and brought low enough But God will deliuer them let one get righteousnesse and faith and the spirit of prayer though they vvere in an iron furnace vnder Paraohs tyrannie in an house of bondage let them but cry and from thence God will deliuer them So in Hesters time a wonderfull affliction it was that the day of execution was appointed when all the godly should be put to sword not one seruant of God should be left aliue But now when they could crye vnto God and had none else to goe vnto but him and him they would goe vnto and trust vpon him knowing that he could help them if he would and would also for his promise sake deliuer them Then wee see the day that was appointed to their sorrow turned to their ioy that which was thought to bring destruction vpon them brought destruction vpon their enemies and the day of their most extreame captiuitie proued to be the day of their most ioyful deliuerance that euer they had And it must needs be so for els God should loose the end of his corrections for he corrects them to make them pertakers of his holinesse But if hee should suffer them to pine away and to eat vp their hart with griefe this would not make them more holy but more sinful and therefore he saith he will not let the rod of the wicked alwayes lie on the righteous least he put forth his hand to euill noting that if the Godly should be too much afflicted they could not hold in but would turne a side to sin by courses but God will none of that for then he should misse of his intent So he speakes in another place Isa 57. 16. That he will not alwaies chide least the spirit should faile before him shewing that if he should not moderate the crosses of his Saints they would faint perish vtterly then he should be the looser As if when one goes to tame his colt for his vse he should break his backe by some meanes spoile him the master should loose by that it were no profit for him to do so So when God comes to his owne elect which are before their calling as Iob speaks wilde asse coltes vntamed vnruly he will master them and crush them make thē stoupe but he wil not breake them destroy thē and consume them for then the damage were his for he should crosse his owne purpose which is to bring them to life Therefore Gods children may be assured of comfort an happie end shall follow an vncomfortable beginning an happy deliuery shall come insteade of an vnhappy seruitude The vse of this is to teach vs neuer to faint vnder our crosses and troubles be they what they will be neuer be discouraged God is Iehouah that can help though men will not yea though all were against vs as Pharaoh the Egiptians against Israell and none would moue the hand to help yet his help is sufficient to gainesay them all For hath God deliuered vs from spirituall enemies which is the greatest miserie this is the great and hard slauery to be vnder the diuels yoke to bee in bondage to filthie lusts now hath God set vs at libertie from the yoake of the Diuell shall hee not giue ease from those men that presse our flesh hath hee remooued the tyrannie of sinne which would haue damned our soules and cannot hee giue vs refreshing from the misery of our body If God deliuer from sin death hell neuer faint as though hee could not deliuer from outward afflictions if he haue ouercome the greater the lesser shall not withstand him God did giue freedome from those that be simply euill as sinne is simply euill and the cause of all ill then t is easier to succour against those which are not in themselues and simply euill but often are turned into blessings Hath Christ washed vs from our sinne the worst and hardest enemie for all the world cannot wash away one sinne then neuer feare these lesser matters O but this makes me doubt whether I am Gods childe or not because I haue such long and fiery troubles if God loued me would he afflict me thus why then looke to these people heare they were the best nation vnder the Sunne and none so good as Israell euen then when they were thus threshed vnder Pharaos cruelty All other people were but as thornes they were the rose and other were but harlots they the Lordes spouse yet they were afflicted indeede to keepe them from running after Idolatry and so to damnation So that outward ease is no signe of Gods fauour else none should be in Gods fauour but the Sodomits and the Cananits for they had all the ease and wealth and outward prosperitie and the credit and worship of the world And before the floud Kaines children had all the beautie of the world on their side They found out Musicke and keeping of Cattle and all must bee beholding to them But that is no matter let vs keepe Gods fauour let vs feare him and pray vnto him and then our long and strong crosses shall bring long and strong comforts Secondly let vs hence learne to prepare for crosses since gods children may bee sorely afflicted else little doe wee know how they will sting vs when they doe come It is our best course therefore to get wisedome while the price is in our hands labour to get patience and to acquaint our selues with God that we may seeke to him waite for deliuerance at his hand For that makes crosses so tedious and grieuous when they hit vs on the bare whereas if wee had patience to beare them and faith to emptie our harts by prayer in Gods bosome they would be easie Nothing makes crosses burdensome but when they meete with an heart in which remaines some sinne vnrepented or some passion vnsubdued But if with faith and patience yeeld our selues vnto Gods will wee should be as quiet as lambes as Christ was as a sheepe before her shearer dumbe answered not a word So Paul in the Acts when they perswaded him not to goe to Ierusalem what doe you weping and greeuing mine hart I am readie to dye for Christs sake at Ierusalem he could be content to giue his skinne to be whipt and his bodie to be imprisoned yea and his life also to be kild for Christs sake nothing could be to deare or to much to bestow on him Prepare therefore for crosses and we shall be able to beare them But if wee goe on in a fooles paradice and think indeed this world is a vale of teares to others but to mee it shal be a place of pleasure they must haue trouble but I must haue ease then when insteed of ioy we finde griefe that wee looked not for and we dreamed of creadit but there comes nothing but contempt wee imagined that God should lift vs vp higher and higher and he casts vs downe lower and lower this casts one into
him to come out of his place and be a witnesse to such matters Therefore vnlesse it bee matter of waight that tends to some glory of GOD or some great good of man to ende some contention that would be dangerous and to set vnitie and good order amongst men we must not be bold to meddle with the name of God and solemnly to call him as a witnesse of the thing in hand Lastly one must doe it with great feare and reuerence as in Eccles It is noted as the mark of a good man to feare an oath and though one be the child of God and an oath be required of him and hee know the thing to bee certainely true and the matter also of waight worth an oath yet if hee come lightlie without any regard of God and reuerence of that excellent name hee is to take in his mouth hee hath failed in his swearing and hath taken Gods name in vaine and is to bee humbled for it For in the Psal he saith Serue the Lord with feare Now if a man must not vndertake any seruice of God without feare and reuerence much lesse must hee call God to bee a speciall witnesse and after a speciall manner set himselfe before him without trembling and a speciall awe of his Magestie And thus much for the commandement now follows the reason of it For the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that takes his name in vaine HEere God from the greatnesse of the perill goes about to terrifie men from the sin now where hee saith I will not holde him guiltlesse something more is expressed then is vnderstood for the meaning is that God will account him as guiltie and execute a sharp and seuere punishment vpon him So that this wee may obserue as a plaine doctrine out of this doctrine that hee which sinnes against this commandement vnlesse hee doe soundly repent shall feele Gods hand heauie vpon him God will neuer put it vp but will bee throughly reuenged vpon him for it Of all sinnes this seemes most safe in the eies of men a greater penaltie is laide vpon him that robs a man of his goods then vpon him that robs God of his glorie and one may with more ease carrie out a blaspemous furious oath yea many of them wicked scoffing mocking of his word works then any slanderous reproch or taunting terme against his neighbour that is but dust and ashes like himselfe Therefore sith men let it slip so easily God will take the more notice of it and punish it more sharplie for indeede men are more carefull farre of their owne vaineglory then of Gods glory and therefore if God should refer it to mens assises it is sure little order would bee taken for it yea commonlie it is seene that those which should reforme and correct others in this point haue themselues most neede to bee reformed and corrected the greatest rulers that should most represse blasphemie of all others practise it most for if they bee neuer so little crossed how doe they seeke to ease themselues but by violent and outragious swearing Therefore if God should put ouer the punishment of it to their discreation like inough a very slight penaltie should serue the turne and men also could not inflict a sufficient punishment answerable to the fault for damnation is the due punishment as in Iames 5. Therfore God will haue it come before his judgement seat and himselfe will be the judge and the executioner in this offence Sith then god vndertakes to punish it the vse of it is for the tenor affrighting of all vngodly persons that take libertie to themselues to run euer in the breach of this commandement aboue the rest that they grow shamelesse they neuer seeke to hide it nay they will doe it to anger one and they take a pride in it to many also of the ciuiller sort will be loath a man should see them take away their neighbours sheepe or prig a sheet from off the hedge but if they sweare in a passion come and tell them that they are in great fault they wrong God in that which is most deare vnto him they prophane and dishonour his name then they turne all into a jest and laughing what is that such a matter doe you stand so much vpon an oath why who is there I wonder that doth not sweare sometimes and drop out an oath now and then afore hee be aware when he is angrie and doe they make so light a matter of it is it a small thing to fall into the hands of God nay there bee some of Gods people that can say truely through Gods mercie they had rather choose to haue their soule drop from their bodie then an vnaduised and passionate oath from their mouth for if God haue threatned to bring damnation vpon light swearers then where shall mad and franticke swearers appeare these bitter swearers how great a damnation must they looke for vnlesse their repentance be exceeding great for though men let them passe yet before the great judge of heauen they be liable to an action of eternall death wherefore in a case of such danger men must bee content to bee admonished and to bee helped out of the sinne and not take one and chafe at him that by an wholesome rebuke desires to draw their soules out of hell which they would not doe if they did beleeue that God would so seuerely punish them Lastly this may serue for the comfort of those that haue receiued wrong by false oathes and haue false matters carried out against thē by the help of perjurie though corrupt iudges for their owne gaine sometimes regard not this but looke slightly ouer it goes for currant yet the judge of judges will make a better inquirie come with a more true verdit will lay open their innocencie and the damnable hipocrisie and impudencie of their aduersaries and not onely discouer it but plague and confound them for it if they persist impenitent and this was the case Naboth and his children they were by such wretched dealing surprised and brought to death as malefactors as traitors against the King and blasphemers of God but hath not God in his word shewed how hee brought destruction vpon the actors and rooted them out and swept them and their seede away like doung from the face of the earth Naboths name is now cleered and euery one that heares of him knowes him to haue beene better then Ahab or Iesabel were so that God brought their sinne vpon their heads and hath not suffered his innocencie to bee stained God would not beare with it how euer Ahab being the king no man durst goe about to redresse it Therefore all be it sometimes wicked sinners will impudently outface and by swearing and forswearing ouer-sway the good causes of Gods children and carry away matters for a time that are altogether false yet be pacient God will not let the vprightnesse of his childrē be
