Moses and Aron 88 Moses patience 12 his staffe and the power thereof 88 Mothers dutie to her children 8 Murther either secret or open 43 N NAture of man 20 Nature of the Storke 5 Nabuchadnezzar 88. 89. 32. Neighbours 97. they must be loued as our selues 44. Nehemiah commended 84 Night of the sabboth to bee spent holilie 72 Note of the feare of God is feare of his word 23 O OAth 36. 51. Oath lawfull 57 Obedience 17 Obedience to God must come from the hart 5 Obedience of children 3 Obedience of the wife 22 Offence in words 41 P PAtience 11 Papists care little for the sabboth 6 Papists superstitions 35 Parents 40. 2 Parents dutie to their children 7 Paule his feare 20 Perfit loue casteth out feare 19 Periurie 53 Peoples dutie 25 Peace a branch of meekenes 44 Praier 36. 67. 74. Praier for Parents 6 Preparation to the first commandement 1 Pride 50 Punishments for breaking the sabboth 71. 78 R REading the word 36 Receiuing of the sacrament ibid. Reason of the second commandement 37 Remembrance of the sabboth day 70 Reasons why to obey the sabboth 74 Reuerence of children 3 Repentance 67. 88 Rewards for keeping the sabboth 72 Riches improfitable 59 Rules to bee obserued in correction of seruants 17 S SAboth day why consecrated 90 Saboth day 61. 62. Instituted in Paradice 63. First the day of rest 65. Now the Lords day and why ibid. Sacraments 17. 82 Salomons dutie to his mother 3 Seruants 55. 11. Their seruice of God 13 Seruants more to bee regarded then goods 100 Sinne. 98 Speach 46 Spells 48 Spirit of God the spirit of truth 90 Subjects dutie 29 Superiors in gifts 32 Suretiship 67 Suspition 94 Superstition the hatred of God 39 Strange Gods 13 Strange apparell 57 Swearing 51. swearing wickedly 52 T THe law deliuered 1 The tables broken 2 The workes of the Trinitie 2 Thankfulnesse of children 3. it consists in two things 5 The feare of the three children in the furnace 24 The brasen Serpent 33 The Cherubines ibid. Theft 71. 72 Temperance in meat and drinke 53 To auoid idolatry is to auoid Idols 31 To honour what 1 Trust in God 26 Truth 96 V VAine swearing 52 Vaine iangling 46 Vineyard of God ibid. Visitation of the sicke a priuate worke of the sabboth 73 Vnreuerent speeches of Gods workes 51 Vncleanenesse two fold 56 Vowes when to be vsed 36 Vse of Gods words 47 W WAntonnesse 57 What God hates hating the world 78 What it is to feare God 20 What to bee done on the sabboth day 71 Wee must loue God 16 We must not bee discouraged wanting meanes 71 Why children should first feare their mother 3 Wherein children must obey their parents 4 Wicked impietie to make an image of Christ 32 Worshipping of Images 34 Word of God 47 Wonders in Aegipt 88 Worldly crosses 11 Z ZAcharies vprightnes 7 Ziphiâ—â— 84 FINIS AN EXPOSITION VPON THE TEN COMMANDEMENTS Exod. 20. 1. God spake these wordes and saide I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the land of Egipt out of the house of bondage THESE wordes containe a preparation to stirre vs vp to keepe the law of God partly in generall to all the keeping of all the commaundements Partly more specially to the keeping of the first That preparatiue which pertaines generally to all is in these words God spake It seeeth they haue God for the author of them therefore wee must settle our selues to obey them without gainsaying because God will not bee disputed withall The preparation to the first commandement more specially is drawne partly from the nature of God partly from his benefites His nature where hee saith I am Iehouah which signifieth the essence of God incommunicable to any creature From his benefits either generall in those words thy God i. One that haue bound my selfe in couenant with thee to bee thine and to do thee good in matters for this life and the life to come Or else speciall in the last wordes which haue brought thee out of the land of Egipt signifieng that hee had prooued and shewed himselfe to bee their God by drawing them out of that bondage and because the mercie of God might more appeare in their deliuerance hee shewes the grieuousnesse of the state out of the which hee deliuered them it was an house of bondage i. a place of most extreame slauerie Sith hee is thy God then and hath beene so kinde vnto thee thou must willingly acknowledge him and him onely to bee thy God God spake these words In that it bringeth the author of these wordes hee saith God spake them This doctrine ariseth to vs that God is after a speciall the author of the tenne commaundements they are his words more specially then any other And as all scripture is to be regarded as proceeding from God so more especially these tenne words because they bee after a more peculiar sort Gods words That this is so it is proued plainelie in Deuter. fiue verse two and twentie Where Moyses hauing repeated this law sets downe two priuiledges that it had aboue all other scripture to winne the more authoritie vnto it First hee saith these words the Lord spake vnto all your multitude noteing this vnto them that whereas the ceremoniall and indiciall lawes were deliuered by the ministery of Angels and the other scriptures by the meanes of the men of God the Prophets these wordes and these commaundements God himselfe as it were in his owne person full of Magestie and terrour accompanied with all his Angels in a flame of fire did pronounce so terribly in the bearing of them all as that they trembled and came to Moyses requesting him that they might no more heare God speaking on this manner for if they did assuredly they should die for feare wherefore in this first regard they must bee exceedingly reuerenced because Gods owne voice did speake them Secondly for the writing of them they were not written as other scriptures which Saint Peter saith holy men of God write according to the instinct of Gods holy spirit within them but God him selfe did write them as it were with his owne finger not vsing thereto either men or Angells as instruments Yea at the first hee made the Tables himselfe also that there might bee nothing seene wherein was not the immediate worke of God vvherein they were written but afterwardes when Moyses brake them before the Isralites that had made the goulden Calfe to shew that they by their idolatrie had broken the couenaunt and vvere vvorthie to be cast off then though God did bid Moyses make the second Tables yet himselfe write the law not vsing thereto the ministry of any of his creatures shewing that in this regarde they bee more specially GODS wordes and so more to bee regarded And besides this testimonie diuers reasons may bee vsed to shew that these are GODS owne inuention and wordes after an extraordinarie manner For first the wonderfull and perfect holinesse that
drawne as a beare to the stake let him make account that the preacher will bait him trouble his conscience for comfort hee can looke for none Therfore if we would haue a blessing by the sabboth let vs keepe it cherfullie knowing that God loues a cherfull giuer Secondlie one must labour to doe all the duties of the sabboth those that must bee done before the sermon and those that must be done after let no ordinance scape vndone vse meditation on Gods word and works heareing reading praying singing psalmes conference workes of mercie of euerie thing something so farre as we haue abilitie and opportunitie But if we will performe them scambling lie doe this and leaue that vndone either make no preparation before or no application after either no publique or no priuate then it may bee he shall finde some blessings but the fewer of these hee performeth the fewer blessings he shall haue he that doth the work of God by halfes shall and it is just he should find the comfort and benefit of them by halfes Thirdlie as one must doe all the duties and that with delight cherfullie so he must keepe the whole day he must doe all the duties and also spend all the time in these duties hee must continue from the beginning to the ending As in Psal 92. 2. To declare Gods louing kindnesse in the morning and his truth at night So that the sabboth must bee spent both morning night and all the daie in holie duties One must forbeare worldlie businesse yea worldlie thoughts the whole foure and twentie houres for if one giue his thoughts libertie to run after matters of the world in the night he breakes the sabboth in one part sleepe one may lawfullie but his sleepe must bee sweetned with holie exercises and so sanctified vnto him as in it hee must also keepe an holie rest And heere manie faile that out of the Church wil be talking with their neighbours musing with themselues about earthlie businesses affaires thinke they haue made a good hand if they spend the most part of the daie till after the euening exercises in workes of religion and then they make no question to take their recreation or to goe about their businesses if occation bee But hee that commands to keepe it in the church bids vs keepe it in the house as to heare him and speake to him in publique so to speake to him out of our harts in priuate not to giue our selues leaue to thinke the least thought of any worldlie businesse Now then wee if seeme to make conscience of the sabboth and yet doe want that blessing which we doe looke for let vs looke to our selues we shall see that wee are halting in some one of these either wee keepe the sabboth lumpishlie and heauilie that it seemes as a tedious burden vnto vs or else wee doe some one or two duties leaue the rest vndone or else if we doe all the duties to be done we want heere that we obserue not the whole day but keep some part of it from god to our selues accordinglie as any man comes short in any of these duties so hee commeth short of the fruit of the sabboth But if one labour with joy to doe all the duties of the sabboth the whole day hee shall finde in his owne soule that it is in truth a day of blessing and brings more joy and comfort yea and a greater blessing with it then all the weeke besides And so much for this fourth commandement of the sabboth and the reasons of it The summe of the fifth Commaundement is to shew what duties we owe one to another in respect of their and our place The persons in this commandement are eyther with authoritie eyther priuate eyther further from equalitie as parents and children masters and seruants nearer equalitie as husband and wife publike in Church Commonwealth without authoritie in age gifts Exod. 20. 12. Honour thy father and thy mother c. HEtherto the duties of pietie to God out of the first Table haue bin handled Now follow the commandements of the second table concerning the duties of righteousnes to our neighbours This is the first commandement of the second table vpō which al the rest do depend as in the first table the keeping of all the commaundements following did depend on the keeping of the first commandement of the table so heere if this first commandement be well obserued both of gouernours and inferiours there could be no disorder against any other of the commandements following For all disorders in the other commandements of the second Table doe flow from hence that eyther superiours are negligent in performing their dutie of gouerning or else inferiours are proud and stubborne and refuse to obey their superiours The words contayne a commaundement and the reason of it The commaundement in those words Honour thy father and mother The reason in the words following That thy daies may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee Because the benefit of obedience is not so great to the superiours which are obeyed as to him that doth for conscience sake obey them they shall not be gainers so much as himselfe for he shall gaine to himselfe a long and happie life Honour To honour is to reuerence in heart and performe all outward duties Father That is all superiours in what place soeuer set aboue thee Thy father This is the first reason whereby God would moue inferiours to obey because he is thy father In that God makes this his reason why the childe should obey his father because he is his father We gather this doctrine That the chiefe motiue to obedience must be Gods ordinance If God haue made him the instrument of thy life and maintenance and haue set him ouer thee thou must for this cause performe all dutie of honour vnto him So in the Prouerbs Honour thy father that begat thee and thy mother that bare thee as if he had said honour thy parents and bee duetifull vnto them not because they be rich or in great place or for any other respect but this because they bee thy parents bee they father and mother how euer rich or poore thou must be duetifull vnto them So the Apostle speaketh to wiues Wiues obey your owne husbands Vsing this as a reason if they be your husbands If God hath set them ouer you as your head and gouernour you must submitte your selues to them for this cause and in obedience to Gods commaundement howsoeuer they be otherwise froward and foolish if they be yours then you must performe your duetie vnto them So for seruants the poynt is not whether hee bee a poore man or rich a simple man and ignorant or wise and discreete but is he a master hath God made him a gouernour then for the time that one is a seruant he stands in the place of Christ in his family and is to be obeyed as if hee
