my soule and whatsoeuer I am within or without of thée I had all and to thée my gratious God I owe them all againe Yet sée ah wretche and wofull plight although thy goodnesse to mee farre passeth all masters their seruaunts and my duetie to thee more due ten thousand times than any mans vnto his master yet is my disobedience greater the sinne of my soule more grieuous and the whole coursâ— of my wicked life more opposed to thy will than euer was any earthly seruaunts to any hard and euill master For he will doe something that hee is bidden but I haue done nothing as I plainely sée by viewing of my life and as my conscience telleth me being priuie to my pathes For haue I loued thée as I ought Namely euen with all my heart with all my soule with all my strength which is the first thing that is commaunded me in this commaundement If I haue done it then haue I loued thy worde and euery way made that account of it that I ought For Dauid thy déere seruaunt loued â—hée and beholde what he saith Thy worde vnto mee was sweeter than the â—onie and the honie combe Ieremy â—hy Prophet loued thée and sée what â—ollowed Thy wordes were found by â—im and hee did eate them and they were vnto him the ioy and the reioysing of his heart And a number moe such â—xamples haue we whereby we learne â—hat there is no true loue of thée in vs â—nlesse there be ioyned thereunto a syncere and feruent liking of thy worde Now forasmuch as I am guiltie to my selfe that I haue not had that care of thy worde that I ought to reade it to heare it to learne and séeke it and euery way to shewe my loue toward it therefore O deare Father to say I haue loued thée as I ought with all my soule and power alas I dare not alas I cannot For much more occupied might I haue béene in the meditation of thy Lawe than euer I haue béene I confesse it O Lorde I confesse it euen with griefe of heart And therefore if thou werst not a God most mercifull I euen for this one thing were a wretche most miserable The like might I say of that light and little account that I haue made of thy Ministers which béeing another braunche of the loue of thée bewrayeth my want vnto mee But sée yet further howe greatly my heart hath fayled in louing of thée For looking vnto my selfe a litle déeper beholde euen such thinges as flatlie and directly are contrarie to the loue of thée alas I sée them to haue béene and to be at times in mee most horrible To murmure and grudge to repine and be offended with any crosse or griefe whatsoeuer laide vpon mee by thée or not euen willinglie to accept it as the messenger of a gratious friende to seeke any wicked meanes to bee eased of it is contrarie to that loue that wee owe to thée And howe fraile my selfe haue béene herein thou searcher of hearts knowest it well and I wretche most weake with ruing heart beséeche thy pardon Againe to suffer the worlde or any glistering glorie thereof further to creepe into our heartes and to tickle vs with delight and liking than it ought is a thing â—â—at contrarie to the loue of thée For so we reade 1. Iohn 2. Loue not this worlde nor any thing that is in the worlde For If any man loue this world the loue of the father is not in him To drawe backe also my helping hand from those that are in néede and not with readie heart and willing minde to comfort their poore estate with whom thou hast dealt more hardely than with mee I knowe it bewrayeth a want of loue to thée 1. Ioh. 3.17 For so I learne Whosoeuer hath this worldes good seeth his brother neede shutteth his compassion from him howe dwelleth the loue of God in him But these O Lord haue taynted somtimes this heart of mine and therefore I haue not loued thée as I ought But what should I say when I viewe in my selfe howe my flesh and my heart runneth backe as it were to hide it selfe when I thinke of any persecution to be abidden for thée and thy trueth and specially when I looke vpon these horrible torments that some of thy Martirs haue suffered oh what want of loue bewrayeth it to me My houshold and familie my children and charge my life and present estate steppe in vnto mee as Peter once did to his master Matth. 16.22 drawe me aside and whisper in mine eare to saue my selfe if that day come and my power fayleth with courage to anâ—were as then my Sauiour did Come after me Satans your counsell is not good neither sauour you the things that â—re of God so that euery way I sée I â—oue thée not my God as I should Looke â—t my behauiour when I sée or heare â—hy name dishonoured any way and I â—muther it vp I hold my peace I make â—s though I heard it not yea and someâ—imes I approoue wickednesse with my â—aughter and I breake not out in zeale â—f rebuke No I that hearing as much â—y any worldly friende would readilie â—hallenge the wrong and hotly séeke â—euenge therof in thy cause and for thy â—ake I haue no heate nor courage but â—ither persons place daunger or some â—ircumstance or other quencheth my â—eart tyeth vp my tongue and maketh â—e like a traitour to my Lorde and â—aster What might I say of that seâ—ret misliking that somtimes wil créepe 〈◊〉 closely into my minde of the poore â—state of Christ in his members here on â—arth Christ liketh me not so well when he lyeth in the stable Luke 2. in the manger when he flyeth into Egypt for his life Matth. 2 13. when he hath not an hole to lay his head in except it be in a colde prison as he doeth when he rideth to the Citie and the people cutting downe bowghes of Palmes strawe them in the way spread their garments and crie O Zanna blessed be he that commeth in the name of the Lorde Matth. 21.8 as when they séeke to make him a King and the worlde doeth séeme his friende No my heart will euen slippe sometimes priuilie into this wish O that the Gospell and the worlde might alwayes be friendes and goe hande in hande So that liking not euerie way so well in trueth of Christ in pouertie as in plentie and feeling not my heart so well contented to begge and suffer with him as to rule raigne with him there is not that loue in me towarâ— him that ought to be Againe mark hoâ— I faile in publike assemblies to heare 〈◊〉 word to pray such like when I mighâ— bee present if I would Marke howâ— negligent I am in publishing the prayses of my GOD and labouring thereby to drawe others to a greater liking of him with a number such like wantes and O loue of GOD in mée no loue in
haires 〈◊〉 her head kissed them annointed them â—ith precious ointment and what was 〈◊〉 which that woman thought too much for such a friende True it is therefore that the lesse we sée the goodnesse of our God the lesse we loue him but great is the affection of them to whom many sinnes are forgiuen Knowing this then that remembraunce of hard estate before will stirre the heart vp to him in loue that hath made it happie and that sight of ougly sinne lodging still in mée and cleauing to my soule and flesh will make mee praise his name who yet in mercie imputeth not the same vnto mée Vse indéede often with your selfe and especially when you féele your heart most prone and fit thereunto to viewe your sinnes against euery commaundement howe many and monstrous they are in thought worde and deede sit and thinke with your selfe what is commaunded sometimes in one sometimes in another what woonderfull perfection is required in euerie one what braunches and members euerie one hath what terrible iudgements are due to the breakers therof how far from the full absolute perfourmance of any tittle of any one of them you your selfe are therefore in what case you stand for the same euen sure of eternal destruction both of bodie soule in hel fier Yet notwithstanding how you are released of mercie not of merite that with the preciousest ransom that euer was the heart bloud of Iesus Christ the sonne of God both God man so that heauen earth may perish but you cannot perish Que. The examination of the conscience touching this commaundement Ans As for example I set view this coÌ„mandemeÌ„t wherof now we haue spokeÌ„ Thou shalt haue none other gods but me Considering what things are biddeÌ„â—r forbidden vnto me in the same And â—s alreadie now hath béene prooued first I sée I am commanded herein to worâ—hip the Lord my God and him onely to â—erue not ioyning any fellowes to him â—t all of which worship many points â—here bee but they may bee reduced â—nto a fewe First I sée I am bound to â—oue him aboue all that is in my heart and soule to make more account of him than of all the worlde or any creature in heauen or earth to cleaue faster vnto him and his wil than to any thing to estéeme him and preferre him yea euen aboue mine owne saluation if they could come in comparison together for Hee that loueth father or mother Matth. 10.28 sister or brother wife or childe or any thing more than me is not worthie of me Secondly I am commaunded to feare him aboue all that is with a godly reuerence to stande more in awe of him and his worde than of any thing else whatsoeuer to be more loath not for feare onely but euen for loue to displease him grieue him and offende him than any or all the creatures in heauen or earth beside in respect of that which he is able to lay vpon mee if I forsake him to account nothing of any thing that any man can doe vnto me mindefull euer of this saying Feare not them that can kill the bodie and are not able to kill the soule Matth. 10. but feare him that can cast both bodie and soule into hell fire Thirdly I sée that in this commaundement I am charged to make my prayers to none but to God onely for the reasons aboue in their place alledged Fourthly I sée I am commaunded not to thinke that things goe by fortune and chaunce or that any thing is done which GOD knoweth not of or could not let but that I acknowledge him to be the guider and gouernour of all things and that what good soeuer I receiue I haue it from him and therefore that I trust and stay vpon him alone at all times and in all my matters whatsoeuer And for so much as neither I nor any can either loue him or feare him pray to him or trust in him vnlesse we knowe him therefore I sée also that I am in this commaundement straitely bound â—o long as I liue to labour and trauell by all meanes appointed to knowe the Lorde and his trueth out of his worde and looke howe much I want of knowing any thing that is reueiled in his worde so farre am I guiltie of the breache of this Lawe And if it please the Lorde to blesse me with knowledge of his trueth or any thing else whatsoeuer I sée that in this commandement I am charged to giue thankes to him for it in such full manner and measure of féeling as any way is due to that benefite For if I forget to be thankefull I forget that the Lorde in that thing is my good God And if I ascribe the praise and thankes to any thing else whatsoeuer otherwise than as to the instrument of God I make my selfe another GOD beside the Lorde euen that thing wherevnto I giue the thankes and I breake this commaundement These and many such other things I sée are laide vpon me and al men and women in this first commandement then I thinke or say with my self vnto the Lord O my good God and gratious father O my swéete Lord guide most righteous what doe I sée euen in this but one law of thine against my selfe my soule and bodie why I should neuer come in thy kingdome nor lift vp mine eyes to heauen in hope of any comfort This is but one Lawe of ten and contayneth but a fewe dueties in respect of all that I owe to thée and my brethren yet ah Lorde with wailing woe I speake it so guiltie I sée my selfe so fowle and ouglie before thy face and so full of breaches euerie way euen of this one commandement that I am ashamed and confounded to â—ift vp mine eies vnto thée my God For mine iniquities are increased ouermine â—ead my trespasses are growen vp to â—he heauen to me belongeth nothing but â—hame confusion it is thy mercie that â— am not vtterly destroied yea eueÌ„ thy â—ercie maruellous that the earth as â—eary of so wicked a burden shrinketh â—ot from vnder my féete and hellish pit 〈◊〉 gulfe of endlesse woe receiueth me â—ot into it For what pleasure is â—ere in that seruaunt that being bid 〈◊〉 his master doe diuers thinges yet â—ot in any one obeyeth or perfourmeth 〈◊〉 maisters will Can hée like him â—ill hee loue him No no full soone euen I my selfe would loath and cast off such a one Ah Lorde then for my selfe what should I say Is there any seruaunt so bound vnto his master as I am bounde to thee Is there any master that can and will so quitte his seruaunts paines as thou in mercie my obedience Or can any mortall man so iustly challenge the obedience of his hireling as thou my God maist challenge the seruice of me thy creature first made of nothing by thy hande and then most dearely bought againe with precious price No no my bodie my life my heart
