preuaile against vs and to this end let vs know as our Sauiour Christ saith to his Disciples Yee haue neede of patience so wee haue neede of knowledge of faith of hope of loue and other graces of the spirit of God for Sathan will not onely assault vs but perhaps continue his siege battery a day a weeke a moneth and giue vs no respight and though he will sound the retreate and depart sometime for a season as Saint Luke Luk. 4. saith yet he will returne againe perhapes another way and set vpon vs by some other meanes therefore arme your selues saith the Apostle and resist him and if this battell seeme hard and tedious vnto vs remember in what cause we fight and for what crowne our Sauiour Christ saith in the Reuelation He that ouercometh shall inherite great and glorious things and Paul saith The Saintes shall iudge the Angelles that is the deuilles Paul saieth to 1. Cor. 6. Timothy I haue fought a good fight and then he addeth I looke for the Crowne the Saints in heauen that are now crowned haue come vnto it thorow many temptations and tribulations therefore let vs harken to the Apostles exhortation be strong in the Lorde put on the whole armour of God and resist in the euil day and the God of peace shall treade Rom. 16. downe sathan vnder ouâ— feete shortly ⧠The Houre-glasse of Mans life PSALME 90. 12. Teach vs so to number our dayes that we may apply our hartes to wisedome THIS whole booke is called the booke of Psalmes because it contayneth in it for the most part matter of praise and thankesgiuing though there be many other doctrines mingled therewithall They are called the Psalmes of Dauid because he compiled most of them not because he made them all for this was made by Moses as yee may see by the title of it We call this the 90. Psalme because it is bound with the Psalmes and standes in the place of that number but it is intituled and that more fitly agreeing with the matter of it A prayer of Moses In which Moses setteth forth the estate of mans life generally and perticulerly of the people of Israell in the wildernesse where he saw many thousands of them that came out of Egypt dye some by one meanes and some by another as it is more largely recorded in the booke of Numbers Now Moses considered that many of their forefathers liued almost a thousand yeares whereto hee hath respect in the 4. verse where he saith One thousand yeâ—res in thy sight is but as yesterday and the life of man was growne shorter and shorter and in his time ordinarily it was not one hundred yeares as appeares in the 10. verse The dayes of a man are threescore yeares and tenne or perhaps fourescore which was nothing to their fathers how much lesse when they were cut off by strange punishmentes in the middest of their course and dyed thicke and three-fould without warning Now after the mention of those things he breakes out into this speech Teach vs to know our dayes that we may apply our harts to wisedome In which words are two things to be considered first a petition secondly a reason of the petition The petition is in these first wordes Teach vs to number our dayes The reason is in these other wordes in the end of the verse that we may apply our hartes to wisedome Wherby we are taught first of al that there is a number of euery mans dayes for this difference to be considered betweene this life and the next life this life hath an end therefore it is called temporall the next life endes not therefore it is called eternall the certaine number of our daies is knowne Iob. 14. 5 to God and not to vs. But he doth not desire to know the certaine number of his dayes but rather the vncertaine number of them that is that God would teach them to know the breuity and shortnes of mans life Therefore he sets it downe by dayes not by yeares and this he desires not for himselfe only but for the people and therefore he saith not teach me but teach vs to number our dayes Now according to Moses prayer God hath taught vs this point in the Scripture that all men are mortall and must dye as the Lord saide to Adam In the day that thou eatest of the tree in the middest of the garden thou shalt die although the diuell who for that cause our Sauiour Christ saith Iohn 8. Was a lyer from the beginning spake contrary and said to Eue Thou shalt not die at all yet indeed Adam died for although he dyed not by by yet he was a dead man because sentence was passed vpon him and all his life afterward was but a dying life euerything then sauoring of death and euery day beeing a step vnto death If any will inquire what death is to speake generally it is a seperation from the condition of this mortall and temporall life but to speake more properlye it is a seperation of the soule and body as the ioyning togeather of the soule and body at the first was the cause of life as it is said God breathed into Adam the breath of life and Gen. 1. man was made a liuing soule so the seperation of the soule from the bodye is the cause of death as Christ saieth to the ritch man This night they shall fetch away thy soule thou shalt dye This Adam by his sinne brought not onelye vpon himselfe but vpon all his posteritye as Paul saieth Rom. 5. By man sinne entred into the worlde and death by sinne and death