as is shewed in the Iewes Ezech. 18.29 saying The way of the Lord is not equall but of their owne waies they thought most highly The weakenesse of the whole man is such as that he is not able to thinke a good thought 2. Cor. 3 5. and as a dead carcasse corrupteth of it selfe and stinketh more and more so a naturall man increaseth in corruption till that he becommeth most vile and runneth on to doe things euen against nature And lastly so apt is he to turne the best meanes into corruption as that Christ himself is made a stumbling blocke hee that was giuen to raise vs vp to heauen Sam. 1. is made an occasion of stumbling and falling the grace of God which appeareth for our saluation is turned into wantonnesse Man assisted by Gods grace and regenerate Thes 3. Man cannot perfectly keepe the law 1 Iohn 3 9. cannot perfectly fulfill the Law but faileth still in many things For though a man be now spirituall and guided by Gods Spirit not to sinne as men naturall according to Saint Iohn yet the flesh the old man corrupt nature is not altogether expelled but remaining for their humiliation and the exercise of grace in their spirituall combate hindreth them from doing perfectly the thing they would and swayeth them oftentimes to the thing they would not Euen as a very dull scholler being excellently taught and much laboured vpon by a most skilful Schoole-master yet through defects of his nature is imperfect in his learning and erreth in exercises of learning sometime in against Orthography sometime in false Latin and sometime in frigid inuention misplacing of words and vsing vnproper words vntill that in continuance of time he comming to perfect age all these faults come to be amended So the scholler taught by Gods Spirit shall at the last namely in patria come to perfection and be without all error and sinne but through the vntowardnesse of his nature cannot here in via doe any exercise but there be faults escaping him 1. Iohn 1.8 Iames 3.1 Rom. 7.21 Hence it is that Saint Iohn saith If we say that we haue no sin we deceiue our selues and there is no truth in vs and Saint James In many things we sinne all and Paul acknowledged it in himselfe When I would doe good euill is present with me So that both Pelagianisme is to be reiected that teacheth man to be able out of the strength of nature to keepe the Law and semipelagianisme that is Popery teaching that the regenerate are able perfectly to keepe it yea to doe more then it requireth which they call workes of supererrogation Can no man attaine to perfection of righteousnes according to the Law how then is it that some are said to be perfect according to that speech of the Apostle So many as are perfect let vs be thus minded Perfection is two waies to bee vnderstood either as it is opposed to imperfections and wants Perfection two fold and this is perfection of degrees whereby the law is kept without failing in any thing or as it is opposed to hypocrisie and this is perfection of parts whereby what is outwardly professed is inwardly imbraced so that as the outward part maketh a good shew the inward part is also right and sincere And thus Dauid Iosiah and others are said to be perfect and not otherwise and thus euery regenerate man can and doth in some measure approue himselfe for perfect though amidst great weakenesses Quest 107. What is the breach of the Law and the punishment hereof Answ It is firme which if it be but once committed onely and that but in thought it makes the person committing it subiect to Gods eternall curse which is euerlasting death in hell fire the torments whereof are vnspeakable without any end or ease 1. Iohn 3.4 Rom. 7. Explan Next vnto the consideration of mans weakenesse towards the Keeping of the Law commeth to bee considered the punishment due vnto him therefore And here first I say that the breach of the Law is sinne because sinne as Saint Iohn teacheth is a transgression of the Law and without the Law saith Saint Paul sinne is dead And this sinne though it be but one once only committed yea but in thought subiecteth the sinner to the eternall curse of God For that inbred corruption only euen before it breaketh into action maketh all men guilty of death according to that By the offence of one man Rom. 5.18 Iames 2.10 the faule came on all men to condemnation But much more if any man obserue the whole law and yet faile in one point he is guiltie of all as being actually a sinner also Now the punishment which is here said to bee death is otherwise called the curse Deut. 27.26 for cursed is he that confirmeth not all the words of the Law to doe them It is called hell fire damnation the second death vtter darkenesse the worme that neuer dieth and fire that neuer goeth out the extremitie being such as that it causeth continuall weeping and gnashing of teeth for sorrow and no one drop of mercy is granted to ease any part of these torments and all this is not for some long time but thousand thousands of yeares and still as farre from end as at the first beginning Quest 108. Is it not iniustice to appoint so great a punishment for euery sinne yea euen for the least Answ It is very iust and right for the Lord to adiudge the very least sinne to hell fire because his marke which is perfect holines set vpon man in his creation is remoued and a marke with the deuils brand is made vpon the soule of the sinner for which it is iust that the deuill and not God should now haue such a soule Mark 7.23 Explan The Lord which is iust in all the waies and righteous in all his workes cannot bee vniust in punishing sinne Therefore this heauy censure against the least sinne cannot but bee most iust and that this may more plainely appeare wee are not to consider of sinne as of an offence meerely whereby a law is broken but as of a blemish whereby the soule is steined and so made vnfit to bee a citizen of heauen where only holines dwelleth and none vncleane thing may enter This blemish also is so great as that it is said to defile the whole man and that with such filthinesse as is most loathsome Now this being the case of any sinner is it not iust with God to condemne him to the place fit for him and much more because he preferreth by sinne Satans bage and cognisance before the Lords Sinne worthy of hell fire Againe euery sinne is an offence against an infinite maiesty euen the smallest as wel as the greatest for the same God which hath said Thou shalt not commit adultery hath said also Iames 2.11 thou shalt not kill He that hath said thou shalt not doe ill hath also said thou shalt
Law is also a Schoolemaster when we are come to Christ euer checking and correcting vs when wee walke not according to the straight rule thereof but the Gospel vpon our humiliation comforteth vs and assureth vs that al our aberrations and going astray are remitted so that there be an heart vnfainedly hating that euill which we doe Rom. 7. Now as there be differences betwixt the Law and the Gosspell so there be some things wherein they agree The agreement of the old Testament and the new Heb. â— 1 Mat 3. 1. In the author God not as the mad Manichees taught the bad God to be the author of the law and the good God the author of the Gospell for the same God which spake by his Son Iesus Christ in these last daies spake also at diuers times and in diuers maners in times past he that said from heauen this is my beloued Son heare ye him the same God spake all these words said from heauen I am thy Lord thy God which brought thee out of the land of Egypt out of the house of bondage c. 2. They agree in the threatning of sin and vrging obedience vnto the Lord in all things but the Law vrgeth it for feare the Gospel for loue If ye loue me keepe my Commandements the Law as the meritorious cause of life the Gospell as most necessary signes of the life of faith and the way that God hath appointed vs to walke in vnto life the Law giueth no hope in the case of swaruing from the strict rule thereof the Gospell giueth hope to the penitent and where the like hope is giuen by the Prophets they doe rather play Euangelists then Preachers of the Law 3. They agree in this that howsoeuer the Gospell giueth hope to the penitent yet it denieth all hope to those that liue and die in transgression of the Law for against such most common are the threatnings contained in the Gospell They that doe such things Gal. 5.17 shall neuer inherit the Kingdome of Heauen 4. They agree in this that there is no contradiction betwixt them but as they come from one and the same spirit so there is a sweet harmony consent between theÌ„ the one only sheweth what God doth strictly require in his iustice the other how his iustice is satisfied and yet his mercy to sinfull man appeareth the one saith he that breaketh the Commandements shall die the other saith that because man through the weaknes of his nature could not but breake them one man that neuer brake any the least of them died in the stead of sinfull man and thus freed him that was the son of death from death and damnation 5. They agree in the Ministers of them both for they of the Law were to be without blemish their lipps were to preserue knowledge they were to liue of their seruice they were diuers sorts both Priests Leuits they were watchmen c. so ought the ministers of the Gospell they must be vnblameable apt to teach they that preach the Gospell are to liue of the Gospell 1. Tim 3. 1. Cor. 9.24 Ephes 4.12 2. Pet. 5.2 some are Doctours some Pastours c. they are Pastours watching and keeping their flockes as those that must giue accounts for them And thus much of the third generall The manner how this law was giuen Exod. 19.20 The next thing to be spoken of in generall is the manner how this Law was giuen and that is described in the nineteenth and twentieth of Exodus 1. First there was great preparation three dayes together the people were sanctified according to the manner of those times by washings and purifyings shewing both what need wee haue by prayer and reading of the holy Scriptures which may bring vs from worldly to heauenly meditations to prepare our selues euer before that we come to heare the Lord speaking vnto vs in the Ministery of his holy word and also how wee must euer be more and more doing away by the Spirit of Sanctification the blots and blemishes of our natures that we may be the fitter to come into the presence of the Holyest 2. Secondly a straight charge was giuen that neither man nor beast vnder paine of death should come neere the Mount whence the Law was to be deliuered but certaine marks were set beyond which none might dare to passe shewing as the Apostle hence noteth 2. Cor. 3.6.7 Heb. 12.19 how glorious was the Law now to bee deliuered and if such as passed the markes set them were without mercy to die the death that much more the transgressours of any of these precepts should die and find no mercy Heb. 12 2â— Thirdly the Lord descended with great terrour the Trumpet sounding the earth shaking and Lightnings flying abroad insomuch as that the people are noted to haue run away and Moses himselfe to haue said I tremble and quake shewing that the things here vttered were graue and waightie and to be receiued into the heart with a feare of offending against them and also that when the time shall bee of calling the offenders to account with what wonderfull terrour the Lord will then come against them 4. Almighty God himself spake al these words in the hearing of al the people but wheÌ„ they were too weak to beare his words and desired that the Lord would not speake any more for so they should die but promised obedience if Moses should speak two tables of stone were giuen vnto him written with Gods own finger that he might carry them to the people shewing hereby how stony-hard our hearts be and that Gods finger alone is able to imprint them there his speech from Heauen must worke in vs a reuerence of them otherwise we shal all be too negligent of his Lawes 5. When Moses had broken these Tables through zeale seeing how God was dishonoured in his absence by golden Calues which they had set vp and worshipped the Lord bad him hew two other Tables and therein he wrote all the words that were in the first shewing hereby that mans heart by Gods creation had all the lawes ready written in it as the Tables prepared by God himselfe had but the heart which he had gotten vnto himselfe by falling away from God is without any letter hereof in effect vntill that the Lord wrote them anew as it was with the Tables prepared by Moses 6. Lastly when Moses had been long with the Lord and came with these Lawes vnto the people his face shone so as they were not able to looke vpon him for which cause he vsed a vaile when hee came vnto them and put it off when hee returned vnto the Lord shewing hereby as S. Paul noteth 2. Cor 3.13 â—4 that the Iewes should not be able to see into the end of the Law Christ Iesus vntill the vale of blindnesse and hardnesse of heart were taken away by the Lord neither yet could any of the Gentiles without the same
his helping hand There remaineth yet one thing more in generall and that is the vse of this Law in these times of the Gospell The vse of the Law in these times of the Gospell for howsoeuer other Lawes be done away as hath been shewed yet this still euer remaineth as it hath euer been in the hart yea euen before mans fall And this appeareth now to vse more proofes from our often being vrged vnto an holy and new life from the many caueats giuen against sinne and from the threatnings that they which doe such things shall neuer enter into life euen in the new Testament Ephes 4.24 For when the Apostle willeth vs to put off the old man and to put on the new which after Christ Iesus is in holines to put of the workes of darkenesse Rom. 13. Leuit. 11.44 and to put on the armour of light what doth he else but reuiue the Law Bee yee holy as J am holy Iohn 2.1 saith the Lord. When S. Iohn saith These things write I vnto you Iames 2.10 that yee sinne not And S. Iames Hee that keepeth the whole Law and yet saileth in one point is guilty of all what do they else but preach the continuance of the Law Deut. 5 32. Thou shalt keepe all these Commandements not declining to the right hand nor to the left Lastly when all the writings of the new Testament are full of sweet promises to such as constantly go forward in a Christian course of life and that bring forth the fruits of the Spirit but on the other side ful of terrible threatnings to the disobedient and such as bring forth the fruits of the flesh what other thing do they tend vnto but to make another Deuteronomy for that they repeate as there it is repeated out of Leuiticus Leuit. 26. Deut. 28. If thou shalt diligently obserue all these lawes then shalt thou be blessed at home and abroad c. but if thou break them Cursed shalt thou bee in euery thing that thou puttest thine hand vnto And to make it out of doubt our Sauiour Christ when it was suspected that he would giue liberty from the Law saith I am not come to destroy the Law Mat. 5.19 and the Prophets but to fulfill them But it will here be obiected then If it be thus how can those places of the new Testament stand where it is often said Wee are not vnder the Law Gal 4.18 Rom. 7. but vnder grace Euen as a woman when her husband is dead is freed from the law of her husband so are wee freed from the Law vnder the Gospell and Christ was made of a woman and made vnder the Law Gal. 4.4 to free those that were vnder the Law with many like places What is all this to make a shew only of libertie we being still bound to keepe the Law as we were before Christs comming I answere that most of these and the like places are to bee vnderstood of the ceremoniall Law against which occasion was then daily offerd to write by reason of the Iewes which were turned to the faith of Christ and yet held it necessary to keepe this law by circumcising c. there was little or none occasion to write so earnestly about the disanulling of the Morall but onely to shew how vnable it was to iustifie for then Christs comming had been needlesse Let the Epistle to the Galathians bee well lookt ouer and this will easily appeare to be the Apostles scope there for that he telleth them with wonderfull vehemencie If ye be circumcised Christ will profit you nothing Gal. 5.2 and he maketh this the occasion of prosecuting this matter of immunitie from the Law so earnestly for that Peter being at Antioch seemed to bee too cold in this doctrine when at the comming of the Iewes hee abstained from meates forbidden by the Ceremoniall Law for which he saith that he reproued him to his face for that iustification before God was not thus attained but hindred Chap. 2.11 which is the only thing he laboureth in throughout the residue of that Epistle But it cannot bee denied but that some liberty also from the Morall Law is here published it will be worth the while therefore to see what this is Liberty from the Law Gal. 3.24 Iohn 1.18 And first this is in regard of the time before Christs comming we were vnder the law as vnder our only schoolemaster to teach and to direct vs but now we haue another Schoolemaster Christ Iesus who came more lately out of the bosome of God the Father to declare him and his waies vnto vs. Now both Moses the mediator of the Law and Christ Iesus teach one and the same thing only as he that goeth from a countrie Schoole to the Vniuersity changeth his Tutor and is no more vnder him that taught him in his younger yeares but vnder another so at the comming to Christ we are no more vnder the old tutor the Law but vnder him who doth deale more gently with vs teaching vs more familiarly helping vs towards more perfection and where we faile pardoning and forgiuing vs and because of his mercifull dealing wee are said not to be vnder the Law but vnder grace and for this it is that the Lord himselfe said that the law and Prophets were vntill Iohn Heb 2.14 Secondly in râ—gard of the power and authority of the Law being now put downe by exercising of which it did tiranize ouer mens consciences and put them into a slauish feare all their liues long before Christs comming but now hauing another master to admonish to reproue to threaten and to correct vs the lawes threatnings neede not to terrifie vs it hath none authority ouer vs no more then a master whose seruant is dismissed and gone from him hath ouer the same seruant and for this cause is it that the Apostle saith Gal. 3 19. The Law was added because of the transgressions vntill the seede came Matth. 11. Thirdly in regard of the seasoning which hath come to our hearts by Gods Spirit ruling and reigning in vs so as that the things of the Law which were before difficult hard and burthensome are now become sweet light and easie according to that of our Sauiour My yoake is easie and burthen light And hence is it that as an Apprentice when his time is out taketh the same or greater paines in his Trade then hee did before yet is a free man although hee serueth his old Master still for it is a delight vnto him so to doe especially remembring in what feare hee was before but now without feare how rigorously compelled vnto his taske but now doing it voluntarily and by reason of his rudenesse and ignorance how hard it was but now by reason of his experience how easie so our time of Apprentiship to the Law being as it were out at the sending of Gods Spirit vnto vs wee are free from it
