How can husbands and wives be perswaded of conjugall love and fidelity from such yoke-fellowes How can traders and traffiquers be ascertained of true and honest dealing from such people who are conceited that the Law of God doth not bind them to obedience Oh that these beguiled and unstable soules would question and conferre after this or the like manner with their consciences Tell me Conscience are not murders adulteries thefts and such like sinnes and why Tell me Conscience how thou knowest that lying swearing evill thoughts concupiscence and the like are sinnes Tell me Conscience whence is it that thou wilt not allow me to steale kill commit adulterie or the like And their consciences except they lie in a lethall lethargie will answer Not onely are thefts murders and adulteries sinnes but also covetous desires unadvised anger and lustfull thoughts because they are a transgression of Gods Law I know that the fore-named and other workes of darkenesse are sinnes because the Law of God forbids them And I dare not approve of the doing of such like things because they are contrary to and condemned by the most holy and heavenly Law of God This abject and absurd foolish fancy therefore of these lawlesse and licentious Antinomists The Law of God doth not bind the conscience of the regenerate to obedience being contrary and repugnant unto the testimony of all orthodoxe Churches and of their learned and pious Worthies and against the sincere and sacred Word of God supplanting and suppressing subtilly and sinfully all sorts of societies both Christian and common commerce betwixt man and man and being gainesaid by their owne consciences if they are but illightened is a sottish and sinnefull a false and filthy a ridiculous and rotten a vile and vicious an untrue and unchristian a faithlesse and fantasticall opinion position and absurdity CHAP. VIII Christian souldiers must be strong wherein and why Duty 3 WE being the souldiers of Christ that we may warre a good warfare let us be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might Ephes 6. 10. As corporall strength and bodily abilities are necessary for martiall men and a principall meanes in such like combats to obtaine the victory Witnesse Sauls policie who when he saw any strong man he tooke him to him 1 Sam. 14. 52. Witnesse that matchlesse mirrour of mankind Samson who slew a thousand men with the jaw of an asse Iudg. 15. 15. caried away the gates of Gaza Vers 16. And pulled down the house upon three thousand Philistines Ver. 17. Witnes the commendation of Davids Worthies for their might 2 Sam. 23. Witnesse that saying of the Gadites 1 Chron. 12. 8. They were men of might men of warre fit for the battelâ— that could handle shield and buckler whose faces were like the faces of Lions Witnesse the name of the place where the young men of Ioab and Abâ—er slew each other called the field of strong men 2 Sam. 2. 16. And witnesse thâ—se sayings in the Canticles 3. 7. Threescore strong men about Salomons bed 4. 4. The shield of strong men So in the spirituall warfare against the enemies of our salvation spirituall strength is an excellent and a necessary meanes and helpe for Christian souldiers to guard and defend to fence and fortifie them against the Divell and his hellish complices This made S. Steven so puissant and invincible Acts 6. 8 10. This made Paul so couragious to confront Elimas the sorcerer Acts 13. 9 10. to conflict with the Iewes and Philosophers Actâ— 17. 17. and to contemne bonds and afflictions Acts 24. 26 27. 5. This enabled him to doe all things through Christ thaâ— strengthened him Phil. 4. 13. This was one meanes whereby those young men 1 Ioh. 2. 14. overcame the wicked one Hence it is that the Apostle Saint Paul stirres up the Corinthians to be strong 1 Corinth 16. 13. perswades the Ephesians to be strong in the Lord Ephes 6. 10 and incites Timothy to be strong in the grace that is in Christ Iesus 2 Timothy 2. 1. And hence it is that the Apostle Saint Peter prayes unto the Lord to strengthen his Church 1 Pet. 5. 10. Be we therefore strong in the Spirit or in the precious prevailing graces of Gods saving and sanctifying Spirit set down and specified Gal 5. 1â— c. 1. Be we strong in love that we may love First God in Christ for his owne sake yea so that we may with earnest ardency desire and with our utmost endeavours diligently strive in the frequent and faithfull use of the meanes to have communion with God And that we may love his Word and will above gold yea above much fine gold Psal 119. 129. and beyond expression Vers 97. Secondly And our neighbour for Gods sake yea so that we may shew love and doe good even to them that wrong and abuse us And that we may love all good men especially because God beares a speciall affection towards them and because they have in them whatsoever is amiable and lovely And let us strive to be so strong in this Christian love that the many waters of the greatest force and violence used by Tyrants and Tormentours to avert and turne the same from the Lord may not quench put out or overcome it nor the flouds or liberall store of the overflowing waters of deepe and grievous afflictions drowne extinguish or overthrow Cant. 8 7. 2. Be we strong in joy that divine joy which commeth from the Lord and is placed in him Nehâ—m 8. 10. Whereby we may perfectly joy in God in that joyfull worke of our regeneration in Gods grace and that blessed hope of eternall glory with him yea so that it may make us to joy and rejoyce at the good and welfare of others Rom. 12. 15. Moderate all our griefes and sorrowes and inable us to joy even in triâ—ulations Romans 5. 3. They being pledges of Gods love and trials of our faith and patience 3. Be we strong in peace that so we may walke in the way of peace Rom. 3. 17. Leading quiet and peaceable lives full of unity and good agreement avoiding quarrelsome contentions seeking to edifie one another by doing or taking good Rom. 14. 19. and labouring to live void of offence to God and man not willingly taking nor giving offence 4. Be we strong in long suffering by which we shal be inabled to mitigate and moderate our unadvised anger and diabolical disturbing desires of revenge when great and manifold wrongs and injuries are done unto us and diligently to discharge the duties of our Christian callings with painefulnesse profit and without partiality 2 Tim. 4. 2. 5. Be we strong in gentlenesse that so we may be inabled to give good speech and to shew good countenance even to them that wrong and abuse us without intent and purpose of revenge so that we may be courteous and tractable ready to give mild words easie to be intreated and to be spoken to apt to please loath to displease
