Protestants It will not be amisse therefore because the Papists build upon the Word of GOD as do the Protestant to examine the main point between them in difference which is about the interpretation of it and to whom this interpretation belongeth properly Hear what the sense of this reverend Authour was in his latter years concerning points that are manifest and matters controverted in his sermon on 1 Timothy 3. 16. page 18 19. Blessed be God that among diverse other mysteries about which there are so many mysts and clouds of controversy raised in all ages hath yet left us some clear and without controversy manifest and yet great great and yet manifest a false conceit is crept into the mindes of men to think the points of religion that be manifest to be certain petty points scarce worth the learning It is not so Those that are necessary he hath made plain those that are not plain not necessary This were a mystery yea a great one Religion hath no greater yet manifest and in confesso with all Christians A way of peace there shall be whereof all parties shall agree even in the midst of a world of controversies That there need not such ado in complaining if men did not delight rather to be treading mazes then to walk in the wayes of peace for even still such a way there is which lieth fair enough and would lead us sure enough to salvation if leaving those other rough labyrinths we would be but shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace Yea further the Apostle doth allure us that if whereunto we are come and wherein we all agree we would constantly proceed by the rule those things wherein we be otherwise minded even them would God reveal to us Ephesians 6. 15. that is he makes no controversy but controversy would cease If conscience were made of practise of that which is out of controversy Phil. 3. 15. The Papitts hold that the Scriptures are to be interpreted by one of these four wayes 1. Either by the Fathers 2. Or Councels 3. Or the Church 4. Or the Pope whom they call the chief Father of the Church Concerning which we do partly agree and partly differ from them 1. We hold that there is a certain and infallible rule viz. the Word of God whereupon a man may relye else we may begin to build but not upon a Rock and then our building will be subject to be overthrown and beaten down with every blast of false doctrine 2. That the Scriptures as Saint Peter tells us not being of any private interpretation we are to beware that every man interpret it not after his own fancy because as the same Apostle speaks elsewhere of Saint Pauls epistles some things are hard in them to be understood which they which are unlearned and unstable may wrest which ought not to be but we are as Hilary saith referre sensum Scripturis non auferre to give to the Scripture its proper sence not take it away or devise one for it 3. We hold that God hath given the gift of interpretation to some as Saint Paul affirms and they are such to whom God as he saith hath revealed it by his Spirit that is a naturall man cannot interpret them aright nor yet the vulgar or common sort whom as Saint Augustine saith non vivacitas intelligendi sed simplicitas credendi salvos reddit rather their simplicity in beleeving then vivacity or quicknesse of apprehension and understanding bringeth to salvat on And if the Eunuch a man of great place were not able to interpret without Saint Philip much lesse the vulgar sort But God hath bestowed this gift upon the learned and to those of the learned which have the guist of interpretation The extraordinary gift of interpretation is one of those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 12. which God gave at the first planting of the Church with the other gifts of tongues miracles c. Sometimes to men unlearned and this was not tied to any one rank of men but the ordinary power and gift of interpretation alwayes was and is in the Church and the Bishops and Pastors thereof 4. Now forasmuch as God according to Saint Paul divides his gifts singulis prout vult to every one according to his good pleasure it were hard to restrain it to any one Order as to that of Bishops as some of the more rigid Papists would have it And Stapleton one of them when he had done all he could to maintain his tenet in the end was forced to confesse that God gives these guifts extraordinary as well to others as to them as well to Amos a Herdsman called and gifted extraordinarily as to Jeremie a Priest Yet Andradius and others of them hold that the interpretation of Bishops assembled together may be taken howsoever 5. Now concerning the sense of the Scriptures As it is well said by the Lawyers that Apices juris non sunt jus so is it in the Scriptures not the letters or words but the meaning is that which is Scripture indeed To finde out which Aquinas gives these rules 1. In matters of faith and manners nullus sensus sumendus nisi literalis none but the literal sense is to be taken 2. In point of exhortation or instruction uti licet sensu tropologice uti patreubique it is lawful for us to use a figurative sense as the fathers often did 3. Albeit a man may draw sundry consequences a contrariis 〈◊〉 c. by contraries similies and the like by the rules of Logique yet the literal sense can be but one in one place 4. That is to be taken for the literal sense of every place which the construction will beare if it lead not into an absurdity and then it must needs be a trope Now seeing there must be an Interpretation and it must be that which is literal unlesse it draw an absurdity with it we are now to come to the examination of this sense and because we must never looke to stop the mouthes of sectaries and hereticks but they will still finde an occasion or place to wrangle upon we must therefore bring them to one of these two inconveniences 1. Either to drive them to condemn themselves in their own hearts 2. Or because the Devil doth so much blinde the understanding of some that they will not understand reason we may argue so long with them till their folly be made manifest to all men as the Apostle speaks We are to know that as in all other Sciences so in Divinity the judgement of every thing is to be taken ex principiis from the principles And concerning the principles in Divinity which are the Scriptures S. Augustine saith In eis que sunt aperte apposita inveninutur omnia quae pertinent ad fidem moresque vivendi in those things which are plainly set before us we may finde all things belonging to faith and good life
Men and brethren what shall we do or what shall we leave undone but onely for some sinister ends 2. The second is between the hearers themselves and that 1. either among equalls as S. Paul with S. Peter and Elias and Elizens who communed together and the two Disciples with whom Christ made a third And it was the old Custom as it is in the Prophet that they that feared the Lord spake every one to his neighbour c. to which a special blessing is promised That God would keep a book of remembrance for such men and that he would spare them c. By this means a more general benefit may be reaped of what is heard when many shall lay together what they have observed as in a symbolum or common shot whereby some that had no benefit by the word when they first heard it may receive some good by it afterwards and by mutual conference men may lay open their infirmities and imperfections which hinder them in hearing and applying the word and may receive directions from others whose case hath been the same how they were holpen and freed from the like 2. Or else between superiours and inferiours as the Master and his family And this was Gods Commandement to the Israelites concerning his Law they were to teach their children and to whet it upon them as the word imports Thou shalt talk of it when thou sittest in thine 〈◊〉 and when thoulyest down and when thou risest up c. 5. The fift and last duty for sanctifying the day not to be passed over is praise and thanksgiving Augustine accompteth it to be totum opus Sabbati the whole work of the Sabbath as if the day were made for nothing else And to this end as hath been said before the ninety second Psalm was penned to be sung as a Hymne or song to praise God Now praise and thanksgiving may be either for general or particular benefits For general benefits we have the ninety first sixty eight and hundred and third Psalms For particular benefits as for fair weather after rain or rain after too much drought c. we have the sixty fift Psalm For these we must with David praise God in the great Congregation Especially seeing thanksgiving is accounted by David to be a debt due unto God in respect of his goodnesse in hearing our prayers and it is the very reason the Psalmist gives for it Praise watcheth for thee in Sion or as others read it Tibi debetur Hymnus a hymn is due to thee from Sion the reason is expressed in the next words because thou art a God that hearest prayers Besides all these mentioned the Sacraments and Discipline are parts of the sanctification of the day but are not for every day but to be performed on speciall dayes and by some speciall persons whereas the other duties of the day pertain generally to all and ought to be continually performed So that no man ought to conceive that he hath done enough in performing them once Qui sanctificatus est sanctificetur adhuc he that is holy let him be holy still There is a necessity of continuing in these means of sanctification every sabbath day For as our knowledge is but in part and our prophesying but in part as the Apostle speaks so our sanctification is but in part there will still remain a necessity of that exhortation Scrutamini Scripturas search the Scriptures We are continually to wash our robes in the blood of the Lamb that is we must still come neerer and neerer to cleannesse until by continuing in these holy exercises we may at last save our selves And thus much for the several duties wherein the sanctifying of the day consists Now the means are for the end which is the fruit of them Nemo mediis utitur propter media no man ever useth means onely for the means but for some end And therefore he that planteth a vineyard and he that tilleth and soweth his ground hoc est ultimum fructus that which he aimeth at is the fruit and harvest This is the fruit that God expects the great end of this Commandment that his Name may be sanctified in and by us We have the very phrase of speech in the book of Numbers Because ye beleeved me not to sanctifie me in the presence of the Children of Israel therefore ye shall not bring the Congregation into the land which I have given them this was Gods speech to Moses and Aaron And in another place the like Sanctificate sancti estote sanctifie your selves and be ye holy Such words in respect of the two fold glory that redoundeth to God have a double sence God is glorified 1. Either by us directly or 2. from us by other indirectly as it is in the Gospel when men seeing our good works are stirred up also to glorifie him And therefore it is that these words Sanctification Glorification c. have a double sense 1. First to signifie a making holy c. and that by means in which respect sanctification is a making holy 2. in regard of others a declaring of this sanctification so made By the first according to S. Peter we make sure to our selves our calling and election And by the second we declare it to others that as we glorifie God our selves so God may be glorified by others also Shew me thy faith by thy works saith S. James Whereby it falleth out that because good works have this operation to stir up others to glorifie God that our Saviour saith That a good work is lawful on the Sabbath day such works discover our regeneration and if we be purged and sanctified we shall be as the Apostle saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prepared or made fit for every good work So that when God hath used the means we must bring forth the fruit CHAP. VII Works of Mercy proper for the Lords day They are of two sorts 1. First Corporeal feeding the hungry c. Burying of the dead a work of mercy Such works proper for a festival Objections answered 2. Spirituals 1. To Instruct Counsel and exhort 2. Comfort 3. Reproofe 4. Forgiving 5. Bearing with the weak 6. Prayer 7. Reconciling those that are at odds BUt because the day was chiefly instituted for a memorial of Gods great mercies as 1. For making us when we were nothing 2. Secondly for redeeming us when we were worse then nothing 3. And lastly For the beginning of our sanctification therefore in regard of these three great mercies it is that no work doth so well agree with the day nor that God is so much delighted in as the works of mercy when we shew our thankfulnesse for those great mercies which we celebrate on that day by exercising mercy towards others whose necessity requires our assistance And in this regard it is that there is a special affinity between
which is the proper work of the Magistrate When there was no king in Israel every man did what was good in his own eyes which is proved by Micha's attempt making a Teraphim and by the robberie of the Danites Chap. 18. and the ravishing of the maids by the Benjamites Chap. 19. Therefore for defending from external injuries he must be custos 〈◊〉 tabulae keeper of both tables S. Augustine saith Reges si in suo regno quae bona sunt jubent mala prohibent faciunt non solum quae ad humanam societatem attinent sed ad divinam religionem If Kings command their Subjects good things and forbid them evil they do not onely that which belongs to the preservation of humane society but Gods service also And again In hoc sciunt reges a Deo praecipi 〈◊〉 Deo inserviant in quantum Reges Kings must know they are to serve God as they are kings They are then to be Gods servants as they are kings but not to exceed the power given them by God their supremacy must not extend to what God either reserved to himself or committed peculiarly to the Priests Vzziah took on him by his supremacy to burn incense in the Temple which belonged onely to the Priests but God stroke him with leprosie 〈◊〉 on the other side by his supremacy would order matters of Religion but how not as the former did or as a late King who would have whatsoever he proposed to be good Divinity but he commands the Priests and Levites to do what belonged to their office he usurps not their office but makes them do their duty and this is the supremacy which a Christian Prince ought to have Their care must be to provide for religion and Gods service to see all done by those to whom it belongs not to act themselves King Asa whose heart was perfect as the text saith removed not the high places He did jubere bona sed non 〈◊〉 mala King Ezekias did both And under this we comprehend that kinde of compulsion which we see in the Gospel Compellite ut introeant compell them to come in there must be foris necessit as ut sit 〈◊〉 voluntas a necessity abroad to make a will within In S. Augustines time there were divers Donatists that by compulsion were converted and thanked the Emperour for compelling them 3. Another part of the duty of a Prince is as he is the head of the People to be careful to feed them The Tribes of Israel tell King David that the Lord told him when he made him King That he should feed his people Hot histriones or canes but subditos as a Father speaks upon Hosea 7. 