Ios 7. Lastly the dutie heere is in all things to speake the truth whatsoeuer commeth of it not bee affraid of the faces of the greatest standing for the truth of the Gospell not to feare any enmity of man in witnessing the truth for the meanest not for feare of death or other punishment to deny the truth of any fact making vs lyable herevnto For thus as Iosuah said vnto Achan thou giuest glory to God whatsoeuer becommeth of thee otherwise thou aduancest the Diuell the father of lies Thou art a follower of God as one of his deare Children and though thou lose something heere yet thou shalt be rewarded an hundred fold otherwise as a bastard and impe of the Diuell thou shalt with him bee adiudged to hell-fire Reuel 22. as is the censure of lyars Quest 103. Which is the tenth and last Commanmandement Answ Thou shalt not couet thy neighbours house thou shalt not couet thy neighbours wife nor his seruant nor his mayd nor his Oxe nor his Asse nor any thing that is his Quest 104. What is heere forbidden Answ All first motions in the minde vnto sin springing from originall sin though no consent be yeelded vnto them Explan This Commandement as hath beene already said is diuided by the Romanists into two that the two formost might be reckoned but one But this as hath beene shewed is their sophistry and against all reason there being two so distinctly deliuered of two arguments the inward and outward worship of God heere one and the same argument euill motions and lusts of the minde and no full distinction in the matter but onely enumeration of diuers obiects Nay to demonstrate that all this is but one commandement compare Exod. 20.17 with Deut 4.21 and you shall finde the order of this enumeraion inuerted in the one the house first named in the other the wife which would neuer haue beene done if they had beene two different commandements Thou shalt not couet that is thou shalt not haue any first motions in thy minde against that loue which thou owest vnto thy neighbour whereby the way may bee opened to sinne against him in any kinde either through the desire of pleasure or profit whether the profit bee inheritance his house or goods man maid cattle which were alike bought and sold in those times all beginnings of sin must be resisted that the soule may bee pure and fit for Gods Spirit to ioyne it selfe vnto Now the Lord passeth on heere in reckoning vp particular euill motions against our neighbour and saith nothing of motions against his owne Maiesty not that men are not as apt heerein to sinne against God nether for that these motions are more excusable but because as more hainous in any common vnderstanding they are to be auoyded rather being against him from whom euery good thing and onely good commeth Psal 139. The sin against this Law I say is when ill motions of any kinde are first in the minde whether against God or against man though no consent be yeelded by the minds approbation and liking well of and thinking to put these motions in execution for as grosse affections and desires make the soule impure in Gods sight so his peircing eye-sight beholdeth it if there be any beginnings a far off and cannot abide them according to the Psalmist Rom. 7. Gal 5.17 Here therefore commeth to be censured originall sin in vs deriued from Adams sin viz. the leprosie of our corrupt nature which is called lust and concupiscence the flesh c. which is a want of originall righteousnesse and holinesse and a pronnesse to all sin and wickednesse This is daubed vp with vntempered morter by those of the Roman Church denying it to be any sinne but a disease only in nature as the hereditary stone or gout whereas the Apostle plainly teacheth euen this to be sin saying I had not knowne sinne but by the Law for I had not knowne lust except the Law had said Rom. 7.7 Thou shalt not lust or couet by which words it is euident that it is truely a sinne and against this precept to let passe that of Dauid Psal 51. Rom. 4. In sinne was I conceiued they are made lyable vnto death that sinned not as Adam that is hauing no sinne but this originall Of this Argument hee that pleaseth may see a large Tractate in my fourefold resolution Iob. 14.3 Againe I say further motions vnto sinne springing from originall sin that is from the flesh are against this commandement though no consent be yeelded because if the roote be naught the branches must needs be naught also Who can draw a cleane thing saith Iob out of that which is vncleane there is not one Springing from originall sinne or the flesh in vs I say because some euill motions are suggested by the Diuell which are not our sins vnlesse by consenting wee make them so Such motions had our Lord whē he was tempted Math 4. but wee must learne of him to resist constantly lest they by admitting Motions from Satan knowne how become our sinnes These diabolicall temptations are commonly knowne either because they are sudden and come into the minde without any obiect leading heerevnto or because they are often yea hundreths of times iterated without intermission like Ordnances planted to batter downe a wall to the infeebling of the faculties of minde and body and weakening of the senses 3. Or because they are motions to things horrible to nature as to murthers of others or of a mans selfe Or because they moue to things vnpleasing tedious and irksome Or lastly because they are violent and inforce almost to the doing of that vnto which it is moued If at any time a man bee tempted heereby to things pleasing to the flesh as Paul was tempted when he had that pricke in the flesh the messenger of Satan to buffet him 2 Cor 12 7. And Dauid when he was stirred vp to number the people or if some outward obiect be vsed as a mean to allure as Euah was allured by the sight of the goodly fruit they are not so easie to be distinguished from fleshly motions which alwaies defile where they come how lightly soeuer they passe away againe though this bee also denyed by the Romanists calling them Leuicula vitiola queis renatus contaminari nequit light pecadilloes wherewith the regenerate cannot be defiled Lastly I say all first motions to include not onely originall corruption and first motions hence arising without ioying in them but much more if there bee ioy and delight though there be no consent in the heart to put them in practice it is a sinne also heere forbidden such motions onely as are ioyned with consent being against other Commandements So that he which is pleased in motions arising in the mind to haue such house and goods of another man or such a woman being another mans wife and therefore breaketh out in vaine wishes although he doth not plot
not thinke ill Now according to the greatnesse of the person offended the offence is to be estimated if it be against a temporall King it is a temporall death if against the eternall King it is eternall death in hell For it is not with God as with man whose lawes if they bee broken yet being of diuers sorts onely such as concerns the Kings person are reckoned to be against his Maiesty others against this or that subiect onely but the lawes of God doe all concerne his royall person and any breach is rebellion as Samuel called the sinne of Saul sparing the Amalekites 1. Sam. 15.23 Rebellions is as the sinne of witchcraft and therefore worthy of death and damnation Quest 109. If no man can perfectly keepe the Law wherefore then serueth it The vse of the Law Answ Of excellent vse notwithstanding is the law of God 1. To humble vs in regard of our miserable estate hereby discouered 2. To beare rule of good life vnto vs. 3. To bee a Schoole-master to bring vs to Christ Explan Seeing the end of the Law now is not the perfect obseruing of it in all things without any faile that the doer might so be counted worthy to liue which is impossible it is needefull to bee considered to what end it now serueth Rom. 7.9 And the first is to beate downe pride and to humble the most holy and best men liuing For I was once aliue saith the Apostle without the Law but when the Commandement came sinne reuiued and being more reformed by Gods grace seeing what by the Law he ought to doe and what through infirmitie hee did Verse 24. he crieth out O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death And as the Apostle so euery man that hath his eyes open to see into the glasse of the Law and thereby his miserable estate seeth himselfe so wretched sinne being about him to defile him the threatnings of the law before him the flesh behind still putting him forward to sinne aboue him the Lord ready to take vengeance on him and vnder him hell fire the bottomlesse gulfe ready to swallow him vp with the mouth wide open as that hee cannot but ioyne in an holy despaire with the Apostle and condemne himselfe for a most vnworthy wretched sinner And being thus humbled shall he condemne the Law and cast off all care of obedience because it requireth so much more then hee can any way performe Nay hee will the more loue it and admire the perfection of it saying with the same holy Apostle The Law is holy Rom. 7.12.22 and the Commandement is iust and holy and good and I delight in the Law of God concerning the inner man Euen as a student in any Art to the perfection whereof hee cannot attaine such bee the mysteries thereof yet hee is the more rauisht with the loue of it and striueth hard after the perfect knowledge of it and neuer ceaseth He saith not with Esau what is this birth-right vnto mee because hee is tied to an hard taske hereby but with Saint Paul he presseth towards the marke walking that way of good workes which God hath appointed vsing for a rule this holy Law of God Rom. 8. And lastly finding that when he hath done whatsoeuer hee is able he is an vnprofitable seruant worthy of Gods eternall displeasure he is driuen to seeke both meanes of satisfaction for his delinquencies and failes and helpe to doe this hard task vnto which of himselfe he is so vnsufficient and this satisfaction and helpe is the Lord Iesus Christ alone For that which was impossible to the Law in as much as it was weake because of the flesh God sending his owne Sonne in the similitude of sinfull flesh and for sinne condemned sinne in the flesh that the righteousnesse of the Law might be fulfilled in vs. Gal. 3.24 And thus doe we see the third and last end of the Law viz. to bee a schoolemaster to bring vs vnto Christ and this schoolemaster is both the Ceremoniall law tutoring and teaching by rudiments and figures as little children those that were not come to full age vnder the Gospell and to vs more principally the Morall Law shewing the great neede which wee haue of a Sauiour and driuing vs vnto him as our onely refuge to be made righteous according to that The law was our Schoole-master to bring vs vnto Christ that we might bee made righteous by faith Quest 110 How may wee bee saued from our sinnes Answ Onely by the bloud of Iesus Christ laid hold vpon by a true and liuely faith 1. Iohn 1.7 Explan Being brought to despaire by the sight of our sinnes in the glasse of the Law and of the horrible punishments due therefore it is necessary that wee now looke for a remedy against so great danger as the cunning Chirurgion when he hath searched a festered soare to the bottom applieth himselfe to the Cure And our onely remedie is the bloud of Iesus Christ according to that comfortable speech The bloud of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth from all sinne If all Angels and men should haue done their vttermost to deliuer and saue one soule it were altogether vaine they being all finite the punishment by sinne deserued infinite and therfore such as could neuer bee satisfied for by creatures finite but in an infinite time It pleased the Lord for this cause to send his onely begotten Sonne into the world that whosoeuer belieueth in him should not perish Iohn 3 16. but haue life euerlasting And his bloud doth saue from all sinne 1. By expiation 2. By sanctification Expiation Expiation is the satisfying of Gods wrath due to sin by bearing the heauy burthen thereof and this did the Lord Iesus Phil. 2.8 when he abased himselfe and became obedient to the death euen to the death of the crosse when he redeemed vs from the curse of the Law Gal. 3.13 1. Iohn 3.16 being made a curse for vs for it is written Cursed is euery one that hangeth on the tree when in loue he laid downe his life for vs. And thus we are by his bloud saued from sin and damnation hereby deserued euen as a condemned person is saued by some other man dying in his stead If it be demanded whether Christ being the Son of God could not haue saued vs by some lesse suffering than death seeing whatsoeuer he endured was of infinite worth I answer that I take it not to be safe affirming or denying this for if we shal say that he could not we should limit his Almightie power if that he could we should call in question his diuine wisdome wherefore I say that he could not so abundantly haue manifested his loue towards vs any other way but by dying for vs and therefore let it suffice to know that hee haâ—h voluntarily and of his owne accord suffered death to deliuer vs from death and damnation
acknowledge it and to ascribe all honour and glory vnto it whether we speake of thy titles behold thy creatures and works of prouidence or receiue any of thy blessings or whether we be conuersant in the exercises of thy Word and Sacraments or of any other diuine ordinances And againe whereas thy name is vsed as vnholy by prophane worldlings vindicate and deliuer it from such abuses and make vs to stand for the maintenance of thy honour against such And lastly prouide for the preseruation of the same from being vsed as a common thing working in all thy people an holy consent to hallow it together abstaining from all common and base vsage thereof 1. The supplication 3. For the scope of this petition as euery one of the other it containeth a supplication a deprecation and a thanksgiuing The supplication is that we and all the people of God may glorifie the holy name of God in our affections louing him with all our hearts with all our soules and with all our might fearing him aboue all putting our trust only in him in our deuotion with pure minds lifted vp to him only to pray and in our speeches swearing rightly and reuerently by his name and neuer making mention of him but wirh high reueuerence lastly in all naturall and ciuill actions seeing hearing eating drinking labouring recreating buying selling and conuersing and dealing one with another doing these not as men led by sense only but by religion eating and drinking moderately and with thanksgiuing seeing and hearing of Gods works with vnderstanding and praising his power his wisdome and his iustice and mercy labouring and working the thing that is good as in Gods presence recreating with moderation and not according to the sway of voluptuous and vaine minds and in all our contracts and dealings following the rule of iustice and equity in the feare of this great God And this in briefe is commanded by the Apostle Whether yee eate or drinke or whatsoeuer yee doe 1. Cor. 10.31 doe all to the glory of God And if in some of these things onely wee giue glory to God and not in them all we come short of that which wee are here directed to striue after We honour God with our lippes but our hearts are farre remooued from him whilst we performe workes of deuotion outwardly but haue hearts void of this loue feare and trust and liues irregular swaruing from iustice temperance and the feare of God and tongues let loose to curse and blaspheme God or else wee honour men more then God whilst wee follow iustice temperance and sobernesse and speake reuerently of Gods name amongst men but are cold and seldome or corrupt in our deuotion So that this one short petition comprehendeth the three former Commandements of the Law and herein we craue that we may be able to doe whatsoeuer we are therein directed vnto 2. The deprecation The deprecation is against the sinnes in these Commandements forbidden contrary to the duties before spoken of with an acknowledgement of our transgressions and weakenesse through which wee daily offend herein sighing after more perfection and strength of grace Wee acknowledge therefore here our selfe-love and loue of the world feare of men and trust in armes of flesh our corrupt worshipping of God our neglect of his worship our errours in speech to the dishonour of his name cursings swearings periuries neglect of vowes and giuing Gods honour to creatures swearing by them and our errours in action not being moued with diuine meditations beholding Gods works being intemperate in meates and drinkes and not following that iustice and feare of God in our dealings that wee ought to doe and for strength to ouercome all these our corruptions we pray 3. The thanksgiuing The thanksgiuing is for these corruptions mortified and purged and for contrarie graces reuiued and setled to the praise of Gods name when wee find to our comfort that the Lord hath set vp in our hearts some measure of this loue feare trust made vs deuout worshippers of God and reformed in some measure the errours of our speeches and actions in which notwithstanding wee must take heed that wee doe not glory and boast our selues least wee fauour of the proud Pharisie but to giue God onely all the glory 1. Tim. 2.1 Likewise wee praise God here for his grace in other men by whom his name hath also glorie whilest they consent in things together with vs to the honouring of God For this is also commanded as to pray for others so to praise God for others I exhort that first of all prayers and supplications and giuing of thankes be made for all men For this cause of old they that were led by the Spirit of God did praise his name ouer the graues of Martyrs for his grace giuen vnto them shining so much to his glory though since it hath been turned into praiers for them being dead and to them and it is an euident want of the Spirit of God and of the presence of the lying Spirit to maligne such as seeke thus to liue to Gods glory and to discourage them and to speake all manner of euill against them as is the manner of many now adaies seeking by their checkes and taunts to quench the sparkes of zeale which are kindling in the hearts of others especially of vnderlings Out of your owne mouthes shall yee bee iudged yee euill and wicked seruants to the highest seeing with your mouthes ye speak the words of Gods praise for grace in others and with the same mouthes ye pricke their sides as with swords to spill if it were possible all warmth of grace out of them Now all this is in the first petition the supplication wee pray thee let thy name be hallowed the deprecation wee pray thee let not thy name be vnhallowed or haue dishonour done vnto it the thanks-giuing wee thanke thee for disposing vs to the magnifying and giuing glory to thy name for thy grace and goodnesse and so let thy name be hallowed Quest 124 In the second petition what doe you desire Answ That the number of true belieuers may be daily increased that Gods Kingdome of grace may bee enlarged and his Kingdome of glory hastened Acts 2.23 Explan According to the method propounded I consider first the order of this petition it goeth before this Thy will be done to teach vs that no man can rightly doe the will of God and please him vnlesse he be of his Kingdome and deliuered out of the Kingdome of darknesse by faith and the Spirit of Sanctification He shall doe his will indeed as a vessell of wrath being ouer-ruled by his Almighty power as the Deuill doth Gods secret will but not as a vessell of mercy out of a good heart to be accepted as the Angels and Saints in heauen For when the wicked Iewes had crucified the Lord Iesus it is said that they had taken him being deliuered by the determinate counsell and
