for the true worship of god Now follows the reason of this commandement drawn partly from Gods iudgements against all false worshippers from his mercy kindenesse to thē that worship him in truth The judgement towards the breakers of this commandement is that he will not onely plague them take vengeance on thē in their owne persons but he will execute his wrath also on their seed posteritie to the third and fourth generation Which is therfore set downe because it is a verie hard thing to perswade euen that this is so great fearefull a sin when in a good meaning as they say they serue God after another manner then hee hath warranted commanded The reason taken frō his kindnesse to those that are obedient because we are very slow and slack to the right seruice of God is to allure prouoke vs because that god will not only blesse such an one in his own soule body both in life death but his blessing shal reach further euen vpon many generations in his posterity so that God will neuer leaue blessing those that with an vpright hart worship him in truth according to his word I am Iehouah thy God a iealous strong God IN these words calling himself our God he implies that ther is an euerlasting marriage betwixt god vs therfore as it is a foule fact for a woman after hir marriage the couenāt of god betwixt thē to defile her body with filthy adulterers So it is a much more hainous abhominable thing for any man or woman after his couenant with God to follow idols and images not contenting himself with the perfect beautie of Christ Then where he saith a iealous God hee compares himselfe to an husband that as hee loues his wife most tenderly dearely whilst she remaines chast faithfull so is he most offended prouoked if she deale lewdely and trecherously with him so Christ Iesus hath loued vs most dearely and giuen his bloud for vs but if we deale not chastly with him in this case he will be as a jealous man whose most abundant loue being abused doth burst forth into the strongest hatred as Salomon saith that jealousy is the rage of man the eie of iealousy seeth all things Then he cals himselfe a strong God shewing his power that hee hath abilitie as willingnesse to punish in that hee cals himselfe jealous it declares that he wants not will and cause to powre vengeance on them and in that hee is a strong God hee is of might sufficient to plague and confound those that wickedly break his couenant From al this discription wherby God hath set out himselfe vnto vs to bee our God and a iealous God that cannot abide any such filthinesse and a strong mightie God that is able to execute his wrath on the offenders we may and must take courage and comfort to stand for Gods pure worship against all idolaters and idolatrie and all manner of superstition being that he is our God one that hath bound himselfe in couenant to defend and protect vs as also hee is iealous which carries a flame of loue to all those that be faithfull as well as an exceeding detestation of the vnfaithfull and then he is a strong God not strong with an idle kinde of strength that lies hide within him and neuer is put in practise but hee doth vse his strength to the maintayning and protecting of all such as are true friends to him and maintayners of his worship Which is for comfort of those whose friends and such from whom they haue their maintenance are popish and will hate them and be enemies to them if they be enemies to superstition and loue God and his worship but feare not that God is a strong God if they will not help hee will they haue no such power against you as god hath for you so long as you continue vpright in his worship This is also for the terror of all idolatrous and superstitious persons that haue many things to vphold them and are well friended and strong defended but yet mischiefe shall be their end in the end because he is stronger then all men that sets himselfe against them and whom they prouoked euen to iealousie by their filthinesse who sees all their wayes as hee saith pull out thine adulteries from betwixt thy brests that is those monuments of idolatrie which idolaters put so much trust in as Agnus dei c. pull them out they offend him hee cannot abide the sight of them no more then a iealous husband the wantonnesse of his wife before his face God cannot I say endure this impuritie and wickednesse withall he is strong which name he giues heere to himselfe not bragging and boasting of his might but to let all idolaters know what an one they shall finde and feele him to bee in their punishments and plagues So much for the names by which God sets out himselfe in this reason Visiting the sinnes of the fathers on the children FIrst it may bee objected how God can in iustice doe this and punish the children for the fathers fault But to that one may answere as God doth in Hosea 2. 2. speaking to the Iewes hee bids them plead with their mother comparing him selfe to an husband he shewes that there is no fault in him but all the blame lies on the adulterous mother for as an husband may without any fault put away the wife that hath dealt trecherouslie and hir adulterous broode to so God may iustlie plague and forsake both the parents and the wicked children of wicked parents Now his vengeance vpon the children of Idolatrous parents is shewed especially in these things First in with-holding the meanes of grace from them and also the spirit of grace secondly in letting them see their fathers euill waies so imitate them thirdly in with-holding from them those meanes that might turne and conuert them and helpe them out of their sinne as the admonition of his children and such like But the doctrine that wee may gather hence is that vngodly parents are the most deadly enemies vnto their children as in Exo. 34. Where God sets downe his name most comfortably and the aboundance of his mercy yet he ads this withall Holding not the wicked innocent but visiting the sinnes of the fathers on the children This the example of wicked Ahad doth euidently proue for in that he would shed the innocent bloud of Naboth in that hee would commit idolatrie and serue Baalim who could haue done a greater wrong to Ahabs posteritie then Ahab did by these things for hence it was that the kingdome was taken from his house and that his children about seauenty persons had their heads chopt from their bodies and were made as dung and all his kinsfolkes acquaintance fared the worse for his wickednesse And so Ieroboam that seducer of Israell hee thought by his idolatry to haue established the kingdome to him his
such desperate passions that he is neither fit to serue God nor man All this would be helped if wee could think gods children haue in all times suffered afflictions t is the lot of the righteous and I must looke to tast of the same cup and therefore labour beforehand to get patience and to trust in God and looke for help at his hand then we should be like Moses that in all those doings when other were at their wits end for vexation and feare he was quiet and still and God deliuered him out of all as he will doe vs also if we will as he did patiently trust vpon him So much of this preface The first commandement is contained in these words Thou shalt haue none other gods before mee THe drift of this commandement is that wee should sanctifie God in our harts and giue him his full priuiledge aboue all his creatures First of the negatiue part To haue none other gods is not to haue any thing whereon wee set our delight or esteeme it more then God The doctrine from hence is that we must suffer no thing to withdraw our hart our mind our soule our hope or any thing in our soule body from God For who soeuer withdraws any thing in vs from God that is a strange God vnto vs that is euery mans God which euery man is most set vpon what euer the minde of man is more set vpon busied about then the glory seruice of god that is another God As for matter of commoditie If one set his hope and his trust and hart vpon his wealth this is Idolatrie As in Iob 31. 24. If I made gold myne hope c. So the rich man in the gospel made his wealth an Idoll because he trusted in that and did worship that for here he speakes of the inward worship of God in soule If one then relie vpon wealth think himselfe safe when he hath it and vndone if it be taken from him this is to make his goods his God gold is his hope For if his hope be gone with his gold what was his hope before If when his riches depart his confidence also departed Did not he say to thē afore thou art my confidence So couetousnesse is called Idolatrie not that men bow downe their bodies to worship it But which is worse their soules and affections their wit and memorie vnderstanding all their faculties stoope to that which should onely stoupe to God So that hee that loues his riches aboue measure and sets his hart vpon earthly things is one of the worst sort of Idolaters So if one set his hart vpon pleasure what euer thing it is that he hunts after more then gods glory this is an other God to him As the Apostle speakes of some that did make their belly their god they would haue thought it an injury if one had come told them that they worshiped not God but their belly for they professe religion and to serue God as well as the best Yet the Apostle saith in plaine words they made their belly their god for though that they did not kneele downe and hold vp their hands to their belly yet they set themselues more earnestly to feed their body then to glorifie God and were more grieued if they were pinched in a matter of vittaile good cheere then to see the name of God dishonored and blasphemed any sinne committed So those that set their whole selues to hunting hawking dicing carding gaming whoring or any such vilde practise they make these things their god for they are more glad more rejoyce when those things are effected according to their desire then if any thing be brought to passe for Gods honour if they be crossed in any of these things they are more vext and troubled with it then for swearing or stealing or breach of the Saboth or lying or any thing whereby Gods law is violated these filthie monsters then be worshipers of false gods and make these filthie things Idolls to themselues So Ieremiah 17. cha 5. ver To make flesh ones arme is Idolatrie that is to trust in any fleshing thing for faith he cursed be he that makes flesh his arme Why may he not doe so and serue God to No saith hee but withdrawes his hart from God so that looke how much any one rely vpon any fleshly things things so much he forsakes God and in what measure he pleaseth his confidence in any thing else in that measure he displaseth it from God So Eli was said to honour his sonnes more then God Though he were a good holy man yet being to indulgent to his children in that he contented himselfe onely to haue admonished thē for those faults and did not procede to punish them according to their fault when admonition would not serue the turne because he was a magistrate in that he had not such a zeale of Gods glory and of the breach of Gods law as to punish his children for it he honored them more then God But that he did honor God was a good man but through infirmitie and to much loue of his children he was borne away from that care of the glory of God that he should haue had so did beare with them more then he ought to haue done and this was that sinne for which God did both in word reproue him and in deede also correct him with so great a punishment this was to dishonour God The vse of this is first to confute all ignorant men women and all vnregenerate men and women it is certaine they haue other gods for euery vnregenerate man depends either vpon himselfe or some other thing else neuer vpon God as he saith of such they sacrifice vnto their nets not that they did offer burnt offerings vnto them but because they got much wealth by fishing they thought their riches came from that therfore imagined that God did not prouide for them but that they had prouided for themselues and so did not giue thanks vnto God but vnto their owne skill and wit that could finde meanes how to get these outward things So that euerie vnregenerate man sets vp himselfe he doth nothing but seeke and serue himselfe and therefore is his owne Idoll and an other god vnto himselfe This serues also to humble Gods children dayly with the consideration of it for who liues so holylie that doth not oftentimes set vp an other god that doth not sometimes feare men more then God and that doth not often depend to much vppon outward matters and hath to great a loue of earthly things This should humble vs then to think that wee are so much giuen to set vp vaine helps in our harts as that none liues so cleere but sometimes he makes a false God vnto himselfe Secōdly that we may keep this cōmandement we must learne to vse all outward things as though we vsed them not that so our mindes and affections and
did giue the ceremoniall law by Moyses hand and vsed him as an instrument to write them but for the greater reuerence of these ten hee would not vse the help of Moyses hand and pen but with his owne finger wrote them not in paper with inke but in stone to shevv the strength and continuance of them and commanded Moyses to put them in the arke to shew that no man could fulfill perfectly obey them but onely Christ If these ten were all written by God and no exception made whereby the sabboth should bee inferiour to the rest but altogether put into the Arke then a man may euen as well rend any of the other ten away as this yea and with more warrant to for none of them all is more fenced with reasons and mounded about with more strong arguments to keepe out the cauils and objections of men then this so that where God hath as it were of set purpose giuen more strength for a man to impute more weakenesse to this thing is a note either of great folly or else of singular impudencie and impietie The fourth reason is drawen from the persons vpon whom it lieth and vnto whom it is giuen for wee know that the ceremonies did lie onely vpon the Iewes the Gentiles were not bound to obserue them but now this commandement sayth not onely thou thy sonne thy daughter thy man thy maide which containes all the whole commonwealth but it goes further saith thy stranger which is within thy gates so that if an heathen man of another countrie and religion had come amongst them the magistrate was bound to looke to it that he doe not openly and publikely violate the sabboth but of force should celebrate an outward though to perform duties of religion that lay not in mans hand to constraine them Now the ceremonies were as a partition wall betwixt the Iewes Gentiles to seperate the church of the Iewes and the seede of Abraham from all other congregations vntill after this partition was broken downe by Christ and both brought into one fold for when Christs death did teare asunder the vale of the temple then hee tare all ceremonies in twaine that they could no longer binde the conscience either of Iew or Gentill but for the sabboth euen the Gentils must keepe it and because they would not themselues when they came among the seruants of God they were to be constrayned as in Nehemias time when the men of Tyrus came to sell wares on the sabboth day in Ierusalem hee would not suffer them but threatens to lay hands vpon them if they did any more come after that manner If God had heere commanded onely to looke to the Iewes and not to strangers it had beene some appearance but sith God will haue strangers of the Gentils bound to the keeping of it so farre as men can if they come within the walke and reach of Christians now the matter is put quite out of doubt that this is no ceremonie Lastly Christ Iesus himselfe the Lord of the Sabboth confirmes the sabboth most strongly Mat. 24. 20. Where speaking of the destruction of Ierusalem by Vespasian and speaking to the faithfull of the church and true Christians whose prayers shall surely preuaile he bids them pray that their flight bee not vpon the sabboth day or in the winter Fortie yeeres after a fearefull destruction was to come vpon Ierusalem and this was decreed so that it might not bee altered yet Christ bids his seruants pray that it might bee mittigated to them in some measure and therefore that they might not bee enforced to flie for their liues in the winter for that would bee grieuous to the bodie because of the shortnesse of the daies and the durtinesse of the waies would bee very tedious to them nor vpon the sabboth because this would bee as grieuous to their soules if they must bee constrained to spend that day in taking paines to preserue their bodies which God had appointed to be spent in those things that should help forward the saluation of their soules What will some say is it not lawfull to flye for ones lyfe on the sabboth yes and Christ allowes it But he knew full well what griefe it would bring to a christian soule to think Alasse I was wont as this day to sit quietly in the church and among Gods Saints to heare the sweet comforts of his word deliuered vnto my soule and with praise to sing Psalmes of thanks vnto God and to aske those things with the rest of Gods people which we stoode in neede of where I receaued such strength comfort that I walked in the strength of these exercises the whole weeke after but now the paine of my bodie and the feare of my soule so distract me take me vp that haue neither leasure nor abilitie to doe so but I must want all these comforts Christ knew that this would be as bitter as death to a Christian soule and therefore he wils them to pray to God to preuent it that no such necessitie be layd vpon them Now if this commandement and this day had bene ceremoniall they might haue fled with as little care as any other for it had bene abolished long afore by Christs death and no such regard had bene to be made of it In that Christ doth allow this conscience and regard of flying on the sabboth day more then any other of the weeke he shewes planly that the force of the sabboth was to abide after him for fortie yeres and therfore no ceremony for then Christ had not done well to put a needlesse feare into their harts of flying on the sabboth if God required no keeping of the sabboth and then he should rather haue bid them pray to God that they might haue had all respect of it being a ceremonie taken from them and told them that they neede not to regard it for it had bene a great sinne to haue made such conscience of keeping a ceremonie so long after the abolishing of them then if one should not willingly and not without griefe fly to saue his naturall lyfe when he should be seeking to strengthen his spirituall life as Christ words doe plainly proue then how much lesse should he doe any other outward businesse of far lesse necessitie So that these reasons doe most effectually confirme to the harts of Gods children that the keeping of the sabboth day holy is a moral law and bindeth vs and shall all to the ende of the world as much as the Iewes at any time before Christ But for those wicked persons that will cauill against euery thing that crosseth their corrupt lust as the keeping of a sabboth doth exceedingly we must not greatly be moued what they object for of them t is most true that Solomon saith Bray a foole in a morter as wheat is brayed with a pestell and hee will not forsake his folly But this may suffice to confirme and establish and instruct a christian
