righteousnes What else haue wee therefore to doo but still to haue this name Iesus whereby wee bee aduertised that hee hath saued vs from our sinnes and consequently from eternall death before the eies of our vnderstanding that wee remembring that he hath withdrawen vs out of hell from eternall fire darknesse weeping and gnashing of teeth maye in heart bee feruently inflamed in his loue And that the remembrance that he hath paide so many deadly debts to discharge vs maye more and more inforce his loue Finally let the representation of the death of our olde man crucified with this Sauiour make vs so to abhorre sinne and corruption that we suffer it not to liue in vs to our owne death Thus shall the name Iesus beget in vs a feruent desire to loue him to please him and to obey his commaundement wherein hee willeth vs to amend our liues Acts 10.38 Luke 4.18 Esay 61.1 Iohn 1.16 1. Ioh. 2.27 8 Now let vs come to the title Christ. This name in Greeke as also the name Messias in Hebrue doeth signifie as much as if wee should saie Annointed And by this annointing is meant the fulnesse of the holie Ghost which he hath receiued as Saint Luke noteth and himselfe doth acknowledge where hee applieth to himselfe this saying of Esaie The spirite of the Lorde God is vpon mee for he hath annointed me He was fulfilled to the end wee might be partakers of his fulnesse as Saint Iohn saith who also speaketh of the holy Ghost saying The annointing that you haue receiued from him abideth in you 1. Cor. 3.16 and you need not to bee taught but as the same annointing teacheth you all thinges and it is true and is not lying and as it taught you yee shall abide in him Saint Paul calling vs the temples of God addeth this reason Rom. 8 9. that the holie Ghost dwelleth in vs. This name Christian deriued from Christ and proper to his disciples confirmeth the same For likewise as the same Apostle sayth They that haue not the spirite of Christ are not his But as there is no true or naturall fyre but yeeldeth heate or light so the holye Ghost cannot bee in vs wythout the feeling and shewing forth of effectes beseeming his holynesse And therefore this name Christ aduertising vs that wee are partakers of the annointing of his holy spirite should be vnto vs a mightie and liuely argument to amend our liues And this shall wee the better vnderstand by considering the names attributed to this spirite to represent vnto vs the effectes of the same 1. Pet. 5.2 First hee is called Holy because that of himselfe and in him selfe being holy euen in al perfection it is he that sanctifieth vs by separating vs from the common degree of other the children of Adam to the end we may be dedicated and consecrated to God Whereupon Saint Peter sayth that wee are elect through the prouidence of God in the sanctification of the spirite to obey and be sprinkled with the bloud of Iesus Christ And that as being made the children of God through faith we must be wholy renued Saint Paul teacheth vs that this commeth of the holy Ghost He sayth he that hath raised Iesus Christ from the dead Rom. 8.11 1. Cor. 15.45 shall quicken your mortall bodies with his spirit dwelling in you In this sense is he named the second Adam that proceeded from heauen in a quickning spirite For the Apostle compareth the spirituall life that Christ by his spirit imparteth to the beleeuers with the sensual life that men receiue from the first Adam And therefore we do in vaine boast of Christianitie and the spirit of Christ so long as we are not so renued as to haue nothing in common with the vnbeleeuers that dwell vnder the tirannie of the vncleane spirit which infecteth with all corruptions defilings all those that haue not the spirit of Christ 9 Particularly he is named the earnest pennie of our inheritance As when a man doth purchase an inheritance hee first giueth earnest that is some part of the monie promised Ephe. 1.14 that serueth as a beginning to the paiment of the total summe so God hauing redeemed vs by the bloud of Iesus Christ giueth the earnest penie of his holy spirit that is to saie a beginning of knowledge of the true God of sanctification of loue to God of righteousnes and of peace ioy in the holy spirit attending vntill he finish in vs the communication of that light ioy holynes and glory that we shal haue perfectly in heauen Whereby it appeareth that wee wrongfully boast our selues to be christiās annointed with the spirit of Christ so long as we be not indued at the least with some beginning of this heauenly light sanctification loue of God spiritual peace and ioy which are the earnest of the spirit do not indeuor daily to increse in these spirituall giftes and graces He is also called Water Esay 55.1 44.3 for of the holy Ghost doth Esaie speake saying Come vnto the waters all yee that thirst Againe I will poure my spirite vppon the thirstie and my riuers vpon the drie Then to expound the same he sayth I will poure forth my spirite vpon thy seede Heereby doth