and him And to take delight in the word of God and vse all good means to get a pure feruent loue to the yoakfellow and to purge out by godly sorrow that venime of sornication if any haue beene committed before that else would infect the heart with adulterie for mariage cannot kill lust onely repentance can doe that and marriage is an helpe to a penitent man to preserue his chastitie But now if one haue fallen to adulterie and broken the couenant of God there is no way for him but onely one euen to confesse his filthie sinne and to be grieued and iudge himselfe for it and then to lay hold on the merits of Christ Iesus to craue Gods mercie knowing that he can as easily forgiue to the penitent person the blood of Christ can as easily wash away adulterie in the highest degree as the least spot of wantonnesse So much for the first outward breach viz. Adulterie the next followes and that is called Fornication that is when single persons commit the filthie act And this howeuer it be not grieuous as the former because it doth not breake the couenant of God and is not punishable with bodily death yet it is a fearefull sinne lyable to the curse of God and damnation For so 1. Cor. 6. No fornicator shall enter into the kingdome of heauen It is such a sinne as shuts one out of Gods kingdome and casts him downe headlong to hell and the euerlasting vengeance of God And the ill effects of adulterie afore named namely a diseased bodie a poore estate a blemished name and damned soule and the drawing and murdring of an others soule doe agree to this sinne to Oh but they will marrie the partie and so all shall be well and they will make an amends But this cannot make an amends for nothing can wash away the pollution of the soule but the bloud of Christ But if you doe marrie the partie why will you giue the first fruits of your bodie to the flesh and the diuell and the refuse to God it is a shameful thing to serue sinne with the chiefe of his strength and God with the remainder How can they looke for a blessed proceeding from so foule a beginning Why will he doe such wrong to his first borne to make him base borne and his posteritie a bastardly generation why will they beget a continuall sorrow to themselues that they should not be able to looke vpon their childe without blushing and cannot see the fruit of their bodie but they must looke on the fruit of their sinne and behold a witnesse before them of their owne filthinesse and disobedience to God Or if he purpose not to marrie her that doth this why doth he rob her of her virginitie and make her vnfit for any other else Therefore this is a foule sinne and daungerous for vnlesse it be repented for soundly fornication before marriage makes a plaine and high way for adulterie after mariage The third outward breach of this commaundement followes And that is vncleannesse which is eyther vnnaturall or naturall vnnaturall as Sodomie practised of the Sodomites condemned Rom. 1. when man with man workes wickednes woman with woman commits villany or else that beastly sin when the seed of man is mixt with the seed of a beast These nature abhorres and they be commonly punishments of some other wickednes and follow a verie prophane and dead heart are worse then dulterie The naturall vncleannesse is eyther alone one by himselfe may defile his owne bodie in most filthie sorte which though it be more secret from man yet it is most abhominable before God and often God brings it to light by punishing those which haue vsed it with teares of conscience and horrible feares in their minde or else with frensie and franticknesse These punishments haue often fell on the practisers of this secret sin and then all goes abroad then they lay open and vomit out all their owne shame and howeuer they seemed chast and pure before yet now their filthinesse is brought to light Also an other kind of naturall vncleannesse is betweene married people eyther in their entrance into marriage or else in their proceeding and vse of marriage The vncleannesse in the entrance is eyther if one marrie an other of a contrarie religion as a professor and a Christian to wed an Atheist or a Papist their whole life so led till repentance and conuersion is vncleane in the eyes of God for their marriage was not lawfull before God and therefore in Ezra these that had so married were constrained by God to put away both their wiues and children as illegitimate Also if those marrie together that be within the degrees of consanguinitie or affinitie forbidden they may cloake and shift as long as they will but they shall neuer shift of the account and estimation of being vncleane persons before God sith they marrie without the warrant yea contrary to the commaundement of God Also those that marrie without consent of parents their mariage is lawfull and life vncleane till they be reconciled to God by repentance and their parents by submission These be in the entrance and taking the estate of mariage In the vse of it vncleannesse is committed First in comming together at vnseasonable times this was a cause that made the land of Canaan vomit out their inhabitants because they had no regard to obserue times and this was to be punished with death in both parties in the olde law because the time and manner of separation was then instituted Also in mariage one may deale vncleanly by excesse for want of moderation for as a man may be drunken with his own drinke and he were a drunkard that would sit at home and swill till he were ouercome so likewise a man may be vncleane in exercise though otherwise his marriage be lawfull and this sinne though the hand of the Magistrate cannot punish it yet Gods hand often findes it out and the children diuers times prooue monstrous and vnshapen or else idiots and naturals or else verie vngodly and stubborne and thus Godmeets with these secrete sinnes when men will not meete with him by repentaunce The last breach of this commaundement is in wantonnesse which is the preparation and foundation for all the former consisting eyther in things belonging to the bodie or the bodie it selfe In things belonging to the bodie as in the costly apparrell not that there should not be things fitting the estate and that there were not a diuersitie of degrees to be had but in no estate or degree may one be so excessiue as to hinder him from good works of mercie and religion that one should bestow so much time in trimming the bodie as he can haue no time for trimming his soule and bestow so much cost in rich apparrell as hee can spare nothing to bestowe on poore seruantes Secondly in straunge apparrell as in Zephaniah the priest the kings children are rebuked for
pardon know that the iudge comes to deliuer him to doe him good Also when we heare of gods goodnes and patience and mercy this will bee but a vexation to vs vnlesse wee know that he bee good mercifull to vs. This addes to the griefe to heare that God is good if we must not feele it for then the wicked hart obiects thus they keepe a preching that god is good mercifull gratious I know not what but what is this to me that he is so to others I am sure he is not so to mee I must goe the broader way his mercy is shut against me This vexeth the guilty consciēce to heare that such good things be laid vp in store for gods children but he must tast of none of them As for a poore beggarly fellow that hath nothing to heare tel of large possessions great reuenues that must be left to such such an one This is a tedious anguish vnto him makes his misery more bitter So that nothing can moue or alure vs to obey God til we know that he is good to vs will giue vs saluation The vse of this is that would we euer yeeld any cheerefull obedience to God thē let vs feele the truth of that which God speakes that hee is our God our sauiour hath done more for vs then any other can therfore we will obey him aboue all To this intent then we must examine our selues whether God hath wrought those things in vs which he doth in those whose God he is As first for God the father he regenerates vs begets vs a new by the word of truth try then whether we haue this note in vs or not Doth the word of god abide in vs are we begotten a new hath the seede of immortalitie made vs new creatures begun to work immortality in vs then conclude sure God is our God Secondly God sheds his loue abroad in the harts of his childrē and makes them cry Abba father This is not so in men they when they beget a sonne cannot beget a child-like affection in him but often children be rebellious stubborne But if God beget a child to himself by the seed of his word he makes him haue an affection to him as to a father if then we haue this affection to God that we loue him as our father certainely this is his work we are his children Also God the son Christ Iesus wher he comes he kils sin he abates our lust worldlines works a fresh spring of grace holines But if we feele no working of his death in vs to mortifie our sinne then how can we know that he dyed for vs. If the power of his resurrection haue had no effect in vs for our sanctifying how can we beleeue that he did rise againe for vs. So for God the holy ghost wher it comes it conuinceth the world of sinne Afore a man can say much for his sin he can defend hath with to say many things for it will hold vp his head in maintenance of it But when Gods spirit enters into the hart once that sets one downe and makes him he cannot looke vp till he haue confessed his sin craued pardon ben ashamed of it throughly But many men ther be that would be thought to haue Gods spirit yet will not bee reprooued but that is veryfied of them that is spoken of the foole in the Prouerbs Bray a foole in a morter as Wheat is brayed with a Pestile yet will not he depart from his folly They will maintaine it and stand for it and therefore it must needes bee must practise it But if Gods spirit reproue one if he haue sinned it check him and make him feare blessed is he for God is his God Oh but I am more feared and troubled now then I was before True and it must be sotfor Gods spirit where it takes place must needs conuince and condemne one of sinne For t is not as many thinke a matter of wit to stand in defence of sinne and to be able to speake for a bad thing but t is a matter of lust for where lust hath dominion it whettens the witte to speake for it and the diuell helps but if Gods spirit come once that driues to a plaine confession it casts downe Sathans dominion and then lust rules the wit no more Also the fruits of the spirit are Patience Meekenesse Modestie Loue and Chastitie then let one try himselfe in these things not for beauty and strength for a Bull Lyon are stronger then man and other beasts to but if one haue patience and gentlenesse and a moderate spirit to adorne his minde these be sure signes of gods spirit Also the holy Ghost makes vs able to cry Abba father it makes vs able to breath out our requests vnto God and to powre out our supplications before the most high if we haue this spirit of prayer then it is plaine the holy Ghost is ours So that if God haue regenerated vs and Christ haue killed our sinnes the holy ghost make vs ashamed of them confesse them and it worke in vs Loue Patience and moderation of our affections and make vs able to pray vnto God then God is our God and then this will make vs obey but if this be shaken all is shaken this is the foundation of obedience But men will say that they haue a faith beleeue in God which if they had it would bring forth obedience haue works for how can one chuse but striue to obey God if they holde this for sure that God loues him regards him will giue him a reward for euery good thing that hee doth and this euery one must hold that will say God is his God Which brought thee out of the land of Aegipt out of the house of bondage NOW hee proues himselfe to be their God because hee had done so wonderfull things for them from their merueilous deliuerance that though Pharaoh and all Aegipt was against them though the Sea and the wildernesse resisted and which was worst of all their owne vnbeleefe yet God brake through all and set them free Hence this doctrine is gathered That whatsoeuer misery Gods children be in yet God vvill deliuer them For this is not written for them but for vs. They were vnder a long and strong affliction for foure hundred yeeres space almost vnder a tyrant that whipt their bodies and scourged them and put them to labour aboue their strength and which was a most intollerable vexatiō made the parents drowne their owne children None euer entreated any so spightfully as they were vsed yet we see god deliuered them So in the Psalme he saith Many bee the troubles of the righteous who shall deliuer them not their wealth and mony for of that they are bare enough often times nor friends for sometimes they haue none nor strength for they be weakned oft
