted that seruice of thankes giuing for his deliuerance which is so acceptable vnto him For those that are so ouerwhelmed in their afflictiōs tast not of the mercies of deliuerance which openeth their mouth filleth it with the prayses of the lord It was thy pleasure to deliuer my soule sayth Ezechias from the pit of corruption for thou haste cast all my sinnes behinde thy back for the dead cannot prayse thee they that go downe into the pitt cannot hope for thy trueth but the liuing shall confesse thee as I doe this day The father to the children shall declare thy trueth the Lorde was ready to saue mee therefore wee will sing my songe all the dayes of our life in the house of the Lord. That he sayth The dead cannot prayse him wee haue to take it as the trueth is that when those that be his are not deliuered in their distresses hee wanteth that praise here in earth where his glorie is often oppressed whiche their deliueraunce would plentifully spread abroade And they doe moste thirste after the tryall of his goodnesse heere vppon earth where there bee so many enimies to his glorie that seeing the plaine proofe thereof they may be plentiful in his praise Therfore doeth Dauid in like manner require deliuerance that he be not ouerwhelmed in his afflliction and so the Lord wante the praise of his deliueraunce Returne O Lorde deliuer my life saue mee for thy mercies sake For in death there is no remembrance of thee in the graue who shall praise thee The Scripture is plentifull in such proofes where the seruants of God haue greatly longed for deliuerance that they might praise his name and haue vrged it as a reason to persuade the Lord to heare their petitions because then they would offer vnto him that well pleasing sacrifice and seruice of thankesgiuing a sacrifice that doeth so greatly please the Lorde and therefore cannot but be well liked of all those that be his It was declared before that there was a solemne rite and ceremonie among the Iewes in their thanks giuing after sōe greate benefite receiued where the godlie mett together not only to giue praise but also to be confirmed and strengthened more more in their faith persuasion of his fatherly care and regarde that he hath towards those that be his This is made plaine vnto vs in the Psalme He hath brought me out of the horrible pit sayth the Prophet and hee hath put in my mouth a new song of prayse vnto our God. Many shall see it and feare and shall trust in the Lorde It cānot but be a singular worship of God that ascribeth this right of gouernement and care of his seruants vnto him that also hath in it such force to increase faith which is the founteine of all obedience How greate then is the sinne of vnthankfulnesse when men passe ouer the benefites of God and the assured pledges of his fauour without any thankfull remembraunce or comfortable assuraunce of the good will of GOD Surely the neglect of this duetie I meane of thanks giuing to God when we receiue any singular benefite as some notable deliuerance from daungers or happie out going frō our trouble denieth the Lord to be the disposer and gouernour of thinges here belowe fathereth them vpon fortune or chaunce How soeuer they denie it in wordes it denieth in deede any especiall care to be in God ouer his it maketh God to be nothing beside a bare name and vaine imagination it ouerthroweth faith whiche persuadeth vs of the speciall care and good will that God beareth vs in taking his benefites not as common thinges but as pledges of his peculiar fauour in that as common matters and no witnesses of any especiall good will by vnthankfulnesse they are passed ouer and lightly let slippe Moreouer the want of this dutie hindereth the profiting of others in that they denie this helpe of strengthening their faith which the Lord hath appointed and the seruauntes of God hath practised according as it was of late cited out of the Prophet that many shoulde see what the Lord had done and be drawne to put their trust in him Now let vs pray vnto our heauenly Father in the name of his sonne that we may so pray that we may obteine
vs he wil blesse the house of Israel c. Wee do plainely se then by these testimonies that they doe not truely feare him that are not drawen by his goodnesse to the carefull louing and honouring of him This commaundement then toucheth al those that passe ouer their time carelessly without a lawe feare of the Lord as if there were nothing lesse belonging vnto them then by obseruing his wil to get honour to their God or as if their vngodlie and secure life shoulde neuer a whit impeache the glorie of his name By this commaundement we learne that not onely Atheists and godles persons haue to feare the iudgementes of God but also all those that are not touched with care and great desire by their good life to glorifie god For he will not hold thē guiltlesse that take his name in vaine not regarding his honour by careful attending vppon his pleasure Hereby also we are taught to ceasse to meruaile at the afflictions of those men in whose liues we haue espied no great outwarde offence For here we see the want of care to his glorie though it bee coupled with no outward euil hath matter in it sufficient to prouoke the iudgements of God against vs Doeth not that maister who at his comming home findeth the worke he had inioyned his seruant carelesslie loked vnto thinke there is occasion sufficient offered him to proceede to the correction of his seruant notwithstanding hee hath no other matter to charge him withall In this cōmaundement also is forbidden all swearing vainely or falsely all swearing by those things that are not God as particular thinges against his word and therfore against the glorie of his name For if the commaundement forbid the neglect of his lawe generally it must needes forbid