72. 2. And for all that are in authority that under them we may as indeed we do lead a peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty 1 Tim. 2. 2. These who are in authority being of great use and in place to do most good 2. Pray we for Pastours and Preachers the Messengers of God and Ministers of his Word 1. Before their ordination powre out our petitions before the Lord to send faithfull labourers not lither and licentious loyterers into his vineyard Matth. 9. 23. Hence was it that the Church ordained Ember Weekes immediately before the times of ordination that people should fast and pray for able and approved pious and painefull good and gracious guides to be set over the Church of Christ which he hath so dearely bought 2. At the ordination and when they are admitted we are to pray Thus the Apostles Paul and Barâ—abas were separated for this waighty work by fasting prayer and laying on of hands Acts 13. 3. 3. After their ordaining also we ought to pray for them Ephes 6. 19. Pray for me Col. 4. 3. Withall praying for us 1 Thess 5. 23. Brethren pray for us 2 Thess 3. 1. Brethren pray for us that we may be fitted and furnished with all abilities gifts and gracious endowments needfull for our so excellent eminent and difficult calling for we watch for mens soules Heb. 13 17. And who is sufficient for these things 2 Cor. 2. 16. As also with fidelity and painefulnesse in the use and imployment of the same Pray for us that our greatest desires may be store of spirituall gifts 1 Cor. 14. 1. to do good in profiting the people saving our own soules and those who heare us 1 Timoth. 4. 16. Pray for us that we may esteeme it our greatest dignity to do service to the Church and people of God 1 Corinth 14. 3. Eph. 4 11 12. Pray for us that we may be assured our best service we can do to our people is to preach the Word aright admonish reprove exhort and comfort them to pray for them to administer the Sacraments to catechise to conferre with them to give them good example and therefore that we may stirre up our selves to be most painfull patient constant and chearfull in these pious and principall performances 1 Cor. 15. 10. Pray for us our calling being very difficult in regard of our waighty worke which is to quicken such as are dead in sinne to strengthen the weake encourage the feeble and faint-hearted to comfort those that are troubled in conscience to stand against all adverse power And we being men subject to like passions that other are Acts 14. 15. And we having no ability nor aptnesse to performe our ministeriall function except it be given us 2 Cor. 3. 5 6. Pray for us that we may be apt to teach 1 Tim. 3. 2 being furnished with matter worthy to be uttered and with a faculty and facility well to utter the same Pray for us that such gifts and graces as God hath bestowed on us may be bettered continued and successefull For if we be faithfull in our functions we must be sure most of all to be opposed by Satan and his complices Zac. 3. 1. Luk. 2â— 31. Satan well knowing that the way to scatter the sheep is to smite the shepheard Zach. 13. 7. that the way to rout the army is to discomfit and put to flight the chariots and horsemen And our failings are so dangerous that those amongst us that perish perish not alone 2 Pet. 1. 1 2. many being drawn into perdition with Ministers who are corrupt in life or doctrine 3. Pray we for our children Gen 9. 27. 27. 27 28. 48. 15 16. 2 SaÌ„ 12. 16. 1 Chro. 29. 19. Give unto Salomon my son a perfect heart Iob 1. 5. Iob sanctified his childreÌ„ c. Would Cornelia visit the temples for her sons Tiberius Caius offer sacrifices to the gods for such was the miserable blindnes of those profane people bereft of the comfortable knowledge of the wayes of life and groping grosly in those dangerous and deceitfull paths of paganisme they being in the wars of Africk For thus she saith in an epistle she wrote to them Your father bequeathed you nothing but weapons and from me you shall inherit nothing but books for I had rather leave my children good doctrine wherby they may live mark this we who are Christian parents than evilriches wherby they may perish I 〈…〉 not cease to visit the temples for your own health nor yet to offer sacrifice to the gods for your honour If therfore I say Cornelia a poore seduced Heathen led by the dark and duâ—kish light of nature only would constantly and carefully visit the temples for the health happinesse of her sons would continually and incessantly sacrifice to the gods for her childrens honour when alas all her performances were not only frivolous and fruitlesse but also vile and vicious for the temples which she visited were the temples of the Divell and those sacrifices which she offered were likewise to the Divell How much more should we stirre up our selves to sollicit the Lord of hosts for our children by fervent frequent and faithfull petitions they incountring with and being environed about with such like fierce and fraudulent foes themselves being so fraile and flexible and prayer to our good and gracious God being so powerfull and prevailing 1. You therefore who resolve to enter into the honourable estate of mariage let your first entrance into the same be seasoned and sanctified by prayer to God For 1. This is just and equall in regard of the precept not only in generall Col. 3. 