abhorre images And thus much both of making them and worshipping them Next it doeth followe that wee consider howe vnder this outward appearing grosse idolatrie are comprised all deuised wayes meanes of our selues to serue the Lord yea euen all be they neuer so glorious in our eyes and our intentes neuer so good and godly reasonable as we thinke yet if they be but our owne inuentions not warranted to vs in the word here vnder this name of images they are contained and together condemned So that the very sense of this commandement is this Generally by no deuise of man and particularly not by this as hath before béene saide by no deuise of thine owne or inuention whatsoeuer will I bee serued and namely not by images erected vp to me or in rememberaunce of mee But euer at all times and of all men according to that rule that my selfe haue laide downe and prescribed onely Deutr. 12. Esay 29. You shall not doe euerie man what seemeth good in his owne eyes for in vaine doe men worshippe mee with traditions of men Moses did nothing in building the materiall tabernacle beside what was commaunded and shewed him Nadab and Abihu the sonnes of Aaron dyed for presuming of themselues to serue the Lorde with straunge fire Leuit. 10. The verie heathnish Romanes had this reason with them that it was better for them to bée quite without Christ than to worship him and others with him against his will and liking And ad placandum deum ijs opus habent homines quae ille iubet that is To please the Lorde saith Lactantius men haue neede of those things that he himselfe commaundeth And a Christian minde doeth not finde a sure stay but when it heareth Hoc dicit dominus 1. Sam. 13. This saieth the Lorde If Saul breake the course that God doeth appoint and of himself deuise to serue the Lord be his necessitie to doe so as he thinketh neuer so great and the intent of his heart neuer so holie like certainelie Samuel both must and will tell him to his face he hath doone foolishly 1. Sam. 15. for the Lord hath more pleasure in that his will is obeyed than in all the fatlings of the Amalekites offered vp vnto him of our owne wils and heades Intents will not serue neither voluntarie Religion stande accepted And therefore euer let vs weigh and followe the counsell of Salomon And looke to our feete when wee enter into the house of God being more readie to heare Ecclesi 4. than to offer the sacrifice of fooles for they knowe not what they doe Last of all we are to consider the reasons that God maketh here The reasons of this commandement The first is drawen of his loue towardes vs yea of his exceeding great loue which is euen growen to a ielousie So déerelie so vehemently is his heart set vppon vs yet not for any woorthinesse in vs that looke howe grieuously a ielous man can take the misbehauiour of his straying wife euen so ill can the Lorde abyde that wee shoulde impart our selues to others beside him in obediēce worship and loue Nowe had we any féeling left within our sides and our heartes were not altogether so harde trampled and beaten as they are what a reason were this for euer to kéepe vs knit vnto the Lorde O marke Why shoulde he loue vs why should he care for vs why shoulde he thinke of vs or euer once vouchsafe vs good who of our selues cannot thinke a good thought There is no cause but in himselfe Yet doth he not onely loue vs but is ielous of vs. How then should this force vs to cleaue vnto him onely his none but his for euermore Is he ours and will we not be his againe Would he onely enioy vs and wee will not be tyed vnto him Take héede The greater loue the greater hate when vnkinde refusall is to reape his iust rewarde The seconde reason which the Lorde here vseth is drawen of the punishment that will light vpon vs if wee breake this commandement He will visite the sinnes of the fathers vppon the children vnto the thirde and fourth generation sore is that anger the flame of whose punishment casteth out smoke so farre yet the meaning thereof is as Ezekiel well showes Chap. 18. if the children doe follow the fathers wickednesse and not otherwise The thirde reason is drawen of his mercie promised here euē to thousands of them that loue him kéepe his commandements O now that we would weigh these reasons well and lay them déepe vp in our hearts Truely if there bee any portion of the spirit of life in vs we should finde them forcible to giue vs a taste of the wrath of God against idolatrie and approching before him with our owne inuentions what excuses intents reasons soeuer wee thinke we haue for the same we shall finde them strong to allure vs to the carefull and diligent séeking of the Lords wil out of his word and the duetifull and constant seruing of him according to that rule But when wee will not weigh his promised mercies nor giue our heartes leaue to thinke of his threatened iudgementes but headlong in vnféelingnesse runne on and in blinde ignoraunce imagine that our intentes if they bee good must néedes stoppe Gods mouth and make him contented with the breache of his will this this is the poyson of the whore of Babylon that infecteth our soules to eternall damnation and wrathe O God Father of mercies disperse this dimnesse as may stande with thy good-will from the eyes of thy deceiued creatures and yet once ere they dye let them sée their sinnes against this commaundement that in wrath they passe not to greater iudgement so due and so sure to all wilfull contemners of the light of thy worde and Gospell Amen Furthermore againe if wee doe well marke here the wordes of our God wherewith he vttereth these promises threateneth these iudgementes truely they aforde vnto vs two or thrée profitable notes and considerations As first because in our deuises worship of our owne will the best wee can say is that it commeth from a good meaning and intent and therefore wée thinke God cannot of his mercie refuse that which is well meant and intended towardes him I beseeche you marke howe the Lord here ouerthroweth vtterly this defence saying in expresse wordes that they bee haters of him and so led with the liking of their worshippe from the Lorde and his true seruice that when occasion serueth they bewraye extreme hatred thereunto persecuting it with fire and fagotte in the true professours thereof O my brethren if GOD repute mee for an enemie what can my pretended loue auayle mee If hée say I hate him howe dare I still bewitched with my follie thinke I loue him Shall his owne mouth tell mee that I hate him and that he so taketh all my doings If I swarue frō
Gods commandements I hate him intend what I can will I not beléeue it is it not possible to make vs féele our fault and to sée our sinne in this behalfe will wee still chalenge the Lorde with our good intentes and honest meanings as wee thinke when yet his owne tongue speaketh it that if I eyther serue with him any other as saints Angels images or whatsoeuer or him alone after any other way than he prescribeth I loue him not but hate him yea euen extremely hate him and shall at his handes finde the rewarde of a deadly enemie to his glorie Nowe Christ for his mercies sake touche vs and giue vs féeling Secondly let vs marke againe in these the comparison of mercy and iudgement together how farre the one excéedeth His enemies and haters of his will he punisheth but to the thirde and fourth generation but sheweth mercie to thousandes of them that loue him and kéepe his commaundementes Who woulde not serue then and onely serue a God of such a nature Yea what heart is it that will not séeke to please according to his will so good a Lorde as powreth mercie so long after his decease vppon his ofspring and posteritie Last of all it is verie worthie obseruation howe that speaking here of his commandements he placeth loue before it saying he will shewe kindnesse to thousandes of them that loue him and kéepe his commandements As though he woulde haue vs knowe that these two cannot be separated but whosoeuer frameth himselfe to obey the Lorde he must néedes loue him before for out of that as out of his fountaine and proper head floweth the other not accepted else nor liked of if it doe not and contrariwise if wee doe loue the Lorde in déede in trueth in veritie then will wee keepe His Commaundementes marke it His Commaundementes he doeth not say then will hee deuise this thing and that thing with twentie things moe of a good minde and meaning to please GOD withall but we will then kéepe His Commandements that is wee will then séeke and search wee will then reade and heare euerie man wee will endeuour to bee instructed what GOD in his worde hath prescribed vs to doe and wee will kéepe His commaundementes Nowe then once againe euen as the bloud of Iesus Christ is deare vnto vs let our brethren of the Churche of Rome for so wee yet call them in hope of amendment looke and marke what loue of GOD is in them Héere is a note and else often repeated in the Scripture to knowe their loue by Alas they deuise lawes wayes and meanes euerie day to serue GOD withall of their owne heades but his prescribed rule in his worde they vtterly contemne and neglect Now where true loue of GOD is out of it floweth a burning constant care to kéepe His commaundementes not our owne They kéepe their owne and with fire and fagot doe reuenge the breach of them but the Lordes worde not so with abstayning from this meate and that meate this day and that day with single lyfe though most impure with prayers in an vnknowen tongue and thus often repeated ouer and ouer with crossings and créepings Paxes and Beades holie water and Creame Ashes and spittle with a thousande such things haue they deuised to worshippe the Lorde and who so breaketh these an Heretike hée is a runneaway from the Church cite him and summon him excommunicate him and imprison him burne him and hang him yea away with such a one for he is not worthie to liue vpon the earth But if he blaspheme the name of the Lord by horrible swearing Reade the L. Cobhams last examination in the beginning of it if he offende most grieuously in pride in wrath in gluttonie and couetousnesse if he be a drunken alestake a ticktack tauerner kéepe a whore or two in his owne house and moe abroade at bord with other men with a nūber such like gréeuous offences what doe they Either he is not punished at all most commonly so or if he be it is a little penance of their owne inuenting by belly or purse or to say a certaine of prayers to visit such an image in pilgrimage c. But all this deserueth neither fire nor fagot Is not this for that man of sinne to exalt himselfe against all that is called God or that is worshipped Can it be denied but that he that punisheth the breache of his owne lawes aboue the breache of Gods lawes in that preferreth himselfe before GOD Surely it cannot it is too plaine therefore once againe remember that the loue of God in man or woman draweth them to the kéeping of His commandements set downe in the worde and not of their owne constitutions deuised by themselues And thus much in briefe of this commandement The examination of the conscience Nowe if I woulde fruitefully meditate and thinke of this commandement secretely and shortly with my selfe as I did of the former then consider I that as in other so in this also little is said and much is meant part is put for the whole and in the negatiue the affirmatiue is implyed Therefore thus doe I take the commaundement as if it were saide Thou shalt not worship me with any carnall earthly superstitious or outward deuised worship by thy selfe namely not by images but in heart in spirite in truth as is commaunded in my worde Which when I knowe if I would at any time rip vp this heart of mine and disclose vnto my selfe my secrete guilt and sinne herein against my God I carefully consider and as I can in minde beholde howe I haue euer serued the Lorde or thought in iudgement that he might be serued And peraduenture I finde that liuing in the daies of superstition and blindnesse ignorant of God and his truth for feare weakenesse with others I haue bowed my knée to Baall worshipped stockes and stones or as I thought GOD in them euen béene polluted with grosse and grieuous idolatrie For which if it so haue béene what can I say Shall ignoraunce excuse mée Did I labour then and euer by all meanes possible to attaine to knowledge Or liued I rather carelesly as others did thinking it good that many followed and hauing or séeking no better grounde for my conscience than the practise of my forefathers kings and gouernours If of this latter my heart condemne me how should my ignorance excuse me since it was so plainely wilfull Shall good intent or my good meaning stand for warrant before my God Ah howe shall he that gaue me in charge expresselie that I should not doe what séemeth good in mine owne eyes but what he commanded accept for excuse my wilfull and stubborne disobedience Neyther ignoraunce therefore nor intent may warraunt so witles walking before the Lorde but onely pardon in Christ Iesus my Sauiour But if eyther age which then was young or other prouidence of the Lorde haue freed mee alwayes from so grosse idolatrie yet séeke
