of his fauour and vnlocke the closet of his benefits wee shall haue priuatiue blessings which consiste in deliuering vs from euill we shall haue positiue blessings which consiste in doing vs good some in possession some in expectation some in act some in hope corporall spirituall temporall eternall his grace shall preuent vs his mercy shall follow vs all the dayes of our liues Let therefore the end of the sixt day be a bound to ouâ— busines like the bound on the k Ex. 19. 12 Mount which the people must not passe like the riuer which Shemei l 1. Kin. 2. 37 must not goe beyond an Herculis columna wherein is gâ—â—uen non vltra no further then thus let nothing draw our busines without the gates within which God hath confined it let not now worldly affayres looke in at our windowes if our couetous affections would be to bold let religion ouer-rule them curb them put them to a non plus and with checke and frowne keepe them vnder goe no further then we are led by this law as the wise men went no further then they were guided by the starre let our Omer be filled the sixt day then set we downe our rest and gather now no more Manna for refreshing the body till the seuenth day be past neuer set vpon that day which God hath set apart for himselfe let our trading stand still when it is come to the Lords day as m Mat. 2. 5. the Starre when it came vnto Christ so God shall blesse vs and saue vs and shew the light of his countenance vpon vs which shall shine more and more vntill it be perfect day vntill we celebrate an euerlasting Sabbath and finde continuall rest in Christ Iesus to whom with the Father and the holy Ghost three persons and one God be all glory power Praise and Dominion now and for euer Amen The fift Commandement Exod 20. 12. Honour thy father and mother that thy daies may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee ON two Commandements hang the whole law and the a Mat. 22. 40. ver 37. Prophets The first thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thine heart with all thy soule and with all thy minde on this hangeth the first table of the law as vpon a great nayle of the Sanctuary The second is like vnto this thou shalt loue thy neighbour ver 39. as thy selfe on this hanges the second table as on another nayle fastned in the holy place When the loue of God doth carry vs along toward the hauen of happines we take a good course as when one riuer runeth towards the Ocean it goes as it should but when this doth meete with the loue of our neighbour as one riuer meeteth with another then there is a current indeed and we set forward with a maine streame to a sea of blessednes and therefore as b Act. 2. 2. the holy Ghost was giuen from heauen that we should loue God so was it giuen on earth that we should loue men and therefore the Scripture maketh â— 1 Tim. 2. 2 godlynes and honesty to meete together d Luc. 1. 75 holynes and righteousnesse to kisse each other or rather weaues them together as e o 19. 23 the coate of Christ without seame that they might not be put a sunder both of them make vp one perfect paire of compasses which can take the true latitude of a Christian heart the first like the top of Iacobs ladder reacheth to heauen the f GeÌ„ 28. 12 second like the foote of the ladder rests on the earth or rather walkes about in a perfect circle of all such duties as one of vs owe vnto another by the first we walke in reuerent regard of all that duty wee owe to Gods Maiesty by the second in simplicity we serue our brethren and yeeld to euery callings seuerall person that duty which belongeth vnto him The first of these I haue already with the helpe of God passed ouer to the second I am to set forward at this time God againe giue winde to may sayles that I may run the point aright and let my words be not only like Peters Angle g Mat. 27. which cast into the sea tooke a fish but like Peters net a Luc. 5. 6. which let downe to make a draught inclosed a great multitude of fishes Honour thy father The words rest your eares on these two heads 1. A charge Honor thy father teÌ„porall as the father of the house as thy father by Nature Office countrey thy betters in place thy Elders in yeeres Spirituall thy Pastor and Minister which begets thee to God by the immortall seede of his word 2. A motiue to induce vs to harken to the charge i. a promise of long life that thy daies may be long pleasant and fruitfull habitation in the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee HOnour thy father A duty so necessary that Philo the Iew placed this fift Commandement in the first Table as though wee had not performed our whole duty to the God of heauen except wee gaue the honour heere required to Parents to Magistrates to all such as represent the person of God vpon earth Frst therefore honour thy father thy naturall father because thou art 2 man b Heb. 12. â— God indeed is the father of Spirits and therefore called c Num. 16 22. the God of the spirit of all flesh and though he made all his workes in six dayes and then rested yet this resting was from workes of a new kinde â—ot of the same kinde for he that d GeÌ„ â— 7. breathed in the first mans â—ace breath of life so that hee was a liuing soule doth still after a wonderfull manner create the soule in the infusion of it and infuseth it in creating it but goe to the flesh he vseth our parents as instruments of the worke and they are meanes in framing that part and therefore should children yeeld honour vnto them The Scripture vseth diuers Arguments to draw vs on to the performance of this duty as the care which parents haue of their children good education of which the Apostle speaketh when he saith e Eph. 6. â— Bring them vp in instruction and information of the Lord bring them vp this respecteth meate drinke and apparell parents are not like the Rauen which forsakes her young till they are of colour like vnto her selfe nor yet like the Kite which grieueth to see her young in good plight Indeed we read of parents which haue cast out their children whom the wolues haue nourished which though it bee not true yet hath a semblance of truth for wolues may become fathers fathers haue become wolues but these are such as Saint Paul brandeth with this marke f RoÌ„ 1. 30. 1. without naturall affection but by nature parents seruant depositum keepe that which God hath giuen them and haue a care to preserue the
