were righteous before men but this is opposed to all pharisaicall iustice they were both iust before God Hence we note some obseruations 1. As they were religious persons 2. As they were married persons The Lord approueth and honoureth godlinesse euery where as in Zacharie and Elizabeth and teacheth vs by his owne example highly to esteeme of religious persons and willingly chearfully to speake of their graces To shew our owne louing affection to good persons and good things for according to the abundance of the heart the mouth will speake the shop is furnished out of the warehouse To encourage and promote grace in others whensoeuer we see it for praise of vertue encreaseth it Thirdly to prouoke our selues and others to attaine the like graces both for kind and measure Fourthly to get a sure note of soundnesse in our selues for it is a propertie of a good man to honour them that feare the Lord and a sparke of the image and resemblance of the Lord himselfe Note a difference of mens wayes from Gods he commendeth nothing but his owne grace they euery thing but this men are by men commended and applauded for their wealth and good husbandrie diligence in their callings and for their good hospitalitie and the like but if the Lord commend a man he are he beginneth as Neah Thee haue I found righteous And Abraham not so much for his hospitalitie wherein he exceeded but for instructing his familie Women are by men commended for wealth beautie parentage education and such naturall endowments But if the Lord commend a woman it is the woman that feareth the Lord that shall be praised and if Christ commend a woman it shall not be Martha for her good houswifrie but Marie for choosing the better part Many sinne against this rule who prize not nor speake of the graces of God conferred vpon their brethren because either their hearts affect not grace or because they enuie it or else because they turne out this subiect by blazing the wants and frailties of godly men or else by furthering some blots and casting some staine vpon them Our Lord Iesus contrarily affected and commended euen shewes of goodnesse in the young man for example 3. Others make pietie and grace the buts to shoot all their venome and poysoned arrowes against all their discourses runne against persons fearing God and their godly practises that if diuels had tongues of their owne thus would they employ them but not hauing them of their owne they borrowed these mens to this purpose For Christ must be a butt and signe of contradiction still not in his owne person only but in his members also But against whom hast thou blasphemed Or whom hath railing Rabsechie reuiled Or where shall these arrowes shot against heauen light but vpon the head of him that shot them Who euer aduanced himselfe in blasphemie against the God of heauen and prospered Now as they were married persons because our present errand calleth vs to this part we may learne In that both these persons were iust and yet married that marriage hindereth no man or woman no nor the Ministers of God from being holy and iust before God and men Zacharie a Priest here in his office in the Temple in the action of sacrifice was a married man and yet holy which could not be if the marriage of Ministers hindered their holinesse Elizabeth a Priests wife yet commended by the Spirit of God for an holy and iust woman and therefore the wiues of Ministers are set by God in the foremost ranke of Christ holy gracious and godly women To detest that diabolicall doctrine and religion of Papists which cannot be true but this Scripture and many other must be false In that they hold that first marriage is a being in the flesh and an vncleane thing For did God institute an vncleane thing and that in Paradise before any sinne and vncleannesse was Did Christ grace and honour an vncleane thing by his presence and first miracle Is one of the Sacraments of their holy Church become on the sudden so vncleane a thing Lyars haue great need of good memories Secondly that holy ministerie is as deadly a disease of marriage as the foulest adulterie which onely ought to dissolue marriage Thirdly which opposeth marriage to virginitie as chaffe to wheate or as euill to good whereas Scripture opposeth not marriage to virginitie as lesse good in it selfe but as more inconuenient by the corruption of persons or persecution of the times Neither do they oppose virgins to married persons Reu. 19. 9 but to the filthy fornicators of that whore of Babilon Fourthly which disauoweth marriage but not lust abandoneth Gods sacred ordinance according to nature but not burning concupiscence and vnnaturall filthinesse not to be named among Saints for it is one of their beastly and shamelesse constitutions that their Priesthood is not bound to put away an whore or Concubine so it abiure a lawfull wife Not to take any longer in this Sodomiticall sincke we conclude with our text That marriage hindereth neither inward holinesse nor the most holy externall duties neither priuate nor publicke Both were iust An happie coniunction it is when two godly persons meet in marriage of whom may be said both of them are iust as Abraham and Sarah Isaac and Rebecca Priscilla and Aquila Zacharie and Elizabeth Here is an equall yoke when both are like minded and draw one way both haue their