sanctification of the day and works of mercy The Prophet tells us that God refuseth all sacrifice and requireth Mercy so that sacrifice without Mercy was rejected Let us compare this with the Ritual sanctification in the Law As anoynting was the first part of typical sanctifying of which we spake formerly so was there also a second If it were a Person his hand was filled by Aaron Implevit manus ejus Aaron If it were an Altar then was there some what offered on it So that Oblation or filling the hand was the second way of legal sanctifying In the Law there was a charge to Aaron that whensoever men came to appear before the Lord none should appear empty And therefore in another place there is mention made of a basket of sanctification at the door of the Tabernacle in which was reserved the bread offered by the people which the Priests were to eat with the flesh of the sacrifices And the very same order was taken in the time of the Gospel that on the Lords day there should be collections for the poor But there is no place that setteth this out more plainly then the 26 Chapter of Deuteronomy the whole Chapter throughout where the manner is particularly set down how the people were to bring their baskets of first fruits to the tabernacle and offer them there to the Lord in token of thankfulnesse and as an acknowledgement that they received all from God And likewise every third yeer besides the ordinary tythes they were to bring the tythe of the remainder to the Tabernacle for the use of the Levite the poor the fatherlesse and stranger that they might rejoyce together c. Now mercy as misery is two fold 1. Corporeal and 2. Spiritual Either outward and such as are for the good of the body of him that is in misery or inward and such as concerne his soul or spirit 1. For the first of these our Saviour himself mentions six works of mercy in 2 verses of one Chapter which as sure as he is Christ he will acknowledge and take special notice of when he comes to judge the world and as he will pronounce those happy and blessed that have exercised them so he will denounce a curse upon those that have neglected them three of them are in the first of the two 1. Feeding the hungry 2. Giving drink to the thirsty 3. Merciful dealing with and entertaining the stranger And the other three are in the next verse 1. Clothing the naked 2. Visiting the sick 3. And succouring them that be in prison To which may be added a seventh which is the care of the dead we see that King David pronounceth a blessing from God to the men of Jabesh Gilead because they had buried the body of Saul And our Saviour commendeth the work of Mary in her anointing him as having relation to the day of his burial We finde also Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus recommended to posterity for their work of mercy in this kinde the one for begging the body of Jesus to bury it and the other for assisting him in the charge of interring it Augustine gives a reason why the burial of the dead ought to be accounted a work of mercy It is done saith he Ne pateat miseria that this misery of rotting being both lothsome to the eye and nose should not appear to every man As also because every one loveth his own flesh so well that he would have it after his death well and honestly used and therefore this is a benefit done to him when he cannot help himself And in these respects it is a work of mercy That the works of mercy are most requisite and especially upon our feasts appears by that which is related of David who upon his sacrifice on a festival day dealt to everyman and woman the poorer sort no doubt a loaf of bread and a good piece of flesh and a flagon of drink And by that which is storied of Nehemiah who upon the Sabbath day after the law read and expounded commanded the better sort to eat the fat and drink the sweet and to send portions to them for whom nothing was prepared And certainly there is a blessing or sanctifying proper to them and their actions that shall be mindefull of the poor and shew mercy to them S. Paul tells the Milesians that it is a more blessed thing to give then to receive especially seeing God so accepteth works of mercy as that he imputeth not sin to the truly charitable Therefore it was that Daniel gave that counsel to Nebuchadnezzar Break off thy sins by righteousnesse and 〈◊〉 iniquity by mercy to the poor And our Saviour gave the like in his sermon Give Alms of such things as you have and all things are clean to you Whereas he that stoppeth his ears at the cry of the Poor he also shall cry himself and not be heard But it is an easy matter for flesh and blood to finde objections against performing these works of mercy As how know I whether a man be hungry or not I see none go naked and so of the rest To this we answer with the fathers potius est occurrere necessitati quam succurvere It is better to prevent or keep a man from misery then to help him out of misery And for the practise of that they 〈◊〉 taught the monuments of their charity which they have left behinde them shew that they were more frequent in works of mercy then we And their rule was In die domini ne extende manus ad 〈◊〉 nisi extendas ad pauperem if you stretch not your hands to the poor on the Lords day it will be in vain to stretch out your hands to God And indeed when God requireth thy Almes to the poore he asketh but his own and that which he gave thee and but that which thou canst not keep long He requireth but pauxillum a very little from thee for them meaning to repay thee Centuplum a hundred fold for it He asketh of thee but Caducum that which is fraile and transitory to reward thee in aternum eternally 2. And as there were in their time some so are there now more that plead their inability to releeve the poor Our answer to this must be as theirs was si 〈◊〉 non sufficient restuae ad 〈◊〉 Christianos parcendum est ut tu sufficias illis if thou hast not sufficient for pious uses be the better husband that thou mayest be enabled to do some good though never so little for God regardeth not the quantum how much thou givest 〈◊〉 ex quanto out of what thou hast to give The widowes mites were more accepted by God then the gifts the rich men cast into the Treasury why Quia multum obtulit quae parum sibi reliquit she offered much that left but little to her self Lastly there