thought a point next the worst nay more then so if a house were on fire they thought on this day they might not fetch water to quench the fire if a vessell did run out they thought on this day they might not stop it and as in Prester Iohns Countrey they which receiue the Sacrament may not so much as spitte till the Sun set so the Iewes thought that on this day no body might in publicke scratch where it itched o Lu. 14. 5. If an Oxe or an Asse did fall into any pitte it was lawfull to plucke him out on the Sabbath day then what an asse was that Iewe that would not be pluckt out of a stinking pit which he fell into vpon the Sabbath day But the Iewes went not so farr on the right hand in ouer-keeping it but we some of vs in our practise goe as far on the left hand in vnder-keeping it we doe not so cast to dispatch that we haue to doe in the sixe dayes but we reserue vntill the seuenth matters which we thinke to be of smaller importance the Farmer will not now yoake his Oxen or set his Plough forward but he will saddle his Horse and speede himselfe to busines abroad the craftes-man will not be seene to keepe his shop-windowes open but he can follow his occupation closely within doores as though God did not see him but aboue all other the superstitious Sea-faring man deserues most blame who occupying his busines in great waters and saying the better day the better lucke will neuer set to sea but on a Sunday and so runnes with full sayle into the breach of this Commandement Againe as we must rest from workes of our vocation so from workes which are an auocation from God and this is that which the Apostle saith he that is entred into his rest p Heb. 4. 10 hath also ceased from his owne workes as God did from his figures of this resting from sinne was the land of Canaan called a rest because Israell ceased from the bondage of Egypt from trauaile in the Wildernes from feare of enemies that rose vp against them againe the resting the seuenth weeke the seuenth moneth the seuenth yeare the seuen times seuenth yeare which was the yeare of Iubilye and this seuenth day should be as salt to draw out our inward corruption to fâ—et and consume and eate out the concupiscence of the whole man the Iewes might not carry a burden thorough the gates of the Citie on the Sabbath day q Ier. 17. 27. Sinne is a burden and lyeth vpon the heart it must not on this day enter into the soule thorough the gates of the senses the flesh is troublesome our passions are vnquiet naturally al that is within vs al that is without vs rebelleth against the spirit on this day haue a care that they may be cut off which trouble you Qui quiescit quiescat for so it is in the old translation Englished in the Geneua thus r Eze. 3. 27 he that leaueth off let him leaue so let him that resteth from the labour of the body rest from the sinne of the soule but our Tauernes in townes Alehouses in countrey the Kings high waies abroad our owne streetes at home doe too truely witnes that the diuell hath more seruice on the seuenth day then all the sixe dayes besides whereas the Prophet Esay would haue vs on this day to haue an eye to our thoughts words and deeds when he faith Å¿ Esa 58. â—3 not doing thine owne waies nor seeking thine owne will nor speaking a vaine word and this is to celebrate a feast vnto the Lord when neither the soule is vexed inwardly with the slauish workes of sinne nor outwardly with the seruile workes of the world not that wee should haue a care to refraine sinne this day and being careles let goe the bridle to iniquitie all the weeke after for what were it to rest from sinne the seuenth day and afterward to run ryot then to rest our selues and our horse a while that afterwards we might ride out of the way with fuller course but an especiall regard is to be had to this time which if we ryot out we may assure our selues that God will sue vs vpon an action of wast then must one day teach another this day the weeke day that so we may serue God in righteousnes and holynes all the dayes of our life As vpon this day we must rest from workes of our calling and from workes of sinne so we must set our selues to another taske keepe it holy dedicate it wholy to the seruice of God to rest from our labours onely is to keepe it idlely and all this while the Asse at the cribbe keepes as good a Sabbath as wee to rest from sinne onely is to keepe it by halues and therefore we must goe one step further consecrate it as glorious vnto the Lord t Esa 58. 13 call the Sabbath a delight and delight in the Lord Not but that we should study to acquit our duties to God on other dayes and by obseruing his word get him honour but whereas u Num. 28. 