but the daughters of Sara must looke to the fashion of holy women The want of religion in many women is seene in their apparrell their harts being as hollow as their verdugales their mindes being as light as their feathers and their thoughtes as changeable as their fashions Peter hauing praised and pressed this garment of meekenes he saith Holy women and Sara did weare it and it made all the rest the more comely for it made them subiect to their husbandes as Sara obayed her husband and called him sir the wante of meekenesse hinders subiection for the wordes of the mouth and workes of the handes followe the motions of the minde if the affections bee disordred thereof growes disordred wordes and â—ctious Sara beeing sâ—nctyfied and â—neekened by the grace of God vsed reueâ—end wordes to her husband and called â—im Lord or sir shewing herselfe to be his â—feriour and not Will Dicke the like as many doe speaking to their husbande 's as to their kitchinboyes and as she vsed reueâ—end speeches so actions she obeyed him â—s we may see in Genesis when her husband Gen. 18. commaunded her to prouide meate for the Angels We vse to say when any doe a thing that belonges to their calling their coate sits neuer the worse to their backe so when a woman shall doe a necessary or indifferent thing at the commaundement of her husband though she be in her Sunday robes it is nothing vncomely but makes it seeme the more holyday like but I meane not to stand vpon the duties of wiues to their husbandes seeing my purpose was chiefly to teach Gentlewâ—men perticulerly in the matter of attire and not all women generally in other behauiour Now as these that heare sermons vse to say that was a good lesson for such a one so men like well to haue women taught their duties but not to heare of their owne therefore though I omit it the Scripture doth speake of it and others haue written it and the Apostle Peter also after in this Chapter doth shew what bee the duties of men aswell as of women Husbands saith he dwel with your wiues as men of knowledge that is know what you must yeeld to them aswell as what yee may require of them therefore if your wife bee ignorant you must teach her as Paul saith Women must 2. Cor. 14 learne of their husbands if she offend admonish her as Iacob did Rachell if she be heauie Gen. 30. you must comfort her as Elâ—anah did Hanna if shee bee weake you must beare 2. Sam. 1. with her and Peter saith after If shee giue good counsell you must hearken to her As God said to Abraham Hearken to thy wife who said cast out the bond-woman and her sonne God giue both husbands and wiues wisedome loue meekenesse and all inward graces that they may shew forth outward goodnesse ¶ A caueat for craftesmen and Clothiers IAMES 5. 1. Goe to now yee ritch men howle and weepe for the miseries that shall come vpon you 2. Your riches are corrupt and your garments are moth-eaten 3. Your goulde and siluer is cankered and the rust of them shall be a witnesse against you and shall eate your flesh as it were fire yee haue heaped vp treasures for the last dayes 4. Behold the hire of the labourers which haue reaped your fieldes which is of you kept back by fraude cryeth and the cryes of them which haue reaped are entred into the eares of the Lorde of hoastes THis Epistle was written to all the Iewes that professed Christ and the Gospell among whom as it is in all Churches their were some that rested in an outward profession and neglected a good conscience and conuersation as yee may see in the former chapters Those which were such hipocrites among them that the Apostle dealeth against were specially rich meÌ„ for although it may be there were some poore amoÌ„g theÌ„ that were bad enough as it is euery where yet the Apostle saw speciall cause to inuay against the ritch for in the second chapter he speakes for the poore Hath not God saith he chosen the poore of this worlde that they should be ritch in faith And speaketh against the rich Doe not the ritch oppresse you by tirannie saith he and in this chapter he saith The ritch men howle and weepe for the misery that shall come vpon you the labourers wages that you keepe backe by fraude cryeth against you and in the 7. verse he speakes to the poore and â—aith Be patient therfore brethren till the comming of the Lord which dealing of the Apostle I would haue an answere â—o their accusation who chalenge the Minister for speaking so much against the â—â—ch and so little against the poore reade â—he Scripture and yee shall finde the ritch â—eprooued tenne times to the other once â—he reason is because they are most faulty and the reason of that is as I take it because most corporall discipline is vsed against the poore and therefore most spirituall discipline had neede to be vsed against the other Hee hath in the former Chapters exhorted these ritch men to repentance Nowe hee commeth to threaten them with Gods iudgementes saying Goe to you ritch mâ—n weepe and howle for the misery that shall come vpon you c. Some may aske if the Apostle doth condemne ritches or if he doth meane all ritch men I answere no for ritches beeing gotten by good meanes are the blessing of God and there haue bin diuers good ritch men as Abraham Iob and others and no doubt there were some good among these people but the Text shewes that hee speakes of such ritch men as got their ritches euill and vsed them not well and yet they did laugh as appeares in the fourth Chapter but he telles them heere there is Iam. 4. 9 cause of weeping There was cause they should weepe for their sinnes because they abused their riches letting them rust and Motheate when the poore had neede of them and because they defrauded and oppressed the poore yea because they killed the iust letting them starue for hunger and colde but because they were hardned in their sinnes he willes them to weepe for their miseries not for the miseries they were presently in for they now wallowed in wealth But for the miserie that should come on them when they should giue account how they had vsed their talent as yee may see in the example Mat. 25. of the vnprofitable seruant and in the Luk. 16. example of the ritch glutton It were a merry worlde if it might goe alwayes with such men as it dooth now but they shall change a coppy as wee saye Now because these men were secure and thought of no afterclappes he calles them to consider their misery in time to come for where sinne goes before if repentance comes not in the middest distruction shal be the end Where hee biddes them howle the worde importes such a lamentation as arises from the certaine
