diet Saint Paul 〈◊〉 Timothy to drink no more water but a little wine for his stomach By 〈◊〉 into excesse as into surfetting and drunkennesse a man may shorten his life 〈◊〉 Saint Hilary saith that this doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adimere mortem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it not onely takes away a mans reason but life too And 〈◊〉 saith that 〈◊〉 naturalem 〈◊〉 enervat 〈◊〉 generat mortem intempestivam adducit it weakens a mans natural parts begets infirmities and brings untimely death so that excesse in meat and drink kills by degrees Our Saviour gives a caveate against it take heed to your selves lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfetting and drunkennes and so that day come upon you unawares So in those things which the Physitians call non naturalia a man by the undue vse of them may shorten his life and by the moderate use of them lengthen it Therefore the 〈◊〉 exhorts that having food and raiment let us be therewith content And make not provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof So likewise in the case from rest and release of affairs Our Saviour took the Apostles with him apart that they might have leisure to eat and to rest a while for the Psalmist tells us it is but losti labour to hast to rise up early and take late rest and eat the bread of carefulnesse for a man may by the 〈◊〉 much bending of his minde to these earthly things bring death to him the sooner A broken spirit doth but dry up the bones and cause him to die before his time Tristitia mundi worldly sorrow brings death saith the Apostle Now as there must be no neglect in us in respect of preserving our own lives so neither must there be in regard of our neighbours God commanded the builder to put battlements upon his house lest another should fall from it And if a man knew that his oxe vsed to push he was to tie him up and if he failed if any were killed he was to die himself for it with the oxe And if the rule of the wiseman hold good as certainly it doth that we must not with-hold our hand from doing good we wust not forbear to deliver them that are drawne to death then must we not onely keep them from danger of death but by the rules of extension we must do what we can to help them and save their lives Pasce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith saint Ambrose Non pavisti occidisti feed that sheep which is ready to 〈◊〉 if thou feedest it not thou killest it Hence is the use of Physick necessary and those that are skilful are bound to use their skill to preserve the life of their brother Is there no Balm in Gilead is there no Physitian that the people be not healed saith the prophet which speech implies and supposes the use of physick The prophet Ezekiel saith that God hath ordained plants for mans use The fruit for meate and the leaves thereof for 〈◊〉 And under the law it was provided that if any man did 〈◊〉 inferre 〈◊〉 offer violence and wound his neighbour be should pay for his healing by which places is implied the lawful use of physick and the duty of the physitian which is to preserve the life of his neighbour whereas now by the negligence of physitians many patients are like the woman which had a bloody 〈◊〉 in the Gospel who had spent her whole estate upon the physitians and yet was never the better but rather worse such is the practise of some to their shame be it spoken As it is a great sinne in them so it is a great punishment for men to fall into their hands which made the son of Syrach say He that 〈◊〉 before his maker let him fall into the the hands of the Physitian But now as we must preserve the life of the body so also 〈◊〉 corporis the good plight and integrity of it as we said before If the least part of the body be hurt the whole complains and saith 〈◊〉 me why smiteth thou me Neither the whole nor any part must be hurt The law forbad the causing of any blemish upon our neighbour the giving of a wound if any rupture or vstulation by fire happen it is an injury and the like must be inflicted upon the party that was the cause for if there be 〈◊〉 partis a dismembring of any one part it is 〈◊〉 ad mortem 〈◊〉 it reflects upon the whole body And therefore the law requires eye for eye tooth for tooth hand for hand foot for foot burning for burning wound for wound stripe for stripe And he goeth further He that causeth but a blemish in a man so shall it be done to him again And as a wound is 〈◊〉 integritatem against the integrity and perfection of the body and plaga contra sensum a stripe against the sense so is a wound binding or imprisonment contra 〈◊〉 against the motion of the body David repeated it at Abners burial as a great honour that his hands had not been bound nor his feet put into fetters he died not as a malefactor for these also are accounted as injuries done without authority but lawfully inflicted by the magistrate they are as punishments and then justifiable So that next to life this 〈◊〉 corporis the preservation of the body in its integrity and perfection is to be regarded CHAP. V. Of the murther of the soul. Several signes against the life of the soul. How a man may be accessory to the death of his soul. This sin may be committed both by them that have charge of souls and by private persons That this law is spiritual according to the third rule Of the murther of the soul. 〈◊〉 come now to the murther of the soul which is forbidden aswell as the murther of the body And indeed the murther of this is so much the more grievous by how much the image of God is more in it then in the body and therefore if the blood of the body cry to God for vengeance it is certain that the blood of the soul will cry much lowder Now the life of the soul may be said to be taken away 1. In respect of the present 2. Of the life to come 1. If a man live not here with a contented minde if his soul be not filled with good as the preacher speaks an untimely birth is better then he that is he had as good never to have been born now he that ministers occasion to discourage as the Apostle or to discontent another and so makes his life odious to him he offends against this commandment We see in 〈◊〉 what griefe can do Simeon being detained in Egypt and Benjamin to be carried thither if any mischief should befall him he tells his other sons he should be but a dead man but assoone
guile 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Laying aside all guile c. CHAP. VI. Of theft out of contracts This is 1. In the family by 1. Purloyning 2. Mispending 3. Idlenesse 4. Withdrawing ones self from service 2. Without the family is 1. Of things consecratea by Sacriledge 2. Of things common and those either publick or private Of theft personal and real The aggravation of theft in regard of the poor c. Against enclosing of Commons The conclusion about unlawful getting NOw of thefts that are without contract these are either Domestica within the family or forinseca without 1. The first of or within the family as a bad servant For Fur domesticus fur maximus est the domestick thief is ever the greatest thief and the reason is because of the trust he receives And such an one may be a thief these four wayes 1. Intervertendo by purloining their masters goods or according to the sense of the word by turning the profit out of his into their own purses This was the unjust Stewards act and Gehezies and the text saith that Judas one of our Saviours Disciples was a thief because he diverted privily somewhat to his own use out of the bag this is furtum domesticum theft within doors 2. Dissipando by wasting and mis-spending his goods in drunkennesse riot and other excesse Like that servant that in his Masters absence began to smite his fellows and to eat and drink and to be drunken And the prodigal son that spent his fathers estate upon Harlots 3. Torpendo by consuming his estate by idlenesse this is Fur laboris one that steals his labour from his Master and by that means wasteth his estate For servants should not do eye service only or that which they are commanded alone for that is not thank-worthy but labour faithfully and be as provident for their Masters as they should be for themselves But if instead of doing faithful service they grow negligent and idle they are within the compasse of the breach of this Commandement The Wife man saith that He that is slothful in his work is even the brother of him that is a great waster and shall receive that doom Thou wicked and slothful servant c. Cast that unprofitable servant into utter darknesse c. 4. Lastly Subtrahendo se per fugam by withdrawing himself from his Masters service and becoming a fugitive robbing his Master of his service for a servant is part of the Masters possessions Though Agar served a hard Mistresse and thereupon left her service yet the Angel sent her back and bad her humble her self And though s. Paul could have been contented to have retained Onesimus yet because he was Philemons servant from whom he had fled he returned him back Theft without the family is either of things consecrated to God and this is called Sacriledge things common and prophane 1. For the first there was a Law for it That if any should by ignorance take away things consecrated or holy to God he should bring a trespasse offering The Apostle matches it with idolatry Thou that abhorrest idols dost thou commit sacriledge God himself immediately punisht this sin in Ananias and Sapphira and that with capital punishment with death and that a sudden death giving no time for repentance thereby to shew how he hated this sinne and what a severe avenger he is of it It is noted of Abimelech though a King that hee took seventy pieces of silver out of the temple of an Idol his god Baal-Berith and what followed appeares in the same Chapter Hee was slaine by a woman with a piece of milstone which broke his scull Athaliah the Queen with her sonnes had broken up the house of the Lord and took the things that were dedicated to God and gave them to 〈◊〉 she was drawn out of the Temple the place she had 〈◊〉 and then slain and her sons had no better end The alienating of the sacred vessels of the Temple and applying them to prophane uses by Belshazzar at his feast in Babylon caused that terrible hand-writing on the wall which made all his 〈◊〉 to shake and foretold him that the Kingdome was translated to the Medes and Persians which hapned presently after for he was 〈◊〉 that same night 2. Theft of things prophane or common is either 1. Of such things as are publick Or 2. private 1. Publick when things belonging to the Publick State or Common-wealth are stolne as if one rob the Exchequer c. And this is called Peculatus when the King is robbed or any thing stolne out of a publick place such also were those Balnearii fures that stole out of the Bath a publick place the clothes of them that were bathing And to these may be added such as receive monies out of the publick treasury and convert it to other private use Such were the Priests in the time of 〈◊〉 who received every mans half shekel brought in upon the Kings Commandement for the repair of the Temple but neglected the reparation whereupon an other course was fain to be taken a Chest was provided with a hole in it into which every man put his money for that use personale of living things as 1 Men 2 Beasts 2. Private theft is either Furtum reale of things inanimate 1. The stealing of men is called Plagium and such theeves Plagiarii This sin was punished with death by the Law He that stealeth a man and killeth him shall dye the death yea if he were onely about such a thing he was to dye for it Saint Paul accounts it so great a sinne that he reckons Man-stealers among Whoremongers Buggerers Perjured persons and other the most grievous sinners This was part of Judas his sin who sold his Master for thirty pieces of silver though withal there was herein a betraying him into the hands of his enemies who he knew would pu him to death 2. The stealing of beasts is called Abiegatus and the men Abigei stealers of cattel such were the Sabeans and 〈◊〉 that took away Jobs Oxen his Asses and Camels Against this we have an expresse law wherein the offender is to restore in some cases four fold and in some five fold 2. Reall theft is the stealing of things inanimate that have no life as of Money 〈◊〉 Apparel c. for which the offender by the Law was to restore two fold Thus we see the several sorts of theft Now all these are aggravated in regard of the person against whom they are committed as to rob the stranger the poor the fatherlesse or widow this brings a greater curse upon the finne and makes it become peccatum clamans a crying sin If they cry unto me saith God I will surely hear them Therefore there is a special prohibition against taking a pledge of
Captivity of the North it is said The dayes come saith the Lord that it shall be no more said the Lord liveth that brought up the children out of the land of Egypt But the Lord liveth that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the North. And this title lasted to the time of Christ. sixtly The last is prophecied by Jer. Jehovah justitia nostra the Lord our Righteousnes and so by the Apostle Christus justitia nostra Christ our righteousnesse and God the father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now this great benefit being not fully six weeks before the Law delivered it must needs stick close to their memory and being in the wildernesse where they were wholly to depend upon God and his protection so that as well in regard of the remembrance of the late benefits and the hope of future assistance as of the place where they could not depend at all upon themselves it was both a fit time and place to give them a Law and then they were more fit to receive it in as much as it could not well be given in Egypt for thence they were unwilling to go nor in Canaan for there they murmured against God it was most fit it should be given here for their delivery was not that they should be Masters but Servants And all these pertain to us for though it be true Non obligamur Legi propter Sinai sed propter paradisum when it was first given to all the sons of Adam and though God gave this Law to one Nation to stir up others to emulation as the Gentiles were taken into Covenant afterwards to provoke the Jews to jealousie yet this is also true that there are none of those his titles but much more appertain to us who have means of better performance as having received greater benefits and our faith grounded upon better promises 1. Jehovah The excellency of this Name to us is in respect of the ordination of a new Covenant the Gospel which as the Scripture speaks is the better Covenant because it was established upon better promises for Insemine tuo benedicentur omnes nationes terrae in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed is a better promise then Semini tuo dabo terram Canaan to thy seed will I give the land of Canaan We have clearer promises of eternal life and a greater measure of sanctification of the spirit then they had 2. Deus tuus thy God As we are included with them in the first so in the second title we have part and interest in them both for he is our God by Covenant as well as theirs by a Covenant of mercy and grace 3. Qui eduxi c. which brought thee c. For this third how far greater dangers are we delivered from then they From the sting of Conscience fom sin from death how much do the Devil and his Angels passe the power and malice of Pharaoh and his task-masters Hell and Gehenna the Lime-kills the torments of Hell without number the bricks with number and as much as these everlasting pains passe those temporal so much doth our deliverance exceed theirs The Apostle saith that God hath delivered us from the power of darknesse and from the wrath to come And in another place that he hath abolished death In this world he hath freed us from errours which the most part of the world fall into He hath delivered us 1. from the justice of God 2. from the terrour of the Law 3. from the sting of Conscience 4. from sin 5. from death 6. from Hell 7. from the Devil and his Angels 8. from the Spiritual Egypt 9. from the Egypt of this world c. Now as God hath titles so have we He Jehovah we vile Creatures He our God we his servants He which hath delivered us we which have been delivered by him from sin c. from a thousand dangers Audi Israel hear O Is ael saith he Speak Lord for thy servants hear must we say and not onely be his Auditors but his servants least we be made servants to sin Sathan and the world and so be made to know the difference between his service and the service of other Masters CHAP. II. The division of the Decalogue How divided by the Jews 〈◊〉 Christians Addition 6. That the four fundamental articles of all Religion are implyed in the four first precepts Of rules for expounding the Decalogue Six rules of extent 1. The affirmative implies the negative and e contrà 2When any thing is commanded or forbidden all of the same nature are included 3 The inward act of the soul is forbidden or commanded by the outward 4. The means conducing are included in every precept 5. The consequents and signes 6 We must not onely observe the precept our selves but cause it to be kept by others least we partake of other mens sins which is 1. Jubendo by commanding 2 Permittendo by tolleration 3. 〈◊〉 by provocation 4 Suadendo by perswasion 5 〈◊〉 by consenting 6. Defendendo by maintaining 7. Scandalum praebendo by giving scandal VVE divided the Law into a stile and a Charge the first hath been handled The charge remains whereof we will now speak And this is contained in the ten words which we commonly call the ten commandments So doth Moses as well to deter men from presuming to adde any more in which respect God wrote both sides of the Tables full to prevent the adding to them as also to take from man the excuse of being so many that his memory could not bear them They being but few whereas those of the heathen are infinite These ten for better order and memory sake receive a division from the subject and are divided according to the two Tables which our Saviour in his answer to the Lawyer divideth according to the objects God and Man And this is not his own division onely we finde it in the time of the Law Our duty towards God is set down in Deuteronomy Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy hea t and with al thy soul and with all thy might Our duty towards man in Leviticus Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self From both which places this division of of our Saviour hath its ground Now because love is so often repeated S. Paul makes the end of the Law to be love And in another place after he hath recapitulated the Law he reduceth it to this Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self for our love proceeding and ascending up to God when we descend and come to our Neighbour it is but a reverberation of the love we have to God and every reverberation or reflexion presupposeth a direct beam so that every man that loves his Neighbour hath God first in his direct motion as the immediate and direct object of his love and then his Neighbour in
20. 17. Thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours house thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours wife CHAP. I. Reasons against the dividing of this Commandment into two The dependance of it The scope and end of it WE have formerly mentioned That the Church of Rome together with the Lutherans as they make the second Commandment and the first but one so to make up the number of ten they divide this into two so that these words Thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours wife is the ninth and the rest that follows is the tenth And though they take herein the Authority of Saint Augustine yet we choose rather to follow those that make it but one as most of the Fathers besides him do and that for these Reasons 1. Because it would be unreasonable to thrust two Precepts into one period and so to pronounce them with one breath whereas every one of the rest is a full sentence by it self and therefore it is most agreable to Reason that this should be so too 2. Because to make two Laws for two lusts or Concupiscences as they would do here is to make Laws for every particular which is counted absurd in all Laws for Laws are made in general and descend not to particulars and it would be most absurd in this Law of the Decalogue which is most compendious and therefore most general 3. Because by this reason we might make more Commandments of this then two for though two Concupiscences onely be named yet there are diverse others here included as the inward lusts against the fifth the sixth and the ninth which will fall under no Commandment if they be not reduced hither and if they be then they make so many precepts as well as these two which refer to the seventh and eighth which are here mentioned for objectum determinat propositionem the object makes the proposition and therefore how many Lusts there be so many objects there are and so many propositions and by consequence so many Commandments and if they say that the rest are forbidden under these two they must shew how the rest being of a different nature can be referred to these two which if they cannot do this is gratis dictum 4. Because the Apostle Rom. 7. 7. 13. 9. without 〈◊〉 of any particular 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it down generally Non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shalt not lust and 〈◊〉 makes it but one Commandment 5. The confent of the Hebrew Doctors about and since Christs time as Josephus Philo Abenezra and others and most of the Fathers of the primitive Church since Christ as we shewed before are against this division of theirs 6. In 〈◊〉 the words are Thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours house and then thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours wife c. but in Deuteronomy the last is placed first and the other after it by which inverting the order of the words God seems expreslely to prevent the dividing of this Commandment besides that in the ninth Commandment as they make it should be forbidden the Concupiscence against the eighth and in the tenth the Concupiscence against the seventh thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours wife and withal the 〈◊〉 against the eighth in these words nor his man servant nor his maid servant nor his ox nor his asse c. whereby there would be a manifest inverting the order of the Commandments and a disturbing of the sence which one of their own Writers acknowledges Hessel who saith here is sensus 〈◊〉 and such a Hyperbaton or trajection as is not to be found any where in the scripture besides for here is by their division first a prohibiting of the Concupiscence against the eighth Commandment and then of that against the seventh and then again of that against the eighth 7. In their Catechisms when they come to expound this Commandment as two they are in such want of matter when they come to lay forth the several branches of them that they are 〈◊〉 to thrust both into one thus they bring in great lamenesse into the Law of God by this division whereas his law is of great extent and very large The exposition of this Precept is to be taken out of Deuteronomie 5. 21. Thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours wife neither shalt thou covet thy Neighbours house his field c. and from the Prophets Esay 55. 7. Let the wicked forsake his thoughts c. and Jeremy 18. 12. where the doing after the imagination of ones evil heart is forbidden and in the Gospel from our Saviours exposition against the false doctrine of the Pharisees Mark 7. 15 16 c. shewing that what comes out of the heart defiles a 〈◊〉 and from S. Paul Rom. 7. 7. and Ephes. 2. 3 4. and such places where the matter of this Commandment is handled The dependance of this Comamndment upon the rest appears in this that without the observing of this none of the rest can be kept for by giving this after all the rest God would teach us how all the rest are to be understood viz. that not onely the outward act is forbidden in them but also the inward purpose and intention of the heart though we never proceed to the outward act so that this is the rule and measure for the understanding and so for the observing of the rest this is the hinge whereupon all the rest do turn and therefore S. Augustine saith Si quis 〈◊〉 facere studeat 〈◊〉 maxime faciat he that would observe the rest must chiefly look to the keeping of this for this looks to the heart out of which as Solomon saith proceed the yssues of life and death and therefore he advises to keep the heart with all diligence supra 〈◊〉 custodiam there is the Cockatrices 〈◊〉 hatcht as the Prophet speaks and here is sin conceived as S. James speaks which when it is perfected by the act brings forth death The scope and end of the Lawgiver in this is twofold 1. To shew that he looketh further then his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Substitutes on earth can do and that his Law hath a 〈◊〉 above theirs for though mans Law may injicere vinculum may binde the hands and the feet it may put 〈◊〉 a stopple into the mouth and it may condemn the purpose of the heart quantum 〈◊〉 prehendere 〈◊〉 far as it can discover or take hold for if one be found cum telo with a weapon or breaking into a house though 〈◊〉 be hindered from the act of 〈◊〉 or robbery yet here is propositum prehensum the purpose discovered and taken hold on and therefore he is punished by mans Law but all humane Laws say and it is an axiome in the Civil Law Cogitationes paenam nemo patiatur for bare thoughts let no man suffer and so they let thoughts goe free But God takes order for the very thoughts though they do not appear by any overt act And therefore Simon Magus is brought to the bar for
THE PATTERN OF CATECHISTICAL DOCTRINE AT LARGE OR A Learned and Pious Exposition Of the Ten COMMANDMENTS With An INTRODUCTION Containing the Use and Benefit of Catechizing the generall Grounds of Religion and the truth of Christian Religion in particular proved against ATHEISTS PAGANS JEWS and TURKS By the Right Reverend Father in God LANCELOT ANDREWS late Bishop of WINCHESTER Perfected according to the Authors own Copy and thereby purged from many thousands of Errours Defects and Corruptions which were in a rude imperfect Draught formerly published as appears in the Preface to the Reader Ecclesiastes 12. 13. Fear God and keep his Commandments for this is the whole duty of Man 1. Corinth 7. 19. Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing but the keeping of the Commandments of God LONDON Imprinted by Roger Norton and are to be sold by George Badger at his Shop in S. Dunstans Church-yard in Fleet-street Anno Dom. 1650. THE CONTENTS The Exposition of the Introduction CHAP. I. Page 1 1. That Children are to be taught and instructed in Religion proved out of Heathen Philosophers out of the Law the Gospel 2. That this instruction ought to be by way of Catechism What Catechising is How it differs from Preaching Reasons for abridgements or sums of Religion Catechizing used in all ages before the flood after the flood under the Law under the Gospel after the Apostles in the Primitive Church Reasons for this custom of Catechising CHAP. II. Page 9 The duty of the catechized 1. To come and that 1. with a right intent 2. willingly 3. with preparation which must be 1. in fear 2. by prayer Other rules for coming 1. with 〈◊〉 2. with purity of heart 3. in faith 4. frequently The second duty to hear or hearken The necessity of hearing The manner 1. with reverence 2. with fervour of spirit 3. with silence 4. without gazing 5. hear to keep How the word must be kept in our hearts 1. by examination 2. by meditation 3. by Conference CHAP. III. Page 14 Of Religion in general and the foundations of it The four first steps 1 We must come to God as the only way to true happinesse No happinesse in riches proved by divers reasons Nor in Honour Nor in pleasure Nor in moral vertue Nor in contemplation General reasons against them all that felicity cannot be in any of them because they cannot satisfie 2 They are not perpetual but uncertain In God onely is true happinesse to be found CHAP. IIII. Page 19 2. The way to come to God is onely by faith not by natural reason alone as the Manichees held reasons against them The way by faith more certain The necessity of belief Rules for coming by faith CHAP. V. Page 22 3. That we must believe there is a God Misbelief in four things 1. Autotheisme 2. Polytheisme 3. Atheisme 4. Diabolisme The reasons of Atheists answered Religion upholds all states The original of Atheisme from 1. Discontent 2. sensuality CHAP. VI. Page 25 That there is a God proved 1. By reasons drawn out of the writings of the Heathens themselves 2. By the frame of the World Objections answered 3. By the beginning and progresse of arts c. 4. By the necessity of a first mover The beginning of things cannot be 1. By Chance nor 2. By Nature 5. By prophecies fulfilled 6. By the artificial framing the bodies of all Creatures 7. By the soul of man Reasons why so many Atheists Natural notions of a diety The Conscience 8. From the miserable ends of Atheists CHAP. VII Page 29 The fourth step That God hath a providence over man Reasons against divine providence answerd why God permitts evil general reasons for a providence particular reasons from all sorts of creatures That second causes work not nor produce their effects of themselves without God That Gods providence reacheth to particulars That God is to be sought and that he rewards them that seek him CHAP. VIII Page 34 The four religions in the world Of Paganisme reasons against the plurality of Gods That there can be but one God proved out of their own Philosophers that their religion was false How man came to be worshipped How beasts Of the Miracles and Oracles of the Gentiles CHAP. IX Page 37 Of Judaisme The positions of the Jews 1. That the Messias shall have an earthly kingdom at Jerusalem confuted 2. That Jesus is not the Messias The contrary proved by Jacobs prophecy Gen. 49. 11. By Daniels seventy two weeks Dan. 9. 25. By diverse other reasons 3. That the Messias is not yet come The contrary proved by sundry arguments CHAP. X. Page 41 Of Christian. This religion proved to be false by seven reasons CHAP. XI Page 42 Of Christian religion The truth thereof in general proved 1. By the antiquity of it out of the Heathen authors themselves 2. By the continuance and preservation of it 3. By the certainty 4 By the end it leads to viz. to God it gives all honour to him Deprives man of all Other reasons It restraines carnal liberty allowed by false Religions reaches to the heart It contains mysteries above mans capacity Teaches contempt of the world requires spiritual worship Confirmed by miracles beyond exception Prophecies CHAP. XII Page 48 Special reasons for the Christian Religion as differing from the Jewish It purgeth the soul shews that God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the testimony of the Apostles and Evangelists the knowledge of what they wrote their honesty the credit of the story testimony from Pagans the star at Christs birth the crosse sacred with the Egyptians the miracles at Christs death the Progresse of Christianity by weak means opposed by power and learning contrary to flesh and blood the excellency of the promises power in conversions the truth of Christs miracles the constancy of Martyrs the ends of the Apostles the Devils testimony against himself CHAP. XIII Page 52 Of the two chief parties that lay claim to Christian Religion Papists and Protestants Their difference about interpretation of Scriptures The Churches authority in expounding Scriptures An additional Observation out of the Authors other works Rules about the sense of the Scriptures Means for finding out the true sense other means controverted Addition about the Churches power in matters of Faith whether infallible Decrees of Councels Consent of Fathers The Pope not infallible CHAP. XIIII Page 58 Christian religion divided into the Law and the Gospel Additions about the use of the Law That the Law of Christ is part of the second Covenant c. The judgement of the Author out of his other books That the Gospel is lex Christi The Law handled first Reasons for this order What the Law teacheth and what the Gospel CHAP. XV. Page 62 In the Law four things 1. The work to be done The Decalogue the Pandects of moral Laws The Laws moral known before Moses written in mens hearts proved in particular In every Law there is evil to be avoided and good to be done
