gaue thee authoritie to controle thy master but hee vvould controle himselfe and vvould not goe out of his dores to complaine of his seruants injurie but hee vvould complaine to God of him selfe that had broken his Law and done injurie to his Majestie The like may vvee see in that holy man Dauid vvho though hee vvas a King annointed at Gods appointment and one of excellent guifts a valiant vvarriour and had foure hundred men vvel appointed vvayting on him yet vvhen Abigail a vvoman and meane in comparison of him came alone and brought vvith her the sword of the spirit the law of GOD that it vvas not lawfull for him to commit murder and to reuenge his owne cause What though Nabal had done injurie she denies not but hee vvas as his name signified a foole and the foole had done foolishlie that vvas not the question though but this she vvould know of Dauid vvhether hee might lawfully kill one in his owne priuate reuenge contrarie to the law of of GOD. Now vvhen Dauid sees that she comes so vvell appointed and brings such strong reasons and that hee could not rush on Nabals bloud but hee should rush vpon the sword of GOD and God vvould plague him he vvould none but leaues of and thanks her for her good counsel So that vvhen she brought the law of GOD for her vvarrant this vvas so good a vvarrant as that Dauid durst not but yelde to it though he vvas a King and a Prophet and a man of most excellent guifts euery vvay and she but a vvoman and farre his inferiour in graces Contrary to this vvas the spirit of vvicked Amaziah that vvhen hee most absurdly had hauing chased the Edomits taken their gods and vvorshipped them and set them vp as meanes to help him in the seruice of GOD and God sent the Prophet to him to tell him that he had dealt foolishly to vvorship those gods that could not saue their owne people out of his hands vvhy he now could not beare this but begins to mock vvho saith hee I pray you made you of the Kings counsell are you become a counsellour now to tell the King vvhat he hath to doe goe to hold your peace least you be smitten for your paynes The Prophet sees him to despise the rebuke of God and then he vvould not bestow so much cost as to giue him any more admonition on him but vvell saith hee I vvill hold my peace as you bid mee but know that thou shalt surely perish because thou hast done this thing and not hearkened to my counsell though it vvas foolish and naught in him to doe that thing yet if hee could haue hearkened to the Prophet of GOD bringing the law of GOD hee had beene on the mending hand and all vvould haue beene vvell but vvhen hee vvould doe sinfully and then refuse to bee admonished then in truth he must needes bee destroyed And so hee vvas shortly after most fearefully and strangely by the hand GOD and neither his kingdome nor his vvealth nor any thing could keepe off the iudgement of GOD and destruction from him So then vvill vvee shew that vvee doe in truth beeleeue that these bee the vvords of GOD vvee must vvhen any man shall presse any of these lawes vnto vs straight vvaies yeeld and stoup vnto them and vvee doe then confesse that GOD spake all these vvords but if one begin to shift and cloake and colour and distinguish then hee declares euidently that his hart is not perswaded that God is the author of these lawes The second vse that wee must make of this that God spake all these words is that therefore wee must not be afraide nor ashamed to stande for them and defend them as also to practise them in our liues though the Atheists and the prophane swine of the world mock and scoffe at vs neuer so much for the same For what neede we be ashamed to maintaine those wordes which God himselfe was not ashamed in his owne person to speake If we doe remember what Christ saith hee that is ashamed of mee before men in this world I will bee ashamed of him before my father in the world to come If God had but sent his Angels vnto vs with any commaundement the gloriousnesse of such messengers should haue might to make vs bolde to defend and stand for the message but sith God did not send an hoast of Angels but came himselfe in his Magestie accompanied with all his holy Angels attending and waiting one him should wee not now giue much more reuerence to those things which hee spake and take much more courage to stande for the maintenance of his commandements This serues therefore exceedingly to condemne their dastardlynesse that are afraide to keepe the sabboth or to doe any such duty because they should be counted puritanes But is it not better that men should hate vs without cause then that God should haue a quarrell against vs vpon a iust cause is not it much better that they should scoffe at vs for good then that God should plague vs for euill What a shame is it for vs therefore that when we he are wicked heretiques speaking against the law of God and prophane Atheists breaking his law and blaspheming his name wee should plucke in our hornes and become mute as though it were a matter of some great discredit for vs to speake for that which God himselfe in his owne person hath spoken vnto vs. Thirdly this serues to proue this law to bee spirituall for such an one as God is which made the law such an one is that law which hee made it reacheth therefore to the inward hart of euery man and lies close vpon his conscience And indeede in this it doth especially differ from the lawes of men For they doe tye the tongue and the hand and the foote to the good vpbearance and take notice if any oft this bee faulty against them but they meddle not with the hart and make no question of the inward motions of the soule because man can bring in no proofe of the breach of such a law nor can haue no witnesse of such faults But God searcheth the hart and tryeth the reynes entreth into the secrets of the soule and therefore he commands to loue him with all our hart and with all our soule not contented vvith such a loue onely as is declared by the outward behauiour of the bodie And so for our neighbour he commands euery one to loue his neighbour as him selfe now we know that men do loue them selues with a deepe and inward loue not outwardly onely in salutation and courtesie and good speaches but euery man loues him selfe in trueth with a good meaning and in good earnest not dissemblingly So must all the obedience performed to God proceed from vvithin and come from the hart else it should be no vvhit acceptable to him that that growes without if it come not from the root of vprightnesse and sinceritie
and speake worse then in christianitie and equitie he should he that will speake to often of other mens infirmities cannot keepe himselfe from speaking to much sometimes therefore the best vvay is to be sparing in this kind of talke Speake seldome first Then secondly when one hath a good calling iust cause to speake let him speake discreetly in due time and due place that some good may come by his speach that either the partie may be brought to the sight and amendment of his fault or else others may be edified and helped against such faults speake in good affection and with good discretion that some or other may be the better for it Euer more if one will speake of an others faults let him be able to say I speake it to this and this good end this and this good vse I hope will ensue of my speach or if he can see no profit that will come by his vttering it let him keepe it till an other time let him lay his hand vpon his mouth and say he hath gone farre enough allreadie For if there can be no good vse seene in speaking of it certainely there is much sin in speaking of it And for raysing of an ill and false report against ones neighbour it appeares what a fault it is in that God hath appointed and decreed in his law that those which doe slaunder an other shall themselues vndergoe the punishment which such a fault had deserued and such a person haue suffered if the thing had beene true as he that wrongefully accuseth an other of theft he himselfe should be dealt withall as with a theefe and he that reports that another hath committed adulterie if it be proued false himselfe must feele the smart that an adulterer should This the righteous God hath ordained for what can be more iust then that he which digs a pit for his neighbour without a cause should himselfe fall into the pit and he that seekes to take away his neighbours fame and life by a lye should loose his owne credit and life for a lye And this though the Magistrate neglect his dutie God will not neglect but as he made the law so he will see it put in execution for he is not vniust vnlesse one first punish himselfe by true repentance Thus this law is broken by vniust accusing It is next broken by vniust defending of wicked men and bad causes whē one will vse his name and credit and prayse to vpholde such a man whose name soule and bodie and all are worthie to fall into hell This is condemned 17 15. Where speaking of this kind of men that be lyars in request and false witnesses in fauour that be of so good a nature as that they will heale all thinges make vp all gaps and make a glosse for any matter they will condemne no man nor finde fault with nothing of such he saith he that Iustifieth the wicked and he that condemneth the iust men they both are abomination vnto God He shewes that this dealing which men call a good nature is euen as abominable to God as if they should condemne goodnesse and good men And therefore such men get but a little they carrie away the credit with men but they are as much out of credit with God as they with credit with man and God will bringe about that they shall haue a spot in themselues of that wickednes which they allow in an other for at length God causes both the sinne and the shame to breake out and then their former honour is all dasht So he saith in an other place he that prayseth the wicked the people will curse him To that he makes such a good bargaine for himselfe as both God and the people of God hate him and abhorre him And in truth iustly to for he is worthie to be hated because he keepes men from repentance for there is no better medicine in the world to heale the soule and kill the sinne then to let the sinner sustaine the shame and the paine that is due for his sinne for this is a medicine of Gods making And if all the phisitians in the world lay their heads together they cannot inuent a better and therefore if they had any true loue they would let them haue it and not dawbe ouer the sore so as it should fester ranckle to death So that no greater enemie can be found to the soules of men then such that will smoth all thinges ouer with colourable shifts Then also they doe much hurt to others for now when sinners are gotten in credit crept into some account they are lesse suspected can with more ease doe hurt and mischeefe for if darkenesse might be called darkenesse and sinne goe vnder the name of sin and the diuell come in his owne colours it would be so open that no man would trust and so odious that all men would hate it But now when the diuell will call euill good and come like an Angell of light then men giue him some entertainment and he doth hurt them before they suspect him and when euill men be garnished with some false commendations they can closely conuay their wicked intents to doe more hurt a great deale because they are lesse doubted As in one example may appeare in vngodly and sufficient ministers if they can get some commendation to commend them and some great mans letter to speake for thē thē those that els would neuer haue come to so much credit are admitted without any further inquirie and to the place and office of the ministrie and when by lying they haue entred their whole dealing is agreeable to such a beginning and they proue very wolues that sterue and deuoure the Lords flocke And all this mischeefe came from a false witnesse that commended them with a lie And so for matters of commonwealth when places of charge and importance are through false commendations committed to naughtie and wicked persons oft these proue vilde wicked doing much hurt in the place so that these faulse and foolish prayses are but to get some credit to the wolfe that he may the more freely deuoure and wast the flocke So that as one must not speake of his neighbors faults but in loue and discretion and vpon good proofe so neither must he speake in his commendations But in wisdome and when the commendation is grounded on knowledg and iudgment And thus much for giuing out false speaches Now followes for receiuing which is a fault no lesse haynous before God then the former for he is not only in fault that inuents lyes of his owne head but he also that receiues them and giues credit to them and is bold to ground his report to an other vpon them And that both concerning others and also concerning himsefe To giue eare to a false report concerning an other is forbidden as bewraying of a great want of loue and good affection to the name of ones brother and an ill
any other such like dealing if euer he will haue God heare his prayer and receiue his sacrifice before his offering he must make recompēce the enterest and the fifth part c. I but he is gone I know him not or cannot tell where to haue him I but doe you know none of his kinred hath he no sonne or nephew or brother is there none neere vnto him that you know not one Yet it must be restored it is none of yours you must not keepe it you of necessitie must part with it if you will haue the sinne pardoned Therefore you must giue it to the Lord the Church must haue it Numb 5. 8. So that this is the law of restitution He that hath gotten any thing vnlawfully must not onely say indeed I haue done amisse I crie God mercie for that that is past and I will doe so no more but for this I hope GOD will pardon me I purpose now to leaue of doing wrong to any No this is not enough a man must reconcile himselfe to GOD before he can reconcile his conscience to himselfe God will not be aunswered with such a weake amendement there can be pardon or perseuerance vnlesse there be true repentance and true repentance neuer goes before but soone after you shall see restitution follow Therefore let a man deale more soundly in such cases that pertaine to the peace of his conscience this hollow heartednesse and hypocrisie in such matters will bring no peace therefore let not a man hearken to the diuell and his owne flesh for his hurt and restore that which he hath defrauded any man of by ill meanes If not let him know for a surety who euer he be that there is no thriuing by such dealing sinne is a poyson infecting both the soule and bodie and estate and vnlesse it be purged out in time will bring all to ruine But yet some obiections seeme to arise first the thinge is of some price and the person is wicked and would be willing to take the aduantage and follow the occasion to put me to death Therefore here danger seemes to stoppe ones mouth and it were better to liue in saftie then to make restitution with perill of his life But though the case shall fall out thus yet the law of restitution admits no such exception one must restore yet wisdome must be vsed in this case that both the partie offended may be satiffied and the partie which hath offended may be in saftie Therefore some other third person of wisedome and grauitie a man of good account for religion and honestie must be chosen to whom the secret may be without perill reuealed and by whose meanes the wrong done may bee fully answered and he must restore it in the name of the other concealing his name and particular fault as thus he may speake There is a man that in time of his ignorance hath wronged and endamaged you and now that God hath touched his heart with true repentance he is willing to satisfie you to the full and therefore hath by me sent you so much as will fully recommpence your losse yet he desires to conceale his name because of perill that might ensue By some such wise and godly course amends might be fully made to the partie that sustaind the wrong and he that did the wrong be nothing at al endāgered for by Gods blessing no man is so malitious but by the wisdome and godly counsell of the man that is imployed in this thing and the full satifaction and good dealing of the man that did wrong him would haue held himselfe contented without any further prosecuting of reuengment But there comes yet a further doubt I am not able to restore I haue not where withall Then where nothing is to be had it is a common prouerbe the prince must loose his right But yet so that a man must plainly and fully confesse his fault if there be not abilitie for restitution yet a man must not neglect confession and this further a man must couenant with himselfe that if euer it please god to giue him abilitie he will be answerable to the full to all such wrongs and then as we are in affection so God will account vs indeed If one can say in truth of heart O Lord I confesse my fault to thee and haue confessed it also to the person whome I haue offended and though I be not able to recompence him yet I resolue with my selfe and make a couenant with mine owne conscience That if euer I haue it I will paye him and if I had it nowe I would differ no longer hee should haue it nowe in meane time I will not cease to supply that by my prayers which by reason of pouertie is wanting in my payment that mine humble suite to God for him may as much profit him as my sinne against God and against him hath endamaged him Thus if a man doe God will accept him and esteeme of this as a sufficient recompence and will himselfe rewarde the partie and make vp his losse And thus much for this eight commandement Thou shalt not steale Now followes the ninth commaundement Thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy neighbour This commandement is broken either Inwardly by caulesse suspicion and surmises outwardly or Without speach in Gesture Silence With speach by speaking or receiuing By speaking Truly but to an ill purpose without discretion or good affection Ones selfe by Boasting Execusing Accusing falsely An other either Publique when a Iudg a witnesse or Iurer doth it in a publique cause and assembly or a lawyer defends an ill cause Priuate by vniust accusing defēding Falsely concerning By receiuing concerning An other Ones selfe in receiuing Flatterie of other False accusations of other HEre should haue followed the summe of this commandement and the handling of inward suspicion and rash iudging and the two causes thereof vz. Foolishnesse vncharitablenesse which notes the partie that tooke the former copie as then came to short to set downe and since by no meanes could come by them The third followes The third cause of this vniust suspicion misdeeming is an euill conscience for when one is himselfe infected with any sin and lies in it without repentance he is readie to measure all mē by himselfe and thinkes no man can goe vpright now himselfe halts And this is exceeding plaine in Saule He was a wicked murtherer and purposed fully if by any meanes he might effect his purpose to kill Dauid and therefore we see howe he goes about craftily to bring him in danger vnder a shew of friendship and forsooth did beare such a good minde to Dauid that worthie man and faithfull captaine that had ventured his life for Gods cause and in the defence of his people as that hee would freely and willingly admitte him to so neere a place as to be the Kings sonne in law And therefore if Dauid were as willing to accept of his offer in kindnesse
