Bonum non amatur as the School-men say quod non cognoscitur the good that is not known cannot be loved For if it were known it being the natural desire of all to be better we should love it to be the better by it It is therefore well said That good things have no greater enemy then ignorance Knowledge and faith then as is said shewing us this good love will be stirred up in us and then follows unio affectus the union of the affection all that we can have here and in the life to come instead of this fruition by faith fruition by cleer vision There are two sorts of love 1. Amor mercenarius a mercenary love 2. Amor gratuitus a free love They are distinguished thus when a man loves his meat and drink and when he loves his friend or brother it is certain these loves are not all one in the one there is a desire to have the thing loved that he may make use of it for his own benefit for the present not caring what becomes of it after but his love to his friend is to do him good for himself or for his own sake and it includes in it bene velle bene facere to wish him good and to do him good in the former á man looks at himself and his own good onely in the other at his good whom he loves the first is amor concupiscentiae the other amor amicitiae The Philosopher distinguishes them by Vnde Quo whence and whither In the first love the question is made by Quo in the other by Vnde In the first we ask what good comes to us by it in the other what good it hath in it self though it be no benefit to us The one hath an eye that looks inward on our selves the other outward upon others Yet these two though they may be distinguished yet are not alwayes divided for the one oft-times is the beginning of the other both in our loves to God and man for those that have been beneficial to us though we love them at first for the benefits we receive by them yet afterwards we come to love them for themselves 1. The first ariseth from hope Because a man being cast down by fear conceives hope upon Gods promises then sending forth prayer receiveth fruit and saith Praised be the Lord for he hath heard the voice of my humble petition And thou hast given me my hearts desire which fruit stirreth up the first love and this amor concupiscentiae the love of concupiscence which goes before 〈◊〉 gratuitum free love for as the Apostle saith that is not first which is spiritual but that which is natural or carnal and then that which is spiritual so free love of God for himself is not first but first we love him for his benefits and then for himself and this is true love Therefore it is said that 〈◊〉 vertues of clemency affability liberality c. were greater then Cato's of justice and fidelity in his dealings because the former looked at the good of others these reflected upon himself and his own good That which is natural will be first 〈◊〉 before amicitia or benevolentia and this is the inchoation of the other Perfect love is not attained at first for nemo repente fit summus now S. Chrysostome wondreth how men can slip themselves out of this love for if they will love any for his benefits none bids fairer for this amor mercenarius then God for he offereth for it the kingdom of heaven The Fathers compare fear to the wildernesse and these two degrees of love to the land of promise this mercenary love to that part of it which lay beyond Jordan and the other to that part upon which Sion and Jerusalem stood For amor gratuitus which looks not at reward Saint Bernard saith that Deus nunquam sine praemio diligitur our love to God is never unrewarded though sine intuitu praemii diligendus est he ought to be loved without looking at the reward The Apostle respected his own commodity so little that he wished himself accursed that the glory of God might shine in the salvation of Israel It is lawful to love God for his benefits for God uses them as motives to stir us up to love him and the best of Gods servants have so practised Moses looked at the recompence Hebrews 11. but we must not rest there nor love him onely or chiefly for them but for himself otherwise we love not him but our selves ratio diligendi est Deus ipse modus sine modo the cause of our love must be God himself and the measure without measure saith S. Bernard Some divide love into Quoniam Tametsi Because and Although 1. The first is that which is called mercenarius I love the Lord saith the Psalmist and why He is my defence Psalm 18. 1. And in another place Because he heard my voice yet seeing David did not love God onely or chiefly for his benefits his love was not properly mercenary but true though not perfect To shew the excellency of love S. Paul hath a whole chapter wherein he prefers it above all other vertues and saith in effect If a man for his knowledge and elocution might be compared with Angels and by his faith were able to remove mountains and by his liberality had relieved the poor with all his estate and for his constancy had suffered martyrdome yet were all these vertues little worth except they were joyned with the love of God And in the end of the Chapter after this general commendation of love he prefers it in particular above Faith and Hope 1. If we take the dimension of it it is greatest both in breadth and length of all other For whereas Faith and Hope are restrained within the bounds of mens persons and to singulars this dilateth it self and extendeth both to God and man in general to our selves our friends yea to our enemies S. Augustine saith Beatus qui amat te amicum in te inimicum propter te blessed is he that loves thee and his friend in thee and his enemy for thee And this is the latitude 2. In longitude also For whereas the other are but in us in the nature of a lease but for terme of life the gift of love shall be as a free hold and continue for ever in heaven Our Saviour maketh both the Law and Prophets to consist of one Commandment namely Love And the Apostle reduceth all to one head and if there were any other Commandment it is briefly comprehended in this of love And it is our Saviours mandatum novum admit that all the old Commandments were cancelcelled yet this new commandment ties us to the duties of all And indeed S. John saith commending this duty Brethren I write no new commandment unto you but an old Commandment for both the old and new are all one There is both in the
old and the new a Diliges thou shalt love But that which is beyond all these and imposeth a necessity upon us to observe it is that whereasnone of the other vertues are mutual or reciprocal nor indeed are properly said to be in God at all as faith hope c. this is here is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if he reprove us we must not reprove him if he promise and threaten we cannot promise or threaten again but if God love us we must love him again S. Gregory saith Magnum est vinculum charitatis quo ipse Deus se ligari voluit the bond of love is great with which even God himself was content to be bound And S. Bernard saith of it that solus triumphat de Deo it onely triumphs over God and addes Nescis quid majus dici debeat in laudem tuam O charitas deduxit Deum de Coelo hominem invexit in Coelum hominem Deo reconciliasti Deum homini placasti thou knowest not O love what may be more said in thy praise it brought God from heaven and carried man thither thou didst reconcile man to God and pacifiedst God with man And therefore as on the one side we are to consider how willing God is that his affection should grow in us so are we to weigh what God on his part hath done to stir us up to it The heathen could say magnes amoris amor the Loadstone of love is love nothing is more effectual to attract love then love And in that God hath not failed on his part S. Bernard expresseth to the full in these six points Quod prior dilexit nos tantus tantillos tales tantum gratis that he loved us first being so great we so little such kinde of creatures so much and without any respect to himself 1. Prior. S. John proves this point Herein is love not that we loved him but that he loved us It was not our love first to him that caused him to send his Son to be a propitiation for our sins but his first to us S. Augustine saith Nulla major est ad amorem 〈◊〉 quam praevenire amando nimis durus est animus qui se 〈◊〉 nolebat impendere nolit rependere there is no greater alluring to love then to anticipate by loving and that heart is too hard which will not requite though not love first 2. Tantus Of Gods tantus we may rest our selves upon S. Augustine and go no further Tantus ut non liceat conari exprimere quantus so great that it is not lawful to endeavour to expresse his greatnesse it transcends all the learning and witt of man to expresse his greatnesse and yet he condiscends so low as to love us 3. Tantillos Worms and no men This we see in Job and in the Prophet David and being but worms he loved us Nay further as the Apostle speaks cum nondum essemus being not yet born we cannot be lesse then not to be at all and yet even then he loved us when we were not 4. Tales when we had estranged cur selves from him and served his enemies then he loved us nay when we were our selves his enemies 5. Tantum Saint Chrysostame upon that of Saint John God so loved the world In comparison of Gods love with others all adverbs may be left out no sicut to this sic The Apostle may well call it great love He spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all This for Gods tantum 2. God the Son hath his tantum too For our sakes he left heaven the Society of God the Father Angels and Saints and endured upon earth 1. Infamy 2. Poverty 3. Sicknes 4. Enmity 5. death The Philosophers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 five fearefull things 1. He had ignominy and reproch and that not onely while he lived as the Pharisees slandered him to deale in sorcery to cast out Devils in the Devils name but when he was dead too The same Pharisees told Pilate that he was an impostor and deceiver He was despised saith the Prophet 2. For the want of necessaries you may take his own word that he was in worse case then souls and beasts Foxes have holes and birds of the aire have nests but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head 3. For his infirmities The Prophet Esay describes them at large long before his suffering them He was wounded for us and by his stripes we are healed c. 4. He was hated above all others as we may read in the whole story of his life Though he did much good and many miracles among them yet they so persecuted him that ost times they were ready to stone him and never left him till they brought him to the last part of the five which he suffered upon earth 5. And that was death This also he suffered for love of us And greater love then this hath no man then to lay down his life for his friend yet Christ suffered a shameful death for us that hated him and were his enemies and as the Apostle saith hereby if all other signes of his love move us not perceive we his love because he laid down his life for us And in this particular is that in the Canticles confirmed love is as strong as death such love is perfect love 3. The holy Ghost is not without his Tantum For after the Passion of our Saviour when Christ was ascended he vouchsafed to come and dwell among us and among other his graces to shed his love abroad in our hearts and to make his residence with us to the worlds end And here we may judge between God and our selves God may refer it to us whether he hath left any thing undone that he might have done to testifie his love to us 6. Gratis he loved us without expectancy of any reward from us we have nothing that can better him nothing at all Our goods or ought else are nothing to him The Prophet demands what reward shall I give unto the Lord nothing but love for love Saint Bernard upon that Psalm is of the same opinion non est melius nec decentius quam per dilectionem rependere quodper dilectionem datum est there is no better or more decent thing then to repay that which is given lovingly by love For as S. Augustine saith Quid est home quod amaxi vis ab 〈◊〉 et si non amet te minavis ingentem poenam Annon panasatis magna est non amare te what is man that thou desirest to be loved by him and that thou shouldest threaten to punish ' him for not loving thee Is it not punishment enough not to love thee There needs no punishment to sorce us to love our meat and drink and other natural things and yet we see that to bring us to the love of that which is supernatural we
need threats and rewards so resractory is our nature And now we come to that which is commanded by the first rule which is love whether it be 1. amore naturali the natural affection which is from God and consequently is by nature due to God for to love him a quo potentiam habemus amandi is but equitable Whether it be 2. amore delectus with a love of election for when we have summed up all the objects in the world together we shall finde nothing to be beloved so much as God Or whether it be 3. amore infuso he it is that hath shed this love into our hearts and it is fit that he which hath scattered should gather that which he hath scattered The wicked servant can tell us so much Now this love and the measure thereof as it proceedeth freely is branched into 1. Desiderium 2. Gaudium 3. Zelus desire and joy and Zeale 1. A desire of God while we feel not the assurance of his spirit in us and then we complain with the Prophet like as the hart desireth the water-brooks so longeth my soul c. 2. The other of joy remaineth when this desire is fulfilled cum 〈◊〉 desiderium posuit gaudium this desire wrought in our hearts by the holy Ghost produceth those fruits mentioned Galat. 5. 22. Joy peace c. And when our desire is hindred that it cannot be obtained then cometh 3. Zeale Jra est vindex laesi 〈◊〉 anger is the revenger of desire not satisfied and this is called sacra 〈◊〉 an holy boyling of grief and anger incensed against all impediments and it is one of the signes of love for quinon Zelat non amat he that is not zealous loveth not He that can discern the impediments to Gods glory and not be desirous and earnest to remove them hath no love in him The measure of this love must extend to this height as to be ready to hate parents those that depend upon us yea our own souls if they could come in competition with it as Saint Luke hath it but Saint Matthew in more gentle termes he that loveth father or mother son or daughter more then God is not worthy of him that is when their commands contradict Gods they must reject them The law saith that we must love the Lord with all our heart with all our mind with all our strength and with all our soul. As the heart is said improperly to beleeve so is the minde said no lesse improperly to love yet here love is ascribed to all parts and faculties which must all concur to the love of God either directly or by consequence either per actum olicitum or imperatum as the Schools speak Saint Bernard hath this meditation Quia fecisti me ideo me tibi debeo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cum renovasti quantum Dicto me fecisti sed renovasti me multis dictis factis passis The remaking cost more then the making and with this second making came the gift of God himself Nisi dedisset se saith the same father non reddidisset te Si me solum mihi reddidisset potui me illi denuo at cumse mihi quid illi reddam If he had given me to my self I could have given my self to him again but giving himself to me if I would give my self to him a thousand times it were not sufficient recompence for such a gift Yet this is to our comfort which he addes Etiam si non possum amare ultra quod possum si possim velim et si minus reddo quia minor sum quia tamen tota anima diligit 〈◊〉 deest ubi totum est Although I could not love beyond my ability yet if I could I would and if I render lesse because I am lesse yet because I love with all my soul I want nothing which is all that God requireth and we must labour to attain to Now for the negative part 1. The first thing forbiden is Dilectie inordinata 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Saint Basil calleth it a disordered love whereas God should stand highest in our love and ought to have the first place and nothing should be loved extra Deum and yet we love other things more then God or not with subordination to God then our love is out of order It hath been said that not onely the committing of evil but desertio meliorum the leaving of that which is best is sinne so is it in the love of God if we leave the better and make choice of the worse it is sin whether it be to make our belly our god or earthly things or to bestow the honour due to God upon our selves primatum gerere to usurpe a primacie above God in these cases our love is out of order For pro deo colitur quicquid praecaeteris 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 amor meus Deus meus whatsoever is loved above other things is worshipped as God for what we love best that is our God Every man hath something that he preferres before all other and that is indeed his Idoll rather then his God This exorbitant and irregular love is of two sorts Amor mundi or Amor sui love of the world and love of a mans self 1. For the love of the world S. Augustine saith Si possimus homines excitare et cum 〈◊〉 pariter excitari ut possemus esse amatores vitae permanentis quales quotidie videmus vitae fugientis his wish is that we were as forward to love the world to come as we are to affect this present transitory world The Philosophers say that the soul of man is placed in loco medio inter Deume 〈◊〉 creatur as hath a middle place between God and the creatures And that which stands in the midst of two things cannot move to both but motibus contrariis by contrarie motions Certainly this is the case of the soul it standeth so in regard of God and the world and cannot move to both but by contrary motions Now because through the corruption of original sinne the soul is a based it apprehendeth worldly things best because they are neer et illis nos ingurgitamiss we fill our selves so with them that we have no tast of heavenly things according to that of the wiseman Anima saturata calcabit 〈◊〉 the full fed despiseth the hony comb And therefore to correct this humour we must jejunare fast and weane our selves from the world for if we glut and cram our souls with worldly pleasures we can have no tast of God and so come to despise or neglect him 2. Besides this there is amor sui self love and this is harder to represse then the other and it is that wherewith men are wilfully infected and till a great measure of the spirit poslesse their hearts they will not be able to rid themselves of it and therefore it is that Prosper saith Amantes donantur sibi these men that over love themselves are given up to themselves
