THE BRIGHT STAR VVHICH LEADETH wise men to our Lord Iesus Christ OR A familiar and learned exposition on the ten Commandements gathered from the mouth of a faithful Pastor by a gracious young man sometime scholler in Cambridge Ruth 2. 17. Ruth gleaned and carried it home to her mother LAEORE ET CONSTANTIA LONDON Imprinted by Iohn Harison for Thomas Man dwelling in Pater Noster Row at the signe of the Talbot 1603. To the Christian Reader CHristian Reader the good prouidence of God hath vouchsafed thee benefit abroad by the labours of a reuerent faithfull Pastor which he meant only to his owne flocke at home These fruitefull doctrines which in this booke are offered to thee were receiued from his mouth but neither penned nor perused by himselfe nor published with his consent or knowledge for had he been willing that they should be exposed to open view he would haue garnished them with richer attire and yet with modestie according to the Apostles rule 1. Cor. 2. 1. Without affected excellencie of words or carnall wisdome They were collected by a godly ingenious young man whose diligent attention and painefulnes deserne no small commendations yet what hand or memorie can follow so fast the fluent speech of an eloquent Preacher as to set downe all in the same forme and elegancie wherein it is deliuered Moreouer at the printing diuers faultes haue escaped both of Orthographie poynting and method in some places But howsoeuer it is a religious and well seasoned heart will finde and feele herein such comfort and light as that light and slender defects will easilie be passed ouer And let not God be defrauded of his due praise who hath multiplied that food to feast so many which of man was appoynted to feede so few And here is that in some degree verified which 〈◊〉 Sauiour foretold his Disciples Luk. 12. 3◠What ye haue spoken in darkenesse shall be heard in light and that which ye haue spoken in the eare in secret places shall be heard on the houses Well good reader let this and such other wholesome writings kindle thy desire to the preaching of the word that thou maist be more frequent in hearing and iudicious in vnderstanding Beware thou grow not conceited of a sufficiencie to be found in reading good bookes and so begin to distaste the Ministerie they are not ordayned to kill our appetites to the word but to sharpen them And so I commend thee to the Lord who of his mercy graunt thee wisdome with good successe to thy euerlasting happinesse thorough Iesus Christ Thine in the Lord R. C. A necessarie Table referring the Reader to the principall matters contained in this booke A. ABoundance of loue breeds aboundance of patience Fol. 20 Abrahams offering vp of Isaac 33. his curtesie 46 Abusing of Gods titles 49 Abusing of his properties 50 Adams disobedience 3. 98 Adulterie 53. 54. 55 Agnus Dei 38 Ahabs sinne 38 All disorders of the second Table from the fift command 1 All duties contained in the commandements 2 All scripture proceedeth from God 1 Anger 48. 40. B BEginning of wisedome feare of God 20 Behauiour of a christian 54 Benefits by the loue of man and wife 19 Blessing for keeping the Saboth 90 Body abused 57 C CArnall reason 22 Charmes and spells 48 Children of God must not faint 11 Children 41. 2. Christ came to obey the lawes 3 Christ Iesus Lord of the Saboth 64 Christians 54 Commandement first 1 Commandement second 28 Commandement third 43 Commandement fourth 61 Commandement fift 1 Commandement sixt 37 Commandement seuenth 51 Commandement eight 57 Commandement ninth 80 Commandement tenth 97 Comparison betwene the lawes of God and men 2 Commandement broken as well by omission as cōmission 55 Confession of sinne 56 Contentednesse ones estate 73 Compassion 45 Correction for children 6. It must be done with compassion 8. With prayer ibidem Couetousnesse 51. 68. 69. 100 D DAie of judgement 47 Damnable to spend time idely 71 Dauid is perswaded by Abigail 4. his presumptuous sin 7 Death 47 Delight in Gods commandements 25 Deliuerance from Pharaoh 11 Disobedience to God 40 Diuell 47. 86. He is the author of oat 51 Drunkennesse 51 Duties of a child 3 Duties of seruants 11 Duties of husbands and wiues 19. 21. 22 Duties of publike persons 25 Duties of Majestrates and people 29 E ELI his to much loue to his children 13 Eli his pacience 57 Elder persons dutie 33 Enemies of Daniel 84 Enclosers of land 70 Euill conscience 80 Enuie 40. The causes thereof ibid. Enuie murtherer of him selfe 41 Enuie guiltie of murther two waies ibid. Examples of obedience 6 F FAlse swearing 53 False witnesse 89 Faithfulnesse in seruants 13. In husband and wife 21 Fasting 36 Feare of God 19. 50 Flatterie Flatterers 91. 93 Foolishnesse vncharitablenesse the cause of ill suspicion 81 Fruits of the spirit 10 Frugalitie 74 G GEsture offensiue 41 Glorifying of God in words 55 Gods nature 1 God is Iehouah and why 8 Gods benefits generall speciall ibid. God the author of the ten commandements ibid. Gods cursings and blessings 3. His goodnesse 9. His insight into man 14 Gods name taken in vaine 44 Gouernors must see the Saboth kept 8 H HAbakucks feare of God 23 Hearing 36 Herods incest 5 He that breakes one commandement breakes all 6 Hezechias patience 57 Honestie 29 How to employ the Scriptures 49 Humilitie 39 Husbands must dwell with their wiues 22. Edifie them by example 23. By instructions ibid. He must honour her which consisteth in two things 24 I IAcobs trust in God 26. His Obedience 5 Iacobs diligence 6 Iehouah what it signifies 7 Iealouzie what 37 I am thy God what it implies ibid. Idlenes a sinne of Adam 72 Idlenes 65. 75 Idle persons pouerties prisoners ibid. Images forbidden 29 Images are teachers of lyes 33 Idolatrie Idols ibid. 34. Instructions for householders 82 Instructions for seruants 83 Inferior guifts 32 Iobs mildnesse 3. his zeale 15. his pacience 57. his feare 25. his trust 27 Iosephs feare of God 20. His dutie to his father 3 Isaie his feare 21. 25 Iustice 49. It consisteth in getting and restoring 73 K KEeping of the Saboth day holy in what it consisteth 73 Kindes of lyers two 90 Kings 29 Kings chosen by lots 39 Knowledge of God wanting all disobedience groweth 16 L LAzinesse 57 Liberalitie 75 Lies against ones selfe 85 Lying tongues make three mortall wounds 87 Life of man consisteth in the blessing of God 74 Lots 36 Loue. 17. Loue of God 18 Loue to seruants and children 81 Loue of the husband to the wife 19 Loue is armour against jealousie 20 Lusting after other mens goods 57 M MAnasses repentaunce 8 Manna 78 Marriage 57. Maraiage for children 8 Mary Magdalen 78 Meanes to auoid adulterie 54. 55 Meditation on the word 16 Meditation on Gods curses necessarie ibid. Masters 11. 19. 101 Mercie power justice infinite in God 8 Mercie to the needie 48 Ministers dutie 25. they must be good examples 29
soules and bodies whether they shal be saued or damned and he is such a God whose anger is an eternall anger and his vvrath an eternall vvrath and his plagues euerlasting plagues how carefull and diligent should vvee bee to please and obey him And then vve shew our selues to beeleeue his power and infinitenesse vvhen it is our greatest care to seeke his fauour Secondly this is for the consolation of Gods children Is God the same for euer and that in his dealing to his children and hath hee heretofore vsed his power for their defence his vvisdome for their direction his mercie for their comfort then hee vvill doe the same still to vs also Therefore vvhen any of his children haue bene brought into great miserie and that for their sinne as Manasseh he vvas brought to that hard case for his great sinne and vvicked deedes yet vvhen hee repented and beetooke him selfe to prayer vvee see God heard him helped him out both of his sinne and his miserie Did he deale so with him then the question is whether he be Iehouah or not whether the same for euer without any chaunge If he be as sure hee is then hee must deliuer vs also when we call vpon him But I am sure to be deliuered out of this prison and to bee set out of this debt or temptation if I call vnto God This I am sure of that if I cry to God hee will deliuer me from my sinne and if it bee good for mee then also from the punishment of my sinne but if the curse doe remayne one still hee will recompence it with many spirituall blessings But vnlesse we beleeue that God is Iehouah and vnchangeable then all the stories of the scripture are made vnprofitable vnto vs then we haue no vse nor comfort of those things which we heare reade how God heard Abraham and how hee deliuered Iacob and did many wonderfull thinges for his people in former time But if wee holde this for sure God is the same for euer then this is sure that whatsoeuer good thing he did for them hee will doe the like for vs if we vse the same meanes So also if any one hath found in himselfe that at such time I was in great trouble and temptation and then I prayed vnto God and I know that hee heard my prayer and helped me Are you sure that God did heare you when you cried then you are farre more sure of this that if you cry againe hee will heare you againe else hee should not bee Iehouah If hee haue beene yours he is yours and will bee for euer This is also for the terror of the wicked is God Iehouah constant and vnchangeable in all his iudgements Why then looke what plagues proude persons haue had heeretofore the same shall they now haue so sure as God is true vnlesse they repent and get pardon in Christ Hath God plagued theeues and filthy lyers Saboth breakers in former times He is Iehouah let them looke to it it is his name nature to hate and plague them that bee such euerlastingly least there bee repentance on their part and pardon on his Likewise can any man say by experience I fell into sinne heeretofore and then I got a wound to my conscience a blot to my name and hurt to my body why then as sure as the Lord liues as sure as God is Iehouah without change so sure make account to speed as ill in sinning now as you did before Many that did steale before and were brought to shame and could scarce saue their liues yet when they are deliuered they will fall to it againe but more closely as they thinke they will bee more skilâ—d in their trade and bee more secret and then all shall be well But who found them out before was not that a iust judgement from God that will reward to wicked men according to their wickednesse then be sure that seeth he hath once shewed his power and gaue them both by weale and woe meanes to bring them to repentance hee is the same Who will thinke to fall into former sinnes and yet haue better successe for it cannot be but God is the same both must can punish them So some haue plaied the filthie persons God hath shewed it to men to their discredit will they then fall to it again thinke they can hide it no they shall not for God will reueale it though they may think God will be carelesse of them yet hee will not be carelesse of himselfe and his name As sure as hee is Iehouah that brought them through the pikes before so sure if they turne againe to their filthie vomit he will bring them to shame againe either in this life or if not in this life to make them repent and iudge themselues then sure in the life to come wher the burden shall bee much more heauy vnsupportable vpon their conscience shall presse them down to hell For the best priuiledge for such sinners is to come to shame heere that if it may be they may be brought to repentance amendement So much for the name of God Iehouah that is without change or shadow of change what euer hee hath done hee will doe for euer Thy GOD. THe former argument of obedience was taken from Gods nature that hee was eternall in iustice to punish sinners in mercy to reward his children Now this is from his goodnesse I am thy God so almightie infinit eternall and perfect as that I abase my selfe to take care for thee to haue a louing hart to thee and to be thy father if thou wilt be my child to be thine husband if thou wilt be my spouse one that haue promised to giue thee all good things and to remoue all ill things from thee this is to be thy God If God had set down onely his infinite magestie and greatnesse and his glorious and incommunicable name that would haue feared vs and made vs flie from him But now hee encourageth vs by this that hee is our God and giues vs these commandements because he loues vs. The doctrine hence gathered is that if euer wee will obey God in soundnesse then wee must know him to bee our God to beare a care of vs to loue vs and that we shall speede better by obeying him then by breaking his commandements And this reason Moses still vrgeth vpon thee Israel thou must obey him heare his voyce for he is the Lord thy God that loues thee and careth for thee Reason will shew this for if we heare that God is infinit in power and doe not withall know that he is our God to vse his power for our good then it maks vs feare because we know not wher to hide our selues from him when we heare his infinit iustice we quake and tremble as nothing vexeth the theefe more then to heare of a iust iudge for then he hath no hope of escaping vnlesse he haue a
