them that lay hold of him fide non ficta with faith unfained and that not of our owne strength but in Christ and therefore it s called the covenant of faith and that with no losse for if a thing be taken away and a recompence be made by a better thing there is no taking away The reason of this second covenant is that if the first covenant had stood and Adam had remained in his owne strength he must needs have had some part of the honour for using it well and not abusing it when he might therefore that God might have the whole glory he suffered the first to be broken for God in creating required onely honour Therefore man fell For his fall he was to make satisfaction this was not to be performed but in Gods strength the grace of God preventing us and making us of unwilling willing and of unable able in that measure that God will require at their hands we have all our strength from God So that the first covenant i. Moses his Law being weake and unperfect standing on a promise in figure and curse without figure in truth the figure was performed in Christ the curse taken away by his death then when perfecta things perfect came imperfect a abiêre things imperfect were done away one Covenant of God maketh not any bond but onely in part that is the curse taken away by grace the ceremony by the truth of Christs and that which is fulfilled shall be taken in the Court of Grace not pleaded in the Court of Moyses that is in the sincerity of faith not in perfection of the Law 2. The first Covenant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was given the Law is said to be given by Moses but we had not hearts to receive it But this i. the Gospell not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was given but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per Christum was made by Christ The Law is changed The use of the Law not taken away by Christ his comming Math. 5.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thinke not that I am come to destroy the Law and the Prophets I am not come to destroy but to fulfill The order observed 1. By God himselfe with Adam nothing but onely the ceremonies are taken away by Christ his truth and the curse by grace So that the bond and observing of the Law is not taken away by Christ his comming but as he himselfe confesseth fulfilled as it is in Math. ch 28. vers ult 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you Therefore doubtlesse humbling commeth first which is by the Law The naturall order of the covenants the second brought in on the first This course of teaching by humiliation in letting us see what we are hath beene used from the beginning of the world from the practise not onely of the Apostles but also of the Prophets and of God himselfe 1. Gods owne proceedings on the violation of the first covenant After the transgression Adam remained till the evening in the experience or feare of the Law by hiding himselfe then first began the Law to goe upon him Vbi es Where art thou After he had told God what he had done Gods sentence proceeded Edisti igitur Thou hast eaten therefore presently after came the promise semen mulieris conteret caput serpentis the seed of the woman shall breake the head of the Serpent So you see first he called him forth 2. Man confesseth his transgression 3. Judgement of death passeth on him 4. After Christs is taught Secondly the same order tooke God after the flood when he taught Abraham Genes 17.1 2. By God after the flood Ambula mecum esto integer Walke with me and be thou perfect Integrity is the whole scope of the Law after is the Gospell taught So did God to the Patriarkes Moses in Deuter. i. In Lege iterata Genes 22.18 Acts 3.25 in repetition of the Law after the three first chapters in the fourth he beginneth to teach the summe of the Law unto the eighteenth There he telleth them that God would raise a Prophet among their brethren c. and so goeth on in delivery of the Gospell the same doth Stephen Acts 7.37 As in Moses so in the Prophets especially in Esay in his 39. first chapters he sheweth in grosse 3. By the Prophets though there be certaine promises intermingled the whole summe of the Law then the summe of the Gospell But more plainly in his first chapter from the beginning to vers 18. there is a bitter invective of the curse of the Law from thence to the end is the Gospell Come then if thy sinnes c. In the Psalmes Psal 1. nothing else but a recapitulation of the Law 4. In the Psalmes with the promises and curses thereto adjoyned The second Psalme of the comming of Christ and the Gospell 5. John Baptist Matth. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Generation of vipers who hath forewarned you Matth. 3.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The Axe now is put to the roote of the trees The Law Vers 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. I indeed baptise you with water The Gospell 6. Christ his owne order whose method is our instruction 6. By Christ Math. 23.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whosoever shall exalt himselfe shall be abased and he that shall humble himselfe shall be exalted Legis est humiliare the Law humbleth 7. By the Apostles First humiliation then exaltation There is no humbling but by the law and therefore it is called the humiliator 7. The practise of the Apostles as of Paul in his Epistle to the Romanes which is said to be the summe of all religion After the prooemium or salutation in the 17. first verses from the 18. verse of the first Chapter to the 25. verse of the 7. chapter he speaketh of the Law that all are condemned 1. Gentiles 2. Jewes 3. Unregenerate 4. Regenerate and includeth himselfe in From the first verse of the 8. chapter he delivereth the summe of the Gospell shewing in what covenant we are to looke to be saved This is for the warrant of practise In the forme of instructing the paterne of it is in Heb. 6. first repentance from dead workes 2. Faith in Christ And thus standeth the order 1. Repentance from dead workes 1. The Law Now the Law teacheth us three things 1. Praeceptum the Commandement i. what is required Lex tria docet hoc fac vives This doe and live 2. The transgression from the precept delict a quis intelligit who can understand his errours i. How farre we are gone from that which is required of us Psal 19.12 3. Morte morieris Thou shalt die the death the punishment what we are to looke for The Gospell likewise teacheth us other three things Euangelium 3 â—â—â—et 1. Ecce agnus Dei Behold the Lambe of God How we are
faith then of a perfect 4. A good faith estabisheth it selfe by the works of the law if it bee not a working faith it is cadaver fidei but the carcasse of faith But the fourth is that which is Rom. 3.31 a signe also of the faith of the Law a signe of a naughty faith if it make voyd the Law true faith doth establish the Law first if it be a faith that doth not strengthen it selfe 2. Pet. 1.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by good works 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherefore the rather brethren give diligence to make your calling and election sure for if yee doe these things yee shall never fall For if it doe not then Jam. 2.26 it is putridum cadaver a rotten carcasse Faith is an action proper to the mind and not faith That which is Rom. 10.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. that a man beleeveth with his heart wee know that it belongeth to the mind and so in Deut. 6.5 wee must love God with the mind but that is not proper to the mind If it bee once in the heart it will come out and shew it selfe it speech in actions c. but to the heart yet if it come not into the heart and kindle it also from whence Prov. 4.23 come the springs of life and all the actions and opinions of a man there shall be no action and consequently no true faith If the heart be once possessed then 2 Cor. 4.13 wee shall beleeve and therefore wee must needs speake Psal 116.10 I beleeved therefore will I speake and as it is Psal 35.10 not only the tongue shall speake but all the bones i.e. every member that wee have Psal 10. All my bones shall say Lord who is like thee The physitions have a saying that judicium à corde fit per brachium the hart will give a pulse to every part by the veines but it may be sensibly perceived by the arme and by that pulse they know the disease of the heart they use a remedy for the diseases of the heart so in the Gospell it hath a present remedie so if faith be once in the heart it will spread it selfe throughout the whole man but it doth especially declare it selfe by the arme id est in the operations and working of it and this is not by little and little or seven yeares after but as it is commonly said when any beleeved in Christ cadem horâ sanatus est he was made whole the same houre This faith must appeare in life and not in death only for so every man even the wicked will crust in God in death because he 〈◊〉 not otherwise choose Esa 66.8 Who hath heard such a thing who hath seene such things shall the earth be brought forth in one day or shall a nation be borne at once for as soone as Sion travailed shee brought forth her children the Prophet he wondreth at it yet that is the signe of true faith therefore nothing like to them that have not the fruits of their faith seene till they die for then they must trust in God whether they will or no not all their life they will not but at their death but then there is no remedy yet it is not said in the Scriptures that justus moritur ex side but vivit ex fide the just man dieth but the just man lives by faith his faith must live and not die I will not pray with Balaam let my soule die with the righteous I will rather pray the contrary and it is the duty of a Christian so to pray Let my soule live with the faithfull For the sixt precept of the affirmative 6. Rule our aâ—â—na coÌ„muÌ„â—â—atio fide to coÌ„municate our faith to others There is no mercy to be shewed to any of these wee are willed to entangle others with the meanes and use them to others profit as well as to our owne this sixt precept of the affirmative the Apostle Paul observeth Rom. 1.11.12 he desireth though strong in faith that he might be strengthened and comforted by their faith as on the other side the contrary is not only forbidden but a punishment also injoyned Deut. 13. If any intice thee to follow strange Gods if he be a Prophet if he be thy brother if he be a dreamer of dreames if thine owne sonne or thy daughter or thy wife or thy friend thou art commanded not to consent to him nor pitie him nor shew mercy but shalt put them all to the sword and he that is seduced his hand shall be first on the seducer And doing thus in extending thus our faith to the good of others wee shall receive the end of our faith the salvation of our soules Credâ—ndo quod non videmus videbimus quod non videmuâ—-Timor Dei the feare of God Faith never accepted with God before it come into the heart it comes thither if we stirre up the affections Cor sedes affectionum the heart is the fear of the affections When it cometh into the heart it stirreth Species affectionum in cor de nostro the severall affections of the heart 1. Pet. 1.9 and shall receive this answer with the Centurion Mat. 8.13 Vade secundum fidem tuam fiet tibi goe thy way and as thou hast beleeved so be it done unto thee this Gods answer will be to us merces fidei est visio Dei the reward of faith is the vision of God for in rebus supra naturam idem est videre habere in supernaturall things to see and enjoy is all one so wee shall have him credendo quod non videmus videbimus quod credimus by beleeving what wee see not wee shall at length see what now wee beleeve And thus of the duty of the minde Now to the worship of the heart Rom. 10.10 it is said that faith must come into the heart and the heart must beleeve els there can be no righteousnesse For there must be a mutuall affection of the mind and the heart for if the heart love not the minde will not long beleeve and if the minde beleeve not the heart will not love long Now the heart is the place of affections and being the place of affections wee shall know that it commeth into the heart if it stirre up the affections that are in that part to the worship of God The affections are partly such as are agreeable to our nature and such as wee wish for partly such as wee wish to be farre from us of the former kind are love hope joy c. of the other seare griefe hatred Finis usus affectionum in corde the end and use of the affections in the heart God hath ordained them both to a double use for griefe hatred feare and those that are of the two sorts are first either reines to keepe us from evill or secondly after evill committed they are our tormentors to punish us So of the other three are two