seuerally and particularly that which is against some seuerall particular cōmaundement We haue learned that carelesse contemning of his worde is reproued in this commaundement and the reason is because the Lord doth communicate his name and his honour therevnto whiche we may not take in vaine or without reuerence The same thing is to be saide for the vse of his name whiche he hath graunted vnto vs to decide controuersies doubtes of great importance withall that because there is in it the marke and print of his glorie wee must haue the vse of it in those matters with reuerence accordingly We deale not with the Lord in any communicating with his essence and euerlasting beeing that a man should imagine that hee can offer him no wrong vnlesse he rush against the heauens and violently run vpon his person he dealeth with vs by his worde and by his name if there be any villany wickednesse nay want of reuerence that way it toucheth his glorie pearceth the honour of the highest Blasphemous mouthes therefore that cannot be stirred in their affections but they wil by by be reuenged of the Lorde cast vp their choler in othes and blasphemie against his maiestie haue heere wel to looke aboute them and to remember that in such outrage they fight against the honour of the liuing Lord that wil aduance the same in the dishonour vtter confusion of them Is it not horrible blasphemie that a miserable man should seek to redeeme himselfe from contēpt by bringing the Lord vnder his foote and treading his honoure in the dust I doe not meane that periured persons who haue put vpon the Lord the person of Sathan in making him a protector of lyes be only these blasphemous mouthes that haue enterprised the defacing and dishonouring of the Almightie but those common swearers also in whose mouth the name of the Lord runneth so vsually so vnreuerently in common speeche The Lord hath lent vs the vse of his name to determine our doutes decide our controuersies that be of great importance and cannot otherwise come to light and that with such reuerence as vnto his honour apperteyneth He hath not left it to wait vpon our vaine words talke of no importāce to serue where our humor wil place it so that men are alwayes guiltie of high treson against his glorie in the vse of his name vnles both the weightines of the mater they haue in hand their reuerēce in the manner of dealing therin shall excuse them A man can no way be vnreuerēt toward his name but he shal in so doing be guiltie of his dishonour for those things wherin he hath left the marks of his glory as his name his word and sacramēts by the vse or abuse of them do truely witnes of the heart how it standeth affected towardes the honouring of him There was neuer man founde truely honouring God in his heart whose tongue was defiled with vsuall swearing and often vnreuerent vsing of his name Neither was there euer founde man truelie fearing the Lord that walked without all awe and reuerence of his worde The excuse therefore is vaine and vtterly vntrue that swearing is but a custome of the tongue and that their heart standeth reuerently affected towarde his name and glorie For it is the want of reuerence in the heart to God that fometh out such filthynesse at the mouth and the longe continuaunce of that impudencie in the heart hath brought the fruit thereof into the mouth which witnesseth sufficiently the corruption that is settled inwardly in the heart Let the common swearer then ceasse to seeke excuse by saying It is but a folish custome For that long custome of dishonouring the Lord in his mouth will proue that he hath had a custome to dishonour him in his heart of no lesse continuaunce Our communication must be yea yea nay nay that which is more commeth of euil But it is commonly said Something must be added or els men shall not be beleeued It is a pitiful thing that the credit of a Christian should be so little that to borrow beliefe for his common talke he must leaue no lesse pawne and pleadge behinde him then is his faithe and trueth the greatest treasures and iewels that he hath receiued from the Lorde If men would seeke credit by their wel dealing they need not to bring foorth so great assurance for it in their speaking It is likewise vnlawfull to sweare by creatures in asmuche as an othe giueth superioritie vnto that whereby they sweare and acknowledgeth it as a Iudge and discerner of secret hid things a bringer also of them vnto iudgement condemning the wicked in bringing his way vppon his heade and iustifying the righteous in giuing him according to his righteousnesse The giuing of this vnto creatures entreth vppon the right of the Almightie intituleth creatures vnto the honour of the creator who hath declared plainely that hee will not giue his glorie to another And therefore it is in the highest degree of reproching or rather blaspheming the Lorde in laying his chiefe honour open to the spoyle of a creature bringing a contemptible creature as it were to pray vppon the
