Iesus concerning you And Isaiah signifieth that thankesgiving acceptable to God consisteth not in words onely where he saith u Isa 5.16 God that is holy shall be sanctified in righteousnes In another place he saith w Isa 66.5 Heare ye the word of the Lord yee that tremble at his word your brethren that hated you that cast you out for my names sake said Let the Lord be glorified but he shall appeare to your joy and they shall bee ashamed Memorably saith the Church in the Communion service It is very meet right and our bounden duty that we should at all times and in all places give thankes unto thee O Lord Holy Father Almighty Everlasting God Of confession to God Concerning publike confession of our sinnes unto God the Divine Service beginneth with one that is generall and likewise there is a generall confession to be made afore receiving of the holy Communion The Prophet Daniel made a solemne x Dan. 9.4 confession unto God in the behalfe of the Iewes in generall that were with him in captivity in Babylon And Baruch wrote a long y Bar. 1.14.15 c. confession for the Iewes at Ierusalem to make reading it in the House of the Lord upon the feasts and solemne dayes There is also private confession of our sins to be made unto God whereof it is said in the second part of the * T. 2. Homily of repentance that it is the second part of repentance And the Homily saith If we will with a sorrowfull and contrite heart make an unfeined confession of our sinnes unto God hee will freely and frankly forgive them and so put all our wickednesse out of remembrance before the sight of his Majestie that they shall no more be z Heb. 8.12 thought upon Hereunto doth pertaine the golden saying of David where he saith on this manner a Ps 32.5 Then I acknowledged my sinne unto thee neither did I hide mine iniquitie I said I will confesse against my selfe my wickednesse unto the Lord and thou forgavest the ungodlinesse of my sinne These are also the words of Iohn the Evangelist b 1 Iohn 1.9 10. If wee confesse our sinnes God is faithfull and righteous to forgive us our sinnes and to make us cleane from all our wickednesse Which ought to be understood of the confession made unto God This is then the chiefest and most principall confession that in the Scriptures and Word of God wee are bidden to make and without the which wee shall never obtaine pardon and forgivenesse of our sinnes The Prodigall sonne made such a confession saying c Luke 15.21 Father I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight and am no more worthy to be called thy sonne Salomon saith d Prov. 28.13 Hee that hideth his sinnes shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsakes them shall finde mercy CHAP. 45. Of singing Psalmes and spirituall songs in publike and in private and also of singing with musicke IN the title of the Psalmes in meeter in the Booke of Common prayer it is thus said The whole booke of Psalmes collected into English meeter by c. Conferred with the Hebrew with apt notes to sing them withall Set forth and allowed to bee sung in all Churches of all people together before and after morning and evening prayer as also before and after sermons and moreover in private houses for their godly solace and comfort laying apart all ungodly songs and Ballads which tend onely to the nourishing of vice and corrupting of youth Iames 5.13 If any be afflicted let him pray and if any be merry let him sing Psalmes And then in the Common prayer booke of that forme which is appointed for Churches there is added a Treatise made by Athanasius the great cōcerning the use and vertue of the Psalmes whose beginning is thus and a delivery most memorable All holy Scripture is certainly the teacher of all vertue and of true faith but the booke of Psalmes doth expresse after a certaine manner the very state and condition of the soule For as he which intendeth to present himselfe to a King first will compound with himselfe to set in good order both his gesture and his speech lest else he might be reputed rude and ignorant even so doth this godly booke informe all such as be desirous to lead their life in vertue and to know the life of our Saviour which hee ledd in his conversation putting them in minde in the reading thereof of all their affections and passions whereto their soule is inclined c. And then doe follow 99. signifyings of what Psalmes may be sung even upon most occasions that come to passe in this present life And both before and also after the Psalmes in meeter there are sundry spirituall songs which may be sung upon sundry occasions unto the great comfort of the minde * Of singing with musicke Concerning singing in publike it is said in the booke of Ezra e Ezra 3.10 11. When the builders laid the foundation of the Temple of the Lord they set the Priests in their apparell with Trumpets and the Levites the sonnes of Asaph with Cymbals to praise the Lord after the Ordinance of Dauid King of Israel And they sang together by course in praising and giving thankes unto the Lord because hee is good for his mercy indureth for ever towards Israel And in the booke of Chronicles it is said f 1 Chron. 