déede but â—ead blotted out and quite extinguiâ—hed Sée nowe howe guiltie I am eâ—en of the first thing that is commaunâ—ed mee in this commaundement The seconde thing is that I should â—eare thée aboue all the thirde is Feare of God â—hat I should pray to none but to thée â—he fourth to acknowledge thee the â—uider and gouernour of all thinges â—f whome I receiue all the benefites â—hat I haue and therefore that I trust â—nd stay vpon thée alone Fiftly that 〈◊〉 should labour to knowe thée out of â—hy worde so fully and perfectly as â—hou hast reuealed thy selfe therein â—ecause of knowledge all these other â—â—llowe And lastlie that I should for â—ll benefites giue thankes onely to â—â—ee and in such full manner and â—easure of féeling as any way is due to that blessing which I receiue In which points as in other moe which might yet be named O merciful father I here before thée confesse I am no better than in the first I dare not cleare my selfe I cannot I ought not O Lord giue me eyes to sée my wants for I haue feared men and their threates more than I ought I haue feared the losse of their fauour more than I ought I haue feared the losse of worldely commodities more than I ought and haue not as thy blessed Apostle taught me by this example Philipp 3. accounted those thinges that were vantage vnto me losse very doung for the excellent knowledge sake of Iesus Christ my Lorde Sometimes Satan hath rocked this soule of mine in the chayer of securitie that I haue euen slept as it were a dead sléepe and not considered of thy iudgements against sinne as I ought neyther taken the profite by thy extraordinary works in the ayer in the earth in the bodies of men and beasts that I should but passed them ouer with a litle woonder or motion for a short time When my sinnes haue béene touched or appeared vnto me I haue flattered my â—wne soule and put vpon them honest â—ames as clokes to hide them withal The plaine pride of my heart and mere â—anitie I haue iudged clenlinesse or necessary for my estate Miserable coueâ—ousnesse haue I iudged lawful care for â—hings necessary and so forth a manifest token of a dead heart within and â—oide of tasting any horror in sinne By â—ll which and many more thinges that my minde may easily sée it is apparant â—o me that I haue euen broken this â—oint also of thy Lawe in not fearing â—hee so as I ought Alas Lorde what â—hall I say of the rest of the braunches â—f this commandement named euen nowe Am I any perfecter in them â—han in these No no I haue sinned against thée in them all and that most grieuously so that if there were no mo â—f thy commandements but euen this â—ne the first of al yet doth my conscience â—ell me I am before thée guiltie good Lorde most fearefully to bee touched But there are nine moe spreading out their braunches to all sinceritie and holinesse both in bodie and minde toward God and man with threatened cuâ—â—es to all flesh that shall doe contrarie And therefore when I viewe my couâ—se euen at the first to bee so crooked O deare Father what shall I thinke i◠〈◊〉 appeare when I shall bee iudged in them all Shall I boast of merites and kéepe no fyttle of thy commaundementes Shall I challenge saluation for my workes and euerie braunche of thy lawe doeth call mee cursed because I haue so fowlie and often broken the same No good Father no this little viewe of my obedience to thy hestes doeth plainely tell mee I haue no merites or good workes to come before thée withall much lesse am I able to doe workes of supererogation that is more than I neede to doe but of sinnes and euill workes alas I see a number With Dauid may I crie Psal 34. They are more than the haires of my â—eade and my heart hath failed mee I â—ay truely saye with the prodigall Sonne I haue sinned against heauen â—nd against thee and I am not worthie 〈◊〉 bee called thy childe I may say â—ith the Publican God bee mercifull 〈◊〉 mee a sinner and adde thereunto a â—reat and grieuous sinner I may say â—ith Ieremie O Lorde though mine â—â—iquities testifie against mee yet deale â—hou with mee according to thy name â—or my rebellions are many And with 〈◊〉 I haue sinned Iob. 7. what shall I doe to â—â—ee O thou preseruer of men Yea â—ell may I say I lye downe in my conâ—â—sion and my shame couereth mee â—or I haue sinned against the Lorde my GOD from my youth vp tyll this â—ay and haue not obeyed his voyce â—o conclude I may looke about mee â—nd from a wounded soule crie vnto â—â—ose that can giue mée counsell In reâ—â—ect of my sinnes men brethren what â—â—all I do And sée how neuer the Lord â—â—rsaketh those that want his helpe aide â—oe I not euen nowe remember what he aduiseth me and all sinners in my case to doe Prou. 28. Hee that hideth his sinne saith the Lorde by Salomon shall not prosper but he that confesseth his sinne and forsaketh it shall haue mercie And sée in Dauid the proofe and tryall of it For when I helde my tongue saith hee my bones consumed Psal 32. or when I roared all the day For thy hande is heauie vpon me daie and night and my moysture is turned into the drought of sumâ—mer Then I acknowledged my sin vnâ—to thee neither hid I mine iniquitie For I said I wil confesse against my selfe and thou forgauest the punishment oâ— my sinne Therefore O Lorde I hearken to thy counsell and though I haâ—â— sinned aboue the number of the sand oâ— the sea as plainely I sée I haue if I 〈◊〉 charged with euery branch of thy comâ—maundements how I haue kept them though my transgressions be multipliâ—ed and are excéeding many so that I am not worthie to beholde the heighâ— of heauen for the multitude of mâ— vnrighteousnesse yea I say thougâ—â— I haue prouoked thy wrath and doone euill before thee and not kept any â—ot of thy commaundementes so fully as I ought yet knowing Thou desirest â—he death of no sinner but rather that he should repent and be saued and hast â—hewed the trueth thereof in forgiuing Dauid and manie mo confessing truely â—heir sinnes before thee Therefore O good Lorde and sweete refuge full of mercie pitie and compassion I bow the â—nees of my heart with king Manasses â—nd all sorrowfull sinners and begge â—hy mercie I haue sinned O Lord I â—aue sinned and I acknowledge my â—ransgressions but I humbly beseech â—hee forgiue me O Lorde forgiue me â—nd destroy me not as I haue deserued â—e not angrie with me for euer by reâ—eruing to me euil neither condemne â—e into the lower partes of the earth For thou art the God euen the God of â—ll them that repent and on me thou â—â—ilt shewe mercie My sorrowe good
leaue it to the world as a speaking witnesse when I am dead of my thankefull heart for all your Honorable goodnesse to me which hath beene such as I wish may incourage vpon my speach any that euer shall bee thereunto requested to succeede him in his place who nowe inioyeth it So the Lorde of power and mercie multiplie his spirite vpon your Lo. with all the blessed fruites of the same and graunt you euer that grace that hath promise both of this life and that which is to come Amen From London this 1. of December Your Lordships most humble bounden to death Geruase Babington To the Right worshipfull Sir Edwarde Manxell Sir Edward Stradling Sir William Harbert knights to M. William Mathew and M. Tho. Lewis Esquiers with all other Gentlemen in Glamorgan shire that feare God G.B. wisheth increase of the same to the benefit of the Church and their owne euerlasting comfort SO often as I consider Right worshipfull our happie daies vnder the blessed gouernement of a most gracious Princesse howe we are become euen a wonder as it were an astonishment vnto many Nations for the mercies that we enioy by her meanes so often me thinke euen with melting hearts in a sweete conceite we should cast our selues downe before the Lorde and make a double vow vnto him First that we wil with perfect hearts and most willing mindes knowe and serue such a gracious God as amidst so manie dangerous deuises of intended ouerthrowe to her person so mightily preserued her Maiestie and so mercifully hath at this daie set her ouer vs dailie still dealing both with her and vs according to his olde louing kindenesse and mercie keeping her to vs in despite of all the caytifes on the earth Secondly that with hand and with heart with bodie and bowels and with estate whatsoeuer the Lorde shall giue vs within or without vs wee wil honor and obey pray for preserue to our powers amongst vs so famous renouned yea so woonderfull an instrument of all comfort and good vnto vs in respect of other Princes of the earth But O the sinne of our soules and the staines of our thankelesse heartes in both these duties so due ten thousande times of vs For whome we should knowe we neglect to knowe as his mercies binde vs our mightie GOD and heauenlie father And whome we should thus obey and honour pray for and praise God for day and night with verie weeping and woe that we can be no more thankefull vnto her and for her our nurcing mother and most gracious Queene her we disobey in holes and in corners to say no worse and dead without feeling not considering the blessing of her we prouoke both our God and her gracious heart to displeasure with vs. What proofe this latter hath and what vnwished matter to furnish out a larger complaynt I spare to speake I rewe to thinke it there are witnesses moe than I woulde there were that knowe it Those thinges which more beseeme my penne and paper I presume vnto your worshippes to folowe a litle further and first the neglect that aboundeth euerie where to furnishe the roomes alotted thereunto with sufficient men both for giftes and goodwill to discharge the duties of true ministers A thing euer commanded a thing euer needefull a thing in these daies of ours euen aboue all daies required both in thankefulnes to the Lorde and in care to haue her Highnesse obeyed which ariseth with religion and so both Gods mercie and her Maiestie still to remaine among vs. For him that serueth vs and thus dealeth with vs from day to day doth not verie sense instruct vs we must serue againe if we will inioy him And is this to serue him to retaine vnto ourselues the wages that hee hath prouided for sufficient men and to thrust into his