is mention of Moloch there is nothing else meant by it but the Starre of Saturne and there is also mention made of the Star of the god Rempham Fifthly after those things that are in Heaven then he commeth downe to the earth and there is forbidden the serving of any in earth to men as the Images of Baal Pâ—rizzim Baal Peor Baal Zebus Hercules Antidotus Muscarum Secondly Women as was that of Astarothe Thirdly of fowles as Ibis in Aegypt the Owle amongst the wise Graecians Fourthly Serpents as the Otter and Crocodiles and Belus was one while worshipped in the shape of a Dragon Fifthly Wormes as the Snailes among the Troglodytae Sixthly Plants as Isis in Aegypt and all other things whatsoever even things made by art as pieces of red cloth as Strabo testifieth of them that were towards the East and West Ezek. 8.14 2 Kings 23.11 Jer. 44.17 Exod. 6.32 1 Kings 12. Golden Calfe Sixthly All that is in the water as Syrens water-snakes fishes Neptune god of Philistims Dagon his similitude was like a male watersnake Aesculapius was worshipped under a watersnakes shape There was occasion given him by the Gentiles of all those that are here forbidden so that we are not onely forbidden our Simile but also our Paterne Now Deut. 4.12 13 14. Moses making as it were a Comment on this Commandement saith Remember this that when God came into the Mount ye saw no likenesse or similitude but onely heard a voice and ergo a voice say the Rabbines because a voyce not being able to be painted nor drawne into any shape it was never like to deprive God any way of his honour But the reasons they weigh thus much in the Chap as if he should say If it had beene the will of God that there should have beene any Image he would have shewed you somewhat when he came into the Mount but you saw nothing but heard onely a voyce take heed ergo that you correct not God and make to your selves any Image And as it is Heb. 11.1 it is the nature of faith to be rerum invisibilium not to see Now to bring visible things into Religion and Faith it is the next way to dishonour God and the overthrow of Faith and Religion Joh. 4.23 Christ himselfe telleth the Woman that the time was come when all Ceremonies and invented places for worship should goe for nothing and even the very Temple at Jerusalem God would not accept it But this was it that should be accepted that they should worship him in spirit and truth whereunto nothing is more opposite than Images no truth being in them but onely the shew of a truth and visible Then they will aske if all likenesses be condemned why was then that of the Cherubims permitted yea prescribed by God to be made for that was a resemblance Heb. 9.5 But yet it was no such * * * Num. 21.8 2 King 10. resemblance as they define an Image to be quod habet exemplar in rerum natura For the Cherubims were made round like two young men or boyes without armes and in stead thereof with two wings But for that matter it is plaine that he made them not to be worshipped but if he would have had them worshipped he would not have put them into the darkest place but they were put into the Sanctum Sanctorum where none ever came but the high Priest and he but once in the yeare And they were made as appeareth Exod. 25.22 to this end that the high Priest might know from whence God would give answer But Tertullian in his Book De Idololatria Tom. 2. pag. 447. answereth this fully God saith not that an Image may not be made But non facies tibi that we make not any to our selves But they say then Why did Moses make an Image and he hath that objection in the same place Ait quidam Cur ergo Moses ex aere fecit serpentem His answer is there Quod idem Deus lege vetuit similitudinem fieri extraordinario praescripto aeneum serpentem fieri fecit Tibi eundem deum observa Legem habes eam observa quod si post praeceptum factum sine libidine feceris tu imitare Mosem i. ne facias nisi deus te jusserit licuit deo legem ponere licet ei quod vult si idem deus diceret tibi Facies qui dixerat Non facies jure faceres God by his generall law forbade that any Image should be made then by an extraordinary cause by an extraordinary priviledge of an extraordinary matter caused an Image to be made except you have particular commandement from God as Moses had doe not you make any Image Concerning this point we have shewed on Gods behalfe what did move him to make this restraint now it followeth that we shew that in regard of our selves and our owne corruptions it is necessary this restraint should be made Tertullian in the same Book De Idololatria setteth it downe that before the Flood even during the dayes of Seth the worship of God was corrupted with Images and that Enoch's restoring was nothing else but the restoring of the true Religion unto her purenesse againe and that he is ergo said in his dayes to have walked with God This is it that Tertullian saith For the likelyhood of it since Adam we have example of it that it was true for Jacob by being in the house of Laban had learned to take Teraphim gods of Images to mingle them with God The reason of this is in Gen. 6.3 God will trouble himselfe no more nor set himselfe against man and his reason is because man is wholly evill fleshly i. though hee consist of two natures one of flesh and bones the other of the spirit yet he suffereth the grossenesse of the flesh to overgrow the purenesse of the spirit and to corrupt it turning the spirituall nature into flesh so that we wholly become flesh and ergo love that with which the flesh is delighted i. sense Insomuch as the Apostles many times in their writings and Paul giveth us warning to take heed of the flesh of the soule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The meaning of this is that we have an affection in us and that affection is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a desire to feele or see him This was Saint Thomas his disease that would not beleeve except he did feele his wounds and see him himselfe c. And it was the disease of Mary Magdalen about the death of her brother Master if thou hadst been here he had not dyed And we see it was not hers alone but of all the Apostles they desired that Christ might stay to erect an earthly kingdome and that they might be with him alwayes insomuch that he was faine to tell them that except he were taken from them the Comforter could not come to them Such a thing there is in Religion In Exodus Moses had been in the Mount but
was nothing else but a small still voyce comming from the Lord nor the Temple open till the Messiah came c. And they confessed that this voyce ceased in Christs time and in Herods daies and that the vaile of the Temple rent in two peeces and never since came it together Besides these three other three or foure The continuall sending to and fro as of Iohn Baptist doth argue that they wholy did looke for his comming then the Disciples to Christ Some that thou art Elias some Jeremias some one of the Prophets 2. About that time there were so many false and counterfeit Messiahs as never were before nor never after For there were then either eight or ten Seven or eight as Iosephus in the 18 19 20. books of antiquities Beside Herod of whom came the Herodians Iudas the sonne of Marbaeus Acts 5.36 37. by Gamaliel Thâ—udas Arthronges Barchosba the elder and the yonger But especially the yonger was in such reputation that all the Rabbins did acknowledge him for the Messiah These upstarts dâ—e argue that there was a great expectation among the people for never since then durst any be so bold as to call himselfe the Messiah save one 3. Suidas in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iesus saith that it was reported to Iustinian the Emperour by Philip a Merchant of Constantinople that had received it by the report of one Theodosius a Iâ—w that in the catalogue of Priests was found 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the Temple for a while At the same time that Christ was crucified there was the first breach made into the City in the same time of the yeere Amâ—s 6.14 Zach. 11.12.13 The siege of Ierusalem most miserable Iâ—sus the Sonne of God and of Mary and that he was admitted into the company of the twenty two Priests It should therefore seeme that he was a Priest else could he not have preached because he was of the Tribe of Iudah And for this cause some thinke that he was permitted to preach at Capernaum Beside these one more The prophecie of Christ Luke 19.43 of the destruction of the second temple They confessing that after Malachy there should no Prophet arise but it should be Messiah Amos 6.14 from the entring of Hamath to the river of the wildernesse Zach. 11.12 13. The siege of the City so strange and wonderfull as never was the like that the very heathen did see and confesse that the hand of the Lord was against them when they could not besiege it long for water there was a little brooke Siloh which in former yeeres was so dryed up that men might goe over it dry-foote That did so swell suddenly without any naturall cause that it served all the armies of the Romans 2. Titus did labour by all meanes possible to offer them peace yea he granted them to set downe what condition of peace they would so they would yeeld themselves to the Romanes yet they were so wilfull that they would suffer no condition of peace There was such a great plague beside many millions slaine that the ground could not containe the dead bodies but were faine to cast them over the walles such a famine that they were faine to eate their owne children c. The first breach that the enemy made into the City was at the brooke Cedron where they tooke Christ and on the same day that Christ was taken was the Citty taken on the same feast day at the same time of the yeere The Emperour commanded them to be whipped there where they had whipped Christ 