that with a true hart is willing to be taught and to confound also and condemne and leaue without excuse before Gods judgement seat such as will not yeeld to playne and strong reasons drawne out of the word of God but continue obstinate in their false conceits But because the point may be more plaine and manifest it is good to answere some of their objections whereby they would ouerturne this plaine truth Now the grand obiection is because we keep not the same sabboth that the Iewes did but the day is altered therefore they say we must keepe none This is their argument of so great waight but how foolish it shall appeare easily if we examine it a little more narrowly For though we keepe not the selfe same day that they did yet we haue the same commandement authoritie for our day that that they had for theirs Therfore this day that we keepe is called the Lords day in Reuel 1. Where Iohn saith He was in the spirit vpon the Lords day Afore it was called the day of rest because God rested on it from the work of creation but now it is called the Lords day because Christ Jesus instituted it as a speciall memoriall of his resurrection perfecting of the work of our redemption For the Apostles by the authoritie of that spirit which alwaies assisted them in their ministeriall office did alter the day themselues kept ordained it to be kept in all the churches As may appeare 1. Cor. 16. 1. Where he saith The first day of the weeke when yee meet together c. Where the Apostle shewes that the congregations of Christ were wont on the first day of the weeke to meet together for the performance of all holy duties of the number whereof collection for the poore was one because of the manifold persecutions wherwith in the primatiue church they were more afflicted and had neede of continuall reliefe This was the first day of the Iewish weeke our Lords day So also in the Acts. Paul himself kept this day which he spent in preaching till midnight and after administred the sacramēt in which two exercises he cōtinued till the dawning of the day So that the keeping of this day was instituted by God in the ministrie of the Apostles and kept by them and the churches in their time therfore as strongly commands vs as the Iewes and is of no lesse force now then before Then secondly the reason of the chaunge and of our keeping this day is no lesse then of their keeping that day For when the creation of the world was the greatest work that euer was done then the memoriall of that was chiefely to be regarded But now that a greater more excellent work was done namely the redemption of the world it was reason that the greatest work should carry the credit of the day They rested the seauenth day because on that God rested from the work of creation wee this eight day because in it Christ rise againe from the work of our redemption which being a greater work caused a chaunge of the day Sith then the day was not chaūged without good warrant and strong reason that alteration and varying of the day detracts nothing from the truth and force of the commandement And wheras they say that the church may at their pleasure alter it that is not so for ther can neuer be an authority greter then the authority of the Apostles nor a cause greater then the resurrection of Christ and the redemption of the church and therefore neither can the day be chaunged for to make a new day where no such warrant did allow nor no cause occasion it were to take more vpon them then is fit For if the Iewes in former times were bound to keepe it holy hauing onely the creation of the world to think vpon and to remēber by the celebrating of their seauenth day then how much more are we bound to this reuerence and a greater sith besids this benefit of our making we haue a greater of our redeeming by the bloud and death of Christ added vnto it so that any one of the two ought to sanctifie it more rather then to cast it of all together and to be so much the more carefull to giue this day wholy to God by how much he hath shewed a greate mercie to vs so that we should neuer speake or think of this chaunge but we should also call to minde this great benefit which was the cause of it If Adam had cause to spend a day in praysing God for his creation then wee haue greater cause seeth besides that we haue also the redemption to bee thankefull for And if this bee a good argument wee keepe not the selfe same day that the Iewes did therefore the dutie is abollished and wee are bound to keepe none then by the same reason one might conclude thus you see wee haue not the same sacraments for the outward seales that the Iewes had for they had circumcision and they had the pascall Lambe what tell you mee of the consecrate water and of the bread and wine hallowed the Iewes had no such matter sith these signes be altered I think it was but a ceremonie and wee neede not regard baptisme the supper this were no good argument in this case for though the shadowes bee other yet the substance bee the same Christ Iesus is signified by our bread and wine as well as by their Lambe and our baptisme is the sacrament of regeneration as well as their circumcision Therefore wee should not despise them but so much the more bee carefull to prepare our selues for them because the seruice is more easie the promises more lightsome If then it will not hold that we haue no sacraments because the outward seales bee altered then it is as weake a consequence that wee haue no seauenth day to bee sanctified because the day is altered and wee keepe not the same that they did So that no proofe can be gathered from the varying of the daie that the