commandements are lightsome the spirituall hart feedes vpon the spirituall law and delights and rejoyceth in it This must serue therefore to cut off those dangers that men cast to themselues in keeping of this commandement as though God had ouershot himselfe in making such an vnjust law as no man can keepe it but hee must bee vndone by it as though hee knew not what hee did when hee bad them rest the sabboth day It is a meruailous impudencie in many that no man durst speake so hardly and presumptuouslie against any positiue law of the prince as euerie base person will speake against this law of God Oh it is impossible to keepe it such losses it brings and these damages it brings that hee must needes come to beggerie that will obserue it what did God seeke the impouerishing and the spoile of men when hee bad them serue him nay he appointed it as a day of blessing and it seemes so hard and vnjust to them because they bee carnall and fleshly and not hauing faith in Gods promises nor any desire to obey him they will still haue shifts and something to say against it the hart is dead and wicked or else the law would bring comfort Oh how should one doe for recreation say some is it not a recreation for a christian to heare the voice of a christian and for a sheepe of Christ to feede in his pastures is it not a recreation for a person condemned to come where hee may get his pardon sealed to him is it not a recreation for a man subject to death to heare a direction that will leade him to life therefore if wee were not altogether sencelesse and blockish in respect of spirituall sence and life it would bee as great a joy for vs to feede at his table and in his house vpon the bread of life as in our owne houses vpon corruptible bread And againe could Christ finde in his hart for our sakes willingly to bestow his soule body and giue his bodie to death and his soule to suffer the wrath of God and shall wee account it a burden to bestow one day in seauen vpon him to be made pertakers especiallie of such benefits And God hath willinglie giuen vs sixe for our calling and may wee not well afford the seauenth to our soules but wee haue such businesse wee cannot doe it But for matter of businesse God shewes two things that if one would obserue should easilie preuent these businesses first sixe daies shalt thou doe all thy work Where hee shewes that if one would labour faithfullie and conscionablie in their calling vpon sixe daies they might well dispatch their businesse but indeede this makes men so loath to giue a seauenth day to God because hauing beene idle and vnthriftie on the sixe they haue neglected some businesse that now lies vpon them the seauenth day and then it is a great burden indeede and impossible for such to keepe it but they must loose by it but Gods commandement brings no such losse their owne sinne is the cause of it and if this bee not the cause then the other is men take more vpon them then their owne work for if one take nothing but his worke hee may dispatch all well in sixe daies if one serue God in his calling his calling will not hinder him from keeping Gods commandements but if one serue couetousnesse and filthie lucre then indeed hee can finde no time to serue God When men in hast to bee rich and eager desire of wealth will take more in their hands then they can mannage this is their fault and all this is not their worke but the worke of their lust this is to bee a busie bodie but let any man bee faithfull in his calling on the sixe daies and not through greedinesse encomber himselfe with more then is needefull and hee shall see hee may easily keepe this seauenth to God there is no cause of such complaining against it And indeede to a spirituall hart that hath any grace measure of Gods spirit how euer it seeme to carnall men it is most just and equall yea most sweet and comfortable so that they can with all their harts thanke God that he hath giuen them one day wherein they may lighten their harts of all worldly cares and throw of all griefes thoughts of debts or such like to giue them selues wholy to seeke comfort in him that will prouide for them in due time and hath prouided this sabboth as an ease vnto them that they should not trouble them selues wtih any such thoughts on that day And thus much to proue that the keeping of a seauenth day and spending it in holy dutie is a morall law and perpetuall and belongs vnto vs as well as to the Iews and so much the more vnto vs because we hauing more excellent meanes a greater perfection is required of vs. As also to shew that euery one must make a preparation for the sabboth Both by dispatching his businesse as nothing may bee left vndone till the sabboth and by behauing himselfe so in the businesse as his affections may not bee to much tied vnto them for the former will hinder the rest of the sabboth and the latter the holynesse of it Therfore that we may keep an holie rest he must doe all that hee hath to doe vpon the sixe daies and if hee take more vpon him then he can finish in the space of sixe daies it is more then God laies vpon him and he doth not labour for conscience sake but for couetousnesse sake and this is not his worke but the worke of his corruption and then secondly a man must draw his hart from the loue of the world worldly things and then neither worldlie losses will fill his hart full of worldlie greife nor commodities with worldlie delight which two things would hinder him from delighting in spirituall exercises so that he that will empty his hands of all worldlie businesse and his hart of worldlie affections shal be able with comfort to keepe a rest and an holie rest vnto God And for the first reason drawne from the equitie of Gods commandements that hauing giuen vs the large allowance of sixe daies and taken the small pittance of one daie vnto himselfe hath dealt in great equitie with vs so that one must not goe about to make hipocriticall shifts and excuses for if he doe it is not from the hardnesse of the law but the hardnesse of his hart not from difficultie in the thing but want of loue in the person for nothing is so easie but a worldlie hart that loues not God will be shifting and haue some odd reasons against it Now we must speake of the second reason It is the sabboth of the Lord thy God IN which God lets vs know that he which is our God and the mightie strong God hath impropriated this to himselfe as his owne possession set a part for his owne seruice therfore wee must willinglie
that they may prolong thy daies namely thy parents when they shall haue occasion with a glad and ioyfull heart to thanke God for that comfort which they haue receiued by the obedience and dutifulnesse of their children this brings with it a blessing of God vpon the soule and bodie of such a childe to prolong his life in all happinesse But on the other side when the father and mother through the rebellion and obstinacie of a childe are driuen to sigh and mourne before God with a troubled soule that hee that should haue bene one of the greatest comforts is one of the greatest griefes and he that should haue built vp the house doth pluck it down this brings a curse and prouokes God to cut of his life vntimely and his soule also vnlesse he repent to his damnation An example of this we haue in the Rechabites the sonnes of Ionadab Ierem. 35. 19. They did reuerence their parents so much and had such a regard of him as that when he seeing the excessiue abuse of wine to drunkennesse and the abuse of lands and houses to couetous greedinesse commanded them to drink no wine nor build no houses nor buy no land which might seeme an hard commandement abridging them of their pleasure and profit yet in loue to their father they kept it all their daies faithfully Now God he comes vpon the Israelites and condemnes them by the example of Ionadabs sonnes shewing that he had beene a better father vnto them then Ionadab had beene to his sonnes and his commandements restrained them from no lawfull delight but onely from sin that would damne the soule yet they would not be so obedient to him as the Rechabites to their father Therefore in the last place he comes to giue a reward to the Rechabites and saith that Ionadab the sonne of Rechab shall neuer want a man to stand before me Such a good thing and so acceptable is it vnto God that children should submit themselues vnto their superiours And so Ioseph hauing beene a good sonne to Iacob Iacob prolonged his daies for he prayed so heartily for him that God could not denie Alwaies when Ioseph came then Iacobs mouth was full of blessings and he was so nimble to pray for him with his whole hart as that he could haue powred out his soule in a prayer for him to haue done him good and these did not goe into the ayre and vanish fruitlessely but tooke place and God indeed blessed Ioseph in himselfe his posteritie aboundantly So that the best diet and the best ayre that one can liue in to make children haue a long and happie life is to be obedient to their parents Therefore let children learne to be dutifull and to serue their parents as Paule saith that Timothie did serue him as a sonne serueth his father so that a good childe should be his fathers best seruant This doing they shall bring Gods blessing vpo their soules and bodie otherwise they shall haue a short life and a miserable life alwaies in bondage to some foule lust or other that shall play the tyrant ouer them and reuenge their parents quarrell vpon them This serues also secondly to instruct parents that if they would haue it goe well with their children they must not then so much labour to get great matters in the world for them but to take them downe by time to instruct them and narture them in godlinesse and to labour to bring obedience and pietie into their hearts or els be they as greate as they will they shall bring a curse vpon them As we see in Dauid sonnes whē he was negligent in bringing them vp in the feare of God but let them haue their owne way and could not find in his heart for foolish fondnesse to correct them we see how Gods curse pursues them one commites incest the other seeing Dauid would not punish so soule a sinne vsurps authoritie and he becomes his brothers iudge and executioner and after also driues his father out of his kingdome and seekes his life till he died a miserable death and a strange Gods hand taking vengeance on his wickednesse An other by treasonable practises came to death by his brother iustly So all these came to a violent and fearefull end why because he would not reproue thē nor checke them as is noted but for Solomon his father instructed him his mother instructed him he was kept in not suffered to runne after vanitie so and therefore we see what blessings befell to him what a curse ouertooke the rest So Eli for foolish pittie grew so tender that hee would not correct his children according as he ought therefore miserie came vpon himselfe and both they died in a day Therefore as parents may and must desire an happie and longe life for their children so they must also vse the meanes to get it for them by good nurture and mastring them to make them know and doe their dutie for better parents master them by correction then God destroy thē in indignation for if they be not staid at first they will proceede from rebellion against parents to rebels against magistrates and then they will rebell against god also till he cut them of by distruction This serues also for the comfort of dutifull children who happily can see nothing but pouertie and are destitute of all worldly meanes of helpe But let them not looke on the outside so much turne to the inside a little how haue they behaued themselues to their parents how haue they dealt with them what affections haue they carried toward them what good haue they beene willing to doe for them what obedience haue they shewed them Make account then that God will blesse thē and succour thē that they shall liue a long and happie life vpon the earth And it is iust that their children also should reward the like to them to couer their infirmities as Noahs chrildren did so that either God will not let them breake out or else they shall hide them and not lay them open to their shame But those that be now so rebellious as they be sicke of the father or mother and desire the parents landes more then their life Looke for it a daye will come that they shall bee sicke of their children to But here seemes an obiection to arise We see it far otherwise ofttimes vilde persons liue long and those that bee obedient die quickely but to this we may answere that the reprobate liues but to heape vp wrath against the day of wrath and to make vp a greaer measure of his sinnes that God may make vp a greater measure of vengeance so that the greatest promotiō for reprobates were to dye so soone as they were borne for the longer they liue the more sins they commit and the more shal be their torments For the godly if God take them away sooner it is to take them to a better place that they may be taken from the euill
is contayned in them shewes who is the first founder of them Because there is no good dutie which God bound Adam to performe but it is comprehended and commaunded in one of these and there is no sinne that wee are bound to abstaine from and eschew which is not forbidden in some one of these tenne wordes It was aboue the witte of men or Angells to containe in so few wordes the whole perfection of our dutie to God and man The lawes of men though they fill many large bookes and great volumnes yet they are imperfect and doe continually stande in neede to haue some increasing or deminishing and daylie some thing is added to them that was not beefore thought vpon and some thinges bee taken away which novv more experience hath prooued not to bee so profitable so that yet they still stand in neede of renewing and mending But now this Law is so absolute and doth set foorth so full and complete a righteousnesse that if one could keepe them all hee should bee fully acceptable vnto God and needed not flie to Christ to bee his redeemer For indeede this meets with all sinnes yea with the first least motions as Paule saith that hee had not knowne that lust meaning the motions of originall concupisence had beene sinne but that the law saith thou shalt not lust And as their perfection of holinesse doth witnesse sufficiently from what an one they had their beginning So secondly this will proue them to bee the words of God because they bee ingraffed and written and engrauen in euery mans conscience so that let wicked men shuffle and take one and keepe what stirre they can to make themselues Atheists yet it will not be they cannot blot out Gods writing These lawes sticke imprinted in their harts and soules so firmely as they cannot bee remoued For as Paule saith in the Acts. 17. God hath not left himselfe without witnesse but in euery mans bosome and in euery ones nature hath planted so much of this his law as will serue to leaue them without excuse and to condemne them For who is there among the most prophane and absurde of men whose soule doth not constraine him euen against his will sometimes to confesse that there is a God and one onely true God and that this God is to be worshipped also so as is most pleasing to him and that hee is not to bee blasphemed nor his name to bee abused but that hee is to bee reuerenced and sometimes to be set a part and consecrated to his worship who can blurre out these lawes out of themselues doe they what they can and striue they neuer so much to choke these seedes of knowledge So for the second table of them what mans nature doth not tell him that there is an order of gouernment amongst men which must not nor cannot without sinne bee violated and so heathen and prophane vngodly men hauing committed murdure were not able to stand before the furie of their owne conscience but were in a continuall chase vexation which shews that euen corrupt nature bringeth with it this knowledge into the world that one must not kill And for filthie persons and adulterers though in time of their prosperitie they haue soothed vp themselues and hardened their owne harts by liuing in pleasure and giuing themselues to idlenesse and the lusts of their hearts and so seemed to blot out this law yet in misery when any affliction hath wakened their drowsie harts and consciences these would giue them no rest nor they durst not abide the face of their owne conscience but are driuen to acknowledge the filthinesse of their sinnes Besides this place that they haue in mans nature which proueth they came from God mans Lord. This also proues them to be his because all the punishments that are at any time inflicted vpon the world haue come from the disobedience against this law and all the blessings and benefites that men enjoy doe proceede from the disobedience yeelded to it For when God sets downe his curses and his blessings are they not all grounded on this law doth it not runne thus if thou obserue and keepe this law then thou shalt bee blessed in soule in bodie in children in cattell in field in all things thou puttest thine hand vnto Contrarily if thou wilt not obey but neglectest these then shalt thou bee cursed in bodie in soule in children in all thou putst thine hand vnto So that sith God hath so great care to punish those that rebell against these lawes and to reward those that performe obedience to them it proues that hee is the lawmaker and that though the law be briefe in words yet it is full of matter and much to be marked and thought on Lastly Christ himselfe came into the world to performe obedience to these lawes For they require a perfect and absolute obedience as they are perfect which sith no man could doe therefore Christ tooke our flesh vpon him to fufill them that as Adam by his disobedience had cast vs out of Paradise so hee by his obedience might let vs into heauen and hee came not onely to obey them himselfe fully but also to make his Saints able to obey them to though not in perfection and without any defect for that onely hee himselfe can doe yet in truth and perfect sinceritie for that he requires all his children members to doe So that these reasons will confirme that which was said before that the ten commandements bee after a perculiar sort the words of God and doe more peculiarly challenge him for their author The vse that wee must make of this to our selues is to teach vs first to hearken vnto them and willingly to heere the rebukes and admonitions that are contained in them whosoeuer and whatsoeuer hee bee that applies them and speakes them vnto And indeede hence we shall shew our selues in truth to beleeue that God is the author of these words if we can be content to beare that these precepts should be prest and vrged vpon vs though by one that is our inferiour and baser in outward respect then our selues And this affection was in Iob as he testifieth of himselfe in his 31. Chap. 34. ver That though he was a man of such wealth and authoritie as he could haue made afrayde a great multitude and could haue crusht them by his power yet the poorest and most contemtible of his familie might haue dealt with him and if hee had seene any fault in him as vvho liues so iustly but sometimes those that bee about may see infirmities in him and had come to tell him that he had broken the law of God he would haue bene quiet and milde and vvould haue bene so farre from fearing them vvith bigge vvords as that himselfe vvould feare beefore GOD and labour to get pardon hee vvould not chafe vvith his seruants that had brought Gods law to him and sayde vvhat hast thou to doe to meddle vvith mee vvho
