I further whether with any outwarde thing else whatsoeuer not warraunted by the word I haue thought or sought to serue and please the Lorde being by reason thereof brought asléepe with an imagination of my well doing and so carelesse to séeke or practise the dueties of the word If I haue this also knowe I to be a breach of this commandement Then from things not warraunted I came to things commanded as the hearing of the word prayer conference profitable with my brethren and such like knowing that if euen in these by the Lorde ordayned as thinges wherewith he is honoured and pleased I haue otherwise vsed my selfe than I should in stead of perfourming the Lordes appointment I haue brought before him mine owne inuention walking vnwittingly in mine owne wayes fearfully broken this precept of my God Which when I consider I néede no further shewe of grieuous guilt to cast me down from height of all supposed soundnes in this law Mine eyes do sée my heart acknowledgeth my conscience crieth my sinne is great Stand O soule before the Lord the iust and vpright Iudge whose pearcing eyes discouereth al thy waies set thy selfe more in his sight while mercie may be had whose voyce shall sound thy lasting woe if sight of sinne procure not true remorse And say now soule before the Iudge of trueth hast thou alwayes vsed as hee hath willed thée the hearing of the worde Did neuer desire of worldlie praise prouoke thée to this seruice Neuer diddest thou thinke to day such shall I sée and againe of them be noted if I goe Did neuer feare of worse opinion to be bred of thée in worldlie states by thy absence drawe thée out No fleshlie thought or earthly liking of the speaker hath there béene within thée to pricke thée to his hearing Hath painted pride and newe or straunge attyre neuer saide secretly in thée to daie goe heare the Sermon Lie thou maiest not the Lord being Iudge cleare thy selfe thou canst not O my soâ—le thy selfe being iudge Therefore that which the Lord appointeth as a seruice to himselfe and for our endlesse comfort by this corruption beginneth a seruice of thine own to thy iust damnation For to heare the Lorde biddeth but not for these ends Thus seruing the Lord in a thing commanded not as he commandeth I serue him with mine owne inuention and guiltie most grieuously I am before him O that I were any better in the duetie of prayer Am I neuer negligent colde and frosen Burneth the fire within me before or whilest I speake with my tongue Shaketh my flesh with the vehemencie of my spirite Neuer straieth my heart from present praier Neuer hast I to an ende or wearilie wishe the voice I heare to cease it is too long Ah wretch howe dare I say it Conscience cryeth and will not be bribed this duetie of prayer thus corruptly perfourmed the Lorde acknowledgeth not as a seruice by him commaunded but as mine own inuention and a breache of this his precept My conference with others in shewe so good in words so faire tasteth it neuer of liking of my selfe or vaine delight to heare mine owne discourse of pride to séeme and to be knowen a man indued with such and so good gifts Tendeth my heart in trueth to the praise of my God and the comfort of my hearers whensoeuer I speake of fruitfull things without all vaine respect and hidden euill whatsoeuer If it doe not then the thing that in it selfe the Lord hath commanded as I perfourme it he vtterly abhorreth and it is wilworshippe of mine owne not prescribed dutie by my God therefore a breache of this commaundement What should I say The more I searche the more I sée and I am not as I thought concerning the kéeping of this Lawe Mo things yet in it are commaunded and moe thinges well by these I sée I haue not perfourmed Thus much serueth to sound damnation to me and witnesse sufficient in dreadfull day shall this my guilt exhibite against me beside a curse vpon my posteritie to many generations But O Lorde thy mercie reacheth vnto the heauens Psal 36.5 and thy faithfulnesse vnto the cloudes Nehem 9.17 Gratious art thou O gratious God and full of compassion slowe to anger and of great goodnesse Were my sinnes as crimsin Esa 1.18 thou canst make them as white as snowe though they be as red as scarlet soone canst thou cause them to be as the wool Deare father haue mercie vpon me and burie in the bottome of the sea that they neuer more appeare before thée all my sinnes and by name my breaches of this commandement O my God as thou hast vouchsafed mee a Sauiour to quit mee from this curse so due vnto me for my disobedience so in that Sauiour of mine thine owne déere sonne looke vpon me He was borne for my sake he liued for my sake he died for my sake then let his birth his life his death good Lord profite mée in winning pardon of thée for my faults and direction of thy spirite for the time to come that better daily I may knowe to serue thée and euen in trueth as thou hast prescribed perfourme the same vnto thée Amen good Lord heare me The third Commaundement Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine c. Question WHAT is the meaning of this commaundement Your Booke Ans God chargeth vs in this third commaundement these thrée thinges First that we vse with most high reuerence the name of God whensoeuer we either speake or thinke vpon him Secondly that wee neuer blaspheme the name of God by coniuring witchcraft sorcerie or charming or any such like neither hy cursing or banning Thirdly that we neuer sweare by the name of God in our common talke although the matter be neuer so true but only where the glorie of God is sought or the saluation of our brethren or before a Magistrate in witnessing the trueth when we are thereunto lawfully called In which causes we must onely sweare by the name of God But as for Saintes Angels Roode Booke Crosse Masse or anie other thing we ought in no case by them to sweare Que. What is meant by the name of God here Ans Not only anie one word vsuallie giuen to him in scripture as Iehouah or such like Philip. 2 9. but also his maiestie and excellencie with such attributes as declare the same as his wisedome his iustice his prouidence his mercie and so foorth Againe his lawe and commandements or his doctrine and worde are vsuallie signified by it Leuit. 22.31 1. Tim. 61. to make vs more carefull to attende vppon them as things wherupon depend the honour glorie and name of God Que. What is it to take his name in vaine Ans Surelie either to speake or thinke of it without most high reuerence and especiallie to sweare by it otherwise than we ought Also to cast behind vs the diligent care of his commaundementes
the wanton gréetinges in euerie place nowe vsed alas what thoughtes procure they neuer liked of the Lorde that I may say no worse Bookes written by vnreformed heartes and continually redde to the gréefe of God are they no occasions to fraile flesh both in thought and déede to offende against this law God knoweth and experience teacheth such soules as taâ—t of Christ that verie deadly poyson vnder a false delight doth this way créepe into vs. An vnchast looke makeâ— an vnchast heart and a rouing tongue beyonde the listes of godlinesse ere eueâ— we well knowe what we doe So subtill is the sinne that this way créepeth into our soules Apparell is next a most fearefull allurement to the breache oâ— this commaundement both in thought and déede if God once in mercie would open our eyes So are these stage playes and most horrible spectacles so is our dauncing which at this day is vsed so is drunkennesse gluttonie and idlenesse with a number such like as can witnesse eche one in the world that will weigh them Nowe what care we haue had of these things the Lord knoweth and to our profite if we list a litle we may consider it Our eyes O Lorde howe doe they offend through our carelesse bestowing of them to their owne desire Where is the testimonie of truth within vs that we doe restraine them so soone as euer wee perceiue anie tickling motion arise by them Where is the counterpane of that bande we haue taken of them that they shall not cause 〈◊〉 to offende Iob did it and yet wee â—eaker than hee ten thousande times â—hinke it néedelesse Alas our folly Iob. 31.1 alas â—ur security By this meanes our soules â—â—rk in their bane yet we care not nor â—ilbe warned The Lord of his mercie â—â—ue vs once the grace to desire it with â—auid and verie hartily to beg it Psalm 11â— that our â—â—es may be euer turned away from beâ—olding vanitie For the rest which folâ—owe consider theÌ„ well let neuer Saâ—han or selfeloue so stil bewitch vs that â—e cannot be brought to sée our sin In â—ehauiour or spéech haue we neuer offeÌ„â—ed But euer in them both so vsed our â—elues as that neither we nor they whom â—e delt withall may be charged of more â—ightnesse than became the professors of Christ and his worde Haue wee neuer â—ransgressed in matter or forme of apparel O that we could say it But in truth we can not For the contraries abounding in the eies of al men would giue vs the lie Light behauiour and alluring â—aliance is euerie where accompted comelie bouldnesse Behauiour and good bringing vp Speech discoursing spéeche to a vaine ende we count a quality commendable in vs and the want of it we estéeme simplicitie wheresoeuer we sée it And therefore by bookes to such endes set out we endeuour to attaine vnto it and hauing once polluted our spéech for I will neuer call it polishing we are neuer better than when we haue company to bestowe our tales and gréetinges vppon Our apparell in matter to our power we make sumptuous Apparell and in forme to allure the eye asmuch as wee can If this be true in the name of Christ let vs better thinke of it than we haue done These are allurementes to sinfull lust and this lawe of God forbiddeth not onely both act and thought but euen euerie allurement to either of them What should I speake of stage plaies and dauncing Can we say in trueth before the maiestie of God that we carefullie abstaine from these thinges because they tickle vs vp either more or lesse to the breach of this commanndement Alas we cannot a number of vs. But we runne to the one continually to our cost Playes when we will not be drawen to better exercises that are offered fréely we sucke in the venom of them with great delight and practise the spéeches and conueyances of loue which there we sée and learne Dauncing The other wee vse with especiall pleasure and God being witnesse to many an one they wish the fruite of their dauncing to be this euen the fall of them selues and others into the breache of this lawe What should I say of gluttonie and idlensse Doe they not make vs sinne Good Lorde giue vs eyes to sée Gluttonie and drunkennesse and hearts to weigh the occasions of our fall The spirite of God hath sayde that these pricked vp the flesh of the filthy Sodomites to that height of sinne and yet we can imagine they will cause no sinne at all in vs against this lawe And therefore professing the gospell and integritie of life yet dare we so pamper so stuffe cramme this rebelling flesh as if we were gods that could suffer no temptation we dare gull in wine and hote drinkes continually beeing peraduenture both strong and young and euerie way néeding rather pulling downe than setting vp Idlenesse We dare solace our selues in soft beddes too long for our constitutions and all the day after betake our selues to nothing whereabout the minde might walke and so escape impure conceptes Wee dare differ the meanes which God hath appointed for our helpe to liue vndefiled for euerie trifling cause and féeling the flesh to arise in disobedience against this lawe euen dayly yet neither fast wee nor breake our sléepe nor labour nor marrie nor any way stoppe the course of it But certainely as vnféeling men passe on the time and heape vp wrath against the day of wrath for our boulde offending And yet we hope to be saued and yet we hope to haue a ioyfull resurrection But O déere in the Lorde it will not be so For is not this the lawe of God Thou shalt not committe adulterie Doeth it not forbidde both act and thought as we haue plainely séene and euen euerie allurement to either of them And must not God iudge vs according to his lawe Nowe then should wee liue when we haue witnesse within vs that wee offende his â—aw Bée not deceiued but as we feare the losse of bodie and soule for euermore let vs be warned Can nothing accuse vs that hath béene sayde Did we neuer in act or in thought receiue anie staine contrarie to this commaundement Haue wee euer had care and power to auoide all meanes What mouth dare speake it what heart can thinke it if it be not brasse or stéele and as voyde of féeling Wherefore awake let vs all from our former sléepe let vs stande vp at last from the dead in trespasses and sinnes and Christ our déere Sauiour shall giue vs light Let vs acknowledge what this lawe requireth and what wee should haue doone euerie one of vs. Let vs confesse we haue straied froÌ„ it many a time way and are no way able to offer vp our selues righteous cléere innocent to the Lord touching this lawe and for the time to come that we shall yet liue héere O let vs carrie some greater care to
