sheweth their exercises Apollog 2. Iustinus Martyr nameth the same daye and sheweth the workes Ignatius against some that being Christians woulde retayne the Iewish Sabaoth saith in plaine tearmes Wee celebrate no longer the Iewish Sabaoth but euerie one that loueth Christ kéepeth nowe holie the Lordes day being honored with his resurrection The like witnesseth Augustine Cyrill and euen all antiquitie And therefore though wee sée not the verie time definitely named when this Sabaoth was chaunged yet we sée it was by the Apostles in their times and therefore hath credite ynough Nowe the holy Church of Rome that would by this alteration made by this primitiue and pure Church chalenge authoritie and libertie to chaunge and doe what they list surely wee must denie their consequence till such time as they bréede in vs by good proofe that credite of their spirit that wee haue and ought to haue of the Apostles that made this alteration of the Sabaoth from Saturday to Sunday Que. This satisfieth mee for my part touching the alteration of that which was but ceremoniall in this commandement namely the day and the precise rest in it neither can it bee otherwise than absurd for any false Church onely vnder a title and an vsurped name of a Church to chalenge authoritie to doe matters both contrarie to pietie and comelinesse because the true Church of God hath doone what was most agreeable to them both But now as I see the bond vnto any particular day only to such strict rest in the same as the Iewes obserued is taken away by Christ so yet see I what is morall remaineth namely a day in seuen and a certaine rest in the same Wherefore I desire aswel to know the reason of the remaining of the one as I haue the cause of the abrogation of the other and therefore first I pray you why haue wee still yet a Sabaoth and shall haue till the ende of the world and secondly what rest and exercises are therein required Ans The ends of the remaining of a Sabaoth yet still in the Church of God are chiefely thrée First that we might haue a kinde of resemblance and forme of our eternall rest from sinne in the kingdome of God Secondly that by this meanes seruants and cattle might bee prouided for against the cruell gréedinesse and vnsatiable couetousnesse of some maisters and owners And lastly that Ecclesiasticall discipline some estate of a Christian common wealth in performing to the Lorde ioyntly together demanded dueties might this way be established Que. Of euerie one of these I pray you seuerally Maister N. for more plainenesse and first what is that spirituall rest and sanctifying of the Sabaoth which layeth before vs a resemblance of eternall rest Ans That is when resting from worldly businesse and from our owne workes and studies wee yéelde our selues wholly to GODS gouernaunce that hee may doe his worke in vs when as the Scripture tearmeth it we crucifie our flesh wee bridle the froward desires and motions of the heart restraining our owne nature that we may obey the will of God For thus doing our Sabaoth day here vppon earth shall most aptly expresse a figure and likenesse of the eternall and most holie rest which wee shall for euer enioy in Heauen Yet euer must wee knowe that these thinges are not to be doone onely on the Sabaoth but euen all our life long euerie daye of euerie priuate man and this one day is appoynted chiefely aboue the rest for our negligence and weakenesse sake only without which such appointment it is greatly to bee feared some woulde neuer doe it Que. And is this spirituall resting from sinne in deede necessarie in euerie one that will as he is bounde sanctifie the Sabaoth Ans Surely it is euen so necessarie as that without this all our other resting putting on our better apparell going to the Church hearing seruice c. is nothing but euen abhorred of God and detested This is a great matter if wee had grace to consider of it yet nothing but plaine open scripture For what saith the Prophet Esay Blessed is the man that doeth this Esay 56.2 and the sonne of man which layeth holde on it he that keepeth the Sabaoth and polluteth it not and keepeth his handes from dooing any euill Sée what it is to kéepe holy the Sabaoth in the iudgement of the Prophet euen to kéepe our handes from dooing any euill that is to cease from sinne and our owne wayes Againe the same Prophet in another place Esay 58.13 If thou consecrate the Sabaoth as glorious to the Lorde and shalt honour him not dooing thine owne wayes nor seeking thine owne will c. And in his first Chapter also Esay 1.13.14 I cannot suffer your newe Moones nor Sabaothes nor solemne dayes it is iniquitie nor solemne assemblies my soule hateth thē c. And why so The reason foloweth in the next wordes For your handes are full of bloud that is you abstaine not from sinne remaine still in auarice deceite crueltie extorsion and such like which as long as you doe howsoeuer you séeme to sanctifie the Sabaoth I abhorre you and your dooings And then followeth notably a description euen of this spirituall rest Wash you make you cleane take away the euill of your workes from before mine eyes cease to doe euill learne to do well seeke iudgement releeue the oppressed iudge the fatherlesse defend the widow c. Many other such places are there Que. Now I pray you of the seconde end and vse of the Sabaoth a little also Ans That was and is as hath béene said in regard of seruants and the brute beasts who are to haue mutuall rest frō their trauel which yet some cruel vnsatiable wretched misers woulde hardly haue graunted had not God instituted this day both for man and beast to rest in This that I say is euident in the words of this law and therefore it néedeth no further proofe But let vs thus profit by it First it doth woonderfully shewe the goodnes of God who neglecteth nothing that he hath made but carefully prouideth for the welfare euen of brute beasts O faithlesse hearts if wee can doubt the goodnes of our God to vs when we here before vs sée his care for those creatures whō he hath made vs lords of Secondly it well teacheth vs what nature pietie and charitie requireth at our hands touching our seruauntes and Cattell Nature saieth Quod caret alterna requie durabile non est What wants his mutuall rest and ease still tost in paine and strife Can not continue long that course of labour or of life And therefore nature hath appointed aswell the one as the other for her creatures willeth that senselesse hearts in vs should not breake the same Pietie willeth that we should let them serue God on this day aswel as our selues yea euē sée that they doe it Ephes 6. Who are all one with vs in
reason Looke how the Lorde forbiddeth the rearing vp of a piller so doth he forbid the making of images for he ioyneth them here in one prohibition but he doth not simply forbid in all respects the rearing vp of a piller therfore neither the other The seconde proposition is prooued thus Gen. 28.18 Iacob pitched the stone on ende that had lien vnder his heade all night powred oyle on it and calleth it Beth-el the house of God Iosue 2 Iosua commaunded by the commaundement of God twelue stones to be pitched vp Samuel pitched vp a stone also betwixt Mispeh and Sheu 2. Sam. 7.12 and called the name thereof Ebenezer Therefore not the rearing vp of a piller but the rearing vp of it to be worshipped idolatrously was forbidden Euen so of images For as I sayde they are ioyned of GOD in the place of Leuiticus as thinges like equally forbidden A most notable place also for the proofe hereof is that in Iosua where the Israelites woulde haue warred vpon their brethren Iosua 22. if they had erected that altar for religion which in déede they did set vp for a ciuill vse as there you may sée Besides all this doe wee not sée that GOD himselfe commaunded the Cherubims Lillies Pomgranetes Oxen Lyons and such like pictures to bee made and sayth he had giuen his Spirite to Bezaliel Exod. 25. whereby he might haue vnderstanding to worke all these workes Nowe thinke with your selfe would GOD eyther haue commaunded images to be made or ascribed the abilitie to doe such woorkes to the grace of his Spirite if in this commaundement giuen and published before the time he had simplie forbidden the same in all respectes It can not be vnlesse GOD should be contrarie to him selfe and therefore the Turkes or whosoeuer else so thinkes are deceiued The same might yet further be prooued by the commaundement of GOD to make the Brasen Serpent and by Christes not finding fault with Caesars image vpon the money that was shewed him and many proofes moe if néede were For the seconde opinion of them that thinke it lawfull to make any picture yea euen of GOD himselfe and to set them vp in Churches so long as no worship is doone to them as they are bare images there is great cause why they should be gainesaid and resisted euen in both But especially in the first for they oppose themselues to the true sense of this commaundement to diuerse other plaine Scriptures to the nature of God to reason and to the iudgementes and practise of godlie men as by particular viewe of euery one appeareth The sense of the commandement against it For touching the true and direct ende of this commandement it hath béene said before and is most true that it is chiefly to forbid al pictures of God as the most grosse blindenesse and impietie of all other bicause he may not be imagined to be like either man or woman or any other creature Other Scriptures He neuer was séene and therefore can not be painted or pictured like any creature Deutro 4.15 Esa 40.18 Acts. 17.29 but with a breach of this commaundement For other places of the scripture plainly forbidding the same I haue quoted them before nothing can bee more expresse Thirdly they oppose theÌ„selues to his nature Nature against it which is such as no heauenly creature can resemble much lesse any earthly no natural thing much lesse any artificial And to set vp a picture of God not like him whether it be to offende him and to dishonor him if otherwise we cannot conceiue it let vs iudge by our selues who quickly woulde take it in great snuffe if one picturing vs should make either the eies too great the nose too long or high the eares mouth armes hands or any thing wrong Yea we would burst it in pieces bid away with it and not abyde the sight of it Yet dare we abuse the God of heauen our creator and maker and set vp 20. thousande pictures of him in seuerall places neuer awhit like him for it is vnpossible they should be neither one like another O Christ open our eyes that we may sée this vanitie and the sinne of that church that maintaineth this as good For truely it is fearefull thus to play with the Lord