saying Againe patronus facere potest debet c. the patron both may and ought to take heede that the fruites of the Church doe not goe to anie other vse Also that permission of the Ordinarie by this lawe to take any oath if hee will of euerie incumbent for his cleere entrance if there were nothing else in the worlde against it doeth strike a blowe to the soules of them that so offende and that a great one C. ex literis C. de iure C. cum saeculum Extra de iure Patronatus What shoulde I note that which yet is most worthie noting in this lawe to wit that Venditio iurispatronatus prohibita est nisi vniuersitas quaedam praediorum cui hoc ius accedat distrahatur That is that the right of patronage may neither bee bought nor soulde nor passe in speciall wordes in anie alienation but in generall onelie with the lande whereunto it is appertayning For the saide lawe admitteth no patronage in grosse Or those expresse wordes againe donatio permutatio permittitur not venditio I warrant you What should I note the most exact streytnesse of these laws in making the verie minde of the patron coueting rewarde for the gift of his Church a Simonie before God which they call mentalem Simoniam With a number such like notable rules and places So that wee see euen these lawes also detest it and condemne it And nowe then to conclude this matter if I thinke there is a God and a day of iudgement to come for mee and all my doings what should my heart minister to maintaine mee in this euill when God and man be against it But why shoulde I bee thus tedious in this matter Truelie that it might appeare if God so will how farre the corruptions wherein some sleepe as in no offences differ from the lawes of God and man and from synceritie of former times and ages But againe why vnto you right worshipful should I write so much Truly that by your godly care conscience indeuor hauing the places that you haue this great wound of your countrey may by litle and litle be releeued and better prouision dayly made for the winning of that good that bringeth with it ten thousand blessinges promised by the Lorde Which care and christian consideration as places fall I most hartily craue in the name of Iesus Christ vnto whose seruice I am called both for his glorie your owne discharge and the benefit of that place which I wish may euer be as the blessed of the Lord. I can not be thought to pleade any benefit for my selfe because I want the tongue and therefore I am more boulde But nowe I cease to followe it anie further The second thing that I greatly rewe our want in is the carefull good bringing vp of children in learning and vertue whilest they are fit Which howe it wanteth for want of schooles amongest vs woulde God I sawe no more than I had abilitie without charge to anie to redresse But what wanteth in me aboundeth in you and might it please the Lorde to giue will to your abilitie in this also to promote his glorie to benefit thousands in your countrey truely his heart hath mercie to accept it kindly and his hand hath blessinges to rewarde it richly Other thinges also yet mo there be which these happie daies of peace would haue vs carefull of But some other times shal serue to name them and increase of grace stirre vp to do them For this time therfore I leaue off to trouble your worships any further beseeching you most humbly and heartily to consider the mercies of the Lord which we all inioy by his worde by her Maiestie by most happie helpes about her by freedome of our consciences by plentie peace by health and great comfort a thousand waies and in thankfulnesse for them all to vouchsafe your assisting heartes and handes to these duties euer that may long prouoke the Lorde our God to be thus good and gracious to vs. Of which number are these that I nowe haue named the preaching of his worde and â—he carefull bringing vp of children in â—ood letters For my selfe I can doe no â—ore either for my dutie to his honoraâ—le Lo. to whom I owe so much or for â—ll the goodnesse wherewith your selues â—nd many others in the countrey so loâ—ingly and liberally haue incouraged â—e but vowe my selfe to you at your â—irection with any paines in my power whilest I liue to doe you seruice And â—hat I doe with as desirous an heart to â—he good of euerie one as euer hadde â—â—ranger in the place The Lorde in merâ—ie nowe multiplie his spirite vpon you â—â—ue your helpe to me and confirme my â—aines to you that his name may be â—â—owen vpon earth amongest vs and â—â—s sauing health in euerlasting comfort â—â—ioyed of vs. London the first of Deâ—ember Your worshippes bounden in the Lord euer Geruase Babington To the godlie readers and especially to them amongst whom this author and my selfe exercise our function IT hath pleased God good Reader to vse my ministerie not in one but in moe places in this manner still to succeede the author of this treatise to water what hee hath planted to labour in the â—aruest whereof he cast the seede to seede and â—urther to bring on those of whom he was the spirituall father and by the immortall seede of gods word first begat them and still to enter vpon his â—abours and goe forwarde with his beginninges Alwaies to my great helpe and comfort God â—nowing otherwise my wantes and weakenesse â—he easilier to wade there where he had broken â—he yee the plainlier to goe on and leade others where he had beaten the path and more readilie â—o builde vpon and reare vp where he had layed â—he foundation and squared the frame and with lesse paines to keepe agoing that which hee had moued and set agoing God hauing dealt thus mercifully with me in my ministerie and by the hande of this author thus holpen me I thought my selfe in duetie bound in respect of this course which God hath taken with me and especially by his meanes to giue to thee some testimonie of this his worke for thy further profit withall to him some witnesse of my good will Supposing my selfe in respect of the former cause as fitte to doe this as another knowing the effect hauing reaped the profit of these his labors and daily reaping it being and abiding in the place where this seed was cast I thought I ought to doe as willingly and as readily as anie other If for no other cause yet to commende this especially to them to bring foorth further fruite among whome it was first sowen and in whose heartes I doubt not but it tooke roote nowe long since An especiall commendatioÌ„ of this worke if I would take that way might be drawen from the workeman of it most plentifully from his stocke and kindred education and such
with others as you reade them Stand therefore in strength serue with comfort slippe not from your calling for want of rewarde if other abilitie serue to continue The Lords worde is past him his promise is out he wil consider and recompence all true seruants feare it not doubt it not but cleaue to the Lord and when euer anie snubbes and checkes in worde or countenaunce vndeserued arise say in your heart with Dauid chéerefully Psalm 84. O Lord blessed is the man that putteth his trust in thee Que. What say you of parentes in respect of benefites Ans I must néedes say they are greatlie to bee honoured and truely loued agayne whose loue and affection hath broken out in fruites to vs ward· For ingratitude before God and man is hatefull Proueb 17 1â— And hee that rewardeth euill for good euill shall neuer depart from his house saith Salomon Que. Howe prooue you that vnder the title of Father and Mother old men and olde women be meant and to bee honoured Ans The wordes of Paul to Timothie teacheth it 1. Tim. 5.2 For rebuke not an elder saith hee but exhort him as a Father and the elder women as mothers Leuit. 19.32 And touching the honouring of them the lawe is plaine Thou shalt rise vp before the horeheade and honour the person of the olde man and dreade thy God I am the Lorde Iob. 32.6 And in Elihu wee sée the practise who stayed his speach that his auncients might speake before him Que. Let all towne officers consider this and become parents not spoilers of the towne Howe then may we conclude this matter Ans Thus for this thing we may note end That if the scripture to Magistrates ministers maisters such like superiors haue giuen the name of parents theÌ„ ought they al and euerie one of them in heart affection and action be aunswerable to the same Que. Nowe then to proceede heere is a promise added to the keepers of this commaundement that their dayes shall bee long in the land Ephe. 6. And to the Ephesians it is saide that this is the first commaundement which is a promise yet was there one added to the seconde if you looke on it howe then aunswere wee this Ans We aunswer ethat the promise annexed to the seconde commaundement belonged to all but this belongeth particularlie to this and therefore it is the first with anie speciall promise Que. What might be the reason of this promise Ans This may séeme to bee some reason of it Naturall parentes are the instrumentes of life other parentes as Magistrates Ministers and benefactors are the instrumentes of good and comfortable life Nowe it pleased the Lord to giue them for a blessing long life who duetifullie behaue themselues to the instruments of life Que Why but is long life such a blessing Ans Surely mans life is full of trouble and griefe it can not bee denied Yet I answere first that notwithstanding euen to liue and haue a béeing is of it selfe a mercie of the Lords yet to continue liuing to serue and praise the Lorde to increase his kingdome by anie abilitie in vs is a greater mercie For a good nature reioyceth in oportunitie giuen to shewe himselfe thankefull though it he to his trouble and cost and so must we Secondlie I answere that al these miseries of mans life haue come of man himselfe and not of God and therefore we ought no lesse to accompt of Gods blessing for the thing which we ourselues haue béene cause of Thirdlie it may be answered the god doth not promise barelie long life in this place but good with it also either in respect of outward prosperitie or inwarde comfort Que. Howe prooue you that Ans By hauing recourse to Pauls wordes who repeating this blessing vpon them that honour Father and Mother doth not say onely that thou maist liue long on earth but that it may bee well with thee and thou maist liue long vpon earth Therfore though mans life be full of miseries yet as God promiseth continuance of it it is a blessing a great blessing Que. Howe can this promise respect vs seeing it nameth particularly Canaan saying that thy dayes may be long in the lande which the Lorde thy God giueth thee meaning it Ans Paul againe doth answere this who boldly putteth for those wordes these on the earth therefore by his interpretation it is not to bee restrayned to Canaan onely Que. Doe alwayes they that honour Parentes liue long and contrariwise againe Ans Wée may not say so For all thinges fall out alike to the good and euill iust and vniust saith Salomon meaning of outwarde thinges as life is and it is the wisedome of the Lord it shoulde bee so that good things as wee call them may not be too gréedilie sought for because they are common to the wicked neither euill thinges be vnlawfullie eschewed because they are incident to the good Que. Howe then is God true in his promises Ans So farre as long life may be a benefite to his children so farre hee euer giueth it but if in wisedome he knowe it better for them to be gathered to their fathers then hee taketh them away and recompenceth want of temporall life with eternall Que. Yea but that is not his promise then for his promise is long lyfe heere Ans He that promiseth monie and giueth golde breaketh not his promise hee that promiseth little and giueth much breaketh not his promise but so doeth the Lorde with vs and therefore who is hee that vnthankefully pleadeth against his mercie Que. What fruitfull notes nowe gather you of thâ—se wordes Ans First wee may note that the Lorde ioyning a promise of mercie to this commaundement and not dealing so with anie thing which he liketh not greatlie pleasing out of question in his sight is the kéeping of this law namelie when euerie man doeth dutie where dutie is due and in loue we allow cherish and maintaine one an other Secondlie if long life bee a blessing promised to such as obey their parents and this obedience procéedeth greatly of good education then they that careleslie and vngodlily neglect the same in their children doe asmuch as lyeth in them shorten the dayes of their posterâ—tie Lastlie wee also in this promise annexed note that if long life be a gift of God then commeth it not by nature or good constitution of body further or longer than it pleaseth the same GOD to blesse the meanes and graunt it And thus much briefely of this commaundement The Application NOwe remaineth it to applie these thinges to our selues euerie one disclosing his life and inward thoughtes before the Lord and before our selues as néere as we can to the ende that sight of sin if it be fouÌ„d in vs may bring foorth sorowe and giuen grace in some strength to stande if wee can finde we haue had it may increase our thankes to the Lord our God who did so assist