names written in the booke of life when both are of one tribe and religion as this couple was when both worship the same true God both care for the things of God both intend the one thing necessarie both are decked with the same graces and both are heires of the same saluation when both are fit and mutuall helpes marriage becometh a sweete yoke When both are iust the familie will be a little Church of God a place of Gods worship presence delight and blessing From such a coniunction is an expectation of a godly seede and an hopefull posteritie to be left behind vs to worship God in earth when we are gone hence as from this gracious couple descendeth Iohn a gracious sonne of nearest seruice to Iesus Christ. Let all that are to enter into this estate consider what their first ayme ought to be not on finest houses and riches which are the inheritance of fathers but a prudent wife which is the gift of God that is a speciall and most choise gift of his loue Seeke first for goodnesse and for goods afterwards faile in this rule and thou shalt buy gold too deare All married couples must learne and labour to be both iust both religious and fearing God Wiues are as straightly bound to be religious as husbands both must labour for Gods approbation both must care to be spouses of Christ both must striue to be in the couenant of grace both must be married to faith
GOOD HVSBAND AND A Good Wife Layd open in a Sermon Preached by M r. THOMAS TAYLOR Preacher of Gods Word in Aldermanbury LONDON And published by IOHN SEDGVVICKE LONDON Printed for VVILLIAM SHIFFARD and are to be sold at his shop in Popes-head Alley 1625. and board here The best aduise in this cause wee haue in the sacred word of God next vnto that in the paines of holy and godly men who haue both gone before vs and are now through Gods mercy continued to vs. In the number of which let me commend vnto thee the labours of this iudicious and learned Diuine the Author of this ensuing Sermon God by him hath giuen vnto his Church many helps in points of Diuinity and especially in regard of this subiect his directions already this now and others shortly to be printed may serue for a Christian rule this way I must confesse that it had beene ere this time printed had not the humility and modesty of the Author hindred it Willing hee is and hath beene to doe good by preaching but I am sure he glorieth not with many in voluntary printing of those things that are very vsefull for the Church of God Secondly the expectation of an other Sermon which by importunity I obtained the Coppy whereof as soone as it is corrected by the Author himselfe and returned to me according to promise you shall haue for your further direction in the holy choise godly vsage of your selues in this so honourable estate The God of Grace guide your hearts that read this to the conscionable practise of it that you may all blesse God for such worthy helpe and helpe them with your prayers who desire to further you in the way to saluation Yours in the seruice of Christ IOHN SEDGVVICKE A VVEDDING SERMON LVKE 1. 6. And they were both iust and walked in all the commandements and ordinances of the Lord without reproofe AS IOHN himselfe was a forerunner of Christ in his person and office so the Euangelist S. Luke beginning his holy storie maketh the conception of Iohn forerun the storie of the conception of Christ betweene which two was not an obscure correspondence For first both of them were predicted and promised by an Angell who described both their persons both their offices and gaue them both their names Secondly both their conceptions were miraculous by the mightie power of God transcending all the strength of nature Thirdly both of them borne of vnlikely persons the one of a Virgine against nature the other of an old barren woman beyond nature Fourthly both of them were to be borne after a new and vnusuall natiuitie first that the strange conception of the one might be somewhat more credible by the other and secondly that both of them might by all men be conceiued to become most eminent persons of extraordinarie spirit and seruice in the world who after so extraordinarie manner came into the world For so when Iohn was borne the neighbours asked What manner of child shall this be verse 66. Now our Euangelist stayeth a great while in the confirmation of Iohns extraordinarie conception and honourable birth for these reasons First because his calling was to be extraordinary he was to be a man sent from God Ioh. 1. 6. not called by man but by God immediatly Secondly his office was to be a witnesse of the truth and that all men through him might beleeue v. 7. And because the truth of a testimonie dependeth vpon the worth of the witnesse to adde more authoritie to Iohns testimonie he sheweth the person to be an extraordinarie man in holinesse and honour and therefore most faithfull and worthie of all credite and highest respect Thirdly Iohn was to be the first witnesse and publicke Preacher in the new Testament yea to be the forerunner and immediat seruant of Christ. Hence is he called Iohn by the Angell which word signifieth fauour or grace first because he was bestowed by Gods speciall grace on his parents when they were old and by the course of nature could not expect him secondly because he was to be the first Preacher of