teares 2. Duty Joy in all bodily sufferings Secondly it begeteth an exceeding contentment and comfort in all our sicknesses bodily pangs and sufferings Christ Iesus hath endured greater pangs then any of this kind can be our sins deserue greater then these Wherefore as a poore prisoner in for some capitall crime but againe released for his life and onely chastized with some few stripes will reioyce in the middest of these his petty sufferings remembring what hee hath escaped So wee being in misery in this world but deliuered from the euerlasting torments due vnto vs for our offences cannot but reioyce in the middest heereof seeing wee haue escaped that misery ten thousand times greater Yet I sincerely confesse that though these reasons and motiues bee yeelded vnto as prouing the truth of this doctrine namely that Christ did thus suffer in soule yet they inforce not that this must be the sense of this Article There are many true positions in Diuinity concerning the actions and passions of our sauiour which are not euident Articles of faith nor directly intended by any parcell of the Creed So then I neither presse vpon any mans iudgement heerein nor obtrude mine owne but rather referre both my selfe and my Reader to the iudgement of the more learned in our Church Quest 27. Is this all the humiliation of the Sonne of God for our redemption Did hee no way else abase himselfe for vs Answ Yes hee became obedient to the Law also that by his obedience and righteousnesse wee might stand righteous in the sight of God Christ obedient to the Law Explan Howsoeuer this bee not expressed in the Creede yet is it implicitely set downe in that he is said to bee made man borne of the Virgin Mary and to haue suffered that is to haue beene obedient to sufferings for being man hee is vnder the Law Gal. 4. â— as witnesseth the Apostle God sent his Sonne made of a woman and made vnder the Law that hee might redeeme those that were vnder the Law and becomming obedient euen vnto the death of the Crosse his obedience to the will of his Father cannot but be admirable and S. Paul seemeth hence to extoll it Phil. 2.8 saying Hee became obedient to the death euen to the death of the Crosse And that which may thus be gathered from the words of this confession is plainely testified in sundry places First that hee obeyed the whole Law of God and then that hee did this for vs that wee might be accepted for obedient and righteous That hee obeyed the whole Law of God is testified both generally Math. 5.17 I came not saith hee to dissolue the Law and the Prophets but to fulfill them And againe as hath beene already shewed in that he was vnblameable and without spot and no man could accuse him of sinne and particularly for that no duty required by the law morall or ceremoniall was omitted by him The loue of God required by the morall Law did shew it selfe in him when hee whipt those out that bought and sold in his house and when hee verified that Prophesie The zeale of thy house hath eaten me vp The loue of man in him aboundantly appeared in his vnweariable going about to doe good in his free healing of diseases and casting of Diuels out and in his compassionate feeding of thousands sundry times in the wildernesse being like otherwise to perish Againe for the ceremoniall Law He was circumcised the eighth day and his name called Iesus Luc. 2.21.22 c. when the dayes of his mothers purification were accomplished he was presented in the Temple an oblation offered for him according to the Law When hee had clensed the ten Leapers hee bad them goe Luc. 5.12 and offer their guift which was commanded by the Law of Moses and so he did euer when hee had clensed any Hee kept the Sabboths of the Iewes Math 26. Heb. 9.28 hee frequented the Temple and kept the Passeouer and lastly being an high Priest hee sacrificed himselfe vpon the Altar of the Crosse for the sinnes of his people All this hee did and that necessarily because the first Tabernacle was yet standing nothing ceremoniall was disanulled vntill the rent of the vaile in the Temple at his death and therefore hee could not haue beene perfectly righteous had hee omitted any of these things Christ fulfils the law for vs. 1 Cor. â— 20 Secondly hee did all this for vs that wee sinfull creatures might become righteous through him according to that Hee is made of God vnto vs wisedome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption And in another place 2 Cor 5. That wee might bee made the righteousnesse of God through him And more largely to the Romanes That which was impossible to the Law Rom. 8 3. in as much as it was weake because of the flesh God sending his owne Sonne in the similitude of sinfull flesh condemned sin in the flesh that that righteousnes of the Law might be fulfilled in vs that is that Iesus Christ his freedome from sinne and perfect righteousnesse in keeping the Law might turne vnto vs to righteousnesse We could not keepe the Law neither can we perfectly as is declared at large in the seuenth to the Romanes and many other places Now it is not enough then for vs to obtaine eternall life that the Lord Iesus should beare the punishments due to our sinnes but he must also fulfill the Law for vs according to that Doe this and liue 1. Duty Cheerefulnes in striuing to keepe the Law The duties which we must performe to shew our faith in this are these First cheerefulnesse in striuing to fulfill the will and Law of God in all things for though we be vnprofitable seruants when we haue done what we can yet this is our comfort that through our Lord Iesus wee are good seruants that wherein we are wanting he hath fulfilled for vs. A scholler is commanded to make such an exercise as hee is no way able to doe a seruant is bidden to carry such a burthen as he hath no strength or power vnto Now this may vtterly discomfort both the one and the other and because they knowe they shall vndergoe stripes what paines soeuer they take it may iustly harden their hearts against al paines but admit that the scholler hath a friend to helpe him that the seruant knowes how otherwise to prouide for his carriage they will readily and with a good cheere goe about their taskes appointed vnto them We are the Lords schollers we are the Lords seruants the exercises appointed vs bee too hard our burthens too heauy but we haue here a sufficient friend that helpes vs one whose shoulders are ready to be put vnder euery burthen that ouerlodes vs Oh then how readily should we goe about our taskes how cheerefully should wee striue to doe whatsoeuer the Lord hath appointed vs seeing that in so doing we shall assuredly please him and haue a
bountifull reward euen euerlasting life They of the Church of Rome are afraid that by teaching this all good workes would be neglected and therefore make men beleeue that they may perfectly keepe the Law yea and doe workes of supererrogation also more then the Law requireth at their hands but you may easily perceiue by that which hath beene said how little cause there is of any such feare The sonnes of Belial indeede men without all grace growe secure hereupon and endeauour to doe nothing themselues because Christ hath done all for them but they are fowly deceiued as they shall finde to their cost another day The Apostle saith not simply He hath fulfilled the Law for vs Rom. 8.4 but with this addition which walke not after the flesh but after the spirit that is for vs which would faine be righteous and keepe the Law our selues but through the weaknesse of the flesh are not able hee hath done nothing therefore for these secure persons 2. Duty To rely onely vpon Christ The second duty is to cast out the anchor of our hope of eternall life onely vpon the righteousnesse of Christ Iesus and not vpon any merits of our owne no not whereunto we are inabled by the merits of Christ Iesus For as hee saide vnto Paul My grace is sufficient for thee 2. Cor. 12. so may it be said of his merits and righteousnesse His righteousnesse is sufficient for vs. Either it alone must make vs righteous or not at all that must not doe somewhat and our owne righteousnes somewhat the Lord will admit no such partnership Rom. 11.6 But if it be of grace it is no more of workes saith hee else were grace no grace if of workes it is no more of grace else were worke no more worke Our good workes are ordained of God as a way to eternall life Ephes 2.10 verse 9. that we should walke in them they merit nothing lest any man should boast Let the Roman Catholiques therefore sit at anchor here if they will let them build their hope vpon this sandy foundation but let vs sticke fast and remaine vnmoueable vpon the rocke Christ Iesus let vs looke for the sweetning of all our imperfect good workes from the perfume of his righteousnesse that thus wee may be sure to be accepted before God his Father at the last day Quest 28. In which wordes is his exaltation set downe and how many be the degrees hereof Answ In these words The third day hee rose againe from the dead and ascended into Heauen he sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty and from thence he shall come to iudge both the quicke and the dead And of this there be three degrees also Quest 29. Which is the first and in which words Answ First In that he arose againe from death to life and ascended vp into Heauen In these words The third day he arose againe from the dead and ascended vp into Heauen Two branches of the fift Article Explan As the Lord Iesus taking vpon him the worke of our redemption was greatly humbled as hath beene shewed so when this worke was finished he was againe highly exalted and looke by what steps of humiliation he descended by the like also he ascended till he came to the height of his glory beginning first to rise from the lowest in that out of the nethermost earth he goeth vp to the highest Heauens Of this Article there be two branches The third day hee arose againe from the dead is the first He ascended vp into Heauen is the second Concerning the first Being laid into the Sepulchre by Ioseph of Arimathea and a great stone rolled to the doore of the Sepulchre a watch also was set to keepe his body lest his Disciples stould come by night and steale it away and say He is risen againe being I say thus strongly guarded he is not hereby hindered but powerfully riseth and commeth forth of the Sepulchre the third day after his buriall which was the Lords day or first day of the weeke as he had foretold vnto his Disciples Proofe for the grounds of holy Scripture Math. 28. Mark 16. Ioh. 20. Luk. 24. from whence this is taken the history recorded by the foure Euangelists doth plainely declare thus much who doe all set forth his rising againe with the circumstances thereof Generally this time was the time of the Passeouer to shew that the true Paschall Lambe was now come into the world and the religious killing of all other lambs as meerely a figuratiue and shadowing ceremony should now cease the substance it selfe being now present Againe it was the first moneth about the middest of it which answereth to our March wherein in this Northern Hemisphere of the world the pleasant spring doth begin to shew that the earth did in her kind reioyce to receiue the Lord reuiued from the dead according to that of Melancthon Melancth Ecce renascentis testatur gratia mundi Omnia cum Domino dona red sse suo See how the worlds grace reuiu'd doth shew With the Lord of all all gifts return'd anew Gal 5 2. Thirdly it was early in the morning before the Sun to shew that a brighter Sun the Sun of righteousnesse was risen to the world Fourthly it was the first day of the weeke when he had lyen all the Iewes Sabboth in the graue to shewe that they are dead still vnto Christ that keepe their holy rests vpon that day as is spoken of circumcision If ye be circumcised Christ profiteth you nothing and to shew that a greater worke was now ended then the creator of the world viz. the redemption of the world and that as vnder the creation the Lords resting day from that great worke was the Sabboth of Gods people so vnder the redemption Christs resurrection day and of ending a greater worke became their Sabboth to endure to the worlds end Fiftly it was the third day after his death and buriall no sooner to shew that hee was truly dead without all deceit no later lest through his longer tarrying the faith of his Disciples should turne into despaire Now that he did rise againe indeed and that he was not taken away out of his sepulcher as the Iewes his enemies would make the world beleeue is diuersly testified and so fully as that it were shamefull impudency to deny it First he himselfe foretold thus much sometime darkely Ioh. 16.16 Yet a little while and ye shall not see me and a little while againe and yee shall see me Sometime plainely Math. 12.40 As Ionah was three dayes and three nights in the Whales belly so must the Sonne of man be in the heart of the earth Sometime againe more plainely Math. 17.12 23. The Son of man shall be deliuered into the hands of sinners and be crucified and slaine and rise againe the third day Secondly as he foretold so that it came to passe the Angels doe witnesse He is
foolish was Achan and Ananias and Saphyra to their smart as their Histories doe declare and Salomon in taking many wiues and contracting affinity with most Princes for the encrease of his power and establishing his peace For Ios 7 Acts 5 Gehazi is thus made a loathsome Leper Saul is turned out of his Kingdome Achan and Ananias lose their liues and Salomon almost ten Tribes of his posterity Let these examples therefore be warnings vnto vs that we trust not to our owne inuentions but goe out after the Spirit speaking in the Word with Abraham Heb. 11.8 though we our selues know not whither Euen as silly Orphans which know not how to buy and seâ—l and to deale in this wily world themselues doe willingly submit themselues to some faithfull friend that vndertakes this care for them Quest 33. Which is the second part of your articles of faith concerning the Church of God Answ The second part is The holy Catholique Church the Communion of Saints the Forgiuenesse of sinnes the Resurrection of the body and the life euerlasting Quest 34. What learne you here to beleeue concerning Gods Church Answ Foure things Quest 35. Which is the first Answ First I learne to beleeue that God hath a Church consisting of a certaine number of true beleeuers of whom some be in Heauen and some vpon earth and that I my selfe am a member of the same To beleeue in the holy Catholique Church Explan We are to prefix in our vnderstanding I beleeue and so to confesse I beleeue the holy Catholique Church c. and not I beleeue in as we say of God the Father Son and Holy Ghost For the meaning of the words then it is fully set downe in the answer viz although I cannot see with the bodily eye into the inuisible Church of God consisting onely of true beleeuers yet I doe by faith firmely hold that as there is an outward and visible Church militant here vpon earth that is a company of people outwardly called by the sincere preaching of the Word and further marked out by the right administration of the Sacraments amongst them so there is such a Church as is seene onely by the eye of the Lord inwardly called by the efficacy of the Spirit part of which is already triumphant in Heauen and part here still in this world the one sort being the Saints and faithfull departed the other faithfull men and women yet liuing And because I can no otherwise haue no comfort in al this I beleeue to my further comfort that I am a member of this inuisible Church and of the same body with the godly in heauen 2. For the grounds of this they are first to bee brought which testifie that God hath a Church 2. That this Church is a visible company called together by the preaching of the Word which is the Church before men 3. That they yet onely are the true Church before God which are Beleeuers 4. That no Church is to be beleeued in that is to be made the foundation of our faith but onely to be beleeued that is to be acknowledged and to be cleaued vnto when it is found to be Gods Church and to be obeyed in all things wherein it obeyeth Iesus Christ the head of all First that God hath a Church is plaine 1. Proofe That God hath a Church from the often mentioning of the Church of God in the Scriptures Great persecution is said to haue bin raised vp against the Church in the Acts and God is said to haue giuen some Apostles c. Acts 8 1 Ephes 4.12 Reuel 2.3 for the building vp of his Church And in the Reuelation there be seuen Epistles directed to seuen seuerall Churches one to the Church at Ephesus another to the Church at Laodicea c. This is so generally acknowledged that it shall not need to bee further insisted in But that this Church is a visible company called together by the preaching of the Word c. The true mark of the Church these being the principall markes and signes by which it is knowne amongst men is somewhat contradicted yea exploded by the Romanists and other signes of vniuersality antiquity succession of Bishops c. substituted and therefore aliquantulum operosiùs as this Commentary will beare to deale herein And first of all the word Ecclesia a Church comming of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greeke that is to call out giueth great light herein the Church being according to the signification of this Word a people called forth out of the rest of the world as the Apostle not naming the Church at Rome yet in effect calleth it saying To you which are at Rome Rom. 1.7 called to bee Saints now if it bee a people called out of the world the best note whereby to knowe it must needes be the voyce calling which if it be the Talmud of the Iewes it is a Synagogue of Christs enemies if the Alchoron of Mahomet it is an assembly of Saracens if the Word of God corrupted by false interpretations in matter of faith it is a Sect of Heretiques But if it be the pure Word of God purely and sincerely preached it is the Church of God For this hath euer beene a certaine note of Gods Church and such as cannot deceiue Thus hath it beene noted to be in the family of Enoch that walked with God viz. by obedience to his voice Proofes of the old Testament and of Noah for hee did thus also walke with the Lord and of Abraham who went out at Gods Word from his Fathers house and amongst his posterity the Iewes who at the Word of the Lord followed Moses and Aaron thorow the red Sea thorow the wildernesse and the numberlesse turnings by which they were directed from the Land of Aegypt vnto Canaan And still vnder the new Testament this was the infallible marke of Gods Church first amongst the Apostles who were called out from others by the Word of God to follow the Lord Christ then amongst other faithfull people as they were added to the Church they were called by the Word witnesse that great worke of conuersion Acts 2.41 wrought by the Ministry of Peter at one Sermon there were three thousand who when they heard it were seuered from the rest of the World and added vnto the Church Verse 47. and it is immediatly further noted that the Lord dayly added vnto the Church such as should bee saued viz. calling them by the Sermons of his Apostles and Ministers To proceed from History to the Doctrine of holy Scripture Doth not the Prophet Esay teach the same thing Esay 8.20 when he saith To the Law and to the Testimony if they speake not according to this Word it is because they haue no truth in them viz. When Seducers shall goe about to draw them to the seruice of Idols Verse 19. and to follow South-sayers and such as haue the