17. to do all in the name of the Lord Iesus c. but also in special mariage being one of those things which are sanctified and seasoned hereby 1 Tim. 4. 5. But also in regard of the pious practises of Abrahams religious servant Gen. 24. 12. Rebekahs friends V. 60. Isaac Gen. 28 2 3. the elders of Ephrata Ruth 4. 11 12. and of God himself who blessed Adam and Eve when he joyned them together in this communion Gen. 1. 28. 2. This is of important and urgent necessity all things being vaine without Gods blessing Psal 127. and children being his free gift 3. This being very forcible availing Ps 128. A good beginning makes way for a good ending If the first fruits are holy so are the branches A love principium could the Heathen say 4. Grace and nature requiring this marriages are monstrous and they are headlesse weddings where prayer is wanting 2. Bearing of children being a blessing of God it is to be begged at his hands in prayer Ruth 4. 11. like Rahel and Leah namely in readinesse to yeeld to their husbands in all good things in fruitfulnesse and bearing of children to God Gen. 1. 28. 15. 3. 24. 60. Psal 127. 3 5. 128. 3. Zach. 8 15. 1. These being as grapes to vines grasse to meadowes flowers to a
of thee before all married her selfe soule and affections unto thee and wilt thou not love her 5. Thy wife is a good thing Prov. 18. 22. Who so findeth a wife findeth a good thing 6. She is thy companion Mal. 2. 14. yea so as to be flesh of thy flesh and so is not any else yea she is so a companion to thee that without her thou couldst not live but combersomly whereas by her thou art freed from many cares and combers to which thou hast neither skill nor will 7. She hath committed to thee and thy trust her goods person life 8. By her thy infirmity is relieved by her thou hast continuall and constant remedy for a continuall imperfection without whom Satan might abuse concupiscence to damnation and therefore thou mayest say of thy wife as David in another sense of Abigail 1 Sam 25. 33. Blessed be my wife who hath preserved me from filthinesse and fornication Love therefore your wives O husbands as your selves in desiring seeking and procuring in preserving maintaining and defending in delighting joying and taking pleasure in their weale and welfare the health and happinesse of their soules and bodies in their credit countenance and comfort as in your owne Object 1. Say not beloved brethren we are forbidden to love our selves therefore our wives Answ For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is allowed and approved wherein as no man can go too far in liking and loving his neighbour so cannot he love himselfe too much with true love He who makes an idoll of himselfe loves not himselfe He who makes an idoll of his wit loves not his wit He who makes an idoll of his back and belly loves neither He who makes an idoll of his wife loves her not Because in all these men harme and hurt themselves and their wives and so walk contrary to the nature and property of love Rom. 13. 10. 1 Cor. 13. 5. Neither is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 self-selfe-loue simply either commanded or forbidden save onely as it secludes and separates from the love of God or our neighbour Object 2. Say not beloved brethren many men do preposterously inordinately and immoderately love themselves and must they therefore so dotingly and fondly love their wives Answ For such is rather lust than love rage and indulgence not from the law but lust not from rectified nature or grace but rather from vice and impiety Object 3. Say not beloved brethren we must love our wives more than our selves because Christ loved his Church more than himselfe Answ For Christ in loving of his Church which is his body loved himselfe Object 4. Say not beloved we must love our wives more than servants children and neighbours therefore more than our selves since we must love our neighbours as our selves Answ For although we are to love our neighbours as our selves yet it is onely in regard of the manner of love not in regard of the measure thereof or with a generall love common to all Christians as Christians But we must love our wives as our selves in regard of the measure or with a certaine speciall proper singular and conjugall love 2. Give we to our wives due benevolence 1 Cor. 7. 3. all marriage duties especially bed company for just ends in chast and sober manner expressed by such like phrases in the Booke of God as these To imbrace Eccl. 3. 5. To bruise the brease of virginity Ezek. 23. 3. To sleepe with To lie with 1 Sam. 13. 11. To lie by Gen. 37. 10. To touch a woman Prov. 6. 29. 1 Cor. 7. 1. To know a woman Gen. 4. 1. To humble her Deu. 21. 14. To drink waters Pro. 5. 15. To go in unto Gen. 28 8. To take their fill of love Pro. 7. 18. Which act as it is not at any time to be done by some men and women namely Hermophrodites such who are insufficient and know themselves so to be for generation and conception such who have infections and incurable diseases and such who be mixed and mingled in bloud so neare that Gods Law forbids them marriage So there are times and seasons wherein husbands cannot performe this duty either seemly healthfully and lawfully as there are when they may both seemly healthfully and lawfully Not seemely in the sight or light of others But in secret and by themselves Not healthfully in old age or when impotent weakened wasted or consumed with sicknesse But when they are yong strong and healthfull Not lawfully all the time they be single and not joyned together in lawfull matrimony After consummation when it is with the wife according to the custome of women When they give themselves to prayer and fasting Ioel 2. 