it wee may first sée that if we haue that thing which our neighbour woulde borowe and wee able without our hurt well to spare it him we are bound to do it or els we sinne against this law of God we euen steale from our brother that which in right is his For GOD woulde not euer haue made a lawe for recompence of the lender if his thing lent receyue anie harme vnlesse it had béene a necessarie duetie of loue to lende when wee may Therefore this narownesse of heart and vnkinde disposition to grudge vnto anie that good which by lending wee can possible doe him it is hatefull in the eyes of God and a playne breach of this commandement Secondlie in this lawe as one verie well hath noted Vsurie we may sée a great light giuen to that harde controuersie concerning vsurie of monie For marke I pray you howe he saith in plaine tearmes That if the thing were hired although it perished in vse yet should it not be made good by him which hired it for it came for his hire The monie which vsurers giue out is hired as wee knowe Therefore if 〈◊〉 were a thing that might bee hired yoâ— sée the sentence of God though it perâ—â—shed Secondlie marke againe how thâ— lawe saith though a man lend of méerâ— loue fréely without anie hire yet shalâ— his recompence bee nothing more thaâ— good will againe vnlesse it die or bâ—â— hurt which he lendeth Now monie neiâ—ther dieth neither commonlie is aniâ— whit hurt but returneth euerie waâ— as good as it came Thirdlie consideâ— howe the lawe will haue an apparanâ— hurt of the thing lent or else it allowetâ— no recompence but vsurers will hauâ— consideration for likely losse For saâ— they if I had had my monie possiblie I coulde haue gayned thus much with if yet are they not sure they coulde hauâ— doone it for God coulde haue crosseâ— their expectation and being not surâ— that they could haue gayned it is noâ— apparant that they haue béene hindred but this lawe of God prouideth in equitie onelie for apparant harme therefore nothing for them Fourthly the equitie of this lawe is onelie this tha◠〈◊〉 will be no looser and therefore proâ—â—â—â—on is made for recompence if the 〈◊〉 lent receyued hurt but vsurers â—â—ll haue their goodwill as they call it â—ertaine and an excessiue gayner â—ftlie in this lawe of God the borowâ—â— is respected that hee shoulde haue â—â—lpe of his neighbour and not pay for 〈◊〉 vnlesse hee hurt the thing which hee â—â—rowed but vsurie regardeth wholie â—â—e lender Wherefore it séemeth that this lawe of our God had euer anie â—â—uitie this vsurie of monie had euer â—â—aine iniurie and that this kinde of â—â—nding is voide of loue and therefore â—pparantly a breach of this commaunâ—ement Thus therefore wee sée what â—â—ght the equitie of this lawe of lending â—â—ueth to this question of vsurie which â—quitie remaineth and euer shall Que. But I pray you what thinke â—ou of giuing vsurie which manie a good man is constrayned to do Ans Truely for mine owne part I â—m satisfied to thinke it also euill by the wordes of Ieremie who saith he hath neither giuen vsurie nor taken and yet they hated him Insinuating plainly that iâ— he had doone either he could haue found iust cause in himselfe why he should be euill thought of Que. What is the law of pledges Ans If thou takest thy neighbours raiment to pledge Exod. 22.26 saith the lawe thou shalt restore it to him ere the sunne goe downe For that is his couering only and this is his garment for his skinne wherin shal he sleepe Therefore when he crieth vnto me I wil heare him for I am merciful Deut. 24.6 And in an other place No man shall take the vpper or nether milstone to pledgâ— for this gage is his liuing 10. And wheÌ„ thou shalt aske againe of thy neighbour anie thing lent 11. thou shalt not goe into hiâ— house to fet his pledge but thou shalâ— stande without and the man which borrowed it of thee shall bring the pledge out of the dores vnto thee 12. Furthermore iâ— he be a poore body thou shalt not sleepâ— with his pledge 13. but shalt restore him the pledge when the sunne goeth down thaâ— he may sleep in his raimeÌ„t blesse thee it shal be righteousnes to thee before the Lord thy God The very ende of alâ— â—hich laws as you sée is nothing but this â—ercy kindenes of man towards man â—â—en in this matter of taking paunes â—nd therefore if my dealing herein be â—â—arpe hard and cruel laying aside as it â—ere al regard of other mens néedes so my selfe may be safe is it not apparant I faile in loue towardes the wealth â—ood estate of my brother outward and â—â—erefore haue broken this commandeâ—ent It must néedes be granted Que. What is the law for things comâ—itted to our custody Ans If a man deliuer vnto his neighâ—our saith the law to keepe asse or oxe Exod. 22.10 〈◊〉 sheepe or any beast and it die or 〈◊〉 hurt or taken away by enimies no â—â—an see it 11. an oth of the Lord shal be beâ—â—ixt theÌ„ two that he hath not put his hand â—â—to his neighbours good the owner 〈◊〉 it shall take the oth he shal not make 〈◊〉 good But if it be stolne from him 12. he â—â—all make restitution vnto the owner â—â—ereof If it bee torne in peeces he â—â—all bring record 13. and shal not make it â—â—odwhich is deuored By which lawes â—â—us much we may note that notwithstanding for thinges committed to theiâ— custodie it might fall out that they might be brought before the magistratâ— by othe to protest their trueth and hoâ—nestie which corrupt flesh will lightliâ— grudge at or else to their cost to make that good the kéeping whereof neuer gained them pennie yet neuerthelesse woulde the Lorde haue man euen here in to showe his loue and in no case foâ— either of these respectes or anie other tâ— denie it Wherefore it followeth theâ— and both nowe and euer shall followe that whosoeuer shal not willinglie anâ— readily take into his custodie that thinâ— which hee may kéepe to the benefite oâ— his neighbour better than hee that dotâ— deliuer it him and so taken truly kéepe and faithfullie restore it againe vntâ— them that of right shoulde haue it thaâ— man or woman want in their hearteâ— affection or loue to their neighbours they withholde the thing which is duâ— vnto them namelie the fruite of theiâ— loue in this particular we stande vpon and therefore guiltie they are beforâ— God of stealth the breach of this comâ—mandement Que. What is the lawe of finding thinges lost Ans Thou shalt not saith the lawe see thy brothers oxe nor his sheepe goe astray and withdrawe thy selfe from theÌ„ Deut. 22.1 but shalt bring theÌ„ againe vnto thy brother and if thy brother bee not neere vnto
â—â—e shillinges and eight pence In the â—â—uentéenth yere of Edward the fourth â—â—ey that kept dicing houses were to â—â—ue thrée yeares imprisonment and 〈◊〉 pounds fine Players at dice in â—â—ose houses two yeares imprisonment â—â—d ten pounds fine In the eleuenth â—â—are of Henrie the seuenth Dicers â—â—oulde be openlie set in the stockes by â—â—e space of one whole day and the â—â—use kéepers that suffered him to play â—â—rfeit a noble and be bounde to their â—â—od behauiour In the 33. yeare of â—enrie the eight Dicing houses forfetâ—d fortie shillings euerie time disers 〈◊〉 sÌ„.viij d. and bound in recognisance â—â—uer to play againe And yet more may 〈◊〉 sée in PultoÌ„s abridgemeÌ„t Now it is woonderfull that notwithstanding aâ— this yet so foule a thing shoulde séemâ— so faire and that a man should nâ—â— thinke himselfe vsed as a gentleman 〈◊〉 almost as a man vnlesse hee may haâ—â— libertie in this loosenesse and the largâ— reine to so great an euill And yet 〈◊〉 be Christians and that of the bettâ—â— sort too or you doe vs wrong The heaâ—then hated it and we hatch it vp in â—â—uerie house and yet we be Christian The godly writ against it wee waiâ— for it and yet we be Christians Tâ—â— councels haue condemned it in the spâ—â—rite of Christ and christian lawes haâ—â— most sharpely punished it wee day aâ—â— night vse it and cannot be reaued of 〈◊〉 and yet we be Christians But alas â—â—las the day of vnderstanding or the daâ— of damnation for our ignoraunce shaâ— teach vs an other thing We swearâ— we lie we reuile and wee runne inâ—â— the fielde with murthering mindes 〈◊〉 such anger is murther moued by plaâ—â— and yet we will not leaue it And if doe not thus in shewe yet inwardly frette I chafe I gnash with my téeth â—nd teare the Cardes burne the Dice â—hrow away the Tables and such like â—nd yet I am religious The Lorde â—orbiddeth all appearaunce of euill 1. Thes 5. all â—ccasions of sinne and yet wee are the Lordes and doe neither The Lorde saith If thy right hande cause thée to â—ffend or thy right eye cut it off plucke â—t out and cast it away wee will bee the Lordes and not restrayne a litle â—lay that mine owne soule being witnesse most gréeuouslie maketh mee offende Fie fie what deadnesse is this Where is either loue of God or feare 〈◊〉 vs Loue makes vs burne with desire to doe well feare makes vs shake â—o thinke of anie sinne we continually sinne in our gréedie gaming and yet we be godlie But this either makes vs sée it or we will neuer I feare sée the mischéefe of playing and by name of Dising The Lorde for Christ his sake â—wake vs and so I end Que. What is nowe contayned in the â—ffirmatiue part of this commaundement Ans Euen as al these former branches are forbidden so the contraries of them are commanded as in general al helpe al succor al care and prouidence for thâ— safetie and benefite of the goods of ouâ— neighbour that possibly wee can shewe And againe the right vse of our ownâ— goods as to the mainetainance of thâ— knowledge of God amongest vs to thâ— defence of the common wealth and thâ— magistrate to the nourishing of our faâ—mily to the reléefe of the poore Lastlâ— as diffidence and mistrust in Gods proâ—uidence for vs the roote of stealth vnâ—lawfull priuision for our selues was iâ— the negatiue part forbidden so here conâ—trariewise is faith and ful perswasion if we séeke his kingdome and the righâ—teousnes thereof these outward thingâ— shall be cast vnto vs commanded Math. 6. Thâ— punishment of this commaundemenâ— temporal or worldly was euer diuers 〈◊〉 diuers places somewhere death somâ—â—where but foure fold c. The spirituaâ— punishment as of all other commauâ—â—dementes was and is euerlasting damâ—nation 1. Cor. 6. Zach. 5. The Application NOw now my beloued to the worke of further fruit in our soules let vs lay this rule to them them to it and let vs euen heartilie I beséech you euerie man secretlie betwixt God and vs sée howe wee haue aunswered in obedience this law of our God father mercifull almightie We are bound by it generally to showe all loue carefull regard to our neighbors goods that we possiblie can to doe him with our owne goods what benefite we may In particulars if we will speake we are bound to lend We sée both when and what we may not hurting our selues profite our neighbours withal and to take no recompence vnlesse it be hurt which we lend Now looke I say if you haue euer obserued this thing without anie want Haue you doone it Nay haue you not often refused of a méere pinching an vnneighborly mind euen small matters when you haue béene verie earnestlie intreated adding often a lie to mende the matter withall saying that you either had not that which indéede you had or occupied it your self when indéede you did not And haue you not often contrarie to the lawe of God made in this behalfe taken reward when the thing you lent receyued no harme Surely your monie and manie thinges else doe witnesse against you Pledges For the lawe of pledges and taking of pawnes haue you neuer passed the bonds of loue or the limites of mercy in that respect Haue you neuer gone in to take what you could but stoode at the dore to receiue what he might spare you O that our hastie handes and harde heartes deserued not the wrath which in trueth they doe in this one thing Manie a time doe I greatly feare haue wee litle regarded the case of the partie whose pawne wee tooke so wee might bee safe our selues from our feared losse And if it were so surelie wee wanted loue and wee haue sinned Againe in the thinges commended to our kéeping Custodie let vs looke also a litle howe wee haue satisfied the lawe of God Wée shoulde neither denie for anie feare of harme thereby to kéepe for our neighbour which wee may better than hee defende neither conceile hurt purloyne or conuey away what euer anie trust reposed in vs hath brought into our custodie But manie a dogged nature denyeth the former and manie a couetous heart offendeth in the latter What say you of thinges which you haue founde being lost Haue you euer regarded euen as your owne to kéepe it to chéerishe it and to finde out the owner of it the straying beast of your neighbour and euen of your verie enimie Haue you neuer either of negligence or of malice and spite or by a pinching minde transgressed herein Consider it well And haue you neuer euen in the true testimonie of a good conscience retayned anie thing that euer you founde from the true owner if you knewe him neither euer neglected anie meanes to finde him out if you knewe him not Well were it with you if a priuie witnesse within you did not crie and saie that a gréedie