would not in his heart iudge this an vncharitable thing that because his neighbour should see I know not what weak probability or rather surmises that had no probabilitie in them of some fault therefore he should presently thinke and conclude that it was euen so and beare such an opinion of him as of a trangressor in that kind what euer fault it be and so giue his name such a wound in his conscience by this deeming as could hardly be healed againe no man would count this good dealing to himselfe and therefore euerie man must looke to himselfe that he doe not build a suspicion against his neighbour vpon weake and idle props neuer thinke ill of one till he hath deserued and giuen sufficient cause of it But now this must be known by the way that though loue wil not allow suspicion yet it doth not thrust out discretion it iudgeth not rashly but it iudgeth iustly it is not so sharpe sighted as to see a little moath where none is nor so purblind but it can discerne a beame therefore rashnesse must be condemned and auoyded but there is an holy wisdome to be had as not to misdeeme without sufficient warrant so when there is euident proofe and plaine appearance of a sinne to take notice of it to which must be obserued against many men that by this doctrine and indeede wresting it as euill men doe all scripture take occasion to thrust admonition out of dores and thinke all men should be blinde because God will haue all men charitable For so when they haue broken forth openly into grosse signes of wickednesse and all their life shewes them to be prophane vngodly couetous and deceitfull and without the feare of God come now and admonish that certainly they be wicked persons and haue no true faith nor repentance presently you shall haue this first defence Oh GOD knowes myne heart you must not iudge you must not scearch into a mans heart But a christian must iudge wisely though not rashly he may iudge by the fruit though not by the sap if ones wickednesse be hidden then God would not haue men censure but if it breake forth he would haue men take heede and reproue also As for example if one see a man that delights in ill companie is neuer wel and as he would be but when he is among drunkards and swearers and blasphemers and such like vermine one may iustly and vpon good ground without any sinne suspect such an one and say suerely this man is a bad fellowe such as his mates are such is he for surely good men would be glad of the societie of good men and lambs will reioyce to be with lambes and now he that doth take all his pleasure to be among vngodly persons he hath pronounced sentēce against himselfe like company like man that keepes the companie So if one heare any vomite out filthie and vnchast speeches his tongue be full of vncleannesse his mouth is neuer emptie of lewd and lustfull words now this is an infallible note and sure brand of a filthie vnchast vncleane person for out of the aboundance of the heart the mouth speakes looke what ware comes into the shop such is surely kept in the warehouse and he that thinks thus of such a person doth him no wrong at all So others haue a good hope and a good faith they hope to be saued as well as the best if one will beleeue them and if you will not beleeue them they take as a great iniurie done to them But what reason can they giue of their hope what sound cause can they alledge why they should be saued rather then Iudas not goe to hell as well as Cayne surely for a reason they can yeeld no reason of their faith they be not learned but they haue a good heart and a good hope that God will saue them Nay they neither haue good heart nor good hope for a good hope is alwaies vpheld by good reasons and a strong faith by strong grounds out of Gods word else a man may talke of hope and faith and a good heart and be farre enough from any least he can shew vpon what ground he builds his hope it is but presumption and when sinne and death shall encounter such an one he shall fall away without any strength at all So for the Sacrament it is common custome of men a day or two before they come to the communion to wrap vp many reckonings and foule matters among themselues and to rake vp the coles of their malice vnder the ashes so closely as that one would hope there were no sparke left to kindle contention againe But a day or two after they be as craftie as brawling as full of cousening deceitfulnesse as euer before then one may boldly say you haue polluted the holy Sacrament you haue defiled the table of the lord you came to it without faith or repentance oh but you must not iudge Yes now the case is so cleare a mā may iudge for certainly if one come with repentance to the Sacrament he shall go with repentance from the Sacrament if one come a good man thether it will make him better then he was for God will alwaies keepe his promise and if one come as he commaunds he shall finde his sinne killed and he would not haue falne to his olde course so soone again nor returned to his filthie vomit if he had fed of the holy and pure bread of life Iesus Christ with an heart purged by faith and repentance And therefore though no man must suspect without good ground yet a man where there is iust cause ought to pronounce iust iudgement Thus much for the first which is the most secrete and inwarde breach of this commaundement Now the outward followes which is eyther without speech or with speech Without speech eyther by gesture or silence By gesture when one carries himselfe reprochfully to his brother and vseth such a kinde of behauiour as tends to vilifie mocke and disgrace him This Psalme 22. is condemned by a prophecie of Christ Iesus That they nodded their heads at him and made mowes as indeed they did after and this was as great an indignitie and doth oft times as much disgrace one and make him contemptible in the eyes of the beholders as if one should rayle vpon him with vilde and slaundrous words This then is a wrong to ones name though one doe not slaunder and rayle yet if he vse his hand or his tongue or heade or any part of his bodie in such a cariage and gesture as doth tende to mocke his neighbour he sinnes against his name and credit The next kind is by silence when one houlds his peace when he heares his neighbour slaundred he stands by and can testifie of his own knowledge that the thinges spoken be false and lying and yet either in flatterie or feare of displeasing lets all alone and doth not speake that he knowes to defend
that which is false concerning themselues Now it follows concerning others and that is either publique or priuate Publike first when the magistrate or iudge passeth a false sentence in any cause that comes to be hard before them This is a most heauie sinne and is as much as in them is to make God a lyar for he stands in the place and is his substitute and vicegerent here one earth nowe then for him to beare men in hand that that iudgement which he giues is the iudgement of God that sets him there when yet hee knowes it is false and corrupt this is euen to draw God to be the author of a lye so much as he can And this is not only a wrong against Gods owne Maiestie and the place wherein God hath set him but it is an iniurie to the person thus condemned in that he brings a blotte vnto his name and makes him ill accounted of and that wrongfully and depriues him also commonly of some commoditie and benefit that by right did pertaine vnto him So for lawyers to speake in an ill cause for their fee though the cause be neuer so bad yet let the fee be good and you shall haue one or other likely will pollish his tongue and whet his wit and sharpen his face to couer a foule matter with a many faire words and make that good in vttering which in doing was altogether wicked this is commonly counted wit and he a wise man that knowes howe to gloze thus and set a good face and good colours vpon a cause but it is in truth a lying and a publike slaunder and that branded with a curse for in Is 5. The Lord said cursed be he that speakes good of euill and euill of good And so long as a man will set himselfe to stand for an euill thing his conscience will excuse him of two foule breaches of Gods law that he hath hindered iustice and furthered vnrighteousnesse to the vtmost of his power But here be some sorry shifts Alasse I speake as I thinke I take the cause to be good I must stand for my client But I pray you what is the cause that you haue so ill eyes and such a simple capacitie to perceiue the vniustnesse of the cause that are so quicke witted to inuent clokes for the vniustice Why cannot your witte see one as well as the other How comes it about that other men of farre lesse skill in law and wit by nature after to or three of your bouts can soone see the double dealing how hollow matters are and yet the fairest side is put outward to But you cannot fee what is the cause of this blindnesse is it not because the gift blinds the eyes of the wise is not that which wanted in the goodnesse of the cause supplied in the greatnesse of the fee and that is the cause you cannot see But suppose this were true and grant that you were as you say ignorant of the matter is it not a foule shame to be vētrous to speake so much in a matter before you know whether it be good or not to come in the face of the world and pawne your credit for a cause that you neuer tried nor examined nor searcht into it to see whether it were right or wrong Iob would not doe so but those causes that he knew he would enquire and search out the matter and not open his mouth to speake before he had prepared what and vpon what good ground to speake in the defence of anyone This will not serue the turne when one hath abused his place and abused his hearers and abused himselfe by maintaining wickednesse to say alas I knew it not it is foolish and shamefull this for owne to venture and hazard his soule and his name and then beare himself in hād that this will salue all because he knew it not as if ignorance vvere a plaster good enough to heale the vvounds he hath made in his conscience and credit But why had not hee knovvne that it vvas a sin to be ignorant vvise men should vvorke by knovvledge It is a most notorious fault vvhen one vvillingly and vvittingly stands in defence of an euill cause but is a fault to rashly and vnaduisedly to slip into it Further also false vvitnesses doe publikely offende against this commandement as in nisi prius and such like cases When one vvill come before the Iudges and giue a false and lying testimonie This is often spoken against in the Prouerbs a false vvitnes shall not escape these be most pestilent and hurtfull vipers these sting and doe mischeefe on euerie side these peruert the iurers delude the iudge doe vvrong to the cause and are hurtfull on euery side put all out of order and turne all vpside downe by their falshoode this therefore shal be first and greatest in the punishment because they haue beene first and greatest in the sin And this God abhorres vvhen men be so audatious and so iniurious as publikely to sin against God and to chose rather to please men in sinning thē please God in a good cause When the false loue or feare of man shall doe more with them to make them sin then the feare and loue of God can preuaile to keepe them from sinning All these doe publikely offende Nowe priuate offence false and that is either in vniust accusing or vniust defending That vniust accusing priuatly is called slaundering and backebiting vvhē one vvil speake euill of his neighbour that is free from that euill This backebiting is a greate breach of this commandement and the backbiter offends in an high degree And the fault is so much the vvorse because it alwaies hurts three at once this blow alwaies makes three vvounds at one time he wounds the soule of him to whom he tels the false tale for as we shall heare after the receiuer is in a great fault therefore he hath one deadly blow The second stroake lights on the name and reputation of the partie thus slandered backebitten for his name hath a scarre in the account of the hearer The last and worst and greatest blowe hee giues his owne soule vvhen he infects it vvith slaunder and makes his conscience guiltie of a lie These three mortall vvoundes this lying tongue like a percing sword makes at one time Indeede he scapes best who is falsely slaundered for he being innocent God will heale his name and bring forth his but the other two wounds are more daungerous because they light vpon the soule and more harde to bee cured because they are altogether sin Therefore it stands euery man vpon that he raise vp no vniust report against any man Now the best way to keepe himselfe against slaundering is to make a couenant with his owne foule and to vow in himsele not to speake often of others mēs faults for he that giues his tonge liberty to be busied about this subiect it cannot be auoyded but that he shall slip to farre
that settles not himselfe to keepe them all This must also teach vs when we see that God doth not blesse vs according to his promises to those that feare him then we must examine our selues diligently concerning our obedience to this his law whether we liue not in some sinne or whether some olde sinne lye not in vs which hath neuer bene repented for certainely of all Gods plagues that he layes vpon vs for our neglect of this his law wherefore when he strikes vs we must begin to looke to our obedience So did Iacob in Genesis when his sonnes Simeon and Leuie had committed that cruell fact and he was therefore made odious in the sight of the people of the land then he knowes that there could not be such trouble without if all were well within therefore he begins to search his family and to see how all things went there and then he perceues presently the cause of all these stirres for his house was full of Idolatry his wife had gotten his father in lawes Idols and many of his people fell from the pure worship of God to abhominable superstition then no wonder if ther were such sturres without when ther was such disorder within therfore he purgeth his house of all this filthinesse and buries all these Idolls in the ground that they might neuer hurt him or any of his any more All this serues for the singuler comfort of all Gods children that seeth these be Gods commaundemēts all as well as one therefore they shall haue power also to obey them all as well as one for that God which gaue vs power to obey one can giue vs the like power to obey the rest and that power which any hath to obey one t is not frō him selfe but from the work of God in him And indeed God doth not giue vs these lawes that we should imagine we could obey thē our selues but that seeing our owne wants we might goe to him for help why then should not euery christian hope to be able to yeeld obedience to God in whatsoeuer God commandeth him As God witnesseth this of Dauid that he was a man after Gods owne hart in all things but in the matter of Vriah he neuer sinned presumptuously but then his hart was vpright in all things else and likewise as it is spoken of Zacharie and Elizabeth that they were perfect and vnblameable in all things not that they were quit from all infirmities or had not their faults as well as any other but they were vpright and sincere their hart was true with God and so God can and will giue grace vnto all his to obey euery one of his commaundements with a true and vpright obedience So that no man ought to discharge himselfe Oh for other things I haue some hope I that I shall ouercome them but for this or that sinne I shall neuer get the better of that while I liue Well then for other sinnes you hope you can ouercome them but this is the point then vvhether haue you power to subdue them by any vertue of your owne or else from the vvorking of Gods spirit in you If you say from your selfe then you speake ignorantly and foolishly for flesh cannot kill any sinne this must be the vvork onely of God I but Christ Iesus did giue help to mee against those but for this one thing I doubt vvhy should you doubt Hee that gaue you abilitie