iudgements may be readie to serue God and wee may also presse to doe his will For whosoeuer sets himselfe wholly to root and dig in the earth and to seeke earthly matters his hart will be so occupied forestalled with those things as that if he be called to any seruice of God he must be faine to say I haue married a wife I cannot come my farme and myne Oxen will not let mee come and all this while he sets vp a strange God But then shall we attaine a sincere though not a perfect obedience to this commandement if we can come to vse the world as though wee vsed it not and neuer to trust on these things when wee haue them for the aboundance of thē cannot help vs without gods blessing and not to be discouraged and cast downe though they be all taken away because the want of them shall not hurt vs if God be with vs for we liue by his blessing therfore wee must set our selues onely to rest on him and not to leane to any creature Before my face BEcause this is the most spirituall commandement doth most presse vpon the hart and we are most readie in this matter to dissemble with men and with our owne harts therfore God sets a narrower scantling of it saith before mee Hence wee are taught that it is not enough for vs to behaue our selues as that no impietie breake forth from vs into the face of men but we must looke to our harts and see that none come in Gods sight For a man may be preaching and exhorting others to the loue of God yet if he doe this for his owne vaine glory not for Gods glory to get promotion to himselfe and not saluation vnto Gods people he at that very time sets vp an Idoll in his hart for God searcheth the hart as Dauid saith to Salomon see that thou serue God with an vpright hart or else for all thine outward obedience thou shalt doe as good as nothing for God hath a special regard of the hart and doth as well see and discerne the most secret things of the soule as any man doth the outward actions of the bodie So Ieremie 17. ver 10. I the Lord search the hart God doth not looke on the outside onely but on the inside also shewes cannot deceiue him If wee say and sweare and protest neuer so much that wee loue him and feare him and this be not in our soule t is not before his face but in his fight there is nothing but hipocrisie dissimulation For men first must looke to the outward and hence descend to iudge of the hart but God first approueth the hart and then the outward action if wee see good things outwardly wee are bound in conscience to think well of that man but God will first see vprightnesse and then he will account well of the practises that we doe outwardly This then confutes them that think if they can carry themselues that men cannot blame them then all is well But it is nothing for God saith wash thine hart from iniquitie O Ierusalem no washing of the outward can doe any good vnlesse the hart be first well and throughly scoured Secondly this teacheth vs to carry our selues watchfully warily and to feare as well secret as open sinnes because all secrets are open to God and euery hidden thing is light before his face This meditation helped Iob that he would not allow so much as a wanton looke and by thought for he knew that God beheld his wayes and told all his steps and he could not be deliuered from his highnesse If God had seene them onely and not taken any great heede or notice of them it had not bene so much but as he saw them so he did keep them in a reckoning regard them so as that according to these Iob should receue his reward In this regard he made a couenant with his eyes and did walke in feare circumspectly and would suffer no vanitie or filthinesse once to enter into his hart But the want of this perswasion that God lookes alwaies full vpon vs his holy and pure eyes that are like a flame of fire are alwaies fast'ned vpon our waies and doings is the cause that men haue so many couetous and craftie and cruell and filthie thoughts and are come almost to that point of Atheisme that thought is free But they shall finde that though it be free from men yet it is not free from God and that they shal be lyable to the sentence of condemnation and culpable of euerlasting death before Gods Iudgement seat vnlesse they haue as great a care to haue holy and good thoughts and to purge their hart in the sight of God as to haue honest and ciuill actions and walke well before men So much of the negatiue part of this commandement The affirmatiue followeth In this commandement we are commanded foure especiall things viz. To know God to loue God to feare him and to trust in him These things if we haue in our harts then God beares the sway there and he is the commander of our soules and bodies And first of knowledge This commandement enjoynes euerie man to know God according as he hath reuealed himselfe in his word in essence and his persons in his properties actions according to this knowledge we must order our selues As in Iohn 17 ver 3. This is saith Christ life eternall to know thee and him whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ He that knowes God in Christ hath the lyfe of grace in him which is called life eternall because it hath the beginnings of life eternall which shall neuer dye but encrease till they come to the perfection of this lyfe For if any one doe thus know God how can he chuse but loue him and trust in him feare him and doe euery