dutie is abolished because the authoritie is as strong the reason as good and the same reason doth not hold in other things Againe they object that to a christian euery day is a sabboth day and therefore wee should not restraine it to one day more then another but the answere to this is that it is most false for God doth not require neither is a christian able to keep euery day a sabboth day so long as they remain on earth indeede in heauen hee shall keepe a continuall sabboth vnto the Lord but now so long as wee liue there is as much difference betwixt the sabboth day and otheir daies as betwixt the consecrate bread wee receiue at the Lords table and the common bread wee receiue at our owne table This is true that euery one must serue God on the sixe daies and all his life long but on the seauenth day wee must not onely serue God
sacraments are for he was commanded of God how to make it of what figure in what place to what vse So for the Cherubins God appointed them likewise to signifie that God had his wings as it were spred out that whosoeuer would come to him in the Church should haue protection and shelter from him at all tymes But this makes nothing for making of idolls to worship god by them For because Solomon made an image at Gods appointment therfore may we make one at the idols appointment and if Moses set vp a brasen serpent by Gods direction may we by the direction of flesh and bloud that follows not But for that very serpent that God had commanded to be set vp when men would looke on it with to great a reuerence and had it into great request and honour Hezekiah was so bold as to pull it downe and grinde it to powder and this is writtē as a thing of commendations in him We must make no images to our selues then but if God bid vs then we may for then we make them to God and then if God say who required these things at your hands we may answere with comfort thou didst O Lord. Sith then the worshipping of images is the worshiping of idols as it is said in the Psalme afore named 136. For he that doth Gods work he worships God and he that doth the diuels work he worships the diuell and sith all idols be condemned in gods seruice because they haue no warrant from God nor he hath not appointed any signification of them This serues for the reprouing of all those that haue bowed downe vnto them kissed them or vsed any homage vnto them For in Isai 66. 3. He sets downe this as a note of an vnregenerate man to blesse an idoll one need goe no further for the note of a wicked sinner then if he blesse an idoll For by worshipping it in this commandement he meanes not to account it as God but to think that by any reuerence done before the idoll one shall get some help that this shall be a meanes of good to doe this is spiritual whordome For so in Isai 42. 8. He saith I am the Lord I will not giue my glory to an other One had better therfore dye the death then vse any bodily gesture of reuerence to an idoll And this the three Children knew full well in Daniell For when the King commanded them on paine of death to fall downe he did not binde their soules but onely their bodies yet they would not one would think they might haue done that and done it in their harts to God but they knew that if they had defiled their bodie vvith the least bow it would haue drawne Gods curse vpon their soule and bodie and therefore they durst not doe it Therfore sith this is spirituall whordom those that haue done it must repent for it and know that they haue infected their soules with a damnable sinne for which if they doe not throughly repent it is said that when times occasion shall serue they will fall to it as freshly as euer before for then it is not the feare of God that hath repressed it but the positiue law doth a little restrain it which if it be remoued their lust will breake foorth as much as euer before as it vvas seene by the Israelits in the wildernesse therefore we must be truely humbled for it and labour for assurance of pardon And though men will say they did it with a good intent in good meaning and in loue to Christ yet all these excuses will not serue the turne It were an ill excuse in a wife to say she loued her husband exceedingly and therefore in his absence she must haue others to see them and looke on them and to embrace them and all this for loue to her husband the husband would scarce think well of this loue yea it would be abhominable vnto him And it is much worse to kisse an idoll and bow downe to it and then say it was for loue to Christ An other vse of this is that we must labour to get the true and sound knowledge of God out of his word and a feruent loue of him for till then a man is in daunger to fall to idolatry But if one see Christ in his word and know his spirituall properties then they shall say as the church in Hosea 14. What haue we to doe any more with Idoles we haue hard God and seene God For then we shall see better and more excellent things in him then can be found in any image but till this we are not well fenced against idolatrie as in the naturall mariage the wife is sure from adultrie if she loue her husband but till then she lies open to adulterers so betwixt christ and vs then are we safe from idols when we haue gotten a feruent loue of Christ Many will boldly say what bow downe to an idoll kneele to a stocke or a stone sure I shall neuer doe it but as good as you haue done it but what cause or what reason haue you to thinke you shall not haue you seene Christ Iesus discribed in his word haue you seene him receiued his bodie blood in the sacrament if one haue seene his excellent beautie in these meanes he shall abhor an idoll as an vgly thing and if ones soule loue Christ and seeke after him in these meanes he will neuer fall to this filthinesse but loth and detest it but else hee is in continuall daunger to fall to spirituall whordome what euer he can say now when the times doe not serue Thus much for the grosse and direct breach of this commaundement by making an image to represent god which is impious or to help one in his worship which is idolatrous The second breach of this is superstition when one doth not goe to stockes stones but vseth those waies and inuentions in worshipping God which are not commaunded of God in his word but bee the appointment of men for Mat. 15. 