cloth we care not whom To furnish his haruest with idle loiterers and neuer to looke after no nor accept beeing offered most painefull laborers No no he knoweth it that must iudge it it is not Yea men themselues knowe it if the Lorde would giue feeling and strength to defie that spirite of hauing that crieth within and saieth reserue it to thy selfe Yet least anie should pretende the contrarie where I wish them well resolued of this point may it be lawefull for mee with your louing leaues something to lay downe in this behalfe that I would wishe him to consider who is not perswaded of this dutie if I were to speake with such an one First then I would haue him viewe the worde of God that shall stande and iudge vs all when heauen and earth shall perish Than the which woorde nothing can be more contrarie to this sinne if either wee respect the time of the lawe or of the Gospell For in them both this is euer deliuered and euer bet vpon that the people of God should be taught and men chosen out in abilitie such as the people might require the lawe at their mouthes though the measure and manner were diuerse as it pleased God to giue his giftes vnto them Which thing euer drewe with it then and at this day still truely doth inferre a godly regarde and euen a necessarie conscience when anie place is voide by the lawes wee liue vnder alotted to that vse to furnish it as sufficientlie as wee possiblie can and may for that vse Otherwise by vs it commeth to passe that the people are not taught Nowe this offence groweth either by negligence or by couetousnesse By negligence when not weighing or feeling the sinne of it we are drawen by affection or kindred or other mens sutes to bestowe sufficient places vpon insufficient persons By couetousnesse when to reserue a portion to our selues we doe the like Both which are greuous offences both against God and our countrey and in the word very plainely condemned If the first be the cause then craue I most heartily the consideration of these and the like conclusions The Lorde threatneth to the watchman death that warneth not his people and saith he will haue their bloud at his hande Ezek. 3. because hee did not crie Nowe by me hath beene put in such an one verie carelesly and negligently for affection or such like that though he would yet for want of ability can not cry and alas how then can I want my portion in the wrath of the Lorde that is threatned against all such default Secondly it is loue in the minister to his God to feede his sheepe Iohn 21.15 So is it assuredly in the patrone to cause them to bee fed Contrariwise it is want of loue in the minister Tit. 2. if he do not feede is it not asmuch in the patrone if by his default it come to passe Thirdly it is a great fault we think to giue the calling to an vnworthie one and is it no fault to giue the liuing to such an one Thus then we see howe the word quickneth our consciences in
obserue his will We nowe knowe not our actes onely but our inwarde thoughtes must euer be holy we now knowe many meanes that leade to offence heerein and that euen the meanes must also be eschewed Nowe then if we liue as in ignorance wee did scorning at counsell cleauing to our pleasures and reiecting the Lorde and his lawe shall we escape He that knoweth his maisters will and doth it not shall hee be vnpunished Marke what I say and pray euer to féele it as the wrath of the king bad heate the furnace seuen times hootter than eâ—er it was to consume the men that withstoode him to his face for truth so shall the wrath of God that made this lawe cause hell to be hette 70 times 7 times hotter for vs if wilfully after warning and maliciously after knowledge we oppose our life against it That is he shall multiply the paines of hell vppon vs for these pleasures of our fleshe that swéete sinne may haue bitter and sower confusion for euermore Nowe the God of heauen giue vs sense and féeling the Lorde of mercie touch vs with a taste of sinne by the viewing of his lawe For we cannot alwayes liue and thus dally with our owne soules neither standeth it with the nature of our God who is iust finally to forgiue vs though he long forbeare vs vnlesse we amend But he must haue his iudgement and we must haue our torment as sure as we liue Nowe doeth hee wish vs to consider our wayes and to turne our feete into his testimonies his warninges waste and his wrath increaseth if wee settle our selues against him Yet O howe I feare wee will wilfully doe it For it is so swéete and so incident to vs which this lawe forbiddeth that a thousande to one we forsake the Lorde The allurementes I haue named wee will neuer withstande no wee will not heare of it that they cause vs to fall But pleasing this fleshe for the time wee doe vse them wee will neuer espie the paine that will followe them Yet why should I feare since God is of power to pierce anie hart and hath promised to doe it if wee heartily begge it O Lorde I hope thou wilt worke with vs that by this lawe we may sée howe we haue offended thée and what héereafter we must more eschewe the one with sorrowe and true remorse the other with faith and continuall care Then shall thy Christ and our comfort who in our flesh fulfilled the lawe for vs couer with his righteousnesse all our sinnes against it Then shall sinnes past in his bloud be forgiuen and wee by him euer héereafter strengthened Then we shall order our eyes with a carefull heart we shall set a watch before our mouth and keepe the dore of our lippes all false inticementes to forbidden lustes wee shall gladly refraine and so escape the sinne it selfe the better This I say good Lorde we shall doe if thou worke with vs that is thou and thy power and thou and thy mercie shall doe it in vs. Which voutchsafe O father of heauen for thy vnmeasurable vnsearchable goodnesse sake Amen The eight Commaundement Thou shalt not steale Question HOwe can this commaundement possiblie stande with that opinion of communitie Ans Indéede no way for it manifestly ouerthroweth so vile an imagination and sheweth the distinction of dominions propriety in things was and is the ordinance of the Lorde For euerie prohibition sheweth an ordinance before established which should be obserued either in Gods lawes or mans though not alwaies expressely As the forbidding of murther sheweth preseruation of life to be the wil of God and the denyall of adulterie inferreth the liking of chastitie either in mariage or out So the forbidding of stealth which is an alienation of an other mans goods to our selues sheweth that euery thing is not our owne to take at our pleasure but proprietie in possession is the will of the Lorde For if all thinges be common there can be no stealth and so this law friuolous and to no purpose which God forbid we should affirme or thinke Que. Yet many haue bin of this opinion affirming that tyranny not diuinitie maketh this difference amongst men Ans It is verie true Yet I hope you sée how euideÌ„tly this law of God which I trow they will account diuinitie doth ouerthrowe them and their folly as do also all other lawes that may héereunto be reduced with many scriptures mo For as there can bee no stealth if all thinges be common and therefore this lawe of God as I saide in vaine giuen so there can be no buying or selling no borowing or lending no letting or leasing or any such thing amongst men if euery man haue like interest to take at his pleasure therfore the Lord God euen in these also greatly ouerséene for that he would troble himselfe to make lawes touching these matters when as no maÌ„ hath or ought to haue anie proprietie in anie thing more than an other Againe all the exhortations in the Scripture to almes déedes and to mercie toward the poore is friuolous for they haue as good right to take anie thing they want from anie man as the other haue to giue them But all these you sée are absurde and therefore the opinion and the contrary of it the wil and ordinance of the Lord. Que What is then the verie drift of this commandement Ans The verie end of it is this to bind our loue and care to our neighbors goods as before it hath béene to his life and things déere vnto him as his life For it cannot bee that our heartes shoulde bee right in affections towards our brethren and wee spoylers and wasters or anie way harmers of the commodities which they inioy Loue chéerisheth kéepeth euen euery thing so néere as it can which he accompteth of whome wee loue and especiallie which hee liueth by and maintaineth both himselfe and others by And therefore as I thinke we cannot take a better course to lay before our owne eyes that wants of loue in vs towards the goods of our neighbors and consequently our breaches of this commaundement than diligently to wey some particular dueties specified in the worde wherein the Lord God would haue our loue to show it selfe As for open rapine and plaine stealth no man I thinke wil excuse it or denie it to be sinne and therfore I stand not vpoÌ„ it your booke hath euident places quoted against it I come rather to those other duties of borowing and lending of hyring and letting of buying and selling and such like Que. First then what is the Lawe of borowing and lending in the worde Ans If a man saith the lawe borow anie thing of his neighbour Exod. 22.14 and it bee hurt or else die the owner of it not being by hee shall surelie make it good If it be an hyred thing he shal not make it good for it came for his hyre In which lawe if wee well wey