and zeale of spirite wherewith this author aboundeth Which although so much and with such life and mouing will not nowe altogether appeare in this writing as when it was with the liuely voyce and earnest spirite deliuered because that GOD promiseth to that the more especiall blessing yet shall you easily see that it is a worke comming out of the same shoppe a streame flowing from the same fountaine a print stamped with the same seale and sparckles flying out of the same flame Which the more they shall inflame you which ought most to inflame you you hauing beene â—â—readie with them set on fire the more they â—â—all heate others and by your example be â—â—ofitable to all which is that the author wisheth â—â—d I his welwiller heartily pray for to him who 〈◊〉 the able worker of it to whose especiall grace 〈◊〉 good reader in reading this worke to direct â—â—ee I commende thee Thine in the Lorde Iesu Abraham Conham Certaine profitable Questions and Answers vpon the Commaundements The first Question HAth there euer been in the world amongst men some Religion Ans Yea for to make all men inexcusable the Lorde hath ingrafted in the minde of euerie one a secrete sure perswasion that there is a God who as he made man so is he of man to bee serued and obeyed By which secrete perswasion it came to passe that there was neuer from the beginning of the worlde any Region Towne or House wherein was not some Religion Que. Then is not Religion a pollicie of man to keepe people in obedience Ans No it were horrible to thinke so for it is plaine that religion is of nature and by nature though true religion be not Que. How prooue you that Ans First verie reason teacheth it For what policie could euer haue made man the Lorde of all Creatures fall down and worship the vilest creatures vnlesse there had béen something before in his nature to leade him to it Secondly it is plainely prooued in the example of Pilate Iohn 19.8 who assoone as he heard that Christ was God euen by very nature feared and stoode in awe of him And by the example of Gamaliel with diuers others Acts. 5.39 Que. Seeing then that there hath bene euer in the worlde some Religion because it is naturall whether is there but one or many Ans There can be but one true Religion but of false there haue béene and are diuers and euer will be till Christ come againe vnto iudgement Que. What false Religion can you name Ans There hath béene and is false reâ—igion in the Church Hist Magdeburg and out of the Church In the Church Poperie Out of the Church the religion of the Iewes of the Gentils and of the Turkes Que. What is the Religion of the â—ewes Ans They obstinately denying that Christ is yet come worshippe God still with sacrifices burnt offerings and other ceremonies of Moses lawe Que. What the Gentiles Ans Their Religion is a confused worshipping of all things for so wee â—eade in the 14. of the Actes of the Apostles in the 17. and in the 19. And the Poet saieth of them thus Quicquid humus pelagus coelum mirabile gignit Id dixere deos colles freta flumina flammas That is What so the earth the sea the heauen doeth wonderfull beget As hils seas flouds and flames of fire for Gods that haue they set Que. What the Turkes Ans Their religion is a masse of all heresies denying Christ to be God and vainely worshipping with mans deuises Que. What is true Religion Ans True religion is the true worshipping of God and the kéeping of his commaundements Que. Whence is it to be learned Ans Onely out of the written word of God and not out of mans heade or writings Que. How is that prooued Ans Both by Scripture and reason sufficient Que. What Scripture Ans Esay 29.13 verse God threateneth to plague them because their feare or religion towardes him was taught by the precept of men Michah the 4.2 He shall teache vs and we will walke in his pathes Daniel the 9.10 Daniel confesseth that because the people obeâ—ed not Gods voyce therefore al their worship was sinne Que. What reason Ans By many might it bee prooued but these may suffice First whatsoeuer pleaseth God must be according to his will but his will is onely knowen in his worde and therefore if our Religion please God it must be according to his word Secondly if whatsoever bée not of faith is sinne and faith onely is out of the word then what Religion soever is not out of the worde is sinne Thirdly the practise of Gods Church hath euer béen both to reforme religion and to confute heresies out of the word and by the word and therefore the same must euer bee the grounde of our Religion Que. Howe is it to bee learned out of the word Ans By hearing it preached by reading it our selves by prayer by conference one with another by temptations and by this exercise of Catechising For the other they are vsual meanes in déede but this maner of Catechising it is a newe deuise not knowne to our olde Fathers No it is no newe deuise but an olde custome and auncient begun assoone as euer God had a Church and continued euer since Que. How may that be prooued Ans First in the fourth of Genesis iâ— appeareth Gen. 4. that euen Adam the first man vsed it to his Sonnes teaching them to worship God with sacrifices oâ— else they coulde neuer haue doone it Aâ—gaine wee sée Abraham vsed it to his housholde Gen. 18. and God commended him foâ— it For if he had not by this exercise wâ—â— instructed his seruantes before wouldâ— they euer haue suffered him to cut aâ—way their foreskinnes In many placeâ— also beside did God flatly commaund alâ— parentes to vse it to their children Iâ— the 6. to the Hebrues mention is madâ— of the parts of the Catechisme then vsed the ancient Fathers haue carefully traâ—uailed in this exercise all well ordereâ— Churches haue euer had their Cateâ—chismes which we also haue and reade therefore no newe deuise Que. What be the partes of the Catechisme Ans The parts of the Catechisme are these two generaly doctrine discipline vnder doctrine these foure contained to wit The law of God a sum whereof is in the ten Commaundements Faith a sum whereof is in the 12. Articles Prayer a forme whereof is the Lordes Prayer The Sacraments Of these partes in order afterwarde Now to some questions in your booke And first Que. What is the cheefest thing which euery one ought to be most careful of so long as they liue An. Euerie one ought to be most carefull of these two points first and chiefely how to be saved in the day of iudgement before Gods iudgement seate and so to come to life euerlasting Secondly howe to liue according to Gods holy will during our life in which two pointes wholy standeth
children Mariages another of the daily desires of worldly men This they séeke this they couet this day and night they beat their heads about Yet daily examples be before their faces of sorowe and tormeÌ„t not to be expressed growing to parentes by such proude and gréedie attempts beside the continuall griefe that sonne or daughter so bestowed often riseth and goeth to bed withall Therefore I say to goe no further since these vsuall desires of men in this worlde are often not attained vnto to their liking â—hough greatly laboured for and yet if they be attained euen in great measure haue no certaine or sure comfort in them but all the pleasure in them and â—y them quickely fadeth away strongly â—t prooueth that our chiefe care should not be of these things but rather what â—ur case shal be in another world wheÌ„ al these things shall haue their end which â—s the matter I haue rehearsed theÌ„ for An other proofe of the same may this be the reuealed will of God the Lord testifieth he would haue all men saued The second reason to prooue that our chiefe care should be howe to be saued and â—ome to the knowledge of his trueth he would not theÌ„ death of a sinner c. therfore unlesse we also set our care to the â—ame ende namely howe we may be â—aued in the day of iudgement we oppose our selues not onely against our â—wne good but euen against the Lords will we striue with our God and wee shall surely reape the reward of such â—s rob him of his creatures Thirdly the horrour of hell and condemnation prooue The third that our care to be saued should be great For what meane those fearefull names of hell of prison chaines of darkenesse the lake burning with fire and brimstone the deâ—th pitch brimstone weeping and gnashing of teeth the worme that neuer dyeth the fier that neuer goeth out with a number such like I say what meane they or why hath the spirite of GOD set them downe but to strike a terror into vs of damnation and consequently thereupon a true care to be saued The fourth Fourthly the vnspeakeable ioyes of heauen that unmeasurable and endlesse comfort that there shall bee had with all the children oâ— GOD Patriarâ—hes Prophetes Apostles Martyrs yea with the Lorde himselfe and all his Angels with Christ our Sauiour and Lambe slaine for vs who shall wipe all teares from our eyes doeth crie vpon vs with shriking sound now while we haue time to vse our time to see mercie and séeke mercie to imbrace it and take it offered to such good vnto vs and neuer in securitie passing our oportunitie to be causes that then we shall heare these words Depart ye wicked into endlesse woe What an honor woulde I thinke it if the Prince passing by among the great multitude should spie mee out call mee to him imbrace me speake kindly to me take mee with him place me by him and so forth Howe would my heart daunce hereat and all men talke of my good hap Now is the passing of a mortall Prince on earth like the comming of Iesus Christ in the cloudes Is the honour they can giue comparable to that the Lorde of Lordes shall giue to his elect O my heart féeleth what my pen cannot write there is no comparison betwixt the persons the places the preferments and therefore if the one so ioy mée that for it I would take any paines thrise dead is my heart within me if to obtaine the other it bée not carefull Lastly The fifth the examples of care continuall and great euer in Gods children how they might serue him and please him that hereafter they might sit with him and neuer part from him ought mightily to perswade vs to be like vnto them in this indeuour their labours their watchings their sufferings all shot but at this ende the glorie of the Lorde and their owne saluation and howe great were they What spéeches of desire euen aboue all treasure to bée saued in the great day haue they vttered And shall we not followe them God forbid Thus therefore prooued vnto vs is the first point of a Christian man and womans care namely that it ought to be this howe they should be saued in the day of iudgement and so come to life euerlasting Que. Howe is the second point prooued vnto vs namely that in the meane time so long as wee liue in this world wee ought to bee carefull to liue according to Gods holy will Ans Surely it is prooued verie strongly vnto vs both by our election creation redemption iustification and vocation if we will marke them For why hath the Lord elected vs to eternal ioy in Christ Iesus That wee might conclude libertie thereon to sinne at our pleasure Our election prooueth it as many wicked spirites reason No no. But let the Apostle bee iudge and tell vs why who saieth Ephes 1.4 He hath chosen vs in him before the foundation of the world that we should bee holy and without blame before him in loue So saieth he of our creation also Our creation prooueth it that wee are the Lordes workemanship created in Christ Iesus to good workes Ephes 2.10 which GOD hath ordained that wee shoulde walke in them And of our redemption Luke plainely speaketh Our redemption prooueth it that we are deliuered out of the hands of our enemies Luke 1. that we should serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life Our iustification prooueth it Our iustification hath euer ioyned with it inseparably the grace of â—anctification and they cannot bee parted For howe shall we saieth the Apostle Rom. 6.2 that are dead to sinne liue yet therein and so forth as followeth in the place Lastly of our vocation the Apostle Peter saieth thus As he that hath called is holy so be you holy in all manner of conuersation So that wee sée thereby all these meanes prooued vnto vs that we ought as long as we liue to be carefull of this that we behaue our selues according to the will of the Lord which is the seconde point whereof in your question ye demaunded some confirmation Que. But howe can we knowe we are discharged before Gods iudgement seate Ans Your booke answereth you that wee can neuer knowe howe wee be discharged before the iudgement seate of God vntill such time as we knowe our owne miserable estates by reason of the greatnesse of our sinne and the horrible punishment which we deserue for the same And the proofes your booke vseth are plaine to inferre this conclusion For doeth man séeke to the Phisition that hath no néede of health either to be procured or preserued by his meanes No our owne experience doth approue the speach of Christ to bee true when he saieth Matth. 9.12 The whole haue no neede of the Phisition but the sicke Matth. 11.13 For in déede it is the diseased that take