spirit of Diuination as in the 19. verse they were still inseparably to sticke to the Law of God and not to follow them which doe otherwise and the marke whereby to know these is that they spake not according to this word then the marke of Gods people must needs be this word purely spoken 2 Iohn 10 and taught amongst them Againe S. Iohn saith If there come any vnto you and bring not this doctrine receiue him not to house neither bid him God speed And in the verse before he twice nameth the doctrine of Christ Verse 9 Hee that continueth in the Doctrine of Christ hath both the Father and the Sonne So that if Iohn bee made iudge of the Churches markes the principall shall be the Word the true doctrine taught there Aand to the same effect speaketh Saint Paul Gal. 1.8 Though we or an Angel from Heauen preach otherwise vnto you then we haue preached let him be accursed corrupt preaching is still made the marke of Seducers and then on the contrary side sincere Preaching cannot but bee the marke of Gods people What should I multiply more testimonies in this case Christ himselfe hath plainely taught the same with his Disciples For to what else tend these words against the Pharisies O hypocrites Esaias prophesied well of you Math. 15 7. Verse 9. saying In vaine doe they worship me teaching for doctrines mens precepts Doth he not coâ—demne the Pharisies for their false doctrine to be a false Church and what is this else but to iustifie this as a certaine marke of the true Church viz. true doctrine and teaching out of Gods holy word and what hath beene said of the Word of God the same is true also of the holy Sacraments these rightly administred are further certaine markes of the true Church for these are the seales of Gods word the signes of his couenant whereby he bindes himselfe to be our God and receiues vs to be his people and sure pledges of his loue towards vs which we really haue till we come actually to be possessed of perfect holinesse and glory with Christ in stead of which these are here giuen vnto vs. The Sacraments of old were Circumcision and the Passouer the Baptisme in the redd Sea the water flowing out of the rocke c. which the Apostle reckoneth vp as markes of the Israelites where hee saith that vnto them pertaines the couenants Rom. 9.4 the giuing of the Law and the seruice of God c. And more particularly when he would describe the old Church visible and the true Church of the Iewes for example to the Church that then was hee sets it foorth by these markes They all eat of the same spirituall meat 1. Cor. 10.2 Verse 4. Verse 2. and dranke of the same spirituall drinke for they dranke of the rocke that followed them And againe They were all baptized in the Cloud and in the Sea vnto Moses And in the Epistle to the Hebrewes comparing the first Tabernacle with the second that is the Church vnder the old Testament with the Church vnder the new he makes the markes of that Church The Candle-sticke Heb. 9.3.4 the table the Shew-bread the golden pot with Manna and Aarons rod sacrifices c. All Sacraments setting foorth Iesus Christ And more specially at the first ordaining of Circumcision the Passe-ouer this is by the Lord assigned to bee the ende of them viz. to bee a signe and marke of his People Of Circumcision hee saith to Abraham This shall be a signe of my couenant vnto thee Gen. 17.11 that is whereby all that would might know him and his posterity to bee Gods people Likewise of the Passeouer The blood shall bee a signe vpon the post of the doore Exod. 12.13 by this Sacrament the very Angell that came to destroy should know where Gods people dwelt and it was a perpetuall signe till Christs comming Verse 27. for their children many generations after must bee still continually instructed heerein Now vnder the new Testament Proofes of the New Testament Marâ— 16.16 two others haue succeeded in the roome of these Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord. Concerning Baptisme the Lord saith Hee that beleeueth and is baptized shall bee saued Heere Baptisme is made a marke of Beleeuers 1 Pet. 3 21. and S. Peter compareth Baptisme with Noahs Arke which was easie to be knowne from other buildings by the floting alone vpon the water so is the Church by true Baptisme and alwayes so soone as any imbraced the Word the first marke of the Church they are exhorted to this second without delay as the Iewes that were at Peters Sermon When they were pricked in their hearts and would know what they should doe Act 2.38 Bee baptized saith hee in the name of the Lord Iesus for the remission of sinnâ—s And this was the next thing that the Eunuch proceeded vnto after he had receiued the word Act. 8. What hiâ—ders me saith hee from being baptized It was the next thing done to Cornelius to the Iaylour and all others of whose conuersion wee read in the holy Scriptures It is true indeed that aferwards some famous men did delay their baptisme vpon some sinister conceit as is to be feared that is left by sinning after Baptisme they should for euer bee cut off from being Gods people Theod lib 4. cap. 12. Athan. Apâ—eg ad Constantin Socr. ib. 5. c. 6. Basil exhort ad baptismum Naz. orat in bap Chrisost hom 1. in Act. Greg orat de non differ bapt though some other reasons haue beene alledged on their behalfe as that Constantine the Great deferred his Baptisme that hee might receiue it at the riuer Iordan where Christ was baptized as saith Theodoret and in the same delay did his sonnes follow him Constans and Constantius and Valens and Theodosius as hath Athanasius Theodoret and Socrates And this was so common that there were Cliniâ—i and Grabatarii so called who deferred vntill their last sicknesse but this was euer misliked by the sincere Fathers who therefore did often inueigh heere against as Basilius Nazianzen Chrysostome Gregory of Nissen c. Lastly for the Sacrament of the Lords Supper the Apostle makes it so certaine a marke of Gods Church that when he would expresse the company of Gods people of which they cannot be which partake of the table of Diuels he saith 1 Cor. 10.11 Yee cannot partake of the Lords table and of the table of Deuills and cannot drinke the cup of the Lord and the cup of Deuills the reason is euident for that the Lords table is a marke or cognizance of Gods people the Deuils table of the Deuills and not long after speaking of corrupt partaking of the Lords Supper when men came together in heart-burnings and contentions he saith 1 Cor. 11.16 Wee haue no such custome nor yet the Church of God as who should say that this is no mark of a true Church
Church of God against which our aduersaries may onely barke but not be able to vtter one word with reason more specially for our ministery howsoeuer perhaps we might answere that when an ordinary calling cannot be had there is place for an extraordinary yet we can truly maintaine that wee can deriue canonically our ordination from the successors of the Apostles as Master Mason hath learnedly declared Proofe Beleeuers onely the true Church Now it followeth to be proued that they onely are the true Church before God who are beleeuers And this appeareth plainly first for that many of the visible Church are reprobates and without part in Gods Kingdome as our Sauiour Christ teacheth by many parables both of the sower that went forth to sowe some of his seede falling vpon the thorny ground Math. 13 some vpon stony and some vpon the high way and so bringing forth no fruit and in the parable of the drawnet Math. 25. of the good corne and the tares of the Virgins of the seruants with their talents c. all which tend to set forth the state of Gods Church to be such as that therein there be many castawayes Moreouer hee teacheth the same plainely Math. 7.21 wherein he saith They shall cry Lord Lord open vnto vs we haue prophesied in thy name and c. and in another place Thou hast eaten and drunke in our streetes Luk. 13.25 and taught in our Synagogues but I will say vnto you depart from me yee workers of iniquity Which being so it must needes follow that all the visible Church is not Gods true Church but onely the company of true beleeuers Secondly this is further manifest because faith onely setteth vs into Iesus Christ and maketh vs members of his body Eph 4.12 which onely is the true Church for to this effect speaketh the Apostle They were broken off by vnbeliefe and thou staâ—dest by faith Rom. 11.20 viz Ingrafted into the Oliue tree Iesus Christ out of whom the Iewes were broken by vnbeliefe Faith onely maketh vs the children of Abraham Gal. 3. and heires by promise Thirdly the same appeareth from the description of the true Church to the Ephesians which hee calling them and magnifying Gods mercy in calling them to this estate he saith Eph. 2.8 By grace yee are saued through faith in Iesus Christ and againe through him yee are Citizens wâ—th the Saints Vers 19.20.21 and of the household of God and are built vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Iesus Christ himselfe being the chiefe corner stone in whom all the building coupled together groweth to an holy Temple in the Lord. Here faith onely is that which makes vs grow to this Temple and to be thus neere vnto the Lord. No man therefore can beleeue himselfe to be a member of the true Church before God by reason of any outward priuiledge entring him into the visible company of Gods people vnlesse he be inwardly before God through sauing faith made a member of the same Fourthly The Church to be beleeued and not beleeued in Jeron part S. Epist 41. Non dicimus credo in sed credo ecclesiam that the Church is only to be beleeued thas is acknowledged where it is found to be and to be cleued vnto but not to be beleeued in that is to be made the foundation of our faith This point as it consisteth of seuerall members so are they distinctly and seuerally to be laid open First it is to be acknowledged wheresoeuer it is found out by the markes before spoken of thus the Church at Rome was once famous all ouer the world and Peter indeauoured much after that he had once beene with Cornelius and the Gentiles Rom. 1 8 Act 12.5.6 to bring the Church of the Iewes to acknowledge them to bee the Church of God also and indeed how otherwise can I say I beleeue the Church Which is firmely to hold and constantly to acknowledge it Secondly it is also to be cleaued vnto for when the Church began first to flourish vnder the Gospell it is said Act. 2 that God added vnto the Church daily such as should be saued he prouided that they should be ioyned vnto the assemblies of his people so that as Peter saide vnto the Lord whether should we goe thou hast the wordes of eternall life Ioh. 6.68 so saith euery faithfull man and woman of his spouse the Church Eternall life is no where else to be obtained all the creatures out of the Arke perished so doe all that keepe out of the Church The word preached therefore is by all to be attended the Sacraments are reuerently to be receiued the assemblies of Gods people to be frequented Cantic 1.8 Thus the Lord directeth all his to doe in that mysticall song Get thee forth by the steppes of the flockes and feede their Kids by the tents of the shepheards Thirdly it is not to bee made the foundation of our faith because so the spouse should be set in the roome of the husband Christ and because that so we might erre and fall from true Christianity as any visible Church may doe and many haue done For the first it was before shewed that there can be none other foundation for the next it is manifest that the Church of the Iewes did often times erre and chiefly in crucifying the Lords Messiah The Church of Galatia did erre so farre that the Apostle professeth himselfe to bee afraid that hee had laboured in vaine amongst them hee was afraide also of the Church of Rome for the same errour which maketh him so long in prouing iustification by faith without the workes of the Law Reuel 3.3 The Church of Sardis was so farre gone that the Lord saith it had onely a name to be aliue but was indeede dead and the Church of Laodicea was spiritually miserable poore blind and naked and ecclesiasticall history doth shew that scarce any Church hath beene free but at sometime infected with heresie which though it was not in former times noted in the Church of Rome yet I take it it could not be farre from heresie Jerom Damasus when the head thereof Liberius subscribed vnto Arianisme and Honorius vnto the errour of the Monothelites when Marcellinus sacrificed to Idols and Siluester the second sold himselfe to the Diuell and became a Coniurour and Negromancer But say it was free a long time doth that proue that it must needs be so euer nay rather it is likely that as other Churches had their time of infection formerly so the Romans turne came more lately Againe that the visible Church may fall into heresie is plaine because it hath sometimes made decrees and afterwards the contrary hereunto Of the supremacy Con Nic Can. 6. euen in matters of great moment As about the supremacy of Bishops In the counsell of Nice it is decreed that as the Bishop of Alexandria had authority ouer all Egypt
members of Gods Church are wont thus to doe They are Saints as hath beene said they put off the old man with the lusts and put on the new This we doe all acknowledge when we confesse I beleeue the holy Church but alas how few doe accordingly how is holinesse scorned he that is not carried away with the streame of common impieties but is carefull to haue a good conscience before God and man shall be made a gazing stock and laughing stock They say a yong Saint an old diuell onely good fellowes that defile themselues with swilling whoring swearing and vanitie they are the men most generally esteemed in these miserable daies The Lord then hath but a poore Church euen in the middest of his true visible Church it is but a little flocke vpon which he will bestow the kingdom Wherefore let all such as loue this kingdome beware this broade way Heb. 11.14 and study for true holinesse without which no man shall see God 3. Duty To renounce cōfidence in works The third duty is to renounce all confidence in our owne workes and whatsoeuer we can doe and to seeke for iustification only by the merits and obedience of the Lord Iesus Christ who is made vnto vs of God 1 Cor. 1.30 iustification and redemption We must be holy and exercised in holy and good workes that we may be members of the holy Church but farre be it from vs to relie vpon our owne workes or holinesse for so wee may seeke after righteousnesse with the Iewes Rom. 9 but not attaine it We must haue the long white robes of Christs righteousnesse to couer vs that we may be vnblameable and without spot before the Father his blood washeth the Church Reuel 6 and sanctifieth it that it may be presented without spot or wrinkle Wherefore let not the standers of Papists hinder vs from following this rule though they falsly charge vs with abrogating good workes whilest we seeke to be iustified before God by the righteousnesse of Christ alone for in so doing we may boldly say with the Apostle We doe not disanull the Law but establish the Law seeing we teach the necessitie of holy and good workes 4. Duty to be confident against Purgatory The fourth duty is to be confident against the feare of Purgatory fire wherewith the Papists teach that we al must be purged before that we can enter into Heauen and that the torment hereof exceedeth the pangs of any suffering in this world because that by death the flesh is abolished in the faithfull and perfect holinesse is attained as hath beene already shewed That fire is but mans inuention to scarre fooles and babes and to cony-catch them of a great part of their substance Our Purgatory fire of which it is spoken in Saint Iames and in sundry other places of the Scripture is affliction in this world which is as the fining pot for siluer and gold all other Purgatories were vnknowne to the Prophets and Apostles and to the Christians of former times and therefore no cause is there why we should feare them Quest 36. Which is the third thing that you learne to beleeue concerning the Church Answ Thirdly J learne to beleeue that Gods Church is Catholike that is consisting of persons of all sorts scattered all ouer the world and of all times and ages Esa 2. cap. 40 c. Explan In this answer is fully layd open the meaning of the word Catholique being a Greeke word it signifieth Vniuersall and the Church is here declared to be vniuersall First in regard of persons belonging to the Church viz. men and women of all sorts and conditions high and low rich and poore bond and free Princes and Subiects noble and ignoble the Lord taketh some out of all these estates and degrees into his kingdome Secondly in regard of places the Church is dispersed East West North and South and not tyed to any certaine place or places neither to Ierusalem nor to Rome neither to Graecia nor to Barbaria but wheresoeuer the word of God taketh effect there is the Church also Thirdly in regard of time the Church was from the beginning is now and shall be throughout all ages and in the end of this world be crowned with Eternity as the head thereof Christ Iesus is Secondly for the proofes of these things Nothing is more common in the Scriptures than that all people and all nations shall come and worship the Lord shall see the saluation of God and haue ioy light and gladnesse instead of sorrow and heauinesse And this was typically represented in Noahs Arke whereinto entred the creatures of all sorts foure footed beasts and creeping things feathered fowles and all manner of cattle both cleane and the vncleane Now the cleane of these set foorth the Iewes Act. 10. and the vncleane the Gentiles as was shewed vnto Peter the cleane set foorth the righteous and godly the vncleane the lewd and wicked as the Lord would haue the Iewes vnderstand when he forbad them to eate of the vncleane the feathered fowles and the more noble beasts great and noble persons the creeping things Leuit. 11. the poore and needy of all which some were receiued into the Arke and some are receiued into the Church yea the very vncleane wicked when they repent Reuel 7. Moreouer in the Booke of the Reuelation as some were sealed of euery Tribe of Israel Dan onely excepted because of his Idolatry so were some of all kindreds nations and tongues which together made such a multitude as could not be told And this vniuersality of the Church was noted to haue beene euen whilest the Temple stood for when the Holy Ghost did wonderfully giue vtterance to the Apostles in all languages some of all nations are said to haue bene there Acts 2.5 Parthians Medes and Elamites and the Inhabitants of Mesopotamia men of Cappadocia Pontus Asia c. men fearing God which dwelt there for religions sake More particularly for persons belonging to the Church the Lord doth both inuite all when he sayth Come vnto mee Matth 11. Marc 16. all yee that are weary and heauy loaden and J will refresh you and Goe preach the Word to euery creature And by his Apostle Paul saying 1 Tim. 2.1 Verse 3. Verse 4. 2 Pet 9. Let prayers and supplications and giuing of thankes be made for all men For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Sauiour who would that all men should be saued and come to the knowledge of the truth and Peter saying The Lord would haue no man to perish but all men come to repentance Euen as he that inuiteth to a feast Matth. 22. is willing that all the guests which are bidden should come partake of his feast onely if worldly temptations hinder any hee is wroth and will destroy them if they refuse to come because of their profit Luc. 3. their pleasure their security c.