16. 1 Cor. 7. 5. When either of them shall be legally and lawfully separated from the other 3. Give honour to your wives as to the weaker vessels 1 Pet. 3. 7. By an honest care and respectfull regard of them and for them according to your conditions and callings 1. In defending delivering safe-keeping safe-conducting protecting and preserving them You therefore are called the vale of their eyes Gen. 20. 16. And the wings of your garments are to be their covering shadow and shelter Ruth 3. 9. 2. In procuring providently and cheerefully for them and allowing them all manner of necessaries comforts and conveniences Exod. 21 10. Isa 4 1. 1 Sam. 1. 8. No goods are so well spent or more to the comfort and contentation of good men than those which are bestowed upon and imployed for the supply and support of loyall and loving wives Whereas those who rigidly restraine them are little better than theeves depriving the right owners of Gods blessings and benefits Granting and giving their honest right and reasonable requests Ester 7. 2 3. 1 King 1. 29. Allowing and approving of their vowes if godly Numb 30. 7 8 9. 3. In bearing with and tolerating their infirmities and Epist lib. 10. Ep. 8â— imperfections She is unfit for wedlocke saith S. Ambrose who deserves chiding they being such as may be winked at and so that you be not cause of sin to your selves or others For you must be apt and able to rule and regulate their affections and not sinfully and shamefully yeeld to them els many inconveniences will unfortunately follow In reprehending their infirmities looke not on them without a sight of your owne and your wives vertues and do not delightfully blaze abroad your wives faults and frailties for in so doing you conspire against Numb 30. 7 8. 13. Iob 2 10. 1 Cor. 11. 3 7. 14. 35. Eph. 5. 23. 1 Pâ—t 3. 7. your owne houses 4. You ought to guide and governe instruct and direct them in all actions and affaires not childishly fondly and indiscreetly behaving your selves with them toyishly as with babies nor basely and bitterly currishly and churlishly with harshnesse and rigour You must therefore behave your selves as well fatherly as familiarly towards your wives governing and guiding your houses especially your wives as preachers of piety
hurtfull although dreadfull yet not disadvantagious they are tolerable although terrible Like the formidable waves of the overflowing deluge which tossed the Arke but drown'd it not like the fire in the bush which burned without consuming the same like Ionahs whale which swallowed yet destroyed him not like the venemous Viper hanging on Pauls hand not harming him at all many a time have they afflicted me from my youth yet they have not prevailed against me said Israel long agoe Psal 129. 1 2. upon this rock will I build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevaile against it saith our Saviour Matth. 16. 18. we are troubled on every side yet not distressed we are perplexed yet not in despaire persecuted but not forsaken cast downe but not destroyd saith Saint Paul 2 Cor. 4. 8 9. Afflictions doe not withdraw from the verity of grace and faith but do corroborate or strengthen in griefe saith Saint Cyprian who himselfe was Cyprian de Mortal a Martyr SECT 5. Motive 4. Drawne from their benefit and profit THe fourth motive shall be drawne from the benefit of such like afflictions each man suffereth patiently that which he hopeth may doe him good many perillous blasts and boysterous stormes much toylesome travaile by sea and land and abundance of painefull labours are endured by ventrous Mariners and martiall men yea by all sorts of traders and traffiquers to get gaine bitter pills piercing plaisters uncomfortable cuttings and feâ—refull launcings are suffered to obtaiâ—e health Indure we therefore as the good souldiers of Christ hardnesse or afflictions 1. These being to Christian souldiers as the waves tossing the ark yet saving Noah As the Whale swallowing up yet preserving Ionah from drowning As the Dragon pursuing the woman Rev. 12. 1. yet procuring her greater preservation As the file grating the iron yet making it clearer and brighter As the furnace melting yet purifying the gold As the mill grinding yet making the wheat more usefull As the cards breaking yet fitting the wooll for commodity As the coales heating yet making perfumes more odoriferous 2. These are as the red sea preserving Israel drowning Pharaoh and his host advantagious to the Saints although hurtfull to ungodly men for although they procure desperation to these yet they cause a most certaine hope in those They being instruments by which the goodnesse and power of God doth appeare in comforting and succouring us as also occasions of the most excellent good things for by these our daily slips are fatherly and favourably corrected our pride and arrogancy is pressed and pulled downe the flesh and wantonnesse is cooled and quailed our old man is destroyed and new renewed sloth and sluggishnesse is shaken off the confession of faith is expressed our weakenesse is manifested we are provoked to more earnest and ardent prayer we daily understand the fragility and frowardnesse of our nature and accustome our selves to patience 3. These are spirituall exercises to exercise precious medicines to cure and wholsome balm to heal the soul to purge us of the drosse and reliques of some old sinne which we are loth to leave 4. Without these the rich and radiant graces in Gods Saints are often like fire covered in a heape of ashes and oyntment stopped into a close box 5. These sharpen the spirits of Gods children and make them oftentimes do things farre more excellently and considerately than they do in prosperity 6. These make tryall of our zeale love and constancy being to us as the furnace to the gold to try and proove us Prov. 17. 