tedious and thinke that they keepe the Sabbath as well as any other or as they need to doe and more especially if there be nothing but diuine seruice at the Church But let all such know their errour and repent of it they doe indeed sanctifie the Lords day but it is not after the Lords but their owne manner and therefore cannot be accepted of no more then a master can accept of the best indeauours of his seruant at home at that time when he appointeth him to trauell about his busines abroad For the Lord doth now appoint thee to attend him in the publike place Acts 3. hee hath now imployment for thee there Christ himself the holy Prophets and Apostles lurked not at such times in corners or in priuat houses but went vp to the Temple to pray to preach to conuerse with Gods people in publike duties Acts 2 41. Here is the place where Gods ordinance is chiefely vsed and only at the times appointed heere the Lords presence is promised here hath his glory euer shined by the conuersion of soules and sometime of thousands at once Let the proud seperatist therefore goe by himselfe now into corners as ouer-iust in his owne esteeme to come with others to Gods ordinance in publike let the idle or daintie Sabbath-keeper stay at home in his blind priuate deuotion and the ouer scrupulous absent themselues from Church in the case of no preaching at that time let those contemne publike prayer that know not Gods house the Church to be the house of Prayer But let all that feare the Lord feare thus to peruert the Lords day least in so doing sinne lye at their doores The second head Head 2. Forgetfulnes of the Sabbath vnto which I referre the prophaning of the Sabbath is all forgetfulnesse of this day vpon the sixe either in generall in any of them or in particular the day before according to our distinction when I spake of the dutie in the word Remember and it may haue reference also to the Sabbath past Remember how holy thou wert then what rules of holines thou wert then taught how thou didst then make shew of a good disciple of Christ when thou sattest to learne thy lesson of him as Saul who fell downe before the Lord and said Lord what wouldest thou haue mee to doe Acts 9. 1. Sam. 2. and as Samuel Speake Lord for thy seruant heareth Least doing contrariwise in the weeke-dayes after and as one that rather listeneth to Satan and to thine owne corrupt heart thou be condemned out of thine owne mouth for drawing neere vnto God with thy lips but hauing thine hart farre estranged from him The third head Head 3. Neglect of inferiours vnto which I referre the prophaning of the Sabbath is by leauing such as are vnder our gouernment to their owne vnbridled and licentious liberty vpon the Sabbath day which is no small fault in parents masters and gouernours For whilst euery priuate man doth thus neglect his domestick charge the minister may preach reproue admonish and teach but little wil it profit to bring them to the right obseruation of Christian duties Besides doth it not grieue any good parents or masters to see their children or seruants miscarry and come to misery but to be negligent of them at these times is the right way to bring them to all lewdnesse and consequently to smart and misery for which they may also then with heauy hearts thanke their gouernors that were too gentle and remisse towards them 1. Sam. 2. as Ely was vnto his children whose lamentable estate in his children and posteritie what hard heart can reade of without relenting Quest 83. What be the reasons of this Commandement Answ They are partly infolded in the Commandement and partly expressed in these words for in sixe dayes the Lord made heauen and earth the sea c. Quest. 84. What are the reasons infolded in the commandement Answ Three 1. Because the law of the Sabbath is ancient and was of force in Paradice before mans fall 2 Because it is most equall the Lord allowing vs sixe dayes for our worldly affaires and requiring but one of seuen for the workes of his worship 3. Because the seuenth is the Lords peculiar day so that without sacriledge we cannot any way prophane it Reasons infoulded in this Commandement Explan This commandement being of maine and speciall vse for the furthering of true godlinesse and such as vpon which the rest of the law hangeth is therefore both placed in the middest and because man naturally is most vnapt to bee moued with the reuerence hereof fortified with many reasons beyond the rest Which reasons are euery one of great force partly infolded and not distinctly placed out of the words of the commandement and partly expressed and set downe at large by themselues Reas 1 The first reason infolded is taken from the word Remember as if the Lord should haue said Howsoeuer all the rest of these lawes haue hitherto passed without such expresse mention especially when mans nature was vncorrupt in Paradise yet this law of the Sabbath was expressely giuen at that time and now I giue you warning only to remember it as most ancient and euer vsed amongst all my deuout people so that if old customs wil beare any sway with you the very remembrance of this must needs be of force to moue you to keepe holy my Sabbaths Or else Remember is a reason of force because it is a note of special charge for the duty vnto which it is prefixed For when a master commandeth his seruants diuers things and would chiefely haue some one thing done hee impresseth it with this word remember as if hee should say I would not haue that neglected or forgotten by any meanes If therefore any earnest speciall charge giuen by the Lord be of any force with thee if the old custome of Gods Church euer since the creation bee of any force doe not prophane but keepe holy the Sabbath day Reason 2 Gene. 2. The second reason infolded is taken from these wordes Sixe dayes shalt thou labour c. as if the Lord should haue said It is no vnreasonable matter or hard vnto thee that I require in bidding thee keepe holy the Sabbath day it is but one day of seauen I allow thee six for the workes of thy calling I will be content onely with the seuenth though I haue made all the dayes and could require six and leaue thee but one therefore doe thou willingly keepe this day This is a reason of great moment and oftentimes onely vsed as being alone sufficient to mooue any honest heart to obedience In Paradise it was the maine reason to Adam and Euah Ye shall eate of all the trees in the garden but of the tree in the middest ye shall not eat it was the reason vsed to mooue the Israelites to let their land rest the seuenth yeare that the poore might haue some comfort
the Lord Ios 24. Otherwise that sharpe sentence belongeth to thee Rom. 2.17 Thou that saist a man should not steale dost thou steale c. The duty of Maisters towards seruants Gen. 18.19 Maisters doe also owe a duty vnto their seruants as being fathers of their families They must teach them also and command them to feare the Lord as Abraham his houshold 2. Not bee too harsh towards them by ouer-correcting by churlish vsage by too sore labouring them but to vse them as those that remember that they also haue a master in Heauen according to that Col. 4.1 Yee maisters doe vnto your seruants that is iust and equall There must be discretion therefore vsed in corrections Sins against God are more seuerely to be punished then against themselues if they be often more if seldome lesse if obstinately or of purpose more if by infirmity lesse And for labour they must remember that the righteous man is merciful to his beast much more to his seruant 3. They must duely recompence their labour with fit maintenance and wages Iam. 5.4 for there is a cry against those that keepe backe their wages which commeth vp to heauen for vengeance 4. They must not despise their good counsell if they can aduise them well at any time but follow it as Naaman did his seruants and Iob acknowledgeth of himselfe saying If I haue despised the iudgement of my seruant and my mayd when they did contend with me Iob 31.13 For what auaileth it for a seruant to bend his minde for his maisters good if his aduice be neuer heard It had been better for the Leuite in his trauell if he had heard his seruant counselling him Iudic. 19. he had escaped a great danger which he doing contrary fell into The duty of Princes to subiects Kings Princes all Magistrates do owe a duty to their subiects to the coÌ„mon people which is to deale iustly truly with them to be coragious to maintaine the right and to hate couetousnesse Exod. 18.2 as Jethro did wisely counsell Moses to prouide for in setting Iudges ouer the people to iudge the fatherlesse and widdow Esa 1.16 supporting them in their iust causes not to lift vp themselues aboue their brethren or pressing them too much with charges Deut 17 19. as the Lord commandeth to the Kings of Israel to reward the good and to punish the euill which is the maine cause why he beareth the sword and hath the Scepter committed to him The duty of Ministers to peopâ—e 2 Tim 4.2 Ezâ—ch 3.17 Ministers owe a duty to their people which is publikely to pray for them and with them to preach the word vnto them with diligence in season and out of season to watch ouer them as Ezechiel is charged to espye their danger by reason of their sinnes and to admonish them with all earnestnesse euen as watchmen doe when the City is in danger by the enemies comming to care for them studying how best to further their sanctification 1 Pet. 5.2 as Peter exhorteth Feed the flocke of Christ that dependeth on you caring for it not to domineere or tyrannically to rule ouer them Verse 3. as it followeth Not as Lords ouer Gods heritage but that yet may bee examples to the flocke Ephes 1. And lastly in their priuate dayly prayers to commend them to the Lord as Paul professeth that he did for the Ephesians and Thessalonians 1 Thes 1.2 Ephes 6.28 Duty of Husbans to their Wiues Ephes 5.30 1 Cor. 14.34 1 Pet. 3.7 c. and as the people are also bound to pray for the Minister 1 Cor. 7 3. Husbands owe a duty to their wiues which is to loue them dearly euen as their owne flesh as Christ loueth his Church to teach them if they would or ought to know any thing to dwell with them as men of vnderstanding and not to liue separate and to keepe their bodies as proper and peculiar by a sacred band to them onely and not as their owne to abuse them with other women or to deny them to their lawfull wife as the wife is also bound to her husband The duty of rich toward the poore 1. Tâ—â—â— 6.17 The rich owe a duty towards the poore and such as bee meaner which is not to carry themselues haughtily and proudly towards them for against this the Apostle giueth warning Warne rich men that they be not high-minded Wherefore as meaner persons giue them reuerence so let them bee courteous to the poorest and another duty is to distribute of their goods vnto the poore as it followeth in the same place That they doe good and be rich in good workes and ready to distribute and communicate This if they doe not they are false stewards and shall be turned quite out of office and haue their portion with hypocrites 7 If any bee learned or excelleth in any faculty or science his duty is not to bee strange and lifted vp in the sight of his gifts but to doe the more good to seeke in all humility to winne the more glory to God As Apollo is commended to haue done Acts 18. mightily confuting the Iewes out of the Scriptures and Paul that did so much excell became all things to all men that hee might winne some Quest 89. What is here forbidden Answ All irreuerence towards those that bee in place and authority aboue v and churlish behauiour in such towards those that be of a low degree Explan Before that we come to speake of the sinnes something is here to be premised Wherefore is the duty of Inferiours onely expressed in this Commandement and not of Superiours if all be alike bound heereby Answ The Commandement indeed is heere in singular and different from the rest but this omission doth not giue any whit the more liberty to Superiours because Parents and children Maisters Seruants c. are relatiues so that the duty of the one cannot be set downe but the duty of the other is by the rule of relation vnderstood nay Superiors are more taxed heereby if they faile of their duty as being of more vnderstanding such as therefore must more readily doe without any pressing by expresse words seeing which is also a more speciall motiue they are as Gods towards others in authority in maiesty in greatnesse and in reuerend antiquity Oh how foule a thing is it then in them not to carry them selues accordingly if it be a fault in inferiours in any thing to neglect their duty much more are they faulty in neglecting theirs because they doe not onely neglect their duty which they ought to doe but being so strongly bound by Gods beneficence towards them and it being presumed so far of their readinesse on Gods part for this honour giuen vnto them that as though meere conscience would not suffer them to be so fouly negligent he maketh no mention of that which they ought to doe
wherewith the earth with the workes thereof shall be burned vp The Heauens shal passe away as a scrowle the elements shall melt with heat A deuouring fire before him Psal 50.3 Math. 24. and a great tempest round about him The Sunne and the Moone darkned and the Starres losing their light A great trumpet sounded peircing from one ence of the world to another and all this in a moment in the twinckling of an eye Lastly it is set forth in the effects Ioâ—l 2.6 All faces shall gather blackenes They shall see him whom they haue pierced and mourne euery family apart And as the Lord himselfe saith Zach 12. Math. 24.30 Reuel 16.20 All the kindreds of the earth shall mourne They shall runne away and call vpon the mountaines to fall on them and vpon the rockes and hils to couer them But vnto those that wait for the comming of the Lord it shall be comfortable wherefore Christ saith Luk 21.28 When yee see these things lift vp your heads with ioy for your redemption draweth neere And the Apostle vseth this argument to the Thessalonians to disswade them from sorrowing like vnto the Heathen 1. Thess 4.14 for at his comming we shall be taken vp into the clowds to meete the Lord and so remaine euer with the Lord. Sixtly at the time of this iudgement it shall be proceeded according to mens works Ioh. 5.29 They that haue done good shall goe into euerlasting life they that haue done euill into euerlasting condemnation Math. 25. The sheepe of Christ that haue fed the hungry clothed the naked visited the sicke c. Shall be inuited into the Kingdome of the Father 1. Cor 4 5. the rest into euerlasting fire And secretest euils shall not then be hid for thoughts shall bee manifested and most hidden things discouered Reu. 20.12 The booke of euery mans conscience that was shut vp and benummed here shall be opened and according to the things here written he shall be iudged Not onely for sinnes committed but euen for omitting good duties men shall bee sent into Hels torments No outward thing shall then stand any man in stead the foolish Virgins with lampes but wanting oyle Math. 25.1 shall be shut out of the Bridegroomes chamber No crying or crauing shall then preuaile for such as haue liued impenitently in sinne if they shall say Lord Lord open vnto vs he will answer Depart from me ye workers of iniquity I know you not Math 7.21 If with Esau thou then seeke the blessing with teares Heb. 12.6 there is no place for repentance to be found And thus much for the grounds of Christs comming to Iudgement and the further setting forth of the same Now if any man shall aske the time when these things shall be â—t is easily answered Math. 24.36 The day and the houre knowes no man no not the Son of Man himselfe but the Father onely but for the yeere diuers men haue gessed diuersly and because they be but coniectures I will not trouble the Reader herewith A principall vnaccomplished forerunner to bee taken heede vnto the Gospell hauing beene already preached to all nations and Antichrist that man of sinne discouered is his further laying open and confusion when the Kings of the earth that honoured him shall make a mocke of him and a gratious conuersion of the Iewes the stiffest enemies vnto the Lord Christ and then shall the comming of the Lord vnto Iudgement be 1. Duty To keepe a good conscience For the duties of this faith The first is to keepe a good conscience before God and men because at the day of iudgement euery conscience shall be a booke opened and all the world shall read whither it be good or bad This Paul professeth to be his care saying Act. 24.16 Herein I endeauour to haue a cleare conscience alwayes towards God and towards men The reason he alleadgeth before viz. For that he had hope Vers 15. that the resurrection should be both of the iust and vniust that all should be brought forth another day to iudgement And in another place speaking of the Gentiles which had not the written lawe Rom. 2.16 Vers 12. Vers 15. hee saith At the day when God shall iudge the secrets of men by Iesus Christ those that are vnder the Law shall be iudged by the Law and they that are without without the Law for vnto both the conscience is a law bearing witnesse for or against and the thoughts accuse or excuse that is in euery mans nature there remaines some impression of good and bad of right and wrong a light whereby to discerne these and for those that haue done ill heere will be an accusation at that time they that haue done well shall be excused And this we cannot but in some measure conceiue by experience daily for that when wee haue done amisse we feele afterwards an inward trouble in our mindes and though we would gladly put off the thinking hereupon yet we cannot but still perplexing thoughts this way come vnto vs and disquiet vs and chiefely when we are alone The excellency of a good conscience and in greatest darkenesse of the night Now all this is nothing else but our consciences beginning the part euen whilst we are aliue and as it were warning vs to take heede of sinne though neuer so hidden for it will not suffer it to be blotted our through forgetfulnesse but is and will be a continuall register hereof so long as we liue and most of all then present it selfe before the Lord when finall and irreuocable iudgement shall passe vpon all Wherefore as he that is continually watched by one appointed of his master who hath power of life and death ouer him so that in no place he can be hidden from his sight and hee will not by any bribes be hyred to conceale what he seeth will carefully carry himselfe in all things as a good seruant and not by any allurements be drawne to wast his masters goods or to neglect his businesse or to any vnfaithfulnesse towards him Euen so let vs be contained alwaies in the feare of the Lord from all disloyalty towards his Maiesty and from all abuses either against our selues or our neighbours euen when opportunities of secresie are offered hereunto because our owne conscience notes our doings and will not be hired to giue any other but true testimony against vs when wee come to our reckoning at the last day Oh! how comfortable will it bee then to haue a good conscience 2. Duty To abstaine from iudging other man The second duty is both to abstaine from iudging and censuring others and to neglect and not to set by mens iudging of vs if so be our consciences iudge vs not because there is one iudge of all and it is presumption in whomsoeuer to take his office out of his hands in iudging these to be hypocrites these reprobates and
