onely his bodily eyes opened but also the eyes of his mind to see the truth of God as one taught by his holy Spirit not onely giuing witnesse of our Sauiour Christ that hath giuen him his sight that he was a true worshipper of God and therefore such a one whose prayers God would heare and did heare for the restoring of him but also that euery true worshipper of God which is not a sinner that is to say is not such a one as hath giuen himselfe ouer to sinne but hath repented of it and striueth against it and to that ende calleth vpon God for grace he shall be heard of him Scope of the Commandement Whereunto agree these last words of the Lord himselfe in this our Commandement assuring vs that he will shew mercy that is all kind of mercie for soule and for body c. vpon all those that shall loue him and keepe his Commandements And in this comfort let vs proceed to the third Commandement Rehearse the words of it Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine for the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine What is the scope and drift of this Commandement how is it to be distinguished from the former two This third Commandement aimeth at these two points following First to shevv vvhat ought to be the ordinarie course of the vvhole life and conuersation of the true worshipper of God both in vvord and deed Secondly to declare vvhat is the chiefe ende of life and of all the thoughts words works thereof not only in the duties of Gods worship both inward outward according to the first second Commandement but also in euery other duty acâ—ording to all the Commandements of the vvhole Lavv of God What is the chiefe end of all obedience The honour and glory of God This is indeed the generall scope and drift of this Commandement according to the generall instructions and admonitions and exhortations of the word of God shewing how the life of the seruants of God should differ from the life of all prophane and worldly ones both in the manner and forme of it and also in the ende which they ought to propound to themselues therein such as are the instructions c. which we may reade Math. 5.16 1. Peter chapter 2.12 and chapter 3.15.16 and chap. 4.1.2.3.4 Eph. chap. 4.17.18.19 20.21 and chap. 5. verses 15.16.17 and Phil. 2.14.15.16 and chap. 4.8.9 and Col. 3.13.14.15.16.17.18 c. Reade also 1. Thes 2.10 Acts. 20.18 and 2. Tim. 3.10.11 And it was necessarie that the Lord should adde this Commaundement to such ende and purpose as hath beene thus declared that thereby he might meete with the hypocrisie or lightnesse and vanity of a number who desiring not to be accounted altogether prophane and without Religion do therefore come to the place of Gods worship and sit downe or stand vp to heare the Sermon and kneele downe to prayer c. yet the same neuerthelesse so soone as they are out of the Church-doore let all their thoughts and words and the whole course of their life loose to a kind of Libertinisme c. This the Lord cannot endure it being an vnworthy and dishonorable profession of his name and Religion yea he accounteth it no better then a defiling of his name as we may reade Leuit. 22. verses 31.32.33 and chap. 20.3 The polluting of his name the defiling of his saÌ„ctuary the place of his worship they are ioyned together And verily they shew themselues to haue litle profited by the hearing of his word and by their prayers c. whosoeuer haue no reuerend regard to giue glory to the name of God Such receiue the word of God in vaine 2. Cor. 6.1 They call vpon the name of God in vaine All their worship is in vaine Isa chap. 1. The Lord requireth of his worshippers to take another course He cannot like that we should vnder couert of his name follow our owne vaine minds and lusts neither yet one to sooth and flatter another by an Italienate behauiour c. after the manner of this world which is full of subtility and glozing but in simplicity and truth c. as we haue a notable description of a right godly life 2. Cor. 6.4.5.6.7.8.9.10 and Iames 3.17.18 The life of the true worshipper of God is not sychophanticall and effeminate but it is cordiall without hypocrisie or guile The contrary therefore is condemned of God Reade Iohn 5.44 and chap. 12.43 and chap. 7.18 and Gal. 1.10 reade also Rom. 2.24 But these things will yet further appeare to be the meaning of the Lord in this CoÌ„mandement by the particular handling of the words thereof as well those of the Commandement as the other of the reason annexed which containeth the curse against the transgressors of it Words interpreted Let vs therefore come to it What things are we to obserue that we may find out this to be the sense and meaning of this Commandement Three things are to be considered of vs. Which are they First vvhat is meant by the name of God Secondly vvhat it is for vs to take the name of God Thirdly hovv the name of God is taken in vaine Of these things in order that so we may perceiue both what are the euill things forbidden and also what on the contrary are the good things commanded