works be suteable to their words and they shew forth the vertues of Christ as well as take vpon them the name of Christ vnlesse they be careful to frame their life according to the line of Gods word so to order all their carriage that their conuersation may be answerable to their profession and the fruit that shews it selfe in their lyfe agreeable to the seede that is dayly sowed in their harts they are as grose profaners of the name of God and as lyable to the cursse and vengeance of God as he that sweares many a vaine and idle oath Secondly this serues to instruct all men that would be called christians and be accounted the sonnes of God to liue so as that we bring some glory to God by our life And this Paul bids the bond seruants 1. Tim. 6. 1. Count their masters worthy all honour that the name of God and his doctrine may not be ill spoken off Speaking to such as were seruants to vnbeleeuing masters he bids them giue them honour and reuerence not for any religion or goodnesse that could be seene in them for they were infidells but for conscience sake to Gods ordināce whose place these masters did supply that because if they did not those all the fault should be layd vpon the name of God But how doth he proue that Gods name should be euill spoken of because his doctrine should be ill spoken so that where euer the gospel is slaundered there God himselfe and his name is dishonoured So in the second of Titus Paul also speaking to seruants wills them to shew all good faithfulnesse not to pick nor steale nor to answere againe and that for this reason that they may adorne the doctrine of Christ Iesus He would haue those which are in the basest estate and in the lowest condition of all men euen seruants and bondseruants in their place to adorne religion by their good behauiour in that place No place is so meane and of so small account but you may doe God good seruice in it if he beautifie his profession by an vnspotted and pure conuersation for nothing can glorifie God more in all this world then when those that will belong and appertaine vnto him shew what houshold they be of by their works and he that wil be esteemed the sonne of God must doe more good work then one that is onely the sonne of Adam this will stop the mouth of wicked men and mussell them vp that they shall not haue a word to bark out against christians and christianitie yea this will beget a good liking in their harts of that word and that religion which works so good effects in the lyfe of them that hold it As in the family let the children be good and temperate and modest and behaue themselues gently and humbly to all then they doe not onely get good account and estimation to themselues in the harts and mouthes of men but they are an honour to the house of which they come and to the parents which begat them a crowne to all their friends and brethren that those which be enemies cannot for shame giue out an ill word of such a man whose children be so well brought vp and behaue themselues so orderly So is it in the church in gods household vpon the earth would one bring credit to God his father would he cause the church to be praised and all his brethren and fellow members to rejoyce to be well reported of then let him shew forth the vertues of Christ let him liue worthie his vocation and calling let him cause his light so shine forth in the darknesse of the world let them not keepe their vertues in their owne bosome alone but let the brightnesse and the warmeth of them lighten vpon all those that liue with him and if he so doe he shal be honoured himselfe euen in the consciences of wicked but especially he shall win great reuerence and reputation to the name of God to christians and christian religion and though some enemies be reprobates and therefore irreuocable yet he shal make them dumbe and stop their foule mouth that their furious barking shall either not be heard or if it be shall not be heard And wheras others that are yet in their present estate enemies but in election gods children may seeme for a time perhaps to be hardened not to submit themselues yet afterwards this good example will work and the seede will appeare in the fruit for saith Peter They shall glorifie God in the day of their visitation As if he had said Happely for a time it will seeme vaine to shew any good example to those that be not good men for they wil it may be be so far from profiting glorifying god as that they will rayle and blaspheme Be it so that for the present you see no better successe yet know that if these men be gods when he hath softned their harts and opened their eies and conuerted their soules vnto him and resited them with his good spirit then they shall magnifie God and praise him then they shall say blessed be God that euer I liued in such a christian family that euer I was vnder so good a minister I thank God that euer I was acquainted and did conuerse with such a man or woman by whose gratious behauiour I was brought the better to like of religion Now the old seed that seemed to lye dead vnder the clods reuiueth and sprouts vp now the fruits of all good precepts and good admonitions begin to appeare Therefore we must striue to be such good children for better it were neuer to professe religion then thus to professe it and liue like a worldling If there grow brambles in Gods vineyard the axe of Gods vengeance meets with them straight they of all other shal be most fearefully and horribly destroyed if one will be a brier then let him keepe himselfe in the wild wast