9. Christ saith that they worship him in vaine teaching for doctrines mens precepts If it haue no further beginning then mans braine God will giue no blessing to it yea hee sends a curse vpon it for cursed is hee that ads any thing to Gods booke God will add so much to his plagues And the reason is because he makes himselfe wiser or better then God For if God be perfectly wise then he knew best what worship would please him and if hee be perfectly good then he would reueale vnto vs what euer hee knew fit for vs to practise Againe it is a great iniurie offred to God when we will let his deadly enimies haue the ordering and appointing of his seruice rather then himselfe A king would thinke it a great indignitie that his seruants would not serue him after his direction but some base fellow that were a professed enemie should set downe what meats he must
abundance of loue breeds aboundance of patience for loue hopes all thinges and suffer all thinges And loue is not prouoked but where there is little loue their is little bearing and little hoping and there they be quickly prouoked vpon euerie light and small defect or fault they grow to chasing and brawles and then who euer was troubled with such a husband or such a wife Nay they might rather say who euer had such an vnloving and vnkind heart as I for if there were that loue that should be and in that measure that there is that loue they would beare with patience and meakenesse such infirmities and would not be so quickely prouoked nay not by greater matters As the mother that in good earnest and without dissembling loues her little childe though it crie all night and be vnquiet and breake her sleepe and disquiet her verie much yet shee will not fling it out of doores nor lay it at further end of the house furthest from her but shee vseth it kindly and will doe what shee can to still it and when it cries shee will sing and in the morning they be as good friends as euer before and shee feeds it and tends it neuer a whit the lesse for all the nights trouble One that were not acquainted and knew not the loue of the mother would wonder why did it not disquiet your rest all night and can you be so merrie with it now Yes shee can for shee loued it and shee hath forgotten all that in the morning And so indeed could the husband and wife loue one an other with such a pure and christian loue they would beare much and endure much and yet loue neuer a whit the lesse For loue is all waies a brestplate against impatience A third profit that springes from loue is that loue edifies and loue seekes not it owne thinges therefore if they loue one an other they will in all thinges seeke the good one of another and then if he see a fault in his wife he will tell her of it meekly and gently and labour to bring her to amendment then if he see any fault of his part shee will with all reuerence and humilitie admonish him of it But on the contrarie where there is not loue they will regard their owne ease more then the saluation one of an other Then if the husband see his wife in any fault he thinkes indeede it is a sinne but if I come to tell her of it she will streight be in a passion and chafe and so the wife I confesse this sinne is dangerous to my husbands soule but if I should goe about to admonish him he is so hiddie that he would be bitter furious against me presētly But now here is a great want of loue in eyther partie For what though your wife will be in a passion he that loues his wife would rather shee should be in passion against him for a litle time then God with her for euer And the wife that loues her husband would more willingly suffer her husbands anger and futie for a while for well doing thē he should suffer Gods wrath eternally for ill doing Whereas they not louing one an other put it of with silēce dare not speake A fourth fruit of loue is that it armes one against iealousie the poyson of all dutie for loue will neither bee suspicious in matters of goods nor iealous in matters of the bodie For all iealousie and suspicion I speake of euill iealousie and suspicion for if their be euident and apparant causes and reasons then it is iust and no fault but all ill iealousie causlesse suspicion ariseth of one of these two points First either that one is or hath beene wicked himselfe and hauing beene faultie and naught himselfe he is readie to iudge others by himselfe and to measure all with his owne measure or else from a doting affection that one makes a God of this or that thing this is not true loue So when the wife doats foolishly vpon her husband and makes an idoll of him then is shee quickely readie to be iealous wheras a true and sound loue would worke the contrarie effect in her So for matters of goods he that trusts in them will trust no bodie with them but is alwaies suspitious and misdemeaning and will neither trust wife nor seruants nor children nor any not because they would not deale faithfully