without prayer and fasting some kinde of tentation not to bee avoyded Last for the procurement of some good and that either in generall Acts 10.13 Cornelius himselfe when hee was to enter into the generall vocation of a Christian Or particular CHRISTS owne example in the entring of his Mediatorship Matthew 4.1 It is the opinion of the Fathers 13. and 14. of the Acts before the Inauguration and calling of the Ministrie This whatsoever the Magistrate doth ought to be done of our selves The Parts are of no other nature then the parts of the Sabbath and they are two First the externall as the rest outward sorrow Secondly internall abstinence as Sanctification The outward they call abstinence or fasting the inward sorrow or mourning or humiliation First in the outward it is required of us that from Even to Even we doe wholly celebrate the Sabbath Levit. 23.32 wholly abstaine from meate and drinke Ezra 10.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whatsoever is to be eaten and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whatsoever is liquid a generall restraint of both Secondly in Joel 1.13 Gird your selves and lament you Priests howle ye Ministers of the Altar come and lie all night in sackcloth yee Ministers of my God c. An abridgement or breaking off the ordinary course of our sleepe Thirdly in Exod. 33.4 of laying aside of the best apparrell which in Nehem. 9.1 and in sundry other places is expressed by wearing of sackcloth And that we should be without that too but onely for the commandement of God for nakednesse And generally Zac. 7.3 separating our selves from all that is commodious or pleasant to the senses from all commodities and delights of this life Et quia non peccavit sola gula ne jejunet sola Bernard Because the taste hath not sinned alone therefore it must not keepe a fast alone but the rest of the senses must have their separation also And as we are forbidden and restrained all these so Levit. 23.28 are we forbidden any labour or worke of the six dayes and so falleth in that the same rest is required then as on the Sabbath Last of all as we finde Esay 58.10 the precept an example Acts 10.3 the Centurions fasting that it was joyned with almes Canon Quod ventri subtrahitar illud pauperi addatur that which we spare out of our owne bellies must be given to the poore But now because as we said before it is not bodily labour or bodily rest so Rom. 14.17 the Kingdome of God is not in meate and drinke If there we stay and goe no further it will not serve Therefore the Prophet telleth such fasters Esay 58.3 though they lay in sackcloth a whole day yet it was not that God required because the outward action is but ordained for the inward the account that God maketh is of that it is instituted for humbling Matth. 9.13 what is there said of Sacrifice may be said as well of outward mourning And as it is Joel 2.12 not the rending of apparrell but the heart and the fast that he alloweth off must be accordingly And 2 Cor. 7.11 where the Apostle describeth the full course of whatsoever is required of us inwardly in this fast And Rom. 8. it must come from the spirit with such sighings as cannot be expressed Of the sorrow there cannot be an exquisite method but as he setteth them downe there they are in two companies either a working of seare and consequently a sorrow and after that a sorrow that we have been so unkinde to offend so mercifull a Father and then after that we have a while remained that we proceed to a desire of amends and that we be carefull and that care sheweth it selfe zealous and if we chance not to proceed a right then that we be ready to punish our selves In a word the fruit of those actions they tend to this end 1 Cor. 11.31 that we may judge our selves that so we may escape As his policie was 1 Kings 20.31 and as we see the common practise of the rebellious subject if by any meanes he may make the bowels of his Prince to yearne within him But alwayes except the seale of humiliation and fasting be added all is naught Nehem. 9.1 and last Where after a great vow before the Congregation protested that after an exhortation foure times and after a solemne reading of the Law at that time When as ordinarie readings was but twice This was the order for the furtherance of this and when hee had drawne a Covenant they set their hands and seales to it and so bound themselves by an everlasting Covenant Which vow if wee can keepe if we can bring our selves to the vow of obedience if we can doe this unfainedly and doe it so effectually as we promise readily ever afterward it is very certaine that this hath taken a good root in us The fourth rule The spirituall part of the Law Which because Esay knew the value of it in the Fast as Cha. 58.3 and in his Sabbath at the 13. verse of the same nothing did so belong to them as if they would give over their owne corrupt Will if mans corrupt will could be brought under This is that he sheweth 1 Pet. 3.15 Sanctifie the Lord your God in your hearts It is a thing that may be performed of man and such as the Lord delighteth greatly in The meanes in which the lord throughout the Scriptures comprehendeth these that whereas there must be a solemne prosession of thankefulnesse and our sorrow for our unthankefulnesse there must be a place also and persons chiefe in these actions of Sanctification And these persons not Ex tumultuario grege they must not be men of the common rout but such as must be trayned up for it And because the trayning up will require cost therefore the order for the maintenance of the Ministers and the Universities which are the places to prepare them for Ministers and Schooles they are commanded alike of God For the place Leviticus 19.30 and 26.2 in both places is this sentence Yee shall keepe my Sabbaths and reverence my Sanctuarie making the observation of his day and reverence of the place to runne in one verse and making them of one nature The Sabbath is the day of rest and when we hallow it we call it the Lords rest so Psalm 132.14 we see the Lord will give the same name to the place This is my rest Concerning which as the Apostles tooke order as that the exteriour part of GODS worship might be performed decently and in order So on the other side that the place of GODS worship should bee so homely and so ordered that the Table of the Lords Supper where one saith well Tremenda Dei mysteria the dreadfull mysteries of GOD are celebrated that it were fitter to eate Oysters at to be an Oyster table then to stand in the Sanctuary of the LORD this is so farre from Pompa that it is farre from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Decencie that every
spake to him to rebuke them for it he alledged for them out of Psal 8.2 out of the mouthes of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained to set forth thy praise 3. Matth. 18.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christs curse is on them that hinder little children to come unto him though at that time it pleased him to beare with his Disciples and to shew mercy to them yet even after a curse is pronounced and in the same place Matth. 18.14 when his Disciples forbad them to come to him he saith It is not the will of our Father which is in Heaven that one of these little ones should perish Perish they must unlesse they come to him and Christs curse is on all that seeke to lay a stumblingblock before them And they have a stumblingblock laid before them yet that shall be taken away by admonitions and if they will not heare when they are forewarned they shall perish for we may say that the Lord hath purposed their destruction as 1. Sam. 2.25 Notwithstanding they obeyed not unto the voyce of their father because the Lord would slay them Speaking of the sonnes of Eli. 4. Christ being ready to be taken up into Heaven his charge to Peter and so in him to all the Apostles and in them to all their successors which was his last charge as Augustine noteth 1. Feed my Lambes pasce agnos nieos 2. Pasce oves meas 2. Feed my Sheepe For the prospering of the Lords sheepfold dependeth upon the good feeding of the Lambes And thus you see that children are to be brought up in the feare of the Lord. The reason Reasons 1. There is a promise and stipulation in our baptisme that as soone as we could we should fall in hand with it as Prov. 6.4 When a man hath made a promise unto the Lord he is not to rest untill he hath performed it For though the naturall order be as Christ biddeth Matth. 28.19 first teach and then baptize yet in singular mercy to the children of the faithfull he hath granted this priviledge In primi◠annis dantur nobis magistri ut in nobis generent timorem Dei In our first yeeres Tutors are given unto us that they may beget in us the feare of the Lord. Piut. Sumptio virilis tagae non est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The taking of the robe of a man is not a casting away of the groundworke but a change 2. Pers first to be baptized therefore though we begin never so soone yet we doe it not in that order that it should be done Of this Nazianzen saith well let us not set that in no place because the Lord hath set it in the second place which should have been in the first 2. And Augustine he saith Quare adhibetur magister extrinsecus nisi ut sit magister intus Wherefore is there given unto us an outward teacher but that there may be an inward teacher But when we come to be men we cannot have this outward teacher ergo we are to endeavour as soone as may be to establish the inward teacher that is to direct us all our life long 3. For as much as the light of nature doth leade us thus farre that there is an aptnesse in children to vice ergo it is requisite that we take the advantage and apply their aptnesse to goodnesse for he that is able to say to Elizeus bald-pate is able to say to Christ Hosanna 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and I will instruct or catechise you Arg. A nomine probat tenuiter declarat concinnè he proves it from the name barely declares it properly English Latine followeth the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 catechising which seemeth to come of the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth repetere acuere to rehearse to sharpen in which two is contained the office of the Catechist and the catechized And as in the one so in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is included an iteration of a sound from whence our eccho commeth for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to sound the last syllable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to sound the whole speech after another Clemens defineth catechising to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What Catechising is an abridgement of Christian doctrine to be delivered to the youth The difference of catechising from preaching The differences betwixt catechising and preaching is in three things 1. Preaching is the dilating of one member of Religion catechising is a contraction of the whole 2. Catechising is to be delivered to the yong and ignorant preaching to all 3. Preaching exacteth no repetition catechising requireth repetition Whether the Scriptures may be abbreviated They may first from Christs example Abbreviating of Scriptures taught us of God 2. From Salomon Concerning that it is a summe here is a doubt whether such summes or epitomes may be made They may For proofe whereof see Matth. 22.37 where Christ draweth the whole Law into two Heads and John 3.16 Christ catechising Nicodemus contracteth the summe of the Gospell into one verse God so loved the world that he gave his onely c. 2. Likewise also Eccles 12.13 Salomon compriseth all that hee had said before in these two heads First feare God Secondly and keepe his Commandements for this is the whole duty of man 3. Practice of the Church It hath beene the use of the Church in all ages that it be not onely delivered to them but also required of them againe 3. Hebr. 6.2 The whole summe of Religion is drawne into repentance from dead works and faith in Christ This is also seene in other Sciences Physitians have their principles 1. Aphorisme commonly delivered in parva arte in the short or briefe art 2. Lawyers in their institutions their maximae Philosophers in their introductions their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chiefe sentences One calleth this sepes legis the fence of the law Clemens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fundamentum vel basis a foundation or pillar The fruit of this It is a limit to the whole Scriptures It teacheth us how to range our studies into method and order 4. The same in other sciences The fruit of catechising to what head we are to referre all our readings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thankes be unto the blessed God who hath made these things that are necessary short and easie to be understood and things not concise not necessary and difficult Seeing therefore things are drawne into such a narrow compasse they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without excuse that will not frame themselves to the knowledge of God being so easie and compendious In these places Catechising a short Gospell 2 Pet. 3.18 1 Cor. 14.20 Ephes 14.13 We are to proceed continually For as there are places where every Lambe may wade over so there are places also where Elephants may swim For wee shall never be free from Scrutamini Scripturas search the Scriptures 2.