suffer us to be tempted above that we are able And either our strength shall encrease with the strength of our crosse or as our strength so our crosse shall diminish The enemy shall not be able to do us violence 2. We are to deprecate temporal dangers as Jehosbaphat did We know not what to do hoc solum restat ut ad te oculos dirigamus Domine Our eyes are upon thee O God And then in our trouble and distresse Nomen Domini shall be turris fortissime The Name of the Lord will be a strong tower to us But yet concerning temporal evil we must stand affected as the three children were who answer'd K. Nebuchadnezzar our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery fornace but if not because the promise and covenant is conditionall we will not serve thy God c. And thus far and no farther went our Saviour when he used deprecation Father if it be possible let this cup passe from me neverthelesse not my will but thine be done The second branch of Invocation is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Precation which is the desiring of some thing that is good There is no one thing more common in the Psalms then this as 1. Give me understanding So 2. Establish the thing that thou hast wrought in us c. As the first prayer is to give what we want so the second is establish and confirm it in us when we have it 3. The third is that of the Apostles to our Saviour Lord increase our faith in us We must not keep at a stand in grace but desire an increment that we may grow in grace as the Apostle counselleth us Concerning this part of prayer petition of the good we want It is true our desires are not alwayes granted for as Christ answered the sons of Zebedee ye ask ye know not what so it may be said to us we often desire 〈◊〉 that which is agreeable to our own humours then to Gods will as Chrysostome reports of a Thief who purposing to continue in his sin orabat Deum ut non caperetur eo citius capiebatur he prayed that he might not be taken and was taken so much the sooner because he so prayed Therefore the rule we must follow and whereon we must ground our prayer is that promise Quicquid secundum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whatsoever we ask according to his will he will grant us such are the graces of his spirit and whatsoever is necessary to salvation as the Word Sacraments publique Worship c. These are that unum 〈◊〉 which the 〈◊〉 so earnestly begged unum petii a Jehovah One thing have I desired of the Lord. He desired many things but one thing especially 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to dwell in the 〈◊〉 of God all the dayes of his life to continue in the Church of God all his life where he might glorifie God and work out his own salvation Whatsoever is absolutely necessary to these ends we may safely ask and be sure God will grant and therefore our Saviour tells us that God grants his Spirit to those that ask him this is one thing which he will not deny us Now with these or after these we may pray for temporal things that is we may pray first for a competency not for superfluity The 〈◊〉 Jacob prayed onely for food and raiment and Agur the son of 〈◊〉 prayes Give me neither poverty nor riches but sufficientiam victus a sufficiency onely whereupon S. Augustine faith non indecenter petit quia hoc petit non amplius it is no unbeseeming prayer because he asks onely so much and no more 2. We must desire them with condition if God see it expedient submitting to his will as Christ If it be possible and if it be thy will so did David praying for restitution to his kingdom If I have found favour in the eyes of the Lord he will bring me again c. if not here I am let him do what seemeth good to him He resignes all to Gods will and there is no more compendious way to obtain what we need then to resigne all to Gods pleasure whatsoever means we use or however we struggle nothing will avail without this Now that which was mentioned before concerning omnis omnia falls in best to be expounded here It seems strange that every one that asks shall have and that whatsoever he asks he shall have seeing it is certain that many ask and have not 1. We must remember that of S. Augustine that our duty is to pray however for as he saith Jubet ut petas si non petis displicet non negabit quod petis si non petes doth God command thee to pray and is he displeased if thou prayest not and will he not deny thee what thou prayest for and yet dost thou not pray 2. We must know that the cause why we receive not is not in his promise but in our asking Ye ask and receive not because ye ask amisse saith S. James For it is not a demonstrative signe of Gods favour to us to have all we desire granted for we see that the Israelites desired flesh and flesh God sent them but is was with displeasure for while the meat was yet in their mouthes the wrath of God came upon them and flew the mightiest of them and smote down the chosen men of Israel And upon the peoples violent desire to have a king God gave them one but in displeasure Nay it is so far from a favour that God sometimes grants the Devils whom he favours not their requests as in the case of Job and the Swyne 3. And as this is not an absolute signe of favour so Gods denying of our requests is not alwayes a signe of his displeasure This we may see in S. Paul who obtained not that he desired concerning the prick in the flesh 1. One reason S. Isidore and S. Aug. give Saepc multos Deus non exaudit ad voluntatem ut exaudiat ad salutem God oft-times hears not many as they desire that he may hear them to their good 2 Another reason is given by S. Aug God denies not but only defers to grant that we might by his deferring them ask and esteem of them more highly Desideria delatione crescunt cito data vilescunt desire encreaseth by delay and things soon given are of light esteem and therefore he adds Servat tibi Deus quod non vult cito dare ut tu discas magna magis desiderare God keeps for thee that he will not give thee quickly that thou mayest learn with more affection to desire great things 3. A third reason is that we might the more earnestly ask for them which our Saviour intimates in two parables to us one of the unjust judge and the importunate widow and the other