enough but because he makes that his God And therefore is immoderatly afraid to loose it but where there is a pure and seruent loue that will cut of all needlesse and misdeemings both in goods and bodie This is the first dutie that is common both to husbande and wife The second followes and that is faithfulnesse That both bende their wits and all their endeuours to the helpe each of other and to the common good of the familie The husband must not follow his priuate pleasure and delight nor the wife her owne ease pride but though by nature they could both be content to seeke themselues Yet they must striue both to build vp the house and to doe good one to an other and not hurt Because they stand in the place of Christ to those that are committed vnto them both for their soules and bodies First then the husband and wife must be faithfull in their bodies one to an other else they breake the couenant of God For mariage is not a couenant of man but a couenant of God where in the parties binde themselues to God and they be in recognisance in heauen to keepe themselues pure and chast one to an other Then for other matters there must be one purse and one heart and hand for the good of the familie and each of other But now if the wife be wastfull and idle then she like a foolish woman puls downe her house And if the husband be an vnthrift and consume and spende that idly and vainely to serue his lust or pride or anie sinne that might helpe his wife and children and be a meanes to make them liue plentifully and cheerefully whereas now they are pinched with want and necessitie this lauishing is a great vnfaithfulnesse and comes accompanied with manie inconueniences So much for the generall duties belonging both to husbande and wife The particular follow And first the wife must feare her husband as is commanded in Ephes 5. 33. Let the wife see that shee feare her husband and 1. Peter 3. 2. The Apostle requires a conuersatiō with feare So that if euer the wife will be comfortable and profitable to the husband and doe anie good in the family shee must haue a care of her heart and looke that shee carrie an inwarde feare to her husbande for the husband is the wiues head euen as Christ is the head of the Church and euen as the Church must feare Christ Iesus so must the women also feare their husbands And this inward feare must be shewed by an outward
they be so easily prouoked to such foule and reprochfull tearmes must confesse before God that they bee miserable breakers of this commaundement For this though it be a drie blow yet it is a sowre blow and strikes to the heart and dries vp the bloud with sorrow and vexation But that we may be freed from this euill tongue set on fire on hell we must pray God first to set a watch before our tongues that we may not speake vnaduisedly And secondly to giue vs a good heart For according to the aboundance of the heart so the mouth speaks that is the guider of the tongue and as it were the warehouse to the mouth looke what stuffe good or bad is laid vp in the warehouse that you shall see stirring abroad in the shop The tongue no man can tame but God can tame it To him therefore we must runne that he will take away the euill of our hearts and set such a watch ouer vs as that we may speake good wholsome speaches profitable to Gods glory and the good of our brethren So this commaundement is broken in word Now it followes how it is broken indeede and that first when one strikes to the heart only without death This hurting of our neighbour in reueng God hath appointed to be punished of the Magistrate by inflicting the same hurt vpon him that he in his heart of reuenge hath done to another An eye for an eye an hand for hand foot for foot c. And that most iustly to that he should drinke of his owne cuppe He thinkes it a light matter in his passion to strike out ones eye therefore he shall feele himselfe how small a thing it is He makes no bones to cut of a leg or an arme well if he like it so well he shall make triall in himselfe how good it is which shewes also that God doth exceedingly hate this venturousnes and boldnes of men to run vpon their brother in reuenge And that we way the better see the foule vnlawfulnesse of this sin of reuenge consider what wrong it doth both vnto the partie and to God and to his owne selfe that would be reuenged For the person on whom he seekes reuenge he takes vpon to punish him without any calling or authoritie and therefore is iniurious Why but may not I doe to him as he did to me No God giues no such allowance therfore he goes beyond his calling and for this cause is iniurious Then to himselfe he doth iniurie that seekes reuenge For it imbitters his enemie more and makes him more madde against him And then he is not sure to speed better but he may get more hurt to himselfe or if he be to strong for the other yet he hates him more and watcheth him a mischiefe besides he strips himselfe of Gods protection he neither can pray for a blessing nor haue a blessing because he is out of Gods defence he promiseth no shelter nor his Angels watch not ouer him that is out of his waies therfore he is subiect eyther to hurt an other and so to imbitter him more or to be hurt and then he hath no comfort for he ranne into his owne daunger and sought his owne hurt Then he wrongs God most of all for he takes Gods office out of his hand for God hath said vengeance is mine and I will reuenge Who made you a Magistrate now to take Gods turne What commission haue you to lay hands on his image But if I suffer this he would alwaies be medling and saucie I should not haue any quiet by him But