thing that he commaunds As Psal 9. Those that know thee will trust in thee Some trust in God some doe not what is the cause of this Because some know Gods power and his trueth and his justice and sufficiencie and these will neuer trust in any lawfull meanes nor fall to any vnlawfull but for others that doe not know him they make no account of trusting in him So Dauid saith to Salomon 1. Chro. 26. My sonne know thou the God of thy fathers and serue him with an vpright hart and a perfect minde This is the foundation of true religion and the ground-work of all vpright worship to know God when we know him then we shall serue him till wee know him there can be no seruing But if wee know that he is such a God as in whose eyes all things are naked and that he searcheth and pryeth into the harts and secret imaginations of the soule this will make one take heed of dissembling and striue to get an vpright hart and so he will serue him with a willing minde that doth know him for why doe men so
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
will feare profitably and so as you shal be the better for your fearing I tell you who you shall feare I repeat it againe that you may the better mark it I say feare him that when he hath killed the bodie can kill the soule to and if you feare him you neede not feare men for this true feare will cast out all false feare Likewise Eccles 12. 13. The holy ghost saith That this is the end of all to feare God and keepe his commandements And Prouerbes 1. The feare of God is the beginning of wisdome Would we haue the beginning of wisdom then and the end of all then let vs feare God giue him the honour of his greatnesse and tremble alwaies before his face There are diuers reasons also to moue vs with all our strength endeuour to get this feare of God in our harts Draw from the benefits which will flow from it to euery one that doth in trueth embrace it First that may be a good reason to perswade vs which is said Prouerbs 8. 13. The feare of the Lord is to hate euill as pride and arrogancie Wher he shewes that in what measure any one feareth God in the same measure he will loath detest all euill yea not onely the open and hatefull sinnes that the world will condemne but the most secret and bidden For he saith not to hate euill as murdure and adultery but pride arrogancie those which lye in the hart and doe not shew themselues to the world yet he that feareth God will hate those This is one excellent priuiledge that he hath that feareth god that he will not offend God and therefore hateth what euer might offend So that he is well fenced against all secret wickednesse As we may see in Ioseph though he might haue done that euill to which he was solicited most secretly that no man could haue spied or perceaued it yet he would not for all the world consent and the reason was the feare of God made him hate it in his hart and hating it inwardly he would neuer practise it outwardly So Iob speakes of himselfe That he could haue borne out his oppression and could haue made all stoope to him no man would haue gone about to finde fault with him yet he durst not for all that his hart would not let him for gods Iudgement was terrible in his eyes and he could not be deliuered from his highnesse and this was that that kept him from doing wrong though no man durst haue gone about to haue sought reuēge against him Secondly the feare of God if it once throughly doe possesse the hart will make one plyable and frameable to Gods will though it be neuer so contrary to his nature and former behauiour As the example of Paul will shew for when God comes to him and sinites him downe off his horse and fills his heart full of horrible feares and terrors and strikes him downe to the ground with them and let him perceiue a litle the majestie and power of God and then after begins to reason the matter with him and shewes him that he is a persecutor of Christ Iesus then he is presently quiet and sayth Lord what shall I doe That which all the preaching in the world could not doe nor all the miracles that he had seene and hard that did this feare of God worke in a short time and did so effectualy call him in that little space as that hee neuer turned backe againe One might haue thought what would men say if I should turne from persecuting to preaching of the sudden all at once goe to be an Apostle that was a persecutor what will the high Priestes say from whom I haue letters they will say I am vnconstant that I doe them iniurie and Paul might seeme to haue many reasons to keepe him from preaching Christ so all vppon the sudden but all is nothing now no no the true feare of God casts of all obiections for it so surpriseth the lusts of the flesh and makes the strenght of sinne so much to abate as that one cares for nothing nor regardes nothing in all the world so that God may be pleased and he escape the anger of God So Isaiah 6. God did send him about such a peece of worke as he knew would be full tedious vnto him and goe against his stomacke namely that hee must preach to harden the hartes of the people and be a minister of death vnto his hearers which was as bitter as death to him and he could neuer haue yelded to it But now God comes not with the bare precept for that would haue done litle good the thing was so contrarie to Isaiah that he would neuer haue obeyed but he shewes him selfe