couetousnesse if no good speach proceed out of his mouth but onely froward and filthie and vaine speaches if it be so will wee say that we loue God No the loue of God breeds obedience vnto God If one should say that hee loued the King as well as any subject in England yet he would alwaies be practising inuenting treason and rebellion against him who could beleeue him So if we will speake foolishly and vainely breake Gods saboths blaspheme his name and doe such other wickednesses doe we loue God Nay so far as any allowes himselfe to doe these things so far he hates God as he that allowes himselfe in rebellion hatas the prince so he that maintaines any sinne whatsoeuer in himselfe he hates God So that by these two things wee may examine our loue of God first in the meanes of saluation what good affection we beare vnto them Secondly how we keepe Gods commandements For saith Christ He that hath my commandements keepes them he loues mee Frst we must haue his commandements in our vnderstanding to know the meaning of them and in our memory that we may remember them and then in our hart to work on our affections and lastly in our practise we must keepe them and in what degree we doe this thing in that degree doe we loue God A third mark That we obserue and note our affection to Gods children For this is a sound note that we loue God if we loue his children As in Iohn 5. He that loues him that begets will loue him that is begotten If then we finde in our harts a good affection vnto christians beecause they are christians how beneficiall or not beneficiall to vs that is nothing whether they take notice of vs or passe by vs that is not the matter but if they be such that loue Gods word and haue the vertues of Christ shining forth in their harts if loue and patience and temperance meekenesse such like doe appeare in them if we loue these this is an vndoubted testimonie of our true loue to God The fourth mark of our loue to God wherby we shall in deed make triall of our loue to him is how we loue his comming How we desire the appearance of Christ to judge the quick and dead And how we desire to be dissolued be with Christ What desire we haue either to goe vnto him or to haue him come to vs. For if our hart be set truly vpon any thing that thing we cannot chuse but desire and be willing to haue it with vs. Loue drawes the minde to that which is loued So Paull when the loue of God waxed warme in his hart he desired to be dissolued and to be with Christ So in the Reuelation the spirit and the Church and the bride and all say Come Lord come quickly and in the naturall marriage in which the loue is much more weake and slender yet this is manifest for if the wife loue her husband when hee is gone farre off she will be desirous of his returne and will bee glad to haue his company if this be so in the naturall marriage where there be many infirmities and crosses yet they doe wish for the company one of another how much more in the spirituall marriage where there is such perfection now in the one partie as he is full of loue and mercy and also shall free the other partie from all miseries and wants and infirmities when they shall be joyned fully together and fill them full of all vertues and graces in this marriage I say how can one choose but long after this perfect and happie meeting how can he stay himselfe that hath any loue assurance of these things but hee shall be readie to flie vp into heauen the flame of his desire will burne aboue the cloudes to wish that God would come and dwell with vs. If the wife should say I loue mine husband as well as any woman in the world O but how say you your husband hath beene from you a long time but at such a time hee will returne O I pray you speake not of that you will make mee sicke if you talke of it indeede I loue him but I care not how far of from me he be who would not perceiue that this were meere dessembling no true loue indeed can a woman loue her husband and not desire his companie So if we will beare others in hand that we loue God aboue all and no man loues God better then wee yet we neuer desire to come at him or to haue him come at vs what a loue is this a very weake loue it is sure or none We must pray therefore and endeauour that we may long for and wish for the comming of Christ for God hath giuen this to other of his children that were as weake as wee that when they did thinke of their good estate and freedome from all miserie and sinne and that the loue of God was shed abroad in their harts this did so inflame their harts as they desired his comming by which they should be deliuered from all sinne and miserie more then any woman could desire the comming of her husband The fift and last note wherby we shall finde out in trueth how wee loue God is to consider how wee stand affected to that which he hates One indeed may loue a man truely and yet not hate all that he hates because his hatred may be vnjust or else he may exceede in the measure of hatred But for God we know that he is perfect hates nothing but that which is hatefull abhorres none but those which deserue to be abhorred Therfore try and see how we stand affected to the wolrd God saith that hee hates the worlde by the world is ment as Saint Iohn expoundes it the lust of the eies the lust of the hart and the pride of life we must hate these thinges for the loue of the world is enmitie to God He that loues it then is an enemie for hee that loues Gods enemies makes himselfe an enemie as he that hates that which God loues hates God so hee that loues that which God hates hates God also Also we must see how we hate couetousnesse mallice pride filthinesse falshoode and such like for all these things God hates But if one be so far from abhorring lying as that he himself will lie so far frō hating flatterie as he himselfe will flatter speake faire before ones face but ill inough behind his backe if one be so far from hating vnthriftinesse as that he will be a gamster spend those things idly and foolishly which God gaue him for a better end and will take an account of him also how he spent them because God bestowed them for better ends and he bestowes them proudly vainely and vnthriftely to no glory to God or good to men he that will doe these or any such thinges it is plaine that hee hates