God and not to any Creature whatsoever Therefore the learneder sort among them having studied the tongues better seeing the absurdity of these conclusions found out another shift and say that they neither do adorare nor colere imagines neither bow down to nor worship the images themselves but Christ and the Saints by the Images This distinction doth little avail them the records of Antiquity can tell them that this was the shift of the Heathen Idolaters of old even in the Primitive Church Lactantius taxeth those of his time for it Quae igitur amentia est c. what madnesse is it saith he to answer that you worship not the Idol sed Numen aliquod cui Idolum fabricatur but some God to which the Idol was was made and Chrysostome Adoratis simulachra non simulachra sed Venerem Martem per simulachra Veneris Martis you adore images and not images but Venus and Mars by their images lastly S. Augustine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quis disputator c. there starts up I know not what disputer and he seems to thee to be a learned man and sayes I worship not that stone nor that senselesse Image I know like a subtill Prophet that it can neither speak nor see but I serve that Deity which I see not I worship not that Image but I adore what I see and serve him that I see not And what is that why a certain invisible Deity To which the Father answering saith Hoc modo reddendo rationem de Idolis optime factum putant c. by this means they think they do well by rendring a reason for their Idols And in another place he saith of another sort videntur sibi purgatioris esse religionis qui dicunt nec simulachrum nec 〈◊〉 colo sed per 〈◊〉 corporalem ejus rei signum intueor quam colere debeo but they seem to be 〈◊〉 a more refined Religion that say I neither worship the Image nor the Devil in it but by that corporeal shape I behold the representation of that which I should worship But what saith he to this Itaque Apostoli una sententia poenam c. one sentence of the Apostle testifles their punishment and damnation for such kinde of acts God gave them up c. But indeed this error is as ancient as the Calf in the wildernesse and if we examine it well we shall finde this of their's all one with that of the Israelites for they did not think the Calfe to be a God for these reasons 1. For first they desired a God to go 〈◊〉 them and their reason was because they could not tell what was become of Moses who formerly had bin a visible representation to them of God and not a God himself therefore they would have somewhat made instead of him and this must hold for one reason or else we must say that they took Moses for their God before 2. The assent of Aaron for if he had not had somewhat in his minde besides flat Idolatry in consenting and complying with them he had not bin favoured as he was but destroyed with the rest And therefore it cannot be understood that they conceived the calf as a visible Representation onely but that in that calf God might be worshipped for Aaron said to them that they should keep a feast to the Lord therfore they intended that the Calf should represent God in their solemnity Exo. 32. 5. And it is likely that it was so because that while they were in Egypt they knew no other God then Apis an Oxe And it is recorded that Aaron upon these words of the people These be thy Gods 〈◊〉 that brought thee up out of the land of Egypt took hold of them and built an altar and proclaimed a fast to 〈◊〉 which they must needs know could not be ascribed to the Calf So that this was the Elench that deceived him that they might worship God in the Calf though Moses could not be deceived so for he brake it in pieces and burnt it to ashes 3. The third evasion of the Papists is That these Images are not erected either to adore or worship them or God by them but that ignorant people might have something to put them in minde of God and therefore Images are called by them libri laicorum the books of lay-men This is no new device but vsed of the old Idolaters as we may see by the 〈◊〉 of Symmachus There must be something to put the ignorant in minde of God Which Ambrose and Prudentius answer thus Omnia Deo plena all things have God to manifest him and put us in remembrance of him And by Arnobius These that stand so for Images saith he vse to say that they made no account of the Image but onely in respect of the ignorant sort of people that are put in minde of God by it And 〈◊〉 in an oration saith Istiusmodi 〈◊〉 esse pro libris quae dum legunt cognitionem dei dediscunt c. That while they read these books of Images in stead of learning God they loose the knowledge of him and therefore calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 moralizing upon 〈◊〉 not teaching true divinity So that we see there is nothing said in this canse that was not said before Now if we aske the Papists that if the people must be put in minde of what it must be Not of the deity for they themselves are weary of maintaining that and though they were wont often and in many places do still to represent God and the Trinity in humane shapes yet Hosius now confesseth that such things came in Dormientibus 〈◊〉 praepositis while the gouernors of the Church were a sleep 2. Not of Christ as he is God for his attributes are 〈◊〉 but as he is man onely and in so doing in representing him by picture as man and not God seeing that person in the deity cannot be delineated they imitate Nestorius who did divide the natures of Christ and so consequently may seem to run into the Anathema of the council of Ephesus because in some sort they divide in their picture the manhood from the Godhead which they cannot expresse therewith 2. Not of Christ as man and now glorified for against this the saying of Eusebius may serve well that the glory of Christ in heaven is now far greater then it was when he was 〈◊〉 in the mount where the disciples could not look upon him and therefore cannotbe pourtrayed by any pensil 3. Nor of Christ as he was in the flesh for that were as the Prophet speaks to teach us lies and rather to forget then to remember what he suffered for us for in his picture as in that upon the crosse for example we can be put in minde we see no more then the piercing of his hands and feet a wound in his side by a spear and the thorns on his