whom neuer eyes sawe nor can see as he is in nature and beâ—ng Fourthly they do against al reason for God is a spirite Reason against it and therefore â—annot be pictured God is infinite and â—herefore cannot be pictured God as often hath beene saide was neuer yet â—éene of any and then how is it possible â—o picture him Youth and age length â—readth thicknes white or blacke this â—ember or that these are not things â—â—cident to the Godhead and therefore â—mpossible in verie reason to picture God Last of all they oppose themâ—elues both to the iudgement and pracâ—ise of the Godly in thus doing All practise of the godlie against it For to omit the iudgements of the Prophetes and Apostles so lately quoted crying against this impietie It is verie worthie noting that the auncient Father Damascene a defender of other images and pictures greatly yet saith Deum conarivelle effingere Lib. 4. cap. 8. rem stultam esse impiam non enim imagines Deus admittit To goe about saith he to picture God is both a verie foolish thing and a wicked For God may not be pictured And if you marke the practise of the godlie I pray you of all those notable visions and manifestations made vnto them which of them euer went about to make a picture Surely if they would not euer presume to picture God in that manner that they sawe him and talked with him because they well knewe these were but sparcles as it were of his glorie and maiestie that they sawe and hee in nature a farre other thinâ— than euer he appeared vnto them or they able to beholde if he had doone it howe shall we beholde nay O Lorde what blindenesse is it in vs to set him out as we list our selues and euen as euerie sinnefull man and rude painter pleaseth Therefore I trust we sée this to be a fault and euen forbidden in this seconde commaundement to make any image of God himselfe The thirde opinion of them that thinke there is a lawfull vse of some Images and pictures though not in reâ—igion is most true otherwise were the â—ift cunning and abilitie to doe these things by painting caruing grauing or such like a wicked thing when as yet we heard before that it procéedeth of Gods â—pirite either in Bezaliel or whosoeuer â—lse indued with it But then hereupoÌ„ ariâ—eth another questioÌ„ as namely whether â—mages pictures in churches may not â—e had though we put no religion in theÌ„ Wherunto we may answere that howâ—oeuer it be tollerable in some mens oâ—inions and a thing indifferent to haue â—ome sort of pictures in the Church for 〈◊〉 ciuil
yeres they dwelled in tents and tabernacles in the wildernesse Besides these they had the first day of the moneth the 7. yere the Iubile and such others Iudith 16. 1. Machab. 4. Hester 9. The feast of the Macchabees the remembraunce of deliueraunce by Hester and such others had they then againe appoynted by themselues Que. And euen of this feast of the Sabaoth as I doe thinke there were diuerse kindes were there not Ans By that which hath béene saide it partly appeareth so For in déede they had euery seuenth day a Sabaoth Exod. 23. Leuit. 25. and that was called the Sabaoth of dayes they had euerie seuenth yere a Sabaoth and that was called the Sabaoth of yéeres Then reckened they 7. times 7. yeres which was 49. and the fiftieth yéere was their Iubile They had also their great Sabaoth as when the Passeouer fell on the Sabaoth day as it did when Christ suffered For it is there saide that that Sabaoth was a great day Iohn 19. But passing ouer these thus named by the way this commaundement occasioneth vs to thinke onely of the Sabaoth of daies to consider therein what remaineth and what is taken away Where marke first that both in the Sabaoth other feasts they were precisely tyed to certaine circumstaunces of time as what day in what moneth how many dais together when begun when ended what feasts only at Hierusalem what elsewhere with what rites and orders so forth And for this Sabaoth of days that this commandement speketh of so precise rest was required in it that further than a Sabaoth daies iourney they might not trauell in it They might not bake Exod. 16.29 Chap. 35.3 Numb 15. nor seeth any meat nor so much as gather any stickes to doe it withall Now confer and lay vnto these places thus strictly tying thē the words of Paul to the Galathians ◠70 Ye obserue days and moneths and times yeres Daies as the Sabaoth newe moones c. Moneths as the 1. the 7. Times as Easter Whitsontide Tabernacles c. Yeeres as the 7. the 50. c. Which beggerly rudimentes are most pernicious to them which haue receiued the swéete libertie of the Gospel thrusting them back vnto superstitious bondage againe I am afraide of you saith Paul c. Therefore if we mark this conference of scriptures times we euidently sée the case standeth not now vnder the Gospel touching this Sabaoth as then it did Marke again the same Apostle to the Colossians Let no man saith he iudge you in meat or drinke or in respect of an holy day 2. verse 16. or of the new moone or of the Sabaoth daies which are but shadowes of thinges to come but the body is in Christ Therefore you sée a change Adde hereunto and mark the practise of Christ who indéed not refusing al vse of their Sabaoth feasts at the first did both himselfe teache and be present at other exercises in the same But yet that he might shew that he did not that of necessitie as in former time it was done now then wold he both by word and practise insinuate an abrogation or a chaunge of the same from former estate vnder the law as by those words The Sonne of man is Lord also of the Sabaoth Matth. 12.8 and againe by defending his Disciples when they had plucked and rubbed the eares of corne on the Sabaoth day healed on it and preached other daies beside that day c. By all which I say it may well appeare that there is not the same estate of the Sabaoth nowe vnder the Gospell that was of it vnder the Lawe Que. How then I pray you standeth it nowe Ans There was in this commaundement touching the Sabaoth euer something morall and something ceremoniall Whatsoeuer is morall remaineth still to vs as much to be obserued as euer of them and whatsoeuer then was but ceremoniall that is nowe by Christ taken away and we freed from it As for example to haue one day in the seuen to serue the Lorde generally in that was morall and remaineth still binding vs vnto it as also to rest that day from all labours letting the course of pietie and sanctification that that day ought to be kept But to haue precisely the Saturday and to rest so straitely from all labour as they did that was but Ceremoniall and a shadowe and therefore nowe abrogated by the comming of the bodie Christ Que. Yea but euen the day also now in our Church is chaunged from Saturday to Sunday Ans Trueth it is and for that matter marke and consider in the Scriptures that as Christ in his time so after him his Disciples in their time did beare a while with the infirmitie of the Iewes and taught on the Sabaoth and Paule hasted to Hierusalem against the feast of Pentecost yet so Actes 13. Actes 20. that euer still they insinuated a fréedome by Christ Act. 2. 5. c. and therefore dayly also met c. But when as false teachers vehemently vrged a necessitie thereof to shewe the fréedome by Christ from dayes times then in déede stoode they against it and chaunged euen the verie day quite and cleane Que. But did the Apostles in deede themselues make this alteration of the day Ans How should we otherwise thinke when we consider these and such other places First it is saide in the Actes that The Disciples being come together the first day of the weeke to breake breade Paule preached Acts. 20.7 c. Nowe the first day of the wéeke with the Iewes was Sunday immediately following their Sabaoth wherein they vsed not to receiue the Sacramentes and heare the worde preached ordinarily yet here wée see the Disciples did and not on their Sabaoth which was but the day before therefore you sée a chaunge of the day euen by the Disciples Againe to the Corinthians Paule commaundeth that the Collection for the poore which was a worke of the Sabaoth shoulde bee made euerie first day of the wéeke that is on the Sunday 1. Cor. 16.2 Mark 16.2 1. Iohn 20.1 as wee call it And therefore wee plainely sée what day they celebrated and mette vppon hauing their solemne assemblyes namely on this our Sabaoth laying aside quite the Iewish Ceremonie And it addeth also further strength to this that Iohn saith in his Reuelatiō calling this our Sabaoth day the Sunday Dominicum Diem The Lordes day Apoc. 1.10 All or any of which testimonies if we woulde séeke to delude beside the iudgementes of them that haue noted these places the Historicall testimonie of those dayes and since will preuaile For in Eusebius wee reade it the witnesse of Dyonisius the Corinthian Euseb lib. 4. Cap. 23. that in those dayes they celebrated for holie the Lordes daye Lib. de idololatria Tertullian naming the solemnities of the Christians beginneth first with the Lordes day which they celebrated and
this behalfe if we be not dead And a number mo reasons might yet be brought if I should make a treatise in a preface Only this one mo I must needes remember which me thinke should awake anie man aliue in this matter In the sixt of Marke it is said of Christ that going out and seeing a great multitude of people gathered together Mark 6. he had compassion on them because they were like sheepe without a sheephearde and hee went out and taught them many thinges And in the Greeke it is more vehement expressing as it were an aking of his heart as we call it or a yearning of his bowels to see so pitifull a sight as so manie people without a teacher Vpon which notable place I haue vsed in my selfe to make two conclusions First a comfort then a feare My comfort is this that he which mourneth to see his people want the benefite of his worde will giue his people his woorde if they seeke it and wish it and where he hath vouchsafed it alreadie there continue it blesse it and giue it power if we pray For otherwise howe shoulde it paine him to see it wanting My feare is this that if his heart ake to see his sheepe depriued of a shephearde hee will assuredly bee reuenged euen in great wrath of them that are the causers of it And for Christ his sake let it bee considered For as wee liue wee may not alwaies looke to laugh if we make our God to mourne Thus then if negligence be the cause that a countrey is not furnished with some able ministers me thinke we may awake our heartes by the worde of the Lorde and weying it well receiue from him some better feeling in so great a matter But if couetousnesse be the cause and we greatly giuen to sequester that benefit to our selues