to him in a vision and lets him see his magestie in such a fearfull sort as that he fals flat on the dust for feare and his body quakes and he cries out what shall I doe I am a man of polluted lips and dwell among people of polluted lips I shall surely die for I haue seene the Lord. When he was thus throughly affrighted and the pride of his flesh was beaten downe with the apprehension of Gods infinitie then when God askes who will goe he is ready and sayeth Lord send me and so God sends him and he goes immediatly and willingly there is no disputing now nor reasoning the matter for all the obiections that men make and all their disputing that they thinke Gods commaundements bee hard and greiuous and why should they denie them selues why should not they haue their pleasure Hence it comes that they feare not God they doe not thinke of his greatnesse nor consider his wonderfull might and strength for if they could bring their hart once to cōsider his exceeding greatnes their hart would soone stoope all arguments would fall to the ground all would be quiet straight For this will tame the fiercenesse and boystrousnesse that is in mens harts and make them gentle and still inough As we see in Iob though he was a verie good and patient man yet when his flesh began a litle to worke and his hart was disquieted and vexed by the wordes of his friendes then he would needs bee dealing with God hee thought hee had reason to speake imagined that he could say much for himself he would fill his mouth with argumentes and faine he would haue God to come to heare what hee could speake in his owne defence and to shew what wrong was done to him But now when God comes and there shewes him the nature of the snow and the ice and of some other creatures of god as it were to let him see how childish he was in these seuerall matters and foolish and ignorant of the creation or preseruation of these least thinges that he had no knowledge and therefore hee was a trimme man to call God to account and that God must come to giue his answere before him that he
stoode resolute for the cause of God and shewed the King plainely that they would not dishonor God to please him or for his anger if god would they knew that he could deliuer them if he would not yet this they let him know that they would not incurre Gods anger and danger of euerlasting death for feare of any bodily death But on the contrary side so farre as any man hath not the feare of God but feares man more then God then they will vpon euery occasion runne to euill as if one be in some fault that he thinkes he shall be punished for it then he will help himselfe by lying and thinkes that he hath made a very good shift if he can escape by that meanes this is now to make man a god and god an Idoll when one will seeke to make the face of man milde and gentle by making gods face angry frowning So those that when they be in distresse and in some neede by pouertie will venture to help themselues by breaking gods saboth taking time from his worship to labour for their owne gaine this is plaine that they feare the feare of the wicked and doe not make God their dread for if they did it is most sure they would depart from euill So he that feareth god no hope of promotion or outward benefit can make him consent to wickednesse as Ioseph might in likelihood haue ben a great gainer and gotten much promotion by yelding to the wicked and filthie allurements of his mistresse yet he would not giue the least mark of consenting because he was afrayde to sinne against god So in Isa 51. 12. Who art thou that fearest mortall man that must be giuen to the wormes and forgettest thy God that did spread out the heauens The great feare of mans power ariseth from the forgetting of gods free power When one is in such a terrour of man that is but dust and cannot defend himselfe against the wormes but they shall creepe in his bowells and eate vp his hart will he nill he it comes from hence that one doth quite forget that there is such a God as was able to make heauen and earth of nothing and that hath fearefull judgements layde vp for sinners and then indeed he feares man and then he will sinne if he bid him and rather be so seruile to his master and superiour as to breake Gods law then to beare his anger and chiding or correction and if man bid him doe any thing he will doe it though God bid him doe the contrarie Therefore in the Reuel when he reckons vp a great rable of reprobates and the whole host of damned sinners he puts the fearefull in the verie forefront of them and makes them the captaines ring-leaders of all the rest those which be fearefull not fearefull that be not fearfull to displease God breake his law but herein they be audacious and impudent but for any good seruice of God they be afrayde to doe it They be afraid to keepe the saboth or goe to heare sermons least they should be accounted to precise they will not serue God least their old acquaintance and friends should forsake them least their neighbours should mock laugh at them they feare least they should be jested at This dastardlinesse and coldnesse to doe good but courage and readinesse to doe ill that if men doe but hold vp the finger and the basest and most abject persons in a country doe but speake a word or two he may allure and perswade them to drink swill and breake the sabbath and such other filthie