16.7 David delivered a Psalme to thanke the Lord into the hand of Asaph and his brethren The which holy Prophet hath said g Ps 148.11 12 13 14. Kings of the earth and all people Princes and all Iudges of the earth both young men and maydens old men and Children let them praise the name of the Lord. h Ps 149.1 3. Sing unto the Lord a new song and his praise in the congregation of Saints let them sing praises unto him with Timbrell and Harpe i Ps 150.1 Praise yee God in his Sanctuary k Ps 95.1 2. O come let us sing unto the Lord let us make a joyfull noyse to the rocke of our salvation Let us come before his presence with thankesgiving and make a ioyfull noyse unto him with Psalmes l Ps 100.1 Serve the Lord with gladnesse come before his presence with singing Saint Paul said to the Church of Ephesus Be m Eph. 5.18 19 filled with the spirit speaking to your selves in Psalmes and hymnes and spirituall songs singing and making melodie in your heart to the Lord. n Ps 150.3 4 5. Praise the Lord saith David with the sound of the Trumpet praise him with the Psaltery and Harpe Praise him with the Timbrell and daunce praise him with stringed instruments and Organs Praise him upon the loud Cymbals praise him upon the high sounding Cymbals It is written that Moses and the Children of Israel o Exod. 15.1 sang a song unto the Lord. And that p
be b Ps 25.12 13 Isa 50.10 left without helpe For either God Almighty will c Acts 8.29 send him some godly Doctour to teach him as he did to instruct the Eunuch or else if wee lacke a learned man to instruct and teach us yet God himselfe from above will give d 2 Sam. 22.29 See the Collect for the third Sunday after Easter light unto our mindes and teach us those things which are necessary for us and wherein we bee ignorant And in another place Chrysostome saith That mans humane and e 1 Cor. 1.19 20 21. Rom. 1.22 Col. 2.8 1 Cor. 2.14 3.19 20. worldly wisdome or science needeth not to the understanding of Scripture but the f Mat. 11.27 Ioh. 14 26. 16.13 revelation of the holy Ghost who inspireth the true meaning unto them that with humility and diligence doe search therefore c. In the second part of the * T. 2 p. 149 150. Homily an information concerning certaine places of Scripture It is said If ye will be profitable hearers and readers of the holy Scriptures yee must first g Mat. 16.24 1 Cor. 4.18 deny your selves and keepe under your h 1 Cor. 2.14 Isay 55.7.8 Rom. 8.5 6 7. carnall senses taken by the outward words and search the inward meaning i Rom. 4.18 19 20 21 22. reason must give place to Gods holy Spirit you must submit your worldly wisedome and judgement unto his diuine wisedome and judgement Consider that the Scripture in what strange forme soeuer it be pronounced is the word of the living God It cannot therefore bee but k Tit. 1.2 Pro. 8.6 7 8 9. truth which proceedeth from the God of all truth it cannot be but wisely and prudently commanded what Almighty God hath devised how vainly soever through want of grace we miserable wretches doe imagine and judge of his most holy Word In the third part of the * T. 2. p. 231. Homily for Rogation weeke it is said l Wisd 7.14 Wisedome is an infinite treasure unto men which who so use become partakers of the love of God I might with many words move some of this audience to search for this wisedome to sequester their reason to follow Gods Commandement to cast from them the wits of their braines to savour this wisedome to renounce the wisedome and policy of this fond world to taste and savour that whereunto the favour and will of God hath called them and willeth us finally to enjoy by his favour if we m Prov. 1.33 2.1 2 3 4 5. 8.34 35. would give eare The elect as they can search n Iob 28.12.20.23.28 where to finde this wisedome and know of whom to o Iam. 1.5 Ephes 17. aske it So know they againe that in time it is found and can therefore attemper themselves to the occasion of the time to suffer no time to p Eph. 5.15 16 17. Prov. 14.23 passe away wherein they may labour for this q Ecclus. 51.30 See all c. Ecclus. 