grace in the new Testament Next therfore it was to insist in the large and honourable mention of so neare a seruant to Christ seeing the more honourable the seruant is the more is the glorie and eminencie of the maister Fourthly because the faith of the Church was to leane vpon this testimonie of Iohn therefore is the Spirit of God more industrious to make his witnesse certaine and leaue it most infallible Now among other arguments of Iohns commendation he is in the words read commended by the worthinesse of his parentage For first both his parents are named his father was Zacharie that is one mindfull of God his mothers name was Elizabeth which signified God is my rest and it appeareth they were not vnanswerable to their names Secondly both of them were of an holy stocke and progenie He was of the order and stocke of Aaron and she was of the daughters of Aaron and so both of them were well descended Thirdly both of them were as holy in their owne persons as in their parentage For both of them were iust before God and walked in all the commandements and ordinances of the Lord without reproofe Both of them were iust First neither of them was without infirmitie neither of them without sinne Secondly neither of them was legally iust which requireth whole conformitie of the whole man to the whole Law and that in the vtmost perfection Thirdly neither of both were iust or iustified by workes and much lesse by meriting or desert For why then was Zacharie presently strucke dumbe for his vnbeliefe verse 20. Or if that which the Rhemists on this place were true what did Zacharie here in the Temple offering sacrifice first for his owne sins and then for the peoples if he did so perfectly fulfill the Law as they say How then were they both iust A. Both were iust Euangelically First by imputation to both of them was Christs iustice imputed so as though both of them laboured vnder their personall infirmities yet God for Christs sake did not impute their sinnes vnto them Secondly by acceptation God did approue them both for iust and righteous persons beholding them in the couenant of his loue which accepteth of impure and vnworthie actions of his children as righteous and iust and affordeth a large couer for their daily defects and frailties Thirdly by inchoation in that both of them being renewed by Gods Spirit endeuoured to keepe all the commandements of the Lord and were heartily grieued when they failed in their true endeuour Fourthly by the Lords iustification both were iustified by God from hypocrisie and raigning guile What they did they did before God in truth and vnfainedly as in his sight and by their fruites of faith both of them were iustified before men who by their externall righteousnesse saw that their faith was sound and themselues true beleeuers The Pharises
loue godlinesse and holinesse both must seeke to be rich beautifull and glorious within as the spouses of Iesus Christ. 3. All married persons must aboue all things loue respect and cherish grace one in another ground not thy loue vpon beautie riches portion youth or such failing foundations but pitch it first in God and grace and it will hold Let it begin at the soule and thence shew it selfe to the body The man and wife ought to seeke the sauing one of anothers soule 1. Cor. 7. 5. Christ the husband of his Church did all suffered all bestowed all his wisedome strength riches yea his precious bloud for his spouse to sanctifie and saue her an vnfailing patterne for all spouses Where both are iust true grace will be valued at the highest rate one in another the one will hold the other worth so much as there is religion and the feare of God Betweene this beauty of soule riches of mind wealth of grace is esteemed at an incomparable rate and these entise and draw on heauenly spirituall and lasting loue When both are iust grace will be cherished in each more then good nature grace is excited by each in the exercise of spirituall duties they pray with and for one another they reade conferre and counsell together they edifie one another on their holy faith and this is a strong cement of loue Where both are iust both praise God as for inferiour endowments so especially for the measure of grace receiued and for that holy religion to which they are married Where God hath giuen this blessing there is wealth beauty loue and euery sweet and needfull comfort and contentment Before God from hence note this doctrine That those be indeed truly religious and righteous that are so before God that set themselues alwayes before God and in sinceritie of heart know and remember they haue to do with God in all things Iam. 1. 27. pure and vndefiled religion before God the thing that true religion doth is it bindeth God to man and man to God None can be iust before God Psal. 143. 2. Rom. 3. 20. No flesh can be iustified before the Lord. 1. That is no man onely flesh without Christ and his Spirit 2. No man can personally and perfectly be iustified so as his person and worke can passe allowable in strict iustice 3. No flesh in his sight vnlesse it be seene in the sight of Christ. But by mercifull acceptation the beleeuer is iustified and approoued as iust seene in Christ 2. By sound resolution he setteth himselfe vnder Gods eye and in his presence as a witnesse of his righteous and godly course and so seeketh in sinceritie of heart to be approued of him in all things And thus Zachery and Elizabeth are said to be iust in this place The reasons of this Doctrine are these Such a worshipper only the Lord requireth Gen. 17. 