care to bee helped It is the trauailing and heauie laden soule that sigheth to be refreshed It is the sinner that thinketh of all sinners he is the chiefest 1. Tim. 1.15 which longeth for pardon And to ende Matth. 9.13 as Christ came not to call the righteous but the sinners to repentance so assuredly it is the sinner I meane he that in déede féeleth the waight of sinne and knoweth his owne miserable estate by reason of it and the punishment due vnto it I say it is that man and that woman that séeketh what way to be discharged and none else Que. And howe doe wee knowe the greatnesse of our sinne and the horrible punishment due to the same Ans We knowe it saieth the booke by the lawe of God rightly vnderstoode the summe whereof is contained in the ten commaundements Rom. 3.20 For by the law commeth the knowledge of sinne saith Saint Paul and reade the 7. Chapter from the 7. verse to the 13. and marke it Fitly then followeth the first part of my diuision of the Catechisme before to wit the lawe Que. What is the first Commaundement Ans Thou shalt haue none other Gods but mée Que. What is the meaning of this Commandement Ans The Lorde straightly chargeth vs in this Commaundement The Booke that wee worship GOD alone Which worship standeth in 4. pointes First that wee loue God aboue all Secondly that wee feare God aboue all Thirdly that wée make our prayers to none but to God Fourthly that wee acknowledge God alone to be the guider and gouernour of all things of whom we receiue all the benefites that we haue and therefore that we trust and stay vpon him alone Que. Can we doe any of these things vnlesse we know God Ans No it is impossible for all these dueties spring of the knowledge of God and the more we knowe him the more we loue him the more wee feare him and euery way serve him Que. And what is the first point of the knowledge of God Ans To knowe that there is a God without which knowledge saith the Apostle no man can come vnto God Hebrues 11. â— Que. What wayes haue we to know that there is a God by Ans First wee knowe by the creatures that there is a God Psal 19. For the heauens declare the glorie of God and the firmament sheweth his handie worke saieth the Prophet To whom agreeth the Apostle also saying that Rom. 1.19 That which is to bee knowen of God is manifest in them For the inuisible things of him as his eternall power and Godhead are seene by the creation of the world c. As by the greatnesse of this worlde and of many particular creatures in it as also by his making all things of nothing wee sée his great power by the varietie and notable order of the creatures we sée his wisedome and by the vse that wee haue of them wee sée his goodnesse c. Que. Howe else knowe we that there is a God Ans By his worde written as our fathers in olde time did knowe him because they heard him speake to them For by his worde he is to vs as by his audible voyce he was to them vnlesse we be Infidels Que. Thirdly howe Ans Thirdly The spirit of GOD knoweth the things that are of God and doeth reueile them saith the Apostle amongst which this is one that there is a God Which the same spirit doeth so ingraue in euerie one that is elected as he that féeleth not himselfe past doubting of it is verie iustly for to feare he belongeth not yet vnto the Lord. Que. Fourthly how prooue you there is a God Ans Euery mans conscience accusing him fearing him when he doeth euill excusing him and comforting him when he doeth well telleth him plainely there is a God which punisheth euil â—nd rewardeth good And their reason â—reuaileth with the most desperate â—hat euer was or is at some time or oâ—her more or lesse Que. Howe many Gods are there Ans But one onely God And that â—o my heart I prooue First by the scripâ—ures There is one Lord one faith one â—aptisme one God and father of all Ephes 4.6 1. Tim. 2. And â—n an other place There is one GOD â—nd one mediator betwixt God man â—uen the man Iesus Christ Secondly by al â—he prayers of the godly in the Church which are directed but to one only God and therefore wee knowe there are no moe Thirdly by this commandement where he saith not Thou shalt haue none other Gods but vs but in the singular number none but me Fourthly â—y the consent of Gods Church which hath euer from time to time condemned them as heretikes which said there were any mo And lastly by reason For God is infinite and there can be but one infinite Therfore but one God c. Que. Howe many persons are there Ans Thrée persons As first I learnâ— by the third of Matthewe where the father speaketh from heauen and saieth This is my beloued Sonne Matth. 3. heare him The sonne is baptised and the holy Ghost like a Doue descendeth Secondly by the words of Christ Goe teach all nations baptising them In the name of the father of the sonne of the holy Ghost If there had béene any more persons Christ would haue named them and haue commaunded the same to bée done in their names also Or else there is inequalitie in the Godhead therefore we knowe there are but thrée persons and no moe Que. What is God Ans No man is able to define fully what God is in his essence But wée must content our selues to knowe him by his attributes namelie that hee is strong mightie mercifull wise slowe to anger of great goodnesse and so foorth as he is described vnto vs by himselfe in his worde Que. What is nowe the first duetie â—hat springeth of the knowledge of God Ans Of this knowledge of God ariseth first a true loue of him before and aboue all things whatsoeuer Which â—s when my heart euen effectually féeâ—ing how wonderfully he loued me first â—n electing creating redéeming and iustifying me in Christ Iesus besides infinite benefites else bestowed in bodie and mind vpon me doth euen burne in affection towards him againe submitteth it selfe wholy to him serueth him with chéerefulnesse maketh in trueth more account of him and his will than of all the worlde yea than euen of mine owne saluation if they could come in comparison together Que. Howe prooue you that I am thus bounde to loue God Ans It is prooued by Christ our Sauiours words He that loueth father or mother sister or brother wife or child Matth. 10.37 or any thing more than me is not worthie of me by the practise of the blessed Apostle who when he knew Christ once accounted those things which were vantage vnto him losse for Christ his sake yea euen all things he esteemed losse for the excellent
nations and the elder should serue the younger whereby she well knew Esau could not kill Iacob whatsoeuer he threatened yet did she not presume careleslie thereon and said to her selfe it skilled not what she did but she vsed the ordinarie meanes to saue Iacobs life and sent him out of the countrie for a time Numbers of these examples are in the Scripture Let this one moe of Christ himselfe suffice Iohn 17. who prayed to his father to glorifie him and yet was hee most sure of it before all to teache vs to vse ordinarie meanes Therefore Gods prouidence neuer ought to preiudice such meanes as he hath appointed to obtaine any thing by neither in déede doeth in the godlie Que. My thirde obiection is this If God ruled all by his prouidence then should there bee no misorder at al in the world as there is Ans No more there is in déede and trueth I meane in respect of God Que. No is not this euill in the world and in regarde of God wrong that euill men should thriue and flourish as they doe and the godlie not Ans No indéede For good men and women are afflicted in this world for their good namely that they may not bee condemned with the worlde And euill men receiue Gods blessings to make them without all excuse and â—o increase their damnation if they serue not God Que. Why but did not Iosephs breâ—hren ill and they that killed Christ Ans Yea in déede they did horriblie as I haue saide before but yet GOD directed all to his glorie to the benefite of his Church and our euerlasting comfort by Christ and therefore in Gods gouernement all was then well and euer is Que. What then is the conclusion Ans The conclusion is this as hath béene saide that in trueth there â—s no misorder in the worlde in respect of God For all that euer he doeth or â—etteth be done is good and for good but all misorder is in respect of man Que. What is the fruite and vse of this doctrine of Gods prouidence Ans Very great For it maketh vs in well woe giue glory to god who sends â—l It maketh vs patient to beare things â—etter because the Lorde doeth sende them it maketh vs hang still vpon him for comfort who will not sée vs want and many good fruits it worketh in vs if throughly we be perswaded of it Que. Next nowe what maner of consequence is this in the booke that because God guideth all thinges and oâ— him wee receiue all thinges therefore wee shoulde trust and stay vppon him alone Ans The consequence is very good For the former setled in the heart once by faith euer begetteth the seconde in man or woman and they cannot bee parted We sée a plaine proofe of it in Dauid who being in déede perswaded that the Lorde was his shepheard by and by concludeth thereupon therefore shall I want nothing Psal 23. Que. But what if I a fraile man or woman doe yet find my selfe weake in trusting to the Lord and in the Lord when trouble assaileth me how might I helpe this great infirmitie and increase my trust in the Lords mercie Ans First whensoeuer we are tempted to doubt of any thing it is a specialâ— â—hing presently to consider the promises â—f God touching that matter and in â—hem the generalitie and the certaintie â—s for example if this cogitation should â—rise in me certainely if I doe not as â—he worlde doth I shall neuer cary creâ—ite in the worlde nor come to any â—ealth and estate like others by and by 〈◊〉 shoulde remember what is written â—ouching this matter namely Matth. 6. Seek the â—ingdome of God first principally aâ—oue al and then shal all these things be â—ast vnto you And againe TheÌ„ that hoâ—our me them wil I honour 1. Sam. 2. with many â—uch Then hauing the promises consiâ—er next the generalitie of them and â—ée if they be limited either to poore or â—iche or any so that you may not â—oldelie lay as good holde of them as â—ny and well shall you sée they are â—ot Thirdely I must wey the cerâ—ainetie of them and the trueth of â—hem For is my God a lyar shall 〈◊〉 mistrust his worde and thinke it â—hame to doubt an earthly friende God â—orbid And if he hath spoken it that these worldly things shal be cast vppon those that serue him so farre as is good for them is not he able to perfourme his promise and to make his worde good vnlesse I vse vngodly and vnlawfull extraordinarie meanes God forbid Auant then and auoide foule diueâ— may I say For I beléeue the promises of my God so true so generall made to all men and women olde and young riche and poore and so certaine as nothing can be more I beléeue them I say I beléeue them and by his promises my trust increaseth Thus may we do in all doubtes els whatsoeuer For if it be a benefite to bodie or minde in this worlde or the next we haue the Lords promise to haue it if we serue him so far as it shal be good for vs. 1. Tim. 4. For godlines hath the promise of this life that to come Therfore neuer let SathaÌ„ preuaile Psal 84. for either God is no God or you shall want no good thing onely bee of good comfort be strong and trust in the Lorde Psal 27. and hee shall comfort your heart Que. What other way tell you me Ans Another good way to increase â—nd confirme your trust in God is in al â—réefes verie diligently to meditate of â—he Lords great power and abilitie to â—elpe you how soone he can do it how â—asily he can doe it euen in the twinkâ—ing of an eye were your case neuer so â—ard And surely no more able is hee â—han willing so farre foorth as shal be â—o your good be assured of it For God â—orbid that euer we shoulde thinke that â—e who before wée were reconciled vnâ—â— him so loued vs as that he robbed â—imselfe euen of his owne deare sonne â—or our sake nowe when we are reconâ—iled to him by so deare a price wanâ—eth good will to doe lesse things for â—s Yet that this meanes might the â—etter sinke in your mynde marke I â—aye you howe euen God himselfe â—ath taught his children to vse it knoâ—ing the profit of it to this ende As 〈◊〉 his speache with Abraham why â—â—th hée these wordes to him Gen. 17. I am â—OD alsufficient but to insinuate to Abraham that if any distrust oâ— weakenesse in any thing should assaulâ— him by and by he should help himselfâ— and strengthen his faith with meditatiâ—on of his infinite power whom hee serâ—ued and followed So againe morâ— plaine in another place Gen. 15. Feare not Abraham I am thy shielde As if hâ— shoulde haue saide if any doubt aâ—rise Abraham feare not but presentâ—ly haue recourse to the consideratioâ— of this that I am thy shielde Foâ— may it