What is meant by the name of God First all which maketh God most famously knowne to be God as one infinitely differing from all other things that is to say his diuine titles vvord and vvorks Secondly God himselfe and vvhatsoeuer he hath by the same his diuine titles vvord and vvorkes reuealed of himselfe that it should be knowne of vs as his eternall power and Godhead by the creation of the vvorld and all things else according to that description vvhich he hath by his owne voyce from heauen giuen forth and by his owne handvvriting set downe of himselfe Touching the first of these points let vs consider that it is the very vse of a name to put difference betwixt one thing and another and specially betwixt the creature and the Creator Reade Exod. 34.5.6.7 Ier. 16.21 That the word of God is as the name of God in that it maketh him most perfectly and fully knowne Reade Psal 138.2 Consule Trem. reade also 1. Tim. 6.1 How the works of God do make the Lord knowne reade Psal 19.1 c. Isa 40.26 c. and chapter 45.11.12 c. Ier. 10.11.12 c. Act. 14.17 and chap. 17.23.24 Rom. 1.19.20 More particularly how the iudgements of God do set foorth his name reade Exod. chap 9.16 and Isa 30.27 Psal 9.16 Ezek. 30.19.26 and 33.29 and 35.11.15 and 38.23 and 39.6.7 And for his mercies Isa 45.20 c. and chap. 48.9.10.11 Phil. 2.9.10.11 Reade also Exod. 23.21 Ezek. 16.59 c. and chap. 28. verse 29. c. and chap. 29.21 and 37.13 Ioel. 2.26.27 c. and chap.
liberis vt noua soboles ad Deum colendum sisccedat summae turpitudinis damnatur eorum ignauia quibus Dei memoriam aeterno silentio obruere nulla religio est vt per eos non stet quò minus intercidat Promiscuè monentur omnes operam hanc gratissimam esse Deo si nomen eius transmittere studeant ad aetates futuras to the end it may continue and as it were suruiue vs after that we be dead For as he saith further in so much as the holie Ghost layeth this as a common charge vpon all that are godlie minded that they be diligēt in teaching their children to the end a new of-spring may succeede in the practise of Gods worship most shamefull is their lubberishnesse who are so profane that they care not though the memoriall of God be for euer suppressed and that for any thing they will do it should be so farre from continuance that it should vtterly fall away And Psal 78. vpon the 5. and 6. verses he doth likewise very worthilie obserue that from these wordes of the Psalme God hath commanded that fathers should teach their childrē That the posteritie might know his Law the children which shold be borne should stand vp and declare it to their children c. All saith he are generallie aduertised that they performe a dutie most acceptable to God whosoeuer do carefullie indeuour to set ouer his name that is to make him trulie knowne to the ages to come Finally as touching the last point of the answer that is concerning the blessing of God following this carefull indeuour read Deut. 28.1 c. 14. Read also Psal 67. and Iohn 9.31.1 Tim. 4.8 There are many such like testimonies And on the cōtrarie for Gods curse vpon the neglect hereof reade againe Deut. 28. verses 15.16 c. Psal 78. from the 8. ver There are likewise many other such like places of holie Scripture Yea examples also of Gods fearefull iudgements 2. King chap. 2.23.24 and chap. 17. of the same booke And Psal 106.37.38 c. But these for the present shall suffice Let vs now proceede Which are the parts or most generall heads and grounds of Christian Catechisme They are these two the morall Law or ten Commandements of almightie God and the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ It is true for the morall Law or ten Commandements they are a brief sum of the old Testament in so much as the ceremoniall and iudiciall lawes of God are but as it were appendices or appurtenances to those which are morall The parts And the Gospell that is to say the glad tidings of saluation containing the Articles of our Christian faith it is as one may say an abridgement of the New Testament Whereunto belongeth the doctrine of the Sacraments which are as signes and seales annexed to the Gospell c. We begin with the Law of God not that we hold it the only right and necessarie course of Catechising For God as it pleaseth him doth somtime enlighten call and renew those that be his not by humbling or casting them down at the first as he did Saul as we reade of Martin Luther c. by the terrors of the law in the sight of their sinnes and of that horrible damnation and vengeance due to the same but by giuing them notwithstanding they are grieuous sinners a comfortable sight and sweet tast and feeling in the apprehension of his rich and tender mercies touching forgiuenesse of sinnes through Iesus Christ And accordingly is the doctrine diuersly fitted and disposed in the holie Scriptures themselues For sometime the instruction proceedeth from the discouery of sinne of the corruption of nature as God dealeth with Adā in the beginning our Sauiour Christ with Nicodemus in the Gospell Paul in his