say the ordinarie forerunners of murther quarrelling and fighting with their fellowes whatsoeuer And assuredly if the Lorde were in vs as we thinke he is that méeke spirite of his would kill more and more that fearefull hastinesse to reuenge that is euen in al and we would learne of him Math. 11.25 for hee is meeke and lowly in heart Que. What thinke you of killing by combat Ans I must néedes thinke that the practise in a Christian common wealth being naught and vnlawfull the death that therby insues is horrible murther and condemned in this commaundement Nowe that to fight a combat in a godly state is not tollerable it may easily appeare if you weigh the causes for which it is at any time taken in hande For if they be not as it will appeare sufficient to warrant it then is it not warrantable The first cause that is alleadged for it is to trie a trueth which otherwise can not bee knowen say they But it may bee answered that the ende good doeth not by and by make the meanes good to try out a trueth is good but to try it with the hazarde of life is more than can be warranted There are manie lawefull meanes to finde out trueth by and if all those faile then is it euident that the Lorde for some cause reserueth it to himselfe for a secret and to séeke importunately and impaciently by extraordinarie meanes as a combat is to finde it out is to tempt the Lorde and euen as it were by violence to draw from him the manifestation of the which as yet he would not haue reueiled Secondly the one partie is innocent yet either of thē desireth the death of an other indifferently so the murder is in the hart of both of them which amongest Christians shoulde not be countenaunced Sometimes the combat is craued for vaine ostentation of corage strength many a Thraso thinking his glorie to stande in the chalenging of an other to vngodlinesse but this I hope no man will say to be a good cause for a Magistrate to admit of a combat Sometimes to auoyd or reuenge some great disgrace offred to a man he beggeth thus to fight But a Christian man that must make an accompt at the day of iudgement of his life giuen him from aboue must learne to estéeme more of life than honour if honour by lawefull meanes may not be kept and more of God and his commaundement than of them both Besides the profession of a Christian is to heare euill and to suffer euill though hee doe well and deserue so therefore farre should wee be from yéelding to such heates Some alleadge that it endeth strife and therefore is to be admitted but to this may serue the aunswere to the first cause alleadged for it And besides who knoweth not that howesoeuer it endeth it betwixt those two because the one of them dyeth yet layeth it the foundation of euen deadly hatred in the heartes of all their frindes seede and posteritie so that for one which is killed there starteth vp an hundred discontented heartes séeking and following all occasions of strife against their enemies Therefore in peace and at home howe a Christian Magistrate may allowe the combat wee finde no sufficient cause and warrant For the fielde yet some doe thinke it is méete and that they haue reason for it for say they when two armies are incamped in battle together if vppon causes it bee iudged fitte not to hazarde the losse of manie but to committe it to two champions either side agréeing to yéelde vppon the ouerthrowe of their man who can mislike this But we answere that as yet the combat in it selfe is not prooued good but is euill and to doe euill that good may come of it wee may not Againe in such a case as this we must consider not onely of the men and their safetie but also of the cause and his honestie The cause is certainely either good or euill either iust or iniust If it bee good and iust then is not the credite of it to bee layde vppon one man onelie to the mocking of iustice and right and if it bee euill and vniust then of a Christian Magistrate not one mannes life is to be spent in it and for it Yea but say they yet further the partie that hath the good cause is farre the weaker and not able to stande if they once ioyne all together and therefore this other way of two to trie all is good And we answere also further that this were a maruelous distrust of Gods mercie and power not tollerable in a Christian For if the cause be good and méete to be maintayned then is the cause the Lordes the men the Lordes and hee saueth not by bowe nor speare nor by the multitude of an hoste so that wee shoulde so regarde these but giueth victorie at his will to the weaker and driueth away as the winde the dust verie mightie force assembled against him and his children Therefore not euen yet doe I see a cause to beare out anie combat If there be anie corruption in menne that iustice bee not doone which sometimes also is a cause alleadged we must say as hee sayde committing our selues and our matter to GOD. Video fero spero That is I sée I suffer I trust in God And euen with a good heart be readie to beare any thing rather than by a thing whereof I haue no warrant to séeke my satisfaction Que. Why what say you then of Dauids act with Goliah Ans I say it was an extraordinary motion in the hart of Dauid wrought by the Lorde vppon the hearing of such blasphemie against God Num. 25. Exod. 32. 1. King 18. and it may not bee our imitation no more than the fact of Phinees of the Leuites or of Eliah which were all mere extraordinarie and had their warrant by such specialtie from the Lorde as that others may not looke it shall extend to them if they doe the like Que. What nowe of killing of our selues is that neuer tollerable Ans Much of this matter hath S. Augustine in his first booke of the city of God And first he reasoneth thus Chap. 1. If Iudas did euill in hanging himselfe which hee thinketh no man will denie what may warrant anie man or woman to lay violent handes vppon themselues Chap. 28. For neuer can anie fall in earth to a fowler fact or to worse estate in the eyes of God and man Secondlie saith hee the lawe saith not Thou shalt not kill thy neighbor limiting it as it were to some but indefinitelie Thou shalt not kill extending it largelie to all and therefore saith he not euen our selues may we make away Thirdlie not Iob in all his extremitie durst doe this whē as yet one pricke woulde haue finished all his woe Chap. 24. And therefore no man may kill himselfe Que. Well but yet because you name Augustine I haue heard of some causes propounded by him in
day of the Lorde Iesus Christ Manie such as these are there all which our vnerâ—ring Papistes take and expounde of sinâ—gle life and will haue them so manie testimonies of the same to excell mariâ—age But their bould speaking is noâ— euer sounde proouing and therefore wâ— stay to beléeue them Que. In other matters indeede we haue good cause to refuse them but in this giue me leaue to speake as I thinke being readie to learne if I erre meâ— thinke we are not to mislike so much oâ— their speech For surelie it cannot be denied that the single life is farre aboue the maried The scriptures you knowe haue manie speeches to this ende Ans Well then for your better satisâ—faction it will not be amisse if we a litlâ— consider the course of this errour And first I pray you marke that during alâ— the time of the olde testament they dare not nor do not say that single life passed mariage in excellencie but contrarie to be fruitefull and stored of children was a blessing and to be otherwise was a reproch vnto them Therefore this perfection and excellencie of single life they set it to be but nowe in the time of the gospell Where let vs also beginne and going with them sée whether it be so or no. We consider then and sée that as the Lorde is holy himselfe and pure and therefore hath euer liked and loued all holinesse in his children and by name this cleannesse of bodie and mind which we speake of so on the otherside Sathan being impure and filthy hath euer sought and laboured to worke the like in vs and by name to drawe vs to impuritie of flesh and staine of minde in this behalfe The Lorde hath had euer his meanes to worke the one Sathan hath had his againe to bréede the other The Lorde by his word and spirite and what else it pleased him to vse Sathan by sundrie also verie forcible wayes wrought the contrarie Some hee so mightily hardened and strangely ouercame Want of feeling one meanes of Sathan that euen contemning the Lord and his threates and smoothering what in their owne consciences at anie time they founde contrarie to it gaue themselues ouer as it had béene brute and sauage beastes to all lust and vncleannesse without remorse Of these spake the Apostle to the Ephesians saying Ephes 4.19 That they being past feeling gaue themselues to all wantonnesse to worke vncleannesse euen with greedinesse where the worde hee vseth is verie significant And againe to the Romans he saith that God gaue them vp to their hearts lustes vnto vncleannesse Rom. 26. to defile their owne bodies betwixt themselues yea he gaue them vp to vile affections For the women changed the naturall vse into that which is against nature Then sheweth he the meanes and way whereby all this was wrought in them For a man would thinke that euen reason and naturâ— should kéepe vs from such pollution They regarded not sayth the Apostle to knowe God Ver. 28. and therefore God deliuered them vp into a reprobate mind to doe those thinges which are not conuenient That is God suffered Satan so to harden their heartes and to depriue them of the vse euen of naturall light as that those thinges séemed but sportes vnto them and matters of small weight which otherwise would haue feared them euen to thinke vpon The prophet Ose séemeth to alledge the very same manner of procéeding of Sathan in those that know God When he saith of Israel Ose 4.11 that whoredome and wine and newe wine tooke away their heartes That is their iudgement and vnderstanding their conscience and féeling whereby they should abhorre so displeasing a life before the Lorde And what meaneth Salomon when he saith that The young man followeth the inticeing harlotte to her house as an oxe to the slaughter but euen this Prou. 7.22 that by the subtill malice of Sathan hee is depriued of sense to decerne whither hee goeth and what his fall will be So then I say one meanes whereby Sathan in times past drewe men from chastitie the vertue of this commaundement to lust and impuritie the breaches of the same was by dulling their heartes in most fearefull manner that they felt not sinne to be sin no not euen verie great and gréeuous sinnes to be anie at all An other meanes was by instilling into their mindes an opinion of indifferencie in these matters Opinion of indifferencie an other meanes and that God so he were serued in spirite of them passed not for their bodies but left them in some sort to themselues to vse to their pleasures This to omit a multitude of heathen histories as also Simon Magus whome Austen noteth a defender of this doctrine may appeare by that decrée of the Apostles that the Gentilles should abstaine from fornication Act. 15. as also most euidently by the epistle of Paule to the Corinthians who thought of this matter as of a méere naturall thing so lawefull for them as either to eate or drinke so they reserued their soules and spirites to worshippe GOD. But the Apostle sheweth it to be farre otherwise and with manie vehement repetitions of the duties of their bodies impugneth so vile a conceite of libertie to vse them vnto lust Hee hath created your bodies saith the Apostle V. 13. 14. aswel as your soules and therefore you must glorifie him aswell in bodie as in soule Hee preserueth also the one aswell as the other the bloude of Christ was shedde aswell for the one as the other to redéeme it from death they are both indifferentlie the Temples of the holie ghost they are both the members of Christ and at the latter day they must both by Christ be raysed the body then to be ioyned to the soule which before liued separated and therefore aswell in bodie as soule God must be glorified and both of them from filthie lust and pollution kept chast Manie moe are the reasons of Paul in that Epistle to driue the Corinthians from this detestable conceipt V. 17. that fornication was a matter indifferent and chastitie required not so much in bodie as in mind But I referre them to the diligent reader himselfe to marke and thus much onelie note to shew the meanes whereby Satan in those dayes preuailed so much to draw men to the breach of this commandement A thirde meanes wee reade of which argueth not a litle the dulnesse of man the boldnesse of satan if once he get any vantage Euen the verie word of god abused to confirme that which neither God nor his worde could euer abide The scriptures wrested an other meanes Chap. 2. In the Apocalips mention is made of the Nicolaitans sinning in this respect most fearfully it is also by learned meÌ„ recorded how Nicholas the first father of the filthinesse fel into grosse most fearful sinne Clemens Eusebius say that he did it of méere simplicity to remooue froÌ„ him the