for the true worship of god Now follows the reason of this commandement drawn partly from Gods iudgements against all false worshippers from his mercy kindenesse to thē that worship him in truth The judgement towards the breakers of this commandement is that he will not onely plague them take vengeance on thē in their owne persons but he will execute his wrath also on their seed posteritie to the third and fourth generation Which is therfore set downe because it is a verie hard thing to perswade euen that this is so great fearefull a sin when in a good meaning as they say they serue God after another manner then hee hath warranted commanded The reason taken frō his kindnesse to those that are obedient because we are very slow and slack to the right seruice of God is to allure prouoke vs because that god will not only blesse such an one in his own soule body both in life death but his blessing shal reach further euen vpon many generations in his posterity so that God will neuer leaue blessing those that with an vpright hart worship him in truth according to his word I am Iehouah thy God a iealous strong God IN these words calling himself our God he implies that ther is an euerlasting marriage betwixt god vs therfore as it is a foule fact for a woman after hir marriage the couenāt of god betwixt thē to defile her body with filthy adulterers So it is a much more hainous abhominable thing for any man or woman after his couenant with God to follow idols and images not contenting himself with the perfect beautie of Christ Then where he saith a iealous God hee compares himselfe to an husband that as hee loues his wife most tenderly dearely whilst she remaines chast faithfull so is he most offended prouoked if she deale lewdely and trecherously with him so Christ Iesus hath loued vs most dearely and giuen his bloud for vs but if we deale not chastly with him in this case he will be as a jealous man whose most abundant loue being abused doth burst forth into the strongest hatred as Salomon saith that jealousy is the rage of man the eie of iealousy seeth all things Then he cals himselfe a strong God shewing his power that hee hath abilitie as willingnesse to punish in that hee cals himselfe jealous it declares that he wants not will and cause to powre vengeance on them and in that hee is a strong God hee is of might sufficient to plague and confound those that wickedly break his couenant From al this discription wherby God hath set out himselfe vnto vs to bee our God and a iealous God that cannot abide any such filthinesse and a strong mightie God that is able to execute his wrath on the offenders we may and must take courage and comfort to stand for Gods pure worship against all idolaters and idolatrie and all manner of superstition being that he is our God one that hath bound himselfe in couenant to defend and protect vs as also hee is iealous which carries a flame of loue to all those that be faithfull as well as an exceeding detestation of the vnfaithfull and then he is a strong God not strong with an idle kinde of strength that lies hide within him and neuer is put in practise but hee doth vse his strength to the maintayning and protecting of all such as are true friends to him and maintayners of his worship Which is for comfort of those whose friends and such from whom they haue their maintenance are popish and will hate them and be enemies to them if they be enemies to superstition and loue God and his worship but feare not that God is a strong God if they will not help hee will they haue no such power against you as god hath for you so long as you continue vpright in his worship This is also for the terror of all idolatrous and superstitious persons that haue many things to vphold them and are well friended and strong defended but yet mischiefe shall be their end in the end because he is stronger then all men that sets himselfe against them and whom they prouoked euen to iealousie by their filthinesse who sees all their wayes as hee saith pull out thine adulteries from betwixt thy brests that is those monuments of idolatrie which idolaters put so much trust in as Agnus dei c. pull them out they offend him hee cannot abide the sight of them no more then a iealous husband the wantonnesse of his wife before his face God cannot I say endure this impuritie and wickednesse withall he is strong which name he giues heere to himselfe not bragging and boasting of his might but to let all idolaters know what an one they shall finde and feele him to bee in their punishments and plagues So much for the names by which God sets out himselfe in this reason Visiting the sinnes of the fathers on the children FIrst it may bee objected how God can in iustice doe this and punish the children for the fathers fault But to that one may answere as God doth in Hosea 2. 2. speaking to the Iewes hee bids them plead with their mother comparing him selfe to an husband he shewes that there is no fault in him but all the blame lies on the adulterous mother for as an husband may without any fault put away the wife that hath dealt trecherouslie and hir adulterous broode to so God may iustlie plague and forsake both the parents and the wicked children of wicked parents Now his vengeance vpon the children of Idolatrous parents is shewed especially in these things First in with-holding the meanes of grace from them and also the spirit of grace secondly in letting them see their fathers euill waies so imitate them thirdly in with-holding from them those meanes that might turne and conuert them and helpe them out of their sinne as the admonition of his children and such like But the doctrine that wee may gather hence is that vngodly parents are the most deadly enemies vnto their children as in Exo. 34. Where God sets downe his name most comfortably and the aboundance of his mercy yet he ads this withall Holding not the wicked innocent but visiting the sinnes of the fathers on the children This the example of wicked Ahad doth euidently proue for in that he would shed the innocent bloud of Naboth in that hee would commit idolatrie and serue Baalim who could haue done a greater wrong to Ahabs posteritie then Ahab did by these things for hence it was that the kingdome was taken from his house and that his children about seauenty persons had their heads chopt from their bodies and were made as dung and all his kinsfolkes acquaintance fared the worse for his wickednesse And so Ieroboam that seducer of Israell hee thought by his idolatry to haue established the kingdome to him his
did giue the ceremoniall law by Moyses hand and vsed him as an instrument to write them but for the greater reuerence of these ten hee would not vse the help of Moyses hand and pen but with his owne finger wrote them not in paper with inke but in stone to shevv the strength and continuance of them and commanded Moyses to put them in the arke to shew that no man could fulfill perfectly obey them but onely Christ If these ten were all written by God and no exception made whereby the sabboth should bee inferiour to the rest but altogether put into the Arke then a man may euen as well rend any of the other ten away as this yea and with more warrant to for none of them all is more fenced with reasons and mounded about with more strong arguments to keepe out the cauils and objections of men then this so that where God hath as it were of set purpose giuen more strength for a man to impute more weakenesse to this thing is a note either of great folly or else of singular impudencie and impietie The fourth reason is drawen from the persons vpon whom it lieth and vnto whom it is giuen for wee know that the ceremonies did lie onely vpon the Iewes the Gentiles were not bound to obserue them but now this commandement sayth not onely thou thy sonne thy daughter thy man thy maide which containes all the whole commonwealth but it goes further saith thy stranger which is within thy gates so that if an heathen man of another countrie and religion had come amongst them the magistrate was bound to looke to it that he doe not openly and publikely violate the sabboth but of force should celebrate an outward though to perform duties of religion that lay not in mans hand to constraine them Now the ceremonies were as a partition wall betwixt the Iewes Gentiles to seperate the church of the Iewes and the seede of Abraham from all other congregations vntill after this partition was broken downe by Christ and both brought into one fold for when Christs death did teare asunder the vale of the temple then hee tare all ceremonies in twaine that they could no longer binde the conscience either of Iew or Gentill but for the sabboth euen the Gentils must keepe it and because they would not themselues when they came among the seruants of God they were to be constrayned as in Nehemias time when the men of Tyrus came to sell wares on the sabboth day in Ierusalem hee would not suffer them but threatens to lay hands vpon them if they did any more come after that manner If God had heere commanded onely to looke to the Iewes and not to strangers it had beene some appearance but sith God will haue strangers of the Gentils bound to the keeping of it so farre as men can if they come within the walke and reach of Christians now the matter is put quite out of doubt that this is no ceremonie Lastly Christ Iesus himselfe the Lord of the Sabboth confirmes the sabboth most strongly Mat. 24. 20. Where speaking of the destruction of Ierusalem by Vespasian and speaking to the faithfull of the church and true Christians whose prayers shall surely preuaile he bids them pray that their flight bee not vpon the sabboth day or in the winter Fortie yeeres after a fearefull destruction was to come vpon Ierusalem and this was decreed so that it might not bee altered yet Christ bids his seruants pray that it might bee mittigated to them in some measure and therefore that they might not bee enforced to flie for their liues in the winter for that would bee grieuous to the bodie because of the shortnesse of the daies and the durtinesse of the waies would bee very tedious to them nor vpon the sabboth because this would bee as grieuous to their soules if they must bee constrained to spend that day in taking paines to preserue their bodies which God had appointed to be spent in those things that should help forward the saluation of their soules What will some say is it not lawfull to flye for ones lyfe on the sabboth yes and Christ allowes it But he knew full well what griefe it would bring to a christian soule to think Alasse I was wont as this day to sit quietly in the church and among Gods Saints to heare the sweet comforts of his word deliuered vnto my soule and with praise to sing Psalmes of thanks vnto God and to aske those things with the rest of Gods people which we stoode in neede of where I receaued such strength comfort that I walked in the strength of these exercises the whole weeke after but now the paine of my bodie and the feare of my soule so distract me take me vp that haue neither leasure nor abilitie to doe so but I must want all these comforts Christ knew that this would be as bitter as death to a Christian soule and therefore he wils them to pray to God to preuent it that no such necessitie be layd vpon them Now if this commandement and this day had bene ceremoniall they might haue fled with as little care as any other for it had bene abolished long afore by Christs death and no such regard had bene to be made of it In that Christ doth allow this conscience and regard of flying on the sabboth day more then any other of the weeke he shewes planly that the force of the sabboth was to abide after him for fortie yeres and therfore no ceremony for then Christ had not done well to put a needlesse feare into their harts of flying on the sabboth if God required no keeping of the sabboth and then he should rather haue bid them pray to God that they might haue had all respect of it being a ceremonie taken from them and told them that they neede not to regard it for it had bene a great sinne to haue made such conscience of keeping a ceremonie so long after the abolishing of them then if one should not willingly and not without griefe fly to saue his naturall lyfe when he should be seeking to strengthen his spirituall life as Christ words doe plainly proue then how much lesse should he doe any other outward businesse of far lesse necessitie So that these reasons doe most effectually confirme to the harts of Gods children that the keeping of the sabboth day holy is a moral law and bindeth vs and shall all to the ende of the world as much as the Iewes at any time before Christ But for those wicked persons that will cauill against euery thing that crosseth their corrupt lust as the keeping of a sabboth doth exceedingly we must not greatly be moued what they object for of them t is most true that Solomon saith Bray a foole in a morter as wheat is brayed with a pestell and hee will not forsake his folly But this may suffice to confirme and establish and instruct a christian
warrant for vs to breake Gods commandement because wee had forgot that which God bids vs remember this is euen as if a man should forget his purse behind him when hee went to the market and when hee came to buy things wanting mony of his owne should goe and cut another bodies purse and then if one come and tell him this is not honest dealing it is plaine theft and why would you bee so bold to cut your neighbours purse why alas neighbour I hope I was in no fault necessitie drew mee to it for I had left my purse at home and I knew not how to doe for mony to buy my things and to haue gone backe againe would haue beene to much paines Why but doth this make it lawfull to cut your neighbours because you had forgotten your owne nay who should haue remembred it and not come to make such shifts and euen so men deale with God oh they cannot chuse but breake the sabboth they are driuen to it of force necessitie compels them and what necessitie why such things lie to bee done that will bee spoiled else why but why did you forget them before now shal your former forgetfulnesse bee a warrant for you to steale Gods holy time and abuse it to vnholy things Some hath a bonde to pay that will bee forfaited else and why did you not remember before to make your condition with such an exception vnlesse it were on the sabboth and then to defer it for some reasonable time after or some such like condition and so I haue this and this thing that must bee done and why did not you thinke of this before to preuent it as it is sure you might if you did serue God in your calling and not couetousnesse so others say it is so tedious and irksome to spend that day holy that they cannot endure it and why is it tedious to you is it not because you prepared not your soule to keepe it you let sinne keepe dominion in your hart all the weeke and then it must needes bee dull and dead to all goodnesse on the seauenth day but those that doe labour to walke vprightlie purely before God sixe daies finde such comfort thereby as no outward pleasure can bring nor anie thing in this world but onely the ordinances of God can afford Secondly this teacheth vs to lay as a