A very fruitfull Exposition of the Commaundements by way of Questions and Answeres for greater plainnesse Together with an application of euery one to the soule and conscience of man profitable for all and especially for them that beeing not otherwise furnished are yet desirous both to see themselues and to deliuer to others some larger speech of euery point that is but briefly named in the shorter Catechismes By Geruase Babington PSALME 119.59 I haue considered my vvayes and turned my feete into thy testimonies I made hast and prolonged not to keepe thy commandements AT LONDON Printed by Henry Midleton for Thoma Charde 1583. To the Right Honorable his verie singular good Lorde and Maister Henrie Earle of Penbrooke Lorde Harbert of Cardiffe Marmion and S. Quintine and of the most honorable order of the Garter Knight G. B. wisheth increase of all mercie and comfort in Christ Jesus for euer THe Lorde knoweth who searcheth my heart and reines right Honorable and my verie singular good Lord that being placed in the Vniuersitie with so great content both for profit pleasure and the exercise of my ministerie in such place as it pleased God most mercifully to blesse it in to my great comfort I had litle desire to make change of that estate so accompanied both with these and manie other speciall commodities til it pleased him that hath his times and oportunities for all men to direct me to your Lo. in such sort as he did and there first of your selfe and afterward of my ho. good Ladie to make mee heare so carefull so Christian and so zealous a regarde both of your selues and your whole retinue to be directed in the course that became the professors of the Gospell and the inioyers of these happie daies vnder so famous and renouned a gouernement of so worthy blessed and gracious a Princesse And thē I must needs confesse I felt a forcing resolution after I had a while striuen with the losse of these forenamed benefites with the farre separation of my selfe from all my friendes and with the discomforts incident nowe then euen to the best seruices So was it my good Lorde your zeale and affection to your God that then first perswaded me And truely euen the selfe same thing it was that euer after retained me more vnable than many but as willing as euer was any to the vttermost both of power and life to doe your Lo. seruice The verie selfe same thing it is also out of all question that shall euer aboue any worldly commoditie that may be offered them procure vnto your Lo. both in one place and other those that loue vertue and vpright dealing For verie well with themselues will they euer imagine as indeede it should be that where the Lord is feared and honored as he ought to bee there faithfull seruice will both be regarded conueniently rewarded there mē shall bee iudged according to proofe and not according to pratles there heat of affections shall not stirre to souden vndeserued displeasure but conscience to giue euerie man his due triall shall finde out the innocencie of the true dealer And what should I say There they will assure themselues euerie man shall bee vsed with conuenient incoragement credit comfort if his dealings doe deserue the same beside many moe verie speciall vertues of a maister fearing God VVherefore if I should wishe vnto your Lo. in a thousande tearmes many seueral and singular blessings and afterward include them all in one truely it must be this that you may euer know the God of your father and serue him with a perfect heart and a willing minde Knowe him I say by learning what he willeth and serue him by daily practising as hee inableth of that will For thus to the Lorde you shall become obedient to your Prince faithfull for your countrey carefull to your seruauntes that breake both body and braines in your affaires and beare the brunt of many an vnknowen toyle and hazarde comfortable and beneficiall to thousandes that liue vnder you honorable and good and to euerie man in a worde so affected and disposed as they that are alreadie in all dutifull right your owne may so remaine and they that are not by so cheerefull vsage and honorable vertue may daily be added and wonne vnto you VVherefore my good Lorde with all christian care continue your happie course in the waies of the Lorde and what Salomon saith remember often Heare counsell and receiue instruction meaning from the Lorde for they shall make a man wise in time Yea they shall so establish a man in the eyes of the Lorde as that his seede shall inherite the earth his name neuer be blotted out Cōtinue also that Christiā care to other the desolat flocks of the Lords people that with so great and iust praise your Honour hath shewed of late so many waies And amongest all or rather euen aboue them all as manie special causes bind me to wish I most humbly and hartily beg the same to your towne of Cardiffe vnable peraduenture in manie thinges but vnwilling I hope in nothing to deserue both fauour and furtheraunce in al causes tēding vnto good Amongest whome your Lor. in zeale to their good hath left mee and to whome for your L. sake I vow my selfe if I may doe them good Yet not more to thē than to the whole countrie and euen the verie meanest member therein they being all in generall so deere vnto your Lo. as manie priuate speaches haue declared what my power inableth mee vnto both for duetie vnto your H. and affectiō to themselues I trust they shall euer finde in mee and as faithfull an heart withall as euer had straunger amongst them And if your L. shal vouchsafe thereunto your Ho. and louing assistaunce in their worldlie causes whē they haue neede then may they say their affections are thrise well bestowed vpon your Ho. and their seruice due ten thousand times if it were more Presentlie I haue indeuored both for them and others to lay downe a briefe collectiō of such things concerning the commaundements of God as in larger maner both before your Lo. and them were handled And I presume to offer the same to your L. both for my priuate duetie beeing bounde if euer was anie to bee thankefull and that also it comming vnto them vnder the shadowe and shield of your Lo. protection whome they so reuerence and honor may be the more welcome the better accepted of For the Christian reader els where that shall weigh my drift and consider the place whereunto especiallie I intende it I assure my heart of his godlie and louing acceptance notwithstanding the matter hath bin handled by more able instrumentes by much because it is not in the same manner the Lord may bee glorified in all mens gifts Onely therefore of your Lo. I now most humbly begge that with wonted fauour this small trauell may be accepted and that vnder your Lo. name I may
knowledge sake of Christ Iesus his Lorde and did iudge them to bee doung that he might win Christ And certainely what heart of man or woman soeuer knoweth God indéede what he is in himselfe and to all men and particularlie to it many thousande wayes as impossible it is it should not loue God againe aboue all and euen grone that it can loue him no more as it is vnpossible fier should want heate or water moysture Que. What braunches hath the loue of God springing out of it Ans Whosoeuer loueth God loueth also his worde Psal 119. vers 103. Luke 10. 1. Thess 5. 1. Iohn 3.17 Psal 15.1 the ministers of the worde the poore and all that feare God for these with such like are the braunches of the loue of God which if they be not in man and woman certainely neither is the other in them it selfe And as these all are commaunded so are the contraries forbidden and condemned â—y this Lawe What the contraries â—re beside that by these they may bée â—nowen they are expressed more fully 〈◊〉 the examination of conscience touâ—hing the same annexed at the ende of â—his commaundement Que. What is the second duetie that â—olloweth of the knowledge of God Ans To feare him aboue all Que. What feare is meant here Ans Indéede in the Scripture the â—eare of God doeth vsually signifie all Religion but here it signifieth onely a â—art of the worship we owe vnto God Que. And what is it Ans This feare is a reuerent awe â—f God whereby we are loth to offende â—im both because we loue him and beâ—ause he is able to punish vs. Que. This seemeth to import some â—ifference of feare Ans Verie true it is For there are â—wo kindes of feare of God one a serâ—ile feare dreading punishment anoâ—her ioyned with loue of God called a â—â—nlike feare and this is meant here Que. Howe may we knowe whether this true feare of God be in vs or no Ans Truely as we knowe there is fire by the smoke and that a man liueth by his breathing so we may knowe by the effects that the feare of God doeth bring forth in them in whom it is whether it be in vs or no Que. Why what be the effects Ans As the banke doeth kéepe the water from ouerflowing so doeth the feare of God in man or woman kéepe out sinne that it spred not as otherwise it would We sée it in practise prooued before our eyes For when Pharaoh king of Egypt Exod. 1.17 commaunded them to kill euery male childe that was borne of the Israelites women what kept out this cruell murther both from hand and heart but this banke the feare and awe of God more than man for so saith the text the midwiues feared GOD and therefore did not as the King commanded them The like may we sée in Iob who saith Gods punishment was fearefull to him Iob. 31.32 therefore he oppressed not 〈◊〉 fatherlesse In Ioseph also verie noâ—â—blie whose heart nor bodie filthie aâ—â—lterie with his mistresse could staine Gen. 39. â—â—cause this banke of the feare of God â—as so strong and good in him Lastly â—â—e scripture prooueth it plainely to vs â—hen in seuerall places it ioyneth to â—â—e feare of God a departing from euill 〈◊〉 an inseparable effect thereof Iob. 28. For â—ost assuredly it is so If wee nothing â—â—part from our olde sinnes and yet say â—e feare God we lie and there is no â—â—ueth in vs. Que. If then in this viewe of the efâ—â—cts of it we finde that either it is not in 〈◊〉 yet at all or at the most but verie liâ—â— howe may we obtaine it or inâ—â—ease it Ans First a verie good way to bréed 〈◊〉 increase this reuerent awe and â—are of God in our selues Howe the feare of God is gotten is an often â—â—d earnest meditation of Gods power 〈◊〉 he is able to deale with vs to puâ—â—sh vs and plague vs if we doe not â—are him and this we learne by these â—ordes of Christ Feare not them that can kill the bodie Math. 10.16 and then can doe no more but feare him that can cast bodie and soule into eternall fier For they sound vnto me as if Christ had saide thus marke howe farre Gods power excéedeth mans power and howe much more fearefully he is able to punish you than man can and let this great power of the Lorde ouer bodie and soule to caâ—â— them both into hell for euer make yoâ— feare the same God aboue all and stanâ— in awe of his maiestie And assuredlâ— if we had grace to thinke of