yet was their doing wicked Arnobius saith of them Non adorabant statuaâ— quòd putabant Lib. 6. aes aurum argentuÌ„ aut similes statuaruÌ„ materias Deos esse sed quòd per ea dij inuisibiles honorentur That is They woorshipped images not for that they thought brasse golde siluer or such things to be God but because by thosâ— things the inuisible gods were worshipped Secondly if we looke to the scripture we reade a complaint in the book of Iudges for that the people left the God of Israell and serued Baalim Iud. 2.11 and what I pray you was that Did they thinke that image to be God No saieth the prophet Osee They haue called me Baalim meaning God that is Osee 2.16 they thought that worship which they did to Baalim was doone to God vnder the image and by the image and yet saith the worde They did euill in seruing Baalim Iud. 2.11 What can be plainer against this idle excuse if you will looke and mark the places wel Againe in the 17. of Iudges we reade of Micah his idols in the forme of men Iud. 17. as some thinke because Christ appeared diuerse times like a man And what Gen 32. Dan. 7. did he thinke those his idols to be God or worship theÌ„ as gods no his own words testifie the contrary for he saith Nowe shall the Lord blesse me when I haue a Leuite to my priest he doeth not say Nowe shall my Teraphim blesse me but nowe shall the Lorde blesse me distinguishing betwixt God and his images So that Micah did not thinke his idols â—o be GOD and so certainelie did not worship them as God but in them rather and by them thought he serued God who accepted that to himselfe that was doone to the image which represâ—nted him yet did he wickedly and sinned like an idolater in so doing Howe then should this popish excuse be good of worshipping GOD in the image I would to GOD with modestie and Christian chastitie men and women would thinke of this reason drawen by a godly man à pari of the like Would the husband be content with his wife or the wife with the husband if that duetie which is due of them one toward the other should be perfourmed of eyther of them to a straunger with this excuse that the Papists make No we knowe we could not beare it neyther would we with any such aunswere be contented And why should our hearts be so hard and our iudgements so bewitched that we should not thinke the Lord loueth his Church and euery true member of it aswell as any man his wife or any wife her husband and is as ielous of that spirituall duetie that is due to him as men are of the other The one is actuall fornication the other is spirituall so learned eueÌ„ in wisedome of God to beate into vs that hee can as ill abide the one as wee the other and yet wee will not sée nor conceiue Againe shall we thinke that the Israelites were so grosse as to thinke the golden Calfe to bee a verie God when as they knewe it molten and made of the earings that they plucked off Truely it is impossible For they knew that had a beginning and a God there was who had doone great things for them ere that day whose beginning they knewe not How then Why out of questioÌ„ they did imagine that the worship which they did to that idoll was doone to God in the idoll And yet whether God was pleased with that excuse or no iudge we all Let it fall then euen in the feare of God what mans head inuenteth against the Lord and his owne duetie and at the last let vs sée it to bée a vaine mocke to thinke wee can worship God in an image and by it or vnder it Another shifte they haue for defence of images in the Church but it is as ill as the former They are say they lay mens Bookes and stande in verie good stéede to put vs in minde of GOD. It is verie well And is euery kinde of Booke then good and to bee allowed of Or is euerie manner of rememberaunce by and by commendable If not then should they not onely say they are laye mens Bookes but proue that they are good bookes also in déede to that ende for otherwise many bookes may aswell hurt as profit the vsers of them as I said But this they doe not neither in déede can they doe and therefore the consequence they make is naught and falleth of it selfe if you marke it Nowe that they are no good Bookes but verie daungerous and deceyuing sightes for laye men or other whatsoeuer let the worde of the Lorde himselfe bee iudge Iere. 10.8 The Prophet Ieremie in zeale of spirite detesteth such Bookes verse 15. and refuseth to bee put in mynde of GOD by any such deceitefull meanes For the stocke sayeth hée is a doctrine of vanitie yea they are vanitie and the worke of errours and in the time of their visitation they shall perishe The Prophet Abacuck agayne sayth That the image is a teacher of lyes Chap. 2.18 though hee that made it trust in it c. Shall then a Booke full of lyes vanities and errour bée so good a Booke and rememberaunce to laye men Shall that which indaungereth the learned nothing hurt thinke wee the vnlearned O that wee knewe not by experience into what fonde and wicked opinions poore people haue béene brought of GOD by these painted and carued Bookes Howe many heartes lament their follie and howe many tongues to the praise of GODS mercy in visiting them with his light can and doe tell what fonde conceytes they had of the Lorde and heauenly matters seduced by the sight of their eyes Therefore since God hath saide it and experience founde it that they are so daungerous let them be Bookes for Paganes and Heathens surely for Christians they should not bee Which of the Prophetes or Apostles went about euer to haue images made either to put themselues in minde of any thing which the Lorde taught them or their people of any thing which they deliuered to them from the Lorde But they vsed the admonition of their brethren and especially by writing downe what they taught they helped this infirmitie of ours Signifying euen by that their practise what the meanes ought nowe to bee to put vs in minde of God and heauenly things chiefely his worde The Lorde himselfe saieth Deutro 4. Ye sawe no image but heard a voyce onely Therefore make no image and againe You sawe that I spake to you from heauen therefore yee shall make no Gods of golde nor siluer as if he shoulde haue saide my practise in speaking to you by voyce not by image shoulde teach you that by my worde and not by image I am to be remembred And it is a notable place in Esay Esay 30.21 that when the worde shall take place with his then they shal
breach doe you knowe of this commandement beside vngodly swearing Ans Truely Gods name is taken in vaine dishonored Prayer and this commandement broken in praying also aswell as in swearing for if I powre out a sort of wordes without féeling or any burning intire affection if I drawe néere with my lippes and my hart be farre away certainely I abuse the holy name of my God in so calling vpon him and I am guilty of the breach of this law For beside that reason teacheth vs God careth not for lippe labour it is the rule of the holy Ghost that when wee pray Ephes 6.18 we should pray in spirite that is with heart and affection Que. Howe else Ans Againe Gods name is taken in vaine and polluted whensoeuer it is called vpon in coniuring witchcraft Coniuring sorcerie charming and such like For the wordes of the lawe are plaine Let none bee founde amongest you that maketh his sonne and his daughter to goe through the fire Deut. 18.10 c. or that vseth witchcraft or a regarder of times or a marker of the flying of foules or a sorcerer or a charmer or that counselleth with spirits or a soothsayer or that asketh counsell of the dead For all that do such thinges are an abomination vnto the Lorde and because of these abominations the Lorde thy God doeth cast them out before thee And many other notable testimonies hath your booke quoted in the margin Que. Why but in earnest to let the rest passe do you not thinke much good is done and may be done by charming that is by vertue of some wholsome praiers as a pater noster two or three good auees and a creede or such other good words neither english nor latin nor any thing else in signification oftentimes Ans I answere to this questiō in thrée degrées And first I say the question is not onely whether any good as you tearme it be done or may be doone by a charme but whether it be or may bee doone lawefully by the same or no. And you heare the word of God plainely condemning the practise of it Wherfore with what conscience can wee deriue health or anie helpe whatsoeuer either to our selues or ours by that meanes that GOD hath so fearefully threatned vengeance vnto were we neuer so sure to obtaine it by the same Secondly what benefite soeuer we reape by such forbidden meanes I dare assure you all thinges considered wee gette no good but muche harme For what GOD will not haue doone GOD is neuer the author worker and cause of properly and directly but health or anie helpe to our selues or others by charming the Lorde will not haue procured therefore of that health and helpe so gotten assuredly the Lorde is neither author worker nor cause directly If then not the Lorde who but the diuell And if it be he as most assuredly it is he then I pray you let vs all men and women thus reason with ourselues Is the deuill our friende or our foe our welwiller or our enemie Surely we cannot be ignorant of it he is the sworne enemie of mankind the serpent that in burning malice deceiued vs once and ouerthrewe vs quite the roaring lyon that rangeth about without any rest still séeking out whom he may deuour And will euer he that hath euen sworne the woe of vs all and séeketh as Peter saith that is with all diligence and indeuour with might and maine with tooth and naile as we say with his candle in his hande light least by any meanes we should escape him applyeth his whole power to destroy vs and to bring vs to endelesse calamitie wil he I say euer do vs any good thinke we but to the ende to inferre thereby a greater plague vpon vs Certainely he will not for he were not the deuill if he should and we may be as assured of it as we are sure that he hath that name and nature Then I say let vs marke We finde by a charme bodily helpe in our selues or ours But this would neuer Sathan haue done vnlesse he had knowen that the vsing of meanes forbidden by God would sting our bodies soules to eternall death in the worlde to come Then sée still I say and note it Good he doth vs in bodie that a thousande times more euill he may worke both to body and soule in the day of iudgement Temporall ease he is content to bestow vpon vs that endlesse disease miserie and woe he may procure vnto vs. This is most true and nowe what good doth charming if all thinges be considered Shall a Christian man and woman so hunt for helpe of body or goods that they shall for it loose bodie and soule eternally Shall our health and wealth be deerer to vs than the Lordes commandement God forbid and therefore let vs rest perswaded howsoeuer wee thinke such vngodly meanes procure vs good yet in déede all thinges considered it is no good For Sathan being our foe will neuer doe vs good but to the ende to hurt vs more by it and the breache of Gods commaundement will ring our soules a passing peale from face and fauour of the Lorde Last of all which especially I thinke you would heare I denie that by the charme any thing at all is doone whatsoeuer the wordes be For euerie action must haue a fit and conuenient meanes applied vnto the patient to be doone by but bare wordes Pater nosters auees and creedes characters and figures are no meanes appointed of the Lorde to doe any cures by either vppon men or cattle and therefore if any thing be doone assuredly it is not doone by these thinges as the true working meanes but by the deuill himselfe bléering our eies by these shadowes And this vaine opinion verie Aristotle could mocke and disdaine as absurde and foolish Plinie also with diuers others Que. But howe prooue you by scripture that bare wordes being good words be not forcible to this ende Ans Surely me thinke beside others that example in the acts of the Apostles prooueth it wher we sée those vagabund Iewes there spoken of vsed as good wordes as might be but all to no purpose when the deuill listed not dissemble And therefore we may sée it is not the charme that can doe any thing by vertue of the bare wordes And you can not say that vnto the wordes come any faith and good minde of the charmer for faith leaneth vpon promise and promise annexed to a thing maketh it lawefull but charming hath neither promise in the word nor is allowed but by name expressely forbidden and condemned Que. Yet we see manie thinges are done by it and experience daily confirmeth a contrarie assertion to you Ans True it is and I graunt it that by charmes diuers are healed c. But therefore they were the verie wordes that did it It is no consequence For other meanes might doe it and yet nothing apparant to vs but the charme As a witche may