and not presse into Gods garden for if he doe most vndoubtedly he shall be cut downe cast into the fire Thus much for the first dishonouring and taking gods name in vaine by lyfe The second followes by speach and that first without an oath and that by speaking vnreuerently of Gods word titles attributes or workes without due regard and estimation of the thing one speakes First of the word in speaking of it idly curiouslie vainely to pick out needelesse questions and to shew ones wit in learning in discoursing and amplyfieng matters or in objecting against the truth whether one thinke not so yet it is an abuse of the word I say by this vaine putting vp objections in ostentation of their nimble wit and ripe head that they can put downe the ministers as many proud foolish vaine fantasticall mad-headed youths will brag that they can holde argument with the best preachers and set them downe put them to a non plus euen out of the scripture This vaine and
willingly serue great personages and are readie to employ them selues in their businesses but because they think that hence they shall haue honour and credit and come to credit as a rewarde of their seruices but now if we know that God doth giue such excellent wages as no man can giue the like for what doth he not bestow on those that feare him he giues them his sonne he giues them his holy Spirit and grace in their harts he giues them his feare and his blessing in this life and life eternall in the world to come if one know this then he will sure serue God with a willing minde But on the contrary the cause and fountaine of all rebellion and disobedience against God is because there is no right knowledge of God as he complaines in Hosea 2. That they lye they steale they commit adultery bloud toucheth bloud But what was the cause of all this confusion why because there was no knowledge of God in the land and where men know not God what should be looked for else for then they cannot loue him nor feare him nor trust in him nor seeke nor doe any dutie if there be no knowledge This serues to confute all ignorant persons that doe not know God they cannot tell how many persons there bee or if they doe they cannot tell what any of them did for them they are not acquainted with the properties of God nor with his actions they neuer thought on his name nor pondered on his trueth his justice his power his mercie and such like things These may brag of loue and faith and hope and confidence and patience but they haue none of them it cannot be for all good things flow from this that we doe know God Therefore Paule saith 2. Thess 1. 8. ver That God will come with thousands of his Angells in flaming fire rendring vengeance to all those that know not him nor obey not his gospel these things follow close doth not one know God then t is cleere he doth not obey his gospel he makes no conscience of that Therefore an ignorant hart is alwaies a sinfull hart a man without knowledge is a man without grace and this ignorance is so foule a sinne as that it shal be sufficient to bring gods vengeance vppon one how euer light account men make of it God will damne them for this because they haue not knowne and then t is to to sure they could not nor would haue regard to his commandements And on the other side this must stirre vs vp to call for wisdome and to cry for vnderstanding to seeke for it and to dig for it as for gold or precious stones We must often reade Gods word confer of it and meditate on it which if we do it will giue vs vnderstanding then we shall see gods properties and see his goodnesse his loue and how able and willing hee is to help vs and then we cannot chuse but trust in him And indeede this often meditating and thinking on Gods word is the next way to make vs like God and to renue and repaire the image of God in vs. For by seeing Christ in the gosple wee are chaunged from glory to glory and the more wee know him the more wee encrease in being like to him so long as we know in part we are like in part but when we shall haue perfect knowledge then shall we be perfect in holinesse and perfect in righteousnesse perfect and holy as he is perfect As 1. Iohn he saith Now it appeareth not what we shall bee but when he shall appeare wee shall bee like him and why like him because we shall know him as he is so that the perfection of knowledge will bring the perfection of holinesse the more we increase in knowledge the more all good vertues will increase and if this were perfect we should be perfect without all weakenesse and infirmitie But the more we meditate in Gods word the more our knowledge will grow and therefore also the image of God will grow more liuely till we bee made perfect and absolute in the life to come The next dutie is Loue. That wee must loue God withall our harts and all our soules as is commanded Luke 10. The reason is because he is that Iehouah in whom we liue we moue and haue our being he is our God that giues vs all good things and can onely free vs from all sinne and miserie therefore wee are bound to loue him And indeede this is the chiefe dutie and the best fruit of knowledge but because it is so plaine a dutie as that no man will denie it it is best for vs leauing to vse more words in prouing the dutie to shew some markes of loue of God that we doe not deceiue our selues whereby we may see in what measure wee keepe this first and chiefe commandement The first marke may be how we delight to meet God in those meanes wherin he hath appointed to meet vs for in what measure