to ouerrule your flesh in some things cannot he giue the like in all Yea this very mercy that he gaue you a disposition and power to obey him in one thing is a sure testimony to you that he vvill doe the like for all onely if you aske it you neede not doubt So that this vvhich he saith GOD spake all these words is a merueylous incouragement to the Saincts therefore feeling their vvants in any they may goe to God and saie Lord thou art the author of all these Commandements a like and the keeping of them all pertaines vnto mee as well as to any other but thou knowest O Lord that there is no power in mee to obey the least of them therefore I come now for power from thee to make mee obedient and hence he shall haue power to keepe all as well as any one I am IEHOVAH THese words signifies the essence of God and his absolute perfection in all his attributes It is expounded in the 13. of the Hebr. and 8. ver Christ yesterday and to day and the same for euer And Reuel 1. He that was and is and is to come He that is the selfe same in all his properties It signifies first Gods eternitie in vvhich he differs from all creatures for men and Angels are euerlasting they shall haue no ending but they be not eternall for they had their beginning from God but he hath his being in and of himselfe neither had he any beginning from any other all other things had beginning from him but he frō none he is from himselfe alone Also power and wisdome and mercie and Iustice and such other things which are properties in men and Angels in him they are natures in vs they are weake and imperfect but in him endlesse and perfect As in Exod. 34. Where he tells his name The Lord the Lord strong mercifull gracious c. Men and Angels are strong but this is a qualitie in them in him a nature so men and Angels are kinde but this is deriued from his kindenesse is a qualitie in them but in him a nature in them finite because no creature can haue any infinite thing in himselfe but in God they are infinit So that it signifies that God is eternall and hath his being from himselfe and other creatures haue their being and beginning from him In him power mercie Iustice c. are infinite in others they are finite In him they be natures and therefore vnchangeable in others qualities and therfore mutable The vse of this must be to make vs earnest to seeke his loue and fauour which if wee haue nothing can hurt vs for in him we liue and moue and haue our being Hauing his loue we haue all power all wisdome and all counsell on our side If he be perfect in himselfe and all creatures haue what euer they haue from him what neede we feare he being with vs what all the creatures can doe against vs being that all their power is deriued from him and vsed at his direction Wee see among men if there be one whose estate depends wholly vpon his landlords curtesie he may put him out and begger him when he please how carefull is hee to please him and haue his fauour least through his displeasure hee should be turned out of all So is it with all the men on earth they be all Gods tenants that at will no man holds any thing by lease for an houre our breath is not our owne but his it is at his discretion what shall become of our
shamefull and miserable disgrace is this vnto his Magestie but yet heere ariseth an obiection that some make indeede for God the Father and the holy Ghost they bee spirits and cannot be represented to vs by any thing but what say you of God the Sonne hee tooke vpon him the nature of man may not one make an image of him But to this vve may answere that it is vnlawfull to make an image of Christ because we cannot choose but in painting or making any image of him wee must needs leaue out the chiefe part of him which is his diuinitie for it is the Godhead that makes him to be Christ and what is this but to seperate those things which God hath vnseperably ioyned together which is accursed and in so doing vvhat difference doe we make betwixt Christ and the theefe that did hang vpon the crosse with him that therefore is a vvretched resemblance but if vve vvould see an image of Christ looke vpon poore christians that walke vp and downe amongst vs for they be flesh of his flesh bone of his bone there is some resemblance of him for they haue a body and a reasonable soule as hee had But for the Idoll he that vvill say hee can be better put in minde of Christ by gazing vpon a picture painted on the vvall or an image hanged vp in some place then by loking on poore christians for whom Christ shed his bloud and in whom hee dwels continually by his spirit he shewes himselfe to be a blinde and ignorant man Sith then Christ is both god man and the maine thing that makes him Christ is his godhead let vs know that it is a wicked impietie to make an image of Christ sith we can no way resemble that that makes him Christ But if we wold see God see Christ let vs looke one him according as hee hath reueald himselfe in his word for so Christ is cald the engrauen forme of his father that as he which would know what is grauen on the seale neede but looke vpon the waxe and there he shall see it So he that would see God let him looke on Christ as he is set out to vs in the word and there hee shall see his power his wisdome his mercy his truth all his properties So much of the first and most notorious kinde of idols Another kinde of idoll there is not so presumptuously wicked in such an high degree of impietie and that is to make an image or picture of gold or siluer or wood or any such matter to be put in mind of God helped the better to worship and serue him For this putting in minde God hath shewed what an idoll will put one in minde of and what an image will teach Habak 2. 18. What profiteth the image the maker thereof hath made it an image and a teacher of lies Hee shewes indeede that images be teachers and as they call them lay mens bookes but then hee shewes what lessons they teach namely lyes and then in the next verse hee shewes vvhat one shall get by being a scholler of these teachers viz. the curse of God for so he ads Woe vnto him that saith to the wood arise and to the dumbe stone arise it shall teach thee I but will some say no man will be so foolish as to say to the stone arise But indeede they doe say so for in that they kneele downe to them and knocke their breasts before them and creepe vnto them all this implies that they hope to speede the better by that wood or stone and by that meanes to get themselues some good and this is all one as if they should say arise awake and goe We would count him an absurd fellow that vvould say I vvill goe to yonder stone and speake to it and intreat it that at my request it vvould walke vp and downe a little but now vvhosoeuer goes to it kneeles before it kisseth it set a candle before it or any such like is euen as absurde for in so doing he shewes that he thinkes that stone can arise and hath some power to blesse him do him good therefore God giues him his vvages for his worke and saith he is accursed So in 106. Psal from 35. to 39. ver Hee shewes the cause progresse and reward of this idolatrie in the Iewes they mingled themselues with idolaters vvhat came of that then they learned their manners and vvhat then that vvas their ruine There hee shewes that they did not root out idolaters as God commanded them but would grow in acquaintance with them and by that meanes learned their waies and their manner of seruing God till at length they became so zealous so hot as that they would offer their owne children to the idols indeede to diuels for they would imitate Abraham that which he was content to haue done that they wold do indeed he was willing to offer Isaac to god but they went further they offred thē vp indeed to their idols so thinking to please God they did that which hee abhorred therby defiled and stained themselues and the land for as Gods ordinances doe clense purge men so the inuentions of the flesh doe polute and defile and heerevpon his wrath flamed against them so that hee gaue them vp to their enimies that hated them because they gaue themselues to that which he hated So Psa 135. 15. The idols of the heathen are siluer and gold euen the worke of mens hands they bee but the wormanship of man at the most and therefore inferior and lesse then men for alwaies the worke is inferior to the maker of it and then he discribs them They haue eyes and see not eares and heare not feete and goe not c. And so saith hee are those that make them and those that trust in them j. hope by their meanes to fare the better thinke by kissing knocking kneeling c vnto them to get any good Idolaters and idoll makers will you know what they be they haue eies and see not eares and heare not mouthes and speake not they haue no vse of soule or body for if they had they would neuer bee so base minded as to hope for any good from stocks and stones or looke to bee helped of them Therfore they are euen as blockish and foolish as the idols themselues But heere may be an objection to Did not Salomon make Cherubins in the temple and did not Moses make the brasen serpent Why then should idols and images be so odious and hatefull vnto vs. But to this we may answere that God forbids to make an image to our selues now Salomon did not make the Cherubins to him selfe but to God because he had a commandement and warrant from God so to doe So for the brasen serpent Moses made it not of his owne minde but frō the direction of God so that was no more an inuention of man then the scriptures and
sacraments are for he was commanded of God how to make it of what figure in what place to what vse So for the Cherubins God appointed them likewise to signifie that God had his wings as it were spred out that whosoeuer would come to him in the Church should haue protection and shelter from him at all tymes But this makes nothing for making of idolls to worship god by them For because Solomon made an image at Gods appointment therfore may we make one at the idols appointment and if Moses set vp a brasen serpent by Gods direction may we by the direction of flesh and bloud that follows not But for that very serpent that God had commanded to be set vp when men would looke on it with to great a reuerence and had it into great request and honour Hezekiah was so bold as to pull it downe and grinde it to powder and this is writtē as a thing of commendations in him We must make no images to our selues then but if God bid vs then we may for then we make them to God and then if God say who required these things at your hands we may answere with comfort thou didst O Lord. Sith then the worshipping of images is the worshiping of idols as it is said in the Psalme afore named 136. For he that doth Gods work he worships God and he that doth the diuels work he worships the diuell and sith all idols be condemned in gods seruice because they haue no warrant from God nor he hath not appointed any signification of them This serues for the reprouing of all those that haue bowed downe vnto them kissed them or vsed any homage vnto them For in Isai 66. 3. He sets downe this as a note of an vnregenerate man to blesse an idoll one need goe no further for the note of a wicked sinner then if he blesse an idoll For by worshipping it in this commandement he meanes not to account it as God but to think that by any reuerence done before the idoll one shall get some help that this shall be a meanes of good to doe this is spiritual whordome For so in Isai 42. 8. He saith I am the Lord I will not giue my glory to an other One had better therfore dye the death then vse any bodily gesture of reuerence to an idoll And this the three Children knew full well in Daniell For when the King commanded them on paine of death to fall downe he did not binde their soules but onely their bodies yet they would not one would think they might haue done that and done it in their harts to God but they knew that if they had defiled their bodie vvith the least bow it would haue drawne Gods curse vpon their soule and bodie and therefore they durst not doe it Therfore sith this is spirituall whordom those that haue done it must repent for it and know that they haue infected their soules with a damnable sinne for which if they doe not throughly repent it is said that when times occasion shall serue they will fall to it as freshly as euer before for then it is not the feare of God that hath repressed it but the positiue law doth a little restrain it which if it be remoued their lust will breake foorth as much as euer before as it vvas seene by the Israelits in the wildernesse therefore we must be truely humbled for it and labour for assurance of pardon And though men will say they did it with a good intent in good meaning and in loue to Christ yet all these excuses will not serue the turne It were an ill excuse in a wife to say she loued her husband exceedingly and therefore in his absence she must haue others to see them and looke on them and to embrace them and all this for loue to her husband the husband would scarce think well of this loue yea it would be abhominable vnto him And it is much worse to kisse an idoll and bow downe to it and then say it was for loue to Christ An other vse of this is that we must labour to get the true and sound knowledge of God out of his word and a feruent loue of him for till then a man is in daunger to fall to idolatry But if one see Christ in his word and know his spirituall properties then they shall say as the church in Hosea 14. What haue we to doe any more with Idoles we haue hard God and seene God For then we shall see better and more excellent things in him then can be found in any image but till this we are not well fenced against idolatrie as in the naturall mariage the wife is sure from adultrie if she loue her husband but till then she lies open to adulterers so betwixt christ and vs then are we safe from idols when we haue gotten a feruent loue of Christ Many will boldly say what bow downe to an idoll kneele to a stocke or a stone sure I shall neuer doe it but as good as you haue done it but what cause or what reason haue you to thinke you shall not haue you seene Christ Iesus discribed in his word haue you seene him receiued his bodie blood in the sacrament if one haue seene his excellent beautie in these meanes he shall abhor an idoll as an vgly thing and if ones soule loue Christ and seeke after him in these meanes he will neuer fall to this filthinesse but loth and detest it but else hee is in continuall daunger to fall to spirituall whordome what euer he can say now when the times doe not serue Thus much for the grosse and direct breach of this commaundement by making an image to represent god which is impious or to help one in his worship which is idolatrous The second breach of this is superstition when one doth not goe to stockes stones but vseth those waies and inuentions in worshipping God which are not commaunded of God in his word but bee the appointment of men for Mat. 15. 9. Christ saith that they worship him in vaine teaching for doctrines mens precepts If it haue no further beginning then mans braine God will giue no blessing to it yea hee sends a curse vpon it for cursed is hee that ads any thing to Gods booke God will add so much to his plagues And the reason is because he makes himselfe wiser or better then God For if God be perfectly wise then he knew best what worship would please him and if hee be perfectly good then he would reueale vnto vs what euer hee knew fit for vs to practise Againe it is a great iniurie offred to God when we will let his deadly enimies haue the ordering and appointing of his seruice rather then himselfe A king would thinke it a great indignitie that his seruants would not serue him after his direction but some base fellow that were a professed enemie should set downe what meats he must