3. and our hope waiting Psalm 123. 2. Rom. 8. 24. Faith not seene 2 Cor. 4. 18. Heb. 11. 7. 13. 20. and patience induring Iam. 5. 4. Heb. 12. 1. 7. These stirre up our zeale love and devotion in praising and serving God and make us more diligent in the same 8. These are as thornes in our wayes lest we run wrong and stray aside 9. These oft times turne to the inlargement of Gods Church such being the riches of his mercifull providence that he turnes the weaknesse of his children and wickednesse of their enemies to the good of the Church the cruelty of the one and the cowardize of the other to the increase of Religion and inlargement of the Church Acts 8. 1 4. The Lord workes by contraries and beats the Divell with his owne weapons he shewes that mens wisdome is foolishnesse with him for when they thinke to put out the name of Christ by persecution when they seeke to quench the light of the Gospell by driving away the Preachers and Professours thereof then doth he most of all publish it making those painefull Preachers and pious Professours like fragrant spices brayed and pounded to smell the sweeter and spread their smell the further Acts 11. 19. One Martyrs death oft causing many to be converted 10. These are advantagious beyond expression to the Christian Worthy affording him a threefold excellent commodity namely First gainfull profit witnesse that sacred speech of David that worthy Warriour of Christ Iesus Psalme 119. 71. It is good for me that I have beene afflicted And of that magnanimous souldier of God the Prophet Ieremie Lament 3. 27. It is good for a man to beare the yoke from his youth Namely for a man which is elected which is the faithfull servant of GOD and souldier of CHRIST who is armed with the armour of GOD and indued with faith hope patience meeknesse and such like gifts and graces for this man it is good that is a thing honest just right comely commendable and of good report Iohn 15. 20. Or a blessed and happy profitable and gainefull thing for him to beare the yoke namely of Christ Iesus both of subjection and obedience and of afflictions crosses calamities of all sorts inward temptations and outward troubles From his youth that is continually and daily use making perfect custome being another nature Secondly Pleasurefull delight Though this is a marvellous strange paradox to most men yet not so strange as true Acts 5. 41. Peter and Iohn departed rejoycing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for Christs name Chap. 16. 25. Paul and Silas sang praises to God after they were beaten with many stripes thrust into the inward prison their feet being made fast in the stockes Afflictions wee see did quicken up the Apostles making them more chearefull and lively they being glad to be so honoured and preferred of God Their conscience was to them a continuall feast Proverbs 15. 15. And their good cause increased their comfort under the crosse yea so that the greater their crosse the greater was their comfort 2 Cor. 1. 4 5. Thirdly Whether it be true or no I know not that is recorded of the Muscovians that it is holden for a great grace in Muscovia for a servant to be stricken of his master a wife of her husband or a Noble of the great Duke For if any of the Nobles happen to be stricken with a cudgell
duties as namely A souldier-like courage in standing stoutly against every brunt choosing rather to stand and die then stirre and yeeld A watchfull vigilance by which heedfull souldiers stand to receive their enemies whensoever they assault Perseverance standing still with armour firmely fastened expecting fresh assaults and more conflicts And a constant abiding in ones proper place and a setled standing in ones ranke not going or gadding into each others place not starting aside or straggling abroad art experience and wâ—rlike discipline teaching that it is a shelter and safeguard to have the rankes well kept expert Captaines therefore and experienced souldiers are confidently carefull that neither themselves nor other step aside but that every souldier keepe his ranke and sile as they are ranged Stand we therefore stedfast remaine without removing rest without retiring in the true Church whereof we are members wherein the Lords banner is blessedly and bountifully peaceably and plentifully displayed confidently and couragiously continuing constant in retaining our pious profession not starting or straggling from the same for gaine or griefe for feare or favour for profit or perill by schismaticall or hereticall separations by timerous and temerarious temporizing by apostaticall revolts and backslidings straggling souldiers loosing the succour and safeguard of their captaines and the aidefull assistance of their fellow souldiers Stand we also stable and studiously observe resolutely rest upon and religiously obey we Christ Iesus our Commander in those stations and standing places performing in them such particular duties which are prescribed to our severall and speciall functions by our gracious Generall and supreme Soveraigne of whom we may say more truely then was said of Cyrus whose diligence Car. Chron. lib. 2. was such that he did not like a negligent family governour to give commandements in generall saying let some fetch water let some cut wood but that he give commandements to particular persons by name and remembred their names Thus Christ our Captaine in his holy and heavenly Word hath assigned and appointed select and speciall duties to all and every one of his servants and souldiers severally in his proper and particular place and station in which we must assiduously abide 1 Cor. 7. 