sinnes which they haue promised to forsake and God hath threatned to punish shewes plainely that they be voide of the true feare of God The third and last note of the true feare of God is to delight in Gods commandements to walke in his wayes as he saith Blessed is the man that feareth God and delighteth greatly in his commandements He that hath no delight to walk in gods waies but in his owne hath all the pleasure in talking of his owne commoditie and profit not of Gods lawes as though himselfe were the god to be serued and lust had the soueraintie and command of his hart and not God such an one hath not the feare of God but if one delight to conferre of gods law and take his greatest pleasure in speaking and thinking of Gods commandements such an one may conclude with him selfe assuredly that he hath that feare of God in his hart which will keepe him to euerlasting life so long as hee keepes and embraceth it Hence then the best man in this world may learne to confesse his owne weaknesse and to acknowledge the wants and defects of this feare of God for that so much feare of death and of pouertie and of disgrace and of men shewes a great emptinesse of the feare of God This trembling at mens thratnings so much at gods threatnings so little that is in all men by nature the great feare of loosing earthly things and little feare to loose heauenly things the much delight we haue in matters of this world and little delight in the law of God testifies to our faces shewes plainely that we haue but a verie little sparke of the true feare of God those which haue most of it These wants we must see and confesse and runne vnto Christ Iesus that made a perfect and absolute satisfaction that he might supply our imperfections and then of his fulnesse we shall haue enough to fulfill that wherin our selues came short Thus much of the true holy feare that God commands such a feare as being joyned with loue and proceding from it makes vs loue him more and more obey him The next and last dutie commanded in this first commandement is to trust in God with all our harts to put our full confidence and relie wholy vpon him and him alone This is commanded Prou. 3. 5. Trust on God with all thine heart and leane not to thine owne wisedome Though thine owne reason tell thee now that I haue great prosperity and the vvorld at will I shall bee safe yet trust not to that but make God thine onely stay So Iere. 17. 7. Blessed is that man that trusts in God and makes him his stay for hee shall be like the tree planted by the water side Hee shewes that hee that trusts in God shall be blessed of God so that he shall be still in a florishng estate vvhat euer heat j. stirres or alterations and changes others feele hee shall bee well still for he shall be alwaies fruitfull and indeede this is the onely happinesse of a christian to bee fruitfull in good workes and this is the miserie of all miseries to be barren in good workes that pincheth his hart is as a scorching heat indeed but so long as one trusts in God he shal be kept in the spring still it shal be no winter nor fal of the leafe
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
that with a true hart is willing to be taught and to confound also and condemne and leaue without excuse before Gods judgement seat such as will not yeeld to playne and strong reasons drawne out of the word of God but continue obstinate in their false conceits But because the point may be more plaine and manifest it is good to answere some of their objections whereby they would ouerturne this plaine truth Now the grand obiection is because we keep not the same sabboth that the Iewes did but the day is altered therefore they say we must keepe none This is their argument of so great waight but how foolish it shall appeare easily if we examine it a little more narrowly For though we keepe not the selfe same day that they did yet we haue the same commandement authoritie for our day that that they had for theirs Therfore this day that we keepe is called the Lords day in Reuel 1. Where Iohn saith He was in the spirit vpon the Lords day Afore it was called the day of rest because God rested on it from the work of creation but now it is called the Lords day because Christ Jesus instituted it as a speciall memoriall of his resurrection perfecting of the work of our redemption For the Apostles by the authoritie of that spirit which alwaies assisted them in their ministeriall office did alter the day themselues kept ordained it to be kept in all the churches As may appeare 1. Cor. 16. 1. Where he saith The first day of the weeke when yee meet together c. Where the Apostle shewes that the congregations of Christ were wont on the first day of the weeke to meet together for the performance of all holy duties of the number whereof collection for the poore was one because of the manifold persecutions wherwith in the primatiue church they were more afflicted and had neede of continuall reliefe This was the first day of the Iewish weeke our Lords day So also in the Acts. Paul himself kept this day which he spent in preaching till midnight and after administred the sacramēt in which two exercises he cōtinued till the dawning of the day So that the keeping of this day was instituted by God in the ministrie of the Apostles and kept by them and the churches in their time therfore as strongly commands vs