Ioseph shewes Genesis 48. He was a great Prince and his father but a poore man and liued at his finding he had his sight and his father for age was blinde and therefore could not see his dutie yet when he comes to his poore father and his blind father he bowes to the ground and behaues himselfe so lolily as if his father had beene a mightie man and had his sight as perfectly as euer in his life Because he knew that neither blindnesse nor pouertie coulde take a way the nature of a father nor the dutie of a sonne Therefore he being a prince is as dutifull to his father a poore man as if his father had beene a Prince he poore for the outward estate did not moue him so much as the conscience and regard of his dutie which he knew to be nothing lessened So king Solomon when his mother came vnto him sitting on his throane it is noted that hee rose vp from hsi throane and bowed himselfe vnto her and caused all things els to cease till he had set his olde mother in a place of honour fit for her And he would haue all his people to know that though hee was as wise and rich a king and that of Gods owne appointing as euer was yet this his greatnesse did nothing diminish his mothers superioritie nor his reuerent cariadge towardes her This serues to confute those vngrations and wretched children that doe not reuerence their parents in heart but contemne them and thinke basely of them and content not themselues with this inward vndutifulnesse but shew it also by rough wordes by froward countenance by vnreuerent and vnfit actions and manie grow so familiar with their parēts as that one that had not known them seeing their behauiour would rather thinke them to bee neighbour and neighbour then father and sonne so vnreuerently and vndutifullie do they behaue themselues without any outward tokens of reuerence And indeed what doth the froward speaches and lookes of manie children proclaime but that they haue no feare of God in their hearts no righteousnesse in their hands nor anie regard of the duties of the first or second table If euer these persons liue to haue children and God doe not in his iustice cutte them of they shall finde that their children will reuenge their fathers wrongs into their bosome and be as readie to despise them and carrie themselues vnreuerently to them as if they were to doe it to their parents The next dutie is obedience which is commanded Coloss 3 Children obey your parents and he adds a reason this is pleasing to God It is not only a pleasing and a ioyfull thing to the parents that the childe should obey his comandements But this is a thing that God takes greate delight in and is well pleased with all and on the contrarie it doth not only greiue and offende the parents that children be stubborne and rebellious but it offendeth Gods maiestie also and greeueth his spirit Now the thinges where in children must obey their parents are especiallie these First in doing the thinges that they command and performing that worke that there parents set them about that it be neuer so base and painefull to doe so far as their strength will permit For though some children may thinke why this worke is to base and vnbeseeming my worth for as euerie one is more proud idle so he hath a greater conceite of himselfe and as he is most base and contemptible so hath he a higher imagination of his owne excellencie and worth though they may thinke the workes too base yet that may not excuse Is it too base I but did your father comand it and resraine you doe it Then you are a base and proud person that make no more account of your owne flesh then of Gods commandement for so soone as the father hath cōmanded it being a lawful thing Gods stampe is set on it it caries the face of Gods commandement he that thinkes himselfe to good to doe it thinkes himselfe too good to obey God This will not serue the turne then it is a contemptible thing in the world and men will mocke me why but are you a christian and haue you not learned so farre to denie the world as to preferre Gods commandement before the contentment and mocking of men and were it not better for you that the worlde should speake euill of you vniustly for well doing Then that god should instly plague you for well doing An example of this obedience we haue in Isaac who yeelded to his fathers commadement so far as to suffer his head to be chopt of and himselfe bound and laid one the woode and burnt Because his father being a Prophet had warrant so to doe and could shew the commandement of God vnto him to proue it a lawfull thing he did and t was his dutie to obey If he had not seene Gods commandement Abraham had gon beyonde his commission for it had beene willfull murder and he ought not to haue obeyed but when the thing was lawfull Isaac was bounde to submit himselfe to his father euen vnto death So Christ was obedient to his father in the most base and painfull thinge of all for what burden more contemptible then the burden of our sinnes and to be hanged on the crosse mockt and spitted on and buffetted and what more painfull then to vndergoe the curse and plague of God yet if he his father would haue him suffer all this he would not stand with him for such a mattter but willingly submitted himselfe to the death of the crosse So that if the thing be lawfull though it be a thing of no credit and of much paine yet if it be the fathers commandement it is Gods commandement and the child must obey and by how much the thing is more base and contemptible and more hard and painfull by so much he is a better childe and shall haue a greater reward for in matters that be easie and pleasing hee doth serue himselfe now a good child should serue his father for euery christian childe must be his fathers seruant but hee that is vndutifull and stub borne is a rebell against God And as in other matters the parents are to be obeyed so espeically in mariage As Isaac being a man of discretion of 40. yeares old yet would not once goe about to take a wife for himselfe but was content to stand at his fathers chosing And Iacob would not dispose of himselfe in mariage till Isaac and Rebecca had consulted vpon the matter and had directed him whether hee should and among whom he should chose his wife Naomi being but a daughter in law yet would not be at her owne disposition to take what husband liked her best but was willing to be disposed by Naomi in matter of mariage especially therefore children must giue this honour to their parents to thinke their fathers wiser and better able to make choyce themselues and as in
matters lesse weightie so especially to take their counsell and be directed by them in this great matter that so neerely concerns their estate A second thinge wherein children must obey their parents is in bearing their admonitions and corrections As it is often said in the prouerbs Despise not the correction of thy father nor contemne not the admonition of thy mother Set not light by them but weigh them and consider well of them in thine heart Nowe the childe is bound to obey his father as in doing the thinges commanded so in suffering his rebukes and chasticement Because it is a dutie lying vpon the soule of the father and commanded vnto him from God and secondly because it is a testimonie of his fathers loue to him for hee that spareth the rod hates the childe but he that loues him corrects him betime And then correction is a meanes of their saluation and keepes them from hell for foolishnesse is bound to the heart of the childe it is tyed there as with a corde or rather chayned so that nothing will make a seperation but the rod of correction that will part them and he that is not corrected is a foole and so shall continue still Because then it is the fathers dutie and a token of his loue and a meanes of the good of the childe he must suffer it patiently and humbly and not only so but hee must see that hee profit by it and make a good vse of it for else he makes his father take much paines and vndergoe a great deale of greese in vaine and to no purpose and therefore not profiting by correction is guiltie of contemning Gods ordinance This serues for the reproofe of such children as are soure and angrie at the admonition or correction of their parents that although they be fonde and light headed and haue neither experience nor knowledg yet thinke they can tell how to carrie themselues well enough and scorne to bee admonished or told of a fault but of such that is verified that the wise men faith afoole is wiser in his owne conceite then ten men that render a reason But for these parsons that pout and swell thus at an admonition the best course that can be taken with the is to beat out that pride by sharpe correction For this makes them so audacious when wordes are giuen vnto them because they haue not beene soundly and throughly corrected The third dutie of Children is thankefulnesse to their parents and consisteth especially in two things First in releiuing their parents when they shall be in want if the parent be blinde the child must be an eye vnto him if he be lame he must be a staffe vnto him if he stand in neede of any thing the childe must to his power helpe and succour him And this dutie indeed the verie law of nature doth require for the father hath paide for it before hand and it is but a due debt for when the child was borne naked without any friends and could not helpe himselfe nor put one morsell of meate into his owne mouth nor hang a ragge on his own bodie to keepe him warme who pittied him who releiued him were not the parents then insteede of all limmes vnto him and had much care and feare for his sake afore he came to this estate wherein he is now were it not then a shamefull ingratitude in him and were he not worse then a beast if he would not haue care to recompence all these kindnesses and to pay so due a debt So the holy Ghost commands children To be like the stroke Now the manner of the stroke is this that when the olde one is growne weake and cannot flye a broade for himselfe the young storkes will helpe him and the old stroke fares as well is as largly prouided for by the trauaile of the young as when he was in his full and perfect strength So Ioseph dealt with Iacob when Iacob was in want and his sonne had plentie when his father sent mony to buy corne the sonne would not take it but gaue him corne freely and whereas siue yeares of famine were behinde he sent for him and had great care to bring him thether and hauing brought him thether was so carefull to prouide for him and to administer to him whatsoeuer hee had neede of as that Iacob did neuer fare better and with more ease in all the time of greatest plentie then he did when the whole world was affamished for want of bread for before he sent to the market for it and there he must buy it for his money but now that he was come to Ioseph in dearth he needes not be at so great paines or cost for it is sayd He did put meat into his mouth that is he was a good tēder hearted nurce to his father and his fathers familie and as carefull that nothing should be lacking to them as the mother for the childe that will euen put her teat into the childs mouth So Ruth though she was but Naomies daughter in law yet now that Naomies yeares and strenght were spent shee being young tooke paines and trauelled for both and when beside that which shee had gotten with her paine and labour Boaz being a mercifull man gaue her some victuals shee would not deuoure all her selfe but euen spared it from her owne bellie for her mother only shee tooke so much as was needfull to refresh her bodie and to strengthen her in her trauaile the rest shee reserued for her old mother in law and knew well that it was better young folkes should bee pinched then their old parents lacke anything Therefore we see how God honoured her with the mariage of a Prince and great man in Israell and gaue the sonne of God Christ Iesus to be borne of her seede This serues for the sharpe reproofe of the swinish and vnnaturall disposition of many vngratious children that so long as the parents haue anie thing to giue and something may be be gotten by them all that while they will be so kinde and so louing and there is such striuing and catching that well is he that can get the old one but when their parents are drawne drie and they haue sucked all from him and left nothing once then he is neglected of all then euerie day is an yeare till he be deade then he is a burden and a clogge and he must be eating and drinking then he doth nothing but spende he gets nothing such foule and currish speaches shal be hearde oft times from the mouthes of wicked and vnnaturall children This is the fowlest dishonour that can be not to releeue and helpe the weake and distressed parents As Christ faith Matt. 15. 6. such honour not their parents those that pretende by bestowing it an other way to bee freed from releeuing their parents these doe not honour there parents And for these churlish and beastly people let them looke for it if God cast them not into hell
