word Doctrine That is evill and sin and unlawfull to be done which is repugnant to the law of God or a departing from it may it seem to be never so profitable to man or bring glory to God as on the contrary that is good and righteousnesse which is agreeable to the law and word of God seem it never so unprofitable to men or not behoofull for Gods glory Vide Cap. 2.10 Doctr. ulti And have not keept them They are accused not only because they committed things contrary to the law but because they did not things agreeable to it not onely committed the forbidden but ommitted the commanded Doctrine They do not onely sinne who offend against the law doing the things forbidden by it but those who do not observe and do the things commanded by it but leave them undone manifest by that as a breach of the first Table and Precept Jer. 10.25 powre out thy fury upon the families that have not called upon thy name Deut. 28.58.59 and 27.26 Matth. 25. Reason 1 Because the law is affirmative and commanding as well as negative and forbidding and though the precepts and commandments run most negatively save only the fourth and fifth yet they all carry the affirmative as the Prophets their Interpreters shew and as those two affirmatives carry their negative so the eight negatives carry the affirmatives so that an omission is as well a transgression as a commission and so a sin Reason 2 Because they go against love and charity and therefore sinne for charity to God and man requires all to be done and nothing omitted that may glorifie and honour him and be helpfull and profitable to them for so it is said to be bountifull Peccatum est cum vel non est charitas quae esse debet vel minor est quam debet August de perfect justitiae Cit. coelest Ra. 15. that is helpfull 1. Cor. 13.4 But specially if we consider that every man must love God above himselfe and man as himselfe now to omit any thing that is good for himselfe is a breach of charity to himselfe then so of these Sin is an action but the omission is onely a privation that is an omitting of that which ought to be done how can it then be a sin and they sin who omit it There is an action in sinnes of omission thus It is a sin of omission not to love his neighbour not to come to the congregation to heare the word and receive the sacrament in these there is an action for sometimes they are done upon purpose and deliberation and so he that offends will not love his neighbour will not go to the assembly and here is a plaine action of his will but sometimes they are omitted because a man thinkes not of them not of any purpose or contempt now here though there be not an action of the same kinde yet there is an action repugnant to the law he thinks not of the assembly because he would walke or take his recreation and these actions are repugnant to that good worke and sometimes the action is not at the same time but went a little before As a man gives himselfe to excesse and drunkennesse overnight and after cannot rise in the morning to be present there here is an action though not at the same time and of the same kinde yet that which is the cause of that omission All sinne is not an action it is onely true of sinne of commission which is some positive act done which the will should not consent to do sin of omission is but a privation of good As the Schoole and Basil Malum boni privatio est caelitas ex oculorum perditione provenit serm quod D. non est author peccati Facere cordis cogitare est quiae corporis est cogitata proficere Chrysost ser de levium criminum periculis Vse 1 Then many men if they wil look upon their reckonings are guilty of a multitude of sinnes more then ever they thought themselves to be seeing they have onely accounted sinnes of commission to be theirs and never of omission Many have thought they were bound to avoid the evill yet not to do the good and so account their sinnes Many who account it a sinne to have other Gods have never accounted it a sin not to know the true God to believe him and feare him not to pray unto him which they did only in respect of their own necessities never of any duty to him nor of avoiding of sin so in the rest of the commandments These must know that they have to account with God for these if they have already for the other nay he never accounted nor repented of any one who doth not for these for he can have no true conscience of sin that hath not right science knowledge of these for sins who if they reckon not againe with God bring not true repentance must not looke to have peace but a controversie with God And if Judg. 5.23 Meroz was cursed not for fighting against Gods people but not assisting them in the battell against the mighty If Moses was punished with deprivation of the possession or fortage of the Land of Canaan not for dishonouring of God but not sanctifying him in the presence of the children of Israel Num. 20.12 If the rich man was cast into the torments of Hel not for taking away food from Lazarus but because he did not relieve his wants Luke 16. How shall they escape the curse inherit the Kingdome the spirituall Canaan how not be tormented in Hel Vse 2 Then let not men thinke much if they be censured as men who have gone astray from their birth while all their