hee shewe vs that as raine with the moisture thereof fatteth the earth to make it fruitfull so doth the holy spirite with his inuisible grace make vs fruitfull to produce the fruites of righteousnes as Iesus Christ also declareth saying He that beleeueth in me Iohn 7.38 out of his belly shall flowe riuers of the water of life This saith S. Iohn he spake of the spirit that all they should receiue that beleeued in him As therefore if hearbs watered do stil continue drie we iustly saie they are dead so can we not aduow our selues to be Christians watered with the spirit of Christ so long as in sted of bearing fruit by amendement of life and giuing our selues to good workes we continue drie and withered 10 Sometimes hee is also called Water to signifie his power to purge and cleanse our filth and corruption as Ezechiel sayth I will poure vpon you cleane waters and yee shall bee cleansed Ezech. 36. 25 I will cleanse you from all your filthines and from your Gods of doung And will giue vnto you a new heart and will put into you a new spirite and I will take your stonie heart out of your flesh and will giue you a heart of flesh and I will put my spirit into you and cause you to walke in my statutes and to keepe my ordinances and you shall doo them But if we in lieu of amending our liues do abide in our filthinesse and corruption with stonie heartes and keepe not the ordinances of the Lord it is in vaine for vs to intitle our selues Christians watered with the holye waters of his spirit And because that by watering vs with the liquors of his graces hee maketh vs strong
the vessells of mercie which hee hath prepared to glorie To be short hee teacheth vs that the declaration of his wrath agaynst sinne and consequently of his holynesse and iustice in punishing the same also of his power and authoritie to dispose of his creatures as hee will and lastly of his great mercie to the elect do all serue to the manifesting of the glorie of God As nothing therefore doth better beseeme God than the manifesting of his glorie so for the iustifying of God and the shutting of the passage agaynst all such blasphemies it sufficeth with the Apostle Saint Paul to maintaine that his glorie shineth in his mercie to the elect in his iustice against the vessels of wrath prepared to perdition and in his power and authoritie to dispose of his creatures as hee wyll For such as are not content wyth this reason doo shew themselues to bee enemies to the glorie of God Besides that this phrase of speech which hee heere vseth when hee sayeth Who is it doeth shew that in whatsoeuer God doth for the manifesting of his glorie man is not to murmure or replie especially considering that it was and is the purpose of all Gods workes Prou. 16.4 For hee hath made all things for himselfe sayth Salomon euen the wicked for the daie of his calamitie 15 The same Apostle in another place verie notablie confirmeth the premises saying God hath shut vp all in vnbeleefe Rom. 11.32 that hee might haue mercie on all The purpose of Saint Paule in this place is to shew that the Gentiles were vnbeleeuers euen vntill the resurrection of Iesus Christ and the Iewes after it to the ende that the Gentiles beeing conuerted by the preaching of the Gospell might confesse that hauing so long remayned in vnbeleefe plunged in idolatrie and giuen ouer to all wickednesse Ephe. 2 1◠euen as Saint Paul sayth without Christ without God and without hope It was vndoubtedly a worke of meere wonderfull mercie of God to receiue graft them into the Church by preaching of the Gospell Likewise that the Iewes after their incredulitie which hath now continued aboue fifteene hundred yeeres receiuing the Gospell whensoeuer it shall please God to call them thereto may also confesse that theyr saluation proceedeth neither from the worthines of theyr ancestors neyther from the merites of their works but from the soueraigne and meere mercie of God Beholde here a number both Iewes and Gentiles reprobates vesselles of wrath whome God hath shut vp in rebellion and vnbeleefe in whose iust perdition Gods mercie shal the more shine vpon a small number of his elect If anie man list heereat to take occasion to murmure in that hee cannot comprehend Gods iudgements let him with Dauid remember that they are wonderfull deepe And in lieu of labouring and seeking to finde out the reason of them let him in maintenance of Gods iustice with Saint Paul crie out and saie O the deepnes of the riches Psal 36.7 both of the knowledge and of the wisedome of God! How vnsearchable are his iudgements and his wayes past finding out For who hath knowen the minde of the Lord or who was his Counsellor Or who hath giuen vnto him first Rom. 11.33 and hee shall bee recompenced For of him and thorough him and for him are all thinges to him bee glorie for euer Amen Heere wee see how the Apostle by the tenour of this exclamation beating down the pride rash presumptiō of man teacheth vs to containe our selues in all sobrietie