them that lay hold of him fide non ficta with faith unfained and that not of our owne strength but in Christ and therefore it s called the covenant of faith and that with no losse for if a thing be taken away and a recompence be made by a better thing there is no taking away The reason of this second covenant is that if the first covenant had stood and Adam had remained in his owne strength he must needs have had some part of the honour for using it well and not abusing it when he might therefore that God might have the whole glory he suffered the first to be broken for God in creating required onely honour Therefore man fell For his fall he was to make satisfaction this was not to be performed but in Gods strength the grace of God preventing us and making us of unwilling willing and of unable able in that measure that God will require at their hands we have all our strength from God So that the first covenant i. Moses his Law being weake and unperfect standing on a promise in figure and curse without figure in truth the figure was performed in Christ the curse taken away by his death then when perfecta things perfect came imperfect a abiêre things imperfect were done away one Covenant of God maketh not any bond but onely in part that is the curse taken away by grace the ceremony by the truth of Christs and that which is fulfilled shall be taken in the Court of Grace not pleaded in the Court of Moyses that is in the sincerity of faith not in perfection of the Law 2. The first Covenant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was given the Law is said to be given by Moses but we had not hearts to receive it But this i. the Gospell not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was given but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per Christum was made by Christ The Law is changed The use of the Law not taken away by Christ his comming Math. 5.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thinke not that I am come to destroy the Law and the Prophets I am not come to destroy but to fulfill The order observed 1. By God himselfe with Adam nothing but onely the ceremonies are taken away by Christ his truth and the curse by grace So that the bond and observing of the Law is not taken away by Christ his comming but as he himselfe confesseth fulfilled as it is in Math. ch 28. vers ult 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you Therefore doubtlesse humbling commeth first which is by the Law The naturall order of the covenants the second brought in on the first This course of teaching by humiliation in letting us see what we are hath beene used from the beginning of the world from the practise not onely of the Apostles but also of the Prophets and of God himselfe 1. Gods owne proceedings on the violation of the first covenant After the transgression Adam remained till the evening in the experience or feare of the Law by hiding himselfe then first began the Law to goe upon him Vbi es Where art thou After he had told God what he had done Gods sentence proceeded Edisti igitur Thou hast eaten therefore presently after came the promise semen mulieris conteret caput serpentis the seed of the woman shall breake the head of the Serpent So you see first he called him forth 2. Man confesseth his transgression 3. Judgement of death passeth on him 4. After Christs is taught Secondly the same order tooke God after the flood when he taught Abraham Genes 17.1 2. By God after the flood Ambula mecum esto integer Walke with me and be thou perfect Integrity is the whole scope of the Law after is the Gospell taught So did God to the Patriarkes Moses in Deuter. i. In Lege iterata Genes 22.18 Acts 3.25 in repetition of the Law after the three first chapters in the fourth he beginneth to teach the summe of the Law unto the eighteenth There he telleth them that God would raise a Prophet among their brethren c. and so goeth on in delivery of the Gospell the same doth Stephen Acts 7.37 As in Moses so in the Prophets especially in Esay in his 39. first chapters he sheweth in grosse 3. By the Prophets though there be certaine promises intermingled the whole summe of the Law then the summe of the Gospell But more plainly in his first chapter from the beginning to vers 18. there is a bitter invective of the curse of the Law from thence to the end is the Gospell Come then if thy sinnes c. In the Psalmes Psal 1. nothing else but a recapitulation of the Law 4. In the Psalmes with the promises and curses thereto adjoyned The second Psalme of the comming of Christ and the Gospell 5. John Baptist Matth. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Generation of vipers who hath forewarned you Matth. 3.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The Axe now is put to the roote of the trees The Law Vers 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. I indeed baptise you with water The Gospell 6. Christ his owne order whose method is our instruction 6. By Christ Math. 23.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whosoever shall exalt himselfe shall be abased and he that shall humble himselfe shall be exalted Legis est humiliare the Law humbleth 7. By the Apostles First humiliation then exaltation There is no humbling but by the law and therefore it is called the humiliator 7. The practise of the Apostles as of Paul in his Epistle to the Romanes which is said to be the summe of all religion After the prooemium or salutation in the 17. first verses from the 18. verse of the first Chapter to the 25. verse of the 7. chapter he speaketh of the Law that all are condemned 1. Gentiles 2. Jewes 3. Unregenerate 4. Regenerate and includeth himselfe in From the first verse of the 8. chapter he delivereth the summe of the Gospell shewing in what covenant we are to looke to be saved This is for the warrant of practise In the forme of instructing the paterne of it is in Heb. 6. first repentance from dead workes 2. Faith in Christ And thus standeth the order 1. Repentance from dead workes 1. The Law Now the Law teacheth us three things 1. Praeceptum the Commandement i. what is required Lex tria docet hoc fac vives This doe and live 2. The transgression from the precept delict a quis intelligit who can understand his errours i. How farre we are gone from that which is required of us Psal 19.12 3. Morte morieris Thou shalt die the death the punishment what we are to looke for The Gospell likewise teacheth us other three things Euangelium 3 â—â—â—et 1. Ecce agnus Dei Behold the Lambe of God How we are
which is a greater miracle then any of the other so grant we must a miracle whether we will or no. Such were the Prophets and Apostles for they wrought such workes as no man else could worke seeing they came from God These warrant us that these men that is the Prophets and Apostles they came from God and God hath spoken to us by them Now whether we be able to performe these things Luke 1.37 with God nothing is impossible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both for his knowledge power and will for so he saith Mat. 19.26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with men this is unpossible but with God all things are possible and the reason is if it were not so there must needs be a want in his knowledge for every impotency it is for want of abilitie of knowledge but for his knowledge Heb. 4.15 all things are naked to him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. neither is there any creature which is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked and open unto his eyes For his Power Esay 59.1 his hand is not shortned it is able to reach to all and that we may see out of Numb 11.23 where God promising flesh enough for all the Host We see Moses his unbeliefe insomuch as he said Shall all the Fish of the Sea bee gathered together or all the Beasts of the Field come together and God saith ver 23. Is the Lords hand shortned thou shalt see now whether my words shall come to passe or no to thee The order Lastly for his Will that in Lament 3.25 The Lord is good to them that trust in him and to the soule that seeketh him A Father Scioposse scio scire cuperem velle I am perswaded of the Power and Knowledge of God but it is his Will I stick at 1. Faith Heb. 11.1 is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the substance of those things that are hoped for and the ground evidence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or demonstration of those things that are not seene Both words argue the great necessity of the Order of it If it be a substance it is to be handled first or if it be not the whole substance but the first part yet it commeth first to be handled For in totis ordinatis in all things where there is Order as Religion hath an order the first part dicitur substantia reliquarum is said to be the substance of the rest as the substance of an house is in the foundation of a ship in the sterne of a tree in the root Col. 1.23 it is compared to a Foundation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if ye continue grounded in the faith Col. 1.23 to a root 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rooted in the faith and there is a Shipwrack of our faith as 1 Tim. 1.19 and consequently it is compared to the sterne of Ship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Argumentum or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the first Principle Rom. 4.14 if the Law stand still in effect then faith is voyde and then the principle of Religion is denyed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 1 Cor. 15.17 If Christ be not risen then is your faith vaine making faith the first Principle And this for the Order Necessitas fidei There is a further thing to be considered in Faith that is the necessity of it That is necessary without which nothing can be done of a Christian man Faith is a diffused thing every where a Cor. 1.24 if we stand it is by Faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for by faith yee stand 2 Cor. 5.7 if we walke we walke by faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for we walke by faith and not by sight 1 Cor. 7.37 if we sit it is our seat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. he that standeth firme in his heart c. or Rom. 14.23 whatsoever we doe if we have not faith it is sinne and in this respect Faith is called mater obedientiae the mother of obedience because all duties arise out of it at every thing that it apprehendeth it bringeth forth a new Vertue Luther hath a saying and if it be taken in a good sense it is true That in Faith all the Law is fulfilled before we have fulfilled any part thereof or worke of it in act And therefore in regard of this great necessity it pleased God to cast away the great names of the jolly wise men of the world and Philosophers 1 Cor. 1.19 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. for seeing the world knew not God in the wisedome of God it hath pleased God by the foolishnesse of Preaching to save them that beleeve Prima â—â—x christians credo and to entitle his flock onely by the name of Faithfull And Eusebius Emissenus hath a good reason for it for the first word of a Christian is Credo I beleeve which maketh a Christian If we be not faithfull we are unbeleevers and God giveth us no other name then that he is contented to take to himselfe 2 Cor. 1.18 Fidelis Deus God is faithfull and his sonne Heb. 12.2 is in no other sense called Author fidei finitor fidei the author and finisher of our Faith 1. Tim. 3.1 4.9 his word is called Sermo fidelis a true or faithfull saying This inchoatio visionis is begunne in this life and performed by faith and in the same place 1 Tim. 4.6 Sermo fidei and Rom. 10.8 Verbum fidei the word of Faith Gal. 6.10 the Church is called the Houshould of Faith Jam. 5.15 Prayer is called the Prayer of Faith Rom. 4.11 the Sacraments are called the Seales of Faith The kingdome of Heaven being compared to a marriage So we see it goeth cleane through all duties * * * Every good duty in this life is an inchoation of the blessednesse in the life to come And not only this but also that which was said in knowledge may be said of Faith for knowledge is for faith That it is the beginning of our blessednesse John 20.29 the faith without sight blessed are they that see not The necessity of the Negative The reason of the necessity why it should be so punished for else woe make God a lyer and yet beleeve Hosea 2.20 there is a fit similitude to expresse this God likening the knowledge that we shall have to a Marriage and the knowledge that we have now to Espousing as the inchoation and certainty of marriage is in sponsalibus in true espousals When hands are given so our sponsalia espousals are in fide in Faith therefore it is said Mar. 16.16 that qui non crediderit condemnabitur he that will not beleeve shall be damned And as it is John 3.18 it is not differred but the sentence is gone on him Et quanto major tanto migis expetit the greater any one is the more tender is he of his word he is already condemned Then we may conclude