5. We have the description of a 〈◊〉 by Samuel at large He accounts all as born to be his drudges and slaves and the Wise man calleth such great oppressours and the Prophet evening wolves not Pastors and roaring lions He must not be of their mindes but like Aristides of Athens who was so careful of the Common-wealth that he used to wish that either his house were the Common-wealth or the Common-wealth his houshold So was it with Joshua his care was in the first place to divide portions for the Tribes and afterwards had his own portion Not like some Rulers that choose first and serve others last And Nehemiah though he had an hundred and fifty at his table and that the precedent governours had taken much money from the people yet did not take so much as he might for the space of twelve years together Now this provision must begin with care for the soul as Jehoshaphat did who sent the Levires thorowout the kingdom with the book of the Law to teach the people and to this end that there may be a perpetual supply of this food there must be a Naioth in Ramah persons educated as in Bethel in Mizpeh the schools for the Prophets and children of the Prophets from whence Teachers are to grow up one under other 2. The next care must be for the body Pharaoh laid up corn against a time of dearth And not onely so but he must send ships for forreign commodities as Solomon did To prevent and end injuries and contentions at home Judges must be appointed after Jehosaphats example Lastly to preserve them from forreign invasions he must with the same King set garrisons in his own cities and have captains and souldiers as he had in some cities of Ephraim taken by his father 1. The first duty of the people answering to these is as the Wise man counselleth 1. Fear God and the King 2. Not to meddle with those that are given to change that is with rebels and seditious persons who would change Laws Religion and Government There are divers shires and corporations in the kingdom and every of them have their several Magistrates and 〈◊〉 over them but they are all under one Prince like as the Kings of the earth are as so many justices of peace in several kingdoms all constituted by one God who is over all Now if any of these subordinate Magistrates rebell against their Prince he is a Rebel both to the Prince and to God and so are all that hearken to him or joyn with him Therefore as we must not obey Kings against God so must we not obey any inferiour Magistrate against kings ut omnia cooperentur in bonum that all things may work together for good as the Apostle speaks 2. In regard of their care over us we are to follow Christs example in obedience and to know that we are according to the right sence of his words not dare but reddere 〈◊〉 quae sunt Caesaris to render not to give to render his due for we know it is the rule of Justice 〈◊〉 reddendum quod suum est to render every one his own We have 〈◊〉 of theirs in 〈◊〉 hands and 〈◊〉 illicita 〈◊〉 dummodo quae sunt requirit it is no unjust demand in any man when he requires but his own As in regard that he secures out tillage he must have tribute out of our lands for keeping the seas peaceable he 〈◊〉 to have vectigal custome and in time of necessity and wars he must have subsidies Besides that which Nehemiah calls the governours bread 〈◊〉 3. The third duty of the Prince is in cases of appeale called Canon Regis or Regni to do justice to all It is justice that establisheth the Throne Saint 〈◊〉 saith just 〈◊〉 Regis pax est 〈◊〉 tutamen 〈◊〉 c. The justice of a King is the peace of the people and 〈◊〉 of the kingdom And Saint 〈◊〉 sine justitia magna 〈◊〉 nibil aliud sunt quammagna 〈◊〉 without justice great kingdoms are nothing els but great dens of theeves And in the administration of justice he must be careful ut osejus non 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 that his mouth transgresse
〈◊〉 we give to Conscience the second place 3. Because God doth not now speak from heaven and a mans conscience may be seared that it will not speak and when it speaks it speaks onely to a mans self and cannot be heard by others therefore a third witnesse is requisite which is that one man bear witnesse to another Vos est is mihi testes saith Joshua to the people Ye are my witnesses that ye have chosen the Lord to serve him and they said Sumus testes we are witnesses And concerning this kinde of testimony is this Commandement specially given that the truth may be established by witnesses 〈◊〉 which this 〈◊〉 was made that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every truth should be established he that is worthy of death must be convict by two or three witnesses but at the mouth of one witnesse he shall not dye And the hands of the witnesses must be first upon him to put him to death 4. 〈◊〉 all these there is a fourth witnesse viz. the dumb and livelesse creature When Joshua had made a covenant with the people he took a great stone and pitched it under an Oak saying Behold this stone shall be a witnesse unto us c. there is the witnesse of a stone and the prophet 〈◊〉 saith That the stone in the wall shall cry out and the beam out of the timber shall answer it and shall testifie against men for their covetousnesse and oppression here is the witnesse of a piece of wood s. James saith The rust and canker of their gold and silver shall be a witnesse against the rich men of those times Here gold and silver bear witnesse All which shew that because man is unfaithful therefore recourse must be had to other creatures to be witnesses against him Thus Moses begins his Song and Esay his prophesie with Hear O Heavens and give ear O Earth c. And the Prophet Micah his plea with the people Hear O mountains the Lords controversie and this counsel was taken either because no men were lest who were fit to be Judges of the matter and therefore he speaks to the mountains no man was free from prevarication and therefore none was fit Or else because this is testimonium facti as when mens actions do testifie for or against them as the rust of their gold and silver did testifie their covetousnesse in hoarding it up There is not onely vox linguae a voice or testimony of the tongue but also vox operis a voice and testimony of the work Iob saith That the wrinckles of his face and his leannesse did bear witnesse against him And so there is Falsum testimonium facti a false 〈◊〉 in fact as in Hypocrisie as well as falsum testimonium dicti a false testimony in word Now of these four witnesses the two former belong to the first Table the two latter to this Commandement The third word to be explained is False Thou shalt not bear false witnesse c. The word in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath three significations whereof the Latine word Falsum will bear but one for it signifies 1. Falsum a falsehood 2. Mendacium alye 3. Vanum a vain thing 1. Falsum falsehood is to speak aliter quam se res habet otherwise then the thing it self is when sermo non est adaequatus 〈◊〉 when the speech is not agreeable and consonant to the truth of the things 2. 〈◊〉 to lye is as the common derivation is ire contra mentem to go contrary to our own minde which is when a man speaks aliter quam ipse sentit otherwise then himself thinks the contrary of which is that which David requires to speak the truth from the heart 3. Vanum a vain speech is such as makes not for the end of speech Now speech was ordained for two necessary uses whereof the one concerns the life to come the other this present life The first end is to build men up in faith and piety towards God the other to maintain justice and charity among men whatsoever speech therefore conduces not to one of these two ends is vain because it is signum mendax a false or lying signe for it wants the signatum the thing signified And therefore all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 foolish talking and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filthy or unsavoury speech condemned by the Apostle are here forbidden as not conducing to the ends of speech and therefore are vain and frivolous The next word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in socium tuum which we render against thy Neighbor upon which translation many have undertaken to maintain the lawfulnesse of Officiosum mendacium an officious lye because it is not against our neighbour but for his good as if one tell a lye to save a mans life or goods but the words of the Commandement do not infer it for they may be generally rendred super socium or proximum about or concerning our neighbour whether for him or against him As that place in Psal. 15. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which our translation renders contra innocentem against the innocent And Tremelius Pro innocente for the innocent may be better rendred super innocentem concerning the innocent whether it be for him or against him To lye 〈◊〉 our neighbour is apparently unlawful the very 〈◊〉 have condemned it But the law of God and Christian charity condemn it when it is for him even to help him It were good in 〈◊〉 that the interpreter would observe this rule to let the words stand in as large and broad a sense as they will bear for so if need be they may be restrained by other places but if they be rendred in too narrow or strict a sence as here pro or contra for or against the ignorant and unstable will take occasion to wrest them as here to exclude from the prohibition whatsoever is not against our neighbour Therefore the words here may be best rendred concerning thy neighbour which may signifie and include both against with our neighbour For as the word signifieth against so also it signifies with and is so rendred in Genesis 30. 33. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my righteousnesse shall answer for me and so the proposition may have a general sense including both Lastly here is Neighbour mentioned to parallel this Commandement with the third which do herein meet as it were ex aequo that both prohibit the abuse of the tongue and differ in regard of the Object which in the third Commandement is God in this our Neighbour For as there we are forbidden to use our tongue in any way which may be derogatory to God by the unhallowing of his Name so here we are forbidden to use it against our neighbour in any way which may bring damage or be prejudicial to him Thus far 〈◊〉 the explication of the words For the
accusing falsly 2. upon uncertain grounds 3. by prevaricating 4. The Defendant 1. by not confessing the truth 2. by appealing without cause 3. by not submitting to the sentence 5. The 〈◊〉 1. by not declaring all the truth when 〈◊〉 is lawfully called 2. by not delivering the innocent though he be not called 3. by delivering the wicked by false testimony 6. The Advocate 1. by undertaking an evil cause 2. by perverting the Law Of giving false testimony in Elections THE Act of this sin consists specially in words which are as our Saviour speaks according to the treasure of our hearts Now there is not onely an evil treasure of the heart out of which a man brings 〈◊〉 evil things but also an idle treasure out of which a man brings forth idle things viz. idle words for which a man must give an account Under these two heads we may comprehend the branches of this sin which may admit this division of 1. false words and 2. vain or idle words 1. False words are either when our words disagree from the truth and essence of things or when they disagree from our own minde And both may be considered either as they concern our selves or our brethren for whatsoever speech is either prejudicial to ourselves or our neighbour is condemned as against the rule of charity And though it be neither hurtful to us nor to our brethren yet if it contain falshood it is against the truth of God and therein we are as the Apostle speaks found false witnesses against God False doctrine is here included as opposite to true doctrine but not as it is in the third Commandment for there it is forbidden as contrary to Gods glory here as hurtful to our brethren and their spiritual good We must not adde to his word nor take from it nor change it by making any other way of salvation as those false teachers did among the Galatians that preached another gospel which as the Apostle saith is to preach alium Jesum another Jesus This was toucht before and therefore we shall say the lesse 〈◊〉 Onely this we adde that it is a good rule given by S. Basil not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not onely all lies and falshoods but also all turnings and wrestings of Scripture are condemned as among others he specially instances in one viz. the making of the litteral sence typical or turning the Scripture into allegories and from thence inferring doctrines which the Holy Ghost never intended This gives occasion to all Heresies when men choose what opinions they themselves please and make the Scripture a nose of wax to patronize them As to make Adam the reasonable part of the soul and Eve the seniual and thereupon to infer this as a positive doctrine That if reason command sense we shall avoid the temptation of the serpent but if the sensual part prevail against reason we shall be overcome by the Tempter as Adam was by hearkning to Eve this is to pervert the Scripture we may indeed 〈◊〉 to such things in Scripture as the Apostle doth to Sarah and Hagar but to say this or that is meant by such texts is to make the Scripture like a 〈◊〉 mans hose or Cothurnum a 〈◊〉 that will serve either leg and makes all Religion uncertain Ezekiel makes it an 〈◊〉 to God to say In obscuris 〈◊〉 I have written to you in dark or doubtful speeches but by this means all is made doubtful so that people shall be doubtful what to hold in any point We come now to false speaking in particular and here we must consider 1. false testimony which is given in judgement and 2 falshood uttered out of judgement This distinction is intimated by Solomon Proverbs 19. 5. where he saith A false witnesse shall not be unpunished and he that speaketh lies shall not escape where we see he make this division that some are false witnesses viz. such as speak falshood from judgement and others speak lies at other times that is out of judgement and the very same we finde by him repeated in the ninth verse The same may be inferd in the words of this Commandment for when it is said Thou shalt not bear false witnesse against thy neighbour that is in judgement this 〈◊〉 that there may be also falsum testimonium false witnesse that is not contra proximum against our Neighbour Before we speak of these in particular we shall onely say this briefly in general concernig all lies That all lyes are from the Devil who was a lyar from the beginning for the first word that ever he spake was a lye those then that utter lyes belong to him The Psalmist makes it the proper mark of wicked men whom he describes by this they speak lies from the very womb And that this is no small sin appears by that fea ful threatning against lyars Perdes omnes qui loquuntur mendacia 〈◊〉 shalt destroy all 〈◊〉 that speak lies All lies whether they concern our selves our Neighbours or none make us false witnesses to God And therefore we finde in the Revel that in the place of torment shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every one that loveth or maketh a lye he that either loves to hear it or that speak it so that lies are condemned both actively and passively if we make them or love to hear them Come we now to him that speaks false in judgement And for this false witnesse Solomon gives us a good comparison for he saith A man that beareth false witnesse is a hammer a sword and a sharp arrow Now thus he is compared partly because his face is hardned so that he blushes at nothing be it never so false for having once lost his 〈◊〉 he comes to have frontem meretricium as the Prophet speaks a whores forehead and 〈◊〉 known to the one party viz. to him that hired him to be a Knave he grows impudent and testifies any thing and so strikes like a hammer or a sword or whatsoever doth wound the deepest he sticks at no mischef he can do to the party against whom he speaks and partly because that as S. Bernard speaks there are three parties who are 〈◊〉 by him at once by one and the same tongue 1. Judici est Malleus He is a hammer or maul to the Judge whose judgement and understanding he 〈◊〉 so that like a man astonisht by a blow on the head he knows not how to determine aright 2. To the party that hired him he is gladius a sword for though he speak for him yet 〈◊〉 is a sword to destroy his soul. He makes him beleeve that by his purse he hath prevailed against the truth and having done so once he may do so at other times and so he 〈◊〉 him in this evil course 3. He is a sharp arrow to him against whom he witnesseth though he hath