willingly serue great personages and are readie to employ them selues in their businesses but because they think that hence they shall haue honour and credit and come to credit as a rewarde of their seruices but now if we know that God doth giue such excellent wages as no man can giue the like for what doth he not bestow on those that feare him he giues them his sonne he giues them his holy Spirit and grace in their harts he giues them his feare and his blessing in this life and life eternall in the world to come if one know this then he will sure serue God with a willing minde But on the contrary the cause and fountaine of all rebellion and disobedience against God is because there is no right knowledge of God as he complaines in Hosea 2. That they lye they steale they commit adultery bloud toucheth bloud But what was the cause of all this confusion why because there was no knowledge of God in the land and where men know not God what should be looked for else for then they cannot loue him nor feare him nor trust in him nor seeke nor doe any dutie if there be no knowledge This serues to confute all ignorant persons that doe not know God they cannot tell how many persons there bee or if they doe they cannot tell what any of them did for them they are not acquainted with the properties of God nor with his actions they neuer thought on his name nor pondered on his trueth his justice his power his mercie and such like things These may brag of loue and faith and hope and confidence and patience but they haue none of them it cannot be for all good things flow from this that we doe know God Therefore Paule saith 2. Thess 1. 8. ver That God will come with thousands of his Angells in flaming fire rendring vengeance to all those that know not him nor obey not his gospel these things follow close doth not one know God then t is cleere he doth not obey his gospel he makes no conscience of that Therefore an ignorant hart is alwaies a sinfull hart a man without knowledge is a man without grace and this ignorance is so foule a sinne as that it shal be sufficient to bring gods vengeance vppon one how euer light account men make of it God will damne them for this because they haue not knowne and then t is to to sure they could not nor would haue regard to his commandements And on the other side this must stirre vs vp to call for wisdome and to cry for vnderstanding to seeke for it and to dig for it as for gold or precious stones We must often reade Gods word confer of it and meditate on it which if we do it will giue vs vnderstanding then we shall see gods properties and see his goodnesse his loue and how able and willing hee is to help vs and then we cannot chuse but trust in him And indeede this often meditating and thinking on Gods word is the next way to make vs like God and to renue and repaire the image of God in vs. For by seeing Christ in the gosple wee are chaunged from glory to glory and the more wee know him the more wee encrease in being like to him so long as we know in part we are like in part but when we shall haue perfect knowledge then shall we be perfect in holinesse and perfect in righteousnesse perfect and holy as he is perfect As 1. Iohn he saith Now it appeareth not what we shall bee but when he shall appeare wee shall bee like him and why like him because we shall know him as he is so that the perfection of knowledge will bring the perfection of holinesse the more we increase in knowledge the more all good vertues will increase and if this were perfect we should be perfect without all weakenesse and infirmitie But the more we meditate in Gods word the more our knowledge will grow and therefore also the image of God will grow more liuely till we bee made perfect and absolute in the life to come The next dutie is Loue. That wee must loue God withall our harts and all our soules as is commanded Luke 10. The reason is because he is that Iehouah in whom we liue we moue and haue our being he is our God that giues vs all good things and can onely free vs from all sinne and miserie therefore wee are bound to loue him And indeede this is the chiefe dutie and the best fruit of knowledge but because it is so plaine a dutie as that no man will denie it it is best for vs leauing to vse more words in prouing the dutie to shew some markes of loue of God that we doe not deceiue our selues whereby we may see in what measure wee keepe this first and chiefe commandement The first marke may be how we delight to meet God in those meanes wherin he hath appointed to meet vs for in what measure we can offer our selues to God in those things wherein hee offers himselfe to vs in that measure wee loue him If we be willing to aske all good things and seeke comfort at his hand by prayer and to lay open our wants to him and as it were to conferre with God If we be desirous to come to heare his word spoken vnto vs wherein we may see his wisdome for our direction his mercie for our comfort his povver for our defence and for the subduing of our sinnes and his riches to make vs rich and supply all our wants then we doe indeede loue God and the more we can reioyce in these things the more we loue God and the lesse the lesse we loue him So for the sacraments in them Christ Iesus offers himselfe vnto vs and to make vs partakers of his bodie and blould would we then try how we loue God vve may doe it by examining what desire we haue to these things would we rather come to this banquet of the heauenly King to eate the body and bloud of his sonne that is set before vs rather then to the table of an earthly king to tast such good cheere as hee can make vs is there such an affection to vs then indeede we loue God for then we haue a delight to come wher he is For in these meanes God doth bestow himselfe vpon vs and comes to dwel in vs as Christ saith that he will dwell in vs and his father the holy ghost will come into our harts The second note whereby we may try our loue to God is obedience as Christ saith Iohn 14. 20. He that loues me keepes my commandements He then that keepes Gods commandements best he loues God best But if any will say that he loues God as well as the best yet he will breake the saboth and lye and dissemble and be a miser wholy rooting on the earth and setting himselfe and all his hart after his
of the worke yet for the mercie of him that accepts the worke But this true keeping must be knowne by these notes first in keeping one must aime at all ther must be a full purpose and true desire to keepe all for if one lie in any sin breake any wilfullie then the wilfull known breach of one makes him guiltie of all Secondly the obedience must be done willinglie with a free cheerefull hart as Dauid bids Solomon serue the Lord with a willing minde Thirdly the end of our actions must be good to shew our loyaltie to God to approue our harts to him in obedience to his commandements that wee may bee blessed of him and not for any other ende or intent of our owne as to bee magnified of men and to merit by them or such like He that hath all these things keepeth the law of God indeede no man can fulfill it neither is it required of Gods children that they should because they be vnder grace and not vnder the law for the rigour of it But for those that bee out of Christ this condition is proposed to them winne it and weare it keepe the law in full perfection haue happinesse in full perfection but breake it in the least title loose your saluation those which are not in Christ are thus bound but those which are his members that are made one with him by faith are vnder grace there is a more fauourable obedience required of them not to fulfill the law in the extremitie of it but to keepe the law in the vprightnesse of their harts and to doe so much as Gods spirit that is bestowed on them giues them power to doe But now to returne to the doctrine it selfe whosoeuer loues God must in this manner as hath beene spoken keepe the lavv of God This is proued 1. Iohn 5. 3. 4. This is the loue of God that wee keepe his commandements Is it so may one say then that is a verie hard peece of worke few can doe that nay saith he his commandements are not grieuous for all that is borne of God ouer commeth the world hee shewes that a christian so farre as hee is regenerate hee hath conquered the world and then Gods commaundements cease to bee burdensome for the things that make Gods commaundements heauie vnto vs is our worldlinesse and fleshlie lusts which striue against the spirit but when Gods spirit which regenerateth vs hath set downe and ouer come those lusts in that measure Gods commandements are verie easie lightsome we shall with as much comfort and quietnesse obey them as Adam in his innocencie when wee are once trulie conuerted according to the measure of our conuersion It is a most tedious thing to a christian hart to obey the diuells commandement but it is most joyous to follow Gods As if it were permitted to a christian man for the while to steale to lie to commit adultrie and to breake the sabboth or such like why his soule would abhorre it and hee would rather die then doe these things it would bee such a vexation vnto him but now to heare the word to pray to confer to doe workes of mercie and the rest of this kinde it is euen a recreation and delightfull sport for him to doe them for Gods commaundements are pure and holie and doe delight the hart so farre as it is pure and holy So Iohn 14. 15. If yee loue me keepe my commaundements and I will pray the father and hee shall send you another comforter As if hee should say hee that loueth mee best and keepes my commandements most shall haue trouble and miserie but let not that trouble him for hee shall haue my spirit which will comfort him and sustaine him in all his miseries But I doe keepe Gods commaundements and haue a care to bee obedient vnto Christ then Christ sayth verse 21. Hee that hath my commaundements and keepes them one must first haue them afore hee can keepe them haue them in knowledge and vnderstanding haue them in memorie haue them in Iudgement and affection and then fall to keepe them in action doe this and then indeede you loue Christ but many talke of louing Christ and what good freinds they bee to Christ but try them a little by their workes and you shall see that they neither haue Gods commaundements nor keepe them and so farre as they faile in these things so far they faile in the loue of god and prouoke God also not to loue them This serues to confute those disordered persons in whom one can see nothing but open rebellion against Gods law open breach of the sabboth and manifest contempt of Gods word and yet tell them of it and come to aske them if they bee not ashamed thus in the face of the worlde to proclame enmitie against God then first they fall to shifting and cloaking but if you come with so good proofe and ferret them out so soundlie that they cannot denie it but are conuinced to their faces why then this is next what are you without sinne haue you no fault doe you keepe all Gods Commaundements yes miserable man there are faults in the best But this is blockishnesse for is there no difference betwixt falling by frailtie and through infirmitie and liuing and lying in a sinne and allowing ones selfe in the committing of it that frailtie is in Gods elect children but this wilfull disobedience and maintayning is in hipocrits that God puts away and regards not this hee will neuer put away vnlesse there be an amendement and greater soundnesse for such persons loue not God and it is just if he plague them and pursue them as his enemies This likewise serues for the great comfort of Gods children that doe their best endeauour to keepe all Gods commandements and that with a vvilling hart and good intent and minde not thinking to merit any thing by them for they know God must still shew mercie euen to those that loue him and keepe his commandements This I say comforts all them for when hee hath done all hee can hee comes short and faileth but yet God will shew mercie this word may reioyce them for hee will shew mercie as if hee had saide though you come farre short of that you should and would yet so long as your hart is true God will shew mercie for hee requires not fulfilling but keeping if one will stand to himselfe then hee must haue either perfection or confusion but if hee trust to Christ then hee is vnder grace there is mercie in Christ pittying and rewarding rewarding all their good and pittying and passing by their infirmities Thus much for the second commandement now followes the third in these words following Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine for the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that takes his name in vaine THE summe of this third commandement is to teach vs that wee should not profane the name