his poweâ— indéede effectually it would maruelouâ—sly profite our soules to this ende Seâ—condly another good way and meaneâ— is a due meditation of the great merâ—cies of God prooued by the Psalme With thee there is mercie Psal 130. therefore shalâ— thou be feared And lastlie by diligenâ— learning the worde of God preached oâ— read vnto vs. For so we reade in thâ— Lawe Gather the people together men women and children the straunâ—ger that is within thy gates that they may heare and learne to feare the Lord Sée howe he saieth by hearing men learne this feare of God and bréede it or increase it Que. When is the feare of God to be learned Ans At all times but especially when oportunitie either of teaching or learning doeth serue vs. For that we ought to take oportunitie of teaching our sauiour Christ himselfe affirmeth saying Yet a litle and the light is with you walk while you haue the light And that we should then learne when we our selues are able and apt to learne the wise man sheweth in these wordes Remember thy creator in the daies of thy youth Ecclesi 12.1 before the euill daies come and thy yeres approche wherein thou shalt say I haue no pleasure in them Also the often and sodaine losse of hearing and séeing by sundrie occasions doth vehemently admonish vs to take time while time is and learne to feare God while we may For to day we can reade per aduenture our selues if not yet at least heare others but to morow who is sure hee shall eyther haue eies to sée to reade himselfe or sense of hearing to heare others Therefore againe take time when we may Que. What is contrarie to the feare of God Ans Too much to stande in feare of men and their threats so that by them wee are driuen to any vnlawfull things Too much to feare God himselfe and his iudgements as desperate men doe which nourish no hope of his mercie and goodnesse Thirdly securitie and too litle feare of God with many such moe All these are contrarie to that true feare of God which we speake of and are as well forbidden here as the other is commaunded Que. What is the third duetie of this commaundement Ans Thirdly we are here commaunded to make our prayers to none but to God Que. Howe may it bee prooued that onely God
â—orde alas I knowe it is not great yâ—ough neither answereth it the greatnesse of my sinne but thou canst giue greater if it please thée O deare Father rent my heart and giue mée féeling cleaue it a sunder by thy pearcing spirit that from it may flowe the teares of true repentaunce strike good Lorde this harde rocke of mine that it may gushe out sorowfull water for so fowle offence and what wanteth in mée any wayes supplie in mercie with my Sauiour in whom thou art perfectly pleased Graunt O God vnto mée thy gratious spirit to kill in mée continually more and more the strength and power of sinne and to rayse mée vp in bodie and soule to more obedience towardes thée Let not my wantes stande euer swéete Lorde betwixt thy mercie and mée but giue mee will to wishe it giue me power to doe it giue mée loue to like it and euer strength to continue in it that thou hast appointed for mee to walke in before thée in this worlde Heare mee O Lorde O God O swéete and endlesse comfort of my sinnefull soule for Iesus Christ his sake that liuing heare I may euer serue thee and dooing so I may neuer loose thée Amen Amen The second Commaundement Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen image nor the likenesse of any thing that is in heauen aboue or in the earth beneath c. FIrst for the order of this Commaundement eyther wee may answere that this first Table contayning the honour and duetie of men to the Lorde as the seâ—ond doeth their duetie to man and the worshippe of GOD being partâ—y inwarde partly outwarde haâ—ing in the former Commaundement laide downe the former kinde to wit of inward worship fitly now in this the two next folow the outward duties which to the same our gratious God we iustly owe. Or else thus That the Lorde in the first commaundement hauing separated himselfe from al other gods deuised and made by men and commanded all mortall men and women his creatures subiect to his Lawe to worship him onely and none but him here now in this second precept as order required he setteth downe modum rationeÌ„ iuxta quam coli velit the waie and maner how he wil bee serued Forasmuch as in vaine he should haue doone the first except he had done the second also The way and maner is this euen according to his will and nature Which albeit it may séeme to flesh and bloud not so fitlie done by a negatiue lawe as by an affirmatiue it might yet besides that we are not to teache the Lorde euen in speciall wisedome hath he thus doone it For first our natures are very prone to the breache hereof which by a negatiue is stronglier beat downe than by an affirmatiue and then againe the Gentiles next neighbours to the Iewes were very much giuen to idols and images and therefore by name forbidden to the Iewes least by the Gentiles in that point they should be defiled And yet doth not the Lord here so set downe a negatiue but that he includeth an affirmatiue in it For as he saith Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen image and meaneth thereby Thou shalt not worship mee with any deuise of â—hine owne contrary to my wil and naâ—ure so implieth he herein the affirmaâ—iue namely thou shalt in euery reâ—pect worship me according to my will â—nd nature Moreouer remember here â—gaine which hath béene touched beâ—re that both in this commandement 〈◊〉 in all other the Lord setteth downe 〈◊〉 name that thing the doing whereof 〈◊〉 not doing is most decent or horriâ—â—e And therefore in this place forâ—â—â—ding all false and fonde worshippe 〈◊〉 his Maiestie hee setteth downe in name that which is most vnséemely and vile to wit Idolatrie For of all wrong worshippe to make him like a man or woman or other worse creature to prostrate our selues thereunto and to thinke wee worship him in so dooing is most horrible What expositions your Booke giueth you may looke and marke adding for more plainnesse thereunto thus much that the very meaning of this commandement in effect is thus much as if the Lorde should haue said although the corrupt nature of man bee such as naturally he desireth my presence in some visible forme and shape foolishly thinking that then he is most neare vnto mee when he hath before his eyes some visible picture of mee yet for as much as this and the worship hereby doone vnto mee is neither agréeable to my will nor nature I therefore commaund thée that thou make to thy selfe no grauen image c. That is that thou goe not about to represent me by any likenesse of any creature whatsoeuer neither to worship mée in or vnder any such showes or after any way than out of my worde thou learnest to bee agréeable both to my will and nature Easilie then may we sée what wee are occasioned here in this commandement to consider of namely 1 The making of Images 2 The worshipping of them 3 The reasons God vseth here Touching the first then vsually vppon this occasion is mooued this question whether simplie it bee vnlawfull and misliked of the Lorde to make any kinde of Image by painting carâ—ing ingrauing c. And it séemeth yea â—ecause the woordes are so flatte withâ—ut exception Thou shalt not make any grauen image c. For answere whereunto 3. seuerall â—udgements are founde amongst men â—ome thinke in déede all pictures and â—mages to be vnlawfull aswell in Ciâ—ill vse as in religious and such are the â—urkes by name if it bee truely writâ—n of them Whose money they say hath neuer any image vpon it but certain Arabike letters their other works as carpets couerings quisshins c. vtterly also without any image of man or any liuing creature vpon them and all because they thinke it vnlawful Others thinke it lawful to make any picture at all yea euen of God himselfe so that the same be not worshipped as a bare picture image And they vnderstand this commaundement of images made to this ende to be adored These are our Papists The thirde iudgement and best is of them that thinke it lawful to make pictures of things which we haue séene to a ciuill vse but not to vse them in the Church and for religion Now for the first opinion it is out of all question false and too superstitious For howsoeuer the Turks receiue not such profe yet we that imbrace cleaue to the authoritie of Gods worde know that the Lorde hath not lefte this commaundement neither any other without large and plaine exposition in other places of the scripture and therfore we are to conferre place with place practise with precept and so to sée whether in déede all images be forbidden to be made or no. First then marke the wordes in Leuiticus Leuit. 26.1 Ye shall make you no Idols nor grauen Image neither reare you vp any pillers c. Out of which place thus I