Epistle to the Romans sometime from the blessings as God with Abraham and Paul to the Ephesians somtime from the curse as Iacob with his sonnes at his death sometime frō both iointlie and expresly as Leuit. chap. 26. and Deut. chap. 27 and chap. 28. or at the least inclusiuely as Iohn the Baptist our Sauiour Christ Repent amend for the kingdome of God is at hand Neuerthelesse let vs wisely marke we shall see that which way soeuer God giueth an entrance into his kingdome either by terrour or by comfort yet he doth afterward schoole and nourture them both wayes he sometime laying to their consciences the greatnesse of their sinnes and iust deserued miserie by the rebukes of the Law so driueth them to Christ the comfortes of the Gospell then againe from Christ in whom their soules are refreshed to more care and conscience of better dutie then before in obedience to Gods Law least comfort should hide it selfe and trouble and discomfort should returne more vncomfortably then before So that we our selues shall finde by experience that there is a continuall and necessarie vse successiuelie both of the law and also of the Gospell Questions preparatorie to the Law partly because of the dulnesse hardnesse of our hearts least we should waxe wanton against the Lord and profane his mercies and partly because of the weakenesse of our faith and failings in repentance least we should be driuen to dispaire of Gods mercy beholding the strictnesse and perfection of his glorious iustice And yet seeing humiliation by the Law is for the ordinarie course more fit for vs howsoeuer the ioy of the Gospell is more agreeable to the bountie of Gods grace and mercie and seeing Christ came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance therefore saith Come vnto me all ye that are wearie and laden therefore let vs hold our purpose to make our entrance into the doctrine of Catechisme from the law The reason whereof shal yet further appeare hereafter yet so as by the grace of God we will neuer be contentious herein In the meane while let vs consider of the answers to certaine questions profitable to prepare the way thereunto as also to the whole doctrine of Catechisme I demaunde therfore first what euerie one of vs ought both first of all in order of time as most necessarie and chiefly also as being most worthy aboue all other things to seeke and labour after all the dayes of this short and transitorie life of ours Rightly to know beleeue loue feare serue and worship God in Christ Iesus to the glorifying of his name in this present euill world that we may be glorified of him and with him for euer in his heauēly kingdome in the world to come Mat. 6.33 For so is the cōmandemēt of our Sauiour Christ Iohn 17.3 First seeke ye the kingdome of God his righteousnesse And againe This is life eternall to know thee the onelie true God and him whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ Haue we such knowledge good dispositiō as you speake of by our owne naturall inclination No for it is written The naturall man
and be glad for great is your reward in heauen for so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you These are most comfortable gracious blessings whose heart may they not worthily allure to enter into this course of true wisedome glorie and happinesse whosoeuer haue anie sparke of grace and true wisedome in them But alas it may be said that in so much as the Law promiseth not any blessing but vpon condition of perfect obedience and seeing we are all yea euen they that haue receiued greatest grace greatly behind and much failing therein that we say nothing of those that are so farre from the course both of speech and life here commanded that they reioyce in wickednesse thinke themselues to remember God the better when they sweare and rap out all the othes they can thinke on and condemne the obedience of this commandement as too great precisenesse and to be an hypocriticall holinesse c. what shall we say for our reliefe against those so great discomforts Though our failings yea though our rebellions haue bene great against this holy Commandement so as we may iustly look to meete with the curses and not to haue our part in any of the blessings yet Gods mercie in Christ Iesus is greater then our sins and his bloud shall wash away both them and the guiltinesse of them not onely from the eye of Gods iustice but also from the accusation and prickings of our owne consciences if we shall truly beleeue in his name that he hath satisfied for these our sins and fulfilled this part of obedience for vs and if we shall heartily repent and be henceforth more carefull both with the words of our mouthes and also in the actions of our liues to glorifie the name of God then hitherto we haue bene This is our onely comfort indeed according to that gracious promise of our Sauiour Christ Matth. 