modestie and humilitie in the sight of God to reuerence his iudgements which hee hath sayd to bee incomprehensible In our selues to feele that there is in God a depth of wisedome which swalloweth vp mans vnderstanding to confesse that he is not bound to his creature to acknowledge that it is not possible for vs to comprehend his waies and finally that in this wonderful worke we must glorifie God for euer How horrible therefore are the blasphemies of those that dare accuse God of iniquitie and vniustice because hee openeth not vnto them the treasures of this heauenly wisdome wherby they may vnderstand the reasons of his incomprehensible iudgements workes waies which cannot possibly be found out 14 The prophet Esaie rehearseth that hee receiued from God this commandement Go saie vnto this people ye shall heare in deed but ye shall not vnderstand Esay 6.9 ye shall plainly see and not perceiue Make the heart of this people fat make their eares heauie shut their eies least they see with their eies and heare with their eares and vnderstand with their hearts and conuert and he heale thē This is a commandement that seemeth verie strange for it doth not only foreshew the hardning of the heart of the Iewes and consequently their destruction but also that preaching shall be the occasion to blind them and to harden their hearts Shal we therefore saie that God is the author of their hardnes blindnes sin and destruction that proceed therof God forbid And therefore note what S. Paul said to the vnbeleeuing Iewes It was necessarie the word of God should first haue bene spoken to you Acts 13.46 but seeing ye put it from you and iudge your selues vnworthie of euerlasting life loe we turn to the Gentiles Moreouer wherefore hath God wrought in the harts of some by his holy spirit giuen ouer others to hardnesse of heart and blindnesse True it is that as a iust iudge he hath punished the wickednes of vnbeleeuers in hardning them yet must we ascend to the eternall decree of God who hath elected those whom he would to conuert them giuen ouer the others to be hardned Now albeit thou canst not vnderstand why he hath chosen those rather than the other why he causeth the doctrine of saluation to be preached to some with such efficacie of his holy spirit that thereby they do conuert beleeue but vnto others without any efficacy of his spirit wherby they harden thēselues so increase their condēnatiō also how God hardneth yet is no author of the hardnes of hart either of the sins that thereof doo proceed yet see thou reuerence the incomprehensible iudgements of God and consider what went before this commandement giuen vnto Esaie Esay 6. Hee saith that hee sawe the Lorde sitting vpon an high throane and lifted vp and the lower parts therof filled the temple The Seraphims stood ouer it couering their faces with two wings and crying one to another Holy holy holy Lord God of hoasts the whole world is ful of his glorie This teacheth vs to humble our selues before this holy most holy one and to reuerence the iudgements of this king that sitteth vpon the throne Iohn 12. 42 as most holy and most righteous and in the execution whereof shineth his glorie Whereuppon Saint Iohn hauing alleadged this sentence of Esaie touching the blinding and hardning of the Iewes expresly doeth note that the Prophet spake
THE AMENDMENT OF LIFE COMPRISED IN fower Bookes Faithfully Translated according to the French Coppie Written by Master Iohn Tassin Minister of the word of God at Amsterdam MATH 3. v. â— 4. v. 7. Amend your liues for the kingdome of heauen is at hand LONDINI Impensis Georg. Bishop 1595. To the chiefe Magistrates and Gouernours of the Towne of Amsterdam Grace and peace from God the Father and from his Sonne Iesus Christ our onely Sauiour MY verie good Lordes as Sainct Iohn propoundeth vnto vs two sorts of children of whome he calleth the one the children of God and the other the children of the deuill so doeth the holie Scripture plainly testifie that in the day of iudgement there shall bee a maruellous difference betweene the one and the other For the one shal incomprehensibly and eternally be blessed and the other extreamely and infinitly accursed and wretched This difference which shall then appeare betweene the children of God and the children of the deuill doth aduertise and admonish vs that there ought also to be a great difference betweene them euen in this life And in deed euery one may well vnderstand that the waie to heauen is one and to hell another and consequently that the workes and affections of Gods children are of one sorte and the workes of the children of the deuill of another Neuertheles so brutish are many become that they neuer think vpon this difference betweene the one and the other neither in regard of this life nor of the life to come Others thinking slightly thereupon do neuer take information of this difference to vnderstand it Others somewhat vnderstanding it are so dazeled with the glistering shew of