too much occasion to these doctrines ultimus Diaboli flatus The last blast of the Devil Against these and such like doctrines which make this and all other books of this nature superfluous we must know That though the Decalogue as it was given by Moses to the Jews was a part of that Covenant which God made with them on Mount Sinai and Sinai belonged properly to them as appears both by the Preface wherein their deliverance out of Egypt is urged as a motive of obedience and by four other passages in the precepts which have peculiar reference to that people as that symbolicall rest required in the fourth precept in remembrance of their rest from the Egyptian bondage and the promise of long life in the land of Canaan in the fifth Yet seeing that the substance of it is no other then the Law of Nature written in mans heart at the first and that by Christ our Law-giver it is made a part of the Gospel or second Covenant though with some qualification therfore it obliges all Christians and that under the highest paines and is therefore justly called the Law of Christ. All the parts of the Morall Law we may finde required in the Gospel though upon other grounds then those were laid by Moses this second Covenant being established upon better promises we have the same rules for our action the same duties required the same sins forbidden the difference is this that here God accepts our obedience in voto at our first conversion when he freely pardons our sins past and expects the actuall performance afterward in the course of our lives and admits repentance after lapses wheras the law as it was part of the other Covenant requires perfect obedience without any intermission otherwise we having higher promises a greater measure of the spirit being now dispensed under the Gospel a higher degree of obedience to the law is now required which is yet no way grievous or burdensome to a true beleever for the power of Christs spirit and the height of the promises make the yoke easie and the burden light Therefore Christs tells us expresly he came not to dissolve the law but to fulfill it or to fill it up as the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports because he did enlarge and perfect it and therefore Theó phylact makes the Law of Christ compared with that of Moses as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Painting to life to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or first draught in black and white and saith that Christ did not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not destroy the first draught but fill it up as a painter perfects a picture with the colours and shadows after the first draught and with him do generally concur the rest of the Fathers Basil saith that whereas the old law saith thou shalt not kill our Lord Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 giving more perfect lawes saith Thou shalt not be angry Origen saith that the lawes of Christ are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 better and more Divine then all those before him S. Chrysostom calls that Sermon upon the Mount 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very top of Philosophy saith that Christs giving of lawes was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the time or season of greater higher precepts Among the Latines Tertullian saith Christi leges supplementa necessaria esse disciplinae creatoris that the lawes of Christ are necessary supplements to the lawes of the Creatour and Christus Dei Creatoris praecepta supplendo conservavit auxit that Christ preserved and increased the lawes of God the creatour by filling them up S. Augustine saith that Christ fullfilled the law by adding quod minus habet what was deficient sic persiciendo confirmavit and so confirmed it by reducing it to more perfection And again upon those words except your righteousnesse c. Nist non solum ea quae inchoant homines impleveritis sed etiam ista quae a me adduntur qui non veni solvere sed implere unlesse ye not onely fulfill those which men have begun but also what is added by me who came not to destroy the law but to fulsill it c. By which and many more testimonies out of the ancients that might be produced it appears that concerning that excellent Sermon upon the Mount wherein the sum of Christian Religion and the way to life is chalked out by him who is the way and the life their opinion is far from truth who say that Christ doth not there promulge or deliver any law as necessary to salvation but onely that he expounds the Morall law given by Moses and cleers it from the false corrupt glosses of the Pharisees which is directly contrary to the constant and unanimous doctrine of the Ancient Church and to the text it self for though it is true that Christ doth therein often reflect upon the expositions of the Jewish doctors who had corrupted the law yet withall it is as true that in those chapters he delivers the Christian law and therein brings up the Morall law to a higher pitch then ever it was by Moses This appears by that opposition so often made in that Sermon between what Moses said of old and what Christ saith you have heard what was said to them of old c. Ego autem dico vobis but I say unto you c. Which opposition as also the Syriack and other translations do plainly shew that as vobis is rendred to you and not by you so veteribus ought to be to them of old not by them of old and therefore our translation as it puts the one reading in the text so it puts the other which is the true in the margent Now those of old were no other then those to whom Moses first gave the law and not the lawyers and Pharisees of those latter times so all the Greek writers agree and the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports as much which is usually in other places referred to the times of Moses and the Prophets and not to latter times and which puts the matter out of question The words which our Saviour saith were said to them of old are no other then the words of the law delivered by Moses either in the same very words or in the sence Those words Thou 〈◊〉 not kill are in Exo. 20. 30. And whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of a judgement are in Levit. 21. 21. Numb 35. 16 17 30. Thou shalt not Commit adultery are the words of the law Exod. 20. 30. He that shall put away his wife let him give her a bill of divorce in Deut. 24. 1. Thou shalt not forswear thy self but shalt perform thy vows to the Lord. Exod. 20. 7. Numb 30. 2. Eyé for eye and tooth for tooth which was permitted in Judgement Deut. 19. 21. Levit. 24. 20. Deut. 19. 21. Thou 〈◊〉 lovethy neighbour viz an Israelite Levit.
through diverse hands already crept forth in Print to the great wrong both of the Living and the Dead and that the same is about to be reprinted it was therefore thought necessary in vindication of the Author and to disabuse the Reader to publish this Copy there being no other way to prevent the further mischiefs of that Edition then by another more perfect for though I deny not but that there are many good Materials in that indigested Chaos which is already set forth which an expert Builder may make good use of yet the Reader will finde the whole to be nothing else but a heap of broken rubbish the rudera of those stately structures which that skilful Architect had made which have been so mangled and defaced so scattered and dismembred like Medeas Absyrtus that they appear scarce shadows of themselves so that had the learned Author lived to see those partus ingenii those divine Issues of his brain so deformed he might well have called them not Benjamins sons of his right hand but Benonies sons of sorrow for I am confident there hath not been exposed to publick view a work of that bulk stuffed with so much nonsence so many Tautologies contradictions absurdities and incoherences since Printing was in use there is not a Page scarce a Paragraph seldome many lines together in the whole Book which contain perfect sence the Method quite lost in most places the whole Discourse like a body whose members are dislocated or out of joynt as if it had been tortured upon the rack or wheel so that the parts cohere like the Hammonian sands sometimes whole Paragraphs whole pages yea diverse sheets together are wanting as in the tenth Commandment where the one half is left out and half of the ninth is added to supply that defect and the whole work so corrupted mangled disjoynted falsified interpolated and the sence of the Author so perverted that the Author might well say of the Publisher with the Poet Quem recitas mens est c. At male dum recitas incipit esse tuus the Book was his at first but by this strange Metamorphosis the Publisher hath made his own That the world therefore may not be longer abused by a shadow obtruded for the substance here is presented the Authors own Copy revised and compared with diverse other manuscripts which though it were not perfected by himself nor intended for publick use yet being the onely Copy he had as is acknowledged under his hand in the beginning of the Book and containing many Marginal Notes and alterations throughout the whole made by himself in his latter years as it seems it may well be thought to contain the minde and sence of the Author more fully then any of those Copies in other hands This coming into the hands of one of those to whom the perusal of his papers were committed who was informed of the wrong done by that other Edition and that a more perfect one was intended and desired out of his love to the memory of the deceased Author and his eminent zeal for the publick good considering of how great use the work might be he was easily induced to part with it for so good a purpose whereupon by an able industrious and worthy Gentleman who hath otherwise deserved well of the publick and had some relation to the Author whilst he lived the work was taken in hand and revised the sence in many places restored defects supplied and the whole discourse brought into a far better form then that wherein it had formerly appeared But considering that to purge this Augaean stable and to restore a work so much corrupted and whose best Copies were imperfect was no easy work and that it contained such variety of all kinde of Learning both Divine and Humane that he who would revise it must not be a stranger to any and that many Eyes may see more then one such was his Ingenuity and Modesty that he was willing and desirous to have the whole again revised and brought to the touch by some other who as he conceived might have more leizure and abilities then himself whereupon it was again resumed and after much labor travail was at length brought to this form wherin it now appears wherein that the Reader may know what is performed in this Edition he shall finde 1. The true sence and meaning of the Author the chief thing to be looked after in the publishing of other mens works restored in many thousand places which were corrupted mistaken whereby the Author was made to speak contrary to what he thought as if he had seen some vision after his death to make him change his Judgement in his life time This as it was a work of much difficulty requiring both time and study by diligent comparing of places weighing of Antecedents and Consequents viewing several Copies and consulting with the Authors quoted c. so the Reader will finde no small benefit thereby arising from this Edition 2. The Method is here cleered which was in a manner quite lost in the former Edition and without which the Reader must needs be in a Maze or Labyrinth This being the chief help to memory conducing much to the understanding of the matter 3. Many Tautologies and needlesse Repetitions of the same thing are here cut off and those many great defects wherein diverse Paragraphs Pages and whole sheets were formerly wanting are supplyed and added 4. Whereas in some passages the sence of the Author might seem obscure or doubtful and not to agree so well with his iudgment expressed in his other works composed in his latter and riper years his meaning therefore is cleared and vindicated by adding his latter thoughts upon the same points which are either collected out of his other works which were perfected by himself or the Reader referred to those other places where he may be more fully satisfied And where some things are omitted or but briefly touched a supplement is made out of his other works or where it could not be had out of them there is added what was needful to be supplied without prejudice to the Author and what is conceived agreable to the declared Doctrine of the Catholike Church of Christ and of this Church in special which that the Reader may distinguish it from the words of the Author is put in a different Character save where by mistake the same letter is used And here as in some other points so in particular about the Sabbath wherein the Author might be mistaken by many of both sides out of his other works compared with this here is declared what his Opinion was in that Controversie and that it was no other then which I conceive to come neerest to the truth that as the symbolical rest proper to that Nation is abolisht so the substance of the Precept is moral and that the seventh day was hallowed by God for a time of publick worship from the beginning in memory of the
man goeth nor any man desireth more to strengthen a promise he hath given an carnest penny a true Gods penny as we call it 1. Now that which may be objected against this is that the immediate voice of God is not now amongst us and that which we heare is from Moses Esay Saint Matthew Saint Paul c. Yet this we must know that though we heare it from them being but men yet did they not speake of themselves not of their own braines but as they were inspired by the holy Ghost And this Saint Peter tells us the Prophecy saith he came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost For a Prince usually speaketh not to the people immediatly from his own mouth but by Edicts and proclamations published by others in his name And as the Scepter or mace which is delivered to them that publish those Edicts is a signe and token that they come from and for the Prince so the Scepter of Gods extraordinary power was committed to his Prophets Apostles c. The Jews required no more then a signe of our Saviour which with them was the Scepter And our Savionr desired no more of them then that if they would not beleeve him for his words yet they should for his works And that if he had not done among them the works which no other man did those were his miracles they mighe have been excused for their unbeleefe Upon which Saint Augustine saith that either we must grant that they were done or else that without miracles all the world was converted and became Christians which is a greater miracle then all the rest which he did and so we must grant miracles whether we will or no. And this is our warrant that these men the Prophets and Apostles came from God and that God hath spoken to us by them 2. The next quere is whether he is able to performe those things which he hath promised by them To that we say with the Angell that with God nothing shall be unpossible The Prophet saith His hands are not shortned it is able to reach all things When Moses mistrusted Gods providence to feed 600000 men saying shall all the flocks and the herds be slain or all the fish of the sea be gathered together to suffice them God answered is the Lords hand waxed short Thou shalt see whether my word shall come to passe or not 3. Lastly for his Will take a place of a Father for all Scio pcsse scio scire cupere velle for The Lord is good to them that trust in him to the soul that seeketh him That faith is necessary may be thus proved it is called the substance of things hoped for and the evidence ground or demonstration of things not seen both which argue the necessity of it for in totis ordinatis as Religion hath its order the first part is substantia reliquorum as the substance of a house is in the foundation of a ship in the Stern of a tree in the root The Apostle compareth it to a foundation and to a root and he saith there is naufragium fidei a shipwrack of faith and so consequently