12.31.32 But what proofe haue you that Christ hath not onely satisfied for these our sinnes but also hath fulfilled the righteousnesse and obedience of this Commandement for vs so as the Lord will be moued for his sake to forgiue our sinnes and to accept and to blesse our vnperfect and vnworthie obedience Our Sauiour Christ himselfe Our Sauiour Christs perfect obedience for vs vvho is most faithfull and true giueth a plentifull vvitnesse of it in the 17. chapter of the Gospell vvritten by his holy Euangelist Saint Iohn The whole Chapter is notable to this purpose being a most heauenly prayer of our Sauiour Christ to his and thorough him our heauenly Father for his whole Church and people But let vs heare the principall words tending to this end In the 4. verse our Sauiour Christ saith thus I haue glorified thee on earth I haue finished the vvorke vvhich thou gauest me to do And verse 6. I haue declared thy name vnto the men vvhich thou gauest me out of the vvorld thine they vvere and thou gauest them me and they haue kept thy vvord And verse 11.12 And novv am I no more in the vvorld but these are in the vvorld and I come vnto thee Holy Father keepe them in thy name euen them vvhome thou hast giuen me that they may be one as vve are While I vvas in the vvorld I kept them in thy name those vvhome thou gauest me I haue kept c. And verses 15.16.17 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the vvorld but that thou keep them from euill They are not of the vvorld as I am not of the vvorld Sanctifie them vvith thy truth thy vvord is truth And the last verse of the chapter I haue declared to them thy name and vvill declare it that the loue vvherevvith thou hast loued me may be in them and I in them Here indeed we see a plentifull proofe of our Sauiour Christ his perfect obedience in glorifying the name of God by his perfect preaching and publishing of it according to his office and calling and that also euen from the beginning to the end of the time thereof vers 4.6.26 Secondly we haue a testimonie of our iustification in Christ through his obedience in the end of the 6. verse and verses 11.12 where also we see how carefull he was ouer his Disciples to keepe them in obedience to God and that his name should not be dishonoured by them Thirdly Our vnperfect obedience is for Christs sake accepted of God our Sauiour Christ prayeth for the increase of our sanctification and obedience according to the will of God and therein giueth to vnderstand that God accepteth the obedience of his seruants though it be still vnperfect Reade also a testimonie of our Sauiour Christ his glorifying of the name of God and of our iustification in him Hebrewes 2.9.10.11.12 Finally what his generall care of glorifying the name of God call to mind from his doctrine Matth. 5.16 and verses 33.34.35.36.37 Yea his whole doctrine is a most ample full declaration of it Reade also Iohn chapter 7.15.16.17 and chapter 8.49.50 Nothing remaineth therefore but that we placing our trust and beliefe in the mercies of our God in the name of Christ repenting of our sinnes do carefully and in godly maner labour to increase dayly in righteousnesse and holinesse to the glorifying of his name nothing doubting but that thus we shall be plentifully blessed of him though not for the worthines therof yet for the honour of his owne name and the praise of his rich mercies to whome be all praise and honour for euer and euer Amen And thus come we to the fourth Commandement the last of that great commandement of almightie God contayned in the first Table Rehearse the words of the fourth Commandement Remember the Sabbath day to keepe it holy Sixe dayes shalt thou labour and do all thy worke But the seuenth day is a Sabbath to the Lord thy God see that neither thou do anie worke therein nor thy sonne c. For in sixe dayes c. Wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it This fourth Commandement concerning the speciall time of Gods worship hath some neare affinitie with the second which commandeth a speciall place to the same end and therfore they are sometimes in one common charge linked together Leuit. 19.30 and chap. 26.3 Neuerthelesse it requireth a speciall practise of all the former commandements of this first table and the seuerall duties thereof both inward outward priuate and publike to the perfecting of the entire and whole practise of Gods worship Yea it requireth also a speciall practise of all duties of loue to our neigbour both generall in affection and meditation and particular in action as the occasions shall require Diuers wayes distinguished from euery other Commandement And finally it is both the schoole-time and as it were the nurcerie of all godlinesse and vertue to be practised in the whole course of our liues and also the market or fayer day of our soules wherein the Lord doth in