24. wisedome And to encrease therein they know how God of his infinite mercy and lenitie giveth all men here time and place of r Rom. 2.4 Rev. 2.21 repentance The naturall man saith Saint Paul receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him neither Å¿ 1 Cor. 2.14 can he know them because they are spiritually discerned Wherefore the Lord Christ said verily verily except a man be borne againe he t Iohn 3.3 cannot see the kingdome of God The Prophet David saith u Psal 25.12 13 14.9 What man is hee that feareth the Lord him will hee teach the way that he shall choose His soule shall dwell at ease and his seed shall inherite the earth The secret of the Lord is with them that feare him and he will shew them his covenant The meeke will hee guide in judgement and the meeke will hee teach his way Saint Paul also saith Let no man deceive himselfe If any man among you seemeth to bee wise in this world let him become a w 1 Cor. 3.18 19 20. foole that hee may bee wise For the wisedome of this world is foolishnes with God We are to beleeve that every word syllable and x Mat. 5.18 Gal. 3.16 1 Cor. 15.27 Heb. 2.8 letter of the holy Scriptures is truth though the matter be farre y Rom 4.18.20 21 22. See in Homily in T. 2. p. 149. aboue our comprehension or * Some words are to bee understood not naturally but spiritually as in Rev. 11.8 and some figuratively as John 15.8 Luke 22.20 Psalme 6.6 Matth. 3.5 namely when as the naturall or proper sense of them cannot stand consonant either with the context or with other Scriptures The letter is to be retained alwaies in every understanding for let any jot or title passe and where is the Scripture then understanding The Lord saith Till heaven and earth passe one z Mat. 5.18 jot or one title shall in no wise passe from the Law till all be fulfilled The Scripture cannot be a Iohn 10.35 broken Yee shall not b Deut. 4.2 adde unto the word which I command you neither shall ye diminish ought from it that yee may keepe the commandements of the Lord your God which I command you c Pro. 30.6 Adde not thou unto his words lest he reproue thee and thou be found a lier Saint Peter saith that in Saint Pauls Epistles are some things d 2 Pet. 3.16 hard to bee understood which they that are unlearned and unstable doe wrest as they doe also the other Scriptures unto their owne destruction Againe the Lord Christ saith If ye e Iohn 8.31.32 continue in my word then are ye my disciples indeed And ye shall c know the truth and the truth shall make you free Againe hee said unto the Iewes If any man will doe the f Iohn 7.17 will of God my Father he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speake of my selfe Saint Iames saith If any want wisedome let him g Iames 1.5 aske of God that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not and it shall be giuen him Christ saith your heauenly Father will h Luke 11.13 give the holy Spirit to them that aske him and which also i Acts 5.32 obey him which holy Spirit teacheth k 2. Pet. 1.3 all things that pertaine unto life and godlines and l Iohn 16.13 Psal 25.5 leadeth the obedient into all truth unto m Eph. 4.3 Ioh. 17.21 221 unity n Iam. 3.17.18 Gal. 5.22 23. peace and o Act. 1.14 Act. 2.46 and 4.32 Col. 2.2.5 1 Cor. 1.10 Phil. 2.2 concord Solomon most memorably saith p Prov. 2.1 2 3 4 5 6 7. My sonne if thou wilt receive my words and hide my Commandements with thee so that thou encline thine eare unto wisedome and apply
one upon another for claiming one of the other further than that in ancient right and custome our forefathers have peaceably laid out unto us for our commodity and comfort * p 235. Thou shalt not commandeth Almighty God in his Law remove thy neighbours g Deut. 19.14 marke which they of old time have set in their inheritance Thou shalt not saith h Pro. 22.28 Prov. 23.10.11 Solomon remove the ancient bounds which thy fathers have laid And lest wee should esteeme it to be but a light offence so to doe we shall understand that it is reckoned among the curses of God pronounced upon sinners Accursed be he saith Almighty God by Moses who i Deut. 27 17. removeth his neighbours doles and markes and all the people shall say answering Amen thereto as ratifying that curse upon whom it doth light They doe much provoke the wrath of God upon themselves which use to grinde upon the doles and markes which of ancient time were laid for the division of meeres and balkes in the fields to bring the owners to their right They doe wickedly which doe turne up the ancient terries of the fields that old men before times with great paines did tread out whereby the Lords records which be the tenants Evidences be perverted and translated sometime to the disheriting of the right owner to the oppression of the poore fat herlesse or the poore widow The * p 237. Homily also delivereth that men should not plough and grate upon their neighbours land that lyeth next them that they should not plough up so nigh the common balkes and walks which good men before time made the greater and broader partly for the commodious