pileum he was free and when he laid aside his cap he was said deponere magnificentiam to lay aside his honour and priviledge whereby he was distinguished from a servant So then as servants are to be uncovered in their masters service so are we to be in Gods and therefore Saint Paul in the place before cited tells us that it is a shame for a man to have his head covered at that time That 's the first signe 2. The other signe is humiliare nosmetipsos to humble our selves which is nothing else but to make a man neerer the ground to bow himself as low as he can and this was it which the devill required of Christ and it is a posture which God expects at our hands and was vsed from the beginning We may see it by that which God said to Elias I have yet left me 7000. in Israel all the knees which have not bowed to Baal by which he signified that bowing was a signe of them that worshipped him aright and it was his quarrel against them that bowed themselves to Idols for which he would not forgive them 2. But Honor signi is not enough there must be Honor facti too The first was Reverence this is service and worship which we call properly devotion or the devoutnes and readines of the will to serve God And this Honor exhibitus facto hath also two parts 1. To come and go at Gods command 2. To do his worke 1. Both of these we have in the Centurions servant approved by Christ himself 1. In going and coming when he is bidden I say go and he goeth come and he cometh 2. In doing his Masters will or service Do this and he doeth it And in these two respects it is that Christ will say to some Nescio vos I know you not 1. Either for not comming at all to his house so that he cannot take notice of them for his servants 2. or for coming unwillingly with an ill will to do his work and so they do not perform service to him and in this respect are not known to him neither We see that Gods servants did both Abraham was no sooner spoken to by God but he was presently at his call and answered Ecce ego behold here I am The kingly Prophet before he was called had a longing desire to go into Gods house but when he was called he presently answered Lo I come It is Gods threat-Because I called and ye refused c. I will laugh at your calamity And in the Gospel they which were invited to the Supper and came not were thought unworthy none of them shall tast of it And as we are to come so in our coming two things are required to make us welcome 1. The first is we must come mature betimes they that seek me early shall finde me and secondly we must come quotidie daily Blessed is the man that heareth me watching daily at my gates We must wait and be desirous to be called 2. The second 〈◊〉 the Act. Service to do his will It is the property of a good servant to do his masters work and to preferr it before his own We see the practize of it in Abrahams servant he refused to eat before his masters work was done and here falls under this the commandment of the great service the service of the altar which that we may think it no dishonour to be Gods servants we finde that he chose the Tribe of Levi to serve him at the altar so that this service is the service of choice and howsoever some account but lightly of it yet it was the greatest honour to be chosen to perform this service Now to apply these things to the point in hand There is in the 95. Psalm which is vsed as an antipsalm or Introduction as it were to the service of God by our Church 1. A coming 2. A worshipping 3. A falling down and 4. a kneeling before the Lord whereby we may see that in the precept of worship in the substantial parts of the service of God prayer preaching the Sacraments and discipline especially in the former there is a due gesture and behaviour required And in this we are to follow the rule prescribed by Saint James which is to take the Patriarchs and prophts for our guides and directors and it is Saint Peters rule too for women to follow the steps of holy women of old So that laying this for our ground and withal taking the approved practise of the Church with it we cannot go amisse Now we shall finde in this outward worship of God that they never came together to serve the Lord nor departed from it without exhibiting some reverend external worship and behaviour both in 〈◊〉 recessu in coming in and going out In accessu in their coming together it is plaine Solomon in the consecration of his Temple at the beginning before his prayer kneeled upon his knees And in recessu we see that when Hezekiah and his people had ended their service they bowed their heads and worshipped We have seen what our gesture must be in accessu and recessu Let us now see what it must be while we are present at Gods service in the particulars of it 1. First for our outward gesture in prayer which is either publick or private And in both these since we are to remember that they are to proceed partly from Humility partly from hope our external signes must be answerable to both these 1. In publick prayer the signes are first that which we called before depositionem magnificentiae with our heads 〈◊〉 2. The other which we called Humiliation by bowing our selves to the ground or kneeling as Abraham did and his servant too bowed and worshipped the Lord. So did the people at the institution of the 〈◊〉 So did king Solomon praying upon his knees The Prophets Daniel 6. 10. After the first temple Ezra 9. 6. Our Saviour himself upon the mount of Olives kneeled down and prayed lastly Saint Paul and the whole Church prayed kneeling Saint Peter Act. 9. 40. Thus we see our pattern if we look at the 〈◊〉 or Prophets at Christ or his Apostles or at the whole church True it is because we onely kneeling but also standing before another is a signe 〈◊〉 service and reverence therefore we read in many places that the gesture in prayer was standing and that some prayed standing as Gehezi stood before his master Elisha So Abraham stood before the Lord and Abrahams servant stood by the well of water when he prayed The people rose up and worshipped every man in his tent door 〈◊〉 said to 〈◊〉 stand by thy burnt 〈◊〉 and I will go c. Thus Samuel stood before the Lord and the Psalmist saith Ye that stand in the house of the Lord c. The king stood by
