the corde more then threefold that is not easily broken yet the Pope saith breake these bonds a sunder and cast away these cords from you compasse or imagine the death of your King leuy warre against him adhere to his enemies giue them aide or comfort within or without the Realme I will discharge you of your oath and fealty I will licence you to withdraw your oath of allegiance to take armes against him yea to lay violent hands vpon him occidite or excidite kill him or ill him deponite a thronâ— or exponite periculo depose him from his throne or expose him to danger thus an oath or any other thing to the contrary notwithstanding subiects shall haue law to lift vp their heeles against their head vnder whose feete they should lay downe their liues But I may say vnto the Pope in this case as Moses to the Rebels Å¿ NuÌ„ 16. 7. Korah Dathan and Abiram Yee take toâ— much vpon you yee sonnes of Leuy and as they in the Gospell but more iustly t Maâ—t 2. 2â— By what authority doest thou these things and who gaue thee this authority thou hast no commission to dispense with an oath no power to discharge a man of it thou blasphemest in saying thou wilt free him that breakes it u Mar. â— â—1 Who can forgiue sins but God onely though thou perdon God will punish though thou doest promise faire God will pay home and condemne him as guilty that taketh his name in vaine The fourth Commandement Exodus 20. 8. 9. 10. 11. Remember that thou keepe holy the Sabbath day Sixe daies thou shalt labour and doe all that thou hast to doe but the seauenth day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God In it thou shalt doe no manner of worke thou and thy sonne and thy daughter thy man-seruant and thy maid-seruant thy â—attell and the stranger that is within thy gates For in six daies the Lord made heauen and earth the sea and all that in them is and rested the seauenth day Whererefore the Lord blessed the seauenth day and hallowed it IT is written of the Lacedemonians that by coÌ„mon exercise they could behaue theÌ„selues souldier like in the campe but knew not how to vse the time of peace so many haue stil to husband their busines to trade in their crafts and occupations on the working daies but are to seeke how to vse the Sabbath a time of rest therefore God in this coÌ„mandement would teach vs a lesson with which coÌ„mon vse is not acquainted Remember the Sabbath day to keepe it holy The words containe 1. A charge 2. Seuerall reasons to induce vs to put the charge in execution In the charge wee are to consider 1. The matter giuen in charge 2. The persons to whom the charge is giuen The matter giuen in charge is to hallow the Sabboth which consisteth 1. In resting from our owne workes 2. In labouring in the seruice of God The persons to whoÌ„ the charge is giuen are either Superiors and they more priuate as Parents Masters More publicke as Magistrates Or Inferiours whither they be home bred as children thy sonne or thy daughter seruants thy man-seruant thy maid-seruant or forenners the stranger that is within thy gates The reasons to induce vs to execute this charge are 1. Gods bounteous liberality in giuing six daies for dispatch of our owne busines 2. Iustice which should be in man in giuing euery one his due it is Gods day 3. Gods owne patterne he resteth the seuenth day 4. The benefits that ensue vpon obseruing it that is the blessing of God he blessed c. In it thou shalt doe no manner of worke there be opera fortunae â—ulpâ— naturae workes of our calling workes of sinne and workes of nature from the first we must abstain the seuenth day from the second euery day from the third not by coÌ„pulsion on any day a Deu. 5. 14 God would haue all our Cattell rest by name the Oxe and the Asse I say in this as Saint Paul in an other case doth God take care for Oxen had God respect properly to the cattel or doth he not speake it rather for vs to teach vs to rest on the seuenth day on which the cattel cannot be imployed in any labour without the seruice of man b 2. Sam. 7. 2. Dauids care was not to dwell in a house of Cedar trees whiles the Arke of God remained within the curtaines c Luc. 7. and Iairus is as much commended for building a Synagogue as others in their couetous humours are blamed for demolishing Churches leauing nothing but rude heapes of stone but though this be a worke of so great commendation yet in the law is a Caueat put in that such a good worke be not performed on the d Ex. 31. 13 Sabbath day or any thing then taken in hand that belongs to the Tabernacle e Mat. 26. 13. The good worke of Mary Magdalenâ— in powring a box of oyntment on the head of Christ shall be spoken of for a memoriall of her vnto the worlds end so on the other side the with-holding of her oyntment on the Sabbath day is set downe to her commendation that though she and the other f Mar. 16. 1 Mary Iames his mother had prepared sweete oyntments to annoint the dead body of Christ yet they came not to the Sepulcher till the Sabbath was past but rested that day according to the g Luc 23. 56. Commandement Here-upon Canâ—tus a King of this land not full 32. yeares before the conquest ordeyned that fayres Courts and worldly workes on that day should be forborne and in the 4. yeare of King Henry the 2. the common Councell of London decreed that nothing should be bought or sould within the liberties of that Citie and that no artificer or handy crafts-man should bring his wares or workes to any person to be worne or occupied on that day for by this meanes they thought the day to be profaned Two sorts of people are here to be blamed the first are they which ouer keepe it as the Iewes which are too nice and too strickt in obseruing this day and therefore if a man were sicke or diseased they thought that vpon this day meanes might not be h Ioh. 7. 23. â— vsed for his recouery for Christ chargeth them with this that they were angry with him for that hee had made a man whole on the Sabbath day yea the i Pharisees in reputation Act. 23. 8. greater then the Sadducees and sounder in beleefe the k Act. 26. 5 most exact sort and comming nearest to the law began to picke a quarrell with l Act. 22. â—1 Christ for that his Disciples being hungry did m Mat. 12. plucke the eares of corne on the Sabbath day they find no fault for plucking the eares for this the law permitted n Den. 23. 25. but to plucke them on the Sabbath day this they
thought a point next the worst nay more then so if a house were on fire they thought on this day they might not fetch water to quench the fire if a vessell did run out they thought on this day they might not stop it and as in Prester Iohns Countrey they which receiue the Sacrament may not so much as spitte till the Sun set so the Iewes thought that on this day no body might in publicke scratch where it itched o Lu. 14. 5. If an Oxe or an Asse did fall into any pitte it was lawfull to plucke him out on the Sabbath day then what an asse was that Iewe that would not be pluckt out of a stinking pit which he fell into vpon the Sabbath day But the Iewes went not so farr on the right hand in ouer-keeping it but we some of vs in our practise goe as far on the left hand in vnder-keeping it we doe not so cast to dispatch that we haue to doe in the sixe dayes but we reserue vntill the seuenth matters which we thinke to be of smaller importance the Farmer will not now yoake his Oxen or set his Plough forward but he will saddle his Horse and speede himselfe to busines abroad the craftes-man will not be seene to keepe his shop-windowes open but he can follow his occupation closely within doores as though God did not see him but aboue all other the superstitious Sea-faring man deserues most blame who occupying his busines in great waters and saying the better day the better lucke will neuer set to sea but on a Sunday and so runnes with full sayle into the breach of this Commandement Againe as we must rest from workes of our vocation so from workes which are an auocation from God and this is that which the Apostle saith he that is entred into his rest p Heb. 4. 10 hath also ceased from his owne workes as God did from his figures of this resting from sinne was the land of Canaan called a rest because Israell ceased from the bondage of Egypt from trauaile in the Wildernes from feare of enemies that rose vp against them againe the resting the seuenth weeke the seuenth moneth the seuenth yeare the seuen times seuenth yeare which was the yeare of Iubilye and this seuenth day should be as salt to draw out our inward corruption to fâ—et and consume and eate out the concupiscence of the whole man the Iewes might not carry a burden thorough the gates of the Citie on the Sabbath day q Ier. 17. 27. Sinne is a burden and lyeth vpon the heart it must not on this day enter into the soule thorough the gates of the senses the flesh is troublesome our passions are vnquiet naturally al that is within vs al that is without vs rebelleth against the spirit on this day haue a care that they may be cut off which trouble you Qui quiescit quiescat for so it is in the old translation Englished in the Geneua thus r Eze. 3. 27 he that leaueth off let him leaue so let him that resteth from the labour of the body rest from the sinne of the soule but our Tauernes in townes Alehouses in countrey the Kings high waies abroad our owne streetes at home doe too truely witnes that the diuell hath more seruice on the seuenth day then all the sixe dayes besides whereas the Prophet Esay would haue vs on this day to haue an eye to our thoughts words and deeds when he faith Å¿ Esa 58. â—3 not doing thine owne waies nor seeking thine owne will nor speaking a vaine word and this is to celebrate a feast vnto the Lord when neither the soule is vexed inwardly with the slauish workes of sinne nor outwardly with the seruile workes of the world not that wee should haue a care to refraine sinne this day and being careles let goe the bridle to iniquitie all the weeke after for what were it to rest from sinne the seuenth day and afterward to run ryot then to rest our selues and our horse a while that afterwards we might ride out of the way with fuller course but an especiall regard is to be had to this time which if we ryot out we may assure our selues that God will sue vs vpon an action of wast then must one day teach another this day the weeke day that so we may serue God in righteousnes and holynes all the dayes of our life As vpon this day we must rest from workes of our calling and from workes of sinne so we must set our selues to another taske keepe it holy dedicate it wholy to the seruice of God to rest from our labours onely is to keepe it idlely and all this while the Asse at the cribbe keepes as good a Sabbath as wee to rest from sinne onely is to keepe it by halues and therefore we must goe one step further consecrate it as glorious vnto the Lord t Esa 58. 13 call the Sabbath a delight and delight in the Lord Not but that we should study to acquit our duties to God on other dayes and by obseruing his word get him honour but whereas u Num. 28. 9. vnder the law a single sacrifice was appointed for other dayes two lambes were commanded to be offered on the Sabbath to shew that on that day men should double their deuotion vnder the Gospell our Sauiour Christ wrought more miracles on the Sabbath and feast dayes then vpon any other dayes besides what religious exercises are to be performed this day we may learne out of seuerall places in Scipture especially out of two Psalmes the 92. Psalme for of all the Psalmes that is the only Psalme which beares the title a Psalme or song for the Sabbath day as being vsed euery Sabbath by the Leuites when the congregation was assembled together and the 95. Psalme which in the liturgy of our Church wee reade euery Sabbath day before the seuerall Psalmes which in thirty dayes are appointed to be said or soung in the congregation First therefore earely in the morning we must prepare and make our selues fit to receiue the word Gods word is a lanterne vnto our feete and a light vnto our pathes but it cannot shine vnto vs if sinne as a curtaine be drawne ouer our hearts it is seede good seede but cannot prosper if it be sowne among thornes it is water to wash vs and therefore we must slip off our sinnes as we slip off our cloathes when wee goe into the Bath and this is that which Saint Iames saith x lay apart all filthines and superfluity of maliciousnes and recieue with meckenes the word that is graffed in you Secondly hauing prepared our selues wee must repaire to the Church and come before his presence the prodigall child saith y Luc. 15. 17. In my fathers house is bread enough this is our fathers house in which it pleaseth him to dwell here is the spirituall Manna to refresh the soule here is the poole Bethesda in z Ioh.