1. Walke before me and be vpright Deut. 5. 29. Oh that there were such an heart in them that they might feare me and keepe all my commandements alwayes Onely such are accepted of him who are Iewes within Rom. 2. Who worship in Spirit and truth Ioh. 4. for because he is the seer and searcher of the hearts he loueth truth in the inward parts Psal. 51. And hath pleasure in vprightnesse 1. Chron. 29. 17. Here is a manifest distinction betweene godly men and euill who haue faire shewes are smooth outwardly can draw neare with their lips but God is not in their thoughts their hearts are remoued froÌ„ him The Pharisey can wash the outside of the cup and platter and can do many things to be seene of men But the godly man setteth himselfe in the eye of God and doth things with the heart not contenting himselfe to seeme good but to be so nor with a forme of godlinesse without the power of it This man shineth from the heart within and is better in substance then in show The goodnesse of this man is not to the eye and outward but inward from his heart before God All Euangelicall obedience is chiefly in purpose of heart in holy desires and hearty resolutions The top of the beleeuers perfection is not in perfection of action but affection and in strife against imperfection and truth of desires as Acts 11. 23. When with full purpose of heart we cleaue vnto the Lord. 1. Chronicles 18. 7. If Solomon shall endeauour to keepe the commandements then shall his kingdome be established This maketh workes and persons acceptable and accounted perfect This maketh duties comfortable when men charge vs with hypocrisie and sinâ—stâ—r ends as Dauid to Micall I did it before the Lord. A day cometh wherein the Lord will pronounce of euery man as his heart shall be before him as here of Zacharie and Elizabeth In which he will vnfold and turne out all the windings and corners of mens hearts If a peace of the heart or of vprightnesse be wanting he will misse it As in many kings of Israel who did such and such good things but not with all their hearts Then shalt thou know that all is nought without vprightnesse Now the notes of a man iust and religious before God He bringeth his inner man still before God as in his thoughts intentions desires 1. He dareth not suffer his thoughts too long absent from God Psal. 16. 8. I haue set the Lord euer in my sight He is much and often in secret soliloquies with God by prayer by meditation Of the wicked man it is said God is not in his thoughts But a truly godly man thinketh on God by day and by night 2. His intentions are not to get applause or credit of men but to get grace both with God and in himselfe 3. His desires are after God to prepare him a place in his heart without whom he cannot liue no more then without aire A soule destitute of desires after God is a great plague And for God he affecteth all goodnesse for goodnesse sake and for no other reward His actions are wrought in God for ordinarie course Ioh 3. 21. But he that doth truth commeth vnto the light that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God All his actions I say are wrought in God for ordinarie course both in 1. The rise 2. The rule 3. The end 1. In respect of the rise which is the loue of God It is the loue of God constraineth vs to euery good action that is the rise and foundation 2. Cor. 5. 12. 2. Of the rule which is the light of Gods word All the Israel of God walke by thus rule Gal. 6. 16. And as many as walke according to this rule peace be on them and mercy and vpon the Israel of God this is the lanthorne to their pathes Psal. 119. 3. Of the end which is either of Intention or Execution 1. Of intention which is Gods glory and contentment our endeauour is at
enquire the old and ancient way for thou neither knowest nor findest it of thy selfe Secondly labour to keepe this way A traueller must keepe the high and beaten way But this is the way the kings high way pathed and troden of all trauellers to heauen Our thoughts must not stray out of this way Exodus 20. Thou shalt not couet words must be held in this way of euery idle word we must giue an account actions must be done in this way What I command thee that do onely whether great or small the whole and parts the smallest pinnes of the Tabernacle must be according to the patterne in the Mount Hence those many precepts turne not to the right hand or the left for it is a right way Thirdly ioyne with those that walke in this way which is called the way of men It is a great encouragement in a strange way to go with good companie Delight in men fearing God in Saints excelling in vertue and with Iacob still pray God to go with thee in thy iourney who is a faithfull and sure guide Fourthly walke vprightly not halting in this way and follow it where euer it leadeth vprightnesse looketh not where multitudes go but where it selfe ought to go nor what may be the issue but which is the way This way may leade thee into many difficulties of disgraces losses crosses c. But as Israel going through the wildernesse they must prouide shooes on their feete so prouide thou the shooes of the preparation of the Gospell fencing thy selfe with Christian resolution to follow where euer the Gospell leadeth thee A good and sincere heart striueth to vniuersall obedience it will walke in all commandements and ordinances as Zacharie and Elizabeth Psal. 119. 