we can offer our selues to God in those things wherein hee offers himselfe to vs in that measure wee loue him If we be willing to aske all good things and seeke comfort at his hand by prayer and to lay open our wants to him and as it were to conferre with God If we be desirous to come to heare his word spoken vnto vs wherein we may see his wisdome for our direction his mercie for our comfort his povver for our defence and for the subduing of our sinnes and his riches to make vs rich and supply all our wants then we doe indeede loue God and the more we can reioyce in these things the more we loue God and the lesse the lesse we loue him So for the sacraments in them Christ Iesus offers himselfe vnto vs and to make vs partakers of his bodie and blould would we then try how we loue God vve may doe it by examining what desire we haue to these things would we rather come to this banquet of the heauenly King to eate the body and bloud of his sonne that is set before vs rather then to the table of an earthly king to tast such good cheere as hee can make vs is there such an affection to vs then indeede we loue God for then we haue a delight to come wher he is For in these meanes God doth bestow himselfe vpon vs and comes to dwel in vs as Christ saith that he will dwell in vs and his father the holy ghost will come into our harts The second note whereby we may try our loue to God is obedience as Christ saith Iohn 14. 20. He that loues me keepes my commandements He then that keepes Gods commandements best he loues God best But if any will say that he loues God as well as the best yet he will breake the saboth and lye and dissemble and be a miser wholy rooting on the earth and setting himselfe and all his hart after his
prayer as in deede they shall which neuer hope that god will looke any whit the more fauourablie vpon them for a lawfull and a just oath but if God will punish vaine swearers he will reward good swearing and those that vse it aright as a curse is denounced against the foolish and idle abusing of it so the reuerent and conscionable vse of it must haue a promise of blessing annexed to it also But for want of knowledge and faith in this point we want the fruit of it wheras a christian swearing for conscience sake and in obedience to Gods commandement may lay vpon an oath among his best seruices and accounts and treasure it vp as a precious jewell that shall bring an excellent reward with it for God wil not forget those that sanctifie his name and one cannot doe that more then in an holy and reuerent swearing by it Now that one may sweare lawfully these rules must be obserued both for the persons either thing making or taking FOr the person making this must be knowne obserued that he must bee a christian for no vnregenerate man can sweare lawfullie And therfore S. Paul swearing saith I call God to witnesse why but so may an vnregenerate man and his oath be worth nothing therfore hee ads whome I serue in my spirit shewing that he that will comfortablie take the name of god in his mouth to sweare must sanctifie him in his hart and serue him in his spirit or else hee doth take the name of God in vaine he doth not glorisie him at all for an ill tree saith Christ cannot bring forth good fruit and though others may haue good by that which he shall doe yet it can bring no good or comfort to himselfe nay it is an ill work in him as the preaching of Iudas and casting out diuells and other works which he through christs commission was able to doe were wicked things in him and so farre from doing good to him and yelding him any comfort in time of his afflicted conscience that they rather were torments and as hell fire in his bosome to vex and terrifie him that had made so faire a shew when in trueth he had so soule an hart So if an vnregenerate man take an oath though it be most true yet he sinnes and dishonours God in thus swearing because whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne now he hath no faith nor neuer lookes to Gods commandement or glorie in his oath therefore the man must be good sanctified by Gods spirit and by faith able to looke to the commandement promise being truely conuerted vnto God Therefore whosoeuer hath taken an oath before his calling how euer in it selfe lawfull yet he must be humbled for the doing of it because it was a sinne in him being voide of faith wanting a good conscience and all true reuerence of the magestie for these things can neuer be wrought but by the work of Gods spirit conuerting and regenerating therefore in time of ones vnregeneracie he tooke Gods name in his mouth when there was no feare of him in his hart and to the impure all things are impure This must be obserued in the maker Now in him that takes an oath this is requisite without which an oath cannot be lawfull that he require it and be willing to accept it for if the partie vnto whome one sweares doe not desire nor will not receiue an oath then the oath is a wicked oath and therefore many men are to be reproued that in common buying and selling are so readie to sweare as that though no man be willing they should sweare ye rather is grieued and troubled at it yet euerie thing of neuer so light moment must haue the confirmation of an oath joyned vnto it But what get they that will make a trade of swearing surely this that they grow to be suspected of vnfaithfulnesse and when they be so lauish of Gods name both their owne harts grow lesse to reuerence it and others will not beleeue them but the more suspect them the more they think to remoue all suspicion for a godly man and one that hath any true fidelitie in him sets more by the name of God then to pawne it vpon euerie smal occasion and therfore those may be justly thought most deceitfull towards men that be most prophane to God and he that cares not to dishonour God will neuer make any great bones of cousening his neighbour These rules are for the persons Now for the thing it selfe First it must be true that is sworne that is the thing which we confirme by taking the name of God in our mouthes must not onely be true in it selfe but it must also be a knowne trueth of which he that sweares hath some certaintie his conscience must not doubt of the trueth of it if he doe he sets to light by Gods name So Ierem. 