called theeues not such theeues as are commissioners on Salisbury plaine which by mistaking a word take vp such purses as fall in the lapse for want of sufficient defence but Den theeues y Mat. 21. 13. my house shal be called the house of prayer but yee haue made it a Den of theeues you haue crept into my right made a false entry vpon my freehold as great a blot doth cleaue vnto your hands as if the wildernes had giuen you and your children foode Againe Tithes and offerings are appointed and dedicated to the seruice of God and therefore they which with z Dan. 5. 3. Balthazar carrowse in the bowles of the Temple and the Merchants which breaking into the Church take away that which is the Ministers maintenance let them sterue at the altar that serue at the altar are as bad as the theeues which Christ whipt out of the Temple and would crucifie Christ again for his coate God makes them no better then theeues when he saith a Mal. 8. 3. you haue robbed me or you haue spoiled me in Tithes Offerings so likewise the eternall God who made time who b Gen. 1. 3. brought light out of darknes who put difference betwixt day and night betwixt day and day consecrated the Sabbath to his seruice and therefore it is sacriledge to take it vp for our owne vse for what is sacrilâ—gium but sacrilâ—dium a profaning of that which is holy c Mat. 22. 21. giue therefore as vnto Caesar the things which are Câ—sars so vnto God the things which are Gods giue him the calues of thy lips the roote of thy heart the first fruit of thy age the tenth of thy substance the seuenth of thy time But for so much as six daies are common to all men and God hath his seuenth seuerall to himselfe as his owne inclosure it would be knowne that God might haue his due time which of the seuen is the day that he claimes as his owne speciall right and interest The Iewes according to Gods institution set apart the Satterday for the seruice of God and that which wee call Sunday was their d Luc. 24. 1 first day of the weeke this they did in remembrance of the creation celebrating that day to giue credit to the greatest worke that euer was before but as the benefit of Israels deliuerance from the captiuity of Babylon was so great that it abolished the remembrance of her deliuerance from Aegypt e Ier. 16. 14 It shall no more bee said The Lord liueth which brought vp the children of Israell out of the Land of Aegypt but the Lord liueth that brought vp the children of Israell from the Land of the North So the benefit of our deliuerance from the captiuity of Sathan and the rising of Christ from finishing the worke of our redemption was so great that in respect of this other benefits are forgotten this shineth as the Sunne among the lesser starres and therefore God did change the day and put it off from that day he did lay in the graue till the day when by rising againe he did ouercome death and opened vnto vs the gate of euerlasting life And to shew the alteration the Apostles gaue this day the name of f Re. 1. 10. the Lords day g Act. 20. 7. they themselues kept it and h 1 Cor. 16. 1. ordained that the Churches in their time should obserue it this is indeed a day of good tidings We doe not well if we hold our peace this is indeed the day which the Lord hath made we must reioyce and be glad in it this is indeed a day like that night in Exodus i Ex. 12. 42 to be kept holy vnto the Lord that day of the Lord which all of vs must keepe throughout our generations Great was the worke of creation and therefore wee must now mount vpward with the wings of nature greater was the worke of redemption and therefore we must now soare aloft with the wings of grace It cost more to redeeme vs then make vs for in our creation k Ps 148. 5. dixit factum est hee spake the word and it was done but in our redemption he spake and did and suffered many things hee created the world in six daies but in restoring man hee laboured more then thirty yeeres In creating vs he gaue vs our selues in redeeming vs he gaue himselfe for vs so that how much he is greater then we so much is this day greater then that and more worthily to be obserued in regard of redemption then that in remembrance of creation not now to bee altered any more because there can bee no greater worke then this of redemption nor can so well deserue an â—cce in the beginning or Selah in the end to be stamped vpon it For in six dayes c. and rested the seuenth Longum itâ—r per praecepta breue per exempla to teach by praecept is tedious but by example but a short cut All the people cut downe euery l Iud. 9. 49. man his bough when they saw Abimelech cut downe boughs of trees and bare them on his shoulder to set the holde of the Shechemites on fire Reason should rule and to shew that it should beare sway it lodgeth in the midst of the braine the highest part of the frame of man but when reason cannot perswade example will moâ—e all the reason that Origen did beate into Alexander Seuerus could not so soone perswade him that Christ was the Sonne of God as the example of Origen And the Christians keepe holy the Sabboth day here is the precept which should binde vs especially seeing there is a memorandum set vpon it but if this cannot inforce obedience yet yeeld to reason God gaue you six daies for your owne seruice iudge then whither you are not to blame if you grudge him the seuenth if this hedge will not hold you in â—ee further whether this be stronger it is his owne day giue him his due if you yet breake thorough take God himselfe for an example and let this yoake you that he finishing his worke in six daies his worke of creation not of preseruation rested the seuenth In that God prescribing a law is himselfe an vnprinted statute and maketh his owne doing a commentary vpon that he prescribeth my note is this that they which teach other must as well instruct them vita as verbo bee as well lamps shining as voices crying knowing that the m Act. 2. 3. holy Ghost discended not in the likenes of tongues alone or fyre alone but in the likenes of fiery tongues and then doe they make themselues n NuÌ„ â—0 1. two trumpets when they lift vp their voice as a trumpet their life as a trumpet The vse is this to trace God by this fragrant odour and sweete sent let the resting on the seuenth day descend from God vnto man as the oyntment runnes downe from the head
of his fauour and vnlocke the closet of his benefits wee shall haue priuatiue blessings which consiste in deliuering vs from euill we shall haue positiue blessings which consiste in doing vs good some in possession some in expectation some in act some in hope corporall spirituall temporall eternall his grace shall preuent vs his mercy shall follow vs all the dayes of our liues Let therefore the end of the sixt day be a bound to ouâ— busines like the bound on the k Ex. 19. 12 Mount which the people must not passe like the riuer which Shemei l 1. Kin. 2. 37 must not goe beyond an Herculis columna wherein is gâ—â—uen non vltra no further then thus let nothing draw our busines without the gates within which God hath confined it let not now worldly affayres looke in at our windowes if our couetous affections would be to bold let religion ouer-rule them curb them put them to a non plus and with checke and frowne keepe them vnder goe no further then we are led by this law as the wise men went no further then they were guided by the starre let our Omer be filled the sixt day then set we downe our rest and gather now no more Manna for refreshing the body till the seuenth day be past neuer set vpon that day which God hath set apart for himselfe let our trading stand still when it is come to the Lords day as m Mat. 2. 5. the Starre when it came vnto Christ so God shall blesse vs and saue vs and shew the light of his countenance vpon vs which shall shine more and more vntill it be perfect day vntill we celebrate an euerlasting Sabbath and finde continuall rest in Christ Iesus to whom with the Father and the holy Ghost three persons and one God be all glory power Praise and Dominion now and for euer Amen The fift Commandement Exod 20. 12. Honour thy father and mother that thy daies may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee ON two Commandements hang the whole law and the a Mat. 22. 40. ver 37. Prophets The first thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thine heart with all thy soule and with all thy minde on this hangeth the first table of the law as vpon a great nayle of the Sanctuary The second is like vnto this thou shalt loue thy neighbour ver 39. as thy selfe on this hanges the second table as on another nayle fastned in the holy place When the loue of God doth carry vs along toward the hauen of happines we take a good course as when one riuer runeth towards the Ocean it goes as it should but when this doth meete with the loue of our neighbour as one riuer meeteth with another then there is a current indeed and we set forward with a maine streame to a sea of blessednes and therefore as b Act. 2. 2. the holy Ghost was giuen from heauen that we should loue God so was it giuen on earth that we should loue men and therefore the Scripture maketh â— 1 Tim. 2. 2 godlynes and honesty to meete together d Luc. 1. 75 holynes and righteousnesse to kisse each other or rather weaues them together as e o 19. 23 the coate of Christ without seame that they might not be put a sunder both of them make vp one perfect paire of compasses which can take the true latitude of a Christian heart the first like the top of Iacobs ladder reacheth to heauen the f GeÌ„ 28. 12 second like the foote of the ladder rests on the earth or rather walkes about in a perfect circle of all such duties as one of vs owe vnto another by the first we walke in reuerent regard of all that duty wee owe to Gods Maiesty by the second in simplicity we serue our brethren and yeeld to euery callings seuerall person that duty which belongeth vnto him The first of these I haue already with the helpe of God passed ouer to the second I am to set forward at this time God againe giue winde to may sayles that I may run the point aright and let my words be not only like Peters Angle g Mat. 27. which cast into the sea tooke a fish but like Peters net a Luc. 5. 6. which let downe to make a draught inclosed a great multitude of fishes Honour thy father The words rest your eares on these two heads 1. A charge Honor thy father teÌ„porall as the father of the house as thy father by Nature Office countrey thy betters in place thy Elders in yeeres Spirituall thy Pastor and Minister which begets thee to God by the immortall seede of his word 2. A motiue to induce vs to harken to the charge i. a promise of long life that thy daies may be long pleasant and fruitfull habitation in the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee HOnour thy father A duty so necessary that Philo the Iew placed this fift Commandement in the first Table as though wee had not performed our whole duty to the God of heauen except wee gaue the honour heere required to Parents to Magistrates to all such as represent the person of God vpon earth Frst therefore honour thy father thy naturall father because thou art 2 man b Heb. 12. â— God indeed is the father of Spirits and therefore called c Num. 16 22. the God of the spirit of all flesh and though he made all his workes in six dayes and then rested yet this resting was from workes of a new kinde â—ot of the same kinde for he that d GeÌ„ â— 7. breathed in the first mans â—ace breath of life so that hee was a liuing soule doth still after a wonderfull manner create the soule in the infusion of it and infuseth it in creating it but goe to the flesh he vseth our parents as instruments of the worke and they are meanes in framing that part and therefore should children yeeld honour vnto them The Scripture vseth diuers Arguments to draw vs on to the performance of this duty as the care which parents haue of their children good education of which the Apostle speaketh when he saith e Eph. 6. â— Bring them vp in instruction and information of the Lord bring them vp this respecteth meate drinke and apparell parents are not like the Rauen which forsakes her young till they are of colour like vnto her selfe nor yet like the Kite which grieueth to see her young in good plight Indeed we read of parents which haue cast out their children whom the wolues haue nourished which though it bee not true yet hath a semblance of truth for wolues may become fathers fathers haue become wolues but these are such as Saint Paul brandeth with this marke f RoÌ„ 1. 30. 1. without naturall affection but by nature parents seruant depositum keepe that which God hath giuen them and haue a care to preserue the
inordinate quarunt h Io. 8. 19. vbi est quia vbique est the Pharisees should not aske where he is but where is he not he is a circle whose centre is no where and circumference euery where he filleth all things not that they containe him but rather that he contains them he is whole in all things and all things in him and as he beareth vp heauen and earth and yet is not burdened so he filleth heauen and earth and yet is not inclosed Heauen is his chamber of presence there he is by glory the heart of his elect is his preuy chamber there he is by grace and though he be farre off from the thoughts of the wicked yet is he not away for where he is absent by grace there is he present by vengeance The argument then is this I am the Lord therefore you that are seruants must obey i Mat. 8. 8. I say to my seruant doe this and he doth it It is Gâ—rrans obseruation The other Apostles call Christ k Mat. 26. 22. 25. Lord because they meant to obey him but Iudas doth not so because he had shaken off the yoke of obedience they say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 howsoeuer it come to passe that our Geneua translation in English make no difference in the title l Luc. 19. 3. 8. Zacheus desired to see Iesus because he needed a sauiour by and by he called him Lord as though he were at his beck to doe his will The whole order of nature is nought else then a proofe of the obdience which all creatures both aboue and beneath yeeld vnto the Lord the m Iob 37. 12. Raine Winde and Stormes execute that he commandeth n Mat. 8. 27 The Sea obey him when he stilleth the raging waues thereof when he treads vpon it as his freehold o Mat. 14. 25. when it is so stiffe that he may walke vpon it p Luc 5. 6. 7 The inhabitants of the sea obey him when they come thicke and three-fold into Simons net The earth obey q Ioh. 11. 43 him when he bids Lazarus come forth The heauens obey him r Act. 1. 9. when it openeth and receiueth him into glory This is sufficient euidence to condemne vs and shall set a glosse on our rebellion if we which haue sense wit and reason shall disobey if the heart of our heart and the inmost concauity thereof which is made to containe vitall breath be not filled vp with subiection to the will of the Lord that we can say euery one of vs thy law is within my heart The Lord thy God the Lord of all by right of possion the Lord God by right of ereation but the Lord thy God O Israell by â—ight of speciall election for thou art separated from other Conntries as Å¿ Es 20. 6. an I le from other lands t 1 Pet. 2. 25. God is a Bishop and u Mat 28. 19. he giues his Apostles a commission to visit all other Diocesses of the world but Israel was a Peculiar and this x Luc. 1. 68 he visited in his owne person y Deut. 7. 6 others were as the Commnos of the world these as Gods owne inclosure Other nations like wilde beasts wandred among mountaines woods and deserts these as his owne flocke hee receiued into his folde z Hos 11. 3. 4. Hee ledde Ephraim as one should beare them in his armes hee ledde them with cords of a man euen with bands of loue They which voluntarily come into any Kings dominion euen by the common law of Nations are subiects to that King a GeÌ„ 46. 6 Iacob and his family goe into Egypt yet God giues them a priuiledge calling in Israel his sonne and b Ex. 4. 22. his first borne At the first before the couenant God made with Abraham one person was not more respected then another but as soone as it was said c Gen. 17. 7 I will bee thy God and the God of thy seed after thee the Church was diuided from other nations no otherwise then light was from darkenesse in the first creation but as in the time of Brutus sic parâ—is componere magna solemus Britaine was but one Monarchy which after him was diuided into three Kingdomes till our gratious King Iames pulled downe the partition wall and ioyned not onely Roses but Realmes together so the people of the world before the couenant being of one and the same condition and all alike vnder one God were afterwards diuided into Iewes and Gentiles and one much more respected then the other till Christ the Prince of peace came who breaking downe the wall of partition made an vnion made of Iewes and Gentiles one people so that d RoÌ„ 2. 29 he is not now a God of the Iewes alone but of the Gentiles also and the Greeks may as well say Christ as the Hebrews Iesus the one e RoÌ„ 8. 15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as well as the other Abba and this that God is our God is the second argument here vsed to allure vs to obedience f Gen. 27. 12. Iacob is afraid to abuse old Isaac because he is his father g GeÌ„ 39. 8 Ioseph will not consent to the inticements of his mistrisse because Putifar is his good master and we must be afraid to offend because we haue a good Father a good Master a good God if we wander out of the way and go astray from his Commandements turning aside to the right hand or to the left he may iustly challenge vs and say I am thy God thy God why hast thou forsaken mee h 1 King 12 â— The gray-headed Counsellors in Israell which had stood before Salomon while he yet liued told Rehoboam his sonne If thou speake kind words vnto this people this day they will bee thy seruants for euer God speaketh kinde words vnto vs this day I am the Lord I am thy God and therefore wee must not bee seruants vnto sinne but in a resolute detestation whipping that bad merchant out of the temple of our heart be his seruants for euer Which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt Egypt was a land full of superstition it honoured diuels it honoured men it honoured beasts it honoured plants what thing was it but it was to them a God and therefore this was a great fauour of God to be deliuered out of it Nature hath ingrafted in euery creature to loue the place where it tooke birth and beginning i Ecc. 1. 7. The Riuers goe to the Sea from whence they came k Gen. 8. 9 The Doue returned to the Arke from whence shee came forth l 1 King 11 22. Hadad lacketh nothing with Pharaoh yet in any case will goe into his owne Country but yet if Caldea the place of Abrahams natiuity serueth strange gods then the Lord saith vnto him m GeÌ„ 12. 1 Get thee