20. carefully and conscionably dutifully and diligently serving the Ser. 89. de Barbar non tim Lord in the severall functions of our particular callings Christs precepts and Christians defence saith Saint Ambrose 1. For we must every one be accountable to our Lord for such duties which belong and appertaine to our particular places 2. In these the gifts and graces bestowed upon us are best exercised and manifestly revealed 3. For thus doing we deck adorne and beautifie the Church and body of Christ we stablish and strengthen the same 4. And we have the Lords peculiar promise of protection in our distinct and proper places Psal 91. 11. SECT 2. Parents in their places 1. PArents obey we the charge and command of Christ our Chiefetaine and Captaine in our particular callings Of these duties see before page SECT 3. Children in their reverencing and obeying gratifie their Parents how and why 2. CHildren doe you carefully and Christianly carry your selves in this your calling wherein Christ hath ranged and ranked you First In reverencing your parents thus did Ioseph bowing himselfe to his sicke and aged father Gen. 48. 12. Thus did reachlesse and rebellious Absolom 2 Sam. 14. 33. as well as wise and vertuous Salomon 1 King 2 19. This being of absolute necessity enjoyned by the Lord himselfe Levit. 19 3. and generally practised by the best and most Mal. 1. 6. Heb. 12. 9. A sonne honoureth his father c. We give them reverence First put away therefore farre from you O you children all manner of irreverent and irreligious thoughts speeches and gestures towards your parents and be not you 1. Mockers and deriders of them for in so doing you are certainely accursed Pro. 30. 17. Gen. 9. 21. 27. 2. The eye that mocketh his father c. 2. Be not despisers and contemners of them this being a capitall crimson and crying abomination Ezek. 22. 7. In thee they c. Deut. 27. 16. Cursed c. 3. Bee not you cursers of your parents for they who are such are children of death Exod. 21. 17. Levit. 20. 9. every one that curseth c. Pro. 20. 20. His lampâ— c. Considering that such or any the like cursed and contemptible unchristian and unreverent behaviour of children towards parents 1. Is not onely occasioned by parents lack of often and earnest prayer for their children by their light lascivious and lewd behaviour in words and gestures and by their lack of correction their indulgence dandling and cockering them as we see in Adonijah Absolom and Elies sons Secondly But also it is occasioned by and argueth in children 1. Much pernitious privie pride sinfull and shamefull self-selfe-love 2. And abundance of ignorance of Gods ordinance and unacquaintednesse with the meaning of Gods law Secondly And be perswaded to reverence and rightly respect your parents 1. For the very countenance of parents ought to be reverent amiable yea and terrible if we offend them 2. For they are your betters yea so much that no image so represents to a man God in a family as a father 3. For whosoever will not reverence their parents will hardly honour any other superiour 4. Yea the dimne and duskie eye of nature presseth and Contra mare perswadeth hereunto Witnesse Tertullians testimony of the people of Pontus their love to be such that they did eate the dead carkesses of their parents thinking their owne bellies to be the fittest sepulchers for them Witnesse the precise practise of the Lacedemonians reverencing age and authority by all meanes and Ciceroes councell in his offices to youth to honour and reverence the more ancient 5. And in the fift Commandement naturall parents are specified and specially named rather then other superiours although they are intended 1. Not onely to shew and signifie that all governours should be fatherly affected towards their inferiours 2. Not onely because they were first in planting of policie and propagating posterity 3. Not onely because to this rule the rest should bee fashioned 4. But also because this is most acceptable and amiable 5. And because the contempt and carelesse keeping hereof is most against nature Reverence therefore and respect your parents If you bee rich your parents poore releeve them yet with reverence not as if you gave an almes to a beggar with an high heart but as a termer or tenant holding in Knights service payes reliefe unto his Lord not of benevolence but of duty If you be wise learned and politique your parents simple unlearned and ignorant counsell advise instruct and admonish them yet with reverence practise all your performances doe all your duties unto your parents with reverence Gods gifts and goodnesse to you may not cause or incourage you to vitiate and violate to infring or breake
thus did Iacob Gen. 31. 6 38. And Moses Exod. 3. 1. Or daughters for thus did Ruth Ruth 3. 5 6. 3. Or whether they be parents by adoption for thus did Queene Ester Ester 2. 10 20. 1. For thus to doe is advantagious and gainefull Witnesse the propheticall and patheticall blessing of Sem and Iaphet Gen. 9. 26 â—7 by Noah Of Ruth by Boaz Ruth 2. 11 12. And the Lords mercifull and manifold great and gracious promises Pro. 1. 8 9. 6. 20 21 22. 2. Yea just and equall Eph. 6. 1 This is right Colos 3. 20. This is well-pleasing to the Lord. 3. Whereas the contrary is not onely unfruitfull and unprofitable but also dangerous and dreadfull Deuteron 21. 18. 27. 16. 4. Being exceedingly and extraordinarily shamefull and sinfull Pro. 19. 16. Ezek. 2â— 7. Rom. 1. 30. 3. In gratitude and thankfulnesse to your parents 1. In heart and mind acknowledging Gods mercy in giving them and by them breath and being to you joying and rejoycing in them desiring and wishing well unto them and truly loving them Ruth 4. 5. 2. In tongue and word praising God for them praying unto the Lord for them speaking well of them thanking them for their benefits and comforting of them 1 Sam. 9. 5. Pro. 10. 1. 3. In deed and really by cherishing relieving and maintaining delivering and defending your parents for thus did Ioseph Gen. 47. 11 12. Thus did Rahab Iosh 2. 12 13. Thus did Ruth Ruth 2. 