and speake worse then in christianitie and equitie he should he that will speake to often of other mens infirmities cannot keepe himselfe from speaking to much sometimes therefore the best vvay is to be sparing in this kind of talke Speake seldome first Then secondly when one hath a good calling iust cause to speake let him speake discreetly in due time and due place that some good may come by his speach that either the partie may be brought to the sight and amendment of his fault or else others may be edified and helped against such faults speake in good affection and with good discretion that some or other may be the better for it Euer more if one will speake of an others faults let him be able to say I speake it to this and this good end this and this good vse I hope will ensue of my speach or if he can see no profit that will come by his vttering it let him keepe it till an other time let him lay his hand vpon his mouth and say he hath gone farre enough allreadie For if there can be no good vse seene in speaking of it certainely there is much sin in speaking of it And for raysing of an ill and false report against ones neighbour it appeares what a fault it is in that God hath appointed and decreed in his law that those which doe slaunder an other shall themselues vndergoe the punishment which such a fault had deserued and such a person haue suffered if the thing had beene true as he that wrongefully accuseth an other of theft he himselfe should be dealt withall as with a theefe and he that reports that another hath committed adulterie if it be proued false himselfe must feele the smart that an adulterer should This the righteous God hath ordained for what can be more iust then that he which digs a pit for his neighbour without a cause should himselfe fall into the pit and he that seekes to take away his neighbours fame and life by a lye should loose his owne credit and life for a lye And this though the Magistrate neglect his dutie God will not neglect but as he made the law so he will see it put in execution for he is not vniust vnlesse one first punish himselfe by true repentance Thus this law is broken by vniust accusing It is next broken by vniust defending of wicked men and bad causes whē one will vse his name and credit and prayse to vpholde such a man whose name soule and bodie and all are worthie to fall into hell This is condemned 17 15. Where speaking of this kind of men that be lyars in request and false witnesses in fauour that be of so good a nature as that they will heale all thinges make vp all gaps and make a glosse for any matter they will condemne no man nor finde fault with nothing of such he saith he that Iustifieth the wicked and he that condemneth the iust men they both are abomination vnto God He shewes that this dealing which men call a good nature is euen as abominable to God as if they should condemne goodnesse and good men And therefore such men get but a little they carrie away the credit with men but they are as much out of credit with God as they with credit with man and God will bringe about that they shall haue a spot in themselues of that wickednes which they allow in an other for at length God causes both the sinne and the shame to breake out and then their former honour is all dasht So he saith in an other place he that prayseth the wicked the people will curse him To that he makes such a good bargaine for himselfe as both God and the people of God hate him and abhorre him And in truth iustly to for he is worthie to be hated because he keepes men from repentance for there is no better medicine in the world to heale the soule and kill the sinne then to let the sinner sustaine the shame and the paine that is due for his sinne for this is a medicine of Gods making And if all the phisitians in the world lay their heads together they cannot inuent a better and therefore if they had any true loue they would let them haue it and not dawbe ouer the sore so as it should fester ranckle to death So that no greater enemie can be found to the soules of men then such that will smoth all thinges ouer with colourable shifts Then also they doe much hurt to others for now when sinners are gotten in credit crept into some account they are lesse suspected can with more ease doe hurt and mischeefe for if darkenesse might be called darkenesse and sinne goe vnder the name of sin and the diuell come in his owne colours it would be so open that no man would trust and so odious that all men would hate it But now when the diuell will call euill good and come like an Angell of light then men giue him some entertainment and he doth hurt them before they suspect him and when euill men be garnished with some false commendations they can closely conuay their wicked intents to doe more hurt a great deale because they are lesse doubted As in one example may appeare in vngodly and sufficient ministers if they can get some commendation to commend them and some great mans letter to speake for thē thē those that els would neuer haue come to so much credit are admitted without any further inquirie and to the place and office of the ministrie and when by lying they haue entred their whole dealing is agreeable to such a beginning and they proue very wolues that sterue and deuoure the Lords flocke And all this mischeefe came from