distrust doubt or feare that GOD would not or could not deliuer him in that distresse from the danger that was imminent then did he sinne no question verie greatly but if his heart rested vpon God in assuraunce of his mercifull eie and hande watching ouer him and defending him euer and did vse that dissimulation but as the meanes that then he could because hee would not tempt God then did he well and yet that his doing is no warrant to breake this commaundement by reiection of trueth and following a falsehoode in anie of our particular dealinges aboue named Que. And what say you of the Stratagems and pollicies in warres whereby the one partie dissembling faining and counterfaiting with the other seeketh his ouerthrowe Is not this a kinde of false witnesse Ans First I answeare that it cannot fitly be called anie dissembling Dolus an virtus quis in hoste requirat because the one partie euer presupposeth and expecteth what deuise and conueyance so euer the other can make P.M. in Iud. cap. 3. But rather it is a conceiling from him of a trueth And then doe we rightly dissemble ly and exhibite a false testimonie when as one thing is expected at our handes which also we ought to doe and yet we performe a contrarie Secondly I answere that it is the lawe of iust war iust I say againe and not wrongfull that it may be made either openly or priuily by force or by pollicie with a good conscience And for warrant hereof we haue the commandement of God to his people and their practise of the same Iosua 8. For Iosua intrapped the men of Ai by an ambush and slewe them downe right suffering none to escape So did the Israelites vanquish and ouercome the Beniamites Iudg. 20. 2. Sam. 20. Dauid the Philistins and manie examples moe hath the scripture of Stratagems and pollicies vsed in the warres when the cause thereof was lawfull and warrantable but these may suffice nowe Que. Will you then alow no litle pretie glosse or colour at no time but must we euer turne the right side outwarde Ans No indéede no color of honestie pietie friendshippe and loue or anie good thing vnlesse indéede it be there For both God and man abhorreth all such colors And it should euer be the spéech of anie Christian man or woman whilest they liue 2. Cor. 1.12 and that in truth that their reioycing is this the testimonie of their conscience that in simplicitie and godly purenesse and not in fleshly wisedome but by the grace of God they haue had their conuersation in the world as Paul sayde to the Corinthians of him selfe Que. What if I set no false colour on but onelie conceile a trueth and say nothing Ans It hath béene shewed before that in some cases and times it is lawefull so to doe as by name when it may stande both with my loue to God and my brother But if it be contrarie to both these or to either of these then is it wicked and vngodly And then sayeth the holy ghost The fearefull shall haue their portion in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone Apoc. 21.8 which is the seconde death And Hieroms comparison is good if we may not for our life denie anie way a trueth much lesse assuredly for lesser causes Yea be readie euer sayth Peter in matters of faith to giue an account of the hope that is within you 2. Petr. 3. to anie that shall aske you a reason thereof Que. You promised before to adioine in the ende some moe examples of gods iustice vpon this sinne of false witnesse bearing and nowe if you will you may perfourme it and so conclude this commaundement for in all thinges else I am sufficiently satisfied Ans First consider the punishment alotted to it by expresse worde of the Lorde in this worlde euen to reape by iust sentence of the iudge whatsoeuer he by his false witnesse had thought to haue brought vpon an other life for life hande for hande 〈◊〉 16. eie for eie tooth for tooth foote for foote without anie pitie or sparing and in the world to come euerlasting death Then if you will remember also what Eusebius writeth of the accusers of Narcissus Byshoppe of Hierusalem Howe thrée euill disposed persons that séeing the soundenesse and graue constancie of his vertuous life and fearing their owne punishment as a conscience that is guiltie is alwayes fearefull thought to preuent his accusations with a great othe one wishing to be destroyed with fire if he saide not true the other to be consumed with gréeuous sicknesse the thirde to loose both his eies if they did lie Narcissus although hauing his conscience cleare yet not able being but one man to withstande the accusation bounde with such othes gaue place and remoued himselfe from the multitude into a solitarie desert by himselfe where he continued by the space of manie yeares In the meane time to them which so willingly and wickedly foresware themselues this hapned The first by casualtie of one litle sparke of fire was brent with all his goods and familie The seconde was taken with a great sicknesse from the toppe to the toe and deuoured with the same The thirde hearing and séeing the punishment of the other confessed his fault but through great repentance powred out such teares that he lost both his eies And thus was their false periurie and witnesse bearing punished Narcissus after long absence returning home againe was by this meanes both cleared of his fact and restored to his bishopricke againe An other good storie to this ende is that of king Canutus the Dane who beeing established in the kingdome caused a parliament at London where amongest other thinges there debated it was propounded vnto the Byshoppes Barons and Lordes of the parliament there present whether that in the composition made betwixt Edmonde and Canutus anie speciall remēbrance was made for the children or brethren of Edmond for anie partition of any part of the land Whereunto the English Lordes falsely flattering with the king speaking against their owne mindes as also against their natiue countrey answered and saide nay Affirming moreouer with an othe for the kinges pleasure that they to the vttermost of their powers would put off the bloud of Edmond in all that they might By reason of which answere and promise they thought manie of them to haue purchased with the king great fauour But by the iust retribution of God it chanced farre otherwise For manie of them or the most part such specially as Canutus did perceiue to be sworne before time to Edmonde and his heires and also considering that they were natiue English men hee mistrusted and disdayned euer after Insomuch that some he exiled a great sort he beheaded and some by Gods punishment dyed sodainly Sée therefore the heart and hande of the Lorde against a false witnesse Many histories are there to this ende And manie experiences euen
like which because it is rare fruite on such trees to some may make it seeme the better but I passe ouer these shewes and outwarde leafes to decke it with it hauing ynough in it selfe to commend it least if I should long speake of this colour and grace I should speake the lesse of him or of the thing it selfe minding not to speake much of either but litle in all And as I passe the stocke from whence this graft was taken so will I not stand to shewe you where it was ingrafted planted in what vniuersitie in what Colledge what roote he toke what sufficient time he grew howe he spred there and with what liking which would make this fruite to many not without cause to realish the better But to come to that which commeth nearer to the bringing forth and producing of this worke when hee was first planted by a fellowshippe in that famous Colledge of the holy and vndiuided Trinitie in Cambridge wholly or most especially consecrated to the studie of him and his knowledge whose name it beareth so straight he toke himselfe to that studie whereby he might be most seruiceable to gods Church and some triall first had of his guiftes as it were aduowed himselfe a man to the Lord to serue in his tabernacle Not long after that betimes he might begin to be profitable be profitable long God touching his heart he toke on him the ministerie so mercifully God dealt with him that with all he placed him in one certaine Charge not far from his Colledge that he might haue where to sowe be still at hande to sowe and knowe both what and how to sowe and to his comfort see the growing vp and fruit of it Nowe hauing there painefully laboured by the space almost of two yeares and seene the effect of that promise with what measure ye mete 4. Mark 24. shall be measured to you againe and vnto them that haue shall more bee giuen that though he cast in with full hande and euer a zelous heart to doe good in a continued course yet God so blessed that the haruest ouer-abounded his labour and exceeded his hope and that litle towne was a candle light set on a candlesticke and a tower vpon the toppe of a hill When God to his comfort had thus encouraged him in his lawe he by great meanes calleth him from this litle towne where he had no pastorall charge to a greater charge and in respect of the change and dignitie of the place whither he was called it was as it were from Tecon to Bethel from preaching in some vplandish and countery towne â—n the wildernesse of Iudea to Herods court or as â—ndeede in many respectes it well may be sayde by a Sergius Paulus vnto his house When he had there continued nowe a whole yeare and more to the good reformation and great benefitte of that most honorable familie it pleased God that his Sergius Paulus leauing as it were Nazareth went and dwelt for a time in Capernaum Math. 4.13.14 which is neare the sea in the borders of Zabulon and Nepthalin beyond Iordan in Gallilie of the Gentilles out of the borders of Palestina I hope I may without offence allude vnto that place in all pointes it so fitly answereth where a while abiding by his meanes God wrought that the people which before in comparison sate in darkenesse sawe great light and to them which sate in the region shadowe of death light was risen vp Of this place and this people he hauing yet further coÌ„passion they beeing as sheepe without a shepheard wandring in the mountaines and the haruest there great and the labourers fewe the Lorde moued his heart to remaine there and wrought this in the heart of his most honorable Lorde himselfe to forgoe him and leaue him there for the further increase of God his Church and for the tender loue he bare and good he would to this people where what paines hath beene taken good hath beene done it is by more witnessed than 〈◊〉 neede to make relation and this worke and some others of this authors since that time come forth