one and reward the other as their life and deeds had deserued These were the things about which he would willinglie exercise his tongue speake joyfullie to the people for one cannot speak of these things conscionablie but it will work in him a feeling and a loue of these things so that him selfe shall get more good and those also that heare him So the 107. Psal 8. Let them consider before the Lord his louing kindnesse and his wonderfull workes before the sonnes of men He would haue vs haue such a feeling in our hands as that we should not onelie confesse Gods kindnesse to him but before men also make the same knowne And therfore all of vs must here bee humbled and acknowledge how exceeding short we come how seldome or neuer we breake forth into such confession or declaration of Gods power wisdome mercie such like good as our selues and others might therby be stired vp the more to be thankfull vnto him and to stay vpon him Who almost hath said as Dauid in the Psal Come and I will tell you what the Lord hath done for me what carefulnesse he hath had ouer our soules and bodies what faithfulnesse he shewed vnto vs in all our needs and of all his wonderfull mercie and wisdome whereof we may see experience Manie can make long discourses of the kindnesse of such a friend and spend an houre together what this and that good man hath done for him but for God that giues life and breath and all thinges and that giues power to our friends to doe vs good and kindnesse to put that power in practise who doth almost speake of all his goodnesse of all his power that hee continually doth shew practise towards vs to moue himselfe and others the more earnestlie to glorifie his name Likewise thirdlie we are here commanded to speake of Gods workes with reuerence thanks giuing wether the workes of mercie or of iustice And thus the children of Israell with there leader Moyses after that wonderfull deliuerance at the red sea did fall to praising and magnifieng God and to confesse his excellent greatnesse and magestie and set out the same to all posterities And as one must magnifie God for all his workes so especially for those that goe most beyond the reach and seeme most contrary to carnall reason and thus Paul hauing disputed of election and reprobation such works as carnall men and fleshly wit most snuffes at and would willingly snarle and speake most vildly of it if it durst for feare of men he being a man of Gods speaks most reuerently and with wonderfull awe of the greatnesse of God Rom. 11. 33. O the deepenesse of the riches both of the wisdome and knowledge of God how vnsearchable are his Iudgements and his waies past finding out and then who hath knowne the minde of the Lord. j. who can tell why God chooseth one to life and refuseth an other to death why he will haue one saued and an other condemned who can assigne the cause of these hidden things And in the next verse hauing before spoken off ordaining one to shame and an other to glorie he shuts vp closes all with this holy reuerent conclusion wondring at his greatnesse of him saith he and to him for him are all things to him bee glory for euer Amen q. d. hee made all things at the first himselfe he sustaines and preserues all things by his owne power still therefore it is most just and equall that he should dispose and order all things according as seemes best to him for his owne glorie And as we must striue to magnifie God in these works that crosse our reason so in those also that are most contrarie to our affection as in our crosses and afflictions And thus did Iob when God had taken away his sonnes his seruants his sheepe his Oxen his Camels and all his goods and that all of the suddaine he falls not to murmur and grudge against God but breakes out into the praise of God The Lord hath giuen saith he the Lord hath taken blessed be the name of the Lord. In all these miseries hee could finde in his hart and finde good cause to blesse the name of God for he knew that it came from God and though the diuel were a chiefe stirrer yet he could not goe beyond his commission and though God had taken away all no wrong was done to Iob Gods it was and God had giuen it him and might haue taken it away sooner and therefore still he was to be blessed So did Hezekiah so did Eli It is the Lord let him doe what he will so that euen in gods chastisements corrections which are tedious to the flesh and goe against the graine of our affections we must prayse him As Nebuchadnezar in the end of his seuen yeares miserie saith He is holy in all his works and Iust in all his wayes And thus we must glorifie the name of God in speach without an oath Now it followes to be spoken of an oath and first we must know that it is a dutie seruice of God when we haue a lawfull calling just warrant to take an oath so it be done aright as rash swearing is a sinnefull thing so reuerent swearing is an holy thing and one may sinne as well in omitting this when it is lawfully required as in committing the other which is forbidden So Deut. 6. 13. and 10. 20. Thou shalt feare the Lord and serue him and sweare in his name In both which places god plainely commands it as a seruice of him to sweare by him when one hath a warrantable and just cause to take an oath Therefore their error must bee condemned that would altogether root out the vse of oathes as vnlawfull and being called thereto refuse it because they say they would not take gods name in vaine nay now they doe take Gods name in vaine in refusing to sweare by it reuerently and vpon good ground allowance they might euen as well refuse to heare and reade and pray as to sweare being thus called therevnto Likewise it serues for our instruction that when the case stands so as that an oath is required at our hands by those which haue authoritie and when wee haue a sufficient warrant then wee should willingly and cheerefully doe it and that with a minde to glorifie God and an expectation of a blessing vpon this as vpon hearing and reading because it is an ordinance of God as well as they bee and it is a fault when men comming to this doe not propose the glory of God vnto themselues or looke for any reward for this dutie but onely looke to the ciuill ends to set agreement and make all things right and such like not thinking that this is a matter of highlie honouring God nor looking to his name nor to his promise of giuen good successe and blessing to all his ordinances Manie will hope to speede better for a good
him to come out of his place and be a witnesse to such matters Therefore vnlesse it bee matter of waight that tends to some glory of GOD or some great good of man to ende some contention that would be dangerous and to set vnitie and good order amongst men we must not be bold to meddle with the name of God and solemnly to call him as a witnesse of the thing in hand Lastly one must doe it with great feare and reuerence as in Eccles It is noted as the mark of a good man to feare an oath and though one be the child of God and an oath be required of him and hee know the thing to bee certainely true and the matter also of waight worth an oath yet if hee come lightlie without any regard of God and reuerence of that excellent name hee is to take in his mouth hee hath failed in his swearing and hath taken Gods name in vaine and is to bee humbled for it For in the Psal he saith Serue the Lord with feare Now if a man must not vndertake any seruice of God without feare and reuerence much lesse must hee call God to bee a speciall witnesse and after a speciall manner set himselfe before him without trembling and a speciall awe of his Magestie And thus much for the commandement now follows the reason of it For the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that takes his name in vaine HEere God from the greatnesse of the perill goes about to terrifie men from the sin now where hee saith I will not holde him guiltlesse something more is expressed then is vnderstood for the meaning is that God will account him as guiltie and execute a sharp and seuere punishment vpon him So that this wee may obserue as a plaine doctrine out of this doctrine that hee which sinnes against this commandement vnlesse hee doe soundly repent shall feele Gods hand heauie vpon him God will neuer put it vp but will bee throughly reuenged vpon him for it Of all sinnes this seemes most safe in the eies of men a greater penaltie is laide vpon him that robs a man of his goods then vpon him that robs God of his glorie and one may with more ease carrie out a blaspemous furious oath yea many of them wicked scoffing mocking of his word works then any slanderous reproch or taunting terme against his neighbour that is but dust and ashes like himselfe Therefore sith men let it slip so easily God will take the more notice of it and punish it more sharplie for indeede men are more carefull farre of their owne vaineglory then of Gods glory and therefore if God should refer it to mens assises it is sure little order would bee taken for it yea commonlie it is seene that those which should reforme and correct others in this point haue themselues most neede to bee reformed and corrected the greatest rulers that should most represse blasphemie of all others practise it most for if they bee neuer so little crossed how doe they seeke to ease themselues but by violent and outragious swearing Therefore if God should put ouer the punishment of it to their discreation like inough a very slight penaltie should serue the turne and men also could not inflict a sufficient punishment answerable to the fault for damnation is the due punishment as in Iames 5. Therfore God will haue it come before his judgement seat and himselfe will be the judge and the executioner in this offence Sith then god vndertakes to punish it the vse of it is for the tenor affrighting of all vngodly persons that take libertie to themselues to run euer in the breach of this commandement aboue the rest that they grow shamelesse they neuer seeke to hide it nay they will doe it to anger one and they take a pride in it to many also of the ciuiller sort will be loath a man should see them take away their neighbours sheepe or prig a sheet from off the hedge but if they sweare in a passion come and tell them that they are in great fault they wrong God in that which is most deare vnto him they prophane and dishonour his name then they turne all into a jest and laughing what is that such a matter doe you stand so much vpon an oath why who is there I wonder that doth not sweare sometimes and drop out an oath now and then afore hee be aware when he is angrie and doe they make so light a matter of it is it a small thing to fall into the hands of God nay there bee some of Gods people that can say truely through Gods mercie they had rather choose to haue their soule drop from their bodie then an vnaduised and passionate oath from their mouth for if God haue threatned to bring damnation vpon light swearers then where shall mad and franticke swearers appeare these bitter swearers how great a damnation must they looke for vnlesse their repentance be exceeding great for though men let them passe yet before the great judge of heauen they be liable to an action of eternall death wherefore in a case of such danger men must bee content to bee admonished and to bee helped out of the sinne and not take one and chafe at him that by an wholesome rebuke desires to draw their soules out of hell which they would not doe if they did beleeue that God would so seuerely punish them Lastly this may serue for the comfort of those that haue receiued wrong by false oathes and haue false matters carried out against thē by the help of perjurie though corrupt iudges for their owne gaine sometimes regard not this but looke slightly ouer it goes for currant yet the judge of judges will make a better inquirie come with a more true verdit will lay open their innocencie and the damnable hipocrisie and impudencie of their aduersaries and not onely discouer it but plague and confound them for it if they persist impenitent and this was the case Naboth and his children they were by such wretched dealing surprised and brought to death as malefactors as traitors against the King and blasphemers of God but hath not God in his word shewed how hee brought destruction vpon the actors and rooted them out and swept them and their seede away like doung from the face of the earth Naboths name is now cleered and euery one that heares of him knowes him to haue beene better then Ahab or Iesabel were so that God brought their sinne vpon their heads and hath not suffered his innocencie to bee stained God would not beare with it how euer Ahab being the king no man durst goe about to redresse it Therefore all be it sometimes wicked sinners will impudently outface and by swearing and forswearing ouer-sway the good causes of Gods children and carry away matters for a time that are altogether false yet be pacient God will not let the vprightnesse of his childrē be
After examination of our owne harts and finding out of our sinfull wayes with repentance and sorrow for the same to beseech God that he would prepare and fit our harts to profit by the publique exercises of religion on the sabboth And to entreat him that he would so direct the ministers mouth is that he may speake to our harts and say something that serues to kill our sinne and to comfort and build vp our souls that as he is appointed for a phisition so he would fit vs with some medicine as well as others as saint Paul bids them pray for him that he may haue the dore of vtterance And when one doth this in an humble hart desiring to repent and turne from his sinnes in good earnest he shall neuer come to the sermon but he shall heare some one lesson or other that will make him better and he shal haue cause to thank God for it But if one come rudely into Gods house from brauling chiding at home or so soone as he is out of his bed to come to the church without preparing his hart or fitting himselfe by any prayer to God or confession and sorrow for his sinne then he shall feele that to his vncleane hart all things are vncleane the word shal be but a tediousnesse serue to the further hardning of his hart Also one must reade some part of the scripture priuately that may season his hart and settle and quiet his minde affections that he may be more teachable And that he may the better fit himselfe after this sort he is to rise betime in the morning for there is none so good a master no work so good in it selfe nor none that will bring so great a reward therefore we should rise as earely to serue this master in this work as any day else for any other work and if we doe thus we may haue sufficient to prouide for the publique exercises that we may come vnto them with profit Also an other priuate work of the sabboth is to releâ—ue and visit them that be sick or in any kinde of miserie And so also to reconcile those that be at jarre and discord Further also to meditate vpon the word that we haue heard and to ponder of it to apply it to our selues to marke what we haue remembred what we haue layd vp in our harts and purpose to follow and how matters stand betwixt God and our selues in the things that haue bene deliuered for till the word be thus made our own it is but as chaffe lying loose in the hart that euery puffe of winde will driue away and euery temptation will blow from vs. It is not as a treasure locked vp that will stand vs in some steede in the time of neede Likewise to confer with other christians among whom we liue to talke of the things taught calling them to minde and how they were prooued vnto vs and then further to enlarge them according to our owne perticuler necessitie and as it were to spread the medicine vpon one an others harts These be the priuate things which as euery one is more careful to performe so shal he receiue a more large and abundant blessing vpon the publique Now the publique themselues are To ioyne with the rest of the congregasion in praying and praysing God with one hart and voice in diligent attending to the word publikely read preached for there is a greater blessing promised to this ministeriall reading then to any mans reading at home Then also the vse of the sacraments as to be present at baptisme for the departing away argues a great contempt of it and with a publique disgrace of Gods ordinance for if one or two haue libertie the rest haue the like and then where were the reuerence Therefore one must tarrie at such exercises as to shew his reuerence so secondly to help the congregation in praysing God for ingrafting an other member into his visible bodie of the church to pray that God would giue the inward working fruit of the same by his holy spirit And to edifie himselfe also by calling to minde that he is also made pertaker of the new couenant and joyned to Christ Iesus And to examine himselfe what fruit he hath felt in himselfe of the death of Christ in killing his sinne and of his resurrection in raising him vp to newnesse of life so either to be humbled if he feele not that profit he would or to be thankfull feeling this work of baptisme and to comfort himselfe in the remembrance of this that the merite and vertue of Christ Iesus his death is his to satisfie for his sinnes and to kill by little and little the power of them all which things we see now presently sealed vp to the partie baptised in the present action For the baptising of the infant is not onely for his profit but for the good of all the church that euery one may see his dutie and what God hath promised and what benefit himselfe is to receaue and looke for Another dutie but priuate is praier after the sermon and publike meeting that those good things which one hath remembred may bee turned into a praier which he must offer vnto God beseeching him that hath shewed him what is to be auoided to giue him power to auoide it and to encline his hart to keepe the things commanded as well as to tell him the dutie that belongs vnto him and as hee hath hard many sweet promises which will doe him no good so long as he hath an vnbeleeuing hart cannot bring himselfe to giue credit vnto them therfore that God would also knit the promises vnto his hart and giue him grace to trust vpon them and to remember them when hee shall haue neede Thus much for one dutie required to sanctifie the sabboth Now the next words follow Sixe daies shalt thou labour c. IN which words God shews a reason why we should obey this commandement God hath giuen a man sixe daies for the duties of his calling but on this condition that hee shall contriue all his works so within the compasse of the sixe daies so that hee let none remaine till the seauenth nor reserue any outward thing to trouble him from the seruice of God on the sabboth From this equitie God drawes a reason to moue euerie one of vs to keepe the sabboth From this we may gather that Gods commandements are equall as hee saith in Ezek. 18. 25. God deales with those that charge his lawes of vnjustice and shewes that his waies bee all together equall the waies of man be vnequall So 1. Iohn 5. he saith that the commandements of God are easie indeede to manie they be most tedious and heauie but this is not from any vnequalnesse in the law but from the naughtinesse of the men that haue carnal harts and worldly mindes for if one haue ouercome the world and growne any thing spirituall so farre Gods