as the Iewes and is of no lesse force now then before Then secondly the reason of the chaunge and of our keeping this day is no lesse then of their keeping that day For when the creation of the world was the greatest work that euer was done then the memoriall of that was chiefely to be regarded But now that a greater more excellent work was done namely the redemption of the world it was reason that the greatest work should carry the credit of the day They rested the seauenth day because on that God rested from the work of creation wee this eight day because in it Christ rise againe from the work of our redemption which being a greater work caused a chaunge of the day Sith then the day was not chaūged without good warrant and strong reason that alteration and varying of the day detracts nothing from the truth and force of the commandement And wheras they say that the church may at their pleasure alter it that is not so for ther can neuer be an authority greter then the authority of the Apostles nor a cause greater then the resurrection of Christ and the redemption of the church and therefore neither can the day be chaunged for to make a new day where no such warrant did allow nor no cause occasion it were to take more vpon them then is fit For if the Iewes in former times were bound to keepe it holy hauing onely the creation of the world to think vpon and to remēber by the celebrating of their seauenth day then how much more are we bound to this reuerence and a greater sith besids this benefit of our making we haue a greater of our redeeming by the bloud and death of Christ added vnto it so that any one of the two ought to sanctifie it more rather then to cast it of all together and to be so much the more carefull to giue this day wholy to God by how much he hath shewed a greate mercie to vs so that we should neuer speake or think of this chaunge but we should also call to minde this great benefit which was the cause of it If Adam had cause to spend a day in praysing God for his creation then wee haue greater cause seeth besides that we haue also the redemption to bee thankefull for And if this bee a good argument wee keepe not the selfe same day that the Iewes did therefore the dutie is abollished and wee are bound to keepe none then by the same reason one might conclude thus you see wee haue not the same sacraments for the outward seales that the Iewes had for they had circumcision and they had the pascall Lambe what tell you mee of the consecrate water and of the bread and wine hallowed the Iewes had no such matter sith these signes be altered I think it was but a ceremonie and wee neede not regard baptisme the supper this were no good argument in this case for though the shadowes bee other yet the substance bee the same Christ Iesus is signified by our bread and wine as well as by their Lambe and our baptisme is the sacrament of regeneration as well as their circumcision Therefore wee should not despise them but so much the more bee carefull to prepare our selues for them because the seruice is more easie the promises more lightsome If then it will not hold that we haue no sacraments because the outward seales bee altered then it is as weake a consequence that wee haue no seauenth day to bee sanctified because the day is altered and wee keepe not the same that they did So that no proofe can be gathered from the varying of the daie that the dutie is abolished because the authoritie is as strong the reason as good and the same reason doth not hold in other things Againe they object that to a christian euery day is a sabboth day and therefore wee should not restraine it to one day more then another but the answere to this is that it is most false for God doth not require neither is a christian able to keep euery day a sabboth day so long as they remain on earth indeede in heauen hee shall keepe a continuall sabboth vnto the Lord but now so long as wee liue there is as much difference betwixt the sabboth day and otheir daies as betwixt the consecrate bread wee receiue at the Lords table and the common bread wee receiue at our owne table This is true that euery one must serue God on the sixe daies and all his life long but on the seauenth day wee must not onely serue God
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
be at paines nor charges to ease them and deliuer the opprest but most men beare this mind that they would take more paines and be at more cost to pull one of their owne beastes out of the ditch then to pull a poore wronged Christian out of the pawes of the persecutor But Ionathan was not of this minde he ventured his owne life to saue Dauids and deliuered him out of the hands of Saule his father though it seemed Dauid only stood betwixt him and the crowne And Obadiah when he being the kings steward had as one would thinke need to looke that hee loose not the kings fauour and Ahab his master raised an hot and sharpe persecution and would haue slaine all the Prophets and he should haue scaped but ill in liklihood if his master had perceiued that he had beene a fauorite of them and aboue that the famine was so great in the land that no bread water almost could be gotten for money so that it was not only dangerous but exceeding chargeable to keepe an hundreth men now whom the king sought with all diligence to put to death yet notwithstanding all these impediments