dutie euery one vpon his owne conscience to remember this day in all our affaires to haue this in our minde that wee entangle not our selues by any businesse which might hinder vs from keeping of it first because wee haue so direct an item as wee call it to remember this day secondly because whereas God contented himselfe in all the other commandements to set them downe either onely affirmatiuely or onely negatiuelie hee hath not done so in this commandement but to set the deeper impression in our harts hath set it downe both affirmatiuelie and negatiuely keepe it holy saith hee and as though that were not inough doe no manner of worke in it and then wheras other of the commandements for the most part haue no reasons annexed to them in the decalogue though in the scripture else where they haue this and the second commandement haue diuers reasons added vnto them that men might haue a greater regard vnto it Therefore if wee will doe any thing for Gods sake then doe this for his sake if a friend should come to vs and say I haue some ten errands which I would haue you doe for mee and I will recompence you throughly for your paines but of all the ten there is one amongst the rest which I would haue you especiallie to remember and of all loues see that you forget it not would not one thinke him verie negligent and vnmindfull of his friend that would forget this of which he had such a speciall charge especially if his friend should in most of the other giue but the bare commandement and thing set downe without any more words but should insist vpon that and giue him reason vpon reason why hee should haue a speciall care of it but so God saith to vs hee giues vs warning before shewing that wee are ready to forget it but hee would haue vs striue against this forgetfulnesse and then because wee should not forget but doe it hee vrgeth it with many reasons now then to forget this is it not a plaine contempt and neglect It followes To keepe it holy NOw the Lord shewes what is to bee done on the sabboth day namely wee must keepe it holy it is not inough to forbeare our owne worke and so to keepe it idly but wee must bee as carefull to doe Gods worke and so to keepe it holy Hence then wee learne this doctrine that the sabboth must bee imployed in holy exercises it must not bee a bare rest but a sanctified rest so ceasing from worldly things as that we be taken vp in heauenly things for idlenes is a sin euery day but much more on the sabboth No man hath alowance in gods word to spend any time idly but it is a damnable sin in the weeke daies much lesse are we warranted to spend Gods time vnprofitablie and idly of the twaine it were better leaue ones owne worke vndone vpon ones owne daies permitted for his labour then Gods worke on Gods daie appointed for his seruice Now the reasons why this must bee spent onely in holie exercises are taken from the ill effects that will follow if wee doe not spend it in these workes These ill effects wee shall see in Exod. 31. 12. Where God commands them that they should abstaine from all workes and keepe it an holy for if they doe worke euen in making garments and things for the temple which seemed to pertaine to god much more in things of their owne these two euils will follow first they shall die the death their life shall bee taken away they must die a naturall death and then secondly they must bee cut off from their people j. bee subject to the curse of God and bee cast off from the people of God by solemne excommunication These bee the punishments of polluting the Sabboth no small punishments and these God doth execute daily euen among vs for though the law of the land takes not hold on such persons to put them to death yet God giues them ouer to commit some sinne which mans law punisheth with death and the first cause of all and that at which God strikes and which their owne soule feeles most heauie as appeares by the daily complaints when they bee brought to execution is that they neuer regarded the sabboth had no care to heare Gods word to spend the day in duties of religion in prayer but followed after vanitie and their owne lust and therfore God meets with them And though the minister cannot by law excommunicate them and cast them out of the congregation yet God excommunicates them that in the
harts of Gods people they be as heathen men their soules are cut of from the church they haue no lyfe of grace no fruit or working of the word and sacraments more then of any idle tale and prophane storie no grace wrought by it no death of sinne no hope nor desire of heauen but liue as beasts no recourse to God in Christ Iesus nor no vertue that they draw from Christ so that indeede they doe not liue in Christ but are dead in their spirit while they liue in their bodies They may say indeed say true that they can see no good by the exercises of the sabboth they be vnpleasant to them and vnprofitable so that they haue no benefit by it and why is this not because Gods ordinances want their force vertue but because they want reuerence of them and being wicked contemne them therfore their souls be cut of their harts hardened they haue forfaited their saluation Then an other ill effect is as in Ierem. 17. where he saith If they pollute his sabboth hee will kindle a fire in their houses that shall not be quenched For their outward estate they be no gayners that breake the sabboth for God sends a curse which like a violent flame deuoures more then they can get So that if we would not be guiltie of death and haue our soules cut of from communion with Christ and his church and our goods also cōsumed brought to nothing by the vengeance of God Then let vs keepe his holy sabboth holy and bestow it vpon holy exercises But on the contrary side to sanctifie it and spend in those duties that God commandeth brings all comfortable blessing and happinesse As in Isai 56. 2. If the gentils that be conuerted will keepe the sabboth of God holy he promiseth that they shal haue a better name more reuerence then the Iewes that professe the religion of God but regard not his sabboth and at large there he showes how he wil blesse them and good reason to for he that keeps the sabboth aright exerciseth the whole bodie of religion for this brings in practise the whole law and teacheth one his dutie to God and to man builds him vp in euerie grace And so in Is 58. 13. If thou turne away c. Where he shewes that if any man will on Gods day forsake his owne work and leaue of vaine words and delight in the work of God and his seruice then God will giue them God will set them on high and giue them the inheritance of Iacob for indeed then they be Gods sheepe and the flock of Christ when they delight to follow him and to heare his voice for then they shall haue accesse to him and he shall haue opportunitie to blesse them and dwell in them by his spirit So that if we would auoid the curse of God on our soule and bodie and gaine the blessing of God vpon both Let vs yeld to this his commandement and with as great joye serue God in the duties of religion his worship on that day as we doe our selues in our owne affaires on the sixe dayes yea with a greater delight to because we haue a promise and may looke for a greater blessing The vse of this is to reproue those that thinke if they abstaine from worke of their calling that they take no paines in outward toyling about affaires of this world then they keepe the sabboth verie well and if no man can accuse them of going to plow or cart or such workes then they thinke they haue not broken the fourth commandement But idlenesse is a sin of Adam naught euerie day as we said before but much more naught vpon that day that should bee spent in Gods exercises But much more wicked are they that bee euill occupied in dauncing and dallying in swilling and brawling and so make it the diuels day insteede of Gods and doe more dishonour to God and hurt to their owne soules then any day in the weeke else Many also are to bee reprooued that will come to the church for the time of the day will bee content to heare the word and doe such exercises but at euen when darkenesse comes then comes the works of darkenesse and when they be in their bed then they bee plodding and casting about for worldly affaires and their heads be as busie as full of earthly matters as any night in the weeke else But wee are to know that the sabboth containes foure and twentie houres as well as any other day and therefore the night must bee spent in an holy rest to else one shall hurt himselfe more and displease God more by these vaine thoughts in the night then he could please God and benefit himselfe by keeping himselfe in good companie and good actions in the day and therefore they want the blessing because they performe not all the dutie and that which they did was in hipocrisie because they doe not care to remember that which they heard nor examine with what hart and with what profit they haue performed the duties of the day not but that a man may haue sleepe but his sleepe is to bee seasoned with the sweetnesse of the former exercises his dreames haue some tast of religion more then at other times and when they wake their thoughts meditations must bee carried after holy things because Gods eies are as fast fixed on them in their bed as in the church and hee sees and knowes their thoughts in the darke as well as their behauiour and carriage in the midst of the congregation Now God bids vs keepe the whole seauenth daye for he would haue vs giue as long a day to him as hee hath giuen vnto vs and if day containe day and night when he saith sixe dayes shalt thou labour and we vpon that permission and allowance of Gods take it for graunted that in the night we may doe what businesse we haue to doe when we be in bed may spend the time in ordering our priuate affaires and pondering how to deale in such things as we haue to deale in by reason of our calling I say if we doe this and think as indeede it is true that he giues vs the night and day both for our callings why is it not so in the sabboth then that he takes the seauenth day night to himselfe as well as he giues sixe to vs. Therefore we must know that the Lords day must containe xxiiij houres and for want of this we depriue our selues of those blessings which else we might haue because we vndoe that in the night that we did in the day we did Gods work one part of his day and that was well but we take the remainder to our selues that is a fault Thirdly this teacheth vs to doe the duties of the Lords day vpon his day Now this sanctifying and keeping of it holy consists in doing things either priuate or publique The priuate are these
After examination of our owne harts and finding out of our sinfull wayes with repentance and sorrow for the same to beseech God that he would prepare and fit our harts to profit by the publique exercises of religion on the sabboth And to entreat him that he would so direct the ministers mouth is that he may speake to our harts and say something that serues to kill our sinne and to comfort and build vp our souls that as he is appointed for a phisition so he would fit vs with some medicine as well as others as saint Paul bids them pray for him that he may haue the dore of vtterance And when one doth this in an humble hart desiring to repent and turne from his sinnes in good earnest he shall neuer come to the sermon but he shall heare some one lesson or other that will make him better and he shal haue cause to thank God for it But if one come rudely into Gods house from brauling chiding at home or so soone as he is out of his bed to come to the church without preparing his hart or fitting himselfe by any prayer to God or confession and sorrow for his sinne then he shall feele that to his vncleane hart all things are vncleane the word shal be but a tediousnesse serue to the further hardning of his hart Also one must reade some part of the scripture priuately that may season his hart and settle and quiet his minde affections that he may be more teachable And that he may the better fit himselfe after this sort he is to rise betime in the morning for there is none so good a master no work so good in it selfe nor none that will bring so great a reward therefore we should rise as earely to serue this master in this work as any day else for any other work and if we doe thus we may haue sufficient to prouide for the publique exercises that we may come vnto them with profit Also an other priuate work of the sabboth is to releâ—ue and visit them that be sick or in any kinde of miserie And so also to reconcile those that be at jarre and discord Further also to meditate vpon the word that we haue heard and to ponder of it to apply it to our selues to marke what we haue remembred what we haue layd vp in our harts and purpose to follow and how matters stand betwixt God and our selues in the things that haue bene deliuered for till the word be thus made our own it is but as chaffe lying loose in the hart that euery puffe of winde will driue away and euery temptation will blow from vs. It is not as a treasure locked vp that will stand vs in some steede in the time of neede Likewise to confer with other christians among whom we liue to talke of the things taught calling them to minde and how they were prooued vnto vs and then further to enlarge them according to our owne perticuler necessitie and as it were to spread the medicine vpon one an others harts These be the priuate things which as euery one is more careful to performe so shal he receiue a more large and abundant blessing vpon the publique Now the publique themselues are To ioyne with the rest of the congregasion in praying and praysing God with