before their children shall make euen with them and reuenge and quitte there parents wronges to the full by the like fauage dealing with them A second dutie of thankefulnesse is to pray for their parents As in Tim. 2. He commands that prayers be made for all in authoritie And if any must praye for those that be further of in common weale much more for those that are nearer in the familie Therefore this is a fault to bee greatly condemned in many that can see their parents faults and speake of them too much but cannot finde time to fall downe before God and beseech him to heale their nature and helpe them out of their sinnes Many haue liued a longe time with their parents yet cannot say that they sent vp an heartie prayer to heauen for their parents so vnnaturall and vnthankefull be they The vse of all these duties to those whose parents are not aliue is to looke that their sinnes be not aliue after their parents death And therefore to examine themselues whether they haue beene faultie in any of these things and if they do repent for it and desire pardon else they be lyable to two plagues First that their children should take their parents quarrell in hand and requite their wicked dealing in what euer dutie they haue fayled and haue not repented of it And secondly that as honouring parents brings a long and happie life so their dishonouring their parents should make them haue a short life and miserable or if a long life yet full of Gods curses for their vnrepented sonne Therfore let such as be now fatherlesse marke themselues and finding that their children are stubborne against them and vnthankfull and rebellions euerie way as many may see it openly and wofully let call themselues backe and see what kinde of children they were before how they behaued themselues to their parents whether they were not all together faultie in this point If it be so let them confesle that their owne sinnes haue found them out and are turned open let them acknowledge that God is iust and hath giuen the same measure into their bosomes their own euill is fallen vpon their owne heads they digged a pit in their youth and now in their age are fallen into it And thus much of the duties of children Now follow the duties of parents to their children For vnder the dutie of inferiour is comprehended also the dutie of the superiour And as God would haue inferiours to giue honour so he commaunds superiours to carrie themselues in that manner that they may deserue honour And doth bind them as straightly as the inferiours Now the duties of parents to their children are eyther in their tender yeares riper age The parents dutie to the children in their tender yeares and childhood is first to instruct them in religion to season them with the words of pietie or by little and little to drop in the grounds of holinesse into them euen so soone as they are able to speake and beginne to haue the least vse of vnderstanding So Prouerb Teach a childe in the trade of his youth and he will remember it afterwards Where the holy ghost exhorting men to teach their young children meetes with an obiection Alasse might one say teach such little ones what good will that doe we shall but loose our labour for they cannot vnderstand it nor conceiue the meaning of these things The holy ghost answeres Be it that for the time he cannot vnderstand the sense yet teach him the words and tearmes of goodnesse and though while he continues a child perhaps it seeme a fruitlesse thing yet you shall see afterwards it will not be in vaine for the crop of this seede that was soone in the childhood will appeare when he comes to age though for a time it lay hidden then he wil remember these things that to good vse which it seemed he got no good by when he was so young wanting vnderstanding Therefore let him haue the words taught him when he is able to heare and speake words and after when he is of more discretion he will conceiue remember the sense too And this dutie the holy ghost commaunds Ephes 6. 4. Bring them up in instruction and feare of the Lord. And this Timothies mother did put in practise For it is noted of her that she instructed Timothie in the scriptures from a child and that was the cause he was so holy a man she was a nurse to his soule as wel as to his bodie and gaue him milke out of the breasts of the scripture so soone as he had done sucking her owne breasts so that as he waxed strong in naturall strength of naturall life so he waxed strong in the knowledge of the life to come and therefore he grew so excellent a man and so worthy a preacher and member of the Church because his mother fedde his soule as well as his bodie The second dutie of parents to their children in their yonger yeares is to correct them to giue them correction which the holy ghost in the Prouerbs commaunds often and shews the fruit of it Correct him and thou shalt saue his soule chasten him and he will giue thee pleasure In the latter the rod of correction driues away folly this is the onely meanes to make a diuorse betwixt folishnesse and his heart which are so neerely wedded together But in correction these rules must be obserued First let it be seasonable and done in time passe it not ouer to long but begin early enough So Salomon saith Hee that loues him corrects him be time and doth not omit it till it be to late but takes the fittest opportunitie when he may with most ease and fewest stripes doe most good For indeed a small twig and a fewe blowes in time when he is yet a child not hardened in sinne will doe more good then many tods and abundance of stripes afterwards if this seaso be let slip for if the child be not mastred when he is young he will maister his parents when he growes elder Therefore let them not get an head for if they doe they will prooue like an young colt that hath gotten an ill tricke at the first he hath once cast his rider he was marred in the beginning and now you may sooner almost kill him then breake him and bring him in any good order againe Secondly it must be done with great compassion and mercie not in bitternesse to ease ones selfe with the paine of the child which is too barbarous crueltie For in truth commonly there is good cause why the father should be as much grieued or rather more then the child because for the most part he doth but correct his owne sinnes in his sonne for if the childe be curst and froward is it not because he hath seene the parents brawling and contentious if he lye hath not his father giuen him a patterne of dissembling and if he sweare being
good meanes we can and he will prouide for the children of his seruants Therefore one should neither withhold himselfe from any works of mercy nor nigardly and pinchingly restrayne himselfe of any necessarie thing yea any comfortable delight for his childrens sake Lastly for disposing let this be the first and maine rule that those be vsed best which are best and those haue most goods giuen them that haue more grace in their hearts So Iacob had the blessing though Esau was the first borne and Ioseph had the double portion though he was the youngest but one of twelue For grace makes the younger to be the elder and sinne makes the elder the younger therefore he was indeede the right heyre for euerie one of the former ten had stayned themselues with some soule and grosse sinne which did put them out and therefore they were iustly disinherited So Solomon was not Dauids eldest sonne but hee was the sonne of his age yet he succeeded him in the kingdome because the other were proud and vndutifull and there was no hope that they would doe any good in Church or common weale This must be the first then that grace haue the first place vertue must make the heyre Secōdly the other also must haue their portiō proportionablie not one all and all the rest neuer a whit as is contrary to the cōmon practise that the eldest must goe away with the whole and the rest haue iust nothing as though he only were a lawfull child and the rest not legitimate and hence growes much hurt and much heart burning and emulation among brethren Now God saith parents must lay vp for their children not for one child only And others that if they haue no heyre male but all daughters the heritage must be put away from them and giuen to some other and why so forsooth because of the name sake that the name might continue but how know you that he shall continue to keepe vp your name or how know you that he may not liue so as that he shall be a blotte to your name and to your selfe rather then a credit why then should one for a foolish regarde of name breake both Gods law and the law of nature too For God hath appointed Numbers 27. That if there be no sonne the lande and heritage shal be deuided among the daughters And thus much for the duties both of parents and children So much for the duties of parents and children Now followeth the duties of seruants and Maisters First for the duties of seruants The first dutie is reuerence to their gouernour and that is both inward and outward The inwarde commanded in Ephes b. 5. Seruants be obedient with feare and trembling 1. Peter 2. 18. bee subiect to your Maisters with all feare 1. Tim 6. 1. let seruants count their Maisters worthy of all honour So that it is not enough for a seruant to performe all outward duties required at his hand vnlesse he begin with this first dutie to haue his master in an high account in his heart and to carrie a reuerend estimation of him in his heart he must account him worthie all honour Paule in that place speakes to christian seruants which had vnbeleeuing and infideli Maisters yet he would haue them count such worthy of all honour not that their insidelitie did deserue to be honoured but because they carried on them the authority of God standing in Christs place as his vicegerents in the familie Because of Gods ordinance thereof and his commandement laide vpon the seruant he must reuerence his maister though an insidell So that euerie christian seruant must set his firme conclusion with himselfe This is maister and gouernour that God hath appointed ouer me and that stands in Gods roome to mee therefore because of his place and the charge layde on me by God I will highly and reuerently esteeme of him Secondly this reuerence must appeare in the outwarde behauiour and cariadge of the body Else for one to pretende feare in the heart and not declare it by the outward gestures this is not sounde dealing but hipocrisie and falshood Therefore the inward account must shew it selfe in the bodie and in the actions of the bodie As first in not aunswering againe if they be at any time reproued for any thing done amisle they must not haue a gainsaying proude and vndutifull spirit but in all good speches and submissiue cariadge manifest their inward reuerence But contrarie to this is the vnteuerent behauiour of most seruants especially to poore men if the maister be poore and meane and of small account in the world the seruants take themselues for his companions and not as inferiours they thinke themselues not bounde to shew any dutie of subiection vnto him in standing bare in bowing to him and rising vp be fore him where as indeed the poore mans seruant is bounde to be as dutifull to him as if he were a Prince for Gods commandement respects not wealth and the outward things but only Gods ordinance Indeed if rich men did carrie the person of God vpon them and the poore the person of an Angell or some meaner creature then it were some thing their commssion hath all one seale and their authoritie in both is the selfe same and he that will seeme to reuerence a rich maister and not a poore is an hypocrite and shewes himselfe to be led by some carnall respect not by Gods commandement And for one to deale vndutifully with his poore master that beside the sinne is a double iniurie for this is to add affliction to affliction For if he be opprest with contempt abroad and be had in disgrace of others the seruant by his dutifull and reuerent dealing should comfort and refresh him and be a meanes to mitigate his greefe but to dispise him at home that is contemned of euerie one abroad this is to lay a greater burden vpon him that all readie sinkes vnder it Therefore if seruants reuerence their maisters they must not giue them frowarde speaches but euen outwardly shewe their inward account and the more base their maisters bee in the world the greater reward shall they haue from God and they shew the more truth and grace to be in their hearts For to reuerence a rich man that will not beare contempt but will take him downe and crush him this the veriest hipocrite may doe euen for his owne peace But here is sinceritie here is truth of heart and vprightnesse if when the master is poore and meane and of no reckoning in the world then the seruant can reckon him worthie of honour and serue him with reuerence and giue him his authoritie and full allowance in all good carriage how euer others doe debase and contemne him A second thing outward wherein inferiours and seruants must shew their reuerence to their masters is in hauing a care of their name not blazing outward their infirmities For this is a fault of many seruāts that being hired to doe