pardon know that the iudge comes to deliuer him to doe him good Also when we heare of gods goodnes and patience and mercy this will bee but a vexation to vs vnlesse wee know that he bee good mercifull to vs. This addes to the griefe to heare that God is good if we must not feele it for then the wicked hart obiects thus they keepe a preching that god is good mercifull gratious I know not what but what is this to me that he is so to others I am sure he is not so to mee I must goe the broader way his mercy is shut against me This vexeth the guilty consciēce to heare that such good things be laid vp in store for gods children but he must tast of none of them As for a poore beggarly fellow that hath nothing to heare tel of large possessions great reuenues that must be left to such such an one This is a tedious anguish vnto him makes his misery more bitter So that nothing can moue or alure vs to obey God til we know that he is good to vs will giue vs saluation The vse of this is that would we euer yeeld any cheerefull obedience to God thē let vs feele the truth of that which God speakes that hee is our God our sauiour hath done more for vs then any other can therfore we will obey him aboue all To this intent then we must examine our selues whether God hath wrought those things in vs which he doth in those whose God he is As first for God the father he regenerates vs begets vs a new by the word of truth try then whether we haue this note in vs or not Doth the word of god abide in vs are we begotten a new hath the seede of immortalitie made vs new creatures begun to work immortality in vs then conclude sure God is our God Secondly God sheds his loue abroad in the harts of his childrē and makes them cry Abba father This is not so in men they when they beget a sonne cannot beget a child-like affection in him but often children be rebellious stubborne But if God beget a child to himself by the seed of his word he makes him haue an affection to him as to a father if then we haue this affection to God that we loue him as our father certainely this is his work we are his children Also God the son Christ Iesus wher he comes he kils sin he abates our lust worldlines works a fresh spring of grace holines But if we feele no working of his death in vs to mortifie our sinne then how can we know that he dyed for vs. If the power of his resurrection haue had no effect in vs for our sanctifying how can we beleeue that he did rise againe for vs. So for God the holy ghost wher it comes it conuinceth the world of sinne Afore a man can say much for his sin he can defend hath with to say many things for it will hold vp his head in maintenance of it But when Gods spirit enters into the hart once that sets one downe and makes him he cannot looke vp till he haue confessed his sin craued pardon ben ashamed of it throughly But many men ther be that would be thought to haue Gods spirit yet will not bee reprooued but that is veryfied of them that is spoken of the foole in the Prouerbs Bray a foole in a morter as Wheat is brayed with a Pestile yet will not he depart from his folly They will maintaine it and stand for it and therefore it must needes bee must practise it But if Gods spirit reproue one if he haue sinned it check him and make him feare blessed is he for God is his God Oh but I am more feared and troubled now then I was before True and it must be sotfor Gods spirit where it takes place must needs conuince and condemne one of sinne For t is not as many thinke a matter of wit to stand in defence of sinne and to be able to speake for a bad thing but t is a matter of lust for where lust hath dominion it whettens the witte to speake for it and the diuell helps but if Gods spirit come once that driues to a plaine confession it casts downe Sathans dominion and then lust rules the wit no more Also the fruits of the spirit are Patience Meekenesse Modestie Loue and Chastitie then let one try himselfe in these things not for beauty and strength for a Bull Lyon are stronger then man and other beasts to but if one haue patience and gentlenesse and a moderate spirit to adorne his minde these be sure signes of gods spirit Also the holy Ghost makes vs able to cry Abba father it makes vs able to breath out our requests vnto God and to powre out our supplications before the most high if we haue this spirit of prayer then it is plaine the holy Ghost is ours So that if God haue regenerated vs and Christ haue killed our sinnes the holy ghost make vs ashamed of them confesse them and it worke in vs Loue Patience and moderation of our affections and make vs able to pray vnto God then God is our God and then this will make vs obey but if this be shaken all is shaken this is the foundation of obedience But men will say that they haue a faith beleeue in God which if they had it would bring forth obedience haue works for how can one chuse but striue to obey God if they holde this for sure that God loues him regards him will giue him a reward for euery good thing that hee doth and this euery one must hold that will say God is his God Which brought thee out of the land of Aegipt out of the house of bondage NOW hee proues himselfe to be their God because hee had done so wonderfull things for them from their merueilous deliuerance that though Pharaoh and all Aegipt was against them though the Sea and the wildernesse resisted and which was worst of all their owne vnbeleefe yet God brake through all and set them free Hence this doctrine is gathered That whatsoeuer misery Gods children be in yet God vvill deliuer them For this is not written for them but for vs. They were vnder a long and strong affliction for foure hundred yeeres space almost vnder a tyrant that whipt their bodies and scourged them and put them to labour aboue their strength and which was a most intollerable vexatiō made the parents drowne their owne children None euer entreated any so spightfully as they were vsed yet we see god deliuered them So in the Psalme he saith Many bee the troubles of the righteous who shall deliuer them not their wealth and mony for of that they are bare enough often times nor friends for sometimes they haue none nor strength for they be weakned oft
for the true worship of god Now follows the reason of this commandement drawn partly from Gods iudgements against all false worshippers from his mercy kindenesse to thē that worship him in truth The judgement towards the breakers of this commandement is that he will not onely plague them take vengeance on thē in their owne persons but he will execute his wrath also on their seed posteritie to the third and fourth generation Which is therfore set downe because it is a verie hard thing to perswade euen that this is so great fearefull a sin when in a good meaning as they say they serue God after another manner then hee hath warranted commanded The reason taken frō his kindnesse to those that are obedient because we are very slow and slack to the right seruice of God is to allure prouoke vs because that god will not only blesse such an one in his own soule body both in life death but his blessing shal reach further euen vpon many generations in his posterity so that God will neuer leaue blessing those that with an vpright hart worship him in truth according to his word I am Iehouah thy God a iealous strong God IN these words calling himself our God he implies that ther is an euerlasting marriage betwixt god vs therfore as it is a foule fact for a woman after hir marriage the couenāt of god betwixt thē to defile her body with filthy adulterers So it is a much more hainous abhominable thing for any man or woman after his couenant with God to follow idols and images not contenting himself with the perfect beautie of Christ Then where he saith a iealous God hee compares himselfe to an husband that as hee loues his wife most tenderly dearely whilst she remaines chast faithfull so is he most offended prouoked if she deale lewdely and trecherously with him so Christ Iesus hath loued vs most dearely and giuen his bloud for vs but if we deale not chastly with him in this case he will be as a jealous man whose most abundant loue being abused doth burst forth into the strongest hatred as Salomon saith that jealousy is the rage of man the eie of iealousy seeth all things Then he cals himselfe a strong God shewing his power that hee hath abilitie as willingnesse to punish in that hee cals himselfe jealous it declares that he wants not will and cause to powre vengeance on them and in that hee is a strong God hee is of might sufficient to plague and confound those that wickedly break his couenant From al this discription wherby God hath set out himselfe vnto vs to bee our God and a iealous God that cannot abide any such filthinesse and a strong mightie God that is able to execute his wrath on the offenders we may and must take courage and comfort to stand for Gods pure worship against all idolaters and idolatrie and all manner of superstition being that he is our God one that hath bound himselfe in couenant to defend and protect vs as also hee is iealous which carries a flame of loue to all those that be faithfull as well as an exceeding detestation of the vnfaithfull and then he is a strong God not strong with an idle kinde of strength that lies hide within him and neuer is put in practise but hee doth vse his strength to the maintayning and protecting of all such as are true friends to him and maintayners of his worship Which is for comfort of those whose friends and such from whom they haue their maintenance are popish and will hate them and be enemies to them if they be enemies to superstition and loue God and his worship but feare not that God is a strong God if they will not help hee will they haue no such power against you as god hath for you so long as you continue vpright in his worship This is also for the terror of all idolatrous and superstitious persons that haue many things to vphold them and are well friended and strong defended but yet mischiefe shall be their end in the end because he is stronger then all men that sets himselfe against them and whom they prouoked euen to iealousie by their filthinesse who sees all their wayes as hee saith pull out thine adulteries from betwixt thy brests that is those monuments of idolatrie which idolaters put so much trust in as Agnus dei c. pull them out they offend him hee cannot abide the sight of them no more then a iealous husband the wantonnesse of his wife before his face God cannot I say endure this impuritie and wickednesse withall he is strong which name he giues heere to himselfe not bragging and boasting of his might but to let all idolaters know what an one they shall finde and feele him to bee in their punishments and plagues So much for the names by which God sets out himselfe in this reason Visiting the sinnes of the fathers on the children FIrst it may bee objected how God can in iustice doe this and punish the children for the fathers fault But to that one may answere as God doth in Hosea 2. 2. speaking to the Iewes hee bids them plead with their mother comparing him selfe to an husband he shewes that there is no fault in him but all the blame lies on the adulterous mother for as an husband may without any fault put away the wife that hath dealt trecherouslie and hir adulterous broode to so God may iustlie plague and forsake both the parents and the wicked children of wicked parents Now his vengeance vpon the children of Idolatrous parents is shewed especially in these things First in with-holding the meanes of grace from them and also the spirit of grace secondly in letting them see their fathers euill waies so imitate them thirdly in with-holding from them those meanes that might turne and conuert them and helpe them out of their sinne as the admonition of his children and such like But the doctrine that wee may gather hence is that vngodly parents are the most deadly enemies vnto their children as in Exo. 34. Where God sets downe his name most comfortably and the aboundance of his mercy yet he ads this withall Holding not the wicked innocent but visiting the sinnes of the fathers on the children This the example of wicked Ahad doth euidently proue for in that he would shed the innocent bloud of Naboth in that hee would commit idolatrie and serue Baalim who could haue done a greater wrong to Ahabs posteritie then Ahab did by these things for hence it was that the kingdome was taken from his house and that his children about seauenty persons had their heads chopt from their bodies and were made as dung and all his kinsfolkes acquaintance fared the worse for his wickednesse And so Ieroboam that seducer of Israell hee thought by his idolatry to haue established the kingdome to him his
