saithe that the scripture doothe conclude all men vnder sinne in those thre places thow mayst se the thre wordes that I rehersid before withe the whiche Paule describithe the infirmites of man whiche infirmites Esai 53. Io. 1 Soothe testifie that they ar translatid into Christ Not so that we shuld be clene deliuerid from them as thowghe they were ded in oure nature or oure nature changid or shuld not prouoke us oni more to I le but that they shuld not damne vs bicause Christ satisfied for thē in his awne bodie And Paule saithe Rom. 5. that Christ died for sinners whiche were infirme and callithe those synners thennimies of God how beyt he callythe not them Theostygas in the scripture that is to say cōtemnours of God Euery man is callid in the scripture wickid and thennimie of God for the priuation and lacke of faithe an loue that he owithe vnto God Et impij uocantur qui nō omnino sunt pij that is to say they ar callid wickid that in all thinges honorithe not god beliuithe not in God and obseruithe his commaundementes as they shuld do whiche we cannot do by reason of this naturall infirmite or hatred of the fleshe as Paule Callithe it Ro. 8. against God In this sense takithe Paule this worde wickid Rom. 5. when he saithe that Christ died for the wickid So must we interpretat sainct Paule and take his wordes Or els noman shuld be damnid Now we know that Paule him selfe Saint Iohn and Christ damnythe the contemprours of God or souche as willinglij cotinew in sinne and will not repent Ma. 12. Mar. 3. Luce 12. Paul Rom. 8.1 Corint 5.2 Co. 6.2 Pe. 1. Those the scripture excludithe frome the generall promis of grace Thou seist by the places afore rehersid that thowghe we can not belyue in God as vndourttidly as is requirid by reason of this oure naturall sickenis and diseace yet for Christes sake in the iudgment of God we ar accōptid as faithfull fydeles for whoys sake thys naturall dyseace and syckenys ys pardonyd by what name so euer Sainct Paule callithe thes naturall infirmite or Originall sinne in man And this imperfection or naturall sickenis taken of Adame excludithe not the person feom the promis of God in Christ except we transgresse the limimites and boundes of this Oryginall synne by oure awne folie and malice and ether of a contempt or hate of Godes worde we fall into synne and transforme our selfes into the ymaige of the deuill Then we exclude by this meanes oure selfes frome the promises and merites of Christ who only receuid oure infirmites and Originall diseace and not the contēpt of him and his law farther the promes appertaine to souche as repent Therfore Esai Capit. 53. said without excepcion that the infirmites of all men were cast vpon his Blessid shulders It is oure office therfore to se we exclude not oureselfes from te generall grace promisyd to all men It is nat a Chrystiane mannes part to attribute his saluation to his awne frewill withe the pelagion and extenuat originall sinne Nor to make God thauctor of I le and oure damnatiō withe the Maniche Nor yet to say God hathe wrotē fatall Lawes as the Stoicke and withe necessite of desteny uiolently pullithe one by the here in to heauen and thrustithe thother hedling into hell But assertaine thy selfe by the scripture what be the causes of reprobation and what of Election The cause of reiection or damnation is sinne in man whiche will not hire nether receaue the promes of the gospelle or else after he hathe receauid it by accustomid doing of I le he fall ether in a contempt of the gospell will not studie to liue there after or else hatiht the gospell because it condemnithe his vngodly liefe And would therwere nether God not gospell to punishe him for doing of ile This sentence is trew how so euer man iudge of predestination God is not the cause of sinne nor wold not haue mā to sinne Psalm 5. Non Deus uolens iniquitatem tu es That is to say thow art not the God that willyt he sinne Osee 13. it is said Thy perdicion o Israel is of thy selfe and thy succur only of me The cause of oure electiō is the mercy of God in Christ Ro. 9. How be it he that wil be part taker of this election must receaue the promes in Christ by faithe for therfore we be electid because afterward we ar made the membres of Christ Ephe. 1. Rom. 8. Therfore as in the iustification or remission of sinne there is a cause towghe no dignite at