to stand in feare of this great God And if we will thus deny our selues and our fleshly reason and pray vnto God for his feare and labour to kindle his feare in our harts by calling to remembrance his fearefulnesse and just and terrible vengeance vpon those that haue not feared him this will at lenght bring our prophane harts to some dread and reuerence of Gods holy Magestie The next vse that we may make is for the comfort of those of Gods children that can in some measure bring their flesh to feare and tremble before God and to stand in awe of him this will certainely bring all happinesse vnto them and those that can doe so they may be assured that whatsoeuer affliction they be in it shall either be remoued or be so sanctified and blessed vnto them as they shall beare it with much comfort profit As Ps 112. ver 2. His seede shal be mightie vpon the earth Seede mightie will we think how can that be what haue they to make them mightie what hath he to leaue them how can they be mightie when he hath nothing to bestow on them yes he hath enough for so he ads his children shal be blessed It is not lands and liuings great possessions that make ones children great for one may haue them and yet he hath no promise but that himselfe and his children shall haue the curse of God vpon them while they liue and be cast into hell fire and euerlasting damnation when they dye But it is the feare of God that makes a man happie himselfe and that will leaue a good and happie state vnto his children after for this brings the blessing of God vpon himselfe and vpon his seed after him that they shall continue happie so long as they continue fearing God But that we may not deceiue our selues and think either that wee haue not the feare of God at all because wee haue it not perfectly though we haue it in some good measure or else think that we haue it when indeed we haue it not It is good that we cōsider some marks whereby we may know whether we haue indeed this feare of God or no. One true note of the feare of God is to feare the word of God as Isaiah saith Heare the word of God yee that tremble before him As if he had said I would that all myne hearers would profit by the word of God which I speake vnto them but I know that none will make vse of it but onely those that feare him as also the prophet Habakkuk sayd That when hee heard Gods threatnings he feared and his belly trembled and rottennesse entred into his bones and he was wonderfully dismaide and terrified If then the threatnings of gods word can affright vs and make vs tremble and afrayde to doe those things which he hath forbidden or if we haue sinne they make vs confesse our sinnes hūble our soules before God for mercie this is an vndoubted token of the feare of God But if one will say that he feares God reuerenceth the magestie of God but for his word let God threaten as much as he will he cares not for it let the Minister denounce gods Iudgements and curses vpon him and against him he is a sleepe and it doth not awake nor prick him he neither hath any touch nor feeling of it but lets it passe without any regard it is most sure that such an one for all his sayings hath no feare of God in his hart According as God complaines by the prophet Amos That if the Lion did roare all the beasts of the field would tremble but they were more beastly then beasts so sencelesse that let god roare roare againe as loud as he would yet they cared not nor were not a whit afrayd so that the verie beasts gaue more reuerence to the Lion then they did vnto God If we heare the threatnings of God denounced powerfully against couetous deceitful cruel persōs against such as break gods saboths against earthly minded men that set themselues wholy to root in the groūd to seeke for fleshly things If we heare these threatnings beleued that they were true when we finde them in our selues how could we choose but feare trēble But herein most men bewray their monstrous shameful hipocrisie that if a great man some king or prince did but threaten that they should be put in prison lye in prison all their life or that they should be put to death they would shake euery joynt shew their feare in their face that no man could make thē merry in such a case but they would lamēt take on vnmesurably But let god threaten protest that he wil curse them damne thē cast them into hel for euer it neuer feares thē they can go about as merely cherfully as though ther were no danger yea they will make oft times a mock a scoffe at those judgments What a most plain palpable dissēbling is this that men wil pretēd to feare god aboue all yet will be much more afraid if a man do but threatē to turne them out of their house then if god threaten to turne them out of heauen to be in hell for euer that one angry word of their lādlord wil feare thē but twēty threatnings out of the scripture of God will not moue them one whit nor work the least sorrow in them By trying our