good man and yet be neuer a whitte the better for it God hath giuen so many graces for their good and will they be better by none of them that is a soule faulte and it shewes that in truth their is no true reuerence for that which one esteemes and accounts of in an other he would bee very desirous to be partaker of it himselfe Superiours in gifts they must do this for all duties in this commandement are mutuall they must turne their gifts to the best good of others vse their wisdome to direct their knowledge to instruct their strength to beare burthens as the Apostle saith you that are strong What we must not lay burthens vpon the weake to suppresse them but beare the burthens of the weake to helpe them Vnlesse therefore hee to whom God hath giuen more graces then ordinarie doe vse that which he hath receiued to the glorie of him that gaue it and to the good of mankind for which he gaue it he is found an abuser of the Lords talents which gaue them him not that he should vaine gloriously set himselfe aboue others that want them and so tread his inferiours vnder foot or cruelly oppresse or craftily circumuent and deceiue those of meaner capacitie then himselfe but to the common good of the whole Church and the further edification of the weaker that as he hath receiued more then so according to the number of his talents he might bring forth a greater encrease But for one to grow proude and set himselfe aboue others that brings the curse of God vpon him and is the next way to make him despised and to loose his gifts which he can vse no better As it is seene by wofull experience in a greater number that God had furnished with many gifts both of bodie and minde so that there was great hope that they should haue much set forth the glorie of God and done much good to the Church of God When they began once to lift vp themselues and seeke their owne vaineglorie more then Gods glorie and so haue turned their giftes the wrong way themselues haue growne in contempt and those graces which they haue had haue rotted away and by little little came to nothing And iust it is with God that it should be so for that man which will not honour God with his gifts God will see that he shall haue no honour and better that they and their gifts should perish then they should haue them to doe no good but set vp themselues Thus much for superiours and inferiours in gifts These in age follow The dueties of younger persons to the ancient is to shew a reuerent opinion of them and to shew all reuerent and submissiue behauiour vnto them in respect that they carry vpon them as it were a print of Gods eternitie which is commaunded Leuit. 19. 32. to rise vp before the hoare head and honour the person of the aged I am the Lord. Where giuing this commaundement of honouring the aged he meets with yong conceited heads by this reason I am the Lord to whom thou owest obedience I will haue it thus and in this respect it were the best way for thee to yeeld obedience So Isay 3. 5. It is noted as a curse of God and a plague that comes with the subuersion of the commonwealth when such wofull confusion should take place as that young boyes and children of no discretion or gouernment should presume against and proud young youthes that haue no grace nor any thing to commend them that neuer did good that none can say that the world is the better for them it might haue done as well if they neuer had beene borne that such proud absurd persons should grow to that extremitie of impudencie and shamelesnesse as to presume against their betters and preferre themselues before their elders Which doth sharpely also reprooue the customable rudenesse of our youth that no whit regard their elders To shew any token of reuerence to them in rising before them or vncouering but go vse such behauiour with them as if it were with fellow boyes or playfellowes The dutie of the elder persons is to giue a good example For a grey head is a glorie if it be found in the way of grace if they be godly and holy and shew a graue wise and graue conuersation then eyther younger persons shall giue them their due reuerence or if they doe not the sinne lyes vpon their owne heads and they be blamelesse So Titus 2. 2. The elder must be sober honest discreet sound in the faith in loue and patience as their bodie decayes so their soules must encrease in all grauitie and sobernesse and for their vnsound limmes and weake they must get a strong and sound fayth that by the long continuance of time and often vse of the meanes of saluation they must get great soundnesse and power of faith which may worke aboundantly in them by the fruits of loue which alwaies accompanies true faith and this loue will make them patient not forward not pettish not easie to be offended but full of long suffering to be an example to others of meeknesse But contrarie it is in those whose sinnes of their youth haue stayned them so deeply and so filled their bodies as there is no grace to be seene in their olde age Their words are altogether vaine and light foolish nothing sauouring of grace so that no man can in reuerence eyther craue aduise from them or be silent to heare such foolish and vnsauerie talke as customably comes from them and their conuersation full of testinesse and vnaduised wrath and bloted with miserable and abiect couetousnesse and greedinesse that they are alwaies smelling earthward and pursuing the world swiftly when they can scarce go vp and downe in the world No grace no wisdome nor any vertue bewtifieth their grey haires these want and that iustly their honour because they haue the first steppe olde age but they want the vpshot and perfection to be found in the way of grace And thus much for the dueties of superiours and inferiours commaunded in this commaundement The reason is next That thy daies may be long in the land which the Lord thy god giueth thee This is taken from the good effect and commoditie that will follow to him that keepes this commaundement It shall be for his profit he shall haue the benefit of it himselfe So that hence we may learne this lesson that the way to get a prosperous and long life is to be obedient to parents and superiours and to honour them As in Ephes 6. 2. He saith this is a commaundement with promise namely with a speciall promise For indeed this stirs vp the heart of the parent to pray to God for his children that he would poure a blessing on them and that not in word onely but indeed and in the desire of his soule he will beg it earnestly at Gods hand for so the wordes in the originall runne
Moses and Aron 88 Moses patience 12 his staffe and the power thereof 88 Mothers dutie to her children 8 Murther either secret or open 43 N NAture of man 20 Nature of the Storke 5 Nabuchadnezzar 88. 89. 32. Neighbours 97. they must be loued as our selues 44. Nehemiah commended 84 Night of the sabboth to bee spent holilie 72 Note of the feare of God is feare of his word 23 O OAth 36. 51. Oath lawfull 57 Obedience 17 Obedience to God must come from the hart 5 Obedience of children 3 Obedience of the wife 22 Offence in words 41 P PAtience 11 Papists care little for the sabboth 6 Papists superstitions 35 Parents 40. 2 Parents dutie to their children 7 Paule his feare 20 Perfit loue casteth out feare 19 Periurie 53 Peoples dutie 25 Peace a branch of meekenes 44 Praier 36. 67. 74. Praier for Parents 6 Preparation to the first commandement 1 Pride 50 Punishments for breaking the sabboth 71. 78 R REading the word 36 Receiuing of the sacrament ibid. Reason of the second commandement 37 Remembrance of the sabboth day 70 Reasons why to obey the sabboth 74 Reuerence of children 3 Repentance 67. 88 Rewards for keeping the sabboth 72 Riches improfitable 59 Rules to bee obserued in correction of seruants 17 S SAboth day why consecrated 90 Saboth day 61. 62. Instituted in Paradice 63. First the day of rest 65. Now the Lords day and why ibid. Sacraments 17. 82 Salomons dutie to his mother 3 Seruants 55. 11. Their seruice of God 13 Seruants more to bee regarded then goods 100 Sinne. 98 Speach 46 Spells 48 Spirit of God the spirit of truth 90 Subjects dutie 29 Superiors in gifts 32 Suretiship 67 Suspition 94 Superstition the hatred of God 39 Strange Gods 13 Strange apparell 57 Swearing 51. swearing wickedly 52 T THe law deliuered 1 The tables broken 2 The workes of the Trinitie 2 Thankfulnesse of children 3. it consists in two things 5 The feare of the three children in the furnace 24 The brasen Serpent 33 The Cherubines ibid. Theft 71. 72 Temperance in meat and drinke 53 To auoid idolatry is to auoid Idols 31 To honour what 1 Trust in God 26 Truth 96 V VAine swearing 52 Vaine iangling 46 Vineyard of God ibid. Visitation of the sicke a priuate worke of the sabboth 73 Vnreuerent speeches of Gods workes 51 Vncleanenesse two fold 56 Vowes when to be vsed 36 Vse of Gods words 47 W WAntonnesse 57 What God hates hating the world 78 What it is to feare God 20 What to bee done on the sabboth day 71 Wee must loue God 16 We must not bee discouraged wanting meanes 71 Why children should first feare their mother 3 Wherein children must obey their parents 4 Wicked impietie to make an image of Christ 32 Worshipping of Images 34 Word of God 47 Wonders in Aegipt 88 Worldly crosses 11 Z ZAcharies vprightnes 7 Ziphiâ—â— 84 FINIS AN EXPOSITION VPON THE TEN COMMANDEMENTS Exod. 20. 1. God spake these wordes and saide I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the land of Egipt out of the house of bondage THESE wordes containe a preparation to stirre vs vp to keepe the law of God partly in generall to all the keeping of all the commaundements Partly more specially to the keeping of the first That preparatiue which pertaines generally to all is in these words God spake It seeeth they haue God for the author of them therefore wee must settle our selues to obey them without gainsaying because God will not bee disputed withall The preparation to the first commandement more specially is drawne partly from the nature of God partly from his benefites His nature where hee saith I am Iehouah which signifieth the essence of God incommunicable to any creature From his benefits either generall in those words thy God i. One that haue bound my selfe in couenant with thee to bee thine and to do thee good in matters for this life and the life to come Or else speciall in the last wordes which haue brought thee out of the land of Egipt signifieng that hee had prooued and shewed himselfe to bee their God by drawing them out of that bondage and because the mercie of God might more appeare in their deliuerance hee shewes the grieuousnesse of the state out of the which hee deliuered them it was an house of bondage i. a place of most extreame slauerie Sith hee is thy God then and hath beene so kinde vnto thee thou must willingly acknowledge him and him onely to bee thy God God spake these words In that it bringeth the author of these wordes hee saith God spake them This doctrine ariseth to vs that God is after a speciall the author of the tenne commaundements they are his words more specially then any other And as all scripture is to be regarded as proceeding from God so more especially these tenne words because they bee after a more peculiar sort Gods words That this is so it is proued plainelie in Deuter. fiue verse two and twentie Where Moyses hauing repeated this law sets downe two priuiledges that it had aboue all other scripture to winne the more authoritie vnto it First hee saith these words the Lord spake vnto all your multitude noteing this vnto them that whereas the ceremoniall and indiciall lawes were deliuered by the ministery of Angels and the other scriptures by the meanes of the men of God the Prophets these wordes and these commaundements God himselfe as it were in his owne person full of Magestie and terrour accompanied with all his Angels in a flame of fire did pronounce so terribly in the bearing of them all as that they trembled and came to Moyses requesting him that they might no more heare God speaking on this manner for if they did assuredly they should die for feare wherefore in this first regard they must bee exceedingly reuerenced because Gods owne voice did speake them Secondly for the writing of them they were not written as other scriptures which Saint Peter saith holy men of God write according to the instinct of Gods holy spirit within them but God him selfe did write them as it were with his owne finger not vsing thereto either men or Angells as instruments Yea at the first hee made the Tables himselfe also that there might bee nothing seene wherein was not the immediate worke of God vvherein they were written but afterwardes when Moyses brake them before the Isralites that had made the goulden Calfe to shew that they by their idolatrie had broken the couenaunt and vvere vvorthie to be cast off then though God did bid Moyses make the second Tables yet himselfe write the law not vsing thereto the ministry of any of his creatures shewing that in this regarde they bee more specially GODS wordes and so more to bee regarded And besides this testimonie diuers reasons may bee vsed to shew that these are GODS owne inuention and wordes after an extraordinarie manner For first the wonderfull and perfect holinesse that
