think once to escape neglecting so great saluation which at the first begoon to be preached by the Lorde and afterward was cōfirmed by them that heard him God bringing testimony and authoritie thervnto both with signes and woonders and diuers myracles and giftes of the holie Ghost Well did the Lorde vnderstand that words are but winde with men and therefore it was the good pleasure of his will that neither his law nor Gospel should come naked and bare into the world but with the credit of his owne glorie and countenaunce of his owne maiestie For the gospell as now we haue heard was not only preached by the Lorde Iesus but also confirmed by the ministerie of those that heard him with signes woonders and myracles so that to neglect the gouernemēt of the word is to tread vnder feete the maiestie of the Lorde Hauing made this entrance I doe proceede vnto the texte where I am enforced to speake a little of the nature of the wordes because they bring great light to the true vnderstanding and meaning of the cōmaundement The word IEHOVAH which is here englished Lorde is a name of God giuing vnto him his true nature and essence which is so to haue his beginning and being of him selfe as in him by him all thinges that are haue their beeing and therfore it is vsually set before the promises and couenants of the Lorde in the scripture that we shoulde not doubt of the perfourmance thereof seeing it is the couenant promise of that God that hath his beginning and beeing of him self and procureth the beeing and perfourmance of all things vnto them in so much that the Lorde denieth in Exodus that he was knowne to Abraham Isaac and Iacob by his name Iehouah bicause he had not perfourmed in their time the promises made for their deliuerance out of Egypt and for their possession of the lande of Canaan The verbe is not vsually expressed of the Hebrues in the like phrases where the sense is apparant and therefore of some is sette downe before the word Lorde and read thus I am the Lorde thy GOD of other some nexte after the word Lorde and then it is read thus I the Lorde am thy GOD wherin although in sense there be no difference but that both affirme one and the selfe same thinge yet bicause there is more cleare vnderstanding of that one and the same thinge by placing the verbe next after the worde Lorde I see no cause why the practise of some should be preiudiciall in this matter but that it may be said I the Lorde am thy GOD. In affirming that he is their God he assureth them of all mercy and happinesse from him selfe alone both in this life and in the life to come making a league with thē to make himselfe knowne to be their God by the mercies he had to bestowe vpon them and that he would haue the care and charge of their welfare reserued to himselfe alone It remaineth to be proued by the scripture that this manner of speaking to be their God conteyneth promisses in it for this life and for the life to come In the psalme the Prophete hauing made mention of sundry outward blessings in children in increase of corne and cattel peace and freedome from enimies concludeth thus Blessed are the people that bee so blessed are the people whose GOD is the Lorde making these outwarde blessinges to bee conteyned vnder the benefite of hauing the Lord to be their god In Exodus promising their deliueraunce from Aegypt he saith that he wil be their God conteyning that outward deliueraunce within this mercie of being their god And as for the spirituall and inward blessings as writing his lawe in our harts pardoning our sinnes and not remembring them anie more that they are conteyned within this couenant of beeing our God may appeare in the Epistle to the Hebrues After those dayes sayth the Lord I wil put my lawes in their minds and in their hartes I will write them and I will bee their God and they shall be my people For I will be mercifull vnto their vnrighteousnesse their sinnes their iniquities I wil remember no more And in Ezechiel we may cleerly see that the renuing of our stonie hartes the receiuing vs to mercie after we haue transgressed the causing vs to walke in his statutes and lawes are streames that flowe from this free founteine of grace that the Lorde is become our god A newe hart saith the Lorde by his Prophet will I giue you and a newe spirite will I put within you and I will take away the stonie harte out of your body and will giue you a heart of flesh and I will put my spirite within you and cause you to walke in my statutes and yee shall keepe my iudgementes and doe them and yee shall dwell in the lande that I gaue to your Fathers and you shall be my people and I will bee your GOD Where these benefites receiued are made the fruites that followe of hauing him to be their God whiche is all done freely and vndeseruedly as the Lorde plainely professeth in the same chapiter in these wordes Bee it knowen vnto you that I doe not these thinges for your sake sayth the Lorde therefore O ye house of Israel he ashamed and confounded for your owne wayes Neither doeth this mercy of hauing the Lorde to bee our God conteyne it selfe within the compasse of this life but reacheth vnto the blessinges of the life to come as appeareth in the Gospell after Saincte Luke where our Sauiour Christe proueth that it must needes be well with Abraham and that hee muste rise againe bycause it is written The Lorde is the God of Abraham for he is not the GOD of the dead sayeth our Sauiour Christe but of them that liue In the Epistle to the Hebrues Abraham and others the children of God are reported to haue bene straungers in the land of promise and not to haue sene the promises fulfilled in their time whiche might seeme to make againste this that I haue sayd concerning the blessing of them to whom the Lord is become God but it is answered there that he was not ashamed to bee called their God for he had prepared for them a citie as if that whiche seemed to be wanting in this life were so sufficiently recompēced in that ioye that did abide for them as that the Lord neded not to be ashamed to be called their God so rich was his mercie towardes them By this we learne that the first commaundement conteyneth in it the promises of the Gospel as it is well noted by M. Peeter Martyr contrarie to this damnable opinion of certeine who holde that the fathers of the olde Testament had no promises sauing of the lande of Canaan and temporall thinges We see that the Lorde made promise to be their God which as we haue heard hath promises bothe of this life and of the
children vpon the third generation and vpon the fourth of them that hate me 6 And shewing mercie vnto thousandes to them that loue me and keepe my commaundements ALbeit the time would nor permit me to speake the laste day of the third verse but forced me to reserue it vnto this day and to ioyne it with this matter that now you haue heard of not making to our selues any grauen image yet that whiche time hath nowe knitte together is by the iudgement of diuerse godlie and learned men not to be sundered at all For they take that of hauing the Lord our God which hath already beene declared to be the firste commaundement and this Scripture that now I haue read conteyned in these foure verses to be the seconde Of this iudgement was that learned Father Peter Martyr whose wordes are these in his Commentarie vppon the Romanes I suppose the firste commaundement to be that which is sett before the reste in steade of a proheme I am the Lorde thy GOD whiche haue brought thee out of the lande of Aegypt For in these wordes are we commaunded to accompt him for the true God and that we shoulde not thinke that he is to bee worshipped together with other Gods straight way is added the second precepte wherein wee are prohibited to worship straunge Gods and grauen thinges and images and if a man will more narrowly consider the thing he shall see that together with this first comaundemente is offered vnto vs the Gospell for in it GOD promiseth that he will be our god These are the wordes of Peter Martyr Of this iudgement in like manner was that learned and godlie man M. Bucer as appeareth in his exposition vpon 24. Psalme where hee hath these wordes The first thing of all in the matter of our saluation is to beleeue in one Lorde our GOD from whome as the fathers had their deliuerance from Aegypt and all other blessinges beside so wee all receiue the good things that we haue whiche is taught in the firste of the ten commaundementes that is to say in this I the Lord am thy GOD whiche brought thee out of the land of Aegypt The seconde cōmaundement is to ioyne no feigned God with the true GOD which mans madnesse is alwayes accustomed to do neither were these men alone of this iudgement but followed in it the opinion of some of the best learned among the interpreters of the Hebrue who doe thus diuide these two commaundements taking that of making grauen images to be a braunch of the second cōmaundement which forbiddeth vs either to ioyne any false God to the only true Lord or to worship the true God with any false worship deuised of our selues not cōmanded frō him For as it followeth in that place whiche now I cited out of M. Bucer the blindenes of man is accustomed to giue so much to his own deuises in ioyning some in worship with God or to that which he hath deuised for the worship of god that he wil not depend vpon the mere goodnes of God alone And for the moste parte saith he they seke by such ceremonies to pacifie the lord whom they do perceiue to be offended with their wicked life which thing hath greater blasphemie in it then we can conceiue of It is most sure that when once man dare aduenture to put others in the honour of worship with the Lorde whiche thing he hath forbidē he wil not be afraid to bring vpon him an other worship then he hath commaunded these bothe come from one corrupte beginning as shall God willing heereafter more plentifully appeere We are in this commaundement forbidden to worship any