9. vnder the law a single sacrifice was appointed for other dayes two lambes were commanded to be offered on the Sabbath to shew that on that day men should double their deuotion vnder the Gospell our Sauiour Christ wrought more miracles on the Sabbath and feast dayes then vpon any other dayes besides what religious exercises are to be performed this day we may learne out of seuerall places in Scipture especially out of two Psalmes the 92. Psalme for of all the Psalmes that is the only Psalme which beares the title a Psalme or song for the Sabbath day as being vsed euery Sabbath by the Leuites when the congregation was assembled together and the 95. Psalme which in the liturgy of our Church wee reade euery Sabbath day before the seuerall Psalmes which in thirty dayes are appointed to be said or soung in the congregation First therefore earely in the morning we must prepare and make our selues fit to receiue the word Gods word is a lanterne vnto our feete and a light vnto our pathes but it cannot shine vnto vs if sinne as a curtaine be drawne ouer our hearts it is seede good seede but cannot prosper if it be sowne among thornes it is water to wash vs and therefore we must slip off our sinnes as we slip off our cloathes when wee goe into the Bath and this is that which Saint Iames saith x lay apart all filthines and superfluity of maliciousnes and recieue with meckenes the word that is graffed in you Secondly hauing prepared our selues wee must repaire to the Church and come before his presence the prodigall child saith y Luc. 15. 17. In my fathers house is bread enough this is our fathers house in which it pleaseth him to dwell here is the spirituall Manna to refresh the soule here is the poole Bethesda in z Ioh.
called theeues not such theeues as are commissioners on Salisbury plaine which by mistaking a word take vp such purses as fall in the lapse for want of sufficient defence but Den theeues y Mat. 21. 13. my house shal be called the house of prayer but yee haue made it a Den of theeues you haue crept into my right made a false entry vpon my freehold as great a blot doth cleaue vnto your hands as if the wildernes had giuen you and your children foode Againe Tithes and offerings are appointed and dedicated to the seruice of God and therefore they which with z Dan. 5. 3. Balthazar carrowse in the bowles of the Temple and the Merchants which breaking into the Church take away that which is the Ministers maintenance let them sterue at the altar that serue at the altar are as bad as the theeues which Christ whipt out of the Temple and would crucifie Christ again for his coate God makes them no better then theeues when he saith a Mal. 8. 3. you haue robbed me or you haue spoiled me in Tithes Offerings so likewise the eternall God who made time who b Gen. 1. 3. brought light out of darknes who put difference betwixt day and night betwixt day and day consecrated the Sabbath to his seruice and therefore it is sacriledge to take it vp for our owne vse for what is sacrilâ—gium but sacrilâ—dium a profaning of that which is holy c Mat. 22. 21. giue therefore as vnto Caesar the things which are Câ—sars so vnto God the things which are Gods giue him the calues of thy lips the roote of thy heart the first fruit of thy age the tenth of thy substance the seuenth of thy time But for so much as six daies are common to all men and God hath his seuenth seuerall to himselfe as his owne inclosure it would be knowne that God might haue his due time which of the seuen is the day that he claimes as his owne speciall right and interest The Iewes according to Gods institution set apart the Satterday for the seruice of God and that which wee call Sunday was their d Luc. 24. 1 first day of the weeke this they did in remembrance of the creation celebrating that day to giue credit to the greatest worke that euer was before but as the benefit of Israels deliuerance from the captiuity of Babylon was so great that it abolished the remembrance of her deliuerance from Aegypt e Ier. 16. 14 It shall no more bee said The Lord liueth which brought vp the children of Israell out of the Land of Aegypt but the Lord liueth that brought vp the children of Israell from the Land of the North So the benefit of our deliuerance from the captiuity of Sathan and the rising of Christ from finishing the worke of our redemption was so great that in respect of this other benefits are forgotten this shineth as the Sunne among the lesser starres and therefore God did change the day and put it off from that day he did lay in the graue till the day when by rising againe he did ouercome death and opened vnto vs the gate of euerlasting life And to shew the alteration the Apostles gaue this day the name of f Re. 1. 10. the Lords day g Act. 20. 7. they themselues kept it and h 1 Cor. 16. 1. ordained that the Churches in their time should obserue it this is indeed a day of good tidings We doe not well if we hold our peace this is indeed the day which the Lord hath made we must reioyce and be glad in it this is indeed a day like that night in Exodus i Ex. 12. 42 to be kept holy vnto the Lord that day of the Lord which all of vs must keepe throughout our generations Great was the worke of creation and therefore wee must now mount vpward with the wings of nature greater was the worke of redemption and therefore we must now soare aloft with the wings of grace It cost more to redeeme vs then make vs for in our creation k Ps 148. 