to offer to God for escaping the danger of the floud for his mercy comming inter pontem fontem betwixt the bridge and the brooke inter gladium ingulum betwixt the knife and the throate when Abraham lifted vp his hand to haue killed his sonne for escaping the cruelty of Pharaoh when they were brought out of the land of Ham and once a yeere and that was in september g Leu. 23. 42. the Israelits must dwell in tents seuen daies that they might better remember their preseruation in the wildernesse But the Prophet Mulachie may charge vs as well as hee did the Iewes both with the forgetfulnesse of our owne sinnes for they said h Mar. 1. 6. 2. 17. 3. 8. 13. Wherein haue wee blasphemed thee i Wherein haue wee wearied thee k Wherein haue wee spoyled thee l What haue wee spoken against thee as also of Gods blessings for they said m Mal. 1. 2. Wherein hast thou loued vs Wee are like Lâ—ts daughters who quickly put out of their mind as well their owne deliuerance as the destruction of Sodome and when they were gone with their father from Zoar to the mountaine n Gen. 19. 33. committed such incest as they might seeme to haue beene carried to a land where all things were forgotten In this wee resemble Abraham who said the second time of his wife o GeÌ„ 20. 2. shee was his sister as though hee neuer remembred Gods former punishent vpon Pharaoh or his owne deliuerance from danger Surely saith Iacob God is in p Gen. 28. 16. this place and I was not aware and God is among vs and many times takes away his hand from vs whereas hee did hold our noses to the grind-stone and wee are not aware we thinke not of it in extremities wee vow and promise faire but being deliuered wee forget the griefe of our misery and comfort of our deliuerance Gods blessings goe round about earthly men and they are no more moued then the earth which hath the circumference carried about it and it selfe standeth still giue mee leaue to instance in two particular deliuerances one of the body another of the soule first from the gunpouder treason though a match should haue gone to the working of it yet a treason matchlesse for example for it is of the first impression neuer before seene or allowed nameles for vglynes or at least it hath no name adaquatum sufficient to expresse it the name of Legion comes nearest to it q Mar. 5. 9. it had in it so many murderous spirits which cared not though their friends did fall so as their foes might dye withall Which regarded not either safety of the King or of the Countrey of the Queene or of the Prince but would haue swept away both Moses and Aaron Prelate and Potentate Priest and people high and low one with another haue killed the young ones with the damme and haue made Acheldama a field of bloud both of Church and common wealth But when the proud did thus rise vp against vs and the assemblies of wicked men did seeke after our soules r 2 Cor. 1. 9. 10. when wee receiued as the Apostle speaketh of his owne dangers the sentence of death then God who raiseth the dead deliuered vs from so great a death kept all our bones that not one of them was broken he to whom the shieldes of the world belong couered vs and with his fauour compassed vs as with a shield he who standeth about his people as the mountaines stand about Ierusalem deliuered our soules from the lowest graue as for those traytors which willingly drew to sinne against their will were drawne to payne God was terrible out of his holy places they did drinke of the wrath of the King and of the the state which brought them to naught as the rockes repell breake and consume into froath the boysterous waues which beate against them conantia frangere frangunt so let thine enemies perish O Lord but they that loue thy name let them be as the Sunne when it riseth in its might and let the land haue peace Nestâ—rs yeares As Iob spake of his words so say I of this great worke of â— Iob. 19. 24. God in preseruing vs Oh that it were written oh that it were written euen in a booke and grauen with an yron pen in leade or in stone for euer that it might be a signe vnto vs vpon our hands and a remembrance betweene our eyes that it might be bound vpon the heart and goe downe into the bowels of the belly but it is almost forgotten as a dead man out of minde buryed in obliuion as Christ was buryed in the earth and in very deede we deale with all our preseruations They are so many as Salomon did with the brasse of the Temple t 2 King 7. 47. it was so much he weighed it not but if Moses will haue the u Ex. 12. 42. Israelites keepe the night holy in which they were brought out of Aegipt and bids them x Ex. 13. 3. remember that day in which they came out of the house of bondage then remember and keepe holy the day of this deliuerance and say This is the day which the Lord hath made we will reioyce and be glad in it If you be silent rowse vp one another with the fower lepers which being deliuered from death when they were in the middest of it y 2. Kin. 7 9 sayd one to another this is a day of good tydings we doe not well to hold our peace Come to the deliuerance of the soule from the tyranny of Satan the thraldome of finne and the very gulfe of hell for the diuell is a Pharaoh the world is an Aegypt subiection to Satan is a bondage but Christ is our Moses who hauing conquered sinne death and hell hath wrought our deliuerance z 1. Sam. 17 34. when Dauid the youngest sonne of Iesse kept sheepe there came a Lyou and a Beare and tooke a sheepe out of the flocke but he went out after them slue them both and tooke away the sheepe though they rose against him our Sauiour Christ not the youngest but a Rom. 8. 29. first begotten of his brethren is the true shepheard who watcheth ouer his flocke b Luc 2. 8. like the shepheard of Bethlem there came a Loyn c 1. Pet. 5. 8. that roaring Lyon which goeth about seeking to deuour vs and a Bears d Pro. 28. 15. like that hungry beare in the Prouerbes of Salomon and e Dan. 7. 5. like that beare in Daniels vision which deuoured much flesh and tooke not one sheepe but the whole flocke but the shepheard following tooke them out of his mouth As for the bondage and thraldome of sinne by nature it reigneth in our mortall bodyes it hath gotten such a iurisdiction ouer vs as Iulius Caesar had ouer the Senate Perpetuam dictaturam we obey it in the lusts thereof
therefore called them i Ier. 44. 17 the Queene of heauen and burnt incense vnto her and powred out drinke offerings vnto her supposing plenty and scarsity health and sicknesse weale and woe came by her so doe the superstitious in our times following Astrologers which are as Oecolampadius saith the greatest of all Impostors an Impostor is a Coniurer Iuggler or cony-catcher worships these heauenly bodyes supposing mankinde is ruled by them and therefore when they fall sicke the starres are their counsellers they take their Calender if they finde it an euill day when their sicknesse began their soule is powred out vpon them they perswade themselues that they shall not onely bee weakened and sore broken that their health shall passe away as a cloud but that they shall goe the way of all the earth that the graue shall be their house and they shall make their bed in the darke and the worme shall feele their sweetnesse and therefore making their wils take their leaue of all the world but if it bee a good day they doubt not but all sicknesse shal be taken away from them health shall bee vnto their nauell and marow to their bones that their flesh shall bee as fresh as a childs and returne as in the daies of their youth But the Prophet Esay derideth such as these are saying k Esay 47. 13. Let now the Astrologers the Starre-gasers and Prognosticators stand vp and saue thee not that he condemneth Astronomy for it is good to know the course of the heauens the rising and setting of the starres l GeÌ„ 1. 14 which God appointed to giue light and to make difference of times and seasons but vtterly disliketh Astrology whereby men will vndertake to know things which are to come and attribute the operation in the elements to the starres which belongeth to God who made the starres m Ps 147. 4 and calleth them all by their names which serueth to no vse but to delude the people and contrary to this commandement to bring them from depending onely on God Wee must not feare this feare and as our Sauiour Christ dehorting vs from carking care saith n Mat. 6. 31 32. take no thought saying what shall wee eate or what shall we drinke or wherewith shall we bee clothed vsing this argument after all these things doe the Gentiles seeke so the Lord in the prophecy of Ieremy by the like reason dehorteth from this feare saying o Ier. 10. 2. Learne not the way of the heathen and be not affraid for the signes of heauen though the heathen be afraid of such Moreouer the wicked feare rumors when it was noysed that there was borne Iesus King of the Iewes p Mat. 2. 2. 3. King Herod was troubled and all Ierusalem with him their hearts were moued as the trees of the forest by the winde rottennesse entred into their bones and they trembled in themselues so q Es 7. 2. when it was told the house of Dauid that Aram was ioyned with Ephraim the soule of the King and his people was pressed downe feare and trembling did come vpon them an horrible feare did couer them God hateth this feare and therefore will haue his people r Ier. 51. 46 goe out of the midst of Babell lest their hearts should faint and they feare the rumor should be heard in the land concerning the taking of Babell for the newes came the first yeere the siege came the second yeere and it was taken in the third and Å¿ Ps 112. 7. a good man will not bee afraid of any euill tidings for his heart is fixed and beleeueth in the Lord he is well grounded and therefore like Mount Sion he cannot bee remoued but standeth fast for euer the feare of God doth ballance his heart and therefore hee floateth steadily blowe what winde it will he sailes to the porte A fourth feare disliked is feare of disgrace which many times maketh not onely the wicked but euen good men backward in performing their duty this was one cause why Ionas was vnwilling to go to Niniuâ—h and preach vnto it the preaching that God bad him t Ion. 3. 3. Yet forty daies and Niniuâ—h shal be â—uerthrowne for he did not onely despaire of successe being out of hope that the children of Ashur would turne to the Lord when the children of Israell would not repent but feare of reproch did trouble him more when considering there was in God u Ion. 4. 2. great kindnesse and x Ps 63. 3. louing kindnesse which simples compounded make great louing kindnesse in God considering he was not onely of long suffering before hee inflicteth punishment but penitent in the stay and intermission of it hee thought he should be counted a false prophet that would bee a reprofe vnto him he should bee a prouerbe and a common talke among the people and therefore flyeth to Tarshis saying in effect with Moses y Ex. 4. 13. sende by the hand of him whom thou shouldest send This feare of disgrace began to worke vpon Paul when God called him to preach to the Gentiles z Act. 22. 1â— They know saith he that I prisoned and beate in eâ—ery Synagogue them that beleeued in thee now if I shall preach thee whom before I persecuted what will they say they will say that I weaue and vnweaue like Penelope being as variable in my practises as Proteus in hâ—s shapes set vp one day to pull downe another that I am changed as the Moon which neuer viewes vs twice with the same face thus because he would not suffer contempt he seeketh couert would stop Gods mouth vpon good termes alleadging a plea to put off the office which he was to execute To come to our selues I am perswaded that among vs many papists on the left hand many schismatikes on the right hand betwixt which two the Church liturgy of the Church is crucified a Mat. 2â— 38. as our Sauior Christ between the two malefactors would be brought to the tabernacles of peace and follow the truth in loue where it not for this that they thinke they should bee a reproach vnto their neighbours a scorne and derision to them that are round about them haue I been thus long a Recusant thinkes some Papists haue I thus many yeeres held these and these opinions and shall I now staine my cheeks with the blushes of recantation and not second my beginnings with sutable proceedings shall a Retraxit be entred against me as against the person plaintife when he commeth into the court where his plea is and saith he will not proceede what will men say they will say that I am a wauering weathercoke a reede shaken to and fro with the winde that I am so light that I had need to haue lead tyed to my heeles lest euery wind should blow me away that I ebbe and flow that I haue one mind sitting another standing in a word this fact of mine will
souldiour like to wound a man vpon his backe is it iustice like to throw away the ballance that Iustice holdeth in her hand to sit and iudge according to the law this is the Magistates duty but to command one to bee stricken contrary to the law before hee bee examined this is tyranny wilt thou haue an archer shoote right before hee sees the marke why doest thou thus turne iudgement into gall and the fruit of righteousnesse into wormewood God doth not take this course but g Amos 7. 8. he sets his line before hee heweth with his axe and our Sauiour Christ speaketh first of the accusation then of the condemnation h Io. 8. 10 woman where are thine accusers hath no man condemned thee God will spend his plagues vpon the wicked and bestow his arrowes on them hee will speake vnto them in his wrath and vexe them in his sore displeasure vpon the Sodomites hee will raine snares fire and brimstone this shall bee their portion to drinke he will make them like a fiery ouen in time of his wrath but to shew that his hand shall not take hold on this iudgement before his eye hath taken view of the inditement hee saith I will goe downe and see and still obserue this in the will of the Lord he neuer makes his hands executors but first he makes his eyes the ouerseers and this is that which is in the Prophet Amos i Amos 9. 8 the eyes of the Lord God are vpon the sinfull Kingdome and I will destroy it cleane out of the earth But againe if God doth spread his eyes vpon all and k Iob 25. 3 as Bildad saith his light doth arise vpon them if he bee like Minerua who was so portrayed by the cunning Painter Amuliâ—s that which way soeuer on cast his eye she alwayes looked on him l Iob. 1. 7. why doth he aske Satan from whence hee came Why m Gen. 44. 19. will not you giue Ioseph leaue to aske his brethren that which he knoweth already Our Sauiour Christ knoweth that the blind mans suite is for recouery of his sight but yet asketh n Luc. 18. 41. what wilt thou that I doe vnto thee First that the blind man might be the more stirred vp to pray as one loath to loose audience for want of speaking out Secondly that the Miracle in restoring sight might appeare the greater when the infirmitie was made knowne by his owne confession Thirdly that the standers by might be edified by his putting vp so discreete a Petition Lastly to shew that God will haue as well o Mat. 6. 8. the calues of the lippes as calues of the heart and though being wisdome p Rom. 8. 29. he knoweth our neede and being mercy heareth our very groanes yet will haue both heart and tongue to pay tribute though the prayer be neuer so short a Briefe neuer so little a Current of speach For a great Ocean of matter Elisha to Gehezi whence commest thou Gehezi not but that Elisha knew that he had followed after Naaman for q 2. Kin. 5. 25. 26. went not mine heart with thee when the man turned againe from his Chariot to meete thee But that the answere of Gehezi might shew vs the equitie of the punishment which was inflicted on him not only for running after Naaman not only for taking Talents and garments but for lye and all so the Lord sayd vnto Satan r Iob. 1. 7. whence comest thou Not but that he knew from whence he came but that the answere of Satan I come from compassing the earth too and fro and from walking in it might teach vs the nature of Satan Å¿ 1. Pet. 5. 8. who goeth about like a roaring Lyon seeking whom he may deuour And as the Panther so hateth man that he setteth vpon the image of man and teares it in pieces so Satan when he cannot set vpon God sets vpon man the image of God Againe t Iob. 1. 12. Satan went out from the presence of the Lord not that hee went out of Gods sight but that he hasted to speede his commission Againe u Iob. 22. 12. is not God on high in heauen not that he is inclosed in the heauens but because there is such a marke of his Maiesty and glory Againe x Gen. 28. 16. surely God is in this place not that he is not in another place but there he sheweth a plaine euidence of his presence Againe y Gen. 13. 13. I am the God of Bethel not that he is Anchored in those narrow straights but that he might put Iacob in remembrance of the promise that there was made vnto him For if he can truely say in Plautus vbi sum ibi non sum vbi non sum ibi animus est If z 2. Kin. 5. 26. Elishaes spirit goes with Gehezi if a 1. Cor. 5. 3. Saint Paul absent from the Corinthians in body was present with them in spirit much more shall God I speake now of the second person in Trinity who is gone hence absent in his humanity be in his Diuine nature present with all things as one and with each thing as all to the end of the world God then is cleare from misty cloudes and cloudy mistes which the vngodly say doe dazle his eyes that he cannot see The Doctrine remaineth true God is as one that watcheth to spy what we doe he keepeth watch and ward ouer vs day and night marketh all our walkes all our talkes as a continuall ouerseer and therefore Iob calleth the Lord b Iob. 7. 20 the Keeper of men and indeed he is the Lord Keeper who whither we consider him as he is in the heauen that same Starre-chamber or in the conscience as in the Chancery to doe equitie hath our sinnes as a seale against vs borne and layd before him and though he hold his tongue c Ps 50. 21 which maketh vs to thinke that he is euen such a one as our selues yet when he sees his time he will reproue vs and set before vs the things which we haue done The vse of this Doctrine is manifold First it serueth for the comfort of such as are oppressed let mens hearts be as hard as brasse and as the nether Mil-stone let oppressors be d â—os 5. 1. as a snare on Mizpha and a net spred vpon Tabor let gaine be their godlynes fraud and violence their direct way to wealth let them coyne their money on poore mens skines wring the sponges of poore people into their owne purses Let them not watch and prey but watch to pray let them like great fishes deuour the small and be nibling on euery baite though c Mat. 17. 27. like Saint Peters fish their mouthes be full of gold let them when they should f Ex. 23. 4. deale well with their enemies Asse make their friends Asses and send them a begging let them when they g Mat.