one hart and voice in diligent attending to the word publikely read preached for there is a greater blessing promised to this ministeriall reading then to any mans reading at home Then also the vse of the sacraments as to be present at baptisme for the departing away argues a great contempt of it and with a publique disgrace of Gods ordinance for if one or two haue libertie the rest haue the like and then where were the reuerence Therefore one must tarrie at such exercises as to shew his reuerence so secondly to help the congregation in praysing God for ingrafting an other member into his visible bodie of the church to pray that God would giue the inward working fruit of the same by his holy spirit And to edifie himselfe also by calling to minde that he is also made pertaker of the new couenant and joyned to Christ Iesus And to examine himselfe what fruit he hath felt in himselfe of the death of Christ in killing his sinne and of his resurrection in raising him vp to newnesse of life so either to be humbled if he feele not that profit he would or to be thankfull feeling this work of baptisme and to comfort himselfe in the remembrance of this that the merite and vertue of Christ Iesus his death is his to satisfie for his sinnes and to kill by little and little the power of them all which things we see now presently sealed vp to the partie baptised in the present action For the baptising of the infant is not onely for his profit but for the good of all the church that euery one may see his dutie and what God hath promised and what benefit himselfe is to receaue and looke for Another dutie but priuate is praier after the sermon and publike meeting that those good things which one hath remembred may bee turned into a praier which he must offer vnto God beseeching him that hath shewed him what is to be auoided to giue him power to auoide it and to encline his hart to keepe the things commanded as well as to tell him the dutie that belongs vnto him and as hee hath hard many sweet promises which will doe him no good so long as he hath an vnbeleeuing hart cannot bring himselfe to giue credit vnto them therfore that God would also knit the promises vnto his hart and giue him grace to trust vpon them and to remember them when hee shall haue neede Thus much for one dutie required to sanctifie the sabboth Now the next words follow Sixe daies shalt thou labour c. IN which words God shews a reason why we should obey this commandement God hath giuen a man sixe daies for the duties of his calling but on this condition that hee shall contriue all his works so within the compasse of the sixe daies so that hee let none remaine till the seauenth nor reserue any outward thing to trouble him from the seruice of God on the sabboth From this equitie God drawes a reason to moue euerie one of vs to keepe the sabboth From this we may gather that Gods commandements are equall as hee saith in Ezek. 18. 25. God deales with those that charge his lawes of vnjustice and shewes that his waies bee all together equall the waies of man be vnequall So 1. Iohn 5. he saith that the commandements of God are easie indeede to manie they be most tedious and heauie but this is not from any vnequalnesse in the law but from the naughtinesse of the men that haue carnal harts and worldly mindes for if one haue ouercome the world and growne any thing spirituall so farre Gods
commandements are lightsome the spirituall hart feedes vpon the spirituall law and delights and rejoyceth in it This must serue therefore to cut off those dangers that men cast to themselues in keeping of this commandement as though God had ouershot himselfe in making such an vnjust law as no man can keepe it but hee must bee vndone by it as though hee knew not what hee did when hee bad them rest the sabboth day It is a meruailous impudencie in many that no man durst speake so hardly and presumptuouslie against any positiue law of the prince as euerie base person will speake against this law of God Oh it is impossible to keepe it such losses it brings and these damages it brings that hee must needes come to beggerie that will obserue it what did God seeke the impouerishing and the spoile of men when hee bad them serue him nay he appointed it as a day of blessing and it seemes so hard and vnjust to them because they bee carnall and fleshly and not hauing faith in Gods promises nor any desire to obey him they will still haue shifts and something to say against it the hart is dead and wicked or else the law would bring comfort Oh how should one doe for recreation say some is it not a recreation for a christian to heare the voice of a christian and for a sheepe of Christ to feede in his pastures is it not a recreation for a person condemned to come where hee may get his pardon sealed to him is it not a recreation for a man subject to death to heare a direction that will leade him to life therefore if wee were not altogether sencelesse and blockish in respect of spirituall sence and life it would bee as great a joy for vs to feede at his table and in his house vpon the bread of life as in our owne houses vpon corruptible bread And againe could Christ finde in his hart for our sakes willingly to bestow his soule body and giue his bodie to death and his soule to suffer the wrath of God and shall wee account it a burden to bestow one day in seauen vpon him to be made pertakers especiallie of such benefits And God hath willinglie giuen vs sixe for our calling and may wee not well afford the seauenth to our soules but wee haue such businesse wee cannot doe it But for matter of businesse God shewes two things that if one would obserue should easilie preuent these businesses first sixe daies shalt thou doe all thy work Where hee shewes that if one would labour faithfullie and conscionablie in their calling vpon sixe daies they might well dispatch their businesse but indeede this makes men so loath to giue a seauenth day to God because hauing beene idle and vnthriftie on the sixe they haue neglected some businesse that now lies vpon them the seauenth day and then it is a great burden indeede and impossible for such to keepe it but they must loose by it but Gods commandement brings no such losse their owne sinne is the cause of it and if this bee not the cause then the other is men take more vpon them then their owne work for if one take nothing but his worke hee may dispatch all well in sixe daies if one serue God in his calling his calling will not hinder him from keeping Gods commandements but if one serue couetousnesse and filthie lucre then indeed hee can finde no time to serue God When men in hast to bee rich and eager desire of wealth will take more in their hands then they can mannage this is their fault and all this is not their worke but the worke of their lust this is to bee a busie bodie but let any man bee faithfull in his calling on the sixe daies and not through greedinesse encomber himselfe with more then is needefull and hee shall see hee may easily keepe this seauenth to God there is no cause of such complaining against it And indeede to a spirituall hart that hath any grace measure of Gods spirit how euer it seeme to carnall men it is most just and equall yea most sweet and comfortable so that they can with all their harts thanke God that he hath giuen them one day wherein they may lighten their harts of all worldly cares and throw of all griefes thoughts of debts or such like to giue them selues wholy to seeke comfort in him that will prouide for them in due time and hath prouided this sabboth as an ease vnto them that they should not trouble them selues wtih any such thoughts on that day And thus much to proue that the keeping of a seauenth day and spending it in holy dutie is a morall law and perpetuall and belongs vnto vs as well as to the Iews and so much the more vnto vs because we hauing more excellent meanes a greater perfection is required of vs. As also to shew that euery one must make a preparation for the sabboth Both by dispatching his businesse as nothing may bee left vndone till the sabboth and by behauing himselfe so in the businesse as his affections may not bee to much tied vnto them for the former will hinder the rest of the sabboth and the latter the holynesse of it Therfore that we may keep an holie rest he must doe all that hee hath to doe vpon the sixe daies and if hee take more vpon him then he can finish in the space of sixe daies it is more then God laies vpon him and he doth not labour for conscience sake but for couetousnesse sake and this is not his worke but the worke of his corruption and then secondly a man must draw his hart from the loue of the world worldly things and then neither worldlie losses will fill his hart full of worldlie greife nor commodities with worldlie delight which two things would hinder him from delighting in spirituall exercises so that he that will empty his hands of all worldlie businesse and his hart of worldlie affections shal be able with comfort to keepe a rest and an holie rest vnto God And for the first reason drawne from the equitie of Gods commandements that hauing giuen vs the large allowance of sixe daies and taken the small pittance of one daie vnto himselfe hath dealt in great equitie with vs so that one must not goe about to make hipocriticall shifts and excuses for if he doe it is not from the hardnesse of the law but the hardnesse of his hart not from difficultie in the thing but want of loue in the person for nothing is so easie but a worldlie hart that loues not God will be shifting and haue some odd reasons against it Now we must speake of the second reason It is the sabboth of the Lord thy God IN which God lets vs know that he which is our God and the mightie strong God hath impropriated this to himselfe as his owne possession set a part for his owne seruice therfore wee must willinglie
as an house to put his head in hee must come be brought before a judge ther be cōdemned scourged mocked spitted on crowned with thornes at length must be carried and hanged vpon a crosse and beare the paines and anguish of Gods curse in his soule on the crosse and by these meanes God must be set at peace with man a perfect reconciliation was made and all former sinnes and jarres twixt God and man put away This greatest work that was done when heauen was purchased for man sinners made just before god miserable men of the earth had the right of an immortall kingdome in heauen bestowed vpon them all these things were brought to passe and fully effected by these meanes that to mans reason seemed of all things the most vnlikely to bring to passe a matter of such wonder and difficultie And so at the resurrection in the twinkling of an eye what great chaunges shal be those that lay in the dust rotten some thousands of yeares shal be raysed from their graue made aliue and to stand on their feet and that bodie that was at the best before subject to death to paine and all miserie but now turned into earth deuoured of wormes and corruption and as it seemd vanisht to nothing shal be in a moment if it be Gods childe freed from mortalitie from being subiect to diseases or any affliction and shal be made immortall and incorruptible and like to Christ Iesus in glory So wonderfull we see be the works of God so mightie he is and so full of power that in the shortest time by those that seeme the weakest meanes he can bring to passe the most strange and glorious effects that can bee This then if we often meditate vpon it will serue wonderfully for the comfort of all those children of God whose case is so grieuous intangled with such perplexities oppressed with such ruines both of bodie and estate as they think it is impossible to get out and to be repayred againe or if it might be yet it will be a long time first Oh but if we could beleeue Gods almightie power all things are possible to God all things are possible to the beleeuer it makes no matter what the disease be so God be the Phisition it skils not what distresse a man be in so God take in hand to help him he can as soone and as easily cure the deadliest wound as the lightest scarre bring one out of the greatest misery with no meanes as out of the least miserie with all meanes Oh but I am poore owe much and haue nothing to pay it No matter So was the prophets wife yet the little oyle in the cruse held out to fill so many great emptie vessells that she was restored made in a better estate thē euer before it is not to the purpose how weake the meanes be and how great the ruins be so the great and strong God put to his hand to help No man was euer more dejected then Nebuchadnezar from a King to be worse then a beggar from a pallace to the briars and bushes from princely robes to plain nakednesse from a man to a beast from among men to be among beasts and yet none in lesse time and lesse meanes aduanced to an higher outward estate then he And for the soule so great sinnes such hideous darkenesse in minde and hardnesse of hart such peruersenesse in will such disorder and rebellion in affections and what of all these how shall one get out of so many sinnes can one cry to God can one lift vp his hart to heauen though he cryed out of the bottome of the sea and out of the fishes belly with Ionas God will heare him and let him see the Sunne if hee were in the dungeon tyed with as many chaines and burdened with as many sinnes as he yet God can and will if he call in truth bring him out of all and set him in a better estate then euer he was before There 's not the least sinne or miserie but would be to hard for vs if we haue nothing but our owne strength to help vs there is not the greatest sinne nor the greatest miserie that shall