And when God would exalt Abraham from being father to the children of a bond woman Agar by whom he had Ismael to be the father of Isaac and the faithful and thereby to establish the Church in his house then because he was more glorious he gives him a more glorious name Thou shalt no more be called Abram but Abraham And the like we see in Jacob whose name was changed to Israel a name of more dignity when he had prevailed with God Now if a good name or good report be among private men so highly valued that as Solomon saith it is better then a precious ointment which was in great esteme for pleasure in those dayes yea then silver or gold or any precious treasure which was most esteemed for profit and if it be true which the Heathen said interesse famae est majus omni alio interesse that the weight and interest of a good name goeth 〈◊〉 all 〈◊〉 yea further as a Father saith Fama pari passu ambulat cum vita it goeth cheek by joul with life it self Of how pretious and high esteem ought the name of God to be and how highly ought we to reverence and esteem it seeing as the Psalmist saith God hath magnified his name and word above all things Therefore his glory and name is the chief thing we should look unto Thus we see what 's meant by the name of God The second is what is understood by taking the Name of God Non assumes c. The barrennesse of the English language makes the expression of the Original short for the word whence it comes signifies to take up and hath a double use to which may be referred whatsoever is borrowed in this sence 1. It is applyed to a standard or banner and hence comes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nose Armiger 2. To a heavy thing as a burden whence comes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 massae pondus and these two kinde of things we take up or remove if a thing be glorious as a standard we take it and lift it up and if a thing be necessary and useful to us though it be heavy and weighty we take it up so that the one is in rebus gloriosis the other in rebus necessariis and if a thing be neither glorious nor necessary we let it lie the first includes the duties of praise in all that take Gods name upon them the second refers to the duty of swearing which is a weighty thing and under these two are comprehended all other takings of his name 1. It is in gloriosis as Moses called his Altar erected and set up Jehovah-nissi that is the Lord my banner or standard from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ness vexillum Or as the plate made for Aaron wherein was to be graven Sanctitas Jehovae Holinesse to the Lord was to be taken up and placed upon Aarons forehead visible as a thing glorious as the badge of a noble man is lifted up upon the shoulder of a servant to be seen This lifting or taking up of Gods name is a thing glorious As the taking of a name by a childe from a father is honourable It was an honour and a priviledge to Ephraim and 〈◊〉 to be called after their grand-father Jacobs name so is it an honor to a woman to have her husbands name It was all the ambition of the women in the Prophet that desired one husband to be called by his name And we see still that in marriage the woman taketh her husbands name and it is such a glory to her that she is content to loose her own name for his And it is our own glory that from Gentiles we are called Christians Of which Esay in sundry places foretold Every one shal be called by my name saith God for I have created him for my glory And Thou shalt be called by a new name And again And shall call his servants by another name All which was fulfilled in the primitive Church when the Disciples were first called Christians The glory of Christ was taken up by Christians when they were called by his name Now being Gods servants and servants taken up his banner or badg the duty commanded is that we must like good servants do all to his glory as the Apostle speaks God can receive no profit by us but glory we may give him and therefore all our actions must refer to it We must not be so ambitious as they were in the dayes of Peleg that sought by building Babels tower to get themselves a name for that is Gigantomachia which is bellare cum Deo to fight with God It is not good to contest with him in this kinde You may read the successe of their enterprise God overthrew their plot even by the confusion of that which should have gotten them their names the tongue Nor must we set a face or false colour upon our own evil acts under pretence of Gods glory as did Absalom If the Lord will bring me again to Jerusalem I will serve him here was a fair pretence when treason lay hid in heart against his own father So 〈◊〉 makes religion a 〈◊〉 proclaims a fast for the murder of Naboth These are so far from the glory of Gods name that they are wicked abuses of it Thus Gods name is to be glorified within us now for the outward duties 1. Having taken this name upon us we must not be ashamed of it nor afraid to confesse it Judah of whom came the name to the Jews was so called the word signifying praise because his mother said she would confesse or praise God so must we wear our name of Christians and Gods servants to the glory of God and Christ and not be ashamed of it The reason Christ himself giveth Whosoever shall deny me before men him will I also deny before my father And though the Church of Philadelphia was but of small strength and its works were not great yet because it had not denyed his name Christ promiseth to set open a door for it and other things as you may read But any that shall receive the name and mark of the beast wear any others livery he shall drink of the wrath of God and shall be tormented with fire and brimstone 2. There is another degree beyond that of not denying his Masters name which every good servant is bound to and which his master expects from him that is standing for his name when it is blasphemed consessing and defending it to the death as the Martyrs have done Because there was none that offered to defend Gods name when judgement was turned backward and justice stood afarr of truth was fallen in the streets and equity could not enter therefore he thereatens terrible judgement he puts on the garments of vengeance saith the 〈◊〉 3. Lastly we must not forget Gods name but often make mention of it The Prophet David threatens a