went ouer all men forasmuch as all men haue sinned therefore it is saide not onely of Adam himselfe but of dyuers of the fathers that were his posterity to shew the trueth of Gods threatning to Adam In the daye Gen. 5. thou doest eate of such a tree thou shalt dye And to shewe the falcehoode of the diuelles promise to Eue that though sâ—e did eate it she should not dye at all such and such a one liued thus many hundred yeares but he dyed for though the day be neuer so long at length comes euensong Heb. 9. the Apostle saith It is appointed to al men once to dye after that comes the iudgement when all men are dead then comes the general iudgemeÌ„t but when euery one dyes then comes his perticuler iudgement as appeares in the example of the ritch man and Lazarus for as the day of death leaues vs so the day of doome shall finde vs therfore Dauid when he laye sicke said I goe the waye of all the worlde for death is as an vnpartiall iudge that is indifferent to all poore and rich Iob speakes of some men that would seeke death either for the auoyding of present sorrow or procuring of future ioy but whether a man seekes it or no he shall be sure it will seeke him We read of a HeatheÌ„
there be diuers opinions in the world which is the true religion the Iewes thinke it is contained in their Talmud the Turkes thinke it is contained in their Alcaron the Papists thinke it is contained in their Masse-booke and we say it is contained in the Scripture yet all doe confesse and it is out of controuersie that religion is a great thing and although many doe not approoue of Christian religion yet it being granted that this is the true religion to looke for saluation in and by Iesus Christ who was God manifested in the flesh all will agree it is a great mistery he hath said in the former verse he write in his Epistle to Timothy that he might know how to behaue himselfe in the Church the piller and ground of truth now he saith immediately Great is the misterie of Godlinesse or Religion teaching vs that is the true and godly religion that is grounded in the trueth or word of God and that hath alwayes beene professed in the Church and that all the religions that are out of the Church and that doe dissent from the word are vntrue and vngodly Misterie He calles true religion a mistery because it is hidden from and refused of the most because it is perceiued and therefore imbraced but of a few and because it is preached but in part of any and well may the Apostle call true religion a Mistery for the Heathens dreame not of it the Iewes deny it Papistes peruert it yea many that are in the visible Church doe not perceiue it at least the trueth and godlinesse of it but doe take superficiall knowledge for sound knowledge a dead faith for a liuely faith and counterfeite godlinesse for true godlinesse and no maruell for religion is contrary to nature and reason the eye of religion Adam hath put out and all men are blinde vntill they be againe enlightned by grace therefore the Apostle saith The naturall man perceiues not the things of God neyther can he because 1. Cor. 2. they are spiritually discerned If religion could haue beene perceiued by naturall reason the wise Philosophers would haue found it out but in all their writings there is a perpetuall silence of it No man can by reason iudge certainely of many naturall things subiect to sence as the exceeding swiftnesse magnitude and altitude of the Sunne Moone and Starres of the causes and effects of the thunder lightnings earthquakes and how much lesse can men pearce into Gods secrets with their owne eyes There be many artes and trades in the world and euery of them is called a mistery because the perceiuerance and practise of them is beyond the reach of common men that haue not beene bound prentise to them how much more must the art of Christianity and religion needes be misticall All other religions are not misteries especially not great misteries but may be perceiued and conceiued by naturall reason but true religion cannot Yea the Apostle calles it a mistery not only in respect of those that be irreligious and haue no perceiuerance of it but as I said in respect of those that be religious who although they know it truly yet they know it not perfectly as Paul saith of himselfe and all other Christians We know in part if we know any thing but in part it is misteries 1. Cor. 5. Nay that which is more religion may be called a misterie in respect of the Angels for they knowe it not fully as Peter 1. Pet. 1. saith for hauing spoken of the Prophets foretelling of Christs suffrings and the glorie of Christians he saith the which things the Angels desire to beholde And that religion is a great mysterie we shall more plainely see by the opening of the Text and handling of the wordes as they follow in order But before we come to the particulers of it let vs marke generally that seeing religion is a great thing we must not account it little nor vnderprise it as many doe but iudge and esteeme highly of it and thinke all things in the world little in respect of it and other persons no body in comparison of those that haue it Furthermore let vs marke that seeing religion is a misterie we must neither be so arrogant as to