a false witnesse that commended them with a lie And so for matters of commonwealth when places of charge and importance are through false commendations committed to naughtie and wicked persons oft these proue vilde wicked doing much hurt in the place so that these faulse and foolish prayses are but to get some credit to the wolfe that he may the more freely deuoure and wast the flocke So that as one must not speake of his neighbors faults but in loue and discretion and vpon good proofe so neither must he speake in his commendations But in wisdome and when the commendation is grounded on knowledg and iudgment And thus much for giuing out false speaches Now followes for receiuing which is a fault no lesse haynous before God then the former for he is not only in fault that inuents lyes of his owne head but he also that receiues them and giues credit to them and is bold to ground his report to an other vpon them And that both concerning others and also concerning himsefe To giue eare to a false report concerning an other is forbidden as bewraying of a great want of loue and good affection to the name of ones brother and an ill
willingly serue great personages and are readie to employ them selues in their businesses but because they think that hence they shall haue honour and credit and come to credit as a rewarde of their seruices but now if we know that God doth giue such excellent wages as no man can giue the like for what doth he not bestow on those that feare him he giues them his sonne he giues them his holy Spirit and grace in their harts he giues them his feare and his blessing in this life and life eternall in the world to come if one know this then he will sure serue God with a willing minde But on the contrary the cause and fountaine of all rebellion and disobedience against God is because there is no right knowledge of God as he complaines in Hosea 2. That they lye they steale they commit adultery bloud toucheth bloud But what was the cause of all this confusion why because there was no knowledge of God in the land and where men know not God what should be looked for else for then they cannot loue him nor feare him nor trust in him nor seeke nor doe any dutie if there be no knowledge This serues to confute all ignorant persons that doe not know God they cannot tell how many persons there bee or if they doe they cannot tell what any of them did for them they are not acquainted with the properties of God nor with his actions they neuer thought on his name nor pondered on his trueth his justice his power his mercie and such like things These may brag of loue and faith and hope and confidence and patience but they haue none of them it cannot be for all good things flow from this that we doe know God Therefore Paule saith 2. Thess 1. 8. ver That God will come with thousands of his Angells in flaming fire rendring vengeance to all those that know not him nor obey not his gospel these things follow close doth not one know God then t is cleere he doth not obey his gospel he makes no conscience of that Therefore an ignorant hart is alwaies a sinfull hart a man without knowledge is a man without grace and this ignorance is so foule a sinne as that it shal be sufficient to bring gods vengeance vppon one how euer light account men make of it God will damne them for this because they haue not knowne and then t is to to sure they could not nor would haue regard to his commandements And on the other side this must stirre vs vp to call for wisdome and to cry for vnderstanding to seeke for it and to dig for it as for gold or precious stones We must often reade Gods word confer of it and meditate on it which if we do it will giue vs vnderstanding then we shall see gods properties and see his goodnesse his loue and how able and willing hee is to help vs and then we cannot chuse but trust in him And indeede this often meditating and thinking on Gods word is the next way to make vs like God and to renue and repaire the image of God in vs. For by seeing Christ in the gosple wee are chaunged from glory to glory and the more wee know him the more wee encrease in being like to him so long as we know in part we are like in part but when we shall haue perfect knowledge then shall we be perfect in holinesse and perfect in righteousnesse perfect and holy as he is perfect As 1. Iohn he saith Now it appeareth not what we shall bee but when he shall appeare wee shall bee like him and why like him because we shall know him as he is so that the perfection of knowledge will bring the perfection of holinesse the more we increase in knowledge the more all good vertues will increase and if this were perfect we should be perfect without all weakenesse and infirmitie But the more we meditate in Gods word the more our knowledge will grow and therefore also the image of God will grow more liuely till we bee made perfect and absolute in the life to come The next dutie is Loue. That wee must loue God withall our harts and all our soules as is commanded Luke 10. The reason is because he is that Iehouah in whom we liue we moue and haue our being he is our God that giues vs all good things and can onely free vs from all sinne and miserie therefore wee are bound to loue him And indeede this is the chiefe dutie and the best fruit of knowledge but because it is so plaine