walke of his neighbour partly for the better shacke in harvest time to the more comfort of his poore neighbours cattell And that beere balkes wherin the corps should be caried to the Christian sepulture should not be pinched at but inviolably kept unto that purpose Also that all such encroachments should be looked on and considered in the dayes of Perambulation The high wayes then are also to be considered in your walkes to understand where to bestow your dayes workes according to the good statutes provided for the same Whereas it is a custome at certaine places in the Procession to reade a Gospell that peoples minds may receive instruction and their soules have food in their going is it not done for the k 1 Cor. 10.31 glory of God and the edification of the company It is written in the booke of Nehemiah that the congregation of Israel made l Neh. 8.14 15 16 17 18. boothes abroad in the ayre and sate under the boothes And day by day from the first day unto the last day of the boothes feast hee read in the booke of the Law of God It is not a sinne to read some portion of scripture unto people in the fields neither is it a transgression for Christian people to say some prayer there alwayes provided that nothing be done contrary to the law Ecclesiasticall or temporall of the Realme wherein we live and that what we doe be by common authority an allowed custome It is written in the Acts that by a m Acts. 16.13 rivers side prayer was sometimes made and that people there received some instruction In the booke of Canticles the Church of Christ saith thus concerning Iesus Christ I am my beloveds and his desire is towards me Come my beloved let us goe forth into the n Song 7.10 11 12. field let us lodge in the villages Let us get up earely to the vineyards let us see if the vine flourish whether the tender grape appeare and the pomegranats bud forth there will I give thee my loves That is there will I say O Lord our Lord how excellent is thy name in o Psal 8.3.6 7.8 9. all the earth there will I give thanks unto thee and p Psal 92.1.4 sing praises unto thy name O most High I will there triumph in the workes of thy hands Concerning peoples making the signe of the Crosse at such places where it is to be knowne that their parish bounds doe end what marke or signe is so fit to be made It is the Christian signe It is the marke wherewith wee were signed when we were baptized The Crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ is that wherein wee should all q Gal. 6.14 glory And why may we not use the signe therof in such occasiōs as Publike Authority alloweth In the thirtieth Canon of the Church it is said That the honour and dignity of the name of the Crosse begat a reverend estimation even in the Apostles time for ought that is knowne to the contrary of the signe of the Crosse which the Christians shortly after used in all their actions thereby making an outward shew and profession even to the astonishment of the Iewes that they were not ashamed to acknowledge him for their Lord and Saviour who died for them upon the Crosse Reade hereto the Chapter concerning Ceremonies why some bee abolished and some reteined that is set in the beginning of the Common Prayer booke CHAP. 76. Of Almes deeds IN first part of the * T. 2. p. 154. Homily of Almes-deeds it is said Amongst the manifold duties that Almighty God requireth of his faithfull servants the true Christians by the which he would that both his name should bee r Ioh. 15.8 glorified and the ſ 2 Pet. 1.10.5 6 7. certainty of their vocation declared there is none that is either more acceptable unto him or more profitable for them then are the t Mic. 6.8 workes of mercy and pity shewed upon the poore which be afflicted with any kind of misery In the third part of the * T. 2. p. 74. Homily against perill of Idolatry there is alleaged a saying out of Clemens an ancient godly Writer viz. If you will truely honour the Image of God you should by doing well to man honour the true Image of God in him For the Image of God is in every man but the likenesse of God is not in every one but in those onely which have a godly heart and pure minde If you will therefore truely honour the Image of God wee doe declare to you the truth that ye doe well to man who is made after the Image of God that you give u 1 Pet. 2.17 honour and reverence unto him and refresh the hungry with meat the thirstie with drinke the naked with clothes the sicke with attendance the stranger harbourlesse with lodging the w Mat. 25.42 43 44 45. prisoners with necessaries and this shall bee accounted as truly bestowed upon God And these things are so directly appertaining to Gods honor that whosoever doth not this shall seeme to have x Prov. 14 31. reproached and done villany to the Image of God In the third part of the * T. 1. p. 67. Homily against the feare of death it