it be vnto the King or vnto Gouernors that are sent of him 2. To pay tribute vnto them Giue to all men their dutie tribute to whom yee owe tribute and custome to whom custome and in the verse before it is said For this cause yee pay tribute vnto them Rom. 13.7 Vers 6. They are as it were the belly vpon which all the members depend and for which they therefore labour 3. To giue all outward reuerence vnto them not onely when they are courteous and kind vnto vs but euen when vniustly they are harsh towards vs. This Paul acknowledged and excused his ill language towards the high Priest when he had commanded him to be smitten Acts 23.5 saying I knew not brethren that he was the high Priest The honour due to Step-fathers and Step-mothers Superiours in authority by the Law of contract are step-fathers and masters and husbands 1. Step-fathers and step-mothers are to bee honoured as the naturall parents if they be as naturall parents nourishing and bringing their step-children vp and prouiding for their good the reason hereof is good for a step father is now one flesh with thine owne mother and he is thy father if thou liuest in his family In this case wee see what honour Moses giueth to his father in law Iethro comming to see him Exod. 18.17 Ruth 3. and giuing him good counsell He obeyed him Thus Ruth obeyed Naomi in all things and Christ himselfe was obedient to Ioseph Matth 2.1 the husband of his Mother as hee was vnto her for it is said that hee was subiect vnto them But if step-fathers and step-mothers seek to make a prey of their step-children as it is sometime seene when they are left rich endeauoring to match them for their owne aduantage in this case and the like they are not bound to obey because the bond is now broken by which they were first tied viz. naturall affection which is turned into strange and vnnaturall Honour due to masters Colos 3.22 Vers 23. Verse 22. Masters of families are to be obayed as the Lord Christ Thus the Apostle commandeth Seruants bee obedient to them that are your masters in the flesh in all things and whatsoeuer ye do doe it as vnto the Lord Christ of whom yee shall receiue the recompence of reward They are therefore to be serued 1. Diligently at all times not only in their presence as is the manner of eye-pleasers 2. Faithfully being true vnto them and with the best endeauour seeking to bring to passe what they command and to preuent euill and losses from them and to procure their good Such a seruant had Abraham Gen 24. that was the steward of his house whom he sent to fetch a wife for his son Isaack from amongst his kindred Hee did not onely endeauour to bring to passe what he had in charge by going to the place and obseruing his opportunity to make this motion but also he prayed vnto the Lord for good successe and hastened his returne home with all speed when hee had obtained Not as many loytering and carelesse seruants now adayes who howsoeuer they goe when their master biddeth them yet they are without all care and study about the dispatch of their businesse and delay their returne to the vttermost This stranger seruant shall rise vp in iudgement against them and condemne them 3. With feare and reuerence not daring to displease them euen as young schollers vnder most seuere Masters Thus the Apostle Peter commaundeth Seruants bee subiect to your Masters with all feare 1. Pet. 2.18 1 Tim. 6.1 And the Apostle Paul Let seruants count their Masters worthy of all honour Thus Iacob serued his vncle Lahan Gen. 31.39 in keeping his sheepe If any were torne with beasts hee brought it not to shew his master but made it good and likewise if any were stolne by day or by night So should seruants feare their masters as to auoyd all occasions of offending them though against themselues 4. Without all exception whether they bee wicked or godly if thou be vnder the yoake but if thy Master be a beleeuer 1. Tim. 61.2 then serue him thus much rather Whether they bee vnreasonable in their correction chastising thee wrongfully 1. Pet. 2.19 or reasonably correcting for iust cause as Hagor was bidden to returne and humble her selfe to her Mistrisse euen when shee was most seuere towards her Genes 16.6 Whether they be wise or foolish as Nabal whose seruant fore seeing the danger towards him did the parts of faithful seruants in telling their mistris how vnworthily he delt with Dauiâ—s men when they had well deserued at his hands 1. Sam. 15. Which will condemne many seruants at the last day who contrariwise conceiue malice against their masters and are glad of reuenge if they be any thing harsh and seuere vnto them and much more will it condemne such as hauing godly and kinde masters do hate them euen for their goodnes towards them and refuse to be learned by their good instructions and to be ordered as it becommeth Christians in matters concerning religion and the feare of God Which though it bee most strange yet daily experience teacheth to bee most true but woe will be vnto them more than vnto other seruants at the last for that their meanes haue been double to the meanes of others but they haue hated to be reformed Honour due to husbands 1. Pet. 3.6 1. C r. 11.3 Ephes 5.24 Husbands are to be obeyed by their wiues according as it is written of Sarai that shee obâ—y d Abraham and called him Lord and good reason for by the contract of marriage the husband is made the head of the wife euen as Christ is the head of the Church Therefore the wife must bee gouerned by her husband in euery thing as the Church is by Christ she must submit her selfe to be taught of her husband 1. Cor. 14.34 Ephes 5.33 if the wife wâ—ll know any thing shee must ask her husband at home and lastly shee must reuerence her husband in her speeches not brawling or scolding with him and in her behauiour shewing all due obseruance towards him What if the husband be a Nabal is the wife notwithstanding to reuerence and obey him He is yet the head and though the head be idle and foolish it keepeth the place ouer the members of the body so the husband must be acknowledged by the wife and by her discreet and louing carriage towards him she may both win him and prouide for her owne and the best of her family Honour due to Ministers Hauing spoken of the superiors in authority it followeth now of superiours in place and calling and these are first ministers of Gods word which are ouer seuerall congregations in the Lord as Paul describeth them 1. Thes 5.12 which labour amongst you and are ouer you in the Lord and admonish you The honour due to them in briefe is
as haue these things left them for inheritances by their parents and want all other meanes of liuing In my opinion their safest way for clearing and vnclogging their consciences is either to dedicate themselues vnto God if they can by studious endeauour attaine to any sufficiency that they may bee worthy of a Ministers liuing and for hereafter leaue it to the Church or if they bee vnapt to learning fell it at some indifferent rate to some sufficient Minister that may and will not only for his owne time performe the Pastorall duties but also entaile the tithes in such manner that all conueyance of them shall bee voyd other then to a Minister who shall discharge the Cure And so it is like that the Ministers in possession will still breed vp their sons or other heires to succeed as well in Officio as in Beneficio Nay moreouer it is not improbable that vpon such condition imposed the Ministers possessing thus as purchasers in Lay-fee and yet being bound to all Church-performances will bee content to conuert the Tythes into Church-fee reseruing onely the Patronage to themselues and their heires and so in processe of time the Church may bee reinuested in Gods right throughout many now wronged Parishes in this Kingdome Deep iudgements may perhaps propound other more plausible or passable courses I haue made bold to cast in the mite of my weake vnderstanding but feruent wish not so much I protest for the enriching any of our profession as for the restoring God his owne and the disburthening many deteinors of so heauy a load of sinne In this or any other probable course for restitution there will I grant be to the restorers some losse of worldly wealth but it will turne to great gaine viz. of a good Conscience which will feast thee euery day whereas thou canst not but lose this way still cleauing to that vniust gaine offensiue so many waies as hath been shewed Oh that God would giue power to these words that they might enter into mens hearts and neuer cease speaking there vntill they dispose themselues to cease from robbing God and make some restitution of these holy things meaner persons doing as hath bin said and the greater which haue thousands besides extending their bountie restoring freely to the Church and sparing from many superfluities What is to be thought of religious houses and lands which in times past haue been giuen to Friers and Nunnes c. Of Religious houses Those cages of vncleane birds were deseruedly dissolued both for their owne impurities as also for their originall foundation being out of blind zeale ordeined to the maintenance of idle bellies superstitious Massemongers and inuaders of Tythes which were due to the locall Pastors and not to the swarmes of mungrell Friars And truly it were to bee wished that the footsteps and memorials of those Church-robbers were abolished and not still preserued by exempting Abbey lands from paying any Tythes The Friars had then some pretences that they prayed for the people and sometime preached to them also but now the Lay men that succeed the Friars in those purloyneries haue no shaddow of such pretence but defraud the Church against all reason and against law to as I haue cause to thinke Now as for the lands and Manors thus bestowed by our deuout Ancestors I do not see that superstition did so vnseperably sticke to them that they might not at the suppression haue bin diuerted to some better publike vse for the Church or Common-wealth at least some large portion of them But of all in this kind most laudable is their worke that haue conuerted any such lands and houses to the maintenance of students in good learning which may grow vp as profitable plants in the Church of God Quest. 100. What is here commanded Answ To doe to all men as I would they should doe to me and by diligent paines-taking to get mine owne liuing in that estate of life to which it pleaseth God to call me Matth. 7.12 Explan Hauing been so large already in shewing the sin it doth more easily appeare what the dutie according to this law is And this in briefe is set downe by Christ To doe to all men as ye would that they should doe to you and that is in the excuting of any office in buying and selling in lending and borrowing and in giuing and taking c. In executing any office as of a King or a Iudge or of a Iusticer c. without respecting the person of the rich or fauoring the person of the poore Leuit. 19.5 doing iustice betwixt a man and his neighbour euen as thou wouldest haue it done vnto thee if thou wert to be iudged and therefore shutting the eies against kindred in the flesh acquaintance and greatnesse and thy hands against bribes In doing the office of a steward or collector of any duties taking no more then the due In doing the duty of a master to allow seruants things conuenient of a seruant to bee faithfull in doing seruice and euery other office dealing iustly though power bee in thy hands to aduantage thy selfe in doing otherwise 2. In buying and selling 2. In buying and selling thou must do as thou wouldest be done to not seeking to liue out of other mens losses but selling according to the worth of the thing and no more and in buying giuing accordingly as the Lord hath by Law prouided Leuit. 25. 3. To lend freely 3. In borrowing and lending to the needy lending freely as thou wouldst gladly borrow if thou wert poore and needy Luke 6.35 and as is commanded Lend freely looking for nothing againe no not for the thing lent being but some small summe which thou canst well spare and if thou canst gratifie any neighbour without thine owne hinderance by lending to doe this freely also for loue 2. Kings 4. Againe if any thing be lent for gaine which we call letting not to exact vpon any man but to cleaue to this rule and if thou borrowest be carefull to pay againe not onely at the time appointed but by continual prouidence against that time and if thou hast not otherwise wherewithall sell such things as thou hast to satisfie thy creditour as the poore widow of the Prophet sold her oyle If thou findest ought of thy neighbours if the owner may bee knowne thou must restore it as is by law prouided Deut. 22.1.2.3 Thou shalt not see thy brothers Oxe nor his Asse goe astray and withdraw thy selfe from them but shalt bring them againe to thy brother and if thou know him not thou shalt bring them to thy house vntill thy brother seeketh after it and so shalt thou doe with all lost things of thy brother If any thing bee committed to thy trust Exod 22 7.8 Verse 14 15. not by any deceit to beguile thy brother of it but to deliuer it againe when it shall be required If thou hast hired any thing and it perish or be
3. We pray for faith whereby to belieue Supplicat 3. that the will of God reuealed vnto vs in his will and to apply his gratious promises to our owne soules for knowledge will not profit without faith without the Spirits teaching of vs as hee taught Peter when to his commendation Christ saith Math. 16.16 flesh and bloud hath not reuealed it vnto thee but the Spirit of my Father which is in heauen Nay to beleeue is to do the will of God for this is the will of the Father saith Christ Iohn 6.4 that yee beleeue in him whom hee hath sent 4. We pray for power to obey the holy will Supplicat 4. and commandements of the Lord now this obedience is both actiue and passiue in doing and suffering Actiue obedience is both gederall and speciall Generall is our sanctification for this is the will of God saith S. Paul euen your sanctification 1 Thes 4.3 leading an holy iust and good life holy by praying reading hearing of the word and meditation as it is commanded 1 Thes 5.27 Psal 1. pray continually and in all things giue thankes and Blessed is that man which doth meditate in the law of God c. iust Psal 15. by righteous and equal dealing with all men as he which shal dwell in the Tabernacle of the most high is vncorrupt in all his wayes good by beneficence and workes of charity towards the poore as warning is giuen to rich men to distribute 1 Tim. 6.17 and giue vnto the poore Speciall obedience is in workes of our speciall callings as we are Princes gouernours or subiects ministers or people husband 1 Cor. 7.10 or wife father or childe maister or seruant of these it is commanded Let euery man remaine in that vocation wherein he is called And more particularly the King and magistrate are set for the praise of the good and the punishment of euill doers Rom. 13. the people must bee obedient to the magistrate Eph. 6. The father must bring vp his childe in the information and feare of the Lord children must obey their parents and likewise for the rest 1. Tim. 3. Coll. 3. Of this obedience there be fiue rules Rules of obeying Gods will and mans Eph. 6.1 Verse 7. Acts 4. 1. Obey Gods will absolutely for himselfe obey man only in God and for God therefore it is added Children obey your parents in the Lord and Seruants obey your masters as seruing the Lord. Esa 29.13 And when men command any thing against the will of God the example of the Apostles is to bee followed obeying God rather then man 2. Obey God in the manner as well as in the matter which he commanded for he is wisest and knoweth best what will please himselfe Otherwise in vaine doe yee worship me saith the Lord. And thou shalt not make any grauen Image to worship the Lord by Obey God in all the matter by him commanded and not in something of thine owne inuention Esay 1.12 as Saul and Peter lest it be said Who required these things at your hands Math. 12. 3. In doing the workes of piety let them giue place if necessity calleth to a work of charity as to thy neighbours house being on fire his Oxe or other beast being fallen into a pit vpon the Sabaoth day 4. Let the workes of thy priuate calling giue place to workes of a publike calling and generall if thou bee labouring vpon the sixe dayes the Lord calling to his house by appointing solemne meetings to his worship thou must leaue thy worke Leuit. 23. and attend vpon the Lord there Thus feast of the Passeouer was kept vpon the sixe dayes the feast of Tabernacles of â—â—â—st fruits purim and when the Lord called to any fasting c. 5. The workes of a generall coÌ„mon calling must giue place to the works of a speciall vndoubted calling being contrary if a man at any time hath such as Abraham had to kil his own sonne the man whom the Prophet bad to smite and wound him and the Prophet that was forbidden to eate bread in the place of Ieroboams Idolatry 1 Pet 2.15 Passiue obedience is in bearing patiently according to Gods will whatsoeuer is his will to lay vpon vs This is the will of GOD saith Peter that by well doeing yee put to silence the ignorance of foolish men speaking of subiection to the Tyrants of those times and to seruants being wrongfully punished hee propoundeth this comfort If any man for conscience towards GOD indureth wrongfully Verse 19. that is thanke worthy If any man therefore grudgeth and be impatient hee doth against the will of the LORD Now that all our obedience may the better bee accepted it must haue these three properties 1. Chearefulnes and readines it is spoken of as a thing taxed in Cain that in processe of time he came to doe sacrifice Obedience acceptable Gen. 4. 2 Cor. 8. Iam. 1. and God loueth a cheerefull giuer saith Paul he loueth one like to himselfe who readily bestowerh vpon such as aske vpbraiding no man It is not therefore sufficient to obey eyther in doing or suffering when we must needes and are pressed hereunto but we must willingly and cheerefully obey euen in bearing any crosse wherefore He that will be my Disciple saith Christ Matth. 10. must take vp his crosse and follow me 2. Sincerity which is heartily and from the Spirit approuing our selues to God and not affecting the applause and praise of men for thus our obedience will be all lost labor Esa 1. Matth. 6. as that of the Iewes and Pharisies 3. Vniuersalitie which is in all and euery particular thing Marc. 6. for Herod did many things and yet was reiected because he disobeyed in one thing but Iob is approued obediently professing his subiection to God though he should yet aggrauate his misery and kill him 2. The deprecation against all disobedience to the will of God and this is first rebellion an obstinate offending against the knowne will of God when Saul offended thus The deprecation 1 Sam. 15. Psalme 19. his sinne is censured as rebellion This made Dauid so earnestly to pray against this presumptuous sinning Deprecat 2. 2 We pray against prophannesse which is a base estimation of holy duties Heb 12.16 making no more reckoning of the Word of God then of Aesops Fables This is set forth by Esau's example who sold his birth-right for one messe of pottage and is forbidden to all men Vnder paine of being depriued of Gods blessing when we shall seeke it with teares Deprecat Esa 29.13 3. Wee pray against hypocrisie whereby men draw neere vnto God with their lips but haue their hearts estranged from him doing duties which the Lord requireth but not with that vprightnesse This maketh God an Idoll and his worship odious it causeth blasphemy against his holy Name and ruine of many soules who seeing
of the Christians in Macedonia of which the Apostle witnesseth when the famine was at Ierusalem saying 2. Cor. 8.3 According to their power I beare them record yea beyond their ability that they were willing 3. Duty To be lifted vp in heart to heauen Col. 3. The third duty is in the remembrance of this admirable Vnion of God vnto man whereby man is beyond measure graced to put vpon vs high spirits both by hauing our hearts lifted vp to Heauen where our nature sits at the right hand of God and also by being vndaunted at the greatest dangers that may befall vs or at the greatest terrours that the Deuill can strike into vs Psal 23. wee must say with Dauid Though I walke in the vale and shadow of death yet will I feare none euill for the Lord is my Shepheard for the Lord wee may say is in vs and with Paul God is on our side who can bee against vs. Rom 8. Wee must stand fast in the euill day when wee are assaulted not with flesh and bloud but with spirituall powers Eph 6.12 For if our eye bee but opened to see who is with vs as Elisha prayed for his seruant Lord open his eyes wee shall assuredly bee without feare 2 Kâ—ng 6. more being with vs then against vs. If it were a duty flowing from faith to be high-spirited according to the world I know that many yea all would easily frame themselues vnto it for euery mans spirit is too high this way all meditate matters too high for them But this highnesse must be abated and brought low that roome may be made for that which ought to be Thou must not be altogether without an high minde for euery man is by all meanes to striue to exceed heerein onely be sure that it aspire to the highest thing of all which is Heauen 4. Duty To reuerence Christ our Lord. The fourth duty is to yeeld due reuerence to this Lord and gracious Iesus of ours for that wee are his hee hath bought vs Neither are wee vnder our enemies hands neither are our bodies our owne that I may speake with the Apostle wee are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your bodies 1. Cor. 6.20 He may rightly challenge at our hands as the Father doth If I be a master where is my feare or my reuerence Now Mal. 1.3 Phil. 2.16 what this reuerence is is expressed to the Philippians God hath giuen him a name aboue all names that at the name of Iesus all knees might bow c. that is that all might outwardly reuerence the name Iesus be reuerently affected inwardly at the very sound thereof and submit themselues to obey his will at the very first comming of the same to their eares for that it is of him who is our Lord Iesus as may best bee vnderstood by comparing this place with that of the Prophet vnto which the Apostle alludeth Esa 45 23. I liue saith the Lord euery tongue shall sweare by me and euery knee shall bow vnto me For swearing by Gods name is vsually put for worshipping and seruing him Wee are therefore to serue the Lord Iesus and in all things so to behaue our selues in our soules and bodies as those that remember they haue such a Lord. Masters must entreat their seruants gently Ephes 6.9 for that they also haue a Lord and maister Iesus Christ vnto whom they must giue account all higher powers and great persons must so vse their authority ouer others Math. 24. as that they may not be found by this their great Lord Math. 25. smiting their fellowse at his comming all men of all sorts must take heed that they haue so vsed their talents as that they be not found to haue gained nothing at his comming If thou bee such an empty and barren Professor of Christs name and seruice though thou weare his badge though thou with thy mouth call him Lord yet hee will bee a terrible Lord to thee at his comming hee will cut thee off and giue thee thy portion with hypocrites hee will bid Take this bad seruant binde him hand and foot and cast him into vtter darknesse Quest 25. Which is the second degree and in which words Answ He suffered the death of the Crosse for my sins set forth in these words He suffered vnder Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried Gen. 49. Explan Hauing explained the first degree of the humiliation of the Son of God we come now to the second He suffered vnder Pontius Pilate That is a Heathen Iudge set ouer the Prouince of the Iewes by the Roman Emperour for hitherto they had Gouernours of their owne according to the Prophesie of old Father Iaâ—cob saying The scepter shall not depart from I dals nor a law giuer from betweene his feet vntill Sâ—â—loh comes Euseb Ioseph For Herod the sonne of Aâ—tipater was the first stranger that was Gouernour ouer them and the two and thirtieth yeare of his raigne was the sonne of God borne and in the two and fortieth of Augustus Caesar the Emperour Olympiad Luc. 3.1 194. And after this Herod was Pontius Pilate set ouer Iudea vnder the Empire of Tiberius Caesar Before these were men of the Hebrew Nation Rulers there viz. Aristobulus Hircanus and Antigonus thirty fine yeares and so ascending vpward to the times of Iudas Macchabeus c. Vnder the gouernment then of this Pontius Pilate Christ began to execute his office for which he was sent viz. To preach the Gospell both by himselfe and his Disciples and continuing thus to doe and to worke many miracles was spitefully entreated of the wicked Iewes for the space of three yeers and vpward then villanously betrayed by one of his Disciples apprehended abused crucified being full thirty three yeeres of age Hee was dead That is he was not onely fastened to the Crosse to the shedding of some of his blood where the nailes entred into his hands and feete but there gaue vp the Ghost was after pierced to the very heart with a speare so that water and blood came out and being found certainely dead he had not his legges broken as theirs were which had beene crucified with him And buried That is for the more certainty that his spirit was departed out of him he was taken downe from the Crosse and laid into the graue And this briefly shall suffice for the meaning Now followe the testimonies and grounds of holy Scripture out of which this is taken First 1. Proofe that he suffered vnder Pontius Pilate 2. That he was crucified and dead 3. That he was buried 4. That he did vndergoe all this for our sinnes For the first It would be ouer-tedious to rehearse all that the Lord suffered according as it is recorded at large by the Euangelists We may therefore referr all briefly to these two heads First to that he suffered before his manifesting himselfe to the world whilst he
