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
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
of commendations and a testimonie of his humble and louing heart that where he came he was verie curteous to all men euen infidels men of a false religion and did carrie himselfe in all good sort vnto them who euer As when he had to doe with the Hittits First he bowes himselfe in all curteous sort and then his words were gentle and nothing sauouring of a proud commanding but with all milde and kind perswasions and intreatie and then when they wilde him to burie the deade in any of their sepulchres giues them heartie thankes and with the like curtesie and good speeches as a fore propounds his request And this gentle dealing did so winne the hearts of these heathen people and made him so well account and esteemed amongst them as they say to him thou art a prince of God amongs vs and would denie him nothing And so when he met the Angels which he tooke for no other but for comon trauailers he saluted them bowing his bodie in all dutifull sort and gaue them good tearmes and called them Lords and intreated them to eate a morsell with him And by this affability and kinde vsage of himselfe he did not only get fauour and good account amonge those with whome he liued but hath gotten credit till this day and shall to the worlds ende that being a man of such worth and good desert so well graced and of such place and wealth all this did not make him sowre carelesse or disdainfull but hee shewed him kinde and amiable euen to the meanest For indeede proud lookes hawtie lookes and a scornefull and a disdainfull eye that is such a thing as God abhorres he doth abhorre an hautie eye and arrogant lookes As he saith in the Prouerbs But we see this is such a thing as many doe it for their credit and thinke to get credit by this looking on high Those among vs that be men of no worth that haue no good qualitie or propertie nothing commendable or worth esteeme inward or outward no grace to praise them no wealth to set them out no parentage to make them had in account swaggerers ruffins prophane beasts filthie drunken swine that make their belly their God These abiect base persons the scumme and froth of the whole earth rude in behauiour wicked in heart and carelesse in life thinke if they can looke big and carrie a proud and disdainfull face and ouercrow euery man and care for no man scorne their betters and prefer themselues before all then forsooth they be men of some name they shal be accounted of they be worthy to be looked after that thinke to get credit by contemning euery bodie and to be had in account by making no account of any one this is theis courage this is their valure and they haue nothing to grace themselues but this kinde of rudenesse But in truth this disgraceth this discrediteth this proclaimes their shame and shewes that they be light empty of all goodnes and if they had many other good parts yet this would hurie all and make them contemned in euerie mans heart and eye to be so scorneful contemptuous to euery one This was Ismaels kinde of life his hand was against euerie man he regarded none nor cared for none but set them all at defiance and at naught therefore euerie mans hand was against him they made as light of him and these also haue a iust Ismaels reward euerie one is their foe euerie man speakes of their shame and what haue they gotten now For they that will be honoured must honour he that will be kindly dealt withall must deale kindly with others and he that lookes for an amiable behauiour from others must shew an amiable behauiour to others The second outward dutie is to defend the oppressed and succour those that suffer wrong and ill entreatie a thing much commended in Iob that hee pulde the pray out of the Lions mouth and sought out the cause of the poore he was a father to the fatherlesse husband to the widow And this did comfort him in time of his trouble more then all wealth in the world This is commanded Prouerbs 24. 11. Deliuer them that are drawne to death and wilt thou not deliuer them that are lead to be slaine If thou say behold I know it not He that pondereth the harts doth not he vnderstand it And he that keepes the soule knowes he not will he not also recompence euerie man according to his workes He shewes that if one see those that be vnrighteously puld to death and oppressed one must not stand by and say alasse what a world is this who euer saw such dealing but one must put his hand to and labour to his power and as farre as he can to rescue him and deliuer him for saith he wilt not thou preserue him as if he had said art thou so mercilesse that thou wilt not helpe the oppressed But then he meets with our excuses that men are readie to speake in such cases alas I knew not that he had such need of my helpe and if I should meddle I might bring an olde house vpon mine own head and trouble my selfe when I needed not But he cuts of all saying doth not God see thee and know thy heart as if he had said Well these excuses may dazell mens eyes and make a faire shew with thē that can see nothing but shewes but God he lookes not so much to the tongue and what one can say for himselfe but he ponders the heart doth not see it lightly but considers knowes euery particular thing and circumstance and therefore it is no shifting and doubling when he comes to take a triall of vs and he knowes that all these excuses come from selfeloue and loue of lucre and commoditie that one would spare cost and liue at case and rather see an other oppressed with wrong then stirre