that are lost c. But these is one of the assaults of the diuell that we must wrastle against for the Scripture forbids vs to haue familiarity with the deuil the enemy of mankinde neither will this be any colour that they goe not to the diuell but to a witch seeing God forbiddeth that also Leui. 20. 6. And Leui. seeing though not themselues yet the witch hath familiarity with the deuill and they haue familiarity with him in his instrument and it is all one to take counsell from the deuill at the first hand and at the second hand there is a curse pronounced against them that seeke to witches Our Sauiour Christ rebuked Sathan when hee spake the trueth because we would not receiue it from him no more should we seeing whensoeuer he speakes either he lyes or speakes the trueth to deceiue I cannot better compare this seeking to the deuill by witches then to those that seeke mony at the handes of biting vsurers I say byting vsurers who haue no respect to the good of the borrower but to their owne aduantage to wrap the partie in bondes till they ouerthrow his estate for howsoeuer it seemes a benefit that serues their turne to know that they seeke at the handes of the deuill or witches which yet is not so commonly but in foolish conceit only yet it turnes to their great hurt and damage bringing their soules further into thraledome Saul went to the witch of Endor to 1. Sam. 18. call vp Samuell but it was not Samuell but a sinnelesse conceite it was the deuill in the likenesse of Samuell for they would not bury Samuell in a mantle that was his ordinary attyre but they did bury him doubtlesse in a lynen cloath as the manner was but this practise of Saul hastened 1. Cro. 10. 13. his distruction As the deuill hath great knowledge so hee hath great agility and nimblenesse to passe from place to place for though hee be not infinite but finite yet he compasses the whole earth as it is sade in Job and that in short time some Iob. 1. men haue beene saide to sayle about the worlde in three yeares the Sunne that is a bodily substance as wee see compasses the worlde in 24. houres how much more the deuill that is a spirite therefore wheresoeuer a man dwelles hee must looke to bee assaulted of this enemie hee tempted Adam in Paradise Iob in the land of Vz our Sauiour Christ in the wildernes the sea cannot hinder him stone walles cannot barre him as it may other enemies but hee hath a spirituall passage and spirituall accesse to euerye place and euerye person Wickednesses As the deuill is a spirite so he is a wicked spirite they were at the first created good as were the other Angelles but the Apostle saieth they kept not their first estate but fell and became Iude. diuelles therefore as in the Scripture the other Angels that stoode are called elect and holy Angels so they that fell are called euill and wicked spirytes the diuell is called an vncleane spirite he is called a lier and a murderer Iohn 8. And as he is a wicked spirit so he temptes men and women to wickednesse he tempted Adam and Eue to pride and rebellion Gne 3. he tempted Iob to blasphemy for though he afflicted him in his goodes and bodie yet his purpose was to draw him to blasphemy Iob. 1. as appeares by his wordes to the Lord dooth Iob feare thee for naught but touch him and hee will curse thee to thy face he tempted Ahabs falce Prophets King 22. to lying he tempted our Sauiour Christ to Mat. 4. distrust and presumption he tempted Ananias and Saphira to hipocrise and dissembling Acts. 5. he tempted Iudas to couetousnesse Mat. 26. and theft So he temptes all men to one sin or other and some time to one sinne and somtime to another He will tempt men to continue in ignorance and not to heare sermons nor reade good bookes if he preuaile not that way he will tempt them with error that they should belieue lyes insteed of the truth if he cānot preuaile that way he wil tempt thē to holde the truth in hipocrisie if he cānot corrupt their religion he will seeke to corrupt their conuersation make them leaprous christians he wil tempt men to iniustice as he did Achab to vnmercifulnesse as he did Diues to vncleanenesse as he did Herode to intemperance as hee did the prodigall childe if hee cannot preuaile to drawe men neither from religion nor good conuersation he will tempt them to be proud of their knowledge and proud of their vertues that will mare all the good things that are in them as he did the Pharises The diuell hath diuers nets to take men withall he hath ease wherewith hee hath intrapped Dauid he hath pleasure wherewith he caught Salomon he hath the beauty of women wherewith hee vanquished the two iudges spoken of in Susanna hee hath profit whereby he inthralled Iudas hee hath euill company by which hee indangered Iehosaphat hee hath euill examples wherewith hee corrupted the Isralites they would haue a king like other nations He doth endeuor and that by all meanes to draw