all the nations of the world be blessed with diverse other of the like nature He also fulfilled the ceremonialls of the Law while he being Priest offered himself as a sacrifice Besides he spiritually circumciseth beleevers by substituting Baptisme instead of Circumcision He is our Passeover and appointed the Eucharist instead of the Paschal Lambe and indeed he is the full complement and perfection of the Law and the Prophets 2. Christ fulfilled the Law by satisfying in most absolute manner the will of God being the holy of holies without spot or sin at all for in him is the love of God most perfect and righteousnesse most absolute And this in regard of the merit and satisfaction thereof he communicates gratis freely to us most imperfect to us I say if we beleeve God was in Christ saith Saint Paul reconciling the world to him not imputing their trespasses to them for he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him So Abraham beleeved and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse For by faith we rely upon Christ whom we beleeve to have made satisfaction most fully to God for us and that God is so pleased with us in Christ that he accepts us as now become the Sons of God 3. But this faith by which we beleeve in Christ is not by our nature or merits but is wrought in us by Gods grace through the Spirit given into our hearts And this abiding there enflames them with love of Gods Law and desire to expresse the same by good works which though we do not perform as we ought by reason of the infirmity of our flesh yet God allowes our endeavours in Christ. Nor did ever any of the Saints though he strove and resolved to keep the Law as far as he could trust or rely upon his own merits but upon Christ. Saint Paul did not for he complained Who shall deliver me out of this body of death and presently addeth I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord that is I thank him that he hath redeemed me from death by Jesus Christ. And it follows There 's now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus c. So that a faithful man moved by Gods Spirit to do that which is good as far as he is able and as the second covenant requires and that out of love of God and not onely for fear of the Curies threatned in the Law may be said to fulfill the Law in such manner that God in Christ accepts of him So much in answer to the first question To the second why God would promise life to them that should keep the Law seeing no man can keep it in a legal and exact manner we answer 1. First besides that it may be doubted whether God doth offer or promise life now otherwise then upon the conditions of the Gospel which may be kept some do further answer that God sheweth hereby that he abides the same and the Law still the same though we be changed from what he made us 2. Secondly Hereby man seeth his own weaknesse and is driven out of himself to seek Christ. For as the Apostle saith if there had been a Law given which could have given life verily righteousnesse should have been by the Law But the Scripture hath concluded all men under sin that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that beleeve 3. Because Christ took on him our nature and dying for us hath purchased the promised inheritance to be communicated to us by faith and new obedience or sanctification 4. Lastly Though man cannot keep the Law exactly yet upon his faith in Christ and his resolution and indeavour to keep the Law and actual keeping of it by the assistance of Gods grace so as is above declared God accepteth of him in Christ and takes the will for the deed in some things and accounts him righteous and makes good the promise unto him CHAP. XVIII Of the preparation before the giving of the Law 1. To make them willing by consideration of 1. his benefits 2. Gods right as Lord 3. Their relation as Creatures 〈◊〉 4. that they are his people His benefits past and promised Three 〈◊〉 to love 1. Beauty 2. Neernesse 3. Benefits all in God 2 To make them able by sanctifying and cleansing themselves That ceremonial washing signifyed our spiritual cleansing How we came to be polluted How we must be cleansed Why they were not to come at their wives Of the danger and abuse of things lawful 3. That they might not run too far bounds were set Of curiosity about things unnecessary Now concerning the Preparation to the hearing of the Law THough in the Preface something hath been said concerning the preparation of the Catechumeni upon the words venite auscultate yet before we come to the particular explication of the Law we shall further adde some thing in this place about our preparation to the hearing of it For we can receive no benefit at Gods hands if we be not prepared for it God himself commanded the people to prepare themselves before the hearing of the Law and so of the Gospel also Prepare ye the way of the Lord saith the Baptist And to these adde that the primitive Church appointed Vesperas diei Dominici Vespers of the Lords day and so they had for other holy dayes and solemn feasts and to the solemnest Sunday Easter day they prepared fourty dayes before And forasmuch as the Sacrament is an appendix of the word and the seal of it surely we cannot be excused if we prepare our selves for the one and not for the other The Preacher gives this advise Keep thy foot look to thy self when thou goest into the house of the Lord. And again we ought to know that preparation is as necessarily required of the Hearer as of the Speaker Now this preparation consists of three things or means The first means to preparation is to make the people willing to hear the Law and that is grounded upon the speech of God to the Israelites in Exodus Ye have seen saith he what I have done unto the Egyptians and how I bare you on Eagles wings And a little after Go to the people and sanctifie them to day and to morrow and let them wash their cloathes And let them be ready against the third day And Thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about the Mount saying Take heed unto your selves c. In which words there are three things prescribed and the fourth is implyed by circumstance 1. The will in every action is to precede the people were to be made willing to hear and receive the message that was to be delivered And therefore to make them willing God in the first place gives them a catalogue of his Benefits and goodnesse So that one way to stir us and our will
Captivity of the North it is said The dayes come saith the Lord that it shall be no more said the Lord liveth that brought up the children out of the land of Egypt But the Lord liveth that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the North. And this title lasted to the time of Christ. sixtly The last is prophecied by Jer. Jehovah justitia nostra the Lord our Righteousnes and so by the Apostle Christus justitia nostra Christ our righteousnesse and God the father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now this great benefit being not fully six weeks before the Law delivered it must needs stick close to their memory and being in the wildernesse where they were wholly to depend upon God and his protection so that as well in regard of the remembrance of the late benefits and the hope of future assistance as of the place where they could not depend at all upon themselves it was both a fit time and place to give them a Law and then they were more fit to receive it in as much as it could not well be given in Egypt for thence they were unwilling to go nor in Canaan for there they murmured against God it was most fit it should be given here for their delivery was not that they should be Masters but Servants And all these pertain to us for though it be true Non obligamur Legi propter Sinai sed propter paradisum when it was first given to all the sons of Adam and though God gave this Law to one Nation to stir up others to emulation as the Gentiles were taken into Covenant afterwards to provoke the Jews to jealousie yet this is also true that there are none of those his titles but much more appertain to us who have means of better performance as having received greater benefits and our faith grounded upon better promises 1. Jehovah The excellency of this Name to us is in respect of the ordination of a new Covenant the Gospel which as the Scripture speaks is the better Covenant because it was established upon better promises for Insemine tuo benedicentur omnes nationes terrae in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed is a better promise then Semini tuo dabo terram Canaan to thy seed will I give the land of Canaan We have clearer promises of eternal life and a greater measure of sanctification of the spirit then they had 2. Deus tuus thy God As we are included with them in the first so in the second title we have part and interest in them both for he is our God by Covenant as well as theirs by a Covenant of mercy and grace 3. Qui eduxi c. which brought thee c. For this third how far greater dangers are we delivered from then they From the sting of Conscience fom sin from death how much do the Devil and his Angels passe the power and malice of Pharaoh and his task-masters Hell and Gehenna the Lime-kills the torments of Hell without number the bricks with number and as much as these everlasting pains passe those temporal so much doth our deliverance exceed theirs The Apostle saith that God hath delivered us from the power of darknesse and from the wrath to come And in another place that he hath abolished death In this world he hath freed us from errours which the most part of the world fall into He hath delivered us 1. from the justice of God 2. from the terrour of the Law 3. from the sting of Conscience 4. from sin 5. from death 6. from Hell 7. from the Devil and his Angels 8. from the Spiritual Egypt 9. from the Egypt of this world c. Now as God hath titles so have we He Jehovah we vile Creatures He our God we his servants He which hath delivered us we which have been delivered by him from sin c. from a thousand dangers Audi Israel hear O Is ael saith he Speak Lord for thy servants hear must we say and not onely be his Auditors but his servants least we be made servants to sin Sathan and the world and so be made to know the difference between his service and the service of other Masters CHAP. II. The division of the Decalogue How divided by the Jews 〈◊〉 Christians Addition 6. That the four fundamental articles of all Religion are implyed in the four first precepts Of rules for expounding the Decalogue Six rules of extent 1. The affirmative implies the negative and e contrà 2When any thing is commanded or forbidden all of the same nature are included 3 The inward act of the soul is forbidden or commanded by the outward 4. The means conducing are included in every precept 5. The consequents and signes 6 We must not onely observe the precept our selves but cause it to be kept by others least we partake of other mens sins which is 1. Jubendo by commanding 2 Permittendo by tolleration 3. 〈◊〉 by provocation 4 Suadendo by perswasion 5 〈◊〉 by consenting 6. Defendendo by maintaining 7. Scandalum praebendo by giving scandal VVE divided the Law into a stile and a Charge the first hath been handled The charge remains whereof we will now speak And this is contained in the ten words which we commonly call the ten commandments So doth Moses as well to deter men from presuming to adde any more in which respect God wrote both sides of the Tables full to prevent the adding to them as also to take from man the excuse of being so many that his memory could not bear them They being but few whereas those of the heathen are infinite These ten for better order and memory sake receive a division from the subject and are divided according to the two Tables which our Saviour in his answer to the Lawyer divideth according to the objects God and Man And this is not his own division onely we finde it in the time of the Law Our duty towards God is set down in Deuteronomy Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy hea t and with al thy soul and with all thy might Our duty towards man in Leviticus Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self From both which places this division of of our Saviour hath its ground Now because love is so often repeated S. Paul makes the end of the Law to be love And in another place after he hath recapitulated the Law he reduceth it to this Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self for our love proceeding and ascending up to God when we descend and come to our Neighbour it is but a reverberation of the love we have to God and every reverberation or reflexion presupposeth a direct beam so that every man that loves his Neighbour hath God first in his direct motion as the immediate and direct object of his love and then his Neighbour in
next chapter he makes his prayer to God for it This prayer is also set down in the book of the kings and which is more the text saith that the speech 〈◊〉 the Lord that Solomon had asked this thing When we have attained to knowledge we must as is required in Deut. 1. bring it into our heart that is past the brain 2. we must whet or Catechize our children for Catechizing in the principles must be diligently observed 3. We must talk of Gods statutes that is use conference 4. We must write them which includes also reading both fruitful 5. We must binde them before our eyes which implyes meditation 6. We must bind it about our hands a thing unusual in these dayes but yet as in physick it is a rule per brachiam fit judicium de corde The pulse comes from the heart to the hands so in Divinity by the arm practise and excercise is meant and this is to binde it on our armes It is a good way to make a conscience to practise what we know Saint Bernard saith Quod datur 〈◊〉 quod aperitur 〈◊〉 id exerce practise what we have attained by prayer and industry for the contrary not practising what we know brings coecitates poenales for illicitas cupiditates The heathen man saith that he that hath an habit of Justice shall be able to say more of it then he that hath a perfect speculation of all the Ethicks So the meanest man that hath practised his knowledge shall be able to say more of God and Religion then the most learned that hath not practised It is in divinity as in other things Exercitium signum est 〈◊〉 and so signum scientiae practise is the signe of power and so of knowledge It is a true saying that the best rule to judge of the Consequence is by the Antecedent as if fear be wanting there can be no Love if love be away there can be no obedience but especially if humility be wanting there can be no saving knowledge Saint Augustines prayer was Domine noverim te noverim me and adds that no man knows God that knoweth not himself And vera scientia non facit 〈◊〉 exultantem sed lamentantem True knowledge puffs not up but dejects a man and the Heathen man could say Inter sapientes sapientior qui 〈◊〉 he is the wisest among the wise that is humblest and he that hath a conceit of himself can never come to kowledge Aristotle in his Metaphysiks saith Scientis est ordinare he is wise that can order his doings prefer every thing according to order as in divinity knowledge of God which brings life eternal should be prefered before other knowledge which brings onely temporal profit But we do contrary for it is a common order with us as to prefer private profit before publick so to place temporal things before eternal and the knowledge of the one before the knowledge of the other which is a signe that our knowledge is not rightly ordered The Apostle saith we must not be children in knowledge that is carried away with every false winde of doctrine but must be rooted and grounded that we may be stedfast in the truth not clouds without water carried away with every winde as Saint Jude hath it and like waves of the sea that is carried with the tide here with the ebbe and there with the flood as it is in our times The last rule is we must not hinder knowledge in others either by authority commandment permission or counsel but provoke others to it and increase it in them as much can be Our knowledge must be to help others and that three wayes 1. In teaching them that are ignorant 2. In satisfying them that doubt and strengthning them that waver 3. In comforting the distressed and afflicted conscience And thus much for knowledge the first duty of the minde CHAP. VII The second Inward vertue Commanded in the first precept is faith Reasons for the necessity of faith Addition 8. Concerning the evidence of faith and Freedome of assent The certainty of faith Of unbeleif Addition 9. Concerning the nature of faith means of beleeving Of Trust in God for things temporal The trial of our trust six signes of faith THe next inward vertue of the minde is faith This supposes a knowledge of the object or things to be beleeved which being propounded sufficiently as credible our assent thereto is called faith which rests upon divine authority though it see not the proper reasons to enforce assent for seeing we cannot by meer natural reason attain sufficient knowledge of supernatural truthes but that divine revelation is needfull therefore besides natural knowledge faith is necessary which reecives them for this authority of the speaker To explain this There is in every proposition an affirmation or a denial 1. Sometimes a man holdeth neither part because he sees that equall reasons may be brought on both sides and that is called doubting 2. If we encline to one part yet so as we feare the reasons of the other part may be true then it is called Opinion As Agrippa was almost perswaded to be a Christian 3. If we consent to one part that is called kowledge which goes beyond both the other and arises from evidence and assurance of the truth Knowledge is threesold 1. By sense 2. By discourse of reason 3. By relation of other men and this is properly faith 1. Knowledge by sense is such as was that of Josephs brethren that had seen him before they sold him into Egypt and therefore knew him 2. Knowledge by discourse Such as Jacobs was when he saw the chariots come out of Egypt he conceived straightway that his son was alive 3. That by relation of others as Jacob knew that his son yet lived when his sons told him so 1. For the first when a thing cannot be present to the sense then must we rely upon the third Relation The Queen of Sheba did first heare of Solomons wisdome in her own land before she came and heard him her self 2. For point of reason ther 's nothing absent from that but that which is supernatural and above our understanding when a thing exceedeth the capacity of meer natural reason without divine illumination as we see in Nicodemus a great Rabbi in Israel For concerning mysteries in religion the Apostle saith out of the prophet eye hath not seen or eare heard nor hath it entered into the heart of man that is they exceed both the capacity of the sense and reason and therefore we must come to the third way which is by faith for as Job speaks God is great and we know him not neither 〈◊〉 the number of his years be 〈◊〉 therefore it must necessarily follow Nisi credider it is non stabiliemini as the Prophet assures us if ye will not beleeve ye shall not be established And yet this restrains us not so far but