abhorre images And thus much both of making them and worshipping them Next it doeth followe that wee consider howe vnder this outward appearing grosse idolatrie are comprised all deuised wayes meanes of our selues to serue the Lord yea euen all be they neuer so glorious in our eyes and our intentes neuer so good and godly reasonable as we thinke yet if they be but our owne inuentions not warranted to vs in the word here vnder this name of images they are contained and together condemned So that the very sense of this commandement is this Generally by no deuise of man and particularly not by this as hath before béene saide by no deuise of thine owne or inuention whatsoeuer will I bee serued and namely not by images erected vp to me or in rememberaunce of mee But euer at all times and of all men according to that rule that my selfe haue laide downe and prescribed onely Deutr. 12. Esay 29. You shall not doe euerie man what seemeth good in his owne eyes for in vaine doe men worshippe mee with traditions of men Moses did nothing in building the materiall tabernacle beside what was commaunded and shewed him Nadab and Abihu the sonnes of Aaron dyed for presuming of themselues to serue the Lorde with straunge fire Leuit. 10. The verie heathnish Romanes had this reason with them that it was better for them to bée quite without Christ than to worship him and others with him against his will and liking And ad placandum deum ijs opus habent homines quae ille iubet that is To please the Lorde saith Lactantius men haue neede of those things that he himselfe commaundeth And a Christian minde doeth not finde a sure stay but when it heareth Hoc dicit dominus 1. Sam. 13. This saieth the Lorde If Saul breake the course that God doeth appoint and of himself deuise to serue the Lord be his necessitie to doe so as he thinketh neuer so great and the intent of his heart neuer so holie like certainelie Samuel both must and will tell him to his face he hath doone foolishly 1. Sam. 15. for the Lord hath more pleasure in that his will is obeyed than in all the fatlings of the Amalekites offered vp vnto him of our owne wils and heades Intents will not serue neither voluntarie Religion stande accepted And therefore euer let vs weigh and followe the counsell of Salomon And looke to our feete when wee enter into the house of God being more readie to heare Ecclesi 4. than to offer the sacrifice of fooles for they knowe not what they doe Last of all we are to consider the reasons that God maketh here The reasons of this commandement The first is drawen of his loue towardes vs yea of his exceeding great loue which is euen growen to a ielousie So déerelie so vehemently is his heart set vppon vs yet not for any woorthinesse in vs that looke howe grieuously a ielous man can take the misbehauiour of his straying wife euen so ill can the Lorde abyde that wee shoulde impart our selues to others beside him in obediēce worship and loue Nowe had we any féeling left within our sides and our heartes were not altogether so harde trampled and beaten as they are what a reason were this for euer to kéepe vs knit vnto the Lorde O marke Why shoulde he loue vs why should he care for vs why shoulde he thinke of vs or euer once vouchsafe vs good who of our selues cannot thinke a good thought There is no cause but in himselfe Yet doth he not onely loue vs but is ielous of vs. How then should this force vs to cleaue vnto him onely his none but his for euermore Is he ours and will we not be his againe Would he onely enioy vs and wee will not be tyed vnto him Take héede The greater loue the greater hate when vnkinde refusall is to reape his iust rewarde The seconde reason which the Lorde here vseth is drawen of the punishment that will light vpon vs if wee breake this commandement He will visite the sinnes of the fathers vppon the children vnto the thirde and fourth generation sore is that anger the flame of whose punishment casteth out smoke so farre yet the meaning thereof is as Ezekiel well showes Chap. 18. if the children doe follow the fathers wickednesse and not otherwise The thirde reason is drawen of his mercie promised here euē to thousands of them that loue him kéepe his commandements O now that we would weigh these reasons well and lay them déepe vp in our hearts Truely if there bee any portion of the spirit of life in vs we should finde them forcible to giue vs a taste of the wrath of God against idolatrie and approching before him with our owne inuentions what excuses intents reasons soeuer wee thinke we haue for the same we shall finde them strong to allure vs to the carefull and diligent séeking of the Lords wil out of his word and the duetifull and constant seruing of him according to that rule But when wee will not weigh his promised mercies nor giue our heartes leaue to thinke of his threatened iudgementes but headlong in vnféelingnesse runne on and in blinde ignoraunce imagine that our intentes if they bee good must néedes stoppe Gods mouth and make him contented with the breache of his will this this is the poyson of the whore of Babylon that infecteth our soules to eternall damnation and wrathe O God Father of mercies disperse this dimnesse as may stande with thy good-will from the eyes of thy deceiued creatures and yet once ere they dye let them sée their sinnes against this commaundement that in wrath they passe not to greater iudgement so due and so sure to all wilfull contemners of the light of thy worde and Gospell Amen Furthermore againe if wee doe well marke here the wordes of our God wherewith he vttereth these promises threateneth these iudgementes truely they aforde vnto vs two or thrée profitable notes and considerations As first because in our deuises worship of our owne will the best wee can say is that it commeth from a good meaning and intent and therefore wée thinke God cannot of his mercie refuse that which is well meant and intended towardes him I beseeche you marke howe the Lord here ouerthroweth vtterly this defence saying in expresse wordes that they bee haters of him and so led with the liking of their worshippe from the Lorde and his true seruice that when occasion serueth they bewraye extreme hatred thereunto persecuting it with fire and fagotte in the true professours thereof O my brethren if GOD repute mee for an enemie what can my pretended loue auayle mee If hée say I hate him howe dare I still bewitched with my follie thinke I loue him Shall his owne mouth tell mee that I hate him and that he so taketh all my doings If I swarue frō
Gods commandements I hate him intend what I can will I not beléeue it is it not possible to make vs féele our fault and to sée our sinne in this behalfe will wee still chalenge the Lorde with our good intentes and honest meanings as wee thinke when yet his owne tongue speaketh it that if I eyther serue with him any other as saints Angels images or whatsoeuer or him alone after any other way than he prescribeth I loue him not but hate him yea euen extremely hate him and shall at his handes finde the rewarde of a deadly enemie to his glorie Nowe Christ for his mercies sake touche vs and giue vs féeling Secondly let vs marke againe in these the comparison of mercy and iudgement together how farre the one excéedeth His enemies and haters of his will he punisheth but to the thirde and fourth generation but sheweth mercie to thousandes of them that loue him and kéepe his commaundementes Who woulde not serue then and onely serue a God of such a nature Yea what heart is it that will not séeke to please according to his will so good a Lorde as powreth mercie so long after his decease vppon his ofspring and posteritie Last of all it is verie worthie obseruation howe that speaking here of his commandements he placeth loue before it saying he will shewe kindnesse to thousandes of them that loue him and kéepe his commandements As though he woulde haue vs knowe that these two cannot be separated but whosoeuer frameth himselfe to obey the Lorde he must néedes loue him before for out of that as out of his fountaine and proper head floweth the other not accepted else nor liked of if it doe not and contrariwise if wee doe loue the Lorde in déede in trueth in veritie then will wee keepe His Commaundementes marke it His Commaundementes he doeth not say then will hee deuise this thing and that thing with twentie things moe of a good minde and meaning to please GOD withall but we will then kéepe His Commandements that is wee will then séeke and search wee will then reade and heare euerie man wee will endeuour to bee instructed what GOD in his worde hath prescribed vs to doe and wee will kéepe His commaundementes Nowe then once againe euen as the bloud of Iesus Christ is deare vnto vs let our brethren of the Churche of Rome for so wee yet call them in hope of amendment looke and marke what loue of GOD is in them Héere is a note and else often repeated in the Scripture to knowe their loue by Alas they deuise lawes wayes and meanes euerie day to serue GOD withall of their owne heades but his prescribed rule in his worde they vtterly contemne and neglect Now where true loue of GOD is out of it floweth a burning constant care to kéepe His commaundementes not our owne They kéepe their owne and with fire and fagot doe reuenge the breach of them but the Lordes worde not so with abstayning from this meate and that meate this day and that day with single lyfe though most impure with prayers in an vnknowen tongue and thus often repeated ouer and ouer with crossings and créepings Paxes and Beades holie water and Creame Ashes and spittle with a thousande such things haue they deuised to worshippe the Lorde and who so breaketh these an Heretike hée is a runneaway from the Church cite him and summon him excommunicate him and imprison him burne him and hang him yea away with such a one for he is not worthie to liue vpon the earth But if he blaspheme the name of the Lord by horrible swearing Reade the L. Cobhams last examination in the beginning of it if he offende most grieuously in pride in wrath in gluttonie and couetousnesse if he be a drunken alestake a ticktack tauerner kéepe a whore or two in his owne house and moe abroade at bord with other men with a nūber such like gréeuous offences what doe they Either he is not punished at all most commonly so or if he be it is a little penance of their owne inuenting by belly or purse or to say a certaine of prayers to visit such an image in pilgrimage c. But all this deserueth neither fire nor fagot Is not this for that man of sinne to exalt himselfe against all that is called God or that is worshipped Can it be denied but that he that punisheth the breache of his owne lawes aboue the breache of Gods lawes in that preferreth himselfe before GOD Surely it cannot it is too plaine therefore once againe remember that the loue of God in man or woman draweth them to the kéeping of His commandements set downe in the worde and not of their owne constitutions deuised by themselues And thus much in briefe of this commandement The examination of the conscience Nowe if I woulde fruitefully meditate and thinke of this commandement secretely and shortly with my selfe as I did of the former then consider I that as in other so in this also little is said and much is meant part is put for the whole and in the negatiue the affirmatiue is implyed Therefore thus doe I take the commaundement as if it were saide Thou shalt not worship me with any carnall earthly superstitious or outward deuised worship by thy selfe namely not by images but