standing in the corners of the street to pray so farre from saluting one of the pillers of the great Church on one knee that he neuer worships God with body or soule in Church or in chamber or any other place whatsoeuer whether he should pray with the Protestants towards the East with the Iewes towards the West with the Saracens towards the South whether prostrate with Ahraham kneeling with Stephen or standing with the Publican be questions that neuer trouble his braine when Gregory Bishop of Rome sent Austen the Monke into this land in the Saxons time to bring this Nation out of darknes into light Austen consulted with Gregory what forme of diuine seruice he should commend to the Saxons Gregory willed him to binde himselfe neither to the forme of Rome Millan French or any other Church but the best and pikedst things to chuse out of all Churches and them to induce and deliuer to the English but this man would saue Austen a labour in consulting and Gregory in resoluing no seruice is accpeted with him no religion Lucian is his olde Testament Machiauell is his new he saith with the Sadduces a Mat. 22. 23. there is no resurrection b Act. 23. 8 neither Angell nor spirit he hath said in his heart there is no God no iudgement no hell no heauen this one thing he hath whereof let him reioyce he will commit no solecisme in Gods seruice and be sure that his prayer c Est 7. 7. 8 like that of Haman shall neuer be turned into sinne he is a great deale worse then Agrippa d Act. 26. 28. for hee was almost perswaded to be a Christian worse then Protagoras for he did but doubt de dijt vtrum sint non ausim affirmare worse then the superstitious man for better to haue many goâ—s then to haue no god as bad as the diuell but that he hath a body nay in this worse then the diuels e Iac. 2. 19. for they belieue and tremble f Luc. 4. 34 and acknowledge the holy one of God The fourth sort which according as they are enioyned by this commandement bow downe vnto God and worship him are g Ioh. 1. 47 with Nathaniell true Israelites indeed h Ps 105. 1. which sing vnto God and therefore they giue him the tongue sing heartily and therefore they giue him their soules fall downe and kneele before their maker and therefore they giue him their hands and knees and with Iacob they will vse some corporall seruice i Gen. 47. 31. who therefore leaned on his staffe and worshipped God when hee was not able to kneele or stand if their heart doe beleeue they say with the young man k Mat. 19. 20. what lacke I yet their mouth shall confesse their eyes shall waite their eares shall hearken their heads shall be bare their hands shall be lifted vp their knees shall bend and Camell themselues before God they serue God with all their soule therefore God shall haue all that is within them they serue God with all their might therefore God shall haue all that is without them the former is the substance the latter is a kind of formality to set it forth to conclude this point therfore l Ps 25. 1. Sit cordis intentio sit manuum extentio with Dauid lift vp thy soule vnto God m Ex. 17. 11. with Moses holde vp thy hands the preparing of the heart and stretching out of the hands are in Iob n Iob. 11. 13 ioyned by God let them not therefore be sundred in man I am the Lord thy God In the fourth yeare of King Richard the 2. when the Rebells had assembled themselues together to the number of more then three score thousand hauing for their Captaines Wat Tiler and Iack Strawe the King came in amongst them at a day and place appointed and speaking vnto them in gentle sort said Sirs what ayleth you ye shall haue no Captaine but me I am and will be your King and Captaine be you therefore quiet In like manner when the heart of Israell was not perfit with the Lord when the house of Iacob did not giue God his due glory but following other Gods rebelled against him when they esteemed that Idoll Sicâ—nth as their King and tooke vp the Tabernacle of Moloch when all the people walked euery one in the name of his god then God came downe amongst them o Ex. 19. 11 at his appointed time and place and giuing them good words said heare O Israell what ayleth you yee shall haue no God but me yee shall not ioyne your selues to Baal-Peer nor subiect your selues to your god Remphan nor â—eepe the statutes of Omri I am the Lord your God therefore cleaue vnto me serue me with gladnes wash your hands in innocency and so compasse mine altar The first argument then here vsed to induce obedience is the loue of God and this that he saith thy God atgueth the contract and marriage betwixt God and his Church according to that in Ezechiell p Eze. 16. 8 I sweare vnto thee and entred into couenant with thee and thou becamest mine God was not ashamed to be called their God he was as an husband the Israelites as his spouse his soule longed for them his heart did cleaue vnto them his secret was with them his beautie was vpon them his light shined vpon their heads he did lift vp vpon them the light of his countenance he did hide them vnder the shadow of his wings he did couer them all the day long vnder his armes they were for euer he did endow them and say all that I haue is thine goods of grace re goods of glory spe the first in present posession the second in future assurance The loue of this Bridegrome to his spouse shall appeare the greater if we consider her estate and qualitie first for estate Men in their matches commonly respect the mending of their meanes and will looke to this that in tying themselues fast they doe not vndoe themselues this makes many roue at a marke wâ—th their thoughts which is beyond the pitch of their bowe like q 2. Kin. 14. 9. the thistle which in the parable would haue the Cedars daughter maryed to his sonne but in this match God which is as a Cedar in Lebanon maryeth himselfe vnto a thistle tantus tantillos so great a God so small a worme as Iacob he did not therefore respect his owne good when he made choyse of his Church that would not enrich him if there be any good in vs r Ps 16. 2. our wel-doing extendeth not to him but he aymed at the good of his spouse that he might make her free which was bound vnto Satan for euen in our law if a freeman marry a bond-woman she is made free because her husband and she are one person and if he doth make her free then is she free indeed Againe men in their matches
haue an eye to the qualities of those to whom they intend to contract themselues whether they be caeteris paribus of a milde and gentle disposition least as meates of contrary qualities digest not well together so they should be alwayes one sicke of the other In our land the Guardein in chiualry shall not mary his Warde in chiualry to one that is vnequall to him as a bondwoman the 2. to one that is lame or the 3. deformed or the 4. hath some horrible disease as Leprosie or the 5. to a woman that is past child-bearing for it is disparagement but God ioyned himselfe to Israell when she was bond for sinne reigned in her when shee was lame for Ioshua takes her vp for halting when she was deformed and Å¿ Eze. 16. 6. Polluted in her owne bloud when shee was diseased for from the sole of the foote vnto the crowne of the head there was no whole t Esa 1. 6. part in her when shee brought forth nothing but sinne vnto death when Shechem would marry Dinah Iacobs daughter her brother said u Gen. 34. 14. they might not giue their sister to a man vncircumcised but God espoused Israell when she was of an vncircumcised heart and lips and wedded her which wanted a wedding garment tantus tantillos tales so great so righteous a God made choise of a spouse betwixt whom whether we respect estate or qualitie there was great inaequalitie Iacob loued x Gen. 29. 17. Rachell more then Leah he had some reason she was more beautifull but that God should praefer Iacobs sonnes before the rest of the world he had no reason but his owne good will y Gen. 34 25. for two of them Simeon and Leui were treacherous and bloudy men and the eldest Ruben came not behinde them in another kinde of iniquitie z Gen. 35. 22. for he went and lay with Bilhah his fathers concubine and what dignity could be in him who went vp to his fathers bed and defiled it The rest they and theirs were a a Ps 78. 8. froward crooked generation a generation that set not their hearts aright whose spirit cleaued not stedfastly vnto God as Mount Sion was not better then other Mountaines but more noble because it pleased God to dwell there so the Iewes were no better then other till God vouchsafed to make them his people because he had a fauour vnto them because his good pleasure was such And this is that which our Sauiour Christ saith b Ioh. 15. 16 yee haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you he chose them first by predestination and afterward by calling and culling them out from the rest but then did they also chuse him by consenting to that calling of both these mutuall choices doth Moses speake of the on c Deu. 26. 17. 18. thou hast set vp the Lord this day to be thy God of the other the Lord hath set thee vp this day to be a precious people vnto him now out of this that hath been spoken conclude as the Iewes did when they saw manifest tokens of Christs affection d Ioh. 11. 36. to Lazarus they sayd see how he loued him so when you consider the premisses and see the disparagement say see how he loued her see how great affection he bare to his Church e 1. Io. 4. 9. This must teach vs first to loue him because he loued vs first loue must be reciprocall and therefore the Bridegroome and the spouse in that sweete marriage song call one another Lone secondly it must teach vs to keepe vs only to him so long as we liue for if while the husband liueth the wife shall f Rom. 7. 2 take another man she shal be called an adultresse Neither doth wife admit any plurality when she is construed with one husband and therefore it was a kinde of Solacisme when Lamech said beare yeâ— wines of Lamech neither doth husband admit any plurality when he is construed with one wife now neither must vnus or vna haue a plurall number socium de te nesciunt God Mal. 2. 15. had aboundance of spirit and might haue made two for one but he made but one one man for one woman one woman for one man as the woman hath not power ouer her owne body either to deny it to her owne husband or to yeeld it to another man so neither hath the spouse of Christ yee are not your owne 1 Cor. 6. 20 for yee are bought for a price therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirit for they are Gods we must therefore acquaint our selues with God as for Idols they are called strange gods as the harlot is called a strange woman because they should be Mal. 2. 11. Pro. 7. 5. strangers to vs and we should be strangers to them It is good for me saith the Psalmographer to keepe mee Psa 73. 28. fast to God for there is a nearer coniunction betwixt God and vs then betwixt man and wife for man and wife are one flesh Gen 2. â—4 but he that is ioyned to the Lord is one spirit if therefore a wife may 1. Cor. 6. â—7 not forsake the guide of her youth and forget the couenant of her God if her holy dayes must not be feasts of quicunque vult if she must not turne to vncleannes from her husband much lesse may Gods spouse breake her faith and giuing God sundry companions bestow his glory on them she must not bow her knees to Baal nor kisse him with her mouth A iealous God some men being better husbands then Christians and better bawdes then husbands can be content to be panders to their owne beds Nicholas the same as most men Act. 6. 5. thinke which was one of the seauen deacons being blamed for iealousie brought his wife who was faire to looke vpon among all the disciples giuing free leaue to all that would to vse her of him came the heretickes called Nicolaite who held that wiues should be common whose workes the Church of Ephesus hated Reu. 2. 6. to their great commendation Abraham is not much displeased that the fountaines be not his only but the strangers among whoÌ„ he is and therefore giues his wife this counsell say I pray Gen. 12. 13. thee that thou art my sister that I may fare well for thy sake nay his owne silence and his owne wordes are the cause that shee is taken into Pharaohs house to be his wife for Pharaoh blameth him both for the one and for the other for his silence why saidst thou not shee was thy wife for his speach why saidst thou she was thy sister hauing great cause to expostulate the matter with him for hereupon if God had not kept Pharaoh Pharaoh Gen. 20. 2. had kept Abrahams wife neither did he leaue by this but as though this sinne had been glued to him and that he did cleane as fast
for his case and tells them that if they contend for God and make a lye for him as one lyeth for a man for bad cases may be so well handled that they may bleare the eyes of men they neither conceiue his Maiesty nor yet know their owne infirmity and therefore may be laughed at as Elihu in the person of God mocketh n Iob. 34. 31. Iob if I see not teach thou me if I haue done wickedly I will doe no more as if hee should say let me know where I haue done amisse and I will be ready to mend it God likes not those nor will euer thanke them for their kindenes which will lend him false colours hee will breake those false glasses which doe not represent his owne face To conclude this point we hurt the truth when we adulterate the sense of Scripture and change the meaning of it when we take a wrest to make the tune sound to our key when as though we had the winde in a bagge we make it blow with oursayles when we make it the hindge and rudder to turne all about as we please when we fit it to our fancies imitating Scyron and Procâ—stes who fitted the passengers to the bedd of brasse which they had framed to their owne bignes if they were to long for the bedd they cut of their legges for catching cold if to short they rackt them at length like those which set Pauls Epistles on the tenters and would make them walke a mile or two further for their fancyes then euer the holy Ghost meant to goe such are they which inuent viperous glosses to eate out the bowels of a text as quirking heades haue found waies to eate out the meaning of good lawes which in stead of naturall milke which the Church giueth out of her two breasts the Old and New Testament inforce out the bloud of violent interpretation as he o Pro. 30. 33. which wringeth his nose causeth bloud to come out as this is done at other times so then when we vnderstand plainely that which is spoken by a figure and contrariwise figuratiuely that which is to be taken in the literall sense for the first the Pharisees did wrong to the law who following the bare words defrauded the meaning the more they bound themselues to the shew of the letter the further they were from the truth As for example p Deu. 6. 8. Thou shalt binde the commandements for a signe vpon thine hand and they shall be as frontlets betweene thine eyes hereby God commanded the meditation and practise of his law but hereupon the Pharisees got two lists skroles or peeces of parchment and therein they wrote the two tables putting one on their left armes next their hearts and binding the other to their browes which custome the Iewes obserue to this day and then they thought they might well say with the seruant q Luc. 14. 