4. 2. He requires that one must sweare in truth and in judgement if one will come to auer and affirme a thing with an oath he must be able to say I sweare nothing but that which vpon sound ground good proofe I know to be true I am sure of it and haue in mine owne hart just warrant for that which I speake else if one will come vpon euery light conjecture and slender opinion to binde a thing by the name of God though it fall out to be so yet he hath profaned Gods name and taken it vp with a vaine and vnreuerent affection in that he is so rash as to venture so easily and suddenly vpon so great and waightie a thing Secondly an oath must not be tendred in light and small matters but in things of moment and importance though the matter be true and in our knowledge such as we may safely testifie the trueth of it yet if it be but a trifle and such a thing as if we be not credited it is not worth an oath in such case a man must rather be content not to be credited then to call Gods name to witnesse When Moses was the judge he appointed inferiour officers to be conuersant in smaller matters and onely the greater and waightier causes were brought to him to heare and decide now then if it were not fit for Moses to be called to the ending and making vp of euerie light and idle controuersie much lesse is it fit for vs to debase GOD so much as to bring him in vpon euerie trifle We would count it a verie vnmannerly thing if one should goe to the Lord chiefe justice or some high officer about a sheafe of corne or cock of hay and no man could serue his turne but some great officer in high place to haue the hearing of these toyes and if it be to much disgracing of a noble mans dignitie to call him foorth about euery such thing of no waight much more profanenesse is it towards God and shewes an hart nothing touched with the greatnesse of his magestie to vrge
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
should bee of this mind for if he do as he professeth indeede loue god aboue all ought he not to be more carefull of Gods glory then of his owne commodity more see to gods seruice then his own gaine now we know that masters suffer not their seruants to be idle on the weeke days therfore if he loue god he shuld be so much more diligent ouer them that they neglect not the word of God on his day by how much the glory of God is more deare and precious to him then his priuate commoditie For as he that is a true subiect to the prince loues him indeed wil not keepe such a man in his house that will not bee subiect to his lawes so hee that is himselfe rightly affected to God and his glory will not suffer such a prophane person vnder his roofe that will dishonour him openly and not care to obserue his sabboth Secondly if one beare any loue to his seruants or children euen for their owne sakes hee must see to them that they breake not the sabboth but that they come to such exercises where they may receiue the spirit of God and the chiefe good to their soules alwaies a good gouernour must gouerne for the good of those that bee vnder him now what greater good can hee doe to them then to vse those meanes whereby they may know God in Christ Iesus and bee brought to saluation So that if one will not shew a disloyall hart against God and vnlouing and vnfaithfull hart to his people that hee cares not for their saluation hee must see that they keepe the sabboth so farre as it belongs to him namely by being outwardly present at the workes of religion Thirdly in regard of our owne good to such as be masters must bee carefull ouer their seruants in this regard for take this for a generall rule hee that will not bee faithfull to God will neuer bee faithfull to man hee that hath no care to serue God in duties of religion will haue lesse care to serue his master in the duties of his calling as indeede they haue for if the honour of God and their owne saluation will not moue them why should they bee moued for their masters profit or businesse but hee that serues God with a good conscience will serue his master with a good conscience and though his master bee not present to rebuke him his owne conscience will checke him and when the feare of his master will not keepe from idlenesse and vntrustinesse the feare of God will keepe him and the commandement of God will restraine him else either they will doe nothing or what they doe is all for eie seruice to bee seene of men and when the masters eie is off then by idlenesse or wastfulnesse or pilfering they will hurt one more then the faithfull keeping of the sabboth can hinder them for that will not hinder them at all but bee a meanes to bring the blessing of God on their labours in the weeke day As Iacob a faithfull seruant to God was blessed in all Labans businesse and Ioseph