and brought low enough But God will deliuer them let one get righteousnesse and faith and the spirit of prayer though they vvere in an iron furnace vnder Paraohs tyrannie in an house of bondage let them but cry and from thence God will deliuer them So in Hesters time a wonderfull affliction it was that the day of execution was appointed when all the godly should be put to sword not one seruant of God should be left aliue But now when they could crye vnto God and had none else to goe vnto but him and him they would goe vnto and trust vpon him knowing that he could help them if he would and would also for his promise sake deliuer them Then wee see the day that was appointed to their sorrow turned to their ioy that which was thought to bring destruction vpon them brought destruction vpon their enemies and the day of their most extreame captiuitie proued to be the day of their most ioyful deliuerance that euer they had And it must needs be so for els God should loose the end of his corrections for he corrects them to make them pertakers of his holinesse But if hee should suffer them to pine away and to eat vp their hart with griefe this would not make them more holy but more sinful and therefore he saith he will not let the rod of the wicked alwayes lie on the righteous least he put forth his hand to euill noting that if the Godly should be too much afflicted they could not hold in but would turne a side to sin by courses but God will none of that for then he should misse of his intent So he speakes in another place Isa 57. 16. That he will not alwaies chide least the spirit should faile before him shewing that if he should not moderate the crosses of his Saints they would faint perish vtterly then he should be the looser As if when one goes to tame his colt for his vse he should break his backe by some meanes spoile him the master should loose by that it were no profit for him to do so So when God comes to his owne elect which are before their calling as Iob speaks wilde asse coltes vntamed vnruly he will master them and crush them make thē stoupe but he wil not breake them destroy thē and consume them for then the damage were his for he should crosse his owne purpose which is to bring them to life Therefore Gods children may be assured of comfort an happie end shall follow an vncomfortable beginning an happy deliuery shall come insteade of an vnhappy seruitude The vse of this is to teach vs neuer to faint vnder our crosses and troubles be they what they will be neuer be discouraged God is Iehouah that can help though men will not yea though all were against vs as Pharaoh the Egiptians against Israell and none would moue the hand to help yet his help is sufficient to gainesay them all For hath God deliuered vs from spirituall enemies which is the greatest miserie this is the great and hard slauery to be vnder the diuels yoke to bee in bondage to filthie lusts now hath God set vs at libertie from the yoake of the Diuell shall hee not giue ease from those men that presse our flesh hath hee remooued the tyrannie of sinne which would haue damned our soules and cannot hee giue vs refreshing from the misery of our body If God deliuer from sin death hell neuer faint as though hee could not deliuer from outward afflictions if he haue ouercome the greater the lesser shall not withstand him God did giue freedome from those that be simply euill as sinne is simply euill and the cause of all ill then t is easier to succour against those which are not in themselues and simply euill but often are turned into blessings Hath Christ washed vs from our sinne the worst and hardest enemie for all the world cannot wash away one sinne then neuer feare these lesser matters O but this makes me doubt whether I am Gods childe or not because I haue such long and fiery troubles if God loued me would he afflict me thus why then looke to these people heare they were the best nation vnder the Sunne and none so good as Israell euen then when they were thus threshed vnder Pharaos cruelty All other people were but as thornes they were the rose and other were but harlots they the Lordes spouse yet they were afflicted indeede to keepe them from running after Idolatry and so to damnation So that outward ease is no signe of Gods fauour else none should be in Gods fauour but the Sodomits and the Cananits for they had all the ease and wealth and outward prosperitie and the credit and worship of the world And before the floud Kaines children had all the beautie of the world on their side They found out Musicke and keeping of Cattle and all must bee beholding to them But that is no matter let vs keepe Gods fauour let vs feare him and pray vnto him and then our long and strong crosses shall bring long and strong comforts Secondly let vs hence learne to prepare for crosses since gods children may bee sorely afflicted else little doe wee know how they will sting vs when they doe come It is our best course therefore to get wisedome while the price is in our hands labour to get patience and to acquaint our selues with God that we may seeke to him waite for deliuerance at his hand For that makes crosses so tedious and grieuous when they hit vs on the bare whereas if wee had patience to beare them and faith to emptie our harts by prayer in Gods bosome they would be easie Nothing makes crosses burdensome but when they meete with an heart in which remaines some sinne vnrepented or some passion vnsubdued But if with faith and patience yeeld our selues vnto Gods will wee should be as quiet as lambes as Christ was as a sheepe before her shearer dumbe answered not a word So Paul in the Acts when they perswaded him not to goe to Ierusalem what doe you weping and greeuing mine hart I am readie to dye for Christs sake at Ierusalem he could be content to giue his skinne to be whipt and his bodie to be imprisoned yea and his life also to be kild for Christs sake nothing could be to deare or to much to bestow on him Prepare therefore for crosses and we shall be able to beare them But if wee goe on in a fooles paradice and think indeed this world is a vale of teares to others but to mee it shal be a place of pleasure they must haue trouble but I must haue ease then when insteed of ioy we finde griefe that wee looked not for and we dreamed of creadit but there comes nothing but contempt wee imagined that God should lift vs vp higher and higher and he casts vs downe lower and lower this casts one into
will feare profitably and so as you shal be the better for your fearing I tell you who you shall feare I repeat it againe that you may the better mark it I say feare him that when he hath killed the bodie can kill the soule to and if you feare him you neede not feare men for this true feare will cast out all false feare Likewise Eccles 12. 13. The holy ghost saith That this is the end of all to feare God and keepe his commandements And Prouerbes 1. The feare of God is the beginning of wisdome Would we haue the beginning of wisdom then and the end of all then let vs feare God giue him the honour of his greatnesse and tremble alwaies before his face There are diuers reasons also to moue vs with all our strength endeuour to get this feare of God in our harts Draw from the benefits which will flow from it to euery one that doth in trueth embrace it First that may be a good reason to perswade vs which is said Prouerbs 8. 13. The feare of the Lord is to hate euill as pride and arrogancie Wher he shewes that in what measure any one feareth God in the same measure he will loath detest all euill yea not onely the open and hatefull sinnes that the world will condemne but the most secret and bidden For he saith not to hate euill as murdure and adultery but pride arrogancie those which lye in the hart and doe not shew themselues to the world yet he that feareth God will hate those This is one excellent priuiledge that he hath that feareth god that he will not offend God and therefore hateth what euer might offend So that he is well fenced against all secret wickednesse As we may see in Ioseph though he might haue done that euill to which he was solicited most secretly that no man could haue spied or perceaued it yet he would not for all the world consent and the reason was the feare of God made him hate it in his hart and hating it inwardly he would neuer practise it outwardly So Iob speakes of himselfe That he could haue borne out his oppression and could haue made all stoope to him no man would haue gone about to finde fault with him yet he durst not for all that his hart would not let him for gods Iudgement was terrible in his eyes and he could not be deliuered from his highnesse and this was that that kept him from doing wrong though no man durst haue gone about to haue sought reuēge against him Secondly the feare of God if it once throughly doe possesse the hart will make one plyable and frameable to Gods will though it be neuer so contrary to his nature and former behauiour As the example of Paul will shew for when God comes to him and sinites him downe off his horse and fills his heart full of horrible feares and terrors and strikes him downe to the ground with them and let him perceiue a litle the majestie and power of God and then after begins to reason the matter with him and shewes him that he is a persecutor of Christ Iesus then he is presently quiet and sayth Lord what shall I doe That which all the preaching in the world could not doe nor all the miracles that he had seene and hard that did this feare of God worke in a short time and did so effectualy call him in that little space as that hee neuer turned backe againe One might haue thought what would men say if I should turne from persecuting to preaching of the sudden all at once goe to be an Apostle that was a persecutor what will the high Priestes say from whom I haue letters they will say I am vnconstant that I doe them iniurie and Paul might seeme to haue many reasons to keepe him from preaching Christ so all vppon the sudden but all is nothing now no no the true feare of God casts of all obiections for it so surpriseth the lusts of the flesh and makes the strenght of sinne so much to abate as that one cares for nothing nor regardes nothing in all the world so that God may be pleased and he escape the anger of God So Isaiah 6. God did send him about such a peece of worke as he knew would be full tedious vnto him and goe against his stomacke namely that hee must preach to harden the hartes of the people and be a minister of death vnto his hearers which was as bitter as death to him and he could neuer haue yelded to it But now God comes not with the bare precept for that would haue done litle good the thing was so contrarie to Isaiah that he would neuer haue obeyed but he shewes him selfe to him in a vision and lets him see his magestie in such a fearfull sort as that he fals flat on the dust for feare and his body quakes and he cries out what shall I doe I am a man of polluted lips and dwell among people of polluted lips I shall surely die for I haue seene the Lord. When he was thus throughly affrighted and the pride of his flesh was beaten downe with the apprehension of Gods infinitie then when God askes who will goe he is ready and sayeth Lord send me and so God sends him and he goes immediatly and willingly there is no disputing now nor reasoning the matter for all the obiections that men make and all their disputing that they thinke Gods commaundements bee hard and greiuous and why should they denie them selues why should not they haue their pleasure Hence it comes that they feare not God they doe not thinke of his greatnesse nor consider his wonderfull might and strength for if they could bring their hart once to cōsider his exceeding greatnes their hart would soone stoope all arguments would fall to the ground all would be quiet straight For this will tame the fiercenesse and boystrousnesse that is in mens harts and make them gentle and still inough As we see in Iob though he was a verie good and patient man yet when his flesh began a litle to worke and his hart was disquieted and vexed by the wordes of his friendes then he would needs bee dealing with God hee thought hee had reason to speake imagined that he could say much for himself he would fill his mouth with argumentes and faine he would haue God to come to heare what hee could speake in his owne defence and to shew what wrong was done to him But now when God comes and there shewes him the nature of the snow and the ice and of some other creatures of god as it were to let him see how childish he was in these seuerall matters and foolish and ignorant of the creation or preseruation of these least thinges that he had no knowledge and therefore hee was a trimme man to call God to account and that God must come to giue his answere before him that he
shamefull and miserable disgrace is this vnto his Magestie but yet heere ariseth an obiection that some make indeede for God the Father and the holy Ghost they bee spirits and cannot be represented to vs by any thing but what say you of God the Sonne hee tooke vpon him the nature of man may not one make an image of him But to this vve may answere that it is vnlawfull to make an image of Christ because we cannot choose but in painting or making any image of him wee must needs leaue out the chiefe part of him which is his diuinitie for it is the Godhead that makes him to be Christ and what is this but to seperate those things which God hath vnseperably ioyned together which is accursed and in so doing vvhat difference doe we make betwixt Christ and the theefe that did hang vpon the crosse with him that therefore is a vvretched resemblance but if vve vvould see an image of Christ looke vpon poore christians that walke vp and downe amongst vs for they be flesh of his flesh bone of his bone there is some resemblance of him for they haue a body and a reasonable soule as hee had But for the Idoll he that vvill say hee can be better put in minde of Christ by gazing vpon a picture painted on the vvall or an image hanged vp in some place then by loking on poore christians for whom Christ shed his bloud and in whom hee dwels continually by his spirit he shewes himselfe to be a blinde and ignorant man Sith then Christ is both god man and the maine thing that makes him Christ is his godhead let vs know that it is a wicked impietie to make an image of Christ sith we can no way resemble that that makes him Christ But if we wold see God see Christ let vs looke one him according as hee hath reueald himselfe in his word for so Christ is cald the engrauen forme of his father that as he which would know what is grauen on the seale neede but looke vpon the waxe and there he shall see it So he that would see God let him looke on Christ as he is set out to vs in the word and there hee shall see his power his wisdome his mercy his truth all his properties So much of the first and most notorious kinde of idols Another kinde of idoll there is not so presumptuously wicked in such an high degree of impietie and that is to make an image or picture of gold or siluer or wood or any such matter to be put in mind of God helped the better to worship and serue him For this putting in minde God hath shewed what an idoll will put one in minde of and what an image will teach Habak 2. 18. What profiteth the image the maker thereof hath made it an image and a teacher of lies Hee shewes indeede that images be teachers and as they call them lay mens bookes but then hee shewes what lessons they teach namely lyes and then in the next verse hee shewes vvhat one shall get by being a scholler of these teachers viz. the curse of God for so he ads Woe vnto him that saith to the wood arise and to the dumbe stone arise it shall teach thee I but will some say no man will be so foolish as to say to the stone arise But indeede they doe say so for in that they kneele downe to them and knocke their breasts before them and creepe vnto them all this implies that they hope to speede the better by that wood or stone and by that meanes to get themselues some good and this is all one as if they should say arise awake and goe We would count him an absurd fellow that vvould say I vvill goe to yonder stone and speake to it and intreat it that at my request it vvould walke vp and downe a little but now vvhosoeuer goes to it kneeles before it kisseth it set a candle before it or any such like is euen as absurde for in so doing he shewes that he thinkes that stone can arise and hath some power to blesse him do him good therefore God giues him his vvages for his worke and saith he is accursed So in 106. Psal from 35. to 39. ver Hee shewes the cause progresse and reward of this idolatrie in the Iewes they mingled themselues with idolaters vvhat came of that then they learned their manners and vvhat then that vvas their ruine There hee shewes that they did not root out idolaters as God commanded them but would grow in acquaintance with them and by that meanes learned their waies and their manner of seruing God till at length they became so zealous so hot as that they would offer their owne children to the idols indeede to diuels for they would imitate Abraham that which he was content to haue done that they wold do indeed he was willing to offer Isaac to god but they went further they offred thē vp indeed to their idols so thinking to please God they did that which hee abhorred therby defiled and stained themselues and the land for as Gods ordinances doe clense purge men so the inuentions of the flesh doe polute and defile and heerevpon his wrath flamed against them so that hee gaue them vp to their enimies that hated them because they gaue themselues to that which he hated So Psa 135. 15. The idols of the heathen are siluer and gold euen the worke of mens hands they bee but the wormanship of man at the most and therefore inferior and lesse then men for alwaies the worke is inferior to the maker of it and then he discribs them They haue eyes and see not eares and heare not feete and goe not c. And so saith hee are those that make them and those that trust in them j. hope by their meanes to fare the better thinke by kissing knocking kneeling c vnto them to get any good Idolaters and idoll makers will you know what they be they haue eies and see not eares and heare not mouthes and speake not they haue no vse of soule or body for if they had they would neuer bee so base minded as to hope for any good from stocks and stones or looke to bee helped of them Therfore they are euen as blockish and foolish as the idols themselues But heere may be an objection to Did not Salomon make Cherubins in the temple and did not Moses make the brasen serpent Why then should idols and images be so odious and hatefull vnto vs. But to this we may answere that God forbids to make an image to our selues now Salomon did not make the Cherubins to him selfe but to God because he had a commandement and warrant from God so to doe So for the brasen serpent Moses made it not of his owne minde but frō the direction of God so that was no more an inuention of man then the scriptures and