before their children shall make euen with them and reuenge and quitte there parents wronges to the full by the like fauage dealing with them A second dutie of thankefulnesse is to pray for their parents As in Tim. 2. He commands that prayers be made for all in authoritie And if any must praye for those that be further of in common weale much more for those that are nearer in the familie Therefore this is a fault to bee greatly condemned in many that can see their parents faults and speake of them too much but cannot finde time to fall downe before God and beseech him to heale their nature and helpe them out of their sinnes Many haue liued a longe time with their parents yet cannot say that they sent vp an heartie prayer to heauen for their parents so vnnaturall and vnthankefull be they The vse of all these duties to those whose parents are not aliue is to looke that their sinnes be not aliue after their parents death And therefore to examine themselues whether they haue beene faultie in any of these things and if they do repent for it and desire pardon else they be lyable to two plagues First that their children should take their parents quarrell in hand and requite their wicked dealing in what euer dutie they haue fayled and haue not repented of it And secondly that as honouring parents brings a long and happie life so their dishonouring their parents should make them haue a short life and miserable or if a long life yet full of Gods curses for their vnrepented sonne Therfore let such as be now fatherlesse marke themselues and finding that their children are stubborne against them and vnthankfull and rebellions euerie way as many may see it openly and wofully let call themselues backe and see what kinde of children they were before how they behaued themselues to their parents whether they were not all together faultie in this point If it be so let them confesle that their owne sinnes haue found them out and are turned open let them acknowledge that God is iust and hath giuen the same measure into their bosomes their own euill is fallen vpon their owne heads they digged a pit in their youth and now in their age are fallen into it And thus much of the duties of children Now follow the duties of parents to their children For vnder the dutie of inferiour is comprehended also the dutie of the superiour And as God would haue inferiours to giue honour so he commaunds superiours to carrie themselues in that manner that they may deserue honour And doth bind them as straightly as the inferiours Now the duties of parents to their children are eyther in their tender yeares riper age The parents dutie to the children in their tender yeares and childhood is first to instruct them in religion to season them with the words of pietie or by little and little to drop in the grounds of holinesse into them euen so soone as they are able to speake and beginne to haue the least vse of vnderstanding So Prouerb Teach a childe in the trade of his youth and he will remember it afterwards Where the holy ghost exhorting men to teach their young children meetes with an obiection Alasse might one say teach such little ones what good will that doe we shall but loose our labour for they cannot vnderstand it nor conceiue the meaning of these things The holy ghost answeres Be it that for the time he cannot vnderstand the sense yet teach him the words and tearmes of goodnesse and though while he continues a child perhaps it seeme a fruitlesse thing yet you shall see afterwards it will not be in vaine for the crop of this seede that was soone in the childhood will appeare when he comes to age though for a time it lay hidden then he wil remember these things that to good vse which it seemed he got no good by when he was so young wanting vnderstanding Therefore let him haue the words taught him when he is able to heare and speake words and after when he is of more discretion he will conceiue remember the sense too And this dutie the holy ghost commaunds Ephes 6. 4. Bring them up in instruction and feare of the Lord. And this Timothies mother did put in practise For it is noted of her that she instructed Timothie in the scriptures from a child and that was the cause he was so holy a man she was a nurse to his soule as wel as to his bodie and gaue him milke out of the breasts of the scripture so soone as he had done sucking her owne breasts so that as he waxed strong in naturall strength of naturall life so he waxed strong in the knowledge of the life to come and therefore he grew so excellent a man and so worthy a preacher and member of the Church because his mother fedde his soule as well as his bodie The second dutie of parents to their children in their yonger yeares is to correct them to giue them correction which the holy ghost in the Prouerbs commaunds often and shews the fruit of it Correct him and thou shalt saue his soule chasten him and he will giue thee pleasure In the latter the rod of correction driues away folly this is the onely meanes to make a diuorse betwixt folishnesse and his heart which are so neerely wedded together But in correction these rules must be obserued First let it be seasonable and done in time passe it not ouer to long but begin early enough So Salomon saith Hee that loues him corrects him be time and doth not omit it till it be to late but takes the fittest opportunitie when he may with most ease and fewest stripes doe most good For indeed a small twig and a fewe blowes in time when he is yet a child not hardened in sinne will doe more good then many tods and abundance of stripes afterwards if this seaso be let slip for if the child be not mastred when he is young he will maister his parents when he growes elder Therefore let them not get an head for if they doe they will prooue like an young colt that hath gotten an ill tricke at the first he hath once cast his rider he was marred in the beginning and now you may sooner almost kill him then breake him and bring him in any good order againe Secondly it must be done with great compassion and mercie not in bitternesse to ease ones selfe with the paine of the child which is too barbarous crueltie For in truth commonly there is good cause why the father should be as much grieued or rather more then the child because for the most part he doth but correct his owne sinnes in his sonne for if the childe be curst and froward is it not because he hath seene the parents brawling and contentious if he lye hath not his father giuen him a patterne of dissembling and if he sweare being
faithfull seruice they come as spies into the house and to spie out infirmities in the family and if they can but spie a fault and weakenesse in their gouernours then out it must to the disgracing and defaming of the Maister and to bring an euill report vpon him this proues that there is not that due account and estimation for it proceeds from a disloyall irreuerend heart when one cares not to speake ill of his gouernours But as reuerence must breed a good and lowly gesture and good words to the master so it must also bring forth good speaches of the maister and a concealement so much as may be of his wants And hauing these fruites it is proued to be true and vpright and not counterfeit and not dissembling The second dutie of seruants is to obey the Maister and Dame for as they be but one flesh so make but one gouernement So the holy Ghost saith seruants obey your maisters in all thinges That is to be vnderstood that are lawfull for if the master command to lie or sweare or breake the Sabboth that is not to be done but in such case it is better to obey God then man But in all indifferent and lawfull thinges the seruant is to submit himselfe and to obey This obedience consists both in doing things commanded cheerefully and willingly and faithfully as also in suffering rebuke and correction that shall bee laid vpon him not only to yeeld to the commandement but also to their chasticemēt and as to do the worke set vnto them so if the gouernour should administer correction vnto them to indure it with patiēce meekenes for the time of their seruice and continuance and not to make a brawling and contention 1. Peter 2. 18. Peter commands to feare the maister But what say you if he be froward and churlish yet reuerence him still I but hee corrects me vniustly though he doe beare it quietly submit thy selfe and by how much the lesse one hath deferued it the more reward shal he haue from God if with good and quiet heart he can be content to endure it till God release him of it for if one deseure sharpe correction and be content to haue it that is no thankes to him when the theese hath stolne and robd and is condemned to die then for him to be content that the rope be put about his necke and he cast of the ladder that is no thankes for he is worthy of it and hath deserued it and he shall haue it whether he will or no and euery man will put to his hand to helpe him to it but if one haue done all good seruice with a good conscience and discharge hsi dutie faithfully and yet not being kindly dealth with all but for kindnesse to receiue wrong and for a reward stripes then to subdue ones one pride to tame and maister his flesh and in patience to recommend his cause to God this is acceptable to God this shewes a great measure of grace and here the lesse reward the maister giues God will giue more and Christ will recompence his Maisters vnkindnesse with kindnesse from himselfe But contrarie to this is the dealing of such that may be bidden to doe manie thinges but will doe what they list and then if they be rebuked murmur if corrected straight seeke to reueng This is a beastly and rude thinge not to submitte himselfe to Gods yoake And those parents which haue children abroad and heare such thinges of them let them looke to it be time for certainely those that be stubborne abroad let them get a little more strength and they will rebell at home and he that will take the staffe by the end when his Maister or Dame come to correct him if the parents allow this they shall haue their heart full of woe and greife if euer themselues come to giue correction and this is their excuse commonly I deserue it not But if narture should not be giuen till most seruants confesse they deserue it it should neuer be giuen for as euery one is more damnably vilde more cursedly wicked and all together rooted in sinne so he is more proud and frowarde and will least yeeld himselfe to be faultie But deserue it or not euerie one hath deserued more at Gods hand by some other sin and that God should set him in such a place and God doth deserue that we should suffer a little for his sake that set his sonne to suffer so much for our sakes The third dutie of seruants is faithfulnesse as is commanded Tit. 2. 10. That they shew all good faithfulnesse How is that not pickers or stealers that is not faithfulnesse The seruant then must be faithfull in his Masters good and as thristie and diligent in doing the workes of his maisters familie as if it were the worke of his owne owne family and for himselfe Let him looke that no ill gotten goods cleaue to his hands for this is a foule treacherie when the maister giues him wages and meat and drinke and thinges due and fit to become a theese and rob him this is against the law of nature and of nations to deceiue him and bcome a soe to him that trusts one and puts cōfidence in him Therefore this serues to reproue such as will be prigging and filching and conuerting their masters goods to them selues If either they looke for sounde peace and comfort to their conscience they must make restitution of all such things This is one thing then to restraine one let him remember that how much soeuer he steales so much he must restore and the fifth part thereto or if he keepe it he keepes Gods curse with it and a woe to his owne conscience Therefore they sinne highly that care not what losse they bring to their maister if it be secret And also in an other kinde of vnfaithfulnesse is in riotous seruants that can rid of no worke but meat and drinke to carowse and drinke healths and drinke one an other vnder the table let them alone they be men of proofe for such matters but if it be to doe any thing of good seruice to the familie that the master should be the better for it yet cā doe nothing These be vnfaithfull for an idle person is a companion with the waister and such be theeues for they liue out of a calling they obey no law nor haue any warrant from God to vse any of his creatures A fourth dutie in seruants is to serue God in their calling For admitte one doe all the former that he reuerence his master in his heart and neuer giue him an ill word or shew a froward gesture neuer disobey him nor be vnfaithfull nor idle but so carefull that he would not rob his maister of the least matter in his greatest necessitie yet all this will afford no comfort vnlesse one haue done it for conscience and hath serued God in it This is the mayne dutie and pillar of the rest that one
good direction in the master when he lets his seruants come into the Church to proclaime their owne shame and his disgrace Therefore first he must deale with them plainly you must serue God if yee serue me and be religious in Gods house if ye will haue any countenance in my house Secondly for the works and businesse of their calling the masters direction is necessarie and he must appoint the worke and set euerie one his place and dutie which he must doe else the house may be full of seruants and full of confusion and nothing be well done or in any good order And this is commended in the vertuous woman Prouerbs 31. that she giues her seruants their portion of meat and of worke the master therefore that the house may be well ordered must let euerie one know his place and calling and his taske that the weaker may haue the weaker worke and the stronger the stronger For the master must consider his worke and businesse that is to be done and what his seruants can do so that none of them may be oppressed nor any be idle for if eyther of these things come to passe that his seruants be eyther ouerburthened or else may loyter it is for want of good direction in the gouernour the house might be inriched euerie thing might be done in good order and would fall out in their iust and due compasse when euerie one were diligent in his place and set to doe that thing to which he was most sit For want of this it comes to passe that many foolish masters when they see things fall out amisse and there is not that good order that should be are readie to chafe and fret and then they crie out what disorder And so they may wel enough indeed for there is disorder and confusion but where begins it Is it not from the disordered gouernment and gouernour because he performes not his dutie well the others can doe no good Like as if a foolish pilot at the sterne should neuer giue anie direction to those in other offices about the ship when and what they should doe he might sweat and toyle himselfe but the ship might be dasht against euerie rocke and sinke well enough and all through his folly in want of good guiding But if the master be diligent in his place to direct his seruants and to appoint them what is to be done then if he see any fault and negligence he may and must let them heare of it And if admonition will not doe nor a rebuke serue the turne then chasticement and correction must follow for the rod is for the fooles backe But alwaies in correction these rules must be obserued First that it be not in passion to ease ones selfe by the seruants paine but with compassion to helpe him out of his sinne Secondly that it be ioyned with prayer or else it is not instruction but reuenge Thirdly that for ordinarie and lesser one take not notice of them but let them slip as in Ecclesiast 7. 23. he saith Giue not thine heart to all the words that men speake least thou heare thy seruant cursing thee for oftentimes thine heart knoweth that thou also hast cursed others Salomon would not haue one haue too quicke an eare to marke and take notice of the ill speeches of his seruants and he adds a good reason be cause no man is so good but his heart can tell him that he himselfe hath spoken as bad words against his gouernours and betters so that sith he himselfe hath beene iniurious to his superiours it should make him something to passe by the iniurie of his inferiours Thus much for direction The next part of the masters dutie to the seruant that dwelleth with him is in recompence as he must be diligent in setting him to worke and looke that he discharge the taske laid vpon him according to his strength so there must be recompence made first in wages and that proportionable to the measure of their worke which they doe and paid also in the time appointed The master must not put of his seruant from day to day to make him groane and sigh to God or else for need to theeue and steale from him It is a verie dishonest thing in the master not to pay his seruants due wages and that in due season keeping day and in good tearmes and willingly and cheerfully It is a most indigne and base thing that the seruant should see such a greedie couetousnesse in him as that he payes him with grudging and so vnwillingly that he must be constrayned to beg for it as if it were an almes And thus he diminisheth his authoritie and lessons his reuerence exceedingly when they can perceiue that he doth wholy serue himselfe and is willing enough to haue as much worke done as may be but is verie loth to part with any wages A second matter of recompence is in the diet and food of his seruants While they be well and in good health he must see that they haue wholsome sufficient food and that in due season and conuenient time For it is more then barbarous crueltie for one to ride his horse hard all day and at night rayne him vp without meat to repayre and sustaine his strength and he were worse then a beast that would deale so with a beast but much more to deale thus with a man that beares the image of God and is redeemed with the blood of Christ Iesus as well as the master to weare him out and spend his bodie and not allow him that nourishment that may keepe his strength in repayre is more then barbarous and sauge crueltie Therfore while the seruant is in health the master must see that he haue all things necessarie for health and sustenance such for qualitie as it be wholsome so much for quantity as it be sussiciēt that he be no way pinched or weakned Then if the seruant be sicke he must prouide to his power all good meanes for his health and recouerie and for the good looking to hime in time of his weakenes And this is noted as a matter of commendation in the Centurion that when his seruant was sick he went to Christ and tooke the best way he could deuice for his helpe and ease For the master in the sicknesse of his seruant is to looke to the hand of God that smiteth him and therby to be humbled for it is a chasticement laid vpon him that God by his owne hand immediately should turne those into a burthen and trouble to him that he did hire for helpes and for his profit and so hoped they should haue Therefore he must submit himselfe to God and as well in obedience to God as in a pitifull hart to his distressed be diligent both to pray to God for him and to vse all lawfull and good meanes for his ease and succour Thus men will deale with verie beasts If it be an horse or oxe that when he was