all men to wickednesse Alexander was not so vnsatiable to conquer the world corporally as he is to conquer the worlde spiritually Alexander fought to conquer but one age but the diuell all ages If he were an aduersary that had any goodnesse in him we might expect some gentle handling by yeelding to him but he is a wicked aduersary such a one that delightes in bloud therefore in the Scripture hee is called a Lyon and a Dragon full of cruelty those that he ouercomes hee will tyrannize ouer them and bring them to greater miserye then can bee imagined for this cause take the whole Verse 13. armour of God c. as if he should saye seeing we haue a battell to fight and not with one enemy but with many not with bodily enemies but spirituall not with weake enemies but strong not with simple enemies but subtill not with honest gentle enemies but wicked and cruell and seeing euery Christian euen the weakest woman must passe these perils and pikes of the diuelles temptations arme your selues thorowly the Apostle hauing told vs of the danger shewes vs the remedy hee hath exhorted to the same thing in verse 11. before and now hee repeates it againe giuing vs to vnderstand there is necessity in vsing this remedy and that there is no remedy but this Wise men will be prouided against all enemies especially against domesticall and dangerous enemies that euery houre waite their opportunitie to hurt them and if men be so carefull to take heede of corporall enemies that can but kil the body how careful should we be to take heede of these enemies that seeke to destroy the soule auoide them we cānot but prepare our selues to withstand them we may or else the Apostle
would neuer haue thus often and earnestly willed vs to put on the whole armour of God Some Christians when they do but heare how this man and that women is troubled and tossed with terrible and tedious temptations of Saâ—han are discouraged before it come at them but when they beginne to feele the diuelles assaultes and bickeringes in themselues they conclude they shall neuer be able to holde out but God hath not left his Church in such a desperate estate but hee hath prouided meanes of escape from their enemies therefore here the Apostle willes vs to vse it Armour of God He telles vs againe it is the armour of God that must doe it the armour of men will not doe it it is not humane power pollicie or ciuility that can withstand this enemy but the munition that comes out of the Lordes armourye for though the diuell be strong yet there is a stronger as the Apostle sayeth 1. Ioh. 4. 4 Greater is hee that is in you then hee that is in the world though his ingens and artillery be sharpe and dangerous to hurt vs yet there be instruments and weapons of greater force to preserue vs. This armour hee sets downe in the 14. 15. 16. 17. and 18. verses following verity he compares to a souldiers girdle that will fence vs against all Sathans temptations to hippocrisie herisie and lying righteousnesse he compares to a souldiers brest-plate that will fence vs from all Sathans temptations to iniustice and â—â—iury hope he compares to a souldiers helmit or head-peece that head-peece that will fence vs from his temptations to discontentednesse fainting and wearynesse faith he compares to a souldiers shielde or buckler that will fence vs from Sathans temptations to diffidence and dispaire the knowledge of the worde hee compares to a souldiers sworde that will fence vs from the temptations of ignorance and disobedience prayer he sets in the last place not that it must be vsed last but first and last therefore for breuitie sake he putteth it insteade of all the rest for the Scripture in other places makes mentioÌ„ of other vertues necessary to arme vs against other vices as humility that will fence vs against the diuels temptations to pride and vaine-glory temperance that will feare vs against his temptations to ryot and excesses in meate drinke apparrell recreation or any thing chastity that wil fence vs against his temptations to vncleanenes and adultery loue that will fence vs against his temptations to hatred and reuenge brotherlye kindenesse that will fence vs against all his temptations to morosotie and strangenes meekenesse that will fence vs against his temptations to wrath and waywardnesse patience that will fence vs from his temptations to murmuring vnlawful meanes vsing heauenly mindednesse that wil arme vs against all Sathans temptations to prophanesse and worldlinesse But the Apostle dooth onely set downe these few that he nameth in this chapter either because these vertues were most wanting in the Ephesians as his manner was to speake fitly to the persons and purpose or els because these were sufficient to answere to the partes of a souldier from whence he takes his metaphor The Papistes appoint other armour to withstand and driue away the diuell as crucifixes Agnis dies a part of Saint Iohns Gospell about a mans necke crosses made on the forhead and brest holy water ringing of belles but these neuer came out of Gods armory If this were the armour to withstand the diuell withall the Apostle forgotte himselfe that he tould vs not of it neither here nor else where Againe if this were good armour for that purpose the wickedest man might withstand the diuell aswell as the godliest man for who cannot make a crosse on his forhead weare a crucifixe about his necke sprinkle himselfe with holy water c. But that this is not the armour against the diuell appeares hereby that those who haue beene most superstitious in these things haue beene and are the vassels of Sathan and carryed at his pleasure to Idolatry heresie blasphemy adultery and such haynous sinnes But the furniture wherewith we must withstand the deuill is the