a true worshipper of the Lord had prosperitie to follow him and accompanie him in all his trauailes Therfore if wee will shew our loue to God and to them and desire that they bee faithfull to vs and God should blesse their labours in our affaires bring them to the seruice of God and exercises of religion on the sabboth and haue a care that they breake not the holy day of the Lord. This serues for the reproofe of those men which beare this minde toward their seruants that so their owne worke be performed they care not how Gods worke is neglected let their seruants bee carefull to doe their businesse on the sixe daies let them bee as carelesse as they list of Gods on the seauenth day let them spend it euen how they will they haue free libertie from the masters This shewes men to bee louers of themselues more then louers of God and proues that they loue filthie lucre and gaine of the world more then the glorie of God for if Gods glorie were but as deere to them as their monie they would bee as impatient at his dishonour by their seruants negligence as at losses that come to themselues by their seruants negligence Oh but they say they be rude youthes and will break out from vs we cannot keepe them in Be not these deepe dissemblers is not this grosse hipocrisie can you not keepe them in Who keepes them in on the sixe dayes can you make them tarry at home then can you set them to their businesse and not suffer them to be gadding yet that is for sixe dayes space this is but for one that labour which then they doe is far more toylesome to the bodie can you make them will they nill they spend sixe whole dayes in more painefull tedious work can you not constraine them to keepe at home and doe more easie works in respect of bodily labour and that but for one whole day this is miserable shifting plaine halting these excuses will not holde before God he will shew you that you had made as much account of seruing his honour and glory and obeying his commandement as you doe of seruing your owne filthie couetous lust and obeying the diuell if his name had bene as deere to you as gayne you might with as much ease cause your seruants to spend the seauenth day in his seruice to his glory as sixe before it in your owne seruice to your profit But what is the cause that youth is so rude is it not because they haue learnt it of age Why be inferiours so prophane but because they follow the patterne and tread in the steps of their superiours how come the branches to bring such ill fruit but that the root hath no better sap for if the seruants might but see so much loue of God and care of keeping gods commandements appeare in the conuersation of their masters and dames as they see of the world and eagernesse after lucre they would at least for outward shew be better But now that they see their masters and know his disposition they frame themselues thereafter to serue him in his couetous lust rob God of his honour If the seruant should but leaue his businesse one or two houres in the weake and runne hoyting about some sports and vanities when hee comes home his master will bee vpon his backe his dame would haue a saying to him hee should be so bayted with rebukes and chiding as if it were a beare with dogs so that though hee had a good minde to bee abroad and had no great hart to stand sweating at his businesse yet miserable feare would make him tarrie at home rather then he would endure the sharp sauce that must come after and bee chidden thus againe hee will keepe within doores but let him be where hee will and doe what hee will vpon the
sabboth day when he comes home either his master or dame allow him in it or else they bee mute and say nothing to him or if they doe begin to reprooue him it is done so coldly so careleslie with so little vehemencie that the seruant may well perceiue it comes from the teeth outward his master is not greatlie sorrie within it neuer vexeth his hart for the matter and therefore hee cares not for such chiding hee will to it the next sabboth againe Then secondly this serues for the instruction of all householders that desire to bee indeede as well as to bee accounted christians that they should haue an eie to their seruants in the keeping of the sabboth Euen as one the weeke day they will call them vp and see that they bee readie to their businesse so on the sabboth cal them vp in the morning see that they be readie for the worke of God especially sith the works of their calling bee such as they may doe without any great preparation A man may rise out of his bed and goe straight and hold the plow or driue the cart as well as if hee had an houres consideration but vnlesse one haue sometime to disburden his hart of worldly thoughts and to fit himselfe by prayer holie meditations to heare the word hee can neuer doe it well nor so as the word will bee profitable vnto him therefore they must bee stirred vp that they may haue time to make readie their harts that they come before God with a quiet an emptie minde Now in this dutie many of Gods children faile that euen themselues and their whole family take libertie to sleep out a great part of the morning and thinke it inough to rise and goe to church not regarding any time of preparation and hence it is that the exercises be so vncomfortable and vnprofitable to them And then secondlie the maister must bee careful to haue his family come with him in good due season to the house of God with the whole congregation not as many doe that are so negligent as much is past before they come