couetous hart hath made you often to offende in this duetie Alas wee sée it not wée knowe it not we féele it not to be a sinne to retayne what wee finde or almost to finde before it be lost and so to conceyle it So gapeth ech man after worldlie gayne and so séeke we to haue howe so euer we haue it if it happen into our hands and wee well like of it But sinne will bee sinne when such gotten goods will no where bée séene and the Lorde giue vs féeling of it nowe betimes Next let vs looke of our buying and selling wherein also all loue is to bee showed to our brethren and an equalitie kept so néere as wee can of commoditie giuen and taken But howe manie of vs doe this there is a God that knoweth and a conscience within vs that if it were wakened woulde crie I feare mee lowde we are gréeuouslie guiltie For where is that man or woman of trade almost to bee founde that taking vp a standing in faire or Market doeth once thinke with themselues that there they stande to showe their loue to their brethren as to them selues and so to interchange their commodities with them as that in the testimonie of a good conscience and euen God being witnesse so néere as they can they kéepe an equalitie giuing as good as they take and taking no more than they giue in value and worth No alas it is too well knowen and too much amongst vs daily séene that we thinke wee haue our standing there to praie vppon all that come to vs so much as wee can to deceiue them to spoyle and robbe them in a sort and to get for our wares what possiblie wee may with an vtter neglect and refusall of equalitie And therefore we sel as we may bee safe though wee neuer bee paide aboue halfe wée sell to day with a pinching price wee make accompt God maie sende vs some losse and therefore betimes we wrecke our selues vppon our brethren and so take of them for that which wee doe sell as that if it happen that GOD doe so deale with vs wee may bee reuenged before hande and able to abide it if it bee not great To conclude we are meriest when we haue robbed most and then goe wee singing home when wee haue giuen occasion to the most to crie So dull and deade are our heartes within vs and so hath a gréedie minde to rake vp riches spoyled vs of loue or any thought thereof towards our brethren And as litle conscience there is often in the buyer who if hee might haue for a pennie that is worth a pounde coulde well inough digest it And therefore if one in hys néede come vnto vs for present monie wee will none of his commoditie wée want it not wee estéeme it not wée looke lightlie both of the man and the matter till wee haue brought him to our owne price and God knowes farre farre vnder the value of the thing So that hee which of charitie in his néede shoulde bee helped is of vs commonlie by reason of his néede prayed vppon and most cruellie robbed And yet we be no théeues Ah God be mercifull to vs awake vs and neuer deale with vs according to our iniquities for his Christes sake But passe wee nowe on 〈◊〉 other branches of this commandeâ—ent and so shall we further sée what â—anner of men and women wee are 〈◊〉 obedience to the Lorde Who séeth â—ot who knoweth not Oppression that all oppresâ—â—on of my brother in his goods is conâ—rarie to that loue that I ought to â—eare to him and his goods And how â—ande wee in this matter Haue wée â—euer detained the poore seruauntes â—ages Of seruantes and wrecked our anger vppon â—im to his harme further than a mercifull heart shoulde haue doone Haue wee not taken euen the flower of â—is youth the strength of his yeares â—nd the verie iuice and sappe of hys â—odie to serue our turnes withall and â—hen either turned him off vnrewarded â—r taken from him or diminished without cause other than our owne coâ—etousnesse the reward that our aunâ—estour gaue to his seruice before If â—ee haue doone it alas it is a great â—ppression a great wrong and it stanâ—eth not with that loue that I am â—harged withall towardes him in this â—ommaundement But a man must first knowe sinne before hee can flie 〈◊〉 and nowe wee knowe it I trust wâ—â— hate it Strangers Haue wee neuer againe deaâ— vnkindlie with a straunger but eueâ— so as if GOD shoulde banishe 〈◊〉 from our warme home to foreâ— coast wée woulde bee glad to féeâ— our selues at their handes If we haue this is oppression and wee should nâ—â— doe it for anie thing Widowe and fatherlesse Haue wee nâ—â— hurt the desolate Widowe the fatherlesse childe or anie whose might waâ—â— lesse than ours to beare off the hardneâ— of our handes Haue we not lift vp ouâ— force against them when we sawe weâ— might haue helped them in the gate Iâ— we haue what can we say why we shulâ— not rot in péeces for it our armes be broken from the bones Iob. 31.22 as Iob wisheâ— to him in such a case Haue wee neueâ— respected the person more of one thaâ— an other in cause of iustice a strong meanes to drawe vs to oppression Haue wee neuer suffered these handeâ— to féele the weight of a bribers gift to drawe vs to oppression Bribes O spare noâ— to spie your sinne euen to the full if you â—â—ue offended and yet accuse not your â—â—ues if you dare boast of innocencie â—â—ppie were our countrie and a thouâ—â—â—de comfortes were it to euerie one 〈◊〉 vs if the dulnesse of our heartes in â—â—ese deadlie sinnes pulled not vppon vs â—â—e often offending in them and then â—â—ch sinne such wrath againe from heaâ—en aboue as is most due vnto it Alas â—â—e sée not neither euer will bee made 〈◊〉 sée what loue by this lawe wee owe 〈◊〉 all men in their goods but we robbe â—â—em we spoyle them and wee take â—â—â—tes to do it and yet we be no théeues But God is God as hee was euer â—â—â—ne is sinne though wee will not see 〈◊〉 and a iust day of a iust rewarde to â—uerie man for euerie matter must â—here bee Wee beléeue it we say it in â—ur articles often yet wée deale as if â—ee neuer thought it What shoulde I â—â—y of that cloke and couer and cause of â—uch oppression the cloth and liueries â—f Superiours Liueries Am I the giuer or the â—aker If I bee the giuer haue I neâ—er boulstred my cognisance out to doe â—he thing that God forbiddeth Haue I harkened about to sée and learne hoâ— they vse the credit that is giuen theâ—â— God knowes wee haue litle néede to 〈◊〉 charged with other mens sinnes 〈◊〉 no doubt such a maister shall with suâ—â— a mans offences For we shall neuer 〈◊〉 able to beare in our selues the buâ—â— then of our owne Am
leaue it to the world as a speaking witnesse when I am dead of my thankefull heart for all your Honorable goodnesse to me which hath beene such as I wish may incourage vpon my speach any that euer shall bee thereunto requested to succeede him in his place who nowe inioyeth it So the Lorde of power and mercie multiplie his spirite vpon your Lo. with all the blessed fruites of the same and graunt you euer that grace that hath promise both of this life and that which is to come Amen From London this 1. of December Your Lordships most humble bounden to death Geruase Babington To the Right worshipfull Sir Edwarde Manxell Sir Edward Stradling Sir William Harbert knights to M. William Mathew and M. Tho. Lewis Esquiers with all other Gentlemen in Glamorgan shire that feare God G.B. wisheth increase of the same to the benefit of the Church and their owne euerlasting comfort SO often as I consider Right worshipfull our happie daies vnder the blessed gouernement of a most gracious Princesse howe we are become euen a wonder as it were an astonishment vnto many Nations for the mercies that we enioy by her meanes so often me thinke euen with melting hearts in a sweete conceite we should cast our selues downe before the Lorde and make a double vow vnto him First that we wil with perfect hearts and most willing mindes knowe and serue such a gracious God as amidst so manie dangerous deuises of intended ouerthrowe to her person so mightily preserued her Maiestie and so mercifully hath at this daie set her ouer vs dailie still dealing both with her and vs according to his olde louing kindenesse and mercie keeping her to vs in despite of all the caytifes on the earth Secondly that with hand and with heart with bodie and bowels and with estate whatsoeuer the Lorde shall giue vs within or without vs wee wil honor and obey pray for preserue to our powers amongst vs so famous renouned yea so woonderfull an instrument of all comfort and good vnto vs in respect of other Princes of the earth But O the sinne of our soules and the staines of our thankelesse heartes in both these duties so due ten thousande times of vs For whome we should knowe we neglect to knowe as his mercies binde vs our mightie GOD and heauenlie father And whome we should thus obey and honour pray for and praise God for day and night with verie weeping and woe that we can be no more thankefull vnto her and for her our nurcing mother and most gracious Queene her we disobey in holes and in corners to say no worse and dead without feeling not considering the blessing of her we prouoke both our God and her gracious heart to displeasure with vs. What proofe this latter hath and what vnwished matter to furnish out a larger complaynt I spare to speake I rewe to thinke it there are witnesses moe than I woulde there were that knowe it Those thinges which more beseeme my penne and paper I presume vnto your worshippes to folowe a litle further and first the neglect that aboundeth euerie where to furnishe the roomes alotted thereunto with sufficient men both for giftes and goodwill to discharge the duties of true ministers A thing euer commanded a thing euer needefull a thing in these daies of ours euen aboue all daies required both in thankefulnes to the Lorde and in care to haue her Highnesse obeyed which ariseth with religion and so both Gods mercie and her Maiestie still to remaine among vs. For him that serueth vs and thus dealeth with vs from day to day doth not verie sense instruct vs we must serue againe if we will inioy him And is this to serue him to retaine vnto ourselues the wages that hee hath prouided for sufficient men and to thrust into his cloth we care not whom To furnish his haruest with idle loiterers and neuer to looke after no nor accept beeing offered most painefull laborers No no he knoweth it that must iudge it it is not Yea men themselues knowe it if the Lorde would giue feeling and strength to defie that spirite of hauing that crieth within and saieth reserue it to thy selfe Yet least anie should pretende the contrarie where I wish them well resolued of this point may it be lawefull for mee with your louing leaues something to lay downe in this behalfe that I would wishe him to consider who is not perswaded of this dutie if I were to speake with such an one First then I would haue him viewe the worde of God that shall stande and iudge vs all when heauen and earth shall perish Than the which woorde nothing can be more contrarie to this sinne if either wee respect the time of the lawe or of the Gospell For in them both this is euer deliuered and euer bet vpon that the people of God should be taught and men chosen out in abilitie such as the people might require the lawe at their mouthes though the measure and manner were diuerse as it pleased God to giue his giftes vnto them Which thing euer drewe with it then and at this day still truely doth inferre a godly regarde and euen a necessarie conscience when anie place is voide by the lawes wee liue vnder alotted to that vse to furnish it as sufficientlie as wee possiblie can and may for that vse Otherwise by vs it commeth to passe that the people are not taught Nowe this offence groweth either by negligence or by couetousnesse By negligence when not weighing or feeling the sinne of it we are drawen by affection or kindred or other mens sutes to bestowe sufficient places vpon insufficient persons By couetousnesse when to reserue a portion to our selues we doe the like Both which are greuous offences both against God and our countrey and in the word very plainely condemned If the first be the cause then craue I most heartily the consideration of these and the like conclusions The Lorde threatneth to the watchman death that warneth not his people and saith he will haue their bloud at his hande Ezek. 3. because hee did not crie Nowe by me hath beene put in such an one verie carelesly and negligently for affection or such like that though he would yet for want of ability can not cry and alas how then can I want my portion in the wrath of the Lorde that is threatned against all such default Secondly it is loue in the minister to his God to feede his sheepe Iohn 21.15 So is it assuredly in the patrone to cause them to bee fed Contrariwise it is want of loue in the minister Tit. 2. if he do not feede is it not asmuch in the patrone if by his default it come to passe Thirdly it is a great fault we think to giue the calling to an vnworthie one and is it no fault to giue the liuing to such an one Thus then we see howe the word quickneth our consciences in