not for me but weepe for your selues and for your children So are we to weepe for our selues the cause of this heauines being our naughtinesse Zach. 12.5 They shall see him whom they haue pierced saith the Prophet and shall weepe euery familie apart c. so there is no true Israelite so stoically void of all motion but hee will weepe to see how by his sinnes he hath stricken through as it were with sorrow his most louing friend master Ephe. 5. and maker If a man hath foolishly runne into any such vnlawfull actions as that he must needes die therefore or some speciall friend vnto whom his heart is most entirely knit he is more then flint-like hard if it pricks not his very soule and much more if a woman hath done thus and her best beloued husband must suffer But such is the Lord Iesus vnto vs and so ill deseruing are the actions which we haue and doe daily runne into either wee our selues must die therefore and still most hideously liue euer dying or our best friend in the world vnto whom wee are a spouse and he the husband must lay downe his life for vs yea he hath done it and we cannot but daily behold it in the Gospell O then let vs weepe with Rachel and not bee comforted let our hearts breake with sorrow for our so heynous iniquities and let it continually afflict vs inwardly as wee are continually subiect to sinning and the rather for that so doing we shall bee comforted according to that Blessed are those that mourne Math 5. 2. Cor. 7.10 for they shall be comforted and godly sorrow breedeth repentance vnto saluation neuer to be repented of 1. Duty Mortification of sinne Heb. 6.6 The second duty is the mortification of our fleshly members and sinfull concupiscences and that for three speciall causes First because that by liuing still in sinne we come to bee accessarie to this odious murdering and killing of the Lord of all for they that liue obstinately in sinne do crucify againe the Son of God and make a mocke of him so farre are they from beleeuing in him crucified Their daily practise is to draw Christ vnto the crosse to driue nailes into his hands and feete to scoffe at him and to runne him in with a speeare to the very heart howsoeuer in word they defie and spit at such practise Rom. 6.4 Secondly because all such as vnto whom Christs death is effectuall to doe away their sinnes are conformable vnto him in his death and buriall All that are baptised into Christ haue put on Christ and are by baptisme buried with him into his death c. If the head be dead and buried the members cannot be aliue still no more can any true member of Christ bee aliue vnto sinne such as is euery true beleeuer hee doth but prate then and not beleeue that Christ was crucified dead buried whosoeuer liueth still willingly in any sinne Thirdly because no man following the trade of sinne can be Christs disciple For such an one must deny himselfe that is to be as hee is naturally and according to the carriage of his owne disposition and so follow Christ Hee must forsake all and goe after him if occasion require father and mother brethren and sisters house and ground and life it selfe that is all profits all pleasures and whatsoeuer most precious things might be an hinderance vnto him As hee that would bee into any mans seruice entertained must vtterly forsake his old seruice vnto his maisters enemy otherwise hee cannot belong vnto him No more canst thou belong vnto Christ if thou be still exercised in the workes of sinne his vtter enemy Besides beleeuing the sufferings of Christ procures wonderfull loue of Christ and where this loue is there is a continuall endeauour in all things to please him If these things bee so if the Son of man should come now to iudgement should he finde faith vpon the earth I feare hee should finde but a very little and but in very few 3. Duty Patience in suffering The third duty is patience and ioy in suffering any thing for Christs sake and the Gospels as those which are glad of any occasion to shew their loue for so great loue of his And wee are chiefly to reioyce heerein for two causes First because that by suffering wee are made like vnto him according to this his speech Math. 15.25 whereby hee incourageth his disciples Jt is well for the Disciple if he be as his Maister and the seruant as his Lord and wee shall be rewarded like vnto him afterward for he saith Reioyce be glad for great is your reward in heauen v. 5.22 We are to be like minded vnto Vriah who being bidden when hee came weary from the warres to goe to his owne house to cheare vp himselfe and to delight in the company of his wife answered nay 2. Sam. 11. my Lord Ioab c. lyes in tents in the fields and shall I doe thus surely I will not and so was content with his perhaps hard lodging amongst the Kings seruants so doe all true Christians say what did my Lord Iesus suffer pouerty hunger thirst violence and wrong was hee harbourlesse abused and hanged on the Crosse and shall I neuer thinke my selfe well but when I am rich honoured and abounding with all good things of this life God forbid I will be glad rather if I bee counted worthy to suffer with him crosses persecutions troubles or death it selfe Secondly because that in suffering for his truth hee doeth grace vs for so much as hee takes vs for his Martyrs and witnesses as if the King should choose certaine men out of his dominions to be his Champions to maintaine his honour furnishing them in such sort as that they could not bee ouercome though they must striue and take great paines in playing their parts yet they would doe it cheerefully and ioy much herein for that they would take it as an honor done vnto them by the King more then vnto others for euen thus doeth the Lord Iesus honour those whom he cals forth to suffer for his truth they be his Champions chosen to maintaine his honour and he prouides assuredly so for them as that they shal ouercome according to that glorying of Paul Rom. 8.37 In all things we are more then conquerors through him that loued vs. And this was it that made the Apostles glad for being beaten They reioyced Act 5.41 that they were counted worthy to suffer any thing for his sake The fourth duty is to remaine vnterrified with the pangs 4. Duty and approaching of death vnto vs because our Lord Christ hath dyed and in dying hath ouercome death hee hath taken away the sting of death which before made it terrible for the sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the law but for the one he hath satisfied by his death the strength of the other he
chiefly to gather all testimonies about this matter because that seducers and coozeners who would make the world beleeue that themselues were some great persons when they haue done many and great matters haue altogether failed in this last act of rising from the dead and going vp to heauen peculiar indeed to the Sonne of God alone Such was Simon Magus a Coniurer who by his inchauntments much hindred the Gospell and aduanced himselfe and made the world beleeue that after his beheading hee made himselfe aliue againe but when hee by his impostures made a proffer to ascend to heauen also in the sight of many hee fell downe againe and breaking his necke miserably ended his dayes Such also was Mahomet the great Prophet of the Turkes Hee commanded that his body should be kept from buriall vntill the third day after his death promising that he would then reuiue againe but it being kept not onely to the third but to the thirtieth euen till a most horrible stinch came from him no such thing appeared onely they put his body in an Iron coffer which hangeth vpon the top of his Temple by the vertue of Loadstones to the deceiuing of simple people to this day Like to these are all false Christs that lewdly haue taken vpon them this honour Onely this our blessed Sauiour as hee was wonderfull in his life so was hee in his death whatsoeuer hee promised hee did accordingly euen after his death performe 1. Duty To doe the duties of our calling Eph. 4 8. The duties whereby wee are to shew our faith in this are two First to doe the duties of our callings without pretending any want of ability heerevnto for he ascended vp on high as witnesseth the Psalmist to giue guifts to men which is also applyed by the Apostle saying He gaue guifts to men Now these guifts are such as be fit for their callings Act. 2. as is shewed in the history of the holy Ghost comming downe vpon his disciples ten dayes after his ascention in the shape and likenesse of fiery tongues accompanied with the rushing as it were of a mighty winde at what time they were made able to speake all languages according to their office of preaching in all countries among men of diuers languages and indued with zeale to goe through with their Apostolicall function And as any more were added to the fellowship of the Apostles they were in like manner fitted with guifts needfull as Saul who before his conuersion was an enemy but now a friend to the Gospell before ignorant of these diuine mysteries but now in knowledge not inferiour to the very chiefe Apostles for hee learned nothing of any as hee saith no not of Peter Gal. 1. c. Iames and Iohn and as many more as the Lord had imployment for in his Church through the holy Ghost were wonderfully inabled thereunto Wherefore apply thy selfe in what calling soeuer thou art placed to walke worthy of it pretend not insufficiency for a cloake of idlenesse for so thou disparagest the vertue of Christs ascension that said It is necessary that I goe away from you for if I depart I will send the comforter vnto you And when hee is come which is the spirit of truth Ioh. 16.7 vers 13. he will leade you into all truth c. If thou bee a Minister then neglect not thy office plead not want of leysure want of memory want of ability to preach the word and to bee instant in season and out of season for the spirit inables thee against all these if thou bee a master of a family neglect not the office of a maister Deut. 6. plead not ignorance disuse incombrance of many businesses hindring thee from reading or speaking of the law of God to thy family from catechizing thy children and seruants from praying with them or examining the Sermons which they haue heard As thou art a common Christian fauour not thy selfe in thy weaknesses and sinnes Plead not that euery man is subiect to sinne and hath his infirmity to bee hindred from mortifying thy corruptions to make thee rest contented with some clog of sinne still hanging on If thou bee a Magistrate neglect not causes that come before thee vpon pretence that thou hast not from God the guift of wisedome and discerning but aboue all take heed that thou bee not ouertaken with guifts from men which blinde the eyes of the wise and will hinder thee from executing iustice and iudgement from deliuering the poore and oppressed And so let all others of what estate or degree soeuer feare to colour ouer their negligences with the pretext of insufficiencie for Christ that sets them in their estates and places hath ascended and obtained gifts fit for them all either therefore thou art an intruder and neuer called to such estate or else in some measure fitted with guifts for thy calling and still obtainest increase by seeking According to that If any man â—ant wisedome let him aske it of God who giueth liberally c. 2. Duty Iam. 1.5 To liue as strangers here The second duty is to carry our selues as strangers in this world all the time of our abiding heere because our head Christ Iesus is in heauen another world as it were vnto which wee also doe belong so many as beleeue in his name of this the Apostle speaketh thus 1. Thes 4.14 If wee beleeue that Iesus is dead and risen euen so they that sleepe in Iesus will God bring with him and both of these and of them that shall bee liuing at his comming to iudgement hee saith vers 17. Wee shall bee caught vp in the cloudes to meet the Lord in the ayre and so shall wee euer bee with the Lord. Our country then is Heauen the place of our abode is prouided there where Christ is and hath beene euer since his ascension according as himselfe speaketh Ioh. 14.2.3 In my fathers house there bee many dwelling places and I goe to prepare a place for you that where I am there yee may bee also 15.19 For this cause is it that he tells Christians that they are not of this world and we are said to be Pilgrimes and strangers heere as they which are so much commended for their faith Abraham Sara Isaack Iaacob Moses c. Concerning whom it is written that they saw that they were Pilgrimes and strangers vpon earth Heb. 11.13.14.15.16 by which they declared that they sought a countrey which is a better then their owne an heauenly one a City which God hath prepared for them To liue like strangers what required 2 Cor. 5.2 Phil. 1.17 Now then that we may carry our selues as strangers here foure things are required First wee must long after our Countrey and City heauen as S. Paul saith in the name of all beleeuers Wee sigh desiring to bee cloathed with our house which is from heauen and particularly of himselfe Desiring to be dissolued and to bee with
merits as it were with incense out of a censor what neede haue we of Saint or Angell to helpe vs to accesse and acceptance before the Father Yea I neede not say what neede but what Faith can we haue in so doing seeing that both himselfe hath bidden vs aske in his owne name and in the case of sinne-guiltinesse wee are directed onely to him as our onely Mediator and Aduocate Wherefore the profession of the Church of Rome is in this point by all meanes to bee reiected as a profession and practice of infidelity in Christs sitting at the right hand of the Father Their comparison from earthly Princes are chaffie and of no moment if they be brought to the ballance of the Sanctuary and are meerely colours whereby they seeke to dawbe ouer their blinde deuotion and to gull the doting people Quest 31 Which is the third degree of his exaltation and in which words Answ Thirdly he shall come from Heauen at the ende of the World to iudge all that shall then be found liuing and all that haue dyed since the world began in these words From thence hee shall come to iudge both the quicke and the dead Explan For the meaning of this Article it is opposite to that which setteth downe the first degree of his humiliation for as there of God he was made Man yea a poore man vnder the gouernment of Ioseph and Mary so heere hee is of a poore man set ouer all both rich and poore great and small that they might be disposed of according to his pleasure And as there he was vnder earthly Iudges and Rulers who did often decree hard things against him so here hee comes as Iudge and Ruler of all to decree vnalterably extreame things against all the stoutest of his enemies and comfortable things for all his louers and friends He shall come from Heauen that is as man for thus onely hee can remooue from place to place his God-head euer fils all places as man then hee shall come downe visibly and openly with great glory and troopes of Angels about him as Iudges are wont in pompe and with great attendance to ride their circuits and he shall come downe towards this nether part of the world where they haue liued whose causes shall be heard and proceeded in as Iudges are wont to go to sit in Iudgement in such places as wherin they dwel which are to be brought before them To iudge those that shal be then liuing for the World shall be full of people euen to the houre of his comming and then the dead being raised out of their Graues euen all from the first Adam shall be ioyned with the liuing who shall onely instead of dying be changed and thus all people together of all Countries and Nations shall bee presented before his Tribunall to receiue sentence according to the equity yea and iustice of his Gospell whether of Absolution to passe into the Kingdome of the Father or of condemnation into the Kingdome of Hell with the Diuell and his Angels for euer Proofe Secondly for the grounds of holy Scriptures whereupon all this is founded the comming of Christ to iudgement according to all these circumstances is plainely heere set downe in many Places First that he shall come againe the Angels sent of God for the same end told his Disciples thus much immediatly after his ascension saying Acts 1.12 This Iesus shall euen so come downe from heauen as ye haue seene him goe vp to heauen Heb. 9.28 And in another place it is said that Christ vnto them that looke for him shall appeare the second time without sin vnto saluation and of himselfe he saith I goe away but will come againe Secondly that he shall come to iudge Iohn 14. not in pouerty but in Maiestie not basely accompanied but gloriously with Angels not like a Lamb to be slaine againe but like a Lyon to teare in pieces his enemies all this doth he himselfe promise saying Then shall they see the Son of Man come in the clowds of Heauen with power and great glory Mat 24.30.31 and he shal send his Angels with the sound of a Trumpet c. And what is here wanting is further supplied in the next Chapter Chap. 25.31.32 When the Son of man commeth in his glory and all the holy Angels with him then shal he sit vpon the Throne of his glory and before him shall be gathered all nations c. Thirdly that the world shall bee then full of people liuing as at other times and that all shal not die before the Apostle sheweth both where purposely he entreateth at large of the resurrection saying We shall not all sleepe but we shall be changed in a moment 1 Cor. 15.51 in the twinkling of an eye at the last trumpet 1 The. 4 and where he comforts the Church of God in this that their dead friends and they aliue shall meete againe at the last day And the Lord himselfe plainely saith that as it was in the dayes of Noah and in the daies of Lot so shall it be at the comming of the Son of man then the world was full of people which were eating and drinking marrying and giuing in mariage c til the floud came Luc. 17.27 swept them all away till fire came from Heauen and consumed them all so shall it be at Christs cōming to iudgment Fourthly that quick dead shal all come to iudgement before him was long since confirmed vnto Iohn by vision He saw a Throne set and the Son of of Man sitting theron the books opened and al euen the dead as wel as the liuing brought before him to be iudged according to the things written in the bookes Reuel 20.12 then the earth gaue vp the dead buried there the sea gaue vp the dead that were therin Rom. 14.10 And S Paul hence giues warning that wee iudge not one another For wee must al appeare before the Iudgemēt seat of Christ Fiftly that the maner of his comming shall be most terrible to all his enemies but comfortable to his friends and faithfull people for the terrour it is set forth by comparisons taken from the flood Luk. 17.27 fearefully drowning the old world without mercy or compassion from the fire and brimstone descending vpon Sodome Prou. 1. from the sorrowes comming vpon a woman in trauell Math 24. from a seuere master returning from a farre countrey and adiudging his vnprofitable seruants to be cut off and to haue their portion in the place of weeping and gnashing of teeth and from a thiefe breaking into an house to rob and slay in the dead time of the night c. For euen such and more terrible by farre shall Christs comming to iudgement be 2. Pet 3.10 Againe this terrour is set forth by particular accidents that shall accompany this time viz flaming fire in which the Lord shall come to render vengeance to the wicked