vnkindly with her God must needs come to loke to this disorder But if God had come and hearing her rash prayer straight made examination and proceeded to punish the chiefe offender who should haue bene first plagued who was the first mentioner of taking Agar to Abraham was not Sarah her selfe what must Abraham take her through her meanes and motion and now when the matter falls out ill she will fall out with her husband How could it fall out better sith she was the author of so ill a beginning So that such kinde of imprecations as to wish God be judge in auengmēt rashly and hastely is a great dishonour to God as likewise in cursing as Gods vengeance ouertake you and such like horrible speaches when God forsooth must needes become their officer to reuenge their quarrell and serue their malicious humour So likewise to praise God and giue God thanks for an euill thing as Saul at the wickednesse of the Ziphims when Dauid had deliuered them and done them good now they to curry fauour with Saul and to get his good will came to betray him to Saul and to discouer where hee was that Saul might take him hee breakes out blessed be you of the land c. One might haue done a good dutie and discharged a good conscience as Ionathan did he would neuer thank God for that but let one come and help him to bring his mischeuous purpose to passe then God be blessed and much good thanks there must bee But Dauid did not so to him that slew Saul though he had bene a cruell and an vnjust aduersarie So for gamsters when they cousen and rob one an other vnjustly of their mony without conscience and warrant they might euen as well before God cut his pursse then forsooth God must be praised for their theeuerie or I thank God I haue sped well I haue good luck What is God a gamster is he a dicer now must he be at euery idle persons beck when he is robbing his neighbour Monstrous persons that dare be so impudent they shall feele and see if euer God waken their conscience in this lyfe and if he doe not in the life to come that it was a fault bad euough to take away ones goods in this manner and far greater when they will dare to abuse the name of God in it Now the best medicine to preserue vs from all these sinnes and abuses of Gods titles is that which is set downe in Deutero 28. 58. Feare the glorious and fearfull name of the Lord thy God Feare it so that one name it not nor think not of it but with great awe and reuerence for if one be audacious to take Gods name in his mouth without feare due regard God will lay plagues on him and those not short and slight sore and grieuous of long continuance and durance And if one doe tremble and feare before God thus he shall neuer abuse his name Thirdly Gods name is taken in vaine by abusing his properties and by abusiue speaking of them as of his power his wisedome mercie patience goodnesse and such like which are abusd when we speake of them carnally and carelesly or contemptuouslie As in the 2. Kings 7. When the prince on whose arme the king leaned heard the Prophet say that corne should bee so cheape so suddainly after that extreame dearth he said though God should make windowes in heauen that could not bee so Now to speake so basely of Gods power and so contemptuously as though his strength were to bee measured by mans strength and God could not tell how to bring it to passe because hee could not tell how nor saw no meanes for there hee aludes to Noahs floud q. d. if God should raine corne as fast as hee rayned water then it could not bee so but it could bee and was so and hee saw it so but had no good by it for he was prest to death of the throng as a just reward of this his contemptuous speach vnbeleefe of gods power So likewise his prouidence and wisedome is abused when one frets and speakes grudgingly against Gods worke vnder the name of fortune and chance oh what ill lucke was that what ill-fauoured fortune for either one must say that things come to passe by chance hap as hap may without any disposing of Gods so hee chargeth God to bee too carelesse a gouernour that lets all things runne at randome without counsell and aduice when hee had made a world to let it goe at peraduentures and at randome or if wee say that God gouernes all things rules in the world and appoints what things how they shal come to passe then he chafes and murmureth against Gods gouernment vnder the name of fortune speaking ill of luck speaks ill of Gods wisedome a propertie of his So likewise in abusing any of Gods properties to defend euill as is the common custome of most men if you reprooue them and admonish them of any fault this makes them care for nothing oh God is mercifull true God is mercifull but to whom to the penitent and humble person that hates his sinne and studies to forgoe it but hee is not mercifull to those that loue their sinne and like their sinne and that haue a root of bitternesse in them and make Gods mercie an incouragement to harten them in their sinne not to allure them to repentance and make his loue and kindnesse a protector to their lewdnesse to such he will shew no mercie but his wrath shal burne against them to the bottome of hell So that in speaking of Gods attributes speake of them with reuerence and to that good vse for which God hath reuealed them So lastly Gods name is taken in vaine without an oath in speaking vnreuerently of his workes either those admirable actions of God within himselfe as his election and reprobation when vaine man because his shallow conceit and foolish braine cannot comprehend how God should bee just if hee appointed any to damnation or how it were not long of him if hee should decree of their destruction before that it were as they say a plaine wrong and God could not maintaine it for this weakenesse of his that cannot reach to the depth of these things hee will therefore denie them and say there bee none whereas hee should rather with silence and reuerence wonder at this hidden secret and not prie into it as Paul in Rom. 10. did hauing spoken sparingly of it hee breakes out in admiration and so concludes O the deepenesse of the riches of the wisedome c. This is an horrible prophanesse So for the outward workes of creation of redemption and the passion of Christ when one can speake so lightly and without all vse of these great things that should make one feare before God and increase the reuerence towards his Magestie and griefe and hatred of sinnes Thus much for taking Gods name in vaine by speach
drawne as a beare to the stake let him make account that the preacher will bait him trouble his conscience for comfort hee can looke for none Therfore if we would haue a blessing by the sabboth let vs keepe it cherfullie knowing that God loues a cherfull giuer Secondlie one must labour to doe all the duties of the sabboth those that must bee done before the sermon and those that must be done after let no ordinance scape vndone vse meditation on Gods word and works heareing reading praying singing psalmes conference workes of mercie of euerie thing something so farre as we haue abilitie and opportunitie But if we will performe them scambling lie doe this and leaue that vndone either make no preparation before or no application after either no publique or no priuate then it may bee he shall finde some blessings but the fewer of these hee performeth the fewer blessings he shall haue he that doth the work of God by halfes shall and it is just he should find the comfort and benefit of them by halfes Thirdlie as one must doe all the duties and that with delight cherfullie so he must keepe the whole day he must doe all the duties and also spend all the time in these duties hee must continue from the beginning to the ending As in Psal 92. 2. To declare Gods louing kindnesse in the morning and his truth at night So that the sabboth must bee spent both morning night and all the daie in holie duties One must forbeare worldlie businesse yea worldlie thoughts the whole foure and twentie houres for if one giue his thoughts libertie to run after matters of the world in the night he breakes the sabboth in one part sleepe one may lawfullie but his sleepe must bee sweetned with holie exercises and so sanctified vnto him as in it hee must also keepe an holie rest And heere manie faile that out of the Church wil be talking with their neighbours musing with themselues about earthlie businesses affaires thinke they haue made a good hand if they spend the most part of the daie till after the euening exercises in workes of religion and then they make no question to take their recreation or to goe about their businesses if occation bee But hee that commands to keepe it in the church bids vs keepe it in the house as to heare him and speake to him in publique so to speake to him out of our harts in priuate not to giue our selues leaue to thinke the least thought of any worldlie businesse Now then wee if seeme to make conscience of the sabboth and yet doe want that blessing which we doe looke for let vs looke to our selues we shall see that wee are halting in some one of these either wee keepe the sabboth lumpishlie and heauilie that it seemes as a tedious burden vnto vs or else wee doe some one or two duties leaue the rest vndone or else if we doe all the duties to be done we want heere that we obserue not the whole day but keep some part of it from god to our selues accordinglie as any man comes short in any of these duties so hee commeth short of the fruit of the sabboth But if one labour with joy to doe all the duties of the sabboth the whole day hee shall finde in his owne soule that it is in truth a day of blessing and brings more joy and comfort yea and a greater blessing with it then all the weeke besides And so much for this fourth commandement of the sabboth and the reasons of it The summe of the fifth Commaundement is to shew what duties we owe one to another in respect of their and our place The persons in this commandement are eyther with authoritie eyther priuate eyther further from equalitie as parents and children masters and seruants nearer equalitie as husband and wife publike in Church Commonwealth without authoritie in age gifts Exod. 20. 12. Honour thy father and thy mother c. HEtherto the duties of pietie to God out of the first Table haue bin handled Now follow the commandements of the second table concerning the duties of righteousnes to our neighbours This is the first commandement of the second table vpō which al the rest do depend as in the first table the keeping of all the commaundements following did depend on the keeping of the first commandement of the table so heere if this first commandement be well obserued both of gouernours and inferiours there could be no disorder against any other of the commandements following For all disorders in the other commandements of the second Table doe flow from hence that eyther superiours are negligent in performing their dutie of gouerning or else inferiours are proud and stubborne and refuse to obey their superiours The words contayne a commaundement and the reason of it The commaundement in those words Honour thy father and mother The reason in the words following That thy daies may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee Because the benefit of obedience is not so great to the superiours which are obeyed as to him that doth for conscience sake obey them they shall not be gainers so much as himselfe for he shall gaine to himselfe a long and happie life Honour To honour is to reuerence in heart and performe all outward duties Father That is all superiours in what place soeuer set aboue thee Thy father This is the first reason whereby God would moue inferiours to obey because he is thy father In that God makes this his reason why the childe should obey his father because he is his father We gather this doctrine That the chiefe motiue to obedience must be Gods ordinance If God haue made him the instrument of thy life and maintenance and haue set him ouer thee thou must for this cause performe all dutie of honour vnto him So in the Prouerbs Honour thy father that begat thee and thy mother that bare thee as if he had said honour thy parents and bee duetifull vnto them not because they be rich or in great place or for any other respect but this because they bee thy parents bee they father and mother how euer rich or poore thou must be duetifull vnto them So the Apostle speaketh to wiues Wiues obey your owne husbands Vsing this as a reason if they be your husbands If God hath set them ouer you as your head and gouernour you must submitte your selues to them for this cause and in obedience to Gods commaundement howsoeuer they be otherwise froward and foolish if they be yours then you must performe your duetie vnto them So for seruants the poynt is not whether hee bee a poore man or rich a simple man and ignorant or wise and discreete but is he a master hath God made him a gouernour then for the time that one is a seruant he stands in the place of Christ in his family and is to be obeyed as if hee