things â—e should giue thanks Euident pracâ—ise of Gods children as of Dauid Psal 103. cryâ—ng vpon his soule to praise the Lord â—pon al that is within him to praise his â—oly name of Marie professing that her â—â—ule did magnifie the lord Luke 1. and that her â—â—irite reioyced in God her Sauiour â—ith manie such like Que. Since then this duetie both is â—ommaunded and hath of Gods childreÌ„â—ene euer vpon all occasions so carefulâ—â— performed me thinke at our meates â—specially we should remember it Ans Truely you haue named a time â—nd occasion when in déede Christians â—hould neither forget nor shame to look â—p vnto the Lord to praise his name Saying of grace at the Table For euen then haue they his mercies â—efore their eyes to put them in mind Which if they receiue thankfully they â—eceiue rightly if not then verye â—aungerousely both in respecte of â—â—e creatures them selues which as the Apostle sayeth are not sanctified otherwise vnto vs 1. Tim. 4. so that we may receiue them with a good conscience then by the word and prayer and also in respect of the breach of Gods commaundementes who expressely willed his people Israel in them euen all others that when they had eaten filled themselues Deutro 8.10 they should blesse the Lord their God for the good lande which he had giuen them Beside which reasons yet euen further we haue the practise of the godly to call vppon vs for this duetie For it is well noted that the same people chosen of the Lorde the Iewes I meane did not sit downe to eate but either the good man of the house or he that was Primarius in mensa that is the chiefe man at the table did take either the bread or the cup in his hand and so holding it prayed vnto the Lorde that he would vouchsafe to blesse them and those his good giftes which then they were about to receiue at his mercifull hand Likewise after meate they gaue him thankes for it Hence commeth the mention of taking the cuppe twise by our Sauiour Christ in Luke Luke 22.17 the former taking was this saying of grace and giuing of thankes which I â—peake of the other was the celebration of his supper Howe euen of purpose also doeth the Euangelist mention this same practise still in Christ Matth. 14.19 Marke 6 41. Mark 14.26 sometimes saying when they had sung 〈◊〉 Psalme sometimes when he had giuen thankes c. all to teache vs that â—uery such precept and practise shall â—ondemne vs if wee doe not the like And truely if men and women would â—ooke into their heartes and not flatâ—er themselues in daungerous securiâ—ie and would euen say to themselues why doe I not say grace or cause it to â—e said in that place where I am chiefe â—nd ought to doe it what thinke you would they finde to be the true cause â—ndéede Certainely nothing but shame â—nd bashefulnesse because it hath not â—éene vsed But O fearefull shame â—hat shameth to doe Gods commaundements and consequently maketh vs eate our own damnation the creatures being not sanctified vnto vs. And O damnable following of our wicked custome and leauing the custome of Christ and his children God in mercie awake vs. For assuredlie wee litle knowe what we doe when we pretermit and shame to doe this dutie to the Lorde Que. You haue well satisfied me touching the necessitie of this duetie and nowe I aske you an other question whether we may not also giue thankes to men but whatsoeuer they say or doe to vs yea if they drinke but to vs at the table wee must say I thanke God Ans Truly to be perswaded that any kindnes or good can come to vs by men from men whereof our mercifull God is not the sender and giuer woorking by those instrumeÌ„ts were verie wicked horrible but for the phrase of spéech my heart knowing GOD to be thâ— author I may well and lawfully vsâ— it to the instrument no doubt and say I thanke you at any time or vpon any occasion when I reape the benefite of their loue and by name vpon such occasion as you named And this I take to be warranted by the practise of Paul Rom. 16.3 4. who no doubt in heart knew God to be author of all his good yet are his words directed to the instruments Greet Priscilla and Aquila saith he my fellow helpers in Christ Iesus Which haue for my life laide downe their necke vnto whom not onely I giue thankes but also all the Churches of the Gentiles Que. As you haue said of the other duties so I take it in this also namelie that whatsoeuer is contrarie or against it is as well forbidden vs by this first commandement as this is commaunded Ans It is very true Both the pretermission of thanks for any goodnes vpon â—odie or minde our selues or ours â—emporall or eternall bestowed by the â—orde as also the ascribing of it to â—ur selues â—ur wit our strength poliâ—ie friends or any thing it is horrible â—nd a breache of this commaundement Thou shalt haue none other Gods but me Que. Thus rest I instructed more than I was touching this commaundement the first of all the ten And now onely I could wish if you might that you would shewe me some way howe profitablie to examine mine owne heart touching this Lawe and howe with my selfe I might meditate vpon it fruitefully and with feeling Ans Indéed your request hath great profite in it and that course or practise ye nowe desire shall any man or woman finde very fruitefull if they doe vse it For euen as in earthly matters our affection and loue cleaueth fastest to them that in greatest extremities haue brought vs helpe and ease and as there is nothing that will blowe vp the coale of that remembraunce more vehemently and make it flame out into open shewe of a thankefull heart more effectually than some true meditation of the greatnesse of daunger and gréeuousnesse of estate that we were in before So in heauenly and spiritual things the same is found as true or rather more that sight of greatest good procureth greatest measure of such fruite as ought to flow thereof For by example what so kindeleth in a man the heate of burning loue and maketh his heart to flame with true affection to his God as doeth 〈◊〉 liuely sight of that fearefull estate vtter extremitie desperate and damnable condition that he was once subiect vnâ—o without all recouerie by himselfe or any creature either in heauen or earth â—ut onely Iesus Christ the Sonne of God both God and man together with 〈◊〉 sight of certaine safetie from the same Did not this bring that blessed woman â—nd happie Saint of God Marie Magâ—alen to such a swéete tast and great â—â—ue as that her melting heart miniâ—â—red teares to her wéeping eies Luke 7.38 wherewith she washed the féete of her deare â—auiour wiped them with the
obserue his will We nowe knowe not our actes onely but our inwarde thoughtes must euer be holy we now knowe many meanes that leade to offence heerein and that euen the meanes must also be eschewed Nowe then if we liue as in ignorance wee did scorning at counsell cleauing to our pleasures and reiecting the Lorde and his lawe shall we escape He that knoweth his maisters will and doth it not shall hee be vnpunished Marke what I say and pray euer to féele it as the wrath of the king bad heate the furnace seuen times hootter than eâ—er it was to consume the men that withstoode him to his face for truth so shall the wrath of God that made this lawe cause hell to be hette 70 times 7 times hotter for vs if wilfully after warning and maliciously after knowledge we oppose our life against it That is he shall multiply the paines of hell vppon vs for these pleasures of our fleshe that swéete sinne may haue bitter and sower confusion for euermore Nowe the God of heauen giue vs sense and féeling the Lorde of mercie touch vs with a taste of sinne by the viewing of his lawe For we cannot alwayes liue and thus dally with our owne soules neither standeth it with the nature of our God who is iust finally to forgiue vs though he long forbeare vs vnlesse we amend But he must haue his iudgement and we must haue our torment as sure as we liue Nowe doeth hee wish vs to consider our wayes and to turne our feete into his testimonies his warninges waste and his wrath increaseth if wee settle our selues against him Yet O howe I feare wee will wilfully doe it For it is so swéete and so incident to vs which this lawe forbiddeth that a thousande to one we forsake the Lorde The allurementes I haue named wee will neuer withstande no wee will not heare of it that they cause vs to fall But pleasing this fleshe for the time wee doe vse them wee will neuer espie the paine that will followe them Yet why should I feare since God is of power to pierce anie hart and hath promised to doe it if wee heartily begge it O Lorde I hope thou wilt worke with vs that by this lawe we may sée howe we haue offended thée and what héereafter we must more eschewe the one with sorrowe and true remorse the other with faith and continuall care Then shall thy Christ and our comfort who in our flesh fulfilled the lawe for vs couer with his righteousnesse all our sinnes against it Then shall sinnes past in his bloud be forgiuen and wee by him euer héereafter strengthened Then we shall order our eyes with a carefull heart we shall set a watch before our mouth and keepe the dore of our lippes all false inticementes to forbidden lustes wee shall gladly refraine and so escape the sinne it selfe the better This I say good Lorde we shall doe if thou worke with vs that is thou and thy power and thou and thy mercie shall doe it in vs. Which voutchsafe O father of heauen for thy vnmeasurable vnsearchable goodnesse sake Amen The eight Commaundement Thou shalt not steale Question HOwe can this commaundement possiblie stande with that opinion of communitie Ans Indéede no way for it manifestly ouerthroweth so vile an imagination and sheweth the distinction of dominions propriety in things was and is the ordinance of the Lorde For euerie prohibition sheweth an ordinance before established which should be obserued either in Gods lawes or mans though not alwaies expressely As the forbidding of murther sheweth preseruation of life to be the wil of God and the denyall of adulterie inferreth the liking of chastitie either in mariage or out So the forbidding of stealth which is an alienation of an other mans goods to our selues sheweth that euery thing is not our owne to take at our pleasure but proprietie in possession is the will of the Lorde For if all thinges be common there can be no stealth and so this law friuolous and to no purpose which God forbid we should affirme or thinke Que. Yet many haue bin of this opinion affirming that tyranny not diuinitie maketh this difference amongst men Ans It is verie true Yet I hope you sée how euideÌ„tly this law of God which I trow they will account diuinitie doth ouerthrowe them and their folly as do also all other lawes that may héereunto be reduced with many scriptures mo For as there can bee no stealth if all thinges be common and therefore this lawe of God as I saide in vaine giuen so there can be no buying or selling no borowing or lending no letting or