Docilitas Diligentia 2. About instruction Instruction helps the natural and infused light so doth prayer and reading the word c. The Scholars duties answerable to these The particular duties of a Teacher The duties of those that are to be taught The resultant duties of both CHAP. VII Page 365 Of honouring spiritual fathers in the Church The excellency and necessity of their calling Four sorts of ministers in the Church 1. The thief 2. The hireling 3. The wolfe 4. The good shepherd whose duties are 1. To be an example to his flock 1. In himself 2. In his family The peoples duty answerable to this 2. To use his talent for their good Rules for doctrine and conversation The peoples duty 1. To know their own shepherd 2. To obey and follow him 3. To give him double honour 1. Of reverence 2. of maintenance CHAP. VIII Page 373 Of fathers of our country Magistrates The duty of all towards their own country God the first magistrate Magistracy Gods ordinance Power of life and death given to kings by God not by the people Addition 31. That regal power is only from God proved out of the authors other writings The ends of Magistracy 1. To preserve true religion 2. To maintain outward peace Magistrates compared to shepherds in three respects The duties of the supream power viz of Kings and of inferiour officers The duties of subjects to their Prince CHAP. IX Page 383 Of fathers by excellency of gifts The honour due to them is not debitum justitiae as the former but debitum honettatis 1. Of those that excell in gifts of the minde The honour due to them 1. To acknowledge their gifts Not to envy or deny them Nor to extenuate them Nor undervalue them Nor tax them with want of other gifts The duty of the person gifted 2. To prefer such before others to choose them for their gifts Reasons against choice of ungifted persons The duty of the person chosen c. 2. Of excellency of the body by old age and the honour due to the aged 3. Of excellency by outward gifts as riches Nobility c. Reasons for honouring such How they must be honoured 4. Excellency by benefits conferred Benefactors are fathers Rules for conferring of benefits The duties of the receiver CHAP. X. page 391 That this law is spiritual The duties of Superiours and Inferiours must proceed from the heart Special means conducing to the keeping of this commandement Signes of the true keeping of it CHAP. XI page 396 The second part of this Commandement a promise of long life Reasons why this promise is annexed to this Commandement How this promise is made good Reasons why God sometimes shortens the dayes of the godly and prolongs the dayes of the wicked The Exposition of the sixth Commandement CHAP. I. page 400 Why this Commandement is placed in this order How it coheres with the rest Of unjust anger the first step to murther how it differs from other affections Of lawful anger Unlawful anger how prohibited The degrees and fruits of it The affirmative part of the precept to preserve the life of another The life of the body and the degrees of it The life of the soul and the sinnes against it The scope of this Commandement CHAP. II. page 404 Of murther in general The slaughter of beasts not prohibited but in two cases Of killing a mans self diverse reasons against it Of killing another many reasons to shew the greatnesse of this sinne The aggravations of this sinne from the person murthered CHAP. III. page 407 The restraint of this Commandement 1. That Kings and Princes may lawfully put malefactors to death That herein they are Gods ministers Three rules to be by them observed Their judgement must not be 1. Perversum nor 2. 〈◊〉 patum nor 3. Temerarium 2. That in some cases they may lawfully make war In a lawful war is required 1. Lawful authority 2. A just cause 3. A just end And 4. A right manner Addition 32. Of the causes of a just war Some other cases wherein a man may kill and not break this Commandement First for defence of his life against sudden assaults Inculpata tutela Secondly by chance and without his intention CHAP. IV. page 412 The extent of this Commandement Murther committed 1. Directly 2. Indirectly A man may be accessory to anothers death six wayes A man may be 〈◊〉 to his own death diverse wayes Of preserving life CHAP. V. page 414 Of the murther of the soul. Several sinnes against the life of the soul. How 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be accessory to the death of his soul. This sinne may be committed both by them 〈◊〉 have charge of souls and by private persons That this law is spiritual according to 〈◊〉 third rule CHAP. VI. page 417 The fourth rule of avoiding the Causes of the sins here sorbidden Of unjust anger and the fruits of it It consists of 1. Grief 2. Desire of Revenge The effects and fruits of it 1. Towards Superiours Envy The causes of envy the greatnesse of this sin 2. Towards Equals 3. Towards inferiours The suppuration or breaking out of anger against Superiours 1. By the eyes and face 2. By the tongue 1. by murmuring 2. tale-bearing 3. backbiting Against Equals by 1. dissention 2. brawling 3. railing The fruits of anger in Superiours 1. Threatning 2. Scornfulnesse The last fruit of anger viz. murther of the hand CHAP. VII page 421 Of the means against anger How to prevent it in others How in our selves Anger must be 1. Just in regard of the cause 2. Moderated for the measure 3. We must labour for gravity 4. For love without hypocrisie The vertues opposite to unjust anger 1. Innocency 2. Charity In the first there is 1. The Antidote against anger which consists in three things 2. The remedy in three more How charity prevents anger The fruit of charity Beneficence 1. To the dead by burying them 2. To the living And that first generally to all Secondly specially to the faithful Thirdly to the poor by works of mercy Fourthly to our enemies CHAP. VIII page 424 Rules for the eradication of unjust anger 1. To keep the passion from rising 4. Rules 2. After it is risen to suppresse it How to carry our selves towards those that are angry with us 1. To give place 2. To look up to God 3. To see the Devil in it Of the second thing in anger viz. Revenge Reasons against it If our anger have broken out Rules what we must do Of the act viz. requiring one injury with another Rules in going to law The sixth rule of causing others to keep this Commandement The Exposition of the seventh Commandement CHAP. I. page 428 The scope and order of this Commandement Of Marriage The institution and ends of it explicated out of Genesis 2. 22 23 24. Married persons are 1. to leave all others 2. to cleave to one another Rules for those that are to marry Duties of those that are married
Concerning that which Aristotle hath in his morals it must be acknowledged that he meant de 〈◊〉 non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod fieri debuit else he is to be called back to his de Rep. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. It is expedient for little children to be drawn from evil speeches and sights which may hinder their proceedings in vertue and it is his rule further that it is necessary to teach them assoon as may be all things that are good Lastly against the Orator standing at the bar and pleading for his fee to excuse a lewd young man his own serious 〈◊〉 are to be alledged Refrenanda 〈◊〉 est c. maxime haec aetas a libidinibus voluptatibus arcenda est This age meaning youth is most 〈◊〉 to be kept from lusts 〈◊〉 pleasures And in another place he is of a flat contrary opinion to his first Qui adolescentum 〈◊〉 ignosciputant 〈◊〉 falluntur propterea quod aetas illa non est impedimento 〈◊〉 studiis They are much 〈◊〉 that think way should be given to the licentiousnesse of young men because that age is no let or hinderance to good learning In the Scriptures there are two places that discover some to be of the same opinion 1. Pharaoh being requested by Moses that the Israelites might go with their children to worship the Lord makes a scoffe at the motion and saith Not so go ye now that are men as though religion pertained not to children 2. In the Gospel when children were brought to Christ to blesse them the disciples not onely forbade them but rebuked them that brought them as if Christ and children had nothing to do with each other For the first we see that Moses stands stiffely to his proposition and 〈◊〉 not accept of Pharaohs offer for the elder except the younger might go also For the second our Saviour opposeth his disciples and commandeth them not to hinder but to suffer and further their coming to him telling them that the kingdom of heaven belonged aswell to them as to elder people pronouncing those accursed that should keep them from him or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lay a stumbling block before them by ill example That instruction is most necessary for children may be proved out of the Law 1. The Law was not onely given in respect of those of riper years but to the younger sort and that to cleanse their wayes as the Prophet David speaks 2. The Jews observe that there is mencion made of children three times in the Decalogue and of these three places two of them are directly set down for 〈◊〉 children in duties of Religion as in the observation of the Sabbath and honouring Parents one in each Table 3. Again God in the same Law gave commandment to Parents to inform and 〈◊〉 their children why the Passeover and other religious ordinances were commanded Yea though children shall not ask of their Parents yet God layeth a charge upon them to see their children instructed in his Laws And whereas many hold it not material or to be regarded what children do and that they are not to be examined and censured for their childish acts though wanton and wicked the Holy Ghost confutes such people by the Wise man who saith 〈◊〉 semi is suis as some translation hath it even a childe is known by his doings whether his work be pure and whether it be right 2. And as God would have 〈◊〉 instructed in his Laws so if when they are taught 〈◊〉 admonished they refuse good counsel it will fall out that such as are evil affected and obstinate he means to destroy as in the case of Elies sons who hearkned not to the voice of their father because God would 〈◊〉 them and of the fourty two children of the city of Bethel who were devoured by Bears for mocking the Prophet Elisha Whereas on the other side God gives a blessing to such children as are willing to be instructed in his fear and the wayes or his commandments 3 To this the Hebrew proverb may be added There are to be seen in 〈◊〉 souls of all sizes that is death the reward of sin seizeth upon the young as well as upon the old and the young as the old shall be judged by their works I saw the dead saith saint John small and great stand before God and they were judged according to their works 4. Again from the gospel Exemplum dedi vobis I have given you an example saith our Saviour of whom the Divines rule is Omnis actio Christi 〈◊〉 nostra est Every action of Christ is for our instruction And he hath left an example and president for children in that at twelve yeers of age he was found in the Temple with the Doctors both hearing and asking them questions and so submitting himself to Catechizing 5. When the chief Priests and Scribes were sore displeased at the children that cryed Hosanna to our Saviour he approved of their song of praise and quoted a text for their justification out of the Psalms Out of the mouth of babes and 〈◊〉 hast thou perfected praise and upon that act of theirs one saith Non minus placet Hosanna puerorum quam Hallelujah virorum The Hosanna of children pleased Christ no lesse then the Hallelujah of men 6. In the gospel Christs charge to saint Peter was not to feed his sheep onely but his lambs also and his lambs in the first place because the increase of the flock depends chiefly upon the forwardnesse and thriving of the lambs for they being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and looked to lesse pains will be taken with them when they come to be sheep 7. When thou vowest a vow saith the Preacher defer not to to pay it All stipulations and solemn promises must be performed assoon as we can But in our Baptism we made a vow to learn the fear of God therefore we are to perform it in the prime of our youth and the rather because whereas by the direction of our Saviour the disciples were to teach and baptize yet in singular favour to the children of the faithful this priviledge is given that they first may be baptized and then taught 〈◊〉 saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because God hath set it in the second place do not thou set it in no place It should be first therefore as soon as may be Saint Augustin saith Quare 〈◊〉 Magister extrinsecus 〈◊〉 sit intus To what purpose is it to have an instructer or teacher outwardly if he be not within also And 〈◊〉 when we come to age there is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a casting off and rejecting of government but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a change of the governor Seeing then that children must have teachers and governors within them before they be freed from Tutors and governours without them it is necessary that we begin to teach them betimes
of Neconcupisces as that they thought Concupiscence no sinne and for the rest though they had some particular Laws respectively against the breach of some commandment as against adultery incest and the like yet they dispensed with them as persons time and place ministred occasion to them Which we may see in the story of a King of Persia who being desirous to marry his own sister and knowing that there was a Law against incest brake his minde to the Magi desiring their opinions they told him that though there were such a Law yet there was another that the King might do what he would Whereas our Religion is so far from dispensing either with that or other the Laws of God that the saints of God had rather suffer death then them to be broken as in the case of John Baptist who told King Herod Tibinon licet it is not lawfull for thee to have thy brothers wife though it cost him his head for saying so 4. Another argument to prove the truth of our Religion is that both it and the Scriptures by which we are guided go to the heart whereas other Religions pierce not the skinne These stop the streames theirs make the Lusts of the flesh but affections Adiaphora indifferent things to be avoyded or not ours by prohibiting Concupiscence stop the fountain of all sinnes 5. Again it is a necessary consequence that that which cannot come from man comes from God But there are some things in Scriptures which are truly Metaphysicall and exceed the capacity of man as that Jehovah Elohim is one God and three persons trinity in vnity that God should become man that God should take upon him to be the redeemer of Mankind and that by his stripes and suffering punishment man should be healed that God should create a world and out of that gather a Church to himself These things and more cannot be comprehended by man and are not to be conceived but onely by our Religion 6. Not to conceale the faults of a mans parents or friends or to speake against a mans own countrey stock kinred or his own self is a thing altogether unnatural and cannot come into any but by a supernatural power But we see that Moses when no necessity compelled him spared 〈◊〉 ot his own stock but spake against his brother Aaron for making the Golden Calfe nor his sister Miriam in the case of murmuring no nor his own selfe at the waters of strife and committed the same to writing that Posterity should take notice of these things Yea and dispossessed his own children from succeeding him in the Magistracy constituting Josuah in their stead these acts cannot agree with the natural man but must needs proceed from a higher cause therefore the writers of these Scriptures must of necessity be inspired by God himself 7. Whereas the whole scope of Philosophers and of the Law makers among the Heathen was to teach how Princes might enlarge their territories and taught it as a point of wisdom to win by all means the favour of princes and great men this Religion teacheth contempt of life the world and worldly honours in respect of God and such was the practize of the prophets who were so far from seeking the favour of Princes that they reproved them to their faces when Gods cause was in hand Therefore this Religion is spiritual and proceeds not from man 8. Again we know that as God is a spirit so must his worship be spiritual and this is the scope of the Scriptures that God be honored without Images or shadows And though in the vnity of God that there is but one God to be worshipped false Religion may agree with the true yet in this point it doth not their Religion and the worship thereof being onely corporeal not spiritual For though in the Old Testament there be many Ceremonial worships prescribed yet God disclaimeth them all yea he abhorreth them if they be performed without the inward worship and sets down the way of worship wherein he most delighteth namely in a broken and contrite heart and spirit Therefore as man is bodily and his motions fall within the compasse of the Body so is that worship which comes from him bodily whereas Gods worship is spiritual and not corporal onely 9. To these may be added by us that we had Miracles and Oracles to confirme our Religion as they did to strengthen theirs And those beyond theirs in divers respects 1. The Miracles mentioned in Scriptures were not done in a corner but openly as were they which were done by Moses upon Pharaoh in the sight of his servants 2. They were notfrivolous or vain but profitable and beneficial 3 They were not imitable nor 〈◊〉 by Magique or mans art for what Magician can divide the Sea or cause the Sun to stand as in Josuahs time or make the Suns shadow goe back as in the diall of Ahas or to rain Manna as in the wildernesse Jannes and Jambres are not able to stand against Moses 2. And for our Oracles they were not as the Oracles of the Gentiles that spake placentia pleasing things or as they themselves say did speak such things as their Kings would have them speake nor are they ambiguous or doubtfull such as theirs that needed Delium interpretem some Apollo to explain them and in that respect as Porphyrius testifies of them they ever had their Postica back-doors evasions to help them But ours are void of flattery and are certain some of them being fullfilled 500. some 1000. years some 3000. years after they were uttered as the enlarging of Japhets tents which hapned not till the calling of the Gentiles and the like So much to prove the truth of both Testaments as our religion agrees with that of the Jews Now follow some reasons proper to the confirmation of the truth of Christian Religion CHAP 12. Special reasons for the Christian Religion as diff ring from the Jewish It purgeth the soul shews that God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The testimony of the Apostles and 〈◊〉 the knowledge of what they wrote their Honesty The credit of the story Testimony from Pagans The star at Christs birth The crosse sacred with the Egyptians The miracles at Christs death The progresse of Christianity by weake means opposed by power and learning contrary to flesh and blood the excellency of the promises power in conversions The truth of Christs Miracles The constancy of Martyrs The ends of the apostles The Divels testimony against himself Saint Augustine out of 〈◊〉 de regressu animae one of the greatest enemies that ever the Church of God had saith that there is no true Religion that confesseth not that the soul of man 〈◊〉 to be purged and addeth that the Platonists received from the Caldeans that the soul of man non potuit perfici 〈◊〉 per principia and we know that Platos principles were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Father the minde and love which
thing required in every law and so in this is the manner how it must be done which by learned men is much dilated We will reduce them all to three things We are to do it 1. Toti 2. Totum 3. Toto tempore or Semper 1. Toti as Jacob said to Rachel you know that with all my power I have served your father and no doubt but he would yeeld as much service to God as he did to Man 2. Totum with our whole souls and bodies we must endeavour to keep the whole Law not as Naaman did keep it by halfes but as Noah who did all that the Lord commanded him about the Ark. 3. Toto tempore not for a time onely but all the dayes of our life Noah was 〈◊〉 tempore justus righteous all his life and Abraham was juvenis senex idem the same man in his age that he was in his youth Now for the Reward or Punishment which are the two other things required in a law it stands thus That if a man break one part of the law the commanding part it is impossible that he should escape the other part the sanction which bindes over to punishment Therefore God hath taken order that though men can over-reach the law in one part that is in contemning it yet on the other part punishment shall over-reach them So saith S. Augustine Aut faciendum aut patiendum quod debemus we must either do what we should or suffer what is due And this was known before the giving of the law That God was righteous and the people wicked It was the confession of a wicked Egyptian King And both reward and punishment were set before Cain If thou do well shalt thou not be accepted And if thou doest not well sin lyeth at the door Like a savage Bear or Mastiffe-dog or a Blood-hound So long as thou keepest within doors that is as the Fathers expound it as long as thou livest thou mayest happily escape punishment for thy sin but whensoever thou goest out of the doors out of this life then vae tibi he will flye upon thee then this Blood-hound will never lose the sent till he have brought thee to perdition and destruction More directly for the Reward it s to them that doe well 1. For temporal benefits in this life Because Joseph feared God the Lord made all things prosper under his hand 2. And secondly for eternal benefits felicity after this life Enoch was 〈◊〉 to everlasting life because he walked with God For punishment t is to them that do evil First temporal punishment in this life as we see in the case of Adam Eve Cain and Josephs brethren but especially in Pharaoh which made him cry out as we heard before Justus est Dominus c. The Lord is righteous and I and my people are wicked It was his sin drew those temporal plagues upon him 2. And secondly eternal punishment in the life to come So we read of the Spirits in prison for being disobedient in the dayes of Noah who preached repentance to them so that they were condemned for transgressing the law of God preached by Noah CHAP. XVI That the moral Law of God written by Moses was known to the Heathen 1. The act or work was known to them as it is proved in every precept of the 〈◊〉 yet their light more dimme in the 1. 2. 4. 10. S. Pauls three rules of Pie sobrie juste known to them 2. They knew the manner of performance Toti Totum Semper 3. They knew the rewards and punishments AND thus we see that Gods written Law which is Natures Law hath all those conditions that any Law should have For this Law which was before Moses was nothing else but Moses's Law in the hearts of men as if a man would get a thing by heart that is not written For what Laws then they had from GOD they kept in their hearts by tradition But now peradventure they will say that these Laws and the four Rules appear onely in the Scripture and were observed by the Jewes and those mentioned in the Scripture onely but other Heathen took no notice of them nor used them by the light of Nature and therefore think themselves not bound to them but are at liberty to use or not use them To this we say that by the writings of the Heathen themselves it appears that they had these rules written in their hearts and received many of them the son from the fathers ascending even to Noahs sons Sem Ham and Japhet though in some of the Commandements it may not seem so plain as in the rest for in every Commandement they introduced some corruptions of their own heads and declined diversly from Gods Law First for six of the Commandements it is manifest as the 3. 5. 6. 7. 8 9. the more obscure are the 1. 2. 4. 10. 3. For the third Commandement It was a law among the Egyptians Perjuri poena capitali plectentur let the perjured be punished with death as Diodorus Siculus reporteth And it was the law of Rome in the 12 Tables 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 swear not rashly And Sophocles saith that when an oath is taken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the soul will be more cautions to sin against God and to injure man 5. For the fifth Homer saith of one that had a misfortune that it came quia parentes non honoravit because he honoured not his parents 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he would not render the duty of a childe to his father therefore his dayes were not prolonged and another saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 live well and nourish thy parents in their age And Menander saith that he which honoured his parents shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 live long and happily And for superiours Charondas said in his laws 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the neglect of our aged parents is extremity of wrong 6. For the sixth there is no question every Nation held it as a Canon of their Law Homicida quod fecit expectet Let a murtherer expect losse of life as he deprived another of it and therefore they all punished murtherers with losse of life 7. For the seventh it was the saying of Licurgus Fuge nomen Moechi si mortem fugies Avoid adultery so shalt thou avoid untimely death and Stephanus out of Nicostratus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that will live in this city and not dye let him abhor adultery And Menander censureth adultery as a sin disgraceful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because the price of it is death 8. For the eighth Demosthenes against Timocrates alledgeth plainly the Lacedemonian law in the very words of this Law Thou shalt not steal And He siods precent enjoyneth men not to possesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stolne goods but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 given by Gods providence 9. For the ninth it was one