that settles not himselfe to keepe them all This must also teach vs when we see that God doth not blesse vs according to his promises to those that feare him then we must examine our selues diligently concerning our obedience to this his law whether we liue not in some sinne or whether some olde sinne lye not in vs which hath neuer bene repented for certainely of all Gods plagues that he layes vpon vs for our neglect of this his law wherefore when he strikes vs we must begin to looke to our obedience So did Iacob in Genesis when his sonnes Simeon and Leuie had committed that cruell fact and he was therefore made odious in the sight of the people of the land then he knowes that there could not be such trouble without if all were well within therefore he begins to search his family and to see how all things went there and then he perceues presently the cause of all these stirres for his house was full of Idolatry his wife had gotten his father in lawes Idols and many of his people fell from the pure worship of God to abhominable superstition then no wonder if ther were such sturres without when ther was such disorder within therfore he purgeth his house of all this filthinesse and buries all these Idolls in the ground that they might neuer hurt him or any of his any more All this serues for the singuler comfort of all Gods children that seeth these be Gods commaundemēts all as well as one therefore they shall haue power also to obey them all as well as one for that God which gaue vs power to obey one can giue vs the like power to obey the rest and that power which any hath to obey one t is not frō him selfe but from the work of God in him And indeed God doth not giue vs these lawes that we should imagine we could obey thē our selues but that seeing our owne wants we might goe to him for help why then should not euery christian hope to be able to yeeld obedience to God in whatsoeuer God commandeth him As God witnesseth this of Dauid that he was a man after Gods owne hart in all things but in the matter of Vriah he neuer sinned presumptuously but then his hart was vpright in all things else and likewise as it is spoken of Zacharie and Elizabeth that they were perfect and vnblameable in all things not that they were quit from all infirmities or had not their faults as well as any other but they were vpright and sincere their hart was true with God and so God can and will giue grace vnto all his to obey euery one of his commaundements with a true and vpright obedience So that no man ought to discharge himselfe Oh for other things I haue some hope I that I shall ouercome them but for this or that sinne I shall neuer get the better of that while I liue Well then for other sinnes you hope you can ouercome them but this is the point then vvhether haue you power to subdue them by any vertue of your owne or else from the vvorking of Gods spirit in you If you say from your selfe then you speake ignorantly and foolishly for flesh cannot kill any sinne this must be the vvork onely of God I but Christ Iesus did giue help to mee against those but for this one thing I doubt vvhy should you doubt Hee that gaue you abilitie to ouerrule your flesh in some things cannot he giue the like in all Yea this very mercy that he gaue you a disposition and power to obey him in one thing is a sure testimony to you that he vvill doe the like for all onely if you aske it you neede not doubt So that this vvhich he saith GOD spake all these words is a merueylous incouragement to the Saincts therefore feeling their vvants in any they may goe to God and saie Lord thou art the author of all these Commandements a like and the keeping of them all pertaines vnto mee as well as to any other but thou knowest O Lord that there is no power in mee to obey the least of them therefore I come now for power from thee to make mee obedient and hence he shall haue power to keepe all as well as any one I am IEHOVAH THese words signifies the essence of God and his absolute perfection in all his attributes It is expounded in the 13. of the Hebr. and 8. ver Christ yesterday and to day and the same for euer And Reuel 1. He that was and is and is to come He that is the selfe same in all his properties It signifies first Gods eternitie in vvhich he differs from all creatures for men and Angels are euerlasting they shall haue no ending but they be not eternall for they had their beginning from God but he hath his being in and of himselfe neither had he any beginning from any other all other things had beginning from him but he frō none he is from himselfe alone Also power and wisdome and mercie and Iustice and such other things which are properties in men and Angels in him they are natures in vs they are weake and imperfect but in him endlesse and perfect As in Exod. 34. Where he tells his name The Lord the Lord strong mercifull gracious c. Men and Angels are strong but this is a qualitie in them in him a nature so men and Angels are kinde but this is deriued from his kindenesse is a qualitie in them but in him a nature in them finite because no creature can haue any infinite thing in himselfe but in God they are infinit So that it signifies that God is eternall and hath his being from himselfe and other creatures haue their being and beginning from him In him power mercie Iustice c. are infinite in others they are finite In him they be natures and therefore vnchangeable in others qualities and therfore mutable The vse of this must be to make vs earnest to seeke his loue and fauour which if wee haue nothing can hurt vs for in him we liue and moue and haue our being Hauing his loue we haue all power all wisdome and all counsell on our side If he be perfect in himselfe and all creatures haue what euer they haue from him what neede we feare he being with vs what all the creatures can doe against vs being that all their power is deriued from him and vsed at his direction Wee see among men if there be one whose estate depends wholly vpon his landlords curtesie he may put him out and begger him when he please how carefull is hee to please him and haue his fauour least through his displeasure hee should be turned out of all So is it with all the men on earth they be all Gods tenants that at will no man holds any thing by lease for an houre our breath is not our owne but his it is at his discretion what shall become of our
soules and bodies whether they shal be saued or damned and he is such a God whose anger is an eternall anger and his vvrath an eternall vvrath and his plagues euerlasting plagues how carefull and diligent should vvee bee to please and obey him And then vve shew our selues to beeleeue his power and infinitenesse vvhen it is our greatest care to seeke his fauour Secondly this is for the consolation of Gods children Is God the same for euer and that in his dealing to his children and hath hee heretofore vsed his power for their defence his vvisdome for their direction his mercie for their comfort then hee vvill doe the same still to vs also Therefore vvhen any of his children haue bene brought into great miserie and that for their sinne as Manasseh he vvas brought to that hard case for his great sinne and vvicked deedes yet vvhen hee repented and beetooke him selfe to prayer vvee see God heard him helped him out both of his sinne and his miserie Did he deale so with him then the question is whether he be Iehouah or not whether the same for euer without any chaunge If he be as sure hee is then hee must deliuer vs also when we call vpon him But I am sure to be deliuered out of this prison and to bee set out of this debt or temptation if I call vnto God This I am sure of that if I cry to God hee will deliuer me from my sinne and if it bee good for mee then also from the punishment of my sinne but if the curse doe remayne one still hee will recompence it with many spirituall blessings But vnlesse we beleeue that God is Iehouah and vnchangeable then all the stories of the scripture are made vnprofitable vnto vs then we haue no vse nor comfort of those things which we heare reade how God heard Abraham and how hee deliuered Iacob and did many wonderfull thinges for his people in former time But if wee holde this for sure God is the same for euer then this is sure that whatsoeuer good thing he did for them hee will doe the like for vs if we vse the same meanes So also if any one hath found in himselfe that at such time I was in great trouble and temptation and then I prayed vnto God and I know that hee heard my prayer and helped me Are you sure that God did heare you when you cried then you are farre more sure of this that if you cry againe hee will heare you againe else hee should not bee Iehouah If hee haue beene yours he is yours and will bee for euer This is also for the terror of the wicked is God Iehouah constant and vnchangeable in all his iudgements Why then looke what plagues proude persons haue had heeretofore the same shall they now haue so sure as God is true vnlesse they repent and get pardon in Christ Hath God plagued theeues and filthy lyers Saboth breakers in former times He is Iehouah let them looke to it it is his name nature to hate and plague them that bee such euerlastingly least there bee repentance on their part and pardon on his Likewise can any man say by experience I fell into sinne heeretofore and then I got a wound to my conscience a blot to my name and hurt to my body why then as sure as the Lord liues as sure as God is Iehouah without change so sure make account to speed as ill in sinning now as you did before Many that did steale before and were brought to shame and could scarce saue their liues yet when they are deliuered they will fall to it againe but more closely as they thinke they will bee more skilâ—d in their trade and bee more secret and then all shall be well But who found them out before was not that a iust judgement from God that will reward to wicked men according to their wickednesse then be sure that seeth he hath once shewed his power and gaue them both by weale and woe meanes to bring them to repentance hee is the same Who will thinke to fall into former sinnes and yet haue better successe for it cannot be but God is the same both must can punish them So some haue plaied the filthie persons God hath shewed it to men to their discredit will they then fall to it again thinke they can hide it no they shall not for God will reueale it though they may think God will be carelesse of them yet hee will not be carelesse of himselfe and his name As sure as hee is Iehouah that brought them through the pikes before so sure if they turne againe to their filthie vomit he will bring them to shame againe either in this life or if not in this life to make them repent and iudge themselues then sure in the life to come wher the burden shall bee much more heauy vnsupportable vpon their conscience shall presse them down to hell For the best priuiledge for such sinners is to come to shame heere that if it may be they may be brought to repentance amendement So much for the name of God Iehouah that is without change or shadow of change what euer hee hath done hee will doe for euer Thy GOD. THe former argument of obedience was taken from Gods nature that hee was eternall in iustice to punish sinners in mercy to reward his children Now this is from his goodnesse I am thy God so almightie infinit eternall and perfect as that I abase my selfe to take care for thee to haue a louing hart to thee and to be thy father if thou wilt be my child to be thine husband if thou wilt be my spouse one that haue promised to giue thee all good things and to remoue all ill things from thee this is to be thy God If God had set down onely his infinite magestie and greatnesse and his glorious and incommunicable name that would haue feared vs and made vs flie from him But now hee encourageth vs by this that hee is our God and giues vs these commandements because he loues vs. The doctrine hence gathered is that if euer wee will obey God in soundnesse then wee must know him to bee our God to beare a care of vs to loue vs and that we shall speede better by obeying him then by breaking his commandements And this reason Moses still vrgeth vpon thee Israel thou must obey him heare his voyce for he is the Lord thy God that loues thee and careth for thee Reason will shew this for if we heare that God is infinit in power and doe not withall know that he is our God to vse his power for our good then it maks vs feare because we know not wher to hide our selues from him when we heare his infinit iustice we quake and tremble as nothing vexeth the theefe more then to heare of a iust iudge for then he hath no hope of escaping vnlesse he haue a