leasing or any such thing amongst men if euery man haue like interest to take at his pleasure therfore the Lord God euen in these also greatly ouerséene for that he would troble himselfe to make lawes touching these matters when as no maÌ„ hath or ought to haue anie proprietie in anie thing more than an other Againe all the exhortations in the Scripture to almes déedes and to mercie toward the poore is friuolous for they haue as good right to take anie thing they want from anie man as the other haue to giue them But all these you sée are absurde and therefore the opinion and the contrary of it the wil and ordinance of the Lord. Que What is then the verie drift of this commandement Ans The verie end of it is this to bind our loue and care to our neighbors goods as before it hath béene to his life and things déere vnto him as his life For it cannot bee that our heartes shoulde bee right in affections towards our brethren and wee spoylers and wasters or anie way harmers of the commodities which they inioy Loue chéerisheth kéepeth euen euery thing so néere as it can which he accompteth of whome wee loue and especiallie which hee liueth by and maintaineth both himselfe and others by And therefore as I thinke we cannot take a better course to lay before our owne eyes that wants of loue in vs towards the goods of our neighbors and consequently our breaches of this commaundement than diligently to wey some particular dueties specified in the worde wherein the Lord God would haue our loue to show it selfe As for open rapine and plaine stealth no man I thinke wil excuse it or denie it to be sinne and therfore I stand not vpoÌ„ it your booke hath euident places quoted against it I come rather to those other duties of borowing and lending of hyring and letting of buying and selling and such like Que. First then what is the Lawe of borowing and lending in the worde Ans If a man saith the lawe borow anie thing of his neighbour Exod. 22.14 and it bee hurt or else die the owner of it not being by hee shall surelie make it good If it be an hyred thing he shal not make it good for it came for his hyre In which lawe if wee well wey
thee or if thou knowe him not 2. then thou shalt bring it vnto thy house and it shall remaine with thee vntill thy brother seeke after it then shalt thou deliuer it to him againe 3. In like maner shalt thou doe with his Asse and so shalt thou doe with his raiment and with all lost thinges of thy brother which hee hath lost if thou hast founde them thou shalt not withdrawe thy selfe from them Sée héere the loue of man to the goods of his brother in what sort the Lorde requireth it Nowe least the name of brother vsed here in this place shoulde deceyue vs to thinke wee are bounde but to our friendes in this duetie it is profitable to note howe in an other place in stéede of brother is put enimie and all these particulars neuerthelesse named If thou meete thine enimies oxe or affâ— going astray thou shalt bring him again and so foorth of the rest So that this being a fruite of loue which God requireth in vs all towardes the goods of all men bee they friendes or foes that wee shoulde kéepe them and chéerish them and in safetie restore them if wee finde them lost when once wee knowe the owners of them surely we must néede confesse that to conceile and retaine thinges founde of vs after wee knowe who shoulde haue them is plaine and flatte theft Yea it is a breach of conscience no doubt in this matter to enioy anie thing founde without truâ— testimonie in our selues that wee hauâ— vsed as manie meanes as wee coulde to learne out the looser as by asking by proclayming and such like This welâ— considered and waied should a litle morâ— awake such as bee Lordes of waife anâ— straies as we saie that they carie aâ— eye ouer their baliffes in that behalfe sâ— néere as they can to sée that they bring not sinne vppon them by making them vniust retainers of other mens goods 〈◊〉 â—omplaint common in most places and 〈◊〉 theft not to be warranted in any place Que. What is our duetie in buying â—elling Ans When thou sellest ought to thy â—eighbour saith the lawe or buiest at â—hy neighbors hand Leuit. 25.14 you shall not opâ—resse one an other meaning by deceite â—r any otherwise but according to the â—umber of yeares after the Iubile thou â—halt buie of thy neighbour 15. also accorâ—ing to the number of the yeares of the â—euenewes he shal sell vnto thee 16. Accorâ—ing to the multitude of yeres thou shalt â—ncrease the price therof according to â—he fewnes of yeres thou shalt abate the â—rice of it for the number of fruits doth he â—â—l vnto thee Oppresse not yee therefore â—ny man his neighbour 17. but thou shalt â—eare thy God For I am the Lord thy god â—n which law this I marke that when 〈◊〉 sel or buie I must show euen a loue to â—y brother a tender affection in that â—y dealing with him For so is it ment when it is said you shal not oppresse one â—nother Secondly that then consequently â—y gréedy affection may not set the price but the value of the thing and the benefite which it is likelie to yéelde For howe can I loue him and yet take more of him than I giue him that is more mony than the thing is worth Which things if they be wanting surely then our selling is deceite guile yea it is theft by this commaundement prooued For the verie equitie of this lawe as euerie one may plainlie sée was this that as good shoulde be giuen as taken and taken as giuen Euen that commutatiue iusticâ— which heathen men could see to be so neâ—cessarie in all contractes and bargans as that without it no trading could stande or societie indure Vpon which lawe well considered and soundâ—â— setled in our minds a godly man drawâ—eth these conclusions let vs thinke 〈◊〉 theÌ„ First it condemneth al ouersellinâ— I meane knowen and wilfull ouerseâ—â—ling of any thing for so say the wordâ— according to the number of yeares shaâ— thou sel that is if the Iubile be farre oâ— thou shalt sel dearer by reason the buâ—â— shal reape longer profite of it but if it 〈◊〉 neere then cheaper for the contrare reâ—â—son So that an equalitie of commodities present is plainely shot at in this law How then can they warrant their dealings to haue required loue in them who in respect either of passed losse or supposed possible in time to come doe inhaunce the price of the thinges they sell aboue the value of the things This dealing if you marke the wordes well could not be allowed amongst the Iewes And as yet I am ignorant of any larger coÌ„mission granted to vs to wrecke our selues vpon our brethren to robbe theÌ„ because God in his pleasure hath crossed vs with losse or may do hereafter Secondly it condemneth all vttering of naughty counterfeit coine or wares For first for the seller if he raise his price to the value of good wares then deliuer euill or counterfeit how doth he obserue an equalitie of commodotie And then for the buier if he beat it downe to as low a price as he may til be consent to giue so much for it and then deliuer counterfeit euill coine where is again the equitie of this law on his part who is bound by it to giue asmuch as good as hee taketh so néere as iudgement can any way serue him Thirdly it condemneth all lying in wayt to pray vpon one that must néeds sell for present mony to get his commoditie for halfe the value if I can when as rather I should for pitie giue him equalitie For what loue is this to the goods of my neighbor when I can be content euen to robbe him in his necessitie by taking that for a penie that is worth in mine owne conscience thrée and not to be bought vnder were his néede not so great Nowe sée and note then how commonlie yet fearefully for want of loue conscience to giue as good as we take our buying and selling one with an other is spotted stained with great and gréeuous theft For most assuredly euen as in the time of law if they obserued not a proportioÌ„ betwixt the Iubile yeare and their price they offended against the commaundement of theft so nowe the lawe béeing gone if the equitie of it be not obserued to wit equalitie of coÌ„moditie giuen and taken the same sinne is committed in the day of the Lord we shall find thâ— burthen of it Que. Thus then how ourloue should shew it selfe in these common duties we may easilie see nowe I pray you goe forwarde with other branches of this lawe Ans Oppression generally al is contrarie to that loue which the Lorde by this lawe séeketh to drawe out of vs therefore no doubt forbidden in the same And if in particulars wee list to lay it out First saith the worde Thou shalt not oppresse an hired seruaÌ„t Deut. 24.14 that is
senses much worse is the warrant to giue to a gamester that playeth with vs since hee laboreth no more to make vs sport than wee doe to make him Much haue manie men writ whence larger speach may bee fetched and oâ— mee for a taste let this suffice to bee saide Que Why but doe you thinke it simplie vnlawfull to play for monie Ans Surely no. For when either so litle is playde as no way inableth mee to any dutie of my calling or the money not much is bestowed in some méeting for the increase of loue or that which is wonne is a rewarde appointed to that exercise then thinke I with others that it is lawefull And thus much of these thrée questions whether we may play or no at what games and whether for money Que. Nay one thing more I pray you and that is this Whether make you like account of dising that you doe of other games and thinke it as tollerable Ans No surely doe I not to speake plaine but iudge it most vnséeming for a Christian man or woman and a verie shame to the place where it is vsed For of all games it hath neither wit in it memorie in it nor art in it but false art nor exercise of anie thing except it be the elbowe nor any thing to commende it And yet if this were all it were not in so euil estate howbeit surely this is not a litle against it But sée which is farre more euen of all men by a generall consent as it were thiâ— vile game as most vyle detected anâ— detested For if you cast your eyeâ— to the heathen they euer hated it iâ— you looke at Christians they euer abhorâ—red it the scripture hath forbidden it the Councelles haue condemned it the Lawes of euerie good Comâ—mon wealth and especiallie of ouâ— owne haue seuerelie punished it anâ— what kinde of argument of misliking is there not against it Thus haue theâ— not dealt with other exercises anâ— therefore surelie there is in it morâ— shame to the vser and more hurtâ— to the place where it is vsed than iâ— the other But let vs wey the naâ—med heades in order And first for thâ— heathen doe wee not sée howe Tulliâ— laieth it to the shame of Catiline anâ— his companie that they were diâ—sers and when he would haue euen spâ—â— fire in Authonies face and galleâ— him as greatly as hee coulde thiâ— comes in for one great dishonour tâ— him and dishonestie in him hee iâ— saith Tullie a dicer and his house a reâ—â—eptacle of such men Augustus Caesar 〈◊〉 worthie man as wee knowe in maâ—ie respectes Suetonius in his life cap. 71. and greatlie renowâ—ned yet got by his dising a reprooch â—euer dying euen to bee accompted 〈◊〉 dissolute man Gobylon an Emâ—assadour of the Lacedaemonians beâ—ng sent to make a league with the Corinthians when hee came and â—awe they vsed Dicing counterfeiâ—ed some other cause and went home aâ—aine and woulde not make it aunâ—wering when hee came home that they were a vyle people and vnworthie to â—e cared for they were disers The king of Persia sent to Demetrius king â—f Asia Dice of golde in reprooch to â—im because hee vsed dising And an â—ther saith flatlie thus that quanto â—leator est in arte melior tanto nequior Publius â—st The cunninger that a Dicer is in â—ys Art the woorse man assuredlie â—ee is The Poet layeth it downe amongest the Cankers that consume â—â—en and make them beggers Dise Wine and Women What shoulde I â—ay Take anie booke in hande of an heathen man and it is a woonder if you finde not some thing against dysing Nowe come from heathens to Christiâ—ans and sée euen as great misliking Austen beginneth and is not afraide tâ— say plainely De cinit Dei lib. 4. Aleaminuenit Daemon Thâ— deuill first found out the game of dising Lyra detesting it séeketh to make otheâ— men doe as much by diuerse reasons It coueteth sayth hee an other manâ— goods greatly In praeceptorio it is a mightie meanes oâ— deceite it passeth vsurie it causeth lyâ—ing swearing brawling and maniâ— idle wordes it is an offence to the godâ—ly it breaketh the lawes it misspendeâ—â— the time and what not Olde Chauce so long agoe set his sentence downe aâ—gainst this exercise