30. Jewes were sold for a penny as they sold Christ for thirty pence There is a prophecy Amos 2.6 Amos 2.6 For three transgressions of Iudah and for foure I will not turne to it because they sold the innocent for silver and the poore for shooes Righteous They being urged to tell of whom the Prophet meant in this place knowing not how to shift it off are faine to say that it is of Ioseph that was sold of the Patriarchs for silver and for that cause that they suffered that misery And never since had they any reliefe but have lien these 1500. yeeres scattered over all the world hated of all scoffed at of all and now they are become common bondslaves to all the world and whereas before they were wont to feede their Rabbines now they are faine to feed the people least they should be forsaken of them Whether Christ be come That the Messiah is not come Beside the confounding of the Tribes they all confesse Mich. 5.2 That he shall be borne in Bethlehem There is now no Bethlehem nor any place where Bethlehem stood for him to be borne This they are driven to answer thus that he was borne indeed before the building of the second Temple but ever since he hath lurked in some corner or other they know not where but he will at the length come But Paulus Berosus and Augustine answer this Ammianus Marcellinus Iulian to worke despight to the Christians gave them leave to build their Temple againe sought to gather them together Being come together and having laid the foundation thereof there brast a fire out of the earth that burned their timber cast downe their stones and though the Emperout oft times encouraged them to their worke and gave them great summes to the building of it yet youl l the flames come out of the ground and overthrow their building There was one since that tooke upon him to gather them together that called himselfe Moses Cretensis he would needs with foure hundred divide the sea and goe thorow it dry-shod But the waves stragling against their course and nature suddenly comming upon them they were all drowned and their friends that stood all along the sea-shore were not able to save one of them Againe there were often prefixed times by the Rabbins when Christ should come and yet all deceived Rabbi Shahadiah appointeth 1200. yeeres Rabbi Salomon Rabbi Jehuda 1390. Rabbi Elias 4230. Rabbi Moses ben Maymon 4474. and his time that appointed last was expired 300. yeeres agoe and yet their Messiah is not come and they are ashamed to appoint any more time but forbid under paine of death Vt sint in spiritu vertiginis that they may be in the spirit of giddinesse having their eyes open and will not see 3. Thirdly betweene the Mahometists Turkes and us They say there is but one God and therein they agree with us but in Christ they agree not with us For they say in the fourth chapter of the Alcoran that he was not the last Prophet that should finish all prophecies but Mahomet Seven points to prove that their religion cannot be the truth 1. Because it is forbidden throughout all his Dominions to call it into question And to him that shall at any time call it into question it is present death But the truth delighteth in nothing more then in sifting and feareth it shall never be
with it so that here is halfe the Church against it And if the practise of the Church were to be urged all Christendome were once Arrians saving three or foure Bishops So that here is ambiguity with great perill Basil 27. de Spiritu Sancto de immersione trina in Baptismo of the Holy Ghost of thrise dipping in baptisme that first the children were but once dipped into the water after thrise at this day it is but once and the other abrogated 3. For Councels they are divided into Action and Canon for the Action it is either intollerable or shamelesse or they must confesse infinite writings so that they confesse the action may erre For the Canon there is not one place among a thousand that hath the indefinite sentence of the Fathers 2. There have beene Canons directly contrary one to the other The generall Councell of Constance and of Basil both generall both allowed 1. by Pope Martin the fist 2. By Pope Eugenius the fourth and their Bils be at them one opposite to the other One saith The Councell can erre not the Pope The other the Pope not the Councell The Canon of the Councell of Ferrara contrary to the Canon of the Councell of Florence the one that the Pope was above the Councell the other that the Councell was above the Pope Decretum de 4. conclusionibus the decree of the foure conclusions 4. For the Pope Ierome saith that Damasus a Pope did consent ad subscriptionem haereseos to the subscription of heresie Liberius as Ambrose though for a while he was constant and a great enemy against the Arrians yet being put by his Bishopricke and banished after revolted and upon his revolting was restored to his Bishopricke and in an Arrian Councell did subscribere haeresi subscribe to heresie 1. That Christ in respect of his Godhead was not equall with his Father 2. To the heresie of the Monothelites that Christ in respect that he was both God and man had but one will and therefore but one nature Honorius was condemned in seven Canons and seven actions by the sixt generall Councell of Constantinople propter subversionem fidei for subverting the faith and accursed by the 7. and 8. generall Councell of Nice So that they are faine to say these Councels were corrupt and so not onely they but also the writings of Beda shall be corrupt so that we see these severally to be false rules Now to shew that they faile being taken altogether In the ministring of the Communion or Supper to infants 1. Augustine defendeth it against Iulian. 2. Aurelius and indeed all the Fathers interpreting Iohn 6.53 Except ye eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his blood you have no life in you of the Sacrament whereas it is de re Sacramentis i. de invisibili gratià of the matter of the Sacrament that is of the invisible grace It hath beene confirmed by the Councell at Milevitanum where Augustine Aurelius c. subscribed Aug. 2. Canon against Pelagians it hath been the practise of the Church and Innocentius Pope of Rome in his letter confirmed it Qui parvulis definivit ut Augustinus lib. de Sacramentis hath limited little children as Augustine in his booke of the Sacraments grounding on that place of Iohn They being brought to this that they see that every interpretation is not good Against Iulian because it is given but because it is according to rules and there is no rules but ours if they make the rule to hang on the personall exposition not on the reall as Stapleton lib. 10. cap. 11. then they must have his thirteene cautions Who in the end is brought to an infinite absurdity that he is faine to say that the interpretation of a Bishop though unlearned is to be preferred before the interpretation of a learned Divine Andradius We beleeve the Fathers not whatsoever they say nor because they say it but because their saying is according to the rules Hitherto the Preface to Religion Now we must handle the summe of Christian religion it selfe in it selfe The whole Christian religion hath two parts Delege Of the Law the Law and the Gospell If we have the summe of both these we may assure our selves that we are grounded as much as is for our salvation The summes of them are principles simply necessary to our salvation The warrant for these is out of Iohn 1.17 For the Law was given by Moses but grace and truth commeth by Iesus Christ Seeing these be the parts we must know first whether is first to be handled The Church of Rome as it is in the Treatise of D. Hessel Canisius but especially in the last Councels Catechisme at Trident perverteth the order and teacheth the Gospell before the Law Which standeth against the order both of time and nature For these reasons 1. For these are nothing else but two covenants which God made with mankind 1. Of the Law 2. Of the Gospell The old and new Testament not as they are in our bookes for so they are confounded and as Saint Augustine saith the Law is nothing else but Enangelium occultatum a Gospell hid The Gospell Lex revelata a revealed Law But taking them for Covenants as in a Will or Testament there are two parties the Testator and the party to whom the legacie is made So in each Covenant there were two parties in the first God and Adam The Covenant on Gods side eternall felicity both in this life and in the life to come on Adams perfect obedience Therefore it is called the Covenant of obedience This perfect obedience man received stength to performe but abusing his strength and setting it against God justly incurred the forfeiture i. of his felicity and the penalty i. eternall death and hell opposite to Paradise to which his strength should have kept him sc morte morieris namely that thou shalt die the death By this meanes the first Covenant being broken and made voyd yet not in regard of the forfeiture but of the penalty it pleased God to make a new covenant in which are two bonds 1. Betweene God and Christ 2. Betweene Christ and us On Gods side felicity or the conveyance of his eternall right to Christs On Christs satisfaction to God to us to restore all to us that we have lost On our side faith unfained As man fell and by his fall lost all that he had so if he would recover that he lost he was to make satisfaction and beside if he could fulfill the Law he had promise of eternall felicity Christ undertooke this perfect satisfaction for man suffered all that man should have suffered and so tooke away the penalty satisfied the forfeiture and so restored all that man had lost and so came to two rights one of inheritance another of purchasement The right of inheritance which he had by nature in that he was the Sonne of God he reteineth himselfe the other of purchacement he giveth to all