himselfe a little to helpe him And last of all he saith you that be so loth to suffer a little trouble and at a little charges to helpe an other man in his miserie know you not that God recompenceth men according to their works that he causeth them to reape like for like and may not you come to the like miserie your selfe and then because you had no heart not will to helpe an other you shall see others sit as quietly by you and not venture to giue you any helpe But now men are come to that selfeloue and want of other mens wrongs as it were a thing done in a farre countrey and in an other age as though it nothing pertained to them they haue nothing to doe with it But those that be of the better sort will onely haue a little idle pittie and mercie of the mouth in a few words alasse I am sorie and it is pittie that honest men should be thus wronged but neuer put to an hand to helpe nor stirre a finger to doe any good to their reliefe neither
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
sacraments are for he was commanded of God how to make it of what figure in what place to what vse So for the Cherubins God appointed them likewise to signifie that God had his wings as it were spred out that whosoeuer would come to him in the Church should haue protection and shelter from him at all tymes But this makes nothing for making of idolls to worship god by them For because Solomon made an image at Gods appointment therfore may we make one at the idols appointment and if Moses set vp a brasen serpent by Gods direction may we by the direction of flesh and bloud that follows not But for that very serpent that God had commanded to be set vp when men would looke on it with to great a reuerence and had it into great request and honour Hezekiah was so bold as to pull it downe and grinde it to powder and this is writtē as a thing of commendations in him We must make no images to our selues then but if God bid vs then we may for then we make them to God and then if God say who required these things at your hands we may answere with comfort thou didst O Lord. Sith then the worshipping of images is the worshiping of idols as it is said in the Psalme afore named 136. For he that doth Gods work he worships God and he that doth the diuels work he worships the diuell and sith all idols be condemned in gods seruice because they haue no warrant from God nor he hath not appointed any signification of them This serues for the reprouing of all those that haue bowed downe vnto them kissed them or vsed any homage vnto them For in Isai 66. 3. He sets downe this as a note of an vnregenerate man to blesse an idoll one need goe no further for the note of a wicked sinner then if he blesse an idoll For by worshipping it in this commandement he meanes not to account it as God but to think that by any reuerence done before the idoll one shall get some help that this shall be a meanes of good to doe this is spiritual whordome For so in Isai 42. 8. He saith I am the Lord I will not giue my glory to an other One had better therfore dye the death then vse any bodily gesture of reuerence to an idoll And this the three Children knew full well in Daniell For when the King commanded them on paine of death to fall downe he did not binde their soules but onely their bodies yet they would not one would think they might haue done that and done it in their harts to God but they knew that if they had defiled their bodie vvith the least bow it would haue drawne Gods curse vpon their soule and bodie and therefore they durst not doe it Therfore sith this is spirituall whordom those that haue done it must repent for it and know that they haue infected their soules with a damnable sinne for which if they doe not throughly repent it is said that when times occasion shall serue they will fall to it as freshly as euer before for then it is not the feare of God that hath repressed it but the positiue law doth a little restrain it which if it be remoued their lust will breake foorth as much as euer before as it vvas seene by the Israelits in the wildernesse therefore we must be truely humbled for it and labour for assurance of pardon And though men will say they did it with a good intent in good meaning and in loue to Christ yet all these excuses will not serue the turne It were an ill excuse in a wife to say she loued her husband exceedingly and therefore in his absence she must haue others to see them and looke on them and to embrace them and all this for loue to her husband the husband would scarce think well of this loue yea it would be abhominable vnto him And it is much worse to kisse an idoll and bow downe to it and then say it was for loue to Christ An other vse of this is that we must labour to get the true and sound knowledge of God out of his word and a feruent loue of him for till then a man is in daunger to fall to idolatry But if one see Christ in his word and know his spirituall properties then they shall say as the church in Hosea 14. What haue we to doe any more with Idoles we haue hard God and seene God For then we shall see better and more excellent things in him then can be found in any image but till this we are not well fenced against idolatrie as in the naturall mariage the wife is sure from adultrie if she loue her husband but till then she lies open to adulterers so betwixt christ and vs then are we safe from idols when we haue gotten a feruent loue of Christ Many will boldly say what bow downe to an idoll kneele to a stocke or a stone sure I shall neuer doe it but as good as you haue done it but what cause or