affections to the word of God then we may see our affections to God himselfe either in loue for he that loues Gods word most may assure his soule that hee loues God best or in feare for hee that most trembles and is most humble at Gods threatnings hee carries the greatest reuerence towards God himselfe and so that he that puts greatest confidence in the promises of God doth most faithfully trust in God Another sure badge of this true feare is that it will make one depart from euill it will not make him onely confesse say indeede it is naught and it is my fault and my nature and I would I could leaue it but it will worke a seperation beetwixt sinne and the soule so that it will depart from euill what danger so euer seeme to ensue vpon it and he will not be alured by any reward to commit sinne In what measure the feare of God hath seasoned the hart in the same measure it will worke this departing from sinne as we see it plainely proued by the example of the three children The case stoode thus with them that either they must bow to the filthie idoll which was before them or burne in that flaming fornace which was prepared for him that would not either they must purchase and procure the wrath of God or suffer the wrath displeasure of Nabuchadnezer but hauing the feare of God within them it gaue them courage and boldnesse that they feared not Nabuchadnezers threatning and power but
come in by heapes and so when all was gone hee had soone made his accounts God hath giuen God hath taken blessed be the name of the Lord when I had them I was not the better I did not trust in them and therfore now they are gone I am not much vexed it was no part of my greatest happinesse to haue them nor is no part of my greatest sorrow that I haue so suddenly lost them But this our discouragement and whining and murmuring when we want the meanes shewes that we trust not in God but in them for if we liue at Gods finding who must prouide for vs no mans life consisteth in his riches saith Christ if God bee our father and he must find vs why are we not content with his promise what though he keepe thinges in his owne hand because we know not how to vse them But this is the matter we would be our owne gods as it were be at our own finding in this matter we be farre more foolish then our owne children for they keepe no stirre and doe not trouble them selues to think how shall I doe to bring the yeare about how shall I get prouision for the next yeare or what if ill weather come and so many doubts but they are merry and fresh and thinke not of these matters but make account that their fathers will see them prouided for and will not suffer them to want any thing and therfore when they neede they goe to them and make account that all is well they shall haue it And why should not we do so to God if we did in truth as we say we doe account that hee is our father and trust vppon him and giue but so much credit to him as our children doe to vs why should not wee thinke our selues sufficiently prouided for if wee haue his promise if wee could indeede come to make him our trust thus we should vnloade our harts of much discontentment and disquietnesse and liue farre more cheerfully then now by reason of our vnbeleefe and distrust wee doe or can doe The last signe to know whether we trust in God or not is to examine whether we seeke his loue and fauour for that vvhich any man makes his trust that he doth most labour to obtaine What doth any man speake of most in the day and thinke of most in the night and seeke after most in all his life If it be lucre then hee trustes in his lucre So that man that placeth his happinesse and seekes his felicitie onelie in pleasure he will most seeke and striue to get his pleasure and is most vexed if it be taken from him But if one trust in God then he would most labour to get the loue fauour of God because he knowes he can haue nothing from him selfe or any other but onely from god as in Ps 62. 11. 12. Hee sets downe two causes why we must not trust in man nor riches that is in any outward thing for power belongs vnto God mercie belonges vnto God All the men in the world and all the riches in thee world haue no power to helpe vs vnlesse god put it in them for all power is his owne and so for mercie there is no kindnesse in any man or angell which they haue not from God no man nor angell can shew vs any kindnesse vnlesse God giue them that kindnesse and if they doe wee must confesse that it comes from him Since then all power is reached from Gods hand and all mercie is deriued from him that nothing either can help vs or if it could yet would help vs but so far as he puts both the power and will into it therefore those that beleeue this cannot choose but seeke Gods fauour for then they are assured that nothing can be able to hurt them yea God can make all things so far as it is profitable willing and readie to doe them good So much concerning the first commandemēt which shewes vs whom we must worship namely God and wherin this worship consisteth namely in a sound knowledge of him from this knowledge in louing and fearing and trusting in him with all our hart and soule Now followes the second commandement Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image nor the likenesse of any thing that is in heauen c. IN all which commandement is shewed by what outward meanes we must worship God namely not after the inuentions of flesh and bloud but after the commandement of his holy word The commandement containes a prohibition in these words Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image nor the likenesse of any