all in the receauer of his iustification euen so we iudge him by the scripture to be iustified and hathe remission of his sinne because he receauid the grace promisid in Christ So we iudge of election by the euent or successe that happenithe in the liffe of man those onli to be electid that by faithe apprehend the mercy promisid in Christ other wice we shuld not iudge of election for Paule saythe plainlye Ro. 8. that they that be led by the sprit of God ar the children of God and that the sprit of God dothe testifye withe oure sprites that we ar the children of God being admonishyd by the scripture we must leaue sinne and do the workes commaundid of God or els it is a carnall opinion that we haue blindid oureselfes withe all of fatall desteny ād will not saw vs. and in case there folowe not oure knolege of Christ amendement of liffe it is not liuelie faythe that we haue but rather a vayne knolege and mere presumpsion Io. 6. saithe Noman commithe vnto me except my father draw him many men vnderstond these wordes in a wrong sence as thowghe God requirid in a resonable man nomore then in a ded post and markithe not the wordes that folow Omnis qui audit a patre discit uenit ad me That is to say euery man that hirithe and lernithe of my father cumnithe to me God drawithe withe his word and the holy gost but mānis dewty is to hire and lerne that is to say receaue the grace offred cōsent vnto the promes and not repugne the God that callith God dothe promesse the holy goost vnto them that aske him and not to them that contemne him We haue the scripture daily in oure handes reade it and hire it preachid Godes mercy euer cōtineu the same let vs thinke verely that now God callithe and conuerte our liefes to it let vs obey it and beware we suffre not oure folyshe iudgmentes to wander after the fleshe leste the deuill wrappe vs in darkenis and teache vs to seke the election of God out of the scripture all thowghe we be of oure sealfes bound men vnto sinne and can do no godd by reason oure originall and race is vitious yet hathe not the deuill inducid holie his similitude into ony of Adames posterite but only into those that contemne and of
redresse he amplifyithe and exaggeratithe the greatnis of sinne shewithe it as fowle aÌ„d as horrible as it is in deade aÌ„d more extenuatithe the mercie of god makithe him theÌ„ a cruell and an vnmercifull tiraÌ„t as impossible to optaine mercie of as to sucke water out of the drie pumpesse or burning cole Wherfore seing his maiestie is inuisible and cannot be knowen of mortall man as he is and like wyce be cause man yeuythe litle credit or none at all vnto his blyssid word he presentia the all his workes heuen and Erthe vnto maÌ„ to be testimonies and wyttnis of his great powre that man seyng those creatures and wounderfull preseruation of the same might thinke of god the maker of all thinges and thanke him withe all the hart that he would say these wordes vnto him vile creature and wormes mete I am the lord thy God by his workis he shewid himselfe thus vnto Adame Gen. 2. aÌ„d vnto the naturall phi Ro. 1. also vnto euery resonable maÌ„ Deu. 30. how be it so far hathe the deuill blindid many would to God only the infideles and not souche as be accomptid Christians that they take as mouche knolege of God by the contemplation of his workes as Midas the knig by the contemplation of his gold Wherfore seing we belyue with souche difficultye this worde of God I am the lord thy God and the deuill hathe blindfoldyd and darid oure sight and so be wicchid all oure senses that we hyre nor see ony thing to the glory of God and saluation of oure saules he addithe yet other testimonies to acertaine vs that he is oure God and leuiÌ„the nothing vndon that might drawe vs vnto a firme and constant biliue in him setting before oure Iyes the glorious and wounderfull deliuerance and defence of the people wheÌ„ he browght them our of Aegypt souche testimonyes addyd he vnto his word to stablishe oure faithe allwaies to Adame and Abell wheÌ„ the fyre from heueane burnid there sacrifice Gene 4.9.17 Exod. 12. so vnto vs vnto whoÌ„ he hathe yeuen the same word Ro. 1. hathe yeuen for the confirmation therof his dere sonne Iesus Chryst born ded and resuscitatid from deathe to shew vs him selfe and to teache vs that he is our God to sawe vs from the seruitude of hell and sinne