together with him or to admitt any worship of him besides his owne whiche he hath lefte vs in his worde the Lorde therefore woulde haue vs to seeke al good things at his hands alone and cannot abide that we should haue other Gods before his face or vppon his face for this interpretation will bothe the wordes and the meaning beare very well as if he should say In as muche as I haue taken vpon me to care for you and to honour my selfe by shewing foorth the treasures of my grace vpon you it shall not be lawfull for to darken the light of my goodnesse by seking to obteine that at the hands of any other the gift wherof I haue reserued to my selfe alone for the glorie and praise of the riches of my grace For I doe you to vnderstand that when soeuer you seeke to any other then me for any parte of your welfare you doe as it were drawe a corteine ouer my face that I cannot be seene in the full shewe of my mercie howe I am affected towardes you while they by stepping betweene conuey some praise of the gifte and mercie to them selues Heere we see all passages to the virgine Marie Angels or Saintes whatsoeuer to be stopped vpp and the way to GOD opened vnto all in their necessities to run thyther with an assured hope of comforte by reason of the promise When Sathan would haue obteyned of our sauiour Christe a parte in the honour of worship he telleth him it was written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God him alone shalt thou serue the answere of our sauiour Christ being according to the question and demaund telleth vs that Sathan would not haue refused to haue had the Lord worshipped so that he might haue obteyned to haue beene partaker with him in it It declareth also that not only the Lord refuseth to haue Sathan but also any other whosoeuer to be worshipped with him for it is written Him alone shalt thou serue Inuocation therefore and prayer beeing a worship that the Lord preferreth aboue sacryfice may not be giuen to any Sainct or Virgin but muste be reserued vnto the Lord alone who will not haue his grace darckened or his glorie parted with any Neither can he suffer that the virgin Marie or any saint or angel should cōe into any opinion of mercy either aboue him or equall with him whiche must be graūted if this be cōfessed that it is lawful to call vpon thē For why should we come in prayer vnto them if he who is of greater power to perfourme our request be also of more mercie to incline fauourably to our demaunds This resorting therefore vnto them by prayer hath in it a plaine profession that they are more redily inclined vnto compassion then the Lord which in deed denieth him to be god For he is not the true God if any do exceede him in mercie and compassion It cannot be that the Lord should be God if any be found his superiour or match in mercie wherein consisteth his chiefe glorie But of this God willing more shall be spoken when I come to speake of prayer And yet it may not be forgotten that in dying for vs when we were enimyes vnto him he lefte that patterne of mercie behinde him the like whereof hath not beene hearde or seene in
any which cannot but leade vs in beliefe to hope for more mercy from him then from any other If any thinke that prayer is not suche worship of God wherewith he is so delighted but that he can bee content that others as Sainctes or Angels should also haue that honour let them peruse the 50. Psalme and they shall finde that the Lorde preferreth this seruice of his to bee called vppon in necessitie aboue all sacrifice and outwarde worship The Churche of Rome will not giue out licence to offer sacrifice vnto Saintes that bee departed from this life and yet the Lord setteth prayer in dignitie aboue sacrifice making it a seruice that doth more honour him then doth that other For what greater honour can he haue then to bee magnified in this greatnesse of his mercie that hee shoulde bee the onely sanctuarie for the distressed in their calamitie The Angels themselues haue refused to bee worshipped of men knowing that the Lorde wil not haue his glorie parted vnto others In the Reuelatiō Iohn professeth that he fell down to worshipp before the feete of the Angel and that the Angel saide vnto him Se thou do it not for I am thy fellow seruant and the fellow seruaunt of thy brethren the prophets and of them which keepe the words of this book Worship god The Angel refuseth worshippe placeth himselfe as a seruaunt among them that serue the Lord after his worde and chargeth him to worship god Let vs learne to bridle this affection that seeketh to be approued vnder the title of a good intent for it is a strong persuasion to the fleashe that the Lorde cannot refuse but well like of whatsoeuer worshipp wee offer so it bee to no other thē those that are beloued of him of whom he hath declared his likeing by graces and gyftes graunted vnto them in greater measure then vnto the common sort of his seruauntes We may well suspect our infirmitie when the Euangelist Iohn was almost carried away with his weaknesse in this parte For the infirmitie of the flesh reasoneth thus Can it be any offence to honour aduance them whome God himselfe hath honoured Hath not God himself declared by his graces giuen vnto them what reckoning he maketh of them Can we make too much of them whome God so tenderly loueth These are the pathes of good intents wandering without the worde Nay they proceede further If wee shall be approued of the Lorde wee must creepe into fauour with those that are deere vnto him and the next way to haue fauour with him is to growe into the fauour of those that are neere aboute him according as the practise is to get the good lykings of men that are of greate calling heere in earth by growing into the lyking of those their seruantes that can doe moste of all with them But we are taught of the Lord himselfe that his wayes differ from oures as farre as Heauen differeth from the earth and that the Heauens are not so farre in height aboue the Earth as are his thoughts aboue oures So that wee offer exceeding wronge vnto his maiestie while we thinke to bring him vnder the condition of mans infirmitie whose good countenance cannot be obteyned vnlesse in the persons of those whome hee especially lyketh of by brybing or flattering of them he him selfe may seeme to be honoured and the holde of his fauour craftily vndermined The word of the Lord shaketh off all such follies telling vs that it is the hearing of his worde keeping of the same that getteth credite with him that maketh vs allied vnto him euen to become truely the mother sister or brother of him as wee read in the gospell after S. Luke in the which place he doeth so commend this kinred as I may call it of his worde that he maketh no reckoning of any other but in respect of that Wherein hee doeth notably reproue the foolishe fancie of fleashe and bloud which imagine that they can offer nothing vnto the virgin Marie wherin they shall not binde him vnto them the Lord therefore is constrained to signifie that those naturall respects preuaile not with him as with weake men but that the hearing of his worde and doeing of the same is all in all with him and the onely worship that pleaseth him which when it is wāting he accepteth of no seruice haue it neuer so greate shewe of mans reason for it As wee may not take vpon vs to worship any besides the Lorde no more is it lawfull for vs to giue any worship to the Lord but onely that whiche is allowed in his word and therefore hath he forbidden vs to make any grauen image imagining that way to please him and to doe a worke that is acceptable vnto him For those that bow vnto grauen Images thincke and say that the Lorde is serued therein and that they doe it not vnto the Image but vnto the Lorde represented vnto them in the Image but the Lorde in this commaundement forbiddeth as well the false worship of the true GOD as the giuinge of any parte of his true worship vnto a false God I meane vnto any besides the onely true god It commeth all from one founteine to dare be bolde to giue vnto him any worship beside that which he hath cōmanded and to worship any other besides himselfe which thinge he hath in many places plainely forbidden therefore in this cōmaundemente he represseth this intollerable boldnesse of man that in his owne deuotion will presume to please the Lorde either in the worshipping of others or in any other maner of worshipping him than he himselfe hath opened in his worde In this seconde parte concerninge grauen Images there are certeine wordes which beeing layde open will make the better entrance to the true sense and meaning of the whole in consideration whereof it shall not be vnprofitable briefely and in a worde to touch them It is saide here that he is A ielous God which signifieth that he can not suffer vs to ioyne any with him in the cause care of our welfare A kinde of speach borrowed from husbandes who can not abide to see the mindes affectiōs of their wiues entangled with any other men but require to haue them kepte pure and chaste to them selues alone The pursuing of his displeasure whiche is heere recited towarde the thirde and fourth generation of them that hate him seeming to maintaine vnrighteousnes in the Lord is to be vnderstoode of such children as treade in the same stepps of iniquitie with their fathers For otherwise that of the Prophet Ezechiel is true The godly sonne shall not beare the iniquitie of his vngodly father These thinges beeing now made plaine vnto vs let vs goe forwarde with the matter that wee haue in hand The Lorde God in forbidding the worshipping of images and so vnder that all other kinde of worship inuented by man addeth this reason to disuade vs from it because hee is become our God who