sacraments are for he was commanded of God how to make it of what figure in what place to what vse So for the Cherubins God appointed them likewise to signifie that God had his wings as it were spred out that whosoeuer would come to him in the Church should haue protection and shelter from him at all tymes But this makes nothing for making of idolls to worship god by them For because Solomon made an image at Gods appointment therfore may we make one at the idols appointment and if Moses set vp a brasen serpent by Gods direction may we by the direction of flesh and bloud that follows not But for that very serpent that God had commanded to be set vp when men would looke on it with to great a reuerence and had it into great request and honour Hezekiah was so bold as to pull it downe and grinde it to powder and this is writtē as a thing of commendations in him We must make no images to our selues then but if God bid vs then we may for then we make them to God and then if God say who required these things at your hands we may answere with comfort thou didst O Lord. Sith then the worshipping of images is the worshiping of idols as it is said in the Psalme afore named 136. For he that doth Gods work he worships God and he that doth the diuels work he worships the diuell and sith all idols be condemned in gods seruice because they haue no warrant from God nor he hath not appointed any signification of them This serues for the reprouing of all those that haue bowed downe vnto them kissed them or vsed any homage vnto them For in Isai 66. 3. He sets downe this as a note of an vnregenerate man to blesse an idoll one need goe no further for the note of a wicked sinner then if he blesse an idoll For by worshipping it in this commandement he meanes not to account it as God but to think that by any reuerence done before the idoll one shall get some help that this shall be a meanes of good to doe this is spiritual whordome For so in Isai 42. 8. He saith I am the Lord I will not giue my glory to an other One had better therfore dye the death then vse any bodily gesture of reuerence to an idoll And this the three Children knew full well in Daniell For when the King commanded them on paine of death to fall downe he did not binde their soules but onely their bodies yet they would not one would think they might haue done that and done it in their harts to God but they knew that if they had defiled their bodie vvith the least bow it would haue drawne Gods curse vpon their soule and bodie and therefore they durst not doe it Therfore sith this is spirituall whordom those that haue done it must repent for it and know that they haue infected their soules with a damnable sinne for which if they doe not throughly repent it is said that when times occasion shall serue they will fall to it as freshly as euer before for then it is not the feare of God that hath repressed it but the positiue law doth a little restrain it which if it be remoued their lust will breake foorth as much as euer before as it vvas seene by the Israelits in the wildernesse therefore we must be truely humbled for it and labour for assurance of pardon And though men will say they did it with a good intent in good meaning and in loue to Christ yet all these excuses will not serue the turne It were an ill excuse in a wife to say she loued her husband exceedingly and therefore in his absence she must haue others to see them and looke on them and to embrace them and all this for loue to her husband the husband would scarce think well of this loue yea it would be abhominable vnto him And it is much worse to kisse an idoll and bow downe to it and then say it was for loue to Christ An other vse of this is that we must labour to get the true and sound knowledge of God out of his word and a feruent loue of him for till then a man is in daunger to fall to idolatry But if one see Christ in his word and know his spirituall properties then they shall say as the church in Hosea 14. What haue we to doe any more with Idoles we haue hard God and seene God For then we shall see better and more excellent things in him then can be found in any image but till this we are not well fenced against idolatrie as in the naturall mariage the wife is sure from adultrie if she loue her husband but till then she lies open to adulterers so betwixt christ and vs then are we safe from idols when we haue gotten a feruent loue of Christ Many will boldly say what bow downe to an idoll kneele to a stocke or a stone sure I shall neuer doe it but as good as you haue done it but what cause or what reason haue you to thinke you shall not haue you seene Christ Iesus discribed in his word haue you seene him receiued his bodie blood in the sacrament if one haue seene his excellent beautie in these meanes he shall abhor an idoll as an vgly thing and if ones soule loue Christ and seeke after him in these meanes he will neuer fall to this filthinesse but loth and detest it but else hee is in continuall daunger to fall to spirituall whordome what euer he can say now when the times doe not serue Thus much for the grosse and direct breach of this commaundement by making an image to represent god which is impious or to help one in his worship which is idolatrous The second breach of this is superstition when one doth not goe to stockes stones but vseth those waies and inuentions in worshipping God which are not commaunded of God in his word but bee the appointment of men for Mat. 15. 9. Christ saith that they worship him in vaine teaching for doctrines mens precepts If it haue no further beginning then mans braine God will giue no blessing to it yea hee sends a curse vpon it for cursed is hee that ads any thing to Gods booke God will add so much to his plagues And the reason is because he makes himselfe wiser or better then God For if God be perfectly wise then he knew best what worship would please him and if hee be perfectly good then he would reueale vnto vs what euer hee knew fit for vs to practise Againe it is a great iniurie offred to God when we will let his deadly enimies haue the ordering and appointing of his seruice rather then himselfe A king would thinke it a great indignitie that his seruants would not serue him after his direction but some base fellow that were a professed enemie should set downe what meats he must
of the worke yet for the mercie of him that accepts the worke But this true keeping must be knowne by these notes first in keeping one must aime at all ther must be a full purpose and true desire to keepe all for if one lie in any sin breake any wilfullie then the wilfull known breach of one makes him guiltie of all Secondly the obedience must be done willinglie with a free cheerefull hart as Dauid bids Solomon serue the Lord with a willing minde Thirdly the end of our actions must be good to shew our loyaltie to God to approue our harts to him in obedience to his commandements that wee may bee blessed of him and not for any other ende or intent of our owne as to bee magnified of men and to merit by them or such like He that hath all these things keepeth the law of God indeede no man can fulfill it neither is it required of Gods children that they should because they be vnder grace and not vnder the law for the rigour of it But for those that bee out of Christ this condition is proposed to them winne it and weare it keepe the law in full perfection haue happinesse in full perfection but breake it in the least title loose your saluation those which are not in Christ are thus bound but those which are his members that are made one with him by faith are vnder grace there is a more fauourable obedience required of them not to fulfill the law in the extremitie of it but to keepe the law in the vprightnesse of their harts and to doe so much as Gods spirit that is bestowed on them giues them power to doe But now to returne to the doctrine it selfe whosoeuer loues God must in this manner as hath beene spoken keepe the lavv of God This is proued 1. Iohn 5. 3. 4. This is the loue of God that wee keepe his commandements Is it so may one say then that is a verie hard peece of worke few can doe that nay saith he his commandements are not grieuous for all that is borne of God ouer commeth the world hee shewes that a christian so farre as hee is regenerate hee hath conquered the world and then Gods commaundements cease to bee burdensome for the things that make Gods commaundements heauie vnto vs is our worldlinesse and fleshlie lusts which striue against the spirit but when Gods spirit which regenerateth vs hath set downe and ouer come those lusts in that measure Gods commandements are verie easie lightsome we shall with as much comfort and quietnesse obey them as Adam in his innocencie when wee are once trulie conuerted according to the measure of our conuersion It is a most tedious thing to a christian hart to obey the diuells commandement but it is most joyous to follow Gods As if it were permitted to a christian man for the while to steale to lie to commit adultrie and to breake the sabboth or such like why his soule would abhorre it and hee would rather die then doe these things it would bee such a vexation vnto him but now to heare the word to pray to confer to doe workes of mercie and the rest of this kinde it is euen a recreation and delightfull sport for him to doe them for Gods commaundements are pure and holie and doe delight the hart so farre as it is pure and holy So Iohn 14. 15. If yee loue me keepe my commaundements and I will pray the father and hee shall send you another comforter As if hee should say hee that loueth mee best and keepes my commandements most shall haue trouble and miserie but let not that trouble him for hee shall haue my spirit which will comfort him and sustaine him in all his miseries But I doe keepe Gods commaundements and haue a care to bee obedient vnto Christ then Christ sayth verse 21. Hee that hath my commaundements and keepes them one must first haue them afore hee can keepe them haue them in knowledge and vnderstanding haue them in memorie haue them in Iudgement and affection and then fall to keepe them in action doe this and then indeede you loue Christ but many talke of louing Christ and what good freinds they bee to Christ but try them a little by their workes and you shall see that they neither haue Gods commaundements nor keepe them and so farre as they faile in these things so far they faile in the loue of god and prouoke God also not to loue them This serues to confute those disordered persons in whom one can see nothing but open rebellion against Gods law open breach of the sabboth and manifest contempt of Gods word and yet tell them of it and come to aske them if they bee not ashamed thus in the face of the worlde to proclame enmitie against God then first they fall to shifting and cloaking but if you come with so good proofe and ferret them out so soundlie that they cannot denie it but are conuinced to their faces why then this is next what are you without sinne haue you no fault doe you keepe all Gods Commaundements yes miserable man there are faults in the best But this is blockishnesse for is there no difference betwixt falling by frailtie and through infirmitie and liuing and lying in a sinne and allowing ones selfe in the committing of it that frailtie is in Gods elect children but this wilfull disobedience and maintayning is in hipocrits that God puts away and regards not this hee will neuer put away vnlesse there be an amendement and greater soundnesse for such persons loue not God and it is just if he plague them and pursue them as his enemies This likewise serues for the great comfort of Gods children that doe their best endeauour to keepe all Gods commandements and that with a vvilling hart and good intent and minde not thinking to merit any thing by them for they know God must still shew mercie euen to those that loue him and keepe his commandements This I say comforts all them for when hee hath done all hee can hee comes short and faileth but yet God will shew mercie this word may reioyce them for hee will shew mercie as if hee had saide though you come farre short of that you should and would yet so long as your hart is true God will shew mercie for hee requires not fulfilling but keeping if one will stand to himselfe then hee must haue either perfection or confusion but if hee trust to Christ then hee is vnder grace there is mercie in Christ pittying and rewarding rewarding all their good and pittying and passing by their infirmities Thus much for the second commandement now followes the third in these words following Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine for the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that takes his name in vaine THE summe of this third commandement is to teach vs that wee should not profane the name