armour of God that is prescribed to vs in this chapter in the rest of the Scripture that is the gifts and graces of regeneration and sanctification as sound knowledge vpright hartednesse vnfained faith and hope a iust and chaste minde an humble spirite sober and louing affection and a good conuersation it is that which the Apostle hath set downe in a word in the 4. chapter put on the new Ephe. 4. man which is after God created in righteousnesse and true holynesse and this is the cause that the diuell dooth carry men to many and dangerous sinnes because they haue no grace nor deuine power to resist him the cause that he carries men to hipocrisie and lyes is for that they want the girdle of vertue the cause that he carries them to iniustice and wrong is they want the brest-plate of righteousnesse see the cause that he carries men to any other vice is because they want the contrary vertue And marke he wills the Ephesians and vs the secoÌ„d time to put on not a part but the whole armour of God if a souldier be naked he may easily be hurt any where if he be armed but in some place he may be wounded on that part that lacketh but the Apostle would haue vs to bee wholely armed that wee may be foyled no where neither in our iudgement in our affection nor in our conuersation the cause that some of Gods seruantes haue taken dangerous falles hath beene the want of some of their armour how coulde Salomon haue beene so foyled as hee was if hee had not wanted sobrietye had Dauid receaued such a view of Sathan thinke wee if hee had put on chastity Some thinke if they haue a little knowledge they are christians good enough alas that is but one part a man may haue knowledge what to beleeue what to doe and what to suffer and yet be farre enough of from the practise of it a Christian must be a generall man therefore saith the Apostle Peter Ioyne vnto your faith vertue to vertue â— Pet. 1. knowledge and to knowledge patience and to patience temperance and to temperance godlinesse and to godlinesse brotherly kindenesse and to brotherly kindenesse loue For there is no vertue or gift of regeneration but we shall haue occasion to vse diuers times in our life One being aduised by his friend to ride with a weapoÌ„ answered what needes that seeing a man shall meete with a thiefe but once in seauen yeares but saith he if a man want it that once it is once too much but we shall meete with this enemy euery day and shall finde by experience that all our Christian preparation is little enough to maintaine our pure religion and keepe our Iam. 1. selues vnspotted of the world that yee may be able to c. Without this
armour of God we are not able to resist the deuill for what power is therein a subiect to resist a Prince what strength is in weake flesh to withstand a mighty spirite what wisedome is there in a foolish man to counteruaile the subtill Serpent but if we bee armed with the armour of God and furnished with his deuine grace then and there by we are made able to c. Therefore saide our Sauiour Christ to this Apostle when 2. Cor. 12. he was in this battell and prayed for aide My grace is sufficient for thee and hee hauing experience that it was so saith I am able to doe all things by the heple of him that strengthens me and if it should be obiected Paul was an olde man therefore we cannot doe as he did Saint Iohn writes to the church and speaking of common Christians saith Hee that is borne of God ouercomes 1. Ioh. 5. 4 the world If we reade the Scripture wee shall see what great temptations the seruants of God haue ouercome by grace as Moses Ioseph Iob Daniel and others we must be like the people of Ciuiensis who when the ambassadors of Brutus would haue them deliuer their Citty vnto him returned his answer tel your captaine Brutus our ancestors haue left vs weapons to defend our selues and our Citty so when the diuell tempteth vs to yeelde our selues to him let vs answere our God hath left vs weapons to defend our selues from him Therefore if we would be able to stand vpright against the temptations of the diuell let vs heare reade praye and euery waye labour to furnish our selues with knowledge faith hope trueth iustice mercye loue humilytie patience meekenesse and all the graces of Gods spirite And let vs knowe this is none of the least of Sathans temptations to perswade men they may doe well enough without them or with some though they seeke not for all of them and to thinke that those that haue them doe no great matters with them How great a temptation of the diuell in the person of a woman did Ioseph Gen. 39 ouercome by grace when numbers with farre lesse inticementes are carryed to adulterye how great a temptation did the three children ouercome by grace Dan. 3. when thousandes were for want of grace carryed to idolatrye as one saith this prooues not a man an innocent because hee is not accused but beeing accused he is able also to cleare himselfe so it prooues not a man a Christian that hee is not tempted but beeing tempted he is able to ouercome therefore saieth the Apostle Put on the whole armour of God that yee may bee able to resist As the graces of God doe inable vs to withstand the diuell in his temptations so wee must put foorth our strength and resist him When Peter had sayde 1. Pet. â— your aduersary the diuell goeth about like a roaring Lyon seeking whome he maye deuoure hee addeth whom resist stedfastly in the faith Iames sayeth Resist Iam. 4. the diuell and hee will flye from you some to excuse their falles saye the temptation was so strong that it was vnpossible to withstand it It may bee it was vnpossible for an vnarmed man but not vnpossible for a man furnished with Gods grace Therefore let such a man knowe it was not so much the strength of temptation