kinde of sinne shall haue a godly wife whome the Lord shall preserue from this euill to yeeld vnto the wickednesse of others yet is his faulte neuer a deale the lesse heerein then if he should haue fallen into that extremitie of sinne because his deseruing hath called for that punishment from the Lorde which the Lorde in mercie towardes her hath withholden And in asmuch as the adulterer depriueth a man of the true comforte of his true and naturall seede and posteritie can we imagine otherwise of the Lorde but that hee will drawe one swoorde or other vppon some of his children that shall neuer ceasse to pursue them before it hath driuen them in at the dores of death Iob speaking of this sinne of adulterie sayeth that it is a fire that deuoureth all to destruction So that by this testimonie the house of the whooremonger must be consumed and there is a secret fier flaming there that threateneth to deuoure before it hath done and made a finall end which men might easily se by sundrie experiences in the world if there were no word of God to leade vs therevnto The hope to hide this sinne which bewitcheth the vngodly leadeth them into this fire of God his wrath must of necessitie be vaine because the Lorde him selfe hath taken vpon him to be reuenged of those that shall dare to breake that bond of wedlock which he hath made In the olde testamēt the Lord did by a special law made for the purpose take vpon him not only the knowledge reuealing and punishing of this sinne euen when it should be most secretly done without witnes of any other man yea or certeine knowledge frō the husbād him self but also the defence and clearing of the guiltlesse woman oppressed vexed with the vniust ielousie of her husbād who might presēt his wife whether she were guiltie in deed or onely in his ielous minde was thought to be so before the priest vnto that tryall which God had appointed established for the end After which matter solemnized with all the circumstances therof as it was appointed in the boke of Num. if the woman were defiled in deed then should her belly swel and her thighe rot if she were not defiled then should she not only be free from this punishmēt but also be blessed with fruitfulnesse as appeareth in the same place We see how greatly the lord doth abhorre adulterie taking vpon him to bewray the closest dealing in the wickednesse that can be and also what a care he hath of the vniting of their mindes who are become one by mariage in ordeyning a law to cure ielousie and so taking vppon him also the defence of the innocent partie That law is now ceased but that same God doth yet remaine bearing the same hatred to that sinne that he did before hath the like loue to innocencie that before he hath had So that there is small hope to be had when God is become the searcher him selfe when he who knoweth it is an vtter enimie vnto it and hath professed the reuealing of it yea and that more is the iust and deserued punishing thereof It would greatly feare the theefe if it were noysed that that man would searche him whome he doeth wel remember to haue passed by and behelde him while he was hiding of that whiche before hee had stolne Wee doe not reade through the whole testament the like solemnitie in the searching out of any sinne neither yet that in any other sinne the partie suspected was compelled to subscribe vnto certeine words of execration and calling for euil against himselfe if he had offended saue onely in this tryall of adulterie whiche may both teach vs in what place of sin to set this crime of adulterie and what measure of punishment to looke for after trespasse and transgression made in this parte The punishment whiche in the olde Testament was appointed to be executed againste it by the ciuil Magistrate was death according as it is written in Leuiticus The man that committeth adulterie with another mans wife because hoe hath committed adulterie with his neighbours wife the adulterer and adulteresse shall dye the death In this commaundement is not onely adultery forbidden which is when one of the offenders is ioyned or betrouthed to another in marriage but also fornication when bothe the offenders are single persons We haue learned before that it is vsuall in the commaundements vnder one kinde of euill to forbid all that bee of affinitie with it and like in wickednesse vnto the same Fornication is forbidden in expresse wordes in Deutero There shall be no whoore of the daughters of Israel neither shall there be any whoorekeeper of the sonnes of Israel The punishment of this sinne of fornication whiche was so fearefull among the people of Israel is brought in of the Apostle Paule to bring all men to suche feare of God as may restraine them from it Neither let vs commit fornication sayeth the Apostle as some of them cōmitted fornication and sell in one day twentie three thousand The life of man beeing so precious vnto our mercifull father as it is it can be no small sinne that prouoketh the Lord to procede in iudgemēt euen to the death of twentie three thousand And therefore is this notable punishment notwithout great reason ioyned to fornication which was the cause thereof For commonly this sinne is made as nothing hauing naturall infirmitie set beside it in the vsuall speech of men to hide it withall But the holy Ghoste doeth not so matche it in his speeche he doeth not set it before our eyes in a cloake of natural infirmitie whereby we should the lesse feare it but putteth vppon it the garment that in deede belongeth vnto it euen a cloake bathed with the bloud of xxiii thousand men There is great diuersitie betweene these two cloakes the one is farre vnlike the other in the eyes of the holy Ghoste this sinne is fearefully stayned with much bloud in the sight of fornicatours there is nothing in it whiche is not naturall and kindely so diuerse are their iudgements and so great is their disagreement of their opinions The Apostle Paule reasoneth against fornicatours by the worthines of our bodies whiche are the members of Christ howe great is that abasing and howe miserable to be diuorced from Christ and coupled to an harlot d ee ye not knowe sayeth the Apostle that hee whiche coupleth himselfe with an harlot is one bodie for two saith he shal be one fleshe Moste certeine it is that the bodie of an harlot can be no member of Iesus Christe And the fornicatour by the testimonie of the apostle is become one bodie with her hauing the same coniunction with her in wickednes that the husbande hathe with his lawful wife in holinesse and by the appointment of the Lorde There is great cause therefore why the holy Ghost shoulde so earnestly persuade vs to flie fornication making
trade Herevnto may be added that it is often preiudicial to the reasonable sale of that man who must sell his wares for present money his necessitie so constrayning him The like is to be said of other things which notwithstanding they be good and sufficient for the moste parte therof yet haue something mingled among to increase the quantitie and so the price of the other whiche in the vse thereof bringeth no benefite but hurt hinderance and deceipte vnto him that occupieth the same One example may be this Whē cloathes are stretched fiue sixe or seuen yardes in a cloathe aboue that whiche the cloath doth of necessitie require it is well knowne vnto the seller who taketh money for the same that all of them will shrinke in againe so soone as euer they shal be wet and that the wearer shall haue no good by thē And how then can these men take money for nothing They can not be priuileged to take in some part of money for that which hath no peece of commoditie in it when it shall come to the triall and vse that should be of it There is no equalitie to take a commoditie for that which in his handes or house if it lie by him wil vanishe into nothing It is no otherwise then if some iuggler had closed in our fist as we thought some peece of coyne but when we open our hand there is no suche thing to be found there As for their desire to haue it so whiche doe buy it of vs that cannot mainteyne any thing in vs not lawfull of it selfe For no mannes appetite can warrant our wrong dealing in deceiptfull wares If the commoditie whiche we do vtter be neither altogether nor yet in part deceiptfull but wholy good and sufficient yet if we shall ouer-sell it we trespasse against this rule of equitie and reason which forbiddeth the commoditie of one to arise of the losse of another and laboureth for equall commoditie in exchaunge as nighe as may be Neither can we bee truely intituled vnto any other their commoditie but by departing from some other thing of ours vnto them againe as commodious as that is and the same either in weight measure or value Those men therefore that in buying and selling doe alwayes lay in wayte for them who for some one necessitie or other must necessarily vtter their cōmoditie thinking to make a pray of their necessitie to make the price after their owne lust desire are not simple theeues for it skilleth not to make it theft whether it be muche or litle that we take frō another which we haue no right vnto nether yet whether it be done vnder some color or without any shewe of right but also this kinde of dealing hath in it a spice and smacke of crueltie murther because it is toward those most cōmonly whose necessitie if there were any Christiā bowels in vs were rather to be pittied as it alreadie is then further to be increased by vs as if their affliction were not yet enoughe to bee vnder our feete vnlesse we trampled vpon them and did our good will that they might neuer arise againe It is no more lawfull to leaue testimonie that there is wante of loue towardes our neighbour by our dealing with his goods in buying and selling then it is in our borrowing keeping or lending as was before declared For the Lorde hathe forbidden vs to shewe any lacke of loue towardes our neighbour and for triall of our obedience herein he followeth our footing to the gate of his goodes as well as to the doore of his person to espie whether we returne from thence bothe mercifull and helpefull or cruell and hurtefull For thus doth he trace vs and trie out our heart towarde our brethren leading