by vnchast and filthy dreames as a diuellish fruite thereof These are most abominable kinds of filthinesse euen such as our hearts and eares ought to abhorre and tremble at whensoeuer we thinke or speake or heare any thing of them though it be to the reproofe and condemnation of them Neuerthelesse they are no other then haue bene practised of men and women young and old of no worse nature then we our selues are without the grace of God O violent and that also incestuous rauishment we reade 2. Sam. 13.12.13.14 Of incestuous fornication and adultery we reade of the practise thereof Genesis chapter 19. verse 31. c. and chapter 35.22 and 1. Corinthians chapter 5. verse 1. These sinnes are forbidden Leuit. chap. 18. verses 6.7.8.9.10.11.12.13.14.15.16.17 Of Onans sinne we reade Genesis 38.9 Of the more abominable filthinesse of the Sodomites or buggery with men we reade Genesis 19.5 c. And Iudges chapter 19.23 and 1. Kings chapter 14. verse 24. and chapter 15.12 and chapter 22.46 and 2 Kings 23.7 Ezek. 8.14 See the interpretation note of Tremel Habbak chapter 2. verses 15.16 Finally Rom. chap. 1.24.26.17 This sinne is forbidden Leuit. 18.22 Of the abominable filthinesse of buggery with beasts we reade how the Lord hath forbidden it Leuit 18. verse 23. and 1. Tim. 1.10 And there haue bene some among our selues iustly executed for it And wofull are the practises of many with their owne bodies which God onely seeth and knoweth and will certainely in his time take vengeance thereof if it be not preuented by speedy repentance But alas what shall we say are children to heare of these things and are they to be taught and warned thus plainely against them No doubt there is great need they should or else God would neuer haue mentioned them in his holy Scriptures And shall the Diuell be suffered to draw both young and old into these sinnes and euen partly for want of knowlege how odious and abhominable they are before God and shall not we giue one another warning that so great and grosse wickednesse might bee preuented The like is to be sayd of other grieuous sinnes It is pity indeed that it should be once heard off that the sonne should kill the father that the wife should murther her husband yea euen with her owne hands that the husband should breake his wiues necke that any should haue drowned or poysoned themselues Yet seeing these sins are committed of men and women among vs shall they not be cried out against from the word of God c. Wherefore children be ye admonished as well as you of the elder sort and take heed betimes to auoid all filthinesse of your bodies for if you will not call to God for grace and take heed betimes it will aske you deepe heart-smart ere you dye or else euerlasting torment after death in hell fire from the which I beseech God of his infinite mercy euen for Christ Iesus sake to blesse preserue and keepe vs both young and old Amen Hitherto of the first branch of the former answer The second branch followeth wherein it was answered that God forbiddeth not onely all these kinds of outward filthinesse but also all outward prouocations and occasions of all filthy lust whatsoeuer Shew what maner of prouocations and dangerous occasions they may be They are these which follow and if there be any other like vnto them 1 Houses of open vvhoredome 2 Bawdes which are the factors of whore-mongers and harlots or whores to spie out solicite and bring such lewd persons together 3 All intemperancy in eating and drinking especially of such things as any know to be more mighty then other to prouoke and increase lust as also the prouoking of others to eate of such things and to drinke vnto drunkennesse c. 4 Ouer much sleepe and idlenesse 5 All wandring and vnchast looking and gazing vpon the beauty of women either in faces or breasts c. 6 Likewise the beholding of pictures vnshamefastly pictured or painted and the reading of amorous bookes much rather the vnshamefast representation of the lewd and filty behauiour of naughtie-packes by enterlude vpon the stage or by dauncing or any other way but most of all if any embolden themselues to vse lasciuious speeches or filthy songs and to fall to wanton kissings or to any other vnseemely dalliance Of all these euill prouocations we haue earnest warning giuen vs as you haue heard out of the word of God and they are such things as both men and women are to beware of There are other prouocations more particularly to be auoided of women Which are they 1 All light and curious setting out of themselues in brauery of apparell 2 All excessiue perfuming of them 3 All immodest broiding curling and laying out of the haire yea of strange haire with like laying forth of their breasts naked and bare 4 All vnnaturall colouring and painting of the face 5 All nicenesse in their going and in the mincing of their vvordes to dravv and allure the eyes and sences of men toward them 6 All vnseasonable and ouer-familiar companying of any woman vvith any man as likewise of any man with any woman though neuer so honestly minded specially in such places as of themselues are apt to minister any dishonest temptation Finally all vvhatsoeuer agreeth not with shamefastnesse and modesty of behauiour which is the chiefe outward ornament of that sexe Of these things also you haue heard how the word of God giueth vs like earnest warning Thus much therefore of the