as his owne weakenesse and cowardise that ouerthrewe him hee wanted grace or did not resist if hee had hee might haue ouercome for there haue beene men yea women that haue ouercome as great temptations as those and let him tell mee did hee not vse his owne handes his owne eyes his owne feete his owne tounge whereof the diuell hath noe power except by speciall license or authoritye in the case of possession which is not ordinary but his power and practise is to intice mens hartes and hauing wonne their Iudgement and wonne their affection they giue their toung to speak euil or their hands or other members of the body to commit euill why doe men these things and not resist but suffer themselues to be ouercome of their spirituall enemy By this time we see cause seeing it stands vs vpon life and death to resist the diuell but some man may aske how we should doe it I answere our resistance must be spirituall as our enemy is spirituall it is not enough to say I defie the diuell as some thinke but if we would resist the diuell we must resist sinne what sinne soeuer it bee that wee are tempted to whether against the first table or the second table of the law whether it be against God directlye as idolitry blasphemy periury or the worship of God as the neclect of the worde sacraments or sabothes or whether it be against men or women in the abridgement of their authority of their liues of their chastity of their goodes of their name for we neuer are mooued to any sinne but we haue to doe with the diuell directly or indirectly If it be asked how we should resist sinne I answere I resist the motions vnto it within and the perswasions and occasions vnto it without resist it in iudgement and saye with our selues the diuell stirres vp my corrupt nature in my hart or stirres vp such a man or such a woman to perswade me to such or such an euill thing I may not doe it resist it in affection such a thing that the diuell or his instrument would drawe me vnto is euill I wisl not doe it resist it in conuersation such a thing that the diuell perswades mee to is euill I will haue no hand I will haue no finger in it I will stop my eares from hearing of it I will shut my mouth from defending it I will turne away my feete from following it Some may aske how a man should know the temptations of the diuell from the corrupt motions of our owne nature I answer there is such an affinity likenes betweene them as it is hard to distinguish them therefore the safest way is to thinke that we haue to deale with both these enemies at once and so to be the more strengthened against them but for a difference let vs know when all euill motion to any sinne is raysed if spirituall force be added to draw vs or spiritual subtilty to perswade vs which be two properties of the diuelles nature let vs thinke besides our owne corruption which is the broker the diuell himselfe is present is the prouoker let vs resist the first corrupt motions of our nature which the Apostle seemeth to call the 2. Cor. 12 messengers of Sathan as hee saith to the Collossians mortifie your earthly members Col. 3. if wee make such faire warres with these spirituall enemies and kill them not as many doe we shall haue foule handes with them and let vs resist the diuell who will double and inforce those suggestions by what reasons or perswasions soeuer he doth it that all the power of hell may not
and this posie written In seruing other I waste my selfe Therfore Cirus king of Persia somtime saide If a man did know the infi 〈…〉 e cares that are vnder the imperiall cro 〈…〉 he thought he would not stoope to â—â—e it vp And Augustus wished rather to lead a priuate life then a kingly condition for as a maiestrate is called to a great office so to a great businesse as he is called from apriuate to a publique place so hee must as it were lay aside priuate and looke to publique affaires therefore the Senators of Rome where wont to finde it thus written in their seates in the Senate house Put off priuate affaires and put on publique when thou coÌ„mest hether but I would some did not rather vse their publike office to their priuate aduantage therefore the wife of Aristides wished that her husbands house were the common wealth or that the common wealth were his house because he cared onely for that but as it is odious to vsurpe authority that is to deale as an officer and haue no office so to haue an office and neglect the duties of it such a one is like Gâ—rge on horsebacke that hath a sword in his hand neuer strikes though a Dragon be before him As it is a great commendation to be a good common wealthes man so for a publique person to beare publique annoyance is a great infamy The end of maiestracie generall is that men may leade â— Godlye and peaceable life vnder them 1. Tim. 2. first a Godlye life then a peaceable life because the people are naturally inclined to false religion the maiestrate is to destroy idolatrye as Hezechias did to set vp Gods 1. Kin. 18 true worship as Iehosaphat did to coÌ„pell the people to the profession and practise of it 2. Cor. 20 is Esay did The prince or chiefe maiestrate must appoint synods for the suppressing of heresie and defending the trueth he must 1. King 2. put downe euill ministers and set vp good ministers the maiestrate must compell the ministers to doe their dutye if any bee negligent and compell the people to keepe the Saboth to heare Gods word to receiue the sacramentes and to practise all other outward partes of godlinesse also the maiestrate must take order that men may leade a peaceable life he must defend the subiectes from inuasion and forreigne enemies abroade and for that purpose must muster arme and send forth captaines and souldiers for warres somtime affectiue and sometime