22. Lord it is done as thou hast commanded againe beware of r Mar. 8. 15 the leauen of the Pharisees and of the leauen of Herod hereby Christ meant the corrurpt doctrine of the Pharisees the adultery incest vnlawfull vowes swearing dissimulation and cruelty of Herod but the Disciples for indeed at that time they had forgotten to take bread sayd it was because they had no bread these are like those simple men who if they should heare vs say deuoremâ—â— hominem would by and by gather that we would turne Cannibals or like the foolish patient who eates vp the paper when the Phisition bids him take the Recipe that he prescribed vnto him For the second as we must not take that plainely which is spoken by a figure for many times the sense of the Scripture is against the shew of words and the shew of vvords against the trutâ— so on the other side wee must not vnderstand that figuratiuely which is to bee taken in the literall sense for then we wrest the rule of truth for example our Sauiour Christ saith vnto Peter Å¿ Lu. 5. 4. launch out into the deepe and make a draught here is a Text say some to proue that Peters successour which they say is the Pope shall catch the great fish of Constantines donation for they faine that Constantine the great gaue vnto the Bishops of Rome the Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction ouer all but both Ecclesiasticall and Politicall ouer the west parts of the world and this they say was meant when he bad Peter launch out whereas by such gathering they reape that which the holy Ghost sowed not Not but that one text may haue two senses literall which the very words vnderstood aright doe import misticall when they conteyne a deeper mistery but the misticall is not knowne to be the meaning except God himselfe reueales it for example t Deu. 25. 4 thou shalt not muzell the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the corne this is plaine the cattle that worke must eate but this litterall sense is but chaffe the misticall is the corne and with the Apostles we must u Mat. 12. plucke the eares of corne and rubbe them with our handes In the first Iacobs roddes are couered with rindes in the second they are in part pilled Saint Paul shewes vs the corne and takes the pilles from it when he saith x 1. Cor. 9. 9 doth God take care for Oxen Nay he had a further reach in it to teach that they who sow spirituall things should reape carnall things Againe y Ex. 12 4â— yee shall not breake a bone of the Paseball lambe here is a bone and there is marrow in it the first is the outward shell but Saint Iohn z Ioh. 19. â—6 expoundes this of Christs bones there is the inward kernell The first is the foote of a Gen. 28. 12. Iacobs ladder next the earth the second is the top of the ladder reaching to heauen in the first thy mother and thy brethren stand without O Christ and cannot finde thee in the second with the Disciples they are within and leane vpon thy bosome and therefore the first of these senses must call for the second as one depth calleth an other If we goe no further then the' first with Abrahams c GeÌ„ 22. 5 seruants we stay with the Asse that is our foolishnesse at the foot of the hill but if we goe to the second with Abraham vve goe vp to the mount and d Eze. 1. 16 with Ezâ—chiell see a wheele in a wheele the wine of the spirit in the dregs of the letter but yet withall we must take heed wee goe not to a mysticall sense except we haue the word for our warrant for e Mat. 2. 9. the wise men went no further then they vvere guided by the starre and the starre no further then Christ if vvee straine a text too high we must know the note aboue Ela is a iarring note and makes a discord in the Harmony and if we climbe with Duns his ladder we
euen the most mighty 〈…〉 two â—isciples naming Iesus 〈…〉 n Luc. 24. 19. of Nazareth a Prophet mighty in 〈…〉 we speake of Kings we make their names glorious when the o 1. Cro. 29 26. Scripture mentioneth the death of King Dauid it maketh fower wheeles whereon the height of his honour did run Dauid had reigned ouer all Israell super totum Israelem super therefore he was a superiour 2. he reigned therefore hee was a principall superiour 3. not a superiour or King of an infamous Kingdome as Ogge the King of Basan but ouer Israell a Countrey which if God p Ios 12. 24 had fashioned the world like a Ring as he did like a Globe might haue been the Gemme of it 4. not Regulus ouer part of the Kingdome as the one and thirtie Kings before Dauids time q 1. Kin. 12. 17. 20. and Rehoboam and Ieroboam who succeeded his sonne Salomon and parted the Kingdome or as the three sonnes of Brute among whom their father parted this Iland or as one of the seauen Kings which were in England in the reigne of the Saxons but an absolute Monarch super totum ouer all Israell so when we speake of our gratious King Iames either in our priuate instruments or in his Letters Patents we make him glorious in his Titles Iames by the grace of God of England Scotland France and Ireland King defender of the faith c. so in styling a noble man we doe not derogate from his honour in barring or abasing his titles and shall we not then make his name glorious who is King of Kings God of Gods and Lord of Lords as to fay with Abraham r Gen. 24. 3. the Lord God of the heauen and God of the earth the King of Israell Iudge among the heathen Lord of hostes with addition of euery other stile whatsoeuer by which the Scripture doth set out his glory so likewise must we glorifie God in speaking of his nature and properties as of his mercy to say there is mercy with God that he might be feared there is iustice in God for he rewardeth euery man according to his workes power and vengeance belong vnto God for he is a consuming fire by which he takes away all the vngodly of the earth like drosse as hee did the Sodomites there is prouidence and great louing kindnes in God by which the Lyons being sauage beasts became men in humanity towards Å¿ Dan. 6. 22 13. Daniell when men which are kind by nature became sauage beasts in cruelty against him by which the flame was martyred with spending her heat when the three t Dan. 3. 25 children as so many Salamanders were in the fire Againe we must set out the glory of God in declaring his wonderfull workes euen before the sonnes of men for if the builders of Babell did thinke to make themselues famous by making the Tower shall Gen. 11. 4. not God get him a name by the workes of his hands now all the workes of God are wrapped vp in three large volumes the heauens the earth and the sea the heauens declare the glory Psa 19. 1. of God and the firmament sheweth his handy worke what a thing is this that the Sun should reioyce as a Gyant to run Psa 19. 5. Iosh 10. 13. his course and againe that it should stand still as in the dayes of Ioshua goe backe as in the dayes of Ezechias and being Esay 38. 8. Luc. 23. 45 euer bright should lose it light as at the passion of Christ The earth is full of the goodnes of the Lord what a thing is this Psa 33. 5. that it being founded vpon the seas and prepared vpon the Psa 24. 2. Iob. 38. 5. floudes and being poysed in the iust proportion by line and measure should abide stedfast when the high mountaines which doe as it were imbosse the earth may seeme able to shake it ouersway it and tumble it into the sea They that goe downe to the sea in shippes see the wonders Psa 107. 23 of God in the deepe is not the Whale a wonder in nature that Psa 104. 26. takes his pastime in it is not the ship it selfe an artificiall wonder that Merchandize should goe froÌ„ countery to countery in such a woodden conueyance if we doe not speake of these and all his other workes for his name is stamped vpon them all to his glory we doe in speach though we sweare not take his name in vaine as God must win glory by our words so by our deedes when being transformed into the image of Mat. 17. 4. Christ we shine before other like lights as the face of Christ when he was trasfigured on the Mount did shine like the Sun therefore mindes and soules are likened vnto Lampes because we should shine each vnto other superiours to in feriours in being talking lawes and walking Statutes inferiours to superiours in being like the tree in Genesis faire to looke vpon Gen. 3. 6. 1. Peâ— 3. 1. euery one oweth good example as a due tribute that God may haue the glory due to his name and thus much of this fence or hedge both ad extra and ad intra as farre forth as it keepe out beasts and keepe the good Christian within the boundes of Gods glory The binder of this hedge is the rodde of Gods Iudgements the Lord will not hold him guiltles that taketh his name in vaine The sinne of the blasphemy hath been so odious that euen ciuill authority hath set sharpe censures vpon it Henry the first and Maximilian the Emperour set fines vpon their heads which should open their mouthes to sweare vainely the greatest fines vpon the greatest persons as being not onely guilty of the sinne it selfe but of the bad example they gaue vnto other Ludouicke commonly called Saint Lewis caused the lips of blasphemers to be seared with an hot yron Philip the French King did punish this sinne of blasphemy with death yea though it were committed in a Tauerne where many wise men many times forget themselues But if any did binde two sinnes together by binding a lye with an oath few nations had any pitty on him The Aegyptians did strike of his head because thereby faith and truth among men might be decayed in this case the Scithian did suffer death and he that made proofe of periury should haue his goods The like did Philip an Earle of Flanders decree for the precinct of his dominion King Edmond before the Conquest as Gregory the 9. in another place gathered a Councell at London where he made this law that periurers should be separated from the company of God and our law as I haue read is that if a false verdict giuen by twelue men bee found the twelue men be attainted and their iudgement shal be the same that is appointed for petty treason their medowes shal be ared vp their houses broken downe their woods turned vp and
the slothfull like drones liue by the hony gathered by the Bees and like vultures prey on carcasses they killed not one beates the bush and they catch the bird they sucke the bloud of other men and become as fat as body-lice by eating vp others brewesse they tost themselues at their neighbours fire and keepe no warmth in their owne chimneis other mens labours are in their houses they drinke the waters of others cisternes of the riuers out of the middest of others welles or else adultery for the minde is apt to all vncleannes n 2. Sam. 11. 2. when the man is idle the minde being voyde of exercise the man is voyde of honesty Queritur Aegystus quare sit factus Adulter in pomptu causa est desidiosus erat Besides it weareth strength as rust doth yron and ouer-much rest makes men not more fit but lesse willing to take payne againe the slothfull hand maketh poore hereby o Ecc. 10. 18 the roofe of the house goeth to decay by the idlenes of the handes the house dropeth thorough by doing nothing men come to nothing and enter into the playne high way to Needome and when a man will be of no calling he shall be sure that pouerty or beggery will find a calling to arrest him and therefore in the time of Catâ— Censorius when any would be a Citizen of Rome this question was not demanded whence or what hee was but only they tooke his hands betweene theirs and if they felt them soft and smooth they presently as an idle vagabonde gaue him a mittimus but if hard and knotty they forthwith admitted him to dwell in their Citie And if a malefactor were apprehended whose handes were labouring handes his punishment should be mitigated though his crime were grieuous but if idle hands a seuere punishment should be inflicted for a small offence therefore the Lacedemonians would haue labour and sweat hunger and thirst as the best spices to season their pottage therefore the ancients paynted the image of vertue girded therefore God gaue the Israelites but a short time to gather them Manna for when the p Ex. 16. 21 heate of the Sun came it was melted therefore might the housholder well say why stand yee here all the day idle The elements moue the heauens turne the wormes creepe the fishes swime the birdes flye why stand yee idle another reason that the housholder vseth is the strength and abilitie of those to whom he speaketh why stand yee as if he should say were it so that you were criples or impotent and not otherwise prouided for you might lye with Lazarus at the rich mans gate I would not hasten you forward to worke but you haue the powers of your bodyes are lusty and strong why stand yee idle q Pro. 30. 25. the Antes are feeble the pismires a people not strong yet are they diligent at their worke and will you that are strong be negligent Draco but his lawes for their cruelty are sayd to be written with bloud depriued them of life which would not labour for their liuing the drones of Hetruria like vnprofitable bees entring into the hyue and consuming the hony were expelled from others and reputed as vagabonds were condemned to exile and dealt withall much like as Philip King of Macedonia dealt with two of his bad subiects he made one of them runne out of the countrey and the other driue him In other places they haue had Stafford law and at Bridewell in our land whipping cheere and in the 23. yeare of Edward the 3 there was a statute made that no man vnder paine of imprisonmeÌ„t should giue any almesse to any sturdy beggers that necessity might coÌ„pell them to get their bread with the sweet of their browes The housholders third reason to induce vs to labour is taken from the place here why stand yee heere idle heauen is a place of rest let the world tosse how it list our rest is pitched alost and we shal be as the r Gen. 8. 4 Arke which when the floud ceased did rest on the mountaine Hell is a place of torment there bee heauy fines but no recoueries they deale in this Court vpon the capias Å¿ Mal. 22. 13. take him away and cast him into vtter darkenes vpon babeas corpus binde him hand and foote vpon the â— GeÌ„ 3. 24 Ne exeat regnum the gates are kept from egresse as the gates of Paradise were warded from entrance though we haue a writ de homine replegiando directed to the sheriffe to cause a man to be repleued when he is in prison yet here is no repleuie no flying to a Court of conscience for reliefe no iudgement reuersed by writ of errour This world is a place of labour where we must weare our bodies and still be doing some thing that God may not find vs idle when he commeth and the diuell may finde vs busie when he tempteth and therefore stand not idle heere The fourth reason is drawne from the time Worke while u Ioh. 9. 4. it is day the night commeth when no man can worke therefore stand not idle in the day time if thou hast let slip part of the day if thou hast not sowne thy seed in the morning yet in the euening let not thy hand rest stand not all day idle nulla dies sine liâ—ea if thou sufferest one day to passe without drawing some line thou maiest say diem amisimus amici and hast lost that which cannot be recouered and called backe againe on the one side be not an idle person who being an vnprofitable peece of earth will not doe all that he hath to doe on the other side bee not too curious in thy worke but see when a thing is well done and doe not more then all hate both these extreames doing nothing and doing more then need to no purpose keepe the meane labour six daies and doe all leaue nothing till the seuenth day then to be dispatched do not more then all yet doe all for sufficient vnto the seuenth day is the trauaile thereof The seuenth day is the Sabbath of thâ— Lord thy God wee must giue to euery one that which belongeth vnto him the seuenth day belongeth to God therefore we must giue it vnto him the minor proposition is in the text the maior in Mathew x Mat. 22 21. and it is an axiome that goes currant without contradiction Iustitia suum cuique tribuit whosoeuer therefore conuerteth to any profane vse that which is consecrated to God robbeth God of his due and takes his right from him for example you shall see this in these three things the Temple Tithes the time of the Sabbath in the Temple thus it is Gods house there faithfull men inhabit Angels frequent God himselfe is present it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Kings court and greatest Princesse Palace and because those merchants in the Gospell did buy and sell in it they are