soule which is the losse of it the intollerable pangs to bee suffered by it in the fire Matth. 25 that neuer goeth out and by the wormâ— that neuer dyeth Lastly he is freed from the bondage of Sathan who ruleth in the children of disobedience that is in sinners who is their master and they his seruants according to that Eph. 2.2 2 Tim. 2.25 Rom. 7 He which committeth sinne is the seruant of sinne Who hath them in his snare carrieth them away as captiue slaues at his pleasure who terrifieth them and putteth them in feare all the dayes of their liues Secondly that God is the author of this grace is euident for no man forgiueth sinnes but God only Marc. 27. it is one of his attributes as was declared by the Lords owne voice vnto Moses saying The Lord the Lord strong gratious and mercifull slow to anger and abundant in goodnes and in truth forgiuing iniquity transgression and sinne c. Exod. 34.6 Vers 7. Wherefore as was obiected by the Pharisees against Christ it may truely be said of the Popes of Rome This man blasphemeth for none can forgiue sinnes but God Ioh. 20.23 It is true indeede which our Sauiour said vnto Peter and the rest of his Disciples Whose sinnes ye remit they are remitted and whose sinnes ye retaine they are retayned But what authoritie hath the Pope giuen him here more the any other minister of Gods word what ground is here for his maÌ„ifold indulgeÌ„ces by which he beguiles the simple world of such a masse of Money and increaseth his treasuries For the Disciples had none other power hereby giuen them but that which was fit for men appointed to carry the glad tidings of saluation to the rest of the world viz to publish forgiuenesse of sinnes to all such as did or should repent and beleeue in Iesus Christ and the retention of sinnes vnto all that remayned hardened against this faith of Christ and impenitent 1 Cor. 5. For as when by their preaching they were said to conuert any to Christ or to beget any to Christ nothing else is meant but that faithfully executing their office of preaching men were through the working of Gods Spirit made beleeuers and so the members of Christ in like manner when they are said to forgiue sinnes it is meant first in generall that preaching forgiuenesse to beleeuers it should not be in vaine but so many as became hereby through the working of Gods Spirit beleeuers should haue their sinnes forgiuen them before God in heauen and contrariwise to vnbeleeuers The words also haue a further meaning in particular of forgiuing sinnes by admitting into the Church notorious offendors becomming penitent and retayning them by iust excommunication and casting out of the Church as Saint Paul seemeth to comment hereupon in his first and second epistle to the Corinthians for first hee giueth charge that grauely and orderly the incestuous person bee deliuered to Satan here is retaining of sinnes then he wills them vpon his repentance to receiue and comfort him againe here is forgiuenes of sinnes yea he vseth the very word of forgiuing saying Contrariwise ye ought now rather to forgiue him and comfort him 2 Cor. 2.7 Vers 10. and againe To whom ye forgiue any thing I forgiue also Whence it is most plaine that the power of forgiuing and retayning sinnes and consequently of the keyes of heauen consisteth in admitting or duely and rightly casting any out of the Church and equally belongeth vnto the Disciples and equally to the graue ministers of Gods word so that some Paul sit at the sterne to moderate this weightie action and this is not the Bishop of Rome but euery Bishop within the limits appointed vnto him Math. 1. For the meritorious cause of the forgiuenesse of sinnes that it is Iesus Christ his very name doth shew for he is therefore called Iesus because he shall saue his people from their sinnes as the Angell told Ioseph before that he was borne and there is none other name giuen amongst men Act. 4 1â— 1 Ioh. 1.7 Whereby we must be saued saith Peter it is the blood of Iesus saith Iohn that cleanseth from all sinne with infinite other testimonies tending to the setting forth of the same thing We did not loue God first that for our loue towards him he might forgiue our sinnes for he loued vs first yea when we were enemies Rom. 5. and hated him we did not seeke for it at his hands that for our importunitie he might be moued to forgiue our sinnes for I am found Esa 65.1 saith he of them that sought me not our good workes did not so please him as that therfore he should forgiue our sinnes for wee were so farre from good workes that we could not thinke a good thought of our selues 2 Cor. 3.5 Lastly neither men nor Angels doe solicite him for vs or can obtaine the pardon of our sinnes but Iesus Cbrist the righteous is our aduocate with the Father who is the propitiation for our sinnes 1 Ioh. 1.2 Psal 32 1â— Vers 2. Esa 38.17 Mich. 7.19 Fourthly for that which is further added Whereby he accounteth of sinne as if it had neuer beene committed it is taken out of the Psalmes where the Prophet saith Blessed is the man whose wickednesse is forgiuen and whose sinne is couered blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity The Lord is therefore said to cast all our sinnes behinde his backe yea to cast them into the bottome of the sea euen as when a debt is discharged the bonds and writings which were before carefully kept are now cancelled and carelesly cast about because it is no more any debt so although before the remission of sinnes the Lord did carefully keepe his bookes as it were and account of all our sinnes as infinite debts yet being forgiuen Col. 2.14 he hath put out the hand-writing that was against vs and it is as it were nayled vnto the crosse of Christ because it is now no more any debt to be exacted at our hands Math. 12. Chap. 23. Ioh. 15. Lastly wee must further know that this forgiuenesse is only to the faithfull all others remaine in the bands of their sinnes and this partly appeareth by that which was said before that hee shall sauâ— his people from their sinnes Vnto others hee denounceth manifold woes saying Woe be to thee Corâ—zin woe be to thee Bethsaida and woe be vnto you Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites and if I had not come amongst them the had not had sinne but now their sinne remaineth yea he threatneth many of his followers that hee will bid them Mat. 7.21 Depart from mee yee workers of iniquity I know you not so that euen they are without this benefit of the forgiuenesse of their sinnes viz. all such as notwithstanding their profession of the Christian faith doe still liue in sinne 1 Duty To pray for the
their strictnesse shewing their weaknesse in maintaining that it was against the Law to doe any worke at all vpon the Sabbath day for that in this sense their very Priests did continually breake the Law His intent then was to shew the right meaning of the command to be this that they should doe no manner worke except such as was of present necessity or helped to the sanctification of the Sabbath day Now for the Ceremoniall Law that it might bee omitted without sinne the Lord himselfe sheweth where hee saith I will not reprooue thee for thy sacrifices or burnt offerings Psal 50.8 that haue not beene continually before me and for Circumcision all the time of the people of Israels being in the wildernesse for the space of forty yeares their children were vncircumcised and yet no sinne imputed and without doubt they failed in sundry other things also Ioshua 5. Matth. 12. as the Priest did in giuing Dauid of the shewbread which it was not lawful for the people to eat and yet we do not find that they were therfore reproued by any of the Prophets howsoeuer it cannot bee denyed but that when they presumed to alter any ceremony they were grieuously punished Leuit 10. as when the two sonnes of Aaron aduentured to sacrifice with common fire they were destroyed by fire comming from heauen When Vzzah presumed to carry the Arke vpon a Cart and to stay it with his hands when as he ought not to haue touched it and it should haue beene borne vpon mens shoulders he was smitten with present death All which I doe not speake to the end 2. Sam. 6. that men should thinke that any of Gods lawes might lightly haue bin brokeÌ„ without offence but that there being iust cause the ceremonial law was many times transgressed and yet the transgressors remained blameles which is not so with the Morall 4 The Moral Law being neglected maketh men of how holy a sect and profession soeuer worse then Infidels that are without all written lawes and yet obserue the Law of Nature according to the doctrine of the Apostle Rom 2.26 Vers 27. If thou bee a transgressor of the Law thy Circumcision is made vncircumcision and shall not the vncircumcision which is by Nature if it keepe the Law condemne thee which by letter and circumcision art a Transgressor of the Law It maketh men worse then bruit Beastes which haue not a reasonable soule according to that of the Prophet The Oxe knoweth his owner Esay 1.1 and the Asse his Masters Crib but Israel hath not knowne mee It is not so with the ceremoniall that being neglected maketh only worse then the seruants and peculiar people of the Lord should be and a confused multitude of altogether 5. The ceremoniall law was very chargeable and costly the Aulter could not bee maintained without costs the first borne could not bee redeemed without manifold and deepe costs neither could theee be an expiation of sin without costs and charges so that it was burthensome vnto the the people and grieuous to bee borne but the Morall Law putteth to no such busie multiplicitie and encombrance of cost it requireth the right disposition of the heart and then obedience in practâ—se will easily follow 6 The Morall Law engrauen in Tables of stone was kept in the Arke which was a signe that it should last perpetuallie euen as Heauen the Throne of God in the figure whereof it was put for euen in Heauen the Morall Law is obserued for which cause it is that we pray that Gods wil may be done in earth as it is in Heauen But it is not so with the other lawes these being to last only to the fulfilling of all by Christ Reas 1 The cerimoniall Law ceased For first to speake of the Ceremoniall Law that was then without doubt to cease euen as there is no further vse of a Candle when the Sunne is risen of a picture when the person is present of the A. B. C. when the Grammer is taught For the ceremonies of the old Testament had none other vse but a little as they were able to set foorth Christ Iesus who was to shed his blood for our sinnes as the blood of beasts was shed and sprinkled in the Tabernacle and Temple of the Iewes to offer himselfe vpon the Altar of the crosse as the beastes were offered there vpon an Altar to beare our sinnes as the scape Goate did the sinnes of the Iewes especially and so of the rest according to which Saint Iohn saith Ioh. 1.17 The Law was giuen by Moses but grace and truth came by Iesus Christ and this may serue for a first reason of the abrogation of the Mosaicall Ceremonies Reas 2 Secondly the renting of the vaile of the temple at Christs suffering and the destruction of the Temple not long after which could neuer since bee built againe shew the same For all the time that the ceremoniall law was of force God would not suffer it to be thus but if for sinne he did he soone returned in mercy againe at the humiliation of his people and restored these seruices Reas 3 Heb. 7.8.9 Thirdly Christ was a new high Priest after the order of Melchisedeck who was greater then Aaron and therefore his order was to cease at the comming of this worthier euen as at the change of head officers amongst the Romans the Dictators ceased when the Emperours came on This argument the Apostle handleth learnedly and at large to the Hebrewes Fourthly Christs comming made vs to be of age when as before men were children and nothing differing from seruants as the Apostle reasoneth to the Galathians saying When wee were children we were in bondage vnder the rudiments of the world c. Now such things as serue for the instruction of children are of no further vse when they come to be men so is it with this law 2. Iudiciall Lawes cease Secondly as for the Iudaicall lawes some are willing to grant that those of them were to cease which concerned some speciall ciuill customes of that people the entailing of their Lands the freedome of seruants in the yeare of Iubilee and such like but as for all those Iudicials which vpheld and backed any Morall Law they would haue them to be still in force and to bind all Christians Of those that lay this yoke vpon vs I must craue pardon and rather thinke that all obligatory power of those Lawes was to cease at the dissolution of the Iewes Common-wealth in as much as those Lawes were by speciall measure of circumstances squared and fitted to the nature of that people as well in the Ciuill as Ecclesiasticall estate and gouernment Here I tread in reuerend Master Caluins stepps Cal Instit lib. 4. cap. 20. Sect. 16. who in his Institutions doth very soundly determine this point shewing that it is neither necessary nor expedient that the Lawes of other Nations should be the same that were
his helping hand There remaineth yet one thing more in generall and that is the vse of this Law in these times of the Gospell The vse of the Law in these times of the Gospell for howsoeuer other Lawes be done away as hath been shewed yet this still euer remaineth as it hath euer been in the hart yea euen before mans fall And this appeareth now to vse more proofes from our often being vrged vnto an holy and new life from the many caueats giuen against sinne and from the threatnings that they which doe such things shall neuer enter into life euen in the new Testament Ephes 4.24 For when the Apostle willeth vs to put off the old man and to put on the new which after Christ Iesus is in holines to put of the workes of darkenesse Rom. 13. Leuit. 11.44 and to put on the armour of light what doth he else but reuiue the Law Bee yee holy as J am holy Iohn 2.1 saith the Lord. When S. Iohn saith These things write I vnto you Iames 2.10 that yee sinne not And S. Iames Hee that keepeth the whole Law and yet saileth in one point is guilty of all what do they else but preach the continuance of the Law Deut. 5 32. Thou shalt keepe all these Commandements not declining to the right hand nor to the left Lastly when all the writings of the new Testament are full of sweet promises to such as constantly go forward in a Christian course of life and that bring forth the fruits of the Spirit but on the other side ful of terrible threatnings to the disobedient and such as bring forth the fruits of the flesh what other thing do they tend vnto but to make another Deuteronomy for that they repeate as there it is repeated out of Leuiticus Leuit. 26. Deut. 28. If thou shalt diligently obserue all these lawes then shalt thou be blessed at home and abroad c. but if thou break them Cursed shalt thou bee in euery thing that thou puttest thine hand vnto And to make it out of doubt our Sauiour Christ when it was suspected that he would giue liberty from the Law saith I am not come to destroy the Law Mat. 5.19 and the Prophets but to fulfill them But it will here be obiected then If it be thus how can those places of the new Testament stand where it is often said Wee are not vnder the Law Gal 4.18 Rom. 7. but vnder grace Euen as a woman when her husband is dead is freed from the law of her husband so are wee freed from the Law vnder the Gospell and Christ was made of a woman and made vnder the Law Gal. 4.4 to free those that were vnder the Law with many like places What is all this to make a shew only of libertie we being still bound to keepe the Law as we were before Christs comming I answere that most of these and the like places are to bee vnderstood of the ceremoniall Law against which occasion was then daily offerd to write by reason of the Iewes which were turned to the faith of Christ and yet held it necessary to keepe this law by circumcising c. there was little or none occasion to write so earnestly about the disanulling of the Morall but onely to shew how vnable it was to iustifie for then Christs comming had been needlesse Let the Epistle to the Galathians bee well lookt ouer and this will easily appeare to be the Apostles scope there for that he telleth them with wonderfull vehemencie If ye be circumcised Christ will profit you nothing Gal. 5.2 and he maketh this the occasion of prosecuting this matter of immunitie from the Law so earnestly for that Peter being at Antioch seemed to bee too cold in this doctrine when at the comming of the Iewes hee abstained from meates forbidden by the Ceremoniall Law for which he saith that he reproued him to his face for that iustification before God was not thus attained but hindred Chap. 2.11 which is the only thing he laboureth in throughout the residue of that Epistle But it cannot bee denied but that some liberty also from the Morall Law is here published it will be worth the while therefore to see what this is Liberty from the Law Gal. 3.24 Iohn 1.18 And first this is in regard of the time before Christs comming we were vnder the law as vnder our only schoolemaster to teach and to direct vs but now we haue another Schoolemaster Christ Iesus who came more lately out of the bosome of God the Father to declare him and his waies vnto vs. Now both Moses the mediator of the Law and Christ Iesus teach one and the same thing only as he that goeth from a countrie Schoole to the Vniuersity changeth his Tutor and is no more vnder him that taught him in his younger yeares but vnder another so at the comming to Christ we are no more vnder the old tutor the Law but vnder him who doth deale more gently with vs teaching vs more familiarly helping vs towards more perfection and where we faile pardoning and forgiuing vs and because of his mercifull dealing wee are said not to be vnder the Law but vnder grace and for this it is that the Lord himselfe said that the law and Prophets were vntill Iohn Heb 2.14 Secondly in râ—gard of the power and authority of the Law being now put downe by exercising of which it did tiranize ouer mens consciences and put them into a slauish feare all their liues long before Christs comming but now hauing another master to admonish to reproue to threaten and to correct vs the lawes threatnings neede not to terrifie vs it hath none authority ouer vs no more then a master whose seruant is dismissed and gone from him hath ouer the same seruant and for this cause is it that the Apostle saith Gal. 3 19. The Law was added because of the transgressions vntill the seede came Matth. 11. Thirdly in regard of the seasoning which hath come to our hearts by Gods Spirit ruling and reigning in vs so as that the things of the Law which were before difficult hard and burthensome are now become sweet light and easie according to that of our Sauiour My yoake is easie and burthen light And hence is it that as an Apprentice when his time is out taketh the same or greater paines in his Trade then hee did before yet is a free man although hee serueth his old Master still for it is a delight vnto him so to doe especially remembring in what feare hee was before but now without feare how rigorously compelled vnto his taske but now doing it voluntarily and by reason of his rudenesse and ignorance how hard it was but now by reason of his experience how easie so our time of Apprentiship to the Law being as it were out at the sending of Gods Spirit vnto vs wee are free from it
the sinnes though most loud crying of that people And for this is it that the maine sinnes against euery precept of the first Table were censured with death but it is not so with all those of the second Table Yet doe I not so rigorously presse this rule as to inferre that the least sinne against the first Table must needs bee more heynous then the greatest against the second which hath beene rashly concluded by some Can any Christian perswade mee that I commit a more damnable sinne in being ouertaken with a nap at a long Sermon or comming once late to Church then if I had murthered my owne Father Let me be throwne out of a window if I thinke that Eutychus Act. 20.9 sinned more grieuously then Cain Gen. 4 8. In gathering a proportion betweene one sin and another all respect is not to be had to the obiect against whom the offence is done but regard must bee had also of the kinde of the action committed of the malice or infirmity of the committer c. These bee sometime so superlatiue that they ouerbalance the generall respect to the obiect The comparison therefore betweene the two Tables is to receiue modification and moderation by restraints as caeteris paribus or where there is not ouermuch imparity otherwise in eodem gradu aut specie wherein affections intentions malices presumptions infirmities neglects c. are to bee counterbalanced among themselues and one against another The sixt Rule is this there is so neere a relation betwixt all the commandements of the morall law Rule 6. that whosoeuer obserueth all failing onely in one poynt is guilty of all because as S. Iames teacheth there is one and the same the Author of them all And hence it is that Of two euils Iam. 2. â—0 being mala culpae not penae not the lesser but neither is to bee chosen And hitherto of the first thing now followeth the second Rule 2. Of the singularity of these Commandements of the singularity of these commandements which is in this that euery of these foure hath both the commandement and the reason which is plaine in the three latter and is only called in question in the former because it is not placed as a reason but as a preface to all the commandements before any charge giuen Whence it is The first commandement hath a speciall reason that some haue made it a generall preparatiue perswading to the obedience of all these lawes But it will appeare I take it to bee a speciall reason of the first also and more properly belonging vnto it if we consider first that the other three being subordinate haue their speciall reasons and much more then should this being chiefest and ground of all Secondly the identity of the reason heere vsed and in the second I am the Lord thy God and I the Lord thy God am a iealous God both being alike fit to strike terrour into the offenders as the precepts are alike the one forbidding inward the other outward Idolatry so that if this of the first bee made only generall for the same cause may that of the second and neither shall haue their speciall reason Thirdly if it bee further considered how this reason doth specially fit the precept I am the Lord therefore thou shalt acknowledge me and none other I brought thee out of the Land of Egypt c. therefore thou shalt be vngratefull if thou deny me or ioyne any fellowes with me Quest 54. In which wordes is the first Commandement contained and in which is the reason Answ The Commandemennt is in these words Thou shalt haue none other Gods but me The reason in these I am the Lord thy God which hath brought thee out of the Land of Aegypt out of the house of bondage Quest 55. What are wee heere commanded Answ To haue the Lord for our God which is to loue him aboue all to feare him aboue all to put our whole trust and confidence in him and to make our prayers vnto him alone The manner obserued in handling the Commandements Explan The method which I intend generally to follow in opening the commandements is first to handle the commandement it selfe and then the reason and in euery commandement these two parts the duty inioyned and vice forbidden where the commandement is affirmatiue and contrariwise first the vice forbidden and then the duty when it is negatiue This first commandement is mixt or compounded of both thou shalt haue me for thy God and none other 1. Duty Inioyned Touching the duty it is to haue and to set vp in our hearts and practices the Lord Iehouah who only raigneth in Heauen and in earth for our God which is the maine and principall scope of the whole Law euen as the maine duty of a Subiect towards his Prince is to acknowledge him and to sweare allegeance vnto him which if it be not what will all other Lawes and Statutes auaile What likelihood is there of being contained in obedience in other things Surely none at all but that the person which is vnconformable in the first will liue like a disorderly Riotour and dangerous Traytor So if we refuse to set vp the true God in our hearts which is our vowing allegiance what other account can the Lord make of vs but as of a company of Out-lawes and vnworthy to liue in the Common-wealth of his Church and to bee fellow-Citizens with his Saints Now the Lord is not then acknowledged this duty is not then performed when we make profession in word and outwardly of seruing the true God but when wee loue him in the highest degree when we feare him trust in him and seeke vnto him in all our necessities Wherefore Almighty God in commenting vpon this precept in other places of his holy Word hath shewed expressly how earnestly hee requireth all these things 1 Duty To loue God First for loue he vrgeth it with such a Preface and straineth himselfe to so many varieties in pressing it as if hee would make knowne that all else were nothing without it Heare O Israel Deut. 6.3 saith he by his seruant Moses and take heed to doe it that it may goe well with thee and that thou maist increase mightily c. And againe Heare O Israel the Lord is God only Verse 4. Verse 5. thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thine heart with all thy soule and with all thy might 2. For feare he calleth for it by his Prophet 2. Duty To feare God Mal. 1.6 as they would haue him to account them for his seruants and children If I be a father where is mine honour if J bee a master where is my feare saith the Lord of Hosts And our Sauiour Christ so preferreth this feare as hee putteth downe all feare of great ones in this world in regard of it saying Feare not him which can kill the body but is not able to kill the soule but feare