the world so carried awaie with the lusts of the flesh that they haue no care therof Yea euen among the children of God liuing in this peruerse world abandoned to all wickednes we see verie few that doo make shew of that difference that in this life should be betweene them and the children of the deuill Now Saint Mathew in this sentence Amend your liues for the kingdome of heauen is at hand hauing comprehended the summarie of the first Sermons of Iesus Christ and S. Iohn the Baptist doth to this purpose teach vs. First that all the duties of the children of God are contained in this word Amend also that the same is it that representeth the difference betweene them and the children of the Deuill in this life Secondly that the apprehension of the kingdome of heauen to be so neare vs ought mightily to induce vs to Amendement Vpon this consideration to the end to correct the negligence or rather the brutishnes of men in this point I haue vpon this argument framed these fower books In the first shewing how many dangerous follies there are that hinder man from Amendment In the second Wherein we are to Amend In the third who ought to Amend And in the last haue I laid down the causes that should induce vs to Amend our liues gathered out of the names and attributes of Iesus Christ out of this reason by him selfe set downe For the kingdome of heauen is at hand The whole tending to make vs to vnderstand and indeed to practise the difference which euen in this life ought to bee betweene vs and the children of the Deuill to the ende to hope with incomprehensible ioye to beholde for our selues the most blessed separation that shall bee betweene them and vs when wee shall bee lifted vp into the fruition of the eternal glory that is prepared for vs in the kingdom of heauen And vpon three principall reasons haue I resolued and emboldned my selfe to present dedâ—cate them to your Lordships The first is generall comprised in three points First in consideration of the seruent zeale holy affection that you doe testifie to the preseruation and maintenance of the true and pure religion Secondly in regard of your iustice and politicke gouernment administred with such discretion wisedome and equitie that al your louing Subiects are in dutie to acknowledge and confesse themselues to be blessed therein Thirdly in respect of your wonderfull courtesie which you vouchsafe to extend to the faithfull fled into this towne who liue vnder your authoritie and gouernment in as great case libertie and freedome as possibly they might in their owne natiue countries Which example of your clemency is also seconded by the marueilous humanitie of your subiects towards those that are harboured among them The second reason is in respect of the French Church to the seruice whereof it hath pleased God to call me In that your Lo. haue permitted authorised the holy publick ministerie with all things necessarie to the same That you haue prouided theÌ„ of a larg coÌ„uenient Church That you giue maintenance to theÌ„ for three ministers Lastly that you exercise and performe a verierare and true Christian charitie to the poore of the same Church And this your wonderfull charitie with other the vertues before noted do I here set downe first to the end that all and euery the members of the said French Church may more and more perceiue how deepely they are bound to bee your faithfull and obedient subiects Secondly that they may vnderstand and the more diligently put in practise their dutie in feruent praier vnto God for your health and prosperitie Lastly that all other Magistrates may in heart bee moued to imitate the example of those vertues that shine in your Lordships The last reason is particuler to my selfe in regard of the desire that you had to retaine me to the seruice of this Church which your selues vouchsafed to testifie in that besides your liberalitie extended to the two other ministers you offered to prouide me also both of a house maintenance As in effect it pleased you at my coÌ„ming to make demonstration of your fauor liberality affection towards me in that behalf Whereupon all such graces as God hath vouchsafed to bestow vpon me being in reson vpon iust cause vnto you due vowed I haue formed and doe acknowledge my selfe bound to dedicate and present these my fower bookes of Amendment of life vnto you to the end that being published vnder your name they may witnesse as wel my bounden dutie vnto you as also my desire according to my smal habilitie to employ my selfe in the seruice both of the Church and your Lordships Beseeching God most magnificent and vertuous Lords to maintaine you in his holy protection and with his holy spirite to guide you in all your affaires with increase of all prosperitie both spirituall and corporall And particulerly so farre to fauour me with his grace as so to blesse this small worke together with the affection wherewith it is vnto you presented that being acceptable to your Lo. It may especially redound to the aduauncement of the kingdome of Iesus Christ From your town of Amsterdam This last of Iune 1594. Your most humble and obedient seruant Iohn Taffin