Testimonium excellentiae a testimony of that excellency which we acknowledge in him above our selves of this Solomon speaks when 〈◊〉 adviseth not to meddle with a strang woman lest we lose our honour that is lest we lose the good reputation and esteeme we have in the 〈◊〉 of others and in another case he tells us that a peaceable man shall have honour and good respect with men for by a good opinion of men we testifie there is an excellency in them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they have some what more then we have and both the Apostles 〈◊〉 Paul and Saint Peter expresse this duty by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 subjection or submission to be subject as we see Christ was subject to this father and mother in respect of his manhood acknowledging himself to be a child and so consequently thought some thing to be in them to receive this honour which was not in himself The 〈◊〉 will make this more plain In the case of Corah and his company they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron they would not give them honour God calls it afterwards a dishonouring of him and their 〈◊〉 was They were not more excellent then others all the congregation was holy and the Lord was amongst them Their thesis was All men are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Lord and therefore Moses and Aaron had no more excellency then the rest of the congregation But we see how God by a special miracle confuted their position for the example of all that in future times should exalt themselves against their superiours The contrary to this sinne of theirs is when men do acknowledge and confesse that there is not an equality but that some do excel them and that this excellency above them is not as the Poet speaks by chance but by the appointment of God that as in creation and generation he is the special father that gives us being so for our well by government that he is our special governour and that those above us are his instruments appointed for our preservation when we acknowledge this exellency in others and that it comes from God who hath imparted his gifts to them This is the first and the inward part of honour But now as God told Samuel concerning 〈◊〉 God and man look several waves for God looks on the 〈◊〉 which man cannot see it is onely the excellency which outwardly apears which we can take notice of and honour and so likewise the inward honour of the heart of which we have spoken is seen onely by God man cannot behold it and therefore besides the inward esteeme or estimate of anothers excellency there must be also some exteriour signe or testimony whereby we acknowledge it to be others and this makes the second part of honour 〈◊〉 honour Such was that which 〈◊〉 desired of Samuel though the kingdom were taken from him as Samuel well knew yet honour me saith he before the Elders of the people and before 〈◊〉 c. And such was that which the 〈◊〉 looked after viz. The 〈◊〉 places at 〈◊〉 the uppermost 〈◊〉 and greeting in the market place This is the second part of honour What this exteriour honour is and after what manner it is to be exhibited in particular is best known by the manner of the countrey where men live because it is not alike in all places every countrey hath not the same signes of honour Holy men in scripture have exhibited outward honour by several gestures or ceremonies which may be reduced to these seven heads 1. To rise up when a person of excellency which either by nature or analogie and proportion is our 〈◊〉 in presence Job accounted it as an honour done to him when the aged arose and stood up when he was in presence And Solomon a king thought fit to expresse his duty to his mother Bathsheba by rising up to her when she came before him 2. The uncovering or making the head bear was accounted a token of honour in use with the Saints and a dishonour to keep it covered as we may gather by the words of the Apostle 3. The bowing of the knee or all or part of the body When 〈◊〉 would have 〈◊〉 honoured he thought no way better for the people to expresse it then by bowing their 〈◊〉 to him He caused them to 〈◊〉 before 〈◊〉 Abrech that is bow the knee King 〈◊〉 in the place before quoted to adde the greater honour 〈◊〉 his mother bowed himself to her Jacob meeting his brother Esau bowed himself 〈◊〉 times to the ground a great expression of this duty And Ruth no doubt thought she honoured 〈◊〉 when she bowed her self to the ground before him So for the bowing of the head it is mentioned in diverse places in scripture to set forth this duty The 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 when they came before him bowed their heads and made obeysance These were signes of honour at the first meeting or salutation 4. A fourth expression is standing up not onely to rise before them we prefer in excellency but to stand up too we see the practize of it in the people of Israel Moses 〈◊〉 as a judge among 〈◊〉 but it is said that the people stood by him from morning till evening And 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 mayd when she went to attend upon king David was to stand before him The like did 〈◊〉 before 〈◊〉 And indeed it is the common expression of service 5. The next is to be silent in the presence of them we account our betters Job tells us that when he was in prosperity the Princes refrained talking in his presence and laid their hand upon their mouth Ths Nobles held their peace c. And in the same Chapter he saith unto me men gave eare and waited and kept 〈◊〉 at my counsel 6. The sixth is that when of necessity we are to speak we use words of submission It is Saint Peters note of Sarah her submissive speech to her husband she called him Lord. And the speech of Rachel to her father 〈◊〉 is a president of this kind for children to their parents 〈◊〉 it not displease my Lord that I cannot rise up before thee And of Josephs brethren for inferiours to men in authority Thy servant our father is in good health 7. The last is dispersed throughout the scriptures and comprehended under the word ministrare to minister and wait Luc. 17. 7. And it comprehendeth all such other duties of outward honour as are to be vsed by servants to their masters As our Saviour expresseth one in the masters command to his servant to make ready that he may sup And the maid waited on Naamans ' wife And so king Davids Generals are said to wait on him And Job in the place before mentioned saith that men waited on him in token of reverence and service to him so that when we