thing in heauen aboue or in the earth beneath or in the waters vnder the earth thou shalt not bow to them nor worship them These words containe the prohibition forbidding vs to haue any Images to represent God or to help vs in his worship or to haue any superstitious or will worship therby to please him the better The reasons ratifieng the prohibition are two one drawne from the vengeance of God against Idolaters and superstitious persons in these words For I the Lord thy God am a Iealous God visiting the sinnes of the fathers vpon the children to the third and fourth generation of them that hate mee Shewing Gods power in that he is Iehouah and a strong God as the word signifieth and his will that he is a jealous God the similitude is taken from a jealous husband that can abide no light behauiour of his wife but he will be reuenged on it So God cannot endure that any one that is his should once looke to Images or superstition for if any doe as by reason of his strength he is able so he is willing also to reuenge it on the sonnes and sonnes sonnes to the fourth generation of such as doe it The second reason is taken from the reward that God will bestow vpon all such as worship him purely hating Idolatrie and false worship that he will not onely blesse them but theirs to a thousands Neuer forgeting to shew mercy vnto those that worship him purely so that all their posteritie shall fare the better for them Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image nor the likenesse of any thing that is in heauen aboue First in that God doth set downe so largely and so plainely in so many words this commandement he shewes how exceeding readie vve are to fall into the breach of it Hence then we may gather this doctrine that our nature is wonderfull prone to Idolatrie and we are verie apt and readie to worship God falsely and superstitiously for if it were not so then why vvould not God content himselfe to be as short here as he is in most of the rest but we see for this and the saboth how largely he sets them downe how he mounds and fenceth them on euerie side with strong reasons vvhich doth declare that he knows vs verie willing on any
abundance of loue breeds aboundance of patience for loue hopes all thinges and suffer all thinges And loue is not prouoked but where there is little loue their is little bearing and little hoping and there they be quickly prouoked vpon euerie light and small defect or fault they grow to chasing and brawles and then who euer was troubled with such a husband or such a wife Nay they might rather say who euer had such an vnloving and vnkind heart as I for if there were that loue that should be and in that measure that there is that loue they would beare with patience and meakenesse such infirmities and would not be so quickely prouoked nay not by greater matters As the mother that in good earnest and without dissembling loues her little childe though it crie all night and be vnquiet and breake her sleepe and disquiet her verie much yet shee will not fling it out of doores nor lay it at further end of the house furthest from her but shee vseth it kindly and will doe what shee can to still it and when it cries shee will sing and in the morning they be as good friends as euer before and shee feeds it and tends it neuer a whit the lesse for all the nights trouble One that were not acquainted and knew not the loue of the mother would wonder why did it not disquiet your rest all night and can you be so merrie with it now Yes shee can for shee loued it and shee hath forgotten all that in the morning And so indeed could the husband and wife loue one an other with such a pure and christian loue they would beare much and endure much and yet loue neuer a whit the lesse For loue is all waies a brestplate against impatience A third profit that springes from loue is that loue edifies and loue seekes not it owne thinges therefore if they loue one an other they will in all thinges seeke the good one of another and then if he see a fault in his wife he will tell her of it meekly and gently and labour to bring her to amendment then if he see any fault of his part shee will with all reuerence and humilitie admonish him of it But on the contrarie where there is not loue they will regard their owne ease more then the saluation one of an other Then if the husband see his wife in any fault he thinkes indeede it is a sinne but if I come to tell her of it she will streight be in a passion and chafe and so the wife I confesse this sinne is dangerous to my husbands soule but if I should goe about to admonish him he is so hiddie that he would be bitter furious against me presētly But now here is a great want of loue in eyther partie For what though your wife will be in a passion he that loues his wife would rather shee should be in passion against him for a litle time then God with her for euer And the wife that loues her husband would more willingly suffer her husbands anger and futie for a while for well doing thē he should suffer Gods wrath eternally for ill doing Whereas they not louing one an other put it of with silēce dare not speake A fourth fruit of loue is that it armes one against iealousie the poyson of all dutie for loue will neither bee suspicious in matters of goods nor iealous in matters of the bodie For all iealousie and suspicion I speake of euill iealousie and suspicion for if their be euident and apparant causes and reasons then it is iust and no fault but all ill iealousie causlesse suspicion ariseth of one of these two points First either that one is or hath beene wicked himselfe and hauing beene