him to come out of his place and be a witnesse to such matters Therefore vnlesse it bee matter of waight that tends to some glory of GOD or some great good of man to ende some contention that would be dangerous and to set vnitie and good order amongst men we must not be bold to meddle with the name of God and solemnly to call him as a witnesse of the thing in hand Lastly one must doe it with great feare and reuerence as in Eccles It is noted as the mark of a good man to feare an oath and though one be the child of God and an oath be required of him and hee know the thing to bee certainely true and the matter also of waight worth an oath yet if hee come lightlie without any regard of God and reuerence of that excellent name hee is to take in his mouth hee hath failed in his swearing and hath taken Gods name in vaine and is to bee humbled for it For in the Psal he saith Serue the Lord with feare Now if a man must not vndertake any seruice of God without feare and reuerence much lesse must hee call God to bee a speciall witnesse and after a speciall manner set himselfe before him without trembling and a speciall awe of his Magestie And thus much for the commandement now follows the reason of it For the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that takes his name in vaine HEere God from the greatnesse of the perill goes about to terrifie men from the sin now where hee saith I will not holde him guiltlesse something more is expressed then is vnderstood for the meaning is that God will account him as guiltie and execute a sharp and seuere punishment vpon him So that this wee may obserue as a plaine doctrine out of this doctrine that hee which sinnes against this commandement vnlesse hee doe soundly repent shall feele Gods hand heauie vpon him God will neuer put it vp but will bee throughly reuenged vpon him for it Of all sinnes this seemes most safe in the eies of men a greater penaltie is laide vpon him that robs a man of his goods then vpon him that robs God of his glorie and one may with more ease carrie out a blaspemous furious oath yea many of them wicked scoffing mocking of his word works then any slanderous reproch or taunting terme against his neighbour that is but dust and ashes like himselfe Therefore sith men let it slip so easily God will take the more notice of it and punish it more sharplie for indeede men are more carefull farre of their owne vaineglory then of Gods glory and therefore if God should refer it to mens assises it is sure little order would bee taken for it yea commonlie it is seene that those which should reforme and correct others in this point haue themselues most neede to bee reformed and corrected the greatest rulers that should most represse blasphemie of all others practise it most for if they bee neuer so little crossed how doe they seeke to ease themselues but by violent and outragious swearing Therefore if God should put ouer the punishment of it to their discreation like inough a very slight penaltie should serue the turne and men also could not inflict a sufficient punishment answerable to the fault for damnation is the due punishment as in Iames 5. Therfore God will haue it come before his judgement seat and himselfe will be the judge and the executioner in this offence Sith then god vndertakes to punish it the vse of it is for the tenor affrighting of all vngodly persons that take libertie to themselues to run euer in the breach of this commandement aboue the rest that they grow shamelesse they neuer seeke to hide it nay they will doe it to anger one and they take a pride in it to many also of the ciuiller sort will be loath a man should see them take away their neighbours sheepe or prig a sheet from off the hedge but if they sweare in a passion come and tell them that they are in great fault they wrong God in that which is most deare vnto him they prophane and dishonour his name then they turne all into a jest and laughing what is that such a matter doe you stand so much vpon an oath why who is there I wonder that doth not sweare sometimes and drop out an oath now and then afore hee be aware when he is angrie and doe they make so light a matter of it is it a small thing to fall into the hands of God nay there bee some of Gods people that can say truely through Gods mercie they had rather choose to haue their soule drop from their bodie then an vnaduised and passionate oath from their mouth for if God haue threatned to bring damnation vpon light swearers then where shall mad and franticke swearers appeare these bitter swearers how great a damnation must they looke for vnlesse their repentance be exceeding great for though men let them passe yet before the great judge of heauen they be liable to an action of eternall death wherefore in a case of such danger men must bee content to bee admonished and to bee helped out of the sinne and not take one and chafe at him that by an wholesome rebuke desires to draw their soules out of hell which they would not doe if they did beleeue that God would so seuerely punish them Lastly this may serue for the comfort of those that haue receiued wrong by false oathes and haue false matters carried out against thē by the help of perjurie though corrupt iudges for their owne gaine sometimes regard not this but looke slightly ouer it goes for currant yet the judge of judges will make a better inquirie come with a more true verdit will lay open their innocencie and the damnable hipocrisie and impudencie of their aduersaries and not onely discouer it but plague and confound them for it if they persist impenitent and this was the case Naboth and his children they were by such wretched dealing surprised and brought to death as malefactors as traitors against the King and blasphemers of God but hath not God in his word shewed how hee brought destruction vpon the actors and rooted them out and swept them and their seede away like doung from the face of the earth Naboths name is now cleered and euery one that heares of him knowes him to haue beene better then Ahab or Iesabel were so that God brought their sinne vpon their heads and hath not suffered his innocencie to bee stained God would not beare with it how euer Ahab being the king no man durst goe about to redresse it Therefore all be it sometimes wicked sinners will impudently outface and by swearing and forswearing ouer-sway the good causes of Gods children and carry away matters for a time that are altogether false yet be pacient God will not let the vprightnesse of his childrē be
oppressed he will not suffer that his sacred name shal be thus wickedly abused to be made a shelter for lies and slaunders but when the good time comes he will let the world see how vildly and shamefully they dealt and though now whilst God holdeth his peace they flatter themselues and care not a jot to prophane his name so they may effect their malicious purpose and matters goe on their side yet God will haue a care that their wickednesse shall returne and fall vpon their owne heads their owne shame shall couer their faces and the wrong done both to his name and to his seruants shal be fully discouered and auenged Thus much concerning the third commandement for the glorifieng of Gods name Now followes the fourth In these words following Remember that thou keepe holy the sabboth day sixe daies shalt thou labour do all that thou hast to doe but the seauenth day is the sabboth of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt doe no manner of worke thou and thy sonne and thy daughter thy man seruant thy maide seruant thy cattell and the stranger that is within thy gates c. THe summe of this fourth commandement is to command the setting a part of the seauenth day from all worldlie busines and affaires to the exercises of religion and mercie and in the night that our sleepe also be seasoned with the word and the exercise of which we haue bene pertakers The parts are two The one sets downe the duties to be performed the other the reasons to moue vs to performe them The duties two fold shewing what we should doe and from what we should decline The things to be done is keeping it holie celebrating an holie rest vnto God The things to be forborne are all body lie works and to see that those which be vnder our gouernment as children seruants and all inferiours doe the like and that our beasts be not put to any ciuill labour yea that the stranger when hee comes amongst vs doe not openly prophane the same though wee cannot inforce him to come to the publik exercises yet those that are in superioritie must restraine him from publik violating of it by open working and must lay the authoritie so farre vpon him as that they suffer him not among their people and in their jurisdiction in the face of the congregation openlie to breake the commandement of God The reasons are diuerse first drawne from the equitie and righteousnesse of it in these words sixe daies shalt thou labour q. d. I haue giuen thee six daies for thy businesse and haue taken but one for my selfe therfore thou must be verie well contented to yeeld to me in this so reasonable and equall a commandement If I had taken sixe to my seruice giuen thee but one for the works of thy caling yet thou shouldest in dutie haue obeyed me but now that I am so liberall to thee and scant to my selfe hauing so large allowance there is no reason why thou shouldest refuse The second reason is taken from the authoritie and right of God in these words The seauenth day is the sabboth of the Lord thy God q. d. I haue taken it to my selfe I haue challenged it to my selfe to bee imployed in my seruice it is my day not thine therfore vnlesse thou will bee accounted a sacrilegious theefe to take holie things for vnholie vses vnlesse thou wilt deuoue things that bee sanctified to thine owne destruction see that thou meddle not with it it is a part of the church treasurie thou shalt be no better then a church robber if thou conuert it to thine owne vses The third reason is taken from Gods example in these words For in sixe daies the Lord made heauen earth the sea and all that in them is and rested the seauenth daie q. d. if thou wilt follow example and bee led by others then follow the example of the best now what better example can there be then the example of God himselfe now God himselfe when he went to make the world and all the things in the world contriued all his works so as that he finished them within the compasse of sixe dayes and on the seuenth day did rest from all his works of creation onely preseruing those things which before he had made therefore from his example learne thou so to dispatch all thy businesse on the sixe daies as that on the seauenth day ceasing from labour in thy calling thou maist wholy giue thy selfe to the duties of sanctification and to meditate on Gods power and greatnesse in his sixe dayes work for which end as one speciall thing to bee done in it he hath appointed this resting of the seuenth day The last reason is taken from the end of the sabboth in these words Wherfore the Lord blessed the sabboth day and hallowed it q. d. If neither the equitie of the commandement nor the authoritie and right of God nor yet his example will preuaile with thee to perswade thine hart to keepe this commandement yet in regard of thine owne profit and the benefit thou shalt reape to thy selfe yeld to keepe it holy for God hath not taken this to himselfe for any commoditie that he shall haue by it but euen for thy good for he hath appointed it for holy vses that it might be a meanes of blessing not vpon the soule onely but euen vppon the body and estate of those that obserue it there is no readier way to bring Gods blessing vpon any man then the sanctifying of it nor no more present meanes to pull downe a curse then the neglecting and breaking of it Therefore if thou loue thy selfe and wouldest haue prosperitie on thy soule and bodie yeld so much obedience to God as to sanctifie his sabboth Thus much concerning the summe and exposition of this commandement Now because there be many that doe disagree in this doctrine of the sabboth and account the keeping holy of the seuenth day in the number of those ceremonies which be abrogated by Christ and reached onely to the Iewes therefore it is requisite that we approue and confirme by some sound reasons out of Gods word that this commandement is morall and perpetuall and as carefully to be kept vnder the gosple as vnder the law and to continue in force so long as any of the commandements euen so long as there is this world and a Church militant vpon earth The first reason to confirme this may be drawne from those reasons which God vseth for the confirmation of it in the text the reasons are all of them perpetuall and none of them ceremoniall and euery one as much belongs vnto vs as vnto them and therefore it is without reason to make the commandement it selfe of lesse scope and binding fewer to keepe it then those reasons which are brought to confirme it For goe through the whole commandement what one word in all of it hath any note of ceremony what reasō sauours of any