piety and honesty is but a negative piety and a negative honesty and not an affirmative but in little and slender sort here is all they can say for themselves they are not Idolaters and open prophane persons scoffers of piety they are not swearers they are no adulterers theeves or oppressors But in the mean time they are not zealous for his worship nor conscionable professors nor such as hunger after righteousnesse nor such as feare the dreadfull and great name of the Lord nor love of mercy and the like They may be judged as wicked men and as those who are in the displeasure of God As Tertul. nusquam nunquam excusatur quod Deus damnat So it cannot be but sinne which God is displeased withall Return unto me In this exhortation following the reproofe there may be noted from the Coherence two points First the patience of God towards sinners waiting for their returne Secondly that none is so desperately sinfull but there is hope he may returne and be converted And I will return unto you Here is the promise annexed to the former exhortation to draw them to hearken to it and obey it a promise of remooving or mitigating of their calamities and plagues and first in the generall observe they must
perverse how they hold out against him or humble themselves in them manifested as here so Isa 1.5 and 30.1 2. and 38.5 Jer. 5.3 and 31.18 Jonah 3.10 Reas 1 Because he might know to lessen or encrease them how to remove them or renew them As the gold-finers when they have put their metall into the furnace looke ever and anon how it purifies or how the drosse cleaves to it they may put out or put further in adde more coales or blow more vehemently So in this affliction is the furnace Reas 2 Because he hath tyed himselfe unto this by his word and promise to heare and regard their prayers and repentance when his judgments or chastisements drive them to see and acknowledge their sinnes 2 Chron. 7.14 15. If my people which are called by my Name humble themselves and pray and turne from their wicked wayes and seeke my face then will I heare from Heaven and will forgive their sinne and will heale their â—anâ— Now mine eyes shall be open and my eares attent to the prayer that is made in this place Vse 1 For the time past the time of our late judgment of the Plague if it may be counted late which is yet upon us the Lord hath taken notice of every mans profiting or not profiting by it either how he was humbled or how he still held out whether as Ephraim whether he lamented his sinnes and turned to God or as Edom he held out and promised to himselfe the repairing of any losse whatsoever of his wealth by following his Trade more closely of his wife that he may have another and money with her of his children he is young he may either have more or he is eased of the care and charges of them howsoever every mans carriage and fruit hath beene the Lord hath seene it which is matter of comfort to as many as have beene truely humbled the Lord hath seene their hearts heard their prayers accepted their repentance the fruit whereof they now enjoy that they live to praise God Isa 38.19 But it is matter of terrour to as many as either contemned this duty in others making the publick humiliation a meanes or cause of encreasing the Plague or neglected it in themselves or performed it onely in subtilty making a shew of that they had not seeming to be truely humbled and willing to forsake their sinnes when it was but in cunning to get his hand removed which seemeth to have beene the state of most which howsoever it was not so well discerned then yet it hath appeared since even to every man For the benefit of the Winter is chiefly seene when Winter is gone Hyemis lucrum tunc maximè demonstratur cum illa praeteriret namque vernâ—ntes segetes foliis ac fructu affluentes arbores per ipsam aspectum clamant utilitatem sibi ex hyeme factam Chrysost ad P. A. Ho. 18. Itemè contra for the springing plants and the trees cloathed with leaves and fruit tell us by their pleasant shew how they gained by winter And if men then God much more be not then deceived God is not mocked And as his taking knowledge of the humiliation of the good be to reward them what of your deceits but to recompence Though Pharaoh deceived often and his owne person escaped yet the Lord paid him home at last in the Red Sea Vse 2 For the present time or that is to come in every judgment and affliction whether poverty banishment reproach disgrace disease or any other thing the Lord he takes notice how thou art affected in them whether thou art patient or murmuring whether thou art comfortable or heartlesse whether using lawfull meanes or unlawfull whether trusting in them or relying upon him Then see thou be the same in secret or when thou art turned to the wall as when the Minister or thy well affected friends are with thee not as many who have good words shew great patience before some men either that the Minister might praise them at their burialls or others might commend them after they were gone from them But thinke when they are gone the Lord stands by thy beds side or is in thy secret closet yea in the secrets of thy heart and takes notice of all things at all times Doctrine Wicked men the posterity of Esau when they are downe