in heart in spirite in truth as is commaunded in my worde Which when I knowe if I would at any time rip vp this heart of mine and disclose vnto my selfe my secrete guilt and sinne herein against my God I carefully consider and as I can in minde beholde howe I haue euer serued the Lorde or thought in iudgement that he might be serued And peraduenture I finde that liuing in the daies of superstition and blindnesse ignorant of God and his truth for feare weakenesse with others I haue bowed my knée to Baall worshipped stockes and stones or as I thought GOD in them euen béene polluted with grosse and grieuous idolatrie For which if it so haue béene what can I say Shall ignoraunce excuse mée Did I labour then and euer by all meanes possible to attaine to knowledge Or liued I rather carelesly as others did thinking it good that many followed and hauing or séeking no better grounde for my conscience than the practise of my forefathers kings and gouernours If of this latter my heart condemne me how should my ignorance excuse me since it was so plainely wilfull Shall good intent or my good meaning stand for warrant before my God Ah howe shall he that gaue me in charge expresselie that I should not doe what séemeth good in mine owne eyes but what he commanded accept for excuse my wilfull and stubborne disobedience Neyther ignoraunce therefore nor intent may warraunt so witles walking before the Lorde but onely pardon in Christ Iesus my Sauiour But if eyther age which then was young or other prouidence of the Lorde haue freed mee alwayes from so grosse idolatrie yet séeke
namely our fowle and carelesse abuse of this Sabaoth of our God by lamenting the same euen from our hearte rootes purposing vnfainedly to amend it hereafter and euen euer while life endureth to bee more carefull to honour God on this day than we haue bin and by stedfastly beléeuing in Christ and for Christ and by Christ to haue all that is past forgiuen This is the way to bee freed from the curse of this commandement and all other which we so gréeuously haue transgressed and therefore iustly deserued O mercie great and marueilous O nature swéete patient of our God who contenting himself with one day in seuen chiefely to be his and yet robbed of the same also by vs vile wretches notwithstanding til this day hath spared vs whereas a thousand times a thousand he might with great right haue destroyed vs either amongst our pottes or in our daunces or idle in our beds asking vs if that were to halow his Sabaoth or to honour his name to swill and to bibble to leape to walowe and tumble in bed till it bée noone with such like Nowe doeth he speake nowe doth he warne nowe doth he admonish loth to punishe vs if any saying will serue as a most mercifull God and if nowe we will not consider learne and bee instructed that our wayes heretofore haue not béene good and therefore amend them surely surely if God be God we shal tast his hand for so great disobedience Nowe the liuing God awake vs and touch vs truely in this behalfe mercifull father lay it neuer to our charge for thy great mercies sake wherewith wee haue gréeued thée touching this commandement but increase our knowledge increase our féeling increase our conscience carefullie to lyue and spende our dayes in thy feare and fauour as thou mayest bee honoured the power of thy worde magnifyed our brethren mooued with good example our selues saued in the great day and this Sabaoth of thine for euer hereafter more carefully kept of vs to the better performance of the former for Christ his sake Amen Amē The fifth Commaundement Question WHat containeth the second Table Ans As the first contained all dueties due to the Lorde inwarde and outward so the seconde Table containeth all dueties due to our brethren either in heart or action And therefore in this second table are laid the very groundes of all ciuill societie from whence all mens lawes procéede if they be iust Que. But doe these workes of the second Table concerne onely our neighbours Ans No we may not thinke so For though outwardly they be done to men and immediately as the proper obiect of them yet in déede they are doone also to God and he more delighteth in them than in all burnt sacrifice For if wee féede our brethen cloath thē naked visit them sicke or any way doe them good God taketh it as doone to himselfe Que. When any prescription is made to men in the Scriptures what they shoulde doe why so often and vsually are the workes of the second table appointed Ans Not that they are better than the workes of the first Table but for that they are the true bewrayers of them for euerie hypocrite will say he loueth God feareth God trusteth in God c. because these are secrete dueties in the heart and of man cannot be iudged but looke howe he liueth toward his neighbours and it may soone bee séene that fayling in the dueties of the second Table towardes men the dueties of the first which he boasteth of in trueth are not in him For if they were they woulde bring forth the other He that saieth he loueth God whom he neuer sawe 1. Iohn 4. and hateth his brother whom he hath seene is a lyer Que. Which is the first commaundement of the second Table Ans Honour thy father and thy mother that thy dayes may be long c. Que. What is meant by honour here Ans Reuerence obedience maintenance if néede require Que. What is this reuerence Ans It is a true acknowledging in my heart and minde of that superioritie which God hath giuen either my parentes or any other person together with a willing declaration of the same by any such outward gesture or behauiour as it may be declared in or by Que. How prooue you that we must reuerence our Parents Ans Many sufficient proofes hath it in the word but a fewe may suffice vs. You shall feare euerie man his father Leuit. 19.3 and his mother saieth the Lawe of God that is if we expound it ye shall stande in a reuerent awe and regarde of them with loue for wee must néedes vnderstand a sonnelike feare not a seruile in that place Againe Honour thy Father and mother Ephes 6.2 which is the first commandement with a promise saieth the Apostle this honour implieth reuerence Thirdly the example of our Sauiour Christ performing this reuerence to his mother and his reputed father Ioseph Luk. 2. doeth prooue it to vs. And that example of Salomon who being King and hearing that his mother came to speake with him went to méete her bowed downe to her caused a seate to be set for her 1. Kings 2. and placed her on his right hand Lastly the Scripture expressely forbiddyng such thinges as are contrarie to this reuerence manifestly prooueth the same to bee our duetie Que. What is contrary to it Ans First to curse Father or Mother is manifestly contrarie to it and hath not the Scripture forbidden it saying Deut. 27.16 Cursed bee he that curseth father or mother and let all the people say Amen And againe Hee that curseth father or mother shal die the death Exod 21.17 yea he shall die Leuit. 20.9 and his bloud be vppon him Que. What else is contrarie to it Ans To smite Father or mother is apparantly contrarie to it and this also hath the word forbidden Exod. 21.15 He that smyteth Father or Mother shall dye the death Also to mocke our Parentes is contrarie to this reuerence we owe them and therefore is it saide in the thirtie of the Prouerbes Prou. 30. The eye that mocketh his father or despiseth the counsel of his mother let the Rauens of the field deuoure it and the young Eagles picke it out Que. Howe if the Sonne bee a Magistrate and the Father none whether must he then reuerence his Father or no Ans In matters that concerne his office he must doe his office and his Father must acknowledge his authoritie but in priuate places and matters notwithstāding he is a Magistrate he must doe reuerence to his Father as is due neither taketh Magistracie this duetie from man or out of man for they may both well stand together Que. How prooue you it Ans King Asa executeth his office 1. Kings 15. verse 13. and deposeth his mother wee reade yet otherwise no doubt he reuerenced her as a childe And pretily was it said of Taurus the Philosopher
say the ordinarie forerunners of murther quarrelling and fighting with their fellowes whatsoeuer And assuredly if the Lorde were in vs as we thinke he is that méeke spirite of his would kill more and more that fearefull hastinesse to reuenge that is euen in al and we would learne of him Math. 11.25 for hee is meeke and lowly in heart Que. What thinke you of killing by combat Ans I must néedes thinke that the practise in a Christian common wealth being naught and vnlawfull the death that therby insues is horrible murther and condemned in this commaundement Nowe that to fight a combat in a godly state is not tollerable it may easily appeare if you weigh the causes for which it is at any time taken in hande For if they be not as it will appeare sufficient to warrant it then is it not warrantable The first cause that is alleadged for it is to trie a trueth which otherwise can not bee knowen say they But it may bee answered that the ende good doeth not by and by make the meanes good to try out a trueth is good but to try it with the hazarde of life is more than can be warranted There are manie lawefull meanes to finde out trueth by and if all those faile then is it euident that the Lorde for some cause reserueth it to himselfe for a secret and to séeke importunately and impaciently by extraordinarie meanes as a combat is to finde it out is to tempt the Lorde and euen as it were by violence to draw from him the manifestation of the which as yet he would not haue reueiled Secondly the one partie is innocent yet either of thē desireth the death of an other indifferently so the murder is in the hart of both of them which amongest Christians shoulde not be countenaunced Sometimes the combat is craued for vaine ostentation of corage strength many a Thraso thinking his glorie to stande in the chalenging of an other to vngodlinesse but this I hope no man will say to be a good cause for a Magistrate to admit of a combat Sometimes to auoyd or reuenge some great disgrace offred to a man he beggeth thus to fight But a Christian man that must make an accompt