well was verie seruiceable and by it painefull trauell brought in much profit vnto the master if he be diseased by some sore or sicknesse he will let him haue rest and looke carefully to him that he want nothing and take the counsell of some one that is skilfull in such matters for some drench or medecine that may helpe his horse or oxe restore his health Thus men will deale with a beast but what master almost can be found that doth not plainely proue that he loues a beast more for his commoditie sake then he doth a man for Gods sake for he that will be content to be at cost and charges and some trouble also with his diseased and sicke horse his sicke seruant may lie and die and he will neuer come at him nor seeke any remedie for him but rather encrease his paines by murmuring and grudging that he eates and he drinkes and doth nothing but spend and burthen the familie And when Gods hand hath restrained him from working and not his owne negligence and ofttimes when he gets his weakenesse by faithfull and painefull seruice done to him then some are so cruelly and miserably coueteous as that they will abate so much of their wages as the time of their sicknesse comes to And when he suffers paine and griefe enough by his sicknes then he that should looke to healing of him doth not onely neglect that but also gleanes from him and robs him of his wages which is a double sinne and iniurie So much for the duetie of masters to their seruants that dwell with them Now when they part the masters duty is to looke that he send not his seruant away emptie but doe something for him according to the blessing of God vpon him by his seruants labour according to his owne abilitie and looke how much longer time the seruant hath beene with him and howe much more faithfull seruice he hath done to him by so much more must he be franke and bountifull in respecting and beleeuing him Contrarie to this is the dealing of those shisters that must haue new seruants euerie yeare for that either they be so bad themselues as none will stay with them longer then needes they must or els they intertaine such vngodly persons into there familie as it is not sit that they should tarrie long in any place And those that take in such manner seruants as deserue noe recompence because they imploy their labour about such things as the familie hath no benefit by them but are fit only to serue their Maisters lust in vanitie and foolishnesse for such it is iust that though they dwell manie yeares in a place they should haue no reward giuen them because their labour hath brought no good to the familie no bodie hath beene a gayner or bettered by it but here was a great fault on both parts for both the Master was a foole to giue harbour to such vnprofitable companions and the seruant was a foole to spende his time and paines about such base seruice as could be benefit to no bodie and here it is iust that both should be loosers But when one hath had a seruant that hath beene with him a longe time and done him faithfull seruice so imploying his labour and spending both his daies and strength as that some profitte and commoditie redownds to the familie And the maisters estate hath beene better by his carefull diligence now by continuance of time and by this profitable societie they had the seruant should grow to be vnto him as a child and he if he will seeme to be one of a good nature vpō so long experience of his faithfull and louing cariage should put on the affection of father to him For indeede nature shewes that it is a shame for one to put away his old seruant that hath worne out his bodie in his seruice without bestowing his liberalitie vpon him in some measure according to his owne abilitie and his seruants labours But it is the custome of most men now a dayes so wretchedly couetous are they growne that they deale with their seruants as one would deale with an horse when he grows old and can doe nothing any longer that may bring profit euen pull his skinne ouer his eares and cast his bodie to the dogs and thus brutish are vnnaturall men to their seruants ofttimes toyle them while they can labour consume their strength and spend them out then age will come and the bones will growe weake and the bodie waxe feeble and faint one cannot be alwaies young and strong and what then Then turne them out of dores poore and helpelesse into the wide world to shift for themselues as they can and they must either beg or steale or sterue and thus it comes to passe that manie become theeues and vagrant beggers through the masters base niggardlinesse that would not doe his dutie in bestowing some proportionable and competent releefe vpon them So much for their duties that bee further of from equalitie in the familie as parents and childe Masters and seruants Now those that are more equall are the husband and wife whose duties are either common to both or more particuler to either of them The common duties are these First they must loue one an other with a pure heart feruently This dutie both husband and wife must performe naturally one to an other Which that they may the better striue for let vs consider of some excellent cōmodities that will proceede from this loue and wich indeede will shew in their practise whether their bee this loue or not First this benefit will certainly ensue where there is loue betweene man and wife they will be chast and true hearted so farre as they loue one the other truely they are garded from all strange lusts euen in heart that they will not allowe any vnchast desire much lesse any vnchast looke or action For so in Prouerbs 5. 19. 20. Delight in thy wife and reioyce in her loue for why shouldest thou goe after strange women As if he had said sure enough if thou doe not loue thy wife thou wilt follow a whoare or at the least art in daunger to doe it but if thou loue thy wife truely thou art strengthned against a stranger And so may it be saide of the woman concerning her husband For it is not the hauing of a wife that makes a man chast and keepes him from filthinesse but the louing of his wife that will keepe him and so it is not the hauing of an husband that makes a woman honest and preserues her from adulterers but it is the louing of her husband which will doe it For many married men and women liue filthilie and impurely but if they did loue one an other they were safe from that fault This then is one benefit it is a most sure defence of ones chastitie to loue each other An other benefit that constant loue will bring is that they shall be verie patient
this disordred confusion as if the Pilot would both hold the sterne and hoyst vp the sayle and be vpon the hatches and sit vpon the neast and labour at the pumpe and od all himselfe it must needs goe ill with the ship and that is in continuall danger of sinking But those gifts that God hath giuen the wife the husband must see them employed and then she shal be a fellow-helper vnto him and bring a blessing vpon the family by her labour And so much for the duties of husband and wife which I doe not so speake as though is were in the power or nature of any man or woman to performe these duties nay by nature men be inclined to the contrarie The wife is naturally disobedient and stubborne prone to conteme and dispise her husband and he is prone to be wandring abroad and take more delight in any ones company then his owne wiues and if he be with her at any time he is so destitute of all true sauing knowledge as that he is readie alwaies to be eyther light or foolish or else sowre and churlish and to doe her hurt by his example and make her worse rather then better and both of them are destitute of all true and spirituall loue one of the other But God shewes these duties in his word to the end that we seeing our sinnes and our weaknes might bewaile our wants before God and beseech him that requires these things at our hands to worke these things in our hearts and as he hath giuen vs these good commandements to giue vs grace to make our hearts good to keepe the commandements And he that makes this vse of the law he profits by the doctrine But if any be so blinde and so vnacquainted with the wickednesse of his owne heart as that he dreame of some strength in himselfe to doe these duties it is certaine he neuer did performe any of thē in truth nor shall euer till he do lament his wants with vnfained griefe before God desire him to make him obedient as well to giue him a charge of obedience And thus much concerning the duties of priuate persons As namely of parents and children of masters and seruants of husband and wife The duties of publike persons follow Which are eyther in Church as Minister and People Commonweale as Magistrate and Subiect For the minister and people It is euident that the minister is a father It is plaine 1. Cor. 4. Where Paule though you haue many teachers yet I haue begotten you vnto Christ And Paule cals Timothie and Titus his children because as their naturall parents were instruments of God to beget them to a naturall life so he was Gods instrument to beget him to a spirituall life Now the duties of the minister and people are eyther common or speciall The common duties which mutually belong to them both are to pray one for another and to giue thanks one for another That the minister ought to pray for the people the continual example and practise of Paule almost in all his Epistles doth declare as to the Philip. Coloss Thess for whom he writes that he giues thanks to God and praies day and night for their encrease in all good graces By Paules example then ministers must learne to pray to God in secret for the flocke committed to their charge that God would pardon all their sinnes and heale their natures and make his doctrine effectuall to worke grace and saluation in their hearts And then if God haue heard his prayer and blessed his preaching to conuert the hearts of his people to saue their soules he must not let this slip but marke and obserue and returne thanks vnto God for it So 1. Sam. 12. 23. The people being affrighted with Gods fearefull signe and seeing their sinnes then they come vnto Samuel the prophet of God as commonly it is the practise of men in time of prosperitie to set light by the minister and not to regard him at all but in time of aduersitie where miserie pincheth it is often seene that men will send for him and be content to heare him and craue his direction so in affliction they come to Samuel and earnestly desired him to pray for them Then his answere is God forbid that I should sinne against God and cease praying for you shewing that it is a great sinne against God in the ministers if he be not frequent in prayer for his people So that though the minister studie diligently preach painefully and walke religiously in all good conscience yet if he doe not pray to God and beseech him earnestly to amend those faults that he sees in them and to conuert their soules vnto him and doe not also giue thanks when he perceiues any good thing wrought in them and pray for the continuance and encrease of it hee doth sinne against God and faile in a speciall dutie that he owes to his charge For all planting and watering is in vaine vnlesse God giue the encrease And how can he respect any blessing of God vnlesse he doe both often and earnestly seeke for it and render most heartie thanks for it as he findes it granted For the people that it is their dutie to pray to God and be thankfull for their minister it is plaine Heb. 13. 18. where this commaundement is giuen Pray for vs for we are assured that we haue a good conscience c. And Paule to Philemon saith That he hopes through their praiers to be giuen vnto thē and 2. Thes 3. 1. He wils them to pray for him that he may haue free passage and that he may be deliuered from vnreasonable men And to Timothie 2. 1. he wils that prayers be made for all in authoritie that as God hath set them ouer vs as gouernours so he will gouerne their hearts and order their proceedengs aright This confutes those people that a long time haue liued vnder a minstry but all that space cannot say that they haue once offered vp a true and hartie prayer to God for their pastor that he might be furnished with gifts for the faithfull discharge of so great and waightie an office neuer spoken to God in his behalfe to giue him a dore of vtterance to deliuer aright and deuide the word of truth to be with his meditations and direct his tongue that he might to their consciences and for their edifying And againe if at anie time God haue powred downe more plentifull grace vpon their minister that he hath beene better stird vp to teach them and hath spoken with more power and zeale then ordinarie more earnestly reprouing their sinnes and exhorting them to repentance yet they take it but as an ordinarie thing and let it passe without any notice as though it were not any mercie of God to prepare the ministers mouth to speake to their conscience And because they be thus slacke in desiring and negligent in thanksgiuing for so great a fauour God doth iustly depriue