and decayed impoverished or any way afflicted thinke to repaire themselves to overcome the judgment and recover themselves of themselves and by meanes they like of and pleaseth their humour without seeking the Lord manifested by these Edomites also by the Ephraimites the most of them and the worst Isa 9.9 who said in their pride stoutnesse of heart the bricks are fallen downe but we will build with heâ—â—en stones Reas 1 Because they see these meanes to prosper oftentimes by the indulgence or rather the angel of God Quando nihil est infaelicius faelicitate pecâ—â—â—lium quâ—e poenalis nutritur impuritas mala vâ—â—â—â—â—â—◠〈…〉 interior roboretur Aug. Epist St. Martell which if they be crosse at any times they impute but to want of craft and power Reas 2 Because they are ignorant of God the Authour of their trouble and impute it to fortune or other second causes which they doubt not but of themselves and by such meanes to fortifie themselves against and to repaire and recover that they have lost Reas 3 Because they are no wayes will perswaded of God neither his power nor his will but as they are privy unto themselves they have contemned him so in the height of reason they see it is just he should contemne them Vse 1 This being so consider if we have not many wicked men many Edomites who are desirous and doe practise to raise up themselves without the Lord by unlawfull meanes and never humble themselves to him and If formally they doe this yet trust more to these Amongst these the chiefe are our Papists who having their mountaines and Monasteries laid waste their habitations made a wildernesse for Dragons and being impoverished by the just judgment of God upon them for their Idolatry and mysticall enmity against Christ by the hand of King Henry 8. in policy and of Qu. Elizabeth of blessed memory in piety and policy they resisting of God as if they were stronger than he have assayed as heretofore so of late to renew and reedifie their desolations But by what meanes not preâ—ibus lachrymis the weapons of the Church but by fire and sword by fraud and cruelty seeking to build againe their desolate places and to lay the foundation of them in the blood of the King and his seed the Peeres and Prelacy the Gentry and Commons of the Land all which is without God for he will build his Church sanguine Martyrum by the blood of Martyrs shed by others not by the blood shed by these who account themselves Martyrs And though some deny that they are not all such and that it is against charity
parents by their experience respect and are able to discerne Reas 2 Because he may not dispose of the goods of his father without him not sell his land or alienate any thing from him but as he will dispose how then himselfe Vse 1 This reproveth those children that dispose themselves without their parents consent prey upon their right intangle and contract themselves yea and consummate marriages they not witting yea unwilling or by some necessity forced to shew some willingnesse which is the cause of so many untoward uncleane and polluted families and prophane succession as other times can witnesse so too many presidents in our dayes For as when children are compelled to match against their wills and where they have just occasion of exception for some sinister respect the parents have there follows much uncleannesse and impiety so when without the parents consent and not of their providing but they are their owne choosers shewing where parents consent is wanting there Gods blessing is away yea where parents consent is not there is Gods curse as in Esau and his posterity in Judah taking his Hoasts daughter Gen. 38.2 having Er and Onan such as God would not endure to live but slew them himselfe Yea that may also be seene Gen. 6.2 in the sonnes of Seth the Church which matched with cursed Chams seed of themselves without parents consent had such a wretched posterity This thing then is reproofe-worthy yea damnable in children without repentance parents are often causes of it and that first to some it is Gods retribution because they so served and abused their parents Secondly because they give such liberty to their daughters to wander as Dinah and so Ezek. 23.3 their brests come to be pressed and the teats of their virginity bruised or else their affections by often meeting are so intangled and inflamed as the fathers threats will not loose it nor the mothers teares cannot quench it It was not so Prov. 30.18 19. it should not be so Hierom to Demetr Epist 8.11 would not have Virgins alone solae sine matre for in a flocke of Doves the Kite often will prey upon one when they are abroad and it is a scabbed sheep that loves wandring and leaves the fold Thirdly because parents doe not take and use their right and provide for them in due time mates fit for them which makes them provide for themselves not without sinne but greatly sinning yet the parents partakers of it and oftentimes of much shame and griefe as it was with Tamar Gen. 38.26 But howsoever one mans sinne cannot excuse another nor yet the parents the childs sinne nor will not exempt them from the curse of God when they thus match to the griefe of their parents and the shortening of their dayes and life by whom they received life