giue open testimony though I hould my tongue I would not haue saide thus much of the man 〈◊〉 the places themselues of which I haue spokeâ— were not readie to say and set downe more thaâ— I haue saide and this haue I saide that God in him may be glorified they among whom he liueth foâ— â—im thankefull and to admonish him what proâ—eedinges these beginninges require The worke 〈◊〉 selfe might manie waies beside be commended â—he matter and principall grounde of it is the â—awe of God brought from the highest heauen giuen by God himselfe to his seruant Moses with â—hunders and lightninges 19. Exod. 16. c. 18. c. and the sounde of the â—rumpe exceeding loude on mount Sinay the mountaine all on smoke the Lorde discending vpon it in fire c. and all the mount trembling exceedingly giuen to all the Israell of God aperâ—ayning to all men conteining infinite blessinges â—or the hearers and doers of it and innumerable intollerable curses plagues for the breaker â—hereof either by negligence or contempt This principall not laide vpon with any borrowed colâ—ours to hide the grounde but the workemanship and ingrauing of it is out of the matter it selfe so that still the grounde and marble thereof may appeare and dealt with all in this manner fitlie answering to the subiect matter deliuered as it were in thunder with a spirite as hotte as fire zealous with iudgment setting an edge by receiued strength euen vpon this rasier The place also and persons where and for whome this worke was both made and vttered may adde much grace and strength vnto it In a most honourable familie and for it and with good liking and profitte there and commonly men like that the better which liketh them well and that which profiteth such profiteth manie If it wette the mountaines it will water the vallies and if it bee sweete oyntment for the heade it cannot be but acceptable to the reâ—â— of the partes and to the borders of the garment The dewe from Hermon and the mountaines of Sion trickleth downe sweeteliâ— vppon the vallies about And if this make iâ— profitable to others because deliuered heere then must it be most profitable to this family it selfe for which it was made and first for it alone and nowe is by me especially to it commended It is fruite of your owne grounde the voice of your owne sheephearde the sounde of your proper trumpet and therefore you must both knowe it and like it the better and thereby be warned the sooner It is a lesson which alreadie you haue learned and therefore in it may and must be more readie than others It is not nowe first commended to you but againe recommended to your eyes which heeretofore hath beene sent by your eares to your mindes and to your heartes by a great vehemencie
children Mariages another of the daily desires of worldly men This they séeke this they couet this day and night they beat their heads about Yet daily examples be before their faces of sorowe and tormeÌ„t not to be expressed growing to parentes by such proude and gréedie attempts beside the continuall griefe that sonne or daughter so bestowed often riseth and goeth to bed withall Therefore I say to goe no further since these vsuall desires of men in this worlde are often not attained vnto to their liking â—hough greatly laboured for and yet if they be attained euen in great measure haue no certaine or sure comfort in them but all the pleasure in them and â—y them quickely fadeth away strongly â—t prooueth that our chiefe care should not be of these things but rather what â—ur case shal be in another world wheÌ„ al these things shall haue their end which â—s the matter I haue rehearsed theÌ„ for An other proofe of the same may this be the reuealed will of God the Lord testifieth he would haue all men saued The second reason to prooue that our chiefe care should be howe to be saued and â—ome to the knowledge of his trueth he would not theÌ„ death of a sinner c. therfore unlesse we also set our care to the â—ame ende namely howe we may be â—aued in the day of iudgement we oppose our selues not onely against our â—wne good but euen against the Lords will we striue with our God and wee shall surely reape the reward of such â—s rob him of his creatures Thirdly the horrour of hell and condemnation prooue The third that our care to be saued should be great For what meane those fearefull names of hell of prison chaines of darkenesse the lake burning with fire and brimstone the deâ—th pitch brimstone weeping and gnashing of teeth the worme that neuer dyeth the fier that neuer goeth out with a number such like I say what meane they or why hath the spirite of GOD set them downe but to strike a terror into vs of damnation and consequently thereupon a true care to be saued The fourth Fourthly the vnspeakeable ioyes of heauen that unmeasurable and endlesse comfort that there shall bee had with all the children oâ— GOD Patriarâ—hes Prophetes Apostles Martyrs yea with the Lorde himselfe and all his Angels with Christ our Sauiour and Lambe slaine for vs who shall wipe all teares from our eyes doeth crie vpon vs with shriking sound now while we haue time to vse our time to see mercie and séeke mercie to imbrace it and take it offered to such good vnto vs and neuer in securitie passing our oportunitie to be causes that then we shall heare these words Depart ye wicked into endlesse woe What an honor woulde I thinke it if the Prince passing by among the great multitude should spie mee out call mee to him imbrace me speake kindly to me take mee with him place me by him and so forth Howe would my heart daunce hereat and all men talke of my good hap Now is the passing of a mortall Prince on earth like the comming of Iesus Christ in the cloudes Is the honour they can giue comparable to that the Lorde of Lordes shall giue to his elect O my heart féeleth what my pen cannot write there is no comparison betwixt the persons the places the preferments and therefore if the one so ioy mée that for it I would take any paines thrise dead is my heart within me if to obtaine the other it bée not carefull Lastly The fifth the examples of care continuall and great euer in Gods children how they might serue him and please him that hereafter they might sit with him and neuer part from him ought mightily to perswade vs to be like vnto them in this indeuour their labours their watchings their sufferings all shot but at this ende the glorie of the Lorde and their owne saluation and howe great were they What spéeches of desire euen aboue all treasure to bée saued in the great day haue they vttered And shall we not followe them God forbid Thus therefore prooued vnto vs is the first point of a Christian man and womans care namely that it ought to be this howe they should be saued in the day of iudgement and so come to life euerlasting Que. Howe is the second point prooued vnto vs namely that in the meane time so long as wee liue in this world wee ought to bee carefull to liue according to Gods holy will Ans Surely it is prooued verie strongly vnto vs both by our election creation redemption iustification and vocation if we will marke them For why hath the Lord elected vs to eternal ioy in Christ Iesus That wee might conclude libertie thereon to sinne at our pleasure Our election prooueth it as many wicked spirites reason No no. But let the Apostle bee iudge and tell vs why who saieth Ephes 1.4 He hath chosen vs in him before the foundation of the world that we should bee holy and without blame before him in loue So saieth he of our creation also Our creation prooueth it that wee are the Lordes workemanship created in Christ Iesus to good workes Ephes 2.10 which GOD hath ordained that wee shoulde walke in them And of our redemption Luke plainely speaketh Our redemption prooueth it that we are deliuered out of the hands of our enemies Luke 1. that we should serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life Our iustification prooueth it Our iustification hath euer ioyned with it inseparably the grace of â—anctification and they cannot bee parted For howe shall we saieth the Apostle Rom. 6.2 that are dead to sinne liue yet therein and so forth as followeth in the place Lastly of our vocation the Apostle Peter saieth thus As he that hath called is holy so be you holy in all manner of conuersation So that wee sée thereby all these meanes prooued vnto vs that we ought as long as we liue to be carefull of this that we behaue our selues according to the will of the Lord which is the seconde point whereof in your question ye demaunded some confirmation Que. But howe can we knowe we are discharged before Gods iudgement seate Ans Your booke answereth you that wee can neuer knowe howe wee be discharged before the iudgement seate of God vntill such time as we knowe our owne miserable estates by reason of the greatnesse of our sinne and the horrible punishment which we deserue for the same And the proofes your booke vseth are plaine to inferre this conclusion For doeth man séeke to the Phisition that hath no néede of health either to be procured or preserued by his meanes No our owne experience doth approue the speach of Christ to bee true when he saieth Matth. 9.12 The whole haue no neede of the Phisition but the sicke Matth. 11.13 For in déede it is the diseased that take
of true Christians is to bee praied vnto since other doctrine is deliuered by the Church of Rome Ans First it is prooued by the words of the Apostle Paul Rom. 10. Howe shal they call vpon him in whome they haue not beleeued as though he should say Beléefe must néedes euer goe before prayer whereupon then thus wee may reason Wee must onely pray to him in whom we must beléeue but we may ought beléeue onely in God the Father God the Sonne and GOD the holie Ghost therefore onely to these thrée persons one onely God must our prayers be directed The first proposition we sée prooued by Paul the second by the articles of our faith all the scripture the conclusion followeth vpon thē both Secondly it is prooued by Christ himselfe who teaching his Apostles to pray and in them all other men biddeth them neither call vpon Angel nor saint no not vpon his mother Marie But when you pray saith he say Our Father which art in heauē That is what forme of words so euer you vse euer direct your praiers vnto God and to him only And Father in this place signifieth any of the thrée persons and is not to be restrained onely to the first person Thirdly wee haue no commaundement to pray to any but to God onely we haue no promise to be heard if wee doe no example in Scriptures of any godly man or woman that hath done it euer at any time or vpon any occasion we haue no punishment threatened if we doe it not but to pray to God we are commaunded Psal 50. we are promised to be helped we haue examples and we are threatened if we doe it not Therefore whether of these two is to be done who séeth not Que. What is the fourth duetie of this commaundement Ans Fourthly we are bound by this Lawe to acknowledge God alone to be the guider and gouernour of all things of whom we receiue all the benefites that we haue and therefore that wee trust and stay vpon him alone Que. Here are three seuerall thinges affirmed very worthie to be seuerallie considered and therfore first I pray you howe is it prooued that God guideth gouerneth all things Ans Besides a number of other places which might be alledged to prooue it withal a very good testimonie is that in the Psalme Whatsoeuer pleased the Lorde that did he in heauen and earth Psal 135.6 in the sea and in all the depth Where marke well the space of the Lordes dominion in heauen he rulech in earth he ruleth in the sea he ruleth and in all these whatsoeuer it pleaseth him that doeth he at all times and seasons The like spéeche againe hath the same Prophet in an other place Psal 115.3 But our God is in heauen saith he and doeth whatsoeuer he wil The eyes of all things waite vpon him Psal 145.15 and he giueth them meate in due season So then nothing without him is done at any time but his power almightie guideth and gouerneth all things Que. Howe is it prooued that all good commeth to vs from this directing prouidence of the Lorde Ans The holy ghost in plaine words affirmeth it by his Apostle Iames Iames. 