that they may prolong thy daies namely thy parents when they shall haue occasion with a glad and ioyfull heart to thanke God for that comfort which they haue receiued by the obedience and dutifulnesse of their children this brings with it a blessing of God vpon the soule and bodie of such a childe to prolong his life in all happinesse But on the other side when the father and mother through the rebellion and obstinacie of a childe are driuen to sigh and mourne before God with a troubled soule that hee that should haue bene one of the greatest comforts is one of the greatest griefes and he that should haue built vp the house doth pluck it down this brings a curse and prouokes God to cut of his life vntimely and his soule also vnlesse he repent to his damnation An example of this we haue in the Rechabites the sonnes of Ionadab Ierem. 35. 19. They did reuerence their parents so much and had such a regard of him as that when he seeing the excessiue abuse of wine to drunkennesse and the abuse of lands and houses to couetous greedinesse commanded them to drink no wine nor build no houses nor buy no land which might seeme an hard commandement abridging them of their pleasure and profit yet in loue to their father they kept it all their daies faithfully Now God he comes vpon the Israelites and condemnes them by the example of Ionadabs sonnes shewing that he had beene a better father vnto them then Ionadab had beene to his sonnes and his commandements restrained them from no lawfull delight but onely from sin that would damne the soule yet they would not be so obedient to him as the Rechabites to their father Therefore in the last place he comes to giue a reward to the Rechabites and saith that Ionadab the sonne of Rechab shall neuer want a man to stand before me Such a good thing and so acceptable is it vnto God that children should submit themselues vnto their superiours And so Ioseph hauing beene a good sonne to Iacob Iacob prolonged his daies for he prayed so heartily for him that God could not denie Alwaies when Ioseph came then Iacobs mouth was full of blessings and he was so nimble to pray for him with his whole hart as that he could haue powred out his soule in a prayer for him to haue done him good and these did not goe into the ayre and vanish fruitlessely but tooke place and God indeed blessed Ioseph in himselfe his posteritie aboundantly So that the best diet and the best ayre that one can liue in to make children haue a long and happie life is to be obedient to their parents Therefore let children learne to be dutifull and to serue their parents as Paule saith that Timothie did serue him as a sonne serueth his father so that a good childe should be his fathers best seruant This doing they shall bring Gods blessing vpo their soules and bodie otherwise they shall haue a short life and a miserable life alwaies in bondage to some foule lust or other that shall play the tyrant ouer them and reuenge their parents quarrell vpon them This serues also secondly to instruct parents that if they would haue it goe well with their children they must not then so much labour to get great matters in the world for them but to take them downe by time to instruct them and narture them in godlinesse and to labour to bring obedience and pietie into their hearts or els be they as greate as they will they shall bring a curse vpon them As we see in Dauid sonnes whē he was negligent in bringing them vp in the feare of God but let them haue their owne way and could not find in his heart for foolish fondnesse to correct them we see how Gods curse pursues them one commites incest the other seeing Dauid would not punish so soule a sinne vsurps authoritie and he becomes his brothers iudge and executioner and after also driues his father out of his kingdome and seekes his life till he died a miserable death and a strange Gods hand taking vengeance on his wickednesse An other by treasonable practises came to death by his brother iustly So all these came to a violent and fearefull end why because he would not reproue thē nor checke them as is noted but for Solomon his father instructed him his mother instructed him he was kept in not suffered to runne after vanitie so and therefore we see what blessings befell to him what a curse ouertooke the rest So Eli for foolish pittie grew so tender that hee would not correct his children according as he ought therefore miserie came vpon himselfe and both they died in a day Therefore as parents may and must desire an happie and longe life for their children so they must also vse the meanes to get it for them by good nurture and mastring them to make them know and doe their dutie for better parents master them by correction then God destroy thē in indignation for if they be not staid at first they will proceede from rebellion against parents to rebels against magistrates and then they will rebell against god also till he cut them of by distruction This serues also for the comfort of dutifull children who happily can see nothing but pouertie and are destitute of all worldly meanes of helpe But let them not looke on the outside so much turne to the inside a little how haue they behaued themselues to their parents how haue they dealt with them what affections haue they carried toward them what good haue they beene willing to doe for them what obedience haue they shewed them Make account then that God will blesse thē and succour thē that they shall liue a long and happie life vpon the earth And it is iust that their children also should reward the like to them to couer their infirmities as Noahs chrildren did so that either God will not let them breake out or else they shall hide them and not lay them open to their shame But those that be now so rebellious as they be sicke of the father or mother and desire the parents landes more then their life Looke for it a daye will come that they shall bee sicke of their children to But here seemes an obiection to arise We see it far otherwise ofttimes vilde persons liue long and those that bee obedient die quickely but to this we may answere that the reprobate liues but to heape vp wrath against the day of wrath and to make vp a greaer measure of his sinnes that God may make vp a greater measure of vengeance so that the greatest promotiō for reprobates were to dye so soone as they were borne for the longer they liue the more sins they commit and the more shal be their torments For the godly if God take them away sooner it is to take them to a better place that they may be taken from the euill
THE BRIGHT STAR VVHICH LEADETH wise men to our Lord Iesus Christ OR A familiar and learned exposition on the ten Commandements gathered from the mouth of a faithful Pastor by a gracious young man sometime scholler in Cambridge Ruth 2. 17. Ruth gleaned and carried it home to her mother LAEORE ET CONSTANTIA LONDON Imprinted by Iohn Harison for Thomas Man dwelling in Pater Noster Row at the signe of the Talbot 1603. To the Christian Reader CHristian Reader the good prouidence of God hath vouchsafed thee benefit abroad by the labours of a reuerent faithfull Pastor which he meant only to his owne flocke at home These fruitefull doctrines which in this booke are offered to thee were receiued from his mouth but neither penned nor perused by himselfe nor published with his consent or knowledge for had he been willing that they should be exposed to open view he would haue garnished them with richer attire and yet with modestie according to the Apostles rule 1. Cor. 2. 1. Without affected excellencie of words or carnall wisdome They were collected by a godly ingenious young man whose diligent attention and painefulnes deserne no small commendations yet what hand or memorie can follow so fast the fluent speech of an eloquent Preacher as to set downe all in the same forme and elegancie wherein it is deliuered Moreouer at the printing diuers faultes haue escaped both of Orthographie poynting and method in some places But howsoeuer it is a religious and well seasoned heart will finde and feele herein such comfort and light as that light and slender defects will easilie be passed ouer And let not God be defrauded of his due praise who hath multiplied that food to feast so many which of man was appoynted to feede so few And here is that in some degree verified which 〈◊〉 Sauiour foretold his Disciples Luk. 12. 3◠What ye haue spoken in darkenesse shall be heard in light and that which ye haue spoken in the eare in secret places shall be heard on the houses Well good reader let this and such other wholesome writings kindle thy desire to the preaching of the word that thou maist be more frequent in hearing and iudicious in vnderstanding Beware thou grow not conceited of a sufficiencie to be found in reading good bookes and so begin to distaste the Ministerie they are not ordayned to kill our appetites to the word but to sharpen them And so I commend thee to the Lord who of his mercy graunt thee wisdome with good successe to thy euerlasting happinesse thorough Iesus Christ Thine in the Lord R. C. A necessarie Table referring the Reader to the principall matters contained in this booke A. ABoundance of loue breeds aboundance of patience Fol. 20 Abrahams offering vp of Isaac 33. his curtesie 46 Abusing of Gods titles 49 Abusing of his properties 50 Adams disobedience 3. 98 Adulterie 53. 54. 55 Agnus Dei 38 Ahabs sinne 38 All disorders of the second Table from the fift command 1 All duties contained in the commandements 2 All scripture proceedeth from God 1 Anger 48. 40. B BEginning of wisedome feare of God 20 Behauiour of a christian 54 Benefits by the loue of man and wife 19 Blessing for keeping the Saboth 90 Body abused 57 C CArnall reason 22 Charmes and spells 48 Children of God must not faint 11 Children 41. 2. Christ came to obey the lawes 3 Christ Iesus Lord of the Saboth 64 Christians 54 Commandement first 1 Commandement second 28 Commandement third 43 Commandement fourth 61 Commandement fift 1 Commandement sixt 37 Commandement seuenth 51 Commandement eight 57 Commandement ninth 80 Commandement tenth 97 Comparison betwene the lawes of God and men 2 Commandement broken as well by omission as cōmission 55 Confession of sinne 56 Contentednesse ones estate 73 Compassion 45 Correction for children 6. It must be done with compassion 8. With prayer ibidem Couetousnesse 51. 68. 69. 100 D DAie of judgement 47 Damnable to spend time idely 71 Dauid is perswaded by Abigail 4. his presumptuous sin 7 Death 47 Delight in Gods commandements 25 Deliuerance from Pharaoh 11 Disobedience to God 40 Diuell 47. 86. He is the author of oat 51 Drunkennesse 51 Duties of a child 3 Duties of seruants 11 Duties of husbands and wiues 19. 21. 22 Duties of publike persons 25 Duties of Majestrates and people 29 E ELI his to much loue to his children 13 Eli his pacience 57 Elder persons dutie 33 Enemies of Daniel 84 Enclosers of land 70 Euill conscience 80 Enuie 40. The causes thereof ibid. Enuie murtherer of him selfe 41 Enuie guiltie of murther two waies ibid. Examples of obedience 6 F FAlse swearing 53 False witnesse 89 Faithfulnesse in seruants 13. In husband and wife 21 Fasting 36 Feare of God 19. 50 Flatterie Flatterers 91. 93 Foolishnesse vncharitablenesse the cause of ill suspicion 81 Fruits of the spirit 10 Frugalitie 74 G GEsture offensiue 41 Glorifying of God in words 55 Gods nature 1 God is Iehouah and why 8 Gods benefits generall speciall ibid. God the author of the ten commandements ibid. Gods cursings and blessings 3. His goodnesse 9. His insight into man 14 Gods name taken in vaine 44 Gouernors must see the Saboth kept 8 H HAbakucks feare of God 23 Hearing 36 Herods incest 5 He that breakes one commandement breakes all 6 Hezechias patience 57 Honestie 29 How to employ the Scriptures 49 Humilitie 39 Husbands must dwell with their wiues 22. Edifie them by example 23. By instructions ibid. He must honour her which consisteth in two things 24 I IAcobs trust in God 26. His Obedience 5 Iacobs diligence 6 Iehouah what it signifies 7 Iealouzie what 37 I am thy God what it implies ibid. Idlenes a sinne of Adam 72 Idlenes 65. 75 Idle persons pouerties prisoners ibid. Images forbidden 29 Images are teachers of lyes 33 Idolatrie Idols ibid. 34. Instructions for householders 82 Instructions for seruants 83 Inferior guifts 32 Iobs mildnesse 3. his zeale 15. his pacience 57. his feare 25. his trust 27 Iosephs feare of God 20. His dutie to his father 3 Isaie his feare 21. 25 Iustice 49. It consisteth in getting and restoring 73 K KEeping of the Saboth day holy in what it consisteth 73 Kindes of lyers two 90 Kings 29 Kings chosen by lots 39 Knowledge of God wanting all disobedience groweth 16 L LAzinesse 57 Liberalitie 75 Lies against ones selfe 85 Lying tongues make three mortall wounds 87 Life of man consisteth in the blessing of God 74 Lots 36 Loue. 17. Loue of God 18 Loue to seruants and children 81 Loue of the husband to the wife 19 Loue is armour against jealousie 20 Lusting after other mens goods 57 M MAnasses repentaunce 8 Manna 78 Marriage 57. Maraiage for children 8 Mary Magdalen 78 Meanes to auoid adulterie 54. 55 Meditation on the word 16 Meditation on Gods curses necessarie ibid. Masters 11. 19. 101 Mercie power justice infinite in God 8 Mercie to the needie 48 Ministers dutie 25. they must be good examples 29