is said While wee have time as Saint Paul exhorteth let us doe good unto y Gal. 6.10 all men and not z Mat 6.19 lay up our treasures in earth where rust and mothes corrupt it which rust as Saint Iames saith shall beare a Iam. 5.3 witnesse against us at the great day condemne us and shall like most burning fire torment our flesh Let us beware therefore as we tender our owne wealth that we be not in the number of those miserable covetous and wretched men which Saint Iames biddeth b Iam. 5.1 mourne and lament for their greedy gathering and ungodly keeping of goods Let us be wise in time and learne to follow the wise c Luke 16.8 example of the wicked Steward Let us study daily and diligently to shew our selves to be the true honourers and lovers of God by d Ioh. 14.15.21.23.24 keeping of his Commandements by doing of e 1 Thes 5.15 good deeds unto our needy neighbours f Rom. 12.13 Relieving by all meanes that we can their poverty with our abundance and plenty their g 1 Pet. 4.10 Iam. 5.19.20 Isa 30.4 Ignorance with our wisedome and learning and h 1 Thes 5.14 Isa 1.17 comfort their weakenesse with our strength and authority calling all men backe from evill doing by i Lev. 19.17 godly counsell and good k Phil. 2.15.16 Mat. 5.16 1 Tim. 4.12 example l Gal. 6.9 Rev. 2.10 persevering still in well doing so long as we live In the fourth part of the * T. 2. p. 237. Homily for Rogation weeke it is said Love equitie and m Prov. 15.9 Ier. 8.24 Wis 1.1 Micah 6.8 Mat. 23.23 righteousnesse ensue mercie and charity which God most n Lev. 19.9.10 Lev. 23.22 Dout. 24.19.20.21.22 requireth at our hands Which Almighty God respecting chiefly in making his Civill Lawes for his people the Israelites in charging the owners not to gather up their Corne too nigh at harvest season nor the Grapes and Olives in gathering time but to leave behind some eares of Corne for the n Lev. 19.9.10 Lev. 23.22 Dout. 24.19.20.21.22 poore Gleaners By this hee meant to induce them to pitty the Poore to relieve the needy to shew mercie and kindnesse It cannot bee o Prov. 19.17 lost which for his sake is distributed to the Poore For hee which p 2 Cor. 9.10 ministreth seed to the sower and bread to the hungry which sendeth downe the early and latter q Iam. 5.7 raine upon your fields so to r Prov. 3.10 fill up the Barnes with Corne and the Wine-presses with Wine and Oyle he I say who ſ Luk. 14.13.14 recompenceth all kinde of benefits in the resurrection of the just he will assuredly recompence t Mat. 10.42 all mercifull deeds shewed to the needy howsoever unable the poore is upon whom it is bestowed Iesus Christ said to the Pharises But rather give u Luke 11.41 Almes of such things as you have And behold all things are cleane unto you The Prophet Daniel said unto Nebuchadnezzar Breake off thy sinnes by righteousnesse and thine iniquities by w Dan. 4.27 shewing mercy to the poore if it may be a lengthning of thy tranquillity The Church hath gathered most memorable sentences out of the Scripture concerning Almes-giving and inserted them betweene the Nicene Creed the prayer for the whole estate of Christs Church Militant here on earth and in the rubricke immediately following it addeth Thē shall the Church-wardens or some other by them appointed gather the devotion of the people and put the same into the Poore mans Boxe c. Where Almes-giving is said to bee devotion because it is a maine duty in the Christian Religion as S. Iames saith Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this To x Iam. 1.27 visit the Fatherlesse and Widows in their affliction and to keepe ones selfe unspotted from the world The praise of Cornelius is That he was a devout man and one that feared God with all his house which gave much y Acts. 10.24 Almes to the people and prayed to God alway The praise of Dorcas is that shee was full of good workes and z Acts 9.36 Almes deeds which shee did Cast thy a Eccles. 11.12 bread saith Salomon upon the waters For after many dayes thou shalt finde it A good man saith David hath dispersed hee hath given to the poore his righteousnesse endureth for ever Saint Iohn saith c 1 Ioh. 3 17. Whoso hath this worlds good and seeth his brother hath need shutteth up his bowles of compassion from him how dwelleth the love of God in him Tobias saith Give d Tob. 4.7.8 c. Almes of thy substance and when thou givest Almes let not thine eyes be envious neither turne thy face from any poore and the face of God shall not be turned away from thee If thou hast abundance give Almes accordingly if thou have but a little bee not afraid to give according to that little c. For the farthing which the poore widdow gave was greatly