1.17 Euery good giuing euery perfect gift is from aboue and commeth downe from the father of light Que. This doctrine is plaine And yet notwithstāding euer it hath had euen in these dais hath som enemies Such obiectiōs as I haue hard at times I wil propound vnto you I pray you aunswere thē The first is this if God rule all things by his prouidence direction then must he needs be author of sin also in that he hindreth it not but suffreth it to be done Ans I answere to this your first doubt thus that the argument is not good neither foloweth that béecause all thinges are doone by his prouidence therefore hée should be author of euill For one may bée author of an action yet not of the euil in the action as in this similitude wée sée If a man cut with an euill knife hee is the cause of cutting but not of euill cutting or hackling of the knife but the badnesse of the knife is the cause of that Againe if a man strike the stringes of an instrument that is out of tune he is the cause that the stringes sounde but that they sounde iarringlie and out of tune that is in themselues and the man that striketh is not to bée blamed for it Therefore séeing one maie bée the cause of an action and yet not of the euil in the action you sée it doth not folowe that if God bée the cause of the action by and by the euill in the thing must néedes also procéede of him Nay contrarilie this doctrine is a sealed truth That no euill commeth of GOD in any worke but though in euerie thing that is done the Lord bée some worker yet as he doth it it is euer good Marke but an example or two Iob. 1. Iob his great aduersitie procéeded of God and by God in some respect it procéedeth of Satan also and of the Chaldeans that robbed him Yet sée that which Satan did malitiously and the Chaldeans couetously that did the Lord well to good purpose to the glorie of his name to the instruction and comfort of vs all and to Iobs great benefite also Gen. 38. Iosephs affliction againe it came by God by his brethren by his light mistresse and ouer credulous master but yet so much as God did was well done to the great benefite of his father and friends after and what the other did was euill wrongfully done to Ioseph The like againe may be said touching the death of Christ Had not God his worke in it when his determinate counsell appointed it Act. 2.23 and deliuered him vp Had not Iudas his worke in betraying him Had not the Iewes their worke whose wicked hands crucified and slew him Yet that which they did most horriblie the Lorde himselfe did in vnspeakeable mercie to all our endelesse comfortes Therefore whatsoeuer procéedeth of GOD as it commeth from him it is most good although the same thing as it commeth of man and by man bée wicked and euill and no author of euill is he though guider and gouernour of all things Que. My seconde doubt then is this if GOD gouerne all thinges by his prouidence then looke howe hee list to haue things and so shall they be men cannot chaunge his will and therefore it skilleth not what wee doe Ans Surely the conclusion is very wicked and no way followeth vpon Gods prouidence For albeit he direct all things yet we must euer vse the meanes that God hath appointed notwithstanding for so we sée Gods children euer did and tempted not the Lord by any such wicked spéeche as this Rebecca had heard Gods owne mouth speake it Gen. 27. that hee would of her two sonnes Esau and Iacob make two
abhorre images And thus much both of making them and worshipping them Next it doeth followe that wee consider howe vnder this outward appearing grosse idolatrie are comprised all deuised wayes meanes of our selues to serue the Lord yea euen all be they neuer so glorious in our eyes and our intentes neuer so good and godly reasonable as we thinke yet if they be but our owne inuentions not warranted to vs in the word here vnder this name of images they are contained and together condemned So that the very sense of this commandement is this Generally by no deuise of man and particularly not by this as hath before béene saide by no deuise of thine owne or inuention whatsoeuer will I bee serued and namely not by images erected vp to me or in rememberaunce of mee But euer at all times and of all men according to that rule that my selfe haue laide downe and prescribed onely Deutr. 12. Esay 29. You shall not doe euerie man what seemeth good in his owne eyes for in vaine doe men worshippe mee with traditions of men Moses did nothing in building the materiall tabernacle beside what was commaunded and shewed him Nadab and Abihu the sonnes of Aaron dyed for presuming of themselues to serue the Lorde with straunge fire Leuit. 10. The verie heathnish Romanes had this reason with them that it was better for them to bée quite without Christ than to worship him and others with him against his will and liking And ad placandum deum ijs opus habent homines quae ille iubet that is To please the Lorde saith Lactantius men haue neede of those things that he himselfe commaundeth And a Christian minde doeth not finde a sure stay but when it heareth Hoc dicit dominus 1. Sam. 13. This saieth the Lorde If Saul breake the course that God doeth appoint and of himself deuise to serue the Lord be his necessitie to doe so as he thinketh neuer so great and the intent of his heart neuer so holie like certainelie Samuel both must and will tell him to his face he hath doone foolishly 1. Sam. 15. for the Lord hath more pleasure in that his will is obeyed than in all the fatlings of the Amalekites offered vp vnto him of our owne wils and heades Intents will not serue neither voluntarie Religion stande accepted And therefore euer let vs weigh and followe the counsell of Salomon And looke to our feete when wee enter into the house of God being more readie to heare Ecclesi 4. than to offer the sacrifice of fooles for they knowe not what they doe Last of all we are to consider the reasons that God maketh here The reasons of this commandement The first is drawen of his loue towardes vs yea of his exceeding great loue which is euen growen to a ielousie So déerelie so vehemently is his heart set vppon vs yet not for any woorthinesse in vs that looke howe grieuously a ielous man can take the misbehauiour of his straying wife euen so ill can the Lorde abyde that wee shoulde impart our selues to others beside him in obediēce worship and loue Nowe had we any féeling left within our sides and our heartes were not altogether so harde trampled and beaten as they are what a reason were this for euer to kéepe vs knit vnto the Lorde O marke Why shoulde he loue vs why should he care for vs why shoulde he thinke of vs or euer once vouchsafe vs good who of our selues cannot thinke a good thought There is no cause but in himselfe Yet doth he not onely loue vs but is ielous of vs. How then should this force vs to cleaue vnto him onely his none but his for euermore Is he ours and will we not be his againe Would he onely enioy vs and wee will not be tyed vnto him Take héede The greater loue the greater hate when vnkinde refusall is to reape his iust rewarde The seconde reason which the Lorde here vseth is drawen of the punishment that will light vpon vs if wee breake this commandement He will visite the sinnes of the fathers vppon the children vnto the thirde and fourth generation sore is that anger the flame of whose punishment casteth out smoke so farre yet the meaning thereof is as Ezekiel well showes Chap. 18. if the children doe follow the fathers wickednesse and not otherwise The thirde reason is drawen of his mercie promised here euē to thousands of them that loue him kéepe his commandements O now that we would weigh these reasons well and lay them déepe vp in our hearts Truely if there bee any portion of the spirit of life in vs we should finde them forcible to giue vs a taste of the wrath of God against idolatrie and approching before him with our owne inuentions what excuses intents reasons soeuer wee thinke we haue for the same we shall finde them strong to allure vs to the carefull and diligent séeking of the Lords wil out of his word and the duetifull and constant seruing of him according to that rule But when wee will not weigh his promised mercies nor giue our heartes leaue to thinke of his threatened iudgementes but headlong in vnféelingnesse runne on and in blinde ignoraunce imagine that our intentes if they bee good must néedes stoppe Gods mouth and make him contented with the breache of his will this this is the poyson of the whore of Babylon that infecteth our soules to eternall damnation and wrathe O God Father of mercies disperse this dimnesse as may stande with thy good-will from the eyes of thy deceiued creatures and yet once ere they dye let them sée their sinnes against this commaundement that in wrath they passe not to greater iudgement so due and so sure to all wilfull contemners of the light of thy worde and Gospell Amen Furthermore againe if wee doe well marke here the wordes of our God wherewith he vttereth these promises threateneth these iudgementes truely they aforde vnto vs two or thrée profitable notes and considerations As first because in our deuises worship of our owne will the best wee can say is that it commeth from a good meaning and intent and therefore wée thinke God cannot of his mercie refuse that which is well meant and intended towardes him I beseeche you marke howe the Lord here ouerthroweth vtterly this defence saying in expresse wordes that they bee haters of him and so led with the liking of their worshippe from the Lorde and his true seruice that when occasion serueth they bewraye extreme hatred thereunto persecuting it with fire and fagotte in the true professours thereof O my brethren if GOD repute mee for an enemie what can my pretended loue auayle mee If hée say I hate him howe dare I still bewitched with my follie thinke I loue him Shall his owne mouth tell mee that I hate him and that he so taketh all my doings If I swarue frō
Que. Of the latter we shall speake hereafter nowe in the meane time how prooue you that wee must euerie waie vse reuerentlie the name of God Ans To name but one place of manie it is prooued euidentlie by these wordes of the lawe Deut. 28.58 If thou shalt not feare this glorious and fearefull name the Lorde thy GOD then will the Lorde make thy plagues woonderfull c. That is if thou doest not with most great feare and reuerence vse the name of GOD at all times and shewe the same by kéeping and doeing all the wordes of this lawe then will I plague thée to the example of all others euen in thy selfe and in thy séede V. 59. with great plagues and of long continuaunce and sore diseases and of long durance Que. Howe prooue you that by swearing I must vse his name reuerentlie Ans By necessarie consequence For if I must euer vse it reuerently then when I sweare by it Que. The argument were good if it were lawfull to sweare at all but the Scripture seemeth to denie all swearing Math. 5.33 Iam. 5.12 saying sweare not at all but let your communication bee yea yea and nay nay Whereupon the Anabaptistes haue thought this lawe a ceremoniall lawe and now abrogated Ans Those places you name are to bee vnderstoode either of common talke or of swearing by creatures and they doe not in generall condemne all swearing Of this iudgement is Augustine who saith In nouo Testamento dictum est ne omnino iuremus non quia iurare est peccatum sed quia peâ—erare est immane peccatum That is In the newe Testament wee are forbidden to sweare at all not because all swearing is a sinne but because forswearing is an horrible sinne And in an other place Admonitio non iurandi conseruatio est a peccato periurij The admonitioÌ„ in scripture not to sweare is a preseruation from false and wrongfull swearing Que. Is it then lawfull to sweare Ans Yea it is both lawfull and a glorie to God Que. First howe prooue you it is lawfull Ans God in his law expresselie commandeth vs saying Thou shalt feare the Lorde thy God and serue him Deut. 6.13 Chap. 10.20 and shalt sweare by his name therefore it is lawfull Secondlie GOD himselfe and all his children as occasion serued haue vsed to doe it and therefore lawfull God him selfe as we reade Because hee had not a greater to sweare by Heb. 6. Gen. 2. Cor. 1.23 sware by himselfe And the Patriarches Prophetes Apostles did honour God with this