were the most honourable and wise in the world The vse of this is to consute those wretched and miserable children that take occasion to be vndutifull because their parents be poore and low and in disgrace and small account among men But be they so then the childe ought so much the more to honour them or else he addes afflication to afflication Therefore so farre should he be from contemning his parents because they be low and afflicted as that he should reuerence them and honour them the more that he may be a comfort and reliefe vnto them in their trouble For for the child to honour his parents when all the world honours them and hath them in account and to be dutifull then when they can eyther reward him if he be dutifull or punish him for his vndutifulnesse is no triall of his honestie and obedience to God For then it may be he doth it ether vpon constraint because he dare do no otherwise or of a base minde because he loues and gapes after his fathers wealth more then for conscience to Gods commaundement But then the obedience is most sound and acceptable to God when there be fewest worldly meanes to prouoke one vnto it So for the wife or seruant to say O had I an husband or master of such great account of such gifts and wisedome that could promote and reward me then I could frame to obedience Nay for he that is not faithfull in the least will not be faithfull in the most And God accounts not of that obediēnce or reuerence which proceeds not frō conscience of his commandement but from hope of some outward reward Therefore it is our dutie not so much to trouble our selues in enquiring what heads other haue as to labour to make best of our owne For this in the naturall bodie we see that if one haue an head full of infirmities and subiect to diseases he will not therefore knocke it against the walles and contemne it but he thinks this is my head that God hath giuen me and therfore I must not make it worse by ill vsage but striue to make it better by all means I can O but say they other children haue better parents that be more carefull of them But let such turne backe a little and looke to themselues and examine their owne stuffe other you say haue better parents true But looke to your selfe a little and thinke on the other side haue not other parents also better children more duetifull and obedient and more vertuous euerie way then you be Put these two together now and then the mouth will soone be stopped So the wife other husbandes are more kinde and louing and be better to their wiues But if you stand so much in examining his goodnesse by other mens you will driue him to trie your goodnesse with other women Be not there many wiues more subiect to their husbands more quiet and meeke and that goe farre beyond your selfe in many graces So that in such obiections let inferiours couch these two one with the other and looke to their owne faults as well as to anothers and they shall not finde great cause to complayne O but he sayles in doing his dutie to me but God failes not in commaunding you to doe your duetie to him This is the point be you a Christian or an hypocrite If you bee a Christian then GODS commaundement must be the rule of your obedience and not the dealing of others to you Therefore this doth iustly reprooue their audacious boldnesse and shamelesse impudence that if their parents growe olde or impotent or poore then they thinke they may take libertie to caff of the yoake of subiection and to grow stubborne as who should say that age and pouertie of such like things could cut of the nature of a parent and take away the authoritie of a superiour that outward things should haue the chiefe account and Gods commaundement be least of all regarded This likewise may serue for some comfort to these gouernours that are in a poorer or lower condition that God hath challenged vnto them as much honour in their place as to the greatest prince in the world For the poore mans wife is as much bound by God to honour her husband as the Queene to honour the king And the meanest parents and maisters are as much to be acounted of in their families as if they had all the welth and honour in the world Therefore they should beare their pouertie so much the more patiently Because no pouertie or lownesse of their estate can giue licence to the inferiours to account anie whit the worse of them and if the inferiours doe for this cause despise them they sinne against God doe iniurie vnto them and GOD will be reuenged of them accordingly So much for that God bids the inferiour to honour his superiour And the child his father howsoeuer matters stand in other respects Honour The duties of the naturall childe commanded in this word are comprehended vnder these three heades First reuerence Secondly obedience Thirdly thankefulnesse for the first For reuerence Children are commaunded to reuerence their parents Now this reuerence must be both inward and outward In the heart and behauiour of the bodie For if the outwarde begin not at the heart it is hypoctiticall and therefore not pleasing to God And if one pretende the inward reuerence and shew it not outwardly this is but dissembling and falsehood for it cannot be within but it will shew it selfe without So that it must be both inward in heart and outward in cariage of ones bodie The inward is commanded Leuit. 9. 19. 3. Yee shall feare euerie man his father and mother and keepe my Sabboths In those words GOD commandes the substance of the whole lawe both in the first and second table and for the second table he begins with the first cōmandemēt Feare euery man his mo ther. One would haue thought he should haue begun with the father but though more be due vnto him yet because it is a greater not of truth to performe it to the mother because her infirmities whereto shee is more subiect make her more subiect to contempt and for her indulgencie commonlie the mother doth lesse exact this at her childs hand therefore God doth beginne there where obedience is best tried and faith Feare thy Mother and thy father and then for the first table he sets downe the last commandement of it Keepe my sabboths and whosoeuer is carefull in the first table conscionablie to keepe the sabboth and for the second to keepe the fifth commandement in dutie to superiours he shall be sure to holde out in all the other cōmandements so that reuerence of the heart is required of children The second branch of reuerence is in the outward behauiour as in bowing to them in standing bare and putting of before them in an humble and lowly countenance and behauiour when one speakes vnto them And this the example of
abundance of loue breeds aboundance of patience for loue hopes all thinges and suffer all thinges And loue is not prouoked but where there is little loue their is little bearing and little hoping and there they be quickly prouoked vpon euerie light and small defect or fault they grow to chasing and brawles and then who euer was troubled with such a husband or such a wife Nay they might rather say who euer had such an vnloving and vnkind heart as I for if there were that loue that should be and in that measure that there is that loue they would beare with patience and meakenesse such infirmities and would not be so quickely prouoked nay not by greater matters As the mother that in good earnest and without dissembling loues her little childe though it crie all night and be vnquiet and breake her sleepe and disquiet her verie much yet shee will not fling it out of doores nor lay it at further end of the house furthest from her but shee vseth it kindly and will doe what shee can to still it and when it cries shee will sing and in the morning they be as good friends as euer before and shee feeds it and tends it neuer a whit the lesse for all the nights trouble One that were not acquainted and knew not the loue of the mother would wonder why did it not disquiet your rest all night and can you be so merrie with it now Yes shee can for shee loued it and shee hath forgotten all that in the morning And so indeed could the husband and wife loue one an other with such a pure and christian loue they would beare much and endure much and yet loue neuer a whit the lesse For loue is all waies a brestplate against impatience A third profit that springes from loue is that loue edifies and loue seekes not it owne thinges therefore if they loue one an other they will in all thinges seeke the good one of another and then if he see a fault in his wife he will tell her of it meekly and gently and labour to bring her to amendment then if he see any fault of his part shee will with all reuerence and humilitie admonish him of it But on the contrarie where there is not loue they will regard their owne ease more then the saluation one of an other Then if the husband see his wife in any fault he thinkes indeede it is a sinne but if I come to tell her of it she will streight be in a passion and chafe and so the wife I confesse this sinne is dangerous to my husbands soule but if I should goe about to admonish him he is so hiddie that he would be bitter furious against me presētly But now here is a great want of loue in eyther partie For what though your wife will be in a passion he that loues his wife would rather shee should be in passion against him for a litle time then God with her for euer And the wife that loues her husband would more willingly suffer her husbands anger and futie for a while for well doing thē he should suffer Gods wrath eternally for ill doing Whereas they not louing one an other put it of with silēce dare not speake A fourth fruit of loue is that it armes one against iealousie the poyson of all dutie for loue will neither bee suspicious in matters of goods nor iealous in matters of the bodie For all iealousie and suspicion I speake of euill iealousie and suspicion for if their be euident and apparant causes and reasons then it is iust and no fault but all ill iealousie causlesse suspicion ariseth of one of these two points First either that one is or hath beene wicked himselfe and hauing beene faultie and naught himselfe he is readie to iudge others by himselfe and to measure all with his owne measure or else from a doting affection that one makes a God of this or that thing this is not true loue So when the wife doats foolishly vpon her husband and makes an idoll of him then is shee quickely readie to be iealous wheras a true and sound loue would worke the contrarie effect in her So for matters of goods he that trusts in them will trust no bodie with them but is alwaies suspitious and misdemeaning and will neither trust wife nor seruants nor children nor any not because they would not deale faithfully enough but because he makes that his God And therefore is immoderatly afraid to loose it but where there is a pure and seruent loue that will cut of all needlesse and misdeemings both in goods and bodie This is the first dutie that is common both to husbande and wife The second followes and that is faithfulnesse That both bende their wits and all their endeuours to the helpe each of other and to the common good of the familie The husband must not follow his priuate pleasure and delight nor the wife her owne ease pride but though by nature they could both be content to seeke themselues Yet they must striue both to build vp the house and to doe good one to an other and not hurt Because they stand in the place of Christ to those that are committed vnto them both for their soules and bodies First then the husband and wife must be faithfull in their bodies one to an other else they breake the couenant of God For mariage is not a couenant of man but a couenant of God where in the parties binde themselues to God and they be in recognisance in heauen to keepe themselues pure and chast one to an other Then for other matters there must be one purse and one heart and hand for the good of the familie and each of other But now if the wife be wastfull and idle then she like a foolish woman puls downe her house And if the husband be an vnthrift and consume and spende that idly and vainely to serue his lust or pride or anie sinne that might helpe his wife and children and be a meanes to make them liue plentifully and cheerefully whereas now they are pinched with want and necessitie this lauishing is a great vnfaithfulnesse and comes accompanied with manie inconueniences So much for the generall duties belonging both to husbande and wife The particular follow And first the wife must feare her husband as is commanded in Ephes 5. 33. Let the wife see that shee feare her husband and 1. Peter 3. 2. The Apostle requires a conuersatiō with feare So that if euer the wife will be comfortable and profitable to the husband and doe anie good in the family shee must haue a care of her heart and looke that shee carrie an inwarde feare to her husbande for the husband is the wiues head euen as Christ is the head of the Church and euen as the Church must feare Christ Iesus so must the women also feare their husbands And this inward feare must be shewed by an outward