17 18. And thus ought all to do Mar. 7. 12. Mat. 15. 4 5 6. 1 Tim. 5. 4. You therefore who are the Lords servants and souldiers do you abominate and abandon such irreligious and intolerable ingratitude which is or hath beene in the members of Satan and sonnes of Belial towards their parents and be not like those monsters of mankind 1. Who rejoyce at their parents disgrace and dishonour Eccl. 3. 11. 2. Who grieve make them sad and pensive Prov. 17. 21 25. Eccl. 3. 33. 3. Who disclose and discover their shame Gen. 9. 22. 35. 22. 49. 3 4. Lev. 18. 7. Deut. 27. 20. 4. Who fraudulently forsake them 5. Who rob and spoile them Gen. 31. 30. Prov. 28. 24. 6. Who rebuke check and controll them Isa 45. 10. Luke 15. 29. 7. Who grudge and grumble at their large and liberall dealing with the rest of their children Luke 15. 29 30. 8. Who cruelly curse them Pro. 30. 11. 9. Who deny them reliefe and maintenance Mat. 15. 10. Who shamefully and sinfully smite them Exod. 21. 15. 11. Who currishly chase or divellishly drive them away Prov. 19. 26. 12. Who cursedly and cruelly kill and destroy them Pro 19 26. 2. And be inticed and intreated to glad and gratifie your parents 1. This being an honest thing and acceptable before God 1 Tim. 5. 4. 2. This purchasing and procuring praise and good report credit fame and commendation from men Ruth 2. 11 12. 3. This obtaining the prayers of parents and others to God for you Ruth 1. 9. 2. 12. 4. Considering that good and gracious yea kind and naturall children are as the staffe and stay of their parents Witnesse not only the fore-mentioned particulars in the Scripture but also the practice of Aeneas who carried his father Aâ—chises Virg Aenead lib. 1. upon his shoulders out of the overthrow of Troy And the constant care of young Storkes towards the old carrying them to food when through age they are disabled from flight as Aelian testifies Lib. 3. cap. 23. 5. Considering that you were born of them can never recompence them the things they have done for you Eccl. 7. 25 6. Considering that parents are or should be childrens joy and glory Pro. 17. 6. 7. Considering that by thus doing you shall glad and rejoyce your parents Pro. 23. 24 25. 8. The want of thankfulnesse noting out an irreligious and reprobate mind Ezek. 22. 7. Rom. 1. 30. 9. And arguing and averring men to be sinfull and shamelesse children Prov 19. â—6 Behave your selves O children like children towards your parents while you have them no limitation of age or mariage can or may exempt you Iob kept his authority over his children when they were married and exercised his discipline over them so long as they lived so long therefore as you have parents reverence obey and gratifie them SECT 4. Husbands must follow Christ their Captaines directions in loving their wives giving them due benevolence giving them honour and wisely guiding of them How and why HVsbands be we conscionable and circumspect resolutely and religiously to serve and obey Christ our Captaine and Commander in our proper and peculiar place and station Which that we may do We ought with all affectionate amiablenesse to love our wives for thus doing we imitate the holy ones of God as Isaac who loved Rebekah Gen. 24. 6 7. Iacob who loved Raâ—el Gen. 29. 8 20. Samson who loved the Timnite Iudg. 14. Elkannah who loved Hannah 1 Sam. 1. 5. And dutifully obey those many pious precepts of our gracious God Prov. 5. 18 19. Be thou alwayes ravisht with her love Eccl. 9. 9. Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest c. Eph. 5. 25. Husbands love your wives Vers 28. So ought men to love their wives Ver. 33. Let every one in particular so love his wife even as himselfe Col. 3. 19. Husbands love your wives c. To love is to be so affected towards another that we covet well to him according to our power and possibility do well unto him for his owne sake Thus you should love your wives O husbands yea as Christ loved the Church whose love was true sincere chast and perpetuall so likewise should your love be to your wives Whose love was such that he gave himselfe for his Church answerably your love should not consist onely in words but in giving and granting things necessary for their estate and condition 1. Thou O husband art the male thy wife the female therfore Motives thou oughtest to love her 2. Thy wife is thine owne every thing loves that which is its owne such is thy wife she is thine owne flesh body bone of thy bones and thou art her head Eph. 5. 28 29. 3. She is the next in worthinesse to thy selfe committed Non es dominus sed maritus Non ancillam sortitus es sed uxorem Amb. Hexam lib. 5. cap. 7. into thy hand by the Lord of heaven and earth she is almost one person with thee and wilt thou not honourably and lovingly use such an excellent creature committed to thee by the Almighty 4. Thou art fastly and friendly chained and combined with many couplings and combinations unto thy wife As for example 1. Thy wife is a meanes peradventure to continue and conserve thy life 2. She is an helper to thee Gen. 2. 6. to repell and rid thee from many toyles and troubles 3. She continueth to thee progeny and posterity 4. She hath left friend and father made choice