hurt vs or preuaile ouer vs if we haue the strength and power of God to hold vs vp Therefore christians should take comfort in their afflictions Can God rayse vp his bodie when it is dead in the earth and glorifie it when it is rotten in the graue can he not raise him out of some debt or miserie of his estate Oh but then he loues the bodie and doth he not loue it as well now Then he will vse his power and is it curbed in shortned now Nay God vseth his infinite power now for the help and preseruation of his children as he will vse it then for their glorification If we cannot beleeue God can help vs now how will we say we can beleeue he will raise our rotten bodies out of the graue sith we haue the same power and promise for the one as the other Therefore it is a great fault and shame for christians to sit down discouraged why is gods power lessened is his hand shortned hath not he sayd that a little that the righteous hath is better then all the great riches of the wicked Gods blessing can doe more then wealth and he alone is better to vs then if wee had all the world without him This serues likewise for the terror of the wicked men of the world God can as easelie set heauen and earth on fire and bring them to nothing and in as little space as hee made them of nothing then much more can hee bring to destruction a base sinner notwithstanding all his worldly helpes if hee bee their aduersarie as hee is a profest enemie to all vnrepentant sinners They flatter themselues and thinke it shall bee well with them why they bee vnderlaid with wealth supported with friendes mounded and fenced with pollicie but how stands the matter betwixt God and them are they his inheritance or not is hee reconciled vnto them or no nay for that though they will not in word say so yet their life proclaimes it that they do not greatly respect his fauour for they care not to break his law vpon any small occasion surely then let them know that they are in no safetie god can pull vp their defence and pull away their props and supports he can as easily bring a rich mans soule to hell as a poore mans and as soone damne the soule of the richest king if hee bee naught as of the basest beggar Therefore those that leauing God leane to worldly props shew that they litle beleeue the power of God and little think of the creation of the world Thus much for the example of God now the last reason is drawne from the end of the sabboth namely that God hath consecrated it to bring a blessing on the keepers of it in these
Ioseph shewes Genesis 48. He was a great Prince and his father but a poore man and liued at his finding he had his sight and his father for age was blinde and therefore could not see his dutie yet when he comes to his poore father and his blind father he bowes to the ground and behaues himselfe so lolily as if his father had beene a mightie man and had his sight as perfectly as euer in his life Because he knew that neither blindnesse nor pouertie coulde take a way the nature of a father nor the dutie of a sonne Therefore he being a prince is as dutifull to his father a poore man as if his father had beene a Prince he poore for the outward estate did not moue him so much as the conscience and regard of his dutie which he knew to be nothing lessened So king Solomon when his mother came vnto him sitting on his throane it is noted that hee rose vp from hsi throane and bowed himselfe vnto her and caused all things els to cease till he had set his olde mother in a place of honour fit for her And he would haue all his people to know that though hee was as wise and rich a king and that of Gods owne appointing as euer was yet this his greatnesse did nothing diminish his mothers superioritie nor his reuerent cariadge towardes her This serues to confute those vngrations and wretched children that doe not reuerence their parents in heart but contemne them and thinke basely of them and content not themselues with this inward vndutifulnesse but shew it also by rough wordes by froward countenance by vnreuerent and vnfit actions and manie grow so familiar with their parēts as that one that had not known them seeing their behauiour would rather thinke them to bee neighbour and neighbour then father and sonne so vnreuerently and vndutifullie do they behaue themselues without any outward tokens of reuerence And indeed what doth the froward speaches and lookes of manie children proclaime but that they haue no feare of God in their hearts no righteousnesse in their hands nor anie regard of the duties of the first or second table If euer these persons liue to haue children and God doe not in his iustice cutte them of they shall finde that their children will reuenge their fathers wrongs into their bosome and be as readie to despise them and carrie themselues vnreuerently to them as if they were to doe it to their parents The next dutie is obedience which is commanded Coloss 3 Children obey your parents and he adds a reason this is pleasing to God It is not only a pleasing and a ioyfull thing to the parents that the childe should obey his comandements But this is a thing that God takes greate delight in and is well pleased with all and on the contrarie it doth not only greiue and offende the parents that children be stubborne and rebellious but it offendeth Gods maiestie also and greeueth his spirit Now the thinges where in children must obey their parents are especiallie these First in doing the thinges that they command and performing that worke that there parents set them about that it be neuer so base and painefull to doe so far as their strength will permit For though some children may thinke why this worke is to base and vnbeseeming my worth for as euerie one is more proud idle so he hath a greater conceite of himselfe and as he is most base and contemptible so hath he a higher imagination of his owne excellencie and worth though they may thinke the workes too base yet that may not excuse Is it too base I but did your father comand it and resraine you doe it Then you are a base and proud person that make no more account of your owne flesh then of Gods commandement for so soone as the father hath cōmanded it being a lawful thing Gods stampe is set on it it caries the face of Gods commandement he that thinkes himselfe to good to doe it thinkes himselfe too good to obey God This will not serue the turne then it is a contemptible thing in the world and men will mocke me why but are you a christian and haue you not learned so farre to denie the world as to preferre Gods commandement before the contentment and mocking of men and were it not better for you that the worlde should speake euill of you vniustly for well doing Then that god should instly plague you for well doing An example of this obedience we haue in Isaac who yeelded to his fathers commadement so far as to suffer his head to be chopt of and himselfe bound and laid one the woode and burnt Because his father being a Prophet had warrant so to doe and could shew the commandement of God vnto him to proue it a lawfull thing he did and t was his dutie to obey If he had not seene Gods commandement Abraham had gon beyonde his commission for it had beene willfull murder and he ought not to haue obeyed but when the thing was lawfull Isaac was bounde to submit himselfe to his father euen vnto death So Christ was obedient to his father in the most base and painfull thinge of all for what burden more contemptible then the burden of our sinnes and to be hanged on the crosse mockt and spitted on and buffetted and what more painfull then to vndergoe the curse and plague of God yet if he his father would haue him suffer all this he would not stand with him for such a mattter but willingly submitted himselfe to the death of the crosse So that if the thing be lawfull though it be a thing of no credit and of much paine yet if it be the fathers commandement it is Gods commandement and the child must obey and by how much the thing is more base and contemptible and more hard and painfull by so much he is a better childe and shall haue a greater reward for in matters that be easie and pleasing hee doth serue himselfe now a good child should serue his father for euery christian childe must be his fathers seruant but hee that is vndutifull and stub borne is a rebell against God And as in other matters the parents are to be obeyed so espeically in mariage As Isaac being a man of discretion of 40. yeares old yet would not once goe about to take a wife for himselfe but was content to stand at his fathers chosing And Iacob would not dispose of himselfe in mariage till Isaac and Rebecca had consulted vpon the matter and had directed him whether hee should and among whom he should chose his wife Naomi being but a daughter in law yet would not be at her owne disposition to take what husband liked her best but was willing to be disposed by Naomi in matter of mariage especially therefore children must giue this honour to their parents to thinke their fathers wiser and better able to make choyce themselues and as in
they be so easily prouoked to such foule and reprochfull tearmes must confesse before God that they bee miserable breakers of this commaundement For this though it be a drie blow yet it is a sowre blow and strikes to the heart and dries vp the bloud with sorrow and vexation But that we may be freed from this euill tongue set on fire on hell we must pray God first to set a watch before our tongues that we may not speake vnaduisedly And secondly to giue vs a good heart For according to the aboundance of the heart so the mouth speaks that is the guider of the tongue and as it were the warehouse to the mouth looke what stuffe good or bad is laid vp in the warehouse that you shall see stirring abroad in the shop The tongue no man can tame but God can tame it To him therefore we must runne that he will take away the euill of our hearts and set such a watch ouer vs as that we may speake good wholsome speaches profitable to Gods glory and the good of our brethren So this commaundement is broken in word Now it followes how it is broken indeede and that first when one strikes to the heart only without death This hurting of our neighbour in reueng God hath appointed to be punished of the Magistrate by inflicting the same hurt vpon him that he in his heart of reuenge hath done to another An eye for an eye an hand for hand foot for foot c. And that most iustly to that he should drinke of his owne cuppe He thinkes it a light matter in his passion to strike out ones eye therefore he shall feele himselfe how small a thing it is He makes no bones to cut of a leg or an arme well if he like it so well he shall make triall in himselfe how good it is which shewes also that God doth exceedingly hate this venturousnes and boldnes of men to run vpon their brother in reuenge And that we way the better see the foule vnlawfulnesse of this sin of reuenge consider what wrong it doth both vnto the partie and to God and to his owne selfe that would be reuenged For the person on whom he seekes reuenge he takes vpon to punish him without any calling or authoritie and therefore is iniurious Why but may not I doe to him as he did to me No God giues no such allowance therfore he goes beyond his calling and for this cause is iniurious Then to himselfe he doth iniurie that seekes reuenge For it imbitters his enemie more and makes him more madde against him And then he is not sure to speed better but he may get more hurt to himselfe or if he be to strong for the other yet he hates him more and watcheth him a mischiefe besides he strips himselfe of Gods protection he neither can pray for a blessing nor haue a blessing because he is out of Gods defence he promiseth no shelter nor his Angels watch not ouer him that is out of his waies therfore he is subiect eyther to hurt an other and so to imbitter him more or to be hurt and then he hath no comfort for he ranne into his owne daunger and sought his owne hurt Then he wrongs God most of all for he takes Gods office out of his hand for God hath said vengeance is mine and I will reuenge Who made you a Magistrate now to take Gods turne What commission haue you to lay hands on his image But if I suffer this he would alwaies be medling and saucie I should not haue any quiet by him But God saith I will reuenge Thinke you God hath left gouerning the world or is hee a sleepe trow you that he cannot see these troublesome persons or doth hee want iustice or power that hee cannot or will not punish them sufficiently but you must needs rush vpon the breach and passe sentence your selfe Nay you doe God great wrong he hath said he will doe and will you presume to step before him and say I will doe it my selfe But God is fittest to rewarde and reuenge iniuries for he is not partiall and he tries the hearts and sees all circumstances why he hated you how long and with what minde he did thus and thus to you and he also can and will proportion the punishment to the fault whereas commonly if men might carue to themselues here they would cut a greate deale to deepe or be to sparing the one But sith God can doe it in best time and best measure and manner and hath said he will doe it what should you doe medling with reueng vnlesse you will hurte your selfe wrong an other and shoulder God out of his place Now for murther That is either Secret or Open. Secret as by poyson or some cunning deuice such as was Ahabs deuice he would not openly murther Naboth but he lets Iesabell haue his ring and concents and conceales the matter of that cursed and bloudie fetch against Naboth Therefore the holy Ghost tearmes Ahab no better then a murderer In like case Dauid woulde not slaye Vriah with his owne hands nor by any of his owne subiects but he puts him a forlorne hope casting him in such perill that he could not escape and that with a desire of his death to and then by this plotte to couer all but God discouered both to himselfe and to the whole world to that Dauid was guiltie of murther But the grossest and most barbarous of all is when one with his owne hands openly doth take away the life of a man This was condemned Gen. 6. and a reason added Thou shalt not kill a man for he was made in the image of God This is therefore to deface Gods image and as it were to rase the princes picture and broad seale yea this thing is so hatefull vnto God that if a beast slay a man he must be slaine and his flesh must not be eaten Now if God will haue the beast stoned which hath slaine a man though he haue neither lawe nor reason to restraine him much more those worse thē beasts that hauing Gods cōmandement and reafō to hold them backe yet by al these bars cannot be kept in from violating the image of God and the soule of man Besides they haue seene how ill murderers haue sped as Caine what a curse what a brande did God set vpon him that he was alwaies a runnagate and vagabound and could find no rest vpon the earth And in Numb 35. It is said that the lande is polluted and cannot be made pure but by the death of him that was the murderer Now this is so much the more vilde by how much those bee nearer bounde in any lincke or bond to him that doth this wronge As a brother the brother the child the father the wife the husband or such like which makes the sinne a great deale more haynous and odious But most monstrous and most indigne of all is it for one