saying Then did he see it and counted it he prepared it also and considered it And vnto man hee said Behold the feare of the Lord is true wisdome and to depart from euill is vnderstanding Hereby we see that as they that doo know Iesus Christ and walk in the feare of God are truly wise so they that haue not this wisdome are very fooles albeit they thinke themselues wise in that beeing esteemed wise men as concerning the world they are in deed foolish Christians in the sight of God 6 These seuen aforesaid follies do euidently declare that wyth great reason the holy Ghost warneth vs in the first sermon of Iesus Christ and of Iohn the Baptist that for the good and due Amendement of our liues the knowledge and feeling of our naturall follies ought to admonish vs to be more wise circumspect and better aduised hereafter For as in beleeuing that there is no God In thinking better of man than of God In thinking to liue euer so not to liue as if we should die In not knowing wherefore we liue and so liuing at randon not for the seruice of God and our neighbours but for our selues In iudging Gods children in respect of their outwarde tribulations to bee accursed and the wicked thorough their prosperitie to be blessed Beleeuing our enemies the world the flesh and the deuill rather than God our perfect and faithfull frend To be short in thinking our selues wise because we are wise as men and yet are ignorant and fooles as Christians Being I saie possessed of all these follies the same are against vs so many ropes and strong chaines in the hands of our enemy the deuill wherwith to pull vs on to sinne and to make vs continually to offend God to heape iniquitie vppon iniquitie and consequently to turne awaie from God from heauen from life euerlasting glory to folow after satan and so to cast our selues into the hel fire in to death into euerlasting damnation And contrariwise if beleeuing there is a God and esteeming him to be as he is all wise almightie all iust and true we doo loue feare and put our whole confidence in him If beleeuing that we must die and that shortly we doo applie our harts to wisdome liuing as we would euen at death wish wee had liued If knowing wherefore we doo liue we do referre the whole course of our liues to the glory of God to our saluation and to the seruice of our neighbors If iudging of mans felicitie or miserie not by the outward apparaunce but by the testimonie of God in his word we doo euen perceiue that the children of God albeit in tribulation are blessed and the wicked though in prosperitie accursed If renouncing the pernitious counselles of our enemies the world the flesh and the deuill we doo listen vnto and beleeue the counsels and admonitions of our God To conclude if considerding that all discretion knowledge and wisdome of man without the knowledge of Christ and the skil of saluation be but folly Also if vnderstanding that we be but fooles men deuoid of knowledge so long as wee are not wise and well aduised Christians therefore wee conuert and returne to God and walke in the waie that shall bring vs to heauen to life and to euerlasting glorie If I saie we doo thus conuert and amend our liues according to the will of God we shall finally become inheritours of his kingdome through his sonne Iesus Christ our Lord. The end of the first Booke VVHEREIN MAN IS TO AMEND The second Booke That man knowing Idolatrie and superstition ought wholy to abstaine from all participation in the same Chap. 1. WE haue before declared that the greatest Folly wherewith man is possessed is the offending of God And contrariwise that the beginning of all knowledge wisedome resteth in walking in his loue feare and obedience Also that as all men are naturally inclined to this Folly namely to offend God so we ought by amending our liues heereafter to become more wise and better aduised Now are we more particularly to vnderstand Wherein we are principally to amend The first point therefore to be intreated of consisteth in this That man hauing obtained knowledge of the truth ought to renounce all Idolatrie in no wise to participate in the same Many there are who with their bodies assisting at Idolatrie and superstition do neuerthelesse maintaine that they deserue not to be reproued because they disallow the same in their hearts These men should remember that sith Christ suffered both in body soule for the redemption both of our bodies and soules reason would that wee likewise should glorifie him as Saint Paul saith both in our bodies souls which are his And in deed inasmuch as man consisteth both of bodie and soule we are to cleanse both bodie and soule of all pollution that we may as Saint Paul admonisheth fulfill our sanctification 1. Cor. 6.9.20 1. Cor. 7.1 It is therefore a most sacrilegious and intollerable diuision to giue ouer our