vs to see the secretes of it by the out-goinges that it hathe to the thinges that be especially necessarie and commodious for them and also best beloued and most deare vnto them As the Lorde hathe bounde the borrower lender keeper buyer or seller to good abearing toward our goodes so hathe he graunted the peace for him that shall finde any thing of oures No exception admitted to the contrarie no not in the finding of the goods of his enimie For the man that shal find his enimies oxe or asse going astray is charged to bring to him againe And if he shall see his enimies oxe or asse lying vnder his burthen he must helpe him vppe with it according as it is written in Exodus Hee is also charged with all the lost thinges of his brothers that he shall finde to restore them againe in Deuteronomie and if he knowe not whose oxe or sheepe they be that he findeth going astray they must remaine with him at his house vntil his brother seeke after them Deuteronomie If any man should deale deceiptfully and therefore vncharitably with his neighbours goodes then were they bounde to restore that whatsoeuer it were whiche their conscience did charge them with all adding the fifte parte more thervnto giuing it vnto him that was so wronged iniuried or deceiued by thē the same day which they should offer for that their trespasse to the Lord so that the Lord would not be appeased vntil their brethren were satisfied Thus must they do when their conscience should pricke them in any thing according as it is written in Leuit. The wronges that are there sett downe to be restored againe are to denie his neighbour that which was taken him to keepe or that whiche was put to him of trust oppression either by fraude or violence finding that whiche was lost and denying it and whatsoeuer one hath hindered his neighbour in by a false othe These thinges are expressely set downe in that place to be restored in the whole and the fifte parte thereof added therevnto at the summon of their conscience whensoeuer It appeareth in the booke of Numbers that the offenders in this parte must pay this damage vnto his next kinseman if he were dead whom thus they had wronged neither was he so acquited if he had no kinsman but must giue it to the Lord for the priestes vse If so be it shal please the Lorde to call any man and let him see an vniuersall oppression and harde dealing in all his doeing not grieuing him with the alone remembrance of one or some fewe then the counsell of Daniel is to be followed to breake off their sinnes by righteousnes and their iniquities by mercie toward the poore that plentie of mercifull dealing may followe there where there hath gone before great store plentie of the contrarie Is not this the fasting sayth the Prophete Isaie that I haue chosen to loose the bandes of wickednesse to take off the heauie burdens and to let the oppressed goe free and that ye breake euerie yoke Is it not to deale thy bread to the hungrie that thou bring the poore that wander vnto thine house When thou seest the
lawe to be found in like manner within his heart that prayeth in trueth vnto the Lorde For if the keeping of the lawe be vnto any his delighte the transgressing of the lawe in like manner must bee his griefe It is plaine then that true prayer must not onely be directed by the lawe and commandement of God but also must ioyne in desire and affection with the same The glorie of God is coupled to his word and therfore must praiers being the desire of the heart goe in desire after the same according as we haue the example and practise of the Prophet Dauid at large in the Psalmes where it is apparanr that hee placeth all the honour of God in his word sometimes praying to haue his petitions graunted that he might keepe his commandementes some times taking comfort assuring himselfe that he should he heard because he had a loue vnto his law plainly affirming as appeareth in that Psalme that saluation is far from the vngodly because they seeke not his statutes wherein his glorie consisteth as we may learne if we goe no further for profe therof then vnto the Lords prayer it selfe For after mention made of hallowing of his name comming of his kingdome there followeth the request of doing his will here in earthe because his honour glorie and dominion is seene in the obedience to his will reuealed in his worde Herein we may clearely see sentence giuen against all such prayers as proceeding from a heart ignorant of the word of God go after their owne good deuotion whiche is the honouring of them selues and not after his good will reuealed in his word which they are vtterly ignorant of Where we may clearely see what account is to be made of Popishe prayers where the woorde of God is not knowen of the moste and not regarded of the rest holding it for a sure principle that ignorance is the mother of deuotion To all suche prayers the Lorde doth answere according as it is written in the Prouerbes They shal call vpon me but I will not answer they shal seeke me early but they shal not finde me because they hated knowledge and did not choose the feare of the Lord. A iust recōpence of reward not to be heard when they in their distresse shal by prayer speake vnto the Lord because they refused to heare the Lorde speaking to them in his word Here also are the prayers of all suche reproued notwithstanding they haue knowlege of the word and followe not their good intents in praying vnto the Lorde as haue no affection ioye delite nor good liking to see the lawe and the dueties thereof perfourmed in their life nor yet any vexation or griefe in themselues for transgressing the same For prayer is a desire of the minde and therefore most desirously affected after that which it seketh whiche is the lawe and commaundement of the Lorde Whereby it appeareth also how fruitelesse those prayers are that come but from the lippes alone the heart being altogether holden with other matters and occupied wholy about other delightes The thirde thing that is required to prayer is that it proceede from an emptie heart whiche findeth want in it selfe of those thinges that it beggeth For if a man feele no want of that which he asketh he can neuer be earnest in asking The daunger heereof is then moste to be feared when we pray for those thinges the meanes wherof we haue at home as when a man prayeth for successe in a matter hauing either such wisedome in him selfe such wealth or such friendes that it is likely their nede to be no doubt made of the successe It is hard in such like causes to come to God with an emptie heart to begg it as earnestly of him as if we wanted all such helpes And yet is all our prayers but a dallying with God when wee shall nourish a secure opinion in our harts that we haue that helpe within vs for the which in wordes we are become sutors vnto him in our prayers Whē a wise man goeth aboute matters that vsually are compassed by wisedome or a rich-man about that that commonly we see compassed by riches a learned man about that which is perfourmed by learning and the like is to be thought of all such like matters cōmonly there are either no prayers at all to God for the accomplishing of suche matters or if there be any they are so colde and fainte as bewraieth this secret opinion to be nouseled within that they shall not do greately amisse though there come no helpe by their prayers For surely if the help at home were in truth doubted not to be sufficient the sute for relief abroad would be earnest The importunate sutor is hee that speedeth of his sute as we reade in Luke and he that is pinched with want wil spare no speech for his relief but he that feeleth no want is to learne as yet how to beg The prayers therefore of such as seldome or neuer examine themselues by the lawe and commandementes of God are greatly to be feared nay are plainely to be charged with dallying in their petitions with the lord For there is the sight of all our pouertie plaine and euident and all the sight that we haue of it otherwise is but a false light had in the shoppe of sathan to vtter counterfet wares withal The fourth thing required to praier is that we haue an assured hope of helpe from the Lorde a sure beliefe to obteine that which we doe aske for therefore is prayer an acceptable worship to God because it ascribeth vnto him that honor of mercie to be helpful to our miserie whē he is called vpon neither tying his mercie to good deseruing nor yet his power to secōd causes as if where they had no deseruing he had no mercy or where they had no instrumēts of helping he had no hand or power to helpe God is not truely honoured of the wicked where either he is taken to be but a vaine name dead thing in whom there is neither mercie nor power to be found in our necessitie as the Epicures bellie-gods think whatsoeuer they say or else suche weakenesse and imperfection in bothe as cannot goe but by holdes and helpes from vs. Our sinne then may not weaken our faith be it neuer so greate when there is true repentaunce for it For that should darken the praise of his mercie nor yet the want of all those meanes that haue any likelihoode to helpe the matter must driue vs to despaire for that were to abridge and diminishe his power The praier therfore that is ioyned with faith cannot but be acceptable vnto him giuing him the honour that is due vnto his name and because of that being an acceptable seruice and sacrifice vnto the lord But prayer without faith despayring to be heard dishonoureth the Lorde and is returned without any comforte or hope of helpe according as it is saide by the Apostle