conjugal love in the three particulars before mentioned in forsaking what was dear to him father and mother c. In cleaving constantly to his Church and uniting himself with it so as his Church is the body and he the head so this love of his was spiritual towards the Church By which he made it without spot or wrinckle and so the husbands chief care ought to be to keep his wife sine macula ruga without spot or sinne in the sight of God And as this is required on the mans part so the woman to make her self amiable ought to resemble her that the wiseman speaks of Many daughters have done vertuously but thou excellest them all for favour is deceitful and beauty is vain but a woman that feareth the Lord she shall be praised This commendation had Lydia whom the Apostle sets forth for a pattern to other women that she was one that feared and worshipped God whose heart God opened to attend to the things spoken by Paul This makes a woman truly amiable for as there must be love in the husband so there must be Amibilitas amiablenes on her part thereby to draw love which consists in modesty and other vertues for as Salomon saith A gracious or as some read it a modest woman obtaineth honour for beauty or favour without grace and fear of the Lord is but as a ring of gold in a swines snowt And therefore immodest outward allurements ought to be far from them according to the Apostles rule they ought to adorn themselves in modest apparel with shamefastnes and sobriety not with broydered haire or gold or pearles or costly array but which becometh women professing godlines with good works And S. Peter requires that their adorning be not in plaiting the haire or wearing gold c. but in the hidden man of the heart in that which is not corruptible even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit which is in the sight of God of great price And the Apostle Paul in another place commands that young married women beare children guide the house and give no occasion of offence And lastly Saint Peter would have them be of such conversation that even without the word the adversaries beholding them may be won and converted So much for the second duty 3. The third duty of the husband or Paterfamilias is oeconomical To provide for his wife and them of his family which if he do not he is worse then an infidel as the Apostle saith There must be in him an honest care by just and true dealing per 〈◊〉 oeconomicam by oeconomical prudence to provide sufficient maintenance for his wife and family It was the Patriarch Jacobs care as we may see in his conference with Laban for when Laban vrged him to tarry still with him his answer was that he had done sufficiently for him already he had by Gods blessing encreased his estate from a little to a great deale and if he should still follow his busines when should he provide for his own house It is the Apostles counsel that men should labour for that which is good that they may have not onely for themselves but also to give to others and so rather to be beneficial to others then chargeable And the wiseman in a Metaphorical way adviseth the like He would not have a man to come alwayes to his neighbours well when he is dry but to drink waters out of his own cisterne fontes 〈◊〉 deriventur foras let thy 〈◊〉 be aisper sed abroad and to this end in the next chapter he urgeth the example of the Auts wisdome in laying up against the hard winter to whom he sendeth the sluggard for a pattern and calleth him wise that gathereth in Summer that is while he hath time We have an example of it allowed by God and rewarded by man in the Patriarch Joseph who laid up against a dearth while the years of plenty lasted What a man obtains this way by his honest labour and industry is accompanied with a blessing from God even this blessing that he hath true peace of conscience in what he enjoyes his conscience shall not trouble him for unlawful gains according to that of Solomon The blessing of the Lord maketh rich and he addeth no sorrow with it viz. no inward grief of 〈◊〉 but rather peace and comfort And for the wives duty it is answerable to that of the husband The Apostle saith that he would have her guide the house not so much to provide for the house which is chiefly the husbands part but to order and dispose well of what is brought into the house which is in effect the same with that which Christ commanded the Apostles to gather up that which remaineth that nothing be lost And this is a good quality in a woman for though our Saviour reprehendeth Martha for being too much addicted to worldly cares yet it is said by another Evangelist that he loved her well And it is well said by a Father Foelixest domus ubi de Martha Maria conqueritur sed none converso ubi Martha de Maria that house is happy where Marie complains of Martha but it is not so on the other side where Martha findes fault with Maric The Wise man at large describeth the several duties in one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to qualifie a woman in this kinde and saith that he that shall finde such a vertuous woman is happy for her price is far above rubies And to the same purpose doth the Apostle advise women and in the midst of his lessons to them as a special means to observe the rest he bids them to be as snails 〈◊〉 domi-portae kcepers at home In this point following the example of Sarah of whom we read that she was for the most part either in the tent or at the tent door 4. The last thing is There must be from each of these duties officia resultantia duties resulting and arising to be performed to others viz. to each others kinred for by reason of this conjunction between the parties themselvs there is mutual love and honour to be given to each others kinred We see the example on the mans part for this duty in the man of God Moses who when his wives father Jethro came to him went out to meet him and made obeysance to him and entertained him and Aaron and all the Elders of Israel And at another time we finde what kindnesse he offered to Hobab his wives brother that if he would go with him into the land of promise be should partake of what good soever the Lord should do to him Come with us and we will do thee good And for the womans part we have an excellent example in Ruth toward her mother in law Naomi that by no means would be perswaded to leave her but would accompany her into her countrey