this faith what obedient and godly liuing is required to haue comfort in this faith how scandalous professors heereof shall bee barred out of eternall life euen as they that neuer knew how to rehearse this confession at all They also which imagine faith to be in their owne power and therefore neglect to pray for it when the Apostles themselues prayed Lord increase our Faith So many as be faithfull indeed let vs bee otherwise minded beleeuing all these things in heart without doubting studying aboue all things to bee more and more confirmed herein by godly liuing and euer heartily praying Lord giue faith where it is wanting and where it is increase our faith more and more And thus by the grace of God haue we finished our commentary vpon the first part of the Catechisme concerning the things to be beleeued and maintained to the death that we may come to life The end of the Creed Of the Commandements Quest THou saidst that thou wert bound to keepe the Commandements of Almighty God Which be they Answ God spake these words and saide I am the Lord thy God which haue brought thee out of the land of Aegypt out of the house of bondage Thou shalt haue none other Gods but me Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image nor the likenesse of any thing that is in the heauen aboue or in the earth beneath or in the water vnder the earth Thou shalt not bow downe to them nor worship them for I the Lord thy God am a Iealous God and visit the sinnes of the fathers vpon the children vnto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me and shewe mercy vnto thousands of them that loue me and keepe my Commandements Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine for the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine Remember that thou keepe holy the Sabbath day Sixe dayes shalt thou labour and doe all that thou hast to doe but the seuenth is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt doe no manner of worke thou nor thy sonne nor thy daughter thy man-seruant nor thy maid-seruant thy cattle nor the stranger that is within thy gates For in six dayes the Lord made heauen and earth the sea and all that in them is and rested the seuenth day wherefore the Lord blessed the seuenth day and hallowed it Honour thy Father and thy Mother that thy dayes may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee Thou shalt doe no murther Thou shalt not commit adultery Thou shalt not steale Thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy neighbour Thou shalt not couet thy neighbors house thou shalt not couet thy neighbours wife nor his seruant nor his maide nor his Oxe nor his Asse nor any thing that is his Quâ—st How many things doest thou learne out of these commandements Answ Two things My duty towards God and my duty towards my neighbour Explan Before that we come to shew in particular where these duties are set downe it will not bee amisse to speake some things in generall by way of preface or introduction to the commandements The time of the law giuing First of the time when these commandements were giuen and this was about two thousaods and fiue hundreth yeares after the Creation not that they were left all this time without a law for there was a law written in mens hearts by the pen of nature but to make that more plaine which by the corruption of nature was become very dimme and much defaced That there was a law euen before these commandements giuen the Apostle sheweth where hee saith that the Gentiles not hauing the law are a law vnto themselues which shew the effect of the law written in their hearts c. so that as long as men haue beene there hath also beene a law although not expressed in words yet written in the heart The knowledge of the law before it was written Wherefore if it be well obserued wee shall finde that euen before the giuing of the law all these precepts were knowne and acknowledged Gen 17.1 The first Commandement was knowne to Abraham when as almost in so many words the Lord said vnto him I am God al-sufficient stand before me and be vpright and there were no false Gods brought into the world before the floud Clemens Alexandrinus Clem. Alex. â—â— 1. Strom. a learned Father sheweth that Bacchus a great God amongst the heathen was made a God 604 years after Moses and so most of the Gods of the Grecians hee sheweth further how the chiefest God of all Iupiter was made by one Phydias and the chiefest Goddesse Iuno by Euclides Orat. Hortat ad Gent. and that Socrates Plato Xenophon Cleanthes Pythagoras the ancientest Philosophers and that Aratus Hesiod Eurypides and Orpheus the ancientest Poets acknowledged but one God Gen 35 2. The second commandement was knowne vnto Iaacob for he purged his house from Idols when he was to build an Altar in Bethel acknowledging heereby that this was a corruption that the true God would be offended at yea heathen men themselues did see by the light of nature that it was a grosse thing to represent God by an Image Euseb de praepar Euang. lib. 9. cap 3. Jbid. as Numa an Emperour sometime in Rome who forbad the vse of any Image because hee held it a wicked thing that things so incomparable excellent should be set forth by baser matters and Plato an excellent Philosopher did so agree with Moses heerein that hee was said of Numenius a Pythagorean to be none other but Moses speaking in the Atticke tongue Gen 21.23 The third Commandement touching the right vse of Gods name both Abraham seemeth to haue knowne well when he sware by the true God vnto Abimelech to confirme his league and Iacob when he sware vnto Laban Gen. 31.53 by the feare of his father Isaacke And the very heathen Ephesians who were led only by the light of nature shewed how odious a thing they held it that the name of their gods should bee blasphemed when suspecting such a matter in Paul Acts 19.34 and in his companions they grew to such an vproare and cryed out so long the greatnesse of their goddesse Diana Gen. 2.2.3 The fourth Commandement is recorded to haue beene giuen in Paradise for the seuenth day saith Moses GOD rested so hee blessed and sanctified it because that in it hee had rested from all his workes which hee had created and made Gen. 28.2 The fifth CoÌ„mandement Iacob shewed in his practise when he followed his parents direction in taking a wife heerein giuing an instance of his obedience vnto them and the children of Iaacob at his command going downe into Aegypt to buy food for him and being so carefull to giue him contentment in the returne of his son Beniamin and Ioseph nourishing him in Aegypt in his
their strictnesse shewing their weaknesse in maintaining that it was against the Law to doe any worke at all vpon the Sabbath day for that in this sense their very Priests did continually breake the Law His intent then was to shew the right meaning of the command to be this that they should doe no manner worke except such as was of present necessity or helped to the sanctification of the Sabbath day Now for the Ceremoniall Law that it might bee omitted without sinne the Lord himselfe sheweth where hee saith I will not reprooue thee for thy sacrifices or burnt offerings Psal 50.8 that haue not beene continually before me and for Circumcision all the time of the people of Israels being in the wildernesse for the space of forty yeares their children were vncircumcised and yet no sinne imputed and without doubt they failed in sundry other things also Ioshua 5. Matth. 12. as the Priest did in giuing Dauid of the shewbread which it was not lawful for the people to eat and yet we do not find that they were therfore reproued by any of the Prophets howsoeuer it cannot bee denyed but that when they presumed to alter any ceremony they were grieuously punished Leuit 10. as when the two sonnes of Aaron aduentured to sacrifice with common fire they were destroyed by fire comming from heauen When Vzzah presumed to carry the Arke vpon a Cart and to stay it with his hands when as he ought not to haue touched it and it should haue beene borne vpon mens shoulders he was smitten with present death All which I doe not speake to the end 2. Sam. 6. that men should thinke that any of Gods lawes might lightly haue bin brokeÌ„ without offence but that there being iust cause the ceremonial law was many times transgressed and yet the transgressors remained blameles which is not so with the Morall 4 The Moral Law being neglected maketh men of how holy a sect and profession soeuer worse then Infidels that are without all written lawes and yet obserue the Law of Nature according to the doctrine of the Apostle Rom 2.26 Vers 27. If thou bee a transgressor of the Law thy Circumcision is made vncircumcision and shall not the vncircumcision which is by Nature if it keepe the Law condemne thee which by letter and circumcision art a Transgressor of the Law It maketh men worse then bruit Beastes which haue not a reasonable soule according to that of the Prophet The Oxe knoweth his owner Esay 1.1 and the Asse his Masters Crib but Israel hath not knowne mee It is not so with the ceremoniall that being neglected maketh only worse then the seruants and peculiar people of the Lord should be and a confused multitude of altogether 5. The ceremoniall law was very chargeable and costly the Aulter could not bee maintained without costs the first borne could not bee redeemed without manifold and deepe costs neither could theee be an expiation of sin without costs and charges so that it was burthensome vnto the the people and grieuous to bee borne but the Morall Law putteth to no such busie multiplicitie and encombrance of cost it requireth the right disposition of the heart and then obedience in practâ—se will easily follow 6 The Morall Law engrauen in Tables of stone was kept in the Arke which was a signe that it should last perpetuallie euen as Heauen the Throne of God in the figure whereof it was put for euen in Heauen the Morall Law is obserued for which cause it is that we pray that Gods wil may be done in earth as it is in Heauen But it is not so with the other lawes these being to last only to the fulfilling of all by Christ Reas 1 The cerimoniall Law ceased For first to speake of the Ceremoniall Law that was then without doubt to cease euen as there is no further vse of a Candle when the Sunne is risen of a picture when the person is present of the A. B. C. when the Grammer is taught For the ceremonies of the old Testament had none other vse but a little as they were able to set foorth Christ Iesus who was to shed his blood for our sinnes as the blood of beasts was shed and sprinkled in the Tabernacle and Temple of the Iewes to offer himselfe vpon the Altar of the crosse as the beastes were offered there vpon an Altar to beare our sinnes as the scape Goate did the sinnes of the Iewes especially and so of the rest according to which Saint Iohn saith Ioh. 1.17 The Law was giuen by Moses but grace and truth came by Iesus Christ and this may serue for a first reason of the abrogation of the Mosaicall Ceremonies Reas 2 Secondly the renting of the vaile of the temple at Christs suffering and the destruction of the Temple not long after which could neuer since bee built againe shew the same For all the time that the ceremoniall law was of force God would not suffer it to be thus but if for sinne he did he soone returned in mercy againe at the humiliation of his people and restored these seruices Reas 3 Heb. 7.8.9 Thirdly Christ was a new high Priest after the order of Melchisedeck who was greater then Aaron and therefore his order was to cease at the comming of this worthier euen as at the change of head officers amongst the Romans the Dictators ceased when the Emperours came on This argument the Apostle handleth learnedly and at large to the Hebrewes Fourthly Christs comming made vs to be of age when as before men were children and nothing differing from seruants as the Apostle reasoneth to the Galathians saying When wee were children we were in bondage vnder the rudiments of the world c. Now such things as serue for the instruction of children are of no further vse when they come to be men so is it with this law 2. Iudiciall Lawes cease Secondly as for the Iudaicall lawes some are willing to grant that those of them were to cease which concerned some speciall ciuill customes of that people the entailing of their Lands the freedome of seruants in the yeare of Iubilee and such like but as for all those Iudicials which vpheld and backed any Morall Law they would haue them to be still in force and to bind all Christians Of those that lay this yoke vpon vs I must craue pardon and rather thinke that all obligatory power of those Lawes was to cease at the dissolution of the Iewes Common-wealth in as much as those Lawes were by speciall measure of circumstances squared and fitted to the nature of that people as well in the Ciuill as Ecclesiasticall estate and gouernment Here I tread in reuerend Master Caluins stepps Cal Instit lib. 4. cap. 20. Sect. 16. who in his Institutions doth very soundly determine this point shewing that it is neither necessary nor expedient that the Lawes of other Nations should be the same that were
prescribed vnto the Iewes in punishments of crimes euen against the expresse Morall Law Theft Adultery c. But referring the agrauation or mitigation of such penalties to the nature and propensitie of particular Nations and to the necessities of diuers times and occasions To the Iewes saith he God was peculiaris legislator and as a wise Law-maker ordained those Lawes with a singular respect to that people and so hee there concludeth against fome more nice then wise impostures of those lawes vpon vs Quod iactatur a quibusdam fieri contumelium Legi Dei per Mosen Latae quum abrogatâ illâ nouae aliae illi preferuntur vanissimum est It is an idle conceit to think that it is any disrespect to Gods Law deliuered by Mâ—ses if other new lawes be preferred before ti and established in stead of it To this authoritie of Caluin and others I may adde this euident reason for the refuting of that motiue drawne from relation to the Morall Law What Law of the Iudicialls of the Iewes nay what Ciuill Law almost at all in any orderly Common-wealth throughout the world tendeth not to the maintaining some Morall Law and forwarding some duty concerning the liues goods chastitie good name peace and iustice of and among our neighbors must therefore the Lawes I meane the iust and honest lawes of all other Nations bind vs must the same penalties in euer seuerall offence be currant through the world Surely I know no Law for that Generall equitie is diuersified by particular and not onely due punishments but also offences are truly greater and lesser in varietie of times places and people especially in those actions which conserue the more remote parts and skirts of the Morall Law What shall wee say then ate we Christians no more in dutie tied to the Iudicials of Moses then to the Positiue Lawes of the Persians Lacedemonians or the Romans made for the punishment of vice and vpholding of common honestie I dare not in any wise say or thinke so These were deuised by the light of Nature only those suggested by immediate reuelation from God and therefore incomparably exceeding for eminent wisdome and iustice Nay moreouer the Iudicials howsoeuer they haue not in themselues any obligatory power or legall force to bind other Estates and Kingdomes yet in regard of the generall equitie implied in them they remaine as a seasonable and conscionable direction vnto Law-makers now adayes in Christian Common-wealths where the nature of the people and strong motiues from experience doth not enforce another way This exemplary direction though it be lesse to be regarded in those prouisions which are most circumstantiall and variable as being farre off a kind to the Morall Law yet me thinks in the more essentiall and fundamentall parts of the perpetuall and vniuersall Morall Law the discreet imitation of Gods positiue Lawes is very requisite It pertaineth not to vs priuate subiects to prescribe but onely to wish and mention with humilitie what we conceiue out of a good conscience For my part in my poore vnderstanding it many times grieueth me to thinke how in our dayes the foule adulterer vsually escapeth in a manner vnpunished and the pilfering cut-purse is trussed vp on the cursed tree without redemption whereas Gods positiue Mosaicall law strake farre deeper in the former and in the later more gently prouiding also in this a meanes of reliefe to the party wronged by accumulated restitution If any man be so presumptuous as in this heinous crime of violating wedlocke to take Sanctuary in the new Testament and to claime thence impunity for this impuritie I see not what ground of mitigation can bee built vpon that which is by some alleaged out of Saint Iohn Iohn 8. how Christ dismissed the Woman taken in Adulterie without punishment for hee was no Earthly Iudge and did this onely to take downe the insolencie of the proud Pharisees which were greater and more stiffe sinners then shee was Wherefore let vs mourne for the impuritie which is now adayes in this case and seeke to the Lord for a redresse heerein by moouing the hearts of the higher powers to consider of it and to fortifie the law against so spreading and dangerous an euill The third thing to be further generally spoken of is the difference betwixt the Law of the old Testament and the Gospell Differences betwixt the old testament and the new which is of the new and these doe differ 1. In the manifestation the Law is knowne by the light of Nature as hath been alreadie shewed euen before that it was solemnely giuen but the Gospell is a mystery vnto Nature as Saint Paul calleth it saying Without all controuersie 1. Tim. 3.6 great is the mysterie of godlinesse it is a thing hidden from mans reason yea from the very Angels according to that of Peter 1. Pet. 1.12 Which the very Angels desire to behold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word signifieth prying into a thing ouer-veyled and hidden from sight It was first reuealed by God himselfe after published by Angels by Men by Children by Deuils and by dumb Idols 2. The Law doth onely shew what is to bee done that God may be pleased but here leaueth vs without instruction how to do it because that way which it setteth downe is to vs impossible but the Gospell doth fully informe vs how this may be done namely by Iesus Christ who hath fulfilled all for vs and is made vnto vs belieuing in him righteousnes as the Apostle teacheth and so the one may rightly be termed the Law of Faith the other of workes 3. The Law is full of terrible threatnings and without comfort in the promises thereof because nothing is promised but vpon too hard conditions Doe this and thou shalt liue it doth therefore only cast downe and wound with the wounds of deadly sinne Rom. 7. Gal. 2. by it none can be iustified or saued according to the doctrine of the Apostle in sundry places but the Gospell serueth to heale all our wounds and to lift vs vp with comfort for that it is full of sweet promises flowing from Gods meere grace and mercy so that how vnworthy soeuer we are yet turning to the Lord by true repentance wee may be iustified and saued hereby The law is therefore the letter that killeth the Gospell is the spirit that giueth life 2. Cor. 3.6 Gal. 3.24 Lastly the Law is a Schoolemaster to bring vs vnto Christ as the Apostle saith for as without a Schoolemaster first had and vsed for entrance in rudiments children come not to the vniuersities so without the law we cannot be sufficiently taught to be preferred vnto Christ because we rest coÌ„tented through ignorance in sin wounded to the death and yet not knowing that we need to seek a remedy but the Gospell admitteth vs vnto Christ and incorporateth vs into his body it opneth the gate vnto vs and giueth vs entrance into his most stately pallace of heauen The