almightie creator And if there be acknowledgement of superioritie ouer vs to the thing that we shal sweare by as is witnessed by the holie Ghoste then as we may not sweare by Heauen Earthe or any other creature muche lesse may wee by Masse Mattens Roode or such like we will put the honour of the Almightie vpon them and take them as our God who onelie hath superioritie ouer vs to iustifie righteousnesse and to bring the wickednesse of the wicked vpon his head whiche thing in our othe we do acknowledge to belong vnto him by whōe we sweare When Almightie God promiseth by his Prophet Hosea to receiue the Israelites to fauour again after their affliction he saith that he wil take away the names of their Idols out of their mouth thei shuld be no more remēbred by their names These things may suffice to teach vs that the Lord cannot beare the dishonour of his name but will haue that vpholden in honour and reuerence without suffering it either to lie open vnto the cōtempt of godlesse persons or vnto the spoyle of Idolaters who breaking it vpon his glorie do beautifie and set out his creatures with the ornamentes thereof This commaundement likewise reacheth particularly to all of them whiche neglecte any of those meanes that God hath commaunded vs to vse either for the welfare of our soule or bodie For the wordes and workes of his wisedome may not be refused as vaine needelesse but must with all humilitie be imbraced that in our so doeing his wisdome may be honoured who hath appointed those to be the meanes whereby he will conueye his mercie towards vs the neglect whereof chargeth the Lord with want of wisedome in ordeyning them Here falleth to the grounde the wicked and blasphemous opinions of the Anabaptistes Libertines and the feigned Familie of loue who are growen to suche a magnifying of grace brought as they say by the reuelation of the spirit as the wisdome of God in his worde is of small or no account with them in deede but as if it were a needeles matter or had no certeintie in it it is wholy transformed into their spirite made to speake accordingly The nature of man is in this cōmandement corrupted as in the rest doing the thinges which he doeth to God without all awe and feare of his word It behoueth the man therfore that wil truely trie him selfe to searche into his life and wel to consider what manifest contempte there hathe beene in him of the name and honour of God in stubbernely standing againste the authoritie of his word while he hath willingly neglected to be admonished and aduised thereby what contempt of his honour he hath giuen forth in common swearing and vsual oathes that either directly or indirectly reach to the glorie of God euen to the wounding of him in the same Moreouer it behoueth him to consider what carelesnesse there hath beene and what little regard in his best doings to haue them so soundly throughly done as vnto the honour of God doth apperteine where the diligent paines carefull and through dealing in matters that touch his owne name shal be a sufficient light to disclose his halting with the lord For the corruption of mans heart is so great and so hidden that all meanes almost are to few to vtter it therfore it is requisite that we vse al the meanes we may in that behalfe Let a man in this examination wel consider whether there hath beene any suche feare or care to auoide things forbidden and to do things commanded him by the word wherein consisteth the glorie of God as there hath ben while his own honor is in hand and his owne name called to question at any time whether he hath delt in dueties appointed him by God with feare and care lest the Lorde through his infirmitie shuld be foyled his name dishonoured whiche coulde not haue beene wanting if his owne estimation had beene in hazarde that he may be brought to the sight of his Sonne For when it pleaseth God to cal any to the hope of his kingdome hee letteth them see their corruption to be so great in these and suche other kindes of dishonor that they haue done vnto him as that their harte is forced to appeale vnto the mercie of God fastening themselues to it vtterly giuing ouer their owne obedience Whiche mercie of God they so stay vppon and are so comfortable in that it prouoketh them no longer to neglect the name and glorie of their God but with all reuerence to submit themselues to the gouernement of his word alwayes endeuouring to better their obedience towardes his lawe because it tendeth to the glorie of his name wherein howe greate so euer their profiting be yet this corruption whiche cleaueth so fast vnto them cānot but continue in them stil an humbled and lowly harte euen in all their blessings while they clearely perceiue them by the sight of their corruption to be the vndeserued graces and gyftes of their god Their offending also whatsoeuer cannot be without the great grief of their hart because they see it to be with the dishonour of him who hath abased himselfe to the deathe of the Crosse to worke the honour and aduauncement of them We are therefore brethren diligently to learne to waxe wearie of those wayes that would depart from the reuerence and honouring of the Lord in not fearing to offend againste his word because it is written He that despiseth the worde he shal be destroyed but he that feareth the commandement shal be rewarded Let vs learne to become careful in the duties which are appointed vs by the worde for the Lorde will not holde them guiltlesse that are secure therein We can not beare good heart vnto the Lord if we let his honour fall to the ground among vs it is his mercie that doth vouchsafe vs this fauour to be trusted with his honour Can it want then iust reproche if we shal be tried to be senselesse in this point It drewe teares from Dauid that the wicked kept not his lawe can we see our owne liues and the liues of those committed vnto vs wandring from the wayes of life and hungerly in the contempt of the worde pursuing after death and yet for all that neuer to be touched with it especially seeing the dishonour of our God dependeth vpon it It should vexe vs that the gospell hathe beene so long time with so litle fruite among vs that the instruments of his grace that haue gayned so many in former times vnto God shuld not only not preuail in many but euen receiue discredite and dishonour among men and that the litle fruite appearing in our liues shoulde call into question the veritie of Gods gospel being in fruite and effect so vnlike in many vnto that it hathe beene in former times A Christian should go to the dueties laide vpon him by the word with the like minde that a good souldiour goeth