a man have a taste of Gods mercy in the remission of his sins The Prophet David being before cast down presently saith Verily God hath heard me he hath attended to the voice of my prayer S. Augustine asketh how David knew this and answereth himself habuit gustum aliquem divinorum he had some taste that God had forgiven him his sins 3. The third is when a man continueth in a patient waiting of Gods leisure as King David did 〈◊〉 till God came to him he would walk in a perfect heart and take no wicked thing in hand O when wilt thou come unto me saith he I will walk within my house with a perfect heart 1. The signes of true thankfulnesse likewise are diverse The first is when a man feeleth himself filled with marrow and fatnesse as rapt with consideration of Gods favours and benefits 2. When a man is jealous of his own ingratitude that after his cleansing he wallow no more in sin and lest he make himself uncapable of Gods hearing his prayer for any more mercies 3. When beneficia become veneficia when his benefits charm us and make us withstand strong temptations as Joseph did though his Mistris tempted him very strongly yet he answered her My Master hath done this and this for me how can I then do this great wickednesse and sin against God This is a great signe that a man is truely thankful unto God that when God hath bestowed his benefits upon him he is the more careful thereby not to break his law 4. The last signe is when we defer not our thanks A type of this was in the law The sacrifice of thanksgiving was to be eaten the same day not kept longer No procrastination of thanks Nihil citius senescit gratia nothing grows old sooner then thanks Now concerning the sixth rule as in the former we are to procure this duty to be performed by others 1. Saul when he should have betaken himself to prayer thought the enemies came too fast and not only layed away the ephod himself but willed the Priest to withdraw his hand it is noted by the holy Ghost to Sauls infamy Therefore as we are to avoid all impediments to our selves so are we not to discourage others with them in Job Who is the Almighty that we should serve him and what profit should we have if we pray to him One of the Fathers maketh this answer Beneficium projicitur ingrato collocatur grato a good turn is cast away upon an unthankful man but bestowed upon a thankful person He is kinde unto the unthankful and evil 2. And as we must not hinder others so for the affirmative part the invitation we have Davids and it is in the beginning of our Liturgie O come let us sing unto the Lord. O come let us worship and fall down And O praise the Lord with me and let us magnifie his name together But especially in the hundred fourty eighth Psalm he is not contented onely to the company of men in this duty but dragons snow fire and all creatures not that they could praise the Lord but that there is not the basest creature of them all that had not cause enough to praise the Lord if they could And thus much for prayer CHAP. XII The seventh vertue required is Love of God That God is to be loved Of mercenary and free Love The excellency of Love The measure of Love The opposites to the Love of God 1. Love of the world 2 self-Self-love 3 Stupidity 4. Loathing of God All the motives of Love are eminently in God 1. Beauty 2. Propinquity 3. Benefits bestowed Six signes of Love Of drawing others to Love God THe next duty is Love The same which the Apostle saith of the Law to have been for a time till the promised seed came may be said concerning the other affections and their actions that they were onely till the love of God came of which the Fathers say that occupare amorem to have love in us drowneth all other affections For we have fear first and being delivered from that we feared we love and being heard in what we hope and pray for we love God and say with the Prophet dilexi quia audivit c. I love the Lord because he hath heard my voice There is a coherence between love and prayer We have formerly said that to enjoy and have a thing we are first to know it and the knowledge of it breeds in us a true estimate of it and the estimate of a thing makes us love it so habere Deum est scire to possesse God is to know him and this knowledge breeds a true estimate of God whereupon we love him for according to our estimation our love is more or lesse to that we have These affections of fear and hope are for this end that when God hath bestowed on us the things we either fear to lose or hope to enjoy we may the better esteem of them For as cito data vilescunt we sleight those things which are easily got when we can but ask and have so the things we have felt the want of so long and for which we have been humbled when they come we will the better regard them and love him the better for them The object of love is bonum in which the very natural reason of man hath found two properties viz. that it is 1. Communicative 2. Attractive 1. Every good is desirous to communicate it self to as many as are willing and meet to partake of it As we see in the Sun and other celestial bodies in the natural elements so there is in God a quality of desiring to communicate his goodnesse and indeed it was the cause why he created all things to have a church and to shew his glory and mercy on it So that the minde of man seeing this nature in God consequently hath a desire to it and that desire goeth so far till it come to a conjunction and that to an union ita conjungi 〈◊〉 uniantur because by the union of two good things there will come good to the desirer which he had not before and whereby he is made better 2. Secondly it hath vim attractivam It hath been said that if inferiour things be coupled and united with things of more excellent nature they are thereby made more noble As a potsheard being covered with gold As on the other side things which are excellent being joyned with viler are made more abject as the minde of man with inferiour creatures And there can be nothing which can make the minde more transcendent then the conjunction of it with that which in it self is all good and containeth all good things and that for ever and from hence ariseth this attractive property and force for in every good there is that force which allureth And therefore to shew us this good it is nececessary that faith and knowledge precede
are to love for every benefit then are we not tied to love him that dedit filium gave his Son for a price et spiritum and his spirit for a pledge et servat se tantum in praemium and reserved himself onely for a crown or reward of the love we shall afford him If we know not his crio let the Oxe and the Asse reach us Now the proper signes of love are patience and obedience which are also the proper effects of love of which we shall speak afterwards Others handle them more particularly and distinguish them by six several signes 1. The first is if the heart be well affected towards God by often thinking of him for our Saviour tells us where our treasure is or that which we love there wil be our hearts also By our hearts our love will be known and by the thoughts of our heart we may know what we love what we think of most We have an example of this in Saint Mark Our Saviour taught his disciples to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees now because their thoughts ran upon bread which they had forgotten to take into the ship they conceived that Christ warned them from bread for if a mans minde be set upon any thing above other he thinketh that is meant when ought is spoken that may be taken that way So then it is a signe of our love to God when we think upon him Thoughts are of three sorts 1. A deep thought 2. A long thought 3. A thought often repeated Cogitatio profunda continuata crebra 1. Profunda cogitatio This deep thought was especially in those saints of God when it was so deep that in recounting the mercies of God the matter of their love they seemed to be in an extasie 2. Continuata cogitatio As in secular matters old age is continually thinking upon wealth youth upon pastime and the like so if our thoughts be continued upon God though they be not deep yet they are a good signe of love 3. When a man hath neither long nor deep thoughts yet if his thoughts be crebrae often though they be not extaticall nor continual but with some intermission they signifie that the love of God hath taken root in us 2. A second signe is if we esteem well of the pledges of that party to whom we seem to bear affection if we account of those earnests which he hath left us as King David I love thy Law When a man loves the very pledges that he leaves as the Word Sacraments and prayer as it is on the contrary an ill token to neglect them It was accounted a great pledge of Gods favour to have primo-genituram and Esau is called by the Apostle a profane person or one that loved not God for setting his love so upon his brothers pottage to love his belly so much as to neglect the pledge of birthright and sell it 3. When we earnestly desire the presence of him we love for as the Heathen said ubi amor ibi oculus where the heart is there will the eye be and if we cannot see the party yet if we have his picture our eye will not be of it Now because we walk here by faith and not by sight it is a sign of our love to God to desire his presence and to behold him in his Ordinances the Word and Sacraments to behold his picture as in all the creatures so especially in his servants in whom his image is renewed Davids delight was in those that excel'd in vertue 4. Where there is love we will readily forgo what is dear to us to enjoy what we desire Thus Esau did part with his right of primogeniture the best thing he had the pledge of Gods favour for Jacobs pottage Genesis 25. 30. so well did he love his belly If we then can accept of any condition be it never so hard which may set or keep us in Gods favour it is a good signe we love him 5. The fifth signe as the former falls into desiderium which is a grief for Gods absence from us for the desire of that we love not being accomplished turns to grief and makes us break out into passion with the Prophet When shall I come to appear before the presence of God Saint Gregory saith it is inauditus amor a love unheard of for a man to love one and not to desire his company So that he which desireth to live here and not to be dissolved with the Apostle hath no love These are signes of that part of love which is called desiderium desire now follow the signes of that part of love which is gaudium joy 1. The first is alacritas cheerfulnesse in doing or suffering for the party we love an especial signe of love when a man hath gladnesse in his heart no lesse joy for encrease of spirituall things then the worldly man hath of a good harvest When Jacob had served Laban seven yeers for Rachel they seemed but a few dayes for the love he had to her If we can do thus in the service of God it is a signe we love him But if a man count Gods service a burden and be weary of it thinking one hour three which is spent in it surely he hath no joy nor delight in God and by consequence no love 2. When the affection of love is truely setled the Philosopher saith Quod cupis habere times perdere cuicunque cupis conjungi ab eo times separari thou art afraid to lose that thou desirest to have and art afraid to be severed from him that thou desirest to be joyned with Now if a mans heart bear him witnesse that he is fearful of sin as that which may separate him from God it is a good signe of love On the other side when with Pilate we have a good minde to save Christ but fearing the disfavour of Caesar for so doing he did it not it is a signe of his want of true love to Christ. Timor occupat omnes affectiones fear runs through all the affections Pilates fear of offendig Caesar shewed he loved his favour before Christs for all the affections discover love Demetrius the Silver-smith was afraid that the craft he loved for the benefit he reaped by it should be put down he raised a sedition and so preferred his gain before the safety of the state thereby discovering what he loved best 3. It is much you would think that grief should be another signe of joy but so it is in the case of Gods love as fear of loosing his favour so grief when we have lost the sense of it If we be grieved when we perceive sensibly a defect of our former comfort and vigor of spirit in the love of God it is a sign that we loved him The young man in the Gospel Luke 18. 23. was grieved to part with his possessions for Christ which shewed that he loved them before
God and marvellous carefull in examining all circumstances when they exhort to any thing that agrees not with our worldly interests lest haply we should be seduced but in hearing the world and our own hearts where most peril is we are most secure and carelesse Hence it is that we yeeld partial obedience to God onely in what we like or in what crosses not our carnal ends and desires which Bernard calls deliratam obedientiam a nice obedience To sit an hour and heare a sermon and receive the sacrament and such outward performances we see no harm in them but in those things which the world or our own hearts do obloqui speak against we are ready to yeeld and hearken to them and to say with Cushai though he had been David servant and subject before yet now whomsoever this people shall choose his will I be and him will I serve we will hearken to God for a time but so as we will follow the world and our desires when they contradict what God requires this we must specially take heed of we must so obey God as to gainsay his gainsayers our obedience must be sincere without mixture we cannot serve God and Mammon The last thing commanded is the measure and quality of this obedience It must be ready and willing a Saint Bernard saith though contra voluntatem yet ex voluntate cheerefully Saint Paul commends the Romanes that they obeyed from the heart and therefore Saint Gregory saith Obedientia non servili metu sed charitatis affecta servanda est non timore poenae sed amore dei obedience is to be performed not with servile feare but the affection of love not for feare of punishment but for the love of God for there is Obedientia coacta a constrained obedience The people were content to be obedient yet grumbled at the Burden of the Lord. But what saith God For this obedience he would forsake them he would punish them and the Burden of the Lord should be no more in their mouthes for Amor erubescit nomine difficultatis love blushes at the name of difficulty And Saint Bernard saith in Gods case non attendit verus obediens quale sit quod praecipieur hoe solo contentus quia praecipitur A true obedient man regards not what kinde of thing is commanded being content with this onely that it is commanded The disciples upon Christs preaching upon the Sacrament said Durus est hic sermo this is a hard saying There is an obedience in the Devils they came out of the possessed but with great reluctancy and grudging So they that obey not cheerefully shew what that kinde of obedience is like That which is durus sermo to others and a burden the Psalmist counted sweeter then the honey combe Psalm 119. Now Gods ayme and scope in this point is that we performe our obedience to his commands though they be hard it must not be like that of Sauls we must not spare it in the great and performe it in the least if we do our sacrifice will not be accepted for he spared the best and fattest of the cattell and offered the worst in sacrifice The thing forbidden as opposite to obedience is disobedience the nature of which sinne we may conceive if we consider what it is compared to and behold it in the effects which it produces 1. It is compared to the sinne of witchcraft or the sinne of divination as it is in the Hebrew and to the abomination of the Teraphim as it is in the Hebrew or iniquity and idolatrie as we read it 1. To witchcraft or the sinne of divination because as men forsake God when they seek to witches and diviners so men renounce God by disobedience and hearken to Sathans instruments the world and their own corrupt hearts and likewise as witches do not alwayes give true and certain answers but often deceive those that trust to them so disobedience to God deceives men in their hopes of worldly things which they think to gain by not hearkening to God as in this example of Saul he disobeyed God out of feare of the people lest they should have deprived him of his kingdom which he thought to establish by pleasing the people when as his disobedience like a witch deceived him for thereby he lost his kingdom because thou hast cast away the word of the Lord therefore the Lord hath cast off thee from being king saith Samuel 2. To the abomination of the Teraphim which were images or idols like the dii Penates the houshold Gods of the Romans These they set up in the secret corners of their houses and worshipped in private though in the temple they pretended to worship none but God so men prosesse Obedience to God in the Church in the sight of men but in their domestick and worldly affaires they obey mammon and follow their own hearts disobeying God 2. Consider it in the effects which are all the curses of God denounced against the disobedient His curse whose maledicere is malefacere as his benedicere is benefacere for his curse and his blessing are effectuall and operative is due especially to the sinne of disobedience for it is a thing most reprochful to God for any to account his commandments hard and unjust as all disobedient persons do as the evil servant that said of his Master I knew thou wast a hard man reaping where thou sowest not A signe of Gods curse is the Rainbow which not onely minds us of the covenant but also of the general deluge whereby God punished the disobedience of the old world but especially death that passeth upon all is properly ascribed by the Apostle to this sinne of disobedience And as Saint Bernard observes our daily experience tells us as much for Quotidie experimur quotidie enim morimur we finde it true every day because we die daily Besides as God observes a proportion in his punishments so here in this sinne by that wherein we sinne by that we are punished for as we withdraw our obedience from God so the creatures withdraw their obedience from us neither are we punished onely by disobedience without us for this sinne but also by disobedience with in us the two Laws of the members and of the minde are opposite our affections will not be subject to reason because we disobey our Creator Thus we see the nature of disobedience in general Now for the kinds in particular we know that disobedience is compared to a path in which we are to walk not turning to the right hand or to the left so that there is a right hand way and a way to the left hand The heart of a wiseman is on his right hand but the heart of a fool is on his left hand From which places the Fathers make two kindes of disobedience by turning to the right hand and to the left which they expound thus 1. There is Probabilis