me tamen quid sum ego ad illum If he had but given me unto my selfe I could have given my selfe to him againe but when it commeth to this that I must recompence him for giving himselfe though I could give my selfe a thousand times yet what am I to make amends for that gift yet this is to our comfort that followeth there quod etiamsi non possum quantum debeo tamen non possum ulira quam possum sed si possem ulierius vellem and if I were able to render more I would be willing to doe it etsi minus reddo quia minor sum tamen quia tota anima ex se dilegit nihil deest ubi totum est although he can give but little that hath but little yet seeing it is the utmost power of the whole soule that is imployed in this love where the whole is there is nothing wanting and that is all that God desireth and we must labour to come unto it Now we come to that that is forbidden The Negative part 1. For the first Basil calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a disordered loveri whereas God should stand highest and nothing should be loved extra Deum beyond God when it is not so but we love other things more then God then our love is out of order and putteth all out of order It was said before that not onely the doing of evill but desertiâ— mediorum est peccatum the passing by of better duties is a sinne so here especially in the love of God it must be dilectio and that with a choyce and to make choyce of the abased creatures whether we doe as they that make their belly their God Phil. 3.19 or money Ephes 5.5 or 3. Epist Iohn 9. primatum gerere i. to bestow the first honour due to God upon himselfe here our love is out of order Pro Deo colitur quicquid prae caeteriâ— diligitur quia amoâ— meus Deus meus We make that our God on which we in a speciall manner place our affections Every man hath somewhat that he esteemeth above all and that is his Idol rather then his God and they are all of two sorts amor mundi or sui the love of the world or the love of himselfe August saith O si possemus excitare homines cum illis ipsi pariter excitari ut possemus esse amatores vitae permanentis quales quotidie videmus vitae fugientis O that we could stirre up the hearts of men and with theirs our owne to be as deeply in love with the things that concerne eternall life as we are with those which concerne that which is but transient and momentany There are Philosophers which say that the soule of man est in medio loco inter Deum creaturas hath a middle place betweene God and the creatures and a thing that standeth in the middest betweene two things cannot move to both but motibus contrariis by contrary motions certainely the soule standeth so in regard of the world and God and it cannot move to both but by contrary motions and because it is through the basenesse of originall sinne abased it liketh well of bodily things and because worldly things are neere at hand therefore we take them illis nos ingurgitamus and fill cur selves with them and so have no taste of heavenly things and as it is Prov. 27.7 Anima saturata calcabit favum the soule filled despiseth an hony-combe so when we crambe our soule with worldly pleasures we come to have no taste of God and consequently despise him therefore we must first jejunare and weane our selves from these And beside this amor mundi there is amor sui the love of ones selfe it is harder represt then the other and it is it that men are wilfully given to and till a great measure of the Spirit come into their hearts they will not ridde themselves and therefore as Prosper saith se amanies donantur sibi because they love themselves and lose Gods love and reward too Yet not so but that in this disobedience of our affection there be degrees the degrees they bee two 1. When a thing is loved more and above that it should 2. When it is preferred above God The first is a degree to the second for when men have tasted worldly things and are acquainted with baser things then nothing will have any taste with them but onely those and so many come to say with him in Plauius Malo me mulier ista plus amet quam dri so brutish are many in their heart and their doings proclaime it that they had rather have the favour of this man or this woman then of God 2. The second thing here forbidden is opposed to zeale commonly called stupor i. when we account of all alike as if there were no difference betweene good dealing and evill dealing God and Baal and we can beare both Aug. saith that this stupor To beare with sinners to beare with evill things is pejor omnibus vitiis of all vices the worst this God punisheth with other grievous sinnes for it is a speciall prejudice against the love of God 3. The third is more rare but yet in some which the Fathers call nauseam spiritus we may call it the hatred of God when thinking of God is a burden to them and dealers in good causes are odious to them and they are glad when they have not successe The case of these men is very perilous and it is the extremity of mischiefe that a man can come to in his life All these both of sirmative and negative are to be examined per contemptum non apsius by the contempt not of God himselfe for every man will say be is content to love God for his part but per contemptum legis ipsius by the contempt of the Law of God The state of God is as of an eâ—rthly Prince as in earthly Kingdomes qui diligit regem diligit lâ—gem so qui dilâ—git Deum diligit â—eâ—bum he that loves the King loves his lawes so â—e that loves God loves the word of God this was Davidâ— touchstone Psal 119.97 O how love I thy Law and ideo mandata tua dilexâ— qua â—xultatio cordis mei sunt therefoâ—e have I lov'd thy Commandements because they aâ—e the delight of my heart M◠〈…〉 Mâ—â—◠〈◊〉 love Now we will adde something of the Meanes What meanes soever there are that move men to love they are all reduced to these three 1. pâ—lchrum beauty 2. conjunctâ—m neerenesse 3. utile benefits 1. Beauty is of it selfe a meanes promâ—seuum argumentum it moveth love till we finde a deformed guest in a same house 2. Vbi ego meum illa trutina necesse est praepondeâ—et that must needs be the better end of the ballances that holds both me and mine 3. He is good because he doth us good and so consequently ipso facto he is good because we thinke that what
there is in us a nature like to the bow as in the bow if you bend it not forward it will backe of it owne accord and therefore it must be still thrust forward untill the string be in the very nocke 2. A 2. and a better is a marke Revel 2.19 of the Church of Thyatira there the Angell witnesseth that her last fruits were more then her first Psal 84.7 We must grow from strength to strength Ps 84.7 they shall bring forth more fruit in their age i. the true worshippers Blessed are they that dwell in thine house they will be alway prasing thee Phil. 1.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that your love may abound yet more and more Psal 92.14 they shall also bring forth more fruit in their age they shall be fat and well liking 3. For a 3. that may serve of the woulfe if we persevere then when the woulfe commeth 2 King 2.11 Elias was not afraid of the fiery charet If we feare not the fiery charet or the fiery horses it is the last if this make us not afraid then shall we have that spoken by God of us Job 2. which God saith to the Devill of Job What sayest thou now Satan for yet he continueth in his uprightnesse though thou movedst mee against him to destroy him without cause 6. Rule For procuring it in other We see Heb. 12.12 how it standeth us upon to strengthen our â—â—ke brethren that we be as to our selves so to others Act. 11.23 â—â—â—nabas and Silas exhorted all that with purpose of heart they would continue in the Lord. Act. 13.43 Paul and Barnabas spake to them and exhorted them to continue in the grace of God Act. 14.22 confirming the Disciples hearts and exhorting them to continue in the faith c. As contra Ezek. 34.4 not to provoke our brethren to leave to strengthen the weake not to bind up the broken nor to reduce the strayers is set downe there as the marke of evill shepheards and evill sheepe Joh. 19.30 as the receiving of the vinegar was Christs Consummatum est so perseverance is the consummatum est of the Christians Ezek. 9.4 so shall we have the sure marke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the last letter the letter of perfection the letter of endurance and continuance which whosoever have they shall not be slaine and they shall enter into the holy City And they that have it not shall be slain without pity So much for the first Commandement The II. Commandement Thou shalt not make c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Praecepti THE Commandements of the first Table are divided into such as concerne the worship of God either inward as the first Commandement or outward as the second third and fourth The outward is either continuall or for a time on a set day or either private and publike or publike onely That for one day and publike onely as the fourth Commandement The other continuall and private teacheth either the outward gesture In honore reverentia in gestibus as the second Commandement Or in praise which is exhibited in speech as the third Commandement Or else concerning the manner of worship in the second or the end as the third Commandement That part of outward worship which concerneth the manner of it and behaviour to behave our selves in all parts of the body and in externall signes is distributed into the Precept it selfe and the Sanction which is brought in by way of a reason v. 5. For I the Lord thy God c. And ye know in Princes Lawes and Statures after they have set downe those things that they command and that we should doe then they set this downe Qui secus faxit punietur He that doth not thus shall be punished And that is called Sanctio praecepti i. the part of the precept that toucheth the corrective part and sheweth how we shall be corrected that will not be directed by the precept The Precept is of two sorts for first either it prescribeth what manner of worship he requireth in respect of himselfe Thou shalt not make c. Or secondly how we are to be affected to him in that manner so prescribed Thou shalt not how downe c. That is as much to say as God will have his honour in outward worship but he will prescribe it himselfe And secondly he will require at our hands that unto that manner of him prescribed wee should every way behave our selves reverently So first he will have modum à se praescriptum And secondly he will have reverentiam exhibitam to that modus If we marke as the other precepts stand the other eight are very short This and the fourth may for their length be called Statutes containing a long summe of words and you shall see it was not without cause For an inward honour to be given to God all Lawes tooke some order for it as Solons Deos castè adeunto and then againe for the keeping of their oathes they were exact severe and strict So the Heathen they knew these two parts but they knew not the other two And for the second Table they are altogether exact in it the last excepted But the outward manner of Gods worship and the day of worship were things blotted out in the time of Gentility and were most grosly of all the rest transgressed Then it is because these were in especiall feare to be violated and ergo it is not for nothing that he useth such order in them For inward honour and keeping of the vow we agree with Turks and Pagans But this is it wherein we disagree the outward manner of worship and this makes the distinction betweene Christs Church and Satans Synagogue Let us come to the opening of the meaning of this Commandement Thou shalt not make c. And as all the rest so this standeth upon a Synecdoche under one generall comprehending all the rest The generall thing forbidden here is not the making of a similitude or graven Image but a farther thing set downe Col. 2.