what reason haue you to thinke you shall not haue you seene Christ Iesus discribed in his word haue you seene him receiued his bodie blood in the sacrament if one haue seene his excellent beautie in these meanes he shall abhor an idoll as an vgly thing and if ones soule loue Christ and seeke after him in these meanes he will neuer fall to this filthinesse but loth and detest it but else hee is in continuall daunger to fall to spirituall whordome what euer he can say now when the times doe not serue Thus much for the grosse and direct breach of this commaundement by making an image to represent god which is impious or to help one in his worship which is idolatrous The second breach of this is superstition when one doth not goe to stockes stones but vseth those waies and inuentions in worshipping God which are not commaunded of God in his word but bee the appointment of men for Mat. 15. 9. Christ saith that they worship him in vaine teaching for doctrines mens precepts If it haue no further beginning then mans braine God will giue no blessing to it yea hee sends a curse vpon it for cursed is hee that ads any thing to Gods booke God will add so much to his plagues And the reason is because he makes himselfe wiser or better then God For if God be perfectly wise then he knew best what worship would please him and if hee be perfectly good then he would reueale vnto vs what euer hee knew fit for vs to practise Againe it is a great iniurie offred to God when we will let his deadly enimies haue the ordering and appointing of his seruice rather then himselfe A king would thinke it a great indignitie that his seruants would not serue him after his direction but some base fellow that were a professed enemie should set downe what meats he must
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
fruitlesse jangling is a great abuse of the scripture which is one excellent part of gods name by which he will bring vs to the knowledge of himselfe when one hath no care to make the end of his speech the glory of God for high talke becomes not a foole it is an vnseemely absurd thing to heare a prophane wicked beast be prating discoursing of Gods word that doth not account of it as hee should why should he haue it in his mouth that hath it not in his hart First let him get the law of God written in his owne hart and then let him open his mouth in wisedome and instruct others as God saith in Deut. 6. 6. Let these words bee in thine hart and thou shalt rehearse them continually First then let one labour to haue the vse of Gods word in himselfe and to make it his owne and lay it vp in his hart and then hee may with fruit and comfort bring it forth and confer of it to others else if one bee an idle talker and a foolish vaine disputer of that which hee neuer had any experience and working in himselfe the more hee speakes the worse it is the more hee dishonoureth God abuseth the word and hurteth his owne soule First then Gods name is taken in vaine by the abuse of his word in curious fruitles prating of it Therefore one must neuer talke of gods word but that hee may bring some glory to God and some good edification to men as the Apostle saith Edifie one another in your most holy faith vnlesse this bee our scope when euer wee take Gods word in our mouth to build one another vp in godlinesse wee peruert the word of God and prophane his name Secondly Gods name is polluted by vs when vvee speake of his word in mockage after a jesting and a scoffing manner as those did of which Peter speakes that derided the doctrine of the last judgement ho say they all things continue a like since the fathers when will hee come q. d. Wee heare a large discourse and heere is much a do among these preachers now a daies about the great day of judgement a terrible day that must come wherein all men must be cald to account they say for their workes but where is it where is the truth of their fearefull tale when comes this judgement wee would faine see it once and thus because God doth not presently sit vpon the bench and passe sentence and see the execution done immediatly and reward euery one the wicked by casting them to hell-fire and the good men by taking them vp to the ioyes of heauen foolish vaine men that haue no faith make a merriment and a sport to laugh at this doctrine So in Isaiah because he told them of death the Atheists fell to flouting come say they these prophets tell vs wee must all die if wee must die then let vs take our pleasure whilst wee may let vs eate drinke and bee merry to morrow soule and body and all must come to nothing there will bee nothing left well we will plie it while time serues and thus these vilde irreligious beasts turned all the exhortations of the Prophet to a mocke So many lewd persons in these daies are ready to abuse the words of Christ where hee said if one giue thee a blow on the one eare turne the other to him to deride Christians nay say they pray you turne the other eare to Shamelesse persons will not the reuerence of Christ feare them from the abuse of such words as hee with his owne mouth vttered These be the words of God spoken and penned by the wisedome of the holy Ghost for the direction and instruction of his children not for euerie prophane swaggerer and drunken beast to roule vp and down in his filthie mouth to moue laughter with them and this is a common thing among fantasticall fellowes that desire to be thought wittie and conceited that if any place of scripture serue their turne to gird or quip one another or such like purpose they had rather god should loose his glory