while hee cannot with that spirit and courage pray to God for you and so powerfully and cheerefully preach the word of God vnto you This confutes them that bragge of there good dealing with the minister and thinkes they pay him all his dues as well as anie man and takes it as a wrong that the minister esteemes not of them as well as he doth of anie But doe they performe their dutie and what dutie is it they performe doe they obey the gospell which he preached and submit themselues to his doctrine this is the heart of dutie and where this is not there is no dutie done worth thankes least they they conuerted they do not pay the minister his due for a faithfull pastor and man of God regards not so much the tithes and lookes not to the fleece he comes as Christ saith to Peter to bee a fisher of men and if they will not be drawne out of their lusts and sinnes by his preaching it is no dutie for he that neglects obedience to the doctrine of the ministrie is an ill sheepe and vngodly person shew what kindnesse he will to the particular person of the minister The last dutie of the people to the minister is to performe maintainance vnto him both for his releefe and sustenance as also for his defence against the wronges of ill deposed persons For his releife and sustenance that is commanded Galat. 6. 6. Let him that is taught in the worde make him that haih taught him partaker of all his goods bee not deceiued God is not mocked c. Where willing them that are taught to prouide for the maintainance of the minister he meetes with common corruption of men that thinke all is gotten that they can cousen and deceiue the minister of and therefore carnall men are neuer more wittie in anie thinge then in withholding his dues but he saith be not deceiued As if he had said you thinke to deceiue an other but indeed you ouer-reach your selfe your selues bee deceiued at the length for though this cunning dealing may happilie be hiddē from men and done so closely that it shall not bee knowne yet GOD will not be thus mocked hee sees and knowes mens fetches well enough t is noe colouring with him that searcheth the hearts For if you deale thus wrongfully make an account that as you sowed so you shall reape such as your seede time was such shall be your haruest this your corrupt and vniust dealing shall get but a sorrie reward and such as shall bring but small comfort to your selues and in an other place the Apostle saith if they giue sprituall thinges is it a great matter that they receiue calnall and those that serue at the altar liue by the altar So that it is the peoples dutie freely and without grudging to helpe the minister with sufficient allowance for matters of this life Lastly they must giue him maintenance against the wronges of bad men as it is noted of Aquila and Priscilla that they stood for Paule and that was not a thing that hee alone was bound to be thankefull to them for but in so doing they deserued thankes of the whole Church which receiued good by his ministrie And if this dutie were carefully performed persecuters would not be so bolde and audatious to molest and trouble the ministers and faithfull men of God as they be But it comes oft so to passe that though the minister be in all things faithfull to his power and beare such a loue vnto his people as that he would part with his bloud to doe them good yet let but some vilde person of a wicked and vngodly life as indeede the diuell neuer lackes such instruments to vexe Gods ministers let some but base limme of the diuell step forth to set him selfe against the minister and to persecute him manie in the congregation will be readie to ioyne with him and haue their hand in as deepe as any But others of the better sort haue no courage to stand for him and to defend his good cause many thinke they doe not breake the fifth commandement and yet know that God hath said that he that laboureth in doctrine is worthy of double honour Yet when will they speake well of the minister when will they open their mouth in his defence but are readie to say it was his indiscretion hee was to hastie and vnaduised he might haue kept himselfe quiet and thus either because they be dastardly and dare not or malicious and will not allmost none can be founde that will stande in the maintenance of their faithfull minister against the furie and malice of the Diuell and his limmes wicked persecutors But this is a most soule fault for if any had a good friend to whom he were much beholding and of whom he had receiued many benefites no man almost is so cowardly and base minded but if he heard one raile vpon him and abuse him he would take courage to speake for him and for his credite but who almost can be found of many in a parish that can afford a good word for the Minister nay are not most of this minde that if he be molested all is lost that fals beside Thus much for the dueties of the people the Ministers particular dueties followe The first is to be a good example and patterne vnto them in loue in faith in patience and in euery good duetie as 1. Tim. 4. 12. Let no man dispise thy youth I but might Timothy say can I keepe them from despising my youth I cannot hinder it yet Shew thy selfe an example to those that beleeue This then is commanded as a duetie that gaines the Minister great recompence and account in the heartes of his people and keepes him from contempt that the light of God shine forth in him and they may see the graces of the holy Ghost in his conuersation And therfore the Apostle sheweth how he must gouerne his seruants and order his children and his whole houshold els if he lay loade of doctrine vpon others and do nothing him selfe they may say Phisition heale thy self and pull out the beame out of thine owne eye thou hypocrite this will make all his preaching fruiteles vaine for he that cannot gouerne himselfe his owne family how is it possible he should order his flocke aright Therefore he must shew his first skill in gouerning him selfe and his familie and those that be neerest vnto him The next duetie of the Minister is to preach the pure word of God in season and out of season to feed the flocke diligently and faithfully to intend and take heede to such wholesome doctrine as may nourish the soules of his people to deuide the word of trueth aright to speak to the capacitie and conscience of his people in all diligence faithfulnes not making marchandise of the word and Gospel of Christ that so his people may be prepared as a fit and pure Virgin to marrie Christ and so farre
abroad to gad to other towns to commit sinne Inferiours also when they will not take instruction omit that dutie that should saue their soules As in the bodie that seruant that will not eate food when it is allowed him is a murtherer of his bodie so he that when he is taught and admonished and casts it of his blood shall be required at his owne hand and God will proceede against him as against a wicked person and cruell that hath done no good to his owne soule So much for things of omission Things of commission here forbidden are eyther Inward as Rash anger Enuie Outward in Gesture Word Deede to Hurting only Or Killing also of Another Onesselfe The first thing of commission that is forbidden heere is inward and that is hastie and vnaduised anger rash wrath and vniust as Math. 5. 22. Who euer saith Christ is angrie with his brother vnaduisedly is culpable of iudgement Guiltie of vengeance and wrath of God Now not all anger but inconsiderate and hastie anger doth offend in this place Now that is vnaduised and sinfull anger which eyther hindreth one from doing good to the person with whom he is angrie by praying for him or kinde admonishing him or else when it is conceiued without sufficient cause or exceeding eyther in the time or the measure As Paule Let not the Sunne goe downe vpon your wrath nor giue place to the diuell That which was for the suddaine and present passion is naturall but if it lie soking and lingring and sinke in deeper into the heart it growes then to be diuelish and so if ones anger be aboue that that the qualitie of the fault requires this is rash and comes not through the folly of the partie with whom he is angrie but through his folly that is angrie Therefore we must looke that we be neuer angrie without a iust cause And then that we proportion our anger to the sinne committed against God not to the iniurie done to vs for that proceeds from pride and is no better then reuenge and therefore must more be grieued at things breaking the first then the second table and alwaies that that doth most displease God and is most odious to him must doe the like to vs. And yet let not the sunne goe downe vpon it neither but let it quicken vs to prayer for the person and with a zeale of Gods glorie Now the meanes to keepe vs from this foolish passion of rash anger are these first often to meditate vpon our owne sinne and vilenesse As Titus 3. 2. he saith Shew all meekenesse to all men I but might some say I am of a verie cholericke and hot nature that I cannot but be angrie with them But you your selfe were in times past disobedient As if he had said thinke of this a little and consider how bad your selfe both haue beene and are still and that wil coole your choler and make you more meeke to others that offend so that he that oftenest remembers his own sinne will be most patient to an other and none are more eager and passionate against the slips of others then those that are most slacke and negligent to examine their owne great sinnes So that could we consider our owne sinnes how rebellious we haue beene against God how often iniurious to men this would make vs more quiet and to take more deliberation before we were so much offended it would asswage the laying and take away the edge of our rash anger against the weaknesses of others Secondly labour to get wisedome alwaies and in euerie thing to behold gods prouidence and to see his hand ruling euerie thing and to perswade our selues that all things come to passe by his purpose and direction and then we shall not so soone fret against men as Dauid when Shemei rayled vpon him and he looked to God and did not fixe his eyes downewarde onely to Shemei it was so farre from distempering him and ouerheating him that it quickned him to prayer and made him so much the more humble and earnest before God For he saw then and so may wee that though it be vniust in man yet it is iust with God and though we haue not deserued it of men and they wrong vs yet we haue deserued it at Gods hands and more to he doeth vs no wrong at all Thirdly auoid the occasions that will prouoke vs to it as men will keepe gunpowder and tow or such drie stuffe from the fire so let vs be as wise to preserue our soules from those sparkes that would fire it with anger as for the companie of froward persons whose words and vngracious dealing will much moue one to passion and anger from gamning and drunkennesse that make men light and readie to take vpon light occasion as the drunkard saith they haue stricken me but I will to it againe Fourthly It is good to marke and obserue those that be stird vp with passionate anger see their countenance how vnseemely and misfigured it is and how rude their actions how absurd their words how base and contemptible all their behaniour is and the light of this in an other will be some meanes to make one loath it himselfe Lastly consider what testimonie the word of God giues of this fiercenenesse and angrie raging mood and of froward and vnquiet persons Anger rests in the bosome of fooles Euerie time that one giues place to this vnruly passiō he makes an open proclamation to all that be by of his owne folly so much furie so much folly the more chafing the lesse wisedome hee that cannot rule himselfe but must breake out to his owne shame vpon euerie small and light occasion testifies to all that stand by that he hath no true knowledge of God no knowledge of himselfe no sound discretiō or setled order in his heart Let men excuse it how they will it is their nature you must giue them leaue then you must giue vs leaue to giue credit to Gods word if it be your nature it is a foolish nature and a proud nature and if you ouercome not this nature you shall neuer be but a foole in Gods account Oh but you must beare with vs and not thinke so hardly of vs for our infirmities well sometimes men may put vp their raging without words and beare their stormes with silence but it cannot be but such a man shall carrie the brand of a foole and in his heart he that sees him cannot but beare this opinion that he is a man without wisedome He cannot reuerence him in his heart he cannot but yeelde that the saying of the holy Ghost is true that a focle in a day is knowne by his wrath You can hardly find a fooles heart without some coales of fretting and anger And these be the means to kepe one from this first inward breach of this cōmandement Viz. carnall fleshly and sensuall anger that comes from the diuell hardens our brothers heart more and hinders our selues from
to offend and greiue euery one and to stirre them vppe against them but kindnesse will doe euery thing that may winne peace and auoide all thinges that may hinder it or breede strife yea he that is truly meete will rather in matters belonging to himselfe part with his right in some part and be content to want some thing that is due vnto him then he will raise vp contentiō and strife And he that doth not thus is not truly curteous and therefore also not much set by of God The second inward dutie is compassion and pittie the former belongs and is to be performed to all men in time of their greatest posteritie but this is proper to these that are in some affliction and miserie now this compassion and mercie is to haue a fellow feeling of the griefes and afflictions of other men to weepe with thē that weepe to mourne with them that mourne to beare the burdens of those that be weake and so fullfill the law of Christ This is commanded Coloss 3. 13. Now therefore as the elect of God holy and beloued putte on the bowels of mercie He wisheth them as they would be sure of their election and haue a sounde not of their holinesse and that God loued them then let them put one the bowels of mercie let the miserie of other men enter into their hearts and make their bowels yearne euen as if their owne Now this compassion and feeling must bee both to the soules and bodies As for the soules we haue an example of Christ Iesus that seeing the people as sheepe without a sheapheard in an hard case for matter of their soules he had compassion and mourned in his soule for them and so hee wept ouer Ierusalem when he saw them so stubborne and so to resist the grace of God and the good meanes of their peace And Paule saith to the Corinthians that when he heard of the incestuous man he writt vnto them in many teares sorrow as if all most the sinne had beene his owne But contrarie vnto this is the mercilesse and pitilesse heart and behauiour of such that are so farre from weeping and mourning for the sinnes of other men and from hauing any pittie vppon them as that they despise them and contemne and make a iesting talke of it to their disgrace rather then pray for them or greiue for them to their helpe and amendment yea and worse many be so diuelishly minded and so resembling the diuell their father as that nothing reioyceth them more then to heare of an other mans fall especially if he haue beene a professour and stood for religion then if he fall it is such good newes and makes them as glade as if they had gotten a great bootie But little doe they know how they sinne against their owne soule and prouoke God to let them fall into the same sinnes and to giue them vp vnto worse offences that after they may finde the same entreatie and others should reioyce and mocke at their fall as they haue done at the fall of an other and indeede a pitilesse heart and dealing towards an other mans slip is the next way both to make themselues fall into the like sin shut vp the hearts of men frō shewing any cōpassion vnto them Also for matttes of the bodie we must be touched with the greefes of other .. as Heb. 13. 3. Remember those that are afflicted as if ye were also afflicted And we must be as mēbers of one bodie now we know that the members be all pertakers of the greefe paine if any one yea but the meanest suffer any thing and so if we haue that loue that ought to be in the hearts of christians we cannot chuse but we shall feele in some part the afflictions of christians and see that they shall in some parte also pertaine vnto vs. And this the example of Iobs frends Iob. 2. 