second branch of that your former answer The third branch is yet behind wherein you said that beside all these outward prouocations to vncleane and filthy lust God doth in this Commandement forbid the very vncleane and filthy lust of the heart it selfe What proofe haue you of this In the 5. chapter of Mathevv our Sauiour Christ plainely affirmeth that whosoeuer looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart And chapter 15. verse 19. The very adulterous thought doth defile a man The words of our Sauiour Christ are very plaine indeed to this purpose But seeing the Lord forbiddeth so many and those so grosse and abhominable kinds of filthinesse of the flesh Why doth he vnder the name of adultery comprehend them all Because howsoeuer all filthinesse against nature as also all violent rauishment and incest considered in the act it selfe or most vile maner thereof are more hainous then adultery yet in regard of diuerse weighty reasons and circumstances the Lord hath thought good to make mention of adultery as of the greatest and most grieuous sinne among them all Can you shew which those reasons and circumstances are First because of that high estimation which the Lord God hath of the mariage couenant which by adultery is most directly broken and dishonoured Secondly because euen they that are wickedly bent to follovv their lust do more easily and more vsually imbolden themselues to
the grace of God and by his blessing vpon good nurture and education repressed and driuen away Reade Prouerbs chap. 29.15.16.17 and chap. 22.15 And how easily children will learne filthie words and behauiour if they heare and see them in others euerie one can tell that knoweth any thing whereby it is euident that naturally we are all greatly inclined this way So that vnlesse our Sauiour Christ had satisfied the iustice of God that is to say vnlesse his bloud had bene shed yea euen that water and bloud which ranne from his very heart to wash away this filthinesse of our nature and all the euill and vncleane fruites thereof and if he had not also in his owne life fulfilled the righteousnesse and obedience of this Commaundement for vs as well as the rest of the Commaundements of God this alone would condemne vs to the verie bottomlesse pit of hell for a iust reward of our transgressions against the same Against the which damnation therefore that our faith may be comforted and established in this point I meane the faith of so many as shall truely repent of their sinnes and labour after purenesse of life let vs to our comfort earnestly consider of the perfect obedience which our Sauiour Christ hath yeelded vnto it on our behalfe VVhat proofe haue you of this part of his perfect obedience Although our Sauiour Christ being in all things like vnto vs sinne onely excepted had an aptnesse in nature to know vvhat belongeth to the desire of mariage so farre as he might knovv it in the puritie of mans nature vvithout sinne yet he liued a most chast temperate and sober life in the vnmaried estate as it is euident by that vvhich is testified in the holy Gospell of his most pure conuersation tovvard all Our Sauiour Christs perfect obedience for vs. both men and vvomen and of his effectuall reprouing of the sinnes of bodily vncleanenesse so that many harlots vvere conuerted and brought to repentance by his most holy and pure doctrine not onely in publike sermon but also in priuate speech according to euery iust occasion Such as vvas the vvoman of Samaria of vvhom vve reade in the fourth chapter of the Gospell of the Euangelist Iohn and that other sinfull vvoman vvho vvashed the feete of our Sauiour Christ vvith the teares of her repentaunce and vviped them vvith the haires of her heade Luke chapt 7. verse 37. and so forth to the end of the chapter And the perfect obedience of our Sauiour Christ to this seuenth Commaundement is yet further confirmed in that albeit he liued all his dayes in the vnmaried estate he vsing his most perfect gift of chastitie vvithout mariage as vvas euerie vvay most meete for him both in respect of his diuine person he being both God and man and also in respect of his most holy office and calling yet he by all meanes honoured mariage as the holy ordinance the diuine gift and grace of God both by doctrine and also by miracle For as vve reade in the second chapter of Iohn he wrought his first miracle at a mariage feast he there turning vvater into vvine And Matthevv chapter 19. vvhere he reproueth the abuse of vnlavvfull diuorcements vvhich vvere against the perpetuitie of the mariage couenant vve reade hovv he calleth all backe to the first institution of God in the beginning of the creation for the reformation of euerie abuse against it and for the restoring of mariage to the first and most honourable dignitie of it And for the same cause also it is that he vvas so vehement and seuere against adulterie yea euen against the vnchast looke of the eye and against the verie lust of the heart as hath bene ansvvered before out of the fift chapter