sacraments are for he was commanded of God how to make it of what figure in what place to what vse So for the Cherubins God appointed them likewise to signifie that God had his wings as it were spred out that whosoeuer would come to him in the Church should haue protection and shelter from him at all tymes But this makes nothing for making of idolls to worship god by them For because Solomon made an image at Gods appointment therfore may we make one at the idols appointment and if Moses set vp a brasen serpent by Gods direction may we by the direction of flesh and bloud that follows not But for that very serpent that God had commanded to be set vp when men would looke on it with to great a reuerence and had it into great request and honour Hezekiah was so bold as to pull it downe and grinde it to powder and this is writtē as a thing of commendations in him We must make no images to our selues then but if God bid vs then we may for then we make them to God and then if God say who required these things at your hands we may answere with comfort thou didst O Lord. Sith then the worshipping of images is the worshiping of idols as it is said in the Psalme afore named 136. For he that doth Gods work he worships God and he that doth the diuels work he worships the diuell and sith all idols be condemned in gods seruice because they haue no warrant from God nor he hath not appointed any signification of them This serues for the reprouing of all those that haue bowed downe vnto them kissed them or vsed any homage vnto them For in Isai 66. 3. He sets downe this as a note of an vnregenerate man to blesse an idoll one need goe no further for the note of a wicked sinner then if he blesse an idoll For by worshipping it in this commandement he meanes not to account it as God but to think that by any reuerence done before the idoll one shall get some help that this shall be a meanes of good to doe this is spiritual whordome For so in Isai 42. 8. He saith I am the Lord I will not giue my glory to an other One had better therfore dye the death then vse any bodily gesture of reuerence to an idoll And this the three Children knew full well in Daniell For when the King commanded them on paine of death to fall downe he did not binde their soules but onely their bodies yet they would not one would think they might haue done that and done it in their harts to God but they knew that if they had defiled their bodie vvith the least bow it would haue drawne Gods curse vpon their soule and bodie and therefore they durst not doe it Therfore sith this is spirituall whordom those that haue done it must repent for it and know that they haue infected their soules with a damnable sinne for which if they doe not throughly repent it is said that when times occasion shall serue they will fall to it as freshly as euer before for then it is not the feare of God that hath repressed it but the positiue law doth a little restrain it which if it be remoued their lust will breake foorth as much as euer before as it vvas seene by the Israelits in the wildernesse therefore we must be truely humbled for it and labour for assurance of pardon And though men will say they did it with a good intent in good meaning and in loue to Christ yet all these excuses will not serue the turne It were an ill excuse in a wife to say she loued her husband exceedingly and therefore in his absence she must haue others to see them and looke on them and to embrace them and all this for loue to her husband the husband would scarce think well of this loue yea it would be abhominable vnto him And it is much worse to kisse an idoll and bow downe to it and then say it was for loue to Christ An other vse of this is that we must labour to get the true and sound knowledge of God out of his word and a feruent loue of him for till then a man is in daunger to fall to idolatry But if one see Christ in his word and know his spirituall properties then they shall say as the church in Hosea 14. What haue we to doe any more with Idoles we haue hard God and seene God For then we shall see better and more excellent things in him then can be found in any image but till this we are not well fenced against idolatrie as in the naturall mariage the wife is sure from adultrie if she loue her husband but till then she lies open to adulterers so betwixt christ and vs then are we safe from idols when we haue gotten a feruent loue of Christ Many will boldly say what bow downe to an idoll kneele to a stocke or a stone sure I shall neuer doe it but as good as you haue done it but what cause or what reason haue you to thinke you shall not haue you seene Christ Iesus discribed in his word haue you seene him receiued his bodie blood in the sacrament if one haue seene his excellent beautie in these meanes he shall abhor an idoll as an vgly thing and if ones soule loue Christ and seeke after him in these meanes he will neuer fall to this filthinesse but loth and detest it but else hee is in continuall daunger to fall to spirituall whordome what euer he can say now when the times doe not serue Thus much for the grosse and direct breach of this commaundement by making an image to represent god which is impious or to help one in his worship which is idolatrous The second breach of this is superstition when one doth not goe to stockes stones but vseth those waies and inuentions in worshipping God which are not commaunded of God in his word but bee the appointment of men for Mat. 15. 9. Christ saith that they worship him in vaine teaching for doctrines mens precepts If it haue no further beginning then mans braine God will giue no blessing to it yea hee sends a curse vpon it for cursed is hee that ads any thing to Gods booke God will add so much to his plagues And the reason is because he makes himselfe wiser or better then God For if God be perfectly wise then he knew best what worship would please him and if hee be perfectly good then he would reueale vnto vs what euer hee knew fit for vs to practise Againe it is a great iniurie offred to God when we will let his deadly enimies haue the ordering and appointing of his seruice rather then himselfe A king would thinke it a great indignitie that his seruants would not serue him after his direction but some base fellow that were a professed enemie should set downe what meats he must
with idolaters for this is to joyne our selues to those that hate god And for this Iehosaphat was reproued what saith the prophet wouldest thou loue those that hate God help them what hadst thou to do to be so friendly familiar with Gods enimies Yet if one had come to Ahab and tould him that he had hated God he would haue defied him and said that he had loued God as well as the best but that is no matter what Ahab would say so long as God accounts him an enimy Iehoshaphat should haue had no society nor freindship with him so that they are much to be condemned that will seeme to haue some care of religion them selues and to looke to their owne waies that they be good but yet they can be familiar make friendship with Idolaters and professed superstitious persons why but is not this an hatred of God and are not you then subiect to that reproofe of Iehoshaphat what wouldst thou loue them that hate me No man will be known to be a familiar friend to an open traytor that the King counsell hath proclaimed a traytor for feare least he should be tainted with some suspicion of treason And in deede he that will be so conuersant and so well acquainted with such as God hath proclaimed traytors those that haue any spirituall wisdome and true loue of God may not without just cause vehemently suspect him as one that him selfe beares no great good will to God and his pure religion And shewes mercie to thowsands of them that c. IN that that God promiseth to shew mercie to thousands of them that loue him keepe his commandements we learne that the best way for any man to do good to his childrē is to be godly him selfe as the verie words of the commaundements doe carrie it So Psal 37. 21. ver A good man is mercifull and lendeth his seede enioyes the blessing c. After 29. The righteous shall inherite the land and dwell in it for euer Not this in his owne person for that were no blessing for a good man to liue still in this world but in his seede hee meanes One would thinke the contrary what is hee alwaies lending still doing good why alas how shall his poore children doe how shall they do nay they be rich children shall do well enough they haue a rich legacy left them for they shall haue Gods blessing for when he saith the blessing it is more then if one had said the whole earth and all the world for so one might haue and yet bee vnder the curse and liue and die a miserable man but he shall haue the blessing all things necessarie for soule bodie heauen and earth for so much the blessing containes So 112. Psal The generation of the righteous shall be blessed If then the blessing of God be the cause of all prosperitie and happinesse and contrarie the curse of God the beginning ground of all miserie then so farre as we are good or ill so farre doe we doe good or ill to our stock For in Leuit. God threatens that if one be disobedient to God and his commaundements he shall be cursed in his soule and bodie in his wife children and all that he puts his hand vnto but on the otherside if one be vpright with a perfect hart set him selfe to follow Gods commaundements then he shall be blessed in soule and body in wife and children and all that he shall put his hand vnto so that the blessing of God shall meet him at euerie turne Sith then God is so mercifull to all those that loue him and shew it in keeping this commaundement This serues for the comfort of all such that be good children of good parents though perhaps their parents can leaue no great matter for outward things yet if they haue laide vp many praiers for them in heauen and leaue them Gods fauour for their possession they haue a good parentage for they haue Gods blessing to trust vnto better be the childe of a godly then of a wealthy parent for he that him selfe is a good man and hath proceeded of good parents is now possessed of a double blessing for his fathers prayers and for his owne prayers for his fathers mercie and for his owne mercie to This likewise serues for the comfort of gods children that haue many children and little wealth little goods to leaue them but that is not the question what goods they haue but if they be good and labour also to haue their childen good if they were thowsands of them they haue the blessing of God and that shall maintaine them well enough those that be blessed of god shall not want for signes of his blessing Sometimes indeede the godlyest parents haue wicked and vngodly children as Iacob had but yet God will either couuert them as he did Iacobs sonnes so that those which at the first he saw to be as prophane as any hee liued to see conuerted verie holy men and pillers of the church or else if all be not good yet God giues grace that some one of them at the least shal be holy as Abraham had vngodly Ismael but yet he had godly Isaac and Isaac had prophane Esau but he had holy Iacob to and Dauid had wicked Absalon incestious Ammon but yet with all he had godly Solomon Nathan or if none of the next of-spring be good yet some of them that follow shall bee holy the godlinesse of the parent will shew it selfe in the bud sooner or later as in Hezekiah though Manasseh that succeeded him was at first a wicked idolater yet good Iosiah was in the next generation a good holy man or if that good men at any time bee barren yet his owne soule and bodie shall feele the blessing Those that loue him and keepe his commandements THat is those which haue such a true loue to him as doth shew itselfe by the faithfull vsing of his pure worship and by keeping not the duties of flesh and bloud but his commandements So that heere God sets down this as a note of louing him to keepe his commaundements whence this lesson ariseth that the loue of God consists in keeping his commaundements but afore the doctrine be further declared an objectiō must be remoued for one may say what doe you say that none loue god but those that keepe his commandements then I pray you where can you find one that loueth God and who is this that is able perfectlie to keepe and fulfill the law of God But for the absoluing of this doubt knowe that there is a great difference betwixt these two to keepe Gods commandements to fulfill Gods commandements for keeping noteth a truth fulfilling a perfection this perfection Christ onely had but this truth euerie christian must haue for euerie christian man may so farre keepe Gods law as that he shal be both accepted and also rewarded though not for the merits
journey to take some odd thing or other that beeing forgotten in time will rush in vpon vs now and must bee done now because it was omitted before and cannot tarry till after sith then wee are so subject to distruction and so soone to forget things that if wee had had a care before might haue beene done well without any trouble in the sabboth but now through our negligence comes vpon vs on that day this must teach vs to haue a heauenly foresight that wee prouide against all such lets and cut off by our godly care all such incombrances That pollicie and care which wee see in naturall men about the market of their bodies we must learne for this market of our soule they will bee prouiding and thinking before what they must buy at the market and what they must carrie to the market and will not haue the things to bee in doing when they should haue them ready to carry with them but looke that the things they purpose to sell be prepared that so they may not be hindred but be there in good time to make their markets for their best aduantage So if euer we will make good markets for our soules we must all the weeke before be preparing our harts and setting all things straight that our harts may be burdened with no sinne nor no worldly care thē which should carry away the force of our meditations thoughts from the exercises of religion for they be spirituall and we be carnall and a little thing God knowes will make a great stirre in our fleshly harts to draw them from heauenly things and therfore vnlesse wee take great heede to examine our harts and watch ouer our selues that we walke purely holily all the sixe daies long and to cast out and discharge all affaires of this life on the one side the sinne committed on the other side the businesse omitted will hale and pull our thoughts that no attention can be giuen to matters of religion no constant or setled meditation of any heauenly thing can take place we must therefore stop out all distractions and encombrances rayse vp our harts against deadnesse and dulnesse which will make vs heauie and dull and slow to any good thing by a wise managing and finishing our outward affaires and a godly and religious ordring and preparing our harts if euer we will comfortably profitably spend the Lords day in the Lords work Then againe besids these needlesse lets which through our owne weaknesse we pul vpon our owne heads therbe hindrances enough on euery side which doe wee what wee can with all the industrie in the world we shall neuer be able wholy to preuent but they will set vpon vs. As in what family shall one come but he shall see idlenesse and slepinesse and foolishnesse manyfold wayes who that knowes himselfe any whit at all doth not feele that he is readier to follow ill example be led by ill company then to be led by Gods commandement especially when no positiue law will take hold vpon him for the breach of Gods commandement And then we haue the diuel as a Lion continually seeking to deuoure our soules to hinder vs in all things he can from religion and in the best there be such strong lusts such a loue of the pleasure and commoditie of this world that vnlesse we be strongly garded and defended will breake in vpon our harts and disorder the rank of our affections As come to a professour that is giuen to couetousnesse and ouer to whome the world beares to great an hand though he haue a true hart to God and some sound graces of the spirit of God wrought in him doe but vp some couetous talke that tends toward gaine and filthie lucre see if he will not be quite gone and forgetting God and the sabboth and himselfe and all giue his hart and tongue and all to be imployd about worldly things vnlesse he mound and fence his hart about diligently with these thoughts what though I doe hath not god bidden me remember the sabboth hath he not set a speciall mark vpon it that I should in no hand forget thus by earnest striuing shake of these vntimely words thoughts And then we shall haue the world be objecting and putting in it carnall reasons to make vs negligent why what neede you be so strict this is to much nicenesse you are more precise then wise and such like which will certainly carry one away vnlesse he striue to confirme himselfe by thinking on Gods commandement and so shut out these objections what hath not God bid mee remember and shall I suffer men to make me forget it hath not he giuen me two reasons to keep it the one stronger then the Iewes had and shall I be more negligent in keeping it then they which had but one they had weaker meanes of comfort the bloud of buls and goates the sprinkling of water and an earthly tabernacle and high priest and yet they were with reuerence to vse these and shall we that haue more excellent meanes as Christ Iesus offered vp for a sacrifice offered vp once for all and the sprinkling of his bloud to purifie our soules and the heauenly tabernacle opened for vs by him our heauenly high priest and continuall mediator shall we I say that haue all these meanes more plaine excellent then theirs be negligent to keepe this sabboth especially sith God hath giuen vs this as a meanes to draw vs from earth to heauen and to make vs grow in a spirituall life Hauing then all these impediments vnlesse we doe arme our selues in the weeke daye and strengthen our faith by remembring Gods commandement reasons by a wise cutting of those distractions which by diligence may be cut of we cannot with any comfort or cherefully celebrate a sabboth vnto the Lord. Lastly if wee reade the scriptures of God and see how often God vrgeth this point how earnestly he presseth it this will make vs labour often and continually to call to minde that which he so often hath repeated vnto vs because if it were a necessarie dutie God will not so many times in so many places require it at our hāds So that euery one must labour by searching his conscience watching ouer his soule to rouse himselfe from that lumpishnesse and drousinesse which is within him and by prouidence and forecast of outward businesse to put away all outward encombrances and distractions This then serues first to confute those that make this kinde of objections against the sabboth Oh we cannot keepe it we should bee vndone if wee should rest vpon the sabboth day for these losses and damages would ensue these hurts would come such businesses would bee left vndone but I pray you whence come all these losses what is the cause of these damages is it not because you forget the verie first word of the commandement Remember the sabboth day Then this is no