5. dixit factum est hee spake the word and it was done but in our redemption he spake and did and suffered many things hee created the world in six daies but in restoring man hee laboured more then thirty yeeres In creating vs he gaue vs our selues in redeeming vs he gaue himselfe for vs so that how much he is greater then we so much is this day greater then that and more worthily to be obserued in regard of redemption then that in remembrance of creation not now to bee altered any more because there can bee no greater worke then this of redemption nor can so well deserue an â—cce in the beginning or Selah in the end to be stamped vpon it For in six dayes c. and rested the seuenth Longum itâ—r per praecepta breue per exempla to teach by praecept is tedious but by example but a short cut All the people cut downe euery l Iud. 9. 49. man his bough when they saw Abimelech cut downe boughs of trees and bare them on his shoulder to set the holde of the Shechemites on fire Reason should rule and to shew that it should beare sway it lodgeth in the midst of the braine the highest part of the frame of man but when reason cannot perswade example will moâ—e all the reason that Origen did beate into Alexander Seuerus could not so soone perswade him that Christ was the Sonne of God as the example of Origen And the Christians keepe holy the Sabboth day here is the precept which should binde vs especially seeing there is a memorandum set vpon it but if this cannot inforce obedience yet yeeld to reason God gaue you six daies for your owne seruice iudge then whither you are not to blame if you grudge him the seuenth if this hedge will not hold you in â—ee further whether this be stronger it is his owne day giue him his due if you yet breake thorough take God himselfe for an example and let this yoake you that he finishing his worke in six daies his worke of creation not of preseruation rested the seuenth In that God prescribing a law is himselfe an vnprinted statute and maketh his owne doing a commentary vpon that he prescribeth my note is this that they which teach other must as well instruct them vita as verbo bee as well lamps shining as voices crying knowing that the m Act. 2. 3. holy Ghost discended not in the likenes of tongues alone or fyre alone but in the likenes of fiery tongues and then doe they make themselues n NuÌ„ â—0 1. two trumpets when they lift vp their voice as a trumpet their life as a trumpet The vse is this to trace God by this fragrant odour and sweete sent let the resting on the seuenth day descend from God vnto man as the oyntment runnes downe from the head
inordinate quarunt h Io. 8. 19. vbi est quia vbique est the Pharisees should not aske where he is but where is he not he is a circle whose centre is no where and circumference euery where he filleth all things not that they containe him but rather that he contains them he is whole in all things and all things in him and as he beareth vp heauen and earth and yet is not burdened so he filleth heauen and earth and yet is not inclosed Heauen is his chamber of presence there he is by glory the heart of his elect is his preuy chamber there he is by grace and though he be farre off from the thoughts of the wicked yet is he not away for where he is absent by grace there is he present by vengeance The argument then is this I am the Lord therefore you that are seruants must obey i Mat. 8. 8. I say to my seruant doe this and he doth it It is Gâ—rrans obseruation The other Apostles call Christ k Mat. 26. 22. 25. Lord because they meant to obey him but Iudas doth not so because he had shaken off the yoke of obedience they say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 howsoeuer it come to passe that our Geneua translation in English make no difference in the title l Luc. 19. 3. 8. Zacheus desired to see Iesus because he needed a sauiour by and by he called him Lord as though he were at his beck to doe his will The whole order of nature is nought else then a proofe of the obdience which all creatures both aboue and beneath yeeld vnto the Lord the m Iob 37. 12. Raine Winde and Stormes execute that he commandeth n Mat. 8. 27 The Sea obey him when he stilleth the raging waues thereof when he treads vpon it as his freehold o Mat. 14. 25. when it is so stiffe that he may walke vpon it p Luc 5. 6. 7 The inhabitants of the sea obey him when they come thicke and three-fold into Simons net The earth obey q Ioh. 11. 43 him when he bids Lazarus come forth The heauens obey him r Act. 1. 9. when it openeth and receiueth him into glory This is sufficient euidence to condemne vs and shall set a glosse on our rebellion if we which haue sense wit and reason shall disobey if the heart of our heart and the inmost concauity thereof which is made to containe vitall breath be not filled vp with subiection to the will of the Lord that we can say euery one of vs thy law is within my heart The Lord thy God the Lord of all by right of possion the Lord God by right of ereation but the Lord thy God O Israell by â—ight of speciall election for thou art separated from other Conntries as Å¿ Es 20. 6. an I le from other lands t 1 Pet. 2. 25. God is a Bishop and u Mat 28. 19. he giues his Apostles a commission to visit all other Diocesses of the world but Israel was a Peculiar and this x Luc. 1. 68 he visited in his owne person y Deut. 7. 6 others were as the Commnos of the world these as Gods owne inclosure Other nations like wilde beasts wandred among mountaines woods and deserts these as his owne flocke hee receiued into his folde z Hos 11. 3. 4. Hee ledde Ephraim as one should beare them in his armes hee ledde them with cords of a man euen with bands of loue They which voluntarily come into any Kings dominion euen by the common law of Nations are subiects to that King a GeÌ„ 46. 