at the day of iudgement of his life giuen him from aboue must learne to estéeme more of life than honour if honour by lawefull meanes may not be kept and more of God and his commaundement than of them both Besides the profession of a Christian is to heare euill and to suffer euill though hee doe well and deserue so therefore farre should wee be from yéelding to such heates Some alleadge that it endeth strife and therefore is to be admitted but to this may serue the aunswere to the first cause alleadged for it And besides who knoweth not that howesoeuer it endeth it betwixt those two because the one of them dyeth yet layeth it the foundation of euen deadly hatred in the heartes of all their frindes seede and posteritie so that for one which is killed there starteth vp an hundred discontented heartes séeking and following all occasions of strife against their enemies Therefore in peace and at home howe a Christian Magistrate may allowe the combat wee finde no sufficient cause and warrant For the fielde yet some doe thinke it is méete and that they haue reason for it for say they when two armies are incamped in battle together if vppon causes it bee iudged fitte not to hazarde the losse of manie but to committe it to two champions either side agréeing to yéelde vppon the ouerthrowe of their man who can mislike this But we answere that as yet the combat in it selfe is not prooued good but is euill and to doe euill that good may come of it wee may not Againe in such a case as this we must consider not onely of the men and their safetie but also of the cause and his honestie The cause is certainely either good or euill either iust or iniust If it bee good and iust then is not the credite of it to bee layde vppon one man onelie to the mocking of iustice and right and if it bee euill and vniust then of a Christian Magistrate not one mannes life is to be spent in it and for it Yea but say they yet further the partie that hath the good cause is farre the weaker and not able to stande if they once ioyne all together and therefore this other way of two to trie all is good And we answere also further that this were a maruelous distrust of Gods mercie and power not tollerable in a Christian For if the cause be good and méete to be maintayned then is the cause the Lordes the men the Lordes and hee saueth not by bowe nor speare nor by the multitude of an hoste so that wee shoulde so regarde these but giueth victorie at his will to the weaker and driueth away as the winde the dust verie mightie force assembled against him and his children Therefore not euen yet doe I see a cause to beare out anie combat If there be anie corruption in menne that iustice bee not doone which sometimes also is a cause alleadged we must say as hee sayde committing our selues and our matter to GOD. Video fero spero That is I sée I suffer I trust in God And euen with a good heart be readie to beare any thing rather than by a thing whereof I haue no warrant to séeke my satisfaction Que. Why what say you then of Dauids act with Goliah Ans I say it was an extraordinary motion in the hart of Dauid wrought by the Lorde vppon the hearing of such blasphemie against God Num. 25. Exod. 32. 1. King 18. and it may not bee our imitation no more than the fact of Phinees of the Leuites or of Eliah which were all mere extraordinarie and had their warrant by such specialtie from the Lorde as that others may not looke it shall extend to them if they doe the like Que. What nowe of killing of our selues is that neuer tollerable Ans Much of this matter hath S. Augustine in his first booke of the city of God And first he reasoneth thus Chap. 1. If Iudas did euill in hanging himselfe which hee thinketh no man will denie what may warrant anie man or woman to lay violent handes vppon themselues Chap. 28. For neuer can anie fall in earth to a fowler fact or to worse estate in the eyes of God and man Secondlie saith hee the lawe saith not Thou shalt not kill thy neighbor limiting it as it were to some but indefinitelie Thou shalt not kill extending it largelie to all and therefore saith he not euen our selues may we make away Thirdlie not Iob in all his extremitie durst doe this whē as yet one pricke woulde haue finished all his woe Chap. 24. And therefore no man may kill himselfe Que. Well but yet because you name Augustine I haue heard of some causes propounded by him in
crueltie and hearde dealing with our brethren for euen this the Lorde abhorreth also Deutr. 2â— The lawe that was made of fortie stripes to be giuen to an offender and not aboue did euidentlie drawe to some pitifull feeling our cruell raging and fierce affections The â—awe for widowes that they should not be wronged and for the fatherlesse that they should not be forsaken shotte at the same marke So did the forbidding of vsurie to the poore the taking of his rayment to pledge the detayning of his hire such like thinges All were to worke some mercie in vs towardes others and to tell vs plainely that the Lorde abhorreth cruelty towardes anie Que. Thus then if you thinke good let it suffice to haue spoken of these three sortes of murther to wit of the hande the tongue and the heart together with their branches and nowe a litle of the affirmatiue part of this commandement if you will Ans The affirmatiue part of it easily may be knowen by the negatiue For who seeth not that if generally all hurting or taking away of life vnlesse it be by the Magistrate lawefullie be forbidden then generally also is commaunded all care and preseruation of the same Deutr. 19.20 and if in specialitie the bitternesse of the tongue bee forbidden then is the swéetenesse the softnesse and the comfort of the same commaunded If anger be forbidden gentlenesse is commaunded if misliking hatred enuie and ioying at other mens harmes be forbidden then is an heart well thinking and accepting of others commaunded then is loue and a true reioycing at the good happes of our brethren commended and to conclude if all crueltie rigor and extremitie bee forbidden then is all lenitie mercie and pitie commaunded All which are vertues of great praise and afording large perswasions vnto our heartes to loue and like them to embrace and followe after them But so shoulde I dwell too long in this commaundement The blacknesse of their opposite vices I hope doeth make their beautie and brightnesse great before our eyes Onelie I wishe vs to the ende wee may abounde in all mercie that wee would often consider that comfortable spéech of the Lorde by his prophet Esay 58.10 If thou refresh the hungrie and troubled soule then shall thy light spring out of darkenesse the Lorde shall satisfie thy soule in drought and make fatte thy bones and thou shalt be like a spring of water whose water faileth not As also that sentence which at the daie of dayes shall be pronounced vppon it Come come yee blessed of my father and possesse the kingdome prepared for you Math. 25. for when I was hungrie yee fedde me when I was thirstie you gaue me drinke when I was naked yee clothed mee when I was sicke yee visited mee and so foorth Both which places with manie moe to the same ende beeing often thought vpon will soften our heartes in all dealinges with our brethren and make vs profitable to them euer to our powers And yet which I had almost forgotte it is not ynough for vs to doe good to be kinde and to shewe mercie but wee must doe it also spéedily readilie and fitlie that is when the néede of our brethren requireth it obseruing carefullie all occasions For as it is sayde of guiftes that qui cito dat bis dat he that giueth a thing quickly giueth it twise so is it of all thinges we doe to helpe in time is a double helpe and a benefite hauing lost the oportunitie of our brothers néede looseth his welcome Wherefore Iob professeth that he had not caused the eyes of the widowe to faile in long looking for his helpe Iob. 31.16 And Mardocheus requireth of Hester not only helpe but present Hester 4. a singular example for all estates Que. What punishment hadde the breach of this commandement Ans The spirituall punishment of it as of all other sinnes is eternall damnation both of bodie and soule For without shall be dogges Apoc. 22.15 inchaunters whoremungers murtherers c. sayeth S. Iohn the temporall punishment of it was amongest the Iewes by the lawe of God bloud for bloud Gen. 9. Leuit. 24. and before the lawe by expresse wordes vnlesse in such cases as the cities of refuge were ordayned for And euen as it were aboue all other sinnes it is worthie marking howe euer the iudgement of GOD hath not suffered this sinne to lie vnknowen or vnpunished All stories be full of examples Phocas Boniface 7. Alexander 6. Ethelbert Richard 3. and euerie man almost in his owne dayes hath knowen some experience Hotte is the wrath of the Lorde against this sinne and his mercie therefore euer kéepe vs from it The Application WIth what wordes nowe should I wish euerie one to descende into themselues and to take a view of their estate before the Lorde touching this commaundement Manie branches of it haue béene layde before vs and what branch is it which we haue not broken being narrowly sifted by the Lorde The murther of the hande I knowe wil be our instance but alas howe many thinges make men guiltie in this If euer in seruice against the enimie wee haue passed the bounds of a Christian heart in cruelly murdering concerning the maner who yet might haue died respecting the matter we are guiltie and spotted before the Lorde If women and children aged and impotent sicke and diseased that caried no weapon against our cause haue not so farre foorth béene regarded of vs and spared yea defended by vs from our féercer felowes as by right we might our handes haue faulted our loue hath wanted to the life of our brethren If cruellie wee haue wished but in our inwarde heartes any disorderlie and vnmercifull spoyle of our foes in féelde we haue sinned certainly in so doing For euen the spoyle that a Christian souldier maketh of his enimies in the warres should sauour of the mercifull nature so néere as he can of that God whome he professeth If we haue béene euer as you hearde but any occasion of the death of any either present or spéedier than otherwise it wold haue béene or of the shortening of our owne health life and abilitie by intemperancie incontinencie or anie meanes whatsoeuer the iustice of our vndefiled God doth find it out and we haue sinned against him in this thing Where theÌ„ is our righteousnes but eueÌ„ in this branch of actual hand murder for the tong what should I say Doth no mans hart accuse him of vnrighteousnes Haue we neuer passed any spiteful slander to the hurt of theÌ„ whom we should haue loued Deniall of it can neuer hide it but confession of it hath mercie promised The name peradueÌ„ture of slander is odious to vs we hardly can accuse our selues of so foule a vice Slander Well then let him change his cote but remaine the same moÌ„ster stil Haue we neuer reported any vnknoweÌ„ thing to the harme of our brethren Neuer whispered that