faultie and naught himselfe he is readie to iudge others by himselfe and to measure all with his owne measure or else from a doting affection that one makes a God of this or that thing this is not true loue So when the wife doats foolishly vpon her husband and makes an idoll of him then is shee quickely readie to be iealous wheras a true and sound loue would worke the contrarie effect in her So for matters of goods he that trusts in them will trust no bodie with them but is alwaies suspitious and misdemeaning and will neither trust wife nor seruants nor children nor any not because they would not deale faithfully enough but because he makes that his God And therefore is immoderatly afraid to loose it but where there is a pure and seruent loue that will cut of all needlesse and misdeemings both in goods and bodie This is the first dutie that is common both to husbande and wife The second followes and that is faithfulnesse That both bende their wits and all their endeuours to the helpe each of other and to the common good of the familie The husband must not follow his priuate pleasure and delight nor the wife her owne ease pride but though by nature they could both be content to seeke themselues Yet they must striue both to build vp the house and to doe good one to an other and not hurt Because they stand in the place of Christ to those that are committed vnto them both for their soules and bodies First then the husband and wife must be faithfull in their bodies one to an other else they breake the couenant of God For mariage is not a couenant of man but a couenant of God where in the parties binde themselues to God and they be in recognisance in heauen to keepe themselues pure and chast one to an other Then for other matters there must be one purse and one heart and hand for the good of the familie and each of other But now if the wife be wastfull and idle then she like a foolish woman puls downe her house And if the husband be an vnthrift and consume and spende that idly and vainely to serue his lust or pride or anie sinne that might helpe his wife and children and be a meanes to make them liue plentifully and cheerefully whereas now they are pinched with want and necessitie this lauishing is a great vnfaithfulnesse and comes accompanied with manie inconueniences So much for the generall duties belonging both to husbande and wife The particular follow And first the wife must feare her husband as is commanded in Ephes 5. 33. Let the wife see that shee feare her husband and 1. Peter 3. 2. The Apostle requires a conuersatiō with feare So that if euer the wife will be comfortable and profitable to the husband and doe anie good in the family shee must haue a care of her heart and looke that shee carrie an inwarde feare to her husbande for the husband is the wiues head euen as Christ is the head of the Church and euen as the Church must feare Christ Iesus so must the women also feare their husbands And this inward feare must be shewed by an outward
meekenesse lowlinesse in the speaches and cariadge to the husband As in the place aboue named out of Peter he saith they must be attired with a meeke and quiet spirit shee must not be passionate and frowarde to him either to anie of the familie in his sight but should haue such a regard of his presence as that should gouerne her tongue and countenance so that it may not be offensiue or troublesome to him And for her speeche neither when they be kind and louing together must shee growe into grosse tearmes nor if any Iarte or offence come rush into tart and sowre words to ease her selfe vpon her husband whome shee should feare Thus must shee imitate Sarah and good women as Peter saith and in so doing shee shall proue her selfe a daughter of Sarah a true christian but contrarily if she behaue her selfe rudely and vnmannerly in her husbands sight to greiue him and offend him shee fails in the first and maine dutie of a good wife and so far shall surely come short of all the rest The second dutie of the wife is constant obedience and subiection Now in what and after what manner this obedience must be performed the holy ghost doth declare for in generall there is no woman allmost so rude but she will yeeld that shee must obey her husband but in particular thinges there growes the question and in the manner of it there is the failing Therefore the Apostle hath to put all out of doubt set downe both the matter and maner Ephes 5. 24. As the Church is in subiection to Christ so let the wife be to the husband in all thinges For the thinges in which she must obey he sayes in all things meaning in all lawfull thinges for the comandement of the husband is as it were the stampe of God set vpon the thinge commanded and if shee rebell against his commandement she rebels against God the wife then must perswade her selfe that her husbands charge is Gods charg and when he speakes God speakes and therefore she must resolue to obey him in all things Then for the manner he saith as the Church obeyes Christ Now we know that the Church obeyes Christ willingly cheerfully with a free heart and though the thinges which Christ cōmands it be often times verie contrarie to nature and no whitte at all delightfull to the flesh yet the true Church will more set by the commandement of Christ then her owne pleasure and haue a greater regard to please him then to serue the desires of the flesh Therefore the wife must obey her husbande in all thinges cheerefully and willingly without gainesaying These be the duties of a worthy woman of a daughter of Abraham and a christian wife Which so farre as shee is