6 Iacob and his family goe into Egypt yet God giues them a priuiledge calling in Israel his sonne and b Ex. 4. 22. his first borne At the first before the couenant God made with Abraham one person was not more respected then another but as soone as it was said c Gen. 17. 7 I will bee thy God and the God of thy seed after thee the Church was diuided from other nations no otherwise then light was from darkenesse in the first creation but as in the time of Brutus sic parâ—is componere magna solemus Britaine was but one Monarchy which after him was diuided into three Kingdomes till our gratious King Iames pulled downe the partition wall and ioyned not onely Roses but Realmes together so the people of the world before the couenant being of one and the same condition and all alike vnder one God were afterwards diuided into Iewes and Gentiles and one much more respected then the other till Christ the Prince of peace came who breaking downe the wall of partition made an vnion made of Iewes and Gentiles one people so that d RoÌ„ 2. 29 he is not now a God of the Iewes alone but of the Gentiles also and the Greeks may as well say Christ as the Hebrews Iesus the one e RoÌ„ 8. 15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as well as the other Abba and this that God is our God is the second argument here vsed to allure vs to obedience f Gen. 27. 12. Iacob is afraid to abuse old Isaac because he is his father g GeÌ„ 39. 8 Ioseph will not consent to the inticements of his mistrisse because Putifar is his good master and we must be afraid to offend because we haue a good Father a good Master a good God if we wander out of the way and go astray from his Commandements turning aside to the right hand or to the left he may iustly challenge vs and say I am thy God thy God why hast thou forsaken mee h 1 King 12 â— The gray-headed Counsellors in Israell which had stood before Salomon while he yet liued told Rehoboam his sonne If thou speake kind words vnto this people this day they will bee thy seruants for euer God speaketh kinde words vnto vs this day I am the Lord I am thy God and therefore wee must not bee seruants vnto sinne but in a resolute detestation whipping that bad merchant out of the temple of our heart be his seruants for euer Which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt Egypt was a land full of superstition it honoured diuels it honoured men it honoured beasts it honoured plants what thing was it but it was to them a God and therefore this was a great fauour of God to be deliuered out of it Nature hath ingrafted in euery creature to loue the place where it tooke birth and beginning i Ecc. 1. 7. The Riuers goe to the Sea from whence they came k Gen. 8. 9 The Doue returned to the Arke from whence shee came forth l 1 King 11 22. Hadad lacketh nothing with Pharaoh yet in any case will goe into his owne Country but yet if Caldea the place of Abrahams natiuity serueth strange gods then the Lord saith vnto him m GeÌ„ 12. 1 Get thee
tender bud of their decaying stocke Againe they bring them vp in instruction this respecteth ciuility and good manners nurture helpes nature forward and though among Iacobs sonnes foure were borne of his maides â—et Iacob did so instruct his younger sonnes borne of the lawfull mothers that they gaue place to their elâ—er brethren g Gen. 43. 33. the eldest sat according to his age and the youngest according to his youth Thirdly they bring them vp in the information of the Lord this respecteth the feare of God they seeke as much to fashion their mindes to goodnesse as they are carefull for the comely behauiour of their bodies Better not borne then not brought vp better not brought vp then not taught better not taught then not taught the feare of the Lord and therefore the Apostle ioynes them together bring them vp in instruction and information of the Lord but say parents are backward in performing these duties yet children should be forward in giuing this honour and though there were no other reason yet this must be sufficient to driue them to it they are their parents by them they are brought into the world by their meanes they haue their being without them they had not been and if a Mar. 12. 2 the Lord of the vineyard sent to the husbandmen for the fruit thereof because he planted it b 1 Cor. 9. 7 for who planteth a vineyard and eateth not of the fruit then euen in this respect for the Philosopher said se plantare hominem should children pay to their parents that fruit which this Commandement as a Collect or goes to gather from them and this is that which Salomon saith c Pro. 23. 22. 25. obey thy father that hath begotten thee and dispise not thy mother when shee is old thy mother that beare thee This honour consisteth 1. in reuerencing their persons 2. obeying their precepts 3. in relieuing their wants For the first when d Heb. 12. 9 the Apostle speaketh of the fathers of our bodies he speaketh also of giuing reuerence Among the Lacedemonians the arrogancy and saucines of a child was the cause that one of the Ephories men of great place and authority among them published the law of testaments by which it was lawfull for euery man to appoint whom he would to be his heyre And among the Romaines when the father was dead the child was not admitted to pleade his fathers will by way of action but onely by way of request speaking very humbly and reuerently of his disceased father leauing the whole matter to the Iudges discretion this serued to bind children to haue their parents in greater reuerence and estimation This reuerence must shew it selfe in word and in gesture in word by speaking submissiuely and reuerently vnto our parents as the prodigall child doth vnto his father who hauing drawne much of his patrimony through his throate and spent the rest among harlots so that now he became fellow commoner with swine vseth all reuerence in his words 1. When hee attacheth himselfe and brings himselfe into his fathers presence e Luc. 15. 