it is compared to the sterne of a ship If faith then be necessary as the root and foundation of all religion then without it nothing can be done by a Christian which is accepted of God ad salutem to salvation If we stand it is by faith If we walk we walk by faith whatsoever we do if we do it not by faith it is not pleasing to God ad salutem And it is in this respect that faith is called Mater obedientiae the mother of obedience because all duties arise out of it Luther hath a saying which is true if it be taken in a good sense that in faith all the Law is fulfilled before we have fulfilled any part of it in act because it is the root from whence all Christian obedience arises and wherin it is vertually contained and therefore in regard of the necessity of it it pleased God to reject all the high titles of the learned wise men of the world as Philosophers c. and to entitle his flock onely by the name of believers And Euseb. Emisenus gives a good reason for it for the first word of a Christian is credo and that which maketh him a Christian if we be not faithful then are we no Christians God giveth Christians no other name then he gives to himself Fidelis est Deus God is faithful And his Son is called the author and finisher of our faith and his word is called sermo fidelis the word of faith and his family the houshold of saith and prayer is called by Saint James the prayer of faith And Saint Paul calls the Sacraments the seals of faith So we see that faith leadeth us through all duties and not onely this but that which hath bin said of knowledge may be said of faith that it is the beginning of our blessednesse Our Saviour saith to S. Thomas Blessed are they that have not seen and yet have beleeved There is an apt similitude in the Prophet to express this I will betroth thee to me in faithfulnesse and thou shalt know the Lord. The inchoation of marriage is in sponsalibus when hands are given so are our sponsalia in fide in this life the marriage is consummate in heaven It is said Qui non crediderit condemnabitur he that beleeveth not shall be damned nay further as S. John hath it his sentence is not deferred but it is gone already upon him he is condemned already Therefore for the necessity of it we may conclude with the Apostle Without faith it is impossible to please God And the reason is because there is no man but thinks it a disparagement not to be credited and the greater the person the more desirous he is to be beleeved A private man would be beleeved upon his honesty and a man of greater state upon his honour the Prince upon his own word he writes teste meipso to argue the sufficiency of his word and a disgrace he accounteth it to break it and if any of these persons should not be credited on these terms they would think that a great discourtesy were offered to them If then there be a God he must needs expect more then a Prince and consequently he may of greater right say teste meipso because he is above all Princes Job saith Is it fit to say to a King Thou art wicked or to Princes Ye are ungodly though they be so much lesse to a good Prince and least of all to God Now he that beleeveth hath set to his seal that God is true And on the contrary He that beleeveth not maketh God a Lyar and there can be no
Ignorance 2. Infidelity 3. Security 4. Pride And this last taketh deeper root then all the other It is the highest mountain that stood in Christs way and except John Baptist take the pains to remove it he can never come to us This vice by the Fathers is called Morbus Satanicus the Devils disease from its first original as Morbus Gallicus is so called from the persons from whom first it sprang It is highly descended and taketh hold of them that are highly born for it was first born in heaven Ero similis altissimo I will be like the most High It was Lucifers vaunt he would have part of Gods glory and be above his degree and that made him fall The Devil hath knowledge and fear but wants humility And Adam took this infection from Satan and we as his heirs The Devil as he said of himself Ero I will be so he told Eve Eritis sicut Dli ye shall be as Gods He would not suffer them to be content with that honourable estate in which God had placed them but perswaded them ambitiously to seek an higher The Apostles came joyful and proud in a bragging manner to Christ and told him that the Devils were subject to them they gave not glory to God But that which Christ said to them may be an instruction to us Rejoyce not that they are subject to you c. for I saw Sathan falling from heaven like lightning c. Pride consisteth especially in two things Either 1. a nobis or 2. 〈◊〉 to our selves or for our selves our own glory And both these are comprehended in the speech of Nebuchadnezzar Is not this great Babylon which I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power there is the first and for the honour of my Majesty there is the second If we assume any thing either as our own act or for our ownglory that is pride Of which there are divers degrees 1. If we conceive that we have greater abilities then we have which commonly is when we have none at all as the Church of Laodicea that said she was rich and had need of nothing and knew not that she was wretched miserable blinde and naked None are so subject to this as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 novices that are green and shallow and therefore apt to be lifted up with pride and fall into the comdemnation of the Devil This is one degree Of this S. Chrysostome saith That it is no commendations for a servant to be humble but if a man either for place or parts have wherewithall to be proud and yet is humble this deserves commendations 2. The second degree is when we esteem that little we have more then it is worth when we conceive we are better then indeed we are when as the Prophet speaks we seal up great sums and think that we are full of wisdom and perfect in beauty Stretching our selves as the Apostle without measure This the Devil makes use of and either shewes us our selves by a false light or makes us look upon our selves through a mist whereby we seem greater then we are making us drunk with self love causeth us to see gemina objecta geminos soles every thing seemes double to us as to a drunken man 3. The third degree of pride is when we conceive that we are the causes of that good which is in us for it is a more excellent thing for a man to have a thing of himself then from another if we have it of our selves we conceive the glory is the more But the Apostle nips this conceit and abateth the edge of this degree of Pride by saying What hast thou that thou hast not received 4. The fourth degree of pride is when a man conceiveth that though he have it not yet he deserveth it and ought not to stand to the courtefie of another And this is also laid flat on the ground by Jacob who was as well deserving as any O Lord I am not worthy of the least of thy mercies All we have is of Gods mercy not of our own merit The Church of Rome is charged with the two kindes of pride mentioned in Nebuchadnezzar and for our selves we professe that we are so far from thinking that we have any good of our selves that we say we have received all from the Father of lights But how true it is that we so think will be tryed by these two things 1. If we take it into due consideration that whatsoever we have we are not Proprietaries but Dispensators and Stewards that we must not account of it as our own but that there is a Lord over us that doth commit them to our good and orderly usage of them and herein we fail by mispending our means and misimploying our gifts as if we were owners and not stewards and if we be reproved we are ready to say It is my own I may do what I will with it 2. And secondly if we know that we have no other propriety in them but that they are onely committed to our trust then if we consider that when the Owner calls for it we are willingly to restore it And this consideration comes not seriously into the mindes of many for let but God withdraw any of his gifts there is such murmuring and grudging that it shews plainly they are not willing to restore them freely and it is a hard task to perswade them that they were but Feoffees in trust onely to dispose of them as it best pleased the owner 5. Another thing there is which makes us guilty of this sin of pride If our gifts be but equall with other mens yet if we imploy them better then others do we conceive a greater excellency in us then others And this was the fault of the Pharisee who boasted of the use of those gifts which God had given him as abstinence justice chastity and withall acknowledged from whom he had them for O God saith he I thank thee this gratitude was good but then I am not as other men as this Publicane this spoiled the rest of his actions he reputed himself more excellent then others and in ascribing the use of these gifts to himself he fell into contempt of his brethren And this singularity hindered his prayer from being accepted it is a sin not onely odious in it self but a special impediment of Gods grace The common place of humility is very strange in these times and why Because the Papists use it but it were to be wished that we would make use of whatsoever good thing they use for the forbearance and disuse of it hath brought our religion to that passe it is come to Whether we consider those that live among us without any sense of God or those that have eminent parts yet want humility we condemn that opinion of the Church of Rome that any one man cannot erre they ascribe to man what is
in either aright 3. They must be 〈◊〉 They must be made in the spirit of humility els are they no prayers the Hebrews call such prayers and no prayers We see the humble supplication of the Publican was accepted when the vaunting prayer of the Pharisee was rejected God turns himself to the prayer of the poor destitute Saint Bernard saith concerning this and the last qualification Quando fidelis et humilis et 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sine 〈◊〉 penetrabit unde certum est quod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whensoever our prayers are faithful humble and fervent we may be assured they will pierce the heavens 〈◊〉 will not return empty 4. Our prayer must not be absurd oratio sine ratione prayer without reason As accedere Deum pro pace sine pace pro remissione peccatorum cum retentione as Tertullian saith to come to God for peace without peace to pray for forgivennsse and be far from forgiving ourselves Our Saviour sets us a rule to pray forgive us as we forgive others how can we say to God forgive me and to our brother pay me who so stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor he shall also cry himself and shall not be heard as the wise man speaks If there be a receiving there must be a giving When you pray saith our Saviour forgive if ye have ought against any that your father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses And thus our prayers shall be reasonable otherwise prayer withour charity is as they call it the prayer of Cain who offered sacrifice to God and murthered his brother 5. It must not be the Bethulians prayer Help must come within five dayes or els farewell prayer This is contrary to our Saviours rule who taught men to pray and not to saint and to the Apostles Pray without ceasing Yet it is not meant that we should ever be praying and doing nothing else as the Euchita dreamed or that God is pleased with many words or battology for non in sermone multo sed diuturno offectu not in many words but with long affection as Saint Augustine Nor is it our Saviours meaning in the parable of him that went to his friend for loaves that he knocked at the door continually but interpolatim ever and anone till he was heard non continua interpellatione sed interpolatione our prayer must be renewed often for in this frequency and continuance in prayer there are two extreames to be avoided 1. First that which Saint Augustine tells us was in the Euchites as before who never left or discontinued prayer but neglected all other duties of religion which was condemned by the Church as an heresie 2. The other is that which Isidore mentioneth of some that hold that men were onely to pray in the night and to spend the day in other affairs These are like our noctna owles that never cry but in the night The practise of many among us is like theirs that pray not but when they are in their beds if then both these must be avoyded and we must walk in the middle way There may be a defect also in the manner of praying when it is not qualified so as we have above specified Also our thanks may be in this two wayes defective 1. when a man hath benefits and slighteth them now our soule is dried away we can see nothing but this Manna It was the Jewes fault to murmur unthankfully 2. Or our thanks may be formall cold and carelesse vsu magis quam sensu of course and not from a true sense and feeling such sacrifice to their own net Hab. 1. 16. Naaman received a benefit and he would be thankfull for when one talent was asked he would give two Now because prayer is the means to obtain all other graces it cannot properly be said to have means to obtain it Yet are there diverse helps to it 1. There is no greater help or spur to prayer then the consideration of our own wants and imperfections by taking a view of our soules and frequent examining our own hearts whereby we come to see the evils we are most inclinable to and the good things wee want This knowledge and sense of his own wants made David thirst after God and powre out his soule before him Psalm 42. 1. 2. 4. 5. 2. Another help is the remembrance of Gods benefits to us King David was so well versed in this duty that there is not a benefit he received or that we may but that there is a Psalm for it psal 40. 3. He had still canticum novum for beneficium novum when he wants any singular benefit then he reckons up the lesser which Saint Augustine calls colligere fragmenta the gathering up the fragments and these he made great account of and as the woman of Canaan was thankful for the crums Mat. 15. 27. so was he for the least mercies when he had no new benefits then he takes up old benefits and makes of them a new song as Psal. 38. and 70 and rather then faithe remembers to God and gives thanks for his wonderfull forming in his mothers womb Psal. 139. and sometimes enlargeth himself to those benefits that are common to all the world as psal 8. 19. 104. yea to the very wild asses quenching their thirst in the wildernes 3. Another is fasting and alms which the Fathers call the wings of prayer S. Augustine saith Jejunium orationis robur oratio vis jejunii fasting is the strength of prayer and prayer the like of fasting And jejunia elemosynae orationem juvant fasting and alms are assistants to prayer These both are the wings that prayer mounts up by Illud hanc corroborat haec illud sanctificat as fasting strengthens our prayers and prayer sanctifies our fast so alms 4. If our own prayers be weak then are we to desire the prayers of the Church according to S. James's direction Si oratio tua fulmen sit saith one ascendat ad coelum sola per se otherwise esto gutta in nube grandinis if thy prayer be fervent or as a thunderbolt it may ascend to heaven by it self but if it be as a drop in a cloud it will need the help of others 5. If none of all these help yet there is oratio fidei as well as oratio sensus though I cannot have the prayer of feeling yet I may have the prayer of hope For spiritual duties are likened to seed of which harvest comes not presently but lie in the 〈◊〉 of the earth till the time that the Lord fructifie The signes of praying aright or that our prayers are rightly qualified and like to prevail are diverse 1. Earnestnesse of the soul when that sends out sighes and groans unutterable gemitibus non sermonibus constat hoc negotium this businesse consists not in words but groans 2. The second signe is if