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Invented worship Will-worship devised by man Will-worship For the energie or force of the Commandement is in these words non facies tibi that is wee must not invent any thing whatsoever Non simulachrum non imago damnatur sed non facies tibi The invented or will-worship hath two things in it to allure us unto it they are both seene in the worshipping of Images First because it hath a shew of wisedome that a man should invent such an excellent thing When any man is thought to be wise that he may bee taken to devise a worship for God Secondly it hath a shew of humility that a man should not cast downe himselfe before God but before his Image and Angels c. as Paul setteth downe Col. 2.23 But if we so run it will make us lose our reward The affirmative part or generall thing commanded is set downe Heb. 8.5 cited out of Exod. 25.40
due advisement and reverence as Prov. 21.6 if it be Actio erroris an action of errour that is set against constancy though he have a good end yet if he doe not so stably as is said it is in vaine that is lightnesse if any come to take the name of God and if he be not res stabilis and he come not with due reverence there is another taking in vaine When it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebhel a light thing as smoke or chaffe and so fit to bee carried away with every blast 3. In respect of the Worke 3. Worke. in that there is a third vanity when a thing beareth a shew of that it is not this vanitas opponitur veritati this vanity is opposed to vertiy want of stability want of truth So Jer. 10.15 It is a vaine thing a thing of errour i. e. when the thing is taken from a Lie for looke what truth is in naturall things the same is truth in morall things If it want his justice in action it is vaine if it want his truth in affection it is vaine Of the two manners whereby the name of God is lifted up by us the one was as a burthen which is applied to the necessary use of it and being necessary it commeth first to be intreated off and handled I meane that taking of Gods name up by swearing by it wherein albeit God be not more nor so much glorified as in the other kind yet in regard of our necessary use of it the precept hath almost taken up the whole commandement as little mention of it For the duty As first for the necessity of it upon what occasion after this manner it is expedient that all controversies Heb. 6.16 and strifes should not be continued but have an end and this cannot be except one part have a confirmation above the other And for confirmation of these wee see God Gen 18.21 when he in his judgment will goe downe ut certò cognoscat to know it surely that he may proceed on a sure ground Now this proceeding where it may be had by argument or proofe it is best So if it can be as wee see the practise of Joseph to his brethren Gen. 42.20 this was his triall of their truth if they brought Benjamin Where Argument and reason wanteth there wee must come to witnesses which is the second course Deut. 19.15 where argument or proofe wanteth that the matter should be established in the mouth of two or three witnesses And because many times it falleth out that not only proofe but also witnesses want then as Numb 5.13 the man being in jealousy upon a suspition of his wifes adultery the woman not being taken in the very deed then as it is vers 19. shee shall sweare that shee hath not defiled her selfe This necessity as many times in regard of the action it is hidden so alwaies in these two respects it falleth out that when there is an assurance to be had de occultis cordium of the hidden secrets of the heart which cannot be knowne by any externall proofe Jer. 17.9 who knoweth the heart there is no knowledge of it And secondly when it is concerning things to come Eccl. 8.7 who knoweth that which is to come then commeth an Oath to men they cannot be wise because they cannot know what will come hereafter so for promises of these three cannot be by witnesse and argument any 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or confirmation had Now in regard of the secrets of a mans heart and of uncertaintyes in things to come here commeth in the division of Oaths Of secret things some are de facto past here is jus jurandum assertorium an oath of assertion some are to come and there jus jurandum promissorium an oath of promise Then when as the argument of a mans will and testimony of his mouth falleth out in these cases there is no way but to fly to God i.e. to make him a witnesse and not only a witnesse but a Judge and a revenger if he be called to an untruth for it is nothing els but calling him to witnesse In this place falleth the two parts of an oath according to these two First where God is called as a witnesse whether it be true Secondly the other where it is called forth as a Revenger if it be false The first is called sub Deo teste Contestatio a taking to witnesse so did God himselfe Numb 14.21 vivo ego as truly as I live so the Fathers in the old Testament began to use it Judg. 8.10 vivit Jehovah as the Lord liveth and so I shall see the effect of that I promise The second part Sub deo vindice this is called Execratio that is the curse of themselves if it be not true as he may well witnesse to it And againe Levit. 26. and Deut. 28. he taketh this order but this also in relation to that place where are all the threatnings of his revenge Sic faciat mihi Dominus addat the Lord doe so to me and more also if that they have not spoken the truth The first plague and the second it commeth in those termes God doe this to me and add this also So it is used by Ely 1 Sam. 3.17 God doe so to thee and more And when he is brought to this that he hath affirmed it and God is his witnesse and if God be called to an untruth that he hath desired against his soule then as in Greek it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an hedge or inclosure he hath hedged and inclosed himselfe with the truth of God and his judgement to performe it so in the part of the swearer he that hath sworne is holden as it were persistere in dicto praestare pollicita to persist in his saying and to performe his promise Now contrà in regard of the party to whom it is sworne it is called in Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a safety or satisfying which sheweth that he must be contented and satisfied and that he must be filled that is satisfied And therefore it signifieth to Sweare and to fill to Satiety and the Latin translation of Ierome pro jure habere that is now that I have promised I have bound my selfe to it even es it were done by a Law here is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an end of contention And so of the necessity of an oath and upon what causes oathes were first But our necessity is small except God have glory by it Then to apply this to the scope of Gods glory there commeth a great portion of glory to God in an Oath For first our rules of reason tell us that Nihil confirmatur nisi per certius there is no confirmation but by a thing more stedfast Then there is a great honour to God when Demonstration and all faile that his name should be Turris fortissima the most strong tower more certaine then all
Shall it not be good if peace and truth be in my dayes Tantum sit pax in diebus meis it makes no matter so long as there is peace in my dayes If that were taken away and a care were had of posterity so well as is in other things and order taken for the government there is no doubt but this must needs be seene that the observation of the Civill Law would be the better maintained by the observation of the Spirituall Law of God 3. The next is that for the maintenance of this there must be such places as where these kind of persons must be maintained Maintenancâ— that are for to spend their dayes in the ministery and for giving of oracles it is necessary that there should be order taken for education and so consequently for the education of such there ought to be institution of Schooles and Colledges As soone as the worship of God ceased in one familie in Egypt 1 King 4.31 that in Egypt these Ethan the Ezrahite and Heman and Chalcol and Darda the sonnes of Maholl foure men famous for learning and knowledge above all the rest they were raised by God Ethan as we read 2 Chron. was Judahs sonne by Thamar and the other three being his brothers children Mahols sonnes And as those were during the time of the captivity so Moses is said Act. 7.22 to have been brought up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all arts and sciences as in the Mathematickes Josh 15.15 before the Israelites comming into Canaan they came to a City called Debiroth afterward v. 49. made a City of learning it was called Debir their Oracle their places then were infinite greater then ours 1 Sam. 3.9 There were studies round about the Church to occupie themselves and 1 Sam. 10.5 there was familia Prophetarum a whole company of Prophets The first Colledge we read of there where the garrisons of the Philistines lay which the Philistines so reverently used that they passed to and fro by them and never endangered them 1 Sam. 19.18 that he himselfe built Naioth in Ramah i. the Beauty of Ramah and so consequently to the times of the latter Prophets 2 King 4.38 that Elisha had a great number of the children of the Prophets daily sitting before him and the very ceremony of powring water on Elias his hands is not pretermitted In 2 King 3.11 in the time of captivity there was Daniel and the rest afterward there was the magna synagoga called Sanedrim of the Greeke word corrupted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 After that as Philo Judeus reporteth De vita contemplativa concerning students in Alexandria in Egypt Act. 13.3 2.3 6.6 that there were Colledges in Jerusalem And lastly we may see Pauls good affection Act. 19.9 that disputed daily in the Schoole of one Tiranus and that which is above all 1 Tim. 4.15 that he should be altogether conversant in the studie of those things which cannot be except there should be a place And this doth shew plainly that there should be such a calling And as this is so is the next part of it that concerneth maintenance of these both Neh. 10.33 The covenant taken that they would take order for the Tenths which standeth alwaies as of a stipend so of free oblation For a set stipend 1 Cor. 9.7 the Apostle proveth it sufficiently and the Law of the Lord for the tenth part to the Levite to be of the same part of the commandement But the Apostle reasoneth thus that every man that laboureth for another must eate of the fruit of his labours He beginneth with the oxen first then he riseth to the souldier from thence to the spirituall Sower that it is nothing to bestow of the bodily harvest upon him that worketh in the spirituall harvest And for Tenths 1 Corin. 