harts of Gods people they be as heathen men their soules are cut of from the church they haue no lyfe of grace no fruit or working of the word and sacraments more then of any idle tale and prophane storie no grace wrought by it no death of sinne no hope nor desire of heauen but liue as beasts no recourse to God in Christ Iesus nor no vertue that they draw from Christ so that indeede they doe not liue in Christ but are dead in their spirit while they liue in their bodies They may say indeed say true that they can see no good by the exercises of the sabboth they be vnpleasant to them and vnprofitable so that they haue no benefit by it and why is this not because Gods ordinances want their force vertue but because they want reuerence of them and being wicked contemne them therfore their souls be cut of their harts hardened they haue forfaited their saluation Then an other ill effect is as in Ierem. 17. where he saith If they pollute his sabboth hee will kindle a fire in their houses that shall not be quenched For their outward estate they be no gayners that breake the sabboth for God sends a curse which like a violent flame deuoures more then they can get So that if we would not be guiltie of death and haue our soules cut of from communion with Christ and his church and our goods also cōsumed brought to nothing by the vengeance of God Then let vs keepe his holy sabboth holy and bestow it vpon holy exercises But on the contrary side to sanctifie it and spend in those duties that God commandeth brings all comfortable blessing and happinesse As in Isai 56. 2. If the gentils that be conuerted will keepe the sabboth of God holy he promiseth that they shal haue a better name more reuerence then the Iewes that professe the religion of God but regard not his sabboth and at large there he showes how he wil blesse them and good reason to for he that keeps the sabboth aright exerciseth the whole bodie of religion for this brings in practise the whole law and teacheth one his dutie to God and to man builds him vp in euerie grace And so in Is 58. 13. If thou turne away c. Where he shewes that if any man will on Gods day forsake his owne work and leaue of vaine words and delight in the work of God and his seruice then God will giue them God will set them on high and giue them the inheritance of Iacob for indeed then they be Gods sheepe and the flock of Christ when they delight to follow him and to heare his voice for then they shall haue accesse to him and he shall haue opportunitie to blesse them and dwell in them by his spirit So that if we would auoid the curse of God on our soule and bodie and gaine the blessing of God vpon both Let vs yeld to this his commandement and with as great joye serue God in the duties of religion his worship on that day as we doe our selues in our owne affaires on the sixe dayes yea with a greater delight to because we haue a promise and may looke for a greater blessing The vse of this is to reproue those that thinke if they abstaine from worke of their calling that they take no paines in outward toyling about affaires of this world then they keepe the sabboth verie well and if no man can accuse them of going to plow or cart or such workes then they thinke they haue not broken the fourth commandement But idlenesse is a sin of Adam naught euerie day as we said before but much more naught vpon that day that should bee spent in Gods exercises But much more wicked are they that bee euill occupied in dauncing and dallying in swilling and brawling and so make it the diuels day insteede of Gods and doe more dishonour to God and hurt to their owne soules then any day in the weeke else Many also are to bee reprooued that will come to the church for the time of the day will bee content to heare the word and doe such exercises but at euen when darkenesse comes then comes the works of darkenesse and when they be in their bed then they bee plodding and casting about for worldly affaires and their heads be as busie as full of earthly matters as any night in the weeke else But wee are to know that the sabboth containes foure and twentie houres as well as any other day and therefore the night must bee spent in an holy rest to else one shall hurt himselfe more and displease God more by these vaine thoughts in the night then he could please God and benefit himselfe by keeping himselfe in good companie and good actions in the day and therefore they want the blessing because they performe not all the dutie and that which they did was in hipocrisie because they doe not care to remember that which they heard nor examine with what hart and with what profit they haue performed the duties of the day not but that a man may haue sleepe but his sleepe is to bee seasoned with the sweetnesse of the former exercises his dreames haue some tast of religion more then at other times and when they wake their thoughts meditations must bee carried after holy things because Gods eies are as fast fixed on them in their bed as in the church and hee sees and knowes their thoughts in the darke as well as their behauiour and carriage in the midst of the congregation Now God bids vs keepe the whole seauenth daye for he would haue vs giue as long a day to him as hee hath giuen vnto vs and if day containe day and night when he saith sixe dayes shalt thou labour and we vpon that permission and allowance of Gods take it for graunted that in the night we may doe what businesse we haue to doe when we be in bed may spend the time in ordering our priuate affaires and pondering how to deale in such things as we haue to deale in by reason of our calling I say if we doe this and think as indeede it is true that he giues vs the night and day both for our callings why is it not so in the sabboth then that he takes the seauenth day night to himselfe as well as he giues sixe to vs. Therefore we must know that the Lords day must containe xxiiij houres and for want of this we depriue our selues of those blessings which else we might haue because we vndoe that in the night that we did in the day we did Gods work one part of his day and that was well but we take the remainder to our selues that is a fault Thirdly this teacheth vs to doe the duties of the Lords day vpon his day Now this sanctifying and keeping of it holy consists in doing things either priuate or publique The priuate are these
before their children shall make euen with them and reuenge and quitte there parents wronges to the full by the like fauage dealing with them A second dutie of thankefulnesse is to pray for their parents As in Tim. 2. He commands that prayers be made for all in authoritie And if any must praye for those that be further of in common weale much more for those that are nearer in the familie Therefore this is a fault to bee greatly condemned in many that can see their parents faults and speake of them too much but cannot finde time to fall downe before God and beseech him to heale their nature and helpe them out of their sinnes Many haue liued a longe time with their parents yet cannot say that they sent vp an heartie prayer to heauen for their parents so vnnaturall and vnthankefull be they The vse of all these duties to those whose parents are not aliue is to looke that their sinnes be not aliue after their parents death And therefore to examine themselues whether they haue beene faultie in any of these things and if they do repent for it and desire pardon else they be lyable to two plagues First that their children should take their parents quarrell in hand and requite their wicked dealing in what euer dutie they haue fayled and haue not repented of it And secondly that as honouring parents brings a long and happie life so their dishonouring their parents should make them haue a short life and miserable or if a long life yet full of Gods curses for their vnrepented sonne Therfore let such as be now fatherlesse marke themselues and finding that their children are stubborne against them and vnthankfull and rebellions euerie way as many may see it openly and wofully let call themselues backe and see what kinde of children they were before how they behaued themselues to their parents whether they were not all together faultie in this point If it be so let them confesle that their owne sinnes haue found them out and are turned open let them acknowledge that God is iust and hath giuen the same measure into their bosomes their own euill is fallen vpon their owne heads they digged a pit in their youth and now in their age are fallen into it And thus much of the duties of children Now follow the duties of parents to their children For vnder the dutie of inferiour is comprehended also the dutie of the superiour And as God would haue inferiours to giue honour so he commaunds superiours to carrie themselues in that manner that they may deserue honour And doth bind them as straightly as the inferiours Now the duties of parents to their children are eyther in their tender yeares riper age The parents dutie to the children in their tender yeares and childhood is first to instruct them in religion to season them with the words of pietie or by little and little to drop in the grounds of holinesse into them euen so soone as they are able to speake and beginne to haue the least vse of vnderstanding So Prouerb Teach a childe in the trade of his youth and he will remember it afterwards Where the holy ghost exhorting men to teach their young children meetes with an obiection Alasse might one say teach such little ones what good will that doe we shall but loose our labour for they cannot vnderstand it nor conceiue the meaning of these things The holy ghost answeres Be it that for the time he cannot vnderstand the sense yet teach him the words and tearmes of goodnesse and though while he continues a child perhaps it seeme a fruitlesse thing yet you shall see afterwards it will not be in vaine for the crop of this seede that was soone in the childhood will appeare when he comes to age though for a time it lay hidden then he wil remember these things that to good vse which it seemed he got no good by when he was so young wanting vnderstanding Therefore let him haue the words taught him when he is able to heare and speake words and after when he is of more discretion he will conceiue remember the sense too And this dutie the holy ghost commaunds Ephes 6. 4. Bring them up in instruction and feare of the Lord. And this Timothies mother did put in practise For it is noted of her that she instructed Timothie in the scriptures from a child and that was the cause he was so holy a man she was a nurse to his soule as wel as to his bodie and gaue him milke out of the breasts of the scripture so soone as he had done sucking her owne breasts so that as he waxed strong in naturall strength of naturall life so he waxed strong in the knowledge of the life to come and therefore he grew so excellent a man and so worthy a preacher and member of the Church because his mother fedde his soule as well as his bodie The second dutie of parents to their children in their yonger yeares is to correct them to giue them correction which the holy ghost in the Prouerbs commaunds often and shews the fruit of it Correct him and thou shalt saue his soule chasten him and he will giue thee pleasure In the latter the rod of correction driues away folly this is the onely meanes to make a diuorse betwixt folishnesse and his heart which are so neerely wedded together But in correction these rules must be obserued First let it be seasonable and done in time passe it not ouer to long but begin early enough So Salomon saith Hee that loues him corrects him be time and doth not omit it till it be to late but takes the fittest opportunitie when he may with most ease and fewest stripes doe most good For indeed a small twig and a fewe blowes in time when he is yet a child not hardened in sinne will doe more good then many tods and abundance of stripes afterwards if this seaso be let slip for if the child be not mastred when he is young he will maister his parents when he growes elder Therefore let them not get an head for if they doe they will prooue like an young colt that hath gotten an ill tricke at the first he hath once cast his rider he was marred in the beginning and now you may sooner almost kill him then breake him and bring him in any good order againe Secondly it must be done with great compassion and mercie not in bitternesse to ease ones selfe with the paine of the child which is too barbarous crueltie For in truth commonly there is good cause why the father should be as much grieued or rather more then the child because for the most part he doth but correct his owne sinnes in his sonne for if the childe be curst and froward is it not because he hath seene the parents brawling and contentious if he lye hath not his father giuen him a patterne of dissembling and if he sweare being
meekenesse lowlinesse in the speaches and cariadge to the husband As in the place aboue named out of Peter he saith they must be attired with a meeke and quiet spirit shee must not be passionate and frowarde to him either to anie of the familie in his sight but should haue such a regard of his presence as that should gouerne her tongue and countenance so that it may not be offensiue or troublesome to him And for her speeche neither when they be kind and louing together must shee growe into grosse tearmes nor if any Iarte or offence come rush into tart and sowre words to ease her selfe vpon her husband whome shee should feare Thus must shee imitate Sarah and good women as Peter saith and in so doing shee shall proue her selfe a daughter of Sarah a true christian but contrarily if she behaue her selfe rudely and vnmannerly in her husbands sight to greiue him and offend him shee fails in the first and maine dutie of a good wife and so far shall surely come short of all the rest The second dutie of the wife is constant obedience and subiection Now in what and after what manner this obedience must be performed the holy ghost doth declare for in generall there is no woman allmost so rude but she will yeeld that shee must obey her husband but in particular thinges there growes the question and in the manner of it there is the failing Therefore the Apostle hath to put all out of doubt set downe both the matter and maner Ephes 5. 24. As the Church is in subiection to Christ so let the wife be to the husband in all thinges For the thinges in which she must obey he sayes in all things meaning in all lawfull thinges for the comandement of the husband is as it were the stampe of God set vpon the thinge commanded and if shee rebell against his commandement she rebels against God the wife then must perswade her selfe that her husbands charge is Gods charg and when he speakes God speakes and therefore she must resolue to obey him in all things Then for the manner he saith as the Church obeyes Christ Now we know that the Church obeyes Christ willingly cheerfully with a free heart and though the thinges which Christ cōmands it be often times verie contrarie to nature and no whitte at all delightfull to the flesh yet the true Church will more set by the commandement of Christ then her owne pleasure and haue a greater regard to please him then to serue the desires of the flesh Therefore the wife must obey her husbande in all thinges cheerefully and willingly without gainesaying These be the duties of a worthy woman of a daughter of Abraham and a christian wife Which so farre as shee is carefull to performe so far as shee may looke that her husband should doe the dutie of a good husband vnto her or if hee doe not yet God will rewarde her liberally For such a woman is much set by of God and that not with an idle affection that no bodie can see but with such a working loue as shall shew it selfe by good effect outwardly in plentiful blessings on her soule and bodie if shee can frame for cōscience sake to God to yeelde a willing and free obedience to her husband in all lawfull things that with a meeke lowly cariage of her selfe proceeding from an holy feare and reuerence of him being in Gods steade Now follow the speciall duties of an husband for hee hath not all these priuiledges for nothing and those consist in two maine points In Gouerning her wisely by cohabitation to dwell with her edification as a man of knowledge for maintainance imployment performing all due beneuolence First for cohabitation The first dutie of the husband is to dwell with his wife that seeth there is a neere and deare societie betwixt them and of all the nearest for she is to him as the Church vnto Christ flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone therefore he must be willing to haue his aboad to walke with her and talke with her and let her haue all comfortable familiaritie with him that shee may see he delighteth in her companie and may well know that of all others shee is his most welcome companion And so in the law it was commanded that the first yeare anie one was married he might dwell at home reioyce with his wife for that whole yeare what euer affaires of the common wealth or iarres were abroade yet he was by Gods lawes freed so that neither King nor captaine might comand his seruice from home but he must dwell with his wife that shee might haue experience of his loue and haue comfort by him that by long continuance and societie their hearts might be so neerely glewed as nothing might rend them a sunder This confutes those foolish men indeede not worthie to carrie the names of husbands that can take more delight in anie foolish riotous and vnthriftie companie haue more pleasure in any foolish vaine and lewd exercises then in the society of the louing and kind wife that are neuer so merrie as when the wife is absent and neuer dumpish and churlish but with her So if that it may well be seene that her company is a burden and her presence a clogge vnto them such as dwell with hawkes and hownds and drunkards and gamsters not with their wiues These shall carrie the brande and name of fooles so long as they haue no more care to preuent so much ill and doe so much good as if they had any godly wisdōe or loue to their wiues they might For what doe they but flying thēselues into dāger lay their wiues naked to Satās tētation yea giue iust occasiō to thē to think that they loue the not ô but we must haue our delights follow our sports pray you why might not the wif say I must haue my delight too haue part of recre ation as well as parte of the trouble is mine yet this would not be counted a good excuse for a woman to be ranging abroade but they looke that she should accept their company and be willing to be with them and why should not they then be as willing to dwell with them according to Gods commaundement So that the husband must dwell with his wife and neuer depart from her but vpon a lawfull and good calling and then also so as she may perceiue he doth rend himself in twain and carries but a part of himselfe but still leaues his heart at home with his wife Secondly Hee must dwell with her as a man of knowledge and edifie her both by a good example and also by good instructions For his example first he must carie himselfe so wisely and so holily as that he may see in him a patterne image of grace and wisedome he must be a glasse vnto her by looking into which she may learne to attire her selfe in all holy