God saith I will reuenge Thinke you God hath left gouerning the world or is hee a sleepe trow you that he cannot see these troublesome persons or doth hee want iustice or power that hee cannot or will not punish them sufficiently but you must needs rush vpon the breach and passe sentence your selfe Nay you doe God great wrong he hath said he will doe and will you presume to step before him and say I will doe it my selfe But God is fittest to rewarde and reuenge iniuries for he is not partiall and he tries the hearts and sees all circumstances why he hated you how long and with what minde he did thus and thus to you and he also can and will proportion the punishment to the fault whereas commonly if men might carue to themselues here they would cut a greate deale to deepe or be to sparing the one But sith God can doe it in best time and best measure and manner and hath said he will doe it what should you doe medling with reueng vnlesse you will hurte your selfe wrong an other and shoulder God out of his place Now for murther That is either Secret or Open. Secret as by poyson or some cunning deuice such as was Ahabs deuice he would not openly murther Naboth but he lets Iesabell haue his ring and concents and conceales the matter of that cursed and bloudie fetch against Naboth Therefore the holy Ghost tearmes Ahab no better then a murderer In like case Dauid woulde not slaye Vriah with his owne hands nor by any of his owne subiects but he puts him a forlorne hope casting him in such perill that he could not escape and that with a desire of his death to and then by this plotte to couer all but God discouered both to himselfe and to the whole world to that Dauid was guiltie of murther But the grossest and most barbarous of all is when one with his owne hands openly doth take away the life of a man This was condemned Gen. 6. and a reason added Thou shalt not kill a man for he was made in the image of God This is therefore to deface Gods image and as it were to rase the princes picture and broad seale yea this thing is so hatefull vnto God that if a beast slay a man he must be slaine and his flesh must not be eaten Now if God will haue the beast stoned which hath slaine a man though he haue neither lawe nor reason to restraine him much more those worse thē beasts that hauing Gods cōmandement and reafō to hold them backe yet by al these bars cannot be kept in from violating the image of God and the soule of man Besides they haue seene how ill murderers haue sped as Caine what a curse what a brande did God set vpon him that he was alwaies a runnagate and vagabound and could find no rest vpon the earth And in Numb 35. It is said that the lande is polluted and cannot be made pure but by the death of him that was the murderer Now this is so much the more vilde by how much those bee nearer bounde in any lincke or bond to him that doth this wronge As a brother the brother the child the father the wife the husband or such like which makes the sinne a great deale more haynous and odious But most monstrous and most indigne of all is it for one
window vpon a time and sees how commodiously Naboths vinyard stoode to his pallace and thought the might make him a faire garden there and he might haue a gooly priuate walke as it were so close to his therfore he would faine haue it And so sends for Naboth offers him some consideration for it but Naboth knew that he might not alienate his possenssion from himselfe that God had giuen him therefore hee sayes him nay but his desire was so earnest and importunate that it would take no nay and therefore hee was euen sicke with greefe and desire of that which was none of his And then there was no way left but Naboth must be slane and by hooke and crooke Ahab must haue the vinyarde and so Naboths life and vinyarde were both taken away but so that Ahab destroyed his familie and posteritie by this euill couetousnesse The vse that we must make of this is that though we haue neuer done any man wrong in one pennie yet we must repent for the wrong of the heart and the secret desire of the soule or els before God we are culpable of the breach of this commandement and lyable to the plague of God for it Secondly wee must learne to restraine our desires and keepe in the wandring lusts of our heart for that which it is a sin to take before men it is a sinne to wish before God therefore we must binde our minds to the good abearance Now the way to expell this wicked and greedie couetousnes of wealth is to consider these two thinges First the small or noe good that riches can doe vnto them that haue them Secondly to consider the certaine hurt that the desire of them will bring For the ground of couetousnesse is this that men haue a false and foolish imagination that wealth will bring some happinesse and if they had riches in good store then they should be in good safetie and in an happie case but that riches can make ones estate no whitte the better it is proued in the Psalme 62. 10. 11. 