The wife comes at the second lesson he drops in at the end of praier and the seruants follow when halfe is done They would not doe thus to haruest worke but he would make them get all things readie that they goe together to get in his corne and not come dropping one now and another anone why should not one therfore be as carefull for the foode of his soule and to eate of the bread of life in the house of god to come joyfullie himselfe and his wife and bring their familie with them that they may be at the beginning and tarrie out till the ending that they may haue the whole fruit and not as some doe bee gone before the sermon end or at least runne away before the praier be made for a blessing and the blessing pronounced by the minister which shewes they neuer felt the goodnesse of the blessing they are so loth to tarrie the ministers prayer because they want the spirit of prayer themselues and cannot tell the benefit of a faithfull prayer for if the sweetnesse of gods blessing had distild vpon their soules or they had neuer felt the comfors that follows a prayer made in the holy ghost they would be more desirous of these things then they be and not hast so from them as if it were a curse not a blessing and some things tending to their hurt not a supplication to God for their good And as they must call them vp in the morning so an other dutie is to examine them after and call them to account how they haue profited as if mens seruants be sent to the market they will not let them goe without takeing account how they haue done their businesse and what markets they haue made so when they come from the church they come from the market of their soules they should question with them to see what good bargaines they haue made for their soules what profit they haue had by comming to Gods ordinances and thus laying their store together to help one another This serues also for the instruction of seruants that sith God hath layde such a charge vpon their superiours to looke that they keepe his sabboth therefore they should willingly be ruled and suffer themselues to be guided by them in this point and as well obey them in the sabboth to be diligent in the works of God as in the weeke daies to obey them for matters of their owne calling They must not say as many prophane seruants will if they call them and will instruct them in religion they will none of that but you hired me say they to doe your work and take my wages and there an ende what needes all this doe about keeping the sabboth and comming to the sermon let mee looke to that my selfe Nay but if they be Gods seruants and you Gods seruants your masters hired you to doe Gods work and in the Lord to doe their work therfore this is a prophane answere and these be ill seruants But much more vilde are they that will runne abroad to wickednesse to dauncing to swilling to wantonnesse c. making that their sabboth daies work which is vnlawfull at any time to plow and to cart be things lawfull and profitable in fit time but to daunce and follow wantonnesse is naught euery day but much more vilde and abhominable vpon the sabboth day Therfore such seruants must by force be constrained not to violate Gods sabboth or if no meanes will serue a christian master must not haue his house pestered with such open rebells against God Thus much God shewes the duties of christian housholders that they must themselues and see that their seruants abstaine from all the works of their calling and doe onely works of pietie and mercie which works of mercie they must not doe vpon the Lords day in loue to their owne commoditie but in obedience to God and compassion of the creature Now the Lord goes further to shew what course must be taken with men of an other religion saying Nor the stranger that is within thy gates HEere hee shewes that if a stranger come within our iurisdiction that are christians though we cannot command him to come to the exercises of religion yet the magistrate must not suffer him to doe any seruile worke to pollute the sabboth for by the gates heere the Lord meanes authoritie and jurisdiction because in former time the place of judgement and where authoritie was exercised was in the gates Hence then in that the magistrate must looke to forreyners this generall doctrine may bee gathered that it is our dutie being christians not onely to keepe the sabboth our selues and to looke to those that are belonging to vs but so farre as we can euen to strangers or to any other And this is that which is commended in Nehemiah that when the men of Sidon that
them of a great part of the blessing that haue carelesly omitted a great part of their dutie So for the ministers of the word many be there that can say they haue preached many sermons and deliuered many doctrines and admonitions to their parisioners giuen them many good exhortations But who of many can say as Ierome did My soule shall weepe for you in secret if publike preaching will not preuaile I will trie what priuate weeping can doe and if I cannot mooue them by speaking to them to amend I will mooue God with many teares in secret to conuert them And thus much for the common duties of both The particular follow And first of the people The first thing that the people must performe to their minister is to haue a tender and reuerent account of them And this is commaunded 1. Thess 5. 