of his father and mother and they haue chastened him and hee would not hearken vnto them then shall his father and mother take him and bring him vnto the elders of the Citie and vnto the gate of that same place and say vnto the Elders of the Citie this our sonne is stubborne and disobedient and will not hearken vnto our voice he is a riotour and a drunkard and all the men of the Citie shall stone him with stones to death and thou shalt put euill away from thee and all Israell shall heare and feare Que. But howe farre must a childe obey Ans If we passe ouer the discourse of Philosophers touching this matter and come to the scriptures the Apostle Paul determineth it thus Colos 3.20 That children must obey their parentes in all thinges Que. Why but shall we thinke Paule would haue a childe in deede obey his Parentes in all thinges as the woordes sounde What if they commaund a wicked thing Ans No indéede wee may not take Paules wordes so generally but wee must expounde that place by an other place of Paule to the Ephesians Ephes 6 where he biddeth children as you hearde aboue obey their parentes in the Lorde And by the wordes of Mathewe where it is sayde Matth. 10. Hee that loueth father or mother more than me is not worthie of me Que. And howe then conclude you touching my question Ans Thus I conclude that a child is bounde to obey his parentes in all thinges in the Lorde that is so farre as his obedience may stande with the dutie which he oweth to his God and with such circumstances touching his owne person as both reason and pietie woulde shoulde bee regarded Which conclusion compriseth assuredlie their obedience as touching mariage Que. What begetteth this obedience in children Ans When parentes desire obedience they must knowe that it is their duties to commaund thinges lawfull in respect of God This excludeth forcing to marrie against all likeing and conuenient in regarde of their children Que. What is the thirde and last part of this honour Ans Maintainance of our parentes if néede be Que. What meane you by this maintenaunce Ans It is a thankfull sustayning of the want of our parents either by our riches counsell strength or any other thing which God hath blessed vs withall and they haue not Que. But how dare we interpret the commaundement thus Honor thy Parentes that is maintaine them as thou art able and they haue neede Ans Surely first very reason telleth vs that this is as due as either reuerence or obedience but to let that passe wee haue apparant scriptures where by honor is meant maintenance As namely in the Apostles spéech to Timothie Honour widowes 1. Timoth. 5. that be widowes in deede That is prouide for theÌ„ and let them be sustained Againe in the same place a litle after They that rule well are worthy of double honor 17. where by honour in part is meant maintaynance Lastlie in the gospell of S. Marke our Sauiour Christ notablie sheweth that the Scribes and Pharisies Marke 7. perswading children to giue to their vse that wherewith they shoulde haue helped their Parentes caused them to breake this commaundement in not honoring them as they should Where we euidently see Christ himselfe includeth in this honour maintaynaunce and these places as they warrant this interpretation so doe they also plainely prooue that children owe this dutie to their parentes Que. What further may be saide for the warranting of this that children ought to releeue their parentes wherein they can Ans Beside the testimonies of scripture nowe alledged to prooue it the spirite of God hath added reasons to vrge it and there are also examples to perswade it and fearefull experiences of Gods wrath vpon the contrarie to feare vs from it Que. What reasons Ans In the 6. to the Ephesians the 1. verse this reason is added because it is a iust thing or right And indéede so it is right both in respect of God that appointeth it and in respect of that which our parentes haue doone for vs before Que. What else Ans Againe in the 3. to the Colossians the 20. verse this reason is aledged because it is well pleasing to the Lorde Que. What examples Ans Valerius in his 5. booke and 4. chapter sheweth a notable example of a daughter that nourished her mother in prison with her brestes And if heathens by the lawe of nature knewe so much to be their dutie how much more christians hauing added thereunto the light of Gods worde Que. What else Ans It is also reade of the Storkes that when they are olde they kéepe continually the nest and their young birds prouide for them and feede them till they die Que. Well then yet what nowe if children refuse thus to behaue themselues to their parentes or neglect it Ans They are then to looke for the wrath of the Lorde in them sharpely with heauie hande punishing so foule a fault And to consider well that as others haue founde him so shall they vndoubtedly Cham Reuben Hophin and Phinees with a number others are before their eyes as experiences to be wise by if they haue grace And aboue all other Absolon that gracelesse man who like a disobedient childe to a good father sought greatly to dishonour him 2. Saâ—â— 18. and so horrible was this sinne that euen the earth was wearie of so wicked a burden and would carie him no longer The heauens also were ashamed of him and the wrath of God hanged him vp betwixt heauen and earth by the heire of his head till Ioab thrust him thorowe with thrée dartes beeing yet aliue A fearefull spectacle to all rebelles against their Prince or disobedient children against their Parentes Que. Breefely nowe whom doe you note to be comprehended heere vnder the title Parentes Ans First Parentes by nature secondly by dignitie and office thirdly by age and fourthly by benefit Generally they are all in steede of Parentes to vs by whome as by instrumentes the Lorde deriueth his mercies to vs. Que. Who be Parentes by dignitie or office Ans Magistrates ouer the people maisters ouer their seruauntes ministers ouer their charges and such like Que. For Magistrates what say you Ans I say their place and calling that portion aboue others which the Lorde hath giuen them of his authoritie maiestie and excellencie prooueth vnto vs that wee must reuerence them The increase and safetie of that which wee possesse through peace maintayned by them prooueth that we ought againe thankefullie to maintaine them their estate and gouernment by tribute taxes subsidies and such like and for obedience it is in a number of places commaunded as are also the former Therefore when as all the partes of honour are due vnto them as reuerence maintainaunce and obedience I may conclude Magistrates as Parentes are to be honored Que. There is no question of anie of these but now how
say the ordinarie forerunners of murther quarrelling and fighting with their fellowes whatsoeuer And assuredly if the Lorde were in vs as we thinke he is that méeke spirite of his would kill more and more that fearefull hastinesse to reuenge that is euen in al and we would learne of him Math. 11.25 for hee is meeke and lowly in heart Que. What thinke you of killing by combat Ans I must néedes thinke that the practise in a Christian common wealth being naught and vnlawfull the death that therby insues is horrible murther and condemned in this commaundement Nowe that to fight a combat in a godly state is not tollerable it may easily appeare if you weigh the causes for which it is at any time taken in hande For if they be not as it will appeare sufficient to warrant it then is it not warrantable The first cause that is alleadged for it is to trie a trueth which otherwise can not bee knowen say they But it may bee answered that the ende good doeth not by and by make the meanes good to try out a trueth is good but to try it with the hazarde of life is more than can be warranted There are manie lawefull meanes to finde out trueth by and if all those faile then is it euident that the Lorde for some cause reserueth it to himselfe for a secret and to séeke importunately and impaciently by extraordinarie meanes as a combat is to finde it out is to tempt the Lorde and euen as it were by violence to draw from him the manifestation of the which as yet he would not haue reueiled Secondly the one partie is innocent yet either of thē desireth the death of an other indifferently so the murder is in the hart of both of them which amongest Christians shoulde not be countenaunced Sometimes the combat is craued for vaine ostentation of corage strength many a Thraso thinking his glorie to stande in the chalenging of an other to vngodlinesse but this I hope no man will say to be a good cause for a Magistrate to admit of a combat Sometimes to auoyd or reuenge some great disgrace offred to a man he beggeth thus to fight But a Christian man that must make an accompt at the day of iudgement of his life giuen him from aboue must learne to estéeme more of life than honour if honour by lawefull meanes may not be kept and more of God and his commaundement than of them both Besides the profession of a Christian is to heare euill and to suffer euill though hee doe well and deserue so therefore farre should wee be from yéelding to such heates Some alleadge that it endeth strife and therefore is to be admitted but to this may serue the aunswere to the first cause alleadged for it And besides who knoweth not that howesoeuer it endeth it betwixt those two because the one of them dyeth yet layeth it the foundation of euen deadly hatred in the heartes of all their frindes seede and posteritie so that for one which is killed there starteth vp an hundred discontented heartes séeking and following all occasions of strife against their enemies Therefore in peace and at home howe a Christian Magistrate may allowe the combat wee finde no sufficient cause and warrant For the fielde yet some doe thinke it is méete and that they haue reason for it for say they when two armies are incamped in battle together if vppon causes it bee iudged fitte not to hazarde the losse of manie but to committe it to two champions either side agréeing to yéelde vppon the ouerthrowe of their man who can mislike this But we answere that as yet the combat in it selfe is not prooued good but is euill and to doe euill that good may come of it wee may not Againe in such a case as this we must consider not onely of the men and their safetie but also of the cause and his honestie The cause is certainely either good or euill either iust or iniust If it bee good and iust then is not the credite of it to bee layde vppon one man onelie to the mocking of iustice and right and if it bee euill and vniust then of a Christian Magistrate not one mannes life is to be spent in it and for it Yea but say they yet further the partie that hath the good cause is farre the weaker and not able to stande if they once ioyne all together and therefore this other way of two to trie all is good And we answere also further that this were a maruelous distrust of Gods mercie and power not tollerable in a Christian For if the cause be good and méete to be maintayned then is the cause the Lordes the men the Lordes and hee saueth not by bowe nor speare nor by the multitude of an hoste so that wee shoulde so regarde these but giueth victorie at his will to the weaker and driueth away as the winde the dust verie mightie force assembled against him and his children Therefore not euen yet doe I see a cause to beare out anie combat If there be anie corruption in menne that iustice bee not doone which sometimes also is a cause alleadged we must say as hee sayde committing our selues and our matter to GOD. Video fero spero That is I sée I suffer I trust in God And euen with a good heart be readie to beare any thing rather than by a thing whereof I haue no warrant to séeke my satisfaction Que. Why what say you then of Dauids act with Goliah Ans I say it was an extraordinary motion in the hart of Dauid wrought by the Lorde vppon the hearing of such blasphemie against God Num. 25. Exod. 32. 1. King 18. and it may not bee our imitation no more than the fact of Phinees of the Leuites or of Eliah which were all mere extraordinarie and had their warrant by such specialtie from the Lorde as that others may not looke it shall extend to them if they doe the like Que. What nowe of killing of our selues is that neuer tollerable Ans Much of this matter hath S. Augustine in his first booke of the city of God And first he reasoneth thus Chap. 1. If Iudas did euill in hanging himselfe which hee thinketh no man will denie what may warrant anie man or woman to lay violent handes vppon themselues Chap. 28. For neuer can anie fall in earth to a fowler fact or to worse estate in the eyes of God and man Secondlie saith hee the lawe saith not Thou shalt not kill thy neighbor limiting it as it were to some but indefinitelie Thou shalt not kill extending it largelie to all and therefore saith he not euen our selues may we make away Thirdlie not Iob in all his extremitie durst doe this whē as yet one pricke woulde haue finished all his woe Chap. 24. And therefore no man may kill himselfe Que. Well but yet because you name Augustine I haue heard of some causes propounded by him in