12. If riches increase set not thine heart vpon them He would haue one let his heart be neuer a whit set to his wealth and deeme himselfe no whit the better for the increase of them what is not one better nor hath he not cause to be more glad when his purse is full of monie then if he had neuer a farthing no sure not one iot and hee giues three reasons First saith he God spake once or twice and I heard it power belongeth vnto God This is reason nothing hath any power to doe a man any good but God therefore if he haue all the wealth in the world his wealth cannot helpe him it cannot keepe away any iudgement it cannot free him from death nor from hell but one may as soone goe to hell from weale or woe Diues may passe into torment as well as the veriest begger aliue Nay it cannot beare of any one stroake of God vpō soule or vpon bodie in this life it cannot keepe away sickenesse not greefe then if they be such weake thinges he that hath them is neuer a whit the nearer any good nor further from any euill why should one either earnestly desire them or greatly reioyce when he hath them Secondly To thee O Lord belongeth mercie There is no mercie but in God nor kindenesse but from God and that a man is kindely entreated it is not from wealth but from God that puts loue into mens hearts for if ones ways be pleasing vnto God he will make his enemies to become his friends and contrarie if ones waies displease him he will make ones friends his foes and those that owe him most dutie and haue here tofore shewed most loue vnto him to be his most bitter enemies and seeke his ouerthrow As in Dauid when hee had sinned against God he raysed vp his sonne against him who not with standing his welth and kingdome sought his life and would haue killed him Thirdly thou O Lord rewardest euery man according to his workes That is an other reason because God lookes to workes not to wealth when he comes to iudgment as if he had said most men dreame that it shall goe with them according to their goods and riches that they haue heaped vp this were true indeede if their were no God or else an idle God as Epicures imagine that sits a sleepe in heauen and cares not how things goes with men in the world but if there be a God that gouernes the world that is awaken and hath the ordering of matters then the question shall not be with what a mā hath But what he hath done not what riches But what grace and goodnesse he possesseth for sinne shall haue shame and he that is godly and mercifull and humble hee shall haue glorie and he shall be saued Sith it is so that riches are so little profitable or availeable this must keepe out of our hearts this whorish desire of riches that cannot profit Secondly as riches are sure to doe vs noe good so we are sure that the desire of them will doe vs much hurt and as there is no helpe from the hauing so there is certaine danger from the coueting For in Timothie the Apostle cals it the root of all euill Where this is there is sinne enough no euill that a man will abstaine from if it may procure his filthy lucre he will forbeare nothing if it lye in his way to gaine neither will he doe any good that seemeth contrarie to his profit therefore the daunger is greate that accompanies couetousnesse namely the rushing into all kinde of mischeefe and wickednesse and the neglecting and omitting of euerie thing that is good For it hinders one from the cheefe meanes of saluation and hinders the working of these meanes in him How it keeps men from the word and sacrements Christ shewes in the parable Luk. 14. 18. Some had oxen could not come some had farmes and must be held excused in generall euerie couetous man hath some pulbacke from religion or if happily sometimes he doe ouercome that let by much a doe step into the Church dore and set him downe before the preacher yet the holy Ghost tels vs how he is occupied speaking to Ezekiel he sayes that they sat before him indeede but though he was a man of rare gifts and verie eloquent yet their hearts went after their couetousnesse So that a couetous mans heart is in continuall trauaile though his bodie sit still for sometime yet his meditations and thoughts are moyling and rotting into the earth so that he can giue no attention to the word nor marke nothing that is spoken But yeelde that sometimes a quame of attention come ouer him admit that he can frame to giue eare to that which is spoken vnto him yet all is fruitlesse he gets no good for these be the cares of this world that like thornes choake the good seede of the word
would not in his heart iudge this an vncharitable thing that because his neighbour should see I know not what weak probability or rather surmises that had no probabilitie in them of some fault therefore he should presently thinke and conclude that it was euen so and beare such an opinion of him as of a trangressor in that kind what euer fault it be and so giue his name such a wound in his conscience by this deeming as could hardly be healed againe no man would count this good dealing to himselfe and therefore euerie man must looke to himselfe that he doe not build a suspicion against his neighbour vpon weake and idle props neuer thinke ill of one till he hath deserued and giuen sufficient cause of it But now this must be known by the way that though loue wil not allow suspicion yet it doth not thrust out discretion it iudgeth not rashly but it iudgeth iustly it is not so sharpe sighted as to see a little moath where none is nor so purblind but it can discerne a beame therefore rashnesse must be condemned and auoyded but there is an holy wisdome to be had as not to misdeeme without sufficient warrant so when there is euident proofe and plaine appearance of a sinne to take notice of it to which must be obserued against many men that by this doctrine and indeede wresting it as euill men doe all scripture take occasion to thrust admonition out of dores and thinke all men should be blinde because God will haue all men charitable For so when they haue broken forth openly into grosse signes of wickednesse and all their life shewes them to be prophane vngodly couetous and deceitfull and without the feare of God come now and admonish that certainly they be wicked persons and haue no true faith nor repentance