6. then shall I not be confounded when I haue respect to all thy commandements I set all thy lawes before me and esteeme all thy precepts right though he cannot do all yet he must set all before him First because a good heart so prizeth euery part of the word as that he will gather vp the very fragments of the law he knoweth the perfection of it that as nothing need be added so nothing ought to be detracted Nothing else nothing lesse must be obserued it holdeth it not enough to serue and obay in some things but in all Secondly a good heart knoweth that it selfe cannot be deuided the religious heart is the whole heart which maketh no composition with Satan or sinne Sure it is it a small neglect of an inferior duty or sinne will make way and open a dore for greater and a little deceite or guile a small reserued and spared sinne is as a little leauen souring the whole lumpe or as a little Colloquintida poysoning all our vertues and obedience Thirdly he knoweth the Law cannot be deuided for it is so vnited that he that breaketh one sinneth against all A good heart therefore consenteth to the whole Law that it is good iust and holy and as a soueraigne potion prescribed must be taken all else the whole operation is hindred so also it is here Fourthly here is a difference betweene soundnesse and vnsoundnesse none are so bad but are willing to obey in some commandements so farre as they touch not their pleasure their profite or credit Herod will heare Iohn gladly till he touch him in his Herodias Iudas and Demâ—s will do many good duties but will not leaue couetousnesse and worldlinesse But soundnesse denyeth all vngodly worldly lusts Tit. 2. 12. If not in act yet in desire disposition purpose of heart and holdeth no duty so small as to be neglected and despised Thinke not as the most do that thou hast well acquitted thy selfe if thou beest onely no adulterer murtherer theefe periurd person while thou dispensest with thy selfe in the lower degrees of sinne Thou art no whoremonger if conscience make thee none thou then wilt not be a wanton or vncleane in thy speeches Thou are no murtherer but conscience maketh thee not so vnlesse thou hate and resist rash anger hatred wrath hastie and furious speeches Thou art no thiefe and neuer stolest thy neighbours goods but hast thou not bene or art thou not vniust an vsurer a lyer and swearer to deceiue These petty thefts shew that conscience keepeth thee not from greater thefts and roberies Thou art no periured person nor swearest wounds and bloud c. but art thou accustomed to petty oathes If thou beest a vaine rash and idle swearer thy conscience keepeth thee not from periury Nay a frequent swearer cannot but be often periured But doest thou fauour no sin but makest warre vpon all the cursed cananites and lusts in thine owne bosome Here is some argument of soundnesse Examine the vprightnesse of thy heart by these notes 1. Doest thou hate all wayes of falshood and as desirous to forsake all thy sinne as that God would forgiue all thy sinne 2. Doest thou giue the Lord thy whole heart and man not making a profession to serue the Lord and reserue some idoll in thy soule 3. Desirest thou to do euery part of Gods word without either reseruation or exception not allowing thy selfe any liberty against any one Commandement or expostulation or reasoning when the Lord expresseth no reason As Abraham in going out of his countrey and sacrificing his sonne Resoluest thou on simple obedience in difficult costly daÌ„gerous duties Here is the sound of a good heart The manner of walking without reproofe they walked not without fault infirmitie or sinne but without taint of crime or infamy They could not be iustly charged with grosse sinne or crime before men As their sinceritie was approued before God so was their conuersation laudable and without iust exception before men The righteousnesse of their actions testified to the righteousnesse of their persons The next care to the pleasing of God must be to walke innocently and inoffensiuely amongst men so as none can challenge the Christian iustly of any crime Iames 1. 27. religion vndefiled before God seeketh to keepe it selfe vnspotted of the world Phil. 2. 17. walke blamelesse as lights It is impossible not to be blamed Christs innocencie was traduced and so is that of his seruants Keepe thy selfe vnspotted though thou canst not keepe off the spattering of euill men let them not iustly spot thee though they will blame thee be thou sure thou beest not blame worthie What more seemely for the babes in Christ then to be without maliciousnesse or for the doues of Christ then innocencie Secondly what greater honour of godlinesse then for to challenge the aduersarie as Samuel whose oxe or asse haue I taken which of you can accuse me of crime I can accuse my selfe of too much sin before God but which of you can accuse me iustly when Iob can take the booke of his aduersarie and carrie it as his crowne Thirdly what greater cut and conuiction of the aduersarie when he wanteth nothing but