12. where the Apostle giues this in charge Now I beseech you brethren know them that labor among you and that are ouer you in the Lord and admonish you that you haue them in singuler loue for their works sake as if he said I speake not this so much for the ministers sake for whether ye loue him or account of him or not so long as God accounts and esteemes highly of him he is well but I desire you euen for your own good that for those faithfull men of God which labour amongst you to whom God hath giuen the spirit of grace and admonition and whom God hath set to watch ouer your soules let not them be forgotten and neglected amongst you but take knowledge of them and obserue them and that for their works sake For in truth they of all men deserue most to be regarded and accounted of in regard of the profit that they bring and the worke they performe which howsoeuer it be not outward and commonly brings no money to the purse Yet it is inward and brings peace vnto the soule For vnto them is committed the word of reconciliation and life and they are made disposers of the treasures of God that bring comfort and reioycing to the heart If then they be meanes to giue Christ Iesus vnto you if they helpe you to heauen if they purge the soule and build you vp in grace if they beat downe sinne and ouerthrow the power of Sathan in you ought you not then to loue them and that for their worke and your profits sake But many there be that make no such account of him why Because they feele no such neede of him they see no necessitie of his labour but that they may well spare him they can see no good he doth and no wonder they can see none to whom nothing is good but that which serues their flesh For as they account of him so they profit by him and iust it is from God that as they despise his minister so he should them and make them fruitlesse hearers of that word which to better men wants not a most excellent fruit according as Christ hath said He that dispiseth you dispiseth me and he that dispiseth me dispiseth him that sent me If they dispise God how can they reuerence the men of God And hence it is that young vpstart boyes and girles in many places are growne to that top of impudencie and shamelessenesse in sinning and standing for sinne as that they dare set thēselues against the minister of God and oppose their life of purpose against his doctrine and stand as stiffly for the dishonouring of God and the breach of the law of God as he can stande for his law whose life is nothing but a disgracing of their minister that in publique and veiw of all the world they might gainsay that in practise which he taught publiquely and euen in the heat of the sermon when the reproofe is yet fresh and scarcely ended then in the heat of their raging lust to fall to the thinge that was forbidden by God and by his minister reproued But why comes foolish youth and boies to be thus impudent But that they are animated by the froward example of elder persons As those young children that mocked Elisha the Prophet how could they speake so basely and contumeliously of the reuerende man of God but that they heard such thinges at home by their gouernours and must needes vtter them when they come abroad But was not this their boldenesse met with Did not God paye them home though they were but children for two beares came out of the woode and slew 40. of them For when they dare professe themselues to be aduersaries to the man of God and to the law of god they must needes faile in euery other dutie despising the person they must needes neglect the doctrine and not reuerencing the preacher they cannot take good by his preaching The minister of god then ought to be esteemed not according to his coats and wealth which is the thing that foolish men doe only doat vppon but according to the singular worke and calling in which God hath sette him and which he will haue respected The second dutie of the people is to obey the doctrine of the minister else they be no faithfull keepers of the eight commandement vnlesse they make conscience to yeelde obedience to the doctrine of their minister taught truely out of the word of God This is commanded Heb. 13. 17. Obey them that haue the ouersight of you and submit your selues c. He wils them to obey their ministers namely in doctrine and he addes the reason because they watch for your soule sith ye stand vpon their guarde to defend your soules from distruction therfore submit your selues and obey not so much the men as the doctrine and instruction deliuered out of Gods word in their calling And secondly if you doe not this you shall be so farre from giuing ioy to the heart of your minister which good people should doe as that you shall peirce his soule with sorrow and be a meanes to eate vp his heattwith for what greater anguish can come to the ministers soule then this that when he exhorts his people to holines they be vnholy he teacheth them to be spiritually minded and they be set altogether on the world he shewes them that they must rule themselues and families after the law of God and follow their owne lust this of all afflictions doth most wound breake the heart of a godly and faithfull minister that in loue to his flocke preacheth Gods word sincerelie vnto them I but would some say what neede we care for his being agreeued Nay this is it that many desire and wish nothing more then that they knew how to vexe the minister But saith he make not so light account of greeuing the minister for that is not profitable for you he hath the sorrow of it but you the losse he is driuen to runne oftner vnto God by your ill intreatie and to seeke for the loue of god when men doe neglect them but in the meane