though wee doe still the things of the Law for that neither feare leadeth vs thereunto not rudenesse maketh it hard but Gods Spirit leadeth vs and fitteth our hearts so vnto them as that all things become delightfull and easie And this is the meaning of the Apostle when he saith Such as are led by the Spirit Gal. 5.18 are not vnder the Law and when in another place he saith 1. Tim. 1.9 The Law is not giuen to the righteous but to the lawlesse and disobedient Rom. 8.1 Fourthly in regard of condemnation the lawes curse Without Christ all are vnder heauy plagues and punishments denounced in the law against the transgressors but Christ comming hath set all such as belieue in his name free here-from according to that There is no condemnation to such as are in Christ Iesus and againe he hath deliuered vs from the curse being made a curse for vs. Without Christ Gal 3.13 2. Cor. 8. doe what we could we should still haue bin vntoward and wicked seruants and accursed but through Christ our will is accepted and we are deliuered And thus yee see how there is freedome from the Law and yet the Law continueth Wherefore neither the licentious Antinomi nor the phantasticall Anabaptists are to be heard which deny all vse of the Law vnder the Gospell and maintaine that the motions of the minde onelie which they call Reuelations are to bee followed Neither are wee to account otherwise of that new inuention then false and fantasticall and flowing meerely from idle fantastict braines which teacheth the freedome from the Law to be the Gentile freedome vnto whom it was neuer giuen but onely to the Israelites neither doth belong vnto them but onely so farre forth as it agreeth with the Law of nature and is explaned in the Gospell This is new because all antiquity was ignorant of it Tertullian knew it not for otherwise he would not haue taught as he did that God gaue Moses his Law to all men and not to the Iewes onely that reuerend Father Athanasius was ignorant of it Lib. aduersus Jud. prop. 2. for otherwise hee would not haue taught that the Law was not brought in for the Iewes sake onely neither were the Prophets sent onely to them but were appointed to this Athan. de Lege Euang. that they should be Masters and Pedagogues to the whole world and that they might be accounted a publique and holy schoole as well in those things that belong to the knowledge of God as to the discipline of the soule And the like may be said of all other Ancients witnesse their continuall labouring to commend Moses and to magnifie his writings that they might breede a reuerend opinion hereof in the vnbelieuers Wherefore this is a new deuice and as it is new so is it dangerous many waies and to be taken heed of Let vs then knowing the truth cleaue vnto it knowing that Christ hath giuen no liberty to sinne against the Law in the smallest things let vs still walke as strictly in regard of the Law as if we had no libertie at all there-from that thus we may be answerable to our times of freedome by Christ Iesus and being led by the Spirit haue comfort that we are not neither shall euer be vnder the curse and condemnation of the Law from which thou Lord finally deliuer vs. Amen Hauing been long enough already in the generalities touching the Law we are now to proceed vnto particulars Quest 51. How many Commandements bee there and how are they diuided Answ There be ten which are diuided into two Tables Explan This number of the Commandements as also the diuision was made by God himselfe who gaue them written as hath been already shewed in two Tables of stone to his seruant Moses The Commandements deuided into two Tables and herein therefore doe all Writers agree both ancient and moderne both Protestant and Popish the onely difference is about the right distinction of these Commandements For some haue placed fiue in either Table as the Iewes Philo and Iosephus learned Writers amongst them Some haue placed three in the first Table and seuen in the second as sometime Augustine did to expresse the mysterie of the Trinitie but the Papists doe it at this day to defend their Idolatry and yet to keepe the number of ten they deuide the last Commandement into two and so doe the Lutherans Some againe diuide them by foure in the first Table and sixe in the latter as almost all ancient Greeke fathers Athanatius Origen Gregorius Nazianzenus Chrysostomus c. and some Latines as elsewhere Augustine Hierom Ambrose Sulpitius c. But this controuersie might soone be ended if men would bring their religion to Gods Law and not Gods Law to their religion as they of the Roman Church doe For if the first table bee the first and greatest Commandement of the Law teaching vs to loue the Lord with all our heart and the second be like vnto it teaching our duty towards our neighbour how we should loue him as our selues as Christ himselfe hath taught then it is without doubt that all which teach the loue of God belong to the first and all which teach our duty towards our neighbour belong to the second Table Which being so and foure distinct things giuen in charge touching the loue of God and six touching our neighbour and no more how can the distinction fitly be otherwise made but into foure and six Againe let the last Commandement be well considered and it will easilie appeare to be but one euen all that which forbiddeth coueting both because it toucheth but one thing onely and is againe repeated in a different order in the booke of Deuteronomy Thou shalt not couet thy neighbours wife Deut. 5.21 thou shalt not couet thy neighbours house whereas in Exodus it is Thou shalt not couet thy neighbours house thou shalt not couet thy neighbours wife Which would not haue been if it had been two distinct Commandements but as all the rest so these in their repetition would haue kept their proper places Quest 52. In which Table doe you learne your dutie towards God Answ In the first containing the foure former Commandements Quest What is your dutie toward God Answ My dutie towards God is to belieue in him to feare him and to loue him with all my heart with all my strength and with all my might to worship him to giue him thanks to put my whole trust in him to call vpon him to honour his holy name and his word and to serue him truly all the dayes of my life Our duty towards God in the â—â—â—wer first Commandements Explan This is in generall the content of the Commandements of the first table and is thus without further distinction set downe hauing respect vnto young children with whom it is well if some good things in generall be put into them as they are able to beare and with such breuity
would rightly proceed in the taking of an oath For 1. Although it be a truth vnto which thou swearest yet if thou knowest it not to bee so thou art periured because thou swearest contrary to thy conscience 2. If thou swearest in doubtfull words hauing another meaning then thou knowest him to haue before whom thou swearest thou abusest this ordinance of God Thus the Iesuites play with oathes by their equiuocations and mentall reseruations and with them agree too many Shop keepers liuing vpon buying and selling that will sweare that their ware cost them thus much meaning the whole when the buyer is prizing the yard or the ell or that they were bidden such a price meaning of their wife or companions for a colour when as the buyer is made to beleeue that if they would haue taken that money they might haue solde it so yer that time with many other deuices to deceiue their owne soules 3 To sweare things impossible or vnlawfull is to mocke God as if a man should call his neighbour to witnesse his couenanting with a thiefe to rob his house or to cut his throat or if a Subiect should call his Prince to see him build an house in the aire to flie with the fowles or to make his horse speake which were meere mockeries 4. If it be not reuerently performed Gods name is indeed taken into the mouth but forgotten of the heart the Arke of God is carried but in such sort as when God was therefore displeased with Vzzâ—h Wherefore though it bee a truth sweare not vnto it vnlesse it bee weighty and thou disposest thy selfe hereunto with reuerence Quest 68. What if a man shall sweare that which is vnlawful is he not bound notwithstanding to performe his oath Answ Nay in no wise for so hee should adde vnto his sinne of swearing vnlawfully a further sinne of doing vnlawfully Psal 15.4 Explan This is plaine of it selfe to euery man of vnderstanding A man being in danger of his life is through feare constrained to sweare that hee will not discouer but maintaine a company of theeues to his power he hath offended by taking this oath but he shal much more offend if hee doth accordingly for he shall be accessary to their wickednes But the case is changed if a man by ouer-sight shall sweare any thâ—ng to his owne hinderance but without preiudice to the good of others for here the oath is to be performed This was the case of Israel as touching the Gibeonites vnto whom when they had sworne though they were brought vnto it by craft yet they feared to break the oath suffered them to liue Obiect If any man shall say if this bee a rule to be followed then euen vnlawfull oathes are to bee kept for it was vnlawfull for them to suffer any of the men of those countries to liue Sol. I answer That this was not simply vnlawfull but first if they should bee an occasion of temptation vnto them 2. If they could bring them into their power for some still remained to trie them withall 3. They were enioyned this for their owne good that roome might bee made for them to inhabit there Now the Gibeonites by their subtilty freed themselues from this danger so as that they had no power ouer them by reason of their oath to destroy them and it was but to their owne hinderance or rather as they turned it to their commodity Quest 69. Which is the fourth Commandement Answ Remember that thou keepe holy the Sabbath day sixe dayes shalt thou labour and doe all that thou hast to doe but the seuenth is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalâ— done manner of worke thou and thy son and thy daughter thy man-seruant thy maid-seruant thy cattle and the stranger that is within thy gates for in sixe dayes the Lord made Heauen and Earth the sea and all that in them is and rested the seuenth day wherefore the Lord blessed the seuenth day and hallowed it Quest 70. What is the duty here commanded Answ To keepe holy the Sabbath day and to bee mindefull of it Quest 71. How may this be done Answ By assembling together to pray vnto God and to praise him to heare his holy Word and receiue the blessed Sacraments Quest 72. Is this all that is required to the right keeping of the Sabbath day Answ No but we must prepare our selues by prayer and emptying our hearts of sin and meditate vpon Gods workes and the Word which we haue heard suffering it so to worke in vs as that we may bee furthered in all holinesse of life Memb. 1 Explan This Commandement being affirmatiue wee begin againe with the duty for the further opening whereof we are to consider it according to the seuerall members Which are first to keepe holy a time 2. To remember and to be mindfull of it 3. To keepe holy a Sabbath 4. To keepe holy the Sabbath that day which the Lord hath appointed For the first it offereth againe two things to our consideration both what it is to keepe holy a time and wherefore it should be kept holy 1. To keepe holy any time is to separate and set it apart Quest 1 to holy duties to bee done either towards God or towards our neighbour 1. The duties to be done vnto God 3. The exercises of the Word Nehem 8.4 Verse 8. are either our speaking vnto God which is by Praier or Gods speaking vnto vs which is by reading preaching and hearing of Gods holy Word these were in vse at their holy meetings vnder the old Testament In the dayes of Nehemiah there was a pulpit made out of which both God was praised and the words of the Law read and the sense and meaning opened vnto the people that they might vnderstand And of this Iames maketh mention in the Councell held at Ierusalem saying Acts 15 21. that Moses had in old time them in euery city which did preach him seeing he was râ—â—d in the Synagogues euery Sabbath day Their Synagogues then being as our places of meeting for euery Congregation in euery towne and village and their reading was that before spoken of in Nehemiah with the giuing of the sense and thus is it that the doctrine of Moses was preached and made plaine And that this was still their custome vnto the Apostles times appeareth both from this speech of Iames being in the Present-tense and where it is noted that the Master of the Synagogue sent vnto Paul and his companions Acts 13.15 after the Lecture of the Law and the Prophâ—ts that if they had any word of exhortation for the people they should say on Which sheweth that as it is in vse amongst vs to haue a first and second Lecture and then a Sermon the people being gathered together to heare So it was in those dayes vnder the Law one Lecture was taken out of one of the fiue bookes of Moses the other out of the other parts of
first then the second and the first last Quest. 1 Math 19.19 First What is your dutie towards your neighbour For hauing finished our dutie towards God in the next place cōmeth to be considered our dutie towards our neighbor which is only generally and at large here laid down in the Catechisme in imitation of our Sauiour Christ who being asked which were the Commandements answered The first is Thou shalt loue the Lord c the second is like vnto it Thou shalt loue thy neighbor as thy self to the young man which asked which they were Thou shalt not kill thou shalt not commit adultery thou shalt not beare false witnes honor thy father mother and thou shalt loue thy neighbor as thy selfe And the Apostle in the same briefe manner giueth the summe of these cōmandements not that good Christians should not search any further into the depth of thē but content themselues with this short epitom for they doe more largely in other places expresse euery brāch of euery of these Lawes Math. 5. and Christ doth in precise words taxe the blind Iewes for thus slighting ouer Gods lawes teaching only thus Thou shalt not k ll then shalt not commit adultery c. and not teaching further the sins here forbidden These briefes therefore serue for remembrances for the wekest memories which when they are held and rightly vnderstood doe acquaint vs more fully with Gods will in euery thing Quest 2 Who is our neighbour Secondly Jn which Commaundemement is your dutie towards your neighbour Good reason is it that our dutie towards our neighbour should be placed in a second Table after that containing our dutie towards God both because God is the most high and farre aboue men and Angels and also because this must be the first wheele as it were that must set vs a worke to loue our neighbour euen for our duties sake toward God who requireth it at our hands Now our neighbour is euery man without exception vnlesse God hath noted him for his enemie though hee dwelleth among the furthest Indies and wee neuer see him though he bee our enemie yet we are bound to loue him and if by Gods prouidence wee be brought to behold his necessitie at any time wee are bound to shew our loue by putting to our helping hand This is made plaine by the parable of the Samaritan Luke 10.30 who in his trauell saw a man wounded by theeues and helpelesse vnto whom though hee were a stranger hee shewed mercy powring oile into his wounds and setting him on his owne beast Esa 58.7 and by the Lord commending to vs our dutie towards our poore neighbour Is it not to deale thy bread to the hungrie and to bring the poore wandring into thy house when thou seest the naked that thou couer him and hide not thy selfe from thy owne flesh so that whosoeuer is flesh as thou art is thy neighbour Quest 3 This commandement exceedeth the rest Ephe. 6.1 Thirdly let this question follow Which is the first of these Commaundements Honour thy father and thy mother c. This Commandement hath in it some thing singular and wherein it exceedeth the rest of this Table viz. a promise according as the Apostle hath noted It is the first Commandement with promise Namely the first of the second Table or the first and onely Commaundement with a speciall promise expressely annexed so as it is not the promise of the second Commandement which is generall and belonging to all But I speake this onely according to the reason of others for without doubt the Apostle calleth it in the same sense the first Commaundement and the Commandement with promise so vsuall is it with him speaking of the Commaundements to restraine them to this second Table onely And as the first of the first Table is the ground of al the rest so is this first of the second Table the ground of the fiue Commaundements following In that first is commended vnto vs a right esteeme of God in this of man made after Gods image and specially bearing Gods Image in him of the Magistrate bearing the Image of his authoritie and power whence he is said to bee a God Psal 82.1 of the ancient bearing the image of his eternitie whence it is that he is said to haue appeared as one ancient of dayes Dan. 9 37. of parents bearing the image of the Creatour of things which before were not of Tutours Ministers and Teachers bearing the image of his wisedome and diuine knowledge And where this due esteeme of men according to their places is setled and againe in superiours towards their inferiours the duties of the other commandements will easily follow euen as when God is rightly set vp in the heart hee is not disgraced by base Images by blasphemies and prophaning of his Sabaoths so giue the honour due to the Parents magistrates masters and instructers and murthering adultery theft false witnesses and coueting will easily bee put away Murthering of a superiour is a debasing of him as of an Oxe or Sheep when he beareth the Image of God in him of an inferiour it is an extinguishing of that reciprocall affection by which thou shouldst bee prouident for his safety because he giueth honour vnto thee Adultery in a superiour is a vilefying of his body making it the member of a foule strumpet when God hath graced him with a resemblance of himselfe in an inferiour it is a grosse neglect of the counsell of good parents and of wise tutors and of the magistrates authority Theft is a trumpet to sound forth our discontent with our present estates and our enuying in stead of honouring others False witnesse-bearing is a plaine shaking off and rooting out of our hearts and the hearts of others this esteeme of our superiours and branding them so as that they may be had in base accompt And for couetousnesse there will be no roome left for these desires if there be a setled esteeme of euery man in his place with his house his wife his oxe and other things about him Quest 88. What is heere commanded Answ To honour That is to loue reuerence cherish and obey our naturall parents the parents of our Countrey and our fathers in Christ 2. To carry our selues lowly and reuerently towards our masters being ruled by them and towards the ancient and all our betters 3. Jf wee bee superiours to walke worthy the honour due vnto vs from our inferiours and to vse all gentlenesse towards them Father how taken Explan That we may the better know the duty of this Commandement it is to be vnderstood that the word Father is diuersly taken in the Scriptures euen for euery superiour in any thing 1. For our superiour in gouernment thus euery King is called a Father because he is Parens Patriae the Father of the Countrey it was a common name of the Kings of the Philistines who were called Abimelech Gen 20.3 which
Disobedience Touching the sins against this Commandement they are of two sorts as the duties were 1. Of Inferiours 2. Of Superiours The sinne of Inferiours is irreuerence that is to be without that awfull regard which ought to be towards Superiours and it may be referred to these heads 1. Disobedience and refusing to doe and to bee ruled thus stubborne and vnruly children and seruants sinne greatly and stubborne people that will not yeeld to follow the directions of Ministers they were by Gods censure all subiect to the same most fearefull punishment viz. to bee stoned to death For it was the plaine Law of God touching children See before in their duties to parents Deut. 21.18 And for people it was commanded Thou shalt doe according to all that they that is Deut 17.10.11 12. the Priests and Leuites teach thee According to the Law that they teach thee thou shalt not decline neither to the right hand nor to the left And that man that will doe presumptuosly not harkning to the Priest shall dye Thus people that obey not the wholsome lawes of the Magistrates sinne greatly and if any refuse to be ordered by them they resist the ordinance of God Rom 13.2 and are specially threatned that they shall receiue to themselues condemnation Quest Is it a sinne then in any thing to doe contrary to the Kings lawes for examples sake to eate flesh in Lent or vpon Fridayes Answ If the intent of this Law were that euery one should vse this abstinence without exception it were a sinne to disobey vnlesse necessity did compell but the chiefe politique intent being that Fisher-men might haue vtterance for their fish and so be encouraged for the good of the Common-wealth as the title of that Law sheweth and that young things might in Lent be preserued and not spent before they come to some age and greatnesse if this bee obserued and the Law be not purposely crossed I take it that it is no sinne of disobedience against the higher powers in regard of the ciuill and politicall prohibition and the like is to be thought of all other statute-lawes their intent and scope must be duly by all good subiects obserued Quest It is a sin for children to disobey their Parents by deuoting themselues in their youth to any religious course or order or without or contrary to their liking Numb 30.1 Math 15.4 Answ Yea doubtlesse for God hath taken order that such a vow as vnlawfull should be counted of no force It is therfore meerely pharisaicall in the Romanists that in this case allow nay commend disobedience of young and ignorant children in deuoting themselues to any Monasticall order though to the great offence of Parents 2. Fraudulent and deceitfull obedience Thus seruants sin when they obey and vse diligence in their masters sight Deceitfulnes but are slothfull and negligent behinde their backs they rob and steale from them taking meat drinke and wages to doe their worke with diligence but contrariwise neglect it and prefer their own ease they can haue but cold comfort when they looke to the great Lord of all Christ Iesus that seeth all their sloth and deceit 3. Deriding and scoffing at Superiours as Ham mocked at his father Noah for which he was accursed in himselfe Gen. 9. Deriding Superiours and posterity This is a common vice in