a dutie as that no man will denie it it is best for vs leauing to vse more words in prouing the dutie to shew some markes of loue of God that we doe not deceiue our selues whereby we may see in what measure wee keepe this first and chiefe commandement The first marke may be how we delight to meet God in those meanes wherin he hath appointed to meet vs for in what measure we can offer our selues to God in those things wherein hee offers himselfe to vs in that measure wee loue him If we be willing to aske all good things and seeke comfort at his hand by prayer and to lay open our wants to him and as it were to conferre with God If we be desirous to come to heare his word spoken vnto vs wherein we may see his wisdome for our direction his mercie for our comfort his povver for our defence and for the subduing of our sinnes and his riches to make vs rich and supply all our wants then we doe indeede loue God and the more we can reioyce in these things the more we loue God and the lesse the lesse we loue him So for the sacraments in them Christ Iesus offers himselfe vnto vs and to make vs partakers of his bodie and blould would we then try how we loue God vve may doe it by examining what desire we haue to these things would we rather come to this banquet of the heauenly King to eate the body and bloud of his sonne that is set before vs rather then to the table of an earthly king to tast such good cheere as hee can make vs is there such an affection to vs then indeede we loue God for then we haue a delight to come wher he is For in these meanes God doth bestow himselfe vpon vs and comes to dwel in vs as Christ saith that he will dwell in vs and his father the holy ghost will come into our harts The second note whereby we may try our loue to God is obedience as Christ saith Iohn 14. 20. He that loues me keepes my commandements He then that keepes Gods commandements best he loues God best But if any will say that he loues God as well as the best yet he will breake the saboth and lye and dissemble and be a miser wholy rooting on the earth and setting himselfe and all his hart after his
come in by heapes and so when all was gone hee had soone made his accounts God hath giuen God hath taken blessed be the name of the Lord when I had them I was not the better I did not trust in them and therfore now they are gone I am not much vexed it was no part of my greatest happinesse to haue them nor is no part of my greatest sorrow that I haue so suddenly lost them But this our discouragement and whining and murmuring when we want the meanes shewes that we trust not in God but in them for if we liue at Gods finding who must prouide for vs no mans life consisteth in his riches saith Christ if God bee our father and he must find vs why are we not content with his promise what though he keepe thinges in his owne hand because we know not how to vse them But this is the matter we would be our owne gods as it were be at our own finding in this matter we be farre more foolish then our owne children for they keepe no stirre and doe not trouble them selues to think how shall I doe to bring the yeare about how shall I get prouision for the next yeare or what if ill weather come and so many doubts but they are merry and fresh and thinke not of these matters but make account that their fathers will see them prouided for and will not suffer them to want any thing and therfore when they neede they goe to them and make account that all is well they shall haue it And why should not we do so to God if we did in truth as we say we doe account that hee is our father and trust vppon him and giue but so much credit to him as our children doe to vs why should not wee thinke our selues sufficiently prouided for if wee haue his promise if wee could indeede come to make him our trust thus we should vnloade our harts of much discontentment and disquietnesse and liue farre more cheerfully then now by reason of our vnbeleefe and distrust wee doe or can doe The last signe to know whether we trust in God or not is to examine whether we seeke his loue and fauour for that vvhich any man makes his trust that he doth most labour to obtaine What doth any man speake of most in the day and thinke of most in the night and seeke after most in all his life If it be lucre then hee trustes in his lucre So that man that placeth his happinesse and seekes his felicitie onelie in pleasure he will most seeke and striue to get his pleasure and is most vexed if it be taken from him But if one trust in God then he would most labour to get the loue fauour of God because he knowes he can haue nothing from him selfe or any other but onely from god as in Ps 62. 11. 