by the beard to the border of the garment he rested Leuell at this marke let him be the white whereat you ayme the streight line to correct that which is crooked a spectacle from whence you may draw your impression a Sterne to guide you and like Bees see you follow your King if you could take exception against him this reason were weake to perswade but he is absolutely perfect o Mat. 5. 48 be yee perfit as your father which is in heauen is perfit say you are singular and the world on this day doe the diuell most seruice yet imitate this president p Luc. 6. 40 whosoeuer will be a perfit Disciple shall be as his Maister he rested here is a thred which reacheth from God vnto man from the beginning to the end of the way follow it you cannot erre ne in domo Dedali no not in the laberinth of the world he rested follow him though not passibus aequis though not in aequalitie yet in qualitie as fast as you can and as farre as you may let him be Doctor and Ductor let the example of him that sits aboue the cloudes direct you q Ex. 13. 21 as the cloude did the children of Israell in their passage towards the land of Canaan still remembring this that he makes but a bad peece of worke that regardes not his patterne The Lord blessed the seuenth day eyther hee thought honourably of it for wee are well conceited of that wee blesse and therefore Laban calles Abrahams seruant he r Gen. 24. 31. Blessed of the Lord or else hee bestoweth a blessing on them which obserue it and here wee are to consider that as God giuing a charge to obserue all his Commandements in generall bids vs here in the very entrance especially remember this much like as if a father should charge his sonne to performe many seuerall duties but commendeth one vnto him aboue the rest which hee telles him hee must not forget so promising his blessing to those which obserue his statutes and keepe his lawes in generall doth here in the end especially mention a blessing on this as though God had a greater care to binde vs to the obseruing of this Commandement then any one of the rest Å¿ 1. Sam. 2. 22. God had an especiall care of his Temple that it should not be profaned therefore it aggrauated the faults of t Esa 53. 7. Elies sonnes that they abused themselues at the doore of the Tabernacle and therefore our Sauiour Christ though for meekenes compared to a sheepe though he gaue precepts of sufferance u Mat. 5. 39 yet when his fathers house was made an house of Marchandize x Ioh. 2. 15. he bestirred himselfe with his whip but God had not a greater care of his Sanctuary then of his Sabbath of the place of his seruice then of the time when he would be serued and therefore in the law they are ioyned together y Leu. 19. 30. yee shall keepe my Sabbaths and reuerence my sanctuary now if the Israelites say to Ioshua z Ios 1. 16. all that thou hast commanded vs wee will doe if the Rulers and Elders say to Iehu a 2. Kin. 10. 5. wee are thy seruants and will doe all that thou shalt bid vs much more then must wee that are the seruants of God be at his becke to doe his will and encline our hearts to keepe all his lawes but especially that law which hee shall giue in especiall charge Blessed the seuenth day b Ioh. 2. 10 The gouernour of the feast telles the the Bridegrome that he kept the best wine till the last so here the gouernour of all the world and the Bridegrome of his spouse the Church reserueth the best and strongest motiue till the last that if the rest should faile this might fasten obedience vpon vs c Gen 27. 8 What meanes did Rebeccah vse nay what meanes did she notâ—se to get a blessing for her sonne Iacob how did Esau weepe and howle for the blessing of olde Isaac d Gen. 27. 34. Blesse me euen me also my father hast thou not reserued a blessing for me hast thou but one blessing my father blesse me euen me also my father Hee will not let his father rest before he blesseth him no more then e Gen. 32. 26. Iacob will let the Angell goe before hee blesseth him he will not leaue him till he fastens vpon him with his prayers as the f 2 Kin 4. 27. Shunamite vpon Elysha with her hands here is a blessing not of an earthly but of an heauenly Father not for our children only but for our selues also if we hallow the Sabbath as God hallowed it that is appointed it to be kept holy wee shall drinke of the cup of Gods blessings and our posterity shall pledge vs. g Ex. 16. 27 Some of the people of Israel went out on the seuenth day contrâ— y to the Commandement of God to gather Manna but fouâ—d nothing so let men disobey this law profane this day and trade in their callings when they haue cast vp their accompts they shall finde they get nothing h Luc. 5. 5. Peter fisheth all night catcheth nothing for Christ is not with him so they may labour and take pay ne all this day but gaine nothing for God is not with them The superstitious seafaring man runnes not the point aright for neuer setting to sea but on a Sunday God will not giue winde to his sayles and though the winde be a benefit to sayling yet God conuerteth it to a plague as he did in the prophesie i Ion. 1. 4. of Ionas for another fault say he is brought to the hauen where he would be and his ship well fraught yet his gaines shall melt as butter against the Sun and in the end he shall finde he put his wages into a broken bagge In a word let euery one that disobeyes this law looke for nothing but the curse of God or if hee hath a blessing let him looke that God will curse that blessing if hee hath a wife he shall be afflicted by the wife of his bosome who should be his helper if he hath fruit of his body he shall be afflicted by his sonne who should be the staffe of his age if he hath fruit of his ground God will breake the staffe of his bread his Manna shall stinke and he shall finde Colloquintida a bitter hearb in the pottage but if we haue a care of the Sabbath to sanctifie it the blessings of God shall ouer-take vs and one shall binde him to giue another God will not pull in his hand from rewarding or hold it out empty and as he is skilfull in dirigendo because he is a perfect Master pittifull in corrigendo because he is a louing Father so will he be bountifull in Porrigendo because he giues what he will without abatement of his store he will display the banners
therefore let wealth and worth goe together let goods and goodnes kisse each other The last sort which would haue their share in this honour and whose plea seemeth best for it are they which discend of more noble bloud then other and can fetch their pedigree furthest off but euen these must know that they are not to stand on the greatnes and antiquitie of their race if they lacke vertue whereof greatnes tooke her beginning Beatus Ludonicus being asked what honourable surname should be giuen vnto him demanded againe from whence it was that he had greatest nobility and when some sayd of his Predecessors others of his birth place I doe not remember saith he that euer I had greater honour then when I became a Christian and this was at Pissiacum and therefore will I be called Ludouicus de Pissiaco and so he was he thought no birth to a new birth in Christ no parentage to that of hauing God to his father Doe we reckon of the wine that runneth on the lees because it was drawne out of the same peece the neate wine was doe we reckon of muddy water though it came from a cleere spring shall we with the Israelites bow to a molten calfe because it was made of golden earings It was the saying of old English Chaucer to doe the gentle deedes that makes the gentleman gentry without vertue is bloud indeede but bloud without sewet bloud without sinewes bloud is but the body of gentility excellency of vertue is the soule that without this is a body without a soule and without honour falles downe in the dust and therefore when Hermodius a noble man borne imbraided the valiant Captaine Iphicrates for that he was but a shoomakers sonne my bloud sayd Iphicrates taketh beginning at me and thy bloud at thee now taketh her farewell be the birth neuer so base yet honesty and vertue is free from disgrace be the birth neuer so great yet dishonesty and vice is subiect to dishonour To conclude therefore if thou be noble by thy birth proue not ignoble either by bad vices of thine owne or lewde deuises of other take thy great birth to be an obligation of great vertue suite thy behauiour vnto it and inoble thy parentage with pietie and since true honour must come of thy selfe and not of other worke out thine owne glory and stand not on what thou wouldest borrow of thy predecessors If thou reach not the goodnes of those which gaue the outward glory know it is thy pride to be transported with a vaine name if thou doest not as much honour thy house with the glory of thy vertues as thy house hath honoured thee with the title of thy degree know thou art but as a woâ—dâ—n knife put into an empty sheath to help fill vp the place when that if good mettle is lost and can no more be found if thou doâ—st not learne Patrizare and let thy faâ—hers vertue meete with thy bloud know thou art but as a painted fire which may become the wall but giues no light to the beholder nay know further that the greater the honour of thy father was the greater is thy blemish and reproach if thou come short of thy fathers vertue for now art thou guilty of neglecting so good a President They that are noble will haue their retayners seeke the worship of their estates in the seruice of them then let themselues seeke the honour of their estates in the seruice of God and be as carefull to get true honour by seruing him as their followers to receiue ciuill worship by seruing them That thy dayes may be long g Gen. 32. 26. Iacob would not let the Angell goe before he blessed him nor the Lord part with this commandement before it leaues a blessing behinde vpon them which doe obserue it so that the entrance into this second table a Ex 12. 7. like the doore posts of the Israelites hath a blessing vpon it b Eph. 6. 2. Saint Paul calleth this the first Command-ment with promise not but that the second Commandement hath a generall promise of mercy for the generall seruice of God but this is the first that hath a particular promise made vnto them which performe the particular duties which it requireth and secondly the first not that a second followeth with any expresse promise for first hath not alwaies relation to a second thing c Rom â— 8. as we may see in the Epistle to the Romaines and theâ—efore Heluidius argument is false to proue the virgine Marâ— had a second sonne because the Holy Ghost saith d Mat. 1. 25 she brought forth her first begotten sonne and called his name Iesus and a Commandement with promise not that God doth binde himselfe that they which honour their parents shall alwaies liue long for Gods promises of temporall blessings are Hypotheticae anâ— goe with condition sometime expressed sometime suppressed which condition is as an oare in a boate or sterne of a ship and turnes the promise another way The first thing therefore which here I obserue is that long life is to be reckoned among the blessings of God It was a blessing of God vpon Israel that being in the wildernes 40. yeares e Deu. 29. 5 their garments did not weare f Ios 9. 5. as the garments of the Gibeonites so if in many yeares some mens strength weares not their senses doe not decay their bodys which are as the garments of their soules hold out longer then other mens as though with the Eagle they did renew their youth and God did adde certaine yeares vnto their dayes g Esa 37. 5. as he did vnto Ezechias this is a great blessing of God Men are full of holes and take water at a thousand breaches some goe away by siâ—kenes some by violence some by famine some by fulnes sometime death a Mat. 2. 16 is in the cradle b 2. Kin. 4. 40. sometime in the pot sometime in the cup therefore Iob doth not say the graue but the graues were prepared for him to shew that he was besiedged with many deaths that he had but one life among a number of deaths which were ready for him now if death which seeketh for vs euery houre in euery place be long before it finde vs if hauing an habeas corpus he will not serue his processe till our yeares be as many ages and we are satisfied with long life if when our life hangeth in the ballance and there is but a step betweene vs and death if we be continually as one trauelling with childe if we walke thorough the valley of the shadow of death and our soule be alwaies in our hand yet we multiply our dayes as the sand and euen like Salamanders liue long in the fire this is a blessing of God Some enter no sooner into life but they are at the brinke of death receiuing at once their wel-come and their farewell their lampe it wasted assoone as