sauing onely some portion to one to beare the name then marke we againe the witnesse also of the same scriptures against vs euen in this And to saue mine owne labour my iudgement being young heare I beseeche you the proofes and reasons against this sinne by a godly and graue Diuine intreating of this matter laide downe vnto my â—ands First he alleadgeth against it that deâ—criptioÌ„ of a wicked Prince in the booke of Samuel amoÌ„gst whose euils this is named one 1. Sam. 8.15 that he will take the tythes and giue â—hem to his seruantes Concluding thereon that if the king might not take the tythes to himselfe because then they were due to the priestes by Gods owne order and commandement for the mainteinance of his seruice surelie no priuate man nowe may doe it so long as by authoritie the same are established for the ministers mainteynance and support Secondlie if in the law he was accursed that remoued the merestone of the field Deut. 27.17 because hee did wrong in succession to diuers ten thousande times more is the remoouing of the ministers liuing subiect to the Lords wrath because both presently successiuelie it is hurtfull to a number moe and in a greater matter Thirdlie by the Prophete Malachie the Lorde complayneth in expresse tearmes Mala. 3.8 that the taking away of the tythes and offerings from that ende that they were appointed vnto was a robbing and spoiling of him yea euen such a spoyling as he woulde visite with a great and greeuous curse Now if it were so then all the world must confesse it is no lesse nowe so long as authority ratifieth this means to maintaine the ministers and therefore assuredlie will haue a sharpe reueÌ„ge Fourthlie in the gospel the Iewes alledge it vnto Christ as an argument of loue to theÌ„ and their Nation in the Centurion that hee had built them a synagogue Luk. 7.5 plainely insinuating that they woulde haue iudged the contrarie if hee had spoyled their Synagogue of his mainteynance And Christ reprehendeth not this conclusion Fiftly if David the king standing in so great distresse for water 1. Chro. 11.16 yet would not drinke of the water of Bethleem because it was gotten with the daunger of some fewe mens temporal liues should it not teach a great conscience to any man in the world the tasteth of God his truth hopeth for coÌ„fort in anie other world howe he not needing peraduenture but abundantlie prouided for otherwise by the mercy of his God drinketh eateth that which is gotten with apparant hazard of eternall life â—roÌ„ the bodies and soules God knoweth â—f how many Truely rightworshipful it â—hould 1. Cor. 9. Gala. 6. c. and the power of hell is not able â—o deny it But such is the meat drinke or other mainteinance whatsoeuer that we reape by the Church when it is due â—o an other for an other purpose and â—herfore you know the conclusion Sixtâ—y all those places in the scriptures commanding and inioyning the worlde to a maintainance sufficient mainteinance 〈◊〉 able teachers in it doe plainly prooue 〈◊〉 sinne of this to sequester to our selues â—he liuings allotted to theÌ„ vnles some oâ—her equiualent or sufficieÌ„t way be taken â—or them by authoritie Againe Possidon in vita Aug. 10.24 if the graue learned father S. Austen was so highâ—ie offended and so sharpely rebuked a gentleman in his time for taking away â—is owne gift which before he had giueÌ„â—o the mainteinaÌ„ce of his Church wold â—ee not haue bin a seuere censor against â—heÌ„ thinke we that should haue taken away what neither they nor any of theirs euer gaue If the stories so coÌ„mend the noble Emperor CoÌ„stantine for coÌ„maÌ„ding goods â—aken from the Churches to be restored to them againe woulde they not haue blotted him aswell Euseb lib. 10. cap. 5. Tit. Liuius lib. 42. if hee himselfe had beene a spoiler of the same If the Romans so dealt with Q. Fuluius for vncouering a part of Iunoes temple to coueâ— an other temple in Rome with the samâ— tiles that they misliked him condemâ—ned him tolde him Pirrhus or Annibaâ— woulde not haue doone so tolde him 〈◊〉 had beene too much to haue doone to priuate mans house an inferiour placâ— to a temple and in conclusion forceâ— him to sende home those tiles againe may not such as garnish either theÌ„selueâ— or their houses with Church liuings an leaue neither teacher nor almost tileâ— where both should be well consider bâ— it what this people would haue thoughâ— of them if they had liued there Anâ— what is the concept of a people proâ—phane in respect of theirs that knowâ— and serue the Lord These then and dâ—â—uers other reasons which for feare 〈◊〉 length I pretermit alledgeth hee theâ—â— against this foule offence Onelie oâ—â— place more I must needs remember anâ— it is a good one to wit howe Balthasâ— â—â—ng of Babylon himselfe his Princes â—â—s wiues and concubines drinking and â—asting in the vessels of gold taken from â—â—e Temple euen then espied the finâ—â—rs of an hande writing vppon the â—â—all before his face that his
be that I which haue takeâ— vpon me thy defence cannot doe it Is my power scant or want I abiliâ—tie to doe any thing that I will doe If I doe not then let the consideratioâ— of my power be thy strength Againe 〈◊〉 it in practise and note the fruite of iâ— Do we not know how easilie Abraham might haue doubted of Gods promisâ— that he should haue a child if he had conâ—sidered either the age of himselfe or thâ— deadnesse of his wiues bodie in courâ— now past by much to beare a childe Yâ— saith the Apostle Abraham strong 〈◊〉 â—aith doubted not And why so Truâ—y he vsed this meanes that now I tell â—ou of and with meditation of Gods â—ower strengthened his faith For so it â—olloweth in the text He was fully assuâ—ed Rom. 4. that he which had promised was alâ—o able to doe it Able I saie and marke â—he words And the verie same we read â—f Paule who therefore sayeth he fainâ—ed not vnder affliction neither was aâ—hamed of the crosse of Christ because â—e was perswaded and soundly setled â—ouching the Lordes abilitie to keepe â—hat which he committed vnto him 2. Tim. 2.12 So â—hen sée how the consideration of Gods â—ower strenthened them why shoulde 〈◊〉 not confirme vs aswell in all our â—ares And marke in any case how in 〈◊〉 these places with Gods power is eâ—er vnderstoode his willingnes also 〈◊〉 they did not seuer these two as subâ—â—ll Satan would perswade vs to doe Que. Haue you yet any more of this â—ounsaile Ans Yea this also is another excelâ—nt helpe for vs weake wretches to confirme our harts by namely to wey well what troubleth vs and then to searche aske and séeke if in the scripture there be any example of any that euer was in the like case and to sée what his ende or issue was comforting our selues with assuring hope of the like since God is no respecter of persons This wisedome is learned of Dauid Psal 34.6 who saith if God be mercifull to him helpe him it wil be a forcible meanes to make others trust in his mercie For they shall reason in their heartes sayth Dauid and saye This poore man cryed vnto the Lord and he heard him Therefore he will do the like to vs we are assured of it What is it then that troubleth your conscience Haue you béene an adulterer or a murtherer so was Dauid and yet founde mercie Haue you persecuted the Church and children of God any wayes so did Paul gréeuously and yet founde mercy Haue you béene an idolater Manasses was a cruell idolater and yet founde mercie Haue you denyed Christ and his truth â—pon any occasion and shrinked from â—our God so did all the Apostles and â—et founde mercie Nay haue you with othe forsworne him so did Peter â—nd yet founde mercie Then take Daâ—ids counsaile Marke howe all these 〈◊〉 their seuerall sinnes cryed vnto the Lorde and founde his readie pardon â—nd gather strength by it for he is the â—ame God that euer he was as loath a â—â—nner should dye as euer he was and â—hat bodie and soule of yours cost him â—s much as euer did theirs therefore â—eare not for he loues you as truely â—s euer hée did them And his hande â—s out with helpe in it onely beâ—eue and take holde of it it is your â—wne Que. I praye you still go on in this â—atter as long as you will Ans Onely this one mo will I adâ—ertise you of and it is as profitable â—s any of the rest namely to note and â—ery diligently to weigh what experiâ—â—ce of the Lordes goodnes you your selfe haue had heretofore and by tryall had make strong your heart for that which is to come Thus did Iacob when he was to méete with his brother Esau Gen. 32. First he looked vppon Gods commaundement to him to returne and thereby he assured himselfe God woulde not leaue him helplesse when he tooke in hand nothing but by his will and secondly he well marketh what a God he had euer found him till that day whereof faith inferred a conclusion comfortable Iacob feare not God thy God is no man that he should change he hath defended thée and still be assured of it he will defende thée Thus did Dauid when he should fighâ— against Goliah 1. Sam. 17. he remembred whaâ— helpe he found against the pawe of thâ— Beare and the Lyon and then assureâ— himselfe by passed proofe of so good â— God he shoulde not miscarie with thâ— Philistine Matth. 16.9 Thus dealt Christ with hiâ— doubting Disciples for want of foode willing theÌ„ to remember what a mulâ—titude with a verie little they had séenâ— â—eléeued and yet plentie remaining â—nd euen for shame by passed tryall of Gods power to be strenthened in assuâ—ance touching that which was to â—ome And if you read the 7. of Deuteâ—onomie the 18. verse Deutro 7. it is a verie fit â—lace to this ende But peraduenture â—ou will say it is not a sound buylding 〈◊〉 conclude because God hath beene â—ood therefore he wil be good Yes in â—éede is it and that course of buylding â—hich the scripture vseth in sundry plaâ—â—s By name it is the argument of â—aul to the Corinthians that therefore â—od would confirme them to the ende 1. Cor. 1.8 â—ecause he had begunne a good worke 〈◊〉 them and because God is faithfull â—arke that The like doth the same â—postle to the Philippians Thessaloniâ—â—s and to Timothie Philip. 1.6 1. Thess 5.24 2. Tim. 4.18 2. Peter 1.3 beside other plaâ—â—s And Peter in his Epistles againe 〈◊〉 very same And I pray you marke 〈◊〉 what you knowe Doeth not the â—â—mer tryed goodnes of a mortall man â—orke in him that findeth it a good opiâ—â—on euen a confidence in that man if he shoulde neede againe to him O what comparison betwixt man God The one is mutable in liking and fauour the other whome he loueth to the ende he loueth them the one subiect to diminutioÌ„ of power so that if he would be as good as he hath béene yet can hee not the other in power almighty euer so that what hee will hee can at alâ— houres Therefore challenge you the Lorde as Dauid doth boldly I warranâ— you Thou hast beene my succour O Lorde Psal 27. then leaue me not nowe neitheâ— forsake me O God of my saluation Que. Do not now all these duties inferre thanksgiuing vnto the Lord Ans It must needes be so For cerâ—tainly if we be bound to know to loue to feare to trust in pray to the Lord at all times and for all wants by thâ— same lawe wee must needes be boundâ— to giue thanks to him for that measurâ— of grace which in any of these duetieâ— he bestoweth vpon vs and for his greaâ— benefites which we receiue Que. But hath this dutie no other profe Ans Yes in deede Expresse plaine â—ommaundements 1. Thess 5.18 that in all