the garden of God that yeelded them all commoditie and profit grew rich and then like foolish men as all naturall men vse grew idle and to settle themselues to nothing but there ease and delight for their nature was no worse then any of others but their idlenesse so corrupted their hearts as the diuell had leasure to cast in and they to pursue all monstrous and vncleane desires whatsoeuer and that was the cause that they were so outragious Also temperance in meat and drinke and watching and fasting These meanes by Gods blessing will slaye these lustes and emptie the heart of such ill desires that one shall haue a pure and chast heart But if that all these meanes being vsed notwithstanding these lusts will not be ouercome but still arise and still ouerburden the heart and set it on fire with ill desires and the flesh will not be humbled then one must seeke the remedie of mariage and pray to God to giue him an yokefellow and then one may looke that God should heare his requests For when hee hath done his endeuour to beat downe his flesh and yet cannot so tame it but that he stands in neede of an helpe this waies then God hath called him to the estate of matrimonie and as hee hath giuen him a calling so will he giue him such an one as shal bee a comforter to him and an helper both in this life and in the life to come And so much for the inwarde breach The outward breach of this commandement hath many branches But the cheife are comprehended by the Apostle Galat. 5. Where he saith the fruites of the flesh are adulterie fornication vncleannesse wantonnesse These are the cheefe outward branches of this commandement And first for adulterie That is when the partie offending is either maried or contracted for if he be eitheir ioyned by mariage or contraction that commits the act then it is adulterie This is a verie high breach of this commandement For when they haue beene either married or contracted then they breake the couenant of God For when they come together in either of these knots they doe make a couenant not only one with an other but with God himselfe that hath appointed the ordinance that wil faithfully truly keepe their fidelitie one to the other and therfore if they deale vnchastly it is not only vniustly done one to another but they forfeit their bond to God euen their saluation and prouoke his curse both on their soule and bodie And this is a thing peculiar to adulterers that hauing come in the sight of God and before mē and Angels to make a couenant there also in the face and by the voyce of the congregation craued a blessing of God vpon their proceedings they abuse god angels men and all if after they breake this couenant and polute their bodies But how foule and vile a sinne this is The ill effects that follow of it doe declare the first is set downe Prouerbs 5. 11. it consumes the flesh and the bodie It is a fire in the bones it breedes eating incurable diseases that as the sin makes one lothsome in the sight of God so the plague may make him lothsom in the sight of men If one be so audatious as to breake the couenant of God though it be a thing much neglected of men and they will not cut him of according to Gods law for by the law of God the adulterer is as culpable of death as the willfull murderer yet God meetes with him and by filthie diseases brings him to his death Prouerbs 6. 26. the holy Ghost saith it bringes one to a morsell of breade that is to extremitie of pouertie and so Iob in Chap. 31. saith of this sin that had beene a fire to haue rooted out all mine encrease this will make spoile and hauocke of all a man hath And it consumes not only the goods and bodie but there is a further consumption then all this hee that doth it destroyes his owne soule hee forfeits his bodie and goods and worse then all this he gets a perpetuall blotte to his name that he shall neuer be able to put away vnlesse hee doe truely repent and so get it washed away by the bloud of Christ that will make all cleane But else hee shall haue a shamefull name an ill report all the braue apparell all the bribing and colouring in the world will not couer this blotte of the name and estimation for he is a needelesse theefe that doth not steale for necessitie but of presumption and therefore deserues no pittie We see that if a theefe vpon necessitie as it seemes to him but indeede no necessitie should make a man sinne doe prige or steale from his neighbours men haue some kind of mercie and doe not altogether so much abhorre it but when one hath the remedie and hath professed his thankefulnesse to God for the helpe and his contentednesse and reioycing in it he is a needelesse theefe he shall finde no mercie but he destroyes his soule and makes his name to stinke among men And he that doth committe adulterie doth not only destroy his own soule but he doth what he can to destroy an other mans soule to and so to kill two at once in this regard this sin is worse thē either theft or murther For if a theefe should strip a man of all hee had and besides that take away his life to the man were not one whit the worse man for all this but his soule might goe to heauen as well as if he had died in his bed but hee or shee that inticeth an other to commit adulterie robs the party of his soule and saluation so farre as in them lies for little doth he knowe whether euer they shall repent or be conuerted from this sinne for this is such a wound as no phisition can lay his hand to heale it but the holy Ghost no medicine can cure it but the bloud of the sonne of God this is not to spoile his bodie but the soule a far more dāgerous thing thē robbing For though one should make the bloud runne about ones eares with many wounds yet there were hope that one might find some skillfull chirurgion to make all whole againe but he that hath stricken so deeply into the soule and conscience and hath kindled the fire of Gods vengance in the heart how knowes he whether euer this shall be healed And what a fearefull thing is it to be an instrument to draw an other into hell and to an incurable wound for any thing that he knowes And againe an adulterer is a theefe for foisting in his child into an other mans lands or goods that that which one hath laboured for and taken paines for and hoped to leaue to his own seed and his posteritie after him he should bestow vpō his most mortall foe For of all men in the world he would be most vnwilling if he knew of it to bestow it
on him much rather would he giue it to a stranger whom he neuer knew before then vnto one that had so shamefully abused him and could better find in his heart to leaue his goods vnto a vagrant begger then to one whom vnwittingly now he feedes and cloths and who shall enioy all his laboure This sinne of adulterie therefore is a most foule sinne in regarde of the wrong one doth to man and to God also who hath so great a regard of mariage that it be faithfully obserued for the comfort each of other as that he thought it not sufficient that they shall binde themselues in promise one to the other but he will haue them also enter into a couenant with him to bee true one to the other which if they violate and contemne it is a most odious thinge in Gods account Now the vse that we must make of this is That sith it is so foule a sinne and yet our nature is subiect to fall into as Dauid after many corrections and humiliations after many mercies and benefits when he was some thing well in yeares and had the remedie also yea and as the corruption of those times was many wiues yet fell into his foule sinne This lothsomnes of the sin and the proudnesse of our nature to commit it should moue vs to vse those meanes and preseruatiues which might keepe vs from it For if Dauid did fall into it to his great woe and to some blotting also and blemishing of his name then we must not be secure and thinke our selues safe But the meanes to make a man liue chastly in mariage are these First if there haue beene fornication before mariage that is a secret poyson that lurkes within and if it bee not stayd it will breake out to adulterie Therefore that fire must be quenched by true repentance and so it shall neuer flame out into adulterie but else it will certainly haue his vent an olde fornicator shall be an new adulterer I meane by an old fornicator such an one as hath committed fornication before mariage without repentance for he hath a wilde fire within that will not keepe within long but will make him burne in lust as fast as before And it may be said of him as GOD said to Caine thy sinne lyes at the doore so his old sinne lies at the dore readie to catch him yea it will let him haue no peace but lies in wait doggs and pursues him and meetes him at euerie turne till it haue brought him to naught vnlesse he by repētance first bring it to naught This then must be the first care if one haue beene a fornicator to repent for that But if one haue not yet he must keepe and obserue this second rule Euerie married person must labour for pure and feruent loue to his yoake-fellow As Prou. 5. He wils men not to follow after the straunge woman but how shall I chuse he answeres in 18. verse Reioyce in thy wife of thy youth and delight in her loue continually If married persons get feruent and pure loue one to another this will keepe them safe for it is not hauing of a wife but the louing of her that makes a man liue chastly and it is not the hauing but the louing of an husband that preserues a woman from whoredome but if she haue him and yet hate him and dispise him she is in danger euerie day to be defiled Feruent loue then must be sought for Not such as flesh can yeeld for the nature of flesh is as to be fond before so to be readie after to finde occasions and iarres and dislike but it is a gift of God and a sparke that comes from heauen and hath this vertue to make a man liue chastly But now if one will say Adulterie Sure I will neuer be an adulterer yet for all that he cares not for his own wife but contemnes and dispiseth her he hath no warrant to say so nay he takes the next way to bring himselfe into the snares of adulterie by this first breach of the bond of marriage in that he doth not loue his wife An other meanes to auoid adulterie is set downe in Prouerbs 2. 8. 16. If knowledge enter into thine heart and wisedome delight thy soule Then shall it keepe thee from the straunge woman that flattereth with her lips To delight and reioyce in the pure word of God and to embrace it in ones heart this will so satisfie the minde content the soule with sweet comfort and delight as that one shall not need to follow the impure and foule pleasures of the flesh that are contrarie to God and his word But if wisedome enter not into the heart lust will and if a man finde no reioycing nor pleasure in the word of God he is in continuall daunger to seeke at the flesh for no man can liue without his delight and though it breake not streight to the mayne sinne of adulterie yet it will beginne with other vanities and not cease till it hath traced one through all the idle and foolish delights and at length leaue him wallowing in this filthie and loathsome pleasure for certaine where there is not a pure delight there is an impure Thirdly will we be kept from this foule and monstrous sinne we must marke the rule of Salomon Eccles 7. 28. I find more bitter then death the woman whose heart is as nets and snares and her hands as bands He that is good before God shall be deliuered from her but the sinne shall be taken by her He shewes how one may escape the lewd woman and keepe himselfe free from her snares namely be a good man walke religiously keepe peace with god else he shal sure be taught He shews why God suffers filthy strumpets harlots to ly vpō the earth namely that they may be as a gaile or prison to keepe wicked sinners chains wherin to hāper all vngodly persons they be as fowlers to catch hypocrites that haue not the true feare of God that those which be hatefull to God for other sins may be made hatefull to men also for this sin For whē men prouoke God by sins that he hates as much but be lesse subiect to disgrace in the world then he giues thē vp to those sinnes that may shame them bring them into cōtempt before the world And it not as most men say alas he was an honest man till he slipt into this fault no had he been honest before God would not haue deliuered him vp to this vilde sinne But because he was wicked before therefore God punisheth sinne with sinne and makes him more wicked outwardly that his inward wickednesse might appeare to his disgrace he hath liued irreligiously in the first table and now God in vengeāce giues him ouer also to liue vnrighteously in the second These be the means to keep one pure namely an vpright life that one liue in no other sinne that breaks off peace betwixt God