defensiue and also defend his subiects from domisticall iniuries at home and for this purpose he must make and cause to be executed good lawes of equity and iustice for the preseruation of their liues goodes and names of men in which two generall and chiefe respecteÌ„s of godlye and peaceable gouernement wee haue cause to praise God for our most noble and religious Queene and to 1. Tim. 2. pray as the Apostle willes vs for her long life and prosperity The end of maiestracie more perticulerly is to execute iudgement and iustice for the punishment of euill doers and for the praise of those that do well Rom. 13 therefore Dauid beeing a good maiestrate saith He would sing mercye and iudgement Psal 101. mercie that is countenance compassion and comfort to those that be good and iudgement that is discountenance discouragement and punishment to those that be naught therefore Paul saith Hee beares not the sword for naught Therefore if men did euill they should feare but if they did well then not feare the maiestrate must not be such a one as a good man needes feare him nor as an euil man should be without feare of him therefore it is saide here Thou shalt iudge thy people with righteous iudgement And let vs marke as the maiestrate is a publike person so that which he doth as a maiestrate must be by a forme of publike iudgement by examination of causes by conuiction of offenders before sentence or execution which was wanting in Saul who 1. Sam. 22 vpon secret information and priuate affection executed the Lordes Priestes without any publike examination or conuiction as the maiestrate must vse a due forme of iustice so when he hath hard examined the cause hee must iudge righteous iudgement for if he should then giue wrong senâ—ice he were better let it alone it were better wrong should be done without the maiestrate then by him it were better a matter should be seene in his owne colour of priuate iniurie then that there should bee put vpon it a falce colour of publike iustice and equity therfore as it is not enough for the minister to preach but hee must preach wholesome Doctrine so it is not enough for the maiestrate to iudge but he must iudge righteous iudgement as hee must draw the sword so he must turne the edge the right way Iehosaphat shewes a reason 2. Cor. 19 of this when hee sent iudges thorow the land to execute iudgement the iudgement saith he is not yours but Gods if they giue wrong iudgemeÌ„t they do as it were charge God with iniury two other reasoÌ„s may be added to that first though the maiestrate be superior to those that be iudges yet hee is inferior to God as Salomon saith in Ecclesiasties If thou seest oppression in the Cittie there is a higher then they and therefore a Maiestrate must say as the Centurion saide to our Sauiour Christ I am a man set vnder the authority of another Herode was aboue him and Caesar was aboue Herode and God is aboue all for though Maiestrates be called powers yet it is not in respect of any strength that is in themselues but in respect of the many assistants that they haue to take their part but yet they are weake in coÌ„parison of God indeed they be called Gods but it is in the respect of the authority Psalm 82 that they execute in Gods stead that they might so iudge as God would doe if hee did giue the sentence but they shall die like men Alexander thought himselfe to be the sonne of Iuâ—iter yet he was the sonne of Phillip of Macedon whose chamberlaine euery morning cryed vnto him Phillip Phillip remember thou art a mortall man and must die although he said to Diogenes he was a God of the earth yet as Diogenes answered him truely and wittily he was but a God of earth The maiestrate is highly to be esteemed of others because hee is the ordynance of God to doe iustice but hee must not esteeme himselfe so heigh to goe from iustice The thirde and last reason to mooue the maiestrate to execute right iudgement is that God sits in Psalm 82 their assembly and beholdes what is done and how euery thing is done for as hee is present euery where so especiallye in publique and iudiciall places as he beholdes all things so especially publique and iudiciall causes if they giue right iudgement hee will approoue it
subiectes therefore Wrest not the lawe Respect no persons Hauing commaunded maiestrates to iudge righteous iudgement and forbidden them to wrest the lawe to wrong iudgement hee now giues them warning of two things that commonlye drawes them the wrong way the first is respect of persons the second is respect of rewardes there is something that mooues maiestrates to giue wrong iudgement now these are the commonest thinges therefore it is saide respect no persons as if he should say thou shalt not looke to the strength to the beauty to the ritches or aliance of any man nor to the letters he bringeth from any man to spare him if he bee worthy to be punished nor to punish him if he be to be spared but looke to his cause therfore in Exodus it is said Thou shalt not fauour the poore nor honour the ritch in priuate respects the poore are to be fauoured and the ritch are to be honoured but not in publick iustice God himselfe doth respect no persons as Peter saith to Cornelius but Acts. 10. lookes to the goodnesse of a man of what nation or calling soeuer he be no more must we respect persons The Apostle forbids all Iam. 2. Christians to preferre a man in religion because of his ritches or apparrell so it is forbidden here to Iudges and Officers the law is giuen for ritch men aswell as poore a ritch man may no more lawfully kill commit adultrie or steale then a poore man God hath done and will doe iustice aswell on great men as meane men so must the Maiestrate if a poore man come stript of all riches and policie to worke for him and friends to speake for him yet if he haue a good cause the maiestrate must coūtenance him if another man comes furnished with all these things if he haue an euil cause the Maiestrate must punish him Iustice must not be like a Spiders web that catches little flies and let great flies go nor like a wide Nette that catches great fishes because they haue substance in them and let little ones creepe away as not beeing worth the fingring It was a worthy saying of Salomon If Adoniah his brother were a 1. King 1. 