to the 1000 generation the threatning extends onely to the third and fourth The object of his mercy such as love him Our love must be manifested by keeping his Commandments How they must be kept The benefit they will keep and preserve us THe Commination or Punishment we see in the Psalm Thou hast rebuked the proud that are cursed which do erre from thy Commandements The Curse In this last part which is the Promise of Reward the Apostle tells us that exceeding great and precious promises are given to us whereby we are partakers of the divine nature Under this promise of mercy are contained all the benefits and blessings of God all other promises are included in this this is the fountain of all the rest if we partake of his mercy we shall want nothing that 's good for us The commination was like the smoking upon mount Sinai terrible and dreadfull this like the dew descending upon mount Sion brings blessing and everlasting life blessed and comfortable This promise is mercy for under this name he propoundeth the reward Now God hath a reward for evilas well as for good For the first Samuel tells Saul Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord therefore the Lord hath rejected thee There was his reward for evill And for the last a cup of cold water given out of a pious and charitable intent hath also its reward A reward of good And it is well worth the noting under what word and by what name this Reward is promised which is under the name of mercy for without it we were in an 〈◊〉 case even the best of us they that doe his work best We are unprofitable servants all we can do is not worth so much as thanks so that he promiseth meerly in mercy and though his visitation be in justice yet his reward is gratuita ex misericordia non merito free without any respect but his own mercy not our merit merces ex 〈◊〉 non ex merito and therefore not to be pleaded in any court of justice There 's nothing ascribed to our merit Sowe saith God by the Prophet to your selves in righteousnesse reap not in justice but in mercy So the Apostle Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous judge shall give me He 〈◊〉 it to be of Gods gift It is Gods mercy then and in this one thing are comprehended all rewards privative and positive His mercy is great towards us in delivering our soules from the nethermost hell And it is of his mercy that we are not consumed All rivers flow from this It is fundatrix nostra it layes our foundation of happines in blessings preventing as also in blessings following And it is Coronatrix nostra for he crowneth us with loving kindnes and tender mercies He could have said in this as in the Commination visitans visiting the Prophet David prayed for no more Behold and visit this vine And old Zachary took it for a great blessing that God had visited his people But God is so good to us that he thinks it not enough It is justice onely that is a visitation an act intermitted 1. His mercy is a continual work to shew that there 's no intermission in his work of mercy but he continues every day doing good to us which is the first degree of it 2. The second degree of it is that the stripes of his justice are but 3. or 4. which in it self is mercy his justice is restrained to the fourth generation but his mercy is a thousand fold it is extended to the thousandth generation so that the proportion of his mercy exceeds that of his justice 250. times to shew that his delight is more in exercising the works of mercy then of justice his mercy rejoyceth or triumpheth over judgement The one being Opus proprium his own work the other Opus alienum a worke that is strange to him He wil save Sodome if but ten righteous men may be found in it and Jerusalem for one Davids sake Nay he bids them run through that City and if they can finde but one just man in it he will save it But to whom is this mercy promised even to them that love God and to none other And this love must have some proportion with Gods love It must be regulated by his Now the manner of Gods love is set forth to us under the name of jealousy And he makes it no little part of punishment when he withdraws his jealousy from a people Therefore this mercy is promised to them that are jealous for him He is jealous for us we should be jealous for him We should say with Elias 〈◊〉 zelatus sum I have been very jealous for the Lord zelantes potius quam amantes Our zeal for him should even consume us with the kingly Prophet Now there is a fained and a true love and therefore the Apostle directs us to it which is the true and gives a mark of it Not in word but in deed and truth what the deed is to be we finde by our Saviours speech If ye love me keep my Commandments even the same which God speaks here The affection of this love is seen by the effects God lets us see his mercy by the effects of it which is faciens by performing it So must our love be discovered by keeping his Law Saint Ambrose saith est zelus ad vitam et est zelus ad mortem ad vitam zelus est divina praecepta servare et amore nominis ejus custodire mandata There is a zeal to life and a zeal to death that to life is when we observe Gods laws and for the loue of his name keep his Commandments A true keeper is he which preserveth things carefully which are committed to his charge God needs not our keeping as we do need his he is able to keep himselfe but our love must be shewed in keeping 1. mandata his Commandments 2. minimos istos his little ones what we doe to one of them he wil account it as done to himself Mat. 25. 45. And 3. we must esteem them worth the keeping as David did Psal. 119. 10. 72. The office of a keeper is to preserve what is committed to him that it be not lost or cast away or broken but kept sound till his coming that gave it in charge There 's a heavy sentence in the Gospel against the breakers of them They must not be contemned or cast behinde us nor may we lose or forget them we may see Gods judgement against Ahab for the losse of them Now we shall keep them the better if we make a true estimate of them And King David tells us they are worth the having They are more to be desired then gold saith he yea then much fine gold and in
be placed among the ten Commandments One of the Fathers upon the words Nunquid Saul 〈◊〉 inter Prophetas Is Saul also among the Prophets saith that Saul being no Prophet by profession est heterogeneus of another kinde and an irregular person among the Prophets so it will fall out to be against order for a meer ceremonial Precept to stand in the midst of moral Commandments For every ceremony or type of the Law is as it was a foretelling of something in the Gospel so it must be referred to the Gospel as the shadow to the body And indeed no typical ceremonies are in their own nature for the type or ceremony is to cease when the substance comes as the shadow when the body appears But this Commandment for the substance of it continues in the time of the Gospel 3. Thirdly this being a principle that the Law of Moses expressed in the Decalogue is nothing but the Law of nature revived and the Law of nature being a resemblance of Gods image If we say this precept is in its substance ceremonial then we must also say that in the image of God something is ceremonial not to abide but for a time onely but all things in him and in his image are eternal according to his Nature 4. In the Law of grace Christ delivering the sum of the ten Commandments to the Scribes and Pharisees Thou shalt love the Lord c. there 's no question but that it is the sum of the Decalogue and therefore therein is included the religious observation of the Sabbath and so it will be for the substance moral as the love of God is in which it is contained or else our Saviour had delivered an imperfect sum 5. Again it is dangerous to hold that any precept in the Decalogue is ceremonial for by this the Papists as Parisius and Politianus will bring another of them to be so and will say that the second Commandment concerning images is ceremonial and then why not three as well as two and so four and five and all The best way therefore to hold the duties eternall and to keep them without blemish is to deny that any of these ten precepts is ceremonial in the substance or nature of the Commandment but that they are plainly moral 6. To come to the time of the Gospel We hold that all typical ceremonies of the law are ended and abrogated by Christs death Then if the day of rest be not abrogated by his death it is not a meer Ceremony or ceremonial And that it is not is plain by our Saviour himself for his denouncing the destruction of Jerusalem bids them pray that their calamity fall not in the winter nor on the Sabbath day Now we know that Jerusalem was destroyed many years after Christs death when all ceremonies were ended Therefore if Christ knew that the Sabbath as a ceremony should be wholly abrogated by his death his counsel might well have bin spared that they should pray that their flight might not be on the Sabbath day Matth. 24. 20. which if it had been quite abolished should have been no day Again in things meerly ceremonia ' there is not commutatio a change but abrogatio an abrogating of them wholly but we see in this matter of the Sabbath there is commutatio not abrogatio the Lords day is appointed instead of the Sabbath but no total abrogation of the Sabbath Thus the seals of the Covenant though they had something typical yet being in their general nature moral therefore they are changed but not quite abrogated whereas in things meerly typical there 's no maner of commutation but they are clean taken away for Christ having broken down the partition wall Ephes. 2. 14 15. hath wholly taken away the law of ordinances c. But it is manifest that instead of the Jews seventh day another seventh day was ordained in the Apostles dayes therefore as the ministery and seals of the Covenant and the chief place of it to wit the Temple were not abolished but changed as having a moral 〈◊〉 in them so also was the day of the Covenant for we read Acts 20. 7. that the 〈◊〉 and Disciples came together on the first day of the week to hear the word and to break bread and in 1 Corin. 16. 2. the Apostle wills them in their meetings on the first day of the week to lay aside for the poor and Revel 1. 10. it is plainly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lords day So that we see in the whole time of the Apostles it was not taken away but changed by them and therefore cannot be a meere ceremonie nor of the nature of the types of the Law But when the old Covenant ceased then ceased the Ministery thereof the Priesthood of Levi was changed and given to choice men of all Tribes and instead of it is our Ministery And as the seals of the Covenant ceased as of Circumcision and the Paschal lamb and in place thereof came our Sacraments of Baptism and the Lords supper so the day of the old Covenant is taken away and instead thereof is put the Lords day none of them in the first end being ceremonial but having a continual use and to last as long as the Church militant The reasons which might seem to have moved the Apostles to change this day may be fitly taken from the Institution of the Sabbath in the time of the law For as then nothing was more memorable then the day of the creation so when it pleased God that old things should cease and that there should be a new creation and that there was a benefit that did overshadow the former the benefit of redemption therefore when that was accomplished by Christs resurrection from that day we celebrate the memorial of it on the first day of the week and whereas that other great work of the sending the holy Ghost which was fifty dayes after concurd on the same day whereby that inestimable benefit of sanctification and speaking with strange tongues was conferred upon the Church and because the memory of the benefit of the creation may also be kept on the first day of the week as well as on the last Hence we may see upon what great reasons this day is establisht wherein do concur the three special works and benefits of the three persons to be for ever thankfully remembred viz. that of Creation by the Father Redemption by the Son and Sanctification by the holy Ghost And so much for the clearing of that point ¶ CHAP. III. Additionall considerations upon the doctrine of the Sabbath laid down in seven conclusions 1. It is certain some time is to be set apart for publick worship 〈◊〉 by School-men Canonists and reasons 2. Certain that the law of nature doth not dictate the proportion of seven or any other in particular 3. It is most probable that the seventh day was appointed by God from the beginning as a day of publick worship in
God and man Tho. 2. 2. q. 23. c. Saint Augustine exemplifieth it by the love and care a man beareth to the ungratious children of his friend for though they many times are not to be loved for themselves yet for the love he beareth his frend either alive or dead for his sake he overcometh that conceit and beareth affection to them aud thus in respect of similitude we are to love God for himself and man for God And for this we have received a Commandment from God That as we love God for himself so we love man for God the Commandment lieth upon us in both respects 2. And further this second is like the former because the love of our neighbour commanded in the second is a signe of our love of God commanded in the first table and therefore Saint John saith expresly that if any 〈◊〉 say that he loves God and hates his brother he is a lyer for how can he love God whom he 〈◊〉 not seen that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen and hence it is that Saint 〈◊〉 and Saint James say that all the law is fulfilled in this one Commandment thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self not properly and formally but ratione 〈◊〉 as the signe or effect argues the 〈◊〉 because the love of our brother is a signe of our love to God which is the cause of our obedience to all the other commandments for Saint Johns argument stands thus Things that are seen may sooner be beloved then those that are not seen If then our brethren cannot finde such favour at our hands as to beloved having seen them how shall we love God whom we never saw For as it is true downward whosoever loveth God must love his worke and the best of his work and therefore man so upward too it is necessary Whosoever loveth man of whom he oft times receives injuries must needs love God from whom he receiveth nothing but benefits Saint Gregory puts them both together Per 〈◊〉 Dei amor proximi gignitur per 〈◊〉 proximi amor Dei 〈◊〉 The love of a man to his neighbour is begotten by mans love to God and the love of man to God is nourished by his love to his neighbour and Amor Dei amorem proximi generat amorproximi cale facit amorem Dei which is all one with the other in effect and with that of Saint Augustine Diligendo proximum purgas oculum ad videndu 〈◊〉 Deum by loving thy neighbour thou makest thy sight the clearer to see God 3. Again this similitude holds in regard of the punishment or reward for keeping or neglecting of this second which is no lesse then for that of the first Inasmuch as ye did it not faith our Saviour to one of these ye did it not to me and econtra where we see the reward or punishment there mentioned to be given will be not for any duty done or omitted to God himself but as he cometh to be considered in the person of an afflicted brother for it is expressed both affirmatively v. 34 35. c. that what was done to them was done to Christ himself and negatively v. 42. 43 c. that what was denyed to them was denied to Christ. And thus we see the reason why Christ saith the second Commandment or second table is like the unto the first and withal the first end or scope of it viz. That God might be loved not onely in and for himself but also in our brother who is to be loved for his sake Another end of the second table is that as the first is the foundation and ground of all religious society as we are the Church of God and is therefore called the great Commandment so in the second should be laid the ground and foundation of all Common-wealths and Civil societies of men as the first doth perducere nos ad Deum as S. Augustine saith unite and bring us to God so the second unites one man to another by the matual duties they owe one to another this is a second end of this table and it is gathered from the creation of man at the first Gen. 2. 18. Where it is said that it is not good for man to be alone and therefore he must have a helper This second table therefore respects the perfecting of Gods purpose in the work of his creation that one man be an helpe to another The words Love thy neighbour as thy self contain three things 1. The duty or act Commanded Love 2. The object of this Love Thy neighbour 3. The manner of this Love 〈◊〉 diligendi As thy self In the duty Commanded which is the sum of the second table we must know first what is the sence of the words As there are in Latine so in Greek and Hebrew 〈◊〉 words that signifie to us the affection of love 1. The general word is Amor in latine it 〈◊〉 an affection that extends it self aswel to things unreasonable as reasonable whether it be Amor concupiscentiae or Amor amicitiae howsoever it be it comes under amor And in this respect we love al the creatures of God that is we desire to have them preserved which is to be in the state wherein God created them and thus we love not the Devil as Saint Augustine saith and his Angels but 〈◊〉 Dei judicium in 〈◊〉 his just judgement upon them in placing them in that estate and that they should continue in it 2. The second word to expresse love is benevolentia good will whereby we desire and seek the good of him we love and this is onely in reasonable creatures whereas that of 〈◊〉 may be in all creatures yet this is many times rash and accompanied with errour and not grounded upon sound judgement 3. The third is Dilectio which is without errour grounded upon judgement and upon a good and sufficient cause and that is when we love another in and for God for this distinguishes Christian love from all other love Saint Augustine saith that he that will be vetus amator a true lover must be verus 〈◊〉 astimator one that hath and can give a true estimate of things 〈◊〉 as Saint Ambrose saith quando errat judicium perit 〈◊〉 every good act is out of square and indeed is lost when our judgement 〈◊〉 Now in Christian love God is the ground for our love will decay if it be not propter Deum for Gods sake This makes our love extends even to our enemies whom we ought to love for God for though we be hated of those we love yet are we in no other case then Christ himself was who yet loved his enemies even Judas who betrayed him Therefore it pleased God to recommend unto us under the name of proximus neighbour all mankinde even strangers and enemies as our Saviour shewes in the parable of the Samaritan and the man that fell among