and to healpe vs as many times as we call vnto him in christes name for only in him we cum to thacknolege of God that hewill be oure God Thowghe the Iew and the Turke know there is but one God and after there religion would honor him yet dout they whether he takith cure of them will hyre there 2peticions wil be honorid of them and how he wil be be honorid for they haue not the word of God as Christ gaue it but as they falsely interpretat it to the contumelie and dishonor of Christ But we know him to be oure God as this commaundement saithe in Christ Iesu Ioan. 1. Matt. 11. Io. 16. When we haue a trew knolege of him by his word we must yeuen him the same honor that his commaundement requirithe to say obedience and fere faythe and loue Repete the wordes agayne of the commaundement and marke them I am the lord thy God if he be lord then hathe he powre ouer body and soule obey him therfore lest he destroy them boothe thy God if he be God all thinges be in his powre and hathe sufficient boothe for the and all other and will yeue it the because he is thy god he nedithe for him selfe nether heauen nether Earthe nor ony thing that is there in â–ª aÌ„d to put the out of dout therof he browght not onlie the people out of Aegipt to warant his promisse but also send his only sonne to dye for thy sake that he might be thyne and thow hys Rom. 6. Esa 53. Theffect now of this part of the commaundement is to declare and bring man vnto a knolege of God as ye se and ons knowen by his word requirithe also mannes dewtye to honor him in trew and perfete religioÌ„ the whiche coÌ„sistythe in fere faythe and loue the whiche thre poyntes Moses diligeÌ„tlie and at large declarythe in the 6.7.8.9.10.11 Chapiters of Deut. and doothe nothing else in all them but expound this fyrst commaundement I will shew the partlie how and then rede the places and lerne more by thy selfe In the begymyng of the 6. chapiter he shewithe wherfore thow shuldest fere him and kepe his coÌ„maundementes sayng it shal be to thy profet this is the maner of all men that would haue â—â—y thing donne fyrst to shew what profete folowithe the doing of it that the commodite myght excitat the mynd and studie of him that shuld do it Moses saithe it shal be well withe the. god will multiplie thy sede and yeue the a land flowing withe milke and hony Now if thow fere the lord god this shal be thy reward and the same selfe promesse thow shall fynd many times annexid withe the fere of god before thow coÌ„ to the end of the 11. chapiter al healthe and loy folowithe the fere of god Marke those wordes well and print theÌ„ in thy hart fere of no ile nor sickenis contagious aer or diseace so thow haue this medicine of godes fere in thy soule whiche preseruithe healthe and expulsithe all diseacis Galenus hathe wroteÌ„ bookes de tuenda sanitate That is to say to preserue healthe so hathe Hippocr Cornelius Celsus and other They prescribe those syx thinges to be obseruid of as many as would liue in godd healthe The teÌ„perature and coÌ„dition of the aire 2. Moderate vse of mete and drink 3. MotioÌ„ and exercise of the body and rest of the same 4. Slepe and wacche as the complection by nature shall in tyme conuenient require 5. fullnis and Emtenys of the bode Gale lib. 2. aph comment 17. et lib. 2. de Compos medic 6. perturbations and passions of the mynd for many hathe died with souche passions of the mynd with soden sorow as P. Rutilius Plinius libr. 7. Cap. 36. and M. Lepidus some withe soden loy as the Noble woman Policrata as Arist wrytithe so dyed Diagoras as Gellius wextithe lib. 3. Cap. 15. and other as ye may rede Plin. lib. 2. Cap. 53. Valer. Max. lib. 9. cap. 12. Some died for shame as Diodorus Plin. lib. 2. cap. 53. Homere Vale. lib. 9. cap. 12. The phisicions promisithe healthe if these 6. rules be obseruyd â–ª but God saythe all those be inuayne withe out the fere of him Deu. 27.28.30 there se the word of God And loke the secound boke of the kniges cap. 24. How it was prouid trew where as the pestilence infectyd the hole lannd of Canaan from the Cite of DaÌ„ vnto the Cite of Bersabee in thre daies so that there died 70. thowsand meÌ„ in that short space In the end of the 6. chapiter of Deu. Moses exortithe the people to fere God to a vayde the