bodies to the seruice of the deuill when we say that we reserue our soules to God Will the worst husband among men bee content that his wise prostituting her bodie to whoredoome shall saie for excuse that she reserueth her heart for him S. Paule saith our bodies are Christes members and that applying them to whoredome we take them from the body of Christ make them the members of an harlot But the holy Ghost calleth Idolatrie whoredome he therefore that with his bodie assisteth at Idolatry dismembreth himselfe from Iesus Christ 1. Cor. 6 and maketh himselfe a member of the Idoll 2 In this consideration doth the Apostle exhort the Corinthians to flie from Idolatrie and least they should reply as these men do saying We disallow it in our hearts we know that the Idoll is nothing 1. Cor. 10 he addeth I speake as vnto those that haue knowledge not to the ignorant Then doth he bring them back againe to their owne iudgment the feeling of their owne consciences by the vse of the supper For as the communicants by eating the bread and drinking the wine haue a participation in Christ and are made his members so they that be assistants in the sacrifice of the Idols and doo eate of that that is sacrificed vnto them are made partakers of the Idols euen of the deuil as he expresly saith because that which is sacrificed to Idols is sacrificed to the deuill But saith he afterward yee cannot drinke the cup of the Lord and the cup of deuils yee cannot be partakers of the Lords table and of the table of deuils And to the end to preuent all replication he addeth Do we prouoke the Lord to anger Are we stronger than he And this he saith to shew vs that notwithstanding whatsoeuer we aledge that we do not apply our harts therto or that we know that the Idol is nothing yet in that we assist with our bodies
compassion After whose example we likewise ought in our selues to feele the necessitie want of our neighbours because they be our flesh and members of the same body and so to apprehend their paine anguish and sorrow as thereby to be moued with compassion towards them 3 In as much therefore as in the consideration of a woefull estate the apprehension that we take by the eare can neuer so forcibly moue the hart as that which commeth by the eye Cicero saith an ancient Orator euerie man ought diligently to visite the poore in their tribulations to the end that with their eyes beholding those that lye vpon the straw that are sicke that are naked that quake for colde that want bread that mourne for the lamentation of their poore children that crie for hunger that are lodged in places where wee would scarce lay our dogges this spectakle might moue the bowels of their harts to take compassion of their pouertie In this consideration Iesus Christ is not content that we giue to the poore bread drinke or cloth only but also doth require vs to visite him in his members I was sicke saith he and ye visited me and therefore S. Iames saith Pure religion and vndefiled before God Mat. 25.36 Iam 1 27. euen the father is this to visite the fatherlesse and widowes in their aduersities And indeed as visitation will vndoubtedly engender compassion in the hart so will it the more aboundantly stretch foorth the hand to the reliefe of the needy and this doth experience dayly teach vs. And therfore such as thinke it a great grace of God to be charitable to the poore as indeed it is are to exercise themselues in the visitation of them to the end to comfort them both in word and deede which giueth great efficacie to the word This exercise of charitie ought the mightie and rich men of the world to put in practise for as by visiting the poor their humilitie would minister great force to their charity so would such visitatiō moue their harts the more liberally with their aboundance to relieue the needie 4 But because most men do thinke it to rest at our owne choise whether wee will relieue the poore or not let vs contrariwise assure our selues that it is a matter commended by God which we may not neglect whensoeuer God ministreth occasion and meanes least wee offend God and deserue euerlasting damnation And indeed it is a work of charitie which charitie is vnto vs commanded by God and comprehendeth the summarie of the second table of the law God in old time prescribed to his people this dutie of charitie saying Because there shal euer be some poore in the land therefore I commaund thee Deut. 15 11 saying Thou shalt open thyne hand vnto thy brother to thy needie and to thy poore in thy land To which effect Saint Paul also commandeth vs to impart to the necessitie of the Saints Also to doe good vnto all but especially to the houshold of faith Rom. 12.13 Gal. 6.10 Heb. 1.16 2. Cor. 9.10 because we are so negligent in this dutie the Apostle wakeneth vs saying To doe good and to distribute forget not for with such sacrifices God is pleased Saint Paul calleth Almes the workes of righteousnesse because there is nothing more righteous before God or wherein wee stand more indebted vnto man then to relieue his necessitie by loue God in old time forbad the people of Israell saying Leuit. 