18. I will rise and goe to my father 2. When hee indites himselfe Father I haue sinned against heauen and against thee 3. When he iudgeth himselfe I am no more worthy to be called thy sonne such a reuerent submission is an Adamant to draw the heart of an hard-hearted father and f Gen. 32. 24. wrasleth with him according to the pollicy of Iacob it winneth by yeelding and the lower it stoopeth towards the ground the more aduantage doth it get to obtaine a blessing Salomon though he were a King yet speaketh to his mother with great reuerence for when shee is to make a petition to him he saith vnto her Aske on my mother for I will not say thee nay he that builded the Temple was himselfe a true temple of God built g 1 K. 2. 20 with a low roofe and therefore he disdained not his mother but giueth her so good words that shee that beare him might reioyce This reuerence is shewed in gesture by vncouering the head bending the knee and giuing place it is written of Thanu a Stoicke Philosopher that though for his deserts he was made Consull and chiefe Ruler of the City yet meeting his father at a banquet gaue him the highest roome saying naturaeleges in conuiuio debere obseruari sicut in praetorio ciuiles in place of iudgement let the order of the Ciuill law be obserued but at a place of merriment let the law of nature goe before it How reuerently did the foresaid Salomon carry himselfe in his gesture toward his mother when shee came to desire a Request of him a 1 K. 2. 19. the King rose to meete her and bowed himselfe vnto her and sate downe on his throne and he caused a seate to bee set for the Kings mother and shee sate at his right hand this hee did in token of reuerence and to giue good example to other neither let the child count this any disgrace for now it is true that Aristotle saith honor est in honorante non in honorato and the more we abase our selues before our parents the more we increase in honour both before God and men and the b Ps 128. 3 children which like olyue branches stand round about the table shine like the seuen starres which goe about the pole brighter then the rest c Cursed then be Canaan cursed be Ham and the wicked nation of the Canaanites that proceed of him for when his father ouercome with wine was vncouered for drunken poâ—ters keepe open gates in the midst of his tent hee had no reuerence as Shem and Iapheth but in token of derision and contempt tolde it his brethren let Adoniahes bad carriage against his father King Dauid be still remembred to his euerlasting shame for when his â—ather is growne old he gets a gard to set forth his estate and exalting himselfe saith d Kin. 1. 5 I will be King So did the sonne of King Henry thâ— second for when his father ioyned him with him as King and at his coronation renouncing the name of a King for that day did as Sewer serue at the table my father saith he is not dishonoured in attending on me for I am both a King and a Queenes sonne and so is not he Euilmerodach as the Hebrewes report went further then thus for he vsing his father Nabuâ—adnezzar very irreuerently after he was dead drew his body out of the graue burnt it to ashes parted the ashes put them in foure seuerall purses bound them to foure Aegles neckes and caused them to flye to the foure quarters of the world The Scites a barbarous people yet held the very Sepulchers of their fathers in great reuerence in so much that when Darius seeing them flye before him would know how far they would flye they answered to our fathers Sepulchers vnto which when thou shalt approach O King Darius thou
colour if with the Sun they giue greatest glimpse at their going down if they be so pregnant and ready to giue counsell as if many yeares were gone backe againe in the course of their dayes like d 2. Kin. 20 11. the houres vpon Ahaz Diall if their siluer haires conteyning great experience haue more certaine skill then younger heades e Iob. 15. 10. as Elyphaz argueth they haue if they giue a good example of sobrietie honesty discretion soundnes in faith in loue and in patience f Tit. 2. 2. as Paul saith they should if they haue not only senectutem bonam but bonum senectutis the fruites of piety when the haruest of their yeares is come then honour them in giuing reuerence g Leu. 19. 32. as God commandeth in giuing eare to them as a Iob. 32. 4 Elihu to his ancients in taking patternes from them and bettring our owne carriage by following their steps let them haue all the honour that may be according to the residue of the Poet saying sed quibus album Et caput et cor est sint in honore senes Now concerning spirituall fathers these are Pastors and Ministers which worke in vs our regeneration and new birth in which respect Paul saith to the Corinthians b 1. Cor. 4. 15. ye haue not many fathers for in Christ Iesus I haue begotten you thorough the Gospell c Gal. 4 1â— and therefore he calleth the Galathians his little children of whom he trauailed in birth againe till Christ were formed in them honour therefore these fathers first in regard of their calling d Mala. 2. 