an concupiscens of the worold vnto the meditacions of godd and his workes to the studie of scripture herīg of the word of god to call vpon God withe ardent praier to vse and exercise the Sacramentes of God to conferr and geue according to his abilite almose to the confortyng of the poure Then like wyce God by this commaundement prouidy the for the temporall and Ciuile liefe of man and like wyce for all thynges that be necessarie and expedient for man in this liefe if man and best that is mannes seruant shuld without repose and rest allwaies labour they might neuer indure the trauell of the Erthe God therfore as he that intendithe the conseruation and wealthe of man and the thyng creatyd to mannes vse commaundithe this rest and repose from labour that his creatures maye indure and serue as well there awne necessarie affayrs and busynis as preserue the vthe and offrynge of man and best till it com to a sufficient ayge and conuenient forse to supplie the place and rome of souche as deathe or diseace shall pryuate or disable from the execution and vse of souche trauelles as this carefull liefe shall necessaryly require So saythe Ouid. Quod caret alterna requie durabile non est That is to say the thyng cannot endure that lakythe rest That man and best therfore myght brethe and haue repose this sabbothe was institutyd Not onlye that the body shuld be restoryd vnto strenghte and made able to sustaine the trauelles of the weke to cum but also that the soule and sprit of man whiles the body is at rest myght vpon the Sabbothe lerne and know so the blyssid will of his maker that onlye it leue not from the labour and aduersite of synne but also by Godes grace receaue souche strenghe and forse in the contemplation of Godes moost mercyfull promes that it may be able to sustayne all the trobles of temptacion in the weke that folowithe for as the bodye being allwayes oppressyd withe labour lostythe his strenghe and so peryshythe so doothe the mind of man opprossyd withe the cures and pleasures of this worold loost all here forse lust and desyre that she had to the rest to cum of eternall liefe And so dyethe not onlye the deathe of synne but hastythe what she can to hate and abhor all vertewe allmyghty God therfore not only in his commendementes but also at the fyrst creation of the worold sanctifyed the seuenthe daye Gene. 2. that is to say apoyntyd it to an holy vse or separatyd it from other dayes wherein men trauell in the busynes of this worold So is the meanyng of this Ebrew phrase or maner of speache as ye may rede Iosuah 20. Capi. Sanctificauerunt Kades in Galilea That is to say they sanctified Kades in Galilea it is asmouche to say in Englyshe they chose or apoyntyd the Citie of Kades to be a refuge or sanctuarie for Murtherers to be saufe there till the cause of the murderer might be knowen How be it ye may not thynke that God gaue ony more holynys to the Sabboth then to the other dayes For if ye consyder fryday and Saturne day Saturne day or Sonday in asmouche as they be dayes and the worke of God the one is nomore holye then the other Cod. lib. 3. Tit. 12. de Ferijs but that day is allwayes moost holie in the whyche we most applie and yeue oure selfes vnto holie workes To that end he sanctifyed the Sabboth day not that we shuld yeue oure selfes to ylnis or souche Ethnicall pastyme as is now vsyd among Chrystyane people But being fre that daye from the trauelles of this worold we might consyder the workes and benefites of God withe thankes yeuyng Here the word and law of God honor him and fere hym then to lerne who and where be the poure of Chryste our brothers in necessite that wantythe our healpe The obseruation therfore of the Sabboth doothe extend aswell vnto the faythe we haue in God as vnto the cherite of oure neyghbour And not only that but also vnto the bestes that trauell in oure busynys and be our necessary seruantes The whiche we shuld in no wyce abuse not only for there labours sake but also for the loue of him that hathe commendyd them vnto oure seruice allmightie God Thyrdly the sabboth hyther vnto from the begynnyng of the worold was and is a type and fygure of the eternall and euer lastyng rest that is to com as S. Paule diligently shewythe in the Epistole to the Ebrews cap. 4. so dothe S. Aug. lib. 11. cap. 31. de Ciuit. Souche as beliuyd the promes of God declaryd by Moses were led by losuah the prince in to Palestina and restyd in Chana an souche