good man and yet be neuer a whitte the better for it God hath giuen so many graces for their good and will they be better by none of them that is a soule faulte and it shewes that in truth their is no true reuerence for that which one esteemes and accounts of in an other he would bee very desirous to be partaker of it himselfe Superiours in gifts they must do this for all duties in this commandement are mutuall they must turne their gifts to the best good of others vse their wisdome to direct their knowledge to instruct their strength to beare burthens as the Apostle saith you that are strong What we must not lay burthens vpon the weake to suppresse them but beare the burthens of the weake to helpe them Vnlesse therefore hee to whom God hath giuen more graces then ordinarie doe vse that which he hath receiued to the glorie of him that gaue it and to the good of mankind for which he gaue it he is found an abuser of the Lords talents which gaue them him not that he should vaine gloriously set himselfe aboue others that want them and so tread his inferiours vnder foot or cruelly oppresse or craftily circumuent and deceiue those of meaner capacitie then himselfe but to the common good of the whole Church and the further edification of the weaker that as he hath receiued more then so according to the number of his talents he might bring forth a greater encrease But for one to grow proude and set himselfe aboue others that brings the curse of God vpon him and is the next way to make him despised and to loose his gifts which he can vse no better As it is seene by wofull experience in a greater number that God had furnished with many gifts both of bodie and minde so that there was great hope that they should haue much set forth the glorie of God and done much good to the Church of God When they began once to lift vp themselues and seeke their owne vaineglorie more then Gods glorie and so haue turned their giftes the wrong way themselues haue growne in contempt and those graces which they haue had haue rotted away and by little little came to nothing And iust it is with God that it should be so for that man which will not honour God with his gifts God will see that he shall haue no honour and better that they and their gifts should perish then they should haue them to doe no good but set vp themselues Thus much for superiours and inferiours in gifts These in age follow The dueties of younger persons to the ancient is to shew a reuerent opinion of them and to shew all reuerent and submissiue behauiour vnto them in respect that they carry vpon them as it were a print of Gods eternitie which is commaunded Leuit. 19. 32. to rise vp before the hoare head and honour the person of the aged I am the Lord. Where giuing this commaundement of honouring the aged he meets with yong conceited heads by this reason I am the Lord to whom thou owest obedience I will haue it thus and in this respect it were the best way for thee to yeeld obedience So Isay 3. 5. It is noted as a curse of God and a plague that comes with the subuersion of the commonwealth when such wofull confusion should take place as that young boyes and children of no discretion or gouernment should presume against and proud young youthes that haue no grace nor any thing to commend them that neuer did good that none can say that the world is the better for them it might haue done as well if they neuer had beene borne that such proud absurd persons should grow to that extremitie of impudencie and shamelesnesse as to presume against their betters and preferre themselues before their elders Which doth sharpely also reprooue the customable rudenesse of our youth that no whit regard their elders To shew any token of reuerence to them in rising before them or vncouering but go vse such behauiour with them as if it were with fellow boyes or playfellowes The dutie of the elder persons is to giue a good example For a grey head is a glorie if it be found in the way of grace if they be godly and holy and shew a graue wise and graue conuersation then eyther younger persons shall giue them their due reuerence or if they doe not the sinne lyes vpon their owne heads and they be blamelesse So Titus 2. 2. The elder must be sober honest discreet sound in the faith in loue and patience as their bodie decayes so their soules must encrease in all grauitie and sobernesse and for their vnsound limmes and weake they must get a strong and sound fayth that by the long continuance of time and often vse of the meanes of saluation they must get great soundnesse and power of faith which may worke aboundantly in them by the fruits of loue which alwaies accompanies true faith and this loue will make them patient not forward not pettish not easie to be offended but full of long suffering to be an example to others of meeknesse But contrarie it is in those whose sinnes of their youth haue stayned them so deeply and so filled their bodies as there is no grace to be seene in their olde age Their words are altogether vaine and light foolish nothing sauouring of grace so that no man can in reuerence eyther craue aduise from them or be silent to heare such foolish and vnsauerie talke as customably comes from them and their conuersation full of testinesse and vnaduised wrath and bloted with miserable and abiect couetousnesse and greedinesse that they are alwaies smelling earthward and pursuing the world swiftly when they can scarce go vp and downe in the world No grace no wisdome nor any vertue bewtifieth their grey haires these want and that iustly their honour because they haue the first steppe olde age but they want the vpshot and perfection to be found in the way of grace And thus much for the dueties of superiours and inferiours commaunded in this commaundement The reason is next That thy daies may be long in the land which the Lord thy god giueth thee This is taken from the good effect and commoditie that will follow to him that keepes this commaundement It shall be for his profit he shall haue the benefit of it himselfe So that hence we may learne this lesson that the way to get a prosperous and long life is to be obedient to parents and superiours and to honour them As in Ephes 6. 2. He saith this is a commaundement with promise namely with a speciall promise For indeed this stirs vp the heart of the parent to pray to God for his children that he would poure a blessing on them and that not in word onely but indeed and in the desire of his soule he will beg it earnestly at Gods hand for so the wordes in the originall runne
troublesome abundāce of the wicked for they may say the Lord our God hath giuen vs these thinges Therefore if God be true and iust if he be the Lord of heauen and earth if they cast themselues and their trust vpon him hee will cast all thinges good and necessarie vpon them in the due and fitte time or if they haue some outwarde wantes they shall bee recompenced with inwarde and better comforts And thus much for the eight commandement concerning the duties of all sortes of men in respect of their place superiour or inferiour The sixt commandement followes Thou shalt not kill And this commandement respects the person of our neighbour commands to procure his wellfare good safetie of his soule and bodie It bids vs to loue our neighbour as our selfe and forbides all kinde of crueltie and wante of loue The parts of it be Forbidding things in Omission to Bodie Soule commission Commanding What the thinges of omission be that are forbidden concerning the bodie it may appeare in Math. 15. Where Christ condemnes some as goates limmes of the diuell and firebrands of hell because they gaue not meate to hungrie and drinke to the thirstie and clothed not the naked and visited not the sicke and imprisoned and such like So that the omitting of these duties of mercie is an inditement stronge enough to bring such persons to hell And Luke 16. In the parable of Lazarus and Diues Diues is condemned for want of mercie that hee had enough to bestow on pride and vanitie and pompe to set out himselfe but nothing to giue to his poore and comfortlesse brother sheweing the doome of all such wretched persons such as Iohn saith which haue this worlds goods and yet let their Godly brethren want shutting vp the bowels of compassiō frō doing good the charge of crueltie and want of mercy lyes heauie vpon such for he that turnes his eare from the crie of the poore shall crie himselfe and not be heard An other thing of omission is when he neglects to pay the due wages and recompence for the worke of any poore man For if it be a miserable sinne not to doe good freely where neede requires it is much more abominable and damnable not to giue a due debt and reward of the worke So Deut. 24. 14. Thou shalt not oppresse an hired seruant thou shalt giue him his wages for his day nor shall the sunne goe downe vpon it This is condemned as an vniust and vnmercifull thing that when one hath hired a seruant or any to doe his worke when the worke is done he should either giue him no wages or else giue it him in conuenient and due time but hee must seeke for it when he should haue vse of it for his releife and God saith there if such a one be pinched with necessitie and crie vnto God God will heare and reueng his wrong And Iob to proue himselfe no hypocrite vseth an imprecation concerning this sinne in chapter 31. that if he haue eaten the fruite of his land without siluer and hath not paid the wages to him that telled it and brought in his haruest or if the furrowes of his land haue cried together against him then let his grounde bee accursed as indeede he had beene an accursed person and broken this commandement in an high degree And if he had done so the verie earth would haue cried the furrowes would haue made a complaint against For two sinnes there be in the second table that makes the land crie to God that he can haue as it were no rest till he take vengeance the one Sodomie and the other oppression and crueltie against this commandement As afore in Deutrimonie and in Iames he saith Howle you rich men and why what miserie is neere why the crie of the poore oppressed by you is come vp in the eares of the Lord When one gets his good so ill and enricheth himselfe by withhoulding other mens dues though the man should be silent and say nothing yet his necessitie his bellie and his backe would make an hideous outcrie before God til he had executed his vengeance And for sinning in this branch of this commandement Iehoiachin was blamed Ierem. 22. 13. to 20. vers Which is so much the rather to be noted because most men thinke that the differences of persons may make some excuse for their sinne but it is not so For if any might vse the laboure of an other without recompence then might the Kinge who is the soueraigne Lord of all yet he being a King is reproued by God for this it is said he built his house without equitie how is that proued he vseth his neighbour without wages and giues him not for his worke and for this cause and his filthy couetousnesse God would not vouchsafe him the commō honour of men to be couered with earth whē he was dead but he should be buried as an asse his skinne puld ouer his eares stript of all hee had and then dragd without the Citie throwne out that his carcas might be food for beasts birds and what was his crime why this he did not reward the poore but serued himselfe vpon them And this commandement is broken in omission of thinges pertaining to the bodie as in not doing workes of mercie and in not paying wages and dues to those to whom they are due The omission of the dutie to the soule is either of superiours or inferiours Of superiours as first and cheifly of the minister if he doe not preach and admonish his people plainly and fathfully he is guiltie of murdering distroying their soules As in Ezek. 32. If hee tell not the people of their sinnes they shall die in them but the bloud shall be required at his hands and if hee doe tell them though they amend not he is free as Paule saith I am innocent of the bloude of you and why because I haue tolde you all the counsell of God and kept nothing backe And for other gouernours also as the parents and masters of families for euerie man is a bishop in his owne familie For so he saith in Deut. Thou O Israell shalt teach these thinges vnto thy children thou shalt talke of them c. Those then that haue no care to teach their children and seruants to know God or to come to the word of God wherby they may be sanctified and brought to saluation such embrue their hands with the bloud of their soules and are guiltie of crueltie because through their negligence they let those that are committed to their charge to run headlong into their owne distruction Such are those against whose soule this charge shall lye harde at the day of the Lord That neuer so much as will their inferiours to come to heare Gods worde and to such exercises as may encrease their knowledge but rather permitte yea encourage them to breake the Lords sabboth and spend it in foolish and wicked exercises either at hōe or else
abroad to gad to other towns to commit sinne Inferiours also when they will not take instruction omit that dutie that should saue their soules As in the bodie that seruant that will not eate food when it is allowed him is a murtherer of his bodie so he that when he is taught and admonished and casts it of his blood shall be required at his owne hand and God will proceede against him as against a wicked person and cruell that hath done no good to his owne soule So much for things of omission Things of commission here forbidden are eyther Inward as Rash anger Enuie Outward in Gesture Word Deede to Hurting only Or Killing also of Another Onesselfe The first thing of commission that is forbidden heere is inward and that is hastie and vnaduised anger rash wrath and vniust as Math. 5. 22. Who euer saith Christ is angrie with his brother vnaduisedly is culpable of iudgement Guiltie of vengeance and wrath of God Now not all anger but inconsiderate and hastie anger doth offend in this place Now that is vnaduised and sinfull anger which eyther hindreth one from doing good to the person with whom he is angrie by praying for him or kinde admonishing him or else when it is conceiued without sufficient cause or exceeding eyther in the time or the measure As Paule Let not the Sunne goe downe vpon your wrath nor giue place to the diuell That which was for the suddaine and present passion is naturall but if it lie soking and lingring and sinke in deeper into the heart it growes then to be diuelish and so if ones anger be aboue that that the qualitie of the fault requires this is rash and comes not through the folly of the partie with whom he is angrie but through his folly that is angrie Therefore we must looke that we be neuer angrie without a iust cause And then that we proportion our anger to the sinne committed against God not to the iniurie done to vs for that proceeds from pride and is no better then reuenge and therefore must more be grieued at things breaking the first then the second table and alwaies that that doth most displease God and is most odious to him must doe the like to vs. And yet let not the sunne goe downe vpon it neither but let it quicken vs to prayer for the person and with a zeale of Gods glorie Now the meanes to keepe vs from this foolish passion of rash anger are these first often to meditate vpon our owne sinne and vilenesse As Titus 3. 2. he saith Shew all meekenesse to all men I but might some say I am of a verie cholericke and hot nature that I cannot but be angrie with them But you your selfe were in times past disobedient As if he had said thinke of this a little and consider how bad your selfe both haue beene and are still and that wil coole your choler and make you more meeke to others that offend so that he that oftenest remembers his own sinne will be most patient to an other and none are more eager and passionate against the slips of others then those that are most slacke and negligent to examine their owne great sinnes So that could we consider our owne sinnes how rebellious we haue beene against God how often iniurious to men this would make vs more quiet and to take more deliberation before we were so much offended it would asswage the laying and take away the edge of our rash anger against the weaknesses of others Secondly labour to get wisedome alwaies and in euerie thing to behold gods prouidence and to see his hand ruling euerie thing and to perswade our selues that all things come to passe by his purpose and direction and then we shall not so soone fret against men as Dauid when Shemei rayled vpon him and he looked to God and did not fixe his eyes downewarde onely to Shemei it was so farre from distempering him and ouerheating him that it quickned him to prayer and made him so much the more humble and earnest before God For he saw then and so may wee that though it be vniust in man yet it is iust with God and though we haue not deserued it of men and they wrong vs yet we haue deserued it at Gods hands and more to he doeth vs no wrong at all Thirdly auoid the occasions that will prouoke vs to it as men will keepe gunpowder and tow or such drie stuffe from the fire so let vs be as wise to preserue our soules from those sparkes that would fire it with anger as for the companie of froward persons whose words and vngracious dealing will much moue one to passion and anger from gamning and drunkennesse that make men light and readie to take vpon light occasion as the drunkard saith they haue stricken me but I will to it againe Fourthly It is good to marke and obserue those that be stird vp with passionate anger see their countenance how vnseemely and misfigured it is and how rude their actions how absurd their words how base and contemptible all their behaniour is and the light of this in an other will be some meanes to make one loath it himselfe Lastly consider what testimonie the word of God giues of this fiercenenesse and angrie raging mood and of froward and vnquiet persons Anger rests in the bosome of fooles Euerie time that one giues place to this vnruly passiō he makes an open proclamation to all that be by of his owne folly so much furie so much folly the more chafing the lesse wisedome hee that cannot rule himselfe but must breake out to his owne shame vpon euerie small and light occasion testifies to all that stand by that he hath no true knowledge of God no knowledge of himselfe no sound discretiō or setled order in his heart Let men excuse it how they will it is their nature you must giue them leaue then you must giue vs leaue to giue credit to Gods word if it be your nature it is a foolish nature and a proud nature and if you ouercome not this nature you shall neuer be but a foole in Gods account Oh but you must beare with vs and not thinke so hardly of vs for our infirmities well sometimes men may put vp their raging without words and beare their stormes with silence but it cannot be but such a man shall carrie the brand of a foole and in his heart he that sees him cannot but beare this opinion that he is a man without wisedome He cannot reuerence him in his heart he cannot but yeelde that the saying of the holy Ghost is true that a focle in a day is knowne by his wrath You can hardly find a fooles heart without some coales of fretting and anger And these be the means to kepe one from this first inward breach of this cōmandement Viz. carnall fleshly and sensuall anger that comes from the diuell hardens our brothers heart more and hinders our selues from