and gods word the grace and authoritie of it then that they will loose their jest thus that which God appointed to edifie their soules in godlinesse they peruert to stirre vp themselues and others to foolish and wicked and prophane laughter So thirdly the word of God is abusd in a most grose and notorious manner when one brings it in the defence of any sinne or error or heresie which is to presume to wrest Gods weapons out of his hands as it were and beat him with his owne sword This is a greater abuse of the sacred word of God and more hurtfull and mischieuous then either swearing or forswearing Thus the diuell did most damnably prophane Gods name and word when he misused that to make Christ goe out of his way that was written to encourage all Gods children in their waies thus setting as it were an ill-fauoured shape vpon Gods word that it may seeme to agree with his diuellish temptations so let wicked voluptuous liuers that spend all their time and labour in pursuing vaine and fond sports and games and such foolish and fleshly delights as makes them no whit more seruiceable to God or the common weale nor doe any good to their owne soules or bodies or any mans else let such men I say be reproued and told that this kinde of liuing is not allowable it will not hold out before god man was made to bring glory to god and doe good in this world not to bring pleasure to his flesh and liue idly in the world and therefore they must repent and amend you shall haue an excuse straight Gods word must bee brought as a defence they doe not breake Gods commandement without warrant out of the scripture if you will beleeue them what say they would you haue a man liue without delight doe you not allow recreation why the scripture doth afford a man recreation and then a number of places must be brought in for recreation to maintaine their voluptuousnesse But vaine man doth not the scripture command a vocation and the recreation as an help to further in it now if one may aske you that stand so much for recreation what is your occupation what sore trauaile is that that wearies your body what earnest studie troubles your braine that you must haue so much refreshing and so much recreating it must bee some very painefull labour that needes so much rest to make one able to performe it it is a sore labour indeede for it is the seruice of lust and the diuell two hard masters But this turning of recreation into a vocation or a vexation rather is not alowable by Gods word How darest thou then bee so impudentlie audacious as to rob God of his treasure to maintaine thy filthy lust and defile his holie word by defending thine vnholy practise So likewise come to a couetous person
touch him a little with a rebuke for his wringing and oppression shew him that the loue of the world is enmitie to God and that couetousnesse is idolatrie then comes in this place of scripture which must salue all what hath not God commanded a man to labour in his calling doth not God say hee is worse then an infidell that prouides not for his familie and so all must goe vnder the name of good husbandrie and thrift and prouiding for his familie But consider thou that standest thus for thy labour God will haue thee labour but not to serue the diuell in thy labour take paines in thy calling but hurt not thy neighbour by it prouide for thy children lay vp but lay vp a treasure in heauen prouide to bring them vp in the feare of God and in some christian vocation first prouide that they may be christians and then one hath well prouided for them store vp mercifull workes then the righteous is mercifull and lendeth his seede injoyes the blessing Thus God will haue one labour with godlynesse and prouide so for his children as hee prouides for his owne soule So come to angrie and passionate persons they can haue some thing to say for their sinne to and that out of Gods word when they haue broke out into foolish and vnaduised passions tell them this is naught anger rests in the bosome of fooles and the wrath of man fulfills not the law of God oh but I pray you doth not S. Paul say be angrie and sinne not It is true hipocrite but if thou wilt be angrie without sinne bee angrie first with thine owne sinne begin at home condemne the follie that is in thine owne soule or else thine anger is not holie spirituall but diuellish fleshlie and carnall So al-most in all other sinnes there is scarce any other sinne so bad but vngodlie persons will stand in defence of it and if they can snatch a few words out of scripture and teare them violentlie from the true sence thereof vnto their owne lust they count this a matter of great wittinesse but in truth it is a matter of great horrible wickednesse and a damnable prophaning of the name of god when one can wrest hale together manie places and say much for his sinne it is not a note of more wit but of more acquaintance with the diuell for their tongue is set on fire of hell it is tipped with hell fire blowne by the stinking breath of Satan when they haue said all they can they haue made their sinne more grieuous their hart more hard and them selues more cursed in that they haue done no thing all the while but dishonoured God to make him a patrone of wickednesse and his word a sword for the diuell Fourthlie the word of God is abused profaned by turning it to charmes and spels all kinde of sorcerie to cure such persons as be mispoken as they tearme it and ayr'd as such foolish tearmes they haue and to say the Lords praier or some place of scripture to find things that be lost with many such wicked thinges this a