that with a true hart is willing to be taught and to confound also and condemne and leaue without excuse before Gods judgement seat such as will not yeeld to playne and strong reasons drawne out of the word of God but continue obstinate in their false conceits But because the point may be more plaine and manifest it is good to answere some of their objections whereby they would ouerturne this plaine truth Now the grand obiection is because we keep not the same sabboth that the Iewes did but the day is altered therefore they say we must keepe none This is their argument of so great waight but how foolish it shall appeare easily if we examine it a little more narrowly For though we keepe not the selfe same day that they did yet we haue the same commandement authoritie for our day that that they had for theirs Therfore this day that we keepe is called the Lords day in Reuel 1. Where Iohn saith He was in the spirit vpon the Lords day Afore it was called the day of rest because God rested on it from the work of creation but now it is called the Lords day because Christ Jesus instituted it as a speciall memoriall of his resurrection perfecting of the work of our redemption For the Apostles by the authoritie of that spirit which alwaies assisted them in their ministeriall office did alter the day themselues kept ordained it to be kept in all the churches As may appeare 1. Cor. 16. 1. Where he saith The first day of the weeke when yee meet together c. Where the Apostle shewes that the congregations of Christ were wont on the first day of the weeke to meet together for the performance of all holy duties of the number whereof collection for the poore was one because of the manifold persecutions wherwith in the primatiue church they were more afflicted and had neede of continuall reliefe This was the first day of the Iewish weeke our Lords day So also in the Acts. Paul himself kept this day which he spent in preaching till midnight and after administred the sacramēt in which two exercises he cōtinued till the dawning of the day So that the keeping of this day was instituted by God in the ministrie of the Apostles and kept by them and the churches in their time therfore as strongly commands vs as the Iewes and is of no lesse force now then before Then secondly the reason of the chaunge and of our keeping this day is no lesse then of their keeping that day For when the creation of the world was the greatest work that euer was done then the memoriall of that was chiefely to be regarded But now that a greater more excellent work was done namely the redemption of the world it was reason that the greatest work should carry the credit of the day They rested the seauenth day because on that God rested from the work of creation wee this eight day because in it Christ rise againe from the work of our redemption which being a greater work caused a chaunge of the day Sith then the day was not chaūged without good warrant and strong reason that alteration and varying of the day detracts nothing from the truth and force of the commandement And wheras they say that the church may at their pleasure alter it that is not so for ther can neuer be an authority greter then the authority of the Apostles nor a cause greater then the resurrection of Christ and the redemption of the church and therefore neither can the day be chaunged for to make a new day where no such warrant did allow nor no cause occasion it were to take more vpon them then is fit For if the Iewes in former times were bound to keepe it holy hauing onely the creation of the world to think vpon and to remēber by the celebrating of their seauenth day then how much more are we bound to this reuerence and a greater sith besids this benefit of our making we haue a greater of our redeeming by the bloud and death of Christ added vnto it so that any one of the two ought to sanctifie it more rather then to cast it of all together and to be so much the more carefull to giue this day wholy to God by how much he hath shewed a greate mercie to vs so that we should neuer speake or think of this chaunge but we should also call to minde this great benefit which was the cause of it If Adam had cause to spend a day in praysing God for his creation then wee haue greater cause seeth besides that we haue also the redemption to bee thankefull for And if this bee a good argument wee keepe not the selfe same day that the Iewes did therefore the dutie is abollished and wee are bound to keepe none then by the same reason one might conclude thus you see wee haue not the same sacraments for the outward seales that the Iewes had for they had circumcision and they had the pascall Lambe what tell you mee of the consecrate water and of the bread and wine hallowed the Iewes had no such matter sith these signes be altered I think it was but a ceremonie and wee neede not regard baptisme the supper this were no good argument in this case for though the shadowes bee other yet the substance bee the same Christ Iesus is signified by our bread and wine as well as by their Lambe and our baptisme is the sacrament of regeneration as well as their circumcision Therefore wee should not despise them but so much the more bee carefull to prepare our selues for them because the seruice is more easie the promises more lightsome If then it will not hold that we haue no sacraments because the outward seales bee altered then it is as weake a consequence that wee haue no seauenth day to bee sanctified because the day is altered and wee keepe not the same that they did So that no proofe can be gathered from the varying of the daie that the dutie is abolished because the authoritie is as strong the reason as good and the same reason doth not hold in other things Againe they object that to a christian euery day is a sabboth day and therefore wee should not restraine it to one day more then another but the answere to this is that it is most false for God doth not require neither is a christian able to keep euery day a sabboth day so long as they remain on earth indeede in heauen hee shall keepe a continuall sabboth vnto the Lord but now so long as wee liue there is as much difference betwixt the sabboth day and otheir daies as betwixt the consecrate bread wee receiue at the Lords table and the common bread wee receiue at our owne table This is true that euery one must serue God on the sixe daies and all his life long but on the seauenth day wee must not onely serue God
journey to take some odd thing or other that beeing forgotten in time will rush in vpon vs now and must bee done now because it was omitted before and cannot tarry till after sith then wee are so subject to distruction and so soone to forget things that if wee had had a care before might haue beene done well without any trouble in the sabboth but now through our negligence comes vpon vs on that day this must teach vs to haue a heauenly foresight that wee prouide against all such lets and cut off by our godly care all such incombrances That pollicie and care which wee see in naturall men about the market of their bodies we must learne for this market of our soule they will bee prouiding and thinking before what they must buy at the market and what they must carrie to the market and will not haue the things to bee in doing when they should haue them ready to carry with them but looke that the things they purpose to sell be prepared that so they may not be hindred but be there in good time to make their markets for their best aduantage So if euer we will make good markets for our soules we must all the weeke before be preparing our harts and setting all things straight that our harts may be burdened with no sinne nor no worldly care thē which should carry away the force of our meditations thoughts from the exercises of religion for they be spirituall and we be carnall and a little thing God knowes will make a great stirre in our fleshly harts to draw them from heauenly things and therfore vnlesse wee take great heede to examine our harts and watch ouer our selues that we walke purely holily all the sixe daies long and to cast out and discharge all affaires of this life on the one side the sinne committed on the other side the businesse omitted will hale and pull our thoughts that no attention can be giuen to matters of religion no constant or setled meditation of any heauenly thing can take place we must therefore stop out all distractions and encombrances rayse vp our harts against deadnesse and dulnesse which will make vs heauie and dull and slow to any good thing by a wise managing and finishing our outward affaires and a godly and religious ordring and preparing our harts if euer we will comfortably profitably spend the Lords day in the Lords work Then againe besids these needlesse lets which through our owne weaknesse we pul vpon our owne heads therbe hindrances enough on euery side which doe wee what wee can with all the industrie in the world we shall neuer be able wholy to preuent but they will set vpon vs. As in what family shall one come but he shall see idlenesse and slepinesse and foolishnesse manyfold wayes who that knowes himselfe any whit at all doth not feele that he is readier to follow ill example be led by ill company then to be led by Gods commandement especially when no positiue law will take hold vpon him for the breach of Gods commandement And then we haue the diuel as a Lion continually seeking to deuoure our soules to hinder vs in all things he can from religion and in the best there be such strong lusts such a loue of the pleasure and commoditie of this world that vnlesse we be strongly garded and defended will breake in vpon our harts and disorder the rank of our affections As come to a professour that is giuen to couetousnesse and ouer to whome the world beares to great an hand though he haue a true hart to God and some sound graces of the spirit of God wrought in him doe but vp some couetous talke that tends toward gaine and filthie lucre see if he will not be quite gone and forgetting God and the sabboth and himselfe and all giue his hart and tongue and all to be imployd about worldly things vnlesse he mound and fence his hart about diligently with these thoughts what though I doe hath not god bidden me remember the sabboth hath he not set a speciall mark vpon it that I should in no hand forget thus by earnest striuing shake of these vntimely words thoughts And then we shall haue the world be objecting and putting in it carnall reasons to make vs negligent why what neede you be so strict this is to much nicenesse you are more precise then wise and such like which will certainly carry one away vnlesse he striue to confirme himselfe by thinking on Gods commandement and so shut out these objections what hath not God bid mee remember and shall I suffer men to make me forget it hath not he giuen me two reasons to keep it the one stronger then the Iewes had and shall I be more negligent in keeping it then they which had but one they had weaker meanes of comfort the bloud of buls and goates the sprinkling of water and an earthly tabernacle and high priest and yet they were with reuerence to vse these and shall we that haue more excellent meanes as Christ Iesus offered vp for a sacrifice offered vp once for all and the sprinkling of his bloud to purifie our soules and the heauenly tabernacle opened for vs by him our heauenly high priest and continuall mediator shall we I say that haue all these meanes more plaine excellent then theirs be negligent to keepe this sabboth especially sith God hath giuen vs this as a meanes to draw vs from earth to heauen and to make vs grow in a spirituall life Hauing then all these impediments vnlesse we doe arme our selues in the weeke daye and strengthen our faith by remembring Gods commandement reasons by a wise cutting of those distractions which by diligence may be cut of we cannot with any comfort or cherefully celebrate a sabboth vnto the Lord. Lastly if wee reade the scriptures of God and see how often God vrgeth this point how earnestly he presseth it this will make vs labour often and continually to call to minde that which he so often hath repeated vnto vs because if it were a necessarie dutie God will not so many times in so many places require it at our hāds So that euery one must labour by searching his conscience watching ouer his soule to rouse himselfe from that lumpishnesse and drousinesse which is within him and by prouidence and forecast of outward businesse to put away all outward encombrances and distractions This then serues first to confute those that make this kinde of objections against the sabboth Oh we cannot keepe it we should bee vndone if wee should rest vpon the sabboth day for these losses and damages would ensue these hurts would come such businesses would bee left vndone but I pray you whence come all these losses what is the cause of these damages is it not because you forget the verie first word of the commandement Remember the sabboth day Then this is no