he commanded all the male children that were in Bethlehem and in all the coasts thereof to be killed from two yeares old and under Joh. 11.47 the Jewes were afraid that if they suffered Christs doctrine so to prevaile all would beleeve in it and the Romans would come and take away the Kingdome from them 2. Punishment Prov. 10.24 The second the punishment Prov. 10.24 Quod timet impius accidet illi the feare of the wicked it shall come upon him so that thing that these foure most feared that happened to them the Romans came and the Jewes lost their Kingdome Herod mist of his purpose and lost his Kingdome Jeroboam was put out in the next generation and the Israelites increased and prevailed against Pharaoh and the Egyptians 4. Rule Media timoris meanes to beget feare The meanes Seeing how vehement a mover feare is beside that that hath beene spoken before the first way or motive to feare is the weighing of such Scriptures as containe matter that may give occasion of meditation of Gods judgements Heb. 6.4 as that to fall into Gods hands how terrible a thing it is And if God marke what is done amisse no flesh can be righteous in his eyes Esay 66.2 And to him will I looke even to him that is poore and of a contrite spirit and that trembleth at my words There must be a trembling at his Words else his spirit commeth not 2 The consideration of the judgements of God and examples in former ages 1 Cor. 10.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. All these things having named many are examples for us they are our monitors Quot habetis historias judicii Dei in Bibliis tot habetis conciones so many examples of divine justice as thou meetest withall in the holy Bible they are as so many Sermons of Gods justice and severity unto thee to move you to feare God and to be modest when we see his justice on his Angels on man and his posterity on the whole world in the deluge on the Egyptians on the Jewes on his owne Church Jerusalem and last of all on his owne Sonne Such was the bitternesse of sin that was executed on Christ it pursuing him to the fulnesse of bitternesse insomuch that one of the Fathers saith Magna fuit amaritude propter quam tanta sustinenda fuit amaritudo deadly was the bitternesse of sinne which could not be cured but by the blood-shed passion of the Sonne of God And because the judgements aforetime move not every one hath a great store of judgements in himselfe 1 Inhaerentia 3 So the present judgments in our age and they are three 1 Those that it pleaseth God wee should feele in some measure as feare sicknesse in our bowels 2 Impendentia hunger crosse c. 2 Those that are neere us 3 Excubantia that we see not yet they are hanging over our heads 3 Kind which they call Excubans pro foribus the horrour of a guilty and wounded conscience which as God said to Caine lies at our doore it shall grind them to powder Tria novissima 1 the meditation of the day of ones death 2 Of the day of judgement 3 The horror of the torments following So the other three which they call tria novissima which shal be at the representing of our death Psal 90.12 O teach us to number our dayes that we may apply our hearts unto wisedome The Prophet maketh the speciall meanes to bring us to wisedome or feare of the Lord to number our dayes 2 The consideration of the judgement of God and what account we are to give and that wee are never able to make account if God assist it not 2 Cor. 5.10 Wee must all appeare before the judgement seat c. 3 The terrour of the torments which follow the impenitent Esa 66.24 Their worme shall never die but be alwayes gnawing upon their consciences the fire that shall never be quenched the weeping wayling and gnashing of teeth after sentence of eternall death shall passe on them 5 Rule this made the Saints to passe in fear Reg. There was never any apparition of any thing above nature but presently a feare came upon them Luk. 1.30 Then the Angell said unto her Feare not Mary c. Act. 10.4 But when he looked on him he was afraid c. The signes there are so many questions and cavills of duties as its an evident signe there is no feare among us 1 The Heathen man saith Timor est credulus feare is lazie of beliefe Deut. 5.27 that is a true signe of feare giving credit to that is taught by them The true signe is to credit that which is taught that have authority and knowledge to give it not studying after questions and frivolous distinctions and cavils for this questioning is a signe that we have no feare 2 An evill signe is negligence 2 Diligence Wisd 7.19 Qui timet Dominum nihil negligit He that feares the Lord neglecteth nothing Feare is the diligentest that can be Gen. 32. Jacob being in feare of his brother could not rest all the night before but would be either sending messengers before to his brother or ordering his houshold and his goods or praying to the Lord c. 3 Humility 3 That wee must raise out of feare Humility Gen. 33.3 Jacob hee falls seven times to the ground before he comes to his brother For as the Philosopher saith Timor contrahit non extendit Feare it shrinkes not swels the heart Prov. 3.7 There is a plaine medicine for pride Be not wise in thine owne eyes but feare the Lord and depart from evill Nothing so bold as ignorance but knowledge is very fearfull as the Prophets c. that having more knowledge and lesse cause to feare yet feared most He that hath more knowledge and lesse cause to feare he most commonly feareth more When the governour of the ship or mariner feareth then the passenger must needs feare 4 The feare of sinne 4 The surest signe is the feare of sinne and that is all one with the feare of God Psal 34.11 Come yee children and hearken to mee I will teach you the feare of the Lord. They joyne feare of sinnes with the feare of God Job 1.1 Job was an upright and just man one that feared God and eschewed evill Job 28.28 The feare of the Lord is wisedome and to depart from evill is understanding 5 To fly from sinne 5 Timor est fugitivus ergo non potest armari feare bids us not resist but flee though he put on never so much armour on his backe A theefe being taken in the manner runneth away and if he be chased after hee will dimittere furtum drop the thing that he hath stollen in the way so when God commeth we must be sure not to have that that thing will be to our condemnation with us i. not to have sinne about us if wee do hold
and suiters unto him And not only this glory but also a double glory returneth to God by it so the action is so much the more to be commended to us and so much the more to be esteemed of us for both this when we acknowledge that we have it not from our selves but from him this is great magnifying of Gods bounty as also when we have received thanksgiving i. that homage that we do to him that is a thing that he maketh most account of Psal 50.15 when he hath given commandement to call upon him in the time of trouble and hath made promise that he will heare So I will heare thee and thou shalt praise mee But more excellently in Psal 107. it is five times repeated and it is the keep of the song he entreating of five sorts of men that are especially bound to God 1. those that goe astray in the wildernesse out of the way and find no City to dwell in 2. Those that are at the point of death and escape 3. Those that are delivered from prison and from the sentence of death 4. Those that be saved from the raging of the tempest 5. Those that are delivered from the enemy he saith v. 6. So they cryed unto the Lord in their trouble then commeth performance of promise and he delivered them from their distresse and then last O that men would therefore praise the Lord for his goodnesse and declare the wonders that he doth for the children of men For when as the prayer of the poore afflicted is heard then seeing both the humble mind by the having of his request granted is raised up and beginneth to be glad Psal 34.3 and secondly forasmuch as sinners when they see the fulfilling of their prayers and forgivenesse of sins granted them Ps 51.13 are converted and thirdly Psal 107.42 that the mouth of sin may be stopped all these three waies there doth still glory returne to God Then if it be so necessary and God without it is defrauded of much honour it imposeth on us a necessity diligently to consider of it and to practise it in regard of Gods glory so in regard of our selves thus Luk. 18.1 Christ being in exhortation sheweth his Apostles by a parable that they ought to pray alwaies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not to faint for the which end he that never did any superfluous thing being as the Apostles call him our Advocate 1 Joh. 2.2 it is said Luk. 11.2 hee hath indited us a forme of prayer In the use whereof that commeth first to mind that Chrysostome hath in his 1. booke de orando Deum out of Dan. 6.10 that death of hody being set before his eyes on this onely condition to abstaine from prayer 30. dayes tanquam si as if the forbearing from it for that time could be the death of the soule so he was content rather to hazzard his life then not to performe his daily custome As in that respect in Numb 28.3 8. there is set downe by way of figure that God requireth of the Israelites as a necessary thing beside the hallowing of the Sabbath a morning and evening Sacrifice What this in truth is it is expounded Ps 141.2 the lifting up of his hands he compareth to the morning and evening sacrifice as the first is burning of incense so the morning prayer is nothing else but as an incense that goeth up into the nostrils of God the lifting up of his hands in the evening is the true evening sacrifice of the Christians If a man should read what the fathers have written in this point as Cyprian on the Lords prayer Gregory in his booke of Prayer Austin ad Probam c. he shal rather see them spent in perswading the necessity then in teaching the manner to performe it that being an especiall meanes to performe it to thinke it so necessary They call it Clavim diei et seram noctis the key that openeth the day and the barre that shutteth in the night Chysostome calleth it signaculum diei the seale of the day Out of 1 Tim. 4.5 where the use of the creatures be noysome without blessing by prayer and thanksgiving and out of Mat. 14.19 and out of Mat. 26.26 Christs prayer before supper and Mat. 26.30 his last seale and the end of his supper was hymno dicto after an hymne it having beene no new thing but the outward practise having continued so from the dayes of Abraham as the Jewes record their manner remaining that the chiefe of the family taketh first the bread and with that delivereth prayer and then breaketh it as the last thing he taketh is the cup and then he delivereth the second blessing this being so holy an use as that it was used generally in the whole Church from this generall custome of the Church Christ translated it to his owne supper In Eph. 6.18 for the necessity of it as head foot breast were armed before by the Apostle there being no place to put it in yet in all cases and times he recommendeth it unto us Prayer goeth through out all things which the Fathers call armaturam armaturae the very armour of armour without which all the armour we put on beside is of no greater strength then if we were naked as in regard of the necessity of the spirituall enemies they call it flag ellum Daemonum a scourge for the Devills Athanasius standeth very stiffe on this assertion that at the bare Psal 68.1 Let God arise and let his enemies be scattered c. but hearty recitall of the 68. Psal v. 1. it is a verse that makes all the devils of hell to quake and as Maximus another of the Fathers commendeth the 1. v. of the 70. Psal to be that which as an instrument or meanes he found alwayes effectuall to deliver him from any temptation Jam. 5.13 when he will commend it he taketh no other course to shew the great strength that it hath for as in hope it saw nothing of it selfe to be performed but that which was impossible to us was possible per alium by another so there being the same in Prayer It hath its force in miracles it is the more to be esteemed That in Jam. 5.17 is nothing but a certaine miracle wrought in the aire by prayer that the Prophet Elias shut up the middle region that no raine could come downe for three yeares and an halfe If we desire to see it in other elements we may see it in fire by the same Elias 2 King 1.10 at his call fire descended from heaven and devoured the Captaine with his 50. men and in the earth Psal 106.17 at the prayer of Moses the earth opened and swallowed up Corah Dathan and Abiram with their Companies In Water Exod. 14.16 the division of the red sea And we see the performance of it from Gods behalfe not in elements onely but also as Josh 10.12 it hath an efficacle on the heaven it selfe at the prayer of