last act of benefit bring the handfull of Israelites from the power of Pharaoh and indeed who is able or hath resisted his power Concerning the first the omniscience of God S. Augustine saith If the candle burn he seeth thee if the candle be out he seeth thee he seeth all thoughts both present and past and thy thoughts to come therefore it is justly said that the Law is spiritual Now for the thought we may observe therein these several steps and degrees 1. Cogitatio ascendens the suggestion arising from some former voluntary act or neglect 2. Inclinatio voluntatis the entertainment of the suggestion 3. Mora the delay in the thought A desire to stay upon it longer 4. Voluptas ex cogitatione a good liking of this guest 5. Cupido actionis a longing to taste the conceived pleasure in outward act 6. Consensus cordis purpose to practise and put it in execution 7. Deliberatio perficiendi the choyce of some means to bring it to passe And though mans law cannot take hold of all these yet Gods Law doth 4. The fourth Rule of extension is that which mans Law hath prescribed Cum quid prohibetur prohibentur omnia per quae pervenitur ad illud e contra when any thing is prohibited all things likewise are forbidden that are the means to it and so on the contrary The Jews say Ambulandum est in praeceptis per viam regiam we must walk in the commandments not by a by-path but in the rode in the Kings high way The reason is The goodnesse of a way or motion dependeth on the end so that if these or these means bring to an evil end they are evil and consequently not to be used in good things neither are we to seek God by them We must not so much as stand in the way of sinners So if a thing be good the omission as also the means be evil Bonae legis est non solum tollere vitia sed et occasiones vitiorum it is the property of a good law not onely to take away sin it self but the occasions also of sin 5. The fifth Rule is Cum quid prohibetur vel jubetur prohibentur vel jubentur omnia quae consequuntur ex illo when any thing is prohibited or commanded the consequents that follow thereupon and the symptomes of them are also forbidden or enjoyned As in the case of Pride the holy Ghost condemns the symptomes of it a proud look and a high stomach And the prophet condemneth walking with stretched forth necks and mincing gates And the Apostles S. Paul and S. Peter frizling and platting of the hair and vain apparel And God himself threatens to punish such as should be clothed with strange apparel because all these are not the signes of modesty and decency but Consequents of pride God will have the signe go with the thing signified 6. The sixth Rule is That we must not be accessory to the sins of others but seek to hinder sin in others and to draw others to the observing of the commandment as well as to keep it our selves S. Paul speaks of some and reproves them that consent with them that do things worthy of death For accessorium sequitur naturam principalis agentes consentientes pari poena plectantur both principal and accessory were to be punished alike and the reason is because the law is not onely to be observed but preserved we must not only be observers of it but take care too that it be kept by others Sic luceat lux vestra saith our Saviour let your light so shine before men that they seeing your good works may glorifie your Father which is in Heaven God will have glory from us not for us from others by us We must have a care that God may be glorified both in our selves and others so that we must not be accessory to any thing whereby God may be dishonoured and we be made guilty of other mens sins and so they become ours Now there are seven waves whereby we become accessory and partakers of other mens sins The first two concern Magistrates and all other Superiours the other five all men alike The first is in Magistrates and Superiours Jubendo by commanding if as the Prophet saith they decree unrighteous decrees and command any thing that is unlawful by way of law As Nebuchadnez that enacted a law for Idolatry that the people at the sound of a Trumpet should fall down and worship his Golden Image This lyeth 〈◊〉 upon the Magistrate for commanding it and he is accessory to Idolatry if the people commit it So Saul was guilty of killing the Priests hough Doeg slew them becau se it was his command So though Ananias rose not out of his seat to strike S. Paul yet because he was stricken at his commandment the blow reached unto him and S. Paul called him a painted wall for it and denounceth Gods judgement against him for it David did not in person put Vriah in the forefront of the battel but Joab yet because he wrote to Joab so to do the murther of Vriah was laid to David by the Prophet Nathan Jezebel was far off when Naboth was stoned but because she wrote to the Elders of Israel to proclaim a fast and to set Naboth on high among the people and to set wicked men to witnesse salfly against him and to put him to death she was made guilty of his death The second is Permitten to by toleration and is the other way whereof the Magistrate or Superiour may be guilty by Permission or Connivence at anothers sin As when a man is in authority though he command not an evil thing yet because he hath power to restrain men from committing evil and doth it not he shall be in fault If the people of the land do any wayes hide their eyes from the man when he giveth his seed unto Molech and kill him not Then will I set my face against that man and against his family and will cut him off That is if the people in whom it lay to execute punishment for it neglected and suffered the Malefactor to live the fault should be theirs as well as his S. Augustine saith that the Magistrate hath the Sword committed into his hands Vt mali si non dimittant voluntatem amittant facultatem peccandi that wick d men should be disabled of their power if not of their will to sinne S. Paul describing a Civil Magistrate saith that he bears not the Sword in vain and tells the end wherefore he bears it as a Revenger to execute the wrath of God upon him that doth evil And the same Apostle to set down a rule for the Ecclesiasticall Magistrate inveigheth against those of Corinth for not excuting an Ecclesiastical Censure upon an open Offendor but suffered him to continue in the Church And this rule extends also
old and the new a Diliges thou shalt love But that which is beyond all these and imposeth a necessity upon us to observe it is that whereasnone of the other vertues are mutual or reciprocal nor indeed are properly said to be in God at all as faith hope c. this is here is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if he reprove us we must not reprove him if he promise and threaten we cannot promise or threaten again but if God love us we must love him again S. Gregory saith Magnum est vinculum charitatis quo ipse Deus se ligari voluit the bond of love is great with which even God himself was content to be bound And S. Bernard saith of it that solus triumphat de Deo it onely triumphs over God and addes Nescis quid majus dici debeat in laudem tuam O charitas deduxit Deum de Coelo hominem invexit in Coelum hominem Deo reconciliasti Deum homini placasti thou knowest not O love what may be more said in thy praise it brought God from heaven and carried man thither thou didst reconcile man to God and pacifiedst God with man And therefore as on the one side we are to consider how willing God is that his affection should grow in us so are we to weigh what God on his part hath done to stir us up to it The heathen could say magnes amoris amor the Loadstone of love is love nothing is more effectual to attract love then love And in that God hath not failed on his part S. Bernard expresseth to the full in these six points Quod prior dilexit nos tantus tantillos tales tantum gratis that he loved us first being so great we so little such kinde of creatures so much and without any respect to himself 1. Prior. S. John proves this point Herein is love not that we loved him but that he loved us It was not our love first to him that caused him to send his Son to be a propitiation for our sins but his first to us S. Augustine saith Nulla major est ad amorem 〈◊〉 quam praevenire amando nimis durus est animus qui se 〈◊〉 nolebat impendere nolit rependere there is no greater alluring to love then to anticipate by loving and that heart is too hard which will not requite though not love first 2. Tantus Of Gods tantus we may rest our selves upon S. Augustine and go no further Tantus ut non liceat conari exprimere quantus so great that it is not lawful to endeavour to expresse his greatnesse it transcends all the learning and witt of man to expresse his greatnesse and yet he condiscends so low as to love us 3. Tantillos Worms and no men This we see in Job and in the Prophet David and being but worms he loved us Nay further as the Apostle speaks cum nondum essemus being not yet born we cannot be lesse then not to be at all and yet even then he loved us when we were not 4. Tales when we had estranged cur selves from him and served his enemies then he loved us nay when we were our selves his enemies 5. Tantum Saint Chrysostame upon that of Saint John God so loved the world In comparison of Gods love with others all adverbs may be left out no sicut to this sic The Apostle may well call it great love He spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all This for Gods tantum 2. God the Son hath his tantum too For our sakes he left heaven the Society of God the Father Angels and Saints and endured upon earth 1. Infamy 2. Poverty 3. Sicknes 4. Enmity 5. death The Philosophers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 five fearefull things 1. He had ignominy and reproch and that not onely while he lived as the Pharisees slandered him to deale in sorcery to cast out Devils in the Devils name but when he was dead too The same Pharisees told Pilate that he was an impostor and deceiver He was despised saith the Prophet 2. For the want of necessaries you may take his own word that he was in worse case then souls and beasts Foxes have holes and birds of the aire have nests but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head 3. For his infirmities The Prophet Esay describes them at large long before his suffering them He was wounded for us and by his stripes we are healed c. 4. He was hated above all others as we may read in the whole story of his life Though he did much good and many miracles among them yet they so persecuted him that ost times they were ready to stone him and never left him till they brought him to the last part of the five which he suffered upon earth 5. And that was death This also he suffered for love of us And greater love then this hath no man then to lay down his life for his friend yet Christ suffered a shameful death for us that hated him and were his enemies and as the Apostle saith hereby if all other signes of his love move us not perceive we his love because he laid down his life for us And in this particular is that in the Canticles confirmed love is as strong as death such love is perfect love 3. The holy Ghost is not without his Tantum For after the Passion of our Saviour when Christ was ascended he vouchsafed to come and dwell among us and among other his graces to shed his love abroad in our hearts and to make his residence with us to the worlds end And here we may judge between God and our selves God may refer it to us whether he hath left any thing undone that he might have done to testifie his love to us 6. Gratis he loved us without expectancy of any reward from us we have nothing that can better him nothing at all Our goods or ought else are nothing to him The Prophet demands what reward shall I give unto the Lord nothing but love for love Saint Bernard upon that Psalm is of the same opinion non est melius nec decentius quam per dilectionem rependere quodper dilectionem datum est there is no better or more decent thing then to repay that which is given lovingly by love For as S. Augustine saith Quid est home quod amaxi vis ab 〈◊〉 et si non amet te minavis ingentem poenam Annon panasatis magna est non amare te what is man that thou desirest to be loved by him and that thou shouldest threaten to punish ' him for not loving thee Is it not punishment enough not to love thee There needs no punishment to sorce us to love our meat and drink and other natural things and yet we see that to bring us to the love of that which is supernatural we
Christ though he professed to love Christ. 4 The next signe is a care and anxiety to recover it when we have lost it not to give sleep to our eyes nor slumber to our eye-lids nor the temples of our heads to take any rest until we be in statu quo so did the spouse in the Canticles the like care is in worldly men to obtain what they love as in Balaam Numbers 23. who loved the wages of unrighteousnesse though God bid him not go and himself said verse 19. that God is not as man that he should repent yet he would go and try again whether God would let him curse Israel so careful was he to get a reward 5. Again when a man resolves though all the world forsake God yet he will adhere to him his liking is constant goeth not with other mens The Psalmist saith and complaineth that men forsake Gods law but what followeth Therefore I love thy commandments above gold and silver whatsoever other men esteemed of it yet his love was constant and firm 6. If we can love him cum cruce If our love be true water cannot quench it True love will abide tryal the fire cannot consume it It is not like false love of which the Heathen man said Falsus amor inde fugit unde probatur false love flyes from tryal But the other will endure the losse of all Love suffereth long saith the Apostle even to death And as our Saviour saith Greater love then this hath no man And now a little for the sixth rule as in the former As we must love God our selves so must we also be desirous to draw others to this love and in this there is a difference between amor mercenarius and gratuitus for in the first a man is loth that another should love that he loveth lest he be restrained in his liberty of enjoying and hence proceeds jealousie but in the other we wish not our own good onely but the good of him we love In the one quo quis vult bonum suum whereby a man seeks his own good the fewer that partake the better he thinks it is but in the other quo quis vult bonum alterius whereby he seeks the good of another the more that partake the better it is for Deus omnibus communis cuique totus God who is common to all is wholly possessed of every one Therefore the Prophet was of this minde and was desirous to draw all to the love of God and on the other side his zeal was so great that he hated all them that hated God and that with a perfect hatred and in another place who will rise with me against the wicked or who will take my part against the evil doers This argued the perfection of his love to God as he would rise against them himself so he laboured that others would joyn with him CHAP. XIII The proper effects of love 1. Obedience 2. Patience How obedience arises from the love of God It brings glory to God two wayes Is better then sacrifice in four respects Reasons why we should obaudire Deo There be three speakers 1. God who speaks 1. by his word 2. by his works 2. The world 3. Our selves These do obloqui gainsay what God sayes The measure and quality of Obedience Of Disobedience that it is a great sin The degrees of it 1. Neglect 2. Contempt Motives to obedience Signes of obedience Of Obedience THe two principal signes and proper effects of love are as we said before Obedience and Patience There is a saying of S. Gregory Probatio dilectionis exhibitio operis we shew our love by its work and it is a true signe indeed of love when it is operative when it worketh For the will being enflamed with love and having predominance over all the powers and parts of body and minde necessary it is that wheresoever desire taketh hold in the will it must elicere motum produce some action As if a man be given to love wine his love kindleth a desire in him to have it and desire doth elicere motum that he may work and earn so much money as will obtain it So is it in love Our Saviour saith if you love me keep my commandments And S. John saith that if a man obey not he is so far from the love that he hath not the knowledge of God if S. Peter love Christ he must feed his sheep We must know that where the parties are equal between whom love and mutual affection is there love is called amicitia but where one party is superiour then they are not properly called friends but this love in the inferiour is called observantia the natural act whereof is obedience for though a Prince will in speech or writing vouchsafe to call his inferiours friends yet are they but subjects And so though our Saviour was pleased to stile his Disciples and Apostles friends yea and by neerest names of consanguinity brethren c. yet S. Paul and the other Apostles presumed not upon these titles but acknowledged this observantia and in the beginning of their epistles and writings stiled themselves servants of Jesus Christ. And S. Paul shewing that this is infallible saith Know ye not to whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his servants ye are whom ye obey In the first petition of the Lords prayer we desire that Gods name may be glorified God being a King and bearing rule over us how can this kingdome and rule be established better then by fulfulfilling his commands and obeying him as the Angels do in heaven For in regard of the glory which God hath by our obedience Gods name is hallowed or glorified And therefore from the beginning in Paradise God commanded obedience to Adam in that estate that he should not eat of the tree of knowledge that in obedience to that precept his glory might be shewed Now by our obedience we bring glory to God two wayes 1. Directly by our selves as Psalm 50. 15. Call upon me in the time of trouble I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me 2. When we give occasion to stir up others to glorifie him therefore God is not content with the former but saith further Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your Father which is in heaven Matthew 5. 16. Thus God is glorified by our saith whereupon follows our first justification before God but then there must be a second justification also viz. before men and the world by our good works whereby God is glorified by others and so God will have glory of us both immediately by our selves and mediately by others Saint Augustine saith that nothing makes men good or evil but good or evill love and that Amor male inslammans timor male humilians that love which inflames but not aright and that fear which humbles but not aright are the
God and marvellous carefull in examining all circumstances when they exhort to any thing that agrees not with our worldly interests lest haply we should be seduced but in hearing the world and our own hearts where most peril is we are most secure and carelesse Hence it is that we yeeld partial obedience to God onely in what we like or in what crosses not our carnal ends and desires which Bernard calls deliratam obedientiam a nice obedience To sit an hour and heare a sermon and receive the sacrament and such outward performances we see no harm in them but in those things which the world or our own hearts do obloqui speak against we are ready to yeeld and hearken to them and to say with Cushai though he had been David servant and subject before yet now whomsoever this people shall choose his will I be and him will I serve we will hearken to God for a time but so as we will follow the world and our desires when they contradict what God requires this we must specially take heed of we must so obey God as to gainsay his gainsayers our obedience must be sincere without mixture we cannot serve God and Mammon The last thing commanded is the measure and quality of this obedience It must be ready and willing a Saint Bernard saith though contra voluntatem yet ex voluntate cheerefully Saint Paul commends the Romanes that they obeyed from the heart and therefore Saint Gregory saith Obedientia non servili metu sed charitatis affecta servanda est non timore poenae sed amore dei obedience is to be performed not with servile feare but the affection of love not for feare of punishment but for the love of God for there is Obedientia coacta a constrained obedience The people were content to be obedient yet grumbled at the Burden of the Lord. But what saith God For this obedience he would forsake them he would punish them and the Burden of the Lord should be no more in their mouthes for Amor erubescit nomine difficultatis love blushes at the name of difficulty And Saint Bernard saith in Gods case non attendit verus obediens quale sit quod praecipieur hoe solo contentus quia praecipitur A true obedient man regards not what kinde of thing is commanded being content with this onely that it is commanded The disciples upon Christs preaching upon the Sacrament said Durus est hic sermo this is a hard saying There is an obedience in the Devils they came out of the possessed but with great reluctancy and grudging So they that obey not cheerefully shew what that kinde of obedience is like That which is durus sermo to others and a burden the Psalmist counted sweeter then the honey combe Psalm 119. Now Gods ayme and scope in this point is that we performe our obedience to his commands though they be hard it must not be like that of Sauls we must not spare it in the great and performe it in the least if we do our sacrifice will not be accepted for he spared the best and fattest of the cattell and offered the worst in sacrifice The thing forbidden as opposite to obedience is disobedience the nature of which sinne we may conceive if we consider what it is compared to and behold it in the effects which it produces 1. It is compared to the sinne of witchcraft or the sinne of divination as it is in the Hebrew and to the abomination of the Teraphim as it is in the Hebrew or iniquity and idolatrie as we read it 1. To witchcraft or the sinne of divination because as men forsake God when they seek to witches and diviners so men renounce God by disobedience and hearken to Sathans instruments the world and their own corrupt hearts and likewise as witches do not alwayes give true and certain answers but often deceive those that trust to them so disobedience to God deceives men in their hopes of worldly things which they think to gain by not hearkening to God as in this example of Saul he disobeyed God out of feare of the people lest they should have deprived him of his kingdom which he thought to establish by pleasing the people when as his disobedience like a witch deceived him for thereby he lost his kingdom because thou hast cast away the word of the Lord therefore the Lord hath cast off thee from being king saith Samuel 2. To the abomination of the Teraphim which were images or idols like the dii Penates the houshold Gods of the Romans These they set up in the secret corners of their houses and worshipped in private though in the temple they pretended to worship none but God so men prosesse Obedience to God in the Church in the sight of men but in their domestick and worldly affaires they obey mammon and follow their own hearts disobeying God 2. Consider it in the effects which are all the curses of God denounced against the disobedient His curse whose maledicere is malefacere as his benedicere is benefacere for his curse and his blessing are effectuall and operative is due especially to the sinne of disobedience for it is a thing most reprochful to God for any to account his commandments hard and unjust as all disobedient persons do as the evil servant that said of his Master I knew thou wast a hard man reaping where thou sowest not A signe of Gods curse is the Rainbow which not onely minds us of the covenant but also of the general deluge whereby God punished the disobedience of the old world but especially death that passeth upon all is properly ascribed by the Apostle to this sinne of disobedience And as Saint Bernard observes our daily experience tells us as much for Quotidie experimur quotidie enim morimur we finde it true every day because we die daily Besides as God observes a proportion in his punishments so here in this sinne by that wherein we sinne by that we are punished for as we withdraw our obedience from God so the creatures withdraw their obedience from us neither are we punished onely by disobedience without us for this sinne but also by disobedience with in us the two Laws of the members and of the minde are opposite our affections will not be subject to reason because we disobey our Creator Thus we see the nature of disobedience in general Now for the kinds in particular we know that disobedience is compared to a path in which we are to walk not turning to the right hand or to the left so that there is a right hand way and a way to the left hand The heart of a wiseman is on his right hand but the heart of a fool is on his left hand From which places the Fathers make two kindes of disobedience by turning to the right hand and to the left which they expound thus 1. There is Probabilis
before him and arresteth with these his Serieants but are no whit amended Such are usually compared to Simon the Cyrenian who was violently laid hold on and forced to carry the crosle but are not crucified on it themselves a crosse they beare but profit not And the reason is because they ascribe it to other causes besides God inflicting and their sins deserving Divines call this coecum termentum or coecum dolorem a blinde grief a grief they have on the sudden but are not able to say for this or this cause is it come upon me they ascribe it humori naturae not rori gratiae and like purblinde men they cannot looke up to the hand that strikes them and so consequently they get them terrenas consolatiunculas earthly petty comforts as Saint Bernard pleasure and friends and so drive it away and if it comes from without then many times they do insurgere in instrumentum et omittere percussorem rise against the weapon and leave the striker which comes by not observing the two concurrents viz. God and his instrument and that the affliction is just with God though unjust in the instrument as the calamities of Job were just in God cui nil nisi justum placet who delights in nothing but what 's just and our Saviour saith Math 5. 11. we shall be blessed by God when we are injured by men the not distinguishing of these two breeds desire of revenge King David could distinguish better In the case of Savl and Doeg the instruments O Lord my God if I have done any such thing c. He ascribed it to God and yet knew he was wronged by them and in the case of Shimei he conceived that he was but Gods instrument to afflict and punish him 2. When we look not high enough that is the first the second is when we conceive not aright of the end for tribulation is of tribulus a bramble and Saint Augustine saith Ideo mittitur aut ut detineat aut ut revocet it is sent therefore either to restrain or to call back And Intelligat bomo Deum esse medicum et tribulationem medicamentum esse ad salutem non poenam ad damnationem Man should know that God is a physitian and tribulation a medicine for health not a punishment to condemne And Saint Gregory Adversitas quae bonis viris obiicitur probatio virtutis est non indicium reprobationis Tribulation that comes upon good men is a trial of their goodnes not a token of reprobation When men then mistake Gods aime in the end they fall into a numnes of soul. 2. The second extreame of Patience is the fainting under Gods correction The cause most commonly comes when men cannot distinguish between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 between being shaken and cast down but imagine that God afflicts them in wrath and aymes at their destruction whereas the Apostle could say we are troubl d on every side yet not distressed we are perplexed but not in despair And when a man cannot distinguish between these then a heavines seizeth on him that begetteth death The Psalmist maketh a dialogue between his soul and himself Why art thou so cast down O my soul but then comes in the other part put thy trust in God for the help of his countenance When men begin to be perplexed then either they feel their courage die the spirit is cast down and A wounded spirit cannot be born the spirit of a man will beare other infirmities and crosses and so the heathen have shewed great patience but when the spirit or conscience it self is wounded who can beare it Or else they fall a murmuring against Gods justice and say with Cain Their punishment is greater then they can bear or have deserved and so mistaking Gods Justice fall away by despair and not considering Gods mercy they come to be of Sauls minde If God will neither answer him by Prophets dreames nor voice he will go to the witch and if this succeeds not then he takes another course and so falls into the other extreame and lies flat on the ground with a brutish kinde of patience And all this is by misconstruing Gods justice or mercy that because he correcteth as a father he will condemne us as a Judge The general means to get Patience are these 1. It is truly said by Saint Jerome that quot sunt causae as many causes as God hath ad 〈◊〉 to punish there are so many for us ad patiendum to suffer with patience There are many examples of patience among the Heathen as of Scaevola Rutilius Regulus c. these had a shew of patience and their reason was Sis asinus quemcnnque asinum sors prospera fecit But there ought to be in Christians a more heroique courage seeing they know the causes from whence affliction comes and whereto it tends as was shewed before 2. They say that it is Tenuis patientia quicquid corrigere est nefas a small patience when a man cannot help it then to beare since we cannot help it were bestt o make a vertue of necessity It is hard to kick against the pricks A necessity being laid upon us let us do it willingly and so it will become a commendable vertue and let us not be like them that have no hope 3. The third is that which the heathen man confessed Quantum mercator pro lucro quantum venator pro ludo tantum ego non passus sum provirtute I have not suffered so much for vertue as the merchant for gain or the hunter for sport this he spake out of ambition that he had not suffered so much for his honour But let us adde Quantum ethnicus pro ambitione tantum ego non passus sum pro Christo meo I have not endured so much for my Christ as the Heathen for his ambition On the other side considering as we are Christians and afflicted either ad correctionem or ad probationem for our amendment or tryal these should be to make us patient of which two let us spake more particularly 1. In respect that afflictions come upon us justly for our sinnes The lesse dishonest thief could blame his fellow for murmuring and his reason was seeing we suffer justly all we suffer is justly deserved yea lesse then we deserve 2. The Psalmist saith that God in faithfullnesse had afflicted him That as the punishment is just in the first place so if we are afflicted we should ascribe it to God of very faithfulnesse Though he visit our offences with rods or our sinnes with scourges yet his mercy shall not utterly be taken from us nor his truth fail This affliction being sent in mercy either to retain us or to recall us either for prevention or for cure and we apprehending it so is a speciall means to procure patience in us For being strengthened by his promise we shall make