e Mark 12.42.43.44 accepted as testifieth Iesus Christ the truth eternall Let every true Christian diligently often reade through the whole Homily of Almes-deeds CHAP. 77. Of Fasting IN the first part of the * T. 2 p 81. Homily of Fasting it is said The life which we live in this world is of the free benefit of God f Rev. 2 2◠2 Cor. 5.15 lent us yet not to use it at our pleasure after our owne fleshly will but to trade over the same in those workes which are beseeming them that are become g 2 Cor. 5.17 new creatures in Christ And * P. 82. There are two sorts so Fasting afterward it is said Fasting which is found in the Scriptures is of two sorts The one outward pertaining to the body the other inward in the heart and minde This outward Fast is an abstinence from meate drinke and all naturall b Ps 112.6 2 Cor. 9.9 food yea from all delitious h Isa 58.3 pleasures and * Leu. 23.29 delectations worldly When this outward Fast pertaineth to one particular man or to a few and not the whole number of the people for causes which hereafter shall be declared then it is called a private Fast But when the whole multitude of men women and children in a towne-ship City yea though a whole country do fast it is called a publike Fast Such was that Fast which the whole Multitude of the children of Israel were cōmanded to keep the i Leu. 23.27.28.29.30.31.32 tenth day of the seventh moneth because Almighty God appointed that day to be a cleansing day a day of atonement a time of reconciliation a day wherein people were cleansed from their sinnes The order and manner how it was done is written in 16. and 23 Chapters of Leviticus That day the people did lament
workes of the spirit namely the fruits of faith charitable and godly motions if we have any at all in him they proceed onely of the Holy Ghost who is the x onely worker of our sanctification and maketh us new men in Christ Iesus as David of a poore shepheard to become a Princely Prophet Matthew of a proud Publicane to become an humble and lowly Euangelist Peter of a simple fisher to become a chiefe and mighty Apostle Paul of a cruell and bloody persecutor to become a faithfull disciple of Christ and a teacher of the Gentiles Such is the power of the Holy Ghost to x 1 Cor. 6.11 regenerate men and as it were to bring them forth anew so that they shall bee y 2 Cor. 5.17 nothing like the men that they were before Regeneration is begun in Baptisme as the Service thereof expresly delivereth and it is increased afterward in all such as are z Rom. 8.14 Gal. 5.18 Eph. 4.15 16. led by the spirit of Iesus Christ Concerning conversion repentance and regeneration the holy Scriptures doe thus deliver Iesus Christ saith Verily I say unto you a Mat. 18.3 Except ye be converted and become as little children ye shall not enter into the Kingdome of heaven Except ye b Luke 13.3 repent yee shall all likewise perish Verily verily I say unto thee c Iohn 3.5.3 Except a man be borne againe he cannot see the kingdome of God Verily verily I say unto thee except a man be borne of water and of the spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdome of God Moses saith d Deut. 10.16 Circumcise the fore-skin of your heart and be no more stiffe-necked The Lord saith by Ieremiah e Ier. 4 3 4 Break up your fallow ground and sow not among thornes Circumcise your selves to the Lord and take away the fore-skins of your heart lest my fury come forth like fire and burne that none can quench it because of the evill of your doings Hosea saith f Hos 10.22 Sow to your selves in righteousnesse reape in mercie breake up your fallow ground for it is time to seeke the Lord till he come and raine righteousnes upon you Christ said to the Angel of the Church of Ephesus Remember from whence thou art fallen and g Rev. 2.5 repent and doe the first workes or else I will come unto thee quickly and will remove thy Candlesticke out of his place except thou repent Saint Paul mentioneth to the Corinthians seven fruits of such repentance saying Godly sorrow worketh h 2 Cor. 7.10.11 repentance to salvation not to be repented of but the sorrow of the world worketh death For behold this selfe same thing that ye sorrowed after a godly sort what carefulnesse it wrought in you yea what clearing of your selves yea what indignation yea what feare yea what vehement desire yea what zeale yea what revenge c. CHAP. 79. Of our duty towards God as it is delivered in the most sacred Catechisme MY duty towards God is to beleeve in him to feare him and to love him with all my heart with all my minde with all my soule and with all my strength To worship him to give him thanks to put my whole trust in him to call upon him to honour his holy name and his word and to serve him truely all the dayes of my