then all with one consent crie in the eares of the Lord with shriking sounde that houres and daies monthes and yeares haue we spent in tossing and turning in debating and scanning such conceites and thoughtes as we would not for all that we enioy were written in our forheads Fie fie the pleasures that we haue felt in this follie nay in this impietie howe haue they tickled vs within and made vs laugh to our selues rubbe our hands together forgette our meat not heare what was saide about vs and such like Howe haue we longed to be at an ende peraduenture of some businesse that we haue béene about that we might euen fully debate the matter you knowe of and plaie with the conceite thereof to our fuller pleasure Can we excuse our selues beloued doe I depaint out vnknowen dispositions vnto you O I say againe beside greater impieties the follies the toyes the trifles the verie babish fancies that will and doe steale vpon vs will we nill we euen when wee are best occupied and would not be solicited in such sort All which are breaches lesser and greater of this lawe of our God which requireth exact obedience and coniunction of all the motions of our mind to his good will and liking And if we had neuer fallen wee should neuer haue felt them Therefore to shâ—t vp this matter for one whom I knowe better than I know anie of you I confesse a guilt a gréeuous guilt against this precept of my God and I acknowledge damnation due if I should be reiected but the Lorde I thanke I feare it not not that I haue not sinned but because my Christ hath not sinned and He is my iustification sanctification and redemption 1. Cor. 1. hee is my strength and my stonie rocke both against the curse of this lawe and all the rest He is my defence and my Sauiour Psalm 18.1 my God and my might in whom I do trust my buckler the horne of my health and my refuge And to him in the true sense of my weakenesse and with the knéees of my heart bowed downe to the dust I say for my case as Dauid sayd for his Turne away my heart O Lorde that it may neuer féede vppon the follies of vaine conceites or gréeue the swéete spirite that I sometimes féele by vngodly wandring from his sugred motions Yea set a watch before my soule most gracious father and kéepe the doore of my strengthlesse heart that I may lesse offend and more obey in this behalfe than euer I haue doone héeretofore And now passe wee on to particulars mentioned to our handes by the Lorde himselfe in this his lawe O my beloued how often haue we coueted our neighbours house that is his earthly possession and inheritance if not in whole yet in part How often haue wee tossed our heades from the one ende of the pillowe to the other not able to sléepe for thinking howe to compasse that péece and this péece not weighing howe well he might spare it but howe well it would fitte vs Yea this house must be had and that garden and the other close to the wringing out of teares from the man the wife and al their poore children that part from it to the gréeuing of their heartes and the verie vtter vndooing of them all We stoppe not our eies that they gaze no further vppon our neighbours helpes than a Christian soule may warrant We shut not our eares neither take regarde of the sinne that may insue when we are whispered in the eare that this thing is fitte for vs and that thing and thus and thus may be had No alas we account them the best members about vs whose godlesse counsell shall worke our endlesse woe Whereas a Christian assoone as hee heareth such a motion should by and by thinke in himselfe O Lord thou hast delt mercifully with me euer let not me now deale vnmercifully with any thou hast made me a maister of much this maÌ„ a maister but of a litle O Lorde let not my much eate him out of his litle vngodlily let not my power oppresse his weakenesse and so foorth and then talke with the informer be it either a man or mine owne gréedie eie that hath spied it and sée whether what I may get I may well gette and well take into my hands so as I may not be stinged for it an other day before my God nor exclamed vppon iustly in the worlde This doeth your owne conscience tell you you should doe and the other you should not doe yet the other haue you doone and this haue you not doone and are you not guiltie Good beloued goe with me in this tryall of our selues and let vs sée sinne to be sinne The looking eie and the lusting heart further after our neighbours wife than they should would God they accused vs not What should I say of his seruant man or maide You knowe it aswell as my selfe there is almost no conscience any where shewed in this behalfe no feare of God no loue of man but onely of our selues For if wee like an other mans seruant for any qualitie that we desire to be serued with all what intisementes what allurementes dare wee vse to drawe him to vs What offers make we what practises deuise we till we haue them Yet sayth this lawe Thou shalt not couet thy neighbours seruant man or maide And that is as nowe we knowe not once thinke of it although I consent not to it The like is saide of his oxe his asse or any thing that is his And yet wee sée the worlde euer in our eye Vicinum pecus grandius vber habet Our neighbours kowe doeth giue more milke than ours His horse we must haue there is no remedie his hawke his hounde his pleasure or profitte must be ours and that which is worse often without any consideration any way either by fauour or value yea it must be giuen out that we couet our neighbours goods and wee our selues haue twentie pretie indirect and figuratiue kindes of begging and if wee either are not vnderstoode or will not be vnderstoode by him that hath it because he is loth to loose it then wee frette and are offended highly and as our calling might and power is we sitte vppon his skirtes Thus sinne we may déere beloued against this lawe of GOD and yet we sée it not Nowe would God haue vs to open our eyes to incline our eares and to forgette this olde fathers house of our corruption Nowe would the Lorde haue vs reconciled to him by repentaunce and offende no more And therefore I crie vnto you in the name of the Lorde and to this soule within mee Thou shalt not couet If we will heare his voice and yet harden our heartes if we will not restraine our senses the common carriers of conceites into vs if wee will not euen euerie way wee can héereafter séeke to let and lessen our disobedience in this thing against the Lorde the day of our visitation is past and our destruction is at hande The lyon is come vp from his denne Ierem. 4. and the destroyer of the Gentilles is departed and gone foorth from his place to laie our lande waste and our cities shall be destroyed without an inhabitant Yea so néere is our desolation assuredly my beloued that euen as it were presently my soule heareth the sounde of the trumpette and the alarome of the battaill Destruction vpon destruction is cryed euen at our doores if we could heare it and sodenly shall our tentes be destroyed and our curtaines in a moment But I hope what I wish and I wish what shall be our sure safetie if we will be perswaded euen that we would now sée howe farre wee are from abilitie to fulfill these 10 commandementes of our God either all or any one of them deuise what distinction we can horrible sinners and transgressers we are and so we shall be founde and therefore that wee would acknowledge it lament it flie to the propitiation apointed of our gracious God for our sinnes and onely cleaue to him onely trust in him and claspe him in our armes so as all the worlde nor the power of hell can loose our houlde carie him so to his father and there offer him to him for all our misdéedes as the saluation which hee hath prepared before the face of all people and in whom hee is perfectly pleased This wish I this begge I this craue I with all the bowelles of my affection my flesh shaking mine eies watering my soule groning and all the stringes of my heart inlarged as you feare God as you loue your selues as my calling is regarded as my affection estéemed or as hell treÌ„bled at that Iesus Christ may be our onely hould and our owne obedience no hould yet performed as a fruite of faith daily more and more but not with hope of safetie by the fame either in part or in whole and this O my good God graunt vnto vs as thy mercie is vnmeasurable thy goodnesse and louing kindnes vnsearchable what passed is good Lord forgiue and make vs better euer liue Amen Amen Prouer. 19. Heare counsel and receiue correction for they shall make a man wise at the last Deutro 5. O that there were such an heart in this people to feare me and to keepe all my commandements alway that it might go well with them and with their children for euer Psalm 19. Let the wordes of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be alway acceptable in thy sight good Lorde When gracious God by sacred worde vouchsafes to cal from cursed course O happie we ten thousand times if feeling heartes doe yeeld remorse But if contempt of offred grace accuse vs crauing sentence iust Then cursed we ten thousande times for hell remaines wheÌ„ hence we must Consider this my countrey deere and marke it Cardiff heedily The Lorde nowe speakes then take thy good or looke for vengeance speedily Hwyra dial dial duw Tosta dial dial duw Hugh Poole minister of the worde of God in Cardiff