may be made manifest among you He that said Fiat lux let there be light and it was made could have as easily said Sit veritas let there be truth let there be plenty of truth and it should have been so but he hath given the reason why he suffereth errour that they may be tryed that seek after the truth Another reason of this is that forasmuch as God hath magnified his word and truth above all things and that it is the chiefest thing and that he maketh most account of he would therefore have it diligently to be sought by us that we should shew our conformity to him in the estimation of it and magnifie it above all things For the necessity of it much need not be spoken it hath been partly handled already but because truth and true religion is a way as S. Peter calls it and that way must bring us to the right end then it follows that of necessity we are to finde it The spirit of truth is to guide us and therefore it is requisite we finde him If we finde it not we cannot come to our end Eunti in via aliquis trit terminus but error immensus est if a man keep the way he shall at length come to an end of his journey but errour hath no end therefore the way must be found The thing commanded is Religion and true Religion veri nominis Religio which our Saviour under the name of the kingdom of heaven compareth to a pearl and him that sought after it to Merchant that seeking after many found one pearl of inestimable price and value and when he had found it sold all that he had and bought it In which we may consider his desire which is branched out into three acts 1. Quaesivit 2. Invenit 3. Emit He sought found and bought 1. In regard of the manifold errours and falshoods in the world Investigation is most necessary that is an earnest study and applying of the minde to finde out truth among many errours contrary to the custome of this age where no man desires to seek but in that Religion wherein a man is born in that he will grow up and in that he will dye and imagine that he hath found the pearl without seeking and so when our studies ripen we onely stick to some mens institutions Moses seemeth to be of another minde and not onely exhorteth but commandeth the Israelites to enquire into all antiquities and in all parts and ends of the world whether there were any Religion so true as theirs No man then ought to suppose he hath found the truth before he hath sought it and a promise there is of finding if we seek The promise of the calling of the Gentiles that God would be found of them that sought him not is no rule for us in this case but as we must enquire so we must examine all truths There are many counterfeit pearls a man must be able to distinguish before he sell all to buy a pearl Hereditary Religion Religion upon offence taken Religion upon a sudden these three at this time possesse the most of mankinde 1. Either because they will be of the minde of Auxentius In hac fide natus sum in hac item moriar and in this case Religion findeth us and not we it 2. Or because I have received some indignity in one Religion I will be of another or because we have sustained some losse or had some crosse by our Religion therefore we will go over seas and there we will seck and finde the pearl and are able to defend it to be so 3. There is religio repentina a sudden religion This is a stumbling upon Religion without study by some that seek to revelations and prefer fancies before ordinary means whereas God hath given ordinary means we must have time and study and means to finde it for in other cases and without these there 's no promise nor warrant from God that we shall light upon it But if any shall say we have found it before we sought it as God saith of a people I was found of them that sought me not we must adde with the Apostle Omnia probate there is an examination answerable to seeking they that have it must either seek it or examine it and not make examination of the truth in Religion a matter of death as the Turks do Seek therefore we must and in seeking the Fathers give many rules but especially two rules must be observed 1. The first our Saviour gives quaerite primū It must be sought before all other things and in the first place because the seeking of it will it all things else Seek the Lord saith the Prophet while he may be found and call upon him while he is neer S. Paul saith All seek their own not the things which are Jesus Christs But if we give primum to our own and not when we seek for Christs God will not be neer but leaves us 2. The second is given by Moses If thou seek the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul thou shalt finde him God saith by the Prophet Ye shall seek me and finde me when ye shall search for me with all your heart We must seek with tears as Mary did the body of Christ John 20. 15. we must seek for the truth as Solomon saith men must do for wisdom how is that as men seek for silver or hid treasures and as the Prophet if ye will enquire enquire that is enquire indeed But if either we primum quaerere grandia if we first seek great things for 〈◊〉 selves and religion after or seek and not seek by seeking coldly 〈◊〉 seeking his fathers asses and the woman seeking her groat will prove to be with more care then ours for religion such seekers will never finde 3. The third is As we must seek for the truth if we have it not and when we have it examine it so when we have it we must acquiescere we must rest in it The use of religion serves us instead of a girdle to 〈◊〉 our loyns that is truth must be applyed as close to our souls as a girdle to our reins For the negative part what is here forbidden may be reduced to these two heads 1. One extream opposite to true religion is 〈◊〉 the excesse when we give honour either cui non oportet to whom it is not due or quantum non oportet or more then is due the first is commonly called Idolatry the other superstition 2. Another extream is parum the defect when we do not give honour cui oportet to whom it is due or not quantum oportet not so much as is due The first is called prophanenesse which usually ends in Atheisme the other is non-acquiescence or not resting in religion when men seek out novelties and receive the truth 〈◊〉 in part and this
divides it self into two branches 1. Schisme 2. Heresse which ends in Apostacy 1. The cui non oportet is Idolatry whether it be by giving divine honour and worship or ascribing any part of Gods office to any creature as S. Augustine speaks within which comes dealing and covenanting with the Devil or trusting to his instruments Sorcerers Charmers Dreamers and other Inchanters So if a man yeeld any of the former affections and vertues as love fear c. to the Devil if he fear the stars or attribute any thing to dreams inchantments ligatures lots characters c. it is comprehended within this God telleth us by the Prophet that none can foreshew things to come but himself not meaning things known by natural causes but where there is causa libera a free cause Therefore if divine honour be attribute to any of these a part of Gods peculiar offices is taken from him and the most of them are reckoned up by Moses and God threatens to punish them In the 〈◊〉 Jeremy there is a plain commandment against the ascribing any thing to stars So 〈◊〉 against Wizards and divination Saul enquired of the Witch of Endor and you see Gods anger towards him for it And Ahaziah using the like means to recover his sicknes was reproved by Elijah Is it not because there is no God in Israel that ye go to inquire of Baalzebub the God of Ekron Though the Witch at Endor foretold Sauls death and spake truth yet Sauls act is condemned 1. Chronicles 10. 13. And though the Pythonist in the Acts confessed that the Apostles were servants of the living God yet S. Paul rebuked the spirit that was in her and made him come forth Yea though a Prophet foretell a truth and yet saith let us go after other gods he shall be put to death 2. The other quantum non oportet to give too much honour is commonly referred to superstition The second Council at Nice erected images and their principal reason was because God could not be remembered too much but that was no good argument for then there could be no superstition Tully shews how the word superstition came first up There were certain old Romanes that did nothing but pray day and night that their children might outlive them and be superstites whereupon they were called superstitious In this respect we also condemn the Euchytes It is true as the Fathers say that for quantitas absoluta the absolute quantity if we were as the Angels there were no 〈◊〉 but for as much as in man there is but quantitas ad analogiam or ad propartionem and thereby he hath no absolutenes but ex conditione we must do that whereby we may continue and go forward to the glorifying of God and because of his weaknes for a man to spend himself in one day maketh a nimium in religione and consequently superstitition 2. For the other extreame Parum when we give too little and that either 1. cui non oportet or non quantum the fi st is commonly called Prophanent 〈◊〉 which was a punishment from the beginning that a man should be such a one that he should not come intra sanum within the Church but to stand extra which many now a dayes count no punishment nay it is to be feared that it hath a reward and that such people are the better thought of Too many of this fort are in these times that value religion and Gods worship no more then 〈◊〉 did his birth-right 2. The second part of this extreame is when we give not quantum oportet so much to God as we ought when we will not rest or acquiesce in what God hath by his Church prescribed and delivered to us but affect novelties and desire new and strange things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore that God might make novelties the more odious to us he hath made it a name for those things he most hateth Nadab and Abihu are said to have offered strange fire to the Lord and the wiseman calleth an harlot a strange woman Jacob commands his family to put away strange gods It is called in Deut. for 〈◊〉 post deos alienos This being bewitched with the desire of novelties and new devises hath changed the pure doctrine of the Primitive religion and marred this religion where it is predominant Thus the Galatians were bewitcht Galat. 3. 1. and none but the Attica ingenia which is spoken of in the acts are given to it Academick doubting spirits Scepticks in Religion There are three degrees in novelty 1. Schisme 2. Heresy 3. Apostacy In which one makes way for another 1. Schisme is the high way to superstition as also to prophanenesse And it is so called properly when a man upon unjust dislike either of government or worship or doctrine professed or for some indifferent rites withdraws from the communion of the Church in publike duties and refuses to submit to his spiritual governours the Bishops and Pastors of the Church and so will make a rent in and from the whole body whereas the Apostles counsel is that all would speak one thing and that there be no dissentions but be knit in one minde and in one judgement and in another place not to forsake the fellowship we have among our selves 2. Heresy is as S. Augustine defines it Dum scripturae bonae intelliguntur non bene quod in 〈◊〉 non bene intelligitur etiam temere audaciter asseritur when good Scripture is not well understood and that they affirm that rashly and boldly that they understand not well S. Jerome goes further Quicunque alias scripturam intelligit quam sensus spirious S. flagitat quo conscripta est licet de ecclesia non recesserit tamen haereticus appellari potest he that makes another interpretation of Scripture then according to the sense of the holy Ghost although he depart not from the Church yet may be called an Heretick This must not be understood of every errour but of sundamental errours and such as are wilfully held when there are sufficient means to convince one of the truth Acts 5. 17. 3. Apostacy is a general defection or falling from all points of religion The means to finde out true religion are besides the publike and general means Hearkening to the voice of the Church to whom Christ hath entrusted the truth and which is therefore called by S. Paul the ground and pillar of truth 1. The Eunuchs means reading the Scripture He read the Prophet Esay 2. Cornelius meanes prayers almes and fasting and that which is strange being a Heathen before he was called he was said to be a man that feared God But the Fathers resolue it well why he was said to be so quia non detinuit veritatem in injustitia he withheld not the truth in unrightousnesse as the Apostle speaks and did not abuse his natural light and therefore
alone can search the heart therefore he delights in it and requires our obedience to be coram facie mea as in his sight Therefore it is that the Wise man counselleth a man to keep his heart with all diligence He gives a double reason for it is the principal member and therefore gives God the chief glory and further it is the fountain of all our actions by none of which is God honoured if they come from a corrupt fountain nay they are so far from being accepted that they are abominable and therefore according to the disposition of the heart life or death proceeds if we worship God with a right heart then we shall reap life if that be unsound death eternall follows And therefore necessitas incumbit we had need to keep that member right For all those glorious duties before spoken of if they want integrity or a good heart they are so far from Gods acceptation that they become abomination For if we believe our faith must come from the heart if we love it must be not in word but in truth which comes from the heart Our obedience also must proceed from the heart To conclude this whatsoever we do we must do it heartily as to the Lord and not to men That which is here commanded is called virtus integritatis by the Fathers inward soundnesse against hollownesse and sincerity against mixture And they ground it upon Gods charge to Abraham when he made the covenant of Circumcision Ambula coram me what that is God explained in the next words esto integer walk before me and be upright or perfect without hypocrisie It is commonly joyned in Scripture with another word Job was an upright and just man the words signifie properly straight and sound upright and pure in another place and an honest and good heart in another The nature of the word integer is taken from timber it must be straight without and sound within straight that it be not crooked coram facie humana and sound that it be not hollow coram facie divina before God Therefore the Ark was overlaid with gold without and within and in this respect it was that the Psalmist distinguished the Church the Kings daughter from other Kings daughters her outward beauty might be parraleld but she was all glorious within It is the inward beauty which is required chiefly That which is forbidden is hypocrisie Our Saviour taxed it in the Pharisees by telling them they had a care to make clean the outside of the cup and platter but had no regard to that which was intus within This is the sin of seven woes more then we read that any other sin had Of which S. Chrysostome saith Pharisaeorum justitia erat in ostentatione operis non in rectitudine intentionis the righteousnesse of the Pharisees consisted in ostentation of their works not in the uprightnesse of their intents The other extream is that the Prophet taxes in Ephraim whom he calld a silly dove without heart this is simplicity without wisdom when there is as our Saviour intimates Columba sine serpente the dove without the serpent Of such speaks Solomon when he saith that a fool uttereth all his minde he poures out his spirit without any manner of wisdom and discretion before every man our integrity therefore must be preserved with wisdom 1. The way to keep our selves in this integrity First Seneca's councel to Lucillus who desired this vertue was when he took any thing in hand to imagine that Cato Scipio or some other of the ancient Romans renowned for vertue stood before him But it is a better way for us to do as the Psalmist did to set God alwayes before our eyes conceiving and that truely that whatsoever we do is in his presence If that will not work with us then to set God not absolutely but as he will sit when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed at the day of judgment The day as the Apostle speaks when God shall judge the secrets of all men for as the Preacher saith God shall bring every work into judgement with every secret thing 2. Another motive and that a forceable one to perswade us will be that God requires an exact and sincere service of us to himself because he commandeth singlenesse of heart from servants to their Masters even with fear and trembling If this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eye-service will not be allowed by God as current towards men much lesse will he allow it to himself 3. Lastly if we consider the integrity of Christs heart to us of whom we read that it was pierced and that he spent his very heart blood for us if we consider that it will stir us up to have a reciprocal heart to him and say with S. Bernard juste cor nostrum vindicat qui cor suum pro nostro dedit he may justly challenge our hearts that gave his for ours When he had offered his hands feet and other members for us yet thought it not sufficient but gave his heart for us also It is not our tongue hands or feet that can requite it our hearts will be too little if we give them also up to him 1. And we shall know whether our hearts be upright or no first by the Heathen mans rule Nil conscire sibi nulla pallescere culpa hic murns 〈◊〉 us 〈◊〉 A sound heart is like a wall of brasse and is so full of courage that it can say with the Apostle 〈◊〉 perminimum est ut a vobis judicer it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you It is the soundnesse of the heart that will make it bold if we be not 〈◊〉 mali to our selves that we know no evil in our selves This made John Baptists heart to be above King Herodes power the want of it made Peter afraid at a silly Damsels speech charging him to be of Christs company 2. Another mark like to this is if we be firm and upright under the crosse If afflictions alter us not for troubles and crosses will dishonour the integrity of our hearts Look how we stand affected in them if firm then no doubt but we are right If we can say with King Hezekiah Remember O Lord how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart this upheld him when he was sick even unto death but e contra if the heart be not sound then in any crosse it melts within us like wax as the Psalmist speaks Psalm 22. 14. 3. If we derest sin in our selves and punish it no lesse in our selves then others Judah at the first in the case of Thamar cried Bring her away let her be burnt but upon further consideration when it came to be his own case there was a sudden alteration she was more righteous then I. This is much like that the Heathen man
said of 〈◊〉 and his fellow that they did odisse tyrannum but not tyrannidem they hated the tyrant but not the tyranny whereas a sound heart hates sin most of all in it self even the least sin as we see in the Apostle when he cried out O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death 4. The last is somewhat hard If we can with confidence say those two last verses of the pialmist Search me O Lord and know my heart try me and know my thoughts and see if there be any wicked way in me and lead mein the way everlasting If any dare take this upon him and can speak it truely not deceiving himself his heart is upright in him but a gentler tryal then this is if a man can say in four particular cases as he in another place if there be any wickednesse in my hands c. let the enemy persecute my soul c. And when we with communing with our own hearts privately can say as my heart hath been upright with thee so I desire in my last gasp to be comforted by thee O Lord and to be holpen in my greatest need In these cases a man may perceive whether his heart be sound or not And this according to the sixth rule stayeth not in our selves but desires to have it in others also with S. Paul who prayed for the Philippians that they might be sincere And so did the friends of Job though they took a wrong course in their comforts yet they were right in this that they had a desire to make Jobs heart upright Thus far of integrity One point more rests to be handled within the last general Proposition and that is Non habebis Thou shalt not have The observation is that it is set down in the future tense which implies perseverance and this is the knitting up of all It standeth first in the text non habebis and non erunt thou shalt not have and there shall not be but in order of handling it hath the last place because it is the shutting up of all The words Non habebis must not be answered with non habeo or non habui but with non habebo I will have no other gods and this is perseverance This is a greater matter then many do imagine fui sum and ero are distinctions of the three times 1. For fui it is certain that whosoever shall consider what he hath been will be brought into a melancholick and sad passion S. Bernard saith Recordare praeterita erubesce it will confound a man to remember what he hath done 2. For sum Peradventure there my be some comfort inregard that we endeavour and strive to obtain 3. But howsoever it stands with us for the present our comfort depends chiefly upon ero what we shall be and if we persevere not in good ero must needs be terrible for a man to consider in what case he may be hereafter and considerare novissima to think upon his end whether God may not forsake him if he be not careful to persevere on his part as he hath done others that have been for the present in as good and peradventure better case then he is but were not careful to endeavour and to use the means required on their part to persevere and therefore were left of God and returned with the dog to their vomit therefore non habebis is a sharp and strict command and to be looked to In the common conveyances at Law there is Habendum tenendum to have and to hold we have formerly seen Quid habendum what we were to have now we are to see Quid tenendum what we must hold and keep It falls naturally into the last place by due order 1. First because as the Heathen say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wisdom or knowledge is the beginning of vertue but constancy and perseverance is virtutis apex the pitch and perfection of vertue and as S. Bernard Perseverantia est unica filia summi Reg is finis virtutum earumque consummatio perseverance is the onely daughter of the great King the end and consummation of all vertues 2. Secondly because all other vertues are preserved by this or to use the Apostles phrase seasoned with this salt As God set David over Israel by a covenant of salt that is by an everlasting covenant and no sacrifice was under the Law without salt to shew that as the covenant is perpetual on Gods part so ought the condition to be on ours by perseverance and thereby is known the truth of our obedience without which an hypocrite may go for a true Christian. S. Bernard calleth it totius boni repositorium virtus the place where all good is preserved and kept and the strength and vertue of all other 3. Because as there is in every vertue a resemblance or conformity in us to some attribute of God as in our knowledge to his wisdom in our belief to his truth in our fear to his justice in our love to his mercy in our integrity to his ubiquity so in this of perseverance to his eternity 4. Because God is Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end which is his book of perseverance So must we persevere according to our quandiu that is till we die usque ad mortem and not onely to natural but even to violent death The Apostle hath another usque usque ad sanguinem unto blood and so his own resolution was not onely usque advincula not to be bound onely but usque ad mortem to die for the Name of the Lord Jesus This must be our Omega Wheresoever our Alpha is placed this must be our Omega our eternity Otherwise as S. Bern. saith Quid levitate cum aeternitate there is no fellowship between God and man without perseverance Inconstancy hath no congruity with eternity On the other side backsliding is condemned Our nature is so corrupt that as in the last affection we spake of Sincerity we have a desire to seem rather then to be because it is easier and we naturally love ease so here we have a desire of falling away or starting back like a bow like a deceitful bow to which the Prophet resembles the Israelites We are naturally like a bow which being almost bent and let go never so little starts back Or as the Apostle no lesse excellently we are apt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 segnescere or to feel a grudging in our bones all the while we are doing good and are soon weary of welldoing 1. How necessary this vertue is is plain by diverse reasons First all the good we have formerly done is lost without it Incassum bonum agitur saith S. Gregory si ante vitae terminum deseratur quia frustra velociter currit qui priusquam ad met as venerit deficit all the good we do is in vain if we leave doing good before