19.9 When you reape the haruest of your land you shall not reape euerie corner of your field neither shalt thou gather the gleanings of thy haruest Againe Thou shalt not gather the grapes of thy vineyarde cleane neither shalt thou gather euerie grape of thy vineyard but shalt leaue them for the poore and for the straunger Sith God sheweth himselfe so liberall vnto vs as to permit vs to reape for our selues the haruest and Vintage yet withall testifieth vnto vs such a care of the poore that he commandeth vs to leaue vnto them whatsoeuer shall remaine of the saide haruest and vinetage Deut 26 1. Exod. 23 19. 34 22. Numb 15.17 Exod. 22.19 will it not at this day be a great testimonie of disobedience and ingratitude not to impart to the poore some smal portion of the plentie that he hath put into our hands In olde time God commanded his people to offer vnto him all the first fruits of such goodes as grew to them from the earth Moreouer the first loaues of the first dowe of the new corne also the first licour pressed either out of the oliue or out of the grape And this was an acknowledgement that the land that they possessed was the Lordes and an homadge testifieng that all the goods that they enioyed proceeded from his liberalitie In consideration therefore saith Dauid that our wealth commeth not to his hands he at this day substituteth the poore in his place Psal 16.2 as hee also addeth saying But vnto the Saints that are vpon the earth am I wholy enclined And therefore whensoeuer the poore or the deacons in their name doe come vnto vs wee are to take them to bee Gods receiuers that come to chalenge his right at our hands And in refusing to pay vnto them the homadge that we owe vnto God for the goods that we hold of him sending thē away emptie and not relieuing their necessities we doe commit not onely theft but also sacriledge The image of God that the poore do beare about them should be some reason to know them and Gods commaundement to relieue them is their commission and letters patents which wee cannot disaduow without great contempt to his maiestie 5 The tenne commandements of the law of God doe vndoubtedly comprehend the whole duty of man to God to his neighbour and thereof it followeth that the reliefe of the poore and all other the works of charitie are therein comprised commanded But in which commandement of the law In the sixt Thou shalt not kill What is the ground and reason of this commandement Because mans life is deare precious in the sight of God he forbiddeth all hurting of it and commandeth vs to preserue it As therefore he prohibiteth whatsoeuer may tend to the hurt of mans life so doth he command any thing that may serue to the maintenance therof cōsequently it appeareth that all reliefe requisite for the preseruatiō of the poor is here commanded vnto vs. And being cōmanded by this word Thou shalt not kil It necessarily ensueth that he which relieueth not the poore at their need is a murderer And in deed as we quench a lampe not only by blowing it out but also by keeping awaie the oyle that shoulde seed it or as wee quench fire not onely by casting on of water but also by keeping awaie woode from it And in a great drought as many hearbes doo die not onely by plucking vp but also for want of watering so is mannes
place Exod. 20 I am the Lord thy God that hath brought thee out of the land of Egipt keepe my statutes and my lawes and doe them Again Leuit. 19.36 Prophane not the name of my holines for I will be sanstified among the children of Israel I am the Lord that do sanctifie you Leuit. 22.32 and that haue brought you out of the land of Egipt to be your God Moreouer he commandeth all parents to shew their children of this bond wherein they stand bound to obey his commaundements saying When thy sonne shal hereafter aske thee saying What mean these testimonies and ordinaunces and lawes Deut. 6.20 which the Lord our God hath commaunded you thou shalt say vnto thy sonne Wee were Pharaohs bondmen in Egipt but the Lord brought vs out of Egipt with a mighty hand And the Lord shewed signes and wonders great and euill vpon Egipt vpon Pharaoh and vpon all his householde before our eyes And brought vs out from thence to bring vs in and to giue vs the land which he sware vnto our fathers Therefore the Lord hath commaunded vs to doe all these ordinances and to feare the Lord our God that it may goe euer well with vs and that hee may preserue vs aliue as at this present Michens 6.1 And whereas their children in the dayes of Micheas did not walk according to this bond to obey Gods commandements he sharply reproueth their ingratitude saying My people what haue I done to thee or wherin haue I grieued thee Answer me for I haue caused thee to returne out of the lande of Egipt c. And this doth he alledge to shew that he had iust cause as the prophet declareth to