as hyre the word of God and obeythe it shall be caryd into the celestiall heuens by Iesus Christ and rest in eternall joy Rede diligentlye that chapiter and thow shalt fynd a very necessary doctrine what is the cause that the moost part of men entre not into this eternall rest The contempt of our capitaynes wordes Iesu Christ who would lede vs thether halyd we not backe and lefte not his commaundementes Cōsider the persons rehersyd in this commaundement Thy sonne thy dawghter thy man seruant and thy woman seruant thy best and the stranger within thy dowres those thow must not withe out necessite constrayne to ony seruile worke vpon the sabbothe but se that they exercyse them selfes vpon the sabbothe in hering the word of god and se they frequēt the place of commune prayers and vsethe sacramētes as God commaundithe Ffor those God hathe cōmaundyd vnto thy charge as lōg as they be withe the. not onlye that thow yeue them there wagis that is dew but also se them aright instructyd in the law of God and lyue there after for if they peryshe by thy negligence there blud shall be requirid at thy hand the stranger like wyce within thy port thowghe he be of an other religion thow shuldest assay to wynne him vnto the knolege and rites of thy religiō as thow seyst here commaundyd vnto the Israelitis ād consequentlie vnto vs all for wear bound no lease but rather more then they to the loue of God and oure neighbour and by expresse wordes commaūdid to do the same Mat. 22. Iac. 5. Here let vs all crye out ād say peccauimus we haue offendid and studie to amend for there is here condemnid the Auarice of all men that care not for God nor his law a dele but vsithe vngodly and vncheritable there seruaūtes and bestes as thowghe they were made only of God to serue his auaricious appetis and not rather to serue the necessaris of there Masters and like wice to glorifie god as his word commaundithe like wice in this commaundement is condemnid oure vncheritable behauour to wardes our neighbour and like wice the vngodlie and carnall fere that we haue to teache astranger the knolege of God we yeue him the thynge we owe
The lord shall make the pestilence cleue and associat the till it consume the from the worold Agayne in the same chapiter the diseace or syckenys shal be faythefull that is to say sticke fast to the vse what medicines thow wilt Galenus saythe libr. 1. De differ feb capit 4. that the cheffe remedy to preserue from pestilence is to purge the body from superflous humores to haue a fre and liberall wynd and to auoyde the abundaunce of mete and drynke God saythe nothyng preseruythe but the obseruation of his commaundementes If we offend the best remedy is penence and amendement of liefe It makythe no forse how corrupt the Ayre be so the conscience of man in Christ be clene from synne Thoghe there dye a thowsand of the one syde of the and ten thowsand one the other syde thow shalt be sauffe Psalm 90. He will let the lyue to serue lenger in the worold to the glorye of his name And if tbow die it is because no malice of the worold shuld corrupt thy lieffe and bryng the from God Farther to take away the miseries of this worold If souche as care not for God escape in the time of pestileÌ„ce or warr it is to call them vnto a better lyffe Ro. 1. If they amend not they ar reseruyd to agreater payne this is spokeÌ„ not as thowghe I conteÌ„ned the yefftes of god philosophie and phisick but to take from meÌ„ all vaine hope in the artificiall medicyns and yeue only the glory vnto the name of God They abuse the name of God that performe not the thing they promes in Godes name by ony o the or vow made according to the law of God whether it be betwene man and God as in the holie Sacrament of Baptisme and the holie super of the lord where as we swere and promes to lyeue after his will and pleasure Or when man to man bynditheÌ„ him selfe to ony condicions or promeses by the inuocation of Godes name or testimony of his awne consciens If the one kepe not touche and promese withe the other he that offendith abusythe not only his awne faythe whicht shuld be allwyes simple and trew but also contemnythe the Maiestie and omnipotencie of God in whois name the othe was taken And not only the law of God But also the law of man punyshithe this horrible periurye as ye may rede Leuit. 