he be for his belly as the first or degenerate to a wolf as the last they are both distinguished from the good shepherd Yet they are to be obeyed as pastors because they come in the right way obediendum est male an evil man must be obeyed though not ad malum in that which is ill of which before in the Magistrate But the end of these is wosul acording to the prophet wo unto the shepherds that feed themselves Ye 〈◊〉 the fat and cloth you 〈◊〉 the wooll yee kill them that are fed but yea feed not the flock 4. The good shepherd is the last sort who as he comes in the right way Math. 22. 12. So he is not to abuse his place after he is entred as the evil shepherd doth but to perform the duties of it which duties are 1. To shew his flock a good example 2. To employ his talent for their good 3. To converse with them as he ought 1 He must be an example He must lead the flock as our Saviour expresseth it after the manner of the Easterne countries who drave not their sheep before them but the sheep followed them The Apostle describeth it more plainly by the word Typus he must be Typus as the iron that gives a forme to the mony by making an impression on it As the iron hath the same forme in it which it stampes on the coyne so must the minister by his example represent what by his doctrine he would have the 〈◊〉 to be The same word is vsed in other places it is used by Saint Peter bidding such men to be ensamples to the flock It was Moses his order in the first place the priest was to have 〈◊〉 integrity of life and then Vrim light or learning And it pleased God to make it a signe of Aarons cal ling to the Priesthood That his rod was virga 〈◊〉 a fruit bearing rod to shew that the priest when he uses the pastoral rod for government and discipline must not be unfruitful himself but must be an example in holy life and good works which are the fruits of the spirit So was it in Christ our Prototype as Saint Luke speaks Cepit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 docere 〈◊〉 began both to do and to teach to do first and to teach after The like Saint Paul when he handleth this point ex professo tells both 〈◊〉 and Titus that a minister must be blamelesse by his example without spot and unreproveable So then he must be ex mplam or dux gregis he must be typus a pattern or example he must do and then teach This example he may be two wayes 1. In himself which is as you see before in S. Pauls direction to Timothy and Titus to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without spot which hath relation to that in the law No man that bath a blemish or is mishapen in his body of the seed of Aaron the Priest was to come nigh to offer the Lords offering This was required under the Law to preserve the outward honour and dignity of the Priesthood the better and though in that regard it may be of moral use yet withal hereby was typified that innocency and freedom from all spiritual blemishes of sin which should be in the Ministers of the gospel They should be free from all spot because no offence should be given that no scandal should be given to the weak brother within nor to the adversary without This made the Apostle so careful to avoid not onely scandal but all occasion of scandal that when alms were sent to poor brethren by the care of the Apostles he would not carry it alone but would have one go with him that there might be no suspicion of fraud that so he might 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 provide things honest not onely in the sight of God but before men also and that the adversarie might have no occasion to speak evil Therefore the Disciples marvelled when they found Christ talking with a woman alone because it was not his custom to do any thing which might cause slander or suspicion Thus much for the ge 〈◊〉 We will now set the four vertues which the Apostle requires to be in him and the four spots which are opposit 1. The first is that he be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 temperans or continens temperate and chast whether in a married or single estate The opposite to this is in Tim. 3. 2. not to be content with one Wife so continency or single life is the vertue incontinency or polygamie the thing forbidden 2. The second is that he must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vigilant or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not given to wine The opposite is in the next verse one given to wine transiens ad vinum a tavernhunter for the lust of the body and the pleasure of the taste must both be qualified in him 3. The next is he must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sober which Chrysostome distinguishes from the former and is opposite not to the inordinate desires of meat and drink but to the passions of the soul which are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 irascible it moderates the passion of anger The vertue required is mentioned 2 Tim. 2. 24. mildenesse he must be no striker not furious but one that will bear injuries and labour with meeknesse to reclaim those that erre 4. Lastly he must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 grave and modest of good behaviour which the Councils refer to habitum his apparel gestum his gesture incessum his gate he must not be light in his behaviour The opposite to which is not to fly youthful lusts and light carriage To these four we must adde that which the Apostle mentions he must so carry himself that he may have a good report of them that that are Without for it is not enough to be commended by those of his own profession or religion by birds of his own feather but so that his very enemies may say He is a man fit for this sacred calling and may be converted by his example 2. He must be an example in his houshold by his example for according to S. Paul he must rulewell his own house which must be in 3 points 1. They must be brought up by him in the true faith 2. He must keep them in subjection that they be not unruly but obedient for if he be not able to keep his own under but that they will be refractory it argueth that he is either negligent or remisse and fainthearted and therefore unfit to rule the Church 3. Lastly he must make them examples of reverence gravity sobriety and modesty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they be not accused of riot surfet and excesse And in these two respects the Pastor must be exemplum gregis The duty of the people must be conformable and answerable to that of the Pastor If it be