presently you shall haue this first defence Oh GOD knowes myne heart you must not iudge you must not scearch into a mans heart But a christian must iudge wisely though not rashly he may iudge by the fruit though not by the sap if ones wickednesse be hidden then God would not haue men censure but if it breake forth he would haue men take heede and reproue also As for example if one see a man that delights in ill companie is neuer wel and as he would be but when he is among drunkards and swearers and blasphemers and such like vermine one may iustly and vpon good ground without any sinne suspect such an one and say suerely this man is a bad fellowe such as his mates are such is he for surely good men would be glad of the societie of good men and lambs will reioyce to be with lambes and now he that doth take all his pleasure to be among vngodly persons he hath pronounced sentēce against himselfe like company like man that keepes the companie So if one heare any vomite out filthie and vnchast speeches his tongue be full of vncleannesse his mouth is neuer emptie of lewd and lustfull words now this is an infallible note and sure brand of a filthie vnchast vncleane person for out of the aboundance of the heart the mouth speakes looke what ware comes into the shop such is surely kept in the warehouse and he that thinks thus of such a person doth him no wrong at all So others haue a good hope and a good faith they hope to be saued as well as the best if one will beleeue them and if you will not beleeue them they take as a great iniurie done to them But what reason can they giue of their hope what sound cause can they alledge why they should be saued rather then Iudas not goe to hell as well as Cayne surely for a reason they can yeeld no reason of their faith they be not learned but they haue a good heart and a good hope that God will saue them Nay they neither haue good heart nor good hope for a good hope is alwaies vpheld by good reasons and a strong faith by strong grounds out of Gods word else a man may talke of hope and faith and a good heart and be farre enough from any least he can shew vpon what ground he builds his hope it is but presumption and when sinne and death shall encounter such an one he shall fall away without any strength at all So for the Sacrament it is common custome of men a day or two before they come to the communion to wrap vp many reckonings and foule matters among themselues and to rake vp the coles of their malice vnder the ashes so closely as that one would hope there were no sparke left to kindle contention againe But a day or two after they be as craftie as brawling as full of cousening deceitfulnesse as euer before then one may boldly say you haue polluted the holy Sacrament you haue defiled the table of the lord you came to it without faith or repentance oh but you must not iudge Yes now the case is so cleare a mā may iudge for certainly if one come with repentance to the Sacrament he shall go with repentance from the Sacrament if one come a good man thether it will make him better then he was for God will alwaies keepe his promise and if one come as he commaunds he shall finde his sinne killed and he would not haue falne to his olde course so soone again nor returned to his filthie vomit if he had fed of the holy and pure bread of life Iesus Christ with an heart purged by faith and repentance And therefore though no man must suspect without good ground yet a man where there is iust cause ought to pronounce iust iudgement Thus much for the first which is the most secrete and inwarde breach of this commaundement Now the outward followes which is eyther without speech or with speech Without speech eyther by gesture or silence By gesture when one carries himselfe reprochfully to his brother and vseth such a kinde of behauiour as tends to vilifie mocke and disgrace him This Psalme 22. is condemned by a prophecie of Christ Iesus That they nodded their heads at him and made mowes as indeed they did after and this was as great an indignitie and doth oft times as much disgrace one and make him contemptible in the eyes of the beholders as if one should rayle vpon him with vilde and slaundrous words This then is a wrong to ones name though one doe not slaunder and rayle yet if he vse his hand or his tongue or heade or any part of his bodie in such a cariage and gesture as doth tende to mocke his neighbour he sinnes against his name and credit The next kind is by silence when one houlds his peace when he heares his neighbour slaundred he stands by and can testifie of his own knowledge that the thinges spoken be false and lying and yet either in flatterie or feare of displeasing lets all alone and doth not speake that he knowes to defend
their owne estate therefore others come and bring in false reckonings and make false accounts and so they be deceiued and thinke themselues in a verie good plight when in truth they are most wicked and miserable Therefore a man must not take any more praise or commendation then that he can approue to be true by the testimonie of Gods word and the witnesse of his owne works and life beware of that that puffes vp and hardens let no man perswade vs that we be better or our sinnes lesse then they be And thus much for receiuing of those false testimonies concerning ones selfe that they come in the way of praise and extolling Now for those that come in the way of accusing and depressing For as one must not yeeld to the flatteries of other so neither must he yeeld to their false accusations concerning himselfe that tend to make him thinke worse of himselfe then indeed he ought and