24. How he that toke the name of God in vayne was stonyd to deathe so saythe Dauid Psalm 5. So saythe this Commaundement God will not leue him vnpunyshyd that Namythe him in vayne Examples we haue in Ananias and his wief Acto 5. The children of Israel were slayne for periurie Esa 10. Temperour Iust Nouellis constitut 77. commaundithe to put to deathe the blasphemours Souche as trust in there awne strenghe or ryches abuse and hlaspheme this name of God Which neuer was nor neuer shal be vnpunyshyd in this worold in the worold to cum or in booth Examples we haue in Assur Esa 10. Holofernes Iudith 13. Aiax that sayd he could ouer com his ennymyes without God At lenghte was not ouercom of his ennymyes but kyllyd him selfe Those that swere by the name of God and like wyce by the name of Saynctes offend this commaundement As when the forme of there othe is thus AS HELPE ME GOD and all Saynctes For the othe must be only in the name of God Deut. 6.10 Iosu 23. How this synne in sweryng by ony then God is punyshyd Rede Hiere 5. Soph. 1. Red the 7. chapit of Iosua and lerne the forme of a trew othe there when he constraynyd Achan to confesse the truythe by the vertew of an othe It is a manifest Argument of impiete and false belyue when people swere by ony creatures Souche as yeue there bookes a holie and relegious title and the contentes therof is none other then the defence of supersticioÌ„ and inquyrye of vayne glorye or his awne priuate commodite abuse the name of God They offend greuouslie this commaundement that swere without necessite More greuouslie when for euery light tryfell or mater of nothing Moost greuouslie when men swere to mayntayne a false cause to optayne an I le purpose to oppresse the truythe or to iu stifie the wrong The othe therfore must be as Hiere saythe cap. 4. in verite iudgment and iustice There the Prophete exâ—â—tithe the Israelites to reuerence the Name and glory of god And that they beliue stedfastlye the vniuersall prouidence of God That they abstayne from false othes and periurie For God seith not only the workes of man but also the wordes and thowghtes of the hart Therfore noman shuld swere except he know perfetly the thyng to be trew that he swerythe That is the fyrst thyng that man shuld haue in his consciens before he swere The second that he swere not temcrouâ—lie nor lightlie without reuereÌ„ce of Godes maiestie but with iudgment that is to say when necessite constraynythe for the glorye of God or defence of vertew at the commaundement of a iust and laufull appoyntyd iudge Thyrdly that it be in iustice that the othe extend to nothyng that is agaynst Godes lawes if the othe haue not these thre cempanyons it is periurye what so euer be sworne and blasphemithe Godesname As all those that swere to pleace and flater the superiour powres when they make vngodly lawes And those that swere in the lawes of men vnder the pretence of holye churche and persequute christes trew membres As for those that be commune swerers and be suffryd to blaspheme withe out punishmeÌ„t it is so ahhominable that the magistrates they that swere and all the commune wealthe Were as the dwell shall at lenghe smart for it Regulus the Romayne and the Sagumines shamythe Christyane men that would not for ony payne or punishment of the worold violat or breake there o the made by there false Godes of whom wrytythe Sainct Augustine libro de Ciuita Dei 22. capit 6. libro 1. capit 15. Cicero lib De officijs 3. Valerius libro 9. The Saguntines burnyd them selfes Regulus returnyd from his natyue contrey and Cite of Rome to his moost cruelle Ennymies in Africa and would rather suffer thextreme tyrannie of his ennymyes then violat or breake his othe that he had sworn Caput VII The fourthe Commaundement REmembre to sanctifye the Sabbot daye Syx dayes thow shalt labour and do all thy workes The seuenthe daye is rest vnto God thy lord thow shalt do no work in it nether thy sonne nether thy dowghter thy seruauÌ„t nor thy mayde nether thy best nether the Stranger that is within thy dores For in syx daies God made Heauen and Earthe the See and all thinges that is therin and the seuenthe day restid therfore blissyd God the seuenthe daye and sanctified it THe cause and end why this commaundement was institutyd is diuerse Fyrst because man shuld apon this daye call his intendement and thowghtes from the lustis pleasures vanites