12. Hee sets downe two causes why we must not trust in man nor riches that is in any outward thing for power belongs vnto God mercie belonges vnto God All the men in the world and all the riches in thee world haue no power to helpe vs vnlesse god put it in them for all power is his owne and so for mercie there is no kindnesse in any man or angell which they haue not from God no man nor angell can shew vs any kindnesse vnlesse God giue them that kindnesse and if they doe wee must confesse that it comes from him Since then all power is reached from Gods hand and all mercie is deriued from him that nothing either can help vs or if it could yet would help vs but so far as he puts both the power and will into it therefore those that beleeue this cannot choose but seeke Gods fauour for then they are assured that nothing can be able to hurt them yea God can make all things so far as it is profitable willing and readie to doe them good So much concerning the first commandemēt which shewes vs whom we must worship namely God and wherin this worship consisteth namely in a sound knowledge of him from this knowledge in louing and fearing and trusting in him with all our hart and soule Now followes the second commandement Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image nor the likenesse of any thing that is in heauen c. IN all which commandement is shewed by what outward meanes we must worship God namely not after the inuentions of flesh and bloud but after the commandement of his holy word The commandement containes a prohibition in these words Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image nor the likenesse of any thing in heauen aboue or in the earth beneath or in the waters vnder the earth thou shalt not bow to them nor worship them These words containe the prohibition forbidding vs to haue any Images to represent God or to help vs in his worship or to haue any superstitious or will worship therby to please him the better The reasons ratifieng the prohibition are two one drawne from the vengeance of God against Idolaters and superstitious persons in these words For I the Lord thy God am a Iealous God visiting the sinnes of the fathers vpon the children to the third and fourth generation of them that hate mee Shewing Gods power in that he is Iehouah and a strong God as the word signifieth and his will that he is a jealous God the similitude is taken from a jealous husband that can abide no light behauiour of his wife but he will be reuenged on it So God cannot endure that any one that is his should once looke to Images or superstition for if any doe as by reason of his strength he is able so he is willing also to reuenge it on the sonnes and sonnes sonnes to the fourth generation of such as doe it The second reason is taken from the reward that God will bestow vpon all such as worship him purely hating Idolatrie and false worship that he will not onely blesse them but theirs to a thousands Neuer forgeting to shew mercy vnto those that worship him purely so that all their posteritie shall fare the better for them Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image nor the likenesse of any thing that is in heauen aboue First in that God doth set downe so largely and so plainely in so many words this commandement he shewes how exceeding readie vve are to fall into the breach of it Hence then we may gather this doctrine that our nature is wonderfull prone to Idolatrie and we are verie apt and readie to worship God falsely and superstitiously for if it were not so then why vvould not God content himselfe to be as short here as he is in most of the rest but we see for this and the saboth how largely he sets them downe how he mounds and fenceth them on euerie side with strong reasons vvhich doth declare that he knows vs verie willing on any
that which is false concerning themselues Now it follows concerning others and that is either publique or priuate Publike first when the magistrate or iudge passeth a false sentence in any cause that comes to be hard before them This is a most heauie sinne and is as much as in them is to make God a lyar for he stands in the place and is his substitute and vicegerent here one earth nowe then for him to beare men in hand that that iudgement which he giues is the iudgement of God that sets him there when yet hee knowes it is false and corrupt this is euen to draw God to be the author of a lye so much as he can And this is not only a wrong against Gods owne Maiestie and the place wherein God hath set him but it is an iniurie to the person thus condemned in that he brings a blotte vnto his name and makes him ill accounted of and that wrongfully and depriues him also commonly of some commoditie and benefit that by right did pertaine vnto him So for lawyers to speake in an ill cause for their fee though the cause be neuer so bad yet let the fee be good and you shall haue one or other likely will pollish his tongue and whet his wit and sharpen his face to couer a foule matter with a many faire words and make that good in vttering which in doing was altogether wicked this is commonly counted wit and he a wise man that knowes howe to gloze thus and set a good face and good colours vpon a cause but it is in truth a lying and a publike slaunder and that branded with a curse for in Is 5. The Lord said cursed be he that speakes good of euill and euill of good And so long as a man will set himselfe to stand for an euill thing his conscience will excuse him of two foule breaches of Gods law that he hath hindered iustice and furthered vnrighteousnesse to the vtmost of his power But here be some sorry shifts Alasse I speake as I thinke I take the cause to be good I must stand for my client But I pray you what is the cause that you haue so ill eyes and such a simple capacitie to perceiue the vniustnesse of the cause that are so quicke witted to inuent clokes for the vniustice Why cannot your witte see one as well as the other How comes