sinfull peruerting of Gods word And wheras men commonlie excuse themselues for this sin because the words be not ill yet let them know that when one abuseth good words to a wrong end they be euill words to him and if the word of God be peruerted to such an end as he hath not appointed they be the diuells words to him that thus peruerts them and Satan is no lesse daungerous an enemie when hee comes like an angell of light then if he appeared in his coulours and this charming God himselfe condemnes in the law saith that he will finde out such persons So that both these charmers and those that goe vnto them be wicked abusers of Gods name and either they shall haue no successe in the thing they sought for or if they haue it is a greater plague for now they prosper in their sinne and their hart is made more hard incureable And thus the word of God is abused Now the remedie against this abuse is that we labour to apply Gods word to the right ends that he hath appointed and if we will know these ends we may see them 2. Tim. 3. 16. The whole scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable to teach to improue to correct and instruct in righteousnesse that the man of God may be absolute being made perfect vnto all good works Heere hee shewes how we must imploy the scriptures of God and first generally he saith they be profitable shewing in generall that the word of God must neuer be medled withall but for some profit in all conferences wherin we bring in the word of God and in all maner of vsing Gods word this must be the closing and shutting vp of all that there be some good done that some body be the better for that some fruit be reaped where profit is not the end Gods word is not rightly applyed Then perticulerly he shewes wherin this profit consists first to teach j. to enlighten the vnderstanding that one may get more knowledge and his minde is thus bettered Secondly to conuince that is to refute and beat downe heresies false opinions afore to teach the truth now to pul vp heresies that the judgement may be sound Thirdly to correct j. to reforme amend the offenders to cōuince ill opinions to correct ill conuersations Fourthly to instruct j. to shew how one should amend his ill manners and how he should doe good as well as that he must forsake that that is ill how to liue well and how to haue such a good conuersation that one may haue comfort in his lyfe and death These are those ends of the scripture to which whosoeuer imployes it shall not dishonour Gods name and hurt his soule but glorifie God himselfe be made absolute perfect and readie to euerie good work Thus much for taking Gods name in vaine by speach without an oath but in vaine speaking and other abusing Gods word Secondly Gods name is thus taken in vaine by abusing his tytles as God Iehouah Iesus Lord and such other And that either in admiration as when one in the hearing of any odd matter or strange report shall breake forth into such vaine wandring speaches good Lord O Iesus O Christ Lord haue mercie vpon vs what a thing was that wherein one names Gods titles without any conscience and reuerence of him Therefore those which haue done so must repent So likewise we abuse Gods titles in rash petitions and imprecations as Sarah in a fuming chafe comes to Abraham and saith she the Lord be judge betwixt mee and thee and thus she must needs haue a purchased sessions and God must come downe from heauen in all the hast none else would serue the turne to redresse some wrong that she thought she had what was the matter vvhy Hagar had dealt something
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
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
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
window vpon a time and sees how commodiously Naboths vinyard stoode to his pallace and thought the might make him a faire garden there and he might haue a gooly priuate walke as it were so close to his therfore he would faine haue it And so sends for Naboth offers him some consideration for it but Naboth knew that he might not alienate his possenssion from himselfe that God had giuen him therefore hee sayes him nay but his desire was so earnest and importunate that it would take no nay and therefore hee was euen sicke with greefe and desire of that which was none of his And then there was no way left but Naboth must be slane and by hooke and crooke Ahab must haue the vinyarde and so Naboths life and vinyarde were both taken away but so that Ahab destroyed his familie and posteritie by this euill couetousnesse The vse that we must make of this is that though we haue neuer done any man wrong in one pennie yet we must repent for the wrong of the heart and the secret desire of the soule or els before God we are culpable of the breach of this commandement and lyable to the plague of God for it Secondly wee must learne to restraine our desires and keepe in the wandring lusts of our heart for that which it is a sin to take before men it is a sinne to wish before God therefore we must binde our minds to the good abearance Now the way to expell this wicked and greedie couetousnes of wealth is to consider these two thinges First the small or noe good that riches can doe vnto them that haue them Secondly to consider the certaine hurt that the desire of them will bring For the ground of couetousnesse is this that men haue a false and foolish imagination that wealth will bring some happinesse and if they had riches in good store then they should be in good safetie and in an happie case but that riches can make ones estate no whitte the better it is proued in the Psalme 62. 