tempest or health doeth succeede sicknesse when deliuerance commeth after imprisonment or plentie after pouertie These are so often sene by experience to come one after an other that notwithstanding men haue in their distresse prayed for them yet hardly can they be brought to think that they are blessings graunted to faithful prayer but rather imagine that they are thinges cast heere and there vpon men at aduenture And therefore where men are in those or such like distresses they hardly or not at all conceiue any hope to he heard Seldome doe they make any sute vnto God in faith especially if those afflictions lay sore vpon them but the children of God knowing that they are promised to haue the Lorde neere vnto them in all that they shall call vnto him for and that they shal be heard for the thing of the day vpon his day as their occasion requireth so doe they seeke vnto the Lord beeing sure in continuance to finde comforte at his hands and why they knowe assuredly that the Lord will haue his mercie and power tryed and seene heere vppon the earth in hearing the requestes of his in their distresse that by that meanes hee may bee truely feared and honoured of them according as it is proued in the booke of Kinges and also that by his hearing of their petitions in those their distresses they may be confirmed in the persuasion that GOD fauoureth them remitteth their sinnes and beeing at one with them is fauourably inclined vnto them in all their needfull demaunds Whosoeuer shall diligently consider of the places of Scripture in the olde Testament applied by the Apostle to the forgiuenes of sinns shall easily perceiue that the godlie haue taken their deliueraunce from their distresses as pledges of the remission of their sinnes and assuraunces that God for Christe was at one with them For their temporall blessings were not receiued of them but as confirmations of his reconciliation with them whiche proueth that which was said before that the Lord heareth the prayer of his in their necessitie to strengthē their faith in the remission of sinnes and persuasion that GOD for Christ is beecome fatherly affected towardes them his promises being visibly confirmed to them In Deuteronomie there are promises made vnto them that do giue diligent heede vnto the law and commandements of God to obey them that they shal be blessed in the fruit of their body in the fruit of their cattel in their comming in and going out in all that they shall put their handes vnto in causing their enimies that rise against them to fall before their face and the cause is added in the tenth verse in these wordes Then all the people of the earth shall see that the name of the Lorde is called vppon ouer thee and they shall be affrayde of thee It is therfore moste assured that the Lord will be seene to bee the GOD of his and to haue a kingdome heere vppon earth by graunting them their requestes when they shall call vppon him in their distresse by leauing outwarde blessings as plaine confirmations of his inwarde heartie good will that he beareth towardes them And for this cause doe his people craue those temporall benefites euen that it may bee seene that he ruleth vppon earth standing by his as he hath promised Wherefore whensoeuer their enimies oppresse them or by the want of any his accustomed benefites they seeme not to bee regarded of the Lord they cōplaine vnto him not so much in the consideration of their necessitie as in regarde of his glorie vsing these such like kind of speeches Wherfore should the Heathen say Where is now their GOD As if their chiefe care were to haue the Lorde his glorie vpholden in the confirmation of his goodnesse promised vnto his whiche is called into doubt of the vngodlie while they see those that accounted thēselues for his in affliction and oppression necessitie and want as if they were not regarded of him wherby the vngodly are imboldened the more to oppresse the righteous by calling into question the trueth of his promises made vnto his confirmed the rather in the continuing of their disobedience Very fitly therefore is the hallowing of his name the comming of his kingdome and the doeing of his wil set before the request of outwarde necessities because wee should demaund them rather in respect of his glorie that he might therby haue a name and kingdome here in earth and his wil perfourmed rather then wee to haue therein our alone necessitie releeued The godly in like manner returne the whole praise vnto him euen whē those things are graunted vnto them that seeme to be moste casuall and to come at aduenture Therfore in that Psalme before mentioned they are willed to praise the Lord and to tel vnto others what he hath done for thē when those things which seeme to be meere casuall and comming by fortune and chaunce are obteyned which clause of praysing the Lord and telling vnto others what thinges he hath graunted at the requestes of their prayers is added in the psalme vnto the end of euery seuerall benefite graunted vnto thē But al men cōceiue not this doctrin they are his children alone who in hart are assured that these which cōmonly we cal casual things are disposed by him at the pleasure of his will graūted as pledges of his goodwill to those that in trueth call vpon him and therfore in the last verse of that psalme it is said Who is wise that he may obserue these things because they be onely his children that haue this wisdome to obserue this to mark it to knowe that he disposeth these outwarde things to the good of his as pledges of his fatherly goodnes towards them and therfore they onely call vpon him for them in faith and in receiuing them doe assuredly in their heart reckon them as benefites receiued of him confirming their faith therby in the assurance of his especiall goodwill towards them By this that hath bene said it doth appeare that when we are oppressed with anguish of heart or vexed with any calamitie either of bodie or minde wee haue to seke our remedie at the hands of the Lord by prayer in assured hope to receiue no smal comfort thereby if in faith and hope of his mercies we continue in calling vppon his name It is a very hard matter and the worke of faith alone when a man is sore distressed seeth no means to escape then to call vpon God with faith and hope of beeing heard and if help shall come it is as hard a matter to ascribe it vnto the mercies of God as the fruit of prayer and an assured token of his goodwil rendering from the ground of our hart the praise that is due vnto him for it and strengthening our faith therby in the persuasiō of his mercies towards vs The seruāt of God glorifieth God in these things acknowledging from his hearte that God is the giuer
is due vnto him euen vnto the third and fourth generation of them that shal be founde transgressours herein calling them haters of him who are not by faith the very knot of this spirituall wedlocke surely knit vnto him alone He can no more abide to heare of any that should be fellowes with him at our faith than the honest man can abide to heare that another besides himselfe should haue the enterteinment of an husband with his wife It is diligently to be obserued that he calleth thē haters of him who shal thus diuide their affection from him The most that they can say for this their worshippe is that it commeth from a good meaning intent this persuadeth the moste of them well of it For God say they cannot of his mercie refuse that which is wel ment intended towarde him The Lord therfore vtterly ouerthroweth this defence saying in expresse wordes that they be haters of him so ledd with the liking of their worship from the Lord and his true seruice that when occasion serueth they bewray extreame hatred therevnto prosequuting it with fire fagot in the true professours thereof This sin of idolatrie and false worship of God is diligently to be considered of that we may see the danger of it and keepe vs from transgressing therein The daunger of this sinne the greatnesse therof we can not better discerne than by the punishment executed against it from the iust Lorde who because he is iust and Iustice it selfe cannot appointe punishment but according to the nature and qualitie of the offence he threateneth that the fire of his ielousie shal burne vpon the posteritie of those that offende therein vnto the thirde and fourth generation Greate muste that sinne bee the flame of whose punishment casteth out smoke so long The greatnes of the punishment may lead vs to se the heynousnesse of that offence of Idolatrie and seruing of God by good intentes The fire of Gods wrath beeing kindled by this sinne as wee see cannot be quenched many generations after the death of them that haue beene the firste transgressours in the same The lord declareth the reason by his prophet Hosea why he will thus punishe the posteritie of the idolaters I wil haue no pitie vpon her children saith the Lord by the prophet because they be the childrē of fornication declaring that hee may lawfully disinherit them because they are none of his but children begotten in fornication The state of the children of Israel in the captiuitie of Babylon euen vntill the comming of Christe may fitly shadowe out vnto vs the truth of this punishment threatened here for idolatrie For albeit there was a returne frō Babylon yet we knowe that the number was small that returned and subiect vnto greate misery euen vntil the comming of Christ beside their punishment in the want of temporall benefites The lord thretned by his prophet Hosea according as he did perfourme in deede that he would no more suffer them to inioye the vse of his worshippe I will cause saith the Lord al her mirth to cease her feast days her new Moones and her Sabbaoths and al her solemne feasts And in the thirde chapter the Lorde in like manner declareth that the children of Israel shal remain many daies without a king also without an offring Long before their captiuitie they had nothing beside the outwarde shew and ceremonies of the worship of God which also vtterly ceassed when they were led into banishment yet the comforte came which was promised in the latter time vnto their posteritie according as it was fore-told them by the Prophete but greate was that sinne that procured so long lasting punishmente vppon their posteritie and so greate a punishment that they should be diuorced from the