them of a great part of the blessing that haue carelesly omitted a great part of their dutie So for the ministers of the word many be there that can say they haue preached many sermons and deliuered many doctrines and admonitions to their parisioners giuen them many good exhortations But who of many can say as Ierome did My soule shall weepe for you in secret if publike preaching will not preuaile I will trie what priuate weeping can doe and if I cannot mooue them by speaking to them to amend I will mooue God with many teares in secret to conuert them And thus much for the common duties of both The particular follow And first of the people The first thing that the people must performe to their minister is to haue a tender and reuerent account of them And this is commaunded 1. Thess 5. 12. where the Apostle giues this in charge Now I beseech you brethren know them that labor among you and that are ouer you in the Lord and admonish you that you haue them in singuler loue for their works sake as if he said I speake not this so much for the ministers sake for whether ye loue him or account of him or not so long as God accounts and esteemes highly of him he is well but I desire you euen for your own good that for those faithfull men of God which labour amongst you to whom God hath giuen the spirit of grace and admonition and whom God hath set to watch ouer your soules let not them be forgotten and neglected amongst you but take knowledge of them and obserue them and that for their works sake For in truth they of all men deserue most to be regarded and accounted of in regard of the profit that they bring and the worke they performe which howsoeuer it be not outward and commonly brings no money to the purse Yet it is inward and brings peace vnto the soule For vnto them is committed the word of reconciliation and life and they are made disposers of the treasures of God that bring comfort and reioycing to the heart If then they be meanes to giue Christ Iesus vnto you if they helpe you to heauen if they purge the soule and build you vp in grace if they beat downe sinne and ouerthrow the power of Sathan in you ought you not then to loue them and that for their worke and your profits sake But many there be that make no such account of him why Because they feele no such neede of him they see no necessitie of his labour but that they may well spare him they can see no good he doth and no wonder they can see none to whom nothing is good but that which serues their flesh For as they account of him so they profit by him and iust it is from God that as they despise his minister so he should them and make them fruitlesse hearers of that word which to better men wants not a most excellent fruit according as Christ hath said He that dispiseth you dispiseth me and he that dispiseth me dispiseth him that sent me If they dispise God how can they reuerence the men of God And hence it is that young vpstart boyes and girles in many places are growne to that top of impudencie and shamelessenesse in sinning and standing for sinne as that they dare set thēselues against the minister of God and oppose their life of purpose against his doctrine and stand as stiffly for the dishonouring of God and the breach of the law of God as he can stande for his law whose life is nothing but a disgracing of their minister that in publique and veiw of all the world they might gainsay that in practise which he taught publiquely and euen in the heat of the sermon when the reproofe is yet fresh and scarcely ended then in the heat of their raging lust to fall to the thinge that was forbidden by God and by his minister reproued But why comes foolish youth and boies to be thus impudent But that they are animated by the froward example of elder persons As those young children that mocked Elisha the Prophet how could they speake so basely and contumeliously of the reuerende man of God but that they heard such thinges at home by their gouernours and must needes vtter them when they come abroad But was not this their boldenesse met with Did not God paye them home though they were but children for two beares came out of the woode and slew 40. of them For when they dare professe themselues to be aduersaries to the man of God and to the law of god they must needes faile in euery other dutie despising the person they must needes neglect the doctrine and not reuerencing the preacher they cannot take good by his preaching The minister of god then ought to be esteemed not according to his coats and wealth which is the thing that foolish men doe only doat vppon but according to the singular worke and calling in which God hath sette him and which he will haue respected The second dutie of the people is to obey the doctrine of the minister else they be no faithfull keepers of the eight commandement vnlesse they make conscience to yeelde obedience to the doctrine of their minister taught truely out of the word of God This is commanded Heb. 13. 17. Obey them that haue the ouersight of you and submit your selues c. He wils them to obey their ministers namely in doctrine and he addes the reason because they watch for your soule sith ye stand vpon their guarde to defend your soules from distruction therfore submit your selues and obey not so much the men as the doctrine and instruction deliuered out of Gods word in their calling And secondly if you doe not this you shall be so farre from giuing ioy to the heart of your minister which good people should doe as that you shall peirce his soule with sorrow and be a meanes to eate vp his heattwith for what greater anguish can come to the ministers soule then this that when he exhorts his people to holines they be vnholy he teacheth them to be spiritually minded and they be set altogether on the world he shewes them that they must rule themselues and families after the law of God and follow their owne lust this of all afflictions doth most wound breake the heart of a godly and faithfull minister that in loue to his flocke preacheth Gods word sincerelie vnto them I but would some say what neede we care for his being agreeued Nay this is it that many desire and wish nothing more then that they knew how to vexe the minister But saith he make not so light account of greeuing the minister for that is not profitable for you he hath the sorrow of it but you the losse he is driuen to runne oftner vnto God by your ill intreatie and to seeke for the loue of god when men doe neglect them but in the meane
as he doth these things that in doctrine and example he goe before his flocke he may looke for duetie at their hand or if they performe it not yet he may say my reward is with God and my recompence with the most high Thus much for those superiours that haue authoritie in the Church and their inferiours The superiors and inferiors in the Common wealth follow and those are Magistrate and people The first duetie of the subiect is inward and outward submission in heart to reuerence and outwardly to obey the Magistate as is commaunded Rom. 13. Let euery soule be subiect to the highest powers He commands not onely a bodily subiection which may be in the most rebellious persons that resist authoritie and lie open to the curse of God for this sinne but a submission inward of the soule as vnto a sparke of Gods authoritie and an appointment or if this inward be not first the outward subiection will faile vpon euery light occasion There must be an outward subiection also in obeying their commands so farre as they command lawfull things As Titus 3. 1. Put them in remembrance that they be subiect to all in authoritie and obedient But if it so fall out that the Prince or any inferiour Magistrate command things vnlawfull against the commandement of God then indeed one must with Peter say It is better to obey God then man But yet so as one be content without murmuring or resistance to beare with euery punishment shall be layd vpon him euen to death As Daniel when the king made a wicked Edict would not yeelde vnto it but yet he was content to yeelde to the punishment with patience and neuer went about to gather a power in his owne defence against the king And the three Children would not preferre Nebuchadnezars commandements before Gods but yet they did not by rebellion seeke their owne deliuerance but quietly gaue vp themselues to death expecting helpe onely from God So that if the Magistrates command be lawfull the subiect must obey but if he command an vnlawfull thing he must not rebell but suffer the punishment without murmuring euen in heart as Eccle. 16. 20. Curse not the king no not in thine heart nor the rich in thy bed chamber for the foules of the ayre shall discrie it Though the king or any in authoritie vnder him doe thee wrong yet allowe noe mischeiuous and wicked thought against them for if thou doe God will bring it to light But if the king be vniust and wicked then wee must pray to God to conuert him as Paule commands Tim. that as our sinnes haue brought an ill gouernour ouer vs so our prayers may remoue him or better him This the first dutie then is subiection without gainsaying The second is to pay their due willingly and freely without grudging as Paule speakes tribute to whome tribute custome to whome custome and not euery paiments else are necessarie for the maintaynance of their state partly that they may be able to represse rebels and enemies and partly that hauing suffient maintainance from the peoples cost they may not be distracted but may bend their whole indeuour to good gouernment and protection of the people The duties of the magistrate follow for he hath his charge to and much is required of him to whome much is giuen First then his dutie is to looke to godlinesse that religion and pure worship of God be confirmed and maintained in his land as 1. Tim. 2. 2. Paule wills to pray for these in authoritie that we may liue a godly life vnder them And now that which we must pray to God for that they may doe is their dutie to doe First then a magistrate according to the authoritie of his place must haue a care of godlinesse and looke that the pure worship of God be set vp and all false and idolatrous worship suppressed And thus did the godly and christian kinge in time before As Iosiah and Hezekiah and others whose first and eagerest worke was to pull downe all idols and to exhort and command their people to practise the pure and holy worshippe of GOD according to his worde and where this is not doone the duties of the seconde Table must needes bee neglected The second dutie of the magistrate is to maintaine peace and quietnes to prouide for the vnity and concord of their subiects as in the same place of Timothie that we may liue a godly peaceable and a quiet life Nowe they may prouide for peace by pulling downe and repressing the wicked with their authoritie as also by maintaining and defending the innocent and rewarding the good for vnlesse the magistrate declare his strenght and shew his authoritie against sinners they will be practising and stirring against Gods children the Serpent will nibble at the Heele darkenesse will hate light and the dogs will be wurrying the sheepe the diuell driues them and needs they must be troublesome as he their captaine is for an ill conscience is feirce and hauing not the peace of God to quiet them they cannot be quiet what way must be taken then the Magistrate must make them quiet by shewing them the edge of the sworde he must hamper them and let them see that if they be troublesome it shall be to their owne cost they shall trouble themselues and this will some thinge bridle them that good men may haue some reasonable peace by them The third dutie of Magistrates is to procure honestie as in the same place of Timothie the Apostle speakes Nowe this they must doe by remouing all lewd practises and persons and those thinges that are occasions to them as stewes and houses of filthenesse as houses of gamning which are meanes to prouoke men to much lust and vnthriftinesse contrarie to ciuill honestie and good manners These things the Magistrates must reforme so farre as his authoritie will stretch or else hee is not faithfull in his place And this was commended in Asa that hee putte the Sodomites out of the land An other point of honestie is to take order about the poore in a good honest sort First for rogues and runnagates that being strong and lustie make begging and wandring their trade of life that they be seuerely punished and set to worke That no maintenance or allowance be giuen vnto them for as the Apostle saith He that will not worke let him not eate And what more dishonest thing in a Christian commonwealth then that such men should be permitted which pollute the ayre and fill the land with sinne making their whole life nothing else but a continuall practise of filthines theft and idlenes sonnes of Sodom that liue without a calling without a magistracie without a ministerie That neyther glorifie God nor serue the prince not profit the cōmonwealth but are an vnspeakable burden to the earth blot to the state as droanes liuing on other mens labours and the sweat of other mens browes These filthie persons this cursed and vngodly