7 for the Priest is the messenger of the Lord of Hosts not a common Embassador but legatus a latere e 1. Cor. 4. 1. a disposer of the secrets of God and as Nicodemus said vnto Iesus f Ioh. 3. 2. Rabbi we know that thou art a teacher sent of God so they are first Rabbies for their learning hauing been Doctorum discipuli before they come to be imperitorum magistri and sate at Gamaliels feete before they warmed Moses chayre they haue not like lapwings run away with some part of their shell on their heads but stayed at Iericho till their beards were growne and had their Nunc dimittis in the Vniuersity before they came to exuultemus in the Countrey Secondly they are sent of God for their license and their commission is sealed when Christ saith to his Disciples g Mat. 28. 19. goe teach all nations now hee that contemneth the Embassador despiseth him that sent him a 2. Sam. 10 6. Dauid accompted the abuse offred to his messengers as a dishonour done vnto himselfe and therefore our Sauiour Christ saith b Luc. 10. 16. hee that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me Againe honour them in regard of their message they bring tydings of saluation and c Rom. 10. 15. how beautifull are the feete that is the comming of them which bring glad tydings of peace and bring glad tydings of good things I say not but they may preach the law but then they goe plus vltra they set abroach the Gospell and make the wounded conscience drinke of the water they may bring their hearers to the brinke of hell but withall they tell them they may stand fast in Christ Iesus and looke in not so much as with a little thrust driuing them downe whom they see to stand on narrow footing their message is to tell those that are terrified by the law that they must accompt Moses as an excomunicate person to let them heare like Iohn d Reu. 14. 2. the voice of musicke after the voice of thunder and e 1. Kin. 19. 11. with Elias a soft and still voice after a mighty strong winde which rent the mountaines and brake the rockes before the Lord to vnbinde the chaines of those which are held prisoners f Io. 11. 44. to loose Lazarus and let him goe in a word with the g Gen. 8. 11. Doue to bring an Olyue branch to the Arke when the floud is ceased Now the first thing wherein this honour consisteth is in hauing the Minister in reuerent regard and estimation as the Apostle aduiseth saying a 1. Thes 5. 1â— I beseech you brethren know them that labour among you and that are ouer you in the Lord c. There is an hireling enters in by the doore but regardes not the sheepe yet tolerate the hireling there is a thiefe which enters not by the doore and comes to destroy beware of the thiefe there is the good shepheard which entreth in by the doore and careth for the sheepe know such a one account of him and haue him in singular loue for his workes sake In the old Testament why b Ex. â—9 42 doth God appoint a place to parley with the Priest why doth God entring them into commons c â—eu 6. 16 make them as his fellow commoners d Nu. 3. 12 why doth he compare them to the first borne and e Num. 27. appoint that the Prince should aske counsell of God by the mouth of the Priest why would f Le. 21. 67 he not haue the least spot of dishonesty in their houses why doth he manifest by a miracle that he is the author of the priest-hood why when he would brand the Israelites with a marke of greatest reproch doth he say a Hos 4. 4. Thy people are as they which rebuke the Priest One speciall reason of all this is because the Priest should be priced and accounted off by man as he is esteemed by God and here letting passe the Prophets which are called b 1 K. 13. 1 men of God which are said to bee of Gods c Am. 3. 7. priuy counsell which are counted d 2 Ki. 5. 8. the glory of Israell why in the new Testament are the Ministers called e 1 Cor. 3. 9 Gods laborers why is their f 1 Th. 5. 20 preaching called prophecying why are the hearers said to sit at their feete one speciall reason was this to adde more honour vnto them and make you receiue them with reuerence To let passe Scripture had it not been to make the very name of a Priest venerable they would not in former ages haue chosen their Priests out of their Philosophers and their Kings out of their Priests I speake this to the shame of such proude and arrogant Squires which thinke so basely of their Minister that he is not worthy so much as to waite vpon their trencher to the shame of all Atheists which make as much reckoning of their Ministers as the Aegyptians did of their shepheards a Geu 46. 34. euery sheep keeper was an abomination to the Aegyptians to the shame of all such as like the dogge will bite the stone in stead of him that threw it and like b Iob 1. 15. the diuell will
his wife or the woman bee false to her owne bosome God punished this sinne in a GeÌ„ 12. 17. Pharoh and b Gen. 20. 3 Abimelech though God kept them that they came not nigh Abrahams c Gen. 39. 