his Law is broken Obiect Sol. If it be said the Lord will haue mercy and not sacrifice I answer this is in case of necessity not to be auoided hee meaneth not that if thou be poore he had rather thou shouldest worke vpon his Sabbaths but abstaine serue him faithfully and he will stirre thee vp mercy for thy reliefe Quest 75. Are wee bound to doe the holy duties of Gods seruice all this time without ceasing Answ No for we may refresh our selues with eating and drinking singing and musick and other honest delights whereby the mind is cheared vp and ioy and gladnesse befitting the Lords holy day expressed Hos 2.11 Explan Although we teach a strict keeping of the Sabbath vnder the new Testament yet it is not so to bee vnderstood as though wee were bound vpon this day to doe nothing but spirituall duties all the day long for in respect that we haue flesh as well as Spirit that would be wearisome to vs and would turne the Lords day which is for a delight into a heauy burthen I say therefore that wee haue liberty to refresh our selues with such things as cheare the outward man and expresse ioy befitting the Lords holy day For euery holy day of the Lord is a festiuall and ioyfull day for outward ioy and delight which is expressed by the Prophet Hosea saying I will cause all her mirth to cease her feast dayes her new Moones and her Sabbaths When hee threatneth iudgements against the land Nehem. 8.9.10 And Nehemiah inuiteth the people to eate of the fat and drinke the sweete reproouing them when they began to weepe because it was an holy day of the Lord. Whence it appeareth plainly that mirth and ioy euen externall doe well become the holy day of the Lord neither were the people of Israel euer reprooued for this but that through their couetous mindes they accompted the Sabbath a burthen and thought long to haue it gone that their seruants might goe to their labour and they themselues to their markets for in this respect they are threatned by the Prophet Amos Amos 8 5. Heare yee this that swallow vp the poore and say when will the new Moone be gone that we may sell corne and the Sabbath that we may sell wheate c. And some of them not staying the ending of the Sabbaths trod Wine presses and laded and carried out burthens against which Nehemiah prouideth being grieued hereat Nehem. 13.15 as at a great abomination Yet let no man vnderstand this so as though it were hereby tollerated to spend this day in outward and vaine bodily pastimes for for then how shall we improue it to the best aduantage of our soules as hath been already shewed wee had need and ought to doe but so farre forth we may vse bodily delight as it doth not hinder but further the hallowing of this day as it doth not expresse an heathenish feast such as were the old Bacchanalia but setteth forth a diuine feast kept in the honour of the Lord Iesus 1. Let no man therefore be eating and drinking and making merry when the publike seruice of God calleth for him Phil. 3 â—7 for that were truly to make a mans belly his God as the Apostle speaketh seeing he attendeth vpon that when he should attend vpon God in his seruice 2. Let no man so affect outward pleasure as that he should forget the chiefe pleasure and comfort of the soule by neglecting to prepare to Gods worship before or to meditate that it may sinke and take rooting in his mind after 3. Let euery man as hee is able exercise himselfe in priuate in reading and studying the holy Scriptures and praiers with other helpes to strengthen the inner man in grace and knowledge 4. Shunne and auoide all obscene and filthy pleasures which are rather corrupting then hallowing and all vnlawfull gaming or ouer laborious exercises which in the end do rather trouble and dull the Spirits then quicken and cheare theÌ„ vp Let there be no frequenting of Alehouses or Tauerns vnto riot no chambring wantonnes or in a word let there bee no mirth but what becommeth sober temperate and chaste minds fearing God and reuerencing his ordinances And that licentious persons may bee the rather restrained from their vaine pleasures vpon this day the Lord hath apparantly executed iudgement vpon diuers for contempt of this day Quest 76. Is this all that we are bound vnto to keepe the Sabbath our selues in ceasing from labour and doing the duties thereof Answ No but whosoeuer hath sonne or daughter man-seruant or maid cattell or stranger within his gates is alike bound to prouide that all as much as in him lieth obserue this day in their kind both man and beast Gen. 17. Explan The Lord the author of this commandement as in giuing other lawes he speaketh not vnto inferiours and the gouerned but vnto the gouernours as in the law of circumcision he commandeth all vnto Abraham both for the act to be done the time and manner in the law of the Passeouer he commandeth all vnto masters of families Exod. 12.21 and Moses openeth the matter vnto the elders onely so in commanding the obseruation of the Sabbath he layeth all vpon the gouernours saying Thou thy sonne thy daughter thy man-seruant thy maid thy cattell and stranger that is within thy gates Gouernours charged with children and seruants And not without iust cause because that 1. Parents and Masters of families are in Gods stead to their children and seruants and haue his titles vpon them which for what else is it but only to remember them so to bring vp those that are vnder them in all godlines and holinesse as if God himselfe did more particularly take vpon him the training vp and nurturing of them 2. Because of the neare relation betwixt gouernours and their people he is the head oeconomicall they the members of all which we know what care the head hath seeking stil to put more comlines vpon them and in these kind of members the greatest grace is holines and greatest meanes of breeding this the due obseruation of the Sabbath 3. Because of the corrupt nature wherein parents beget and bring forth their children into the world so that without grace they are fountaines of infinite misery vnto them they being by nature the children of wrath and vassals of the deuill Ephes 2.2 now what a corasiue must it needs be to the heart of any kinde-hearted father or mother to consider that they haue bred children to be fire-brands of hell and what a care then must this needs worke in them to helpe them to be deliuered here-from and the chiefest ordinary way vnto this is to bring them to the Sanctuary vpon the Sabbath to vrge them and helpe them by prayer examinations and instructions to the fruitfull obseruation hereof 4. Because they cannot looke for a blessing vpon those things about which they imploy their seruants and
children vnlesse they be Iacobs or Iosephs godly and righteous which none are without the conscionable obseruation of the Sabbath Iosh 24.15 Therefore the example of Ioshua is to be followed by all masters of families doe not onely say I but I and my houshold wil serue the Lord and keepe his holy Sabbaths seeke that praise before God which was giuen vnto Abraham I know Abraham Gen 18.19 1. Sam. 1. saith the Lord that hee will command his to walke in my waies With â—lcanah and Hannah bring Samuel to the Temple whilst he is young that he may be a seruant vnto the Lord all the dayes of his life With Timothies grand-mother 1. Tim 3 15. breed in him thus knowledge of the Scriptures from a child Ezech. 3.17 Now howsoeuer the charge of inferiors lyeth vpon the superiours yet this will not excuse the inferiours if they shall neglect this holy day but as the Lord telleth Ezechiel when he had made him a watchman ouer Israel if thou admonish them not and the enemy commeth they shall die in their sinnes but their bloud will I require at thine hands so they shall die in their sinnes and feele the smart of Gods eternall wrath in the world to come Euen as it is said of all persons vncircumcised or that keepe not the Passouer they shall be cut off from amongst the people be they masters or seruants children growne vp or parents howsoeuer the Lord would haue slaine Moses because his sonne Gershom was not circumcised Wherefore let children and seruants as they loue their owne welfare Exod 4.25 be as forward to obserue the Lords holy dayes as their gouernours to command them as diligent about their priuate Christian exercises as they to performe them and as studious to satisfie them in holy indeauours as they to helpe them herein Quest 77. Doth the Lord onely take care for our right spending of this day and leaue vs to our selues vpon the sixe dayes Answ No doubtlesse but it is his will and command also that we should vpon the sixe dayes abstaine from idlenesse and diligently labour in the workes of our callings Explan Before we come to the explanation of this by cattel The charge concerning the sixe dayes whose rest is also commanded are meant their Camels their Oxen their Asses c. whose strength and labour they vsed about their carriages treading out their corne works of husbandry Now the Lord out of his mercy as he would not haue the poore seruant and bondslaue to by torne and worne out with sore labour vnder the hands of vnmercifull masters so would he not haue the poore dumbe creatures and therefore elsewhere explaining further this commandement he saith that thy seruants and cattell may rest as well as thou Moreouer the cattell could not labour but men must be in some sort assistant vnto them and so neglect the Sabbath The stranger was a people not comming of the stocke of Israel but of some other either following them out of Egypt or taken and bought out of other countries whom they had for slaues perpetually as the Gibeonites Now the Lord would not haue there to do any work vpon the Sabbath day Iosh 9.23 though borne without the couenant and liuing without circumcision without passeouer without sacrifice without God in the world partly that through being fauoured they might come to affect the true religion the fountaine of this their sweet rest and partly that being in the bosome of the Church there might be an outward vniformitie of al in the reuerencing of this holy day which sheweth that they which liue in the same Nation and vnder the same gouernment are to be compelled to an outward conformity of religion though the heart can only be turned by the Lord and whatsoeuer thy seruant be inwardly thou must cause him to be conformable to all good orders outwardly but this extendeth not to such as come strangerwise vnto thee ouer whom thou hast none authority To returne now to the proper question Some hold that the Lord doth onely remit his owne right in saying sixe daies shalt thou labour c. because all the dayes of the weeke are his otherwise the people of God had not done well in setting apart some of the sixe dayes vnto holy exercises Working vpon six daies commanded here vpon any occasion whatsoeuer But they are deceiued and their ground is too weake for in euerie commandement wee are not onely inioyned the dutie Reas 1 but the helpes and furtherances heereunto now vnto the right and free keeping of the Sabbath it helpeth not a little to spend the six dayes well about the workes of our callings partly for that our worldly businesses being done we are the freer from any intanglement hereby therefore he saith Thou shalt labour and doe all that thou hast to doe Partly for that being weary of labouring the rest of the Sabbath will be the more sweet and pleasant vnto vs according to that of the Prophet If thou call the Sabbath a delight Esa 58 13. and partly for that the Lord of his goodnes will the rather sanctifie vs and make vs fit to sanctifie a Sabbath when as we diligently doe the workes of our callings vpon the six daies according to that comfortable saying of Iohn Of his fulnesse wee haue all receiued and grace â—oh 1.16 for grace hauing the grace of faithfulnesse and diligence in the duties of our callings we receiue further grace of diligence about Sabbath day exercises which is peculiarly verefied in this very thing in that the most idle which spend their time of the six dayes in gaming sporting and least doing are least holy and most prophane vpon the Sabbath but contrariwise the honestly diligent and intentiue to their callings 2. The iniunction of working vpon sixe dayes is giuen Reas 2 in the same commanding termes in the originall that the iniunction of not working the seuenth is giuen in in the first is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou shalt doe worke in the second is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou shalt not doe worke 3. As there be reasons alledged of ceasing from worke vpon the seuenth day so there is reason laid downe also of working Reas 3 king the six dayes as the maine reason of the first is God rested the seuenth so the reason of the second is In six dayes the Lord made heauen and earth hee wrought If it bee said This needeth not to bee heere commaunded it rather belongeth to the second Table I answer that one and the same dutie may belong to diuers Commandements in diuers respects and in what respect this of labouring belongeth vnto this hath bin already shewed neither is mine intent otherwise to bring it in heere and for some questions which are fitly heere further to be discussed Againe I say that the ground of the former assertion is too weake for not men but God himselfe hath againe set apart since the giuing of
of that which grew then of it owne accord Deut. 10.12 because they were in times past seruants and poore and had the liberty of tilling and sowing and reaping six yeares for themselues And he must needs be iudged an vnreasonable seruant who if he serueth so kind a master as that will allow him two or three dayes in a weeke for his own busines doth not willingly go about his masters worke the other dayes Reason 3 1. Sam. 2. The third reason infolded is taken from these wordes The seauenth is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God As if the Lord should haue said I haue specially marked the seuenth for mine owne holy and peculiar so that hee which shall presume to take that or any part of it and make it common by doing worldly workes or following vanitie is a thiefe and a robber vnto me euen as he which being an hired seruant taketh the time to follow his owne businesses wherein his master appointeth him to doe his worke Therefore as no honest seruant will thus vse his Master so no honest seruant of God will thus abuse the Lord for if a lewd seruant thus abusing his master cannot endure his presence though hee bee but a man how shall hee that presumeth thus to abuse the Lord indure when hee commeth seeing that if one man sinneth against another the Iudge shall iudge it but if a man sinne against the Lord there is none that dares plead for him Quest. 85. What are the reasons expressed Answ Two first from the Lords example who rested vpon the seauenth from all his workes of creation Secondly from his blessing inseparably linked vnto the hallowing of this day so that he that keepeth it holy shall finde it vnto his comfort a blessed day also The Reasons expressed Explan The Lord not content to haue interlaced the reasons of which it hath beene already spoken addeth further weight of reason For in sixe dayes the Lord made heauen and earth and rested the seauenth c. Reason 1 Ioh. 13. First from his owne example who hauing finished the great worke of the creation vpon the sixe dayes rested the seauenth and for a memoriall heereof hath commended the care of this rest to all his louing subiects euery seauenth day throughout all generations As if hee should haue said I command you O people nothing but what I your Soueraigne Lord haue done before you who when I had made the Heauens the earth the Seas and all creatures rested from this my labour and recreated my selfe in the beholdiog of that I had done follow me therefore and doe likewise after the labour of sixe dayes rest and refresh your selues by sweet and heaueely contemplations and exercises that so in all ages to come ye may be knowne by your holy rests as by my cognizance to be my people and true subiects This reason Christ vseth to his Disciples to perswade humility saying If I your Lord and Master haue washed your feet then ought ye also to wash one anothers feet And very apt are all men to bee led by examples especially of great ones according to that Regis ad exemplar totus componitur orbis After the Kings example the whole world is framed If the King were maimed in any member Fu. Solin Pompen Mela. or had but one eye amongst the Aethiopians they would all willingly make themselues herein like vnto him though to their great paine how much more should all the people of the Lord bee led by his example be like vnto him in keeping holy rests wherin he rested Reason 2 Esa 58.13 â—4 Secondly from the blessing annexed vnto this day being hallowed and kept holy The Lord blessed the seauenth day and hallowed it So that if thou be faithful in the obseruatioÌ„ of this day thou shalt not lose thy labour for hallowing this time hath alwayes Gods blessing accompanying it according as more fully it is promised by the Prophet Esay If thou turne away thy foot from the Sabaoth c. Thou shalt thou delight in the Lord and I wil cause thee to mount vpon the high places Chap. 56.2 And againe Blessed is the man that doth this and the Son of man that layeth hold on it that keepeth the Sabaoth and poluteth it not And it is commonly seene that such are blessed men blessed with diuine knowledge and blessed with all the fruites of sauing faith Iustice innocencie and true mercy and blessed with a diligent endeauour about all holy exercises and this is to those that see it the greatest blessing for blessed is that man that exerciseth himselfe in the Law of God Psal 1.1 and meditateth therein day and night If then this Law be so ancient and such as hath beene obserued from the first beginning if it be most equall and indifferent if it bee an entring vpon Gods peculiar right to breake it if the Lord hath gone before vs in the rest of this day in his owne example and if it bee a blessed day also to such as keepe it aright and redounding to their exceeding great good and comfort then rouze vp your dull hearts cast off the clog of worldly thoughts and businesses and lift vp your spirits to the highest Spirit in the due keeping of this holy day Quest. 86. Which is the first Commandement of the second Table or the fifth of the Law Answ Honour thy father and mother that thy dayes may bee long in the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee Quest 87. In which Commandements doe you learne your duty towards your neighbour Answ In the sixe latter Commandements which be of the second Table Quest What is thy duetie towards thy neighbour Answ My duty towards my neighbour is to loue him as myselfe to doe to all men as I would they should doe to me to loue honour and succour my father and my mother to honour and obey the King and his Ministers to submit my selfe to all my goueenours teachers spirituall pastors and masters to order my selfe lowly and reuerently to all my betters To hurt no body by word nor deed To be true and iust in all my dealing To beare no malice nor hatred in my heart To keepe my hands from picking and stealing my tongue from euill speaking lying and slandering To keepe my body in temperance chastitie and sobernes Not to couet nor desire other mens goods but to learne and labour truly to get mine owne liuing and to doe my dutie in that estate of life vnto which it hath pleased God to call me Explan All these recited particular duties are by me to be prosecuted hereafter in the explication of the seueral coÌ„mandements of the second table I shall not need therefore to adioyne any literall comment vpon them here but rather remit the Reader to obserue theÌ„ in the branches of streams wherto they seuerally belong Now for the methodicall handling of the second Table I will invert these three questions thus the last