11. shewes it is said that hauing heard of the miserie whereinto Iob was suddenly cast they came to him What to doe not as common custome is to bid him be of good cheere and we hope he shall doe well and such shittle comforts for noe man can giue sounde wordes of consolation vntill himselfe haue a true spitit of consolation but they came to lament with him they wept with him rent their cloths and sat down with him mourning They hearing their freends woe would let him know that they were touched with it and therefore they shew it by crying and sitting on the dust making his case theirs so neere as might be And if one be thus sensibly affected with other mens sorrowes this good effect will follow that they will be very readie and willing to releeue them and shew workes of mercie vnto them As if one part be troubled with a kinge paine you neede not make a long oration to stirre vp the other parts to vse the best meanes they can to ease and helpe it for they are pertakers of the greefe But for want of these bowels of mercy it comes to passe that men be so hardly drawne and hailed to any worke of mercie that it must be puld from them by maine strenght and so many arguments so many reasons so many inducements must constraine them to it before they will yeelde and then when all this is done they droppe out with a thing of nothing nothing to the purpose and those that be bountifull and liberall enough in matters of vanitie and lust be so holdfast and sparing for workes of mercie that one can hardly wring a pennie from them by all the perswasions hee can make and what is the matter they be so slow and vnwilling because they haue not nor will not haue any sence of other mens miserie but putte away all consideration and regard of these thinges and giue themselues holy to pleasure And therefore in these matters they will cost them many teares and bring thē noe good hereafter but much sorrow they care not how farre they runne and what charges and expences they bee at but for worke of mercie and dutie of compassion that will further their reckoning and comfort their soules and doe good to the Church and Saints of God it comes so slowlie so heauily as though it were all lost that is that way bestowed And the cause is because they haue a heart mercilesse and voide of compassion Now the outward duties follow And these are three in number especially to be regarded The first is an amiable and louing behauiour of ones selfe towards others for as a sowre looke an auster contēptuous gesture breakes this commandement in that it alienates mens hearts from vs and is a preparatiue to hatred so it is a fruite of loue and a part of keeping this commandemēt that one should by all good and gentle cariage of himselfe shew his loue and willingnesse to doe good so neere as he can to all And this is a thing noted in Abraham as a matter
and him And to take delight in the word of God and vse all good means to get a pure feruent loue to the yoakfellow and to purge out by godly sorrow that venime of sornication if any haue beene committed before that else would infect the heart with adulterie for mariage cannot kill lust onely repentance can doe that and marriage is an helpe to a penitent man to preserue his chastitie But now if one haue fallen to adulterie and broken the couenant of God there is no way for him but onely one euen to confesse his filthie sinne and to be grieued and iudge himselfe for it and then to lay hold on the merits of Christ Iesus to craue Gods mercie knowing that he can as easily forgiue to the penitent person the blood of Christ can as easily wash away adulterie in the highest degree as the least spot of wantonnesse So much for the first outward breach viz. Adulterie the next followes and that is called Fornication that is when single persons commit the filthie act And this howeuer it be not grieuous as the former because it doth not breake the couenant of God and is not punishable with bodily death yet it is a fearefull sinne lyable to the curse of God and damnation For so 1. Cor. 6. No fornicator shall enter into the kingdome of heauen It is such a sinne as shuts one out of Gods kingdome and casts him downe headlong to hell and the euerlasting vengeance of God And the ill effects of adulterie afore named namely a diseased bodie a poore estate a blemished name and damned soule and the drawing and murdring of an others soule doe agree to this sinne to Oh but they will marrie the partie and so all shall be well and they will make an amends But this cannot make an amends for nothing can wash away the pollution of the soule but the bloud of Christ But if you doe marrie the partie why will you giue the first fruits of your bodie to the flesh and the diuell and the refuse to God it is a shameful thing to serue sinne with the chiefe of his strength and God with the remainder How can they looke for a blessed proceeding from so foule a beginning Why will he doe such wrong to his first borne to make him base borne and his posteritie a bastardly generation why will they beget a continuall sorrow to themselues that they should not be able to looke vpon their childe without blushing and cannot see the fruit of their bodie but they must looke on the fruit of their sinne and behold a witnesse before them of their owne filthinesse and disobedience to God Or if he purpose not to marrie her that doth this why doth he rob her of her virginitie and make her vnfit for any other else Therefore this is a foule sinne and daungerous for vnlesse it be repented for soundly fornication before marriage makes a plaine and high way for adulterie after mariage The third outward breach of this commaundement followes And that is vncleannesse which is eyther vnnaturall or naturall vnnaturall as Sodomie practised of the Sodomites condemned Rom. 1. when man with man workes wickednes woman with woman commits villany or else that beastly sin when the seed of man is mixt with the seed of a beast These nature abhorres and they be commonly punishments of some other wickednes and follow a verie prophane and dead heart are worse then dulterie The naturall vncleannesse is eyther alone one by himselfe may defile his owne bodie in most filthie sorte which though it be more secret from man yet it is most abhominable before God and often God brings it to light by punishing those which haue vsed it with teares of conscience and horrible feares in their minde or else with frensie and franticknesse These punishments haue often fell on the practisers of this secret sin and then all goes abroad then they lay open and vomit out all their owne shame and howeuer they seemed chast and pure before yet now their filthinesse is brought to light Also an other kind of naturall vncleannesse is betweene married people eyther in their entrance into marriage or else in their proceeding and vse of marriage The vncleannesse in the entrance is eyther if one marrie an other of a contrarie religion as a professor and a Christian to wed an Atheist or a Papist their whole life so led till repentance and conuersion is vncleane in the eyes of God for their marriage was not lawfull before God and therefore in Ezra these that had so married were constrained by God to put away both their wiues and children as illegitimate Also if those marrie together that be within the degrees of consanguinitie or affinitie forbidden they may cloake and shift as long as they will but they shall neuer shift of the account and estimation of being vncleane persons before God sith they marrie without the warrant yea contrary to the commaundement of God Also those that marrie without consent of parents their mariage is lawfull and life vncleane till they be reconciled to God by repentance and their parents by submission These be in the entrance and taking the estate of mariage In the vse of it vncleannesse is committed First in comming together at vnseasonable times this was a cause that made the land of Canaan vomit out their inhabitants because they had no regard to obserue times and this was to be punished with death in both parties in the olde law because the time and manner of separation was then instituted Also in mariage one may deale vncleanly by excesse for want of moderation for as a man may be drunken with his own drinke and he were a drunkard that would sit at home and swill till he were ouercome so likewise a man may be vncleane in exercise though otherwise his marriage be lawfull and this sinne though the hand of the Magistrate cannot punish it yet Gods hand often findes it out and the children diuers times prooue monstrous and vnshapen or else idiots and naturals or else verie vngodly and stubborne and thus Godmeets with these secrete sinnes when men will not meete with him by repentaunce The last breach of this commaundement is in wantonnesse which is the preparation and foundation for all the former consisting eyther in things belonging to the bodie or the bodie it selfe In things belonging to the bodie as in the costly apparrell not that there should not be things fitting the estate and that there were not a diuersitie of degrees to be had but in no estate or degree may one be so excessiue as to hinder him from good works of mercie and religion that one should bestow so much time in trimming the bodie as he can haue no time for trimming his soule and bestow so much cost in rich apparrell as hee can spare nothing to bestowe on poore seruantes Secondly in straunge apparrell as in Zephaniah the priest the kings children are rebuked for
so farre hee is well content with that which he hath and he that doth not thinke his owne enough for himselfe it is sure hee is couetous after an other mans I but how is it possible that one can bee contented I haue so many wants can see no meanes to supply them how would you haue one contente now and hath not enough maintenance nor cannot tell how to get it Nay if one be a christian he hath enough to maintaine him for hee hath the promise of God not to leaue him nor forsake him and is Gods promise nothing is not his word sufficient assurance of all thinges needefull if God haue bid one be content and giuen him cause to be content why should not he be content is not his truth pawne good enough what is to be beleeued whereupon may one depend if not vpon the word and promise of God For mans life cōsisteth not in the greatnesse of his portion or the multitude of his wealth but in the blessing of god which will make a little goe farre doe more good then a great deale with out it and he that hath this what euer outward wants seeme to be he is well Indeede if the promise were your welth shall not faile and friends shall not forsake you this were no great cause of cōfort here a mā could not but feare when his saftie consisted in the constancie of such vnconstant thinges But if God hath promised to be with vs what should we feare what any creature can doe against vs So Paule speakes of himselfe that he had learnd in all thinges to be content Philip. 4. This is a point of great learning and he is a good scholler in Christs schole that hath gone so farre as that he can like well of Gods doinges whatsoeuer This is a thing that only Gods spirit can teach one to be so well apaide with his owne as that he doe neither enuie at this that an other hath more nor repine and grudge that himselfe hath lesse But if this be such a point of learning howe should man come to it That Paule shewes in 1. Tim. 6. Godlinesse is great gain if he a mā be contēted with that he hath First because it makes man contented with that he hath So farre as any man is godly so farre is he content with his outward estate though hee haue but a little he is not much troubled for he knowes Gods hand is not shortned and if he had nothing he would not be out of heart dismaid because he perswades himselfe Gods blessing can sustaine him as well without means as with means And this was that that made Paule so quiet and setled in all cases For before Godlinesse had calmed his heart hee was as vnquiet as the sea and troubled all the world with his raging and discontendnesse none more boystrous then But so soone as hee grewe godly all these stormes were quieted none more quiet and contented then hee if they imprisoned him if they whipt him if they stond him hunger cold nakednesse what euer came all is one to him it was no great trouble to him he knew all came from God and for his good and therefore he neuer stormd nor tooke on for the matter but possessed his soule in patience and knew how to beare all thinges quietly Therefore whoeuer would be patient let him labour to get godlinesse into his heart many there bee that be willing and will take paines enough to store their purses and their grounds and their houses but fewe there bee that will take paines where it were most behouefull to store there hearts with godlinesse which would bring contentednesse and a sufficiency to for we haue the promise of God that if wee seeke the kingdome of God we shall haue all other things cast vpon vs as a vantage And the cause why God doth restraine vs is not because he wants loue and cannot finde in his heart to bestow them but because they would be ill for vs and we could not them beare he would haue vs bee good within before vve seeke good vvithout and know how to vse riches afore vve haue them to abuse Therefore as vve vvould not be counted theeues and breakers of this commandement so let vs be content to liue at Gods finding and to rest vpon him so good a God that though we haue but a little yet he hath enough and though he giue vs nothing before hande yet hee loues vs before hand and will giue vs comfort in all distresses and these outwarde thinges so farre as we haue neede and can digest Thus much for the inward obedience nowe the outward followes and this is the right vse of our owne and the righteous dealing towards others The right vse of our owne is seene in frugalitie and liberalitie Frugalitie that stands in getting and keeping getting things must be by some faithfull labour in an honest calling and by honest dealing in the calling As Ephes 4. 28. Let him that stole steale no more but labour with his hands that thing that is good To theeuerie which is a breach of this commandement and idlenesse which is a kinde of theft he opposeth labour and the keeping of the commaundement but then he shewes what kinde of labour it must be namely in the thing good in some lawfull and christian calling For many labour all day and all night but that is in dicing and carding and gamning and vnthriftinesse which will neither make them haue an heart to doe good nor abilitie to doe good but brings a curse vpon heart and estate the one is wicked and the other commonly weake as is to be seene in stage players and such like that drawe the people away to vanitie which take paines indeed but is is no profitable paines and therefore it brings no profit eyther to their soule or bodie but brings them an hard heart and a wicked hand and a miserable estate that of all men they are the most prophane and lewde Therefore as a man must not be idle for an idle man cannot be an honest man so this must alwaies be prouided that he labour in an honest and lawful thing else one may toyle and spend his bodie in toyling and be neuer a whit the honester man if he serue not God but serue his lust and filthie flesh Esau could take paines and that eagerly till he was almost dead with labour but it was in hunting in following his foolish sport in this he would spend himselfe for he saith I am almost dead and he was so faint that he would sell his birth right for a messe of pottage to refresh him all this while he was as bad as idle because he was ill occupied and and this was a cursed labour For God would haue one labour in such a calling as should humble his flesh and pull downe and tame his pride and make him fit for death and as would bring some encrease vnto his outward estate and