Commandment God commanded the Jews to sanctifie the sabbath Antiochus commandeth the prophaning of it 〈◊〉 and others disobey his command and prospered but Antiochus died miserably So God gives command for honour and maintenance of the Priests Ahab commandeth them to be slain but Obadiah obeyeth him not but hid them in caves by fifty and fifty and he thought himself not disobedient 5. This fifth Commandment enjoyns honouring of father and mother yet we see because Maacha mother of Asa had gone out of her order usurping the crown which of right did not belong to her he taking occasion from her idolatry deposed her from her dignity without disobedience to this Commandment The Scribes and Pharisees notwithstanding this Commandment go out of order and say that though a man honour not father or mother if he offer to the Corban he shall be excused but our Saviour condemns their breach of Gods law herein 6. In the sixth Commandment God saith Thou shal s not kill The 〈◊〉 of Egypt commands the midwives to kill They disobey and are rewarded by God 〈◊〉 commands the people to cast their males into the river but Moses parents keep him by faith and hid him three moneths and were rewarded for it And Saul commanded his servants to kill the Priests but they refused and their refusal justified Here the Superiours went out of the line and therefore no obedience due to them in these particulars But on the other side in obeying them out of order we see that 〈◊〉 is condemned for 〈◊〉 Vriah in the front of the battel to be 〈◊〉 though it were upon the receipt of King Davids letters So are the souldiers for putting the children to death at Herods command And the minister of Ananias for smiting S. Paul contrary to justice at the command of Ananias 7. To the seventh Commandment David having gotten 〈◊〉 with childe commanded Vriah to have gone to her that he might have been thought to be father of the childe but he would not obey On the contrary Absalom went in to the Concubines of David 8. In the case of the eigth we see no blame or imputation laid upon Naboth for denying his vineyard to 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 is threatned by Eliah the Prophet 9. In the ninth it is plainly recorded to posterity for a grievous sin in the Elders and Nobles that obeyed 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 case in bearing false witnesse or procuring some to do it against him And in those that at the command of the high Priest bare false witnesse against our Saviour We will add one example more We see may the practise of 〈◊〉 God before Parents in our Saviour who most perfectly fulfilled the Law And that in two answers of his The first to father and mother when his mother at her return finding him in a manner reprehended him saying Why hast thou so 〈◊〉 with us His answer was Wote you not that I must be about my fathers businesse not meaning 〈◊〉 but Gods he was to prefer his first and then theirs Vbi 〈◊〉 impediunt ibi conveniens est sed quando impediunt cave ne c. when our earthly fathers and governours be not our hindrance in executing Gods commands then it is but meet and convenient to do theirs but when they shall hinder us from doing them take heed how you neglect one to do the other In this case obedience is disobedience His second answer was to his mother alone when he being with her at a marriage and she telling him there wanted wine answered Woman what have I to do with thee which as S. Augustine saith at the first sight may seem to be harsh but making this objection to himself 〈◊〉 venerat ad nuptias 〈◊〉 doceret matres contemnere Did our Saviour come to the wedding to teach children to despise their mothers He answers himself by another question What did Christ take of his mother Marie wherein was he 〈◊〉 to her he took from her his flesh and she would have him do a miracle could he have wrought a miracle by his humane nature No but as he addeth Miraculum facturus non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 secundum infirmitatem 〈◊〉 sed secundum majestatem divinam being to work a miracle he could not do it according to the infirmity of his humane nature but according to his divine majestie and that was out of her latitude And therefore goeth on quod in me tu genuisti non potest facere 〈◊〉 a miracle could not be done by vertue of any thing I had from thee yet afterwards when he suffered on the crosse he acknowledged her to be his mother as he was man and so provides for her To conclude this point out of that which hath been said We must submit to our Superious as S. Peter saith how for the Lords sake and in that which is right and just We must not prefer our honour or duty to them before religion to God S. 〈◊〉 saith upon the words of our Saviour He that loveth father or mother more then me is not worthy of me Ne quis 〈◊〉 Religioni 〈◊〉 c. lest any man should prefer love before religion Christ addeth He that loveth father c. Order is necessary in all our affections After God love thy father thy mother thy children But if there comes a necessity that the love of parents or children come in competition with the love God and both cannot be observed we are to prefer the love of God before the rest and concludes Honorandus generator sed praeponendus Creator our parents are to be honoured but our Creator is to be preferred c. But withall lest we go too far on the one side it is very necessary that we search not too narrowly or inquire too precisely into the commands of our Superiours but rather if it be in our power obey We see 〈◊〉 being commanded by the King to number the people disliked it at the first as seeing no reason to do it yet because it was a thing indifferent he did it And in doubtful matters or indifferent this is the rule rather to obey then oppose Again in matters unjustly commanded if they be not expressely against the will of God there may be a just obedience We see it in our Saviours own case The tribute gatherers demand tribute of him though of the linage of David and in that respect exempted He asketh Peter Do they use to receive tribute of strangers or of their own children when Peter had answered him that they used to receive it of strangers Christ replyed then are we free but lest we offend them go and cast thy angle c. and pay for thee and me So when men will take from us it is better to yield and to redeem our peace as he did with yielding just obedience to an unjust command Vt illum reum faciat saith S. Augustine iniquitas imperandi me
both must concur S. Pauls three rules of pie juste sobrie S. Augustine his three rules contrary to three rules of corrupt nature 2. The manner of doing riquires 1. totos 2. totum 3. toto tempore 3. The reward 4. The punishment CHAP. XVI Page 83 That the moral Law of God written by Moses was known to the Heathen 1. The act or work was known to them as it is proved in every precept of the Decalogue yet their light more dim in the 1. 2. 4. 10. S. Pauls three rules of pie sobrie juste known to them 2. They knew the manner of performance toti totum semper 3. They knew the rewards and punishments CHAP. XVII Page 68 Questions about the Law 1. Why it was written by Moses seeing it was written before in mens hearts How the light of Nature became dim three causes of it it was deserved in three respects Why the Law was given at this time Why onely to the 〈◊〉 All the four parts of a Law are in the Law written 1. The Act. 2. The Manner 3. The rewards 4. The punishments 2. Whether any can keep the Law How God is just in requiring that which we cannot perform An Addition about power of keeping the Law evangelical Adam lost his ability not efficienter but meritorie God alwayes gives or is ready to give power to do what he requires if we be not wanting to our selves How Christ hath fulfilled the Law how we keep it by faith 3. Why God promises life to the keeping of the Law if we cannot keep it CHAP. XVIII Page 73 Of the preparation before the giving of the Law 1. To make them willing by consideration of 1. his benefits 2. Gods right as Lord 3. Their relation as Creatures c. 4. That they are his people His Benefits past and promised Three motives to love 1 Beauty 2. Neernesse 3. Benefits all in God 2. To make them able by sanctifying and cleansing themselves that ceremonial washing signified our spiritual cleansing how we came to be polluted how we must be cleansed Why they were not to come at their wives Of the danger and abuse of things lawful 3. That they might not run too far bounds were set Of curiosity about things unnecessary CHAP. XIX Page 79 The manner of delivering the Law 1. With thick clouds 2. With thunder and lightning 3. With sound of a trumpet The terrible delivering of the Law compared with the terrour of the last judgement when we must give account for the keeping of it the comparison in all the particulars The use of this CHAP. XX. Page 80 The end of the Law as given by Moses 1. It brings none to perfection and that by reason of mans corruption as appears 1. by the place a barren wildernesse a mountain which none might touch 2. by the mediatour Moses by the breaking of the Tables c. 2. It brings us to Christ because given by Angels in the hand of a Mediatour It Was to be put into the Ark Given fifty dayes after the Passeover Moses had a Veyl the fiery Serpent our use of the Law to know our debts as by a book of accounts then to drive us to seek a Surety to pay the debt viz. Christ amd to be thankful and take heed of running further into debt The Exposition of the first Commandment CHAP. I. Page 83 Of the Preface to the Decalogue Two things required in a Lawgiver 1. Wisdom 2. Authority both appear here Gods Authority declared 1. By his Name Jehovah which implyes 1. that being himself and that all other things come from him 2. his absolute dominion over all the Creatures from which flow two attributes 1. His Eternity 2. His Veracity or truth 2. By his Jurisdiction thy God by Creation and by Covenant 3. By a late benefit their deliverance out of Egypt How all this belongs to us CHAP. II. Page 87 The division of the Decalogue how divided by the Jews how by Christians Addition 6. That the four fundamental Articles of all Religion are implyed in the four first Precepts Of rules for expounding the Decalogue Six rules of extent 1. The affirmative implyes the negative and e contra 2. When any thing is commanded or forbidden all of the same nature are included 3. The inward act of the soul is forbidden or commanded by the outward 4. The means conducing are included in every precept 5. The consequents and signes 6. We must not onely observe the precept our selves but cause it to be kept by others left we partake of other mens sins which is 1. Jubendo by commanding 2. Permittendo by tolleration 3. Provocando by provocation 4. Suadendo by perswasion 5. Consentiendo by consenting 6. Defendendo by maintaining 7. Scandalum praebendo by giving scandal CHAP. III. Page 94 Rules of restraint in expounding the Law False rules made by the Pharisees Of Custom Addition 7. Of the force of Church Customs 3. Three rules of restraint 1. By dispensation 2. By the nature of the Precept 3. By conflict of Precepts Antinomia wherein these rules are to be observed 1. Ceremonial Precepts are to give place to moral 2. The second table is to give place to the first 3. In the second table the following Precepts are to give place to those before Rules to expound in case of 1. Obscurity 2. Ambiguity 3. Controversie CHAP. IIII. Page 98 Three general observations in the Decalogue 1. That the precepts are all in the second person 2. All but two are Negative All but two are in the future tense Observations general from the first precept 1. Impediments are to be removed before true worship can be performed 2. The worship of God is the foundation of all obedience to the rest 3. That spiritual worship is chiefly commanded in the first precept Addition 8. About the distinction of inward and outward worship CHAP. V. Page 100 In the first Commandment three things are contained 1. We must have a God 2. We must have the Lord for our God 3. We must have him alone for our God The sinne opposite to the first is 〈◊〉 to the second is false Religion to the third mixt Religion How our nanture is inclinable to those sins Reasons against them CHAP. VI. Page 102. In the first proposition of having a God is included 1. Knowledge of God wherein 1. The excellency 2. the necessity 3. how it is attained The contrary forbidden is 1. Ignorance 2. light knowledge What we are to know of God Impediments of knowledge to be removed Rules of direction to be followed CHAP. VII Page 110. The second inward vertue commanded in the first precept is faith Reasons for the necessity of faith Addition 9. Concerning the evidence of faith and freedom of assent The certainty of faith Of unbelief Addition 10. Concerning the nature of faith Means of believing Of trust in God for things temporal The tryal of our trust Six signes of Faith CHAP. VIII Page 120. The third inward vertue is fear of
19. 18. Deut. 23. and hate thine enemies viz. Those seven nations whom they were to destroy and to make no league with them nor to shew them mercy Exod. 34. 21. Deut. 7. 1. to whom the Amalekite is added with whom they were to have perpetuall war Exod. 17. 19. Deut. 25. 14. We see then that Christ is so far from taking any thing away from the Morall Law that he rather addes more to it and therfore the matter of the Decalogue is still in force and belongs to Christians as much as to any Nay faith it self which some of late have transformed into a meere Platonicall Idaea abstracted from good works I mean that Faith to which Justification and Salvation is ascribed in Scripture includes obedience as to all the commandments of Christ so to the morall law as the very life and form of it without which as S. Jam. 〈◊〉 it is as a body without a Soul for what is Faith but a relying or trusting upon Christ for salvation according to the promises of the Gospell now seeing that those promises are not absolute but always require the conditions of repentance and new obedience it can be nothing but a shadow of faith when these conditions are not It s true that to beleeve in the proper and formal notion is nothing else but to assent to the truth of a proposition upon the authority of the speaker And to beleeve in one signifies properly to trust rely upon him doth not in its formal conception considered barely and abstractly by it self include the condition of obedience or any other And therefore we may be said to beleeve or trust in one that requires no condition of us but when the words are referred to one that commands or requires something of us to be done and promises nothing But upon such condition of obedience as nothing is more certain then that Christ never promises remission of sins or life eternall but upon condition of Repentance and new obedience In this case to beleeve in Christ must of necessity include obedience to the commandments of Christ as the very life of faith without which it is a meere fansie and hence some have observed that in the New Testament faith and obedience and unbelief and disobedience are often promiscuously used for one and the same First because that to trust or believe in one that promises nothing but to those that obey him and to obey him in hope of what he hath promised are all one and therefore that absolute affiance or unconditionate belief of Gods mercy in Christ which some make to be faith in Christ is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one of those first and primitive errours from which those doctrines of Antinomians and other Sectaries that would dissolve the law do follow with ease When Christ upbrayded the Jewes for not beleeving John the Baptist though the Harlots and Publicanes believed who doubts but that his meaning is that the one repented upon Johus preaching which the other did not although to beleeve in the proper formall notion signifies nothing else but to assent to the trueth of what he said Hence S. Aug. saith Non solum bonam vitam inseparabilem esse a fide sed ipsam esse bonam vitam that a good life is not onely inseparable from faith but that faith is good life it self and S. Cyprian Quomodo se in Christú credere dicit qui non facit quae Christus facere praecipit How can he say that he believes in Christ who doth not the things which Christ hath commanded And before them Irenaeus tells us that Credere in Christum est voluntatem ejus facere to believe in Christ is to do his will As for that generall faith of the latter School-men and the Romanists which they make to be nothing but an assent to revealed trueths for the authority of God the speaker I say the latter School-men for some of the Elder where they speak of fides charitate formata which they make to be true faith mean nothing else but that which S. Paul calls faith working by love and Saint James faith consummated by works As also that faith of some amongst our selves who would have it to be nothing but a perswasion that their sins are pardoned in Christ c. Neither of these have any necessary connexion with a good life and therefore neither of them is that faith to which the promises of pardon and Salvation are annexed in the Gospel Not the first as themselves acknowledge and appeares by Bellar. who labours to prove by many reasons that true faith may be in a wicked man Nor the second for how doth it necessarily follow that if a man believe all his sins past present and to come to be forgiven that therefore he must needes live according to the Rules of Christ whereas the contrary may rather be inferred That he needes not to trouble himself about obedience to the commandments in order to remission of his sins or salvation who is perswaded that all hissins are pardoned already and that nothing is required of him for the obtaining of so great a benefit but onely to believe that it is so And if they say that the sence of such a mercy cannot but stir men up to obedience too much experience of mens unthankfulness to God confutes this The remembrance of a mercy or benefit doth not necessarily enforce men to their duty for then none could be unthankfull to God or man Besides it is a pure contradiction which all the Sophistry in the world can never salve to say that a mans sins are pardoned by believing they are pardoned for they must be pardoned before he believes they are pardoned because the object must be before the act and otherwise he beleeves a lye and yet by faith he is justified and pardoned as all affirm and the Scripture is evident for it and so his pardon follows upon his belief and thus the pardon is both before and after the act of faith it is before as the object or thing to be beleeved and yet it comes after as the effect or consequent of his belief which is a direct contradiction True faith then is a practicall vertue and establishes the Law and as this is the proper work of true faith so to direct and quicken our obedience thereto is the whole scope of the Bible There is nothing revealed in the whole Scripture meerly for speculation but all is referd some way or other to practise It is not the knowledge of Gods Nature Essence but of his will which is required of us or at least so much of his Nature as is needfull to ground our faith and obedience upon That observation of some is most true That in the Scripture verba scientiae Connotant affectus words of knowledge do imply affections and actions answerable To know God is not so much to know his Nature and essence as to Honor and obey him which