so to disable him to doe that good he should and also hath libertie to doe So Iob would not accord to the sayings of his friends in this case let them say as oft as they pleased that he was an hypocrite and had not an vpright heart before God Iob would not for all that consent that it was so he would not while he liued forsake his innocencie and let let goe the puritie of his cause nor would thinke a whit the worse of his former life or of his present estate for all their proofes and reasons that they did falsely alledge against him for he knew that he had many daies and times before made all euen betwixt God and himselfe he had many a time cast ouer his accounts and found himselfe acquitted of all before God that no debt remained to be laid to his charge For howsoeuer no manwhiles his life endures shall be freed from the dregs of sinne and the spots of corruption yet when he in a sight of his faults comes to repent and be sorrie for them and to pray to God for pardon for them and to beleeue that God for Christs sake will forgiue them he is as free then from the guilt and punishment of all his sinnes as if he had beene euer from the action of them Now Iob knew that he had often after this sort set all reckonings right betwixt God and himselfe and that no fault hung vpon the score vnrepented and vnforgiuen Therefore all their perswasions could not withdraw him from his faith and from clearing himselfe of hypocrisie for what euer they said his own works which he had in remēbrance God his own conscience with which he was well acquainted said that he was true sincere vpright and guiltlesse of that crime which they so sharply charged vpon him Wherefore he set them all at defiance that would offer to make challenge to his innocencie Though his wealth was gone his children dead his cattell stolne and kild his seruants slaine and his friends all gone backe from him yet his innocencie stucke to him and his assurance that he serued God in the truth of his heart and the vprightnesse of his soule abode by him and this neither his friends nor foes nor all the diuels in hell could wrest from him but he held it fast in spite of them all and that was the cause he bore his affliction so patiently and with so great comfort But now if he had embraced this false testimonie and accusation euen of good men and said alasse indeed this is true that you say I neuer had an vpright heart to God I did all in hypocrisy al in dissembling nothing in synceritie nothing in truth it is euen so I am I am an hypocrite he might and could not chose but haue held downe his head with shame and he had beene wholy opprest with griefe and vexation all his good actions would haue afforded him no iot of comfort no consolation or peace for if they had been done in hypocrisie they had beene all sinnes and he would haue had no heart nor could not haue endured to come to God nor lift vp any prayer to him for so he saith can the hypocrite pray to God at all times and thus hauing depriued himselfe of these stayes and supportes he must needs haue sunke downe in despaire and anguish This serues to confute those that whē as they be in truth soūd Christians and many infallible works of true Christianitie haue appeared and doe now appeare in them yet if the diuell eyther doe himselfe or else moue some wicked some filthie sinner to roare in their eares that they be hypocrites and that they haue no truth in them do all in dissembling and to be seene of men streight way they are readie to ioyne hands with Satan and vse their owne strength against their owne soule and will seeke out reasons to confirme the diuels false and slaunderous blasphemies but in truth to weaken their owne faith and bring much needlesse trouble and many gripes vpon their soule that if they had withstood these lies they might haue escaped Nay say ye surely it is as they say wretch that I am God hath met with me now they should not haue had power to say so had it not been so I am false all that I haue done is in vaine it was but glosing and dissembling And why so Is not the diuell a lyar and will you so easily giue him credit and that at the first But this is not well for as one should not yeeld to the vniust and false praises of another so neither must he condemne himselfe vpon so slender a ground as the diuels or diuellish mens words nay one must not so easily rob God of his praise and himselfe of his comfort And as the former persons were so easily seduced in matter of their comendation because they seldome or neuer looke ouer their sins so these are so quickly put in doubt of their vprightnesse because they doe not vse to marke what good workes they doe and to consider what graces God hath bestowed vpon them For if one would not be alwaies looking into their infirmities and searching into their infirmities but sometimes lift vp their eyes to the mercies of God to that strength which he hath giuen them against sinne and power to doe some good things and make as diligent a rehearsall of Gods benefits as of their afflictions and miseries they would not be so easily driuen from their hope and put out of comfort The diuels slaunders would not daunt them so much but they would take faster hold of Gods mercie Thus much for the breach of this commaundement The things commanded are eyther Inward contrarie to suspipition a charitable opiniō and good hope of our neighbour which must be shewed by Taking doubtfull things in the best part By defending his name if we heare him slaundered By being grieued when we heare true report of his ill deeds Outward or Generall to speake the truth from ones heart and that with a