31. lesse then a tenth part cannot be by these reasons 1. By the annexing of it to the Priesthood of Melchisedek to whom Abraham gave Tithe of all that he had Gen. 14.20 Hebr. 7.2 2. Gen. 28.21 The promise of Jacob 1 Tim. 5.3 is made morall 3. Because the reason of it was not particular to the Jewes and therefore that to pay the tenth was not particular to them but lasted to us Num. 18.3 Lastly by Christs deniall Matth. 23.23 to the Scribes and Pharisees And the Apostles bidding to communicate all things with order Non est respicienda analogia ubi non habenda Come to oblations Oblation Deut. 26.19 God hath taken order hath made it free So the practise of the godly Samuel Abner Joab 1 Chron. 26.28 And after Salomons answer to the Rabbins In the opinion of the Rabbins that whosoever did so he did certainly and the answer made by Christ Joh. 12.8 He accounted it no defrauding the poore of that that was bestowed on him So likewise Pauls testimony Rom. 15.16 That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ toward the Gentiles ministring the Gospell of God that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable being sanctified by the Holy Ghost They are commanded Ezek. 48.14 not to sell nor change nor alienate their first fruits Levit. 5.25 Zach. 5.4 I will bring it forth saith the Lord of Hosts and it shall enter into the house of the theefe and into the house of him that falsly sweareth by my Name and it shall remaine in the middest of his house and shall consume it with the timber thereof stones thereof Because it is a booke against theft therefore it shall be in their families but it shall eate and consume that familie The signes are two first Esay 66. vers last save one Sâ—â—â—â— where he saith 1. The people shall be so carefull that they shall take order that from Sabbath to Sabbath from moneth to moneth they shall give of their owne From Sabbath to Sabbath all flesh shall come to worship before mee 2. Ex superabundanti If that day every nation be like mount Sion and every mans house be instar templi as a Church and the whole people every man be instar Sacerdotis as a Priest The last rule for procuring it in others 6 Rule plaine in the Commandement Thou and thy sonne c. example for families Job 1.5 and for the Common-wealth Nehem. 10.31 he would suffer no wares to be brought in Sabbato upon the Sabbath Contrary to all these is he whosoever he be that maketh many Sabbaths or holy-daies to his pleasure or that maketh no Sabbath as they of the Family but every day a Sabbath and so none If either we so account of it as the Pharisee Matth. 12. not to thinke it lawfull to do a good worke on the Sabbath or contra of we indeed do abrogate i. if either we be given to the meanes alone Ezek. 33.3 but never the better or contra if we thinke the meanes not to be esteemed Hos 6.6 or if we thinke mercie to be such that the knowledge of God is to be neglected and last for
quietly to learne to know Dan. 4.9 the civill estate and government thereof is compared to a huge tree under the shadow whereof c. and Esa 32.1 to a great Rock in the Wildernesse giving shadow and water And consequently Ier. 29.7 quoniam in pace ejus est pax nostra In the generall peace is every mans particular peace included therefore every man is bound to hang his weight upon it to establish this authority Hâ—n uâ— noted in three words Now this same is noted to us by three words in the Greeke for it is called 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 2.2 an excellencie of a gift when a man hath somewhat above others 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 13.1 a power 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tit. 3.1 principality There is an affinity betweene these three For first God giveth a man a gift and excellencie in the gift then a power a sword and then a place of government to exercise his gift in In this order we must marke sometime there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without the other two because there might be a choyce of them that have maximam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the greatest excellencie of gifts that they should be called up as Assistents and to doe good in private when it pleaseth God to cease a government 1. In this order the government is either of pater naturalis of the naturall father within a family And there be three governments Of the Wife Sonne Servant Of the Sonne it is plaine so of the Wife for he is pater familiae the father of his family whereof she is a part and of the Servant by that reason and 2 King 5.13 an example Naamans Servants call him Father 2. Father We come out of the family and then in patriam abroad into the countrey which is the people among which wee are borne And that is intituled with one of these names 2 Sam. 20.19 The woman of Abel saith that that City wherein they dwelled then had beene a mother in Israel because God committed the government first to the people themselves so Gen. 23. Abrahams curtesie and honour to all the people and Psal 58. to the whole people This company as it is to be honoured so it compromitteth and setteth over his honour to some party and thereby commeth it 1 Pet. 2.13 that he calleth the Magistrate humanam creaturam the ordinance of man and he did give them light to doe it But indeede magistracie is called mans creature to distinguish it from Gods creature against the Atheisticall contempt of the Ministery 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that will disanull or abrogate that which my selfe have enacted he doth make a Law against me and doth abrogate and disanull me First to consider that Divina creatura Gods Ordinance in the minister as it is solemne as he is to receive the Fatherhood 1 Cor. 4.15 Though ye had a thousand Schoolemasters yet ye had but one Father c. More the very Heathen Iudg. 17.10 Come and bee my Priest and my Father And because under this Ordinance of God is another the erecting of Schooles 1 Sam. 10.12 1 King 2.12 Elisha calleth Elias his Father when he was taken up into Heaven Phil. 2.12 Paul commendeth there their obedience unto him in this kinde And when the sonnes of the Prophets came from the hill one asked Who is your Father meaning Elisha And Acts 5.34 honour is attributed to Gamaliel he is counted honourable In regard of this Paul calleth his Scholler Timothy his sonne Come to the Magistrate which was first by man Exod. 18.21 Deut. 17.15 16 17. c. There are rules for making them Gen. 45.8 the man Ioseph was a Father unto Pharaoh in Egypt Iudg. 5.7 the woman Deborah a Mother in Israel and this honour was not to be given to the Supreme power onely but to every subordinate governour 1 Pet. 2.13 the division there is into the King and Governours sent by him so he that is Dux militiae a Captaine may be called Father of the Camp and whoso hath authority in any other sort may be so stiled that is set over others for the good of the publique so that rule in the Canons Quaeque res in conjunctione in every society that thing is to be taken and esteemed and preferred pro bono conjunctionis that makes for the publike good of that society as among schollers for learning he that hath that bonum most he that is most able to teach is fittest to rule for the honour of excellencie was not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neither principlity nor power Come to the other part when it is alone honour is to them due also and this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is of foure sorts 1. ratione annorum in regard of their age 1 Tim. 5.1 old men and old women as our Father and Mother 2. Inregard of some gift of wisdome and counsell so that hee bee able to direct others and to invent more then they that are above them so attributed to Iubal and to the inventors of instruments Gen. 4.20 3. In regard of a degree either in Church or Common-wealth Because that money is nervou politiae the nerves of policie therefore rich and wealthy men the land doe most esteeme And so to men of wealth she giveth a degree if they be called to Assemblies more then to others because in her neede she shall be more helped by them So Nabal for his wealth 1 Sam. 25.8 is called by David implicitè Father and to thy sonne David c. And it must be done no otherwise then in respect else if one should doe it Iam. 2.9 it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to have respect to persons 4. In regard of a benefit when he is able to doe another a pleasure as Iob. 20.16 hee had the honour that he did pleasure the poore Honour thy The duties first in generall after in particular The duty standeth in the 1. Action 2. Manner of the action So both to be handled And because certaine duties are reciprocall mutuall betweene supreiour and inferiour to avoyde needlesse repetition it shall be good to have spoken thus generally of them 1. The first then is love but in a higher degree then that that is due to every man therefore the name of it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a naturall affection either ascending from the Sonne to the Father or descending from the Father to the Sonne either naturally proper or by analogie The Apostle shewing what degrees this love standeth in expresseth it by this terme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is a common love and a peculiar love which we have with our friends and it is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it is in a more speciall degree and the want thereof Rom. 1.30 2 Tim. 3.3 is imputed as a great crime and it is a prophesie for the end of the world that then men shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
could say What accusation bring you against him Acts 25.16 Festus saith It is not the law among the Romans to condemne any man before his accusers come They that are able amongst you come down and I will heare them in this plea. Deut. 17.6 and 19.15 God would not have bloud shed at the witnesse of one man but either by his owne confession or he must be convinced by two or three witnesses And in regard of this as Chrysostome saith was Christs Act though he knew Iudas to be a thiefe yet because his theft was not manifest because he was sons damnatus condemned as guilty he did not cast him into prison the law would take no hold of him he did it so craftily and wilily So that judgement may proceed aright 1. He must be a subject borne 2. He must be lawfully convicted and so proceeding the law may proceed on him Where one side is broken the other will be broken too We see it by plaine experience that it hath alwayes happened i. if a Prince come once to spare a party that is guilty surely it will come to passe that he will put to death an innocent contra 1 Sam. 15.9 Agag and the chiefe of the Amalekites men appointed by Gods prescript to die were spared by Saul and 1 Sam. 22.18 he causeth an innocent company of Priests a whole City to be put to the sword contrariwise 1 King 20.42 Ahab first began by putting to death Naboth the innocent and afterward ibidem hee doth not kill Benhadad sed dimittit eum dignum morte but let him goe that was appointed to destruction therefore his life shall goe for his life For whereas clemencie is commendable in a Prince yet the rule and ground in Divinity is this As he must diminish that that is his owne arbitriment so the punishment set downe by the law he may not diminish but if the punishment be left to his arbitriment then he may alter it Now for increasings of punishments otherwise then God hath set downe Deut. 17.12 that in theft or in any other crime that is not capitall of its owne nature but with a contempt for theft mentis and an high hand elevata manus proterve petulanter lifted up both wickedly and saucily contemptus contempt which is ubique damnabilis every where damnable neglectus neglect onely is culpabilis culpable To the second case ut ante Ezek. 34.18.21 he hath a sword given him As he must have a pointlesse sword as the Lawyers call it whereby he seeth good rule kept amongst his subjects and taketh order that the grasse be not trampled by the fat Sheepe so he hath another sword which hath a point which they call gladium exteriorem against the Wolfe and that is