what graces God hath giuen them But it is a sealed trueth god giue vs harts to coÌ„sider it wel IudgmeÌ„ts are prepared for the scorner Prou. 19.29 stripes for the backe of the foole Michall Dauids wife a mocking mistresse out of her gasing windowe not sparing her owne husbande the king of a frumpe and that in a good thing found the rewarde of it at the Lorde shée was cursed as barren while her life indured and neuer had children Those mocking children at the baldnesse of the Prophet felt the rewarde of such a sinne For our example the Lorde caused Beares to deuour them all presentlie Semei that scorned the estate of Dauid 2. Kings 2. went not to his graue in peace Bician that scoffer was deuoured of dogges as they write And as yet neuer scaped the vnrepenting scorner the handes of the Lorde For howe shoulde it stande with his iustice to call vs to a reckning for our idle wordes and not for our mockes and vngodlie tauntes Wherefore trueth it is and shall euer stande Blessed is that man that hath not sit in the seate of the scornefull Que. Why but may we not iest merily one with an other Ans Yes indéede for all iesting is not mocking such as nowe we haue spoken of and shewed to bee euill Merilie if you remember did the Prophet Eliah iest with the Idolaters worshippers of Baal bidding them crie lowd for their god paradueÌ„ture might be talking with some body 1. King 28. or pursuing his enimies or in some iornie some whither or paraduenture a sléepe Thus saith the text did Eliah mocke them yet this mocking being but a pleasaÌ„t iesting to haue taught them good if they had had grace displeased not the Lord. An other example also we haue in the prophet Esay laughing as it were at their follie who wold worship that as God the chippes whereof had made them such a fire that they cryed A Esay 44. ha I am well warmed And for the place to the Ephesians it condemneth not this maner of speaking and iesting Ephe. 5. but that which procéedeth either of a vaine desire to shew our selues or of an vngodly coueting to sting our brethren Que. Thus then I see the malice of the tongue to be great and euen al men by it to be made guilty of this coÌ„mandement though their handes neuer shed bloode yet is it such a mischiefe as the godlie are much subiect to I meane to be stinged with the tongues of the wicked and therefore I pray you if you knowe anie giue me some counsell howe to thinke of this crosse Ans Truth it is that howsoeuer the sinne be great to mocke or to speake against any despitefully and especially the godly yet is it a crosse vsually incident to them that will separate the sinnes of this worlde so néere as they can from their liues to be taunted and spoken against by both open despisers of goodnesse and by open professors also of religion And that comfort which I knowe is to thinke euen often and seriously of these and such other places The mouth of the wicked Psal 109.2 the mouth full of deceit are opened vpon me saith Dauid They haue spoken to me with a lying tongue they compassed me about also with wordes of hatred and fought against mee without a cause For my friendshippe they were mine aduersaries But I gaue my selfe to prayer Sée the refuge of this saint of God in this kinde of crosse euen to heauen marke the rest of his conscience euen the Lord and if euer the like case be ours let vs powre with him our guiltlesse gréefe into the bosome of our God and there an ende till the Lorde thinke good to make our trueth appeare also to men The like spéeche and practise note againe in an other place of the same booke Princes sayth he did sit and speake against me Psal 119.23 but thy seruant did meditate in thy statutes And againe The proude haue had mee exceedingly in derision yet haue I not shrinked from thy commaundementes Ver. 51. And what a spéech is it of Paule to the Corinthians I take pleasure in infirmities 2. Cor. 12.10 in reproches c. Wherefore in God reioyce who seeth the heart that meant no harme in the Lord be chéerefull whose mercy turneth the deserued crosse of many gret greefes into the biting but of a peuish tongue and in pacience passing the time on say in faith what many haue saide in folly That time shall trie the trueth Que. Yet there are some mo branches of this murther of the tongue Ans Indéede by the tongue also no doubt they kill who by cruell counsell stirre vp the hating heartes of men to any bloudie persecution or which with their mouthes witnesse an vntruth to the ende to shedde any bloud thereby as did the iudges of Susanna and as many consciencelesse men in these daies doe being vpon an inquest of life and death to be maisters of their will Que. Now if you thinke good a litle also of the third kind of murder namely of the heart and first how it is prooued Ans The words of our sauiour Christ are plaine That there is a murther of the heart that out of the heart come euill thoughts adulteries fornications murthers Therefore there is a murder of the heart Againe S. Iohn saith Whosoeuer hateth his brother is a mansleaer But hatred is in the hart and therefore manslaughter Thirdly the minde and the wil being the beginnings or the fountains of al actions if they be infected the man must nedes be gilty before the Lord. Que. Doth this fearefull sinne step into the heart at first or it creepeth rather by degrees as other great sinnes doe Ans Sathan is more subtle than so to drawe euerie man to the extremitie of sinne at the first and therefore howsoeuer in some men he doth vpon a sodaine yet ordinarily this murther stealeth into our heartes by these steps First Satan bréeâ—eth by his vnmarked créeping into our affections a misliking of such a man or woman and yet wee well knowe not why but we can not like them Then doeth this misliking bréede anger For we cannot beare at their handes that which wee can well suffer at others Anger bréedeth hatred hatred desire of reuenge and desire of reuenge murther Thus stealeth sinne into vs and by these steppes Therefore first euerie Christian is to take héede howe misliking of any groweth vppon him Misliking and to snubbe the course of Sathan at the first Secondly to looke the fruite thereof namely anger weying well what was saide to Caine Gen. 1.6 Caine why art thou angry And by our Sauiour Christ in the gospell Math. 5. But I say vnto you whosoeuer is angry with his brother vnaduisedly Anger shal be culpable of iudgement expounding there this commandement and including as you see anger in it And hence haue growen all those vehement
matter in the eare of an other against any body which yet if it had bin mine owne offence I woulde willingly haue wished conceiled couered Hath this hart of mine caried euer the loue in this respect that true tender regard of my brothers credit the possibly it might or of duty it should O the God of gods be mercifull vnto vs and deale not with vs according to our sinnes neither euer reward vs according to our iniquities For I am sure I may speake it in truth yet in sorow against all flesh that liueth we are guilty we are faulty in this behalfe We snub not our heartes when we sée their want of loue prouoke our tongs to speak vnlouingly We say not in our selues with a pause vpon the matter what am I about to say to whoÌ„ of whoÌ„ to what end Wil it hurt him or profit him what is my desire how wold I wish if his case were mine so foorth but headily vnaduisedly I feare vnlouingly we speake what we list almost say with the wicked Psalm our tongs are our own who shal control vs Therfore I say again for this branch of murder by the tong the god of mercy be merciful to vs truly teach vs both how we sin in it how we ought to be reformed of it For reproches how stand we Reproch Haue we neuer cursed the deafe nor put a stumbling blocke before the blind That is haue we neuer insulted ouer any maÌ„s infirmity or vnkindly reproched him with his imperfectioÌ„ O spiteful tongs of ours how passe they the bonds of loue herein It is our pleasure to bewray the wantes of others it is our pastime to gréeue their spirites and tâ— gaule them for theÌ„ yea wee glorie in their ignominie wee swell in conceit of our selues when we sée them and we stretch out our necks and lift vp our hautie eyes when wee passe by them Their weakenesse is our boast all the day long haunting them riding them as we vse to speake in euerie corner and as verie Pharisies wée are in an other case wee looke at their wantes wee exalt our selues and in pride wee speake it or at least inwardlie thinke it wee are not as those séelie Idiotes are Rare is that man and woman that with a tender heart comforteth and couereth whoÌ„ they sée to néed as they wishe their owne wantes with the sufficiencie of Iesus Christ couered from the wrath which they deserue But I trust for the time that is to come it shall neuer bee verified of vs which wee haue heard before out of Salomon spoken that The maÌ„ which is accustomed to opprobrious wordes Prou. 23.15 will neuer bee reformed all the dayes of his life Prou. 28.13 And for that which is past the God of mercie wipe it out as hee hath promised Let vs consider the mockes and tauntes that haue passed from vs euen with ioy in our wittes that wee coulde so doe and euerie speach so néere as wee can whereby our brethren haue receiued harme priuately or openly in place of iustice or out of it And are we then vpright before the Lorde touching the murder of the tongue Psal 7.32 Blessed is the man whose vnrighteousnesse is forgiuen and whose sinne euen in this respect is couered The murder of the heart remaineth wherein wee are to wey howe we haue euer vppon anie occasion suffered mislike to growe within vs of our brethren or anger or harred or enuie reioycing at other mens falles desire of reuenge crueltie or bitternesse pretermission of oportunitie or anie other braunch thereof and whether through our negligence and suffering Satan to créepe vppon vs euen all these almost haue not béene within vs at one time or other one pulling on an other as thinges vnseparable Howe hath misliking of some and we well knewe not why made vs apt to anger with anie thing which they did often displeased with them more than we should How hath anger beeing lodged too long changed his nature and become hatred in vs Howe hath hatred hatched vp enuie and desire of reuenge Howe hath enuie wished the fall of others spited their good whatsoeuer it was ioyed at their miserie if wee liued to sée it Howe hath desire of reuenge pricked vs to the thing it selfe nurced vp crueltie and ouer great seueritie What wantes haue we showed of tender compassion and comfort to the comfortles What prolonging haue wee made of the good which wee haue doone and howe careleslie haue wee passed many an oportunitie to doe our dueties in kindenesse to our brethren Alas then where is the perfection of our loue where is the innocencie of our life where is that integritie of ours touching this commaundement which we dare present of it selfe to please before the Lord Our heartes are stayned our tongues haue strayed and euen our handes also peraduenture against it â—aue gréeuouslie offended Let vs â—hinke of it and the Lorde giue vs â—eartes effectuallie to féele it For the â—ight of sinne can neuer hurt vs when â—t causeth sorow and true repentaunce And to sée sinne to dispare we néede not â—ince Christ our Sauiour hath fulfilled â—he lawe for vs. The verie strength of â—he lawe is but conditionall damnatiâ—n if we will not be humbled if we wil â—ot repent but if wee doe then stepâ—eth Christ in with all his perfection â—nd presenteth himselfe to his father â—or vs then doth he iustifie and who can condemne then will hee saue vs and what can loose vs O that wee would â—herefore sée our offences against euerie commaundement and namelie against this O that wee woulde confesse them and leaue them as we can hereafter The Lorde giue it and the Lord grant it and so shal we liue with the Lord for euer The seuenth Commaundement Thou shalt not commit adulterie Question WHat is the meaning of this commaundement The act Ans First there is forbidden all adulterie fornication and other vncleanesse in our bodies saith your booke which néedeth no proofe besides the plaine wordes of the lawe and that print which in his conscience euerie one carrieth about yet hath the author added some for more strength against the frowarde which I leaue to euerie one to read by theÌ„selues Secondly there are forbidden all vnpure thoughtes and lustes of the heart For as in the other commandementes it hath béene sayde The thought so is it to be thought of againe in this The lawe giuer is spirituall and therefore this law Besides it is testified in plaine wordes that not onelie he is guiltie of this lawe which committeth the act but hee also which looketh vpon a woman and lusteth after her Math. 5.28 Thirdly the Apostle placeth chastitie in bodie and mind and therefore the contrarie is incident both to bodie and mind Nay in verie truth man is rather that which he is in mind Man is that which he is in heart than that which he is is