52. good man a haire of his head should not perish but if wickednesse were found in him he should dye And it was a famous acte of King Asa to put his owne mother from her regensie because she had an Idoll 2. Cor. 15 16. in a groue And it is an vnworthy thing in a Maiestrate when a cause comes before him against a cōmon person to condemne it but if it be against a kinsman or friend to alter the case We read of a Maiestrate whē he went to sit in iudgement would bid his friends farewell some looke to the personage of men he is a proper man spare him but God delights in no mans legs I knew a ritch man and a poore man in suite and a third man said I warrant you the poore mā wil go down for saith he I neuer knew but might did ouercome right a pittifull thing to heare but more pittifull to see though his speech were too generall yet it may be it was too true It is reported of a Iudge that would haue a Curtin drawne before him whē he did sit in iudgement that he might see no persons but it is no matter for the eye of the body if the eye of the minde doe see rightly As ciuill officers must not respect persons no more must eccelesiasticall officers as Paul saith to Timothie ◠Tim. 5. 2. Doe nothing partially And as the Iudge must doe nothing partially no more must the Iurors nor the witnesses though hee haue all outwarde partes and things that might commend him yet if he haue stept into an euill cause and course let him bee punished and though hee haue no outward parts to commend him if hee haue a good cause deliuer him King Antigonus is saide to haue commaunded all his officers not to doe that was vniust though hee wrote letters for any man for saide hee I may be misinformed Therefore it is sayd Respect no persons for saith Salomon Such a Prou. man will transgresse for a morsell of bread Nor take rewardes This is a second meane whereby Officers are commonlie drawne to wrest the lawe and iudge vnrighteouslie therefore God giues warning of it As a Maiestrate must not respect a man for his person so not for his pursse this must be restrained to the matter Moses hath in hand to the persons in suite and causes in iudgement for otherwise in the waye of friendship it is not vnlawfull to giue or receiue a guift as Iacob sent a present to Esau but when a suite depends then the Maiestrate must take none sometime it is called a guift but it is not a free guift hee lookes for as good a pleasure therefore here it is called a rewarde not of that that hath beene done for him but of that is to be done for him as it is sayd of Balam hee had the rewarde of Sooth-saying in his hand so Maiestrates must not haue the reward of iniustice in their hands for as the Apostle condemnes those that make marchandize of the worde so here those are condemned that make marchandize of iustice Esay saith Woe bee to him Esai 5. that iustifies the wicked for a rewarde and takes away the righteousnesse of the righteous from him because he hath no rewarde As some men are not onely very ordinarie in sending presentes and New-yeares guifts to the Maiestrate not because they beare such speciall goodwill to the Maiestrate as those things pretend but because they would haue the Maiestrate beare good will to them to spare them and pleasure them when neede requireth which is dangerous but also when a cause or suite commeth to depend then they will present the Maiestrate with a guift which is more then suspicious that eyther they looke to buy iniustice or that the Maiestrate must be bought to doe iustice this practise is commonly found not in good men who trust to the goodnesse of their cause and goodnesse of the Maiestrate but in euill men who seeke by such meanes to make an euill cause good and a good Maiestrate euill some thinke if they can delay their suites till their aduersarie be wasted they shall preuaile whatsoeuer their cause bee but iudiciall trials were not ordained for mens vndooing but for their maintaining One liuing in a corrupt gouernment said We haue such a Prince such a Iudge such officers but monie reignes a thing indeede fitter to bee heard among Heathens then to be seene among Christians as some men are much in giuing of gifts so some Maiestrates are much in taking of giftes but as this is a preposterous thing that great men who should be most in giuing should be most in taking so it is a dangerous thing for it beeing called a rewarde so hee will thinke himselfe bound to requite it