before their children shall make euen with them and reuenge and quitte there parents wronges to the full by the like fauage dealing with them A second dutie of thankefulnesse is to pray for their parents As in Tim. 2. He commands that prayers be made for all in authoritie And if any must praye for those that be further of in common weale much more for those that are nearer in the familie Therefore this is a fault to bee greatly condemned in many that can see their parents faults and speake of them too much but cannot finde time to fall downe before God and beseech him to heale their nature and helpe them out of their sinnes Many haue liued a longe time with their parents yet cannot say that they sent vp an heartie prayer to heauen for their parents so vnnaturall and vnthankefull be they The vse of all these duties to those whose parents are not aliue is to looke that their sinnes be not aliue after their parents death And therefore to examine themselues whether they haue beene faultie in any of these things and if they do repent for it and desire pardon else they be lyable to two plagues First that their children should take their parents quarrell in hand and requite their wicked dealing in what euer dutie they haue fayled and haue not repented of it And secondly that as honouring parents brings a long and happie life so their dishonouring their parents should make them haue a short life and miserable or if a long life yet full of Gods curses for their vnrepented sonne Therfore let such as be now fatherlesse marke themselues and finding that their children are stubborne against them and vnthankfull and rebellions euerie way as many may see it openly and wofully let call themselues backe and see what kinde of children they were before how they behaued themselues to their parents whether they were not all together faultie in this point If it be so let them confesle that their owne sinnes haue found them out and are turned open let them acknowledge that God is iust and hath giuen the same measure into their bosomes their own euill is fallen vpon their owne heads they digged a pit in their youth and now in their age are fallen into it And thus much of the duties of children Now follow the duties of parents to their children For vnder the dutie of inferiour is comprehended also the dutie of the superiour And as God would haue inferiours to giue honour so he commaunds superiours to carrie themselues in that manner that they may deserue honour And doth bind them as straightly as the inferiours Now the duties of parents to their children are eyther in their tender yeares riper age The parents dutie to the children in their tender yeares and childhood is first to instruct them in religion to season them with the words of pietie or by little and little to drop in the grounds of holinesse into them euen so soone as they are able to speake and beginne to haue the least vse of vnderstanding So Prouerb Teach a childe in the trade of his youth and he will remember it afterwards Where the holy ghost exhorting men to teach their young children meetes with an obiection Alasse might one say teach such little ones what good will that doe we shall but loose our labour for they cannot vnderstand it nor conceiue the meaning of these things The holy ghost answeres Be it that for the time he cannot vnderstand the sense yet teach him the words and tearmes of goodnesse and though while he continues a child perhaps it seeme a fruitlesse thing yet you shall see afterwards it will not be in vaine for the crop of this seede that was soone in the childhood will appeare when he comes to age though for a time it lay hidden then he wil remember these things that to good vse which it seemed he got no good by when he was so young wanting vnderstanding Therefore let him haue the words taught him when he is able to heare and speake words and after when he is of more discretion he will conceiue remember the sense too And this dutie the holy ghost commaunds Ephes 6. 4. Bring them up in instruction and feare of the Lord. And this Timothies mother did put in practise For it is noted of her that she instructed Timothie in the scriptures from a child and that was the cause he was so holy a man she was a nurse to his soule as wel as to his bodie and gaue him milke out of the breasts of the scripture so soone as he had done sucking her owne breasts so that as he waxed strong in naturall strength of naturall life so he waxed strong in the knowledge of the life to come and therefore he grew so excellent a man and so worthy a preacher and member of the Church because his mother fedde his soule as well as his bodie The second dutie of parents to their children in their yonger yeares is to correct them to giue them correction which the holy ghost in the Prouerbs commaunds often and shews the fruit of it Correct him and thou shalt saue his soule chasten him and he will giue thee pleasure In the latter the rod of correction driues away folly this is the onely meanes to make a diuorse betwixt folishnesse and his heart which are so neerely wedded together But in correction these rules must be obserued First let it be seasonable and done in time passe it not ouer to long but begin early enough So Salomon saith Hee that loues him corrects him be time and doth not omit it till it be to late but takes the fittest opportunitie when he may with most ease and fewest stripes doe most good For indeed a small twig and a fewe blowes in time when he is yet a child not hardened in sinne will doe more good then many tods and abundance of stripes afterwards if this seaso be let slip for if the child be not mastred when he is young he will maister his parents when he growes elder Therefore let them not get an head for if they doe they will prooue like an young colt that hath gotten an ill tricke at the first he hath once cast his rider he was marred in the beginning and now you may sooner almost kill him then breake him and bring him in any good order againe Secondly it must be done with great compassion and mercie not in bitternesse to ease ones selfe with the paine of the child which is too barbarous crueltie For in truth commonly there is good cause why the father should be as much grieued or rather more then the child because for the most part he doth but correct his owne sinnes in his sonne for if the childe be curst and froward is it not because he hath seene the parents brawling and contentious if he lye hath not his father giuen him a patterne of dissembling and if he sweare being
doe it not principally because his master commands but because God commands not because his Maisters eye is vpon him but because Gods pure eyes behold him either to punish him if he doe not his dutie or to reward him if he doe it faithfully This is the cheese point at which seruants must ayme Commandement Ephes 6. 5. In singlenesse of your heart as vnto Christ And there is a reason why one must cheefly seeke to please God and not man for if one doe so this will follow that one shall not doe it in eye seruice that is this when the Maister lookes on to be so nimble and readie to doe as much as two or three but no sooner the Maisters eye is turnd away but all is giuen ouer and the time spent idle and nothing is done or if it be t is naughtily and negligently But where this is not that one chiefly respects God his obedience can neuer be constant it is but by sits and starts and hangs vpon the masters eye take away that and all is done Secondly if one serue not God then he is streight discouraged at vnkindnesse here 's no rewarde for ones paines no respect had of ones labour indeede if oneserue his master only he may truely say so of times but if one serue God and do it in obedience to God he cannot at anie time say here is no consideration had of ones diligence t were impious to say so to make God a lyar vnfaithfull but there is sufficient consideration and reward if one serue God for then if his master doe not recompence him he whome he serueth will As the example of Iacob shewes He serue a coueteous maister one that made no conscience of his promise to a poore man as this is alwaies the tricke of a couetous man he cares not what promise he breake to a poore man Yet Iacob made conscience of his dutie and endured his couetousnesse for twentie yeares space and serued him to with all his might so that hee was pnicht by heat in the day by cold in the night and if sleepe departed from his eyes and if euer any thing were spoild by wilde beasts he made it good yet Laban all this while did nothing but seeke to eate him vp and to rauen all frō him that he could Then God comes and tels him that though Laban was thus churlish yet he could haue wages enough and because he serued God God will pay him though man doe not and so hee did and that throughly and fully for by Gods owne hand and prouidence most of Labans best cattle were turned to Iacob and so he grew far more welthy had a larger recōpence then euer he looked for So that if on serue two maisters he shall commonly haue double wages For God will incline the heart of his maisters to fauour him when he is faithfull and himselfe also will fully reward him with abundant blessing in his soule and bodie and conscience and name and posteritie after him For no man euer serued God in a calling but hee may as well pray for Gods blessing and as surely looke for it be the worke neuer so meane and base that he goes about as the minister when he preacheth or prayeth or administreth the sacrament or doth any worke of his calling The last dutie of seruants is to pray for their gouernours and for good successe vpon their labours in their gouernours businesse This is commanded 1. Tim. 2. Where it is commanded that not euery place of authoritie one is in the inferiour should pray to God for him if he be bad to conuert him be mercifull to him if good to strengthen him and giue him continuance and increase of these graces Likewise when seruants goe about matters of weight concerning their maister they must pray to God for direction and successe as when Abraham trusted his seruant with a great matter namely to fetch a wife for his sonne he goes about with prayer to God to direct him and giue him a good proceeding and euent and where God had blessed him he giues thankes to God and prayseth him as hee would not trust his own strength but cals to God for assistance so hauing obtained assistance he lets God haue the praise and then when he was intreated to stay ten daies and might haue had all courteous and liberall intertainment yet he would not but tels them that seeth God had blessed him and his maister expected his comming they should not nowe hinder him and nothing could containe him from his Maister that looked for him This confutes those that neuer pray God to giue a blessing to their gouernours and to bestow grace vpon their masters and hence it iustly comes to passe that they want many good things from their masters which they shoud haue because they performe not all the duties of a good seruant in that they call not vpon God for their master And those are also reproued that will be desirous to be employed in their masters affaires and to haue dealing in businesses committed to them but they are so presumptuous in a carnall confidence of their owne abilitie that they runne boy strously and rudely vpon matters not entreating the helpe of the great God in things of great moment and then it is iust that God should crosse them because they take away that he neuer sanctified and if they will not aske a blessing is not it righteous that he should turne their wit into folly and though they goe about it prudently crosse and ouerturne all their policy because they trust more in policie then in his blessing The seruant therfore must craue Gods assistance that he may vse good meanes after a good manner and with good successe And an other vse heere is to be made of those which haue beene seruants but now are not this is their dutie euen to goe backe and see wherein they haue fayled in any of these things and for that aske mercie at Gods hand and craue pardon else they shall be lyable to these two euils First that God may iustly plague them now for their former sinnes and secondly that as they failed in their dutie to their masters so their seruants shall faile in dutie to them whereas if one haue repented he may looke and haue some hope that God in mercy will so order his seruants hearts as that they shal not recompence his owne euill vnto him because the blood of Christ hath washed it away But such as will pilfer deale wickedly with their masters not repent for it and make some repentance it is most iust from God that they themselues should be spoyld and robd without any amends Thus much concerning the duties of seruants the duties of the master follow For as God binds the inferiour to his duty so he requires that the superiour be carefull in his place and calling too Now the masters duties consist in two maine points Namely in chosing them with wisedome and