warre The authority of bloud-shed in warre it being plaine 1 Sam. 25.28 quod praelians praelia Dei thou fightest the battels of the Lord therefore it should seeme that the Lord hath some battels to fight More plaine Deut. 20. where the whole order of warre and conditions are set downe in the second verse how they must goe to warre and how it must be enterprised The Priest shall exhort to fortitude vers 5. The Officers shall make a Proclamation of separation of those that goe out from those that tarry at home vers 10. When they shall come to any City to encounter with their enemies they should first offer them peace and vers 12. if they will not take it they should not spare them and vers 11. they have leave to take all the wood of the Countrey round about them to make them forts As in the law Gen. 9. for the Sword and the Gospel Mat. 26.52 doth not take it away and as Aug. saith very well 4. de civit Dei upon Luke 3.14 If it had beene unlawfull Iohn would have said to the Souldiers Abjicite arma deserite militiam throw away your aimes and forsake your colours but he saith offer injurie to no man accuse no man falsely and be content with your wages and so teacheth them their duty in warre and and doth not take it away therefore warre is lawfull Conditiones 3. liâ—iti belli That warre may be lawfull the common distinction is three fold to make it so 1. As the party must be a Magistrate in the one so in the other a Physitian both to wound and cure for the first here it must be done ex justa authoritate by lawfull authority Iudg. 1.1 After Ioshuahs death the people of Israel that could not goe out to warre till they had received authority from God they would first receive a lawfull guide And David 1 Sam. 17.37 untill Saul was made acquainted with his enterprise would not fight with Goliah 2. It must be a just cause and it is a patterne of just warre 1. to defend our selves 2. to resist others As Abraham Gen. 14.15 for the recovery of Lot in which respect he had a losse and injury he under-tooke it And secondly according to jus gentium one Nation hath power over another for an injury not for every light iniury and small but to revenge some notable course of injuries So it must be for weighty matters Iohn 22.12.13 for a matter of Religion as they thought and for civill matters Iudg. 20.23 that the whole multitude of the Tribes of Israel rose up to revenge the fact of the Tribe of Benjamin 3. It must be done with a right precept set downe Deut. 23.9 When thou goest out with thine hoste against thine enemies keep thee from all wickednesse that is the spoyle and the prey which was the end of them 1 Sam. 15.9 Ravening must not be our end and purpose but with this to flie evill And as Abigail said to David Quia praeliaris praelia Domini idcirco ne inveniatur apud te malum because thou fightest the battels of the Lord let no evill be found with thee see that no evill be found in thee Otherwise if there be not this we know what David said to Solomon of Ioab 1 King 2.5 that the bloud of warre stucke to his girdle and shooes therefore he willed Solomon to punish him Else if it be lawfull and thus qualified it is a vertue and it is a part of fortitude as in the other part of fortitude there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a reformation of justice so in this Christian fortitude whereby for our Countrey for our Church we are willing to hazzard our life 2 Sam. 10.12 propter pop nostrum urbes Dei nostri for our people and the City of our God A third thing depending upon these because as we said before necessitas est exlex necessity hath no law nay more then that necessitas dicit legem legi necessity imposes a law upon the law therefore in the case of necessity which we must take pro imprudente necessitate for unlook'd for necessity not imminent onely but pro termino indivisibili but even for that instant in that case
occupatio the treading of the foote or occupation that entitled every man to his first right And a second right There is a right in common and right in proprium propriety as right in common is prima occupatio the first possession when we seise upon a Countrey in which no body is or if it be terra derelicto a land given over whosoever is primus occupatur the first seisor on it hath the jus right of it And secondly of things immovable immobilium est praescriptio mobilium usurpatio there is a prescription of goods immovable an usurpation of the movable and there are two very good reasons for this 1. Because the Common-wealth doth marvellously respect terrenam pacem mutuall outward peace and doth looke to bloudshed and because infinite quarrels might arise out of this and men might forge evidences therefore to cut off this there is Praescriptio But the second hath more shew The Common-wealth saith this If any man neglect his owne right for that is our Maxime interest reipublicae ut quisque re sua recte utatur the Common-wealth is to have a care that every man use his goods aright if he neglect them that except the Common-wealth should take order for them they should perish the Common-wealth taketh order to punish him for his negligence and saith If he leave his ground without tilth so many yeares till such a prescript time he shall lose it And thus every one doth possesse his things in communi jure the common Law The jus proprium the right of propriety added to the second member that it is done ex jure belli by the law of Armes because the Magistrate hath gladium exteriorem he hath authority to punish any outward offence and him that doth it and so consequently persisting in his obstinacie may cast him out as Gen. 48.22 The inheritance that Iacob gave to Ioseph he had gotten it of the Amorite by his sword and bow jure justi belli by a lawfull waÌ„rre Now this proprium jus right of propriety ariseth thus For after a man is thus seised on any thing whether it be a publike possession or private he taketh it in 4. rights In jure pâ—oprâ—â— a man hath 4 â—â—â—hâ—s 1. Besides his Dominion and Lordship over it he hath usum he may use the thing as his horse to ride on 2. Eructum whatsoever commeth of the horse 3. Consumptionem the spending of it he may kill it 4. Alienationem the making of it from himselfe to another as selling or giving of it This had the Patriarch at the first Now according to these foure things commeth in jus proprium the right of propriety for having power to alienate he hath power to doe it either liberally and freely or illiberaliter as in debt I will set it c. or it shall goe for debt Now in this giving freely or otherwise he hath power to translate either the whole Dominion and likewise the property of it or nothing but the use of it or the usus fructus the profit of it and this either for a time or for ever See it in particulars When a man doth alienate the property and use and all of a thing liberally and for ever Dâ—nat without any consideration then it is called Donatio a gift or legacie and that is of two sorts either in a mans life or when he is a dying So he translateth the right of his succession at his death to his childe Now if he doe translate a thing liberally and but for a time Mutuum then it is called mutuum a loane he lendeth it but without consideration And if he translate not the thing but the use of it then it is commodatum borrowed to be used though commonly it be taken for that that is but for some particular use and then the end is named and this is first for the fruit so is alienation Contractus innâ—minatus Now secondly that that is called alienatio illiberalis in consideration it is called donatio illiberalis they commonly call it by the name of contractus innominatus and that is of three sorts 1. Do ut des 2. Do ut sacias 3. Facio ut des These contracts innominate are not unusuall in these dayes For lightly every contract we make falleth into one of these Of them the first is a kinde of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. I let into your hands such a Farme on the condition that you husband it and in regard of the properties give me thus much 2. And of the second feoda fees for homage when for service something is given 3. The third they call contractum civilem a civill contract Now then for Do ut des The old order Permutaâ— when men beganne to bee weary of liberality the first brood of it was permutation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which now is referred to two kinds either money for money and that is called cambium exchange or else it is that they call Bartering Cambium Bartering when one thing is given for another out of money and this is where there is percommutatio Now where it is pecuniae pro re or rei pro pecunia money for goods or goods for money there commeth in two for where is commutatio rei pro pecunia an exchange of goods for money it is emptio buying Emptio Venditio the contrary nummi pro re the change of mony for goods is venditio selling Which is divided either into negotiationem whole sale or by parcels retailing And this is in the alienation of the thing it selfe Then besides this alienatio usus rei making away the use of the goods and that illiberalis illiberally too not of the thing wholly Condâ—â—â—â— but of the use of any thing separated from the propriety and that if it be usus rei pro pecunia hiring if pecuniae pro usu rei then locatio Lâ—catiâ— letting And out of this groweth another that is distrustfulnesse because sometimes wee will let one have the use whereas yet wee dare not trust him with the property of it and so consequently there groweth another contract out of this the contract of words and writings of pawnes of pledges and suretiship In regard of words if he be content with his bare word in regard of him that requireth it Stipulatio Sponsio it is called Stipulatio in regard of him that giveth it Sponsio If it be in writing these are proles humanae perfidiae if he be content with his owne writing alone it is called Chirographum Otherwise Chirographum Syngrapha if wee have other mens hands with him then it is called Syngrapha If it be Rei reall then it is either in regard of some oath Cautio and then it is Cautio or for the recovery of some thing received and then it is either moveable and that is Pignus or immovable as lands Pignus and they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If it be personall then either in warre 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Obsides Predes Vades Fidejussores Ex promisse and they are hostages Obsides or for a publike condemning of a Common-wealth and they are Predes or in a criminall cause Vades or else in a matter of money of debt fidejussores If he enter a band if there be but his bare word they call it ex promisso They adde to this the contract of Depositum and that they call Fiduciare while a man liveth Fiduciare or when he dieth But I cannot see how Depositum can be a contract Now to the appētite it selfe how that stands affected in regard of this object and then as it falleth either in his order or in his manner and measure In his order thus that whereas there be two things that a mans desire is carried unto 1. The enjoying of the end it selfe 2. Of those meanes quae tendunt ad finem which conduce to the attaining of that end There must be as Aristotle a division out of the faculty a double desire duplex amor and double love and double concupiscence because there be two things and one is greater then another 1. wherewith we desire the last fruition and another whereby we seeme appetere to long after that that doth further us to the end Then whereas the end is greater so the love of it must be prior major both timelier and greater then the other love of which the object of this is one Then this is that which we hold first that as in the ministring of medicine to the body there is a certaine quantity and measure which if it faile it purgeth not all the humour if it be more it purgeth all the humour and somewhat else that it should not purge So in the affections and appetites of the soule there is in some a desire of these things yet mixed with some defect neglect then is no regard c. And in other some there is such an excessive desire that either they are affected to worldly things more then they should be or so that they can be content to forget their duty as Heb. 12.16 hee saith hee would not have one to be as Esau to forget his birthright his blessing that God bestowed on him for a messe of pottage or meate therefore it is expedient that we take the measure it selfe first and that we must beginne after this order 1 Tim. 6.