first then the second and the first last Quest. 1 Math 19.19 First What is your dutie towards your neighbour For hauing finished our dutie towards God in the next place cōmeth to be considered our dutie towards our neighbor which is only generally and at large here laid down in the Catechisme in imitation of our Sauiour Christ who being asked which were the Commandements answered The first is Thou shalt loue the Lord c the second is like vnto it Thou shalt loue thy neighbor as thy self to the young man which asked which they were Thou shalt not kill thou shalt not commit adultery thou shalt not beare false witnes honor thy father mother and thou shalt loue thy neighbor as thy selfe And the Apostle in the same briefe manner giueth the summe of these cōmandements not that good Christians should not search any further into the depth of thē but content themselues with this short epitom for they doe more largely in other places expresse euery brāch of euery of these Lawes Math. 5. and Christ doth in precise words taxe the blind Iewes for thus slighting ouer Gods lawes teaching only thus Thou shalt not k ll then shalt not commit adultery c. and not teaching further the sins here forbidden These briefes therefore serue for remembrances for the wekest memories which when they are held and rightly vnderstood doe acquaint vs more fully with Gods will in euery thing Quest 2 Who is our neighbour Secondly Jn which Commaundemement is your dutie towards your neighbour Good reason is it that our dutie towards our neighbour should be placed in a second Table after that containing our dutie towards God both because God is the most high and farre aboue men and Angels and also because this must be the first wheele as it were that must set vs a worke to loue our neighbour euen for our duties sake toward God who requireth it at our hands Now our neighbour is euery man without exception vnlesse God hath noted him for his enemie though hee dwelleth among the furthest Indies and wee neuer see him though he bee our enemie yet we are bound to loue him and if by Gods prouidence wee be brought to behold his necessitie at any time wee are bound to shew our loue by putting to our helping hand This is made plaine by the parable of the Samaritan Luke 10.30 who in his trauell saw a man wounded by theeues and helpelesse vnto whom though hee were a stranger hee shewed mercy powring oile into his wounds and setting him on his owne beast Esa 58.7 and by the Lord commending to vs our dutie towards our poore neighbour Is it not to deale thy bread to the hungrie and to bring the poore wandring into thy house when thou seest the naked that thou couer him and hide not thy selfe from thy owne flesh so that whosoeuer is flesh as thou art is thy neighbour Quest 3 This commandement exceedeth the rest Ephe. 6.1 Thirdly let this question follow Which is the first of these Commaundements Honour thy father and thy mother c. This Commandement hath in it some thing singular and wherein it exceedeth the rest of this Table viz. a promise according as the Apostle hath noted It is the first Commandement with promise Namely the first of the second Table or the first and onely Commaundement with a speciall promise expressely annexed so as it is not the promise of the second Commandement which is generall and belonging to all But I speake this onely according to the reason of others for without doubt the Apostle calleth it in the same sense the first Commaundement and the Commandement with promise so vsuall is it with him speaking of the Commaundements to restraine them to this second Table onely And as the first of the first Table is the ground of al the rest so is this first of the second Table the ground of the fiue Commaundements following In that first is commended vnto vs a right esteeme of God in this of man made after Gods image and specially bearing Gods Image in him of the Magistrate bearing the Image of his authoritie and power whence he is said to bee a God Psal 82.1 of the ancient bearing the image of his eternitie whence it is that he is said to haue appeared as one ancient of dayes Dan. 9 37. of parents bearing the image of the Creatour of things which before were not of Tutours Ministers and Teachers bearing the image of his wisedome and diuine knowledge And where this due esteeme of men according to their places is setled and againe in superiours towards their inferiours the duties of the other commandements will easily follow euen as when God is rightly set vp in the heart hee is not disgraced by base Images by blasphemies and prophaning of his Sabaoths so giue the honour due to the Parents magistrates masters and instructers and murthering adultery theft false witnesses and coueting will easily bee put away Murthering of a superiour is a debasing of him as of an Oxe or Sheep when he beareth the Image of God in him of an inferiour it is an extinguishing of that reciprocall affection by which thou shouldst bee prouident for his safety because he giueth honour vnto thee Adultery in a superiour is a vilefying of his body making it the member of a foule strumpet when God hath graced him with a resemblance of himselfe in an inferiour it is a grosse neglect of the counsell of good parents and of wise tutors and of the magistrates authority Theft is a trumpet to sound forth our discontent with our present estates and our enuying in stead of honouring others False witnesse-bearing is a plaine shaking off and rooting out of our hearts and the hearts of others this esteeme of our superiours and branding them so as that they may be had in base accompt And for couetousnesse there will be no roome left for these desires if there be a setled esteeme of euery man in his place with his house his wife his oxe and other things about him Quest 88. What is heere commanded Answ To honour That is to loue reuerence cherish and obey our naturall parents the parents of our Countrey and our fathers in Christ 2. To carry our selues lowly and reuerently towards our masters being ruled by them and towards the ancient and all our betters 3. Jf wee bee superiours to walke worthy the honour due vnto vs from our inferiours and to vse all gentlenesse towards them Father how taken Explan That we may the better know the duty of this Commandement it is to be vnderstood that the word Father is diuersly taken in the Scriptures euen for euery superiour in any thing 1. For our superiour in gouernment thus euery King is called a Father because he is Parens Patriae the Father of the Countrey it was a common name of the Kings of the Philistines who were called Abimelech Gen 20.3 which
is the King my father 2. For a Superiour in knowledge and in wise counsell thus the counsellours of State are Fathers of the State as Ioseph Pharaohs chiefe Councellour speaketh of himselfe God hath made me a father vnto Pharaoh Gen. 45 8. and Pharaoh caused the name Abrech that is Father to bee proclaimed before him and the Senatours of Rome were commonly called Patres conscripti reuerend Fathers 3. For a Superiour in priuate and houshold gouernment thus masters of families are called Patres Familias Fathers of the Familie as Naaman the Syrian is called Father by his seruants 4. For a Superiour 2 King 5.13 in the inuention of any Art or Science Gen. 4. thus Iubal is said to be the father of all that play on the Organs and harpe and Iabal the father of all that make tents 5. For a Superiour in things spirituall towards God thus the Ministers of the Gospell are called Fathers in Christ because that through that spirituall knowledge and grace exceeding others they beget men vnto God 1 Cor. 4.5 as Paul who therefore cals the Galatians his little children and professeth to the Corinthians that hee onely was their father for J begat you saith hee vnto Christ 6. For a Superiour in holinesse and power with God thus the King of Israel calleth Elisha Father saying of the Hoast of the Syrians 2 Kings 6.21 Shall I smite them my Father 7. 2. Kings 2.12 For a Superiour in ouersight and instruction thus Elishab called Elijah who brought him vp in the knowldge of prophesying My father my father the chariots of Israel and the horse-men thereof 8. For a Superiour in estate and condition thus rich men vsing their riches aright are fathers of the poore Iob 31.28 From my youth hee hath growne vp with mee as with a father saith Iob. 9. For a Superior in age and yeares thus the gray-headed is called a father and the ancient are as fathers to be exhorted and not to bee rebuked 10 According to the common acception amongst children 1 Tim. 5.1 there is a naturall father and mother which beget beare and bring vs foorth and vp in the world and if one of them dieth or he or shee that suruiueth bee married againe and hee or shee vnto whom is now made also thy father or mother though not by nature yet by law and there is an honour due vnto them Superiours diuers wayes To honour is to giue that reuerend respect which is due to euery superiour whether in authority and power in place and calling or in worth and dignitie 1. In authoritie and power some are superiors by the law of nature some by the law of nations and some by the law of contract By the law of nature our naturall father and mother who are instruments of our very being by whose tender care wee are preserued in our infancy when we cannot help our selues they are therfore to be recompenced by our giuing of due honor vnto them Ephes 6.1 Col 3.20 And this is first obedience in all things in the Lord Children obey your parents in the Lord. Children obey your parents in all things for that is well pleasing vnto the Lord and he is an vnnaturall beast and no childe that giueth not this obedience vnto both father and mother 2. To beare their corrections with submission of this the Apostle speaketh as of a most common thing euen in children that haue nothing but nature to guide them Heb. 12.9 Wee haue had the fathers of our bodies correcting vs and wee gaue them reuerence 3. To reuerence them in giuing them all outward respect which is due to chiefe superiors and fearing to offend them for from hence the Lord taketh his comparison Mal. 1.6 A sonne honoreth his father and a seruant his master if I then be a Father where is mine honour if I be a master where is my feare 4. To cherish them and to giue them maintenance in time of need When the Pharisees did by their traditions vnder a pretence of holines dispence with this duty they were reproued by our Sauiour Christ for hypocrisie saying Why doe yee transgresse the commandement of God by your tradition Matth. 15.3.4.5.6 for God hath commanded Honour thy father and thy mother But yee say Whosoeuer shall say to father and mother by the gift that is offered by me thou mayest haue profit though hee honour not his father and mother shall be free That is if he dedicate his goods and suffer them to want whereas hee might therewith haue relieued them If a Widdow hath children or nephewes saith Saint Paul let them learne first to shew godlinesse towards their owne house 1. Tim. 5.4 and to recompence their kindred for that is an honest thing and acceptable before God Which he further expoundeth afterwards saying Jf any faithfull man or woman haue widdowes that is Verse 16. to their mothers or aunts let them minister vnto them and let not the Church that is other Christians bee charged And God hath made the Storke a wonderfull example to condemne children that are this way vnnaturall to their parents in their age for she nourisheth and bringeth food to her parents in their old age wherefore she hath the name Chesidah Pious or Mercifull in Hebrew And in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth this kind of mutuall retribution being deriued from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a Storke In these things consisteth the honour due to father and mother and for examples wee may take Iacob who obeyed his father and mother in the choyce of his wife and Shem and Japhet who reuerenced their father Noah and went backward and couered his nakednesse and Ioseph who recompenced his father Iaacobs care with prouiding for him in his old age and all holy men who haue readily performed these duties They are wicked children therefore and accursed as breaking this Commandement in the head that do continually greeue their godly parents by their disobedience and light esteeme of them liuing out of all good order being Drunkards and Swaggerers and plunging into the estate of marriage without yea contrary to their liking The Lord prouided of old that such should be put to death If any man hath a disobedient son Deut. 21.18.19.20 which will not hearken to the voyce of his father nor the voyce of his mother and they haue chastened him and he will not obey them Then shall they take him and bring him out And all the men of the City shall stone him with stones vnto death Honour due to Magistrates Rom. 13.1 The Superiours in authority by the Law of Nations are Magistrates and Gouernours of the Common-wealth The honour due to them is 1. To be subiect vnto them according to that precept Let euery soule bee subiect to the higher powers And againe 1. Pet. 2.13.14 Submit your selues to all manner ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether
set downe to be double honour 1. Tim. 5.17 The Elders that rule well let them be had in double honour specially such as labour in the word and doctrine Contrary to the manner of the world that giueth them none honour at all and esteemeth of them as most vnworthy persons especially such as thinke themselues better in regard of their pelfe of the world But to meete with such degenerous persons the holy Ghost giueth a greater charge for the honouring of faithfull and painfull ministers then of any other And this double honour is first loue which is further expressed 1. Thes 5.12 Haue them in singular loue for their workes sake And the Prophet Esay in admiration of this ezcellent office crieth out Esay 52.7 How beautifull are the feet of those that bring glad tidings of peace and glad tidings of good things and accordingly the Galathians are commended for receiuing the Apostle of Christ as if an Angell from heauen had come vnto them and for such earnest loue vnto him as that if it had been possible they would haue pulled out their eyes Gal 4 14.15 and giuen them vnto him And from this loue ariseth obedience and submission according to that precept Obey those Heb. 13.17 that haue the ouer-sight of you and submit your selues vnto them For where singular loue is there is weight in the doctrine to sway him that is taught and estimation of the person to moue to all due reuerence and submission seeing this is a proper effect of speciall loue towards those that bee in any place aboue vs. 1. Cor. 9.14 Secondly they are to bee honoured with the paiment of tithes and duties which by Gods ordinance belong vnto them for their maintenance for God hath ordained that they which preach the Gospell should liue of the Gospell But none other way doe we reade of whereby God hath ordained that they should liue And vnto this agreeth that precept Let him that is instructed Gal. 6.6 make him that hath instructed him partaker of all his goods that is as I take it pay him the tith of all his goods growing and increasing otherwise he must make his estate common vnto him which is Anabaptisticall and absurd If it be here demanded What is to bee done if the minister bee vnfaithfull and negligent is this double honour due vnto him He must notwithstanding haue his duties and if authoritie see not to his reformation God that thretneth idle shepherds will call him to account for his infidelity If any man for this shall neglect to pay tithes or doe it deceitfully God will call him to account seeing that the Minister is his Steward and though he be bad it wil not excuse this robbing of his master If it be further demanded whether all ministers be meant in generall and are equally to bee honoured by particular peoples I answer All Ministers in generall for the height of their calling are to be honoured of all people whether their owne flocke or strangers but there is a more speciall and proper honour due from the people to their owne Pastor for so it is written 1. Thes 5.12 Obserue those that labour amongst you and haue them in singular loue and good reason seeing that although there bee other labourers also yet he laboureth to feed this flocke to watch for these soules Whence it appeareth how farre they erre that extoll strangers and oftentimes more vnworthy ones God knoweth then their owne Minister by many degrees that preferre readers of Lectures in their own townes or elsewhere before their owne proper painefull Pastor and euen young new vpstart Curats before the graue and learned Rectours of the Church Honour due to ancients Superiours in place are elders and ancient persons the dutie towards whom is for younger persons to rise vp vnto them and giue them reuerence according to that Leuit. 19.32 Thou shalt rise vp before the hoare-head and honour the person of the old man and euen of the best and greatest younger men the poorest and meanest ancients are to be vsed with respect for their gray haires Heb. â—3 4 Superiours in place are married persons whose estate is honourable according to that saying of the Apostle Marriage is honourable amongst all men and the bed vndefiled The honour due to them is for single persons of like quality to giue place vnto them as it is euery where vsuall amongst vs which is a ciuill and commendable custome Superiours in fortunes are either Noble men by birth or aduancement Honour due to the rich or else rich and wealthy persons which distribute and giue of their goods vnto the poore as hath been already said of Iob they are to be reuerenced of the poore towards whom they are Gods stewards So that it is a fault to be reformed in the poore that neede the helpe of almes if they be irreuerent towards them that are both able and willing to bestow almes on them Parts of reuerence Now because much hath bin spoken of reuerence towards superiours I haue thought it not amisse to set downe more particularly the parts of this reuerence The first is to rise vp vnto them according as hath been already said Leuit. 36.32 Thou shalt rise vp before the hoare-headed So children are to rise vp before their parents schollers before their masters common people before Magistrates seruants before their masters and all inferiours before their superiours The second is to goe to meete them when they are comming towards vs Gen. 18.2 as Abraham is said to haue gone to meete the men that came towards him and Salomon to meete his mother Bathsheba 1. King 2.19 when shee came vnto him as a sutor The third is to bow the knee vnto them as Abraham is also noted to haue done towards the same men The fourth is to stand by them whilest they sit as Abraham also did and all the people stood about Moses Exod. 18. whilst he sat to iudge them Gen. 43. The fifth is to giue them the chiefe seate and our selues to take the lowest as the brethren of Ioseph did sit euerie one according to his senioritie and as the Lord commandeth when thou art bidden to a feast to take the lowest place Luke 14.10 The sixth is to be silent before them whilst they haue spoken thus Elihu one of Iobs friends hold his peace because he was yung whilst the ancient of dayes spake Iob 32.6.7 The seuenth is to be silent in Courts and places of Iudgement vntill we bee bidden to speake thus Paul being before Felix accused of the Iewes was silent Acts 24.10 till the Gouernour bad him answere for himselfe and it is want of good manners in those that take more liberty before Iudges and Iustices vnlesse apparant wrong be offered vnto them The eighth is to giue euery one his iust title 1. Sam. 1.14 1. Pet. 3.7 as Hannah when she was blamed