ofspring and vnprofitable generation this drosse of the land refuse and of scouring of the world must be purged away by the hand of the magistrate in whom hand there is power and to whom God hath for this entent committed the sword that they cut off or amend such rotten braunches And this the excellent and worthie example of Iob sufficiently confirmes who though he was aboundant in mercie and in all libertie to the poore and needie whose necessitie not idlenesse made them stand in need of his helpe so that he was an eye to the blind as euery good magistrate especially ought to be and a foot to the lame c. yet for these wicked persons he so hated their sonnes and so sharply punished their persons as that they had rather flie to the wildernesse and embrace the rockes lye among the bushes and eate the Iuniper rootes then be seene in that place where Iob had any thing to doe or come within the limits of his authoritie yea so infamous where they growen that men shouted at them as at a theefe and they were almost quite banished from the company of men And he giues this reason they were villaines and the sonnes of villaines more base and vilde then the earth which they tread vpon this sentence the holy Ghost giues of these yong and lustie roguing vagrants But one might say be they not men and beare Gods image Nay saith he they haue so defaced Gods Image as that they be not to be compared to the dogs of my flocke the dogs of the flock doe good in defending the sheepe but these are good for nothing but to dishonour God and staine and defile the land with all filthinesse and whordome Therefore those whom God hath made the head and hands of the commonwealth must ioyne their endeauour together to root out the race of vngodly and vilde persons Which some time agone was by wholesome and good lawes somthing well redressed among vs but now through the negligence of the inferiour magistrates and foolish pittie in not executing these lawes they begin to reuiue afresh and if the wiser care and diligence of magistrates in higher place be not will take head again to the shame of them the hurt of the whole commonwealth Therefore as they will haue a care to performe their owne duty and wipe away their owne shame and heale manifold euils of the commonwealth and hinder manifold foule sinnes amongst men and establish a chiefe point of honestie in and by their gouernment they must sweepe away this filth of the earth and so that no allowance or maintenance be giuen vnto them for the onely mercie to such is to helpe them out of their sinne by punishment and a great note of friendship and loue to God and the commonwealth is to amend or cut of those that be professed enemies to both Secondly for such as are impotent and by reason eyther of age or weaknesse or want of limmes cannot labour or else if they haue strength and vse of it cannot earne so much as to maintaine them and their family they must be helped by the prouident care of the magistrate and christian orders for that case that they be not constrained to beg their bread for it is a most dishonest and base thing to see men stand whining at the doore like dogs for bread and this corrupts their manners and is contrarie to all good nature and destroyes the seeds of any good disposition in them festring the minde with idlenesse and drawing a thicke skinne of impudence ouer their faces Therefore to preuent these euils and hurts the wise and mercifull diligence of the magistrate must take order for their timely and christian reliefe And thus much for superiours with authoritie The superiours without authoritie follow and their inferiours and those are eyther in Giftes Or Age. The duties of those that are inferiour to others in gifts is first to acknowledge it and reuerence them for their gifts If God bestowed vpon any one more godlinesse more wisedom more discretion or vnderstanding though he haue no authoritie yet he hath an excellencie superioritie aboue those which haue not equall gifts and this they must acknowledge to Gods glory and reuerence him that God hath honoured Else they clip the Lords coyne and deface his image if whom God hath graced with the spirit of wisedome and counsell with grace and power ouer their affections and such like they by obscuring them so farre as they can hinder the glorie of God and the good fruit that might come by them They must then with reuerence be acknowledged And thus the woman of Canaan that at first rested with Christ at length perceiuing his giftes acknowledgeth him to be a Prophet for so farre onely she saw then and deales more reuerently with him And Nabuchadnezar seeing that Daniel was endued with wisedome and knowledge from God to expound dreams more then he or any of his nobles doth confesse this and reuerence him for it But contrary is their practise which through enuy pride set themselues to depraue or to lessen other mens grace think no gifts worth looking after but their owne and iudge all men fooles besides themselues Yet they thinke it a dutie that other men should acknowledge their outward gifts as wealth and such like and reuerence them for it as indeed they ought with a ciuil reuerence for peace sake but no man is bound to thinke better of them for their wealth sake and why then do not they themselues confesse the inward gifts bestowed vpon others which are much more excellent The second dutie of inferiours in gifts is to make a good vse of the gifts that others haue beyond them imitating the godlinesse and patience that they see in them taking direction and crauing counsell at his wisedome and vnderstanding as to reuerence these graces in another so to labour for them in themselues as it were to light their candle at his and to draw some few drops from his ful bucket Thus the womā of Canaan so soone as she perceiued Christ to be an other maner of person then she thought she left of iesting and fell to aske him some questions of religion that she might be the better for meeting with a prophet And Pharo perceiuing Iosephs wisedome and prouident foresight put him in such place where his good might procure the common good And Nabuchadnezar seeing Daniels fitnesse for an high place of office preferd him where he might put his wisedome other graces to the proofe and practise And this effect will manifest that one doth acknowledge and reuerence the gifts of others else all shewe of accounting of them is but hypocriticall and shall yeelde no comfort to the soule afterwards This shames and reprooues them that one may speake many graue and godly speaches in their hearing before they learne any piece of one to follow it how manie examples of patience and holinesse and mortification may they see in a
doe good and make him drie to minister matter for euerie contention Secondly beware of couetousnesse For a couetous man cannot but be cruell so Solomon saith in Prouerb 1. This is the way of all those that be greadie of gaine they will take away the life from the owners thereof He cares not what mischeefe an other hath so he may haue lucre Who euer stands in the way twixt him and his landes hee wisheth his death vnfainedly If it be a father he could reioyce to see him laid in his graue that he might haue his lands if a brother so he may gaine by his death you can bring him no more welcome newes then that his brother his dead Alwaies coueteousnes drawes after it a long tayle of craft and crueltie Lastly take heede of riotousnesse and drunkennes for when drinke is in the wit is out and grace is out to then a man is such light stuffe that the diuell may tosse him about at his pleasure So in Prouerbs 23. 29. To whome is woe to whome is sorrow and stripes without cause c. First it hurts the bodie it selfe Secōdly it breedes strife and contention murmuring brawling and wounds without cause for when they went good friendes if drunkards can be good friends to their pots all on the sudden vpon a madde humor no bodie knowes they fall together by the eares and are readie to stab and mischeife one an other and two or three houres after aske them why and then they cannot tell but t was a mad humor of theirs Thirdly they so spend themselues this way and drinke vp all their wealth as that they haue no abilitie to doe any worke of mercie Therefore pride couetousnesse drunkennesse must be shund of all those that will keepe this commandement thou shalt not kill Thus much for the sixt commandement concerning the safety of our neighbours person and what duties we doe owe vnto him Now followes the seuenth commandement concerning his chastity and how we should that way behaue our selues in these words Thou shalt not commmit adulterie THe summe of it is that we should auoyd all vncleanenes in our selues and others and vse all meanes to preserue our owne and our neighbours chasiitie The things forbidden eyther Inward in all vncleane lusts Outward 1. Adulterie 2. Fornicatiō Vnnaturall with others selfe naturall in mariage eyther entring without parents consent c. vsing out of season and immoderatly 3. Vncleanenesse eyther Wantonnes In the Things parteyning to bodie as apparrell food sleepe bodie parts hand eye and foot whole in dauncing FIrst for filthie lusts and desires of the heart consented vnto Though they be kept in neither breake forth in word nor deede yet this verie lust and desire it selfe makes one a breaker of this commandement before God As our Sauiour Christ the lawe maker and therefore also the best expositer of it doth testifie Math. 5. 27. I say vnto you hee that looketh vpon a woman to lust after hee hath committed adulthrie with her all readie in his heart They of olde afore hee saith meaning the Pharises had said thou shalt not commit adulterie extending the commandement no further then the grosse act and that they would not haue men commit because it would bringe reproch vpon their name and death vnto their bodie but Christ makes a more narrow meaning and shewes that the adulterie of the heart is odious to God as well as that of the bodie and that men cannot more easily see and perceiue that outward filthinesse then he doth the inwarde for hee hath pure eyes that can abide none iniquitie and hee searcheth the heart and reynes An vncleane heart therefore wishing foule thinges and meditating vpon vile matters is most hatefull to God The vse of this is to condemne those that when they heare Gods curse against the breakers of this commandement concerning adulterie that thinke if they haue not broken forth into the outward action they are free and out of gunshot it pertaines not vnto them But let them know that if they haue an ill heart though men cannot charge them with the euill act yet God can charge them with the euill thought and that they are lyable to Gods curse as well as those that offend outwardly Indeede there be degrees and the increase of sinne bringes an increase of iudgement and grosser sinnes shall haue more greeuous plagues but the least thought is sufficient to condemne them And those that will not humble themselues nor care not for inward motions will if occasion be offered easily be drawne to the outward practise For if lust haue conceiued it bringes forth sinne and he that will not refraine it in the conception shall not be able to hinder it in the birth therfore he that would not haue sin borne must not let lust cōceiue but labour earnestly to kill it in the wombe as it were for howsoeuer thought be free in respect of the sight and law of men yet it is not free from Gods nor from his law which was not only giuen only to reforme and rule the outward manners but the soule also and the affections Secondly this serueth for the instruction of those which haue thus offended that they must repent and craue pardon at Gods hands and intreat him of his mercie to kill this lust and to wash away the filthinesse of their heart that they may not only be freed from the iudgement of God due to the sinne but also may hinder the birth of so filthy a monster as will proceede of this so ill a conception in either conception it is a foule fault after the conception to take any thing that may disable the encrease and birth of it but in this conception it is the greatest vertue and safest way to take such a receite as shall quite kill it that it may neuer come forth to light and this conceite is only to repent and craue pardon for else God will bring their secret sinne to open shame and their inward filthie desire to outward publique disgrace Now the meanes to purge ones heart and to make it cleane and pure from such filthie affections is first to pray to God often and earnestly to punish the heart and to sanctifie it by his holy spirit Then secondly to be faithfull and diligent in some honest and lawfull calling that may busie the heart vpon some thing lawfull and profitable for idlenesse is the mother of foule lusts As a standing poole not hauing any course of running growes filthie of it selfe and full of toades and neuts and filthie vermine so the heart that is not taken vp in some good and honest calling is a fit place for the diuell to breede and engender all monstrous and filthie lusts idlenesse procures lust nothing more as what was the reasō why the Sodomits grew so filthie vncleane that no people euer were so filthy and beastly but because hauing the most fruitfull and abundant contrrie in the world for it was like