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And having foode and rtiment let us be therewith content A contented minde that if it please God to bestow no more on us then these yet we stand contented The reason is because wee see that God hath created poore men and rich as having plenty of spirit so plenty of wealth he might have made all rich the reason that hindered this was as Ambrose saith that as the rich might have praemium benignitatis the recompence of their bounty so that he might crowne the poore man cum mercede patientiae So saith Sol. Prov. 22.2 And therefore every man is to stand contented if he will to call him higher adding no cares which may breed noysome lusts thus must he stand because it is Gods good will and pleasure and then 2 Cor. 8.15 out of Exod. 16.18 he that gathereth much hath nothing over and he that gathereth a little hath nothing lesse when he dieth therefore making this the first part of measure not to seeke to rise otherwise then God will And then secondly that it is lawfull Prov. 6.8 to gather in Summer for the time that is to come by honest meanes and with a sober minde And then thirdly that he seeth his houshold increase as when Iacob saw the Patriarchs increased in his house Gen. 30.30 we see what care he tooke for them When shall I travell for mine owne house c. So this desire and care he may have of them that pertaine to him being alwayes limited with the former conditions Prov. 5.15 that he may drinke out of his owne Cisterns i. that he may have of his owne 2 Cor. 12.13 that he may not be chargeable to others and as Sol. ut habeat fonies qui deriventur foras us tamen juste Dominus eorum sit the meaning is that he may be liberall to others and yet have to suffice himselfe that he may have to pay his ditrachma Exod. 30.12 to helpe the Church and Matth. 22.29 the Common-wealth and 2 Cor. 8.12 that he may have whereby to do good to poore Saints as Eph. 4.28 to have for himselfe and to give to them that need Thus far if the meanes be kept and a sober minde the measure is kept Now if he goe beyond this 1 Tim. 6.10 then beginneth the roote of this 1. he murmureth at another in regard that he hath a better condition Exod. 16.3 They would have tarried in Egypt still We will go to Egypt againe They preferred the life in Egypt before the life in deserto in the Wildernesse First the life by the flesh-pots before Gods service And secondly a disquietnesse also after that Mat. 6.31 Quid comedam quid bibam quid induam what shall I eate what shall I drink wherewithall shall I be cloathed And that carefulnesse the rich have Luke 12.17 the rich man reasoneth with himselfe and so the third out of these it breedeth a neast of horse-leaches a worme with lingua bisulca a forked tongue crying Affer affer unde habeas nihil resert sed oportet habere bring bring it is no matter how or whence you have it for have it you must upon these three standeth this suppuratio concupiscentiae the Impostume of lust Now for the making of subactum solum of the ground and soile meete as Tit. 2. the taking of an estate above our proportion hee that will beare a bigger saile then he is able to carry cui plus opus est then he needeth then he falleth unto unlawfull practises then is hee a fit soile for the Devill to cast in his seed and he moveth him to stealth and the provocation and allurement Luke 15.13 he setteth downe that the prodigall sonne fell upon a riotous company of wasters sic dissipavit suum patrimonium and so wasted his substance If a man follow such company it will set him supra analogiam above his allowance He must spend lawfully and orderly and then as Prov. 1.12 he will speake as they speake 1. The breaking forth of this is in icterum into a Jaundise we have examples 2 King 21.2 of Ahabs eye because he saw a thing that served for his turne though hee had enough he could never be well till he had it and when he could not by right he got it by wrong and by the bloud of an innocent man And the foamings out at the mouth there be many set downe by the Heathen man and Menander is full to that purpose out of the booke of the Preacher and of Wisdome If a man had
must not thinke when they come to buying and selling that they come to a spoile but avoid that dispraising and abjecting of wares Prov. 20.14 Malum est malum est it is naught it is naught but yet afterwards when he is gone he boasteth of his peniworths Amos 8.6 We must not sell the needy for shoes which when they come to expound they can interpret no otherwise then that needy men which must needs have money they will wring them so hard that they shall have little or nothing for their wares Micah 7.2 calleth it a net this ought not to be Levit. 6.5 Ps 15.4 Prov. 24.4 if he adde an oath fraudulenter he saith if beside deceiving he adde an oath he shall never recall though it be to his owne harme 1 Pet. 2.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lay aside all guile Come to theft without the Contract Theft without the Contract it is done as before 1. By a reach beyond our brother Stellionatus 2. Illo nescio he not knowing of it After it divideth it selfe into sartum domesticum it is Tit. 2.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fâ—â—â—tion dâ—â—â—siâ—â—â—â— intervertere when as they turne something into their owne purse when the servant beguileth the Master or the Steward him whose Steward he is or if not onely a Steward or servant but a Disciple we see it was Iudas his fault Iohn 12.6 he did privily divert out of the bagge to his owne spending this is surtum domesticum houshold theft or theft within dores 2. To this they adde servos sugitivoâ— fugitive servants because the servant is a part of his Masters possessions there is a detraction of somewhat from the possession for he detracteth himselfe and so diminisheth it Philem. vers 12. Though Paul could have found in heart to keep Onesimus yet he sendeth him back he would not be so bold knowing he was none of his And not onely this but when they waste their goods Luke 12.45 when they eate and drink and Deut. 21.20 he is a riotour and drunkard the same is applied to the sonne if he eate and drinke with sinners Without the family 1. Without me â—ands it is either of a thing 1. Consecrated and that is sacriledge 2. Prophane Of a thing consecrated Levit. 15.15 there is a law for it Rom. 2.22 he matcheth it with idolatry for he saith Thou that abhorrest Idols committest thou sacriledge For we see that the holy Ghost Iudg. 9.4 marketh there Abimelech for taking our silver out of the Temple of the Idoll and Dan. 5.2 the alienating of sacred vessels it did procure the great and mighty hand-writing This ought not to be if a man convert to his owne use or divert from a sacred use to a profane In profane In profane things they are either 1. publike 2. private Publike 1. Publike and that is peculatus when a thing is the Common-wealths or stolne è loco publico è balneo balnearii sures from out of a publike place out of the Bath theeves that stole the clothes of such as were bathing to these may be added those that receive publike wages and convert it to their own private use such as the Priests 2 King 12.5 he saith the King gave straight charge that they should bring in their halfe shekel for the repairing of the Temple and that the Priests should receive it They brought it in but there was no reparation done by the Priests Then another order was taken he provided a chest with an hole in the corner of it and in that it was put in 2. Private and kept And if we consider it of private things Then it is divided into furtum Personale of things living 1. Men. 2. Beasts Reale of things not having life Personall theft Theft of men is called Plagium and the theeves Plagiarii Exod. 21.16 was punished with death if the party were found or Deut. 24.7 if he were but about it it was death And the Apostle 1 Tim. 1.10 he continueth and is of the same minde and with this hee coupleth Iudas his sinne for betraying a person for money Matth. 26.15 there is not out-right selling of him 2. Then if it be of beasts it is called Abigeatus and the men Abigei drivers away of cattell as the Sabees and Chaldees Iob. 1.15.17 Exod. 22.1 Reale furtum of things that have no life of raiment Reall 〈◊〉 money c. and there is an order taken Exod. 22. in every respect for all these Aggravation of theâ—â— The aggravation of these This addeth Gods curse and maketh the theft grievous Exod. 22.21 22 23. First if we vexe or trouble or take away from fatherlesse stranger or poore neighbours for they will crie it is a crying sinne And if they once crie I will surely heare them Deut. 24.17 he forbiddeth that there should be any pledge taken of the widow And Iob 24.3 he saith Whosoever he be that driveth away the Asse of the fatherlesse and taketh away the widowes Oxe and Prov. 23.16 Whosoever he be that entreth on the field of the fatherlesse he shall be sure to be punished and visited with the fierce wrath of God Enclosing 〈◊〉 commâ—â—â— Now then partly here and partly before commeth in the enclosures of Commons For as when regions were first seised upon when as the first partition was made each man had his peculiar lot distinct like that of Caleb Iâ—sh 14.13 14. and so became their inheritance so there was a consideration had of Gods protestation that alwayes there should be poore and so there was left unto them a division of lands in common to live upon And for these Deut. 19.14 there is an order taken that they shall not be removed because all the parties are not there present they cannot alienate their right because they that shall be borne cannot meddle in it the poore from all beginning to all ending and yet all that have interest in it cannot and Deut. 27.17 the whole congregation curseth them that doe it Prov. 23.10 and 22.28 there is Solomons censure Hose 5.10 he saith there when he would compare them with as odious a comparison as he can Thy Princes are like them that remove the land markes and how odious this was may appeare from their setting up every where of Meta Terminica their usuall bounder the violent transgression or usurpation of which is by Micah 2.2 exclaimed against And not onely these but Iob that was without the Law of God yet he seeth it and detesteth it chap. 21.2 And this for unjust getting of goods In the act of theft we respected the double use of the gifts of God and first before the use the getting of them called by the Philosopher generatio pecuniae And in the unlawfull getting of them we divided the whole company of unlawfull meanes into 1. furtum by deceit 2. Rapinam by violence They are distinguished by Nazianzen thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is manus injecta the laying