thinke we can easily conceiue and vnderstand it nor so negligent as not to enquire and search after it but humbly and diligently by hearing of Sermons by reading the Scriptures by conferring with good men who are best acquainted with it and especially by prayer vnto God seeke and labour to be instructed in it Men are inquisitiue after court newes and strange newes that concernes great persons and great matters that euery one knowes not then let vs enquire for this heauenlye mysterie that concernes the highest And lastly seeing he calles religion the misterie of godlinesse let vs note it is a misterie both in the knowledge of it and in the practice of it Therefore as none can tell what true godlinesse meanes but those that be religious so none can tell what true religion meanes but those that be godly there is no religious man but hee that is godly and there is no godly man but he that is religious God manifested c. Now we come to the words of the Text wherein the Apostle sets downe the substance of religion which at the first view seemes a matter not hard to conceiue but by the examination of the circumstances of it we shall by the grace of God see how truely and fitly the Apostle hath called it a misterie And although there be some partes of religion that are not plainly expressed in this Text as that of election and the resurrection c. Yet both those and all the parts of religion are comprehended in these words for it is said God hath elected vs in Christ Iesus Ephe. 1. Ioh. 11. and also that we shall be raised vp againe by him Saint Iohn saith Euery spirite which 1. Ioh. 4. confesseth that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God and euery spirit which deemeth that Iesus Christ is not come in the flesh is not of God as there is no heresie or false religion but doth impugne Christ either in whole or in part but doth deny him in his names in his natures or his offices so on the contrarie there is no part of true religion but hath reference vnto Christ therfore when he comes to set downe the misterie of religion he saith it is this God is manifested in the flesh So that religion followes from God to man and againe leades man to God the mistery of it is that God and man the creator and the creature is ioyned togeather which as one saith Is such a thing that to speake of no man is worthy and to vtter no man is able What then shall I doe saith he shall I be silent or shall I speake be silent I dare not least I should conceale so great a benefit speake I cannot least I should
thereof our Sauiour Christes owne wordes My father is greater Iohn 14. then I Ergo say they he is not God because he saith he is inferior to the father not vnderstanding the misterye of those speeches that he speakes there of himselfe as he is man or mediator and so he is inferiour to the father but in the second to the Philipians it is said He Phil. 2. thought it no robbery to be equall with God in his deuine nature Those that haue denied his manhood aledge these words of Paule God sent his sonne in the similitude of sinfull Rom. 8. flesh Ergo say they he was not man because it is sayd he had but a similitude of flesh but the Apostle saith not he had the similitude of flesh But the similitude of sinnefull flesh For though he seemed to be a sinner as others were as the Pharises wrongfully Iohn 7. said of him Yet Peter saith In him was no 1. Pet. 2. sinne neither was there guile found in his mouth So that though he had true flesh yet he had but the similitude of sinnefull flesh those that confound his two natures as if the one of them did destroy the other were led thereto by this that the scripture doth sometime attribute that to his manhood which belongeth to his Godhead as that it is saide the sonne of man is in heauen when he talked with the Iewes and sometimes doth attribute that to his God-head which belongings to his man hood as Paule saith to the elders of Ephesus Acts. 20. watch ouer the flock which God hath purchased with his owne blood Which speeches are vsed by reason of Christes personable vnion that is the vniting of his two natures in one person for as in owne nature of God there are three persons so in one person of Christ there are two natures But to leaue the confuration of heretickes whose property is alwayes to passe ouer all plaine places of scripture that doe shew the trueth and to cauill with darke places that may seeme to maintaine their error Those that would bee confirmed in the truth of the deuine and humane natures in the person of Christ let them read Iohn 11. Rom. 9. 5 Heb. 1. 8. 1. Ioh. 5. 