and therefore they cry out where is the promise of his coming yet as the Prophet Behold the Lord cometh to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity And he will surely come he will return and give sentence on those that know not the time of their visitation And let not the wicked deceive themselves for as our Judges though they are part of the year away yet they surely come at the time of Assises so much surer is God in his visiting For behold saith he I come quickly And his judgements will not onely be upon their goods but upon their bodies and upon their children as this is And which is worse he will bereave them of spiritual blessings lastly which is worst in saying as in another case He that is filthy let him be filthy still so he will say Qui odio me persequitur odio me persequatur adhuc he that hates me let him hate me still Quando poena odii est odium when he punishes one sin with another this sin of hatred with further hatred this is the greatest judgement and heaviest visitation of all The Devil plaid the Sooth-sayer when he caused Peter to say to Christ Parce tibi Domine let none of this befall thee he thought by this to save himself But here you see that though the fathers scape themselves yet they shall be punished in their Children so that God tells them as neither they so neither their sons nor their sons sons nor their sons Nephews shall escape So that the threat of this punishment extends not onely to the party offending but to his posterity 1. For himself He repayeth them that hate him to their face 2. Gods jealousy is compared by the Psalmist to a fire burning for ever which leaveth not with the party himself that hates God but takes hold of his children and burns to the third and fourth generation So that when men think they have best provided for their children by saving their estates with the breach of this Commandment they shall finde they have brought a curse upon their children and that they have brought evil upon them by that whereby they thought to avoid it The measure of every punishment is known by these three signes 1. Gravitas the grievonsnesse of it 2. Multiplicitas the variety 3. Prolixitas the continuance 1. The grievousnesse of it is seen in this that it is said to be upon the children though the Parents escape who are dear to their Parents as we see in Jairus that fell down at our Saviours feet and besought him for his sick daughter so did another for his son that was possessed But we may gather more fully out of S. 〈◊〉 how dear a childe is to the Parent in the story of the woman of Canaan that came to Christ for the cure of her daughter she saith not Have mercy upon my daughter but have mercy on me O Lord for my daughter is grievously vexed with a Devil she accounted her daughter as her self So King David hearing of the death of his son Absolom though a rebellious childe falls into a bitter passion and cryes Would God I had dyed for thee O Absalom my son my son he could have been content to die for his son These examples shew that children are most dear and pretious to Parents We account it a heavy losse when ought of our substance is taken from us Abraham reproved Abimelech because of a well of water taken from him by his servants The losse of a wife as being bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh is more grievous but when the losse of children comes it strikes deeply and the reason is because they are both bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh and the principal part of our substance the seed as though a man were but chaffe after a childe borne The Wise man saith Childrens children are the crown of old men their crown while they live and as the Heathen man said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their image or remembrance when they are dead 2. The multiplicity or variety of it may be illustrated by that in the Gospel as there is a distinction of few and many stripes and so here to have the punishment extend to many generations sheweth that they will be many stripes and therefore aggravates it a degree further 3. The Continuance of it As our Saviour said of the Scribes that they devoured widows houses sub specie prolixae orationis under pretence of long Prayers and therefore prolixum erit eis judicium they shall receive the longer judgement or greater 〈◊〉 so is the punishment here even during the whole memory of man for four generations The execution of this commination we see in Jeroboam who for his disobedience to this Commandment was punished in this kinde It is said That it became sin to the house of jeroboam In David by the losse of his childe In Baasha Zimri destroyed all the house of Baasha In Ahab and in the children of Solomon for his idolatry And therefore we may well conclude with the Apostle It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God And this the godly took notice of choosing rather to suffer a temporal death martyrdom then to transgresse this commandment But here may arise a question concerning the justice of this visitation how this may stand with Gods own determination upon that Proverbe The fathers have eaten sower grapes and the childrens teeth are set on edge which God said should not be spoken any more nor heard among his people For The son shall not bear the iniquiry of his father And we see that this was practised by Amaziah in punishing his fathers murtherers and not their children quoting Gods own law for it According to that which is written in the book of the law of Moses wherein the Lord commanded saying The fathers shall not be put to death for the children nor the children be put to death for the fathers And this seemeth to be the opinion of S. Paul when he saith Every man shall bear his own burden and at the last judgement every one must receive according to what he hath done in his body c. To this the School-men answer as to that place in Esay where the Prophet willeth Hezekiah to put his house in order for he should die and not live he said not Quid futurum esset sed quid dispositione naturae futurum esset not that he should then certainly die but that according to the course of nature he could not live and therefore should die if by Gods special power he were not preserved So here God speaketh not say they quid faciet sed quid dispositione meriti nostri faceret not what he will do but what he might do in respect of our desert but this distinction is dangerous
that are unlearned are ready to wrest Christ was long among his Disciples yet they were to seck in some things And therefore I say as the Prophet in another case they ought not to go out in haste but remain at their studies till by the help of their Guides their own industry and Gods blessing they be able to teach others and have approved themselves workmen that need not to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth and then sacri sunto let such in the name of God be ordained and go boldly about the Lords work Now as there must be Schools of learning to fit men for this sacred calling so there ought to be maintenance provided for them for the Apostle saith that as the Priests that served at the Altar lived of the Altar so they that now preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel And this by special ordinance of Christ who hath so appointed and the Apostles reason taken from the maintenance of the Priests that served at the Altar shewes that the same proportion of a tenth part which was paid then to the Levites and Priests under the Law is still due to the Priesthood and Ministery of the Gospel and the Commandement for tythes extends to both besides the Apostle reasoneth that he which labours for others ought to eat the fruit of his labours and be maintained by them who reap the benefit of his labours He proves it from the bruit creatures the mouth of the ox must not be muzled that treadeth out the corn he proves further from men of secular callings whether in time of war or peace The souldier goes not to warfare at his own charge nor doth the husbandman feed his flock or plant or sowe but in hope to reap the fruit of his pains from whence he infers that the spiritual husbandman that soweth spiritual things to others ought to partake of their harvest in temporall things for whose good he labours Now this maintenance if any ask what it is I answer that now as alwayes heretofore from the beginning it consisted of something certain and something free and voluntary The certain maintenance is tythes The voluntary oblations we finde in Nehemiah when they entred into a vow and Covenant to keep the law after their return from captivity that both these were part of that Covenant viz. Tenths and oblations which they bound themselves to pay for the service of Gods house For tythes as the seventh part of our time so at least the tenth part of our increase is due to God Reasons 1. From the annexing of tythes to the Priesthood of Christ typified by Melchizedech to whom Abraham paid tythes after his victory over the kings Gen. 14. 20. This Melchizedech was a type of Christ as the Author to the Hebrews shews for he is a Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedech and from Melchizedechs receiving tythes of Abraham the Apostle infers the excellency of Christs Priesthood above the Levitical both because Abraham himself from whom Levi 〈◊〉 paid him tythes and was blessed by him and because the Levitical Priests that received tythes were subject to death but here a high Priest receives tythes who lives for ever In all which discourse it is supposed and taken for granted that tythes are annexed to Christs Priesthood otherwise the whole reasoning were impertinent and to no purpose Now if they be due to our high Priest who lives for ever no question but the Priests and ministers of the Gospel whom he hath made his Stewards and whom he hath sent as his father sent him ought in his right to receive and to them the people ought to pay their tythes as to Christ to whom they belong for Christ having ordained a maintenance for the Ministers of the Gospel and no other certain maintenance being specified it can be no other then this of tythes 2. Jacobs promise long before the law to give tythes to God of all he possest compared with Abrahams practise before and the Apostles rule that the labourer is worthy of his wages with the perpetual practise of the Church the best expositor of the Law shew this duty to be moral and perpetual 3. The chief and principal reason why God reserved the tenth for himself and gave it to those that served at the Altar is moral and perpetual For he reserved the tenth to himself in signum universalis Dominii as an acknowledgement of that all we have is his and he gave it to the Priests and Levites for their service in the Tabernacle Now God is no lesse Lord of the world now then 〈◊〉 and he hath a service and worship to be performed and maintained still and therefore that proportion which God himself thought 〈◊〉 in his wisdom ought to continue still especially there being nothing in it peculiar to the Jews nor any typical ceremonie in that number which should make it void by the coming of Christ. 4. Lastly by Christs speech to the Scribes and Pharisees about tything mint and cummin and leaving the weightier matters of the Law when he tells them The first ought to be done and the other not left undone And the Apostles rule that he which is taught in the word must communicate unto him that teacheth him in all good things it may appear it was not Christs intent to abrogate tythes or the Apostles meaning to abridge the Ministers maintenance but that at least a tenth should be paid As I said before of the time of publick worship that it is probable the seventh day was appointed by God from the beginning by ageneral positive Law obliging all mankinde and that the day was altered by the Apostles herein authorized by Christ so likewise I say concerning tythes it is the more probable opinion that God appointed this proportion for himself from the beginning that as by observing the day so by paying the tenth all men might acknowledge God to be Creatour and Lord of all and whatsoever they enjoy is his free gift and therefore this precept not being given onely to the Jews and the reason of the Command being moral and perpetual and no abrogation of it made by Christ or his Apostles but ratl es many things found in the new Testament which seem to confirm it is of force still and obligeth all Christians under the Gospel we finde it not onely practised before by the Patriarchs but some reliques of it among the Heathen The Greeks Carthaginians and Romanes gave the tenth to Apollo to Hercules to Jupiter c. The like Theophanus reports of the Egyptians and Herodotus of the Persians Plutarch of others which practise came no doubt from the universal tradition derived from the beginning not wholly obliterated though much corrupted as all divine institutions which were positive and not meerly flowing from the light of nature were among them For as was said before of the time so it
hoc decipit qui ante tempus sapientes videri volunt ut jam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod non sunt quid sunt erubescere saith one many are deceived by this that they would willingly be accounted wise before their time and begin to counterfeit what they are not and are ashamed of what they are The conclusion of this point is that because as the Preacher tells us There is a time to keep silence and a time to speak and in that he placeth silence before speaking every one is to be a learner before he be a teacher We may see it in our Saviours example who was in the Temple among the Doctors how hearing first and then asking questions and both before he taught himself He that doth not take this course will in the end be forced to take up this complaint How have I hated instruction and my heart despised reproof And have not obeyed the voice of my teachers nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me 3. A third duty of the teacher is Tueri to defend his pupils according to the sense of the word their name Tutores 〈◊〉 being derived from tueri It was our Saviours practise as in the case of his Disciples not fasting when Johns disciples and the Pharisees fasted And in their plucking of ears of corn on the Sabbath day As also for their not washing their hands when they did eat In all which cases Christ made their defence thereby shewing he would be ready to defend them in all matters wherein they did not 〈◊〉 1. The first duty of the Scholar answerable to this is according to the law of the Nazarite He must bring his offering as 〈◊〉 is able So did Hannah when she dedicated her son Samuel that he might not be 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 When Saul sent his servant to the Prophet he made shift to finde the fourth 〈◊〉 of a 〈◊〉 to give him Shall we come to the Prophet and bring him 〈◊〉 And Levi made a feast for our Saviour In a Council the Fratricelli were condemned for holding one opinion among the rest that our Saviour lived by begging and not of his own for he had of his own as we may gather by Judas bearing his bag 2. Another duty is to minister to his 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 Samuel did to Eli. And we read that Elisha though the eldest scholar yet poured water on Elias hands We 〈◊〉 that John Baptist sent two of his Disciples on an 〈◊〉 to Christ. And our Saviour himself sent his Disciples to make ready the passeover At another time he commanded his Disciples to provide a ship for him He also sent two of his Disciples when he was to ride into Jerusalem to provide an asse for him Lastly he sent them to provide victuals to eat So that the duty of ministring belongs to a Scholar 3. The last is 〈◊〉 officium Our Saviour being towards his end giveth charge to one of his Disciples that he knew was able to maintain his mother And not onely so but after his death some of them brought odours to embalm him Some bestowed a Tombe upon him and some buried his body So did the Disciples of John Baptist They buried his body And yet here ended not this 〈◊〉 officium for after Christs burial the Apostle forgate not his memory but spuke honourably of him Jesus of Nazareth was a Prophet mighty indeed and word before God and all the people shewing that death takes not this duty away from the Scholar to his Tutor he ought to speak honourably of him after death Besides all this there is a duty which all Scholars owe to Teachers though they be not under their charge If they be of that calling they are to honour them Sauls servant counted Samuel an honourable man and Gamaliel was honourable among all the people He was a Teacher of the Law and not onely those under his charge but all the people honoured him These things being performed that will come to passe which the Apostle aims at we shall have men faithful such as shall be able to teach others and the Universitie shall breed such as shall be fit to serve the Church and Common-wealth And indeed this was the end of the erection of schools and universities 1. To bring forth men able to teach in the Church 2. Men fit to govern the Common-wealth Of which we are now to speak CHAP. VII Of honouring spiritual fathers in the Church The excellency and necessity of their calling Four sorts of ministers in the Church 1. The thief 2. The 〈◊〉 3. The wolfe 4. The good shepherd whose duties are 1. To be an example to his 〈◊〉 1. In himself 2. In his family The peoples duty answerable to this 2. To use his talent for their good Rules for doctrine and conversation The peoples duty 1. To know their own shepherd 2. To obey and follow him 3. To give him double 〈◊〉 1. 〈◊〉 2. of maintenante ANd first of those that are to instruct and govern the Church These are called fathers The Apostle calleth himself a father And so they are called not onely by the Church of Christ but by Mitah an Idolater He hired a Levite to be a father and a priest The Idolatrous Tribe of Dan use the very same words they bid the Levite to come and be their father And because as was said before all paternity is originally in God and from him communicated to Christ whose fatherhood towards the Church is no other but as he is the onely priest and prophet of the new Testament and because God is fons omnis boni the fountain of all good therefore he must needs have this property of goodnes to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 communicative that others may partake of his goodnes and therefore he made the world by creating it at the first and not onely so but by a second creation renewed and restored all by Christ into whom they that are mystically incorporated are admitted to that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that coestial city or corporation where they shall be partakers of all that goodnes and glory which is in God And God having purposed to create the world for their purpose made it with three divisions or distinct places 1. Heaven to be his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or place of reward 2. Earth to be his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a worke house And thirdly Hell his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prison To the end that men exercising themselves here in this world which is the worke house according to the grace received and the talent given them might either be rewarded with eternal felitity in Heaven or punisht with eternal misery in Hell So that the earth being made for a place of exercise and Heaven for a place of reward the world was made for the Church and consequently all those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the natural to
Augustine describing the impotencie or rather 〈◊〉 of the passion of anger saith 〈◊〉 est cum 〈◊〉 opinio turbulent appetitus 〈◊〉 ed 〈◊〉 facilitatem actionis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non 〈◊〉 tantum sed 〈◊〉 irascimur in scribendo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 frangimus aleatores 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 penicillo c. this passion so diverts a mans iudgement that we are not onely angry with men but the writer with his 〈◊〉 in dashing and breaking it Gamesters with their 〈◊〉 Painters with their 〈◊〉 c. when they do not please them when they have not that facilitatem 〈◊〉 And this is contrary to Gods 〈◊〉 for he saves both man and 〈◊〉 and so do the godly The righteous man regardeth the life of his beast 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 man that is exacts not in his passion more from his beast then is within his strength or capacity Come we now to man-killing which is murder here specified There are two sorts of slaughter prohibited by this Commandment 1. Sui of a mans self 2. Alterius of another 1. For the 〈◊〉 though the Heathen we read of as 〈◊〉 Seneca Cato and others thought it a 〈◊〉 sin to kill another yet they 〈◊〉 lay violent hands upon themselves and thought it lawful and were held in great 〈◊〉 for it But Christian religion tells us that it is an unlawful act and that no man hath power over his own life for these 〈◊〉 1. First we must needs grant that under the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 occides is comprehended Non occides 〈◊〉 Because as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before the 〈◊〉 rule of this Law is 〈◊〉 teipsum thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self then non 〈◊〉 alium 〈◊〉 non occides 〈◊〉 thou shalt not kill another as thou 〈◊〉 not kill thy self and therefore the prohibition of killing another includes a prohibition of killing ones 〈◊〉 the one is against the law of charity and of 〈◊〉 as well as the 〈◊〉 for we are by nature most neerly linked and united to ourselves and nature provides for self-preservation before the preservation of others for it first provides alimentum 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 of meat in the stomack before it gives propaginem 〈◊〉 propagation of the kinde for the 〈◊〉 is of that which remains after the 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 2. Every man that live 〈◊〉 in a society or common-wealth is a part thereof and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at his own 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the society or Common-wealth where he lives and 〈◊〉 cannot 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without detriment to the whole And therefore it was that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their goods to their 〈◊〉 as it is with 〈◊〉 because the state being injured by them in the losse of a subject will be in some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by depriving them of power to dispole of their 〈◊〉 3. Our life is the gift of God as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it in her long 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that gives life and we ought not to dispose of any gift of God without the 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 to the will of the donour And the 〈◊〉 because we 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a 〈◊〉 as the Apostle tells us which implies a 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 to him that bought us we are his servants And then as the 〈◊〉 saith 〈…〉 who 〈◊〉 thou that 〈◊〉 another 〈◊〉 servant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may we say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qui interficis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who 〈◊〉 thou that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 servant It is worse then brutish to kill drown or bring upon our selves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 death The very swine would not have run into the sea but that they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the devil And therfore Saint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the act of 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 violent hands upon himself rather then he would fall into the hands of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is a great errour for any man so hold that a man may kill himself 〈◊〉 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 temporales molestias that he may avoide 〈◊〉 troubles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did whereby he doth incidere in 〈◊〉 fall into those that are eternal or 2. ut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to hinder another mans 〈◊〉 when he shall thereby 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fall into a grievous sinne of his own or 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for his own sinne desperately as 〈◊〉 did there being a way to 〈◊〉 out by 〈◊〉 upon which act of his Leo 〈◊〉 thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quem non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad 〈◊〉 sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O 〈◊〉 thou wert more wicked and unhappy then all men that wouldst not be led by repentance to God but 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 to hang thy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lastly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they may not 〈◊〉 like 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 her self and the women in the primitive times that drowned themselves lest they should be 〈◊〉 for by this meanes 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They 〈◊〉 into certain sinne to avoid an uncertain So much for sui the killing a mans self Concerning killing of another 2. Now for 〈◊〉 the killing of another the reasons against it are 〈◊〉 The two first are general and were applied in the 〈◊〉 of Sui 1. Diliges 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thy neighbour as thy self and the rule is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do as thou 〈◊〉 be done unto 2. Thy neighbour is Gods image and thou must not 〈◊〉 it 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 cum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The particular reasons are 1. We are all one 〈◊〉 as the 〈◊〉 speaks And the same prophet 〈◊〉 it as a fearful judgement upon 〈◊〉 that it should come to 〈◊〉 that a man should eat the flesh of his own arme And this is done if we 〈◊〉 and dev our one another as the Apostle speaks No man never 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 own flesh saith the same Apostle we must not hate our brother much 〈◊〉 kill him 2. This sinne will make a man become 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the devils first born for he was as our Saviour told the Jews that sought to kill him a 〈◊〉 from the beginning and by his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye shall not die at all he brought in a certain 〈◊〉 for by one man sin entred into the world and death by sin as the Apostle speaks and so by this means as much as in him lay he murthered all the 〈◊〉 of mankinde 3. Murther is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one of the crying sinnes and will not cease till God take revenge for it as in Abels case the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 comes up to Heaven and Gods eares are alwayes open to this 〈◊〉 though to others he may seeme not to heare 4. It is a sin that God will have diligently searched after as we may see in the case of an uncertain murther when God appointed that the judges and 〈◊〉 of the city shall come and wash their hands in the blood of an heyfer over the 〈◊〉 man and protest their innocency 〈◊〉 their hands have not shed this mans blood nor have their eyes seen it Without which 〈◊〉 Gods wrath would by no means be pacified 5. It is a cursed sinne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cain saith God and accursed