along life in this miserable world and yet remoueth to a Kingdome euerlasting that hee is not true of his promise 1. King 14. Doth any man thinke Enoch the lesse blessed because hee was taken away some hundreths of yeare sooner then others or doth he thinke it an vnhappines in the good sonne of Jeroboam for that he was taken away in his youth no more are they vnhappy or lesse blessed but so much the more whom the Lord is pleased to take away from the euils of this world to come as saith the Prophet Esay 57.1 Quest 2 Why doth the Lord rather promise long life to such as honour father and mother then any other blessing First because life is sweet and we are apt by nature to hearken to any thing to prolong life but this is generall and fitteth other commandements as well 2 More specially because children that honour parents may be said in some sort to prolong their dayes through that ioy wherewith they are affected when they doe well for as sorrow shortneth the dayes according to that of father Iaacob yee shall bâ—ing my gray head with sorrow to the graue Gen. 42 38. so ioy prolongeth them Againe by nourishing them in their necessity they prolong their dayes euen as young storkes so that it is most equall with the Lord to giue them this recompence in prolonging their dayes which also is an argument of force to moue to obedience and to make them flie disobedience seeing this is a death to their good parents and they are like the viper herein which as is thought is the death both of sire and dam in the breeding and comming forth into the world 3. Because the way to come to an estate of honour is giuing honour according to our prouerb qui nescit parere nescit imperare He knoweth not how to rule that knoweth not how to obey first Wherefore it is iust with God to cut off the disobedient that they may not liue to honour and to prolong the life of the obedient that they may come in their age to bee obeyed and honoured Quest 91. Which is the sixth Commandement or the second of the second Table Answ Thou shalt doe no murther Quest 92. What is here forbidden Answ All murthering of our selues or others and all approbation hereof either by command counsell consent or concealement secondly all iniurious actions tending to the prejudice of our neighbours life thirdly all railing and reuiling speeches fourthly all murtherous desires and affections of the heart as malice hatred and enuie fifthly all cruelty towards the creature which sheweth a murtherous mind in vs. Matth. 5.22 Explan The Lord hauing prouided for the vpholding of euery man in his estate and condition to preuent a confusion amongst the orders of men proceedeth here to take away particular abuses which if they should bee this order cannot stand and first the most horrible of all other murther the despoyling men of their liues Now because the Pharisees erred when they restrained the sinne here to the outward and compleat act of murther our Sauiour Christ reprouing this their absurd cleauing to the letter of the text I haue more largely according to his blessed direction set downe the sinne against this commandement It may well be referred to these fiue heads First actuall murther which is either of our selues or of other men 1. Thou shalt not murther thy selfe howsoeuer thou art pressed by teÌ„ptations of pouerty disgrace or other heauy crosses wherevpon the deuill is busie about thee and seeketh to driue thee to this desperate selfe-execution Thou shalt feare and neuer yeeld to so horrible an act whatsoeuer becommeth of thee And that thou maist the better bee preserued because the diuell preuaileth against many in these dayes and against some that haue formerly had a care to doe well I haue set downe heere the most effectuall meanes of preseruation in all assaults Forerunners of selfe-murther First take heed of all forerunners of these temptations as of pride and carying a higher saile than thy estate will beare for when a man commeth thus to be spent and must necessarily come downe and be laid open to the world according to his meanes his proud heart cannot indure to yeeld if by any meanes he may auoid this open debasement wherevpon Satan is ready and biddeth him murther himselfe this is plainely to be seen in many examples in our dayes Another forerunner of this is some notorious sinne or sinnes which are committed in secret but the conscience will not suffer to bee secret but accuseth for them and d then Satan layeth hold heerevpon pressing the threatnings of the Law and neuer ceaseth till he hath driuen a man to the desperate making away of himselfe These hideous sinnes are murther adultery periury apostacie or backsliding from the truth before imbraced and such like A third is generall security in matters of religion from which when the eyes come to be opened there ariseth an horrour and trouble in conscience which the Diuell further presseth to desperate selfe-murther Wherefoâ—e let euery man first be carefull to auoid these wayes Let him put on humility liuing rather in meaner fashion then he is worth let him watch ouer his hands and heaâ—t and tongue against muâ—thering against adultery and vncleannesse against lying and fo swearing and ouer his waies against backsliding and let him in all his dealings keepe a good conscience If thou shalt say I feare not this temptation I hope I shall keepe mee without this pensiue carefulnesse farre enough from it heare what the Apostle saith Rom 9. â—ee not high-minded but feare consider that thou art a man and if a man subiect to the like passions as the meanest worst of men if thou take not the better heed It is no wisedome to surfet the body then to seek a cure neither is it wisedome to let the enemy into the Citty and then to seek to driue him out againe In like manner it is no wise dome but great folly to put a mans selfe into the hazard of this desperation thinking then to be cured againe â— Labor for pitience Labour for patience in all crosses according to the example of thy master Christ if being a seruant thou be buffetted pinched with hunger and hardly intreated or being a childe art neglected of thy parents and discouraged or being a subiect thou art in danger through thy Princes displeasure consider not so much the greatnesse of thy crosse as the reward if thou haue patience consider the vanity of the most excellent things in this world the shortnesse of all crosses heere and the most worthy partners which thou hast both Christ and all the holy Prophets and Apostles to whose society it is ioy to be ioyned The want of this patience breedeth discontent discontent with the Diuels furtherance desperation and murther 3 Consider if at any time thou beest thus tempted that to murther a mans selfe is the most
doe euill malefactors in an high kind among Christians Alas too many I conclude therefore that that God who in this Commandement saith to euery priuate man Thou shalt not kill doth therewithall and thereby not only permit but also command his own publike Minister to kill for the preuention or auengement of killing other heynous crying sinnes Qâ—est Here it may be demanded whether this vse of the Sword belongeth alwayes and onely to the Magistrate seeing there are in the Scripture examples of others who haue killed and haue therein been not onely blamelesse but also commended as Phinees and Moses True it is that Phinees had no ciuill power yet is greatly commended for killing Cozby and Zimri But this he did out of speciall instinct and extraordinary zeale which God stirred vp in him for the quenching of an extraordinary plague Moses being yet but a priuate man slew an Aegyptian that stroue with an Israelite But Moses was an eminent type of Christ and performed this and other such actions as a rescuer of the people of God And lest we should doubt whether he had a speciall instinct vnto this enterprise Saint â—teuen sheweth that Moses euen before the solemn commission giuen him by God appearing in the flaming bush had an inward vocation and notice of his own office of a Deliuerer whereof this slaying the Aegyptian was as it were the first act an handsâ—l which as himselfe knew so he thought that the people of Israel would acknowledge Act 7. â—5 For hee supposed his brethren would haue vnderstood how that God by his hand would deliuer them In briefe I say to such Heroicall examples that we Christians must liue by rules and not by exceptions within the line of our ordinary callings and without aspiring to a boundlesse imitation of extraordinary actions Heree it may be demanded vnto what crimes the vse of the Magistrates Sword ought to be extended and how farre the prescript of Capitall Lawes giuen to the Israelites bindeth Christian Common-wealths Whereto I answer first as modesty requireth that I will not take vpon mee the office of a Law-maker by defining this Secondly that many of those Lawes were peculiar to the Common-wealth of Israel and agree not with our and other Common-wealths Thirdly as for the chiefe defiances of the first Table as hellish blasphemy and grosse Idolatry I doubt not but that in all Christian Estates they ought to be capitall as they were among the Iewes As for the second Table this commandement aboue all the rest is in all Nations fenced and guarded with this extreame punishment ex lege talionis in the same kinde Limbe for limbe life for life which is of force so generally not out of imitation of the lawes of the Iewes but out of the instinct of nature and ballance of euident iustice How farre other offences against our neighbour are to be made capitall is a greater difficulty by reason of the variety of natures and dispositions in diuers people with true respect wherevnto there may bee ioyned an ayme at the best and most principall positiue Lawes prescribed by God vnto the Iewes as I haue heeretofore touched in the preface before the Commandements Gen. 9. Exo. â—â—2 To proceed now in the description of that which is heere forbidden vnder that name of murther I say it is to shed bloud vniustly that is ad dâ—liquium animae to the spilling of life for thus the Lord describeth killing euery where Againe I say it is a shedding of bloud that is direct and purposed not an act by which bloud is shed by accident besides the intent of the doer Exod. 21 13. For in this case it is no sinne but in a fort Gods act according to the wordes of the Law If a man hath not laid wait but God hath offered him into his hand I will appoint thee a plaâ—e whâ—ther hee shall flye and a particular instance is giuen Deut. 19.5 If a man be felling aâ—ree and his hande strike with the axe and the head slip from the heluâ— and hit his neighbour that hee dyeth heere it is no murther therefore hee is not worthy to dye by whose stroke this was done there was a place of refuge for such to saue himselfe in But it is not so if two men quarrell and fight and one killeth the other Men may mince it heere and call it onely man-slaughter but indeed it is plaine murther as is euident by the very English word of this commandement Thou shalt doe no murther which is the translation of the Latine Nâ—n oâ—ciâ—â—es And surely those that are coÌ„uicted of Manslaughter haue in their inditement their load of this word occiaâ—â—t So then murther legally and precisely taken is either comprised vnder occision or else it is not forbidden in this commandement which were very absurd Moreouer the case of our excused and refined manslaughter differeth much from this case Put by the Lord by which the Law for the quitting of him that slew his neighbour vnawares is illustrated For though the word not laying wait bee vsed and not hating his broâ—her in times pâ—ssed looking to which words onely his sinne may bee extenuated for that hee that slayeth his neighbour in a sudden quarrell may be said not to haue hated him before yet consider the instance that is giuen of one cutting wood to make plaine this Law and it will appeare that the Lord hath no meaning to giue any toleration to any killing in quarrels but onely out of all pretending before or intending then as it is not with him that killeth another in heat and fury seeing howsoeuer he doth it suddenly yet he endeauoureth it and doth it willingly Indeede it somewhat lesseneth the fault if it shall manifestly appeare that slaying was against the intent of the striker either for that the instrument wherewith was but some little stone or sticke not likely to kill or for that the part of the body smitten was not any principall not much wounded and heerein fauour may be shewed Because that otherwise a maister giuing his seruant correction by the striking of one blow vnawares and death following should become a murtherer whereas oftentimes death hath followed vpon a small cause But in these cases our Lawes and Statutes doe sufficiently prouide And as for the case of Manslaughter now discussed by mee I doe not presume to make my selfe regibus Sapientorem but only declare Gods positiue Law which if I deeme to be more equall and iudicious then the law of other Nations I see not why any man should bee agrieued thereat Sam 12. Lastly I adde by any meanes whatsoeuer and thus all accessaries to murther are murtherers First and chiefly he that commandeth or counselleth as Dauid made himselfe guilty of the murther of Vriah Achitophel of Dauid if it had beene proceeded according to his counsell and the high Priests of the murther of Christ 2. He that consenteth as Pilate did vnto the Iewes about the
2. Because God is offended for the same sinne may be to the offending of God and of our selues also because it is some iniury vnto vs as when a seruant neglecteth his masters busines behind his backe or spendeth his money at the Ale-house or when a people walketh stubbornly against their Minister or ruler in these and the like cases our anger must not be for our selues but for our God Here meek Moses himself erred at the waters of Meribah when the people murmured for water so that hee could not enter into the land of Canaan 3. It is not sudden but vpon deliberation 3. It is not sudden Iames 1.19 Theodor. 5. cap. 17. according to that precept Bee swift to heare slow to speake slow to wrath Thus Ambrose Bishop of Millaine obtained at the hands of Theodosius the Emperour after that he had greatly offended by sudden anger that he should not suffer any decree made in his anger to be executed till thirty dayes after 4. It doth not continue long Psal 03.89 Ephes 4.26 4. It doth not continue long but is soone ouer againe where there is repentance according to the example of our Lord who is slow to anger and ready to forgiue wherefore it is said Let not the Sunne goe downe vpon thy wrath 5. It ariseth from loue 1. Cor. 13. Gal. 6.1 5. It ariseth from loue and is guided by loue the loue of God and the loue of our neighbor that hath sinned for whatsoeuer is without this is sinne and if any be fallen by infirmitie saith the Apostle restore such an one with the Spirit of meekenesse When anger is thus ordered it is so farre from being a sinne as that it is necessary in all men it is zeale for Gods glory and out of this anger the disgracefull words of fooles wicked children sonnes of a whore c. haue rightly and without sinne been vsed as by the Prophets our Sauiour Christ and by the Apostles But out of these cases anger is fleshly and if it be more violent it is hatred if it dwelleth in a man to make him watch his opportunity to be reuenged it is malice if it causeth ioy when it falleth out ill vnto our neighbour and griefe when it is well with him it is diuellish enuy if it bee a perpetuall barre to reconciliation it is a reprobate affection as of such as cannot be appeased Rom. 1.30 Now as the very act of murther hath been shewed to be a most odious sinne so are these degrees of railing anger c. 1. First the heart and tongue is here set on fire of the fire of hell Iames 3. neither good men nor good Angels durst euer doe thus no not Michael the Archangell when he stroue with the Deuill about the body of Moses Iude verse 9. he durst not blame him with cursed speaking but said the Lord rebuke thee 2. To sinne thus is to be a murtherer before God euen as Cain was Iohn 3.15 for he that hateth his brother is a manslayer Rom. 3.13.14 3. It is a proper brand of the wicked His throate is an open Sepulcher the poyson of Aspes is vnder his lips his mouth is full of cursing and bitternesse 5. Properties of cruelty Prou 12.10 Cruelty in the lookes Gen. 4. Gen. 31.2 5. The fift sinne against this Commandement is al cruelty towards man or beast for the righteous man is noted to bee mercifull euen to his beast Cruelty is sometime in the very looke and countenance when it is cast downe towards any man thus was Cains towards Abel before his murther and Labans countenance expressed his malice against Iacob before his departure and this downeward looke is a sinne in any when an ill mind is hereby set forth as it is for the most part 2. In the behauiour there is cruelty when it is harsh In their behauiour and churlish as Nabals is said to haue been towards his seruants so as that they could not tell how to speake to him of him therefore it is said He was churlish 1. Sam. 23.3 and ill conditioned and this is an ill condition indeed and vnworthy a Christian seeing our lesson is Learne of me that J am meeke and gentle Matth. 11. Too much seuerity towards the poore 3. When any way too much seuerity is vsed by the rich towards the poore by officers towards malefactors dealing with them in all extremity by gouernours towards such as be vnder them vnreasonably correcting or otherwise expressing an hatefull mind against them This was a sinne in the Pharisees that brought the adulterous woman to Christ Iohn 8. breathing out cruelty against her and al they shal haue iudgement mercilesse that are thus without mercy 4. Cruelty is in the vnmercifull vsage of the dumbe creature Vnmercifull vsage of the dumb creatures working them without reason pinching them in things necessary beating or killing them without mercy or otherwise abusing them so as that they surfet or grow diseased hereby all these are wicked acts and shew wicked men Prou. 12.10 whose mercies are cruelty 1. Cor 9. For howsoeuer the Apostle saith comparatiuely Doth God take care for Oxen it is certaine that God doth take care for Oxen and Horses and for the very fowles of the aire Deut. 22.6 seeing that he hath made a law forbidding when a man findeth a birds neast to take the old together with the young It is therfore to be vnderstood that he doth not take care for Oxen principally and chiefely but subordinately as his care is towards all the creatures And hitherto of the sinnes against the bodily life The murther of soules 1. Cor 8.11 Now there bee sinnes also against the spirituall life and soule according to the teaching of Saint Paul who sheweth a case wherein a man destroyeth the soule of another viz. when he is an occasion of his stumbling and falling into sin Thus Ministers murther 1. In Ministers or at the least make themselues guilty of murthering the soules of the people committed to their charge when as through their default any of them perish This is plainely taught in Ezechiel Ezech. 3. whom the Lord told that he made him a watchman ouer the people and if the enemy which is sin should come and destroy any he not giuing them warning their bloud hee threatneth to require at his hands If any minister therfore either by neglecting to teach and watch ouer the people much more if by false doctrine or a wicked life he be an occasion that any die in their sins he shall vndoubtedly answer for this soule-murther if he endeauoreth being furnished with gifts necessary to saue them whosoeuer shal perish he is acquitted shal haue his reward 2 Parents and Masters Againe parents and masters and all priuate gouernours are murtherers if by their neglect or bad example their children seruants or pupils perish by ignorance prophanenes or any other
because they would say something set such things as they haue seen or heard vpon the tainters stretching them most palpably beyond all credit or coyning incredible things out of their own mynt that neuer before saw any light it is not so with mythologies riddles and parables hauing good and vsefull moralls for they are none other but parables the more plainely and effectually to set forth good things 2 King 5. Act. 5. And vnto these may be added an other kinde of lye which may be called fâ—cosum a varnishing or colouring lye to hide and couer ouer some sin after that it hath beene committed as Geheza sought to colour ouer the matter to Elishah his maister saying thy seruant went no whither and Ananias and Saphira sought thus to colour ouer their sacriledge but it turned to their greater sinne This is to lay a plaister lenitiue vpon a corrupt sore making it the worse and the couering of bad feed with earth making it to grow the rather The sin which was but single before is thus made double because the party sinning hauing thus salued it hath no further care of being purged by repentance and amendment and deludeth iustice so that all meanes of reformation are taken away Quest 1 Ought a man therefore being examined of a fault worthy of death or imprisonment or other punishment to confesse it if he be guilty Doubtlesse he is either to keepe silence and then his answer may be non tenere or respondere or else if hee will answer positiuely he must professe his own innocencie or confesse his owne guilt expressly Out of a necessary ground Ioshua exhorteth Achan to confesse his theft My sonne giue glory vnto God and tell the truth so that as thou makest conscience of giuing God glory thou must not in this case deny but confesse the truth whatsoeuer thou suffer seeing thou art worthy Quest 2 What if a man bee called in question for his conscience and religion the acknowledgement whereof will bring him in danger vnworthily may hee not denye it for his owne safety keeping his heart right before God seeing he is inquired into not for the edification of any but for his owne destruction No he may not deny it as hee would not bee denyed by Christ before the Father for hee that denyeth me before men saith the Lord I will deny before my Father which is in Heauen Math. 10.33 1 Pet. 3 15. Heerein Peter fell grieuously and therfore being conuerted he indeauoureth to strengthen others against the like falls willing them to be ready alwayes to giue an answer to euery one that asketh you a reason of that hope that is in you So that a man must not onely not deny with the Priscilianists his religion but when like cause is offered in the middest of greatest dangers with Paul to confesse the maine of his beleefe as nature bindeth him still notwithstanding in circumstances other quiddities he may be silent for his owne safety Quest 3 Against equiuocations May not a man by equiuocations or mentall reseruations blindfold the truth to saue himselfe from danger These are deuises fetcht from hell and therfore to be auoyded by all such as look for heauen Equiuocating is speaking in words of a double sense but yet so as that we would haue it taken contrary to the truth of that concerning which it is questioned The Diuell is the first Author heereof hee deceiued our first parents by his equiuocations for which Christ calleth him a lyer as hath beene shewed for both Dii Gods had a double sense there being superi inferi such as be called Gods in hell beneath as in heauen aboue and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 scientes knowing which is as well by experience as by theory or contemplatiue vnderstanding And euer since the Diuel hath made equiuocating his ordinary phrase of answering such as seeke vnto him When Iulian consulted with his Oracle at Delos Delphos Dodona being to fight against the Persians it was answered Omnes dii decreuimus trophaeos spolia Thera iuxta fluuium ducere All wee Gods haue decreed to carry the trophees and spoyles by Thera besides or nigh to the riuer Thera being the name of a place in Iulians Empire and the name of a riuer that runneth through Assyria in the Persian Creeke so that the victory being gotten by the enemies the prophesie was verified hee deceiued by equiuocation In the dayes of Iustitian it was foretold by the Diuell Mundum cum prole periturum that Mundus Munst Cosmog or the world with the off-spring should perish insomuch Theodor. li 3. c 2. all expected an end of the world but one Mundus with his sonnes went to the warres and were slaine thus the Prophesie was fulfilled Socrat. li. 4. c. 15. In the dayes of Valens hee foretold that one whose name began with these foure Greek Letters θ ε. ο. δ. th e. o. d. should reigne next of which sort there were many which was the occasion of Valens his tyranny against many And many such like instances more might he giuen When Arius presumed thus by equiuocation to deceiue he was punished with a miserable death voyding out his very bowels vpen the stoole And yet this is an ordinary practice amongst Iesuites defending it also from the best examples of Christ the Apostles Wheras they do herein most fouly blaspheme For though Christ were misvnderstood of the woman of Samaria touching the water that he spake of by his Disciples touching the temple that he could destroy raise vp againe in 3. dayes yet he had no meaning to deceiue by thus speaking but to remoue their minds from carnal to spirituall conceits betwixt which and the Iesuites equiuocating there is no more proportion then betwixt heauen and hell And the same is to be said of the Apostles speaking wordes that might be taken two wayes or in two diuers senses Mentall reseruations are such answers as wherein some clause is reserued in the minde of the answerer making the answer true how contrary soeuer the words are to the truth For example it being demanded Did you not come lately from beyond the seas he answers no though hee did with this mentall reseruation to passe into Scotland Poland c. Did you say or heare masse since you came into England hee answers no when he did with this mentall reseruation I did it not to tell you O strange deuice to mocke men and God this is a degree beyond Beelzehubs inuention neuer the like heard of before in any age Be ashamed heereof euen yee first-borne of Satan yee Iesuites vnlesse yee will take vpon you to be tutors to your owne father Quest 102. What is heere commanded Answ As much as in vs lyeth to preserue the good name of our neighbour and our onwe good name stopping our eares against false reports and suppressing them and alwayes whatsoeuer comes of it speaking the truth Explan First we must by all