â—orde alas I knowe it is not great yâ—ough neither answereth it the greatnesse of my sinne but thou canst giue greater if it please thée O deare Father rent my heart and giue mée féeling cleaue it a sunder by thy pearcing spirit that from it may flowe the teares of true repentaunce strike good Lorde this harde rocke of mine that it may gushe out sorowfull water for so fowle offence and what wanteth in mée any wayes supplie in mercie with my Sauiour in whom thou art perfectly pleased Graunt O God vnto mée thy gratious spirit to kill in mée continually more and more the strength and power of sinne and to rayse mée vp in bodie and soule to more obedience towardes thée Let not my wantes stande euer swéete Lorde betwixt thy mercie and mée but giue mee will to wishe it giue me power to doe it giue mée loue to like it and euer strength to continue in it that thou hast appointed for mee to walke in before thée in this worlde Heare mee O Lorde O God O swéete and endlesse comfort of my sinnefull soule for Iesus Christ his sake that liuing heare I may euer serue thee and dooing so I may neuer loose thée Amen Amen The second Commaundement Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen image nor the likenesse of any thing that is in heauen aboue or in the earth beneath c. FIrst for the order of this Commaundement eyther wee may answere that this first Table contayning the honour and duetie of men to the Lorde as the seâ—ond doeth their duetie to man and the worshippe of GOD being partâ—y inwarde partly outwarde haâ—ing in the former Commaundement laide downe the former kinde to wit of inward worship fitly now in this the two next folow the outward duties which to the same our gratious God we iustly owe. Or else thus That the Lorde in the first commaundement hauing separated himselfe from al other gods deuised and made by men and commanded all mortall men and women his creatures subiect to his Lawe to worship him onely and none but him here now in this second precept as order required he setteth downe modum rationeÌ„ iuxta quam coli velit the waie and maner how he wil bee serued Forasmuch as in vaine he should haue doone the first except he had done the second also The way and maner is this euen according to his will and nature Which albeit it may séeme to flesh and bloud not so fitlie done by a negatiue lawe as by an affirmatiue it might yet besides that we are not to teache the Lorde euen in speciall wisedome hath he thus doone it For first our natures are very prone to the breache hereof which by a negatiue is stronglier beat downe than by an affirmatiue and then againe the Gentiles next neighbours to the Iewes were very much giuen to idols and images and therefore by name forbidden to the Iewes least by the Gentiles in that point they should be defiled And yet doth not the Lord here so set downe a negatiue but that he includeth an affirmatiue in it For as he saith Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen image and meaneth thereby Thou shalt not worship mee with any deuise of â—hine owne contrary to my wil and naâ—ure so implieth he herein the affirmaâ—iue namely thou shalt in euery reâ—pect worship me according to my will â—nd nature Moreouer remember here â—gaine which hath béene touched beâ—re that both in this commandement 〈◊〉 in all other the Lord setteth downe 〈◊〉 name that thing the doing whereof 〈◊〉 not doing is most decent or horriâ—â—e And therefore in this place forâ—â—â—ding all false and fonde worshippe 〈◊〉 his Maiestie hee setteth downe in name that which is most vnséemely and vile to wit Idolatrie For of all wrong worshippe to make him like a man or woman or other worse creature to prostrate our selues thereunto and to thinke wee worship him in so dooing is most horrible What expositions your Booke giueth you may looke and marke adding for more plainnesse thereunto thus much that the very meaning of this commandement in effect is thus much as if the Lorde should haue said although the corrupt nature of man bee such as naturally he desireth my presence in some visible forme and shape foolishly thinking that then he is most neare vnto mee when he hath before his eyes some visible picture of mee yet for as much as this and the worship hereby doone vnto mee is neither agréeable to my will nor nature I therefore commaund thée that thou make to thy selfe no grauen image c. That is that thou goe not about to represent me by any likenesse of any creature whatsoeuer neither to worship mée in or vnder any such showes or after any way than out of my worde thou learnest to bee agréeable both to my will and nature Easilie then may we sée what wee are occasioned here in this commandement to consider of namely 1 The making of Images 2 The worshipping of them 3 The reasons God vseth here Touching the first then vsually vppon this occasion is mooued this question whether simplie it bee vnlawfull and misliked of the Lorde to make any kinde of Image by painting carâ—ing ingrauing c. And it séemeth yea â—ecause the woordes are so flatte withâ—ut exception Thou shalt not make any grauen image c. For answere whereunto 3. seuerall â—udgements are founde amongst men â—ome thinke in déede all pictures and â—mages to be vnlawfull aswell in Ciâ—ill vse as in religious and such are the â—urkes by name if it bee truely writâ—n of them Whose money they say hath neuer any image vpon it but certain Arabike letters their other works as carpets couerings quisshins c. vtterly also without any image of man or any liuing creature vpon them and all because they thinke it vnlawful Others thinke it lawful to make any picture at all yea euen of God himselfe so that the same be not worshipped as a bare picture image And they vnderstand this commaundement of images made to this ende to be adored These are our Papists The thirde iudgement and best is of them that thinke it lawful to make pictures of things which we haue séene to a ciuill vse but not to vse them in the Church and for religion Now for the first opinion it is out of all question false and too superstitious For howsoeuer the Turks receiue not such profe yet we that imbrace cleaue to the authoritie of Gods worde know that the Lorde hath not lefte this commaundement neither any other without large and plaine exposition in other places of the scripture and therfore we are to conferre place with place practise with precept and so to sée whether in déede all images be forbidden to be made or no. First then marke the wordes in Leuiticus Leuit. 26.1 Ye shall make you no Idols nor grauen Image neither reare you vp any pillers c. Out of which place thus I
vse as either for story rememâ—raÌ„ce sake or for ornament beautie of 〈◊〉 place may séem to be warraÌ„ted by the act of Iosua who set a stone in the sanctuarie of God and by the déede of Salomon who had the pictures of dyuers things in the temple and of the Cherubins in the holyest place of al yet certainly in this matter it is not so good to looke what may be doone as what is conuenient to be doone For if in any thing surely in this it is true some thing is in some sort lawfull which is not expedient Images in Churches we well know haue not euer béene vsed howsoeuer Rome doth vrge the matter but then began when as the idols of the Gentiles being destroyed and peace restored to the Churches vnder Constantine they vsed with great affection and resort in certaine places and times to solemnise the memorie of such godly Martyrs as constantly for the truth had suffered Setting vp in their Churches at these their solemne méetings for ornaments partly partly for a better remembrance of their constanty faith the pictures and images of such dead Martyrs as especially they iudged woorthie chiefe remembraunce and this began not to be any custome til about the yere of our Lorde 380 as by much authoritie is easily and euidentlie to be prooued Ann. 380. And yet sée and note it diligently which indéede is to be marked of vs al albeit the beginning of images in Churches was for no worse ende than I now haue named yet did the godly Fathers in those dayes euen vehemently speake against the same not condemning in it selfe the historicall vse of pictures but yet wishing in such places of méeting to serue GOD as the Churches were rather pristinam primitiuam simplicit atem the olde and primitiue simplicitie than such deckinges and ornamentes of images Iustly fearing the mischiefe that indéede followed of it and nowe so greatly aboundeth in the Church of Rome to wit grosse impietie and idolatrie Therfore I say againe howsoeuer in it selfe any men thinke it to be lawfull with some conditions yet certainely it is no way conuenient but verie daungerous euery way to haue them in the Churches This first point then of this commaundement is nowe sufficiently explaned vnto vs if one worde be added of the very first beginning of Images The originall of Images and to what end they were inuented Reade the fourtéenth Chapter of the booke of Wisedome and marke the storie well The inuenting of idols saith he was the beginning of whoredome and the finding of them is the corruption of life They were not from the beginning neither shall they continue for euer c. Before the floud we reade not of them in the scriptures And after the floud about 300. yeares liued Terah Abrahams father who as he was the first idolater that we reade of so thinketh Epiphanius he was the first maker of an image and euen hee that is meant in the 14. of Wisedome before named But whosoeuer first inuented them and whensoeuer they first began it skilleth not much only note his iudgement that writ that booke of Wisdome whosoeuer he was how he plainâ—y affirmeth from the beginning they were not but the vaine glory of man â—rought them in the finding of them was the corruption of life Now beside yeâ—se which there is touched namely to mitigate the griefe of a father for his dead â—hilde other vses followed For Noble men wise men good common wealth men being dead had