lord For he affirmeth this by his Prophet that he wil marrie them vnto him for euer declaring thereby that they had bene diuorced before But we need not take examples of God his punishment of Idolatrie from the people of Israel wanting beside other benefites the true worshippe of God so long time Poperie in these last times may be a true spectacle thereof where the declining from true religiō hath brought so miserable blindenesse continuing so many generations The Papistes now in the latter dayes of the Gospel after this as it were solemnizing of the marriage againe betweene the Lord and his Church require to knowe where the Church was before this time of the Gospel as if some of the Israelites after that the Lorde had returned vnto them in mercie and betrothed them a newe vnto himselfe againe should haue required where the Church had beene in their captiuitie when they wanted the sacrifice and offeringes the Sabbaothes new moones and all the true outwarde worship of God calling into question the trueth of that true worship and seruice of God because they had been so long without it before Those times of Poperie were the times of idolatrie and punishment of the Lord for idolatrie they were as I may call it the widowhoode or rather the diuorced estate of the churche when notwithstanding the Lorde did beare loue and secrete liking vnto those that were his yet was their outward estate the condition of a widowe or rather of a diuorced woman hauing in it the badge of displeasure and punishment from the lord To require therfore that this our time should bee confourmed in worshippe vnto that is to like of diuorcement better then marriage to craue that the vnlawful libertie of the one may be a paterne warrant to dissolue the godly and lawful bonde of the other The Lord affirmeth likewise that he Wil shewe mercie vnto thousandes of them whiche loue him and keepe his commandementes wherein he noteth vnto vs two properties in the true worship of God the first is the loue of him the seconde the keeping of his commandementes wherof the first that is the loue of him openeth vnto vs what beginning true worshippe hath and the seconde which is the doing of things pleasaunt in his sight telleth vs by what rule that worshippe doth proceede euen by his word which truely discouereth what thinges are pleasing or displeasing vnto him That loue towardes him beginneth all true seruice and worship of God hereby it is manifest because the Apostle declareth that the children of God are sealed vp with the spirite of adoption whereby they crie Abba Father whiche beareth witnesse vnto their spirite that they are the children of God. Whiche inward testimonie of adoption cannot be without the loue of him that hath adopted them And in the Epistle to the Galathians the Apostle hath these wordes In Iesus Christe neither circumcision nor vncircumcision auaileth any thing but faith that worketh by loue And in the same Epistle he affirmeth The life whiche he nowe liueth to be in this faithe that the Sonne of God hathe loued him and giuen him selfe for him This loue therefore that ariseth of the
almightie creator And if there be acknowledgement of superioritie ouer vs to the thing that we shal sweare by as is witnessed by the holie Ghoste then as we may not sweare by Heauen Earthe or any other creature muche lesse may wee by Masse Mattens Roode or such like we will put the honour of the Almightie vpon them and take them as our God who onelie hath superioritie ouer vs to iustifie righteousnesse and to bring the wickednesse of the wicked vpon his head whiche thing in our othe we do acknowledge to belong vnto him by whōe we sweare When Almightie God promiseth by his Prophet Hosea to receiue the Israelites to fauour again after their affliction he saith that he wil take away the names of their Idols out of their mouth thei shuld be no more remēbred by their names These things may suffice to teach vs that the Lord cannot beare the dishonour of his name but will haue that vpholden in honour and reuerence without suffering it either to lie open vnto the cōtempt of godlesse persons or vnto the spoyle of Idolaters who breaking it vpon his glorie do beautifie and set out his creatures with the ornamentes thereof This commaundement likewise reacheth particularly to all of them whiche neglecte any of those meanes that God hath commaunded vs to vse either for the welfare of our soule or bodie For the wordes and workes of his wisedome may not be refused as vaine needelesse but must with all humilitie be imbraced that in our so doeing his wisdome may be honoured who hath appointed those to be the meanes whereby he will conueye his mercie towards vs the neglect whereof chargeth the Lord with want of wisedome in ordeyning them Here falleth to the grounde the wicked and blasphemous opinions of the Anabaptistes Libertines and the feigned Familie of loue who are growen to suche a magnifying of grace brought as they say by the reuelation of the spirit as the wisdome of God in his worde is of small or no account with them in deede but as if it were a needeles matter or had no certeintie in it it is wholy transformed into their spirite made to speake accordingly The nature of man is in this cōmandement corrupted as in the rest doing the thinges which he doeth to God without all awe and feare of his word It behoueth the man therfore that wil truely trie him selfe to searche into his life and wel to consider what manifest contempte there hathe beene in him of the name and honour of God in stubbernely standing againste the authoritie of his word while he hath willingly neglected to be admonished and aduised thereby what contempt of his honour he hath giuen forth in common swearing and vsual oathes that either directly or indirectly reach to the glorie of God euen to the wounding of him in the same Moreouer it behoueth him to consider what carelesnesse there hath beene and what little regard in his best doings to haue them so soundly throughly done as vnto the honour of God doth apperteine where the diligent paines carefull and through dealing in matters that touch his owne name shal be a sufficient light to disclose his halting with the lord For the corruption of mans heart is so great and so hidden that all meanes almost are to few to vtter it therfore it is requisite that we vse al the meanes we may in that behalfe Let a man in this examination wel consider whether there hath beene any suche feare or care to auoide things forbidden and to do things commanded him by the word wherein consisteth the glorie of God as there hath ben while his own honor is in hand and his owne name called to question at any time whether he hath delt in dueties appointed him by God with feare and care lest the Lorde through his infirmitie shuld be foyled his name dishonoured whiche coulde not haue beene wanting if his owne estimation had beene in hazarde that he may be brought to the sight of his Sonne For when it pleaseth God to cal any to the hope of his kingdome hee letteth them see their corruption to be so great in these and suche other kindes of dishonor that they haue done vnto him as that their harte is forced to appeale vnto the mercie of God fastening themselues to it vtterly giuing ouer their owne obedience Whiche mercie of God they so stay vppon and are so comfortable in that it prouoketh them no longer to neglect the name and glorie of their God but with all reuerence to submit themselues to the gouernement of his word alwayes endeuouring to better their obedience towardes his lawe because it tendeth to the glorie of his name wherein howe greate so euer their profiting be yet this corruption whiche cleaueth so fast vnto them cānot but continue in them stil an humbled and lowly harte euen in all their blessings while they clearely perceiue them by the sight of their corruption to be the vndeserued graces and gyftes of their god Their offending also whatsoeuer cannot be without the great grief of their hart because they see it to be with the dishonour of him who hath abased himselfe to the deathe of the Crosse to worke the honour and aduauncement of them We are therefore brethren diligently to learne to waxe wearie of those wayes that would depart from the reuerence and honouring of the Lord in not fearing to offend againste his word because it is written He that despiseth the worde he shal be destroyed but he that feareth the commandement shal be rewarded Let vs learne to become careful in the duties which are appointed vs by the worde for the Lorde will not holde them guiltlesse that are secure therein We can not beare good heart vnto the Lord if we let his honour fall to the ground among vs it is his mercie that doth vouchsafe vs this fauour to be trusted with his honour Can it want then iust reproche if we shal be tried to be senselesse in this point It drewe teares from Dauid that the wicked kept not his lawe can we see our owne liues and the liues of those committed vnto vs wandring from the wayes of life and hungerly in the contempt of the worde pursuing after death and yet for all that neuer to be touched with it especially seeing the dishonour of our God dependeth vpon it It should vexe vs that the gospell hathe beene so long time with so litle fruite among vs that the instruments of his grace that haue gayned so many in former times vnto God shuld not only not preuail in many but euen receiue discredite and dishonour among men and that the litle fruite appearing in our liues shoulde call into question the veritie of Gods gospel being in fruite and effect so vnlike in many vnto that it hathe beene in former times A Christian should go to the dueties laide vpon him by the word with the like minde that a good souldiour goeth