suspensum oculum hanging of the eyes and high looke Now then besides these two it commeth into the worke into execution to the hands and feete and then it is lepra peccati Lepra peccati the leprosie of sinne They called it Rixam fighting warres bloudshed and from this lepra there commeth not onely this but an infection to others as Ier. 18.18 Come let us smite him with our tongues let us not hearken to any thing that he saith These are murthers cousins This is a briefe declaration of that that shall hereafter be set forth at large But because it was said in the beginning There are in the Commandements of God not onely negations but also affirmations there is not onely somewhat forbidden as murder and his kindred but there is also somewhat commanded in generall as that we should study to preserve the life of our neighbour We must be â—ginum citae to our neighbors The Hebrewes called it esse lignum vitae proximo to be a tree of life to our neighbour What it is to be lignum vitae to him we see in Prov. 11.30 that fructus justi is lignum vitae to deale justly with him and offer him no wrong Prov. 13.12 There is another lignum vitae desiderium expletum that is the vertue of beneficence A wholsome tongue is a tree of life but the frowardnesse thereof breaketh the minde these be ligna vitae and Prov. 15.4 lingua placabilis that is lignum vitae too a gentle tongue by giving of gentle speeches and by fulfilling his desire and Prov. 14.30 We shall make him if we doe these cor sanum a joyfull heart that is indeed the true lignum vitae For this life otherwise is as the Heathen saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a comfortlesse life without this For a foolish opinion is of some that thinke their body and their senses is the best thing that they have and so consequently they imagine murther to be onely of the body But it is of the soule also and the murther of the soule is referred to two lives 1. To this life 2. To that to come As indeed the word in the Common Law counteth it murther if the body or the good estate of the body to endammaged The good estate of the body is Incolumitas is incolumity which is in threethings Incelumitas in 3. things 1. In interigty besides the life if a man lose an arme there may be an action for it 2. In incolumitate sensus in the safety of the sense when we are at ease as on the other side if any man strike us it is made a battery 3. There must be libertas metus a freedome from feare as on the other side to binde one or to shut him up this is prejudiciall to incolumity and commeth under murther and there may be an action for these Now as not onely the body but also the incolumity of the body is not to receive dammage so likewise there is such a thing in the soule which may not be hurt and it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tranquillity The incolumity of the soule also standeth in three things 1. Dilectio The incolumity of the soule lovingnesse and here against this commeth in odium hatred with all his crue and retinue 2. Gaudium joy against this commeth that when a man is so dealt with that he falleth in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in torporem animae into a drowsinesse of the soule that he taketh no delight in any good thing or if hee fall into envie 3. Peace Gal. 5.22 and that either 1. Within himselfe his thoughts against that commeth scandalum scandals 2. Outward betweene him and other and there commeth desire and contention So as was said in the beginning he is not onely an offendor that commeth against the body or the incolumity thereof but also he that commeth contra animam against the soule so he that commeth contra 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 animi against the tranquillity of the soule Gen. 27.46 whereas Esau matcheth himselfe against the consent of his Parents Rebecca saith taedet me vitae I am weary of my life because of the disquietnesse and vexation with the Hittites This doth Iob call amaritudo animae the bitternesse of the soule Iob 10.1 But there is no place plainer for this then Gen. 45.27 for there Iacobs soule being dead by Iosephs death and Simeons keeping in prison and Benjamins departure it is said that when as newes came that Ioseph was alive the spirit of Iacob revived within him as if before by torments it had beene dead The Hebrewes know what it is percutere animam we know not but doe commonly expresse for it percussit animam when any griefe commeth to one we call it the killing of the soule And it commeth somewhat neer to it Prov. 17.22 this spiritus exiccat ossa a broken spirit dryeth the bones and indeed it is the very diminishing of the naturall heate and shortning of this life Then this is it that we say Latitudo husu praecepti what soever is contrary to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 life or the welbeing of life God meant it here The scope of the Law as before It is not one private thing Why God would have none killed but the good of all that God in this Law commandeth 1. In regard of himselfe Gen. 9.6 hee would have none killed why his reason he will not have his Image destroyed and defaced It is counted treason to earthly Princes to deface their Image 2. In regard of the Church 1 Cor. 12.13 27. he saith there that how many soever are Christs they are become one body and that in one unanimity and so consequently that man that shall take any part of this he maketh a rupture into the mysticall body of Christ 3. In regard of the Common-wealth Levit. 26.6 he saith It shall be a great blessing he will give that man shall doe his businesse without feare and shall have peace and sleepe without terrour Now for every private man Psal 36.9 For with thee is the Well of life That he hath given to every man a life and nobilem rationis usum the noble use of reason whereby he may perceive himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 setled in minde and by this he hath fenced him Now to consider it particularly First in the fault A man may kill as the Fathers and Aug. say and it is the highest division one can come unto either a man or a beast 1a Dâ—visâ—â— And he maketh this division against the Manichees for this is one thing that they hold they thought that a man might not pull up any herb of the field nor slip the branch of a tree for the ttees they lived too A fond opinion for Gen. 1.29 God saith there before the flood came he gave all greene things not only the herbs but also the trees to man and beasts
no cruelty to cut it off Because as was said in the beginning and it is a most true rule Melius est us periat unus quam unitas it is better that one perish then unity should be broken And as we see in a common fire that a house that hath taken fire so long as there is hope that it may be saved they deale with water but when there is no hope and it bringeth danger to the next houses about they pull it down extinguit incendium ruina that the fall thereof may quench the fire thus we see it in the naturall body so likewise in the civill Deut. 19.10 20. 13.11 In the 10. he will have them tollere homicidam ut malum tollatur ab Israele to cut off the man-slayer that evill may be taken away from Israel and that a double malum a double evill there is the wrath of God upon the whole land because if any part shed innocent bloud and the land that is the whole looke not to it Impunity magna venefica to make other do the like And a second malum a 2. evill vers 10. is the multiplying of it 1. Impunity because it is magna venefica a great Witch to make other men doe the like therefore Deut. 19.20 13.11 that men may see and heare and feare and the like evill may be no more committed They shall not onely avoide his wrath and multiplying of murther tollere malum ex Israele but take away evill also from Israel So consequently if bloud be shed in this respect as Moses saith Exod. 32.29 it is not a polluting but a consecrating of the hands Ps 101. vers ult the Prophet David saith his common morning exercise after prayer should be this that he would cut off all the wicked from the Lords City Prov. 20.26 There is the wise Kings study or this shall bee his study how to scatter the wicked or to make the wheele goe over them For as it was found in the establishing of the Magistrate that it was Caines City that made Seth to make himselfe a City and not only that but there were also sundry of Caines spirit that came in among the seed of Seth therefore heed was to be had to them as Ezek. 34.18.21 to the Hee Goates to the Rammes and to the fat sheepe for they would push at the leane sheepe with their hornes and as the Heathen man saith Tam necesse est it is as needfull that there should be qui arceant homines such as may restraine men from outward invasion quā necessariae sunt palpebrae oculis as the eye-lids are needfull for the eyes for they keepe out outward injuries and that that would hurt the eyes and the sight from hurting it self for else it would disperse it self too much therefore expedient it is that prius sanguis funderetur ne plus sanguinis funderetur that bloud be first shed lest more bloud afterwards should be shed How this may bee done it is manifest that bloud may be shed Gen. 9.6 and Matth. 26.52 Qui gladium acceperit gladio peribit he that taketh the sword shall perish with the sword and the sword Rom. 13.4 is given to one who is there called Gods Minister and to the Magistrate to whom he hath delivered it not to bear it in vain and consequently in deed in effect no man sheddeth any bloud if it be lawfully shed For as we say it is not the sword that killeth and sheddeth mans bloud so neither doth the Magistrate the Minister of it nor the Judge but the chiefe cause doth it for quod est organum utenti id est minister jubenti what the toole is to him that useth it such is the Officer to him that commandeth him Now Iubens est Deus the Commander is God for we blame not the sword neither must we the minister but we must have recourse to God The Magistrates Writ Now then for the Magistrates use of it as we say that the Sheriffes and under-Officers rule is they must doe nothing but ex praescripto by a Writ and when it doth come downe for execution then they must doe it and not else so certainely the Prince he must have a Writ too from God else he is not to execute Now Gods Writ or Prescript in this behalfe we have Exod. 23.7 for there is said there is a Countermand that no innocent man should have his bloud shed If any doe it I will not spare the wicked man saith the Lord. And Abigail 1 Sam. 25.29 doth well set it out The soule of my Lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the Lord thy God and the soule of thine enemies shall the Lord cast out Whoso is a man of bloud and liveth to the disquieting of the society that hee should maintaine his soule shall be throwne our as out of a sling And 1 King 1.52 he saith there according to his Writ If he will bee a worthy man and a faithfull subject there shall not a haire fall from his head but if he will be seditious he shall surely die So then wee see that a Prince may not execute the innocent and when he doth so 1 King 21.8.13 Naboth an innocent man is put to death by the King then the King is a murtherer he is Rex homicida for he is so called by the Prophet Elisha 2 King 6.32 See I pray you this murtherers sonne and 2 Chron. 24.25 when Ioas fell violently on Zachariah an innocent Prophet for telling him the truth it is said that God revenged this murther and stirred up his owne servants against him to kill him And for this cause because he had murthered the children of Ichoidah the Priest As on this behalfe we must not execute the innocent so on the other side Deut. 19.13 non miseraberis non parcet oculus tuus thou shalt not have mercie upon him neither shall thine eye pitie him there is an irrevocable Writ that whosoever is a murtherer must die Then the question Whether any one that is a murtherer may be any way afterwards executed And therein there are three points necessary to be considered The first wee call Iudicium perversum unrighteous judgement That those that are innocent are put to death and those that are nocent are spared But a just man must not be killed and an unjust man must not be spared The second Iudicium usurpatum judgement usurped Every man must be kept in his limits Rom. 14.4 Quis i◠es qui judicas alienum servum Who art thou that judgest another mans servant Others subjects that pertaine not to our Prince If further then jus gentium against the law of armes any be executed it is usurped The third we finde Deut. 19.18 Diligentissimè inquisiveris thou shalt make diligent inquisition without triall he must be sons damna tus condemned against law Acts 23.35 Claudius Lysias would have Pauls accusers come before him And Iohn 18.27 the wicked