knew not God nor cared not for the sabboth came with wares to Ierusalem on the sabboth hee shut the gates against them and tolde them that if they did so any more hee would laie hands vpon them And there is great reason why one should bee carefull of those of other congregations and of other places for if wee haue the true loue of God in vs it will grieue vs to the hart to see gods name dishonoured and his lawes broken of any one whosoeuer and therefore so much as in him lies hee stop all such practises who euer they bee that doe them Also euerie man is bound to loue his enemie yea his enemies beast and if hee see his enemies beast vnder his burden hee must help him vp if one must help a mans oxe or asse if hee bee burdened much more his soule that is burdened with the sinne that will kill it if it bee not taken off No man is so sauage that if hee see a blinde man running into a well wherein hee may bee drowned will say let him goe I care not hee is none of my family nor of my friends though hee bee not mercie is to bee shewed to all and nature in such a case will teach one to runne and call to him and hinder him by what meanes he can So for the soule much more if wee see a person who is in truth blinded through ignorance and knowes not the danger about to cast himselfe into the pit of hell mercie will moue him that hath any true mercie to seeke to reclaime him And then in regard of the good of the whole congregation one must hinder strangers from giuing such ill examples for though it seeme at first a small thing to suffer a stranger let him doe what hee list it pertaines not to vs yet it is dangerous for our nature is so subiect to infection and we so easilie drawne to euill that if one suffer a stranger at length his children and seruants will learne and come after to doe the same things so that for our owne sakes wee must be diligent to cut of occasions and warilie preuent danger for one house on fire may burne the whole towne and if a stranger would buy an house in the towne and then be so foolish to set it on fire men would not let him alone for feare it should also catch their houses and so in truth if the fire of sinne kindle in the heart practise of a stranger we seeke not to quench suppresse it it will not tarrie there long it will catch some in the congregation and set them a burning to Therfore in loue to Gods glorie to our brothers soule and to our selues and those that bee neere vnto vs we must labour by what meanes wee can to hinder euen a stranger from breaking the sabboth now if one must hinder strangers how much more such as bee borne and dwell in the same place our neighbours children or seruants if wee see such prophaning the sabboth we should much more hinder them by admonition and reproofe but especiallie if we see them run to things that be simply euill and in their owne nature at all times vnlawfull therefore for men that be of some account note in a congregation in a towne to come among headdie youths and see them violenly carried to dauncing to gaming or any such lewdenesse on the sabboth especially and let them goe on without any rebuke or exhortation neuer tell them of it neuer dehort them from it this shewes that there is but a little loue of God in none of the parties soules and that they haue little regard of themselues and their owne families But in truth this is the cause that makes wickednesse grow so fast and sinne get vp with an high hand and youth grow to such impudent and shamelesse boldnesse because the minister fights alone against sinne None else will open his mouth to speake against it or discountenance it he that would not stand by and see the Oxe fall into the ditch but he would help him out will looke on while the children runne headlong towards hell and say not a word to reclaime them This remisenesse of men that are of some estimatiō in the town makes proud youthes oft times so audacious to set themselues openly against the ministers doctrine and as it were by their practise in the heat of lust to contrary him euen when he is reprouing any sinne when the doctrine is yet hot and the sound of his voice is scarce gone out of their eares then to runne openly to gainesay that which was taught in the church so soone as they come out of the church This strength of impietie proceedes hence I say that the minister hath no help none hath a zeale of Gods glory so that he is grieued at his dishonour none hath so much charitie and compassion ouer their neighbours as that they seeke to pull them out of the daunger of hell fire for if but two or three or some more of the auncient men that haue some authoritie and sway in the congregation would ioyne their hands with the minister and set in with their priuate rebukes and reprofes to make his publique reprofes forcible younger people would be more ashamed of sinne and learne to behaue themselues more soberly then in publique as it were to bid battaile to the publique doctrine of the minister Therfore this slacknesse and coldnesse is much to be reproued Then secondly this is for the encouragement of such as doe desire to help others out of this or any other sinne they may boldly with a good hart and conscience rebuke a sabboth breaker wheras they will object why what is that to you if I sinne my selfe I must perish my selfe what haue you to doe to meddle yes they haue to doe to meddle they haue to loue thē they haue to loue the congregation and to loue Gods glory therfore as much as they can to disgrace sinne for though sinners begin to set sinne a foote yet if some godly wise man will encounter it with a sound admonition and sharp rebuke that will dash and disgrace it as much as the practise of sinners will support it so that it cannot get an head so soone Therefore because they be men that sinne and it is Gods law that is broken and the whole congregation that is infected poysoned he that hath that affection he should to any of these hath to doe to vse a preseruatiue against this poison and to stand for Gods commandements and the saluation of man let wicked sinners while they will accuse them to be busie bodies that is no matter better displease man by good then God by euill It followes For in sixe daies the Lord made heauen and earth the sea c. and rested the seauenth day BEcause this commandement is much oppugned by the examples of great men because almost all men breake it therefore it is confirmed from the
words Wherefore the Lord blessed the seauenth day and hallowed it HEere God shewes that if none of the former reasons will preuaile yet wee should bee moued for our owne benefit to regard it for nothing is more auaileable to bring a blessing on soule bodie then the religious keeping of the sabboth for God hath appointed it to the end that hee might haue occasion to communicate his goodnesse to the diligent obseruers of it So that from this reason that he saith God sanctified the day j. set it a-part for his vse and blessed it that is appointed it for a meanes of blessing to the obedient for the day it selfe is no more blessed then other daies From hence I say wee may learne that the way to get all blessing is to keepe holy the sabboth this is the most direct and sure meanes to get all comfortable prosperitie to keepe an holy rest to God vpon his day One reason is because God hath sanctified it to this end as for inward benefits is shewed Isaiah 56. 4. 7. Where the Lord shewes that for inward blessings if any of what estate so euer will keepe Gods sabboth hee shall haue his hart filled full of spirituall joy God will giue him the spirit of praier and heare his praiers God will giue him abilitie to serue him and accept and reward his seruice And Isai 58. 13. 14 If one will keepe himselfe from polluting Gods holy sabboth and keepe it carefullie then he shall delight in the Lord that is God shall so shew his fauour and loue to his soule as hee shall bee joyfull in God so blesse his hart and conscience as that he shall feele that God is his God loues him and cares for him so that hee shall exult and rejoyce in this and finde Gods blessing both for heauen and for earth so that the mouth of God hath spoken it what euer flesh and bloud will obiect we haue the sure promise of God and it shall bee found true and faithfull So for things of this life Iere. 17. 24. The Prophet hauing foretold the destruction of Ierusalem prescribes a preseruatiue to thē which if they would take as yet their case was curable and that would help all namely to forbeare their worldly businesse on the sabboth and so doe the works of the Lord and then they shall enjoy their cittie and their houses and their wealth withal prosperitie and aboundance So that we see for soule and bodie Gods promise is that the sanctifying of the sabboth will bring happinesse and comfort to both The vse then of this is first for the terrifying of all sabboth breakers for if the keeping of a sabboth be the way to blessing as the truth of God hath sayd it then on the contrary side the contempt and neglect of it leades to all curses and wretchednesse For God hath shewed that this will kindle a fire vpon their houses but they hope to quench it no they shall not it cannot be quenched one may as well quench hell fire as the fire of Gods curse in this life if they continue still in this sinne And in truth experience shewes it that there is a wild fire most continually set vpon such mens goods that they come to naught and if they get mony yet they put it in a broken bag the canker of Gods vengeance eates all vp and they come to neede and want where shall one finde one in twentie that be common sabboth breakers as carriers and such like but they come to misery or if they doe thriue in the world and whord vp outward riches the curse of God seises more violently on their soules and this is the greatest plague of all for now it shewes that God hath no purpose to doe them good for those whom hee loues he corrects and this is the sorest miserie that can bee for a sinner to thriue in his sinne this hardens his hart and makes him runne with full course to hell as no such men is seene they be the most wicked and disordered persons that can bee they profit nothing by reading Gods word hearing worketh not in them they haue no affection in prayer but euen as dead stones no spirituall thing can worke vpon them for their good but euerie wicked and worldly thing hath strength and power enough to worke on them for their greater hurt So that in truth God shewes how hee likes of their course and this should terrifie them from this so daungerous and miserable a course of liuing Secondlie sith God doth promise a blessing vpon those that sanctifie his sabboth that they shall thriue in the Lords house and in religion and in other worldlie matters so farre as may stand with true prosperitie sith he hath spoken this that must stand which goes out of his mouth therefore it is for their comfort that the blessing of God shall attend vpon them whether they haue little or much If they haue abundance the abundance shall bee for their good to be more abundant in good and if they haue but from hand to mouth God will so prouide that yet they shall not want necessarie things but he that brings the day will bring foode and maintainance for the daie so that he neede not care for to morrow but cast his care vpon God whose truth it concernes to care for him and this they are sure off they shall haue a soft hart and a quiet conscience and shall receiue comfort from Gods promises and if one thriue in Gods house he neede not care carkinglie and distrustfullie how he shall doe in his owne house One may know how he shall speede at home by looking how hee serues God in the Church If hee keepe an holie rest with an holie hart holylie he shall haue rest to his soule peace joy to his conscience and bee set in so sure an outward estate as that nothing shall befall him for his hurt But then if one will haue this blessing he must keepe these three rules First let him make it a delight to keepe the sabboth and his joy to doe the workes of the sabboth let him long for it before it comes and bee glad of it when it comes because it frees him from all worldlie cares and thoughts and then hee hath a commandement more especiallie to cast his care vpon God and not to trouble himselfe a whit with them And so he saith in Isay call it a delight to consecrate it to the Lord take as much pleasure in doing the exercises of religion as the workes of your calling And more to indeede for they bee more easie and comfortable by farre wee must come as hungrie to the house of God and with as good an appetit as to our dinner or supper at home for in deede God keepes the best house hee makes the best cheere if wee can bring a good stomacke to the bread of life that hee breaketh vnto vs. But if one bee loth to come and must be