gaue now and then a penny to Christ this is to giue the bread to the dogs and crummes to the children as in truth most men doe The full streame and freenesse of their liberalitie runs to seruing of their lust but the sparing gifts and pinching bountie that God must haue And all these rob and cousen themselues and though they imagine to get mountaines of pleasure yet the end shall be paine he that loues wine and oyle and he that loues pastime what is his verdit and what sentence hath God set downe He shal be a needly fellow and liue in want pouertie is the best ende and easiest punishment of this wastfullnesse for want of moderation in meat drinke apparaile and pastime An other kind of wastfullnesse is in idlenesse An idle person is a theefe he puts his hand into his bosome and eates vp his owne flesh He consumes himselfe and is a waster of himselfe and an idle person shall be clothed with rags If one should haue such a companion as when he came to him should find him sufficiently furnished with reasonable store of goods to maintaine himselfe but by that time they parted company should strip him out of all leaue him nothing make him goe in a ragged coat and leaue nothing behind him but want and miserie would not one thnke this was but a cousening companion and a theeuish fellowe But so it stands with idlenesse if that it keepe one companie a while and he will intertaine this guest into his heart it will make a speedie riddance of all set him bare in apparell and base in account and fill an house full of distresse and calamitie that is founde full of wealth And in truth experience shewes this among vs daily that if a man be left well and be of sufficient wealth to maintaine himselfe in good sort let him but giue harbour to idlenesse and all flies away it goes to wracke and by little little like a moath it moolters away his great wealth makes him no better then a begger afore it haue done with him vnlesse he shake it of betime And true it is that Salomon saith His pouertie comes like an armed man Idle persons be pouerties prisoners if they haue no calling to settle thēselues in pouertie hath a calling to arrest thē and if they can take vp themselues in no lawfull businesse pouertie comes with a commission to take vp them and will not be put backe neither it comes armed it will preuaile So that an idle man is a theefe to himselfe he does that to himselfe that if another should doe it all men would take heed of him for a notorious cousener And besides 2. Thess 3. he condemnes such as walke inordinately and bids them labour with their hands and not be idle that they may eate their owne bread as if he had said he that doth nothing hath right to nothing he hath no bread of his owne to eate he puts stolne meat into his mouth euerie bit he eates he cannot say Lord giue me this day my daily bread for it is none of his because he neuer earned it God will haue him doe something afore he haue any thing God indeed allowes recreation he will haue it to fit vs for our calling not to hinder vs from it And why doe we account any man a theefe but because he is a naughtie fellow he takes his neighbours meat and paies not for it he takes his cloathes and giues him nothing in recompence and why then is not an idle man a theefe for he takes his meat and his apparrell and what euer he hath from an other without allowance without doing any thing for them they be Gods and God hath made no such bargaine that he shall haue them without doing seruice to him but when he leaues his calling he looseth his right and title he liues of an others goods shall answere for it as a theefe A third thing wherein one plaies the theefe in his own goods is by suretiship For Salomon names idlenesse and suretiship as two sinnes that men make little account of but God doth marke them and esteemes them as foule faults For this suretiship how euer men thinke it comes from a kinde nature and a louing disposition that they would be willing to doe good to any but it is nothing so it proceeds from an vnwise heart and a great measure of foolishnesse for true kindnesse at home and loue if it be true loue will doe most where it owes most but this is a foolish crueltie when one vnder the shew of mercie to an other will vndoe himselfe and his wife and children I speake not this but that a man may and ought to be suretie and this is a dutie to be performed to a good man with a good calling and according to ones abilitie that he breakes not his owne backe with bearing an other mans burthen Therefore in suretiship keepe these two rules first looke what a kinde of man he is that you would paune your credit for a man must not do his hand ouer his head for euerie one that will aske but onely for such as he is bound vnto by some bond of dutie eyther for religion and charitie or else for some knot of friendship or of kindred else if one be so carelesse to be suretie for he cares not who Salomon takes his coat pittie him not let him feele the smart of his foolish and sinfull rashnes Secondly for whom euer it be goe not aboue your abilitie promise not for so much as might hurt your familie and impayre your estate if it must be taken from you for when one is suretie he bindes himselfe to pay if the principall doe not and if hee doe not meane to doe it or cannot doe this is a meere dissembling and plaine cousenage of him to whom he makes the bond and how can it be counted better then a lye when he promiseth to doe that which he neither can performe though he would nor purposeth to performe though he could If any one therefore haue offended this way let him know and confesse that it was his rashnesse and folly and then his best way is to repent and craue pardon of God and beseech him to make a supplie of his wants But so long as one continues these speeches O I was deceiued and I meant well and I did it of good will and he hath dealt ill with me so long I say as one laies the fault vpon another thus postes it of from himfelfe so long he is farre enough from repentance and shall be farre enough from comfort the crosse and curse doe both remayne vpon as yet that is not the way to lay it vpon another it was long of his vnfaithfulnesse and ill dealing with me nay it was long of your owne vnfaithfulnes and ill dealing with your family it was long of your wisedome that you did not aduise vpon the matter craue assistance at Gods hands and aske
streight to rating and reuiling them no he was not of that minde he loued his neighbours name better then so and therefore he pittied them and was carefull to heale their fault as he would haue beene dealt with all in the like case So that if one haue pittie and compassion of his neighbours faults and pray for him and admonish him and vse all meanes to bring him to repentance he loues his neighbours credit and he that can thus conuert his brother from going astray he hath done the part of a good man and louing friende for hee hath healed the soule and cleared the name and couered a multitude of sinnes And thus much for this inward dutie and the three notes and trials of it Now followes the outward duties which are either generall or speciall And first for the generall That is to speake the truth from ones heart as Dauid in the 15. Psalm Not to speake the truth alone but from our heart neither after a flattering dissembling manner nor after a rayling and reprochfull manner not for hope or feare or that so it be wrested frō one by any sinister affection but heartily to speake iust as the cause is without seruing ones selfe This is one commendation of Christ and a cheefe cōmendation that no guile was found in his mouth But yet these two rules must be kept in speaking the truth First that one speake with a good affection for if one speake the truth in wrath and passion in a distempered minde the words indeed are not sinfull but the manner is wicked and breakes the commandement Many will haue a care to speake nothing but that which they cā iustifie proue to be true but for their affection it is altogether disordered for in a reuengfull minde to ease themselues what euer euill they know by a man out it shall goe without any regard of edifying others or conuerting the persons only in a rage they care not how they discredit their neighbour Now this rude and vngodly speaking of the truth is sinne against our neighbours name as well as to lye and backebite So that alwaies truth must be bounded with a louing heart with a quiet and well tempered mind if one speak vnseasonably to hurt his neighbour he offēds in speaking the truth So for the end that is the second rule that one must looke his ende be good that one doe ayme at Gods glorie and the edification of men for so the Apostle saith Colloss 4. What euer you doe let all be done to the glorie of God If one be about to speake any thing let him first looke what glorie he may bring to God by speaking it Secondly see what profit may redowne either to those to whom we speake or to the partie of whom else neuer speake of other mens faults or of any thing else but when we can say this profit will come either to giue warning to others that they may take heede or that out selues may learne more to hate the sinne or that the partie of whome the speach is may be brought to a sight of his fault and to amendment If one cannot see some good or other that will arise by his speach it is sure it was sin and at the least an idle word So that one must speake the truth from his heart with a good affection and in good discretion so that God may haue his due praise and man his due edification Thus much for the generall dutie Nowe the speciall concerneth either others or our selues In speaking of others these rules must be obserued In praysing to speake in ones commendation rather in his absence because if one be commending before ones face though his commendations be true yet it sauours rather of flatterie then liking of the graces besides through our infirmitie it is not without danger of making one proud and conceited But in ones absence speake the truth as much as we can to the praise of Gods children that so we may winne more credit to their graces and they may be able to doe more good with them and thus as time and place requires it is dutie to giue due and true commendations to Gods seruants But for reproofe and speaking of others mens faults doe that alwaies before their faces the time and season of commending is in absence but the time and season of reprehending is when either the partie alone is present or he is one that is present or at least the thinge may bee brought to him whome it concernes For so the holy Ghost commands Hate not thy neighbour but tell him plainely of his fault Till it not an other Be as plaine and as round with him as one can so that it be in good tearmes and that one know his betters and superiours This is contrarie in many that neuer speake so much to magnifie ones good parts as when the man himselfe is within the hearing and neuer so much of ones faults and frailties as when he is farre enough of this shews that the one comes from a fawning disposition to currie fauour rather then in acknowledgment of the graces and the other rather from malice and reuenge more then from loue and desite of the parties good For one should not in modestie make a rehearsall of ones good things before his face vnlesse it be when hee is deiected and to much depressed to comfort him to raise him vp And this we must obserue in speaking concerning others Now concerning our selues this must be kept that one speake as sparingly as may be either of his infirmities least it giue a suspicion of pride or else disgrace himselfe so much that he be made lesse able to doe the good he might otherwise doe or else of his good thinges and matters of aduancement for feare least he should grow at the length to waxe proude and big in his imagination Now these thinges no man in the world is able perfectly to fullfill for allmost in euerie braunch we are readie to offend continually but the vse that wee must make is first to see our wants then to confesse them and acknowledge them in humility before God and lastly to pray for assistāce and to beseech God that hath giuen vs an holy heart that we may keepe them and yeeld obedience to them in some measure of vprightnesse And thus much for the first fiue commandements which extende them to all outwarde actions and all inward thoughts with consent Now followeth the tenth last cōmandement Thou shalt not couet thy neighbours house nor his wife nor his seruant nor his Oxe nor his Asse nor any thing that is his THis forbids the least thoughts and motions of the hart against our neighbour through any consent or yeelding of the will And commands such a contentednes with our owne estate as that we neuer haue the smallest motion tēding to the hurt of our neighbour in any sort yea that we haue such a loue to our neighbour as we neuer thinke