possession that a man will esteeme above pearles So besides the former thefts there is another theft of the appropriety of the party here In this Commandement two things goe further especially there followeth lightly of this Incest by keeping it close for the party not knowing how he is allied he cannot tell sometimes which is his race or linage it falleth out that he joyneth with them with whom he is allied and to whom he may not match himselfe and so falleth into such a sinne c. therefore not onely that but divorces And it is plaine by the whole course of profane Histories that the greatest civill warres of divers nations yea and foraine warres have proceeded of misliking for as 2 Sam. 13.15 that the hatred of Amnon grew to be more then his love was before so they must needs exceedingly hate one another To these if we adde the branch of the ninth commandement perfidiam false measures and not onely that barely but perjury also for there is a solemne oath delivered to and from the parties before the congregation and so the breach of the third Commandement and besides these that God himselfe threatneth Ephes 4.18 that it shall change the wisedome of the wise and make them sottish as we see in Solomon and Hose 4.11 that it shall take away the heart of the strong Example in Sampson the strongest that ever was These are prejudiciall to the Common-wealth and the curse of God upon the parties and the Common-wealth Deut. 23.2 Hose 4.10 they shall commit adultery and shall not increase hence the barrennesse of the fields Ier. 23.10 punishment of this and barrennesse of the wombe Hose 4.10 and more Iob 31.12 they shall bee put out for this fault the two Tribes were punished as the ten Tribes for Incest so is the Common-wealth endammaged by it Gen. 40.22 Egypts course for it Ioseph was committed to that prison out of which the chiefe Baker was hanged therefore it was capitall among them And Ier. 29.21 22 13. the adultery of Ahab the sonne of Kolaiah and his companion Zedekiah sonne of Maaseiah that the King of Babel should burne them with fire And his comparison Prov. 6.30.32 wonderfully abjecting theft in regard of this Theft tolerable in respect of this whereas now theft is commonly punished with death and that not a very absurd thing 10. Now if the parties be solutae single if she continue with us it is concubinatus the keeping of a Harlot that is not common How God misliketh it he sheweth by a continuall threatning Gen. 21.10 crossed first in Agar Cast her out and her sonne They call them Concubines which being their servants or baser they ought not to marry for disparagement yet it was punished with vexing them Gen. 35.22 punished in Iacob by Rubens Incest with Billah and Iudg. 19.2 a Levit tooke a Concubine and she played the whore and 2 Sam. 3.7 Saul punished in his Concubines by Abner and David in his 2 Sam. 16.12 by Absalom and Solomons Concubines had the worst issue of all 1 King 11. 11. Next if the deede be done once onely it is stuprum Stuprum done to a Virgin or Widow forbidden Deut. 22.21 the punishment death Gen. 34.21 Gods hand on the whole City Shechem for the rape of Dinah and on Tamar Gen. 38.25 upon the dishonouring of a Widow because they be in potestate alterius in the power of an other a Virgin in potestate patris so an injury to the father and the Widow being in his power that is in possibility to marry her c. 12. When the deed is oft used Fornication it is fornication Though it be oft used for the generall sinne ye it is properly called vaga libido vagus concubitus wandring lust promiscuous that is when the party is so before forbidden Rom. 1.29 Gal. 5.29 more plainely 1 Cor. 10.8 Numb 25.9 punished with the death of 23000. Iudg. 20.4 A whole Tribe almost destroyed at once and that by their brethren having warrant from God thereby God sheweth plainely what account he maketh of it Paena hard leaving this sin Beyond these three the iteration of it that is a punishment joyned to it Prov. 21.3 if a man be once taken with it he shall hardly returne Prev 5.12 at his later end he shall wonder at himselfe and say How c. vers 22. it is a sinne with cords a man shall be bound with it Prov. 23.27 like the falling into a deepe narrow pit wherein a man cannot helpe himselfe therefore hard getting up and Prov. 7.27 like the grave As they that are buried in Hell rise not againe so they that take a taste of it shall never returne againe except by great grace of God as Solomon but Prov. 9.18 her ghests not only in the grave but also in the bottome of Hell shewing plainely that this experieutia cognita knowledge by experience breedeth still more and more cords and still deeper and deeper Prostitutio Stewes 13. Beyond these is prostitutio both of private men Levit. 19.29 and publikely Ezek. 22.11 Every one did it chap. 6.24 they built them stewes a brothell-house detested by the Prophet and godly Princes as Asa 1 King 15.12 have laboured to remove them 14. The last pitch of all is defending of it Defense as we know some by publike writing have maintained so Gen. 18.19 not the deed but the cry was very great and Gen. 19.9 there is a patterne of it For when Lot had told them that it was not lawfull they say it is good wee will doe it he is a stranger c. And of the same with women Agur Prov. 30.20 she saith Non commisi iniquitatem I have done no wickednesse and Numb 25.6 frons meretricis a whores forehead for there Zimri brought in a strumpet before Moses and the congregation being at prayers and that into his Tent Phil. 3.19 men glory in their shame Now against these are 2. vertues Castitas chastity Coelebs single Conjugalis conjugall 1 Cor. 7.8 Castitas â—oelebs The first commended vers 38. It is better then the other either simply or else vers 26. in regard of present necessity which is to be weighed that he would have men vers 32. to be without care If they be married vers 24. there is trouble and care of family c. so vers 5. they must watch fast and pray with consent which else they may doe freely without consent thus in regard of the troubles and cares of the married estate coelibatus is the better And consequently in a second thing 1 Cor. 9.15 he might do it but he would not be burthensome c. and he would not be charged with covetousnesse but to be liberall 1 Cor. 7.35 he would have our cleaving to the Lord to be without separation Now that these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 naturall affections beget in us a care of res familiares of domesticall affaires and too often doe separate us
occupatio the treading of the foote or occupation that entitled every man to his first right And a second right There is a right in common and right in proprium propriety as right in common is prima occupatio the first possession when we seise upon a Countrey in which no body is or if it be terra derelicto a land given over whosoever is primus occupatur the first seisor on it hath the jus right of it And secondly of things immovable immobilium est praescriptio mobilium usurpatio there is a prescription of goods immovable an usurpation of the movable and there are two very good reasons for this 1. Because the Common-wealth doth marvellously respect terrenam pacem mutuall outward peace and doth looke to bloudshed and because infinite quarrels might arise out of this and men might forge evidences therefore to cut off this there is Praescriptio But the second hath more shew The Common-wealth saith this If any man neglect his owne right for that is our Maxime interest reipublicae ut quisque re sua recte utatur the Common-wealth is to have a care that every man use his goods aright if he neglect them that except the Common-wealth should take order for them they should perish the Common-wealth taketh order to punish him for his negligence and saith If he leave his ground without tilth so many yeares till such a prescript time he shall lose it And thus every one doth possesse his things in communi jure the common Law The jus proprium the right of propriety added to the second member that it is done ex jure belli by the law of Armes because the Magistrate hath gladium exteriorem he hath authority to punish any outward offence and him that doth it and so consequently persisting in his obstinacie may cast him out as Gen. 48.22 The inheritance that Iacob gave to Ioseph he had gotten it of the Amorite by his sword and bow jure justi belli by a lawfull waÌ„rre Now this proprium jus right of propriety ariseth thus For after a man is thus seised on any thing whether it be a publike possession or private he taketh it in 4. rights In jure pâ—oprâ—â— a man hath 4 â—â—â—hâ—s 1. Besides his Dominion and Lordship over it he hath usum he may use the thing as his horse to ride on 2. Eructum whatsoever commeth of the horse 3. Consumptionem the spending of it he may kill it 4. Alienationem the making of it from himselfe to another as selling or giving of it This had the Patriarch at the first Now according to these foure things commeth in jus proprium the right of propriety for having power to alienate he hath power to doe it either liberally and freely or illiberaliter as in debt I will set it c. or it shall goe for debt Now in this giving freely or otherwise he hath power to translate either the whole Dominion and likewise the property of it or nothing but the use of it or the usus fructus the profit of it and this either for a time or for ever See it in particulars When a man doth alienate the property and use and all of a thing liberally and for ever Dâ—nat without any consideration then it is called Donatio a gift or legacie and that is of two sorts either in a mans life or when he is a dying So he translateth the right of his succession at his death to his childe Now if he doe translate a thing liberally and but for a time Mutuum then it is called mutuum a loane he lendeth