and should have their lives continued and lengthened Vse 2 To instruct children to be subject to their parents knowing what power they have over them to guide their choyce that without them they may not chuse and if they chuse for them they cannot without great cause and just exception stray themselves from liking smaller things they must endeavour to overcome they must not suffer themselves to be entangled by some who seeke by kind usage of them to steale away their hearts from their parents for their daughters to advance them as is the manner of some wretched and unconscionable men As Usurers get their fathers inheritance from them by feeding them with money so they must not set their affections by fervency of society and company upon others without parents and where never like to give allowance They ought to remember this is the fathers right to choose to dispose of them not onely in the generall but for the particular person But what if he be farre off and cannot see If he give thee liberty duely asking it of him he hath given his right from himselfe as Isaac to Jacob Gen. 28. But what if he upon some sinister respect deferre and passe the flower of her age I answer then hath God ordained the Magistrate as for their punishment so for their reliefe who is not to be sought to but when most urgent necessity requireth when the opposition stands betwixt Marriage and burning because that reveales the fathers fault and bewrayes his or her infirmity But what if he tender a match out of the Church a Papist or such like Then must the Child refuse with reverence not disposing of himselfe for as it were sinne to yeeld so the other is sinne to make choyce of himselfe But what if another that is not so religious and so fervent a lover of the Truth as is to be wished No direct denyall is lawfull but a wise delaying and a discreet gaining of time to sollicite God with their prayers who hath the heart of their Parents in his hand and to intreate them by mediation of best friends who if they can be diverted it is well if not I know no warrant a Child hath to deny his fathers choyce though he thinke and it may be he might choose better and he may looke for a blessing from God if in duty he thus submit himselfe to his Parents The last part of this honour is thankfulnesse which Children must performe to their Parents Doctrine Children must performe all thankfulnesse unto their Parents that is helpe them when they need and in age when their state and bodies are decayed and to be eyes and leggs and limbs unto them and to administer liberally according to their state and ability to them as they did to them when they were young and when yet they had nothing nor knew not how to get any thing that this is a part of honour Christ sheweth Math. 15.4 5 6. some thinke that of Psal 128.3 when children are made Olive plants not Olives onely and Olive branches which was a signe of peace so they to make peace and love betwixt their parents but plants such as might stand under them underproâ— and uphold them in their weaknesse and thus verily have good Children honoured their parents so did the sons of Jacob Gen. 42.1 2. so did Joseph Gen. 47.12 so did Ruth though but a daughter in law To this purpose Paul forbids that the Church should be burthened with widowes but their children Nephews ought to maintain them 1 Tim. 5.4 Reas 1 Because else he should not onely be unnaturall but unjust when the father by his speciall care for him and the mother by her prayers bearing and carrying of him watching with him lending eyes and legs and limbes to him feeding and nourishing of him deserveth it All which they the better deserve if they have children with whom they have the like labour and endeavour now justice requires to pay debt due and deserved Reas 2 Because they had forme from them as body and members and limbes so their education their trade their stocke and portion or both whereby they are that they are by the blessing of
God that is Purgatory which they dispose in respect of persons the rich and great ones able to give much shall not long be in it they who can give lesse the longer they who are able to give nothing perpetually If he had any charity in him of which they bragge much he would free all and freely seeing they teach it is the Popes peculium but if he had but equity and justice in him he would free one as well as another and not accept persons and be thus partiall But not to trifle with them The partiallity is oftentimes too palpable in the reformed Churches and the Ministers of them when in dividing the word they looke not as the Cherubimes to the Arke they to the word to speake as it would teach them which is not partiall but to those who sit before them and apply it so making it as some write of Manna that it tasted after every mans pallat and stomacke so this But they are guilty of this sinne and though as fooles and wicked persons they enjoy honour for a time yet they shall have dishonour Prov. 3.35 It is said of the Panther that he is so greedy after the excrements of a man that if they be out of his reach and naturall power he stretcheth himselfe so much that he kills himselfe in the end so may I apply it to these Vse 2 To perswade the Ministers of God not to be