naked that thou couer him c. Thus must he not onely leaue oppressing but also take vp mercifull dealing with the needie We see howe by this whiche hitherto hathe beene said the Lorde hath fenced our neighbour his goods and howe contrarie it is to the loue of our neighbour to hurte or hinder him any way in them and how agreeable to the wil of the Lord that we should be meanes that he might inioye the commodities thereof Therefore was there a lawe among the children of Israel made to shewe their loue towardes their neighbour who had planted a vineyard but not tasted of the fruite therof wherin it was prouided that the officer should make proclamation at their going to warfare against their enimies that if there were any who had not eaten of the fruite of their labours they shuld returne home and take comfort and vse of their owne This lawe of loue might not be dispensed withall no not in the heate and vrgent necessitie of warres A notable testimonie to shewe howe well it liketh the Lord that men should take comfort of their own As doth that Lawe also which was giuen in Deuteronomie of not remouing the lande-marke which they of olde time haue set And therefore we are commanded to shewe them this kindenesse and loue to reserue vnto them the comfort of their commodities without impayring of them whensoeuer we shal either borrowe keepe or finde any thing of theirs or in buying and selling exchange with them For we please God shew loue vnto them whensoeuer we shall deale truely with their goodes according as we heard before that God maketh trial of our hart toward our neighbour by our handes as they are wont to deale with them in their commodities It is an vndoubted truth therefore that God is greatly pleased when for obedience vnto him we deale thus faithfully louingly with thē in that which is theirs it is a true fruite of loue and a faithful obedience vnto this cōmandement And because of that whēsoeuer it is done for obedience sake vnto God who doth comaund it and of good wil vnto them who receiue the fruite of it euen this fidelitie in his goodes that we borrowe finde or be trusted withal either else receiue by way of exchange in buying selling is a good worke in deede and an humble obedience to the charge of God giuen vs in this commaundement There are two thinges without the whiche wee shall neuer be able to perfourme any acceptable obedience to God in this commandement The first is an assured faith in Gods promises that he will prouide for vs in the thinges necessarie as well for the bodie as the soule and that he hathe charged himselfe as well with the care and prouision for the one as for the other This faith if it were true woulde consume many feares and cares of our minde for worldly matters and works that followe the same So might we employ our selues vppon the care of better thinges This did the holie Ghoste knowe verie well and therefore meaning to cure couetousnes he maketh the plaster of faithe saying Let your conuersation be without couetousnesse for he hath saide I wil not leaue thee nor forsake thee When our hearts shal be fully persuaded that the Lorde will not leaue vs nor forsake vs we cannot be so greatly tormented with the care to liue and obteine necessarie thinges for vs hauing so strong assuraunce for it as his promise who hathe made all thinges of nothing with his worde And therefore in the former place exhorting them to conscience in buying and selling he sendeth them to the couenant saying I am thy God which wordes as we haue learned in the first commandement conteine promises for al things nedefull for this present life If this be stedfastly beleeued that the Lord wil not leaue vs nor forsake vs there wil be no doubt of our euill dealinges with the goodes of our neighbour whether we buy or sell borrowe or keepe the thinges that be his The seconde thing is to finde a contented minde with that which we haue alreadie and therefore to stay in it as in a riche portion with great thankfulnesse of heart to our God for it bearing our port and countenance in all our doinges accordingly without any exceeding whatsoeuer For if once our affections shall ouerflowe the bankes of our owne condition so that in minde we burne with the desire of a better our dooinges can neuer be persuaded that they must so nerely be loked at but that they may borrowe a litle of conscience equitie to make the prouision according as the desire directeth This doth the Apostle confirme in plaine speeche to Timothe where after persuasion to be content with that we haue because the gayne of godlinesse is great he telleth vs plainly that they who wil be riche fall into many tentations snares and many noysome lustes this is the danger of them that are fallen so farre into friendshippe and loue with a better estate that they wil be rich This being once set downe and determined not onely conscience is constrained to depart but also thankefulnesse to God for our present estate doeth in like manner forsake vs. Let vs learne by this commaundemente to knowe our corrupt inclination toward the goodes of our neighbours and so to viewe our deceiptes that haue beene in vs at any time either in buying or selling borrowing or keeping any thing of his together with our corrupte inclination therevnto that the remedie of redemption broughte vs by Iesus Christe may truely be taken holde of and that wee being made comfortable in his mercie may with courage goe about the obedience of his will in this commaundement so that still we may be more and more freed of all manner of deceipte and more and more inabled to glorifie him in all louing and faithful dealing with the goodes of others Whiche that it may be perfourmed let vs call vppon our heauenly Father in the name of his Sonne that it would please him in the multitude of his mercie to holde vs vp by the hope of his promises that we standing assured of his help may not be drawen by any necessitie to do contrarie to his blessed will and also that we hauing a contentted minde may not be tormented with the hungrie desire of a better estate which being once entred vniust dearling cannot long be kept out The tenth Lecture vpon the 16. verse Thoy shalt not beare false Witnesese c. THis commandement taketh care for the good pame credite honour and estimation of our brethren that we should not bring any blotte or blemishe unto that but by loue mainteine and vphold it For herein the Lord will haue tryall of our loue towards them as wel as in their bodie and goodes and therefore chargeth vs no lesse herein with duetie then before he hathe done in other thinges that are deare and precious vnto them Neither is there any late cause why we
hath done and boast of that none otherwise then if he shuld haue done it in his owne person Can this I say be thought reasonable vnto any that hath not had an other scholmaister then wit and reason to persuade him therein Can the naturall man bee persuaded that he must first be righteous and then do righteous things and not rather that in doing of many righteous deedes at length hee becommeth to bee accepted for righteous him selfe thereby Or can a naturall man bee persuaded that his fauour with God commeth wholy in respect of an other his doings who hath done him all this good and not rather that his owne doings haue done the moste for him and he that is especially beholding vnto them This commeth from an other teacher then any that wee haue at home it sauoureth not of the earth it is from aboue Ceasse therefore to maruell at suche diuersitie of doctrine when the scholemaisters that teach are so farre differing one from an other as heauen is from earth The seruauntes of God giue ouer their owne righteousnesse they finde nothing in it they doe clearely see it will not goe for payment and therefore doe betake themselues to the merites of an other Neither doe they onely say that they bee vnrighteous in them selues but with griefe doe finde and feele it to be so within them selues But howsoeuer they stand rotten in their own root they are notwithstāding strongly stayd in Iesus Christ whose obediēce they do make so great an account of as if it were their owne perfourmed by them selues The thirde thing that wee doe receiue with Christe is Sanctification or holinesse of life This sanctification followeth immediately after righteousnesse in the place which before I haue alledged For it is not onely requisite that wee should remaine righteous by the obedience of one man once perfourmed but that our whole life should continue consecrated vnto the seruice of him in bringing foorth such fruit as hee hath appointed That righteousnesse which before we haue heard of is as the tree and this holinesse is the fruit therof The nature of our Sauiour Christe was free from all infection not hauing in it any remnaunt or relique of sinne and therefore he was sanctification it selfe and perfectly sanctified When wee beginne to separate our selues from the common corruption of the worlde and bend our selues to purenesse of life approued before God this is the worke of Christe sanctifying and working true holinesse in vs For of our selues we are prophane and vnholy voyde of these fruites of righteousnesse whiche are wrought in vs by Christe The cause why a number do mislike such deedes and conuersation both in them selues and also in others which an other sort of men doe approue delight in following after them with all greedinesse of desire is for that Christ is become sanctification vnto the one sort of people and not vnto the other who continue in their prophane and corrupt wayes not finding any want therein when the other sort are vexed grieued to see such doings abound in others and tormented in them selues if at any time they shall of infirmitie slip into the like not ceasing to apply the meanes whereby they may get victorie ouer them Here ariseth a question necessarie to be discussed whether righteousnesse be in the children of God before sanctification and holinesse of life or good works and holy life do goe before iustification being in his before they be acceptable vnto god Wherein notwithstanding that which hath beene sayde alreadie may be thought sufficient vnto any indifferent man yet it