carefull to performe so far as shee may looke that her husband should doe the dutie of a good husband vnto her or if hee doe not yet God will rewarde her liberally For such a woman is much set by of God and that not with an idle affection that no bodie can see but with such a working loue as shall shew it selfe by good effect outwardly in plentiful blessings on her soule and bodie if shee can frame for cōscience sake to God to yeelde a willing and free obedience to her husband in all lawfull things that with a meeke lowly cariage of her selfe proceeding from an holy feare and reuerence of him being in Gods steade Now follow the speciall duties of an husband for hee hath not all these priuiledges for nothing and those consist in two maine points In Gouerning her wisely by cohabitation to dwell with her edification as a man of knowledge for maintainance imployment performing all due beneuolence First for cohabitation The first dutie of the husband is to dwell with his wife that seeth there is a neere and deare societie betwixt them and of all the nearest for she is to him as the Church vnto Christ flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone therefore he must be willing to haue his aboad to walke with her and talke with her and let her haue all comfortable familiaritie with him that shee may see he delighteth in her companie and may well know that of all others shee is his most welcome companion And so in the law it was commanded that the first yeare anie one was married he might dwell at home reioyce with his wife for that whole yeare what euer affaires of the common wealth or iarres were abroade yet he was by Gods lawes freed so that neither King nor captaine might comand his seruice from home but he must dwell with his wife that shee might haue experience of his loue and haue comfort by him that by long continuance and societie their hearts might be so neerely glewed as nothing might rend them a sunder This confutes those foolish men indeede not worthie to carrie the names of husbands that can take more delight in anie foolish riotous and vnthriftie companie haue more pleasure in any foolish vaine and lewd exercises then in the society of the louing and kind wife that are neuer so merrie as when the wife is absent and neuer dumpish and churlish but with her So if that it may well be seene that her company is a burden and her presence a clogge vnto them such as dwell with hawkes and hownds and drunkards and gamsters not with their wiues These shall carrie the brande and name of fooles so long as they haue no more care to preuent so much ill and doe so much good as if they had any godly wisdōe or loue to their wiues they might For what doe they but flying thēselues into dāger lay their wiues naked to Satās tētation yea giue iust occasiō to thē to think that they loue the not ô but we must haue our delights follow our sports pray you why might not the wif say I must haue my delight too haue part of recre ation as well as parte of the trouble is mine yet this would not be counted a good excuse for a woman to be ranging abroade but they looke that she should accept their company and be willing to be with them and why should not they then be as willing to dwell with them according to Gods commaundement So that the husband must dwell with his wife and neuer depart from her but vpon a lawfull and good calling and then also so as she may perceiue he doth rend himself in twain and carries but a part of himselfe but still leaues his heart at home with his wife Secondly Hee must dwell with her as a man of knowledge and edifie her both by a good example and also by good instructions For his example first he must carie himselfe so wisely and so holily as that he may see in him a patterne image of grace and wisedome he must be a glasse vnto her by looking into which she may learne to attire her selfe in all holy
while hee cannot with that spirit and courage pray to God for you and so powerfully and cheerefully preach the word of God vnto you This confutes them that bragge of there good dealing with the minister and thinkes they pay him all his dues as well as anie man and takes it as a wrong that the minister esteemes not of them as well as he doth of anie But doe they performe their dutie and what dutie is it they performe doe they obey the gospell which he preached and submit themselues to his doctrine this is the heart of dutie and where this is not there is no dutie done worth thankes least they they conuerted they do not pay the minister his due for a faithfull pastor and man of God regards not so much the tithes and lookes not to the fleece he comes as Christ saith to Peter to bee a fisher of men and if they will not be drawne out of their lusts and sinnes by his preaching it is no dutie for he that neglects obedience to the doctrine of the ministrie is an ill sheepe and vngodly person shew what kindnesse he will to the particular person of the minister The last dutie of the people to the minister is to performe maintainance vnto him both for his releefe and sustenance as also for his defence against the wronges of ill deposed persons For his releife and sustenance that is commanded Galat. 6. 