partiall but upright in the law To respect as just Judges will doe the cause equity and justice and not the persons the honour or commodity that is to be had by them not to deale for that partially with the law or in it but strive to divide the word of truth aright and to goe with a right foote unto the Gospell even as God himselfe will do for they are Gods judgements A Ministers resolution should be that of Elihu Job 32.21 22. I will not now accept the person of man neither will I give titles to man for I may not give titles least my maker should take me away suddenly Remembring that as Saul was put out of the Kalender of Gods Kings for his partiallity and is accounted to have reigned but two years when he did many more so shall they be out of the number of Gods worthies if they be partiall whereas their uprightnesse and faithfullnesse will with the good Steward bring them into the joyes of their Master Vse 3 To perswade our hearers to give us leave to divide the word without partiallity and not to be swayed with their greatnesse and riches and frowns and such like but as occasion may be to deale with their sinnes as others and to give them their portion of judgement as well as mercy without the knitting of their browes the strangenesse of their looke the censure at their tables and tavernes among such as are companions with them in the like iniquity but if they will not we must take leave we had rather fall into the hands of men then God wee know that is a fearefull thing It is neither your wealth nor your favour nor honour and credit that either can keepe us from being vile and dispised If God say to men despise them nor will answer for us when we must give an account of our Stewardship VERS X. Have we not all one father hath not one God made us why doe we transgresse every one against his brother and breake the covenant of our fathers HAve we not all one father The second part of the Chapter beginneth here and continueth to the end containing the reproofe of divers particular vices in the people of Israel in generall both Priest and people in this tenth verse he reproveth their injurious and unequall dealing in the generall Have we not all one father Some understand these words with the next verse as if it were a reason spoken in the defence of their taking of Idolatrous wives by them who had done it their reason is thus That seeing that they had all one father which was Adam and all one Creator which was God there was no reason why they should not marry with them But others doe understand them as two main reasons against their marrying them urged by the Prophet from God himselfe and so the expounding of the words will rather confirme and the greater consent of the learned old and new goe that way Hierom saith that the people being returned out of captivity the Princes and Priests and people put away their wives of the Israelites kindred which by reason of their poverty and injury of the long way and weakenesse of their sexe impatiently bearing the labour were wasted and became both infirme and deformed in body whereupon they matched with strangers who were fresh in yeares beautifull and comely the daughters of rich and mighty men as we may see in the ninth of Ezra that is with the Canaanites Hethites Pheresites Jebusites Ammonites c. Therefore they thinke the Prophet here reproves them first for their marriages and after for their divorces Verse 16. There are two speciall and chiefe causes of love and good will amongst men the one is kindred affinity or consanguinity the other is one and the same society of religion First nature compells men to affect and love earnestly those who are borne in the same family descended from the same parents and stocke which bond cannot be violated or broken off without great wickednesse Secondly men reasonable and wise do thinke those specially to be affected by them who are companions with them in the same religion and worship And though this is the most worthy and sure yet the other goes before and first carries sway with men because it is by nature bred with them and continued from their infancie And these two they are here pressed withall as those which condemnes their fact dealing thus to put away the daughters of Israel the worshippers of the true God and to take unto them the daughters of the heathen worshippers of the false Gods For the first of these reasons it is here said Have we not all one Father That is are we not all men and women descended from Abraham by one Isaac from Isaac by one Iacob Why then should we thus doe dismisse those or passe them over and joyne our selves to the kindred of the heathen and strangers And for the second he saith Hath not one God made us Do we not all acknowledge one God the Creator and worship and serve him with dutie Do you dismisse those wives who acknowledge the same Creator with you and worship him and take unto you those who worship Idols for him and put their trust in them To create or the Creator is not here taken in that common sense as when we speake of Gods creation of the world for then could this be no reason against but rather for them as some would make it a reason in that sort which the Prophet laboureth to confute But this being against them must not