drawne as a beare to the stake let him make account that the preacher will bait him trouble his conscience for comfort hee can looke for none Therfore if we would haue a blessing by the sabboth let vs keepe it cherfullie knowing that God loues a cherfull giuer Secondlie one must labour to doe all the duties of the sabboth those that must bee done before the sermon and those that must be done after let no ordinance scape vndone vse meditation on Gods word and works heareing reading praying singing psalmes conference workes of mercie of euerie thing something so farre as we haue abilitie and opportunitie But if we will performe them scambling lie doe this and leaue that vndone either make no preparation before or no application after either no publique or no priuate then it may bee he shall finde some blessings but the fewer of these hee performeth the fewer blessings he shall haue he that doth the work of God by halfes shall and it is just he should find the comfort and benefit of them by halfes Thirdlie as one must doe all the duties and that with delight cherfullie so he must keepe the whole day he must doe all the duties and also spend all the time in these duties hee must continue from the beginning to the ending As in Psal 92. 2. To declare Gods louing kindnesse in the morning and his truth at night So that the sabboth must bee spent both morning night and all the daie in holie duties One must forbeare worldlie businesse yea worldlie thoughts the whole foure and twentie houres for if one giue his thoughts libertie to run after matters of the world in the night he breakes the sabboth in one part sleepe one may lawfullie but his sleepe must bee sweetned with holie exercises and so sanctified vnto him as in it hee must also keepe an holie rest And heere manie faile that out of the Church wil be talking with their neighbours musing with themselues about earthlie businesses affaires thinke they haue made a good hand if they spend the most part of the daie till after the euening exercises in workes of religion and then they make no question to take their recreation or to goe about their businesses if occation bee But hee that commands to keepe it in the church bids vs keepe it in the house as to heare him and speake to him in publique so to speake to him out of our harts in priuate not to giue our selues leaue to thinke the least thought of any worldlie businesse Now then wee if seeme to make conscience of the sabboth and yet doe want that blessing which we doe looke for let vs looke to our selues we shall see that wee are halting in some one of these either wee keepe the sabboth lumpishlie and heauilie that it seemes as a tedious burden vnto vs or else wee doe some one or two duties leaue the rest vndone or else if we doe all the duties to be done we want heere that we obserue not the whole day but keep some part of it from god to our selues accordinglie as any man comes short in any of these duties so hee commeth short of the fruit of the sabboth But if one labour with joy to doe all the duties of the sabboth the whole day hee shall finde in his owne soule that it is in truth a day of blessing and brings more joy and comfort yea and a greater blessing with it then all the weeke besides And so much for this fourth commandement of the sabboth and the reasons of it The summe of the fifth Commaundement is to shew what duties we owe one to another in respect of their and our place The persons in this commandement are eyther with authoritie eyther priuate eyther further from equalitie as parents and children masters and seruants nearer equalitie as husband and wife publike in Church Commonwealth without authoritie in age gifts Exod. 20. 12. Honour thy father and thy mother c. HEtherto the duties of pietie to God out of the first Table haue bin handled Now follow the commandements of the second table concerning the duties of righteousnes to our neighbours This is the first commandement of the second table vpō which al the rest do depend as in the first table the keeping of all the commaundements following did depend on the keeping of the first commandement of the table so heere if this first commandement be well obserued both of gouernours and inferiours there could be no disorder against any other of the commandements following For all disorders in the other commandements of the second Table doe flow from hence that eyther superiours are negligent in performing their dutie of gouerning or else inferiours are proud and stubborne and refuse to obey their superiours The words contayne a commaundement and the reason of it The commaundement in those words Honour thy father and mother The reason in the words following That thy daies may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee Because the benefit of obedience is not so great to the superiours which are obeyed as to him that doth for conscience sake obey them they shall not be gainers so much as himselfe for he shall gaine to himselfe a long and happie life Honour To honour is to reuerence in heart and performe all outward duties Father That is all superiours in what place soeuer set aboue thee Thy father This is the first reason whereby God would moue inferiours to obey because he is thy father In that God makes this his reason why the childe should obey his father because he is his father We gather this doctrine That the chiefe motiue to obedience must be Gods ordinance If God haue made him the instrument of thy life and maintenance and haue set him ouer thee thou must for this cause performe all dutie of honour vnto him So in the Prouerbs Honour thy father that begat thee and thy mother that bare thee as if he had said honour thy parents and bee duetifull vnto them not because they be rich or in great place or for any other respect but this because they bee thy parents bee they father and mother how euer rich or poore thou must be duetifull vnto them So the Apostle speaketh to wiues Wiues obey your owne husbands Vsing this as a reason if they be your husbands If God hath set them ouer you as your head and gouernour you must submitte your selues to them for this cause and in obedience to Gods commaundement howsoeuer they be otherwise froward and foolish if they be yours then you must performe your duetie vnto them So for seruants the poynt is not whether hee bee a poore man or rich a simple man and ignorant or wise and discreete but is he a master hath God made him a gouernour then for the time that one is a seruant he stands in the place of Christ in his family and is to be obeyed as if hee
troublesome abundāce of the wicked for they may say the Lord our God hath giuen vs these thinges Therefore if God be true and iust if he be the Lord of heauen and earth if they cast themselues and their trust vpon him hee will cast all thinges good and necessarie vpon them in the due and fitte time or if they haue some outwarde wantes they shall bee recompenced with inwarde and better comforts And thus much for the eight commandement concerning the duties of all sortes of men in respect of their place superiour or inferiour The sixt commandement followes Thou shalt not kill And this commandement respects the person of our neighbour commands to procure his wellfare good safetie of his soule and bodie It bids vs to loue our neighbour as our selfe and forbides all kinde of crueltie and wante of loue The parts of it be Forbidding things in Omission to Bodie Soule commission Commanding What the thinges of omission be that are forbidden concerning the bodie it may appeare in Math. 15. Where Christ condemnes some as goates limmes of the diuell and firebrands of hell because they gaue not meate to hungrie and drinke to the thirstie and clothed not the naked and visited not the sicke and imprisoned and such like So that the omitting of these duties of mercie is an inditement stronge enough to bring such persons to hell And Luke 16. In the parable of Lazarus and Diues Diues is condemned for want of mercie that hee had enough to bestow on pride and vanitie and pompe to set out himselfe but nothing to giue to his poore and comfortlesse brother sheweing the doome of all such wretched persons such as Iohn saith which haue this worlds goods and yet let their Godly brethren want shutting vp the bowels of compassiō frō doing good the charge of crueltie and want of mercy lyes heauie vpon such for he that turnes his eare from the crie of the poore shall crie himselfe and not be heard An other thing of omission is when he neglects to pay the due wages and recompence for the worke of any poore man For if it be a miserable sinne not to doe good freely where neede requires it is much more abominable and damnable not to giue a due debt and reward of the worke So Deut. 24. 14. Thou shalt not oppresse an hired seruant thou shalt giue him his wages for his day nor shall the sunne goe downe vpon it This is condemned as an vniust and vnmercifull thing that when one hath hired a seruant or any to doe his worke when the worke is done he should either giue him no wages or else giue it him in conuenient and due time but hee must seeke for it when he should haue vse of it for his releife and God saith there if such a one be pinched with necessitie and crie vnto God God will heare and reueng his wrong And Iob to proue himselfe no hypocrite vseth an imprecation concerning this sinne in chapter 31. that if he haue eaten the fruite of his land without siluer and hath not paid the wages to him that telled it and brought in his haruest or if the furrowes of his land haue cried together against him then let his grounde bee accursed as indeede he had beene an accursed person and broken this commandement in an high degree And if he had done so the verie earth would haue cried the furrowes would haue made a complaint against For two sinnes there be in the second table that makes the land crie to God that he can haue as it were no rest till he take vengeance the one Sodomie and the other oppression and crueltie against this commandement As afore in Deutrimonie and in Iames he saith Howle you rich men and why what miserie is neere why the crie of the poore oppressed by you is come vp in the eares of the Lord When one gets his good so ill and enricheth himselfe by withhoulding other mens dues though the man should be silent and say nothing yet his necessitie his bellie and his backe would make an hideous outcrie before God til he had executed his vengeance And for sinning in this branch of this commandement Iehoiachin was blamed Ierem. 22. 13. to 20. vers Which is so much the rather to be noted because most men thinke that the differences of persons may make some excuse for their sinne but it is not so For if any might vse the laboure of an other without recompence then might the Kinge who is the soueraigne Lord of all yet he being a King is reproued by God for this it is said he built his house without equitie how is that proued he vseth his neighbour without wages and giues him not for his worke and for this cause and his filthy couetousnesse God would not vouchsafe him the commō honour of men to be couered with earth whē he was dead but he should be buried as an asse his skinne puld ouer his eares stript of all hee had and then dragd without the Citie throwne out that his carcas might be food for beasts birds and what was his crime why this he did not reward the poore but serued himselfe vpon them And this commandement is broken in omission of thinges pertaining to the bodie as in not doing workes of mercie and in not paying wages and dues to those to whom they are due The omission of the dutie to the soule is either of superiours or inferiours Of superiours as first and cheifly of the minister if he doe not preach and admonish his people plainly and fathfully he is guiltie of murdering distroying their soules As in Ezek. 32. If hee tell not the people of their sinnes they shall die in them but the bloud shall be required at his hands and if hee doe tell them though they amend not he is free as Paule saith I am innocent of the bloude of you and why because I haue tolde you all the counsell of God and kept nothing backe And for other gouernours also as the parents and masters of families for euerie man is a bishop in his owne familie For so he saith in Deut. Thou O Israell shalt teach these thinges vnto thy children thou shalt talke of them c. Those then that haue no care to teach their children and seruants to know God or to come to the word of God wherby they may be sanctified and brought to saluation such embrue their hands with the bloud of their soules and are guiltie of crueltie because through their negligence they let those that are committed to their charge to run headlong into their owne distruction Such are those against whose soule this charge shall lye harde at the day of the Lord That neuer so much as will their inferiours to come to heare Gods worde and to such exercises as may encrease their knowledge but rather permitte yea encourage them to breake the Lords sabboth and spend it in foolish and wicked exercises either at hōe or else