wayward youth when they are taught any thing that is good or admonished of their vanity if not openly which they dare not yet in heart they mocke at the admonitions of Parents Masters and Ministers But see what a cutse of God is out against them Pro. 30.17 The eye that mocketh his father and despiseth the instruction of his mother let the Rauens of the valley picke it out and the young eagles eate it This irreuerent scoffing neuer escaped Gods punishing hand The children that mocked Elisha 2 King 2. calling him Bald-pate were suddenly torne in pieces by Beares to two forty of them The Ephraimites that mocked Iphtah and his Gileadites calling them runagates of Ephraim were slaine to two forty thousands Nahash with his Ammonites 1 Sam. 11. that mocked at the conditions of peace offered by tbe men of Iabesh Gilead saying that if they might put out euery mans right eye and bring that shame vpon Israel they should haue peace were all slaine scattered so as that not two of them were left together And what fearefull end the Iewes came to that mocked at Christ and the holy Apostles wee all know Feare therefore to scoffe at any good man but much more at such as thou oughtest to reuerence for his place and function Cursing Superioâ—rs Exod. 21.17 Exod. 22.28 4 Cursing and backbiting Superiours Hee that curseth Father or Mother shall die the Death And the Lord expressely commandeth Thou shalt not raile vpon the Iudge nor speake euill of the Ruler of the people Thus therefore children seruants people that let loose their tongues against their Gouernors to curse and raile vpon them take the right way to bring Gods curse vpon themselues Numb 23 Balaams case shall be easier at the last day then theirs for he durst not curse where God forbade him 5 Irreuerent gestures towards Superiours in any particular mentioned before in the duty Too much obedience to Superiours Now as this Law is broken by detracting and taking away from the reuerence of Superiours so their is a sinne in ouer reuerencing them 1 If obedience be absolute without respect to Gods will for there we must say with the Apostle Acts 4.19 Wee must rather obey God then men If Parents or Masters bid thee lye steale worke vpon the Sabbatth or the like for their gaine thou must in all modesty deny so to doe If Kings and Rulers command Idolatry Superstition or Heresie obey not lest escaping their hands thou fall into the hands of the Lord. Quest Whether is a Minister of Gods Word being forbidden to preach by the Magistrate to forbeare to execute this his office of Preaching seeing the Apostle did not though straightly charged Ministers suspended may not preach Answ The ordinary Ministers of these times are bound in this case to obey the Magistrate as touching the publike execucution of their office because that howsoeuer they haue an inward calling from God yet their outward to the publike place is from man or by man and may againe bee taken away by man but it was not so with the Apostles who as the other Ministers of those times were immedialy and extraordinarily set a worke by God onely The onely preaching that they may now in this case exercise is by way of conference and exhortation in priuate prouided alwayes that it be not contrary but as the Law doth allow otherwise the power is resisted Here we may see what the Anabaptists are that are enemies to authority viz. euen a sinagogue of fantastick braine-sick soules enemies to Gods ordinance and so are many other humorus
vnnaturall Sinne that can bee in the world and therfore because other meanes of punishment is taken away the law doth brand the dead carcasse with infamous buriall 2. It is also the most dangerous and vnrecouerable except the sinne against the holy Ghost for it seldome giueth any time of repentance and perhaps more seldome any probability Hee that dyeth thus dyeth alas in Satans worke and I feare me in Satans hands Yet I presume not to confine Gods extraordinary and boundles mercy that can reach it selfe forth inter â—ontem fontâ—m after voluntary headlong percipice I deny not this to be possible But O dreadfull tryall of this ballance which in probability weigheth down so heauy on the other side as to presse wretched man to hell it selfe Distressed Brother art thou tempted to this hellish and monstrous sinne Gather thy strength vnto thee say Auoid Satan if thou tell mee I shall notwithstanding bee saued commending my soule to God when I dye say thou art a lyar and the father of lyes for the truth saith â—f a righteous man turneth from his righteousnesse and committeth iniquity in the sinne wherein he is found he shall surely dye If hee telleth thee that thou shalt thus end thy sorrowes say thou art heerin a lyar also Satan I shall passe thus rather from sorrow to greater sorrow from temporall woe to eternall to be gnawed vpon by the worme that neuer dyeth and to bee burned with the fire that neuer goeth out If it be said there are some that dye thus Obiect 2. Selfe-murther â—â— pâ—eseruâ— vertue inuiolate August de Ciuit Dâ—i to preserue vertue vnuiolate as Lucretia to preserue her chastity and certaine Matrons of Rome of whom S. Augustine writeth and some that they may be glorious Martyrs as the Donatists of old holding that if they could procure death to themselues they should immediately passe to glory in heauen Sol. They are all in the same dangerous and demnable plight notwithstanding without extraordinary and euen miracu-repentance they perish as guilty of their owne death Read S. Augustine in the same place excellently setting forth the vice of Lucretia which by the Heathen was commended for a vertue 2. Murthereing of other men 2. Vniust blood-shâ—d This is vniustly to shed the bloud of any man by any meanes whatsoeuer First I say it is an vniust shedding of bloud because there is a shedding of bloud that is no sin as of the bloud of creatures which are giuen vnto man for meat or which are any way noysome vnto him contrary to the Tacian heresie which denyed it to be lawfull to kill any thing Againe there is s shedding of the bloud of man which is no sinne viz. when it is done iustly by such persons as to whom it doth belong and this is by the Magistrate or at his appointment onely and that by iust proceedings for Hee â—eareâ—h not the sword in vaine Rom. 13.4 but is Gods Minister to take vengeance on those that doe euill And it is so necessary for them to put to death where there is iust and necessary cause as that if they spare Gods curse will follow for the Lord hath expressly taught Num. 35.33 that bloud defileth the land and the land cannot be clensed of the bloud that is shed therein but by the bloud of him that shed it And on the other side if they put to death vniustly through malice or for any priuate reuenge they are murtherers for so far forth only may they reuenge by death as they are Gods Ministers set a worke by him Ioh. 21.15 Whence we may see that heathen Kings persecuting the poor Christians to the death were murtherers and in like manner are such as be in authority in the Church of Rome that doe diuersly murther the poore people of God by burning by the sword and by cutting their throats in butcherly manner only for following a righter and more holy way then is allowed amongst them Peter of whose succession they brag so much durst not so to haue turned his maisters charge Feed my sheepe feed my lambs into killing them though they had run out of the fold He would not haue taken heart vpon so sleighty a ground Act. 10. vp Peter kill an eate as some doe to iustifie this killing of the poore sheepe of Christ nay to murther or expose to murther Gods Anointed Lastly there is another iust cause of shedding bloud viz. in lawfull and iust wars and in defence of a mans owne life for iust warres are called the Lords battels 2 Chron. 20.15 as Iehoshaphat encouraging his men saith The battle is not yours but Gods But some make doubt whether it be lawfull for Chrstians to wage warre Answ This is the fancy of the Anabaptists whose follies are easily refuted out of their own furies and ourages in Germany where they that impugned lawfull warre and Magistracy made vse in their rebellions of that which themselues disauowed namely the Sword And as for the vocation of a Souldier surely Iohn Baptist when the Soldiers came vnto him Luk. 3.14 demanding of him What shall we doe Did not answer them that they must of necessity cast off their Swords if they would be the seruants of God but rather aduised theÌ„ to remaine still the Military seruants of Caesar else what place can those precepts haue Do violence to no man neither accuse any falsly be content with your wages Another frenzy of the same sect denieth all vse of the sword at home in time of peace by way of ciuil iustice as if it were against Christian perfection put any man to death by the hand of publike authority though for neuer so grieuous a crime tending to the dissolution of humane society and defacing the Image of God Alas frantique soules that in hatred of Murther maintaine Murther Shall he that hath murthered one man be suffered by suruiuing to embrue his hands with the guiltlesse blood of more Our Sauiour himselfe whose nearest Disciples these saintly innocents would seeme to bee expressly pronounced this law of Iustice Math. 2â— 52 They that take the Sword shall perish by the Sword That is priuate auengers that wring the sword out of the Magistrates hand to vsurpe the vse of it for their own passions must expect to feele the edge of it and to be cut off by it This publique reuenge is so far from being a sinne that as euen now I shewed it is a necessary duty in him that beareth the Sword If this Sword had no edge or were not imployed vpon iust occasion verily it were borne in vaine Obâ—ect But the Apostle Paul say they speaketh of Heathen not Christian Magistrates I answer hee speaketh of Magistrates as Magistrates generally of all whether Heathen or Christian Is not a Christian King Gods ordinance Gods Minister Doe we not owe tribute and honour to Christian Kings as well as to heathen Surely much more Are there not that
2. Because God is offended for the same sinne may be to the offending of God and of our selues also because it is some iniury vnto vs as when a seruant neglecteth his masters busines behind his backe or spendeth his money at the Ale-house or when a people walketh stubbornly against their Minister or ruler in these and the like cases our anger must not be for our selues but for our God Here meek Moses himself erred at the waters of Meribah when the people murmured for water so that hee could not enter into the land of Canaan 3. It is not sudden but vpon deliberation 3. It is not sudden Iames 1.19 Theodor. 5. cap. 17. according to that precept Bee swift to heare slow to speake slow to wrath Thus Ambrose Bishop of Millaine obtained at the hands of Theodosius the Emperour after that he had greatly offended by sudden anger that he should not suffer any decree made in his anger to be executed till thirty dayes after 4. It doth not continue long Psal 03.89 Ephes 4.26 4. It doth not continue long but is soone ouer againe where there is repentance according to the example of our Lord who is slow to anger and ready to forgiue wherefore it is said Let not the Sunne goe downe vpon thy wrath 5. It ariseth from loue 1. Cor. 13. Gal. 6.1 5. It ariseth from loue and is guided by loue the loue of God and the loue of our neighbor that hath sinned for whatsoeuer is without this is sinne and if any be fallen by infirmitie saith the Apostle restore such an one with the Spirit of meekenesse When anger is thus ordered it is so farre from being a sinne as that it is necessary in all men it is zeale for Gods glory and out of this anger the disgracefull words of fooles wicked children sonnes of a whore c. haue rightly and without sinne been vsed as by the Prophets our Sauiour Christ and by the Apostles But out of these cases anger is fleshly and if it be more violent it is hatred if it dwelleth in a man to make him watch his opportunity to be reuenged it is malice if it causeth ioy when it falleth out ill vnto our neighbour and griefe when it is well with him it is diuellish enuy if it bee a perpetuall barre to reconciliation it is a reprobate affection as of such as cannot be appeased Rom. 1.30 Now as the very act of murther hath been shewed to be a most odious sinne so are these degrees of railing anger c. 1. First the heart and tongue is here set on fire of the fire of hell Iames 3. neither good men nor good Angels durst euer doe thus no not Michael the Archangell when he stroue with the Deuill about the body of Moses Iude verse 9. he durst not blame him with cursed speaking but said the Lord rebuke thee 2. To sinne thus is to be a murtherer before God euen as Cain was Iohn 3.15 for he that hateth his brother is a manslayer Rom. 3.13.14 3. It is a proper brand of the wicked His throate is an open Sepulcher the poyson of Aspes is vnder his lips his mouth is full of cursing and bitternesse 5. Properties of cruelty Prou 12.10 Cruelty in the lookes Gen. 4. Gen. 31.2 5. The fift sinne against this Commandement is al cruelty towards man or beast for the righteous man is noted to bee mercifull euen to his beast Cruelty is sometime in the very looke and countenance when it is cast downe towards any man thus was Cains towards Abel before his murther and Labans countenance expressed his malice against Iacob before his departure and this downeward looke is a sinne in any when an ill mind is hereby set forth as it is for the most part 2. In the behauiour there is cruelty when it is harsh In their behauiour and churlish as Nabals is said to haue been towards his seruants so as that they could not tell how to speake to him of him therefore it is said He was churlish 1. Sam. 23.3 and ill conditioned and this is an ill condition indeed and vnworthy a Christian seeing our lesson is Learne of me that J am meeke and gentle Matth. 11. Too much seuerity towards the poore 3. When any way too much seuerity is vsed by the rich towards the poore by officers towards malefactors dealing with them in all extremity by gouernours towards such as be vnder them vnreasonably correcting or otherwise expressing an hatefull mind against them This was a sinne in the Pharisees that brought the adulterous woman to Christ Iohn 8. breathing out cruelty against her and al they shal haue iudgement mercilesse that are thus without mercy 4. Cruelty is in the vnmercifull vsage of the dumbe creature Vnmercifull vsage of the dumb creatures working them without reason pinching them in things necessary beating or killing them without mercy or otherwise abusing them so as that they surfet or grow diseased hereby all these are wicked acts and shew wicked men Prou. 12.10 whose mercies are cruelty 1. Cor 9. For howsoeuer the Apostle saith comparatiuely Doth God take care for Oxen it is certaine that God doth take care for Oxen and Horses and for the very fowles of the aire Deut. 22.6 seeing that he hath made a law forbidding when a man findeth a birds neast to take the old together with the young It is therfore to be vnderstood that he doth not take care for Oxen principally and chiefely but subordinately as his care is towards all the creatures And hitherto of the sinnes against the bodily life The murther of soules 1. Cor 8.11 Now there bee sinnes also against the spirituall life and soule according to the teaching of Saint Paul who sheweth a case wherein a man destroyeth the soule of another viz. when he is an occasion of his stumbling and falling into sin Thus Ministers murther 1. In Ministers or at the least make themselues guilty of murthering the soules of the people committed to their charge when as through their default any of them perish This is plainely taught in Ezechiel Ezech. 3. whom the Lord told that he made him a watchman ouer the people and if the enemy which is sin should come and destroy any he not giuing them warning their bloud hee threatneth to require at his hands If any minister therfore either by neglecting to teach and watch ouer the people much more if by false doctrine or a wicked life he be an occasion that any die in their sins he shall vndoubtedly answer for this soule-murther if he endeauoreth being furnished with gifts necessary to saue them whosoeuer shal perish he is acquitted shal haue his reward 2 Parents and Masters Againe parents and masters and all priuate gouernours are murtherers if by their neglect or bad example their children seruants or pupils perish by ignorance prophanenes or any other
hurt vnder thy hand thou must make it good If thou beest any way wronged not to go to law if by any other meanes thou maist be restored and not for trifles for wee must rather depart from our right in something especially where the Gospell is scandalized by contentious brabbling among Christians according to the Apostle Why rather suffer ye not wrong 1. Cor. 6.7 why rather sustaine yee not harme And as we reade of Abraham that to auoid contention yeelded vnto Lot being his Nephew from his right And if we be constrained to go to law then not to prosecute matters in malice seeking the hinderance but the reformation of our aduersary recalling him frō his error if it be a criminal cause and faire recouery of our owne right if it be a Ciuill cause 4. In giuing and taking do as thou wouldst be done to in mercy relieuing the poore with clothing meat and drink Iames 1.27 and other comforts according to his necessity The pure religion and vndefiled before God is to visit the fatherlesse and widdowes in their aduersitie So that he which performeth not this duty hauing this worlds goods hath no true religion in him yea 1. Iohn 3.17 he hath no loue of God for If any man hath this worlds good and seeing his brother in want shutteth vp his compassion towards him how dwelleth the loue of God in him yea he hath no faith for Iames 2.20 faith without workes is dead yea he hath no sure foundation for 1. Tim. 6.17.18 the rich are warned to be rich in good workes to be ready to distribute and communicate laying vp in store for themselues a good foundation yea hee hath no conformitie with God as the child of God hath for doe good saith the Lord to them that hate you Matth. 5.45 that yee may bee the children of your father which is in heauen Now that this duty may be rightly performed it must be done liberally according to a mans ability for he that soweth liberally shall reape liberally and with all chearefulnes and not grudgingly 2. Cor 9 6.7 for God loueth a cheareful giuer And for taking there must be no more taken then is giuen neither must they aske and receiue almes that are not pressed hereunto by necessity labor must not be neglected an idle loitring vagrant life entred vpon for this is to breed a confusiō to hinder the poore indeed to rob the spittle And thus much of following the rule which hath been embraced euen amongst the heathen by the law of Nature Quod tibi non vis fieri alteri nefeceris Insomuch as that Alexander Seuerus an heathen Emperour of the Romans caused it to be written in all open places and market-places that it might bee continually before the eyes of all people That which thou wouldest not haue done to thee doe not to another man Rules of obedience to this Commandement Now there is further added as a speciall meanes to inable vnto this duty by diligent paines taking to get mine owne liuing in that estate of life to which it pleaseth God to call me 1. Cor. 7.20 For that we may doe the duty of this Law we must first be in a lawful estate and calling according to the precept Let euery man abide in the same vocation wherein he was called and as a remedy against stealing and as a meanes to inable vs to giue to the needy it is said Let him worke with his hands the thing that is good Ephes 4.22 so that thy calling must be good and honest otherwise what thou gainest hereby is stollen and if thou giuest it is not accepted it must be profitable to Church or Common-wealth Gen. 3 17. Secondly thou must be diligent herein for In the sweate of thy brow saith the Lord thou shalt eate of thy bread vntill thou returne to the earth Diligence was at the first enioyned Adam when hee was set to dresse the garden The Lord himselfe though a most omnipotent essence and pure act is in continuall action ruling all things the Angels haue wings to expresse their diligence and celerity the Sunne Moone and Starres with all the heauenly orbes are alwaies in motion and the smallest creatures the very Bee and little Pismire are diligent in their kind all which teach man diligence in his calling 1. Tim. 6.6 Thirdly thou must be content with thy present estate for godlinesse is great gaine with contentation Discontent besides that it is ingratitude against God is a ground of all vnlawful practices to gaine more and cooleth and kils the spirits from the workes of our callings but contentation stayeth from that which is vnlawfull and putteth life into our honest labours and endeauours Prou. 21.5 Fourthly thou must bee frugall and thriftie to saue that wherewith the Lord hath blessed thee not spending it vnnecessarily vpon vanity nor loosing it through neglect The thoughts of the diligent doe surely bring abundance so that a man by thrift hauing in reasonable sort enough of his owne shall not need to gape after other mens goods but may haue wherwithall to giue to others Psal 15.4 Lastly thou must bee constant to performe all thy lawfull promises for Who shall dwell in the Tabernacle of the most High he that sweareth to his owne hinderance and changeth not or if hee maketh any speech or promise of doing any thing to the benefit of another For he that boasteth of false liberality Prou. 25.14 is like clouds and winde without raine Hee bringeth poore men into a vaine hope of some benefit to be receiued but doth nothing or he maketh a shew before others as is the manner of many seeming good and beneficiall and making faire promises but in deeds least of all they shall haue reward accordingly Quest 100. Which is the ninth Commandement Answ Thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy neighbour Quest 101. What is here forbidden Answ All false witnesse bearing which is first falsely accusing and witnessing against our neighbour before a Iudge 2. By slandring and back-biting and by all readinesse to hearken to such false reports 3 By flattering and soothing any for aduantage against the truth 4 By lying or telling any vntruth against our conscience Explan In this Commandement the maine intent and scope is to preserue the good name of our neighbour and our owne credit and good name for by false witnessing and lying as our neighbours disparagement is sought so a mans owne is procured The maine sin therefore here is vniustly or out of malice to detract from the good name of our neighbour 1. King 19. First I say vniustly because sometime a man is so bad and notorious as that hee which should goe about to maintaine his credit should endanger himselfe of the woe to such as iustifie the wicked Of such like it is iust and right for a man according to their deserts to complaine either before