the play is peradueÌ„ture the strangenes of the place lacke of light to guide them causeth errour in their way more than good Christians should in their houses suffer Que. What else Ans Dancing againe is in the number of vaine pastimes and the allurements to vncleannesse as much experience hath too wel proued The scriptures checke it the fathers mislike it the couÌ„cels haue condemned it the proofe of Gods iudgementes vpon it biddeth vs beware Instrumenta luxuriae tympana tripudia sayth one the inticers to lust are pipinges and dancinges Laquei sunt scandala non soluÌ„ saltatoribus sed spectatoribus They are snares and offences not onely to the actors but also to the beholders Iob. 21.11 Iob noteth it as an olde practise of the deuil to occupy men withall as an ancient exercise of the wicked that they should daunce Vpon which wordes a godly writer sayeth Calu. serm 80. vpon Iob. that from the tabret and the flute which in themselues are not vnlawefull they come to dauncing which is the chiefest mischiefe of all For there is alway sayth he such vnchast behauiour in dauncing that of it selfe and as they abuse it to speake â—he trueth in the worde it is nothing else but an inticement to whoredome In the gospell the spirite of God noteth it in a wicked woman as an immodest thing Math. 14. of a damnable effect in her wicked father Herode to dance And such as interpret the place are not afraide of these words Marlor ex Calu. that it was meretriciae lasciâ—iae turpis nota nubilis puellae saltatio That is that for her to dance beeing a maide for yeares mariageable was a note of whorish wantonnesse For whosoeuer saith he hath a care of honest grauitie he euer condemneth dancing and especially in a maide Againe hee calleth it spectaculum familiae Regiae probrosum A dishonorable sight in a kings house with manie speaches moe of mislike Sirac a wise man Syrac 9.4 and of great experience biddeth a man not to vse the companie of a woman that is a singer and a dauncer neither to heare her least hee bee taken with her craftinesse The godlie Fathers as I saide mislike it For saltatio ad adulteras Ambros de virgin lib. 3. non ad pudicas pertinet saith one of them Dauncing belongeth to adulterous and not to honest women A sharpe spéeche Yet was this graue father not afraide to speake it Saltatio barathrum diaboli Chryst Math. hom 48. sayth an other dauncing is the deuils hell And we heare spéeche of Iacobs mariage saith he in the scripture in Genes but not a worde of anie dauncing that was at it Theophilact in Mar. 6. Mira collusio sayth an other Saltat diabolus per puellam It is a strange iugling when wee thinke the maide doth daunce and it is not so but the deuill in her or by her The councels haue condemned it as others haue at large shewed And verie Tullie could say an honest man would not dance in an open place for a great patrimonie For the iudgementes of God vpon this vaine pastime it is strange which Pantaleon noteth out of Crantzius that in Colbecke a towne in Germanie certaine light persons hopping and dauncing in the Churchyearde of S. Magnus An. 1505. beeing by the minister admonished to cease and not ceasing did for a long time not able to stay runne rounde about and at last fell all downe dead But because others haue so largelie writ against this vanitie I say no more of it at this time but wish vs to consider that it is an inticement otten to adulterie and therefore in this commaundement forbidden And as for anie dauncing that wee reade of in the scriptures to haue béene vsed of the godly we must vnderstande that their dancing was euer a sober modest motion with some song vsually to Gods praise and men by themselues women by themselues Which nothing will warrant our custome and guise in these daies Que. Are there yet anie moe allurementes Ans There are yet many mo But I may not in this sort stande vpon them Gluttonie drunkennesse Ezek 16. with houses of open whoredome your booke nameth and proofes for them Idlenesse also is an other meanes 1. Cor. 7.39 the vowe of chastitie the deniall of seconde mariages the going of men in womens apparell and women in mans apparell Deut. 22. with a number such This onelie must I say and so conclude this negatiue part of the commaundement For he that will no euill do must nothing doe that longs thereto looke whatsoeuer it is that we can sée to bee anie allurement anie occasion or meanes to vncleannesse all that is condemned in this commaundement as much as the verie act of adulterie which heere onely is expressed Then howe the holie Pope of Rome can warrant by the worde of God the erection and continuaunce of his stewes iudge you although his gaine be neuer so much thereby Nay howe could that monster Sixtus the fourth warrant the erection of a stewes of both kindes In king Edwarde 4. that is both of women and men whereby 20000 and some yeares 40 thousande ducketes came to his coffers Or the whole Church of Rome so like of and so diminish the sinne of fornication Can this their spirite that guideth them be the spirite of GOD when it condemneth not the act whereof God condemneth all occasions and allurementes No no the Lorde giue vs eies and then haue we markes sufficient to bewray them by Que. Thus then may we see what we â—re forbidden in this lawe nowe I pray you adde something of the thinges we are commaunded in the same Ans For this matter your booke answereth well that as wee are forbidden in it all vncleannesse and all inticementes to the same so on the other side we are commaunded to kéepe our bodies and soules chast and pure as temples of the holy ghost or if the guift of chastitie be not giuen vs then to vse the lawefull remedie appointed for vs by God which is mariage Concerning therefore chastity we are to know that verie greatly the scripture layeth downe Gods liking of it and with many wordes exhorteth vs vnto it This is the will of God sayth the Apostle euen your sanctification and that you should abstaine from fornication â—hat euerie one of you should know how to possesse their vessels in honor and hoâ—inesse not in the lust of coÌ„cupiscence euen as the gentils which know not God And in an other place 2. Cor. 7.1 Seeing sayth he that we haue these promises dearly beloued let vs clense our selues froÌ„ al filthines of the flesh and spirite and grow vp vnto all holinesse in the feare of God And againe the same Apostle beseecheth the God of peace to sanctifie them throughout 1. Thes 5.23 that their whole spirit and body soule may be kept blamelesse til the
obserue his will We nowe knowe not our actes onely but our inwarde thoughtes must euer be holy we now knowe many meanes that leade to offence heerein and that euen the meanes must also be eschewed Nowe then if we liue as in ignorance wee did scorning at counsell cleauing to our pleasures and reiecting the Lorde and his lawe shall we escape He that knoweth his maisters will and doth it not shall hee be vnpunished Marke what I say and pray euer to féele it as the wrath of the king bad heate the furnace seuen times hootter than eâ—er it was to consume the men that withstoode him to his face for truth so shall the wrath of God that made this lawe cause hell to be hette 70 times 7 times hotter for vs if wilfully after warning and maliciously after knowledge we oppose our life against it That is he shall multiply the paines of hell vppon vs for these pleasures of our fleshe that swéete sinne may haue bitter and sower confusion for euermore Nowe the God of heauen giue vs sense and féeling the Lorde of mercie touch vs with a taste of sinne by the viewing of his lawe For we cannot alwayes liue and thus dally with our owne soules neither standeth it with the nature of our God who is iust finally to forgiue vs though he long forbeare vs vnlesse we amend But he must haue his iudgement and we must haue our torment as sure as we liue Nowe doeth hee wish vs to consider our wayes and to turne our feete into his testimonies his warninges waste and his wrath increaseth if wee settle our selues against him Yet O howe I feare wee will wilfully doe it For it is so swéete and so incident to vs which this lawe forbiddeth that a thousande to one we forsake the Lorde The allurementes I haue named wee will neuer withstande no wee will not heare of it that they cause vs to fall But pleasing this fleshe for the time wee doe vse them wee will neuer espie the paine that will followe them Yet why should I feare since God is of power to pierce anie hart and hath promised to doe it if wee heartily begge it O Lorde I hope thou wilt worke with vs that by this lawe we may sée howe we haue offended thée and what héereafter we must more eschewe the one with sorrowe and true remorse the other with faith and continuall care Then shall thy Christ and our comfort who in our flesh fulfilled the lawe for vs couer with his righteousnesse all our sinnes against it Then shall sinnes past in his bloud be forgiuen and wee by him euer héereafter strengthened Then we shall order our eyes with a carefull heart we shall set a watch before our mouth and keepe the dore of our lippes all false inticementes to forbidden lustes wee shall gladly refraine and so escape the sinne it selfe the better This I say good Lorde we shall doe if thou worke with vs that is thou and thy power and thou and thy mercie shall doe it in vs. Which voutchsafe O father of heauen for thy vnmeasurable vnsearchable goodnesse sake Amen The eight Commaundement Thou shalt not steale Question HOwe can this commaundement possiblie stande with that opinion of communitie Ans Indéede no way for it manifestly ouerthroweth so vile an imagination and sheweth the distinction of dominions propriety in things was and is the ordinance of the Lorde For euerie prohibition sheweth an ordinance before established which should be obserued either in Gods lawes or mans though not alwaies expressely As the forbidding of murther sheweth preseruation of life to be the wil of God and the denyall of adulterie inferreth the liking of chastitie either in mariage or out So the forbidding of stealth which is an alienation of an other mans goods to our selues sheweth that euery thing is not our owne to take at our pleasure but proprietie in possession is the will of the Lorde For if all thinges be common there can be no stealth and so this law friuolous and to no purpose which God forbid we should affirme or thinke Que. Yet many haue bin of this opinion affirming that tyranny not diuinitie maketh this difference amongst men Ans It is verie true Yet I hope you sée how euideÌ„tly this law of God which I trow they will account diuinitie doth ouerthrowe them and their folly as do also all other lawes that may héereunto be reduced with many scriptures mo For as there can bee no stealth if all thinges be common and therefore this lawe of God as I saide in vaine giuen so there can be no buying or selling no borowing or lending no letting or leasing or any such thing amongst men if euery man haue like interest to take at his pleasure therfore the Lord God euen in these also greatly ouerséene for that he would troble himselfe to make lawes touching these matters when as no maÌ„ hath or ought to haue anie proprietie in anie thing more than an other Againe all the exhortations in the Scripture to almes déedes and to mercie toward the poore is friuolous for they haue as good right to take anie thing they want from anie man as the other haue to giue them But all these you sée are absurde and therefore the opinion and the contrary of it the wil and ordinance of the Lord. Que What is then the verie drift of this commandement Ans The verie end of it is this to bind our loue and care to our neighbors goods as before it hath béene to his life and things déere vnto him as his life For it cannot bee that our heartes shoulde bee right in affections towards our brethren and wee spoylers and wasters or anie way harmers of the commodities which they inioy Loue chéerisheth kéepeth euen euery thing so néere as it can which he accompteth of whome wee loue and especiallie which hee liueth by and maintaineth both himselfe and others by And therefore as I thinke we cannot take a better course to lay before our owne eyes that wants of loue in vs towards the goods of our neighbors and consequently our breaches of this commaundement than diligently to wey some particular dueties specified in the worde wherein the Lord God would haue our loue to show it selfe As for open rapine and plaine stealth no man I thinke wil excuse it or denie it to be sinne and therfore I stand not vpoÌ„ it your booke hath euident places quoted against it I come rather to those other duties of borowing and lending of hyring and letting of buying and selling and such like Que. First then what is the Lawe of borowing and lending in the worde Ans If a man saith the lawe borow anie thing of his neighbour Exod. 22.14 and it bee hurt or else die the owner of it not being by hee shall surelie make it good If it be an hyred thing he shal not make it good for it came for his hyre In which lawe if wee well wey