take the mountains and the foundations of the earth to witnes and iudge of his iust complaint and accusation against the ingratitude and disobedience of his people 4 If the deliuery from the bondage of Egipt were iustly obiected to the people of Israel to remember them of their duetye to loue God and to walke in his holy ordinances how much rather ought this name Iesus by aduertizing vs of our deliuerye from the bondage and cursed tiranny of the deuil and out of the furnace of euerlasting fire make vs bonde and affectionate to the loue of Iesus and louing him with our whole harts to amend our liues according to his commaundement Zachary the Father of S. Iohn Baptist saith in his song that this was the oath that hee sware to their father Abraham Luke 1.73 that he would giue to his people That being deliuered out of the hands of their enemies they should serue him without feare in holines and righteousnes before him all the daies of their liues Here doth he speake of the deliuery which Iesus hath purchased for vs in sauing vs from the power of the deuill of hell and of all our other enemies What an ingratitude were it then in vs that the remembrance of this name Sauiour putting vs in minde of this happy deliuerance from the power of the deuil and other our enemies should not so kindle our harts as wholy to dedicate them to his seruice and to thinke our selues blessed if we could please and obey him in amending our liues 5 But this obligation will the more plainely appeare if we consider the reason of this name added by the Angell saying For hee shall saue his people from their sinnes Firste he sheweth that sinne is the way to destruction and death euerlasting Rom 6.23 as the Apostle Saint Paul saith The reward of sinne is death Now in as much as God is righteous it was expedient for our saluation that this Sauiour the righteous should by dying for vs satisfie for our sinnes Rom. 6.6 Rom 6. Col. 2.11 and as there is in vs besides the sinnes that dayly we haue and doe commit the olde man that is to say the vice and corruption the fountaine of the same so this Iesus crucified with him this olde man and corruption which Saint Paul so often tearmeth sinne and the body of sinne to the ende to mortifie him in vs and so to deliuer vs from him that through our transgressions we should no more fal into the pit of hel S. Paul writing to the Romains doth at large represent vnto vs these two benefits of Iesus the first tending to iustifie vs in the sight of God the other to testifie our iustification to the glorie of Iesus And therefore the same Apostle maketh as it were an inseparable coniunction of those two benefites saying Iesus Christ is made vnto vs wisedome 1. Cor. 1.30 and righteousnes and sanctification and redemption 6 The consideration of the first benefite That hee hath satisfied for our sinnes should most liuely kindle our heartes to loue him feruently and so in folowing his commandement to amend our liues If I should owe a man some notable summe of monie and not hauing wherewith to paie hee in compassion should acquite me the greater the debt were the greater cause should I haue the more should I be bound to loue and please him as Iesus Christ himselfe sayde vnto Simon Luke 7.40 But who is able to comprehend the greatnesse of the debt of our sinnes which this Sauiour hath paide for vs that they might not bee imputed vnto vs but bee quite discharged and blotted out How great therfore should our loue be towards him as also our care and feruent affection to obey him when he cōmandeth vs to amend or how much ought we to abhor the displeasing of him wherby we againe binde our selues to euerlasting death 7 As concerning the other benefite Inasmuch as hee hath wyth himselfe crucified our olde man and so put to death our vice and corruption What a madnesse were it in vs to reuiue nourish and maintaine these our Sauiours enemies and mortall poisons of our soules euen the souldiers of that infernall Pharaoh which labour agayne to plunge vs in the furnace of eternall fire If wee see a mad dogge euerie man laboreth to kill him and therefore what should wee thinke of him that should seeke to preserue him or after hee were dead to reuiue him againe if hee might Woulde not men thinke him to bee an enemye to mankinde yea euen worthy to bee rooted out and is not this sinne and corruption in man euen as badde as a madde dogge Are not the bitinges thereof deadly This madde dogge hath Iesus Christ slaine in crucifying him with himself that so hee might die in vs. Are not we therfore verie miserable wretches that will hearken to the world and the flesh and so reuiue nourish and maintain sinne in vs as delighting in the damnable bitings thereof which breede vnto vs euerlasting death Our olde man sayth Saint Paul was crucifyed with Iesus Christ to the end the bodie of sinne might bee extinguished Rom. 6.61 6. 8. that wee might no more serue vnto sinne Againe Beeing deliuered from sinne yee are made the seruants of