6. Let him that is taught in the worde make him that haih taught him partaker of all his goods bee not deceiued God is not mocked c. Where willing them that are taught to prouide for the maintainance of the minister he meetes with common corruption of men that thinke all is gotten that they can cousen and deceiue the minister of and therefore carnall men are neuer more wittie in anie thinge then in withholding his dues but he saith be not deceiued As if he had said you thinke to deceiue an other but indeed you ouer-reach your selfe your selues bee deceiued at the length for though this cunning dealing may happilie be hiddē from men and done so closely that it shall not bee knowne yet GOD will not be thus mocked hee sees and knowes mens fetches well enough t is noe colouring with him that searcheth the hearts For if you deale thus wrongfully make an account that as you sowed so you shall reape such as your seede time was such shall be your haruest this your corrupt and vniust dealing shall get but a sorrie reward and such as shall bring but small comfort to your selues and in an other place the Apostle saith if they giue sprituall thinges is it a great matter that they receiue calnall and those that serue at the altar liue by the altar So that it is the peoples dutie freely and without grudging to helpe the minister with sufficient allowance for matters of this life Lastly they must giue him maintenance against the wronges of bad men as it is noted of Aquila and Priscilla that they stood for Paule and that was not a thing that hee alone was bound to be thankefull to them for but in so doing they deserued thankes of the whole Church which receiued good by his ministrie And if this dutie were carefully performed persecuters would not be so bolde and audatious to molest and trouble the ministers and faithfull men of God as they be But it comes oft so to passe that though the minister be in all things faithfull to his power and beare such a loue vnto his people as that he would part with his bloud to doe them good yet let but some vilde person of a wicked and vngodly life as indeede the diuell neuer lackes such instruments to vexe Gods ministers let some but base limme of the diuell step forth to set him selfe against the minister and to persecute him manie in the congregation will be readie to ioyne with him and haue their hand in as deepe as any But others of the better sort haue no courage to stand for him and to defend his good cause many thinke they doe not breake the fifth commandement and yet know that God hath said that he that laboureth in doctrine is worthy of double honour Yet when will they speake well of the minister when will they open their mouth in his defence but are readie to say it was his indiscretion hee was to hastie and vnaduised he might haue kept himselfe quiet and thus either because they be dastardly and dare not or malicious and will not allmost none can be founde that will stande in the maintenance of their faithfull minister against the furie and malice of the Diuell and his limmes wicked persecutors But this is a most soule fault for if any had a good friend to whom he were much beholding and of whom he had receiued many benefites no man almost is so cowardly and base minded but if he heard one raile vpon him and abuse him he would take courage to speake for him and for his credite but who almost can be found of many in a parish that can afford a good word for the Minister nay are not most of this minde that if he be molested all is lost that fals beside Thus much for the dueties of the people the Ministers particular dueties followe The first is to be a good example and patterne vnto them in loue in faith in patience and in euery good duetie as 1. Tim. 4. 12. Let no man dispise thy youth I but might Timothy say can I keepe them from despising my youth I cannot hinder it yet Shew thy selfe an example to those that beleeue This then is commanded as a duetie that gaines the Minister great recompence and account in the heartes of his people and keepes him from contempt that the light of God shine forth in him and they may see the graces of the holy Ghost in his conuersation And therfore the Apostle sheweth how he must gouerne his seruants and order his children and his whole houshold els if he lay loade of doctrine vpon others and do nothing him selfe they may say Phisition heale thy self and pull out the beame out of thine owne eye thou hypocrite this will make all his preaching fruiteles vaine for he that cannot gouerne himselfe his owne family how is it possible he should order his flocke aright Therefore he must shew his first skill in gouerning him selfe and his familie and those that be neerest vnto him The next duetie of the Minister is to preach the pure word of God in season and out of season to feed the flocke diligently and faithfully to intend and take heede to such wholesome doctrine as may nourish the soules of his people to deuide the word of trueth aright to speak to the capacitie and conscience of his people in all diligence faithfulnes not making marchandise of the word and Gospel of Christ that so his people may be prepared as a fit and pure Virgin to marrie Christ and so farre