seruice We sée it Que. How prooue you that it is honour to God Ans By the testimonies before cited wee euidentlie see Heb. 6. that the thing wee sweare by wee make it the greatest of all other wee make it the witnesse and discerner of our trueth wee meane 2. Cor. 1.23 and the reuenger of falsehoode and our fault if wee doe not as wee sweare all which to bee giuen to the Lorde by swearing onely by him is a glory to him and contrariwise a dishonour to him to ascribe them elsewhere since indéede they are not incident to anie creature Que. But doe all swearers by the name of God honour God in so doeing Ans O no vnlesse we sweare as we ought we dishonour him greatly Que. How is that Ans First the matter must be true to Gods honour and the benefite of our brother Secondlie before a Magistrate when we are lawfullie called Thirdlie the name of God must only be vsed and lastly our affection ought to bee good The first is prooued by the othe that Iosua his espies made to Rahab 2. Iosue 12. Against which it shoulde bee an offence verie fearefull if men hauing the places of Iudges Iustices c. shoulde minister othes to men in euerie light trifling cause for more spéede because they will not stande to search and examine the matter otherwise should either do it themselues or sit and heare their seruantes doe it in such hudling poosting and vnreuerent manner as that a man can scarse tel what he saith Whereas amongst Christians it were verie commendable if there were some pithie and godly admonition either longer or shorter to aduise them of the nature of an oth what honor it is to God if it be as it ought to bee and what dreadfull woe it pulleth vpon them if it be otherwise Exod. 22.10.11 The seconde is prooued by the law of God prouided and set downe to that end The third is prooued by the Prophete Ieremie Iere. 5.7 See Amos. 8.14 Sophon 1.4 by whose mouth the Lorde complaineth that therefore hée was forsaken of them because they sware by them that are no Gods And marke it well Is the mother of Christ a God Are Peter and Paul Saint and Angel whatsoeuer so many gods Is the Roode a God the Masse a God your faith and trueth a God c. Is the bodie of Christ a God is his bloode a God his armes sides féete hearte so manie Gods If they bee not howe sweare we by them then so vsually and so fearefullie We heare what GOD saith by the Prophet namely that they that sweare by anie thing that is not God do flatly forsake the true God him selfe and will we not marke it Shall it not feare vs from so foule a custome I hope it shall Last of all that my affection shold be good verie reason maie assure me For if I come to sweare not for any care or loue to the glory of God to the trueth of the cause and peace and right of my neighbour but in choler in malice for spite enuie certainly howsoeuer my oth doth good yet shall the Lorde neuer ascribe that good to mee but in wrath punishe mee for doeing a good thing with so euill a minde Thus then we sée how we must sweare if God be pleased and honoured by vs in that action and how if we do otherwise we breake this commaundement and take his name in vaine Que. One question by the waye let me aske you whether may a Christian admitte an oath by an Idoll hauing to deale with an Infidell or no Ans The ciuill lawe they say permitteth straungers to sweare by their owne Gods Tertullian in his booke of Idolatrie sayth wee ought not to contende with them ouermuch about this matter Augustine in an Epistle saith plainelie it maie be admitted of a Christian and wee sée it in the worde that when Iacob and Laban sware eche to other Iacob sware by the true God and Laban by the God of Nachar besides diuers other examples Que. Then to goe forwarde certaine it is that wee are not onelie bounde to the affirmatiue that is euerie way with most high reuerence to vse the name of GOD and namelie in swearing but also to the negatiue no waye to pollute this name and chiefly not in swearing Hauing then heard how by others he is dishonored I pray you what other
breach doe you knowe of this commandement beside vngodly swearing Ans Truely Gods name is taken in vaine dishonored Prayer and this commandement broken in praying also aswell as in swearing for if I powre out a sort of wordes without féeling or any burning intire affection if I drawe néere with my lippes and my hart be farre away certainely I abuse the holy name of my God in so calling vpon him and I am guilty of the breach of this law For beside that reason teacheth vs God careth not for lippe labour it is the rule of the holy Ghost that when wee pray Ephes 6.18 we should pray in spirite that is with heart and affection Que. Howe else Ans Againe Gods name is taken in vaine and polluted whensoeuer it is called vpon in coniuring witchcraft Coniuring sorcerie charming and such like For the wordes of the lawe are plaine Let none bee founde amongest you that maketh his sonne and his daughter to goe through the fire Deut. 18.10 c. or that vseth witchcraft or a regarder of times or a marker of the flying of foules or a sorcerer or a charmer or that counselleth with spirits or a soothsayer or that asketh counsell of the dead For all that do such thinges are an abomination vnto the Lorde and because of these abominations the Lorde thy God doeth cast them out before thee And many other notable testimonies hath your booke quoted in the margin Que. Why but in earnest to let the rest passe do you not thinke much good is done and may be done by charming that is by vertue of some wholsome praiers as a pater noster two or three good auees and a creede or such other good words neither english nor latin nor any thing else in signification oftentimes Ans I answere to this questiō in thrée degrées And first I say the question is not onely whether any good as you tearme it be done or may be doone by a charme but whether it be or may bee doone lawefully by the same or no. And you heare the word of God plainely condemning the practise of it Wherfore with what conscience can wee deriue health or anie helpe whatsoeuer either to our selues or ours by that meanes that GOD hath so fearefully threatned vengeance vnto were we neuer so sure to obtaine it by the same Secondly what benefite soeuer we reape by such forbidden meanes I dare assure you all thinges considered wee gette no good but muche harme For what GOD will not haue doone GOD is neuer the author worker and cause of properly and directly but health or anie helpe to our selues or others by charming the Lorde will not haue procured therefore of that health and helpe so gotten assuredly the Lorde is neither author worker nor cause directly If then not the Lorde who but the diuell And if it be he as most assuredly it is he then I pray you let vs all men and women thus reason with ourselues Is the deuill our friende or our foe our welwiller or our enemie Surely we cannot be ignorant of it he is the sworne enemie of mankind the serpent that in burning malice deceiued vs once and ouerthrewe vs quite the roaring lyon that rangeth about without any rest still séeking out whom he may deuour And will euer he that hath euen sworne the woe of vs all and séeketh as Peter saith that is with all diligence and indeuour with might and maine with tooth and naile as we say with his candle in his hande light least by any meanes we should escape him applyeth his whole power to destroy vs and to bring vs to endelesse calamitie wil he I say euer do vs any good thinke we but to the ende to inferre thereby a greater plague vpon vs Certainely he will not for he were not the deuill if he should and we may be as assured of it as we are sure that he hath that name and nature Then I say let vs marke We finde by a charme bodily helpe in our selues or ours But this would neuer Sathan haue done vnlesse he had knowen that the vsing of meanes forbidden by God would sting our bodies soules to eternall death in the worlde to come Then sée still I say and note it Good he doth vs in bodie that a thousande times more euill he may worke both to body and soule in the day of iudgement Temporall ease he is content to bestow vpon vs that endlesse disease miserie and woe he may procure vnto vs. This is most true and nowe what good doth charming if all thinges be considered Shall a Christian man and woman so hunt for helpe of body or goods that they shall for it loose bodie and soule eternally Shall our health and wealth be deerer to vs than the Lordes commandement God forbid and therefore let vs rest perswaded howsoeuer wee thinke such vngodly meanes procure vs good yet in déede all thinges considered it is no good For Sathan being our foe will neuer doe vs good but to the ende to hurt vs more by it and the breache of Gods commaundement will ring our soules a passing peale from face and fauour of the Lorde Last of all which especially I thinke you would heare I denie that by the charme any thing at all is doone whatsoeuer the wordes be For euerie action must haue a fit and conuenient meanes applied vnto the patient to be doone by but bare wordes Pater nosters auees and creedes characters and figures are no meanes appointed of the Lorde to doe any cures by either vppon men or cattle and therefore if any thing be doone assuredly it is not doone by these thinges as the true working meanes but by the deuill himselfe bléering our eies by these shadowes And this vaine opinion verie Aristotle could mocke and disdaine as absurde and foolish Plinie also with diuers others Que. But howe prooue you by scripture that bare wordes being good words be not forcible to this ende Ans Surely me thinke beside others that example in the acts of the Apostles prooueth it wher we sée those vagabund Iewes there spoken of vsed as good wordes as might be but all to no purpose when the deuill listed not dissemble And therefore we may sée it is not the charme that can doe any thing by vertue of the bare wordes And you can not say that vnto the wordes come any faith and good minde of the charmer for faith leaneth vpon promise and promise annexed to a thing maketh it lawefull but charming hath neither promise in the word nor is allowed but by name expressely forbidden and condemned Que. Yet we see manie thinges are done by it and experience daily confirmeth a contrarie assertion to you Ans True it is and I graunt it that by charmes diuers are healed c. But therefore they were the verie wordes that did it It is no consequence For other meanes might doe it and yet nothing apparant to vs but the charme As a witche may