of the same Gospell according to S. Matthevv These things duely considered do sufficiently confirme the perfect obedience of our Sauiour Christ to this Commaundement Thus then if we beleeue in our Sauiour Christ and if by saith we apprehend in him both our redemption through his bloud for our transgressions against this Commaunnement and also our iustification by his perfect obedience and the imputation therof vnto vs through Gods most free and bounteous grace and if we shall labour after a temperate and sober life we may then comfortably perswade our selues that we shall escape euerie curse and be partakers of all blessing and happinesse But what particular proofe haue you that God will forgiue the transgressions of this Commandement yea the most hainous of them to all such as shall truely repent thereof and beleeue in the name of our Sauiour Christ In the 21. chapter of Matthew verses 31.32 our Sauiour Christ himselfe saith that Publicanes and harlots beleeuing and repenting shall go into the kingdome of God and enioy the euerlasting crowne of happinesse Yea he saith they shall go into his kingdome before such as in comparison of them seeme to themselues righteous and therefore regard not to beleeue neither are moued to repentance What proofe else haue you The Apostle Paule 1. Cor. chap. 6. hauing made mention of fornicators adulterers wantons buggerers saith that such were some of the Corinthians before their conuersion by the preaching of the Gospell but now saith the Apostle ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are iustified in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the Spirit of our God O most gracious and wonderfull riches of Gods free grace and bounteous mercie in our Sauiour Christ what blessing and praise and honour and thankes may we render vnto his maiestie for so vnspeakeable a grace But is not this the way to make sinners the more bold to commit these sinnes by such preaching of the forgiuenesse of them It is not so long as repentance is preached as well as forgiuenesse It is very true for all they that haue grace to repent The Equitie to whom onely forgiuenesse doth belong the more and greater sinnes they vnderstand by the Gospell to be forgiuen them through the riches of Gods mercie in Christ the more do they loue God and Christ their Sauiour and the more do they hate their sinne and the more carefull they are to please God for euer after according to that which our Sauiour Christ saith of the sinfull woman Luke chapter 7.47 Manie sinnes are forgiuen her that is she hath comfortable perswasion thereof in her heart by faith and therefore as our Sauiour Christ argueth from thence she loued verie much And so no doubt do all they that haue the like perswasion We must alwaies remember the words of our Sauiour Christ Go and sinne no more least a worse thing come vnto thee Iohn 5.14 And thus is the repentance of Iudah noted touching his incestuous adultery with his daughter in law that he acknowledged his sinne and lay with her no more Genesis chapt 38. verse 26. The like are we to thinke of Lot Noah Dauid and of the incestuous Corinthians that they sinned no more in such sort
Coueting therefore or lusting is as an vniuersall leprosie or contagious poison ouerspreading or rather vndermining all good dutie It may seeme therefore that this Commandement is nothing else but a repetition or interpretation of that which hath bene alreadie forbidden How may this stand with the wisedome of the most wise God that he minding to set downe his Law most briefly should forbid one and the same thing more then once This question containeth in it selfe a full and sufficient answer vnder it for in so much as God is most wise and discreet yea euen the very author of all that distinction whereby any thing differeth from other we may in no wise thinke that he should in so short a Law as he gaue to his people make any vnnecessarie repetition of one and the same thing It is very true God that hath made and disposed all things most exactly as it were by line weight and measure Isa 40.12.13.14 God who numbreth the starres and calleth them all by their names Psalm 147.4 God that giueth man all the vnderstanding and discretion which he hath to discerne betwixt things that differ he that taketh the wise in all their crafts and quirkes c. shall not he know how to speake distinctly It followeth therefore that we do necessarily make a distinction betwixt this coueting which is forbidden in this Commandement and that which is forbidden in the Commandements going before What distinction may this be In the former Commaundements all coueting is forbidden to the vvhich consent is giuen Here coueting is forbidden in the least motion though no consent be yeelded at all Yea the least flitting and vagrant motion which hath neuer so litle delight mixed with it And not onely so but also the idle vain and loose thought of the vniust enioying of any thing that is our neighbours which our Sauiour Christ seemeth to call discoursing in