window vpon a time and sees how commodiously Naboths vinyard stoode to his pallace and thought the might make him a faire garden there and he might haue a gooly priuate walke as it were so close to his therfore he would faine haue it And so sends for Naboth offers him some consideration for it but Naboth knew that he might not alienate his possenssion from himselfe that God had giuen him therefore hee sayes him nay but his desire was so earnest and importunate that it would take no nay and therefore hee was euen sicke with greefe and desire of that which was none of his And then there was no way left but Naboth must be slane and by hooke and crooke Ahab must haue the vinyarde and so Naboths life and vinyarde were both taken away but so that Ahab destroyed his familie and posteritie by this euill couetousnesse The vse that we must make of this is that though we haue neuer done any man wrong in one pennie yet we must repent for the wrong of the heart and the secret desire of the soule or els before God we are culpable of the breach of this commandement and lyable to the plague of God for it Secondly wee must learne to restraine our desires and keepe in the wandring lusts of our heart for that which it is a sin to take before men it is a sinne to wish before God therefore we must binde our minds to the good abearance Now the way to expell this wicked and greedie couetousnes of wealth is to consider these two thinges First the small or noe good that riches can doe vnto them that haue them Secondly to consider the certaine hurt that the desire of them will bring For the ground of couetousnesse is this that men haue a false and foolish imagination that wealth will bring some happinesse and if they had riches in good store then they should be in good safetie and in an happie case but that riches can make ones estate no whitte the better it is proued in the Psalme 62. 10. 11. 12. If riches increase set not thine heart vpon them He would haue one let his heart be neuer a whit set to his wealth and deeme himselfe no whit the better for the increase of them what is not one better nor hath he not cause to be more glad when his purse is full of monie then if he had neuer a farthing no sure not one iot and hee giues three reasons First saith he God spake once or twice and I heard it power belongeth vnto God This is reason nothing hath any power to doe a man any good but God therefore if he haue all the wealth in the world his wealth cannot helpe him it cannot keepe away any iudgement it cannot free him from death nor from hell but one may as soone goe to hell from weale or woe Diues may passe into torment as well as the veriest begger aliue Nay it cannot beare of any one stroake of God vpō soule or vpon bodie in this life it cannot keepe away sickenesse not greefe then if they be such weake thinges he that hath them is neuer a whit the nearer any good nor further from any euill why should one either earnestly desire them or greatly reioyce when he hath them Secondly To thee O Lord belongeth mercie There is no mercie but in God nor kindenesse but from God and that a man is kindely entreated it is not from wealth but from God that puts loue into mens hearts for if ones ways be pleasing vnto God he will make his enemies to become his friends and contrarie if ones waies displease him he will make ones friends his foes and those that owe him most dutie and haue here tofore shewed most loue vnto him to be his most bitter enemies and seeke his ouerthrow As in Dauid when hee had sinned against God he raysed vp his sonne against him who not with standing his welth and kingdome sought his life and would haue killed him Thirdly thou O Lord rewardest euery man according to his workes That is an other reason because God lookes to workes not to wealth when he comes to iudgment as if he had said most men dreame that it shall goe with them according to their goods and riches that they haue heaped vp this were true indeede if their were no God or else an idle God as Epicures imagine that sits a sleepe in heauen and cares not how things goes with men in the world but if there be a God that gouernes the world that is awaken and hath the ordering of matters then the question shall not be with what a mā hath But what he hath done not what riches But what grace and goodnesse he possesseth for sinne shall haue shame and he that is godly and mercifull and humble hee shall haue glorie and he shall be saued Sith it is so that riches are so little profitable or availeable this must keepe out of our hearts this whorish desire of riches that cannot profit Secondly as riches are sure to doe vs noe good so we are sure that the desire of them will doe vs much hurt and as there is no helpe from the hauing so there is certaine danger from the coueting For in Timothie the Apostle cals it the root of all euill Where this is there is sinne enough no euill that a man will abstaine from if it may procure his filthy lucre he will forbeare nothing if it lye in his way to gaine neither will he doe any good that seemeth contrarie to his profit therefore the daunger is greate that accompanies couetousnesse namely the rushing into all kinde of mischeefe and wickednesse and the neglecting and omitting of euerie thing that is good For it hinders one from the cheefe meanes of saluation and hinders the working of these meanes in him How it keeps men from the word and sacrements Christ shewes in the parable Luk. 14. 18. Some had oxen could not come some had farmes and must be held excused in generall euerie couetous man hath some pulbacke from religion or if happily sometimes he doe ouercome that let by much a doe step into the Church dore and set him downe before the preacher yet the holy Ghost tels vs how he is occupied speaking to Ezekiel he sayes that they sat before him indeede but though he was a man of rare gifts and verie eloquent yet their hearts went after their couetousnesse So that a couetous mans heart is in continuall trauaile though his bodie sit still for sometime yet his meditations and thoughts are moyling and rotting into the earth so that he can giue no attention to the word nor marke nothing that is spoken But yeelde that sometimes a quame of attention come ouer him admit that he can frame to giue eare to that which is spoken vnto him yet all is fruitlesse he gets no good for these be the cares of this world that like thornes choake the good seede of the word