disanull them and against all defects if there be any in our lawes and neglect of the execution that the defects may be supplied the execution of good lawes better lookt vnto for the furtherance of Gods kingdome Hinderances of Gods kingdome in the ministry In the ministery there may bee also many hinderances of this kingdome against which we pray 1. Ignorance and vnaptnesse to teach for euen as the childe without milke perisheth and hauing too little languisheth so the poore soules of men vnder ignorant ministers or such as be vnapt to teach them doe perish and decay Hos 4.6 1 Tim. 3. 2 Tim. 2.15 My people perish saith the Lord for want of knowledge and a Bishop saith the Apostle must be apt to teach he must know to diuide the word of truth a right 2. We pray against heresie in them whereby the milke of the word as with poyson is corrupted and turned to the destruction of soules Of this hinderance S. Peter speaking 2 Pet. 3.16 saith that there bee many hard places in the Scriptures which the ignorant and vnstable peruert vnto damnation And like vnto this are prophane and vaine bablings which by the Apostle are compared vnto the Canker and Gangreene tending to the destruction of the body Wherefore wee pray 2 Tim. 2.27 that no such preachers may creepe in or be suffered in the Church as doe teach hereticall opinions vainely and prophanely handle the holy Word to the disgrace thereof amongst the hearers 3. Wee pray against idlenesse in Ministers taking the fleece and fat of the flocke but through lazinesse and carelesnes suffering the wandring to be out of the way the feeble without pasture and the diseased and weake without cure and exposing all to the rage of the deuouring Wolfe If hee that hath the keeping of a tower against the enemy committed vnto him and a reward therefore shall sleepe and neglect his charge he is worthy of death by the Martiall Law and he that taking wages and hauing any worke committed vnto him if through sloath he doth it to halues or to quarters he is worthy to bee punished as a thiefe So and much more they which take charge of soules and wages therfore a spirituall worke in hand and hire to doe it and yet are sloathfull and giuen so much to their ease as that they labour not in this worke by preaching praying exhortation yea and by good example of life shall answer as theeues and robbers and vndergoe the vtmost of Gods Law Wee pray heere that if there be any such O vtinam nusquam they may bee diligent or else speedily remoued and more painfull and faithfull placed in their roome 4. Wee pray against wickednesse in the life and conuersation of Ministers for a Bishop must be vnreprouable Leui had both the Thummim and Vrim committed vnto him 1 Tim. 32. When wicked ministers are wicked liuers though they teach things good and the way right yet such a cloud is cast ouer their doctrine that it shineth very dimly and few or none see to follow after it when like Images shewing the way they are seene to stand still without motion they are held as idols to be teachers of lies and what they shew is not imbraced Particular hinderances of Gods kingdome The particular hinderances of Gods kingdome are such as be in euery priuate person in particular These are first Infidelity and vnbeliefe whereby the dore of the heart is shut vp against the Lord that hee cannot rule there as King Heb. 4.2 Where vnbeliefe was it is noted that Christ could doe no great matters Lydiu had her heart opened before that the power of godlinesse wrought in her The Iewes are noted to haue had the world without profit because their hearing was not mixed with faith Faith was the first thing which Satan vndermined in our first parents to beat downe Gods kingdome it is the first thing wherin Paul laboureth with King Agrippa to make him a member of Gods kingdome As all things are possible to faith so it is impossible that any good thing should be with vnbeliefe Wee pray therefore here against this vnbeliefe that the Lord would open our hearts to belieue his word and all the promises and threatnings therein contained 2. Impenitency and hardnesse of heart whereby the mind is without relenting for sinne and reioyceth rather heerein and as the hand by often handling of hard things becommeth daily more hard and insensible so by sinning the conscience becommeth more hard and without sense or remorse for sin Luc 3. Wherefore when Iohn would prepare the way for the Kingdome of Christ hee preacheth repentance the putting away of this hardnes in sinning Esa 66 2. and when the Prophet Esay would describe such a man as with whom the Lord doth dwell to rule and raigne in him he saith that he must be humble contrite spirit and tremble at his word Wee pray then heere that the Lord would take away the heart of stone out of vs Ezech. 11.19 and giue vs an heart of flesh as he hath promised so that the power of sinne may be shaken we may tremble for sinne past and resolue vpon newnesse of life for the time to come as good subiects of Gods kingdome 3. Any one raigning sin which is when the soule is quiet in some priuate secret sinne and doth not striue earnestly against it For let it be neuer so small if there be a willing going on in it it is a raigning sinne and God cannot reigne in that heart Let not sinne therefore saith the Apostle Rom. 6.12 raigne in your mortall bodies Eph. 5.14 Hee that promiseth to the enemy of the Land but one peny or one egge towards his maintenance to inuade the countrey is no good subiect to his Prince no more than hee that promiseth horse man and armour neither is he a good subiect of Gods kingdome that resteth and without checke nesteth in lying in petty swearing in vaine talking or euill thinking and fighteth not against these Awake thou that sleepest stand vp from the dead and Christ shall giue thee life if thou sleepest in any sinne thou art without life out of the Kingdome of light 4. Negligence in superiours towards inferiours in parents masters or the wealthy towards the poore children or seruants suffering them to sin leauing them vntaught forbearing to admonish them to further Gods kingdome in them Leuit. 19.17 For if it be a sinne of neglect in any man to let his familiar friend to sinne vnreproued much more is it in such as haue some authority annexed vnto their persons they sinne against that Charge Thou shalt plainly rebuke thy neighbour and not suffer him to sinne 5. We pray therefore that all gouernours of families may shake off negligence towards their charges and though it be painfull vnto them labour to further Gods Kingdome in their families and that the rich in disposing the liberalities
must be a generall turning from sinne in these that come to be baptized so after baptisme there is a daily practise of repentance by confession contrition and reformation For euen after Baptisme we are still subiect to sinne though we striue and fight against sinne daily the flesh leading vs captiue to the law of sin to be deliuered from which we must make a daily practise of Repentance but the seale of Baptisme is no more to be iterated Euen as a seruant being once bored through the eare by his Master without iterating this remained his seruant for euer but if he offended was chastised and reformed often so he that is once truely baptized remayneth Gods seruant for euer but because he doth often offend he must be chastized and reformed by Repentance Quest 135. What is Faith Ans It is a certaine perswasion of the heart wrought by the spirit of God grounded vpon his promises that all my sinnes are forgiuen me in Christ Iesus Heb. 11.1 Explan Hauing spoken of Repentance one thing necessarily required that Baptisme may be compleate it remaineth that we speake now of Faith which is alike required This I say is a certaine perswasion for the assurance that they haue which are faithfull vnto whom Faith is an euidence in their hands as Saint Paul calleth it Faith is the ground of things hoped for and the euidence of things not seene It is a certaine knowledge whereby a man knoweth that hee hath any thing which is made most sure vnto him for which cause it is also commonly called knowledge Esa 53.11 Ioh. 17. 1 Iohn 23. By his knowledge shall my righteous seruant iustifie many And this is life eternall to know thee and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ And againe Hereby wee are sure that wee know him if we keepe his Commandements It is such a certainty as that it maketh things to come present according to that Rom. 8 30. Iohn 6.47 Those whom he hath iustified he hath glorified And he that beleeueth in mee hath euerlasting life Wherefore Faith expelleth doubting and vncertainty in whomsoeuer it is for which cause when Peter doubted hee is checked as hauing little or no Faith Why didst thou doubt O thou of little Faith Rom. 10.14 Eph. 3.17 The heart is the proper seate of Faith for with the heart man beleeueth vnto iustification and Christ is said to dwell in the heart by faith If it bee therefore but an imagination of the braine or an outward profession of faith in word it is but a shadow and no true grace of faith wrought by the spirit of God for it is supernaturall and diuine not flesh and bloud but the spirit of God is the author of it according to that of Christ vnto Peter Flesh and bloud hath not reuealed it vnto thee Math. 1◠6 but my Father which is in heauen viz by his spirit Of Lydia conuerted to the faith it is said Her heart the Lord opened Act. 16.14 that she attended vnto the things that Paul spake To the same tendeth that speech of our Sauiour Christ Iohn 6. Ioh. 3. No man commeth vnto me vnlesse the Father draw him and the winde bloweth where it listeth so is euery man that is borne of the spirit c. ground on vpon his promises For as without a word of institution there is no Sacrament so without a word of promise there is no faith Iohn 6.40 And as faith is not without a promise so it is not without a promise made vnto mee viz. fulfilling the condition with which euery promise of God is made For it is not sufficient because the Lord hath promised He that beleeueth in the Sonne shall haue euerlasting life and I will raise him vp at the last day that a man hold this and through Christ beleeue the acomplishment of this vnto himselfe but he must by faith apply it lawfully fulfilling the condition which the Lord requireth and the condition is to be baptized to true repentance Rom. 6. dying vnto sinne as Christ died and rising vp to newnesse of life as Christ was raised vp vnto the glory of the Father for the words of the promise are He that is baptized beleeueth shall be saued which baptisme is only expounded then to be when sinne is dead and buried and grace which is newnesse Prou 28.13 liueth The condition is to confesse and forsake all my sinnes to deny my selfe to walke after the spirit and not after the flesh Rom. 8.1 If then I doe thus and lay hold vpon the promise I beleeue it law-fully and the mercy promised is sure vnto me otherwise my faith is vaine and the promise is to me of none effect Obiect If it be so then Faith can neuer make a man sure of his saluaition because it may bee that although hee doth now walke after the spirit in newnesse of life yet hee may fall from this againe Sol. A man cannot be so sure as that he may now grow secure and remisse in going forward in that new life which he hath begunne for he must alwayes worke out his saluation with feare and trembling not be high minded but feare serue the Lord with feare Rom. 12. Psal 2. Math. 16. Iohn 17. and reioyce before him with trembling but hee that beleeueth so as hath beene said is so sure as that the gates of hell shall not preuaile against him Christs prayer shall be stronger to keepe him at one with God than all contrary powers to set enmity againe betweene God and him Rom. 11.29 Iohn 13.1 for the guifts and calling of God are without repentance and his owne he loued vnto the end he loued them And this is a reason rendred by S. Iohn 1 Iohn 2.19 Iohn 17.20 why some that were before counted faithfull turned Heretiques They were not of vs for if they had beene of vs they had continued with vs. Whatsoeuer is or can be said to weaken the force of these grounds presumptuously fighteth against that most cofortable euideēt Prayer of Christ Psal 32.1 I pray not for these alone but for them also which shall belieue in my name through their word So that who-soeuer doth rightly belieue in Christ hee hath Christ on his side by the merit of his prayer vniting him vnto himselfe so that he is made a member of his body no more to bee rent or pulled from him Rom. 3.28 That all my sinnes are forgiuen me in Christ Iesus for this is the maine thing assured vnto mee by faith and wherein the happinesse of man consisteth according to that Blessed is the man whose iniquity is forgiuen and whose sinne is couered Wherefore it is said that by faith wee are iustified that is of sinners are made iust and righteous not onely by that purifying quality that is in faith but in regard of Gods acceptance when we by faith cloath our selues with the garments of our elder brother
of so great dignity to be so ioyned vnto him that I should be made coheire with him of the heauenly Kingdome How can I doe lesse then put away all basenesse of mind whereby I cleaue to the world and the flesh and bee like minded to my deare Sauiour to whom I am ioyned in fellowship though most vnworthy being holy as he is holy It is also to bee considered how our soules are fed heere euen as the Israelites with Manna from heauen in the wildernesse where they must otherwise haue perished and as Dauid flying from Saul by Abimelech with the hazard of his owne life so God spared not his sonne but gaue him as bread from heauen vnto vs without which wee must needs haue perished for euer and in our greatest need that wee might haue strength to flie away from the danger of Satan inraged against vs he spared not though with the hazard of his life to giue vs the true Shew-bread Oh how should my heart be affected towards thee O Lord therefore and resolued to abide alwaies with thee vowing with Dauid to Abiathar Hee that seeketh my life shall seeke thy life also those that are thy enemies shall be mine and as if they hated me Thirdly let the Communicant consider of the neere vnion that the Lord hath made by Christ betwixt all his Saints into the which hee is also receiued that faithfully partaketh of the Lords Supper which should effectually suppresse all exorbitant affections and worke an holy loue in him as towards members of the same body Quest 142. What is to be done after the receiuing Answ We must meditate of the Couenant of new obedience with the Lord renewed by this Sacrament that we may be more carefull to performe this obedience and to flee sinne and vice all the dayes of our life Explan The receiuing of the Lords Supper is not a transient holy duty as it is by most men vsed who put some holinesse vpon them for the time afterwards returning as the dogge to the vomit and as the swine to the wallowing in the mire but it is a sealing of couenants betwixt God and his people and the grace of God for the pardon of all our sinnes and our dutifulnesse to God in forsaking all our old sinnes and liuing according to his holy lawes For as God doth hereby giue himselfe vnto vs to become our God and gracious Father so we giue our selues vnto God to become his people and obedient children There be these two parties in all couenants otherwise they cannot stand something assured and giuen and something taken and receiued therefore So betwixt Princes and Subiects the Prince giueth and assureth his care in ruling and prouiding well for the good of the Subiect hee receiueth tribute custome and obedience so betwixt masters and seruants betwixt sellers and buyers lenders and borrowers In like manner in this Couenant God for his part assureth and giueth himselfe to be our gracious God forgiuing all our trespasses and on our part he must receiue tribute subiection and obedience otherwise the bond is forfeit and if it hath bin so once twise or often and the forfeit hath not yet been taken take heed of the next time for if thou still remaine vnreformed not better keeping couenants hauing renewed them so many times there is no hope for thee to bee dealt withall but as with a desperate person that thou shouldst suddenly be deliuered to some infernall spirit the Taylor and so be imprisoned in Hell whence thou canst neuer come out againe If thou hast therefore neglected to pay God the duties of praise and prayer of obedience and performance of holy duties both publike and priuate now bee negligent no longer but be rather officious redeeming the time with double diligence if thou hast loued and liued in sinne and disobedience keepe couenants by feare of offending any more hereafter and if thou hast no way answered that loue which the Lord tieth thee vnto towards thy neighbour for his owne sake but hast hated such as haue shewed any enmity against thee for offences hast been vnaduisedly prouoked and through an immoderate loue of thy selfe and of the world hast denied food vnto the hungry and hast sought to beguile thy neighbour learne of Christ to be meeke and gentle in holinesse follow Paul as he followeth Christ and for bounty imitate Zacheus conuerted giuing liberally to the poore and satisfying where thou hast done wrong to any man for thus and thus onely mayst thou haue comfort of the Lords Supper and shalt in his good time sit downe in the Kingdome of Heauen and be feasted with Abraham Isaak and Iacob for euer and euer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An Appendix to the Catechisme FOrasmuch as the holy Scriptures are the ground and foundation of all diuine Teaching and it auayleth not a little for setting men in the Trueth to vnderstand rightly both which bee the Bookes of holy Scripture and how wee may bee assured that they are the Word of God and by whom and how this Word is to be preached and heard for our further building vp in grace I haue thought it expedient here to annexe these short Questions and Answeres following Quest 143. What is the Word of God Answ Whatsoeuer is contained in the books of the old and new Testament and not any other bookes or writings whatsoeuer Quest 144. How many and which are these Bookes The Books of Canonicall Scripture Answ The Bookes of the Olde Testament are twentie and seauen Genesis Exodus Leuiticus Numbers Deuteronomie Iosua Iudges Ruth the first and second of Samuel the first and second of the Kings the first and second of the Chronicles Ezra Nehemiah Ester Iob Psalmes Prouerbs Ecclesiastes Song of Songs Esay Ieremiah with his Lamentation Ezechiel Daniel and the Booke of the twelue small Prophets The Bookes of the New Testament are twentie and sixe Matthew Marke Luke and Iohn the Actes of the Apostles the Epistle of Paul to the Romanes the first and second to the Corinthians to the Galathians Ephesians Philippians Collossians the first and second to the Thessalonians the first and second to Timothie to Titus to the Hebrewes the Epistle of Iames the first and second of Peter the first second and third of Iohn the Epistle of Iude and the Reuelation of Iohn Quest 145. Are not the other Books called Apocryphall part of the Word of God also as Esdras Tobit Iudeth c. Answ They are not bookes properly called Canonicall but are annexed to the word as being full of good instructions and histories declaring Gods wonderfull prouidence ouer his people Israel Explan Diuers haue beene and are the errours of men about Gods Word some denying diuers parts of the Old and New Testament to bee his Word and some Canonizing other writings also Concerning the first some detestable Heretiques haue receiued none for the word of God but the fine Bookes of Moses as the Sadduces some none but the New Testament as the