hurte mee with speaking to mee not that her wordes doe it but some pestilent thing of an infectiue operation helde in her téeth deliuered her of her diuell to such vse Danaeus out of Augustine as some of them at death haue confessed Que. What then is your conclusion touching charmers southsayers and such like Ans Truely this in such things as I can be assured by mine owne true vnderstanding or others counsell they doe by true naturall cause and meanes in reason effectuall to such an end I may lawfully vse the benefite of the knowledge giuen them of God and séeke their helpe But where I shall knowe the want of these meanes or but in mine owne heart suspect it surely there I may not there I cannot with a good conscience vse them or séeke vnto them for the lawe that willeth a witch should die being broken of me by vsing such a meanes shall bring greater death to me without repentance Que. Howe yet further is Gods name taken in vaine Ans By rash and vngodly vowes either made or kept Que. Whether might the Iewes vow what they would or no Ans No indéede But first they had a warrant to vowe and then also euen the thing that they did vowe was warranted And if they went further than their commission were their intent neuer so good it was reiected Sometimes they vowed in aduersitie to the ende that if it pleased the Lorde to deliuer them they might not onely in generall but euen in speciall shewe their gratefull heart to the Lorde for the same Thus vowed Iacob at his going to Padan Haran and manie moe in their seuerall distresses And this they did to preuent and staie in some manner the mutabilitie of their will and frailtie of their nature which in any griefe easily promiseth to the Lorde but béeing once freed and set at libertie soone forgetteth that swéete féeling and all spéeches that procéeded from the same Sometime in prosperitie they vsed to vowe for seuerall endes As for the amplification of that outwarde seruice of sacrifices which then the Lorde required Leuit. 7.22 and this was warranted vnto them to doe First fruites and tithes warranted also Deut. 12. Exod. 25. goulde and siluer to the building of the temple warranted also Sometimes they vowed abstinencie for the subduing of the bodie Numb 30. warranted also Sometimes men vowed themselues vnto the Lord as Hanna her sonne Samuell Numb 6. and this her and their déede was allowed of the Lorde But if once they came without a warrant we sée their seruice reiected were their heart and meaning neuer so good Example is Dauid promising to builde the Lorde an house with manie others So euer hath the Lord kept man vnder his hande and direction touching religion hating the bouldnesse of man presuming to inuent any seruice of himselfe I answere you therefore I say and you sée it that the Iewes might not vowe what they listed and what they meant well in but what the worde of the Lorde gaue them leaue to vowe Que. Were they bound euer to keepe their vowe if once they had passed it out of their mouth Ans No in déede But it is maruelous worthy noting the excéeding care that the Lorde had least their vowes should become snares to their consciences Therefore he would not the wiues vow to stand vnlesse her husband heard and allowed it nor the daughters without the fathers cōsent And if they vowed a wicked thing he would not haue it perfourmed as we sée Deutro 23. If an vncleane thing were vowed it might be redéemed And which is especially to be noted if a poore man vowed a vowe aboue his abilitie being decayed betwixt the time of his vow the perfourmance at the priests discretion he was released Leuit. 27. not snared with the word that had passed him once For all which you sée a great libertie granted to mans infirmitie least by any meanes his mouth might cause his fleshe to sinne and howe it neuer pleased the Lorde that drewe sinne with it in the other hande as the vnchaste vowes doe of chastitie in the Church of Rome with such like But in déede if they vowed a thing lawefull and warranted and in their powers without inconuenience to perfourme then were the Iewes verie straitlie bound to perfourme their vowes and not otherwise Que. What say you then to the argument of the Papists The Iewes vowed and the Lord accepted them Therefore we may doe the like Ans I answere it is a senselesse conclusion for they had warrant wee haue none so to doe the thinges they vowed were warranted we vowe pilgrimages to this Saint that to this Idoll and that we vowe to be Monkes Friers Nunnes to weare this apparrell and that to liue single to absteine from this meate and that with a number such inuentions of our owne no where warranted Lastly they were released if anie inconuenience grewe our vowes must stande though bodie and soule perishe for it Therefore to reason from the Iewes vowe euerie way warranted to the alowance of popish and rashe vowes no waie warranted is absurde Que. How yet further is Gods name abused Ans Gods name is yet further abused whensoeuer it is prefixed before anie wicked instrumentes as the Popes bulles and pardons which commonly beginne thus In the name of God Amen So did the sentences of condemnation against Gods children in Quéene Maries daies pronounced by those bloudie Bishoppes beginne also with such other diuilishe instrumentes before which to set the name of GOD as though he were author and approouer of such actes can not be but a fearefull pollution of the name of GOD and a breach of this commandement Againe to speake of the name of GOD lightly and without any dewe regarde thereof in sportes playes and pastimes when my conscience telleth mee I not once thinke of God neither is that a right vse of prayer Also to vse the phrases and sentences of scripture in iest in dirision in mirth vnreuerently as a number doe most fearefully Sure it is a gréeuous breach of this commaundement Que. And what say you of banning and cursing which the booke heere nameth and yet is it vsuall with Dauid as it seemeth Ans Euen this also in some circumstance is a great euill and forbidden by this lawe For thus we are to weigh this question the matter either is the Lordes or mine owne If it be mine owne in no case euer should I curse and wish any euill but patiently abide the Lordes good time to sée to it If it be the Lordes then is the partie either corrigible or incorrigible and past all hope of amendment in mans eyes If he be corrigible not euen in the Lordes cause should I curse my brother but if he be past hope in mans iudgement then conditionally may wee pray the Lorde either to turne him or to remooue him that no longer he may resist his glorie And to this head
wée woulde a very horrible thing if we could duely regarde and thinke of it For what is it but to contemne GOD and his wisedome to striue and fight against the Spirite teaching and conuerting men by the ministerie of the worde and euen in effect to say I am as wise and godlie as either hee can make mee or shall make mee I will none of his grace What is it but to giue a grieuous offence to others for the which the liuing God hangeth a woe ouer our heads saying Woe be to him by whom offence commeth it were better for that person to haue a milstone tyed about his neck and to be cast into the bottome of the Sea And againe It were good for that man if he had neuer beene borne What is it but to féede the deuils humor and to doe that thing that most highly pleaseth him Againe to consider howe we haue offended when we were present at Church by negligent and colde performaunce of that thing which time place and duetie required at our handes Haue we neuer come to the hearing of the worde but with reuerence with willing desire preparing our hearts before vnto it by some secrete prayer within our selues to the Lorde that he would blesse the speaker that hee may speake to our heartes and blesse vs that we may attentiuely hearken profitably féele and thankefully taking whatsoeuer is spoken increase in obedience to it Haue wee neuer come to the Sacramentes when we could and neuer without such examination and other circumstances as are straitly required of a Christian Haue we spent the Sabaoth in godly conference meditation powring out thanks from a féeling soule for the Lords goodnes euer to vs namely the wéeke passed Haue we visited or thought vpon the sick sore diseased imprisoned banished or any way suffring for a good cause to our power comforted them Haue we studied how either to procure or continue or increase amongst our selues or our neighbours the meanes of saluatiō as the preaching of the word such like O beloued we haue not we haue not we know it must néeds confesse it if there be any trueth in vs. Too much haue we neglected all these yea euen diuerse of them it is greatly to bee feared haue litle or neuer at all troubled our heads but for their contraries in most ful measure we haue wallowed in them and with gréedinesse euer accomplished thē Where is the minister whose negligence hath not made his people to pollute the Sabaoth Where is the people whose consciences awaked may not iustly condemne them for vngodly gadding on this day to Churchales to weddings to drinkings to bākets to fairs markets to stage plaies to bearebaytings summer games and such like Where is that master that hath had a conscience to restrain his seruants from this impietie or the seruant againe that hath either brideled himselfe for the Lords cause or else wel accepted his master or mistres restraint being made vnto him and which hath not rather burst out into vngodly disobedient spéeches murmuring that because he hath wrought all the wéeke therfore he should haue libertie to do what he list on the Sabaoth not considering that this commandement bindeth not only the master himselfe to honor God on this day but to sée to his family so much as he can that they also do it Nay I would to God the masters in many places were not ringleaders to their owne al other mens people to prophane this Sabaoth of the Lord and that euen such maisters as in respect of their calling office and credite in the countrey should farre otherwise doe When doeth a gentleman to name no higher estates appoint a shooting a bowling a cocking or a drunken swearing ale for the helpe as they say of some poore one but vppon the Sabaoth And if he be at the Church in the forenoone for the after noone it is no matter he hath béene verie liberall to God in giuing him so much What day in the wéeke vsually doeth he giue so euill an example of vnmeasurable sotting in bed as on the Sabaoth But O filthie sauour that ariseth out of this lothsome chanell thus raked vp into the nostrels of the Lorde I spare to speake I shame to sée I rew to knowe what I fully knowe against our soules in this respect Let euerie man and woman more particularly view thēselues and lay open vnto the Lorde their sinne in sorowe for it by this occasion thinke what is commaunded looke what wee haue done the Lorde make our sinfull hearts to sée sigh for so great offence against our God What should I say of the second end of the institution of the Sabaoth namely for the rest of seruant cattell But euen in an word woe to the man whom God shall iudge according to his guiltinesse herein For it is too vsual with al estates to be a meanes to robbe their seruauntes of the blessing due to the kéepers of this law and to pull vppon them the plague for the contrarie by making them ride and run post and away vpon euerie occasion that commeth in their heads when in truth if they would but euen look into it the matter may be done wel without such hast O happie is that man whose heart thinketh howe his seruant is bound to this commandement of kéeping holy the Sabaoth as well as hée hath a soule to loose or saue as well as he to be nourished with the foode of the word as well as he and therefore thereon concludeth he will neither sinne himselfe nor make his seruant sinne in breach of this or any other commandement The third end of the Sabaoth we heard it was that hereby might bee resembled in some sort our spirituall rest in heauen wee ceasing from our owne workes dooing the will of God But are we able to say wee haue this doone O miserable men ten thousand times if in this we should haue our desertes for wherein or howe crucifie we the fleshe more on this day than any other bridle the frowarde desires of the heart restrayne our owne nature and doe the will of God more on this day than any other Alas our owne consciences crie vnto vs we doe nothing lesse wee drinke wée eate wée surfet wee sweare we play we daunce we whore we walke and talke idlely vainely vncleanely and vngodlily these are our workes on the Sabaoth more commonly than any day in the wéeke else and if this bee to resemble a spirituall rest then in déede wee doe it not otherwise Thus stand wee therefore guiltie and gréeuously guiltie of this commaundement So that if we had not a Sauiour who in our flesh had fulfilled this lawe and euerie one for vs and appeased the wrath of God his father iustly conceiued against our sinnes neuer should we haue looked within his kingdome And howe shall we bée better for all which he hath doone but by séeing our passed sinne and