at their gates dores 〈◊〉 other places set vp their pictures both 〈◊〉 honour their memorie to mitigate â—he griefe of their friendes for their deâ—arture So writeth Valerius of Scipio â—nd Cato and many other stories of â—he like doone to other men Accepta deâ—â—de res est saith Plinie humanissima amâ—â—tione per totum orbem That is The â—â—stome was taken vp euen through 〈◊〉 world as it were by a courteous and â—uil kind of ambition So that the child â—ould haue his fathers picture the clyâ—â—t his good Patron the souldier his â—aptaine and the Capitaine his soulâ—â—er the field the campe and all circumâ—â—â—nces And thus grewe it from dead â—â—en to liuing and that sometime for honour sometime for dishonour And from priuate places to bee set vp in Churches from policie to religion as hath béene saide and shewed before And thus much of making of images and erecting them eyther in houses or Churches priuate or publike places The second poynt generall of this commandement is to consider the worshipping of images Of the worshipping of Images whether it be lawfull for a Christian man or woman to fall downe before a stocke a stone and to doe it reuerence capping knéeling knocking créeping crossing kissing lighting vp candels to it and such like as we sée doone in the Church of Rome with great obseruation If we looke the scriptures of God we haue first here a plaine commandement Thou shalt not bowe down to them nor worship them Then haue we Dauid in plaine wordes pronouncing destruction to all that doâ— it Psal 97. Deutro 27. saying Confounded be all they that worshippe carued images c. with a number like testimonies But I passâ— them ouer because our aduersaries thâ— Papistes themselues are ashamed of â—his their follie and wickednesse but â—owe Ashamed I say to confesse it although they haue not grace to blush â—t the doing of it For what say they with one consent so many as haue aâ—y wit but that which their greate Doctor Thomas Aquinas Summa 3. parte q. 25. art 3. with many oâ—her saith namely that Ne imagini â—uidem Christi in quantum est res quaeâ—am puta lignum sculptum vel pictum vlla â—ebetur reuerentia c. That is That to â—â—e very image of Christ as it is but an â—â—age or matter of wood grauen or â—ainted no reuerence is due c. thereâ—â—re in no case they will confesse that â—â—ey doe any woorship to bare images 〈◊〉 happy men if they had grace to shame 〈◊〉 doe that which they so greatly shame 〈◊〉 say they doe or consciences to take â—way yet at the last that which they â—owe many thousandes stumble and â—â—ll at howsoeuer a fewe of them that â—â—ue learning can distinguish betwixt 〈◊〉 image and the thing represented â—â—ereby But what is it then that they say for the maintenaunce of their images if they denie to woorship them Forsooth first they say they worship not the image but God in the image and vnder the image Popish shiftes But where alas haue they their warraunt that GOD will be thus woorshipped of them and that whatsoeuer they doe in outward shewe to the image he will repute it and take it as doone in heart to himselfe What we haue to say against this vaine deuise of theirs I pray you marke First the very Gentiles had the selfsame excuse shift for their idolatry and
breach doe you knowe of this commandement beside vngodly swearing Ans Truely Gods name is taken in vaine dishonored Prayer and this commandement broken in praying also aswell as in swearing for if I powre out a sort of wordes without féeling or any burning intire affection if I drawe néere with my lippes and my hart be farre away certainely I abuse the holy name of my God in so calling vpon him and I am guilty of the breach of this law For beside that reason teacheth vs God careth not for lippe labour it is the rule of the holy Ghost that when wee pray Ephes 6.18 we should pray in spirite that is with heart and affection Que. Howe else Ans Againe Gods name is taken in vaine and polluted whensoeuer it is called vpon in coniuring witchcraft Coniuring sorcerie charming and such like For the wordes of the lawe are plaine Let none bee founde amongest you that maketh his sonne and his daughter to goe through the fire Deut. 18.10 c. or that vseth witchcraft or a regarder of times or a marker of the flying of foules or a sorcerer or a charmer or that counselleth with spirits or a soothsayer or that asketh counsell of the dead For all that do such thinges are an abomination vnto the Lorde and because of these abominations the Lorde thy God doeth cast them out before thee And many other notable testimonies hath your booke quoted in the margin Que. Why but in earnest to let the rest passe do you not thinke much good is done and may be done by charming that is by vertue of some wholsome praiers as a pater noster two or three good auees and a creede or such other good words neither english nor latin nor any thing else in signification oftentimes Ans I answere to this questiō in thrée degrées And first I say the question is not onely whether any good as you tearme it be done or may be doone by a charme but whether it be or may bee doone lawefully by the same or no. And you heare the word of God plainely condemning the practise of it Wherfore with what conscience can wee deriue health or anie helpe whatsoeuer either to our selues or ours by that meanes that GOD hath so fearefully threatned vengeance vnto were we neuer so sure to obtaine it by the same Secondly what benefite soeuer we reape by such forbidden meanes I dare assure you all thinges considered wee gette no good but muche harme For what GOD will not haue doone GOD is neuer the author worker and cause of properly and directly but health or anie helpe to our selues or others by charming the Lorde will not haue procured therefore of that health and helpe so gotten assuredly the Lorde is neither author worker nor cause directly If then not the Lorde who but the diuell And if it be he as most assuredly it is he then I pray you let vs all men and women thus reason with ourselues Is the deuill our friende or our foe our welwiller or our enemie Surely we cannot be ignorant of it he is the sworne enemie of mankind the serpent that in burning malice deceiued vs once and ouerthrewe vs quite the roaring lyon that rangeth about without any rest still séeking out whom he may deuour And will euer he that hath euen sworne the woe of vs all and séeketh as Peter saith that is with all diligence and indeuour with might and maine with tooth and naile as we say with his candle in his hande light least by any meanes we should escape him applyeth his whole power to destroy vs and to bring vs to endelesse calamitie wil he I say euer do vs any good thinke we but to the ende to inferre thereby a greater plague vpon vs Certainely he will not for he were not the deuill if he should and we may be as assured of it as we are sure that he hath that name and nature Then I say let vs marke We finde by a charme bodily helpe in our selues or ours But this would neuer Sathan haue done vnlesse he had knowen that the vsing of meanes forbidden by God would sting our bodies soules to eternall death in the worlde to come Then sée still I say and note it Good he doth vs in bodie that a thousande times more euill he may worke both to body and soule in the day of iudgement Temporall ease he is content to bestow vpon vs that endlesse disease miserie and woe he may procure vnto vs. This is most true and nowe what good doth charming if all thinges be considered Shall a Christian man and woman so hunt for helpe of body or goods that they shall for it loose bodie and soule eternally Shall our health and wealth be deerer to vs than the Lordes commandement God forbid and therefore let vs rest perswaded howsoeuer wee thinke such vngodly meanes procure vs good yet in déede all thinges considered it is no good For Sathan being our foe will neuer doe vs good but to the ende to hurt vs more by it and the breache of Gods commaundement will ring our soules a passing peale from face and fauour of the Lorde Last of all which especially I thinke you would heare I denie that by the charme any thing at all is doone whatsoeuer the wordes be For euerie action must haue a fit and conuenient meanes applied vnto the patient to be doone by but bare wordes Pater nosters auees and creedes characters and figures are no meanes appointed of the Lorde to doe any cures by either vppon men or cattle and therefore if any thing be doone assuredly it is not doone by these thinges as the true working meanes but by the deuill himselfe bléering our eies by these shadowes And this vaine opinion verie Aristotle could mocke and disdaine as absurde and foolish Plinie also with diuers others Que. But howe prooue you by scripture that bare wordes being good words be not forcible to this ende Ans Surely me thinke beside others that example in the acts of the Apostles prooueth it wher we sée those vagabund Iewes there spoken of vsed as good wordes as might be but all to no purpose when the deuill listed not dissemble And therefore we may sée it is not the charme that can doe any thing by vertue of the bare wordes And you can not say that vnto the wordes come any faith and good minde of the charmer for faith leaneth vpon promise and promise annexed to a thing maketh it lawefull but charming hath neither promise in the word nor is allowed but by name expressely forbidden and condemned Que. Yet we see manie thinges are done by it and experience daily confirmeth a contrarie assertion to you Ans True it is and I graunt it that by charmes diuers are healed c. But therefore they were the verie wordes that did it It is no consequence For other meanes might doe it and yet nothing apparant to vs but the charme As a witche may