life Here are mentioned ten sundry matters of our duty towards God and each hath a large extent Now onely there shall bee delivered some briefe exposition of them The first of the duties reckoned up The first duty is to beleeve in God The i Iam. 2.19 Devils saith Saint Iames doe beleeve that there is one God and they tremble also But true Christians doe more they k Iohn 14.1 beleeve in that one eternall God In the first part of the * T. 1. p. 22. Homily of Faith it is said And this is not onely the common beleefe of the Articles of our Faith but it is also a true trust and confidence of the mercy of God l Act 15.11 Rom. 5.1.11 through our Lord Iesus Christ and a stedfast m Eph. 1.18 hope of all good things to be received at Gods hand and that although we through infirmity or temptation of our ghostly enemy doe n Rev. 2.5 fall from him by sinne yet if we o Deut. 30.2 and 4.29.30 returne againe unto him by true repentance that he will forgive and forget our offences for his Sonnes p Dan. 9.17 sake our Saviour Iesus Christ and will make us inheritors with him of his everlasting Kingdome and that in the meane time untill that Kingdome come he will bee our q Psal 91.1 2 4.9.10.11.12 protector and defender in all perills and dangers whatsoever doe chance and that though sometime he doth send us sharpe r Psal 44.19 adversitie yet that evermore he will be a loving father unto us correcting us for our sinne but not Å¿ Psa 89.28 29 30 31 32 33. and 99.8 withdrawing his mercie finally from us if we trust in him and t 1 Pet. 4.19 Psal 37.3.4.5 commit our selves wholy unto him u 1 Pet. 5.7 hang only upon him and call upon him ready to w Heb. 5.9 obey and serve him Read the whole Homily of Faith for therein in wonderfull divine manner is declared what it is to beleeve in God Abrahams beleefe in God is set forth unto us for an example who as Saint Paul saith x Rom. 4.18 against hope beleeved in hope that he might become the father of many Nations according to that which was spoken so shall thy seed be It is the property of Christian faith to be y Rom. 4.19 20 21. fully perswaded that what God hath promised hee is able also to performe though the matter farre exceed our naturall comprehension how it can bee The Apostle saith z Heb. 11.1 faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seene The second duty The second duty is to feare God The feare of the Lord saith Solomon is to a Prov. 8.13 hate evill And he there reckoneth up the foure chiefe evills which are to be hated namely pride and arrogancie and the evill way and a froward mouth David saith Let all the earth b Ps 33.8 feare the Lord let all the Inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him Peter intimateth unto professors of Christianitie why they should feare God saying Forasmuch as yee call on the Father who without respect of persons judgeth according to every mans work passe the time of your sojourning here in c 1 Pet. 1.17 feare David declareth who truly feareth God saying Blessed is the man that d Ps 112.1 as it is in the Divine Service translation feareth the Lord hee delighteth greatly in his Commandements The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that e Ps 103.17.18
brother in Malachi seemeth to signifie every one of Adams posterity where it is said Have wee not z Mal. 2.10 all one Father hath not one God created us we are cōmanded to e Mat. 5.44 love our enemies and to pray for them which despitefully use us and persecute us The second duty to doe unto all others as we would they should do unto us The second duty mentioned is that wee doe to all men as we would they should doe unto us And so taught Iesus Christ in his f Mat. 7.12 Gospell and likewise the Law and the Prophets They that alwaies keepe this Duty in remembrance and make it a rule for their thoughts words and deeds are thereby with the g Phil. 4.13 helpe of Christs Spirit moved to h Isa 1.16.17 Ps 34 14. cease from much evill and to endeavour much good The delivery is also in a manner an explanation of the sentence immediately afore namely of loving ones neighbour as ones selfe For who so i Rom. 13.10 loveth his neighbour as himselfe doth nothing unto him in word or deed but what hee would his neighbour should doe unto him The third duty to love honour and succour our Parents The third Duty is that we love honour and succour our Parents That every one should love the Father which begat him and the Mother which bare him in her wombe nature or common reason teacheth That they are to be * Mat. 15.4 5 6 Ecclus. 