it but without consideration And if he translate not the thing but the use of it then it is commodatum borrowed to be used though commonly it be taken for that that is but for some particular use and then the end is named and this is first for the fruit so is alienation Contractus innâ—minatus Now secondly that that is called alienatio illiberalis in consideration it is called donatio illiberalis they commonly call it by the name of contractus innominatus and that is of three sorts 1. Do ut des 2. Do ut sacias 3. Facio ut des These contracts innominate are not unusuall in these dayes For lightly every contract we make falleth into one of these Of them the first is a kinde of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. I let into your hands such a Farme on the condition that you husband it and in regard of the properties give me thus much 2. And of the second feoda fees for homage when for service something is given 3. The third they call contractum civilem a civill contract Now then for Do ut des The old order Permutaâ— when men beganne to bee weary of liberality the first brood of it was permutation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which now is referred to two kinds either money for money and that is called cambium exchange or else it is that they call Bartering Cambium Bartering when one thing is given for another out of money and this is where there is percommutatio Now where it is pecuniae pro re or rei pro pecunia money for goods or goods for money there commeth in two for where is commutatio rei pro pecunia an exchange of goods for money it is emptio buying Emptio Venditio the contrary nummi pro re the change of mony for goods is venditio selling Which is divided either into negotiationem whole sale or by parcels retailing And this is in the alienation of the thing it selfe Then besides this alienatio usus rei making away the use of the goods and that illiberalis illiberally too not of the thing wholly Condâ—â—â—â— but of the use of any thing separated from the propriety and that if it be usus rei pro pecunia hiring if pecuniae pro usu rei then locatio Lâ—catiâ— letting And out of this groweth another that is distrustfulnesse because sometimes wee will let one have the use whereas yet wee dare not trust him with the property of it and so consequently there groweth another contract out of this the contract of words and writings of pawnes of pledges and suretiship In regard of words if he be content with his bare word in regard of him that requireth it Stipulatio Sponsio it is called Stipulatio in regard of him that giveth it Sponsio If it be in writing these are proles humanae perfidiae if he be content with his owne writing alone it is called Chirographum Otherwise Chirographum Syngrapha if wee have other mens hands with him then it is called Syngrapha If it be Rei reall then it is either in regard of some oath Cautio and then it is Cautio or for the recovery of some thing received and then it is either moveable and that is Pignus or immovable as lands Pignus and they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
must not thinke when they come to buying and selling that they come to a spoile but avoid that dispraising and abjecting of wares Prov. 20.14 Malum est malum est it is naught it is naught but yet afterwards when he is gone he boasteth of his peniworths Amos 8.6 We must not sell the needy for shoes which when they come to expound they can interpret no otherwise then that needy men which must needs have money they will wring them so hard that they shall have little or nothing for their wares Micah 7.2 calleth it a net this ought not to be Levit. 6.5 Ps 15.4 Prov. 24.4 if he adde an oath fraudulenter he saith if beside deceiving he adde an oath he shall never recall though it be to his owne harme 1 Pet. 2.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lay aside all guile Come to theft without the Contract Theft without the Contract it is done as before 1. By a reach beyond our brother Stellionatus 2. Illo nescio he not knowing of it After it divideth it selfe into sartum domesticum it is Tit. 2.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fâ—â—â—tion dâ—â—â—siâ—â—â—â— intervertere when as they turne something into their owne purse when the servant beguileth the Master or the Steward him whose Steward he is or if not onely a Steward or servant but a Disciple we see it was Iudas his fault Iohn 12.6 he did privily divert out of the bagge to his owne spending this is surtum domesticum houshold theft or theft within dores 2. To this they adde servos sugitivoâ— fugitive servants because the servant is a part of his Masters possessions there is a detraction of somewhat from the possession for he detracteth himselfe and so diminisheth it Philem. vers 12. Though Paul could have found in heart to keep Onesimus yet he sendeth him back he would not be so bold knowing he was none of his And not onely this but when they waste their goods Luke 12.45 when they eate and drink and Deut. 21.20 he is a riotour and drunkard the same is applied to the sonne if he eate and drinke with sinners Without the family 1. Without me â—ands it is either of a thing 1. Consecrated and that is sacriledge 2. Prophane Of a thing consecrated Levit. 15.15 there is a law for it Rom. 2.22 he matcheth it with idolatry for he saith Thou that abhorrest Idols committest thou sacriledge For we see that the holy Ghost Iudg. 9.4 marketh there Abimelech for taking our silver out of the Temple of the Idoll and Dan. 5.2 the alienating of sacred vessels it did procure the great and mighty hand-writing This ought not to be if a man convert to his owne use or divert from a sacred use to a profane In profane In profane things they are either 1. publike 2. private Publike 1. Publike and that is peculatus when a thing is the Common-wealths or stolne è loco publico è balneo balnearii sures from out of a publike place out of the Bath theeves that stole the clothes of such as were bathing to these may be added those that receive publike wages and convert it to their own private use such as the Priests 2 King 12.5 he saith the King gave straight charge that they should bring in their halfe shekel for the repairing of the Temple and that the Priests should receive it They brought it in but there was no reparation done by the Priests Then another order was taken he provided a chest with an hole in the corner of it and in that it was put in 2. Private and kept And if we consider it of private things Then it is divided into furtum Personale of things living 1. Men. 2. Beasts Reale of things not having life Personall theft Theft of men is called Plagium and the theeves Plagiarii Exod. 21.16 was punished with death if the party were found or Deut. 24.7 if he were but about it it was death And the Apostle 1 Tim. 1.10 he continueth and is of the same minde and with this hee coupleth Iudas his sinne for betraying a person for money Matth. 26.15 there is not out-right selling of him 2. Then if it be of beasts it is called Abigeatus and the men Abigei drivers away of cattell as the Sabees and Chaldees Iob. 1.15.17 Exod. 22.1 Reale furtum of things that have no life of raiment Reall 〈◊〉 money c. and there is an order taken Exod. 22. in every respect for all these Aggravation of theâ—â— The aggravation of these This addeth Gods curse and maketh the theft grievous Exod. 22.21 22 23. First if we vexe or trouble or take away from fatherlesse stranger or poore neighbours for they will crie it is a crying sinne And if they once crie I will surely heare them Deut. 24.17 he forbiddeth that there should be any pledge taken of the widow And Iob 24.3 he saith Whosoever he be that driveth away the Asse of the fatherlesse and taketh away the widowes Oxe and Prov. 23.16 Whosoever he be that entreth on the field of the fatherlesse he shall be sure to be punished and visited with the fierce wrath of God Enclosing 〈◊〉 commâ—â—â— Now then partly here and partly before commeth in the enclosures of Commons For as when regions were first seised upon when as the first partition was made each man had his peculiar lot distinct like that of Caleb Iâ—sh 14.13 14. and so became their inheritance so there was a consideration had of Gods protestation that alwayes there should be poore and so there was left unto them a division of lands in common to live upon And for these Deut. 19.14 there is an order taken that they shall not be removed because all the parties are not there present they cannot alienate their right because they that shall be borne cannot meddle in it the poore from all beginning to all ending and yet all that have interest in it cannot and Deut. 27.17 the whole congregation curseth them that doe it Prov. 23.10 and 22.28 there is Solomons censure Hose 5.10 he saith there when he would compare them with as odious a comparison as he can Thy Princes are like them that remove the land markes and how odious this was may appeare from their setting up every where of Meta Terminica their usuall bounder the violent transgression or usurpation of which is by Micah 2.2 exclaimed against And not onely these but Iob that was without the Law of God yet he seeth it and detesteth it chap. 21.2 And this for unjust getting of goods In the act of theft we respected the double use of the gifts of God and first before the use the getting of them called by the Philosopher generatio pecuniae And in the unlawfull getting of them we divided the whole company of unlawfull meanes into 1. furtum by deceit 2. Rapinam by violence They are distinguished by Nazianzen thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is manus injecta the laying