the garden of God that yeelded them all commoditie and profit grew rich and then like foolish men as all naturall men vse grew idle and to settle themselues to nothing but there ease and delight for their nature was no worse then any of others but their idlenesse so corrupted their hearts as the diuell had leasure to cast in and they to pursue all monstrous and vncleane desires whatsoeuer and that was the cause that they were so outragious Also temperance in meat and drinke and watching and fasting These meanes by Gods blessing will slaye these lustes and emptie the heart of such ill desires that one shall haue a pure and chast heart But if that all these meanes being vsed notwithstanding these lusts will not be ouercome but still arise and still ouerburden the heart and set it on fire with ill desires and the flesh will not be humbled then one must seeke the remedie of mariage and pray to God to giue him an yokefellow and then one may looke that God should heare his requests For when hee hath done his endeuour to beat downe his flesh and yet cannot so tame it but that he stands in neede of an helpe this waies then God hath called him to the estate of matrimonie and as hee hath giuen him a calling so will he giue him such an one as shal bee a comforter to him and an helper both in this life and in the life to come And so much for the inwarde breach The outward breach of this commandement hath many branches But the cheife are comprehended by the Apostle Galat. 5. Where he saith the fruites of the flesh are adulterie fornication vncleannesse wantonnesse These are the cheefe outward branches of this commandement And first for adulterie That is when the partie offending is either maried or contracted for if he be eitheir ioyned by mariage or contraction that commits the act then it is adulterie This is a verie high breach of this commandement For when they haue beene either married or contracted then they breake the couenant of God For when they come together in either of these knots they doe make a couenant not only one with an other but with God himselfe that hath appointed the ordinance that wil faithfully truly keepe their fidelitie one to the other and therfore if they deale vnchastly it is not only vniustly done one to another but they forfeit their bond to God euen their saluation and prouoke his curse both on their soule and bodie And this is a thing peculiar to adulterers that hauing come in the sight of God and before mē and Angels to make a couenant there also in the face and by the voyce of the congregation craued a blessing of God vpon their proceedings they abuse god angels men and all if after they breake this couenant and polute their bodies But how foule and vile a sinne this is The ill effects that follow of it doe declare the first is set downe Prouerbs 5. 11. it consumes the flesh and the bodie It is a fire in the bones it breedes eating incurable diseases that as the sin makes one lothsome in the sight of God so the plague may make him lothsom in the sight of men If one be so audatious as to breake the couenant of God though it be a thing much neglected of men and they will not cut him of according to Gods law for by the law of God the adulterer is as culpable of death as the willfull murderer yet God meetes with him and by filthie diseases brings him to his death Prouerbs 6. 26. the holy Ghost saith it bringes one to a morsell of breade that is to extremitie of pouertie and so Iob in Chap. 31. saith of this sin that had beene a fire to haue rooted out all mine encrease this will make spoile and hauocke of all a man hath And it consumes not only the goods and bodie but there is a further consumption then all this hee that doth it destroyes his owne soule hee forfeits his bodie and goods and worse then all this he gets a perpetuall blotte to his name that he shall neuer be able to put away vnlesse hee doe truely repent and so get it washed away by the bloud of Christ that will make all cleane But else hee shall haue a shamefull name an ill report all the braue apparell all the bribing and colouring in the world will not couer this blotte of the name and estimation for he is a needelesse theefe that doth not steale for necessitie but of presumption and therefore deserues no pittie We see that if a theefe vpon necessitie as it seemes to him but indeede no necessitie should make a man sinne doe prige or steale from his neighbours men haue some kind of mercie and doe not altogether so much abhorre it but when one hath the remedie and hath professed his thankefulnesse to God for the helpe and his contentednesse and reioycing in it he is a needelesse theefe he shall finde no mercie but he destroyes his soule and makes his name to stinke among men And he that doth committe adulterie doth not only destroy his own soule but he doth what he can to destroy an other mans soule to and so to kill two at once in this regard this sin is worse thē either theft or murther For if a theefe should strip a man of all hee had and besides that take away his life to the man were not one whit the worse man for all this but his soule might goe to heauen as well as if he had died in his bed but hee or shee that inticeth an other to commit adulterie robs the party of his soule and saluation so farre as in them lies for little doth he knowe whether euer they shall repent or be conuerted from this sinne for this is such a wound as no phisition can lay his hand to heale it but the holy Ghost no medicine can cure it but the bloud of the sonne of God this is not to spoile his bodie but the soule a far more dāgerous thing thē robbing For though one should make the bloud runne about ones eares with many wounds yet there were hope that one might find some skillfull chirurgion to make all whole againe but he that hath stricken so deeply into the soule and conscience and hath kindled the fire of Gods vengance in the heart how knowes he whether euer this shall be healed And what a fearefull thing is it to be an instrument to draw an other into hell and to an incurable wound for any thing that he knowes And againe an adulterer is a theefe for foisting in his child into an other mans lands or goods that that which one hath laboured for and taken paines for and hoped to leaue to his own seed and his posteritie after him he should bestow vpō his most mortall foe For of all men in the world he would be most vnwilling if he knew of it to bestow it
on him much rather would he giue it to a stranger whom he neuer knew before then vnto one that had so shamefully abused him and could better find in his heart to leaue his goods vnto a vagrant begger then to one whom vnwittingly now he feedes and cloths and who shall enioy all his laboure This sinne of adulterie therefore is a most foule sinne in regarde of the wrong one doth to man and to God also who hath so great a regard of mariage that it be faithfully obserued for the comfort each of other as that he thought it not sufficient that they shall binde themselues in promise one to the other but he will haue them also enter into a couenant with him to bee true one to the other which if they violate and contemne it is a most odious thinge in Gods account Now the vse that we must make of this is That sith it is so foule a sinne and yet our nature is subiect to fall into as Dauid after many corrections and humiliations after many mercies and benefits when he was some thing well in yeares and had the remedie also yea and as the corruption of those times was many wiues yet fell into his foule sinne This lothsomnes of the sin and the proudnesse of our nature to commit it should moue vs to vse those meanes and preseruatiues which might keepe vs from it For if Dauid did fall into it to his great woe and to some blotting also and blemishing of his name then we must not be secure and thinke our selues safe But the meanes to make a man liue chastly in mariage are these First if there haue beene fornication before mariage that is a secret poyson that lurkes within and if it bee not stayd it will breake out to adulterie Therefore that fire must be quenched by true repentance and so it shall neuer flame out into adulterie but else it will certainly haue his vent an olde fornicator shall be an new adulterer I meane by an old fornicator such an one as hath committed fornication before mariage without repentance for he hath a wilde fire within that will not keepe within long but will make him burne in lust as fast as before And it may be said of him as GOD said to Caine thy sinne lyes at the doore so his old sinne lies at the dore readie to catch him yea it will let him haue no peace but lies in wait doggs and pursues him and meetes him at euerie turne till it haue brought him to naught vnlesse he by repētance first bring it to naught This then must be the first care if one haue beene a fornicator to repent for that But if one haue not yet he must keepe and obserue this second rule Euerie married person must labour for pure and feruent loue to his yoake-fellow As Prou. 5. He wils men not to follow after the straunge woman but how shall I chuse he answeres in 18. verse Reioyce in thy wife of thy youth and delight in her loue continually If married persons get feruent and pure loue one to another this will keepe them safe for it is not hauing of a wife but the louing of her that makes a man liue chastly and it is not the hauing but the louing of an husband that preserues a woman from whoredome but if she haue him and yet hate him and dispise him she is in danger euerie day to be defiled Feruent loue then must be sought for Not such as flesh can yeeld for the nature of flesh is as to be fond before so to be readie after to finde occasions and iarres and dislike but it is a gift of God and a sparke that comes from heauen and hath this vertue to make a man liue chastly But now if one will say Adulterie Sure I will neuer be an adulterer yet for all that he cares not for his own wife but contemnes and dispiseth her he hath no warrant to say so nay he takes the next way to bring himselfe into the snares of adulterie by this first breach of the bond of marriage in that he doth not loue his wife An other meanes to auoid adulterie is set downe in Prouerbs 2. 8. 16. If knowledge enter into thine heart and wisedome delight thy soule Then shall it keepe thee from the straunge woman that flattereth with her lips To delight and reioyce in the pure word of God and to embrace it in ones heart this will so satisfie the minde content the soule with sweet comfort and delight as that one shall not need to follow the impure and foule pleasures of the flesh that are contrarie to God and his word But if wisedome enter not into the heart lust will and if a man finde no reioycing nor pleasure in the word of God he is in continuall daunger to seeke at the flesh for no man can liue without his delight and though it breake not streight to the mayne sinne of adulterie yet it will beginne with other vanities and not cease till it hath traced one through all the idle and foolish delights and at length leaue him wallowing in this filthie and loathsome pleasure for certaine where there is not a pure delight there is an impure Thirdly will we be kept from this foule and monstrous sinne we must marke the rule of Salomon Eccles 7. 28. I find more bitter then death the woman whose heart is as nets and snares and her hands as bands He that is good before God shall be deliuered from her but the sinne shall be taken by her He shewes how one may escape the lewd woman and keepe himselfe free from her snares namely be a good man walke religiously keepe peace with god else he shal sure be taught He shews why God suffers filthy strumpets harlots to ly vpō the earth namely that they may be as a gaile or prison to keepe wicked sinners chains wherin to hāper all vngodly persons they be as fowlers to catch hypocrites that haue not the true feare of God that those which be hatefull to God for other sins may be made hatefull to men also for this sin For whē men prouoke God by sins that he hates as much but be lesse subiect to disgrace in the world then he giues thē vp to those sinnes that may shame them bring them into cōtempt before the world And it not as most men say alas he was an honest man till he slipt into this fault no had he been honest before God would not haue deliuered him vp to this vilde sinne But because he was wicked before therefore God punisheth sinne with sinne and makes him more wicked outwardly that his inward wickednesse might appeare to his disgrace he hath liued irreligiously in the first table and now God in vengeāce giues him ouer also to liue vnrighteously in the second These be the means to keep one pure namely an vpright life that one liue in no other sinne that breaks off peace betwixt God