it about that other men of farre lesse skill in law and wit by nature after to or three of your bouts can soone see the double dealing how hollow matters are and yet the fairest side is put outward to But you cannot fee what is the cause of this blindnesse is it not because the gift blinds the eyes of the wise is not that which wanted in the goodnesse of the cause supplied in the greatnesse of the fee and that is the cause you cannot see But suppose this were true and grant that you were as you say ignorant of the matter is it not a foule shame to be vētrous to speake so much in a matter before you know whether it be good or not to come in the face of the world and pawne your credit for a cause that you neuer tried nor examined nor searcht into it to see whether it were right or wrong Iob would not doe so but those causes that he knew he would enquire and search out the matter and not open his mouth to speake before he had prepared what and vpon what good ground to speake in the defence of anyone This will not serue the turne when one hath abused his place and abused his hearers and abused himselfe by maintaining wickednesse to say alas I knew it not it is foolish and shamefull this for owne to venture and hazard his soule and his name and then beare himself in hād that this will salue all because he knew it not as if ignorance vvere a plaster good enough to heale the vvounds he hath made in his conscience and credit But why had not hee knovvne that it vvas a sin to be ignorant vvise men should vvorke by knovvledge It is a most notorious fault vvhen one vvillingly and vvittingly stands in defence of an euill cause but is a fault to rashly and vnaduisedly to slip into it Further also false vvitnesses doe publikely offende against this commandement as in nisi prius and such like cases When one vvill come before the Iudges and giue a false and lying testimonie This is often spoken against in the Prouerbs a false vvitnes shall not escape these be most pestilent and hurtfull vipers these sting and doe mischeefe on euerie side these peruert the iurers delude the iudge doe vvrong to the cause and are hurtfull on euery side put all out of order and turne all vpside downe by their falshoode this therefore shal be first and greatest in the punishment because they haue beene first and greatest in the sin And this God abhorres vvhen men be so audatious and so iniurious as publikely to sin against God and to chose rather to please men in sinning thē please God in a good cause When the false loue or feare of man shall doe more with them to make them sin then the feare and loue of God can preuaile to keepe them from sinning All these doe publikely offende Nowe priuate offence false and that is either in vniust accusing or vniust defending That vniust accusing priuatly is called slaundering and backebiting vvhē one vvil speake euill of his neighbour that is free from that euill This backebiting is a greate breach of this commandement and the backbiter offends in an high degree And the fault is so much the vvorse because it alwaies hurts three at once this blow alwaies makes three vvounds at one time he wounds the soule of him to whom he tels the false tale for as we shall heare after the receiuer is in a great fault therefore he hath one deadly blow The second stroake lights on the name and reputation of the partie thus slandered backebitten for his name hath a scarre in the account of the hearer The last and worst and greatest blowe hee giues his owne soule vvhen he infects it vvith slaunder and makes his conscience guiltie of a lie These three mortall vvoundes this lying tongue like a percing sword makes at one time Indeede he scapes best who is falsely slaundered for he being innocent God will heale his name and bring forth his but the other two wounds are more daungerous because they light vpon the soule and more harde to bee cured because they are altogether sin Therefore it stands euery man vpon that he raise vp no vniust report against any man Now the best way to keepe himselfe against slaundering is to make a couenant with his owne foule and to vow in himsele not to speake often of others mēs faults for he that giues his tonge liberty to be busied about this subiect it cannot be auoyded but that he shall slip to farre
of him or any thinge belonging to him but with desire of his good euery way to couet signifies to haue a motion of the heart without consent of will From this then that God forbids coueting we learne that the first motion and inclination of the heart to any sin though a mā neuer yeeld to it or plot and cast about how to bring it to passe is a sin And the reasons are plaine first because God hath forbidden it as in Rom 7. Paul saith he had not known lust to be a sin but that the law saith thou shalt not lust He knew and many heathen mē that neuer heard of Gods law did confesse that the inward thoughts ioyned with consent and full purpose to doe them if occasion serued were sins but for those that did but as it were passe through the hart and stayd not there had noe place of abode yeelded to them but were shut out so soone as they entered he could neuer be perswaded that these were faults prouoked Gods wrath but that by the law he knew God had said and then he beleeued it Secondly if one examine these by that generall rule