the ayer Luke 12.29 yea euen the verie originall inclination of our corrupt nature to anie vnrighteous lust and desire is forbidden albeit there arise no motion or any the least delight therewithall And therefore much rather doth the Lord forbid all continued consultation and deliberation of the heart tending to any vnlawfull and inordinate lust So then in this Commandement we haue diligently to consider foure degrees of sin to be forbidden which go before that consent which is giuen to wicked coueting or lusting I would haue you make rehearsall what they be They are these which follovv First the naturall inclination of the heart vvhich since the fall of Adam hath bene and is in vs and in all his posteritie corrupt from the vvombe Secondly the thought and imagination vvhich ariseth from that secret and inmost corruption Thirdly the motion vvhich springeth from the thought Fourthly consultation and deliberation vvhich ariseth from the motion and delight is the next forerunner to full consent Or thus to the same effect In this Commuandement the Lord forbiddeth first the contraries to originall inclination to that perfect righteousnesse and loue which we do owe to our neighbour that is to say originall inclination to iniustice and to the hatred of our neighbour Yea and also originall inclination to the inordinate and excessiue loue of our selues Euen all the corruption which is come vpon our nature by the fall of Adam Secondly the Lord forbiddeth the immediate fruites of the same inclination to iniustice and vnrighteousnesse and to the vile hatred of our neighbour and to the inordinate loue of our selues Sins forbidden that is to say all vniust and hatefull thoughts and motions of the heart enticing and prouoking to the hurt of our neighbour as also vaine and fond thoughts motions discourses tending to the puffing vp of our selues in selfe-loue pride c. Yea further let it be obserued that the former inclination thought motion and deliberation euen concerning lawfull things and such as do belong to our selues if they arise in our hearts before the iust time and season thereof they are comprehended vnder this coueting which is here forbidden of God As for example the thought and desire of mariage before the time meete fot it also longing after the possession of an inheritance while a mans father is liuing or being vnder wardship before he is come to lawfull and conuenient age to enter vpon the possession and vse of it Yea the flitting desire or longing after any thing whatsoeuer before the time and season appointed of God or by no lawfull and good meanes though the time and season may be thought meete and conuenient all such flitting desires are here condemned Finally the not resisting of these thoughts motions and discourses is against the righteousnesse of this Commaundement as being the hinderance of loue and euerie other good fruite thereof and the cherisher of all sinne against our owne consciences in the fruites of selfe-loue and vnkindnesse against our neighbour And thus we haue the vnfolding of the sinne forbidden in this Commaundemeut whereby the difference betwixt it and all the former Commaundements of this second Table may plainely be discerned whereby also we both vnderstand the excellencie of the diuine wisedome of God in giuing so perfect a Law of all righteousnesse and loue toward our neighbour and likewise we may see more deepely into that miserie or rather sinke of iniquitie that lurketh in our corrupt nature till we be renewed in the spirit of our mind and made new creatures fashioned againe by the Spirit of God in a more secret manner then we were in our mothers wombe Now therefore hauing helpe against the difficultie hardnesse of the vnderstanding of this Cōmandement Knowledge of this Commandement most necessary I wold gladly heare the reasons of you why the knowledge of it should be so specially necessary and profitable as you haue bene taught the same to be Which are they Because without the knowledge hereof we can neither see into the full greatnesse of our owne sinne and the extreame misery which is due to the same nor into the perfect excellency of Gods righteousnesse in the punishing of sinne nor into the riches of his mercies in forgiuing sinne and sauing of sinners nor the necessity we haue of a Sauiour neither what godly sorrow for sinne meaneth nor what regeneration and repentance is nor what it is to be truly humbled before God nor how great cause we haue to be in continuall watch and ward yea in earnest battell and fight against sinne least it should get strength to raigne in vs to the euerlasting destruction both of our bodies and also of our soules All this is euident from the former discourse already layd open in the example of Saint Paule Rom. 7. and by that conclusion which he maketh vpon that discourse verses 24.25 O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death I thanke God through Iesu Christ our Lord. Hence therefore we may perceiue that we do altogether deceiue our selues when we