he was for he was a banished man by his own confession and a 〈◊〉 and vagabond He was cast out of Gods 〈◊〉 that is excommunicate or cast out of the church 〈◊〉 from the place of Gods 〈◊〉 worship which is called his presence and so 〈◊〉 of his grace and favour This was the first sentence of excommunication which was 〈◊〉 executed for this sinne 6. God sets a special mark upon him for it which the best expositors say was hor rour of the 〈◊〉 which of all other 〈◊〉 doth 〈◊〉 accompanie this sin of 〈◊〉 So that this sin will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 The 〈◊〉 found this horrour it never 〈◊〉 them from their first act 〈◊〉 Joseph till Josephs comforting and forgiving them 7. Cain himself passed sentence of death for his bloody act against himself Blood for blood according to that of the heathen Homicida quod secit 〈◊〉 Let the murtherer look for the 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 hath done to another Cains fear was that whosoever should finde him would kill him and accordingly it falls out that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of blood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dies 〈◊〉 shall not live out half their 〈◊〉 a man slayer may expect that measure from others which he hath meted out to others 8. God himself so approves of Cains sentence that though the hornes of the Altar were a sanctuary for other sins yet a murtherer 〈◊〉 he fled thither was to be taken away and put to death It was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that slew 〈◊〉 and Amasa slain by 〈◊〉 at the hornes of the 〈◊〉 9. Nay God will require the blood of a man even at the hands of a beast much more at a mans hands 10. Lastly Gods speech to 〈◊〉 is very remarkable the voice of the blood of thy brother 〈◊〉 to me from the ground the very earth which is senselesse received that which he shed out 〈◊〉 his brothers veines and cryed for vengeance and shall man that 〈◊〉 sense let it out He that 〈◊〉 this sin passeth beast and earth and 〈◊〉 creatures Now an homicides fact is augmented by circumstances for the person who is slain is either publick or private 1. This sin committed upon 〈◊〉 publick person is the more greivous of the two because it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against many the offendor doth what he can to quench 〈◊〉 light of Israel To murther a King or Prince is of so horrid a nature the heathens abhorred it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the murthering of the Common father of a country yea as much as in men lies a murthering of God himself for they strike at God in his vicegerent and therefore though diverse Princes have been taken away and murthered 〈◊〉 yet never any people in the world pretended by any colour of legal 〈◊〉 or shew of mock 〈◊〉 to touch the life of a Prince so odious they accounted it 〈◊〉 counted it a wicked thing to crucifie a King Shall I 〈◊〉 your king to which they could answer nothing but that they had no King but 〈◊〉 acknowledging that if he had been a King as they accounted him none that it had been a monstrous thing 2. If upon a private person 1. He is either 〈◊〉 to us in kindred 2. Or els he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a stranger 1. To shed the blood of them that are of our 〈◊〉 or allied to us is a most haynous sinne because super 〈◊〉 respectus here 〈◊〉 a double respect 1. As he is a man so it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. He is either father and then it is 〈◊〉 or a brother which is 〈◊〉 c. He that striketh father or mother shall surely be put to death but if he shall kill them there is no death answerable to his offence the Heathen say he should have 〈◊〉 mortem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 and an ugly death And if any man have but one brother or son c. As the women of 〈◊〉 said to David it is worse to kill him then if there were more because there was but one spark left as she said and he 〈◊〉 to quench it 2. Of those that are 〈◊〉 strangers that are removed from us 1. they are either of strength to 〈◊〉 themselves or els 2. Weak and impotent as the Orphan widow stranger c. For the last sort of these it is a more 〈◊〉 sin to kill one that is impotent then him that is our match as we say and is able to resist God himself takes especial care of these in the law that they be not 〈◊〉 vexed or oppressed much lesse their lives and blood spilt This is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cruelty the Greek comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 raw because such cruel persons are like those ra venous beasts that eat crude or raw flesh To such belongs that threatning of our Saviour Qui 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that shall offend one of those weak or little ones c. better it were a 〈◊〉 were hanged about his neck and that he were thrown into the 〈◊〉 Among those that are able to withstand us it is far worse to lay hands upon a good and innocent man then on a wicked for by spilling the blood of a good man we not onely sinne against the rule of charity but against 〈◊〉 also he being unworthy of death We do 〈◊〉 most wrong to him to whom we owe the most good We sin also against the common-wealth by such an act for a good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Heathen man said a common good And lastly we sin against God himself If any man offer violence to them he doth it to God for he that 〈◊〉 them 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of his 〈◊〉 CHAP. III. The 〈◊〉 of this Commandment 1. That Kings and princes may lawfully put 〈◊〉 to death That herein they are Gods ministers Three rules to qe by them observed Their judgement must not be 1. perversum nor 2. Vsurpatum nor 3. Temerarium 2. That in some cases they may lawfully make war In a lawful war is required 1. Lawful authority 2. A just cause 3. A just end And. 4. A right manner Addition 32. Of the causes of a just war Some other cases wherein a man may kill and not break this Commandment First for defence of his life against sudden assaults Inculpata tutela Secondly by chance and without his intention How a King may put offenders to death YEt we must understand that kings and princes are in some cases exempted from this Commandment and commanded to kill and that upon pain of grievous punishment and therefore here falls in the rule of 〈◊〉 the rest belonging to the rules of extent for this law onely prohibits private persons from killing upon their own authority And a lawful Prince may lawfully do it two wayes 1. When he puts to death in a legal way those that are guilty of haynous crimes 2. When for the just defence of himself and his subjects or otherwise he undertakes a just and necessary war 1. For
the first there is an objection of some that no man is to kill or be killed upon the speeches of our Saviour Resist not evil But the answer is easy for it is not publick 〈◊〉 but private revenge that is prohibited But for publick vengeance God tells us it is his Which place Saint Paul quoteth And God hath derived his power to kings who are his delegates who as the same Apostle are a 〈◊〉 to the evil for they beare not the sword in vain but have it given to them to execute vengeance upon malefactors and may by Gods own immediate warrant put an 〈◊〉 to death Thou 〈◊〉 not suffer a witch to live saith God And a wise king saith Solomon scattereth the wicked and bringeth the wheele over them Thine eye shall not pitty saith the law but life shall go for life c. For the nature of man is so perverse as that without 〈◊〉 thou shalt kill ne occides Thou shalt not kill will not be observed God hath given this power and commandment to kings and princes who are the supreame Magistrate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ne sanguit 〈◊〉 that blood should be shed to Prevent a further shedding of blood As in the body the Physitian prescribes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an incision must be made to prevent an excision or cutting off the member and in curing of some diseases of the eyes the sight must be as it were 〈◊〉 up for some dayes and the eye covered that it cannot see that so the sight may be preserved and the eye may see better afterward So here the shedding of nocent blood by kings and those that have authority from them for to such and none else hath God given the sword of justice is the way to prevent the shedding of innocent blood In the beginning Government was establisht upon this ground Optabilius est timere unum quam multos it is beter to fear one then many and therefore more fit it was for one to have power to kill then for all to have this power And he that hath this power may lawfully use it and cut off some thereby to preserve the whole body For as in the natural body if any member become so infected as that without cutting it off the whole body will be endangered as in the case of a gangrene the rule is melius est utpereat unus quam unitas better to cut off that member then the whole body perish so it is in the Civil body better one offender be cut off then the whole land endangered And as in a common fire when one house is on fire if water will not quench it the best way to prevent the rest from taking fire is by pulling it down Extinguit incendium 〈◊〉 by the ruin of that they stay the fire from doing more harm so in the Civil state they stay further mischief by one mans ruin And therefore God commands Tollere homicidam ut malum tollatur ex Israele to take a way the manslayer that evil may be taken away from Israel And this malum to be taken away is two fold 1. The wrath of God against the whole land which is defiled so long as innocent blood is shed and not punished 2. Liberty of offending further which arises by impunity by doing justice on the offender is prevented for as God saith those that remain shall heare and fear and shall henceforth commit no more such evil Thus we see that blood may by shed without pollution of our hands nay it is so far from that that Moses calleth it 〈◊〉 themselves to put some to death by lawful authority so that Tamnecesse est homines habere qui accent alios ab 〈◊〉 quam oculis habere palpebras it is as necessary to have men to keep others from exorbitancies as for the eyes to have lids for they keep out outward injuries and that which would hurt the eyes yea they keep and preserve the sight from hurting it self which without eye lids would disperse it self with continual beholding the object Therefore the Prophet David saith that it should be his common exercise every morning to cut off all the wicked from the city of the Lord. This is or should be the study of the wise king as Solomon saith how to scatter the wicked and to make the wheel to go over them It was found at first when magistracy was establisht that Cains city was the cause of Seths and that even amongst the seed of Seth were some of Cains spirit which were to be restraind with the sword or els they would like the Rams and Hee goats in Ezechiel 〈◊〉 at the leane sheep with their borns and therefore that blood may be shed to prevent the shedding of blood is evident for he that sheddeth mans blood by man shall his blood be shed and he that taketh the sword shall perish by the sword Now it is properly God and not man that sheds the blood of wicked persons for he is 〈◊〉 Dei the miuister of God to whom God hath given the sword and he must not beare it in vain Now as we do not impute the death of a man slain to the sword but to him that striketh with it so must not we 〈◊〉 the death of a malefactor to the judge or king but to God whose minister he is For Quod organon 〈◊〉 vtenti id minister est iubenti the minister is no more to him that commands then the instrument to him that useth it Now jubens est Deus the Commander is God for as we look not at the sword so neither must we to man the minister but to God whose delegates Princes are when they cut off evil doers Now as the Sheriffe may not execute any man but ex praescripto 〈◊〉 by warrant of the kings writ so may not the prince or magistrate do any thing in this behalf but ex praescripto Dei by warrant of Gods writ and his prescript is onely against malefactors The malefactor must die by Gods command but the innocent and righteous slay thou not his soul must be bound in the bundle of life He must not go beyond his prescript or bounds in either case For he that justifieth the wicked and he that conde mneth the just even they both are abomination to the Lord saith Solomon The sparing of the guilty and condemning the guiltlesse are alike 〈◊〉 sins in the sight of God we have examples of Gods anger to such as have transgressed in either kinde 1. For the acquitting and sparing the guilty Saul by Gods command and prescript was sent to destroy the Amalekites and he having got Agag the king into his hands spares him but what followed his utter rejection because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord he hath rejected thee from being King Again God gave Benhadad the King of Syria into the hands of King 〈◊〉 whom he let go contrary to Gods
prescript And what followed You shall hear the words of the Prophet Because thou hast let go out of thy hand a man whom I appointed for utter destruction therefore thy life shall go for his life A heavie sentence 2. For putting the innocent to death we see 〈◊〉 condemned of murder for causing 〈◊〉 to be stoned and what a fearful judgement God denounced against him for it by the Prophet As also against King David for the death of Vrijah And against Jerusalem for stoning the innocent Prophets We have seen by this time that a Magistrate may without breach of this Commandment put malefactors to death with the reasons for it and the evils ensuing upon the neglect of it he keeping himself within the bounds prescribed by God Now we must see what rules must be observed in putting an offender to death And they be three 1. That it be not judicio perverso it must be a right judgement As the nocent must not be spared so the innocent must not be put to death his very hairs must be preserved of which we have spoken before 2. Nor judicio usurpato by an usurped judgement every judge is to keep his own limits Quis es tu qui judicas alienum servum saith the Apostle Who art thou that judgest another mans servant If beyond jus gentium the law of nations any Prince put another mans subject to death it is usurpation 3. Lastly not judicio temerario rashly without lawful tryal The Judges saith Moses shall make diligent enquiry He that is condemned must be sons guilty and that must be proved upon accusation confirmed by testimony of two or three witnesses We see this practised by men otherwise wicked What accusation bring you against this man saith Pilate in the case of our Saviour And in S. Pauls Foelix the Governour told him that he would hear him when his accusers were come Lastly Festus pronounced it to be against the custom of the Romans to deliver any man to die before he should answer his accusers face to face And S. Ambrose saith Judicis non est sine accusatore damnare quia Dominus Judam licet fuisset fur cum non esset accusatus minime abjecit It is not the part of a Judge to condemn any man without an accuser for our Saviour cast not Judas off though he were a thief because no man accused him Nor is an accusation to be received nor blood to be shed but either upon the parties own confession or upon proof by the mouths of two or three witnesses And these are the rules against which if any man condemn another Qui ita maleficum interfecerit homicida judicabitur saith S. Augustine he shall be accounted no better then a murtherer Of the Lawfulnesse of war in some cases 2. The second case wherein a Prince or Magistrate may lawfully shed blood is in undertaking a lawful war either abroad against the enemie or at home against Rebels For as he hath a sword to govern the people of his kingdom his own subjects so hath he gladium exteriorem a sword to defend them from the enemy abroad Certainly had not war been lawful God would not have had a whole Chapter written for the direction of his people when they went to war Praeliaveris praelia Domini saith Abigail to David My lord fighteth the battels of the Lord. So that the Lord hath his battels as well as peace And S. Augustine Noli existimare neminem Deo placere posse qui armis bellicis 〈◊〉 in his erat sanctus David cui Dominus magnum testimonium perhibet be not of opinion that none that followeth the war can please God for holy David was a souldier and God gives an ample testimonie of him It is true S. Paul counselleth us to be peaceable and quiet If it be possible as much as lieth in you have peace with all men yet it is with a si fieri 〈◊〉 and quantum in 〈◊〉 est If we have labored to obtain peace and cannot then the Apostle 〈◊〉 the Magistrate bears not the sword in vain 〈◊〉 here is 〈◊〉 to him this 〈◊〉 gladii to force peace from the unquiet Suscipienda bella ut in pace sine injuria vivatur war must be undertaken that 〈◊〉 may live in peace without suffering wrong You shall hear S. Augustine justifying the lawfulnesse of it Nemo bella per Mosen gest a miretur aut horreat c. Let no man either marvel or tremble at the wars undertaken by Moses because in them he was not cruel but obedient to Gods command nor was God cruel in commanding but just in retributing to the good and terrifying the wicked For what is there to be blamed in war Is it because some die therein that have a time to die that the rest may live in peace To reprove this is not the part of a religious but a fearful man It is the desire of hurt cruelty in revenge an unplacable minde fiercenesse in rebelling lust to rule and the like which are worthily to be blamed in war And therefore wars begun at Gods or his Deputies command are lawful and good Else John Baptist would have said to the souldiers that asked him a question concerning their salvation Arma abjicite militiam deserite neminem percutite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cast away your arms forsake the wars strike wound kill no 〈◊〉 but because he knew 〈◊〉 they by being souldiers were no murtherers but ministers 〈◊〉 justice not revengers of their own injuries but defenders of the publick safety he answers them Do no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no man be content with your wages So that he teacheth them their duty in war but doth not take it away nor makes it more unlawful under the 〈◊〉 then 〈◊〉 the Law And because S. 〈◊〉 knew that the Manichees were apt to 〈◊〉 S. John he bids them to mark what our Saviours opinion was in this point Reddite 〈◊〉 c. Give unto 〈◊〉 that which is 〈◊〉 and what was meant at that time by Tribute money for tribute is paid for the maintenance of souldiers in time of war And when the Centurion had told him that he had souldiers under him and how obedient they were to him Christ commended his faith but commanded him not to desert his calling Thus we see that a war may be under taken lawfully without any derogation or impeachment to Christian religion But as we said it must be a lawful war and that it be so 〈◊〉 rules are to be observed 1. It must be ex justa 〈◊〉 by lawful authority from the King to whom God hath given the sword The Israelites before they went to war consulted with the Lord. And David went not to fight with Goliah till he had king Sauls warrant S. Augustine saith Ordo naturalis mortalium 〈◊〉 accomodatus 〈◊〉 poscit ut suscipiendi belli authoritas atque consilium sit
have more respect to his own life then the life of another 2. Another division is here to be considered a man may be slain either ex 〈◊〉 or praeter 〈◊〉 either of purpose or besides it In natural things we do not 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 to nature which is onely per 〈◊〉 by accident and not per se. Now answerable to this distinction of per se and per accidens in things 〈◊〉 is that of ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 praeter 〈◊〉 in things Moral and therefore if blood be shed praeter 〈◊〉 without any purpose of shedding it this is not to be accounted murder For God himself appointed Sanctuaries to be built for them to fly unto that shed blood praeter 〈◊〉 and God would not build Sanctuaries for any sin If one be hewing a tree in the wood and his hatchet fall and by chance kills his Neighbour he having no such intent or purpose the 〈◊〉 must deliver him from the avenger of blood and restore him to the city of refuge S. Augustine goes further and proves that the intention is so necessary in murder that if we take what is praeter intentionem for murder then we must cease to have or use any thing that may be an occasion of hurt a man must not have 〈◊〉 instruments of husbandry as spades axes c. because with these a man may be killed nor must one have trees in his orchard or 〈◊〉 to plow withal because a man may hang himself on one of the trees or the ox may gore nor have any windows in his house because one may be cast 〈◊〉 of a window and be slain thus by this means a man must have nothing because almost every thing may be used praeter intentionem besides his intention But absit as he saith God 〈◊〉 when they are kept for another end Yet to make a man innocent in this case that kills 〈◊〉 praeter 〈◊〉 besides his intention there must be two qualifications 1. He must have been imployed in re licita in a lawful businesse otherwise he is not to be excused If men strive saith the law and hurt a woman with childe that she die then life for life must be paid This in case of contention which is res 〈◊〉 an unlawful act The like may be 〈◊〉 in gaming 〈◊〉 and the like 2. There must be debit a 〈◊〉 a due and just care taken to have 〈◊〉 his death as in casting timber stone or tile from a house to give warning the case is set down in Exodus of a man opening or digging a pit and not covering it again as he might have done CHAP. IIII. The extent of this commandment Murther committed 1. Directly 2. Indirectly A man may be accessory to anothers death six 〈◊〉 A man may be accessory to his own death diverse wayes Of preserving life THus much for the restraint of the Commandment and in what cases the death of a man comes not within the compasse of murther Now for the extent of it There are diverse cases wherein a man is guilty of wilful murder and that either 1. Directly 2. or Indirectly A man may commit this sin 1. Directly as Joab killed Abner and Amasa If one man smite another with any instrument of 〈◊〉 stone wood c. whereby he kills him he is a murtherer saith the law and 〈◊〉 die for it 2. Indirectly and this is of three sorts 1. When it is not openly 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in some colourable way as 1. by poyson as they in Jeremy Mittamus lignum in panem ejus let us put some poysoned wood into 〈◊〉 meat 2. By 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 under the Law 3. By killing children in the womb by medicamenta 〈◊〉 a grievous murther 〈◊〉 by two Councils If a woman take strong purgations 〈◊〉 partum 〈◊〉 cause abortion she is 〈◊〉 a Murtheresse 4. If a man be Cooperator Accessorie as 1. Judas was accessory to Christs death by betraying him with a kisse he coloured the 〈◊〉 with a kisse So did Joab when he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Amasa He tooke Amasa by the beard and kissed him and then smote him under the fist 〈◊〉 2. By bringing one into danger as 〈◊〉 did David who made him captain against the Philistims to what end my 〈◊〉 shall not be upon him but the hand of the 〈◊〉 shall be upon him As Saul dealt with David so did David with 〈◊〉 when he wrote letters to Joab to set 〈◊〉 in the forefront for though the enemies slew him yet it was Davias murther 〈◊〉 hast 〈◊〉 Vriah the Hittite saith Nathan 3. By bearing false witnesse as those that testified against Naboth 4. By advising the death of the innocent thus 〈◊〉 was guilty 5. By exhorting and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 up others the Scribes and High Priests did not put Christ to death yet they stirred up the people and perswaded Pilate c. And therefore were murtherers of Christ. 6. By consenting to the death of another as 〈◊〉 did to the death of Steven 7. By not hindring when a man is in authority and may and ought to hinder it Pilats washing his hands would not acquit him The not punishing of 〈◊〉 for the blood he unjustly shed troubled David when he was neere death and therefore he gave order to 〈◊〉 to take a time to punish him 2. A man is indirectly guilty by unnecessary exposing himself to danger when he may by ordinay means prevent it in this case he that doth the first an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the last is accessory to his own death Qui amat periculum periculo 〈◊〉 saith the wise man Our Saviour would not thrust himself into it we must not tumble down when there are staires to go down For prevention of danger we see God prescribeth a law to prevent infection of leprosie The Leprous man was to be shut up and if any would go to him and endanger himself this was presumption and And Saint Paul though he had Gods promise to come 〈◊〉 to land yet he commanded the Centurion to use the means when he was in a storm to avoyd the danger by lightening the ship c. 3. By neglecting the means which God hath given for the preservation of life as Diet Physick moderate labour and recreation When a man is sick the Son of 〈◊〉 gives good counsel In thy sicknes be not negligent why what must a sick man do but in the first place send for the physitian No he prescribes a rule contrary to the practize of the world first pray unto the Lord leave off from sinne order thy hands aright and cleanse thy heart from all wickednes here is prayer and repentance first then give place to the physitian for the Lord hath created him let him not go from thee there is his place not the physitian of the body first and of the soul last And we see that in the case of
that restrain onely the outward act are like those that apply plaisters to the armour or weapon Which will never cure the wound The reason given by God himself why man-killing is not sometimes capital is because he that killed his brother did not hate him before whereas he that hated his brother and slew him was to die without mercy and not to have any benefit of sanctuary And this briefly for the third rule CHAP. VI. The fourth rule of 〈◊〉 the causes of the sins here forbidden Of unjust anger and the fruits of it It consists of 1. Grief 2. Desire of Revenge The effects and fruits of it 1. Towards Superiours Envy The causes of envy the greatnesse of this sin 2. Towards Equals 3. Towards Inferiburs The sappuration or breaking out of anger against Superiours 1. By the eyes and face 2. By the tongue 1. By murmuring 2. tale-bearing 3. backbiting Against Equals by 1. dissention 2. brawling 3. rayling The fruits of anger in Superiours 1. Threatning 2. Scornfulnesse The last fruit of anger viz. murther of the hand THe fourth rule teaches us that all the means or causes which concur or conduce to any act forbidden or commanded are likewise forbidden or commanded Here come in all those sins formerly mentioned which are occasions or provocations to murther as unjust anger and all the fruits of it As it was said at the beginning when we entred upon this Commandment that pride is the 〈◊〉 of all the breaches of this Commandment so we say now that it is the fountain of unjust anger and of all those sins that arise there from Onely by pride saith the Wise man cometh contention and wrath and the Apostle dehorting from provocation and envy mentions vain glory or pride first as the cause of both Be not desirous of vain glory saith he provoking one another envying one another For as was said formerly every man sets down this with himself That he is good and therefore whosoever loveth him doth his duty as on the other side whosoever hurts or injuris him is necessarily evil and one against whom he may justly conceive anger for omnis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 just a each froward man thinks his anger just according as we said before omnis iniquus mentitur sibi every wicked man deceives himself And from this proud conceit of a mans self arises unjust anger against all such as do any way offend him This anger is compounded of two things 1. Grief for some indignity offered to us 2. Desire to requite it 1. In the first is 〈◊〉 animi or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 animosity or inward boyling of the blood or fretting from which through pride we condemn the party that injured us as evil and thence follows mala mens a malicious intent towards him the judgement being corrupted by the affections and therefore the Apostle joyns anger and malice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 together and exhorting to put away all anger and wrath and clamour he adds with all malice because this makes us condemn all his actions as evil for hereby we become busie in other mens matters full of evil surmises and judices malarum cogitationum judges of evil thoughts and thus we come to have an evil opinion of him that offends us 2. Then follows the second thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 desire of revenge James and John 〈◊〉 in Christs companie and perceiving the Samaritans not willing to receive them would needs call for fire from heaven to consume them Now if this anger be towards Superiours or men in high place dignity and estate or eminent for vertue then it produces envy which is odium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 respectu superiorum quia eis non 〈◊〉 a hatred of another mans felicity in respect of Superiours because we cannot be equal with them For there is in this case as S. James saith a spirit in us that lusteth after envy and as Elihu saith in 〈◊〉 Envy flayeth the inferiour as some read it because that inferiours are apt to 〈◊〉 those that are above them or exceed them any way And hence ariseth in inferiours as the Apostle calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 swellings towards others which either presently break forth or if they lie long and come to suppuration or impostume as 〈◊〉 calls them they prove rubigo 〈◊〉 the rust and canker of the soul which is a fearful thing and worse then anger for anger is cruel and wrath raging but who can stand before envy saith the Wise man this usually produces murther Pilate saw that it was out of envy that the Jews delivered Christ to be put to death Therefore Seneca saith that is casier for a poor man to escape contempt then a rich man envy We see it in Cain that envied Abels acceptance In Rachel that envied Leahs fruitfulnefse and Saul Davids happinesse 1. The occasion of this sin is grounded especially 1. Upon the merits and wel-deserving of others we envy them because they are 〈◊〉 then our selves S. John tells us it was the cause why Cain slew Abel because his own works were evil and his brothers righteous For every man desiring his own excellency thinketh that he which is more excellent then himself doth offuscare lumen ejus darken and eclypse his light stand in his way and if that man were 〈◊〉 he should be more esteemed therefore by this envie he seeks to bring him under water that he alone may swim above This we may see in the Princes against Daniel because Darius had preferred him above them And in Johns Disciples they thought that Christ stood in the Baptists way and got all from him because more people followed him And in the elder son against the younger who when he came home from the field and saw the entertainment of his younger brother he envied his brother and out of envy would not go in the reason was he thought himself better then his brother the fatted calf was never kild for 〈◊〉 c. though he had deserved better of his father Thus nothing can be done but envy will make it matter to work upon If David once come to his ten thousands Saul will never after be brought intueri 〈◊〉 rectis oculis to look aright upon him but the evil spirit will enter into him for so we read verse 10. that the next day there came an evil spirit upon him for there are none that the Devil can so easily fasten upon as upon such The making of a better coat for Joseph and a little more love of Jacob to him then to the rest was a marvellous moat in the eyes of his brethren and it is true that Jacob said though in another sence an evil or cruel beast hath devoured him for envy is fera 〈◊〉 pessima the worst of all wilde beasts S. Basil saith Canes 〈◊〉 cicurantur cultu mansuescunt 〈◊〉 invidi vero ad obsequium