as none can be partakers of true happinesse by his own guidance or conduct as other creatures attain in some sort and therefor the heathen confesse with us that there is a maime and a main defect in mans nature But we our selves were the cause of it as appears by the History of the Bible namely by dealing with the tree in being our own choosers And therefore this choosing of ours this making Laws to our selves must be left we must leave and submit our selves to the will and choyce of a superiour nature that knoweth what is best for us 2. Of the second the reason is evident that seeing a God we are to have we ought in all reason to desire a true God No man would willingly erre even they that bend themselves to deceive others cannot endure to be deceived themselves And no man desires to think that to be which is not nor that not to be which is The reason of the third is That there be sundry things that a man cannot have but he must have them alone without partner or competitor Of which number a master is one And God is our Master he is pleased to call himself so And our Saviour saith Nemo potest duobus Dominis servire no man can serve two masters the service to a master must be to him a lone else not And the prophet in the person of God faith I will 〈◊〉 thee unto me for ever and the Apostle I have espoused you unto one husband that is Christ now a husband also comes within the number and is to be had alone and the condition of having God is like to that of a husband one and a lone or not at all 4. Another reason may be added The joyning of God with any other thing must needs be much to his dishonour and derogation for he 〈◊〉 the most transcendent nature in the world 〈◊〉 no inferiour thing but being joyned with him doth much abase him and he will endure no dishonour his honour he is very jealous of and thereof his worship must be kept pure without intermingling it with the worship of any other for if any thing of a nobler nature be joyned with some thing of a viler substance the nobler nature is thereby adulterated and corrupted therefor Gods worship must be pure and not mixt or sophisticated CHAP. VI. In the 1. proposition of having a God is included 1. Knowledge of God wherein 1. The excellency 2. the necessity 3. how it is attained The contrary forbidden is 1. Ignorance 2. light knowledge What we are to know of God Impediments of knowledge to be remooved Rules of direction to be followed For the 1. consideration of the proposition S. Pavl saith that an Idol is nothing we know it and that ther is no other God but one And therefore it may seem strange that in respect that Idols nor ought elie be Gods he should command us to haue no other Gods We say though a man take armes against his Prince yet he is his Prince still and he hath no other and this having is onely true inrespect of the superiour yet the rebellious subject hath him not for his Prince or atleast will not have him because he accompts him not his Prince the like is between God and us He is our God and his law is lex ferrea it will hold us and have us whether we will or no. Yet in regard we rebel against him and endeauor to exempt our selves from his service and obedience in breaking his laws we have him not for our God It is the course of the holy Ghost to use this phrase They had Baal and Ashteroth not that they were Gods but that they in their accounts had them for Gods 2. Again as the Philosopher a thing is said to be had when it is known to be had for if a man have 〈◊〉 under his ground and knows not of it he hath it not Besides a man cannot be properly said to have that which he makes no account of as if he have rushes or cobwebs in his house and caring not for them he cannot be said to have them Therefore a man cannot be said to have that which he knoweth not of or knowing he hath them regards them not And so he that will be said to have God must both know and regard him and this is that which is meant by having a God It hath been formerly said that the spritual worship and having of God was the end and scope of this commandment The worship of the spirit is divided as the soul. The principall parts of the soul as God himself makes them are two 1. Reason or understanding called the spirit in a strict sence and sometimes the soul or mind 2. Affection or will called the heart Now as we know the parts of the minde so we must know that these parts have their order Vires annimae sunt ordinatae the powers of the soul are set in order saith the Philospher and the order is first to know then to regard and love that we know for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Saint Austine saith Invisa 〈◊〉 cupere ignota nequaquam we may desire things we have not seen but never those things that we have never heard of Therefore as they say well If two things be to be done in order whereof the second depends upon the first if the first be taken away the second can not be fulfilled So if we be ignorant of God we shall never desire or Love him and so we shall not have him at all God must first be known then Loved 1. Knowledge lieth in the understanding part The minde 2. Love is in the affection The heart 1. Cocerning knowledge the obect thereof is God and he cannot be known a priori therfore we must seek to know him a posteriori and that must be either by his Attributes ascribed to him in his word or by his effects and works His Attributes 〈◊〉 ten Exod. 34. 6. 7 Majesty Truth Vnchangeablenesse Will Justice Mercy Knowledge Power Vbiquity Eternity other things are attributed to God in scripture but they may be reduced to some of these as love patience c. may be referred to mercy anger or wrath to Justice c. Of these Justice and mercy are the two principal and concerne us most the other eight have influance upon these two parts to make them the fitter objects of our faith fear love and hope c. To work upon our knowledge or faith apprehending 1. Gods Justice 2. his mercy and beleeving them both if you adde the other attributes to his Justice 1. that he is infinite in majesty 2. infallible in his truth 3. without change c. and they make his Justice more perfect and consequently more fearfull In the second place adde the same also to his mercy that he which loveth us is 1. A King of eternal majestie and life 2. Infallible 3. Unchangable and the rest it makes his mercy more
will be sharper or their life shorter so fear in them worketh more then love And so is it with men whose first taste in spiritualibus is corrupted If love could cause us to taste spiritual joyes fear were super fluous But vain delights in earthly pleasures ease and evil company have so cloyed and corrupted our tastes that we are not able to desire that which is truely to be desired and that which is hurtful to us we desire And therefore there is nothing can alter our taste but that if we continue in taking those earthly pleasures and not take that which is spiritual our fits will be sharper and our life shorter this fear is necessary to be set before us To this may be added that to this love we are brought by fear for Odium peccandi the hate of sin cometh from fear for fear causeth us to abstain from sin this abstinence bringeth a good life and that a good conscience being possest with that we shall be without fear and have peace of conscience which breedeth love to God and godlinesse A timore bona vita a bona vita bona conscientia a bona conscientia amor And love and fear in this respect are compared by Saint Augustine to a needle and threed the needle tarrieth not but bringeth the threed after it first we must fear and that will bring love after it Discat timere qui non vult timere discat ad tempus esse solicitus qui vult esse semper securus let him learn to fear that would not fear let him be solicitous for a time that will be secure for ever So we see that the use of fear is to restrain us from evil and to procure love in us The Common definition of fear is Expectatio mati the expectation of evil upon which may arise a doubt to them that are not well versed in Divinity How a man may be said to fear God seeing there is no evil in him for he being wholly goodnesse it self and the fountain of all goodnesse therefore should not be said to be feared But it is soon resolved For God is not to be feared as he is God and goodnesse and no evill in him but ab effectis in respect of his Judgements the effects of his Justice they are first to be feared and God secondarily The 〈◊〉 why the effects of his justice are to be feared are because in Gods judgements concurre all the causes and motives that can by any means move fear his judgement is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 malum formidabile an object altogether fearfull And it is in a three fold respect for it is 1. Futurum to come 2. Propinquum neer 3. Vires excedens exceeding our strength 1. An evil past is not the object of fear but an evil to come and the greater it is ' the greater the fear is and therefore after our Saviour had reckoned up to his Disciples many calamities that should happen he addeth but the end is not yet the greatest is behinde though we suffer many things in this world yet there shall somewhat befall us after worse then those 2. It is propinquum because the armies of God are ever round about us wheresoever we are God is present and in the midst of his host and all things are naked and open unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do And therefore if we do ill he is ready and 〈◊〉 to see it and his armies ready to execute vengeance upon them that do evil 3. It is vires excedens It must be a great matter of difficulty that must exceed our power and strength but this doth and such a thing takes a deep impression it terrifies us when we can make no resistance And this the Psalmist by a question makes to appear plainly If thou O Lord shouldest be extreme to mark what is done amisse who may abide it that is none can And therefore S. Paul saith Do we provoke the Lord to jealousie are we stronger then he No our strength to him is but as stubble not as the strength of stones nor is our flesh of brasse as Job speaketh This makes it malum arduum hard and difficult which is aggravated by these four degrees 1. First it is a punishment malum poenae and there is a bar erected and an inditement framed We must all appear as the Apostle tells us before the judgement 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 c. 2. This punishment will be fearful and strange insolitum without example fiery indignation Horrendum est incidere in manus Dei viventis it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God 3. It will be malum subitum repentinum sudden and unexpected sudden destruction as travail upon a woman with childe especially upon such as harden themselves He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy which is the last No redemption till the utmost farthing be paid that is never after this life for as God shews the uttermost of his 〈◊〉 in providing rewards for his 〈◊〉 so he will shew his infinite power in punishments for those that will not fear Besides all this we say in Philosophy Timetur is qui malum potest infligere he is to be feared that can bring evil upon us Now that God is able appears by three things considerable in a party to be feared 1. The first is authority Though a childe be a King or a woman bear rule over 〈◊〉 who in respect of themselves are but weak yet in regard of their authority they become terrible to us And the Lord is king over all the earth let all the earth therefore fear him saith the 〈◊〉 And why An earthly kings wrath is as 〈◊〉 of death and as the roaring of a lyon then what is the wrath of the King of kings And besides by best right he may challenge this fear for being King of kings his authority is highest and above all others And he is not onely a king but such a king as to whom all the celestial powers and principalities lay down their crowns and fall on their faces before him And therefore it was the song of them that overcame the beast Who shall not fear thee O Lord and glorifie thy Name 2 The second is power A man if he have a mighty adversary though he have no authority yet he is to be feared Might is to be feared and therefore we are counselled to be at peace and have good correspondence and in no case to strive with a mighty man If the mighty men upon earth are to be feared how much more the mighty God whose power as it exceedeth all other powers so it hath compelled them that were mighty on earth to fear him Nebuchadnezzar when he perceived the power of God working beyond the course of nature that three men should walk in a
David from coming to Saul by saying that he was sick and it had been barbarous in Saul to urge a sick man to come 2. Secondly Sacrificing our selves is a sufficient cause Jonathan excused David likewise from coming to Sauls sacrifice because he was gone to Bethlem to offer sacrifice for himself 3. Lastly Misericordiam volo non Sacrificium I will have mercy and not sacrifice works of mercy as visiting the sick and the like are lawfull excuses 2. Thesecond signe is if upon the meditation of Lex Talionis as you hear you shall be heard We can truly say Even as I hear so hear me O Lord. This is a good signe 3. The third is If we be companions of them that fear God and love them that are Gods servants because they be reverend and zealous in his service for he that loveth God loveth them that worship him with fear and reverence The last thing according to the sixth rule is thatwe procure this outward worship to be performed by others 〈◊〉 saith 〈◊〉 verus Christianus est 〈◊〉 sratris every good Christian is a Curtein to his brother for every curtein must have a hook and a catch to draw his brother to Gods service King David drew the multitude into the house of God Andrew brought his brother Simon to Christ so Philip called 〈◊〉 We must tarry one for another according to the Apostles rule For they that desert others and disswade them from this outward worship and service ofGod shall be accursed and stricken with blindenes of body and soul as Elimas the Sorcerer was for dehorting Sergius Paulus the Governour and seeking to turne him away from the faith And thus much for the first part ofthis Commandment which as we said in our division of it was an expresse Prohibition in these words Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven image c. And an included affirmative precept thou shalt worship me in such manner as I do command thee CHAP. VIII Of the second part of this precept The sanction or penalty This is the first Commandment with a penalty Reasons of it The parts of this sanction 1. Gods stile 2. A commination 3. A promise 1. Gods stile by 1. his power 2. His Iealousy How Iealousy is ascribedto God Why humane affections are ascribed to God Of the Sanction in this Commandment VVE come now to the second part of the Precept which is the reason or the sanction of the law consisting aswell of a Penalty for breaking it as a reward for observing it And these two may be resembled to the two Mounts Ebal where the Curses were denounced and Gerizim where the blessings were promised to the twelve Tribes for unumquodque mandatum sancitur praemio et poena every law is confirmed by rewards and punishments and here are both Now if it shall be demanded why it was the will ofGod to make this the first precept with a penalty as Saint Paul observed of the fifth commandment that it was the first with a promise we shall finde these reasons for it 1. Because a publick sinne is to be openly punished and the punishment by Gods law is to be proportionable to the offence Now the sinne against the first commanment is secret in our hearts it is a bosom sinne which God alone can see and therefore the punishment of it is left to God himself who is content as Saint Paul saith somtimes and on some reason as himself pleaseth to wink at it not to see it but this because it comes into the light of the sun and is obvious to every eye and the rule of Justice being ut malum ubi contingit ibi moriatur that if the fault be open it be publickly punished therefore God hath appointed and decreed a visible punishment for it for the reason and end set down by the Apostle that others may fear 2. Whereas it is the property of punishment cohibere impetus 〈◊〉 turpia to restrain mens passions from committing ill and our impetus or inclinations being prone to offend against this commandment by two motives proffit and safety 2. of the best Oratours to perswade I speak of that corruption which draws every one to such platformes of Gods outward worship as his own head shall devise and that we cannot be vile in our own eyes as David was and also for that sometimes it falleth out as God foretold that the beast getteth place and is received and then he that will not receive the mark of the beast in his forehead shall be threatned with penalty of Body and goods And that either for proffit or honour or for fear of such edicts as were made by Nabuchadnezzar Darius and the rulers of the Jews which mav touch the life any worship is likely to be embraced by us For as Satan told God skin for skin yea all that a man hath will he give for his life not onely to save his skin but to save the fleece also to enjoy outward peace wealth and honour men will violate the commandments of God Therefore to bridle these impetus and to meet with those edicts ofPrinces and men in authority God frames his Commandment as strong as Princes do theirs and threatens a punishment greater then they can inflict Qui secus faxit He that doth otherwise shall be subject to this and this punishment And these are the reasons why this is a penallstatute This sanction or ratification containeth two things 1. A Commination visiting sinne to the third and fourth generation 2. A promise shewing mercy to them that love me c. before both which there is a preface I the Lord c. This stile of God is the same which formerly we had but with a double encrease or addition 1. fortis strong 2. zealotes jealous of sure performance in what he here threateneth fortis nihil impediet strong that nothing can hinder zelotes ut nihil slectat zealous that nothing may alter him He hath both a posse and a velle a power and a will 1. It falls out many times that men whose arme and strength is shortned though they conceivesore displeasure against others yet there wants strength to put it in execution Shimei was maliciously bent against David yet all he could do was but to cast a handfull of dust against him and because he wanted power to put his malice in execution he was fain to end in a few railing words Fortis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the strong God is oft times vsed in scripture but especially then when God opposeth himself to weak man as we may see in the prophet The Egyptians are men and not Gods c. And this attribute of God is expressed by the Hebrews by twowords Gnuz robur or internal strength and Cayl potentia or fortitudo external might as in weapons and armes 1. The first is called Gods weaknes by the