onely shoulde attende If affection be good attention faileth and if attention stande affection dyeth And therefore séeing that euen reason teacheth mee that to call vppon the name of God not as I ought to do is plainly to abuse his name take it in vaine neither in this point can I cleare my selfe but broken herein also I haue this his commaundement What vaine vowes and promises haue passed from me néedelesse to be made Vowes and fruitlesse to be kept For sorcerie and witchcraft charming and coniuring am I able to say I haue as earnestlie abhorred them as I ought euerie way so absteyned from them as I shoulde Nay hath not rather ease béene sought in paine of mee by these meanes Charming or at least wished if I coulde haue gotten them My selfe and my friends my children and goods haue I loued obedience more than thē Or hath not euer some base creature as swine or such like béene dearer to mee than the Lord séeking by charme to saue the one and not fearing by sinne to loose the other God sift not my guilt euen nowe in this for practise or will for my selfe or for others wil surely accuse me Further and beside al these let it be wel weied of anie Christian heart that feareth God indéede and carefullie séeketh the credite of his name howe often vnreuerentlie in sporting and playing in shooting bowling in dising carding Gaming we vse his name Scripture phrase howe the phrase of scripture wil rowle out of our mouthes in iesting and light conferences howe fearefully we vse him in cursing banning our bretheren Banning and surely he shall sée no smal guilt touching this commādement in euerie one of vs if God in iustice weigh vs in the balance and rewarde vs as he findeth weight of sinne full duelie to deserue Where is that happie man or woman so waking and sléeping so sitting and going so speaking and kéeping silence so liuing and dying as for no sin of theirs for no infirmitie for no slip or fal the name of God truth hath bin euil spoken or thought of Let this man and woman appeare and boast that in great measure they haue kept this commaundement But if none such can bee found whose frailtie hath not fostred in reprobate minds a misliking of good thinges then let all fleshe fall downe before his footestoole and sewe out pardon for that liuing so looselie they haue taken his name in vaine and broken this commandement Last of all if wee cast our eyes about consider a little the manifolde meanes prouided by the Lord to do vs good in bodie and soule and euerie way Meanes not vsed are we able to say wee haue neglected none but euer vsed them as wee ought reuerentlie carefullie and with thankesgiuing Hath neuer an vnprofitable bashfulnesse made vs conceyle our bodilie griefe or refuse the meanes thought méete to doe vs good Hath not carelesse contempt robbed vs of the remedie appointed for our soules And hath not vnthriftie selfewill reiected meanes to increase our wordlie estate If these all or anie be true we haue despised the wisedome of the Lord which appeareth in these things and should be magnified by them and in them we haue polluted his name our selues greatly occasioned others to thinke lightly of good things and grieuouslie guiltie we stand before him for it of the breache of this commandement What should I say of not rebuking others according to our place whom we haue noted to offende in any of these Not rebuking which is a thing as hath béene saide required also in this Lawe and therefore a thing that resting in vs doeth crie for vengeaunce though in all the rest wee were pure and innocent For we were not borne for our selues but also for others and the bodie the soule the goods and estate of our brethrē should be déere vnto vs we not séeing and suffering them by our wils to do the thing that we knowe will hurt them What I say should I speake of this and many other braunches yet remaining Doe we not sée already shame ynough and grieuous sinne in great abundance Where were we nowe then euen for these that haue béene named if the percing eyes of the liuing GOD should prie into vs and with iust rewarde séeke to pay the wants he could espie in vs Could we escape the pit of endlesse paine Speake in the feare of God euen what you sée Are you pure and blamelesse in these all Dare you stande out and make the challenge Come iudge stay not sift me and spare not thy tryall I feare not for all these haue I kept from my youth O sinnefull fleshe espie thy case Thou canst not thou maiest not and I knowe thou darest not vnlesse the dreadfull wrath of God haue sealed vp thy sight And therefore euen in this commaundement also as in the former crie rather vp to heauen with shrillish shrike Wash me O Lord from these my sinnes and cleanse me from my wickednesse Haue mercie vpon me O gratious God and according to the multitude of thy mercies doe away mine offences O sweete Sauiour who may not see what he is without thee Full heauie laden I come vnto thee Christ my deere God as thou hast promised refresh and ease me Amen Amen The fourth Commaundement Remember that thou keepe holie the Sabaoth day Question WHat is the meaning of this commaundement Ans Your booke answereth that the hallowing of the Sabaoth day is to rest from our labours in our calling and in one place to assemble our selues together and with feare and reuerence to heare marke and lay vp in our hearts the worde of GOD preached vnto vs to pray altogether that which we vnderstande with one consent and at the times appointed to vse the Sacramentes in fayth and repentaunce and all our life long to rest from wickednesse that the Lord by his holy spirit may worke in vs his good worke and so begin in this life euerlasting rest Que. Had not the Iewes diuers feasts beside this Sabaoth Ans Yes in déede Some of God immediatly appointed and some by themselues vpon special occasion By the Lord they were tied to thrée solemne feasts in the yere at which he would haue all the males to appeare before him To wit The feast of vnleauened bread that is Easter Leuit. 23. Exod. 23.15 or the passeouer in remēbrance how the Angel passed ouer their houses when in one night he slewe all the first borne in AEgypt both of man and beast The feast of the haruest of the first fruits of their labours which they had sowen in the fields Verse 16. which was Whitsontide or Pentecost in remembrance that the lawe was giuen fiftie daies after their departure out of AEgypt And the feast of gathering fruits in the end of the yeare Verse 16. when they had cleansed the fields This was the feast of Tabernacles putting them in mind that 40.
of knowledge any way with credit to vse the same But what view I so much the cōmendable care of Heathens in this behalfe Haue not Gods faithfull béene in this point as carefull as they Yes truly many haue and in better order a great deale For there being in this thing degrées and steppes to be obserued as first of pietie secondly of learning thirdly of manners and lastly of the function or calling the children of God many of them haue in this excelled the Heathen that being generally as carefull as they in all particularly in this as men better acquainted with it through greater giuen light knowledge they haue far excelled them that first they haue attempted what in déede is first to be cared for namely to frame the hearts of their children to God and grace and then in order to the things following Wee sée it in Adam Gen. 4. Gen. 18. 2 Tim. 3. 1. Chron. 28.9 2. Kings 4. Deut 6. Psal 78.5 who taught his sonnes to serue the Lord. We sée it in Abraham most notably We sée it in Timothies parentes who brought him vp from a child in the knowledge of the scriptures We sée it in Dauid Ioas the king a number others Generallie to them all it was a cōmandement that assoone as their children could vnderstand and aske them questions they shoulde carefully instruct them concerning the Lords dealings with them and for them And I doubt not but many did it of the ancient Christians Philo writeth that they were called cultores ac cultrices that is to say Tillers because as men painefully till their ground so they carefully laboured the grounde of their childrens hearts to plant in them the feare of God Nos hodie vastatores ac vastatrices saith he That is Wee in these daies may better bee termed destroiers than tillers so rechlesse we are careles in this so great a matter Hence sprang the Cloisters in the beginning saith Chrysostome that kinde of life Lib. 3. contra vituperatores monast vitae namely of the excéeding care that men had to haue their children well brought vp and excluded from euil company and hurtful sights in the worlde till yeeres and setled instruction had made them lesse capable of the harme thereof Afterward they degenerated from that institution and became as we well know dens of drones and nurceries of vngodlinesse corrupters of all not correctors of any and the wrath of the Lorde hath nowe destroyed them It is a good admonition of wise Salomon Prou. 22. Teache a childe in the trade of his way and when he is olde he shall not depart from it And that experienced sonne of Sirach in many places speaking of this mtater Syrach 16.22 30. also hath these wordes in my opinion not lightlie to be looked on Neither desire nor delight saith he in children though neuer so many vnlesse the feare of God be in them For one that is iust is better than a thousande and better it is to die without children than to leaue behinde vs vngodly ones Thus let it suffice to haue touched this matter whereof long and large treatises are made néedefull to be touched if euer néedefull and euen long stoode vpon For too much it is of parents neglected yet are they grieued if of their children they be not reuerenced and howsoeuer many there bee that in these daies are carefull ynough to procure vnto their children knowledge of Artes of Countries and of any thing that in worldely sort may make them mightie famous and spoken of yet is the grounde of all verie fearefully neglected namely to setle in them the true feare of the God of Israell deliuered and taught in his worde Yea it is euen accounted by father and child not so néedefull or beséeming for a gentleman to the great exasperating of the Lordes wrath against them and their séede Humilitie also and shamefastnes are taken from youth in these daies euen by their parents and their teachers and where it hath euer béene held that blushing in measure modestie and silence haue béene commendable tokens in young yeeres nowe is it a shame to be ashamed at any time blushing is want of countenance and bringing vp silence is ignoraunce modestie is too much maidenlinesse and in short nowe vertue is vice and vice very comely and gallant behauiour So times are changed to and fro and chaunging times haue chaunged vs too But of this thus farre Que. What else nourisheth in children due reuerence Ans Due correction Due I say with wisedome and moderation For he that spareth his rodde Prou. 13.24 hateth his sonne but he that loueth him doth chasten him betimes 19. vers 18. Chasten thy sonne while there is hope and let not thy soule spare for his murmuring And in an other place Withholde not correction from thy childe 23. verse 13. for if thou smite him hee shall not die Que. But what if parents in foolish pitie cocker vp their children and pretermit this due aduertisement Ans Then will they loose this reuerence most assuredly in their heartes and often make them come to euil ends It is prooued by Heli his two sonnes 1. Sam. 2. the 4. also who by their fathers lenitie conceiued not what it was to sinne against the Lorde and therefore to their owne hurt and their fathers great griefe tasted the heauie hande of God and dyed both in a day Also by Absolon Ammon Adoniah Dauids sonnes Whose fearefull ends may serue for euer to admonish all parents howe they foolishly loue their children and cannot abide to say or doe their dueties to them or yet to let others Marke well the sixt verse of the first Chapter of the first booke of Kings and be wise betime A small twigge will not kill the tenderest Prince Lord or Ladie in the worlde If thou smite him saieth Salomon Prou. 23.23 you heard before he shall not die I warrant him Que. What is the second part of this honour that children owe to their Parentes Ans Readie and willing obedience Que. And what is that Ans Obedience is the performance of Parentes will so farre as lieth in our power and lawfully wée may Que. And how prooue you that this children are bounde vnto Ans First by the words of Salomon Obey thy father that hath begotten thee Prou. 23.22 and despise not thy mother when she is olde Secondly by the Apostle to the Colossians Coloss 3.20 Children obey your parents in al things for that is wel pleasing vnto the Lorde And to the Ephesians againe Childrē obey your parents in the Lord Ephes 6.1 for that is right Thirdely it is very strongly prooued by the sharper punishment which God appointed for all disobebient children to wit euen flat and present death For so we reade in the Lawe Deut. 21.18 c. If any man haue a sonne that is stubborne and disobedient that he will not hearken vnto the voyce