Saint James cal such anger 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is without partiality not standing upon his own 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 discretion he stands not doubting what his meaning might be but doth Candide interpretari construe it fairely 3. The third is a willingnes sometimes to depart from ones right for peace and quietnes Saint James saith that true wisdom is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gentle or guided by equity and moderation and Saint Paul plainly requires it let your 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 moderation be shewn unto all men By these three rules anger is prevented 2. But now for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the healing after the wound is made there are 3. other rules prescribed by the Apostles and prophets 1. To support or to bear with one another for though anger may come into a wise mans bosom yet it must not rest there it rests onely in the bosom of fools we must therefore be long-suffering and not put in more bitternes to make a bitter thing more bitter We must as the Apostle saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beare all things Yea we must be as the Prophet David was fni tanquam surdus I was as a deafe man he was not deafe but tanquam surdus as one dease and as Saint James speaks we must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cover a multitude of sins 2. We must not keep in minde any injuries done but labour to forget and forgive Thou shalt not beare any grudge against the children of thy people saith God 3. If we have done the wrong we must seek for reconciliation as our Saviour commands and this must be partly with good words for a soft answer 〈◊〉 away wrath and partly with gifts for a gift in secret pacifieth anger and a gift in the bosome great wrath This is the way to heale anger when it is broken out 2. The second vertue opposite to anger is charity the fruits and effects whereof are opposite to the several parts and branches of unlawful anger 1. Against the inward boyling of anger in the heart Charity makes us lie down in peace and sleepe as the Psalmist speaks and it keeps the vnity of the spirit in the bond of peace as the Apostle speaks it doth not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it envies not is not puffed up and therefore Saint Peter calls such as have it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as love unity of spirit 2. Against the icterus peccati the outward iaundise appearing in the face c. Where charity is there is that simplex oculus a single eye of which our Saviour speaks charity doth not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 look undecently or with 〈◊〉 and for our words where it is there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vrbanity and suavity 3. Against the outward act of murther charity produces Beneficence which is the same with that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 goodnes which the Apostle mentions which is according to the objects divided into several parts for 1. There is beneficence to the dead By burying them by shewing love and kindnes to their seed according to that in the Canticles love is stronger then death The grave will not quench it 2. There is beneficence to the living and that either 1. general to all men called humanity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea even to evil men as correptio fraterna to reprove them and not to suffer sin to rest upon them and to pray for them or else 2. Specially to the Godly we must do good to all but especially to the household of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 John makes it a signe that we are translated from life to death to love the brethren and Saint Paul counts it a dignity to do good to such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as is worthy the Saints implying that it shews the worth and dignity of a Saint to do good to such And among such those that are our own our friends or are neer to us are to be respected chiefly as was shewed before when we spake of charity in general for a man that hath friends must shew himself friendly and there is a friend that sticketh closer then a brother After these we come to another sort of people to whom beneficence must be shewed viz to such as need by works of mercy and almes deeds The Apostle requires 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bowels of mercy Now this consists in diverse things as in rejoycing with them suffering with them by sympathy of affection when we do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle speaks by giving what they want if we have it and if we have it not by wishing them well and giving them comfortable speeches and praying to God for them by practizing that vertue of hospitality 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so much commended Lastly this part of Christian charity must be extended even to our enemies whereby all these duties now mencioned 〈◊〉 illustriora become the more illustrious and praise worthy by forgiving them praying for them and assisting them in their necessity thereby we become perfect and resemble our heavenly father as our Saviour speaks when we so far overcome our affections that we make our sun to shine upon them with others by doing them good though not for their own sakes and do not let our sun go down upon them by stopping our benefits towards them when they have offendedus Thus we see the vertues opposite to anger which must be laboured for as means to prevent and suppresse this passion CHAP. VIII Rules for the eradication of unjust anger 1. To keepe the passion from rising 4. Rules 2. After it is risen to suppresse it How to carry our selves towards those that are angry with us 1. To give place 2. To looke up to God 3. To see the devil 〈◊〉 of the second thing in anger viz. Revenge Reasons against it If our anger have broken out Rules what we must do Of the act viz. requiting one injury with another Rules in going to law The sixth rule of 〈◊〉 others to keep this Commandment THere remaines something more to be said about the eradication or takeing away the root of unjust anger and this may also be referred to the meanes 1. First to keep this passion from rising in us we must observe these rules 1. We must not have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we must be voyd of prejudice against our brother considering as the Apostle saith that we are subject to the like temptations and men in their anger become corrupt in judgement for holding this principle that those that offend us are evil we are consequently perswaded that we our selves are good and therefore we will shew our power on those that provoke us therefore every man must know that he hath to deale with men of like
subject to this passion he doth not sentire se percussum not resent a blow Now if this anger cannot be prevented that it break not out it is to be sorrowed for and repented and we mnst labour to stop it in regard of the measure we must look to the suppuration or 〈◊〉 to have it healed and dried up A man may sometime be angry but he must not requiescere in ira as is said before S. Paul setteth us the longest time for keeping it Ne occidat Sol and the reason is every Christian is to offer his evening sacrifice of prayer and before we pray we must forgive The charge of this is set down negative and affirmative by S. Matthew from our Saviours mouth 〈◊〉 shew the necessity of it If ye forgive men their trespasses your heavenly Father will also forgive you but if ye forgive not neither will your father forgive your trespasses And if we number our remissions or forgivings then ours shall be numbred to us by tally if we forgive sine fine numero we shall be forgiven in the like manner So much for Suppuratio Now for spuma the foaming of it out by the tongue He that doth this disquieteth his friends And yet we are to consider that we have to do with men and such men as sometime offend with the tongue though not with the will who is it that offendeth not with the tongue It is an unruly member no man can tame it David in his anger said All men are lyars Samuel and all because God had deferred that which Samuel told 〈◊〉 should come to passe the kingdom Seeing then that there is no man but offendeth with his tongue we should 〈◊〉 Davids practise esse tanquam surdus to be as it were deaf and give no regard to what we hear spoken in anger not to be deaf but tunquam surdus as one deaf is good in this case for when one hath heard evil 〈◊〉 words they are as the son of Syrach speaks like a coal of fire which if one blow on it it will kindle if he spit upon it it will go out The Heathen man considered this by the light of nature If he be thus angry without a cause quid faciet 〈◊〉 what will he be if I provoke him and requite one angry word with another And therefore the Philosopher when one reproached him cast up dust into the air and when the other asked him why he did so he answered Injicio pulverem vomitui tuo I throw dust to cover thy vomit and indeed it is nothing 〈◊〉 but vomitus bilis a 〈◊〉 of choler Solomon saith He that answers such a one whether he be in 〈◊〉 or in earnest he shall go by the worst If he be wise thou art yet wiser by forbearing him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wiser for not returning word for word Therefore he would not have a fool answered lest we become like him and be as he that reproving a sault in another commits a greater himself and so runs into a great absurdity for against a fools words magnum remedium negligentia the best course is to neglect them so that sometimes he must not be answered lest we make e stulto 〈◊〉 of a fool a mad man and yet again sometimes he must be answered when he is among such as himself that think well of him 〈◊〉 he seem wise but if he be among wise men answer him not for they will regard rather quid tu taceas quam quid ille dicat thy wisdom in silence then his 〈◊〉 in speaking The last thing in anger is the Act it self or requiting of one injury with another Now though this be no way lawful neither is revenge allowed under the 〈◊〉 by our Saviour though under the Law they were allowed eye for eye and tooth for tooth because a far higher degree of love is now required under the Gospel yet we may distinguish between revenge and reparation for the damage we have sustained in our 〈◊〉 person or name Revenge is when we seek the hurt of him with whom we are angry though we our selves receive no benefit thereby and this is utterly unlawful now either for private persons or any others as Magistrates c. But the other viz. reparation for the losse or damage we have sustained is no way contrary to Christian love nor forbidden by Christ but may lawfully be sought by the hands of the Magistrate when it cannot otherwise be had we are not to be as the Pope once said of England a good asse to bear all burdens A man may strive lawfully especially in Gods cause Strive for the truth saith the Wise man and that unto death and this is 〈◊〉 far from the sin of anger that it is accounted a vertue called zeal In the case of 〈◊〉 and tuum we see that Abraham said to Lot Let there be no strife between me and thee Abraham for 〈◊〉 departed something from his right But because by so doing we many times pluck upon us a more grievous burthen then we are able to bear and therby give occasion to men to work upon our good and quiet nature we are warranted to have recourse to the Magistrate to relieve us by Law And for this purpose were Magistrates appointed and Laws made 〈◊〉 earum 〈◊〉 humana 〈◊〉 audacia that mens insolencies might be restrained by fear of them Yet there are some rules to be observed in our going to Law 1. It must be for some considerable matter not for every trifle Not quod opus est but quod necesse not for that we may do but for that necessity drives us to not every trivial action but such as if it be not remedied will breed an inconvenience and 〈◊〉 as nothing but the Law can rectifie and redresse 2. Before we bring it into forum civile before the Magistrate we must endeavour to have it ended by Good Men as we call them some wise and understanding men to judge of it 3. Our Saviour being required to deal between two brethren in the case of an inheritance saith Who made me a judge And in the next verse adds Beware of covetousnesse we must not go to Law with a covetous minde that is another rule 4. We must not by presuming upon our wealth savour or 〈◊〉 with the Judge enter upon a suit and endeavour to take away the right from the poor that every mans suum may be 〈◊〉 must not go to Law with a corrupt minde as the Heathen man said to the Judge in the words of the Law Si 〈◊〉 est adversarii habeat ille if it be none of mine let mine adversarie carry it This is another rule 5. Our Prosecution of a suit must not savour of gall we are to preserve charity keep a charitable minde with our adversarie 6. The last rule is prescribed by Solomon Strive not hastily his reason is lest
consent and then he saith O vtinam a desire followeth and 〈◊〉 qui facturus est jam secit he that goeth about a wicked action hath already acted it in his heart Therefore we are to strive against this Cardiacal passion In the next place come we to the solum subactum the soyle fitted for this sin And this as we shewed before is done by gluttony and idlenes Gluttony we said was in meat or drink In meat it was 〈◊〉 too much feeding gula vestibulum luxuriae the throate is the porch wherby lechery enters And that by reason that the faculties 〈◊〉 the body are sod sposed that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the nutritive faculty is the shop of the generative and that being well looked to there 's hope that the other may be better dealt withal The Apostle tells us that one of the ftruits of the flesh is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 uncleannes to which he adds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 banketting or revelling as a cause of it Fulnes of bread was one of 〈◊〉 sin of Sodom Vpon which place Jerome saith venter bene pastus cito disponitur ad libidinem a belly well fed is soon disposed to lust And again nunquam ego edacem 〈◊〉 castum putabam I never accounted a great eater chast pro qualitate ciborum est ordo memborum according to the quality of the meate is the disposition of the members a well fed belly will quickly wax wanton This excesse is injurious to God in destroying his creatures whereas Christ appointed the fragments to be gathered up that nothing might be wasted It was the Prodigals fault fruges consumere male to wast Gods creatures in vaine 〈◊〉 Solomon saith it will bring a man to poverty Therefore it is the counsel of the son of 〈◊〉 become not a begger by banquetting upon borrowing The heathen man could say 〈◊〉 patrimoniorum exitium culina to spend a mans patrimony in the kitchen is the basest thing that can be This is it that makes graves of lust when by surfetting men hasten death as those Israelites that longed for quailes and were smitten while the flesh was between their teeth whereupon the place where they were buried was called Kibroth-Hattaavah that is graves of lust And indeed it is gentile vitium our national sinne there are too many graves of lust in this kingdom When we are sick we call for sanitatem health and having it we become soon afterwards by 〈◊〉 to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 betrayers of our health by surfetting Besides the ill effects it works in the body it doth much hurt to the soul too for it maketh all sermons and other exercises of Godlines unfruitful choaking the good seed like the thorns Nolte gravari saith our Saviour to his disciples because the heart thereby becometh so heavie and the brain is so unapt by reason of the fumes that ascende from the stomack that a man is fit for nothing but sleep Saint Gregory saith that perhaps he may be fit adineptam laetitiam sed ad 〈◊〉 praeterea for scurrilous and unsavory mirth and nothing els And in another place cum venter se in ingluvie extendit membra in luxuriam erigit when the belly is oppressed with gormandizing the members are prone to lewdnes Besides this there is first hebetudo mentu dulnes of the minde and then follows durities cordis hardnes of the heart when men drink wine in bowles they are not grieved at the afflictions of Joseph there 's no sympathy between them and those that want Besides as Moses said it was with Jeshurun 〈◊〉 recalcitravit being made fat he began to kick so it will be with the body which will be like Solomons servant that 's brought up wantonly bring up a servant wantonly he will prove stubborne and proud feed him deliciously and he will be check mate with you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 not broken and a childe left to himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 become stubborn and rebellious so doth the flesh These desideria carnis desires of the flesh militant adversus animam fight against the soul and what folly is it to strengthen our enemy To avoyd these inordinate lusts we are to follow Saint Pauls example castigare corpus to keep our body under and one way to chasten it is castigatio per damnum by hindering it from some thinge it desires as 〈◊〉 jumentorum to keep under labouring beasts as when we would take down a pampered horse the way is to abate him of his provender This in effect is temperance which the Philosopher calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 promum virtutum the butler of all vertues Nature cries out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is the voyce of the flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let me not be hungry let me not be thirsty let me not be cold 〈◊〉 when he was an hungry desired Jacobs pottage lentis edulium pottage of lentiles it seemed savory to him and the Philosopher saith 〈◊〉 non 〈◊〉 aurea pocula thirst cares not for drinking in gold but under the colour of supplying nature it commonly falls out that nulli defiderio resistimus we give way to every thing we desire and therefore we grow wanton when we will not have it in this dish or not have it unlesse thus drest and then venter est molestus cliens the belly is a troublesome client whereas of this temper ought we to be that having food and rayment we should be therewith content and this is the right temperance We know that we are debtors to the flesh but not to live after the flesh and that God made the belly for meats but yet we must not say with them let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall die nor live in pleasure and nourish our hearts as in a day of slaughter as Saint James speaks nor make such provision for the flesh as to fulfil the lusts thereof This is far from the rule of Temperance Now temperance consists in modo in measure and that modus is in medio measure is in the meane or middle which is known by per regulam by rule And the rule of temperance is three fold 1. The first is 〈◊〉 vitae the necessity of our life and our life necessarily requires but convenient food and rayment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Apostle having food and rayment let us be therwith content 2. The second is necessitas officii the necessity of our calling The Apostle tells us that he which is 〈◊〉 that striveth for the mastery must be temperate and abstemious and keep a strict diet So he that is a student and lives a contemplative life may detract in his diet but a husbandman that labours much and sweats it out may adde he must have a greater proportion The direction in this point must be according to mens several callings and
female this sin is committed and that either with more then one or with one alone with more either without law or with colour of law That without all colour of law is called Scortatio Whoring and this is not only forbidden but in the next verse the Whore is resembled to a Bitch and Whoremongers to a company of dogs For the punishment of it by the light of Nature it was punisht with Death the offenders were to be burnt as we see in Thamar And because the civil laws of men inflict small punishment for this sin therefore God himself will punish it Whoremongers and adulterers God will judge yea God will judge it both in the world to come for the whoremongers are 〈◊〉 among those that shall have their portion in the fiery Lake and also in this life with strange and extraordinary judgements as Lue Gallica with the French Pox an abominable and filthy disease not heard of in former Ages 6. Under colour of law or pretext of mariage comes Poligamy a fault wherewith sundry of the Patriarchs and others were intangled yielding to the corrupt customs of the Countreys about them not enquiring after Gods will But nature it self might have taught them that where the care of both sexes is requird for education there the very beasts of the field and fowls of the air are coupled but one with one but where the dam alone or female may bring up the young there it is otherwise This is plain even from the Creation where it is said male and female created he them but more plain from that of our Saviour And they twain shall be one flesh where we see the number set down expressely as also from another speech of his whosoever shall put away his wife and marry another committeth adultery In the Law it is forbidden Thou shalt not take one wife to another or take a wife to her sister The terms of brother and sister are applyed to any thing that is alike even to inanimate things as if to one half of a thing the other half be added it might well be called the brother or sister of it therefore by sister may here be understood another wife but whether it be so to be understood or no yet the reason added there lest thou vex her is sufficient The very vexation and trouble in the house This what it was we see in Abrahams house while Hagar remained in it and in Jacobs while Rachel envied Leah and lastly in Elkanahs between Hannah and 〈◊〉 So that the inconvenience which hereby arises in hindering bonum oeconomicum the peace of the family is reason strong enough to evince the inexpedience if not the unlawfulnesse of it But it is objected that it was lawful at the first for the increase of 〈◊〉 and propagation of the world In answer whereof we say That indeed if ever it had been lawful or allowed it had been so in the begining But the Prophet Malachy calleth men to the beginning in this very point and tells them as our Saviour told the Pharisees ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sic from the beginning it was not so and that God having plenty of Spirit and power to have made more yet made but one one Eve for one Adam and wherefore one because he sought a godly seed And therefore Polygamie was unlawful from the beginning and much more in all ages that should follow 〈◊〉 Again the first that the holy Ghost noteth to have had two wives was wicked Lamech of 〈◊〉 race and though Jacob had two also yet he learnt it in 〈◊〉 Aram among the Idolaters The Prophets therefore having spoken against it and Christ also And the Apostle directing let every woman have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 own 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 husband have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his own wife whatsoever 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 have been devised to defend it it is utterly unlawful In Matrimony this sin is committed uxore propria with ones own wife for we 〈◊〉 to not left to our selves in Matrimony to use our liberty as we please 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ambrose and others of the Fathers use often a saying of Sixtus a Philosopher that 〈◊〉 est 〈◊〉 uxor is suae ferventior 〈◊〉 man may commit adultery by too much 〈◊〉 of love to his wife This 〈◊〉 was forbidden by the Law and punished There ought to be no approaching 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 no not to a mans own 〈◊〉 if it were both parties were to be cut off from among the people But because here we may fall into infinite questions about marriage and not very pertinent to this place we will therefore here content our selves onely with these few considerations because we have spoken of them more largely already 1. We must have Abrahams care not to match with the Canaanites with the wicked but as S. Paul directeth in Domino in the Lord. 2. Secondly consent of parents must be had Speak to the King saith Tamar to Ammon for he will not withhold me from thee 〈◊〉 thereby that she had not power to bestow her self 3 As God brought Eve to Adam and gave her to him so must we desire that our wife may come by the hand of God and he to make the match which is when the marriage is made by the Priest Gods deputy in the face of the Church 4. Which more neerly concerns this place In marriage we must so behave our selvs in having wives as if we had none and to be content to master our lusts so that for the duties of Christianity we may separate our selves for a time 5. We must not depart or divorce our selves but onely in case of Adultery according to our Saviours rule 6. After we are divided by the death of one party so to abide if we can or at least not quickly to wax wanton and marry again but to stay for a time til the body of the party deceased be dissolved into earth from whence it came Out of matrimony we commit this sin 1. Either with one allyed to us Or 2. with a stranger 1. If she be allyed to us either by father or mother as agnata or cognata it is called incest and is forbidden by the Law and punished with death It is set down as a principle Thou shalt not discover the shame of thy mother because she is thy mother nor of thy sister because she is thy sister as though by the light of nature the very naming of mother or sister were enough to keep us from medling with them No man was hotter against this then 〈◊〉 in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And yet this sin 〈◊〉 a time was winked at But the land 〈◊〉 out the 〈◊〉 and the Perizzites for this abomination And 〈◊〉 before the Law for this very sin of incest forfeited both his right to the kingdom which went from him to 〈◊〉 and