10. 11. 12. If riches increase set not thine heart vpon them He would haue one let his heart be neuer a whit set to his wealth and deeme himselfe no whit the better for the increase of them what is not one better nor hath he not cause to be more glad when his purse is full of monie then if he had neuer a farthing no sure not one iot and hee giues three reasons First saith he God spake once or twice and I heard it power belongeth vnto God This is reason nothing hath any power to doe a man any good but God therefore if he haue all the wealth in the world his wealth cannot helpe him it cannot keepe away any iudgement it cannot free him from death nor from hell but one may as soone goe to hell from weale or woe Diues may passe into torment as well as the veriest begger aliue Nay it cannot beare of any one stroake of God vpō soule or vpon bodie in this life it cannot keepe away sickenesse not greefe then if they be such weake thinges he that hath them is neuer a whit the nearer any good nor further from any euill why should one either earnestly desire them or greatly reioyce when he hath them Secondly To thee O Lord belongeth mercie There is no mercie but in God nor kindenesse but from God and that a man is kindely entreated it is not from wealth but from God that puts loue into mens hearts for if ones ways be pleasing vnto God he will make his enemies to become his friends and contrarie if ones waies displease him he will make ones friends his foes and those that owe him most dutie and haue here tofore shewed most loue vnto him to be his most bitter enemies and seeke his ouerthrow As in Dauid when hee had sinned against God he raysed vp his sonne against him who not with standing his welth and kingdome sought his life and would haue killed him Thirdly thou O Lord rewardest euery man according to his workes That is an other reason because God lookes to workes not to wealth when he comes to iudgment as if he had said most men dreame that it shall goe with them according to their goods and riches that they haue heaped vp this were true indeede if their were no God or else an idle God as Epicures imagine that sits a sleepe in heauen and cares not how things goes with men in the world but if there be a God that gouernes the world that is awaken and hath the ordering of matters then the question shall not be with what a mā hath But what he hath done not what riches But what grace and goodnesse he possesseth for sinne shall haue shame and he that is godly and mercifull and humble hee shall haue glorie and he shall be saued Sith it is so that riches are so little profitable or availeable this must keepe out of our hearts this whorish desire of riches that cannot profit Secondly as riches are sure to doe vs noe good so we are sure that the desire of them will doe vs much hurt and as there is no helpe from the hauing so there is certaine danger from the coueting For in Timothie the Apostle cals it the root of all euill Where this is there is sinne enough no euill that a man will abstaine from if it may procure his filthy lucre he will forbeare nothing if it lye in his way to gaine neither will he doe any good that seemeth contrarie to his profit therefore the daunger is greate that accompanies couetousnesse namely the rushing into all kinde of mischeefe and wickednesse and the neglecting and omitting of euerie thing that is good For it hinders one from the cheefe meanes of saluation and hinders the working of these meanes in him How it keeps men from the word and sacrements Christ shewes in the parable Luk. 14. 18. Some had oxen could not come some had farmes and must be held excused in generall euerie couetous man hath some pulbacke from religion or if happily sometimes he doe ouercome that let by much a doe step into the Church dore and set him downe before the preacher yet the holy Ghost tels vs how he is occupied speaking to Ezekiel he sayes that they sat before him indeede but though he was a man of rare gifts and verie eloquent yet their hearts went after their couetousnesse So that a couetous mans heart is in continuall trauaile though his bodie sit still for sometime yet his meditations and thoughts are moyling and rotting into the earth so that he can giue no attention to the word nor marke nothing that is spoken But yeelde that sometimes a quame of attention come ouer him admit that he can frame to giue eare to that which is spoken vnto him yet all is fruitlesse he gets no good for these be the cares of this world that like thornes choake the good seede of the word
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
and speake worse then in christianitie and equitie he should he that will speake to often of other mens infirmities cannot keepe himselfe from speaking to much sometimes therefore the best vvay is to be sparing in this kind of talke Speake seldome first Then secondly when one hath a good calling iust cause to speake let him speake discreetly in due time and due place that some good may come by his speach that either the partie may be brought to the sight and amendment of his fault or else others may be edified and helped against such faults speake in good affection and with good discretion that some or other may be the better for it Euer more if one will speake of an others faults let him be able to say I speake it to this and this good end this and this good vse I hope will ensue of my speach or if he can see no profit that will come by his vttering it let him keepe it till an other time let him lay his hand vpon his mouth