have had no just cause of complaint if he had given us day for day we could not onely have no iust cause of murmuring but also ought to have opened our mouthes to praise him for it But seeing he hath dealt so liberally with us in granting us six dayes for our own 〈◊〉 and to do our work and reserving but one to himself we must acknowledge it to be a liberal proportion and so it is 〈◊〉 judice and therefore if we be not clean void of good nature it cannot but content us and keep us from 〈◊〉 We see in Adams case that when God had finished the Creation and put him in Paradise notwithstanding Gods bounty to him in granting him all the trees in the garden one onely excepted yet the devil was presently upon him and upbraided God with his niggardlines in that he had not given him freedom to eat of all the trees in the garden and no doubt but the same devil useth the same pollicy with us still in this 〈◊〉 May you not doe what you will with all the dayes of the week Now the consideration of Gods bounty to us should answer all such suggestions for we cannot say but that we are well dealt withall he having granted us two times and a time to his one time six dayes to one and therefore how careful should we be to give him that one This should draw from us an answer like to that of Joseph to his Mistris My Master hath kept nothing from me but thee how then can I do this great wickednesse and sinne against God All the dayes of the week hath God granted me onely one hath he reserved to himself how can I then be so unkinde and unthankfull as 〈◊〉 deny him that Let not David in this be our patterne who having many sheep of his own would notwithstanding pluck the one and onely sheep out of the poor mans bosom for if we having many dayes of our own take from God his one day and pluck that one sheep out of Gods bosom and make it common for our selves by doing in it our opus servile servile work we are worthy to 〈◊〉 1000. deathes and God being so liberal and dealing with us in so unequal proportion to himself as 6. to us for one to him taking of us but one for six if we do not his work on that day we are to be taxed of extream injustice and ingratitude This is the meaning of those words and do all thy worke that whereas God might have imployed us in his worke and musing on his will all the dayes of our life but he is content to forbeare and spare us the rest of the week that in that time all our own affaires might be dispatched and none left undone or to be done on this day God might say to us as Nathan said to David All this have I given thee and more I would have given thee if that had not been enough but certain it is that he saw in his wisdom that these six dayes were sufficient and therefore willeth us to remember and still be so carefull to order our affaires on these dayes that against his seventh day comes we may be at leasure to sanctifie it 2. The second reason implyed is in these words But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God which contain the second opposition and intimate to us that the seventh day is Gods own proper day with which we have nothing to do to imploy it as we please and that it is plain theft and sacriledge to rob God of this part of time which he hath reserved to himself For if God had thought fit to have given us the seventh day too then might we have wrought on that day also but seeing he hath reserved it to himself we cannot without plain theft or robbery breake in upon this day to which we have no right by doing our own worke upon it Render therefore unto God that which is Gods for it cannot be withheld from him without sacriledge It is as if a man should say you may wear those clothes which are your own and bought with your mony but this garment which is bought with mine you cannot without violence take from me so likewise because of Gods bounty to us we cannot without ingratitude and manifest injury to him take this day from him because it is his he will have it wholly to himself In it thou shalt do no manner of worke Those who are comprehended within the Prohibition stand in five ranks 1. Thou secondly Thy son and thy daughter thirdly Thy man 〈◊〉 and maid-servant 4. Thy cattel 5. The stranger that is within thy gates 1. First for the Paterfamilias the master of the family It is reputed to be an especial preferment to be set over the family by the Lord of the family And as it is honos an honour so it is onus too a charge for Cui plus datur ab eo plus petetur to whom much is given of him shall be much required and therefore the first charge is laid here upon him that is the chief For as long as man is in the condition of a son or a servant so long he may say Ego serviam I will serve but if once he come to have the charge of a family then he must say with Joshua Ego domus 〈◊〉 I and my house will serve the Lord. In reference whereto when Christ had converted Zacheus he said This day is salvation come to this house why because this man who is chief of the family is the son of Abraham and Abraham instructed his family He must say to his family as Christ did to his Apostles exemplum dedi vobis I have given you an example For if Peter or whosoever is principal fall away then others yea Barnabas himself will be drawn away too So though he discharge the duty himself yet if he take not care that others under him discharge it also he is a debtor That is he ought to 〈◊〉 so far from giving occasion himself or suffering others to violate that day by working or setting them that are under him to servile worke that he together with them must see the day sanctified and take care that all joyn in those holy duties which are requisite to the sanctification of the day 2. The second is concerning children Saint Augustines argument is good upon that in Deut. 20. Where if a man had new built an house the manner was to consecrate it That if a man that hath built a house be carefull to consecrate it being but the fruit of his hands then much more lieth the care upon him of consecrateing the fruit of his loins We see this careful affection in Abraham that he would command his sons to keep the way of the Lord for where the greatest love is there is also the greatest desire of conjunction
and temporal Preservers of kingdoms Humane laws and policies not sufficient without a teaching priest c. examples in diverse monarchies and kingdoms COncerning whom we know that God hath said of him that he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts he is appointed by God to stand between God and man and Saint Paul saith of himself and other ministers of God that they are the Ambassadors of Christ to deliver Gods message to men of all sorts aswell to the highest Prince as to the lowest of the people They are sent with a commission they come not of themselves mittam te I will send thee saith God to Moses and vade ad populum go to the people saith God to Esay And this custome of sending by commission was continued by Christ and his Apostles and by their successors in all ages of the Church As my Father sent me so send I you saith Christ to his Apostles And though God by the Prophet calleth these 〈◊〉 thus sent his own mouth and that the message they deliver to us is not 〈◊〉 own but Gods yet it falleth out with them oft times as with the day and 〈◊〉 they are disesteemed and neglected 〈◊〉 as in former times wicked Princes thought meanly of them as that to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nothing but to burn in cense and make ready sacrifices and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appointed to their office the lowest of the people such as would fill their hands insomuch as the Priests office grew into contempt in like 〈◊〉 there are now some that think the office of a minister of God to be nothing but the reading of a few prayers and going up into a pulpit and speaking there an hour which some do without sence or reason and without any reverence or regard to the dignity of the worke and high place to which they are called Therefore God himself takes order for procuring the more honour to the calling and that for the peoples good that they shall not onely teach and instruct the people set Jacob to school and learn Israel his lesson but they shall teach even kings and princes themselves they must give Joshua his charge and the highest on earth must not 〈◊〉 to be directed and instructed by them in things concerning God and their own salvation Princes have need of such to assist them as in other acts of government so especially in matters of religion and in particular for sanctifying the Lords day They may by their statutes and penall laws enjoyne the external rest on that day but the works of sanctification wherein the celebration of the day chiefly consists are the proper work of the priest he it is that must teach the Laws of God which reach to the soul and inward man It is the duty of Princes who are custodes utriusque tabulae keepers of both tables 〈◊〉 they cannot perform the work of sanctification themselves to take care that fit persons be provided and encouraged in this work It s true if a Prince were onely as the Heathen man said Tanquam subulcus like a herdsman that keepeth cattel to take care of mens bodies and of their outward estate onely and that they wrong not one another by fraud or force and had no charge of mens souls nor of Religion he might neglect this work but seeing it is otherwise and that the care of the Church is committed to him and that the soul is the principal part therefore it his duty to see that fit and able persons be provided for this work such as may be Doctores Gentium Teachers of the Nations Therefore God would not have such as were to do his work to be chosen ex tumultuario grege out of the common people hand over head but out of those that had been trained up in the knowledge of the Law for which purpose they had their several Schools or Universities as at * Kirjath-Sepher ‖ Ramoth-Sophim and †Naioth Nor were they to do Gods work till they were well studied and able to give reasons for that they did or said by Gods own order they were under the law to be from thirty years old and upward to do the work in the Tabernacle of the congregation And as good care was to be taken in the choice of them so ought there be as great in the cherishing and esteem of them To esteem them very highly in love for their worke sake As Saint Paul speaketh We should receive them as Angels of God as the Galatians did Saint Paul and cleave to them as his Auditours did to him and use them as honorably and as with as much respect as Princes receive and entertain forreign Ambassadors otherwise they will neither profit us we shall receive no benefit by them nor they be encouraged to go on cheerfully in their calling Besides which is worst of all if we disesteem of them and despise them God will take it as an affront done to himself He that despiseth you saith Christ despiseth me It is a despight done to God not to the minister onely and God will take it to heart and avenge his own quarrel Corah and the rest that murmured against Gods servants felt his heavy indignation for it Miriam Moses own sister was made a Leper for the like offence we see what became of them that scorned Elisha though their age might have pleaded some excuse for them And not to trouble you with many presidents it is said of the Jews that they mocked the messengers of God and despised his words how long until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people till there was no remedy But it is objected what if the minister be of bad life and conversation we finde that those that were polluted were put from the Priesthood To this we answer many times it falls out that either for a small cause or sometime upon no just one the Minister may be accounted scandalous If the offence be given really and that without hope of the parties reclaiming that gives it there is a legal course yet with charity to be taken against him the censures of the Church must be exercised against him but in the mean time we must carry a fair respect to them for his sake by whom they are sent for the word we hear of them is not the word of men but of God Health is not refused though it come to us by the prescription of a sick man Elias refused not his food though brought to him by Ravens Nor was Christs almes one jote the worse though distributed by the hands of Judas Indeed it cannot be 〈◊〉 that Gods intent was to have them all lights all holy for he brought them neer to himself and therefore are called men of God they should be like the Baptist burning and shining lights and if we well consider the work they are to undergo we shall finde
it with the timber and stones of it But if they be reserved to the right use then a blessing follows God gives good encouragement and his promises never fail Bring ye al the tithes into the store-house that there may be meat in mine house and prove me now herewith saith the Lord of hosts if I will not open you the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it CHAP. XII The two last rules 1. The signes of keeping the day 2. Of procuring the observation by others The Conclusion THus much for the fourth rule concerning the means of keeping this Commandment There are two things more which are required by the two last Rules 1. The signes that the Sabbath hath been rightly kept 2. The procuring of the obsertion of it in others of which very briefly 1. Of the signes we need say little having already shewed in what duties the sanctifying of the day consists the performance of which are signes that this Commandment is kept In general these two signes manifest the same 1. Our careful frequenting the house of God that day for publick service and worship this we finde in Esay 66. 23. from moneth to moneth and from Sabbath to Sabbath shall all flesh come and worship before me saith the Lord. 2. Our private sanctifying the day in holy duties if every city be like mount Sion every house 〈◊〉 templi like a Temple and every man instar 〈◊〉 like a priest offering up the spiritual sacrifice of 〈◊〉 and praises to God 2. The last rule is for procuring the keeping of the sabbath by others This is Plainly expressed in the letter of the commandment Thou and thy son and they daughter c. And the stranger that is within thy gates Where we see the charge is given to the master of the family not to let the day be prophaned by any within his 〈◊〉 Examples we have for a family in Job who sanctified his sons and offered sacrifices for them For a publick person in the Commonwealth in Nehemiah who caused the gates of Jerusalem to be shut and would not suffer the Merchants to come in and sell their wares upon the sabbath day That which the father is to the family that is the Magistrate to the City as the one should command those of his houshold so the other is to look to them that are within his jurisdiction that they neglect not their duties in this point Nehemiah testified against the people for breaking the sabbath God makes the magistrate Custodem utriusque 〈◊〉 an overseer that men breake no commandment either of the first or second table And he is to take care aswell for the keeping of the sabbath as the maintenance of the Minister He is to call to account those that are under him if the sabbath be broken What evil thing is this that you do and profane the sabbath day Nehemiah commanded his servants and the Levits that no burdens should be brought into the City on the sabbath day and a strict charge is given to the kings and Princes of Judah concerning the observing of the day with a severe threatening if they sufferd it to be prophaned Jer. 17. 18. 19 20. c. Now to conclude when a man hath observed all these rules concerning the sabbath by his own practise and his care over them that belong to him he may in humble manner with Nehemiah after his care herein say to God Remember me O my God concerning this also and spare me according to the greatnes of thy Mercy Remember saith God in the beginning of this Commandment Remember saith Nehemiah in the end So should we end the sabbath and all our actions think of me O my God for good according to all I have done That I have with my family observed the sabbath that all we have been present before God to hear all things that are commanded by him that I and my house have served the Lord. Lord remember me in this Yet let us not be proud of that we have done for at the best we are but unprofitable servants And we have our tenebrosa intervalla fits of darknes too the best of us And in this case as we may say Lord remember us so also we are to say with the same Nehemiah and spare us according to thy great mercy It will be well with us if we can be able to say remember me in hoc in this thing if we have done well but withal we must say spare me in this and that offence committed by me and in the defects that are in my best performances spare me in thy goodnes spare me in the greatnes of thy mercy spare me for the merits of our Saviour That which is here added in the former edition concerning some sins forbidden in this precept is 〈◊〉 here inserted contrary to the Authors method and the same things are formerly handled more fully in their proper places according to the first rule of extension that the negative is included in the affirmative Finis precepti quarti THE EXPOSITION OF THE Fifth Commandement Honour thy Father and thy Mother c. CHAP. I. Of the sum of the second table The love of our neighbour How the second table is like the first 1. Of the Act love How christian love differs from other love The fruits of it The parts of it 2. The obiect our neighbour Who is our neighbour Degrees of proximity and order in love 3. The manner of love as thy self This must appear in 1. The end 2. The means 3. The manner 4. The order THis fifth Commandement beginneth the second Table It is called by some the Table of justice As the other taught us the love and duty of man to God so this the love and duty of one man to another which gives us a Testimony of Gods love towards us that he made man after his own image like to himself and allows him a Table for his good and that with more precepts then that of his own The sum or contents of this Table is delivered Mat. 22. 39 out of Levit 19. 18. Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self In which place of Saint Mat. Our Saviour saith that the second is like the first for indeed when we come to the second Table we depart not from the love and honour of God it being no lesse in the second then in the first nay rather somewhat more The similitude mentioned by our Saviour consisteth in this that whereas he hath taken order for his 〈◊〉 love in the first so he hath taken order for the love of man for 〈◊〉 in the second and though it come not so directly to God yet indirectly it doth for our love to man must be grounded uponour love of God we must love him in and for God therefore the Schoolmen make but one Theological vertue of love to