20. these few places of scripture quoted in the margeant for the heaping vp of many testimonies is needlesse in this point that is so pregnant and plaine in this very Text which saith That God was manifested in the flesh Furthermore let vs marke that the sonne of God did not onely become base man but the basest of men for hee was borne of a base person a poore maide that had not a Lambe to offer for her purification but was faine to offer a payre of Pigeons he was borne in a base place in a Stable or Stall for beastes he liued diuers yeares in a base trade of a Carpenter and after he entred vpon his publike office he kept company with base persons with Fishermen Paul saith Hee made himselfe of no reputation yea he was Phi. 2. so base in outward appearance that the 〈◊〉 5. Prophet sayde There was no forme nor 〈◊〉 in him but he was despised and reiected of men The reason of this basenesse was because he did not onely take on him our nature but our case and condition that is the frailties and infirmities of our nature I meane not our sinfull infirmities for that is alwayes excepted in his humanity else how should he haue beene ioyned to God who can abide no impuritie but I meane he tooke on him our naturall infirmities both of minde and body The infirmities of minde that he tooke on him without sinne were both in his iudgement and affection For iudgement it is sayd of him He grew in wisedome Luke 2. which he could not haue done except there had beene some want and also Mark 13 it is said he was ignorant of the day of iudgement for his affection it is said he sorrowed Mat. 9 Heb. 5. and he feared and that he tooke on him our infirmities of bodye appeares when it is said he was hungry and that he Mat. 4. Iohn 4 was weary c. But we are not to thinke that he tooke on him euery particuler mans infirmities that grow of some speciall cause franzinesse of minde or lamenesse of body but generally the infirmityes which bee common to the nature of all men that hauing experyence of infirmities he might be able to succour vs in ours as the Apostle saith Heb. 2. But is this all the mistery of religion to know that the Godhead was ioyned to our base and fraile nature No but there is much more in it that doth carrie our consideration a great deale further as appeares by the wordes of the text that follow He was preached to the Gentiles and beleeued on in the worlde yea it reaches not onely to this world but to the worlde to come He was receiued vp into glorye A great part of the mistery of Christes personall vnion standes in the vse of it to vnite mankinde vnto God by a spirituall and misticall coniunction the Apostle Paul hauing said The faithfull are members of Christes body of his flesh and of his bones Ephe. 5. He addeth This is a great mistery but I speake concerning Christ and the Church The sonne of God was manyfested in the flesh that he might be the redeemer not of Angels but of men as it is said He Heb. 2. tooke not the Angels nature for the Angels that fell shall remaine in the state of perdition without recouery for euer therefore one wondring at the worke of our redemption saith let all the Angels tell me if euer God did any such thing for them but he tooke the seede of Abraham saith the Apostle That is our humaine nature that he might be the redeemer of men and yet not of all men for reprobate men are no more ioyned to God by Christ then reprobate Angels but the elect that Ephe. 1. were chosen in him although by their fall in Adam they deserued to be for euer seperated from God yet they are in and by Christ againe reconciled and ioyned vnto him againe God was manyfested in the flesh that he might doe that for men that no other could doe but he Yea that hee might doe that for man that he himselfe could not haue done except he had beene both God and man For if he had not beene man how could he haue performed our obedience in all the dueties of holinesse righteousnes and temperance which the law of God doth require of men and sanctifie mans nature that was defiled in which respect he is called our wisedome righteousnesse and 1. Cor. 1. sanctificatiō againe if he had not bin man how could he haue suffered our miseries and borne the punishments which by sinne we had deserued in which respect he is called our redemption this is that one saith is a matter of
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 if they giue wrong iudgement hee will reuerse it and as Nehemy did reprooue and reforme Neh. 5. 7. the vnder Officers that had oppressed and iniured the people which precident is to bee followed of all superiour Maiestrates so God will reprooue and punish all those that shall execute wrong iudgement for which cause it is required that maiestrates should feare God therefore Exod. 18. as it is a godlye order of iudges and iustices in manye places to heare a Sermon before their Assises and Cessions so I would thinke it no small increase of their vertue if when they sit downe vppon the iudgement seate they would make a short prayer themselues that it might publikely and euidently appeare they set God before them and desire his discretion that he would eyther by the confession of the parties by the testimonie of witnesses or by the demonstration of argumentes manifest the trueth of all matters vnto them and giue them minds to execute iudgment accordingly that right may bee done to euery man and wrong may be done to no man for to iustifie the wicked and redeeme the iust both these are an abhomination to the Lorde As the people must giue to Pro. 17 the maiestrate that which is his honour and trybute so the maiestrate must giue to Rom. 13. the people that which is theirs iustice and equitye It is said of Antonius Pius that he neuer demanded any thing of the maiestrate but hee had it the reason was because hee neuer demaunded any thing but that was iust so euerye maiestrate