shall not be amisse to adde some more force and strength vnto it It is proued that righteousnesse goeth before good workes Rom. 4.6 where the testimonie of Dauid is alledged pronouncing him blessed and happie to whome the Lorde imputeth righteousnesse without workes And leaste any man should thinke this to bee ment of the ceremoniall workes the verie wordes of the Prophete are cited in the next verse folowing affirming blessednesse to be in the remitting of sinns vnto vs and not in the admitting of good workes for vs If the Apostle doe ioyne with the Prophete in this that God imputeth righteousnesse without woorkes then must I demaund of the aduersaries whether this righteousnesse imputed without woorkes doth exclude all woorkes or but some woorkes If it be aunswered that all kynd of working is not seuered frō this iustification and righteousnesse the question is againe whether those workes that stand with iustification and righteousnesse goe before it or spring of it and so come after it Heere their aunswere is we are iustified withoute woorkes going before but not withoute workes folowing it making this iustification that is saide to be without woorkes to shut out onely those woorkes that are before a man be iustified but not the other For their opinion is that wee are iustified by them wherevpon it followeth necessarily that righteousnesse goeth before holinesse of life that good workes do followe from a man iustified alreadie and are not sent before to iustifie him therewith that was not accepted of God as righteous vntill those were perfourmed The Apostle is plaine in this matter to the Ephesians God which is riche in mercie euen when wee were dead in sinnes hath quickened vs c. There were no woorkes then that went before to quicken vs seeing it is sayde that when we were deade in sinnes not onely sinners but also deade in sinnes God hath quickened vs. This proueth plainely that our good workes and holinesse of life did not procure righteousnesse vnto vs when the matter is cleare that wee were dead in sinnes when he in mercie quickened vs. In like manner the Apostle proueth that holinesse of life is a fruite of them that bee alreadie the seruants of God but now sayth the Apostle beeing freed from sinne and made seruaunts vnto God you haue your fruit in holinesse and the end euerlasting life There is no woorke acceptable vnto God without fayth and persuasion of his good will towardes vs whether it be done at the desire of vaine glory or at the motion and instinct of nature iudging that woorke to bee lawfull and honest For it is fayth that doth purifie the heart and the ende of the commaundement is loue but so that it bee of a fayth vnfeined The tree must be good before the fruite can be good For an euil tree can not bring foorth good fruite Against this it will be excepted that Abraham in offering of his sonne Isaac vppon the altar as sayth the Apostle Iames was iustified and therefore that the works of men eyther vnrighteous before or else but in parte acceptable doe iustifie them and make them rightly to be accepted of God. It appeareth in Genesis that Abraham was iustified before Isaac was borne for the offering of whome vppon the altar the Apostle Iames sayth that Abraham was iustified For in that Chapter it is written
what wickednesse and contempt of the grace of God That man therfore that learneth not to abate the care for outward daungers and necessities to come can neuer in trueth pray vnto the Lord that he would giue him this day his daily breade For these wordes of daily bread and this day doe cutt off the care and torment of times farre off By the promise whiche in this petition we doe trust and depende vppon the holie Ghost to the Hebrues cureth couetousnesse willing them to be content with that they haue to see that their conuersation be without couetousnesse because the Lorde hath saide I will not leaue thee nor forsake thee This promise of the Lord that he will not forsake his in the day of their necessitie is set as a bulworke to beate backe their feare of want and carefull coueting that ariseth therevpon that they may hold them wel content and apaide with their present state and condition The holie Ghoste maketh a great diuersitie betwene the godlie and wicked touching these earthly thinges for they come to the godlie as it were sleeping for so doeth he tearme their quiet laboure that wayte assuredly for the successe frō the Lord in respect of the careful toile that the vngodly are tormented with as if their liuing lay onely in their trauels There is a secrete blessing of the Lorde which must be sought for at his handes by faithfull prayes without the which all care and trauel that can be taken wil not auaile It is the blessing of the Lord that maketh riche sayeth the holie Ghost There is more in that then our fleshly and mistrustfull heart can easily be persuaded of Let vs therefore learne to lessen our mistrustfull care that we may testifie to the worlde the increase of our faith in the persuasion of his mercie towardes vs according as this petition doeth admonishe vs For in praying vnto him for these outward commodities we doe acknowledge that they be at his disposing and that all the labour in the worlde will not fetche them vnlesse it please him to giue successe Wherefore we may plainely see that when we haue trauelled or vsed those outward meanes wherby commonly benefits are procured we haue but accomplished one part and the least part of that that bringeth the benefite in deed Prayer must also be vsed and the Lorde he is to be intreated and this is not the least but the chiefe parte The godly tempt not the Lord by refusing his meanes but euen then when they doe vse those meanes they are muche in prayer for the successe and going forward of them whether it be labour counsell or friendshippe that they they vse to compasse their matter by For the want of this we see it fall out in common experience that the wisest men haue had suche successe with their deuises as the most foolish man that is could not haue made a madder matche then often times falleth out euen there where their care and counsell hath beene the greatest whiche teacheth vs to giue the Lorde his due to acknowlege him the Lord and gouernour of those temporall commodities to begge them at his handes by true and vnfeigned prayer and by faith to depend vpon him and not vpon our trauel no not where it is the greatest and promiseth the moste vnto vs. Worldly men that depend wholy in the persuasion of their heart vpon the help of their hands their wisdome or their wealth or friendship do dissemble with the Lorde in this request For they seeke that at him as his gift whiche their heart telleth them that they haue alreadie at home Couetous men that wold gather faster then he will giue how can they in trueth seeke it at his hands when they are not at any time content with that measure or portion that he doth giue neither rest in his distribution hauing such a hungrie desire as would prescribe the Lord and not be limited or prescribed by the Lord The oppresser hard cruel dealer that pretendeth to beg his bread temporal cōmodity of the Lord in the meane time is the purueyer and prouider for him selfe by suche oppressing and vnmercifull meanes as the Lorde abhorreth doeth dallie with the Lorde deceiue him selfe and maketh his praier a curse vnto his owne soule and a witnesse in the day of iudgment against his own conscience in that he hath professed in this prayer that to be the Lords gift whiche he sought of sathan by suche wayes and meanes as he approueth but the Lord abhorreth them We pray here for others aswell as for our selues he therfore that professeth to pray for others their good estate concerning temporall thinges and yet conueyeth that whiche is others or withholdeth it eyther by violence or deceipte with what conscience doeth he offer this petition to the Lord The children of God haue their faith declaring it selfe by outward thinges while they doe depende vppon him for them wherein the vngodly bewray their wante howsoeuer they boast of their inward persuasion of his goodnesse For if the Lord speede them not to their contentation they will not sticke to prouide for themselues by suche either open or secrete oppression as he hathe plainely forbidden as if he were onely the God of the soule and not of the bodie also whole man to prouide for both according to the good pleasure of his will and wee by faith to depende and wayte for a speciall blessing from him euen in outward thinges which the vngodly cannot see into For they binde the Lord so vnto the instrumentes whereby hee worketh his will that in truth they haue the glorie and he is altogether depriued thereof They be only his children that in truth acknowledge him the giuer of these outwarde benefites therfore wil vse no meanes besides those which he hathe approued The other in seeking helpe by meanes forbidden of him doe plainely speake in those their doings that they haue no faith nor cōfidēce in him we may in faith good hope aske those thinges because they make for the glorie of God who doth reigne and rule in earth by giuing vnto his their wantes euen in these outward and temporal things according as we may learne in the Psalm Where after many words declaring that God executeth iustice for the oppressed giueth bread to the hungrie loseth the prisoners kepeth the strangers relieueth the fatherlesse ouerthroweth the way of the wicked immediately it followeth The Lord shal reigne for euer ô Sion As if the Lord should not be known to reigne if he should fayle his seruants calling and depending vpon him in their distresses For we may not think that he faileth his seruants when he giueth them better benefites then those which they doe aske As if they craue deliuerance out of present daunger and he by taking them in mercie out of this life worketh a final riddaunce out of all daunger shall we say that the Lord hath not heard them Likewise if their