and dutie as he was desirous kindly to grant it and offer it there should be no let but Dauid should without delay espouse his daughter and become his sonne in law therefore he willed all his seruants to commend his good will vnto Dauid and to shewe him howe highly he was in the Kings fauour when all this while GOD knowes and hath made the world to know that this was but to entrap him and bring him into a snare that by her means he might the sooner priuily dispatch him But when Dauid in modestie was vnwilling to take so high a place and therefore excused himselfe for his pouertie and inabilitie to giue a dowrie befitting the greatnesse of such a personage Saule verie glad of so good an occasion as he thought would not let it slip but as he made shew in great kindnesse tels him what is the dowry all that you stand vpon if that be all the impediment I will soone remoue this let and the matter shall bee effected Let not Dauid thinke but that his nature will afford a dowrie good enoughe for a princes daughter and let him not imagine that Saule is so farre in loue with mony as that he will looke for so great a summe of him whō he hopes to find a valiant couragious sonne no Dauid thy valure is a treasure and some of this courage is that which my soule desires and which shall fully accomplish this mariage we desire let mee but see heere 100. foreskins of the Philistines those enemies of God and Gods people by whose meanes we haue sustained much losse and daunger Doe then I say take reuenge of these my deadly foes which thy valure I know can doe without delay and these shall be to me in stead of so many masses of gold and siluer this shall be a price for which and in recompence whereof I will bestow my daughter vpon thee which I doe not aske doubting of thy valure and courage but that a further experience may more amply proue that of which we haue had continuall tryall in thy selfe that thou wilt be a valiant son vnto me This was a colourable speach pretēded great good will whē in the meane while all Sauls mind burned with malice and desire of Dauids death and he hoped by this meanes to make him fall by the hand of the Philistians Now Saule well knowing his owne falsehood and double dealing was hereby brought into a vehement but a most false and iniurious suspicion of Dauids infidelitie and treacherie towards him So those that haue poluted their owne soules and bodie with most filthy facts and are the most vncleannest and wicked persons in a countrie will soonest imagine and suspect an other to be most filthie and are readie to iudge all men sore where their sores runnes An other cause of this is hipocrisie when one neuer examineth his owne heart then he is most readie to prie into an other mans life and he that spares himselfe will lay load vpon an other Thus the Scribes and Pharises were dissembling hipocrites and neuer medled with their owne hearts to condemne any sinne there and therefore Christ and his disciples could haue no peace by them but they were continually misdeeming and suspecting and ready to censure hardly of them without a cause for if they would haue bestowed but some time in truth to haue entred vnto their owne soules and made a narrow search of themselues they would haue founde so much businesse there as other men might haue liued quietly enough by them So Saint Iames saith 3. Chap. 17. vers That true wisdome which is from aboue is without iudging without hipocrisie He shewes the cause why the best men be neuer the rashest iudgers neuer so hastie to passe sentence vpon other men because they hauing true hearts desiring to be as good as they seeme to be haue so much to doe in fighting and striuing with their owne corruptions as that they cannot spend so much time to be examining other mens dealings and marking what other men doe amisse So on the other side take me an hipocrite that cares for nothing but to make a shew before men that neuer labours to approue his heart to God and neuer striues against his owne secret sinnes you shall haue him so nimble and so quicke in searching out other men that he cannot see a fault where it is but he hath such sharpe sight that hee can see a fault where none is in an other because he cannot see a fault where it is in himselfe They thought that the cause why they could so quickly condemne other men was because they were more holy thē other men and therefore tooke a priuiledge to themselues to giue what verdit they thought good on euerie mans actions but Saint Iames tels them an other tale and brings the true cause indeede what made their hearts so readie to conceiue amisse and to thinke wrongfully of an other because they had not as yet learnd to thinke aright of themselues for more hipocrisie alwaies breedes more rash iudging and misprision Thus we see what be the causes of this euill suspicion namely at the lest foolishnesse and vncharitablenesse or else an ill conscience and deepe hipocrisie and the one of these is alwaies a cause Now the effects are euen as bad for if the heart bee infected thus it makes one apt and readie to speake do euill if one allow himselfe to thinke euill hee cannot withhold his tongue to speake it and his hand to practise ill if occasion serue for what euer is within in the thought that will shew it selfe opēly it will bewray it selfe in the mouth in the hand in all ones actiōs As appeares in Daniels enemies that hauing cōceiued an ill opinion of him that he kept them from honour did nothing else but practise and lay diuilish plots till they had brought him into danger of death and founde him within the compasse of a law All this malice arose from hence that they falsely suspected Daniel to forestall them of honour and to haue kept them from that high place that they thought themselues as worthye of and euery way as fitte for it as hee The vse of this is that if we would not be found culpable of the breach of this commandement and trangressing against the name and fame of our christian brother then must we not giue ourselues allowance to conceiue any ill opinion of them without sufficient warrant and due ground for the same for though the thing which we suspect be so indeede that is not the question if we haue no warrant nor noe good proofe and foundation for our suspicion we are guiltie of the hurting the fame of our neighbour for what though it may he so in matters of our neighbours credit we must not take such light coniectures as a sufficient cause to moue a suspicion we must doe as we would be done by and I pray you what man aliue almost is there that
good affection to a good end Speciall to Others to speake of their Faults before them Praise behind them Our selues to speake sparingly eyther of our faults our good deeds First for the inward dutie heere euerie man is bound to haue a charitable opinion and good conceit of his neighbour with a desire of his good name and credit This louing perswasion of the heart is contrarie to the former instructing and misdeeming For as suspition allowed makes one lye open to all the sinnes that follow in speaking or receiuing ill reports so this being obserued that our hearts be well seasoned with this charitable opinion and desire of his credit one is sure not to slaunder himselfe and he can nothing so easily be tainted by receiuing the venim of false slanders from other mens mouths Therefore to mound our selues against all other breaches of this commaundment First get our hearts to giue our neighbours that good allowance that wisdome and charitie will afforde him Now whether one haue this maine and principall vertue of this commandement or no It must be tried and euery one may know his owne heart by these three rules First in doubtfull thinges where the matter is not plaine alwaies take thinges in the best part if any sence can be found better then other let that be had If matters be not to euidently ill alwaies a heart that is charitable disposed to his neighbours credit will seeke the best interpretation and as neere as hee can make the best of euery thing But if one construe thinges in the worst sence and wrest euerie thing to some ill meaning or intent this man shewes planely that malice lurkes in his hart and that he neither desires the estimation of his neighbour nor wisheth any good thought and perswasion of him in his heart Therefore Paule Rom. 1. Sets this downe in the midst of many other grosse sins that take all things in the worse part because this is a plaine proofe and testimonie that the heart is poysoned with the gall of suspition and that there is a malicious and slaundrous mind Let this be the first triall then construe things that be vncertaine and will beare two constructions after the most fauourable manner one can Secondly a louing heart and a good affection to an other mans credit will shewe it selfe in the tongue by defending him and taking his part if wee heare any slaunders spoken against For silence is a betraying his innocencie and therefore if an other in hatred will shew his malice by speaking lies in his disgrace then we must in loue open our mouth and shewe our good will by relating the truth in his defence Thus Ionathan knowing Dauid to be a vertuous man worthy and that all those thinges were altogether false that Saule imagined concerning him But that the King was misinformed and mislead by pickethanke slaunderers Though it was to his father and that as he had seene with daunger of his life he will not holde his tongue but discharge a good conscience and declare the innocencie of an innocent against whosoeuer would come to slaunder him Therefore this serues to confute those that will beare one in hand that they beare a very good minde a great good will to professours and to christians that be the seruants of God But you shall neuer heare a worde come from them to defend them if they be in place where they may be rayled on and vniustly slaundred They thinke they haue quit themselues if they can say say thus I haue beene in such a place and there were such a companie of vilde and wicked persons that rayled at professours and vilified them with all the indignitie they could and spared not to speake most intollerable lies against such and such honest men And what did you all this while why surely I was sorry but I could not helpe it I did not ioyne with them but I euen held my tongue and let them goe on and spake neuer a word Did you say nothing you may say that with shame enough what did you there thē But there were more noble and more learned and men that had more authoritie there then I at the same time and what reason had I to speake before them they should haue spoken in the defence of those that were abused Should they and did they not And why did not you then Suppose your selfe had beene the partie slaundred what would you then haue done What why I had good reason to speake in mine owne cause to stand for my selfe had I not who would stand by as though he were tongue tied and heare his credit troden vnto foote and speake neuer a word in his owne defence he were a beast that would doe it And haue you so quickly forgotten that rule and principall of nature to loue your neighbour as your selfe to doe to him as you would be done by Could you haue found words to haue spoken for your selfe and are dumbe for an other where is your loue where your goodwill what mind now beare you to his good name Here now one must needes confesse in his heart that he wanted that good affection to his neighbours reputation that he should haue had for if the disgrace of our neighbour would hinder him from doing that good that he might otherwise doe in his calling and so darken Gods graces that are in him and diminish the fruit that might proceede of them a man is bound in such case to stand as earnestly and as stifly for his neighbour as for himselfe Thus we may trie our heart by a second rule if we can find a tongue to maintaine his name against backebiters and doe not for slauishnesse or feare or any respect suffer him to be disgraced without gainsaying Thirdly we shall easily discerne what affection we beare to our brothers credit by our greefe and sorrow which we conceiue when we heare a true report made of any fault or sinne that hath indeede blotted him and ruinated his good account If one be agreeued and sorrowfull for his neighbours faults whereby he hath deserued discredit and diminished his reputation then it is sure he was well perswaded of him so farre as was lawfull and had that good desire that is here commanded Thus Ezra shewd how deare the names of Gods people were vnto him for he hauing heard of that foule and reprochfull sin that they had taken strange wiues and mingled the holy seede with the prophane he wept and mourned he hangs downe his head and confesseth that he was ashamed and could not lift vp his head towards heauen But what had he done hee was cleere one would haue thought he had no cause to be ashamed he had not offended in this point a naturall man would rather haue said you be rude people and base you be a companie of naughtie persons what are not you ashamed to forget God thus and to goe cleane contrarie to his commandement in this sort and so falne
of him or any thinge belonging to him but with desire of his good euery way to couet signifies to haue a motion of the heart without consent of will From this then that God forbids coueting we learne that the first motion and inclination of the heart to any sin though a mā neuer yeeld to it or plot and cast about how to bring it to passe is a sin And the reasons are plaine first because God hath forbidden it as in Rom 7. Paul saith he had not known lust to be a sin but that the law saith thou shalt not lust He knew and many heathen mē that neuer heard of Gods law did confesse that the inward thoughts ioyned with consent and full purpose to doe them if occasion serued were sins but for those that did but as it were passe through the hart and stayd not there had noe place of abode yeelded to them but were shut out so soone as they entered he could neuer be perswaded that these were faults prouoked Gods wrath but that by the law he knew God had said and then he beleeued it Secondly if one examine these by that generall rule doe as you would be done by he shall see that they agree not with it For no man would be willing to haue an other man conceiue the least flying conceit or thought that might hurt him though he neuer went about to put in practise therfore also must be driuen to cōfesse that it is a sin in him to haue such thoughts towards an other 3 if we cōsider the cause it will appeare what they be They are fruits of originall sinne and proceede from naturall corruption now who can drawe a cleane thing out of an vncleane thing who can pull good fruit out of a bad tree being then effects of our naturall pollution that we receiued from Adam for if we had continued in innocencie we should haue been perfect without any such motion of the inward heart they are naught for what euer coms from sin is sin Lastly if the effects be marked they shall appeare to be euill Now Saint Iames. 1. 14. sets downe the effects of these euill thoughts motions euery man saith he is tempted when he is drawne away by his owne concupiscence and is inticed This Saint Iames shews that let one make as little accoūt of these thoughts as he please and count them small mattters yet the worke that they doe is not small for they draw on a side from beholding God they turne the heart from considering God to marking those things that he should not then when he is puld frō looking vnto God he fals to according and practising and then sin brings death So that these are like a little sparke of fire lighting vpon tinder or toe such like that if they be not quickly quēched will grow to a great flame So the danger is great that cōes from euery one of these that we so little regard for there is not the least but it hardens the hart and withdraws it frō God and maks it more vnfit to pray or heare or do any thing that is good but more easily to be drawn to any sin And therefore it is not slightly to be passed ouer So that because they breake Gods cōmandement are against the law of charitie and cāe from an euill cause bring with them such euill effects therfore the least imagination arising in the heart without any agreeing of the minde to put it in practise is sin and deserues death The vse that we should make of this is for our continuall humiliation that our nature the whole frame of our soule body is such as no minute almost goes ouer our head but some sin some euill and vaine motion or other goes through our hart ariseth frō the puddle of our flesh our nature is like some great fireband that if it be neuer so little stird sends forth many sparkes on euery side Therefore we must learne in this regard to deny ourselues to fal down before god beseeching him to heale our nature to wash and clense it more more by his holy spirit Then one hath made one good vse of the law when he is so touched with the sight of his sins as that he goes quite out of himselfe when the law hath so stopt his mouth as that he can alledg nothing in himselfe wherfore he should not be dāned but relies and casts himselfe only on the mercies of God in the merits of Christ Againe this teacheth to vse all good meanes to keepe our heart from these ill motions and hinder this firebrand from sparking First make a cournanant with our eyes to looke vpon nothing our eares to heare nothing and all our sences to admit nothing into the heart that may stirre vp and prouoke the naughtines of it Secondly take downe the flesh oftē by fasting and prayer hearing and such spirituall exercises for this is the cause why it growes so strong because we doe not set ourselues to resist it and fight against it For if we would beseech God to giue a blessing and vse all the good means that he hath appointed to kill and crucifie it it would be a good helpe to vs and we should preuaile more against it Thirdly learne to set our minde on worke alwaies with some good meditation and holy desires and thoughts for mans heart is restlesse like the watch of a clocke that while the poyses hang at it if it be not set right will goe wrong so while we liue if we doe not by grace set our heart aright towardes God and man corruption will drawe it wrong Therefore it is that many are so troubled with ill motions and continuall boyling of ill thoughts because the heart is not busied and taken vp with some good thing for if grace cease working corruption wil streight be doing Thus much for that that the barethoughts are condemned if the consenting be euill the conceiuing is so to if the proceeding were wicked the beginning is wicked also House The house is put in the first place not because the house is more deere and neere then the wife but because this iniurie in desiring the house extendeth it selfe to the husband to the wife to the children and seruants yea to the beasts also and cattle euerie one hath a part in it it is more generall then the rest in hurting therefore it is placed in the first place In that this breach is set in the first place that is hurtfull to more Wee learne that those sinnes which are iniurious to more men are more hurtfull to ones selfe and most hated of God and for this cause coueting other mens houses is set in the first ranke and in the chiefe place of it and most abhorde So in Esay the Lord pronounceth an especiall woe and curse against those that ioyne house to house that they may dwell alone in the land So in Iob. 20. he shewes