to offend and greiue euery one and to stirre them vppe against them but kindnesse will doe euery thing that may winne peace and auoide all thinges that may hinder it or breede strife yea he that is truly meete will rather in matters belonging to himselfe part with his right in some part and be content to want some thing that is due vnto him then he will raise vp contentiō and strife And he that doth not thus is not truly curteous and therefore also not much set by of God The second inward dutie is compassion and pittie the former belongs and is to be performed to all men in time of their greatest posteritie but this is proper to these that are in some affliction and miserie now this compassion and mercie is to haue a fellow feeling of the griefes and afflictions of other men to weepe with thē that weepe to mourne with them that mourne to beare the burdens of those that be weake and so fullfill the law of Christ This is commanded Coloss 3. 13. Now therefore as the elect of God holy and beloued putte on the bowels of mercie He wisheth them as they would be sure of their election and haue a sounde not of their holinesse and that God loued them then let them put one the bowels of mercie let the miserie of other men enter into their hearts and make their bowels yearne euen as if their owne Now this compassion and feeling must bee both to the soules and bodies As for the soules we haue an example of Christ Iesus that seeing the people as sheepe without a sheapheard in an hard case for matter of their soules he had compassion and mourned in his soule for them and so hee wept ouer Ierusalem when he saw them so stubborne and so to resist the grace of God and the good meanes of their peace And Paule saith to the Corinthians that when he heard of the incestuous man he writt vnto them in many teares sorrow as if all most the sinne had beene his owne But contrarie vnto this is the mercilesse and pitilesse heart and behauiour of such that are so farre from weeping and mourning for the sinnes of other men and from hauing any pittie vppon them as that they despise them and contemne and make a iesting talke of it to their disgrace rather then pray for them or greiue for them to their helpe and amendment yea and worse many be so diuelishly minded and so resembling the diuell their father as that nothing reioyceth them more then to heare of an other mans fall especially if he haue beene a professour and stood for religion then if he fall it is such good newes and makes them as glade as if they had gotten a great bootie But little doe they know how they sinne against their owne soule and prouoke God to let them fall into the same sinnes and to giue them vp vnto worse offences that after they may finde the same entreatie and others should reioyce and mocke at their fall as they haue done at the fall of an other and indeede a pitilesse heart and dealing towards an other mans slip is the next way both to make themselues fall into the like sin shut vp the hearts of men frō shewing any cōpassion vnto them Also for matttes of the bodie we must be touched with the greefes of other .. as Heb. 13. 3. Remember those that are afflicted as if ye were also afflicted And we must be as mēbers of one bodie now we know that the members be all pertakers of the greefe paine if any one yea but the meanest suffer any thing and so if we haue that loue that ought to be in the hearts of christians we cannot chuse but we shall feele in some part the afflictions of christians and see that they shall in some parte also pertaine vnto vs. And this the example of Iobs frends Iob. 2. 11. shewes it is said that hauing heard of the miserie whereinto Iob was suddenly cast they came to him What to doe not as common custome is to bid him be of good cheere and we hope he shall doe well and such shittle comforts for noe man can giue sounde wordes of consolation vntill himselfe haue a true spitit of consolation but they came to lament with him they wept with him rent their cloths and sat down with him mourning They hearing their freends woe would let him know that they were touched with it and therefore they shew it by crying and sitting on the dust making his case theirs so neere as might be And if one be thus sensibly affected with other mens sorrowes this good effect will follow that they will be very readie and willing to releeue them and shew workes of mercie vnto them As if one part be troubled with a kinge paine you neede not make a long oration to stirre vp the other parts to vse the best meanes they can to ease and helpe it for they are pertakers of the greefe But for want of these bowels of mercy it comes to passe that men be so hardly drawne and hailed to any worke of mercie that it must be puld from them by maine strenght and so many arguments so many reasons so many inducements must constraine them to it before they will yeelde and then when all this is done they droppe out with a thing of nothing nothing to the purpose and those that be bountifull and liberall enough in matters of vanitie and lust be so holdfast and sparing for workes of mercie that one can hardly wring a pennie from them by all the perswasions hee can make and what is the matter they be so slow and vnwilling because they haue not nor will not haue any sence of other mens miserie but putte away all consideration and regard of these thinges and giue themselues holy to pleasure And therefore in these matters they will cost them many teares and bring thē noe good hereafter but much sorrow they care not how farre they runne and what charges and expences they bee at but for worke of mercie and dutie of compassion that will further their reckoning and comfort their soules and doe good to the Church and Saints of God it comes so slowlie so heauily as though it were all lost that is that way bestowed And the cause is because they haue a heart mercilesse and voide of compassion Now the outward duties follow And these are three in number especially to be regarded The first is an amiable and louing behauiour of ones selfe towards others for as a sowre looke an auster contēptuous gesture breakes this commandement in that it alienates mens hearts from vs and is a preparatiue to hatred so it is a fruite of loue and a part of keeping this commandemēt that one should by all good and gentle cariage of himselfe shew his loue and willingnesse to doe good so neere as he can to all And this is a thing noted in Abraham as a matter
of commendations and a testimonie of his humble and louing heart that where he came he was verie curteous to all men euen infidels men of a false religion and did carrie himselfe in all good sort vnto them who euer As when he had to doe with the Hittits First he bowes himselfe in all curteous sort and then his words were gentle and nothing sauouring of a proud commanding but with all milde and kind perswasions and intreatie and then when they wilde him to burie the deade in any of their sepulchres giues them heartie thankes and with the like curtesie and good speeches as a fore propounds his request And this gentle dealing did so winne the hearts of these heathen people and made him so well account and esteemed amongst them as they say to him thou art a prince of God amongs vs and would denie him nothing And so when he met the Angels which he tooke for no other but for comon trauailers he saluted them bowing his bodie in all dutifull sort and gaue them good tearmes and called them Lords and intreated them to eate a morsell with him And by this affability and kinde vsage of himselfe he did not only get fauour and good account amonge those with whome he liued but hath gotten credit till this day and shall to the worlds ende that being a man of such worth and good desert so well graced and of such place and wealth all this did not make him sowre carelesse or disdainfull but hee shewed him kinde and amiable euen to the meanest For indeede proud lookes hawtie lookes and a scornefull and a disdainfull eye that is such a thing as God abhorres he doth abhorre an hautie eye and arrogant lookes As he saith in the Prouerbs But we see this is such a thing as many doe it for their credit and thinke to get credit by this looking on high Those among vs that be men of no worth that haue no good qualitie or propertie nothing commendable or worth esteeme inward or outward no grace to praise them no wealth to set them out no parentage to make them had in account swaggerers ruffins prophane beasts filthie drunken swine that make their belly their God These abiect base persons the scumme and froth of the whole earth rude in behauiour wicked in heart and carelesse in life thinke if they can looke big and carrie a proud and disdainfull face and ouercrow euery man and care for no man scorne their betters and prefer themselues before all then forsooth they be men of some name they shal be accounted of they be worthy to be looked after that thinke to get credit by contemning euery bodie and to be had in account by making no account of any one this is theis courage this is their valure and they haue nothing to grace themselues but this kinde of rudenesse But in truth this disgraceth this discrediteth this proclaimes their shame and shewes that they be light empty of all goodnes and if they had many other good parts yet this would hurie all and make them contemned in euerie mans heart and eye to be so scorneful contemptuous to euery one This was Ismaels kinde of life his hand was against euerie man he regarded none nor cared for none but set them all at defiance and at naught therefore euerie mans hand was against him they made as light of him and these also haue a iust Ismaels reward euerie one is their foe euerie man speakes of their shame and what haue they gotten now For they that will be honoured must honour he that will be kindly dealt withall must deale kindly with others and he that lookes for an amiable behauiour from others must shew an amiable behauiour to others The second outward dutie is to defend the oppressed and succour those that suffer wrong and ill entreatie a thing much commended in Iob that hee pulde the pray out of the Lions mouth and sought out the cause of the poore he was a father to the fatherlesse husband to the widow And this did comfort him in time of his trouble more then all wealth in the world This is commanded Prouerbs 24. 11. Deliuer them that are drawne to death and wilt thou not deliuer them that are lead to be slaine If thou say behold I know it not He that pondereth the harts doth not he vnderstand it And he that keepes the soule knowes he not will he not also recompence euerie man according to his workes He shewes that if one see those that be vnrighteously puld to death and oppressed one must not stand by and say alasse what a world is this who euer saw such dealing but one must put his hand to and labour to his power and as farre as he can to rescue him and deliuer him for saith he wilt not thou preserue him as if he had said art thou so mercilesse that thou wilt not helpe the oppressed But then he meets with our excuses that men are readie to speake in such cases alas I knew not that he had such need of my helpe and if I should meddle I might bring an olde house vpon mine own head and trouble my selfe when I needed not But he cuts of all saying doth not God see thee and know thy heart as if he had said Well these excuses may dazell mens eyes and make a faire shew with thē that can see nothing but shewes but God he lookes not so much to the tongue and what one can say for himselfe but he ponders the heart doth not see it lightly but considers knowes euery particular thing and circumstance and therefore it is no shifting and doubling when he comes to take a triall of vs and he knowes that all these excuses come from selfeloue and loue of lucre and commoditie that one would spare cost and liue at case and rather see an other oppressed with wrong then stirre himselfe a little to helpe him And last of all he saith you that be so loth to suffer a little trouble and at a little charges to helpe an other man in his miserie know you not that God recompenceth men according to their works that he causeth them to reape like for like and may not you come to the like miserie your selfe and then because you had no heart not will to helpe an other you shall see others sit as quietly by you and not venture to giue you any helpe But now men are come to that selfeloue and want of other mens wrongs as it were a thing done in a farre countrey and in an other age as though it nothing pertained to them they haue nothing to doe with it But those that be of the better sort will onely haue a little idle pittie and mercie of the mouth in a few words alasse I am sorie and it is pittie that honest men should be thus wronged but neuer put to an hand to helpe nor stirre a finger to doe any good to their reliefe neither
the garden of God that yeelded them all commoditie and profit grew rich and then like foolish men as all naturall men vse grew idle and to settle themselues to nothing but there ease and delight for their nature was no worse then any of others but their idlenesse so corrupted their hearts as the diuell had leasure to cast in and they to pursue all monstrous and vncleane desires whatsoeuer and that was the cause that they were so outragious Also temperance in meat and drinke and watching and fasting These meanes by Gods blessing will slaye these lustes and emptie the heart of such ill desires that one shall haue a pure and chast heart But if that all these meanes being vsed notwithstanding these lusts will not be ouercome but still arise and still ouerburden the heart and set it on fire with ill desires and the flesh will not be humbled then one must seeke the remedie of mariage and pray to God to giue him an yokefellow and then one may looke that God should heare his requests For when hee hath done his endeuour to beat downe his flesh and yet cannot so tame it but that he stands in neede of an helpe this waies then God hath called him to the estate of matrimonie and as hee hath giuen him a calling so will he giue him such an one as shal bee a comforter to him and an helper both in this life and in the life to come And so much for the inwarde breach The outward breach of this commandement hath many branches But the cheife are comprehended by the Apostle Galat. 5. Where he saith the fruites of the flesh are adulterie fornication vncleannesse wantonnesse These are the cheefe outward branches of this commandement And first for adulterie That is when the partie offending is either maried or contracted for if he be eitheir ioyned by mariage or contraction that commits the act then it is adulterie This is a verie high breach of this commandement For when they haue beene either married or contracted then they breake the couenant of God For when they come together in either of these knots they doe make a couenant not only one with an other but with God himselfe that hath appointed the ordinance that wil faithfully truly keepe their fidelitie one to the other and therfore if they deale vnchastly it is not only vniustly done one to another but they forfeit their bond to God euen their saluation and prouoke his curse both on their soule and bodie And this is a thing peculiar to adulterers that hauing come in the sight of God and before mē and Angels to make a couenant there also in the face and by the voyce of the congregation craued a blessing of God vpon their proceedings they abuse god angels men and all if after they breake this couenant and polute their bodies But how foule and vile a sinne this is The ill effects that follow of it doe declare the first is set downe Prouerbs 5. 11. it consumes the flesh and the bodie It is a fire in the bones it breedes eating incurable diseases that as the sin makes one lothsome in the sight of God so the plague may make him lothsom in the sight of men If one be so audatious as to breake the couenant of God though it be a thing much neglected of men and they will not cut him of according to Gods law for by the law of God the adulterer is as culpable of death as the willfull murderer yet God meetes with him and by filthie diseases brings him to his death Prouerbs 6. 26. the holy Ghost saith it bringes one to a morsell of breade that is to extremitie of pouertie and so Iob in Chap. 31. saith of this sin that had beene a fire to haue rooted out all mine encrease this will make spoile and hauocke of all a man hath And it consumes not only the goods and bodie but there is a further consumption then all this hee that doth it destroyes his owne soule hee forfeits his bodie and goods and worse then all this he gets a perpetuall blotte to his name that he shall neuer be able to put away vnlesse hee doe truely repent and so get it washed away by the bloud of Christ that will make all cleane But else hee shall haue a shamefull name an ill report all the braue apparell all the bribing and colouring in the world will not couer this blotte of the name and estimation for he is a needelesse theefe that doth not steale for necessitie but of presumption and therefore deserues no pittie We see that if a theefe vpon necessitie as it seemes to him but indeede no necessitie should make a man sinne doe prige or steale from his neighbours men haue some kind of mercie and doe not altogether so much abhorre it but when one hath the remedie and hath professed his thankefulnesse to God for the helpe and his contentednesse and reioycing in it he is a needelesse theefe he shall finde no mercie but he destroyes his soule and makes his name to stinke among men And he that doth committe adulterie doth not only destroy his own soule but he doth what he can to destroy an other mans soule to and so to kill two at once in this regard this sin is worse thē either theft or murther For if a theefe should strip a man of all hee had and besides that take away his life to the man were not one whit the worse man for all this but his soule might goe to heauen as well as if he had died in his bed but hee or shee that inticeth an other to commit adulterie robs the party of his soule and saluation so farre as in them lies for little doth he knowe whether euer they shall repent or be conuerted from this sinne for this is such a wound as no phisition can lay his hand to heale it but the holy Ghost no medicine can cure it but the bloud of the sonne of God this is not to spoile his bodie but the soule a far more dāgerous thing thē robbing For though one should make the bloud runne about ones eares with many wounds yet there were hope that one might find some skillfull chirurgion to make all whole againe but he that hath stricken so deeply into the soule and conscience and hath kindled the fire of Gods vengance in the heart how knowes he whether euer this shall be healed And what a fearefull thing is it to be an instrument to draw an other into hell and to an incurable wound for any thing that he knowes And againe an adulterer is a theefe for foisting in his child into an other mans lands or goods that that which one hath laboured for and taken paines for and hoped to leaue to his own seed and his posteritie after him he should bestow vpō his most mortall foe For of all men in the world he would be most vnwilling if he knew of it to bestow it