lawfull meanes maintaine our owne credit and a good name for proximus quisque sibi euery man is next to himselfe he that will vse that care which hee ought to the preseruing of his neighbours good name doth begin with looking to his own Yet I say that we must doe it by lawfull meanes because there be some that doe ambire famam too earnestly secke after credit and offend hereby It is vnlawfully therefore sought Math. 6. Vnlawfull meanes of fame First by hypocrisie as the Pharisies fought the praise of men by pretending exceeding great godlinesse for which they are censured by the Lord to haue their reward so that if any seeke fame by making a most excellent shew that hee may be seene he may indeed get a name before men but hee shall lose it before God Secondly by flattery as Absalon is noted to haue flattered the people vsing all courtesie towards them that so he might make a way to the Kingdome such are some courting Gallants now adayes that vse all courtesie towards others hauing most proud hearts and making most lowly shewes these and the like get the names of most kinde Gentlemen and lowly when they are proud and insinuate themselues into men for aduantage by thus setting vp their names amongst them Luc. 6.26 Thirdly by the neglect of a mans duty when he ought to oppose himselfe against mens sinnes winking at them and forbearing to censure them when his office doth require it that he may thus haue the report of an honest quiet man After this manner to seeke and to obtaine a good name and to bee well spoken of is to bee infamous and vile before God who hath threatned such saying Woe is vnto you when all men speake well of you for so did they to the false Prophets Lawfull means of fame The lawfull meanes of getting and maintaining a good name are Prou. 10.7 1. To liue well and righteously for the memory of the iust be blessed but the memoriall of the wicked shall not Whatsoeuer good parts a man hath yet if there bee any thing scandalous in him Eccl 10.2 it is a flye in a boxe of precious oyntment corrupting it all 2. In all things thou must endeauour to glorifie God for Such as honour me 1 Sam. 2.30 saith the Lord J will honour them seeke to maintaine and aduance Gods fame and thou shalt be sure of a good name though thou seemest to be vile before some Michel as Dauid in dancing before the Arke Math 7.2 3. Thou must speake well as much as thou canst of other men for it is iust with God as thou measurest vnto others so that it should be measured to thee againe 4. If there be any other thing which is honest which is iust Which is pure which is worthy of loue which is of good report Phil. 4.8 If there be any vertue if there be any praise think on these things Our duty towards our neighbours good name Now for the credit and good name of our neighbour that we may doe our duty aright towards the maintaining hereof 1. We must congratulate with him for the good report that goeth of him as S. Paul professeth his ioy for the faith of the Romans Rom. 1.8 which was published throughout the whole world and likewise towards other Churches particular persons And if we be not likewise affected to the good report that goeth of our neighbour but do contrariwise repine at it as though something were heereby detracted from vs as is the manner of many we are far from maintaining his good name as our duty requireth 2. We must speake of the good things in our neighbours to their praise and commendation as the Christians at Lystra and Iconium Act 16.2 2 Cor. 8. are said to haue reported well of Timothy as Paul commendeth the charity and forwardnesse of those of Macedonia 3. Wee must conceale and hide the infirmities of our neighbour sparing to speake of them to his disgrace for loue couereth all trespasses and beare one anothers burthen saith the Apostle Prou. 10.12 Gal. 6.2 and so fulfill the Law of Christ Little care of the neighbours good name is in him that is ready to set abroach his weaknesses 4 If any thing be done by our neighbour that may haue a tolerable construction we must so construe it and not in the worst sense This was the charity of the rest of Israel towards the Reubenites and Gadites on the other side Iordan Ios 12. which had set vp an Altar for a testimonial they sent first vnto them to vnderstand the thing before that they begin to war vpon them and Ioseph willing to make the best construction that he could of Maries being with childe determined secretly to send her away 5. Against all slanderous tales and reports against our neighbours credit to stop our eares it is commended as a necessary property in such as bee inhabitants of Gods holy mountaine not only not to slander but not to receiue a false tale against his neighbour And what loue is there in such Psal 15.3 as be ready to hearken to backbiters vnlesse it may notoriously or euidently appeare to be no slander Wherefore thou must not onely not hearken to such but reproue them bee angry with them and make them knowne as most odious persons going about to rob thy neighbour of his principall iewell more worth then all his substance Whether a man may praise himselfe Whether may a man to preserue his owne credit and to get him a good name speake of such thinges as are praise-worthy in himselfe seeing it is forbidden Let another man praise thee and not thine owne lippes This is to be iudged of according to the fountaine from whence it proceedeth if it commeth from pride and selfe-loue out of a desire to be famous and highly thought of as it is in most it is to be condemned as pride it selfe which maketh a man hatefull to God and man but if it commeth from necessity because otherwise a man shall bee vniustly in disgrace through slanderous tongues heere is a time to seeke to maintaine his owne good name Thus did Paul iustifie himselfe and extoll his owne gifts and labours or else because otherwise some aspersion shall be cast vpon Gods glory something slanderous laid vpon his seruant being imputed to him 1 Sam. 11. as if Samuel had not stood forth to iustifie himselfe and to publish his vpright dealing in his Iudges Office or lastly because otherwise sometime euen such as are of excellent deserts might remaine vnknowne and bee vsed as enemies when there is none else to make them knowne Thus Obadiah telleth Elijah to his owne praise that hee hid an hundred Prophets of the Lord 1 King 18. fifty in a Caue and fed them with bread and water And Nehemiah speaketh much of his goodnesse towards the Iewes desiring the Lord to remember him in mercy
and deuise in his minde how to attaine them he is a sinner in the highest degree against this Commandement Marke 7.12 Verse 23. If his thoughts wherein he is delighted be adulterous hee is guilty of adultery if murtherous of murther and is defiled heereby according to that saying of Christ From within euen out of the heart of man proceed euill thoughts adulteries fornications murthers thefts couetousnesse wickednesse c. All these euill things come from within and defile a man All which serueth to help vs to a sight of our own spirituall deformitie whosoeuer is best amongst vs so that if the Lord should enter into iudgement with vs the holiest man were neuer able to abide it seeing he hath about him the flesh the root of bitternesse often euill motions though he striueth against them and some taking vp the heart with delight by their pleasing insinuation And thus the Law doth the office rightly to conclude all vnder sinne that we might all depend onely vpon Gods mercy for pardon and saluation Quest 105. What is heere commanded Answ To keepe our very hearts and mindes free from all euill motions and thoughts contrary to any of the Lawes and Commandements of God Explan The duty commanded here is our through sanctification not only in deeds but euen in heart and thought also as the Apostle prayeth for the Thessalonians The very God of peace sanctifie you throughout 1 Thes 5.23 and I pray God that your spirit and soule and body may be kept blamelesse vnto the comming of the Lord Iesus Christ The parts of this are mortification putting off the old man which is corrupt through deceiuable lusts and viuification Ephes 4.24 which is the putting on of the new man which after God is created in righteousnesse Iohn 3.5 and true holinesse It is otherwise called Regeneration or a New birth without which a man shall neuer see the Kingdome of Heauen Now of this new birth there be foure degrees or parts 1. The birth of a pure and holy minde hating sinne and louing the Law Rom 7.16 Verse 22. Verse 15. this was in Dauid Lord how doe I loue thy Law and all false wayes I vtterly abhorre and in Paul I consent to the Law that is good and I delight in the Law of God concerning the inner man and I hate the thing that I doe 2. Stirring and mouing in holy duties as a liuing man doth the actions of the liuing which a dead carcasse cannot doe Psal 34.12 This stirring of the regenerate is ceasing to doe euill and learning to doe well doing the duties of pietye towards God and of loue towards man 3. An earnest desire of food whereby this new life may be maintained 1 Pet. 2.2 As new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the word that yee may grow thereby 2 Pet. 3 18. A growing vp towards mans estate in knowledge and holinesse according to S. Peter Finally brethren grow in grace and in the knowledge of Iesus Christ Now the Law sheweth all this to be done but helpeth not to the doing and so leaueth a man destitute of all comfort that all conceit of righteousnesse in man might bee taken away his frailty and weaknesse might be acknowledged hee might despaire of his owne power and ability that he might be set a worke to seeke out of the Law meanes of fulfilling the Law and to become righteous before God And hitherto of the ten Commandements Of keeping the Law MY good child know this that thou art not able to doe these things of thy selfe nor to walke in the commandements of God and to serue him without his especiall grace c. Very fitly in this publike Catechisme after the setting downe of the particulars required by the Law we are put in mind of our owne weakenesse and disabilitie to performe those duties in any measure and therefore wee are sent to seeke from aboue a supernaturall assistance which may fight with our corruptions and helpe our infirmities not that we are thereby aduanced in this life to a total and perfect correspondence to the Legall rigor of these duties but that we may know that it is a greater strength then our owne naturall abilities which worketh in vs a sound and sincere though imperfect obedience in this life which is the Euangelicall performance of Gods Law atchieued partly by vs in our weake endeauours through grace and the rest by supply for vs by our Sauiours perfect satisfaction vnto the vtmost of the Law as more distinctly appeareth in the Questions following Quest. 106. Is any man able to keepe all these Commandements Answ No man vpon earth hath or can euer be able to keep them perfectly Adam onely excepted in the state of innocency and Christ who was both God and man Explan For clearing hereof we will deduce these Theses Thes 1. Man at the first able to keep the Law or positions Man by his first creation was able to keepe the whole Law without sinning for hee was made after Gods image which as is expressed by the Apostle is righteousnes and true holines Eccles 7.31 and God saith Salomon made man righteous his hart was full of diuine vnderstanding his will was altogether right his affections holy his power absolute to persist and continue such alwaies Thes 2. Man vnable to keepe the law Man as his nature now is cannot keepe the Law of God neither the whole nor any parcell thereof but is altogether corrupt his vnderstanding darkened his will crooked his affections impure and his best strength weakenesse towards the running the race of Gods Commandements Iob 14 4. And when the best meanes are offered of being brought into the right way he is apt to turne them into his owne corruption to the increasing thereof euen as the spider turneth all into poyson This corruption of nature is wel set forth by Iob Who can bring a cleane thing out of filthinesse so that mans nature now is filthines it selfe and so farre gone is it herein as Paul sheweth that speaking hereof in his owne person hee saith Rom. 7.18 In me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing The vnderstanding is so darke as that euen like as a blind man borne blind 1. Cor. 2.14 doth not see any light neither can hee the naturall man perceiueth not the things of God neither can he The will is so crooked as that in all things it is contrary to Gods will according to that saying Nitimur in vetitum semper cupimusque negata We are prone to that which is forbidden vs we long most for that which is denied vs. See an example in the corrupt Iewes Ezech. 3.11 vnto whom the Lord sending Ezechiel saith but they will not heare neither will they cease The affections are so impure as nothing is so good but he is apt to hate and impeach it nothing so vile but hee loueth it and is wedded vnto it
along life in this miserable world and yet remoueth to a Kingdome euerlasting that hee is not true of his promise 1. King 14. Doth any man thinke Enoch the lesse blessed because hee was taken away some hundreths of yeare sooner then others or doth he thinke it an vnhappines in the good sonne of Jeroboam for that he was taken away in his youth no more are they vnhappy or lesse blessed but so much the more whom the Lord is pleased to take away from the euils of this world to come as saith the Prophet Esay 57.1 Quest 2 Why doth the Lord rather promise long life to such as honour father and mother then any other blessing First because life is sweet and we are apt by nature to hearken to any thing to prolong life but this is generall and fitteth other commandements as well 2 More specially because children that honour parents may be said in some sort to prolong their dayes through that ioy wherewith they are affected when they doe well for as sorrow shortneth the dayes according to that of father Iaacob yee shall bâ—ing my gray head with sorrow to the graue Gen. 42 38. so ioy prolongeth them Againe by nourishing them in their necessity they prolong their dayes euen as young storkes so that it is most equall with the Lord to giue them this recompence in prolonging their dayes which also is an argument of force to moue to obedience and to make them flie disobedience seeing this is a death to their good parents and they are like the viper herein which as is thought is the death both of sire and dam in the breeding and comming forth into the world 3. Because the way to come to an estate of honour is giuing honour according to our prouerb qui nescit parere nescit imperare He knoweth not how to rule that knoweth not how to obey first Wherefore it is iust with God to cut off the disobedient that they may not liue to honour and to prolong the life of the obedient that they may come in their age to bee obeyed and honoured Quest 91. Which is the sixth Commandement or the second of the second Table Answ Thou shalt doe no murther Quest 92. What is here forbidden Answ All murthering of our selues or others and all approbation hereof either by command counsell consent or concealement secondly all iniurious actions tending to the prejudice of our neighbours life thirdly all railing and reuiling speeches fourthly all murtherous desires and affections of the heart as malice hatred and enuie fifthly all cruelty towards the creature which sheweth a murtherous mind in vs. Matth. 5.22 Explan The Lord hauing prouided for the vpholding of euery man in his estate and condition to preuent a confusion amongst the orders of men proceedeth here to take away particular abuses which if they should bee this order cannot stand and first the most horrible of all other murther the despoyling men of their liues Now because the Pharisees erred when they restrained the sinne here to the outward and compleat act of murther our Sauiour Christ reprouing this their absurd cleauing to the letter of the text I haue more largely according to his blessed direction set downe the sinne against this commandement It may well be referred to these fiue heads First actuall murther which is either of our selues or of other men 1. Thou shalt not murther thy selfe howsoeuer thou art pressed by teÌ„ptations of pouerty disgrace or other heauy crosses wherevpon the deuill is busie about thee and seeketh to driue thee to this desperate selfe-execution Thou shalt feare and neuer yeeld to so horrible an act whatsoeuer becommeth of thee And that thou maist the better bee preserued because the diuell preuaileth against many in these dayes and against some that haue formerly had a care to doe well I haue set downe heere the most effectuall meanes of preseruation in all assaults Forerunners of selfe-murther First take heed of all forerunners of these temptations as of pride and carying a higher saile than thy estate will beare for when a man commeth thus to be spent and must necessarily come downe and be laid open to the world according to his meanes his proud heart cannot indure to yeeld if by any meanes he may auoid this open debasement wherevpon Satan is ready and biddeth him murther himselfe this is plainely to be seen in many examples in our dayes Another forerunner of this is some notorious sinne or sinnes which are committed in secret but the conscience will not suffer to bee secret but accuseth for them and d then Satan layeth hold heerevpon pressing the threatnings of the Law and neuer ceaseth till he hath driuen a man to the desperate making away of himselfe These hideous sinnes are murther adultery periury apostacie or backsliding from the truth before imbraced and such like A third is generall security in matters of religion from which when the eyes come to be opened there ariseth an horrour and trouble in conscience which the Diuell further presseth to desperate selfe-murther Wherefoâ—e let euery man first be carefull to auoid these wayes Let him put on humility liuing rather in meaner fashion then he is worth let him watch ouer his hands and heaâ—t and tongue against muâ—thering against adultery and vncleannesse against lying and fo swearing and ouer his waies against backsliding and let him in all his dealings keepe a good conscience If thou shalt say I feare not this temptation I hope I shall keepe mee without this pensiue carefulnesse farre enough from it heare what the Apostle saith Rom 9. â—ee not high-minded but feare consider that thou art a man and if a man subiect to the like passions as the meanest worst of men if thou take not the better heed It is no wisedome to surfet the body then to seek a cure neither is it wisedome to let the enemy into the Citty and then to seek to driue him out againe In like manner it is no wise dome but great folly to put a mans selfe into the hazard of this desperation thinking then to be cured againe â— Labor for pitience Labour for patience in all crosses according to the example of thy master Christ if being a seruant thou be buffetted pinched with hunger and hardly intreated or being a childe art neglected of thy parents and discouraged or being a subiect thou art in danger through thy Princes displeasure consider not so much the greatnesse of thy crosse as the reward if thou haue patience consider the vanity of the most excellent things in this world the shortnesse of all crosses heere and the most worthy partners which thou hast both Christ and all the holy Prophets and Apostles to whose society it is ioy to be ioyned The want of this patience breedeth discontent discontent with the Diuels furtherance desperation and murther 3 Consider if at any time thou beest thus tempted that to murther a mans selfe is the most