on of hands or taking a thing by violence and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a crafty way of compassing Upon the petition that pertaineth to temporall things in the Lords Prayer of daily bread Chrysost saith that habere convenit etiam malis habere autem de manu dei sanctis tantum the wicked may lawfully possesse goods but to enjoy them as blessings and favours from God is the portion of the Saints which God saith he praeparare non vetat sed cum peccato praeparare qui enim cum peccato praeparat ei diabolus dat quod manducat non Deus forbids not to purchase at all but not to compasse them sinfully which whosoever doth he hath it of the gift of the Devill and not of the gift of God neither can justly make that petition and hee hath with it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some pledge that some visitation shall come upon him for it On the other side the vertue opposite is the just getting and that is the object we have in hand It is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sludium honeste rem parandi Prov. 16.8 Every man ought thus to be perswaded that a little by righteous meanes well gotten is better then great revenues without i. as very well the Apostle setteth downe both the parts 1 Tim. 6.5 where he speaketh of covetous men he saith they are corrupted in mind and destitute of the truth the reason is this is their position Game is godlinesse as the Heathen man saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let me put up the money in my bagge and call me a piller and a poller and what you will But in the next verse he sheweth that if a man can turne the proposiion and say that godlinesse is gaine that is to account the true gaine as indeed it is that that is gotten by Gods prescript not by mans oversight Gen. 43.4 But that he may say so as Iacob said to Laban Gen. 30.33 call my doings to account cras respondebit pro me justitia mea my righteous dealing shall be able to answer for me and to acquit me Now unto this vertue as it appertaineth to save and preserve us from evill dealing yet because the world is full of it and men have mentem malam they are in a wicked and vicious race and so runne on till stopp'd by conscience and then afterwards touched therefore is there a second vertue that they call Restitution and that is necessary if perhaps any man have over-shot himselfe in getting his goods unjustly It is one of the greatest and principallest common places throughout the Fathers from the time of Constantine the great And August Restitution he sets it downe for a Canon Non dimittitur peccatum nisi restituatur ablatum The sinne of an unlawfull purchase is not pardoned unlesse restitution be made the ground of it is Numb 5.7 For God saith there if they have done any such thing they shall confesse the fault that they have done and restore the dammage to him that it was done to And agreeable to that is the affection of Iob in the law of nature Iob 20.18 He shall restore his labour and devoure no more the reason he addeth in the next verse For hee hath undone many and spoyled houses he never built And as by the example of nature so by the example of the practice of it under the law Nehem. 5.11 For there Nehemiah saith Ye shall restore the people their lands and Vine-yards and the goods they had gotten by usury and they said they would and he called the Priests and caused them to sweare that they should doe according to this promise and he shooke his lap and said So let God shake them that would not restore such things as they had gotten wrongfully God shall shake them off and all the Congregation shall say Amen If we come to the Gospel we shall see the rule of it Rom. 13.7 Give to every man that which is his And in the repentance protestation of Zacheus Luk. 19.8 that if he had done any wrong by cousening forgery or falshood he would restore foure-fold the value of it And as this is in goods unlawfully gotten so in those things that have a lawfull contract there is a restitution too as in the gift donation God De it 21.15 taketh order for the conveyance of inheritance But for that matter there is but little order to be taken These things that are of the nature of a gift as that one being wholly commended to the necessity liberalis donatio so the other wholly to the trust depositum the committing of any thing upon trust to be restored Exod. 22.7.10 vers 7. if any man deliver money to his neighbour to keepe c. vers 10. if any deliver to keepe Oxe or Asse there must be a restitution of whatsoever is delivered to our trust to keepe or else justice will be broken Among the depositarii in regard of the thing committed Depositarii fiduciarii as the Law calleth them in regard of the trust that is put in them Those that are put in trust with children while their fathers be alive as tutors or guiders after their fathers death they must make an account and give an account for their depositum the things committed to their trust for we see that the holy Ghost doth give an honourable witnesse of Mordocheus Hester 2.7 he was put in trust with Hester his Uncles daughter he saith he brought her up as carefully as if she had beene his owne daughter that is the extremity that can be required And so they that have charge during the parents lives Whatsoever they take as Prov. 22.20 Solomon did he saith he had uttered and written three times many times in counsels and knowledge that is that they must diligently read whatsoever they receive or whatsoever commeth in the bill of accounts Luk. 16.6 If 50. be put in the bill for 80. surely this must not be so of Executors that are put in trust with the administration of the goods of the dead and feoffees put in trust with the conveyance of lands 1 Sam. 20.15 there David is put in trust with Ionathans sonne and the execution of it and that in good order 2 Sam. 9.1 And for those Luke 20.14 when as they had the Vine-yard and the heire was sent to receive some fruit of them they said Let us kill the heire and the inheritance shall be ours We see how grievously he threatneth them and what a great woe the Lord pronounceth against them for it 3. After these things that goe sub ratione depositi Strayes under the name of trust they joyne those things that come sub ratione inventi strayes Exod. 23.4 God saith If we meete our enemies Oxe or Asse going astray we shall bring him home to him and if we be farre from him and we know him not Deut. 22.2 we must keepe it till he come for it And if the owner never come for it
first it is said to him he that maketh his prayer for his help the enemy shall not be able to do him hurt and the sonne of wickednesse shall not come nigh him Psal 89. Of the other Let not the waterflood drowne mee nor the deepe swallow mee up and let not the pit shut her mouth upon mee Ps 69.16 Touching the evill from which we desire to be delivered Chrysostome and the rest of the Greek Church expound it of the devill who is Lerna malorum or the greatest evill that can befall us which exposition is grounded upon the Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but this exposition is too narrow and for the holy word is best expounded when it is most enlarged so that wee shall have a full understanding of this matter if under the word Evill we include whatsoever is evill and so desire generally to be delivered from it but if we desire to be delivered from whatsoever is evill then from our selves saith Augustine for we are evill and so wee have need to pray for as when we aske forgivenesse of sinnes it is from those sinnes unto which our lust hath already drawne us away into sinne so when we say Libera nos à malo that is ab abstrahente from that infirmity of the flesh and necessity of sinning which doth accompany our nature in regard whereof the Apostle saith Quis me liberabit de hoc corpore mortis Rom. 7.24 So Augustine under the word Evill doth include not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But Cyprians exposition is when we pray libera nos à malo wee desire not to be delivered from this or that evill but generally from all evill by which he meaneth not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is all manner of trouble and calamity and whatsoever turnes away good from us especially that evill which keeps us from God which is the chiefest good thing so then our desire is not onely to be delivered from the devill who is the beginning of all evill as that which is opposed to our chiefe good but from that which may turne away from us the meanest blessing which we stand in need of outwardly which also are bona data Luk. 11. If we understand by evill Satan then we pray to be delivered from him not onely when he playeth the subtill serpent and changeth himselfe into an Angell of light 2 Cor. 11. but when hee playeth the Lyon 1 Pet. 5. First to be delivered from his jawes that he swallow us not downe for then there is no help for us that is that God would save us from the nethermost hell Psal 86. that which is called The second death Apocal. 20. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secondly from his clawes under which are comprehended all temporall calamities first the losse of life against which the Apostles being in a great tempest pray unto Christ that he would save them Master carest thou not that we perish Mark 4. Secondly of good name whereof the Prophet saith Libera me à contrariis hominibus Psal 114. Thirdly the losse of goods concerning which when the Lord had formed Grasse-hoppers to destroy their fruit the Prophet prayed O Lord God spare I beseech thee Amos 7.2 And this is the remedy in all outward afflictions as Solomon saith If there be dearth in the land through blasting caterpillar or grasse-hopper then if the people come into the Temple and say Libera nos à malo God will heare their prayers and deliver them 1 Reg. 8.37 Therefore in that dearth which is spoken of Rev. 6. where corne was given by measure and weight the remedy they had was prayer How long Lord dost thou deferre to avenge our bloods The reason why we pray to be delivered from these miseries is that we may the better intend Gods service so said David Deliver mee from the slanders of men that I may keepe thy commandements Psal 119. Christ doth not expressely name tribulation affliction and calamity though they be comprehended under the word Evill wherein we are to observe that in this Petition as in the rest he tempers his stile with great wisedome Therefore outward trouble may cooperate to our good and therefore he teacheth us not to pray that God will deliver us from them absolutely but from that evill which is in them and in this sense we may pray to be delivered à malo panis as well as à malo famis for bread which of it selfe is good may turne to our hurt and therefore Solomon prayeth Give mee not riches lest I be full and say Who is the Lord neither give mee poverty lest through want I be driven to steale and take the name of my God in vaine Prov. 30. There is both evill and good in both and therefore we pray to be delivered from the evill for if God see that it is good for us to be humbled with want then we are not to pray against it Where we desire to be delivered first we acknowledge how little we are able our selves an haire or a crumme of bread oftentimes is enough to cast away a man for the meanest creatures are able to hurt us except God deliver us and as we cannot help our selves so if we looke about us there is none to succour us So will the King himselfe tell us who of all others seemeth most able to help If the Lord do not succour thee wherewith can I help thee 2 Reg. 6.27 Wherefore we may not trust to our selves nor to any other forraine help or power but to God the great deliverer to whom Christ hath taught us to pray Libera nos à malo Secondly herein wee acknowledge our desire which is to be delivered the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which implyeth such a deliverance which doth rid us from bondage or captivity wherefore wee use this word as a motive that God will the rather deliver us because if the evill which lyeth upon us continue long it will make us the devils bond-men and we are his servants and desire that he may not take us captives at his will but that wee may come out of his snare 2 Tim. 1. to do God service and not onely so but that our service may be done freely and with cheerfulnesse for that wee are his children and he our Father that is as the Prophet speakes When God hath set our hearts at liberty we may runne the way of his Commandements Psal 119. But if we will be delivered from the devill indeed we must have this freedome of Christ the Son of God of whom it is said Si filius vos liberaverit verè liberi eritis Joh. 8. for he onely is able perfectly to save us out of the thraldome of Satan The devill indeed is subtile and playeth the serpent but Christ is the wisedome of God and knoweth well enough to keepe us from temptation The Devill is cruell and roareth like