new Testament that were married to begge any pardon for it at Gods hand or to insinuate anie way any impietie of theirs in so doing Which yet assuredly they would haue doone if the opinion of poperie had bin true concerning single life and matrimonie Lib. 10. ca. 26. S. Augustine in his booke of Virginitie hath manie words of the rewardes of matrimonie concludeth thus that eternall life is giuen of the Lord both to married vnmarried indifferently The councell of Gangren thought good to make this canon An. 333. Can. 10. that if any liuing single for the Lord should in arrogancie pride contemne those that were married they should be accursed Wherefore wee conclude this matter say as the Church of God said in that time Virginitie we coÌ„mend Concil Gangren Epiph. tom 1. lib. 2. baeres 48 widowhood we praise the chast bond of godly wedloocke we honour receiue But as for adulterie fornication vncleannes whatsoeuer either of body or mind we abhor it condeÌ„ne it Thus then I I hope you sée how the opinioÌ„ of chastitie to consist only in liuing single spruÌ„g vp euen by the diuell who knew not otherwise how to draw men to vncleannes being robbed of his former means than by making them to abridge themselues of the ordinance of God against the euil You haue séene also how false this is and that in godly matrimonie aswel as in single life there is liked chastitie of the lord You haue séene that neither of these estates haue any premineÌ„cie aboue the other in respect of greater pietie or merit but both of them alike acceptable to God if for the parties they be expedient only in regard of outward incuÌ„brances the one is more frée thaÌ„ the other Lastly you sée the vertue of this coÌ„mandement opposed to adulterie to be chastitie but how not to liue vnmaried as the papistes dreame but both in mariage out of it to kéepe body soule vnspotted of filthie lust concupiscence The other pointes of mariage it self of second mariages of poligamie of diuorce such like which were in this place to be handled I think good to cut off hauing taried alreadie too â—ong in this coÌ„mandement to reserue â—hem till some other occasion Que. Yet adde some thing concerning the punishmeÌ„t of them that breake this commaundement Ans The law of God as we all may â—ée Deutro 22. punished adulterie with present â—eath Fornication with mariage of â—he partie if the parentes would and if â—hey would not with a dowrie to be giuen The Athenians punished it with â—eath This lande of ours in the dayes of Canutus had a lawe to cut off the noâ—es and eares of adulterous women And for the spirituall punishment of it â—t was euer is 1. Cor. 6. and shall be damnation â—f body and soule in the pit of hell withâ—ut repentaunce The Application NOwe then consider what hath béene said euen as we desire true fruit of the worde of God vnto our soules let vs weigh our â—wne estate in euerie branch of this commandement The act of vncleannes howe it can accuse vs that God doeth know who hath hell in his hand to cast vs into it if we haue sinned And therfore if either with maried or vnmaried wee haue euer thus offended let his power be thought of let hell be feared and so foule a fault from the verie hearâ— roote be earnestly lamented Excuse iâ— not with youth or any circumstaunce cause or occasion in the world these scoffings of the Lord wil not euer be borne in youth we are Gods aswell as in age and in youth we should serue him asweâ— as in age if we do not euen youth shall to hell aswell as shall age Sinne séene and sorowed for left and forsaken hath pardon promised but sinne iested at and played withall hath vengeance threatned It is the voice of a Christian to say I haue sinned but it is the voyce of a reprobate to say still I wil sin wtout remorse The best may offende but the best can neuer continue offending And therfore take héede and if act can accuse vs let it neuer héereafter be able to blame vs for souden and feareful is the vengeancâ— from heauen that lighteth vpon adulterers From the act let vs come to the â—nwarde thought and as it is more priuie and we all more prone vnto it so let it be more carefullie weighed and searched out euen of vs all Let vs call to minde with a féeling heart how foullie howe fearefully and how euen continually we offende the Lorde by our hidden conceites Howe quickly créeâ—eth into vs an euill thought and howe swelleth it within wheÌ„ it once is there It worketh within vs as a thing most strong verie fowly stayneth vs oâ—ten â—ere we do coÌ„sider it Yea our negligence in this befalse doth condemne vs before the Lord and pronounceth against vs that wee feare more men than God For our outwarde actions we are carefull of so néere as we can to kéepe the blottes of them out of sight but our heartes being thinges hidden from the eies of men we cary litle care ouer them to kéepe them cleane from impure concepts What man may sée we are ashamed that he should sée but which God beholdeth our secret thoughtes we feare not at all to haue them foule filthie and wicked O what a God serue we that being able to set euerie thought wee thinke visible in our foreheads in great letters that euerie one which runneth by might reade them yet most mercifully spareth vs and is content our secret shame should not appeare to men Shall we still prouoke him shall wee still offende and grieue him Surely theÌ„ hotte wil be the wrath at last which so long his mercie hath withhoulden Wherefore to conclude this matter euen as we loue the Lord and our owne health let vs sée and weigh how déepely this lawe against impure thoughtes is able to charge vs let vs consider the cause if we can find it out that driueth vs vsually into such hidden sinne and héereafter as men touched with some Christian remorse that so good a God should so still be offended let vs ridde our heartes as we can of the effect by taking away or at least stopping in some measure the course of the cause The meanes and allurementes either to the actuall offence or the thought â—ondemned in this commaundement as we haue heard before are many and diuerse Sometimes the eyes disorderly wander and beeing not checked by a Christian conscience that feareth to giue them libertie too long they become the occasions both of thoughtes and actes wicked and damnable Sometimes behauiour vnchast and vnséemely Someties speeche wanton and light stir the hart vp to conceiue that thing and the wicked fleshe to perfourme it fully which God and nature abhorre as filthie The dalying tattles of these courting dayes the lasciuious songes made by loose mindes and
needie and poore c. But thou shalt giue him his hire for the day neither shal the sunne go down vpon it for he is poore and therewith sustaineth his life least he crie against thee vnto the Lorde and it bee sinne vnto thee Secondlie it forbiddeth to doe iniurie to any strangers Exod. 22.21 Leuit. 19.33 or to oppresse them and addeth this reason to the Iewes because they were once straungers Thirdlie you shall not trouble or oppresse anie widowe saith the lawe nor anie fatherlesse child Exod. 22. v. 22. for if you doe hee shall crie vnto mee saith the Lorde and then mine anger shall burne and I will kill you with the sword and your wiues shal be widowes and your children fatherles Where by the way marke the vehemencie of this speach and sée what comfort to the godly and terrour to the wicked it may iustly exhibit For the former God knowes and the world sées howe often they are wrecked and wronged and set to the wall by cruell vngodlie and harde hearted men howe often they fayle of friendes to mayntayne their right and defende their cause against the euill But yet sée héere a comfort though all forsake vs if wee crie to the Lorde the cause shall bée his and hee will helpe vs the Lorde will awake and stirre vp his wrath till the wrong wee haue suffered bee reuenged fullie And for the seconde what knowes the oppressing and mercilesse man whether anie cries passe from the gréeued heartes of such as hee hurteth or no If they doe as it cannot be but they should why trembleth hee not to consider what hangeth ouer his heade euen readie to light vppon him euery hower if God bee GOD and true of his worde O that our heartes then may cleaue to the Lorde if wee be oppressed and tremble at his iudgementes if wee vse it to others But to returne to the matter againe if all oppression be stealth before God what I pray you shal we thinke of the fountaine of much oppression to wit acceptance of persons in iudgement Surely it must néedes also be euill before the Lorde Reason doth teach it and yet God for more assurance expressely forbiddeth it as a mischiefe in a common wealth The Lorde your God sayth Moses is God of Gods and Lorde of Lordes Deutro 10.7 a great God mightie and terrible which accepteth no persons nor taketh rewarde Which doth right to the fatherlesse and widowe and loueth the stranger and giueth him foode and rayment What also shall we thinke of one cause of acceptatioÌ„ of persons to wit of bribes and rewardes but euen also as the verie poyson of iustice abhorre them and condemne them the rather for that so expressely they are forbidden in the worde Wrest not the lawe sayth the Lorde nor respect not anie person neither take rewarde Deutro 16.19 For the rewarde blindeth the eyes of the wise and peruerteth the wordes of the iust Exod. 23.2 That which is iust and right shalt thou followe that thou mayest liue and possesse the lande which the Lorde thy God giueth thee Thus then as branches of this commaundement we sée not onely oppression generally and particularly but euen also the causes of it acceptance of persons bribes and rewardes forbidden And I wil yet adde one thing ouer vnto all these Liueries are often meanes and couers of oppression which must néedes be included in this head of oppression because it is a coÌ„mon and a dangerous cloake of the same to wit lyueries of Prince or subiectes noble men gentlemeÌ„ or whosoeuer Which if they maintaine and beare out the vniust wrongfull dealings of any man with the knowledge of the Lord not only the déede doer but the giuer of that cloth and cote whatsoeuer he be standeth giltie of that oppression before almighty God The consideration whereof being so true and sure should iustly cause in al estats that deale their cloth to others a more vigilant eye eare to sée heare the conuersation of their folowers a restraining hand of such countenance credite or couer to theÌ„ all worldly reasons set apart when so euer they shall vnderstande the same to be abused For why should any earthly respect euer stande so great in mens eies as that for it they dare take vpon them the guilt of other mens sins spoyling oppression But alas great is the vnféelingnesse of many mens harts in this matter in these dayes Either Pope profite or pollicie doe make vs deale our cloth too liberally and regard our mens behauiour too negligentlie But a worde is ynough Que. Yet still proceede on Ans An other branch of this commandement of stealth is idlenesse For since the fall of our first parents whatsoeuer we inioy iustly and truely as our owne we must get it by labour And whatsoeuer I labor not for and yet inioy I steale it and the vse of it belongeth not vnto me For then was it sayde to Adam and his posteritie for euer that in the sweate of their broweâ— they should eate their meate The meaâ—ning whereof bindeth not all estates to a like bodilie labour but it inioyneth euerie one some lawefull calling the magistrate must gouerne cherish and defende the iudges determine the causes of the people the ministers deliuer their giftes to the Church and euerie one in some sort of sweate that is in some godly indeueur of bodie or minde deriue vnto himselfe the vse of these outwarde thinges Otherwise if idlely he liue by the labour of others hauing no testimonies that hee deserueth his hire be that man or woman whatsoeuer assured that they make a breach oâ— this commandement 2. Thes 3.10 For if anie worke not let him not eate sayth the Apostle as if he would say if he doe he doeth more than he hath right to The labourer is worthie of his wages but not the loyterer The Oxe that treadeth out the corne must not be musled but the idle asse if he be pyned is but well serued Idlenesse what mischiefe it hatcheth in towne and countrey what tongue is aâ—â—e to laie downe It causeth contentiâ—n and strife by pratling spéeches Prou. 10. c. 20 it â—â—rceth and nourisheth whoredome and â—â—th it pulleth on pouertie and looseth â—onour it hindereth vertue and maynâ—â—yneth vice and by name to the breach â—f this commaundement it mightily â—oueth For let him that stole steale â—o more sayth the Apostle but let him â—ather labour and worke with his owne â—ands the thing which is good Ephes 4. that he may â—aue to giue him which nedeth Nothing â—s it were verie plainely that the cause â—hy the stealer stole was want of laâ—ouring in his calling Manie goodly â—awes and customes haue heathen men â—ade and had against idlenesse Some haue punished it with verie death as did Draco the lawegiuer of the Athenians others haue admitted none to dwell in their townes with them vnlesse he had some art and carefully followed it