farre are Magistrates to be obeyed Ans Certainely but in the Lord as was saide before of our naturall parentes For the limittes both of the Magistrates bidding and our obeying are these two pietie and charitie contrarie to these must neither they command nor we doe Que. How prooue you this Exod. 1. Ans In the first of Exodus when the kinges commaundement passed these limittes the midwiues would not obey and the Lorde blessed them for it The 3 children obeyed not the king Dan. 3. as we reade in Daniell Obediah and Heliah obeyed not the king and Quéene 1. Kings 18. Daniell himselfe obeyed not and the Apostles sayde God before you must be obeyed with manie such examples Que. What if statutes be straite and in yeelding our pollicie great may wee not yeelde a litle Ans In déede be the wether neuer so hote statutes neuer so straite pollicie neuer so great God is God hell is hell we may not do what is good in our owne eyes nor decline either to the right hand or to the left Read the prophet Mich. 6.14 c Que. How prooue you that ministers are contayned vnder the name of Parents Ans They are in scripture reputed spiritual fathers as wee may sée in manie places namely to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 4.15 Though you haue ten thousande instructours in Christ saith the Apostle yet haue you not manie fathers for in Christ Iesus I haue be gottē you through the gospel Againe to the Gala. Gala. 4.19 My litle children saith he of whome I trauell in birth agayne vntill Christ bee formed in you And in his Epistle to Philemon V. 10. I beseech thee for my sonne Onesimus whome I haue begotten in my bonds Therefore truelie tearmed Elizeus the prophet Eliah when hee cried my father 2. Kings 2.12 my father the charet of Israell and the horsemen of the same Now thē since they be thus accounted in the worde proofe enough it shoulde bee that all those thrée partes of honour latelie spoken of belong vnto them Yet for more full contentation let vs wey the wordes of Christ in the Gospell As my father sendeth me Iohn 20. so send I you he that heareth you heareth me he that despiseth you despiseth me Math. 10. with many such Wherby apparant it is that in his ministers God is honored or dishonored for obedience to thē in the workes of their calling the scripture also is plaine Heb. 13. saying Obey them that haue the ouersight of you and submit your selues for they watch for your soules as they that must giue accomptes that they may doe it with ioy and not with griefe for that is vnprofitable for you And for their maintenance also testimonies manie are there in number both in the old and new Testament as Thou shalt not mussel the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the corne The workman is worthie of his wages He that serueth the Altar let him liue of the Altar He that deliuereth vs spirituall things by verie good right ought to chalenge reape at our hands againe temporall to conclude in flat words the Apostle cōmandeth let him that is instructed in the worde make him that hath instructed him partaker of al his goods with other such speaches diuers Que. How prooue you that maisters are fathers to and ouer their seruants Ans For the office and dutie no man that is godly wil dout I hope that the Lord hath blessed him with that superioritie aboue others not that he shold rule as a tyrant ouer them but to loue chéerish defend thē euē as a father his childrē they doing him true faithful seruice And for the name it selfe beside a number other proofes the plaine place warranteth it in the booke of the kings where Naamās seruāts come vnto him say Father if the Prophet had cōmanded thee a great thing 2. King 5.13 wouldst thou not haue done it Sée how the spirit of God giueth to maisters the title of fathers Que. What prescription is there in the word for seruantes duties towardes their maisters Ans First sée the words of Paul to the Ephe. Seruants be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh Ephes 6.5 with feare trēbling in singlenes of your harts as vnto Christ not with seruice to the eye as mē pleasers but as the seruants of Christ doing the wil of God from the hart with good wil seruing the Lord and not men and knowe yee that whatsoeuer good thing anie man doth that same shal hee receiue of the Lord whether he bee bonde or free Secondlie weigh wel the same Apostles speach to Titus Let seruants be subiect to their masters Tit. 2.9 please them in al things not answering againe neither pikers but that they shewe all good faithfulnesse that they may adorne the doctrine of God our Sauiour in all thinges Againe to the Colossians most notablie speaketh the same Paul saying Seruants bee obedient to them that are your masters according to the fleshe in all thinges not with eye seruice as men pleasers but in singlenesse of heart fearing God Colos 3.22 and whatsoeuer you doe doe it hartily as to the Lord and not to men knowing that of the Lord yee shall receyue the rewarde of the inheritaunce for yee serue the Lord Christ The same counsell giueth Peter also adding that not onely to the louing kinde and courteous master but euen to the frowarde also of seruants this dutie must be performed And marke this well I beséech you because manie seruauntes take their maisters vnkindenesse for an excuse of their disobedience or infidelitie in their seruices which indéed must not be so saith Peter but be they neuer so froward yet we must doe all duetie if wee be seruantes and euen ioy heartily in that crosse that notwithstanding our faithful and paineful duetie yet we suffer vnkin̄de wordes sower and seuere looks with such like at their hands For wee serue not them but GOD in them saide the places before cited and what good thing soeuer we doe we shall receiue it at our good Gods hands again assuredly what contempt soeuer they shewe of vs casting vs off vnrewarded yea euen with hatred peraduenture for our good wils as often it falleth out O swéete and most swéete comfort for all seruauntes What stonie heart doeth not euen melt at the consideration of this gratious nature of the Lord that if I bee a seruannt and honour him in that my calling by true faithfull painefull and louing seruice to my maister and mistrisse be they ne-neuer so sower so waiward so vnkind so bitter so without either discretion to discerne a good seruant or conscience to reward him yet wil my God my God I say neuer forsake mee but returne into my bosome with his blessing my true dealing liuing and meaning most assuredlie and marke the proofe and practise of the same vpon Iacob and Ioseph
suspition of ielosie and to giue a testimonie vnto the worlde that hee was not contrarie to the profession of a Christian too much addicted to anie earthly thing since it is writen that he which hateth not father or mother wife or child for Christ cannot be his disciple and no man can serue two maisters with such other places most wickedly wrested to bring in a most horrible conclusion Carpocrates and his sect through their abominable life was warranted by that speach of Paul Rom. 2. that anger tribulation shal be vpon euerie soule that sinneth Sée say they how he saith vpon euery soule not vpon euery body so that our bodies we may vse as wee list Others vsed these places We are not vnder the law but vnder grace Iusto non est lex posita There is no law for the iust and such other By all which things it is apparant how mightily Satan hath bent his force to draw men to the pollution of their bodies and to vncleannesse forbidden in this commandemeÌ„t Now marke stil I pray you the course of this matter sée how as the Church of God euer withstood this worke of satan in measure sought to establish honest life chast behauiour as I haue before shewed so in the beginning of the gospel especially as most cause was giuen through the abuÌ„dance of the contrarie sin verie vehemeÌ„tly sharpely was condemned the libertie of lust filthie affection which then ruled on the contrariy side was vrged chastitie chastitie with reasons laid downe for the excelleÌ„cie of it the coÌ„mandemeÌ„ts of god for it And indéed so zelously so diligeÌ„tly so effectually was this done by the godlie teachers of those times as that Satans subtilties preuailing so much before to the contrarie beganne to loose their strength daily more more For the hardnesse of mens heart through which sinne so greatly increased was turned into softnesse and Christian féeling their ignorance which accompted so foule a sinne an indifferent matter was dailie diminished and turned into knowledge their iudgements before abused with showe of scriptures to confirme their euill were bettered by the spirite of light to perceiue and sée how fowlie these scriptures were wrested to a wrong ende and howe many apparantlie commaunded the contrarie So that their consciences being quickned their eyes opened and their vnderstanding augmented by continuall and godlie teaching lust waxed lesse or at least more orderlie to the show of man For it brake not out in such confused manner as before to all and euerie one that was liked and might bee obtained Nowe then yet sée a diuell When he sawe his kingdome in men thus euery day fal to ruine through diligent exhortations vnto chastitie so that