which place Lactantius saith verentur ne nulla sit religio si nibil habe ant quod adoreat they were afraid there could be no religion at all unlesse they might see what to worship This was the conceit of Rabshakeh touching Hezekiah and the people of Judah that they had no God at all because Hezekiah had taken away his high places and altars and there was no God to be seen 2. As the great sinne against the first Commandment was to set that up for God which was no God therein was their excesse So in the second Commandment they would not ke pa mean but though they could never have monitors and means sufficient to stir them up to Gods worship whereas God hath allowed and ordained these four 1. Verbum scriptum The scriptures or written word 2. Verbum predicatum That word preached 3. Verbum visibile The visible word The Sacraments 4. Verbum libri magni Creaturarum the word of the great book of the creatures of which the psalmist their sound is gone out into all lands and their words into the ends of the world And though these be canori monitores loud and shrill Remembrancers yet all these could not content them but they would have images falling into this error that there could be no nimium in Religione et cultu divino no superfluity in religion and the worship of God and consequently no superstition ascribing the honour due to God unto the creatures and as the Apostle speaks changing the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man and to birds and to four footed beasts and creeping things And this is very certain that if there had been such force and vertue in images to move men to the duty of Gods worship God who had such care of his people would never have protested against them and prohibited them nay it had bin a special injury they being so good teachers and monitors The writer of the book of wisdom setteth down the reasons of the growth of Idolatry before the coming of Christ one of them was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a desire and love of sense insomuch as there was nothing excellent to see to but it was corrupted Rabbi Solomon upon that place of Genesis where mencion is made of Labans Teraphim saith that they signified nothing as the Syriacke translation of it is but a mathematical instrument So the Symbola of the Egyptians were nothing but Emblems and Hieroglyphicks for distinction of the several provincesthere and to shew the natures of them as Isis a clod of grasse or turfe to shew that that part of the country was fertil and fit for feeding and Anubis a dog was sett up in another province to signifie that it was a woody country and the like There were also images set upon the tombs and monuments of famous dead men as the statue dedicated to 〈◊〉 and Minos and this because they were too much addicted to their senses and partly to please their Princes and to keep their remembrance as of Belus for his vertue of Minos for his justice and to this observance they were afterward necessarily enforced by edicts of Princes And thus much for their original before Christ. Now since the time of Christ they begin to differ and a special thing in the controversy wherewith they think to lash us is this shew us say they when images came up first that we may know their original and when there was any edict against them There 's nothing more easy then to shew their original for Jreneus wholived not long after the Apostles times in the second century maketh mention of the 〈◊〉 of the Gnosticks and Epiphanius among other of the Heresies he wrote of speaketh of the same error and saith that Carpocras an Alexandrian was the first brocher of it one of whose errors was that they had the images of Christ Saint Paul and Saint Peter c. Which they said and pretended to be made by Pilate So 〈◊〉 sheweth that the Collyridians valentinians and others erected images in honour of the Virgin Mary and speaketh against them that vsed to offer to her such outward reverence in their gestures as was due onely to God By which we may conclude that Hereticks were the first introducers of religious worship of images in the church The occasions of their use of images for religious worship were four whereof two began to take root in the times of persecution The other two when the church was in peace 1. The first as Saint Augustine saith was by the policy of the 2. former hereticks as also of the Manichees ut concilient 〈◊〉 Paganorum to ingratiate themselves with the Pagans and therefore Aequiores sunt simulachris ut misereantar the hereticks shew themselves saith he better friends to images then we to make the Heathen Idolaters in their persecutions more savorable to them then to us So the first was their policy 2. The second was in memoriam defunctorum to preserve the memory of their deceased friends It seemes by a prohibition in the law that men of old for the love they bare to their dead friends and in expression of their grief for the losse of them and lastly to preserve their memory vsed to cut their flesh and print marks with hot irons upon some parts of their bodies which might continue there and put them in minde of such friends for whose sakes they made those marks as long as they lived whereupon God prohibited such unlawlull acts there and the Apostle also in the new Testament gives charge that men should not sorrow in that extremity the Heathen did that had no hope of the resurrection This extremity of passion in them made them also make use of another way to preserve the memory of their friends deceased which was by setting up of their images Saint Chrysostome reporteth of one Melesius a Bishop of Constantinople a very godly and learned man that he was so well beloved of the Citizens and Clergy as that after his death every man got his Picture to preserve his memory in their rings and afterwards into their parlours And thus by degrees as may be seen in Epiphanius Images were removed into their Pretoria judgement places and thence into market places from thence as appeareth by the fifth counsel of Carthage into high wayes afterwards into church-yards as it is in the second coun of Nice from whence they came to the church walls and so atlast by the figure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 up to the altar Here was magnum ex 〈◊〉 sed ex malis principiis These were the first two occasions 1. A 〈◊〉 to have the good wil of the heathen 2. Extraordinary sorrow for the dead Now after in the pacee of the church there fell out two other causes 1. First wealth When the Christians after the persecution began to grow rich they were desirous that
Tranquilla justitia a peaceable and quiet justice 3. We are to conceive that God speaks thus for mans capacity as the Apostle saith after the manner of men or as in another case not to us as spritual but as carnal in our own termes as in the case of man and wife some think they love not their wives enough except some jealousy be mixt that they participate their love with other men and God in his service here is as jealous as a man for breach of wedlock and therefore representeth himself in that manner and under the like affection 4. Fourthly Quia nos non promovemur ad nomen justitiae introducitur zelotypus We are so dull of spirit that the attribute of Gods justice alone moves us not and therefore he takes a terme from an affection that falls not into him as it is in men to the end we may be quickened and made fearfull to offend 5. Lastly as Tertullian saith vtitur spiritus hoc vocabulo ad exaggeranda ejus generis scelera The Holy Ghost vseth this terme to shew how odious this sinne of Idolatry is to God that if it might be it would make God be that which he cannot be The vse of all is that which the Apostle maketh God professeth himself jealous here that we our selves might be jealous of our own salvation For if we would redire ad corda enter into our own hearts and consider first what God is and then what vile creatures we are we should wonder at the excesse of Gods love to usward that he should be any way jealous of us and not rather let us take our own courses to our own ruine and take no further regard of us But chiefly that we should rather so love him as to be jealous of his anger and the losse of his love lest he should bestow it somewhere else And so much of the Preface of the Sanction CHAP. IX Of the Commination wherein 1. The censure of the sinne 2. The punishment 1. In the censure The sinne viz of Idolatry Is called 1. Hatred of God How God can be hated 2. Iniquity The punishment Visitation upon the children The grievousnesse of this punishment by 1. The greatnesse 2. The multiplicity 3. The continuance Of Gods justice in punishing the sinnes of the fathers upon the children That it is not unjust in respect of the father nor 2. Of the son The use of all THe next thing is the Commination Which containeth in it two things 1. The Censure of the offence 2. And secondly the punishment for it 1. The Censure is in two things 1. First that it calls it hatred of God 2. Secondly that he calls it The iniquity 〈◊〉 Perverssenes 1. If love be a means to make us keep the Commandments then it is hatred that makes us break them But is there any man that can hate God Certainly his Essence is good even goodnesse it self which cannot be the object of hatred Again there are sundry effects of his goodnesse and love and such as the wicked themselves cannot but love them and him for them as that he bestoweth on all men and so on them their being moving and life sense c. But there are another sort of effects which proceed also from his love by which he would have us preserved which are his Commandments yet because they restrain us of our liberty and will not suffer our inordinate affections to bear the sway therefore preferring our own wills before his we hate him so when a man is linkt to his own will and possessed with zeal of himself he hates the Commandments of God because they are contrary to his will and affections and so men come to hate God by too much love of themselves I loved Jacob saith God by the Prophet and hated Esau which the Apostle sheweth to be nothing else but that he chose not him but preferred Jacob before him and in this respect we are said to hate God when in a case between his will and ours we choose not his but prefer our own Hoc est odisse Deum non eligere we hate God when we choose him not For God loving us so exceedingly it is his will that we should love him alone which love is vinculum conjugale a marriage bond and therefore our love to God should be amor conjugalis the love of a man to his wife which hath no third thing in it aut amat aut odit he either loves or hates there is no medium in it 2 The second thing in the Censure is that God calls this sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gnavon Iniquity or perversenesse and peevishnesse And this is to meet with the opinion of men who think it perversenesse if men will not do as they would have them by yeelding to false worship as Nebuchadnezzar thought of the three children It is of purpose O Shadrach c. they were called perverse and disordered fellows for not transgressing this commandment and so God to meet with them sheweth that the breakers of this Commandment are in truth the disordered and perverse persons therefore we must not do evil either cum magnis aut multis with the great ones or the multitude lest we fall into this sin of perversenesse But the vote of the world is clean contrary and the fathers resemble it to a pond full of Crabs the Hieroglyphique of frowardnesse into which if you put fish of another kinde it will be charged to swim out of course because it swimmeth not backward as the Crabs do But Jerome gives us a good lesson against this Nequaquam consideres quid alii mali faciunt sed quid boni tu facere debeas consider not by any means what evil others commit but what good thou oughtest to do nor be thou led to evil because of the multitude of transgressours Of the Punishment And visit the sins c. After the Censure of the sin comes the Punishment And though it be true that if there were no other punishment to man it were enough to be found among the haters of God that were sufficient Yet Gods addes further that he will have a visitation What the meaning of this word is we may gather out of the book of Samuel where it is said of him that he went yearly in circuit to such and such places and judged Israel and it is like that which we call the Judges Circuit as also out of the Acts where the Apostles went from City to City to visit the brethren which s like to the B shops visitation which presupposeth an absence before So God intermitteth his judgements for a time and though some stick not to say that he is long in coming and others that he will not come at all that God will never visit He hideth his face and will never see it becaufe as the Wise man speaketh sentence is not executed against an evil work speedily
keeping them there 's great reward Nay he tells us they are better then thousands of gold and silver Therefore we are to keep them safe and carefully and lay them up where they cannot be taken away the wiseman directs us where we may bestow them to be out of fear of losing them keep them saith he in the midst of the heart for he that keepeth them keepeth his own soul. In respect of others we are also to see them kept And this is to be done by zeal and power that others breake them not We must not say as in another case Cain said Am I my brothers keeper Sum ego custos mandati tui Am I to be a keeper of thy Commandments in others Is it not enough that I keep them my self No we must reprove rebuke and exhort use all means to make others keep them we must be grieved with David when others keep them not God hath given them to us they are not onely observanda but Conservanda we must not onely observe but preserve them which if we doe we shall finde as the wise man saith that he that keepeth them keepeth his own soul. Domine Custodio adjuua Negligentiam meam Lord I keep them help my Negligence THE EXPOSITION OF THE Third Commandement Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain c. Or as the Chaldee Paraphrast reads it Thou shalt not swear by the name of the Lord thy God in vain or falsely CHAP. I The general scope of the third Commandment Of glorifying the name of God by praise The manner how it must be done Several motives to stir men up to the dutie THis Commandment forbids and prohibits not onely perjury but all other abuses of Gods name Though all vain and rash swearing and all irreverent usage of Gods name may be reduced to this commandment and therefore it is enlarged by our Saviour Math. 5. 34. to the prohibiting of all volutary oaths yet if we looke at the literal meaning of the words to take Gods name in vain doth strickly and properly signifie nothing else but to swear falsly or to forswear and therefore the 70. as they render the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lashava by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we translate vain so they often render it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 falsly as Deu. 5. 18. Ezek. 12. 24. and 13. 6. 7. 8. Hos. 10. 4. Jon 2. 9. Zeah. 10. 2. and that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shava and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shakar mentiri differ little appears in the ninth Commandment where for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sheker mendacium used in Exod. is put 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Deut. both which the 70. render by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 false witnesse Therefore Philo in explication of this place having said that we must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not take the name of God in vain addes by way of explication 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for to call God to witnesse a lie is most wicked So likewise Aben Ezra so in Exo. 23. 1. For the Hebe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vain the Targum Hierosol reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 false So in Psalm 24. 4. and Psalm 12. 3. Zachary 10. 2. and in many other places the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rendered falsehood or lying and that by Hierom him self Our Saviour himself so renders these words Mat. 5. 