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
iudgements may be readie to serue God and wee may also presse to doe his will For whosoeuer sets himselfe wholly to root and dig in the earth and to seeke earthly matters his hart will be so occupied forestalled with those things as that if he be called to any seruice of God he must be faine to say I haue married a wife I cannot come my farme and myne Oxen will not let mee come and all this while he sets vp a strange God But then shall we attaine a sincere though not a perfect obedience to this commandement if we can come to vse the world as though wee vsed it not and neuer to trust on these things when wee haue them for the aboundance of thē cannot help vs without gods blessing and not to be discouraged and cast downe though they be all taken away because the want of them shall not hurt vs if God be with vs for we liue by his blessing therfore wee must set our selues onely to rest on him and not to leane to any creature Before my face BEcause this is the most spirituall commandement doth most presse vpon the hart and we are most readie in this matter to dissemble with men and with our owne harts therfore God sets a narrower scantling of it saith before mee Hence wee are taught that it is not enough for vs to behaue our selues as that no impietie breake forth from vs into the face of men but we must looke to our harts and see that none come in Gods sight For a man may be preaching and exhorting others to the loue of God yet if he doe this for his owne vaine glory not for Gods glory to get promotion to himselfe and not saluation vnto Gods people he at that very time sets vp an Idoll in his hart for God searcheth the hart as Dauid saith to Salomon see that thou serue God with an vpright hart or else for all thine outward obedience thou shalt doe as good as nothing for God hath a special regard of the hart and doth as well see and discerne the most secret things of the soule as any man doth the outward actions of the bodie So Ieremie 17. ver 10. I the Lord search the hart God doth not looke on the outside onely but on the inside also shewes cannot deceiue him If wee say and sweare and protest neuer so much that wee loue him and feare him and this be not in our soule t is not before his face but in his fight there is nothing but hipocrisie dissimulation For men first must looke to the outward and hence descend to iudge of the hart but God first approueth the hart and then the outward action if wee see good things outwardly wee are bound in conscience to think well of that man but God will first see vprightnesse and then he will account well of the practises that we doe outwardly This then confutes them that think if they can carry themselues that men cannot blame them then all is well But it is nothing for God saith wash thine hart from iniquitie O Ierusalem no washing of the outward can doe any good vnlesse the hart be first well and throughly scoured Secondly this teacheth vs to carry our selues watchfully warily and to feare as well secret as open sinnes because all secrets are open to God and euery hidden thing is light before his face This meditation helped Iob that he would not allow so much as a wanton looke and by thought for he knew that God beheld his wayes and told all his steps and he could not be deliuered from his highnesse If God had seene them onely and not taken any great heede or notice of them it had not bene so much but as he saw them so he did keep them in a reckoning regard them so as that according to these Iob should receue his reward In this regard he made a couenant with his eyes and did walke in feare circumspectly and would suffer no vanitie or filthinesse once to enter into his hart But the want of this perswasion that God lookes alwaies full vpon vs his holy and pure eyes that are like a flame of fire are alwaies fast'ned vpon our waies and doings is the cause that men haue so many couetous and craftie and cruell and filthie thoughts and are come almost to that point of Atheisme that thought is free But they shall finde that though it be free from men yet it is not free from God and that they shal be lyable to the sentence of condemnation and culpable of euerlasting death before Gods Iudgement seat vnlesse they haue as great a care to haue holy and good thoughts and to purge their hart in the sight of God as to haue honest and ciuill actions and walke well before men So much of the negatiue part of this commandement The affirmatiue followeth In this commandement we are commanded foure especiall things viz. To know God to loue God to feare him and to trust in him These things if we haue in our harts then God beares the sway there and he is the commander of our soules and bodies And first of knowledge This commandement enjoynes euerie man to know God according as he hath reuealed himselfe in his word in essence and his persons in his properties actions according to this knowledge we must order our selues As in Iohn 17 ver 3. This is saith Christ life eternall to know thee and him whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ He that knowes God in Christ hath the lyfe of grace in him which is called life eternall because it hath the beginnings of life eternall which shall neuer dye but encrease till they come to the perfection of this lyfe For if any one doe thus know God how can he chuse but loue him and trust in him feare him and doe euery thing that he commaunds As Psal 9. Those that know thee will trust in thee Some trust in God some doe not what is the cause of this Because some know Gods power and his trueth and his justice and sufficiencie and these will neuer trust in any lawfull meanes nor fall to any vnlawfull but for others that doe not know him they make no account of trusting in him So Dauid saith to Salomon 1. Chro. 26. My sonne know thou the God of thy fathers and serue him with an vpright hart and a perfect minde This is the foundation of true religion and the ground-work of all vpright worship to know God when we know him then we shall serue him till wee know him there can be no seruing But if wee know that he is such a God as in whose eyes all things are naked and that he searcheth and pryeth into the harts and secret imaginations of the soule this will make one take heed of dissembling and striue to get an vpright hart and so he will serue him with a willing minde that doth know him for why doe men so
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
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