lighted and their life at an ebbe before the tyde be full others like flowers are gathered while they be fresh and being like a sentence interrupted before a period begin like some summer fruite to rotte assoone as they are ripe death writes them c Dan. 5. 3. as he did the Chaldean tyrant a letter of Summaunce to appeare that night before him It is a curse of God vpon the bloud-thirsty and deceitfull man d Ps 55. 23 he shall not liue out halfe his dayes it was a punishment of God vpon Elie for cockering his sonnes and vpon his sonnes for their disobedience e 1. Sam. 2. 32. 33. the multitude of thine house shall dye when they be men there shall not be an olde man in thine house for euer it was a plague of God vpon Israel that though they brought vp their children f Hos 9. 12 yet God would depriue them from being men a plague vpon the wicked g Iob. 36. 14. that their soule doth dye in youth a Iob. 22. 16 that they are cutte off before their time b Gen. 38. 7. like Er and Onan as not worthy to liue vpon the earth and on the other side it is Gods blessing if he increase the length of our dayes and yeares of our life if we multiply our dayes as the sand if death demande not his due till the crowes feete be in our eyes if we dye c Iob. 42. 17. with Iob being olde and full of dayes and goe to our graue in a full age d Iob. 5. 26. as a ricke of corne commeth in good season into the barne This serueth first to confute that heathen who said optimum est non nasci proximum quam cito aboleri the best thing is neuer to be borne and the second best is to dye quickely for though this life be ouer spread with sinnes and cares and crosses which like a filthy morphew make it lothsome to all iudicious eyes yet all these are but accidentall life it selfe is a blessing and the longer we liue the more experience we haue of Gods fauour a greater loathing of the sinnes which our youth delighted in and larger time of repentance Againe this teacheth that we must not hasten forward the end of our dayes and bring our selues out of breath before our race be ended for this is to throttle and choake the blessing of God let therefore the thred of thy life be drawne out by Lachesis till 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be sent to cut it in sunder let not the spirit resigne ouer it borrowed mansion till naturall moisture of it selfe doth soake away till like a Sise or wax candle it be consumed to the socket and the last drop of moisture quencheth the last sparke of glory surrender not thy selfe when a conceit takes thee let the landlord take it at his pleasure doe not like a coward run away but then depart in peace when God saith returne againe thou sonne of Adam and then willingly pay tribute to Nature when of themselues the naturall passages doe close together like an empty bagge neither loue this life for delights in it e Ec. 1. 2. for vanitie of vanities and all is vanitie yet loue it to serue God in it neither hate this life for the miseries of it yet hate it so far forth as it keepes thee in subiection to sinne Againe come not presumptuously into places where some bodies are contagiously sicke lest thou loose this blessing and come vntimely to thy graue come not within the lists of destruâ—ction if f Gen. 19. 20. with Lot thou canst haue a Zoar to saue thy selfe fly as much from him whose disease would infect thy bloud as from him whose cruelty would spill it Lastly bestow cost as long as thou maiest to continue this blessing by vpholding this ruinous house of thine it is against the course of Nature and a way to tempt the very God of Nature wilfully to hinder our health or not seeke meanes to continue it or to recouer it God sendeth seuerall diseases and hath appointed seueral Medicines as remeâ—ies to incounter theÌ„ therefore honour the Phisition g Es 38. 21 with Ezechias lay a plaister vpon the boyle say not man hath his set period as well as the sea it boundes which it cannot passe say not life and death is not in our owne handes for some seeke death in misery yet finde it not others meete with it at feasts and gaudees where they would fainest forget it say not when the glasse is run doe what wee can wee can stay no longer and the clocke will stricke when the minites be past say not let death seâ—ke vs yet it shall not finde vs till our time be come and therefore away with Phisicke what shall meanes doe for then a â—ope vpon thee try euery knife eate Colloquintida thy belly full freqâ—ent places where the ayre about thee doth infect and where the breath of one body is poyson to another but in matter of hope where the end is not knowne a 2. Chr. 16 12. vse meanes with Asa though thou rely not vpon them though many times they auaile not Daies though some mens liues be long yet the Lord saith not long yeares long monethes but long dayes and Dauid measuâ—eth their length not by a goade or an ell but by an hand b Ps 39. 5. thou hast made my dayes as it were a span long to shew how shorst this long life is and howsoeuer we patch and peece these poore cottages of ours yet they will come in manus domini and shortly fall into the Lords handes Let old men in their arithmeticke deduct their night for sleepe which is like vnto death being the customer of mans life taxeth the nights to his owne vse and they shall finde halfe their time stricken off at one blow let them deduct their prime dayes for c Ec. 11. 10 childehood and youth are vanitie another part is cut off let them deduct the dayes of sortow which are rather to be tearmed death then life and all their daies are gone for life and misery are twines Hipocrates twines borne together and dye together The Lacedemonian in Plutarch hearing the Nighttingale sing sweetly tooke her into his hand and hauing stripped her of her feathers sayd tantum vox she was nothing but voyce such is the life of him that can sing the merriest note if you strip it of sickenes strip it of cares strip it of sorrow d Gen. 5. 27. Mâ—thusalâ—h liued longest of all our forefathers yet he liued not a thousand yeares but grant he had yet a e 2. Pet. 3. 8 thousand yeares to God are but as one day but we who commonly exceede not threescore yeares and ten liue not an houre to that day and therefore Salomon as though our dayes were not worthy the title of time mentioned not a time to liue but f Ec. 3. 2. a time to be
borne and a time to dye as though death did border vpon life as though our cradle did stand in our graue Hee sayd something to the purpose which sayd that life was smoake or the shadow of smoake or the dreame of the shadow of smoake but I say of him as one sayd of another in another case non dixit vt est dixit vt potnit hee made life as short as hee coulâ— noâ— so short as hee should hee shot nearer the marke who being demanâ—ed what life was made an answere answereles for he presently turned his backe and went his way and indeede we fetch but here a turne and God saith g Ps 90. 3. returne againe our mortall life is but a liuing death the â—aâ—th receiues vs like a kinde mother into her entralls when we haue a while troden her vnder foote and all our time in respect of eternitie is shorter then the time betweene the drinking of the â—emlocke and death of him that drinkes it mine a Ps 39. 5. age is euen as nothing in comparison of thee saith the Prophet and euery man liuing is altogether vanitie First therefore affect not a kinde of eternitie here vpon earth old men as they are children for simplicitie so would they be for yeares Lysicrates in his old age dyed his white haires blacke that he might sâ—eâ—e young still The b Num. 32. 5. children of Ruben and Gad hauing much cattle requested Moses leading the people toward the land of promise that they might be left in the land of Gilead and not goe ouer Iorden so carnall men hauing many beastly affections and worldly men whose portion is in this life say as Peter when Christ was transfigured c Mat. 17. 4 it is good to be here and therefore with thâ— Gadits d Num. 23. goe to building and make their prison as strong as they can but when they haue done what may be done yet within a few daies like the spider and her webbe wherein shee thought to haue lodged as in her freehold they shall bee swept away their daies shall soone suffer eclipse the night will come when their candle shall be put out and they shall goe to their long home though many times against their will e GeÌ„ 19. 26. as Lots wife went out of Sodome as f Luc. 16. 3. the vniust Steward went out of his office though with the Crabbe they goe backward from death and are pulled from life with more violence g 1 Kâ— 2. 28 then Ioab from the hornes of the Altar Secondly haue this life in contempt euen for this that it lasteth not a Mat. 20. 6 Here wee may not stand still here wee can not rest b Re. 14. 13 that is reserued to another life c 1 Pet. 2. 11 here we are pilgrims and strangers and therefore not in our Countrey to rest our selues but in our iourney to walke our selues if wee feele any pleasure it is soone dashed with some mishappe and like a calme continues not long without a storme nay our sweet is tempered with sowre and we finde a mixture of both but say that our life were a Paradise our ioyes exquisite and our pleasures without composition yet how can wee sing our songes in a strange land how can this but coole our delight and make vs lesse esteeme it to consider our life is short our delight vanish and though we spend our time in pleasure yet sodainly we goe downe to the graue Thirdly we haue here no abiding place therefore seeke the place where we shall haue d Heb 9. 15 a perpetuity rather then this from whence wee must shortly goe of necessity respect that where we shall haue an euerlasting habitation rather then this where like freshmen we haue but as it were a yeere of probation In purchasing you regard not so much three liues as the fee simple not so much a lease determinable by yeeres as land which goe to you and your heires for euer then set not so much by this life which shall vanish away like a scrolle as by that where you shall receiue the charter of an euerlasting being not so much by this day in which the sunne setteth as by that day which knoweth no euentide nor hath any sunne going downe where thou shalt haue no more Sunne to shine e Esa 60. 19 20. by day nor Moone by night where the Lord shall bee thine euerlasting light and thy God thy glory Thy daies The day to come f 1 Pet. 3. 10 is the day of the Lord but the dayes present h are our dayes A man reckones of that g Ps 90. 12 which is his owne though it be but of small value and hee of great ability Naball a man of great possessions and exceeding mighty yet reckones of his bread and other small commodities a 1 Sam. 25. 2. 11. Shall I take my bread and my water and my flesh and giue vnto men whom I know not whence they bee but if it bee dainty then wee set the more by it as the poore man did by that b 2 Sa. 12. 3. one little sheepe which he had bought in Nathans parable but if further we can neuer recouer it if once it be gone from vs then how great is our griefe to leaue it or loose it Now time is ours c Luc. 19. 42. this day and nihil nostrum nisi tempus nothing so properly ours as is time it is also rare and dainty for whereas of other things a man may haue d Iob i. 2. 3 many at one time he can haue but one time at once and if this be once past behind e Ec. â— 5. 6. 7. there is no holdfast to pull it backe againe The Sunne and the wind and the riuers all these three returne to their places In the three parables f Luc. 15. 6 9. 31. the man doth finde his lost sheepe the woman her lost groate the father his lost sonne but losse of time comes neuer againe but is like a bird let flie at large out of the hand or a word which babled out cannot be recalled If wee haue but a short time to enioy any thing we take all the benefit we can reape in that time as if a lease bee shortly out of date we rip vp the grounds eate vp the grasse cut downe the copses and take all the liberty the lease will afford Certaine hawkes in colder countries are most eager and earnest to take their prey when the day light there is of least continuance euen g Re. 12. 1â— the diuell him selfe is most busie because he hath but a short time Now time is ours and it is but a short time we haue he that is young may thinke he is old enough to die he that is strucken in yeeres sees his set period before him and may thinke himselfe too old to liue longer the palme tree is full of blomes the mappe of age is
figured on his forehead the calenders of death appeare in the furrowes of his face the graue doth call him saying it is high time to depart this life to come away and dwell in it and therefore take the benefit of this â—hoâ—t time a Ier. 4. 4. brâ—ake vp your fallow groundes and sow not among the thornes be circumcised b Deu. â—0 16. to the Lord and take away the fore-skinnes of your hearts let vnquiâ—t passions and ambitious desires be crucified c Mat. 2â— 38 like the two theeues and euen in this sense let them d Gal. 5. 12 be cut off that trouble you The wicked slippe no time to worke wickâ—dnesse e Ioâ— 2â— 5 as wil le Asses in the wildernesse they goe forth to their businesse it is now no good argument they are not drunken f Act 2. 15. since it is but the third houre of the day for g Esa 5. 11. they rise vp early to follow a â—â— 23. 2. drunkenesse Balaam posteth for a bribe b Luc. 16. 5 the vniust steward hasteneth to make friends of the vnrighteous Mammon be you as wise in your generatioÌ„ c Ex 16. 21 gather Manna in the morning steppe into the water d Ioh 5. 7. with the criple while health may bee recouered open while Christ e Reu. 3. 20 knocketh f Mat. 23. 37. gather your selues vnder the hen while shee clocketh with g Luc. 19. 5 Zacheâ— come quickely when Christ calleth at this present instant change your hearts a â— Cor. 6. 2 now is the accepted time and now knoweth no morrow b Ioh. 9. 4. worke while it is day euery day lay vp somewhat for the last take order with death before it serues you with an execution take hold on time as it commeth and catch it by the forelockes seeke Christ c Mat. 28. 1 with Mary the first day of the weeke and first houre of the day chase not away good houres to bad purpose sit not at the Alehouse and see the race of an houre glasse vse not time with the slothfull but gaine by the expense of time when it steales from you let it carry with it some witnesse of the passage in that you haue in it made your election sure and would not hazarde the saluation of your soules vpon the doubtfull euent of your finall repentance they are your daies say not we will doe with our owne what we list but spend them and end them in God In the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee Long life is a blessing which God giueth to obedient children but hast thou but one blessing my father Yes surely thou blessest when thou hast blessed and therefore thou giuest Israel a fuitfull land also the land of Canaan d Ex. 3. 17. a land that floweth with milke and honâ— so that thou hast e Gen. 27. 3â— blessed Iacob and therâ—fore hee shall bee blessed f Eph. 2. â— thou art rich in mercy mercy there is the compassion of thy nature rich there is the abundance g Luc. 8. 1â— thou giuest after thou hast giuen as a spring runneth after it hath runne a Ps 100. 5 thy mercy is euerlasting and thy goodnesse is without conclusion Frst thou giuest breath that thy dayes may be long then thou giuest bread in the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee here is a blessing vpon a blessing as though one of thy mercyes did binde thee to giue another as though former benefits were an earnest lay de to assure vs of those which are to come as though thou wouldest shew what thou wilt doe by what thou hast done The Oyle ceaseth not as long as there are b 2. Kin. 4. 6 vessels to receiue it and thy mercy lasteth as long as there is a true concurrence as long as there is no let in vs to hinder the apprehension O Lord make our praise and thankes answereable to thy goodnes that as thy goodnes is without end so there may be no period to our praise but that we may still say c Ps 41. 13. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel world without end So be it euen so be it Giueth not that the Israelits should haue this land in present possession for they did not enter vpon it till the daies of Ioshua in whose time God cast out other nations and planted them in but he speaketh in the present tense for the certaintie of performance God forgiues vs our debts and when we sue out our pardon d Rom. 8. 33. hee acquits vs by proclamation and crosseth our accompts here that hereafter we may haue our Quietus est and he is as true a debter to pay as he is mercifull creditor to forgiue and doth reckon that his promise doth as much indebt him to vs as mens loue or desert doe indebt vs to them first therefore O Israel here is a land made ouer vnto thee and the grant is good for that it coÌ„meth from the right Landlord the Lord and it is gratious for that it commeth not from a stranger but from thy God the Lord is thy God and therefore thou shalt haue it cum gratia et priuilegio 1o. cum gratia thou shalt not purchase it or pay a fine or rent for it but it shal be passed ouer to thee by a deed of gift thy God giueth 2o. thou shalt haue it cum priuilegio there shall be no ioint tenants or copartners to hold it with thee but thou shalt haue it solely and wholy to thy selfe The Lord misdoubt not thy state thy God looke to haue it with all fauour giueth doubt not of thy freedome theâ— feare not any that now keepe the possession The Lord thy God giueth The diuels mouth doth run ouer when shewing Christ all the Kingdomes of the world he saith e Luc. 4. 6. All these are mine and to whom soeuer I will I giue the power and glory of them if thou therefore wilt worship â—e they shall be all thine for first for his claime he is like the franticke man who standing on the sea shore thought all the shippes that passed by to be his owne or he doth but dreame he hath them like him who sleeping thought he held in his hands two staues and waking did thinke verely they should be two crocier staues and therefore presently prepared himselfe tooke horse and posted for two Bishoprickes not doubting but he should be presently installed but his horse casting him himselfe turned to be criple and his crociers to be critches God is the Lord of all by right the diuell but by vsurpation the Scripture stileth him f prince of darkenes he shewes himselfe like the Poet Accius who being but a dwarfe made himselfe an image as if he had been one of the sonnes of Anac indeede he may g Iob. 1. 7. compasse the earth too and fro and walke in it a Ps 24. 1. but the
vsed for diuiding seuerall mens right so Iâ—shua diuided the land of Canaan among the Tribes a Ios 14. 2 by lott or for appointing officers as they b Act. 1. 26. chose an Apostle by lot to succeede in Iudas place but to vse them to the finding out of any secret thing except it be by the commandement of God who this way would c Ios 7. 18. haue Achaâ—s theft found out is but meere foolery and a great tempting of God For though God d Ion. 1. 7. in the prophesie of Ionah did order the lots which the Mariners cast in such sort that they found out the party for whose cause euill was vpon them which was done both that Ionas might be brought forth who fled from the presence of God and that the Mariners moued by this example might giue off their superstition yet what certaintie is there in lots what building vpon them when we see that e Est 3. 7. Haman who cast a lot from day to day from moneth to moneth beginning at the first vnto the last to finde out which might be the luckyest dayes to roote out the Iewes found them to be most f Est 9. 1. c. dolefull dayes to him and his which by lot were perswaded to be most fortunate on the contrary side the same dayes so ioyfull to the Iewes that they might say these are the dayes which the Lord hath made we will râ—ioyce and be glad in them and therefore they kept the very same daies festiuall they and their seed through many generations and indeed a man can no sooner finde out any thing vnknowne by lot by combat then he can Iudge of soundes by taste and therefore those Countryes which in the times of vnciuill ignorance tollerated a tryall by battaile doe now dislike it and therefore haue repealed those lawes which did allow it euen at this day the barbarous Turkes burne single combattants in the side with hotte coales of fire I will not here spend time to answere those which thinke it a staine to their credit and a disgrace to their name if they shall not answere those which haue sent them the length of their swords and from whom they haue receiued proude challenges onely this I say men of great valure haue reiected challenges which haue proceeded from them who haue had more heart then braine more head then wit without any blemish to their reputation but say that some will count thee a coward yet non quid alij sed quid tu de te feare not so much shame as sinne loue good name but yet as an hand-maide of vertue woe and court common fame no further then it followeth vpon honest courses and thinke thy selfe but base if thou shouldest depend on vulgar breath neuer hazarde thy life for thy name neuer kill an other man to be accounted a gallant man of thy hands this name shall not so much delight thee as thy conscience shall gall thee memory afflict thee repentance vexe thee perplexity torment thee when the deed done thou shalt see thy selfe cited before Gods iudgement seate euery houre when thy heart knowing the bitternesse of thy soule shall tell thee that thou hast neglected thy soule endangered thy body hurt thy children brought a blemish to thy posterity which in the next generation shall not be put out Indeed we read of spirituall Duels for in the g Mat. 4. 3. Scriptures we haue the Prince of peace and Prince of this world combating a 1 Sam. 1â— 41. together the Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah is encountred as Dauid with the Giant by the roaring Lyon that seeketh to deuoure vs. Againe wee haue the b Mat. 15. 22. Cananitish woman wrastling with Christ as c Gen. 32. 24. Iacob with the Angell and fastening vpon him with her prayers as the Shunamite vpon Elisha with her d 2 Kin. 4. 27 hands In the first Christ did vanquish and make the diuell auoide by casting in his face scriptum est In the second he is ouercome for with excellent wrestlings the Cananite wresled with Christ and got the vpperhand euery good Christian must fight those fights and therefore for the first the Church of God is called Militant In Baptisme we receiue our prest money and in the e Eph. 6. 11 Ephesians there is a proclamation ad arma neither doth a crowne remaine to any at the last but to such as first can say with Paul f 2 Tim. 4. 7 I haue fought a good fight he is lured to the crowne that is allured to the combat and therefore the holy Ghost setting out the compleat armour of a Christian doth not mention a backe Curete c to shew he should neuer flye and turne his backe vpon his enemy but be like Androclid whom when a souldier did deride him because being lame he went vnto the warre answered merrily he came to fight and not to run away For the second we must wrastle and combat with God by our prayers and not leaue till we ouercome him who is inuincible if we want any thing leaue him not our importunâ—ty cannot be too great our impatience cannot offend his patience beate vpon him still like the g Mat. 15. 23. 24. Cananite who stands to it though she had many repulses though Christ first neglects her then denies her then reprocheth her be like the a widdow a Luc. 18. 5 who will not leaue the vniust Iudge though at first he lend her but a dease eare be like the blindman who made the Sunne of righteousnes b Ios 10. 13 which stayed that Sun in the dayes of Ioshua which reioyceth as a Gyant to run his course c Lu. 18. 40 to stand still till his sight was restored If we indure punishment his anger is a speare leaue him not till our prayers breake it in peeces his iudgement is a sword leaue him not till wee make him put vp his sword into his sheath praiers haue power with God and are of such force that when he intends to punish a nation d Ier. 11. 14 he forbids his Prophets to pray lest he should alter his minde and so be ouercome these are the combats commanded commended by God as for other duels vnder what habit soeuer they may be shrouded and what glasse soeuer may be set vpon them if their vizors be taken off they will appeare to be flat against this statute not that a man in defence of himselfe when he can giue no further ground may with an vnwilling willingnes smite with the sword for now necessity doth bind him to strike and he seeks not so much an others death as the safegarde of his owne life Neither doth this Commandement shorten the Magistrates arme for e Rom. 13. 4 he beares not the sword inuaine and when f Ioh. 18. 11 priuate men must put vp their swords into their sheathes he must vn sheath his sword as the
his wife or the woman bee false to her owne bosome God punished this sinne in a GeÌ„ 12. 17. Pharoh and b Gen. 20. 3 Abimelech though God kept them that they came not nigh Abrahams c Gen. 39. 9 wife and therefore when Putiphar committed all that hee had into Iosephs hand he barred him of his wife and in this case Xenophon was put to his non plus for being asked if his neighbour had a better house then he whose he had rather haue his or his owne he answered his if he had a fairer horse then he whose had he rather haue he answered his if he had a better or fairer wife then he whose had he rather haue hic Xenophon ipse tacuit at this Xenophon was silent a man must hold his owne wife for better for worse so long as they both shall liue corrupt affections like Eue lie in our bosome and will seduce vs vnruly motions are to our vnderstanding as Dalilah to Sampson they burne within vs as brimstone at the match let this law draw out the burning venome of those fiery serpents that lurke in our hearts if a man bee vpon a horse that flingeth and kicketh and doth what hee can to run ouer all the field the cunning rider will reine him vp and bring him to a good pace so a good Christian will ouer-master his passions and suppresse them when they are miscarried to rebell he will direct humors to their right courses and draw the flood of affections into their owne chanell Wife In that God setting downe the houshold goods and chattles and all that a man hath put the wife in the first place I note that to be true which Salomon saith a Pro. 31 10 the price of a vertuous woman is farre aboue the pearles which teacheth first the husband to loue his wife more then any earthly thing when Alexander had ouercome Darius Darius seemed little to regard his estimation if he were to die he seemed little to regard his life but when he heard his wife was taken prisoner hincillae lacrimae then his eyes did spout forth teares as the conduit waters each teare did ouertake other he did ouerweepe his weeping and sighes did breake from the center of his heart as fast as the teares stoale downe his cheekes againe it teacheth that of all other things a man should not wrong his neighbour in his wife as the wife of Hieron was acquainted with no bodies breath but her husbands for when he his enemie casting in his teeth his stinking breath blamed his wife who neuer told him of it she desired him not to thinke the worse of her for shee thought euery mans breath had smelt like vnto his so on the other side should the husband be acquainted with no bodies breath but his wiues she for her part must be as the Marigold which of all the Plants opens onely to the Sunne let not him for his part be as the sed horse â—eigh after his neighbours wife and croake in the chamber like the froggs of Egipt his eyes must be eyes of Adamant which will turne onely to one point let not his be wandring eyes let him not make the faces of other mens wiues like glasses which the Larke-taker hath in his day net least while like the birds he gaze too much he be taken in the net it is set downe as one of b 2 Sam. 11 4. Davids greatest faults that suffering lust to enter in at the windowes of his eyes he gaue way to his sinne till he did lie with the wife of Vriah and therefore set not the thoughts on fire by affection much lesse follow the lusts of the flesh much lesse fulfill the lust of the flesh much lesse prouoke the lust of the flesh but put the axe of Gods iudgments to the roote of wanton nature and cut it off circumcise the foreskin of the hart that is the true circumcision in the spirit not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God Nor his manservant nor his mayde As well Salomon the diuine as Aristotle and other Humane Philosophers in their Oeconomicks set downe not the wife and seruants onely but the children also and God commanding to hallow the sabbâ—th sayth in it thou c Exo. 20 10 shalt not doe any worke thou nor thy sonne nor thy daughter thy man-servant nor thy maide a question then may here be asked why sonnes and daughters are not mentioned as well as the wife the manseruant and the maide the reason I take to bee this men are addicted either to their pleasure or their profit Pleasure like â—yrâ—e inchanteth the minde transformeth men into swine and mastereth reason with sensualitie neither was it a greater miracle to see the three children walke vntoucht in the midst of the fiery furnace then to see how Ioseph held his body short of pleasures in the present prouocation therefore couet not thy neighbours wife was a necessary precept againe for profit it is true which the Apostle sayth d Phil. 2. 21 All seeke their owne and therefore like Martha they are e Luke 10. â—0 cumbred with much busines are so farre from serving one another f Gal. 5. 13. by loue as the Apostle aduiseth that as though they did enuâ—e that another should haue a better servant then they they are readie to lay baites to draw him to them and therefore it was not without neede to say thou shalt not couet thy neighbours seruant but children are a charge to him that keepe them must be led into wholsome pastures because they be Gods lambes watred because they be the seed-plot of heauen they must be kept cleane because they be Gods vessels and kept in that after flowers of youth may follow fruits of good liuing they haue no list in age to liue as they should which haue libertie in youth to liue as they list because men are loth to take this care and this charge therefore they neuer couet other mens children nay they will hardly be intreated to take another mans sonne or his daughter nay let a father giue money with his child that another may take him but as his apprentise yet hardly wil he take him and teach him the trade of his way and bring him vp in instruction and information of the Lord in a word therefore as well sonnes as seruants are commanded to keepe holy the Sabbath because both sorts are readie to transgresse it but none are forbidden to couet sonnes as they are to couet seruants because that without a prohibition men are readie to obserue it Manseruant nor his maide As God hath made the seruants lower then the wife so he hath here giuen them place before the Oxe or the Asse which must teach the master to make more reckoning of his seruants then of any Cattell he keepeth he must haue an especiall care of their bodies and of their soules of their bodies in sicknesse and in health in