wills are faine to do it Therefore our rule in this behalfe is that we do Gods will not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 9. but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 3. not grudgingly but cheerfully from the heart accounting it our meat to do the will of our heavenly Father Joh. 4. Secondly for the Elevation it is true that the qualification is signified by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and our prayer is that we may do Gods will as it is done in heaven but not as much with like readinesse of mind but not in like measure for that is impossible for earthly men wee desire to fulfill Gods will in the manner but not in the same degree of obedience which may be expressed by the words Image and likenesse Gen. 1. Our obedience may be the likenesse of the Angels but not the Image The Character or Stampe of the Angels obedience is that which is equall in proportion but such obedience is not to be found there may be a beame of it answerable in likenesse and quality not in quantity so in likenesse we are Conformes imagine Christi Rom. 8. and beare the image of the heavenly Man 1 Cor. 15. as endeavouring thereunto but yet we cannot attaine to it But albeit it is hard for flesh and blood which our Saviour required Be ye perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect Matth. 5. yet there is an use of such precepts first ut feramur ad perfectionem that we may be led on to perfection Heb. 6.1 Secondly we must have an Heroicall and free spirit Psal 51. which may stirre us up to wish that wee could do more then we can which consists of Aspiration and Suspiration We must aspire to the greatest perfection with David Concupivit anima mea My soule hath lusted to keepe thy righteous judgements for ever Psal 119.20 And O that my waies were so directed Psal 119.5 This is an Angelicall perfection which we cannot attaine unto in this life therefore we must suspirare when we consider that the Law saith Thou shalt not lust and yet find that wee do lust we are to sigh and say with the Apostle Who shall deliver us from this body of death Rom. 7. If we find that we cannot love our God with all our heart and soule as we ought then to say with the Prophet Vae mihi quia prolongatus est incolatus meus in terra Wo is me that my dwelling is prolonged in the Tents of Kedar Psal 120.5 We must desire to do more then we can and grieve that we cannot do so much as we ought that as we do what we can so what we cannot do we should supply it Voto desiderio animo with our hearty wish desire and mind Thirdly the supplication is of two sorts Reall and personall Touching the first as the grace of God is multiformis gratia 1 Pet. 4. So the will of God being one is of many sorts and containeth divers particulars therefore as we generally pray that the will of God may be done so when by the word of God wee understand what is the will of God in particular we are to desire no lesse that it may be performed This is the will of God even your sanctification 1 Thess 4. Therefore our desire must be that this will of his may be done and fulfilled in us This is a speciall remedy against the tēptations of the flesh which oppose themselves against Gods will There is another will of God for patience for he would have us suffer for Christs sake without murmuring that so wee may stop the mouthes of ignorant men 1 Pet. 2.6 Therefore we are to pray that this will of God also may be done in us As Joseph was carefull to do Gods will touching sanctification and Job to obey Gods will in suffering patiently both which are now Saints in Heaven so must wee after their examples be both holy and carefull and patient It may be we are willing to obey Gods will in particular but we will say Nondum venit hora it is not yet time Therefore we must learne to practise the Prophets resolution I made hast and prolonged not the time to keepe thy Law Psal 119. When God revealeth his will to us we must presently put it in practise and as Saul did Act. 9. and not counsell with flesh and blood and this is the reall application The persons to whom the doing of Gods will is to be applyed are not onely the whole earth which is also to be wished as the Prophet sheweth Set up thy selfe O God above the heaven and thy glory above all the earth Psal 57. But the earth or land wherein we dwell as the Prophet speakes that glory may dwell interra nostra in our land Ps 85. So we pray that Gods will may be done in all lands but especially in our land and country that so he may bestow his blessings upon it but yet we are every one of us particularly to apply to our selves for to man it was said by God Terra es Gen. 3. To man it was said Earth earth earth heare the word of the Lord Jer. 22. So we desire that Gods will may especially be done and fulfilled in that part of the earth whereof God hath made us that is that in these our earthly vessels which we carry about with us we may be carefull to do that which God requireth at our hands THE THIRTEENTH SERMON Give us this day our daily bread OUt of the words of our Saviour in the sixth of Matth. vers 33. wee have elsewhere set downe the order of these three Petitions which concerne our selves for the first is the Petition of Glory and of Gods Kingdome which our Saviour willeth us to seeke in the first place The second is the Petition of Grace and of Gods righteousnesse wherein we pray that Gods will may be done The third Petition tendeth to this end that as the Prophet speakes God would not with-hold any temporall blessing needfull for this life but that he would give us all things that are necessary for us The things pertaining to Glory for which wee pray in the first place are Eternall those that concerne grace are Spirituall and the blessings of this life which we desire may not be with-held from us are naturall and temporall This is Natures prayer for not onely we but all creatures above and beneath make the same suit to God by the voyce of Nature the ravens of the aire call upon God that he would feed them Ps 147. The Lyons beneath roaring for their prey do seeke their meat at God Psal 104.21 and therefore no marvell that wee in as much as we are creatures do seeke to God who is the God of Nature to supply the defects of nature that we find in our selves as other creatures and yet there is a difference betwixt us and them for they call upon God onely for corporall food that their bellies may be filled but
the prayer that we make for outward things is not without respect to things spirituall and this Petition followeth upon the other by good consequent and order for as the Heathen man saith Haud facile emergunt quorum virtutibus obstat Res angusta domi So wee shall be unfit to seeke Gods Kingdome and to do his will unlesse we have the helps of this life Therefore we desire that God will give us the things of this life those things without which wee cannot serve him that as wee desire the glory of his Kingdome and the grace of his Spirit whereby we may be enabled to do his will so hee will minister to us all things for the supply of our outward wants in this life the want whereof hath beene so great a disturbance to the Saints of God in all times that they could not goe forward in godlinesse as they would Abraham by reason of the great famine that was in Canaan was faine to go downe into Egypt Gen. 12.7 The same occasion moved Isaac to goe downe to Abimelech at Gerar Gen. 26. and Jacob to relieve his family in the great dearth at this time was faine to send his sonnes the Patriarchs into Egypt to buy corne Gen. 42. The children of Israell when they wanted bread or water murmured against God and his servants Exod. 16. Numb 20. the Disciples of our Saviour were so troubled in mind because they had forgotten to take bread with them that they understood not their Master when he gave them warning to beware of the leven of the Scribes and Pharisees Matth. 8. So the want of outward things doth distract our Saviour were so troubled in mind because they had forgotten to take bread with them that they understood not their Master when he gave them warning to beware of the leven of the Scribes and Pharisees Matth. 8. So the want of outward things doth distract our minds and makes us unfit for Gods service Therefore that we may in quietnesse of mind intend those things that goe before in his prayer our Saviour hath indited us a forme of prayer to sue to God as well for things temporall as spirituall and eternall for it is lawfull for us to pray for them so that we do it in order The first Petition that the naturall man makes is for his daily bread but our care must be first for the Kingdome of God next for the fulfilling of Gods will and doing that righteousnesse which God requires at our hands and after wee may in the third place pray for such things as we stand in need of during our life This blessing the Fathers observe out of the blessings which Isaac pronounced upon his sonnes Jacobs blessing was first the dew of heaven and then the fat of the earth shewing that the godly do preferre heavenly comforts before earthly Esaus blessing was first the fatnesse of the earth and next the dew of heaven to teach us that prophane persons do make more reckoning of earthly commodities then of heavenly comforts Gen. 27.28 and 39. Therefore in regard of the Spirituall account we are to make of Gods Kingdome and the doing of his will we are to wish them in the first place and then Davids Unam petii à Domino One thing I have required of the Lord Psal 27. And that which Christ saith to Martha Unam est necessarium one thing is needfull Luk. 10. would bring us to Salomons two things Prov. 30. Give mee not poverty nor riches but feed mee with food convenient for mee lest being full I deny thee and say who is the Lord or beeing poore I steale and take the name of my God in vaine And that is it which wee are bold to do by Christs owne warrant for he hath taught us first to pray for his Kingdome then for the working of righteousnesse or for the doing of Gods will and lastly for daily bread If we do first pray for the two former then we may be bold in the third place to sue to God for the latter for he hath promised to with-hold no good thing from them that lead a godly life if the doing of Gods will be our meat then Requiem dedit timentibus se He hath given rest to them that feare him Psal 111. In the Petition we are to observe from sixe words sixe severall points first the thing that we desire that is bread secondly the attribute our bread thirdly daily bread fourthly wee desire that this bread may be given us fifthly not to mee but nobis to us sixthly hodie and as long as we say hodie to day Heb. 3. To beginne with giving hitherto the tenor of this prayer ran in the third person now we are to pray in the second saying Da tu whereupon the Church hath grounded a double dialect of prayer which comes all to one effect for that which the Church prayeth for Psal 67. God be mercifull unto us and blesse us is no lesse a prayer then if we should say in the second person Miserere nostri O Lord be mercifull to us and blesse us and that which is added and lift up his countenance is all one as if the Church speaking to God should say Lift up the light of thy countenance This change or alteration of person proceedeth from the confidence which the Saints are to gather to themselves in prayer for having prayed for the sanctifying of Gods name for the accomplishment of his Kingdome and for grace and ability to do his will Christ assureth us that we may be bold to speake to God for our owne wants Out of the word of Giving we are to note three things first our owne want for if we had it of our selves we would not crave it of God this confession of our want and indigence is a great glory to God that all the inhabitants of the earth usque ad Regem Davidem to professe to say Give us Psal 40. I am poore and needy but the Lord careth for mee they do professe themselves to be his beggers not onely by the voyce of nature which they utter for outward things as other unreasonable creatures do but by those prayers which they make for the supply of grace whereby they may be enabled to do Gods will so that not onely regnum tuum is Gods gift but also panem nostrum we acknowledge to be his gift It is from God from whom we receive all things as well the good givings as the perfect gifts Jam. 1.17 he is the author not onely of blessings spirituall but of benefits temporall he gives us not onely grace to obey his will but as the Prophet speakes dat escam Psal 104. The idolatrous people say of their Idols I will goe after my lovers that give mee my bread and my water my â—oyle and my wine but God saith after It is I that gave her corne and it is my wine and my flaxe and my oyle Hos 2.8 Ipse dat semen sementi panem