and him And to take delight in the word of God and vse all good means to get a pure feruent loue to the yoakfellow and to purge out by godly sorrow that venime of sornication if any haue beene committed before that else would infect the heart with adulterie for mariage cannot kill lust onely repentance can doe that and marriage is an helpe to a penitent man to preserue his chastitie But now if one haue fallen to adulterie and broken the couenant of God there is no way for him but onely one euen to confesse his filthie sinne and to be grieued and iudge himselfe for it and then to lay hold on the merits of Christ Iesus to craue Gods mercie knowing that he can as easily forgiue to the penitent person the blood of Christ can as easily wash away adulterie in the highest degree as the least spot of wantonnesse So much for the first outward breach viz. Adulterie the next followes and that is called Fornication that is when single persons commit the filthie act And this howeuer it be not grieuous as the former because it doth not breake the couenant of God and is not punishable with bodily death yet it is a fearefull sinne lyable to the curse of God and damnation For so 1. Cor. 6. No fornicator shall enter into the kingdome of heauen It is such a sinne as shuts one out of Gods kingdome and casts him downe headlong to hell and the euerlasting vengeance of God And the ill effects of adulterie afore named namely a diseased bodie a poore estate a blemished name and damned soule and the drawing and murdring of an others soule doe agree to this sinne to Oh but they will marrie the partie and so all shall be well and they will make an amends But this cannot make an amends for nothing can wash away the pollution of the soule but the bloud of Christ But if you doe marrie the partie why will you giue the first fruits of your bodie to the flesh and the diuell and the refuse to God it is a shameful thing to serue sinne with the chiefe of his strength and God with the remainder How can they looke for a blessed proceeding from so foule a beginning Why will he doe such wrong to his first borne to make him base borne and his posteritie a bastardly generation why will they beget a continuall sorrow to themselues that they should not be able to looke vpon their childe without blushing and cannot see the fruit of their bodie but they must looke on the fruit of their sinne and behold a witnesse before them of their owne filthinesse and disobedience to God Or if he purpose not to marrie her that doth this why doth he rob her of her virginitie and make her vnfit for any other else Therefore this is a foule sinne and daungerous for vnlesse it be repented for soundly fornication before marriage makes a plaine and high way for adulterie after mariage The third outward breach of this commaundement followes And that is vncleannesse which is eyther vnnaturall or naturall vnnaturall as Sodomie practised of the Sodomites condemned Rom. 1. when man with man workes wickednes woman with woman commits villany or else that beastly sin when the seed of man is mixt with the seed of a beast These nature abhorres and they be commonly punishments of some other wickednes and follow a verie prophane and dead heart are worse then dulterie The naturall vncleannesse is eyther alone one by himselfe may defile his owne bodie in most filthie sorte which though it be more secret from man yet it is most abhominable before God and often God brings it to light by punishing those which haue vsed it with teares of conscience and horrible feares in their minde or else with frensie and franticknesse These punishments haue often fell on the practisers of this secret sin and then all goes abroad then they lay open and vomit out all their owne shame and howeuer they seemed chast and pure before yet now their filthinesse is brought to light Also an other kind of naturall vncleannesse is betweene married people eyther in their entrance into marriage or else in their proceeding and vse of marriage The vncleannesse in the entrance is eyther if one marrie an other of a contrarie religion as a professor and a Christian to wed an Atheist or a Papist their whole life so led till repentance and conuersion is vncleane in the eyes of God for their marriage was not lawfull before God and therefore in Ezra these that had so married were constrained by God to put away both their wiues and children as illegitimate Also if those marrie together that be within the degrees of consanguinitie or affinitie forbidden they may cloake and shift as long as they will but they shall neuer shift of the account and estimation of being vncleane persons before God sith they marrie without the warrant yea contrary to the commaundement of God Also those that marrie without consent of parents their mariage is lawfull and life vncleane till they be reconciled to God by repentance and their parents by submission These be in the entrance and taking the estate of mariage In the vse of it vncleannesse is committed First in comming together at vnseasonable times this was a cause that made the land of Canaan vomit out their inhabitants because they had no regard to obserue times and this was to be punished with death in both parties in the olde law because the time and manner of separation was then instituted Also in mariage one may deale vncleanly by excesse for want of moderation for as a man may be drunken with his own drinke and he were a drunkard that would sit at home and swill till he were ouercome so likewise a man may be vncleane in exercise though otherwise his marriage be lawfull and this sinne though the hand of the Magistrate cannot punish it yet Gods hand often findes it out and the children diuers times prooue monstrous and vnshapen or else idiots and naturals or else verie vngodly and stubborne and thus Godmeets with these secrete sinnes when men will not meete with him by repentaunce The last breach of this commaundement is in wantonnesse which is the preparation and foundation for all the former consisting eyther in things belonging to the bodie or the bodie it selfe In things belonging to the bodie as in the costly apparrell not that there should not be things fitting the estate and that there were not a diuersitie of degrees to be had but in no estate or degree may one be so excessiue as to hinder him from good works of mercie and religion that one should bestow so much time in trimming the bodie as he can haue no time for trimming his soule and bestow so much cost in rich apparrell as hee can spare nothing to bestowe on poore seruantes Secondly in straunge apparrell as in Zephaniah the priest the kings children are rebuked for
the sight of God So to steale by the high way side and to take may mens cattle or any such like dealing This is a knowne sinne and because such commonly haue nothing to say for thēselues but must needs plead guilty straight They are soonest brought to repentance and amendment An other kinde of lawfull stealing which is done without colour of right is more priuie and closse the former was violent and open and that is either by taking or retaining By taking when one layes theeuish hands on that thinge which his conscience tels him he hath no right vnto it but it belongs altogether to an other man of this theft the Prophet speakes Zachar 5. That the curse of God like a flying booke comes vpon the house of the theefe in the 2. 3. 4. verse I see a flying booke the length thereof is 20. cubits and the breadth of it 10. Then said he vnto me this is the curse that goeth through the whole earth for euerie one that stealeth shall be cut of as well on this side as on that And in the fourth verse I will bring it forth saith the Lord of hosts and it shall enter into the house of the theefe and him that sweareth falsely by my name and it shall remaine in the midst of his house and it shall consume it with the timber of it and the stones of it The Prophet shewes that the curse of God followes such as steale and bee theeues swiftly it flies after them and God himselfe will bring it into their houses and when it is there it is like the most pestilent fretting leprosie that was not only infectious to men but would cōsume the howses enter into the timber and stones So Gods curse doth not rest vpon the bodie and soule only of theeues and those that will steale but it will bring all to naught vnlesse he purge it away by true repentance A man were as good put a cole of fire in the thatch of his house or in the barne as bring any stolne goods among his stuffe First he saith the man that steales shall be cut of he prouokes God to deale with his person first and to cut him of to kill his bodie and damne his soule why but though I be dead and gone yet I hope my family and my children after me shall fare the better for mee No they shall fare the worse for it for Gods curse that shall pursue them is such a deuourer and cōsumer that though there should be no man or least no liuing thing left for it to worke vpon yet it would not rest but shew it vpon the dumbe things vpon the verie thatch and the timber the stones of the houses of such as haue prouoked God to lay it vpon them as the Prophet Abacuc saith 2. chap. 9. He that coueteth an euill couetousnesse to his house not to himselfe only Men thinke when they can bring home those stolne goods that this is a good thing and shall doe them and theirs good but indeede it is an ill couetousnesse it brings a mischeefe vpon him and his house so many thinges as a man gets by stealth from his neighbour so many curses he gets to his soule and so many plagues he wraps and rowles together to come vpon his posteritie So that to be prigging and pilfering of that belonges not to him nor is not his due is a foule sinne against this commandement Yet men haue excuses for this prigging As first alasse what should you speake of this it is a small thing one should not make such a doe about so little a matter Is ' it a small thing Then ye more base and abiect companion you that will corrupt your selfe for so small a thing he that will racke his conscience for a triffle he will neuer sticke to do fiue times worse for a matter of weight If a man be not faithful in a little you may be sure he will neuer be faithfull in much he that will venture dānation for a matter of two pence he will doe ten times more if it come to a pound he that cares not to breake Gods commandement for a peece of breade let him haue hope of a greater bootie and he will not care for any commandement If one will doe the Diuell such good seruice for so simple and small wages let the diuell mende his wages and he will certainely mende his worke So that this excuse shews a man to be more wicked Oh but I trust this is not to be blamed why he can spare it well enough t will doe him no harme and t will doe me good I hope this is no such matter But first who made you a deuider of goods who gaue you authoritie to make any such partition Hath not God giuen him that which is his and you that which is yours and will you haue God alter it and not contented with Gods distributions take that which belongs not to you and for that you say he can spare it it will doe him no harme suppose one should goe to the Kings exchequer and breake open his treasure and take out though it were but twentie shillings or fortie shillings and say alasse I am a poore man and this is not so much the Kinge is rich enough hee may well spare twice so much I trust hee will not be much offended though I haue ventured a little in my neede But for all your neede and the princes wealth he that would doe thus were like to be counted a foole and be hangd for his pains the excuse would not serue the turne but now god he hath forbidden you to take any mans goods without any such cause of exception vnlesse he can spare it that is not the question whether it will hurt him or not it offends God he hath forbidden it and therefore you must not doe it And where as you say it will doe you good and helpe you that is not true it will hinder you rather and brings a further curse on you then afore I but what course would you haue a man take the world hath forsaken me I haue no freind to helpe me what would you haue me doe what why rather any thing then this Haue men forsaken you and will you make God forsake you to you can haue no helpe in the world and will you therefore shut vp heauen against your selues to if one were helplesse and freindlesse here and knewe not which way to turne himselfe for releefe succor yet if he could turne to god and run to heauen haue hearing there cōfort from thence that God did heare his prayers and giue peace vnto his soule his case is good and he is well so long But nowe when one is quite out of hope among men and destitute of all outward comfort then for him to make God his vtter foe and fill him selfe with inwarde euils and greefes to this is a faire mending of the matter indeede this is a wise
not that which God hates and therefore doth not loue God By these things then wee may examine our selues and finde whether we haue any true loue to god or not namely by his loue to the meanes of saluation and by his keeping Gods commandements by his seruent and harty loue to Gods people in wishing and also doing then good to his power by his desire to bee joyned to Christ Iesus and lastly by his hatred of those things which God hateth which though they doe often ouertake him yet he loues himselfe the lesse because hee can hate them no more and thinkes the worse of himselfe because hee loues them at all These things who so can finde in himselfe hee loues God and obeyes this commandement though not in perfection for no man can in his nature and indeede it is not needefull that any of vs should for Christ did it for vs yet in vprightnesse and in some good measure and he serues God with that which hee accounts a perfect hart So much of the loue of God a fruit of knowledge when knowing his goodnes his mercie his truth other his properties we giue him all our soule setting our affections on nothing in earth besides him delighting in him alone and in nothing but that which carries a stampe of his goodnesse The next dutie that is heere commanded is the feare of God a dutie proceeding from knowledge also for as the sight of Gods goodnesse and mercy and truth will inflame the hart with a loue of him So if one behold and consider his greatnesse and his power and his excellencie ouer all his creatures this will strike his hart with a wonderfull reuerence a great feare of his Majestie As also hee that knowes Gods power that he can doe what hee will and his mercy that hee will doe what is needefull for the good of his children this will make him trust wholy in God But for this feare an objection must first be answered For 1. Iohn 4. he saith Perfect loue casteth out feare And Luke 1. We are deliuered from all our enemies that we might serue him without feare To this wee answere that perfect loue casteth out feare namely a slauish feare and such as is in the diuels who tremble before God but so as they runne frō him such as is in wicked men when the threatnings of God arrests their euill conscience and summons their wicked harts and drawes them before Gods iudgement seat makes them therefore not loue Gods word and ministry but hate it cast off all care of Godlinesse and religion from them But it is true that whosoeuer loues God cannot chuse but in the same measure also feare him for the spirit of God that perswades them of his fauour and worketh loue will declare his power and greatnesse which will worke a feare and awe of him It casteth out the hellish feare that makes one flie from God but it causeth that holie feare that makes one more careful to come vnto him and to worship him Wee must then loue God with our whole harts and soules and mindes so that wee feare nothing but in him and for him and that with such a feare as must draw vs vnto him but terrifieng our harts from committing all euill It must be a feare mingled with loue and confidence that must be holy and crucifie and restraine all ill affections and desires This is commanded Isai 8. 13. Sanctifie the Lord in your harts and let him be your feare and your dread The occasion of this precept was this Before in the chap he shewes that there were stirres and rumours of warres in the land the people and King and all did quake as leaues shaken with wind by reason of the great feare which was in them Now then heere hee brings a medicine that will make them still and quiet for the cause of their false feares was because they were emptie of true feare and they were so exceedingly troubled with men because they could not looke vp vnto God But in the 12. ver the Prophet faith You that bee Gods children doe not you feare their feare Feare not you the feares of wicked men for they feare nothing but pouertie and outward disgrace and a temporall death all weather and hard casualties to themselues their goods these bee base feares and not worthie that the harts of Gods children should be taken vp with them being but trifles feare not these things then nor feare them that is not wicked men feare neither the feares which wicked men feare nor feare not wicked men themselues But now because the hart of man must feare something and least it be very well armed it is ready to feare man and the feares of man therefore he shewes a meanes how to keepe one from all infection of such foolish feares and that is to sanctifie God in our hart and to let him be our dread Sanctifie god in our hart j. giue him the praise of his power of his mercie of his trueth of all his attributs then he shal be our dread For he that giues god the praise of his power wil neuer stand in feare of a man for he knowes the power of god is greater thē the power of man He that giues him the praise of his mercie will not be dismaid though he see all wants an hard estate outwardly for he knows that gods mercie wil supply all he that giues him the praise of his trueth wil not be discouraged for any danger because god hath promised to stustain him in all and to deliuer him out of all This is then to feare God with all our harts to feare him onely and neither to feare wicked men nor the things which they feare for so far as we doe feare either of these we breake his commandement and our harts are voide of the true feare of God So Luke 12. 4. 5. Christ Iesus saith Feare not them that kill the bodie and after that are not able to doe any more But I will forewarne you whom you shall feare feare him that after he hath killed can cast into hell I say vnto you him feare Where he saith that can kill the bodie t is not to be vnderstoode as though any man had any power in himselfe to kill it but God giues them leaue some-times and by his permission for the humbling of his children they are able to kill them as if he had said This is the nature of men that if they see any grow powerfull great they are afrayd think how shall we escape how can any be free from daunger now such persōs be set vp but why should you be so troubled at their promotion or why should you be afrayd when they haue done their worst what can they doe the most is to trouble you a little and to send you from this house of clay to heauen they can go no further then to the killing of your bodie But if you