wicked men men are reckoned boasters those that because there is no true matter of praises to be seene in them will get praise by speaking great things for themselues So Saule whereas he had saued the king and all the best of the cattle he comes bragging to Samuel blessed be thou of the Lord saith hee I haue fulfilled the word of the Lord when it was nothing so he had done nothing lesse then fulfilled the word of the Lord. Heere he lyed now in bragging of himselfe And all in excusing ones fault more then one should The thing wherein Saul sinned in the same matter for when his lie would not goe for currant but Samuel caught him why hast thou done the worke of God that he cōmanded then all should be dead how comes it to passe then I heare bleating lowing Make these two agree that all be dead and yet I heare some bleat vvhen this vvas a plaine case now he had not done his dutie then he shifts it thus indeed a few of the best of them vve haue kept for sacrifice but I hope that is no harme But vvhen this vvould not serue the turne neither but Samuel followes him close O saith he hath God as much delight in sacrifice as vvhen his vvord is obeyed then he fals to an other excuse and castes it on the people I feared the people saith hee as vvho should say it vvas their fault and none of mine thus if any credit had beene to be gotten he would haue had that to himselfe alone but now that no credit could be had he leaues it for the people to deuide among themselues And this excusing is a comon thing amongst all men Ye shall not haue the most simple person the most ignorant and sillie bodie in a vvhole towne that hath the most shallow capacitie dull vvit that can be but he is verie sharpe and vvittie to finde an excuse he can scamble and vvinde and vvill make hard shift to vvring his necke out of the collar that hardly can any reproofe be fastened vpon him And men thinke by so doing to lessen their fault but in truth it is nothing so For vvhat haue they gotten but that now a man may say yonder 's a lyar that is ill accounted of both before God and also before men he vvas ill before but now he is farre vvorse It is a verie ill thing vvhen one hath vvounded himselfe by sinne to goe to the diuell for a medicine he is the vvorst phisition that can be and his phisicke is the vvorst phisicke in the vvorld for he vvill sure enough giue them that that shall make them vvorse and not better One may thinke that these excusings be plasters but in truth they be but poysons that venime the soule a great deale more then before Thirdly a man lies against himselfe by excusing as vvhen men in a kinde of proud humilitie vvill denie their gifts vvith an intent to get more credit oh alasse I haue no gifts no vvit no learning a simple scholler and vveake memorie and such like contrarie to that one knows thinkes now this depresing ones selfe falsely is not humilitie but iniquitie for one should make himself neither better nor worse thē God hath made him but if he haue good calling to speake of himselfe plainly as the matter is in truth And now if when they lye of themselues say they haue no wit no learning no good parts c. one saith why in truth it is true you say well it is right you haue none of all these things Indeed they would thinke such a man did them great wrong scarce take him for their friend For his desire is that others should crosse him and say nay say not so you are an excellent man worthie to be regarded c. and so he will discommend himselfe long enough if he heare an other commend him for this is it which he delights to heare But a man must neither wrong God nor himselfe in diminishing and concealing the things that God in goodnesse hath giuen him not to denie them but to vse them to his glorie So for matters of this life come to men for worke of mercie and and then there is such a whining how poore they be what a great charge they haue what losses they haue sustained and I know not what then they will needs be poore whereas their owne soule beares them witnesse that they are vvealthie and haue much more then many men that doe a great deale more good then themselues Therefore though a man doe not slaunder his neighbour yet if he slaunder himselfe he is to be reprooued as a lyar Heerein diuers of Gods children faile much in time of contemplation Those that haue beene and are sound and true hearted Christians if they haue lost their feeling a while cannot finde that reioycing in God and comfort in good things that in former times they haue then comes the accuser of the brethren Satan that olde and subtile serpent and he striues to make them accuse themselues falsely On saith he if you had beene good indeed and had had a true heart to God he vvould neuer haue forsaken you thus and giuen you ouer to such a deadnesse and then through vveaknesse Gods children are readie to ioyne vvith the diuell against themselues and to thinke it is true sure I vvas but an hypocrite and hollow hearted my former comforts were but delusions presumptions if they had be beene true I should not haue lost them But this ought not to be neuer yeeld to Satan but if he striue to accuse do you striue to excuse if he would cast you down by so much the more lift vp your selfe by reasons out of Gods word and by former experience in your selfe other Christians For that is no good reason because you haue no feeling therefore you haue no faith and because you haue lost the sence of your comfort therefore it was no true comfort this is no true conclusion for those whom God once loued he loued to the end and will neuer forsake them Take heed of making such conclusions for a man may want the feeling of his faith and crie and call againe and againe for it and feele nothing all this while yet neuerthelesse haue true and sound faith if he feele not faith but he feeles the want of faith and the desire of it this is an infallible signe that he hath true faith But doe not agree with the diuell to persecute your selfe fight against him not with him against your selfe you shall find he is strong enough alone you had not need ioyne with him but rather set to resist him if one be once the child of God in truth he is so for euer if once in the fauour of God for euer in the fauour of God If God loued once he loues euer for though our feeling alter yet there is no chaunge in him Thus much for breaking this commaundement by speaking
their owne estate therefore others come and bring in false reckonings and make false accounts and so they be deceiued and thinke themselues in a verie good plight when in truth they are most wicked and miserable Therefore a man must not take any more praise or commendation then that he can approue to be true by the testimonie of Gods word and the witnesse of his owne works and life beware of that that puffes vp and hardens let no man perswade vs that we be better or our sinnes lesse then they be And thus much for receiuing of those false testimonies concerning ones selfe that they come in the way of praise and extolling Now for those that come in the way of accusing and depressing For as one must not yeeld to the flatteries of other so neither must he yeeld to their false accusations concerning himselfe that tend to make him thinke worse of himselfe then indeed he ought and so to disable him to doe that good he should and also hath libertie to doe So Iob would not accord to the sayings of his friends in this case let them say as oft as they pleased that he was an hypocrite and had not an vpright heart before God Iob would not for all that consent that it was so he would not while he liued forsake his innocencie and let let goe the puritie of his cause nor would thinke a whit the worse of his former life or of his present estate for all their proofes and reasons that they did falsely alledge against him for he knew that he had many daies and times before made all euen betwixt God and himselfe he had many a time cast ouer his accounts and found himselfe acquitted of all before God that no debt remained to be laid to his charge For howsoeuer no manwhiles his life endures shall be freed from the dregs of sinne and the spots of corruption yet when he in a sight of his faults comes to repent and be sorrie for them and to pray to God for pardon for them and to beleeue that God for Christs sake will forgiue them he is as free then from the guilt and punishment of all his sinnes as if he had beene euer from the action of them Now Iob knew that he had often after this sort set all reckonings right betwixt God and himselfe and that no fault hung vpon the score vnrepented and vnforgiuen Therefore all their perswasions could not withdraw him from his faith and from clearing himselfe of hypocrisie for what euer they said his own works which he had in remēbrance God his own conscience with which he was well acquainted said that he was true sincere vpright and guiltlesse of that crime which they so sharply charged vpon him Wherefore he set them all at defiance that would offer to make challenge to his innocencie Though his wealth was gone his children dead his cattell stolne and kild his seruants slaine and his friends all gone backe from him yet his innocencie stucke to him and his assurance that he serued God in the truth of his heart and the vprightnesse of his soule abode by him and this neither his friends nor foes nor all the diuels in hell could wrest from him but he held it fast in spite of them all and that was the cause he bore his affliction so patiently and with so great comfort But now if he had embraced this false testimonie and accusation euen of good men and said alasse indeed this is true that you say I neuer had an vpright heart to God I did all in hypocrisy al in dissembling nothing in synceritie nothing in truth it is euen so I am I am an hypocrite he might and could not chose but haue held downe his head with shame and he had beene wholy opprest with griefe and vexation all his good actions would haue afforded him no iot of comfort no consolation or peace for if they had been done in hypocrisie they had beene all sinnes and he would haue had no heart nor could not haue endured to come to God nor lift vp any prayer to him for so he saith can the hypocrite pray to God at all times and thus hauing depriued himselfe of these stayes and supportes he must needs haue sunke downe in despaire and anguish This serues to confute those that whē as they be in truth soūd Christians and many infallible works of true Christianitie haue appeared and doe now appeare in them yet if the diuell eyther doe himselfe or else moue some wicked some filthie sinner to roare in their eares that they be hypocrites and that they haue no truth in them do all in dissembling and to be seene of men streight way they are readie to ioyne hands with Satan and vse their owne strength against their owne soule and will seeke out reasons to confirme the diuels false and slaunderous blasphemies but in truth to weaken their owne faith and bring much needlesse trouble and many gripes vpon their soule that if they had withstood these lies they might haue escaped Nay say ye surely it is as they say wretch that I am God hath met with me now they should not haue had power to say so had it not been so I am false all that I haue done is in vaine it was but glosing and dissembling And why so Is not the diuell a lyar and will you so easily giue him credit and that at the first But this is not well for as one should not yeeld to the vniust and false praises of another so neither must he condemne himselfe vpon so slender a ground as the diuels or diuellish mens words nay one must not so easily rob God of his praise and himselfe of his comfort And as the former persons were so easily seduced in matter of their comendation because they seldome or neuer looke ouer their sins so these are so quickly put in doubt of their vprightnesse because they doe not vse to marke what good workes they doe and to consider what graces God hath bestowed vpon them For if one would not be alwaies looking into their infirmities and searching into their infirmities but sometimes lift vp their eyes to the mercies of God to that strength which he hath giuen them against sinne and power to doe some good things and make as diligent a rehearsall of Gods benefits as of their afflictions and miseries they would not be so easily driuen from their hope and put out of comfort The diuels slaunders would not daunt them so much but they would take faster hold of Gods mercie Thus much for the breach of this commaundement The things commanded are eyther Inward contrarie to suspipition a charitable opiniō and good hope of our neighbour which must be shewed by Taking doubtfull things in the best part By defending his name if we heare him slaundered By being grieued when we heare true report of his ill deeds Outward or Generall to speake the truth from ones heart and that with a