3.8.12.14.16 Lev. 19 3. honoured the fift Commandement requireth That they are to be succoured Saint Paul instructeth saying Let them learne first to shew piety at home and to k 1. Tim. 5.4 requite their parents For that is good and acceptable before God The fourth duty to honour and obey the King and his Ministers The fift duty to submit to all our superiours The fourth Duty is that we honour and obey the King and his Ministers or officers And that is amply declared afore in the Chapters 70. and 71. The fift Duty is to submit ones selfe to all his governours teachers spirituall Pastors and masters And so the Holy Ghost cōmandeth saying l Heb. 13.17 1 Pet 5.5 Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves And ye younger submit your selves unto the Elders And ye m 1 Pet. 2.18 The sixt Duty To order ones selfe lowly and reverently to all one 's betters servants be yee subject to your Masters with all feare not onely to the good and gentle but also to the froward The sixt Duty is That we order our selves lowly and reverently to all our betters as it is written n Rom. 13.7 Render to al their dues honour to whom honour is due Bee kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love in honour o Rom. 12.10 preferring one another Thou shalt p Lev. 19.32 rise before the hoary head and honour the face of the old man and feare thy God q Eph. 5.21 The seventh Duty To hurt no body by word nor deed Submit your selves one to another in the feare of God The seventh Duty is To hurt no body by word or deed So Saint Paul signifieth that we speake r Tit. 3 2. evill of no man and that we worke ſ Rom. 13.10 1 Thes 5.15 The eight Duty To be true and just in all our dealing ill to none The eighth Dutie is That wee bee true and just in all our dealing So saith the Apostle That no man t 1 Thes 4.6 Zechar. 7.9 10. The ninth Duty To beare no malice nor hatred in our heart goe beyond and defraud his brother in any matter because that the Lord is the avenger of all such The ninth Duty is That we beare no malice nor hatred in our heart The Apostle Peter signifieth That we should lay aside all u 1 Pet. 2.1 Eph. 4.31 1 Iohn 3.15 1 Cor. 14 20. The tenth Duty To keepe our hands from picking and stealing malice And Saint Iohn saith Who so hateth his brother is a murtherer The tenth Duty is That we keepe our hands from picking and stealing as Saint Paul saith Let him that hath stolne w Eph. 4.28 steale no more And Titus he willeth to teach that there should bee no x Tit. 2.10 The Eleventh Duty To keep ones tongue from evil speaking lying and slandering purloyning but a shewing of all good fidelity or faithfulnesse The eleventh Duty is That every one keepe his tongue from evill speaking lying and slandering S. Iames saith y Iam. 1.26 if any one brideleth not his tongue his religion is in vaine S. Paul saith Let all z Eph. 4.31 32 bitternesse and wrath and anger and clamour and evill speaking be put away from you with all malice To the Colossians he saith a Col. 3.9 Lye not one to another And David saith Lord who shall abide in thy Tabernacle who shall dwell in thy holy hill Hee that b Ps 15.1 2 3. backbiteth not with his tongue nor doth evill to his Neighbour nor taketh up or receiveth a reproach against his Neighbour The twelfth Duty To keepe ones body in temperance sobernesse and chastity The twelfth Duty is That every one keepe his body in temperance sobernesse and chastity S. Paul said that he did c 1 Cor. 9.27 25. keepe under his body and bring it into subjection And that every one which striveth for a mastery is temperate in all things now they doe it to obtaine a corruptible Crowne but we an incorruptible Saint Peter saith Adde to your knowledge d 2 Pet. 1.6 temperance Saint Paul saith to the Thessalonians Let us who are of the day be e 1 Thes 5.8 sober Sobernesse or sobriety is often times commanded in the Gospel and he willeth Titus to teach f Tit. 2.5 Chastity To the Corinthians hee saith Having therefore these promises dearly beloved let us cleanse our selves from all g 2 Cor. 7.1 filthinesse of the flesh and spirit perfecting holinesse in the feare of God To the Colossians he saith Mortifie your Members which are upon the earth h Col. 3.5 The thirteenth Duty Not to covet nor desire other mens goods fornication uncleannesse inordinate affection evill concupiscence c. The thirteenth Duty is That we should not covet nor desire other mens goods And so the i Exod. 20.17 last of the ten Commandements requireth The Apostle saith Let your conversation be without k Heb. 13.15 covetousnesse and be content with such things as yee have For God hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee The fourteenth Duty To learn to labour truly for to get our owne living The fourteenth Duty is That we learne and labour truely to get our owne living The Apostle saith We did not eate any mans bread for nought but l 2 Thes 3.8 wrought with labour and travell night and day that we might not be chargeable