and spares not tâ— display the vertues of it in this maneâ— Dising saith he is verie mother of leaâ—singes And of deceite and cursed forswearing Blasphemie of God manslaughter anâ— waste also Of battaile naughtinesse and other 〈◊〉 It is reproofe and contrarie to honour For to behould a common disesour â—nd euer the higher he is in estate â—he more he is houlden desolate 〈◊〉 thou a Prince dost vse hazardie 〈◊〉 all gouernance and pollicie 〈◊〉 is by a common opinion â—oulden lesse in reputation â—ordes might finde other manner of play â—onest inough to driue the day away But of all other spéeches me thinkes 〈◊〉 is a maruelous saying of Sir Thomas â—â—iot and ought verie greatly to moue 〈◊〉 who affirmeth that if a man heare 〈◊〉 to be a diser and knoweth him not â—y and by he iudgeth him to be a light â—nd vaine person and of no credite or â—ccompt Consider againe the decrées 〈◊〉 councelles and sée howe with one â—eart they haue hated it The first counâ—el of Constantinople determined thus Can. 50. That no man whether he be clarke or 〈◊〉 man from that time forward should â—â—ay at dise If hee did being a clergie â—an he was depriued and if a lay man 〈◊〉 was excommunicated The councell 〈◊〉 Eliberis concluded that if a Christian â—an did play at dise he should be forbidden the communion and neuer admitâ—ted againe till he left it and not vnder a yeare then also Two godly Sinodeâ— at Rochel and Nimanx in France by the Pastours Elders and Deacons of the reformed Churches in that kingdome vtterly condemned it Amongst the Caâ—nons called that Apostles Canons this is one that if a minister Elder or Deacon giue himselfe to Dice cardes or drunkennes if he did not admonished cease from it he should be depriued The ciuiâ— and canon lawes they say are so against it as that if a man shoulde be beaten oâ— him that he playd withall or robbed at home whilest he were a playing hee may haue no benefite of law or iustice in that case And if anie man constrayned or allured an other to plaie with him hee shoulde bee imprisoned or cast into the quarries to digge Geneua condemneth the verie making of Dice in their Citie Last of all peruse the Statutes of this our owne countrie and I beséech you marke the liking they haue showed of dising In the twelfth yeare of Riâ—â—arde the seconde all vnlawefull â—â—mes were forbidden and by name â—ising generallie In the 21. yeare 〈◊〉 Hentie the fourth disers taken were â—â—prisoned sixe dayes And if anie â—â—ade Magistrate as Maior or Sheâ—â—fe made not diligent search for â—â—em they forfetted fortie shillings If 〈◊〉 Constable were negligent hee lost
there be any praise thinke of these thinges c. Againe 1. Petr. 2.12 S. Peter in his epistle I beseech you deerely beâ—oued as pilgrimes and strangers abstaine from fleshly lustes which fight against the soule and haue your conuerâ—ation honest among the Gentilles that â—hey which speake of you as of euill doers may by your good workes which â—hey shall see glorifie God in the day of visitation What is this but euen plainely ynough haue a care of your dooinges that your good name may neuer iustly bee touched and stained of anie And a number mo such pithie perswasions in this behalfe hath the worde But I passe them ouer and remember vnto you that pretie saying of the godlie father S. Chrysostome Chrysost de communi sermone so fitly at this time confirming my perswasion There are two thinges sayth hee necessarie for thée as thou art a Christian man and woman to wit a good conscience and a good name the former for thy self the later for thy neighbour But alas saith an other Plures famam Plin. lib. 3. pauci conscientiam verentur Manie are afraide of the touch of their fame but fewe of the hidden breach of their conscience Adde vnto these if you list also the iudgementes of the heathen and first of him whose words be these Cic. offi 3. there is nothing so great neither any commoditie in the worlde so of thée to be estéemed and desired as that for it thou shouldest blemish the beautie and brightnesse of the good name of a good man For desire euer sayth an other rather to heare well than to be rich yea preferre it in thy heart to leaue vnto thy posteritie an honest report and name before heapes of anie riches whatsoeuer For riches are ficle and soone dispersed but a good report is permanent and neuer dyeth Againe by a good name may wealth bee gotten but not againe by wealth a good name Lastly riches are common to the good and bad but a good report is proper onely to the good Que. And howe may a man or woman best breede a good report of them Ans Agesilaus was once asked the same question and he made this aunswere If thou speakest euer what is the best and doest the thing that is most honest Socrates thus if from thy heart thou indeuour in all truth to be as thou desirest euer to be thought to be For a fame that is gotten by giftes or hypocrisie will neuer indure but perishe Wherefore nowe if the worde of God the testimonies of his children and the â—erie light of nature in heathens haue euer so commended a good name iudge we heereby if we wil be taught what a sinne it is to be a false witnesse against this preciouse treasure and iewell of my neighbour his good name Iudge we what a monster before the face of God he is that for the satisfaction either of his owne or other mens cursed natures séeketh to depraue to bite and slander any man wrongfully be the discredite he worketh neuer so small And thus much for my first reason The seconde I drawe from the punishment which hath vsually hapned vnto this vice either by gods expresse commaundement amongest the Iewes or secret working in the heartes of magistrates in other places For verie effectually haue I euer thought bewrayed by these thinges the foulnesse of false witnesse bearing The lawe of God sayde thus Deut. 19.16 c. If a false witnesse rise vp against a man to accuse him of trespasse Then both the men which striue together shall stande before the Lorde euen before the priestes and the iudges which shal be in those daies And the iudges shall make diligent inquisition and if the witnesse be founde false and hath giuen false witnesse against his brother then shall ye doe vnto him as he hadde thought to doe vnto his brother so thou shalt take euel away forth of the middest of thee And the rest shall heare this and feare and shall henceforth commit no more anie such wickednesse amongest you Therefore thine eie shall haue no compassion but life for life eie for eye tooth for tooth hande for hande foote for footh A meruelous lawe if the spirite of féeling worke withall to print in vs for euer a true conceite of the perfect hatred wherewith God abhorreth false witnesse bearing Beside which lawe marke what Salomon sayeth Prou. 19.5 A false witnesse shall not be vnpunished and he that speaketh lies shall not escape For howsoeuer the lande of the Lorde which is euer full of mercie and long suffering euen towardes the wicked may spare them for a time yet in the â—nde with sharpenesse of his rodde will â—e recompence the long differring of it And what maruell if we marke the naâ—ure of the sinne For doeth not a false witnesse abuse the iudge hurt his neighbour make the place of iustice and right the nurcerie of sinne and gréeuous wronges doth he not cause the Lorde to set in the eies of men the crowne of innocencie vpon the offenders heade and to put the halter about the iust mans necke Than the which dishonor what can be greater against the Lorde of life and louer of right to pul vpon vs his heauie hande Pericles an heathen man could say we must be a friende to our friende no further than the altar That is no further than GOD and a good conscience guided by his worde may warrant vnto vs. But wee in these daies estéeme not a strawe of that man or woman that will sticke to lend vs an othe at anie time when we stand in néede be the matter neuer so false and foule For hee is no friende which is not euer a friende to féede our filthie humour with all wicked and wrongfull vsage of himselfe But woe vnto vs wicked wretches for so great and gréeuous sinne against the Lorde and also our selues For doe I not tremble and shake euerie ioynt of mee to preâ—erre anie mortall man in loue before â—ny God and so to become vnworthie of him for euer Yet this I doe when I â—are doe for him what God forbiddeth me to doe for him and I thinke not of â—t Should an earthly bonde of earthlie mindes together worke a fearefull fiâ—all confusion both of bodie and soule â—n the flashing flame of bottomlesse hell â—or euermore without regarde Yet â—his it doeth to speake vntrueth for my â—riendes fauour when committed sinne â—hould reape a iust punishment in this worlde that bodie and soule might both â—emaine in comfort hereafter I stay â—he rest of gods reuenging iudgementes â—ppon false witnesses till I come to â—he ende of the commaundement and â—hus for this time passe ouer this â—oint The next thing that your booke layâ—th downe is lying an other foule â—reache of this commaundement conâ—emned of God improoued by reason â—nd eschewed euer of all gods children 〈◊〉 some measure Scripture Cast off saith the Apostle lying and speake the trueth euerie man to his
then all with one consent crie in the eares of the Lord with shriking sounde that houres and daies monthes and yeares haue we spent in tossing and turning in debating and scanning such conceites and thoughtes as we would not for all that we enioy were written in our forheads Fie fie the pleasures that we haue felt in this follie nay in this impietie howe haue they tickled vs within and made vs laugh to our selues rubbe our hands together forgette our meat not heare what was saide about vs and such like Howe haue we longed to be at an ende peraduenture of some businesse that we haue béene about that we might euen fully debate the matter you knowe of and plaie with the conceite thereof to our fuller pleasure Can we excuse our selues beloued doe I depaint out vnknowen dispositions vnto you O I say againe beside greater impieties the follies the toyes the trifles the verie babish fancies that will and doe steale vpon vs will we nill we euen when wee are best occupied and would not be solicited in such sort All which are breaches lesser and greater of this lawe of our God which requireth exact obedience and coniunction of all the motions of our mind to his good will and liking And if we had neuer fallen wee should neuer haue felt them Therefore to shâ—t vp this matter for one whom I knowe better than I know anie of you I confesse a guilt a gréeuous guilt against this precept of my God and I acknowledge damnation due if I should be reiected but the Lorde I thanke I feare it not not that I haue not sinned but because my Christ hath not sinned and He is my iustification sanctification and redemption 1. Cor. 1. hee is my strength and my stonie rocke both against the curse of this lawe and all the rest He is my defence and my Sauiour Psalm 18.1 my God and my might in whom I do trust my buckler the horne of my health and my refuge And to him in the true sense of my weakenesse and with the knéees of my heart bowed downe to the dust I say for my case as Dauid sayd for his Turne away my heart O Lorde that it may neuer féede vppon the follies of vaine conceites or gréeue the swéete spirite that I sometimes féele by vngodly wandring from his sugred motions Yea set a watch before my soule most gracious father and kéepe the doore of my strengthlesse heart that I may lesse offend and more obey in this behalfe than euer I haue doone héeretofore And now passe wee on to particulars mentioned to our handes by the Lorde himselfe in this his lawe O my beloued how often haue we coueted our neighbours house that is his earthly possession and inheritance if not in whole yet in part How often haue wee tossed our heades from the one ende of the pillowe to the other not able to sléepe for thinking howe to compasse that péece and this péece not weighing howe well he might spare it but howe well it would fitte vs Yea this house must be had and that garden and the other close to the wringing out of teares from the man the wife and al their poore children that part from it to the gréeuing of their heartes and the verie vtter vndooing of them all We stoppe not our eies that they gaze no further vppon our neighbours helpes than a Christian soule may warrant We shut not our eares neither take regarde of the sinne that may insue when we are whispered in the eare that this thing is fitte for vs and that thing and thus and thus may be had No alas we account them the best members about vs whose godlesse