any other such like dealing if euer he will haue God heare his prayer and receiue his sacrifice before his offering he must make recompēce the enterest and the fifth part c. I but he is gone I know him not or cannot tell where to haue him I but doe you know none of his kinred hath he no sonne or nephew or brother is there none neere vnto him that you know not one Yet it must be restored it is none of yours you must not keepe it you of necessitie must part with it if you will haue the sinne pardoned Therefore you must giue it to the Lord the Church must haue it Numb 5. 8. So that this is the law of restitution He that hath gotten any thing vnlawfully must not onely say indeed I haue done amisse I crie God mercie for that that is past and I will doe so no more but for this I hope GOD will pardon me I purpose now to leaue of doing wrong to any No this is not enough a man must reconcile himselfe to GOD before he can reconcile his conscience to himselfe God will not be aunswered with such a weake amendement there can be pardon or perseuerance vnlesse there be true repentance and true repentance neuer goes before but soone after you shall see restitution follow Therefore let a man deale more soundly in such cases that pertaine to the peace of his conscience this hollow heartednesse and hypocrisie in such matters will bring no peace therefore let not a man hearken to the diuell and his owne flesh for his hurt and restore that which he hath defrauded any man of by ill meanes If not let him know for a surety who euer he be that there is no thriuing by such dealing sinne is a poyson infecting both the soule and bodie and estate and vnlesse it be purged out in time will bring all to ruine But yet some obiections seeme to arise first the thinge is of some price and the person is wicked and would be willing to take the aduantage and follow the occasion to put me to death Therefore here danger seemes to stoppe ones mouth and it were better to liue in saftie then to make restitution with perill of his life But though the case shall fall out thus yet the law of restitution admits no such exception one must restore yet wisdome must be vsed in this case that both the partie offended may be satiffied and the partie which hath offended may be in saftie Therefore some other third person of wisedome and grauitie a man of good account for religion and honestie must be chosen to whom the secret may be without perill reuealed and by whose meanes the wrong done may bee fully answered and he must restore it in the name of the other concealing his name and particular fault as thus he may speake There is a man that in time of his ignorance hath wronged and endamaged you and now that God hath touched his heart with true repentance he is willing to satisfie you to the full and therefore hath by me sent you so much as will fully recommpence your losse yet he desires to conceale his name because of perill that might ensue By some such wise and godly course amends might be fully made to the partie that sustaind the wrong and he that did the wrong be nothing at al endāgered for by Gods blessing no man is so malitious but by the wisdome and godly counsell of the man that is imployed in this thing and the full satifaction and good dealing of the man that did wrong him would haue held himselfe contented without any further prosecuting of reuengment But there comes yet a further doubt I am not able to restore I haue not where withall Then where nothing is to be had it is a common prouerbe the prince must loose his right But yet so that a man must plainly and fully confesse his fault if there be not abilitie for restitution yet a man must not neglect confession and this further a man must couenant with himselfe that if euer it please god to giue him abilitie he will be answerable to the full to all such wrongs and then as we are in affection so God will account vs indeed If one can say in truth of heart O Lord I confesse my fault to thee and haue confessed it also to the person whome I haue offended and though I be not able to recompence him yet I resolue with my selfe and make a couenant with mine owne conscience That if euer I haue it I will paye him and if I had it nowe I would differ no longer hee should haue it nowe in meane time I will not cease to supply that by my prayers which by reason of pouertie is wanting in my payment that mine humble suite to God for him may as much profit him as my sinne against God and against him hath endamaged him Thus if a man doe God will accept him and esteeme of this as a sufficient recompence and will himselfe rewarde the partie and make vp his losse And thus much for this eight commandement Thou shalt not steale Now followes the ninth commaundement Thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy neighbour This commandement is broken either Inwardly by caulesse suspicion and surmises outwardly or Without speach in Gesture Silence With speach by speaking or receiuing By speaking Truly but to an ill purpose without discretion or good affection Ones selfe by Boasting Execusing Accusing falsely An other either Publique when a Iudg a witnesse or Iurer doth it in a publique cause and assembly or a lawyer defends an ill cause Priuate by vniust accusing defēding Falsely concerning By receiuing concerning An other Ones selfe in receiuing Flatterie of other False accusations of other HEre should haue followed the summe of this commandement and the handling of inward suspicion and rash iudging and the two causes thereof vz. Foolishnesse vncharitablenesse which notes the partie that tooke the former copie as then came to short to set downe and since by no meanes could come by them The third followes The third cause of this vniust suspicion misdeeming is an euill conscience for when one is himselfe infected with any sin and lies in it without repentance he is readie to measure all mē by himselfe and thinkes no man can goe vpright now himselfe halts And this is exceeding plaine in Saule He was a wicked murtherer and purposed fully if by any meanes he might effect his purpose to kill Dauid and therefore we see howe he goes about craftily to bring him in danger vnder a shew of friendship and forsooth did beare such a good minde to Dauid that worthie man and faithfull captaine that had ventured his life for Gods cause and in the defence of his people as that hee would freely and willingly admitte him to so neere a place as to be the Kings sonne in law And therefore if Dauid were as willing to accept of his offer in kindnesse
of him or any thinge belonging to him but with desire of his good euery way to couet signifies to haue a motion of the heart without consent of will From this then that God forbids coueting we learne that the first motion and inclination of the heart to any sin though a mā neuer yeeld to it or plot and cast about how to bring it to passe is a sin And the reasons are plaine first because God hath forbidden it as in Rom 7. Paul saith he had not known lust to be a sin but that the law saith thou shalt not lust He knew and many heathen mē that neuer heard of Gods law did confesse that the inward thoughts ioyned with consent and full purpose to doe them if occasion serued were sins but for those that did but as it were passe through the hart and stayd not there had noe place of abode yeelded to them but were shut out so soone as they entered he could neuer be perswaded that these were faults prouoked Gods wrath but that by the law he knew God had said and then he beleeued it Secondly if one examine these by that generall rule doe as you would be done by he shall see that they agree not with it For no man would be willing to haue an other man conceiue the least flying conceit or thought that might hurt him though he neuer went about to put in practise therfore also must be driuen to cōfesse that it is a sin in him to haue such thoughts towards an other 3 if we cōsider the cause it will appeare what they be They are fruits of originall sinne and proceede from naturall corruption now who can drawe a cleane thing out of an vncleane thing who can pull good fruit out of a bad tree being then effects of our naturall pollution that we receiued from Adam for if we had continued in innocencie we should haue been perfect without any such motion of the inward heart they are naught for what euer coms from sin is sin Lastly if the effects be marked they shall appeare to be euill Now Saint Iames. 1. 14. sets downe the effects of these euill thoughts motions euery man saith he is tempted when he is drawne away by his owne concupiscence and is inticed This Saint Iames shews that let one make as little accoūt of these thoughts as he please and count them small mattters yet the worke that they doe is not small for they draw on a side from beholding God they turne the heart from considering God to marking those things that he should not then when he is puld frō looking vnto God he fals to according and practising and then sin brings death So that these are like a little sparke of fire lighting vpon tinder or toe such like that if they be not quickly quēched will grow to a great flame So the danger is great that cōes from euery one of these that we so little regard for there is not the least but it hardens the hart and withdraws it frō God and maks it more vnfit to pray or heare or do any thing that is good but more easily to be drawn to any sin And therefore it is not slightly to be passed ouer So that because they breake Gods cōmandement are against the law of charitie and cāe from an euill cause bring with them such euill effects therfore the least imagination arising in the heart without any agreeing of the minde to put it in practise is sin and deserues death The vse that we should make of this is for our continuall humiliation that our nature the whole frame of our soule body is such as no minute almost goes ouer our head but some sin some euill and vaine motion or other goes through our hart ariseth frō the puddle of our flesh our nature is like some great fireband that if it be neuer so little stird sends forth many sparkes on euery side Therefore we must learne in this regard to deny ourselues to fal down before god beseeching him to heale our nature to wash and clense it more more by his holy spirit Then one hath made one good vse of the law when he is so touched with the sight of his sins as that he goes quite out of himselfe when the law hath so stopt his mouth as that he can alledg nothing in himselfe wherfore he should not be dāned but relies and casts himselfe only on the mercies of God in the merits of Christ Againe this teacheth to vse all good meanes to keepe our heart from these ill motions and hinder this firebrand from sparking First make a cournanant with our eyes to looke vpon nothing our eares to heare nothing and all our sences to admit nothing into the heart that may stirre vp and prouoke the naughtines of it Secondly take downe the flesh oftē by fasting and prayer hearing and such spirituall exercises for this is the cause why it growes so strong because we doe not set ourselues to resist it and fight against it For if we would beseech God to giue a blessing and vse all the good means that he hath appointed to kill and crucifie it it would be a good helpe to vs and we should preuaile more against it Thirdly learne to set our minde on worke alwaies with some good meditation and holy desires and thoughts for mans heart is restlesse like the watch of a clocke that while the poyses hang at it if it be not set right will goe wrong so while we liue if we doe not by grace set our heart aright towardes God and man corruption will drawe it wrong Therefore it is that many are so troubled with ill motions and continuall boyling of ill thoughts because the heart is not busied and taken vp with some good thing for if grace cease working corruption wil streight be doing Thus much for that that the barethoughts are condemned if the consenting be euill the conceiuing is so to if the proceeding were wicked the beginning is wicked also House The house is put in the first place not because the house is more deere and neere then the wife but because this iniurie in desiring the house extendeth it selfe to the husband to the wife to the children and seruants yea to the beasts also and cattle euerie one hath a part in it it is more generall then the rest in hurting therefore it is placed in the first place In that this breach is set in the first place that is hurtfull to more Wee learne that those sinnes which are iniurious to more men are more hurtfull to ones selfe and most hated of God and for this cause coueting other mens houses is set in the first ranke and in the chiefe place of it and most abhorde So in Esay the Lord pronounceth an especiall woe and curse against those that ioyne house to house that they may dwell alone in the land So in Iob. 20. he shewes