should heare those that call for iustice yea they should doe iustice without calling for and not bee like the wicked iudge spoken of in the Gospell that neither feared God nor reuerenced man but did iustice onelye because hee was made wearye with importunity Much lesse should maiestrates bee like Pilate and Potepher that punished the innocent and let the gilty goe free those who are made arbytrators and as I may saye pryuate iudges must likewise iudge righteous iudgement for although manye men indeede doe choose their friendes whome they thinke sure for them yet they must preferre religion before nature and iudgement before affection for a man hath asmuch right to his good cause as to his goods And those that make themselues iudges to giue sentence of men and their actions must iudge righteous iudgement to speake of men as trueth and righteousnesse requires for as to bee a falce witnesse to the iudge is odyous to make him giue wrong iudgement of a mans person or cause so is it to bee a falce witnesse to the world by reason whereof manye wrong sentences may passe vpon him therefore let all men make this sentence in all their sentences thou shalt iudge righteous iudgement Wrest not the law So that the law is the rule by the which they must direct their iudgementes for although God hath giuen Maiestrates authority yet his meaning is not therby to infringe his owne and although they haue power to make lawes yet they must not by their lawes contradict the law of God eyther to make that laweful which he hath made vnlawful or to make that vnlawfull which he hath made lawfull as the Prince referring many things to the discretion of vnder Officers yet her meaning is not that they should do any thing contrary to expresse lawes and by their discretion to condemne the Prince of indiscretiō in Making those lawes so God whose subiects all mē are hath appointed lawes rules wherby he will haue the people to be ruled and Maiestrates must not goe contrarye therevnto for the rule must not be ouer-ruled therefore when hee had saide thou shalt iudge righteous iudgement hee addeth Wrest not the lawe therefore the Maiestrate was commaunded to read in the booke of the law and therefore they were forbidden Iosua 1. Deu. 17. to looke to the customes of the nations but looke to the law To goe about to shewe what offenders are to be punished by the maiestrat were needlesse seeing the booke of the law is open wherein euery one may and must looke for direction and not only for the matter but also for the measure both which must be respected vnto righteous iudgement Eli did not iudge righteous iudgemēt because when his sons committed 1. Sam. 2 adultery which deserued death hee only reproued them saying do no more my sonnes which either was no punishment or little enough for the smalest offence Hee that payes a little wages for a great desert deales not iustly so he that payes a little punishment for a great offence and so on the contrary a great punishment for a little offence I say not that the same punishment is alwaies to be inflicted vpon al offenders that the iuditiall law appoints because circustances of times places in some things may put some difference as theft cannot be punished in England as it was in Israel because there is no bondage vilenage with vs as there was with thē neither buying selling of men women that are not able to make restitution but the same equitye must be followed generallye and the same proportion perticulerly where the circumstances doe agree the lawe is a rule of righteousnesse for all to follow when they went from this rule the Prophet Amos complaineth they turned iudgement into Wormewood yet often it comes so to passe thorow the corruption of men as Salomon saith He had seene a vanitie vnder the Sunne in the place of iudgement there was wickednesse therefore it is said here Wrest Eccle. not the law As the Minister must not wrest it in doctrine so not the Maiestrate in iudgment neither thorow ignorance nor thorowe euill affection neither longer nor shorter this waye or that waye to helpe or to hurt any man further then the meaning thereof will beare the lawes of men may be drawne vnto that but not that to them It is sayde one good Maiestrate is worthe twentie good lawes because as the lawe is a dum Maiestrate so the Maiestrate is a speaking law and a good Maiestrate will speake according to the law and not wrest the lawe Salomon saith in the Prouerbes When the wicked beare rule the people sigh because of oppression and wrong carrying of matters but if the righteous be in authoritie the people reioyce because iustice is rightly distributed When Saul was in authority Doeg was hard in his lyes and flatteries against the Lordes Priestes and their true and iust answere could not 1. Sam. 22 hee heard When Annanias was in authority Paule was smitten on the face though Acts. 23. 2. contrarye to the lawe the lawe is the rule for the people to liue by and for the maiestrate to iudge by Now when mens causes come before the iudge if hee shall draw the lawe hether and thether to doe wrong to this man and not to do right to that man what certainety or what safety shall there bee to the
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