33. Thou shalt not 〈◊〉 thy self speaking of the litteral sense of this law as it was given by Moses which he amplifies and enlarges For that which some late expositors say that he recites and rejects onely the corrupt glosse of the Jewish Doctors is against ' the current of antiquity and against the text as might easily be proved and therefore the Syriack translation so reads the words non mentiris in jurejurando tuo thou shalt not lie in swearing This further is to be noted that this commandment speakes not of an 〈◊〉 tory oath or false swearing in bearing witnes for that belongs to the ninth Commandment but of a promissorie oath onely as the following words of Christ import Mat. 5. 34. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou shalt performe thy vowes unto the Lord which are taken out of Numb 30. 2. and so Philo expounds this precept and Aben Ezra who addes to shew the danger of this sinne that other sinns have usully the bait of profit or pleasure which are seldome in this and that other sinnes cannot be committed at all times as this may This which is the proper sence of the words being laid as a ground other things of like nature may be reduced hither according to the explication and enlargment which Christ our great and onely Lord and Lawgiver hath left in his Gospel to which we are to have recourse in opening the true meaning of this and all other precepts of the Decalogue as the are obliging to us Christians and become a part of the second covenant In it are two things 1. A prohibition 2. A commination of punishment In the Prohibition are two things likewise considerable 1. The object God in general and his name in particular 2. The Act of which this Commandment speaks and that either 1. Negatively and expressly not to take that name in vain 2. Positively and implied to use the name of God reverently soberly considerately and upon good cause God is the immediat object and his glory or honour the immediate end of all the duties commanded in the first table This honour as was shewed is either inward in the worship of the heart required in the first commandment or outward and that either in signo by the outward gesture and adoration of the body or in verbo in our words or speeches of him that is required in the second this in the third Commandment that consists chiefely in adoration this in praise They differ in this that the honour of outward adoration is alwayes given to one that 's present and to the party himself immediately this of the tongue by praise goes beyond it in that it may be given to one that is absent for we may praise one that 's absent and though God be alwayes present yet when we speak of him to others we speak not to him then as present and besides praise may be given not onely to his person but to his name or any thing that hath relation to him Thus we are exhorted to give the glory due to his name c. And this praise is aspecial part of Gods glory for he that offereth me praise glorifieth me saith God This is the end which God propounds of all his works for as the Prophet speaks we are created by him for his glory and that which was before our creation our predestination was for his glory It was Gods end and ayme and it must be ours That all our actions be to the praise of
God and man Tho. 2. 2. q. 23. c. Saint Augustine exemplifieth it by the love and care a man beareth to the ungratious children of his friend for though they many times are not to be loved for themselves yet for the love he beareth his frend either alive or dead for his sake he overcometh that conceit and beareth affection to them aud thus in respect of similitude we are to love God for himself and man for God And for this we have received a Commandment from God That as we love God for himself so we love man for God the Commandment lieth upon us in both respects 2. And further this second is like the former because the love of our neighbour commanded in the second is a signe of our love of God commanded in the first table and therefore Saint John saith expresly that if any 〈◊〉 say that he loves God and hates his brother he is a lyer for how can he love God whom he 〈◊〉 not seen that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen and hence it is that Saint 〈◊〉 and Saint James say that all the law is fulfilled in this one Commandment thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self not properly and formally but ratione 〈◊〉 as the signe or effect argues the 〈◊〉 because the love of our brother is a signe of our love to God which is the cause of our obedience to all the other commandments for Saint Johns argument stands thus Things that are seen may sooner be beloved then those that are not seen If then our brethren cannot finde such favour at our hands as to beloved having seen them how shall we love God whom we never saw For as it is true downward whosoever loveth God must love his worke and the best of his work and therefore man so upward too it is necessary Whosoever loveth man of whom he oft times receives injuries must needs love God from whom he receiveth nothing but benefits Saint Gregory puts them both together Per 〈◊〉 Dei amor proximi gignitur per 〈◊〉 proximi amor Dei 〈◊〉 The love of a man to his neighbour is begotten by mans love to God and the love of man to God is nourished by his love to his neighbour and Amor Dei amorem proximi generat amorproximi cale facit amorem Dei which is all one with the other in effect and with that of Saint Augustine Diligendo proximum purgas oculum ad videndu 〈◊〉 Deum by loving thy neighbour thou makest thy sight the clearer to see God 3. Again this similitude holds in regard of the punishment or reward for keeping or neglecting of this second which is no lesse then for that of the first Inasmuch as ye did it not faith our Saviour to one of these ye did it not to me and econtra where we see the reward or punishment there mentioned to be given will be not for any duty done or omitted to God himself but as he cometh to be considered in the person of an afflicted brother for it is expressed both affirmatively v. 34 35. c. that what was done to them was done to Christ himself and negatively v. 42. 43 c. that what was denyed to them was denied to Christ. And thus we see the reason why Christ saith the second Commandment or second table is like the unto the first and withal the first end or scope of it viz. That God might be loved not onely in and for himself but also in our brother who is to be loved for his sake Another end of the second table is that as the first is the foundation and ground of all religious society as we are the Church of God and is therefore called the great Commandment so in the second should be laid the ground and foundation of all Common-wealths and Civil societies of men as the first doth perducere nos ad Deum as S. Augustine saith unite and bring us to God so the second unites one man to another by the matual duties they owe one to another this is a second end of this table and it is gathered from the creation of man at the first Gen. 2. 18. Where it is said that it is not good for man to be alone and therefore he must have a helper This second table therefore respects the perfecting of Gods purpose in the work of his creation that one man be an helpe to another The words Love thy neighbour as thy self contain three things 1. The duty or act Commanded Love 2. The object of this Love Thy neighbour 3. The manner of this Love 〈◊〉 diligendi As thy self In the duty Commanded which is the sum of the second table we must know first what is the sence of the words As there are in Latine so in Greek and Hebrew 〈◊〉 words that signifie to us the affection of love 1. The general word is Amor in latine it 〈◊〉 an affection that extends it self aswel to things unreasonable as reasonable whether it be Amor concupiscentiae or Amor amicitiae howsoever it be it comes under amor And in this respect we love al the creatures of God that is we desire to have them preserved which is to be in the state wherein God created them and thus we love not the Devil as Saint Augustine saith and his Angels but 〈◊〉 Dei judicium in 〈◊〉 his just judgement upon them in placing them in that estate and that they should continue in it 2. The second word to expresse love is benevolentia good will whereby we desire and seek the good of him we love and this is onely in reasonable creatures whereas that of 〈◊〉 may be in all creatures yet this is many times rash and accompanied with errour and not grounded upon sound judgement 3. The third is Dilectio which is without errour grounded upon judgement and upon a good and sufficient cause and that is when we love another in and for God for this distinguishes Christian love from all other love Saint Augustine saith that he that will be vetus amator a true lover must be verus 〈◊〉 astimator one that hath and can give a true estimate of things 〈◊〉 as Saint Ambrose saith quando errat judicium perit 〈◊〉 every good act is out of square and indeed is lost when our judgement 〈◊〉 Now in Christian love God is the ground for our love will decay if it be not propter Deum for Gods sake This makes our love extends even to our enemies whom we ought to love for God for though we be hated of those we love yet are we in no other case then Christ himself was who yet loved his enemies even Judas who betrayed him Therefore it pleased God to recommend unto us under the name of proximus neighbour all mankinde even strangers and enemies as our Saviour shewes in the parable of the Samaritan and the man that fell among
hoc decipit qui ante tempus sapientes videri volunt ut jam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod non sunt quid sunt erubescere saith one many are deceived by this that they would willingly be accounted wise before their time and begin to counterfeit what they are not and are ashamed of what they are The conclusion of this point is that because as the Preacher tells us There is a time to keep silence and a time to speak and in that he placeth silence before speaking every one is to be a learner before he be a teacher We may see it in our Saviours example who was in the Temple among the Doctors how hearing first and then asking questions and both before he taught himself He that doth not take this course will in the end be forced to take up this complaint How have I hated instruction and my heart despised reproof And have not obeyed the voice of my teachers nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me 3. A third duty of the teacher is Tueri to defend his pupils according to the sense of the word their name Tutores 〈◊〉 being derived from tueri It was our Saviours practise as in the case of his Disciples not fasting when Johns disciples and the Pharisees fasted And in their plucking of ears of corn on the Sabbath day As also for their not washing their hands when they did eat In all which cases Christ made their defence thereby shewing he would be ready to defend them in all matters wherein they did not 〈◊〉 1. The first duty of the Scholar answerable to this is according to the law of the Nazarite He must bring his offering as 〈◊〉 is able So did Hannah when she dedicated her son Samuel that he might not be 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 When Saul sent his servant to the Prophet he made shift to finde the fourth 〈◊〉 of a 〈◊〉 to give him Shall we come to the Prophet and bring him 〈◊〉 And Levi made a feast for our Saviour In a Council the Fratricelli were condemned for holding one opinion among the rest that our Saviour lived by begging and not of his own for he had of his own as we may gather by Judas bearing his bag 2. Another duty is to minister to his 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 Samuel did to Eli. And we read that Elisha though the eldest scholar yet poured water on Elias hands We 〈◊〉 that John Baptist sent two of his Disciples on an 〈◊〉 to Christ. And our Saviour himself sent his Disciples to make ready the passeover At another time he commanded his Disciples to provide a ship for him He also sent two of his Disciples when he was to ride into Jerusalem to provide an asse for him Lastly he sent them to provide victuals to eat So that the duty of ministring belongs to a Scholar 3. The last is 〈◊〉 officium Our Saviour being towards his end giveth charge to one of his Disciples that he knew was able to maintain his mother And not onely so but after his death some of them brought odours to embalm him Some bestowed a Tombe upon him and some buried his body So did the Disciples of John Baptist They buried his body And yet here ended not this 〈◊〉 officium for after Christs burial the Apostle forgate not his memory but spuke honourably of him Jesus of Nazareth was a Prophet mighty indeed and word before God and all the people shewing that death takes not this duty away from the Scholar to his Tutor he ought to speak honourably of him after death Besides all this there is a duty which all Scholars owe to Teachers though they be not under their charge If they be of that calling they are to honour them Sauls servant counted Samuel an honourable man and Gamaliel was honourable among all the people He was a Teacher of the Law and not onely those under his charge but all the people honoured him These things being performed that will come to passe which the Apostle aims at we shall have men faithful such as shall be able to teach others and the Universitie shall breed such as shall be fit to serve the Church and Common-wealth And indeed this was the end of the erection of schools and universities 1. To bring forth men able to teach in the Church 2. Men fit to govern the Common-wealth Of which we are now to speak CHAP. VII Of honouring spiritual fathers in the Church The excellency and necessity of their calling Four sorts of ministers in the Church 1. The thief 2. The 〈◊〉 3. The wolfe 4. The good shepherd whose duties are 1. To be an example to his 〈◊〉 1. In himself 2. In his family The peoples duty answerable to this 2. To use his talent for their good Rules for doctrine and conversation The peoples duty 1. To know their own shepherd 2. To obey and follow him 3. To give him double 〈◊〉 1. 〈◊〉 2. of maintenante ANd first of those that are to instruct and govern the Church These are called fathers The Apostle calleth himself a father And so they are called not onely by the Church of Christ but by Mitah an Idolater He hired a Levite to be a father and a priest The Idolatrous Tribe of Dan use the very same words they bid the Levite to come and be their father And because as was said before all paternity is originally in God and from him communicated to Christ whose fatherhood towards the Church is no other but as he is the onely priest and prophet of the new Testament and because God is fons omnis boni the fountain of all good therefore he must needs have this property of goodnes to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 communicative that others may partake of his goodnes and therefore he made the world by creating it at the first and not onely so but by a second creation renewed and restored all by Christ into whom they that are mystically incorporated are admitted to that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that coestial city or corporation where they shall be partakers of all that goodnes and glory which is in God And God having purposed to create the world for their purpose made it with three divisions or distinct places 1. Heaven to be his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or place of reward 2. Earth to be his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a worke house And thirdly Hell his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prison To the end that men exercising themselves here in this world which is the worke house according to the grace received and the talent given them might either be rewarded with eternal felitity in Heaven or punisht with eternal misery in Hell So that the earth being made for a place of exercise and Heaven for a place of reward the world was made for the Church and consequently all those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the natural to