9 wife and therefore when Putiphar committed all that hee had into Iosephs hand he barred him of his wife and in this case Xenophon was put to his non plus for being asked if his neighbour had a better house then he whose he had rather haue his or his owne he answered his if he had a fairer horse then he whose had he rather haue he answered his if he had a better or fairer wife then he whose had he rather haue hic Xenophon ipse tacuit at this Xenophon was silent a man must hold his owne wife for better for worse so long as they both shall liue corrupt affections like Eue lie in our bosome and will seduce vs vnruly motions are to our vnderstanding as Dalilah to Sampson they burne within vs as brimstone at the match let this law draw out the burning venome of those fiery serpents that lurke in our hearts if a man bee vpon a horse that flingeth and kicketh and doth what hee can to run ouer all the field the cunning rider will reine him vp and bring him to a good pace so a good Christian will ouer-master his passions and suppresse them when they are miscarried to rebell he will direct humors to their right courses and draw the flood of affections into their owne chanell Wife In that God setting downe the houshold goods and chattles and all that a man hath put the wife in the first place I note that to be true which Salomon saith a Pro. 31 10 the price of a vertuous woman is farre aboue the pearles which teacheth first the husband to loue his wife more then any earthly thing when Alexander had ouercome Darius Darius seemed little to regard his estimation if he were to die he seemed little to regard his life but when he heard his wife was taken prisoner hincillae lacrimae then his eyes did spout forth teares as the conduit waters each teare did ouertake other he did ouerweepe his weeping and sighes did breake from the center of his heart as fast as the teares stoale downe his cheekes againe it teacheth that of all other things a man should not wrong his neighbour in his wife as the wife of Hieron was acquainted with no bodies breath but her husbands for when he his enemie casting in his teeth his stinking breath blamed his wife who neuer told him of it she desired him not to thinke the worse of her for shee thought euery mans breath had smelt like vnto his so on the other side should the husband be acquainted with no bodies breath but his wiues she for her part must be as the Marigold which of all the Plants opens onely to the Sunne let not him for his part be as the sed horse â—eigh after his neighbours wife and croake in the chamber like the froggs of Egipt his eyes must be eyes of Adamant which will turne onely to one point let not his be wandring eyes let him not make the faces of other mens wiues like glasses which the Larke-taker hath in his day net least while like the birds he gaze too much he be taken in the net it is set downe as one of b 2 Sam. 11 4. Davids greatest faults that suffering lust to enter in at the windowes of his eyes he gaue way to his sinne till he did lie with the wife of Vriah and therefore set not the thoughts on fire by affection much lesse follow the lusts of the flesh much lesse fulfill the lust of the flesh much lesse prouoke the lust of the flesh but put the axe of Gods iudgments to the roote of wanton nature and cut it off circumcise the foreskin of the hart that is the true circumcision in the spirit not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God Nor his manservant nor his mayde As well Salomon the diuine as Aristotle and other Humane Philosophers in their Oeconomicks set downe not the wife and seruants onely but the children also and God commanding to hallow the sabbâ—th sayth in it thou c Exo. 20 10 shalt not doe any worke thou nor thy sonne nor thy daughter thy man-servant nor thy maide a question then may here be asked why sonnes and daughters are not mentioned as well as the wife the manseruant and the maide the reason I take to bee this men are addicted either to their pleasure or their profit Pleasure like â—yrâ—e inchanteth the minde transformeth men into swine and mastereth reason with sensualitie neither was it a greater miracle to see the three children walke vntoucht in the midst of the fiery furnace then to see how Ioseph held his body short of pleasures in the present prouocation therefore couet not thy neighbours wife was a necessary precept againe for profit it is true which the Apostle sayth d Phil. 2. 21 All seeke their owne and therefore like Martha they are e Luke 10. â—0 cumbred with much busines are so farre from serving one another f Gal. 5. 13. by loue as the Apostle aduiseth that as though they did enuâ—e that another should haue a better servant then they they are readie to lay baites to draw him to them and therefore it was not without neede to say thou shalt not couet thy neighbours seruant but children are a charge to him that keepe them must be led into wholsome pastures because they be Gods lambes watred because they be the seed-plot of heauen they must be kept cleane because they be Gods vessels and kept in that after flowers of youth may follow fruits of good liuing they haue no list in age to liue as they should which haue libertie in youth to liue as they list because men are loth to take this care and this charge therefore they neuer couet other mens children nay they will hardly be intreated to take another mans sonne or his daughter nay let a father giue money with his child that another may take him but as his apprentise yet hardly wil he take him and teach him the trade of his way and bring him vp in instruction and information of the Lord in a word therefore as well sonnes as seruants are commanded to keepe holy the Sabbath because both sorts are readie to transgresse it but none are forbidden to couet sonnes as they are to couet seruants because that without a prohibition men are readie to obserue it Manseruant nor his maide As God hath made the seruants lower then the wife so he hath here giuen them place before the Oxe or the Asse which must teach the master to make more reckoning of his seruants then of any Cattell he keepeth he must haue an especiall care of their bodies and of their soules of their bodies in sicknesse and in health in