and say he hath gone farre enough allreadie For if there can be no good vse seene in speaking of it certainely there is much sin in speaking of it And for raysing of an ill and false report against ones neighbour it appeares what a fault it is in that God hath appointed and decreed in his law that those which doe slaunder an other shall themselues vndergoe the punishment which such a fault had deserued and such a person haue suffered if the thing had beene true as he that wrongefully accuseth an other of theft he himselfe should be dealt withall as with a theefe and he that reports that another hath committed adulterie if it be proued false himselfe must feele the smart that an adulterer should This the righteous God hath ordained for what can be more iust then that he which digs a pit for his neighbour without a cause should himselfe fall into the pit and he that seekes to take away his neighbours fame and life by a lye should loose his owne credit and life for a lye And this though the Magistrate neglect his dutie God will not neglect but as he made the law so he will see it put in execution for he is not vniust vnlesse one first punish himselfe by true repentance Thus this law is broken by vniust accusing It is next broken by vniust defending of wicked men and bad causes whē one will vse his name and credit and prayse to vpholde such a man whose name soule and bodie and all are worthie to fall into hell This is condemned 17 15. Where speaking of this kind of men that be lyars in request and false witnesses in fauour that be of so good a nature as that they will heale all thinges make vp all gaps and make a glosse for any matter they will condemne no man nor finde fault with nothing of such he saith he that Iustifieth the wicked and he that condemneth the iust men they both are abomination vnto God He shewes that this dealing which men call a good nature is euen as abominable to God as if they should condemne goodnesse and good men And therefore such men get but a little they carrie away the credit with men but they are as much out of credit with God as they with credit with man and God will bringe about that they shall haue a spot in themselues of that wickednes which they allow in an other for at length God causes both the sinne and the shame to breake out and then their former honour is all dasht So he saith in an other place he that prayseth the wicked the people will curse him To that he makes such a good bargaine for himselfe as both God and the people of God hate him and abhorre him And in truth iustly to for he is worthie to be hated because he keepes men from repentance for there is no better medicine in the world to heale the soule and kill the sinne then to let the sinner sustaine the shame and the paine that is due for his sinne for this is a medicine of Gods making And if all the phisitians in the world lay their heads together they cannot inuent a better and therefore if they had any true loue they would let them haue it and not dawbe ouer the sore so as it should fester ranckle to death So that no greater enemie can be found to the soules of men then such that will smoth all thinges ouer with colourable shifts Then also they doe much hurt to others for now when sinners are gotten in credit crept into some account they are lesse suspected can with more ease doe hurt and mischeefe for if darkenesse might be called darkenesse and sinne goe vnder the name of sin and the diuell come in his owne colours it would be so open that no man would trust and so odious that all men would hate it But now when the diuell will call euill good and come like an Angell of light then men giue him some entertainment and he doth hurt them before they suspect him and when euill men be garnished with some false commendations they can closely conuay their wicked intents to doe more hurt a great deale because they are lesse doubted As in one example may appeare in vngodly and sufficient ministers if they can get some commendation to commend them and some great mans letter to speake for thē thē those that els would neuer haue come to so much credit are admitted without any further inquirie and to the place and office of the ministrie and when by lying they haue entred their whole dealing is agreeable to such a beginning and they proue very wolues that sterue and deuoure the Lords flocke And all this mischeefe came from a false witnesse that commended them with a lie And so for matters of commonwealth when places of charge and importance are through false commendations committed to naughtie and wicked persons oft these proue vilde wicked doing much hurt in the place so that these faulse and foolish prayses are but to get some credit to the wolfe that he may the more freely deuoure and wast the flocke So that as one must not speake of his neighbors faults but in loue and discretion and vpon good proofe so neither must he speake in his commendations But in wisdome and when the commendation is grounded on knowledg and iudgment And thus much for giuing out false speaches Now followes for receiuing which is a fault no lesse haynous before God then the former for he is not only in fault that inuents lyes of his owne head but he also that receiues them and giues credit to them and is bold to ground his report to an other vpon them And that both concerning others and also concerning himsefe To giue eare to a false report concerning an other is forbidden as bewraying of a great want of loue and good affection to the name of ones brother and an ill
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