to the Priesthood which went to Levi. Possesse your vessels saith the Apostle in 〈◊〉 and honour Now the honour we are to give to them of our own flesh is that we do not approach or come neer them Other reasons 〈◊〉 are 1. The neernesse of education of those that are our 〈◊〉 or joyned in consanguinity with us is such that it would prove a great 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 and a great occasion of this sin if such marriages were allowed with those that usually live together in the same house as parents and children brothers and sisters c. usually do 2. Because not onely a family within it self but also one family with another should have friendship and 〈◊〉 which is most especially procured by marriage Now if 〈◊〉 should be made within the same family every house would be a common-wealth within it self whereas by marriages abroad there is unity and familiarity contracted between one family and another It is true the consideration of Adams children who could marry with no other makes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to decide how far that consanguinity or 〈◊〉 extends wherein marriage is prohibited yet this is agreed upon by all that in the right line it was never permitted nor allowed in any case as for the collateral it may be said as before of 〈◊〉 and divorces they were winked at for a time but never allowed as 〈◊〉 God saith that for this sin of incest or marrying within the degrees prohibited the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 because of such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was punished for 〈◊〉 as we shewed before and for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stood to it and 〈◊〉 in the quarrel that Herod 〈…〉 wife And the Apostle saith that one should have his fathers wife was a fornication not 〈◊〉 named among the Gentiles And the Prophet saith that a 〈◊〉 and his father 〈◊〉 go in to one maid is a 〈◊〉 to the holy name of God and that he will not spare them So though for necessity it were tolerated in the beginning yet of it self it is unlawful 2. Come 〈◊〉 to those that 〈◊〉 strangers and not allyed 〈◊〉 us and they are either 1. married 〈◊〉 or free and 〈◊〉 1. If married or 〈◊〉 which is all one it is adultery and forbidden by the law and punished with the death of both parties God is pleased continually to liken 〈◊〉 to this 〈◊〉 of adultery 〈◊〉 there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 himself against and under this name all kinde of pollution or uncleanness is contained that so the hainousnesse of this sin may be the more discovered And though the politick Laws of men have not made it so yet by the judgement of many Divines it is capital And good reason it should be so For it is the perverting of the whole estate of those two Families whereof the parties delinquent are members If it be not known which God seldom suffers to be kept secret for though he deal otherwise in other crimes yet here he stayes not for a legal accusation but gives the reins to the jealous man to put the womanto her purgation though he cannot directly accuse her then if it be kept close and the fault be in the woman there is a 〈◊〉 thest committed for the man nourisheth and bringeth up a childe that is not his and layeth up inheritance for it to the great wrong and prejudice of his other children If it be known to the parties then God giveth this sin a plain 〈◊〉 by taking away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 natural affection both from the children to the parents contra from the parents to the children Besides this such children shall not take deep root they shall be rooted out at the last as appears by Augustus's dealing with his Bastards Medea with her issue by Absoloms and Adonijahs fall It fared so between 〈◊〉 and his brethren there was no natural affection between them In which soever of them the fault be there is a sin against the rest of the children yea and a sin against one that is not namely against him that is to be begotten for he shall be born a Bastard and consequently such an one as shall not be accounted or reputed one of the congregation of the Lord to the tenth generation It is also against the state of the Common-wealth for it polluteth the Land so that it will spue out the inhabitants and the Land cannot be quit of pollution without bloodshed And therefore it is certain that if adultery be not punished it makes way for the ruine of the Land rather then other things committed against the publick state as Murders Poysonings c. the fruits of this sin which yet were punished with death by the Lex Iulia the ground of which Law is because the adulteresse living with the lawful wife hath opportunity to mingle poyson with her meats and therefore every Common-wealth hath cause to make it capital David after adultery fals to murther and Herodias because John Baptist reprehended it could not abide him and never left till he had got his head off Whereas a good wife is a possession above pearls the heart of her Husband may safely trust in her as the Wise man saith Besides this two mischiefs more attend this crime 1. Incest where the fault is kept close for by this means those that marry not knowing how they are allied nor who is of their race or lineage it fals out that sometimes they may joyn themselves with those they are near unto and so commit incest 2. Frequent divorces or separations when one party knows or suspects the incontinency of the other from whence hatred and debate usually arise and it is plain by the whole course of prophane Histories that the greatest Wars both foraign and domestick in many Nations have from hence had their original because there commonly followeth an extream hatred of each other upon this occasion as Ammou hated Tamar exceedingly so that his hatred after he had knowledge of her was greater then his love was to her before To this we may adde the breach of the ninth Commandement Persidiam unfaithfulnesse and of the third Perjurium perjury For at the solemnization of mariage there 〈◊〉 a mutual and solemn Oath and vow unto God in the presence of the Congregation to keep the mariage-bed undefiled Besides God by the Apostle tels us that this sin shall darken the understanding of the wise and make them foolish which effect we see it wrought in Solomon and the Prophet tels us that Aufert cor it takes away the heart of the strong as it did in Sampson By all which we see that this vice is prejudicial to the Common-wealth for the curse of God for it is not onely against the parties offending but upon the Common-wealth too God saith They shall commit adultery but shall not increase and where there is defect of men to till the ground there must needs be barrennesse
publica infamia nor ex semiplena probatione upon publick fame nor upon probable grounds but were to make him accuse himself in such cases a man may not answer And again in some 〈◊〉 if there be two things in the accusation and both true he may answer to the one and occultare partem veritatis hide or conceal the other part as S. Paul did when he was accused for perceiving that part were Sadduces who denyed the resurrection and part 〈◊〉 who held the resurrection he cryed out that he was a 〈◊〉 and held the resurrection and for that was questioned which was true for that was one thing for which he was called in question but it was not that alone So if a man have diverse wayes to defend himself he may choose which he will as he that hath diverse weapons may use which he will for his own defence But if according to due form of Law he be proceeded against he must answer as Achan did when Joshua urged him to confesse the truth 2. Whereas the benefit of appeal is granted for a remedy of those that are oppressed if any shall use appeals meerly to protract the cause and avoid a just sentence this is a second fault in the Defendant for this is to delay 〈◊〉 contrary to Jethro's advise who would not have people wait long for justice but to be dispatcht that they might go home to their place in peace 1. The Defendant offends if when sentence is given he do not submit to it for Qui resistit Dei ordinationi resistit he that resisteth resisteth the ordinance of God 5. For the witnesse he may likewise 〈◊〉 guilty diverse wayes 1. If being lawfully required by a Superiour demanding his testimony and asking him nothing that is 〈◊〉 to the matter in question if he do not declare all that he knows for the Law is 〈◊〉 that a witnesse if he 〈◊〉 not utter 〈◊〉 he 〈◊〉 seen and known shall bear his 〈◊〉 2. Though one be not required by a Superiour yet if it be to 〈◊〉 an Innocent man in danger he is bound to bear witnesse and he 〈◊〉 if he be silent Solomon makes it no small sin not to give testimony for the preservation of an innocent person If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn to death and those that are ready to be slain if thou 〈◊〉 behold I knew it not doth not he that 〈◊〉 the heart consider and shall not be render to every one according to his works But out of these cases if one not be called to witnesse by a Superiour or if an innocent person be not 〈◊〉 by his silence and if he be not examined about other things which belong not to the matter in question he is not 〈◊〉 to answer 3. Besides these Solomon intimates another way whereby a witnesse may offend when he bears false witnesse to deliver the wicked for though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hand yet shall not the wicked escape unpunished The Greeks have a Proverb Da 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 jusjurandum lend me an oath This lending an oath is that which Solomon calls a joyning of hand in hand and he saith plainly that though they may escape the hands of men yet shall they not escape unpunished that is God will be sure to punish them 6. Sixtly and lastly for the Advocate he may offend two wayes 1. If he undertake an evil cause knowing it so to be This is a great sin God saith having first prohibited any to raise a false report Put not thy hand unto the wicked to be an unrighteous witnesse now he that pleads 〈◊〉 a bad cause puts his hand to the wicked And in the third verse it s added Thou shalt not countenance a poor man in his cause viz. if his cause be bad If a man might plead for any in a bad cause surely it might be for a poor man but even for a poor man he must not Jehu said to Jehosaphat Wilt thou help the wicked and love them that hate the Lord therefore is wrath upon thee from the Lord. And the Apostle saith that not onely the doers of evil things are worthy of death but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they that take pleasure in them or consent to them such are they that plead for them they give their placet as we use to do at congregations in the Universitie Greeks used the same words and gave their suffrages by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it pleaseth me and therefore whosoever pleads for the wicked cryes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am pleased with it he helps him and is partaker of his sin with him 2. Another way is by the Wise man when a man for defence of a cause in difference though it be good perverts the Law or receives a bribe The wicked 〈◊〉 he takes a gift out of the bosome to wrest the wayes of judgement As it is evil to joyn with the wicked to help an evil cause for he that saith to the wicked thou art just him shall the people curse so to bolster any cause by wrong means and thereby to pervert the course of judgement is wicked And because judgement is not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on the bench but also in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the place of consultation therefore false witnesse or testimony must not be given in elections or in choice of men to places or preferments for there ought to be justice and truth in both and he that gives his voice for one unworthy bears false witnesse and goes against justice and truth 〈◊〉 justice as the Philosopher defines it well is rectitudo in affectu impressa a recta ratione a rectitude stamped upon the affections by right reason and as electio dicit excellentiam so excellentia dicit magis aut plus as Election or choyce imports excellency in the party elected so excellency imports the best or most eminent now that in our choyce the best is alwayes to be chosen is the second rule in moral Philosophy which he that follows not goes against the truth and so justice is broken CHAP. IIII. Of false witnessing out of judgement Four things to which the tongue may do harme The branches of this kinde of false witnessing 1. Contumelious speaking 2. Taunting 3. Backbiting Which is 1. By words 2. By letters 3. By deeds 4. In all these a man may be a false witnesse 〈◊〉 he speak the truth AND thus we have done with false testimony given in judgement Now for that which is out of judgement When a man is out of judgement he is not to say with those in the Psalm Ego sum Dominus linguae meae my tongue is my own I may speak what I will for nemo est Dominus sui nisi ad licita no man is Lord of his own further then to imploy it for a lawful use Solomon hath a strange speech Be not a witnesse against thy 〈◊〉 without cause
foolish others are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 noisome and hurtful The first we may see in such men as the Apostle calls earthly minded who desire worldly things not for natural ends onely but do transilire fines 〈◊〉 passe and 〈◊〉 over the bounds of nature desiring more then is necessary for they still desire 〈◊〉 and more and as the Psalmist speaks when their riches increase do set their hearts 〈◊〉 them which as the precedent words imply is folly and vanity O give not your selves unto vanity such men do think speak and delight to discourse of nothing but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 earthly things and thus at length they corrupt themselves so that as the Prophet speaks their silver is become drosse and their wine mixt with water when they mingle their souls with earthly things which are of an inferiour and baser condition then the soul. The other desires which he calls hurtful are those properly between whom and the Spirit of God there is that opposition which the Apostle mentions And these do first hinder us from good things which the Spirit suggests because there is 〈◊〉 cordis a foreskin grown over the heart which shuts up and closes the heart when any good motion is offered and leaves it open when any evil would enter and also 〈◊〉 aurium a foreskin drawn over the ears O ye of uncircumcised hearts and ears whereby the like effects are wrought for it shuts the ears against any thing that is good and draws the covering aside for corrupt or unsavory communication to enter in for which cause God is said in Job Revelare aurem to uncover the ear when he reforms men effectually And 2. as they hinder us from receiving good so they corrupt that good which is already in us like the dead fly in the box of ointment And 3. they provoke to evil or which is all one ad ea ad 〈◊〉 consequitur malum to such things as are not in themselves evil but will 〈◊〉 us in evil if we follow after them for malum sive in Antecedente sive in consequente malum est evill whether in the Antecedents or in the consequents of it is 〈◊〉 and to be avoided therefore the Apostle would not have us to be brought under the power of any thing because the Devil doth sometimes kindle such an earnest 〈◊〉 and appetite in a man after some lawful indifferent thing that he will not forgoe it for any cause and then the Devil will quickly finde a condition to annex to it whereby he will draw a man to something simply unlawful as he thought to have done with Christ when having shewed him the Kingdoms of the World and the glory of them wherewith he thought he had wrought upon his affections he presently seeks to 〈◊〉 him to idolatry 〈◊〉 tibi dabo c. All these will I give thee if thou wilt fall down and worship me Thus the desires of our concupiscence in malo in evil are either as S. Augustine saith per injustitiam or adjustitiam either to get things lawful by evil means or if by lawful means yet for an evil end and both these wayes of getting are justly condemned even in the very desire of the heart This 〈◊〉 and these desires proceeding from it are expressed in Scripture by other words Sometimes it is called the old man sometimes sin dwelling in us sometimes the law of sin and the law of the members sometimes the sting of death sometimes the prick in the flesh sometimes the cleaving sin which hangs so fast on sometimes the skirmishing sin which wars against the soul sometimes virus serpentis the poyson of the Serpent which the Devil instild into our nature at the first The Schoolmen call it fomitem infixum or fomitem peccati that inbred fewel of sin Others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the disorder or irregularity of the faculties of the soul for whereas man had advanced his concupiscence above his reason against the order and will of God and so made it chief and for fulfilling his desire hazarded the favour of God Therefore as a just punishment God hath so ordered in his wrath that it should be stronger then reason so that it cannot be brought under that superiour faculty though a man would So that as God said by the Prophet and it is a fearful judgement because Ephraim had made altars to sin therefore they should be to him to sin so here because man would have his concupiscence superiour it shall 〈◊〉 be 〈◊〉 do what he can Thus God in great wrath sometimes deals with men as he did with the Israelites They did eat and were full and he gave them their own desire they were not disappointed of their lust and in another place He gave them up to their own hearts lusts and to follow their own imaginations Thus he dealt with the Heathen Romans as the Apostle saith after great disobedience and wilful sinning against the light of their own hearts there follows this Illative Ideo tradidit cos deus therefore God gave them up to their own desires counsels inventions and imaginations This is a fearful thing to be thus given up to a mans own lust It is much to be delivered over to satan Tradatur 〈◊〉 was a high censure yet tradatur 〈◊〉 had a return he that was so given up was regained But when a man is delivered up to himself it is certain that by ordinary means he never returns again For this is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that reprobate sence as the Apostle cals it when God gives a man clean over and withdrawing his grace leaves him in his own hands to final destruction so that it is better to be delivered over to the Devil then to his own will And thus we see how well we are to think of our own will and how dreadful a thing it is to be given over to it and not to have Gods spirit to maintain a perpetual conflict therewith CHAP. III. How a man comes to be given up to his own desires Thoughts of two sorts 1. Ascending from our own hearts 2. Injected by the Devil The manner how we come to be infected Six degrees in sin 1. The receiving of the seed 2. The retaining of it 3. The conception 4. The forming of the parts 5. The quickning 6. The travel or birth NOw for the means whereby a man comes to be thus endangered it hath been partly handled already in the first Commandement which in our duty to God answers to this towards our Neighbour and shall partly be now touched A man comes thus to be given up to his own desires by degrees when he gives way to civil imaginations against his Neighbour Let no man imagine or think evil in his heart saith the Prophet against his Neighbor We must not give way to it at all though we suffer
〈◊〉 Such a one was Abigail one that by her wisdom builded her house and was like a marchants ship a good huswife and provident If to these she be like a polished corner of the temple it makes her a meet one Such a one being found we must not presently adhinnire 〈◊〉 after her like Jeremies fedd horses there must not be conjunxit before adduxit which was Shechems case we must tarry till adduxit and that in Gods house Jesus must be at the mariage God must give her as parent and joyn both as priest by the hand of him that he hath appointed in his place And it must be in Gods house not clandestine and then they shall receive a blessing Now for the duties general and mutual between them they consist in two things 1. In fidelity and loyalty They must possesse their vessels in holines and purity and not defraud one another but keep the mariage bed undefiled They must draw both one way and beare each others burden 2. Love She was made of a bone meet to the heart and that was coupled with a fellow therefore their love must be hearty He must love her as a part of himself and she him as wounded for her Again she must love him as her head and he her as his crown He must be better to her then ten sonnes And she embrace him and his love tanquam 〈◊〉 non 〈◊〉 as a vine and not ivy 1. Now severally concerning their duties The man must dwell with the woman with knowledge to direct her Provide and take care for his house and family He must cherish her he must delight in her rejoyce with the wife of his youth Isaac sported with Rebekah Suffer and bear with her infirmities and not be bitter to her To end this he must love her fervently cooperate with her willingly provide all things carefully and though he be the nobler part not despise the lesse noble give good counsel seasonably admonish her opportunely and defend her faithfully 2. The woman in respect that she was not made first but Adam and that she was taken elatere out of his side therefore her duty is to submit and be subject to her husband and do her duty at all times to please him She is also to be adjutrix a help to him She is a bone part of a coupling or rafter in a building she must gird her loyns with strength she must not be trouble some for it were better for her husband to dwell in the wildernesse then with her if she be a contentious woman Nor must she undo him nor 〈◊〉 out his goods Not prove as Jobs wife curst but like to Abigail gracious and milde Not like Michal Davids wife a 〈◊〉 or taunter but like the Shunamite charitable and vertuous Not like Jezabel haughty and cruel but like the woman of Tekoah humble Finally she must love her husband ardently serve him obediently bear and educate her children carefully not oppose his government scornfully So much for the cause or thing upon which this Commandment was grounded Now to the Commandment it self CHAP. II. The dependance of this commandment upon the former The ends for wich it was given The object of this Commandment concupiscence or lust of the flesh The several branches and degrees of the sin here forbidden Diverse reasons against the sin of uncleannesse Non Maechaberis THis Precept is as the former in words very brief and under the name of Adultery forbids all degrees of uncleannesse and all those acts that dispose thereto thereby to shew what reckoning God makes of lust and all those acts that tend to Adultery and of all the lesser degrees of this sin viz. that they are all 〈◊〉 in his sight as rash and unjust anger is murder before him as we shewed in the last Now Adultery implies not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 uncleannesse but injustice too and that in a high degree by communicating that to many which is proper to one for the husband hath not power over his own body but the wife and econtra and therefore it is injustice to give that to another which is not in our power but is already given to another by marriage Thus we see by the word here used what account God makes of all those vices which are subordinate to Adultery The Commandment itself is expounded Leviticus 20. 10. in the law and in the Gospel by Christ in the fifth of S. Matthew vers 27 28. c. And by the Apostle 1 Corinthians 5. and 6. 15. and throughout the whole seventh chapter of the same Epistle The order and dependance is this The principal cause why murder was prohibited was because man is the image of God now the image of God consists especially in purenesse and chastity as one of the Heathen Poets could tells us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God is a pure minde and therefore fitly doth this Commandment wherein purity of soul and body is commanded follow 〈◊〉 that wherein the defacing of Gods image is forbidden The truth of this may plainly be gathered by the contrary assoon as our first parents eys were opened they saw themselves naked being ashamed to see their nakednesse they got figleaves to cover their shame which argued that the purenesse of this image was lost and that they were ashamed of those irregular motions which began to arise in shew The ends of this Commandment are four 1. In respect of God who is of purer eyes then to behold evil therefore we must not 〈◊〉 be pure in heart if we will see him or have him to see us but we must possesse our bodies also our vessels in holinesse and sanctification not in the lusts of 〈◊〉 as the Heathen that know not God 2. In respect of the Church and the good of it God by the Prophet saith that he took order that one man should be joyned to one woman why that he might have a holy seed That the Church might be kept pure undefiled and unspotted for as the Apostle saith our bodies are the members of Christ and not our own And therfore he 〈◊〉 against Christ the head and the Church his body Who takes the members of Christ and makes them the members of a harlot 3. For the good of the Common-wealth wedlock being 〈◊〉 parens the Parent of the Common-wealth the 〈◊〉 of cities and kingdoms And in that respect it is that the Wise man in diverse places counselleth us to refrain from strange women Abimelech charged his people upon pain of death not to touch Abrahams wife And 〈◊〉 sentence upon his daughter in Law was no lesse when he heard that she had played the harlot So in the Law it was no lesse then death to offend in this kinde And God charged Moses
to admonish the Israelites to refrain from this sin because it defiled the land and would be a cause that they should be 〈◊〉 out of it Lastly S. 〈◊〉 tells us that Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities about them for giving themselves over to fornication and going after strange flesh were set forth for an example suffering the vengeance of eternal fire 4. For the particular good of private persons and that two wayes 1. That every one may enjoy that whereof he is Proprietary and chief Lord and that wholly to himself And this is occulta lex 〈◊〉 the secret law of nature Therefore if another partake or share with him or be but suspected so to do it drives him into jealousie which the Wise man calls the rage of a man and he accounts it such an injury as cannot be satisfied with any ransom 2. That his name may be perpetuated by legitimate children of his own We see that God would have no bastard enter into his congregation And by this also a man preserves the chastity of his wife And these four are the ends Now for the affection it self and ground of the Commandment as it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heat in the other Commandment so here it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 concupiscence that this dealeth withall not that every concupiscence is evil for the Apostle tells us of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an evil concupiscence to intimate that there is some Concupiscence or desire which is not evil And in another place he willeth us not to have providence and care of the flesh to fulfil the lusts of it implying that there is a lawful care of the flesh to be had so that the lusts of it be not fulfilled More plainly there is in man as in all other creatures a desire first to preserve himself in 〈◊〉 and secondly in specie And therefore in respect that these are most necessary it pleased God to 〈◊〉 a bait for both that men might be allured to them for as there is a pleasure in eating and drinking for the one so is there for the other in the act of generation And there is a rule in maxime 〈◊〉 maxima 〈◊〉 as maxime allicit in things most necessary the greatest pleasure allureth most And another quod maxime allicit maxime corrumpit that which allureth most corrupts most And the reason is quia appetitus tendit ultra modum the appetite exceeds the due measure For we perswade our selves that if the doing of it once be good the doing of it often will be better and so we come at last to do it too much because the appetite knows not what is enough and so it falleth into corrupt custom For the course of our nature is when it avoids any evil it avoideth it so vehemently that sometime if there be any good with it it putteth out the good too and if 〈◊〉 desire any good it desireth the evil too that sticketh to it Therefore moderation and temperance is to be used for vertue stands in medio between two 〈◊〉 yet temperance is magis in 〈◊〉 more in the want then in the excesse as 〈◊〉 is mag is in 〈◊〉 more in the excesse then in the want This Concupiscence of the flesh as it is in us so it is in beasts and therefore it hath the lowest place and is as Plato saith alligata ventri tyed to the belly as a man would 〈◊〉 a horse or an asse to the manger Now being thus in the lowest place yet being of necessary use the rule is In maxime necessariis 〈◊〉 est maxime necessarius in things necessary order is most necessary and this order is that the lower desires should not take up a man wholly when the lower is most vehement the higher is most hindered but the lower faculties are to give place to the superiour and not to take up the whole man Chrysostome saith Dedit Deus corpus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 illud in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non dedit animam corpori ut illam in terram deprimeret God gave the body to the soul to lift it up to the 〈◊〉 of heaven and heavenly things and not the soul to the body to presse it down to the earth Therefore Gods intent was that as we may have a lawful Concupiscence for the maintenance of our life and for propagation so we should use them no further then this necessity requires And this Concupiscence hath its purity Now that is called purum pure that hath 〈◊〉 alieni admixtum no mixture of any thing with it But because in this life there will be some mixture as the Prophet tells them their wine was mixt with water we must be careful that the mixture be not disproportionable as to have but a drop of wine in a vessel of water The Prophet saith that there was a time when man was in honor but certainly he is now so degenerate from that he was that he hath lost his understanding and is become like to the beasts that perish for he serveth his lust riches and pleasures For this cause it is that another Prophet saith of the people of his time that they were 〈◊〉 addicted to this evil concupiscence of the flesh that they were like 〈◊〉 admissariis to fed horses every one neighed after his neighbours wife Therefore as the Apostle speaks of the Law in general so we may of this Commandment that it is Poedagogus our School-master to instruct us that how sweet 〈◊〉 stoln waters are yet the end of them is bitter and deadly And that we should not use our liberty for an occasion to the flesh like brute beasts but as knowing that we were created for greater things and that we should have our mindes lifted up to overrule our bodies and not use our liberty as if we had no rule to walk by Having spoken of the ground of this commandment we come now to the fountain from whence this sin arises and then we shall speak of the means or occasions that draw us to it 1. For the first the Apostle reckons up the fruits of the flesh Gal. 5. 19. Adultery fornication uncle annesse 〈◊〉 c. which our Saviour saith proceed from the heart where they be considered either as they are ipsum venenum the very poison of our nature which the Apostle calls Concupiscentia carnis the lust of the flesh or 〈◊〉 suppuratio an inward festering of this desire an inward boyling of the pot with the scum in it as the Prophet calls it 2. The means that draw us to this sin 1. The first is subactum solum when we make our selves meet and apt ground to receive this vice The Physitians call it 〈◊〉 when a man is disposed by evil humours tending to diseases as those that are Plethorique have their bodies still fed with some bad humour Now this humour of wicked lust is fed by two means 1 Pergulam By intemperance