this this life is as the Heathen said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 life without life It is a foolish opinion of some that think that the body and senses are the best things they possesse and thereupon infer that murder hath onely 〈◊〉 to the body but the truth is there is a murder of the soul as well as of the body So that murder is referred to two lives 1. The life present And 2. the life to come The world and the Common law account it an offence if the body or good estate of it be endammaged The good estate of the body is called incolumit as corporis the good plight and habit of the body and this consisteth in 3 things which are all included in murder as degrees to it 1. 〈◊〉 integritate corporis in the perfectnesse of each member of the body The body therefore is not onely prejudiced when life is taken away totally but when the body loseth an arm or a leg A maim will 〈◊〉 a good action 2. In incolumitate sensus in the soundnesse of the senses of our bodies when we are at ease without pain and therefore when a man is wounded hurt or stricken though no limb be taken away This bears an action of Battery 3. In libertate motus in freedom to go whither we will When a man is unjustly committed to prison and there wrongfully detained The law in this case allows the party so restrained his action against the person that deprives him of this liberty Now as there is inconlumitas corporis soundnesse of body so there is of the soul too called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the tranquility of the soul and this may also be endammaged The good estate of the soul consists also in three things 1. In dilectione in love against which cometh in odium hatred with its crue and retinue 2. In 〈◊〉 joy Against this cometh that which so handleth a man that he falleth in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into Torporem 〈◊〉 a sloth or drousinesse of soul so that he taketh 〈◊〉 delight in any good thing or if he fall into envy 3. In pace Peace is the last which is twofold 1. Either within a mans 〈◊〉 quiet thoughts against which cometh scandalum scandal given or 2. without between him and others and the opposer of this is discord and contention So that not onely offences against the body or the incolumity and good thereof but offenders contra animam against the soul and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the good plight thereof are comprehended within this Commandment as breaches thereof When Esau against the will of his parents had matched himself with strange women the daughters of Heth the text tells us that Rebecca professed She was weary of her life and this wearinesse of life Job calleth amaritudinem anima the bitternesse of his soul. Esau in this act was a trespasser against this Commandment On the other side Jacobs soul being as it were dead by the report of Josephs death 〈◊〉 imprisonment and Benjamins departure it is said of him when he was told that Joseph was alive that his spirit revived as if before it had been dead The Hebrews have a phrase 〈◊〉 animam to kill the soul and the English have the like to kill the heart and the Wise man hath one neer to it Spiritus tristis exsiccat ossa a broken spirit drieth the bones for grief is a cause of diminishing the natural heat so that he that ministreth this occasion to any man doth what he can to shorten his life and is within compasse of breach of this Commandment for whatsoever is contrary to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 life or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 well-being is forbidden by this Commandment Thou shalt not kill The scope of this Commandment is not any private benefit but the publick good as was said before of the Law in general for the sin forbidden here is 1. In respect of God himself God will not have any man killed and his reason he gives because man is his own image and it is accounted a capital crime against earthly Princes to deface their image 2. In regard of the Church Christians are all one body in Christ therefore he that shall take away any member of it makes a rupture in that mystical body 3. In respect of the Common-wealth Peace is a great benefit and a great blessing when men shall live without fear besides Tutela singulorum the safety of every private person who as he hath received life from God so he hath received reason by the use whereof he is to preserve it For as the Psalmist saith God is the fountain of life from whom life is derived to every man and it is he that hath given man nobilem rationis usum whereby he may procure himself both incolumitatem corporis the good plight of body and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good habit or tranquillity of soul and with this he hath fenced him round So much in general Now for the particulars CHAP. II. Of murther in general The slaughter of beasts not prohibited but in two cases Of killing a mans self diverse reasons against it Of killing another many reasons to shew the greatnesse of this sin The aggravations of this sin from the person murthered THe Manichees held a fond opinion that because it is said Non occides Thou shalt not kill that a man ought not to kill a beast or 〈◊〉 or cut down a tree or 〈◊〉 up an herb because there is life in it But this errour may be confuted even from the Creation for before the flood God saith Behold I have given you every herb bearing seed and every tree c. to be to you for meat he gave all things for the use of man as alter the flood Every moving thing that liveth c. And under the Gospel we see it most plainly S. Paul tells the Corinthians that whatsoever is sold in the shambles that ye may eat 1. The reasons are evident First where there is not 〈◊〉 societatis right of society there cannot be societas juris not participation of right but they have no right of society with us because they want reason and therefore it can be no injurie to them to kill them for where there is no right no jui there cannot be injuria wrong 2. To use a thing to that end for which it is ordained is no sin but the lesse perfect was made for the more perfect therefore herbs were ordained for beasts and both for the use of man 1. Yet in two cases we are prohibited the killing of beasts first when it turneth to the detriment of our neighbour It is not the killing of the beast but the wrong and detriment done to our neighbour that is the sin 2. If we kill it in the 〈◊〉 of our wrath exacting or seeming to 〈◊〉 from it that power of understanding of which it is not capable S.
guile 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Laying aside all guile c. CHAP. VI. Of theft out of contracts This is 1. In the family by 1. Purloyning 2. Mispending 3. Idlenesse 4. Withdrawing ones self from service 2. Without the family is 1. Of things consecratea by Sacriledge 2. Of things common and those either publick or private Of theft personal and real The aggravation of theft in regard of the poor c. Against enclosing of Commons The conclusion about unlawful getting NOw of thefts that are without contract these are either Domestica within the family or forinseca without 1. The first of or within the family as a bad servant For Fur domesticus fur maximus est the domestick thief is ever the greatest thief and the reason is because of the trust he receives And such an one may be a thief these four wayes 1. Intervertendo by purloining their masters goods or according to the sense of the word by turning the profit out of his into their own purses This was the unjust Stewards act and Gehezies and the text saith that Judas one of our Saviours Disciples was a thief because he diverted privily somewhat to his own use out of the bag this is furtum domesticum theft within doors 2. Dissipando by wasting and mis-spending his goods in drunkennesse riot and other excesse Like that servant that in his Masters absence began to smite his fellows and to eat and drink and to be drunken And the prodigal son that spent his fathers estate upon Harlots 3. Torpendo by consuming his estate by idlenesse this is Fur laboris one that steals his labour from his Master and by that means wasteth his estate For servants should not do eye service only or that which they are commanded alone for that is not thank-worthy but labour faithfully and be as provident for their Masters as they should be for themselves But if instead of doing faithful service they grow negligent and idle they are within the compasse of the breach of this Commandement The Wife man saith that He that is slothful in his work is even the brother of him that is a great waster and shall receive that doom Thou wicked and slothful servant c. Cast that unprofitable servant into utter darknesse c. 4. Lastly Subtrahendo se per fugam by withdrawing himself from his Masters service and becoming a fugitive robbing his Master of his service for a servant is part of the Masters possessions Though Agar served a hard Mistresse and thereupon left her service yet the Angel sent her back and bad her humble her self And though s. Paul could have been contented to have retained Onesimus yet because he was Philemons servant from whom he had fled he returned him back Theft without the family is either of things consecrated to God and this is called Sacriledge things common and prophane 1. For the first there was a Law for it That if any should by ignorance take away things consecrated or holy to God he should bring a trespasse offering The Apostle matches it with idolatry Thou that abhorrest idols dost thou commit sacriledge God himself immediately punisht this sin in Ananias and Sapphira and that with capital punishment with death and that a sudden death giving no time for repentance thereby to shew how he hated this sinne and what a severe avenger he is of it It is noted of Abimelech though a King that hee took seventy pieces of silver out of the temple of an Idol his god Baal-Berith and what followed appeares in the same Chapter Hee was slaine by a woman with a piece of milstone which broke his scull Athaliah the Queen with her sonnes had broken up the house of the Lord and took the things that were dedicated to God and gave them to 〈◊〉 she was drawn out of the Temple the place she had 〈◊〉 and then slain and her sons had no better end The alienating of the sacred vessels of the Temple and applying them to prophane uses by Belshazzar at his feast in Babylon caused that terrible hand-writing on the wall which made all his 〈◊〉 to shake and foretold him that the Kingdome was translated to the Medes and Persians which hapned presently after for he was 〈◊〉 that same night 2. Theft of things prophane or common is either 1. Of such things as are publick Or 2. private 1. Publick when things belonging to the Publick State or Common-wealth are stolne as if one rob the Exchequer c. And this is called Peculatus when the King is robbed or any thing stolne out of a publick place such also were those Balnearii fures that stole out of the Bath a publick place the clothes of them that were bathing And to these may be added such as receive monies out of the publick treasury and convert it to other private use Such were the Priests in the time of 〈◊〉 who received every mans half shekel brought in upon the Kings Commandement for the repair of the Temple but neglected the reparation whereupon an other course was fain to be taken a Chest was provided with a hole in it into which every man put his money for that use personale of living things as 1 Men 2 Beasts 2. Private theft is either Furtum reale of things inanimate 1. The stealing of men is called Plagium and such theeves Plagiarii This sin was punished with death by the Law He that stealeth a man and killeth him shall dye the death yea if he were onely about such a thing he was to dye for it Saint Paul accounts it so great a sinne that he reckons Man-stealers among Whoremongers Buggerers Perjured persons and other the most grievous sinners This was part of Judas his sin who sold his Master for thirty pieces of silver though withal there was herein a betraying him into the hands of his enemies who he knew would pu him to death 2. The stealing of beasts is called Abiegatus and the men Abigei stealers of cattel such were the Sabeans and 〈◊〉 that took away Jobs Oxen his Asses and Camels Against this we have an expresse law wherein the offender is to restore in some cases four fold and in some five fold 2. Reall theft is the stealing of things inanimate that have no life as of Money 〈◊〉 Apparel c. for which the offender by the Law was to restore two fold Thus we see the several sorts of theft Now all these are aggravated in regard of the person against whom they are committed as to rob the stranger the poor the fatherlesse or widow this brings a greater curse upon the finne and makes it become peccatum clamans a crying sin If they cry unto me saith God I will surely hear them Therefore there is a special prohibition against taking a pledge of
for a good name or credit brings favour and withall riches Gamaliel being a man of note and of credit all gave ear to him Men will go to Physicians that are well esteemed for their advice and a cunning Lawyer shall bee sure of many Clyents and a good Tutor of many Scholars And most customers will resort to such as have most credit and the best report CHAP. II. The necessity of a good name The sinne forbidden in general Wherein 1. The root of it 2. The Suppuration or rankling of it inwardly by false surmises and suspicions 3. The fitting of the soyl by readinesse to hear false reports 4. The watering of the soyl by busying our selves in other mens affairs NOw for an entrance into that which follows it will be needful to shew the necessity and use of a good name and credit among men Though in respect of Gods judgement of us by which we must stand or 〈◊〉 it matters not much what men think of us yet there is an injunction laid upon every man to Let his light shine before men that they may see his good works and glorifie his Father which is in Heaven It is a duty of every man to do what good he can to others now there is little or no good to be done by that man that hath an evil report so that there is duplex necessitas a double necessity laid upon every one he must have bonam conscientiam 〈◊〉 se a good conscience for himself and bonam famam propter 〈◊〉 a good name for others as s. 