that hauing more money and maintenance then their neighbours they did not bestow it in doing any Worke of mercie to the poore or prouiding any thing of profit for the commonwealth but onely in setting out themselues by new fashions that no new tricke or odde foolish deuise could come vp but they must haue it straight yea they neuer thought themselues well vntill they were beginners of some new fangled inuention concerning their coates that other folkes might looke at them and lust after them and these kinde of persons howsoeuer they seeme fine in their owne eyes yet they be filthie in Gods eyes Also in excessiue diet too much meat and drinke for as one cannot lay on more fuell but he shall haue a greater flame so stuffing ones selfe with meate and drink will make the heart more outragious in all euill lusts As the prophet saith They rise vp full and then they neighed after their nâ—â—ghbours wiues as a fed horse after a mare for though this be an homely comparison yet the holy Ghost vseth it to make the sinne more loathsome Also in excessiue sleepinesse and lazing in bed that a man liues so as the world nor the place where he liues shall be no whit the better for him but he giues himselfe onely to take his ease to rest his bodie vpon his bed to doe nothing but eate and drinke and sleepe that that time which God hath giuen to get good and some knowledge of good and some knowledge of God and assurance of saluation a man should abuse to follow his carnall and vaine sports and to slugging on his bed such manner persons be wantons and by the Apostle put in the number of filthie persons that shall not inherit life In the bodie it selfe and that is eyther in the parts or the whole In the parts as an eye full of lust as Peter saith that ceaseth not to sinne though thy bodie sometimes ceaseth for want of occasion or for weaknesse yet the eye is all busied in vnchast wanton lusts And the tongue in vnchast wanton songs and reading loue bookes of daliance filthinesse which is a kind of contemplatiue fornication They that made them be wantons and those that read them and so euerie other gesture that stirs vp ones selfe or many an other purposely to lust that is wantonnesse as the wise man saith that a wicked man makes a signe with his finger and speakes with his eye The whole bodie is abused to wantonnesse in dauncing for here euerie part is abused to daliance the eye the hand the foot and all in meeting in embracing in tickling and such like All the action is nothing but a profession of an vnchast heart here is an artificiall grace an artificiall pace an artificiall face and in euerie part a wicked art is added to encrease the naturall filthinesse and if you call it a sport it is a verie diuellish sport to vse the bodie as an instrument of wantonnes and an inducement to fornication and adulterie Those also haue offended in wantonnesse that giue themselues libertie to be present and see such things that be practises of wantonnesse as stage playes which serue for nothing but to nourish filthinesse and where they are most vsed their filthinesse is most practised where the man is cloathed with womans apparrell and that as ordinarily is put in vse which the Lord calleth abhomination this is a way to breed confusion of sexes and it is a plaine belying of the sexe Those that then haue thus hurt themselues or others must craue pardon and repent and those parents that themselues in youth haue taken libertie this way must restraine their children contrarie to the common practise of filthie parents that haue themselues beene olde fornicators and wantons now that themselues are spent it doth them good and makes their â—eart glad to see their young children treade in their steppes and runne madding and skipping vp and downe with all wanton and vnseemely behauiour This howeuer men make but a sport of it yet God will not tolerate for if he cannot put vp the abuse of one member alone to wantonnesse he will neuer endure that the whole bodie should be thus abused Thus much of the seuenth commaundement concerning preseruing our owne and an others chastitie The next is concerning goods in the eight commaundement which is Thou shalt not steale THe summe if it is that we should not hurt our owne or our neighbours estate but so farre as we can procure the good of both not vsing good benefites onely to his glorie but to the good and benefit of all mankinde and of our selues The things forbidden are eyther Inward as the desire of the heart Outward eyther publike in Church Common-wealth priuate in Illvsing of ones own by wastfulnes as in 1. Excesse in any thing 2. Idlenesse 3. Suertiship Niggardlinesse Vniust pursuit of other mens goods by Some shew or colour of law as craftie bargaining c. Some meanes without colour as by force or prigging or such like FIrst for the inward breach of this commaundement that is lusting after another mans goods in the heart the secret desire of that which is none of ours though one seeke not to get it wrongfully For as in the former commaundement the filthie concupiscence of the heart was counted adulterie before God though filthie practises did not breake forth so heere he that inwardly longeth after his neighbours goods is a theefe before Gods iudgement seat though he stay his hand from taking of them So in 2. Pet. 2. 14. He describing wicked men saith they haue hearts exercised in couetousnesse Though they durst giue such libertie to their hands yet it was the occupation of their hearts to be alwaies stealing alwaies desiring an other mans goods euen as the thoughts and desires of a christian are busied in thinking of the life to come and of their latter end and how to glorifie God while they liue so there desires and hearts were alwaies wandring and pursuing after an other mans goods this was all the exercise of their heart So Micha 2. 2. They eouet feilds and take them by force First the heart fals a lusting and what then then there is no stay the violence of their lusts carries them headlong and they cannot be at quiet till they haue vndone a man and spoild him of all his goods And this was Acans first beginning of Theuerie He saw a faire garment and a wedge of golde that was no particular mans indeede but he knew it was none of his for God had challeÌ„ged the spoile of all that Cittie to himself but he thought that there was enough for God and for him to and therefore he let his heart loose to desire it and then he could not hold his hands of but tooke it to his owne destruction and the vtter ruine of his whole family for they were all put to death and the first beginning was his coueting heart So Ahab lookes out of his
of the Lord our God but vse it with all reuerence The parts are two A prohibition in these words thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine By the name of God is vnderstood all those things whereby God as by his name hath made himselfe knowne vnto men as his titles his attributes his word and his works In vaine j. rashly idly carelesly without reuerence and due regard The second part is a reason in these words For the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse j. God will surely punish him vvhich reason God sets downe because no signe goes more easily vnpunisht through the hads of men then this for many vvill take it hainously to haue their owne names spoken ill of and abusd But so slight a regard haue most men of God that though his name be blasphemed and profaned though he be dishonored and vilified they lay it not to hart nor care for it therfore least men should make no account of this so great a sinne because it is a thing that mans lawes takes little or no notice of hee sets downe the punishment that though the positiue law of men take no hold on such persons yet the God of heauen and earth will take such in hand and deale with them himselfe hee will not commit them to the hands of inferiour officers but himselfe will see their execution done Now the commandement doth partly forbid partly command it forbids in generall to take the name of God in vaine as is shewed in this Table following Gods name is taken in vaine in life by liuing vngodlily in the profession of religion speach or without an oath in speking vnreuerently of Gods word idly and curiously jestingly wrestingly to charmes titles admiration imprecation gratulation attributs vnreuerently in freeting in defence of ill works within as without as election reprobatiō creation passion with an oath swearing vainely in common talke wickedly to doe euill falsely of that we know not to bee true and purpose not to doe FIrst Gods name is taken in vaine in life by an vngodly and vnholy conuersation of those that professe the religion of God And so Rom. 2. Paul sets downe a reproofe of Iewes that for their sakes the name of God is ill spoken off among the Gentils The Gentiles hated Gods name and were enemies to religion inough of themselues when no occasion was giuen but when they saw the Iewes that profest themselues to bee Gods people and to loue and worship him and to be loued of him also to liue so wickedly to deale so craftely couetously and cruelly this made them hate religion much more and speake ill of God more presumptuously And so in Ezek. 36. The prophet chargeth this vpon them in the 22. ver That they polluted the name of God among the heathen They were so farre from conuerting any one by their good example that by their ill behauiour they made those to hate God which else might haue bene drawne to some liking For that vvhich the wise men speakes in the naturall family is true also in the house of God a wicked sonne saith he is a griefe to his father and a shame to his mother Let an hundreth rogues and vagabonds and runnagates play the filthie persons the vnthrifts the theeues this brings no discredit to the father no man chargeth the fault vpon him he beares no reproch But if his sonne that is brought vp with him in the family and is called after his name shall doe any such thing himselfe hath not onely a blot but he brings also an ill report vpon the whole family his father shall beare a great part of this disgrace So let all the Atheist and papists and carnall worldlings in the world liue wickedly and shew themselues to be as they bee filthy beasts goates and swine without grace and the feare of God it is no such great matter they beare all the blame themselues and the shame lights vpon their owne necks God and his children and his religion are no whit the worse thought of but the better rather when the life of one kinde is compared to the other But now let a professor fall into any wickednesse one that makes a shew to be begotten of God by the immortal seed of the word to be a childe of the church a member of Christ a temple of the spirit let such an one breake forth to some grosse sinnes here will be matter for all the hel-hounds in a country to talke of now the diuel his lims will exult brag now they sharpen and whet their tongues the religion of Christ shal be blasphemed the professours of religion taunted euerie one shall haue this layde in his dish that desires to be a christian and the name of God and the spirit of God shall not escape without some blot of reproch ho say they these be your professors these be these holy men that be so full of the spirit these be they that will be the holy saints of God these be they that runne to sermons and carry bibles these be the fruits of their profession you may see what godly men they be I warrant you they be all alike neuer a barrell better herring you may see by one what be the rest Thus we see what a great staine religion hath among men by the name of those that be hipocritically religious and liue vngodly lie with-out the power of it how they fill wicked mens mouthes full of slaunder giue their malicious harts matter to set it selfe a worke against God and Godlie men and this was the sinne of Ophni and Phineas they should haue bene the Lords high priests haue giuen such good exhortations haue shewed such grace in their conuersation as that all men might haue delighted to come into the place of Gods worship and to serue him according to the law but they were so wicked and so vngodly and so full of filthinesse that the seruice of God by their meanes was made hatefull odious and loathsome Sith then this is such an high taking of gods name in vaine to be a bramble in gods vinyard This serues for the confuting of those men that think if they can keepe their tongues from swearing and forswearing then they be neuer a whit guiltie of the breach of the third commandement if no man can charge them with an oath or periurie they think they need not repent for taking Gods name in vaine Not so but let them know that by an ill lyfe by walking and conuersing after a sinnefull manner they may prophane Gods name more hurt religion more and bring more griefe into the harts shame into the faces of professors then an other by a thousand rash oathes yea by grose and open perjury It is a great fault to abuse the religion of God in lyfe as the titles are attribute of God in speach and therfore vnlesse those that be called christians labour to be christians that their