expectation of the iudgement of God as it is saide of Esay when hee sawe himselfe depriued both of the birth-right and blessing hee Gen. 27. cryed with a bitter crye out of measure It seemes strange to some that a man that is hayle in his bodye hath money in his purse many suites of rayment to his backe and diuers dishes of meate on his table and not a few poore men at commandement should be bidden howle but if such â—one knew himself to be spiritually poore blinde naked and miserable one that God is angry withall and the diuill hath a commission to carry to hell it would quaile his courage coole his porridge and make him â—end his cloathes Tour ritches are corrupt Now the Apostle shewes the cause why such great miserie should come vpon them because they did couetously heape vp ritches and niggardly keepe them rather suffering the poore to perish then to bestow them vpon their needy brethren Some haue Golde as they will saye haue seene no Sunne thus long yet rather then they will change a peece of Golde the poore shall starue they haue thus many gownes and thus many paire of sheetes but rather then they will depart with any of them the poore shall goe and lie naked and when they haue filled their bagges with golde and their chestes with rayment yet their hartes are not full Salomon saith He that coueteth siluer shall not be satisfied with siluer and therefore will rather fill more bagges and cofers then empty any to fill the poores bellies One saith The ritch man in the Gospel that said he would Luk. 12. 16 make his barnes bigger he had barnes ennough before if he would haue seene it for saith he the bellies of the poore are the barnes of the ritch In that he saith Your ritches are corrupt it shewes the nature of these outwarde things that they are subiect to perishing as our Sauiour Christ saith They are subiect to Mat. 6. rust Mothes theeues therfore counsels to lay vp a beter treasure wheÌ„ he saith these things shall be a witnesse against them hee meaneth the abusing of their ritches shal be laide to their charge as we see in Mathew when Christ saith It shall be saide to such men when I was hungry yee fed me not when I was naked yee clothed me not therefore Mat. 25. goe yee cursed into euerlasting fire Some may thinke themselues without danger of this threatning because they let not their golde and garmentes rust and Moth-eate for they put foorth their money and haue little in their purse they haue but one suite of apparrell to their backe but though they put foorth their mony if they put it not foorth to that vse they should if their garmentes perish not for want of wearing if the poore perish for wante of clothing it is all one if men vse not their ritches rightly they shall accuse them iustly Yee haue heaped vp treasures for the last dayes This is the vanity of worldly men they thinke their ritches shall serue them and continue till the worldes ende but though theeues and wormes should not consume them yet they will perish of themselues before that daye therefore in the first Chapter hee hath compared ritches to Grasse and although men knowe in iudgement they are vncertaine yet their affection and practise is as their should bee no ende of them and although manye will confesse themselues to bee mortall yet they will liue and deale as if they should neuer dye In the example of the ritch man that built his barnes bigger and saide to his soule take thyne ease for thou hast foode laide vp for many yeares wee may see the mindes and manners of other men Beholde the hire of the labourer c. This now was their fault the greatnesse wherof doth shew what great misery shall come vpon them this word beholde is not vsed but when some great and strange thing is spoken of therefore because it is a thing monstrous and strange that any should be so voyde of religion and humainty as to defraude the poore of their wages he saith beholde they did not onely not relieue the poore with their superfluous garmentes but they did defraude and oppresse the poore to increase their wealth and augment their wardrop but this is an euill expresly Leui. 19. 13 forbidden in the law â—in Leuiticus it is said thou shalt not doe thy neighbour wrong nor rob him and presently he addeth The workemans hire shall not abide with thee vntill the morning In Deutronomie it is saide Thou Deu. 24. 14. shalt not oppresse an hired seruant but thou shalt giue him his hire for his day neither shall the Sunne goe downe vpon it for he is poore and therewith fastaineth his life least he cry against thee to the Lord and it be sinne vnto thee Yet this hath beene a common sinne in al ages according to the prouerbe where the stile is lowe men soone goe ouer and as it was a common sinne among the people so it was commonly reprooued threatned among the Prophetes Ieremie saithe Woe vnto Ier. 22. 13 him that buildeth a house by vnrighteousnes be vseth his neighbour without wages and giueth him not for his worke Amos saith Amo. 8. 4 Heare this O yee that swallowe vp the poore that ye may make the needy of the land to faile saying when will the new Moone be gone c. That we may buy the poore for siluer and the needy for shooes the Lorde hath sworne by the excellency of Iacob I will neuer forget their workes Mathew saith The Lorde wil be a swift Mat. 3. 5 witnesse against them that wrongfully keepe backe the hirelings wages and vexe the widow and fatherlesse and this sinne of oppressing and defrauding the poore was not onely commited and reprooued in the time of the Prophets but of the Apostles as wee may see in the former Epistle to the Thessalonians where the Apostle willes 1. Thes 4. them not to defraude one another for God is an auenger of all such things and as it appeareth by these wordes of Iames The labourers wages that is by you kept backe by fraude cryeth against you therefore woe be vnto you As then ritch men defrauded those poore that wrought in their fields so now they defraude those poore that worke in their shops as this vice was then in husbandmen and occupyers of land so it is now in tradesmen and makers of cloath The poore are defrauded of their wages diuers wayes 1. When ritch men giue the poore nothing for their worke 2. When they giue not the poore sufficient wages but will haue them doe two penny-worth or three halfe-penny-worth for a penny as Jacob when he had serued for faire Rahel hee was rewarded with bleare-eyed Leah 3. When they change the wages of the poore giuing them not the same but worse not money but bad or deare commodities 4. When they keepe poore mens