he was not able to deale with men as before to make theÌ„ litle accompt of actuall pollution as hee had doone what deuiseth hee yet still to continue his venime in mankinde Surelie euen this note it and wonder hee himselfe falleth to preach and teach chastitie also by his ministers and to extoll it to heauen But howe Not as he should I warrant you but as it best serued for his wicked intent He doeth not teach men to kéepe bodie and mind pure from all vncleane actions or conceiptes but he laboreth to perswade that outward continencie of bodie what broyles of scorching lust soeuer the minde abideth is an holie thing before God of it selfe acceptable and meritorious Hee doeth not teach men that there is an acceptable chastitie in godlie matrimonie if the gift of continencie bee not giuen but vnto certayne persons hee flatlie forbiddeth it as not tollerable and generallie in all hee doeth note it as culpable preferring single life in dignitie holinesse merite before it in al men Thus taught his scholer and instrument Marcion the heretike about the yeare of Christ 133. publishing and teaching that the coniunction of man and womaÌ„ euen in matrimonie was sinne that it procéeded or was inuented of a contrarie God that women wholy were the worke of the diuell men also the one halfe of theÌ„ He would alow none to be baptised vnles they either were single or would promise euer after to be so c. To this end againe stepped vp Tatianus and his crew about the yeare 142. and he at the first aswel as Marcion condemned matrimonie altogether also but afterward he drew in his speach from openly touching it anie more and vnder the high commendation of single life priuily pinched at the stayned estate of wedlocke and sought to make it hatefull Whereupon his folowers were called Encratites After Tatianus came Montanus about the yeare 145. who suffered first mariges in such as were weake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but coÌ„demned the seconde as intollerable in any Then followed Manicheus and his â—â—rt they gaue to the ruder sort as they â—â—lled theÌ„ leaue to marrie but for such 〈◊〉 were of any credit amongst theÌ„ and â—â—oweÌ„ as they say to any perfectioÌ„ they â—ight not in any wise marrie but liue â—ast Thus began that opinioÌ„ of single life 〈◊〉 excel the other euen by these steps FroÌ„â—heÌ„ce diuers godly fathers receiued inâ—â—ction as Tertullian Hierom Origen â—lement Nazianzene which others falling â—ery far with these heretikes into a misâ—iking of the ordinance of god against inâ—oÌ„tinency into an ouer great opinion â—f single life Then froÌ„ a thing coÌ„mendaâ—le in all men it was brought at last to â—e a thing necessarie in some men so â—rew more more dailie Then did neâ—essitie to obserue what infirmitie could not obserue cause much secret very ofâ—en euen vnnaturall fearefull pollution whereby it fel out that by this subtill slight of his to extoll chastitie and to place it only in single life satan brought as great an haruest into hell as before with his other named meanes Que. Thus then by this storie I see howe this opinion began of single life and howe subtillie Satan transformeâ— himselfe into an Angell of light but yeâ— I see nothing why single life is not betâ—ter than matrimonie Ans That is straunge séeing bâ— the storie it is apparant that durinâ— the time of the olde Testament therâ— was neuer such a thought amongst thâ— children of God but euen the quitâ— contrarie and secondlie euen vnder thâ— Gospell it sprung from such teacherâ— as Marcion Montanus Tatianus and other heretikes But if yet we wouldâ— more fullie bee setled let vs duely weâ— what the scripture saith of godlie maâ—trimonie and then shall wee sée wheâ—ther chastitie bee onely in single life oâ— whether wee can finde anie greaâ—â— praise of it and acceptaunce before Goâ— than of marriage or no. First then I pray you let vs consider what in thâ— gospell is saide in matrimonie to witâ— that those whome God hath ioyned toâ—gether no man ought to put asunder Surelie if God ioyne them Matth. 19. then is thâ— life accepted and not vnchast beforâ— him Againe euerie man hath his
obserue his will We nowe knowe not our actes onely but our inwarde thoughtes must euer be holy we now knowe many meanes that leade to offence heerein and that euen the meanes must also be eschewed Nowe then if we liue as in ignorance wee did scorning at counsell cleauing to our pleasures and reiecting the Lorde and his lawe shall we escape He that knoweth his maisters will and doth it not shall hee be vnpunished Marke what I say and pray euer to féele it as the wrath of the king bad heate the furnace seuen times hootter than eâ—er it was to consume the men that withstoode him to his face for truth so shall the wrath of God that made this lawe cause hell to be hette 70 times 7 times hotter for vs if wilfully after warning and maliciously after knowledge we oppose our life against it That is he shall multiply the paines of hell vppon vs for these pleasures of our fleshe that swéete sinne may haue bitter and sower confusion for euermore Nowe the God of heauen giue vs sense and féeling the Lorde of mercie touch vs with a taste of sinne by the viewing of his lawe For we cannot alwayes liue and thus dally with our owne soules neither standeth it with the nature of our God who is iust finally to forgiue vs though he long forbeare vs vnlesse we amend But he must haue his iudgement and we must haue our torment as sure as we liue Nowe doeth hee wish vs to consider our wayes and to turne our feete into his testimonies his warninges waste and his wrath increaseth if wee settle our selues against him Yet O howe I feare wee will wilfully doe it For it is so swéete and so incident to vs which this lawe forbiddeth that a thousande to one we forsake the Lorde The allurementes I haue named wee will neuer withstande no wee will not heare of it that they cause vs to fall But pleasing this fleshe for the time wee doe vse them wee will neuer espie the paine that will followe them Yet why should I feare since God is of power to pierce anie hart and hath promised to doe it if wee heartily begge it O Lorde I hope thou wilt worke with vs that by this lawe we may sée howe we haue offended thée and what héereafter we must more eschewe the one with sorrowe and true remorse the other with faith and continuall care Then shall thy Christ and our comfort who in our flesh fulfilled the lawe for vs couer with his righteousnesse all our sinnes against it Then shall sinnes past in his bloud be forgiuen and wee by him euer héereafter strengthened Then we shall order our eyes with a carefull heart we shall set a watch before our mouth and keepe the dore of our lippes all false inticementes to forbidden lustes wee shall gladly refraine and so escape the sinne it selfe the better This I say good Lorde we shall doe if thou worke with vs that is thou and thy power and thou and thy mercie shall doe it in vs. Which voutchsafe O father of heauen for thy vnmeasurable vnsearchable goodnesse sake Amen The eight Commaundement Thou shalt not steale Question HOwe can this commaundement possiblie stande with that opinion of communitie Ans Indéede no way for it manifestly ouerthroweth so vile an imagination and sheweth the distinction of dominions propriety in things was and is the ordinance of the Lorde For euerie prohibition sheweth an ordinance before established which should be obserued either in Gods lawes or mans though not alwaies expressely As the forbidding of murther sheweth preseruation of life to be the wil of God and the denyall of adulterie inferreth the liking of chastitie either in mariage or out So the forbidding of stealth which is an alienation of an other mans goods to our selues sheweth that euery thing is not our owne to take at our pleasure but proprietie in possession is the will of the Lorde For if all thinges be common there can be no stealth and so this law friuolous and to no purpose which God forbid we should affirme or thinke Que. Yet many haue bin of this opinion affirming that tyranny not diuinitie maketh this difference amongst men Ans It is verie true Yet I hope you sée how euideÌ„tly this law of God which I trow they will account diuinitie doth ouerthrowe them and their folly as do also all other lawes that may héereunto be reduced with many scriptures mo For as there can bee no stealth if all thinges be common and therefore this lawe of God as I saide in vaine giuen so there can be no buying or selling no borowing or lending no letting or leasing or any such thing amongst men if euery man haue like interest to take at his pleasure therfore the Lord God euen in these also greatly ouerséene for that he would troble himselfe to make lawes touching these matters when as no maÌ„ hath or ought to haue anie proprietie in anie thing more than an other Againe all the exhortations in the Scripture to almes déedes and to mercie toward the poore is friuolous for they haue as good right to take anie thing they want from anie man as the other haue to giue them But all these you sée are absurde and therefore the opinion and the contrary of it the wil and ordinance of the Lord. Que What is then the verie drift of this commandement Ans The verie end of it is this to bind our loue and care to our neighbors goods as before it hath béene to his life and things déere vnto him as his life For it cannot bee that our heartes shoulde bee right in affections towards our brethren and wee spoylers and wasters or anie way harmers of the commodities which they inioy Loue chéerisheth kéepeth euen euery thing so néere as it can which he accompteth of whome wee loue and especiallie which hee liueth by and maintaineth both himselfe and others by And therefore as I thinke we cannot take a better course to lay before our owne eyes that wants of loue in vs towards the goods of our neighbors and consequently our breaches of this commaundement than diligently to wey some particular dueties specified in the worde wherein the Lord God would haue our loue to show it selfe As for open rapine and plaine stealth no man I thinke wil excuse it or denie it to be sinne and therfore I stand not vpoÌ„ it your booke hath euident places quoted against it I come rather to those other duties of borowing and lending of hyring and letting of buying and selling and such like Que. First then what is the Lawe of borowing and lending in the worde Ans If a man saith the lawe borow anie thing of his neighbour Exod. 22.14 and it bee hurt or else die the owner of it not being by hee shall surelie make it good If it be an hyred thing he shal not make it good for it came for his hyre In which lawe if wee well wey