counsell shall worke our endlesse woe Whereas a Christian assoone as hee heareth such a motion should by and by thinke in himselfe O Lord thou hast delt mercifully with me euer let not me now deale vnmercifully with any thou hast made me a maister of much this maÌ„ a maister but of a litle O Lorde let not my much eate him out of his litle vngodlily let not my power oppresse his weakenesse and so foorth and then talke with the informer be it either a man or mine owne gréedie eie that hath spied it and sée whether what I may get I may well gette and well take into my hands so as I may not be stinged for it an other day before my God nor exclamed vppon iustly in the worlde This doeth your owne conscience tell you you should doe and the other you should not doe yet the other haue you doone and this haue you not doone and are you not guiltie Good beloued goe with me in this tryall of our selues and let vs sée sinne to be sinne The looking eie and the lusting heart further after our neighbours wife than they should would God they accused vs not What should I say of his seruant man or maide You knowe it aswell as my selfe there is almost no conscience any where shewed in this behalfe no feare of God no loue of man but onely of our selues For if wee like an other mans seruant for any qualitie that we desire to be serued with all what intisementes what allurementes dare wee vse to drawe him to vs What offers make we what practises deuise we till we haue them Yet sayth this lawe Thou shalt not couet thy neighbours seruant man or maide And that is as nowe we knowe not once thinke of it although I consent not to it The like is saide of his oxe his asse or any thing that is his And yet wee sée the worlde euer in our eye Vicinum pecus grandius vber habet Our neighbours kowe doeth giue more milke than ours His horse we must haue there is no remedie his hawke his hounde his pleasure or profitte must be ours and that which is worse often without any consideration any way either by fauour or value yea it must be giuen out that we couet our neighbours goods and wee our selues haue twentie pretie indirect and figuratiue kindes of begging and if wee either are not vnderstoode or will not be vnderstoode by him that hath it because he is loth to loose it then wee frette and are offended highly and as our calling might and power is we sitte vppon his skirtes Thus sinne we may déere beloued against this lawe of GOD and yet we sée it not Nowe would God haue vs to open our eyes to incline our eares and to forgette this olde fathers house of our corruption Nowe would the Lorde haue vs reconciled to him by repentaunce and offende no more And therefore I crie vnto you in the name of the Lorde and to this soule within mee Thou shalt not couet If we will heare his voice and yet harden our heartes if we will not restraine our senses the common carriers of conceites into vs if wee will not euen euerie way wee can héereafter séeke to let and lessen our disobedience in this thing against the Lorde the day of our visitation is past and our destruction is at hande The lyon is come vp from his denne Ierem. 4. and the destroyer of the Gentilles is departed and gone foorth from his place to laie our lande waste and our cities shall be destroyed without an inhabitant Yea so néere is our desolation assuredly my beloued that euen as it were presently my soule heareth the sounde of the trumpette and the alarome of the battaill Destruction vpon destruction is cryed euen at our doores if we could heare it and sodenly shall our tentes be destroyed and our curtaines in a moment But I hope what I wish and I wish what shall be our sure safetie if we will be perswaded euen that we would now sée howe farre wee are from abilitie to fulfill these 10 commandementes of our God either all or any one of them deuise what distinction we can horrible sinners and transgressers we are and so we shall be founde and therefore that wee would acknowledge it lament it flie to the propitiation apointed of our gracious God for our sinnes and onely cleaue to him onely trust in him and claspe him in our armes so as all the worlde nor the power of hell can loose our houlde carie him so to his father and there offer him to him for all our misdéedes as the saluation which hee hath prepared before the face of all people and in whom hee is perfectly pleased This wish I this begge I this craue I with all the bowelles of my affection my flesh shaking mine eies watering my soule groning and all the stringes of my heart inlarged as you feare God as you loue your selues as my calling is regarded as my affection estéemed or as hell treÌ„bled at that Iesus Christ may be our onely hould and our owne obedience no hould yet performed as a fruite of faith daily more and more but not with hope of safetie by the fame either in part or in whole and this O my good God graunt vnto vs as thy mercie is vnmeasurable thy goodnesse and louing kindnes vnsearchable what passed is good Lord forgiue and make vs better euer liue Amen Amen Prouer. 19. Heare counsel and receiue correction for they shall make a man wise at the last Deutro 5. O that there were such an heart in this people to feare me and to keepe all my commandements alway that it might go well with them and with their children for euer Psalm 19. Let the wordes of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be alway acceptable in thy sight good Lorde When gracious God by sacred worde vouchsafes to cal from cursed course O happie we ten thousand times if feeling heartes doe yeeld remorse But if contempt of offred grace accuse vs crauing sentence iust Then cursed we ten thousande times for hell remaines wheÌ„ hence we must Consider this my countrey deere and marke it Cardiff heedily The Lorde nowe speakes then take thy good or looke for vengeance speedily Hwyra dial dial duw Tosta dial dial duw Hugh Poole minister of the worde of God in Cardiff
thâ— flocke and shall he so quietly passe them ouer that put in and place such dumâ— dogges and vnable drones to doe aniâ— duetie for their owne lucre Is it a token of loue to féede his shéepe to féedâ— his lambes and is it not a want of louâ— both to God and his lambes to put iâ— for my gaine such a drie nurse as caâ— giue no milke nor féede at all except 〈◊〉 be with follie and a fowle example of drinking swearing carding tabling â—owling sléeping and such like Thinke we if Ieremy were nowe aliue to suruey the parishes of this our countrey Ierem. 9.1 â—nd should sée the fearefull estate of so manie soules not able to tell howe they â—halbe saued or to prooue anie one prinâ—iple of religion not flying sinne beâ—ause they féele it not to be sinne nor â—auing light because they knowe it not â—o be light thinke we I say that hee â—hould not wish his head full of water â—nd his eies a fountaine of teares that â—e might wéepe day and night for the â—ame of Englande through these pouâ—â—ng patrones Assuredly hee would For the heart that harboreth any portiâ—n of pitie to the Lordes people or hath â—nie care what become of the price of â—hrist his bloud could neuer abide vnâ—uched déepe to sée so great a spoyle for â—orldly wealth of that which all the â—orlde cannot redéeme when it is lost â—he Lorde the Lorde looke vppon his â—hurch for his mercies sake and either â—â—ter the heartes of these Church robbers by giuing them to sée what hangeth ouer them and their posteritie mosâ— iustly for such a sinne or else plucke ouâ— of their handes by restoring disciplinâ— the bestowing of them any longer Next let vs weigh what goods we hauâ— euer gotten by vnlawfull gaming oâ— by false deceite in the same and rememâ—ber it hath béene prooued before a gréeâ—uous stealth Let vs also consider howâ— wee stande touching the affirmatiuâ— part of this commandement which weâ— are aswell bounde to performe as weâ— are to flie the contrarie as howe weâ— haue euer to the vttermost of our abilâ—â—tie preserued and cared for the goods oâ— our neighbours that they might be safe howe wee haue vsed our ownâ— wealth to the glorie of God the mainâ—taynance of the magistrate the defend of our countrey the comfort of our faâ—milie the reléefe of the poore and the eâ—stablishing of the knowledge of Goâ— amongest all Howe we haue abhorreâ— distrust in Gods prouidence the rooâ— of stealth and rested assured of his goodâ—nesse if we serued him with such likâ— Are we cleare and haue doone them all without reproofe or blemish If wee haue let vs boast and looke for life for our workes but if any thing touch vs and staine vs knowe and remember what S. Iames sayth He that is guiltie of one is guiltie of all And doth nothing touch vs that hath béene saide Hath neither hande by déede nor heart by thought euer straied in anie degrée O beloued he that sayth euen in this commandement he hath no sinne deceiueth himselfe and there is no truth in him Let vs therefore rather sée our sinne knowe our sinne bewaile our sinne and â—rie to the Lorde for his grace to clappe â—ould of Iesus Christ his sonne who â—ath filled this and euerie lawe for vs â—o the ende that we beléeuing might be â—aued by his righteousnesse The Lord giue vs pardon the Lorde giue vs faith the Lord change our liues to a better course for his blessed name and mercie sake Amen The ninth Commaundement Thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy neighbour A commaundement teaching vs our dueties towardes the good name and credite of our brethren in speaking neuer anie thing of them which is vntrue as the former haue towardes their liues and goods Question THen by this it seemeth it should haue gone before the other in order because a mans name is dearer than either life or goods Ans It is true to some it is so buâ— not to all and rather doth the Lorde reâ—spect the multitude than a fewe anâ— the common nature of the vulgare sorâ— rather than the disposition of the better but farre lesser sort And first and forâ—â—most could the wise Oratour say by naâ—ture is it giuen to euerie kinde of creature to maintaine himselfe his life and bodie and to auoide whatsoeuer may bée anie way hurtfull to the same Noting in effect the other to followe but in a seconde degrée Que. What right is there to establish this lawe Ans Euen a thréefould right as you haue heard and séene in the former For first the Lorde himselfe is true and trueth it selfe hating euer and abhorring falsehood and therefore verie méete that he should séeke the establishing of the same amongest his children and the carefull auoyding of the contrarie Secondly the verie light of nature hath euer taught it to men that lying is to be â—oathed and hath made them crie Socrates is my friende and Plato is my â—riende but trueth before and aboue â—hem both Wherefore verie méete 〈◊〉 was and right that this lawe of â—ature shoulde bee strengthened and â—aintained by the Lorde Lastly withâ—ut trueth there is no safetie in mens â—ounselles bargans méetinges conferences and such like and therefore most fit and necessarie that for the staie of truth amongest vs and the auoyding of the contrarie the Lorde should make one lawe at the least The equitie of it then you sée is great And nowe to the particular branches of it as they lie in your booke Where the first named hurt and annoyance of my brothers credite is false witnesse bearing when in open place of iustice and iudgement or anie where else anie man shall of euill will and malice or for lucre or fauour of others testifie or depose that which is vntrue against his neighbour Which thing howe horrible it is may first appeare by due considering the price of an honest name 1. reason and good report in the worlde amongest our brethren Which as the wise man saieth is to be chosen aboue great riches Prou. 22.1 and louing fauour aboue goulde and siluer And in an other place Eccles 7.3 A good name iâ— better than a good ointment Becausâ— that thereby we smell as it were swéeteâ—ly vnto many to the edifying of them and working manie thinges in them bâ— our perswasions which others coulde not of whom they haue or do not thinke and heare so well Philip. 4.8 The Apostle Paule also in that excellent spéech of his to the Philippians which I often verie wilâ—ingly remembeÌ„r vnto you noteth effectually howe déere vnto a Christian any thing should be that belongeth to a good name and the working of a good report amongest men of vs. For whatsoeuer thinges my brethren sayth hee are true whatsoeuer thinges are honest whatsoeuer thinges are iust whatsoeuer thinges are pure whatsoeuer thinges are worthie loue whatsoeuer thinges are of good report if there be anie verâ—ue or if there