thâ— flocke and shall he so quietly passe them ouer that put in and place such dumâ— dogges and vnable drones to doe aniâ— duetie for their owne lucre Is it a token of loue to féede his shéepe to féedâ— his lambes and is it not a want of louâ— both to God and his lambes to put iâ— for my gaine such a drie nurse as caâ— giue no milke nor féede at all except 〈◊〉 be with follie and a fowle example of drinking swearing carding tabling â—owling sléeping and such like Thinke we if Ieremy were nowe aliue to suruey the parishes of this our countrey Ierem. 9.1 â—nd should sée the fearefull estate of so manie soules not able to tell howe they â—halbe saued or to prooue anie one prinâ—iple of religion not flying sinne beâ—ause they féele it not to be sinne nor â—auing light because they knowe it not â—o be light thinke we I say that hee â—hould not wish his head full of water â—nd his eies a fountaine of teares that â—e might wéepe day and night for the â—ame of Englande through these pouâ—â—ng patrones Assuredly hee would For the heart that harboreth any portiâ—n of pitie to the Lordes people or hath â—nie care what become of the price of â—hrist his bloud could neuer abide vnâ—uched déepe to sée so great a spoyle for â—orldly wealth of that which all the â—orlde cannot redéeme when it is lost â—he Lorde the Lorde looke vppon his â—hurch for his mercies sake and either â—â—ter the heartes of these Church robbers by giuing them to sée what hangeth ouer them and their posteritie mosâ— iustly for such a sinne or else plucke ouâ— of their handes by restoring disciplinâ— the bestowing of them any longer Next let vs weigh what goods we hauâ— euer gotten by vnlawfull gaming oâ— by false deceite in the same and rememâ—ber it hath béene prooued before a gréeâ—uous stealth Let vs also consider howâ— wee stande touching the affirmatiuâ— part of this commandement which weâ— are aswell bounde to performe as weâ— are to flie the contrarie as howe weâ— haue euer to the vttermost of our abilâ—â—tie preserued and cared for the goods oâ— our neighbours that they might be safe howe wee haue vsed our ownâ— wealth to the glorie of God the mainâ—taynance of the magistrate the defend of our countrey the comfort of our faâ—milie the reléefe of the poore and the eâ—stablishing of the knowledge of Goâ— amongest all Howe we haue abhorreâ— distrust in Gods prouidence the rooâ— of stealth and rested assured of his goodâ—nesse if we serued him with such likâ— Are we cleare and haue doone them all without reproofe or blemish If wee haue let vs boast and looke for life for our workes but if any thing touch vs and staine vs knowe and remember what S. Iames sayth He that is guiltie of one is guiltie of all And doth nothing touch vs that hath béene saide Hath neither hande by déede nor heart by thought euer straied in anie degrée O beloued he that sayth euen in this commandement he hath no sinne deceiueth himselfe and there is no truth in him Let vs therefore rather sée our sinne knowe our sinne bewaile our sinne and â—rie to the Lorde for his grace to clappe â—ould of Iesus Christ his sonne who â—ath filled this and euerie lawe for vs â—o the ende that we beléeuing might be â—aued by his righteousnesse The Lord giue vs pardon the Lorde giue vs faith the Lord change our liues to a better course for his blessed name and mercie sake Amen The ninth Commaundement Thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy neighbour A commaundement teaching vs our dueties towardes the good name and credite of our brethren in speaking neuer anie thing of them which is vntrue as the former haue towardes their liues and goods Question THen by this it seemeth it should haue gone before the other in order because a mans name is dearer than either life or goods Ans It is true to some it is so buâ— not to all and rather doth the Lorde reâ—spect the multitude than a fewe anâ— the common nature of the vulgare sorâ— rather than the disposition of the better but farre lesser sort And first and forâ—â—most could the wise Oratour say by naâ—ture is it giuen to euerie kinde of creature to maintaine himselfe his life and bodie and to auoide whatsoeuer may bée anie way hurtfull to the same Noting in effect the other to followe but in a seconde degrée Que. What right is there to establish this lawe Ans Euen a thréefould right as you haue heard and séene in the former For first the Lorde himselfe is true and trueth it selfe hating euer and abhorring falsehood and therefore verie méete that he should séeke the establishing of the same amongest his children and the carefull auoyding of the contrarie Secondly the verie light of nature hath euer taught it to men that lying is to be â—oathed and hath made them crie Socrates is my friende and Plato is my â—riende but trueth before and aboue â—hem both Wherefore verie méete 〈◊〉 was and right that this lawe of â—ature shoulde bee strengthened and â—aintained by the Lorde Lastly withâ—ut trueth there is no safetie in mens â—ounselles bargans méetinges conferences and such like and therefore most fit and necessarie that for the staie of truth amongest vs and the auoyding of the contrarie the Lorde should make one lawe at the least The equitie of it then you sée is great And nowe to the particular branches of it as they lie in your booke Where the first named hurt and annoyance of my brothers credite is false witnesse bearing when in open place of iustice and iudgement or anie where else anie man shall of euill will and malice or for lucre or fauour of others testifie or depose that which is vntrue against his neighbour Which thing howe horrible it is may first appeare by due considering the price of an honest name 1. reason and good report in the worlde amongest our brethren Which as the wise man saieth is to be chosen aboue great riches Prou. 22.1 and louing fauour aboue goulde and siluer And in an other place Eccles 7.3 A good name iâ— better than a good ointment Becausâ— that thereby we smell as it were swéeteâ—ly vnto many to the edifying of them and working manie thinges in them bâ— our perswasions which others coulde not of whom they haue or do not thinke and heare so well Philip. 4.8 The Apostle Paule also in that excellent spéech of his to the Philippians which I often verie wilâ—ingly remembeÌ„r vnto you noteth effectually howe déere vnto a Christian any thing should be that belongeth to a good name and the working of a good report amongest men of vs. For whatsoeuer thinges my brethren sayth hee are true whatsoeuer thinges are honest whatsoeuer thinges are iust whatsoeuer thinges are pure whatsoeuer thinges are worthie loue whatsoeuer thinges are of good report if there be anie verâ—ue or if there
and a gréeuous breach of this commaundement Wee should couer in charitie what no bodie knoweth but wee if the partie will be reformed euen as willingly and readily as euer wee would our selues finde fauour for our infirmities But doe we it Is my brothers shame my griefe is his credite déere vnto me as my life Goe I backewarde with a cloke on my backe to cast vpon his offence loth that either others or I my selfe should sée it as good Sem and Iapheth did to their bared father in his drunkennesse Gen. 9.23 No no wee grinne and laugh rather with cursed Cham and blabbe it out to others Good beloued let vs weigh our wantes and neuer make our vices vertues God asketh but our confession in griefe and sorowe and he will heale vs. It is a branch and a breach of this commandement and therefore no thing to be continued in But I dwell too long in this spéech vnto you Many things mo might yet be rehearsed but sée them your selues and let my silence passe them These fewe bewraye our want of perfect obedience to the lawe and so consequently of anie life and safely by the workes of the same And therefore I hope we clearely perceiue that without a Sauiour wee were but lost make what distinctions we can of obedience of iustification or such like Fast cleaueth to vs and cannot bee denied gréeuous guilt against both this lawe and all the former and cursed is he which abideth not in all to doe them sayeth the Lorde Deutro 27 Iam. 2.10 Galat. 3.11 He that is guiltie of one is guiltie of all and by the workes of the lawe can no flesh liuing be iustified For the iust shall liue by faith Wee haue not doone all but wee haue broken much and therfore the conclusion lighteth vpon vs and all the subtilties of all the wittes in the worlde can not remooue it from vs if the Lorde should marke what we haue doone amisse but in this one lawe of his and iudge vs thereunto and by we are not able to abide it wee are cast away Therefore let vs flie from the lawe as fast as euer wee can and take the right vse of it thereby to be led vnto Christ and let this be our firme comfort Galat. 4.4 that When the fulnesse of time was come God sent foorth his sonne made of a woman and made vnder the lawe that he might redeeme vs from the curse thereof and so by him wee might receiue the adoption of sonnes which without him we could neuer attaine to This is sure and this is comfortable to hould by and the Lorde increase this faith in vs euer The tenth Commaundement Thou shalt not couet thy neighbors house thou shalt not couet thy neighbours wife nor his c. Wherein saith your booke the Lorde plainely forbiddeth all inwarde desire of anie thing vnlawfull to be done although we neuer consent vnto it as the rebellion of the flesh all corruption of the olde man all blotte of originall sinne so that by this commaundement most clearely we may see the image of that man that pleaseth God euen such an one in whom nothing is impure neither in will nor nature Question YEt playner I pray you if you can set downe the difference of this commaundement from the other for as I haue heard some haue halfe thought it superfluous seeing as the former did also forbid the inwarde thought aswell as the outwarde act Ans It is as plaine as may be alreadie yet to content you thus ouer againe The former commaundementes did forbid the act and the setled or consenting thought of the heart though the déede were not doone as for example the precept of killing forbiddeth the déede and with all once to thinke in heart to doe such a déede with a resolution verily to accomplish it if I can But nowe this commaundement commeth néerer and condemneth not onely that thought that is setled and lacketh but oportunitie to doe the déede but euen the verie thinking also of any thing contrarie to the loue of God or my neighbour though I doe neuer consent to it but snubbe it mislike it and reiect it For euen that hauing of an euill thought in my minde is a fruite of my corruption such as in innocencie if we had stood we should neuer haue had and therefore naught So there are two degrées of thoughtes the one with consent to accomplish in déede what we do thinke if we can and the other without consent repulsed away when wee awake and sée it The former in the former commandementes was forbidden and the later in this A strange doctrine in shewe no doubt to manie that thinke this their thought is frée But we must not maruell since euen the Apostle Paul himselfe would neuer haue suspected anie danger in concupiscence lustes and desires if the lawe had not sayde Thou shalt not lust or desire Rom. 7.7 Nay it appeareth verie plainely in that place sayth a godly man that he thought maruelous well of himselfe before hee came to this commandement He tooke himselfe before to be liuing and in good liking towardes God and godlinesse but when he had looked vpon this lawe and beheld himselfe a while in this part of the glasse he sawe himselfe plainele to be no bodie but a dead man sould vnto sinne And therefore a thousande times néedefull that the Lorde should adde this lawe to all the rest to humble vs throughly séeing so singular a man was not fully cast downe before he had wrestled with the iustice of God in the same Let vs therfore thinke of this thing that séemeth so litle in our eies For wee heare what the Apostle sayth it is sinne to desire Rom. 7.7 and we may ioyne vnto it the words of the Lorde himselfe affirming plainely that the verie imagination of mans heart is euill euen from his youth Gen. 8.21 God hath made the heart aswell as the bodie to séeke his glorie and therefore good reason the cogitations of the hart should no more straie from their true end than the actions of the bodie Neither may our reiection of such thoughtes in the ende and not consenting vnto them to accomplish them in act bleare our eies with an imagination that we haue not offended in them in going so farre as we went For it is a blemish a want an impietie and a degrée of vnchastitie in a woman to suffer the cogitation of anie forren friende beside her husbande to tickle her with conceite vnlawefull though in the ende she repulse it and abhorre to accomplish it and howe can it then be faultlesse in these hearts of ours the spouse of the Lorde to dallie with such delightes and to pursue in minde by thinking of them the pleasures that such conceites doe pleade before vs though in the conclusion we giue the deniall and do not consent O it is a greater matter to loue the Lorde with all the heart than that it may