〈◊〉 faith And therefore howsoever in respect of God and our duty to him setting scandalum 〈◊〉 and scandalum 〈◊〉 aside we 〈◊〉 stand resolved as the Apostle was to go through good report and bad report in doing our duty thereby to do good to others yet if with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just a man can joyn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whatsoever things are of good report this is the best course and the best way to be taken to do good both to our selves and others and little use will be made of a mans gifts without it It is true a man must regard the testimony of God and his approbation before the testimony of his own conscience and the testimony of his conscience before the witnesse of men he must say with the Philosopher Malo viri boni famam 〈◊〉 conscientiam perdere I had rather lose the name and report of a good man among men then hazard the losse of my conscience but yet where all these can 〈◊〉 together a man should desire them all because by this means his gifts wil be useful for the enlarging the Kingdom of Christ and edifying of his Church and therefore the care of the Apostles was though they were counted deceivers yet they were true and would give no 〈◊〉 of offence and the reason is given that their ministery might not be blamed and so by that means they should be the lesse able to do good Besides in regard of a mans owne self A good name should ever bee carefully regarded because whilest a man hath it hee will bee the more wary and circumspect over his wayes that so hee may keepe it Whereas when it is 〈◊〉 he puts on that frontem meretricium spoken of by the Prophet a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and like the deaf Adder stops his ear against all admonition In all these respects and considerations therefore it is a sin for a man to neglect his good name The Heathen man so esteemed of it that he said Excepto probro reliqua omnia maledicta nihil existimo Except slander and reproach which reflected upon his good name he would endure all other railings for the wound made by a slander will hardly bee so 〈◊〉 but that some scar will remain For in this case he that is slandered is disabled from doing that good which otherwise he might good men will be suspitious of him and evill men will never speak well of him and therefore every man should be very careful of his good name We proceed now to the offence it self or the sin here forbidden False witnessing And this our Saviour tells us proceeds from the 〈◊〉 For Out of the 〈◊〉 proceed evil thoughts c. and among other things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 False witnesse and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Foolish speaking So that the root of this sinne is in the heart where there is as we shewed in the former Commandements a natural inclination Grassari ad famam to rob a man of his good name thinking thereby to be better thought of our selves and by casting dirt upon other mens faces to make our own seem the fairer But in the next place when men come to that which Esay speaks of to dig deep to hide their counsel or with those in Ieremy To consult and devise devices against their neighbour how they may smite him with the tongue and slander him so that none may credit him this goes further for this is Suppuratio the rankling of it inwardly To this we refer those evil surmisings mentioned by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Light suspitions which are upon little or no ground These wee handled before in the sixth Commandement as occasions of unjust anger and by consequence of murther But here wee speak of them as they are hurtful or prejudiciall to another mans fame or credit And from this saint Iames saith that men proceed further viz. From groundlesse suspitions and surmises to take upon them the office of the Law-giver viz. To judge and condemne And not onely to give wrong judgement upon their brother but to judge before the time as saint Paul saith and so they judge too hastily And not onely to judge of some outward actions from which no necessary conclusion can bee drawn but also of secret and inward thoughts and of matters doubtful which might be well interpreted and taken in a good sense as we see the Jewes did with Christ and Iohn Baptist Of whom the one for not eating but abstaining was said to have a melancholy Devil and the other who came eating and drinking was accounted a wine-bibber a friend of Publicans and Sinners And thus whereas some outward things may be done to good or bad ends they judge hastily De rebus seriis of the most weighty matters not regarding 〈◊〉 or consequentia what went before or follows after with other circumstances which may often vary the nature of outward actions Now this test is repentinus this sudden witnesse nunquam vere judicat never gives a 〈◊〉 verdict as we see in those Barbarians who no sooner saw the Viper cleave to Pauls hand but they concluded that he was a murtherer Thus men give sudden judgement whereas they ought as the Apostle
suspicions from growing into conclusions and they may be reduced to two for they concern either the ground or the object 1. The ground whereupon they rise Suspicions naturally rise from slender grounds sometimes in good as when the Disciples gathered from Christs answer to S. Peter that John should not die some in evil as when they concluded that because Peter was of Galilee as his speech shewed therefore he was one of Christs Disciples therefore every man must examine his grounds 2. The object which is either God or man 1. About God Mens suspicions will rise about many things which belong onely to God which they will sit and scan and draw conclusions from them As 1. The knowledge of the heart is Gods Prerogative yet how common is it for men to conclude upon a mans meaning as if they knew his heart Therefore 〈◊〉 upon that of the Apostle Quis es tu c. who art thou that judgest another mans servant saith My heart is none of your servant onely God must judge it Suspicion must never go to amans thoughts 2. We must not raise suspitions upon the acts of Gods Providence or draw conclusions thereupon as those that from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Nazianzen calls them things 〈◊〉 befall all men alike as prosperity and adversity gather false conclusions as if from a mans affliction or adversity one conclude him to be a greater sinner then others as those that saw the Viper on Pauls hand and concluded him to be a murtherer When as it is most certain that outward things happen alike to all as the Wise man speaks and therefore saith Nazianzen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thus if a man be born blinde either he or his parents have 〈◊〉 Thus they concluded against Gods Providence that the children suffered for their parents sins The fathers have eaten sowre grapes and the childrens teeth are set on edge when as his Providence is a great deep which cannot be searched out So they in Malachy conclude that it is in vain to serve the Lord because there is sometimes no present visible reward If John Baptist lose his head or S. Paul his life some will say this they have for the service of God 3. About future things men are apt to pronounce judgement when as God onely knows what shall come to passe If one be cast down or out of Gods savour he can never recover again if men have once surfetted of the world it is impossible for them to awake or edormire 〈◊〉 but the Apostle teaches otherwise he would have us wait if God will at any time give them repentance Multi sunt intus lupi saith S. 〈◊〉 multi foris oves there are many wolves within and many sheep for the present without and multi sunt rami inserti diffringendi rami disstracti inserendi there are many branches graffen in which may be broken off and many broken off which may be graffed in We must not then conclude in this manner for Gods hand is 〈◊〉 shortened but his power is the same still 2. Concerning 〈◊〉 wherein men judge amisse either of the actions or the persons of others 1. Of the actions Men often judge amisse and in this case when a man doth Judicare de re without good ground he hurts none but himself and therefore we should labour to know the truth of things before we judge them 2. Of the person men by judging amisse may wrong the person whom they judge hereby they make him contemptible and odious as on the contrary when he is absolved he gets credit If I condemn him being an innocent I do an injury not to him alone but to others I condemn the generation of the just as the Psalmist speaks whereas if I judge well of him when he deserves ill this is but error in singularibus and the 〈◊〉 way for the Apostle saith that Charity is not suspitious nor thinketh evil 2. If there be no determination but a presupposing the rule is a man may suppose the worst for the prevention of evil as if I am to cure a sin it is better to suppose it worse then it is then to make it lesse then it is lest I apply too weak a plaister which will not heal it A gentle plaister may help a wound or sore for a while which after a while will break out again The Evangelist saith of Christ that though many beleeved on his name yet he would not commit himself to them because he knew what is in man but we must not because we know not what is in man It is good to suppose the worst for the prevention of sin Now further in our determinations we are to consider that either the case is plain and then there is violenta suspicio a violent suspition and here we may conclude or else it is doubtful and may be taken in a good 〈◊〉 for moralia sortiuntur 〈◊〉 fine moral actions are distinguished by their ends now in this case it is dangerous to conclude against one in a doubtful case for dubia in meliorem partem interpretanda doubtful things must be taken in the best sence The last rule in this case is that we must not be too hasty or rash in Judgement for praecipitatio noverca justitiae rashnesse is the stepmother to justice God teaches the contrary by his own example though he knew the matter before yet he proceeds judicially Vbies Adam Adam where art 〈◊〉 and in the case of Sodom though the cry of their sin was great Descendam saith God videbo I will go down and see whether they have done according to the cry Though God needed no information yet he thus speaks for our example and imitation Now for the action upon a suspition it is utterly unlawful to act against any upon a bare suspition David had a strong suspition of Doeg that he would tell Saul what Abimelech had done yet it was not so strong as to make him proceed to any action thereupon for if he had he had kept him from carrying any tales to Saul These rules may help us against groundlesse suspitions against others Sundry other rules may be given concerning our selves and our own actions in relation to the sins here prohibited and already handled 1. When we are to speak the truth of our selves knowing our own imperfections and that lingua est prodiga the tongue is prodigal in a mans own praises we must do as S. Matthew did who being to tell his own story calls himself by the worst name Matthew the Publican whereas the other Evangelists call him Matthew the son of Alpheus or Levi he leaves out also his own feast which he made for Christ and mentions it not though S. Luke sets it out so the same S. Luke speaking of S. Peters denyal mentions it gently as that
Commandement in the words expressed Now because according to our 〈◊〉 formerly delivered the Affirmative is implyed in the Negative we shall say something of the affirmative part The Affirmativepart Or the thing required is set down by the Apostle when he exhorts us To bee renewed in the spirit of your mindes and to put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him and to become new creatures We must labour as the Apostle prayed that our spirit soul and body may be sanctified and preserved blamelesse unto the coming of Christ. We must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 earthly members our carnal lusts and affections and crucifie the old man that so sin may not reign in our mortal bodies Nor onely must the minde be renewed but the will too it must be brought into subjection to the will of God that we may be able to say with David Here am I let God do with me whatsoever he 〈◊〉 and with Christ Not my will but thy will be done Our inward man is corrupt in all the faculties the understanding is darkned and the will is perverted For as in old men there is caligo oculorum 〈◊〉 of sight and infirmitas membrorum weaknesse in the members so in this old man which we are to put off there is 〈◊〉 mentis and infirmitas spiritus blindnesse of minde and weaknesse of spirit which must be renewed Though 〈◊〉 be in it self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a transient act yet after the act there is something remains which requires a necessity of Renovation as 1. 〈◊〉 the guilt which makes us unworthy of favour and worthy of punishment 2. Macula the stain which renders us 〈◊〉 and deformed and 3. 〈◊〉 seu morbus the wound or disease which needs healing and binding up and consists in a pronenesse and 〈◊〉 to the like acts Now though the guilt of sin past be taken away upon our repentance yet the stain and the scar remain 〈◊〉 in part and need daily renewing And because a new guilt may be contracted by new sins therefore we have daily need of pardon and remission The necessity of this inward renewing appears 1. Because of the corruption which naturally lodges in the heart and so pollutes the whole man here is that gall which imbitters all our actions that leaven which sowres the whole lump the leprosie which defiles body and soul fo that from the understanding which is the head to the affections which are the 〈◊〉 all is full of sores If the 〈◊〉 be a world of wickednesse what is the heart If there be a beam in the eye what is there in the heart Si trabes in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 2. If it be not renewed it is the most dangerous enemy we have It is deceitful 〈◊〉 all saith the Prophet it can deceive us without Sathan but he can do nothing without it he must plow with our Heifer it is more near to us then Sathan a part of our selves Resist the Devil and he will 〈◊〉 from us but if we resist never so much this deceiver will stick 〈◊〉 to us Sathan tempts and leaves us for a season but this tempter never leaves us This is like a treacherous person in the City which opens the gates and lets in the enemy who otherwise by 〈◊〉 could not have entred 3. It is the fountain of all our actions none are accepted which come not from a pure heart if this be polluted all our actions are abominable Whatsoever an unclean person touched under the Law was unclean So whatsoever actions though good in themselves are performed if the heart be not renewed and cleansed they are polluted by it That we may be renewed in the spirit of our mindes we must use the means 1. We must wash our hearts with tears of repentance as David after his great 〈◊〉 and S. 〈◊〉 after he had denied his Master This potion of repentance will purge out the 〈◊〉 humours It is true the blood of Christ cleanses from all sin it takes away the guilt and the Spirit of God renews the heart in respect of the stain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Apostle ye are sanctified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God but neither Christ nor his Spirit will come and dwell in an impure heart if the heart be not prepared by repentance we cannot apply the blood of Christ to take away the guilt There are preparatory works wrought by the assistance of the Spirit as sorrow and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before the Spirit comes to dwell in us and Christ stands at the door and knocks by preparatory acts of grace before he will come in and sup with us 2. We must avoid all occasions of sin If our right eye offend us we must pluck it out if our hand offend us we must cut it off we must part with any thing though never so dear to us if it be an occasion of sin We must shun and avoid all evil company David saith that all his delight was in the saints and such as did excel in vertue He was a companion of all that feared the name of God as for the wicked He would not suffer them to come into his sight nay he would not make mention of them in his lips We must avoid idlenes David was idle when he was tempted to uncleannesse Idlenesse is pulvinar Diaboli the Devils bolster an idle person is a standing puddle apt to putrifie This makes solum subactum the soyl fit for Sathan to sowe his seed in therefore it was good counsel semper te inveniat Diabolus occupatum let Sathan alwayes finde thee exercised 3. We must watch over our outward sences which are the windows by which 〈◊〉 objects are conveyed into the heart and sinful lusts stird up in the soul look not on the tree 〈◊〉 thou be taken with the pleasant shew of the fruit We must pray with the Psalmist That God would turn away our eyes from beholding vanity and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Job did with our eyes not to look upon ensnaring objects we must stop our ears against the charms of the Devil The ear is apt to receive evil speeches which it conveyes to the heart and therefore we must take heed what we hear 4. Principiis obsta suppresse the first motions of sin as soon as they arise in the heart this is to crush the Cockatrice in the egge this is easy at first but difficult if we give way to them Prava dum parva though they seem small yet they are bad and make way for worse evil thoughts not resisted bring delight delight breeds consent consent action action custome and custome necessity we must therefore 〈◊〉 infantes dash them to pieces while they be young before they grow too strong We must not once consult with flesh and blood