obedience of the Law For even the regenerate or justified are debters not to the flesh to live after the flesh but to the Spirit to mortifie the deeds of the flesh Rom. 8. 12. Chaâ—ierus saith It is â—â—nifest by the things fore-going Tom. 3. lib. 1 cap. 6. Th. 4. that an exceeding great injâ—â—y iâ— d 〈…〉 uâ— whâ—â— wâ—e are said to denie that wee are b 〈…〉 to the Law before God Wherefore if Bellarmine doth know those which say that the saithfull are subject to uâ— law before GOD and that Th. 5. the Decalogue of Moses doth n 〈…〉 belong to us hee shaâ—â— have us not adversaries but follo 〈…〉 iâ— disputing boldly against such Againe The fulfilling of the Law can by 〈…〉 meanes bee accounted by the part but by the whole For the whole life not some one moment thereof is bound and it is bound to all not to one Hence the saying of Iames Hee is Ibid. l. 11. cap. 11. Th. 16. guilty of all which offendeth in one Neither can it otherwise bee understood because hee is not guilty of murther who doth onely steale but of theft onely Yet hee is guiltie of the breach of that whole Law part whereof is Thâ—â— shalt not steale and another part whereof Thoâ— shalt not kill Now whereas the adverse Antinomist will I suppose reply all this is not Scripture I do confesse that these words in so many letters and syllables are not in the Scripture Yet I dare avow that this doctrine of the Lawes binding the regenerate to obedience being the doctrine not onely of our Church but of all other Christian Churches some few contentious Sectaries excepted who deserve not the name of a Church and of all sound solid and substantiall Divines is the expresse doctrine of sacred Scripture And that it is so I will now manifest and make perspicuous by pregnant places in the New Testament Mat. 5. 18 19 21 c. Christ 〈…〉 not to destroy the Law c. Yea he confirmes the continuance of it in every iotâ— or tittle till the heavens be no more and presseth punctually to a precise particular observation of it Rom. 3. 31. Do we then make void the Law through faith God forbid yea in establish the Law Faith therefore doth not evacuate but establish the Decalogue Rom. 7 7. By the Law we come to the knowledge of our sinnes Rom. 7. 22. 25. S. Paul delighted in the Law of God with his mind he served the law of God 1 Cor. 9. 21. Being not without law to God but under the law to Christ. Eph 6. 1 2. Children obey your parents Honour thy father c. 1 Tim. 1. 5. The end of the commandement is charity out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of â—aith unfained Iam. 2. 8. If you fulfill the royall law of liberty c. S. Iamâ—s shewes what Law namely the Decalogue Do not commâ—â— adultery c. Vers 11. 1 Ioh. 2. 4. He that saith I know him and keepeth not his commandements is a lyar 1 Iohn 3. 4. Sinne is the transgression of the Law Hence I conclude 1. That if ever the Law bound the regenerate to obedience which I suppose they will acknowledge it still doth Mat. 5. 18. Rom. 3. 31. 2. That since Christ Iesus the best expounder of Scripture doth so copiously confirme and corroborate the Morall Law in his Sermon on the Mount doth peremptorily pronounce that the breach thereof doth defile a man Mar. 7. 20 21 c. and so often inculcate that the keeping of the commandements is a sure and infallible signe of our love to him Ioh. 14. 15. 21. 23. 24. and of his love to us Ioh. 15. 10. 3. Since faith doth not supplant but strengthen the law 4. Since the holy men of God doe often urge and presse to do the duties commanded in the Law in their Epistles which they would not have done had not regenerate Christiane beeâ— bound to the obedience of the same 5. Since the Apostle S. Paul acknowledged that he served the Law of God with his mind and that he was under the Law to Christ 6. Since the Law of God hath not relinquished its regality and regiment being stiled by the Holy Ghost the royall Law 7. Since by the Law we come to the knowledge of sinne yea and all sinne is the transgression of the Law 8. Since the carelesse contemners and transgressours of Gods Law have no communion with God not sâ—ving knowledge of him 9. Since the end of the commandement iâ— charity c. therefore the Law is no enemy to purity of heart â—â—ith unfained or Christian liberty this being the royall Law of liberty I may warrantably conclude against the absurd and erroneous ambiguous Antinomists That the Law of God doth binde the conscience of the regenerate Christian to obedience Furthermore because I suppose these cavillers will carpe against all these allegations as insufficient and weake because in none of them we are said to be bound by the Law to obedience I will therefore shew them these expresse words in sacred Scripture if that will satisfie and salve their seduced soules 1 Corinth 7. 15. A brother or sister is not under bondage in such cases namely to performe matrimoniall duties to unbelieveing yoke-fellowes which will depart from and forsake them Vers 27. Art then bound to a wife Seeke not to be loosed Vers 39. The wife is bound by the Law as long as her husband liveth Hence I inferre That since the Law of God doth binde the believing husband and wife to performe all manner of matrimoniall duties to their unbelieving yoke-fellowes which are pleased to dwell with them and that since the husband and wife being regenerate are bound by the Law each to other so long as they live together therefore that part of the Law which doth comprise and comprehend the duties of husbands and wives each to other namely the fift and seventh commandements doth bind the conscience of the regenerate to obedience therefore either all the Morall Law doth bind or els that this branch of the second Table is more authenticall and of more absolute authority not only than all the second Table besides but also than the first Table yet our Saviour saith the second is but like unto the first stiling it the first and great commandement Mat. 22. 38. Oh that I could perswade them to take notice how they confront contradict contend against the concordant confessions of the reformed Churches the sound solid and substantiall truths taught and defended by the ancient and moderne Worthies and the infallible and undeâ—iable truth of Gods Word Oh that men would cordially consider that such vile and vicious positions make men unfit not onely for Christian but also for common commerce and company with mankind For how can Kings and Princes be seâ—â—red from rebellion of such subjects How can masters and fathers be assured of reverence and obedience from such children and servants