doe as you would be done by he shall see that they agree not with it For no man would be willing to haue an other man conceiue the least flying conceit or thought that might hurt him though he neuer went about to put in practise therfore also must be driuen to cōfesse that it is a sin in him to haue such thoughts towards an other 3 if we cōsider the cause it will appeare what they be They are fruits of originall sinne and proceede from naturall corruption now who can drawe a cleane thing out of an vncleane thing who can pull good fruit out of a bad tree being then effects of our naturall pollution that we receiued from Adam for if we had continued in innocencie we should haue been perfect without any such motion of the inward heart they are naught for what euer coms from sin is sin Lastly if the effects be marked they shall appeare to be euill Now Saint Iames. 1. 14. sets downe the effects of these euill thoughts motions euery man saith he is tempted when he is drawne away by his owne concupiscence and is inticed This Saint Iames shews that let one make as little accoūt of these thoughts as he please and count them small mattters yet the worke that they doe is not small for they draw on a side from beholding God they turne the heart from considering God to marking those things that he should not then when he is puld frō looking vnto God he fals to according and practising and then sin brings death So that these are like a little sparke of fire lighting vpon tinder or toe such like that if they be not quickly quēched will grow to a great flame So the danger is great that cōes from euery one of these that we so little regard for there is not the least but it hardens the hart and withdraws it frō God and maks it more vnfit to pray or heare or do any thing that is good but more easily to be drawn to any sin And therefore it is not slightly to be passed ouer So that because they breake Gods cōmandement are against the law of charitie and cāe from an euill cause bring with them such euill effects therfore the least imagination arising in the heart without any agreeing of the minde to put it in practise is sin and deserues death The vse that we should make of this is for our continuall humiliation that our nature the whole frame of our soule body is such as no minute almost goes ouer our head but some sin some euill and vaine motion or other goes through our hart ariseth frō the puddle of our flesh our nature is like some great fireband that if it be neuer so little stird sends forth many sparkes on euery side Therefore we must learne in this regard to deny ourselues to fal down before god beseeching him to heale our nature to wash and clense it more more by his holy spirit Then one hath made one good vse of the law when he is so touched with the sight of his sins as that he goes quite out of himselfe when the law hath so stopt his mouth as that he can alledg nothing in himselfe wherfore he should not be dāned but relies and casts himselfe only on the mercies of God in the merits of Christ Againe this teacheth to vse all good meanes to keepe our heart from these ill motions and hinder this firebrand from sparking First make a cournanant with our eyes to looke vpon nothing our eares to heare nothing and all our sences to admit nothing into the heart that may stirre vp and prouoke the naughtines of it Secondly take downe the flesh oftē by fasting and prayer hearing and such spirituall exercises for this is the cause why it growes so strong because we doe not set ourselues to resist it and fight against it For if we would beseech God to giue a blessing and vse all the good means that he hath appointed to kill and crucifie it it would be a good helpe to vs and we should preuaile more against it Thirdly learne to set our minde on worke alwaies with some good meditation and holy desires and thoughts for mans heart is restlesse like the watch of a clocke that while the poyses hang at it if it be not set right will goe wrong so while we liue if we doe not by grace set our heart aright towardes God and man corruption will drawe it wrong Therefore it is that many are so troubled with ill motions and continuall boyling of ill thoughts because the heart is not busied and taken vp with some good thing for if grace cease working corruption wil streight be doing Thus much for that that the barethoughts are condemned if the consenting be euill the conceiuing is so to if the proceeding were wicked the beginning is wicked also House The house is put in the first place not because the house is more deere and neere then the wife but because this iniurie in desiring the house extendeth it selfe to the husband to the wife to the children and seruants yea to the beasts also and cattle euerie one hath a part in it it is more generall then the rest in hurting therefore it is placed in the first place In that this breach is set in the first place that is hurtfull to more Wee learne that those sinnes which are iniurious to more men are more hurtfull to ones selfe and most hated of God and for this cause coueting other mens houses is set in the first ranke and in the chiefe place of it and most abhorde So in Esay the Lord pronounceth an especiall woe and curse against those that ioyne house to house that they may dwell alone in the land So in Iob. 20. he shewes