theevs and this is to love with judgement when though there is no other motive of love in the party yet we love him propter 〈◊〉 for God for when a man loveth a friend he loveth him propter aliud quam Deum for some other cause then for God alone but when he loveth his enemy there is no other cause but propter Deum for God onely Again when our love is ad 〈◊〉 onely to our friend it is debilis 〈◊〉 weak and slight work for as Christ saith if we love them that love us what great matis this the Heathnes and publicans do the like therefore God would have our love to be like his stretcht out usque ad 〈◊〉 to those that are fardest from us to our very enemies as he doth when he causes the sun to shine and the raine to fall upon the good and bad And this is no such hard matter as flesh and blood would make it Saint Augustine saith Dices non possum vigilare non possum jejunare numquid dices non possum 〈◊〉 perhaps thou wilt say I cannot watch nor I cannot fast but wilt thou say I cannot love And this indeed is a point of special consideration because it makes a difference betwixt the love of Christians and the love of Heathen for our love to men must flow from the fountain of our love to God Take away propter Deum and then as Saint 〈◊〉 saith our Christian vertues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 common and vulgar such as were in the Heathen our fortitude nothing but the fortitude of Socrates and so of other vertues wherin ours and theirs differ in nothing but in this propter Deum for God And therefore our 〈◊〉 rule must be according to Saint Gregories excellent direction 〈◊〉 rinus justitiae 〈◊〉 de 〈◊〉 pietatis The river of our righteousnesse towards men must have 〈◊〉 original from the fountain of piety to God that is that our love to our brother must arise from our love to God and though we see how our love must be guided by our judgement in the cause or ground of it propter Deum for God And as our judgement must be rectified that we are not in the cause so consequently our affection which followes the understanding must be right and herein though we are not tyed to that high measure which was in Saint Paul who wished himself 〈◊〉 from Christ for his brethrens sake viz. for the salvation of the Jews yet thus far we are bound as to desire their salvation with our own and to will the same good to them that we will to our selves and to nill the same evill to them which we nill to our selves and consequently there must be those works or fruits of love mentioned by the Apostle which as they refer to our neighbour are especialy three 1. The first is Joy That as we wish our neighbours good so when any good hath befallen him we be glad and rejoyce at it yea after Saint Barnards rule gandere in bono alieno magno magis quam in proprio parvo rejoyce 〈◊〉 in the greater good of our neighbour then in the lesser good of our own Opposite to this is if either we repine that any should come to the participation of the same good which we possesse which is one part of envy and was the fault of the unfaithful 〈◊〉 in the Gospel that did not occupy his masters talent or if we stand thus affected that if we have it not our selves we will not be content that any other should have it And of this part of envy is it that Saint Chrsostom speaks thus 〈◊〉 pestiferum est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in diabali conditionem in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Per 〈◊〉 venit in mundum propter ipsam Abal est interemptus c. Envy is a most pestilent evil it turnes and transformes a man into the nature of a most cruel devil By it came 〈◊〉 into the world for it was Abel stain It was the envy of 〈◊〉 toman which made him seek 〈◊〉 fall because he would have 〈◊〉 in better estate then himself And in this respect it is that S. Augustine said Invidia vitium Diabolicum quo solo Diabolus reus est inexpiabiliter reus Non 〈◊〉 Diabolo dicitur 〈◊〉 damnetur adulterium commisisti furtum fecisti villam alienam rapuisti sed homini stanti invidisti Envy is a Devillish vice of which onely the Devil is guilty and 〈◊〉 without expiation for it is not said to the Devils damnation Thou 〈◊〉 committed adultery or thou hast stollen or thou hast violently seized on anothers possessions but this is objected to him Thou hast envied man in his Innocency 2. The next is Peace a desire of agreement with our Neighbour plainly prescribed by the Apostle Have peace with all men And if at any time there happen a breach we should not pertinaciter aggredi obstinately set upon one another for this is the badge of Sathans Disciples as S. Gregory saith Si Dei 〈◊〉 filii qui pacem faciunt procul dubio Satanae sunt silii qui pacem confundunt If they which are the Authors of peace be called the sons of God without question they are the Devils children which disturb it When Christ came into the world the Angels sung at his birth Glory to God and peace on earth and yet himself saith I came not to send peace but a sword To reconcile which places we must conceive it to be discordia in 〈◊〉 war against that which is evil which Christ speaks of in that place for as Nazianzen well saith Melior est talis pugna quae Deo proximum facit quam pax illa quae separat a Deo that dissention is better which makes a man come 〈◊〉 to God then that peace which separates him from God Therefore as a Father saith As there is nothing more to be wished for then concordia in bono agreement in that which is good and nothing more to be laboured against then discordia in bono disagreement in the 〈◊〉 so nothing more to be desired then disagreement in evil and nothing more abominable then agreement in that which is bad And as our Saviour pronounceth them blessed that are Peace-makers in good so are they no lesse blessed that are Peace-breakers in evil that make discord in evil and they are no less the children of God then the other and threfore peace with hereticks and Schismaticks must not be held though in lesser matters which trench not upon the foundations of faith worship or government difference of opinions may be allowed For there may be a 〈◊〉 or disagreement allowable in questions and disputations that touch not upon those foundations and so that it go not so far as to trouble the peace of the Church but that the unity of the spirit be kept in the bond of peace For as S. Gregory
lovest thy self or for the same cause And thou lovest thy self because thou lovest God and so consequently all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dei that are Gods because thou thy self art aliquid Dei something of God therefore thou lovest thy self and so consequently thou must love they neighbour propter 〈◊〉 for God and 〈◊〉 for this cause thou lovest thy brother thou 〈◊〉 him as thy self in respect of the end So also and in this 〈◊〉 thou must love thy brother 2. The second is the 〈◊〉 the applying this love to that end And that is that in asmuch as I love my self I wish my self good and that not in my 〈◊〉 but best part which is my reasonable soul and therefore I wish more especially the chiefest good of it 〈◊〉 bonum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is eternal blessednes and this is it which I must look to in my brother If I love him as my self I must love him ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 partis for the good of his better part and that is the good of the inward man of which the Apostle speaks whereas the most love onely the outward man now the chiefest good of the inward man consists in 〈◊〉 Dei in the sight and fruition of God But because none can come to this except the impediments be removed which is sinne Saint Augustine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diligit proximum hoc cum 〈◊〉 debet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ipse 〈◊〉 toto corde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that truly 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 must work upon him so 〈◊〉 he also love God with all his heart Take care to remove his sinnes and as for a mans self 〈◊〉 his will do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him to some sin non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it would hinder 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 good so ought he to love his neghbour as not to consent to the evil will of his neighbour in any bad action because that would hinder his chief good The Scripture speaks of things not alwayes as they are but as they ought to be and so requiring us to love others as our selves it is not meant of our self love 〈◊〉 it is corrupt but as we ought to love our selves specimen naturae capiendum ex optima natura a pattern in nature must be taken from nature pure and 〈◊〉 in its integrity so that a man ought not to love his neighbour as he doth himself but as he should love himself For Saint Augustine saith when I love my self either I love my self because I am or should be blessed the very same rule we should observe in our brother I must love him aut quia est 〈◊〉 ut sit either because he is or because he should be good Which I cannot do unlesse I win him ab impedimentis from the impediments and set him in via in 〈◊〉 right way for as Saint Augustine saith Non 〈◊〉 proximum tanquam seipsum si non ad id 〈◊〉 ad quod ipse tendis adducis Thou lovest not thy neighbour as thy self if thou 〈◊〉 him not to that good to which thou thy self tendest And he saith in another place 〈◊〉 est regula 〈◊〉 it is the onely rule of love ut 〈◊〉 sibi 〈◊〉 bona pervenire illi velit that he would have the same good come to his neighbour that he wisheth to himself 3. The third is the manner In loving any thing that is good there are two motives first Either it is for the sole and alone good of him that loves it or 2. Secondly for the good of the thing it self that is loved He that loves any thing not for it self but for himself doth not love it as himself this is not diligere 〈◊〉 seipsum but propter seipsum this is not ut faciat bonum sed ut potiatur quis bono not to seek his good whom we love but to make use of what good is in him for our selves as men love their instruments meerly for the use they have of them and not otherwise thus a man loves his shooing horn to make use of it to serve his turn in the morning and casts it away all the day after but our love to our neighbour should be gratuitus without hope of recompence and that he that we love may have the sole good by it Otherwise if we love him not as our selves for no man loves himself ut se potiatur that he may make use of himself as he loves meat drink c. and therefore must he love his neighbour not to make use of him for his own ends but propter seipsum for himself seeking and desiring his good 4. The last is the order It is sicut teipsum not sicut 〈◊〉 as our selves not as we love God we must beware of loving him so for we must love our selves infra Deum in a pitch below God and by consequence we must love our neighbour infra Deum after God Therefore we must not 〈◊〉 the will of any man be he of never so great excellency before the will of God Gods will must not give place to ours God is not so unwise as to bring in the second Table to overthrow the first but his scope in it was that it should be a table to direct and help us in performing the duties of the first 1. So that if our love to our neighbour in the first place be for God alone then it is Sancta dilectio 2. If it be to bring him to that end we aim at our 〈◊〉 then it is amor justus a just love 3. If it be meerly for our neighbours without respect to our selves then it is verus amor true love 4. and lastly if we prefer the love of God in the first place then it is ordinata dilectio well ordered love Now God in both these tables proceedeth further then earthly priuces he taketh order for the regulating of the heart and soul even for restraint of concupisence that there be no entertainment of sin within us and that we conceive no delight in it And this is the internal obedience of the second table to entertain no concupiscence prejudicial to our neighbour and it is the sum or substance of the tenth Commandment which God hath placed last not first that those two the first Commandment and the last the one concerning the inward worship of God the other the inward love and duty to our neighbour might be the bounds of his law Thus far for the second table in general Now for the fift Commandment being the first of the second table CHAP. II. The division of the commandments of the second table Why this is set here between the first and second table The parts of it 1. A precept 2. A promise In the precept 1. The duty Honour 2. The obiect father and mother The ground of 〈◊〉 1. Excellency 2. Conjunction The order of honouring differs from that of love Why God did not make all men excellent and fit to be superiours All paternity is originally and properly in God In man onely instrumentally
food and raiment and therefore we fall into that question What shall we eat or what shall we drink or where with shall we be clothed And when we have children or posterity we must also provide for them as part of our family and so by Consequence every man is to labour and take care in this world and that either propter os suum for his own mouth as the Preacher speaks or else as the Apostle to lay up for his children Now from hence ariseth this worldly concupiscence which is the Object of this Commandment and so the ordering of this worldly desire very fitly follows the former The end of this Commandment is to moderate that desire of Riches which of it self is no sin but lawful and good for as a desire suscipere prolem to have yssue in the right way is lawful as we shewed in the former Commandment so procurare necessaria to provide necessaries is no lesse lawful and good in this But as in the former there is first a desire which is lawful and then we come reduplicare amorem to double our love by inordinate desires which brings forth insaniam madnesse so here in this there 〈◊〉 first a desire of that which is 〈◊〉 and then we come reduplicare desiderium to double that 〈◊〉 and to covet for our vanities and pleasures and from thence to double again and to have for our 〈◊〉 desires and lusts and so we see how men come from fleshlinesse to worldlines and withall how this Commandment hangs upon the former In the book of Wisdom mans life is divided into two parts 1. The first part is Ludus sport or pastime They counted saith he our life a pastime and this part is acted by young men whose zeal is for pleasure and mirth c. 2. The second is Nundinae a fair or a market as it follows Our time here is as a market for gain for say they we must be getting every way though it be by evil means and this part is acted by men when they grow in years for then their zeal for pleasure is gone and their zeal is wholly for the world then their life is a 〈◊〉 for gain and as the Apostle saith they account godlinesse to be nothing but gain Now then as at first a mans appetite hath relation to the first of these the pleasures and lusts of the flesh so secondly because as the Wise man saith though feasts are made for laughter and wine to make men merry sed argentum respondet omnibus but money answereth all things which as the Philosopher saith is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fidejussor pro omnibus undersuerty for every thing therefore from this second affection ariseth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the love of money and then if they have money they promise to themselves an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an all sufficiency that they shall want nothing And therefore the Poet Menander sheweth that the cornu Amaltheae of which the Poets feigned so much was nothing else but money for if that be once had there is no fear but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 friends 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 helpers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 witnesses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 company to dwell with 〈◊〉 and all will be supplied abundantly And this perswasion of self-sufficiency being thought a great part of felicity is that which in the first place makes men so dote upon money and then secondly there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a power and grandour joyned with it as it is said of Ismael and his sons Hereby men grow mighty and Solomon saith that the rich mans wealth is an high wall and a strong tower of defence 〈◊〉 growing rich made Abimelech fear that he 〈◊〉 grow mightier then himself and therefore entreated him to be gone This then is that which setteth men so forward in this course because they look to finde in money a sufficiency an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which because they finde not according to their expectation hence ariseth a desire of more and so comes in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 covetousnesse and desire of more and as the heathen man observed when they have this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then they must have another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beyond that and another beyond that and so it still proveth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For this is the suggestion of the Devil If you had more it would be better for you and the reason that you are in no better case is because you have too little And so man goes forward by degrees till he come to that which the Preacher speaks of He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver and to be like the 〈◊〉 of the Horseleach that alway cryes Give 〈◊〉 and thus he either goeth on in infinitum and though he have none to care for yet he ceaseth not to gather which he describeth to be a Monster or else he returneth to the flesh again for the natural conclusion of riches is that of the Rich man Ede bibe lude Soul eat drink and take thine ease thou hast enough and so redit 〈◊〉 in circulo he returns as it were in a circle And thus we see that the gathering of riches hath either a monstrous end when they are gathered for no end or else they return to their natural end to satisfy the desires of the flesh Now the scope and aim that God the Lawgiver had in giving in this 〈◊〉 that every man may enjoy his outward estate for after he had taken order about the 〈◊〉 of his body as well from violence as impurity by the twoforegoing Commandments which concern his 〈◊〉 he comes here to that which men in the next place 〈◊〉 esteem viz. their wealth and outward estate and therefore God takes order here that this may be preserved to them and that for diverse reasons 1. In respect of himself that we might be like him in shewing mercy and doing good to others that we may be able to communicate to the necessities of our neighbours by acts of mercy and love for herein God propounds himself in a special manner as a pattern for us to imitate Be ye merciful saith Christ as your heavenly father is merciful 2. In respect of the Church which is Communio Sanctorum the Communion of Saints S. Paul chargeth Timothy servare depositum to keep that which was committed to his trust Chrysostome saith that not onely Timothy but every man hath one depositum or other whether it be wealth learning art or strength it is his depositum and put into his hands to the end that he employ it to the benefit of the whole Body that there may be a communion of saints in these outward things as well as others 3. In respect of the Common-wealth that outward peace may be preserved which is not onely in