he stood faithfully for God and his Prophets and kept an hundreth of them with bread and water sufficiently in the heat of persecution and the midst of a great famine Rahab also so soone as she had any sparke of religion and the feare of the true God defended the spies and that with the hazard of her owne life for when the king would faine haue gotten them and he had a purpose to make them sure enough she hid them and saued their life and by that meanes also saued her selfe and all her household and had this priuiledge that after Christ Iesus came of her stock and posteritie But on the contrarie most cursed and hellish of all are these that be so farre from helping and succouring Gods afflicted saints as that they reioyce at their trouble recount it one to another as a verie ioyfull tidings that makes them merrie and they put an hand to it and to their power helpe it forward these be cruell wretches inspirde with the malice of the diuell and vnlesse they repent shall bee miserable wretches hereafter freed with the vengeance of God as a reward of their crueltie The third and last dutie heere commaunded is to shew mercie to the needie that want according to your abilitie and their necessitie This Christ commaunds Luke 12. 33. Sell that you haue and make you bags that waxe not olde Where Christ exhorting them to be mercifull meets with a common obiection Indeed I would willingly bestow something vpon Christ I owe him a good turne and could finde in my heart to pay him but alasse I haue nothing to giue yet haue you nothing to sell neuer a strike of corne neuer a peece of land no spare household stuffe that you can spare for Christ If you haue sold it and giue it to Christ for Christs sake euen as wicked a man will rather sell something to serue his lust then that he will haue it vnserued so do you rather sell something for Christs sake then let him goe vnserued shew that you loue him as well as they loue their lust O but if I should sell and giue thus I should be beggerd nay Christ wils no man to beggar himselfe but make you bags this is such a treasure as no other is like it you should get a more excellent encrease for no other treasure but it is of that nature that eyther of it selfe it wil corrupt the canker rust will set on bring it to naught or else the theefe may meet with it so that one is in cōtinuall daunger to loose it become poore But this is such a kinde of treasure as in it selfe it is eternall and it is so surely kept that no man can deptiue vs of it by force or craft and then another benefit is Where your treasure is there is your heart also This is a good effect that if you lay vp a treasure in heauen your hearts will follow also What is the reason that many men can come so hardly and with such difficultie to thinke or speake of heauen that we may as easily make a great milstone ascend vp into the skies as to draw their thoughts to heauenward it cannot be because their treasure is not their they haue sent nothing before them thether Worldly men can talke nimbly and readily of grounds mony and beasts because they haue laid vp their treasure in these things and let one goe whether he will from one end of the world to the other his heart will still be there where his treasure lies of this he will talke at his table in the field as he walkes as he lies euerie where and he is not weary The treasure drawes the hart vnto it But these haue neuer laid vp one pennie in heauen haue reposed nothing in Christes bosome therefore haue no mind to thinke of him and one may sooner pull their heart out of their bodies then put any heauenly and constant meditation of God and the life to come into them But if one would let his chiefe wealth be with God and lay vp his speciall good in heauen his chiefe thoughts and speciall desires and meditations would be of God and of heauen he would talke of it as willingly as nimbly readily as constantly and with as little tediousnesse as the most couetous man of his money and cattle and nothing should be so delightfull to him as to conferre and meditate of things pertayning to the life to come And in the Prouer. it is said He that is merciful to the poore rewards his own soule as if he had said Euerie man will yeeld that it is a good thing to be beneficiall to himselfe and to doe good to his soule But this is most certaine that nothing in the world no purpose no bargaine shall bring so much profit vnto the soule as a mercifull heart and a liberall hand to bestowe his goods upon poore christians the members of Christ Iesus so the Apostle saith 2. Cor. 9. He that sowes liberally shall also reape liberally It is otherwise in this matter then it is in other haruests for let a man sow neuer so good seede and vse all diligence in preparing and fitting the ground yet some casualtie may befal which will spoile the haruest and a man shall not haue the seede againe but heere it is certaine one shall haue a good haruest nothing shall marre his crop if owne sow but a cup of cold water for conscience and in loue it is sowne vpon Christ Iesus and he is the ground as in Matt. 25. I was hungrie and thiristie c. and ye fed and gaue drinke to me Therefore vnlesse wee thinke that Christ will be a barren ground it is most certaine that hee that scatters seed here shall find a large increase that which is cast
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